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Friday,
August 2, 2002, Chandigarh, India   |
Easing the tax burden ASEAN’s welcome stand |
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HARI JAISINGH
Doting on balcony
Politics of South China Sea
No, no, Mrs Nene
Is infertility all in the mind?
When it doesn’t rain, Indian tales pour
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Easing the tax burden IT is uncommon for a government at the Centre to effect midway any serious changes in the Budget unless the fiscal situation deteriorates suddenly and calls for corrective measures. So far the country has witnessed such budgetary corrections only twice. First the late Charan Singh and later Mr P. Chidambaram as Finance Ministers effected mid-term corrections. A budget is not a baby of the Finance Minister alone. The entire Cabinet is supposed to discuss it threadbare and then collectively own it. However, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has given the impression that the Union Budget for 2002-03 belonged to Mr Yashwant Sinha and with his shift to Foreign Affairs, the new Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, is within his rights to carry out the necessary changes. A vocal section in the BJP had blamed Mr Sinha’s Budget for the electoral setbacks the party had suffered in Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Some of the tax blows contained in Mr Sinha’s Budget, it was believed, had not gone down well with the BJP’s vote-bank comprising largely the urban middle class. The handing over of the Finance portfolio to Mr Jaswant Singh signalled the sharp edges of the Budget would be softened. By announcing revenue giveaways — like removing 5 per cent service tax on life insurers, raising the TDS exemption limit on dividend income, floating a new tax-free, six-year relief bond with 7 per cent interest, a bailout for the UTI and making more credit available to the farm sector — the new Finance Minister has tried to live up to his promise, made at the time of taking charge a few weeks ago, of giving more purchasing power to the people. However, given the already alarming state of the fiscal deficit, the government will have to tread cautiously and intensify its efforts at revenue collections. Whether the new initiatives of Mr Jaswant Singh will actually leave some more cash in the housewife’s purse is debatable, but lowering taxes and increasing the purchasing power of the people does make a lot of economic sense. The governments, whether in the states or at the Centre, usually resort to the easiest way of mopping up revenue by raising taxes, which often leads to increased tax evasion and avoidable litigation. The focus has to be on cutting unproductive government expenditure and recovering unpaid bank loans, tax dues, power arrears etc, apart from widening the tax base to bring uncovered sections under the tax net. The tax and loan defaulters have to be dealt with sternly. The corporate sector is notorious for accounting malpractices and tax evasion by exploiting the loopholes in the tax system. In this context, the idea of setting up a Serious Frauds Office in the Department of Company Affairs, even if inspired by a spate of massive corporate scandals in the USA, is commendable. It is necessary to clean up the corporate sector if the small investor’s faith in the equity markets is to be restored. Otherwise, small gestures like concession on dividend income will not bring buoyancy in the depressed markets. All in all, Mr Jaswant Singh has started taking steps to boost the “feel good factor” about the economy. The looming drought may, however, bring back the gloom unless tackled effectively. |
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ASEAN’s welcome stand ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) is right. Terrorism is, no doubt, “a global threat”, as ASEAN has recognised, and it must be eliminated if we are serious about safeguarding peace and stability in the world. The welcome viewpoint was made known at Wednesday’s meeting of Asia’s biggest grouping, the ASEAN Regional Forum. The urge to fight the terrorist menace, however, is one thing. But to take on the monster head-on is another. This is what one can see in the world community’s (read the USA) dealings with Pakistan. A country known for its sponsorship of terrorist outfits engaged in destructive activities in India’s Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere has been accepted as a member of anti-terrorist alliance headed by the USA. One can understand the compulsions of America and its allies. But the super power must not forget that unless Pakistan seriously handles the Kashmir-related terrorist outfits, the war on terrorism is impossible to win. Islamabad still talks in a language which does not inspire confidence so far as its commitment to end cross-border terrorism is concerned. Many weeks have elapsed since it promised to completely stop the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. There is, however, very little difference in the situation at the ground level. And yet the military regime wants a dialogue between India and Pakistan. Dialogue for what? It is all-right for ending terrorism. But talks on any other subject, including the Kashmir question, are unthinkable unless the basic issue of terrorism is conclusively dealt with. That is how the proper environment for taking up other matters can be created. ASEAN leaders’ concern at the tension level in the Indian subcontinent is understandable. The super power too has clarified that when its Secretary of State says that “Kashmir is on the international agenda” that simply means the USA is extremely concerned at the explosive situation in the subcontinent. The truth is that the whole world is feeling uneasy at the developments involving the two nuclear-weapon countries. But that is not sufficient. All the influential world capitals should come together to force the Musharraf regime to redraw its Kashmir policy with terrorism having no place in it. There is a great difference between the words and deeds of Islamabad. It is not doing as much as it is demonstrating before the world. As far as India is concerned, the international community should realise that New Delhi has always preferred the route of negotiations for normalising relations with Pakistan. The Lahore Declaration and the failed Agra summit, both initiated by India, are the recent examples. India’s bitter experience at Agra shows that the dialogue process can deliver goods only when Pakistan is serious about its outcome. India cannot allow the military regime to have propaganda advantage of such a development. |
Handling men, matters & militants NOTWITHSTANDING the panels and committees set up from time to time, it is a regrettable fact that India has never been clear about what it wants in Jammu and Kashmir. Official opinion was and is in favour of recovering Pakistan-held territory of the state. This could have been done long back had the rulers then shown the guts at the right time. The task now is both complex and difficult in view of the highly intricate global setting. Indira Gandhi was once in favour of converting the Line of Control (LoC) into a permanent international border. So is Dr Farooq Adbullah. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister has aired this view publicly on a number of occasions. Even some Central leaders see in this proposition a possible way out of the India-Pakistan stalemate. What is intriguing is the absence of India's assertion of its claim on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for any settlement of the issue. It is, however, doubtful if these ideas will find favour with the military establishment in Pakistan. It is difficult to fathom the mind of Pakistani Generals. They are highly secretive. Right now, they are amenable to Uncle Sam's pressure. In any case, there are wheels within wheels. Pakistan's claim to Jammu and Kashmir was mainly based on a plebiscite promise. It has had no automatic or legitimate right. According to Prof Maurica Mendelson, an authority on international law, Kashmir has no right for self-determination under international law. He opines that the 1952 election gave the most popular verdict on the issue of accession to India, when Sheikh Abdullah declared the accession to be final. The Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh in favour of India was not without meaning. Everything now depends on what we want and to what extent we wish to adjust and compromise on the basis of ground realities. Apart from the need for ensuring a free and fair poll, we shall have to quickly find the right answer to on-going problems by proper house-keeping in the state. We will have to handle Jammu and Kashmir as a national, nay, subcontinental issue number one with a view to finding a final solution Only a determined leadership can make a difference between yesterday and today. Are the Prime Minister and his advisers ready for the onerous task ahead? Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee ought to take up this challenge and complete his unfinished agenda to bring about peace in the subcontinent. Why can't he make this as a final mission of his life? As for the latest suggestion from the RSS to trifurcate the state, this has been in the air for several years. It started first as a demand for setting up development councils for each region of the state. This case was based on the fact that the Jammu and Ladakh regions were neglected for development purposes. There was thus a good case for setting up autonomous development councils. The valley politicians, however, objected to this proposal since it would have denied them due control over funds. And yet development councils were set up in the North-East of India, as also an apex council. They have reportedly worked fairly well. There was, therefore, no justification for opposing the idea for Jammu and Kashmir. The case of Jammu and Ladakh was that the valley politicians appropriated most of the funds for themselves in the valley, leaving little money for development work in Jammu and Ladakh. Today the demand for trifurcation is prompted by different considerations. The RSS has not publicly disclosed its thoughts. It continues to hammer at the economic neglect of Jammu and Ladakh and rightly so. What is behind the RSS's latest thinking? I can only speculate. The following points may be worth noting: 1) Pakistan's refusal to give up its claim on Kashmir and the prospect of continuous tension; 2) unacceptable cost and casualties at the hands of Islamabad-sponsored militants (It has cost the country more than 40,000 lives, four wars and a proxy war); 3) the never-ending play of unknown factors in the valley and continuous feeling of "alienation"; and 4) the ticklish task of winning the goodwill of the valley Muslims. Some experts feel that it is difficult to monitor and understand the true state of their mind. There may be several other factors at play. It is alleged in certain quarters that the Abdullah family and the National Conference (NC) are trying to make the state a predominantly Muslim-populated area. Only recently Dr Abdullah invited all Kashmiris in Pakistan to come back to Kashmir and settle in Jammu and other places. Three districts of Jammu (Rajauri, Poonch, Doda) are already Muslim dominated and have been cleansed of the ethnic Hindus. The new settlers are said to be mostly jehadis. The worst massacres have taken place in these districts. The Hindus are being systematically forced to leave the border districts of Jammu. At this rate, even Jammu may one day become a Muslim-majority region. As for Ladakh, it is no secret that Sheikh Abdullah during his rule in the state carved out a Muslim-majority district of Kargil out of Ladakh. Leh, which is a Buddhist region, is also heavily infiltrated by outsiders. In view of these complexities everything needs to be assessed carefully and objectively. India may not be able to do much in that state which explains why the RSS leadership now favours creating a separate state of Jammu and a Union Territory of Ladakh. The idea of trifurcation is not new. It was once favoured by even the separatists, but on their own terms. Syed Ali Shah Geelani was in favour of trifurcation. So was Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat. He has been supporting the 1950 Dixon plan for a communal division of Jammu and Kashmir. Dixon wanted a plebiscite of sorts in the valley only since opinion in Jammu and Ladakh was clearly in favour of remaining with India. He even suggested the river Chenab as the boundary. There are varied views on the proposed division of the state. The Hurriyat is yet to respond to the RSS proposal. The National Conference is opposed to the idea. But its views hardly carry weight in Jammu or Ladakh. In any case, in the regional autonomy plan, the National Conference has itself divided Jammu and Kashmir into three communal parts. Any division of Jammu and Kashmir on communal lines will not be easy because of the diversity in ethnicity. The Shias of Kargil are not in the separatist movement. The tribals are opposed to Pakistan. Interestingly, before the 20th century, the Hindus and Muslims were well integrated in the valley. They used to live in close proximity (Ernest Neve in Beyond the Pir Panjal). But since then the ethnic equations have changed dramatically because of the communal virus sponsored from across the border. Those who are opposed to the proposed trifurcation now argue that this will lead to the division of India. Be that as it may. The trifurcation idea can wait. What is immediately needed is the creation of truly autonomous councils, providing them adequate funds for development with sufficient financial autonomy, etc. We should then set up an apex council. This will probably reflect the true wishes of the people. In any case, the immediate challenge in the state is of holding of free, fair and transparent elections. The participation of the Hurriyat Conference in the poll process can alter the established political permutation and combination. Some Hurriyat leaders have announced that they would not take part in the Assembly poll since their participation, they think, will be seen as their acceptance of the state's accession to India. What probably prevents the Hurriyat leaders from contesting the poll is their fear of a defeat. If they fail to win a sizeable number of seats, the 23-member conglomerate will become a laughing stock and the myth of its being people's true representative body will be blown into pieces. And among the top Hurriyat leaders only Moulvi Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani have a constituency or two where they have considerable influence. The third leader was Abdul Ghani Lone who is no longer alive. Still, his son can claim to have a safe constituency in Kupwara district. In fact, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is an improved version of the Muslim United Front (MUF). The MUF had taken part in the Assembly poll in 1987 but could win only five seats despite its ability to generate a pro-MUF wave in the valley. When commentators trace the genesis of militancy they usually refer to the rigging in the 1987 Assembly poll. But they need to be reminded that Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, now APHC chairman and then a senior MUF leader, had on several occasions admitted secretly that the MUF could not have won more than 11 seats. Even the figure of 11 was on the high side. Some irregularities were committed here and there but it was not a rigging on a massive scale. The defeat of Syed Salahuddin, who now heads the United Jehad Council in Pakistan, from the Amirakadal constituency and the victory of the NC candidates from half a dozen constituencies, especially in South Kashmir and Baramulla district, allowed the erstwhile MUF to talk about rigging. In any case, the MUF was in no position to capture power. If the APHC agrees to take part in the elections the National Conference (NC) campaign against it may click. The NC has been accusing the APHC of being the main killers of innocent persons since it gave political and moral support to Pakistan-trained militants. There were other political groups, including the Awami National Conference of Mr G.M. Shah and the Democratic Freedom Party led by Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah. Mr Shabir Shah at one time rose to new political heights. But after he quit the APHC he is seen walking on invisible sticks. As head of the DFP, he poses no challenge to the NC. But he can create problems for the ruling party if he joins the third front. Since the scare caused by the militants has not vanished in the state, political parties, including the Congress, the BJP and the PDP, may or may not be able to upset the National Conference's applecart. But these parties can improve on their 1996 performance if the polling percentage in the Kashmir valley is not less than 40 per cent and in the Jammu region around 55 per cent. Poor polling may only benefit the ruling party as was the case in the 1989 Lok Sabha poll and in the 1996 Assembly election. The state is indeed at the crossroads once again. Who will carry the day? Problems can find their own solutions provided outside forces, including the new global brokers, keep their hands off. A lot will depend on how India's national leaders in cooperation with those in the state manage men, matters and militants. |
Doting on balcony BALCONY in a living space is like face on a body. It is the interactive window. It is an overstretched projection and communicates, honestly. It oversees and overhears what is going on not only in the street below but also in the neighbours’ households. Who visits whom? What are the new arrivals in the form of furniture etc next door? Which neighbour comes at what time? Where from do the marital discord fumes arise and in which house the teenagers return home in the ambrosial hours, fully drunk? Who all in the locality are the balcony-pals, standing and greeting each other, at the same time generating and garnering vibes, and still maintaining their urbane distance! All that and much more. Balcony, like the Barsati, the terrace, a dormer or a window, besides being breathing hole in a building, is a romantic structure too. It gives you not only the leg space but also some fresh air to fill the lungs of your household, howsoever congested. Sun or rain, breeze or humidity, all by oneself, or, more the merrier, balcony opens up refreshing vistas for felicitating and facilitating a claustrophobic mind. Winters become warm with balcony grabbing as much sunlight, as it can, for you. Come rains and you are there enjoying the cool showers filling you with a thrill of sorts. If the balcony faces the rising sun or the sea, you are more than rewarded. If it faces the hill, still more benefaction blessed on you. But yes, if the view is docked by some huge building, you have to be content with what Robert Frost, irked at the highrisers’ dense growth in cities, says in one of his poems …one has to break his neck to see a star. Balcony is a symbol of concrete liberty. No one takes objection to your standing in the balcony and having a bird’s eyeview of whatever happens in front of your eyes without inviting frowns from anybody—after all it is your own house and you are not intruding upon anybody else’s privacy. More than that you have a right to reap your own balcony blessings. There are certain things, which are best done only in a balcony, if you want to add real taste to those activities. For example, reading newspaper. Sipping tea. Playing chess, cards or carom. On a holiday one can finish a two-hundred page novel spending the whole day in that cosy and well nestled opening of the house, easily. Or even for idling, the place is highly recommended. If you happen to be a lover of plants, foliage and flowers, balcony spares all space for your pots ensuring enough sunlight and air for them at the same time. A balcony is a newspaper hawker’s delight. He doesn’t always have to hit the bull’s eye. For a street vendor, the customer is right in his front and within the hearing range which affords him to hold back his shouting, after having an eyeball-to-eyeball contact, thus providing the much desired succor to his vocal chords, at least in your locality. And not the least important is the opportunity available to you if you want to turn your back at the sight of a beggar, in case you are superstitiously skeptical on his curses hurled on you at denial of alms etc. Balconies have their share of brickbats too. Some high and mighty figures of world fame were targeted here only. Balconies have been known for claiming lives also, giving way under the weight many times. And beware, if you are conservative parents and have Juliets in your house, balconies are accessible to the Romeos, if not for eloping, in the present day scenario of perestroika and glasnost for the generation-X, but at least for stolen kisses. But they are harmless and innocent things and balconies are credited with being home to such basic instincts. |
Politics of South China Sea IF there is one place in Asia, which can explode into a global crisis, it is the South China Sea. China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam — all of them have a claim on this region, or parts of it. And they are all ready to fight for their claims. The South China Sea (648,000 sq. miles) has suddenly become important because it is believed, it is rich in oil and gas. Oil and gas have become crucial for the growth of the Asian economy. Before the Asian crisis (1997-99), growth in energy consumption was around 5.5 per cent. By year 2020 Asian consumption is expected to be about 34 per cent of world energy consumption (33 million barrels a day), compared to 24 per cent of North America, 13 per cent of Western Europe, 12 per cent of former Soviet region and Eastern Europe. In year 2000, Asia produced from its own reserves seven million barrels a day, but consumed 19 million barrels a day. By 2020 the gap between production and consumption would double, with net imports reaching 25 million barrels a day. As far as gas is concerned, Asia produces at present what it consumes. But the gap is growing. South China Sea is important for another reason — it is a major route for the commerce of the world. Naturally, it was an area of tension even in the seventies. Then, the conflict was between China and Vietnam. The Spratly — a chain of 300 or so reefs, shoals, atols and islets — stretching over hundreds of miles, covering an area of 216,000 sq. miles — is now at the centre of a major conflict. Everyone wants a slice of the area. The motive is simple: once in possession of a few of these reefs and islands, one can claim the sea around them for 200 miles. Already, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam have set up naval outposts in the Spratly chain. China is increasingly assertive. And its methods are the same as elsewhere — arbitrary. In 1992, acting like a hegemon, the National People’s Congress of China formally proclaimed Chinese sovereignty over the entire Spratly archipelago and the Paracel Islands. (Paracel was seized from Vietnam in 1974). This has enabled the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to employ force if required to defend the Spratly and Paracel. China has thus built up a number of naval posts in the region and conducts regular naval exercises. Others have also been active. Vietnam has put up naval posts in 20 or so reefs, and has a major military presence. The Philippines too have established some military bases. Southern Spratly is claimed by Brunei and Malaysia. They too have military bases. Of late, there had been a number of clashes in the South China Sea, mostly connected with fishing activities. Most of the clashes were between China and Vietnam. The clash between China and the Philippines over Mischief Reef in 1995 was a serious affair. The reef is 150 miles away from the shores of the Philippines, but well within its territorial waters. But it is 1000 miles away from China! The Philippines sought US help under the treaty between the two. But the US declined help as the South China Sea was outside the scope of the treaty. The fact is: the US under President Clinton was unwilling to have a confrontation with China over this issue. It is clear from this episode that neither the US nor Japan would be willing to intervene in the future, which is why China has become bolder and has built up a formidable naval presence in the area. This has encouraged a naval arms race in the region between China and the ASEAN countries. This threatens the trade route. But safety of international trade is a different matter. Both the US and Japan will not suffer any interference with its safety. Hence the naval cooperation between India and the USA. The immediate objective is to provide safety to the trade through the Straights of Malacca. In the process the Indian navy based in Andaman and Nicobar is expected to emerge as a formidable one. The presence of the Indo-US navies in the region, as also of the powerful US 7th Fleet, must be a deterrent to Chinese adventures in the region. China has plans for a powerful navy in the Indian Ocean. But a crisis is more likely to arise from efforts to exploit the oil and gas of the South China Sea. Most of the countries of the region need more energy. China’s consumption is expected to double by 2020. That of Japan will go up by 25 per cent. China cannot use its huge coal resources because of carbon emissions. According to present estimates, China’s demand will be 9.5 million barrels a day by 2020. And gas consumption is expected to be 8.6 trillion cu.ft. per year. In 1999 China produced 3.2 million barrels daily and consumed 4.4 million barrels daily — a gap of 1.2 mbd. By 2020 the gap would be3.9 mbd. Import is expected to go up. China is expecting to meet much of this from Central Asia. But, eventually, from South China Sea. From 1992 China has been inviting western oil companies to explore the South China Sea. But this had often led to tension in the area. Hence the caution. Japan’s concern is of a different type. Japan imports four-fifth of its energy needs. Even though Japan is third in the world in nuclear power (after USA and France), and has plans to build another ten nuclear plants, Japan will remain a major importer of oil from the Gulf. All of it comes through the South China Sea. Japan gets coal from Australia and LPG from Indonesia — again through the South China Sea. Thus peace in the region as also in the Malacca Straight is an absolute necessity for Japan. China has offered joint management of South China Sea. But sovereignty over the reefs and islands will be with China. China has also offered to create a free trade area. But these are designed to prevent the militarisation of the ASEAN region. Leading this militarisation is Malaysia. It is trying to develop a powerful navy, equipped with missiles. Thailand and Indonesia are also engaged in creating a deep sea navy. The Thais have acquired even an aircraft carrier, as also frigates and patrol boats. Indonesia has bought the entire navy of former East Germany. And Singapore and the Philippines are not behind. The Chinese military buildup in the South China Sea has forced Japan to build up its own navy. China is naturally worried. In response, it has assured the world that it has no intention to interfere with international shipping in the South China Sea. This will not satisfy the USA and Japan. China is a hegemon. Its action against the Philippines proclaims it. Which is why there is a demand for continuing US presence in Asia. The holding of naval monoeuvres by the US 7th Fleet in the South China Sea is an assurance of that. |
No, no, Mrs Nene However, to make a match of it, Mrs Nene, who is beginning to look a little smug and matronly in this programme, carries off a real coup by beginning the programme with an encounter between a woman badminton player and a man table tennis player. What one would call very, very sporting of her. So, Mrs Nene leads them diplomatically out of sight of the parents and makes them sit on a swing, which is within touching distance, but the man is a gentleman, so nothing untoward happens. Because one of them admits that he has a bad temper and can even beat up people, but says he wouldn’t dream of such a thing in his married life and we heave a sigh of relief, as Meenakshi, the bride-to-be looks sceptical. In fact, the whole act is allegedly so genuine, that Mr Kunal Dasgupta, the CEO of Sony TV, himself introduces the programme to assure us of its bona fides. “Every emotion, every decision is real”, he says. And we have to believe him. At the time of writing, we have only seen the first two programmes and eagerly awaiting the next, because the girl has to make her choice after interviewing all three suitors, which is complete by now. Not to forget the parents, all three mothers dressed to the nines in heavy saris and jewellery, and fathers, one with a very squeaky voice, after graciously giving permission to Mrs Nene to let the couple interview each other on the cosy swing, now have a chance to discuss their children’s good and bad points under the smiling supervision of Mrs Nene. Things such as dowry, refrigerators, cars or two-wheelers do not figure on TV and it is all made out to be very civilised and may-the-best-man-win attempt. The acid test for every would-be groom comes when Meenakshi, the spirited chooser of husbands, lays down her first priority, which is that she will continue playing competitive badminton as long as she can, then do some coaching. Of course, looking after the household and papaji and mummyji as well. Professional photographer Chetan Padia, the third suitor interviewed, says stiffly to Mrs Nene after the dialogue between the boy and the girl on the swing is over: “Our priorities are different”. And naturally, Mrs Nene sends him packing with a film star smile and the inevitable good luck cliche... His parents have reservations too as to whether their daughter-in-law will like moving to Delhi or Goa, where sonny boy is now posted and to which Meenakshi refers sneeringly as a “holiday place”. Mr Rakesh Parab, who plays cricket and volleyball but works in a pharmaceutical firm is next. He is a little less of a chauvinist, but also baulks at a wife who plays competitive badminton and we don’t blame him. Who would look after papaji and mamaji? Not the emancipated badminton champ, we fear. All in all, the most pleasant-looking, pleasant-spoken and understanding of the lot is Vinod Deshpande, the table-tennis player and we are backing him. He did not even blanch when Meenakshi greeted him with a perky: “Hi!”. Peered at like goldfish in a bowl, she showed up best and was much more relaxed and natural than Mrs Nene. My naughty niece could not resist asking: “Do you think they are paid to have these private moments shown to the whole world?” Taking a cue from Boris Becker, I replied: “Sorry I do not understand French”. Besides, who can predict what the Great Indian Viewer will like or dislike? Two events, the swearing-in of the new President and the passing away of the Vice-President were emotional moments and Indians, like the British, like to savour the tamasha, the tears and the cheers in minute detail. Of the four channels I watched in turn, Zee came off best, with the morning-to-night coverage with generous visuals and non-interfering commentary. Aaj Tak came next, giving the events ample time. Star News, in an effort to be cool, not only interrupted exciting moments of the type viewers lap up with routine news items, but much as we admire Inder Malhotra’s expertise on presidents past and present it was hardly wise to interrupt the exciting comings and goings between Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhavan and shove them into a corner of the screen while Malhotra occupied the main portion with his oft-repeated reminiscences. There is a time and place for everything and this was neither. As for DD, true to form, it dug up a sports commentator from its archives and both its commentators in English and Hindi recounted the life story of the Vice-President, already recounted by every channel, while VVIPs remained to be identified and the action on the screen should have taken priority. They did not even observe the mandatory silence when the last post was being sounded, nor did some other channels. Running commentaries for solemn and ceremonial occasions have their own protocol and decorum. On these, as on other occasions, most channels failed. |
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Is infertility all in the mind? WOMEN struggling to conceive could be suffering from emotional rather than physical problems, according to a controversial theory. In The Fertility Solution Niravi Payne claims infertility can be largely overcome by positive thinking and emotional self-analysis - an argument dismissed by one of Britain’s foremost experts. Women who have entered Payne’s ‘Whole Person Fertility Program’ swear by it, including ER actress Alex Kingston, who gave birth to a baby girl in March after trying to become pregnant for six years. Payne, an American fertility specialist with 17 years’ experience, believes infertility problems can be traced back to experiences in the womb or in childhood and early adulthood, which make women emotionally unable to let their bodies become pregnant. Until those experiences are released or acknowledged, she believes, women may not be able to conceive. ‘I believe the mind and emotions have the power to affect the body,’ said Payne, who herself spent two years struggling to conceive. ‘Our state of mind and physiological processes are interconnected.’ Payne believes that, if women trying to conceive are unaware of how their family’s emotional history and childhood experiences have affected their reproductive system, their ability to become pregnant and carry it to term can be damaged. ‘I recognise there are certain physical conditions that can prevent a pregnancy, but I have found that the majority of reproductive difficulties are responsive to mind-body fertility therapy,’ she said. ‘Seeing yourself as a part of a family system which has influenced your emotions, beliefs, thoughts and attitudes about sexuality, conception, pregnancy and childbirth opens new possibilities.’ But Lord Robert Winston, director of the Infertility Unit at London’s Hammersmith Hospital, rejects Payne’s findings for their ‘wild claims of success’. ‘I have nothing against alternative or complementary therapy,’ he said. ‘Many will make you feel better, more confident, more relaxed. But there is no clinical evidence to show they work as an effective treatment for infertility.’
The Observer |
When it doesn’t rain, Indian tales pour IN
16th-century India, court musician Tansen was said to make the skies burst open with rain through his powerful renderings. Zoom into the 21st century, and such stories are still unfolding in hot, parched India where the monsoon has not quite arrived this summer. People are praying, dancing, rolling around in the mud, tilling fields in the nude, marrying off frogs and what not - with unflinching belief that they could make it rain. So when light showers cooled several parts of the Capital on Wednesday afternoon, many may have thought that their efforts were paying off. And not some meteorological bunkum! “Why only last week I had gone to attend a dance recital meant to propitiate the rain gods,” said 65-year-old New Delhi resident Benu Dutt. She attended a Bharatanatyam dance recital on Sunday at the 18th-century observatory of Jantar Mantar to please the rain gods. The audience was made up the young and old alike. In Orissa the story gets croakier! For thousands of villagers in the eastern state, where the threat of drought looms, the absence of the monsoon means it is time to marry off frogs. “Male and female frogs are bedecked like traditional groom and bride and all the villagers take part in the celebrations,” said Dkhisyam Madal, a villager. “As per Hindu rituals, the bride and groom are bathed in turmeric paste. The villagers bathed the frogs the same way. People believe after their bath, they make sounds that are an appeal to (rain god) Indra to let it pour.”
IANS Unimpressed by Musharraf’s mango gift Indian officials are unimpressed by a gift of mangoes Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf sent to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying no undue importance should be attached to the gesture. “The mangoes have come. They are at the airport,” a senior official said, “They send mangoes every year and no special significance need be attached to it. According to newspaper reports, the consignment of mangoes was sent from Islamabad via Dubai as there is no direct flight between the two countries, a fallout of the seven-month face-off between the two countries.
IANS |
Oppose not him, my Lord, in whose hand are Fate and destiny and the Lives of all creatures! — Shri
Ramacharitamanasa,
*** As destiny decrees, says Tulasi, so help appears; either it comes to a man or it leads him away to the cause of his doom. —Shri Ramacharitamanasa,
*** Birth and death, all painful and pleasurable experiences, loss and gain, union with those we love and separation from them — all these, my Lord are governed by the laws of time and destiny and are as unalterable as the sequence of night and day. — Shri Ramacharitamanasa,
*** What Rama ordains cannot be annulled; the ways of fate which are beyond anybody’s control are ever hard. — Shri Ramacharitamanasa,
*** When fate is adverse, everyone else turns hostile. — Shri Ramacharitamanasa,
*** Do Sita and Raghuvira deserve to be exiled to the woods? Fate is paramount indeed! — Shri Ramacharitamanasa, Ayodhya Kanda.
*** Her reason went astray as fate would have it. — Shri Ramacharitamanasa,
*** No one can die except by God’s permission according to the book that fixeth the term for life. — The Quran
*** The Lord hath created and balanced all things and hath fixed their destinies and guided them. — The Quran
*** All sovereignty is in the hands of God. — The Quran
*** All things have been created after fixed decree (qadar) — The Quran |
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MARRIAGES, it seems, are no longer made in heaven. They are made on television and the Almighty has abdicated in favour of none other than Mrs Nene, alias the one and only Madhuri Dixit. And who better than Mrs Nene, who is proud of the fact that she had an arranged marriage herself. But her match-making was in the safe hands of her brother and not shown on television. Which is a good thing, because the way to heaven, if, indeed, these marriages are still made there, is so littered with advertisement at every step, that the barriers seem unsurmountable.