O P I N I O N S

Guest Column
Inviting foreign investors at cost of own
While earlier, Indians had the right to move and settle everywhere, the trend of restricting entry, employment and investment on provincial lines is a retrograde step. 
Manpreet Badal
The recent imbroglio of dispossessing Punjabis settled in Gujarat since 1965 represents a queer dichotomy. While the state is inviting foreign investors, offering them land and incentives to enter the state and invest, it is turning away brave Punjabis settled there for nearly five decades.

Fifty Fifty
Loss of the old Kolkata and its charms
Why have things not improved despite the money that the state has been spending year on year, so much so that it is now in huge debt to the Centre? 
Kishwar Desai
Since we have just returned from Kolkata, I cannot stop wondering about the decline of cities and what causes this? What has not changed in Kolkata is the warmth of the people — and as I had my book launch there, I found there was a wonderful ambience for discussion and intellectual debate. The Kolkata I remember from three decades earlier where art and artists were welcome and where an “adda” sprang up within minutes, and where people would burst into song (usually Rabindra sangeet) with just a slight encouragement and where everything could be discussed with an intellectual rigour from Marx to Madonna, still exists.

LAST WORD
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
Win-lose shuttler settles on victory
The fast-paced world bronze winner is a rising star on the badminton horizon. With some tweaking, she could very well be the new Saina.
By Gaurav Kanthwal
At Pullela Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad, a Saina vs Sindhu clash is a drab affair: it keeps happening with the monotony of a daily chore. Nobody is interested in keeping a count of victories or losses. Sometimes, the duo even has to do the scoring themselves as everyone is busy completing drills and other regimen. A wager of Rs 500, sometimes even Rs 1,000, might perk things up a bit. Still, nobody is interested in the end result.

Guest Column
Inviting foreign investors at cost of own
While earlier, Indians had the right to move and settle everywhere, the trend of restricting entry, employment and investment on provincial lines is a retrograde step.
Manpreet Badal

The recent imbroglio of dispossessing Punjabis settled in Gujarat since 1965 represents a queer dichotomy. While the state is inviting foreign investors, offering them land and incentives to enter the state and invest, it is turning away brave Punjabis settled there for nearly five decades.

The issue is that of lopsided priorities where genuine patriotic Indians are being forced to move out of their homes and asked to relocate. It also impinges on the constitutional right of every Indian. Besides, the imbroglio points towards a very dangerous phenomenon where ethnicity, religion and linguistic barriers are imposed on fellow Indians while foreigners are accorded the red carpet welcome.

Punjab farmers protest being dispossessed of land by the Gujarat Government, in Delhi.

I call them patriotic Indians because they risked their lives in war times and moved to Gujarat. This was the time when Gujarat Chief Minister Balwant Rai Mehta died when his plane was shot down by a Pakistani military aircraft. Besides him, those who lost their lives included his wife, two pilots, three aides and a journalist. By all accounts the civilian aircraft carrying the Gujarat Chief Minister was “waggling its wings”, meaning it was seeking mercy, but the enemy aircraft shot it down.

But war is ruthless. Two years ago, Qais Hussain, the Pakistani pilot who shot the aircraft, offered condolences to the daughter of the deceased pilot. This is the backdrop in which the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri asked Punjabis to relocate to the Kutch area. The area was inhospitable and a scene of frequent border skirmishes. More serious was the fact that it was an open arena for intrusions. Settling brave Punjabis was an idea few would have thought, but Lal Bahadur Shastri had the vision. Fewer would have accepted the idea of settling in such barren land, but Punjabis have the bravado. This was the context in which they settled in Gujarat.

While in earlier years, Indians had the right to move and settle everywhere, the trend of restricting entry, employment and investment on provincial lines is a retrograde step.

In the 21st century, such tendencies are sprouting at various places. Unfortunately, Punjab, which offers an equitable opportunity to all communities and welcomes people from all states to make the state its home, faces a paradoxical situation. Punjabis are being told that they cannot purchase land in certain parts of the country. There are restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Punjabis who had settled in the Terai region for decades faced a similar situation a few years ago, and now Gujarat has joined the team.

Such a tendency would make states more parochial and less diverse, leading to a situation where the concept of an Indian would be relocated behind the concept of belonging to a province. Such developments can be fissiparous in nature and would do untold harm to the idea of nationhood.

This also makes a mockery of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. Every Indian has a right to work or settle in any part of the country that one wishes. To restrict one community to benefit others, or to benefit one and restrict others, goes against the very ethos of our Constitution.

Besides the two aspects of history and the Constitution, the third issue is that of prioritisation. Dispossessing Indian citizens, while at the same time welcoming foreigners, speaks of a perverted logic. Foreign investment is certainly welcome, particularly in areas where one needs technology and investment. But while the province of Gujarat goes ahead publicising its foreign investment, it is moving the courts to proceed against its own citizens.

The issue has to be tackled in the national interest and every Indian should be allowed to work and own land in any part of India. A denial will lead to fissiparous tendencies and strengthening of ethnic and religious identities at the cost of Indianess.

— The writer is president of the People’s Party of Punjab

Fifty Fifty
Loss of the old Kolkata and its charms
Why have things not improved despite the money that the state has been spending year on year, so much so that it is now in huge debt to the Centre?
Kishwar Desai

Since we have just returned from Kolkata, I cannot stop wondering about the decline of cities and what causes this? What has not changed in Kolkata is the warmth of the people — and as I had my book launch there, I found there was a wonderful ambience for discussion and intellectual debate. The Kolkata I remember from three decades earlier where art and artists were welcome and where an “adda” sprang up within minutes, and where people would burst into song (usually Rabindra sangeet) with just a slight encouragement and where everything could be discussed with an intellectual rigour from Marx to Madonna, still exists.

Grand buildings like the Victoria Memorial bring back ‘Raj’ memories.

So why is this once-beautiful city itself in such a state, with roads dug up, and half-built flyovers, with hovels on the street and beggars everywhere — or is it in some kind of transitional phase? Or is it, really, just the same as any other Indian city — and I had just imagined it would be in a better shape because of the respect I have for Bengal’s art and literature?

For the sake of our hosts we remained uncomplaining as we bounced along broken roads and sidestepped puddles, dirty drains and ignored the garbage heaps. Why, when the city remains a hub of the intelligentsia and everyone is aware of the problems, nothing has been done about it? And yet, while we were there, we were introduced to excellent cuisine served in the most innovative fashion and funky modern décor, which could vie with the best in the world. But the Kolkata on the streets told a different story — of struggle and dirt, and impoverished millions. Why have things not improved despite the money that the state has been spending year on year, so much so that it is now in huge debt to the Central government?

Of course, many of India’s metropolises and urban centres (Mumbai and Delhi are no exceptions) are unable to cope with the sheer pressure of migration. City facilities are being bombarded with a steady stream of migrants who are unable to find employment in the rural areas. Or even food, it now seems. (I was shocked to discover that 75 per cent of the Food Security Bill’s largesse is directed towards the rural areas. It is puzzling indeed that the rural agrarian masses who produced the food in the past, now have to be given handouts and doles). No wonder they are all heading to the cities, where they might be able to earn enough to lead a life of dignity and eat a square meal, of their own choosing.

While it might be possible to keep the old and infirm in rural poverty, young people are not content with handouts — and no matter what governments might do — in terms of rural employment or even food handouts to keep them in their place (rural areas) migration will not cease because people are aspirational. And Kolkata and other cities perhaps represent to them centres of employment and self-improvement. Certainly some big air-conditioning guzzling monsters that are cropping up all over Kolkata — the shopping malls and a swanky new airport —are huge centres of employment for the young and able bodied. Thus, we were suitably impressed by the enormous airport, which everyone is still getting used to. That is why they said the baggage takes a long time to come, as old habits die hard.

But in cities like Kolkata, it is no longer just a divide between the rich and the poor. There is also a divide (no matter what anyone might say about ‘secularism’) between communities. Since my book launch was on Eid, I was warned that it was taking place in a ‘Muslim-dominated area’ and thus there might be problems of reaching there, etc. But the event went very well and everyone came for the discussion on women’s security. Yet it was apparent that the Muslims, despite years of Communist rule, and now with the much-promised security under Mamata Banerjee, still prefer to live in their own well-demarcated areas, a polite way of saying ‘ghettoes’.

There is, unfortunately, a clear division (which one can even see in cities like Mumbai where suddenly the written script will change to Urdu, and mosques begin to profilerate). On the other hand, there is nothing unusual about this, and we have seen Chinese, Indian and Pakistani ghettoes all over the world, in different cities. Integration of communities is always a problem no matter where you live.

Then there are other divisions between the rich, the middle classes (of which there are many varieties) and the really poor. These divisions become even more apparent during the monsoon when people huddle under insecure, improvised hutments or plastic sheets while the better off at least have umbrellas. We did not see any significant improvement even in the villages around Kolkata. So what is going wrong in these big cities and with town planning? And where has all the money gone?

The contrast between the scene on the streets of Kolkata and where we were staying, Tollygunge Club, could not have been greater. The ‘Tolly’ is among the last bastions of the British Raj, and has remained the same for the last few decades, unaffected by governments that come and go. But, for me, even though I had a superb launch and met some really nice people, I could not help feeling immensely sad during my stay. What has happened to this city, which was once the capital of India? I do not have any nostalgia for the Raj, but passing some of the grand buildings like Victoria Memorial, I could not help saying ‘Oh Kolkata!’

LAST WORD
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
Win-lose shuttler settles on victory
The fast-paced world bronze winner is a rising star on the badminton horizon. With some tweaking, she could very well be the new Saina.
By Gaurav Kanthwal

At Pullela Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad, a Saina vs Sindhu clash is a drab affair: it keeps happening with the monotony of a daily chore. Nobody is interested in keeping a count of victories or losses. Sometimes, the duo even has to do the scoring themselves as everyone is busy completing drills and other regimen. A wager of Rs 500, sometimes even Rs 1,000, might perk things up a bit. Still, nobody is interested in the end result.

What follows — usually pastries or mud cake — does pull a sizeable crowd though. At Siri Fort Complex, New Delhi, the Saina vs Sindhu battle in the IBL gets billed as the Independence Day thriller. In the shuttle world, it's happened for the first time. And, none other than India's Finance Minister P Chidambaram is keeping a tab on the scores. He's seemingly engrossed, and a bit agitated at times, not because the rupee is going for a spin against the dollar or the Sensex refuses to stop tanking. But more importantly, the unforced errors from both sides are not to his liking.

snapshot Born: 5 July 1995 Ranking: 10 Height: 5’11’’ Right-handed player Parents: Arjuna awardee (2000) PV Ramana and P Vijaya (former volleyball players). Hometown: Hyderabad Wins: Silver in Dutch Open, 2011; gold, India Open Grand Prix, 2012; gold, Malaysian Open Grand Prix, 2013; and bronze, World Badminton Championship, Guangzhou, 2013

As usual, Saina vs Sindhu ends as a drab, one-sided affair, as it has always ended. Coaches say it's not about Saina vs Sindhu, it's more of a Saina and Sindhu now.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu's bronze medal in the World Badminton Championship, Guangzhou, might have made her the toast of the nation, but in fact, she was the force multiplier India was looking for. The Hyderabadi's rise to the top is expected to spawn more international shuttlers from India.

Easy win, easy loss

Considered a talented and hardworking shuttler who could beat any top-notch player on her day, she would as easily let go on any other day. One fine day, she could rally to beat London Olympics gold medallist Li Xuerui of China, 21-19, 9-21, 21-16, but the very next, she would lose to 4th seeded Jiang Yanjiao of China 10-21, 21-14, 19-21 in the semifinal (Li Ning China Masters Super Series 2012). It's not that the attitude was missing or the spirit was not there. Something was amiss in her temperament. Despite will, her fitness would fail her during crucial junctures.

The flashes of brilliance she showed befuddled coaches no end. Sindhu herself felt frustrated and set out to rectify the flaws a year back. "I realised that in order to be in the top 10, I need to work on my fitness and consistency," she told The Tribune after the Malaysian Open Grand Prix win in May. Three months after that morale-boosting victory, Sindhu has propelled herself among the top 10 shuttlers of the world. "I am happy and satisfied but it's going to be tougher now," she said after her bronze medal in the World Championship.

To a great extent, Sindhu's success is a result of her upbringing also. Born into a middle class family in Secunderabad to PV Ramana and P Vijaya — both former volleyball players — she has imbibed the virtues of humility and hard work from her parents. The volleyball background gives her an extra edge on the badminton court. China's Yihan Wang (World No. 5) and Shixian Wang (World No. 8), Sindhu's victims in World Championships, had this to say: "Sindhu has speed, height and reach. Our coaches did a lot of research on her as preparation, yet she was difficult to deal."

Girl next door

At 5’11”, Sindhu is probably the tallest among the top 10. Her coaches say hers is a typical tall shuttler's game: fast paced, powerful cross-court smashes, excellent back court coverage and great reach. On the flip side, shrewd tacticians entangle her in net play. Being taller, she takes time in leaning and recovery. If you take the pace of the game away, Sindhu loses that edge. "That's not a worry, she will improve with experience. She has time on her side," coach Gopichand expresses hope about her future in top flight badminton.

As things are going now, Sindhu really has no worries. If she has, she is keeping them to herself. For friends, she is one of those pals you can walk up to and start chatting. She is open at heart. She chats a lot, giggles a lot. She talks movies and songs all the time, her peers reveal her free-spirited persona.

She is a fierce competitor too. Saina Nehwal will vouch for it!