Miles to go to catch up with China
by Abu Abraham
“WE have been left behind. The world is moving on,” lamented Atal Behari Vajpayee in Lucknow recently, in the course of a newspaper interview. He may have been thinking of global capital, market norms and foreign investment but we have been left behind in a whole range of development.

A no-nonsense man
ARUN JAITLEY is absolutely new to the ministerial culture. The mandarins of Shastri Bhavan and labyrinths of red-tapism are still unknown to him. He has been brought up in a different culture — the legal profession — in which delays have no place and long hours of work become a part of life.

Mamata asserts, Nitish relents
Right at the start of the first session of the Lok Sabha, the Vajpayee government had to resolve a rather unusual tangle between two Ministers — for the right to use a room in Parliament House.

75 Years Ago

Reduction in railway fares
A correspondent points out that the “substantial reductions” in railway fares recently announced by the G.I.P. and other railways are unreal for 90 per cent of the passengers on the line and are a mere trifle in the case of the remaining two per cent.

Miles to go to catch up with China
by Abu Abraham

“WE have been left behind. The world is moving on,” lamented Atal Behari Vajpayee in Lucknow recently, in the course of a newspaper interview. He may have been thinking of global capital, market norms and foreign investment but we have been left behind in a whole range of development.

We are down, down, down in almost everything — education, culture, literacy, population control, health care, roads, drinking water. For decades, international experts have been comparing India and China as if they were twins born about the same time — the Chinese Republic 50 years ago and the Indian Republic 52. It is natural that these two Asian neighbours and the two most populous countries in the world are judged together in their economic and social development.

Until a couple of decades ago, India was running close to China. But now the gap seems to have become so wide that others have virtually stopped discussing the two countries in the same breath. China is way ahead. China is clean, India is filthy; the Chinese are disciplined, Indians are undisciplined; Chinese work hard, Indians, on the whole, take it easy at work; China has achieved social cohesion, Indians divide themselves into tens of thousand of communities with that many traditional ways of life.

I was in China for two weeks in 1981 and I visited five cities — Canton, Peking, Shanghai, Nanking and Souchow. I also visited a large commune, 40 km from Shanghai with a population of 24,000 people, comprising 6,045 families. It was almost like a small town, with a few small industries, but agriculture and farming were the main occupations. I gathered that in this commune there were 37 doctors, 57 barefoot doctors, nurses, teachers and a number of functionaries doing administrative work. The organisation of a commune is elaborate and somewhat, complicated. This commune was called Hua Yang Chao and was in Juang county within the centrally administered Shanghai municipality.

The main city of Shanghai had six million inhabitants then but it was clean, the traffic was orderly; I saw no slums or signs of poverty. It had at that time a per capita income of $1500 a year.

Around Shanghai are 12 satellite towns. Free migration from the rural areas to the cities is not allowed in China. The idea is to improve the amenities in the rural areas so that people don’t need to migrate.

One of the first things that the government did in Shanghai was to clean up the filthy canals and creeks around the city, eradicate slums and plant trees. Hundreds of thousands of apartments were built for working people in the first three decades of the People’s Republic. No one lives on the pavements or in the open. And beggars are not seen.

Chinese planning has been divided into what they call the “four modernisations” (industry, agriculture, science and technology, and defence), the ‘four beautifications’ (environment, mind, language, behaviour), and ‘five stresses’ (hygiene, courtesy, culture, morality). India certainly lags way behind in all of these but we’re probably ahead of the Chinese in religious fervour!

At Hua Yang Chao, at lunch (a lavish meal with 10 or more courses made entirely from commune products), Mr Wang, the commune director, told me that Indira Gandhi visited it in 1953. He asked me to convey their greetings to her.

On my return to Delhi, I wrote to her and she invited me for a chat at her office in South Block. She listened keenly when I described my impressions of China. I said public cleanliness was what impressed me most. I asked her why haven’t we been able to impose certain standards of cleanliness in our towns and cities. Why can’t we clean up dirty drains, put more dustbins on the pavements or why we can’t fine restaurant owners who keep dirty lavatories? There should, I suggested, be a programme of public education in cleanliness and tidiness. I said there must be a colossal waste of resources in just dealing with disease and illness that could be prevented by keeping our surroundings clean.

Mrs Gandhi then reminisced about her first visit to China. With her father she travelled by boat from Rangoon to Shanghai. On the deck, she said, you could easily tell which part was Burmese, which Chinese and which Indian. ‘We Indians have a poor sense of cleanliness. For instance, in the bungalow on 10 Akbar Road where I meet visitors, I have put up notices in the lavatory in Hindi and English saying “please use the flush”, but nobody does’.

‘Kya karein?’ as Vajpayee would say.

by Harihar Swarup
A no-nonsense man

ARUN JAITLEY is absolutely new to the ministerial culture. The mandarins of Shastri Bhavan and labyrinths of red-tapism are still unknown to him. He has been brought up in a different culture — the legal profession — in which delays have no place and long hours of work become a part of life. It was a new experience for him when he landed most unexpectedly in the glamorous Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the fifth floor of the Shastri Bhavan. Accustomed to a fast pace and long hours of work — often spread over 13 to 14 hours a day — he finds not enough work for him in his newly acquired ministerial office.

“I have to generate work in the ministry”, he says, stressing that “I finish the daily work within two to three hours”. Jaitley is reviewing the working of the ministry department-wise and may zero on Doordarshan, which needs a lot of reforms. Doordarshan and All India Radio cannot remain just tools for propaganda. There is tough competition with private TV networks and the quality and credibility of the two powerful state-owned media is of vital importance, he feels.

Another surprise for Jaitley was the ministerial paraphernalia — Private Secretary, Additional Private Secretary, Assistant PS, PAs and so on. With one PA, as an eminent lawyer, he has to deal with scores of clients, keeping up his daily appointments, preparing briefs for a dozen cases and appearing in 10 to 12 court cases. In addition, the PA is also responsible for collecting fees and completing other formalities.

“Why should we need an army of personal staff”, he told this correspondent who was ushered in the I & B Minister’s room even without a minute’s delay at the appointed time. This was in sharp contrast to other ministers’ style of functioning — in spite of an appointment, they would often keep a visitor waiting for an hour or more to appear for a “darshan”. Jaitley proposes to cut down his personal staff as a minister and may have two — one at home and one in office. The more the number of personal staff, the more will be the problem and the net results are bound to be a mess, he feels.

His full-time avocation so far was his legal profession. “As a lawyer hitherto I was on the front and as a political worker I was on the pillion. The roles are now reversed. The lawyer is, in fact, now suspended”, he says. Jaitley draws a fine distinction between the two roles. “The law has been a passion with me and politics a matter of conviction.” Ideologically, he has been close to the BJP and the RSS but Jayaprakash Narayan had an abiding influence on his thinking.

Jaitley was an activist of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and headed the Delhi University Union when the Sarvodaya leader launched his anti-corruption and anti-establishment movement culminating in the call for “sampoorna kranti”. So impressed was J.P. by the young and bright student leader that he appointed him the convenor of the youth wing of his movement.

Come Emergency and Jaitley was in the thick of the struggle, organising a dharna on the university campus, apparently, not knowing its rigour. He was packed off to jail and languished there for 19 months. Much later at a public rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Ground J.P. paid handsome tributes to the budding leader of the future for his campaign against the Emergency.

When the Janata Party romped home with a thumping majority in 1977, its president Chandra Shekhar, nominated him to the party’s national executive. It was a great honour but Jaitley declined to join prestigious forum. He had just started his legal practice and he needed more time for the profession. The brilliant student leader of yesteryear made rapid strides —became senior Supreme Court advocate and was appointed Additional Solicitor-General of India in 1990. Simultaneously with his legal practice, he took active part in political activities and continued his association with the BJP.

Handsome and debonair, Jaitley (47) acquired the image of a hero on the T.V. screen with articulation and quick repartee. “The electronic media is powerful but, at the same time, it is cruel too. You make one mistake and it can spoil your image and damage your career”, he says. Little did Jaitley know when he was appearing on various TV channels almost every day that he would have soon to deal with the electronic media as I and B Minister.

Mamata asserts, Nitish relents

Right at the start of the first session of the Lok Sabha, the Vajpayee government had to resolve a rather unusual tangle between two Ministers — for the right to use a room in Parliament House.

It was a tug-of-war between the fiery Trinamool Congress leader Ms Mamata Banerjee, Railway Minister, and the Samata Party leader, Mr Nitish Kumar. Surface Transport Minister, her predecessor in Rail Bhavan.

The tussle over the right to occupy Parliament’s Room Number Five, the spacious room close to the Prime Minister’s Office that is officially occupied by the Minister for Railway from the time of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Ms Banerjee’s personal staff found to their chagrin that the previous occupants were in no mood to vacate the room. Ms Banerjee complained to the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, who tried to persuade her to shift to another room on the grounds that many Ministers in the previous Cabinet were continuing to occupy rooms allotted to them earlier. The Trinamool fiery petrel stood her ground. Occupancy was fixed as per the Ministry and not the Minister, she contended.

With deadlock prevailing, Ms Banerjee threatened not to use any room in Parliament and to drive home her point for some time she carried out official work from the Central Hall.

The threat eventually worked with Mr Nitish Kumar surrendering the room. Few would grudge Ms Banerjee her tantrums. After all she is not using an official car (she travels in a private vehicle — an ordinary Premier Padmini) she has decided to stay in MPs flat instead of a bungalow. She, therefore, is certainly entitled to her “privileges of office”.

Bouquets for Barnala

October 21 saw a constant stream of visitors entering 23, Tughlak Road, the residence of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala. The same day, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann who had unseated Mr Barnala in the recent elections at Sangrur, took oath as Member of the 13th Lok Sabha. Mr Mann went to Parliament House from Gurdwara Rakabganj as head of procession of 100 cars. However, the amount of flowers flowing into Mr Barnala’s residence outnumbered those with the victor. The reason for the flow of bouquets into Mr Barnala’s house was that the day happened to be the elder statesman’s 75th birthday.

The most touching scene was the arrival of a delegation from Ateli, a mandi town in Rewari area of Haryana where Mr Barnala’s. father was a government employee (the family was located at Ateli 75 years ago). The delegation insisted that he visit Ateli since as Minister he helped the town get better civic facilities.

There were visitors from Tamil Nadu as well. A group of leaders of the DMK, who are ever grateful for the role he played as Tamil Nadu Governor by resigning in protest against the imposition of President’s rule in 1991. Thus even in defeat Mr Barnala was feted with bouquets.

Tamil Nadu’s jinx

Tamil Nadu has come to occupy an important position in the Centre’s politics, thanks to the era of coalition governments. In the last government, it was the AIADMK-led alliance from the state that found prominence in the Union Cabinet while this time it is the DMK and its allies who have occupied the posts.

However, there seems to be a jinx that affects at least one minister from the South in their initial days in the government. Last time it was Mr S.R. Muthaiah, who had to quit the Ministry, after he was chargesheeted in a scam. This time around it is the turn of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr E.Ponnuswami, if Tamil dailies are to be believed.

Mr Ponnuswami, represents the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and has been elected from Chidambaram constituency. His name figures in the electoral rolls of Villivakam in Chennai. Mr Ponnuswami, however, decided to cast his vote in Vridachalam, which falls in Chidambaram constituency (the name can appear, in the electoral rolls in only one place in India).

The Opposition was quick to notice this error and it has challenged his election on the ground that he cast a fake vote. They are seeking his resignation from the Ministry.

Mr Ponnuswami maintains that he was not aware of this rule and he was of the opinion that he could vote anywhere in the country. Moreover, it was the duty of the returning officer at Vridachalam to prevent him from voting there is his contention. So much for the argument. But one question remains unanswered. Even if the returning officer allowed Mr Ponnuswami to vote, in whose name did he vote? Either way trouble lies ahead for Mr Ponnuswami.

Swearing-in blues

With as many 40 per cent of the 535 MPs elected this time being new-comers, there were quite a few blushes at the time of oath or affirmation in the Lok Sabha. (Just in case you are wondering that results were declared for 537 seats, it may be pointed out that Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav were elected from two constituencies who subsequently resigned from one each).

Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, the lone Muslim MP of the BJP from Bihar, who has been made a Minister arrived for the oath without carrying the certificate of his election.

It is mandatory for all MPs to produce the original certificate to the officials when their name is called out and thereafter take oath.

Mr Hussain had to miss his turn and wait for his name to be called again during the latter part of the day.

In another instance, Mr Shamlal Bansiwal of the BJP reached to take oath only to realise that he forgot his spectacles somewhere.

Sonia’s offer to Mamata

Ms Mamata Banerjee, who quit the Congress in a huff during the tenure of former party chief Sitaram Kesri, could not control her emotions the other day when accosted by present Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The occasion was the swearing-in ceremony of the new Council of Ministers. After taking oath, Ms Banerjee proceeded to greet those in the first row of the opposition, where Mrs Sonia Gandhi was also seated.

Apparently, after getting an affectionate hug from Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the Railway Minister was stumped when the former extended an invitation asking her to ‘comeback’. Ms Banerjee later confided that she went through a gamut of emotions on receiving the invitation. Later during the Parliament session, her former Ministerial colleague Margaret Alva of the Congress presented Mamata with a Saree, a traditional way of greeting women in South on special occasions. The wooing has begun, but Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s proximity to Ms Banerjee would act as a deterrent for similar sentiments from the Left. Thus Mr Vajpayee has reasons to feel happy, if Ms Banerjee has eight MPs the Left has four times the number.

(Contributed by SB, T.V. Lakshminarayan, K.V. Prasad and P.N. Andley)

75 YEARS AGO
October 24, 1924
Reduction in railway fares

A correspondent points out that the “substantial reductions” in railway fares recently announced by the G.I.P. and other railways are unreal for 90 per cent of the passengers on the line and are a mere trifle in the case of the remaining two per cent.

The railway fares were raised as a consequence of the wagon – on the ground that the price of steel and other railway materials had increased by more than 50 per cent and the working expenditure had also increased.

Now that the price of steel and other railway materials has gone down considerably and that drastic retrenchments have been effected in expenditure, where is the justification for the Indian Railways maintaining the war rates?

The railway fares on the British Railways were reduced last year but the Indian authorities, who profess to have the interests of the people of India at heart, have done nothing for the bulk of the passengers, who continue to be exploited on a war-scale despite all appeals to reason and the British example.