10 | WEEKEND THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2017

NOIDA/DELHI

BEING
DR HUMERUS GENE TESTING

The year of personal genomics

Keshav

The conversation around personal genomics amplified in 2016, as did the range of diagnostic options
JACOB KOSHY Unlike several countries

AROUND THE WORLD
Omega-3s could
stop the wheeze
Taking certain
omega-3 fatty acid
supplements during
pregnancy can
reduce the risk of PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
childhood asthma
by almost a third, according to a new study from the
Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in
Childhood (COPSAC) and the University of Waterloo,
Canada. The study, published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, found that women who were
prescribed 2.4 grams of long-chain omega-3
supplements during the third trimester of
pregnancy reduced their children’s risk of asthma by
31 per cent. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which
include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found in cold
water fish, and key to regulating human immune
response.
Allele may affect
cognitive decline
Researchers have
found a genetic
mutation (or allele)
that can be harmful
or helpful
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
depending on
whether they are found in hunter-gatherers or in the
urban-industrialised. They found this by studying
the effect of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene,
normally known to help mediate cholesterol
metabolism and assist in the crucial activity of
transporting fatty acids to the brain. Previous
studies — all among the urban-industrialised —
have shown that the gene is associated with a four-
fold higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, other age-
related cognitive declines, and a higher risk for
cardiovascular disease. However those in a
community of Amazonian forager-horticulturalists
called the Tsimane, who carried ApoE4 and had a
high parasitic burden, displayed steadier or even
improved cognitive function versus non-carriers
with a similar level of parasitic exposure. The higher
parasitic burden in the latter was due to their
T
his may have been the
year personal genom-
ics came of age in India.
While tests to check
for mutations that
make one more vulnerable to breast
cancer have been available in India
since 2010, companies this year
have expanded the repertoire.
A growing market
It is possible to request online a
test that can tell you your
propensity to diabetes, autism,
spondylitis and coronary heart dis-
ease. GenomePatri, a product mar-
keted by Hyderabad-based Mapmy-
genome, ofers a peep into a
100-odd underlying conditions.
MedGenome in Bengaluru, another
company that ofers diagnostic ser-
vices, this year purchased a high-
end gene sequencer — a device that
can read the unique sequence of
DNA of individuals and the only
one of its kind in Southeast Asia —
for $12 million. Strand Life Sciences,
also a Bengaluru-based company,
developed a 152-gene test that will
be made available to physicians
across India for profiling tumours.
Based on one’s genetic make-up,
the tests can also provide informa-
tion on global clinical drug trials
and advise on the eicacy or tox-
icity of chemotherapy and/or radio-
therapy as an additional service to
Latching on again
CAN I GET IT? “It is possible to request online a test that can tell you your propensity to diabetes, autism,
spondylitis and coronary heart disease.” — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
physicians and patients.
The bulk of genome testing ser-
vices however still require that pa-
tients scan their genes only after be-
ing recommended by a doctor.
Moreover, in spite of the number of
people taking these tests increasing
almost a hundred-fold over last
year, it still hasn’t reached the so-
called tipping point. “We are very
far from it,” says Vijay Chandru,
chairman, Strand Life Sciences,
“there may be about seven-eight
companies doing about 5,000-
10,000 tests each annually.”
Unlike several countries such as
the U.S., Qatar, the U.K. that have
announced plans to undertake large
projects to map genomes, the In-
dian government doesn’t yet have
any major initiative. There are also
very few studies on the kind of ge-
netic variants, unique to Indians,
that may make them respond difer-
ently to certain drugs or make them
more vulnerable to certain dis-
eases. “We recently found that wo-
men from the Marwari community
were similar to Ashkenazi Jews in
their response to breast cancer,”
says Dr. Chandru, “we need more
analysis of this sort.”
Database the key
Vinod Scaria and his colleague
Sridhar Sivasubbu at the Delhi-
based CSIR-Institute of Genomics
and Integrative Biology have over
the years organised a network of
doctors across the country — called
GUaRDIAN — to help map indi-
viduals and families alicted with
PERSPECTIVE
Playing god
B ack in 1944, physicist
Erwin Schrödinger’s
masterpiece, What Is
Life?, provided the world
with a cue about the basic
tenets of life. In
subsequent decades,
discoveries advanced our
knowledge on the
complexities of life, on
how cells function and
that have announced plans
to map genomes, the
Indian government doesn’t
yet have any big initiative
rare diseases that may have a strong
genetic component. The idea is that
over time new genes or variations
of known genes are discovered that
will be useful to design better drugs
or sometimes use known drugs in
new ways. A doctor from Pune, for
instance, got in touch with the
GUaRDIAN team to report a child
with skin akin to fish-like scales. Dr.
Sivasubbu relates another case, of a
healthy couple discovering that
both their children sufered from a
genetic condition so rare that it af-
flicts 1 in 2,00,000 people. Two
things happened. One, the couple
could determine if a baby they plan
for in future will carry the gene for
the disease. Two, they were sugges-
ted a treatment — usually used in
cancer — to treat their two
children.
The conversation around per-
sonal genomics has certainly ampli-
fied but without several more data-
bases to capture India’s unique
genomic peculiarities, an online
test may be little more than a soph-
isticated gimmick for now.
jacob.koshy@thehindu.co.in
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

diminished access to modern medicine and propagate. From single

cell bacteria to complex other markers were
sanitation. This, say the researchers, indicated that multi-cellular organisms
the allele potentially played a role in maintaining designed from scratch. In
like humans, cells remain addition to the 473
cognitive function even when exposed to at the heart of all
environmental-based health threats. minimal genes, the
functions. A landmark JCVI-2yn3.0 genome also
discovery in 2016 now contained some artificial
takes our understanding a DNA sequence as
In 2017, lace up step forward in markers. These markers
Here’s why identifying a minimal set are the codes for the
of instructions required names of all the scientists
If your New Year’s OLD MEDICINE IS NEW: The European medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, an invertebrate 3 cm long in adulthood, for a cell to exist and
was considered indispensable in the 19th century. It was used in ‘blood letting’ and helping alleviate certain who worked in the
resolution is to self-propagate. With this, project, a website address
become more conditions. The leech is now making a comeback, with plastic surgeons and clinicians ‘also using it only in a last- synthetic biology has
ditch effort to stave off tissue death or necrosis following reconstructive procedures, including those for cancer’. for the organism and an
active, you might become a serious email ID. The build stage
want to consider French hospitals, for instance, have long been using leeches to prevent blood clots after surgery. Picture shows contender to other forces
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT included synthesising
running as your leeches being placed on a wound of a burn patient at the CHU hospital Pellegrin, in Bordeaux, southwestern for an understanding of individual genes and the
go-to activity. A study by the University of Arizona, France. — PHOTO: REUTERS the origin of life on earth. marker elements and
U.S. reveals that MRI scans of endurance runners’ It is a story of biologist cloning them in yeast that
brains show greater functional connectivity when J. Craig Venter and his
compared with the brains of less active individuals.
WELLNESS STUDY years long journey in the
can produce viable large
DNA segments (bacteria

Work, walk, work

Endurance runners display greater connections can’t replicate long pieces
between different brain regions than more of DNA). The final test
sedentary people. Previous research has shown that Binay phase included
training for a long time in activities that require Panda transplanting the
accurate fine motor control — such as learning to Frequent, brief walking breaks are more effective than a single, longer walk before work synthetic genome into a
play a musical instrument — alter the structure of recipient cell of a
diferent species,
brain areas that are connected with motor function.
These fine motor activities also appear to cause
changes in cortical areas that are involved in
S tuck at your work desk? Standing
up and walking around for five
minutes every hour during the work-
ditional scheduled breaks.
Finally, during a third visit, the vo-
lunteers sat for most of the six hours,
quest towards creating
Mycoplasma capricolum.
an artificial cell. A Futuristic projections
sensory, spatial, and attentional processes. day could lift your mood, combat leth- but began each hour with five minutes milestone was achieved Although the scientific
— Medical News Today argy without reducing focus and atten- of moderate walking, using treadmills this year when his team research underlying
tion, and even dull hunger pangs, at the clinic. reported the creation of JCVI-syn3.0 has been
according to an instructive new study. At the start and end of each session, a bacterial cell, hailed as one of the
Fighting therapy- The study, which also found that fre- the researchers drew blood to check Mycoplasma, with a landmark discoveries of
resistant quent, brief walking breaks were more levels of stress hormones. And period- minimal genome built the year 2016, it has not
efective at improving well-being than ically throughout each day, they asked with the help of man- augured well among
prostate cancer a single, longer walk before work, their volunteers to numerically rate made machines. They some, especially those
A new study led by could provide the basis for a simple, their moods, energy, fatigue and called it JCVI-syn3.0., who believe that life can
scientists from the realistic New Year’s exercise resolu- appetites. containing 5,31,560 base only be created and
Florida campus of tion for those of us bound to our desks The volunteers also repeated the pairs and just 473 destroyed by god. Can
The Scripps PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT all day. computerised testing of their thinking genes.Compare this with creating a minimal
skills at the close of each session. the common gut genome and inserting
Research Institute
Ups health risks
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT bacteria, E. coli, that has that into a recipient cell
(TSRI) sheds light on a signalling circuit in cells that The numbers showed that on almost nearly 5,000 genes). This
drives therapy resistance in prostate cancer. The There is growing evidence, of Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and all measures, the subject’s ratings of claim to make a new life
was the smallest and are scientists trying
researchers found that targeting the components of course, that long bouts of uninterrup- Physical Activity, researchers from the how they were feeling rose when they artificial genome ever to play god by attempting
this circuit could stop prostate cancer worsening. ted sitting can have undesirable phys- University of Colorado Anschutz did not sit for six uninterrupted hours. created. Transplanting it to create cells from
The study, published in the journal Molecular Cell, ical and emotional consequences. Medical Center, the Johnson & John- They said that they felt much more en- into a living cell, which scratch?
shows that a “constitutively active” signalling Studies have shown that sitting mo- son Human Performance Institute and ergetic throughout the day if they had has its own genome lost The answers to both
circuit can trigger cells to grow into tumours and tionlessly reduces blood flow to the other institutions decided to test sev- been active, whether that activity was during the process, made are a resounding “no”.
drive therapy resistance in advanced prostate legs, increasing the risk for athero- eral methods of increasing movement bunched into a single, longish walk at it the first viable, self- First of all, JCVI-syn3.0 is
cancer. Prostate cancer — which, according to the sclerosis, the build-up of dangerous among oice workers. (The study was the start of the day or distributed into propagating cell, one not a synthetic form of
American Cancer Society, affects one in six plaques in the arteries. funded largely by Johnson & Johnson, multiple, brief breaks. that did not exist in life but a synthetic
American men — is the second-leading cause of with additional support from the Col- On other measures, though, the five- nature before. genome inserted into a
death after lung cancer in American men. orado Nutrition Obesity Research minute walks were more potent than naturally occurring cell.
Center.) the concentrated 30-minute version. Ideal platform The work paves the way
Gretchen Reynolds When the workers rose most often, Mycoplasma is an to create cells from
Battery of tests they reported greater happiness, less ideal organism to work scratch in the future but
To start, the researchers invited 30 fatigue and considerably less craving with in synthetic biology at best, JCVI-syn3.0 is
DEMYSTIFYING SCIENCE sedentary adult oice workers to a uni- for food than on either of the other as it contains some of the part synthetic. Second,
smallest and despite the social and
What is a Megamaser? People who sit for more than eight versity clinic to complete a battery of days. Their feelings of vigour also ten- parsimonious genomes
or nine hours daily, which for many of health tests and questionnaires. The ded to increase throughout the day, ethical concerns behind
in the bacterial kingdom such work — and many of
At core, they are cousins of lasers. Just as lasers us describes a typical workday, also are researchers measured their heart rates while they often had plateaued by early and is devoid of a cell
are devices used to emit a beam of light by at heightened risk for diabetes, depres- and stress hormone levels and asked afternoon after walking only once in those are genuine that
wall. A smaller genome can be addressed by
controlling the emission of photons from excited sion and obesity compared with them to rank, on a numerical scale, the morning. is easier to synthesise putting stringent
atoms, masers — a play on the word ‘laser’ — do people who move more often. their sense of how energetic or tired There were no diferences on the and the lack of a cell wall regulatory and legal
the same in the microwave region. They can be In response, researchers and some they felt, as well as how happy they scores of the cognitive tests, whether makes the bugs easier to framework — a discovery
made in labs or can also be found naturally in bosses have proposed a variety of were, and whether they were feeling they sat all day or got up and moved. manipulate and receive of a true synthetic cell
galaxies such as the Milky Way. Earlier this methods for helping people reduce peckish and longing for food or had Stress hormones also remained steady foreign DNA. First, Dr. has positive implications
week, the Hubble telescope found a their sitting time at work, including little appetite just then. during each visit. Venter’s team discovered especially for India. In
‘Megamaser’ that was around 100 million times standing workstations and treadmill The volunteers also completed com- These results suggest that “even a the minimum number of addition to improving our
brighter than the masers found in galaxies like desks. puterised games designed primarily to little bit of activity, spread throughout genes required for fundamental
the Milky Way. This megamaser galaxy, called But such options are cumbersome test their ability to concentrate and the day, is a practical, easy way to im- Mycoplasma mycoides to understanding on how
IRAS 16399-0937, is located over 370 million and pricey, making them impractical make decisions. prove well-being,” says Dr. Jack survive and propagate by cells grow and divide,
light years from Earth. It hosts a double nucleus, for many work situations. Then, on three subsequent visits to Groppel, a study author and co- using a method called creation of self-
formed of two separate cores in the process of Some experts have worried, too, that the clinic, each volunteer simulated a founder of the Johnson & Johnson Hu- global transposon replicating artificial
merging. The two components, named IRAS if people are physically active at the of- six-hour workday. man Performance Institute. mutagenesis. synthetic cells, when
16399N and IRAS 16399S for the northern and fice, they might subsequently become During one visit, the volunteers sat So set your 2017 appointment calen- Subsequently, they achieved, will have far-
created JCVI-syn3.0 in reaching applications in
southern parts respectively, sit over 11,000 light more tired, grumpy, distracted or for the whole time with no interrup- dar, he suggests, to devote five minutes three steps: design, build
years apart. However, they are both buried deep hungry, any of which could have an un- tions, except for bathroom breaks. every hour to physical activity, environment, health and
and test. In the first step, agriculture.
within the same swirl of cosmic gas and dust desirable efect on work performance During another, they walked moder- whether you walk up and down a stair- with the help of
and are interacting, giving the galaxy its peculiar and long-term health. ately for 30 minutes at the start of their case or along a corridor, or just pace computers, the Binay Panda is at Ganit Labs,
structure. So for the new study, which was pub- experimental day, and then sat for the around your oice. — New York Times sequences of genes and Bengaluru.
lished last month in the International next five-and-a-half hours with no ad- News Service
CM ND-ND
YK
 | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2017

WEEKEND
READING
BOOK SCAN SHELF

HELP
Leaves from an annual takeaway G

Looking within
As the clock rings in 2017, looking back at the memorable books from a year most would otherwise like to forget
JACOB KOSHY

SANJAY SIPAHIMALANI
In a year that many would
like to forget, at least there
was solace to be found in
some memorable books
that mirrored and often
provided a context for what
we went through.
While experts and their
theories were pooh-poo-
hed, two books served as
reminders that hard-won
know-how shouldn’t be
cavalierly dismissed.
Siddhartha Mukherjee’s
The Gene, a compelling
history of genetics that
combined the personal
with the biological, raised
questions about the future
role of science in the inter-
play of nature and nurture.
And Amitav Ghosh’s The
Great Derangement as-
tutely pointed out that cli-
mate change today is so ur-
gent and unexpected that,
be it in mainstream literat-
ure or public discourse, we
still have to come to grips
with its scale and efects.
Dark disafection
At a time of continuing
and alarming instability in
West Asia, a foretaste of
one legacy that coming
generations will have to
contend with came in the
form of Hisham Matar’s
The Return, an unsenti-
mental, haunting memoir
in which Matar returned to
Libya after three decades to
search for his father who
was incarcerated by Qad-
dafi’s regime.
When Europe seemed to
be in danger of coming un-
stitched, David Szalay’s All
That Man Is exhibited the
day-to-day existence of in-
dividual lives on the con-
tinent in a sequence of nine
stories about European
males, from young to old,
each one dealing with the
costs of giving in to im-
pulses past and present.
Another expression of dark
disafection, this one from
the Netherlands, appeared
in English 70 years after it
was first published: Gerard
Reve’s The Evenings, trans-
lated by Sam Garrett, a
sharp detailing of the
pointless life of an oice-
worker during the course
of ten December evenings.
Individual voices were in
danger of being drowned
out by the roar of the crowd
this year, and a necessary
corrective was Olivia
Laing’s The Lonely City, a
combination of memoir
with portraits of New York
City artists such as Andy
Warhol and Edward Hop-
per. It was a book that made
loneliness “a populated
place: a city in itself”.
Another lonely voice
arose in Garth Greenwell’s
beautifully written debut
novel, What Belongs to
You, about an expatriate
teacher in Bulgaria and his
gay relationship with a
grifter. Yet another voice,
utterly solitary and dis-
tinct, emerged from the
womb, that of the narrator
of Ian McEwan’s Nutshell,
dealing with the Hamletian
dilemma of an unborn child
when he realises that his
mother and uncle are plot-
ting against his father.
Other voices, quixotic
and notable, were heard in
novels by Ryan Lobo and
Ratika Kapur: the former’s
Mr Iyer Goes to War ima-
gined a man of La Mancha
in Benaras struggling to re-
concile past glory with
present decrepitude, and
the latter’s The Private Life
of Mrs Sharma featured a
seemingly traditional Delhi
housewife navigating a
thorny path between public
modernity and private
desire.
Words of the year
Appropriately enough,
“surreal” was Merriam
Webster’s word of the year,
looked up more frequently
in 2016 than in previous
years. Han Kang’s power-
ful, unsettling The Veget-
arian, translated from
Korean by Deborah Smith,
captured this “intense irra-
tional reality of a dream”, in
the dictionary’s definition,
with a tale of a woman
The most
telling novel
about 2016 was
published in 2010:
Gary Shteyngart’s
‘Super Sad True
Love Story’
whose diet, and other
choices, make her set her
face against the world and
enter a realm of violence,
shame and desire.
Another word of the year
was “post-truth”. A chilling
outline of a world in which
such concepts are em-
braced and pushed to ex-
tremes was in Anjan
Sundaram’s Bad News:
Last Journalists in a Dic-
tatorship, a report from
Rwanda on the Orwellian
lives of some of its brave
journalists and their battles
for free speech.
In a year of America di-
vided, Colson Whitehead’s
unsentimental odyssey of
redemption, The Under-
ground Railroad, was a
fantastical, richly peopled
saga that took a fresh look
at slavery and its con-
sequences. And Paul
Beatty’s The Sellout was an
invigorating Swiftean rant
from a black narrator who
launches a political pro-
gramme with the aim of
bringing back segregation.
Economic and other
philosophies were over-
turned this year; those on
the right and the left were
driven to positions more
extreme. Sarah Bakewell’s
At The Existentialist Café
was a throwback to how
thinkers reacted to earlier
circumstances, a revivify-
ing look at the lives, convic-
tions and milieu of those
such as Sartre, de Beauvoir,
Camus and Husserl.
Violence in the name of
ideology continued to
dominate the planet, and
Karan Mahajan’s gripping
novel, The Association of
Small Bombs, made this
personal by examining the
rippling aftershocks of a
car bomb explosion in a
New Delhi market, and the
changing internal and ex-
ternal lives of families
caught in its wake.
When dashed expecta-
tions and reversals of for-
tune were the norm, Paul
Kalanithi’s When Breath
Becomes Air was a tran-
scendent reminder to ask
questions about the sort of
life worth living. Published
posthumously, it dealt with
his time before and after a
cancer diagnosis, and dis-
played the forging of a
world view that weaved
strands of biology, mortal-
ity, life and death.
The year also marked the
400th death anniversary of
Shakespeare as well as Cer-
vantes, and a fine demon-
stration of how much other
writers owe those two lu-
minaries — as Salman
Rushdie underlined in his
foreword — was Lunatics,
Lovers and Poets, an an-
thology of new stories,
both Shakespearean and
Cervantean, by Kamila
Shamsie, Ben Okri, Valeria
Luiselli, Juan Gabriel
Vasquez and others. Other
eclectic influences swam
into view with Kanishk
Tharoor's striking debut,
Swimmer Among the
Stars, a story collection
that eschewed straightfor-
ward realism and reached
back to Jorge Luis Borges,
Italo Calvino and even the
Arabian Nights and Kath-
asaritsagara for
inspiration.
In a year that was a pre-
cursor to a significant cen-
tenary, that of the Russian
Revolution, there was a
trickle of books in anticipa-
tion of the 2017 flood. Not-
able among them was Si-
mon Sebag Montefiore’s
The Romanovs, an intim-
ate account of three centur-
ies of imperial triumphs
and tragedies from Tsar
Michael to Tsar Nicholas
II; and Catherine Mer-
ridale’s Lenin on the Train,
a fascinating reconstruc-
tion of the circumstances
surrounding the Bolshevik
leader’s arrival at Petro-
grad’s Finland Station in
1917. Voices from Russia
were also captured in Svet-
lana Alexievich’s Second-
hand Time, an immersive
chronicle of the memories
and observations of every-
day citizens on the fall of
the Soviet empire and after.
Awaiting permission
The last months of the
year were, of course, noted
for long lines before banks
and ATMs as well as other
such “small inconveni-
ences”. One takes what
consolation one can from
Egyptian writer Basma Ab-
del Aziz’s novel, The
Queue, translated from Ar-
abic by Elisabeth Jaquette, a
dystopian vision of life
after the so-called Arab
Spring, when hapless cit-
izens line up before depart-
ments of an authoritarian,
prying regime for permis-
sions to engage in almost
any activity. As for the per-
nicious efects of wealth, or
lack thereof, there was
Vivek Shanbhag’s illumin-
ating Ghachar Ghochar,
translated from Kannada
by Srinath Perur, on the
physical and mental dis-
placement of those from a
middle-class Bengaluru
family.
Perhaps, though, the
most telling novel about
2016 was one published in
2010. Gary Shteyngart’s
poignant, satirical Super
Sad True Love Story was
set in a post-literate future
with a fractious America, a
dominant China, people
consumed by shopping and
messaging, and govern-
ments keeping close digital
tabs on citizens. Did
someone mention Black
Mirror?
Sanjay Sipahimalani works with an
advertising agency in Mumbai and
is a weekend book critic.
Twenty-sixteen was the year that
forced us to look within.
Introspection allows us to ponder
how invisible forces shape us and
how an obsession with trying to
establish the pre-eminence of the
human brain has blinded us to the
intricate connections that we have
with bacteria. With a far longer
history than people and the
unsurpassed masters of survivals, it
isn’t surprising that there are more
bacteria within our guts than there
are stars in the Milky Way. That last
bit is just one of many fascinating
nuggets that
science writer
Ed Yong
profers in I
Contain
Multitudes:
The Microbes
Within Us and
A Grander
View of Life.
Over the last
few years,
there’s been an
avalanche of studies using modern
genetics tools to understand how
the microbial life in our guts is tied
to the diseases that ravage us or
how faecal transplants from close
relatives can lead to improved
immunity. Yong, however, draws
out a rich history beginning from
the seventeenth century discovery
of tiny animalcules in a drop of
pond water, and how bacteria got
vilified and became the agent of
disease thanks to Louis Pasteur and
Robert Koch.
It’s taken two centuries of hard
work by microbial biologists to put
bacteria in a rational perspective.
There are good ones and parasitic
ones. Like people.
Yong profers several tales on
how human babies are bathed in
microbe-infested mucus as they
make their way out into the world.
Another accessible work this year
about our relationship to gut is
Welcome to the Microbiome:
Getting to Know the Trillions of
Bacteria by Rob DeSalle and Susan
L. There’s an exhibition in the
American Museum of Natural
History themed on this book and
the authors delve, quite
provocatively, into how unbalanced
microbiota may be responsible for
the obesity epidemic around the
world. This then leads to the larger
question of what kind of changes
we ought to be making to our diet to
be more harmonious with the
balance of our gut. This work is
well-written and informative but it
lacks Yong’s lyricism. Looking
within is clearly the way forward.
jacob.koshy@thehindu.co.in

THE BOOK
INTERVIEW
IN MY HAND
‘There was a gap about our part of the world’
Karan Mahajan Kumari Jayawardena, Sri Lanka’s foremost feminist scholar, explains the dots she had to join for her landmark book
I am reading Tavleen
Singh’s Durbar. The book MEERA SRINIVASAN
hurls you through twenty
years of Indian history — The first draft, Kumari Jay-
from the Emergency to awardena remembers, was all
Rajiv Gandhi’s jagged. She wrote it on train
assassination — with an journeys between The Hague
urgency that could only be where she was teaching and
transmitted by someone Brussels where she was living
who was defiantly there. then. It was the early 1980s. As
Last I read D.W. Gibson’s a visiting scholar at the Inter-
The Edge Becomes The national Institute of Social
Center: An Oral History of Studies in the Netherlands,
Gentrification in the 21st Century. Jayawardena was preparing
I loved it. A non-fiction book, it course material for the wo-
had the vivid, continuous feel of a
men and development pro-
stream-of-consciousness novel,
as if the author had interviewed gramme she co-taught. The
all of New York on a single day. short manuscript later be-
came the classic book, Femin-
Next I’d like to read... about a
ism and Nationalism in the
hundred things! But if I had to
name one: Fever — Mahakaler Third World. The work is still
Rather Ghoda by Samaresh Basu, considered a primer to under-
translated by the indefatigable Arunava Sinha. standing feminist movements
in Asia and West Asia through
Karan Mahajan is the author of ‘The Association of Small
Bombs’ and a panellist at The Hindu Lit for Life 2017. specific struggles of women
fighting against colonial
powers, for education, suf-
frage and safety, and against
poverty and inequality.
Three decades and multiple
editions later, London-based
Vivek Shanbhag radical publisher Verso Books
has republished the book,
I am reading Eka which American liberal fem-
Kurniawan’s novel Man inist magazine Ms. listed
Tiger, a beautiful tale set in among the top 20 Feminist
an Indonesian town. Last I Classics of this Wave, 1970-
read Elena Ferrante’s 1990.
Frantumaglia, a book of Now 85, Jayawardena, Sri
reflections, interviews and Lanka’s foremost feminist
letters of this celebrated scholar, continues to be busy
Italian writer. The book writing in her spacious
provides a glimpse into the Colombo home. She is still on
craft of Ferrante and the Council of the Social Sci-
answers many of her entists’ Association, which
readers’ questions. You will enjoy she set up in the late 1970s with
the book more if you have read left-wing academics and re-
the Neapolitan Quartet. I am searchers as the country
looking forward to reading a opened up its economy and
Kannada book, Baalu, an
autobiography of one of witnessed sharpening ethnic
Kannada’s important critics, G. H. tensions.
Nayak.
Vivek Shanbhag is the author of
Not a Western import
‘Ghachar Ghochar’ and a panellist Recalling how her best-
at The Hindu Lit for Life 2017 known book came to be, she
says: “There was a gap about
Kumari Jayawardena. PHOTO: MEERA SRINIVASAN
our part of the world.” Having Jayawardena had two key
worked on a book, Feminism preoccupations in writing the
in Europe: Liberal and Social- book. First, to challenge the
ist Strategies, German femin- prevalent idea that feminist
ist Maria Mies and she felt ideology was a Western im-
there was a need for a similar, port, an argument that conser-
historical account of femin- vative sections in the non-
isms in the ‘third world’. western world used to sup-
“To discuss the knowledge press and delegitimise
and status of women today, it women’s struggles. “I am say-
is important to know what ing feminism has a long his-
they have gained and how,” tory in all these scattered
Jayawardena says. Her work countries of Asia and Africa,
drew from extensive research well Egypt really, and even
in several countries including South Africa,” she says.
India, Sri Lanka, Turkey, She was also pushing the
Egypt, Iran and the Philip- idea that there has to be
pines. change. “We as socialists have
to put the picture in a certain
framework not saying this is
eternal — the women’s place
and women’s role — and that it
is not Western-imposed.”
The second was to chal-
lenge the Left from within for
its apparent indiference to
the women’s question. Most
within the Sri Lankan Left, like
their counterparts in other
countries, believed that “when
the working class is liberated,
women will be liberated,” she
laughs.
Jayawardena also drew from
interactions with other femin-
ists such as the Egyptian
writer Nawal El Saadawi, Mo-
roccan sociologist Fatema
Mernissi, and Indians Kamla
Bhasin, Ritu Menon and
Urvashi Butalia.
She found that while wo-
men had made significant
gains in franchise, education
and professional development
since the early 20th century,
they were yet to make a break-
through in politics. In Sri
Lanka, the women’s move-
ment today focusses more on
political and economic equal-
ity, she points out.
“In earlier years, these were
all male-dominated areas but
soon women moved in, so you
get a lot of women leaders
coming up.” All the same, hav-
ing a few women leaders does
not signal a big shift away from
patriarchy, she argues. Becom-
ing the first woman prime
minister of the world —
Sirimavo Bandaranaike — put
the then Ceylon on the world
map for as a symbol of wo-
men’s emancipation, but that,
she says, is far from true. “You
can have a queen; you can have
all sorts of situations where it
looks like a woman is at the
top. But that doesn’t mean that
patriarchy has gone, or that
women are not oppressed in
terms of wages, employment,
society, customs, supersti-
tions.”
Reflecting on the Sri Lankan
situation, since the time of
anti-colonial personalities like
Anagarika Dharmapala and
Piyadasa Sirisena when a cer-
tain brand of nationalism was
promoted, she refers to the
song ‘Me Sinhala, apege ratai’
(This Sinhala is our country)
that ends with the line ‘Mulu
You can have all
sorts of
situations where it
looks like a woman is
at the top. But that
doesn’t mean that
patriarchy has gone.
lova e ratata yatayi’ (The
whole world is under us).
Terming it “fascist”, she points
out that the song was a para-
phrasing of the German song
‘Deutschland, Deutschland
über alles’.
Kinds of nationalism
When Jayawardena speaks
of ‘nationalism’ in her book,
she is referring to progressive
struggles for “national libera-
tion” against imperial powers,
“a struggle of that period
which entailed a lot of women
joining liberation move-
ments”, not a narrow ethno-
religious nationalism that har-
bours chauvinism.
On minority nationalism
and its claim to be progressive,
Jayawardena says it is a com-
mon phenomenon in fascist,
semi-fascist, or right-wing
movements to incorporate
women. “They don’t leave wo-
men out saying this is a mascu-
line thing. Many of them at-
tract women because of the
kind of patriarchal leadership
of the great Prabhakaran or
great somebody — you know
there is an element there.”
She recalls the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
woman leader Thamilini from
one of the meetings she parti-
cipated in on a gender com-
mittee during Sri Lanka’s Nor-
way-brokered peace process:
“She was quite a progressive
woman. She had done Ad-
vanced-level education and
joined the Tigers
subsequently.”
The LTTE women came at-
tired in white shirts and black
trousers, their hair tied in
plaits. “Their argument was
that you people are asking
only for a 30 per cent (political
representation) quota for wo-
men, we are demanding 50 per
cent.” They had their own
kind of slogans saying ‘don’t
think we are backward or any-
thing, this is a progressive
movement’. “Of course we all
know how progressive these
movements can be,” she says,
voicing a lesser-heard critique
of the LTTE from the Sri
Lankan Left.
The ultra-right within the
majority Sinhala-Buddhists
were not all that diferent.
“When we look at the role of
women in any really ultra-
right-wing, Buddhist-nation-
alist, Hindu-nationalist move-
ment, we find that they don’t
exclude women. They co-opt
women in a second class way:
you go and teach in a school,
or open a day care, similar to
what Hitler called Kinder,
Küche, Kirche.”
“Even today, if you look at all
our religions there are deep
prejudices against women.
The women’s question is al-
ways with us.”
meera.srinivasan@thehindu.co.in

CM ND-ND
YK
8| - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2017
VIJAYAWADA

Playing the angles, with Russia

If Donald Trump succeeds in what Barack Obama failed to do, which is resetting ties with an aggressive
Russia, it could trigger a cascade of geostrategic realignments across the world
of humility and restraint.” The Republicans collapse of the ceasefire. A fact, however, is
M O N D AY , J A N U A RY 2 , 2 0 1 7 ridiculed his approach as “apologising for that the Pentagon was less than enthusiastic
VARGHESE K. GEORGE America’s success”. President-elect Trump about joint operations with Russia, a line Mr.
accused him of surrendering American lead- Kerry has been promoting since late 2015.
ership in the world, throughout the cam- At the core of the Pentagon’s discomfort
Split John Kerry, U.S Secretary of State, and his
paign last year. with Russia is the fact that the NATO alliance
is based on Cold War logic — or the pre-Is-

wide open Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister

Sergey Lavrov, met 14 times and spoke on the
phone numerous times in 2016 as both coun-
The Russian view
But that is not how Russia and its aggress-
ive leader, Mr. Putin — who has crossed
lamism logic if you will — and the U.S milit-
ary industrial complex has developed ac-
cordingly. Technologies and weapons more

W
hat began as a family feud is now a
fight for the very soul of the Sama-
jwadi Party. If power and position
were all that mattered, SP supremo
Mulayam Singh might have been able to more
evenly distribute the loaves of oice and quickly
end the crisis engulfing his party. But his son
Akhilesh Yadav has now taken the fight to another
plane, debunking the old guard and projecting his
own actions as those taken in the interest of the lar-
ger public good. This time the Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister’s revolt is directed at the very manner in
which the SP is being run and, by implication, he is
challenging what he perceives as the subversion of
the party’s founding values. But if he is going to ‘lib-
erate’ the SP from the feudal old guard, he will need
to do much more. When Akhilesh Yadav objected
to the party leadership’s proposal for the merger
with the SP of the Quami Ekta Dal, led by the gang-
ster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, he was not ques-
tioning the mobilisation of votes on communal
lines but the building of support blocks at the risk of
being perceived as a party that is soft on crime. Sim-
ilarly, his opposition to the re-entry of Amar Singh
into the party was not — as it arguably should have
been — an attempt to delink the SP from the perils
of corporate funding, but an efort to distance it
from seeming to be close to wheeler-dealers. On
both occasions his interventions seemed little
more than a part of an image-building exercise.
Akhilesh Yadav may have become the new,
urbane face of the party, at the head of a generation
of technology-savvy youth that speaks the language
of progress and development. But he has so far not
been able to change it in any substantive way. The
Chief Minister knows he cannot do without the
SP’s organisational structures in an Assembly elec-
tion, just months away. But he also seems to have
realised that he could not possibly benefit from the
brand of brash politics characterised by his father
and uncle Shivpal Yadav without being tainted by
it. By striking out on his own, Akhilesh Yadav is
now hoping he would gain acceptance beyond the
traditional vote banks of the SP. But the intra-party
quarrels are unlikely to have inspired confidence
among the public of the SP’s ability to provide sta-
bility and good governance. Yadav Jr will be judged
not on how he distanced himself from the lathi-
wielding criminal elements of the SP, but on how he
maintained law and order. Similarly, not on how he
managed the SP’s leadership, but on how he gov-
erned for five years. After all, in the Assembly poll,
he will be fighting against the BJP’s Narendra Modi
and the BSP’s Mayawati, not his father and uncle.
Obama’s parting
shot at Russia
tries sought to work together on some in-
tractable global issues. The relationship
between the two has been an extraordinary
one, producing a range of outcomes. At one
end of the spectrum is the Iranian nuclear
deal that both Russia and America agree has
capped the Shia regime’s nuclear capabilit-
ies. At the other end is the collapse to abyss
of Syria, a bloody and grim reminder of the
limits of their cooperation. Meanwhile, each
consecutive commentary on U.S- Russia re-
lations said they were at the lowest point
since the end of the Cold War.
A new low
The flashpoint in the relationship last
week when President Obama announced the
expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the
U.S. had been building up for a while. In July,
U.S newspaper reports — citing anonymous
intelligence sources — accused Russia of
trying to influence the outcome of the U.S
presidential election. The reports said hack-
ers working for the Russian government ob-
tained the emails of Democratic Party func-
tionaries, which were published by
WikiLeaks. Subsequently, emails of John
Podesta, the chief of Democratic presiden-
tial candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign,
were hacked and appeared in the public do-
main. These leaked emails revealed some
details about the internal functioning of the
Democratic Party and exposed some facts —
for instance, a few paragraphs from one of
the several paid speeches Ms. Clinton made
to Wall Street firms — that her campaign had
tried to conceal.
The Obama administration’s response to
the alleged hacking grew progressively
strident. The anonymous allegation was
made oicial. From initially terming it as an
attempt to discredit the U.S electoral pro-
cess, the administration concluded that the
attempt was to engineer Republican candid-
ate Donald Trump’s victory. And then, Rus-
sian President Vladimir Putin was person-
ally held responsible, an allegation that Mr.
Obama himself made publicly. All this cul-
minated in a raft of retaliatory measures. The
Russian diplomats were given 72 hours to
leave. A special Russian plane flew them out
from Washington.
The notion of an irreconcilable enemy fig-
CARTOONSCAPE
Mr. Trump has some unflinching
notions about America’s role in
the post-Cold War era, though
they don’t add up to a full picture
of his view of the world, yet
ure, in a binary world of good and evil, has
been the hallmark of American foreign
policy for most part of the last century. First
it was Nazism, and then Communism.
Reviving Cold War logic
The end of the Cold War made such a dis-
tinction diicult to sustain and when George
W. Bush declared in 2001, “you’re either with
us, or against us”, it was an attempt to resus-
citate a dead Cold War logic in the new con-
text of terrorism that would soon invalidate
most strategic theories that then existed. As
the complexities of the world grew, friends
and enemies mutated and fused among
themselves to form a galaxy of frenemies
around America. Meanwhile, the new threat
of Islamism, its rise aided by Mr. Bush’s
policies, is not territorially confined as the
earlier enemy ideologies, Nazism and Com-
munism, were. For a country used to part-
ners swaying to its will and being able to
force enemies to fall in line, this was an unfa-
miliar world. The U.S’s struggle with this
post-Cold War world has been singularly
pronounced in its wobbly relations with
Russia.
Succeeding Mr. Bush, who set out to
change the world according to his vision, Mr.
Obama started in 2009 with a scholarly ap-
preciation of the way the world is and spoke
about the need “for the tempering qualities
many red lines of international engagement
— see Mr. Obama’s tenure. A document
titled ‘Foreign Policy Concept’ released by
the Russian Foreign Ministry on December
27 noted that “the entire world has to pay a
high price for the attempts of a limited num-
ber of countries to retain their global ‘leader-
ship’ at all costs”, in a clear reference to the
U.S and its North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
tion (NATO) partners. “The terrorist threat
in the belt of instability ranging from North
Africa to South Asia’s borders has taken on a
systemic dimension…the international com-
munity clearly saw the... nature of a unipolar
hegemony and... unilateral approaches,” the
document said, while calling for a “poly-
centric world order”,
It said Russia’s relationship with the U.S.
“was complicated by an aggressive US
policy of systemic containment of Russia,
which included the build-up of sanctions
pressure, the deployment of Ballistic Missile
Defence (BMD) components and provocat-
ive military activities on Russia’s western
borders and in the Black Sea”. It said the
“well-orchestrated campaign to accuse Rus-
sia of interference in the presidential elec-
tion in the United States was designed to
whip up anti-Russia sentiments”.
In subsequent explanations, Russian For-
eign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakhar-
ova held Mr. Obama personally responsible
for the degeneration in bilateral ties and
singled out Mr. Kerry for praise. Terming Mr.
Obama’s advisers “a group of foreign policy
losers, bitter and narrow-minded”, she wrote
on Facebook, “Out of this group of spoilers, I
pity only Kerry. He was not an ally. But he
tried to be a professional and maintain his
human dignity.”
Ms. Zakharova was alluding to the col-
lapse of a ceasefire that Russia and America
sought to enforce in Syria, once in February
and again in September, before the current
deal among Iran, Turkey and Russia began
taking shape. The September ceasefire plan
was to have a Joint Implementation Centre
of Russia and America that would have co-
ordinated a military campaign against iden-
tified jihadi groups. The February ceasefire
lasted for a few days; the September one
could not even begin. Russia and the U.S ac-
cused each other of being responsible for the
suitable for combating non-state actors are
now developing at a fast pace but not at the
cost of more advanced fighters and missile
systems. With its continuing military ag-
gression on the border of NATO, Russia
qualified to be considered enemy by the U.S.
In Warsaw in July, the last NATO summit
during the Obama regime, resolved that the
alliance has to deal with two distinct threats
— on the east from Russia, and on the south
and southeast from Islamist groups. On Rus-
sia, there is a remarkable convergence
between the Republican and Democratic se-
curity establishments. Mr. Obama appears to
have come around to his 2012 opponent Mitt
Romney’s view — which he then contested
— that Russia is the U.S’s “number one geo-
political foe”.
Trump’s global perspective
Mr. Trump has some unflinching notions
about America’s role in the post-Cold War
era, though they don’t add up to a full picture
of his view of the world, yet. He believes that
NATO has to repurpose itself and focus on
fighting Islamist threats. He believes that he
can cut a deal with Mr. Putin. He isn’t much
bothered about Russia’s human rights track
record or its expansionist posturing. Unlike
Mr. Obama, Mr. Trump believes that Islamist
terrorism is an “existential threat” to Amer-
ica, a point on which the Democrats and Re-
publicans diverge. Mr. Trump will challenge
his Republican colleagues in the U.S. Con-
gress to choose what to fight first — Russia
or the jihadis. Addressing the UN in Septem-
ber 2015, Mr. Putin called for a “genuinely
broad alliance against terrorism, just like the
one against Hitler”, and Mr. Trump is in com-
plete agreement with this position.
An unstated, but equally important reason
that Mr. Trump is seeking a partnership with
Russia is China. The Obama years have wit-
nessed an increasing closeness between
Russia and China, and Mr. Trump wants to
reverse that by tying up with the former. Mr.
Putin sent Mr. Trump a year-end greeting
card hoping to “take their interaction in the
international arena to a whole new level”, in
“a constructive and pragmatic manner”. This
“pragmatic” deal being proposed by Mr.
Putin could span a vast range of regions and
issues.
Unlike Mr. Obama, Mr. Trump may have
no problem in allowing the Assad regime in
Syria to continue as a part of a settlement.
The problem areas could be Iran and Afgh-
anistan. Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he
would scrap the Iranian nuclear deal. Mr.
Putin, meanwhile, has been using Pakistan
and Iran to strengthen Russia’s contacts with
the Taliban in Afghanistan.
While Mr. Obama theorised the poly-
centric world, Mr. Putin appears to have
done a good job navigating it, striking stra-
tegic and commercial deals with a multitude
of countries and gaining influence in the

P
resident Barack Obama’s decision to slap
more sanctions on Russia and sack 35 dip-
lomats from the U.S. is the latest flashpoint
in the bilateral relations of the former Cold
War foes. Though the immediate trigger for Mr.
Obama’s action are the cyberattacks on Democratic
Party systems, which U.S. intelligence agencies be-
lieve were carried out by Russians to influence the
results of the presidential election, the action must
be seen against the deteriorating relationship
between the two countries. Ironically, Russia-U.S.
relations have hit the lowest point since the col-
lapse of the Soviet Union under a president who
had promised a “reset” of ties. At home Mr. Obama
faces criticism for not acting decisively against
Russian interventions that go against American in-
terests. The sanctions the U.S. and its European al-
lies have imposed on Russia after it annexed
Crimea had little impact on Moscow’s foreign
policy decisions. In Syria, Russia made a military
intervention to boost the regime of Bashar al-Assad
against armed rebels who had U.S. support. Mr.
Obama remained largely a spectator when Russia
reshaped the Syrian conflict, first through a brutal
military campaign and then through multilateral
diplomacy. Ties plunged to a new low with the al-
legations of hacking into the Democratic Party sys-
tems. By taking the toughest actions yet against
Russia in his final weeks in oice, Mr. Obama may
be trying to mute criticism of his Russia policy.
But Mr. Obama’s policy will have long-term im-
plications for U.S.-Russia ties. The rising tensions
have reignited fears of a new Cold War. Though
today’s Russia doesn’t have the economic resources
of the Soviet Union, its actions in Syria and Ukraine
show that Moscow is not afraid of upping the ante
in a “unipolar” world. Second, Mr. Obama is further
complicating matters of foreign policy for his suc-
cessor. Given that President-elect Donald Trump
had promised during the campaign to have better
relations with Russia and closer coordination in the
fight against the Islamic State, Mr. Obama’s last-
minute intervention is being interpreted as an at-
tempt to tie Mr. Trump’s hands. The Washington
establishment is also happy with the President’s de-
cisions. For now, Mr. Putin has deftly avoided a tit-
for-tat response, saying that Moscow will assess the
policies of the next administration. The question is,
what will Mr. Trump do? If he goes completely
against the Obama administration’s policies, he will
upset the establishment, including leaders from his
own party. If he doesn’t, he will fail on his promise
of reshaping ties with Russia and potentially raise
tensions further. Either way, Russia is back as a top
challenge on the U.S. foreign policy landscape.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Rift in the SP
The high voltage political drama that
has unfolded within the Samajwadi
Party in Uttar Pradesh is only a
continuation of the intense, bitter
and desperate power struggle that
happened a few months ago in the
party (“Mulayam revokes Akhilesh,
Ramgopal expulsions”, Jan.1). The
incidents are reminiscent of the
adage that kingship knows no
kinship. Rather than being done out
of a spirit of genuine political
reconciliation, the revocation of the
suspensions of Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal
Yadav by party supremo Mulayam
Singh Yadav has resulted from a
realisation of ground-level political
realities — that Akhilesh Yadav has
outgrown him and has a tall political
stature. Despite the political stock of
the Chief Minister being made
evident, one wonders whether the
“Akhilesh factor” alone will be
suicient enough to help the party
win back power in the upcoming
Assembly elections. The inner feuds
have certainly sullied the party’s
image as a disciplined and coherent
one in the public eye.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
After the 50 days
In the run-up to the 2014
parliamentary election, Narendra
Modi was very generous in his poll
promises and was quite clear about
blaming the UPA government for all
the ills the country was facing. His
mantra was economic development,
assuring the electorate that he would
bring back black money stashed
abroad, promising to create millions
of jobs and guaranteeing clean,
transparent and good governance. In
short, it would be ‘Achhe Din’. In
2016, Mr. Modi has completed half
his tenure. No real development has
taken place, there have hardly been
any attempts at job creation and no
black money stashed abroad has
been brought back. The politician in
him has adopted demonetisation as a
diversionary tactic. There is no relief
from this thoughtless and impulsive
decision even after 50 days (“Modi
thanks people for enduring note ban
pain”, Jan.1).
N. Jan Mohammed,
Chennai
Since the exercise of demonetisation
is now complete, it is the
government’s responsibility to
release all data about the amount of
cash deposited, black money
unearthed and the number of new
notes pumped into the system. None
of this was clear in the Prime
Minister’s speech. Short-term pain is
over but let’s hope that the long-
term gain now percolates to the
marginalised sections who were
afected the most.
Gagan Pratap Singh,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
The “relief package” announced will
not reduce the pain of the common
man. Mr. Modi has admitted that
most of us sufered a lot due to the
lack of homework in implementing
the policy. It is evident that nothing
will improve in the first quarter of
2017. His stoic silence on the
quantum of black money collected
and the steps to minimise the
financial crisis and anarchy
underlines this.
B. Prabha,
Varkala, Kerala
By Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
standards, his televised New Year-
eve address was an insipid
performance sans verve and vitality.
For once his political messaging
looked pedestrian. His comparison
of the demonetisation drive to a
trouble spots of West Asia, far dispropor-
tionate to its tumbling economy and ageing
military hardware.
Mr. Trump, in an unusual move for a Pres-
ident-elect, said on Twitter, “I always knew
he was very smart,” responding to Mr.
Putin’s decision not to expel American dip-
lomats in retaliation last week. The Russian
leader said he would wait to see the direction
of the incoming Trump administration. Mr.
Obama’s measures against Russia, which
were welcomed by the Republican Congres-
sional leaders, appears at least in part aimed
at restricting Mr. Trump’s latitude when he
assumes oice on January 20. But if he man-
ages to reset America’s ties with Russia —
which was attempted by the Obama admin-
istration with limited success — it could trig-
ger a cascade of geostrategic realignments
across the world.
varghese.g@thehindu.co.in
‘movement for honesty’ was a bid to lead in fighting corruption. His
assume the role of a moral crusader. speech has certainly made people
If the people initially seemed take note that we have a Prime
favourably disposed to the move, it Minister who has the courage to say
was because they were under the that dishonest and corrupt oicials
misapprehension that it was aimed will not be spared.
at curbing black money and would
N.S. Venkataraman,
not cause them immense distress Chennai
and prove to be a pointless exercise
as it did.
The slew of schemes, or rather sops, Taking charge in the AIADMK
for the poor announced were Though undesirable, the rise of V.K.
crumbs. We couldn’t help noticing Sasikala as the new general secretary
that the Prime Minister cleverly of the AIADMK is hardly
sidestepped the specifics of the unexpected (“Sasikala takes charge
demonetisation scheme and failed to as AIADMK general secretary”,
demonstrate with data that his Jan.1). As B.R. Ambedkar
prescription achieved the desired forewarned, hero worship plays a
efect. He disappointed those of us part in politics. It is a sure way of
who were all ears to hear from him degradation and eventual
how he was going to plug the dictatorship. This is particularly true
sources of black money. The in the case of the Dravidian parties
government is not empowered to which were founded on sound
meddle with the savings of citizens ideological principles but later
in a manner it does with tax sufered erosions while making a
revenues. transition to populist measures and
G. David Milton, a personality cult-based propaganda
in order to buy people’s allegiance.
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Another crucial dimension is the
The redeeming fact after the caste factor. As long as these factors
demonetisation exercise is that the dictate politics, there can never be
people are still willing to stand by acche din.
Mr. Modi in his battle. They do B. Kumaran Ravi,
expect him to continue to take the Tiruchi
VJ-VJ
VIJAYAWADA

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE |9

FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR

What readers want – 1
State of the U.P. battleground
All parties in the fray are not just positioning themselves against each other — they need to bring
Over the last five years, this column has discussed the clarity on many issues before the Assembly elections
many strands that make up the wonderful fabric
called journalism. From the importance of verifica-
tion, accuracy and fairness, to the perils of excessive category. But that is a late move and also
use of adjectives in reporting, and dependency on an- A.K. VERMA inappropriate as most sub-castes belong
A.S. onymous sources, all these were closely scrutinised. not to SC but to the ST category. Besides,
PANNEERSELVAN These essentials of journalism indeed miss one ele- only a parliamentary law could bring
ment that constantly brings young men and women about the recommended change, so the
to this profession: passion. SP may not reap any political advantage
Twenty years ago, Gabriel Garcia Marquez explained this process: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly election of on that count.
“Journalism is an unappeasable passion that can be assimilated and human- 2017 has become interesting for a variety The Congress does not know how to
ized only through stark confrontation with reality. No one who does not of reasons. One, since 2007, people are reach out to social groups, especially
have this in his blood can comprehend its magnetic hold, which is fueled by giving clear mandate to a party, demand- Dalits and Muslims, who were once the
the unpredictability of life. No one who has not had this experience can be- ing that it own full responsibility for gov- party’s support base. However, a few
gin to grasp the extraordinary excitement stirred by the news, the sheer ela- ernance or otherwise and not shift re- weeks ago during kisan yatras and khat-
tion created by the first fruits of an endeavor, and the moral devastation sponsibility on alliance partners. So, charchas in U.P., its party vice-president
wreaked by failure. No one who was not born for this and is not prepared to parties are expecting clear wins in com- Rahul Gandhi did try to reach out to the
live for this and this only can cling to a profession that is so incomprehens- ing polls. Two, the electoral threshold poor and farmers by promising a loan
ible and consuming, where work ends after each news run, with seeming fi- for legislative majority has been declin- waiver and subsidy on electricity. Since
nality, only to start afresh with even greater intensity the very next moment, ing; Mayawati formed the Bahujan Samaj his party has been out of power in U.P.
not granting a moment of peace.” After being a journalist for well over three Party (BSP) government in 2007 on 30 since December 1989, voters may not
decades, I realise that the foundation for this passion is the precious human per cent vote and Akhilesh Yadav take his promises seriously.
attribute: hope. formed the Samajwadi Party (SP) gov-
ernment in 2012 on 29 per cent vote (low- Leadership war
Processing the wish list est since Independence). That makes Party leadership constitutes the third
When passion and hope are channelled in a responsible and responsive parties optimistic. Three, unlike bipolar front of U.P.’s electoral battle. The SP is
manner to the needs of citizenry, journalism becomes the public sphere for competitions in Kerala, Tamil Nadu or badly divided on leadership though it
democratic mediation of ideas and policies. Karnataka, the electoral battle in U.P. is still vests authority in the Yadav family.
A good news organisation derives its One of the being fought among two regionally dom- But if Akhilesh Yadav scores in this
strength not only from adhering to its stated suggestions was inant (SP, BSP) and two national (BJP, battle, he may become the real inheritor
values but also from actively listening and Congress) parties. That may fragment of samajwadi leadership and Mulayam
responding to the readers. This column has having a dedicated votes in such a way that a marginal vote Singh Yadav’s legacy. The BJP’s leader-
been the listening post that collects, pro- weekly page to cover shift could cause the victory or defeat of ship contest remains under wraps
cesses and passes on to the editorial team a party. It is against this backdrop that though there are many aspirants for the
the voices of readers. In my earlier column,
individual States political parties are entering the fray in CM’s job belonging to diferent social
“Should news give way for views?” (September 26, 2016), I had solicited U.P. In doing so, they are not just posi- denominations. Since Prime Minister
readers’ views about what they want to see in this newspaper. I promised to tioning themselves against each other; Narendra Modi happens to be the main
share their views in the year-end columns. But, the views from the readers rather, they have multiple fronts to at- face of the BJP in U.P., nominating
were as varied as the diversity of this country; it took some more time to pro- tend to in the electoral battle. someone as U.P. CM, if required after
cess their wish list. Given the level of engagement, I am compelled to para- polls, may be easier. The BSP and Con-
phrase their views. I also refrain from attributing ideas to specific readers as Party turmoil gress have, of course, no issues on this
in most cases more than one reader suggested identical ideas. In run-up to the 2017 Assembly polls, SLIPPERY TRACK AHEAD: “In run-up to the polls, in-house turmoil is the prime concern count as Ms. Mayawati remains the un-
One of the suggestions that came from diferent parts of India was the cre- in-house turmoil is the prime concern of of all parties.” Picture shows Uttar Pradesh Chief MinisterAkhilesh Yadav disputed leader in the BSP, and the Con-
ation of a dedicated weekly page to cover individual States. Readers felt that all parties. The SP sufered a virtual split inaugurating a cycle track near his residence, in Lucknow in 2015. gress is out of the reckoning.
some States get much bigger space than others. “Small States like Delhi get a when party supremo Mulayam Singh Ya- — PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT
big play in the media because they are in the centre. But we do not have dav expelled his son, and CM, Akhilesh Demonetisation, development
enough stories from States in the periphery like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Yadav from the party for anti-party activ- Party leadership constitutes marks against Ms. Mayawati; (b) the BSP The final front centres around the is-
and the various Northeastern States. These States are relegated only to re- ities for six years, along with his cousin lost its grip over Dalits during last dec- sues of demonetisation and develop-
porting natural disasters or acts of insurgency. We appreciate the new long Ram Gopal Yadav. Given the subsequent the third front of the battle. ade; and (c) Muslims and Dalits have ment. The BJP on occasion appears
form reportage ‘Ground Zero’. A weekly in-depth section on the States that developments, many wonder whether it The SP is badly divided on much in common in social life. nervous on demonetisation despite pub-
generally miss the media radar would help us to understand this sub-contin- is a genuine tussle or has been choreo- The BJP too is positioning itself for a lic support for the move in spite of incon-
ent size country better,” said a reader. The regime change games played out graphed by the father to brush up his
leadership though it still vests complete constituency revamp and is fo- venience to people. Akhilesh Yadav
in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were cited to prove a point. The de- son’s image. But it has confused the authority in the Yadav family cussing on becoming representative of wants to recast the coming polls as a ref-
velopments in these States came in as a surprise for many because the media people and may end up harming the OBCs by appropriating greater space erendum not on his governance and de-
did not cover the events that led to change of governments in these States. party. Since the SP’s vote share was very solve this problem to the satisfaction of among more-backwards and most-back- velopment, but on demonetisation. But
fragile in 2012, any loss of its traditional rival caste lobbies in the party. wards. The party made Keshav Prasad the way the Maharashtra, Gujarat and
Stamp of authenticity supporters among Muslims or Yadavs The Congress had also been besieged Maurya president of its State unit, induc- Chandigarh civic polls, held after de-
A vast section of readers feel that news is important despite the fact that could be disastrous for the party. with a party revamp though the importa- ted BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya monetisation, have approved of demon-
most read them as developing or breaking news in various 24x7 platforms. The BSP had been through the same tion of Sheila Dikshit from Delhi as a CM (both most-backward) and allied with etisation is a pointer to the risk involved
The reportage in The Hindu helps them to confirm that it was indeed news turmoil leading to some of its senior- candidate did not work — nor did the de- the Apna Dal, making its MP Anupriya in doing so. While all parties may focus
because of the trust factor. However, they feel that the news can be brief if it most and trusted leaders — including ployment of party strategist Prashant Patel (more-backward) a minister in the on Mr. Yadav’s failings, he may counter
is accompanied by an insightful analysis. They feel that articles in the Lead Swami Prasad Maurya (most-backward Kishor, which led to senior leaders like Modi government. that with his clean image and develop-
section and the Comment sections are mostly from people who have a clear caste), R.K. Chaudhary (Pasi-Dalit) and Rita Bahuguna Joshi to quit the party. The BJP’s eforts to appropriate the ment-centric politics and also earn the
political ailiation or economic orientation. In order to contextualise these Brajesh Pathak (Brahmin) — exiting the OBC space in U.P. were facilitated be- people’s sympathy in view of his recent
views and to make sense of the news, readers prefer an explainer of major party. That does not augur well for the Constituency battling cause the SP under Mulayam Singh Ya- battles within the SP.
developments providing the facts and figures to explain the rationale, or the BSP. There has also been a withering away dav neglected homogenisation of the So the electoral battle field in U.P. is
lack of it, by policy makers. “We need to sift facts from rhetoric and an in- The BJP too had been battling to shun of traditional support bases of parties. OBCs, restricting itself to yadavisation becoming clearer. There are multiple
formed fact file would be of immense help when there is a surfeit of opinion its traditional image of an upper-caste, Ms. Mayawati is attempting a transform- only. As OBCs are the largest social fronts to be addressed. Many fast-paced
sans rational analysis,” said another reader. urban-centric party of middle-class ation of her social engineering from a group in UP, 41 per cent of the State pop- changes are taking place on a daily basis.
traders and merchants and become in- Dalit-Brahmin to Dalit-Muslim coali- ulation (NSSO data), any inroads could But how things unfold henceforth will
Special interest pages clusive. In this, the upper-caste domin- tion. That was necessitated because (a) give the BJP a big handle in the coming depend much on how parties finesse
Some readers wanted a few sections to be moved to the magazine to ance in the party puts the brake on the she had angered upper castes when BSP electoral battle. their strategies and tactics once the Elec-
provide a sense of thematic symmetry to the newspaper. For instance, they leadership’s eforts at constituency leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui made The SP also attempted to create a new tion Commission blows the whistle.
wanted “Weekend Reading” to be a part of literary review. They felt that this transformation. The BJP’s reluctance to derogatory observations about the wife constituency for itself by recommending
section should be expanded to a four-page weekly supplement and include a disclose its chief ministerial face in U.P. and daughter of BJP leader Dayashankar to the Union government recently that 17 A.K. Verma is Director, Centre for the Study of
section on writings in Indian languages. They also felt that “Weekend Be- is probably dictated by its inability to Singh after the latter’s objectionable re- OBC sub-castes be transferred to the SC Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur.
ing” on Sundays should be part of the Sunday Magazine. “Issues and topics
that have a longer shelf-life should be in the magazine section as we tend to
read them at leisure unlike news and current afairs,” opined readers. In
their wish list of sections to be shifted from the main paper to magazines are
“Open Page” and “Education Plus”, and they want the “Science and Techno-
logy” page to brought back to the news section. Readers from centres where
Not just about a quota
not all the supplements such as “Metro Plus”, the “Friday Review” and
“Cinema Plus” are available expect a curated supplement featuring some of
We need to educate children in schools about caste, ethnic, gender and regional diversities and
the best features from these magazines. have public policy interventions to make society more equal and fair
(To be continued)
resentation of all social groups in posi-
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in tions of power. When people from all so-
AMIT THORAT
cial groups are represented in
government, higher education, and in
business, it is less likely that traditionally
marginalised groups will continue to be
FROM THE ARCHIVES Should jobs, schools, and universities denied fundamental rights and access to
promote diversity with reservations or their fair share of society’s resources.
quotas? This question has long evoked
strong and passionate responses. People Not an anti-poverty plan
(dated January 2, 1967)
come to the debate with preconceived Finally, some people say that they op-
ideas and stands, and rarely change their pose today’s reservations because they
Mob sets stadium furious mob chased the minds. As a result, India is left with little believe reservation should be made on
policemen away, and took consensus on the reasons for reserva- the basis of income rather than social
on fire possession of the ground 15 tions and whether or not reservation is a background. However, reservation is in-
A riotous mob to-day [January minutes after the scheduled start useful policy. tended not to be an anti-poverty pro-
1] overpowered the police and set of play. A new survey called SARI, Social Atti- gramme. The government has many pro-
fire to the Eden Garden Cricket Krishna Menon to tudes Research for India, investigated grammes which are, in principle,
Stadium, forcing the cancellation what people in cities, towns, and villages accessible to all poor people. Reserva-
of the second day’s play in the contest from Bombay think about reservations. SARI uses a tion exists because, in addition to being
second Test match between India Mr. V.K. Krishna Menon, sampling frame based on mobile phone more likely to be poor than general
and the West Indies. Military had former Defence Minister, subscriptions, random digit dialling, castes, Dalits, backward Muslims, and
to take over control of the scene announced at a public meeting, within-household sample selection, and Adivasis face social discrimination and
of trouble and restore order. attended by 2 ½ lakh people, at statistical weights to build representat- Delhiites’ opposition to reservation one In many countries, reservation exclusion that poor people from general
About 200 persons, including 52 Shivaji Park here [Bombay] to- ive samples of adults 18-65 years old. by one. When people say that jobs and caste backgrounds do not face. The fact
police personnel, were injured in night [January 1] that he was seats in schools should be allocated on or other types of affirmative that the right to education, the right to
to-day’s incidents, according to seeking the sufrage of the people Divided by background the basis of “merit,” they are referring to action are used to try to own land, the right to conduct business,
hospital sources here [Calcutta] of North-East Bombay to stand as We asked respondents whether or not the fact that people from reserved cat- overcome human prejudice or to pursue a well-remunerated occupa-
to-night [January 1]. The a non-Party candidate to the Lok they support reservation. In Delhi, about egories are often given a concession of a tion has been reserved for men from
beautifully turfed ground, scene Sabha in the coming general half of the respondents say they do not few points on exams and in interviews. and encourage representation high caste backgrounds for generations
of many a famous cricket match, election. He said that he wanted support it. Responses vary by social cat- This view overlooks the important dis- means that government must take steps
looked like a battle field as the to contest in a democratic way. egory, and support is more common advantages that people from reserved caste groups, while reserved category to correct the unequal distribution of
among people from reserved categories. categories face in going to school or get- students rarely have such networks to rights.
The graph shows diferences in opposi- ting a job today. Reservation is a useful draw on. Reservation is a policy tool that is used
tion to reservation by social categories. tool to level the playing field: we cannot It is also important to reconsider what not only in India. In many countries, re-
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS As expected, the lowest opposition is
among respondents from the Scheduled
expect groups who have been historic-
ally deprived of education, skills, and ac-
is meant by “merit”. The ability to an-
swer test questions correctly is certainly
servation or other types of airmative
action are used to try to overcome hu-
>>Editing error: The strapline of a report, “Jaitley sees green shoots after de- Castes (SC) and Other Backward cess to other means of economic mobil- not the only, or even the best, predictor man prejudice based on race, gender,
monetisation” (December 30, 2016), should read: “Revenue up, says Finance Classes (OBC), while the highest oppos- ity to suddenly start competing with of how well someone will perform in ethnicity, religion, caste or any other
Minister.” The Minister did not say “business in several sectors thriving”, as ition is found among general caste re- those from groups who have had access school or on the job. It is worth noting group identity, and to encourage repres-
mentioned in the strapline and in the second paragraph of the report. spondents. to these means for centuries. that many reserved candidates have entation of and participation by groups
These results indicate that a majority Social transformation and building of reached schools and jobs in spite of eco- traditionally excluded and discrimin-
>>Editing error in a business report: The second paragraph of a report, of the most educated and historically economic and cultural capital takes time nomic and social disadvantage as well as ated against. One way to make these
“Toyota takes steps to cut emissions” (December 29, 2016) said: “TKM sells 95 well-to-do communities in Delhi do not to be passed on from one generation to overt exclusion and discrimination. Be- measures more acceptable and help
cars per month.” It should have been “TKM produces 95 Camry hybrid cars feel that people from marginalised another. It is an all too commonly held cause they have succeeded in the face of people better understand the historic,
per month at Bidadi. groups should get government support belief that people from general castes are adversity, they bring a diferent and de- social and cultural background behind
for representation in social and public meritorious inherently. Yet, the ability to sirable kind of merit to a school or work- reservation would be to educate chil-
>>The name of a town Kankesanthurai was misspelled as Kanesanthurai in spheres. But why? decipher test answers or speak confid- place. dren in schools about caste, ethnic,
a report, “I want to topple the govt. in 2017, says Rajapaksa” (December 30, Among respondents who had heard of ently in an interview is often the result of Some of the respondents said that they gender and regional diversities and the
2016). reservation before the survey, we further being nurtured in an environment that is opposed reservation because they be- need for public policy interventions to
asked those who opposed reservation a result of accumulated economic, social lieve in equality. However, reservation is make society more equal and fair.
Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. why they were opposed. The responses and cultural capital. Children who grew a policy tool that promotes equality
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by that we got from general caste respond- up in a dominant caste household are of- rather than undermines it. The primary Amit Thorat is Assistant Professor at the Centre for
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to ents are shown in the graph. ten encouraged, supported, and helped reason why reservation was written into the Study of Regional Development, JNU. The first
and second parts in this series, with Diane Coffey,
Friday); E-mail: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in We examine the top three reasons for to succeed by other members of their India’s Constitution was to ensure rep- appeared on December 29 and December 30, 2016.
CM VJ-VJ
YK
10 | - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

All’s not well in the Army

A military force with sharp internal divisions and discontent in the ranks has far-reaching national security
implications. It’s time the defence establishment got its act together
not much discussion about the issue of pro- quicker promotions for oicers from the In-
T U E S D AY , J A N U A RY 3 , 2 0 1 7 motion-related discrimination within the fantry but they have also successively man-
HAPPYMON JACOB Army. Not only have infantry oicers been aged to corner the Army chief’s post as well,
getting appointed to the coveted positions in including the last four times. The last four
the top rungs of the Army, the chiefs often Army Chiefs, including the current one, have
The price The ‘controversial’ appointment of the new
promote oicers from their own regiments in
a regrettable display of parochial loyalties.
been infantry oicers.
This ill-designed policy was challenged by

of defiance Indian Army chief who assumed oice on

January 1, 2017 is perhaps the appropriate oc-
casion to discuss the rising uneasiness within
The outgoing chief Gen. D.S. Suhag, for in-
stance, is reported to have promoted oicers
from the Gorkha regiment (including the in-
serving oicers in the Armed Forces
Tribunal, which squashed the new promo-
tion policy, holding that it violated Article 14

T
he Board of Control for Cricket in India
has only itself to blame for its present
predicament. Its president and secretary
have been removed for defying the Su-
preme Court’s order to accept reforms suggested
by a court-appointed committee. And its president,
Anurag Thakur, now faces legal action for con-
tempt of court as well as prosecution for perjury.
None of this would have happened had the BCCI
shown some sense of responsibility and a vision for
the future, and recognised the fact that the highest
court was only seeking to reform the manner in
which cricket is administered in the country. In the
court’s view, the appointment of the Justice R.M.
Lodha Committee and adoption of its recommend-
ations were part of a project to bring transparency
and accountability to the BCCI. While the court ex-
pected cooperation and compliance, the BCCI re-
sponded with obstructionist tactics and defiance. It
was therefore inevitable that the court would seek
to send out a message that it will not brook any wil-
ful defiance. Despite the court making the Lodha
panel reforms binding on the BCCI through its July
18 verdict, the BCCI appeared to defy it. It cited as
one reason diiculties in getting its ailiated State
units to accept the reforms, but at the same time
made at its Annual General Meeting in September
some decisions that were not in tune with the pan-
el’s recommendations. The price of such defiance
is clear: the Supreme Court is now going to appoint
a committee of administrators to supervise the
board’s afairs.
Mr. Thakur’s position is especially unfortunate.
As a young sports administrator, he was presented
with a great opportunity to lead cricket administra-
tion into a new era in which Indian cricket’s on-
field achievements would be matched by the
Board’s transparent and accountable functioning. If
only he and other ailiated units had accepted the
reforms, influential individuals who had held sway
for decades would have been replaced by fresh tal-
ent, and the seemingly unending tenure of some
would have been cut short. However, by defying the
court in the name of protecting the sport’s
autonomy, Mr. Thakur has courted a double blow:
the loss of power and authority as well as imminent
punishment. His equivocation on whether he in-
vited the International Cricket Council to say there
is governmental interference in the BCCI’s afairs
has led to the court hardening its stance against
him. It is not clear what course of action, if any,
would now mollify the Supreme Court and help
them escape its wrath. A bitter lesson has indeed
been taught, but it is uncertain if it has been learnt.
New Year’s-eve
tragedy in Turkey
the Indian Army on a number of significant
issues. While the unconvincing rationale
given for the appointment of Lt. Gen. Bipin
Rawat as the new Army chief speaks volumes
of the deep-rooted tactical thinking within
the government, there remains an urgent
need to address the lopsided promotion
trends in the Army, rising infighting within
the force, and their implications for India’s
national security.
The supersession and the issue of merit
Those who support Gen. Rawat’s appoint-
ment arguing that merit was, and should be,
the sole criterion for the supersession of two
of his seniors fall short on a number of
counts. First, to breach a well-established tra-
dition in a conservative and hierarchical in-
stitution like the Army, the government
should have a convincing and compelling
reason which it doesn’t seem to have. Second,
the argument of merit is largely redundant at
the topmost levels of an organisation where
all oicers are equally competent, failing
which they wouldn’t have made it to the Lt.
Gen. rank in the first place. Third, there is no
objective criteria for deciding merit at the
senior levels of the Army brass besides previ-
ous annual confidential reports and civilian
considerations, both of which are subjective.
Fourth, the argument that Gen. Rawat has the
required experience in certain theatres is
again beside the point because the “Chief of
the Army Staf” is not an operational com-
mander but a coordinator and chief
strategist. Finally, and most fundamentally,
non-traditional appointments without a
compelling rationale set a bad precedent and
could potentially lead to the politicisation of
the armed forces. Imagine senior Generals of
the Army running around Lutyens’ Delhi cur-
rying favour with ruling party politicians to
make it to the top!
There have been reports, citing unnamed
sources within the government, about the
possibility of the most senior General of the
Army, Lt. Gen. Praveen Bakshi — now super-
seded by Gen. Rawat — being appointed as
the first Chief of Defence Staf (CDS). While
it may turn out to be mere speculation, if true,
CARTOONSCAPE
The Army leadership must rise
above parochial regimental factors
and look after the interests of the
force as a whole rather than
those of their regiments
it may well be even more worrying. The first
in line becomes CDS, third in line gets the
Army chief’s job. What about the second in
line, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali Hariz, one of the
very few Muslim oicers to have become an
Army commander? If the report turns out to
be correct, wouldn’t the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) government, by ignoring Gen.
Hariz, be sending out a politically incorrect
signal? This question, uncomfortable as it
may sound, can’t be allowed to be swept un-
der the carpet.
The justification of Gen. Rawat’s appoint-
ment as stemming from his experience in
dealing with insurgency is also indicative of
the deeply entrenched tactical thinking
within the government at the Centre. This
then means that the BJP-led government
considers anti-militancy and counter-insur-
gency operations to be the fundamental job
description of the Indian Army. This is not
just a tactical view of the country’s threat en-
vironment but worryingly also ignores stra-
tegic planning and an appreciation of the
long-term strategic environment. Would the
BJP-led government like to reduce the Indian
Army to a counter-insurgency force?
While the Army leadership is exception-
ally vocal on the ‘One Rank, One Pay’ ques-
tion and parity with civil servants, there is
cumbent chief Gen. Rawat), his own regi-
ment. Former Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh,
now Minister of State in the government, was
also accused of promoting oicers from his
own Rajput regiment. There is a growing
sense of resentment elsewhere in the Army
about the disproportionate opportunities for
oicers from the infantry and artillery wings.
Oicers from other wings, especially the
Armoured Corps and Mechanised Infantry,
have been publicly voicing their concerns.
Note that this is over and above the fact that
only oicers from the fighting arms of the
Army make it to the top, meaning that those
from Engineers and Signals don’t even stand
a chance of doing so. This already existing
discrimination is getting even more glaring
thanks to the new promotion policy adopted
by the Army. The victims of the new policy
have been fighting it out in the Supreme
Court.
The ongoing court cases
The current debate about the Army’s pro-
motion policy has its genesis in the Kargil Re-
view Committee report which recommen-
ded that promotion to the Colonel and
Brigadier levels should be made quicker so
that younger oicers can command bat-
talions and brigades. Thereafter the Ajai
Vikram Singh Committee (AVSC) made
some important recommendations in 2001 to
restructure the oicer cadre in the Army.
Among other things, it recommended the im-
plementation of the Command Exit model
(as opposed to the pro rata basis) for promo-
tion to the colonel level. While the pro rata
basis gave advantage to the infantry and artil-
lery (given their numerical superiority in the
Army), the Command Exit model, which pre-
scribed diferentiated command tenures
(that is, the length of the tenures of com-
manding oicers i.e., colonels before promo-
tion to the next level) for various arms, gives
even more advantage to the Infantry. Con-
sider the following: the AVSC fixed the com-
mand tenure of Infantry oicers at 2.5 years,
that of Armoured/Mechanised Infantry and
Artillery at three years, and Engineers and
Signals at four years. This has not only led to
of the Constitution. However, the Supreme
Court in February 2016 upheld the policy, at
the same time asking the government to cre-
ate 141 additional posts at the rank of colonel
to be granted to oicers from Engineers, Sig-
nals and Air Defence. Late last year around
350 senior Army oicers have again ap-
proached the Supreme Court seeking a re-
view of its February judgment.
Then there are ugly public spats between
senior Army oicers. Gen. V.K Singh, Army
chief from March 2010 to May 2012, was not
only the first serving Army chief to take the
government to court (on the issue of his date
of birth) but has made uncharitable public al-
legations against Gen. Suhag. Gen. Singh,
during his tenure, had also placed Gen. Suhag
on a “discipline and vigilance ban” which
could have stopped the latter from becoming
the chief. Before his retirement, Gen. Suhag
filed an aidavit in the Supreme Court in
which he accused Gen. Singh of trying to
scuttle his promotion. Gen. Singh’s words
and deeds during his tenure as Army chief
and after becoming a minister have not only
been careless and ‘un-oicer-like’ but also
continue to create dissension in the Army top
brass.
Need for political oversight
While politicisation of the afairs of the
armed forces is indeed harmful, it may also
not be a good idea to let the Army handle its
own business as it deems fit. At present,
politicians hardly focus on serious defence
matters or inter-service/intra-service ten-
sions. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) bur-
eaucrats, with limited expertise in these mat-
ters, mostly function as gatekeepers keeping
the forces away from the civilian seats of
power.
And yet, in keeping with the commendable
tradition of civilian supremacy in the coun-
try, it is time to consider civilian oversight of
the promotion process at the highest levels of
the armed forces. However, civil servants in
the MoD or the Appointments Committee of
the Cabinet can’t alone be entrusted with
that job. Ideally, such high-level appoint-
ments should either be vetted by an em-
powered Parliamentary Standing committee
on Defence or be decided by a ‘bipartisan’ Se-
lection Committee composed along the lines
of the one that selects the Central Bureau of
Investigation chief and the Chief Vigilance
Commissioner.
The multiple crises alicting the Indian
Army have far-reaching national security im-
plications. Clearly, a military force with
sharp internal divisions and discontent in the
ranks can pose challenges for the country’s
national security and the morale and cohe-
sion of the fighting forces. Such a pervasive
sense of intra-service victimhood and dis-
crimination can further deteriorate the
strength of a force which currently has a
shortage of over 9,000 oicers.
If the Modi government wishes to seri-

T
he New Year’s-eve attack on an Istanbul
nightclub that killed at least 39 people,
mostly foreigners including two Indians,
is yet another reminder of the rapidly de-
teriorating security situation in Turkey. It comes
days after the Russian ambassador to Turkey, An-
drey Karlov, was shot dead in Ankara by a lone gun-
man. In 2016, there were dozens of violent incid-
ents, both by the Islamic State and Kurdish rebels,
which have raised questions about the govern-
ment’s ability to provide even basic public security.
The attacks have also badly hit the tourism eco-
nomy, which makes a sizeable contribution to Tur-
key’s GDP. The Istanbul attacker, who the IS has
called “a heroic soldier of the Caliphate”, has fol-
lowed a similar pattern. He chose an upmarket
nightclub in the western part of Istanbul where for-
eign tourists had gathered to welcome the New
Year. But why is Turkey being repeatedly targeted?
Or, how has the country, till a few years ago politic-
ally stable with a booming economy, descended
into instability and chaos? In part, it is a blowback
for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Syria policy,
which turned out to be a monumental failure. Like
many of his Western allies, Mr. Erdogan also ini-
tially thought that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
was about to fall, and ofered help to the anti-re-
gime rebels. Ankara also inadvertently helped the
rise of the IS by allowing jihadists to cross into Syria
via the Turkish border. By the time the government
realised its folly and started attacking the IS, the
group had grown into a real terror machine.
Mr. Erdogan’s decision to relaunch the war with
Kurdish rebels was also linked to his policy debacle
in Syria. When the rebels started building an
autonomous Kurdistan in Syria in the wake of the
government’s withdrawal from the border region
and emerged as battlefield allies of the U.S. against
the IS, Mr. Erdogan saw it as a long-term challenge
to Turkey, given the long history of fighting
between the Turkish state and the Kurdish milit-
ants. He abandoned a ceasefire with the Kurdistan
Workers Party, kicking of a new phase of the civil
war. Mr. Erdogan is now in a tight spot. The country
faces constant threats from the IS, a group that it
once ignored. The civil war with Kurdish rebels,
which Mr. Erdogan might have hoped would curtail
the nationalist ambitions of the Kurdish minority, is
growing out of control. Besides, Mr. Erdogan’s au-
thoritarian tendencies and the crackdown on dis-
sent and opposition parties are deeply polarising
the country. It is this fragility of the security archi-
tecture in Turkey that is frequently being exposed
by the attackers.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Wrestling for power
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam
Singh has grossly underestimated
the potential of his son and Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh
Yadav who has bounced back
despite the hurdles placed before
him. Mr. Akhilesh seems to have
pre-empted all these moves and has
now left his father high and dry.
Dynasty politics has its
disadvantages. Seniors in the party
must have some inkling of the
working style, skills and
expectations of younger leaders who
are in power. There could be
meaningful course correction on
some vital issues without significant
interference from them, but for them
to expect to ‘remote control’ the
administration altogether can prove
dangerous. Politics is a diferent
animal.
K.V. Raghuram,
Wayanad, Kerala
The Samajwadi Party appears to be
nearing implosion before the crucial
U.P. elections with daggers drawn
before the final countdown. With
neither Mulayam Singh Yadav nor
Akhilesh Yadav willing to blink,
there could be trouble ahead. A
break-up could completely rejig
what was till now a three-way
contest — between the SP, the BSP
and the BJP. The Congress’s chances
can be ruled out. Akhilesh Yadav has
become “the new, urbane face of the
party, and is at the head of a
generation of techno-savvy youth
who speak the language of progress
and development”. However, he
should not forget that in the
elections, it will be the BJP and the
BSP that matter.
C.V. Venugopalan,
Palakkad
On reservation
While reservation is an efective tool
for social mobility, we cannot
remain oblivious to the fact that it
has strengthened and
institutionalised a caste-based
identity (“Not just about a quota”,
Jan.2). Dr. Ambedkar had himself
said that reservation cannot be for
an unlimited time, but due to vested
interests, no authority or
organisation has been willing to
judge the eicacy of reservation in
terms of enabling its intended
benefits and examining its
percolation to the marginalised
sections. The “monopolisation” of
reservation has to be looked into. To
imply that people from the reserved
category face discrimination is a bit
far-fetched. There are many in the
unreserved category who continue
to face exploitation.
Nimbulal Manjhi,
Darbhanga, Bihar
The “seeds of discrimination” were
sown a long time ago. The issue that
should have been highlighted is that
the realities at the village level are
far diferent from those in a metro. A
clearer picture will emerge when the
real suferers, irrespective of their
caste, tell their true stories.
R. Javed,
Hazratganj, Lucknow
The fight against inequality requires
a holistic approach of which the
quota system is only a small part.
The condition of poor Dalits,
minorities, transgenders and other
marginalised sections is far from
satisfactory. Their uplift requires
ethical governance and sound
policies that are monitored
periodically followed by adequate
implementation. How every citizen
is made aware of the complexities of
discrimination is complex. Perhaps
there can be consistent campaigning
by NGOs, civil society, the media,
and educational institutions to
create awareness about the need for
sensitivity and responsibility.
Arpit Jain,
New Delhi
One way of breaking the resistance
of the general category to the
continuance of the quota system for
the downtrodden in (government)
jobs and educational institutions
could be to intensify the
socialisation process in afected
institutions. An induction
programme for new recruits which
highlights the synergetic efects of
diversity and the need to reduce the
baggage of social discrimination
should be an integral part of
learning. The income criteria should
ously address and tackle some of these troub-
ling issues, and thereby strengthen the coun-
try’s national security, the Defence Minister
and the new Army chief should take urgent
measures to address the sources of this grow-
ing discontent within the country’s ace force.
Moreover, it is important that the senior
Army leadership rise above parochial regi-
mental considerations and look after the in-
terests of the force as a whole rather than
those of their own regiments.
Happymon Jacob teaches Disarmament and National
Security at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal
Nehru University, New Delhi.
be applied in the case of the SC and But when it comes to competing in
ST categories so that the benefits an examination, he must be subject
accrue to the more needy. Besides to only one cut-of level. By diluting
these, an analysis of the causes cut-of marks, we are not only
which have made the quota system inducing complacency but also
continue, as it were, needs to be indirectly making India weak.
studied. The fact that quota has been Arvind Kumar Choudhary,
extended further to OBCs makes it New Delhi
appear as if the system will run
perpetually. This was not the I hail from a backward class. Even
intention of our Constitution. decades after the adoption of the
Y.G. Chouksey, world’s most comprehensive
Pune Constitution, we have achieved very
little success in ensuring the uplift of
The term “backward section” has the marginalised. The younger
also undergone change. Every generation has hardly any idea about
section which is poor and unable to the intention of reservations and is
support itself is backward. In today’s misinterpreting it. We can ensure
world it is not only an SC person equal and fair justice for all only
who faces discrimination but also a when there is adequate
poor general person. Are there any representation for all communities.
policies to end the discrimination he Bontalakoti Sankaranarayana,
faces? Granting reservation merely Mangaluru
on the basis of a person’s caste is not
a correct method to increase
Fuelling more misery
inclusion of these backward
sections. There should be some The new year is beginning on a
provision for a creamy layer in the dismal note for millions in the form
case of SCs and STs. of a fuel price hike (“Petrol, diesel
Vedant Mishra, and LPG to cost more”, Jan.2). They
Unnao, Uttar Pradesh are already experiencing pain as a
result of quixotic demonetisation.
I am a ‘general candidate’. To put it The price increase is steep and after
plainly, I am not against reservation considering VAT would be even
but resent some of its provisions that higher. All this will have a cascading
are applied in the field of education: efect on people’s livelihoods.
the diference in cut-of marks for Despite the downward spiral of
selection. A reserved candidate can crude prices, the government has
avail of concessions such as age not passed on the benefits.
relaxation, an increased number of S.K. Khosla,
attempts and even financial rebates. Chandigarh
ND-ND
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE | 11

LEGAL EYE
What is special about
The rediscovery of urban India
After long years of neglect and alienation, cities are feeling empowered under the rewritten rules
special courts? of urban planning. The early results are already visible
The legislature has introduced special courts on many occa-
sions through various laws, usually with the intention to en- Ahmedabad are set to issue municipal
able quick and eicient disposal of cases. But an examination bonds very soon. Release of funds is
of the laws that require setting up of special courts compared M. VENKAIAH NAIDU now linked to progress of mandated
to the actual numbers that have been set up reveals the extent governance reforms under all new
SAKSHI to which reality and intent are mismatched. urban missions including the housing
In a short study by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, 764 Cent- mission. Online integrated single-win-
ral laws enacted and amended between 1950 and 2015, excluding laws that India is moving away from villages and dow clearance for construction permits
were repealed in this period or that may have been amended after 2015, is set to soon become more urban. To is being put in place to improve ease of
were examined to determine the frequency of their occurrence. We looked meet this demographic transition, ex- doing business. Cities are now looking
in these statutes for only mentions of ‘special’ or ‘designated’ courts or perts say that we need to build 22 new at public-private partnership and value
judges, that is, courts or judges established to ensure efective trial and that Bengalurus besides recasting the land- capture financing with a changed
have powers of district or sessions courts. Forums like quasi-judicial bod- scape of the present 4,041 cities for a bet- mindset.
ies, tribunals, and commissions were excluded. It was found that only three ter living. The past is not encouraging.
statutes provided for special courts between 1950 and 1981, whereas But can we make the future perfect? Results on the ground
between 1982 and 2015, 25 statutes mandated the establishment of such Long years of vacillation since Inde- Involvement of citizens, increased
courts. pendence about our approaches to sense of ownership of new urban mis-
What are the reasons for this drastic change in legislative policy? The urban management and dilemma over sions by city and State governments
five-year period from 1982 to 1987 witnessed an unexplained spurt in the the relevance of urbanisation to our so- coupled with delegation of powers are
number of laws creating special courts. A similar increase was seen cio-economic context with the adjunct yielding results. Under the Pradhan
between 2012 and 2015. Several such courts were created in response to spe- weak policy approach have taken a very Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), construc-
cific incidents. For instance, the 1992 securities scam led to the Special heavy toll of life in urban areas as one tion of about 15 lakh afordable houses is
Court (Trial of Ofences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992. sees now. This, despite the universal ac- being financed as against only about
The largest number of special/designated courts were created between knowledgement that urbanisation 12.50 lakh during 10 years of UPA rule.
1982 and 1992. However, there is no categorical rationale for these drives economic growth due to the at- Under AMRUT, 86 per cent of mission
developments. tendant advantages of urban investments stand approved and a large
agglomerations. number of projects are of the ground.
Setting up and designating special courts The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Since the announcement of the first
Laws interchangeably use the terms ‘set up’ or ‘designate’ with respect to Mission (JNNURM) launched in 2005 batch of smart cities in January this year,
special courts. Setting up a special court may require new infrastructure was no doubt the first concerted efort a large number of projects have already
and facilities, whereas a designated court merely adds additional respons- to make a diference to the urban chaos. come to be implemented. Over 500 cit-
ibilities to an existing court. In our study, of the 28 statutes enacted between However, by the time it was wound up ies and towns have already become
1950 and 2015, three provided for both, 15 ‘set up’ special courts, and 10 em- by the United Progressive Alliance open defecation-free. Andhra Pradesh,
powered the competent author- (UPA) government in March 2014, the MASS PARTICIPATION: “The Swachh Bharat Mission is gaining momentum as a people’s Gujarat and Sikkim have already de-
ity to designate a court. However, Special courts are seen as a JNNURM fell much short of intentions. movement.” BHEL volunteers and City Corporation workers clean the Sri clared all cities and towns as open de-
implementation of the law does quick remedy to delays in Out of the total of 1,631 projects sanc- Erumbeeswarar Temple premises at Thiruverambur near Tiruchi. PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ fecation-free as the Swachh Bharat Mis-
not necessarily follow this dis- tioned under this for improving urban sion gains momentum as a people’s
tinction between setting up and trials. But an absence in the infrastructure with central aid of about of new schemes by city and State gov- The PM’s home State or the movement.
designation. Despite providing number set up shows a Rs.39,000 crore, only 710 projects, i.e. 43 ernments. Consequently, project and in- For the resource-starved cities, in-
for ‘setting up’ special courts, per cent, were completed during the 10 vestment approvals were being accor- two States where my mother vestment of over Rs.2.75 lakh crore has
State governments have desig- contrast to such an objective years. Why was it so? ded in the last two quarters of a financial tongue Telugu is spoken can’t been approved in just a year. As against
nated courts under most of the legislations. Out of the 15 statutes which spe- Of the 275 JNNURM projects sanc- year causing implementation delays. get even a rupee over and the UPA government’s Rs.39,000 crore
cifically provided for ‘setting up’ of special courts, only one has been en- tioned during 2012-14, a huge chunk of 43 Citizen participation in urban planning of central assistance for basic urban in-
abled with them by few States. per cent went to just one State from and project prioritisation are now made above their entitlement frastructure, this government has com-
Based on the nature of legislation and primary subject matter dealt with, where the then Urban Development mandatory. About one crore citizens mitted Rs.50,000 crore under AMRUT,
we divided the statutes into five clusters of economic ofences, regulatory Minister hailed. It was clearly with an contributed to the making of ‘smart city’ fied area besides improving service de- Rs.48,000 crore for smart cities and
ofences, law and order, social justice, and national security. The objective eye on the 2014 general election. Such an plans. Urban planning is now made ‘bot- livery across the city through informa- Rs.14,643 crore for making cities clean.
of special courts has been unclear. It is not very revealing whether specific approach did not get the votes expected tom up’ and the results are showing. tion and communications Besides, Central assistance of Rs.1.50-
legislations which provide for special courts necessarily intend quick dis- but only wrecked the mission. A clear Rules of urban planning have now technology-based solutions. The focus Rs.2.30 lakh is being given for each
posal of cases. The statutes which have been recently enacted, mostly those case of political expediency with dis- been rewritten. States just can’t send has shifted from a project-based ap- house for urban poor under the Pradhan
falling under the cluster of economic ofences, have provisions for special astrous long-term consequences. half-baked and shoddy projects to Delhi proach to area-based outcomes. Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). The re-
courts although older legislation, like the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled as the financial year draws to a close. Since the fund entitlements of each source kitty of cities has been given a
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, or the Narcotic Drugs and Psy- Participatory urban planning Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvena- State and city-wise infrastructure defi- further boost by earmarking Rs.83,000
chotropic Substances Act, 1985, have a huge backlog of cases waiting to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi said tion and Urban Transformation (AM- cits are known in advance, why should crore for urban local bodies under the
cleared. in 2014 that there would be no more RUT) and Smart Cities Mission meant we wait to approve projects till the last 14th Finance Commission recommend-
We studied three statutes from three clusters, based on the availability of playing of politics with development. for improving urban infrastructure, quarter of the fiscal? With city govern- ations as against only Rs.27,000 crore
data, to observe the nature and frequency of institution of ‘special courts’: Under the new paradigm shift set in mo- there shall be a comprehensive assess- ments rising to the occasion over the earlier. States have also been em-
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act tion, clear and objective ground rules ment of infrastructure deficit before last and this fiscal, the Ministry of Urban powered to spend more on cities further
(POA), 1989; National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (NIA Act); Preven- have been laid down. Objectivity and drawing up city-level action plans. Cit- Development has started approving in- to devolution of 42 per cent of divisible
tion of Corruption Act, 1988 (POCA). transparency in selection of cities and ies have been empowered to add to their vestments for the next three financial resources, a hike of 10 per cent over
The pendency rates in courts for cases filed under POA are huge. While allocation of central resources under technical capabilities. And now there is years under AMRUT during this year. earlier sharing.
the national average is 84.1 per cent, States like Maharashtra and West new urban missions are now the rule of clear evidence that cities are rising to With this, projects for five years of 14 The early shoots of urban renaissance
Bengal have pegged their respective pendency rates well above the average. law. This is based on urban population the occasion by rediscovering States stand approved and this would be are quite visible with a new churning
The number of cases being registered from these States has also been signi- and the number of statutory urban local themselves. done for the remaining in a month or so. among cities that are thinking and act-
ficant. However, the absence of exclusive courts in these States has been bodies in each State. The Prime Minis- The first priority under AMRUT is to This enables city and State governments ing diferently. Making a perfect urban
stark. On the contrary, there have been several special courts and fast track ter’s home State of Gujarat or the two ensure water supply connections to the to realise mission targets by the stipu- future is a daunting task but a definite
courts being set up under POCA although the total number of cases re- States where my mother tongue Telugu 2.25 crore urban households that are de- lated time through advance planning. beginning has been made over the last
gistered is nearly 1/10th of cases under POA. Under the NIA Act, in spite of is spoken can’t get even a rupee over and prived of them, followed by improving After long years of neglect and aliena- two and a half years. The new year shall
mandating special courts, all the courts set up have been designated courts. above their entitlement. sewerage networks, drainage and non- tion, cities are now vying for credit rat- see much more happening on the
Till 2014, every project needed for a motorised urban transport. Developing ing, which encompasses the entire ground.
No exclusivity city was being appraised and approved one park in each city every year is man- gamut of urban governance, including
From the available data, it is fairly conclusive that there is no exclusivity in Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi. With datory. The Smart Cities Mission seeks the mindset of politicians and the city M. Venkaiah Naidu is Minister of Urban
in ‘special courts’. Laws enacted in the last three decades have considered this ‘top-down’ planning, there was no to ensure core infrastructure, including oicials. Over 80 big cities have almost Development, Housing & Urban Poverty
special courts as quick remedy for questions of delays in trial. However, a sense of involvement in and ownership health care and education, in an identi- completed this exercise. Pune and Alleviation, and Information & Broadcasting.
striking absence of number of ‘special courts’ set up provides a glaring con-
trast to such an objective. Notably, in most instances where existing courts

When women eat last

are designated as special courts, the original intent of speedy disposal of
cases seems to have been defeated. Questions of pendency have often sur-
faced, thereby rendering the point of eiciency of the institution moot. Ab-
sence of rationale in both selective insertion of provision for special courts
and actual setting up of courts appears to have rendered the notion of spe-
cial court superfluous. In households with a limited food budget, or where there is no refrigerator to store leftover food,
Poor quality or complete absence of data remains a major concern for
this study. Oicial websites (for instance, nodal ministries) did not always the person who eats last very often gets less or lower quality food
have the latest updated versions of statutes. The status of these laws is dii-
cult to assess as information about the number of courts set up or desig- Part of the reason is that SARI and the
nated under various laws is not always available. IHDS asked diferent people. The IHDS
However, this study does reveal much scope to expand the areas of en- DIANE COFFEY asked only women, while SARI asked
quiry for research. For instance, what is so special about special courts if both women and men. The graph shows
they only provide an additional forum to dispose cases? Is this purpose still the SARI results for this question
served if existing courts are merely designated as special courts without broken up by sex. In U.P. (but not in
any new infrastructure being created? Can inferences be drawn about the India has a major child malnutrition Delhi) men were significantly more
state of the judicial system where special courts have been introduced by problem. The Rapid Survey on Chil- likely to say that they eat first. We do not
way of amendments to parent laws? Is the legislature monitoring the health dren (2012-13) found that about 4 in 10 know why men in U.P. reported more
of special courts and examining whether their original stated purpose con- children are stunted. On average, chil- often than women that women eat last.
tinues to be served? These are questions which future studies could dren who are stunted do less well in Studies of discrimination in other con-
explore. school, earn less, and die sooner than texts suggest that where discrimination
children who are not. is severe, it is often easier to get people
Sakshi is a Research Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi. Views are personal. There are many causes of child stunt- to admit to engaging in acts of discrim-
ing. Addressing poverty and improving ination than to experiencing it.
education would help, but development Nor do we know for sure why even
is not the only factor. Research shows among women, the SARI figures are
that poor sanitation spreads diseases higher than the IHDS figures. It may
FROM THE ARCHIVES that sap children’s energy and stunts
their growth. Also, the health of a child’s STUNTED GROWTH: “Making a woman eat last has great implications for her child’s
have to do with how respondents react
to a phone survey versus a face-to-face
mother matters critically for whether or health.” A woman and her daughter eating in Pipari village in Uttar Pradesh. PHOTO: AP survey. The women surveyors who con-
not the child is stunted. ducted IHDS interviews may have been
The first two years of life are the most lives. seen by respondents as progressive wo-
(dated January 3, 1967) important time for a child’s physical and One aspect of discrimination against men having jobs and moving around
cognitive growth. During this time, she women that matters for health is without their family members. For a re-
Dictionary of Pressmen here [Mysore] on depends heavily on her mother for nu- whether women eat less or worse qual- spondent in a conservative household,
December 31 that the five-year
biographies project was taken up for execution
trition. As a growing foetus, she gets all ity food than men. In order to measure it may be easier to admit discrimination
her food from her mother’s blood- discrimination in women’s food intake, to a stranger on the phone than to a pro-
A ‘dictionary of biographies of in 1963 and explained that the stream, and after birth, is ideally breast- SARI used a question that was previ- gressive woman sitting in front of her.
Indian nationalist leaders,’ the dictionary would contain fed for at least six months. ously tested and used by the India Hu-
first of its kind in the country, will biographies of about 1,200 leaders Unfortunately, research shows that man Development Survey (2011): What can be done about it
be published by the Institute of ‘who led or influenced or inspired many Indian women start pregnancy “When your family eats lunch or dinner, No matter what the exact figures, it is
Historical Studies, Calcutta, at the others’ during the period between underweight and gain little weight dur- do the women usually eat with the men? clear that the practice of making wo-
end of next year. Dr. S.P. Sen, the beginning of the 19th century ing pregnancy. This leads to low birth Or do the women usually eat first? Or men eat last is widespread in Delhi and
Director of the Institute, told and 1947. weight babies, high rates of neonatal do the men usually eat first?” Answers U.P., and that it has important implica-
mortality, and less successful breast- to these questions have implications for tions for a child’s health. What is un-
feeding. Women’s undernourishment nutrition because in households with a clear is how to address the problem.
contributes substantially to India’s un- limited food budget, or where there is While the government cannot force
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS acceptably high rates of child stunting.
Why are Indian women so malnour-
no refrigerator to store leftover food,
the person who eats last very often gets
people to give women an equal share of
food, it could do a lot more to promote
ished? Here, too, poverty and sanitation less or lower quality food than people gender equality. It could publicise and
>>The headlines for the three components of S. Muthiah’s “Madras Miscel- play a role. But a recent survey that I who eat before her. condemn this practice. It could also
lany” column (MetroPlus supplement, Chennai, Jan. 2, 2017) were: “Leith conducted with a team of economics The IHDS 2011 survey interviewed more aggressively pursue policies to
Castle under threat?” ; “A one-day, not a two-day, win”; and “When the post- and sociology researchers suggests that married women aged 15-49 and found address discrimination against women
man knocked”. These were the headlines given by the Desk. In The Hindu, a widespread discrimination against wo- that one in five women in Delhi and half in other domains. Encouraging girls’
story is processed for both print and online platforms using diferent technical men in their own homes likely plays an of the women in Uttar Pradesh said they education, discouraging dowry, sup-
parameters. The version meant for the online platform was erroneously pack- important role too. things SARI measures is discrimination ate after men did. When we decided to porting marriage choice, and encour-
aged as the print version leading to the error. As a result, the headline — “Leith against women. include the same question in the SARI aging female labour force participation
Castle under threat?” — embarrassingly appeared thrice. Measuring discrimination In India, girls are less likely to survive survey five years later, we found even would all give women more power to
Social Attitudes Research for India infancy than boys, and if they do, par- higher numbers. One in three adults in challenge this damaging practice.
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by (SARI) is a new phone survey that seeks ents invest less in their education. Wo- Delhi, and six in ten adults in U.P. said
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- to interview representative samples of men are far less likely to work outside they lived in households where men eat Diane Coffey is a visiting researcher at the Indian
18-65-year-olds. Recently, we inter- the home and have their own bank ac- first. Why are these numbers even Statistical Institute, Delhi. This is the last of a four-
day); part series on prejudice. The first, second and third
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in viewed 1,270 adults in Delhi and 1,470 counts than men. Many report little de- higher than what the IHDS found in parts, with Amit Thorat, appeared on December 29
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com adults in Uttar Pradesh. One of the cision-making power over their own 2011? and December 30, 2016, and January 2, 2017.

CM ND-ND
YK
8| - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
BENGALURU

Two takes on democracy

W E D N E S D AY , J A N U A RY 4 , 2 0 1 7
Secularising
This week, a divided Supreme Court placed before us two visions of the public sphere, pitting the ideal
of the universal citizen against citizen-electors situated within their social contexts
gion, language, caste, etc were precisely the and of the Constitution.
kind of divisive markers of identity that But it was not the vision that the dissent-
GAUTAM BHATIA threatened this fragile consensus; and two, ing judges held. At the heart of the disagree-
while democracy depended on voters exer- ment between the majority and the dissent
cising their franchise on the basis of rational was a disagreement over the idea of citizen-
Do fair elections require that certain kinds of
thought and action, appeals to religion, lan-
guage, and caste were inherently emotive
ship, and the value of identity. Justice D.Y.
Chandrachud, the author of the dissenting

the election statements — such as appeals to religion,

caste, and language — be taken of the cam-
paigning table altogether? Can the state pre-
and irrational in nature. To substantiate this,
the majority also marshalled the legislative
history behind the section, holding that its
opinion, wrote: “The Constitution... recog-
nises the position of religion, caste, language
and gender in the social life of the nation. In-

T
he Supreme Court has grappled with the
question whether a provision in electoral
law that makes it a corrupt practice to use
religion, race, caste or language as a
ground for canvassing votes in an election is a bar
limited to the groups to which candidates or their
rivals belong, or whether it is a general prohibition
on sectarian appeals. Section 123(3) of the Repres-
entation of the People Act, 1951, as amended in 1961,
gave rise to this doubt. By a four-three majority, a
seven-member Bench has ruled that it is a general
prohibition on the use of religion or any other com-
munal or sectarian value in the electoral arena. The
minority favoured limiting the ambit of the sub-
section to cover only candidates who sought votes
on such grounds, or the rivals they wanted the
voters not to back on similar grounds. That secular-
ism is the bedrock of our democracy is undisputed.
That the electoral process ought not to permit ap-
peals to the electorate on these narrow grounds is
equally beyond doubt. Against this backdrop, it is
only logical that the Supreme Court should decide
that it is a “corrupt practice” for candidates to use
any caste or communal parameters to canvass for
votes or to discredit a rival, regardless of whether
the candidates themselves belong to such religious,
communal or linguistic groups.
It is interesting that the dispute turned on a
single pronoun, ‘his’, that was introduced in the 1961
amendment. The majority opinion favours a ‘pur-
posive interpretation’, holding that it covered the
candidates as well as the voter. It finds support in
legislative history and our constitutional ethos.
The purpose of the amendment was to widen the
scope of the particular corrupt practice. Given that
secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution, it
has been interpreted in the light of Parliament’s in-
tention to prohibit any religious or sectarian appeal
for votes. There is a justifiable worry that a wider
interpretation may lead to eliminating from the poll
discourse political issues that turn on religion,
caste or language. After all, this is a country in
which sections of society sufer deprivation and
historical injustices based on religious or caste
identity. But the overall message is clear. It is left to
the wisdom of judges dealing with election cases to
draw the line between what is permissible and what
is not, and look at the context in which some state-
ments are made before deciding whether they con-
stitute a corrupt practice. The majority verdict will
find resonance with all those who swear by the
primacy of secularism in the public domain. The
minority view nuances this with a reminder that
legal issues need to be seen in their social context.
vent adult citizens from being exposed to
certain ideas before they vote? Can a court
decide that only certain kinds of interests
count in a democracy? Does secularism
mandate the complete exclusion of religion
from the public sphere? And must identities
based upon religion, caste, and language al-
ways be treated as evils to be fought and
eradicated? Or can they sometimes become
sites of emancipation, markers around
which citizens organise themselves and seek
liberation through the attainment of political
power?
A landmark judgment
These questions, fundamental to under-
standing the foundations of our republic,
were answered by a divided Supreme Court
on Monday. The seven judges hearing the
case split four to three, revealing the com-
plexity of the issues involved, as well as an
inevitable collision of constitutional values.
And it all began with a disagreement over a
single word: “his”.
Section 123(3) of the Representation of the
People Act, India’s omnibus election law,
defines a corrupt electoral practice as fol-
lows: “The appeal by a candidate or his agent
or by any other person with the consent of a
candidate or his election agent to vote or re-
frain from voting for any person on the
ground of his religion, race, caste, com-
munity....” The question before the Supreme
Court was deceptively simple: did the under-
lined word “his” qualify only the electoral
candidate (and his agent, or persons speak-
ing with his consent)? Or did it also qualify
the person to whom the appeal was ad-
dressed (the elector)? A quick glance at the
text of the section will tell us that, although
the former reading is more plausible, lan-
guage alone cannot answer the question: the
CARTOONSCAPE
The dissent’s crucial insight was
this: after centuries of structural
and institutional discrimination,
markers of identity had acquired
a certain social salience
section does not specify whether “his” refers
to the speaker seeking votes, or the audience
from whom votes are being sought. To select
one interpretation over the other, we must
ask ourselves: what is this law trying to
achieve?
The majority view
Four out of seven judges held that the law
was trying to achieve the purity of elections,
and that the purity of elections required that
appeals to caste, religion, language, and com-
munity be kept out of the electoral process.
In the view of the majority, an election that
was fought and decided on these issues was a
distortion of democracy. And it was distor-
ted because of two reasons: one, that for
democracy to survive, there must be agree-
ment on certain basic essentials “which
could unite and hold citizens together”. Reli-
basic purpose was to “curb communal, fissi-
parous and separatist tendencies”. There-
fore, to restrict Section 123(3)’s prohibition
only to electoral candidates would be con-
trary to public interest.
Furthermore, in his separate, concurring
opinion, Chief Justice T.S. Thakur added an-
other string to this bow. The Chief Justice
held that secularism required the complete
exclusion of religion from public life: “Reli-
gion can have no place in such [secular]
activities for religion is a matter personal to
the individual with which neither the State
nor any other individual has anything to do.”
Consequently, according to the majority,
the word “his” in Section 123(3) was to be un-
derstood broadly, referring to both the
speaker as well as the audience. In efect, it
prohibited appeals to the prohibited
“grounds” (religion, caste etc) during the
electoral process.
At the heart of the majority’s vision of the
democratic public sphere was the ideal of
abstract, universal personhood. To enter the
public sphere as citizens, we must leave our
messy markers of personal identity at the
door, embracing our disembodied citizen-
selves. And once in the public sphere, we
must participate as rational individuals, de-
liberating about the public interest, unen-
cumbered by the baggage of our religion,
caste, language, or community. But because
our markers of identity are a constant
temptation, the state must help us out. It
does this by passing laws that prohibit cer-
tain kinds of election speech, speech that
“appeals” to the prohibited markers of iden-
tity.
In this way, the state prevents the distor-
tion of democracy, and helps us to become
true citizens. To some, this might sound like
a noble and inspiring vision of democracy,
dividual histories both of citizens and col-
lective groups in our society are associated
through the ages with histories of discrimin-
ation and injustice on the basis of these de-
fining characteristics... [and] access to gov-
ernance is a means of addressing social
disparities. Social mobilisation is a powerful
instrument of bringing marginalised groups
into the mainstream. To hold that a person
who seeks to contest an election is prohib-
ited from speaking of the legitimate con-
cerns of citizens that the injustices faced by
them on the basis of traits having an origin in
religion, race, caste, community or language
would be remedied is to reduce democracy
to an abstraction.”
Universal citizen does not exist
The dissent’s answer to the majority’s
construction of the universal citizen was
that such an individual did not, and could
not, exist. Human beings are always situated
within their social contexts, and in India,
these contexts have been characterised by
religion, language, caste, and community.
These are, and have been, the sites of inclu-
sion and exclusion, privilege and oppres-
sion, domination and resistance, power,
pleasure, discrimination, and sufering. In
the dissent’s view, constitutional law could
not be oblivious to this history. It could not
wrench the individual out of her context, and
set her down, abstract and disembodied, to
deliberate in the public sphere. And most
importantly, it could not say to those who, for
centuries, had been denied dignity and
rights on the very basis of their caste, reli-
gion, language or community that they were
now precluded from organising around
those very markers to liberate themselves.
In the last analysis, the dissent’s crucial in-
sight was this: after centuries of structural
and institutional discrimination, these mark-
ers of identity had acquired a certain social
salience — that is, a certain visible signific-
ance. For all these years, this social salience
had been used to arbitrarily exclude and
marginalise those who fell on the wrong side
of it. But now, with the advent of democracy,
it was precisely this social salience that al-
lowed the oppressed to organise around the
site of their prior oppression, and use that to
gain political power. It was that which al-
lowed B.R. Ambedkar to form the All India
Scheduled Castes Federation, a political
party exclusively devoted to Dalit
emancipation.
For this reason, the dissent held that Sec-
tion 123(3) had to be construed narrowly.
The phrase “his religion” referred only to the
religion of an electoral candidate, and not
the religion of the voter. Section 123(3) pro-

A nudge hibited statements like “I am a Hindu, vote

for me”, or “My opponent is a Hindu, don’t
vote for her”. Such a law was permissible, be-

to borrowers cause a candidate was supposed to represent

her entire constituency, and not just a subset
of it. But, the dissent held, this far and no fur-

T
he State Bank of India’s decision to cut its
marginal cost of funds based lending rate
(MCLR) by 90 basis points is a timely
nudge to borrowers, especially given the
sharp slowdown in credit growth in the current
fiscal year. The timing of the cut is not surprising,
given that the country’s largest commercial lender
is awash with funds held in current and savings ac-
count (CASA) deposits following the Centre’s de-
cision to withdraw high-value banknotes and im-
pose withdrawal curbs on account-holders. With
demand across sectors having taken a knock in the
wake of the resultant cash crunch, the SBI’s de-
cision to reduce borrowing costs is likely to spur
some credit-fuelled buying including in sectors
such as automobiles. Latest data from the Reserve
Bank of India show that growth in bank credit de-
celerated to 1.2 per cent in the April 1-December 9,
2016 period, compared with the 6.2 per cent pace
witnessed in the comparable period in 2015. De-
posit growth, on the other hand, almost doubled in
pace, accelerating from 7.1 per cent in the same
period in 2015 to 13.6 per cent in 2016. Banks have
thus found themselves in an unenviable situation
where their liabilities (the money they owe depos-
itors) have jumped sharply, while their assets (the
loans they give) have instead almost stagnated.
This has added to their woes at a time when mount-
ing bad loans have pushed most public sector banks
to post record quarterly losses. The demonetisa-
tion decision has willy-nilly ended up providing
banks with the windfall of low-cost deposits that
could potentially serve as the launch pad to a
credit-backed demand stimulus in the economy.
Other banks have also cut lending rates, and
lenders are now vying with each other to innovat-
ively structure credit products, including home
loans, in a bid to capitalise on what they hope will
be an enduring revival in the appetite for borrow-
ing. Still, the constraint of needing to fund the sub-
stantially higher interest commitments on deposits
that have swelled the bank’s liabilities have also
forced the SBI to raise the spread it applies on home
loans — the additional markup interest it charges
over the benchmark one-year MCLR — to a min-
imum of 50 basis points from 25 basis points earlier.
The question is whether this reduction in borrow-
ing costs will be enough to restore consumer con-
fidence. With the Union budget less than a month
away, the coming weeks could well serve to provide
clear signals on the potential need for a fiscal stim-
ulus to reinvigorate flagging economic growth, es-
pecially if a revival in credit growth is going to be
slower than anticipated.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
No room for religion
The split ruling by the Supreme
Court bench has far-reaching
consequences as most political
parties have been winning elections
by soliciting votes on the basis of
religion, caste, creed and language
(“Seeking votes on religious basis a
corrupt act: SC”, Jan.3). However, it
is a blow for parties which have been
fighting elections on the
development plank. One needs to
see how far the Election
Commission can efectively
implement the ruling considering
the rough and tumble of Indian
politics. How the forthcoming
Assembly elections will be fought
needs to be seen.
K.R. Srinivasan,
Secunderabad
The ruling should have come a long
time ago keeping in mind general
welfare, peace and harmony in the
country. Elections need to be fought
on the basis of the past performance
of the candidate/party and the
strategy, agenda and ideology of the
party concerned. Religion is sacred
to every individual and personal.
Mixing religion with politics will not
only divide the electorate, much to
the detriment of the country’s
secular fabric, but will also go
against the fundamental right to
practise, propagate and profess the
religion of one’s liking. The sanctity
and significance of the electoral
process to select a candidate without
any pressure or influence on the
basis of religion and caste cannot be
sidelined.
Prem K. Menon,
Mumbai
This judgment has come at the right
time especially when elections to
some of the State assemblies are
round the corner, re-emphasising
that secularism and only secularism
is the bedrock and hallmark of
democracy in India. Nowhere in the
world are politics and governance
mixed with religion and caste except
in our country, which seems to have
lost its way as far as secularism and
peace are concerned. Mixing
religion with politics will only lead
to hatred, hostility and violence
including communal and sectarian
violence, chaos and anarchy, and
cause hurdles and impediments in
the smooth functioning of the
government. One hopes that saner
political leaders will take the cue
from the judgment.
M.Y. Shariff,
Chennai
A diverse society such as India still
lags behind in terms of the real ethos
of pluralism. However, this should
not be confused with the
opportunists who exploit religious
sentiments to gather votes and end
up doing nothing to ameliorate the
conditions of the minorities. In a
society where the social
consciousness of people is still
based on dogmatic religious
propaganda, conflict is bound to
emerge. In this case, protecting their
interests can be achieved if the
intentions of political leadership are
well-communicated to the people.
There needs to be a debate on this
important public issue which can
build consensus among the people.
Abhinav Bhatt,
Ludhiana, Punjab
Clean bowled
“Enough is enough” is the passionate
reaction of an average cricket fan
(“SC bowls out top BCCI leaders”,
Jan.3). It is time the game of cricket
is cut to size, stripped of its
disproportionate power, pelf and
lucre and shown its rightful place in
the league of other sports. One
needs to recall the step-motherly
attitude towards other sports.
Seshagiri Row Karry,
Hyderabad
As the only sports body that is
autonomous, the BCCI’s barons have
surpassed the great ideals of sport.
Cricket, a high order game, has been
reduced to “cheerleader tamasha”.
Even leading cricketers of yesteryear
are reduced to playing second fiddle
to these “rulers”. The respective
State associations should abide by
the Lodha Committee
recommendations in toto.
S. Viswanathan,
Tiruchi
Sports administration organisations
ther. The same logic could not be extended
to citizen-electors, when they participated
in the electoral process.
On Monday, the Supreme Court placed be-
fore us two visions of the Constitution, of
democracy, of citizenship, and the public
sphere. As a matter of law, the majority car-
ried the day; but it is for each of us to ask
ourselves which vision we find more convin-
cing, and truer to our uniquely plural and di-
verse democracy, and to its eventful and tu-
multuous history.
Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based lawyer.
are almost all headed by politicians unable to accept the inevitable
or those who have political generational transformation
connections despite their lack of (“Mulayam stakes claim to SP’s
knowledge of sports and being ‘bicycle’ symbol”, Jan.3).
completely unconcerned about the J.S. Acharya,
well-being of the sport or Hyderabad
sportspersons. Although it may take
a while to see qualified and It is very unfortunate that the
experienced people heading these Samajwadi Party, which called itself
organisations, a beginning has been a democratic socialist group, now
made. Many a biopic on finds itself in the midst of an ugly
sportspersons shows the apathetic family war. What is intriguing is how
attitude of the administration and Mulayam Singh Yadav, a battle-
how it is by individual efort that scarred veteran with much
sportspersons excel. The experience in politics, could have
development should also pave the allowed things to spiral out of
way to nurture facilities for sports to control. A free Akhilesh Yadav may
flourish in the country. have his way and tie up with the
Amanvir Singh Tiwana, Congress, but the BSP and the BJP
Patiala, Punjab look like they are running all the way
to the “vote bank”.
Battle for the ‘bicycle’ Ganapathi Bhat,
Akola, Maharashtra
While U.P.’s politics is wide open for
now, what is clear is that a new
leader has emerged. In this stand-of, Service charge waiver
if the father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, The Central government has said
was depicted as a prisoner of the old that the consumers (in hotels and
order, with its disreputable restaurants) need not pay service
associations and allegiances, the son, charges if they feel the service is not
Akhilesh Yadav, was portrayed as a satisfactory (“Hotel service charge
purveyor of “clean politics” and a optional, says govt.” Jan.3). How can
practitioner of “vikas”. Mr. Akhilesh the government not be oblivious to
may have been U.P.’s Chief Minister the fact that hotel owners can easily
for a while, but he is being touted as increase the prices of dishes they
the leader of the “youth”, eager to tap supply and compensate the loss? In a
the raw and restless energy of young country such as India, where the
voters while his father believes he consumer awareness is low, sellers
needs to be at the helm to ensure the rule the roost.
old party faithful do not stray away. S. Ramakrishnasayee,
At the core is the father who is Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
BG-BG
BENGALURU

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE |9

SPORT
The Court reigns Supreme
Thinking in stories
The so-called post-truth society is not primarily the result of our inability to focus on facts; it is
On January 2, in an order that surprised no one except per-
haps the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the
due to our failure to read stories deeply
Supreme Court set the record and the status of Indian crick-
et’s governing body straight. Widely expected yet unpre-
cedented, the court took the BCCI and its top leadership to
DESH task, removing the president, Anurag Thakur, and the sec- TABISH KHAIR
GAURAV retary, Ajay Shirke, from their respective positions. Accept-
SEKHRI ing the Justice Lodha Committee’s concerns set out in the
earlier status reports, the court reairmed its July 18, 2016
verdict, signalling the end of cricket administration as we have known it. Say the word ‘thinking’, and the image
evoked is that of abstract ideas, facts,
Price of non-compliance numbers and data. But what if I say that
Efective immediately, any BCCI and State associations’ oicial must be this is our first and most common error
eligible as per the Lodha Committee’s eligibility criteria. The senior-most about the nature of thinking? As reli-
eligible vice-president will be the interim president of the BCCI, and the gions have always known, human think-
joint secretary will be the interim secretary for the next two weeks. The ing is conducted primarily in stories, not
court also appointed two senior advocates to propose names for a commit- facts or numbers.
tee of administrators that will essentially govern cricket and simultan- Human beings might be the only liv-
eously ensure implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations. ing animals that can think in stories.
In what is expected to be the final order on this matter, on January 19 the Su- Facts and information of some sort exist
preme Court will release the names of the committee of administrators, and for a deer and a wolf too, but fiction, and
the transition to the court-appointed administration era will oicially thinking in fiction?
commence. Now, stories are celebrated for many
For the BCCI, the conclusion to what has been a series of unfortunate things: as repositories of folk knowledge
events laced with ill-advised moves and baling periods of silence could or accumulated wisdom, as relief from
not have been more hard-hitting. Eligible oicials must provide a declara- the human condition, as entertainment,
tion that they will be in compliance with the Lodha Committee’s directives. as enabling some cognitivist processes,
For Mr. Thakur, things have become rather even as the best way to get yourself and
uncomfortable. In its order, the court de- The BCCI’s biggest your children to fall asleep! But all this
clared the leadership of Mr. Thakur (and achievement in many misses the main point about stories:
Mr. Shirke) inefectual basis his stated inab- they are the most common, most per-
ility to force the State associations to com- ways is its biggest vasive, and probably the oldest way for
ply with the court’s orders. The court also downfall — success, humans to think.
implied that Mr. Thakur could face con- PROMISING NARRATIVES: “All major political movements have depended on the power of stories.” Turkey's Prime Minister Recep
tempt charges for obstructing the imple-
clout and profitability Problem of a fundamentalist reading Tayyip Erdogan waves to supporters during municipal elections outside a polling station in Istanbul. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
mentation of the court’s orders, and — most troubling of all — it has recom- Having missed this point, we then
mended pursuing a perjury charge for lying under oath and allegedly proceed to reduce stories — and their What is significant and useful are the The Humanities have been response, etc. — instead of working on
falsifying the BCCI’s minutes from August 22 in which an account of Mr. most complex enunciation, literature — problems of the story. For instance, how to best think in stories. The total
Thakur’s version of his interaction with the International Cricket Council to much less than what they are or when the righteous, believing Job is af- too busy trying to justify failure of academics, publishers and ed-
is documented. However, with both Mr. Thakur and Mr. Shirke seemingly should be. For instance, a good story is flicted with death and sufering, such stories in all possible terms itors to talk of literature as literature —
having accepted their ouster, a more likely outcome is the court requiring a not just a narrative. It does not simply questions are raised (in the story and by not just what sells, or a set of ‘reader re-
written or oral apology from Mr. Thakur and putting an end to this once and take us from point A to point Z, with per- Job’s friends): Who is to be blamed? Is
instead of working on how to sponses’, or a soporific, or passing polit-
for all. haps an easy moral appended. Religious God unjust or uncaring? Has Job sinned best think in stories ics, or ageless ‘Darwinism,’ etc. — is an
The BCCI and its State associations will probably rue the day the Indian fundamentalists who see stories only in in hiding (or ignorance) and is therefore index of this failure.
Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal began in 2013, but in all honesty, those terms end up destroying the es- being punished? Does it all make any Strangely, politicians have also known The so-called post-truth society is not
there have been so many opportunities for them to stem the rot that it is dif- sence of their religions. sense? this. All major political movements have primarily the result of our inability to fo-
ficult to pinpoint how it all went so wrong. Increasingly, the BCCI has be- Let us take one example: the Book of Job adopts a diicult position depended on the power of stories. In the cus on facts; it is due to our failure to
come isolated and waged a battle that has seemed strategically unsound. Job. The fundamentalist reading of the throughout the story: among other decades when the Left was on the as- read stories deeply. Just as there are
There was a major disconnect between how far the Board really believed Book of Job stresses Job’s faith. In this things, he neither blames God, nor does cendency, it had a powerful story to tell ways in which facts can be used posit-
the court would go and the ground reality. What may also have escaped the version, the story is simple: Job is a pros- he blame himself, but he demands an an- — of human exploitation, human resist- ively or negatively, there are ways in
BCCI’s notice is the changing perception of governance in sport and not perous, God-fearing man, and God is swer. When one thinks of this, one ance and eventually human achieve- which stories can be read — to make us
just in India. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) very proud of him. Satan, however, ar- comes to the kernel of the thought of ment in the shape of a ‘classless’ society. think or to prevent us from thinking. Lit-
has seen an invasive overhaul recently, and in India, the Sports Ministry’s gues that Job is such a good man only be- this story: how does one live best in a In recent years, the Right has managed erature — even in the days when it was
vocal chastising of the Indian Olympic Association’s controversial appoint- cause God has been kind to him. Give world where undeserved sufering to tell us stories that, for various reas- written with a capital ‘L’ — was the one
ments is a case in point. him adversity and you will see his faith sometimes befalls the good? It is not the ons, seem more convincing to many: in- area of the Humanities where this was a
So used to being left to its own devices, the BCCI may have lost perspect- waver, says Satan. God allows Satan to unbelievable narrative which makes this evitable state-aided neo-liberalism, for serious endeavour. This has changed at
ive and context. A little flexibility and the appearance of genuine reform test Job, by depriving him of prosperity, a significant story; it is the way Job’s re- instance. Narendra Modi’s victory in In- great cost to human civilisation.
would have gone a very long way. Perceived arrogance and insularity aside, family, health. But Job’s faith does not actions, his friends’ prescriptions and dia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s in Turkey, Humans still think primarily in stor-
the Board has done what it is tasked to do unlike any other sports federation waver, and finally all is restored to him. the problematic of the entire story make and Donald Trump’s in the U.S. — all ies. But the failure of standards in educa-
in the world, let alone India — develop and promote the sport itself. Its The fundamentalist reading — which us think. Moreover, as God’s incomplete three are driven by powerful narratives tion and literary criticism has combined
biggest achievement in many ways is its biggest downfall — success, clout reduces the story to a narrative — is ‘answers’ to Job indicate, stories can that explain the ‘past’ and promise a with the rise of fundamentalism (which
and profitability. The IPL is in serious limbo, and there’s no telling if there’s simple: this is a parable about true faith. make us think in very complex ways. ‘future.’ is not piety or religious thought), scient-
been an adverse impact on the media rights value. To leave the Book of Job there is to Religions have always known that hu- ism (which is not science) and numer-
stop thinking about it. Because the nar- man beings think best and most easily in Failure of academics ical neo-liberalism (which is not even
The road from here rative of Job is secondary to its problem- stories. That is why religions con- Unfortunately, the one area where capitalism) to deprive more and more
At some point there could be serious questions asked of this latest order. atic. One can even argue that the narrat- sciously think through stories: the ‘facts’ thinking in stories was taken seriously people of the ability to think critically,
By replacing the Board with an unelected and subjectively appointed com- ive is misleading: in the restoration of and ‘details’ of these stories change with — and not just reduced to mechanistic deeply and sensitively in stories. This
mittee, optically what would have changed is the nature of appointment Job’s children, health and wealth, we changing human circumstances, but explanations — has lost confidence in it- explains many of our current political
and the appointing authority. An interim committee tasked solely with the have a resolution that fails in our terms. what does not change is the bid and abil- self. The Humanities have been too busy and economic woes.
implementation of the court’s verdict and to oversee a transparent and fair We do not expect such miracles in real ity to make us contemplate, imagine, trying to justify stories in all possible
election would have been ideal, and perhaps that is what will actually life. Hence, it is not the narrative of Job reason, induce, examine — in other terms — entertainment, discourse, nar- Tabish Khair is an Indian novelist and academic who
happen. that is significant. words, think. ratology, cognitivist structures, reader teaches in Denmark.
There remain some unanswered questions, and now it appears that we
may never know whose names were mentioned in the sealed envelope sub-

Death of a naturalist
mitted by the Justice Mudgal Committee in its report on the spot-fixing
scandal that triggered this entire stand-of. And despite the BCCI seem-
ingly having accepted the verdict, there is a growing buzz that some State
associations may yet file appeals now that Justice T.S. Thakur would have
retired as Chief Justice of India. So, there may be some twists along the way,
but in a legacy judgment, Justice Thakur has brought reform to cricket in a
way that few ever could have envisioned. An overhaul of this nature has
Peter Jackson was instrumental in nature and tiger conservation in India
never been attempted before, at least not successfully. This could turn out
to be a template for sports governance globally, or just the opposite; it’s far will be widely welcomed by all lovers of
too soon to know. JAIRAM RAMESH wildlife and conservationists. The po-
The Supreme Court and the Lodha Committee’s work here, as the saying tentiality of the jheel, which attracts a
goes, is done. But the real challenges and work towards ensuring not just a large variety of birds, was first noticed
successful governance regimen but an equally successful on- and of-pitch during the IUCN Conference in Delhi. I
tenure for the new leadership has just begun. congratulate the Government of Hary-
Peter Jackson’s death last month in Eng- ana for having acted so quickly to pre-
Desh Gaurav Sekhri is a sports attorney and author of ‘Not Out! The incredible story of the Indian land after a prolonged and sad illness serve and develop this great natural as-
Premier League’.
went virtually unnoticed in this country. set. The proximity of the sanctuary to
This is a pity given his lifelong associ- our capital city will make it an obvious
ation with India and his two signal con- tourist attraction for all who are inter-
tributions to nature conservation, one in ested in our natural heritage. To the
Haryana and the other in Gujarat. people of Delhi in particular, it will af-
FROM THE ARCHIVES Jackson came out to India in the early
fifties as a correspondent for Reuters
ford easy escape from the monotony of
urban life, and the joy of observing some
and was among the first to report the as- of nature’s most beautiful creatures in
cent of Mount Everest by Edmund Hil- their own habitat.”
lary and Tenzing Norgay in May 1953.
(dated January 4, 1967) Subsequently he became Secretary of Abandoning the park plan
the Delhi Bird Watching Society, which Peter Jackson left India in mid-1970
P.M.’s appeal to the problem of brain drain “which had been established in May 1950 under and joined the World Wildlife Fund in
is an international one”. The
scientists Prime Minister said she was
the chairmanship of Mahatma Gandhi’s Switzerland. But he kept up with India
close associate Horace Alexander, with regularly. He visited Porbandar a decade
The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira firmly against tackling this Indira Gandhi as one of the founder- later. During that trip, according to his
Gandhi, to-day [Jan. 3] asked the question by resort to restrictions, members. She had got interested in bird- own account, he “spotted a small lake
scientists in India to become the legislation or executive fiat. “We watching while jailed in Naini between where over 4,000 Lesser Flamingos
principal allies of the must deal with this matter, by September 1942 and May 1943. Her were gathered”. When he was told that
Government and the people in the providing more and more creative father, who was himself then in Ahmad- that the lake’s days were numbered and
battle against poverty. The opportunities for the scientists nagar Prison, had sent her the second it was soon going to be filled up to con-
scientist had to be in the forefront, and other specialists in India,” she edition of Salim Ali’s The Book of In- struct a park, he approached Indira
working in partnership with those said. “It is an absurd situation that dian Birds which she read and used both Gandhi. The Prime Minister immedi-
who moved the levers of the a country like India struggling in prison and after. ately spoke to Madhavsinh Solanki, the
economy, she said while with the problems of Gujarat Chief Minister, who assured her
inaugurating the 54th session of development should render Protecting the Sultanpur jheel that the park plan would be abandoned.
the Indian Science Congress at technical assistance, through In November-December 1969, the In- This paved the way for the notification
the Osmania University campus export of brain power, to the CAT EXPERT: “Peter Jackson was also closely associated with WWF’s Operation
ternational Union for Conservation of Tiger, which was launched to support India’s Project Tiger.” PHOTO: PETER JACKSON of the bird sanctuary in the Mahatma’s
here [Hyderabad]. She referred to advanced nations of the West.” Nature held its Tenth General Assembly birthplace in November 1988.
in New Delhi. Over 300 of the world’s ciety, we wondered if you would like to In part, Peter Jackson’s Jackson was also closely associated
biggest names in conservation congreg- slip away for about three hours one with WWF’s Operation Tiger, which
ated for the event. Indira Gandhi had morning to see the Sultanpur jheels...” communications skills helped was launched to support India’s own
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS made a forceful inaugural address on
November 24, 1969. Thereafter, Peter
Two days later, Indira Gandhi noted
on his letter: “I could. How long will the
create the impression that in Project Tiger launched on April 1, 1973.
It is generally believed that in the seven-
Jackson wrote to her on March 29, 1970: birds be there?”
the 1970s, tiger conservation ties, tiger conservation in India was due
>>The story headlined “RTI query throws light on events surrounding Jaya’s in India was due to the WWF
“During the IUCN Conference, I took a On April 1, 1970, Moni Malhoutra, her to the WWF’s eforts. In part, Peter Jack-
death” (Jan. 3, 2017, some editions) cited a report that said the former Tamil
number of distinguished wildlife ex- undersecretary and aide on environ- son’s communications skills helped cre-
Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals to get
perts and ornithologists to the jheels at mental matters, after speaking to Jack- her were passed on to the Chief Minister ate this impression. The WWF certainly
treatment for high fever and dehydration on December 22 [2016]. It should
Sultanpur in Gurgaon district, about 25 son, informed her that the flamingos and of Haryana, Bansi Lal, who wrote to her helped raise the international profile of
have been September 22 [2016]. The error was corrected in the city editions.
miles from Delhi. They were astonished pelicans would be around for a few more on September 25, 1970 that he had initi- India’s programme but in the first six
at the wealth of wildlife and decided on weeks though the ducks were already ated action to develop the jheel into a years of Project Tiger covering nine re-
>>Editing error (Jan. 2, 2016, some editions): “Sangita Kalanidhi for first wo-
the spot that eforts should be made to beginning to migrate. He suggested that bird sanctuary and a tourist destination. serves, the total investment was about
man violinist” — was the headline of the report that talked about a function
have the jheels protected... the Prime Minister visit the Sultanpur Four days later, she complimented the Rs.6 crore, of which just about 13 per
where Carnatic violinist A. Kanyakumari received the Music Academy’s
“All of us interested in the Sultanpur jheel on Sunday, April 5, 1970, to which Chief Minister for the steps he had cent came from WWF. That such an
Sangita Kalanidhi award on Sunday in Chennai. The headline erroneously im-
jheels feel that your interest would add she responded the same day in her own taken, adding: “I hope one day to visit amount was set aside when the finances
plied that Kanyakumari was the first woman violinist. She was not. It should
immense impetus to the creation of this hand: “US [undersecretary] seems be them [the jheels] myself, quietly and of the Centre were in a precarious posi-
have been: “In a first, Sangita Kalanidhi for a woman violinist”.
Nature Reserve of a kind which few, if innocent so far as security arranged are without fuss.” tion was entirely due to the Prime Min-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by any, capitals in the world boast within a concerned. I am very much afraid that The sanctuary was notified on April 2, ister herself.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- short distance. the sanctuary may be ruined.” 1971 and the formal inauguration took
day); “We know the heavy demands on Subsequently, Indira Gandhi sent place on February 6, 1972. Indira Gandhi Jairam Ramesh’s ‘Indira Gandhi: A Life in
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in your time, but, as you are a founder- Malhoutra to visit Sultanpur and brief sent a message: “The development of Nature’ will be published by Simon and
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com member of the Delhi Bird Watching So- her. The papers that Jackson had sent the Sultanpur jheel as a bird sanctuary Schuster India in mid-2017.
CM BG-BG
YK
8| - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017
VIJAYAWADA

Wheels within wheels in Uttar Pradesh

The BJP seems ahead in the run-up to the Assembly elections but it has to contend with a newly popular
Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati’s ambitious Dalit-Muslim plank
tions. It seemed surreal that the father could and lawlessness, and swore to rid it of the
T H U R S D AY , J A N U A RY 5 , 2 0 1 7 expel his Chief Minister son from the party. goonda elements that had sullied its reputa-
VIDYA SUBRAHMANIAM More jaw-droppingly, the son installed him- tion. One reason for the SP’s 2012 election
self as the national president of the party victory was Akhilesh Yadav’s clean image. He
evicting his father from the long-held post. seemed the antithesis of his goonish party.
Stalin at Uttar Pradesh has always been riveting
Also despatched was Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle,
Shivpal Yadav, who had been the State chief
Five years on, the young man has miracu-
lously retained both the clean image and the

the helm theatre, and now magnificently so, with the

Samajwadi Party (SP) splitting, uniting and
splitting again to the exasperation of com-
of the SP.
Of course, Shivpal Yadav himself was a
usurper, having snatched the State party
goodwill that brought him to power. To have
been in oice for five years and not be seen as
corrupt is an achievement that cannot be

T
he elevation of M.K. Stalin as the working
president of the Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam achieves two objectives. It fills
the power vacuum at the top following
the prolonged illness of party president M. Kar-
unanidhi. It also provides an opportunity for the
DMK to take advantage of the fluid political situ-
ation in Tamil Nadu after the death of Chief Minis-
ter Jayalalithaa and the prevailing confusion within
the ruling AIADMK on whether O. Panneerselvam
should make way for V.K. Sasikala as Chief Minis-
ter. For a long time now, Mr. Stalin has been the un-
oicially designated successor to his father, Mr.
Karunanidhi. He was made Deputy Chief Minister
in 2009 during the DMK’s previous term in oice,
though he continued to be ranked behind both Mr.
Karunanidhi and party general secretary K. An-
bazhagan in the Cabinet and the party organisation.
But so far, despite his failing health, Mr. Karunan-
idhi has been reluctant to step down from the post
of party president. Even during the run-up to the
Assembly election in early 2016, he refused to de-
clare Mr. Stalin the chief ministerial candidate.
While it is not very clear whether the DMK patri-
arch wholeheartedly endorses his son’s elevation
now, there is little doubt that the second line of the
party believes this has been long overdue.
As working president, Mr. Stalin enjoys the same
powers as the party president, and in a situation
where Mr. Karunanidhi is unable to function act-
ively, he should have little diiculty in giving the
party the necessary direction in a fast-changing
political scenario. The AIADMK without Jayala-
lithaa faces a stern test. It helped that the party was
in power when she died; otherwise, the district-
level leaders might have begun pulling in diferent
directions whether or not Ms. Sasikala became the
general secretary. Mr. Stalin can aford to bide his
time to see how the AIADMK holds in the post-Jay-
alalithaa phase and if the visible signs of cadre dis-
enchantment with Ms. Sasikala become accentu-
ated. The DMK is currently in a politically
advantageous situation; it had lost the Assembly
election narrowly, and its main rival now is in some
disarray. As the main Opposition party, it has a re-
sponsible role to play when the government is in
danger of being directionless. And with Mr. Stalin
at the helm, it can play that role a lot more efect-
ively. After close to three decades of seemingly
never-ending political rivalry between Mr. Kar-
unanidhi and Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu is witness to
a new phase of political contestation. The people
can only hope that the emerging political rivalry
will not see political decency in short supply, as was
the case with the previous generation of leadership.
mentators, many of whom have been
severely tested on their understanding of this
complex and politically most-watched In-
dian State. There have been so many googlies
thrown that anyone cast as an expert on U.P.
afairs will likely want nothing more than not
to be one, especially with the Assembly elec-
tion announced and punditry on high de-
mand.
Will the SP reunite? Maybe, maybe not.
Was the split scripted to foreground the
newly dazzling Akhilesh Yadav? Not likely,
but who knows. Will there be a mahagath-
bandhan (grand alliance) that upsets calcu-
lations? Keep guessing. Will the Mayawati-
led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have the last
laugh? Hard to say. Will Rahul Gandhi finally
prove himself? Ha ha. Will it be abki baar
bhajapa sarkar (a Bharatiya Janata Party
government this time)? Well, probably.
PM’s party in front
On current evidence, and post the Novem-
ber 8, 2016 currency swap, it is the BJP that
seems the front runner, and not least because
it is the party with the largest war chest (not
to be confused with the chest size of its
leader). Indeed, the most striking aspect of
this election season is that while the BJP has
been able to hold ostentatious rallies with
huge, bussed-in crowds, its cash-strapped
opponents have all but been grounded. Yet in
a situation of constant surprises, it would be
unwise not to take into account factors that
might torpedo the BJP: among them a change
in popular mood brought about by the ad-
verse efects of demonetisation and smart
counter-strategising by rival parties.
Consider the battle lines. There is the BJP
led by Narendra Modi. Always larger than
life, the Prime Minister has assumed le-
viathan proportions post the note swap. But
more fearfully for his opponents, there is no
guessing when, where and how he will trip
them up. There is no worse nightmare for Mr.
Modi’s political foes than when he rubs his
CARTOONSCAPE
There is a view in Lucknow
corridors that the split, whether
scripted or not, has changed the
game for Akhilesh Yadav. The SP
finds itself bumped up
hands in glee and says in a conspiratorial,
hushed tone, “Maine abhi apne poore patte
khole nahin hai (I have still to reveal all my
cards).” This, plus the BJP’s humongou s 42
per cent vote share from U.P. in the Lok Sabha
election of 2014 and NaMo’s continuing if
confounding popularity, gives the party a
head start over its rivals.
The Samajwadi churn
The SP, till now in the control of patriarch
Mulayam Singh Yadav but deftly hijacked last
week by son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Ya-
dav, has zoomed back into the reckoning be-
cause the son has shown that he can shine
without the father. This is rare in Indian dyn-
astic politics where the norm is for the ward
to live and sufer in the shadow of the clan
head. Any assignment to junior necessarily
came as a conferment from the elder. The
former performed his designated role at the
pleasure of the latter. Given this order of
things, the power struggle within the SP,
staged openly over several months, came as a
shocker. Last week’s chaos on the streets of
Lucknow exceeded the most dire predic-
chief’s post from the nephew with the help of
brother Mulayam Singh Yadav. That was in
September 2016, and that edition of the fam-
ily war had ended in a tenuous peace with the
Chief Minister dutifully declaring his love
and respect for his father while holding Amar
Singh, the “outsider”, to be the villain of the
piece. To those innocent of the SP’s previous
history, Amar Singh is the same man who,
courtesy of his enviable corporate-Bolly-
wood links, once controlled the SP’s purse
strings. Many in the SP, including Akhilesh
Yadav, resented Mr. Singh’s clout in the party
and the spell he seemed to have cast on the SP
patriarch. Mr. Singh was seen to have taken
the SP away from it socialist roots to its new
avatar as a “Page Three” party. The saga had
concluded with Mr. Singh being exiled, pre-
sumably through the eforts of Akhilesh
Yadav.
So when Mr. Singh re-emerged, there were
fireworks. Akhilesh Yadav, now Chief Minis-
ter, hit back by forming a team with his fath-
er’s cousin, Ram Gopal Yadav. There were
also soulful interviews to the media about the
“outsider” who had returned with a brief to
wreck the party. As if in confirmation, the
father openly sided with Mr. Singh and
Shivpal Yadav while often scolding his son in
public. Now what? There is a view in Luc-
know corridors that the split, whether scrip-
ted or not, has changed the game for the
Chief Minister. Indeed so, and the proof was
in the rapturous young crowds that thronged
the streets of the capital shouting their sup-
port for the son. The SP, which had been
placed last in the election stakes before the
split, found itself bumped up to the second if
not first place with Akhilesh Yadav seizing
control.
Advantage Akhilesh?
The fresh-faced Chief Minister has a lot
going for him. In a November 2011 interview
to me, the young Yadav had regretted that the
SP had become synonymous with thuggery
overstated, more so in U.P. where a politician
is by definition tainted. The split in the SP has
embellished this quality and endeared the
Chief Minister to young voters who like the
fact that he is cut from the same cloth as
them. Overall in U.P., everyone has a good
word to say about Yadav Junior.
But will this suice to give the SP a second
term? The answer could lie in the challenges
ahead for Akhilesh Yadav, starting with the
possibility of his party requiring a new name
and a new symbol. Second, it is unclear if he
would be able to fully retain the SP’s vote
base of Muslims and Yadavs. Muslims have
an umbilical connection with Mulayam
Singh Yadav and may not easily desert him. It
might be useful to remember that in the 2014
Lok Sabha election, a section of Yadavs went
away to the BJP. Will they return or will they
be persuaded by Mr. Modi’s post-notebandi
(slang for demonetisation) invocation of na-
tionalism and promise of a bright future?
Akhilesh Yadav could overcome the vote
deficit via a mahagathbandhan with the
Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).
Akhilesh Yadav, Mr. Gandhi and Jayant
Chaudhary, Ajit Singh’s son and general sec-
retary of the RLD, would together be picture-
perfect but it is not clear if they would be
vote-perfect. Meaning, will they be able to
transfer votes to one another? Besides, with
Mr. Gandhi away in foreign lands, there is no
word as yet on the alliance. Finally, notwith-
standing saturation propaganda, there is also
the SP’s patchy record in oice.
Task cut out for Mayawati
Ms. Mayawati’s fortunes have been yo-yo-
ing. The BSP sufered its most humiliating
defeat in 2014 when it won no seats for a dis-
mal vote share of 19.6 per cent. According to
the National Election Studies data of the
Lokniti programme of Centre for the Study of
Developing Studies, the BSP lost 16 per cent
Jatav and 35 per cent non-Jatav Dalit votes in
2014 as compared to 2009. There is reason to
believe that Ms. Mayawati has regained her
Dalit vote in the aftermath of the widespread
anger over the Una atrocity in Gujarat. The
BSP is banking on a unified Dalit-Muslim
vote. Given the decisive presence of both
communities across the State, this could be a
runaway hit but only provided Muslims for-
sake the fractious SP. The BJP will also do all
it can to thwart any Dalit-Muslim unity and
its aggressive Dalit outreach policy is geared
entirely towards this end. The Supreme
Court-imposed bar on appealing to religious
and caste sentiments will also afect Ms.
Mayawati more than her rivals. She needs to
overtly seek the votes of Dalits and Muslims
unlike the BJP, which can play divisive polit-
ics by stealth.
The BJP’s multiple advantages are obvious,

Bengaluru’s among them Mr. Modi’s own towering pres-

ence and notebandi, which he has expertly
spun as a class war. Thus far, the Prime Min-
night of horror ister has had the crowds sway to his every
command and every change in narrative. But
they could start asking why the rich are get-

I
t is being called a “mass molestation”. With all
the creepiness and collective menace that the
phrase conveys, the sketchy facts of the events
of New Year’s-eve in downtown Bengaluru
once again hold a mirror up to Indian society.
Thousands of revellers had gathered in and around
Mahatma Gandhi Road and Brigade Road to ring in
2017, as is something of a tradition in the city. But,
according to reports that subsequently emerged, a
large number of women were sexually assaulted
around midnight. While no complaint had been
filed, Bengaluru police have taken up an investiga-
tion based on the reports of women being groped
and physically attacked. Another incident, re-
portedly also of the early hours of January 1, has
come graphically into the public domain, with
CCTV footage showing a woman being grabbed as
she makes her way home in a residential street be-
fore she pulls herself free and escapes. This is un-
connected to the so-called “mass molestation”, but
reinforces the horror of the night in Bengaluru. In
an aftermath that has echoed with KarnatakaHome
Minister G. Parameshwara’s efort to blame the vi-
olence on “western culture”, it is easy to under-
stand why no women came forth, at least initially, to
register an ofence. All too depressingly and pre-
dictably, the Minister has closed the loop to show
how state and society fail to ensure the safety of
women.
Mr. Parameshwara’s insinuation that for women
to wear “western” dress and be out and about hav-
ing a good time is to invite sexual harassment, iron-
ically, explains the reluctance of women to register
ofences. For, to do so is to very often court an ac-
cusatory glare, and be made to answer why they
were out in a lonely street, after dark, in a place
teeming with “boys” — or put simply, why they did
not know better. The Criminal Law (Amendment)
Act, 2013, passed after national outrage over the
Delhi gang rape of December 16, 2012, had sought to
bring clarity to the continuum of sexual ofences
and to simplify procedures for women to bring
them to the attention of the police. To truly con-
vince women that the state is on the same page,
every crime against a woman must be regarded as a
horror. But without an administrative ethos that
does not flip an accusation on a woman and instead
asserts a woman’s right to bodily integrity no mat-
ter where she is and what she is doing, no amount of
law-making can significantly change things. This is
the challenge before the Bengaluru police as they
look for women to come forward and assist in the
investigation.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Fair elections
The unmet demand for justice in the
country has many dimensions —
political, social, economic and so on.
Discrimination and the denial of
elementary justice in these
dimensions weaken and sap the
practice of secularism (“Two takes
on democracy”, Jan.4). Any concept
favoured by religious extremism
flagrantly denies this equality-
fairness-and-justice principle. It is
doubtful whether India has kept its
tryst with destiny. In 1947, India
began its journey in trying to
address underdevelopment and
extreme deprivation in a highly
populated and poor country within
the framework of parliamentary
democracy. But the experiment
seems to have largely failed Nehru’s
litmus test — of ending poverty and
ignorance, and also disease and the
inequality of opportunity.
K.M.K. Murthy,
Secunderabad
As a citizen who has grown up in
Uttar Pradesh, I have seen caste
politics at its peak. Even though the
arguments made by the dissenters
led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud are
quite compelling, they tend to
oversee the misuse of the narrow
definition of the word “his” in
Section 123(3) of the Representation
of the People Act. Our aim to create
a secular and egalitarian society can
be achieved by setting some
idealistic benchmarks for our
political leaders to follow.
Harshit Gupta,
New Delhi
Bengaluru’s shame
What surprises me is the audacity
with which unruly elements molest
women in the presence of the police.
The weakest point of security for
women is when the perpetrators of
crime against women know for sure
that they can “get away”. Women
have a right to demand security from
the police. Fear should be created in
the perpetrators of crime that they
are being watched. It is not just
about laws but about infrastructure
that helps create a safe environment
using a whole system of measures
(“States duty-bound to protect
women: Rajnath”, Jan.4).
Sudha Ravi Shanker,
Chennai
More than the outrageous act of the
molesters, it is the horrendous
analogy made by people in power
which encourages such acts that are
reprehensible. India needs to
educate its politicians first. The
Minister is question needs to
understand that ill-thought-out
remarks have no place in a modern
society. Many of us youngsters are
deeply anguished by what the
Minister said (“I was misquoted:
Parameshwara”, Jan.4).
Chetan Digal,
Belagavi, Karnataka
State of the Army
The appointment of Gen. Bipin
Rawat has been done keeping in
mind his experience and expertise in
the issues of counter-insurgency
along the Line of Control (“All’s not
well in the Army”, Jan.3). The border
area is always trouble-prone and has
erupted time and again over the past
one year. His role as a “chief
coordinator and strategist” would be
buoyed by his hands-on experience
in this field which would also help
the forces react better in the face of
aggression. While the politicisation
of the armed forces must be avoided
at all costs, there are times when
certain steps need to be taken
keeping in mind the situation at
‘ground zero’.
Rohi Rajbar,
New Delhi
Oicers in the defence forces often
get overlooked or superseded at
some stage or the other given the
pyramidal structure of promotion.
Hence to harp on the point of
discontent is baseless. Senior
oicers have the privilege of
choosing their own staf oicers who
are selected on performance, merit
and, yes, regimentation. It is never
on the lines of caste, creed or
religion. The Infantry division is the
largest component of the army, so
there are bound to be more generals
from this division.
A.E. Charles,
Coimbatore
The article raises certain important
issues about promotion, policy and
procedures in the army that deserve
consideration at the appropriate
military and political levels. In the
context of the appointment of Gen.
Rawat, the writer is right in
questioning the decision made by
the government. Is it trying to
ting away and what makes the BJP itself so
rich. With mounting rural distress and no
sign of the promised pot of gold at the end of
the rainbow, there is a real danger that the
notebandi story could derail. Besides, where
is the BJP’s chief ministerial face?
Vidya Subrahmaniam is a Senior Fellow at The Hindu
Centre for Politics and Public Policy. E-mail:
vidya.subrahmaniam@thehinducentre.com
reduce the Indian Army to being a to turning ours into a cashless
counter-insurgency force? The economy. The fact is that the nation
government seems to be economical was deeply stunned by the intensity
with the truth behind these of the announcement on November
seemingly questionable 8. Before one could gauge what was
supersessions. However, the happening, there were countless
suggestion that promotions to the notifications issued in the most
higher levels be vetted by an incomprehensible and illogical
empowered parliamentary panel manner, and much of it which went
deserves outright rejection as it over one’s head. The bullying tactics
would amount to politicising the of the government were like a classic
entire selection process. case of manufacturing consent.
Sunil Choudhury, S.V. Venugopalan,
Bengaluru Chennai
Demonetisation’s narrative Forgotten journeys
The common man has been easily The article (Open Page – “Steam
led to believe that demonetisation is engines, dream machines”, Jan.3)
what the country needs (Open Page reminded me of the time when my
– “People and patience, post father was station master at
demonetisation”, Jan.3). Is it but Bezwada (now Vijayawada) and
clever talk equating resilience and Arakkonam. Our railway quarters
the hardship of demonetisation to were in Vijayawada near the engine
nationalism that has subdued the shed. My elder sister and brother,
voice of the poor man to a whisper? who were in school, would board the
Demonetisation hasn’t afected the train from the town where they were
wealthy. The pain is being borne by studying. The engine driver knew
the poor. Instead of flagging of such them and he would let them travel in
exercises, there must be a focus on the engine. They would enjoy the
stronger laws, ensuring fruitful hospitality as the engine driver used
working of Parliament and even to roast groundnuts and give them a
conscription. A code of conduct and feast. On reaching our quarters, he
ethics for all political leaders and would sound the whistle and let the
those in government service should family know that they had reached.
be implemented with sincerity. When we moved to Perambur we
Livia Poonacha, lived near the railway grounds. I
made friends with a number of
Bengaluru
Anglo-Indians steam engine drivers.
It would be incorrect to say that I used to envy them but did not
people “accepted” the narrative know how driving a steam engine
behind demonetisation which kept was a tough job.
changing from hunting for black S.R. Viswanathan,
money to weeding out fake currency Chennai
VJ-VJ
VIJAYAWADA

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE |9

WORLD VIEW
Arms and the region
Running into the Chinese wall
The Masood Azhar case is a piece in the fragmenting jigsaw of global terror consensus
It is time to look ahead at the challenges that India’s security
planners face in 2017. Spillovers from 2016 and the forthcom- That relationship no longer exists, and
ing leadership change in the United States will make the en- SUHASINI HAIDAR Russia is questioning the U.S. presence
vironment very challenging in India’s security calculus. in its backyard again. “Russia won’t tol-
For the U.S. certainly, and for India too, January 20 could erate this,” Mr. Putin’s Special Envoy to
MANMOHAN turn out to be a day like no other in the recent past. If U.S. Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said in an in-
BAHADUR President-elect Donald Trump sticks to his “twitter- terview this week, referring to the U.S.’s
words”, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would be On December 30, China’s decision to bases in Afghanistan as akin to having
history, U.S.-China relations may become even more tenuous, while Amer- veto India’s proposal to ban Jaish-e-Mo- Russian bases in Mexico.
ica’s interaction with Russia may become “interesting”. While Mr. Trump hammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar at Russia’s other moves — a new close-
has not talked about India, his “fantastic” Pakistan may see some more ten- the UN capped a terrible year in bilateral ness with China, and growing ties with
sions developing with Uncle Sam, as the general thrust of Trumpism has ties. China’s economic corridor through Pakistan — are a third factor impacting
been to take a tougher line on terrorism. After his “Israel” tweet on the UN Pakistan, India’s invitations to Uighur, global consensus. A trilateral meeting of
Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements and outright condemna- Falun Gong and Tibetan activists, the ex- the three countries last month in Mo-
tion of the Iran nuclear deal, one can expect U.S. involvement in West Asia pulsion of Chinese journalists from scow called for a “flexible approach” to
to increase. Would that imply a reversal of President Barack Obama’s Mumbai, the Chinese block on Nuclear remove some Taliban figures from the
“Pivot to Asia?” Will Mr. Trump’s views change once he is in the saddle? Suppliers Group membership for India, UN sanctions list as part of eforts to
What does this scenario portend for India? and the rumblings over the South China “foster a peaceful dialogue between Ka-
Sea all added to tensions between the bul and the Taliban movement”. No
China rising two countries; the Chinese decision to doubt, the recent Taliban statement that
India has to factor in the enhanced aggressiveness of China, which has put a permanent block on the Azhar pro- it won’t target infrastructure projects in
taken on a new hue and trajectory; shorn of diplomatese, the “peaceful” rise posal aggravated them further. Afghanistan is significant, given China’s
has become an ominous one that is transforming the “challenge” of China high-stakes ‘One Belt, One Road’ plan
into a “threat” from China. Its recent moves, of positioning air defence An open-and-shut case that runs through the region.
weapons on a reclaimed island in the South China Sea, forays by fighters China’s decision, to put it bluntly, was On the other side, the U.S. has been
and bombers over the East China Sea, and even sending its aircraft carrier outrageous and ill-advised. In the past, pushing for the removal of other groups
Liaoning to Hainan via the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and Philippines, Beijing blocked India’s proposals at the in Afghanistan from sanctions, like the
have sent an unwelcome message to its UN to designate Hizbul Mujahideen Hizb-e-Islami’s Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
neighbours. It may not be long before More allocation for the chief Syed Salahuddin and Abdul Reh- (a former Central Intelligence Agency-
Liaoning makes its foray into the Indian defence sector is man Makki and Azam Cheema of the FREE BIRD: “It seems unbelievable that despite his complicity in everything from the funded fighter), a move that Russia
Ocean. If not for power projection (which Lashkar-e-Taiba as terrorists, and Parliament attack to the Pathankot attack and everything in between, Azhar hasn’t blocked at the UN.
is still some time away), it may be to just needed in the 2017 blocked questions on how designated yet been added to the terror list, largely due to China’s role.” Picture shows Masood Clearly, the global leaders are picking
announce to the world that a new “world” budget to overcome the terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Reh- Azhar in Islamabad. — FILE PHOTO: REUTERS their teams. Ironically, neither side has
power has arrived. Though these activit- man Lakhvi accessed funds in Pakistan yet pushed for the banning of the new
ies are far removed from the India-China
neglect of the past despite UN sanctions. But Azhar’s case enemy. Taliban chief, Haibatullah Akhundzada,
The U.S., U.K. and France
border, these developments can be co-related with the reorganisation of its is diferent from all of these, for reasons That narrative has since changed. In a reminder of how far away we have
military into Theatre Commands, local media hype about large-scale, “real- that should be obvious. co-sponsored India’s resolution January 2010, at an international confer- come on that global consensus. Also ly-
istic” joint training exercises, and aggressive diplomatic reactions to events Which other terrorist, for example, against Azhar, China vetoed it, ence hosted by the U.K., the UN and the ing in the dust is India’s decades-old pro-
that impinge on its stated positions (the Dalai Lama’s visits to Mongolia, has actually been seen live across televi- but Russia, India’s traditional U.S. openly backed eforts to talk peace posal for a Comprehensive Convention
and later Arunachal Pradesh). If Mr. Trump gets on the front foot with sions worldwide, as Azhar was on with the Taliban. In 2011, the UNSC on International Terrorism.
China, then it (the U.S.) would require India to be firmly with it. With its December 31, 1999, being exchanged for backer, did nothing at all made it simply the al-Qaeda sanctions Russia’s Pakistan engagement cannot
placing of India as a major defence partner and the Defense Technology hostages on the Kandahar tarmac after committee, separating the Taliban com- be disconnected from India’s concerns
and Trade Initiative (DTTI) in place, Indian planners would have to tread a the hijack of IC-814? Which other terror- It would be a mistake, however, if New mittee so as to facilitate talks by delisting either. It is significant that among the P5,
narrow path between getting close to the U.S. and being classified as a ma- ist has recorded in his own book (From Delhi sees China’s move purely in bilat- Taliban leaders being engaged. In the U.S., U.K. and France co-sponsored
jor cog in the American scheme of things. The key dictum to follow would Imprisonment to Freedom) details of eral terms, and ignores the larger trend it December 2015, the UNSC made a fur- India’s resolution against Azhar, China
be to ensure that India’s interests are insured against reversals in power the terror plot to hijack the plane, and of represents: of a fragmenting global con- ther shift by renaming it “ISIL (Da’esh) vetoed it, but Russia, India’s traditional
politics, as Pakistan faced to its discomfiture when the Cold War and the links to the Taliban oicials who pushed sensus on terrorism. The impact of this and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee” backer, did nothing at all. At the BRICS
Soviet presence in Afghanistan ended. Indian negotiators on the ground (in- fragmentation can be seen at several (UNSCR/2253). This renaming promp- summit in October and the Heart of Asia
cluding current National Security Ad- levels now: at the UN, in the tussle ted Pakistan to ask recently, albeit mis- conference in December, it was the Rus-
The Pakistan factor viser Ajit Doval) into efecting his re- between the U.S. and Russia, and for In- takenly, how the banning of Azhar was sia-China combine that kept India’s de-
Pakistan can be expected to continue meddling sub-conventionally in In- lease? And which other terrorist openly dia, in regional ties. even connected to the committee’s work. sire for tough statements on “cross-bor-
dia’s afairs. Thus, support to terrorism would continue, with the Pathankot spoke of meeting Osama bin Laden in der terrorism” from Pakistan at bay, and
and Uri attacks being pointers of actions to be expected. India’s guard can- Afghanistan, travelling to Somalia to Changing narrative Impact of U.S.-Russia ties it was the Russian envoy who told India
not be lowered and eternal vigil is the need of the times. Hopefully, the rel- help recruit for al-Qaeda, and his loyalty After the 9/11 attacks, the global con- Apart from the UN, shifting U.S.-Rus- not to use “multilateral forums for bilat-
ative quiet along the border is indicative of some backchannel diplomacy at to Taliban chief Mullah Omar, whom he sensus to fight the Taliban, Al-Qaeda sia ties have also made a great impact on eral issues”.
work. That there is a new Pakistan Army Chief and the top brass there has described as his “beloved and all allied groups was formed by the the global terror consensus. In 2001, Rus- Azhar’s ban is only a piece in a much
been overhauled sends out a feeling of hope that the civilian leadership may Amir-ul-Momineen”? UNSC resolution on terrorism (UNSCR sian President Vladimir Putin was one of larger jigsaw puzzle. The world is in-
be exercising a greater say in security and foreign afairs. But haven’t we Despite all that evidence, it took two 1373) in 2001. Already, in 1999, the UN the first foreign leaders to speak to Pres- creasingly divided and the consensus on
seen this, which we have fervently wished for, many times before? years and the 9/11 attacks for the JeM to had set up an al-Qaeda/Taliban sanc- ident George W. Bush, expressing full terror, that once helped India apply pres-
On this broad security canvas before India, there also lie the subtle but be designated as a terror group by UNSC tions committee (UNSCR 1267) to im- support for the U.S. fight against al- sure on Pakistan, is now dividing along
understated strokes of India’s relations in the neighbourhood. Even as 1267 sanctions committee in 2001. It pose strictures on anyone dealing with Qaeda, which would in turn help Russia these fault lines. If India is to stick to its
China and Pakistan make forays in these countries, especially with arms seems unbelievable that 15 years later, the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. While with its Islamist threat as well. Not only course, of securing its citizens and bor-
sales and economic aid, we can ill-aford to neglect them; they constitute despite his complicity in everything the implementation of these resolutions that, Mr. Putin reversed Russian policy ders, the answer may lie in bridging ties
our vital interests. To be influential in world afairs, words need to be from the Parliament attack to the Path- has been questionable, there was little of decades, allowing the U.S. to set up with all nations involved, including
backed by deeds — claims of “historical cultural relations” do not work in ankot attack and everything in between, doubt that all member states essentially bases across Central Asia and virtually some that now lie across this divide.
realpolitik. Thus, the commitment to develop the Chabahar port in Iran Azhar hasn’t yet been added to that list, believed that the Taliban, al-Qaeda and take over Afghanistan’s security
gains importance, even as a new relationship develops between Russia, largely due to China’s ignominious role. their allies formed a common global command. suhasini.h@thehindu.co.in
China and Pakistan. The buzz is that this friendship is around China’s
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative but astute observers can
sense something more to be brewing. Similarly, economic and military
commitments to Afghanistan have to be met, the geographical disconnect
notwithstanding.
Budgetary support before 2019
For a level playing field
History has proven that a strong military is the foundation for resolute
action in the economic and diplomatic fields. The demonetisation exercise
While the stories of women wrestlers may well help create a more equal society, they are often
may have ensured extra money in the government’s cofers as its state- satisfying ends to what at the outset was driven by pure love of sport
ments have profered. A year from now, the nation will be in the final stretch
of the race for the 2019 general election, when priorities for budgetary al-
locations are bound to change. Hence, a greater allocation for the defence kind of stigma that plagues contact
sector is needed in the 2017 budget to enable the services to overcome the N. SUDARSHAN sports. “The key ethical question in fair
neglect of the past decade and enhance their capability to support govern- competition may be whether the use of
ment aims at influence-building in the neighbourhood. In parallel, the force takes advantage of an opponent’s
building up of a defence industrial base should gather greater momentum physical vulnerability,” he asks.
from the snail’s pace it is now. Getting a firm footing in the “near abroad”, to But acts of violence on a sporting
use a Russian term, is a sine qua non for aspirational India’s ambitions in Ever since Sushil Kumar won a bronze field don’t necessarily render the sport
the coming years; 2017 would be decisive in more ways than one. medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, violent. In wrestling, athletes do have
wrestling has, without doubt, grown by the capacity and opportunity to inflict
Manmohan Bahadur, a retired Air Vice Marshal, is Distinguished Fellow at Centre for Air Power leaps and bounds. A series of successes severe harm on their opponents. They
Studies, New Delhi.
followed, from Yogeshwar Dutt to the can dislocate limbs and break fingers.
Phogat sisters to Sakshi Malik. However, they are taught to not exert
What was until then a sport predom- such physical force and confine their
inantly of the hinterlands received moves to legitimate ones.
wider recognition as television and “Wrestling is safe,” said Adeline. “I
FROM THE ARCHIVES newspapers began discovering it. Now, love that it’s head to head and it truly
it has reached a stage where Sakshi’s tests us. But there is no need to worry
Olympic bronze is expected to do to that someone is going to get hit in the
women’s wrestling what Sushil’s did to face. In wrestling, you’re not going to
(dated January 5, 1967) wrestling in general. get hit in the head.”
Even to the uninitiated, the sport’s The very fact that this stigma has
Nasik HAL unit Oil well fire in rich moral, philosophical and mystical been allowed to remain so deeply en-
heritage — with links first to the trenched is largely because those who
delivers aircraft Upper Assam Ramayana and the Mahabharata participate in sports perceived as “viol-
The Hindustan Aeronautics The Oil and Natural Gas through the likes of Hanuman and ent” are rarely asked to express what
Limited has begun delivery of Commission’s well No. 25 at Bhima, and then to the Mughals and draws them to these sports and to de-
completed M.I.G. aircraft. The Rudrasagar, five miles from Maratha kings, who were huge patrons scribe their experiences on the playing
three major units of H.A.L. Sibsagar town in Upper Assam, of the sport — has always appealed. field.
constituting the M.I.G. complex at caught fire at four this morning Also, independent India’s first indi- Surely one can’t imagine every fan
Nasik, Koraput and Hyderabad [January 4] and till late in the vidual Olympic medal winner was a and player saying, for example, “I love
“are in the construction stage but evening flames continued to rise wrestler: Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, wrestling so much because it breaks
assembly and delivery of to a height of 120 feet, oicial who bagged a bronze in the 1952 Hel- gender stereotypes.” Even for Mahavir
completed aircraft has now begun reports said here [Gauhati], to- sinki Games. This aided wrestling in se- BREAKING OUT OF THE GRIDLOCK: “What has completely been left unexplored is the Phogat, women’s emancipation was the
at Nasik.” According to the annual night [January 4]. All families in curing a prominent place both in the allure of women’s wrestling as a sport in itself.” Picture shows India’s Babita Kumari last thing on his mind. Didn’t it take a
report of the company for 1965-66, the neighbourhood have been minds of the country’s citizenry as well wrestling with Canada’s Brittanee Laverdure in a match at the Commonwealth while for him understand that a gold
there was a substantial and well- evacuated to a safer place. The as in its yet-to-thrive sporting Games 2014, in Glasgow, Scotland. — PHOTO: PTI medal was a gold medal irrespective of
established organisation for well burst yesterday evening ecosystem. who won it — a boy or a girl?
aircraft design and development [January 3] and crude oil gushed The Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal, being reinstated, one of the prime reas- Wrestling, in general, has had “Ever since we won an international
in Bangalore division of the out with great speed. A report which narrates the story of Mahavir ons was that it discriminated against medal in the 2010 Commonwealth
company. “The divisions at Nasik, from Jorhat said to-night [January Singh Phogat and his daughters Geeta women athletes by giving them fewer to fight a battle of perception. Games, women have started to recog-
Hyderabad, Kanpur and Koraput 4] that fire brigade squads were Phogat — the 2010 Commonwealth medal opportunities. Rarely is it considered as an nise the medal potential in the sport,”
are in the process of setting up still battling ceaselessly to control Games gold medallist and first Indian Wrestling, in general, has had to fight art form in which physical said Vinesh Phogat, gold medallist in
their own design departments to the fire but to no efect. A wide women wrestler to qualify for the a battle of perception. As a combat sport the 2014 Glasgow Games. “The Olympic
deal with the problems of the area around the well site had Olympics — and Babita Kumari, was it has often been cannibalised. Cruder skills are honed over years medal also added to the excitement. But
M.I.G. project.” The report further assumed a smoky and dangerous perhaps the icing on the cake. as it seems than most other disciplines wrestling allows women to express
said that owing to devaluation of atmosphere. That Sakshi and the Phogats came with a strong emphasis on physicality, that — the weight is really low, so it’s their level of skills and strength. So it’s a
the rupee, capital costs in the No visa fee for from Haryana, a State infamous for its wrestling is seen as the ultimate symbol about technique. It’s skill, strength, huge attraction. Also, with the league
M.I.G. projects had risen skewed gender ratio (879 women for of masculinity; something which glori- power and executing that in a very pre- coming in and corporates like JSW in-
substantially. The Chairman of foreign tourists every 1,000 men), even boosted the nar- fies violence. Rarely is it considered as cise way.” vesting in sport, women have started to
the H.A.L., Mr. S.S. Khera, who India to-day [January 4] rative of the sport now being a tool for an art form in which physical skills are She said: “I would hear, years later, recognise wrestling as a sustainable ca-
released the report, said here abolished unilaterally the tourist breaking gender stereotypes. And often honed over years. ‘Yeah, that guy was afraid of you in high reer option.”
[New Delhi] to-day [January 4] visa fee for the foreign tourists rightly so. So, if a woman tries to stake an equal school.’ Why? I’m nice! I just don’t un- Sport helps in sensitising and uniting
that there was urgent need for visiting India and announced a claim to the sport, it is often seen as an derstand where that came from. It’s like society, and this is something to be val-
forecasting demand for aircraft, number of Customs relaxations as Battle of perception attempt by her to prove that she is “mas- saying a boxer just goes around hitting ued. However, social outcomes cannot
for both civil and military uses, part of its drive to promote But what has completely been left un- culine” enough. After all, didn’t Geeta people all the time. I’ve never been in a always explain why a person took to a
over the next 10 to 15 years. Mr. tourism in the 1967 International explored is the allure of women’s wrest- have to first defeat the boys in her area fight, I’ve never hit anybody. I never sport or her passion for it. The stories of
Khera said that he had proposed Tourist year. Even those coming ling as a sport in itself. This is seen in the to gain legitimacy as a capable wrestler? challenged anyone at a party. So I don't Geeta, Babita, Vinesh and Adeline will
an enquiry on the future without a visa can now spend up fact that men’s freestyle wrestling was “With heavyweight wrestling, people know why that fear exists: ‘Oh, she can certainly help in creating a more equal
development of the aircraft to seven days in India on introduced at the St. Louis Olympics in are expecting this Helga type of woman, beat me up if she wanted to!’ Yeah, but... society. But they are often satisfying
industry on the lines of the temporary landing permit: 1904 but it took a whole century for the obese and going there on the mat to try I don’t really fight people.” ends to what at the outset was driven by
Bhabha Committee’s enquiry into hitherto they could spend only women’s competition to be included. In to smash people’s heads,” Adeline Gray, Robert L. Simon, in his book Fair pure love of sport and a bit more.
the electronic industry. three days. 2013, when wrestling was dropped from a three-time World Champion from the Play: The Ethics of Sport, raises an im-
the Olympic programme initially before U.S., told ESPN. “It’s so much more than portant question with respect to the sudarshan.narayanan@thehindu.co.in
CM VJ-VJ
YK
10 | - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

Reading between the lines

The Supreme Court verdict on electoral malpractice ensures that future legal challenges to election victories
based on identity politics will walk the fine line of text, context and subtext
such strong reason to do so. While examin- frain from voting”.
F R I D AY , J A N U A RY 6 , 2 0 1 7 ing these contentions, much of the differ- The majority judgment authored by
SANJAY HEGDE ences between the majority and the minor- Justice Madan B. Lokur, speaking for him-
ity rested upon their reading of the self and Justice L. Nageswara Rao, with sep-

A mid-term Sometimes, the destiny of nations is cast in

parliamentary debates.
The original intent
arate concurrences by Chief Justice T.S.
Thakur and Justice S.A. Bobde, examined
the same speech in the context of other

referendum stone by a single judicial vote. In 1973, it was

a 7:6 plurality of the Supreme Court in the
Kesavananda Bharati case that gave India
A.K. Sen, who was the Law Minister in
1961, explained the reason for the introduc-
tion of the word ‘his’ in a speech in the Lok
amendments moved to Section 153A of the
Indian Penal Code.
Law Minister Sen had also said: “We feel,

C
oming as it does barely a few months bey-
ond the halfway mark of the BJP-led gov-
ernment at the Centre, the importance of
the round of Assembly elections notified
this week cannot be overstated. With votes sched-
uled to be cast in phases starting February 4 in Ut-
tar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa and Ut-
tarakhand, counting will take place on March 11.
Since the process of federalisation and regionalisa-
tion of the polity deepened in the 1990s, Assembly
election results have been determined more often
by regional issues than by national political vari-
ables. But with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hav-
ing emerged as the BJP’s principal vote-bagger, and
with subjects such as demonetisation on the elec-
tion agenda, this round will be influenced by na-
tional issues. A sidelight of the election schedule is
the Union budget, advanced to February 1 from the
traditional February 28 presentation. The Election
Commission is still to rule on the Opposition de-
mand that the Budget be unveiled after the polling.
Early indications from U.P. point to a tripartite
contest among the Samajwadi Party, the BJP and
the Bahujan Samaj Party. Both Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati are bra-
cing themselves to check the Modi wave of the 2014
parliamentary elections. By leading an internal re-
volt against the old guard associated with the polit-
ics of identity and muscle power in the SP, Akhilesh
Yadav has sought to project himself as being com-
mitted to development above all, thereby seeking
to counter the BJP’s rise since 2014 on the same ap-
peal. Ms. Mayawati had lost a considerable chunk of
her Dalit support base in 2014, but has since re-
framed her outreach by attempting to forge a Dalit-
Muslim alliance. Her strategy will face a test, as the
earlier phases of the State elections are in western
U.P. that saw stark communal polarisation in 2014 in
the wake of the Muzaffarnagar violence. In Punjab,
the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine will be in a
keen fight in another tripartite contest, against the
Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. The latter had
thrown down the gauntlet in 2014 by clinching four
Lok Sabha seats out of the 13. In Uttarakhand, the
Congress will be tested by the BJP after its State
government was restored to power by the courts in
2016 following a spell of President’s Rule. In Ma-
nipur, its government has staked its chances on the
decision to create new districts that precipitated a
renewed ethnic crisis. Goa, in the recent past, has
had a volatile Assembly, and the AAP’s focus on the
State has ignited the fray. Together, the results will
have strong reverberations at the national level.
its doctrine of the basic structure of the
Constitution. Similarly a 5:4 majority of the
U.S. Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore inflic-
ted George W. Bush upon the world in the
year 2000. This new year has begun with a
4:3 verdict of the Indian Supreme Court that
sweeps into the law’s clutches a lot of sec-
tarian political discourse which has been
the bane of India’s democracy.
It must be clarified that the Supreme
Court has not gone into interpreting, clari-
fying or overruling its earlier three-judge
Bench decision on Hindutva (1995) in the
context of electoral appeals. During the
hearings, the court had made it clear that
the order of reference to the seven-judge
Bench had not included that question and
hence it would not be gone into. Given the
temper of the times, the court probably saw
the wisdom of Justice Louis Brandeis’s dicta
that “the most important thing we do is not
doing”, and that the court should not “for-
mulate a rule of constitutional law broader
than is required by the precise facts to
which it is to be applied”.
Thus the new judgment in Abhiram
Singh v. C.D. Commachen has only inter-
preted Section 123(3) of the Representation
of the People Act of 1951, which penalises as
a corrupt practice in an election “the ap-
peal… to vote or refrain from voting for any
person on the ground of his religion, race,
caste, community or language”.
Split over a word
The question therefore turned only on
the interpretation of the pronoun “his”
which is used in the section. Does the ap-
peal to “his religion” mean an appeal to the
religion of the candidate alone? Or does it
qualify appeals made to the religious senti-
ments of all participants in the electoral
battle, including the candidates, voters,
election agents and the like? Under the nar-
rower interpretation, a candidate would not
be entitled to say, “I am a Hindu, you are
Hindus and hence should vote for me.” The
broader interpretation, which has been ac-
cepted by the majority, would penalise even
CARTOONSCAPE
While examining the contentions,
much of the differences between
the majority and the minority
turned on their reading of the
parliamentary debates
an appeal which tells the voter, “You, as
Hindus, know that I alone can defend your
interests.”
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s minority
judgment for himself and Justices A.K. Goel
and U.U. Lalit records, “Quibbles over the
meaning of a word apart, the interpretation
that will be adopted by the court will define
the boundaries between electoral politics
on the one hand and individual or collective
features grounded in religion, race, caste,
community and language on the other.”
The basic arguments seeking a narrower
interpretation urged that the sub-section
must be given a literal interpretation since
severe civil consequences like disqualifica-
tion from elections flowed from a finding of
corrupt practice. It was also urged that a
broad or purposive interpretation might fall
afoul of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
It was submitted that departing from a lit-
eral or strict interpretation would mean un-
settling the law accepted over several dec-
ades and that the Supreme Court had no
Sabha: “I added the word ‘his’ in the Select
Committee in order to make quite clear as
to what was the mischief which was sought
to be prevented under this section… after
all, it is the right of a person to propagate his
own language, his own particular culture
and various other matters. But that does not
mean vilifying another language or creating
enmity between communities.
“You cannot make it an election issue if
you say, ‘Do not vote for him. He is a Bengali’
or ‘Do not vote for him. He is a Khasi.’ I
made it unequivocally clear that it is the
purpose and design of this House and of the
country to ensure that. No man shall appeal
only because he speaks a particular lan-
guage and should get voted for that reason;
or no man shall appeal against a particular
person to the electorate solely because that
opponent of his speaks a particular
language.
“But we are on a very narrow point,
whether we shall extend the right to a per-
son, to a voter, to say: vote for me because I
speak Hindi, I speak Garhwali, or I speak
Nepali or I speak Khasi; or in the alternat-
ive, do not vote for my opponent because he
is a man who speaks this particular lan-
guage, his own language. It is on that sole
narrow point that the prohibition is sought
to be made.
“But the problem is, are we going to allow
a man to go to the electorate and ask for
votes because he happens to speak a partic-
ular language or ask the electorate to refrain
from voting for a particular person merely
on the ground of his speaking a particular
language or following a particular religion
and so on? If not, we have to support this.”
The minority judgment of Justice
Chandrachud, speaking for himself and
Justices Goel and Lalit, holds that “the
speech of the Law Minister, who moved the
Bill, leaves no manner of doubt that the ex-
pression ‘his’ referred to the religion of the
candidate (or his caste, community, race or
language) for whom votes were sought or of
the candidate whose election was sought to
be prejudicially affected by an appeal to re-
and I think it has been the sense of this
House without any exception, that even a
stray appeal to success at the polls on the
ground of one’s religion or narrow com-
munal affiliation or linguistic affiliation
would be viewed with disfavour by us here
and by the law. Therefore, I think that when
we are grappling with a very difficult dis-
ease, we should be quite frank with our rem-
edy and not tinker with the problem, and we
should show our disfavour openly and pub-
licly even of stray cases of attempts to influ-
ence the electorate by appealing to their
sectarian interests or passions. I think that
this amendment follows as a consequence
of the amendment which we have already
made in the Indian Penal Code… I think that
these two provisions, if followed faithfully,
would go a long way in eradicating or at
least in checking the evil which has raised
its ugly head in so many forms all over the
country in recent years.”
The purposive approach prevails
The lead judgment of the majority relies
upon the principle of purposive construc-
tion of statutes to hold that “the Representa-
tion of the People Act, 1951 is a statute that
enables us to cherish and strengthen our
democratic ideals. To interpret it in a man-
ner that assists candidates to an election
rather than the elector or the electorate in a
vast democracy like ours would really be
going against public interest.”
Chief Justice Thakur in his concurrence
with the majority ruled that “while inter-
preting a legislative provision, the Courts
must remain alive to the constitutional pro-
visions and ethos and that interpretations
that are in tune with such provisions and
ethos ought to be preferred over others. Ap-
plying that principle to the case at hand, an
interpretation that will have the effect of re-
moving the religion or religious considera-
tions from the secular character of the State
or state activity ought to be preferred over
an interpretation which may allow such
considerations to enter, effect or influence
such activities. Electoral processes are
doubtless secular activities of the State. Re-
ligion can have no place in such activities
for religion is a matter personal to the indi-
vidual with which neither the State nor any
other individual has anything to do… The
State can and indeed has in terms of Section
123(3) forbidden interference of religions
and religious beliefs with secular activity of
elections to legislative bodies”.
To my mind the dilemma answered by
the court is best illustrated by these lines
from the end of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s ‘Hum

Being factual in Dekhenge’: “Bas naam rahega Allah ka / jo

ghayab bhi hai haazir bhi / jo manzar bhi
hai naazir bhi / uthegaa “ina-l-haqq” kaa

the post-truth era naaraa / jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho /
aur raj karegi Khalq-e-Khudaa / jo main
bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho (Only the name of

P
akistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja
Muhammad Asif, for all practical purposes,
recently threatened Israel with a retaliat-
ory nuclear attack, in response to a fake
news report that the Israelis had said they would
use nuclear weapons against Pakistan if it sent
ground troops to Syria. Earlier, a man fired an as-
sault rifle in a pizzeria in Washington, D.C. after
reading online that it was involved in a child traf-
ficking ring linked to Hillary Clinton. In India, a
fake story said there was a GPS tracking chip em-
bedded in the new Rs.2,000 note. Fake news — the
deliberate creation of factually incorrect content to
mislead people for some gain — is becoming an in-
creasingly serious problem. And tackling it is im-
perative in a perpetually wired and click-happy
world. Everyone with an Internet connection and a
social media presence is now a content generator.
Access to the web at all times on mobile platforms
has raised expectations for real-time news and con-
stant entertainment, and competition among web-
sites and social media platforms has resulted in the
proliferation of ‘clickbait’. With platforms such as
Facebook, that have hundreds of millions of users,
news, fake or otherwise, spreads rapidly.
While the news may be fake, its impact is real and
potentially far-reaching. A recent study from the
Pew Research Center found that approximately
two-thirds of Americans felt ‘fake news’ had caused
a “great deal of confusion” over current affairs. The
abundance of fake stories during the U.S. presiden-
tial elections has raised concerns about their im-
pact on election results. This has set alarm bells
ringing in Europe where several countries are
about to go to the polls. Germany is considering im-
posing a €500,000 fine on Facebook if it shares fake
news, and an Italian regulator has asked European
countries to set up an agency to combat fake news.
The danger is that instruments to identify fake
news could become muzzles on opinion and
speech. Therefore, while such regulation is needed,
it is vital that it comes from within. Social media
and news organisations can regulate themselves at
different levels, most importantly through rigorous
internal editorial and advertising standards. In-
dustry-wide measures, such as adherence to a
charter of standards on fake news and imposition of
fines on organisations falling short of these, could
be done. Meanwhile, the broad contours of what
constitutes fake news need to be defined. News and
social media companies have a moral responsibility
to ensure that they do not, directly or otherwise, de-
liberately misrepresent the facts to their audiences
and pass them off for news. If it is a post-truth world
we inhabit, this becomes especially important.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Women still unsafe
The ridiculous remark by
Karnataka Home Minister G.
Parameshwara reminds me of the
2016 Bollywood film Pink, which
rightly pointed out the problems
with the questions asked of women
who are molested or raped
(“Bengaluru’s night of horror”,
Jan.5). These questions always
accuse the woman of something:
why she went out at a particular
time, why she was dressed the way
she was, why she went with one
friend and not another or why she
didn’t go out in a group, and so on.
The men who commit terrible acts
don’t seem to be questioned in this
manner. How can such heinous acts
be justified and blamed on clothes?
It’s shameful, especially given that it
is coming from a Minister.
Nisha Yadav,
Dahina
Women can’t be safe in crowds;
women can’t be safe when they are
alone. So, where should they be?
These kinds of horrifying incidents
need to be probed at the highest
level and the culprits must be
punished severely. It is strange that
in India we worship women and
equate them with goddesses even as
crimes against them seem to be
increasing. We always concentrate
on making laws more stringent, but
what is the point of doing that if
implementation of laws is so poor?
There doesn’t seem to be fear of the
law in this country! The police need
to be made accountable first.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Farewell, captain
It is regrettable that Mahendra
Singh Dhoni has called it a day as
captain of the Indian team across all
formats (“Dhoni steps down as
skipper”, Dec.5). Dhoni is a special
name in Indian cricket. He is
humble, Mr. Cool, and disciplined.
He may have received many
bouquets and brickbats for his
performance as both player and
captain but, as rightly said by
Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni was a
steady and decisive captain with
aggression in his play. We must
appreciate him for all that he has
done, and for paving the way at the
right time for a young and energetic
captain like Virat Kohli. Hats off to
Dhoni for a wonderful innings as
one of the most successful captains
that Indian cricket has ever
produced.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda
There have been hints in the past of
Dhoni quitting, considering his
recent performances. He seemed to
have lost his magical touch as a
dependable finisher. That was the
reason why he promoted himself in
the batting order to play in the
middle overs. When international
cricket is all about agility and sharp
reflexes, a marginal deficiency in
the performance of a player can
have a bearing on the outcome of a
limited-overs match. I will not be
surprised if Dhoni retires from
international cricket after the series
against England. The
relinquishment of captaincy is only
a precursor to this intention. Dhoni
is practical enough to realise that
age had slowed him down
appreciably. But what is surprising
is that he stepped down as captain
after he was named captain by the
selectors.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur
Indian cricket has seen many
stalwart captains. But Dhoni was
certainly an extraordinary one in
many ways. As skipper, he mainly
focussed on cultivating team spirit
and creating opportunities for
young players. Team India now has
players such as R. Ashwin, Ravindra
Jadeja, Suresh Raina and, of course,
God shall remain / Who is both absent and
present / Who is the spectacle and the spec-
tator / The cry “I am He” will arise / Of
which I am a part and so are you / And the
people of God will rule / Of which I am a
part and so are you).”
The lines, read in isolation, seem to be a
direct invocation to the establishment of a
Caliphate. But those who know the context
of Faiz the poet, the man and his work cor-
rectly interpret it as a communist vision of
life, with the dictatorship of the proletariat
prevailing. Similarly, future challenges in
court to election victories based on identity
politics will now walk the fine line of text,
context and subtext.
Sanjay Hegde is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court.
Virat Kohli largely because of charge as the general secretary of
Dhoni. His field placements and the All India Anna Dravida
bowling rotations have been Munnetra Kazhagam. With Stalin
commended by experts. Dhoni was versus Sasikala, the battle lines have
a risk-taker and he proved that been drawn in Tamil Nadu politics.
those risks were worth taking. An imminent change in the political
Outside cricket, he always landscape in the State appears to be
maintained a low profile. He also on the cards.
maintained a good rapport with the
R. Sivakumar,
media. He will be missed, but the Chennai
good news is that he will still be
available for selection as a player for The elevation of Mr. Stalin as
the ODI and T20 series against working president of the DMK was
England. expected as parties in India often
K.A. Abdul Kader, function like private companies
Podakkudi with succession within families
almost a constant. I really hope the
DMK does not go the Samajwadi
The rising son Party way.
The elevation of M.K. Stalin as the N. Nagarajan,
working president of the Dravida Secunderabad
Munnetra Kazhagam has been long
overdue (“Stalin at the helm”, Jan.5). The people of Tamil Nadu were
It cannot be said with conviction hoping for some new generation
that had Mr. Stalin been elevated to leaders. However, with Mr. Stalin’s
this position prior to the Tamil and Ms. Sasikala’s elevation, it looks
Nadu Assembly election last year, it like that is not possible any time in
would have helped the party win the near future. But Mr. Stalin has
the election. However, neither can the advantage of political
that be ruled out, for the party experience over Ms. Sasikala who
seems to have lost a good has never been at the forefront of
opportunity, largely perhaps due to politics. This will be a golden
this reason. opportunity for the DMK to rise
Mr. Stalin’s rise assumes greater again under his leadership.
prominence given that it comes a Fazeen Rasheed A.K.,
few days after V.K. Sasikala taking Kozhikode

CM ND-ND
YK
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE | 11

WORLD VIEW
The Trump challenge
Keeping the streets safe
The criticism levelled against the Bengaluru police is instructive for law enforcement nationwide
to António Guterres ics creeps in. Many belonging to the Op-
Soon after Portugal’s António Guterres was picked to suc- position lose no time accusing the po-
ceed Ban Ki-moon as the United Nations Secretary-Gen- R.K. RAGHAVAN lice of overreaction, only to embarrass
eral, commentary on the major challenges awaiting him the ruling party even where there is con-
was dominated by the Security Council’s paralysis in sensus that the situation on the ground
resolving the Syrian conflict. There was also mention of did warrant police opening fire or using
E.D. MATHEW climate change, North Korea’s nukes, Africa’s wars and the In a seminal paper, ‘Complexities of 21st batons. Unless this situation changes,
refugee crisis engulfing Europe. Nobody had anticipated Century Policing’, published last year, one will continue to hear complaints of
then that Mr. Guterres would be presented with a new challenge of a differ- Professor David Bayley of the State Uni- police failures.
ent kind: Donald Trump. versity of New York, Albany was cat-
Last week, reacting to the decision by the Obama administration not to egorical that the traditional notion of Leadership deficit
veto the resolution condemning Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian police professionalism was dead, and There is the other factor of inadequa-
territory, a resolution passed 14-0 in the 15-member Security Council with that the plea for ‘policing with consent’ cies of police leadership that have be-
American abstention, a miffed Mr. Trump trashed the UN as “just a club for must be rethought. In the paper, Prof. come glaring over the years. They look
people to get together, talk and have a good time.” A not-so-veiled threat fol- Bayley, whose association with the In- up to the Chief Minister or Home Minis-
lowed: “As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th.” That is when dian police goes back 50 years, makes a ter for approval of even minor and
Mr. Trump officially succeeds President Obama as U.S. President. plea for new institutions within the po- routine field decisions. Even where
lice so as to draw benefit from public in- there is an enlightened Chief Minister
Anti-UN stance puts, accompanied by the engendering who stays away from field decisions, a
Mr. Trump’s UN-bashing is nothing new. In March, addressing the an- of a new professionalism based on rigor- weak DGP or Police Commissioner
nual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — a cam- ous evaluation of existing strategic and takes no chances. Can there be anything
paign rite of passage for American presidential hopefuls — Mr. Trump managerial policies. Reliance should be more damaging to the swift handling of
drew applause for his anti-UN rhetoric. “The United Nations is not a friend more on institutional wisdom and explosive threats to peace? Is not grant-
of democracy, it’s not a friend of freedom,” he said. “It’s not even a friend to memory rather than on individual ex- WAY FORWARD: “What is required now is to restructure existing police arrangements ing more autonomy to the police a futile
the United States of America where, as you know, it has its home. And it is periences. In sum, he argues for taking for special occasions such as New Year celebrations.” Police personnel try to exercise if there are such hesitant DGPs
surely not a friend to Israel.” the police out of the rut it had got into manage crowds on New Year's Eve in Bengaluru. PHOTO: AFP and Commissioners?
Nobody took Mr. Trump’s words seriously Many of Donald the world over, through a break from In the ultimate analysis, it is only
then. There were not many who had imagined Trump’s campaign past practices which were becoming In specific terms, what is required Imaginative day-to-day strong public opinion that can bring a
he would be running the country that contrib- dangerously archaic in a divided and now is to restructure existing police ar- sea change to the styles of policing. In
utes the biggest share (22 per cent) of the UN’s pronouncements strife-ridden world. rangements for special occasions such interaction between the the Bengaluru incidents, the citizenry
regular budget. The UN’s 2016-17 biennium were at odds with What Prof. Bayley says has immediate as New Year celebrations. The average higher echelons and has a significant role to play by bringing
budget is just under $6 billion. Over 28 per cent relevance for the Indian police, espe- law-abiding, tax-paying citizen cannot policemen at the grass-roots enough pressure on the government to
of its annual peacekeeping budget of nearly $8
the United Nations cially after what we saw in Bengaluru on any longer be expected to be passive or identify the accused and bring them to
billion also comes from the U.S. New Year’s Eve, when an already poor to condone sloppiness in maintaining level will alone help book. If they do not rise to the occasion,
Many of Mr. Trump’s campaign pronouncements were at odds with the image of the Indian police deteriorated law and order. He is tired of alibis for not much will happen.
UN, including climate change, human rights, the Iran deal, the refugee further because of an apathetic urban non-performance, especially in dealing hotspots, taking into account past ex- This brings me to the fundamental
crisis, and the West Asia peace process. police force standing by even as some with uncivilised brutes going on a ram- perience. What is now learnt is that the question of enhancing police sensitivity
Mr. Trump’s posture favouring Israel against an unanimous resolution women were being molested. It was not page without any provocation whatso- police were outnumbered in a few to the task of protecting our women.
supported by Russia, China, France and the U.K. — all permanent members just the Bengaluru police that failed that ever. This is especially so at a time when places, where the congregation of revel- There was a lot of noise after the horrific
of the Security Council — and every one of the 10 non-permanent mem- night; the criticism levelled against it ap- even the most insensitive and uninhib- lers was more than usual. The local po- Delhi gang-rape case of 2012. There was
bers, along with his avowed ‘America First’ stance, strikes at the very heart plies to the police at large, even while ited politician in the country will refrain lice stations could have possibly made also a laudable effort to make the law on
of multilateralism, the core of the global body’s DNA. giving allowance to varying standards of from exploiting a New Year celebration an assessment late in the afternoon so sexual assaults on women more strin-
Pulling out of multilateral efforts to battle climate change was among Mr. policing in our megacities. to promote his cause. The Bengaluru po- that extra policemen could have been gent. Whether this has helped to im-
Trump’s major campaign promises. In his ‘100-day action plan to Make Without intending to be caustic or un- lice stand alone in this hour of ignominy. directed to localities where the crowds prove the quality of police protection to
America Great Again’, he vowed to cancel billions in payments to the UN charitable, I am afraid the Karnataka were pouring in. There was therefore an women is debatable. New methods of
climate change programme. Calling climate change a “hoax invented by the State Police is slipping up far too often Outnumbered on the street element of failure on the part of city po- training will certainly help, but only
Chinese,” he threatened to cancel the Paris Agreement. There is a loud for our comfort. Its handling of riots last Even assuming that media reports lice intelligence. moderately. Imaginative day-to-day in-
message in his picking Scott Pruitt, a well-known climate sceptic, as head of year over the Cauvery water dispute is have exaggerated what happened, there The police were reluctant to use force teraction on the subject between the
the Environmental Protection Agency. too fresh in our memory to be ignored or is video evidence of at least another in- against the antisocial elements. Their higher echelons and policemen at the
Come January 20, the apparent absence of a clear-cut foreign policy forgotten. Distressingly, the Kolkata Po- cident that happened in Kammanahalli, response is a moot point; policemen at grass-roots level will alone help. How
framework in Washington will leave the UN and Mr. Guterres in a lice is fast catching up in the matter of where a woman was groped and pushed the spot are shy of employing strong often do Commissioners of Police and
quandary. Nikki Haley, Mr. Trump’s choice for ambassador to the UN, is not giving licence to thugs. onto the road by motorcycle-borne methods without the approval and dir- the numerous deputies visit police sta-
known as a foreign policy wonk, unlike her predecessor Samantha Power. My objective here is not to berate one miscreants. There is still no evidence of ection of senior officers going all the tions and talk to the constabulary? That
The nomination of Rex Tillerson, a corporate mogul lacking substantial in- particular State police, but to warn oth- what took place on M.G. Road and its vi- way up to the numero uno — in this case is a chasm that will remain un-bridged
ternational political experience, as Secretary of State has already raised the ers in the country against complacence, cinity in the upmarket heart of the city. the Commissioner. This unfortunate as long as senior IPS officers believe that
hackles of environmentalists and human rights activists. How can Mr. Gu- and to learn from the obvious mistakes There is nothing to suggest that the po- situation has developed over the years it is enough to pander to the ego of a
terres ensure that the U.S. doesn’t turn increasingly hostile to the UN? committed by Bengaluru law enforce- lice were surprised at the happenings or because of many complaints of police Chief Minister for going up the ladder.
“Early dialogue with the new President and his Secretary of State, neither ment, once known for its quality were unprepared. There was indeed excesses and the judicial enquiries
of whom has a record of having paid much attention to the UN in the past, is policing. substantial deployment in traditional ordered as a sequel. This is where polit- R.K. Raghavan is a former CBI Director.
important,” says Shashi Tharoor, who narrowly lost the race for Secretary-
General to Mr. Ban in 2006. “Guterres will need to engage with the U.S.

Teaching peace to humanity

early on some major initiative that Washington can see as also being in its
interest.”

Reforming the world body

Pre-empting the risk of withholding funding by the U.S. administration,
which will render a significant blow to the world body, will be a top priority Why education is more than a way of being — it is an art of becoming
for Mr. Guterres. Projecting himself from the outset as a reformer of the UN
could buy him some brownie points.
He could start with the UN’s peacekeeping, which has been severely tain-
ted by allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers in vari- RAMIN
ous countries. Peacekeeping operations are bedevilled by various other ail- JAHANBEGLOO
ments. For instance, making the Kenyan Force Commander a scapegoat in
the midst of spectacular failure of the UN civilian leadership in South Su-
dan is something he will need to address deftly. The incident has left the
East African nation humiliated, forcing it to retaliate by withdrawing its en- What is the priority of pedagogy for
tire military personnel. Mr. Guterres will need to mollify Kenya to ensure peace in the 21st century? Do we teach
its continued support to resolving conflicts, especially in Africa. cultures and philosophies of peace at
In Liberia, where the peacekeeping operation has been gradually downs- schools and universities around the
izing for some years now, not a single senior civilian official has lost their world only to start new wars and con-
job. Only junior personnel were forced to take the brunt of nearly 40 per flicts? Is education for peace still a top
cent of staff cut. Such management fiasco needs to be averted. It’s an open priority in universities and colleges?
secret that staff recruitment in UN peace operations is often opaque. Often And finally, does education help us to
Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, mostly political ap- live a peaceful life and to bring peace
pointees, interfere in the recruitment of staff to favour their pet candidates, around the world? These questions
leaving many a principled and dedicated staff demoralised. Mr. Guterres need to be in our awareness on a daily
will need to demand greater accountability and integrity from his special basis. Only then can we treat people,
representatives and deputies in the field. nature and most life itself in a more em-
Mr. Trump’s bromance with Vladimir Putin, deepened by the latter’s de- pathic manner.
cision not to go for a tit-for-tat retaliation against President Obama’s recent In this light, education by definition
expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the U.S. for alleged cyber interfer- is an ethical enterprise. In other words,
ence to influence the U.S. presidential election, should offer Mr. Guterres a education is more than a way of being; it
useful tool, especially since he has worked closely in the past with Sergey is an art of becoming. It is not only a pro-
Lavrov, current foreign minister and former Russian ambassador to the UN. cess of nurturing the human soul, as the
The overall picture, however, is challenging. With unprecedented gloom ancient Greeks understood it through
enveloping the planet, the job of the UN Secretary-General has today be- the notion of paideia, meaning the ac-
come even more difficult than ever before. Whether Mr. Trump could make quisition and transmission of excel-
it an impossible job is anybody’s guess. lence, but also what philosopher Ber-
trand Russell defines as “a certain MEANS TO AN END: “Education is not solely an academic pursuit; it is a pursuit of moral wisdom.” Young monks study in their
E.D. Mathew is a former Spokesperson with the United Nations. outlook on life and the world.” The an- school inside Thikse Monastery in Ladakh. PHOTO: REUTERS
cient Greeks understood paideia as the
essence of culture and communication closely related to his belief in the moral Furthermore, every form of value edu-
in a good society. The aim of paideia, progress of humanity which is a self-ar- cation is the foundation for mutual eval-
The effort to
Aristotle argues in Politics, is to enable ticulated and self-realised process of at- uation of moral and social principles. To peacebuilding is
FROM THE ARCHIVES members of a community to decide the
political organisation of society. There-
taining intellectual maturity. However,
Kant considers this self-educating pro-
transmit moral, political and social val-
ues from one generation to another is
accompanied with a
fore, we need to assess the paideic di- cess of humanity as a slow and gradual not an ideological process. Schools and freedom from prejudice,
mension of peacebuilding. This de- cosmopolitan process. “Our only hope,” universities are not supposed to be exclusion and domination
scribes the ethical and spiritual affirms Kant, “is that each generation, ideological institutions where individu-
(dated January 6, 1967) foundations of the process of rebuilding provided with the knowledge of the als learn to become loyal and obedient. and practice of a culture of peace is
peace in or among societies. foregoing one, is able, more and more, Here resides the difference between through education of non-violence that
Nagas’ talks with P.M. Neither the spokesman of the to bring about an education which shall Tagore’s Santiniketan and Hitler’s Na- develops the quest for mutual under-
Government of India nor Mr. Z. Not just about security develop man’s natural gifts in their due tional Socialist German Workers’ Party. standing. This raises questions con-
Talks between the Prime Ramyo, who spoke for the Nagas, As such, peacebuilding is not only proportion and relation to their end, While Tagore invites us to consider the cerning the value of civic upbringing, as
Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and would elaborate on this about the security-sector reform of a so- and thus advance the whole human race nature of education through a con- an individual process and as a process
the underground Naga leaders statement. Both sides stated that ciety emerging from conflict; it is the toward its destiny.” scious relationship with nature and cre- that a community goes through. Here
which concluded to-day [January the talks were “free and frank”. medium- to long-term process of edu- There was a time when education ativity, and as a path to bridge the gap education is not about learning facts,
5, New Delhi] have been The spokesman of the cating humanity with a special focus on was the highest task of human culture. between the educated and those who but to cultivate one’s judgment in order
described by both sides as “a Government of India said that the the importance of promoting peace. In However, in today’s world we have be- have not been educated, Nazi officers to be able to distinguish between the
serious effort to narrow the two sides “agreed to think over other words, in a world truly concerned come dulled to what it means to be fully like Adolf Eichmann carried out mass mediocre and the spiritually noble. If
differences”. what has been discussed.” about the happiness of future genera- cultured or well-educated. Our modern murders while never permitting their this is how things are in the context of
tions, peace and the process of taming world is without a vision of human soci- consciousness to rise above the level of the political, then education is not
violence in and among societies are ety encompassing these two experi- following rules and obeying orders. about repeating and imitating the
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS continual, concrete, and the daily res-
ults of education as a learning process.
ences. Likewise, peace, as a dominant
idea for moral education in the past, has Looking for moral leadership
already inherited values that are col-
lectively accepted, but also about being
In this process, the importance of gradually experienced its isolation in Building peace and transcending re- able to create new values and norms in
>>In the report headlined “ED lens on Rs.1,600 crore deposit by cooperatives” autonomy and the nobility of spirit, the two fields of politics and interna- gional and global conflicts cannot be an autonomous way. It is certainly not
(Jan. 4, 2017), there was a reference to Shyamrao Vishal Cooperative Bank. It which are primarily intellectual virtues, tional relations. As a consequence, the left entirely to the action and volition of ideological, but philosophical since it is
should have been Shamrao Vithal Cooperative Bank. cannot be underestimated. Therefore, peacekeepers of today are diplomats political leaders. What is necessary exploration of constantly new question-
the main concern of education is to en- and soldiers. Moreover, the peace edu- herewith is not political governance, ings and a reactivation of the process of
>>Editing error: The AIADMK general secretary’s initials were erroneously gender a certain character in human be- cation promoted today by institutions but moral leadership. Moreover, moral thinking. Such a process is an effective
given as V.N. in the penultimate paragraph of the report headlined “AIADMK’s ings and to teach them the nobility of such as UNESCO and the UN General leadership cannot prevail by instru- strategy for peacebuilding in today’s
Dalit representatives deny unease over Sasikala’s rise” (Jan. 4, 2017, some edi- spirit and the moral common ground of Assembly is far from being sufficient to mental reason, namely, to work with the world where pedagogy for peace is not
tions). The correct name is V.K. Sasikala, as given in an earlier reference in the actions. If that is the case, the aim of prepare the future generations against elements as means to an end. What we something that is currently articulated
same report. education is not solely an academic war and violence. need here is a massive pedagogical en- and practised by the mainstream politi-
pursuit; it is a pursuit of moral wisdom. As a matter of fact, teachers and edu- terprise as a mode of “cultivation” of hu- cians, practitioners and researchers of
The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Immanuel Kant, in his Lecture Notes cators teach values such as fairness, manity. The effort to peacebuilding is, international relations.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- on Pedagogy, says the aim of education compassion, truth and freedom to Oth- therefore, accompanied with a freedom
day); E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in “must be the moralisation of man”. The ers, but they also confront these values from prejudice, exclusion and domina- Ramin Jahanbegloo is Director, Mahatma Gandhi
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com educational theory advocated by him is while transmitting them in classrooms. tion. An essential part of a definition Centre for Peace, Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

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10 | - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

When banks are awash with cash

In an environment characterised by slowing growth, poor investor sentiment and NPA-strapped banks, the
government has its task cut out. When private investment is skittish, public investment must step in
actually a grand success as its intention was But let us return to the role of banks. Well
S AT U R D AY , J A N U A R Y 7 , 2 0 1 7 PULAPRE to bring the money into the banking system! before sufering the ignominy of having
BALAKRISHNAN We may overlook the apologia and look only some of their oicers found with hands in
at the arguments made by the government’s the till, so to speak, they had piled up bad

Clamping down on There are many lessons to be learned from

spokespersons. Two are made. First, that a
larger volume of deposits will spur lending
and increase investment. And second, that
loans termed non-performing assets
(NPAs). L’afaire Vijay Mallya has shown
them to be of poor judgment when not actu-

ordinance raj the two months of turmoil that we have wit-

nessed since November 8, but one stands
out. The government not only underestim-
once most of the cash has “come into the
system”, financial transactions can be
tracked by the government.
ally corrupt. Can we now expect them to
wake up and start lending eiciently on a
scale high enough to make a diference to

B
oth superior courts and constitutional
functionaries have routinely deprecated
the propensity of governments to take the
ordinance route for mere political expedi-
ency. The temptation to use the power vested in the
President and the Governors under Articles 123 and
213 of the Constitution is generally a result of one of
the following three reasons: reluctance to face the
legislature on particular issues, fear of defeat in the
Upper House where the government may lack the
required numbers, and the need to overcome an
impasse in the legislature caused by repeated and
wilful disruption by a vociferous section of the Op-
position. The verdict of a seven-member Bench of
the Supreme Court breaks new ground in highlight-
ing the constitutional limitations on the cavalier re-
sort to ordinances. The Supreme Court had already
declared in 1986, in D.C. Wadhwa, that repeated re-
promulgation of ordinances was unconstitutional.
Now, in Krishna Kumar Singh v. State of Bihar, it
goes deeper and concludes that the failure to place
an ordinance before the legislature constitutes ab-
use of power and a fraud on the Constitution. It
noted in this case that a 1989 ordinance by which
the State government took over 429 Sanskrit
schools in Bihar was promulgated several times un-
til 1992, but not once tabled in the State Assembly.
The judgment widens the scope of judicial re-
view of ordinances. The court can go into whether
the President or Governor had any material to ar-
rive at the satisfaction that an ordinance was neces-
saryand to examine whether there was any oblique
motive. The judgment will be welcomed by those
who believe in constitutional propriety, legislative
control over lawmaking and the larger ethical basis
for the exercise of power in any circumstance.
However, it is not always that the ordinance route
can be neatly explained as a cynical move to priv-
ilege political expediency over parliamentary ac-
countability. While contending that ordinances
should be issued only to meet certain exigencies
and under compelling circumstances, it is equally
important to understand that disruption as a parlia-
mentary tactic plays a significant role. A dysfunc-
tional House sometimes constitutes a compelling
circumstance in itself. Generally, it is the combina-
tion of Opposition obstructionism and government
obstinacy in not making any concessions to those
across the aisle that derails legislative business and
leads to ordinances. The courts can only define the
boundaries between the use and abuse of power,
but it is up to parties in the legislature to observe
the limits of constitutional propriety and show that
they have both the time and the will to enact laws.
ated the capacity for ineiciency and
wrongdoing of our commercial banks, but
also appears to overestimate their ability to
turn around a shocked economy. Up until
the deadline of December 30, from across
the country, we have had reports of money
meant for release to the public in exchange
for the old notes being siphoned of to the
influential and those with the capacity to
pay for this. So, while the ordinary citizen
queued for hours over days, India’s rich and
powerful have had the newly issued cur-
rency notes in multiples of crores delivered
at their doorstep. This could not have
happened had bank oicials not collabor-
ated in this sordid exercise. On this score,
the demonetisation, held out by the govern-
ment as a means to ending corruption,
faltered at the very outset. The diversion of
notes meant for the public is only a variation
on a theme that we have long witnessed in
India whereby a commodity in short supply
is cornered by those in charge of its distribu-
tion and sold to the highest bidder. During
the Second World War it was food, then as
the Indian economy quickened it was ce-
ment, and now, with the government re-
minding us that it is the fastest growing eco-
nomy in the world, it is something as easy to
manufacture as paper money.
Maximum government?
So the demonetisation meant to eliminate
black money led directly to a black market
for currency notes. A government claiming
to provide “maximum governance” has lost
credibility. What is far more unfortunate
though is that the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has got embroiled in the mess. Not
only has it managed the transition with ex-
traordinary incompetence, its Governor
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: SURENDRA
Unless firms are impressed with
the demonetisation’s potential,
they are unlikely to unburden the
banks of the deposits that have
so copiously flowed in
having announced on November 8 that it
had “ramped up” production of the new
notes, but its oicers have had to be suspen-
ded for abetting money laundering. The
public had viewed the RBI as above the sec-
tarian calculations of the political class and
the brazen corruption associated with the
government machinery. This has now been
shattered. The Narendra Modi government
has succeeded in turning one of our most
precious institutions into yet another gov-
ernment department.
If this government is unwilling to ac-
knowledge its responsibility for gov-
ernance, we may turn to a consideration of
its grand strategy. In a flexible narrative fol-
lowing the exchange of much of the demon-
etised notes, which belied the hope of their
extinction, we are told that the exercise is
That with banks flush with funds their
lending will increase is based on a fallacy.
For, so long as the bank is not loaned-up, i.e.
its loans-to-deposits ratio is not at the max-
imum permissible, the volume of lending
will be determined by the demand for loans.
In fact, it is not obvious that even a lowering
of the interest rate will lead to this. The eco-
nomics profession has long recognised this.
It had first been noticed in the U.S. during
the 1930s. The rate of interest fell but private
investment did not increase, precisely be-
cause there was a paucity of willing borrow-
ers. It is this that had led Keynes to charac-
terise the use of monetary policy to revive
an economy as “pushing on a string”. Or, you
may recall the proverb, “you can take the
horse to the water but you cannot make it
drink”. Essentially, private investors com-
pare the cost of capital, represented by the
rate of interest, to the expected rate of return
on the project. In times of uncertainty the
expected rate of return would have to quite
high for a project to be chosen. As there is so
little that is objective to go by, expectations
are now reduced to mere ‘animal spirits’. Re-
cent experience should have given us some
idea of what to expect at present. Credit
growth had been sluggish even before
November 8. In fact, private gross fixed cap-
ital formation has been depressed for a
couple of years at least, even though the RBI
has lowered the policy rate twice in 2016.
This had led the World Bank to remark that
recent growth in India was being driven,
quite unusually, by public investment and
private consumption. Unless firms are so
impressed with the potential of the demon-
etisation, they are unlikely to unburden the
banks of the deposits that have so copiously
flowed into them since.
the economy? The timing of the announce-
ment of a lower lending rate by the State
Bank of India (SBI) should leave us wary of
the possibility that the government will ex-
ert pressure on the banks to lend to boost
demand and raise the level of activity in the
economy. A ‘political business cycle’ with
government pump-priming the economy
before elections is said to occur in western
democracies. In India the government has
an extra lever in the form of a nationalised
banking sector that can be forced to dance to
its tune. The very poor lending decisions of
public-sector banks commencing in UPA II
have resulted in a high level of NPAs. Hope-
fully at least now the RBI will caution banks
against ‘throwing good money after bad’ to
please their political bosses.
The current priority is to remonetise the
economy, and fast. The RBI and the banks
must eliminate the cash crunch that has res-
ulted in livelihood loss, especially in rural
India. One would expect that this alone
should keep them busy for much of the rest
of the financial year. NPAs come in the way
of banks expanding their loan portfolio. The
government is yet to address this issue or to
give its view on one of the solutions
profered, that of a ‘bad bank’, which must
perforce be a public undertaking.
A task cut out
In an environment characterised by slow-
ing growth, poor investor sentiment and
NPA-strapped banks, the government’s task
is cut out. Dogma alone stands in the way of
one recognising it. The macroeconomic
strategy should now make use of fiscal
policy. An occasion is presented by the
budget for the year 2017-18. When private in-
vestment is skittish, one would reasonably
expect public investment to step in. The
budget for the present year did little for ag-
gregate demand with the fiscal deficit down
and the allocation for public investment
merely inching forward. With the sops an-
nounced by the Prime Minister in his
speech on New Year’s Eve, there is the pos-
sibility that in its eagerness to display com-
mitment to fiscal consolidation, the govern-
ment may cut public investment. This is not
mere speculation. In the year 2015-2016 cap-
ital expenditure had ended up at less than
what had been budgeted.
Altogether, this government appears re-
luctant to expand public capital even though
it is in short supply in the economy. For
every demonstration that India has a higher
cash-to-GDP ratio compared to the rest of
the world, we can point to its lower level of
public services, not to mention human de-
velopment compared to even some of our

A remarkable neighbours. The government’s zeal for

squeezing cash out of the system is not
based on any serious economic analysis of

captain what the economy needs right now.

Moreover, the Prime Minister had come
promising minimum government. In this

M
ahendra Singh Dhoni is regarded as
one of the country’s most dashing
cricketers, but his flamboyance is
founded, almost ironically, on an inex-
plicably cool and calculated head. There are no
means of divining why he chose to relinquish In-
dia’s limited-overs captaincy when he did; his nat-
ural reserve ensures that his cards are almost al-
ways played close to his chest. In the context of
where Indian cricket is at this juncture, it appears
like an exceptionally clear-sighted decision, brave
and selfless in equal measure. He has efectively
said he will earn a place as a wicketkeeper-bats-
man. He has given the team management time to
build to the next World Cup, in 2019; if he is not a
part of that vision, he will not hold down a spot
merely by virtue of being skipper. Given Dhoni’s
standing, he is probably the only one who could
have made that call. It is unlikely that any selection
panel will have summoned the courage to drop
him. While his glove-work has not dipped signific-
antly — he remains a predatory presence behind
the wicket — his aura as a finisher has dimmed. Al-
though he is no less capable with the bat, the almost
eerie certainty one had that he will get the job done
has dissipated. With age — Dhoni turns 36 this July
— the greats do not necessarily lose their skill. But
the consistency of execution sufers.
The legacy Dhoni bequeaths Virat Kohli is a team
secure in its skin, certain it can win from any posi-
tion. There was no better captain in the game’s
shorter forms than Dhoni during his time. He is the
only skipper to have won all three major trophies —
the World Cup, the World Twenty20 and the Cham-
pions Trophy. Michael Clarke and Brendon McCul-
lum had greater attacking verve. They were cer-
tainly superior Test captains. But in the art of
managing a finite innings, reading a contest’s
rhythm and its tactical contours, Dhoni had no
equal. He had an intuitive feel for what could hap-
pen and the ability to get the best out of his re-
sources, however bare. His greatest strength was
his nerve. Where others tried to finish things
quickly to pre-empt panicking, he took games deep.
He raised the stakes, knowing he would not blink
before his opponent. Remarkably, he managed to
transmit this sense of composure to his team. He
asked his bowlers to relax and stick to the plan; the
responsibility of the result was his to bear. Few
cricketers have stayed in the present as successfully
as he has. Fortunately for Indian cricket, his suc-
cessor is every bit as impressive. Kohli, moreover,
will have access, should he choose, to all of Dhoni’s
considerable powers.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
RIP Om Puri
The sudden demise of actor Om
Puri is shocking and unfortunate
(“Veteran actor Om Puri passes
away”, Jan.6). Since childhood, I
have been an avid fan. I still vividly
recall him in Tamas, a television
film in the late 1980s, though I was
still in school then. Puri may not
have been the most attractive
person but he still attained great
success, notably in Bollywood, not
as a hero or a superstar but as an
actor who could essay every kind of
role with perfection. His success
story is an inspiration to those who
don’t have a model-like physique or
conventional good looks, which are
often demanded in the film
industry. He proved that good
acting can alone win one success.
Hemant Kumar,
Chandigarh
Om Puri was a representative of the
wealth of talent in Indian theatre
and cinema. Acting was his forte; it
came naturally to him. His
memorable performances in
Sadgati, Ardh Satya, Aakrosh,
Maachis, AK-47, Disco Dancer and
East is East and his cameo role in
Gandhi are still etched in our
memories. He was a stage and
screen actor, not a larger-than-life
superstar with a huge fan following.
His roles were essentially
depictions of ordinary individuals,
and they did justice to the human
condition. With like-minded peers
like Naseeruddin Shah, Puri
redefined the grammar of acting
and made new-wave parallel
cinema a significant medium of
entertainment and edification
despite his presence in mainstream
commercial cinema too.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Oh, what a fine actor Om Puri was!
Inimitable in his looks and body
language, he had an extraordinary
voice. While his role in Mirch
Masala is unforgettable, his
performance in Govind Nihalani’s
Tamas was beyond description. He
will be missed.
S.V. Venugopalan,
Chennai
Protecting our girls
Introducing self-defence in schools
can help girls protect themselves in
such situations (“Four arrested in
Bengaluru molestation case”, Jan.6).
It looks like women will always be
blamed, no matter what the
situation, while no derogatory
remarks will be made against the
men who commit such horrifying
acts. Imposing more rules on girls
isn’t the way to go, as many suggest,
but we can equip them with the
skills to fight back.
Kudur Rashmi,
Mumbai
There are several laws made to
protect women in India, but
implementation is really weak. We
don’t need more laws, we need to
change our attitudes. Every mother
in this country should sensitise her
son to respect women. Politicians
and the judiciary should be setting
examples by punishing culprits
instead of doing things like blaming
westernisation.
Veda Patil,
Gulbarga
Police reform
The author seems to suggest that
reforms within the police force
could infuse professionalism into it
(“Keeping the streets safe”, Jan.6).
The basic flaw in law enforcement
is that the police are under the
control of the ruling party. It is futile
to expect the lower echelons of the
police to act impartially when some
senior oicers are not immune to
political interference. Moreover, the
politicisation of crime and
criminalisation of politics are a
toxic mixture that has weakened the
independent functioning of the
police. The only way to make the
police accountable to the public and
to insulate personnel from political
interference is to implement the
police reforms initiated by the
Supreme Court in 2006.
We must also ask ourselves whether
neighbourhood communities and
society at large have no role in
protecting women from
harassment. The police cannot be
present in every nook and corner of
every city although patrolling can
be intensified in the night. Civic
responsibility to deter crime and
vein, he should leave the decision on the use
of cash to the market, as his government is
happy to do in some other crucial instances.
There is nothing to say that the honest cit-
izen should leave her money with the bank
rather than under the mattress so long as she
pays her taxes. The state must strive for ac-
countability, always.
Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor of Economics at Ashoka
University, Sonipat, Haryana, and Senior Fellow, IIM
Kozhikode, Kerala.
report its occurrence is something project the behaviour of an Indian
we seldom talk about. Community mob. Again, it turned out that the
policing — a partnership between video was not from here, but from
local communities and the police — Guatemala.
can also be tried as a strategy to In both instances, there were
prevent crime. undesirable consequences on the
public psyche. In a country like
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvanathapuram India that already has
communalism, religious
polarisation and patriarchy, the
Filtering out fake news post-truth world presents a
The spread of fake news through momentous challenge which needs
Facebook seems to be increasing to be curbed in its initial stages
day by day (“Being factual in the before the country goes digital, a
post-truth era”, Jan.6). But it’s not phenomenon which will bring
just Facebook; I see government about its own set of challenges.
orders, or what people believe are
Nidhish Kumar,
government orders, being shared on Ghaziabad
WhatsApp and other social media
platforms every other day. People
share information without The goal of education
verification, which can be Moral degradation has spread its
dangerous. All social media tentacles far and wide, including in
platforms have a moral our education system (“Teaching
responsibility to filter out fake peace to humanity”, Jan.6). The
news. future generation is left to
mechanically absorb factual
Bharath Bhushan Akkera,
Hyderabad knowledge, not wisdom. This rat
race is a dangerous predicament.
This editorial reminds me of the The ultimate goal of education —
2013 communal riots in that of emancipating oneself — is
Muzafarnagar. A video clip wholly overlooked in the strictly
showing men, who were syllabus-oriented education system
purportedly in a particular of today. It is high time our
community’s attire, lynching two educational setup underwent a
boys was circulated on social massive revamp taking a cue from
media, inciting violence. It was later India’s ancient Gurukul system, of
found that the incident did not take holistic development encompassing
place in Muzafarnagar. physical, mental, societal and
In another instance, a video of a spiritual elevation of the soul.
woman being beaten and burned Anjali B.,
alive by a mob was circulated to Thiruvananthapuram

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NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017
The sisterhood of wrestlers
A thousand akharas are blooming in Haryana as the State promises to nurture girls inspired by the Phogats and Sakshi Maliks, reports Damini Nath
It’s 3.30 p.m. on a clear day. Balali village,
in the Bhiwani district of Haryana, is
slowly whirring to life after the siesta.
There’s a whif of mustard in the air as
the fields of yellow sway in the gentle
breeze. The serenity, however, barely
seeps in to a hall adjoining the rabi crop
where 11-year-old Komal Sangwan is
giving the mats a hurried sweep. In
minutes, the hall would be packed with
20-odd children, Komal included, first
warming up and then straining their
sinews to instructions yelled out from
the doorway.
The tough taskmaster in question:
Mahavir Singh Phogat, father and coach
to golden grapplers Geeta and Babita.
The father-daughters’ exploits, known
in sporting circles for over half a dec-
ade, have entered the national conversa-
tion with the Aamir Khan-starrer
Dangal, the Bollywood blockbuster
that’s scripting a new collections high at
the box oice each passing day.
The ‘high notes’ have been years in
the making, literally. When he started
training his two eldest daughters in
2000, Mahavir quickly became the
black sheep of Balali. “My relatives,
even my parents, would ask me, ‘Aren’t
you ashamed that you are making pehel-
wans (wrestlers) out of girls?’ When I
used to say that my daughters would
make a name for themselves and make
the country proud, people used to
laugh,” says Mahavir, as he sits outside
the wrestling hall, Roxy, his pet pug,
sleeping at his feet.
They laughed then, but the laughter
turned to applause as Geeta and Babita
went on to win the gold and silver
medals respectively at the 2010 Com-
monwealth Games in Delhi. Their sis-
ters and cousins, Priyanka, Ritu, Vinesh
and Sangita, also followed them into the
sport, winning medals at international
and national-level competitions.
Winds of change
Along with the Phogat sisters and
Sakshi Malik, bronze medal winner at
the Rio Olympics in 2016, young girls in
the State are increasingly taking to the
sport as evidenced by the throng at the
small wrestling centre Mahavir built on
his land, complete with a running track
through the fields, and elsewhere in the
State. “When I started training my
daughters there weren’t any akharas
that allowed girls. Now, there must be at
least 50 akharas that train girls,” he says.
It’s not just that attitudes are chan-
ging, the State has also been investing in
sports infrastructure, even allocating
Rs.1.5 crore in the 2016-2017 budget for
wrestling mats and weight-training
equipment for akharas. Apart from the
State government’s wrestling centres,
the Sports Authority of India also has
three training facilities for the sport in
Haryana in Hisar, Bhiwani and Sonepat.
But there is a lot more to be done. With
the right assistance, Mahavir says he
can churn out “many Geetas”. The
Haryana Sports Department itself es-
timates that Rs.2.5 crore is needed to
strengthen akharas.
At any rate, in a State with the lowest
sex ratio in the country and where wo-
men have at diferent points been
‘banned’ from using cell phones and
wearing jeans, the sight of girls wrest-
ling and excelling at the sport has star-
ted a conversation. Daya Kaur, Ma-
havir’s wife, has seen it first-hand.
“From the time my daughters started
wrestling to now, I can see some change.
But it’s not the majority that has
changed. Many still wish for a boy to be
born, and take the birth of a girl in their
family as a burden,” she says, as she
peeks into the wrestling hall while bra-
cing up for the evening chores.
Nine-year-old Neha Sangwan, the
daughter of Balali sarpanch Amit Ku-
mar Sangwan, has been training with
Mahavir for two years. “She can do 600
push-ups,” says a village elder who is sit-
ting outside and playing cards with
friends. It’s more like 100, clarifies Neha
sheepishly.
Sarpanch Sangwan says the fact that
young parents like him are encouraging
their daughters to train with “Mahavir
pehelwan” is an indication of change in
the village. “It’s not just wrestling, but
girls in the village are getting jobs in the
paramilitary forces, in aviation and the
government services. Wrestling will
open up opportunities for my daugh-
ter,” he says.
For girls like Neha, the next step is to
move to a town as training centres there
ofer better facilities.
The Haryana Sports Department
runs wrestling centres across the State,
with the one at Rohtak’s Chhotu Ram
Stadium boasting of many famous stu-
dents, including Sakshi Malik.
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- 1ias.com -
From the time my
daughters started
wrestling to now, I can see
some change. But it’s not
the majority that has
changed. Many still wish for
a boy to be born, and take
the birth of a girl in their
family as a burden - Daya
Kaur, wife of Mahavir Phogat
About 100 students, including 30
girls, train twice a day for up to six hours
at the centre. With photos of Sakshi Ma-
lik, double Olympic medallist Sushil
Kumar and London 2012 medal-winner
Yogeshwar Dutt hanging on the walls,
the students’ aren’t short on inspiration.
Most of the girls are aged 16-24 and
have come from villages across the
State, with their families funding their
stay. They live by themselves in Rohtak,
in single rooms on rent. A typical day
starts at 5 a.m., with the morning train-
ing session spanning from 6.30 a.m. to
around 9 a.m. Then it’s back to the room,
where they cook, clean and rest before
the afternoon session from 3.30 p.m. to
around 7 p.m., and back home in time for
dinner. Sunday is the only respite from
this gruelling schedule, with the luxury
of a few extra hours of sleep.
For 18-year-old Reena, who has been
wrestling for seven years, while atti-
tudes of those around her may be chan-
ging, society still needs to. “When I star-
ted winning medals, the people in my
village started looking at me diferently.
The biggest change was after Sakshi
didi’s bronze medal in the Olympics.
But I feel it’s superficial support, they
don’t really believe in us,” she says.
Back home, girls are “married of” as
soon as they finish Class X, says Reena
in the middle of a training break. “Their
mindset has not changed overall. My
village is about 2 km away, but my par-
ents insist that I rent a room in Rohtak
just to keep out the taunts of others,” she
says.
The coach at the centre, Mandeep
Singh, who also trains Sakshi Malik,
however, insists attitudes are changing.
“Just from talking to parents, we can see
GROUND ZERO
the change,” he says, as girls as young as
eight years old are being dropped of
and picked up twice a day at the centre
by eager parents.
The wrestling boom
If the number of girls who are starting
to take up the sport is any indication,
then wrestling is booming in Haryana.
Coaches and training centres are find-
ing it diicult to accommodate the rush.
At Rohtak’s Maharshi Dayanand Uni-
versity, about 100 students train under
former national-level coach Ishwar
Chand Dahiya, who used to run the Ch-
hotu Ram Stadium centre till his retire-
ment a few years ago. It was there that
he encountered Sakshi Malik and be-
came her first coach.
At a cold early morning session at the
university’s wrestling hall, Kiran Ah-
lawat can’t wait to get back on the mat.
The 16-year-old injured her shoulder
trying to impress the coach and now has
to look on while the others practise.
Wearing a pink hoodie and matching
socks that peep out from a small hole in
her shoes, Kiran is among 14 girls who
train under Dahiya. “When I started
training girls in 2003, even my relatives
used to say ‘he’s gone mad’. But I did not
treat girls and boys diferently,” says the
genial coach as he watches over the stu-
dents’ morning session.
One of the beginners at the centre is
11-year-old Sakshi Malik. After her illus-
trious namesake became the first Indian
woman to win an Olympic medal for
wrestling, Sakshi decided that she
wanted to follow in her footsteps. Every
morning before school, and every after-
noon after classes get over, she makes
her way from her village, Kharawar,
which is about half an hour away.
For the twenty-somethings, the
wrestlers are grappling with the pres-
sure to get married, but not in the same
way as their peers. Their families insist
that they focus on their game, win accol-
ades and then think of “settling down”.
Medals will give them an “upper hand”
when it comes to prospective suitors,
says a coach. For now, the mat is where
their focus is.
Sudesh Malik, 22, who is from Bhain-
swal Kalan village in Sonepat district
but lives and trains in Rohtak, knows ex-
actly how things have changed for her
ilk. Her parents had forced her to stop
wrestling when she was younger. Only
an intervention from her coach could
get them to agree. “When I started win-
ning, they stopped objecting. Now they
support me completely. In fact, when I
meet my friends from the village, they
tell me that I have it the best. They’re all
married. They tell me not to get mar-
ried,” she says.
For Sudesh, who competes in the 74-
kg weight class, the growing participa-
tion of girls has meant more competi-
tion. “Earlier, there used to be only five
to seven girls in my weight class. Now, at
national-level events, there are up to 25,”
she says.
Grappling with ground realities
Another wrestler at the session, 23-
year-old Seema, says though wrestling
gave her a “new life”, life back in her vil-
lage has not changed much. “They talk
about us behind our backs. They say
things like ‘wonder what she is up to’
and ‘what kind of clothes must she be
wearing’,” she says.
But the villages the girls come from
are a world away from the mats. During
an evening session, Dahiya shows the
students some techniques. The entire
hall gathers around as he tackles a stu-
dent to the ground. As he stands on the
sidelines giving instructions, he is inter-
rupted by a girl asking permission to
leave early. “The hostel warden isn’t al-
lowing me to stay late,” says the under-
graduate student. The hostel she stays
at has a fixed curfew for girls, 6 p.m.,
while boys are not required to adhere to
any deadlines. The coach says he will
| 11
PACKING A PUNCH: “The assembly line coming out of Haryana augurs well for India’s
sporting ambitions in the global arena.” (Clockwise from top) Mahavir Phogat trains
young girls in Balali village, Bhiwani; Indu Chaudhary of Haryana Hammers in action
against Bulgarian wrestler Elista Yankova in the Pro Wrestling League in New Delhi;
a warm-up session at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak; budding wrestlers,
mostly girls, jog in Balali village. PHOTOS: AKHILESH KUMAR (HARYANA)/ V. V. KRISHNAN (NEW DELHI)
figure it out, speak to the authorities their favourites could win. As the day
and ask for permission. winds down, Sudesh gets a call from her
Meanwhile, Sudesh and Seema are father. She assures him that she’s taking
grappling on one side of the mat when care of herself and not exerting too
they bump into two young men who much — she hasn’t competed in a “big
have also just gone to the ground. competition” in about two years due to a
“Move to your side,” yells one of the knee injury. “But I’m getting better, get-
boys, pointing to the edge of the mat ting the strength back,” she says, as im-
where the girls are supposed to practise. ages from the K.D. Jadhav stadium in
Seema and Sudesh roll their eyes and Delhi play on in the background.
carry on. For many of the young girls in Hary-
Towards the end of the session, the ana’s wrestling centres and akharas, get-
young men and women practise with ting to compete alongside international
each other, as the coaches make sure stars in a televised league is a new op-
that the doors and windows are closed. portunity, complete with money, fame
“I don’t let anyone, apart from parents, and the opportunity to learn. But life is
hang around the hall. If they see girls no breeze for the young women who ap-
and boys wrestling with each other, pear to have “made it”.
they’ll create a ruckus. If this (points to- Kiran and Indu Chaudhary have just
wards a girl and boy grappling) was hap- completed their bouts on day three of
pening in a village, there would be the league. With the deafening roar of
murder,” says one of the coaches. cheering fans and drums still ringing in
their ears, the Haryana Hammers team-
League of aspirations mates catch a breath. “If we give our
In some time, it’s Sudesh who asks to best, then young girls and their families
leave. The second edition of the Pro can see the possibilities. It promotes the
Wrestling League — a bid to profession- sport for the next generation,” says
alise the game on the lines of similar Indu, who is from Meerut in Uttar Pra-
franchise models for cricket, hockey, desh. Indu has had a tough bout and
badminton, kabaddi, etc. — is starting ended up injured. “Injury toh wrestler
and she wants to catch the first match ka gehna hai,” says Kiran, to which Indu
on TV. Coach Dahiya agrees, and tells nods.
all his students to watch “kushti on TV” Whether it is in the wrestling centres
as he wraps up the session. or the akharas or under the floodlights
The girls cycle frantically to Sudesh’s of a Delhi stadium, the assembly line
one-room house to make it in time for coming out of Haryana augurs well for
the opening. With three teddy bears India’s sporting ambitions in the global
hanging on the wall and two dumb-bells arena even as it equalises opportunities
on the floor next to the bed, Sudesh’s and alters societal attitudes along the
room is far removed from the staid way. There’s a new-found can-do spirit
wrestling hall where she spends hours stemming from the successes of the
each day. Phogat sisters and Sakshi Malik. Even in
As Sudesh peels amlas (gooseber- faraway Balali, where Neha Sangwan
ries) and a beetroot for juice (it’s good has set her sights on winning an
for you after practice, she says), the pro- Olympic medal. “Like Sakshi didi,” she
gramme begins. Seema and Sudesh says. Only two notches better.
watch the bouts, talk about which of “Gold.”
ND-ND
10 |
DR HUMERUS
Keshav
AROUND THE WORLD
Hiding in
the lungs
Scientists have for
the first time found
potential evidence
of the Ebola virus
replication in the
lungs of a person
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
recovering from infection, according to research
published in PLOS Pathogens. The findings could aid
research into new treatments and help better
understand how the virus is transmitted. From 2013
to 2016, West Africa experienced an unprecedented
outbreak of haemorrhagic Ebola. Though there were
theories that the lung may be cocoon for the virus,
evidence has been elusive. It is possible, the
scientists say, that the lungs simply provided a
protective environment that allowed RNA
(ribonucleic acid) to linger longer than it did in the
blood. However, the presence of RNA, for a range of
markers in the lungs, supports the possibility of
active replication. — PLOS Pathogens.
Follow
this diet
A study shows that
older people who
followed a
Mediterranean diet
retained more brain
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
volume over a
three-year period than those who did not follow the
diet as closely. The study, in the journal Neurology,
also found that eating more fish and less meat didn’t
induce changes in the brain. The Mediterranean diet
includes large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive
oil, beans and cereal grains such as wheat and rice,
moderate amounts of fish, dairy and wine, and
limited red meat and poultry. Researchers arrived at
their conclusions after studying the eating habits of
967 Scottish people around age 70, who did not
have dementia, and subjecting them to a sequence
of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans. —
ScienceDaily
Blame the boss
People who work for
bosses who display
psychopathic and
narcissistic traits
not only feel more
depressed due to
their bosses’ PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
bullying behaviour but are also more likely to
engage in undesirable behaviour at work. These are
the key findings of a research team from the
University of Manchester’s Business School. A total
of 1,200 participants, from several countries and
trades, took part in three studies that required them
to complete questionnaires relating to their own
psychological well-being, prevalence of workplace
bullying in their organisation and their manager’s
personality. Analysis of the data showed that those
who work for such leaders had lower job
satisfaction and scored higher on clinical measures
of depression. — Eurekalert
Spinning special
thread
A chance meeting
between a spider
expert and a
chemist has led to
the development of PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
antibiotic synthetic
spider silk. After five years’ work, an
interdisciplinary team of scientists at The University
of Nottingham has developed a technique to
produce special spider silk that can be tailored to
applications used in drug delivery, regenerative
medicine and wound healing. Their method, called
‘click-chemistry’, can be used to attach molecules,
such as antibiotics or fluorescent dyes, to artificially
produce spider silk synthesised by E.coli bacteria.
The research was published in the online journal
Advanced Materials. The chosen molecules can be
‘clicked’ into place in soluble silk protein at any time
during the fibre-formation process. This means that
the process can be easily controlled and more than
one type of molecule can be used to ‘decorate’
individual silk strands. “Spider silk is strong,
biocompatible and biodegradable. It is a protein-
based material that does not appear to cause a
strong immune, allergic or inflammatory reaction.
With the recent development of recombinant spider
silk, the race has been on to find ways of harnessing
its remarkable qualities.” — Science Daily
DEMYSTIFYING SCIENCE
What is 3D Graphene?
Graphene is one of the strongest materials
known to man, but so far it hasn't lent itself to
practical use because it is extremely thin.
However, researchers from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) said they had
designed a 3D version of the material by
compressing and fusing flakes of graphene, a
two-dimensional form of carbon. One of the
variants of the lightweight material is only 5 per
cent as dense as steel, but 10 times stronger.
The scientists, reporting their work in the
journal, Science Advances, also said that
creation of the new porous, 3D form had less to
do with the material itself and more to do with
the unusual geometric configuration employed.
This could lead to more lighter, stronger
materials with similar geometric features.
CM
YK
- 1ias.com -
FIGHTING TB
‘India’s refusal to scale up bedaquiline
is really the world’s problem’
An 18-year-old girl’s legal battle puts the spotlight on the need to widen access to the new wonder drug
for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
VIDYA KRISHNAN
An 18-year-old girl has taken the
Indian government to court after
being refused access to block-
buster tuberculosis drug bedaquil-
ine (BDQ). The girl has extens-
ively drug-resistant tuberculosis
or XDR TB and her case is em-
blematic of the desperation of TB
patients in India, as the Health
Ministry has delayed the roll-out
of the life-saving drug beyond six
centres in the country. As the case
comes up for hearing on Monday,
Jennifer J. Furin of Harvard
Medical School, who is also an ex-
pert witness in the court case, tells
The Hindu in an e-mail interview
that the decision will have a far-
reaching impact on India’s tuber-
culosis patients. Excerpts:
How worried are you about the
Indian government’s delay in rolling
out bedaquiline?
First of all, the delayed roll-out
and restrictive criteria are result-
ing in the unnecessary loss of life
for thousands of people living in
India. Before we had limited op-
tions for them, but now with beda-
quiline we do, and all citizens of In-
dia (and of the world) have a right
to health and life and access to this
Mai and Menna
HELP AT LAST: After months of appealing for medical help, Fatma Yousry and Islam Hassan, the parents of the
eighteen-month-old conjoined Egyptian twins, could have some reason for cheer. In a statement by the Saudi
Press Agency, Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz has issued instructions to transfer the girls to King Abdulaziz
Medical City, in Riyadh, to undergo medical checks prior to the separation operation. The twins share some tissue
and veins around the brain area. — PHOTO: AP
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Sri Lanka’s next big fight
Unlike in its successful battle against malaria, the country has a peculiar challenge as it tries
combating this disease — establishing a cause
MEERA SRINIVASAN
T he International Society of Neph-
rologists (ISN) recently honoured
Sri Lankan President Maithripala
Sirisena for his “extraordinary contri-
bution” to the fight against Chronic
Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology
(CKDu).
The recognition comes months
after the World Health Organisation
declared Sri Lanka “malaria-free”, a
significant public health achievement
in the region.
Unlike in its fight against malaria,
Sri Lanka has a peculiar challenge
even as it tries combating CKDu — an
unknown enemy. The medical fratern-
ity has been grappling with the ques-
tion for years now and is yet to estab-
lish a cause that has scientific
evidence backing it, according to Pres-
ident of the Sri Lanka Association of
Nephrologists, Chula Herath.
‘Silent condition’
While hypertension and diabetes
are known to be common causes for
kidney ailments, CKDu falls outside
that ambit. “In every renal data base in
the world there is a percentage of
CKDu which causes long-term pro-
gressive damage to the kidneys,” he
told The Hindu at Sri Lanka’s Sri Jaye-
wardenepura General Hospital. How-
ever, he clarifies that not all undia-
gnosed cases are CKDu, a specific
term used to connote conditions
where causal factors remain un-
known. Describing it a largely “silent
condition”, he says symptoms are sel-
dom manifested till the final stages. “It
is like this — when you drive a car, you
won’t feel the petrol running out until
the vehicle stops, unless you check
periodically.”
CKDu was in the news some years
ago when farmers working in Central
America’s sugar cane farms suc-
cumbed to a “mysterious” kidney dis-
ease. In both Central America and Sri
WEEKEND
BEING
“TB is an emergency in India and needs to be treated as such.” Picture
shows a medical illustration of tuberculosis. — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
medication. Second, the delay
means that little is being done to
stop the ongoing spread of MDR-
TB (multidrug-resistant tubercu-
losis). By denying people access to
this drug — which doubles the
chances of cure — they are allow-
ing MDR-TB to spread unchecked
throughout the country. And this
also afects the international com-
munity given that MDR-TB is an
airborne disease.
Will improving access to
bedaquiline result in antibiotic
resistance, as the government
fears?
Some degree of responsible use
Experts from the region,
including from India, have
been roped in to play a key
role in supporting initiatives
aimed at curbing the disease
Lanka, reports of the condition first
began emerging sometime in the
1990s, according to Dr. Herath. In 2014,
Sri Lanka media widely reported on a
“mysterious” kidney disease spread-
ing among farmers. “More recently,
there are reports of the disease in
some parts of Andhra Pradesh, among
people from the agricultural
community.”
In Sri Lanka too, it is the agriculture-
intensive North Central Province
where the condition is highly
prevalent.
Speaking at the award ceremony in
Colombo in December, Mr. Sirisena
said CKDu was endemic among poor
farmers in Sri Lanka. He pointed to
20,828 patients and 5,000 deaths per
year, terming it a “national disaster”.
Mr. Sirisena, who served as Health
Minister in former President Mahinda
Rajpaksa’s cabinet, is from Polon-
naruwa in the North Central Province,
where agriculture is one of the key
drivers of the economy. Given CKDu’s
prevalence in his constituency, and his
own familiarity with public health, he
set up a presidential task force to ad-
dress the problem.
Additionally, he prompted
Colombo-based entrepreneur and
proprietor of the sea-side Galle Face
Hotel Sanjeev Gardner to set up a fund
to support initiatives aimed at curbing
CKDu. The ISN-Gardiner Fund (ISN-
GF) launched on the occasion would
aim to fight CKDu not just in Sri Lanka
but in the region and at the global
level. Experts from the region, includ-
ing senior Indian nephrologist Georgi
Abraham, have been roped in to play a
key role in the initiative.
THE HINDU
care is available to them elsewhere.
What are the implications for the
rest of the world if India does not
show urgency in this matter?
There have been cases of per-
sons travelling to India and becom-
ing infected and sick with MDR-
TB, so India’s refusal to scale up
BDQ is really the world’s problem.
India desires to be more prominent
on the international stage, but their
continued refusals to address the
public health crisis of TB and
MDR-TB really will limit such
is necessary. You don’t want BDQ
available in all the drugstores or on
the open market. But the severe re-
strictions the Indian government
has placed on BDQ — with oicials Data from South Africa
saying it should only be used for show that the sooner a
the worst, most resistant cases —
actually increase the chance of person is offered access to
generating BDQ resistance. Data bedaquiline, the better the
from South Africa show that the outcome for the individual
sooner a person is ofered access to patient and
BDQ , the better the outcome for
the individual patient and for the for the
community. community
Denying this young woman ac- - Jennifer J.
cess to BDQ weakens the public’s Furin
confidence in the public health Harvard Medical
system, and they will continue to School
go to private services until quality
PERSPECTIVE
Health-care data
is ailing
SAMARTH BANSAL
D ata pertaining to
health care in India,
evidence shows, is
significantly
compromised in terms of
its quality, its periodicity
and coverage. In addition,
“there is a visible
discrepancy between the
type of information
available and what is
required by health
planners, medical
scientists and
researchers,” says a
recent paper by the
Health Team of the
National Institute of
Public Finance and Policy
(NIPFP), New Delhi.
It has been well
recognised and
acknowledged by the
government oicials that
data collection system in
India needs to be
completely revamped as
diferent data sources
lead to diferent
conclusions. So if you
want to know the
proportion of births that
were delivered by
caesarian section in a
private health facility of
Andhra Pradesh, National
Family Health Survey
The focus, so far, has been largely on (NFHS)-4 will say it is 57
curative measures, Dr. Herath says, ex- per cent but the Health
plaining that efective preventive
measures could not be evolved
without knowing what causes the con-
Information System of the
National Rural Health
Mission 2015-16 pegs it at
dition. Dialysis and transplantation around 42 per cent.
are the common medical responses,
depending on a patient’s condition, Data gaps
but the country’s available medical in- In an issue brief
published by the
frastructure is overstrained with the
increasing incidence of CKDu, he Observer Research
Foundation (ORF), four
notes. Sri Lanka, after consistent ef-
forts to strengthen its CKDu response major data gaps were
identified. First, there is a
mechanisms (COMMA) currently has
nearly 400 dialysis machines. The lack of data at the sub-
State or the district level,
country needs at least 1,000 in the
making it diicult to plan
coming year, by nephrologists’ estima-
for targeted
tion. About 350 live kidney transplants interventions. Second,
and 20 cadaveric kidney transplants data is collected at
are performed in Sri Lanka every year irregular intervals, which
and “both could increase,” Dr. Herath doesn’t allow for mid-
notes. course policy correction.
For example, the fourth
Preventive measures
round of NFHS was
Working on prevention is not easy conducted after a gap of
because nephrologists across the nine years. Third, data
world have only assumptions to go by. remains incomplete in
“There is a lot of hypothesis that agro- many surveys and tools,
chemicals and contaminated water especially in
could be likely causes. While we do administrative data at
not have evidence to prove this, the hospitals and nursing
public health system is trying to inter- centres in smaller towns
vene through some preventive meas- and districts. Fourth,
which is a problem across
ures,” he said. Local government oi-
the board, is data quality.
cials involved in the campaign now The issue brief mentions
focus on providing good quality drink- that the lack of an
ing water, raising awareness about the independent quality
risk of dehydration and ensuring su- control body limits the
pervised use of agrochemicals and quality of available data,
fertilisers. especially given that the
Given all the challenges, Sri Lanka information passes
has come a long way in responding to through various layers
CKDu, doctors say. before reaching the stage
The Health Ministry has begun of evaluation and
sensitising its oicials in every district analysis.
to the condition. “We are also training In order to ensure that
our public health workers at the grass- we get credible and
roots level. Our public health infra- reliable data, systemic
structure is gearing up in a big way,” concerns must be taken
Dr. Ranasinghe says. into consideration.
meera.srinivasan@thehindu.co.in
SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI
global aspirations. India is clearly
abdicating its responsibility on the
TB front, and other countries have
noticed this and are not happy
about it.
Do you think India’s TB
management policies are not in
sync with the country’s disease
burden?
The management policies are
completely out of sync with the
burden of TB and MDR-TB in the
country. TB is an emergency in In-
dia and needs to be treated as such.
India is such a leader in health and
technology, it is baling that they
continue to report the highest rates
of TB and MDR-TB in the world.
Are you hopeful that the 18-year-old
girl will get access to bedaquiline in
time?
I am always hopeful that we will
do a better job in providing per-
sons living with TB and MDR-TB
with the care they need and de-
serve.
A decision must be made ur-
gently, though, because she is very
sick right now. We can no longer be
satisfied with “protecting a drug”
when we should be protecting
people’s lives.
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGMENT
Figuring out why the data
was collected often hints
towards how it was
collected.
Lack of health-care data
from the private sector is
another major caveat. The
NIPFP paper finds that the
National Health Profile
published by the Central
Bureau of Health
Intelligence, New Delhi,
remains “severely
compromised” in terms of
health expenditures
incurred at private
facilities — even though 70
per cent of the health
expenditure is reported at
those institutions.
Evidence-based,
informed health policies
require data. But there is
more to it: good quality
data is quite crucial for
eicient allocation of our
limited resources.
However, good quality
data itself has no value if
people don’t make use of
it. Even when quality has
improved for certain data
sets such as the Health
Management Information
System (HMIS),
stakeholders haven’t
started using it much.
Oftake is low by the
policy community at large,
and much lower by
administrators, which in
turn drives the lack of
enthusiasm to further
improve the data systems.
The way forward
To strengthen data
quality, the NIPFP paper
makes four suggestions.
First, the definitions for
various indicators need to
be standardised across
surveys, even if conducted
by diferent organisations.
Second, the best way to
data is to ensure routine
capturing of disaggregated
data, without duplication
of forms and formats to
reduce the eforts of data
producers. Third,
stakeholders and decision-
makers will have to place a
positive value on data in
order to use it in decision-
making. This can be
generated by building a
positive experience using
information to support a
decision and through
proper training. Fourth,
the capacity building of
staf needs to be a focus
area, providing them with
necessary skills.
samarth.bansal@thehindu.co.in
ND-ND
 - 1ias.com - | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2017

WEEKEND
READING
ESSAY SHELF

HELP
Beauty amidst pain, hope amidst despair G

Nadeem Aslam explores the relationship between architecture and human nature in a tragic, brutalised landscape
UMA MAHADEVAN DASGUPTA
At the beginning of Nadeem
Aslam’s new novel, someone
reveals the secrets of the
town’s residents before dawn
on the loudspeakers. No one
knows who it is, but the secret
vices and corruption of the cit-
izens are announced one by
one, day after day. It is a pecu-
liar and shameful intrusion.
“The city of Zamana was ex-
periencing a strange new
dread.”
Aslam’s fiction is about the
human impulse to create —
and how it repeatedly comes
up against the equally human
tendency to restrict, maim,
and destroy.
The Golden Legend, his
fifth novel, is set in the fic-
tional town of Zamana in
Pakistan, a setting to which he
returns after his 1993 debut,
Season of the Rainbirds. This
new novel explores the rela-
tionship between architecture
and human nature in a tragic,
brutalised landscape.
Describing architecture
Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe once described archi-
tecture as “frozen music”;
Constantin Brancusi de-
scribed it as “inhabited sculp-
ture”. Regarding architecture
as inhabited stories, Aslam’s
novel asks, whose stories are
these? What drives human be-
ings to create beautiful build-
ings? In turn, how are people’s
lives shaped by the spaces in
which they live? Can beautiful
spaces heal the divides of
painful history?
The novel opens in a vast
room in what was once a paper
factory and is now the home of
an architect couple. The room
is filled with books as well as
other beautiful and fascinat-
ing things, such as a metal hel-
met for a stallion from the
Crusades, and a vase of dried
branches from apple trees
planted by Count Tolstoy with
his own hands. To think of
apple trees planted by Tolstoy
and still living! These are
among the moments of shin-
ing beauty that make a
Nadeem Aslam novel what it
is.
Inside this library of strange
things are two smaller ‘build-
ings’: architectural models of
two celebrated monuments,
the Great Mosque in Cordoba
In a landscape filled with pain and violence, there
is resistance in the act of restoring, preserving
and repairing damaged objects.
ILLUSTRATION: SATWIK GADE
and the Hagia Sophia in Istan-
bul. These are placed in the
centre of the room, function-
ing as shelters to work in dur-
ing the winter months, and
winched up by a system of pul-
leys and levers for the rest of
the year when they are not re-
quired. When the novel opens,
it is spring, and the architec-
tural models are being
winched up as a seven-year-
old girl looks on, wide-eyed.
As she gazes up, she imagines
moths fluttering inside the
minarets “like trapped
prayers”.
“Architecture is the reach-
ing out for the truth,” re-
marked Louis Kahn. Thus,
Aslam’s narrative suggests
that there is a kind of violence
even in the imposition of an
alien geography upon a place:
for example, when under colo-
nial rule, in the market area of
the town, the British rulers
had laid out the eight bazaars
to represent the spokes of the
Union Jack. It is similarly an
act of hostility to close up the
spaces in which people can in-
teract naturally, such as in the
neighbourhood of Badami
Bagh where the minority com-
munity lives, and where most
lanes leading to their resid-
ences have been blocked.
Indeed, Badami Bagh itself
is a great symbol of the beauty
in the midst of devastation
that is Aslam’s constant
theme. In this once glorious
two hundred-year-old almond
orchard, mutineers once hid
among the trees to plan the
1857 rebellion; after the failure
of that uprising, they were
hanged by the British from the
branches of those very trees.
And now, unable to escape the
onslaught of urban demand,
the orchard has been reduced
to a single surviving almond
tree inhabited by the ghost of a
hanged mutineer, who now
wanders about the orchard
asking people to untie the
noose from his neck.
“They were beautiful —
with their families of domes,
semi-domes, and minarets.”
Aslam constructs his narrative
like a family of stories and
semi-stories, the diferent plot
threads like passages running
through the building that
bring characters face-to-face
with each other and with their
past. In Zamana, on the morn-
ing when the novel opens, a
human chain gathers, a mile
long, to transfer sacred books
from an ancient library to a
new location. Elsewhere, a
gentle, caring, elderly man
tends to a museum of glass
flowers, and says he can’t leave
the country until he has done
all he personally can to make
things better. It is the kind of
museum and he is the kind of
character that one might only
encounter in a Nadeem Aslam
novel.
The novel is also about for-
giveness. A widow is asked —
ordered, actually — to forgive
her husband’s killer. Almost
immediately, another charac-
ter asks her not to forgive the
killer. But what does it actually
mean to forgive someone, asks
the novel. Who actually has
the right to forgive a wrong?
What does it mean to be
merciful?
In a landscape filled with
pain and violence, there is res-
istance in the act of restoring,
preserving and repairing dam-
aged objects. A character re-
flects on the Japanese art of
kintsugi, of repairing broken
objects with gold, thus reveal-
ing the care with which the ob-
ject has been put together
again, making it more beauti-
ful than before. If one charac-
ter perfunctorily rips up the
pages of a cherished book with
a knife, others spend hours
and days to stitch the book
back into a whole, page by la-
borious page, with golden
thread, in an act of resistance
and devotion.
Metaphor is resistance
If the novel lacks nuance in
its political vision — for all
systems are not equally
flawed, cynical and oppressive
— the achingly lovely prose
makes up for it. Metaphor is
the gold thread that holds the
novel together. Metaphor, in
Aslam’s prose, is resistance: it
fights against the literal, re-
ductive, single meaning that
traps individuals into categor-
ies and labels. For the charac-
ters, resistance lies in crossing
artificial boundaries and find-
ing new ways to get into for-
bidden territory. One charac-
ter changes her name and
identity; another crosses a for-
bidden boundary to meet the
woman he loves. A rickshaw
driver criss-crosses the lanes
of the town, becoming a meta-
phor for the fragile and peril-
ous journey of the individual
through a desolate landscape.
The Grand Trunk Road itself
is present in the novel both lit-
erally and as a symbol of
something that brings human
beings together — “one of the
planet’s great sinews”.
Places, too, are no one thing,
but subject to change. The Ha-
gia Sophia had earlier been a
cathedral; the novel mentions
the legend that, when the in-
vaders entered, “the priests
had taken the sacred vessels
and disappeared into the
building’s eastern wall,
through which it was said they
would return one day to com-
plete the divine service.”
Every human space, includ-
ing the human heart, is a pal-
impsest, suggests the novel. In
the ultimate act of transgres-
sion, a character crosses the
boundary between life and
death. Indeed, the narrative is
bookended by two ghostly fig-
ures — the hanged mutineer
and a new ghost.
As always, in Aslam’s re-
demptive vision, there is hope
in human love and friendship.
Right from the epigraph from
Pushkin, which describes the
multi-coloured flowers grow-
ing on the graves of plague vic-
tims, to the final pages of the
novel where a ghost wanders,
gazing upon its loved ones,
there is hope in the very heart
of despair.
Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta is in the
IAS, currently based in Bengaluru.
Identifying with
the Indus
KALLOL BHATTACHERJEE
The issue of water-sharing between
India and Pakistan is an important
aspect in the ties between the two
countries. Yet, until a few months
ago, when it was reported that
Pakistan decided to approach the
Permanent Court of Arbitration to
protest against two hydropower
projects being built by India in
Jammu and Kashmir, the waters of
the common rivers that flow from
India to the Arabian Sea via
Pakistan were mostly neglected. It
is not unusual to overlook the
influence of the waters on the
formation and identity of Pakistan
as since its inception, the country
has been shaped mostly by its
emphasis on religious and national
identities and military alliances.
Nearly two decades ago, Aitzaz
Ahsan broke the silence on the
importance of the rivers to the
nation’s identity, attempting to
establish the separateness of the
Indus from India.
Of all the waterbodies, the Indus
river remains unique to both
Pakistan and
India. Ahsan, a
prominent
lawyer and
political
activist of
Pakistan,
brings out the
symbolic and
political
significance of
the river
through The
Indus Saga
and the
Making of Pakistan. The book,
which was written at the height of
the democratic debate in the 1990s,
tries to provide a narrative of
Pakistan diferent from the ultra-
Islamic history of the country. The
writer mostly relies on cultural
phenomena, delving, for instance,
into the history of Mohenjo-daro
and Harappa, to spin the tale of
modern Pakistan.
However, he takes liberty with
history, laying little emphasis on
some historic developments such as
the ancient and modern thought
that flourished in the land. Ahsan
tries to build through a historical
narrative the story of the modern
Pakistani who will be equipped to
counter both religious fanaticism
and militarism. In that quest, the
Pakistani turns out to be a modern
citizen of a riverine civilisation.
Despite being a courageous
attempt at an alternative narration,
the book falls short on a few counts,
mainly the author’s desire to fit
history into his discourse without
fully grasping it. Yet it remains
relevant, for it looks within and not
outside to understand the land that
is nursed by the Indus but is not at
peace with the history of the river.
kallol.b@thehindu.co.in

THE BOOK
TRIBUTE
IN MY HAND
The man who bore witness
Amandeep Sandhu Throughout his life, John Berger sided with difficult arguments and unpopular opinions
I am reading Mr Iyer Goes
to War by Ryan Lobo. I am SUCHITRA VIJAYAN
also reading Sudhir Kakar’s
Shamans, Mystics and I picked up a copy of John Ber-
Doctors and Elias Canetti’s ger’s A Painter of Our Time
Crowds and Power. As I for a euro in Leuven’s old
am drafting my non-fiction
baroque square, an hour be-
book on Punjab, the
reading is really erratic and fore I was about to get on a bus
based on my need to from the Belgian town to Paris.
understand the issue I am I had never read Berger before,
writing about. I typically and the faded but well-pre-
flip through many books on the served Penguin paperback
same day, all related to Punjab. with a sketch of a man with a
I need a break, so next I plan to hammer was the only book I
read a big thick novel called The could aford. The year was
Man Without Qualities by Robert 2002 and Jean-Marie Le Pen,
Musil. the far-right candidate, had
Amandeep Sandhu is the author won the first round of the
of ‘Sepia Leaves’ and ‘Roll of French presidential election to
Honour’ and is a panellist at The the horror of many. Spontan-
Hindu Lit for Life 2017. eous protests erupted
throughout France, and over a
million people took to the
Kannan Sundaram streets in fierce opposition to
Le Pen’s victory. The French
I am now reading A Thirsty
students in Leuven decided
that they had to return home to
Fish, the Tamil translation
of 13th century Persian protest. When my friend urged
poet Rumi, who was also a me to pack light and come
jurist, Islamic scholar, along, I said yes. I read Berger
theologian, and Sufi mystic. on the bus to and back, at night
The translation has been as I slept in a crowded room
done by N. Sathyamoorthy. with friends in a borrowed
Both the content and sleeping bag, and in between
production of the book protests. I watched the French
match international take to their streets, laugh, ar-
standards. gue, fight and disagree about
Next, I am planning to read A what Le Pen’s win meant to the
Place of No Importance, a future of their republic. For an
collection of short stories by 18-year-old, it was a heady
Veena Muthuraman. The writer time. Over the next week, I
belongs to a Tamil family settled marked the book, reread it and
in Kerala and I am very keen to filled it with endless mar-
read her observations. I was told ginalia. One of the last notes I
she is one of the promising scribbled on the back of the
English writers from the country
at the moment. book reads: “Then I shall live
as my biographer, in both sig-
Kannan Sundaram is publisher of Kalachuvadu and is a
nificance and insignificance,
panellist at The Hindu Lit for Life 2017.
but always interpreting the cir-
John Berger. PHOTO: BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
cumstances of my present and lished in 1958 at the height of
its history.” the Cold War, it was viciously
maligned. British philosopher
Toeing the oicial line Richard Wollheim denounced
Berger’s luminous intelli- the book, and English poet
gence and the texture of his Stephen Spender wrote a
protagonist, Hungarian scathing review for the Ob-
painter János Lavin, in exile in server. A month after its pub-
London left a mark. The main lication, it was quickly with-
body of the text consists of the drawn by its publishers after
discovery of a journal written mounting pressure from The
by Lavin. The journal records Congress for Cultural Free-
the mounting crisis in Hun- dom, an anti-communist ad-
gary between 1952 and 1956, vocacy group. The establish-
and Lavin’s personal torment. ment’s visceral reaction
When the book was first pub- perhaps came as a response to
Berger’s own refusal to toe the
oicial line. To humanise an
individual who is both flawed
and ethical, who struggles
with history and ideology, is a
dangerous figure in times that
demand great conformity. The
political crisis in post-war
Europe, the predicament of
Berger’s Lavin, and the failure
of the political all returned to
the fundamental question:
what happens when words and
images are put in service of the
state? What happens to resist-
ance when we cede so much of
our freedoms so willingly?
And above all, what happens to
love in the face of onslaught?
For a person on the cusp of
adulthood, 9/11, the invasions
of Afghanistan and the events
that followed made little
sense. What the far right and
fascist politics would unleash
in the years to come remained
unfathomable events to recon-
cile with in the future. While
the invasion of Iraq would hap-
pen a summer after I first read
Berger, his writings alongside
Edward Said, Eqbal Ahmad,
Stuart Hall and Karl Polanyi
amongst others became the
embodiment of political pos-
sibilities even in times of great
tyranny.
What makes us human
John Berger was many
things to many people. For me,
Berger was an astute chron-
icler of his world and a militant
humanist. He was a political
being who saw the act of bear-
ing witness not as a white
man’s trope, often employed to
neutralise the political. In-
stead, he inherently under-
stood that the business of bear-
ing witness was connected to
the same structures of power
that produced this catastrophe
in the first place. To witness, to
see, to look, and even seek all
constituted for Berger a depar-
ture from other acts that airm
man as a political being. This
act of being political is funda-
mental — it not only makes us
human, it also makes it pos-
sible that we can love in the
way we seem both appropriate
Berger was
many things to
many people. For me,
Berger was an astute
chronicler of his
world and a militant
humanist
and inappropriate, legitimate
and illegitimate. Berger’s A
Seventh Man, a powerful med-
itation on the nature of immig-
ration to Europe, is an ex-
ample. It is a story of forced
departures and returns to
transformed homes, with im-
ages, poetry, theory and es-
says. A Seventh Man was not a
catalogue of pain and sufering
of the millions who migrated
to Europe. Instead, it was a
project critical of the dehu-
manising and oppressive core
of neo-liberal capitalism,
which Berger called “eco-
nomic fascism”. He wrote his
truth and wrote what was im-
portant. Susan Sontag perhaps
said it best: “He writes about
what is important, not just in-
teresting.”
Importance of clarity
There is, of course, a tend-
ency to sanitise and strip a
man like Berger of his politics
and predilections. Through-
out his life, he had sided with
diicult arguments and un-
popular opinions. His writings
on Palestine are clear about
the nature of the occupation.
He writes: “There’s scarcely a
Palestinian family that has not
been forced during the last half
century to flee from some-
where, just as there’s scarcely a
town in which buildings are
not regularly bulldozed by the
occupying army.” Similarly,
when Berger won the Booker
in 1972, he donated half of his
prize money to the Black Pan-
thers in Britain and retained
the rest to support his work on
the study of migrant workers
that became the book A Sev-
enth Man. Berger linked the
Booker’s wealth to the exploit-
ation of the Caribbean slave
trade. The extreme poverty in
the region was a “direct con-
sequence of firms like Booker.”
For Berger this was a “neces-
sary part of his political
struggle.” In his words, “the
sharing of the prize signifies
that our aims are the same.
And by that recognition, a
great deal is clarified. And in
the end — as well as in the be-
ginning — clarity is more im-
portant than money.” Berger is
right; clarity is always more
important.
Suchitra Vijayan is a barrister, polit-
ical theorist and writer.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

Revisiting a passage from India

The challenge before India lies in the way it taps its widespread disapora’s financial and intellectual capital.
For this it needs to adopt a wise, pro-active, secular, non-jingoistic tone
from terror-related events. Indian workers, Rabuka overthrew the elected government.
M O N D AY , J A N U A RY 9 , 2 0 1 7 particularly the vast majority from Kerala, Their numbers have shrunk since then.
K.C. SINGH are still the favoured ones of the locals but are Persons of Indian origin have headed gov-
under pressure from more skilled workers ernments in some Caribbean countries such

The slowing January 9 commemorates the day Mahatma

from countries such as the Philippines or
cheaper labour from Nepal, etc. In India, the
Union and State governments have failed to
as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, the two
nations with huge Indo-Caribbean popula-
tions. Generally, Indian policy in the past has

economy Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1915,

after honing satyagraha, or peaceful protest,
against the colonial and racist regime there.
upgrade skills of Indian workers going to
West Asia. Congress-led governments have
been particularly guilty, allowing the Kerala
been to not be seen as meddling in their in-
ternal afairs sensing that it may be counter-
productive. Two vital links have been reli-

T
hat India’s economic momentum has
slowed down is now beyond doubt. Ad-
vance GDP estimates and gross value ad-
ded (GVA) for the current fiscal year
from the Central Statistics Oice clearly reveal the
extent of the slowdown. While GDP growth is now
pegged at 7.1 per cent, compared with a 7.6 per cent
pace in 2015-16, GVA is forecast to expand at 7 per
cent this year, easing from the 7.2 per cent posted 12
months earlier. And as the Chief Statistician em-
phasised, these projections were based solely on
data from the first seven months through October
and do not factor in the impact from the withdrawal
of high-value banknotes and the consequent cash
crunch. A closer look at the sectoral GVA projec-
tions throws into relief the areas of concern: Min-
ing and quarrying is estimated to shrink 1.8 per cent
this year after expanding 7.4 per cent a year earlier,
while electricity, gas, water supply and other utility
services — collectively an indicator of broader eco-
nomic activity — is slowing to 6.5 per cent from 6.6
per cent. More worryingly, the seven-month num-
bers establish that two key engines of the economy,
manufacturing and services, are losing momentum
faster than was anticipated, and this could spell
trouble for the coming quarters. This is especially
so when seen in the backdrop of demonetisation
and what the Reserve Bank of India referred to as
the “short-run disruptions in economic activity in
cash-intensive sectors such as retail trade, hotels &
restaurants and transportation, and in the unorgan-
ised sector” and “aggregate demand compression
associated with adverse wealth efects”.
There is a silver lining in the CSO data, though.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in April projected
that growth could accelerate this year to 8 per cent
to 8.5 per cent subject to a ‘normal’ monsoon. The
improvement in rainfall has manifested both in the
CSO’s projection for the ‘agriculture, forestry and
fishing’ sector, which is estimated to expand 4.1 per
cent this fiscal compared with the previous peri-
od’s 1.2 per cent, and in rabi sowing data from the
Ministry of Agriculture. Preliminary reports from
the States show the total area sown under the rabi
crop as on January 6 stood at 602.75 lakh ha, up 6.5
per cent from last year. If farmers countrywide can
tide over the acute cash shortage resulting from de-
monetisation and ensure that the sowing translates
to strong growth in output, we could see rural con-
sumption provide some cushioning from the slow-
down. Nonetheless, in the Union budget due next
month, the Centre will have to work in a substantial
fiscal fillip to help rekindle economic momentum.
Unclogging
the cities
In 2002, the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) government of Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee decided to celebrate it annu-
ally by holding events including bestowing
awards on prominent members of the Indian
diaspora. The 15th edition of Pravasi Divas
this year is now on in Bengaluru.
When as Ambassador to the United Arab
Emirates in 2002 I was asked to recommend
one name for the Pravasi awards, I refrained
from doing so, fearing a single pick from
many deserving ones might create specula-
tion regarding my motives and heartburn
among those bypassed. Since then it seems
the process has gone the way of the Padma
awards, where hectic lobbying and politics
trump merit.
“Diaspora” is an omnibus phrase which
brackets people of Indian origin who have
emigrated since the 19th century to all
corners of the world. Roughly it falls into two
categories: pre- and post-Independence. The
latter further subdivides into migration to
the West, including Australia and New Zeal-
and, and workers in the West Asian countries
— numbering over seven million — who
began flocking there following oil cartelisa-
tion by the Organisation of the Petroleum Ex-
porting Countries after the Arab-Israel war
of 1973 and the steep rise in oil prices.
The Indian in West Asia
The last can be examined first. The earn-
ings bonanza allowed the hereditary rulers of
West Asia to unleash a spending and con-
struction boom. Despite cycles of economic
expansion and contraction, as oil prices rose
or fell, the six Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) states have learnt to live with the per-
ils of single commodity dependent econom-
ies. Some such as Dubai, with almost de-
pleted oil reserves, have remodelled
themselves as entrepôt for regional trade and
a destination for tourism and convivial living,
CARTOONSCAPE
The danger with public and
Hindutva-fed ritual is that it may
create a majority community
backlash and divide the
Indian diaspora
besides emerging as a financial centre. Both
Abu Dhabi and Qatar are modelling them-
selves as centres of culture and sports, civil
aviation hubs and more spartan living. They
also have poured earnings each year into sov-
ereign funds to act as a cushion during the
low oil price years.
But they face two new challenges. One, the
shale oil revolution in the United States com-
bined with slower global growth and envir-
onmental concerns may have already pushed
the world into a post-OPEC phase and peren-
nial low oil prices. Two, the entire region to
the west of India up to the Mediterranean is
now swept by Shia-Sunni contestation and
the challenge posed by radical Islam. Thus
instability may persist for decades.
Therefore, Indians in GCC countries, ran-
ging from skilled and unskilled workers to
those holding executive jobs or running busi-
nesses, may have to face more challenging
circumstances of economic slowdown, “Ar-
abisation” or more jobs to locals, and threats
lobby in the Union cabinet to drive India’s
GCC policy. Often ministers have had kin
located there, compromising their ability to
act independently.
As a rising power, India’s prestige sufers
when its citizens are seen doing menial jobs.
Moreover Indian strategic options get lim-
ited fearing reprisal against workers. That is
why for decades India has let its citizens be
subjected to local labour rules that are medi-
eval and regressive, such as employer seizing
the travel documents of the worker on ar-
rival. Similarly, it should not require tweets to
the Minister of External Afairs to get simple
consular acts performed. Their safety and se-
curity as indeed sanctity of their contracts
must be addressed by local missions, which
should be accountable for any slip-ups.
Triumph over adversity
India has a largely positive record dealing
with the diaspora that left India as inden-
tured labour in the 19th century — in the
period from 1833 to 1917 — particularly for the
Caribbean where labour shortages ensued
following the abolition of slavery. Coincid-
ently, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,
J.S. Khehar, hails from East Africa.
The expulsion of Indians from Uganda by
Idi Amin in the 1970s tested Indian dip-
lomacy and its ability to protect the diaspora.
India passed the buck to Britain as the guar-
antor of their safety as most held British doc-
uments. Mauritius, with Indians constituting
the largest group and 48.5per cent of the pop-
ulation being Hindus, has seen the com-
munity consolidate political power, with
strategic support from Indian governments.
Located strategically in the Indian Ocean,
this country has been an asset for India, safe-
guarding the Southern maritime flank. Con-
trariwise, India was unable to support 49 per
cent of Indo-Fijians in their desire for a multi-
ethnic government when, in 1987, Lt. Col. S.
gion and cricket. But India has been unable to
build on that base by boosting investment
and business links and better connectivity.
That raises the question, which even China is
beginning to pose now: to what extent would
India be willing to go to protect the diaspora
when it runs into political turbulence in their
countries of abode?
A blur between loyalties
Finally, the issue of diaspora in the U.S., the
United Kingdom and Canada. With rising
numbers and greater earnings, they are be-
coming more proactive to rally in support of
Indian interests. Their lobbying in the U.S.
with politicians worked famously to swing
the Congressional vote for the U.S.-Indian
nuclear deal in 2006.
While the U.S. leads as the country with
the highest number of Indian origin persons
numbering around four million, the U.K. and
Canada are next with 1.45 million and 1.2 mil-
lion, respectively. The Rashtriya Swayam-
sevak Sangh has been active in spreading its
message of Hindutva in all of them. During
NDA-I, the Vajpayee government even un-
precedentedly appointed a special ambas-
sador in the U.S. for diaspora afairs, raising
protocol issues with the U.S. State Depart-
ment. Thus he had to be located in New York
with notional attachment to the Indian mis-
sion to the UN, as no country will accept two
ambassadors.
That absurdity died with that government,
but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
Madison Square Garden show took the same
to another level. There was a blurring
between the loyalties that Indian origin per-
sons holding U.S. nationality owe to their ad-
opted nation and their innate love for India.
The danger with this kind of public and
Hindutva-fed ritual is that it may create a ma-
jority community backlash and divide the di-
aspora.
For instance, Sikhs are the largest compon-
ent of the diaspora in Canada, at 34 per cent
compared to 27 per cent Hindus, with the rest
being Muslims and Christians. That is why
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
joked that he had more Sikhs in his cabinet —
this includes his Defence Minister — than
Mr. Modi. Sikhs are at the number two spot in
the U.K and the U.S.
The Wall Street Journal estimates that
there are 15.6 million persons born in India
living abroad. This number has grown by 17.2
per cent since 2010. The Chinese diaspora is
50 million strong, with 32 million settled in
Southeast Asia. For China, this community
became the bridge to integrate their eco-
nomy to global supply chains once Deng
Xiaoping opened Chinese doors in the 1980s.
They also funded investment in Chinese eco-
nomic zones.
Undoubtedly, the Indian diaspora’s remit-
tances in the past have been of vital assist-

T
he move to make New Delhi’s iconic Con-
naught Place a pedestrian zone from Feb-
ruary, and keep out cars and other
vehicles from its middle and inner circle
roads, during a three-month trial programme is an
inspiring attempt to reconquer public space. Urban
design in India is the preserve of State governments
and local bodies, which have failed spectacularly to
provide a safe, comfortable and accessible experi-
ence for walkers. The pilot project in the national
capital represents a refreshing change, taking a leaf
out of the book of global cities that have pedestrian-
ised their landmarks, often in the face of conservat-
ive opposition. Prominent examples are Times
Square in New York and the route along the Seine in
Paris, and the curbs on cars in central avenue in
Madrid. Contrary to apprehensions that restric-
tions afect commercial activity, the experience
around the world has been quite the opposite: bet-
ter walking and public transport infrastructure and
availability of food plazas attract more people, im-
proving the local economy. In America, pedestrian
injuries decreased after vehicles were removed
from Times Square, beginning seven years ago.
Globally this has been the trend too when cities
curb car use and clean up the air. Such examples
should convince the Ministry of Urban Develop-
ment that it is moving in the right direction, and if
anything, this needs to be extended to other cities.
Keeping powered vehicles out of core areas, ex-
panding pavements for pedestrians and facilitating
the use of bicycles is today a high-priority goal for
mayors and urban governments the world over. In
the intermediate phase, many cities find it reward-
ing to levy a stif congestion charge on personal
vehicles entering designated areas. This is a mature
idea and needs to be trialled in India, under its on-
going smart cities programme. It should be man-
dated by law that all proceeds would go towards
funding walking, bicycling and emissions-free pub-
lic transport infrastructure. The importance of
such a levy is evident from a study by Transport for
London in 2014-15, that found the British capital los-
ing £5.5 billion a year in financial costs arising from
congestion. Measures to unclog cities are often
posed, wrongly, as detrimental to the economy and
eiciency. While cars will continue to remain relev-
ant for longer-distance travel, dense urban areas
need relief from excessive motorisation. Union
Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah
Naidu has favoured people-centric ideas for Con-
naught Place, including aesthetic features such as
water fountains and areas for relaxation. These are
not expensive to put in, and State governments
must extend the template to all cities and towns, ac-
knowledging the wider social benefits.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Demonetisation’s narrative
In the two months of turmoil
following demonetisation, the
lesson most of us have learned is
how to live as far as possible in a
cashless way and to the best of one’s
ability (“When banks are awash
with cash”, Jan.7). The positive
efect of demonetisation can be seen
in banks where the initial rush has
reduced to to a large extent. People
have taken things in their stride. We
are on the way to becoming a
transparent economy as
demonetisation has hit black
marketeers. Only time will tell
whether the government’s move has
been a grand success or otherwise.
N. Visveswaran,
Chennai
It is sad that the writer, an
academician who follows the
economy, should label commercial
banks to be ineicient in terms of
handling the currency transition
and in managing loans. The good
service of banks in general in
processing the exchange of
demonetised notes and the
disbursement of new notes has been
appreciated. Tarring the banking
community with the same brush
and implying that it is ineicient
because of wrong-doing by a few
oicials while handling such a
humongous exercise is unfair. A
major reason for the rise of NPAs in
the banking system is on account of
the slowdown of the economy. In
managing NPAs, the eiciency of
banks can only be as good as the
support systems available. Everyone
knows where the weak links exist.
A.N. Appaiah,
Mumbai
The ordinance route
One would have hoped that with
progress, this system would hardly
ever be resorted to and the duration
of parliamentary sittings would be
increased. Instead, we have a
piquant situation where even in this
limited duration, constitutional
amendment bills are being set aside.
It should not be about who began
the trend of resorting to
parliamentary disruptions and who
has a more valid issue at hand to do
so. The issue is about the time being
wasted and the dangers of
continuing to adopt such disruptive
tactics. Our political leaders should
realise that with continuing
disruptions, the importance of
Parliament as an institution is losing
its importance. The ruling
dispensation should also provide
ample space for the Opposition to
air its concerns. Parliamentary
committees must be allowed to
work round the year and where
consent becomes necessary, before
promulgating any ordinance
(Editorial – “Clamping down on
ordinance raj”, Jan.7).
Ravi Rai,
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Russian hacking
If Russia was successful in its
“hacking attempts” during the 2016
U.S. presidential election campaign,
it not only shows the U.S.’s
incompetence and inability to ward
of hacking but also its woeful
intelligence failure (‘World’ –
“‘Putin directed campaign to
discredit Clinton, aid Trump’”,
Jan.8). Had President-elect Donald
Trump been in the know of alleged
hacking attempts, it would
underscore the fact that he was
ready and willing to employ and
encourage unfair and unjust means
to win the election, and at the cost of
his country’s honour and prestige.
The election result would have been
a diferent story had the hacking
“story” been oicially revealed
during the campaign. In hindsight, it
must and can be said that the FBI
Director’s move to revive the email
controversy involving presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton at the fag
end of the campaign had afected
her election prospects. Ms. Clinton
has genuine reasons to be aggrieved.
All said and done, let it not be
forgotten that the U.S. has covertly
and overtly wielded its power and
sway to influence elections in many
a country. Then why blame Russia
for hacking?
C.G. Kuriakose,
Kothamangalam, Kerala
Dark clouds over Europe
R.K. Raghavan is right in concluding
that multiple regions of the world,
and especially Europe, face the
prospect of increased terrorist
activity (“A grim outlook for
Europe”, Dec.26). It is not clear how
long European nations, which have
chosen to throw open their borders
to refugees, plan to keep them in
camps given that no serious steps
have been initiated to address the
immediate cause of the crisis —
ending the Islamic State-engineered
strife in Syria and Iraq.
The longer the refugee crisis
persists, the more advantageous it is
for extremist organisations. The
refugee influx could prove to be a
Trojan horse.
ance to Indian foreign exchange reserves. But
the challenge now is to go to the next stage —
of harnessing not just their financial but also
their intellectual capital. The Modi govern-
ment needs to market not Hindutva-laced
faux nationalism but a new way of dealing
with each of the three groups — wisely, pro-
actively, and in a secular non-jingoistic tone.
K.C. Singh is a former diplomat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin there is a need for a unified state
has said that “there is a need to policy to handle all this, maximise
focus on stopping the flow of donor production and ofer stability to
money to IS and its illegal oil trade farmers. Smaller land holdings
which make up the arteries and should be consolidated into larger
lifeblood of the terrorist group”. The holdings to form co-operative farms,
U.S. and its allies would do well to ofering shares to farmers pro-rata
listen to Mr. Putin on Syria. and salaries if they also work in the
farm.
R. Venkatesan Iyengar
Hyderabad This way, availability of loans,
application of scientific methods in
farming, and even marketing and
Parched earth financial management will be easier.
We are paying the penalty for not Large land holdings can have their
following rain harvesting with own captive water storage and
sincerity (Tamil Nadu editions, granaries to stock during better
“Alarming dip in water table across times and tide over in leaner
districts”, Jan.7 and “Rain-starved seasons. Individual losses can be
Chennai sees dipping water table”, avoided. Scientists can ofer advice
Jan.6). Even with a marginal on crop selection and improving
monsoon, rain water harvesting can soil fertility.
ensure nearly four times the optimal S. Sankar,
water requirement for agriculture, Chennai
drinking and domestic needs.
Allowing the wastage of water
run-of is unfortunate. At least now An actor for all seasons
we should desilt most of our In the demise of actor Om Puri, the
waterbodies, and create and repair nation has lost an extremely
water harvesting structures talented and versatile actor par
especially in the rural areas on a excellence. The ease with which he
warfooting. Water resources characterised real life was what
development should be looked after made watching his films a treat.
by socially aware engineers. With his tough looks and raspy
P.C. Pandian, voice, whether it be in the role of
Chennai sub-inspector Anant Velankar in
“Ardh Satya”, Abu Mian the wizened
It is painful to read about agrarian old gatekeeper in “Mirch Masala” or
distress due to crop failure and an Inspector Udham Singh in “Gupt”,
inability to pay back debts. Is there he epitomised youth, vigour and
no lasting solution to this problem constant resilience against injustice/
other than appealing to the Central oppression coupled with an
government for relief packages? As insatiable zest and passion for life.
we are likely to face increasing His performances in “Gandhi” and
natural calamities such as poor or the tele-serial “Tamas” were
excessive rains, cyclones and exemplary.
dealing with the politics of the B. Suresh Kumar,
upstream States over water sharing, Coimbatore
ND-ND
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE | 11

FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR Time for a political solution

What readers want-2 Two years after the national unity government took power on the promise of reform and change,
Readers made an interesting observation about the mix
of reports from the staf and those from news agencies. the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe combine needs to recover the earlier momentum
They feel that the newspaper online carries more stories
from agencies than from staf reporters. “[An] agency currently has about 155 seats in Sri
copy tends to give the bare-bones of a story, whereas a Lanka’s 225-member Parliament. Mr.
A.S. staf reporter’s copy tends to have greater depth and MEERA SRINIVASAN Sirisena has nearly 50 SLFP parliament-
PANNEERSELVAN context,” a reader said. He cited a few examples of The arians with him, some of whom are re-
Hindu’s legal correspondent’s reports from the Su- portedly threatening to defect to the Ra-
preme Court that captured the nuances of judgments japaksa camp.
better than most agency reports did. When platforms multiply and sources Two years after Sri Lankans made an Mr. Rajapaksa, with the residual SLFP
of information are abundant, many readers firmly believe that in The emphatic point by voting for change, MPs and other miscellaneous support-
Hindu, staf reporting should largely replace agency reports in national and which President Maithripala Sirisena ers, sits in opposition with almost as
regional stories. They feel that agency reports are fine for international and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremes- many legislators backing him. Sucked
events, be it politics or sports. It is a matter of trust — a copy produced and inghe personified at that time, the na- into the politics of survival, the Presid-
processed exclusively by The Hindu staf has greater resonance with them. tional unity government they brought ent currently appears to be channelling
The other elements in the readers’ wish list are varied in their emphasis, to power seems trapped in the politics all his energies into holding his party to-
but are linked by a common thread, which is that The Hindu should con- of survival. gether, especially after pro-Rajapaksa
tinue to play a role in enforcing accountability of all institutions. For in- In the early hours of January 9, 2015, forces floated a new political
stance, a reader wanted a series of stories on the status of implementation Sri Lanka witnessed that crucial regime organisation.
of various welfare measures. He wanted to know why many schemes exist change after 10 years of the Mahinda More recently, Mr. Rajapaksa has
only on paper, not on the ground. The newspaper, in readers’ opinions, Rajapaksa brand of authoritarianism, threatened to topple the government in
should be able to name the persons accountable for lapses that adversely af- marked by high surveillance, intimida- 2017, but the President and Prime Minis-
fect the livelihood of millions. tion, media repression, and the wither- ter have rubbished his comments. The
ing of democratic institutions. The re- Constitution disallows premature dis-
The task of scrutiny gime’s corruption and nepotism solution of Parliament and a return to
Readers want to see more investigative reporting on corruption. For overshadowed its development eforts, Rajapaksa-led rule is politically im-
many, it seems as though the media has left the task of financial probity, in- eroding Mr. Rajapaksa’s war victor im- probable at the moment, they emphas-
tegrity, and meeting targets to institutions such as the Comptroller and age that had helped him garner support ised. But every time this government
Auditor General of India, the Su- among the Sinhalese majority. NOW OR NEVER: “Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe can get their act fails, Mr. Rajapaksa could gain ground.
preme Court, and various stat- Proposals and ideas from There was new political space for any together and see the constitutional reforms through to make this new chapter in The UNP, currently the main ruling
utory bodies. One of the readers alternative that ofered change. That is Sri Lanka their legacy.” The two leaders in Moragahakanda. FILE PHOTO: AFP party in government, also faces pres-
said that the independent media
readers were not personal how the current government came to sure from its backbenchers, while
should retain the responsibility preferences but manifestations power, promising change and good gov- A troubling aspect of the their interest in domestic political de- Prime Minister Wickremesinghe seems
of scrutinising the Union and of their understanding of what ernance in their insurgent campaign. velopments has visibly diminished. It is solely focussed on economic develop-
State governments, primarily With a sizeable section of the rural Sin- government has been its unlikely to heighten unless Mr. Rajapak- ment and trade agreements. A leader
because some individuals, des- they want in a newspaper halese backing them, along with the silence on sections of Buddhist sa’s comeback bid, currently far- with his experience must know that
pite honourable exceptions, who wield power in statutory bodies tend to overwhelming endorsement of north- monks who consistently fetched, looks stronger. without a political solution and a stable
convert their oicial findings to post-retirement job applications. A de- ern Tamils, Muslims and upcountry Despite the political fragility and in- government backing it, even the grand-
tailed story on the number of oicials from statutory bodies who got a post- Tamils, and some international support, engage in hate speech security of the current government, it est and most well-intentioned eco-
retirement job would reveal the inherent limitation of giving the task of Mr. Sirisena deposed Mr. Rajapaksa. His has the opportunity to move signific- nomic projects may fizzle out.
scrutiny to only these bodies, said some readers. In fact, a qualitative ana- Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its The country’s economy was far from antly ahead on the promised constitu- Even as six subcommittee reports on
lysis of their investigations, findings and recommendations could be a basis rival, Mr. Wickremesinghe’s United Na- healthy and the sharp political difer- tional reforms. In a sense, the climate the draft Constitution await discussion
for evolving a code for the appointments to crucial watchdog bodies. tional Party (UNP), formed Sri Lanka’s ences within the government became for a political solution has never been in Parliament, the government’s priorit-
One of the first suggestions that came this year was for a weekly news first national unity government. It was a apparent. Contradictory messages from more conducive. Not only because it ies are clearly elsewhere. The latter part
feature that not only provides the context but also looks at precedents, best major reconfiguration of political the two leaders exposed their artificial has the two main parties at the helm, but of 2016 saw the Constitution-making
practices and worst examples. For instance, in the wake of a petition by forces. People felt hopeful. unity. Increasingly and more evidently, also because the Tamil National Alli- process take a backseat, bringing the
political parties to the Election Commission (EC) seeking a directive to the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe govern- ance (TNA), which represents northern government’s immediate political com-
postpone the Union budget from being tabled on February 1, some readers Hopeful 2015, turbulent 2016 ment was seen as soft-pedalling cases Tamils, has opted for engagement over pulsions to the fore. There has been
wanted to know the exact sequence of events that led to the postponement The government, at least in its first linked to the former first family — be it boycott with this government. The little public debate on the new Constitu-
of the budget in 2012. Which parties demanded the postponement? What year, managed to keep that hope afloat, corruption or murder — fuelling specu- main opposition party now, the TNA, tion. Unless the government engages its
were the reasons cited by them? Was there an EC directive that led to the in spite of a massive bond scam at the lation on possible backroom negoti- voted in favour of the budget and has majority Sinhalese constituency on the
postponement or was it the decision of the government itself to defer the Central Bank involving a governor ap- ations with the Rajapaksa forces. mostly backed its programmes, ac- reforms, it may find it very hard to push
budget till the elections for the five States were completed? Under the pointed by Mr. Wickremesinghe. Keen The other equally troubling aspect of knowledging the need to work with this the new Constitution resisting other
Model Code of Conduct, what elements in the budget would be considered on giving this government a chance, Sri the government has been its silence on government. political pressures. A referendum in
a violation of the Code and what concessions or programmes permissible? Lankans reiterated the point in the Au- sections of Buddhist monks who con- Also, the pressure on Sri Lanka from such a scenario could prove risky. The
Is there a legal binding? Can the apex court intervene in the election pro- gust 2015 parliamentary elections. sistently engage in hate speech. The the international community and the stakes are high and time is running out.
cess if the Model Code violation raises questions about free and fair elec- The government adopted a constitu- government took no action on a monk human rights lobby on questions of ac- Mr. Sirisena and Mr. Wickremesinghe
tions? What are the similarities and diferences between the 2012 and the tional amendment to clip the powers of who resorted to an unmistakable racist countability and war crimes has signi- have a choice. They can get their act to-
2017 elections to these five States? Are there compelling reasons that make the executive president, opened up abuse and death threat to a Tamil oicer ficantly lessened in the last two years. gether and see the reforms through to
the date for the budget non-negotiable for the government? Readers would space for the media, evolved a compre- in the eastern town of Batticaloa. The The TNA too has privileged constitu- make this new chapter in Sri Lanka their
like an extended explainer of one complex issue every week to make sense hensive strategy for reconciliation and Buddhist clergy, which enjoys consider- tional reform over accountability, re- legacy. Or they will be seen as leaders
of our polity and economy. assured the UN Human Rights Council able political clout in Sri Lanka, remains cognising the grave political risks in who squandered a great opportunity.
While many readers came up with suggestions for content, only one of a four-pronged approach, and began insulated, as it was in the Rajapaksa era, raising the latter at this juncture. In a For lakhs of Tamils still struggling to
wrote at length about the design of the newspaper. Vijay S. Raghavan from drafting a new Constitution. President from any legal action. sense, Sri Lanka has never been closer rebuild their lives since the island’s bru-
Mumbai wrote extensively about the need for a redesign and for improve- Sirisena made several trips to the north For the international actors, particu- to clinching a political solution. tal war that ended seven years ago, the
ment in the printing quality across editions. He said there is unevenness in and released a portion of the land that larly the U.S. and India, ties with Sri wait has been long and painful. As far as
the quality of printing — while it is excellent in some centres, it is not so in was under military occupation. He told Lanka following regime change are al- A question of priority the two leaders are concerned, it is as
others. “Any newspaper design will be liked by readers only for a few years,” the Tamils that he had an obligation to most entirely on grounds of economic However, coalition politics comes much a question of political will as it is
he said. “They would like a change in the product’s presentation after every solve their problems. partnership or security. While both with its shortcomings. It was not going of ability. It is now or probably never.
few years. When [Mario] Garcia’s design was introduced in 2005, it was Stepping into its second year, the gov- countries continue to be preoccupied to be easy for this government. The
stimulating for the readers. But after so many mutilations of that original ernment encountered more turbulence. with Chinese presence in Sri Lanka, Sirisena-Wickremesinghe combine meera.srinivasan@thehindu.co.in
design, The Hindu has lost its charm. Font sizes at present are not good as
they are small and not pleasing to the eyes. [The] layout is very congested.”

Looking towards a greener future

This was one of the most exciting exercises for me as the Readers’ Editor.
Readers’ comments and their level of engagement reairm our faith in an
informed public sphere. Most of their proposals and ideas were not per-
sonal preferences or whims but manifestations of their deep understanding
of what they want in a newspaper. I would like to assure the readers that the
Editor and his team are amidst a consultative process to arrive at a new look
as well as a new mix of content for this legacy newspaper that was launched
India’s green bond market has witnessed many milestones, but its full potential remains untapped
in 1878. Your voices are central to this consultative process.
for developing a formal definition of
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in ‘green’ to ensure understanding across
RANA KAPOOR sectors. A more descriptive and ex-
haustive classification from Indian reg-
ulators and policymakers in the coming
years would be crucial in expanding the
Green bonds, which finance environ- green bond market further.
FROM THE ARCHIVES mentally friendly businesses and assets, Following global trends, the upcom-
have emerged as one of the key finan- ing year is poised to witness the first
cing mechanisms driving the global ‘blue bond’ issuance (bonds used to
economy’s transition to a greener fu- specifically finance water infrastruc-
(dated January 9, 1967) ture. Since the issuance of the first ture) in India. Globally blue bond issu-
green bond in 2007 by two multilateral ances have crossed $10 billion, with In-
Puri Acharya’s fast Prabhu Dutta Brahmachari, development banks (World Bank and dia yet to enter the market. Given the
who went on an indefinite fast on European Investment Bank), the green rising financing gap in India’s water
The general condition of November 20 last demanding a bond market has grown exponentially sector, it is imperative to utilise such in-
Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Puri total ban on cow slaughter, has and is currently pegged at over $180 bil- novative mechanisms for water infra-
further deteriorated to-day lost 61 pounds of weight, lion in cumulative issuance. Penetrating structure augmentation as well.
[January 8], the 50th day of his fast according to information received markets across developed and emer- While credit enhancement has given
against cow slaughter. by the State unit of the Goraksha ging economies, green bonds have seen an impetus to green bonds and will re-
According to a medical bulletin, Mahabhiyan Samiti in Allahabad. extensive participation from corporates main crucial, there is a scope for other
contraction of his muscle was The Brahmachari, whose and financial institutions, including innovative mechanisms such as securit-
very much prominent to-day and condition was critical on Friday, sovereign and municipal bodies. isation. Many standalone green projects
body pain persisted. Though was slightly better yesterday. A groundbreaking year for green such as roof top solar, energy eiciency
extremely weak, he appeared Muni Sushil Kumar, leader of the bonds was 2015. Global markets wit- ILLUSTRATION: SATWIK GADE and rural water supply still remain unat-
cheerful, the bulletin added. His Cow Protection Movement, has nessed currency green bonds and in- tractive to institutional investors owing
tongue was moist and coated. His not formally tendered his novative structuring along with maiden to about Rs.18,131 crore (equivalent to While credit enhancement has to the smaller scale and vast geograph-
pulse beat was 84 (regular, but resignation from the high green bond issuance in a number of $2.7 billion) and making India the sev- ical spread. Aggregation and securitisa-
low in volume), blood pressure command of the Goraksha countries. The green bond market was enth largest green bond market globally. given an impetus to green tion of such projects could be a wel-
88/60 and temperature 96.6 Mahabhiyan Samiti although further strengthened with issuance These green bonds have been crucial in bonds, there is a scope for come move in providing mainstream
degrees. His heart beat continued deadlock over policy and doubling to $81 billion in 2016 from $42 increasing financing to sunrise sectors other innovative mechanisms debt to small-scale green projects.
to be feeble. programme continues. billion in 2015. Supported by market- like renewable energy, thus contribut- The recent drive by the Prime Minis-
driven state policies and marked by a ing to India’s sustainable growth. The such as securitisation ter to resuscitate the municipal bond
rapid growth in green bond issuance in Climate Bond Initiative, in its India up- market for water supply projects in cit-
India and China, the Asian market has date, indicated that about 62 per cent of level guidelines. ies such as Pune and Hyderabad is
emerged as a frontrunner in the green the green bond proceeds have been al- In addition to SEBI’s guidance on highly commendable. The Indian gov-
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS bonds space. located to renewable energy projects,
followed by the low carbon transport
green bonds, the Reserve Bank of India
passed regulatory reforms aimed at
ernment’s ambitious push for smart cit-
ies has opened emerging points that
>>It is a sacred movement and not scared movement as mentioned in the tenth Contributing to sustainable growth sector and low carbon buildings ac- strengthening and expanding India’s may be suitable for private sector parti-
paragraph of a report, “Modi hails nation for fighting graft” (January 8, 2017). India’s green bond market has wit- counting for 17.5 per cent and 14 per cent corporate bond market. The extent of cipation and may soon culminate into
nessed a number of critical milestones of the proceeds, respectively. At 2.2 per partial credit enhancement provided by India’s first green muni bond.
>>Editing error: A sentence in a report, “Sri Lanka’s next big fight” (Week- following Yes Bank’s and India’s first cent for each, the allocation of green banks has been increased to 50 per cent With an eventful year gone by, espe-
end Being, January 8, 2017) read: “Sri Lanka, after consistent eforts to green infrastructure bonds issued in bond proceeds towards water manage- from 20 per cent of the bond issue size, cially the formalisation of the Paris ac-
strengthen its CKDu response mechanisms (COMMA) currently has nearly February 2015. A growing number of ment and waste management has been while also permitting banks to issue cord at the COP22, 2017 promises to de-
400 dialysis machines.” It should read, “Sri Lanka, after consistent eforts to corporates and financial institutions somewhat limited owing to perceived masala bonds — key moves that will liver on some of the commitments
strengthen its CKDu response mechanisms, currently has nearly 400 dialysis have leveraged this innovative mechan- sector-specific issues as well as due to bolster the Indian green bond market. undertaken globally for green finan-
machines.” The (COMMA) was wrongly introduced while editing. ism to raise capital, attracting foreign projects being smaller in size and geo- cing. With developed countries reaf-
investments and inducing momentum graphically dispersed. Expectations from 2017 and beyond firming their $100 billion mobilisation
in the market. India also witnessed its Indian regulators have shown exem- The full potential of India’s green goal per year by 2020 to support climate
It is the policy of The Hindu to correct significant errors as soon as award-winning first green masala bond plary foresight in recognising green bond market remains untapped, with action in emerging nations, utilisation
possible. (rupee-denominated bond), with the bonds as a key tool towards financing only a limited number of issuers so far. of green bonds as an efective vehicle to
Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. International Financial Corporation the nation’s climate change targets and With increasing interest from the gov- tap into climate funds is anticipated to
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by raising an of-shore rupee bond on Lon- in guiding the development of the green ernment and market regulators, 2017 is grow. Collective participation of regu-
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to don Stock Exchange for investing in Yes bond market through necessary expected to see further developments lators, policymakers, corporate and fin-
Friday);Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in Bank’s green bond, demonstrating how policies and reforms. In January 2016, in terms of innovations and supporting ancial institutions is going to be crucial
Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, innovations in emerging markets have the Securities and Exchange Board policy and regulatory frameworks in pushing frontiers of green bonds fur-
859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. the potential to capture global (SEBI) of India published its oicial aimed at bringing more clarity and im- ther, unleashing new opportunities in
All communication must carry the full postal address and attention. green bond guidelines and require- petus to the space. addressing climate change.
telephone number. Green bond issuance in the country ments for Indian issuers, placing India Further to the interpretation indic-
No personal visits. witnessed a 30 per cent year-on-year in- amongst a select set of pioneering ated in SEBI’s green bond guidelines on Rana Kapoor is MD and CEO, Yes Bank, and
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com crease in 2016, cumulatively amounting countries who have developed national what classifies as ‘green’, there is a need Chairman, Yes Institute.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | - 1ias.com - EDITORIAL THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2017
MUMBAI

The world at a crossroads

T U E S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 0 , 2 0 1 7
Oiling cashless
The outlook for 2017 is anything but optimistic, with a sluggish global economy, widening terror footprint,
and geopolitical realignments as the U.S., Russia and China jostle for spheres of influence
orthodox steps. A Trump presidency may be to a head.
better suited than a conventional one to cir- Grappling with an existential crisis
M.K. NARAYANAN cumvent the North Atlantic Treaty Organisa- already, Europe is simultaneously confront-
tion’s Cold War logic, arrive at concessions ing other dangers such as polarisation and
regarding Ukraine and the Crimea, and limit the threat to its liberal and democratic
The policy outlook for 2017 appears not too
cyberwarfare between the two countries. Ad-
ditionally, Mr. Trump’s idea of a ‘Coalition of
policies and image. The migrant crisis found
Europe unprepared for the consequences of

wheels promising. Geopolitical risks will remain

high. No improvement in the present un-
stable global order appears likely. New terror
the Willing’ to fight the Islamic State in West
Asia may find resonance in Moscow, giving
an opportunity for further reduction of ten-
such mass inflows. Many cities in Europe, for
instance, seem to have lost the ability to
maintain law and order or contain the con-

T
he threat by petroleum retailers to stop
accepting credit and debit card payments
led to a late-night intervention on Sunday
by the Centre, with Dharmendra Pra-
dhan, Minister for Petroleum, declaring that the
protest action had been put off till January 13. Fuel
dealers raised a red flag on the decision by certain
banks to levy the merchant discount rate (MDR) of
up to one per cent on card payments. After the de-
monetisation exercise began, the government had
waived the service tax on the MDR surcharge from
December 8 for card-based payments up to ₨2,000
and got banks to waive the MDR charges on debit
cards till December 31, 2016. By Monday, the Petro-
leum Minister said that neither the consumer nor
the dealers, operating on thin margins, would bear
the MDR for fuel refills even after January 13. Stake-
holders, he said, will absorb the cost, but it is still
not clear who will bear the cost of going cashless —
banks are not out of line in expecting some revenue
in return for facilitating transactions through point
of sale (PoS) devices. Since November 8, public
sector banks have been advised by the Centre to
charge a maximum of ₨100 a month as PoS device
rentals from small merchants, and the move has be-
nefited 6.5 lakh of the 15 lakh PoS devices. Public
sector oil marketers were asked to offer a 0.75 per
cent discount to customers using non-cash means
to tank up. The Railways, public sector insurers and
others have been asked to offer discounts or charge
lower rates for cashless transactions; so more such
spats could occur, although the Centre has prom-
ised to foot the bill for some of these subventions.
Petroleum outlets are particularly important for
a cash-lite economy push as they handle nearly ₨2
lakh crore of cash a year. Queues at banks have
eased, but the weekly withdrawal limits haven’t
been lifted. In a situation where people are cash-
strapped and the government is nudging them to-
wards alternatives, the uncertainty of the sort cre-
ated at fuel pumps should be avoided as it could
lead to a crisis of confidence. Last February the
Cabinet had given the nod for rationalising MDR
charges. An expert panel to recommend legislative
and other changes was constituted in August and it
mooted greater transparency in fees for digital pay-
ments, protection for private data of consumers, a
mechanism to ensure they will not be liable to pay
for unauthorised transactions or system errors, and
the creation of a new payments regulator. To build
confidence in a less-cash economy, people nudged
into a new way of life need clarity and consistency
in policy along with a visible road map to secure
their confidence. Lucky draws alone won’t suffice.
A blow to
reformists in Iran
patterns will increase the lethality of terror
attacks. Digital disruption and cyberthreats
are poised to grow.
The economic outlook, likewise, appears
pessimistic, with the global economy caught
in a low-growth trap. Widening inequality
and increasing unemployment will worsen
this situation. After a decade of economic
lows, the prevailing sentiment in the market-
place will be uncertainty.
In some ways, the 21st century has, so far,
proved to be a disaster for the ‘status quoist
West’, which failed to recognise the implica-
tions of the shift in economic power to the
East, even as some countries of Asia turned
into new engines of growth. Chinese Presid-
ent Xi Jinping was possibly one of the few
world leaders to recognise the nature of the
tectonic shift taking place, and came up with
the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, accom-
panied by huge investments in infrastructure
to connect China with Europe and the world.
Dominant factors
What are the prospects for 2017? History
and nationalism will continue to dictate the
course of events; given the exponentially ac-
celerating nature of the changes that are oc-
curring, it will, however, play out differently.
For one, unpredictability and a desire to
change the status quo, primarily economic
circumstance, will increase. For another,
populism will increasingly determine ‘polit-
ical-speak’. Third, mistrust of institutions
and institutional power will grow, and per-
sonal charisma and expediency will domin-
ate. Additionally, concepts such as excep-
tionalism and military superiority may gain
more traction — U.S. President-elect Donald
Trump’s slogan ‘America first’ and his state-
ments expressing a need for the U.S. to in-
crease its nuclear arsenal; Russian President
Vladimir Putin’s references to the need to in-
crease the country’s nuclear military poten-
tial; and Mr. Xi’s emphasis on Chinese ‘ex-
ceptionalism’, alongside strengthening of its
CARTOONSCAPE
India may have to contend with a
more aggressive Pakistan, feeling
greatly buoyed by a deepening
military entente with China and
the new outreach to Russia
military, are reliable indicators of this.
The Trump effect
The year may well see a return to the era of
insular policies, and strengthening of the
anti-outsider syndrome. Opposition to free
trade and open borders will also be more
manifest.
The ‘enigma’ that is the U.S. President-
elect exacerbates this situation. Anticipating
what he might do could be hazardous at this
time. Yet, unpredictability was Mr. Trump’s
not-so-secret ‘weapon’ in overcoming the
odds in his bid for the presidency of the U.S.,
and the world should prepare for the
unexpected.
Most analysts believe that President
Trump will roll back quite a few of the cli-
mate change initiatives agreed to by Presid-
ent Barack Obama. It is, however, more diffi-
cult to anticipate how the new President will
deal with Russia or China. U.S.-Russia rela-
tions are at their nadir today. Retrieving this
situation will require resort to a series of un-
sions between the two countries.
Asia and Europe
Reaching a modus vivendi with China may
prove more problematic. Talk of a ‘trade war’
between the U.S. and China is in the air, and
the President-elect’s strong words about Chi-
na’s trade practices make matters difficult.
For the present, Mr. Trump has served notice
of his intention to pursue a hard line on trade
with China by choosing two China critics —
Peter Navarro and Robert Lighthizer — to
handle trade matters. Whether unorthodoxy
will pay off in trade negotiations remains to
be seen. The Chinese tend to be patient and
could even absorb a Trump ‘first strike’.
In the geopolitical arena, the competition
for influence in Asia between the U.S. and
China will continue in 2017. It is possible,
however, to envisage both countries taking
steps to prevent a total breakdown of rela-
tions, and of being able to find common
ground to accommodate mutual concerns in
the South and the East China Seas. This may
leave many of the East Asian and Southeast
Asian countries unhappy — given China’s ag-
gressive postures towards them — but may
not inhibit Washington.
The U.S. reaction — under Mr. Trump — to
certain new alignments forged during 2015-
2016 could be a pointer to what the future
holds in 2017. Most important would be the
U.S. reaction to the ‘strategic congruence’ es-
tablished between China and Russia (likely
to be cemented during 2017), aimed at coun-
tering U.S. moves in Asia. As Russia and
China fine-tune their economic and security
interests in 2017, a moot question would be
whether Russia will acknowledge China’s de-
facto supremacy in Asia, in return for accord-
ing Russia a special position in Eurasia.
2017 could turn out to be a defining year for
Europe. Brexit, and the decision of the U.K. to
leave the European Union, has already led to
widespread concerns about Europe’s future.
The year may see many of the issues coming
sequent surge in violent crime. These prob-
lems could be further compounded during
2017.
The terror threat
Terrorism will continue to remain a grave
threat during 2017. 2015 and 2016 were two of
the worst years in terms of fatalities across
Asia, Africa and Western Europe — the
highest in almost five decades. The portents
for 2017 are none too propitious.
The year has begun inauspiciously. At least
25 people were killed in a suicide attack in
Baghdad on December 31. Another 39 New
Year revellers were shot dead in a nightclub
in Istanbul. Twelve people were killed in a
terror attack in a crowded Berlin Christmas
market, in an incident very reminiscent of the
July 2016 attack in Nice, France.
A sharp increase in ‘lone wolf’ and
‘copycat’ terror attacks is likely and will res-
ult in an increase in fatalities in 2017. Russia,
which has not witnessed serious terror at-
tacks for some time, could again come into
the crosshairs of Chechen and other terror
outfits. Southeast Asia may witness many
more terror attacks following a call by the
Hizb-ut-Tahrir to retaliate for the treatment
meted out to Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
North and East Africa, where terror outfits
like Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, as also the
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM),
have been on a rampage during the past two
years, will not see any respite in 2017. India,
for its part, cannot hope for, or expect, any re-
prieve from terror attacks from across the
border.
India and the neighbourhood
The Asian region will see heightened ten-
sions between China and India, China and Ja-
pan, and India and Pakistan in 2017. The over-
all military power balance is unlikely to shift
decisively — Asia already has one of the
largest concentrations of military capabilit-
ies (China, India and Pakistan) with substan-
tial presence of the U.S. and Russian militar-
ies. However, the accelerated pace of
development of China’s military in 2017, in-
cluding its acquisition of new weapon sys-
tems, will be of increasing concern to coun-
tries of East, Southeast and South Asia.
For India, a deepening of the China-
Pakistan military entente in 2017 will add a
further dimension to the overall threat from
Pakistan. Relations with Islamabad remain
embittered, but in addition India may have to
contend with a more aggressive and determ-
ined Pakistan, feeling greatly buoyed by the
progress achieved on the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor, and the new outreach to,
and growing ties, with Russia.
India’s position in Afghanistan in 2017 may
well see a downturn, with new equations
emerging in the region. With the U.S., China
and Russia backing Pakistan’s moves for
‘flexible ties’ with Taliban — ignoring India’s

T
he death of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsan-
jani, the former President of the Islamic
Republic of Iran and powerful cleric who
was widely considered a leading “moder-
ate” in Iran’s polity, is a major blow to the reformists
in the country. He had a complex and long tenure as
a political leader, emerging as a revolutionary who
participated in the overthrow of the Shah regime,
heading Parliament in post-Revolution Iran and
later being elected twice as President. He rebuilt an
economy devastated in the near-decade-long war
against Iraq. While in power, Rafsanjani promoted
a liberal economic policy that moved Iran away
from statism, pursued a realist foreign policy that
sought to protect Iranian geopolitical interests and
minimise tensions with the West. He was ruthless
as an administrator, presiding over the suppression
of dissent by arresting and executing several prom-
inent liberals and leftists. Out of power, Rafsanjani
was seen as a powerful moderate cleric with an ar-
ray of business interests; he enjoyed the support of
the bazaar, which acted as a buffer in the war of wits
between the reformists and hardliners. In recent
years reformists have sought to establish the rule of
law and better relations with the West, while hard-
liners have emphasised the supremacy of theo-
cracy and conservative values, flowing from the
guardianship of the clerics who led the revolution.
In this milieu, Rafsanjani threw in his lot with the
reformists in 2009 following allegations of wide-
spread fraud in the presidential election that was
won by former president and hardliner Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. Since then, Rafsanjani went through
a difficult political period, as he was seen to be at
loggerheads with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, who continues to support hardliners.
Thwarted from becoming a presidential candidate
in 2013, he rose to prominence again as the centrist
candidate Hassan Rouhani he supported emerged
victorious in the 2013 elections. Rafsanjani played a
pivotal background role in the signing of the land-
mark nuclear deal between the P-5+1 countries and
Iran. Hardliners have shown little inclination to go
back on the deal that restricts any weaponising pro-
gramme by Iran, but Rafsanjani’s death and a more
volatile world order with the rise of Donald Trump
in the U.S. suggest there could be challenges to the
deal in the near future. Considering that reformists
face stiff challenges presented by the theocrats who
control the publicly owned media, the judiciary
and other clerical supervisory bodies, they will cer-
tainly miss Rafsanjani. Even till the ripe age of 82, he
managed to straddle various generations of pre-and
post-revolutionary Iran and was a difficult figure
for hardliners to overcome politically.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
From passage to gateway
While Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
acknowledges Non Resident
Indians and People of Indian
Origin, there has not been much in
return — in the form of these PIOs
and NRIs investing in India
(“Revisiting a passage from India”,
Jan.9). Instead of reaching out to
Indians in the West, the
government needs to focus on
diaspora in Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius
and the Carribean region which
were populated by the British with
indentured labour. These countries
also offer attractive visa policies to
Indian citizens which need to be
reciprocated so that the
connections are strengthened.
A grievance some overseas Indians
have is that they cannot get their
OCI cards due to the lack of
records. Some desire tracing their
ancestry and extended families as
they were taken away from India
forcibly. But there is no help in India
for this here. One way to do this is
to hire genealogists who can trace
family trees. The government must
also be aware that the diaspora
keenly watches domestic policies. If
they get a whiff of the idea that they
are unwelcome because of issues
such as religion, they will only stop
with acquiring an OCI card. They
will not bother having an emotional
and comprehensive connect and
engagement with India.
Akshay Viswanathan,
Thiruvananthapuram
For a paper audit
The Election Commission should
introduce a paper audit trail that
can be verified (“SC wants paper
trail in EVMs for fair poll”, Jan.9).
Technology has many benefits but
is Janus-faced. Electronic voting
systems may solve a lot of problems
but do introduce new ones in their
wake. How can one be certain that
voting machines, especially those
that have digital components,
cannot be hacked? The best way to
protect the integrity of the voting
process is to have a parallel paper
trail as when doubts or disputes
arise it will prove reliable. Paper
ballots may be cumbersome to
handle and make counting a long-
drawn-out process but they are
relatively foolproof. Recent events
even in the most advanced country
have proved that cyber campaigns
to sabotage elections can be
mounted.
H.N. Ramakrishna,
Bengaluru
How does one ensure that a voter is
not intimidated by a rival political
party? There is a chance of misusing
ballot paper. Instead of printing
ballot paper, there should be a
mechanism to store encrypted
voter data in a centralised database
for better and effective verification.
Such data must be transmitted the
moment a voter completes the
voting process.
Gunreddy Srinivas Reddy,
Hyderabad
Turf battles in Puducherry
The phases of confrontation
between the Lt. Governor of
Puducherry and the Congress
government is an unfortunate
development. It is no exaggeration
that the functioning of the
government and implementation of
its schemes have gone haywire ever
since the cold war began some
months ago. While the Lt. Governor
is keen that the administration
should run smoothly and deliver
the goods, she cannot forget that an
elected ministry has also to be a
part of the decision-making
process. The spirit of give and take
and accommodation appear to be
absent.
S. Nadarajan,
Puducherry
The Lt. Governor is known to have a
certain political affiliation and is
bound to create problems for the
Congress government. The BJP is
no different from the Congress
when it comes to matters of treating
rival parties which are in power in
some States. Federalism is a good
concept but, sadly, is followed more
in the breach than in the observance
by the Centre in particular. The Lt.
Governor, who says that final
powers in the area of finance or
service matters lie with her, should
not forget that the electoral
mandate is for the government.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
On demonetisation
The Prime Minister blamed
“political worshippers of black
money” while thanking the Indian
diaspora for supporting
demonetisation. Anyone criticising
demonetisation is unfortunately
objections — New Delhi’s interests are set to
suffer.
Meanwhile, both Nepal and Sri Lanka
could see a turbulent 2017. India’s ability to
leverage matters in both countries, however,
remains strictly limited.
In short, as 2017 dawns, the world and In-
dia are at the crossroads.
M.K. Narayanan is former National Security Adviser and
former Governor of West Bengal.
being branded as pro-black money. government needs to send a team of
If only he was aware of the ground doctors to Sri Lanka to observe the
reality! The economy has slowed measures being taken there.
and the worst affected are the poor, M.V.D. Mani Kumar,
casual labour and villagers who Hyderabad
survive on cash. Even after 50 days,
there are still restrictions on
withdrawing one’s own money. It is Access to drug and TB fight
interesting to note that there are The government’s attempt to
some in the government who admit restrict the use of Bedaquiline in
that “all deposited money is not multidrug- resistant tuberculosis
white”. Several IT raids across the needs to be debated and the doctors
country have revealed the presence involved in treating such patients
of unaccounted money. Therefore, should be involved. In fact when
one of the very important aspects of Ethambutol and Rifampicin were
demonetisation, namely a “surgical introduced in India as wonder
operation” against black money, has drugs in treating TB, doctors were
been far from achieved. We need asked to write out three copies of
tax reforms and transparency in their prescriptions — for patient,
large-scale financial dealings. pharmacy and the doctor. Only a
Curbing a culture of bribe-giving very limited number of pharmacies
needs more than just were to have stocks of these two
demonetisation to achieve the medicines. They were to be
objective of clean governance and prescribed only by specialists or
transparent dealings. doctors with an MD. With all such
D.B.N. Murthy, restrictions relaxed today, it is no
Bengaluru wonder then that we have the
burning problem of drug resistance.
The pathogens of the same strain
The issue of CKD available in one area gain different
Why Sri Lanka alone? Though the qualities when compared to the
article, “Sri Lanka’s next big fight” same one from other areas.
(‘Weekend Being’ page, Jan.8) Irregular dosage, inadequate
mentioned it in passing the fact is nourishment and unhygienic living
that chronic kidney disease is also a conditions contribute to the
problem in the Uddanam area of problem. Moreover in India, where
Srikakulam district in Andhra private clinics are also allowed to
Pradesh. treat TB patients, the monitoring
The government seems to be system is very weak, which tends to
lukewarm in its response so far. add new dimensions. But denying a
More dialysis units need to be drug needed by a patient is a crime
established here. Detecting cases, and no reason can substantiate such
and ensuring proper and free an act by the government.
medication are needed at this A.G. Rajmohan,
juncture. The Andhra Pradesh Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
BM-X
MUMBAI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2017

- 1ias.com - PERSPECTIVE | 11

POLITICS Respite, not reconciliation

Mounting a late comeback The ceasefire in Syria and the upcoming peace talks in Astana could be the beginning of the long
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has been in steady electoral
decline for the last decade. It swept Uttar Pradesh in 2007, se-
denouement in the war-torn country
curing 30.43 per cent of the popular vote, but it lost to the
Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2012, polling only 25.91 per cent. Sim-
ilarly, in the general election in 2009, its 27.4 per cent trans-
SMITA lated into 20 Lok Sabha MPs; by 2014, it was down to 19.6 per VIJAY PRASHAD
GUPTA cent and no seats.
In these 10 years, the BSP’s upper caste vote — assiduously
cultivated in the run-up to 2007 through its ‘bhaichara sammelans’ and
promise of restoring law and order — melted away. Worse, by 2014, May- The Syrian Arab Army now controls
awati’s core constituency of Dalits began to shrink, lured away by the Bhar- Aleppo, which means that the Syrian
atiya Janata Party (BJP). government once more is in charge of
As the BSP spiralled downwards, a galaxy of senior leaders, many hand- the main population centres in the coun-
picked by party founder Kanshi Ram, either left or were thrown out of the try. Opposition armed forces are
party. They included Babu Singh Kushwaha, R.K. Chowdhury, Swami Prasad hemmed in around Damascus and in Id-
Maurya, Jugal Kishore, Dara Singh Chauhan and Brajesh Pathak. Barring Mr. lib, while the Islamic State (IS) still
Pathak who belongs to the Brahmin community, the rest belong to most holds the northern city of Raqqa. These
backward castes. Now only two of Ms. Mayawati’s old lieutenants — forces, including IS, are on the back foot,
Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Satish Mishra — remain, while old faithful Am- disorganised, weakened logistically and
beth Rajan continues in the wings. However, unlike those who left the party, disoriented. Largely abandoned by their
those who remain do not command much of a following even in their own benefactors — the West, the Gulf Arabs
communities. BSP insiders say the original party structure has virtually and Turkey — these fighters have either
been dismantled. They point to the need to urgently rebuild the organisa- moved to great desperation in their viol-
tion, groom new leaders, and frame a credible political message. ence or to near surrender. A ceasefire
brokered on December 30, 2016 holds in
Infrequent interactions most parts of the country. Peace talks are
Till the 2007 polls, Ms. Mayawati herself held regular workers’ meetings, to begin on January 23 in Astana (Kaza-
impervious to inclement weather. In power (2007-2012), she had her hands khstan). Iran, Russia, the Syrian govern-
full with administration. But her growing dependence on her lieutenants ment, sections of the Syrian opposition,
and coterie of civil servants saw her Turkey and the United Nations will have
growing increasingly isolated from the Taking advantage of the seats at the table. The United States and
rank and file. The distance grew as she the Europeans will not be there.
gradually became accustomed to a more
SP family feud and the The war will not end in Astana. Ex- LIMPING TO PEACE: “It was the Turkish shift that allowed Bashar al-Assad to take Aleppo.” Al-Rai town in Aleppo. PHOTO: REUTERS
lavish lifestyle. The only change in the Una uprising, Mayawati tremist groups such as the IS and the al-
party has been in the modernisation of is working to improve Qaeda-backed Jabhat Fateh al-Sham ment. Al-Qaeda and other extremist border — long used to resupply the The war will not end in
communication. The BSP, which once continue to hold territory. Frustrated ex- groups came across the Turkish border rebels in northern Syria — had to close,
scoffed at the media, began to vigorously the prospects of the BSP tremists who are unwilling to accede to and from Iraq as well as from the prisons substantially reducing the ability of the Astana. For extremist groups
use social media platforms. But this was not enough for Ms. Mayawati’s sup- the new situation have already begun to of the Syrian government. Casualty extremists in Aleppo. The Syrian gov- who continue to hold territory,
porters as she was rarely sighted till about six months back. trek to the IS and the al-Qaeda proxy. For rates edged upwards, with over half a ernment, which had waited four years, there is little gain from
This did not go unnoticed even by her most committed voters. Last them, there is little to be gained from million dead. The impossible promise of then moved with great force. It was the
September, while travelling through eastern U.P., I stopped in the Ganesh- surrender or reconciliation. Western bombardment kept the war go- Turkish shift that allowed Mr. Assad to surrender or reconciliation
pur Assembly seat of Basti district in Aaspur, a village populated almost en- ing in the hope that this would force Mr. take Aleppo.
tirely by members of Ms. Mayawati’s own community. Residents told me Western miscalculations Assad to negotiate. On January 5, Iraq’s National Security the illegal U.S. invasion in 2003, saw
that they had always voted BSP and would do so this time too: “Haathi For the past five years, the main slo- The West miscalculated. On Septem- Adviser met Mr. Assad in Damascus to over 6,000 civilians killed last year
hamara ghar hai, doosre ghar me mana hai (The elephant is our home, we gan from the Syrian opposition and its ber 22, 2016, U.S. Secretary of State John discuss their mutual fight against the IS, alone. It is often strategically targeted
are not accepted anywhere else).” Gulf Arab, Turkish and Western allies Kerry made some off-the-cuff remarks just as Iraqi forces cleared the road from against Shia neighbourhoods and reli-
But to a question on Ms. Mayawati’s prospects in the upcoming elections, was ‘Assad Must Go’. It now turns out at the Dutch Mission to the United Na- Haditha to al-Qa’im, which is on the gious places in order to deepen the
they expressed regret. “She won’t return to power this time because all that the government of Bashar al-Assad tions. The tape from that meeting, re- Iraq-Syria border. These public meet- trough of sectarianism. After a spate of
other communities are against us,” said Anil Kumar. “One community is just will remain. It appeared, even in 2011, leased by WikiLeaks, reveals the general ings, a senior Egyptian military officer attacks in Baghdad, Sunni leader Sheikh
not enough.” Swami Prasad Maurya’s departure for the BJP, he stressed, had that the fall of Mr. Assad without major Western consensus on the Syrian con- informs me, mirror the more private in- Mahdi al-Sumaidaie, the Grand Mufti of
sent a negative signal to the Mauryas and Kushwahas (a big chunk of whom Western military intervention was un- flict. Mr. Kerry indicated that the U.S. teractions between the militaries of Iraq, made a plea on January 5 that
had voted for the BSP) just as the formation of the Nishad Party had seen the likely. The Syrian military was far more had watched the growth of IS, and had Egypt, Iraq, Algeria and Syria. In echoes across the Arab world: “I con-
flight of the Nishads, Kewats, Binds and Mallahs, all supporters of the BSP disciplined than the Libyan military, hoped to use it as a bargaining chip November, Egyptian army officers went firm that Shias and Sunnis will meet and
earlier. As for the upper castes, Mr. Kumar said they had not just abandoned which had begun to crumble before the against the Assad government. As it to Syria to re-establish connections that hold accountable all who betrayed, de-
the BSP but were actively campaigning against Ms. Mayawati at the village NATO bombing on Libya. There was turned out, Mr. Assad turned to Iran and have frayed over the past few years. Now ceived and burned Iraq.” It was a state-
level, recalling the liberal use of the legislation (while she was in power) that also far less daylight between the Syrian Russia for help, which is when the Russi- Egypt is ready to send ‘peacekeepers’ to ment of patriotism out of desperation.
penalises those who commit atrocities against the Scheduled Castes. Be- government and its military than there ans intervened directly in September help manage the ceasefire. Meanwhile, This seam of patriotism will be hard for
henji no longer met people directly, he said, but left the job to her coordinat- was between the Egyptian government 2015 — ending any possibility of regime the Syrian and Turkish governments the extremists to rip apart.
ors, many of whom did not convey the right picture to her. “Now with elec- and its military. Absent massive military change in Damascus and of an IS cap- have met secretly in Algeria over the North-west of Damascus is Souq
tions round the corner, she has finally begun to get out and meet people.” force, there was going to be no regime ture of Damascus. With Mr. Assad now past five months to begin a conversation Wadi Barada. The al-Fija spring there is
change in Syria. safe, the Russians have begun to draw about the status of the Syrian Kurdish a crucial source of water for the capital.
A ray of hope Direct Western military intervention down their forces, largely to build con- enclave on the Turkish border. Algeria is Extremist groups have held this source
It is against this bleak backdrop that two events that took place in 2016 was curtailed — thanks to the fiasco in fidence towards the Astana meeting. now openly talking about the restora- for the past several years and on at least
provide signs of hope for the BSP. The first was the Dalit uprising in Gujarat. Iraq — by the lack of domestic appetite By 2015, it had become clear to the tion of legitimacy to the Assad six previous occasions cut off the water
The assault on Dalits in Una that reverberated through the country did not in the West for the use of sufficient num- Turkish government that neither would government. supply to Damascus. The fall of Aleppo
just remind Dalits of their essential condition, but also provided Ms. May- bers of troops to fight in Syria. Regime Mr. Assad’s government fall nor could has led to new fighting in the area, with
awati the opportunity to regain her vote base ahead of the Assembly elec- change in Libya and its disastrous after- Turkey protect itself from the detritus of The end is far water now firmly cut off from all but one
tions. BSP cadres hit the streets in protest, even as a video capturing the hor- math closed the door for a UN author- its own making — attacks by the IS in- The frustration of the extremists will tank, which the military controls. Dam-
rifying details of a violent upper caste attack on Dalit cow-skinners in Una isation for war on Syria. By 2012, this side Turkey and a reopened war with the not produce an easy end to this conflict. ascus faces great hardship. Negotiations
began to circulate. After Una and the public meetings condemning the meant that the Assad government could Kurdish resistance movement. Turkey’s Harsh violence is the more expected are on to let the water flow again. When
derogatory remarks made about Ms. Mayawati by the subsequently expelled not be easily defeated. The policy shif- government lashed out at its critics — outlet. Attacks in Jordan, Saudi Arabia it does, it will show that reconciliation is
BJP member Daya Shankar Singh, her core Dalit vote has returned. The ral- ted from direct overthrow to a much who had much to be critical about — and and Turkey — all accused, rightly, of possible in these societies.
lies that she has held in the last six months, though few in number, have been more cynical use of power. Covert ship- sought a rapprochement with Russia for abandoning the uprising — will con-
very well-attended. ments of arms went to rebels of various economic and political reasons. This tinue to be a serious problem. Iraq, Vijay Prashad’s most recent book is ‘The Death of the
The second event has been the continuing Yadav family feud in the SP that stripes to help delegitimise the govern- new alignment for Turkey meant that its already accustomed to violence since Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution’.
has presented the Muslims, constituting 18 per cent of the State’s population,
with a dilemma: their first choice is the SP, and their target is to defeat the

A rights bill gone wrong

BJP, but can a divided SP do that? If the feud does not end, the BSP could be
the beneficiary. Ms. Mayawati has therefore been wooing the Muslims, un-
derscoring the SP’s deep divide at public meetings. Last week, she asked
senior BSP leaders to make the electorate aware that the feud did not augur
well for the State’s development.
To get the message across more clearly, she has nominated 97 Muslim can- The Transgender Persons Bill 2016 is the product of an insincere attempt at lawmaking
didates and 106 candidates from the OBC community, a section that had al-
most wholesale abandoned the BSP in 2014. By comparison, Dalits have
been given just 87 seats. Only two candidates are left to be declared. This is puzzling considering that the
It is clear that Ms. Mayawati is working on a plan. But being belated, will it 2014 and 2015 Bills, and even other re-
be enough? cent laws like the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities Act, 2016 and the Mental
smita.g@thehindu.co.in SHRUTI NAMRATA Healthcare Bill, 2016, are framed in
AMBAST MUKHERJEE rights language.
Further, the Bill is completely silent
on how its content will impact the oper-
A disturbing facet of lawmaking in India ation of existing laws. Most laws, in-
FROM THE ARCHIVES is that laws are often drafted without in- cluding of marriage, adoption and suc-
depth research, as a result of which they cession, continue to be based on the
are misinformed and remain paper ti- binary of male and female. Criminal
gers. Another is that a culture of token- laws, especially those dealing with
ism prevails regarding pressing social sexual offences, also continue to be
(dated January 10, 1967)
issues, seen most recently in The Trans- gendered. The cisnormative (the as-
China heading engineering and chemical gender Persons (Protection of Rights) sumption that everyone has a gender
products for the purpose of Bill, 2016. identity that matches the sex the person
towards civil war exports. The groups of industries was assigned at birth) foundation of the
Reports coming over the week- that would fall within the scope of Radical changes in draft law remains a significant barrier to ac-
end from Peking paint a picture of this team would be rolled steel In April 2014, the Supreme Court de- cess to legal justice for transgender per-
violence and bloody clashes fast products, ferrous castings and livered the landmark judgment of sons. Jurisdictions like the U.K., Ireland,
spreading to different parts of forgings, small and cutting tools NALSA v. Union of India, which af- Argentina and Malta, which have legis-
China amidst indications that the and hand tools, electronic firmed the fundamental rights of trans- A FAIRER WORLD: “None of the Bills on transgender rights have addressed the issue lated on transgender rights, clarify in
“great proletarian cultural components, dies, jigs and fixtures, gender persons. The court gave a series of Section 377, which is used to harass transgender persons.” A queer pride march their laws the impact gender change
revolution” is deteriorating into a rubber products, pharmaceutical of directives to the government to insti- in Mumbai. FILE PHOTO: SHASHI ASHIWAL will have on existing legal institutions
volcano of gigantic proportions and some other chemical items. tute welfare measures for transgender that are inaccessible to persons with
which may erupt at any moment The team will be in India for four persons, including affirmative action. It the previous two Bills, it also com- non-conforming genders. The NALSA
into a civil war. That the situation to five weeks during which period also directed that the Expert Commit- pletely disregarded all existing dis-
The Bill deviates from a judgment too recognises the need for
has taken a serious turn can be they will visit a number of tee Report prepared by the Ministry of course and resources — the NALSA rights-based approach and making civil rights accessible to trans-
gauged from the fact that the industrial units, manufacturing Social Justice and Empowerment judgment, the Expert Committee Re- leaves transgender persons at gender persons. However, the Bill fails
official Peking Radio reporting on products which have an export (MSJE) be implemented. port, and public comments. The 2016 to take this into account.
bloody clashes between pro Mao In December 2014, Tiruchi Siva, a Bill has now been referred to a Standing the mercy of the Finally, none of the Bills have ad-
potential.
Tse-tung supporters and their Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Rajya Committee. “benevolent” state dressed the issue of Section 377, which
opponents, for the first time, TV station at Sabha MP, introduced the Rights of What led to such radical changes in is frequently used to harass transgender
publicly appealed to several Transgender Persons Bill, 2014 as a the new draft? Given that the discourse persons, specifically transgender wo-
revolutionary mass organisations
Bombay planned Private Member’s Bill. On April 24, 2015, on transgender rights has garnered suf- Bills had more accurate definitions of men. The conventional understanding
in Shanghai against the activities Active steps are being taken for in a rare instance, the Rajya Sabha unan- ficient momentum and visibility, this the term transgender. In fact, the 2015 of Section 377 is that it criminalises all
of the anti-Mao elements. introducing television in Bombay, imously passed the Bill. However, it watered-down Bill reflects callousness Bill was the most progressive in this re- sex that is not between people of oppos-
Although the official radio did not before the current year is out, it is never made it to the Lok Sabha. on the part of the legislature. Previous gard as it granted a transgender person ite genders. But recognising trans-
give many details, reports from learnt from official sources. The Instead, the government decided to research, consultations, drafts, and judi- the right to identify as either ‘man’, ‘wo- rights means recognising that there are
Japanese newspaper Ministry of Information and get its own Bill — The Rights of Trans- cial orders stand completely ignored in man’, or ‘transgender’. Another prob- more than the “opposite” genders of
Correspondents quoting Peking Broadcasting has already taken in gender Persons Bill, 2015 — drafted, the face of political (dis)interest, which lem is the absence of a provision on re- male and female. Embracing rights of
wall papers indicate that the hand the construction of television which was put up for public comments means that much of the work will now servation, running contrary to the persons with non-conforming genders
workers in China’s foremost city studios in Bombay and other in December. The 2015 Bill was largely have to be repeated. NALSA judgment and the 2014 and 2015 while criminalising persons with non-
have been engaged in such preparations in this connection are based on the 2014 Bill, but it did away To start with, the 2016 Bill in many Bills which directed reservations for conforming sexual orientations is thus
sabotage as destruction of also afoot. The idea is that the with provisions on Transgender Rights ways falls short in its substantive con- transgender persons. absurd.
production facilities and plotting moment the draft of the Fourth Courts and the National and State Com- tent. Clause 2(i) of the Bill, which The 2016 Bill is the product of an un-
to cut off water and electricity. Five-Year Plan is approved and missions. The Ministry also consulted defines the term ‘transgender person’, Not a rights-based approach interested and insincere attempt at law-
U.N. team to necessary financial sanction for civil society and activists. In April 2016, has been inexplicably borrowed from a While the NALSA judgment is making. India is within touching dis-
the scheme obtained, T.V. cameras the 2015 draft Bill was sent to the Law provision of the Australian Sex Dis- couched in rights language, locating the tance of enabling the legal
study industries should be switched on in this Ministry, in July the Cabinet approved crimination Amendment (Sexual Ori- fundamental rights of transgender per- empowerment of a hitherto marginal-
At the invitation of the second largest city in the country. it, and in August it was introduced in the entation, Gender Identity and Intersex sons in the golden trinity of Articles 14, ised community and it would be a
Government of India, a team of Calcutta and Madras are also Lok Sabha. It is unclear at which point Status) Act 2013, which defines the term 19 and 21 of the Constitution, the 2016 shame if it squandered the opportunity
U.N. experts is arriving in India receiving attention in this matter the drafting changed, for the Bill intro- ‘intersex’. This, even though the Expert Bill, though it uses the word “rights” in by passing a bad law.
next week to assess the scope for and it will not be long before they duced in the Lok Sabha was drastically Committee Report clearly explained its title, deviates from a rights-based ap-
increasing production of specified are placed on the television map. different from the 2015 Bill. Not only the difference between transgender and proach and leaves transgender persons Shruti Ambast and Namrata Mukherjee are Research
was it shorn of many critical features of intersex identities. The 2014 and 2015 at the mercy of the “benevolent” state. Fellows at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi.

CM BM-X
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
CHENNAI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

Taking ‘Cold Start’ out of the freezer?

General Bipin Rawat’s reference to Cold Start raises vital questions about what he means by the phrase and
whether he was authorised to speak on the matter by the government
has significantly shaped security dynamics
W E D N E S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 on the subcontinent. For a brief period, In-
dian security managers might have believed
that the ambiguity surrounding the con-
Cold Start-style operation at all. Further-
more, sustaining ofensive operations in
Pakistan requires joint operations with the
air force. Not only does the Indian Air Force

Appointments as WALTER C.
LADWIG III
VIPIN
NARANG
cept’s status and the Indian Army’s ability to
implement it generated enough uncertainty
in the mind of Pakistani decision-makers to
lack the kind of close air support capability
Cold Start would require, but army-air force
cooperation is also beset by inter-service

spoils of oice In a wide-ranging interview with India

Today, the new Chief of Army Staf, General
Bipin Rawat, appeared to drop a bombshell
deter their support for militant attacks
within India. This thesis was disproved,
however, by the audacious 2008 Mumbai at-
dysfunction. This has put India in the worst
possible strategic position: claiming a cap-
ability that it does not have, but which

T
he Supreme Court’s observations on the
quality of a round of appointments made
to the Tamil Nadu Public Service Com-
mission last year expose the gross dis-
respect shown by the State government to the insti-
tutional integrity of the constitutional body.
Standing by the Madras High Court judgment
quashing the appointment of 11 members, the court
has directed the State government to make a fresh
selection of TNPSC members after a “meaningful
and deliberative process”. These observations fore-
ground the arbitrary manner in which administrat-
ive power is used to pack recruitment institutions
with political favourites. In the case of the TNPSC,
the high court had noted that absolutely no process
had preceded the appointments, including of a
former district judge who had not been ofered the
two-year extension that is given on merit to district
judges on their reaching the age of 58. The govern-
ment has been specifically told that the retired
judge would not be eligible in the fresh selection
process. TNPSC vacancies were not filled for three
years, but close to the Assembly election, chosen
persons were asked to submit their bio-data and ap-
pointed within a day. The high court could not even
go into the relevance of the material on the basis of
which the Governor made the appointments, as
there was no material bar candidates’ resumes.
The core issue, however, is not eligibility or non-
eligibility. Some may be qualified by dint of their
track record, educational qualifications or adminis-
trative experience. What is disquieting is that the
appointment process has become a “spoils system”
based on political patronage. The high court had
noted that it was not even fair to comment on
whether any candidate met the criteria of integrity,
calibre and qualification as the process itself was
deeply flawed. It had noted at least three instances
of absence of process in selections to State public
service commissions. The concept of such com-
missions was incorporated in the Constitution with
the idea that recruitment for public service would
be truly independent and free from the pressure of
the political executive. Going by the recent round
of appointments, the Tamil Nadu government does
not have a process, leave alone one that is free from
arbitrariness. It needs to evolve a process for ap-
pointments to the TNPSC that will make integrity
and calibre the principal qualifications, while also
drawing upon a wider pool of talent than what the
ruling party’s limited list of favourites has to ofer.
by acknowledging the existence of the
army’s Cold Start strategy. Many defence
analysts presumed the army had abandoned
this limited war concept altogether, or nar-
rowly focussed on streamlining mobilisa-
tion while still maintaining the fundamental
Strike Corps organisation and doctrinal
concept. Either Gen. Rawat has dispensed
with 15 years of semantic gymnastics and
simply referred to these “proactive strategy
options” by their more common nomen-
clature, Cold Start, or, the Indian Army has
been quietly reorganising its limited war
concept along more aggressive, and ofens-
ive, lines with little fanfare. The government
would be wise to clarify Gen. Rawat’s state-
ments. Ambiguity surrounding Cold Start,
which incurred real diplomatic and security
costs for India without delivering de-
terrence benefits, did not advance the coun-
try’s interests when it was first announced,
and such uncertainty is unhelpful today.
Pakistan-centric retaliatory option
What is Cold Start? At heart, it is part of
the army’s attempt to develop a useable,
conventional retaliatory option that pun-
ishes Pakistan for terrorist attacks against
India without triggering wider conventional
or nuclear escalation. In its more aggressive
formulations, it was believed the aim was to
create division-sized formations that could
rapidly mobilise and carry out short-notice,
retaliatory ofensives of limited duration to
quickly seize and hold Pakistani territory,
while simultaneously pursuing narrow
enough objectives to deny Islamabad a justi-
fication to escalate the conflict by opening
additional conventional fronts or to employ
nuclear weapons.
The perceived failure to mobilise the
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: SURENDRA
The perception that its most
aggressive form exists is the gift
that keeps on giving to Pakistan,
which uses it to justify a rapid
expansion of its forces
army’s Strike Corps in a timely fashion after
the December 2001 attacks on Parliament
was the impetus for Cold Start, and its oi-
cial status has been the subject of extensive
debate and controversy since it was first dis-
cussed in 2004. The idea originated with the
army and has been publicly debated in
think-tank circles, but it has never been
formally accepted by the Indian govern-
ment, which has repeatedly denied its exist-
ence. In 2010, the then Army Chief, Gen. V.K.
Singh, declared point-blank that Cold Start
did not exist. However, he did note ambigu-
ously that the army possessed a “proactive
strategy” for responding to Pakistan. This
presumably referred to the conversion of IX-
XII Corps near the border from defensive
“holding” corps to formations called “pivot”
corps which could more quickly undertake
limited ofensive operations while the main
Strike Corps elements surged from the in-
terior of India over several weeks.
Despite its lack of imprimatur, Cold Start
tacks and its aftermath. At the same time,
the “threat” posed by Cold Start has been re-
peatedly cited by Pakistani authorities as
proof of India’s hostile intentions and hege-
monic designs. This, in turn, has provided a
justification for Pakistan to build up, and
build out, its nuclear forces, both increasing
the sheer size of its nuclear arsenal (which
carries its own risks of theft and nuclear ter-
rorism) and developing lower-yield nuclear
warheads and short range missiles, so-
called tactical nuclear weapons, which are
aimed at deterring — or in the worst case,
defeating — a limited Indian military
incursion.
Can India pull it of ?
Although Pakistan has responded as if In-
dia has an aggressive limited war strategy,
there is no public evidence that India re-
motely has the capability to adopt or ex-
ecute such a doctrine. It is one thing to carry
out a raid across the Line of Control with a
handful of commandos. It is quite another to
undertake a major cross-border incursion
by armoured formations that seeks to cap-
ture Pakistani territory.
The army simply lacks the materiel and
organisation to implement the more ag-
gressive versions of Cold Start. It is not at all
clear, for example, that the Indian Army at
present possesses suicient superiority in
numbers of troops and armoured vehicles in
the vicinity of the International Border to be
able to overcome the Pakistan Army’s de-
fensive and geographic advantages in a
short conflict. Indeed, the large number of
obsolete tanks and artillery pieces, not to
mention critical shortages of ammunition
and air-defence assets raises serious ques-
tions about the army’s ability to implement a
provides justification for Pakistan’s aggress-
ive expansion of its conventional and nuc-
lear forces. Such an approach has rarely
served a nation’s security interests.
A case for clarity
On balance, the formally unacknow-
ledged limited war strategy has created
more problems for India than it has solved.
In this vein, Gen. Rawat’s comments appear
to represent a puzzling reversal. Yet it raises
the important question of what he meant by
“Cold Start”. Was he simply dispensing with
the euphemism of “proactive strategy op-
tions” and referring to India’s somewhat
streamlined, retaliatory, mobilisation pro-
cedure — but no real doctrinal shift — as
Cold Start? Or did he specifically mean that
the Indian Army is indeed prepared to un-
dertake multiple, short notice, armoured
thrusts into Pakistan to seize and hold territ-
ory, representing a real doctrinal shift? More
importantly, was Gen. Rawat given political
authorisation to speak on the matter by the
government or was he speaking too loosely?
Cold Start’s status has been murky in part
due to the fact that it is an army concept that
has never publicly received approval from
the country’s political leadership. It is im-
portant for Indian security to know if that
has changed.
It is understandable that, in the wake of
the September 29 surgical strikes, the Modi
government would want to signal to
Pakistan that all options are on the table in
the event of another terror attack within In-
dia. However, if reviving Cold Start is part of
that efort, it may markedly escalate ten-
sions in bilateral relations with Pakistan
without necessarily delivering a clear bene-
fit, since there is still no evidence that India
has the required capabilities to implement
anything resembling Cold Start.
The term “Cold Start” has thus become
one of the Indian Army’s biggest liabilities.
The perception that its most aggressive
form exists is the gift that keeps on giving to
the Pakistan Army, which uses it to justify a
rapid expansion of its conventional and nuc-
lear forces. But given the wide range of oper-
ational concepts that the phrase “Cold Start”
could refer to, casually invoking it without
possessing the requisite capability to imple-
ment this perceived version continues to
put India at a strategic disadvantage. It is
time for both the army and the government
to clarify what precisely its conventional
doctrine is — not with bold euphemisms

The great American such as “Cold Start,” but by identifying its

operational and strategic objectives and
how it fits into India’s larger strategy to de-

election hack ter major militant attacks on the homeland.

History is littered with tragic examples
where discrepancies between perceived

T
he U.S. Oice of the Director of National
Intelligence has released a declassified
report purportedly supplying the minu-
tiae of a conspiracy theory that has
dogged the victory of Donald Trump in the Novem-
ber presidential election: Russia’s alleged “influ-
ence campaign” that sought to tip the scales in fa-
vour of the property magnate. The report, which
pulls together intelligence gathered by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence
Agency and the National Security Agency, con-
cludes with “high confidence” that Russian Presid-
ent Vladimir Putin personally ordered such a cam-
paign in 2016, which saw hacking of email accounts
of Democratic Party oicials and other political fig-
ures. Further, personal information of the victims
was passed on to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks
and broader media, which in turn disseminated
large troves of data. These releases and public pro-
paganda by the Russian regime, the report suggests,
undercut the campaign of the Democratic candid-
ate, Hillary Clinton. The report comes at a time
when relations between Washington and Moscow
could not be worse. President Barack Obama him-
self cited the “highest levels of the Russian govern-
ment” as the provenance of this malicious cyber
activity. When he announced sanctions against
Russia and expelled 35 diplomats from U.S. soil in
December, matters reached boiling point.
The hacking saga raises two sets of questions.
First, how consequential are the U.S. intelligence
agencies’ claims in terms of the impact on the ac-
tual election outcome of the concerted disinforma-
tion campaign? It is possible that a section of voters
was swayed by this covert action; yet Mr. Trump’s
win, as even the liberal-minded U.S. media con-
cede, was the result of factors deeply rooted in do-
mestic politics, including economic woes and the
anti-immigrant attitudes of an angry middle class
in the Rust Belt States. On the flip side, conservative
Americans’ view of Ms. Clinton as an untrust-
worthy and over-connected Washington insider
scarcely required corroboration from an outside
actor. There is, of course, some irony in the intelli-
gence report given the unparalleled record of the
U.S. in interfering in the elections of other nations,
including in almost all of South America and even
in Russia, in 1996. The second concern that the
hacking episode throws up is that Mr. Trump’s dis-
missive reaction of the intelligence report could
send a dangerous signal to Russia that it could carry
out more such shadow campaigns with a sense of
impunity. Information is ultimate power in the di-
gital universe of 21st century democracies. The rise
of hacking and fake news thus is, justifiably, a
source of deep fear for liberal governments across
Europe, poised on the brink of elections and facing
the prospect of a Brexit-style sweep in some cases.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Father vs. son
The ongoing tussle in Uttar Pradesh
for political supremacy, between
father and son — Samajwadi Party
supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and
State Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
— appears to be a game set up to
hoodwink people of the State
(“Mulayam ofers olive branch, says
Akhilesh will be CM”, Jan.10). There
is hardly any democracy in Uttar
Pradesh as the political set-up is
only dynastic rule in the guise of
democracy. Another point is the
way in which voters are being
treated like a herd of cattle. It
remains to be seen whether the
common man will see through the
game plan and act in a sensible way
in the forthcoming Assembly
elections.
Nikhil Akhilesh Krishnan,
Mumbai
The ongoing tussle between
Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav
should serve as an eye-opener for
our ageing politicians. Having
tasted power and fame, they do not
want let go. The veterans have had
their time and should gracefully
exit, paving the way for the young to
take over. The young should be
allowed to bring fresh ideas and
vigour into the system.
Radhakrishnan A.P.,
Bengaluru
Till recently, father and son were
like the two wheels of a bicycle,
with one propelling and the other
steering it. Now that there is much
animosity and flip-flops over a
patch-up, the two wheels are not
likely to move in one direction. The
Election Commission of India
should freeze the symbol and allot
them other symbols so that they can
tread their desired paths.
R.K. Kshitheesh,
Thiruvananthapuram
Expulsion, reinstatement,
expulsion, reinstatement — the
cycle continues within the
Samajwadi Party. It is obvious that
there is no long-term strategy
within the party despite Assembly
elections being round the corner.
The bad blood is bound to tarnish
the party’s image and result in a
shift in the vote bank. Mulayam
Singh should realise that only
Akhilesh Yadav can save the party
as no other party leader has the
ability to attract voters. The battle
needs to be fought jointly.
Ravi M. Singh,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Aadhaar validation
After linking the EPF pension
scheme with Aadhaar, the
government has now made Aadhaar
a must for MGNREGA work. When
the Supreme Court has time and
again observed that no welfare
scheme should be denied to any
citizen for want of an Aadhaar card,
it is baling why the government is
still insistent on making Aadhaar
mandatory for everything. Aadhaar
is a dangerous ‘adventure’
especially as data in India does not
have a foolproof security system. As
we are ringed by hostile neighbours
who are ready to pounce on any
data on Indians and with hacking on
the rise, the Aadhaar route is a too
risky to be pursued.
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
Digital speed bumps
Before the note swap policy, there
was some balance between online
payments and cash transactions
(Editorial – “Oiling cashless
wheels”, Jan.10). However, in one
stroke the government is pushing
everyone to make online payments,
ignoring resistance. The warning by
petrol pump owners is just the
beginning. Another example is of
notices in supermarkets on how the
management will not be held
responsible for any billing errors.
There have to be systems in place
before customers and merchants
end up clashing with each other.
N. Nagarajan,
Secunderabad
If the idea of a less-cash society has
to be realised, there must be no
charges levied whatsoever on any
form of cashless transaction (“No
extra charge for card use at petrol
pumps”, Jan.10). What is the point
of nudging consumers to go
cashless when banks and merchants
are still levying kinds of transaction
costs? I have been paying some sort
of “POS Terminal Charge”, of ₨11.20,
on every refill at petrol pumps. The
shock of seeing these deductions
was enough for me to get back to
the cash-based method. There is no
uniform policy across banks and
petroleum companies on sharing
diferent transaction costs. It is for
merchants and bankers to sort this
out without involving consumers.
Gaurav Singhal,
Rewari, Haryana
Cruelty or sport?
Many supporters of jallikattu claim
doctrine and actual doctrine have caused
minor skirmishes to escalate into major
wars. The continued loose talk of the so-
called Cold Start doctrine puts South Asia in
the unfortunate situation that it may be the
next case, and this time with nuclear
weapons in the mix.
Walter C. Ladwig III is a Lecturer in international relations
at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London.
Vipin Narang is Mitsui Career Development Associate
Professor of political science at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
that reviving it is in the interest of activists and those of us who do not
preserving India’s culture (“Kamal endorse this sport (“Unfazed,
bats for jallikattu” and “Jallikattu: punters get ready to bet on rooster
TN urges Centre to take ordinance fights in AP”, Jan.8). This is yet
route”, Jan.10). This is where I difer. another instance of avoidable
There were a number of social conflict much like jallikattu and
practices that were a part of our camel racing. Man’s craze to go to
culture. Do the “preservers” of any length to entertain himself at
Indian culture want to bring them the cost of inflicting pain on other
back? A culture must evolve with living creatures knows no bounds.
time and the upholding of animal In my childhood, it was low key and
rights in the 21st century is of restricted to very few rural pockets
paramount importance. Have they but has now transformed itself into
forgotten that “the greatness of a a show of family prestige and pride.
nation can be judged by the way its Films have only aided in whipping
animals are treated”? up these interests associated with
Kaushik Balakrishnan, the sport by presenting exaggerated
Camarillo, California, U.S. celluloid versions of it.
Pushpa Dorai,
Many issues that cause a
Nurani, Kerala
community to be stirred up do not
have reasoning. Politicians,
students, villagers or even the A water crisis
general public participating in This time round, South India has
demonstrations against the witnessed the failure of both
jallikattu ban appear to voice only monsoons (“Alarming dip in water
one opinion: when elephants are table across districts”, Jan.7, and
used for strenuous labour in Kerala, “Rain-starved Chennai sees dipping
and camels too in North India, why water table”, Jan.6). The ground
is jallikattu not permitted in Tamil reality continues to be grim with
Nadu? All need to understand that regard to water storage and
the ban is not to safeguard the management. Today we make tall
animals or against their legal use for talk of converting seawater into
activities such as farming, but drinking water, but it is paradoxical
instead to safeguard lives. Taking that we allow huge water resources,
part in jallikattu, which either from perennial rivers of the north
results in participants ending up and the monsoon-induced spate in
being seriously injured or even the south to join the sea and
losing their lives, is akin to taking thereafter leisurely think of
one’s life. Why shouldn’t provisions converting that brackish water into
in the IPC be extended to drinking water! The technology-
participants of jallikattu? driven Israeli model of
S.T. Daniel, management of monsoon failure
Tirunelveli which includes cloud-seeding is
worth considering.
Rooster fights have come back to R. Sampath,
haunt the police, animal rights Chennai
CH-CH
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
CHENNAI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

BUDGET
Mind the gender gap
Stemming the moral rot within
It is time that attitudes changed and the law asserted that all women have an inviolable right to
During the 2014 national and State
elections, for the first time women’s
space and untrammelled dignities
safety and empowerment were topics
of debate, marking a significant shift in minds of the political leadership on
how gender concerns are viewed by practical legal solutions, Section 354 of
NARAYAN
PRIYANKA VIDISHA the political class as well as by voters in the Indian Penal Code was revamped to
LAKSHMAN
CHATURVEDI MISHRA India. In the two years since, policy fo- give it more teeth and make prosecu-
cus and public scrutiny on persistent tions more expedient and, hopefully,
gender inequality has grown exponentially. In 2015, 194 member states, in- efective.
cluding India, adopted the Sustainable Development Goals. Gender equal- On December 31, 2016, the streets of Yes, fast-tracking of legal cases of ex-
ity is one of the 17 goals to “transform our world”. This year, India ratified Bengaluru became one of the most dan- treme sexual violence and mandating
the Paris Agreement. The direct link between empowering women and al- gerous places in the country for women harsher punishments can help, but
leviating poverty, increasing productivity, and combating climate change of all ages. On New Year’s Day, photo- surely more is needed to address the
is well-recognised. However, the lack of targeted resources is often stated graphs emerged of terrified women horrifyingly commonplace sexual as-
to be the biggest reason behind the sluggish progress in furthering the there clinging to police oicers as mobs saults that women and girls face in so
gender agenda. Therefore, it is important that India’s budget priorities re- surged around them, and reports de- many everyday situations, from the
flect its commitment to invest in women and girls. scribed the brazen spree of mass sexual walk down the street to the grocery
Last year, the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Gender Gap Re- assaults that occurred overnight. shop, to the celebration of New Year’s
port ranked India 87 in terms of gender equality in economy, education, On the same evening, in another part Eve in public to that all-too-familiar
health, and political representation. Women’s declining labour participa- of Bengaluru, an unrelated violent at- tragedy of a young girl who spends a
tion, under-representation in Parliament, skewed child sex ratio, and pre- tack on a woman walking through a dark nightmarish afternoon in the home of a
valent gender-based violence are recognised challenges. To bridge these alley was captured in a spine-chilling, relatively unknown older male relative,
gaps, India formally adopted Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in two-minute CCTV video. to be scarred for life by what he did to
2005. The rationale behind GRB is that policy outcomes are not as gender- The two sets of visuals from her.
neutral as commonly believed, and can reinforce or exacerbate exiting Bengaluru that night were mirror im- In this context, it is the overall inter-
hierarchies. Hence, gender budgeting initiatives aim to integrate critical ages of shameful events that occurred pretation of the statutes by law enforce-
gender concerns into fiscal policies and administration to address elsewhere in the world, including the ment oicials that need to be more sens-
disparities. “taharrush” (collective harassment) at- itive. Specifically, police attitudes in
Every annual budget since 2005 Gender responsive tacks that have, since 2005, blighted the dealing with victims of sexual violence
has included a statement that lists budgeting must be seen as epochal political events in Tahrir need to be forced into a more sensitive
out two parts. There is Part A, which Square, in Cairo, Egypt, and the 2015 mode through aggressive monitoring
reflects ‘Women Specific Schemes’, an essential tool to tackle New Year’s Eve attacks in Cologne, Ger- and carrot-and-stick incentivisation, if
namely, those which have 100 per societal inequality instead many, among others. India is to become even marginally
cent allocation for women, and Part Yet, as countless women would con- more secure for all women and girls. If
B, which reflects ‘Pro Women
of a symbolic exercise firm across India, where, paradoxically not, then ever more crimes against wo-
Schemes’, namely, where at least 30 per cent of the allocation is for women. the female essence is apotheosised as men will go unreported or under-repor-
Over the years, India has stood out for its implementation of gender god, and mother, sister, and daughter are ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: “The legal system must deal with sexual violence with an iron ted and male impunity will rise even
budgeting, and with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) playing the central regarded as sacred and pure in the pan- fist.” Protests in Bengaluru against sexual assault. FILE PHOTO: K. MURALI KUMAR higher.
role, it has managed to successfully institutionalise the concept at both the theon of religiosity, mass molestations
national and State levels (16 States have embraced the exercise). Studies run parallel to brutal everyday acts of others with unbridled, disrespectful lust A useful tool in curbing Changing primitive notions
substantiate the positive link between GRB and improved indicators for leering, catcalling, verbal abuse, threat- are learned behaviours for most Indian In terms of broader social attitudes,
women. For instance, a recent International Monetary Fund study found ening behaviour, groping, and violent men, whose fathers, grandfathers and sexism and sexual violence the preoccupation with the anachron-
that States that employ GRB also show better female to male school enrol- sexual acts across the spectrum. higher forefathers have all carried on in could be a greater degree of istic notion of “outraging the modesty”
ment ratios. Further, it was observed that GRB also has a positive impact It is a fact that the freak show of sexual the same vein. advocacy for gender of a woman needs to go. Why is being
on infrastructure spending. perversion in Bengaluru on New Year’s However, the notion that 586 million “modest” a precondition for getting the
Eve could have happened just about citizens out of a population of 1.2 billion sensitivity by the government protection of the law from sexual as-
Decentralisation of funding anywhere in the country, in any nook or can be subject to daily threats of attack sault? Doesn’t every woman, regardless
Despite the successes, better implementation and planning are needed to cranny into which the grotesque ghoul and humiliation must be anathema even impact of the traicking of women for of her attire, her attitude or her loca-
ensure that these policies percolate right down to the last woman in the of Indian masculinity finds its way. to consequentialist political leadership prostitution. In this regard, Indian men tional and physical presence, deserve
most remote parts of the country. In recent years, allocations have either re- of the sort that the country has now, and would, however, be no more disadvant- rock-solid insulation from any and all
mained stagnant or have been on the decline. For instance, Budget 2016-17 Learned behaviour for men proactive policy attention must focus aged in their prospects for becoming such assaults?
was widely considered to be a mixed bag for women. While the Ministry of What is wrong with men in general, on practical solutions that can genu- more humane than their counterparts Directly related to this colonial-era
Women and Child Development and National Commission for Women saw and Indian men in particular, that they inely impact the ground realities. across the open global order. legal anachronism is the morally in-
nominal increases, the scheme meant for implementing the Domestic Viol- have lived comfortably for this long in a Given the sheer weight of India’s pat- A useful tool in curbing runaway sex- defensible and logically flawed puritan-
ence Act did not receive any allocation. Further, there was a decline in the moral vacuum, in a world where the riarchy, and the historic-psychic inertia ism and sexual violence could be a ism of blaming women who wear “West-
number of ministries and departments that fall under GRB. The budget also schizophrenic divergence between their of its two-faced conservatism, creative much greater degree of advocacy for ern attire” for “inviting” sexual assault,
initiated the decentralisation of funding in GRB, thus shifting the onus for proclaimed conservative mores and thinking is needed to encourage the gender sensitivity by the government, as indeed at least two political leaders
budgeting and implementation from the Central Ministry to State counter- their repressed, distorted sexual im- emergence of a new breed of more starting with gender education from the insinuated in the aftermath of the New
parts. While this did empower the States to come up with women-specific pulse does not produce an evolutionary gender-sensitive men who may be cap- primary school level, through the years Year’s Eve incidents in Bengaluru.
policies as per their respective challenges, the obvious downside was the response towards a more civilised able of teaching themselves, fathers to of high school and university learning. When all of these patriarchal notions
risk that States could choose to not prioritise gender in their budgeting. In ethos? sons and one generation after the other, Yet the mission to secure the safety have been unceremoniously shoved into
this way, the intent of universalising the process, so that it equally benefits In part, the answer is that in India, to respect women not only in the pri- and dignity of women in India cannot the dustbin of history, when retribution
women in all States, was lost in the pragmatism of the move. masculinity and the progression — vacy of their family settings but also in wait on such a grand, softly-softly type for sexual assaults is swift and just, and
For it to be truly efective, GRB must be viewed as an essential tool to some would justifiably call it descent — wider society and in public places. of project. There is an urgent need for when boys learn from their fathers that
tackle societal inequality that hinders progress instead of a symbolic exer- from boyhood to manhood has never This new, imagined cohort of men the legal system to deal with sexual viol- all women have an inviolable right to
cise for pleasing the emerging women constituency. So far, GRB has fo- been governed by taught principles or will have to contend with the misogyn- ence with an iron fist. space and untrammelled dignity, then
cussed on identifying schemes that are exclusively dedicated to women. enlightening examples in the majority of istic forces of globalisation, including The magnitude of the problems that alone will the creeping moral rot within
While this focus is imperative, it has restricted benefits without the incor- cases. everything from the numbing efects of abound in this domain are daunting. In India be arrested and the country be-
poration of a gender lens across all welfare schemes. Sectors such as en- Machismo, the objectification of wo- pornography, which has surged into the the aftermath of the 2012 gang rape case come egalitarian.
ergy, urban development, food security, water supply and sanitation con- men, and that deranged ability to regard country since the globalisation project in New Delhi, which was one of those
tinue to operate in silos, despite having causal interrelationships with some women with pious fidelity and of India took hold, to the dehumanising rare occasions that seemed to focus the narayan@thehindu.co.in
women’s empowerment. Policies carried out by these sectors do have a dif-
ferent impact on men and women. Therefore, moving forward, every

Reaching out to Africa

budget presents the opportunity to mainstream gender in the policy envir-
onment, and demonstrate the commitment to include and enable women’s
inclusion in India’s growth story. Equally, women’s potential in enabling de-
velopment, instead of being passive beneficiaries of it, must be recognised
in these processes. Commendably, the MoF organises pre-budget consulta-
tions. It must be ensured that women are given adequate representation
and opportunities to voice their diferent experiences on such platforms.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta could be a willing partner for India to deepen relations
Gender budgeting alone is not suicient to tackle deep-rooted gender
disparities. However, policies can be more efective if budgeting takes a Burundi under the umbrella of “the co-
broader, gendered approach which includes planning targeted interven- alition of the willing”. However, India
tions, getting the right policy push with the right budget allocation, and RAJIV BHATIA enjoys friendly and cooperative rela-
monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure implementation. tions with all EAC members and is in a
Moreover, policies should also be flexible to change based on feedback position to enhance its engagement
from the intended recipients as their exclusion from planning and execu- with the region. The presence of Paul
tion processes is often the reason behind the failure of well-intentioned Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, one Kagame, president of Rwanda, at the Vi-
policies. It would also help if the Central government could, through an in- of India’s most important African part- brant Gujarat Global Summit, has
centive mechanism, encourage State governments to take up GBR as a pri- ners, is here in India. He has particip- ofered India an opportunity to discuss
ority in their budget layouts. As the government gears up to present the ated in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Sum- expansion of economic ties.
Union budget in February, it will hopefully keep current realities and feed- mit as a special guest and will hold
back in mind. While some issues can be debatable, the need to urgently ad- discussions with leaders in Delhi begin- Africa in Trump era
dress gender inequality is not. ning January 11. When a foreign leader As U.S. president-elect Donald
reciprocates a visit by the Indian Prime Trump prepares to enter the White
Priyanka Chaturvedi is the National Spokesperson of Indian National Congress and Vidisha Mishra is Minister to his country with a trip House, what will be Africa’s place in the
Junior Fellow at Observer Research Foundation. within six months, it sends a clear signal international agenda? In the current de-
that something significant is under way. bate on the likely impact of Mr. Trump’s
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s entry on to the world’s stage, Europe
African safari in July 2016 took him to and Asia are under the scanner, but
South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania there is hardly any mention of Africa.
FROM THE ARCHIVES and Kenya. He received a warm wel-
come everywhere, but he built an in-
The apprehension is that Africa may be
sidelined in the first two years of the
stant rapport with the Kenyan president new administration. This makes it im-
who is committed to development, perative for India to take a keener in-
counterterrorism and peace in East terest in Africa if it is serious about play-
(dated January 11, 1967) Africa. In an unusual gesture, in the ing a global role.
joint communiqué issued after the visit, India’s Africa policy is broadly in line
India for peace international diferences. “We can Mr. Modi congratulated Mr. Kenyatta with Agenda 2063, promoted by the
prosper only if we live in amity,” for his initiatives and achievements un- African Union. However, some recalib-
with Pakistan she declared in a broadcast to the
AFRICA CALLING: “During his Africa visit last year, PM Narendra Modi received a
der his “strong and forceful leadership”. warm welcome everywhere, but he built an instant rapport with the Kenyan ration in New Delhi’s approach may be
The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira nation on the occasion of the first Mr. Kenyatta, in turn, acknowledged the president.” Mr. Modi with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO: PTI needed because issues such as UN re-
Gandhi, tonight [January 10, New anniversary of the Indo-Pakistan important role Mr. Modi was playing form, counterterrorism, climate change
Delhi] sought Pakistan’s co- Tashkent Declaration. The Prime “both nationally and internationally”. lowing his ‘Look East’ policy, has de- and international solar alliance will in-
operation in resolving mutual Minister, who was speaking on
India’s Africa policy is broadly
veloped close relations with China but evitably take longer to show results.
diferences peacefully and in an “Shastriji and Tashkent”, said that Kenya hungry for more he needs other partners too. He scored a in line with Agenda 2063. Meanwhile, India must concentrate on
atmosphere of friendliness and it was a year ago, through the At the summit-level dialogue in major victory when he persuaded Japan However, some recalibration actions that strengthen its economic co-
trust. She also reairmed India’s goodwill of the Soviet Union, a Delhi, the two leaders may give mo- to hold the sixth Tokyo International operation with select African countries.
commitment to peace and historic agreement was signed in in New Delhi’s approach
mentum to deepening bilateral ties, Conference on African Development Building on the path forged by its pre-
peaceful methods of settling Tashkent. with the focus most likely to be on Summit in August 2016 in Nairobi. This may be needed decessor, the Modi government has
strengthening economic cooperation. was the first TICAD summit held in already achieved much: holding the In-
Bilateral trade, valued at $4.23 billion in Africa. Japan and India are committed, $161 billion. Intra-EAC trade increased dia-Africa Forum Summit in 2015 and an
2014-15, has the potential for rapid especially after Mr. Modi’s visit to from $1.85 billion in 2005 to $5.63 billion unprecedented political outreach to
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS growth if Indian companies are willing
to be active in a competitive market.
Tokyo, to enhance long-term collabora-
tion in Africa. By participating jointly in
in 2014, while the flow of foreign direct
investment declined from $7.8 billion in
Africa through visits by the President,
Vice-President and Prime Minister to a
>>A number of readers have pointed out a contradiction that had crept in in re- Kenya, the earliest home to Indian in- key infrastructure development pro- 2006 to $3.8 billion in 2012. The bulk of dozen countries in 2016. The time is
gard to the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bengaluru — whether it was the 14th or vestments, is hungry for more. Diverse jects in Kenya and the surrounding re- foreign investment now comes from ripe to implement the agreements that
the 15th edition of the meet as given respectively in the front-page story, “Note sectors in Kenya, such as energy, phar- gion, Indian and Japanese companies China. Andrew Othieno, an expert on have been signed.
ban critics revere black money: PM”, and in the Editorial page main article, maceuticals, textiles, agriculture and can ofer an innovative model. EAC afairs, says that despite its com- India’s Africa experts have been dis-
“Revisiting a passage from India” (Jan. 9, 2017). The Editorial page article is financial services, will welcome greater plex challenges, “the EAC has fared ad- appointed with the decision to put of
involvement of India Inc. Some major Future of East African Community mirably well”. the next summit with Africa to 2020 in-
correct. It was the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
Indian corporates, including the Tatas, The East African Community (EAC), The Indian government and India stead of 2018 as was expected. South
>>Editing error: The strap line that accompanied the report, “Krishna water Reliance, Essar, Kirloskars and Dr. comprising Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Inc. need to devise a trade and indus- Block should consider convening a
released, to reach [Chennai] city by weekend (Jan. 10, 2016, some editions), er- Reddy’s, are flourishing in Kenya. The Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, has trial cooperation strategy to upgrade ministerial review meeting in early
roneously said that oicials expected Tamil Nadu to receive at least 2,000 tm- government must approve additional emerged as one of the most successful existing links with the EAC. But India 2018. Nairobi, with its excellent location
cft from Andhra Pradesh. It should have been 2 TMC ft. Lines of Credit in strategic areas to se- of Africa’s Regional Economic Com- has to tread with caution as the tradi- and conference facilities, could be an
cure mutual interests. Education and munities. Having established a customs tional rivalry between Kenya, the re- ideal choice and Mr. Kenyatta a willing
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by health are other promising fields. union, it is building a single market and gional economic powerhouse, and Tan- partner.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- Strategic and economic interests co- wants to set up a monetary union. zania, the largest member-state, has
day); alesce as India tries to leverage the in- While progress is slow, it remains set on been renewed. To Tanzania’s chagrin, Rajiv Bhatia is Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House,
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in tense competition among Asian nations its path to grow as a market of 168 mil- President Kenyatta has established and a former high commissioner to Kenya, South
for Kenya’s afections. Mr. Kenyatta, fol- lion consumers and a combined GDP of closer ties with Uganda, Rwanda and Africa and Lesotho.
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com
CM CH-CH
YK
8| EDITORIAL
HYDERABAD

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017

Elections are not a referendum

The reduction of Assembly elections to a referendum diminishes the political competence of voters to
decide what sort of a government they wish to be ruled by
proved the conditions in which they eke out aspirations.
T H U R S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7 a livelihood, or worsened them. Elections Consider that in these elections, citizens
NEERA CHANDHOKE give the man opportunity to draw upon the of a conflict-ridden Manipur will decide
famous dictum issued by the Queen of whether the existing government, which
Hearts in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures sparked of another round of discontent by
Kejriwal A flurry of speculation erupted the very mo-
in Wonderland and declare, “of with their
heads.” The purely metaphorical act of regi-
redrawing boundaries, deserves another
term. Or whether a plural and ethnically di-

in Punjab ment the Election Commission announced

Assembly elections in five States: Uttar Pra-
desh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa and Ut-
cide delivers the ultimate judgment on the
capacity or incapacity of governments.
verse society wants to be ruled by an ul-
tranationalist BJP that scorns diversity. Or if
an alternative world view forged in the heat

T
hat Delhi was meant only as a spring-
board for the Aam Aadmi Party was clear
even before Arvind Kejriwal was sworn
in as Chief Minister in 2013. From the
start, the AAP envisaged itself as a nationwide
movement against corruption and for good gov-
ernance. Even as he was talking of Delhi’s problems
with water, power and so on, Mr. Kejriwal saw him-
self as rivalling Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi,
fighting corruption and communalism. But those
who thought the party’s rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls would dispirit its tenacious leader were
wrong. True, scaling up from Delhi might not have
happened the way he imagined; but instead of set-
ting his sights lower, Mr. Kejriwal merely decided
to take the stairs instead of the elevator. The AAP’s
bid for power in Punjab is more an extension of its
plan of action in Delhi, and not akin to the flight of
fancy Mr. Kejriwal indulged in while contesting
from Varanasi against Mr. Modi. A shot of realism
was what the AAP needed, and it came in the form
of the results of the 2014 Lok Sabha election when it
did poorly outside Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh.
The party won all its four seats from Punjab; the de-
cision to focus on these core support areas, instead
of spreading itself thin, thus made sense.
Its proximity to Delhi was not the only reason the
AAP found a resonance in Punjab. The AAP could
position itself as an alternative to both the Shiro-
mani Akali Dal and the Congress; it took the focus
away from the identity politics of SAD, but spoke
up for the Sikh victims of the 1984 riots in Delhi un-
der Congress watch. The agrarian crisis, the drug
mafia, jobs and development issues are in the fore-
front of the AAP’s campaign. But the party has been
handicapped by its failure to groom a regional
leader in Punjab. Mr. Kejriwal’s autocratic style of
functioning appears to have put of many in his
party, as it did Navjot Singh Sidhu, the former BJP
MP who at one point seemed inclined to join forces
with the AAP. While Delhi Deputy Chief Minister
Manish Sisodia asked voters at an election rally to
vote as if Mr. Kejriwal were the chief ministerial
candidate, Mr. Kejriwal himself has been wary of
projecting himself thus. The AAP would have liked
to showcase its two years in government in Delhi as
a model, but the frequent run-ins with the Lt. Gov-
ernor over powers and jurisdiction did not present
a pretty picture. And while Punjab might be im-
portant for the AAP’s national goals, voters are un-
likely to look beyond their immediate life and liveli-
hood concerns in making their choice. The AAP
needs Punjab more than Punjab needs the AAP.
Farewell with
tarakhand. Will the electoral outcome re-
flect confidence or the lack thereof in State
governments and/or the viability of opposi-
tion politics? Or can election results, it is
suggested, be read as a referendum on de-
monetisation? A Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) win, goes the narrative, will settle
once and for all the acrimonious debate that
exploded in the wake of November 8, 2016.
Civic engagement
Referendums are, of course, a ready and a
convenient method of resolving incompat-
ible opinions. Once citizens “speak” on an
issue that has been “referred” to them, the
debate is considered closed. Elections are,
however, a moment, albeit a significant one,
in an ongoing process of civic engagement.
The proposal that State Assembly elections
can be reduced to a referendum on whether
the Prime Minister was right or wrong
evokes discomfort. There is, as we shall see,
a perceptible diference between elections
and a referendum.
Moreover, the assumption that a referen-
dum will validate a policy that has already
been implemented is conservative to a fault.
The United Kingdom held a referendum last
year on whether citizens wish to leave or
stay in the European Union. The measure
enabled citizens to influence subsequent
policies of the government. They exercised
political choice. Ex-post facto referendums
are in this sense meaningless.
If the BJP does not win in politically signi-
ficant States, the policy of demonetisation
will hardly be rolled back. And the Central
government will not even consider resigna-
tion. Nor do we expect the government
headed by Narendra Modi to do so. That
would infringe on the fundamentals of fed-
eralism. But if the BJP wins in these States,
BJP president Amit Shah suggests the elect-
oral outcome will further bolster the stand-
CARTOONSCAPE
The question is not whether a
citizen has the right to engage
with and judge a government. It
is on how she arrives at informed
decisions on what should be done
ing of the Prime Minister.
Impact of demonetisation
This approach to a referendum is manipu-
lative and cynical. Can citizens arrive at
reasoned and informed decisions on a
policy announced three months ago? Re-
puted economists tell us that the impact of
demonetisation will be known after one or,
possibly, two years. What is the point of rep-
resenting election results, as and when they
come, as a referendum on policy decisions?
Moreover, the reduction of State As-
sembly elections to a referendum dimin-
ishes the political competence of voters to
decide what sort of a government they wish
to be ruled by. Elections, unlike referen-
dums, are not an isolated instance. They
represent a decisive moment in long-term
civic engagement with structures, institu-
tions, and holders of power. Voters have to
decide whether the government has im-
Role of civil society
If there is controversy between the prince
and his subjects, wrote the quintessential
liberal political theorist John Locke in his
1690 Second Treatise of Government, and if
the issue is of consequence, the proper um-
pire is the political community. This is what
democracy means. The question is not
whether the citizen has the right to engage
with and judge an elected government, the
question is how she arrives at informed and
reflective decisions on what should be done.
This is an important issue, for if a citizen has
the right to publicly debate the limits and
the possibilities of power, she also has an ob-
ligation: that of acquiring knowledge on cru-
cial dimensions of collective life. There is
nothing more destructive for democracy
than uninformed and quick decisions on is-
sue X or Y. All we will do is legitimise popu-
list leaders and arbitrary decisions.
The site for the acquisition of political
wisdom and competence is civil society, the
sphere of associational life. In this space,
civil society organisations inspire and sus-
tain debates on the public good. A non-par-
tisan and non-hysterical media has a crucial
role to play in the making of enlightened
public opinion. Social audits and report
cards issued by civil society organisations,
which keep anxious watch on acts of omis-
sion and commission by the government,
are of equal import.
The identification of crucial issues, ana-
lyses and recommendations by committed
activists contribute greatly to the making of
political judgment. Votes cast for “this” or
“that” candidate, in sum, reflect cumulative
processes of civic engagement. The vote
should not be treated as of little con-
sequence, or as a way of legitimising power.
The way a society votes echoes the way a so-
ciety thinks, the issues it identifies, who it
thinks is capable of resolving them, and its
of resistance by Irom Sharmila should be
given a chance.
In Punjab
The issues at stake in Punjab are equally
momentous. The once rich agrarian State is
trapped between two non-performing
parties interested more in the privileges and
profits of oice than in providing the pre-
conditions of a good life. Now that there is a
third party competing for power, the Aam
Aadmi Party, voters might want to consider
whether they want more of the same, or
whether they should give “outsiders” a
chance.
Under governments formed by the two
national parties, Uttarakhand has witnessed
little but environmental destruction, polit-
ical instability and corruption. There is no
third party that can guide politics into a dif-
ferent stream. Is it not time for the forma-
tion of a regional political party which is
sensitive to the contradiction between a re-
source-rich State and poverty among the hill
people? The region has thrown up one of the
most innovative environmental movements
in history. This is the precise time for the
generation of innovative forms of politics
that respect the environment, give citizens
their due and disown corruption that has de-
pleted resources and robbed people.
In an India that has turned extremely con-
servative and rabidly intolerant, Goa has al-
ways stood out as a society that celebrates
and thrives on cosmopolitanism. The spirit
of tolerance of other ways of life is under
threat today. Extreme right-wing parties
compete to take over, and hammer a vibrant
society into compliance. Elections provide a
chance for voters to exert their autonomy
from barren politics that promise nothing
but hate.
U.P. held hostage
Uttar Pradesh, the cynosure of electoral
hopes, is a State that yearns for a responsive
and responsible government. But the people
are held hostage by political parties that spe-
cialise in the creation and reproduction of
caste and religious divisions. U.P. occupies
the centre of political imaginations, but its
citizens continue to be deprived of basic re-
sources that make life worth living. What
have identity politics given to the people of
the State except symbolism? It is time that
they critically engage with modes of politics
that have divided rather than united them.
Assembly elections in five States provide
opportunities for serious engagement with
the parameters and possibilities of power. In
each case, the electorate is confronted with
hard choices. Does the electorate vote for
more of the same, or for diferent styles of
politics that have made their appearance in

a message some of these States? The decision demands

prior reflection and debate. Let us not di-
minish this exercise by conceiving of elec-

W
ith just days remaining before his
stint in oice draws to an end, U.S.
President Barack Obama addressed
the American people one last time in
a soaring speech that highlighted his administra-
tion’s top achievements and warned his fellow cit-
izens about rising economic inequality, simmering
racial divisions and regression into intractable par-
tisanship. Although he will demit oice with one of
the highest approval ratings in recent history, to get
to the door he will have to step across the debris of
the Democratic Party, which sufered a debacle in
the November general election. No wonder that the
44th President of the U.S. used his final address to
urge Americans to rebuild trust in democratic insti-
tutions by reducing the corrosive influence of
money in politics and breaking the logjams of con-
gressional dysfunction through grass-roots activ-
ism. Mr. Obama knows that the polarisation of the
electorate turned even more bitter over his policy
agenda. While there were a few areas where he
faced relatively less resistance from Capitol Hill, in-
cluding his aggressive positions on drone warfare
and domestic mass surveillance, his most seminal
policy achievement, the passage into law of the Af-
fordable Care Act, was only by a sliver of a majority.
And he was rebufed on agenda points closest to his
heart, including common sense gun control reform.
Mr. Obama has built an impressive legacy span-
ning domestic and foreign policy. Inheriting an
economy buckling under a severe economic reces-
sion, he sprang into action early on in his first term
and passed numerous pieces of legislation to buoy
the sinking assets of American enterprise. As he
pointed out in his speech, today the unemployment
rate is near a ten-year low and the U.S. economy is
growing again. In foreign policy Mr. Obama was
justified in claiming points for the Iran nuclear
agreement; on his watch Cuba was finally brought
in from the cold, and the death of Osama bin Laden
closed the page on a turbulent chapter of terror on
U.S. soil. Mr. Obama, however, was less efective in
détente with Russia and China, and his relatively
soft approach imbued them with the impunity to
challenge Washington across multiple arenas. Yet it
is not so much the score that Mr. Obama gets for his
achievements and failures that he will be re-
membered for as much as the man that he was. The
U.S.’s first African-American president will be re-
membered as a thoughtful Commander-in-Chief, a
leader who strived to provide a progressive tem-
plate for being, and a man of the 21st century who
was as comfortable with social media and popular
culture as he was sensitive to searing pain of vic-
tims of gun crime or racial hate. He will be missed.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
NGO audit
The report, “SC orders audit of 30
lakh NGOs” (Jan.11), comes as a rude
shock. The involvement of as many
as 30 lakh defaulting NGOs in a
country where the common man has
to struggle hard to make both ends
meet is condemnable. Many NGOs
proclaim themselves to be the moral
guardians of society and come up
with programmes that they want us
to contribute to. The mysterious part
in all this is that there is no proper
machinery in the country to lawfully
regulate their activities and
spending practices. There needs to
be a law to see that NGOs do not
escape the tax net.
S. Chidambaresa Iyer,
Chennai
A jawan’s complaint
It is most unfortunate that “bad
food” for a BSF jawan is creating
tremors (“BSF shifts jawan as video
post on bad food goes viral”, Jan.11).
Whatever may be the grievances on
both sides, there is a need for an
inquiry without bias and measures
being taken to improve the food
supplies of jawans. Though there
might be some deficiencies either in
the quality of food supplied or in the
living conditions of our jawans who
work in adverse conditions, the
jawan in question could have
exercised more judgment in
uploading the video. The situation
now could lead to some sort of
negative feeling which is not a good
sign for security forces and the
government.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda, Telangana
Martyrdom is not the only time to
respect or pay tribute to a jawan.
The many sacrifices he makes before
that should also be noted. Politics
aside, if a soldier has to implore the
Prime Minister to look into the issue
of basic daily meals, perhaps the
meal plans for him need a little
relooking into. This isn’t asking for
much. Coupled with unforgiving
weather conditions, working on an
empty stomach cannot be pleasant.
J.S. Acharya,
Hyderabad
The message by the brave soldier,
Tej Bahadur Yadav, shows that there
could be corruption prevalent in our
defence food stores, with soldiers
being served poor quality food. If he
has been driven into uploading a
video clip, it could also reflect the
insensitivity of oicers towards their
juniors. Further, it is baling that
even before the findings of the probe
by the BSF are made known, senior
oicers have transferred him with
the reasons attributed being far from
convincing. Is serving our soldiers
nutritious food too much to ask for?
K.R. Srinivasan,
Secunderabad
It needs great courage for a jawan
who is used to taking orders his
entire career to speak the truth
about the plight he and his fellow
soldiers face while guarding our
borders. One does not miss the
attempts by “powerful superior
oicers” to discredit him. It is sad
that our jawans have to survive on
substandard food while protecting
our borders. The government must
spare the whistle-blower.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
The video needs proper verification.
That apart, the issue about the jawan
having a poor reputation should not
deflect the focus away from his
allegation about the quality of food.
The least that the government can
do is to ensure quality food and
other equipment and facilities to our
jawans who work in extremely harsh
situations.
K.R. Jayaprakash Rao,
Mysuru
On the Cold Start
There shouldn’t be any legal,
political or even moral obligation on
the government or on the armed
forces to clarify what precisely is its
military doctrine to the international
community, by elucidating its
operational and strategic objectives
(“Taking ‘Cold Start’ out of the
freezer”, Jan.11). In fact, the
ambiguity regarding this and use of
“bold euphemisms” serve the
purpose of the doctrine to be an
efective deterrent and an
imperative to national security.
Apparently, the doubt regarding the
capability of India to execute such a
doctrine, if it exists, is also lucrative
to this end goal. Anyhow there is no
ambiguity that the doctrine,
regardless of the degree of
ofensiveness, will only be exercised
as a retaliatory expedient. There is
nothing to worry here for peace-
loving nations.
Sreerag Raman Sreenivasan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The vulnerability of Pakistan stems
not from the so-called aggressive
posture of India but due to the fact
that it is a “geographically narrow”
country which would find it diicult
tion results as a referendum on the popular-
ity of the Prime Minister. Let us not reduce
the significance of hard choices the elector-
ate has to make by conflating elections with
a referendum. Elections are a mode of civic
engagement, this proposition is of value.
Neera Chandhoke is a former Professor of Political
Science, Delhi University.
to sustain in case enemy forces reach around our neighbourhood, it
its main cities too early in a war. should never make the mistake of
Cold Start aims at doing just that. underestimating and doubting the
Pakistan has always tried to negate Pakistani soldier/army in terms of
this “geographical challenge” dedication, training and professional
through its eforts to gain “strategic competence.
depth” through the Taliban in Anand Basera,
Afghanistan, or separatists in
Gurgaon
Kashmir and in Punjab. India
preparing a war doctrine such as
“Cold Start” is just to exploit this Right to space, dignity
vulnerability of its nemesis. Thus it The sexual assault on women and
is not an aggressive posture but a objectification of women are not the
military necessity. The article rightly result of sudden moral degradation
points out that India lacks materiel of men of the 21st century
to test this doctrine. The (“Stemming the moral rot within”,
government should expedite the Jan.11).
acquisitions of arms. They are centuries-old problems
Shashank Jain, prevailing in India. What has
changed is the attitude and
New Delhi
sensitivity of women in recent
When dealing with or discussing decades towards continued sexual
Pakistan, it needs to be dealt with on violence, within homes and in public
two distinct planes — one civilian places. Now the “sufering and
and the other military. In the first, bearing in silence” attitude of the
there is no comparison between the previous decades’ women has
two countries in any field, be it disappeared. It includes even
industrial, economic, financial or uneducated and rural women. The
institutional. Coming to the military empowered women of today are
front, there are some hard facts. On aware of their rights to live with
the face of it our strength looks dignity, provision of laws to protect
almost double and thus impressive, them and they have the support of
but considering our size in area and the media, NGOs and parents to
population, the edge is rather expose culprits. The solution lies
insignificant. not in making a few more new laws
The Indian armed forces have been but in the type of upbringing boys
dogged by a number of have at home, imparting moral
controversies concerning arms values at the school level, a
purchase which has resulted in a sensitised police force, a quick
virtual blank in arms acquisition, justice delivery system and strict
impacting the drive towards control over film-makers who
modernisation. No such portray women characters as sex
controversies come to mind when objects and as those who will bear
referring to Pakistan. all sorts of assault on their dignity
While India may take the liberty of and character.
shrugging of the military Rameeza A. Rasheed,
capabilities of many militaries Chennai
HY-HY
 PERSPECTIVE |9
HYDERABAD

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017

POLICY WATCH
Fifty days later
The Champaran example
Gandhi’s movement, a century ago, was a political campaign operating in a more hostile
The first 50 days up, it was expected that Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi would shed secrecy and publicise the achieve-
environment than today’s. Yet it brought lasting reform without alienating the opposition
ments of the demonetisation exercise. Escalation in the war
against black money and corruption seemed imminent. The peg of every great rumour, while he uses
country waited for another 1991 moment, when, following a his personal influence, which is great, in
PUJA crisis, Manmohan Singh had meticulously steered the eco- SANDEEP BHARDWAJ the direction of moderation”.
MEHRA nomy on to a new trajectory. Essentially, Gandhi managed to bring
Mr. Modi’s new year-eve address to the nation, marking the the public mood to a simmer and then
expiry of the first 50 days, however, contained none of this. He announced a put his hand firmly on the lid. An out-
relief package for senior citizens, women, farmers and small businesses, es- That 2016 was a year of divisiveness and right rebellion would have only brought
sentially those the demonetisation has hit hard. Instead of reform, Mr. Modi destructive politics is no overstatement. on government repression and, at any
had chosen relief. In India, the year began with the nation rate, damaged planter-peasant relation-
Usually relief is provided against calamities, accidents, disasters or eco- divided over the patriotic credentials of ship in the long run. On the other hand,
nomic slowdown. Relief for coping with government policy is rare. If a a handful of university students and the current situation held the risk of go-
policy needs follow-up relief, it may not be well thought out. Relief for en- ended with the public divided over a ing out of hand, but wouldn’t until
during demonetisation sounds less like part of an original demonetisation complicated monetary policy. In Gandhi was around. The threat of a
plan and more an afterthought. between, words like “anti-national”, movement was more potent than an ac-
The cageyness, along with the giveaways, suggest that the demonetisa- “corrupt”, “despotic”, “fascists” and “un- tual movement.
tion project has not proceeded as planned and, in the absence of measur- patriotic” managed to become part of
able and demonstrable achievements, the government sought to buy time our lexicon. The tendency has been to Victory without vindictiveness
and support with sops. Preclude, or at least postpone admission of failure. burn the house down to light a candle. It was the planters, irritated by the
It could prove to be a mistake. One can be forgiven for thinking that the one-sided publicity that Gandhi’s invest-
The government, for reasons best known to it, has been reluctant to di- only way to bring change in this environ- igation was generating, who started call-
vulge how carefully it had planned the demonetisation ahead of the ment is to be more militant than the op- ing for a governmental inquiry into the
November 8 announcement. Or the results it has achieved since then. position, hurl the worst invectives and peasant condition. The provincial gov-
The exercise was presented as decisive action necessary to make long- destroy long-term relationships to gain ernment, reluctant at first, had to even-
term economic gains, even if at the cost of short-term pain — a project in immediate political goals. tually give in. In June, a commission was
nation-building. Inconveniences and However, there is always space for announced which included Gandhi as
losses endured are to rid the foresee- Hopes for a new wave of constructive politics — one that doesn’t the representative of the peasants.
able future of corruption and black liberalisation have receded. treat the opposition as the enemy, and The appointment of the commission
money. By design, the impact of de- one that tries to bring about change was only a half-victory. Gandhi knew
monetisation on such goals will have The Union Budget is without damaging social harmony. To that without the acquiescence of the
to be postponed to the (undefined) expected to shun reforms seek an example, it may be instructive to planters, its recommendations would
future. revisit Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran have little weight. He emphasised that
But we don’t need to consult the fu-
and renew populism movement of a hundred years ago. It was the commission should limit its scope
ture to understand whether the call to go ahead with the demonetisation a political campaign operating in an en- lest it end up being too anti-planter. He
was a calculated risk backed by sound analyses or a reckless experiment. vironment much more hostile than also used the commission deliberations
The story has begun to unfold. today’s, yet it not only brought lasting re- as a platform for negotiations, at times
form but also managed to do so without inviting planters to the table to make
A rushed decision, clearly alienating the opposition. IT WAS SUBTLE: “Our nationalist mythology has painted the Champaran movement specific deals on thornier issues. Cru-
Evidence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is becoming available. as an outright revolt against an oppressive colonial government and business cially, some aspects of the commission
There are a few replies to RTIs and a parliamentary committee with which Taking everyone along interests. But in fact, there never was a Champaran movement as such.” The recommendations were already agreed
reconstruction of the demonetisation decisions is now possible. Our nationalist mythology has picture, a still from the film “Gandhi”, shows the Mahatma, played by Ben Kingsley, upon by the planters even before the
The RBI received a letter from the government on November 7. This let- painted the Champaran movement as an at Champaran. — PHOTO: THE HINDU PHOTO ARCHIVES commission had finished its report.
ter contained advice from the government for the RBI to withdraw the legal outright revolt against an oppressive co- In October, the commission recom-
tender of the ₨500 and ₨1,000 notes in circulation. The stated objectives lonial government and business in- Gandhi’s success came trict Magistrate suggesting that the po- mended abolishment of the forced in-
were threefold: mitigation of counterfeiting, terror financing and black terests. But in fact, there never was a licemen who had been following him digo cultivation, a major victory for the
money. The government advised the RBI to place these matters of immedi- Champaran movement as such. Gandhi without a single protest might as well come forward and assist peasants. But it also allowed planters
acy before its Board for consideration. did not organise protest marches, no- march, a single anti-planter him in his tasks. His reasonableness was some face-saving relief. Resultantly, in-
The Board met the subsequent afternoon. It was working on depleted rent campaigns, strikes, satyagraha or speech or even an editorial earnest enough to earn him the grudging stead of opposing the recommendation
strength. Due to vacancies, just 3 of the 10 independent members attended civil disobedience in Champaran. Rather respect of local oicials, some of whom in unison, planters were divided and
the all-important November 8 meeting of the RBI Board. Governor Urijit than inciting an open rebellion against criticising the government ended up convinced of his “good their political party, Bihar Planters Asso-
Patel, Deputy Governors R. Gandhi and S.S. Mundra and two secretary- the government, he used the subtle art of intentions”. ciation, left in disarray. Eventually two
level bureaucrats from the Finance Ministry, Shaktikanta Das and Anjuly political persuasion to bring about last- legal basis to arrest him. Apart from a Yet, at the same, Gandhi was also busy planters took each other to court over
Chib Duggal, were present. ing change that was acceptable to all brief initial incident, the government shaping the latent public frustration into these reforms.
The proposal before it was for culling more than 80 per cent of the notes sides. In Champaran, relations between pretty much let Gandhi operate with im- a viable political tool. Ostensibly, he and It was a momentous achievement, one
in circulation. With full knowledge of the inadequacy of its stock of the new the government, British planters and the punity. The strategy was to give him his team were only studying the prob- that rightly catapulted Gandhi to the
₨2,000 notes that its presses had begun printing, the RBI Board stamped its peasants had been problematic for many enough rope to hang himself. lems — documenting hundreds of testi- helm of national politics. However, it is
approval. Hours later, on the same evening, Mr. Modi obtained his Cabinet’s decades, primarily due to the oppressive However, Gandhi refused to fall for monies from peasants about their condi- crucial to remember that Gandhi real-
approval, and by midnight more than 80 per cent of the cash in the hands of system of forced indigo production and the trap. Not only did he remain on right tion. Gandhi kept compiling these and ised it without a single protest march, a
Indians was turned into paper. unfair rents. In the decade before side of the law throughout his stay, he submitting them to the government as single anti-planter speech or even a
The RBI had received no reference, call for views or information from the Gandhi’s arrival, the peasants had tried also took pains to maintain respectful re- reports. He even insisted that the peas- newspaper editorial criticising the gov-
government on demonetisation prior to November 7. One day is what it got everything from violent uprisings to lations with the local oicials and the ants continue with their obligations as ernment. In fact, Gandhi saw his work as
to calculate the associated risks and potential unintended consequences. government petitions, but had failed to planters. He kept the government in- before. However, his activities ensured his contribution to the imperial cause:
To consider the extent to which demonetisation could disrupt the eco- change the fundamental situation. formed of his movements and remained that the anger in the community begin to “by resisting the agelong tyranny, I have
nomy. To weigh the costs and factors that might mitigate the potential pay- In April 1917, Gandhi arrived at the mindful of its advice. His first visit to the stir up. Parallel to his activities, many of shown the ultimate sovereignty of Brit-
ofs. To examine if there could be alternatives to demonetisation. scene not to lead an agitation but with plantations was often to the planters, the local leaders began to agitate the ish justice”.
Unless file notings in the Prime Minister’s Oice and the Finance Min- the stated purpose of merely studying who were invited to accompany him public in his name. The situation became
istry can prove otherwise, the various written submissions of the RBI the problem. Suspicious local oicials during his interaction with the peasants. such that an oicial noted that “so long Sandeep Bhardwaj is with the Centre for Policy
pieced together suggest that the demonetisation project was carried out in were eager to get rid of him, but had little At one point he even wrote to the Dis- as he is here his name can be used as a Research, New Delhi.
haste and without application of mind. Possibly without a plan. Perhaps on
a whim.

A failure on several fronts

Since the government has not demonstrated results, it must at least come
clean on its seriousness. It is answerable to the people of India on the rigour
Missing the Asian tailwind?
it had applied, the robustness of the process it followed and the priority it
accorded to the honest ordinary citizen in the demonetisation scheme.
India should review relations with neighbours, focus on the economy and join the One Belt, One
Wars are not won by ducking. Nor are they won without battle strategy. Road to shape the ‘Asian Century’
The demonetisation experiment has betrayed the state machinery’s un-
diminished capacity for corruption and its staggering deficiency of com-
passion, understanding of the social and economic complexities, and duty with Russia recognising spheres of influ-
and respect for the dignity of ordinary and entirely innocent people. ence in Europe and West Asia would
While ordinary people braved the cash crunch and queued up at banks MUKUL SANWAL make NATO redundant, with implica-
and ATMs for hours, in some cases for days, the raiding authorities dis- tions for military alliances in Asia view-
covered crores in the rationed new ₨2,000 notes across the country. Far ing China as an adversary.
from killing the black economy, as the suspension of at least four RBI em- Where do we fit in this realignment?
ployees and arrests of various bank oicials show, the demonetisation has There has been a tectonic shift in the The primary concern of the U.S., Russia
spawned new black markets — in banknotes. global geopolitical economy, to which and China in South Asia is the threat to
The Prime Minister’s personal popularity cannot compensate for these powers such as the U.S., China and Rus- themselves from terrorist safe havens in
failures of policy design, plan and implementation. The war against corrup- sia have responded. However, India is Pakistan, while India is no longer a
tion and black money is already seen to have been lost. Essential for nation- yet to formulate a worldview even as “swing state” with the shift in interna-
building is an overhaul of the system; there can be no shortcuts. Asia, after a gap of 260 years, is again set tional politics moving from containment
In the days following Mr. Modi’s December 31 speech, hopes for a new to become the centre of the world. to spheres of influence. For example, the
wave of liberalisation have receded. The upcoming Union Budget on Feb- Till 1757, India was the richest country U.S. Senate has both designated India a
ruary 1 is expected to shun painful reforms and renew populism. The exper- with its wealth based on textile export: “major defence partner” to facilitate de-
ience of the demonetisation was Mr. Modi’s first exposure to the system. India clothed the world. The choices we fence sales and provided Pakistan with
Like many of his predecessors, Mr. Modi has converted to welfarism. made enabled the British to secure the nearly $1 billion in military assistance
“Diwani” of Bengal. The loot oiled the conditional on action against the
Puja Mehra is a Delhi-based journalist. Industrial Revolution (textile produc- Haqqani network operating in Afgh-
tion), and brought about colonisation anistan while being silent on the safe
and impoverishment. In 1950, India was havens for terrorists operating in India.
richer than China; now it is a fifth the Mr. Trump’s policy shift considering a
FROM THE ARCHIVES size of the Chinese economy. China will
soon surpass the U.S. as the largest eco- WEIGHING IN: “India’s investment in the Chabahar port is minuscule compared to
deal with China on trade as more import-
ant than security concerns has import-
nomy, and a young and digital India can China’s investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ending in Gwadar.” ant lessons for us; focus on GDP rather
overtake China by 2050. How do we Picture shows the Gwadar port site, in 2013. — FILE PHOTO: AFP than the NSG, Masood Azhar and the
achieve our potential? Cold War military logic of a two-front
(dated January 12, 1967) ities from global forces and technolo- For India, remaining conventional war. These problems will
Recognising global trends gical innovation reshaping global polit- be resolved after we become a $5 trillion
Chinese Army may struggle. In Peking itself, some The “Look East Policy” enunciated in ics, economy and society. Consequently, Pakistan-centric and ignoring economy and the leverage it will
reports said Red Guards had made 1992 does not have much to show for it the stress remains on the military bal- trade cannot constitute the provide.
step in to end Red it impossible for the Security other than the sale of coastal patrol craft ance in dealing with other countries. Re- foreign policy of an aspiring China’s national goal is to double its
Guard chaos Ministry to function and at the to Vietnam. In the west, India’s invest- maining Pakistan-centric and ignoring 2010 GDP and per capita income by 2020
same time Mao’s right hand man, ment of $500 million in the Chabahar trade cannot constitute the foreign global power for which the OBOR is considered essen-
The Chinese Red Army might Defence Minister, Lin Biao, might port, mooted some years ago, is minus- policy of an aspiring global power. tial. China is keen that India join that ini-
step in to save the country from not be feeling absolutely cule compared to China’s investment of shifting to the U.S., as Mr. Trump wants. tiative, providing the opportunity to re-
the chaos let loose by Chairman confident about his real hold on $46 billion in the China-Pakistan Eco- It’s now about connectivity In the global economy, digital flows are set relations. The Modi-Xi joint
Mao’s cultural revolution, the Red Army. Mr. Mao Tse-tung nomic Corridor (CPEC) ending in The post-1950 world order designed now adding more wealth than goods and statement in May 2015 recognised the
according to reports in Japanese appears to have returned to Gwadar, a port just 100 miles away. Des- by the U.S. rested on a “tripod” of rules services. As the U.S., Russia and China two countries as “two major poles in the
papers from their Peking Peking after an absence of 40 or pite investments in Afghanistan, polit- with coercive power: global trade with have strengths in individual sectors, global architecture”.
correspondents. They said Mao’s 50 days, the Yomiuri Shimbun ical discussions there exclude us. In dispute settlement, global security sys- their relations may well get better. We should become a partner in the
Red Guard movement against correspondent reported from South Asia, only Bhutan can still be con- tem resting on alliances, and delibera- China is fast replacing global rules OBOR adding a “Digital Sustainable
people in oice had gone too far Peking. The Chinese Premier, Mr. sidered to be in our “sphere of tions in the United Nations based on a di- with connectivity, the OBOR, through Asia” component, an area where we have
and in some instances out of Chou En-lai, meanwhile has influence”. vision between donors and recipients. infrastructure, new institutions and in- global leadership,shaping the infrastruc-
control. Mao himself might now assumed the role of a pacifier India now finds itself increasingly The re-emergence of China has limited tegrated markets. The massive invest- ture and markets around two nodes. We
be afraid of the consequences. At among the fanatic Maoists and isolated in continental Asia. Russia and the ability of the U.S. in setting the global ment has been welcomed, with pro- should also see Pakistan-sponsored ter-
the same time Hongkong reports their opponents, defending the Central Asian countries are linking agenda. U.S. President Barack Obama spects for shared prosperity. India alone rorism as a symptom of the domination
indicate massive workers’ backing Chairman Mao’s latest object of their infrastructure to China’s One Belt, failed in writing trade rules for a re- in continental Asia does not support the of the military with the OBOR leading to
for Mao’s group in the leadership hatred, Head of State Liu Shaoqi. One Road (OBOR), launched in 2013, emerging Asia through the Trans-Pacific OBOR, which spans more than 65 coun- strengthening of democratic control.
meeting their long quest for a warm-wa- Trade Partnership, deterring China from tries, three-quarters of known energy re- There are encouraging signs that we
ter port. Chinese investment is also at- claiming the strategic South China Sea sources, envisages an investment of $4 have begun to think strategically by bal-
tractive to Europe, Malaysia, Thailand, despite the military pivot, and prevent- trillion and is estimated to cover two- ancing cross-border terrorism with
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS Myanmar. With two-thirds of global ing the establishment of the Asian Infra- thirds of the global population and GDP. cross-border water flows and greater re-
>>It was Sir Andrew Wiles who won the Abel Prize “for his stunning proof of wealth soon going to be in Asia, can we structure Investment Bank by asking liance on endogenous cybersecurity and
achieve our potential without being Europe to keep out. China, rival or partner? missiles. Participation in the OBOR and
Fermat’s last theorem — and not Sir Arthur Wiles, as erroneously given in the
Diary Of Events–2016 supplement (supplied along with the edition of Jan. 10, deeply integrated into the Asian market? U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Mr. Trump is also moving away from treating the Line of Control as a “soft
2017). NITI Aayog has yet to develop a strategy election rhetoric notwithstanding, a military alliances to ramping up military border” will be the bold vision needed to
laying out how India can become a $10- trade war is unlikely as both economies superiority based on technological lead- exorcise the ghosts of 1757.
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by trillion economy by 2032. Currently, restructure, with Chinese manufactur- ership, characterising the UN as a talk
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to there is no national perspective on the ing — low labour cost — eroding, and shop, and could end up recognising Chi- Mukul Sanwal is a former civil servant and
Friday); E-mail: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in uncertainties, challenges and opportun- factories, using high-eiciency robotics, na’s primacy in Asia. Similarly, a deal UN diplomat.
CM HY-HY
YK
8| EDITORIAL
MADURAI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017

F R I D AY , J A N U A RY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7
Surviving the
Transfer of loyalty
With Jayalalithaa passing away, the AIADMK’s internal political dynamic left the party with no other choice than
her close personal aide V.K. Sasikala, who is only a moment’s call away from becoming chief minister
Some of its members, including Ms. Dravidian movement and the two parties’
Sasikala for a brief while, had been publicly presence in power for the last five decades
SRINIVASAN RAMANI asked to stay away from the corridors of saw the rise of land-owning Other Backward
power. Yet the striking presence of Ms. Classes to prominence. The AIADMK, des-
Sasikala’s family members during Jayala- pite its appeal as a party that reached out to
It has been more than a month since Jayala-
lithaa’s funeral pointed to their return to
eminence under full public glare. Why did
all, is represented both in the party and in
the government largely by the traditionally

drought lithaa, the redoubtable former Chief Minis-

ter of Tamil Nadu, died after a cardiac arrest.
Her demise on December 5, 2016 created a
the AIADMK’s leadership warm up so easily
to the idea of Ms. Sasikala’s leadership and
the consequential foregrounding of her ex-
land-owning dominant OBC communities
— the Mukkulathors (popularly known as
the Thevars) and the Kongu Vellalars

T
amil Nadu’s move to declare a drought,
ironically on the eve of the harvest fest-
ival of Pongal, is an important step to ad-
dress the agrarian distress that is sweep-
ing the State following poor rainfall during the
northeast monsoon. Even with relatively better
governance structures, desperation among farmers
has resulted in a spate of suicides, particularly in
the Cauvery delta rice belt that has received little
water from Karnataka in recent times. An oicial
declaration of drought brings relief: postponement
of loan recovery, waiver of land tax and alternative
employment through schemes such as the Ma-
hatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guar-
antee Scheme. The challenge now is to infuse con-
fidence among farmers that the government is fully
behind them. As agriculture scientist M.S. Swam-
inathan has pointed out, there is a need to look
ahead and institute reforms in drought manage-
ment for efective distress mitigation. These should
be founded on a participatory approach, one that
intensively engages the farm community year-
round. A monsoon management centre drawing
upon the expertise of multiple departments would,
for instance, help use scarce resources conservat-
ively during a drought, and maximise their poten-
tial in good times. It is also crucial to preserve the
health of cattle and other livestock, as they tend to
sufer irreparable harm during drought, with cas-
cading efects on their future productivity. The
Centre should provide all support to achieve this
under the National Disaster Response Fund and the
Prime Minister’s crop insurance scheme.
The importance of welfare support for small and
marginal farmers cannot be overstated, given the
vagaries of the monsoon. More than a decade ago,
the National Commission on Farmers pointed out
that successive droughts, illness, high expenditure
on social obligations and asset loss push farmers to
the brink. Yet, not much has changed in the man-
agement of drought from the low-budget practices
of the colonial era, as the Swaraj Abhiyan case in
the Supreme Court last year revealed. No more
time can be lost in making the administrative sys-
tem for agriculture responsive to today’s needs.
The Centre has to ensure that the Drought Manage-
ment Manual is updated to reflect farmers’ con-
cerns, chiefly, giving weightage to the amount of
rainfall deficit and declaring a drought without
delay. In Tamil Nadu, excessive reliance on water-
intensive rice cultivation, and lower priority for
hardy millets have raised the risk for many farmers.
Active recharging of groundwater and harvesting
of surface water are vital to meet the challenges.
Strategic partnership.
leadership vacuum in the All India Anna
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK),
which was tautly run as a single leader,
mass-based party. But within a short period,
in what seemed like a choreographed trans-
ition, the AIADMK simply replaced the
leader who had assiduously cultivated the
image of a matriarch, and who was called
‘Amma’, with her long-time personal aide,
V.K. Sasikala.
Ms. Sasikala, who has also been given a
moniker — ‘Chinnamma’ or younger
mother — took over not just as the general
secretary of the party but is being tipped to
become the Chief Minister, again with well-
orchestrated pleas by senior leaders of the
party. The AIADMK has been at its ob-
sequious best, extending its devotion from
the deceased Jayalalithaa, who had a long
public record as a party activist, Chief Min-
ister and political leader, to Ms. Sasikala,
who barely has any public record in gov-
ernance or party leadership.
Devotion to the leader
Public displays of sycophancy and shows
of one-upmanship by senior partymen to
outdo each other in devotion to their su-
preme leader are not uncommon in the AI-
ADMK. That the AIADMK has always been
dependent on a single mass-based leader
around whom the party’s structure and its
electoral fortunes were built is also not
unique among political parties in India. But
what has been distinctive in the party’s ap-
proach this time, following its second seri-
ous leadership setback (the first being the
CARTOONSCAPE
The AIADMK, as much as the
DMK, has tried hard not to upset
the dominant caste-class
relations that have been set in
Tamil Nadu since the 1960s
death of party founder-leader M.G.
Ramachandran), is the handing over of its
keys to a political novice of sorts.
While the AIADMK’s leaders seem to
have come around to Ms. Sasikala’s leader-
ship rather quickly, there seems to be no
such final acceptance from the party’s
cadres. This is partially because of Ms.
Sasikala’s chequered past as an aide of the
late Chief Minister. Her extended family is
known to have had an influence in the AI-
ADMK and in power circles, acting as a buf-
fer between the inaccessible and sheltered
Jayalalithaa and the party’s cadres.
tended family’s influence despite the lack of
unanimous acceptance from its cadre or
support base? The answers to this question
lie in the structure of the AIADMK and its
political core.
Concentration of power
The party has always been structured in
this manner: power flows from the image of
its chief leader and a steady second rung of
leadership is deliberately avoided. This
structure is legitimised by the AIADMK’s
performance in government as a party that
is committed chiefly to fostering patronage
and welfare. In fact, the politics of patronage
and the construction of a messianic leader
— in the case of Jayalalithaa, the elaborate
emphasis of her status as a mother figure to
the people of the State — is a consequence of
this structure.
To have a client-patron relationship of
this kind helps when the party lacks a typical
organisational structure of leadership at
various levels — assorted mass and class or-
ganisations catering to people on the basis
of their economic or occupational interests.
After all, the AIADMK, unlike the Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), was construc-
ted on the basis of the popularity of its
founder-leader MGR and the presence of
his fan associations across the State.
Maintaining status quo
At the same time, the AIADMK, as much
as the DMK, has tried hard not to upset the
dominant caste-class relations that have
been set in Tamil Nadu since the 1960s. The
(Gounders).
Proximity to power and an undisturbed
social landscape in an otherwise fast urban-
ising economy in the State helped leaders
from these communities go beyond their
agrarian roots to become new entrepren-
eurs. Several leaders from these communit-
ies have also sought to enhance their polit-
ical presence beyond caste patronage — by
owning and running educational institutes,
for instance. It is no wonder that leaders
from these communities enjoy greater
power as compared to representatives from
other sections. Fourteen of the 48 elected
MLAs (of a total of 135) from the Mukku-
lathor and Gounder communities are Minis-
ters in a 32-member Cabinet. Several of
them are senior Ministers, including the
Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam.
Jayalalithaa, who did not belong to these
communities, helped the party paper over
the internal power dynamics among these
communities as the matriarch. That she did
not upset the power equations and was con-
tent to let these communities’ dominance
persist helped them retain their elite status
within the party and the government, even if
they had no mass leaders to carry the entire
party or its support base beyond select
pockets of influence, especially in the south-
ern part of the State.
Jayalalithaa’s death brought the possibil-
ity of a tussle between these communities
for leadership — the Mukkulathors are
over-represented in ministries (five versus
four for the Gounders) even if they have
fewer MLAs (20 as compared to 28). This
could well play out in the medium term, but
AIADMK leaders were not keen on upset-
ting the apple cart this early in the party’s
tenure, merely seven months following As-
sembly elections in May 2016.
Yet, in order to retain a semblance of the
structure that Jayalalithaa fostered and per-
fected, the party elite had to find a replace-
ment for her, which was a tall task. The ab-
sence of a second rung of leadership has
forced the elite to turn to Ms. Sasikala,
whose personal loyalty and long-time asso-
ciation with Jayalalithaa were her unique
selling proposition. It wasn’t merely enough
to turn to the other resident of ‘Veda
Nilayam’ (Jayalalithaa’s house) in Poes
Garden; the party had to transfer its func-
tional loyalties en masse. Hence the re-
newed displays of sycophancy towards Ms.
Sasikala and the elaborate takeover of a sim-
ilar role by her. This is easy to do as the chain
of command, with Jayalalithaa at the helm,
had her trusted personal aide routing orders
and requests in the background in the past.
It remains to be seen whether this charade
of a transfer of loyalties will be as acceptable
to the people of the State or even to the party
cadre as much as it is appealing to the party’s

Really? elite. From the perspective of public in-

terest, it is unfortunate that the current
Chief Minister — an elected legislator with

B
ilateral relations coast on diplomatic
niceties and joint statements invariably
use flowery language to describe relation-
ships in the best possible terms. Neverthe-
less, India’s decisions over the past two decades to
upgrade more than 30 of its bilateral relationships
to “strategic partnerships” is excessive. While there
may be many ways to parse the term, its usage in in-
ternational diplomacy is fairly clear: it defines a bi-
lateral relationship more important than others,
but stops short of an actual alliance. The term “stra-
tegic” further implies a future convergence of in-
terests in areas that are vital: security, defence and
investment. If that is the case, India’s latest strategic
partnership signed with the east African country of
Rwanda, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met
Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Gandhinagar
this week, warrants further study. Rwanda is a land-
locked country with 90 per cent of its population
engaged in subsistence agriculture. It is also still re-
covering from the mass murder of large sections of
its Hutu population in 1994, though the country has
registered remarkable progress and growth in the
last few years. While it may therefore be an import-
ant destination for India’s development assistance,
it is diicult to see how it qualifies as a “strategic
partner”, particularly given that India is yet to set
up a full diplomatic mission in the country; the last
time New Delhi even sent a delegation to Kigali was
in 2012. Given all of this, it would seem that the gov-
ernment’s move was more about window-dressing
the relationship than imbuing it with any meaning-
ful substance.
Mr. Modi’s is not the first government to use the
term “strategic partnership” lightly. Since 1998,
when India announced its first strategic partner-
ship with France, successive governments have
signed such partnerships with dozens of countries.
While relations with each of these are important,
they are not vital to India’s interests. The nomen-
clature also begs a question: if all the countries on
the list are strategically important, what does this
mean for countries on the UN Security Council
such as the U.S., the U.K., France, Russia and China,
or others such as Japan, Australia, and some of the
neighbours who genuinely contribute to India’s se-
curity and economic interests and who have also
signed strategic-partnership agreements with New
Delhi? Clearly, a more cogent policy with clear-cut
criteria for strategic partnerships must be con-
sidered by the Ministry of External Afairs, with the
focus on countries with which there is a long-term
vision on securing India’s needs, coupled with a
convergence of strategic interests.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Obama’s mixed legacy
U.S. President Barack Obama’s
farewell speech was dignified and
bore a clear testament to his power
of articulation (“Obama pushes
values in farewell”, Jan.12). It stood
in sharp contrast to the acerbic
rhetoric of President-elect Donald
Trump in his first press conference.
During his tenure, Mr. Obama
walked the extra mile to promote
racial equality and convinced Iran,
through a sustained dialogue
process, to give up its clandestine
nuclear programme, among other
achievements. Mr. Obama has
cemented his place as the one of the
greatest statesmen in the world.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan
President Barack Obama’s mixed
legacy has more negatives than
positives (“Farewell with a
message”, Jan.12). Since the liberal
media dominates the political
narrative, Mr. Obama’s performance
has got more ayes than nays. He
steered the nation to a safer ground
during the economic recession, but
failed to rein in Wall Street or hold
it accountable for its excesses.
The fact that he leaves behind a
racially divided nation is a damning
indictment of his policies. His only
solid achievement is the enactment
of the Afordable Care Act that
helped millions of uninsured
Americans to access medical
insurance. One could also add the
nuclear deal with Iran as a
significant achievement.
He did not deserve the Nobel Peace
Prize that was prematurely
conferred on him. He did nothing to
end the Syrian civil war or mediate
to end the conflict between Israel
and Palestine. The U.S.’s
withdrawal from Iraq without
stabilising the nation led to the rise
of the Islamic State. Mr. Obama was
a decent, intelligent man and a great
orator. But he failed to deliver on his
promises. His reiteration of his
catchphrase “Yes we can”
juxtaposed with “Yes we did” will
find little resonance with the
majority of the Americans.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
It is normal for a person to seek
power and wealth. If wealth comes
first, a person strives for power; if
power comes first, wealth follows
naturally almost always. I ruminate
on this subject after listening to
President Obama’s farewell speech
because of the sharp contrast
between him and his successor. Mr.
Obama, an African-American, came
from a lower middle-class family
and made it to the highest oice of
the President of the United States
with the ‘audacity of hope’. In
contrast, we have a President-elect,
Donald Trump, who was born with
a silver spoon and with both power
and wealth, a deadly combination.
For Mr. Trump, humility is
anathema. In contrast, Mr. Obama is
a great humanist and orator. Like
Nelson Mandela, Mr. Obama had a
good head and a good heart, a
formidable combination for a
trusted leader.
K. Ravi,
Bhubaneswar
When Barack Obama speaks, the
world listens. This week’s soaring
farewell address, with self-
deprecatory humour and with
emphatic tributes to his family and
associates, tried to put across a
message for the country and the
world. But what was hard to miss in
the speech were the fears that
liberal Americans harbour about
Donald Trump. Aware of the deep
political, social and economic
divisions in the U.S., Mr. Obama
addressed these fears, rightly
calling for unity even as he asked
citizens to stay vigilant against the
erosion of democratic ideals. He
leaves oice with the reputation of
being an honourable man,
untarnished by personal scandal.
Meghana A.,
New South Wales, Australia
The AAP in Punjab
Anti-incumbency and charges of
nepotism and corruption have
caused disenchantment against the
ruling combine in Punjab
(“Kejriwal in Punjab”, Jan.12). The
Congress, though in a position to
exploit the situation, does not
provide the happiest of memories
to voters. As a result, people are
gravitating towards the yet-to-be-
tested Aam Aadmi Party. What
weighs in favour of the AAP is its
clean image and corruption-free
governance. However, despite
Arvind Kejriwal’s solidarity with
the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, the
AAP’s popularity remains restricted
to the villages and hinterland. The
‘outsider’ tag too continues to sit
heavy on Mr. Kejriwal.
Vijai Pant,
Hempur
As a Delhi voter, I can vouch for the
fact that Mr. Kejriwal is failing as a
Chief Minister. He is too much of a
confrontationist, always looking for
trouble. He could have attracted
new supporters by focussing on the
considerable experience — is being reduced
to a figurehead even as an unelected and a
hitherto private citizen with little experi-
ence seeks to call the shots.
srinivasan.vr@thehindu.co.in
ideals he projected before gaining
power rather than setting his vision
on the next big seat. Punjab may
have a serious drug problem, but
the AAP will probably do nothing
more than pay lip service on this
issue. I hope Punjab sees through
the petty politics of Mr. Kejriwal.
Sweety Kumari,
Delhi
Success or failure?
The writer suggests that
demonetisation was not a planned
move, but a whim (“Fifty days later”,
Jan.12). The results of a massive
decision like this can only be known
two-three years later. How can we
claim that it is a poor decision
within two or three months of its
announcement? Every policy has its
pros and cons. The move was well-
intended. Of course, wars are not
won by ducking. But first, everyone
should at least know that the war
has begun. Strategy follows after
that realisation and then we can
determine success or failure. In a
huge country like India, one cannot
expect a foolproof policy.
Manasa R. Kulkarni,
Raichur
For women only
Reserving six seats exclusively for
women passengers may be a
chivalrous act, but it is
counterproductive in our path
towards gender equality (“Air India
to reserve six front seats for
women”, Jan.11). Women, whether
alone or in someone’s company, are
expected to and must feel safe in the
proximity of male passengers. If
giving them separate seats is
thought to be a remedy to avoid the
groping of women, would the
airline also provide a separate
enclosure for women to protect
them from being ogled at?
Ayyasseri Raveendranath,
Aranmula
I am perplexed by this idea. The
motive is apparently safety. Does
that mean that those women
occupying other seats are not safe?
Should these six women passengers
not be served by male attendants?
Will there be a priority entry and
exit for these women? People can
always request for a change of seat
when they feel uncomfortable.
Prasad,
Kadri, Mangaluru
Jallikattu and Tamil culture
It is very sad that sections of the
people and all the political parties
of Tamil Nadu want the ban on
jallikattu to be lifted
(“Panneerselvam favouring PETA”
and “Both governments are not
serious”, Jan.12). They say that the
sport is a part of Tamil culture. I am
not a Tamilian, but it seems that the
great poet Thiruvalluvar, the poet-
saint Sambandar, the beauty and
greatness of the temple architecture
in Tamil Nadu, the State’s rich
literature, mystics like Ramalinga
Swami, the great explorers who
navigated to all parts of Southeast
Asia, the noble kings of the region
and the heroes of history form
Tamil culture. Not jallikattu. As a
parallel, untouchability, the caste
system, sati, etc. were also a part of
Hindu culture but enlightened
leaders fought against these
practices.
P.R. Chandrasekhar,
Bengaluru

CM MA-TIDG
YK
 PERSPECTIVE |9
MADURAI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017

HOMELAND The city’s bleak future

What’s cooking in the BSF? Unless citizens are motivated to live in ways not imagined before, the death of Indian cities will be rapid
A Border Security Force (BSF) constable early this week im-
petuously cast a light on what is wrong with governance in eously relieve larger towns of the bur-
India. Inadvertently, he also showcased nationally what is the den of new citizens. The government's
most eicient way to access government, and where to strike GAUTAM BHATIA unrealistic plans need to reverse the
if you are an ordinary person with very little means and no processes of long-range connectivity, in
JOSY access to the corridors of power in this unwieldy democracy. favour of local outlooks that include
JOSEPH Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav posted a series of videos on pedestrianisation, conversion to mixed-
Monday about burnt rotis and watery dal served to him and Last month, Prime Minister Narendra use streets, reduction of commercial
his mates at the Line of Control. The videos went viral, and everyone from Modi laid the foundation stone for a activity and an eradication of gated
the Prime Minister’s Oice downwards reacted almost instantly. new metro system in Pune. He also gave neighbourhoods. Any new expansion of
It is a telling story of how social media has created a happy bubble of im- financial approval for a Shivaji statue in ideas on the ground needs to motivate
pressive governance, where you could appeal to the Minister, grab national the Arabian Sea of Mumbai. Earlier, he all participants to live together in ways
attention and get the creaking government machinery moving. It is where sought Cabinet approval for highway not imagined before, and encourage a
governments want to look eicient and responsible. projects in Odisha and Punjab; in June, sense of community and inclusion that
his Smart Cities Mission launched 83 erodes diferences of ethnicity, profes-
The constable and his video projects throughout India, including sion, caste, social and economic posi-
Mr. Yadav probably has a dodgy track record of intoxication and insubor- several for new city roads, sports infra- tion. Within the current insulated
dination, as is being claimed by his seniors in the BSF. He probably exagger- structure, Bus Rapid Transit systems demographics of Indian urban life, this
ated the quality of food. As another senior BSF oicial claimed, probably and waste management. may be an impossible task. But given
the dal had settled at the bottom of the utensil that the constable showed. The city is never a function of con- that the city of the future will most
Whatever may be the truth about Mr. Yadav’s character, he has ensured crete objects assembled in space, but likely be an unstable configuration, its
one thing: at least for some time to come, his comrades would be getting de- rather, how people live together, survival rests on having a mix of race
cent quality food, and probably even some pickle and jam which he said prosper and create better lives for and class, rural and urban, rich and the
were missing from their diet. themselves. Though Mr. Modi's inten- future rich.
For those like Mr. Yadav, social media is turning out be an Elysium, a priv- tions cannot be questioned, there is
ileged bubble of happiness and eicient governance, where Oicial India is little evidence to suggest that he will Fluid migration
extremely responsive. In this Elysium, even private corporations are un- meet these objectives. The history of The new city’s values will be groun-
usually eicient. Airline has mis- urban renewal does not speak well of a ded in a shifting set of people no longer
handled your baggage? Tweet and tag For those like Tej Bahadur city’s expansionist ideas. bound to place. For millions of new mi-
them, and they will respond quickly. grants, the future citizens, home will be
Broadband not working? Tweet and Yadav, social media is Uncontrolled growth a job, a quenching of thirst, a place to lie
tag the company, or write a Facebook turning out be a bubble of Over the past decade, despite flow of down. Consequently, the public fields
post. funds for infrastructure, most Indian of bureaucratic intervention will only
In the era before social media, the
efficient governance where cities have been unable to expand road be enablers to migratory tasks, accom-
average Indian had to find a direct ac- Official India is responsive networks and metro lines in keeping modating potential and making phys-
quaintance or a powerful personal as- with the growing demand. Uncon- ical possibilities happen on the ground
sistant of a leader to ensure personal attention of the ruler and eicient de- trolled populations have made plans for when possible. Rather than defining
livery from the government. That process, the search for intermediaries to public facilities inefective. In the case walls and boundaries, the architectural
ensure that the government responds eiciently, was also costly, and often of Delhi Metro, for instance, since it brief too will be informed by these fluid
you had to pay a bribe to get that access. opened in 2002, it has had to increase transformations.
However, social media has significantly brought down that cost. You the number of coaches, the frequency of In the new city the traditional struc-
only need a smartphone and a Twitter handle to access the highest in the trains, the size of stations and the length tures of justice and legislature will be
land for most of your requirements. of platforms. Yet, it struggles to accom- forgotten, replaced quickly by people
As the colonial governance structures repeatedly fail the ordinary cit- modate the mounting numbers. In big with private needs. The potential for an
izens, the jawan, the migrant, the bereaved, the ailing and the angry are all towns, 3,000-4,000 cars are registered urban life without buildings will only be
turning to social media to jump the Kafkaesque labyrinth of government each week, so more roads are construc- generated by a resolution of migratory
and access the very top with ease. Statistically, social media, which is avail- ted, lengthening already clogged net- BOXED IN: “The municipal and civic mayhem of the country’s big cities on which forces operating in the city, and encod-
able to just about 20 per cent of Indians, would turn out to be the most ei- works. Yet, distances between home Narendra Modi seems to be unjustifiably directing his efforts are the obvious ing something of their own culture, on
cient means of short-circuiting governance, compared to any other form — and work are rising, commutes increas- lifeblood of Indian urbanity.” The Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. PHOTO BY MANOJ KUMAR their own terms. In a culture of expedi-
access to elected representatives, police, middlemen or even courts. ing 3-7 km on an average. Migrant flow ency and spectacle, the idea of architec-
For the ordinary folks outside the social media world, the government into cities has exceeded all expecta- emerged out of local desires. Los ture as a theatre for settlement will have
and most corporations are still very complex, corrupt and cruel structures. tions, with a weekly influx of 4,000 fam- Angeles as film city, Copenhagen as Conventional approaches none of the responsibilities of its glory
Having grown up in rural Haryana, Mr. Yadav must be aware of it. And he ilies in Mumbai alone. In housing, while fishing village, Boston as trading post — which may work in Rome and days. In fact, the architect and planner
just proved that of all the means to get his government to act, social media is builders have promoted high-end lux- commercial, cultural and professional Shanghai are doomed to fail will be just like another citizen on the
the most eicient. ury homes, public projects in most cit- attributes have invariably defined the run.
ies remain woefully inadequate. nature of citizenship. But nowhere has in Indian cities, which are Before that happens, attitudes will re-
BSF and government response When over 60 per cent of the city is the city been treated with such con- vastly varied quire serious realignments. The Indian
There is another side to the story. The response of the government and unrecognised in the planning process, it tempt as in India. city’s undisguised fawning and mimicry
the BSF is both telling and troubling. As soon as the video emerged, though has already gone beyond bureaucratic The municipal and civic mayhem of of Western models bodes ill for an
Home Minister Rajnath Singh sought a detailed report, the BSF top brass control and design. When the capital’s the country’s big cities on which Mr. sential to maintaining commercial links urban culture steeped in an altogether
were in complete denial. Chief Minister gives direct amnesty and Modi seems to be unjustifiably direct- to surrounding villages. Restricted in diferent life and pattern. Stockholm
The colonial divide within the forces, between the oicers and jawans, is legitimacy to unlawful occupants of ing his eforts are the obvious and no- growth and size, it is there that the and Berlin may present a cohesive pic-
well-known and Mr. Yadav’s complaint wouldn’t have surprised many. urban land, the game is lost. In the sea- ticeable lifeblood of Indian urbanity. Prime Minister needs to lavish his ture for initiating a computerised
From accommodation to mess rooms and food, the non-oicer cadres of se- sonal voter counts in slums that alter Sadly, conventional approaches to their eforts. smartness into Indian urbanism, but
curity forces sufer serious discrimination, an issue that has regularly ig- civic capacities and neighbourhoods, or mega size which may work in Rome and Unless the government becomes ser- they can hardly be imitated wholesale.
nited mutinous situations. those that allow population and vehicu- Shanghai are doomed to fail in Indian ious in intent and chooses a rigorous When 60 per cent of the citizens are
The BSF leadership was quick to shift Mr. Yadav to the headquarters of lar trends to be readily accommodated, conditions. Indian cities are vastly var- twofold path, the demise of the Indian without local housing or access to mu-
the 29 Battalion in Poonch, and his family says he is no more accessible. the failure of the big city is most ied. They range in three types: metro- city will be rapid. It must devise a devel- nicipal utilities, 40 per cent move about
One BSF Inspector General said he was amazed how a jawan posted at apparent. politan accretions such as Delhi, Mum- opment strategy for small Tier-3 towns as pedestrians, with a third of those
the LoC uploaded the video, while a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) said This is truly unfortunate, for the bai and Bengaluru, with the that is itself a departure from conven- without conventional livelihood, the
Mr. Yadav had four adverse entries in his two-decade-old career. struggle between India as competitive cumbersome statistical dimensions of tional practices. It must take into ac- needs of urbanity are closer to those of
And that tells a lot about the discipline of BSF. A jawan illegally takes a economy and India as equitable society small States, spreading by usurping sur- count new forms of public housing, reg- Lagos or Cairo than of European or
mobile phone to his post at the LoC, shoots videos, and posts it on social is most visibly felt in the development rounding towns. Or Tier-2 cities such as ulate bye-laws that restrict commuting Chinese cities. A more generous and
media. Who is responsible? Is it just the jawan? Or is it an example of the lar- of its towns. The reduction of economic Pune, Jaipur, Bhopal and Lucknow, and delineate public space over private open-minded comprehension of tradi-
ger malice? Does it tell anything about porous borders and the flourishing ideals to stock market highs and the city merely smaller replicas of the metros, commerce. If even 70 years after Inde- tional town structure by the govern-
smuggling rackets that operate along most Indian borders? to commercial symbols is a convenient but similarly unable to control the sub- pendence, the Indian city has been un- ment can provide a constructive direc-
The DIG says Mr. Yadav was spared a court martial in 2010 because of his method to bypass the more pressing de- urban sprawl and increasing numbers. able to define the kind of life urban Indi- tion to the country’s urban future.
family situation. Is that how discipline is imposed in the security forces? He mands of real economics and humane Finally, there are small towns such as ans should live, then Tier-3 towns are a
was then sent back to the LoC. That is some level of professionalism that expectations of the city. Throughout the Meerut and Hubli — part rural, part clear opportunity for that experiment. Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based architect and
the BSF must be proud of! world, the culture of cities has always cantonment — mandi townships, es- Second, the process must simultan- sculptor.
Finally, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, whose presence on social
media is yet another reassurance for those in the Elysium, was late to realise

Haksar and the Padma Vibhushan

that Mr. Yadav’s videos were not great PR for the government. The morning
after the video storm hit, Mr. Rijiju assured that during his “regular visit to
border posts I find high level of satisfaction among the jawans.” But as the
day wore on, Mr. Rijiju changed his tone. He appealed to the media to exer-
cise restraint, and with great condescension applied the standard tech-
nique of lazy governance: they were “sensitive matters”. The Minister of
State for Home should clarify which one is more sensitive — roti or dal?
The humility with which P.N. Haksar, Indira Gandhi’s go-to man, declined the award is in stark
josy.joseph@thehindu.co.in
contrast to the intense lobbying the Padmas generate nowadays
I should be given an award is by itself a
great reward for whatever services I
JAIRAM RAMESH may have rendered as a public servant. I
FROM THE ARCHIVES am grateful for this to the PM. However,
I have a diiculty in accepting the award.
All these years, I have often said to my-
It is that time of the year again, the time self that one should work so that one can
when lobbying for the Padma awards is live with oneself without regret. This
(dated January 13, 1967) at its peak. I can testify from personal gave me a measure of inner tranquility
experience how sickening this can get. and even courage. Accepting an award
P.M. renames Establishment at Trombay as the Perfectly normal, nice, talented and cap- for work done somehow causes an inex-
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Trombay unit after before a distinguished gathering
able people from diferent walks of life plicable discomfort to me. I hope I will
Dr. Bhabha would petition me to put in a word for a not be misunderstood. I repeat I am
including several international Padma Shri or a Padma Bhushan. Some grateful for the thought that my services
nuclear scientists, said that the with an exaggerated notion of my influ- should be recognised. For me this is
The Prime Minister, Mrs. location of the establishment at ence would even ask me to put in a word enough. I would beg you not to press me
Indira Gandhi, declared to-day Trombay opposite the famous for a Padma Vibhushan. I would listen to to accept the award itself. I shall be
[Jan. 12] at Trombay that they Elephanta Caves symbolised that all these eager aspirants and tell them grateful if you will kindly convey to PM
would dedicate the uses of while India retained its priceless about the system that is in place for de- my deep and abiding gratitude for the
nuclear power to peaceful ancient tradition, they wanted to ciding on these awards. But no, system privilege I had to serve under her.
purposes. Mrs. Gandhi, who was bring better life to the people of or no system, I should, it was insisted, “Yours sincerely,
naming the Atomic Energy India and take the country forward. use my contacts to recommend their “P N Haksar”
case. Thirty-six years later, Narain, himself
a distinguished civil servant who had
Making history, quietly been Home Secretary during the 1971
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS It is in this context that the example of ONE OF A KIND: “Haksar wrote to the then Union Home Secretary: ‘Accepting an war, was awarded and accepted the
P.N. Haksar is worth recalling. Here was award for work done somehow causes an inexplicable discomfort to me.’” Haksar Padma Vibhushan. He was 93 years old
>>In the graphic titled, “Not on track” (Jan. 12, 2017), the passenger revenue for a man who was instrumental for the na- (left) is greeted by Pakistan Minister Aziz Ahmed in Rawalpindi in 1973. PHOTO: AP then and may not have recalled the letter
2016-17 (April-December) was wrongly mentioned as Rs. 33,962.78 crore. It tionalisation of banks in July 1969 and he had received from his illustrious
should have been Rs. 35,299.29 crore. for the abolition of privy purses and our country added strength at a time When V.V. Giri informed colleague.
princely privileges in 1971. He had when American and Chinese moves on Actually a few weeks before he was
played a pivotal role in the events of 1971 the Bangladesh issue were not in our na- Indira Gandhi about the ofered the Padma Vibhushan himself,
>>Two errors had crept into the Business-Bottomline page story, “Mini
grids can power rural economic activity” (Jan. 9, 2017) : The name of Smart leading up to the liberation of tional interest. He retired on September Bharat Ratna, Haksar advised Haksar had done something even more
Power India’s CEO was erroneously given as Jaideep Mukherjee. It should Bangladesh in mid-December that year. 4, 1971 and went on two months’ leave. her to tell the President that blasphemous, as revealed in the diary of
have been Jaideep Mukherji. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister Mrs. Gandhi forced him out of retire- his colleague B.N. Tandon. When he saw
who demonstrated magnificent leader- ment in late October and made him join she was not accepting it a letter written by President V.V. Giri to
The penultimate paragraph — “A combination of flexible regulation by the
government and erratic power supply from the national grid has meant that ship. General Sam Manekshaw was the her in her meetings with President the Prime Minister after the Bangladesh
mini grids can compete directly with the national grid and, according to Mr. Army chief who also demonstrated Nixon in November and a month later from her innermost circle. Two days victory telling her that she was being
Mukherjee, often the mini grids are installed in places already covered by the magnificent leadership. But the sut- got him back as her Principal Secretary. later he wrote this letter to Govind awarded the Bharat Ratna, Haksar ad-
national grid" should be rephrased to read: “A combination of flexible regula- radhar of the events as they unfolded In 1972, he was to make the historic Narain, the then Union Home Secretary: vised Mrs. Gandhi to politely tell the
tion ... has meant that mini grids can complement the national grid and, ac- was Haksar in his capacity as Secretary Shimla Agreement between Indira “Dear Govind: President that what he had done was not
cording to Mr. Mukherji, ... already covered by the national grid.” to the Prime Minister. Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto possible. “You spoke to me over the RAX yes- right and that she was not accepting the
It was he who had drafted the three terday morning and asked me with a accolade.
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by letters of Mrs. Gandhi to U.S. President Duty as its own reward rare sense of delicacy, if I would accept Clearly, this man was unique. He
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- Richard Nixon of May 13, 1971, August 9, Haksar retired as Principal Secretary the Award of Padma Vibhushan for the thought diferent and acted diferent. He
day); E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in 1971 and most famously December 15, on January 15, 1973. Undoubtedly, his ex- Republic Day of 1973. You said that was continues to be one of a kind — standing
All communication must carry the full postal address and 1971 that have become the stuf of diplo- treme discomfort with and open opposi- PM’s desire that I should do so. You were alone and standing tall.
telephone number. matic history. It was he who got D.P. tion to the very controversial Maruti good enough to give me some time to
No personal visits. Dhar and T.N. Kaul to finalise the Indo- venture of the Prime Minister’s younger think it over. And this I have done. May I, Jairam Ramesh, a Member of Parliament, is writing
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com Soviet Treaty of August 1971 that gave son precipitated and hastened his exit first of all, say that the very thought that an intellectual biography of P.N. Haksar.

CM MA-TIDG
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2017

Obama’s act of departure

Barack Obama’s farewell speech was an ode to democracy, a playing out of a ritual faith in the Constitution
and in the people of the U.S. When a leader and the people renew their faith, democracy comes alive
democracy demands perpetual participa- ity, a sense that economics is not a zero-sum
S AT U R D AY , J A N U A R Y 1 4 , 2 0 1 7 tion. The ritual of citizens’ participation is game.
SHIV VISVANATHAN the only perpetual machine that keeps demo- Yet, the changes in technology now
cracy as faith and action alive. Living demo- threaten this solidarity. Politics has to create
cracy and dreaming democracy helps recre- a new social compact to meet new needs. Mr.
Pay heed to U.S. President Barack Obama’s farewell ad-
ate democracy. The renewal of faith and the
reinvention of citizenship are continuous in a
Obama did not hide the dangers to demo-
cracy, be it race or terror. Yet he emphasised

Urjit Patel dress in Chicago this week was an epic event,

a drama in political dialogue which people
sensed as a terrific performance.
functioning democracy.
The power of his narrative was moving. It
was as if he had the vision of the founding
the need to avoid paranoia, and insisted on
empathy, where one cannot frame every is-
sue as a struggle between a hardworking

R
eserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Pa-
tel’s emphasis on the vital importance of
protecting domestic macroeconomic sta-
bility could not have come at a more cru-
cial juncture. With the Centre in the process of fi-
nalising the Union Budget, Dr. Patel has stressed
the need to ensure that it does not stray from the
path of fiscal consolidation, at a time when the ex-
ternal environment is already adverse and likely to
remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. That
the clamour for a sizeable fiscal stimulus is likely to
grow louder as budget day nears is a certainty, given
the signs that an incipient demand slowdown may
have been exacerbated by the cash crunch caused
by the withdrawal of high-value banknotes. Within
the government too, the temptation to loosen the
purse strings to assuage adverse reaction to the de-
monetisation decision is likely to be high. It is in
this context that the RBI chief’s reminder to the
Centre that “borrowing even more and pre-empt-
ing resources from future generations” cannot be a
short cut to achieving durable long-term “higher
growth” is significant. With the general govern-
ment deficit among the highest in the G-20 eco-
nomies, Dr. Patel reiterated what several of his pre-
decessors including Y.V. Reddy have harped on:
high levels of government borrowing tend to crowd
out private investment and paper over the urgent
need for more abiding reforms.
Specifically, the RBI chief has suggested that gov-
ernment expenditure be ideally reoriented towards
creating more public infrastructure such as expan-
ded railway networks and urban mass transit sys-
tems that would help boost productivity even as it
leads to reductions in the oil import bill and
provides the collateral benefit of improved air qual-
ity. And in what could be seen as an expression of
assertion of the RBI’s independence of thought, Dr.
Patel spoke of the risks that policy interventions in
the form of government guarantees and interest
rate subventions pose. While not directly alluding
to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announce-
ments last month, which included a doubling in
credit guarantees for micro, small and medium en-
terprises, the RBI chief said that “large credit guar-
antees also impede optimal allocation of financial
resources and increase moral hazard.” With such
guarantees only adding to the government’s liabilit-
ies and raising the risk premium on its borrowing,
the better solution, he suggested, would be to re-
solve constraints such as transaction costs related
to clearances and the taxation bureaucracy. As Dr.
Patel said, “it is easy and quick to fritter away gains
regarding macroeconomic stability”. But, as he ad-
ded, it would be “hard and slow to regain them”.
Pakistan’s
vanishing voices
Mr Obama’s farewell address was more
than an act of departure. It was an act of re-
newal. Being a talented speaker, he could
combine many messages and performances
to create a memorable moment. Through his
speech he created a magical space, an epi-
phany on the power of the people and people
in power. In this way, an act of departure be-
came an act of healing, of community, of
solidarity, a ritual which recharged the U.S.’s
faith in democracy. It was an eloquent mo-
ment enacted with a full sense of almost op-
eratic power.
From President to citizen
In his body language, there was an ease
about being in power and there was also an
ease about his giving up power. A farewell is a
ritual where a president becomes citizen
again. Mr. Obama was clear that for all the
facts of empire and nationhood, the real hero
of American democracy is the citizen. There
was humour in the act where he referred to
his lame duck status.
He began his speech easily and informally.
His relationship with the American people
was not one of demagogic distance or charis-
matic power but possessed the homeliness
and the humility of a conversation. He
claimed that his conversation with the Amer-
ican people kept him honest and made him “a
better president” and “a better man”.
A moment of departure is a moment of re-
membrance. As applause punctuated liter-
ally every sentence, Mr. Obama recollected
that he began his career in Chicago working
with church groups “in the shadow of closed
CARTOONSCAPE
The sincerity and the authenticity
of the speech made one wonder
how this same America became a
post-truth society, allowing a
Trump to become president
steel mills”. He enacted his biography as the
biography of all migrants, renewing Amer-
ica’s openness to all oppressed people. For
him, two magic words sustain the miracle
called America: people and change, both
working through the institutions of demo-
cracy. For Mr. Obama, democracy is the force
of alchemy which sustains both individual
dreams while creating a notion of the com-
mon good.
Yet democracy, he claimed, for all its vital-
ity can never be taken for granted. An act of
indiference is an act of betrayal because
fathers in his blood. The audience was
touched, even moved to tears as acclamation
became a ritual of solidarity. The impact was
charismatic, folksy, everyday and one sensed
that no demagogue or dictator could achieve
this music of democracy which one calls
trust. The American dream has moved mi-
grants, refugees, pioneers, slaves, women to
organise.
A path to renewal
Mr. Obama recognised that democracy is
not a flawless machine, yet it works. He
talked of the achievements of his own terms
and shared his achievements with the people.
There was and is a shared pride in the
achievements of the Obama era. The sincer-
ity, the authenticity made one wonder how
this same America became a post-truth soci-
ety, allowing someone such as Donald Trump
to become president.
The context nibbles at the text but the mes-
sage sustains itself. A democracy that be-
lieves in itself renews itself. People’s faith re-
creates people’s power. In fact, Mr. Obama
showed that even the transition of power is a
moment to be proud of, emphasising the
power of institution over the idiosyncrasy of
individuals. It is democracy that renews
America.
Democracy, he explained, like an easy
preacher, does not require uniformity. It cre-
ates solidarity through diference. He em-
phasised that solidarity and uniformity cre-
ated two diferent worlds of unity.
Mr. Obama spelt out the challenges to
democracy — a sense of economic opportun-
middle class and an undeserving minority.
He cited Harper Lee’s great character Atticus
Finch, who claimed that you never under-
stand a man till you get into his skin, and de-
manded that the immigrant empathises with
the white American whose world is capsizing
through economic change. It was a powerful
plea for empathy, where citizenship demands
that we take on the role of the other. A demo-
cracy which does not empathise with the
other becomes a world of stereotypes, which
seeks comfort in sameness.
There was a magic to the narrative as the
audience responded to the pedagogy of the
ideals. He added that democracy is a battle of
ideas, but ideas which explore diference on
the basis of reason. This demanded the con-
cession that even an opponent might be mak-
ing a valid point.
Mr. Obama moved to a poetic sense of the
American faith in change, in innovation, hail-
ing what he called the spirit of the Kitty Hawk
and Cape Canaveral. It is a spirit of innova-
tion based on a rule of law and a faith in hu-
man rights.
He warned that this faith is being chal-
lenged. But the only answer to this was a re-
newal of the American spirit of democracy. A
threat to democracy demands more demo-
cracy. It is a battle which democracy has ex-
tended abroad challenging the Islamic State
in every front. Yet he realised that terror
must be fought legally otherwise terror turns
us into monsters.
Mr. Obama’s speech was an ode to demo-
cracy, a playing out of a ritual faith in the Con-
stitution, in the people. It was moving,
poignant and yet easy in its diction. A leader
and a people renew faith, and in the very act
of renewal democracy comes alive.
Rhetoric hides the cracks
There is power and simplicity to the act be-
cause there is a faith which binds drama and
everydayness. Watching it one knew that no
Vladimir Putin, Jacob Zuma, Narendra Modi
or Theresa May could have pulled this of.
There was a magic to it that one responded
to. For a few moments an old-fashioned
America came alive and Mr. Trump and para-
noid fears of the new society receded. Mr.
Obama, as Canute, had reversed the tides so
that America could once again believe in
democracy.
Yet, one must remember that moments of
renewal are moments of erasure. The power
of the performance, the easy rhetoric hides
the cracks in the regime, the crevices through
which Mr. Trump broke in. Rituals of farewell
require rites of critique, and if America is a
vital democracy, these will follow soon. Ac-
clamation and solidarity in a moment of cul-
tural crisis strike an odd note but a presiden-
tial farewell is a true American melodrama.
One wishes the efect would continue but a
farewell is a closure, the end of an era. The
storyteller waits anxiously for the new to
unfold.

O
ver the past few days, five Pakistani act-
ivists including the poet Salman Haider
have gone missing. The incidents have
left the rights groups, already under
pressure from the military and extremist outfits,
alarmed. Nobody has claimed responsibility, and
the family members haven’t got any ransom calls.
The government says it will find them, but the in-
vestigation that started after Haider’s disappear-
ance on January 6 seems to have reached nowhere;
since then four more have gone missing. Although
the full facts are not available, the perception that
the disappearances are somehow linked has gained
credence. They were all active social media-based
campaigners for human rights and critical of the
military and its support for militancy. They chal-
lenged the extremist narrative propagated by the
fundamentalist groups and promoted the idea of a
modern, inclusive Pakistan, largely through Face-
book posts and blogs. Haider was known for his
strong stand on rights violations in Balochistan.
This is not the first time activists and writers crit-
ical of the military-terror complex have come un-
der attack in Pakistan. For years both the security
apparatus and militant groups have used force to si-
lence critics. Liberal activist and author Raza Rumi,
who had criticised state support for militants, was
attacked by an extremist outfit in March 2014. A
year later, activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead
in Karachi after she hosted a debate on Balochistan.
This time the victims are social media activists, and
it is not hard to see the pattern. In Pakistan where
television faces censorship and the print media is
under pressure, social media platforms are a thriv-
ing space where people express views without fear.
Whoever is behind the disappearances is targeting
such free debates. This should be a wake-up call to
the Pakistani state. Some commentators have
already implicated the state, citing the pattern in
the disappearances and the military’s track record
in dealing with dissent. The Interior Minister has
said the government “is not in the business of dis-
appearing people”, but he has the responsibility to
find out what happened to the activists. For dec-
ades Pakistan tolerated a culture of violence within
its society for political and strategic benefits, but
this has backfired. Liberal space is shrinking in the
wake of challenges from the extremists that be-
nefited from the state’s tolerance of violence. The
government has to take bold measures to check
these groups and promote free and fearless think-
ing if it wants the already vulnerable democratic
dynamics to survive.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Jallikattu and culture
At a time when most people are still
experiencing the after-efects of
demonetisation and farmers are
reeling under drought, is jallikattu
that essential a sport to be fought
for? It may be called a bull-taming
sport but from what I have seen, it is
only the participants who get tamed
by the bulls. Where is the valour in
this sport? Are they fighting with
bulls face to face? People run behind
and hang onto a bull for some
distance. If they are able to do this
for a while, they are labelled as
heroes. Many are also injured in the
process, gored and even trampled
upon. When there are so many
burning issues for political parties to
tackle, why harp on this (“Jallikattu
ban to stay as Supreme Court refuses
to be hurried into judgment”, Jan.13)?
D. Sethuraman,
Chennai
Almost all political parties in Tamil
Nadu have raised the pitch on the
subject. The reasons being given by
those who want the ban to be lifted
are deeply unconvincing. Just
because it is a traditional sport, why
should this sport of torture be
encouraged in the 21st century? Can
taming an animal by a human being
be called a sport of valour? Man
claiming victory over animal is not
heroism or valour. It is barbarism.
Bull taming is synonymous with
torture, bloodshed and death.
Albert P’Rayan,
Chennai
It is to be remembered that the ban
afects the traditions and sentiments
of people. Such races are held in
North India including Punjab. With
vigil on the Internet in this era of
communication, one cannot miss
any act of cruelty being inflicted on
animals. Jallikattu can be termed a
safe rural sport. There is no need to
have any misgivings about animals
being treated in a cruel manner.
A.V. Narayanan,
Tiruchi
Jallikattu is not a social evil to be
fought against tooth and nail but a
rural sport associated with the
annual harvest festival of Pongal
since the Sangam Age. It is
entertaining as participants display
grit, determination, will, strength,
and even presence of mind. It is an
exaggeration to say that animals are
tortured. As a photojournalist, I have
covered this sport for nearly 16 years
at Alanganallur and Palamedu in
Madurai district in Tamil Nadu and
have a stock of about 500
transparencies and negatives. In no
frame that I have shot can I find
animals to have been treated in a
cruel way. In fact jallikattu results in
injuries to participants, which they
take in their stride.
R. Krishnamurthy,
Coimbatore
A transfer of loyalty
Tamil Nadu has been sailing through
a stormy period with most of us
watching helplessly as V.K. Sasikala,
a close personal aide of Jayalalithaa,
has moved on to become the
AIADMK’s general secretary
(“Transfer of loyalty”, Jan.13). Most
of us do not know what role she
played in politics or whether she has
solutions to Tamil Nadu’s problems.
A situation where there has been no
regard for the consensus of the
people or even its party cadres is
unfortunate.
Aribalaji,
Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Ms. Sasikala, who has pledged to
follow in the footsteps of Jayalalithaa
to ensure discipline and unity in the
AIADMK party, must avoid
assuming the role of Chief Minister
of Tamil Nadu. One would expect
that Chief Minister O.
Panneerselvam is given enough time
to function before he is judged. The
government will lose its credibility if
his constitutional position as Chief
Minister is continually challenged
by party sycophants who are keen to
curry favour with Ms. Sasikala who
has held no position in the party or
public life. With a shroud of secrecy
surrounding Jayalalithaa’s medical
treatment and the disproportionate
assets case hanging like a sword of
Damocles over her head, Ms.
Sasikala would be well advised not
to assume an additional role as chief
minister.
Kangayam R. Narasimhan,
Chennai
Vision for urbanscapes
As a resident of Delhi, I can
completely relate to the writer when
he says that our vision of making
urbanscapes better is doomed if our
leaders give direct amnesty to
people who construct illegal
buildings (“The city’s bleak future”,
Jan.13). Delhi has a number of such
settlements; some are being run as
commercial spaces. As such
constructions are illegal, a legal
electricity connection is ruled out
which results in the practice of
stealing electricity from power lines
and junction boxes.
There is also the lack of a common
collective culture in our cities. A
visit to any Indian city will have you
witness people breaking queues,
violating traic rules, using roads as
public conveniences and generally
making it a nightmare. Despite
eforts by the government to make
things easy, people still turn a blind
eye. The Delhi Metro is a case in
point. People do their own thing
despite announcements every few
seconds about platform and
escalator etiquette.
Shiv Visvanathan is director, Centre for the Study of
Knowledge Systems, Jindal Global Law School, and the
writer of Theatres of Democracy.
When the citizenry of a country
does not have any sense of belonging
and believes that subverting the
infrastructure is the best survival
strategy, then the government is not
the only institution to be blamed.
Things will not change unless fear is
induced among Indian citizens by
strictly penalising and punishing
them for such behaviour.
Ritvik Chaturvedi,
New Delhi
We must stop looking at cities as the
“engines of growth” because these
engines are adding to pollution at
unmanageable rates. The
government must ponder over what
former President Abdul Kalam said:
“The developed India will not be a
nation of cities. It will be a network
of prosperous villages empowered
by telemedicine, tele-education, and
e-commerce....”
R. Swarnalatha,
Chennai
New chief
At a time when the dust has yet to
settle over the ouster of Cyrus
Mistry and the battle is still being
fought at many levels, choosing N.
Chandrasekaran, chairman of TCS,
as the new head of Tata Sons is
surprising (“TCS veteran picked to
head Tata Sons”, Jan.13). The tea-to-
software conglomerate has still
failed to give specific and
convincing arguments for Mr.
Mistry’s removal across all Tata
subsidiaries in a transparent manner
except stating that the group under
his leadership deviated from its core
values.
R. Prabhu Raj,
Bengaluru
A jawan’s grievance
After the BSF jawan’s video clip on
the “poor quality of food” being
served to jawans emerged, there
have been a few more that have
surfaced (“What’s cooking in the
BSF?”, Jan.13). The intervention by
the Prime Minister’s Oice should
not result in a cover-up. The move to
give the whole issue a political hue is
unwarranted and the claim that
more attention is being paid to the
plight of jawans is laughable. Mobile
apps in the hands of jawans should
not be misused at a time when India
has a tense relationship with
neighbouring countries.
N. Nagarajan,
Secunderabad
Happenings in the armed forces
continue to make news for all the
wrong reasons. Most prominent
have been unappeased veterans
protesting and demanding pay
parity through OROP, the
controversial appointment of the
Army Chief, and now, a case that
shows the dismal condition of our
jawans. The government should
ensure the well-being of those who
ensure the security of the nation.
Prerna Singh,
New Delhi
Doormat row
The thoughtless act by the online
e-retailer giant in marketing
doormats bearing the Indian
tricolour, and their subsequent
withdrawal, raises an issue about
how such a retailer of repute can
even think of doing such things.
Come what may, promoting/
marketing products that involve
sensitivities is not only injudicious
but inexcusable. The faux pas has
only brought disrepute to the firm.
But how is the government going to
trace and take action against small
traders who peddle similar
marketing ideas?
E.S. Chandrasekaran,
Chennai
ND-ND

NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2017
The hyena has the last laugh
The wildlife conservation story notches another high at Visakhapatnam’s Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, where a striped hyena was born through
captive breeding. As two-month-old Ayush prances around, Nikhila Henry recounts the painstaking efort that went into keeping him alive
His play is always a frenzy; his gait a bit
awkward. The puppy fat envelops his
body, but the stripes are unmistakeable.
All of two months, he is ever hungry, fre-
quently growling for milk or minced
chicken. As he holds the half-a-dozen
hospital staf hostage with his demands,
the realisation slowly dawns: this
prima-donna act is justified, after all. Of
a wait spanning over 90 days, Ayush is
all that survives. The striped hyena cub
made it, unlike his two siblings. Ayush is
a living, thriving testimony to captive
breeding, only the third success of its
kind in India and the first for 40-year-
old Indira Gandhi Zoological Park,
Visakhapatnam.
The zoo’s four-roomed veterinary
hospital that also has a rescue shelter
for animals has been Ayush’s home for
over two months ever since he was
born. There he walks around, sure of
safety, rarely sticking to the 4x4 feet
cage meant for him. On his tender
shoulders lies the burden of survival of
his species.
Striped hyenas or Hyaena hyaena, a
mammal of the Carnivora order and Hy-
aenidae family, were commonly found
in the wild and bushy semi-arid pastoral
lands of India, Central Asia, North and
East Africa, West Asia and Turkey till
two decades ago. One of the three vari-
eties of hyenas in the world, it is now
just one step away from being en-
dangered, two steps away from being
critically endangered and three from
being extinct in the wild going by the In-
ternational Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources’ (IUCN)
Red List published in 2016. To be pre-
cise, Ayush’s kind is “near threatened”
on the extinction charts, numbering
between 5,000 and 14,000 globally in
1998 — and given that the “near
threatened” categorisation was efected
in 2008 from a “lower risk, near
threatened” status in 2000, striped hy-
enas could be closer to 5,000 than 14,000
in number now. In India, they were mer-
cilessly hunted down over the years for
foraging into graves due to lack of a food
source in their habitat. Which makes
the only cub who survived out of a litter
of three born to Samrat and Swathi at
the Vizag zoological park a success
story like no other.
A miracle is bred
Swathi and Samrat were the first
striped hyenas in Vizag zoo brought
from Kanpur Zoological Park in Febru-
ary 2015. Though she had conceived
twice before giving birth to the latest lit-
ter in the Vizag zoo, lack of her natural
environs, where a hyena yearns to live in
seclusion during the gestation period,
had got the better of her, forcing Swathi
to kill the cubs born each time. The zoo
has a footfall of 300 per day, making her
irritable, anxious and more shy than she
usually is.
This time too, it was a tough preg-
nancy for her. But the zoo staf were not
ready to let history repeat. As Ayush
goofs around, unaware of the miracle of
his own existence, the zoo staf narrate
the painstaking efort it took to help him
survive, right from the date of mating,
June 21 (which is noted in the zoo log-
book), through the days of Swathi’s
three-month gestation period, the deliv-
ery on November 4, and the two months
since.
G. Peddanna Tata, the 50-year-old an-
imal caretaker who has spent half his
lifetime in the zoological park, was the
CM
YK
It was impossible to
leave the little one. You
get worried when you are
away only to come back to
check on him.
- S. RAVI BABU, resident zoologist and
wildlife conservation enthusiast
only one to whose voice Swathi and
Samrat responded, and hence he was in-
strumental in the early days of gesta-
tion. A small burrow inside the hyena
moat, which did not face the walkway
for visitors, became Swathi’s home as
she carried the cubs in her belly for 90
days. “She would go into the burrow and
rest her belly on the lining of sand
strewn there for cushioning,” says Tata
as he stands near the moat and glances
at Swathi-Samrat. Doctors at the zoo
had given Swathi regular doses of amino
acid and vitamins over and above an in-
crease in food supply of one kilogram of
beef per day. She was comfortable, but
that was not enough to keep her away
from stress for long. “I saw three cubs
soon after they were born. But after a
few hours only two were around. She
ate the third,” he says.
On November 5, the zoo staf was
forced to remove the other two cubs in-
cluding Ayush from the mother and se-
cure them in the veterinary hospital,
located half a kilometre away from the
moat. Separation from the mother
brought in other challenges for the
cubs. Their immune system turned
weak as they could not feed on the
mother’s milk. “The immune system of
cubs is at risk and 90 to 95 per cent of the
time they die of infection. It was a
tightrope walk,” says Dr. K. Pavane, a
young veterinary doctor at the hospital.
This, despite the fact that a sterile envir-
GROUND ZERO
onment was maintained in the hospital
to prevent infection. “We used to cover
our mouths with sterilised masks and
pick up the cubs only with gloved hands
for a month,” she says.
The extreme caution and sanitised
setting couldn’t prevent another casu-
alty: Ayush’s brother died after 24 days.
The cub had developed a urinary tract
infection and was unable to pass urine.
“In the ultra-sonogram we could see
that his bladder was full. After sufering
a lot of pain for two days, he died on
November 28,” Pavane recollects.
But Ayush was a fighter. Ever since he
was brought to the hospital he showed a
zest for life, the staf remember. “He
used to show healthy signs as he had
more milk than his brother and respon-
ded to medication and touch easily,”
says S. Ravi Babu, resident zoologist and
wildlife conservation enthusiast.
Loving care
Experts at the zoo sufered a few
scares through the ex-situ (outside the
natural habitat) captive-breeding pro-
cess. “After his brother died, Ayush re-
fused to eat for two days. We were wor-
ried,” says Pavane. But Babu had a plan
which worked. The staf placed a
puppy-shaped toy in Ayush’s cage and
he took a liking for it. Perhaps, the hole
left by his sibling’s absence was filled,
albeit temporarily. But the joy did not
last long as Pavane diagnosed a digest-
ive tract infection in Ayush’s system. He
was administered anti-diarrhoeal drugs
at once and an anxious wait followed.
Modern techniques in
conservation such as captive
breeding have in the past
saved animal species
from near-extinction
| 11
Pavane, who resides three kilometres
away from the zoo, would come every
night to check on the cub; the other zoo
staf practically lived in the hospital. “It
was impossible to leave the little one.
You get worried when you are away
only to come back to check on him,”
Babu reminisces.
Ayush responded positively to all the
love showered on him. “The cub which
died was dull but Ayush was up and
about in no time and he was always
hungry,” says Pavane, as the now two-
month-plus hyena tugs at her palazzo
pants. From drinking 10 to 20 ml of arti-
ficial milk per day during the first week
of his stay in the hospital, he graduated
to drinking 20 to 30 ml daily soon. De-
prived of Swathi’s milk, its substitute for
Ayush came at an exorbitant price.
Royal Canin, which he drank four times
a day during the first three weeks, cost
about Rs.1,400 per 400 gm packet of the
powdered milk. As the brand went of
the shelves in Vizag, the staf shifted
him to Beaphar Lactol, priced at Rs.670
for a 200-gm pack. The zoological park’s
annual budget of Rs.50 lakh came in
handy.
Now, Ayush eats chicken at noon
along with his milk. The staf started
feeding him solid food soon after he
turned two months on January 4.
A blow for captive breeding
Wildlife experts look at Ayush’s sur-
vival as not just a victory for the Indira
Gandhi Zoological Park but for animal
conservation globally. Though experts
generally prefer long-term conserva-
tion measures such as preserving the
natural habitat, modern techniques
such as captive breeding have in the
past saved animal and bird species
across the globe from near-extinction.
The most well-known case comes from
China, of the Pere David’s deer
(Elaphurus davidianus). Now extinct
in the wild according to the IUCN’s Red A SURVIVOR’S TALE: “Wildlife experts look at Ayush’s survival as not just a victory for
List, the species survives because of a the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park but for animal conservation globally.” (Clockwise
timely and successful captive-breeding from top) Ayush; Dr. K.Pavane, veterinary doctor, with the young hyena; Swathi and
exercise. From being hunted down to Samrat, Ayush’s mother and father, at the Zoological Park. PHOTOS: K.R. DEEPAK
just 120 in China in 1993, the deer’s num-
bers went up steadily to 2,000 by 2008. (Lepidochelys olivacea) on the coun- time for an outside-the-site captive-
The success stories extend to the world try’s southern and eastern shores has bred animal to adjust to the wild. The
of birds. The pink pigeon (Nesoenas also been well documented. soft introduction itself might not suit
mayeri) of Mauritius, attractive for its the animals and there is over a 50 per
pinkish grey beak and dark brown back, The conservation debate cent chance that they will not make it in
was brought back from “critically en- For conservationists, however, the the wild. Conservation in the longer run
dangered” in 1994 to the less lethal “en- best captive-breeding experiment (ex can be about a strict monitoring of flora
dangered” status in 2013 through cap- or in situ) is one that allows acclimatisa- and fauna in the wild. Modern tech-
tive breeding. Its numbers have gone up tion of beasts to the wild, a process not niques, including drone tracking, could
from a mere 10 in 1990 to 50 in 1993, 300 many, including the Vizag zoological be employed for it,” says Sumit Banerjee
in 2000 and 370-380 individuals in 2011, park, undertake. “The wild is where of Indian Wildlife Club.
the Red List indicates. they belong. So the captive breeder While Ayush will not be let into the
Closer home, pygmy hog (Porcula should first soft-introduce the being to a wild, the Vizag zoological park authorit-
salvania), the smallest wild hog in the cordoned-of wildlife space which can ies are hopeful of turning things around
world which is found mostly in north- be monitored, and then breach the cor- going ahead. “We are aiming at releas-
ern West Bengal and north-western As- don to allow the animal to drift into the ing animals into the wild. It might take
sam, has bounced back from its “critic- wild on its own. Maintaining or increas- time but this is on the cards,” says B. Vi-
ally endangered” status in 1996 only by ing the population in the wild should be jaya Kumar, the curator.
dint of captive breeding. Up to 75 such a breeder’s ultimate aim,” says Farida As Ayush gets ready for his evening
hogs have been bred in Assam by 2015, Tampal, World Wide Fund for Nature- nap, the attention shifts to Kumari, a
according to IUCN data. In a similar ex- India’s State director for Andhra Pra- white tigress at the fag end of her gesta-
situ exercise, Chennai’s Madras Cro- desh and Telangana. tion period. Indira Gandhi Zoological
codile Bank Trust & Centre for Herpet- Others, however, deem ex-situ breed- Park is bracing for another ex-situ
ology has been breeding gharials ing as not a viable option for wildlife battle. Will Kumari add to the popula-
(Gavialis gangeticus), a fish-eating conservation. “The gene pool of anim- tion of two male and three female white
variety of crocodiles found in India, als which are captive-bred become less tigers currently residing in the zoolo-
since 1989. The in-situ (in habitat) diverse, reducing the chances of sur- gical park? Maybe. Maybe not. But it’s
breeding of olive ridley turtles vival of their species. It also takes a long the efort that counts.
ND-ND
The Hindu

Holiday
14 Jan 2017
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017

Julian Assange: Scapegoat or villain?

To blame Donald Trump’s victory on Julian Assange or, for that matter, on Russia, not only amounts to a
refusal by the Democrats to take responsibility for Hillary’s defeat but is also an insult to the U.S. electorate
It must, no doubt, be tempting, and rather other countries is well documented. There-
M O N D AY , J A N U A RY 1 6 , 2 0 1 7 convenient, for Democrat supporters to pin fore, it is not tenable to hold that other na-
G. SAMPATH the responsibility for Ms. Clinton’s defeat on tions do not have the right to pay back in kind.
anyone but the Democrats themselves. But Second, Mr. Assange believes that it is his
there are several problems with this moral responsibility to do whatever he can to
Drowned by One of the most banal tropes of Hollywood
narrative. prevent a Clinton victory. He has said many
times that Ms. Clinton is a warmonger, that

state failure blockbuster trailers is about one man pitted

against an all-powerful enemy, and ulti-
mately prevailing. The figure of the lone
Flaws in the ‘trial’
For starters, both the declassified report of
the USIC and the “Russian dossier” leaked al-
her victory would lead to greater American
military involvement outside its borders, and
thereby impose greater misery on the people

T
he boat disaster in the Ganga on Makar
Sankranti day that killed at least 24
people is another reminder that safety in
public transport remains a low priority
for governments. As with road accidents, mishaps
in the inland waterways and lakes take a terrible toll
of lives regularly, with no efective administrative
response. In the Ganga Diara tragedy near Patna, a
large number of people had apparently crammed
themselves into a small vessel for a free ride after
witnessing a kite festival. The relief ofered to the
kin of the dead and injured both by the Centre and
the Bihar government should not, however, ob-
scure the fact that the loss of life was entirely the
result of oicial failures. This was obviously the
result of serious neglect of safety norms for which
accountability must be fixed. It is essential that a ju-
dicial commission be constituted to inquire into the
incident, to determine whether the laws on trans-
port using inland waterways are being implemen-
ted and to issue directions for the future. The coun-
try boat involved appears not to have used its
engine at the time of the accident, but the absence
of safety training for operators is painfully evident.
The Centre, which talks of a paradigm shift in
freight and passenger transport using inland water-
ways, should respond to the shameful national re-
cord on boat safety by firmly implementing exist-
ing laws and introducing new measures along with
the States. Just last year it expanded the National
Waterways programme and notified several
stretches of rivers and canals for a new deal for in-
land water transport. Under the amendments to the
colonial-era Inland Vessels Act made in 2007 —
which is to be further modernised — it is incum-
bent on the States to apply some provisions of the
Motor Vehicles Act to accidents, compensation
and insurance against third-party risks for powered
boats. Just as in the case of motor vehicles, registra-
tion of inland vessels other than small personal
non-powered craft must be made mandatory. This
will help enforce construction standards, subsidy
for transport boats, passenger insurance and acci-
dent compensation. In the latest tragedy, the prob-
lem also appears to have been inadequate supply,
which forced people to pack themselves into the
available boats. If this is true, the Bihar government
must own full responsibility and prevent a recur-
rence. The heart-rending spectacle of children and
their kin perishing on what should have been a day
of celebration must stir the conscience of govern-
ments whose duty it is to provide safe and adequate
public transport, and one at which they fail badly.
The Gujarat
ranger battling on with his back to the wall is
a popular figure of American pop culture.
How ironic, then, that this very figure seems
to have become the bane of the country’s
righteous political establishment.
So one man, holed up in the embassy of a
tiny Latin American nation, a man who hasn’t
seen much sunlight in four years, who is un-
der round-the-clock surveillance, and is sub-
ject to arbitrary denial of Internet access, has
managed to swing the presidential election
of the most powerful country in the world in
a direction it ought not to have gone. Or so we
are told by influential sections of the Western
press.
From revolutionary to villain
The past week or so has seen a spate of art-
icles on the so-called unravelling of Julian
Assange, the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks.
They suggest that Hillary Clinton lost the
U.S. presidential election because of him.
Backing this logic is the allegation that
WikiLeaks served as a conduit for dissemin-
ating documents obtained by hackers work-
ing for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The leaked emails and documents of the
Democratic National Committee (DNC)
published by WikiLeaks were damaging
enough to spark the resignation of top Demo-
cratic Party oicials, including the DNC
chair and the communications director.
These leaks, the argument goes, ruined Ms.
Clinton’s electoral prospects, thereby paving
the way for Donald Trump’s triumph.
The Democrats have been saying since
July 2016 that their servers were attacked by
Russian hackers. Last week, the U.S. intelli-
gence community (USIC) oicially con-
firmed the allegation. Kremlin has dismissed
the USIC’s charges as “unfounded”. While
President-elect Donald Trump seemed to ac-
knowledge that Russia may have been in-
volved in the cyber-attacks, he has main-
tained that it had no impact on the elections.
Mr. Assange has denied that he got the leaks
CARTOONSCAPE
If Assange must be criticised, it is
for not giving enough bang for the
buck for his whistle-blowers. He
must ensure that his data troves
are systematically organised
from Russia, and claims that his source was
not a state party. In such a scenario, what one
believes boils down to who one believes,
which, in turn, depends on one’s political or
ideological allegiances — the quintessential
“post-truth” situation.
However, the extraordinary spectacle of
erstwhile liberal hero Assange and current
liberal nightmare Trump on the same side of
the American political divide, with each ap-
pearing to endorse the other’s claim that Rus-
sia had nothing to do with the DNC leaks, had
one immediate outcome: it prompted the
American liberal elite to question Mr. As-
sange’s motives, and cast him as the villain
who collaborated with Mr. Putin to interfere
in the U.S. elections and ensure a Trump vic-
tory. For them, the USIC’s oicial statements
are proof of Mr. Assange’s culpability, attest-
ing to his metamorphosis from idealistic cy-
ber-revolutionary to opportunistic
charlatan.
legedly by a private firm make claims of Mr.
Putin’s involvement in the DNC hacks
without presenting supporting evidence.
The excerpts from the latter, published by
some media outlets, were unverified quotes
by anonymous spies. None of the claims has
been independently authenticated by a me-
dia outlet. And no reason has been given why
reports of Western intelligence agencies
should carry more credibility than the deni-
als of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Second, are Mr. Assange’s motives or cred-
ibility the issue here? If we assume that they
are, then we cannot avoid subjecting his ac-
cusers — the American press and intelli-
gence agencies — to the same test.
In the 10 years of its existence, WikiLeaks
has published more than 10 million classified
documents. Till date, there is not a single in-
stance where its material has been found to
be false or inauthentic. On the other hand, sit-
ting in judgment on Mr. Assange today are
the same media outlets and the same intelli-
gence community that sold to the public
what is arguably the most egregious lie in the
history of journalism — about weapons of
mass destruction in Iraq — which helped jus-
tify a needless, destructive war that con-
sumed tens of thousands of civilian lives, dis-
membered a country, and hatched several
terrorist organisations.
Perhaps it is because the authenticity of
the DNC leaks is beyond question, and their
content raises diicult questions about the
Democratic Party establishment — ques-
tions easier avoided -- that the response has
turned ad hominem, focussing on Mr. As-
sange instead.
It may or may not be true that Mr. Assange
worked with Russia to publish the DNC leaks
with the aim of ensuring a Clinton defeat. Let
us assume that he did. Does it then constitute
an act of villainy or moral trespass?
One could respond, as Mr. Assange has,
with two arguments. First, that American in-
terference in the democratic processes of
of the world.
Liberal commentators have dismissed his
statements as his “Clinton obsession” and the
delusional ranting of a paranoid eccentric.
And yet, a recent report in The Guardian
cites U.S. Defence Department data to the ef-
fect that in 2016 alone, the Obama adminis-
tration dropped 26,171 bombs, or three
bombs an hour. In this context, it is hardly im-
moral for anyone to want to deploy his re-
sources to steer America’s presidential
choice toward a candidate who he thinks
might be less of a military interventionist.
From this viewpoint, which Mr. Assange ap-
pears to hold, undermining the Clinton cam-
paign by sharing secret information that is of
public interest constitutes a perfectly legit-
imate enterprise. Interestingly, Dean Baquet,
the executive editor of The New York Times
has acknowledged that the internal DNC
emails published by WikiLeaks were news-
worthy, and it is quite likely that mainstream
publications would have published them had
they got hold of them first.
It was about new information
What Mr. Assange did — the act for which
he is undergoing trial-by-media — was to
supply relevant but new information about
an electoral candidate so that the American
voter could make an informed choice. One
could argue that he did what the mainstream
media was supposed to do but wasn’t doing
enough of.
In the event, it was the American voter
who made the final choice, a choice that may
or may not have been influenced by the ma-
terial published by Mr. Assange. At any rate,
thanks to the leaks, it was a choice made with
more information than less. No one who be-
lieves in the accountability of political
parties should have a problem with that.
Therefore, to blame Mr. Trump’s victory on
Mr. Assange or, for that matter, on Russia, not
only amounts to a refusal on the part of the
Democrats to take responsibility for the de-
feat, it is also an insult to the American public
that has delivered a mandate from the limited
choices it was given.
If Mr. Assange must be criticised, it must
be for not giving enough bang for the buck, as
it were, for his whistle-blowers. He ought to
be doing more to ensure that his data troves
are systematically analysed and organised in
a user-friendly format, with the significant
bits sifted out from the routine ones. But the
bulk of the data on WikiLeaks’ servers con-
tinues to be inaccessible to the public even as
they remain in the public domain. Second, he
is yet to match the scale of his U.S.-centric
leaks with similar disclosures on its geopolit-
ical rivals such as Russia or China.
However, to blame him for Ms. Clinton’s

cricket model defeat, or to brand him a Trump supporter, is

to wilfully disregard his track record. Mr. As-
sange’s politics has been clear from the day

F
ew would have picked Gujarat to win the
Ranji Trophy when the domestic season
began. It is not one of Indian cricket’s tradi-
tional powerhouses, and underdog stories
seldom sustain themselves over the course of a
long, sapping tournament. When Parthiv Patel’s
side made the final, the popular perception was
that it had gone as far as it could go. For, the title
round, on paper, appeared the most unequal of con-
tests: in one corner, Mumbai, a 41-time champion,
and in the other, Gujarat, here for the first time
since 1951. But Gujarat has paid history little heed
over the last few seasons; indeed, there has been a
concerted efort since Parthiv took over, to break
from the past. The results have followed. Gujarat
won its maiden national title, the Syed Mushtaq Ali
Trophy (Twenty20), in 2012-13 and regained it in
2014-15. It then claimed its first domestic 50-over
title, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, last season. These
breakthroughs helped fill the side with the belief
that the Ranji Trophy, although significantly more
diicult to win, was not an unrealistic ambition. It is
this conviction that proved the diference on a
tense final day as Gujarat pulled of the highest
chase (313 for five) in a Ranji final, consigning
Mumbai to only its fifth runner-up finish.
Parthiv led by example right through, saving his
finest for the tournament’s most important mo-
ment. His 143 in the fourth innings against Mumbai
was a remarkable exhibition of grace under fire. He
has also played a significant role behind the scenes
in Gujarat’s revolution, establishing an honest,
transparent culture within the team. The respons-
ibility for the final decision still rests with the man-
agement, but everyone is encouraged to speak up.
Several domestic sides across India are plagued by
cricketers looking after their interests first and
therefore pulling in diferent directions. Gujarat, by
all accounts, has been successful in addressing this
problem. The team has also ensured that a talented
generation which played junior cricket together
was ofered all the support and patience it needed
to make the transition to the next level. Opener
Priyank Panchal provided the batting spine, top-
ping the Ranji table with 1310 runs, while fast-
bowler Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm spinner Axar
Patel changed the dynamic of the side, adding a cut-
ting edge to the bowling. Gujarat was also not wary
of looking outside the State for solutions. Experi-
enced Uttar Pradesh left-armer R.P. Singh was
signed to both fill in when Bumrah was away on na-
tional duty and mentor the seam-attack. As Parthiv
said after the final, Gujarat had a long-term plan
and the structure to implement it. This was a tri-
umph born from a big dream, and kept alive by a
painstaking attention to detail.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Calendar controversy
Have those who defend or oppose
the incident of the image of
Mahatma Gandhi being replaced
with that of Narendra Modi in the
KVIC calendar and diary done
anything to promote the use of
khadi? Many leaders have done
precious little to fulfil Gandhiji’s
dreams. Incidents of farmer and
weaver deaths, and violence
towards animals in the name of
tradition are some few examples.
The best way to pay real tribute to
the father of the nation would be to
implement his policies with heart
and soul (“Modi mocked for
imitating Gandhi’s pose”, Jan.14).
K. Manasa Saanvi,
Hyderabad
The replacement of the image is in
bad taste. The Mahatma and the
charkha (spinning wheel) are
inseparable. He had made it a
weapon against colonial rule and
foreign goods. He brought in a new
dimension of self-respect and
self-suiciency with that simple
tool. His simple and symbolic act is
what boosted the image of khadi. If
the Prime Minister wants to
emulate him, he can promote
indigenous goods and the spirit of
inclusive growth in his deeds.
Dr. D.V.G. Sankara Rao,
Nellimarla, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh
Bullfighting debate
The letters published for and
against the ban on jallikattu make,
at best, interesting reading. The
anti-ban brigade vouches for the
fact that this “rural sport”
symbolises grit, determination, will
power and what have you, and even
swears by photographic evidence.
The upholders of the ban are
questioning the valour involved and
claim that there is little diference
between taming and torture. While
one party describes the whole afair
as nothing but a friendly race, the
opposite camp projects it as a gory
fight aimed at maiming the hapless
animal. Whatever be the merits of
the case, the stark reality is that the
animal has literally no “say” in the
matter.
R. Rajaraman,
Bengaluru
Jallikattu is a dangerous sport
where bulls are kicked, punched
and dragged to the ground. They
are deliberately disoriented with
intoxicants and have torture
inflicted on them.
Such acts are a flagrant violation of
the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act, 1960. Local parties
which have been batting for this
sport under the excuse of culture
and tradition have only been doing
so with the ulterior motive of
cashing in on votes. If our rural
youth wish to display their valour
they can always join the army rather
than take part in a foolhardy sport
such as jallikattu.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
The contention that the bull is
“embraced” by a tamer for 30
seconds or 15 feet, whichever is
longer and hence there is no cruelty
involved, is a fallacious argument.
The way a tamer “embraces” a bull
in order to tame it, i.e. holding its
tail and horns and clinging to its
body, itself is an act of cruelty.
Further who is going to monitor,
and how, that the taming is only for
30 seconds or 15 feet? What action is
proposed if it is beyond that? In
case of untoward incidents to
humans or bulls in the process, who
would be held responsible?
B. Harish,
Mangaluru
The fact is that most people who are
against jallikattu do not seem to
mind enjoying steak for dinner or
have beef as a protein source.
Article 51A(g) of the Constitution
also asks citizens to have
“compassion for living creatures”. If
love for animals is indubitable and
such people respect the law so
much, why are they not voicing
their opinion to close slaughter
houses?
There are 37 pure cattle breeds in
India. Unless we engage with the
traditional livestock keepers and
support them, we will lose these
breeds to commercial dairies and
allow slaughterhouses to dominate
the show.
The intricate connect can be seen
between these events and farming
stud bulls. The ones that win in
jallikattu are most preferred by
he founded WikiLeaks, and it hasn’t changed
since. He believes that the biggest threats to
democracy and freedom are the twin phe-
nomena of mass surveillance for the power-
less and secrecy for the powerful. He has
made a career out of reversing this paradigm:
transparency for the powerful and anonym-
ity for the dissenting citizen. His personal
motive for publishing the DNC leaks,
whatever it may be, is evidently not one that
is inconsistent with his stated mission of
making secrecy a losing proposition for gov-
erning elites.
sampath.g@thehindu.co.in
farmers. The calves from such bulls
are in demand as they will be used Food quality
as draught animals in transport and BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav’s
farming. video clip is a wake-up call to the
top brass in all our defence
Jayendra,
Madurai establishments. The daily ration
allowance of ₨95 is peanuts to say
the least. The Comptroller and
Budget before polls Auditor General has also pulled up
Once a notification about an the Indian Army over the dismal
election comes into force, it is the quality of food that was being
convention that the courts do not served to troops. When viewed
interfere and all the decisions against this backdrop, Yadav has
relating to the conduct of the done nothing wrong and it is time
election and what comes within the for the government to clean up
ambit and definition of the model army kitchens, both literally and
code of conduct rests with the figuratively.
Election Commission (“So what’s M. Somasekhar Prasad,
the big deal about advancing the Badvel, Andhra Pradesh
Budget, asks SC”, Jan.14). There is
indeed a big deal in the advancing
of the Union Budget given the Zoo tales
announcement to elections to five To one who has become cynical and
States. It was a deliberate ploy, disillusioned with the daily dose of
thought out well in advance. While the social and economic unrest
the model code of conduct can which has become a part of our
technically be confined to the States daily life, the article on the hyena
where elections are going to be cub, Ayush, came as a refreshing
held, the efects of budgetary indication that things are not so
concessions are pan-Indian in dismal after all (‘Ground Zero’ –
character. Examples are waiver of “The hyena has the last laugh”,
agriculture loans and enhancement Jan.14). There are still areas to be
of IT limits. happy and optimistic about. The
It is a puerile argument that nothing vigil the zoo authorities kept to
would be announced relating to ensure that Ayush bounced back is
those States which are election the story of animal conservation at
bound. Moreover the BJP, when in its best. Highlighting this unsung
opposition, took the same stand as efort in animal conservation and
what the Opposition is demanding devoting a page to this topic shows
now. that The Hindu cares.
V.N. Gopal, S. Rajaram,
Chennai Chennai
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017

FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR The identity-based numbers game

When the primary source In U.P.’s Upper Doab, there is a complex relationship between religious polarisation and voting behaviour
is a problem
Aidan White, director of the Ethical Journalism Net-
work, has been at the forefront for nearly three decades
in establishing the ground rules for handling sources.
“Good journalism is only ever as good as our sources of
information,” he wrote. “Most of those sources are per- NEELANJAN BHANU
sonal, many are oicial, and some will be anonymous SIRCAR JOSHI
A.S.
PANNEERSELVAN whistle-blowers. Together they provide reporters with
the lifeblood of their trade — reliable, accurate and About 20km outside of Meerut, in the
truthful information.” My own yardstick to evaluate sleepy town of Sardhana, lies one of In-
sources is based on three key issues: accuracy, fairness and public interest dia’s most spectacular churches, the Ba-
in reporting. silica of Our Lady of Graces. The Cath-
The time, however, has come to go beyond conventional wisdom. Till re- olic church, completed in 1822, was built
cently, a reporter could neatly demarcate oicial information from the gov- by Begum Samru, a nautch girl born a
ernment from other additional information. The rules about sources apply Muslim who improbably rose to become
for only the latter as the former is assumed to be a factual statement put out a feared military commander who ruled
in the public domain by the state apparatus. But what happens if the over a small principality for over 50
primary source, the government, puts out contradicting facts? years. The Begum is said to have ruled in
an even-handed manner, distributing
Confusion over editions her largesse to Protestants, Catholics,
A number of readers asked us to clarify a contradiction that had crept in Hindus, and Muslims alike, with a par-
with regard to the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Bengaluru — whether it ticular interest in educational causes.
was the 14th or the 15th edition of the meet as given in the front-page story, But nothing of the harmonious co-ex-
“Note ban critics revere black money: PM”, and in the Editorial page main istence of religions that once character-
article, “Revisiting a passage from India” (Jan. 9, 2017), respectively. In our ised Sardhana is left, as the area has suc-
Corrections and Clarifications column on cumbed to manufactured “ancient
Jan. 11, 2017, we said that it was the 15th PBD. What happens if hatred” between Hindus and Muslims.
From where, then, did the reporter get the in- the primary source, Communal riots last occurred in Sard-
formation that this was the 14th PBD? The of- hana in June 2004, and the 2013 com-
ficial flyer issued by the Government of India the government, munal riots in nearby Muzafarnagar,
said that it was the 14th edition and the re- puts out which claimed the lives of more than 60
porter reported it. people (the majority of whom were RESOLUTE: “Few voters are uncertain about their vote choice in Upper Doab.” Farmers in Baghpat district. PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The website of the Ministry of External Af-
contradicting facts? Muslim), looms large.
fairs, which conducts the PBD, listed 14 earlier PBDs held between 2003 and of appeals are diferent. While voters which most people are strategic voters,
2016. It also had the keynote address by External Afairs Minister Sushma Politics in Upper Doab Voters can hold politicians can hold politicians promising develop- one expects only two competitive
Swaraj delivered on January 10, 2016 to mark the 14th edition. The an- Sardhana is part of the Upper Doab accountable by demanding ment accountable by demanding visible parties to be there in an AC and a region.
nouncements in various Indian embassies across the world called the latest region of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), which in- evidence, but identity politics evidence, identity politics can persist on The history of multiple parties and com-
edition in Bengaluru the 15th PBD. The websites of the Indian embassies in cludes the districts of Baghpat, Buland- rumour and polarisation alone. petitive candidates within an AC in Up-
Italy, Portugal and Senegal sought nomination for Pravasi Bharatiya Sam- shahr, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, can persist on rumour and per Doab suggests a fair amount of iden-
man Awards that would be conferred during the 15th edition of the PBD Hapur, Meerut, Muzafarnagar, Saharan- polarisation alone Sincere and strategic voters tity-based voting in most elections.
convention to be held on 7-9 January, 2017 in Bengaluru. What was lost in pur, and Shamli. Doab literally means But the BJP certainly doesn’t seem as In the next village, we chat with a
this number debate was the fact that the Government of India decided to two rivers, and this region, nestled Religious polarisation taps into an popular here as it did in 2014. Just a few Muslim village elder and his associates
have a diferent format for the PBD — the event would be held in diferent between the Yamuna and the Ganga, is emotional response from the voter and minutes from the young Thakur men, over a cup of tea and biscuits, where
States every two years and a smaller event would be held in Delhi every al- as fertile agriculturally as it is politically, can be driven by hearsay and rumour. At we chance upon a group of men from the they lay out an explicitly strategic ra-
ternate year. Last year, despite earlier reports to the contrary, a PBD was in- yielding leaders like Mayawati and an a tea stall in Purqazi, the shop owner Jatav community conversing next to a tionale for voting. Given the religious
deed held in Delhi, albeit on a much smaller scale, in which the British Em- extraordinarily complex party dynamic. tells us about an incident in which BSP oice. Most of them had supported polarisation here, the elder was clear:
ployment Minister, Priti Patel, was the chief guest. Upper Doab has 44 assembly con- Muslim men were bathing naked in the the BJP in 2014, and speak positively of “The job of Muslims is to defeat the BJP.
stituencies (ACs) out of a total of 403 local canal, from which they were eve- Mr. Yadav’s work, but will all vote for the We will vote for whoever has a better
Events that led to demonetisation electable ACs in U.P. In the 2012 U.P. As- teasing women. He personally led a BSP this time. They feel that the cross- chance of winning.” An associate added
There were queries asking us to give the correct sequence of events that sembly election, the votes in this region group of men to the nearby Muslim vil- caste coalition promoted by the BJP is a an implicit endorsement of the SP: “For
led to the November 8 announcement of demonetisation. Readers wanted split among five parties: Mayawati’s lage to “address the situation”. He views sham, and say they’ve learned their les- us, a BSP vote is only to defeat the BJP.
to know why the column “Fifty days later” (Jan 12, 2017) contradicted an Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won 17 seats, his support for the BJP as a way of keep- sons. One of them tells us, “In U.P., votes They do no work.” A particular fear cen-
earlier report, “Demonetisation is in national interest, govt. says in Rajya the currently ruling Samajwadi Party ing the bade log (decision-makers) in are based on biradri, and people are ex- ters around SP splitting between Mu-
Sabha” (November 16, 2016). The November report was about what Power (SP) won 10, the Bharatiya Janata Party BSP and SP, who only seek to appease pected to vote for their biradri.” Al- layam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav,
Minister Piyush Goyal, as a member of the treasury bench, spoke on the (BJP) won 9, Congress 5, and the Muslims, at bay. Of course, we are un- though we did sense less enthusiasm for as this would split sincere Muslim
floor of the House. He said that it was the Reserve Bank of India that gave Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), a largely Jat able to verify anything. The story is the BSP as compared to elections past. voters and create complicated calcula-
the proposal to the government and when the proposal came before the party led by Ajit Singh that was in alli- strikingly similar to the catalyst for the Political scientists make a distinction tions for strategic Muslim voters, espe-
Cabinet, it was approved. ance with Congress, won 3 seats. 2013 Muzafarnagar riots. These sorts of between “sincere” and “strategic” cially vis-a-vis the BSP (which is fielding
The January column was the reconstruction of the sequence of events Like the rest of U.P., Upper Doab was claims dot many of our conversations, voters. A sincere voter is one who has an a large number of Muslim candidates).
that emerged from a few replies to RTIs, and the Parliamentary Standing swept up in the Modi wave in the 2014 and it soon becomes clear that it emotional connection to a political Upper Doab displays the complex re-
Committee on Finance. Three key facts in that column are: the RBI received national election, with the BJP display- wouldn’t take much to start a serious party, irrespective of the competitive- lationship between religious polarisa-
a letter from the government on November 7, 2016 that advised the Central ing an extraordinary consolidation of conflagration around here like in 2013. ness of the party. A voter who selects a tion and voting behavior, but there is
Bank to withdraw the legal tender of ₨500 and ₨1,000 notes in circulation; votes. The BJP won every parliamentary Back in a village around Sardhana, a party purely based on a religious or still some time until the voters go to the
despite working with a depleted strength of just three out of 10 independent constituency (PC) in the region, and it group of young men from the Thakur caste-based connection to the party is a polling booth. Ultimately, unlike many
members due to vacancies, the RBI Board met the next day and gave its con- won 42 out of the 44 AC segments (the community is all praise for Chief Minis- sincere one, although calling such other regions in U.P., we observe very
sent to convert more than 80 per cent of the cash into paper; and the RBI other 2 went to Congress in Saharan- ter Akhilesh Yadav. We are chatting next voters “sincere” in this context may few voters who remain uncertain about
had received no reference, call for views, or information from the govern- pur). There is some evidence that the to a newly built, smooth village road that seem like a bad joke. their vote choice (or strategy). This sug-
ment on demonetisation prior to November 7. BJP benefitted from religious polarisa- is credited to Mr. Yadav. But these young Strategic voters are those who don’t gests that the parties will fine-tune their
There is no contradiction in the newspaper. It reported Mr. Goyal’s tion in the region in 2014. The BJP polled men are all voting for the BJP. One of want to waste their votes on candidates appeals according to the identity-based
speech in Parliament, in which he clearly said that it was the RBI that runs an average of 51 per cent in Upper Doab them complains, “When four Muslims who have no chance of winning, so they arithmetic discussed in detail above,
the monetary policy and it was the RBI’s board that took the decision to de- and 43 per cent across U.P. in 2014. Fur- die, 15 lakhs get deposited in their ac- vote for the preferred candidate among and the election here is likely to turn on
monetise ₨500 and ₨1,000 notes. The report was given prominence because thermore, BJP’s Sanjeev Kumar Balyan count. When Hindus die, no one even the top two competitive candidates. For the party that plays the numbers the
the speech was made in the presence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. polled over 56 per cent of the votes in asks about us.” This is obviously unsub- instance, the BSP’s supposed coalition right way.
Journalists report parliamentary proceedings. each AC segment in the PC of Muzaf- stantiated. As Britain and the U.S. are of Dalits and upper caste Hindus in elec-
The twin acts of fact-checking and contextualising an issue follow policy farnagar, winning each area handily. In now learning, identity politics can be an tions past seems at least partially a func- Neelanjan Sircar and Bhanu Joshi are affiliated with
pronouncements and their rationale by the government. The duration 2012, the BJP had won just one of the efective foil for appeals based on eco- tion of upper caste Hindus strategically the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in Delhi. Ashish
Ranjan, also with CPR, contributed to this article.
between the government’s pronouncement and an informed critique of the ACs in Muzafarnagar, Sardhana. nomic development. But the two types voting for BSP against SP. In a world in
same depends partly on the levels of transparency of the state apparatus
and partly on the journalists’ ability to access facts, figures, the sequence of
events and the details of internal discussions within the government. I do
not see journalistic lapses in these two cases. The state apparatus cannot
abdicate its responsibility of providing the correct picture. One can under-
stand the need for secrecy to take a colossal decision like demonetisation.
But once the deed is done, the onus to explain both the rationale and the
Smoking e-cigarettes is injurious to health
modus operandi of the decision lies with the government. In the absence of clear evidence on the efect of e-cigarettes on tobacco de-addiction, the sale of these
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in products must be accompanied by accurate health warnings

dated under COTPA, have been highly

FROM THE ARCHIVES
(dated January 16, 1967)
U.S. team urges
Johnson to allocate
more grain to India
The three-man Congressional
team which visited India in
December is understood to have
urged President Johnson to
allocate to India another 1.7
million tonnes of grain (in
addition to the 900,000 tonnes
allocated on December 22). The
group wanted to make sure that
India would thus have adequate
food supplies not only during the
crucial period of the Indian
elections but also until the end of
June. The 900,000 tonnes
sanctioned in December would
last until the middle of March.
At the rate of 700,000 tonnes a
month, India would need another
2.5 million tonnes for the period
from mid-March to the end of
June. With the United States
providing 1.7 million tonnes of
this, it was apparently the
Congressional team’s hope that
the balance of 800,000 tonnes
would be provided or paid for by
other rich countries.
India steadily
replacing military
equipment
The Chief of the Army Staf,
Gen. P.P. Kumaramangalam,
yesterday [January 14] asked the
Army personnel to look after their
equipment well. He said it was
heartening to note that most of
the equipment came from
indigenous production.
There was no significant
expansion of the Army at present
and new equipment was steadily
coming in to replace the old out-
of-date equipment which had to
be retained out of necessity
during 1962.
Addressing the Army Day
parade here [New Delhi], he said
they could serve the nation by
conserving food and equipment
which cost the nation money. The
General assured those personnel
who came from drought-stricken
areas that everything was being
done to ensure that adequate food
was available to their families,
who lived there.
Satellite positioned
in space
A new Early Bird-type
communications satellite has
been stationed over the Pacific
Ocean, and is expected to be
ready for commercial use in about
two weeks’ time.
Jubilant oicials of the
Communications Satellite
Corporation (Com-sat)
announced late last night [January
14] that the satellite named
Intelvsat-two had been
successfully positioned in
synchronous equatorial orbit near
the international dateline and “all
on-board communications
systems appear to be functioning
properly.”
SHREYA GARG
Technology has permeated every nook
and corner of our lives. It is even chan-
ging the way people smoke, whether for
the better or worse is yet to be determ-
ined. Electronic nicotine delivery sys-
tems (ENDS), the most common proto-
type of which are e-cigarettes, are the
new-age formula for people trying to
quit smoking. However, they present a
simultaneous promise and threat in the
world of tobacco control. Although they
are projected as ‘tobacco cessation’
products by various sellers, including
tobacco giants themselves, the lack of
concrete evidence in support of this
claim coupled with the absence of any
regulatory approval for their use make
them a serious public health threat. This
is especially the case when one con-
siders the increasing import of e-cigar-
ettes into the country. Market research
also projects the compound annual
growth rate of the Indian e-cigarette in-
dustry at 63.38 per cent in the period
2013-2018 (Research and Markets Re-
port on E-cigarette Market in India
2014-2018).
Danger without warning
As e-cigarettes contain nicotine and
not tobacco, they do not fall within the
ambit of the Cigarettes and Other To-
bacco Products (Prohibition of Advert-
isement and Regulation of Trade and
Commerce, Production, Supply and Dis-
tribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), which
mandates stringent health warnings on
the packaging and advertisements of to-
bacco products. Most e-commerce web-
sites sell e-cigarettes as therapeutic
products which enable people to quit
smoking. We went through 26 promin-
ent and easily accessible e-commerce
websites that sell e-cigarettes to study
whether these products were sold with
WARNING: “The current unregulated sale of e-cigarettes is dangerous for a country
like India where the number of smokers is on the decline.” PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA
appropriate health warnings. The res-
ults of the survey are not heartening.
Of the websites, 50 per cent have no
health warnings on the consumption of
e-cigarettes despite the fact that these
products contain nicotine. Eight addi-
tional websites, which comprise 30 per
cent of the dataset, display warnings in
an inaccessible manner. These websites
carry health warnings stating the addict-
ive properties of nicotine and other ill
efects of e-cigarettes (including the
warning that e-cigarettes are not meant
for non-smokers) but do not display
them as a part of the description of the
product. Instead, these warnings are dis-
played at the bottom of the web page or
clubbed with the section on terms and
conditions, unlikely to be noticed by a
regular buyer. In one case, the health
warning was incorrect, stating that
“nicotine does not pose major health is-
sues even at a higher volume of con-
sumption.” Other dangers posed by e-ci-
garettes, which do not feature in the
health warnings, are the possibilities of
the product exploding (incidents have
been reported globally) and accidental
consumption of the liquid inside the e-
Pictorial health warnings and
advertisements have been
highly effective in increasing
awareness of the health risks
of tobacco
cigarette, which leads to death.
The current unregulated sale of e-ci-
garettes is dangerous for a country like
India where the number of smokers is
on the decline (WHO Global Report,
2015) as it increases the possibility of e-
cigarettes becoming a gateway for
smoking by inducing nicotine addiction
and perpetuating smoking by making it
more attractive, thereby encouraging
persons to become users of tobacco as
well as e-cigarettes. In the absence of
clearer evidence on the efect of e-cigar-
ettes on tobacco cessation, it is imperat-
ive that their sale be accompanied by ac-
curate health warnings. This is
especially relevant in India, where data
in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey
2009-2010 suggests that tobacco control
laws, particularly the pictorial health
warnings and advertisements, man-
efective in increasing awareness of the
health risks of tobacco (smoking as well
as non-smoking). More than 70 per cent
of persons surveyed noticed health
warnings on cigarettes, while approxim-
ately a quarter thought of quitting on
seeing this warning. The efectiveness
of such warnings in ultimately reducing
tobacco consumption has also been con-
firmed by the WHO.
The way forward
The Indian government has been
slow to respond. Since the first declara-
tion of its intention to ban e-cigarettes
containing nicotine in 2014, only Maha-
rashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Punjab
have implemented the ban. The State
governments are adopting diferent
routes: Punjab has classified nicotine as
a poison, while Maharashtra treats it as
an unapproved drug. Lack of a uniform
approach in dealing with this public
health problem will not only jeopardise
the health of the people, but will also en-
able the sellers of such products slip
through the holes. The unaccountable
delay in taking an action in this regard is
a reflection of the apathy of the govern-
ments towards a serious and potential
public health problem.
In this light, it is recommended that
first, the Indian government impose ap-
propriate restrictions on the sale and ad-
vertisement, online and otherwise, of e-
cigarettes, including proper health
warnings, in order to plug the existing
regulatory vacuum. This should be done
with immediate efect, and simultan-
eously the government should also com-
mission independent scientific research
on the benefits and risks posed by these
products in the Indian context. On the
basis of this research, it may then make
an informed decision regarding their
regulation as tobacco imitation
products or as therapeutic products.
Shreya Garg, Research Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for
Legal Policy.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

The pragmatist’s pivot to India

T U E S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 7 , 2 0 1 7
Coming home for
While Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s death comes as a blow to Iran’s reformists, the template of
Tehran-New Delhi ties established during his presidency is likely to endure geopolitical shifts
powerful Supreme National Security Coun- sanjani’s. India’s warm welcome to both was
cil and deputy speaker of parliament, paid a itself a foreshadowing of what, a decade later,
SHASHANK JOSHI visit to India. Iran’s now-President spoke his would come to be called multi-alignment.
mind: on the “persecution” of minorities, on Rafsanjani did not single-handedly change
the Babri Masjid, and on the importance of the relationship. Structural factors, such as
The death of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on
India-Pakistan talks, including “true” repres-
entatives of Kashmiris, such as the Hurriyat
India’s economic liberalisation and the situ-
ation in Afghanistan, were more important.

the first time January 8 was a landmark for the Islamic Re-
public of Iran. Rafsanjani was a pivotal figure
in the country’s path since the 1979 revolu-
Conference, to resolve the conflict in the Val-
ley. This “unfortunate departure from diplo-
matic norms”, as one Indian newspaper put it
But as a relative pragmatist, he was able to
overcome those in Tehran who had argued
for a tilt to Pakistan and a continued focus on

N
avjot Singh Sidhu might now describe
himself as a “born Congressman” and
his joining the Congress as “homecom-
ing”, but he is without doubt driven
more by personal ambition than by ideological fer-
vour. After quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party, a
constituent of the ruling combine in Punjab led by
the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Sidhu explored virtu-
ally every political option — floating a new outfit
and joining the Aam Aadmi Party — before finally
teaming up with the Congress, which was until re-
cently his main rival. He left the BJP and resigned as
a Member of Parliament saying he was being asked
to stay away from his home State of Punjab by the
party leadership. But it was not as if he has been
spending a lot of his time since then in Punjab. The
cricketer-turned-politician is a television personal-
ity as well, and his professional commitments have
taken him elsewhere for much of the last few
months. No matter how he tries to present his
switch of political loyalties, Mr. Sidhu will have a
credibility issue tagging him right through his cam-
paign in Punjab. He has been less than entirely hon-
est about his reasons for leaving the BJP, his brief
interlude with the AAP, and his new-found love for
the Congress. So, instead of harping on peeves such
as the treatment he received in the BJP, when he
was asked to vacate his Amritsar Lok Sabha seat for
Arun Jaitley, Mr. Sidhu may opt to play to his
strengths as a star campaigner than portray himself
as an administrator-in-waiting.
Mr. Sidhu has his uses as a public speaker to the
Congress, but he will be unwilling to limit his role
to punchlines and throwaway insults. The AAP did
not want to promise to make him its chief minis-
terial candidate, and similarly the Congress seems
reluctant to publicly commit on giving him the post
of deputy chief minister (the chief minister’s post is
non-negotiable given Captain Amarinder Singh’s
status within the party). For a man of his ambitions,
Mr. Sidhu could well find himself running too often
into conflicts within the Congress, which is never
short of regional satraps and middle-rung leaders
aspiring to climb to the top. What he brings to the
table as a campaigner will be a huge plus for the
Congress, but it remains to be seen how big a bite he
will want of the post-election pie. But for Mr. Sidhu,
as for the Congress, the first task is to get the better
of the SAD-BJP combine by capitalising on the anti-
incumbency sentiment, and highlighting the
agrarian crisis and the drug menace enveloping the
State. The post-election fight can wait.
Vagaries of
the job market
tion: a founding father, a military leader in the
war with Iraq, and twice President. More pa-
rochially, his presidency also saw a historic
shift in ties with India, laying the ground-
work for the cooperation that has unfolded,
haltingly, over the past 20 years.
From radical to moderate
Rafsanjani’s two nicknames, “Akbar Shah”
and “the shark”, convey his blend of power,
cunning, and adaptability. His funeral last
week drew more than two million people,
comparable only to that of Ayatollah
Khomeini in 1989. But in his most recent
political incarnation, Rafsanjani was also a
source of support for Iran’s beleaguered re-
formists. The man who had helped elevate
Ali Khamenei after Khomeini’s death,
presided over an assassination spree of dis-
sidents at home and in Europe, refused to lift
the fatwa on Salman Rushdie, and was fam-
ously, fabulously, corrupt — this same man
became, in the final decade of his life, a totem
of pragmatism, moderation, and reform.
It was Rafsanjani who warned that Mah-
moud Ahmadinejad’s victory in 2009 would
bring “Islamic fascism”, blamed the Bashar
al-Assad regime for the use of chemical
weapons in 2013, and supported Hassan
Rouhani’s successful bid for the presidency
that same year. He was pushed to the margins
of politics, had two of his children jailed, and
was blocked from returning to the presid-
ency himself. And so the mourners thronging
the streets of the capital last Tuesday —
never a comfortable sight for the regime —
included the rare sight of supporters of the
CARTOONSCAPE
With Rouhani seeking re-election
this year, and hardliners breathing
down his neck, it’s not difficult to
imagine a spiral of U.S. and Iranian
steps that leads to its unravelling
Green Movement, crushed by force in 2009,
and vocal critics of Russia, alongside which
Iran is fighting in Syria.
Transforming ties with India
Rafsanjani’s flexibility also played a role in
the evolution of Iran’s ties with India. In the
early 1990s, the situation was delicate. In
September 1993, P.V. Narasimha Rao became
the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Iran
since the revolution. This, President Rafsan-
jani noted, was “a turning point”. In March
1994, Iran bailed out India in the UN Com-
mission on Human Rights, blocking a con-
sensus on Kashmir. Five months later, in Au-
gust, this bonhomie was interrupted.
Mr. Rouhani, then secretary of Iran’s
at the time, cast a pall over relations. Worse
still, in October, Rafsanjani cancelled his own
visit, concerned at being associated too
closely with India while the then Organiza-
tion of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was
preparing once more to censure India on
Kashmir. The snub was taken badly in India.
But within a year, things had changed. Per-
haps the Taliban’s spectacular advance in
Afghanistan by then with the support of
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence had
concentrated minds in both countries. And
so, in April 1995, Rafsanjani finally arrived in
New Delhi, to be greeted by Prime Minister
Rao himself. It turned out to be a landmark
visit. Speaking to over 10,000 Shias at Luc-
know’s Bara Imambara — and promising ₨10
million for its upkeep — Rafsanjani gave an
unexpected endorsement of Indian secular-
ism, dodged a Pakistani journalist’s question
on the Babri Masjid (“I believe there is no
need for further propaganda in this regard”),
and even praised India’s “serious will” on
Kashmir while dismissing Pakistan’s call for
American mediation.
In substantive terms, Rafsanjani signed a
three-way India-Iran-Turkmenistan transit
agreement, allowing India to avoid Russian
or Ukrainian ports. He also urged a Tehran-
Delhi-Beijing axis — his proposal, sand-
wiched between India’s 1993 and 1996 border
agreements with China, was perhaps less
quixotic than it looks today. Indian oicials,
in turn, batted away American criticism of
Iran, going so far as to mock then U.S. Treas-
ury Secretary Robert Rubin for complaining
that his trip to Delhi had coincided with Raf-
Kashmir and communal issues. Although
Ayatollah Khamenei would make a pointed
intervention on Kashmir in 2010, calling it a
“nation” and comparing it to Gaza, I can find
no account of Rafsanjani’s successors, Mr.
Ahmadinejad and Mr. Rouhani, of doing any-
thing similar. In fact, Rafsanjani’s trip marked
several themes that would shape India-Ira-
nian relations for the next two decades. One
was economic diplomacy focussed on con-
nectivity, energy, and trade. Another was mu-
tual concern over the future of Afghanistan,
and Pakistan’s role there. A third was India’s
efort — not always successful — to prevent
relations with Washington and Tehran from
interfering with one another. How have these
developed?
Economic diplomacy
Economic diplomacy has only grown in
importance, as a rising India has looked to
Central Asia and Iran has emerged from the
sanctions straightjacket. This explains last
May’s historic agreement over the Chabahar
port, even if Iran is considerably more re-
laxed than India about Gwadar, China’s re-
gional infrastructure plans, and the Chinese
navy’s presence in the Indian Ocean. Last
year, India’s oil imports from Iran trebled
from the previous year, pushing it into fourth
place in the ranking of Indian suppliers, and
there is pressure on the Reserve Bank of In-
dia to allow Iranian banks to open branches
in India, which would boost the relatively
modest amount of bilateral trade.
Afghanistan is a more complicated story,
with Tehran now openly flirting with parts of
the Taliban even as Delhi and Kabul draw
closer together. Recall that Taliban leader
Mullah Akhtar Mansour’s death in a U.S.
drone strike in May 2016 came as he was re-
turning to Balochistan from Iran, possibly
after a long stay. Although Taliban delega-
tions have been coming to Iran for years, they
attended December’s International Islamic
Unity Conference in Tehran with no semb-
lance of secrecy.
As for the Tehran-Washington balancing
act, this has eased in recent years as the
Obama administration in the U.S. has taken a
softer approach. With Boeing and Airbus
queuing up to sell to Iran, it’s easier for India
to do so. But Donald Trump will assume the
presidency in three days, surrounded by con-
genital Iran hawks such as National Security
Advisor Michael Flynn, Defence Secretary
James Mattis, and CIA Director Mike Pom-
peo. Within the past few days, President-
elect Trump has repeated, to a British news-
paper, his view that Barack Obama’s nuclear
deal with Iran is “one of the worst deals ever
made”. He will not rip it up on Inauguration
Day. Neither Europe nor Mr. Trump’s appar-
ent hero, Russian President Vladimir Putin,
would agree to a reimposition of sanctions.
But with Mr. Rouhani seeking re-election this

T
he mismatch between the number of year, and hardliners breathing down his neck,
people who annually reach working age it’s not diicult to imagine a spiral of U.S. and
Iranian steps that leads to its unravelling.
and the availability of jobs has been a
Will the self-styled arch-dealmaker demand
matter of constant concern globally dur- that American support to India on Pakistan
ing the better part of the period since the global fin- require a quid pro quo from India on Iran?
ancial crisis of the last decade. The International
Labour Organisation’s latest forecast that a few Shashank Joshi is a Senior Research Fellow of the Royal
more millions are set to join the pool of the jobless United Services Institute in London.

during this year and the next, is in line with its own
previous estimates. In any case, with the growth in
global gross domestic product registering a six-
year low in 2016, expectations of generation of new
jobs were always going to be low. But a no-less-seri-
ous concern in the ‘World Employment and Social
Outlook 2017’ pertains to the stubborn challenge of
reducing the extent of vulnerability that currently
afects about 42 per cent of the total working popu-
lation. This concern refers to lack of access to con-
tributory social protection schemes among the
self-employed and allied categories, unlike their
counterparts in the wage-earning and salaried
classes. The former segment accounts for nearly 50
per cent of workers in the emerging economies and
80 per cent in developing countries. The hardships
faced by these 1.4 billion working people will be-
come more apparent when seen in the backdrop of
either the absence of strong welfare legislation or
its efective enforcement in a majority of these
countries. It is no surprise that besides Sub-Saha-
ran Africa, South Asia has been the most afected by
such volatile conditions.
To be sure, the overall share of these vulnerable
workers dropped from 46 per cent of total employ-
ment in 2015 to 42 per cent in 2016. But the latest re-
port projects only a mere 0.2 percentage point rate
of reduction through 2017-18. In comparison, it says
the proportion of the population in jobs character-
ised by vulnerability declined by an average annual
rate of 0.5 percentage points in the previous decade.
As a result of the relatively slow reversal rates in
more recent years, these numbers are projected to
increase globally by 11 million a year. The other im-
plication of an increase in the number of people fa-
cing vulnerable working conditions is the real
danger this poses of a slowdown in reducing the in-
cidence of working poverty. It is this celebrated rise
in income levels in the lowest rungs of the popula-
tion that lent the current phase of globalisation the
social and political legitimacy, a phase that has oth-
erwise posed the risks of economic dislocation and
unprecedented mass migration. The challenge for
policymakers worldwide is to ensure that incomes
do not fall below the levels of basic subsistence as
the world marches towards the poverty reduction
targets under the 2030 Sustainable Development
Goals.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
No smoking
In an era of evidence-based health
studies, e-cigarettes occupying a
large market without substantial
field studies on its efects and safety
is an issue of concern. To overcome
the problems mentioned in the
article, “Smoking e-cigarettes is
injurious to health” (Jan.16), the
government should issue guidelines.
There should also be a strong
information and awareness
campaign. However, there is a need
to reduce smoking, for which there
needs to be strong legislation along
with eforts to usher in attitudinal
and behavioural changes. All
stakeholders — family, society,
educational institutions, civil society
and NGOs — need to ensure a
smoke-free, healthy and happy
future for all.
Dr. Arpit Jain,
New Delhi
Army Chief’s warning
The move by the Army Chief, Bipin
Rawat, warning soldiers against
airing their concerns on social
media, seems to be a knee-jerk
reaction (“Rawat warns of
crackdown, but another video
surfaces”, Jan.16). Rather than
looking at better means to address
the issues being highlighted by the
foot soldiers of the Indian Army, it is
strange how the chief seems to be
more concerned about shielding the
“status quo” of menial traditions
being followed within the army.
How does tradition build bonds or
even ensure discipline? While there
is so much talk about modernising
our armed forces, incidents which
highlight the absence of basic needs
show the “lack of organisational
modernity” within our forces. There
is also a need to realise that these
soldiers are not taking to social
media out of some sudden craze but
rather out of frustration with
existing grievance redress
mechanisms. Silencing such voices
by issuing threats of punishment is
adopting an “ostrich-like approach”
towards the darker realities.
Abhilash Thimmaiah,
New Delhi
The warning will only afect the
morale of jawans. That jawans have
ample opportunities to register their
grievances is false and imaginary. It
is well known that our jawans live an
“orderly life” throughout their
career. Superior oicers need to look
at ground realities and ensure that
jawans get what they want and
deserve.
B. Prabha,
Varkala, Kerala
The fact that an authority as high
and credible as the CAG has
reported on “poor quality food”
points to something murky.
Considering the stupendous task,
responsibility, vigil and strenuous
eforts our soldiers put in to ensure
the nation’s security, they need to be
kept in good stead and treated with
honour and dignity. Good sense
should prevail upon the authorities
concerned to ensure that our jawans
are given fresh and nutritious food.
R. Sampath,
Chennai
It is demeaning to get army jawans to
carry out menial jobs such as
washing clothes, polishing shoes and
walking dogs of oicers. If
repression is continued for too long
without redressing grievances, it
may lead to undesirable
consequences, in turn afecting
discipline within the forces.
T.S.C. Bose,
Hyderabad
The soldiers have only highlighted
their grievances and not committed
any crime. Far from providing
succour to personnel who toil in
inhospitable terrains, such “threats”
will only demoralise them further.
The sahayak system was a
manifestation of the colonial era and
it is time to give this unfair practice a
quiet burial. Steps need to be taken
to ameliorate the sufering that
jawans undergo.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Tiruchi
All is not well with the Indian Army.
Over a period, both the Army
authorities and the government have
ignored soldiers and their welfare.
The One Rank ,One Pension
movement has further created a
deep void between the oicer cadre
and jawans. Leaving behind his
ostrich-like mentality, the Army
Chief must recognise the low morale
and take corrective steps. It is not
the machines and the oicers who
matter the most but the jawans, the
JCOs and the field oicers who are
the real teeth in any war.
A.M. Manohar,
Hyderabad
When safety sinks
The tragedy in Patna is a telling
example of a shoddy
implementation of transportation
laws (Editorial – “Drowned by state
failure”, Jan.16). The lack of proper
barricading to enable pilgrims to
move in single file towards a river
and the absence of planning to guide
devotees to ghats is woefully visible
across all religious congregations in
India. Safety measures must include
using a large number of barriers to
funnel crowds towards open areas,
loudspeakers for uninterrupted
communication, a display of
warning signs and ensuring that VIP
visits do not hinder the smooth
passage of other pilgrims. Boats and
other vessels must be inspected and
certified as having all safety
equipment.
Shreyans Jain,
New Delhi
Point and counterpoint
Many of those for and against
jallikattu are being hypocritical in
their stands. For those who claim it
to be a centuries-old sport, they
conveniently conceal or forget the
fact that it was always a sport where
a bull faced only one man in the
arena; it was never a case where
several men pounced on a scared
animal and tried to bring it down.
Where is the personal valour in this?
Old Tamil films such as
“Veerapandiya Kattabomman” and
“Thaikku Pin Tharam” which have
bull-taming scenes depict a bull
versus the hero.
A casual look at The Hindu (January
16) will show that there is enough
animal cruelty outside and beyond
Tamil Nadu to warrant attention (“2
bulls die in A.P. jallikattu” and
“Sheep hurled from hill at Yadgir
temple ritual”). Are such people and
organisations opaque to the cruelty
inflicted on bulls while under a yoke
or ploughing fields? What about
rooster fighting, again in A.P.?
N. Sambasivam,
Chennai
On mental health
With the passing of the Mental
Health Care Bill, 2013, last year in the
Rajya Sabha, the country has
ushered in a new era of looking at
mental disorders more holistically.
However, there still exists a vast
arena not covered by both the
government and the common man
when it comes to addressing mental
health-care issues. The government
should focus on increasing
accessibility to psychiatric help for
its own employees across the
country, if one considers the cases of
jawans involved in shootouts. This
should include steps to be taken in
the direction of normalisation of the
process, which still remains taboo.
The deployment of psychologists,
counsellors, and compulsory
visitation for government employees
should be top priority of policy.
Sanjana Kumari,
New Delhi
Gujarat’s great upset
The maiden victory of the Gujarat
cricket team over mighty Mumbai in
the Ranji trophy is commendable
(Editorial – “The Gujarat cricket
model”, Jan.16). It holds a mirror to
struggling teams in terms of the
importance of having spirited
leadership leading from the front, a
synergistic combination of the
young and the old, and perseverance
and passion. This victory is
reminiscent of the win of lowly
Rajasthan in the 2010-11 season over
Baroda. Both teams proved that a
‘David can win over Goliath’ is
possible with preparation and self-
belief.
Y.G. Chouksey,
Pune
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

POLITICS
Post-truths about Rohith Vemula
‘Serious job losses are taking place’
Rohith Vemula left us on January 17, 2016. The Ambedkar
The truth may ultimately prevail about demonetisation, but the government might be able to
Students’ Association (ASA) activist at the University of maintain the loyalty of a large part of the public for a long time, says Amartya Sen
Hyderabad was a young Dalit leader of strong political con-
victions — opposed to the Hindu right and committed to
Ambedkarite anti-caste philosophy and democratic polit- More than two months after the de- I don’t really know. Since economic
KALPANA ics, importantly, associational freedoms. There is no doubt monetisation, Nobel Laureate and eco- reasoning could not have sensibly led to
KANNABIRAN that Rohith has in death, as in life, brought anti-caste resist- nomist Amartya Sen says that any such a ham-handed policy, it is natural
ance to the centre of deliberative democratic politics on proper “economic reasoning could not for people to suspect an explanation in
campuses across the country, and brought new meanings to bear on the have sensibly led to such a ham-handed terms of political advantages that the
power of associational freedoms at a time when we are rapidly losing sight policy.” He predicts that the demonet- ruling parties were expecting to get. It
of it. isation will hit the economy quite has certainly given, at least for the time
We are told a year after his passing that the government of Andhra Pra- drastically. In an interview with Su- being, a great political image to the
desh has decided that Rohith was Vaddera — an OBC, not a Dalit. Really? A vojit Bagchi at his home in Santinik- Prime Minister of being a huge fighter
discovery of a (post-)truth when the person is no longer alive to make an as- etan, which he visits every winter, Pro- against corruption, even though the
sertion to the contrary. When there is a certificate, witnesses, and a Su- fessor Sen spoke about the motives and policy has done very little to achieve
preme Court decision on the inheritance of caste status for Dalits and Adi- impact of the move. anything on that front.
vasis from the mother, the government ‘discovers’ evidence to the contrary.
Why this overdrive? We’ve seen the primary impact of the These 50 days of hardship will not take
demonetisation: long queues outside black assets out of the economy?
What is an atrocity? banks and shortage of cash. Now we are
There is a case of atrocities registered against the Vice Chancellor of the seeing the secondary impact, which is How could it? Only a very small pro-
University of Hyderabad under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled on the informal sector. Potato sowing in portion of black money (around 6 per
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. We now have an amended Act West Bengal is affected and some other cent, certainly less than 10 per cent) is in
with a covering letter that states that it is being strengthened to make it businesses are collapsing. What could be cash. How can cleaning up of 10 per cent,
more efective (F.No. 16/5/2016-CP&R, Ministry of Tribal Afairs, Govern- the impact of all this? at most, of black money clean it all up?
ment of India). Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Even that 10 per cent is a huge overes-
(Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act defines ‘economic boycott’ as What you are calling “the secondary timate, since the ‘black money dealers’
(i) ‘refusal to deal with… other person’; (ii) ‘to deny opportunities including impact” shouldn’t at all be surprising are much more skilled in overcoming of-
access to services’; (iii) ‘to refuse to do anything on the terms on which since the availability of money plays a Amartya Sen. PHOTO: SUVOJIT BAGCHI ficial barriers than are normal honest
things would be commonly done in the ordinary course.’ ‘Social boycott’ is very big part in facilitating business and people who are simply harassed — or
defined as including acts against a person ‘to isolate him from others’. A trade. Particularly for small businesses can be so blind even now to the over- The false perception made to lose their money — because of
‘victim’ is any individual belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled (farming, for example), money is often whelming evidence of a crisis. their lack of specialised skill in avoiding
Tribe ‘who has sufered or experienced physical, mental, psychological, used in the form of cash. In the long run,
of nobility and transaction barriers.
emotional or monetary harm… and includes his relatives, legal guardian cashless transactions can perhaps be Why has over 85 per cent of cash success can be held up
and legal heirs’. made into routine practice, through or- suddenly been taken out of circulation? through endless repetition If it is a bad policy, why do you think
Section 4 of the Amendment Act expands ganisation and training, but that would there haven’t been protests against
the definition of atrocity. When a person not
The Andhra Pradesh take time. To act on the presumption of The Government of India seems to of distorted ‘facts’ and demonetisation yet?
belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe ‘by government has instant learning and institutionalisation have been caught in a confusion of pur- propaganda
words either written or spoken or by signs or decided now that is to place the hard-earned interests of poses. Demonetisation has been seen The government’s publicity sur-
by visible representation or otherwise pro- many people without any connection to both as a way of catching and eliminat- rounding this inept move has been very
motes or attempts to promote enmity, hatred Rohith was Vaddera, ‘black money’ in serious risk. ing ‘black money’, and as a way of mov- dramatic drop in business in the 34 days strong. People have been told again and
or ill-will against members of the Scheduled not a Dalit. Really? Most of what we now call cash is actu- ing towards a ‘cashless economy’. The since Narendra Modi… announced his again that if you are against demonetisa-
Castes or the Scheduled Tribes’; ‘prevents ally promissory notes, the emergence of former has gradually been replaced in plan to scrap 86 per cent of its tion, you must be in favour of black
him from using or having access to a place of public resort to which other which reflected a big advance over rely- the rhetoric of the government by the banknotes.” money. This is a ridiculous analysis, but
members of the public or any section thereof have a right to use or access ing only on precious metals (like gold latter, which is not surprising as demon- The unrealistic governmental expect- a readily exploitable political slogan.
to’; ‘obstructs or prevents’ an SC/ST member in any manner with regard and silver). Promissory notes played a etisation can make only a very small ation that the ‘black money problem’ The persistent crisis created by demon-
to… ‘entering any educational institution… shop or place of public enter- significant part in building up the finan- contribution — at a huge social cost — can be solved, or largely removed, by de- etisation is only slowly becoming clear
tainment or other public place’ or ‘imposes or threatens a social or eco- cial backbone of industrial Europe. If in to the ‘black money problem’. This is be- monetisation soon became clear even to in terms of hard statistics as well as in
nomic boycott of any person, family or a group belonging to a Scheduled the 18th or 19th century, Britain had been cause only a very small proportion of the government. Then the initially public perception.
Caste or a Scheduled Tribe’, he shall be punishable. demonetised suddenly, it would have black money (it is estimated to be 6 per trumpeted objective of getting rid of The false perception of nobility and
devastated British industrial progress. cent or so, certainly less than 10 per black money through demonetisation success can be held up through endless
Punishments and rewards Given the underdevelopment of elec- cent) is in cash. Most black money is in was suddenly changed into a very difer- repetition of distorted ‘facts’ and propa-
In the aftermath of the diferences between the ASA and the Akhil Bhar- tronic accounts and transactions, big the form of precious metals and other ent objective — to leap rapidly into a ganda. The truth may ultimately prevail,
atiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists on campus, Bandaru Dattatreya, parts of the economy are similarly vul- assets in foreign accounts. The incon- cashless society. However, for such a but the government might be able to
Minister of State of Labour and Employment, wrote to the Minister, Human nerable. For many, especially among the venience and loss imposed with no structural change, much more time is maintain the loyalty of a large part of the
Resource Development: “The Hyderabad University… has become a den of poor, making eicient and correct use of black money (workers earning wages; needed, and the draconian measures — public for a long time, certainly until
casteist, extremist and anti-national politics… when Yakub Memon was electronic payments and receipts would small businesses doing trade or produc- penalties installed in the hope of catch- after the U.P. elections.
hanged, a dominant students’ union… Ambedkar Students’ Association has remain diicult to master and the pos- tion; people, even housewives, keeping ing black money — are particularly ill- It is worth remembering that the no-
held protests against the execution. When Shri Shushil Kumar, President, sibility of losing one’s money would be small savings) are much more acute suited. The result has been a combina- torious Irish famines in the 1840s did not
ABVP in the campus protested against this, he was manhandled… What is hard to avoid, especially given the short- than any benefit from catching relat- tion of chaos and widespread sufering immediately cause serious public agita-
more tragic is that the University Administration has become a mute spec- age of infrastructure and the slowness of ively small amounts of black money. rather than an orderly transition to a tion against the government run from
tator to such events.” learning in using cashless transactions. There are going to be huge job losses cashless society. London. That happened only later —
The incident occurred on the night of August 3, 2015; the proctorial board The perplexing question is why some too, and the recent reports by All India much later — but when it did happen,
censured both groups of students on August 12. Yet, on the basis of the min- people — those who gave us demonet- Manufacturers’ Organisation are begin- Do you think there are political reasons the understanding of blame had a huge
isterial communications in which the ASA is described as “casteist, extrem- isation — did not foresee that this would ning to show that serious job losses are behind the demonetisation move? The long-run impact, making the Irish
ist and anti-national”, and the ABVP by implication its opposite, the new happen and even more perplexing is already happening as a result of what elections are coming up, so that may people deeply suspicious of everything
VC constituted a subcommittee in contravention of procedure and issued a how the promoters of demonetisation London’s Financial Times has called “a have been one? that the government in London did.
suspension order against the ASA on December 16, 2015 naming five stu-
dents that said, ‘the above students… are not permitted to participate in the

The prince of populism

students’ union elections, enter the hostels, administration building and
other common places in groups.’ There was no order against the ABVP stu-
dents. Less than a week after the suspension order, Rohith sent a chilling
handwritten letter to the VC titled ‘Solution for the Dalit Problem’ in which
he recommends termination of life as the only option available to Dalit stu-
dents — himself included. It evoked no rapid administrative reversals. On MGR’s 100th birth anniversary, a recap of how he laid the foundation for welfare politics
Mr. Dattatreya is a politician who will promote his political interests. The
HRD Minister shares Mr. Dattatreya’s political anxieties and therefore is-
sues communications to the universities. They are at a distance from the panding the midday meal scheme feed-
university and not members of the university community. ing, over the years, close to 69 lakh
It is the university administration led by the VC which is at a proximate R. KANNAN children, pensioners and destitutes
distance and directly connected in terms of responsibility and culpability among the elderly. Its success led to a
in actions of this nature. It is no argument to say after the fact that there is no slew of other novel welfare measures.
discrimination on campus. The events strongly suggest the opposite. It is The vision to partner the private sector
also not the ASA that is casteist from a close examination of the materials One the most charismatic of India’s in education would transform the State
on record. For this rhetoric to be absorbed by a liberal arts institution is tra- modern leaders, Marudur Gopalan forever.
gic. Ramachandran, or MGR, was only the While cultivating and funding the
What is also worrisome is the nexus of punishments and rewards. Fol- second actor-turned-politician after Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and its
lowing the government’s bidding (for that is what it appears to be from all Ronald Reagan who managed to take leader V. Prabhakaran, he also helped
accounts), we have seen the terrifying spiral of punishments. We have seen centre stage. Yet, unlike Reagan, MGR balance the DMK’s shrill demands.
rewards for the VC: an award for excellence in academic work despite find- was god on earth in his own right, con- MGR held the line on Sri Lanka’s ethnic
ings of plagiarism, and for excellence in institution-building. We have also juring up crowds on a par with Ma- issue but his influence over
seen the gift of de-certification of a victim that drastically diminishes crim- hatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, his Prabhakaran was greatly overrated.
inal culpability in a case involving a grave institutional wrong, since the mentor C.N. Annadurai (Anna) and In- In 1982, he inducted Jayalalithaa —
only way to extricate him from criminal proceedings is to alter the certifica- dira Gandhi. his former leading lady with whom his
tion. All these point to the the Central and State governments acting in uni- Poverty forced him out of school after relationship was both intense on and of
son. Institutional dignity and autonomy lie in ruins. the third grade, but the man had no need screen — into the party after a nearly 10-
for formal schooling for few could read year hiatus. Jayalalithaa drew large
Kalpana Kannabiran is Professor and Director, Council for Social Development, Hyderabad. The the masses as he did. MGR owed his crowds next only to MGR, but the im-
views expressed here are her own. fame to his prepossessing looks, swash- portance he accorded her peeved senior
buckling, and generosity — both calcu- leaders. In September 1983, senior Min-
lated and often innate, and his parent ister S.D. Somasundaram quit the party
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). and levelled serious corruption charges
FROM THE ARCHIVES None before or after has been deified
like MGR.
MAN OF THE MASSES: “None before or after has been deified like MGR.” MGR being
sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on June 9, 1980. PHOTO: THE HINDU ARCHIVES
against MGR. A heartbroken MGR re-
sponded to the “baseless” charges,
asked: “Would he prosper?”
The DMK years was akin to an elephant deferring to the In October 1984, as he took ill, the
From the mid-fifties when his hero mahout, yet always conscious of his ele-
MGR and M. Karunanidhi’s control of the party slipped away. His
(dated January 17, 1967) status had become secure, an involun- phantine power. But others were not as friendship, and later third term saw him adopt a see-saw ap-
said she was concerned at the
tary group of image-makers — confident and the party split in 1961 also feuding, would lead to proach to an ambitious Jayalalithaa and
Sankaracharya’s scriptwriters and lyricists — spun stor- because of this. her rival faction. In 1986, infighting saw
condition
continuance of the fast by the ies of his fight for justice, invincibility In the 1967 elections, posters of a history in both films the party lose the local body elections to
Sankaracharya and hoped “some and acts of kindness towards the poor, wounded MGR — shot by his screen and politics the DMK. The abolition of the Legislat-
Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya of way will be found” for him to give morphing the reel with the real. Such a rival M.R. Radha — helped to bring ive Council and the disqualification of
Puri appeared “exhausted and it up. She referred to the concerted efort was made possible as down the Congress Goliath. Anna sent the two Kazhagams were “barks soaked 10 DMK legislators showed the ailing
weak” and complained of burning Government decision to set up a MGR was socially conscious and polit- in his Cabinet nominees for MGR to vet. in the same pond”. Chief Minister’s growing intolerance
sensation inside the stomach committee to go into all aspects of ically committed as none other. In 1969, Anna’s death saw MGR play When the ADMK won the 1973 for dissent.
to-day [January 16], the 58th day the problem and added: “No By 1962, MGR and the DMK, a party kingmaker and being rewarded with the Dindigul parliamentary by-election,
of his fast against cow slaughter. Government can yield to threats full of promise, had become inter- party’s third-highest position, treasurer, DMK leaders downplayed it as “film The MGR legacy
The Prime Minister, addressing a and coercion if it is to function changeable. Ironically, in 1944, MGR courtesy Mr. Karunanidhi, the new glamour” that would pass. They were MGR laid the foundations for a trans-
meeting to-day in Rae Bareli, U.P., efectively.” had turned down the lead role in DMK Chief Minister. But then they began to wrong. In 1977, voted to power, MGR formed Tamil Nadu that came to be
founder Anna’s propagandist play, wary drift apart. In the 1971 elections, MGR surprisingly pressed Dravidar known as a welfare State. His freebies
of jeopardising his career. The last- was rebufed when he sought an explan- Kazhagam’s K. Veeramani to act as a go- and subsidised schemes made him the
minute replacement, the 17-year-old ation as treasurer for the way campaign between to reunite the Kazhagams. darling of the masses. While the human
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS V.C. Ganesan, would be known as funds had been distributed in certain Janata Party leader Biju Patnaik stepped development index showed promise, all
‘Sivaji’. cases. Mr. Karunanidhi’s son’s film ca- in on his own in 1979 towards the mer- this welfare and — arguably a culture of
>>The report headlined “Governor, leaders condole Barnala’s death” (Jan. 16, In 1953, a decade after his refusal, reer at this time made MGR tetchier. ger. MGR, however, had a change of dependency — came at a price, with
2017, some editions) erroneously said that the former Tamil Nadu Governor MGR would be putting his career on the heart at the last minute. more than three-fourths of the State
passed away in Chandigarh on Sunday. The report carried alongside, line for the DMK. The man who The AIADMK era MGR’s first term was idealistic. His Budget going into subsidies. And half
“Barnala’s stints as Governor were stalked by controversy,” correctly said in changed his heart, M. Karunanidhi, On October 8, 1972, MGR publicly fetish for cleanliness saw government the State remained below the poverty
the opening paragraph that Barnala passed away on Saturday. scriptwriter, mesmerising orator, or- charged that the DMK had deviated moving at a snail’s pace even as he en- line after his 10-year rule.
ganiser and politician, could hardly from Anna’s ideals, had become cor- forced prohibition in a draconian man- Whenever MGR’s political stock ap-
>>Inadvertent: The headline of the first piece in the “From the Archives” have known that his initiate would take rupt, and asked its functionaries and ner, introduced an economic ceiling for peared low, providence helped draw
column (Jan. 16, 2017, some editions) — “U.S. team urges Johnson to allocate him on one day. The duo had come to- Ministers to table their accounts. In re- reservations, and dreamt of rural sympathy and support to him. Despite
more rain to India.” It should have been grain. gether for MGR’s debut movie as hero turn the party expelled him. The Anna development. the scandals that dogged his years in
in Rajakumari (Princess, 1947). Their DMK came into being on October 18, In 1980, his defeat in the parliament- power, his whittling down of the
>>A sentence in the article headlined “India requires a sustained commit- friendship and collaboration, and later 1972 (rechristened AIADMK in 1976). ary polls saw him roll back prohibition Dravidian ideals by his temple visits, his
ment to science” (Science & Technology page, Jan. 16, 2017) said: “In Britain all feuding, would lead to history in both Surprisingly, the party, with film fans as and the economic criteria upping reser- image as a clean man or a Dravidian
governments in the last 100 years have subscribed to some extent to what is films and politics. its base, attracted many degree-holders vations to its current level. This time he leader could not be dented.
called the Holding principle.” It should have been Haldane principle. MGR’s aura was such that Anna him- and professionals to it as well. An ran a loose administration and favoured
self had to on occasion defer to the alarmed Congress leader K. Kamaraj liquor barons who in turn bankrolled R. Kannan is the head of office of the UN Assistance
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday); crowds’ craze for his star disciple and famously said on November 8 at the party. But this period is best re- Mission for Iraq in Basra. His ‘M.G. Ramachandran: A
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in halt his speech. Anna knew that MGR Thiruvathipuram in Vellore district that membered for MGR’s ingenuity in ex- Life’ is slated for publication in June.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2017

Voting in a season of discontent

Election pundits are busy interpreting how the state of afairs in Manipur will play out in the March election.
The economic blockade and playing the Naga card could impact the fortunes of the Congress and the BJP
its sizeable population of Nepalis. Of the 20 The worry of the BJP’s State unit amid the
W E D N E S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 hill seats, Nagas normally hold sway in 11 to current ethnic polarisation is how proximity
PRADIP PHANJOUBAM 12. The rest are generally won by Kukis and to the NSCN(IM), an organisation avowed to
aligned tribes. the dismemberment of Manipur to form a

A wake-up The dates for the election to the Manipur Le-

Given that the BJP government at the
Centre is holding peace talks with the Naga
militant group, the National Socialist Coun-
sovereign Greater Nagaland, and the UNC
(which many consider to be a surrogate of the
former) may alienate its support base in the
call gislative Assembly have been announced.
Polling will be in two phases, on March 4 and
March 8. Results will be declared on March
cil of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), the party’s
State unit was hoping that it would be able to
win a majority of the Naga seats as well with
valley where 40 seats are at stake. The Con-
gress Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh’s
move in this sense may be an electoral master

A
flurry of videos has emerged in the social
media in recent days showing jawans of
both the paramilitary forces and the
Army complaining against a host of is-
sues from diet to colonial-era practices. While
these are disciplinary breaches, they are a good
reason to initiate a detailed study into the internal
health of our security establishment. The present
lot of videos began early last week when BSF con-
stable Tej Bahadur Yadav posted a series of them
complaining about burnt parathas and watery lentil
curry served along the Line of Control. It was al-
most as if he was opening the floodgates. From the
Army, Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh of 42 Infantry
Brigade expressed his grievances against the
sahayak system. He alleged that professional sol-
diers were being forced to wash clothes, polish
boots and walk dogs for senior oicers, and that he
was being victimised with court martial proceed-
ings for complaining against the practice. Nursing
Assistant Naik Ram Bhagat of the Army com-
plained in another video about their rations, that
they were only getting about 40 per cent of the
menu items allotted. He also complained about the
buddy system in the Army, in which soldiers are
deputed to be with oicers and end up doing their
personal chores. Yet another video of an Army
jawan showed him singing about the diiculties
they face and discrimination by oicers. He spoke
about leave being denied for 10 months, poor food
and other issues.
The videos quickly grabbed national attention.
From the Prime Minister’s Oice to the Army chief,
the senior leadership has been quick to respond.
Both the PMO and Home Minister Rajnath Singh
sought an immediate report from the paramilitary
forces, while Chief of the Army Staf General Bipin
Rawat ordered the provision of grievance and re-
dress boxes. However, many of the responses, espe-
cially from the middle- and senior-rung leadership
of the Army and the paramilitary forces, spelt al-
most outright denial. Without doubt the videos are
serious disciplinary breaches, and they must be
viewed keeping in mind the possibilities of such
rampant access and use of social media ending up
assisting the enemy. The resort to social media to
air grievances could compromise national security,
especially when the forces are in sensitive loca-
tions. But that should not take the attention away
from the larger malaise reflected in them, and it is
in tackling them that the senior leadership, both in
the executive and the security establishment, must
spend time now. The videos are a wake-up call.
In the nick
11. A fortnight ago, there was speculation that
the election may be preceded by a spell of
President’s Rule in the wake of the indefinite
economic blockade by the United Naga
Council (UNC), a civil organisation in Ma-
nipur which claims to be the apex body of all
Naga tribes in the State, but these have since
been put to rest.
Blockade numbs Manipur
The blockade is now two and a half months
old and Manipur continues to reel under the
efect of shortages of many essential com-
modities, petrol and cooking gas in particu-
lar. Petrol stations are shut, but whenever
there is some indication that some of them
have been replenished for rationed distribu-
tion, miles-long queues of vehicles form out-
side them, sometimes overnight. The market
understandably is sluggish and prices of
commodities have gone up. Daily wage
earners are the hardest hit. Demonetisation
has made their trauma even worse. Thank-
fully, Imphal valley is a fertile, rice-growing
region, ensuring that the people have not
gone hungry. Had it been otherwise, there
would have been mayhem on the streets by
now.
Election pundits have been busy interpret-
ing how this sorry state of afairs would play
out in the March election. The foremost
questions are: Would the hardships caused
by the blockade turn the people against the
ruling Congress? Would the Bharatiya Janata
Party’s challenge become any more formid-
able because of it?
CARTOONSCAPE
While Irom Sharmila’s party has
shown no interest in opportunistic
politics, its idealism is still too
nascent to generate the kind of
wave that wins elections
Significance of Assembly composition
The Manipur Assembly has 60 seats. Of
these, 40 represent the valley inhabited pre-
dominantly by non-tribal Hindu Meiteis; 39
of these are for the general category and one
is reserved for Scheduled Castes. The BJP
had hoped it would be able to reap a harvest
here, partly because of the community’s reli-
gious ailiation. Twenty seats represent the
hills and 19 of these are reserved for Sched-
uled Tribes, after the Kangpokpi constitu-
ency in the erstwhile SADAR (Selected Area
Development and Administrative Region)
hills came to be de-reserved to accommodate
the blessings of the militant group. Its main
rival here is the Naga People’s Front, which
too would be vying for the NSCN(IM)’s sup-
port. The Congress, which once had a lion’s
share of the Naga seats, has, in the past few
months, been marginalised as the NSCN
(IM) and Naga organisations such as the
UNC are opposed to it. Many Naga Congress
MLAs and former ministers thought it
prudent to resign from the party ahead of the
election wishing to retain their seats. In
Nagaland, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and
the BJP are allies.
Electoral master stroke?
However, the UNC’s blockade — which
began on November 1 in anticipation of the
Manipur government giving in to the long-
standing demand for upgrading the SADAR
and Jiribam subdivisions to full-fledged dis-
tricts — has upset these equations radically.
This became even more so after the govern-
ment, at a cabinet sitting at midnight on
December 8 to defy the UNC’s coercive
protest, created not just the two districts the
UNC was opposed to, but seven by splitting
seven of the State’s nine districts.
The UNC considers four of the seven split
districts to be a part of the ancestral Naga
homeland and was quick to accuse the Ma-
nipur government of splitting this homeland,
although, as the government contends, how
districts can split people is incomprehens-
ible. This is particularly so because the As-
sembly and parliamentary constituencies
have remained untouched.
stroke, not for the splintering or otherwise of
any homeland, but for leaving rival BJP on the
horns of a dilemma.
This dilemma is visible in the State unit’s
muted response to the blockade question,
probably not wanting to ofend its Central
leadership now holding talks with the NSCN
(IM). Under the circumstances, if nothing
happens to change the nature of this polarisa-
tion, there can be no doubt that the Con-
gress’s position is strong in the valley, and the
Chief Minister and his team may have found
a way to overcome the anti-incumbency bur-
den of having been in power for 15 years
continuously.
Other than the valley seats, the Congress
will also command sympathy in many Kuki
constituencies. It may still win two or three
Naga constituencies which had always been
its strongholds if voters are not allowed to be
totally coerced by the militants. In the party’s
favour too is the fact that the State unit of the
BJP does not have any charismatic leader
who can jolt the confidence of the Congress
even at this late stage.
Fluctuating loyalties
But things can change in the run-up to the
March election. This happened in the Assam
election of April 2016, and even more dramat-
ically in Arunachal Pradesh later the same
year, where the BJP installed its governments
in both States. In Assam it wrested power
from the Congress but only after wooing
many Congress leaders to its camp before the
election. In Arunachal Pradesh, it did this by
engineering the defection of almost the en-
tire lot of MLAs from the ruling Congress
after the election. In Manipur too, such a
scenario is not impossible to think of. Here
too, the BJP is in a position to take advantage
of the psychology of weak and dependent
Northeast States of feeling safer by being on
the side of the party in power at the Centre.
There is always the feeling here, amongpolit-
ical leaders as well as electorate, that the
clearance of projects and Central assistance
in lean times will always be smoother if the
party that rules the Centre also rules the
State.
There is one more factor that has determ-
ined party loyalty. The ceiling on ministry
size for small Northeast States fixed by the
anti-defection law is 12. This includes the
chief minister. Those in the ruling Congress,
and indeed the contender BJP, who are un-
sure of making this elite 12 will begin looking
for greener pastures. This will also be an op-
portunity for smaller parties such as the Tri-
namool Congress to enlist potential winners.
Irom Sharmila’s brand new party, the
People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance
(PRJA), has shown no interest in this kind of

of time politics, but its idealism is still too nascent to

generate the kind of wave that wins elections.

T
he Goods and Services Tax Council has
made some breakthroughs on outstand-
ing negotiables that were holding up the
introduction of the indirect tax regime. A
compromise has been reached between the Centre
and the States on the formula for administrative
control over taxpayers under the GST, which will
subsume myriad existing State and Central levies
on commercial activity. By giving up on its formula
to split such control by assuming the authority to
levy GST on all services entities and manufactur-
ing firms with ₨1.5 crore or more annual turnover,
the Centre has shown a willingness to meet the
States more than halfway. The new control-sharing
system appears simpler to administer. Now, 90 per
cent of all GST assessees with a turnover of up to
₨1.5 crore will come under the watch of the States
and 10 per cent under that of the Centre, with both
getting to assess half of the firms with a turnover
over ₨1.5 crore. More important, it gives States,
many of which had claimed at recent GST Council
meetings revenue losses following the demonetisa-
tion of currency notes, the leeway to claimthat they
have struck a better deal with the Centre on a re-
form that is now inevitable.
With the Centre finally laying to rest its hopes of
an April 1, 2017 rollout and eyeing a ‘more realistic’
July 1 date, it has some room to tinker with a few in-
direct taxes in the Budget to provide a short-term
pre-GST stimulus to the economy that is facing a
flurry of growth downgrade projections. Since the
trickiest issues between the Centre and the States
are now resolved and only legislative drafts remain
to be approved when the Council meets next on
February 18, it is an opportune time to address some
of the concerns raised by another key stakeholder
— industry. Firms have indicated they would need
about six months to gear up for the new tax regime
once the laws, rules and all the minutiae of imple-
mentation, including the rates for diferent
products and services, are known. More clarity and
finesse are also needed on the harsh penal provi-
sions, including the power to arrest, proposed in
the draft GST law (that lists out 21 ofences) and the
creation of an anti-profiteering authority that can
act against firms that fail to pass on benefits of tax
rate cuts to consumers. While it is important to pro-
tect the consumer, a clear rule-based framework is
necessary to ensure that one of the biggest gains en-
visaged from GST — an exponential change in ease
of doing business — isn’t scuttled by fears of a re-
turn to inspector raj. For a government committed
to ending tax terrorism, taking a step back to metic-
ulously review the possible gaps between intent
and implementation may be worthwhile — even if
it means delaying the launch by a few fortnights.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Akhilesh pedals away
The Election Commission’s
decision to allot the “bicycle”
symbol to the Akhilesh Yadav
faction of the Samajwadi Party is not
only a slap on the face of the party
founder, Mulayam Singh, for his
rigid stand but also a blow to him for
bringing the party to its present
state after sustaining and nurturing
it all this while (“With EC backing,
Akhilesh rides away with bicycle”,
Jan.17). The repeated claims by
Mulayam Singh that the party had
not split did not work out in his
favour because the ground realities
show that Akhilesh Yadav is
kingmaker. However, as change is
constant, Mulayam Singh must
accept the reality.
K.R. Srinivasan,
Secunderabad
When the infamous family feud
came to the fore a few months ago,
people were left to wonder whether
it was only shadow-boxing. When
the war was taken to the doors of the
Election Commission, it was clear
that the divide was deep and a
patch-up impossible. It is yet to be
seen whether the septuagenarian
patriarch still retains his charisma.
The split in the party was a result of
ego and selfish motives and is
bound to have an impact on
diferent vote banks in the State.
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
Bengaluru
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav has hit his father for
a mighty six. The EC batting for
Akhilesh Yadav is in order
considering that most in the SP’s
flock are on his side. This will also
clear the decks for exploring ties
with the Congress and the Rashtriya
Lok Dal. Could this be curtains for
the SP patriarch?
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
Election symbols play a significant
role in the election of candidates in
this part of the world. That Akhilesh
Yadav has been allowed to retain the
popular bicycle symbol is a battle
half won and he is by far the better
leader. The way he handled the
crisis within the party in the past
month or so and getting the symbol
is commendable.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
While Akhilesh Yadav has won the
cycle race, the real race will begin
now. Was the whole show an
exercise to lift the party’s sagging
fortunes by pushing the clean and
young Akhilesh to the forefront?
Although he is hampered by
concerns over law and order, he
seems to have considerably
regained lost ground just before the
crucial election.
The “solid support” of legislators
can be a double-edged sword for the
Chief Minister as he will have to go
to the polls with the same group
whose record as people’s
representatives has been appalling.
How traditional supporters of the
party will overlook the general
performance of the government and
plump for a young Akhilesh is what
will determine his future. The
prospect of a “mahagathbandan” to
fight the BJP in the do-or-die U.P.
battle is bound to send pulses
racing.
Ganapathi Bhat,
Akola, Maharashtra
A little more cash
It is not enough raising the daily
limit of cash withdrawal (“Daily
ATM withdrawals hiked to ₨10,000”,
Jan.17). It is more essential to see
that ATMs are replenished and
stocked with suicient cash. I have
seen people standing in the long
queues before ATMs and banks. It is
a fact that most depend on friends
and relatives to help them with their
monetary needs. Nowhere else in
the world have people continued to
sufer unable to withdraw their own
hard-earned money and spend it as
they wish. What is making the
situation worse is the uncertainty
over when the restrictions imposed
by the Reserve Bank of India will be
lifted. The Finance Ministry and the
RBI must consult each other
without any further delay and
ensure that the economy does not
sufer further.
S. Nallasivan,
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
Making announcements is easy. The
tough part is in delivering on them. I
have gone to 10 diferent ATMs in
the past 24 hours and 90 per cent of
them do not have notes. There are
ATMs in the street where my oice
is located which have not been
loaded with money since November.
Till this is fixed, the RBI must desist
from misleading people by raising
hopes and then having them dashed.
This is also election season, so the
government is bound to paint a rosy
picture on how the situation has
improved. The reality is totally
diferent.
Terence D’Souza,
Chennai
Reducing unemployment
The state of unemployment, in India
especially, is alarming (Editorial –
“Vagaries of the job market” Jan.17).
The Prime Minister romped home
in the 2014 general election by also
promising more jobs. More than the
government, it is the private sector
which creates jobs. Hence the
government should encourage
business people to step up job
creation. The Union Budget should
have provisions to encourage
entrepreneurs and labour-oriented
industries. Every year, our
universities send out graduates who
look for jobs. The education system
does not prepare students to think
about becoming entrepreneurs.
Encouraging small and cottage
industries in rural, tribal and semi-
Pradip Phanjoubam is editor of Imphal Free Press and
author of The Northeast Question: Conflicts and Frontiers.
urban areas will create employment
opportunities for locals, thus
preventing them from moving to
already crowded cities. Along with
this, there has to be better
marketing.
Veena Shenoy,
Thane, Maharashtra
The main reasons for
unemployment are inadequate
knowledge and skills and a lack of a
positive attitude among job
aspirants. The commercial
approach of a number of
educational institutions only
worsens the situation. The problem
gets more serious due to the
absence of freedom for youngsters
to choose their stream of study as
parents interfere and impose their
ideas. The only long-term solutions
are counselling of students and
parents at the right time, proper
job-oriented training, and injecting
quality and dedication in
educational institutions.
Dr. N.R.U.K. Kartha,
Thiruvananthapuram
The mad rush towards modern
technological advancement in
production in order to maximise
profit has created the crisis of
growing unemployment. The
statistics thrown perhaps do not
take into account those who migrate
from rural India to cities seeking a
livelihood. The introduction of new
systems such as employment on
contract, outsourcing, daily wages,
job on honorarium, etc., have all
taken their toll on the quality of
employment. One has to wait for the
inevitable social crisis as we are
sitting on a volcano.
A.G. Rajmohan,
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Rise of a star
The fact that MGR, one of India’s
most charismatic leaders, lives
beyond his time can be attributed to
what he did with head and heart
(“The prince of populism”, Jan.17).
His reign in Tamil Nadu was a
watershed in the State’s politics
where people reposed full faith in
his philanthropic disposition. He
also maintained an excellent
relationship with the Central
government which stood him in
good stead. He was a man of the
masses. The way he popularised the
noon meal scheme was a master
stroke.
K. Chellappan,
Chennai
The huge success story of MGR was
based not just on charisma. He
realised, through his films, that he
had to be primarily a hero who
ensured that good prevailed over
bad. While his films had strong
social messages boosting his image,
the most important part of this was
his unquestionable identity among
the poor. To them, he was a larger-
than-life demigod. His welfare
measures ensured this.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu
A good catch?
After being in the political
wilderness for some time, Navjot
Singh Sidhu has eventually decided
to try his political fortunes with the
Congress (Editorial – “Coming
home for the first time”, Jan.17). His
“unconditional joining” of the
Congress indicates that despite his
eforts to find acceptance with
diferent parties, his wait has not
yielded substantial results for him.
He may be a crowd-puller because
of his oratory skills, but he should
remember that politics is a full-time
endeavour that goes well beyond
glib talk and one-liners. One can
easily see through his eforts as
personal aggrandisement. A
commitment to the people of one’s
constituency has to be there. In this
Mr. Sidhu has failed quite miserably.
Vijai Pant,
Hempur, Uttarakhand
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2017

BANKING
The real meaning of
An Afghan agenda for Trump
The U.S. President-elect must address Pakistan’s treacherous role in Afghanistan at full tilt
independence for RBI And the Afghans, as well as the Amer-
The demonetisation decision has led several observers to ex- AIMAL FAIZI ican women and men in uniform, paid a
press concern about the autonomy and institutional integrity high price in blood.
of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Many of those against de- In Afghanistan, Mr. Obama’s policy,
monetisation on a matter of principle (or practice) are blam- as seen by Afghans, was about putting
ing the RBI for ‘caving in’ to the government’s diktat and sur- more boots on the ground, blind bom-
DHIRAJ rendering its independence. But in holding that view, they As U.S. President Barack Obama leaves bardments, more drone attacks, heavy
NAYYAR are betraying a great deal of misunderstanding about pre- oice on January 20, he leaves behind an reliance on special forces, fruitless mil-
cisely what autonomy for the RBI entails. The RBI is not a unfinished conflict, the longest lasting itary operations in Afghan homes and
self-governing Republic. and least successful U.S. war in history: villages. It was certainly not what the
A cursory reading of the RBI Act (Section 7 on Management) lays out Afghanistan. Afghans were expecting of him as a
things quite unambiguously. Part (1) of Section 7 states: “The Central Gov- For Afghanistan and the Afghans, Mr. black American President with a
ernment may from time to time give such directions to the Bank as it may, Obama was a President of contradiction Muslim family background. As the
after consultation with the Governor of the Bank, consider necessary in the whose Afghan policy proved markedly President of “hope” and “change”, Mr.
public interest.” Parts (2) and (3) spell out the roles for the Central Board disastrous. He wrongly believed that he Obama came to oice with the message
and Governor. There is a clear ‘seniority’ principle with (1) taking preced- would win the War on Terror militarily of ending “the mindset that causes war”.
ence over (2) which takes precedence over (3). and by appeasing the military establish- He spoke of returning America to the
Unsurprisingly, the decision to demonetise high-denomination currency ment in Pakistan. “moral high ground”. His rhetoric was
was taken by the government in public interest after consultation with the His successor, Donald Trump, should that the war in Afghanistan is “a war of
RBI. Whether the government or the RBI issued the first memo on the mat- change course in Afghanistan. For Mr. necessity” and a “war that we (the U.S.)
ter is just squabbling over the irrelevant. The RBI Board did its duty by rati- Trump’s administration, it is imperative have to win”.
fying/recommending the action and it was then left to the Governor and his to limit the impact of the conflict in In his farewell speech, the outgoing
oicers to implement the decision. Any other sequence of events would be Afghanistan on the Afghan people, and President said: “For the past eight years,
disturbing. Surely, the RBI could not take a policy decision as major as de- compel Pakistan to squeeze those who I’ve worked to put the fight against ter-
monetisation unilaterally. Nor indeed could it turn it down unilaterally. harm Afghanistan and nurture, shelter rorism on a firm legal footing.” But an
and finance forces of terror. The new intensified U.S. drone campaign, assas-
Ensuring low and stable inflation U.S. President must address Pakistan’s sinations, covert operations, inefective
It is critical to understand what autonomy and institutional integrity treacherous role in Afghanistan at full WRONG TURN: “The focus of Mr. Obama’s foreign policy was on Pakistan rather than night raids, illegal detention of more
mean for a central bank like the RBI. The RBI, like most central banks, con- tilt. Afghanistan.” President Barack Obama with his then Afghan counterpart, than 5,000 Afghans in the Bagram
sists of technocrats and bureaucrats who are unelected and not directly ac- President Hamid Karzai, in the White House in Washington. FILE PHOTO: AP prison were not only a clear violation of
countable to the people. In a democracy, the final responsibility of all policy Double-dealing on Pakistan Afghan sovereignty but of international
decisions must lie with the elec- On February 22, 2012, in a three-page Mr. Obama’s policy, as seen days are over.” Mr. Obama’s Afghan and law. The Obama administration
ted representatives of the There has not been any letter, President Obama wrote to then
by Afghans, was about
Indian audience were taken aback by severely undermined human rights by
people, either the government or assault on the RBI’s autonomy Afghan President Hamid Karzai that he his remarks that “there is no doubt that downplaying the threat of its overall
Parliament or both. The notion remains “concerned about the safe putting more boots on the the United States and Pakistan share a military operations to civilian lives in
of central bank independence — in the setting of interest havens in Pakistan and the threat they ground, blind bombardments, common enemy”. Under Mr. Obama, Afghanistan. The mindless killing of the
first gained traction in the ad- rates, the regulation of banks, pose to Americans and Afghans”. He
and more drone attacks
the U.S. administration “made heavy Afghan civilians — elders, women and
vanced economies when it was added: “We will continue to use the use” of its “warm relationship with children — was the symptom of his
noticed that elected govern-
or in other operational spheres various means at our disposal to de- Pakistan’s army chief” and even “exten- weak and failed policy. The substantial
ments often chose to disregard price stability in favour of growth, espe- grade the safe havens [in Pakistan] and Pakistan’s “concerns” about the Indian ded” Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s term in militarisation of the U.S. Afghan policy
cially in the run-up to elections. This behaviour only raised and entrenched to disrupt attacks into Afghanistan.” But influence in Afghanistan. Encouraged oice. and the expansion of war killed any
inflationary expectations to the medium-term detriment of the economy. no serious eforts were actually under- by Pakistan, the U.S. President even chance of peace in Afghanistan. The
The central goal of central bank independence was to ensure low and taken by the Obama administration “to suggested that Mr. Karzai find a “resolu- Appeasing Pak., failing Afghanistan war in Afghanistan was expanded and
stable inflation via the autonomous conduct of monetary policy. It is im- degrade the safe havens”. In the eight tion of diferences” on the Durand Line Seymour Hersh, an eminent Amer- gradually Afghanised.
portant to note that is not the central bank’s discretion to decide what the years of his presidency, Mr. Obama’s ad- with Pakistan. He proposed that “any is- ican journalist and a Pulitzer Prize win- Though I do not expect that key ob-
targeted rate of inflation ought to be (or indeed what the optimum rate of ministration remained largely passive sues concerning the border must come ner, wrote in his 2016 book The Killing jectives of the U.S. foreign policy will
growth should be); that remains the job of the elected government. But in taking firm action against Pakistani through mutual agreement between the of Osama bin Laden that under Presid- necessarily change under the new ad-
once that target is laid down, the central bank must ensure that it meets state support for terrorism. The reluct- parties concerned”. Mr. Karzai’s stance ent Obama, Pakistan’s Inter-Services ministration, President Trump can
those targets with complete operational autonomy. ance vis-à-vis Pakistan was to the extent on both key issues was clear: Afgh- Intelligence secured “a commitment avoid the errors of the past in Afgh-
In India, until the monetary policy framework and an inflation target that even after exits of Osama bin anistan cannot and will never accom- from the U.S. to give Pakistan ‘a freer anistan. He should boost the security
were spelt out last year, it was the RBI which decided what a reasonable rate Laden, and top Taliban leaders Mullah modate Pakistan’s desire to control Ka- hand’ in Afghanistan as it began its mil- and defence capabilities of the Afghan
of inflation should be. To be accurate, it was the RBI Governor — just one Omar and Mullah Akhtar Mohammad bul’s foreign policy, nor can it be itary draw-down there”. The outcome national armed forces. On Afghanistan,
person — who had complete control over monetary policy goals and de- Mansour, all three of whom lived and expected to recognise the imposed Dur- was that more Pakistani and regional Mr. Trump should embrace a vibrant
cisions. That was vesting too much independence in an unelected oicial. were killed or died in hiding in Pakistan, and Line. terrorists were intentionally pushed to diplomacy and regional cooperation to-
The proper way to conduct monetary policy is via explicit goals laid out by Washington showed no desire to The focus of Mr. Obama’s foreign make their way across the Durand Line wards Russia, China, India and Iran.
the elected government which are then executed by a group of experts — a change the status quo. policy was on Pakistan rather than into Afghanistan. And this time, they Last but not least, under the new
Monetary Policy Committee — rather than one individual, without any in- Contradicting his earlier statements, Afghanistan. In his address to the nation terrorised and slaughtered Afghans American administration, the world
terference from the government. in 2014, Mr. Obama told Mr. Karzai that on Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Decem- (mainly Hazaras) under a new brand: must witness clarity and a clear shift in
Still, on the setting of interest rates, even before the creation of an explicit Pakistan is a strategic “ally” in the War ber 2009, he said: “We will act with the the Islamic State. U.S. strategic thinking vis-à-vis
monetary policy framework, the RBI has had its autonomous way under on Terror, and while already fighting a full recognition that our success in The “$33 billion” of U.S. assistance to Pakistan.
successive governors and with diferent political dispensations in oice. war in Afghanistan, his administration Afghanistan is inextricably linked to Pakistan, of which “$21 billion” were
This has led to tensions between the Finance Ministry and the RBI but “cannot open another front against our partnership with Pakistan… In the given under President Obama, badly Aimal Faizi is an Afghan writer, former
rarely, if ever, any encroachment on the RBI’s space. Pakistan”. He repeatedly urged his past, we too often defined our relation- failed to change Islamabad’s policy of spokesperson and current aide to former
Afghan counterpart to address ship with Pakistan narrowly. Those supporting terrorism and radicalism. President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai.
Debt management
Consider also RBI’s roles beyond the conduct of monetary policy. The

Don’t let messengers shoot themselves

RBI is the government’s debt manager, a function that has been proposed to
be hived out to an independent debt management agency but resisted by
the central bank. The separation of debt management from the RBI is not an
assault on the RBI’s independence by the government. Instead, it is to re-
move the conflict of interest that exists in the RBI’s functions of setting in-
terest rates, and management of the government’s debt. The latter could in-
fluence the former when it ought not to. The RBI’s independence to carry
Paramilitary forces face stepmotherly treatment in service conditions and have few legal safeguards
out its primary mandate, the eicient conduct of monetary policy, will only
be enhanced by hiving of the debt management function. pressly limited under Article 33 of the
The third major role played by the RBI is in the regulation of the banking NISHANT GOKHALE Constitution which makes approaching
system. Like any regulatory agency, RBI must be allowed to operate at an civilian judicial systems a challenge.
arm’s length from the government while doing its work. Again, there is no The system under the Army, though,
evidence to suggest that the government has interfered in any way. Remem- is also not foolproof. In at least one case
ber that the government plays a separate role in the banking sector as the of fratricide, the serviceman concerned
owner of public sector banks which control nearly 70 per cent of all lending. How India treats its armed forces is is languishing in jail for 25 years await-
The RBI is the regulator, not owner, of banks. Unsurprisingly, both the RBI rarely revealed by soldiers at the lowest ing a decision on the sentence. The case
and the government play critical and visible roles in banking but that does ranks. Little attention is paid to serious has gone from an Army court martial to
not mean that they are stepping on one another’s turf. concerns about the systems of military the Supreme Court and all the way back
There has not been any assault on the RBI’s autonomy — in the setting of justice. While delays in the judicial sys- again to the Armed Forces Tribunal.
interest rates or in the regulation of banks or in other operational spheres. tem are notorious, delays for the armed In a written answer before the Rajya
The government, when it exercises its right as sovereign, whether to set an forces can turn fatal in the form of sui- Sabha, the Home Minister (MoS) in
inflation target or to demonetise high-value currency, is acting well within cide and fratricide (also called “frag- 2012 said that the reasons for suicide
the norms of the law and the spirit of democracy. Any attempt by unelected ging” — where a serviceman kills his and fratricide amongst paramilitary
oicials to obstruct would only be abuse of their autonomy. brothers-in-arms). Answers in the Ra- forces are “…personal/domestic prob-
jya Sabha and to the Parliamentary lems, illness, mental stress, alcoholic
Dhiraj Nayyar is Officer on Special Duty and Head, Economics, Finance & Commerce, NITI Aayog. Standing Committee on Defence, from dependence, marital afairs and finan-
Views are personal and do not reflect the views of NITI Aayog.
2003-2013 (data for some years are miss- cial crisis of concerned individual. Des-
ing), state that there have been at least pite taking all necessary steps, some
1,666 suicides in the armed forces and discontented individuals are not able to
109 cases of fratricide. control their emotions and tend to take
FROM THE ARCHIVES “An army marches on its stomach”, a
quote famously attributed to Napoleon
ON THE MARGINS: “Little attention is paid to serious concerns about the systems of
military justice.” BSF troops patrolling the International Border in RS Pura sector,
such extreme steps due to the above
said reasons.” The Minister also stated
Bonaparte, was unwittingly brought Jammu. PHOTO: PTI that better dispute resolution, commu-
into the spotlight by Border Security nication facilities in field areas, yoga,
Force (BSF) constable Tej Bahadur Ya- police force which was “neither fish nor With no process of appeal and increased interaction between
(dated January 18, 1967) dav’s videos about tasteless dal and fowl” was necessary when police was a other than statutory petitions, jawans and oicers were part of the 14
half-burnt parathas. However, this has State subject. measures undertaken to boost morale.
Commercial substantial amount by this not been the first time that food has left A concern amongst even the Bill’s the only recourse left is
measure. These advertisements a bad taste for the military justice sys- supporters was that there was a dispar- expensive and Afecting troop morale
advertisements over will include sponsored tem. In 1985, Signalman Ranjit Thakur ity between the Army and the BSF in The secrecy surrounding these issues
radio programmes as well as spot refused food while serving 28 days’ im- terms of pay, service conditions, griev- time-consuming writ petitions is curious. A report by the Institute of
advertisements. The Government prisonment for overriding the hier- ance redress mechanisms and deploy- Defence Studies and Analysis titled ‘Ad-
The Union Government has also decided in principle to archy and making representations dir- ments to forward areas. Rejecting these Col. Prithi Pal Singh Bedi v. Union of dressing Stress-Related Issues in the
approved in principle at the introduce commercials in T.V. ectly to senior oicers about ill concerns and refusing to refer the Bill to India (1982) for not having even one Army’ quotes two studies, one on stress
highest level to-day [Jan. 17, New services of A.I.R. as soon as treatment. A summary court martial a Parliamentary Select Committee, the layer of judicial scrutiny, for unchecked management and the other on suicide
Delhi] to introduce limited conditions permit. The was conducted for his act of disobeying Bill was passed and independent India’s command influence in decision-mak- and fratricide, both conducted by the
commercial advertisements over Government will now work out a the order to eat. He pleaded guilty and first paramilitary force was born. The ing, and for absence of recorded reasons Defence Institute of Psychological Re-
Vividh Bharati and other services code to decide what type of was sentenced to one year rigorous im- concerns of stepmotherly treatment in in final judgments. In 1999, the Law search under the Defence Research and
of All India Radio. The commercial advertisements should prisonment, dismissal from the Army, service conditions exist even today Commission’s 169th Report stated that Development Organisation. When the
Government expects to realise a be introduced on T.V. and radio. and disqualification from civilian ser- across all paramilitary forces in India as disciplinary and service matters re- issue was being examined by the Parlia-
vice. Fortunately for him, the Supreme later videos by other servicemen have quired quick resolution and proposed a mentary Standing Committee on De-
Court found this sentence to be grossly demonstrated. special tribunal for the military and fence, just one copy of each of these the
disproportionate and reinstated him Today, no less than seven paramilit- paramilitary forces. However, the Defence Institute of Psychological Re-
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS with full pay and benefits. ary forces exist, each created with less
parliamentary debate than the previous
Armed Forces Tribunal Bill was steered
through Parliament only by the Defence
search marked “secret” was submitted
to it. When the committee asked why it
Existential questions one. These forces are all under the Ministry, leaving paramilitary forces, should not be published, the govern-
>>It was in September 1984 — and not in September 1983, as stated in the Per- The BSF’s woes extend much further Home Ministry in contrast to the Army, even the Assam Rifles and the Coast ment’s reply was that sensationalisation
spective page article, “The prince of populism” (Jan. 17, 2017) — that S.D. than merely bad food. The force has Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard which Guard, outside the tribunal’s purview. or selective publicity of these reports
Somasundaram, a senior minister in the AIADMK ministry, quit the party. faced existential questions ever since it are under the Defence Ministry. The Despite court martial systems within would afect troop morale.
sought legislative recognition. Introdu- Assam Rifles has changed hands the military being reformed and judicial In the BSF constable’s case, the Home
cing the Border Security Force Bill, between Home, External Afairs and scrutiny now being available, paramilit- Ministry is in damage control mode.
It is the policy of The Hindu to correct significant errors as soon as 1968, the then Home Minister, Yashwan- Defence Ministries and is currently un- ary forces continue to follow a court While it has made statements about ra-
possible. trao Chavan, told the Rajya Sabha: “Pop- der the Home Ministry while under the martial-like system called the Security tioning policies and operational control
Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. ularly it is called Border Security Police, Defence Ministry’s operational control. Force Court with less legal safeguards of the post by the Army, no further com-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by: but its function is not policing, it is The military justice system does not than even those found inadequate by ment has been made except that the
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to something more than that. Though it is believe that it is required to be equal for the Supreme Court. Yet, like in court constable has a history of drunkenness
Friday); functioning on the borders, it is not the all and creates peculiar distinctions martial proceedings, penalties includ- and insubordination. The Ministry
Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in; Army. The task of this Force is such that between the Army, Navy and Air Force ing the death sentence can be imposed. would do well not to shoot the messen-
Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, it is something between the Army and on the one hand and the paramilitary With no process of appeal other than ger, but instead focus on taking steps to
859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. the Police Force.” In the now-forgotten forces and the Coast Guard on the other. statutory petitions, often before the prevent messengers from paramilitary
All communication must carry the full postal address and traditions of parliamentary debate, op- The Armed Forces Tribunal came Home Minister, the only recourse left is forces from shooting themselves.
telephone number. ponents of the Bill asked why there was into being in 2007, 25 years after the Su- expensive and time-consuming writ pe-
No personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on nothing in the Bill requiring the force to preme Court made scathing remarks titions. Even here, the fundamental Nishant Gokhale is an Associate with the Centre on
www.thehindu.com serve on the “border”, or why a central about the military justice system in Lt. rights of armed forces personnel are ex- the Death Penalty at the National Law University.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

Terms of disengagement
Prime Minister Theresa May injects some realism, but not enough, into her vision of Brexit Britain
tweeted Mr. Tusk following the speech. ing the single market, the development of a
VIDYA RAM However, much of the rest of what she said secure and prosperous country to which
T H U R S D AY , J A N U A RY 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 was highly ambitious to say the least. When global talent flocks will be an easy process,”
it came to membership of the customs union said crossbench peer Lord Karan Bilimoria.
— the system by which EU member states “Developing trade ties with the Common-
have tarif-free trade between each other, wealth, the U.S. and the rest of the world will
More than “Our policy is having our cake and eating it,”
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told
The Sun newspaper last year, in comments
while maintaining common tarifs on non-
EU states — Britain did not want to remain a
full member, as it prevented it from reaching
require
negotiations.”
lengthy and complicated

Former Conservative Chancellor Ken

symbolic that were widely ridiculed including by
European Union leaders. “There will be no
free trade deals with other non-EU nations.
However, Britain would seek to maintain a
Clarke highlighted the hypocrisy of Britain’s
position, suggesting that the flexibility that

M
ulayam Singh Yadav can certainly tell
friends from foes. In the Samajwadi
Party dispute that was before the Elec-
tion Commission of India, the import-
ant thing for him was to ensure that the party sym-
bol, the bicycle, did not get frozen. That would have
helped neither him nor his son, Akhilesh Yadav,
who is leading the split in the SP; worse, it would
have paved the way for his principal rival, the BJP, to
return to power given the serious disadvantages of
fighting an election with a symbol that is unfamiliar
to the electorate. By not battling hard for the bi-
cycle symbol, and not submitting before the ECI
any aidavit to show his support among elected
representatives and party oice-bearers, he may be
perceived as letting down his own faction in the
party. But his first priority was not winning the
battle inside his extended family, but beating his
political opponents in the larger war. The sur-
render of the symbol would have efectively ended
the SP’s fight in the election. Both father and son
knew this, and carefully averted such an eventual-
ity. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav responded to his father’s
gesture by seeking his blessings, and Mr. Mulayam
Singh sent his son a list of his faction’s candidates
who needed to be accommodated. The SP is not in
self-destruct mode. Both factions are playing their
cards on the basis of cold calculations, not hot-
headed impulse.
The split, and the retention of the election sym-
bol, appear to have compensated in some measure
for the party’s failings on the governance front over
the last five years. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav is now able to
seek a fresh mandate on his own terms; moreover,
he can, with some degree of credibility, blame the
shortcomings on the party’s old guard. Also, an alli-
ance with the Congress is now very much within
the realm of possibility. Mr. Mulayam Singh was
averse to a tie-up, but Mr. Akhilesh Yadav seems to
enjoy a better rapport with the Congress leader-
ship. The SP only gained from the split, and it might
have lost nothing at all in terms of organisational
muscle. After giving up the fight for the symbol, Mr.
Mulayam Singh does not seem too eager to take the
fight with his son to the polling booths, so long as
his loyalists got their share of seats. In a State
known for strategic voting, where voter polarisa-
tion with the BJP at one extreme is now a reality, the
SP might have benefited by merely pushing itself
ahead of the BSP as a principal contender. That
much Mr. Akhilesh Yadav appears to have done for
himself and the party. But the question is whether
he can bank entirely on his promise for the future,
and erase public memory of his past performance.
cakes on the table. For anyone. There will be
only salt and vinegar,” was the retort of EU
Council head Donald Tusk soon after.
Since the EU referendum last year, Bri-
tain’s political leadership has sought to
tackle the view that it had an entirely unreal-
istic picture of what Brexit Britain could look
like. On the one hand it seemed to be seeking
tarif-free access to European markets; on
the other it was not willing to accept the four
pillars of single-market membership: the
free movement of people, shared laws and
regulations, and competition policy, and a
system of common tarifs on trade outside
the union. On the one hand it sought free
trade deals with non-EU countries, such as
India; on the other it made plain its intention
to prioritise immigration control both for
workers and students from those countries,
leaving the impression, in the recent words
of one member of the House of Lords, “You
want our trade but not our children.”
Staying the course
Presenting the world with a credible pic-
ture of Brexit Britain — as opposed to one
riddled with these contradictions — was one
of the many challenges faced by British
Prime Minister Theresa May as she de-
livered her speech earlier this week, along-
side giving the markets some much-needed
clarity, and satisfying her party that she was
indeed a committed Brexiter despite being a
‘Remain’ campaigner in the run-up to the ref-
erendum vote.
Ms. May’s speech on Tuesday lived up to
that first challenge to a certain degree at
least — confirming for the first time publicly
that the U.K. would indeed have to exit the
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: SURENDRA
There was scant recognition of
the challenge that the
government’s immigration policy
would pose to its ability to strike
deals outside the region
single market as many had suggested all
along. “What I am proposing cannot mean
membership of the single market,” she said,
acknowledging that being out of the EU but a
member of the single market would mean
“complying with the EU’s rules and regula-
tions… without having a vote on what those
rules and regulations are… It would to all in-
tents and purposes mean not leaving the EU
at all.”
She also for the first time set out what the
actual process of leaving the EU might look
like: Britain would not be seeking “unlimited
transitional status” but would enter a phased
process of implantation following the two-
year deadline to reach the agreement. “This
will give businesses enough time to plan and
prepare for those new arrangements,” she
said.
“Sad process, surrealistic times but at least
more realistic announcement on Brexit,”
role within it, whether it was via a new agree-
ment altogether, an associate membership,
or being a signatory to part of it. She hinted at
separate deals for sectors of the economy
such as automakers and the financial ser-
vices industry — something that followed on
from comments made by several colleagues
in the government previously — and which
are likely to be seen by many within the EU
as yet another attempt at the kind of cherry-
picking they would baulk at. Indeed Guy
Verhofstadt, chair of the liberal and demo-
crat grouping in the European Parliament,
warned after the speech that Britain’s days of
“Europe à la carte are over.”
Also on the optimistic side was her vision
for Britain as a “great trading nation”, eager
to export to the rest of the world and strike
favourable trade deals outside the EU. Ms.
May highlighted India, Australia and New
Zealand as examples of countries with
which discussions on future trade deals had
already commenced, while she pointed to
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s insist-
ence that Britain would not be at the back of
the queue for a trade deal as his predecessor
had suggested. However, there seemed little
recognition within her comments of the
challenges of striking such deals, particu-
larly at a time when public sensitivities
about free trade agreements — and bilateral
investment deals — is high. In fact, quite the
opposite: writing in The Daily Telegraph the
day after, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson
claimed that nations were “already queuing
up” to do free trade deals with Britain.
Challenges ahead
“We cannot cling to the belief that in leav-
the EU had been willing to accord Britain
had not been enough to keep Britain within
the union, while at the same time hoping to
forge deals with the world’s largest econom-
ies. “What I don’t understand is which coun-
try in the world is going to enter into a trade
agreement with this country on the basis
that the rules are entirely what the British
say they’re going to be, on any particular day,
and if there’s any dispute about the rules it’s
going to be sorted out by the British govern-
ment,” Mr. Clarke told the House of Com-
mons to much applause and laughter.
And while Ms. May acknowledged that
Britain’s eagerness to control its borders
with the EU would stand in the way of it re-
maining a member of the single market,
there was scant recognition of the challenge
that the government’s immigration policy
would pose to its ability to strike deals out-
side the region. While the speech focussed
on EU immigration, it was clear that there
would be no relaxation of the rules for those
from outside. “In the last decade or so, we
have seen record levels of net migration in
Britain, and that sheer volume has put pres-
sure on public services like schools,
stretched our infrastructure, especially
housing, and put a downward pressure on
wages for working class people,” she said.
Britain hoped to attract the “brightest and
the best to work and study” but immigration
had to serve the national interest.
It was in fact in subsequent remarks — de-
signed as a warning to EU leaders of what
would happen should they attempt to penal-
ise Britain for voting to leave — that the
strategy likely to underpin much of its ap-
proach going forward was hinted at: lower
tax rates, particularly for the corporate sec-
tor. Chancellor Philip Hammond had
already hinted at taxation being a possible
means for attracting business, but it’s a point
Ms. May chose not to dwell on at length as
she sought to sell an image of Brexit Britain
as a “fairer” nation.
A little clarity for now
Nevertheless, whatever its problems and
contradictions, the speech seemed to give
the market the certainty it was willing to live
with for the time being at least. Ms. May in-
sisted that blow-by-blow detailing of Bri-
tain’s negotiating strategy was of the table.
She and her government have also begun to
recognise the importance of communicating
beyond the shores of Britain: it’s notable that
in the question and answer session that fol-
lowed the speech, she actively sought out
questions from the European press, while
Downing Street has since the new year be-
gun weekly foreign press briefings in an ef-
fort to establish a direct line to the European

The hard road media in particular.

Of course, giving clarity is one thing. Con-
vincing EU leaders and the rest of the world

to Brexit will be quite another, and with three national

EU elections round the corner (France, the
Netherlands and Germany) this year, who

P
rime Minister Theresa May’s speech on her
government’s plans for Britain’s exit from
the EU was many things at once — a declar-
ation of intent, a warning, a motivational
talk and a balancing act with several contradictions.
She painted the first stroke on the negotiation can-
vas: Britain had chosen a “hard Brexit”. It would
leave the single market and with it gain more con-
trol over its borders and its laws, some of which are
currently under the oversight of the European
Courts of Justice. This, Ms. May said, is what the
people had chosen. At the same time, the U.K.
would seek to negotiate a deal that would give it as
much access to the single market without being a
part of it. It would seek a modified customs union
membership to be able to negotiate its own trade
treaties with non-EU countries, and build what the
Prime Minister called a “truly global Britain”. This
vision had been built up by Ms. May since the June
2016 referendum, and her speech reiterated it was
the alternative, and better, future that awaited Bri-
tain. The Prime Minister pushed and pulled at the
EU, with praise and warning. Ms. May spoke of her
country’s good intentions for the continent and her
optimism for a good deal with Europe, but said she
would accept a no-deal over a bad one. She warned
that it would be “calamitously” harmful to Europe if
it penalised the U.K. for leaving. She spoke of want-
ing to strike a trade deal with the EU but hinted that
if it did not get a good deal the U.K. had the rest of
the world to trade with, and the option to ofer tax
incentives to attract “the best companies and the
biggest investors”.
Ms. May, who was herself a “Remainer”, is trying
to make the most of the referendum results for the
U.K., and this is her job. It is in this context that her
speech must be seen. Neither the British govern-
ment nor those who supported the move to leave
the EU should harbour any illusions that some of
the goals outlined in the speech will be diicult to
achieve. The EU, which according to recent data ac-
counts for approximately half the U.K.’s imports
and exports, is likely to be overwhelmingly import-
ant to it after the exit. It is not just the EU that will
experience great harm from a bad deal. Trade deals
with non-EU countries such as India are likely to in-
volve greater movement of people across borders
and this is bound to raise diicult immigration is-
sues again. The Scottish Parliament has now reiter-
ated its resolve to discuss with Downing Street
Scotland’s continuation in the single market, and a
second referendum for Scottish independence is
now more likely. Nobody said it would be easy.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Protests for jallikattu
With diferent opinions surfacing
on the need to continue jallikattu, it
is important to weigh the pros and
cons of the sport (“Spectator gored
to death at T.N. bull run”, Jan.18).
While I empathise with the need to
sustain indigenous cattle breeds,
that jallikattu alone can help
achieve this objective is not a
convincing argument. Is there no
other way to protect the bulls? As a
progressive nation, we seem to be
caught in a tussle between tradition
and development. Agriculturists
and animal husbandry specialists
must provide direction to the
government to sustain indigenous
cattle breeds or do research on the
subject. Government programmes
are needed to promote the cause.
As long as there are interested
participants, the sport can be
regulated and held without the
needless trauma that the bulls are
put through today. Also, painting all
animal lovers with one brush and
labelling them as being against
tradition seems uncharitable.
Voiceless animals need us to speak
for them.
Anand Aravamudhan,
Chennai
Protests in Tamil Nadu have taken a
dramatic turn with the youth taking
centre stage and protesting
peacefully. That the Centre and the
Tamil Nadu government have not
yet initiated concrete steps to
address the legitimate demands of
those protesting is intriguing.
This peaceful protest is yet another
indicator of the peace-loving nature
of the Tamils.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Madurai
Every community has its own
identity and culture. Jallikattu is a
part of Tamil culture. People across
the world celebrate traditions of
diferent kinds. Similarly, in Tamil
Nadu, the belief is that if jallikattu
takes place, there will be plenty of
rainfall and good harvest. If people
believe that performing a yagna will
bring rains, others believe that this
sport will bring good harvest.
Animal welfare organisations are
trying to divide the Tamils.
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
Some people are arguing that
people who are against cruelty to
animals should stop eating meat,
chicken, pork, etc. It is necessary to
make a distinction between
pleasure and need. Jallikattu is a
sport practised just for our
pleasure; eating is a need and it is a
matter of choice. People say go
vegetarian, but it is not realistic for
the world to turn vegetarian. What
about those who cannot grow
vegetables or crops in snow-
covered regions, deserts, drought-
prone areas etc.? Cattle are reared
and poultry bred for food-related
needs of human beings. On the
other hand, in jallikattu, animals are
exploited and their rights are
violated.
Nagsen Meshram,
Nagpur
Pride is a changing notion. Today
Tamil Nadu can be proud for being
at the forefront of the IT industry,
for ensuring safety of women.
There is no doubt that there was a
time when Hindus, both women
and men, considered sati a matter of
pride. Records show how less than a
century ago, untouchability and
prohibition of entry of lower castes
into temples were considered
essential parts of the proud
traditions of the oldest religion in
the world, but this has not
prevented the enactment of
progressive legislation. Politicians
and actors should not hold back the
forward flow of a people’s culture
for the sake of electoral gains or
continued box oice success.
A. Ramachandran,
Palakkad
Whether jallikattu is banned or not,
free speech certainly appears to be
curtailed. I support the right of the
protesters to protest peacefully, but
I also strongly condemn the
violence against those who raise a
voice against the sport. Whoever
spoke in support of the ban is now
silent or under police protection. As
one of the most advanced States in
the country, shouldn’t we be
behaving better?
Srinivasan Ramakrishnan,
Chennai
SP-Congress combine
The eagerness of the Congress
party to hang on to the coat-tails of
the Samajwadi Party by forging an
alliance is a last-ditch attempt by
the Grand Old Party to gain a
foothold in U.P. where it continues
to enjoy only an also-ran status
(“SP, Congress inch closer to
alliance”, Jan.18). The Congress shot
itself in the foot by nominating
Sheila Dikshit as the party’s chief
ministerial candidate for U.P. on the
premise that she is a “bahu” of the
State. The SP has little to gain from
an alliance with the Congress as the
latter has no vote bank to call its
own and Akhilesh Yadav is sure to
she may have to convince could change
altogether.
vidya.ram@thehindu.co.in
be loath to part with a large number
of seats. If a Mahagathbandhan
becomes a reality, the Congress’s
share of seats could plummet
further. With opinion polls
favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party,
which will of course leave no stone
unturned to storm to power in
India’s largest State, the SP, already
facing incumbency and intra-party
hassles, will have an uphill task to
retain power. With the Congress
like an albatross round its neck, its
prospects might further wane. Both
the BJP and the SP will, however,
have to contend with the Bahujan
Samaj Party, as dismissing
Mayawati as a spent force could
prove calamitous.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
The BJP will be poised to face a
mighty combine if the SP and
Congress get together. Akilesh
Yadav has immense support in the
State. The Congress as an individual
entity can end up with nothing, but
teaming with the SP it can hope for
a decent score. The BSP’s strategies
are yet to be revealed, but it is
presently watching in silence the
grand episode of family feud in the
SP. Despite the rift between father
and son, the latter seems to be in
good shape to race along on his
bicycle.
N. Visveswaran,
Chennai
The proposed combine is in
keeping with a modern trend in
Indian politics. In every State, there
are parties ready to tie up with each
other to face a common enemy. But
this will be a stopgap arrangement,
paving the way for the stronger
party to take full advantage of the
results. We have seen this trend
often enough to recognise it.
P.U. Krishnan,
Ooty
For a cashless economy
Every other economic think tank in
the country is busy criticising the
government’s demonetisation
move, including Nobel Laureate
Amartya Sen (“Serious job losses
are taking place”, Jan.18). But no one
stops to think that maybe it is high
time we embraced a cashless
economy and reduced paper notes,
at least for the sake of
accountability. Instead, people who
want a cashless economy are being
demotivated and criticised. Think
tanks must come forward to give
suggestions to the government and
iron out diferences and air their
concerns rather than lash out.
Suhas Lakshmisha Yadav,
New Delhi
On an equal footing
The Border Security Force (BSF)
and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police
(ITBP) should be separated from
the Central Armed Police Forces
under the Ministry of Home Afairs
and be brought under the Ministry
of Defence, as neither of them deals
with domestic law and order
situations but with frontier
protection — a key concern for a
country encountering cross-border
terrorism on a daily basis.
The responsibilities, training and
gallantry of the BSF and ITBP are
on a par with that of the Army. Then
why the disparity in pay, treatment
and recognition?
Sreerag Raman Sreenivasan,
Trivandrum

CM ND-ND
YK
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

AGRICULTURE
Focussing on the
A result no one wants to call
The Punjab Assembly election is a three-way slugfest in which the ruling Akalis bring up the rear
marginal farmer
VIPIN PUBBY
The sluice gate on the Bhakra main line canal in Khanauri-
Kalan village in Sangrur district, Punjab, has become infam-
ous. According to reports, it is a suicide point for farmers and
their families. Typically, 30-45 corpses are found in the canal
on average every month. Farmers’ suicide in Punjab is a major For the last half a century, since modern-
FEROZE worry: over 2,632 farmers are reported to have committed sui- day Punjab’s boundaries were drawn in
VARUN cide between 1995 and 2015,in the land famed for its Green Re- 1966, it has always been a virtually bi-
GANDHI volution, according to State government records. Mansa dis- polar electoral contest between the
trict alone accounts for 1,334 suicides. Adding farm labourers Congress and the alliance partners,
raises the total to 4,687 reported suicides. The reasons for this vary: cotton Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the
crop has been whittled by whiteflies, basmati’s market price has declined, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The polit-
the local moneylender has hiked up rates to 20 per cent. The farmer ekes his ical rivals have been swapping the seat
way to penury. of power after each election except the
Farmer suicides are not a new trend. According to the National Crime Re- last time in 2012 when the SAD-BJP re-
cords Bureau (NCRB), 2,195 marginal farmers reportedly committed suicide tained power.
in 2015 (of which 834 were in Maharashtra), while 3,618 “small farmers” un- With the entry of the Aam Aadmi
dertook such drastic steps, with Maharashtra alone seeing 1,285. More curi- Party (AAP) in the fray this time, the
ously, a larger number of small farmers rather than marginal farmers re- political equations have changed as for
portedly committed suicide in States like Maharashtra, Telangana and the first time the State would witness a
Karnataka. Somehow, small farmers are also bedevilled by the agricultural credible three-cornered contest. The
crisis, and this is not the case in just the traditional drought-stricken States. rookie party had caused a major upset in
the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it had
On input costs bagged all its four seats from Punjab and
Agriculture in States like Punjab is typically a monoculture of wheat and had notched up a quarter of the vote
paddy. When input costs associated with fertilizers, crop-protection chem- share in the State. GEARING UP TO FIGHT: “The Congress has a charismatic leader in Captain Amarinder Singh, who had proved his popularity when he
icals and seeds rose, along with fixed costs associated with agricultural The AAP had evidently benefitted defeated Arun Jaitley at the height of the ‘Modi wave’. Mr. Singh at an election rally in Bathinda. PHOTO: PTI
equipment such as tractors and sub- from the anti-incumbency faced by both
mersible pumps, agriculture be- its political rivals — at the Centre, it was For the Congress, whose belt, which has been the bastion of the polls had predicted a victory for the
came economically unviable. Prices
Our farm equipment policy the Congress-led United Progressive Akalis, even though a section of the party but it floundered due to its smug-
have risen — of arhar seeds and needs to be retailored with Alliance government which lost across graph has been declining urban population appears to have ness, factionalism, poor distribution of
staple crops like paddy and sugar- a focus on manufacturing the country after a decade in power across the country, Punjab is turned away from it. tickets and lack of eforts to placate the
cane, of fertilizers and plain barley. while in Punjab, it was the simmering re- the best bet for a turnaround rebels. It appears to have learnt no les-
The old days of farmers handing farming equipment that is sentment built up against the SAD-BJP State of the big two sons. The delay in finalising its candid-
seeds as family heirlooms to their currently imported coalition government during its second in its fortunes The Akalis and their alliance partner ates again this time was due to infighting
sons are long gone. Hiring labourers successive term. It was the political va- BJP are banking on what they claim to be and various factions propping up their
and animals is expensive. With an increase in application of crop-protection cuum in the State that the party had turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu their “developmental agenda”. The co- own candidates. As per latest reports,
chemicals, soya bean has seen a massive jump in pesticide cost. Given a filled, coming out with flying colours. also finally joined the party with barely alition government can claim credit for rebels have raised the banner of revolt in
jump in input costs, cultivation costs have gone up in multiples. The total 18 days of campaigning left. building infrastructure and making it a at least 30 constituencies.
cost of cultivation for wheat rose three times from 2004-05 to 2012-13. AAP on a roller coaster For the AAP, however, it’s not been all power-surplus State but there is palp- For the Congress, whose graph has
While traditionally the blame is cast on the usurious local moneylender, Sensing that its best prospects outside hunky-dory. After being first of the able anger among the people for its fail- been declining across the country, Pun-
NCRB data highlight that 2,474 of the 3,000 farmers who were reported to Delhi lay in Punjab, the party had been blocks, the party stumbled over the last ure to check corruption and the drug jab is the best bet for a turnaround in its
have committed suicide in 2015 had loans from local banks, while those who building a base in the State for more than few months following infighting and al- menace. There is an impression that the fortunes. It has a charismatic leader in
had loans from moneylenders were just 9.8 per cent of the total. Maha- a year. It formed ward-wise committees legations of corruption. Two of its four Akalis had encouraged lawlessness and Captain Amarinder Singh, who had
rashtra reported 1,293 such suicides for indebtedness, while Karnataka had in almost all the Assembly constituen- MPs were suspended after they spoke condoned the high-handed attitude of proved his popularity when he defeated
946. Meanwhile, farmers in Punjab are estimated to have an outstanding cies much before its political rivals even out against party supremo Arvind Kejri- its local leaders. The business interests Arun Jaitley at the height of the ‘Modi
debt of ₨69,355 crore. Somehow, the traditional moneylender is seemingly began to think of the next elections. wal. The AAP faced another blow when of the Badals and their extended family wave’ in the general election and still en-
more “flexible” than local banks. Party volunteers visited lakhs of house- its State convener Sucha Singh Chhote- have also come under close scrutiny. joys widespread support. The party has
holds in the rural areas with the simple pur, who had built the party in the State, Moreover, the alienation of the “Panthic also roped in election strategist
Retailoring agriculture request that their poster or flag be dis- was sacked after allegations of corrup- vote”, the core constituency of the Prashant Kishor, who was in charge of
Solving this crisis requires an inclusive approach. Our policies should en- played outside each house. tion were levelled against him. Akalis, can cost them dear. The pardon the election campaigns of Narendra
courage integrated pest management, an approach that focusses on combin- Thus by the time elections were form- The party also faced severe criticism granted to the controversial Dera Sacha Modi in 2014 and that of Nitish Kumar a
ing biological, chemical, mechanical and physical means to combat pests ally announced earlier this month, the for setting up a committee of ‘outsiders’ Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, year later in Bihar, to shape the Congress
with a long-term emphasis on eliminating or significantly reducing the need AAP had declared almost all its candid- for selection of candidates. There were who was charged with blasphemy, by campaign in Punjab.
for pesticides. In Vietnam, over 2 million of the Mekong Delta’s rice farmers ates and was way ahead with its cam- also allegations against some members the Sikh clergy controlled by the Badals The likely three-way division of votes
adopted a “no spray early” rule, curbing insecticide applications within the paign. In sharp contrast, the Congress, seeking sexual favours or indulging in and a series of acts of desecration of the has confounded political observers and
first 40 days of rice planting. Predatory beetles that commonly prey on rice seeking to avenge its defeat in the previ- corruption while selecting candidates. Sikh holy book had led to palpable anger psephologists. They are all the more
pests were sustained, encouraging the crop while cutting pesticide use by ous State elections, was struggling to fi- The lack of a ‘face’ or a chief ministerial against them. shying away from any predictions due to
over 50 per cent. nalise candidates. Even as the nomina- candidate was again considered a factor The Congress had lost the previous the fiasco last time.
The local fertilizer industry needs support — timely delivery of subsidies tions opened, the party was undecided that may go against the party. Assembly elections by a margin of un-
would improve working capital requirements, enabling them to manage on 40 of its 117 candidates. After dither- However, the AAP is finding traction der two percentage points. It was fa- Vipin Pubby is a veteran journalist based in
costs through internal sources rather than external loans. Delayed payments ing for nearly four months, cricketer- in the rural areas and the crucial Malwa voured to win and almost all opinion Chandigarh.
can cause an interest outgo of ₨3,500 crore for fertilizer firms annually. State
seed policies should focus on encouraging contract farming, along with

The second coming of Barack Obama

identification of new genotypes for treating pest and disease syndromes, as
well as adverse weather conditions. Precision-farming techniques like Sys-
tematic Rice Intensification can help increase seed production in this re-
gard.
Our farm equipment policy needs to be retailored with a focus on manu-
facturing farming equipment and implements that are currently imported. He can play a crucial role during the Trump administration as unoicial leader of the opposition
Subsidies should be rerouted to ensure lower collateral requirements,
longer moratoriums and payback periods for farmers seeking to buy equip-
ment and entrepreneurs seeking to setup Custom Hiring Centres (CHC) for 2°C. Mr. Obama can legitimately cam-
agricultural equipment. Companies with a corporate social responsibility paign for the Paris Agreement and
focus on agriculture can be further encouraged to invest in capacity-build- T.P. SREENIVASAN counter Mr. Trump’s total rejection of
ing initiatives, skill development and the establishment of CHCs. the phenomenon of climate change.
We need to ensure that institutional financing is available and accessible The U.S. industry in general is not
and benefit provision is simplified while disbursed funds are efectively averse to the Paris Agreement.
monitored. States should seek to establish early warning signals, monitoring President Barack Obama appears
farmers who go past set limits and seek unsustainable loans. Village-wise anxious to build on his legacy as his Iran nuclear deal
lists of deeply indebted farmers must be prepared annually to identify farm- term comes to an end. From the ashes of The Iran nuclear deal is another
ers on the flight path to penury and potential suicide. The National Bank for the Democratic Party and his own es- cause for which Mr. Obama can cam-
Agriculture and Rural Development, along with the local administration, tablishment, which stands defeated, he paign successfully. As U.S. Secretary of
should be tasked with analysing such lists for macro and local policy inter- is struggling to emerge, phoenix like, in State John Kerry has asserted in his exit
ventions, along with devising timely loan restructuring initiatives, insur- a new avatar as humanist and statesman memo to the President: “before the
ance claim settlements and better counselling. who has contributed to peace, racial Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
Finally, such individuals must be treated with the dignity and respect they harmony, reduction of tension and (JCPOA) Iran was under 90 days away
deserve. Given the hard struggle of making a living in agriculture these days, elimination of war. from having the material necessary to
such farmers face big odds for sustaining their families and educating their His declaration that he could have produce one nuclear weapon. Today,
children. Travelling through the by-lanes of suicide-stricken villages in won the election was a reflection of his because of the JCPOA, they are at least a
Bijnor, Bahraich, Kheri, Allahabad, Aligarh and Moradabad is a humbling assessment of his presidency. But the year away — and the unprecedented
and disconcerting experience. Even distributing Rs.50,000 per distraught U.S. abstention on the resolution on Is- transparency measures allow us to
marginal farmer family has had little impact; so deep is the scale of agrarian raeli settlements in the United Nations OBAMA, NOT OUT: “Donald Trump will have to reckon with the formidable figure of know almost immediately if Iran fails to
distress. Our eforts in crowdfunding have been a palliative for over 3,000 Security Council, which allowed the Barack Obama as a statesman with considerable skill and experience.” The comply, giving us plenty of time to act.
farmers, but only systemic change can transform their situation. The mar- UN to castigate Israel, came too late and President-elect with the President at the White House in Washington. PHOTO: AP Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium
ginal farmer requires more than just hope now. amounted to too little. The expulsion of has been reduced by 98 per cent — not
Russian diplomats on hacking charges world leaders. Mr. Obama will be a con- Instead of finding new anywhere close to what’s needed to
Feroze Varun Gandhi is a Member of Parliament, representing the Sultanpur constituency for the on the eve of a Putin-Trump partnership stant reminder of the nostalgic past, as make a single nuclear weapon.” These
BJP.
does not amount to much. The arrival of Mr. Trump drifts away from traditional
causes to fight for, were tough negotiations spread over
U.S. troops and equipment in Germany policies. The complexities that will Mr. Obama can focus on several years and the deal was the best
to support NATO can be easily re- arise from dramatic changes in policy the unfinished agenda of possible alternative to war.
FROM THE ARCHIVES versed. His eforts to pre-empt changes
at this stage may be in vain.
will definitely make the Obama days
look better. Mr. Obama has to discreetly his presidency To the U.S., Germany and other per-
manent members, throwing the Iran
select an agenda that does not directly deal out will be like throwing the baby
Carter as role model? counter Trumpism and nativism, but But Republican presidents have used with the bathwater. Mr. Obama has the
Mr. Obama should take it easy in the promotes larger global interests. the UN for their own purposes and the credentials to defend the nuclear deal
(dated January 19, 1967) next few days and prepare to play a cru- The greatest opportunity will come Trump theory that the UN is only a club even with Mr. Trump as President. He
cial role during the Trump administra- for Mr. Obama when Mr. Trump tries to for conversation and a good time may could argue that the new power equa-
Communications via main function of the network will tion as unoicial leader of the opposi- get close to Russia. If Mr. Obama takes a not be acceptable to the majority. Mr. tions developing in West Asia will be
be to speed communications tion. Jimmy Carter may well be a role position of cautious engagement with Obama will be eminently qualified to beneficial to the U.S.
satellites between Washington and Viet model for Mr. Obama, though the lat- Russia, working for arms reduction and campaign against neglect of the UN. At The success that Mr. Carter re-
A Titan-3C rocket blasted of Nam. The eight 100-pound ter’s presidency has not been as colour- moving towards nuclear disarmament, worst, Mr. Trump may engage in the old gistered in several instances of conflict
from this missile base to-day satellites launched to-day will join less as President Carter’s, and winning a it will appeal to the global community. tactic of holding back contribution to resolution after leaving oice could be a
[January 18, Cape Kennedy] on a seven identical ones which were Nobel Prize will not be an aspiration of Mr. Trump’s announcement that the the general budget and minimising the role model for Mr. Obama. But Mr.
mission to place eight satellites in put in orbit last June and have his post-retirement eforts. In fact, in- U.S. should enhance its nuclear capabil- number of peacekeeping operations. A Trump as President presents a special
separate orbits for a worldwide been relaying messages through stead of finding new causes to fight for, ity does not appear to be in the scheme public campaign for support for the UN opportunity for Mr. Obama to be active.
communications network for the eight ground stations, including Mr. Obama can focus on the unfinished of things that led to his victory. will resonate internationally, even He may be able to play a role as a moral
United States armed forces. A two in Viet Nam. agenda of his presidency, having set in Global Zero, the objective that the among other permanent members. force against temperamental decisions
motion several initiatives, which could global community set for itself to elim- Linked to the UN is the whole ques- of President Trump. Perhaps, Michelle
not be completed during his first or inate nuclear weapons, has a romantic tion of climate change and environ- Obama too has a chance to build a polit-
second term. appeal to peaceniks in the U.S. and mental protection, which appears to be ical future for herself in the years ahead.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS Barack Obama has the intelligence, abroad and Mr. Obama’s leadership will anathema to Mr. Trump. Like a small Her image will be an asset for Mr.
imagination and energy to move these give the movement a momentum, minority of people, who still believe Obama in his future endeavours.
>>The sixth paragraph of the story, “Walk away from terror, PM tells Pak.” (Jan. forward even without presidential though its fruition is only in the distant that the earth is flat, climate change Against the backdrop of the uncer-
18, 2017), mistakenly located both British Prime Minister Theresa May and powers. The Trump phenomenon may horizon. His Prague speech on nuclear sceptics believe that the whole theory tainty created by the advent of Mr.
Chinese President Xi's speeches at Davos. The sentence should have read: turn out to be a blessing in disguise for disarmament is still relevant and may of global warming is a hoax. This is con- Trump, Mr. Obama has a historic oppor-
“Mr. Modi began his speech with a reference to speeches made earlier on him. Mr. Obama may emerge as the con- form the basis of an eventual agreement trary to internationally accepted stud- tunity to play a role. Perhaps, he gave a
Tuesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May, who spoke in London on the science of the U.S. while President on elimination of nuclear weapons. He ies of the Intergovernmental Panel on hint of this in his farewell address:
Brexit vote and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke in Davos on the chal- Trump is the man in authority. had warned that this would not happen Climate Change, which has established “That’s what our democracy demands.
lenges to globalisation. The hostility of the American media in his first or second term or even in his that human activity is responsible for It needs you. Not just when there’s an
towards Mr. Trump will be Mr. Obama’s lifetime. But he may well be a messiah of global warming. election, not just when your own nar-
>>A sentence in “Why can’t FM stations broadcast news, asks SC (Jan. 16, greatest opportunity. They will hold up nuclear disarmament the anti-nuclear Industrialised nations have wriggled row interest is at stake, but over the full
2017) read: “Now, if the Supreme Court has its way, private FM radio stations President Obama as a model, from movement embraces. out of the Rio commitment of 1992 to span of a lifetime... I won’t stop. In fact, I
will have an essential role to play in the world’s oldest democracy — dissemin- which President Trump can move away The approach to the UN that Mr. mandatory cuts and virtually buried the will be right here with you, as a cit-
ation of news.” It should have been the largest democracy. only at his own peril. Mr. Trump will Trump has outlined is another fertile Kyoto Protocol. The Paris Agreement izen...” The second coming of Obama
have to reckon with the formidable fig- field for Mr. Obama to be active. The on Climate Change is a feather in Mr. without any desire for oice or financial
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by ure of Mr. Obama as a statesman with traditional Republican line on the UN is Obama’s cap even though the action en- benefit will be welcome.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- skill and experience, someone who is that it is not of much help to the U.S.’s visaged through voluntary eforts may
day); E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in intelligent and balanced, a sympathetic interests in the world and that the UN not meet the requirement of containing T.P. Sreenivasan, a former Indian ambassador, heads
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com figure for minorities and known to position on Israel is positively harmful. the rise in global temperature below the Kerala International Centre.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

Autumn and its discontents

Donald Trump’s talent lay in finding the words — howsoever wild, inaccurate, or untrue — that amplified
the resentment of large swathes of American voters with the political establishment
jority of voters, is still not well understood. gressively needed more spectacularly gifted
F R I D AY , J A N U A RY 2 0 , 2 0 1 7 In parts, this may be because of a managerial advocates to sell its promise and potential
KEERTHIK SASIDHARAN understanding of the nature of politics that during election time. Failing which, liberal-
has become prevalent. ism is seen as having failed to deliver. All the
while, what followed are critiques: from in-
The limits to In the second volume of Ian Kershaw’s mo-
The waning of liberalism
Since World War II, democratic politics
cendiary radio and TV hosts who froth apo-
plectically to deeper, and thus all the more

popular sentiment numental biography on Adolf Hitler, there is

a throwaway description of Nazi electoral
strategy: “The appealing counter-image of
has become most visible as an effort to taper
over social schisms, to legislate out ex-
amples of intolerance, and to ameliorate his-
radical, readings that seeks to delegitimise
the entire liberalism project itself.
Thus we find influential right-wing ideo-

T
amil Nadu is caught in a near-spontan-
eous mass upsurge in support of
jallikattu, the bull-taming spectacle held
during the time of the harvest festival of
Pongal. Tens of thousands have gathered in public
places, most notably on Chennai’s Marina beach,
on a day-and-night vigil, seeking the reversal of the
Supreme Court-ordered ban on the conduct of the
annual ritual. In the name of cultural pride and cus-
tom and tradition, students and youth have risen
up. The show of solidarity has been peaceful, in
sharp contrast to the aggression shown by some en-
thusiasts on social media in targeting certain
celebrities for their earlier support to PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam felt compelled to
respond to this movement, and rushed to meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wrest an assur-
ance on an ordinance to nullify the Supreme Court
ban. But whatever the views of the youth taking part
in the demonstration, jallikattu in its present form
is of relatively recent origin, intended to make bulls
run amok for the sake of spectacle. Instead of the
traditional form of one man against one animal, lat-
ter-day jallikattu is a mass-participant ritual of hun-
dreds of men chasing a bull and trying to hold on to
its hump or stop it by pulling at or twisting its tail.
Few other feudal traditions have survived in
modern, progressive India in the name of mascu-
line valour and cultural pride. When the Supreme
Court banned this spectacle that took a heavy toll
on both the animals and the human participants, it
did so after attempts at its regulation and the or-
derly conduct of this “sport” were deemed a failure.
In 2013, under the watch of the Animal Welfare
Board of India, the onus was on the State of Tamil
Nadu to ensure that jallikattu did not violate the
provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act. But, the opportunity to ensure a jallikattu that
was free of cruelty to the animals and injuries to the
participating youth was frittered away. Efforts that
are now on to nullify the effect of the Supreme
Court judgment through the ordinance route thus
carry a serious risk of judicial reproach. Last year,
the Centre did try to get around the court order by
issuing an executive notification that granted ex-
emption from restrictions on the use of bulls as per-
forming animals in traditional sports. The proper
course for the Centre and the State government is
to persuade the Supreme Court that a jallikattu that
does not involve, or at least almost eliminates,
cruelty to animals and that guarantees the safety of
spectators and participants alike is indeed possible.
It is all right if popular sentiment can influence le-
gislation, but it cannot undermine the rule of law.
Rebooting
disinvestment
national rebirth”. This promise to dust away
historical humiliations is a political
stratagem that has launched numerous
electoral campaigns since 1933-34 when
Hitler came to power.
What makes these refrains of renaissance
ominous sometimes is that nostalgia for na-
tional glory is entwined intimately, like a
strand in a double helix birthing identity,
with vilification of select groups. In our
times, we have seen this logic unfold starkly
in Rodrigo Duterte’s Philippines, Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey, Viktor Orban’s
Hungary, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, or Robert
Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. Implicit in the deploy-
ment of such a vocabulary is an effort to cre-
ate hierarchies that rank which diversities
within the collective are to thrive, which to
be subsumed, and which to be squashed, in
service of the state.
Sea change in attitudes
Since the 1960s, when ethnic quotas on
immigration to the U.S. ended, American
elections have been occasions to ask public-
spirited questions on the nature of citizen-
ship. Similar questions were asked in the
19th century when the Irish, Italians, and
other “non-whites” from southern Europe
arrived. These questions seek to answer
concerns such as who belongs in America,
what is the nature of that belonging, what is
guaranteed by the American state to its cit-
izens, and so on. The answers thrown up in
the hurly-burly of election campaigns to
these questions are rarely cogent or per-
fumed by refinement, but they nevertheless
draw with great fidelity the contours of col-
lective attitudes, fears, and aspirations.
By and large, for much of its history since
the 1960s, the content of American citizen-
ship has widened over time and offered
more opportunities to residents (even non-
citizens) to flourish as individuals. To this
end, over the past 60 years, there have been
improvements in the protection of voting
rights for minorities, equal pay for women,
CARTOONSCAPE
While Mr. Trump’s harangues
mirrored the very opposite of Mr.
Obama’s language of hope, both
treated politics as something
transcending policy prescriptions
legalisation of same-sex marriage, environ-
mental preservation, consumer protection,
decriminalisation of children of illegal im-
migrants, and so on. Acts and amendments
that have relied on human reason to reduce
human suffering.
Legal precedents that show while Amer-
ica is far from a perfect nation, it is as Barack
Obama said in 2008, a “perfectible nation”.
In 2016, however, Donald Trump’s election
victory depended on large swathes of Amer-
ican voters (majority white, some non-
whites too) who have become suspicious of
the very same institutional structures and
vocabularies that had allowed this historic
expansion of the protections and guarantees
offered by the state. That this recognition of
the changing moods of the American elect-
orate proved difficult for political pundits
and, particularly, for the Clinton campaign is
evident. But why exactly they did miss this
sea change in attitudes, particularly since
2012 when Mr. Obama was elected by a ma-
toric wrongs. Much effort has gone to en-
sure that these resentments don’t burble up,
far less explode into the open like in the
Balkans during the 1990s. After the messian-
ism of the pre-World War II era, the politics
that followed began to speak the language of
bureaucratic incrementalism which al-
lowed for discontents to be calibrated,
bribed, and managed.
By and large, this approach is successful
when social stresses aren’t extraordinary.
The presence of a social safety net — not
just in a financial sense, but also on familial,
community, and identitarian grounds — al-
lowed for more and more individuals to buy
into the idea that if they patiently wait in
line, pay their taxes, and jump through the
hoops, their turn at self-improvement will
arrive. The result of this implicit coda of
civic agreeableness is that the accompany-
ing politics and the very act of being polit-
ical acquired a vocabulary of gradualism.
Politicians swore by a creedal faith in accu-
mulative dynamics of progress. The apo-
theosis of this attitude towards politics —
call it pragmatic liberalism, if you will — has
been President Obama, who sought to re-
store America after the foreign policy and
financial catastrophes of the George W.
Bush era. He was successful, more than any-
body expected in 2008 when he was first
elected, through an inspired mix of personal
integrity, hard work, and the charisma to
market his achievements.
Yet, a key requirement for pragmatic lib-
eralism to succeed is that it relies on the
state’s capacity to ensure resource redistri-
bution and the efficacy of delivery mechan-
isms. Since the 1980s however, the institu-
tional capacity of governments in America
has gradually hollowed out via defunding
(“starve the Beast”, said arch privatisers).
Any question of downward redistribution
was deemed illegitimate, even as income in-
equality continued to rise. The con-
sequence is that the originary promises of
liberalism — equity and efficiency — pro-
logues of Western decline, like the Russian
public intellectual Alexandr Dugin (with his
growing set of admirers among the White
Nationalist movements in America) blame
liberalism’s universalist tendencies to usurp
and colonise cultures in the name of egalit-
arianism and progressivism. The enemy, in
this interpretation, is not only transnational
capitalism and its representatives (which
also conveniently comports with historic
tropes of anti-Semitism), but also the very
language, methods, and civic attitudes that
have allowed liberalism to thrive. Thus, cul-
ture is instrumentalised to demarcate
boundaries between the porous beliefs and
real lives of peoples who belong to different
nations. For a long time, this right-wing au-
thoritarian populism (or the left-wing
supranational bureaucratism of the
European Union variety) has had little pur-
chase in American politics. The cataclysms
of the credit crises in 2008, however, began
to change all that.
Words that resonate
The state, even the ostensibly all-power-
ful American state, suddenly found itself un-
able to imagine the consequences of letting
millions of working adults fall by the way-
side, except in terms of statistics such as un-
employment figures and GDP growth.
Politicians, trained in decades-old lan-
guages of subcommitees and judicial hear-
ings, suddenly found themselves unmoored
from what people now sought from politics:
an argument for coherence in an age of mul-
tiple incoherences.
In such circumstances, successful politics
— or, more accurately, a successful election
campaign in the age of cable TV and social
media — transmogrifies from reason-based
discourse to an exhortation of group solid-
arity that promises to help the individual
build a carapace to re-situate themselves in
a wider society. Mr. Trump’s talent was to
find the words — howsoever wild, inaccur-
ate, and often untrue — that rebelled against
these commonplace political mantras of
‘globalisation’, ‘NAFTA’, ‘privatisation’ et al
which had traduced middle- and low-in-
come Americans into economic pawns in-
stead of seeing them as members within a
social grouping. Ironically, while Mr.
Trump’s harangues mirrored the very op-
posite of the language of hope and solidarity
that Mr. Obama conveyed in 2008, both of
them treated politics as something tran-
scending policy prescriptions and technical
fixes. They sought to articulate a form of
group solidarity. For Mr. Obama, that group
was ever growing, multiracial and multicul-
tural; while for Mr. Trump it was situated in
mid 20th century America, largely white,
and monocultural.
That the world’s most powerful demo-
cracy, when given a choice to roll the dice in
an election — to choose between progress-
ive bureaucratism of the Clintons and indig-

T
o gain some perspective on the Centre’s
decision to divest 25% of its stake in five
public sector general insurers, consider
these numbers. Last year, the gross
premium income of four of these companies —
New India Assurance, United India Insurance, Ori-
ental Insurance and National Insurance — in-
creased by over 12%. But their profits after tax fell
by more than half from a year earlier, from ₨3,094
crore in 2014-15 to just ₨1,499 crore in 2015-16. A
closer scrutiny reveals that high underwriting
losses, which increased 55% in the year, were
largely responsible for profits falling at these firms
even as revenues rose. National Insurance took the
sharpest hit, with a 148% rise in underwriting
losses. Public shareholding in these firms will lead
to questions about such outliers in performance
that haven’t been heard under the Centre’s present
100% ownership structure, at least in the public do-
main. This, as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in
his Budget speech last year, would lead to greater
transparency and accountability. It will also allow
the firms, including General Insurance Corpora-
tion of India, to raise more capital from the markets
instead of relying on taxpayer money alone. For in-
stance, India’s ₨1,500-crore nuclear liability insur-
ance pool created by GIC with other insurers per-
haps needs more muscle to create confidence
among wary nuclear suppliers.
That it took 11 months for a Budget announce-
ment to secure ‘in-principle’ Cabinet approval is
symptomatic of the lethargy in the disinvestment
programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
asserted early in his term — during his maiden offi-
cial visit to the U.S. in 2014 — that government had
no business being in business. Yet, it took two more
years for the Cabinet to sign off on the first strategic
sale (with transfer of ownership and control) under
its watch, in the loss-making Bharat Pumps and
Compressors. In December, it approved the sale of
land with four sick public sector pharma firms with
a plan to close two, and ‘explore the option’ of stra-
tegic sale for Hindustan Antibiotics and Bengal
Chemicals. This month, stock exchanges were in-
formed about a proposal to sell a 26% stake in heavy
equipment-maker BEML to a strategic investor.
The political economy window for such divest-
ment is not unlimited. Even the Atal Bihari Va-
jpayee regime, which spearheaded the strategic
sale of public sector firms engaged in businesses
ranging from bread to phosphates, raised 84% of
such revenue during its third and fourth years in of-
fice. Halfway through its term, it is time this gov-
ernment’s disinvestment plans gather steam.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Jallikattu protests
The spontaneous uprising in Tamil
Nadu, of students and youth to
protect Tamil traditions and culture
is laudable and admirable (“TN
takes jallikattu issue to PM”, Jan.19).
The distance they have maintained
from political parties is sensible. As
parents and teachers, we are proud
of them for their focus, unity and
dedication to achieve an objective.
However, I wish that they look at
other social issues as well. Water
and air pollution, linking rivers, the
need for better agricultural
practices, creating employment
avenues and better education are
issues that have to be looked into
considering that our leaders have
promised solutions to them which
are still elusive. Once young people
make a breakthrough, changes are
possible. There will be light at the
end of the tunnel. Many of us hope
for a new dawn.
V.N. Subramanian,
Chennai
The demand that jallikattu be
restored is another example of the
“post-truth” phenomenon wherein
public opinion is significantly
inspired by emotional appeals
rather than influenced by rational
rebuttals and factual
representations. It is true that
democracy exists only to the extent
the voice of dissent is heard.
However it is disturbing to note that
the protests, especially in Chennai,
have taken such a humongous
proportion. It is also ironical that
modern day youth are channelling
their energy in a concerted manner
to fight for a cause that affects rural
tradition. This large-scale tumult
appears to have political overtones
as well as it reflects public
sentiments. Those on protest
should also realise that it is for the
Supreme Court to analyse and come
out with its stance and the Prime
Minister has done well to state that
the issue is sub-judice. As a State,
Tamil Nadu has more serious
problems such as drought and
farmer suicide and it would be more
meaningful if societal and
governmental attention focussed on
these instead.
K. Srinivasan,
Chennai
Many appear to be confusing a bull
fight with jallikattu. A bull fight is a
blood sport in which a bull is fought
by a human and concludes with
either “taming” or killing it. “Yer
thazhuvudhal” is the traditional
name for jallikattu which literally
means “bull embracing”. It is an
activity in which bulls run free and
volunteers try to hold them for as
long as possible. There is no cruelty.
This is also an activity popular
among rural populations with an
agricultural background. It is a fact
that interest in agriculture is
waning as youngsters in the
hinterland adapt to an urban
culture. Therefore, there is a need
to preserve rural traditions.
Eventually there may come a time
when this tradition will fade away
like pallankuzhi, killi thanda and
aadu puli.
D.E. Douglas,
Coimbatore
Those on protest have termed the
ban as an act against Tamil culture.
If they are hoping for the ban to be
lifted, can they assure the Supreme
Court that the animal will not be
tortured? Can they make the
assurance that there will be no
spraying of chilli powder into its
nose, feeding it alcohol, twisting its
tail and precautions taken to
prevent people from getting injured
or killed when the animal charges at
spectators?
A. Srikantaiah,
Bengaluru
Seeing the virulence and
confrontational stand being
adopted against the State
government one is certain that this
is a way to destabilise the
government. The Centre should not
cave in to the demands as the next
one could be one that scraps the
NEET test (professional courses’
entrance exam). There is a political
angle to this and it must be stopped.
T.M. Ranganathan,
Srirangam, Tamil Nadu
It is deplorable that old traditions
such as jallikattu and rooster fights
are still in vogue in certain parts of
India despite legal implications.
The case recently where two bulls
panicked at a jallikattu event and
nant nationalism of Mr. Trump — chose the
latter ought to tell us that when societies feel
depleted, the demands made of politics and
political vocabulary undergo a radical
change. Mr. Trump, like any successful tele-
vision personality with his ear to the
ground, understood that better. Politics, he
cynically bet, was resentment repackaged as
show business. He won.
Keerthik Sasidharan lives in New York City. His first book is
to be published by Aleph Book Company in 2017. All views
expressed here are personal and do not reflect any
organisation that the writer is affiliated to.
were run over by a train engine at Salman Khan gives rise to this
Gudupalle in Chittoor district question: why has it taken so many
shows that this tradition is cruel. In years for the legal system to
another incident, a few sheep were conclude the trial?
hurled off a hill in Karnataka as a There is an acute need to tone up
part of local tradition. Everyone the criminal justice machinery so
knows that rooster fights are held that it does not take such a long
illegally despite court orders. What time for trial courts to dispense
is there to celebrate at the cost of justice in such cases. Acquittals,
the blood and life of animals? Is it notably in criminal cases where
not barbaric? high-profile celebrities are
M. Blessing Moses, involved, should not raise any sort
Pragadavaram, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh of perception in the mind of the
common man about the conduct
and efficiency of our investigative
A test for Akhilesh and prosecution agencies much less
The Election Commission’s the neutrality of our courts. Justice
decision on awarding the party should not only be done but must
symbol to the Akhilesh Yadav also be seen to be done.
faction of the Samajwadi Party will Hemant Kumar,
only aggravate the confusion and Ambala City, Haryana
complications arising out of the
political situation in Uttar Pradesh
(Editorial – “More than symbolic”, An Obama shadow
Jan.19). Now, there is bound to be a It is good to have Barack Obama
four-cornered contest in U.P — the now emerging as a counterfoil to
BJP, the BSP the SP-Congress Donald Trump (“The second
alliance and a Mulayam Singh coming of Barack Obama”, Jan.19).
faction. The SP’s alliance with the The emergence of a Trump is no
Congress is a glaring contradiction isolated phenomenon but part of a
as the party largely grew on the development that saw Brexit and
anti-Congress platform. However, if other cataclysmic events in Europe.
Akhilesh Yadav fails even to come Great democracies too make
off as even second best in the mistakes but take a long time to
coming election, it will have a correct them. Hence the need for
devastating effect on the party. moderate statesmen such as Mr.
Obama may not be felt immediately.
Arulur N. Balasubramanian,
Chennai The second half of a Trump
presidency is likely to make the U.S.
look for an Obama.
Salman’s acquittal R. Narayanan,
The acquittal of Bollywood star Ghaziabad
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

WORLD VIEW
Reopening old wounds
Safe childhoods for a safe India
Though belated, the decision to ratify two key ILO conventions on child labour makes clear
Northeast Asia is a geostrategic hotspot. An ascendant China India’s intent of zero tolerance for the exploitation of children
is asserting its claims to disputed islands and waters. An un-
predictable North Korea is wont to threaten with missiles.
And under a new president, the United States is an untested
ally. But for Japan and South Korea, the two countries most af- KAILASH SATYARTHI
PALLAVI fected by these developments, bilateral relations are currently
AIYAR being held hostage by a bronze statue of a barefoot teenage
girl.
The statue in question was erected opposite the Japanese consulate in the After a long wait of almost two decades,
South Korean city of Busan in late December and has led to Tokyo recalling the Government of India finally decided
its ambassador from Seoul, as well as suspending high-level economic policy last week to ratify the International La-
discussions with its Korean neighbour. bour Organisation (ILO) Convention 182
on the worst forms of child labour and
Uncomfortable reminder Convention 138 on Minimum Age of
The cause of this friction is a statue, which is a symbol of the tens, possibly Employment.
hundreds of thousands of women who were forced to service the Japanese I would like to congratulate Prime
military’s World War II brothels. Known as “comfort women”, these former Minister Narendra Modi and the Min-
sex slaves were “recruited” from Korea, China and parts of Southeast Asia. istry of Labour and Employment on the
Although there are only around 40 surviving comfort women in Korea, they firm decision which will soon catapult
are a potent reminder of Japanese wartime atrocities as well as what many India from the status of a ‘developing’ na-
consider to be the lack of sincere atonement on the part of Japan. tion to a ‘developed’ one. Most of all, I
In December 2015, a year before the Busan statue was erected, Tokyo and would like to congratulate the children
Seoul had concluded an agreement, supposedly a “final and irreversible” res- of our country. This decision will have a
olution to the comfort women issue. Japan had apologised and agreed to pay path-breaking impact on the lives of
¥1bn (just over $8 million) into a fund to help care for the surviving comfort those who are forced to remain on the
women. On its part, South Korea agreed to consider the matter resolved. The margins of society and subject to ex-
accord was hailed as historic, opening ploitative conditions. About 4.3 million
the possibility of a new era in Japan- children wake up to a day of labour and
ese-Korean relations. Japan’s acknowledgements not school. Another 9.8 million are offi-
Tokyo sees the erection of the Busan of its brutal past are of a cially out-of-school.
statue as a violation of the agreement. Child labour perpetuates illiteracy
Seoul counters that while the location notably different tenor and poverty. It is the root cause of organ-
of the statue is unfortunate, it was put from Germany, ised crimes such as human trafficking,
up by a civil society group over which for example terror and drug mafia. However, today, I
the government has no control. South feel optimistic and am experiencing a
Korea’s assertion is partially true. However, official permissions are required sense of fulfilment and satisfaction sim-
to put up statues. In fact, the local police had removed the statue when it was ilar to what I experienced in 1997.
first erected precisely because the requisite permissions were lacking.
But public pressure forced local authorities to reinstate the statue within a An African epiphany HARD LABOUR, BLEAK FUTURE: “About 4.3 million children wake up to a day of labour and not school.” Picture shows a child labourer
few days of its removal. This “pressure” intensified when Japan’s Defence I was about 50 kilometres away from at Palayamkottai in Tamil Nadu. — PHOTO: A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN
Minister Tomomi Inada visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a memorial for Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. The
Japan’s war dead that includes many officers convicted of war crimes. China place I had travelled to was a high-risk The bottleneck in ratifying the the fastest-ratified convention in the his- bour: child slavery (including the sale
and South Korea always perceive visits to the shrine by Japanese leaders as zone, particularly for foreigners and tory of ILO. This clearly shows that sup- and trafficking of children, debt bond-
inflammatory. Clearly, the 2015 agreement notwithstanding, no genuine those travelling alone. I was both, but I conventions was removed with port for the movement against child la- age, and forced recruitment for armed
burying of the historical hatchet had taken place. And symbolic tit-for-tat ir- made the journey because it was import- the passing of the Child bour is gaining momentum worldwide. conflict), child prostitution and their use
ritants retain an outsized ability to derail any lasting rapprochement ant to identify individuals and organisa- Labour (Prohibition and in pornography, use of children for illicit
between Japan and former victims of its colonial rule. tions to join me for a physical march that Clearing the hurdles activities such as drug trafficking, and
Given that South Korea’s President, Ms. Park Geun-hye, who had negoti- would put forth a demand for an interna- Regulation) Amendment Bill The main bottleneck in the way of In- exposure to any hazardous work which
ated the 2015 deal with Japan, has been impeached on corruption charges, the tional law to ban the worst forms of child dia ratifying Conventions 182 and 138 is likely to harm the health, safety or
matter of comfort women will only gain more momentum. Fresh elections labour. versed with. I had found the crux of the was addressing forced or compulsory re- morals of children.
are due soon, and the main opposition party has already threatened to ditch By the time I reached the place, it was march. It was the language of compas- cruitment of children and appropriately An ideal law guides the way and
the agreement if it comes to power. already dark and the local NGO had sion and humanity that would help ac- raising the age of employment in hazard- doesn’t dictate. Under the provisions of
That many in Korea reject the 2015 settlement has to do with perceived dis- closed for the day. Since I was travelling celerate the global movement against ous occupations from 14 to 18 years. Con- the ILO Conventions 182 and 138, India
sembling on the part of the Japanese. This is a somewhat subjective assess- with my passport and some money, I had childhood exploitation. sequent to the passing of the Child La- will not adhere to a fixed deadline by
ment. Over the decades Japan has made several contrite statements about its to find shelter for the night, especially The march began in January 1998. We bour (Prohibition and Regulation) which the worst forms of child labour
role in World War II. In 1992, for example, then Prime Minister, Kiichi with men of dubious character stalking traversed 80,000 kilometres across 103 Amendment Bill, 2016 by the Indian Par- must be eliminated. It will ultimately de-
Miyazawa, apologised to the comfort women from the “bottom of his heart.” the area. Not left with a better alternat- countries and became a strong group of liament prohibiting the employment of pend on the level of moral courage, pub-
A year later in a speech to the Diet, another Prime Minister, Morihiro ive, I hid in a thick shade of bushes. 7.2 million marchers. The Global March children up to 14 years of age, and chil- lic concern, social empathy, political will
Hosokawa, expressed “deep remorse” and apologised for the “great suffer- When dawn arrived with the sound of Against Child Labour, as it came to be dren up to 18 years of age in hazardous and the implementation of resources in-
ings and sorrow” that Japan’s colonial rule had caused. the azan (the Muslim call for prayer), I called, culminated finally in Geneva on occupations, it was imperative that we vested in the development and protec-
found a way to interact with those re- June 1, 1998 where the ILO conference ratified Conventions 182 and 138. tion of children.
Charges of insincerity turning from prayer. Through signs and was in session. We put forward our de- Moreover, our failure to ratify the two We cannot alter the circumstances
Accusations of Japanese insincerity in South Korea and China are often actions, I brought them closer to the mand for an international convention to conventions, which are two of the eight overnight. To achieve great reforms, one
politically motivated, serving as convenient ways for governments to deflect cause I worked for. A young man who ban the worst forms of child labour. The core labour conventions, despite being a must continue to move in a singular dir-
attention from contentious domestic matters. Yet, it is true that Japan’s ac- understood a little English helped con- voice of the marchers was heard and re- founder-member of the ILO, reflected ection with sincerity. Our government
knowledgements of its brutal past are of a notably different tenor from Ger- vey the message. After which, he very flected in the draft of the ILO Conven- poorly on us as a nation. has shown steadfastness and strong re-
many, for example. kindly dropped me back to the city. tion 182. My sense of achievement is solve to uphold the rights of our chil-
In Berlin, sites such as the former headquarters of the secret police have A few months later, closer to the date In June 1999, delegates of the ILO un- heightened with India finally ready to dren, and so must we.
been turned into museums with blunt names like “the topography of terror.” of the march, I received a letter from the animously adopted the convention. It join the fight it started. Our decision to Investment in children is an invest-
In contrast, the Yasukuni shrine not only pays homage to war criminals (al- local NGO pledging support. They was the first time that a convention or ratify the convention makes our intent ment in the future. Safe childhoods for a
though millions of others are also commemorated), but houses the Yushukan asked, “What did you do? What did you treaty had been adopted with the full clear. We will not tolerate the exploita- safe India.
War Memorial museum, where the displays largely omit the suffering caused tell them?” support of all members. Over the years, I tion of children any longer. As a matter of
by Japan’s actions while playing up the heroism of Japan’s military. Japan’s I learnt that after my interaction all have spearheaded its ratification by urgency, the government will take imme-
Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi is the
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has himself in the past implied that he did not be- children of the ghetto were put in school member nations. With 180 countries diate and effective measures to prohibit founder of Global March against Child Labour and
lieve comfort women had been coerced into the sex trade. and pulled out of labour by those I con- having already done so, it has become and eliminate the worst forms of child la- Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation.
Given their objective geopolitical circumstances, the rational priority for
Japan and South Korea should be the development of close defence and intel-
ligence cooperation rather than quibbles over statues. But, as is often the
case, the emotional politics of humiliation and nationalism are keeping the
wounds of history from scabbing over, and preventing the kind of bold and
new collaborative initiatives that would be in the interest of both countries
‘Madhesi parties should be flexible’
and the region.
Nepal will hold elections at the central, provincial and local levels, says Prakash Sharan Mahat
Pallavi Aiyar has reported from China, Europe, Indonesia and Japan. She is a Young Global Leader
with the World Economic Forum.
KALLOL BHATTACHERJEE parties should understand that to reach
consensus on the constitutional amend-
Prakash Sharan Mahat, Foreign Minis- ments and other critical issues, there
FROM THE ARCHIVES ter of Nepal, was in New Delhi recently
to hold bilateral talks when he met the
will be a need for compromise by all.

Minister of State for External Affairs, But one of the major issues is the
V.K. Singh, National Security Adviser demarcation of provinces as defined by
(dated January 20, 1967) Ajit Doval, Finance Minister Arun Jait- the present Constitution, which was
ley, and officials of the Reserve Bank of rejected by the Madhesi parties. So how
Newspapers in U.K. management and trade unionists
India and discussed a wide range of is- do you intend to complete the election
as the industry’s great weakness.
facing crisis The 150,000-word report — which
sues. Excerpts from an exclusive inter- with unsettled provincial boundaries?
view to The Hindu.
Three of Britain’s eight major caused a Press furore two weeks
We will not let these issues stand in
national daily newspapers could ago when one newspaper
What has been the impact of Indian our way. We have the old provincial
die in the next five years, an published extracts while it was
demonetisation on Nepal? boundaries and for this round of elec-
independent survey warned still supposed to be secret — was
tions we will go ahead with the support
to-day [January 19, London]. requested by the joint board of the
We recognise the primary intention of of Parliament. Most important of all, our
Predicting serious difficulties for national newspaper industry,
the Prime Minister of India in introdu- election commission is ready for the
the newspaper industry in the which groups management and
cing demonetisation. But Nepal’s con- task. We have already enumerated the
next few years, the report unions.
cern is that we need new Indian cur- best solution in the proposals that were
departed from the almost The independent Economist
rency for daily transaction with India, tabled in Parliament and I hope the Mad-
traditional practice of blaming intelligence unit, which has
for export-import and for exchange with Prakash Sharan Mahat — PHOTO: PTI hesi parties accept them as they should
most of the trouble on trade union prepared the report, makes no
the major economies of the world. not adopt the position that they have to
restrictive practices. It said these recommendations for improving
Second, we are facing a serious situ- satisfaction. The Constitution that we Nepal’s concern is that win at every step.
were not as bad as generally the situation. But it has offered to
ation as both the public as well as the achieved in 2015 was an inclusive one.
believed, and mentioned instead make them, and the joint board
Nepali state had old Indian currency Yet some people had objection to it. But we need new Indian You are asking the Madhesis to scale
lack of training among has accepted this offer.
which will be wasted unless exchanged we are confident that the national will currency for daily down their demands?
for new Indian currency. The RBI that we displayed in dealing with the
wanted to know the exact estimate of earthquake and then political instability
transaction with India, for All that I am saying is that our position
how much of old currency Nepali cit- will help us achieve this important task export-import and exchange is in the interest of the Madhesis and the
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS izens hold. We do not have such an es- which will complete the process of with the major economies other communities of Nepal. But if one
timate. But I think we can begin after RBI democratisation in Nepal. Madhesi party exaggerates issues and
>>The report “Trump has declined Dalai Lama’s request for a meeting” (Jan. makes a provision for exchange of old In- tries to play with raw emotions, we will
18, 2017), by the Beijing correspondent, said that Michael Pillsbury, a top ad- dian currency notes in Nepal. We have But is the political situation in your What is the major point in those not allow that because we are Nepalis
viser of Donald Trump’s transition team said the U.S. president-elect had de- assured RBI and Finance Minister Arun favour for carrying out the amendments Constitution-related proposals? first and we have to build consensus in
clined the Dalai Lama’s request for a meeting, signalling the new administra- Jaitley that we will not allow anyone that require a two-third parliamentary our society which has passed through
tion’s openness to a policy review on Tibet. There is a fundamental error in the with Indian black money to come to majority? We have promised proportional rep- challenging times.
report, which was based on a Chinese language website, mingpao.com The re- Nepal and deposit it through our banks. resentation for the Madhesis in the up-
port claimed that the Chinese language website quoted from an interview of After our consultations since the per house of Parliament. That apart, we Why this hurry to hold the election at all
Mr. Pillsbury to the China Central Television (CCTV). The website did not What has been the Indian position on tabling of the amendments in Parliament have proposed to separate the hilly areas three levels?
cite the CCTV interview. It was the erroneous translation of the content of the Nepal running short of Indian currency we have finally begun to receive some from the fifth province which will have
website that led to the correspondent’s misrepresentation. Mr. Pillsbury, in his for state expenses? positive signals. Madhesis and the op- only the Madhesi region in it. But as I Why not? Because our election ma-
letter to the Editor, has rejected the story altogether, saying he has never told position are more flexible now. We be- said, the main issue is the mindset, which chinery is ready. The only thing is that
CCTV that Mr.Trump declined a meeting with the Dalai Lama. He also denies Mr. Arun Jaitley was very sympathetic lieve that no one should stick to their po- should be flexible and open to negoti- we need to have a political consensus,
being an adviser to either Mr. Trump or his transition team. He maintains he to our issues. He assured us that his min- sition for long demanding that ation. For example, I did not agree with which has already begun to form. We
provides informal advice by answering questions from Trump’s staff. The re- istry will look into the matter. everything should be done their way all many of the provisions of the Constitu- have given a timeline for ourselves. We
port has been removed from the website. the time. The Madhes-centric parties tion when it was promulgated. will hold local-level elections in April-
Nepal tabled the amendments to the should realise this change. This kind of May and follow it up with provincial
>>“A year after floods, landowners of Madurantakam owners left high and Constitution but now seems to be going inflexible policy is not acceptable to us. So you are asking the Madhesis to election by September-October and by
dry” — read the headline of a report (some editions, Jan. 19, 2017) about fields slow on them. We are all Nepalis and we should reach a change their core demands on the end of the year or latest by January-
in villages near Madurantakam in Tamil Nadu being covered with layers of consensus fast for the sake of our coun- amendments such as proportional February 2018, we will hold the central-
sand. The word — owners — was a repetition in the headline. We are trying to reach a consensus try. We are confident that we will be able representation and the redrawing of level elections. We have been working
There was an error in the second deck also where it said December 2016 in- with the opposition parties on the to do it. But we are going beyond and will provincial boundaries? on a few formulae for the election. For
stead of December 2015. amendments that were tabled in Parlia- hold elections at all the three levels in elections, everyone is ready. However,
ment. We are trying to reach every sec- Nepal — central, provincial and local Yes. Every party should be flexible. such a consensus is not there for the
The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by tion of society so that the constitutional levels. This is an ambitious task that we The major parties in the centre (Kath- amendments. So we will go for elections
Tel: +91-44-28418297/28576300; E-mail: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in issues are resolved to every segment’s have taken. mandu) as well as the Madhes-centric first.
CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

Catching a sport by its horns

Irrespective of the legislative, judicial or political outcome, there is no doubt that pro-jallikattu protesters
have won the day. But this triumphal moment also calls for introspection
But the locus classicus of jallikattu re- Kalithokai belonged to the community of
S AT U R D AY , J A N U A R Y 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 mains Ci.Su. Chellappa’s Vaadi Vaasal shepherds now identified with idaiyar,
A.R. (English translation: The Arena, Oxford konar and yadavar.
VENKATACHALAPATHY University Press). Conceiving it as a short

Living in The Tamil word for ox and cattle, ‘maadu’,

story, Chellappa later expanded it into a
novella. Out of print for a quarter of a cen-
tury after its first publication in 1959, Vaadi
Reflecting the power structure
By the time of B.R. Rajam Aiyar, the de-
scription of the festival becomes natural-

a hotter world also means wealth. As the great book of wis-

dom, the Tirukkural, emphatically asserts,
education is the real ‘maadu’. As the unpre-
Vaasal has over the last twenty years been
reprinted more than a dozen times by
Kalachuvadu Pathippagam — an indication
istic, written with the eye of an ethno-
grapher. Unlike the Kalithokai poems set in
a stylised pastoral zone, the geographical

T
he world has turned the page on 2016 with
the worrying revelation that it was the
warmest year on the instrumental record
since the late 19th century, and the hottest
of three record-breaking years in a row. While the
rise in global average surface temperature by about
1.1o C last year over the pre-industrial era was ag-
gravated by the El Nino phenomenon of 2015-16, the
trend is a warning to all countries that they cannot
aford to rely on carbon-intensive growth any
longer. Explaining the scientific view, NASA’s God-
dard Institute for Space Studies points to the rise in
temperature as being driven “largely by increased
carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions
into the atmosphere.” The warming pattern must
be seen in the context of declining sea ice cover in
the Arctic, compounding the loss of ice sheets in
Greenland and the Antarctic. In the Arctic, which is
witnessing a decline in the extent of sea ice in the
lowest month at the rate of about 13% every decade,
melting creates a vicious circle of more exposure of
‘dark areas’ to sunlight, higher melting and more
dark surface absorbing heat. Such phenomena ac-
celerate the rate of global warming, with con-
sequences through climate change for coastal
areas, access to water, farming and human health.
A warming globe with changes to the climate in
the form of altered rainfall, drought, floods, lost
biodiversity and reduced crop yields would partic-
ularly afect millions in China and India. It is heart-
ening that Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted
the importance of the Paris Agreement on climate
change at the Davos meeting of the World Eco-
nomic Forum, and virtually cautioned incoming
U.S. President Donald Trump against reneging on
it. India’s own commitment to the climate accord
must be strengthened with clear and unambiguous
actions. This should lead to a scaling up of renew-
able energy and measurable decline in use of fossil
fuels. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal has
promised a steady increase in solar power capacity,
going beyond the target of 100 gigawatts by 2022,
but such goals become more credible when there is
action in individual States to make the average cit-
izen a partner in the efort. States should be ranked
on their policies that help unlock investment in the
sector, including domestic rooftop installations,
and the weak service infrastructure for solar
should be upgraded without delay. India’s water
stress is heightened by extreme weather episodes,
and this requires an enhanced policy response to
protect farmers, livestock and vulnerable com-
munities.
A deserved
cedented mass uprising in Tamil Nadu un-
folds, jallikattu, the sport of taming the bull,
has now become a symbol of Tamil pride and
identity. How did a sport with origins in a
pastoral world capture the imagination of a
vast and diferentiated linguistic community
and become its symbol?
Since Sangam literature
In the extraordinary body of poetry,
termed as Sangam literature, is a text called
Kalithokai. In five long poems, totalling over
300 breath-taking lines, it provides the first
elaborate description of this ancient sport.
Though there is evidence in ancient rock
art of forms of this sport, it is only in modern
Tamil literary prose writing that we find ex-
tended descriptions of jallikattu.
The pioneer was B.R. Rajam Aiyar, the
great vedantin and disciple of Swami
Vivekananda. His Tamil novel, Kamalambal
Charithiram (English translation: The Fatal
Rumour, Oxford University Press), written
in 1893, depicts the celebration accompany-
ing the sport with men and women turning
up in huge numbers. Rajam Aiyar also re-
cords technical terms associated with this
sport.
Kothamangalam Subbu (‘Kalaimani’) is
now largely known for his novel Thillana
Mohanambal, later made into the eponym-
ous film starring Sivaji Ganesan and Pad-
mini. Few know that his first foray into fic-
CARTOONSCAPE
Paralleling the literary depiction of
jallikattu was its filmic
representation. From the 1960s
the taming of the bull by the rural
hero became a recurring trope
tion, in the 1930s, was with a short story,
‘Manji Virattu’ (another form of jallikattu).
Not satisfied with writing a short story on
this theme, Subbu serialised a sprawling
novel, Rao Bahadur Singaram, in the popu-
lar weekly, Ananda Vikatan. This story,
centred on the romance between a young
girl who raises a bull and a youth who sets
out to tame it, was filmed (Vilaiyattu Pillai,
1970) by the same team that produced Thil-
lana Mohanambal.
of not only its literary merit but also the cul-
tural importance accorded to it.
Many of these books, in their later impres-
sions, were embellished with sketches and
paintings by outstanding artistes such as
K.M. Adhimoolam and Trotsky Marudhu.
Meanwhile, articles by Panditamani M.
Kathiresan Chettiar and other scholars
provided an intellectual framework for the
celebration of jallikattu as a Tamil sport.
This history of the literary representation
of jallikattu is testimony to its enduring al-
lure. A close look at the content of these liter-
ary texts provides insights into the changes
taking place within the sport and its dynamic
interaction with society.
The Kalithokai poems depicted the mood
of riotous carnival where young men decked
in colourful flowers ‘embraced the bull’ (‘eru
thazhuvuthal’) and tamed it. Young women
who watched this swore that they would not
marry even in their next life a man who
feared the bulls’ sharp horns. The focus of
the poems is on the valour and the gore that
accompanies this heroic feat.
In A.K. Ramanujan’s inspired translation,
a passage reads, “Look, the bull,/ raised
horns and skin tawny/ as certain silkmoths,/
he skewers to death/ the cowherd who
sprang/ heedless of the look in the animal’s
eyes,/ carries the carcass high and shakes it/
on his horns.” According to poetic conven-
tion the young men and women of
location is now specified as (the erstwhile
composite districts of) Madurai and
Tirunelveli. The sport itself is imbricated in
the dynamics of rural power structure.
By the time of Kothamangalam Subbu, the
faultlines become clearer. ‘Manji Virattu’ is
set in late 1920s Ramanathapuram district.
The mood cannot be more festive, and
Subbu records the practice of giving endear-
ing names to the bulls. The crux of the story
is the conflict between the always warring
Agamudaiyar and Maravar castes, ending in
violence and the suspension of the festival
until it is restored by the advent of the
Gandhian movement. For the first time we
see the sport being celebrated as the valor-
ous sport of Tamils.
In Ci.Su. Chellappa’s hands the sport ex-
pands into an exploration of the conflicts
between man and man, and man and animal,
and their interweaving provides subtle in-
sights into the human predicament.
Interestingly, all the authors mentioned
above were Brahmins, giving the lie to the ar-
gument that the sport is the preserve of a few
dominant castes. As a non-corporatised
communitarian sport, though undoubtedly
reflective of social inequities, especially
caste, jallikattu incorporates the entire
gamut of the social order.
Paralleling the literary depiction of
jallikattu was its filmic representation. From
the 1960s the taming of the bull by the rural
hero became a recurring trope. The conven-
tion reached its apogee in Rajinikanth’sMur-
attu Kaalai (1980). State patronage fuelled
it, and Alanganallur, a fixture in the tourist
map, became a metaphor for the sport.
Transformed by opposition
By this time, at least in the popular imagin-
ary, jallikattu transcended its regional and
caste definition, and became emblematic of
Tamil culture. But the credit for unambigu-
ously and unequivocally turning jallikattu
into a symbol of all that is Tamil must go to
its adversaries, both perceived and real — of
animal lovers, of ‘north India’, of an insensit-
ive Central government, of Hindutva and of
the impersonal forces of globalisation.
Thanks to them, jallikattu now stands en-
shrined as the symbol of Tamil cultural
pride.
Irrespective of the legislative, judicial or
political outcome, there is no doubt that the
protestors have won the day. But this tri-
umphal moment also calls for introspection.
Jallikattu enthusiasts should ensure that the
sport is regulated and animals are protected
from harm. In a welcome sign, environ-
mental groups, keen on preserving native
breeds of bulls, are already in the fray. Hope-
fully they will take the lead in this matter.

commutation More importantly, the democratic character

manifest in the upsurge should be reflected
in jallikattu itself by making it more inclusive

C
helsea Manning, the American whistle-
blower slapped with a 35-year sentence
for leaking classified State Department
documents to the anti-secrecy group
WikiLeaks, has had her sentence commuted by the
outgoing President, Barack Obama. Earlier known
as Bradley, she has gender dysphoria, is undergoing
hormone therapy for gender reassignment, and has
twice attempted suicide while being held at a men’s
prison. She has served more than six years of her
sentence and, assuming Mr. Obama’s commutation
is implemented, could hope to be freed by May 2017.
Even as White House oicials underscored that the
44th President had commuted the sentence, not
pardoned her, and thus had not removed a federal
crime from her record, Mr. Obama insisted that
“justice has been served”. Central to his argument
was the fact that she had served time in jail after
pleading guilty to 10 of the 22 charges, relating to es-
pionage, fraud and theft, for releasing 2,50,000 dip-
lomatic cables, 5,00,000 military reports, military
videos from Iraq and Afghanistan, and dossiers on
prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay. When the
cables and reports were blasted across the Internet
and select media outlets by WikiLeaks in 2010, Mr.
Obama had to send the then U.S. Secretary of State,
Hillary Clinton, to various world capitals and as-
suage America’s allies in the face of uncompliment-
ary private comments by U.S. diplomats.
Mr. Obama’s decision to commute the sentence
could not have come at a more fraught juncture in
U.S. politics. WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange,
holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London,
had promised to allow himself to be extradited to
the U.S. if Mr. Obama freed Ms. Manning. Now he
says he will abide by that promise. However,
WikiLeaks also put itself at the centre of what has
been a diicult American election resulting in the
victory of Donald Trump, when it published emails
of the Democratic National Committee allegedly
stolen by hackers with links to Russia. Those leaks,
along with other cyber-malfeasance associated
with the highest levels of government in Moscow,
are considered by many angry Democrats to have
derailed Ms. Clinton’s run at the White House. Has
Mr. Obama done a good turn to a group that played
a role in the Democratic Party’s debacle in Novem-
ber last year? Has he opened up his party to attacks
by Republicans for sending a “troubling message”
to future leakers with information that could play
into the hands of America’s enemies? Maybe. Yet
what he has done for sure is to mitigate, in small
measure, the U.S.’s reputation as a superpower that
preaches about democratic values such as the right
to dissent and freedom of speech, yet at home has
come down with an iron fist on whistle-blowers.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Sentiments and arguments
Right from the freedom struggle to
the anti-Hindi agitation and even
highlighting the problems of Tamils
in Sri Lanka, students have always
led from the front and even courted
arrest. But as far as jallikattu is
concerned, it should be borne in
mind that the matter is sub-judice.
Why hasn’t the student community
not fought so vehemently and voiced
its grievances in critical matters
such as when the Karnataka
government failed to release water
to Tamil Nadu even when the
Supreme Court ordered it? In both
cases it was the Supreme Court
which issued the orders. Finally, I
have this to say to certain parties
now demanding the ordinance route
for a reintroduction of jallikattu.
How much time will it take for the
Supreme Court to stay the
ordinance? No one should play
politics in this matter and lead
students astray hoping to reap
political dividends.
A. Michael Dhanaraj,
Coimbatore
Marina beach seems to be the
meeting point of minds. They all
seem to concur on one thing — that
the Tamil identity is under threat.
But why are even the law abiding
wading into something which is
essentially sub-judice? From
Viswanathan Anand to A.R. Rahman
to R. Ashwin, even those who appear
rational have expressed solidarity
with the protesters. I hope the
protesting youngsters and their
backers in the shadows are aware
that the Supreme Court’s ire is not
exclusively against jallikattu. The
top court has banned similar events
in Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka
and Goa.
J. Akshay,
Bengaluru
The youth who have taken to the
streets to demand the lifting of the
ban on jallikattu must be lauded for
upholding the tradition of non-
violent protest that started with the
anti-colonial struggle. At the same
time, one is disappointed to see that
the air is thick with intolerance. The
right to protest comes with a
concomitant responsibility to
respect other points of view. The
silencing of anti-jallikattu voices
through threats and intimidation is a
blot on democracy. The social media
zeitgeist of trolling cannot be
replicated in the public square
which has to be shared with fellow
citizens even if some of them
express diferent views and espouse
diferent causes that may not be to
the liking of the majority. Nothing
endangers democracy more than the
tyranny of the majority.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The role of the media leaves a lot to
be desired when it comes to
coverage of and reportage on the
unfolding agitation and protests in
Tamil Nadu. Is the Fourth Estate
being truthful and is justice being
done to cover other events of
importance? Is jallikattu the only
news of importance? Whys is there
no coverage of the drought-like
situation looming large in Tamil
Nadu?
A.V. Narayanan,
Tiruchi
The event has been magnified
beyond proportion. The holding of
jallikattu is a day’s event and for just
one day in a year, especially in the
Pillanallur and Alanganallur areas of
Tamil Nadu. Past statistics were not
so alarming as to impose a ban. In
2003, when the Madras High Court
permitted jallikattu with
precautions, the then Collector of
Madurai ensured that it went of
without a hitch. Had the government
been asked to continue following
this procedure, these protests could
have been avoided.
R.V.S. Mani,
Chennai
The growing clamour for jallikattu is
misplaced. The opposition to the
sport by animal rights activists has
been on grounds of cruelty to
animals. On the other hand, it is a
gory activity exposing young men to
serious injury and worse. It is a
continuation of a feudalistic
tradition. The sport is largely
organised in four southern districts
only and not across the State. The
bulls are owned by landlords who
organise the sport for pride and
prestige. Invariably, young men from
the poorer sections are the victims.
There is a need for progressive
thought on the issue instead of an
emotive response, parochialism,
chauvinism and political
opportunism.
V.S. Prasad,
Hyderabad
Like most schoolchildren, I had just
a faint idea about the jallikattu issue
and PETA group. I began reading up
material after schools were closed
and the electronic media began to
show visuals of groups of people,
including children and old women,
protesting. It is moving to see the
kind of support and dedication they
have for their culture. But what
concerns me is the tremendous
amount of “youth energy” that is
being wasted. People leading the
protests and most of their
supporters appear to have very little
knowledge about the issue. When a
reporter poses the question about
what the main motive is, the
standard reply is: “We want
jallikattu” or “Ban PETA”. The
energy of the young is a powerful
asset but is it being put to good use
here? Where were all these
supporters when we really needed
them? Why are issues such as
with the participation of the high and the
low, the dominant and the oppressed.
A.R. Venkatachalapathy is a historian and Tamil writer.
women’s rights, rape and
molestation the last on their list of
concerns?
Kavya Venkatesh,
Coimbatore
One is surprised by the magnitude
and intensity of the protests. All this
for a rural sport? Last year, when a
Dalit youth was hacked to death in
daylight for the “crime” of daring to
marry an upper caste girl I thought
that there would be protests across
Tamil Nadu. Instead, only a few Dalit
parties protested. There was
absolutely no uprising like now.
Tradition can be a double-edged
sword. There are numerous
examples of atrocities against Dalits
in the name of tradition. We have
cast of many of them and are none
the worse for it. Why hang on to
jallikattu alone?
For those who wish to demonstrate
their valour, why not join the armed
forces? Despite all the denials, most
bulls are tortured in various ways to
make them run more wildly. It is
very diicult to regulate or prevent
this as the police cannot be
everywhere. It is also dicey to ask
the Centre to override the Supreme
Court order through the ordinance
route. It also shows a lack of respect
for the law of the land. PETA and the
AWBI are bound to file suits. Then
we’ll start going round the mulberry
bush once again.
Vathsala Vijayakumar,
Chennai
Whether jallikattu should be banned
on the basis of animal cruelty or
other special interests related to it is
debatable. It would be imbalanced to
look at it only from the angle of
animal cruelty. Various
organisations and governments that
argue for the prevention of cruelty
against animals should consider the
aspects of vitality, strength, health
and vigour in this sport. The
“sufering” of the bull during the
taming lasts only for a few minutes.
On the other hand, caged zoo
animals, stray dogs and even
abandoned pet animals sufer pain
for a longer period to which animal
rights organisations turn a blind eye
to. Rationally, jallikattu can be
allowed to continue with proper
implementation of a jallikattu act.
Meera Mary Joseph,
Pathanamthitta, Kerala
Obama’s imprint
As Barack Obama walks into history,
it’s time to introspect (“Autumn and
its discontents”, Jan.20). He was the
perfect ambassador for the
American ideals of freedom and
liberalism. He was also steadfast in
his support for family values and
love and compassion for fellow
citizens. Finally, he must be given
credit for “smokin’ out” Osama bin
Laden. The world needs more
leaders like Barack Obama. His
charm, honesty, warmth and
patriotism are an inspiration for an
entire generation.
Gulbahar S. Sidhu,
Jalandhar, Punjab
Bleak future
Though Kailash Satyarthi’s
optimistic approach to Indian
legislation in connection with saving
children from exploitation at various
levels is welcome, the reality is
depressing (“Safe childhoods for a
safe India”, Jan.20). One sees
children from North Indian States
working in the south as child
labourers with business and
industrial communities from the
north. It is common knowledge that
children from Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Bihar and even the eastern States are
working here. Though these
children are visible, no action is
taken.
C. Jaya Sankar Babu,
Puducherry
ND-ND

NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017
The ground beneath their feat
One man in the district otherwise infamous for Mohammad Shahabuddin is scripting a story of hope and success for village girls.
Amarnath Tewary visits Sanjay Pathak’s sports nursery in Lakshmipur that is already churning out champions across disciplines
Siwan’s claim to fame so far has been
three-dimensional: it is India’s first
President Rajendra Prasad’s birthplace;
it is the constituency of the jailed
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Mohd.
Shahabuddin; and the district boasts of
maximum remittances from abroad to
Bihar — roughly 40 per cent of the
₨1,800 crore that flowed into the State in
2014-15. But slowly and steadily, Siwan is
adding a fourth dimension — or a third
claim to fame if you will. A group of
young girls of Mairwa block is overturn-
ing the all-too-familiar story of being
pushed into child labour and/or early
marriage at the expense of education.
The story is unfolding almost Dangal-
like, as it plays out in the boondocks of
Bihar. And like Aamir Khan in the Bolly-
wood blockbuster, it has at its centre
one man: Sanjay Pathak, 43, who
doubles up as the young girls’ coach,
guardian, teacher and lifeline; in short,
he is their life around which their lives
revolve, drawing sustenance and en-
couragement. This, then, is the story of
70 girls in sports jerseys who sprint, lob
and block — striving for perfection un-
der their mentor’s eagle eye.
Every day, the girls set out on their bi-
cycles furiously pedalling away the
stretch of 15 km that takes them to Lak-
shmipur village for their daily practice
on the one-acre farmland of Pathak.
This is their sports complex, nestled
between green paddy and yellow mus-
tard plants, where they practise foot-
ball, hockey, handball and athletics and
have been winning medals at national-
and international-level meets. “At least
30 of my girls have played in national/
international-level games and have
brought medals and laurels for the
country and the State… but look at their
shoes and the facilities here,” Pathak
points out. All that is here is courtesy
the monthly salary of ₨43,000 that he re-
ceives as a government school teacher,
but Pathak wouldn’t talk about his sacri-
fices. “When I see these girls kick the
ball between goalposts and run like a hy-
ena on this uneven mud ground, all my
worries vanish… what more could I ask
from my life?” he asks, his eyes glisten-
ing with just a hint of a tear drop.
In Siwan, power flows from the barrel
of the gun. And it’s always a man wield-
ing it; women have little identity here.
The child sex ratio of the district is
skewed at 940 girls for every 1,000 boys.
The prosperity that remittances have
brought to the villages of Siwan has
little bearing on the young girls from
here.
A man and his mission
It was sometime in 2009 that Pathak
claims he received a ‘divine message’
nudging him to do something for the
poor schoolgirls of his native place. He
identified a vacant stretch of land to
kick-start his sporting mission. “Begin-
ning with just two, footballers Putul Ku-
mari and Tara Khatun, the numbers
steadily rose to 30 in just a few months. I
was very happy that the girls had even
started winning medals at the district-
level games and were aiming high,” says
Pathak, who literally lives in his track-
suit. But alongside the achievements
came taunts, ridicule, and threats at
both the coach and his wards. “The row-
dies taunted us saying ‘this land is not
anyone’s baap ki zameen (father’s
land)… it’s government land’. We ig-
nored them but when things got out of
control and they began harassing the
girls by playing lewd songs on their mo-
bile phones, plying their motorbikes on
the field when the girls would practise
and throwing shards of glass pieces in
the arena, I complained to the local po-
lice station. It continued,” he says,
adding, “but one day, I decided enough
is enough.” That was in March 2015.
Pathak decided to drive his tractor all
through his one-acre agricultural field
and level it. Soon, it began to take shape
of a training ground. This was literally
his “baap ki zameen”. It took another 10
days for the ground to be readied. He
named the sports complex “Himeshwar
Khel Vikas Kendra” and the girls’ group
as “Rani Lakshmibai Club”. There is no
signboard of the centre or the club,
though — a few yards away from the
Lakshmipur village, the playground
suddenly appears amid the green paddy
and yellow mustard fields, open from all
sides.
Over time, Pathak firmed up the lay-
out. Three goalposts serve as a marker:
one part where the girls play hockey; the
other where they practise badminton
and tennis. The athletes run on the
fringes of the ground. At one end is a
newly constructed, unpainted changing
room, a 28x18 feet hall and a 22x18 feet
room meant for administrative work.
The hall and admin room are locked.
“They have not been inaugurated yet…
we’ll do it soon,” says Pathak. A hand
pump is pitched near the changing
room where the girls drenched in sweat
come to quench their thirst after prac-
tice. “Now, no one dares come here and
tease or threaten us... my girls are safe
here,” says Pathak, breaking into a smile
across his chubby face.
A father of two growing daughters,
Pathak lives in a joint family of nine
members.
“He deserves the President’s award
for what he has been doing for the girls
of the area… but even the district admin-
istration is oblivious to this,” rues
younger brother Basant, a railway
employee.
CM
YK
It’s 5.30 on a wintry January morning
and Antima Kumari, a gold medal-win-
ner in 100 metres in the under-14 State
and national championships, is tying
her shoelaces in her ramshackle rooftop
room of her home in Bilaspur village.
Stepping out on her bicycle, she soon
merges into a file of pedallists on a nar-
row serpentine path. As they reach the
outskirts of Lakshmipur village, another
bunch of girls joins in, hockey sticks
clutched tight in hand, footballs neatly
strapped on the rear carrier of the cycle.
Some of them like Anisha Kumari have
come from as far as Gaderia village,
some 16 km away. At the Himeshwar
Khel Vikas Kendra, the cycles are hur-
riedly parked in a corner as the girls get
ready to go through their paces.
Practice makes perfect
The morning sun is not yet out and
the wind is chilly. “It’s very cold sir…e-
ven the morning dew has settled on the
leaves,” complains Priyanka Kumari,
one of the girls. But Pathak is rubbing
his palms in the field to keep warm and
would hear none of it. After a short pep
talk, it’s time for the warm-up session.
Soon another batch of girls arrives,
picks its hockey sticks and start playing
on the adjacent ground. Three little girls
in running shoes take to the track. In a
When I see these girls
kick the ball between
goalposts and run like a
hyena on this uneven mud
ground, all my worries
vanish… what more could
I ask from my life?”
Sanjay Pathak
HOPE, COURAGE, PROMISE: (Left to right) Tara Khatun, Putul Kumari, Nisha Kumari and Amrita Kumari.
GROUND ZERO | 11
few minutes, the playground is buzzing
with frenetic physical activity and the
cacophony of girls cheering and en-
couraging each other.
On paper, coach Pathak has nothing
to recommend him — neither a sports-
man in his time nor someone who has
trained for the job. But years of taking
these village girls under his wing and
mentoring them have honed his own
skills besides that of his pupils: other
than Putul, Tara and Antima, his stable
has also produced national-level play-
ers such as Amrita Kumari, Nisha Ku-
mari, Tara’s sister Salma Khatun (foot-
ball), Sindhu Kumari and Khusboo
Kumari (hockey) and Mamata Kumari
and Neelu Kumari (handball). “There
are about 30 players of this ground who
have played national and international
matches [at various age divisions],”
boasts the coach, in between shouting
out instructions as some dribble with
their sticks, others feint and dodge past
opponents with the ball, and still others
zip past on the running track ringing the
field.
It’s 8.30 a.m., pack-up time. “The girls
should be in their schools by 10 a.m.,”
says Pathak. The playground gets deser-
ted as bicycles once again zoom past
narrow dirt paths taking the girls home.
Daring to dream big
Pathak’s unswerving devotion to his
cause has ofered a lifeline to girls who
couldn’t have dreamt of a future beyond
Lakshmipur village, let alone Mairwa
block or Siwan. Tara and Salma Kha-
tun’s father Sudhan Ansari runs a road-
side vehicle puncture shop to support WHERE DREAMS TAKE SHAPE: “Every day, the girls set out on their bicycles furiously pedalling away the stretch of 15 km that takes
their family of 15, which lives in a half- them to Lakshmipur village for their daily practice on the one-acre farmland of Pathak. This is their sports complex, nestled
constructed roadside hall with parti- between green paddy and yellow mustard plants.” — PHOTOS: RANJEET KUMAR
tions made of thin curtains in Mudyari
village. Tara had gone to France to play has been to Kathmandu and Tajikstan in women’s football contingent that went skills,” gushes Nisha. For Amrita and
in the school football world cup in 2014. 2016 to participate in under-16 football to Jordan for the Asian football champi- Putul, Messi is the best of them all. “No
Salma is a national-level footballer too, competitions, is the daughter of electri- onship because her passport was not player has control on the ball like him…
and sisters Sarla and Sabra have taken to cian Ranjit Yadav. Amrita, who has ready in time. “It was bad luck but one he is a true magician,” says Amrita. For
the game as well. “Initially it was tough played in Sri Lanka in 2013 and cap- day she too will go to a foreign land to Tara and her sisters, it’s David Beckham
for us to allow our girls to play football… tained the Indian girls’ under-16 football unfurl the Tricolour,” says her proud and Zinedine Zidane. “For their simple
the relatives and the villagers taunted team in Bangladesh in 2015, is the father. Putul is fifth among seven sisters skills,” they say.
and ridiculed us. But now, after they daughter of Shambhu Prasad, a veget- and a brother. Three sisters are already No television, but have they seen the
have won laurels and their photos ap- able vendor in Gurugram, Haryana. married and one is set to marry in April much-talked-about Dangal? No, not
peared in newspapers, we’re happy with Putul, whose father Ravindra Prasad this year. “But I’ll let Putul continue even the coach. “We’ve heard that the
whatever they are doing,” says Rasulla sells sweets at a roadside shop near the with her game and let her marry movie is inspirational for players like
Begum, their mother. temple in Mairwa Dham village, whenever she wishes,” says Ravindra, us… its story is like ours but we can’t af-
Similar stories abound. Nisha, who couldn’t make it to the Indian under-16 glancing at his 17-year-old daughter. ford to go to the theatre and watch it…
“This is just the beginning. The let its HD version come and we’ll down-
younger lot like Kajal Kumari and Shruti load it on someone’s mobile phone,”
Kumar are the real players to watch out giggles Amrita.
for, and they would certainly play for The only regret these girls have is that
the senior Indian women’s football they’re not getting any government sup-
team provided politics does not play a port for their endeavour. “Whatever we
part in player selection,” asserts Pathak. have is provided by our coach Sanjay
Ten-year-old Kajal, whose father Nav- sir… the playing field, boots, jerseys, T-
rangi Bansfore rears pigs, comes from a shirts, footballs, hockey sticks, he gives
Mahadalit family. “She is an all- us money for our travel expenses to play
rounder... plays football and hockey matches outside the district… he is our
with equal ease, but she excels as a everything,” they echo in unison. “I
sprinter,” says Pathak. His pupil, sport- spend ₨12,000 of my salary every month
ing running shoes that are beginning to and get some donations from close
give away, smiles from a distance. “I like friends and kind villagers for the girls to
running the most.” play the sport… the changing room for
the girls has been constructed with a
Promises to keep donation of ₨3 lakh from some good
Back home, space is always at a Samaritans,” says the coach, hoping that
premium. Some of the girls have stacked the State administration in Patna wakes
their medals in large trunks, gunny bags up to their plight.
and on the cemented racks below the It’s 3.30 p.m. and the girls are back on
roof in the room. The room of their their bicycles heading for the play-
coach too is crammed with medals, ground. The sun is slowly turning a
trophies and shields won the girls and shade crimson and the swirling fog
awards for him. None of the girls have gradually enveloping the village fields
televisions in their households, except in a cold embrace as they furiously
Antima who has a black and white “Hy- pedal to reach the Kendra by 4 p.m. The
bon” brand TV set in her tiny room on morning routine repeats itself until
the roof. But they all have their idols to around 6 p.m., when it’s time to call it a
swear by. “[Lionel] Messi and Ronaldo day. The girls are homeward-bound, but
are my favourite players for their drib- the saga of hope, courage and promise
bling, running and precision-passing will unfold again in the morrow.
ND-ND
10 | WEEKEND THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

BEING
DR HUMERUS MEDICINE

Will the superbug scare hit home?

Keshav

The suspected Indian superbug link to an American woman’s death underscores the urgent need for a national action
plan to execute the existing framework for combating antimicrobial resistance

A
U.S. woman’s death NDM-1 which was first seen in a The CDC also airms that a sur-
that took place in person who had undergone a sur- veillance programme under way
September last year gical procedure in 2007 at a New since 2010 for multidrug-resistant
has had fingers being Delhi hospital. NDM-1 helps bac- bacteria in Washoe County, an area
pointed at India. An teria fend of carbapenems, a group home to over 4,00,000 Americans,
incurable bacterial infection, be- of powerful antibiotics originally did not show any additional
lieved to have been contracted capable of killing several bacilli NDM-1 cases.
from one of India’s hospitals, is species. Contrastingly, large public hos-
said to have killed the Nevada res- Encountering multidrug-resist- pitals in India — often the only
ident, raising questions about the ant bacteria is fairly common in In- point of care for most Indians — do
country’s eforts in tackling a dia. In 2016, K. pneumoniae made not have comprehensive policies
AROUND THE WORLD threat bigger than any known
epidemic.
headlines when it caused varying
degree of vision loss in a dozen eld-
concerning antibiotic use and in-
fection control. Private hospitals
Rescue plan for erly patients who underwent catar- that claim to have robust infection-
The Indian connection act surgeries at the state-run control practices also admit it is
the vaquita
The story of the 70-year-old, de- Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hy- hard to match American eforts.
An ambitious, scribed by the U.S. Centers for Dis- derabad. An investigation found The World Health Organisation
emergency plan to ease Control and Prevention the bacteria in RL solution, which has said candidly in the past that
help save the (CDC) in its Morbidity and Mor- is used to wash the eyes during India lacks a National Action Plan
vaquita, a rare tality report of January 13 goes thus cataract procedure. “At least one to combat antimicrobial resistance
species of porpoise, PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT — during the two years before her instance of bacteria resistant to all (AMR). However, a policy to com-
from extinction in death in 2016, the woman was hos- antibiotics is seen in our patients in bat it has been in place for more
the northern Gulf of California has been pitalised multiple times in India for as often as less than six months,” than five years. It envisages a sep-
recommended by the International Committee for treatment of her fractured right says Rajender Gupta, deputy su- arate schedule for antibiotics to
the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA). The plan thigh bone. perintendent of Sarojini Devi Eye prevent sale without prescription,
involves relocating some of the remaining vaquitas Following an emergency hospit- Hospital. hospital surveillance systems for
to a temporary sanctuary, while crucial efforts alisation in the U.S. in August last monitoring resistance, enforce-
aimed at eliminating illegal fishing and removing gill FAST REACTION: “The health administration in the U.S. quickly stepped in to
year, testing of a wound sample for prevent the spread of the superbug, yielding lessons for India.” Picture Lessons from the U.S. ment of regulation in veterinary
nets from their environment continue. The antibiotic susceptibility found the The health administration in the use of antibiotics and rational pre-
emergency action plan will be led by the Mexican shows a plate coated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria exposed to various
infection-causing bacterium Kleb- antibiotics, at a laboratory in north London. — PHOTO: REUTERS U.S. quickly stepped in to prevent scription of antimicrobials
government and supported by a consortium of siella pneumoniae, which was res- its spread, yielding lessons for In- through evidence-based medicine.
marine mammal experts from more than a dozen istant to all antibiotics available in tibiotics, including the last-resort to the origin of her infection; the dia. After detecting the superbug, Sans an action plan, the policy re-
organisations around the world. the U.S. antibiotic colistin, “very killer superbug’s resistance was at- the Nevada hospital isolated the mains unimplemented. The Na-
In its description of the woman’s uncommon”. tributed to a gene that produces an woman. Screening of other pa- tional Centre for Disease Control
case, the CDC rather conservat- The Indian connection to the enzyme now popularly called New tients admitted to the same unit at is now formulating a pilot plan.
Background and ively termed resistance to all 26 an- woman’s death was not restricted Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1or the hospital did not show spread. rohit.ps@thehindu.co.in
heart disease risk
Women from low OPINION
socio-economic
backgrounds are Trading to extinction Right to a safe abortion
25% more likely to
suffer a heart attack
W hen a pregnancy is
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
than disadvantaged
men, a major new study has found. Researchers unwanted, a safe
from The George Institute for Global Health abortion is vital in
ensuring a woman’s
examined data from 22 million people from North health and well-being.
America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Unsafe abortions remain
In a review of 116 studies they demonstrated a lower one of the prime causes of
socio-economic status, compared to a higher one, is maternal death and
associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disability. An abortion PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
disease for both sexes, but women from more under medical
disadvantaged backgrounds were relatively more supervision is one of the prayed that she would
likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than safest procedures. find a doctor who would
similarly affected men. There was no difference I perform abortions be her confidante, her
found for stroke however. because I believe that this support and her protector
is something that all and treat her with skill
doctors who care for and sensitivity.
women should be The second was a
Help to keep providing — to protect corporate executive going
the beat and promote women’s through a challenging
health. It is a matter of divorce. She was
Heart failure affects pride that over 98.6% of distraught at finding that
millions of people members of the emergency contraception
worldwide, but Federation of Obstetric had failed her. She would
treatment options and Gynaecological have experienced a legal
are limited. If PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Societies of India setback had her husband
patients in (FOGSI) provide abortion and opposing counsel
advanced stages of the disease can’t get as an inherent component known that she was
transplants, doctors can implant devices that help SCALE OF THE PLUNDER: A maze of shops at one of Myanmar’s most holy sites, the Golden Rock at Mount of the care they deliver. pregnant. Courts have
the heart pump blood. But those devices put Kyaikhteeyoe in Mon state, attracts those who believe in traditional medicine which uses animal body parts. This is in marked contrast been known to have
patients at risk for infection and clotting, thanks to Vendors sell everything, from pieces of ivory and pieces of tiger teeth to vials of bear oil, to cater to the huge to the global experience. double standards for men
valves and pumps that come into direct contact demand, a development which is worrying conservationists. A fad now is for “slices of elephant skin to cure skin and women. While it was
with blood. Now, scientists have created a soft, diseases” such as eczema. Dozens of endangered species are said to be trafficked through Myanmar, now impossible to prove the
emerging as a key hub in the $20 billion-a-year global wildlife trade. Much of the trade here is controlled by a husband’s infidelity, her
robotic sheath that may someday help struggling pregnancy could have
hearts keep beating without that danger. Made from sophisticated network of criminals. Picture shows a variety of animal body parts and products. — PHOTO: AFP Nozer
Sheriar been used to tarnish her
material that resembles the outer layers of heart image and weaken her
tissue, the sheath encases the heart and helps it case. She requested
pump by applying alternating pressure and suction. FITNESS confidentiality and help
Building on similar research designs moving I also believe that to terminate her
through preclinical development, this version uses
an array of actuators that function as artificial
muscles to squeeze and twist simultaneously.
Ask them to go run unconditional support of
a woman’s decision to
have an abortion is a
statement,
pregnancy. By helping her
I was privileged to stand
by a brave woman who
Signals from a pacemaker wire tells the sheath There is little evidence to show that running ruins knees. Research suggests the reverse was preparing to face the
when and how to move, directing it to mimic the acknowledging and world on her own terms,
weakened heart’s natural rhythm. In pigs whose supporting this most as a single mother with a
failing hearts beat at only 47% of control levels, the
devices restored heart function to 97%, the
M any people worry that running
ruins knees. But a new study
finds that the activity may in fact be-
marker of incipient or worsening
arthritis. People with arthritis can
have about five times as much COMP
diicult reproductive
right of her that society
daughter.
The third was an
has been and remains so uneducated housemaid.
researchers have reported in Science Translational nefit the joint, changing the biochem- in their synovial fluid as do people reluctant to give her.
Medicine. The sheath is still far from human use — She had two children and
ical environment inside the knee in with healthy knees. I am pro-life and pro- a failed sterilisation. Her
safety testing and other tweaks will require a lot ways that could help keep it working Unfortunately, because it had choice — I am “pro” a
more work — but scientists say the study lays the husband was uncaring
smoothly. turned out to be technically diicult woman’s life, to protect and unsupportive and
foundation for squeezing more out of heart In my many decades as a runner, fel- to safely extract much synovial fluid her from the disruptive prone to drinking. She
treatment in the future. — Lindzi Wessel low runners and non-runners alike from these healthy knees, the scient- consequences, risks and worked hard to put her
have frequently told me that I am put- ists wound up with complete num- dangers of an unwanted children through school
ting my knees at risk. The widespread bers from only six of the runners. pregnancy. I am also and knew that a larger
Humans wiped argument generally follows the lines “pro” a woman’s choice family to provide for
The findings for her to decide what she would have impacted her
out Australian wishes to do with her children’s future. She has
But the data were interesting and
megafauna PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT consistent. In almost every case, the mind, her body and her continued to exercise her
Gretchen Reynolds life. reproductive freedom by
New evidence runners’ knees showed substantially
involving the lubricating fluid that reduces friction lower levels of two types of cells that being on long-acting,
Three cases injectable contraceptives.
ancient excreta of inside joints, from their right knee. can contribute to inflammation Every woman who
some astonishing that running will slowly wear away Healthy knees contain only a soupçon within the synovial fluid, compared to Her elder daughter is now
PHOTO: AFP makes a decision not to an accountant. I realise
creatures that once the cartilage that cushions the bones of the stuf; arthritic and otherwise their baseline levels. continue with her
roamed Australia indicates the primary cause of in the joint and cause arthritis. unhealthy knees tend to contain much The runners also showed a shift in the wisdom of this
pregnancy has her own uneducated mother’s
their extinction around 45,000 years ago was likely more. their COMP levels. After the run, they history and reasons. Here selfless choice made back
a result of humans, not climate change. Led by Reduces knee arthritis risk The volunteers next were de- displayed more of the substance in are the stories of three then.
Monash University in Victoria, Australia, and the But there is little evidence to sup- livered, in wheelchairs, to the uni- their blood and less in their synovial remarkable women that I While these three
University of Colorado Boulder, U.S., the team used port the idea, and a growing body of versity’s nearby biomechanics lab. fluid. In efect, running seemed to have been privileged to stories seem so diferent,
information from a sediment core drilled in the research that suggests the reverse. There, they either sat quietly for 30 have squeezed the molecules out of care for. The first was a they are really the same.
Indian Ocean off the coast of southwest Australia to Epidemiological studies of long-term minutes or ran on a treadmill for the the knee and into the blood. daughter of my friends. Women wanting to
help reconstruct past climate and ecosystems on runners show that they generally are same 30 minutes at their preferred Meanwhile, sitting had slightly in- These friends are anti- exercise their right to
the continent. less likely to develop osteoarthritis in running pace. creased levels of COMP inside choice by virtue of their make their own choices
CU Boulder Professor Gifford Miller, who the knees than people of the same age After either running or sitting, they people’s knees, and also raised the religious belief. The girl about their bodies, their
participated in the study, said the sediment allowed who do not run. again were wheeled to the clinic and concentration of one of the inflam- came to me on her own fertility, their families and
scientists to look back in time, in this case more Some scientists have speculated the blood and synovial fluid draws matory molecules. with no possibility or their future. I salute these
hope of her family three women. What they
than 150,000 years, spanning Earth’s last full glacial that running may protect knees be- were repeated. Each volunteer com- These findings suggest that a single
understanding her
cycle. A paper on the subject was published online cause it also often is associated with pleted both a sitting and running ses- half-hour session of running changes did was diicult and
predicament. She told me courageous and honest.
on January 20 in Nature Communications. relatively low body mass. Carrying sion on separate days. the interior of the knee, reducing in- that she had thought long
less weight is known to reduce the Then the researchers looked for a flammation and lessening levels of a and hard and decided that
risk for knee arthritis. variety of substances in the young marker of arthritis, says Robert It’s about saving lives
an abortion was her only An estimated 70,000
But other researchers have people’s blood and synovial fluid. Hyldahl, a professor of exercise sci-
DEMYSTIFYING SCIENCE wondered whether running might In particular, they focussed on mo- ence at B.Y.U. and lead author of the
choice. It saddened me to
see that she felt so alone
young women die each
year undergoing an
What is interglaciation? have a more direct impact on knee lecules that are associated with in- study, published in the European and that her decision was unsafe abortion. A safe
joints, perhaps by altering the work- flammation. Low-grade inflammation Journal of Applied Physiology. tearing her apart. I was abortion can save almost
Interglaciation is the term used by geologists to ing of various cells inside the knee. in the knee has been shown to con- But sitting for 30 minutes also touched and humbled by all these lives. So where is
refer to the alternating periods of warming and To find out, researchers at Brigham tribute to the development and pro- changed the knee, he points out, her quiet strength and her the controversy — moral,
cooling in the earth’s past. The cooler times are Young University in Provo, Utah, U.S. gression of arthritis. which he and his colleagues had not trust in me. As I looked ethical, political or
called the “glacial period” during which ice recruited 15 male and female runners So the researchers looked for expected. Sitting seemed to make the after her I thought of my religious — in the
shelves from the Arctic slowly creep southward under the age of 30 with no history of changes in the levels of several types knee biochemically more vulnerable own daughter. I hoped provision of a life-saving,
and spread across the earth. Times when the knee injury or arthritis. The scientists of cells that are known to either in- to later disease. that if she ever found health-protecting
earth is covered in these large ice sheets are wished to study people with healthy crease or blunt the amount of inflam- Dr. Hyldahl noted that this was a herself in a similarly technology or option?
known as glacial periods (or ice ages). When the knees in order to better isolate run- mation inside the knee. very small and short-term study. He distressing situation, I Dr. Nozer Sheriar is a
ice sheets are not spread, it is called an ning’s efects on otherwise normal They also looked at changes in the and his colleagues would like to re- could be there for her consulting obstetrician and
without condition or gynaecologist and past Secretary
interglacial period. The most recent glacial joints. levels of another substance unpoetic- peat it with much larger numbers,
passing judgment. And if General of the Federation of
period occurred between about 120,000 and These volunteers visited a clinic ally known as cartilage oligomeric “once we figure out how to get more for some reason I could Obstetric and Gynaecological
11,500 years ago. Since then, the earth has been where they had blood drawn from an matrix protein, or COMP. This sub- synovial fluid” safely from healthy not be there for her, I Societies of India (FOGSI).
in an interglacial period called the Holocene. arm. The researchers also siphoned stance tends to accumulate in dis- knees, he says. — New York Times
of a small amount of synovial fluid, a eased knees and is often used as a News Service
CM ND-ND
YK
 | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017

WEEKEND
READING
SHELF
ESSAY
HELP
The good troublemakers G

The victor and

John Lewis’s graphic memoir March teaches young readers about the importance of remembering the civil rights struggles
UMA MAHADEVAN DASGUPTA
Some years ago, I was reading
Art Spiegelman’s Maus, a
Pulitzer-winning graphic
novel about the Holocaust,
when my younger son, then
five years old, wanted to know
what the book was about.
“Why do the people have
the faces of mice and cats?” he
asked.
“Why do you think they
do?” I asked him.
He thought for a moment.
“Cats catch mice,” he replied.
Then he added: “But they
can’t help it.” (He knew this
because we have a pet cat,
though she has never met a
mouse.) “These drawings
aren’t of cats. They just have
the faces of cats. They’re
people. Are these people with
cat faces being mean to the
mice?”
I nodded. He had got it. “Is
this a real story?” he asked.
One of the hardest conver-
sations with children — much
harder than talking about
birds and bees — is about in-
justice. We teach children to
be fair and to expect fairness
in return. This is the essence
of parenting. Don’t use your
hands when you’re angry; use
words. Don’t use mean words;
use words to say what you
mean. Be kind. Be fair.
But how does one teach
children to respond when the
world isn’t fair? How do we
teach them to handle discrim-
ination, to stand up for others,
to make the world a better
place? To go high, as Michelle
Obama said, when others go
low?
The power of books
One of the critical ways to
teach children about toler-
ance and justice is through
reading. Reading takes chil-
dren outside the bubbles in
which we try to protect them,
and into the lives of others far
removed from them. Reading
teaches empathy. It gives uni-
versal power to individual
stories. It talks about things
that we aren’t sure how to talk
about and says things that we
often don’t know how to say. It
speaks to the imagination and
to the heart.
At the National Book Award function, Lewis
recalled how in 1956, as a little boy, he wasn’t
allowed a library card because of his race.
INFLECTION POINT: “John Lewis is one of the iconic figures of the American civil rights movement.” Lewis (far right), Martin Luther King
Jr. and others leading a march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery to protest against restrictive voting rights. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, NYT
Last week, I ordered a set of
American civil rights hero
John Lewis’s three-volume
graphic memoir March. John
Lewis is one of the iconic fig-
ures of the American civil
rights movement. As a stu-
dent, he applied to Troy State
University even though he
knew blacks weren’t allowed
there. It was one of his first
acts of protest against segreg-
ation. “The boy from Troy”, as
Martin Luther King Jr. de-
scribed Lewis, chaired the
Student Nonviolent Coordin-
ating Committee and was one
of the leaders in the student-
led sit-in movement and the
Freedom Rides in the early
1960s. At the legendary 1963
March on Washington, John
Lewis was one of the youngest
speakers. In 1965, he helped
lead the historic Selma to
Montgomery March as part of
the voting rights movement.
This National Book Award-
winning collaboration
between John Lewis, Andrew
Aydin and artist Nate Powell
presents an afecting first-
hand account of the struggle
for civil rights. At the National
Book Award function, Lewis
recalled how in 1956, as a little
boy, he wasn’t allowed a lib-
rary card at his local rural lib-
rary because of his race.
Those who cannot remember
the past are condemned to re-
peat it, said Santayana. March
is an attempt to remind young
readers about one of the most
important civil rights
struggles of the 20th century.
It is a struggle that still contin-
ues. The memoir uses the
2009 inauguration of former
U.S. President Barack Obama
as a frame for its civil rights
narrative. “Because of you,
John,” wrote Obama on a card
that he gave to Lewis on that
historic day. “Because of you”,
thereby tracing a line back
from that cold January morn-
ing in 2009 to the story of the
American struggle for civil
rights and voting rights.
There is another line in the
narrative, another ‘Because of
you’ that goes further back
from the struggles in Alabama
and Mississippi in the 1960s to
India and the freedom
struggle led by Gandhi. “Re-
member the teachings of Je-
sus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi,
and Martin Luther King,”
writes Lewis in his list of ‘dos
and don’ts’ for the sit-in
protests. “Love and non-viol-
ence is the way.”
The cover of the first
volume shows a group of pro-
testers sitting at a lunch
counter. Their faces are tense,
nervous, but determined. On
the counter before them are
ketchup, mustard, salt, pep-
per, sugar, tissues and a sign
that says “Counter Closed”.
This is what the protesters are
up against.
The story begins on the
morning of what would later
be called Bloody Sunday. It
begins on the Edmund Pettus
bridge across the Alabama
river. A line of marchers is on
the bridge, and the state
troopers are at the other end.
“Can you swim?” Hosea Willi-
ams asks John Lewis, at the
head of the march. “No,” says
Lewis. “Well, neither can I,”
replies Hosea. “But we might
have to.”
Moments in the memoir
Historical events are often
brought to life in graphic nov-
els in ways that are beyond the
scope of textbooks. There are
many unforgettable moments
in this powerful work: the rich
detail as the visuals zoom in to
look at the anxiety in a per-
son’s eyes or zoom out to look
at the vast fields over which
the volunteers trudge day
after day. The way the words
and music of the movement’s
songs curve around the pan-
els, linking past to present,
first softly and then soaring in
epic, poetic fashion: “They
say that freedom is a constant
struggle/ They say that free-
dom is a constant struggle/
Oh Lord, we’ve struggled so
long, we must be free/ We
must be free…”
One of the most moving
moments in the memoir is the
search for the three missing
volunteers in Mississippi. A
line of dark trees, a few stars in
the night-time sky, a small tri-
angle of torchlight on the
grass. A voice: “You see any-
thing?” And then, on the next
page, pitch black, a forlorn sil-
houette in grey, and the tini-
est, saddest, most exhausted
of responses: “No.”
March is about how social
heroes are made, through
courage and non-violence,
and about what Lewis de-
scribes as “good trouble: to
find a way to get in the way”. It
is also about the power of
books themselves as manuals
in the quest for social justice.
One of the early sources of
Lewis’s own inspiration was a
1957 comic book titled Martin
Luther King and the Mont-
gomery Story, a 16-page, 10-
cent narrative about non-viol-
ent resistance for
desegregation.
“Sometimes going to school
was a luxury my family
couldn’t aford,” Lewis re-
flects about his childhood. He
hid from his parents and ran to
catch the school bus in the
mornings instead of working
on the farm. The school lib-
rary was a place of discovery.
After the first time he heard a
speech by Martin Luther
King, he says: “I went to the
school library on Monday to
find out everything I could
about this man.”
This week, as we read the
part about the first march
from Selma, on Bloody
Sunday, my nine-year-old
peered closely at the picture
of John Lewis lying on the
ground, a puddle of grey
stones around his forehead.
“That’s blood!” said my son,
shocked. “He’s bleeding.
That’s blood dripping from
his head.”
He was silent for a moment.
“Is this a real story?” he
asked me quietly.
“Yes,” I replied.
Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta is in the IAS
and is currently based in Bengaluru.
the vanquished
ANURADHA RAMAN
The Tamil Nadu Governor has
cleared an ordinance to allow the
alpha-male sport jallikattu. This
gives reason to those protesting
against the ban on the sport, on
Marina beach in Chennai and in
other places in Tamil Nadu, to stop
their protests. This also paves the
way for man to once again pit
himself against beast, after a brief
lull. With all these quick
developments, I find myself
rereading Vaadivaasal: Arena, a
1948 classic by C.S. Chellappa. The
book, which has been translated
into English by N. Kalyan Raman,
weaves the magical tale of a young
man out to avenge his father’s death
in the horns of the Kari bull. There
can be only one victor in the
novella: man or beast. Vaadivaasal
is a primer on the culture of the
sport and on an agrarian economy.
Hemingway comes easily to mind
while reading the book, and
Vaadivaasal, according to the
author, was
inspired by the
American
novelist’s
writing. As the
debate rages over
the rights of
animal and man
and raises
questions on
whether in an
ideal world this
sport involving goading bulls into
anger, periodically pulling their
tails, and daring to tame them
should find a room in the modern
world, Chellappa cautions us
against ignoring the cultural space
that the sport has traditionally
occupied.
A young man, Picchi, comes to
the arena to tame bulls. He is the son
of a bull-tamer who was killed by
the fearsome Kari bull, who appears
unvanquished and whose ferocity is
a matter of pride for the local
zamindar who owns it. In the end,
the bull is tamed but shot dead by
the zamindar.
The sport is a social marker for
agricultural communities such as
the Thevars, and indicates their
symbiotic relationship with the land
they till and the beast they seek to
tame. In a swiftly changing world, it
is perhaps understandable why the
loss of the sport translates into a
loss of identity and social standing.
Tamil cinema has dipped into the
sport for inspiration. So it would be
foolish to ignore the sport’s cultural
moorings. Yet, questions raised by
animal rights groups too cannot be
ignored. There is no denying the
underlying violence in the sport. In
Vaadivaasal, neither the bull nor
Picchi is the villain. There are only
the victor and the vanquished.
anuradha.r@thehindu.co.in

THE BOOK
INTERVIEW
IN MY HAND
‘Crime pays of electorally’
Markus Zusak Milan Vaishnav offers illuminating answers to questions on the nexus between crime and politics
At the moment I’m
revisiting a guide book on VARGHESE K. GEORGE
Le Pont du Gard, the great
Roman bridge and Why do criminals want to join
aqueduct in France. I was politics? Why do political
also reading Harry Potter
and the Order of the
parties want criminals to join
them? Why do people want
Phoenix to my kids (and
criminals as their representat-
my wife!). It’s something
we do at home most days ives? These questions under-
after school, but we were pin political scientist Milan
reading it recently when Vaishnav’s new book, When
we were travelling through India, Crime Pays: Money and
which was very special. The last Muscle in Indian Politics,
book I read was Barbarian Days which has recently been pub-
by William Finnegan. I loved it not lished in India. It is a well-re-
only for its descriptions of surfing searched and data-rich book
and travel, but because he could on crime and politics in India.
so easily have been writing about For those not interested in the
writing. biographical details of Indian
Markus Zusak is the author of ‘The lawmakers who live on the
Book Thief’ among other books.
wrong side of the law, there are
data sets and graphs, and those
who are not interested in or
are intimidated by the grey
data points can devour the ex-
Sunil Khilnani ploits of Arun Gawli in Mum-
bai or Anant Singh in Bihar or
I am reading Jan-Werner M.K. Alagiri in Tamil Nadu.
Mullers What is Populism?,
a sharp analysis of the Supply and demand
anti-pluralist ideologies of As he set about researching
populist leaders who claim the subject, the absence of fo-
to speak for a homogenous cussed work on the topic sur-
people, and Jeet Thayil’s
collection of 60 Indian prised Vaishnav, but there
Poets, which is pure were more surprises in store:
pleasure put together with “[It] surprised me that people
a poet’s love of his craft were voting for these politi-
and its masters. Last I read cians not despite their crim-
The Lazarus Project, a novel inal record, but because of it.”
about cruelty, truth and loss by Sitting in his oice at the
Aleksandar Hemon, and Ben Carnegie Endowment for In-
Lerner’s 10.04, a brilliantly witty ternational Peace in down-
contemplation on art, food, class town Washington D.C., he ex-
and much else. Next I’d like to plains the crime-politics nexus
read Hannah Arendt’s Men in Dark in India as an “electoral mar-
Times, an appropriate book to ketplace” — where there is
reread at this moment, along with supply and demand.
Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Moreover, it has reached a
Life of Oscar Wao and Nehru’s level of ‘market equilibrium’,
1936 Autobiography. where the participants have
Sunil Khilnani is a scholar of Indian history and politics and
writer.
arrived at an unstated under-
standing, a rulebook if you
ELECTORAL REFORM: “While improvement in governance is the long-term solution to criminalisation of
politics, short-term measures are essential too.” A woman casts her vote in Samastipur district,
Bihar, in 2010. FILE PHOTO: AP
will, for rule-breaking trans-
gressions. The book then ar-
gues that overall improvement
in governance, where the state
functions not merely punit-
ively but also performs an em-
powering role for the citizenry,
is the diicult but only way to
overcome the situation.
What does the title mean?
“That crime pays of elector-
ally; candidates who have seri-
ous criminal charges against
them do better than those who
don’t,” says Vaishnav. The
other aspect is the importance
of money. “One reason why
such individuals are cherished
by political parties is that they
come with a lot of cash. Can-
didates who can self-finance
their campaigns are embraced
in a big way,” he says.
The book is built around the
aidavits that the candidates
disclose at the time of filing
their nomination, as mandated
by a 2003 Supreme Court de-
cision. The formidable data-
base includes details on 46,739
candidates who contested 35
State Assembly elections and
21,697 candidates who con-
tested national elections in
2004, 2009 and 2014. The ai-
davits have brought in more
transparency, but have not ne-
cessarily been an impediment
to the crime-politics nexus. In
2004, 24% of candidates had
criminal charges against them;
in 2014, 34% did. “Second,”
Vaishnav says, “I focus on
charges of a serious nature
which are normally not associ-
ated with a politician’s voca-
tion, such as kidnapping or
murder. Not libel, unlawful as-
sembly, etc. which might crop
up as part of political activity.”
The book portrays in vivid
detail — based also on inter-
views with accused law-
makers, their supporters and
leaders of the parties they be-
long to — the inadequacies of
Indian democracy. Vaishnav
writes with a sense of history
that takes into account the
reasons for the weakening of
state institutions and the gen-
eral degradation of organisa-
tional politics. He situates the
trend in the context of the rise
of ethnic parties in the last
three decades, in an empath-
etic fashion, but does not fail to
dig into the situation that exis-
ted earlier, all the way back to
the first elections in 1952.
“Looking at press reports and
narrative reports that the Elec-
tion Commission used to put
out from 1952,” he notes, “there
is evidence of thugs being used
for booth capturing and voter
intimidation. The link is not
new. What is new, from the
Politicians believe
that their
criminal records
convey to the voters
that they are willing
to do whatever it
takes to
represent
them by hook
or by crook.
1970s, is that rather than being
hired by politicians, they want
to be politicians themselves.”
When Crime Pays ques-
tions the assumption that bet-
ter-informed voters will take
better electoral decisions. At
least in the case of crime-
linked politicians, that may not
be the case, the study con-
cludes. In fact, many of the
politicians linked to crime
make it a point to advertise
their infamy. Says Vaishnav:
“They believe that their crim-
inal records convey to the
voters that they are willing to
do whatever it takes to repres-
ent them by hook or by crook.
That is in some case the best
proof that these are not merely
made-up charges.” He adds:
“The constituents support
them because they believe that
state is not an impartial pro-
vider of security, justice or
public goods.”
These politicians then inter-
vene on behalf of their con-
stituents on a piecemeal basis,
never addressing the struc-
tural issues that gave them the
space to begin with. Vaishnav
believes that Indira Gandhi’s
1969 decision to ban corporate
donations to political parties
was an inflection point in the
evolution of the crime-politics
nexus. “That made campaign-
ing dependent on black
money, and then you look for
people who can raise black
money.” Consequently, he ar-
gues that the antidote to this
existing problem begins with
addressing the fundamental
question of campaign funding.
Criminalisation of politics
He is disappointed that
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has not curbed the influx
of criminals into politics, but
takes note of some recent re-
marks as promising. “Strong
talk against criminalisation of
politics was a hallmark of his
speeches during the 2014 cam-
paign. But very few concrete
steps have been taken by the
government. The BJP has the
highest proportion of MPs
with criminal record... serious
criminal record,” he says.
“What is encouraging more re-
cently is that he has taken up
this issue again, calling for a
cleaning up of election finan-
cing, etc. I don’t think he has
missed the moment. To keep
the support for demonetisa-
tion which seems to be wan-
ing, this could be a politically
savvy step for him to take.”
While improvement in gov-
ernance is the long-term and
sustainable solution to crimin-
alisation of politics, short-
term measures are essential
too, notes Vaishnav. “There
can be fast-track courts for
speedy trial of cases involving
lawmakers and those con-
victed should instantly lose
their legislative membership.”
varghese.g@thehindu.co.in

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017

The nowhere people next door

New Delhi should use creative diplomacy to persuade Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis. It could
appoint a special envoy to hold discreet negotiations with Myanmar’s military and other stakeholders
moral question of the Rohingyas’ human plight has no direct bearing on the West’s in-
M O N D AY , J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 7 rights. For example, she has not fully ac- terests. Having steadfastly invested in the
HAPPYMON JACOB knowledged the extent of violence the Ro- pro-democracy movement led by Ms. Suu
hingyas are systematically subjected to by Kyi, and by recently lifting the 20-year-long

In fruitless pursuit The Rohingyas are a people struck by

the government she leads. During the 2015
election campaign, she was even accused of
not visiting the Rohingyas, lest it invite the
sanctions against Myanmar, the U.S. finds it-
self in no position to bargain or put pressure
on the country.
of permanence tragedy: persecuted at home in Myanmar, re-
jected or barely tolerated abroad, and sacri-
ficed at the altar of strategic calculations by
wrath of the majority Buddhist community,
some of whose leaders are vociferously
anti-Rohingya.
The UN has also proven to be powerless
on the Rohingya question, as it has been on
most questions lately. In May 2015, when the

T
he Tamil Nadu government may have
had few political options but to go in for
an ordinance to facilitate the conduct of
jallikattu once the surge in popular sen-
timent in favour of the traditional bull-taming
sport gathered an enormous, unstoppable mo-
mentum. The State amendment to the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, seeks to exempt
jallikattu from the purview of the law. With the im-
placable mass movement demanding a legal solu-
tion to overcome the judicial ban on jallikattu on
the one side, and related litigation pending in the
Supreme Court on the other, there was little that
the Union government could have done on its
own. For the Centre to bring in an amendment
would have incurred the wrath of the Supreme
Court, which stayed a January 2016 notification
and will rule on its validity soon. Instead, the
Centre granted its consent to the State Governor
promulgating the ordinance. However, just when
it seemed that a legal solution has been found,
there is another twist. The protests are continu-
ing, as its spearheads demand a ‘permanent solu-
tion’. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s plan to
inaugurate the jallikattu event in Alanganallur did
not fructify.
The protesters are obviously under the mis-
taken impression that an ordinance is ‘temporary’.
They remain unmoved even after the State gov-
ernment clarified that it intends to replace it with
a Bill when the Assembly convenes on January 23.
But even a parliamentary Act is subject to judicial
scrutiny. The ordinance has pleased neither side
in the jallikattu vs. animal rights debate. The
Centre’s nod may have ensured that the ordinance
will not be opposed as being repugnant to a Cent-
ral law, but other legal hurdles remain. The Su-
preme Court has declared that jallikattu is inher-
ently cruel and contrary to the objectives of the
PCA. Unless it recognises culture and tradition as
valid grounds to permit events involving bulls, the
exemption given to jallikattu may be invalidated.
Meanwhile, the public uprising has gone beyond
jallikattu, attained a critical mass as an assertion of
Tamil identity and culture and metamorphosed
into a protest against mainstream political parties.
It is time the protesters took a step back and let the
legislative and judicial institutions determine the
future of jallikattu. It is also time for them to reas-
sess the cruelty and the risks to life posed by the
sport, and link any demand to its reintroduction
with the strictest of regulations. Two people were
tragically killed and over 120 injured in the
jallikattu at Pudukottai on Sunday. A culture that
legitimises such mindless and unnecessary death
is not Tamil culture. In fact, it is no culture at all.
powerful neighbours. To add to it, the
refugee crisis in Europe has overshadowed
their plight. Both institutionally discrimin-
ated and denied basic human rights in a leg-
ally-sanctioned manner as well as removed
from the mainstream, over a million Ro-
hingyas have no land they can call home. It is
as though they have been expelled from hu-
manity itself.
Anatomy of a tragedy
Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine
state, neighbouring Bangladesh, are not re-
cognised by the Myanmar government as an
oicial ethnic group and are therefore
denied citizenship. Most Rohingyas are not
qualified to be citizens of Myanmar as per
the 1982 Citizenship Law, which was promul-
gated by the erstwhile military junta. While
it is claimed that there were no Rohingyas in
Myanmar before the British brought
‘Bengalis’ to Burma, there is suicient evid-
ence to show that the Rohingyas pre-existed
the British-engineered migration (during
the British occupation of the Arakan State in
1823) from present-day Bangladesh to
Burma. Even those who arrived in Burma
post-1823 could not go back to Bangladesh
now given that they have no citizenship
claims there. This efectively makes them a
stateless people.
For the Rohingyas, such a ‘solitary, poor,
nasty, brutish’ existence has now become
‘short’ thanks to the state-induced mass ex-
odus that has been taking place ever since
nine police oicers were killed by alleged
Rohingya militants in October 2016. The res-
ult has been horrifying: hundreds of people
have been killed at the hands of the military,
many more hundreds have disappeared,
scores of women sexually assaulted, villages
razed to the ground, and tens of thousands
have fled the country. A large number of
those escaping the brutal violence end up in
the well-oiled traicking networks of the re-
gion who smuggle them out for huge
amounts of money. Some die en route, some
make it to the borders of neighbouring coun-
tries only to be turned away: hordes, includ-
ing little children, often get stranded at sea.
Myanmar, however, denies that its milit-
ary has committed any wrong. A govern-
ment-appointed inquiry committee recently
concluded that “there were no cases of geno-
cide and religious persecution in the region”.
CARTOONSCAPE
Ms. Suu Kyi’s response to the
crisis has been inadequate and
half-hearted. She is clearly unable
to reconcile the moral question of
the Rohingyas’ human rights
What makes the anti-Rohingya violence in
Myanmar even more distressing is that all of
this is now happening under the stewardship
of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous and in-
spiring “non-violent struggle for democracy
and human rights”.
Dilemmas of a Nobel Peace laureate
Clearly, Ms. Suu Kyi’s precarious political
position makes it hard for her to respond to
the crisis as efectively as she could have.
Despite the return of democracy in 2015, the
military continues to have a strong hold over
the civilian government in Myanmar, espe-
cially on key issues such as defence, border
afairs and home afairs. The country’s con-
stitution also reserves one-fourth of the
seats in Parliament for the military. And
though Ms. Suu Kyi’s party is in power, she
herself is barred from becoming the coun-
try’s president (she holds the post of State
Counsellor) since her children are British
citizens. Under such circumstances, her
ability to take on the powerful military estab-
lishment remains limited.
And yet, Ms. Suu Kyi’s response to the Ro-
hingya crisis has been both inadequate and
half-hearted. She is clearly floundering in
her attempts to reconcile the political utility
of Myanmar’s quasi-democracy, which is a
result of her decades-long struggle, and the
In August last year, Ms. Suu Kyi formed an
advisory commission on Rakhine State un-
der the chairmanship of Kofi Annan, former
Secretary General of the United Nations.
However, the commission, which “has been
founded as a neutral and impartial body
which aims to propose concrete measures
for improving the welfare of all people in
Rakhine state”, seems to be an advisory body
for development and reconciliation rather
than one that can objectively investigate vi-
olence committed against the Rohingya
community. While normalcy is welcome and
much-needed, isn’t justice for the tens of
thousands of Rohingyas, whose rights have
been snatched away or killed by the state
forces, as important? Can there be peace
without justice?
When critiqued by the international com-
munity for her inadequate and irresolute re-
sponse, Ms. Suu Kyi retorted, “I would ap-
preciate it so much if the international
community would help us to maintain peace
and stability, and to make progress in build-
ing better relations between the two com-
munities, instead of always drumming up
cause for bigger fires of resentment.” Curi-
ously, the same international community
had played a major role in helping her own
struggle for democracy become a success!
Over a dozen of her fellow Nobel Laur-
eates recently wrote an ‘open letter to the
President of the Security Council’, stating:
“Despite repeated appeals to Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi we are frustrated that she has not
taken any initiative to ensure full and equal
citizenship rights of the Rohingyas. Daw Suu
Kyi is the leader and is the one with the
primary responsibility to lead, and lead with
courage, humanity and compassion.”
Could it be that Ms. Suu Kyi’s pursuit of
political expediency and consequent unwill-
ingness to condemn mass violence against a
minority is, in fact, complicity — by ambival-
ence, silence and inaction?
Geostrategic considerations
The predicament of the Rohingyas is also
a result of contemporary geopolitical realit-
ies and strategic calculations by key stake-
holders in the region and elsewhere. The
Western world is busy with the unfolding of
events in Syria and the resultant refugee
crisis. Hence they would not want to get
bogged down with the Rohingyas, whose
UN Security Council held a closed-door
briefing on the human rights situation in My-
anmar, China made it clear that it was an in-
ternal matter of Myanmar. For Beijing, its re-
lationship with Myanmar’s Generals is
important to gain access to the country’s nat-
ural resources, and recruiting Myanmar for
China’s larger economic goals which include
opening a land corridor to the Bay of Bengal.
India, a traditional home for Myanmar’s
pro-democracy activists, has been reluctant
to either speak out about the violence
against the Rohingyas or accommodate
them in significant numbers. Beijing’s close-
ness to Myanmar clearly worries New Delhi.
Its reluctance also comes from the fact that
Myanmar’s assistance is seen as significant
in dealing with the insurgency in the North-
east. Moreover, should we expect China, or
for that matter India, to speak out against
Myanmar’s human rights violations when
both have enough human rights skeletons in
the cupboard? In any case, the Rohingyas are
of no strategic value to anyone. Compare this
to how both India and China rushed in with
aid during the earthquake in Nepal nearly
two years ago.
New Delhi’s record of accommodating the
Rohingyas is manifestly better than that of
Beijing as it has accepted thousands of Ro-
hingyas over the past many years. Yet, this
policy may already be undergoing some
changes, slowly but steadily. Today, many
Rohingyas are either turned away while try-
ing to enter the country or sent to jail for il-
legal entry. Recall that India has not signed
the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention
or its 1967 Protocol which require countries
to accept refugees.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Jammu and
Kashmir unit has also demanded that Ro-
hingya refugees from Jammu be sent away.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has called them
a security threat. Now let’s read it with the
BJP government’s controversial proposal to
amend the country’s citizenship laws. The
new bill, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill,
2016, proposes that Hindus, Sikhs, Jains,
Parsis and Christians entering India from
Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan not be
considered as “illegal immigrants”. While
the proposed amendment is technically ‘pro-
minority’, it certainly is anti-Muslim.
Need for imaginative diplomacy
Although New Delhi’s reluctance to speak
out publicly about the violations against the
Rohingyas is understandable, it can ill aford
to ignore the crisis in Myanmar. Even if hu-
man rights considerations are the least of
New Delhi’s worries, it is clearly in its in-
terest to ensure that stability and peace re-
turn to the Rakhine state. For one, as and

America’s era when peace returns to Myanmar, India can

ask the latter to rehabilitate the Rohingyas
(like it did vis-à-vis East Pakistan refugees

of anger after the 1971 war). Second, a stable and

democratic Myanmar will naturally gravit-
ate towards New Delhi. Third, and perhaps

D
espite the belligerence and rhetoric of his
campaign, some had hoped that Donald
Trump, in his inaugural address, would
seek to heal the wounds created by a di-
visive campaign. But the 45th President of the U.S.
trumped those expectations with a speech that was
resonant of campaign rhetoric rather than one that
should have been a vision statement for a united fu-
ture under his leadership. Certain omissions in the
speech were stark. The humility that American
Presidents usually embrace in their first address
was missing. So was the historical emphasis on
American values. No word of thanks for the work of
his predecessor, Barack Obama. Instead, Mr.
Trump continued his attacks on the Washington es-
tablishment, vowing to end the “American
carnage”, put “America First” in all policy decisions
and eradicate “radical Islamic terror” from the
“face of the earth”. These remarks, along with his
first set of decisions in the White House, ofer an in-
dication of the priorities. Mr. Trump has already is-
sued an executive order to roll back certain aspects
of Obamacare, a health-care programme which the
former President fought long and hard to get
passed in Congress. Pages on LGBT rights, climate
change and Obamacare are already removed from
the White House website. The administration is
also planning a missile defence system that could
trigger a nuclear arms race. Put together, the
Trump team is likely to pursue a hardline social
conservative agenda buttressed by economic pro-
tectionism and passionate nationalism.
This poses a new set of challenges, for the U.S.
and the rest of the world. First, American liberalism
faces a major crisis. The hundreds of thousands of
women who thronged several cities in the U.S. on
Saturday to protest against him show how divided
the country is. Second, if the world’s largest eco-
nomy, the main pillar of the global economic order,
turns protectionist, it would have far-reaching im-
pact on other major economies. This means the
current crisis in globalisation, which in a way
helped Mr. Trump’s rise, is likely to deepen. Third,
Mr. Trump’s foreign policy direction, especially his
disdain towards multilateralism and unfriendly ap-
proach towards China, is confrontational. He has
repeatedly said he is a deal-maker and will get the
“best deals” for the U.S. But in international dip-
lomacy, his business logic may not work. Finally,
how Mr. Trump is going to meet the tall promises
he has made to rally supporters, largely the anxious,
angered, anti-establishment white working class.
He has unleashed forces of extreme nationalism
which many hoped belonged to a bygone era.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
The rallying point
As a senior citizen, I have not seen,
ever since the Independence
struggle, such a peaceful chain and
wave of protests across the State of
Tamil Nadu. Most of us have only
heard of the satyagraha agitation.
Without resorting to exaggeration, I
can say what is happening now is a
close second to that. The fact that
here women are safe in the crowds
and are equally enthusiastic about
participating in the agitation shows
that the young generation can teach
us many lessons. How else can one
explain the presence of homemakers
at times with infants in arms, old
women, and exuberant young
college girls gathering in such huge
numbers across the State? One may
difer on the merits of jallikattu but
one should never attempt to dilute
the value heritage has in the minds
of Tamils (“A movement to reclaim
Tamil pride”, Jan.22).
M. Meenakshisundaram,
Tiruchi
Irrespective of the merits or
otherwise of the cause of the stir,
most of us should recognise that the
singularly positive aspect of the
whole movement has been
unconditional solidarity by all
sections to the cause. The exemplary
conduct so far is commendable
given that a congregation of
youngsters can easily resort to acts
that afect law and order.
N. Rengarajan,
Chennai
Impartial observers have reason to
feel that the ordinance on jallikattu
is a knee-jerk reaction to buy time
and prevent the mass of protesters
from adding more unresolved issues
and prolonging the agitation. Apart
from setting a bad precedent, it
sends out a wrong message that
governments can be humbled by
popular protests and frenzy. Those
who support jallikattu should
exercise their wish for the ban to be
lifted without trampling on the
rights of animal rights activists.
Haridasan Rajan,
Kozhikode
We cannot subject animals to
cruelty in the name of culture. The
notion that the cultural identity of
Tamilians is being eroded through
the ban is totally misplaced. The
very purpose of the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 is being
defeated by the way events are
proceeding. The judiciary should
not cave in to the pressure and must
ban this so-called sport for ever.
Yash Saxena,
Indore
The sincere eforts by the State and
Central governments to pursue the
ordinance route is commendable.
However it seems that a section of
the protesters now wants a
“permanent solution”. They should
understand that the issue is sub-
judice, and with possible claims and
counter-claims, such a solution
could take months. You can
pressurise a government but not a
court of law. Reasoning at this stage
is more important and emotions
should be controlled. The Tamil
Nadu government has also other
pressing issues to resolve such as
drought and agrarian distress. The
best course now would be to
gracefully call of the agitation. Let
the law take its own course (Tamil
Nadu, “Ordinance fails to placate
protesters”, Jan.22).
V. Subramanian,
Thane, Maharashtra
There is no doubt that this is a
peaceful protest. Nevertheless,
adopting a confrontational stance
most importantly, the Rohingya crisis, if it re-
mains unsettled, can become a path toward
radicalisation and pose a greater security
threat for India. There are reports of increas-
ing radicalisation among sections of the Ro-
hingya community. A December 2016 report
by the International Crisis Group spoke pre-
cisely about this challenge and highlighted
how rights violations can lead to radicalisa-
tion.
New Delhi should use creative diplomacy
to persuade Myanmar to resolve the Ro-
hingya crisis. It should perhaps consider ap-
pointing a special envoy for this purpose
who should hold discreet negotiations with
Myanmar’s military, Ms. Suu Kyi, Dhaka and
Beijing in order to bring an end to the crisis.
Happymon Jacob teaches Disarmament and National
Security at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal
Nehru University, New Delhi.
especially when the Supreme Court The Trump era begins
is involved may lead to losing the
moral right to push for solutions to Donald J. Trump’s inaugural address
other disputes such as the Cauvery woefully lacked the statesmanship
water sharing issue. Cruelty to and vision that behoves a leader of
animals is an abhorrent practice in a the world’s most powerful nation
modern society. Courage, valiance, (“It’ll be America first, says Trump”,
tact and strategy in dangerous Jan.21). That he played to the the
situations are best demonstrated in gallery, chanting the nationalist and
sport. protectionist mantra for a major part
S.R. Devaprakash, of his address, runs contrary to the
Tumakuru, Karnataka fact that the U.S. is predominantly a
capitalist nation that led the
I am a bit surprised by such mass globalisation bandwagon. His
mobilisation of people over an issue assertion that ‘it’ll be America first’
such as jallikattu. It is even more is surprising as bilateral and
puzzling when there are far more multilateral trade agreements with
serious issues such as the U.S. were arrived at after much
demonetisation and violence against deliberation. Attributing the loss of
women. Now that the State has lost a jobs in the U.S. to his predecessor’s
strong, no-nonsense leader, there more immigrant-friendly and liberal
appears to be a general fear among economic policies is equally bizarre
the Dravidian parties, of the BJP in as it is technological innovation that
particular attempting to gain a has led to the growth of the
foothold in Tamil Nadu though manufacturing sector. There is also
political manoeuvring. Therefore, the prohibitively high cost of
they may be wanting to whip up the American labour.
sentiments of Tamilians, consolidate His vitriolic outburst against
Dravidian power and not leave immigration is also inexplicable to
anything to chance. As far as I know, say the least considering his migrant
no such mobilisation is possible roots and the fact that his family is
without political backing. also of mixed race.
N.G.R. Prasad, Nalini Vijayaraghavan,
Chennai Thiruvananthapuram
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017

FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR Dealing with the deadwood

Translation, attribution It has taken more than 40 years for the Centre to administer a shock to a complacent civil service
and accuracy one service. The IPS, IAS and the Indian
Forest Service (IFS) each have their own
On the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration as the Presid- R.K. RAGHAVAN sizeable number of dishonest oicers.
ent of the U.S., the newspaper retracted a story that dealt The tragedy is that many oicers, early
with a possible shift in the foreign policy. We ofered a in their careers, fall into the trap and
lengthy clarification explaining the reasons for the with- never retrace their paths. How else
drawal. It is a moment when the American media is trying The Central government’s recent de- would you explain the large numbers of
A.S. to work out new methods to cover a hostile President cision to compulsorily retire two Indian oicers who had not completed even
PANNEERSELVAN and a reluctant White House. Though the underlying Police Service (IPS) oicers and one In- five years in government getting caught
tension is a metaphor for the number of challenges fa- dian Administrative Service (IAS) of- for corrupt acts? This rot has to be
cing journalists, I would like to explore one eternal trial a foreign corres- ficer for ‘non-performance’ is bold and stemmed if our prized All India Services
pondent faces. laudable. One of the oicers is reported and Central Services are not to become
The ability to read, listen and converse is the key for efective journalism. to have been under investigation for dis- the laughing stock.
During foreign postings, most journalists depend on translators and inter- proportionate assets. The compulsory
preters. Learning a new language with all its nuances takes time. The rela- retirements are in pursuance of the ser- Models of probity
tionship between the interpreter and the reporter has an unwritten compact vice rules that contemplate a review The failure to show the right way to
based on mutual understanding and respect. But despite best intentions, at either when an oicer reaches the age of those getting into the services is of su-
times something gets lost in this process of translation. 50 or completes 25 years of service. pervisory oicers and not of the much-
Such action was a long-needed cor- maligned politician who may be guilty
Lost in translation rective. There was a similar, but feeble, of other misdeeds. If a District Collector
I had my own share of these vulnerabilities in reporting from places attempt in the wake of the Emergency or a District Superintendent of Police is
where I needed a translator. In 1988, Sri Lanka was witnessing two civil wars. under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It himself not a model of eiciency and
In the Tamil-speaking area, it was between the Indian Peace Keeping Force has taken more than 40 years for the honesty, the trainee Assistant Collector
(IPKF) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In the Sinhala- Centre to again administer a shock to a or Assistant Superintendent of Police
speaking areas, the strife was between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the complacent and growingly dishonest cannot go elsewhere to learn the virtues
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). I travelled to Sabaragamuwa Province to civil service. Cynics may say this is a of hard work and probity.
meet second-line JVP leaders who spoke gimmick or a symbolic act that would If the system is functioning and has
mainly in Sinhala. During the course of the hardly mend the ways of the bureau- not collapsed, it is because we still have
lengthy interview, JVP leaders wanted me to Between the cracy. This is a defeatist approach. We a handful of outstanding men and wo-
take a look at their oicial description of India interpreter and the need to uphold the basic democratic men in the higher bureaucracy, who are
and its armed forces. My interpreter promptly principle of a healthy executive control motivated by a spirit of service and have
translated three operative paragraphs from a reporter, some over the civil service, and actions like the conviction that they will be models
small booklet. I filed my report based on this things get lost in these, undertaken clinically and without to young oicers. It is in this context that
translation. translation at times malice, are a sine qua non if we want to all of us should plead for an incessant
A week later, Gamini Navaratne, Editor of enhance the currently poor standards of KEEPING WATCH: “We need to uphold the democratic principle of a healthy executive drive against the deadwood in govern-
Saturday Review, pointed out the error in my reporting. He explained that public administration. control over the civil service.” Trainee IPS officers from the National Police Academy ment services.
the description I had cited in my report was JVP’s analysis of India after the interact with the DCP (South Zone) in Hyderabad. FILE PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL The only obstacle in the way of drastic
failed 1971 insurrection in which the Indian armed forces played a major Perks of the services civil service reform — like the one pur-
role. It was not about the IPKF-LTTE confrontation. A correction was sub- The public should know that our All a few dedicated oicers, both in the sued by the present government at the
sequently published. India Services and the Central Services higher echelons and in the lower rungs,
The obstacle in the way of Centre — is the judiciary that overturns
The Corrections and Clarifications column is meant to address these are paid well by Indian standards. Each it is a sad fact that ordinary citizens drastic civil service reform is or stays every administrative action
types of inadvertent errors and rectify mistakes. In the case of the report Pay Commission has enlarged the civil mostly cannot get through to any senior the judiciary that overturns or against an erring senior oicer. Courts
from Beijing, which was subsequently withdrawn from our Internet edition, service pay packet and perquisites. You member of the bureaucracy, either in would earn the admiration of a harassed
the mistake was not about the content but wrong attribution. It is the ethical don’t have to exert yourself on the job to person or over the telephone, to express stays administrative action public if they stopped interfering in dis-
compass of the newspaper that gives space for acknowledging errors and earn a promotion. If you did not go to jail their grievances. Even if we concede against an erring senior officer ciplinary matters once they are satisfied
amending them. I am surprised by the self-contradicting criticisms against for some grave impropriety while in ser- that pressures on senior oicers have that prescribed procedures had been
this commitment to set the record straight. vice, you still get to reach the peak and greatly multiplied, is it too much to ex- followed in a case coming up before
earn the maximum pension of ₨1,12,500 pect every government oicial to re- product of this is indolence, and a long them and there is no malice writ large on
The Pillsbury story per month. After passing the Union spond to the common man who pays his spell of inactivity leads to loss of initiat- a decision. Judicial overstepping, while
First, some facts: Michael Pillsbury was in China recently and spoke at Public Service Commission examina- taxes to fund the bureaucracy? It is sad ive and a desire to be productive. It is correcting unjust action against a few
Pangoal Institution, a Beijing-based think tank. The deliberations at Pangoal tion, the system takes care of you. Only that the IPS is no longer the ‘service’ it against this backdrop that one should honest civil servants, unwittingly pro-
Institution are important to India because of its proximity to the around 10 per cent of oicers remain was meant to be; it is now a mere ‘force’. study the phenomenon of how some motes the cause of many unscrupulous
Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), whose former director is Ajit current in their knowledge and exert The malady of non-performance senior oicers become deadwood, and elements. The track record of adminis-
Doval, presently the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of In- themselves to keep the administrative arises from the fact that not all positions how only a few select ones get to be in trative tribunals in the country is a mat-
dia. The VIF website says: “Leading a four-member delegation, Mr. YI Peng, system in shape. in governments at the Centre and in the important positions during their ter of great concern to those looking for
founder President of the Pangoal Institution, a Beijing-based non-govern- If Prime Minister Narendra Modi is States are meaningful. You have a careers. a balanced and objective bureaucracy.
mental think tank, visited the Vivekananda International Foundation on 20 trying to change this, we need to sup- bloated bureaucracy, and portfolios are More appalling is the number of of- There is need here for an immediate
Sep 2016 for an interaction, targeted at exploring potentials for expanding port his efort to convert the bureau- created only to accommodate oicers. ficers who choose to abandon integrity corrective by the Union Law Ministry.
economic cooperation between China and India, especially in the private cracy into an accountable body that is As a result, many oicers do not have and line their pockets. Lack of integrity
sectors.” This establishes the need to report to Indian readers Mr. Pillsbury’s sensitive to public demands. Except for more than a few hours of work a day. A is undeniably not the monopoly of any R.K. Raghavan is a former CBI Director.
comments.
The second issue is the status of Mr. Pillsbury: is he an adviser to Mr.

From Jellicut to jallikattu

Trump or not? Though in his letter to the Editor, Mr. Pillsbury denied being
an adviser to either Mr. Trump or his transitional team, and said that he only
ofers informal advice by answering questions from Mr. Trump’s staf, many
major publications have described him as an adviser. The public broad-
caster, NPR, during an interview, introduced him as an adviser to the Trump
transition team. The Washington Post called him an adviser to Mr. Trump.
Interestingly, Mr. Pillsbury himself tweeted a story from The Tibet Post that
Only science can ensure commercial viability and protection of indigenous breeds
was critical of The Hindu report whose headline ironically read: “Trump’s
top advisor slams The Hindu for ‘Fake News’ story on Tibet.” I am confident cially valuable cattle breeds including
that readers will arrive at the right conclusion about his status. the Brangus, created by cross-breeding
The third and crucial issue is what he said about the Dalai Lama and Pres- SWAPNA SUNDAR Brahman and Angus, in the 1950s. The
ident Trump in China. We have the audio recording of his speech at Pangoal cross-breeding of Brahman bulls with
Institute. Here is the operative part of the speech in translation: “Third, European cows is a popular cross-
Dalai Lama held a press conference in India. He said, I really want to go to breeding practice in the U.S.
Washington to meet Obama... besides Obama... he has already met Obama... With the Tamil Nadu Governor clearing African Zebu breeds evolved in paral-
wants to (meet) Trump. Trump does not accept it. Should he accept it?” The an ordinance on jallikattu, the question lel with Indian variants. It is determined
dots signify the pause in his speech and no words of his have been skipped. is whether the sport will help preserve that Zebu were first introduced in
This speech firmly establishes the content of The Hindu story. indigenous breeds of cattle. The pro- around 1,500 BC, crossed with longhorn
Despite all these facts, the story was retracted because there were grey ponents of jallikattu say that first, if the humpless varieties to produce the San-
areas in attribution. Mr. Pillsbury, in his letter to The Hindu, denied talking sport is banned, owners of indigenous gas. The Sanga later spread into central
to CCTV and the newspaper’s report attributed it to an interview to CCTV bulls may no longer find it worth pre- and southern Africa. Later around 670
as reported on a Chinese language website. As we could not find a conclus- serving the indigenous variants. AD, short-horned zebu cattle were in-
ive answer to the question whether he said what he said on CCTV or not, the Second, they say it is the ‘untamed’ bull troduced via Ethiopia and Somalia.
remedial measure was taken. Being a foreign correspondent is an unenvi- that is used for breeding and so they They evolved into stable indigenous
able distinction. may no longer be able to identify the breeds like the Red Fulani, White Fu-
strongest male, as a result of which the lani, Boran and Ankole-Watusi. Zebu
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in stock will weaken. have been strengthened with genes
It is only the Jellicut (identified as Pu- from the Gujarat, Ongole and Gir lines.
likulam) that has been described scien- The Nelore (known as Ongole in In-
tifically (between 1870 and 1930) as a dia) first arrived in Brazil in 1868. Ten
“small bull specially bred for bull-fight- years later, a couple were imported
ing/taming in the Tamil region“, ac- from Hamburg Zoo. In 1938, the Nelore
FROM THE ARCHIVES cording to the Roslin Institute of the
University of Edinburgh. I am unable to
CONSERVATION: “If jallikattu is banned, owners of indigenous bulls may no longer
find it worth preserving the indigenous variants, say proponents of the sport.”
Herd Book was created defining the
breed standards. Between 1890 and 1921,
identify what breeds are currently used Kangayam bulls lined up for a beauty contest at Vellakoil. PHOTO: BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT it is estimated that over 5,000 Indian
in jallikattu. Again, it is medieval to specimens were exported to Brazil. In
identify a herd bull through an inei- group, and unfortunately so does the 1960, 20 animals were imported, and in
dated January 23, 1967 cient method like jallikattu. Better Jharkhand Census. Yet again, the breed While breed development has 1962 another 84. These became
the memorial lecture, Sir John
methods to identify a herd bull are by survey of 2013 estimates the breed-wise been undertaken in the past founders of important Brazilian breed-
Making of atom identifying desirable heritable qualities population of several indigenous ing lines like Godahvari, Karvadi and
Cockcroft and Mr. Menon, who variants.
in India, little has been done Taj Mahal. Today, Brazil is also the pos-
bomb by India followed him, both covered much
in the animal, ensuring pedigree
(purebred or cross-breed), reading ex- While breed development has been to record and scientifically sessor of 5 million registered pure-bred
Conflicting versions of the late the same ground in dealing with Dr. pected progeny diferences, breeding undertaken in the past in India, little has Nelore.
Dr. Homi Bhabha’s attitude to the Bhabha’s life and career and manage the herd
soundness (ability to get cows preg- been done to record and scientifically Science has enhanced the value and
development of nuclear weapons scientific achievements, but when nant), and semen examination. Altern- manage the herd. The 1928 Linlithgow strength of Indian native breeds across
in India were given in London it came to Dr. Bhabha’s views on atives such as artificial insemination Commission on Indian Agriculture tions. Careful cross-breeding improves the globe. For example, sales of
yesterday [January 21] by two nuclear proliferation and what should also be considered. A herd book names the Pattagarar of Palayakottai as hybrid vigour and long-term viability of Brazilian Nelore semen represent 65
eminent scientists who both knew India’s policy should be, there was or register should be established. an example of a breeder whose careful desirable indigenous traits. U.S. ser- per cent of the artificial insemination
him well, Sir John Cockcroft and a marked diference in their Accurate and permanent records of breeding had resulted in the Kangayam vicemen stationed in Italy during World market of all beef breeds in Brazil. The
Prof. M.G.K. Menon. The occasion presentation. Sir John left the individual cows and breeding herds breed. However, till date, there is no War II discovered that the Italian Chi- leading Nelore sire there produced and
was a meeting held here [London] impression that Dr. Bhabha was in also need to be maintained, even for herd book or register established for the anina was excellent for draught and sold 34,000 straws of semen in 1995, fol-
under the Royal Institution of favour of India producing nuclear those cows that are culled and sold, to breed, according to the Animal Genetic beef. In 1971, Chianina genetics was in- lowed by another Nelore that sold
Great Britain to mark the first weapons and implied that this was trace family histories. Herd bulls should Resources of India website. Some troduced in the U.S. with semen import. 30,000, which means that both sires
anniversary of the death of Dr. indeed one of the reasons why he also be recorded for health treatments, breeds like the Gir and Ongole have an Breeders of indigenous varieties must have bred more than 20,000 cows.
Bhabha who was killed in an air wanted a plutonium separation frame size, testicular size, breeding established herd book. A Jellicut herd should also explore other commercial While private players Genus ABS In-
accident on January 24, 1966. plant. According to Mr. Menon, soundness and identification. Elec- book is also not available. Genetic data possibilities like intellectual property dia Private Limited and Hanu Reddy
About 300 guests, mostly however, Dr. Bhabha was deeply tronic tagging is used to identify indi- on livestock is now being maintained in rights. Tamil Nadu is yet to explore the Ongoles are developing gene banks and
distinguished scientists and committed to the proposition that vidual members of the herd over their several countries. This data will help lucrative possibilities of protecting live- animal resources, it is also important to
oicials, were present. Dr. Bhabha nuclear energy should be life spans. Mating group records help enthusiasts and commercial organisa- stock-based GIs, as Serbia has done improve our national data banks. Fur-
was Chairman of India’s Atomic developed solely for peaceful the breeder to check on group fertility tions to choose the kind of animal they with their Uzicka govedja prsuta ther, national data banks ought also to
Energy Commission. Delivering purposes. and identify issues. These records en- would like to breed. (smoked beef ham) and are seeking to hold samples and data of animals
able viability of the herd over Several important considerations de- do with Kraljevacki kajmak, a milk around the world. The National Animal
generations. termine breeding and herd strategies. product. Germplasm Program of the U.S. govern-
The purpose of breeding could be to en- ment is a multinational efort in collab-
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS Lack of data hance or maintain existing qualities Enhancement of native breeds oration with Canada and Brazil. They
There don’t seem to be accurate re- such as strength for draught work, milk- Indian or South Asian breeds of cattle preserve samples from about 25,000 an-
>>In the report headlined “All eyes on Washington as Trump set to take oath” corded data for indigenous cattle. The ing, or carcass quality for beef. Another have led to enhancement of native imals around the world — frozen se-
(Jan. 20, 2017, some editions) there was a reference to a Bible that Abraham 18th Livestock Census, 2007, enumer- is to breed animals that would be good breeds across the world. The American men, embryos, ovaries, and tissue
Lincoln used for his first oath in 1961. The year should have been 1861. ates no indigenous variants at all for breeders. A third is to breed animals Brahman, the first beef cattle breed de- which can be used to reconstitute live-
Tamil Nadu. It lists only Exotic Jersey, that provide good growth to progeny so veloped in the U.S., was bred from a stock populations or simply lend a use-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by Exotic Holstein Friesian, Exotic Other, that the market value of calves is higher. nucleus of approximately 266 bulls and ful gene to an animal.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- and Exotic Cross-breeds. On the other Breeding strategies are also structured 22 females of four diferent Bos Indicus Neither chauvinism nor mere good-
day); Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in; hand, the Jharkhand Livestock Census to develop new breed lines. Show anim- varieties: Gir (Gyr), Gujarat (Kankrej), will is an alternative to science. Only
Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, only has data on numerous indigenous als and animals used for sport need spe- Ongole (Nellore) and Krishna Valley, science can ensure commercial viabil-
859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. cattle by name: Alambadi, Bachaur, cial selective breeding strategies. imported into the U.S. between 1854 and ity and enduring pride in our native
All communication must carry the full postal address and Deoni, Gaolao, Jellicut (0), Kangayam While it is perfectly natural and desir- 1926. The Brahman cattle tolerates heat, breeds.
telephone number. (0), etc. However, the 19th Livestock able to be proud of our native fauna, it is is resistant to insects, and produces
No personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on Census of 2012 enumerates indigenous also necessary to supplement, enhance, calves even at the age of 15. The Brah- Swapna Sundar is the founder of IP Dome: IP
www.thehindu.com cattle in Tamil Nadu as an unsorted and improve their viability over genera- man is a root breed for many commer- Strategy Advisors, Chennai.
CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

The price of fiscal folly

Borrowing to distribute for consumption is to be guarded against. When — as now — the government has
debt outstanding, launching the universal basic income would amount precisely to that
ism whereby the central bank ensured that an need to account for a scheme in which the
T U E S D AY , J A N U A RY 2 4 , 2 0 1 7 expansionary fiscal policy following the fin- able-bodied receive as much as the infirm
PULAPRE ancial crisis did not result in a rise in the in- and infants receive as much as their mothers.
BALAKRISHNAN terest rate. Far from government spending There appears to be a mismatch between

An alliance With the annual Budget of the Central gov-

via borrowing crowding out private ex-
penditure, it leads to a ‘crowding in’ whereby
the demand generated by government
rights and responsibilities here.
The usefulness of the accounting repro-
duced above is mainly to show us how much

of its time ernment to be presented soon, exhortations

have appeared in public on what it should
contain. Two of these are somewhat extreme
spending expands the market for private in-
vestors, raising the level of economic activity
today and even in the future. Of course, this
subsidies cost in terms of a potential benefit
foregone by households. It attains some sali-
ence when we recognise that certain sub-

I
n the end, the Congress party got itself a better
seat-sharing deal from the Samajwadi Party
that it could have realistically hoped for; never
mind that its vice-president, Rahul Gandhi,
had sounded a war cry with a Deoria-to-Delhi trek
through Uttar Pradesh on the claim of the party
forming the government on its own. On Sunday,
after some tense moments with each party afect-
ing that it was ready to walk away if it did not get its
maximalist demands, an alliance for the February-
March U.P. Assembly elections was announced.
The SP will fight 298 seats, the Congress 105. With
this, both parties have created for themselves an
opportunity that may be more than the sum of their
individual chances, and for both it is perfectly
timed. The SP is battling not just anti-incumbency
but also the shock of the 2014 Lok Sabha verdict,
when it won just five seats. It has gone through a
nerve-wracking rite of passage as Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav took on his father Mulayam Singh
Yadav’s perceived coterie, for control of the party
organisation, and then, at the Election Commis-
sion’s door, for the party symbol of the cycle. In fact,
this was a necessary transition in the SP for any tie-
up with the Congress to strike true. The Congress’s
relations with Mr. Mulayam Singh have always
lacked good faith to encourage vote transfer, and
the history of dashed expectations would have
made the alliance diicult to pull of on his watch.
For Mr. Akhilesh Yadav, the alliance completes
his efort to rebrand himself, from being no longer
the young Chief Minister of the past years who was
mocked for being witless in allowing his “uncles”
(family members and party seniors) to run the ad-
ministration. As the unity among the uncles
cracked in the past few months, the Chief Minister
came into his own. It helped cast him in the public
eye as a leader capable of standing on his own
terms, and he strategically showcased the fight as
being less about spoils and more about ideals. Now,
by turning the election into a three-cornered con-
test, he can use the SP-Congress alliance to attract
voters, especially the minorities, looking to cast
their ballot tactically to defeat the BJP candidate.
For, even at its historic nadir in the State in 2014, the
Congress got almost 8% of the vote. In turn, for the
grand old party, to be even seen to be on a winning
ballot in U.P. would be a transformational leap. The
two parties are not operating in a vacuum, and both
the BJP and the BSP will put up formidable cam-
paigns. But together they have made the contest
more keen than their individual challenges could
have done.
Globalisation’s
in their implications for the general popula-
tion. One concerns borrowing by the govern-
ment while the other amounts to a proposal
on how best the government should allocate
its expenditure.
In a recent speech made in Gandhinagar,
the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India is
reported to have cautioned the government
against increasing its borrowing. This
brought him instant praise from sections of
the media including this newspaper. He is re-
ported as stating that “the government
should desist from borrowing even more and
pre-empting resources from future genera-
tions”. Not only did these remarks receive
laudatory support in The Hindu but an edit-
orial on January 14 had gone on to speak ap-
provingly of his assertion that “government
borrowing tends to crowd out private invest-
ment”. There is no unconditional validity to
these propositions. This has been known to
economists for over three-quarters of a
century.
Why government spending pays
It is diicult to make sense of the proposi-
tion that government spending by means of
borrowing pre-empts resources from future
generations. Actually, directly or indirectly,
every expenditure will serve as a draught on
today’s resources, i.e., labour and capital
equipment. This is equally true of public and
private expenditure, the only diference be-
ing that in the case of the former often it is its
very rationale that resources are drawn into
production thus pre-empting their remain-
ing idle. But why should this ever amount to
pre-empting resources from future genera-
tions? Unlike natural capital, these resources
are man-made, and expenditure can actually
create more of them. Furthermore, these
newly-minted resources are inherited by fu-
ture generations who far from being short-
changed are left with more income-earning
CARTOONSCAPE
It may be imagined that the idea
of UBI is based on the social
democratic imagination, but the
welfarism that it implies is neither
socialist nor democratic
assets than they would have had were the
government to desist from borrowing to
spend today. Sure, future generations would
have to pay more taxes to retire the govern-
ment’s debt, but so long as the returns are
greater than the interest burden, future gen-
erations are unambiguously better of. Are
not at least some sections of India better of
now that in the 1950s the Government of In-
dia had borrowed to build housing for public
servants and the Indian Institutes of Techno-
logy and Management?
Presumably, it is the possibility of a rise in
the interest rate that unleashes the challenge
in the form of the argument of crowding out,
whereby a rise in public spending raises the
interest rate faced by the private sector. But,
as the Governor should know, this can be
simply and efectively dealt with through
monetary policy. ‘Quantitative easing’ in the
United States was precisely such a mechan-
requires the existence of unemployed re-
sources, which is mostly the case in a large
part of the economy. So, the assertion that
greater public spending would crowd out
private investment is based jointly on a re-
fusal to accept accommodating monetary
policy as valid and the assumption that the
economy is at full employment.
The universal basic income idea
This takes us to the second of the two pro-
posals for budgeting in India made recently.
Away from debt and deficits, in fact quite in-
nocent of them, the case has been made for
the provision by government of a universal
basic income (UBI). This idea has been float-
ing around the capitals of the western world
for a while, and it is not surprising that policy
entrepreneurship would ensure its appear-
ance here and its feasibility has been demon-
strated, so to speak. Thus the economist Vi-
jay Joshi has in his book, India’s Long Road,
proposed that every citizen be given an in-
come transfer equivalent to what is needed to
raise those currently deemed poor to above
the oicial poverty line. He shows that this
would involve a transfer of ₨3,500 per capita
per annum. The virtue of this arrangement, it
is claimed, is that it would eliminate poverty
and yet leave some over to actually raise pub-
lic investment.
However, it is an unusual approach to
poverty eradication that the non-poor, who
in India are the majority and some of whom
are rich by international standards, be given
the same income as the poorest. It may be
imagined that the idea of UBI is based on the
social democratic imagination, but the wel-
farism that it implies is neither socialist nor
democratic. It is distinctly at odds with Karl
Marx’s vision of a decent society as one
which draws from “each according to their
abilities (and gives) to each according to
their needs”. Enthusiasts of the UBI would
sidies in India are regressive and others do
not even entail a transfer, such as when food-
grain rots in the godowns of the Food Cor-
poration of India while getting accounted as
food subsidy in the books. For close to thirty
years since 1947 the Central government’s
subsidy bill had been meagre. It is only re-
cently that it has burgeoned, both in response
to vote-bank politics and as political parties
compete to showcase their compassion. But
the answer to the accumulating subsidy bill
lies less in moving to the distribution of its
cash equivalent as much as to transferring
the potential saving from their elimination
into public investment. Not only does public
investment have a greater impact on growth
than subsidies in their present form but, to
return to the issue of inter-generational
equity, the capital formation that it entails be-
nefits future generations by enhancing the
productive capacity of the economy. And,
above all, in our present state of development
and given the current state of the public fin-
ances, the UBI would leave India bereft of
public goods and services. Once everyone
has been given a certain amount of income
under the auspices of the state, it gets ab-
solved of all responsibility for providing
these goods and services which the private
sector has no incentive to provide. We would
now have to live content with our paltry be-
nefits on islands without the bridges needed
to take us to our neighbours.
Importance of public goods
It is entirely understandable that in India
the citizen is dismayed by the callous disreg-
ard for the use of public monies by the polit-
ical class. But it would be disastrous to over-
look the feature that a significant part of what
we require for a dignified and convivial exist-
ence are public goods which would have to
built by the state. Both a sensible allocation of
its revenue and public borrowing by the state
are part of this process. To take a lesson from
history, during the Second World War the na-
tional debt in the U.S. rose sharply to enable
the government to engage in combat. The
U.S. economy was immediately energised
and after the War there followed unpar-
alleled prosperity for the next generation, en-
abling the government to repay the public
debt with ease.
Public borrowing is not necessarily bad
but borrowing to distribute for consumption
is to be guarded against. As monies are fun-
gible, when, as now, the Government of India
has debt outstanding, launching the UBI
would amount precisely to that.
But our most important lesson comes from
India itself. The idea that the nascent Indian
state should showily distribute public reven-
ues in the manner of its erstwhile maharajahs

new spokesman had made the rounds soon after the country
gained independence. It is very likely the
clamour that had led Jawaharlal Nehru to re-

P
resident Xi Jinping’s message to the World
Economic Forum in Davos was timely and
perhaps visionary as well, in this time of ex-
traordinary global uncertainty. It is no sur-
prise if, as in the case of German Chancellor Angela
Merkel’s potential leadership of the Western alli-
ance, questions have arisen at this juncture about
Mr. Xi’s willingness to take up cudgels on behalf of
broader internationalism and against the rising tide
of inward-looking nationalism. His address at the
opening plenary before captains of business and in-
dustry could not have been a more robust and reas-
suring defence of the current world economic or-
der, perceived to be at its most fragile in the
post-War era with the election of Donald Trump as
U.S. President. Foremost is Mr. Xi’s caution against
attempts to prevent the free flow of goods, services,
capital and people as running counter to the histor-
ical trend. It is tempting to interpret this remark as a
pointed rebuke to growing calls for economic pro-
tectionism at a time when a slump in world trade
underpins slow economic growth. Not to be missed
also is the categorical support he expressed for the
swift enforcement of the Paris accord on climate
change. Mr. Xi reiterated the call for a reform of
global economic governance structures, to reflect
the contribution of the emerging and developing
countries. His plea for more inclusive representa-
tion is in contrast to the unprecedented attacks
mounted against post-War institutions in the same
countries that crafted their original architecture.
Mr. Xi fundamentally rejected the stance that
seeks to lay the blame for the current challenges at
the doorstep of globalisation. The tragic efects of
mass migration, he said, have their roots in the re-
cent wars and regional conflicts, rather than in eco-
nomic globalisation. His diagnosis of Europe’s chal-
lenges on this front could not entirely be faulted,
even if it is largely true that the developing coun-
tries have reaped most of the benefits of economic
mobility, rather than having to deal with the dii-
culties of immigration. There may be arguments
over the modes and methods of managing the polit-
ical fallout from globalisation. But there is no deny-
ing the mounting and demonstrable evidence that
the post-Cold War era of open economies has
brought unprecedented prosperity and income re-
distribution around the world. Mr. Xi’s case for
globalisation is the most forceful such statement by
a Chinese leader yet. For long Beijing has been ac-
cused of not taking on the burdens of a leadership
role commensurate with its economic and strategic
power. The changing world order may have left it
with no option but to step up to the podium. It also
turns the mirror on Beijing, demanding of it a lot
more action to back its own words.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Debating jallikattu
The protests across Tamil Nadu to
restore jallikattu can only be labelled
as an attempt to cock a snook at the
law. To be condemned as well is the
unseemly haste on the part of the
Central and State governments to
prop up the demonstrations by
devising an ordinance to legalise a
violation of the Supreme Court’s
ruling. The way events have
progressed is evidence of a
confluence of disparate but
opportunistic political interests. The
sudden enthusiasm for jallikattu is
nothing but rivalry between the two
main Dravidian parties making a
reappearance. The Central
government’s support for a distorted
reading of Tamil culture is only a
shameful attempt at gaining a
toehold in local politics. The way
this protest has evolved will only
encourage similar movements in
other States. There will be legal
challenges to resorting to the
ordinance route.
T.C. Narayan,
Bengaluru
A number of views have been
expressed in this newspaper about
the reasons for the jallikattu issue
exploding into a major rallying point
these past few days. Perhaps the
most important and least
appreciated one is the fact that what
is being witnessed is the direct
consequence of a near absence of
healthy political discourse and
debate in the State over the last few
decades. Other than the top
leadership of the two major parties
in the State taking potshots at each
other, have we witnessed any
meaningful debate in the Assembly?
It is also an unfortunate fact that
over the last six years, voices of
dissent have been systematically
stifled with a slew of defamation
cases. The jallikattu agitation is but a
manifestation of the release of all the
pent-up frustration and anger of a
populace that feels it has been taken
for a ride for too long. True
democracy is messy but it provides a
safety valve before issues get out of
hand. It is a wake-up call for the
political establishment of the State.
K. Balakesari,
Chennai
The large number of protesters on
Marina beach appear to be obstinate.
Most of them are youth and their
aim of having gathered there to
protect “Tamil culture” is well-
intentioned but was it really for a
true cultural cause? They need to be
rational instead of being emotional.
These youth are India’s future and
their actions must reflect rational
thought. Much of that energy on
show at Marina beach should have
been channellised to fight for causes
such as water conservation, changes
in the education system, fighting
corruption and crimes against
women.
Narsing M. Kendre,
Pangaon, Latur, Maharashtra
No culture propagates
entertainment by torturing animals.
No “tradition” which does this is
worth emulating (Editorial – “In
fruitless pursuit of permanence”,
Jan.24). Our courts have played a
sterling role in the elimination of
social malpractices. However, they
depend on the government to ensure
implementation of their decisions.
In the case of jallikattu, both the
Central and State governments
joined hands to thwart the Supreme
Court ruling. This could open a
Pandora’s box where people resort
to using protest as an instrument to
perpetuate unwanted practices in
the name of culture and custom.
Y.G. Chouksey,
Pune
Though I am not in favour of or
against jallikattu, I am against
(young) people losing their lives in
the name of culture. Such a culture
which has scant respect for human
life is no culture at all. While those
who protest will return to their daily
routine, the families of those dead or
severely injured will have to bear the
loss. Let us stop the culture which
snufs out the lives of people and
animals.
Gopal S.,
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
Whether a dangerous sport such as
jallikattu can be called culture is a
moot point. But given that the State
government has promised action,
saner counsel should prevail and
allow the State return to normalcy.
Trying to prove that might is right
will lead nowhere. On its part, the
State government too has not
covered itself with glory.
V. Jayaraman,
Chennai
An issue that has come up in the
context of the the jallikattu ban is the
“loss of native breeds”. Nothing is
mark in Parliament, in response to a no-con-
fidence motion against his government, “We
have always to choose between benefits ac-
cruing today, or tomorrow, or the day after.
From the country’s point of view, if we spend
the money we now have for some petty im-
mediate benefits, there will not be any per-
manent benefit.” It seems we have been
through the debate on the UBI once already.
Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor, Ashoka University,
Haryana and Senior Fellow, IIM-Kozhikode, Kerala.
farther from the truth. Till a few panic seeing the frenzied crowd and
decades ago, bulls were an integral ran helter-skelter. A crowd set upon
part of rural households and used as them, twisted their tails and tried to
draught animals. Now with hang onto them. It was fun, frenzy
electrification of villages and and enjoyment for the men but fear
mechanisation of agriculture, there and pain for the bulls.
is hardly any use for them. Very few R. Karpagam,
rear them. To protect and sustain Coimbatore
native breeds, the State government
should devise suitable schemes. One
such scheme could be the promotion Taking stock of safety
of traditional farming methods in Another rail accident (“39 killed,
select areas where bulls are used in over 50 injured as Hirakhand
farming activities such as ploughing, Express derails”, Jan.23). It is
drawing water from wells, extracting unfortunate that such a large railway
oil in the traditional oil mill network doesn’t seem to be getting
(chekku) and even transportation. the basics right. Is a proper study
Such farms may be developed as being done to figure out the
tourist destinations. strengths and weaknesses of our
Railways? Are we acting on the
A. Louis Martin,
Chennai recommendations of safety
committees? Technology should be
To blindly attack animal rights used to the fullest. Travellers need to
organisations is to ignore their work. be assured that they are safe.
Many of them have ensured that Bontalakoti Sankaranarayana,
manja used in kite-flying has been Mangaluru
eliminated after a number of bird
species were seriously injured or
killed by the sharp thread. Human The big test
lives too have been lost in manja- Fear of the Modi juggernaut appears
related accidents. Other examples of to have helped seal the deal between
their activism bearing fruit are the the Samajwadi Party and the
stopping of: the dissection of live Congress (“Congress to fight 105
rats and frogs in school experiments, seats in U.P.”, Jan.23). It’s sink or
the culling of dogs, the use of bears swim for the Congress as the SP
and monkeys in public exhibitions. appears to be on a stronger wicket. If
Anand Aravamudhan, the Congress performs poorly, it will
Chennai go into further decline. Conversely,
an impressive tally could mark the
I do not know how many of the beginning of its slow revival and in
youngsters who joined the protests capturing lost ground. Uttar Pradesh
have witnessed jallikattu. Thirty is Rahul Gandhi’s real test.
years ago, as a college student, I saw Jitendra G. Kothari,
bulls being driven out of an Mumbai
enclosure. They were in a state of
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

WORLD VIEW Art outside comfort zones

Our democratic deficit To stir and shake the classical environment, the Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha this year brings the
From a recently released report by Oxfam, the global char-
ity organisation, we learn that eight rich people own as
non-classical and marginalised art traditions into classically tagged spaces
much wealth as half the world’s population in 2016. In 2015,
when the report was issued, there was criticism of the re-
port’s methodology. The critics argued that the report as-
sumes wealth is assets minus debt. By this measure, a poor T.M. KRISHNA
KEERTHIK
SASIDHARAN Indian farmer with little debt and little assets can end up
“richer” than a Wall Street banker with little assets and a
large student loan. These statistical issues aside, what the
Oxfam report does show isn’t necessarily who is really poor in the world For long we have believed that the arts
but that wealth is a good proxy for the ability (those with more assets than bring people together; that those be-
debt) to influence politics via legislation or campaign contributions. In In- longing to diferent sides of the fence,
dia, as per that report, things are just as stark. The richest 1% of Indians hold with opposite world views, merge in the
as much wealth as that held by 58% of the Indian population. As provocat- presence of beauty. On the face of it this
ive as these numbers are about the top 1%, the lived reality in societies is of- seems like a reasonable proposition.
ten determined by the interaction between those who earn 70-99% of in- And in continuance of this line of
come and those further below. thought, we have had umpteen per-
formances that brought diverse artists
The idea of tiered representation together on a shared stage. These have
For much of human history, this kind of inequality was the norm and the been, at times, evenings of great art and
real challenge was how to fashion a stable government. As usual, Aristotle pleasure, but rarely have they nudged us
had thought at length about it. In a democracy (rule by the masses), he to find a new window through which we
wrote that since the poor were equal to the rich along one dimension (the could see the world afresh. We are not
freedom to vote), they would always vote to make everybody equal on all looking for earth-shattering, radical
dimensions. Thus, confiscation of wealth and redistribution is the natural shifts, but cumulative subtle move-
tendency of democracies, in response to which the rich would plunge the ments that allow for a discourse. The
system into chaos. In an oligarchy (rule by the rich), meanwhile, the prob- problem probably lies with the pre-
lem was that since the rich were sumption that the art world and artists
unequal to the poor on one di- The Oxfam report shows that come together in wonderment of aes-
mension (wealth), they would wealth is a good proxy for the thetic beauty, irrespective of its origin-
always vote to make everyone ating social and cultural address. We
unequal on all dimensions. ability to influence politics via also ignore the fact that audiences are
Thus, the oligarchs would vote pieces of legislation or deeply divided, conditioned to receive
to confiscate wealth and accu- only with tinted lenses. It is as true that
mulate it, seeing which the poor
campaign contributions environments where most of these initi-
would understandably revolt. atives take place are kosher to the more CHALLENGING STATUS QUO: “The Urur Olcott Kuppam Festival is challenging us to break free of the scaffoldings that limit our
To address this problem, societies devised what scholars call ‘class war- dominant and culturally legitimised art perception of art, ourselves and all those we encounter.” The festival in 2015. FILE PHOTO : BIJOY GHOSH
fare constitutions’. This type of constitution thinks of societies as compris- form. This makes the experiment in-
ing conflicting, if not warring, groups with diferent end goals. These con- trinsically a feel-good event and at to each other, establishing an insepar- And for the marginalised art forms, this
stitutions devise a tiered system of representation which ensures that a times an exercise in sympathetic con- able dependency, becoming a socio-cul- When art and receivers are space has given cultural strength and
majority of the population have a part (however unequal) in their daily gov- descension. In the case that both art tural flagship. Those within its contours open, there is an aesthetic has forced the privileged to feel beyond
ernance. Thus, we saw guilds, communities, caste, and class-based repres- forms belong to the same level in social hold on to its reins tightly, making sure tension that exists. It is from sympathy; it has forced them to recog-
entation in royal courts. After the rise of the republican system of govern- hierarchy, the conversation is a tussle that it does not transgress comfort nise, respect and embrace. But we real-
ment, specific Houses for specific classes came into vogue. The state could for common ground supremacy. zones and artistic expression is limited this place that empathy and ised that inversions cannot stop here.
only be stable if the constitutional arrangement reflected the fragmentary to superficial movements. Therefore, if understanding evolve The classical environment also needs to
nature of society itself. The historian Gordon Wood summarised it suc- The soul of art forms art is to play a role in social transforma- be stirred and shaken. Hence, this year,
cinctly: “Unless [government and society] were reconciled no state could Is it truly possible to use art as a door tion, it needs to unstrap itself from this the non-classical and marginalised art
remain secure.” So powerful was this idea of tiered representation that even which, when opened, enables people to bind, rediscover its essence from within overwhelms in a way that it never did traditions are being presented for the
the great John Adams (the second President of the United States) argued see and listen to each other? Art is a gen- and in relation to the outside. This can before and the unknown art traditions first time in a classically tagged space.
that the U.S. needed two houses of government, one for “[the] rich, the eric term encompassing every one of its only happen if in the curation of art are imbibed with new respect and love, And in the process, sociocultural posi-
well-born, and the able” and the other for “the common people of the coun- created manifestations. But every art there is a conscious intention to break and are not seen as exotica. For those tions occupied by people and art forms
try”. The Romans had this constitutive tension of classes in mind when they form is a distinctly individual, with a pattern-determined norms. who live in the kuppam, this has been an are once again inversed. There are new
designed their government: a system of calibrated tensions that still im- specific intention that drives its aes- The Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha is opportunity to experience art forms reorientations for both worlds.
pressed Niccolò Machiavelli nearly 2,000 years later so much that he called thetics, interpretations and evolution. one such idea. It is challenging us to that they thought were exclusive to ‘cer- This journey is a slow walk and we
it “the perfect republic”. This perfection, the Florentine argued, was thanks Beyond superficial identification signs, break free of the scafoldings that limit tain kinds of people’. Their own suspi- are all still pausing, looking around,
to its patrician and plebeian division of government that kept diferent every art form has an interior that is our perception of art, ourselves and all cions of people like ‘us’ is addressed learning and figuring our way forward.
classes in check. uniquely precious. The soul of each art those we encounter. Everyone becomes without verbal articulation. Learning But this art experience has allowed for
form lies in that purpose and cultural vulnerable and that is where change be- and unlearning happens through and the rubbing of shoulders between di-
The ‘middle class constitution’ construct. But there is one thing that gins, be it cultural, social or political. from the art experience. verse people and changed the way we
But all this changed in the era after the American Constitution was draf- binds all art: the chance that a genuine The festival is situated in an unusual listen to each other’s lives. At times, in
ted in 1787 and the radical aspirations of the French Revolution began to art experience can reconfigure human space, within a fishing village, on the New reorientations patches, we have begun to speak in one
permeate across the North Atlantic. Despite the heavy weight of historical beings and change the way we receive rim of Chennai. This shift obligates a Organically built into this framework shared voice. The self-centreed home,
evidence in favour of ‘class warfare constitution’, the American framers de- ourselves and life around. certain class to step out of its sense of is the possibility of rejection. When an my family, I and my needs do not vanish
cided to buck this trend by designing what the constitutional scholar The life breath of art is the challenge ‘normal’. Using a common public place art form remains within its own fief- but become pale shadows of their ori-
Ganesh Sitaraman calls a “Middle Class Constitution”. In this arrangement, it poses to the status quo. Art must make like a park would have been one step, dom, it is permanently secure. If we ginal domineering character. The emer-
there are no specific restrictions on who can belong to which part of the us question our strongest beliefs and re- but to curate art in a space that the tradi- strip art of this safety bracket, it is in gence of this sensitivity keeps us alive to
government. The poor could enter the Upper House, while the rich could draft our coordinates. Serious discom- tional middle-upper middle class is un- free fall. And real art happens in free life itself. The Urur Olcott Kuppam
be part of the Lower House. As Professor Sitaraman writes, the American fort is beautiful; it unshackles our minds familiar with, even alien to, unsettles will, when rejection is also a distinct Vizha has enabled this: a non-identity-
Constitution was not “a design premised on the inevitability of class con- from predisposed mindsets. Great the mind. After initial moments of dis- possibility. When art and receivers are specific openness that enriches every
flict”. The ‘middle class constitution’ was possible in the 1770s because pieces of art play with the way we are comfort, something magical happens. completely open, there is an aesthetic part of one’s being and revitalises art
America was a relatively egalitarian place (at least for the free white male wired, and when that happens we re- The unfamiliarity of the space and the tension that exists. It is from this place itself.
population) blessed with a wide open space in its west and the absence of ceive with an openness that is rare. But lack of known external support struc- that empathy and understanding
any feudal or aristocratic class that was historically entrenched. The entire this does not happen easily since every tures dissolve socially imbibed judg- evolve. Classical artists are not used to T.M. Krishna is a Carnatic vocalist, author, and
voting population of the newly born country was the middle class. The pro- art, its artists, and the community that ments and allows for an unhindered re- this kind of rejection; at the Urur Olcott recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award. The Urur
totypical tensions between the rich and the poor that Aristotle wrote about constitute its environment collapse on ception. The known art form Kuppam Vizha, this is entirely possible. Olcott Vizha ends on February 11.
didn’t figure in this calculus. Since then this premise of radical equality of
man across income or class levels has informed most constitutional ar-

Media in the time of Trump

rangements, including India’s — even if material conditions that birthed
such a framework have rarely existed since the 1770s.
A well-functioning “middle class” constitution relies on relative equality
in income and accessibility to resources for self-improvement. This allows
for a homogeneity in end goals and policies. Failing which, what studies like
the Oxfam report tell us is not just that there is inequality of income, but
that the inequality of power puts our democratic frameworks in peril. The
There’s already a whif of Russia’s hand in the U.S. President’s win, and the crisis in the American
strategically extremist positions that result in constitutional gridlocks will media is playing out as a Cold War plot
not just be commonplace, but also corrode the eicacy and originary prom-
ise of a ‘middle class’ constitution — the dignity of man. secret. Walter Cronkite, who opinion
polls in the ’60s and ’70s found was “the
Keerthik Sasidharan was born in Palakkad and lives in Manhattan. All views expressed here are ARVIND RAJAGOPAL most trusted man in America”, had a
personal and do not reflect any institutional affiliation.
daily sign-of on the CBS Evening News,
that expressed this view as a statement
of fact: “And that’s the way it is.” Televi-
Behind the black-and-white contrast of sion showed the world as it really was,
the Cold War conflict, we always knew or so many people believed; if it was not
FROM THE ARCHIVES there was a cloak-and-dagger world that on TV, it could not be that important.
only had shades of grey. Assassinations, During the Cold War, the media em-
betrayals, coups d’état, espionage and bedded technologies of mobilisation
proxy wars went on, so that our within society that could be switched
brightly-lit world of freedom and demo- on and ramped up if required. In doing
(dated January 24, 1967)
cracy could thrive. so, it blurred the distinction between
Cow protection talks proposed high-level inquiry panel The news media provided us with civil and military domains, between the
will go into the question whether sober reports of political leaders doing free give-and-take of ordinary life and
reach stalemate or not there should be a total ban their public duty. In our spare time we the command-and-control systems of
Eforts to end the 11-month on cow slaughter. Swami indulged ourselves with spy thrillers wartime. But although the media be-
anti-cow slaughter agitation Arvindanand, the Samiti’s about heroes undertaking wet jobs on longed to the Cold War military-indus-
appeared heading towards a mediator, had talks to-day with Manchurian candidates and other trial complex, they were celebrated as a
stalemate to-day [Jan. 23]. The Mr. L.K Jha, Secretary to the wrong-doers. The media industry symbol and guarantor of modernisa-
Sarvadaliya Goraksha Mahabiyan Prime Minister. Oicial sources helped keep these worlds apart, treating tion. They were part of the U.S.’ auto-
Samiti has not accepted two said later that the Government the one as news and the other as enter- immune defense system, distinguishing
points in the Government formula cannot set up the proposed tainment. We knew that wasn’t quite so, its friends from its enemies, helping to
sent to it yesterday to enable it to committee before the general but we all behaved as if it was. A NEW WORLD ORDER: “When seen through a Cold War lens, America was protect American interests and filtering
withdraw the agitation. One point election. But if the Samiti insisted safeguarding the world’s democracies.” Matryoshka dolls in Moscow depicting out inconvenient truths.
says the Government proposes to upon it, the Government had an Russia hand in the U.S. poll U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. PHOTO: AFP Political debates on technological
initiate vigorous steps within open mind. The sources That compact has been blown apart control did arise, but unfortunately,
three months to secure early maintained that it could not amid recent accusations against Russia state intervention. They usually con- were relegated to conspiracy theories
compliance with Article 48 of the specify a time limit to secure around U.S. President Donald Trump’s gratulate themselves on the results;
The media industry may have — and to Hollywood. Any serious
Constitution relating to cow compliance with Article 48 as it electoral victory. Allegations that the self-criticism is rare. Until now, this was helped Mr. Trump win, but they policy would have meant state inter-
slaughter. would amount to pre-judging the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the American model of a well-function- are iced out of power. They vention, and smacked of Communism.
The second says that the work of the committee. helped Mr. Trump win, together with ing democracy. It is interesting, however, that corpora-
the latter’s “So what?” response, per- Now we have a president who dir- have nothing like the clout tions like Facebook and Twitter call
fectly symbolise the rupture of the ectly addresses millions of his followers they are used to wielding themselves technology companies, and
earlier agreement. The widespread and bypasses traditional gatekeepers, resist identifying themselves as “me-
alarm at Mr. Trump’s reaction indicates while denouncing unfavourable news ing an isolationist nation into a super- dia”, implying that the very name would
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS not only that we may not agree about as “fake” or “sick”. The media industry power was not just about foreign policy. impose certain behavioural norms on
what the Cold War was or why a crisis of may have helped Mr. Trump win, but Mass society as we know it took shape them. A media policy should have trac-
>>Editing error: A sentence in the report headlined “President Trump signs the media emerges as a return of Cold they are iced out of power. Their recom- at the same time. The infrastructure for tion today.
appointments, attends balls on Day 1” (Jan. 22, 2017, some editions) had inad- War fears. The media industry itself mendations may count for little, and achieving consensus on a range of We already have rules regarding sur-
vertently left out a few words. It should be recast to read: “At the third and final joined the worlds it used to keep apart, certainly they have nothing like the policy matters was established through veillance, privacy and data storage, not
ball, which was to honour the military of the U.S, Mr. Trump juxtaposed the in helping to elect a showbiz figure as clout they are used to wielding. The the expansion of communication tech- as a result of top-down leadership, it has
military against the media.” president. Mr. Trump’s victory oc- emergence of social media in shaping a nologies that could be treated as trans- to be pointed out, but due to scandals in
curred in a blaze of free publicity, enter- series of parallel and warring publics parent and trustworthy. True, school- the wake of WikiLeaks, Chelsea Man-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by taining audiences while attacking the obliges us to get beyond complaining, children are no longer taught to “duck ning and Edward Snowden. Mr. Trump’s
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- credibility of national news. and try to figure out how we got here. If and cover”, and no one now asks if there victory itself has the whif of scandal, a
day); In a country whose political system the crisis of the media plays out as a are Reds under Hollywood’s beds. But popular insurgency favouring a rogue
Fax: +91-44-28552963; the new president declares is a swamp Cold War plot, maybe going back to the those early events of the Cold War com- capitalist, foreseen neither by the polls
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in to be drained, the media have somehow Cold War will ofer some ideas to re- prised the shock treatment preceding a nor the pundits. The news of Russian
Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, eluded serious scrutiny. At least we solve it. long period normalising the equation hackers compounds the scandal. How
859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. elect politicians. In contrast, the media between media and society. we respond depends on which war we
All communication must carry the full postal address and themselves get to define what is meant Truth versus propaganda A media industry dominated by a few think we are fighting.
telephone number. by public interest, and even to judge the When seen through a Cold War lens, corporations agreed on what was truth
No personal visits. efects of their work. They regulate America was safeguarding the world’s and what was propaganda, and on what Arvind Rajagopal is Professor of Media Studies at
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com themselves and are largely exempt from democracies. The process of transform- could be public and what could remain New York University.
CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017

Navigating a Trumpian world

The past is no longer a guide to the future. In the coming years, Indian foreign policy will need less red lines
and greater agility and pragmatism as the country seeks to find its place in this Age of Uncertainty
change. Most significant is Mr. Trump’s con- ued uninterrupted despite changes of gov-
W E D N E S D AY , J A N U A RY 2 5 , 2 0 1 7 viction that the U.S. is no longer a beneficiary ernment though the pace of change has var-
RAKESH SOOD of the global order, often described as the lib- ied. This trajectory will continue in the same
eral international order. It is an order that the direction for India sees itself as a beneficiary

The end of Last week, as Donald Trump took the oath of

U.S. has invested in for more than a half cen-
tury. True, it is somewhat dysfunctional
today and the U.S. is no longer willing to
of globalisation.
The third is the coming of age of the Indian
diaspora in the U.S. Gradually, the first gener-
a protest oice to become the 45th President of the
United States, millions around the world
watched, gripped by the thought that the sur-
shoulder the burden alone. However the
other major powers — Russia and China —
are demanding a high price to be a partner
ation of Indian professionals who migrated in
the 1960s and 1970s has moved towards form-
ing political groupings and has made its pres-

E
verybody loves a good protest — an or-
derly, self-limiting protest at iconic land-
marks organised with state sanction and
police protection. But what began as a
people’s protest on Chennai’s Marina beach against
the ban on jallikattu quickly descended into chaos
and confusion when the protesters stood their
ground even after the government came up with a
practical, legislative solution to the judiciary-im-
posed prohibition of the annual bull-taming ritual.
As the police resorted to force, violence broke out
in several parts of Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately, some
in the police not only used excessive force but also
tried to match the rioters in lawlessness by attack-
ing two-wheelers and setting fire to autorickshaws.
Only later in the day did the authorities try to use
rational arguments by taking the help of a retired
judge and a group of lawyers to persuade the pro-
testers to vacate the Marina where the Republic
Day parade is scheduled to be held. Clearly, the gov-
ernment was slow to react, relying more on hope
and good fortune than on facts and ground reports.
And when it did, it acted as if the agitation was a
case of breakdown of law and order. Many among
those who had taken the lead in the protests gave a
call for withdrawal of the agitation, but by this time
the movement had acquired a life of its own. No one
thing would have pleased what had become a large,
amorphous crowd of several groups of people with
very diferent agenda items: jallikattu was by now
no more than a loose binding thread.
For days the Marina had beenthe haunt of people
of all hues. Those owing allegiance to Hindutva saw
the ban as an attack on cultural rituals and seemed
to make common cause with those from minority
communities who felt threatened by the BJP-led
government at the Centre. Conservatives sensed a
judicial overreach on civil issues and shouted the
same slogans as left-wingers who imagined the up-
surge to be a people’s uprising against authoritari-
anism. AIADMK members who tried to showcase
the protest as a rebuf to a domineering Centre
stood not too far from DMK loyalists who wanted
to use the opportunity to paint the State govern-
ment as inept. Not surprisingly, many of these
people wanted the protest to go on, no matter what.
The legislation addressed only the symptoms of
their anger, not its underlying cause. The govern-
ment and its police force must take the blame for
misreading the mood and mishandling a volatile
situation and putting a whole State through an en-
tire day of anger and anguish.
Budgeting for
real had become real. Clearly, this is not just a
regular political transition that takes place
every eight years (or sometimes, four years).
This is a transition pregnant with implica-
tions, not just for the U.S. but also for its role
in the world at a moment when tides of
change are already under way. Mr. Trump’s
elevation adds to the unpredictability, mark-
ing 2017 as the beginning of a new age of
uncertainty.
If there were any expectations that Presid-
ent Trump was going to be diferent from
candidate Trump, these were quickly dis-
pelled by his inaugural speech. There was
neither a healing touch nor a sense of humil-
ity. The polarising election campaign rhet-
oric was in full-throated evidence during the
short address. He remained the outsider, rep-
resenting the ordinary Americans even as he
railed against the “establishment”, represen-
ted by Washington.
America first but alone
“America first” may be a slogan used ef-
fectively by Mr. Trump but it hardly makes
for an innovative strategy. Previous U.S. Pres-
idents have vowed to make America strong
and prosperous again but the fundamental
diference this time is that Mr. Trump seeks
to make America great on the plank of na-
tionalism and not by bolstering the global or-
der which the U.S. has shaped and led since
the end of World War II.
According to Mr. Trump, the global order
has hurt America. “For many decades, we’ve
enriched foreign industry at the expense of
American industry, subsidised the armies of
other countries while allowing for the very
sad depletion of our military,” he announced.
Like his campaign rhetoric, this too is an ex-
ample of the post-truth era. Corporate Amer-
ica has never been richer and therefore re-
mains both a driver and a beneficiary of
globalisation even as it leads in technological
innovation. It is the American worker who
has sufered but his lot can hardly be im-
proved by constraining corporate America.
The U.S., with a defence budget of more
than $600 billion, spends more on its security
than the next six countries put together. If the
U.S. defence forces appear stretched, it is be-
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: SURENDRA
The return to nationalism is in
the high pressure bubble of 24/7
news, pushing populist leaders
towards staking out positions
from where retreat is difficult
cause of their expanding role in diferent re-
gions and not because it has been weakened
or depleted. Other countries have benefited
from the U.S.-supported global order, be-
coming more prosperous but not at the cost
of “U.S. decay” as Mr. Trump would have the
Americans believe.
His belief that “the wealth of our middle
class has been ripped from their homes and
then redistributed all across the world” is a
gross exaggeration but useful as a spur to
protectionism, restricting immigration and
bringing back borders. The fact is that more
U.S. manufacturing jobs have been lost due to
increased eiciency and automation in the
U.S. manufacturing sector than on account of
China becoming the world’s factory. Even as
the U.S. lost manufacturing jobs, its manufac-
turing output grew by over 86% during the
last decade.
Discontinuities in foreign policy
Mr. Trump’s policy reflects three key dis-
continuities. First, he believes that he will be
able to change the nature of relations, making
Russia a cooperative partner — in Europe, in
Syria and against “Islamic terror”, which he
has vowed to wipe out. Such a rapproche-
ment would change a rivalrous relationship
that has existed since 1948 when the Cold
War began. As recently as 2009, Hillary Clin-
ton tried but failed to “reset” it.
Second, he would also like to change the
U.S.’s China policy which has now been in
place since 1972. Trump’s conversation with
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, his question-
ing of the One China policy, threatening
countervailing duties on Chinese imports,
describing it as a currency manipulator and
threat to cybersecurity are indicators that
that the four-decade-old policy is in for a
and Europe, the traditional partner, is preoc-
cupied internally. With elections in France
and Germany due this year and the jolt of
Brexit in 2016, an air of uncertainty hangs
over the Euro and the European model.
The return to nationalism in the 21st cen-
tury is taking place in the high pressure
bubble of 24/7 news, amplified in the echo
chamber of social media, pushing populist
leaders towards staking out positions from
where retreat is diicult. This is true not just
for Mr. Trump but also for Russia, China and
other leaders who have crested the wave of
populism. In a post-truth world, the line
between half-truths and lies gets blurred.
No longer business as usual
Navigation requires reference to a fixed
point, a North Star, but in today’s policy
world with all the major powers playing a
hedging game, even as the existing institu-
tions fall short of coping with the challenges
posed by a world in transition, there is no
pole. Every major power is dissatisfied with
the status quo but no major power or even a
coalition of major powers is able to define, let
alone seek to establish a new status quo.
Meanwhile, the economic interdependence
between the U.S. and China coupled with a
growing strategic mistrust creates the inevit-
ability of the Thucydides Trap, in the ab-
sence of a forward looking leadership.
Where does this leave India? The tides of
change will not come to a standstill merely
because Trumpian America wants time out.
The churning in Asia will continue and un-
like during the Cold War, India no longer has
the option of remaining disengaged. It is
clear that it is no longer business as usual.
For the last quarter century, relations with
the U.S. have followed a predictable traject-
ory, determined by three key factors. The
first was the end of the Cold War and the dis-
integration of the former USSR. Russia under
its President, Vladimir Putin, has success-
fully reasserted itself but economics and
demographics will not let it emerge as a su-
perpower, as was the case during the Cold
War.
The second shift was the opening up of the
Indian economy, a process that has contin-
ence felt in local and national politics. The
second generation is also entering the policy-
making arena by joining government and
running for public oice. With every elec-
tion, the number of Indians in the administra-
tion and in the Congress continues to rise.
These three factors encouraged Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to describe In-
dia and the U.S. as “natural allies” when India
was still subjected to U.S. sanctions after the
nuclear tests of 1998. These very factors
helped change U.S. President Barack Oba-
ma’s initial inclinations in 2009 when he was
toying with the idea of giving Richard Hol-
brooke responsibility for Kashmir in addi-
tion to Afghanistan. By 2010, Mr. Obama’s
shift was evident when he described the U.S.-
India engagement as “the defining partner-
ships of the 21st century”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept the
momentum going in a remarkable display of
pragmatism, marked by nine bilateral meet-
ings with Mr. Obama in two and a half years
and more than a hundred new initiatives.
Today, there exist more than 40 oicial bilat-
eral dialogues covering the entire gamut of
the bilateral relationship.
During the last decade, the major trans-
formation has been in the nuclear and the de-
fence sectors. While the negotiations by the
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
with Westinghouse and GE for nuclear
power reactors are yet to be concluded, the
sales of U.S. defence platforms to India dur-
ing the past decade have exceeded $15 billion
covering howitzers, helicopters, transport
aircraft and maritime surveillance planes.
More significantly, working groups set up
under the Defence Technology and Trade
Initiative (DTTI) have identified half a dozen
co-development and co-production projects.
Age of uncertainty
The Indian diaspora remains a constant
with some influence in the Trump adminis-
tration, as does the continuing bipartisan
support for India on the Hill, but Mr. Trump’s
shifts in other areas can impact bilateral ties.
A retreat from globalisation translates into
U.S. protectionism and tightening of the H1B
visa regime.
If the U.S. loses interest in preserving and
sustaining the current international order, it
may induce a shift from the “Asia pivot”
which would remove a key plank in the U.S.-
India strategic partnership. Closer ties with
Russia would have implications for U.S.
policy on Afghanistan, which is bound to
raise concerns in Delhi, given Russia’s (and
Iran’s) newfound acceptance of the Taliban.
Mr. Trump’s calls for defence burden sharing
could weaken NATO (and East Asian part-

the elections nerships) while his talk of shifting the U.S.

embassy in Israel to Jerusalem could spark a
new Intifada.

T
he suspense over the timing of the Union
Budget for 2017-18 finally ended on
Monday with the Election Commission
and the Supreme Court scotching calls, in
the light of upcoming elections for five State As-
semblies, to defer the February 1 date proposed by
the Centre. The NDA government has been keen to
abandon the tradition of presenting the next finan-
cial year’s Budget on the last working day of Febru-
ary, citing the potential benefits for the economy
from faster spending of the approved public ex-
penditure. With a February-end Budget, transmis-
sion of funds, and thereby meaningful implementa-
tion, seldom starts before June, by which time the
monsoon sets in. This leaves just about two quar-
ters to spend a whole year’s funding for projects in-
volving physical infrastructure capacity-creation,
for instance. This is the argument in favour of ad-
vancing the Budget date. The Opposition, for its
part, has voiced concern that a Budget presentation
this year so close to Assembly polls could influence
voters. In 2012, the last time these five States were
headed for polls, the UPA government had volun-
tarily opted to defer the Budget presentation. But as
the Supreme Court has pointed out, the Central
Budget cannot shake the minds of voters in a State.
Interestingly, the Election Commission’s nod for
a February 1 Budget comes with the caveat that it
must not announce schemes aimed at poll-bound
Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab and
Goa, or even expound on any achievements of de-
velopment programmes in these States. The cau-
tion to the government to not use the Budget as a
campaign tool is understandable, and the govern-
ment will have to be more nuanced in addressing
the concerns of the entire country in the Budget
without making a regional pitch. For long, govern-
ments have voiced discomfort with the model code
of conduct in India’s perpetually ticking election
cycle, arguing that it inhibits decision-making. In-
deed, this anxiety to reduce the paralysis imposed
by the model code has been one of the main reasons
cited for a proposal for simultaneous elections to
Parliament and State Assemblies. But simultaneous
elections could pose their own complications. The
departure from practice efected now is an oppor-
tunity for the Centre not just to get on with the busi-
ness of government, but also to do so in a confid-
ence-building manner that would make a case for
relaxing further, or reforming, the parameters of
the model code. The government must act in good
faith, and table a statement on the improvements
recorded in outcomes on account of advancing this
annual ritual when the Union Finance Minister
rises to present the Budget next week. Too-clever-
by-half messaging to use the speech as a campaign
tool would only imperil this reform.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
From clamour to chaos
The ugly and violent end to the
student-led protest in Tamil Nadu
against the legal ban on jallikattu is
shocking (“Jallikattu protests turn
violent across Tamil Nadu”, Jan.24).
The Tamil Nadu government owes
us all an explanation for the way in
which it grossly mismanaged the
situation. There were also police
excesses. It is strange why the Tamil
Nadu Chief Minister did not find the
time to visit Marina beach but could
go to Alanganallur instead. When
most of the students at the Marina
requested the police to give them
some time to study the amendment,
why was there a hurry to evict them?
R.P.N. Padmanabhan,
Chennai
The brutal manner in which the
police evicted the participants who
had assembled peacefully at various
sites across the State deserves to be
condemned. What is worse is how a
section of the police went about
indulging in arson and damaging the
property of people from the lowest
strata. To now deflect the blame on
“miscreants and anti-social
elements” cannot erase the fact that
atrocities were carried out against
hapless people.
S.V. Venugopalan,
Chennai
The police acted with utmost
restraint in the face of unreasonable
defiance by frenzied pro-jallikattu
protesters. Some of the protesters
were seen acting in an aggressive
manner with police oicers.
Television viewers will vouch for the
fact that most of the policemen and
women were seen moving around
without lathis. It is strange how
political parties are now pouncing
on the police for doing what they
were supposed to do. How can
anyone support the gathering of
lakhs of people for days on end
demanding an instant solution to a
issue caught in a web of judicial and
legislative limitations? Sanitary
conditions at Marina beach were
also fast deteriorating.
M.R. Anand,
Chennai
Though the way the protests ended
is an aberration, the movement is a
case study by itself. Apolitical
without a typical pyramid of a
proper command and control set-up,
it swiftly achieved its goal with the
help of social media.
Communication was swift and the
arrangements, which included
ensuring complete safety for
women, were exemplary. This also
leads us to believe that such
movements would provide a
platform for the common man to
address challenges in a Gandhian
way. One could see the whole-
hearted participation of women and
children as well which reiterates the
belief that if people come together
for a cause, any goal is achievable.
Murugan Sarangapani,
Chennai
The agitation would not have ended
the way it did had the media not
given it undue coverage, the public
not blindly encouraged the
protesters and the government
stepped in earlier. Students have
used social media for a wrong cause.
Instead, they could have used it to
exchange ideas to improve society as
a whole. Tradition and culture
should encompass compassion for
animals.
R. Senchudar Tamizharuvi,
Coimbatore
The wave of protests is the
proverbial last straw in the already
battered image of the State. The poor
handling of the floods last year
which has cost the State crores of
rupees of prospective investment,
and the number of working days lost
these past few months after natural
disasters and the uncertain situation
following the death of Jayalalithaa
have sullied the image of the State as
a conducive place to work in. Even
“investor unfriendly” States such as
Kerala and West Bengal are leading
the race in attracting foreign
investment. The protesters and their
handlers should think about how the
State is going to cope with the
The Cold War had given way to a period
which remained undefined, described
merely as a post-Cold War world; what is
clearer is that a quarter century later, we are
transitioning to more unpredictable times. It
is neither the age of global hegemons nor the
age of multipolarity, but rather the age of re-
gional powers, each jostling to ensure its role
in its region, often with shifting coalitions.
The past is no longer a guide to help us peer
into the future. In the coming years, Mr.
Modi’s foreign policy will need less red lines
and greater agility and pragmatism as India
seeks to find its place in this Age of
Uncertainty.
Rakesh Sood is a former diplomat and currently
Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research
Foundation. E-mail: rakeshsood2001@yahoo.com
drought and other crises ahead. “performance” or have a
What is the use of “identity” and “performance-index” for an
“pride” on an empty stomach? administrator unlike in the private
Sharada Sivaram, sector (“Dealing with the
Chennai deadwood”, Jan.22). Under such
circumstances, if a precedent is
The agitation itself was an established to compulsorily retire a
exhibition of mob mentality. The civil servant on grounds of “non-
students who professed to be an performance” without safeguards,
enlightened group did not even then it could be misused by the
know the power of an ordinance. political leadership as a mechanism
Their ignorance made them jump to “tame” the bureaucracy.
from one demand to another leaving
Suyash Saxena,
even impartial observers disgusted New Delhi
by the direction in which the protest
was heading. When a crowd is R.K. Raghavan may not be right
divided into sections and each one when he claims that no such “bold”
seeks a separate explanation, how is action was taken in the last over 40
it possible for the government to years against “a complacent and
have a coordinated approach to growingly dishonest civil service” In
solve the problem? the 1980s, a dozen Indian Revenue
V. Rajagopalan, Service oicers, equivalent to
additional and joint secretaries,
Chennai
were retired. But experience has
We have burning issues such as shown that this was not the most
agrarian distress following a failed eicacious way to rid the civil
monsoon. When such problems service of either the “deadwood” or
stare us in the face, why protest for a the “corrupt” or both. As someone
revival of jallikattu and demand an those days said: “You cannot expect
instant result? What about the final an island of honesty amidst an ocean
judgment from the Supreme Court? of corruption.” It holds good even
Mani Nataraajan, today. Corruption is too complex an
Chennai issue to be efectively addressed by
the occasional use of the
compulsory retirement tool
Civil service reform available with the government to
The nature of the administrative rein in the corrupt.
service is such that there cannot be S.K. Choudhury,
any objective yardstick to judge Bengaluru
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017

POLICY Flirting with chauvinism

Lift the veil of secrecy In Tamil Nadu right now, the danger lies in the possibility that political elites within the Dravidian
The primary aim of the demonetisation exercise
was to tap black money. To mark the last day for de- parties may empower the more intolerant strand of Tamil identity politics
positing the demonetised notes, on December 31,
2016, the Prime Minister, in his address to the nation, forces of collusion behind the uprising
fully acknowledged the great hardship sufered by NARAYAN built on the sentiments of Tamil cul-
K. PADMANABHAIAH common people due to the serious delay in making LAKSHMAN tural identity, the political ramifications
the new currency notes available in the banks, may take much less time to bubble to
ATMs and rural areas, and thanked them for the the surface.
faith they reposed in him in spite of such hardships. He announced a slew of A great wave of ethnic sentiment is Yes, it is true that the top brass of the
financial sops to the marginalised and farmers. While he made a passing sweeping across Tamil Nadu. What All India Anna Dravida Munnetra
reference to black money hoarders being on the run, and about collusion on began as an admirably peaceful protest Kazhagam and the Dravida Munnetra
the part of a few bank and government oicials, he made no mention of spe- against restrictions on jallikattu, the Kazhagam have been unable to assume
cifics like the government’s estimates of black money and counterfeit Tamil tradition of bull taming, has this the mantle of leadership of this protest
money unearthed by the demonetisation. Perhaps it was too early to arrive week mutated into violent hooliganism so far. However, given that the former is
at such estimates with some precision. and police crackdowns. Many people witnessing a behind-the-scenes power
have been injured across the State, po- tussle between the Sasikala clan and the
Subverting the system lice stations are in flames in some loca- disgruntled non-Thevar party bosses,
Newspapers were full of reports of some sensational cases of hoarding of tions, and the State government ma- and the latter may be awaiting an oppor-
new currency notes, within a few days after the demonetisation, even as chinery is getting stretched thin in its tune moment for recently anointed
common people could not get more than one, and then two new ₨2,000 attempts to keep protesters, many thou- Working President M.K. Stalin to prove
notes even after standing in queues for hours. As of December 10, it was re- sands converging on Chennai’s Marina his mettle once again, it would not be
ported that a stash of ₨242 crore in new currency notes had been uncovered. beach for example, under control. surprising if one or both of these parties
Cases have to be investigated with the greatest speed as top priority and Beneath the surface of these law-and- soon seek to step into the fray.
persons involved should be given exemplary jail terms. The investigation order problems a darker agenda of re- No matter who wins this battle, either
should reveal how the new surgent Tamil chauvinism also appears of the major parties, or even popular
notes, which were in such Most people think that the to be rearing its ugly head. Not only is leaders from within the protester co-
short supply, reached these the anti-Delhi mood of the mobs be- hort, what is evident is that the jallikattu
hoarders in record time. The fountainhead of black money is coming more strident by the day, but protests reflect a flirtation with the
Prime Minister or his repres- the provision that parties need posters of Velupillai Prabhakaran, late forces of Tamil ethnic politics that can
entatives should have given leader of the extremist Liberation Ti- AN UGLY TURN: “The spiralling mass demonstrations come at a juncture when both demonstrably spin out of control of any
some details about the likely
not disclose source of gers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, are major Dravidian parties are facing their toughest test of leadership in recent institutional mechanism and become
time frame for strong action contributions of ₨20,000 or less popping up, as are “secessionist slo- history.” Protesters and policepersons clash near the Marina beach. PHOTO: R. RAGU increasingly chauvinist.
against those caught, includ- gans” reported in several protest sites. The long history of the Dravidian
ing hoarders and corrupt oicials, to reassure the common man about the These signs are indicative of a deeper potentially feasible; yet, as in the case of movement shows that the Tamils have a
government’s seriousness in dealing with black money. play, and it cannot be a coincidence that
As the protest slogans have any policy in India, and specifically remarkable capacity for articulating
There are two other aspects of demonetisation on which clarity is re- the spiralling mass demonstrations become more shrill, it has policies that clash with weighty histor- valued cultural attributes, whether the
quired. One is the status of political funds, and the other the status of dona- come at this particular juncture in become evident that ical-cultural practices, the eicacy of Tamil language, Tamil cinema, or their
tions/oferings made to temples and religious institutions, through the so- Tamil politics, when a feverish search is regulation will boil down to sheer polit- love for their god-like political heroes. It
called temple hundis. on for political legitimacy, and both ma- invisible forces have been ical will. This applies to every level of only takes an emotive trigger such as
jor Dravidian parties are facing their backing the protesters government, from the very apex of the jallikattu to bring the masses to their
Political donations as conduit? toughest test of leadership in recent his- State administration down to oicers feet, as we have seen over the past week.
Political party funds are exempted from income tax, though parties are tory. charged with monitoring the event at
required to maintain books of accounts, and file income returns. Moreover, the debate is the allegation by animal the village level. The changing nature of the State
they are not required to keep any details of the source of funds if the indi- Beyond jallikattu rights organisations such as the Animal This brings us to the nub of the issue: Historically the ebb and flow of this
vidual contributions are ₨20,000 or less. It is well known that almost 90% of While jallikattu indeed enjoys a tem- Welfare Board of India and the People the role of politics in fomenting or con- movement has come up against the
the funds of major political parties are of this nature. poral provenance that dates back to the for the Ethical Treatment of Animals trolling what is being naively dubbed as broader rubric of the Indian state, for
The Union Revenue Secretary reportedly said on December 16 that polit- hoary history of Tamil civilisation, as (PETA) that the Bos indicus bulls used the ‘Tamil Spring’ by some overzealous example during the anti-Hindi agita-
ical parties can accept cash donations even after November 8. The Finance far back as 400-100 BC according to in jallikatu are subject to cruelty, are pundits. tion, and on such occasions a comprom-
Minister, however, said a couple of days later that political parties cannot some accounts, the latest legal saga of physically and mentally tortured for hu- ise solution has usually emerged, strik-
accept donations in old ₨500 and ₨1,000 notes. The question, thus, is the “sport” relates directly to the May 7, man pleasure, and the sport is thus dir- Behind the protests ing a balance between radical
whether parties did accept cash donations in demonetised bills after 2014 decision of the Supreme Court to ectly in contravention of the POCA. The remarkable energy that has in- ethnic-based demands and forced uni-
November 8. If so, it could have been a great device for converting black ban the sport by upholding a notifica- This appears to be borne out by a pleth- fused this apparently leaderless ‘move- formity imposed by a distant capital.
money into white in the hands of unethical political parties by breaking tion issued by the Ministry of Environ- ora of photographic and video evid- ment’, as well as its uniformly peaceful Similarly the changing nature of
down huge contributions into a number of small ones of ₨20,000 or less; an ment in 2011 to add bulls to the list of an- ence, some of it available on the You- nature, were seen as praiseworthy at- Tamil society, which has been impacted
unethical political party could even receive cash contributions after imals whose training and exhibition is Tube channels of the aforementioned tributes during the first few days of the by recent trends in economic mobility
November 8, but show in its books that the money was received before that prohibited. animal rights groups. protest marches in the State. and the influx of people from other
date. Perhaps fearing the loss of political The countervailing arguments by Yet as the protest slogans have be- States, has profoundly transformed the
Disclosure of figures about cash donations received by political parties currency associated with the ban in the spokespersons of the jallikattu “move- come more shrill, and festive gatherings more radical-assertive anti-Brahmin-
before and after November 8, and the amount deposited in the banks by aftermath of the death of Tamil Nadu ment” include the claim that as a key on the Marina beach have given way to ism of the early years of the Dravidian
December 30, and whether any part of it will be taxed, would help in an in- Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Decem- event of Mattu Pongal, jallikattu is es- more unruly agitations across the State, movement into a more inclusive, pa-
formed debate. It may be noted that all political parties have taken a stand ber 5, 2016, the State government acted sential to preserving the indigenous it has become evident that invisible ternal-populist welfarism of the late
that they are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Right to Information Act. quickly, promulgating an ordinance to bull species, a way of life in rural, pas- forces have been backing the protesters. 1990s and beyond.
It would also be useful to find out the amount of cash deposited by amend the Prevention of Cruelty to An- toral Tamil Nadu, and is indeed a celeb- Otherwise, who could have funded The danger at the present juncture
temples after November 8 purportedly received as donations to know how imals Act, 1960 (POCA), thus making rated feature of Tamil identity itself, de- the distribution of food and water to the lies in possibility that the political elites
funds so received will be dealt with (so as not to enable conversion of black jallikattu legal again. Legislation was scribed as it is at several points in the many thousands gathered with their within the fold of the Dravidian parties
money into white), and whether any part of such collections would be subsequently passed in a special ses- cherished Sangam literary tradition. families on the beach last week? Was it may, in their bid to capture the mo-
taxed. sion of the State Assembly on Monday. On the face of it, the argument about out of a sheer sense of duty that the en- mentum of the jallikattu movement,
That, despite this, swelling crowds preserving biodiversity cannot consti- tire police machinery quickly snapped empower the more intolerant, unstable
Keeping the public informed have continued to bring life to a stand- tute a full and consistent defence of to attention to marshal the crowds on and violence-prone strand of Tamil
Even if the entire ₨15.4 lakh crore of demonetised currency is received still, that riot-like conditions have jallikattu, for that reasoning does not Marina beach, to manage with a firm identity politics.
back in the banks, obviously a part of it would be black money (i.e. money gripped other parts of the State such as address the charge of animal cruelty, the but gentle hand all the traic snarls and If that unfortunate outcome should
that hadn’t been taxed). The government should ask the Income Tax De- Alanganallur in Madurai district, and burden of disproving which belongs to bandh-associated disruptions across materialise, it would be a series back-
partment to finalise suspicious cases within six months, if necessary by that the anti-New Delhi sentiment con- the proponents of the event — espe- Chennai and similar issues elsewhere in slide for the State in terms of the com-
putting aside all routine work relating to regular assessments, etc. for the tinues to stalk the land speak to factors cially given the startling clarity of the the State? mendable progress made under the old
time being. underpinning the civic disturbance that animal abuse evident in video evidence. While it will probably be an ongoing guard.
Before the demonetisation exercise, it was reported that the Income De- go beyond sentimentalism for jallikattu. The proposed middle path of permit- endeavour of investigative journalists
claration Scheme, which ended on September 30, 2016, has fetched ₨67,382 Taking a macro view, at the heart of ting jallikattu but tightly regulating it is and political analysts to unpack the narayan@thehindu.co.in
crore of undisclosed income and should result in tax and penalty of ₨30,322
crore, to be paid in two equal instalments on November 30, 2016 and

Bridging the Gulf

September 2017. The government should reveal how much tax was actually
received by November 30 out of the estimated ₨15,161 crore.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana provides a window from
December 17, 2016 to March 31, 2017 for holders of black money to declare
their assets. Fortnightly data of remittances to this fund should be released
for information of the public.
Most people think that the fountainhead of black money is the provision
India-UAE ties are an exemplar for the changing Indian approach towards the wider region
that political parties need not disclose source of contributions of ₨20,000 or
less. Support for the Prime Minister would have soared sky-high had he de- ate in its planned infrastructure expan-
clared that from the midnight of December 31, all cash donations to parties sion. Meanwhile, the Gulf states are
were to be banned. But he missed the opportunity, and now it cannot be HARSH V. PANT interested in human resources from In-
done even if one wants to until the upcoming Assembly elections to five dia in order to develop sectors as varied
States are over. as information technology, construc-
tion, transportation and services.
K. Padmanabhaiah, an IAS officer of the 1961 batch, served as Union Home Secretary and is the India’s ties with the United Arab Emir- India’s trade and energy security is
Chairman of the Court of Governors of Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad.
ates (UAE) are set to get a major boost inextricably linked to the security of the
with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Straits of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al With this in mind, the Indian Navy reg-
Nahyan, visiting New Delhi as the chief ularly visits Gulf ports, and trains with
FROM THE ARCHIVES guest at the Republic Day parade.
In recent years, Delhi has often used
states in the region. It has undertaken a
series of naval exercises with a number
this ceremony to send out important of Gulf States in recent years, thereby
signals on the foreign policy front by in- helping in expanding India’s reach in
viting its key partners. The Modi gov- the region. Indian warships have also
(dated January 25, 1967) ernment has invested significant diplo- been deployed in the Gulf of Aden to
matic capital towards strengthening its carry out anti-piracy patrols.
Income ceiling will consumption levels and ties with the UAE. With the conclusion
productivity. Dr. Madan of a Comprehensive Strategic Partner- Expatriate labour
foster brain drain emphasised the productivity test. ship agreement between India and the In addition, Indians are the largest ex-
A Steering group on incomes What weight should be attached UAE this week, this relationship is patriate community in the GCC states,
and prices policy has come to the to each of these would be poised for a dramatic leap. numbering around 7 million. There are
conclusion that it is not determined by the permanent A contingent of 179 UAE soldiers will an estimated 2.6 million Indians in the
practicable in Indian conditions body. lead the Republic Day parade. Several UAE alone. Indian expatriate labour
to enforce either a floor or a Dr. B.N. Adarkar, another agreements, including one on road and BOOSTING TIES: “India is well positioned to emerge as a credible security and constitutes around 30 per cent of the
ceiling on incomes. However, it Deputy Governor of the Reserve maritime transport, are expected to be economic partner of the UAE.” PM Narendra Modi receives Abu Dhabi's crown total population of the UAE, and Indi-
has suggested a permanent body Bank of India, who was one of the signed during the visit. The two sides prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in New Delhi. PHOTO: AP ans have a significant presence in
to study and recommend members of the Steering Group, will underscore their commitment to Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. India re-
workable policies from time to added that the incomes policy deal with terrorism. They also hope to the Emirates in 34 years. The joint state- ceives around 52 per cent of its remit-
time, in relation to general should not be looked upon as the work closely in Afghanistan, where five ment issued by Mr. Modi and Crown The UAE endorsing India’s tances from its Gulf expatriates, which
economic conditions. The remedy for an inflationary UAE diplomats were killed earlier this Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al concerns on terrorism have contributed significantly to India’s
Steering Group, whose well- situation. month in a terror attack and where re- Nahyan redefined the contours of a re- economic resurgence, even as there
argued report was released here
underscores the challenges
[Bombay] to-day [January 24],
Mao’s plan for gional alignments are in flux. lationship that had long lacked political
facing the Gulf kingdoms at a
have been growing concerns about the
new party heft. Both sides denounced and op- living and working conditions in the
was presided over by Dr. B. K. Trade and investment posed terrorism in “all forms and mani- time when the IS is rising host countries. India is pursuing man-
Madan, Deputy Governor of the Mr. Mao Tse-tung, Chairman of Currently, India and the UAE have a festations, wherever committed and by power and labour agreements with Gulf
Reserve Bank of India. It was set the Chinese Communist Party has $350 billion bilateral trade, which they whomever, calling on all states to reject widening. states to help Indian workers in the re-
up in June 1964, at the suggestion decided to have a new plan to increase three times in the near and abandon the use of terrorism New Delhi has tried to anchor its gion. It has also launched the eMigrate
of Mr. T.T. Krishnamachari. Communist Party for China based future. After China and the U.S., the against other countries, dismantle ter- UAE policy in a broader regional frame- system for recruitment of Indian work-
Explaining the report at a news on 100 per cent “Maoism” and, if UAE is India’s largest trading partner. rorism infrastructures where they exist, work as the economic dimension of In- ers across the 17 Emigration Check Re-
conference, Dr. Madan said that necessary, the new party would be The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to dia’s Gulf policy has become more pro- quired countries.
incomes policy would be diicult set up in parallel to the existing one of the largest sovereign wealth justice.” The target was clearly nounced in recent years. The Gulf India is well positioned to emerge as a
to enforce over the whole of the one, press despatches received funds, is seeking to identify investment Pakistan, as they came down strongly Cooperation Council (GCC) is India’s credible security and economic partner
economy. The main point was that here [Tokyo] from Japanese opportunities in the Indian infrastruc- on countries sponsoring terrorism second-largest trading partner, the of the UAE and the larger Gulf region at
incomes should not outstrip the correspondents at Peking said ture sector. The $75 billion UAE-India against other states. That Mr. Modi largest single origin of imports into the a time when the West is looking inwards
growth of the national product, to-day [January 24]. The reports Infrastructure Investment Fund, to sup- could get the UAE, one of the countries country, and the second largest destina- and China’s rise is getting hobbled by its
and that they should be said Mr. Mao has also ordered his port investment in India’s infrastruc- closest to Pakistan, to deliver such a tion for exports from India. The GCC aggressive rhetoric on territorial issues.
suiciently flexible to go up when followers to proceed with the ture sector over a decade, has not seen message shows how well he had read countries supply 45 per cent of India’s India-UAE ties are an exemplar for the
productivity goes up and move setting up of a “model- much progress and the two sides are the changing strategic realities in West petroleum, with the UAE being the changing Indian approach towards the
down when productivity goes Government tor Peking” (Peking hoping to put it on a fast track. Asia. The UAE endorsing India’s con- sixth largest source of imports of crude wider region.
down. A meaningful price policy municipal area) and that also, if The vigour in India-UAE ties today cerns on terrorism underscores the oil. The region remains a major destina-
in Indian conditions would take need be, in parallel to the existing owes its origins to Prime Minister Nar- challenges facing the Gulf kingdoms at tion for Indian investment. India hopes Harsh V. Pant is a Distinguished Fellow at Observer
into account the cost of living, set up. endra Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2015, a time when the Islamic State is rising that major GCC states such as Saudi Ar- Research Foundation, New Delhi and Professor of
the first by an Indian Prime Minister to and sectarian divide in the region is abia, the UAE, and Oman will particip- International Relations at King’s College London.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017

Heed this 67-year-old tryst

Our Republic and the Prime Minister were both born in 1950. An open letter, on Republic Day, to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi about India’s deepest oath
India you are Prime Minister of, to do things come from the conviction,‘I am the Alpha
T H U R S D AY , J A N U A RY 2 6 , 2 0 1 7 that will be hailed as exceptional, unpreced- and the Omega, the Indus and the Ganga’ of
GOPALKRISHNA GANDHI ented, unparalleled. You want India to reach, India. That, Mr. Prime Minister, is an unin-
go beyond, Mars, an Indian land on the moon. sured journey into Great Unknowns on a gil-

Donations and Dear Prime Minister

You want to send more Indian missiles hiss-
ing into the light blue skies than your prede-
cessors did, more Indian submarines to
ded ratha with mini-supremacists scram-
bling atop it.
A political leader may, for all his egotism,

disclosures Warmest greetings to you on Republic Day.

You were born the same year as our Repub-
lic was. So, as the Republic turns 67, you do
plumb noiselessly into the deep blue sea than
your predecessors would have dreamt of.
There is, at one level, something quite nat-
be highly knowledgeable about certain
things on his home ground. Much more so
than, for instance, his oicers. No diplomat

I
f you want to know how political parties raise
funds in the country, you will only get a part of
the answer. The known donors and sources of
contributions to national and regional parties
account for less than a third of their total income.
An analysis by the Association for Democratic Re-
forms shows that 69% of funds and contributions
received by political parties from 2004-05 to 2014-
05 came from unknown sources. There cannot be a
better case than this statistic for demanding greater
transparency in political funding. Going by income
tax returns and statements submitted to the Elec-
tion Commission, six national and 51 recognised re-
gional parties together had an income of ₨11,367.34
crore during this period, but only ₨1,835.63 crore
came from named donors, while other declared
sources such as sale of assets, bank interest, mem-
bership fee and sale of publications accounted for
₨1,698.73 crore. This means a total income of
₨7,832.98 crore came from unknown sources. De-
tails submitted by the Congress held that 83% of its
income came from unknown sources and the BJP
said it raised 65% of its funds as anonymous contri-
butions. The reason for these startling numbers is
that under the present income tax law, parties need
not disclose the names of those donating up to
₨20,000. To enjoy income tax exemption, they need
to maintain records only of those who donate sums
above this. This provision efectively gives parties
the required cover to pass of sizeable donations as
small contributions from anonymous donors.
Political parties in the legislature make far-
reaching decisions, and their donors could have a
bearing on policy. In 2013, the Central Information
Commission ruled that political parties were
covered under the Right to Information Act. It was
pointed out that they got tax exemptions, land allot-
ments and free airtime on state-owned media, in ef-
fect benefiting significantly from the exchequer.
The order, however, is yet to be accepted by parties.
Bringing them under the ambit of the RTI Act is
definitely a step in the right direction. It would
mean the list of donors, regardless of size of contri-
bution, is open to public scrutiny. For this, parties
would have to maintain records of small donors as
well. State funding, perhaps partial, of elections is
another solution to reduce the dependency on con-
tributions, though the financial implications of this
needs careful consideration. A more practical
mechanism is to have a regulatory authority to re-
ceive authentic reports on political funding, scru-
tinise them and put them in the public domain.
Transparency in funding is essential to ensuring
clean, democratic governance.
Towards clarity
on Brexit
too. Twinned, by birth, to the Constitution,
you have with it another bond. As Prime Min-
ister of India you have taken an oath, in the
name of God, to ‘bear true faith and allegi-
ance to the Constitution of India’. And from
that great position, you have called it India’s
holy book. You are therefore, a Constitution-
person twice over, by birth and by oath.
Two and a half years after taking that oath,
on this anniversary day, how do you see your-
self in that bond?
You could, of course, say, “Ask the people of
India, they will tell you if I have or have not
been true to it.” If I were to do that, I know,
there would be a torrent of appreciation for
you. Not just the appreciation of your ad-
mirers but appreciation from objective ob-
servers as well.
No one can deny the fact that between 2014
and 2017 your appeal has grown. It has grown
for three reasons. First, you have been seen as
decisive, a ‘doer’. Second, you are perceived
as having ‘taken on’ corruption. Third, you
are regarded as being tough, tougher than all
your predecessors, on terror. There is a
fourth image that must also be placed on the
table, though it is not exactly complimentary.
You are believed to be clever, hushiar. And
your ‘at midnight tonight’ announcement on
demonetisation has been seen as hushiari-
.“Good for the country, no?” people said
while queueing up the next morning in front
of ATMs.
The important question
But does being all those three — decisive,
hard on corruption, tough on terror — trans-
late into ‘bearing true faith and allegiance to
the Constitution’? Today, on Republic Day, it
is important that we reflect on that question.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a decis-
ive woman. Between 1975 and 1977 she was
even more decisive than her usual decisive
self. Having declared a national emergency,
she came down with an iron hand on people
she portrayed as criminals, black-marketers,
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: SURENDRA
An impression prevails that you
want to be seen as India, that
criticism of you therefore amounts
to criticism of India, tantamount
to treason
hoarders, corrupt. And terrorism, as we now
know it, was absent during that period. But
was Indira Gandhi true to her oath? You were
25 years old at the time, Mr. Prime Minister.
You will remember how when she reneged
on the Constitution, betrayed her oath, she
was thrown out of power — lock, stock and
barrel.
Indira was not India. No Prime Minister
can be India. India alone is India.
An impression prevails that you want to be
seen as India, that criticism of you therefore
amounts to criticism of India, tantamount to
treason. Questioning demonetisation be-
comes, in one flowing sequence, validating
black money, going soft on terror and ques-
tioning your judgment — all anti-national.
An immaculacy surrounds you, an assump-
tion of infallibility imbues your pronounce-
ments. And hence an aura of unquestionabil-
ity.
No one who is accountable to Parliament,
which represents all the people of India, can
be a dictator or even a supremacist in the
sense in which the word is normally used for
one who wants to establish the superiority of
a particular ethnicity, class or culture. But,
Mr. Prime Minister, you are a supremacist for
your vision of India. You want your India, the
ural and admirable about a Prime Minister
being ambitious for his or her country, to
think big, bigger, biggest for his or her people.
Except when a nation’s leader believes in per-
sonal supremacism.
Sardar Patel was not such a supremacist.
He was a supreme realist.
Isolated power
While supremacists love their own very
particular crowds and those crowds love
them, they are, as persons, very lonely. And
loneliness finds two friends: secrecy and ar-
bitrariness. A mist of trail-less circumstances
surrounds a supremacist’s decisions. And
these decisions come to be taken impulsively,
whimsically. Sometimes they can be in-
spired, but on most occasions they create
more problems than they solve and can also
cause havoc. Isolated power is isolated from
the advantages of consultation, from the be-
nefit of an equal colleagueship. It is isolated,
therefore, from the great bonus of republican
partnership. So fond does he become of the
dulcet tones of his own voice, that his audit-
ory powers atrophy. Even when he seems to
be listening to others, the personal suprem-
acist is, in fact, listening to his own voice re-
acting to what he is hearing. He is his own
singer, his own song and his own listener.
The self-centrism of an elected leader is, in
democratic terms, an irony. In republican
terms, an anomaly. It scarred the period 1975-
1977. It must not, in the same or modified
form, in de jure fact or in de facto spirit, be re-
admitted into our polity, our political culture.
There are signs of it wanting to.
Abolishing the Union Planning Commis-
sion, replacing independent heads of
autonomous academic institutions by per-
sons of known bias, the stalling of judges’ ap-
pointments, the superseding of generals in
Army promotions, of diplomats and bureau-
crats in other elevations, the dangling in the
air of the Lokpal, the undermining of the RTI
Act, blacklisting NGOs, demonetisation, all
could have matched Jawaharlal Nehru’s un-
derstanding of international afairs. No of-
ficer, ICS, IAS, IPS, could have matched Pa-
tel’s knowledge of political psychology, Chief
Minister Pant’s understanding of rural polit-
ics, Chief Minister Namboodiripad’s sense of
rural and urban economics, Chief Minister
Kamaraj’s mastery of Tamil Nadu’s complex
politics. But there are areas where others, ex-
perts, oicers and NGOs, know better, re-
member more than a politician. As, for in-
stance, in fiscal planning, foreign relations,
defence strategy, science and environment
policy and, above all, in ‘real-life’ issues like
unoicial ‘oicial’ extortions, job insecurity,
health non-coverage, the absence of insur-
ance and pension cover. The deference by
non-expertise to experience becomes a
leader.
The way forward
You advise us to do with less and less of
cash. Are you teaching us how to do with less
and less of water? Let ATMs run out of
money, use cards, you tell us, use digi-dhan.
What about when our lakes go dry? Can we
live with digi-jal? You are not warning the
country of the known and unknown horrors
of climate change, the power and fuel crises
that await us, the pandemics, air-borne, wa-
ter-borne and vector-borne, that are whirling
overhead. You are telling us to be swachh but
what of that behemoth source of aswach-
hata, our plastic lobby? You are teaching us
the merits of yoga, but you are not disabling
the fountainheads of ill-being in our gutka
lobby, tobacco lobby. The control over our
land commons, mines, forests by mafiosi,
middlemen and mega ‘developers’ continues
unchallenged.
And then, there is Kashmir. The team
which, led by Yashwant Sinha and catalysed
by Wajahat Habibullah, went to the Valley
has made searingly honest findings, vital re-
commendations. Heed, Mr. Prime Minister,
their clear voice. Had Jayaprakash Narayan’s
warnings and guidance been heeded in the
1960s, Kashmir would have been spared the
agonies it is going through today. The Consti-
tution has not intended that part of our coun-
try for ceaseless bloodletting. History is giv-
ing us another chance for a bold new
initiative that makes the most beautiful part
of our nation its most peaceful.
I said at the start that your appeal has
grown. So has, in typical Indian contrariness,
your dis-appeal. Those who believe in the
core values of our Constitution, though they
are not bound to it by birth or oath, are deeply
disturbed, dismayed, by the growing intoler-
ance of dissent and the misrepresentation of
criticism as anti-national.
You may have seen, at Girnar, Ashoka’s
famous Edict VI which says “I am never com-
pletely satisfied with my work of wakeful-
ness or despatch of business.” Remember,
please, Asoka’s admission and his remorse

T
he condition the U.K.’s highest court has
stipulated for London to trigger Article
50 of the European Union treaty removes
any shred of doubt about the legislature
being bypassed in giving formal shape to the Brexit
vote last June. The crux of the majority opinion is
that there needs to be parliamentary endorsement
in the form of primary legislation, not merely a
ministerial decision or action, for the activation of
the exit provision. In arriving at this position, the
justices relied on the reasoning that Britain’s do-
mestic laws would be significantly and substan-
tially altered as a consequence of the impending
termination of its membership of the EU. The
stance of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservat-
ive government, which appealed an earlier ruling,
was that once the people had spoken their mind in
the June vote on whether to remain in or leave the
EU, the executive could exercise the royal prerogat-
ive on matters of foreign policy. The opposition, on
the other hand, had emphasised the propriety of a
parliamentary consultation process before taking
the country out of the EU, in the same way that its
entry to the European Economic Community in
1973 was duly authorised by legislation. Ahead of
the vote last year, the Leave campaign had alleged a
serious erosion of national sovereignty within the
bloc on account of the process of law-making initi-
ated in Brussels, unmindful of scrutiny by a directly
elected parliament across the bloc. It therefore
seems only proper that members of Parliament are
taken into confidence while the government sets
out to give efect to the popular verdict in what was,
after all, a legally non-binding referendum.
In the U.K. there is little political appetite re-
maining to attempt a reversal of the June vote, evid-
ent from the opposition’s intent to press amend-
ments rather than challenge the Brexit legislation
that has now become imperative. Thus, as Ms.
May's March deadline to kick-start Article 50 ap-
proaches, there is more clarity over the shape of the
U.K.’s withdrawal from the bloc. British and
European businesses may see London’s move to
leave the single market as unpalatable, but the near-
term future is far less uncertain. Ms. May, in her
landmark speech last week, was quite explicit that
national controls over immigration from the EU
and independence from the jurisdiction of the
European Court of Justice were redlines for her
government. It remains to be seen how London and
the EU strive to strike the best possible bargain in
the months ahead to promote their mutual in-
terests. For, as Ms. May has emphasised time and
again, the U.K. is leaving the European Union, not
Europe.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Jallikattu protests
It is unfortunate that the inept
handling of an unprecedented mass
movement which was led by the
youth of Tamil Nadu led to chaos
(Editorial – “The end of a protest”,
Jan. 25). Whatever be the
provocation, the police had no
moral, ethical or legal right to
unleash violence on the common
man and terrorise and humiliate
women and children from the lower
strata of society (”Residents accuse
police of setting fire to fish market”,
Jan.25). One hopes that a judicial
inquiry will provide answers to
some questions. Was this a sinister
attempt to derail a peaceful and
committed movement? Finally, there
are lessons for every one — political
parties of every hue, democratic
organisations which fight for their
rights, and the general public. The
success of any agitation depends on,
among other things, the timing —
the right time to start and the right
time to end.
Vazhithunairaman Ponnuraj,
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
Footage on social media cannot be
“doctored” as it shows the scale of
the atrocities unleashed by the
police on the protesters, particularly
women and the old. The claim by
some top police oicials in Chennai
that antisocial elements infiltrated
the gathering is hard to believe as
the police were setting automobiles
alight and smashing motorcycles.
Finally, the Tamil Nadu government
ought to have reached out to the
protesters by sending a high-level
delegation across the State to
explain the intricacies of the legal
procedures involved in passing the
ordinance.
A. Jainulabdeen,
Chennai
It has become fashionable for
celebrities and the political
Opposition to condemn the police
and demand action whenever the
police are forced to use force to quell
violence unleashed by antisocial
elements. Actor Kamal Haasan’s
criticism and Leader of the
Opposition and DMK working
president M.K. Stalin’s demand that
the Police Commissioner be
transferred (both Jan.25) are
unreasonable.
Apart from many sufering injuries, a
number of policemen were also
wounded by stone-pelters. Buses
were damaged and some police
stations vandalised. Suburban
transportation was also suspended. I
was accompanying a sick patient to a
speciality hospital in Chennai but
had to return as most roads were
closed to traic. I hope that those
who criticise the police think about
the immense inconvenience caused
to lakhs of people.
Arulur N. Balasubramanian,
Chennai
Now that the situation is getting
back to normal and jallikattu could
resume, celebrities should avoid
talking about the subject
indefinitely. A loose comment here
and a statement there could whip up
feelings and we would be back to
square one. Before the protest began
at Marina beach, I do not remember
any celebrity having gone all out to
support jallikattu. The media should
stop encouraging these celebrities
and giving them a chance to increase
their “TRP ratings” by playing with
emotions. Both the Central and State
governments are on the right track
and should be allowed to do the rest
without any interference and
“helpful advice”.
V. Subramanian,
Thane, Maharashtra
The “Nuts & Bolts” explainer (Tamil
Nadu editions, Jan.24) was crisp and
informative and cleared many of our
doubts. I wish it had been compiled
much earlier and given publicity.
Perhaps it could have helped ensure
that the protests ended on a peaceful
note.
R. Balakrishnan,
Chennai
Social security for elders
Note ban must not come in the way
of providing social security to senior
citizens (’Business’ page – “Note-ban
to cramp FM on budget concessions’,
Jan.24). While the UPA was in
power, Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram did well to introduce
the post oice Senior Citizen
Savings Scheme. But the NDA
dilutes the eicacy of this most
enabling saving scheme by aligning
it with market interest rates! Elders
make up more than 7% of India’s
population, yet the government goes
overboard in distributing tax
largesse to India Inc. in every
budget. Since 60% of the country’s
which he called, in Magadhi Prakrit,
anusaya. Your own exquisite language, Gu-
jarati, has another sublime word for it,
anutaapa. Atonement and compassion do
not betoken weakness, they betoken nobility
which is a leader’s sign.
With pride in our Republic, and faith in its
ability to reclaim hope from despair,
Your fellow citizen.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former administrator, diplomat
and governor.
GDP depends on consumer must be thought of.
spending, the contribution of senior Gagan Pratap Singh,
citizens to such spending can’t be Noida, Uttar Pradesh
ignored. However, the living
standards of senior citizens have The Klebisella bacteria fits into a
fallen over the years due to declining wider group of bacteria with an apt
income. Factors such as inflation, acronym ‘ESKAPE’ owing to their
high cost of utilities and services, ability to avoid the efects of the
inordinate taxation and mounting antibiotics used against them. The
medical expenses have taken a heavy acronym stands for the names of the
toll on their limited savings. India bacterial group members. The
ranks even lower than neighbouring emergence of a superbug in India is
Sri Lanka in providing free universal not in the realm of fiction any more.
health care to its citizens. Access to These infections are increasingly
basic health care in India is being acquired in hospitals. Of
guaranteed only to government concern too is the use of antibiotics
servants. The BJP, which is as feed supplements in poultry and
aggressive in promoting the animal farms across nations. The
interests of the industry to give a feed industry urgently needs
push to reforms, must also create a regulation. Another area of key
credible savings scheme for India’s concern is to stop the practice of
ageing population. dispensing antibiotics over the
Kangayam R. Narasimhan, counter if we wish to escape an
Chennai antibiotic apocalypse.
H.N. Ramakrishna,
Superbug nightmare Bengaluru
A wave of unchecked superbugs
overwhelming the Indian health- A liberal heart?
care system becoming a reality can Creative diplomacy is also the term
be blamed on the high population critics use when nations do not have
density and lax medical standards a solution to a crisis. It also leaves
(’Weekend Being’ page – “Will the the reader wondering what steps a
superbug scare hit home? Jan.22). government can take without
Most hospitals, especially behaving like a big brother and, at
government-run, don’t administer a the same time, not being a pushover
complete course of antibiotics. (“The nowhere people next door”,
Patients also terminate a course Jan.23). India, with its long history of
when it suits them. Antibiotics fed to accepting all who seek refuge, needs
animals also exacerbate the to be assertive when it comes to
situation. Guidelines need to be human rights violations in
issued to stave of this threat. A neighbouring countries.
comprehensive and consistent Disha Bangard,
policy, from doctor to community, New Delhi
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017

CINEMA
Women and invisible work
Marching with a clear message
The global resonance of the Women’s March on Washington sent out the signal that the silent
The Aamir Khan film Dangal, majority will register its resistance against rising intolerance and prejudice
now the highest grossing Indian
film ever, is already much celeb-
rated as a progressive women's
ANU NISSIM film. Yet, the film throws up
PANDEY MANNATHUKKAREN many interesting questions VIDYA RAM
around women’s empower-
ment, which obviously cannot be resolved in the context of a commercial
film.
A critical scene in the film is Mahavir Phogat instructing his wife that the It’s unlikely that anyone, including
daughters will not do chulha-chowka (household work) any more, but will Teresa Shook, a grandmother from
henceforth devote time to wrestling. Hawaii, could have foreseen what would
However, the pertinent question is that in the real world, outside the film, happen when, following Donald
who is going to do the work that the girls are liberated from? Trump’s election in November, she cre-
Can we consider household work — cooking, cleaning, fetching water over ated a “women’s march” event to express
long distances, caring for children, the sick and the elderly — or what is her dismay and protest everything that
called as unpaid care work performed by women/girls, as an optional ser- the then U.S. President-elect stood for.
vice? And which could be forsaken at will, without having an alternative in Her idea quickly took on a life of its own.
place?
Can we have women’s liberation without questioning the fundamental di- A march for many causes
vision of labour that drives patriarchy — women primarily burdened with Just over two months later, over half a
unpaid care work, and confined to the home and the hearth, the private million people — women and men—
sphere? marched on Washington DC on Sat-
Can we break the public/private binary by women competing in a man’s urday, the day after Mr. Trump’s inaugur-
world as a man, by following the rules set ation, with other marches taking place
by men, in a world made for men? And across other U.S. States. Support for it
can we break the man-woman binary not The question is, in extended well beyond those marching —
by making it irrelevant, but by simply the real world, outside those on the march spoke of the arrange-
bringing a few women on board to the Dangal, who is going to ments that people back home made to
male side of the division of labour? help it easier for protesters to attend. FAR FROM OVER: “While the marches brought together issues beyond women, the fact that this was the focus was undoubtedly a
The threat is that in the guise of break- do the work that girls While it was pegged as a Women’s draw: women’s rights remain a major political issue even across the western world.” Picture shows a Women’s March in
ing the public/private binary, the resist- are liberated from? March, right from the start organisers Ottawa, Canada. — PHOTO: REUTERS
ance against a male-dominated world is made it clear that it was meant to be
coopted by women being ofered a slice of the pie. In this process, what is about far more: “The rhetoric of the past Brexit was a bolt out of the opposition to intolerance and prejudice main a major political issue even across
problematic is not women losing “feminine” traits of long hair, or the female election cycle has insulted, demonized — was clear from the outset, while being the western world. In 2015, the Women’s
body participating in a “masculine” sport (for these are constructed binar- and threatened many of us — immig- blue rather than a signal of part of a global movement is likely to Equality Party was formed in the U.K.,
ies), but the erasure of female labour, and contribution to sustaining human rants of all statuses, Muslims and those the rise of nationalism. It took have spurred participants on. putting at the heart of it a battle for equal
life. of diverse religious faiths, people who the U.S. election to jolt many The timing is significant too: when the pay but taking on other issues such as af-
identify as LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bi- Brexit referendum result emerged, it was fordable childcare and girls’ education.
Not accounted for sexual, queer, intersex, asexual), native out of that reverie a bolt out of the blue for many, rather The party has raised concerns about the
This labour is looked down upon in the world, and is not part of national people, black and brown people, people than a signal of the rise of nationalism impact that Brexit — and withdrawal of
accounting or Gross Domestic Product. But ironically, it is what sustains the with disabilities, survivors of sexual as- whole host of issues. Placards seen and the right. It took the U.S. election to EU rights that provide certain guaran-
economy. In material terms, women’s unpaid care work is huge. It is estim- sault — and our communities are hurt- across the world ranged from those tak- jolt many out of that reverie. Since then, tees to women — could have on women’s
ated that women perform 75% of the world’s unpaid care work. In India, wo- ing and scared,” reads the mission state- ing on Mr. Trump’s stand on abortion the challenge posed to many countries rights in the country. British Prime Min-
men perform 10 to 12 times the unpaid care work of men. ment of the march’s organisers who and his comments on sexual assault, and by the far right has been all too apparent. ister Theresa May has also faced criti-
It is because women cannot give up unpaid care work that their access to called on the participants to send a “bold other women’s rights, to those support- While Marine Le Pen is still likely to be cism for her purported unwillingness to
paid work is severely limited, leading to a vicious cycle. Even when they find message” on President Trump’s first day ing Black Lives Matter, and others at- knocked out in the second round of the raise the subject of sexism with the new
paid work, it does not necessarily liberate women for often they are now in oice. tacking Islamophobia. Still others took French presidential elections, she is do- U.S. President at their meeting sched-
saddled with both paid and unpaid work, leading to what is called as “double While the scale and breadth of the on the Trump administration’s approach ing uncomfortably well for those op- uled for later this week.
burden”. But it is well-established that women’s employment outside the marches across the U.S. are striking, to climate change, and endorsed fact- posed to her anti-Islam, nationalist
home is absolutely crucial to women’s well-being. what made the day even more remark- based scientific methodology, while oth- world view, while the German Alternat- Looking ahead
It is often overlooked that in the developing world, women constitute able was the way it extended across the ers simply called, in one way or another, ive für Deutschland is polling at around Perhaps the biggest test for the Wo-
nearly half of the agricultural labour force — 60% in Asia and Africa. Despite globe. Organisers of the D.C. march es- for an end to the rising intolerance that 12% — well above its levels at the last na- men’s March will be going forward:
this, women own less than 20% of the world’s agricultural land. Women and timate that a total of 673 marches was being seen across the world. In Lon- tional elections, and a significant shift in many movements, such as the global
girls also constitute 60% of the world’s chronically hungry. happened globally from Mexico City to don some of the signs drew parallels a country where far-right politics had ‘Occupy movement’ that was born in the
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) es- Lima, Stockholm to Bucharest, and Kolk- between the campaign to leave the long been a no-go area because of the wake of the global financial crisis, have
timates that if women farmers had the same resources as men, it would have ata to Bangkok. In London, around European Union and Mr. Trump’s country’s history. struggled to keep up their original mo-
led to 150 million fewer hungry people. 1,00,000 people are thought to have victory. Even more worryingly, the right has mentum. Women’s March organisers are
Women need to access all arenas, including sport. Participating in sport, joined the march, including the city’s La- shown signs of uniting — while many clearly keenly aware of the need to keep
especially in gender iniquitous societies, is liberating for women. Further, it bour mayor Sadiq Khan. Over 4.8 million Behind the rousing response across the world expressed their glee fol- up the pace and in the U.S. have already
overturns established gender norms, particularly when women enter people participated globally, they say. The success of the movement caught lowing Mr. Trump’s victory, last week- launched their next initiative, encour-
hitherto male-dominated sports. But it is also not a straightforward story of The scale of the protests caught many many by surprise — in the U.K., within end a meeting of the far right in Europe aging people to write in to legislators
women’s liberation. As sports researchers in Western cultures tell us, women of guard, with Mr. Trump somewhat re- social media groups set up to support the took place in the German city of and spread the message of opposition to
are faced with the female/athlete paradox: even when they become athletes, versing a more aggressive initial tweet move to remain in the European Union, Koblenz, where Ms. Le Pen spoke of 2017 intolerance, as part of a “10 actions in 100
they are forced to conform to dominant notions of femininity. This is because questioning the legitimacy of the move- many debated why the march had attrac- being the “year of the patriots”. days” campaign. A similar move has
the larger society is still sufused with patriarchal values, and sport, while lib- ment, by saying that “peaceful protests ted numbers that had surpassed pro- In that context, the willingness of been launched in the U.K.
erating for women, still operates within this larger culture. are a hallmark of our democracy”. Other European demonstrations that had taken people to seize an opportunity to ex- Whatever happens, one thing is clear
attempts to smear the march as a single- place in the immediate aftermath of the press their dismay — even beyond the after Saturday: those who stand against
For an anchor issue movement, alienating men — in- Brexit referendum, and wondered what shores of the U.S. — is hardly surprising. intolerance and hate are capable of mak-
That is why women’s liberation has to be based on concrete material cluding by populist British television lessons could be learnt for their move- And while the marches certainly ing a stand in an organised, inclusive, ar-
foundations. It is women’s unpaid care work which makes work and sport host Piers Morgan — failed to catch on, ment. There are of course a number of brought together issues beyond women, ticulate and non-violent way.
outside the home possible. Even when some women break out of the private as men and women who took part made reasons for this: the broad nature of the the fact that this was the focus was un-
sphere and enter the public sphere, the unpaid care work falls upon lowly- it clear that they had come to vocalise a march’s aims — a general expression of doubtedly a draw: women’s rights re- vidya.ram@thehindu.co.in
paid women domestic help from the most marginalised backgrounds, and
poor immigrant women in developed countries.
Women’s empowerment is not merely about women becoming wrestlers
or fighter pilots, which are, of course, important symbolic gestures. But for
real equality, it is imperative that women’s care work be given its due material
recognition. It would also mean a thorough reordering of gender norms, not
Russia then, China now
by a few women entering the men’s turf, but by men entering women’s turf,
and taking on “feminine” unpaid care work, which is what will allow women
The Obama administration’s foreign policy and Donald Trump’s call for its recalibration are both
to secure paid employment. inspired by the same desire to prevent any new challenge to American supremacy
Ironically, despite economic and educational growth, female participation
in the labour force of India fell to 24% in 2011, from 31% in 2004. India is 11th
from the bottom in the world in women’s labour-force participation rates. Containing Russia made ica’s defence industry and prominence
For the real equality for women, along with the Mahavir Phogats, we need P.S. RAGHAVAN to its defence establishment. This ex-
the likes of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the man who revolutionised wo- geopolitical sense for the U.S. plains the strong opposition to a “reset”
men’s health by inventing cheap sanitary napkins. in the 2000s, but less so after with Russia from the Pentagon, armed
2008, as China sought an forces and those in Congress and else-
Anu Pandey and Nissim Mannathukkaren teach at Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie universities in where with close links to the defence in-
Canada respectively. E-mails: anupam.pandey@smu.ca; nmannathukkaren@dal.ca. In recent weeks, we have been watching equal place at the high table dustry. Corporate America benefits
an extraordinary spectacle in the coun- hugely from economic links with China
try often described as the world’s cent of the Cold War era, except that and is reluctant to rock this boat.
greatest democracy. Barely weeks before more sophisticated tools of public dip- The President’s ability to secure a do-
demitting oice, President Barack lomacy, soft power and social media are mestic consensus for this new strategic
FROM THE ARCHIVES Obama introduced new sanctions
against Russia and ordered expulsion of
deployed. One should of course recog-
nise that every narrative has a counter-
direction will, therefore, be severely
tested. Departmental turf battles and
its diplomats from the U.S. A Congres- narrative, and the truth probably lies Congressional intrigues are major mine-
sional hearing was hastily arranged on somewhere in between. fields. The Pentagon’s opposition to the
alleged Russian hacking operations. For example, the hysteria over alleged September 2016 John Kerry-Sergey Lav-
dated January 26, 1967 Then came the “leaks” that Russia had Russian hacking ignores the fact that of- rov deal on Syria — which was blessed
compiled damaging personal informa- fensive and defensive cyber weaponry is by President Obama — is a recent ex-
President’s call for all public questions required to be tion to potentially blackmail Donald deployed by intelligence agencies of ample. U.S. administrations have per-
decided on “principles of justice
all-India outlook and equity and not as a result of
Trump, the then U.S. President-elect. every major power — against friends haps lost more policy battles to such
Their origin and authenticity remain in and adversaries alike. In recent years, the “friendly fire” than to “enemy action”.
The President, Dr. S. pressure politics and such other doubt. In a country proud of its tradi- leaders of Germany, France and Brazil
Radhakrishnan, to-day [January methods of blackmail.” tional freedom of views and expression, have reacted indignantly to reports of Regional interests
25, New Delhi] deplored the lack Police tear-gas we heard demands for action against U.S. hacking into their communications. Regional interests have also to be ad-
of development of an all-India Russian media agencies for misleading Essentially, Mr. Trump is asking the U.S. dressed. In West Asia, sectarian tensions
outlook in the country and students in Madurai
Americans about the true nature of their strategic community not to succumb to have to be defused and regional ambi-
warned that if every group wished Police fired tear-gas shells democracy! its own propaganda. tions tempered. Nimble diplomacy
to have its way by insisting on its to-day [January 25, Madurai] to It was a strange manifestation of an would be required to carry along those
own solution of small disputes, disperse an unlawful procession outgoing administration proactively mo- China, the new threat European countries which benefit from
the Government would be by students as it was approaching IN THE LAYERS: “Geopolitical wisdom
bilising public opinion against a foreign suggests that one way for a superpower Containing Russia, dividing Europe the present policy. Countries in China’s
weakened. Broadcasting to the the American College. Police have policy stance on which the President- and reconfiguring West Asia made em- immediate and extended neighbour-
nation and to Indian nationals promulgated an order under to maintain its supremacy is to ally with
elect fought (and won) the elections. lesser powers to retard the rise of a inent geopolitical sense (from an Amer- hood need assurance that a U.S.-China
abroad on the eve of the Republic Section 30 of the City Police Act. This pushback has continued even after ican “neocon” perspective) in the 2000s, stand-of will not prejudice their eco-
Day, the President called for It was feared breach of peace powerful challenger.” Picture shows
the presidential inauguration. Matryoshka dolls, at St. Petersburg, but less so after 2008, as China adopted nomic and security interests.
subordination of petty might be caused by students an increasingly aggressive military pos- The hallmark of a great power is its
considerations and minor taking out the processions and depicting Barack Obama and Donald
The logic for demonising Russia Trump. — PHOTO: AFP ture and openly sought an equal place ability to harness its internal strengths,
interests to the larger national organising the meetings they had The irony is that the Obama adminis- with the U.S. at the superpower high reconcile domestic pressures and struc-
good. He warned the nation that programmed to pay homage to the tration’s foreign policy and Mr. Trump’s was squarely blamed for the downing of table. In its simplest form, therefore, the ture external relationships to expand its
the “prospect of a revolution” was memory of the students who had call for its recalibration are both inspired a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet over Trump Doctrine is to focus American global influence. Social polarisation,
“inescapable”, if unruly lost their lives this day two years by the same U.S. neoconservative ideo- Ukraine in the summer of 2014, ignoring political and economic energies on economic decay and political divisions
behaviour, fasts and violence in ago during the anti-Hindi logy. Its core motivation is to prevent any its denials and protestations that it was countering the rise of China. were domestic problems revealed in the
the country did not end. He said agitation. new challenge to American supremacy. excluded from the international invest- Geopolitical wisdom suggests that recent U.S. presidential elections. Ex-
In the 1990s and 2000s, this meant sup- igation which it had demanded. The one way for a superpower to maintain its ternally, the U.S. confronts a dilemma in
pressing Russian resurgence, restraining story of a Russian economy on its knees supremacy is to ally with lesser powers Afghanistan, carnage in West Asia, a
Europe’s ambitions and weakening the has been sustained in the face of the In- to retard the rise of a powerful chal- fractured Europe, a sullen Russia and a
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS Russia-Europe axis. The expansion of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
ternational Monetary Fund’s increas-
ingly upbeat assessment of economic re-
lenger. From a U.S. perspective, this is a
potential role for Russia and Europe (as
truculent China, on which the U.S. ap-
proach is increasingly being seen as
>>The last paragraph of the Perspective page (Jan.25, 2017) article headlined (NATO), the Iraq war and promoting covery in that country. Western agencies well as India, Japan and others), if the weak-kneed. President Trump promises
“Flirting with chauvinism” read : “If that unfortunate outcome should materi- democratic movements in Georgia and acknowledge that President Vladimir cards are played correctly. In the short a unique style and a systemic shake-up to
alise, it would be a series backslide ... under the old guard.” It should have been Ukraine furthered this objective. Putin enjoys the support of over 80% of and medium term, this gives space for address these challenges. Whether or
serious backslide. The narrative of an expansionist Rus- the adult Russian population, but attrib- these additional “poles” to grow, not he succeeds, the fact remains that
sia provided the moral justification for ute it to their indoctrination by the state- strengthen and cooperate with each America’s responses to these domestic
>>A ‘Business’ page headline (Jan.25, 2017) erroneously said: “Charge on di- these initiatives. Hence, Russia’s “annex- run media. This is as much an insult to other. and external challenges over the next
gital payments above ₨50,000 mooted.”It should have been cash payments. ation” of Crimea is condemned without the intelligence of the Russian people as This reorientation of U.S. policy decade or so will determine how long it
reference to the background of NATO the charge of Russian agencies’ manipu- threatens entrenched interests. The can remain the undisputed global
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by missile defence deployments in Europe lation of American attitudes insults the strengthening of NATO, European mis- superpower.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to and Russia’s fears of NATO advancing to intelligence of Americans. sile deployments and conflicts across
Friday); E-mail: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in its vulnerable Black Sea coast. Russia These are propaganda wars reminis- Asia have provided business to Amer- P.S. Raghavan is a former diplomat.
CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Rolling back Ordinance Raj

The Supreme Court’s verdict that ordinances are subject to judicial review, and do not automatically create
enduring efects, places a timely check on a power rampantly abused by governments
ive’s power to issue ordinances, therefore, mately, the government failed to enact a stat-
F R I D AY , J A N U A RY 2 7 , 2 0 1 7 goes against this general grain of command; ute confirming the terms of the ordinances,
SUHRITH
PARTHASARATHY for it acts neither as a check nor as a balance and the last of them was allowed to lapse on
on the authority exercised by the other April 30, 1992. The employees of the schools,
branches of government. who stood discharged from service, as a res-
Banking on On January 2, in one of many judgments de- Only an exceptional measure
ult of the termination of the ordinances, took
the State government to court.

good faith livered on its first working day of the year,

the Supreme Court, in Krishna Kumar Singh
v. State of Bihar, made a series of pro-
It’s equally clear even from the bare text of
the Constitution that the authority to issue
ordinances is to be used only to meet the
When the case ultimately reached the
seven-judge bench for arguments there were
two fundamental questions to be answered:

T
he arrests by the Central Bureau of In-
vestigation of former IDBI oicials are
worth noting for timing, intent and im-
plications. The agency is investigating
these oicials, who had been at the helm of the pub-
lic sector bank’s afairs eight years ago, on charges
of facilitating a ₨900-crore loan to the now-defunct
Kingfisher Airlines without due diligence. Two
days after the arrests, a list that included former
IDBI Chairman Yogesh Aggarwal, the Securities
Exchange Board of India barred Kingfisher pro-
moter Vijay Mallya and senior oicials of group
firm United Spirits Ltd. from securities dealings,
and restrained them from holding directorial posi-
tions in listed companies. Mr. Mallya owes banks
close to ₨9,000 crore and has been in exile in the
U.K. for nearly a year, even as his lenders have
scrambled to recover their dues, with little success.
Last week, after a three-year-long trial, the Debt Re-
covery Tribunal allowed a consortium of 17 banks
to recover from Mr. Mallya and his companies out-
standing dues of ₨6,200-odd crore plus interest re-
lated to the airline’s operations. For the Central gov-
ernment, Mr. Mallya’s flight to London has been a
source of much embarrassment, with Finance Min-
ister Arun Jaitley terming the bad loans a legacy
from the UPA days.
Amidst the rising pile of non-performing assets
in government-owned banks, wilful defaulters
were said to be responsible for around ₨77,000
crore of bad debts by last July, but the Kingfisher
baron has emerged as the poster boy of the prob-
lem. Therefore the flurry of action on his bad loans,
however belated, could help counter perceptions of
a passive approach towards the well-heeled. Break-
ing the banker-borrower nexus is just as critical for
safeguarding public money as is acting against cor-
rupt administrators, but a timely and transparent
system is needed to ensure that bankers don’t turn
wary of extending credit at the slightest hint of risk.
The fear of investigative agencies and adverse audit
reports was blamed for the so-called policy para-
lysis in the UPA’s second term. Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi had, early in his term, urged oicers to
take bold decisions without fear of retribution and
promised to stand by them for decisions taken in
good earnest. That promise requires making some
necessary amendments to the Prevention of Cor-
ruption Act, particularly the much-too-broad and
subjective Section 13(1)(d) that has resulted in
many an honest oicer being chargesheeted for the
corruption of others. If there is malfeasance in-
volved in the IDBI loan, action must be swift and
exemplary — but to ensure circulation of credit,
systems must also be put in place to reassure
bankers against random witch-hunts.
nouncements with potentially huge implica-
tions for the future of democratic gov-
ernance in the country. The case raised
intricate constitutional questions concern-
ing the executive’s power to make law
through ordinance, but the majority’s opin-
ion, authored by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud,
on behalf of five of the seven judges who
heard the case, is lucid both in its reasoning
and in its ultimate findings.
For far too long, the court recognised, the
power to make ordinances has been abused
to subvert the democratic process. A failure
of a legislature to confirm an ordinance,
therefore, in the court’s ruling, was fatal both
to the validity of the law, and also, unless
public interest otherwise demanded, to the
rights and liabilities that may have accrued
from such a law. According to Justice
Chandrachud, the authority to issue ordin-
ances is not an absolute entrustment, but is
“conditional upon a satisfaction that circum-
stances exist rendering it necessary to take
immediate action”. In other words, ordin-
ances are not immune from judicial
challenge.
Ordinary idea of ordinance
The contest over the use of ordinances as a
tool to make laws stretches well beyond the
Constitution’s adoption. Indeed, at the time
when the provisions incorporating these
powers were debated in the Constituent As-
sembly, B.R. Ambedkar suggested that any
concerns over the conferment of ordinance-
making powers on the executive were really
only a quibble over language. “My own feel-
ing is that a concrete reason for the senti-
ment of hostility, which has been expressed
by my honourable Friend, Mr. [H.V.] Kamath
as well as my honourable Friend, Mr. [H.N.]
Kunzru, really arises by the unfortunate
heading of [the] Chapter ‘Legislative Powers
of the President’,” Ambedkar said. “It ought
to be ‘Power to legislate when Parliament is
not in session’. I think if that sort of innocu-
ous heading was given to the Chapter, much
of the resentment to this provision will die
down. Yes. The word ‘Ordinance’ is a bad
word, but if Mr. Kamath with his fertile ima-
gination can suggest a better word, I will be
the first person to accept it. I do not like the
word ‘ordinance’, but I cannot find any other
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: DEEPAK HARICHANDAN
A test of public interest could
prove somewhat problematic.
There may well be cases where
an ordinance creates outcomes
that are manifestly irreversible
to substitute it.”
But had Ambedkar been around to witness
the systematic dismantling of the constitu-
tional basis for the ordinance-making power
by recent governments at both the Central
and State levels, it is likely that he may have
renounced his earlier opinion. It’s now ap-
parent that the problem in the use of ordin-
ances arcs far beyond mere semantics. It
goes, in fact, as Shubhankar Dam, a professor
of law, and an author of a recent book on or-
dinances, has argued, to the very root of the
power’s conferment. This is because, in
many ways, the clauses allowing for the
power to make ordinances are an outlier in
our constitutional structure.
The founders’ aim was always to impose a
separation of power between the three re-
cognised wings of government. In this ar-
rangement, the legislature (Parliament at the
Centre, and the Assemblies and the Councils
in the States) is tasked with the primary job
of making laws; the executive’s role is to ad-
minister the country by enforcing these
laws; and the judiciary interprets the laws,
sees if they are being followed, and, where
required, reviews them to ensure that they
are constitutionally compliant. The execut-
emergent demands of extraordinary situ-
ations. Article 123, which defines the ordin-
ance-making power of the Union executive,
states that when both Houses of Parliament
are not in session, if the President is satisfied
that “circumstances exist which render it ne-
cessary for him to take immediate action, he
may promulgate such Ordinance as the cir-
cumstances appear to him to require”. It fur-
ther provides that any ordinance shall have
the same force and efect as a statute of Par-
liament, provided it is laid before both
Houses. What’s more, the ordinance so made
will “cease to operate at the expiration of six
weeks from the reassembly of Parliament”,
or if Parliament at any time before the con-
clusion of the period passes resolutions dis-
approving of the ordinance. In nearly
identical terms, Article 213 of the Constitu-
tion places on the Governor, acting on the
advice of the Council of Ministers of his
State, the power to pass ordinances on sub-
jects of State authority.
In practice, however, ordinances have
scarcely been used as a purely exceptional
measure. Most recently, the Central execut-
ive had issued an ordinance in 2014, which it
subsequently repromulgated three times
without approval, to overturn significant be-
nefits guaranteed by the land acquisition law
enacted by Parliament in 2013. Their aim
clearly was to bypass the democratic re-
quirements of argument and deliberation,
and to overcome numerical shortcomings
that they faced in the Rajya Sabha. What the
government was doing, therefore, was to use
its ordinance-making power as virtually an
alternative tool of legislation. It was a similar
abuse of power that had been placed before
the Supreme Court for its examination in
Krishna Kumar Singh.
A clear case of abuse
Here in question were a series of ordin-
ances passed by the government of Bihar
through which the State sought to take over
some 429 Sanskrit schools, transferring in
the process the services of all the teachers
and other employees of the schools to the
State government. The first ordinance,
which was issued in 1989, was followed by a
succession of five ordinances, none of which
was placed before the State legislature. Ulti-
whether the ordinances issued by the Bihar
government were constitutionally valid, and
whether the petitioners had derived any
legal right that survived the termination of
the ordinances. On the first, Justice
Chandrachud went beyond existing preced-
ent to hold that not only repromulgated or-
dinances, but even ordinances issued at the
first instance, are subject to judicial review.
Here, he placed reliance on the celebrated
S.R. Bommai case (1994), where a nine-judge
bench of the court had ruled that the judi-
ciary could strike down a proclamation of
emergency when the power had been exer-
cised by the executive to secure an oblique
purpose.
Ordinances subject to scrutiny
Justice Chandrachud ruled that a similar
standard of review could be applied to ordin-
ances too; the court, in these cases, he held,
will not enquire into the adequacy or sui-
ciency of the material before the President
or the Governor, but it can investigate to see
if there has been either a fraud or an abuse of
power committed by the executive.
But strong as the court’s finding is on the
first question, on the second its verdict is po-
tentially even more far-reaching. Here, the
court overruled two of its earlier judgments,
and binned what it described as a theory of
enduring rights. It ruled that an ordinance is
distinct from a temporary legislation, and it
therefore doesn’t automatically create rights
and liabilities that go beyond its term of op-
eration. “While enacting a law, the legis-
lature is entitled to define the period during
which the law is intended to operate,” wrote
Justice Chandrachud. “…Hence, it lies per-
fectly within the realm and competence of
the legislature which enacts a temporary law
to provide that the rights or the liabilities
which are created during the tenure of the
law will subsist beyond the expiry of its
term.” But an ordinance, unlike a temporary
statute, is not a creature of the legislature.
Therefore, the court held, these orders have
the same force and efect of a legislation only
so long as they are operational. In other
words, once the conditions imposed by Art-
icle 123 or Article 213, as the case may be, are
infracted, the question of what efects will
survive from the ordinance will have to be
independently assessed. In such circum-
stances, wrote Justice Chandrachud, the
court must examine whether the undoing of
acts performed under an ordinance would
run counter to public interest.
Now, while Justice Chandrachud is cer-
tainly correct in ruling that an ordinance
would not automatically create enduring ef-
fects, a test of public interest could prove
somewhat problematic in the future. There
may well be cases where an ordinance cre-
ates outcomes that are manifestly irrevers-

Setback to climate ible, despite public interest demanding its

reversing. However, that said, these issues
could well be ironed out when subsequent
action plans benches are faced with such questions.
In the final analysis, the court’s verdict has
to be seen as placing a vital check on what

T
hat Donald Trump’s scepticism about cli-
mate change will adversely impact
policies to address global warming be-
came abundantly clear minutes after his
swearing-in as U.S. President. The White House
website quickly deleted all mention of climate
change. Turning its attention to other agencies, the
Trump administration instructed the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency to follow suit and scrub
all mention of climate change from its website as
well. But following a protest by scientists and oth-
ers, the administration softened its stand and indic-
ated that the agency’s website was only being “re-
viewed” and that it had “no immediate plans to
remove the content” on climate change. Mr. Trump
has also resurrected the controversial Keystone XL,
that former President Barack Obama had blocked
after a protracted battle with policymakers, and
Dakota Access pipelines. The Trump administra-
tion had issued a gag order to scientists at the EPA
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop
them from speaking to the media; it subsequently
changed its policy with respect to EPA but has man-
dated that even routine data and studies be “re-
viewed” before being released to the public. In line
with his thinking that “global warming is an ex-
pensive hoax”, Mr. Trump plans to re-energise the
fossil-fuel industry. The America First Energy Plan
listed on the White House website aims to increase
fossil fuel extraction in the name of creating more
jobs, and in the process “eliminating”, among other
things, Mr. Obama’s climate action plan.
Even more alarming is Mr. Trump’s intention to
reverse America’s involvement in the historic Paris
climate accord. Under the pact, 195 countries have
agreed to limit the increase in global temperature
since pre-industrial time to less than 2°C in the 21st
century, and try to work towards reaching a
tougher target of 1.5°C. In November 2014, Mr.
Obama announced a new target to cut greenhouse
gas emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025.
Among other measures taken in 2015, the U.S. had
finalised the clean power plan to reduce carbon di-
oxide emissions from the power sector to 32% be-
low 2005 levels by 2030. With the average global
temperature already reaching 0.8°C above pre-in-
dustrial levels, there are fears that further delay will
have long-term repercussions that would be near
impossible to mitigate. With the current and pro-
posed policies by the U.S. already inadequate to
meet the Paris target, any negative deviation from
the plan will have implications for the entire world.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
A letter to the leader
While I can rationalise Gopalkrishna
Gandhi’s angst with the Prime
Minister, he appears to have looked
at our leader partially by wrapping
his style of functioning/personality
around fundamental precepts of
democracy (“Heed this 67-year-old
tryst”, Jan.26). I remember the
efects of the declaration of
Emergency. Shortly thereafter all
trains ran on time, DESU oices
opened on schedule and were fully
stafed. Our cook was delighted
because food was suddenly plentiful.
My factory-owner father was
astounded that he received all the
steel he had ordered in lieu of half.
Fear needs to be instilled in the
population over the enforcement of
laws. Narendra Modi is creating
such an atmosphere. Nothing
happens till someone does
something. Mr. Modi needs to be
given a chance to prove himself.
Don’t forget that even Indira Gandhi
was voted out.
Naveen C. Kapur,
New Delhi
Though unflattering but regrettably
true, those watching the Prime
Minister’s highly individualistic
style of functioning would perhaps
have very little to difer with Mr.
Gandhi’s diagnosis. Our leader
would be well-advised to rid himself
of his belief in his “infallibility” and
“personal supermacism” in the
conduct of the afairs of state. Not
respecting time-tested institutional
arrangements in the decision-
making process of national
importance will only hasten the
crumbling of such institutions under
the weight of an overbearing leader
who exhibits the least tolerance for
well-meaning dissent. It does not
portend well for our democracy.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
There is not even an iota of doubt
that the Prime Minister cares for the
country and he would go to any
extent to take it to a position of
pre-eminence in the comity of
nations. But in what can only be
construed as a case of missing the
wood for the trees, he remains
oblivious to the suferings unleashed
on an unwitting public in the form of
half-baked measures such as
demonetisation with jargon about
“cashless economy”, making no
sense to more than half the
population. The overdrive and
enthusiasm of his team might even
turn out to be counterproductive.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
The article echoes the views of
many objective commentators about
the NDA government. The attempts
by the BJP’s leaders to portray any
criticism of government policies as
akin to criticism of the nation will
not fetch dividends. With over half
of the government’s term over, the
common man expects the
government to deliver on its
promises. The country is witnessing
crises on multiple fronts: the
economy is in a state of flux,
notwithstanding the tall claims by
the government’s managers, there is
agrarian and rural distress, and
poorer sections have been hard hit
by skyrocketing prices of essential
commodities.
Where are the jobs for millions of
youth as promised? On the contrary,
jobs have vanished after the
demonetisation exercise. The
government is also not challenging
the laying of of workers in the
private sector. There is a gap
between rhetoric and performance.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Tiruchi
The attrition of democratic values
under this regime is insidious. It is
happening so subtly and steadily and
there are hardly any voices that have
been raised against it. The balanced
observations are valuable and that
has until now been a power rampantly ab-
used by the executive. Inconvenient as legis-
lative debate and deliberation can be, the le-
gislature constitutes a critical foundation of
our democracy. When Parliament recon-
venes next week, it must be seen by both the
ruling dispensation and the opposition as a
forum for debate, for making laws based on
critical reasoning. To await the completion
of the session, and to create laws then by cir-
cumventing this process through ordinance,
debases altogether the Constitution and its
finest ideals.
Suhrith Parthasarathy is an advocate practising at the
Madras High Court.
there is still space in the print media Cleaning up poll funding
for those who have not been blinded
by the dazzle of pseudo-nationalism The government should use the
is laudable. findings of the Association for
Thehseen Zakir, Democratic Reforms as the catalyst
Kochi to make donations as well as
spending by political parties
The article is a must-read for cashless in order to bring in greater
everyone who hero-worships the transparency. A CAG audit of such a
Prime Minister. This impartial system will also help people develop
delivery of truth and a reality check greater trust in the political system
should be a lesson to all aspirants for (Editorial – “Donations and
power and position. disclosures”, Jan.26).
R.K. Murthy, Vikalp Mathur,
Coimbatore Navi Mumbai
All the glib talk and vacuous acts
West Asia outreach such as demonetisation to tackle the
India’s growing ties with the United scourge of corruption will never
Arab Emirates are evidence that the lead to the desired results till such
Emiratis are rethinking their time as political funding becomes
strategy following the fallout of transparent. The nexus between
radical terrorism in the GCC political parties and business is an
nations. The fact that a growing open secret. It is this quid pro quo
band of countries is endorsing which fuels corruption. Every
India’s position on terrorism contributed penny in political
vindicates India’s stand. Since most funding must be accounted for.
players in the Gulf want to develop Moreover, the Election Commission
strong relations with India, we are in must be given more teeth to rein in
a unique position to play even expenditure during an election. An
peacemaker. India must not delay independent organisation needs to
action on its projects in this part of scrutinise and audit accounts of all
the world as these countries may political parties. The RTI Act must
look towards China in case of delay. extend to all parties.
Akshay Viswanathan, Vijai Pant,
Thiruvananthapuram Hempur, Uttarakhand
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

POLICY
Case for targeted basic income
The muddle in Middle Doab
For all the talk of identity-based voting, most voters in this part of Uttar Pradesh have yet to sort
The idea of a basic income is not new. The first known sug-
gestion on an unconditional universal basic income for all
through ground-level politics and decide who they will vote for
adults regardless of other income sources was from Thomas
More. Centuries later, in 1918, Bertrand Russell discussed a sanitation, are State subjects, and voters
basic income suicient for necessities as central to the social view the jobs of the Prime Minister and
PUJA model combining the advantages of anarchism and socialism Chief Minister in systematically difer-
MEHRA that he argued for in Proposed Roads to Freedom. “A certain ent ways. The young woman’s com-
small income, suicient for necessities should be secured to NEELANJAN ASHISH ments are not mere caste voting; the BJP
all, whether they work or not, and that a larger income — as much larger as SIRCAR RANJAN has a credibility problem in State elec-
might be warranted by the total amount of commodities produced — tions. A voter in a nearby Gujjar neigh-
should be given to those who are willing to engage in some work which the We strike up a conversation with two bourhood puts it succinctly, “When
community recognises as useful.” Even on finishing education, no one young men sitting on a stoop in front of have we ever seen the BJP do anything
should be compelled to work, and those who choose not to work should re- an old, dilapidated mandir in a village at the State level?” (Not since 2002,
ceive a bare livelihood and be left completely free, he wrote. outside Firozabad. “I am a Brahmin; we when BJP last held the chief
With anti-globalist populism on the rise, several advanced countries are Brahmins all vote for the BJP (Bharatiya ministership.)
considering whether they should start mail- Janata Party),” says one of the young Second, while Chief Minister Yadav
ing cheques to the unemployed. Finland’s is A basic income Pandit men assertively. We are quite is lauded for his development work in
the best known trial. Two thousand ran- scheme will be used to this by now. On first contact, the State, there is a nagging criticism of
domly selected unemployed Finns will for most of our respondents seek to rein- biased targeting. With a limited amount
the next two years receive €560 in guaran- administratively force the ‘identity equals vote’ carica- of resources, savvy politicians can be
teed tax-free incomes every month. The pay- easier and cleaner ture of Indian politics, whether in Uttar expected to deliver benefits in ways
ments will continue even when they try out Pradesh or elsewhere. But this is an un- that maximise future vote share. In-
odd jobs. If the pilot is successful, the pro-
than the MGNREGS critical response. Most voters have yet deed, there is perceptibly less delivery
gramme could be extended to all adult Finns. to sort through the careful considera- of benefits and public goods where the
Economists are advocating universal basic incomes for fighting inequal- tions that will ultimately determine SP is not politically competitive. In four
ity, slow wage growth, advancing automation and fears that immigrants will their vote choice. districts that will go to the polls in the
take away jobs. While free trade and technological advances have grown As we continue to chat with the first phase, Agra, Ghaziabad, Hathras,
national incomes, not every individual is better of. There are winners and young man, a local electrician, it be- and Mathura, the percentage of Jatav
losers. Redistributive government intervention is needed so that no one is comes clear that he is anything but cer- voters is greater than the percentage of
left worse of. tain in his vote choice. He talks of the Muslim voters. Even though the SP won
ravages of notebandi, the popular term the 2012 election, of the 23 ACs in these
Lessons from a pilot project for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s de- districts, it won just two seats, for an
The ‘transformative’ potential of guaranteed unconditional incomes was monetisation exercise. From a loss of abysmal ‘strike rate’ of 7%. Due to May-
demonstrated in Madhya Pradesh back in 2014, which is documented in the personal income to a spate of nearby awati’s ability to empower Jatavs, and
book Basic Income: A Transformative Policy for India (2015) by Sarath factory closures, his frustration grows other voters strategically aligning with
Davala, Renana Jhabvala, Soumya K. Mehta and Guy Standing. The income visibly as he speaks. Emboldened by the her in these constituencies, the SP
supplements given amounted to less than a third of monthly expenditure young man’s crisis of political faith, a seems less interested and less popular
for families living at the poverty line. The authors reported several positive middle-aged passerby intervenes, “I’m here than most other parts of U.P.
efects of the experiment, some of which were published in Seminar. One, voting for the BSP (Bahujan Samaj
nutrition intake rose. Specifically, consumption of pulses, fresh vegetables Party) this time, and I say this as a Brah- The forgotten castes
and meat was up 1,000%, 888% and 600% respectively. As a result, incid- min!” Our young electrician and the in- For all the talk of identity-based vot-
ence of illness dropped. Enrolment and attendance, especially among fe- terloper begin bantering and conclude MILES TO GO: “While CM Akhilesh Yadav is lauded for his development work, there is ing, a significant share of voters, and
male students, in schools improved. Two, it resulted in more equitable de- that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, a nagging criticism of biased targeting.” Mr. Yadav in Agra. FILE PHOTO: PTI their identity groups, are not clearly as-
velopment. On receiving the payments, marginalised individuals began from the Samajwadi Party (SP), has sociated with any of the major parties,
exercising agency within their households and the community. Three, done a good job and deserves to be complex dynamics observed in 2012, or BJP, BSP, Congress, RLD and SP. Across
there were also economic spin-ofs as villagers worked harder than before, Chief Minister again, but, then, is the SP whether the Modi wave has catalysed a our travels in Upper and Middle Doab, a
with a number of adults engaging in two economic activities (own-account competitive enough in this constitu- structural shift that will allow the BJP to surprising narrative on notebandi is
farming with small business on the side). Four, indebtedness decreased as ency to warrant a vote? sweep to power in U.P. emerging. The most economically vul-
the propensity to save increased over the pilot period. While identity is, of course, a factor in nerable voters are largely unruled by
The results dispel doubts such as whether ungrateful welfare abusers U.P. politics, analysts often forget that a Public goods and State governments the policy, as we hear a common refrain,
will buy alcohol with their new-found income, if welfare payments are dig- significant share of the population, like In Firozabad district, a village elder in “The rich are sufering. We were and re-
nity-destroying and other such apprehensions often expressed as ‘don’t these Pandit men, is genuinely uncom- a Jatav neighbourhood speaks in glow- main poor.” However, in Gautam Budh
just give them fish; teach them how to fish’. mitted to any major party. After all, a ing terms about the current SP govern- Nagar, a Gujjar elder holding 25 acres of
To those too weak, unwell or challenged physically to pick up skills and theory of voting based primarily on pre- ment in U.P. and all it has done for the land complains, “Old payments haven’t
take up jobs, guaranteed incomes provide a safety net. Where people are dictable identity-based lines suggests village. As he begins to list the current come by, and even worse, old cheques
skilled and employed, but receive low wages, as seen in the case of hand- highly stable electoral outcomes, while government’s accomplishments, a have bounced.” He vows to vote for Ms.
loom weavers or in small enterprises, basic incomes can supplement earn- no incumbent party has won the chief crowd gathers around, and a young wo- Mayawati this time. Large landowning,
ings and support welfare. ministership of U.P. since the break- man finishing her B.Ed. course inter- agricultural communities, like Gujjars,
down of Congress rule in 1989. jects, “This is not the complete story. Jats, and Thakurs, still deal with a great
The feasibility quotient Large landowning, agricultural We have not been given all of the bene- number of cash transactions, and do so
Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian has said that he is devot- Middle Doab, 2012 and 2014 communities still deal with fits this government promised us; those in rural areas where financial institu-
ing a chapter in the annual Economic Survey (to be presented on January From Muzafarnagar, Meerut and sur- cash transactions, and in rural have been given elsewhere.” She begins tions are more ineicient. They have
31) to discussing unconditional universal basic income as a tool for poverty rounding areas, collectively called Up- to list all of the benefits given (and not paid a heavy price during notebandi. At
reduction. per Doab (which we analysed in our last areas where financial given) to the village, as well as the level least anecdotally, it is believed that
The Food Security Act already provides for statutory income transfers, article), we headed south to the area institutions are more inefficient of government — panchayat, State, or these groups consolidated behind the
but the appeal of a policy idea involving money payments to voters cannot bordering Rajasthan, the Middle Doab Centre — that was responsible for the BJP in 2014, even though they have tra-
be overstated —especially to a government past the midpoint in its first region. Middle Doab features a large local political factors like those high- benefit. The crowd is won over. While ditionally split across the major parties.
term. reservoir of ‘floating voters’ who are yet lighted above. Of the 36 Assembly con- she praises Prime Minister Modi for his While the popular discourse has fo-
The United Progressive Alliance’s return to oice in 2009 is at times at- to make up their minds about whom to stituencies (ACs) in the region, the SP bold actions and willingness to help the cussed on the poor, it is these groups,
tributed to a job-guarantee scheme covering manual labour work and support. This is quite unlike Upper won 15; the BSP won 11; the BJP won people, and he is preferred at the and their disenchantment with note-
wages for 100 days in a year at the going notified wage rates. The scheme Doab, where pronounced religious po- three; and the largely Jat party, the Centre, she will support the BSP for the bandi, that may have the greatest efect
was made applicable in all the 615 districts of the country by 2008-09. A ba- larisation and many religious riots have Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), won six seats, work it did when it was in government on electoral outcomes in western U.P.
sic income scheme will be administratively easier and cleaner than the Ma- left few floating voters. These two re- with its ally Congress winning one. and the security it provided to vulner- While Middle Doab displays ex-
hatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme gions, Middle and Upper Doab, consti- As with so much of U.P., the BJP able castes. traordinary caste and religious di-
(MGNREGS): putting money into select Aadhaar-seeded Jan-Dhan bank tute the set of constituencies that will nearly swept the region in 2014, consol- There are two major lessons, from a versity, a number of complex issues
accounts ought to be relatively simple. go to the polls in the first phase of the idating power under the Modi wave, political science perspective, in the drive ground-level politics here. Politi-
If a basic income is introduced in addition to the two statutory income election in U.P. on February 11. winning 31 out of 36 AC segments with young woman’s intervention. First, as cians will likely be compelled to go bey-
transfer schemes for food and wage jobs already in place, the government’s Middle Doab is comprised of the dis- an average vote share of 48%. Based on we see across our interactions, voters ond the simple script of identity polit-
deficit will balloon. Both will have to be reformed if the plan is to guarantee tricts of Agra, Aligarh, Etah, Firozabad, these numbers, the other major parties are keen observers of the sources of be- ics, as voters critically assess a number
all three: food, basic income and wage jobs. Even if there are no plans for a Hathras, Kasganj, and Mathura. In the would seem to have little chance in the nefits and can make distinctions in pref- of factors beyond identity in determin-
new income guarantee, the Centre should attend to MGNREGS funding, 2012 State election, this region dis- region, as the average vote shares in erences across levels of government, ing their vote choice.
implementation and course correction — something it has committed to played extraordinary political variation Middle Doab for the SP and the BSP in perhaps due to innovations in political
doing. The UPA flagship’s accomplishments, despite the numerous imper- due to the complex interaction between 2014 were 25% and 18%, respectively. branding in the delivery of such bene- Neelanjan Sircar and Ashish Ranjan are affiliated
fections it sufers from, are well-documented. identity at constituency level, particu- The critical question is whether U.P. fits. Many of the issues that afect a cit- with the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in Delhi.
Bhanu Joshi, also with CPR, contributed to this
A new universal basic income for all Indians won’t be afordable unless it larly of Jats, Jatavs, and Muslims, and politics will revert back towards the izen’s daily life, like roads and health/ article.
replaces the whole multitude of programmes and subsidies currently in
place. That would rid the welfare system of all the existing overlaps and

Peace is a process
gaps, but the simplicity will extract huge political capital.
More feasible is a basic income targeted at the most deprived, using the
socio-economic census. Creating sustainable funding sources for it,
whether by way of new taxes or by streamlining entrenched subsidies and
incentives, will still be a challenge. One worth taking up, for it will also be
an opportunity to reinvent the welfare system. The absentees at the Astana talks on the Syrian conflict hold the cards for the next steps
Puja Mehra is a Delhi-based journalist.
demoralise its fighters is to be seen.
Sources in these groups tell me that they
VIJAY PRASHAD hope JFS fighters will strengthen their
will in the fight against the FSA. Turkey
FROM THE ARCHIVES has made it clear that isolation of the JFS
will allow other rebel groups to appeal
Two days of talks over the war in Syria to its members on patriotic grounds for
ended this week in Astana, Kazakhstan. an end to the bloodbath. Whether this is
Iran, Russia and Turkey were the main a realistic assumption is to be seen.
dated January 28, 1967 (there having been no issue of newspaper on January 27, 1967) powers at the table. Kazakhstan was a
Command would again meet to perfect location for the talks, since it has A serious conundrum
Govt.’s offer on close ties with both Turkey and Russia. The Syrian government, buoyed by
consider the draft in the light of
cow issue the legal opinion obtained, said a The Syrian government and the armed the battlefield victories, notably in
The High Command of the spokesman of the Samithi after its opposition sat together for the first time Aleppo, is nonetheless faced with a seri-
Goraksha Samiti last night [Jan. marathon seven-hour meeting. in six years. The Syrians came to the ous conundrum. Its military is
26] decided to refer the But he did not say when it is table, but they were not party to the final weakened, a fact demonstrated by the
Government’s final draft expected to meet again. In the agreement. In the end, the three powers rapid advance of the IS into Palmyra and
regarding the terms of reference meantime, fasts by cow came to an understanding, which is it- Deir ez-Zor, towns at the two ends of the
of the proposed high power protection leaders and the self a matter of great significance since Great Syrian Desert. The IS seizure of
committee on cow protection agitation would continue, he these powers were major rivals on the Deir ez-Zor has left 93,500 people
issue to legal experts. The High added. Syrian battlefield. without regular access to food and
PROGRESS: “Iran, Russia and Turkey came to an understanding, which is itself a medicines. Overstretch of its forces, re-
Lack of external support liance upon Iranian and Lebanese fight-
matter of great significance since these powers were major rivals on the Syrian
Wars end either with a decisive vic- battlefield.” The Astana talks in Kazakhstan. PHOTO: AP ers, and Russian tactical support means
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS tory or in exhaustion. In Syria, neither
condition has been reached. What
that it cannot continue this fight indef-
initely. Apart from the IS and the JFS, the
drives the ceasefire talks is the recogni- It will take time for the the cards for the next phase. Turkey’s Syrian government will have to deal
>>Glaring: A front-page headline “Intolerent Indian never celebrated” (Jan. 26, tion that the major proxies of the armed main proxy, Ahrar al-Sham, did not with two problems: the disgruntled Syr-
2017) received a fair amount of criticism from the readers — as did the word opposition — Saudi Arabia, Turkey and
various parties to acknowledge come to Astana, but uncharacteristically ian Kurds (whose political aspirations
“shinning” — instead of “shining” — in a Sports page headline sometime ago. the U.S. — have withdrawn. Turkey has that this is a pyrrhic battle it sent its blessings for the deliberations. have been suppressed as a cost for Turk-
The correct word is “intolerant” — as given in the text. decided that this war has spilled over with no victor able to fully It might, in time, join the process. The ish involvement), and the Islamist
into its territory, which could break the two parties that are outside the ceasefire armed opposition who came to Astana
>>In the report headlined “War survivors who turned counsellors” (World country apart. Saudi Arabia, stuck in the dominate the country are the Islamic State (IS) and the al- but refused to describe Syria as a secular
page, Jan. 26, 2017), a sentence that read “The three women, now part of difer- Yemeni quagmire, finds that its proxies Qaeda proxy, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham state. The contradictions are stark and
ent community organisations in Batticaloa, were part of a zonal-level task can no longer compete with Russian air wanted a national ceasefire. Syria’s gov- (JFS). These groups have attempted to Damascus’s ability to bring these fac-
force that counselled war-afected people on the reconciliation mechanisms power. The U.S., which failed to create a ernment and the Iranians are keen to re- peel away fighters from those who went tions together is not visible.
that the government has proposed" should be recast to read: “The three wo- moderate army, now understands that main efectively at the local level. This to Astana, saying that the negotiators Peace is a process, not a state. It will
men, now working in ... were part of a zonal-level task force that consulted war- the most capable fighters on the ground would allow them latitude to strike rebel shame the ‘revolution’. The JFS has in- take time for the various parties to ac-
afected people ... has proposed.” against the Syrian government are not to targets where they are seen to be weak tensified its retaliatory war against the knowledge that this is a pyrrhic battle
be trusted. This lack of external support and then sue for peace when they have rebels, such as against Jaish al-Mu- with no victor able to fully dominate the
>>In the Sports page report headlined “England looks a more settled team” brought most of the armed opposition to attained their objective — what is on jahideen and other Free Syrian Army country. From Astana the negotiations
(Jan. 26, 2017), there was an erroneous reference in the second paragraph to Astana, where they took their seats display in the suburbs of Damascus. The (FSA) outfits in the region around move back to Geneva, where the UN
Ben Stokes. Actually, the last over in that match was bowled by Chris Woakes. uncomfortably. three powers agreed upon a mechanism Aleppo. U.S. air strikes against the JFS hopes that more progress will be made.
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by The principal dispute at the table was to monitor the ceasefire, although this have not stopped it, since the U.S., like So do the broken Syrian people.
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri- how to define the ceasefire. The armed does not cover those who did not come the IS, sees itself in a fight to the end.
day); E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in opposition, led by Mohammed Alloush to Astana. Whether the withdrawal of its external Vijay Prashad’s most recent book is ‘The Death of the
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com of Saudi Arabia’s proxy, Jaysh al-Islam, It is those who were absent who hold supporters or its political isolation will Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution’.

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2017

The politics of demonetisation

As Parliament prepares to convene again after a winter session washed out due to the Opposition’s protest on
demonetisation, it is worth asking why political mobilisation against the exercise is proving to be so diicult
tion — the acme of unreason (it is not open to curb black money, Mr. Modi is acting against
S AT U R D AY , J A N U A R Y 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 question) — which exposed a deliberative the unscrupulous rich hoarding piles of illicit
ZOYA HASAN deficit in the government and cast a shadow cash. The idea that the rich are sufering be-
on its capacity to efect sound policies. In the cause this was a measure that caused prob-

Mayawati’s risky Demonetisation has been the most hotly de-

event, the eforts to combat black money
have been so far inefective. The government
has assumed that a significant portion of il-
lems for them is undoubtedly appealing to
poor people, but such resentment doesn’t
translate into protest. In this case, it is actu-

calculus bated topic since November 8, when Prime

Minister Narendra Modi announced that the
high-denomination notes then in circulation
legal wealth is stored in the form of bank-
notes when it is well known that it is not. By
December 30, practically the entire stock of
ally thought to explain or excuse the perni-
cious efects of demonetisation. Martha
Nussbaum argues in Hiding from Humanity:

A
fter the shock of the 2014 Lok Sabha elec-
tions when it got no seats in Uttar Pra-
desh, the Bahujan Samaj Party has sought
to forge a Dalit-Muslim alliance to revive
its fortunes in the coming Assembly elections in
the State. The party has fielded 98 Muslim candid-
ates, the highest number for any party or alliance in
the fray, and a clear departure from the grand social
alliance (sarvajan hitay) with which it had swept
the 2007 Assembly elections. The party would also
be counting on its traditional pitch of ensuring law
and order compared to its rivals. This is why the in-
duction into the BSP of Mukhtar Ansari, an eastern
U.P. strongman who faces serious criminal charges,
along with his relatives, puts the spotlight on how
the party chief, Ms. Mayawati, may be refining her
strategy — and how her back-to-basics social alli-
ance will square of against her party’s record of be-
ing tough on the law and order front. Mr. Ansari had
been expelled from the BSP in 2010 for alleged
criminal activities. His antecedents made news re-
cently when he merged his political party, the
Quami Ekta Dal, with the Samajwadi Party in Octo-
ber 2016. This had Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
rise in protest against his uncle Shivpal Yadav and
use the development to project himself as a ‘clean’
politician.
For Ms. Mayawati, Mr. Ansari’s return to the BSP
could help consolidate support from Muslims on
the basis of identity, as she tries to secure her old
vote banks. Dalits are 21% of the population in U.P.
When it first came to power with a full majority in
the Assembly in 2007, the BSP adopted a “sarva-
samaj” rhetoric, assured of support from its Dalit
base. But since then, Dalits have steadily moved
away, notably to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the
communally charged 2014 election, without any
fresh accrual of support from other communities.
Ms. Mayawati has realised over time that she has to
appeal to her core support base among Dalits —
which she has done over the past year after attacks
on the community in diferent parts of the country
sharpened the contradictions in the Sangh Parivar’s
Dalit outreach. Reaching out to Muslims was the
next logical step — they constitute 18% of the popu-
lation in the State, and a Dalit-Muslim alliance is the
BSP’s way of forging a winning strategy. Ms. May-
awati’s gamble of relying on narrow identity polit-
ics to counter her rivals is a risky one, and how the
party’s appeal compares to the SP-Congress alli-
ance’s is still an open question.
would cease to be legal tender. In a single
stroke, nearly 86% of the currency in an eco-
nomy powered by cash transactions, with
54% people without bank accounts, was
wiped out. The move disrupted the lives of
ordinary people, led to widespread hardship
for the poor, major job losses and over a hun-
dred deaths. Despite the huge distress and
disruption, the general sentiment seemed to
be in favour of the decision.
The shock move invited widespread criti-
cism. It provoked protests and a lot of anger
and agitation, but most of it was directed
against local irritants, particularly banks.
There are numerous reports of angry crowds
locking up banks and jamming roads to
protest against the non-disbursement of
cash. As for more organised opposition, the
winter session of Parliament saw Opposition
parties locking horns with the government
over demands for a vote on demonetisation.
The tussle between the government and the
Opposition washed out the entire winter ses-
sion. Opposition parties staged several
protests in diferent parts of the country, but
this did not coalesce into a larger expression
of protest against the government despite the
pain caused by demonetisation to the poor
who have sufered overwhelmingly because
of it. The question that needs to be asked con-
cerns the relative importance of social and
political influences that generated greater
support than opposition against demonetisa-
tion.
Diversionary tactic
Much of the debate on the demonetisation
move has focussed on its economic con-
sequences; not enough attention has been
paid to the politics of this drastic decision
which can possibly explain the lukewarm op-
position to it. One of Mr. Modi’s big campaign
promises was to end corruption. But that
didn’t happen. The growing criticism of the
government’s failure to deliver on the prom-
ise of bringing back black money stashed
abroad and depositing ₨15 lakh into every
bank account as promised at the time of the
Lok Sabha polls led the Prime Minister to do
something bold to ofset the negative feelings
in the context of impending State elections. It
was seen as a dramatic measure that would
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: DEEPAK HARICHANDAN
The Prime Minister has repeatedly
offered the trope of nationalism
so that anyone opposing
demonetisation is denounced as
corrupt and anti-national
enhance the regime’s credibility in fighting
corruption and black money and divert at-
tention from its perceived failures on this and
other fronts. Instead of finding ways to tackle
graft through the tightening of regulations
and controls on real estate and political party
funding, demonetisation was promised as
the ultimate solution.
As a political decision, demonetisation
was aimed at setting the agenda for State As-
sembly elections. The timing of the decision
clearly indicates this: it was announced three
months before five Assembly elections, par-
ticularly in the crucial State of Uttar Pradesh.
It was unleashed as a political strategy to
checkmate regional parties (by threatening
their cash reserves) and expand the BJP’s
support base in the Hindi heartland by pro-
jecting demonetisation as a pro-poor
measure.
Shifting goalposts
With this background in mind, it is pos-
sible to speculate about the political reper-
cussions of demonetisation on popular dis-
content. The focus of discussion has been the
inconvenience, not the policy of demonetisa-
old bank notes had been deposited, thus un-
dermining the government’s claim of extin-
guishing black money. This happened within
a few weeks of the announcement. It put paid
to hopes that the government can profit from
old and unreturned notes as the Reserve
Bank of India could transfer that money to
the government to spend. Given the failure of
the initial drive against black money, the
goalpost was changed from curbing black
money to cashless economy to digital trans-
actions, all this to justify the move which had
caused so much disruption.
Nonetheless, the 50-day deadline for de-
positing old notes allowed the government
time to reposition demonetisation, which
made it more diicult to trigger and sustain
protests.
‘Good’ intent, ‘bad’ management
Further evidence of the overwhelming in-
fluence of what might be loosely termed as
political constraints emerges from the fact
that even critics assume demonetisation was
motivated by good intent, which makes it
more diicult to go against it. This intent was
supposed to include the elimination of black
money, the curbing of counterfeiting, con-
trolling terrorism and moving the nation to a
cashless age. Most critics of the government
have had to preface their criticism with a dis-
claimer acknowledging the laudable motiva-
tions of the exercise even as they bemoan its
incompetent implementation. This shields
the Prime Minister and the government from
criticism, which is limited to inconvenience
and time spent in accessing bank accounts.
But the poor and people working in the in-
formal sector have not only been inconveni-
enced, they have been dislocated and their
livelihoods irreparably damaged. Standing in
a queue or being late to work is an inconveni-
ence, but collapsing businesses and losing
jobs go beyond inconvenience.
At the social level, demonetisation was
presented as a great moral project to clean up
the national economy. It has been portrayed
as a crusade against tax evaders to help the
poor. Mr. Modi describes it as ‘redistributive
justice’, ‘a war unleashed against the corrupt’
and venal elite flaunting their black money.
Hence, many people believe that in trying to
Disgust, Shame and the Law that disgust is a
questionable formation, one that has the so-
cial function of maintaining hierarchies,
while the really democratic act would be to
criticise and undo social hierarchies. The
same could be said about the formation of re-
sentment in perpetuating social fault lines
rather than undoing it.
Climate of fear
Three other reasons can be adduced to ex-
plain the relative shortage of protest. First is
the general climate of fear and the govern-
ment’s intolerance of dissent which deters
people from expressing opposition against
the move. Second is the Indian obsession
with black money. For the past few decades,
black money has become the single greatest
marker of what is wrong with India today.
Successive anti-corruption movements have
played a major role in creating this percep-
tion. Thanks to Bollywood films and their
good-and-evil stories with an unremitting fo-
cus on corruption and black money, they fire
the popular imagination like no other issue
can. Hence, visible action against black
money successfully channels the anger of the
people in favour of those who are seen to be
doing something to eradicate it.
Third, to strengthen his position, the
Prime Minister has repeatedly ofered the
trope of nationalism so that anyone opposing
demonetisation is denounced as corrupt and
anti-national. The analogy with a war against
corruption is also designed to do this, to
make people participate in a sacrifice for
‘cleaning up’ the nation. Thus, the Prime
Minister compared the war on black money
to the external aggressions India faced in
1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999 (Kargil), when the
‘intrinsic strength’ of citizens was on display.
He went on to add: “Such collective energy
and patriotism is understandable in the face
of external threats. However, when crores of
Indians unite to fight a war against internal
evils, it is unparalleled.” Hyper-nationalism
and grandiloquent rhetoric are constant re-
sponses of this government every time it
finds itself on the defensive.
Any discussion of public protests must
also take into account the fact that large and
visible protests are not spontaneous, they are
usually an outcome of mobilisation by polit-
ical parties; but parties have been stymied
because mobilising against demonetisation
can be instantly condemned as support for
corruption. ‘Only black money hoarders are
opposing demonetisation’ was one unvary-
ing refrain of the ruling dispensation. In the
face of this kind of propaganda, no one can af-

Getting ties with ford to be seen as directly opposing measures

to clean up black money and weed out coun-
terfeit currency. The public also fears that

UAE on track opposition to demonetisation will make

them appear corrupt and immoral.
The lack of large-scale protest is by no

E
ven though the interpreter was missing at
their joint appearance in Delhi’s Hydera-
bad House, there was no mistaking the rap-
port between the United Arab Emirates
Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two lead-
ers have met three times in the last 18 months, each
meeting more full of warmth than the previous one.
That the UAE Crown Prince, who is also the
Deputy Supreme Commander of the Emirati armed
forces, was invited as Chief Guest at the Republic
Day parade, even though he is not a head of govern-
ment or state, indicates the importance India in-
vests in him and in ties with the Gulf country. In-
dia’s interest in the UAE rests on several pillars:
trade ties of about $50 billion, energy and oil sup-
plies from the world’s fifth largest exporter, the
welfare of 2.6 million Indians who remit billions of
dollars home annually, and defence and security.
While bilateral ties have been robust for decades,
the defence and security partnership is clearly the
new driver for ties between the two governments;
the signing of the strategic partnership agreement
was the highlight of the UAE leader’s visit. The con-
tours of this partnership are now being set: joint
military exercises, joint manufacturing and pur-
chase of equipment and spare parts from India, as
well as cooperation on fighting terror. The joint
statement also contained strong words on “state-
sponsored terror”, that the government believes is
an indication that the UAE shares India’s frustra-
tion on cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, espe-
cially in the wake of the bomb blast in Kandahar on
January 10, in which five UAE oicials were among
the victims.
Strong words are no substitute for action, how-
ever, and the strategic partnership that India envi-
sions with the UAE must be based on clarity and
concrete measures. This should include a crack-
down on the shadowy businesses owned by Da-
wood Ibrahim as well as more steps to curb terror
financing of the Taliban and groups in Pakistan and
Afghanistan; such money is often routed through
expatriate remittances from the UAE. India’s hopes
of investment from the Abu Dhabi sovereign
wealth fund, one of the world’s largest at $500 bil-
lion, will not be realised until New Delhi steps up
eiciency at its end. That it took more than a year
for the government to fully set up the National In-
vestment and Infrastructure Fund mechanism for
the UAE funds is a case in point. The delay resulted
in the memorandum of understanding for invest-
ment of a possible $75 billion over 10 years falling
through. Personalised leader-to-leader bilateral
diplomacy is a great conversation-starter, but not
suicient to energise ties.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Trump’s first week
U.S. President Donald Trump’s
tough stand on climate change will
create chaos globally (“Setback to
climate action plans”, Jan.27). Much
has been said about how global
warming has taken place because of
greenhouse gas emissions, such as
carbon dioxide, caused by fossil
fuel-based activities. The United
Nations recognises the historical
responsibility of developed
countries in tackling climate
change, and this includes the U.S.
The burden of climate change
cannot fall on the developing
countries. Mr. Trump must
understand that the Paris Accord
was a historic agreement between
the developed and developing
countries to tackle climate change.
Last year, India was able to make
the International Solar Alliance a
reality at the Marrakesh climate
change conference. Leaders like
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
should negotiate with Mr. Trump to
explain the problem of climate
change. If not, India will be one of
the first victims of the U.S.
President’s knee-jerk decisions.
Ashok Kumar,
Delhi
The conversation between United
State President Donald Trump and
Prime Minister Modi should sound
alarm bells in Pakistan. That Mr.
Trump chose to call Mr. Modi even
before calling Russian President
Vladimir Putin or Chinese
President Xi Jinping indicates his
eagerness to build strong relations
with New Delhi. President Trump’s
soft corner for India was evident
even during his campaign. During
the Obama era, relations between
the U.S. and India were great.
Continuity and enhancement of
that special relationship should be
the aim of Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump.
India should not allow the steady
momentum of goodwill and trust
built between Mr. Modi and former
U.S. President Barack Obama slip
away, especially in the backdrop of
strong anti-Trump rhetoric
prevailing in parts of the world.
Ganapathi Bhat,
Akola, Vidarbha
Unfairness of Padma awards
G. Jwala and Pankaj Advani’s
comments were heart-rending
(“You should know the art of PR to
get Padma Award” and “What more
should I do, asks Pankaj Advani”,
Jan.27). Many have complained that
they do not get to know the
guidelines for selection for the
Padma awards, and that the process
is opaque. Having clout mars the
selection process. The problem is
not that the undeserving get the
Padma awards; it is that the
deserving don’t. Many deserving
candidates do not ask for the award
as it is a matter of self-respect for
them. If applying for the award is
the first procedural step, then
people should know the basis for
such an application.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur
UBI for India?
The idea of a universal basic
income is more relevant for India
than for the advanced economies
which have been considering it so
far. But it may not be feasible
(“Case for targeted basic income”,
Jan. 27). Governments in India tend
to mess up when it comes to
distinguishing the poor from the
non-poor. As a result, the poor get
very little of what is spent in their
name. Also, it is argued that many
of the subsidies benefit the rich
more than they do the poor. The
means an expression of popular support for
the government’s decision but it has been in-
terpreted not just as acquiescence but en-
dorsement of the demonetisation move. The
Prime Minister has repeatedly claimed that
people overwhelmingly support his policy.
One might ask how he is privy to this senti-
ment given that he is a master of one-way
communication and hasn’t deigned to speak
in Parliament, leave alone talk to people.
Most likely the support is deduced from the
fact that so far the BJP has not lost any elec-
tions, local or otherwise, since demonetisa-
tion. This reasoning suggests that as long as
there are no large street protests and people
continue to vote for the BJP, there is no need
to accept the downside of this decision and
the social obligation to address public griev-
ances arising from it.
Zoya Hasan is Professor Emerita, Centre for Political
Studies, JNU, and Distinguished Professor, Council for
Social Development, New Delhi.
acceptable level of the universal and poor accountability of the
basic income could be an income executive. The excessive use of
equivalent of the poverty line. The ordinances and subverting
total cost of providing this income Parliament is a direct cause of the
to all Indians would amount to shrinking role of the executive. The
12.5% of GDP, which would amount executive finds little room to
to nearly 95% of the Union function due to disruption of
government’s total expenditure. Parliament.
Thus, a universal basic income On the other hand, whatever action
which provides poverty line- is taken by the executive is subject
equivalent income to all Indians to judicial scrutiny. The judiciary
does not appear feasible because of must curb its instinct to rule in
budgetary constraints. A universal matters that are not under its
basic income handout by itself purview. Recently, the court has
would not solve the problems that ruled in a variety of areas, from
the poor face. In developed singing the national anthem, to
countries, a valuable natural dress codes in temples, to
resource or a highly advanced providing daily drug doses to TB
productive sector can be leveraged patients.
to sustain a universal basic income, Due to lack of accountability in the
which is not possible in India. executive, the people put their faith
Gagan Pratap Singh, in courts to force the executive to
Noida take action, by filing PILs.
The executive is the face of the
government and interacts with
A deeper malaise people on a day-to-day basis. The
The return to Ordinance Raj is but judiciary cannot be a conduit for
a symptom of a deeper disease: the getting things done.
complete dismantling of the Like in a game of cricket, the
separation of powers between the umpires cannot start playing the
three wings of government game if the players themselves are
(“Rolling back Ordinance Raj”, Jan. not playing.
27). This is due to the disruption of Arjun Gopal,
legislature, the overreach of courts, Bengaluru

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NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2017
Bracing for the bull run
Getting a frenzied and injured bull to run amok is preceded by years spent loving and rearing it. Deepu Sebastian Edmond reports on the
contradictions of jallikattu, which is set to return to Alanganallur shortly
The setting sun and fading natural light
probably hurried P. Karthikeyan; while
trying to get Karuppu to pose for photo-
graphs, he found himself too close to
the bull with no one to hold the nose
rope. For once, Karuppu did not grunt a
warning. His left foreleg bent, aiming
horns at Karthikeyan’s belly. As he
thrust himself at his owner, Karuppu’s
horns came up in a clockwise arc.
Karthikeyan ignored all his what-to-dos
about avoiding being gored: he did not
hit the dirt back-first and roll away. All
he managed was a yelp, a quicker re-
sponse than Karuppu’s that left the un-
successful bull yanking at the taut rope
tied to a stump, and a nervous laugh.
“Three years of no jallikattu and it
seems I have forgotten how to control
him,” he says.
It is a startling admission of memory
erosion made by a man whose family
“has always had bulls”, less than 15 km
from the bull-taming sport’s most fam-
ous venue. Ever since the Supreme
Court-imposed ban on jallikattu in
2014, Karthikeyan — a resident of
Pudhupatti, which lies in between
Alanganallur and his farm in Chellana
Goundanpatti — has hired someone to
take over the supervision of his four
bulls, all indigenous breeds.
Even as he doubted his abilities
ahead of a delayed jallikattu season,
Karthikeyan will not hear of questions
about the bull’s memory: “He will re-
member once I apply the pottu (vermil-
lion mark) and sandalwood paste on his
forehead on the morning of the
jallikattu. He refuses to eat after that.”
As jallikattu returns to Alanganallur
shortly, the story of the bull — that
commands respect, even devotion,
from the fear it evokes — is also the
story of humans who spend years lov-
ing it.
Dry runs before D-Day
Karuppu, a pulikulam breed, snorts
when anyone except his handler ap-
proaches. He lets his body jerk violently
with each snort, his tail hangs away
from the body and he goes broadside.
Raja hangs even further back from his
15-odd friends. “He got me once about a
month back,” he says, raising his shirt to
show a scar on his left lower abdomen.
“I was drunk. He was tied anyway and I
thought I could hug him,” he smiles
sheepishly.
It is daybreak on January 24, a day
after police lathi charge and stone-pelt-
ing in Alanganallur. Fearing arrest,
these boys from Pudhupatti had stayed
overnight at Karthikeyan’s fields. Since
the police were after them, no one gave
surnames. Once morning tea was done,
they decided to “warm up” for
jallikattu.
The boys fan into a semi-circle, eye-
ing the seemai karuvelam sapling to
which Karuppu was tied. Ravi ap-
proaches the bull. Karuppu begins a
brisk walk and breaks into a run. The
boy, aged 18, retreats and Karuppu finds
himself yanking at the rope. He then
goes anticlockwise towards the others,
sending them scampering. At this
point, Karuppu stops, considers the
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boys and runs away as far as the rope
would let him, to the other side.
Karthikeyan sports a frown immedi-
ately. Karuppu has never been one to let
go the opportunity to flip a human. In
jallikattu parlance, he is a suttru maadu
— instead of galloping to the finishing
(“collection”) point like the pokku
maadu, he dares his suitors to come at
him.
The more the boys try to approach,
the more Karuppu tries to flee. At the
end of one such dash, the seemai
karuvelam sapling comes of, roots and
all. Karuppu does not turn around. He
stops about a hundred metres away and
begins horning the ground, covering
himself with dirt. “Bulls that can do this
make it diicult for us to escape by
rolling on the ground. Some owners
train them with a straw dummy. Some
bulls get so good, they can target even a
lemon kept on the ground,” says a
breathless boy. “I think it is because of
the nose rope. It is probably chafing at a
wound he sustained recently,” says
Karthikeyan, now concerned. He asks
the boys to back of and secures the an-
imal, constantly conversing with it
through grunts. Later, he feeds him a
guava from the hand; one way to get
reacquainted.
From an embrace to chase
“We are very strict with rules these
days. The bulls as well as the tamers
have to undergo testing on the day be-
fore as well as the morning of the
event,” says Dr. Meril Raj, Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon at the Government
Veterinary Dispensary, Alanganallur.
Among other things, both are checked
for alcohol consumption, injuries and
age; bulls should be between three and
seven years old, tamers should at least
be 18 years. “I was once rejected at
Alanganallur for being only 47 kg. They
said I had to be at least 50 kg,” says
Sekar, a resident of the same village.
There are some things that do not get
rejected, though. “Sometimes, owners
spread ground glass on the bull’s body
and we wipe it of. We also make sure
CHANGING TIMES: “From eru thazhvuthal, or embracing the bull, jallikattu has became manju virattu, which means chasing an agitated bull.” (Clockwise from top): Karuppu, a
prized bull in the jallikattu circuit, takes on two young men; a memorial for a temple bull; M. Muniyandi, an agricultural labourer, with his Pulikulam.PHOTOS: SHAJU JOHN
GROUND ZERO
that sharpened horns are blunted,” says
a government oicial who has been part
of four jallikattu preparations at Alan-
ganallur for four years. Decorations —
even vermillion and sandalwood paste
— on the bull are not allowed anymore;
tamers are required to wear organising
committee-supplied uniforms.
Bull owners and tamers are unequi-
vocal in declaring that they do not harm
the animals. The government oicial is
sympathetic: “You should see the care
they show these animals. They are al-
ways wiping their face with a towel
ahead of releasing them, as if the bulls
are being readied for a ramp walk.” Ac-
cording to him, pre-event injuries to the
bull take place within the vaadivaasal
(arena). “Owners are given only 90
seconds to release the bull. Sometimes,
when the bull sees so many people at
once, it panics and refuses to leave. The
owner gets desperate — his pride is at
stake — and he prods it violently to get
it to run.”
It may not merely be pride alone any-
more. From a piece of cloth tied to the
bull, prizes have grown to include con-
sumer durables, gold coins, and now,
cash. When they believe their bull is in-
vincible, owners announce cash prizes
of up to ₨10,000 on their own for those
who tame their animal.
The sport has changed along with the
world it inhabits. From eru
thazhvuthal, meaning embracing the
bull, it became manju virattu, which
means chasing an agitated bull.
Jallikattu derives its name from the
prize: a bundle of coins that would be
tied to the bull’s horns.
Return of the indigenous
Legislating jallikattu freezes it in
time and risks subsuming the village-
level variations of the game. The Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil
Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 allows for
manju virattu, vadamadu and eruthu
vidum vizha. “There used to be 200
jallikattu events during the best years
for the sport. It came down to less than
25 before the [2014] ban. Right now, we
don’t mind the new rules as long as
jallikattu returns,” says Siva of Alan-
ganallur. “Why do you think we did not
protest when ram-fighting, cock-fight-
ing and rekla races were banned in the
State?” he adds, pausing for efect.
“This. Breeding. Jallikattu is the only
way to save our indigenous breeds.”
With the government aggressively
promoting the Jersey breed in these
parts, farmers see breeding and
jallikattu as the only reasons to have an
uncastrated bull in a village. It has not
helped farmers that the jallikattu ban
coincided with five poor years for agri-
culture, with the current season being
the worst in 20 years. Seemai
karuvelams are invading lands left
unploughed.
“I am unable to cultivate six of my 11
acres this year due to drought. I have
managed only 12 bundles of harvested
paddy from 1.5 acres; I should have got
40 from just one acre,” says
Karthikeyan. He has cut back on the
area in which he has planted sugar cane
and has instead pinned his hope on
guava trees, which are ripe for harvest-
ing for the first time.
Karuppu stays and grazes in the open
field, except for when it rains. Twice
each day, he is given rice husk powder
It is not even taming
the bull. You hold on to
the hump. Not too tight,
because the bull then
controls you. Not too loose,
because you’re then thrown
off - R. Kannan of Palamedu
in water. A month ahead of jallikattu,
Karthikeyan starts feeding him cotton
seed in water in the evenings — some
owners add chopped coconut. A flour
of rice, ragi, green lentils, husk and
sorghum, mixed in water, is sometimes
given ahead of the cotton seed feed.
Karuppu’s swimming — to help with
his leap — also increases in frequency
as jallikattu approaches; the ongoing
drought means there is no water
enough for a swim now.
“As far as farmers are concerned, the
trouble with indigenous breeds is that
they produce much less milk than Jer-
sey cows. So, if the former gives you six
litres a day, the latter manages 15 litres,”
says Dr. Raj. Thanks to higher fat con-
tent, milk from the indigenous breeds is
paid ₨10 more per litre by procuring
agencies and stands at ₨32. Farmers say
the dung from indigenous breeds
makes for good fertilizer. “One animal
can give me enough dung to take care of
two acres. The Jersey’s dung is unus-
able,” says Karthikeyan.
During the years in which jallikattu
was not held, many farmers sold their
bulls and villages donated theirs to gos-
halas (cow shelters). Ahead of
jallikattu, bulls are making a return. “I
was in Tiruchi today to buy a bull for a
friend. They wanted one lakh rupees
for a five-year-old bull that would have
otherwise cost ₨30,000. We didn’t buy,”
says Karthikeyan. He attributes it to a
demand-supply mismatch.
A sacred bond, a spectacle
Some soldiered on during the ban
years. Karthikeyan’s uncle M. Muniy-
| 11
andi is an agricultural labourer now,
having sold all his land to marry of two
of his three daughters. Yet, Muniyandi
has a Pulikulam, tied to the side of the
road in front of his house. The bull,
eight months old when bought, is six
years old now. The 65-year-old owner
emerges from his house with the trophy
the bull won at Palamedu — he walked
away with a milk cooker that day. At a
jallikattu in Dindigul once, Muniyandi’s
bull won a tiin box and a packet of 10
jallikattu T-shirts.
There is resolve in his answer when
Muniyandi is asked how diicult it is to
maintain a jallikattu bull: “He is my son.
He is brother to my three daughters. I
talk to him like I would talk to a young
boy and he responds.”
Jallikattu arenas are no places for bull
whisperers, though. “It is not even tam-
ing the bull. You hold on to the hump.
Not too tight, because the bull then con-
trols you. Not too loose, because you’re
then thrown of,” says R. Kannan of
Palamedu, who participates in jallikattu
regularly. Winners are required to hold
on to the bull for less than 20 metres.
Like good guard dogs, bulls like
Karuppu live in isolation. So does the
bull tamer, a good fortnight ahead of
jallikattu. “Groups of boys go to the vil-
lage temple and tie a yellow cloth, with
a piece of turmeric wrapped within, on
their right wrists. From then on, it’s like
putting on the maala (garland) for [the]
Sabarimala [pilgrimage],” says P. Balas-
ubramanian of Managiri village who
used to participate in jallikattu.
Like Karthikeyan, who too was a
tamer, Balasubramanian stopped put-
ting himself in harm’s way after getting
married. In some cases, the whole point
of participation is marriage itself.
Pointing to a woman in Palamedu, Kan-
nan says, “When her husband was
courting her, she said she would marry
him only if he won at jallikattu.”
It turns out in the minds of the bull
tamers, jallikattu is a team game. “I al-
ways warm up and participate with my
team members. There is a designated
tamer for each bull. The idea is for the
others to distract it enough so that one
person can hold it,” says Karthi, who
lives in Alanganallur. Teams are also
useful for their sheer numbers. “Some-
times, a humiliated owner will try to
pick a fight. Then, there are boys who
go ahead and break the unwritten rule
about not taming a bull from one’s own
village, just to spite the owner, with
whom he may have a long-standing
grievance,” says Balasubramanian.
Denied a bicycle last time jallikattu
was held there because the bull he
caught had ran out later than the allot-
ted 90 seconds, Karthi was headed for
an unapproved jallikattu, held at an un-
disclosed location, on January 24. A
while ago, most of his friends had run
away after hearing false rumours of po-
lice raids within Pudhupatti. “We have
not got enough practice because of the
protests and uncertainty. But you need
not worry. The bulls will be there, and
so will we. Come watch us.”
deepu.sebastian@thehindu.co.in
ND-ND
10 | WEEKEND THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017
NOIDA/DELHI

BEING
DR HUMERUS TAMIL NADU STUDY

A stomach for gut research

Keshav

If Indian science doesn’t wake up, it could lose out in the revving, global race to understand the mysteries of the gut

I
n small doses, pesticides are Evidence of a distinct (OP) insecticides, a mainstay of In-
lethal to insects. In larger dian agriculture, was threefold
quantities, they outright kill pattern of microbes in the higher (18.3%) than in unexposed
people and may cause cancer. gut during illnesses could people (6.2%), even when tradi-
However, an intriguing study tional risk factors like obesity, hy-
conducted in Tamil Nadu suggests
help design new drugs and percholesterolemia and physical in-
that even in trace doses, insect- treatment regimes activity in this population were low.
icides could cause diabetes particu- Typically, OP targets the nervous
larly among agricultural workers Gut Project, American Gut Project, and muscular systems and causes
who intimately work with them. British Gut Project, Initiative in convulsion, respiratory failure and
AROUND THE WORLD According to the team of scient-
ists from Madurai Kamaraj Univer-
Skin and Oral Microbiome (iMicro-
Care, China), Canadian Microbi-
death of insects and mammals.
However, when small doses of the
Multidrug- sity, this happens because the ome Initiative, Human MetaGen- insecticide were given to mice, the
colony of bacteria that populate our ome Consortium Japan (HMGJ), researchers found no significant
resistant bacteria gut — or gut microbiota as they are EU-funded MyNewGut Project, changes in levels of acetylcholin-
in China called — chemically break down and International Human Microbi- esterase in their blood.
The mcr-1 gene — a the insecticide into short chain fatty ome Consortium (IHMC, 12 coun- Raising the levels of OP insect-
gene that makes acids like acetic acid, increase gluc- tries),” note Yogesh Shouche and icide administered to the mice and
bacteria resistant to ose production in cells, and eventu- Shekhar Mande at the National delivering the equivalent of 12-15
colistin, an PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT ally lead to glucose intolerance and Centre for Cell Science, Pune, years of human life exhibited a slow
antibiotic of last type 2 diabetes. “There is suicient evidence to sug- and steady increase in blood gluc-
resort, and that is transferrable between bacteria — gest that genetic as well as micro- ose levels in the mice and signific-
has been found in a wide variety of strains of In probiotics industry bial composition of the Indian pop- antly elevated blood sugar levels
Escherichia coli in China following widespread use The body is estimated to have GOING WITH THE GUT: “Knowledge that the balance of microbes in the gut ulation is distinct… a project of such after 180 days, as well as impaired
of colistin in agriculture. about 35 trillion cells and — be- can thwart infection already underlies the global probiotics industry.” dimensions requires multi-discip- glucose intolerance compared to
As China prepares to introduce the drug for the first cause there’s still considerably un- — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT linary expertise and strong finan- controls.
time in human medicine, two new studies published certainty — about two to three cial support.” To test the role of gut flora, the re-
in The Lancet Infectious Diseases provide evidence times as many microbial cells dis- employed in developing a range of to transgenic mice engineered to The paucity of gut flora-related searchers then transplanted faecal
of how widely the mcr-1 gene has spread to bacteria tributed all over and inside the products such as yoghurt, curd and have human-like immune systems research in India marks the Tamil matter from the OP-fed mice into
in clinical settings, including to a minority already body. The greatest diversity is be- several dietary supplements. to suppress the inflammation Nadu study as among the few India- the guts of regular mice that then,
resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics, and lieved to be within the gastrointest- But now, beyond being a palliat- caused by multiple sclerosis and centric studies to hint at the gut’s according to the researchers, exhib-
highlight the need for caution and careful inal tract, home to around 3,000- ive for the stomach upset and reser- rheumatoid arthritis. Vedanta Bios- microbial diversity and a possible ited significant glucose intolerance.
prescribing when the country introduces colistin. 4,000 species of bacteria, not in- voir of instinct, piling evidence ciences in Boston, Massachusetts, role in diabetes, that alicts at least “Further tests on fasting blood and
Colistin, which has been used extensively in farming cluding viruses and other life forms. shows that there is a distinct pattern now acquired by Pfizer Inc, is con- 70 million Indians, according to a faecal samples from the human
in China since the 1980s, was recently banned for Some are harmful and many of of microbes — healthy and harmful ducting preclinical trials of a pill 2015 report by the International study population suggested similar
use in agriculture, and will soon be introduced in them indiferent. — found in the gut when stricken by containing microbes that suppress Diabetes Federation. links between OP degradation and
clinical use for the first time. Knowledge that the balance of atherosclerosis, obesity, intestinal gut inflammation hyperglycemia in humans,” lead au-
microbes in the gut can thwart in- and even psychological disorders. Study’s findings thor of the study, Dr. G. Velmur-
fection already underlies the global This could help design new drugs Need for an Indian project The study, published in this ugan, now at the University of Flor-
Gendered beliefs, probiotics (or beneficial gut bac- and treatment regimes to tackle The lead editorial in the latest is- week’s issue of the peer-reviewed ida, Gainsville, U.S., said in a
teria) industry. Mother Dairy, complex disorders. sue of India’s top science journal, Genome Biology, and which sur- statement accompanying the re-
even at 6 Amul, Danone Yakult and Nestle A 2014 report in the journal Current Science, warns that if Indian veyed 3,080 people in Vadapalanji search paper, “the efects of chronic
Six-year-old girls India are among the leading produ- Nature quoted a trial by Joseph science doesn’t wake up, it could be panchayat of Madurai district, ar- exposure to OP pesticides on the
are less likely than cers of probiotic functional foods Murray, a gastroenterologist at the lose out in the revving, global race gues that diabetes in people regu- gut microbiome may be a risk factor
boys to believe that and beverages in India with lacto- Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Min- to understand the mysteries of the larly exposed (defined as those in- for diabetes… the use of OP pesti-
members of their bacilli and bifidobacteria, being nesota, U.S., where the gut bac- gut. “…Several countries have be- volved in spraying or mixing these cides should be reconsidered.”
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
gender are brilliant, among the most popular species terium Prevotella histicola was fed gun projects such as the Australian chemicals) to organo-phosphatic jacob.koshy@thehindu.co.in
reports a new study,
which also found that girls at this age are more
likely to shy away from activities said to be for
INSIGHT
children who are “really, really smart”. The results
demonstrate a worrisome trend, given that career Cosmetic science is big business
aspirations of young men and women are shaped by
societal stereotypes about gender. To gain more
insights into gender stereotypes, researchers set up Bracing for Trump’s cuts
a series of experiments with children age 5, 6 and 7
— stages when stereotypes are known to begin. DIONNE SEARCEY,
NORIMITSU ONISHI &
SOMINI SENGUPTA
Even dogs share
their food T he clinic, tucked
discreetly inside the
student health centre on
Generosity, even
among family the University of Dakar
members, had long campus, Senegal,
been considered to prescribes birth control
be a specifically pills, hands out condoms
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT and answers questions
human about sex that young
characteristic. Yet rats, chimpanzees and other women are nervous
animals also exhibit similar behaviour. Rachel Dale, about asking in this PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Friederike Range and colleagues, of the Messerli conservative Muslim
Research Institute at Vetmeduni Vienna, had already west African country. maternal and child health
shown that dogs also share food rewards with other The clinic performs no care, which is partly
dogs. A new study by the research team now used a abortions, nor does it aimed at promoting safe
more complex task set-up to confirm the pro-social discuss the procedure or pregnancies.
behaviour of dogs. The experiment showed that give advice on where to By contrast, the last
dogs continued to prefer familiar partners. get one. Senegal, by and time the rule was in place,
large, outlaws abortion. under U.S. President
But for other health George W. Bush, it
The 19th edition of the Aesthetic Science, Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology Congress is on in Paris. It services like getting applied only to family
Anthropologists seeks to “bridge the knowledge vacuum between plastic and reconstructive surgery and dermatology”. Here, contraceptives, says planning money, an
uncover Old dermatologists, plastic surgeons and other aesthetic practitioners have been discussing advances related to the Anne Lancelot, the Sahel amount that is currently
field of medical aesthetics, surgical procedures and practice management, to injection techniques and new director at the around $520 million, the
Masters devices. Picture shows a colouring product related to cosmetic gynaecology. — PHOTO: AFP organisation that runs the analysis found.
An international clinic, “there is a very A spokesman for
team of high demand.” USAID said the agency
anthropologists has WORLD LEPROSY DAY Now, under a Reagan- was still reviewing Mr.
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT uncovered a era policy revived by U.S. Trump’s presidential

Why India needs to step up its fight

38,000-year-old President Donald Trump, order to figure out how it
engraved image in a southwestern French rock the clinic may no longer would be enacted. But the
shelter — a finding that marks some of the earliest be able to count on aid language suggesting that
known graphic imagery found in Western Eurasia money from the United it would be extended to
and offers insights into the nature of modern In 2015, the country accounted for 60% of new cases of leprosy globally States Agency for all global health aid
humans during this period. International quickly sent a chill
“The discovery sheds new light on regional VIDYA KRISHNAN gaining ground. There are also other Development (USAID), through the network of
patterning of art and ornamentation across Europe possibilities such as transmission part of a ban on providing health providers that rely
abortion counselling on American assistance
at a time when the first modern humans to enter
Europe dispersed westward and northward across
the continent,” explains NYU anthropologist Randall
I ndia’s fight against leprosy — 16
years after being eliminated glob-
ally as a public health issue — is far
through insects which cannot be com-
pletely ruled out. Although leprosy af-
fects both sexes, in most parts of the
overseas that could
curtail a broad range of
to deliver a wide range of
services in countries with
White, who led the excavation in France’s Vézère health services, including fragile health-care
from over. The World Health Organiz- world males are afected more fre- those that go well beyond systems.
Valley. The findings, which appear in the journal, ation (WHO) asked South-East Asian quently than females, often in the ra- abortion. In Swaziland, which
Quaternary International, centre on the early countries, including India which ac- tio of 2:1, according to WHO’s Global Direct American aid to has one of the world’s
modern humans’ Aurignacian culture, which existed counted for 60% per cent of such Leprosy Report. carry out abortions was highest HIV infection
from approximately 43,000 to 33,000 years ago. cases worldwide in 2015, to focus on World Leprosy Day is observed on already prohibited, but rates, one private health-
Abri Blanchard, the French site of the recently preventing disabilities in children. the last Sunday of January since 1954. the rule Mr. Trump care provider said its staf
uncovered engraving, a slab bearing a complex According to WHO, leprosy af- Dr. Singh says that “to efectively com- revived goes further. It members provide
image of an aurochs, or wild cow, surrounded by fected 2,12,000 people globally in 2015. bat stigma, a multi-sectoral approach requires not only abortion information to
rows of dots, was previously excavated in the early India alone reported 1,27,326 new is needed. Health authorities need to hospitals or clinics to HIV-infected women
20th century. Prof. White and his team members cases, accounting for 60% of new reach out to and include leprosy-af- refrain from providing when necessary.
began their methodical exploration of remaining cases globally. The other high-burden fected persons and communities in advice or information on Swaziland allows
deposits at the site in 2011, with the discovery countries were Brazil and Indonesia. their programming. Laws or regula- the benefits and abortion only in cases of
occurring in 2012. Of the new cases, 8.9% were children tions that sanction or abet discrimina- availability of abortion. It rape and incest, but
and 6.7% presented with visible de- tion against persons sufering from also requires any patients can be referred
formities. The remaining 10,286 new leprosy should be repealed. A concert international to neighbouring South
cases (5%) were reported by 92 coun- of voices should be mobilised to organisations supporting Africa, where abortion is
tries. Thirty countries reported zero counter harmful social attitudes. those clinics to stop legal.
DEMYSTIFYING SCIENCE new cases. Non-governmental and civil society
promoting abortion or Ms. Lancelot said the
advocating abortion clinic does not provide
What is the Gibraltar Arc? organisations should be included in rights anywhere in the abortion services or
‘Unacceptable numbers’ campaigns to challenge leprosy-re- world — even if they use counselling. But the
The Gibraltar Arc is a geological region, India is among the 22 countries lated stigma, and to address discrim- non-American money to organisation that runs it,
considered one of the most narrowest landforms considered as having a “high burden ination against afected persons and do so. Marie Stopes
on Earth. A team of Andalusian scientists, led by for leprosy” along with high transmis- their family members.” International, based in
the University of Granada (UGR), has been able sion by WHO. “Despite being elimin- STRATEGY: “WHO aims to reinvigorate In 2016, WHO launched the Global Extends to all aid London, provides
to reconstruct for the first time what the ated globally as a public health prob- efforts to control leprosy and avert Leprosy Strategy 2016–2020: Acceler- The wording in the abortions and abortion
Gibraltar Arc was like 9 million years ago. The lem in 2000, leprosy continues to mar disabilities especially among children ating towards a leprosy-free world, Trump order extends the counselling in other
researchers have been able to prove that, since the lives of individuals, and impacts still affected by the disease in with the aim of reinvigorating eforts restrictions to all countries where it is
then, large blocks of land, with sizes about 300 families and communities. Though endemic countries.” — PHOTO: SPECIAL to control leprosy and avert disabilit- American global health legal, though not with
kilometres long and 150 kilometres wide, have present numbers are a fraction of ARRANGEMENT ies, especially among children still af- aid, an $8.5 billion pot of money from the United
rotated clockwise (in the case of the Baetic what was reported a decade ago, they fected by the disease in endemic money, according to an States.
System mountain range) and counter-clockwise are unacceptable, as an efective treat- more than 1,000 new cases each. Only countries. analysis by the Kaiser The international
(in the case of the Rif mountain range, in the ment for leprosy — multidrug ther- 6% of new cases were reported from India, which is among the endemic Family Foundation, a groups afected by the
north of Morocco). apy, or MDT — has been available the rest of the world. countries, has been advised to include research organisation. prohibition usually
The said movements have completely reshaped since the 1980s and can fully cure lep- strategic interventions in national More than half of that provide a range of
the Gibraltar Arc, since they have been carried rosy,” says Dr. Poonam Khetrapal How it spreads plans to meet the new targets, such as money goes to women’s health services,
programmes for HIV and including pregnancy
out at a very high speed: 6° per million years (in Singh, WHO Regional Director for While the mode of transmission of screening all close contacts of per-
AIDS, including services tests, HIV tests and
total, 53° for the block of the Western Baetic South-East Asia. leprosy is not known, the most widely sons afected by leprosy; promoting a for women of screenings for sexually
System), and are compatible with both the The number of new cases indicates held belief is that the disease was shorter and uniform treatment regi- reproductive age, the transmitted diseases. —
opening of the Strait of Gibraltar about 5 million the degree of continued transmission transmitted by contact between those men, and incorporating specific inter- analysis found. An New York Times News
years ago as with the current movements of infection. Global statistics show with leprosy and healthy persons. ventions against stigmatisation and additional 9% goes to Service
measured with GPS. that 1,99,992 (94%) of new cases were More recently, the possibility of trans- discrimination.
reported from 14 countries reporting mission by the respiratory route is vidya.krishnan@thehindu.co.in
CM ND-ND
YK
 | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017

WEEKEND
READING
INTERVIEW SHELF

HELP
‘Trump makes sense to a grocery store owner’ G

Economist-mathematician Nassim Nicholas Taleb contends that there is a global riot against pseudo-experts
SUHASINI HAIDAR
After predicting the 2008 eco-
nomic crisis, the Brexit vote,
the U.S. presidential election
and other events correctly,
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, au-
thor of the Incerto series on
global uncertainties, which
includes The Black Swan: The
Impact of the Highly Improb-
able, is seen as something of a
maverick and an oracle.
Equally, the economist-math-
ematician has been criticised
for advocating a “dumbing
down” of the economic sys-
tem, and his reasoning for U.S.
President Donald Trump and
global populist movements. In
an interview in Jaipur, Taleb
explains why he thinks the
world is seeing a “global riot
against pseudo-experts”.
I’d like to start by asking about
your next book, Skin in the
Game, the fifth of the Incerto
series. You do something
unusual with your books:
before you launch, you put
chapters out on your website.
Why is that?
Putting my work online mo-
tivates me to go deeper into a
subject. I put it online and it
gives some structure to my
thought. The only way to
judge a book is by something
called the Lindy efect, and
that is its survival. My books
have survived. I noticed that
The Black Swan did well be-
cause it was picked up early
online, long before the launch.
I also prefer social media to
interviews in the mainstream
media as many journalists
don’t do their research, and
‘zeitgeist’ updates [Top Ten
lists] pass for journalism.
The media is not one
organisation or a monolithic
entity.
Well, I’m talking about the
United States where I get
more credible news from the
social media than the main-
stream media. But I am very
impressed with the Indian
media that seems to present
both sides of the story. In the
U.S., you only get either the of-
ficial, bureaucratic or the aca-
Barack Obama behaved like the Archbishop of
Canterbury, and was going to do good but people
didn’t feel their lives were better. If it was a shopkeeper
from Aleppo, or a grocery store owner in Mumbai, people
would have liked them as much as Trump.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb. PHOTO: YOUTUBE
demic side of the story. derstood the economic prob-
lems. People don’t realise that
In Skin in the Game, you seem Obama created inequalities
to build on theories from The when he distorted the system.
Black Swan that give a sense of You can only get rich if you
foreboding about the world have assets. What Trump is
economy. Do you see another doing is put some kind of busi-
crisis coming? ness sense in the system. You
don’t have to be a genius to see
Oh, absolutely! The last what’s wrong. Instead of
crisis [2008] hasn’t ended yet Trump being elected, if you
because they just delayed it. went to the local souk
[Barack] Obama is an actor. [bazaar] in Aleppo and
He looks good, he raises good brought one of the retail shop
children, he is respectable. owners, he would do the same
But he didn’t fix the economic thing Trump is doing. Like
system, he put novocaine making a call to Boeing and
[local anaesthetic] in the sys- asking why are we paying so
tem. He delayed the problem much.
by working with the bankers
whom he should have prosec- You’re seen as something of
uted. And now we have an oracle, given that you saw
double the deficit, adjusted the 2008 economic crash
for GDP, to create six million coming, you predicted the
jobs, with a massive debt and Brexit vote, the outcome of the
the system isn’t cured. We re- Syrian crisis. You said the
tained zero interest rates, and Islamic State would benefit if
that hasn’t helped. Basically Bashar al-Assad was pushed
we shifted the problem from out and you predicted Trump’s
the private corporates to the win. How do you explain it?
government in the U.S. So, the
system remains very fragile. Not the Islamic State, but al-
Qaeda at the time, and I said
You say Obama put novocaine the U.S. administration was
in the system. How will the helping fund them. See, you
Trump administration be able have to have courage to say
to address this? things others don’t. I was
lucky financially in life, that I
Of course. The whole man- didn’t need to work for a living
date he got was because he un- and can spend all my time
thinking. When Trump was
running for election, I said
what he says makes sense to a
grocery store owner. Because
the grocery guy can say
Trump is wrong because he
can see where he is wrong. But
with Obama, he can’t under-
stand what he’s saying, so the
grocery man doesn’t know
where he is wrong.
Is it a choice between
dumbing down versus over-
intellectualisation, then?
Exactly. Trump never ran
for archbishop, so you never
saw anything in his behaviour
that was saintly, and that was
fine. Whereas Obama be-
haved like the Archbishop of
Canterbury, and was going to
do good but people didn’t feel
their lives were better. As I
said, if it was a shopkeeper
from Aleppo, or a grocery
store owner in Mumbai,
people would have liked them
as much as Trump. What he
says makes common sense,
asking why are we paying so
much for this rubbish or why
do we need these complex
taxes, or why do we want lob-
byists. You can call Trump’s
plain-speaking what you like.
But the way intellectuals treat
people who don’t agree with
them isn’t good either. I re-
member I had an academic
friend who supported Brexit,
and he said he knew what it
meant to be a leper in the U.K.
It was the same with support-
ing Trump in the U.S.
But there were valid reasons
for people to be worried about
Trump too.
Well, if you’re a business-
man, for example, what
Trump said didn’t bother you.
The intellectual class of no
more than 2,00,000 people in
the U.S. don’t represent every-
one upset with Trump. The
real problem is the ‘faux-ex-
pert problem’, one who
doesn’t know what he doesn’t
know, and assumes he knows
what people think. An electri-
cian doesn’t have that
problem.
Is the election of Trump part of
a global phenomena? You have
commented on the similarity
to the election of Narendra
Modi in India.
Well, with Trump, Modi,
Brexit, and now France, there
are some similar problems in
those countries. What you are
hearing is people getting fed
up with the ruling class. This
is not fascism. It has nothing
to do with fascism. It has to do
with the faux-experts prob-
lem and a world with too
many experts. If we had a dif-
ferent elite, we may not see
the same problem.
There are other similarities, to
quote from studies of populist
movements worldwide: these
leaders are majoritarian, they
build on resentment, they use
social media for direct access
to their voters, and they can
take radical decisions.
I often say that a mathem-
atician thinks in numbers, a
lawyer in laws, and an idiot
thinks in words. These words
don’t amount to anything. I
think you have to draw the
conclusion that there is a
global riot against pseudo-ex-
The real problem
is the ‘faux-
expert problem’, one
who doesn’t know what
he doesn’t know, and
assumes he knows
what people think.
perts. I saw it with Brexit, and
Nigel Farage [leader of the
U.K. Independence Party],
who was a trader for 15 years,
said the problem with the gov-
ernment was that none of
them had ever had a proper
job. Being a bureaucrat is not a
proper job.
As a businessperson, you have
a point about experts and
pseudo-experts who you say
are ‘left-wing’. How do you
explain the other parts to the
phenomenon that aren’t
economic: the xenophobia,
Islamophobia, misogyny, etc.?
I don’t understand how a
left-wing person can defend
Salafism, or religious extrem-
ism. In a democracy, you can
allow people to have any view,
but they can’t come with a
message to destroy demo-
cracy. Why should people
who come to the West come
with a message to finish the
West? This is where the dis-
course goes haywire. So in Ye-
men, the [Saudi] intervention
is good, but the intervention
[by Russia] in Aleppo
shouldn’t be allowed. I don’t
think Trump was racist when
he said Mexican criminals
shouldn’t be allowed into the
U.S.; he was targeting crimin-
als. If you are Naziphobic, you
are not against Germans. If I
oppose Salafism, I am not an
Islamophobe. Obama also de-
ported Mexicans and refused
to accept immigrants.
Is anti-globalisation a part of
this sentiment?
I am not anti-globalisation,
but I am against big global
corporations. One of the reas-
ons is what they cost. Today,
every project sees cost over-
runs because these projects
have to factor in global risks as
well. In nature there is an ‘is-
land efect’. The number of
species on an island drops sig-
nificantly when you go to the
mainland. Similarly, when you
open up your small econom-
ies, you lose some of your eth-
nicity or diversity. Artisans
are being killed by globalisa-
tion. Think of the efect on so
many artists who have been
put out of work while people
are buying wrinkle-free shirts
and cheap mobile phones. I’m
a localist. The problem is
globalisation comes through
large global corporates that
are predatory, and so we want
to counter its ill-efects.
Where do you see the world
moving now? Further right, or
will it revert to the centre?
I don’t think it will go left or
right, and I don’t know about
the short term. But I think in
the long term, the world can
only survive if it lives like
nature does. Many smaller
units of governance, and a col-
lection of super islands with
some separation, quick de-
cision-making, and visible im-
plementation. Lots of Switzer-
lands, that’s what we need.
What we need is not leaders,
we don’t need them. We just
need someone at the top who
doesn’t mess the system up.
In the land of
the Bugtis
KALLOL BHATTACHERJEE
When India in October 2015
confirmed the presence of a Baloch
activist, a representative of
Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri, in
Delhi, causing outrage in Pakistan, I
realised what little exposition there
was on Balochistan in books on
Pakistan. Descriptions of the
Balochistan issue are limited to the
snippets put out by the Baloch
rebels on Twitter. In the quest to
find out more about the issue, I
chanced upon a journalistic
account of the Bugti tribe of
Balochistan. Sylvia Matheson, in
The Tigers of Baluchistan (Oxford,
reprinted in 1997), was given rare
access to the tribe by its chief
during the 1940s and narrates
through cultural anecdotes and a
personal account how a traditional
tribe confronted industrialisation.
Matheson dressed like a Bugti
male. She wrapped a turban around
her head and set out to observe the
codes of honour and social
hierarchy within the Baloch people,
who are at the centre of the
movement in Pakistan. The man
who made this field research
possible for her was Nawab Akbar
Khan Bugti, who gave her an insight
into a unique kind of violence in the
region. “Of course, you must
remember that I killed my first man
when I was twelve,” a young Bugti
told Matheson. Bugti lived in style
all his life. At the time of his death
(he was killed in an attack launched
by the Pakistan military in 2006), he
was accompanied by his tribesmen
who fought and died with him.
But Bugti, despite his feudal
roots, was also a modern man at
heart who wanted his people to
benefit from the new discovery of
natural gas in his part of the
province and bring clean drinking
water and other facilities to
Balochistan’s cities and villages. In
the 1940s, however, he was far from
the legend that he became in his
later years.
Matheson refers to Bugti as “the
chieftain” in her narrative.
Travelling while writing and
filming the Bugtis, Matheson and
Bugti’s jirgas and hunting
expeditions were not without risks.
The author innovated to deal with
the perils of living there: while her
hosts drank from a mushk,
Matheson added brandy in water in
the hope that the alcohol would kill
the bugs. She survived the journey,
and recorded songs, legends and
the political problems that were
emerging with the arrival of the
new movement called Pakistan.
What adds to the charm of the
narrative is the fact that the author
was smitten by the charismatic and
young Bugti, who was a feudal lord
with a diference. The personal
telling of a story and the anecdotes,
folklore and poetry make this an
interesting read.
kallol.b@thehindu.co.in

THE BOOK
WORD COUNTS
IN MY HAND
Anjum Hasan
Judging a cover by its text
I am reading Hashimpura Jhumpa Lahiri explains why the first time she sees a cover for her books is always upsetting
May 22 by Hindi writer and
ex-cop Vibhuti Narain Rai connection to it: “Over time,
about the killing in cold
MINI KAPOOR No matter how
the covers become a part of
blood of a group of young me, and I identify with them.”
effective or
Muslim men by a It never fails to shock or thrill It was thus that she found her- intriguing the cover
paramilitary force in
Ghaziabad district in 1987
me when I see a new, re-jack- self “dumbfounded” when she may be, there always
and how the killers went eted edition of a favourite received the Italian edition of a exists, between us, a
book. And in this age of rapid book by “a writer of Indian ori-
scot-free. I am also reading
re-jacketing, with publishers gin” that was identical to the
disconnect... The cover
Sam Miller’s wacky and
delightful account of walking in a more keenly aware of the American cover of her first already knows my
spiral around the capital, Delhi: power of cover design to at- book of short stories (Inter- book, while I have yet
Adventures in a Megacity. Last I tract the reader to a book and preter of Maladies). So much to make its
read Open City by Teju Cole, perhaps away from its e-book for a cover being a customised
which I found riveting. It is a variant, it’s a trick that keeps interpretation of a text. acquaintance…
novel saturated with wonder, giving. Chancing upon a new
tentativeness and sorrow about cover for a much-read book in The Italian connection
our contemporary world but it a bookshop or a library will The Clothing of Books is ing its character.”
never becomes polemical or stop me in my tracks to at least also a reminder of how Lahiri’s It was almost as if the pro-
strident. Having visited browse for a few minutes, mak- writing has been transformed cess of articulating her
Bangladesh recently, I plan to ing fresh acquaintance with a by her decision, some time thoughts in a new, till now for-
read Salil Tripathi’s The Colonel familiar text. Sometimes it’ll back, to move to Rome and eign language, the fumbling
Who Would Not Repent: The Bangladesh War and its invite a deeper, even diferent learn Italian. It’s an experience for the right word forced her to
Unquiet Legacy. reading of the book; at other she wrote about in her first shed her reserve. Everything
Anjum Hasan is a novelist, short story writer, poet and
times it’ll disorient me enough book of non-fiction, In Other became personal, all writing a
editor. Her last novel was 'The Cosmopolitans' (2015). to go right back to the original Words. In Rome, Lahiri gradu- memoir. So it is with this book.
edition; and, of course, most ally immersed herself in The Clothing of Books was
times it will be just a few Italian, to the extent that once written in Italian. It was trans-
Arnab Ray minutes meditatively spent
but without changing my
she had finished writing The
Lowland, her last novel, she
lated into English by her hus-
band, Alberto Vourvoulias-
I am reading Rekha: The longer engagement with the began writing only in Italian. Bush. Later she worked on the
Untold Story by Yasser book. All told, it’s yet another In Other Words was a transla- translation. Thereafter: “Back
Usman. Last I read Karan nudge to consider a little ap- tion into English, by Ann Gold- in Rome, after slightly modify-
Johar’s An Unsuitable Boy. preciated aspect of the reading stein, of Lahiri’s Italian ori- ing the translation, after cor-
It is an enjoyable book experience, the book cover. ginal. She refrained from recting a couple of mistakes
where the voice of the As Roberto Calasso, the le- translating it into English, a and adding one or two new
author comes through, as gendary Italian publisher, language in which she had thoughts, I had to rework the
do his struggles to become wrote in The Art of the Pub- STRIKING: The cover is the text’s ‘first interpretation’, writes Jhumpa Lahiri. Covers of her books. written prize-winning fiction, Italian text, translating myself,
“himself”. There are no lisher, the cover must draw in herself. As she wrote then: this time from English, in or-
great revelations and not the potential reader and also (Penguin), more from the make its acquaintance… My re- critiqued, ignored. The cover “Had I translated this book, the der to arrive at the final ver-
much of catty gossip, but it meet the expectations of the point of view of a writer than a actions are various, visceral.” is intimately connected to the temptation would have been to sion.” In a way, this meditation
provides great insights into the reader who has already read reader. “The first time I see The cover, she notes, is the book, yet it is separate, so that improve it, to make it stronger on covers is therefore part of
fascinating minds of one of the book, that is, someone now one of my covers,” she writes, text’s “first interpretation”. “It “one can love the cover and by means of my stronger lan- Lahiri’s evolution as a writer.
modern Bollywood’s true legends. in a position to judge the cover “while thrilling, is always up- represents a collective reading hate the book, or vice versa”. guage. But I wanted the trans- As a reader, you can’t but think
Next I plan to read The Sellout by by the book. setting. No matter how efect- by the book designer and vari- Later in this 71-page book, lation of In altre parole [the that this essay/book would not
Paul Beatty. ive or intriguing it may be, ous people at the publishing Lahiri recounts an unsettling Italian original] to render my have been written were she
Arnab Ray is a novelist and A writer’s reaction there always exists, between house”, and its finalisation is a episode. She notes how even Italian honestly, without still writing in the language
blogger. His last book was Jhumpa Lahiri comes to the us, a disconnect, a disequilib- signal that the book is about to when she does not like a jacket smoothing out its rough edges, she’s most fluent in.
‘Sultan of Delhi’ (2016). subject of covers in a slim new rium. The cover already knows make its way in the world, to be for a book of hers, she does without neutralising its
book, The Clothing of Books my book, while I have yet to read, analysed, appreciated, eventually establish a sense of oddness, without manipulat- mini.kapoor@thehindu.co.in

CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

Gandhi for our troubled times

The Mahatma’s approach to politics in terms of ‘resistance’ and ‘protest’ beyond a conception of domination
over others provides a potential antidote to the contemporary crisis of democracy
another Socratic aspect which is absent dissenting and productive thinking of gad-
M O N D AY , J A N U A RY 3 0 , 2 0 1 7 among most of the political leaders today: flies in the public space. As such, Gandhi was
RAMIN JAHANBEGLOO courage. He believed that when fighting in- able to define a new vision of independent
justice, the actor must not only have the India — not by a nostalgic return to the past,

Keeping safety I once asked my students at Jindal Global

courage of his/her opinions but also be
ready to give his/her life for the cause. As
writer George Woodcock says, “The idea of
but by creating the possibilities of a critical
public culture in India.
The idea of struggling for truth and resist-

on the rails University about Mahatma Gandhi’s relev-

ance in today’s India. “Gandhi is only a name
and an image in India today,” they commen-
perishing for a cause, for other men, for a vil-
lage even, occurs more frequently in his
[Gandhi’s] writings as time goes on. He had
ing evil, after all, provides us with one of the
most brilliant examples of Gandhian critical
thinking and public questioning. Question-

T
he preliminary finding of the Commis-
sion of Railway Safety that the derailment
of the Indore-Rajendranagar Express
near Kanpur in November 2016 that
killed over 140 people was primarily caused by car-
riage and wagon defects should serve as a reality
check for the Railway Ministry. While sabotage is
indeed a factor in some derailments, bad railway
performance is responsible for the majority. The
CRS report merits serious consideration:it has spe-
cifically identified a variation in the wheel gauges
of two coaches, and found carriages being run bey-
ond their useful life. This is not a rare instance
where inquiries have found the Railways seriously
deficient. In fact, the annual report of the CRS Luc-
know for 2012-13 cites failure of railway equipment,
derelict staf, rail fractures and, on some occasions,
non-railway factors to be responsible for fatal acci-
dents. The collision of the Hubli-Bengaluru City
Hampi Express with a goods train that left 25
people dead, for instance, was caused by failure of
staf. The Kakodkar committee on railway safety
found that out of 441 derailments it analysed, only
about 15% were the result of sabotage, while the ma-
jority were caused by factors completely under the
control of the railway administration.
India’s Railways serves the vital function of
providing travel access to millions, and, as Ma-
hatma Gandhi wrote in his article ‘Third Class in
Indian Railways’, have the responsibility of making
it equitable and comfortable. It must also be safe.
The Railway Ministry is pursuing a major safety
initiative, the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh, with a
non-lapsable corpus of ₨1,19,183 crore. Not only
should such a fund be constituted, given the past
contribution of dedicated safety funds to rail track
renewal, it should be governed by a transparent
framework with public reporting requirements.
The Finance Ministry says the Fund should rely
mainly on internal resources, but there is a strong
case for higher gross budgetary support to raise
safety in a government-run transport network that
has a universal service obligation. Replacing ageing
and unsafe carriages with modern Linke Hofmann
Busch coaches is a five-year-old Kakodkar panel re-
commendation, but supply has not kept pace with
requirement. Travel demand has, meanwhile, con-
tinued to leap as economic growth both needs and
encourages greater mobility. Raising the perform-
ance of the Indian Railways needs a clear vision for
both service and financing, with zero tolerance for
accidents. Along with technologies such as ultra-
sonic flaw detection to keep tracks safe, Railway
Minister Suresh Prabhu and his team must look at
ways to carry more passengers safely.
ted coldly, as if I had been taken in by a ro-
mantic view of India which lived the
Gandhian non-violence as a Utopian dream
far from the harsh reality of the everyday life
of Indians.
This may be true, I thought. Yet, even if
there is an ounce of truth in this argument,
we need to be reminded that Gandhi has
been more appreciated, read and practised
seriously outside India than among the last
two generations of Indians. Moreover, he re-
mains a towering figure who seems as fas-
cinating as he was when he was assassinated
by Nathuram Godse. The impact of his philo-
sophy of non-violence in inspiring leaders of
the 20th century such as Khan Abdul Ghafar
Khan, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Man-
dela and Václav Havel is the expression of a
momentous mode of political thinking that
can be invoked as a Gandhian moment.
Explaining his universal appeal
Therefore, Gandhi’s success as a universal
gadfly goes far beyond his national stature as
the founding father of modern India. As
such, his universal message could be meas-
ured by his immense impact on all forms of
dissent against unjust regimes — this in-
cludes India — in the past half-century. As
such, Gandhi has become a part of the moral
conscience of humanity. His name and
achievements symbolise a sense of revolt
against injustice. That is to say, a proper ap-
preciation of Gandhi’s relevance can only be
made against the backdrop of his civic philo-
sophy of dissent. Also, let us not forget that
Gandhi’s critique of modern civilisation in
Hind Swaraj is one of the greatest Socratic
gestures of intellectual self-examination in
the history of modern political thought. It is
all the more necessary to point out that
Gandhi’s critical attitude toward modern
CARTOONSCAPE
He was able to define a new
vision of independent India — not
by a nostalgic return to the past,
but by creating the possibilities of
a critical public culture in India
civilisation is an efort in asking the right
questions at the right time about whole in-
herited ideas on thought and action. The
Gandhian audacity of asking questions on
what the western world presents as univer-
sal truths is, therefore, tied to a specific his-
torical context in which this self-examina-
tion finds its meaning. As such, it happens
that Gandhi is a non-professional philo-
sopher who asks philosophical questions
and helps us to understand the implications
of how these ideas can change the world. In
other words, he is a public gadfly who does
not conform himself to any orthodoxy, west-
ern or Indian.
Such an attitude of mind is represented by
Gandhi’s Socratic revolution: self-examina-
tion accompanied by a self-transformation
of society. Gandhi’s legacy also exemplifies
always held that satyagraha implied the will-
ingness to accept not only sufering but also
death for the sake of a principle.” Gandhi’s
dedication to justice in the face of death is an
example of his courageous attitude of mind
as a Socratic gadfly. Further, one can find in
Gandhi a readiness to raise the matter of self-
sufering as public policy. He felt an increas-
ing loneliness in the role of the super-
satyagrahi which he had assumed. Loneli-
ness is one of the fundamental features of a
Socratic gadfly, who is always expected to
take a position independent of those in
power and sometimes in direct opposition to
the opinions of the larger society. As a matter
of fact, Gandhi’s moral power, like Socrates’s
irony, masks an autonomous individual who
is often lonely because of his attentiveness to
the moral disquiet within him. Gandhi’s no-
bility of spirit in the face of populism is a
timely reminder of how imaginatively the
act of dissent can become a way of question-
ing, changing the world as well as oneself.
A vision by creating possibilities
When confronted by mobs or public au-
thority, Gandhi did not adopt a policy of self-
censorship. He had no fear of the power of
the state or of a tyrannical crowd. It is this
state of mind which we can find as the under-
lying motto of Gandhi’s political and intel-
lectual life. Gandhi had no tragic sense of
politics, but he knew which battles to fight
and which ones to let go. In the manner of
Socrates, he was aware of the fact that philo-
sophy and the city need each other and bene-
fit each other, even if there is a distinction
between the concerned and critical gadfly
and those playing a role to preserve a corrup-
ted power. That is why, for both Socrates and
Gandhi, the process of dialogue and cease-
less questioning is considered as the most
ing in this context is the non-violent process
of speaking up against power while with-
standing tyranny and silencing. In other
words, Gandhi’s main concern is not with
ahimsa as kindness and gentleness. He is
talking of non-violence as a brave act of dis-
sent. “My non-violence is not merely kind-
ness to all living creatures,” wrote Gandhi in
his journal Harijan. “Ahimsa is the highest
ideal. It is meant for the brave, never for the
cowardly. To benefit by others’ killing and
delude oneself into the belief that one is be-
ing very religious and non-violent is sheer
self-deception.” As a matter of fact, taking
into consideration Gandhi’s life, Satyagraha
rests on a philosophical belief that non-viol-
ence is a struggle against wickedness and hy-
pocrisy. Moreover, it is the highest form of
moral intervention against falsehood and in-
justice in the public space.
Leadership as a true form
Therefore, more than just being a histor-
ical moment, questions which were ad-
dressed by Mahatma Gandhi to his contem-
poraries find their full relevance in our times
of political populism and moral hypocrisy.
Though Gandhi propounded no Platonic or
Machiavellian theories of political leader-
ship, he personified a moral and dialogical
leadership behaviour widely acknowledged
as a true form of interconnectedness and ser-
vice to others. Undoubtedly, this is the true
lesson of Gandhi’s political life, where moral
conviction and sense of duty to others go
hand-in-hand. He strived to live a life in
politics which promoted moral values that
transcended self-interest and political arrog-
ance. This idea of transformative leadership
as an ethic of freedom is a distinctive feature
of Gandhi’s political philosophy.
As such, in Gandhi’s ideal of democracy
many of his core beliefs and arguments such
as moral growth of the individual, the
primacy of the spiritual in non-violent ac-
tion and the interdependence of all depart-
ments of life came together. But how did
Gandhi expect these principles to work in
everyday life? He had come to the conclusion
that democracy, like any other aspect of so-
cial and political life, would not function in
the framework of a meaningless civilisation
with no sense of ethics and spirituality. In
other words, his idea of democracy is under-
stood as a means to fulfil one’s civic duty as
an individual participating in a community
and as an end to be attained through moral
and political resistance to all forms of cent-
ralisation of power.
This is where Gandhi’s conception of
democracy becomes relevant to us and signi-
ficant to contemporary democratic theory.
Needless to say, Gandhi’s approach to polit-

Simply ics in terms of “resistance” and “protest”

beyond a conception of domination over
others provides a potential antidote to the
the best contemporary crisis of democracy. With this
in mind, Gandhi can be said to be oriented

I
n times to come, 2017 will be remembered by
tennis fans as the year the Australian Open
went retro. For, it featured the big-stage revival
of two of the sport’s most storied rivalries. Ro-
ger Federer was pushed to the limit by Rafael
Nadal’s relentless, shape-shifting style before the
Swiss maestro’s sublime artistry prevailed in a clas-
sic — his third win in nine Major finals over the
Spaniard, his 18th Grand Slam crown and his first
since Wimbledon in 2012. And Serena Williams,
playing sister Venus in a Major final after nearly
eight years, continued her dominance, capturing a
professional-era record 23rd title. The warm nos-
talgia these great champions evoked was accom-
panied by the thrill of the unexpected. Of the four,
only Serena’s presence in the final was unsurpris-
ing. The resurgence of the old guard — the first
time in the Open Era that all four finalists were over
the age of 30 — might have had something to do
with the faster courts in Melbourne this year. Fe-
derer, among others, certainly thought so. He said it
kept points shorter than normal and made fewer
demands of the body. He also felt that those who
had started out before 2005 had an edge — they
were more instinctively attuned to the quicker
movement of the ball.
It takes singular skill and a certain ruthlessness,
however, to make capital of the smallest advant-
ages, and Federer and Serena, and to a marginally
lesser extent Nadal and Venus, did precisely that.
Federer, who missed six months last year with an
injury, knew he could not allow Nadal time and
space. With his opponent looking in excellent phys-
ical condition, Federer could not aford to be drawn
into long, bruising rallies; he had to dictate the
tempo of play. This meant taking the ball uncom-
fortably early, with a narrow margin for error, and it
required all of Federer’s genius to pull it of. He also
had to overcome the psychological scars of past de-
feats to Nadal. Federer’s nerve in big matches
against his greatest rival has been questioned be-
fore, but on Sunday he displayed a calm resolve.
Serena, too, had to master her emotions against
Venus, who is both beloved sister and formidable
threat. While her explosive athleticism is the most
apparent facet of her game, Serena’s underrated
tennis intelligence has contributed significantly to
her capturing a record 10 Grand Slam titles after
turning 30. With their triumphs in Melbourne, Fe-
derer and Serena, both 35, managed what only a few
of the greats have. They quietened the voice of
doubt that speaks in every athlete’s ear — a voice
that grows more persistent with age — and raged
against the dying of the light.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
The Great Wall of Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump’s
selective immigration ban is both
unwise and foolish (“Trump
restricts entry from 7 Muslim
nations”, Jan.29 ). That some of these
countries have responded in similar
vein is only an indication of things to
come. Spontaneous protest within
the U.S. also underlines the demerits
of the restriction. How can Mr.
Trump not be aware of the global
nature of today’s world? At a time
when the world needs peace and
stability and American-based
companies are largely multinational
by nature, why brew discontent and
enmity?
B. Prabha,
Varkala, Kerala
Perhaps it’s time the United States
replaces its ‘Statue of Liberty’ with a
‘statue of bigotry’. It was Abraham
Lincoln, the stalwart President from
the same Republican party, who
abolished slavery and strengthened
the federal government. Mr. Trump’s
steps to unleash chaos based on
unfounded religious prejudices are
only doing great disservice to his
own country and to the civil world.
D.V.G. Sankararao,
Nellimarla, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh
The history of America is one of
immigration. Still, one cannot ignore
the threat of terrorism sweeping
across countries and in which the
U.S. and India have been scarred.
Responses to this will include
restrictions that will afect even
those who are innocent. However, a
long-term solution lies in thinking of
methods to eliminate violence in the
countries from where people are
forced to flee.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
It is surprising to read about the
overwhelming reactions from across
the world, especially those from the
Arab world, against the executive
order. Why are Arab nations failing
to take a firm stand on ending the
problems in their part of the world?
Why doesn’t this include admitting
refugees from countries in their
neighbourhood?
Jafer Sadique K.K.,
Vairancode, Malappuram, Kerala
What’s in the manifesto?
Demonetisation may or may not
have produced the desired results.
But soon after its announcement,
there was no denying the fact that
there was appreciation for it as being
revolutionary. People found in
Narendra Modi a person with a
diferent and bold thought process.
It is in this context that the freebies
announcement, by BJP president
Amit Shah, is disappointing (“U.P.
manifesto: BJP promises Ram
temple, 1GB free data”, Jan.29). The
BJP should not be caught in the
whirlpool of freebie politics but
must stick to the development
agenda as promised at the time of
the Lok Sabha election. Freebies
could have made some sense a few
decades ago but not when the
country aspires to provide stif
competition to the world in terms of
economic development.
V. Subramanian,
Thane, Maharashtra
The BJP’s manifesto is indeed a
dangerous concoction of
communalism coupled with liberal
doses of populism. While the
freebies are quite understandable,
the action plan to explore
construction of a Ram temple,
pursue the triple talaq case in the
Supreme Court, take measures to
curb cow slaughter and look into
“communal exodus” is nothing but a
brazen attempt to polarise voters.
With very little to show by way of
development and growth, the party
is getting back on the beaten path. If
the party is so confident about its
development agenda, where is the
need to focus on divisive issues?
J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Tiruchi
When there are crores of the poor
who do not have even a cent of land
to plough or build a hut on, why look
at issues that will have no bearing on
their lives? Whipping up communal
sentiments and reaping the benefits
in order to capture power is
undesirable. The BJP should not
forget that it was only discontent
against the scam-ridden Congress,
and not its communal agenda, which
gave it a chance to gain power. It is
time to think of people and their
livelihoods.
A.G. Rajmohan,
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
towards reinventing politics as a capacity for
self-realisation and self-transformation of
society. Maybe this is why each time I read a
page of Gandhi I am tempted to go back to
my students and ask them to revisit him as an
invaluable thinker and moral guide amid the
great political problems and the cultural
confusions of India and the world in which
we live.
Ramin Jahanbegloo is Professor, Vice Dean and Director,
Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Peace Studies, Jindal Global
Law School, Jindal Global University, India.
The Congress manifesto for Punjab being infectious, though he or she
once again adopts the freebie may carry the disease for a longer
approach — farm loan waiver and time. This finding was corroborated
free power, a stipend of ₨2,500 per by Dr. Pearson, who had clinical
month for unemployed youth, free experience in treating the disease.
smart mobile phones for youth, to Ciba-Geigy held the patent for
name a few. How can there be real rifampicin those days and refused
development when such a large permission to have it manufactured
portion of the funds from the State in India. In contrast, I must point out
exchequer is used to fulfil these the generosity of Irish doctors who
promises? Political parties should freely gave permission for the
focus on creating basic formulation in India of clofazimine,
infrastructure so that people are a second-rung drug developed by Dr.
capable of repaying their loans, Vincent Barry of the Irish Medical
power bills, getting into Research Council, at Trinity College
entrepreneurship and leading a Dublin. Clofazimine was never
decent life. This can be related to really popular because it caused skin
Amartya Sen’s “capability approach” discoloration. Empathetic treatment
which says that lending a hand is of leprosy patients would enable
better than giving a dole. The complete identification of all
Election Commission needs to issue suferers and regular treatment.
strict guidelines.
Vithal Rajan,
Dimpy Bhatia, Ketti, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
New Delhi
Carry on Serena
India’s leprosy fight The empress of tennis, Serena
The boast that India has eradicated Williams, has once again proved that
leprosy has shown to be a falsehood she is second to none by reaching
(‘Weekend Being’ page – “Why India the pinnacle of glory in the
needs to step up its fight”, Jan.29). As Australian Open. Her win, in straight
WHO has pointed out, medicines sets, over sister Venus has not only
and treatments may be available to enabled Serena to overhaul Stei
eradicate this ancient and dreadful Graf’s Open-era milestone of 22
disease, but India lacks the political major wins but also helped her to
will to end it. claw back to the top of the women’s
The Dutch medical scientist, Dr. rankings. She is destined to scale
Lykle Hogerzeil, researched this new heights and has earned her
disease at the old Nizamabad centre stripes (‘Sport’ – “It’s No.23 for
set up by the Nizam. He established Serena — a professional era record”,
through his work in India and Jan.29).
Nigeria that a heavy dose of N.J. Ravi Chander,
rifampicin could stop a patient from Bengaluru
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR Fielding the finest

Is past the key to future? We should introspect whether we are selecting the most meritorious as Army Commanders and
A decade before newspapers launched their Internet
editions, Milan Kundera published an insightful
putting forward only the best candidates for the selection of a chief
book, The Art of the Novel, in which he argued that
“chasing after the future is the worst conformism of more who may have just moved out of
all”. He termed the pursuit “a craven flattery of the their command and who would also be
A.S. mighty”. He wrote: “For the future is always mightier NIRMAL CHANDER VIJ considered to fill vacancies of four or
PANNEERSELVAN than the present. It will pass judgement on us, of five Army Commanders annually. This
course. And without any competence.” I was in- would result in only the best being se-
trigued by this argument. lected.
Early this month, Michael Rosenwald, a journalist with The Washington When the government appointed Gen- Till now, the mandatory requirement
Post, tried to find an answer to a question that is hardly heard in newsrooms eral Bipin Rawat as the new Army of two years of service and seniority at
and boardrooms: “What if everything we’ve been led to believe about the Chief, it triggered widespread debate as the time of vacancy has resulted in
future of journalism is wrong?” In an exploratory essay for the Columbia two of Gen. Rawat’s seniors were su- routine elevations to the appointment
Journalism Review titled “Print is dead. Long live print”, he has come up perseded in the selection. The debate of Army Commander, merit not being
with some conclusions that challenge a basic business dictum: trend is a also showed the importance of the ap- considered. The logic was that all of-
friend. pointment and the trust the people ficers who had reached that level were
have in the armed forces. Here I must considered competent and there was
Preference for print and digital unequivocally emphasise that Gen. no need to introduce unnecessary com-
Mr. Rosenwald’s essay is based on some real number-crunching surveys Bipin Rawat is an outstanding oicer petition among them. But in light of
and three in-depth interviews: with Roger Fidler, who first imagined and who will certainly lead the Army with contemporary responsibilities and the
created a prototype for reading news on a tablet much before Apple inven- distinction, just as the Army would be increasing importance of jointness and
ted the iPad; Iris Chyi, a University of Texas associate professor and new proud of being led by him. I wish him all stretch of warfare, only the best are
media researcher; and Michael Gerber who launched The American the success. Having said that, let me needed as Army Commanders.
Bystander, a humour magazine that is available only in print. In his assess- also make it clear that the two passed-
ment of the digital world, the reality, he says, is this: “No app, no stream- over Army Commanders have excel- Need for reform
lined website, no ‘vertical integration,’ no social network, no algorithm, no lent records of service, and as stated by The existing policy is therefore an-
Apple, no Apple Newsstand, the Defence Minister himself, “their omalous, wherein for promotion to this
no paywall, no soft paywall, In this digital age, is it not being selected does not reflect on level the primary criterion is not merit
no targeted ad, no mobile- their performance”. Gen. Rawat’s spe- unlike for all other ranks. Henceforth,
first strategy has come close unreasonable to suggest that the cial operation in Myanmar in 2015 and the selection of Army Commanders
to matching the success of tools for the survival of the news admirable performance as Vice Chief must be made only through deep
print in revenue or reader- industry may be in the past rather of Army Staf during the ‘surgical selection.
ship.” He is not convinced strike’ last year, among other achieve- CONSIDERED DECISION: “It is assumed that the government, even while departing We could consider reducing the stip-
about the basic assumption than in a technocratic future? ments, helped him clinch the position. from the normal convention of going by seniority, has taken the decision which in ulation of tenancy of two years to 18
that publishers have made In careers spanning four decades or its judgment is best for the nation.” PM Modi with Gen. Bipin Rawat at the months (it is already one and a half
about readers’ preference, particularly younger readers’ preference, for so, it is inevitable that some will have Republic Day parade in Delhi. PHOTO: PTI years in the Air Force and one year in
digital. more exposure to certain conditions the Navy) to widen the number of eli-
Though there are many strands in Mr. Rosenwald’s argument, I would than others. This despite the fact that of an oicer lower down in the hier- gible candidates. As regards the selec-
like to share four dominant ideas from his essay. The first is about digital ad- oicers above the level of Brigadier are archy. The tricky issue here is, how
We could consider reducing tion process, the three service chiefs
vertising. Mr. Fidler, in his interview to Mr. Rosenwald, explained how the exposed to various sectors and opera- does the government weigh merit the stipulation of tenancy of (four when a Chief of Defence Staf or
idea of interactive advertising has not clearly panned out. Readers are an- tional situations and acquire the exper- without playing favourites? An apolit- two years to 18 months to permanent Chairman of Chief of Staf
noyed with and distracted by intrusive advertisements, he said, so many ience and qualifications to handle all ical ethos of the services has been one Committee is introduced) could con-
block it with browser extensions. Unlike print, which ofers a limited kinds of assignments. It would also be of the strongest pillars of our demo- widen the number of eligible stitute the selection board, with the
amount of advertisement space, the infinite online space is driving down churlish to imagine rivalry between the cracy. Any possibility of senior com- candidates chief of the service concerned presid-
advertisement prices and sending publishers “racing around a hamster Infantry and the Armoured Corps just manders currying favour with the polit- ing. A final recommendation could
wheel”, Mr. Rosenwald reasons. because an infanteer has been nomin- ical leadership would therefore be then be sent to the government for ap-
He draws his second point from Ms. Chyi’s monograph, Trial and Error: ated as the Chief. At this high level, to fraught with grave risks for the nation istration and logistic and financial is- proval, as in the cases of select ranks.
U.S. Newspapers’ Digital Struggles Toward Inferiority. Ms. Chyi’s conclu- which arm you belong is not a crucial and its military. Such a possibility must sues. This is a huge set of responsibilit- Some other suggestions, such as se-
sion is stunning and may send shivers down the spine for news organisa- factor because all arms are equally im- not be allowed to influence the selec- ies. lection by a triumvirate comprising the
tions that have invested the better part of their money in digital. For her, the portant and have their roles cut out. tion of the Army Chief. This is an abso- It is obvious then that we should in- Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India
digital shift has been a disaster for media organisations. She was unable to One can never replace the other. lute sine qua non. trospect whether we are selecting the and Leader of the Opposition are not
find any evidence to conclude that online news will ever be economically Service chiefs have to possess incis- most meritorious as Army Command- relevant in a system so conditioned by
or culturally viable. ive vision and have deep insights into Appointment of Army Commanders ers and fielding only the best candid- exclusive military insight and stringent
the broader politico-strategic complex- The appointment of Army Com- ates for the selection of a Chief. professional scrutiny at every stage.
Time spent on reading news ities both at the national and interna- manders has a direct bearing on the se- There are two criteria to be fulfilled Military chiefs cannot be selected by
The third significant point is about reach within a given geographical tional levels. Exercising acumen at a lection of the Chief, as service chiefs to be elevated to the position of Army just going through dossiers.
area and the duration a reader spends on a specific news product. Ms. Chyi tactical level or having experience in are selected from amongst them. The Commander: an excellent command of The time has come to introduce this
studied data collected by Scarborough for 51 of the largest U.S. newspapers. one particular arm cannot be a cri- changing nature of war today covers a a corps, the highest operational forma- pressing reform in the process of selec-
Scarborough is a market research firm owned by Nielsen. The finding is terion for appointment as the nation’s spectrum of conflict — nuclear, inform- tion, and, in the interest of meaningful tion of Army Commanders. The
that the print edition reaches 28% of circulation areas, while the digital ver- top military commander. Therefore, in ation, cyber, space, etc. It is inevitable, stability and continuity in this key ap- present government is known for its
sion reaches just 10%. And more importantly, Pew Research Center data re- all fairness, it is assumed that the gov- therefore, that the Indian armed forces pointment, eligible candidates must ability to take decisions. It would do
veal that readers who come directly to news sites stay less than five ernment, even while departing from are going through phenomenal changes have two years of residual service be- well to introduce this reform as it
minutes; those from Facebook are gone in less than two minutes. Citing Ms. the normal convention of going by seni- in terms of modernisation of weapons, fore appointment (more or less similar would make available to it a very com-
Chyi’s research and the Pew findings, Mr. Rosenwald argues that even ority, has taken the decision which in its combat systems, and strategic applica- criteria apply to the other two ser- petent set of professionals from which
among young readers, interest in print persists. He draws our attention to judgment is best for the nation. It is tion of military power. The Army Com- vices). With these criteria being satis- it can appoint its service chiefs. This
the Pew study that puts the percentage of those who only read news via a therefore time to move on. mander’s role in this entire gambit is fied, Army Commanders are nomin- will also leave no requirement whatso-
computer: it was 5% in 2014 and it remained 5% in 2015. pivotal. Besides commanding all the ated in the order of seniority. Those ever to bypass the seniority criterion,
The fourth argument resonates well with me both as a reader and as a Seniority and merit forces across the whole of Jammu and who do not fulfil these criteria become as all eligible candidates will be exceed-
Readers’ Editor. It is about the quality of reading. He establishes how one Notwithstanding that, people within Kashmir, Rajasthan, the Northeast, and ineligible and move out to other ap- ingly competent.
skims and jumps around online not just within individual stories, but also and outside the armed forces are con- other places, Army Commanders also pointments till their superannuation.
from page to page and from site to site. He then explains the immersive cerned that the time-tested principle of participate in national-level decision- At any given time, there could be ap- General Nirmal Chander Vij is a former Army Chief
nature of print reading that facilitates better comprehension. He quotes seniority should not be overlooked un- making over strategic, operational, proximately 14 incumbent corps com- and is currently Director, Vivekananda International
from a 2013 study in the Newspaper Research Journal that found that New less merit is overwhelmingly in favour training, equipment, personnel admin- manders and approximately five or six Foundation.
York Times readers recalled more stories and specific details in print than
they did online. The results, according to the study, established “the mod-

Choked by the Global Gag Rule

ern role newspapers play in maintaining an informed citizenry.”
There is a Kundera-like intrigue in what Mr. Gerber told Mr. Rosenwald:
“There’s this assumption that online is inevitable, that it is like the steam
engine or something. Maybe it is. But maybe it’s not. Maybe it can’t be.” In
this age, when every political leader is on social media, every institution is
sprucing up its digital presence, and a new device is hitting the market
every other day, is it unreasonable to suggest that the tools for the survival
The Trump administration has set back women’s health programmes worldwide
of the news industry may be in the past rather than in a technocratic future?
Can we aford to overlook facts in this call to look at the relative strengths of service will have been done.
print compared to digital? We have often heard that the economy is too im- On the other hand, fairness demands
portant to be left to economists alone. Journalism and informed citizenry ALAKA M. BASU
that we look at the few positive features
are equally important to be left to journalists and media managers alone. of the Gag Rule that might be good for
Readers’ participation is central to find a viable answer to this question. India and its people if they are imposed
on governments, NGOs and, through
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in On his first day in oice, U.S. President them, on communities and families.
Donald Trump reinstated what is The Executive Order forbids aid to any
known as the Global Gag Rule, or the entities that support coercive abortions
Mexico City Policy. This rule, which or involuntary sterilisations — both ac-
FROM THE ARCHIVES was first introduced by President Ron-
ald Reagan in 1984 at the time of the In-
tions that pop their heads repeatedly in
India. Maybe USAID pressure will give
ternational Population Conference in a fresh lease of life and publicity to ef-
Mexico City, has been revoked by suc- forts to combat shameful practices ran-
cessive Democratic Presidents and re- ging from tribal women being forced by
(dated January 30, 1967) instated by successive Republican Pres- government hospitals to undergo post-
idents, so Mr. Tump’s action was not partum sterilisation (and sometimes
Science labs hit of acetyl coenzyme-A, which is unexpected. dying from the hurriedly and unhygien-
imported and costs Rs. 3,000 per Very briefly, the Global Gag Rule ically performed procedure) to preg-
Many science laboratories all 10 milligrams, post-devaluation. states that U.S. government funding nant women being forced by their fam-
over India have been seriously This is required in bio-chemical cannot be given to international NGOs, ilies to abort female fetuses. If that
afected by devaluation, since research. Chemicals used in either directly or through U.S. non-gov- happens, the Global Gag Rule might
several items of equipment and industry as well as research are ernmental partners of these NGOs, un- IMPACT: “The Gag Rule could strengthen the hand of a government that is already have a small bright side to it.
chemicals they use in their available only with the import less these foreign NGOs sign an under- clamping down on NGOs in the country.” An AP State AIDS Control Society volunteer
research are imported. The prices trade which gets the licences for taking to not provide abortion services explains the use of contraceptives in Hyderabad. PHOTO: P.V.SIVAKUMAR Important caveats
of these have shot up after them, and laboratories have to or even information or advocacy on Also worth keeping in mind is that
devaluation and the budgets of acquire them not only at post- abortion to their clients even in coun- agencies) accounts for more than half the Gag Rule only applies to the promo-
the laboratories being inelastic, devaluation prices but at the tries in which abortion is legal and even
The Gag Rule only applies to the contraceptive use. How this non- tion of abortion as a means of family
they are finding it diicult to buy scarcity prices that the privileged with money that does not come from the promotion of abortion as governmental sector will fare under the planning, not abortion after a sexual at-
materials in the quantities they stock-holders demand. the United States Agency for Interna- Gag Rule remains to be seen. tack or abortion to save the life of a
need. Some substances were The same is true of imported
a means of family planning,
tional Development’s budget. But there is more. Much of the assist- pregnant woman. Moreover the ruling
already expensive before equipment. The example was Whenever this ruling has been in place, not abortion after a ance that the U.S. government provides does not apply to post-abortion care for
devaluation and their prices have given of imported flame it has severely handicapped a host of sexual attack to India is through what are called pub- women who have post-abortion com-
now become prohibitive. A photometers which now cost over non-governmental agencies in poor lic-private/NGO partnerships to ad- plications, legal or not. These are im-
leading scientific institution in Rs. 10,000 per unit in the Bombay countries that provide family planning dress the problem on hand — whether it portant caveats and NGOs must not get
Bombay mentioned the example market. information and services to women be- in these areas might give up working in is urban health or school cleanliness frightened of helping such women just
cause these agencies also often help wo- them because of restrictions from their drives or rural child mortality. It is not because of the rule. The fear unfortu-
men to deal with unplanned and un- funding sources. clear how these partnerships will play nately is that many NGOs will either
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS wanted pregnancies in countries where
it is legal to do.
Such impacts will be particularly
strongly felt in countries in Africa,
out under the new ruling. Given that the
Indian government is clearly not op-
bow to the rule by leaving abortion
completely out of their ambit or will re-
where the unmet demand for health, re- posed to abortion and that the Gag Rule treat from family planning related work
>>In the report, “Gairsain: Harish Rawat’s vote magnet, new seat of power” Not just about abortion productive and contraceptive informa- does not restrict aid to governments altogether.
(January 29, 2017), the photo credit of the accompanying picture should have The U.S. government has every right tion and services is high because gov- whatever their stance on abortion, the In any case, it is worth keeping in
said ‘Kavita Upadhyay’ instead of ‘Special Arrangement’. to decide how to allocate its foreign aid ernments do not have the resources to net impact might be in fact to mind that India does not have the same
and if the present one is against the use meet these demands. strengthen the hand of a government tradition of pro-choice and pro-life ar-
>>The report headlined, “India on red zone in anti-corruption index” (Janu- of tax dollars to promote abortion, how- What about India? According to the that is already clamping down on NGOs guments that polarise debates in the
ary 26, 2017) erroneously said that India was placed in the 40th position in the ever tangentially, that is its prerogative. most recent survey data available (Na- in the country for its own reasons. U.S. and paying too much attention to
annual index of Transparency International for 2016. It should have been 79th But the international reproductive tional Family Health Survey, 2005- India could also experience other what the Trump administration decrees
position. India has attained this 79th position on the list along with China, health community is naturally upset at 2006), close to three fourths of Indian kinds of impacts of this rule because is not in our interest; it will be even less
Brazil and Belarus. an action that may be technically legal women get their contraceptive services there are several aspects of sex and re- necessary if the efective tradition of
but is morally and ethically question- from the government sector. But this is production that the government refuses NGO activity in India can count a little
>>The State of domicile of J.N. Goswami is Assam and not Bihar as men- able in that is penalises women and or- because some 67% of contraceptive use to touch for politically reactionary reas- more on the active support and encour-
tioned in a graphic on the Padma awards, “Moment of pride and matter of ganisations in ways that go well beyond in India is accounted for by female ster- ons and the NGO sector is all we have to agement of the government instead of
prestige” (January 26, 2017). The mistake was corrected in the city editions. abortion access — in principle, the rul- ilisation, which is promoted primarily address these. Sex education for adoles- being hounded for imagined brushes
ing can cut of funds for crucial activit- by the government’s family planning cents falls in this category. An import- with some vague law or the other.
Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. ies like HIV/AIDS prevention, contra- programme. For other temporary meth- ant part of such sexuality education in-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by ceptive access, sexuality information, ods of birth control, the non-govern- cludes explaining all the available Alaka M. Basu, a professor in the Department of
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to maternal and child health, and so on, mental sector (by which we actually options for birth control and if abortion Development Sociology at Cornell University, is
simply because the agencies that work mean a mix of private and non-profit is deliberately left out of this list, a dis- currently Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation.
Friday); E-mail: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM ND-ND
YK
10 | EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

The hidden agenda of benevolence

The growing chorus for a universal basic income is a ruse to eliminate or roll back significantly the public
distribution system and signature welfare programmes
touted Finnish experiment is restricted to In contrast, all the government’s subsidies
T U E S D AY , J A N U A RY 3 1 , 2 0 1 7 the unemployed. It does not cover all work- put together account for only 4-4.5% of the
G. SAMPATH ing individuals. And it only replaces the GDP. This presents three options: one, the
already existing basic unemployment allow- government makes up the deficit through
ance and labour market subsidy — it is not additional tax revenue; two, it limits the
The enemy The idea of a universal basic income (UBI)
an add-on benefit.
In India, too, the UBI is not an add-on. On
fiscal burden by shrinking the UBI coverage
from ‘universal’ to those below the poverty

within has been gaining ground globally. While

Switzerland held a referendum on it last
year (it was voted down), Finland intro-
the contrary, it is about giving in a diferent
form (cash), and under one umbrella, what
is already being given (in-kind and cash be-
line; and three, it further shrinks the amount
being doled out.
Given India’s narrow tax base, and a

N
ot ideological ainity, but prospects of
power and pelf determine the making
and unmaking of political alliances. The
Shiv Sena is the closest to the Bharatiya
Janata Party in terms of ideology and policies, but a
parting of ways of the two parties was always just
around the corner. Diferences over seat-sharing
for the polls to the urban local bodies in Maha-
rashtra were inevitable as each party was seeking to
expand its influence at the expense of the other.
Quite understandably, the Sena is yet to reconcile
itself to its situation as a junior partner of the BJP
after the 2014 Assembly election, when it won
fewer seats than the BJP did after contesting alone
following a similar breakdown in seat-sharing ne-
gotiations. Having headed the government in 1995,
the first time the alliance tasted power in the State,
the Sena greatly resents the role of a minor partner
of the BJP in the government. If the party does not
win back its support base, ceded mostly to the BJP,
it will not be able to reverse the power equation
within the alliance. The results of the local body
elections are significant in determining this equa-
tion. They will in all probability lay the basis for
seat negotiations for battles with higher stakes: the
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in 2019.
But embarrassingly for the two parties, the cam-
paign is at a pitch that cannot be brought down.
Both have indulged in name-calling and traded cor-
ruption charges, even while remaining partners in
government. It is therefore diicult to imagine
there will be no long-term consequences for the al-
liance in the run-up to the 2019 general election.
The Sena, which played down the strident Marathi
chauvinism of its early years in favour of Hindutva
nationalism, knows its support base is vulnerable
to poaching by the BJP. In alliance or out of it, the
Sena is always under the threat of being subsumed
within the BJP’s own political stream. Its eforts to
expand beyond the cities and major towns of the
State had put the Sena more in direct competition
with the BJP than in conflict with the Congress and
the Nationalist Congress Party. Unsurprisingly, the
Sena campaign for the civic bodies has grown to in-
clude attacks on not only the failings of the De-
vendra Fadnavis government but also the record of
the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and
its flip-flops on demonetisation. However, the real
test for the Sena and the BJP will emerge after the
dust settles, when they will have to resume work as
partners in government following weeks of this
hostile campaign. And also possibly, deal with a
changed power equation within the alliance.
As bigotry
becomes policy
duced it earlier this month. Media reports
suggest that the government of India’s flag-
ship Economic Survey this year is likely to
endorse the UBI, setting the stage for its
introduction.
On the face of it, an unconditional basic
income for everyone seems a great idea. In
the West, the UBI is being discussed as a
solution to two problems: unemployment
due to automation; and growing social un-
rest caused by extreme inequality and pre-
carity. It is expected to solve the unemploy-
ment problem by decoupling subsistence
from jobs, freeing human beings to realise
their true potential, preferably through en-
trepreneurship. It would address the second
by supplying monetary resources to access
the necessities of life. This, in a nutshell, is
the popular understanding of the UBI. The
reality, however, is not so rosy.
The UBI debate in India has been a nar-
row one — restricted, for the most part, to
financial viability. Its advocates argue that it
is a more eicient way of delivering welfare,
while its opponents hold that the fiscal bur-
den would be too much. What hasn’t re-
ceived adequate attention is the politics be-
hind the UBI: who is pushing the idea? To
what end? And why?
The UBI evangelists
The most eloquent advocates of UBI
today are free-market enthusiasts — the
same lot branded as neo-liberals for their
advocacy of deregulation, privatisation, and
cuts in welfare spending. Their guru, Milton
Friedman, was an early advocate of basic in-
come. Outside the academic realm, the
biggest champion of UBI is the global tech
sector. Silicon Valley billionaires such as
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, and
Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes have
publicly backed the idea.
Could it be possible that the global finan-
cial elite have finally sprouted a conscience?
The reports of the UBI pilot projects con-
CARTOONSCAPE
ILLUSTRATION: DEEPAK HARICHANDAN
If the UBI is about reducing
inequality and poverty, then
there are many things the state
could do at a fraction of what it
would cost
ducted so far ofer a clue. Invariably, they all
present the same conclusion: giving cash to
the poor is better than traditional welfare.
Of course, it would be wonderful if the
problem of inequality and poverty were
solved for us by a sudden moral awakening
of the rich. Unfortunately, the current en-
thusiasm for the UBI is not the product of
such a momentous development.
Not an add-on benefit
The biggest myth about the UBI, partly re-
sponsible for sections of the Left endorsing
it, is that it is a redistributive policy that
would reduce inequality. It is indeed pos-
sible to have a redistributive UBI. But it
would need to fulfil two conditions: it must
be funded by taxing the wealthy; and the ex-
isting entitlements to the poor must not be
taken away. Such a UBI would actually be a
socialist measure that would increase the
bargaining power of the working classes by
giving them an income cushion.
But neither of these conditions is met by
any of the UBI designs being promoted
today, either globally or in India. The much-
nefits) via diferent channels.
Back in 2008, in an influential paper in the
Economic and Political Weekly titled ‘The
case for direct cash transfers to the poor’,
Arvind Subramanian, the present Chief Eco-
nomic Adviser of the government, along
with economists Devesh Kapur and Partha
Mukhopadhyay, argued that the ₨1,80,000
crore spent annually on centrally sponsored
schemes and assorted subsidies should in-
stead be distributed as cash directly to 70
million households below the poverty line.
Put simply, the UBI in India is nothing but
the old wine of direct cash transfer in a fancy
new bottle.
Its objective remains the same: to elimin-
ate the public distribution system (PDS) and
with it, the food, fuel, and fertiliser sub-
sidies. The same old arguments for repla-
cing the PDS with cash transfers are now be-
ing trotted out in favour of the UBI. The
addition of the word ‘universal’ signals
greater ambition but alters neither the sub-
stance nor the motive.
But let us take the arguments in favour at
face value. What constitutes a basic income?
Common sense dictates that it should be
whatever is required to take care of basic life
needs. A logical equivalent for this figure
would be the minimum wage. The central
government’s move last year to raise the
minimum wage for non-skilled, non-agri-
cultural workers to ₨9,100 per month was set
aside following opposition from industry.
Perhaps ₨9,100 per month is too luxurious an
income to qualify as ‘basic’. The actual min-
imum wage in India is around ₨4,800 per
month. Could we then expect at least this
amount from our UBI?
While diferent numbers have been ban-
died about, there seems to be a broad con-
sensus around the Tendulkar committee
poverty line of ₨33 a day. This works out to a
basic income of ₨1,000-₨1,250 a month or
₨12,000-₨15,000 a year. But even this modest
figure is estimated to cost 11-12% of the GDP.
policy mindset hostile to the idea of extract-
ing more tax revenue from the wealthy, we
can rule out option one. So the UBI we get, if
we get one, would be derived from a com-
bination of the second and third options,
which means both ‘U’ and ‘B’ are out of UBI,
leaving us efectively with what we already
have: cash transfers.
Most critically, one aspect is taken for
granted by all the three options: the UBI will
be funded primarily by the money allocated
for CSS and subsidies. In other words, a ba-
sic income, however paltry, would help
strengthen the case for the elimination or a
significant roll-back of programmes such as
the PDS, midday meal schemes, and the Ma-
hatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Why a UBI now?
There is no point reprising here the case
against direct cash transfers, which eco-
nomists such as Jean Dreze have made con-
vincingly. It is nonetheless fascinating to see
the emerging contours of a distinctive polit-
ical project.
The Jan-Dhan Yojana set out to make
every Indian accessible to global finance.
The Aadhaar card set out to make every In-
dian identifiable and enumerable as data —
the currency of global tech. The high mobile
penetration has connected every Indian to
the global digital network. An element that
was missing was consumer behaviour,
which the recent demonetisation sought to
address, by force-feeding ‘cashless’ to a
cash-dependent population. The UBI fits
perfectly in this scheme of things, as it seeks
to compress the whole gamut of welfare be-
nefits into one, and mount it on a singular
JAM (Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) platform.
But why a UBI now? One explanation
could be the immense pressure on India in
secretive free trade negotiations. The de-
veloped nations have for long wanted India
to wind up its food security-related provi-
sions — both state procurement of food-
grains, and their subsidised distribution via
PDS. A UBI would pave the way for the elim-
ination of these measures, dealing a death
blow to food security and deepening farm
distress.
Another is that the Indian state is stuck
with welfare commitments it cannot renege
on without political and legal con-
sequences. The eiciency/ineiciency ar-
gument for scraping PDS and MGNREGS
never acknowledges that these are rights-
based social entitlements with specified
outcomes — and that is not accidental. Shift-
ing the welfare paradigm to UBI would
loosen the bonds of legal and social account-
ability. Under the PDS, for instance, the state
must provide a specified quantity of food-
grains to the poor no matter what. With UBI,
it has the option letting the payout slide be-
hind inflation, as has already happened with

A
merican President Donald Trump imple-
mented his campaign promise of “ex-
treme vetting” on Friday when he an-
nounced that his administration had
banned, for 90 days via executive order, travellers
from seven Muslim-majority nations: Iran, Iraq,
Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Saudi Ara-
bia, Egypt and Pakistan were not on the list, per-
haps owing to the close economic and strategic ties
that Washington, and indeed the Trump Organiza-
tion, have with some of these nations — although
White House Chief of Staf Reince Priebus indic-
ated that Pakistan may be put on the list, going for-
ward. Mr. Trump has placed on hold indefinitely
the U.S.’s asylum programme for refugees from
Syria, and suspended entry of all refugees to the
U.S. for 120 days. While he may have enthused his
core constituency of predominantly white, blue-
collar workers, beset with economic and racial in-
securities, his order sent shock waves at home and
abroad, and sparked fears that it could create a re-
cruitment bonanza for terrorists. Leading the lib-
eral counterattack, the American Civil Liberties
Union argued that Mr. Trump’s order represented
constitutional and legal overreach. In response, a
federal judge in New York ruled that sending back
the travellers detained in airports may cause them
“irreparable harm”, and that the government was
“enjoined and restrained from, in any manner and
by any means, removing individuals” with valid pa-
pers. Similar rulings came in Virginia, Massachu-
setts and Washington State.
Mr. Trump’s shock therapy for controlling im-
migration begs the question whether the order is
constitutional. In 1965, Congress had deliberately
circumscribed presidential power in this regard by
stating that no one could be “discriminated against
in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the
person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth...” The
order will probably have a wider fallout in the eco-
nomic sphere — already Silicon Valley firms have
scrambled to bring back their staf deployed in af-
fected countries, and CEOs including Google’s
Sundar Pichai, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, have expressed concern
that the ban will afect their talent pools. More
broadly, Mr. Trump’s order has done irreparable
damage to America’s reputation as a melting pot of
immigrants, a beacon for bright minds and a hu-
mane force against authoritarian excess abroad. No
major attack has taken place on U.S. soil in the past
eight years. Ultimately, Mr. Trump’s insistence on
preferential treatment for Christian refugees
makes a bogeyman of Muslims, a retrograde action
that will exacerbate anti-Americanism worldwide.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Trump’s pause button
Though Donald Trump may have
won the U.S. presidency, his knee-
jerk actions betray a lack of trust in
humanity as a whole as he wants to
tar everyone with the same brush
(“Court stops Trump’s travel ban
order”, Jan.30). There is no
explicable reason why the U.S.
needs to be overreacting to “terror
threats”. Americans, their leaders
and the foreign policy draftsmen
need to concede that much of the
world’s terror has its genesis in the
U.S.’s extra-interventionist role
across the world. Playing big
brother and assuming the role of
the world’s self-appointed
policeman will come with its own
costs.
Pushpa Dorai,
Nurani, Kerala
Donald Trump has sent out a clear
and unequivocal message to the
international community that his
controversial election promises are
not empty rhetoric and that he is
determined to walk the extra mile
to translate all his draconian visions
into reality. He cannot be faulted for
his intention to make America great
and safe from terror but the weapon
he seeks to deploy now militates
against the liberal, secular and
democratic ethos and values that
define the very character of
American society. The U.S.’s rise as
a global superpower can be
attributed to its liberal, democratic
framework and for rolling out the
red carpet to talented immigrants.
Mr. Trump’s unbridled enthusiasm
to go ahead with his protective
trade measures and restrictive
immigration policies will only do
harm to the U.S.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
It is understandable that Trump
wants to ban illegal immigrants
from entering the U.S. But the
selective ban on people from seven
Muslim-majority countries is
unacceptable. The U.S. has always
been the proverbial land of
opportunities and flourished only
because of immigrant labour.
Rather than have a blanket ban, the
U.S. should focus on a stronger
vetting process for U.S. visa
applicants.
Viplav Jain,
Islamabad, Pakistan
American jingoism has been
responsible for civil disorder,
terrorism and an exodus from
several Muslim countries. Iraq was
a prosperous nation till 1991. Two
wars foisted on it by the U.S.
devastated it and impoverished its
people, eventually leading to the
emergence of the Islamic State and
ethnic tensions. Peace, harmony
and prosperity are a far cry in
“democratic Iraq” today which a
“despotic Saddam” ensured during
his years. Not to be forgotten is the
U.S.’s role in helping the
germination of Taliban fanatics.
Oppressive regimes in the oil-
producing GCC emirates,
sheikhdoms and kingdoms are still
being propped up by the U.S. The
U.S. came into being only after the
persecuted from Europe gathered
there and vowed to ofer liberty —
social, political, economic — to
immigrants. It is galling that Mr.
Trump refuses to recognise
America’s founding principles.
M.A. Siraj,
Bengaluru
The obsession this daily has
towards America and its afairs
rather than our national interests/
news is strange. I am afraid most
readers like me are not interested in
Mr. Trump’s team or what is going
on at the White House. Our Prime
Minister has taken over this job as
he literally functions as the U.S.
Ambassador to India. I wish the
daily concentrated more on
national news.
Tilak Subramanian V.,
Bailakere, Udupi, Karnataka
Worth the risk?
Taking on an irate and agitated
animal endowed with sharp horns
and brute strength is extremely
risky (“Jallikattu in Tiruchi leaves 35
injured”, “Mishap lands bull-
handler in hospital” and “32 hurt in
Sivaganga”, all Jan.30). It was only
recently that two persons were
killed in a jallikattu event. When
wearing protective gear has become
a legal norm wherever there is
anticipated danger, how is there no
the old age and widow pensions.
In the final analysis, we need to answer a
simple question: is the UBI about reducing
inequality and poverty? If the answer is yes,
then there are many things the state could
do at a fraction of what the UBI would cost
— from enforcing the minimum wage law, to
releasing funds on time for MGNREGS. But
if a dispensation hostile to these tried and
tested anti-poverty measures develops a
sudden zeal to eliminate poverty through
UBI, a measure of scepticism is in order.
sampath.g@thehindu.co.in
law to protect participants from continues to find favour with the
danger given that it has been argued public including the younger
that jallikattu is a “sport”? Can we generation. Study after study has
allow the injuries sufered and the confirmed the shallow nature of
loss of lives to be a part of sport? digital reading. In fact, the
Who will compensate the families technological controllers of the
for injuries sustained or death? Internet thrive on dispersing our
Given the series of incidents, what attention as they would lose heavily
have those who vigorously if viewers spent too much time on a
canvassed for the “sport” got to say page or site.
now? There is a litany of questions V.N. Mukundarajan,
that need to be immediately Thiruvananthapuram
addressed.
V. Lakshmanan, The older generation is for the
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu survival of the print media at any
cost, though we do admit that news
reports reach much earlier
Print still rules nowadays with the help of better
It appears that nearly two decades communication and technology.
of screen-based reading have But nothing can replace the
convinced readers that there is a pleasure of reading a newspaper.
world of diference between P.U. Krishnan,
“consuming” news and “reading” Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris
news (“Is past the key to future”,
Jan.30). The experience of
television news should have A stirring duel
forewarned media managers about There might have been many
the dangers of jumping onto the thrilling and pulsating Major tennis
digital news bandwagon solely on finals, but the men’s singles of the
the basis of the alluring narratives Australian Open final, between
propagated by technology czars. A Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal,
consumer of news mainly looks at was “Simply the best” (Editorial,
the headlines. He is least interested Jan.30). It was a final devoid of any
in pausing and reflecting on the tantrums and aggressive gestures
stories to understand their by the two veterans. Nadal’s
significance. fighting spirit and Federer’s classic
A reader, on the other hand, wants display were of a high quality. The
to delve into the news to try to mutual respect and admiration by
grasp its wider meaning and both was something to be cherished
ramifications for which they need for a long time.
to rely on the print. It is no wonder, V. Mahalingam,
therefore, that print media Chennai
ND-ND
 PERSPECTIVE | 11
NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

ECOLOGY
How land use affects
Don’t speak, don’t tell
The RBI’s continuance of the cash withdrawal limits, along with the thrust on digital banking, is
climate change aimed at averting the possibility of a bank run
The interaction between people and land is as old as human working capital limits. The tests show
evolution. When early hunter-gatherers started to settle that only 49 out of the 60 banks in the
down in the Neolithic transition and practise agriculture, MEERA NANGIA sample will remain resilient (by using
they began to change their relationship with land in a major their SLR and High Quality Liquid As-
way. Starting with the Holocene, approximately 11,500 years sets) in such a scenario. In case of incre-
SUJATHA ago, many plants were domesticated for agriculture. These mental shocks in an extreme crises,
BYRAVAN and the associated social and technological changes led to “Do you fear a run on the banks?” This banks will be able to withstand with-
dense human settlements that then paved the way for the was the question posed by some MPs in drawals of 15% of deposits using their re-
formation of early cities. As is evident, even now human interventions the Parliamentary Standing Committee maining SLR investments. In other
transform land, water and local ecologies, and in doing so deeply afect the on Finance to Urjit Patel, Governor, Re- words, 11 out of the 60 banks will fail the
availability of resources. Over the past half-century or so, it has become serve Bank of India (RBI). Before he liquidity test! The report does not dis-
clear that these changes have so profoundly modified the earth that a geolo- could respond, former Prime Minister close the names of these 11 banks.
gical transformation to the Anthropocene is now firmly in place. Manmohan Singh intervened by saying,
“No, you don’t have to answer this ques- Banks on the precipice
Land use change lock-in tion.” Had the Governor answered the Incidentally, Viral Acharya, the new
Land-use change takes place through human activity in several ways. For question, he would probably have listed RBI Deputy Governor, in a study titled
example, in Indonesia, about 500 sq km of forest area are cleared each year, out scenarios that could result in a bank ‘State intervention in banking: the relat-
much of which is replaced with oil palm plantations. Another pattern of run. Since the 2008 global financial ive health of Indian public sector and
changing land use is seen in expanding cities. In many countries, including crises, central bankers are actively en- private sector banks’, concludes that the
India, cities are expanding well beyond their formal limits, either along gaged in the issue of financial stability Indian banking system needs radical re-
inter-city corridors or in other directions. Various forces shape these pat- and pre-emption of bank runs. The RBI form and recommends repealing the SBI
terns of urbanisation, transforming land use from agriculture and forests too has been bringing out half-yearly RISKY BUSINESS: “There is liquidity risk if a bank is unable to repay on demand the Act, SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act, and Na-
into industry, residential and commercial buildings and associated infra- Financial Stability Reports (FSR) since money it has accepted from the depositors.” SBI unveiling its digital banking tionalisation Acts 1970, 1980. One of the
structure, and horticulture. Often the contested spaces of peri-urban areas 2010, in which one section is devoted ex- initiative ‘sbiINTOUCH' in Chennai. PHOTO: R. RAGU scenarios studied assumes the absence
(outside city limits but not quite clusively to the commercial banking of regulatory forbearance on restruc-
part of the rural hinterland) be- Interventions like converting sector. The reports contain sophistic- mittee on Bank Supervision and the Fin- Quantitative tests indicate tured assets (as directed by the RBI with
come sites from which groundwa- agricultural land for housing ated stress tests that gauge the risk to the ancial Stability Board. It has directed efect from April 1, 2015). The results
ter is pumped and transported to banking system based on liquidity-cum- banks to give up forbearance in the clas-
that the banking system is show that in such a scenario the tier I
the city, where new industrial or industry and filling up insolvency contagion scenarios. These sification and reporting of non-per- apparently not even prepared capital of all public sector banks slips
zones are developed, where urban ponds impact reports are reviewed by a subcommittee forming assets (NPA) from April 1, 2015. for the withdrawal of 10% of below the mandatory 6.5% level and
waste is dumped, and where veget- of the Financial Stability Development In simple terms, this means that as four public sector banks become
ables and other high-value crops
ecosystem services Council that functions under the Fin- banks stop playing ‘pretend’, the loans depositors’ funds insolvent.
are grown for nearby urban centres. ance Ministry. that were earlier classified as ‘standard’ As anyone familiar with quantitative
These land-use changes are alarming for climate change because they Any professional banker would never assets will now be downgraded, leading to the same big borrower groups. How- tests would know that the stress tests
tell us how deeply locked into semi-permanence they can be, just by prolif- deny the possibility of a bank run. Bank- to an increase in the loan defaults. Ex- ever, a bank with adequate CRAR would are based on certain assumptions and
erating at a rapid pace. Cars are replaced on average every decade or so and ing is a risky business. A bank lends out cess provisioning will lead to a decline be able to withstand this credit shock. not foolproof in their replication of real-
new breakthrough vehicle technology may spread and change the fleet in money received from its depositors. in profits; in some cases even chipping The December 2016 FSR reveals in- ity. However, these tests do indicate that
one to two decades. Coal power plants may be replaced every four to five The presumption is that all depositors away bank capital. This declining trend teresting results of stress tests conduc- the banking system is apparently not
decades. However, cities and urban ‘tissue’ last over 500 years. Urbanising will not demand all their money back at is discernible in the bank performance ted using 10 diferent scenarios based on even prepared for the withdrawal of 10%
areas grow and expand in diferent ways, parts of them planned, with other the same time. There is liquidity risk if during 2015-16. The ratio of gross NPAs the information of group borrowers. of depositors funds. Perhaps, a more ap-
portions of informality containing infrastructure, homes, slums and indus- the bank is unable to repay on demand to gross advances increased sharply The tests show that CRAR would fall be- propriate question for the RBI Governor
tries, waterbodies and marshlands. the money it has accepted from the de- from 5.26% to 10.69% for nationalised low 9% for two banks if there is default would have been, “How are you plan-
In India, there are multiple patterns of urban and peri-urban growth res- positors. There is credit risk if the bank banks and marginally from 2.10% to of the top 1 borrower group; five banks if ning to prevent a bank run?”
ulting in diferent consequences for each region. For example, whether in- is unable to recover its loans. 2.83% for private banks from March 2015 the top two borrower groups default; 12 It is therefore not surprising that the
frastructure is able to guarantee some degree of equity of access to services The central bank, as a regulator, en- to March 2016. According to the Decem- banks if the top five borrower groups RBI is continuing with its cash with-
in cities varies depending on both history and geography. The suburban sures that a bank is prepared to meet li- ber 2016 FSR, as of September 30, 2016, default and as many as 22 banks if the 10 drawal limit of ₨24,000 and managing
trains and excellent network of BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and quidity and credit risks. The capital to the return on assets for public sector top borrower groups default. perceptions by allowing minor conces-
Transport Undertaking) buses, for instance, defined Mumbai early on in its risk (weighted) assets ratio (CRAR) is a banks was -0.1%, and 1.5% for private A typical liquidity risk scenario cov- sions to current account holders (while
growth. But in some cities such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru, expansion safeguard that the capital base of a bank sector banks. Similarly, the return on ers unexpected deposit withdrawals ATMs continue to run dry). This, along
and infrastructure development took place primarily outside the core areas is not eroded. The statutory liquidity ra- equity for public sector banks was -1.5%, (10% withdrawal in 10 days or a 15% with the thrust on digital banking, is en-
with the view to establishing and supporting public sector companies such tio (SLR) is a safeguard that a bank is and 13.4% for private sector banks. withdrawal in 5 days) in banks on ac- suring that a large portion of the unin-
as HMT, Bharat Electronics Limited, and the Defence Research and Devel- able to return deposits of customers on Credit risk covers possibilities of de- count of loss of depositor confidence. sured deposits remains within the bank-
opment Organisation, and later Information Technology companies. They demand. faults by individual borrowers and bor- The December 2016 FSR analyses the li- ing system, thus precluding the
also serviced an auto-led transport network and associated land-use rower groups. For example, if because of quidity risk to the banking system on the possibility of a bank run.
change. In fact, Chennai, quite intentionally, set up industrial hubs for auto- Credit and liquidity risks borrower default, one bank fails, it is assumption of increased withdrawals of
motive and parts suppliers. Gurugram, south of Delhi, is a privatised Mecca In order to further mitigate these likely to trigger a domino efect across the uninsured 10% deposits (presently Meera Nangia is an Associate Professor in commerce
for several kinds of industries and has developed into a financial and indus- risks, the RBI is adopting international banks — since banks have financial link- these are 69% of total deposits) and un- at the University of Delhi. Her doctorate was on the
trial hub. Similarly, the peri-urban areas of many other cities — New Town standards prescribed by the Basel Com- ages with each other besides exposure utilised portions of 75% sanctioned Indian banking system.
in Kolkata, Navi Mumbai, and so on — have each had their own version of
sprawl, or vast planned or unplanned spaces, that have together extended a

Can Trump reset ties with Russia?

large footprint across India.

Implications
The specific patterns of urban growth of a city and its periphery have im-
plications for poverty, food, water, health, jobs and access to services. A city
can, therefore, based on its pattern of growth and expansion, lead to partic- With Russia’s bargaining capacity much higher now, it will demand greater compromises from
ular lifestyles and circumscribe a quality of life for its many residents.
Interventions like converting agricultural land for housing or industry, the U.S. for a potential détente
filling up ponds and building housing complexes on lake beds, etc. impact
ecosystem services and climate adaptation. These especially afect the Russia’s immediate interests and capab-
poor who are largely reliant on ecosystems for their livelihoods. Keeping STANLY JOHNY ilities, it actually drove a wedge between
water in the ground, in tanks and waterbodies is regarded as a precaution Berlin and Moscow. Till the Ukraine
for dry spells or irregularity in precipitation. These measures can improve crisis, German-Russian relations were
resilience towards the possible efects of climate change. on a high trajectory which Mr. Putin
According to some scientists, unlike carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas wanted to convert into a strategic alli-
whose efects last for hundreds of years, land cover and land management “When I am President, Russia will re- ance. A German-Russian-Eurasian alli-
generate drivers in climate systems that influence local and regional spect us far more than they do now and ance could potentially have threatened
weather patterns. This is largely due to changes in aerosols, carbon, nitro- both countries will, perhaps, work to- the foundations of the unipolar world.
gen and other gases along with the moisture in the air, heat and light. The gether to solve some of the many great Mr. Trump would like to do to the
urban heat island efect is understood readily, but this also afects peri- and pressing problems and issues of the China-Russia partnership exactly what
urban regions of expansion. WORLD!” Donald Trump tweeted on Mr. Obama did to the Russian-German
This subject clearly requires more research to provide guidance to poli- January 7, weeks before he took over as partnership.
cymakers. But we already know that protecting waterbodies, conserving the 45th President of the United States.
groundwater, reducing our ecological footprint and living in more compact Throughout his campaign, Mr. Trump Three hurdles
communities are good ways to address both climate change mitigation and praised Russian President Vladimir But there are three key problems:
adaptation, which are about reducing greenhouse gases and preparing to Putin for his leadership. Mr. Putin was political, geopolitical and strategic. One,
live in a warmer world. one of the first leaders he reached out to Mr. Obama has created enough hurdles
after taking oice. In a telephone con- for Mr. Trump in dealing with the Russi-
Sujatha Byravan is Principal Research Scientist at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and versation on January 28, both leaders ans. Mr. Trump already sufers from a
Policy, Bengaluru.
promised cooperation in fighting terror- credibility problem after all the allega-
ism. Interestingly, Mr. Trump’s ofer to tions of his campaign’s links with Russia.
rescript ties with the former Cold War True, he could lift the sanctions through
rival comes at a time when bilateral rela- executive orders, but that will further
tions are at the lowest level since the col- alienate the powerful Russophobic ele-
FROM THE ARCHIVES lapse of the Soviet Union. The Obama
administration imposed sanctions on U.S.-RUSSIA BONHOMIE: “Donald Trump believes Russia is no longer the U.S.’s principal
ments in the Washington establishment
from his administration.
Russia for its military intervention in global rival.” A billboard in Danilovgrad, Montenegro, showing U.S. President Donald Two, Russian foreign policy is histor-
Crimea and alleged interference in the Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. PHOTO: REUTERS ically shaped by its deep insecurity. Its
U.S. election. The U.S. intelligence com- long border with European and
dated January 31, 1967 munity has repeatedly slammed Mo- how interlinked. Donald Trump would Caucasian sides has no physical protec-
scow over a number of issues, from Mr. Trump has never shied away from tion and is exposed to potential aggres-
India wants total ban treaty allows members to suggest
“spreading instability” in the world to asserting his own, or his country’s, reli- like to use his overtures sions. NATO keeps expanding to these
amendments. India will in due
on nuclear weapons course consider whether suitable
killing civilians in Syria. So Mr. Trump’s gious identity. During the campaign, he to Russia to drive a areas, which explains Russia’s adven-
outreach stands in sharp contrast with had said he would fight to bring Americ- wedge between tures in Georgia and Ukraine. Mr.
The Government of India will amendments can be suggested to
the policies pursued by his predecessor ans together as “one people under one Trump cannot win a sustainable deal
sign the treaty banning nuclear the treaty. At the same time India is Moscow and Beijing
(s). Why should he promise a reset in god saluting one American flag”. In the with Moscow unless he assures the Rus-
weapons in outer space. From watching the outcome of the
the first place? words of Steve Bannon, Mr. Trump’s sians over NATO. This means, Mr.
India’s view point, the treaty is not disarmament talks in Geneva with
chief strategist and one of the most huge influence in its backyard, it’s Trump will have to either give up on or
of any great significance. What interest. Here what is important is Why reach out? powerful voices in the administration, doubtful whether it alone could pose a rein in NATO. Both will have con-
India would like is a ban on the use for the nuclear powers to indicate
One explanation, which gained cur- the Judeo-Christian West is “in an out- long-term strategic threat to the U.S. On sequences from Europe.
of nuclear weapons and steps in some form or other that they
rency in the weeks after the presidential right war against jihadist Islamic fas- the other side, China is an economic Third, today’s Russia is not the Russia
which would lead to the would go to the assistance of
election, is that the Russians have some cism”. The early decisions of President powerhouse that wields enormous in- of 2009 when Mr. Obama became the
destruction of the stockpile of non-nuclear powers if they were
leverage over the new U.S. President. Trump, including a complete ban on vis- fluence around the world. But China’s President and promised a “reset”. Russia
nuclear weapons. The present attacked by a nuclear power.
According to American media reports, itors from seven Muslim-majority coun- force-projection capabilities are limited then was largely confined to its back-
the Central Intelligence Agency has tries, indicate that the administration’s as its seafront remains vulnerable. The yard — Eastern Europe, Caucuses and
concluded that Russia interfered in the world view and Mr. Bannon’s are not en- U.S. has massive military presence in Central Asia. But now Russia has
U.S. election to help Mr. Trump win. An- tirely diferent. On the other side, in Mr. the Chinese sphere of influence. But if already spread its influence to other re-
other allegation is that Russia possesses Putin’s Russia, the Orthodox Church, Russia and China come together — gions. It’s the dominant player in Syria, a
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS some compromising personal informa- sidelined by the godless communists for which has actually been taking place in strong ally of Iran (one of the countries
tion about Mr. Trump which it could use decades, has made a big comeback. So recent years, be it in trade and economic targeted by Mr. Trump’s Muslim ban or-
The fifth paragraph of “India holds its nerve in a thriller” (Sport, Jan. 30, 2017) to blackmail him. Irrespective of the when Mr. Trump promises to win over ties or the collaboration at the United der), and a shadow force in Afghanistan
erroneously said that Eoin Morgan won the toss and had no hesitation to bat merit of these allegations, it’s hard to be- the Russian leadership in the fight Nations on global conflicts — that where the Americans are fighting an un-
first. It should have been field first. lieve that the President of the world’s against the Islamic State, he’s actually would pose a potential threat to long- winnable war for over 15 years. Mo-
most powerful country would be loyal to referring to a possible ideological alli- term American interests. Mr. Trump scow’s bargaining capacity is much
a foreign government just because it ance between two predominantly would like to use his overtures to Russia higher now. It will demand greater com-
It is the policy of The Hindu to correct significant errors as soon as leaked information about his rival, or he Christian countries against a common to drive a wedge between Moscow and promises from the U.S. for a potential
possible. could be blackmailed over some secret enemy. By doing so, Mr. Trump may be Beijing. détente. And how is Mr. Trump, who has
Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. information. hoping to make advances in another dir- This is a strategy his predecessors promised to put “America first”— a eu-
The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by For a logical explanation, one has to ection — tackling China. used several times in the history of phemism to restore the U.S.’s slipped
Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to set aside these theories of loyalty and Mr. Trump believes Russia is no American foreign policy. In the 1970s, glory as the world’s pre-eminent super-
Friday); blackmail and look into the broader longer the U.S.’s principal global rival. In President Richard Nixon wanted to ex- power — going to address this? Both
Fax: +91-44-28552963; ideological and strategic contexts. Mr. his world view, China is rising to that ploit the diferences in the Communist sides may be testing the waters for now,
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in Trump’s foreign policy-related state- stature. To be sure, Russia, with its world and overhauled America’s policy but ideological intentions, as history
Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, ments from his early campaign days can enormous land and natural resources towards China. In recent years, Presid- shows, are unlikely to trump geopolit-
859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. be divided into three broad themes: an and strategically important geography ent Barack Obama seized the opportun- ical realities. The fault lines will start
All communication must carry the full postal address and ideological opposition towards what he and military might, remains a key geo- ity in Ukraine to mobilise European emerging as soon as they get down to
telephone number. calls “radical Islamic terrorism”, im- political power. But its economy is in- opinion against Russia and open a joint business.
No personal visits. proving ties with Russia, and taking on herently weak, a shadow of the Soviet front against Moscow. While his sanc-
The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com China. These three themes are some- economic power. Though Russia retains tions regime didn’t necessarily weaken stanly.johny@thehindu.co.in
CM ND-ND
YK