EDITORIALS

Enter Dynasty
What if it does not square with democracy?

THE Congress has not set the Yamuna on flames by announcing the candidature of Mr Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, a seat represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi in the 13th Lok Sabha. She has herself shifted to Rae Bareli, which her mother-in-law used to represent. It will be a surprise if Ms Priyanka Vadra is not fielded from Bellary in Karnataka or some such constituency. Nobody can question their right to contest elections when the Constitution empowers every citizen to do so. But what sets them apart from ordinary mortals is the blood that flows through their veins, a fact which may appear anachronistic in a democratic era where equality takes precedence over every other consideration. But then the threesome belongs to a class of its own, having links with a family that gave three prime ministers to this country.

It is, of course, for the people to decide whether a fourth prime minister would emerge from their ranks but attempts are obviously on for the same. To be fair to Ms Sonia Gandhi, she had declined the leadership of the party when it was offered to her on a platter soon after her husband was assassinated at Sriperumbudur in 1991. That and the subsequent acts of anointing her the leader of the party and paving the way for the fourth generation of the family to try its hand at the country’s leadership show, if anything, the bankruptcy of a party, which at one time was led by people who thought nothing of their families but the supreme interest of their countrymen. Today it has become a caricature of its former self as exemplified by the fielding of Mr Rahul Gandhi.

One may wonder why the young Gandhi merited the nomination when few know for sure what exactly he has been doing all these years. Perhaps, what encouraged the party is the kind of welcome the people of Amethi gave him when he recently visited the constituency in the company of his sibling. He has never spoken on any subject of public interest, at least in public. Nor has he taken up any cause dear to the people he is intent upon representing in Parliament. The pull of dynasty was so powerful that all such thoughts were inconsequential when it came to Mr Rahul Gandhi. It is no consolation that every single political party sails in the same boat when it comes to fielding relatives in elections.

Empty promises
Once again, politicians let down the farmers

FARMERS from Punjab, especially those belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union, off and on converge on Chandigarh along with their tractor-trailers, hold rallies and jam traffic for a few days before they are called for talks and then go back after getting assurances from the Punjab Chief Minister. Last time when they had come to Chandigarh, Capt Amarinder Singh had declared that he would sit with them on dharna in front of the Prime Minister’s residence to press their demands. That made headlines, but nothing came out of it. This time he has announced that he would sell off the sugar stocks if the Centre did not act fast. The Centre does not take such threats seriously.

Punjab has some Rs 536 crore worth sugar stocks which the Centre has failed to lift for the past four years. To meet the demands of Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government got sugar stocks transported all the way from Maharashtra, instead of moving those lying in the neighbourhood. That there is politics behind it is obvious. But why should the sugarcane growers be denied their dues because of the Centre-state tussle? By putting a virtual ceiling on the minimum support prices for wheat and paddy despite the escalating input costs, the Centre has given out the message that the production of these two crops is no more to be encouraged. Therefore, the farmers’ demand to link the minimum support prices of agricultural produce to the price index has few takers in the government.

During the present election-charged atmosphere when the political parties are busy preparing for the battle ahead, the farmers should not have expected anything more than assurances. They can make their point more forcefully when the leaders come to their door for votes. Instead of organising rail and road traffic blockades, inconveniencing the citizens, the farmers should use their voting strength to have their demands conceded.

A year after
Iraqis can only hope for better days

HARDLY a day passes without violence in Iraq, which got rid of the Saddam Hussein regime a year ago. With the death of two US soldiers in a rocket attack near Baghdad on Sunday, the number of American casualties has risen to 280 since President George Bush called off the allied military operations on May1 last. The orgy of violence has, however, failed to prevent the country’s march towards a democratic system of government. The signing of the interim constitution for handing over Iraqi sovereignty to the Iraqis by June 30 and holding an election next year has brightened the hope for better days ahead. The Shia-Sunni and Shia-Kurdish rivalries have come to the fore, but efforts are on to ensure that they do not come in the way of ending the occupation of Iraq.

The new Iraqi constitution will have to be ratified after the establishment of a democratically elected government to give it a permanent status. The Shia leadership, particularly the clergy, may attempt to introduce amendments so that it has a major say in the affairs of the country. The Shias who constitute 60 per cent of the population cannot be denied their due. But in a democratic dispensation, this cannot be possible without taking care of the interests of the minorities. That is why the interim constitution has an inbuilt arrangement to prevent the majority from imposing its will on the minorities.

To some extent, the widening sectarian divide suits the Americans. They may exploit the situation to protect their interests in a democratic Iraq. The growing Iranian influence on Iraq is inevitable. The Americans will obviously hate such a scenario, but they will have to learn to live with it. In fact, they will be under tremendous pressure to play a balancing role. Favouritism may bring back chaos, though not exactly of the kind that followed the overthrow of the Saddam regime. This will not be in the interest of the US or the rest of the world.

Thought for the day

I shall be like that tree, I shall die at the top.

— Jonathan Swift

ARTICLE

Past haunts the Congress
Alliance politics not its cup of tea
by V. Gangadhar

BEING a giant with a historic past is a liability in Indian politics, as the Congress party is finding out. Many of the Opposition parties say they would like to align with the Congress for the next Lok Sabha polls but as poll time neared, the Congress is finding no takers for such alliances. And the situation is becoming more critical day by day.

Several months back, the Congress party had made it clear that it was game for alliances. The poll debacles in the recent past had led to a rethinking on the issue of going alone to the polls. This was hailed as a shrewd strategy and the Opposition parties came out with statements that they were willing to cooperate with the Congress in trying to push the ruling NDA alliance out of power. “All secular forces should unite and throw out the communal BJP” crowed the Opposition stalwarts who also commended Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s more flexible approach towards the issue of alliances.

But as the elections approached, the developments on the alliance front were reduced to a farce . Quite often, birthday parties of leaders of political parties, “Iftar” parties and religious festivals were used to flash the message of a united front against communal forces. The Samajwadi Party was often at the forefront singing the praises of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her newly-discovered political acumen. When she visited BSP leader Kanshi Ram after he was hospitalised due to indisposition, it was hailed at the first step towards a Congress-BSP front. The report gained strength when the Congress leaders en masse wished Ms Mayawati “Happy Birthday”.

Today, as electoral excitement reaches its zenith the alliance euphoria has fizzled out. The “hard-to-get” Mayawati had declared that she would have no truck with the Congress. What happened to the birthday party spirit? As the SP continued to drift away from the Congress, its General Secretary, Mr Amar Singh, accused the party of toeing the BJP line and trying to dislodge the SP government in Uttar Pradesh.

These are baseless, bizarre charges. If there had been one party on the political scene of India which had consistently opposed the BJP and its allies, it was the Congress. On the contrary, there had been reports that the SP had moved closer to the Centre with the understanding that it would be soft towards the BJP provided the Centre did not interfere with the activities of the UP government. Mr Amar Singh and his friends had to invent various excuses to explain the SP’s cooling off towards the Congress.

By and large, the BJP has done better than the Congress in keeping its alliances intact. It has been promised full cooperation from the Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh. It has had no problems with another major ally, the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. In Tamil Nadu, though the BJP lost its ally, the DMK, it secured a more powerful friend and ally, the AIADMK led by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Even the smaller partners of the BJP in Punjab, Orissa and Haryana were standing by it.

How and why did the BJP achieve such tacit understanding with a wide variety of political parties with different ideologies? The BJP, for years in the wilderness and frustrated at being forced to occupy the Opposition benches, had understood the basic nature of alliance politics. It did not mind being the junior partner provided it could become the largest single party at the Centre. The BJP did not care if it was never able to come to power in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. But it knew how to ride piggy back on regional parties, help them to come to power in the states while being promised their support at the Centre.

Put simply, it is a question of survival instinct. There may be nothing common in the ideologies of the AIADMK or the Telugu Desam, but who cared about ideology in the mad rush for power? The regional parties with whom the BJP had finalised alliances did not want to play major roles at the Centre. The Shiv Sena will be fully satisfied to rule over the rich state of Maharashtra and the cash-rich Mumbai city and not take on the additional responsibilities of managing the national economy, foreign affairs or defence. Unlike the Shiv Sena, the TDP had only been supporting the NDA government from outside despite offers from the Prime Minister for plum Cabinet posts. The wily Chandrababu Naidu knew that the time had not come for him to project a national image.

The Congress, unfortunately, is a different proposition. Its past has turned out to be a major stumbling block to form successful alliances. After all, the party had been in power at the Centre for nearly 50 years and had ruled all the states for several decades. It must be galling for the party to be in the Opposition, it must be even more frustrating for it to bow down to the dictates of the smaller regional parties. Prospective alliance partners often feared that the Congress, if allowed any leeway, would swallow them up. For them, it was the traditional banyan tree under whose shade no other tree or plant could grow.

The Congress did not like to play second fiddle. The alliance partners were nervous that the “big fella” would trample their own self-interests. Look at the Congress-NCP alliance mess in Maharashtra. On every issue, the alliance partners have been pulling in different directions and it is a miracle the partnership has lasted this long. The state-level alliance partners also feared that if they allowed a free rein to the Congress, it would work towards its way to come to power at the Centre and then ditch them.

Alliance politics involved a lot of give and take which the BJP had mastered. The Congress had its own typical problems. While the Opposition leaders respected Mrs Sonia Gandhi, they were often resentful of the overbearing attitude of some of her aides, the members of the “coterie” who never failed to stress the bigness and strength of their party. The public relations aspect of the party was often poor, wounding the feelings of the state alliance leaders. This factor led to much distrust and prevented the formation of successful alliances.

The Congress, however, succeeded in finalising a tie-up with the Telengana Rashtra Samithi in Andhra Pradesh and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand after it managed an alliance with the DMK. But Tamil Nadu has its own share of local politics. The Congress, by itself, was never much of a force and knew that it had to play second fiddle to the regional parties. By aligning with the DMK, the Congress could offer an alternative to the ruling AIADMK whose leader, Ms Jayalalithaa, by her arrogance and personal whims, could have alienated large sections of the electorate. The alliance made it clear that the DMK boss, Mr Karunanidhi, hold all the aces. A veteran politician of the old school, Mr Karunanidhi would not go to the extent of humiliating and insulting the Congress as was done by the earlier ally, the AIADMK.

The Congress, in Tamil Nadu, meekly accepted whatever was offered to it by the DMK, but the same level of acceptance was not displayed at the states in the Hindi belt. Perhaps, that was why even Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal was delaying its poll and alliance strategy. Any break-up in the Bihar alliance would make the Congress position even more vulnerable in the region.

MIDDLE

The elusive medical certificate
by D.K. Mukerjee

“CERTIFIED that Mukerjee has been licked by a suspected mad dog. Advised seven days’ complete rest.” This was the medical certificate issued to me by my doctor friend. Having exhausted all types of leave granted to a government employee, the only course left was leave on medical grounds. I needed it as the matches to select the Punjab badminton team had been announced and my participation was absolutely essential for the fulfilment of my dream to be in the state team.

The certificate had dampened my spirit and there was a lump in my throat. My medical consultant was an eminent doctor, a keen sportsman, humorous and could read the inner thoughts. My nervousness must have been apparent as he patted me and explained that since he was an “expert in mad dog bites”, he had deliberately and carefully selected the disease which would go unchallenged. And he was right. The leave was immediately sanctioned which enabled me to get my first ever berth in the Punjab team. Had the elusive disease not clicked, a desire was doomed to remain unfulfilled.

Many years later I suffered from slipped disc which rendered me immobile forcing me to appear before my angel doctor. He explained that the changing lifestyle had offered greatest threat to this precious organ but thanks to spectacular new techniques emerging in this field, recovery was very fast.

He gave me a few “mantras”, and prescribed a special kind of belt which was required to be tied across my waist and had to be used religiously so long as I was mobile. He advised me to stay erect, never to bend or look back and behave like a stiff-necked bureaucrat. The constant use of the belt gave me immense relief. I would invariably tie it after the morning shower and then dress up properly.

My two tiny granddaughters were expected to arrive from “Saat Samundar Paar” that morning. I was restless and as their delayed arrival was taking tremendous chunk of time, I decided to go for a quick shower. I was in the midst of cluster of thoughts and had just tied the “Magical belt” when the two kids suddenly appeared. They were shell shocked, stood like statues and exclaimed in horror “Nanoo Nangaa”! The startling glimpse of the dignity of age took my breath away. And my wife was shouting that it was certainly a “Mad Dog” which had licked me years ago!!

Thoughts have to be washed and cleaned before they are put to public view. However, I have not followed this principle. Pardon me.

OPED

Preserve poet Hali’s house in Panipat
Fortunately, the building retains its original shape
by Kiran Deep

PEOPLE may not know much about Altaf Hussain “Hali” but history knows him well. One of the most famous Urdu poets who succeeded the legendary Mirza Galib by adding newer dimensions to Urdu and contributing to the reformist movement, Hali has gone down the Indian history unsung. Years after he departed, his ancestral house located in the vicinity of Dargah Kalandar Sahab in Panipat awaits preservation and care.

Strangely, hardly anyone even in Panipat, which was Hali’s place of birth and belonging, knows anything about the poet’s illustrious body of works, which was influenced by Ghalib and Sir Syyed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University.

Hali’s literary exploits notwithstanding, neither the state of Haryana nor the Archaeological Survey of India has cared to preserve his memory for posterity. Born in Panipat in 1837, Hali’s only memoirs are his few books that rest on the ramshackle shelves of the Waqf Board Library in Panipat.

Strangely, no one knows the exact date of Hali’s birth. He died in the city on December 31, 1914.

The preservation, however, is important in view of Hali’s extensive contribution to Urdu language. A radical, Hali wrote a book titled “Mussadas” about the rise and fall of the Muslims on the request of Sir Syyed Ahmad Khan. He also enriched Urdu literature with his writings, Muqaddama Sher wa Shairi, Divan-e-Hali, Heyat-e-Saadi, Heyat-e-Javed and Yadgar-e-Ghalib. In all, Hali wrote many books, most of which have been lost to Pakistan.

Even Hali’s house presents a grim picture. Situated at Kalander Chowk, just a walking distance from the Dargah Kalandar Sahib, the house is under the occupation of a Sikh family that migrated from Ryalkot in Pakistan to Panipat in 1947. Family members said they had bought the house in 1962 from Hali’s grandson K.G Syaidan, who was Secretary to the Ministry of Education.

A visit to Hali’s house, spread over 465 square yards shows that largely his house has been preserved in the original form and can hence qualify as a heritage property. Structurally sound, the house nearly has the same facade which it had years ago. Significantly, the hall in which Hali used to host poetic symposiums (mushairas) is still in the original form, so is the special chamber meant for women. The family is using it as a drawingroom. Other parts of the house have also not been altered much either in structure or in size.

Mr Baljit Singh, who lives in Hail’s house, says that after the Partition, his father Rachhpal Singh migrated to Panipat from Pakistan. Initially, they had taken Hali’s house on rent. Later in 1962, his father bought the house from K.G Syaidan. Another revealing fact he told is that the famed Indian filmmaker and writer Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, who gave superstar Amitabh Bachchan his first break in the film” Saat Hindustani”, was also Hali’s grandson and had met his father a number of times.

He maintained that although some years ago the Haryana Urdu Akamedi and the state government showed some interest in the property, nothing concrete came out of the dialogues. He says the price of the property could have been a deterrent for the government to purchase and preserve the same. Ever since, the family members have not heard from either the state government or the ASI.

Even while attention eludes Hali, his mazaar tells the tale of his glory. Hali was buried at the principal historical building “Dargah Kalandar Sahib”, where he had spent much of his time writing and educating people during the last days of his life. The graveyard still awaits preservation.

Even the Haryana Government has done little to honour the poet’s memory. A visit to Hali’s library built by the Haryana Wakf Board at the Dargah is also disappointing as it contains only 24 of his books and a thin body of literature published about Hali in that era. Even the building that houses the library is dilapidated.

Unfortunately, people in Panipat know nothing about the whereabouts of Hali’s family. Most don’t even know a poet by that name ever inhabited Panipat. All that Mr Baljit Singh also knows is that Hali’s grand-daughters are in Delhi and he had once visited them when they had organsied a mushaira in Hail’s memory. He, however, does not remember their address.

The employees of the Haryana Wakf Board say that Hali’s many relatives had migrated to Pakistan after Partition and were not traceable ever since. Significantly, though the state government built a park and a lake in Hali’s memory, it has forgotten to maintain them. The two structures now lie in a state of neglect, confirming the wastage of crores of rupees that were spent on their erection. These have been turned into a dumping ground.

As for Hali, he is known more as a social reformer. He got married at the age of 17. Later without informing his parents, he left the house and migrated to Delhi to seek education. He is said to have faced a tough time during those days. The situation improved only when he started teaching Nawab Mustafa Khan Shaifta’s children. During those days he also met Mirza Galib, who was the one to advise him on pursuing poetry seriously.

At one point in his life, Hali migrated to Lahore and joined the Punjab Book Depot. He also worked as an editor of Urdu translations of English books. But he returned to Panipat to honour his love for India, which he reflects in a verse: “Kabhi bachpan ka dhyan aata hai, yaad aata hai apna shahar kabi, kabhi yaraon ka gam satata hai .. .teri ek moosht khak ke badle, lu na hargiz agar bahisht mile.”

Hali also believed that the service of humanity is the ultimate form of worship. He wrote this to assert this belief, “Yahi hai Ibadat, yahi din-o-iman, ki kaam aaye duniya mein insaan ke insaan.” These words are engraved on the graveyard of the poet.

DELHI DURBAR
Wooing film stars

THE BJP, the Congress, the Samajwadi party, the TDP and the Telengana Rastriya Samiti (TRS) are all wooing film stars in a determined bid to get their act going. Though the BJP has managed some big guns, the Congress finds itself a trifle uneasy with its catch as some of them have openly expressed their admiration for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

What is indeed interesting is the fact that the TRS is trying to woo actress Vijayashanthi in an effort to cash in on her annoyance with the BJP. The TRS has offered her any Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh for championing the cause of a separate Telengana state. Vijayashanthi is reportedly unhappy with the BJP as the party has overlooked her claims for a Rajya Sabha seat.

Divided over Sukh Ram

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and state PCC chief Vidya Stokes continue to have differing perceptions on having a truck with former Union minister Sukh Ram’s Himachal Vikas Congress. Before the assembly elections, it was Virbhadra Singh who was totally opposed to a tie-up with the HVC even as Stokes was in favour of an understanding. Now it is the reverse.

Virbhadra Singh, whom Sukh Ram has met quite a few times in the national Capital, apparently is not averse to taking HVC support for the Mandi seat provided it is extended on the terms of the Congress. A miffed Stokes has been reminding the Central leaders of Virbhadra Singh’s earlier opposition to any tie-up with the HVC.

Handicrafts from Pakistan

Jaya Jaitley, founder of the Dastkari Haat Samiti, is concentrating on achieving harmony in India-Pakistan relations through handicrafts. Her efforts to facilitate interaction between artisans of India and Pakistan have proved fruitful. The result is “Dostkari”, a crafts design workshop, combining “dosti” (friendship) and “dastkari” (craftsmanship). The fortnight long workshop at Dili Haat has been organised with the help of the World Crafts Council and the Lok Virsa in Pakistan.

Jaya Bachchan for Allahabad?

There is intense speculation that Amitabh Bachchan’s wife Jaya may contest from Allahabad on the Samajwadi Party ticket, thanks to the persuasive powers of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his troubleshooter Amar Singh. There is excitement among SP workers as there is a talk that the Big B will be campaigning for his wife in his home town. A bird tells us it is unlikely that Jaya will take the plunge though she has associated herself with social causes. On its part, the SP wants a strong candidate to be pitted against Union Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi in Allahabad.

Rush to the Gulf

The Congress and certain other parties are talking of a serious resource cruch in the run-up to the April-May general election. The gossip in political corridors is that the ruling BJP-led NDA is better placed in raising funds. That has led to intense inquiries being made with travel agents, especially in Kerala, about the availability of air tickets to the Gulf in March and the first half of April.

Contributed by S. Satyanarayanan, Prashant Sood, Tripti Nath and R. Suryamurthy

REFLECTIONS

Three things shine before the world and cannot be hidden. The moon illumines the world and cannot be hidden; the sun illumines the world and cannot be hidden; and the truth proclaimed by the Tathagata illumines the world and cannot be hidden. There is no secrecy about them.

— The Buddha

The evolution of the world can only be through successive emergences of higher and higher consciousness from Purusa. These emergences are really descents of the Divine Consciousness.

— Sri Aurobindo

Man attains to ever-lasting joy only through God’s gracious glance.

— Guru Nanak

If there be no God to give the fruit of the action, then the soul will never submit voluntarily to the sufferings due to sins.

— Swami Dayanand Saraswati

Sometimes we may learn more from a man’s errors, than from his virtues.

— Longfellow