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Maya’s fury Pre-poll
shakeup |
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Age of
marriage
Springtime in the
subcontinent
That Extraa day
Dateline
Washington Defence
Notes
Bosses
make people go nuts!
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Maya’s fury INSCRUTABLE are the ways of the Bahujan Samaj Party leader, Ms Mayawati. After keeping silent on her party's strategy for the next elections and thereby keeping both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on tenterhooks, she has blasted them for their 'Manuwadi' politics. Yet, at the end of her two-hour-long speech at Patna's sprawling Gandhi Maidan, she left enough straws for the two parties to clutch at. In other words, she is open to talks on sharing of seats with either of the parties. It remains to be seen which of them — the Congress or the BJP — pips the other to the post. It is almost certain that the BSP leader is unlikely to take the initiative to have an electoral alliance with either of them. She knows only too well that such tie-ups do not bring any dividends to the party for two main reasons. Successive elections have shown that while the BSP is able to transfer its votes to the party with which it has an electoral alliance, other parties are not able to transfer their votes to the BSP. Thus a BSP-Congress alliance will dramatically transform the fortunes of the latter in Uttar Pradesh, where it has been relegated to the third or fourth position except in Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies. Similarly, the BJP stands to gain a lot from the BSP if the latter forgives the party for destabilising her government in the name of the Taj corridor project. In any case, Ms Mayawati feels that her party will get its quota of seats in Uttar Pradesh even if the party does not enter into an alliance with any party. That is precisely why she expects Ms Sonia Gandhi to approach the BSP like a supplicant. Moreover, the BSP does not have much stake in the election and Ms Mayawati can afford to be complacent unlike the BJP and the Congress, which are desperate to win the maximum possible seats from UP. Mayawati's speech at Patna was notable also for the emphasis she laid on expanding the base of the Bahujan samaj and her readiness to sacrifice for the cause. Likening herself to South African leader Nelson Mandela, she said she was ready to go to jail. What she forgot to tell her constituents was that while Mandela had gone to jail to end apartheid, she would be going there for selling the Taj corridor. But then bluster is natural to Ms Mayawati. |
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Pre-poll shakeup Under the Russian Constitution, the government must submit its resignation after presidential elections, which are due on March 14. It was widely believed that President Vladimir Putin would go in for a change of Prime Minister after the elections, but he has confounded friends and foes alike by doing so three weeks earlier. The sacking of Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and the appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko in his place has electrified presidential campaign and the voter turnout in the poll is certain to be greatly increased. By the shrewd move, the former KGB chief has put the blame for persisting economic problems in Russia on Mr Kasyanov. There has been widespread poverty in the country despite oil export windfall during the recent past. Mr Putin is under pressure to pare down bureaucratic flab and speed up economic reforms. It is not as if the surprise move is going to make any substantial change in the political situation. Mr Putin is already expected to win the election with a wide margin because of the general feeling that he has “restored” order in Russia. The summation of the upcoming elections is that there are 10 candidates in a one-horse race. Although the Prime Minister is technically number two, in the Russian order of things he is more like a housekeeper, because the Constitution adopted under President Boris Yeltsin in 1993 has kept the Soviet tradition of a technical Cabinet headed by a professional. What is noteworthy is that all other ministers except Mr Kasyanov have been included in the new Cabinet. Although there are many claimants to the post of Prime Minister, Mr Khristenko is widely tipped to be confirmed in the job. From the Indian perspective, that is good news because he has been co-chairman of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation from August, 1998, to August, 2000. |
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Age of marriage Everyone wants that elusive 15 minutes of fame. Don't blame Dennis Lindley, emeritus professor at University College, London, for having managed to get the spotlight on himself. There is only one statistics that has engaged the lasting attention of mankind; although no one knows who was the statistician who figured out that 36-22-36 made women look attractive. The good professor evidently did not want to live his emeritus years in "statistical obscurity". So he has produced a formula for working out the right age for matrimony. By giving what will ultimately be remembered as the Lindley formula he has made sure that his name will live for as long as the institution of marriage survives. What is so unique about the formula? He says that the ideal age for men is 32 and for women 27 for shedding their single status. He has either worked the existing trend into a formula or has stumbled upon what is already in vogue in the market-driven societies that give primacy to "my career" over "our home". Live-in is in, but early marriage is now a big no, no. The trend is catching up with urban India. In most oriental homes marriage is a subject that now gives parents premature grey hair and children goose pimples. That is one reason why grandparents are now in short supply. A Coimbatore doctor may have inadvertently contributed to killing the institution of grandparents. Who would want to be a grand anything if the pleasure of motherhood can enjoyed at 63 and fatherhood at 74? The medical breakthrough that Dr Nirmala Sadasivan accomplished promises just that. It is now possible to lead a hassle-free working life and enjoy a bit of post-retirement freedom before tying that troublesome knot. |
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Thought for the day The young do not know enough to be prudent and therefore they attempt the impossible — and achieve it, generation after generation.
— Tom Clancy |
Springtime in the subcontinent This
year’s basant (spring) has coincided with the resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue, agreed to at the Islamabad summit between Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Gen Pervez Musharraf earlier this year; it is also being implemented in the right spirit. There is much hope in the air. This euphoria needs to be corrected. The official level talks were held in Islamabad last week when the two sides agreed to the format and rough timetable for substantive negotiations. The latter will understandably take place after the Indian general election, beginning first with the Foreign Secretaries who will tackle the more difficult issues of Kashmir and peace and security. It is hoped that the six other committees on specific disputes will have met and produced results, hopefully positive, when the dialogue will be raised to the political level: i.e. at the FMs level, in August. All are aware of the roller coaster course of India-Pakistan relations on the Kashmir question, occasioning three and a half wars and several failed peace agreements. Nothing has happened to reduce the complexities of the Kashmir problem. But hard as Kashmir issue is, it has given birth to an even harder and more complex reality: two opposing nuclear powers in such close neighbours as India and Pakistan are. It is necessary to divide the Pak-India differences into very serious and less serious issues as the Islamabad negotiators did. Thus Foreign Secretaries will make a go at Kashmir and peace and security up front — and starting first. Other six issues, Siachin, Sir Creek, Wuller Barrage, terrorism, economic and commercial cooperation and cultural exchanges will easily result in agreements if there is political will on both sides. Doubtless Kashmir is historically more contentious: To put crudely, Pakistan has wanted to take Kashmir away from India, no matter what it takes and the latter is determined to keep it, come what may. Both sides have made it a test of their national manhood; a middle way is hard to find. Many ideas are floating around about a possible solution for stabilising peace. If they want to make progress, economically and socially, there is no option to ironing out differences, living peaceably and engaging in friendly cooperation. Pakistan and India confront the issue of peace and security. This refers to ongoing, indeed intensifying, arms races in all fields: conventional armaments, nuclear weapons and the vehicles to carry them. Both sides are engaged in a buildup in all the fields but more specially in the sphere of atomic weaponry, including missiles. Gen. Musharraf has proudly announced Pakistan would soon test-fire a missile of 2000-km range. Happily both sides know the myriad dangers inherent in a competitive buildup of atomic WMDs and missiles. A memorandum of understanding had been signed four years ago with a view to stabilising the situation. That was an earnest attempt for trying to limit this particular arms race. Pakistan has recently sent another memo to New Delhi on a Strategic Restraint Regime. Both documents are on the table. There are two sets of issues involved in hammering out a nuclear detente: one set comprises the technical means to avoid accidents, unintended war, safe keeping and transportation of nuclear materials, a better command and control system, frequent hotline contacts among top decision-makers to avoid misperceptions etc. These confidence-building measures are expected to avoid unintended nuclear launches or other accidents. These can be agreed upon relatively easily and implemented, though these too require political will. There is another major problem — of numbers. Any detente on limiting an arms race has to put a cap on further proliferation at some level. The reason why the US Senate did not ratify the SALT II underscores this difficulty. Limiting the number of nukes is inherently difficult between rivals who have repeatedly gone to war and have an intractable dispute to fuel their arms races (round which vested interests have arisen). The task is further complicated by a basic asymmetry in the self-perception on both sides. Pakistan’s nuclear programme is unidirectional: it is aimed solely at India; the latter is recognised to be superior in conventional military strength, as was seen in 1971 war. Pakistan therefore thought of a nuclear capability as a deterrent. It hoped to feel secure against India, which is the only threat to it. It will therefore be ready to put a cap on its nukes’ number at some point, theoretically at a fairly small number. Now, even this is not easy to fix. At what number a commander can safely stop? He would want to know what are the ‘enemy’s numbers. In all cases, so far, no two rival powers have agreed on an agreed numbers. Witness the latest Russian declaration that it will again build new kinds of weapons to cope with the Americans. The latter are, in any case, engaged in a vertical buildup. All powers constantly upgrade and modernise their WMDs. The “other” side always responds with upward revision of what was originally the minimum number. Besides the concept of modernisation and modification of an existing stockpile, in fact, implies an increase in the amount of destruction on the target — an equivalent to increasing the number. There is the geographical difficulty. India is a larger country. It is intent on emerging on the world stage as a major power. That seems to require an awesome military strength in all branches. Indians are aiming at deterring, insofar as their nukes are concerned, all the major powers of the world, not excluding the US. There is also China to be held at bay and to compete with it in influence in rest of Asia. India is unlikely to agree to an overall limit on its atomic WMDs that will make Pakistan feel comfortable. While India is likely to keep its gaze focused on nuclear stockpiles and activities of US, Russia and China, it may feel embarrassed to consider Pakistan’s demand for a detente on nuclear weapons. One underlines the overwhelming difficulties not because nothing can or should be done. It merely means that profound thought should be given to Pakistan-India relationship and solutions of all issues are not sought on the basis that the two will remain permanent enemies. If they are taken as permanent rivals, there might never be a restraint regime that can be relied upon to keep peace. The need is for their reconciliation from the grassroots up. The basis exists if it is recognised that their relationship is one of ambivalence: emphasise the differences, they will go on moving in inimical directions; but once they start to come together, nothing will normally stop them from a close embrace. In this partnership lies the solution. All the talk of political will can require salience only if the two befriend each other intimately. Solutions of problems like Kashmir and the nukes become possible only in wider and more inclusive policies by all South Asians for creating a new regional union of peoples. A South Asia-wide people-to-people reconciliation, free travel and trade, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges will create a new regional persona. Within such a close partnership among all South Asians, it will be possible to resolve the various intractable disputes such as Kashmir or the nukes’
proliferation. |
That Extraa day
Care for this rhyme: "Thirty days hath
September, April, June and November; All the rest have
thirty-one, Excepting February alone; Which hath but twenty-eight, in
fine, Till leap year gives it twenty-nine." To resolve the
past irregularities Julius Caesar with the advice of an astronomer
Susigenes figured out that a year of 445 days was needed to do a
balancing act between Time and Earth. And that long year was 46 B.C.
Thus the leap year began in circa 47 B.C. In the 8th century an
Anglo-Saxon monk by the name Bede found that the Julian year was longer
by 11 minutes and 14 seconds but nothing could be done about it till the
15th century when Pope Gregory XIII decreed in favour of astronomer
Christopher Clavius’ calculations. Thus 11 days were totally
eliminated by making October 4 followed by October 15 in 1582 AD since
months and seasons were not matching as worked out. Accordingly,
December was made the last month of a year with a leap year to follow
every four years on February 29. And a new Gregorian Calendar came into
force. For the reason that the spring equinox determines the date of
Easter, the Christians had a stake in having a stable calendar, which
the entire world still follows. Hindu festivals are determined by
Vikrami and Samvat almanacs; the Muslims follow Hijri. There are about
four-million leapies (born on February 29th) in the world. Our own
Morarji Bhai was one of these. In Scotland in the year 1288, the Leap
Year Balls, held in glamorous and romantic settings, afforded an
opportunity for women to legally propose to their men of choice. Prior
to this, in 5th Century Ireland, there existed this practice of allowing
women to propose to men on February 29 and in case the latter refused,
they were fined. Simple minds question the astronomical logic of adding
a day to the month of February only. One Jacob E. Goldman wrote to the
editor of The New York Times, on January 5 1995, about a linguistic
inconsistency saying, that the ‘extraa’ day should be added at the
end of the year i.e. 31st December and it need not be referred to as the
leap day; rather a leap year. How silly! What will happen to the New
Year Eve and the New Year Day Mr. Jacob? Shall we then say," A
Happy New Leap Year to you!" Aquarians of the world, unite to
continue having a day still added to February for who knows a Caesar or
a Gregory may alter the almanac. And the leapies, A Very Happy Birthday
to you all in advance!
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Dateline Washington On a morning in April, 2003, Mr Hossain, a New York city baker, went to register with the US Government. A Bangladeshi national, he was complying with the requirements laid down by the controversial National Security Entry-Exit Registration System that made it mandatory for male citizens of 25 countries, including Bangladesh, to register with the immigration department. Mr Hossain had applied for a labour certification in April 2001, and was awaiting a decision from the Department of Labour. He didn’t think he had anything to fear. But he soon found himself entangled in a web of anti-immigrant policies put in place after September 11, 2001. “I was questioned for many hours,” Mr Hossain said through an interpreter. His interrogators insisted he had been in the country for longer than he had told them and openly mocked him during the interview. He was then placed in deportation proceedings. Mr Hossain’s labour certification was approved on January 28 — months after his deportation case ended. Attorneys from the New York civil rights group Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund filed a motion to reopen and an emergency stay of removal on February 11. And on February 12, an immigration judge granted a last-minute emergency stay of removal on Mr Hossain’s February 19 deportation. “This is a small but significant victory for those who’re fighting for justice for the new underclass immigrants,” said Partha Banerjee, an organiser at New Immigrant Community Empowerment, a New York-based non-profit organisation. “Mr Hossain’s case in particular highlights the post-9/11 wrongs done on peaceful immigrants; it is now time we fix the enormous problem.” According to Department of Homeland Security statistics, as of December last year a total number of 83,519 persons had complied with the Special Registration programme. Of these, officials discovered inconsistencies in the documents of 13,799 and deportation proceedings were started against these persons. Two thousand eight hundred and seventy were detained, 23 were in custody and 143 were labeled “criminals.” The annual interview requirements under the Special Registration process was suspended in December. Sam Quiah, a community organiser at AALDEF, said the programme failed its intended purpose. “There is no report in the world which can get away with saying ‘143 criminals’,” said Mr Quiah. “There is no mention of the number of terrorists or money launderers caught under the programme. and that’s what it was intended for. It seems the government wants to cover up the fact that it didn’t catch any terrorists.” Of the 25 countries targeted by the programme, 24 were Muslim nations and the 25th, North Korea, was added to the list after President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address in which he dubbed the state part of an “axis of evil.” The programme has worst hit Muslims in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington. Many who came to the US to study and work were infuriated by the humiliation they suffered at the hands of immigration agents. Mr Hossain cited harsh and “religiously insensitive” treatment from agents while registering at immigration offices in New York City. “Some people are allowed to correct their status while others are put in deportation proceedings,” said Mr Quiah, arguing for a “consistent” ruling on the way immigrants are treated. AALDEF attorney Sin Yen Ling said: “Faced with questions about Saddam Hussein and bin Laden, Mr Hossain’s case exemplifies a failed and discriminatory policy that exceeded the government’s purpose of visa compliance.” In 1997, Mr Hossain left his home in Noakhali, Bangladesh, to come to the U.S. in search of safe blood transfusions for his sick and then three-year-old daughter. “She had a very serious case of jaundice. now she is 10. She thinks of herself as an American. Her whole life has changed. I want to stay here and see her graduate,” Mr Hossain said. Almost 14,000 people have been put through deportation proceedings as a result of last year’s registration, points out Saurav Sarkar, a civil rights activist in New York. “Why aren’t people who have already been forced to leave the country being allowed back in? Where is the admission that the programme was discriminatory on the basis of religion and ethnicity?” Mr Sarkar asked. He suggested a shift in the way immigrants and other non-citizens are viewed in America. “They’re not a national security threat, a cause of a drug abuse epidemic, or a sap on public resources. They are ordinary people, many with lives and loved ones in this country, who are being treated repressively because of their immigration status.” Said Dr. James J. Zogby, President of the Washington-based Arab American Institute, “If you want to instill confidence and build trust with the Arab and Muslim immigrant community, immigrants mustn’t be made to feel that cooperation with law enforcement and complying with regulations lands them in detention and deportation proceedings.” There have been many instances in which the male head of the family has been deported and his wife and children are left behind. “Those children have to grow up a lot faster. the women work more than one job to support the family. There are many social consequences,” said Mr Quiah. If deported, Mr Hossain plans to take his wife and daughter back with him. Despite his harrowing experience, Mr Hossain’s love for life in the U.S. is undiminished. “I know we will have a better life here. and my daughter will get good treatment and education,” he said. |
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Defence Notes From being a major purchaser of the arms and ammunition, India is now looking fast at being an arms seller and the Indian Air Force (IAF) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the country finds the right market To start with, the IAF has taken upon itself the task of marketing the indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), which have caught the eye of quite a few countries. In a bid to showcase Indian technology, the IAF participated in the Asian Aerospace Airshow 2004 held at Singapore. Along with the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, which remains amongst the best in the world, an IAF contingent of four ALHs also participated in the show. The importance that the IAF attaches to the show, which was held from February 19 to 29, can be visualised from the fact that even the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, visited the show on the days India was to showcase its equipment. While promoting the Indian aerospace industry, the IAF is particularly looking at selling the ALHs to the South-East Asian countries where India sees a potential market. An IAF spokesman said, “Singapore being the centre of the developing world, the airshow provides a platform for product promotion”.
A common training academy In the near future, we could well see a major synergy of military and civil equipment. After the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, gave indications a few months ago to the possible synergy between the civil and military infrastructure for better utilisation, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Rajiv Pratap Rudy has also favoured it. At a recent seminar organised by the Aeronautical Society of India, the minister said, “We have two major players of aviation in the country— one is military and the other is civil. Many airports and airspaces are being shared and we have to synergise the utilisation of common infrastructure in such a way that the investments are optimised by both players for national growth”. He added that there is a possibility of having a common training academy with adequate capacity for students and trainees from SAARC and other countries. Besides, with the ALH, the LCA, the IJT and the Saras aircraft in the pipeline, the aviation industry in the country is set for a big leap, which the minister said, will fuel not only the economy but also create more jobs.
New electronic licensing
system from US The US State Department has launched its new electronic licensing system for defence exports that will make coordination of the licensing process with the Department of Defence and other federal agencies more efficient and effective. Known as “D-Trade”, it is part of the US President’s management agenda, which seeks to advance effective government by electronic means. The D-Trade system will enhance the ability of the Directorate of Defence Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to control the export of defence articles and services mandated by the federal Arms Export Control Act of the US. It is of more importance to India as the defence trade relations between New Delhi and Washington are fast improving and the US is looking India as a major potential market.
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Bosses make people
go nuts!
London, February 27 As many as 6,500 people out of a sample size of 10,000 aged between 18 and 44 voted for the bosses, while annoying partners came a close second. According to the magazine, bad football managers, speed cameras and over-priced drinks came third, fourth and fifth respectively.
— ANI
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The Lord, who is the lover of devotion, is pleased with devotion and does not bother about (other) qualities. — Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in The Bhagavad Gita The Divine is revealed as power, but in devotion along with power a friendship and kinship are also exhibited. The Bhagavad Gita is eloquent about it. — Shri Adi Shankaracharya By hearing the word Mortals are to godliness raised. — Guru Nanak The Christian will find his parentheses for prayer even in the busiest hours of life. — Cecil |
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