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Wednesday,
September 11, 2002,
Chandigarh, India  
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The
Rajdhani disaster Two
crashes too many |
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It
was Dravid’s series AT last Rahul Dravid’s brilliance with the bat was not overshadowed by some other player’s achievement. The just concluded four-Test match cricket series in England truly belonged to the self-effacing batsman from Karnataka. The only other player who came close to piping him at the post was the gutsy Michael Vaughan of England. But Dravid’s performance was a shade better than that of the other players from both teams.
Election
time in Germany
On being
forewarned
USA: a
year after the Sept 11 attacks
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The Rajdhani disaster THE derailment of the prestigious Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in the Gaya-Dehri-on-Sone section of Eastern Railway’s Mughalsarai Division — a pride in terms of its passenger-and-freight-earning traffic — is bound to shake the people’s confidence in railway safety. Monday’s incident, in which 15 of the 18 coaches of the fully airconditioned train derailed, taking a toll of over 120 people and causing injuries to at least 200, is the worst in recent times. Reports suggest that while there were 588 passengers in the train, including the train staff, the toll is likely to be much higher. Some bodies have been recovered from the A/C 3-Tier coach which fell into the Dewa river. Many passengers have also been rushed to hospitals in and around Aurangabad. Rescue operations are in full swing to save the lives of those trapped in the coaches. No doubt, the staff are fighting against heavy odds because of rain, closed windows and locked doors of the coaches. What is, however, deplorable is the manner in which the railway authorities have been equivocating over the causes of the derailment. One need not take seriously the “sabotage” theory being trotted out by them. It has become a routine practice for successive Railway Ministers to come out with this theory after every derailment or accident. In the present case, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, Minister of State Bandaru Dattatreya and Railway Board Chairman
I.I.M.S. Rana have claimed that some fishplates were found removed from the track. This is unconvincing and amounts to prejudging the statutory inquiry ordered into the mishap. Experts, including former chairmen of the Railway Board, have said many times that the spikes of the sleepers get loosened under the heavy impact of the derailment. More important, Magadh Divisional Commissioner
H. C. Sirohi has refuted the sabotage theory and said that if fishplates were removed before the derailment, the engine of the Rajdhani Express, which was running at a speed of over 100 km per hour, would not have been able to cross the bridge at all. Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and Bihar’s Director-General of Police
R. R. Prasad have also dismissed the sabotage theory. Surprisingly, the railway authorities seem to be glossing over serious questions on the condition of the track, wheels of the train or the 90-year-old Dewa railway bridge which could also be the reasons for the derailment. This bridge is reportedly in a bad shape and its old girders seem to be in no position to take the heavy volume of traffic. It won’t be a surprise if the bridge had given in because of heavy rains in this section during the last three days. Moreover, top officials admit in private that old bridges are a major cause of derailment. According to an official estimate, of the 1,19,724 railway bridges, as many as 51,340 are more than 100 years old. A couple of years ago, the number of bridges classified as “distressed” stood at 515. In conformity with the recommendations of the Railway Board’s Bridge Rehabilitation Committee, there is an urgent need to replace the girders of all the bridges having three-metre spans with concrete slabs for stability and protection. The problem with the railways is that precious funds are frittered away on uneconomical projects purely on populist considerations. Railway Ministers behave as jagirdars and seem to be bothered more about developing their own constituencies rather than take a holistic view of infrastructural development in the entire country, especially the neglected regions. Sadly, New Delhi’s Rail Bhavan has been used as an instrument for distributing political largesse and patronage to the chosen few. For instance, is it wise for the cash-strapped Railway Ministry to spend at this juncture a whopping Rs 1,000 crore on the reorganisation of railway zones? People will lose confidence in the railways if the authorities do not stop populist and uneconomical projects and intensify efforts to improve safety on the tracks. The onus of protecting the lives and the limbs of passengers squarely rests with the officials and the political leadership. The sooner they realise this, the better. |
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Two crashes too many TWO air crashes involving Russian multi-purpose fighter jets, the MiG-21s, have again turned the spotlight on the backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF). It’s too much of a coincidence to say that two crashes in a single day — both involving MiG-21s — do not point to anything. What they do point to is that all is not well with the IAF. The cause of accidents can be broadly classified into those involving human error, technical defects, and extraneous factors like bird hits. If the IAF account is to be believed, most of the previous over 100 MiG crashes occurred due to pilot error. This is indeed very tragic since it is obvious that there are lacunae in the training of the brave young men and women who defend our nation’s skies. The IAF, of course, denies it and points out that the Committee on Fighter Aircraft Accidents had made 84 recommendations in 1997. Of these, only 45 have been implemented. The most important ones regarding the procurement of advanced jet trainers and flight simulators for training have not been taken up. However, the IAF is not to blame for this. It has been trying to get the advanced trainer jet which has just not happened for various political reasons more than anything else. In the absence of proper aircraft, pilots are trained on subsonic indigenous jet Kiran. They are ill-equipped to handle more complicated and “unforgiving” aircraft like the MiG. It is like asking someone who has learnt to drive an Ambassador to race on a Ferrari. Of course, it is too early to say what happened in the crashes near Ambala and Shivpuri on Monday though news reports suggest engine failure, the very factor that was blamed for the MiG-21 crash in Jalandhar on May 3 this year. The engine failure theory would lend credence to what has been said for some time now — that the MiGs are being fitted with substandard parts, often procured from CIS nations, members of the erstwhile Soviet Union. There is no doubt that arms procurement is a grey area in which a lot of unsavoury goings-on take place. There has to be transparency and accountability, which is sadly lacking today. That the once celebrated fighter plane has now earned the sobriquet “flying coffin” is unfortunate. Both Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy and his predecessor A Y Tipnis have said that MiG is safe and is a fine fighter plane, a view that is echoed by analysts also. We must do whatever needs to be done so that our warriors engage in battle with the best training, material and armament that we can provide them. |
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It was Dravid’s series AT last Rahul Dravid’s brilliance with the bat was not overshadowed by some other player’s achievement. The just concluded four-Test match cricket series in England truly belonged to the self-effacing batsman from Karnataka. The only other player who came close to piping him at the post was the gutsy Michael Vaughan of England. But Dravid’s performance was a shade better than that of the other players from both teams. He has lived under the shadow of others for far too long. It was as if the mysterious hand of destiny wanted to deny him the privilege of having the spotlight just on him. He made his Test debut in England in 1996. That also happened to be Saurav Ganguly’s debut series. Both revealed their talent in ample measure before an appreciative crowd. However, while Ganguly scored a century apiece in his first two Tests, Dravid managed only two back-to-back knocks of 90 plus runs. His patient temperament, that was once considered a key element for success as a batsman, was counted as a negative trait by the pundits of the one-day game. However, in a key match against Sri Lanka during the 1999 World Cup in England, he along with Ganguly set a new record of 318 runs for any wicket. He made 145 and but Ganguly scored 42 more than him to steal the ovation. In the one-day tri-series in England, before the Tests, he had to keep wickets to retain his place in the team. Of course, it allowed the management the luxury of playing Mohammad Kaif as an additional batsman. How Kaif and Yuvraj Singh turned what appeared to be certain defeat into a famous victory for India in the final against England is the stuff cricket lore thrives on. However, the fact remains that the stars of Dravid made him do double-duty when less talented players managed to retain their place by doing much less for the team. And who can forget the unforgettable stand between Dravid and V. V. S. Laxman in the Test match against Australia at Kolkata? The two combined to help India win the Test that Australian skipper Steve Waugh thought was in his pocket. His brilliant century was overshadowed by an amazing knock of 283 by Laxman, the highest in a Test by an Indian. There is even an instance of his thunder being stolen by a rival player as it happened in Hamilton where Dravid scored 190 and 103 not out. The man-of-the-match award went to Chris Cairns for his all-round brilliance in the same Test. Dravid may have lived under the shadow of others, but he chose the moment of his glory with care. The Oval Test was dedicated to Sachin Tendulkar who became the youngest cricketer to play in 100 Tests. A century in his centennial Test would have been a fitting tribute to his genius. But the Little Master managed a knock of only 50 plus runs. He inadvertently allowed Dravid the right to tell his grandchildren the story of how he scored a double century in the 100th Test match of the most outstanding player of the 21st century. Yes, the 20th century belonged to Don Bradman. Be that as it may, the English summer of 2002 would be remembered for the breath-taking batting display by a gentleman cricketer called Rahul Dravid. He deserves his moment of glory. |
Election time in Germany FIGHTING the September 22 election with his back to the wall, Germany’s Mr Gerhard Schroeder was thrown two lifelines as he faced the contest with Mr Bavaria’s Edmund Stoiber very much in the position of an underdog. They were: devastating floods that swept the eastern parts and President George W. Bush’s aggressive posture of taking out Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein by force. He grasped them both for all he was worth. Mr Schroeder wore wellingtons and a jacket to take command of flood operations, presenting the picture of the decisive Chancellor on the job, while his rival was holidaying. And in a reversal of roles between France and Germany, Mr Schroeder loudly proclaimed his opposition to a military attack on Iraq and had his defence minister let it be known that in the event of the USA going ahead with its military adventure unilaterally, Germany would withdraw its specialised anti-biological warfare unit Fuchs based in Kuwait. So when the Chancellor and his challenger recently faced the first television debate between two candidates for the top job in German history, Mr Schroeder’s popularity in Gallup polls had climbed to within one percentage point of his rival. The debate itself was a draw, with Mr Stoiber pleasantly surprising an audience of 15 million with an improved performance. Mr Stoiber needled Mr Schroeder on the unfulfilled promise of keeping unemployment down to 3.5 million while the Chancellor said he needed more time. More often than not, German elections in the post-World War II era have been fought around a central theme. I recall meeting Willy Brandt during his election campaign in the seventies with the icon of the left poised to take advantage of Ostpolitik, the reaching out to the then communist East European countries, including what was the German Democratic Republic. For Mr Helmut Kohl, before he was dragged into the mire of party financial scandals, the themes of reunification and, later, eastern Germany’s development did sterling duty. But the Kohl era could not last forever and the telegenic Gerhard Schroeder, who won the last election, came to signify the new post-war generation. For a time, it felt that Germany was entering a brave new world. It had finally divested itself of the burden of the Nazi era and the last symbols of occupation, and Schroeder gave notice to his neighbours, the USA and the world that his country could no longer be beaten with the Nazi stick to be kept down. It was part of Europe but refused to be a political pygmy even as it was recognised for its economic weight. The Social Democrats had come to power after a long spell, with Mr Kohl’s Christian Democrats and Christian Socialists having successfully wrapped themselves in the German flag. But Mr Schroeder had reinvented his party, as had Mr Tony Blair the Labour Party in Britain, to keep up with changing times. The era of the old blue collar worker had gone and the centrestage was where power resided. Mr Schroeder’s honeymoon with his people did not last long as problems piled up. There were a regional funding scandal, the sacking of the Defence Minister and the removal of the Deutsche Telekom Chairman. And, above all, the stubborn unemployment figures kept rising to above four million. Unsurprisingly, Mr Stoiber’s theme song in the television debate was the economy — “facts”, as he repeatedly called them. The slogans for the two conglomerates are: “Performance and Security — Time for Action” for Mr Stoiber’s CDU-CSU combine and “Renewal and Unity — We in Germany” for Mr Schroeder’s SPD. Mr Schroeder found himself on the back foot on the economy in the first television debate, but Mr Stoiber has been seeking to trim his sails on Iraq. Having described his opponent’s public opposition to American moves as “irresponsible”, he has modified his stand to say that he would also support the withdrawal of Fuchs were the Americans to go it alone. One of the marvels of German politics of the last four years has been the transformation of Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, representative of the Greens, into a pragmatist to emerge as the most popular politician in the country. Although Mr Fischer lost points with committed Greens for repudiating long-held positions, the recent floods, the most devastating in Germany for more than 50 years, are going the Greens’ way because the conservatives are perceived to be less concerned with issues of the environment and global warming. Besides, East Germany’s former Communist Party, rechristened the Party of Democratic Socialism, remains a key factor in the election — after the first television debate, Mr Stoiber was booed at a rally in eastern Germany. Mr Schroeder has promised not to form a coalition with the PDS. But, given the choice, PDS voters would be inclined more towards Mr Schroeder’s party than that of his opponent. However, more than a decade after reunification, East Germans feel like the West’s poor cousins as they continue to make a difficult transition, despite the transfer of astronomical amounts of money from the federal government. To cope with the consequences of the floods, Mr Schroeder has delayed promised tax cuts, to meet with Mr Stoiber’s opposition. Germany’s election has a resonance far beyond Europe because after reunification and the continent poised for an eastward expansion, the Berlin Republic, as Mr Schroeder has defined it, has a great opportunity to tap its historical strengths. Germany’s attraction for the former communist East European countries is obvious, an attraction that can only grow after it surmounts its present economic woes. If Mr Schroeder loses, he would be the first post-World War II Chancellor not to win a second term although recent trends in Europe have gone in favour of the conservatives. The outcome of the German election is important on another count. With the USA undergoing a transformation defined by September 11 as much as by its consciousness of its unique strength, Europe’s distance from the hyperpower can only grow. There are few illusions about Europe’s military strength in relation to America. By the same token, there is increasing impatience with Washington’s high and mighty attitude to Europe and the world. In the eyes of much of the world, Mr Schroeder would be better placed to fight Europe’s battles than his conservative rival. |
On being forewarned IF you are forewarned, you can be forearmed. But if you are planning to visit America, you better be disarmed, disabused and deduct from your terrorist-related vocabulary words such as hijacking, bomb, paper cutter, weapon, knife, anthrax, and say goodbye to your sense of humour or any attempt at being witty or sarcastic, as you face the security staff at the American airports. I had no such forewarning or friendly advice when I undertook the journey to this land of much promise and great opportunities. A timely tip can lead to banishing the very idea, even when you have none, of undertaking a journey to such a place. I recall a tip given to me late into the night at the bar, many, many years ago, by Choki Mennon, of whom you know nothing. Choki Mennon, whose credentials I will lay before you on another occasion, in an obvious effort to quell my travelling urges, gave me a sound piece of advise. He said, “If you cannot defend yourself with a knife, never, ever travel to Brazil.” I never did. Because my total expertise at wielding a knife did not extend beyond cutting through a slice of bread topped with scrambled eggs or slicing a well-roasted chicken. Unarmed with any suitable advice, I took this journey to the USA. I had a seat by the window and in the adjoining seat was an American; an avid air traveller with much knowledge of the behaviour of the security staff at the American airports. We were soon through a round of preliminary introductions and polite conversation. With nothing more to say, I reached for the book I had brought along to read through this long air journey. After some time snacks were served, and I put the book aside. Just then my companion in the adjoining seat exclaimed, “what are you doing?” with disbelief and horror writ large on his face. Equally alarmed, I checked if inadvertently my hand had reached for the lever to open the emergency exit of the aircraft flying at 800 km an hour at 35,000 feet. Luckily, both my hands were in place; in my lap and grasped together. As it transpired, he had seen the cover on my book, which related to international terrorism. He leaned close to me and whispered in my ear, in a barely audible voice, that to be seen in possession of such a book on an American airport is like being caught carrying a bomb. Then he went on to relate some of the happenings at the USA airports, as part of the 9/11 after-effect. When the security staff at an airport searched through the shoes of an 87-year-old, Mr Cooper he jokingly remarked, “I hope there is not a bomb in there.’ He barely uttered the word “bomb” when two of the security staff jumped, throwing him on the ground, while other staff members took cover behind desks or whatever other pieces of furniture that could give them protection against a blast, and one of them hit the ground flat. Mr Cooper was handcuffed in true American style and later produced before a judge. He had to pay $ 1000 to the lawyer and the expense of flying back for the hearing. He, like many other Americans, has given up air travel and taken to the road. Mr Cooper did not know that words like, “ bomb,” “ terrorist,” etc, in an aircraft or an American airport can set a chain reaction, no less deadly than the one in a nuclear device. It matters little whether you sport a grey beard or are in a wheel chair, they would get you. Half an hour before Mr Cooper’s high crime, these ardent defenders of American liberty had an 80-year-old Joyce Kenneth Deluca of Sarasota arrested for making jokes with the security staff about terrorists, which they did not like. She was in a wheel chair. These chilling episodes left me cold, in spite of the comfortable temperature in the aircraft, and thinking of the possible ways to rid myself of the explosive book I had brought along. I could leave it in the magazine holder in front. But they would trace it to me from the manifesto and of course, my fingerprints were on the book. I could shred it and wash it down the toilet. But my long stay in the wash-room to complete the operation would alert the crew, who might panic and raise an alarm a possible “terrorist-cum-hijacker” on board and have the American jet fighters flying out to shoot down our airplane. Putting on a generous expression, I offered the book to my companion, but he would not touch it with a badge-pole, though I did wonder as to how he planned to carry a badge-pole on an international flight. Then I had an idea. At Muscat I deposited the book in a cistern, in the exclusivity of the wash room, and put on a poker face as the security staff at Chicago searched through my baggage, in an obvious effort to trace any links with Osama-bin-Laden Our own irrepressible Som Nath Chaterjee, MP of much standing and long tenures, on arrival at an American airport was subjected to sustained interrogation till he was blue in the face and ready to call the Indian Foreign Minister in Delhi and shout, “May Day” into the mike. Perhaps the US Embassy in Delhi, while issuing him the visa, had also communicated to the Immigration Department in the USA that he was a communist party leader. That explains his grilling by the security staff. Mr Chaterjee would have been less ruffled at the routine behaviour of the security staff at an American airport only if he had been forewarned. Now you can’t say that you were not forewarned. |
USA: a year after the Sept 11 attacks IT’S a year now for that terrible Friday of September 11 when the USA was rudely awakened to death and devastation. The twin Towers of the World Trade Center were razed but more than that it was a clear assault on America, its basic policies and its relationships with the outside world, actually read the Arab world. It was a reminder for the USA to chart a new course, to realign its sights, to have a new vision which will see things in a different perspective — not the super-capitalistic mode which promotes only the proliferation of its own multinational companies and the escalation of arms production. But President George Bush decided to launch a full-scale war on terrorism. He found a new ism to fight. For well-nigh seven decades they were combating communism till the Soviet utopian dream turned into a nightmare. But as long as it lasted it was a good opportunity for the Americans to launch a broadside attack on an ideology that was contradictory to the super-capitalistic principles they practised. More than fighting communism, their one-point programme was to promote and spread American multinationals worldwide. Haven’t we seen this happen for decades ? During World War II Coca Cola found its way behind both the German and allied army lines, they say. The Bhopal gas tragedy was brought about by an American multinational, Union Carbide, which seems to have blatantly and ruthlessly reneged its responsibility to make good the damage it had caused. Enron is yet another example of the US ruthless power games and scams. And all this is packaged under the guise of American democracy. What hypocrisy ! They would like us to believe that they are the custodians of peace in the whole wide world when in truth they are fanning the flames of war instead. Didn’t George Bush Sr. fight the Gulf war in 1991 to bolster his chances of re-election? That it didn’t work is another matter. Now his son George Bush is lugged with the task of combating terrorism. One had only to see him on that fateful September 11 and his near-simian body language was loud and clear. Not that one condoned the devastation caused by Osama bin Laden and his men but many see this as a reaction to the USA anti-Arab policies. Still, who created Osama bin Laden, if not the USA during the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan ? Dr Robert M. Bowman (Lt. Col., USAF, retd), who directed the “Star Wars” programmes under Presidents Ford and Carter and flew 101 combat missions in Vietnam, has this to say about America and its policies: “A few years ago, terrorists destroyed two US embassies. President Clinton retaliated against suspected facilities of Osama bin Laden. In his television address, the President told the American people that they were the targets of terrorism because we stood for democracy, freedom and human rights in the world. “On that occasion, I wrote : ‘Tell people the truth, Mr President…about terrorism, not about poor Monica. If your lies about terrorism go unchallenged, then the terror war you have unleashed will continue till it destroys us. “The threat of nuclear terrorism is closing in upon us. Chemical terrorism is at hand, and biological terrorism is a future danger. None of our thousands of nuclear weapons can protect us from these threats. These idols of plutonium, titanium, and steel are impotent. Our worship of them for five decades has not brought us security, only greater danger…’” It is a long article. Suffice it to say that Bowman thoroughly exposed the US policies, how they have deposed popularly elected governments and replaced them with puppet military dictators, who were willing to sell out their people to American multinational companies. Allende and Gen Pinochet in Chile for one. Then who waged wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Nicaragua and a plethora of banana republics ? It is a revealing article which paints a sorry picture of these so-called founders of modern democracy to make them look more like bandits and marauders, equipped with a single-minded goal — their duty to themselves and their super-capitalistic society. Noam Chomsky, one of the staunchest critics of the USA and its foreign policies and who was in India after the September 11 carnage, has this to say in his book “What Uncle Sam Really Wants.” In the opening chapter “Protecting our turf” he outlines the basic US policies with the outside world after World War II: “Relations between the USA and other countries go back to the origins of American history, but World War II was the real watershed, so let’s begin there. “While most of our industrial rivals were either severely weakened or totally destroyed by the war our national territory was never under attack and American production more than tripled.” Chomsky then goes on to quote documents like the National Security Council Memorandum 68 (NSC 68) which called for a “rollback strategy” that would “foster the seeds of destruction within the Soviet system. It was written by Paul Nitze and developed the views of Secretary of State Dean Acheson. These operations included a “secret army” under the Nazi auspices that sought to provide agents and military supplies to armies that had been established by Hitler and which were still operating inside the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the early 1950s. There is much, much more in the book “What Uncle Sam Really Wants” which would make George Bush, Colin Powell and Co. blush. Being the only Super Power today the USA is able to dictate terms to the world. What are they doing to Israel for sticking on the West Bank ? Sweet nothing. It’s just words, words and more words. And we think that the Americans are angels. With our so-called Western (read Portuguese) influence we tend to become more Western than the Westerners. I have come across Goans, whose dream it was to live in America. But one needs to look at things pragmatically. Not that there isn’t anything good about America. Far from it. For one thing it is a land of opportunity and talent is rewarded, unlike in India where favouritism and nepotism are often the guiding factors. It is a land of opportunity and, therefore, so many Indian professionals are thriving there. Then the Press is free and objective. One doesn’t have to fight for one’s basic rights like we have to do in India. The basic necessities are cheap and within everyone’s reach and corruption is within limits (the higher ones) not at all levels as in India. But the Americans are very insular and know little of what’s happening the world over. It is only their “big pond” they are bothered about. I remember Len Deighton, author of “Ipcress File” and “Funeral in Berlin,” telling me how ignorant they were about world affairs. He wrote for Playboy and his liaisons with them probably only highlighted this aspect. What they probably need is a crash course in general knowledge. They also need a complete realigning of their policies. The Jew element has to be controlled and the foreign policies should be dovish, not hawkish. They need a New Deal, the one envisaged by President Roosevelt was probably never put into operation. Now is the time for them to think of a world order, not just the expansion of the American multinationals. Then other problems like the September 11 devastation will by itself be resolved. |
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A fakir
of Sikh politics GIANI Kartar Singh was one of the most articulate, sharp, and prudent leaders the Sikh community has ever produced. He was at the helm of the affairs along with Master Tara Singh and Baldev Singh during the most crucial phase of the Partition of India. It is without doubt to say that he always thought for the Sikhs, worked for the Sikhs and lived for the Sikhs. Born in 1902 at Chak No. 40 in Lialpur district, Giani Kartar Singh after matriculation joined Khalsa College, Amritsar, in 1920 for higher education but could not complete his graduation and left his studies midway to plunge into politics. He was an eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy at an early age and the event made him a staunch nationalist to fight against British imperialism. At Khalsa College he came into contact with stalwarts like Bawa Harkrishan Singh, Prof Niranjan Singh and Prof Teja Singh. The other important personalities whom he met included scholars like Ruchi Ram Sahni and political heavyweights like Madan Mohan Malvia and human rights activists like C.F. Andrews. Such encounters made his fertile mind easily eschew and also react to how these luminaries perceived many an important event and movement. Gianiji took part in almost all morchas during the Sikh gurdwara reforms movement, and went to jail several times. He was elected a member of the SGPC when it first came into being in 1924 and remained its member continuously. He was elected MLA in the first-ever Assembly elections in Punjab in 1937. He made his name as a potential political leader and organiser and very soon was part of the Akali Party High Command. When negotiations for the Independence of the India were initiated by the British government they treated Sikhs as the third party and in all negotiations the Akali delegations were invited in addition to those of the Congress and the Muslim League. Giani Kartar Singh, who was a leading negotiator, realised at that time that the British government had formally accepted the demand for Pakistan and in that eventuality Sikhs would be the worst sufferer. To forestall the creation of Pakistan and Partition of India, the leadership came forward with a proposal for Azad Punjab. The imaginative idea of Giani Kartar Singh was accepted by all and many conferences were organised all over Punjab for its support. At that time Giani Kartar Singh convinced the Hindu leadership of Punjab to make a united front. As per the formula worked out for the Partition of India, the Muslim majority provinces were to form part of Pakistan. With these efforts the Akali leadership, of which Giani Kartar Singh was the main pivot, convinced the British authorities, that the Partition of Punjab was a necessity. Giani Kartar Singh was the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal at the time of Partition. He played a historic role in not only getting Punjab partitioned but also taking the bold and historic decision of the Sikhs going with India. He had many meetings with Muslim leaders and also with Mohd Ali Jinha. The Sikh leaders totally refused to accept any allurement by the Muslim League. It was a well known fact that the British government officers made all efforts to bring a rapprochement between the Muslim League and the Akali Party. Giani Kartar Singh was a selfless man and was known among his admirers as a “fakir”. In 1946 when S. Baldev Singh, who was a minister in the Punjab Cabinet, joined as India’s first Defence Minister in the interim government, a vacancy was to be filled by another Akali legislator. The party selected Giani Kartar Singh as the leader unanimously but he thankfully refused to become a minister and offered the post to Swaran Singh. In his whole life time Giani Kartar Singh did not make any property and had never kept any bank account. Whatever money he received as salary or allowances, or collected from his friends was spent by him on party work. It is said that in Giani Kartar Singh there was total absence of vanity. People had seen him standing and eating on the road side, and having meals at dhabas. He was known for his frank and warm-hearted
personality. It is said that even as a minister, he used to go to the residences of officers as and when he was to make any recommendation. He never made any undue recommendation for any individual. After Partition Dr Gopi Chand Bhargwa, the first Chief Minister of Punjab, invited Gianiji to join his Cabinet. Later on, he also was a member of the team headed by Bhim Sen Sachar. It was during that time that his efforts resulted in what is called the Sachar-Akali formula in which the demarcation of Hindi and Punjabi regions of the Punjab was made. This paved the way for the demand of Punjabi Suba which was ultimately achieved by the Akalis in November, 1966. Giani Kartar Singh remained on the forefront of political life in Punjab and at times changed political parties. But it is said that he did this only to gain maximum benefits for the community. During his illness he was admitted to Government hospital at Patiala where he died on June 10, 1974, and was cremated at Tanda which he had adopted as his Assembly constituency. Giani Zail Singh, the then Chief Minister of Punjab, named Government College, Tanda, as Giani Kartar Singh College to cherish his memory. Unfortunately his life and works have so far remained ignored. A book on him was written by one of his close aides, Jasdev Singh Sandhu, which was released last year. Unfortunately for the Indian polity, the values he stood for now belong to the by-gone era and the politicians and public men of his stature have become a rarity. Men like him have since ceased to be role models for present-day politicians. They and their values seem to have become irrelevant today.
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God is treasurer to the charitable man. — Italian proverb There is no sweet companion like pure charity. —
Fo-Sho-Hing-TsanKing, *** Benevolence is the tranquil habitation of man and righteousness his straight path. — Mencius
*** The man, who in the view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement, however, far back it extends; such a man may be reckoned a complete man. — Analects *** But let judgement run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream. — The Bible *** A gift to one to whom one owes nothing, at the right time and place — a gift to the proper object; that gift makes for righteousness. — Hitopadesha
*** Ye cannot attain to righteousness until ye expend in alms of what ye love. —
The Quran *** Remember that everywhere you will find some sort of faith and righteousness. — A Bahai saying *** There is no right conduct without righteousness which must be cultivated obtaining right faith. — Uttaradhyayana Sutra *** Here I give to you, O bountiful immortals! Sacrifice and homage with the mind, with words, deeds and my entire person; yea, (I offer) to you the flesh of my very body (as your own). And I praise righteousness. —
Yasna.
*** Charity gives itself rich; covetousness hoards itself poor. — German proverb *** Charity begins at home but should not end there. — Soottish proverb |
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