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Crash at Gangoh The speed of justice Very important criminals |
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Fuel for arms race
Man as dog’s pet
1,000 women for Nobel Prize Pak has eye on Kashmir’s water resources Delhi Durbar
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Crash at Gangoh FATE has intervened in a cruel way, snatching Mr O.P. Jindal and Mr Surender Singh in a plane crash which took place only days after the two were inducted into the Haryana Council of Ministers. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Mrs Kiran Chowdhury, Mr Navin Jindal and their families, but their death is a loss for the whole of Haryana. Both of them were distinguished personalities who had emerged as leaders through hard work. Mr Surender Singh was the inheritor of the political legacy of his father, Mr Bansi Lal. The legacy may not be as imposing today as it once was, but it was substantial nevertheless. Mr Jindal, on his part, was a self-made man who devoted his life to building up the huge Jindal business empire. Incidentally, the helicopter belonged to his conglomerate. He was not only a consummate entrepreneur but also a philanthropist. One factor they had in common was that they had more friends than enemies in public life. Political rivalries were very much there but both leaders exuded a sense of dignity. While the real cause of the crash will be known only after the official inquiry ordered by the DGCA is over, the accident is rather intriguing. One, it took place in clear weather. Two, the helicopter was relatively new and was being flown by an experienced pilot. Preliminary reports speak of engine failure. That puts a question mark on its maintenance. Poor upkeep is the bane of even official planes. Things, it seems, are no better in private hands. The scope of the inquiry should be expanded to include this aspect. The DGCA needs to formulate even stricter guidelines regarding the airworthiness of planes and helicopters. At the same time, there is need for carrying out stringent checks regularly. Rules are already there but their implementation is almost always casual. These must be applicable to regular airlines as well as private aircraft. The owners of the latter are notorious for cutting corners. |
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The speed of justice THE Supreme Court has rightly extended the tenure of fast track courts by a month from April 1 and directed the Centre to explore ways to arrange funds, in the interregnum, so that they can continue for another five years. It has justifiably pulled up the Centre for its failure to arrange funds for their continuance. The manner in which the Centre has handled the issue all along is deplorable because these courts across the country would have ceased to operate from April 1 due to non-allocation of funds by the Twelfth Finance Commission. A Bench consisting of Justice S.B. Sinha and Justice S.H. Kapadia squarely blamed the Centre for the crisis because it did not demonstrate the sense of urgency needed to tackle the situation even though it was fully aware of the failure of the Finance Commission to see the need for cutting delays in courts. Undoubtedly, the concept of fast track courts is sound and they should be continued to quicken the pace of justice. Since 2001, 1,699 fast track courts were set up in a phased manner in 28 states to clear the huge backlog of criminal cases pending in lower courts. The success rate is well over 50 per cent and hence their continuance has become imperative. Closure of these courts will cause a serious setback to our efforts to speed up justice as the remaining cases will have to be transferred back to the normal courts which function at their own pace. The Supreme Court is greatly disturbed because even though it has been directly monitoring the functioning of these courts, the Centre had not presented it the correct picture about the finances in November 2004. Otherwise, the court itself would have intervened to expedite the fund allocation in time, the Bench maintained. Fast track courts are run under 100 per cent Central assistance. The state governments only allot land for them. Solicitor-General G.E. Vahanvati told the court on Wednesday that the Centre would like these courts to continue. But he failed to explain the reasons for the Centre’s inaction ever since the non-allocation of funds by the Twelfth Finance Commission. This is, certainly, inexcusable. |
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Very important criminals RAMPANT criminalisation of politics has given rise to a peculiar spectacle. Yesterday’s gangsters are today’s honourable leaders and policemen who were chasing them only recently now have to salute them and provide them security. There could not be a more cruel joke on democracy. Fortunately, the Patna High Court has come forward to say that it is not amused by the sick yarn. It has ordered the Bihar Police to withdraw security cover to any person with criminal antecedents, whether they were politicians or people with political and official clout. It has not named anyone but it is obvious that several MPs and MLAs, besides lesser netas, will be affected by the directive. According to one estimate, there are hundreds of policemen providing security to leaders with a criminal background in the state. With civil policing seriously weakened, life and limbs of ordinary persons are naturally more insecure than ever before! The fact is that it is these “gentlemen” who are a threat to society, instead of being under threat themselves. There is no reason why public money should be squandered on providing police guards to them. It is not only ethically wrong, the facility is being grossly misused. Security guards are being used as a status symbol and are also treated as menial servants. That is not all. They are also being employed to intimidate opponents. There are also instances where guards have been used for furthering their bosses’ nefarious activities. Even otherwise, some positive developments have reportedly begun to take place in the cursed Bihar. The state that has been the byword for maladministration all this while is cleaning up its act under President’s rule. Hundreds of criminals who had been defying the state all this while have been put behind bars. That only shows that they were never as powerful as they were made out to be. They were thriving only because of political patronage and connivance. The High Court directive, if carried out, will further diminish their nuisance value. Operation clean-up must be taken to its logical conclusion. And other states should follow the Bihar lead. |
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Language is fossil poetry — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Fuel for arms race FIFTEEN years ago the US had promised to sell F-16s to Pakistan. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the company manufacturing the aircraft, took the necessary advance for it. Then there were sudden changes in the global and regional strategic environment. The jihadi war in Afghanistan got over and Pakistan started diverting jihadism to Jammu and Kashmir. The Cold War also was over. The US President could no longer certify that Pakistan was innocent and not manufacturing a nuclear bomb covertly. The US Congress imposed the Pressler Amendment. That blocked the sale of F-16s to Pakistan. On March 24, 2005, the US, despite strong protests by India and nuclear proliferation and terrorism watchdogs within the US, took the decision to reverse its earlier stand. It has rewarded its new Non-NATO Ally with F-16s; not to combat terrorism but to improve its conventional security. Along with this reward to Pakistan, in order to neutralise and overcome the anticipated protests, India has been offered cooperation in the field of nuclear energy generation, sale of F-16s, F-18s and other sophisticated defence equipment with the transfer of technology and licensed production, and a dialogue on global issues to increase India’s role in international institutions and in strategic partnership. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed “great disappointment” over the US decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan. I believe the US decision is more than that. It is ill-timed and badly conveyed. It has cast an unnecessary shadow on the emerging dawn in Indo-Pak and Indo-US relations and raised mutual suspicions in the India-Pakistan-US triangle. Instead of making India a global player, it will revive hyphenation, and may fuel an arms race. No one denies the Pakistani right to its national security. If Pakistan feels insecure and threatened by India, procurement of 70, 80, or 130 F-16s will no doubt narrow the conventional military capability gap between India and Pakistan. But that will neither be substantial nor for long. Qualitatively, Mirage 2000 and Su-30s of the Indian Air Force can match the new fourth generation multi-role F-16s, even if Pakistan pays heavily to get those jet fighters. In fact, many experts feel that the Su-30s are more versatile than the F-16s. And there should be no doubt that India will now hasten its decision — already under consideration — to replace the older vintage MiG aircraft and complete its fighter aircraft inventory. Will Pakistan then indulge in the arms race and purchase more aircraft? Just when the Indo-Pak relations were showing signs of improvement, thanks to cricketers, people-to-people contacts and discussions on trade, commerce and developmental economics, the F-16 deal has re-introduced militarism on the subcontinent with all its ill effects. The focus will shift from people to establishments, from concessions to demands, and from sports and development to sporting F-16s and military toys. Already, Gen Pervez Musharraf is back to giving ultimatums on Kashmir. He feels bold to talk about Kargil, an initiative that nearly caused him his life, burial of democracy in Pakistan, and much military and diplomatic embarrassment to his nation. He exhorts militancy and terrorism, and no longer talks about his assurance “not to permit any territory under Pakistani control to be used to support terrorism in any manner”. Terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir is already showing an increase. It is well known that the Pakistan Army has a history of miscalculations and misperceptions about Indian defence capabilities a few years after every war with India. A repeat of such a history will be disappointing, not only to the people of India and Pakistan, but also to the US. As far as US-Pak relations are concerned, they are evidently returning to the days when the US looked after the Pakistan military elite and its requirements. It has taken a back seat on its democratic ideals, madarsas, and terrorism. The US argument that the sale of the F-16s will ensure greater security for Pakistan is hollow. If it believes in that, why does it not then accept Pakistan’s nuclear status, which the Pakistanis believe has given them maximum security? The simultaneous and placatory effort towards India by the US reflects revival of Indo-Pak hyphenation. Also, a naivety that creates more doubts than confidence in the US Administration. If the decision is in the US national interest, which the US Administration will vouch that it is, is it necessary to clad it with “promissory notes” and a visit to India by the new Secretary of State? One expected that the Indo-US relations by now have developed greater trust and confidence. Coming soon after refusing a visa to an elected Chief Minister of an Indian state suddenly, this action is unlikely to endear the US to the Indian public or its political class. The substance of the new US conciliatory effort towards India also does not impress one. At least not immediately! The US has offered cooperation in the field of nuclear energy generation. Does it mean that India is now acceptable as a member of the Nuclear Supplies Group and it can shop for nuclear energy requirements anywhere in the world? Or is the US going to bypass that and establish grounds for Westinghouse only to market its products into India? The offer to sell F-16s or F-18s and other defence equipment with licensed production will help the Lockheed Martin and Boeing companies which have recently opened their offices in India. I have nothing against the presence of these companies and welcome competition to our defence ordnance factories and PSUs. However, everyone knows that in defence equipment today, it is not a sellers’ market but that of buyers. With a sale incentive, even the Dassault Aviation, the manufacturers of the Mirage fighters, will be happy to enter India. Sukhoi Aviation is already doing that. The promise to hold Indo-US dialogue on global issues “to increase India’s role in international institutions” will mean much more if the US declares that it would support India’s candidature in the UN Security Council and as a new member of the APEC. The new US promises may sound good in diplomacy and on paper. They do little to dependability and reliability, the factors which frequently dog the Indo-US strategic and defence relations. Strategic partnership relations cannot be built with tactics and promises that remain
suspect. The writer, a former Chief of Army Staff, is President, ORF Institute of Security Studies, New Delhi |
Man as dog’s pet “EVERY dog must own a man” was the headline of an article in the Readers’ Digest many years ago. It is not known how many dogs had read or been apprised of the article. But it is an acknowledged fact that not only men, in India our animals too are illiterate. It can be presumed, therefore, that while members of that community in America could claim a fair percentage as being aware of the same, India’s section of canine “biradari” cannot be expected to be anywhere near their level. New Rajendra Nagar is by no means the poshest colony of New Delhi but it does seem to have some of the town’s ardent dog-loving — no sorry, men-loving - dogs around here. Their gait and bearing outstandingly reflect this. The pity seems to be that the men they own too do not know how to serve their masters. Yes, often the dog chooses the direction he prefers for his daily walk, selects the cars whose wheels he feels like
anointing and the spots he approves for clearing his bowels. It is not any of his problems as to what the residents of the adjoining houses have to say about his selection. And well, why should it be? His American counterparts don’t have to because aren’t the men they own bound by law to follow their pets with toilet bags to clean up the mess created by the masters against a threat of heavy penalties? And aren’t American ways — from chewing-gum to Coke and dating to Mcdonaldisation — a model to be followed by poorer consumers if they are to count anywhere? It cannot be the fault of Alsatians, St. Bernards or Spaniels — born to genuine foreign parents if we adopt their hobbies but not their accompanying rules of conduct. In this age of globalisation, fundamental canine rights have to be parallel the world over one day. Americanising by half could be desirable — if we chose wisely but it seems we selected the worst of both the worlds! Let us be sporty : if dogs are messy is it because they cannot be taught manners or because we ourselves are too unmannerly? In a case of personal experience when requests to spare our immediate vicinity brought forth abusive response we were told the family had invited a comment from neighbours : “It is like dogs keeping a dog as pet!” One is reminded of a joke from Osho : Mulla Nasruddin was planning a trip to a hill-station and wanted to ascertain if the hotel would permit his pet dog to stay with him. The reply he received from the manager was : “In my thirty years’ experience, not once were dogs caught for a drunken brawl or for concealing liquor, or burning hotel beds with careless smoking, nor did we recover towels or spoons from their suitcases at the time of their checking out. Never did we have to call the police. We have no complaint, in other words, against dogs. And yes, if your dog is willing to bring you along, you too may come.” What fun man’s best friend would have over the joke if it were read in a group! The serious ones among them may remind us again of the only variance between “DOG” and “GOD” being in the order of two letters which God may, one day overlook as a proofreader’s
error! |
1,000 women for Nobel Prize
WHAT would it be like if 1,000 women of different ages, religions and nationalities together receive the Nobel Prize for Peace in the coming October? This is not an idle mid-spring daydream but a possibility that women activists have been working on very hard globally for the past year and more. The initiative for the Project 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005 came from Switzerland, but has international support and ownership. Various women were given the charge the world over to identify women who would be eligible for the prize. It was a year of hard work but activists did identify women who could well receive the prize. Of these 1,000 women, 156 women have been identified from South Asia. Among the women who figure from our parts are Mahashweta Devi, the celebrated writer and activist, Medha Patekar, the well-known leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Ajeet Cour, an architect of the SAARC literary conferences, Madeeha Gauhar, a theatre director from Lahore as well as two ordinary women — one a Hindu and one a Muslim — who had filed cases against Union Carbide following the Bhopal tragedy. Kamla Bhasin, coordinator of the project for South Asia, says: “The figure 1,000 is just a symbol. It is a symbol of saying: peace is not a dramatic activity but rather is accomplished bit by bit. Peace is not an individual act. You cannot make peace alone.” In fact, a global list of 1,000 women was submitted to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo end January. One of the co-signatories of the letter is Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey. The records of strategies, networks, visions and working methods will be collected together in a book and will be made available all over the world on the Internet. In order to comply with the committee’s rules, the nomination letter highlighted the candidacy of three women in particular. The names of the 1,000 women should be announced in June, 2005. The Nobel Committee will announce its decision in October, 2005. The road to the collective nomination of women was launched by a group of Swiss women led by Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, a member of the Swiss Parliament and the Council of Europe in 2003. As part of this effort, 1000 women all over the world working for peace in their countries, communities, and neighbourhoods were identified and profiled. Since 1901, the Nobel Committee has acknowledged 80 men, 20 organisations and 11 women for their peace work. Motivated by the sincere hope and expectation that these 1,000 women will win the 2005 prize, organisers explain, “having a thousand women recognised at one time will more than even up the score.” Bhasin adds, “Women as a whole have contributed to peace both at the micro and macro levels yet since the inception of the award only a handful of women have been given this award. It is time the Nobel Prize Committee woke up to this reality. This initiative involved turning the spotlight on women who have been working unsung and often unseen ho promote justice, equity, and peace as a response to poverty, inequity, militarisation and armed conflict. The strategy involved peace work, from the informal to the formal sphere and strengthening their influence on official actors. The focus of this effort has been on women worldwide from all walks of life — farmers, teachers, artists, politicians, and others — who have perhaps emerged from constrained or challenging circumstances to fight violence and support human security. The criteria for each woman of peace included promoting active, non-violent responses to conflict; engaging in sustainable work, pursuing work worthy of emulation, acting with moral courage and responsibility, working in a way that is transparent and based on tolerance. Care has also been taken to select those women who have been conducting these activities for the cause of peace and not for political or personal gain. The women of peace come from regions of crisis as well as non-conflict areas. At least one woman from every country in the world (225) has been nominated. The project team specifically decided to nominate mainly 35 per cent unknown women at the grassroots level, without excluding more prominent women. Significantly, those fighting social injustice and domestic violence have also been included in the list of 1000. So even if the Nobel Committee does not agree to make this radical and unconventional presentation of the Peace Prize, the hard work of the women and their unrelenting commitment to peace with come out in the public arena through the symbol of 1,000, who in turn represent thousands of other women involved in such activity.
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Pak has eye on Kashmir’s water resources THE primary objective of Pakistan’s interest in Kashmir is to secure its water resources, according to a study made by the Strategic Foresight Group. “A conflict over land between the people of Kashmir and the Government of India will soon become a thing of the past. On the other hand, a water war between Kashmir and Pakistan is inevitable in the future”, the Strategic Foresight has said in a report “The Final Settlement’: Restructuring India-Pakistan Relations.” The report of the Mumbai-based body says that if India and Pakistan take a political decision to restructure their relations, they will have to ensure that water serves as a flow to bring them together, rather than taking them further on the course of conflict. It says that water situation in Pakistan is worse. The flow of river water is dropping precipitately at nearly seven per cent a year. Pakistan’s per capita water availability has declined from 5600 cubic metres at the time of independence to 1200 cubic metres in 2005. It is expected to reach a threshold level of 1000 cubic metres before year 2010 or perhaps even 2007. About 50 per cent of it is expected to be lost by 2010 making it difficult to support cotton sowing and wheat maturing. While all provinces of Pakistan are suffering from water shortages, there is a tendency to force Sindh to bear a disproportionately higher share of burden than Punjab. The army top brass, including General Pervez Musharraf who own lands in Punjab, is keen on ensuring water supply to Punjab at the cost of Sindh. The division of water upstream has resulted in the decline of water downstream. As a result, the discharge of water into the sea is going down and the intrusion of seawater into the mainland is going up. Sea intrusion has destroyed 1.5 million acres of farmland, resulting in the evacuation of three commercial towns, extinction of certain species of fish, and the loss of revenue to large numbers of farmers and fishermen. About 75 per cent of Sindh’s groundwater resources are brackish. Salinity and water logging affect about 88 per cent of agricultural land. Moreover, during 2000-2005, Sindh’s share in irrigation water was cut by 25-40 per cent. As a result of water shortage, industries are shifting from Sindh to Punjab and the NWFP. Sindh’s position as an industrial centre is in peril. The people of Sindh fear that the plans to construct the Kalabagh dam and Thal Canal will further aggravate their problems. Sindh has launched massive agitation against Kalabagh and Thal, threatening secession. In 2004, demonstrations were held in the province almost daily, where speaker after speaker compared the present situation in Sindh to the one in East Pakistan in 1971. That is why, Pakistan needs fresh sources of water in areas where dams can be constructed. As a result, Pakistan has been proposing that it should be given parts of the Kashmir valley and Jammu, so that it can have physical control on the Chenab basin. The construction of Mangla Dam has led to resentment in the Mirpur area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir but it has revolutionised agriculture in Punjab at the cost of Kashmir’s deprivation. It irrigates the canals in Punjab and also generates electricity. General Musharraf who as a Brigadier presented a paper during one-year course at London’s Royal College of Defence Studies in 1990 foresaw a looming water war. In his paper, Gen Musharraf said the distribution of Indus rivers contained the “germs of a future conflict” meaning that commando-turned- politician had made water from Kashmir as a condition for peace with India. In this connection, Pakistan Army establishment at a meeting of Corps Commanders held on January 5, 2005, in Islamabad has authorised the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to “workout a strategy with extremist groups to launch fresh attacks on a limited basis in the Indian territory.” But it should be noted that in the next five to 10 years, the greatest risk to the development of Pakistan as well as peace in South Asia, is that the jehadi forces may succeed in turning Pakistan’s military into a strategic tool, according to the report. |
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Delhi Durbar THE visiting delegation of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League headed by former Prime Minister Shujaat Hussain had a series of meetings in the Capital underlining the need for speeding up the political process in resolving ticklish bilateral issues hanging fire for decades. It is not as if they had underplayed the “K” word which was unmistakably referred to at all parleys, be it with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi or the media. They believe the mindset of the powerful military establishment in Pakistan is showing signs of changing with Gen Pervez Musharraf in the saddle as the Head of State. They wanted India as the bigger country to have a “bigger heart”, thus asking New Delhi to make greater concessions vis-a-vis Islamabad. The delegation is enjoying itself being feted and seems to have enjoyed Holi festivities at the farm house of a former Chief Minister of Haryana.
ICCR fetes doctors Tongues were wagging that the Indian Council of Cultural Relations felicitated some 250 NRI doctors who had adopted a village in Punjab. This is not exactly the ICCR’s brief, which is to showcase the country’s myriad cultural heritage to the world. Nevertheless, ICCR Chairman Najma Heptullah went ahead with this do for the NRI doctors, most of whom were based in the USA and of Pakistani origin. Interestingly, Heptullah’s son-in-law escorted these NRI doctors to India. The key speaker at this function was BJP President LK Advani. Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee was another speaker at this event, even though Heptullah had bid adieu to the Congress on the ground of being humiliated by party President Sonia Gandhi.
P C charms women Union Finance Minister is quite a hit with women scribes covering the finance beat and other core economic areas. The other day at the customary dinner after the presentation of the general Budget, a scribe tugged his tie and wondered how is it that he was wearing one which was a complete mismatch with his suit. Clearly, the suggestion was to refurbish his wardrobe. For once, the quick-witted Chidambaram was tongue-tied. As the conversation meandered with the scribes surrounding him, he suddenly said that he had a four-year-old grand-daughter. Another scribe said excitedly that she had a three-and-a-half year old daughter. Tongue-in-cheek, Chidambaram asked... “Grand-daughter, did you say?”
The WHO regional office and Health Ministry officers are busy with the coming visit of WHO Director General Lee Jong Wook. This year, the global celebrations of the World Health Day (April 7) are being held in Delhi. The Director General will visit a photo exhibition “Great Expectations” at Vigyan Bhavan on “maternal and child health”. The exhibition is part of a photo project started by WHO. For each region, the WHO selected one country and a five-month-pregnant woman in that country. In India, Pallava Bagla has taken pictures of Renu, a woman from Najafgarh in South-West Delhi. The photographers in all the regions were asked to take pictures of ordinary women in the fifth week of pregnancy and follow the subject a month after the delivery of the child. The objective of the photo project is to focus on maternal and child health.
Maneka, move over Former minister Maneka Gandhi’s role as the torch-bearer of animal rights has found a strong competitor in another member of the Gandhi clan — Priyanka Vadra. The other day, Priyanka was holding the centrestage at the launch of a book “Dog Care Made Easy” by Maj Gen RM Kharb. Priyanka, who came with son Rehan in tow, declared that she is an avid animal lover, having had retrievers at home ever since she can remember. She said she did not mind being an ambassador for animal rights organisations. Move over Maneka, Priyanka is here. Contributed by S Satyanarayanan, Gaurav Choudhury, Prashant
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If you must have a desire, let that desire be one to know the father. The one who has created all the known universe and many more besides. The only one who is worth knowing. — The Bhagvad Gita The king who aspires to monarchy must ever guard his kingdom with sleepless eyes. He must ever tend his subjects with a father’s love and care, knowing their fears and demolishing their source, rejoining with them on occasions of joy. — The Mahabharata Pray lovingly like children, with an earnest desire to love much and to make loved the one that is not loved. — Mother Teresa Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself. — Andre Gide Everything is subject to his will, nothing is beyond him. This is the truth. — Guru Nanak The ways of good appear difficult while that of evil appear easy. That is why a man works at good things slothfully and at evil things with eagerness. When a man does good things carelessly, he does not get the full benefits that should have accrued to him. — The Buddha |
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