E D I T O R I A L   P A G E

EDITORIALS

Let down by monsoon
After 14 years of an almost normal monsoon, the country has had deficient rains this year. The worst-affected are Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Parts of Punjab have seen paddy crop withering. The Punjab Government has set up a committee to assess the loss to crops, but looks to the Centre for any relief to farmers, its own coffers being almost empty. Haryana’s southern areas have lost 60 to 80 per cent of the crops.

Vijay Anand, censored!
The resignation of Censor Board Chairman Vijay Anand is yet another proof that there is unbridgeable divergence between the ground situation and the government’s views on cinema and how to make it squeaking clean. The noted filmmaker was only trying to be practical when he proposed to reform rules governing adult films, but it was obvious that the BJP-led government, which takes pride in being the nation’s morality police, was not going to like it one bit.

Setback in Andhra
The manner in which the two representatives of the outlawed People’s War Group (PWG) have pulled out of talks with the Andhra Pradesh government is most unfortunate. This is sad because the restoration of peace in the troubled Telangana region hinged upon the success of the negotiations. The state government’s decision to extend the ban on the PWG for another year early last week had also raised doubts on the crucial round of talks which were scheduled to begin on July 20.

OPINION

Manning & monitoring Line of Control
How infiltration can be brought to an end
Vijay Oberoi
The Line of Control (LC in army parlance since 1972, but increasingly referred to as the LoC, as popularised by the media since the Kargil war) in Jammu and Kashmir is constantly in the news these days, because any terrorist act in J&K or even in other parts of India is related to it, one way or the other.

MIDDLE

Let there be hell!
Shriniwas Joshi
In the beginning God created the Government Offices and applied therein for creating the Earth. The first query of the Office was why God wanted to create the Earth. The God replied because he just liked to be creative and that was the job of God.

Guru Purnima, the Guru’s day
Ajit Singh
French symbolists — Baudelaire, Rimbaud and Verlaine — argued that symbols, if properly used and understood, have the potential to depict a “higher reality” than that perceived by the senses and the intellect. The celebration of Guru Purnima provides one such instance where the symbolic commemoration may transcend the routine ritualism, for the sublimation of the spirit.

Learning from Buddha
Suresh Jindal
His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches his students that a preference of one religious belief over another is a matter of mental disposition. he says he is a buddhist because making his own investigations into the different views, he finds that Buddhism works best for him.

Maoists turn to Hindi film
Maoist guerrillas in Jharkhand are circulating a Hindi movie based loosely on their lives in a desperate bid to rejuvenate their cadres. Although the film, “Lal Salaam” (Red Salute), bombed at the box office when it was released in May, it is coming in handy for the People’s War Group (PWG) rebels, which is using it to emphasise the correctness of its own ways.

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

EDITORIALS

Let down by monsoon

After 14 years of an almost normal monsoon, the country has had deficient rains this year. The worst-affected are Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Parts of Punjab have seen paddy crop withering. The Punjab Government has set up a committee to assess the loss to crops, but looks to the Centre for any relief to farmers, its own coffers being almost empty. Haryana’s southern areas have lost 60 to 80 per cent of the crops. Only UP has so far declared 14 of its districts as drought-hit, which means loan recoveries and tax collections may be postponed or waived. The effect of a less-than-normal monsoon on the common man and the economy will be back-breaking. With hydel generation in jeopardy, power and water supplies have fallen short of demand, making life unbearable, leading to protests from angry consumers. The farmer is hit the hardest. Apart from losing money and labour invested in the failed crops, he will go deeper under debt. Failure to keep financial commitments has driven many a self-respecting farmer to suicide. The underground watertable, already at alarming levels in this region, may see further erosion for want of fresh replenishment. The falling rural income will pull down demand for industrial products, which means industries making tractors, pesticides, fertilisers, motor cycles and other items consumed in rural India will see slowdown. This, in turn, will bring down the GDP growth and the Prime Minister’s hope for an 8 per cent growth will remain only that. Much of the credit for an increased growth rate, in fact, should be given to the normal monsoon that blessed India for 14 successive years rather than the Finance Ministers linking it to their reforms.

Although the scant rains have caught the Central and state governments off guard, the situation is not as alarming now as it used to be during the drought years in the past. First, the monsoon may not let the country down entirely. Quite a number of states have received adequate rainfall. Besides, delayed rains can revive hopes for saving some of the crops or lead to the sowing of late maturing varieties of certain crops like basmati. Two, with the godowns bulging with 60 million tonnes of rice and wheat, there is no scarcity of foodgrains. So the spectre of starvation deaths may not loom, provided the official agencies shake off lethargy and reach out effectively to the needy in every corner of the country. The government, in fact, stands to gain as it may be partly spared the enormous financial obligation to procure and store paddy if production falls this year. Three, it is time for the governments to work out a crisis management mechanism to meet such contingencies as the present one. The introduction of crop insurance has to be made a reality. Farmers can no longer be left at the mercy of the rain gods. The present situation has reinforced the view that over-dependence on paddy can be costly and life-threatening. Insurance agencies, agricultural universities, banks and financial institutions must turn proactive to guide and help farmers whenever a crisis situation arises. The weather department needs to be strengthened and provided with better skills and latest equipment to enable it to predict more accurately. Lastly, the state governments must become self-sufficient in handling state-level problems, instead of always depending on the Centre for solutions.

Vijay Anand, censored!

The resignation of Censor Board Chairman Vijay Anand is yet another proof that there is unbridgeable divergence between the ground situation and the government’s views on cinema and how to make it squeaking clean. The noted filmmaker was only trying to be practical when he proposed to reform rules governing adult films, but it was obvious that the BJP-led government, which takes pride in being the nation’s morality police, was not going to like it one bit. It not only dashed off an official communication instructing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) not to consider a recommendation for legalising the exhibition of soft pornographic films, but also promptly released that letter to the media. That is what has annoyed the CBFC Chairman the most. His contention is that the government just did not understand that he was not talking about censorship of films but about the freedom of expression. Perhaps the idea might have been thrown out by other members themselves, but at least a healthy debate on it would have taken place. The present showdown has gone in favour of the government but the issues raised by Mr Vijay Anand remain live and must be addressed by society. What must be admitted is that censor laws are archaic and prudish to the extreme. While outlandish sex and violence scenes are passed without a whimper, there is a hue and cry over so-called obscenity even in classic films like “Schindler’s List” and “Elizabeth”. Seeing nudity in the famished figures of Jews condemned to the death row in the former film was taking bureaucratic control to the extreme.

It is nobody’s case that there should be a free for all in the films. What is necessary is a sensible and enlightened approach instead of Victorian prudery. Even that will tackle only half the problem. There is an undercurrent of mischief afoot which Mr Vijay Anand tried to address. Certain tasteless scenes chopped off by the censors are interpolated into the films by the makers after these are released. That defeats the very purpose of censorship. Such undesirable activity has been continuing on a large scale right under the government’s nose without much being done about it. To tackle this menace, Mr Vijay Anand had made a suggestion to certify adult films as X-rated, tax them heavily and license C-grade cinemas far away from schools, colleges and other decent areas to show them. But the idea was considered taboo by the government. Like prohibition, a total ban on such films does not appear to be feasible. Under such circumstances, the best option is to strictly and firmly regulate them. The problem cannot be wished away by turning a blind eye to it.

Setback in Andhra

The manner in which the two representatives of the outlawed People’s War Group (PWG) have pulled out of talks with the Andhra Pradesh government is most unfortunate. This is sad because the restoration of peace in the troubled Telangana region hinged upon the success of the negotiations. The state government’s decision to extend the ban on the PWG for another year early last week had also raised doubts on the crucial round of talks which were scheduled to begin on July 20. The decision was reportedly taken on the basis of intelligence reports. In its report, the intelligence unit warned the government not to fall into the trap of the PWG as it was making “vigorous efforts” to regroup and strengthen itself by raising funds for weapons and by recruiting fresh cadres. What has hindered the peace efforts is that right from the very beginning there were too many stumbling blocks and imponderables. However, the fact that despite all this, talks did take place was clearly a welcome prelude. It was felt that the first round of talks would mark the beginning of a more substantive dialogue in the coming months with a view to ending the continued cycle of extremist violence and counter-insurgency in the state. The government’s readiness to accept the militants’ demand to include political leaders instead of bureaucrats in the negotiations from the official side on the one hand, and the PWG’s unilateral announcement of a month-long ceasefire on the other did help create a conducive atmosphere for talks.

Reports of fresh violence in the Telangana region are cause for serious concern. There are conflicting claims of killings of both PWG activists and civilians by both sides in the last few days. The atmosphere is bound to be vitiated further if expeditious steps are not taken to check violence. A corollary to this is the fear that the breakdown of the talks between the government and the PWG will exacerbate tension in the Telangana region and lead to more blood-letting. It is feared that PWG men would now target top police officials who were allegedly responsible for the killing of their activists in fake encounters. Against this backdrop, both sides should be reasonable and try not to do anything that would disturb law and order and normal life. The PWG, in particular, will have to understand that it cannot achieve its ultimate goal of land reforms and economic emancipation of people through the barrel of the gun. As three decades of its armed struggle has claimed the lives of many innocent people, the time has come for the PWG to give up the gun. In its own interest, it should return to the negotiating table. The government too should regard the PWG not as a terrorist organisation in the strict sense of the term as its main goal is to eliminate rural deprivation and economic inequality. It will have to convince the PWG of its intentions through a multi-pronged attack on poverty and rural backwardness. Turning a blind eye to the causes and the phenomenon of the naxalite movement will not help the government or the people in the long run. Resumption of talks in an atmosphere of give and take brooks no delay.

OPINION

Manning & monitoring Line of Control
How infiltration can be brought to an end
Vijay Oberoi

The Line of Control (LC in army parlance since 1972, but increasingly referred to as the LoC, as popularised by the media since the Kargil war) in Jammu and Kashmir is constantly in the news these days, because any terrorist act in J&K or even in other parts of India is related to it, one way or the other. Three important aspects of the LoC, which are currently in the news, are, firstly, the extent of infiltration taking place across it from Pakistan; secondly, the need to deploy technological gadgetry to check infiltration more effectively; and thirdly, the various proposals being tossed around about monitoring the LoC by employing foreign troops to operate alongside the Indian Army. They are all inter-related and need to be analysed in depth.

Tension between India and Pakistan peaked in May this year following the terrorist attack at Kalu Chak. However, the diplomatic and politico-military pressures exerted by India succeeded in mobilising world opinion against Pakistan, which in turn forced President Musharraf to backtrack from his Kashmir policy by publicly promising to stop cross-border infiltration into J&K, by terrorists, jehadis and militants. Tension eased early in June and it appeared that the General had indeed carried out a U-turn in his Kashmir policy. However, this did not last long and reports currently speak of continuing cross-border infiltration. It is obvious that the stance adopted by President Musharraf at the end of May was only a tactical ploy, to get the world off Pakistan’s back, and it is back to “business as usual” by the ISI.

Much has been written about the terrain along the LoC as well as the other segments of the border in J&K — the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in the Siachen area and the international border in the area between Akhnoor and Pathankot.

The terrain is undoubtedly extremely rugged in the AGPL and LoC segments. Although a large number of troops are deployed here, the terrain lends itself to infiltration.

Till the end of the eighties, the task of the troops deployed on the LoC and the AGPL was to ensure their sanctity from any war-like action by the Pakistan Army. Consequently, the deployment was such as would ensure the domination of Pakistani Army posts and the defence of important terrain, as well as counter any move on the part of Pakistan to change the alignments of the LoC and the AGPL by encroachments or nibbling actions. In the early nineties, when infiltration by militants and terrorists started, initially in the valley, additional troops were brought in to the areas suspected to be infiltration-prone, and the posture adopted was combination of ensuring the sanctity of the LoC as well as to counter infiltration. However, infiltration continued and spread to other areas also, resulting in additional troops being deployed in a counter-infiltration role. Infiltration still continued because the troops had a rely mostly on their eyes and ears, and in any case there could never be enough troops to “seal” the long stretch of 779 kilometres of the LoC, not forgetting the extremely difficult terrain. It was obvious that the Army needed technical gadgetry to supplement its physical presence. However, the various types of sensors the Army wanted were extremely slow in materialising because of a combination of lack of funds, our antiquated acquisition procedures and, above all, the absence of urgency displayed by the bureaucracy and the political leadership to hasten the acquisition process. The result it that even today the bulk of the troops deployed in the counter-infiltration mode rely mainly on their physical presence and their eyes and ears.

There is urgent need to expedite the induction of all types of sensors, which have long been identified by the Army and which friendly foreign countries are willing to provide. The high-tech devices the Army needs include thermal images, night vision binoculars, sophisticated short and medium-range radars, low light television systems, tethered balloons, unattended ground sensors and so on. The Indian Army has already worked out the command and control structures required, the types and numbers of sensors needed, the manning patterns, the back-up communications for quick passage of information and so on. The quicker we acquire them, the better would be the results of our counter-infiltration efforts.

Let us now analyse the need for foreign troops. A number of proposals have been mooted, like monitoring by a helicopter-borne force of British or American troops; joint monitoring by ground and airborne troops of India and the USA; and joint monitoring by Indian and Pakistani troops. All these proposals and some variations to these, which may be mooted in future, are non-starters in my opinion. The likely adverse fallouts, at the strategic level, if foreign troops are permitted to be deployed, are fairly obvious and need no elaboration The Indian Army has sufficient knowledge and professional skills to carry out the tasks on its own, provided it is equipped with the various sensors and associated equipment needed. It is also not encumbered by the “no casualty syndrome”, which is apparently an important term of reference with most Western nations, especially the Americans. This results in their troops operating only from “safe” distances, which translates into lack of effectiveness.

As far as joint patrolling or joint monitoring by Indian and Pakistani troops is concerned, it will remain a non-starter till there is genuine desire on Pakistan’s part to abandon its current Kashmir policy, which relies exclusively on arming, training and assisting jehadi groups and individuals to infiltrate into J&K and carry out terrorist acts. Joint patrolling by Indian and Pakistani troops is actually an aspect of Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), which would come after a change of heart and not before it.

The LoC and its earlier avatar the Cease-Fire Line (CFL) have existed since 1949, but infiltration has actually been carried out on only three occasions. The first was in August, 1965, which resulted in the Indo-Pak conflict in September, 1965, and the elimination of all infiltrators by the Indian Army. The second occasion has been the ongoing proxy war in J&K, marked by large-scale and regular infiltration over the past 12 years or so, and the third occasion was in 1999 in the Kargil sector, where General Musharraf infiltrated both regular troops and militants and which led to the Kargil war, resulting in our complete victory and clearance of the entire area of all infiltrators.

It is thus clear that infiltration takes place only when the Pakistan Army wants it, and, as a corollary, does not take place when the Pakistani Army guards the LoC effectively and does not permit any movement across it. Our thrust must, therefore, be on forcing the Pakistani establishment to desist from its chosen path of sponsoring terrorism and assisting terrorists to infiltrate across the LoC. In this endeavour, we need to ensure that the world understands the duplicity of Pakistan and joins us in ensuring that Islamabad behaves. The global war against terrorism can succeed only if Pakistan, which has been correctly identified as the font of all terrorism, is brought to heel.

The author, a retired Lieut-General, was the Vice-Chief of Army Staff.

MIDDLE

Let there be hell!
Shriniwas Joshi

In the beginning God created the Government Offices and applied therein for creating the Earth.

The first query of the Office was why God wanted to create the Earth. The God replied because he just liked to be creative and that was the job of God. In Earth, he wanted to grow vegetation so that he could “walk in the garden in the cool of the day”. The Office then asked for his job chart. The God pleaded: “God is dreamer. He does not have a job chart. He can do anything. I am that I am.” The Office, on checking the records, found out that God was neither a government-aided NGO nor a member of an external donor agency but an individual busy “lighting the candle of understanding among human hearts”.

God was lucky to receive a memorandum from the Office with subject “Creation of the Earth — regarding” from the Section Officer of the Branch dealing with Processing Units:

“With reference to the application number nil dated nil regarding creation of the Earth, the Office could gather no proof that showed that it was the job of the applicant to create the Earth. In order, therefore, to assess the veracity of truth in the statement of the applicant, he was hereby directed to give an AFFIDAVIT, duly signed by an Executive Magistrate, that he was God and that one of his jobs was to create the Earth. The Affidavit should reach the undersigned within fifteen days of the receipt of this letter otherwise it would be inferred that neither were the applicant God nor the creation of the Earth was his job.

This has the approval of the Finance and Law Departments.”

God, with a draft affidavit, appeared before the Executive Magistrate (EM) who required verification of Patwari of the Patwar Circle to which God belonged. The statement of God that he was house-less and property-less and did not belong to any Patwar circle shocked the EM. He asked for Below Poverty Line Card or entry number of God in Balmiki-Ambedkar Pravas Yojana. Finding that the Deponent had nothing, he asked for the name of any common friend. God’s disclosure that he was friend to all who remembered him and that even the Revenue Minister of the State was his friend immediately dismantled the wall between the two. God was not only obliged with the signatures but was also offered a “destitute-looking” chair to sit on.

God went with cheer to the main Office. The Office directed God to procure a certificate from the Pollution Control Board showing that the environment would remain singsong despite the creation of the Earth and the fireball from which the God wanted to procure light for the Earth would not emit smoke. Further, a certificate from the Health Council that the light would not dazzle the eyes of the people all the 24 hours. God’s explanation that he would create ‘Day’ and ‘Night’ were the semantics to be explained to the certificate issuing office. Further, an NOC from Wild Life Agency was to be procured for the safety of all “creeping creatures” and “the fowl”. A clearance from the Agriculture Department that all vegetation in the new creation would be from the home made seeds was another requirement. Agreeing, God desired to complete the project in six days to keep the holy Sabbath free.

The Office considered him a lunatic because, working at jet speed, the Office was likely to take 480 days to review all the material. Then notice regarding creation of the Earth would be published in the Official Gazette and two newspapers. Once the period of reasonable opportunity to the grieving public was over, the long process of public hearing would start.

God, totally frustrated, cried: “Let there be Hell!” — and there was Hell, with all the official procedures, in which live You and I. 

OF LIFE SUBLIME

Guru Purnima, the Guru’s day
Ajit Singh

French symbolists — Baudelaire, Rimbaud and Verlaine — argued that symbols, if properly used and understood, have the potential to depict a “higher reality” than that perceived by the senses and the intellect. The celebration of Guru Purnima provides one such instance where the symbolic commemoration may transcend the routine ritualism, for the sublimation of the spirit. On July 24, which falls on the full moon day of the month of Ashadh, we honour the Guru. I don't know of any other culture in which they earmark a day of the year just to honour the Guru.

“When ringeth the Unstruck Melody within one”, proclaims Guru Nanak, “one is rid of one's fears and doubts”, Guru Purnima beckons seekers of every colour and faith to embark on this journey to the within to make the great discovery.

Learning from Buddha
Suresh Jindal

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches his students that a preference of one religious belief over another is a matter of mental disposition. he says he is a buddhist because making his own investigations into the different views, he finds that Buddhism works best for him.

Unless we help each other in getting rid of the causes of suffering, we will never find peace, harmony, compassion and joy. 

How to prevent swimmer’s shoulder?

Not many people know that, if ignored, swimmer’s shoulder, a chronic irritation of the shoulder’s joints and soft tissues caused by repetitive motion and overhead, can be crippling later in life.

If you have pain that persists for 10 to 14 days, stop what you’re doing and see a doctor. Frequently, physical therapy and exercises will take care of the problem, though occasionally something more serious, like a surgery, is needed. ANI

Maoists turn to Hindi film

Maoist guerrillas in Jharkhand are circulating a Hindi movie based loosely on their lives in a desperate bid to rejuvenate their cadres. Although the film, “Lal Salaam” (Red Salute), bombed at the box office when it was released in May, it is coming in handy for the People’s War Group (PWG) rebels, which is using it to emphasise the correctness of its own ways.

Made by a Mumbai film director Gaganvihari Boratte, “Lal Salaam” details the transformation of a young village girl, played by Nandita Das, as an armed rebel. Das’s character Rupi initially disagrees with the Maoist ways but turns a rebel after being raped by a police inspector, whom she later kills. The movie virtually portrays Maoists as benefactors fighting for the cause of the poor and tribal folks. It has lyrics by renowned lyricist-director Gulzar. Although the movie failed commercially, it is reportedly a hit among the PWG cadres. IANS

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

Once you have heard a truth it is impossible to forget it. That is one of the qualities of Truth, that you do not need to remember it. The lie has to be remembered continuously; you may forget. The person habituated to lies needs a better memory than the person who is habituated to truth, because a true person has no need of memory; if you only say the truth there is no need to remember.

But if you are saying a lie, then you have to continuously remember, because you have said one lie to one person, another lie to another person, something else to somebody else. To whom you have said what, you have to categorise in your mind and keep. And whenever a question arises about a lie, you have to lie again, so it is a series. The lie does not believe in birth control. Truth is celibate, it has no children at all; it is unmarried, in fact.

— Shree Rajneesh, Words from a man of no words.

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— From Manjula Shadeva, Maharishi Valmiki ke Upadesha