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Sunday,
July 27, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Need for sustained efforts
to combat corruption Why varsity teachers’ bodies have lost their sheen
ON RECORD |
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He sets a new trend in Gujarati poetry
Of salutes and a creaking structure
Asian cinema festival thrills film lovers
One south, one train, one ticket
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Need for sustained efforts
to combat corruption To tackle this problem, the Eleventh International Anti-Corruption Conference held at Seoul resolved that corruption should be designated as a crime against humanity. It criticised the doctrine of affording immunity from extradition to those accused of corruption and stressed the need for a code of conduct for the judiciary. But the basic question on how to fight this monster still remained untouched. There is a need to evolve systems and create a mechanism at the international level for effective cooperation in this fight as vested interests will not leave any stone unturned to frustrate efforts to dismantle their empires. So are vested interests in countries like Switzerland who gain a lot at the cost of others. Swiss Banks and their likes have a very prominent role in facilitating and perpetuating corruption. They encourage corruption and make it possible by guaranteeing secrecy. In police parlance, if there were no receivers of stolen property, no serious theft may perhaps ever take place. Some estimates put the Indian holdings in foreign, particularly in Swiss banks, at Rs 2 lakh crore, the equivalent of almost 45 years budget of the Central Government or equivalent to eight years of its National Income at current rates. All this is the illegal money, which the Indians hold abroad. It is not possible to know its exact extent, but there can be no doubt that slush money moves abroad in bulk from the third world into the banks of advanced nations, where these are invested to generate employment and incomes at the cost of poor countries. In the prevailing international scenario, it is not possible for any government agency of these backward countries to recover their looted wealth and resources. Kickbacks are often credited into accounts abroad to avoid detection. No wonder, Indian tourists visiting abroad match the mighty Americans in volume of spending. Money, duly laundered, may sometimes be brought back to India through normal banking channels, by showing it as gift from some relative or friend, or simply the payment earned through exports. The holdings abroad cannot be checked as banks cover themselves with the veil of secrecy. However, the slush money arising out of drug trade is being treated differently. If it is suspected that money in a bank has some relation with drug trade, the secrecy laws stand automatically relaxed, as these have been amended to that extent. It was done at the instance of the big western powers, as drugs are their problem. After 9/11, money held in various accounts by terrorists has been frozen. For countries like India, all economic offenders including the corrupt are the financial terrorists. A major problem of the third world is corruption and the secrecy laws are aiding and abetting it. If corruption is recognised as a crime against humanity and bank secrecy provides the basic infrastructure to make it possible to hide the assets, the secrecy laws should not find place on statue books of any country in this shrinking world where interdependence of countries is very high and on the rise. The world forum should have addressed this and related basic issues in detail. Since India is worst affected, it should have taken up this question forcefully. It should have agitated for relaxation of banking secrecy laws in cases of corruption. Apart from bank accounts, there is another dimension — property or other assets could also be purchased abroad. Since one country cannot conduct investigations in another country, some rules need be framed so that the particulars of deposits or properties/assets held abroad by its citizens could be known to the mother country. Of immediate necessity are the following measures not only for India but also other countries. First, information on bank accounts opened by Indian citizens abroad should be communicated to the Indian authorities, through its embassy/ high commission in that country. The CBI should compile such account numbers and other details. Two, if the person is found involved in some crime or a criminal case, particularly of corruption or any white-collar crime registered against him in India, the particulars of balances in his accounts and the copies of such accounts, if asked for authentically by an investigating agency, should be supplied by the country in which such accounts or the assets are held. In this context, the CBI could be the only authorised agency. Any Central or State agency could approach the CBI for information. The foreign bank/ government should supply duly certified copies of accounts/information whenever demanded by the CBI. Three, whenever an Indian purchases a property abroad, its details should be transmitted to the country through the Indian Embassy/ High Commission. The CBI could use this information at the time of need. Four, details of all properties and bank deposits held abroad by the Indian citizens at present be supplied to Indian Embassies/High Commissions in the respective countries. On the CBI’s instructions, the accounts should be frozen, the lockers, the properties and other assets sealed and their transfer or sale banned. The assets/ accounts should be treated as per the Indian courts’ orders. Five, for obtaining/supplying such information, the doctrine of dual criminality may not be insisted upon, as corruption is a crime everywhere and only some technical details may differ. India, in cooperation with other countries, should initiate a persuasive and aggressive propaganda underscoring the point that we are readily helping them in their fight against drug and terrorism and that they also need to reciprocate. It requires sustained efforts. We should start impressing upon the world community right from now, so that the 12th conference passes necessary resolutions and countries like Switzerland are persuaded or coerced to be transparent and abandon their secrecy laws.n The writer, a senior IPS officer of the Haryana Government, participated in the Anti-Corruption conference at Seoul, South Korea |
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Why varsity teachers’ bodies have lost their sheen Nevertheless, the teachers' demands seem to remain unfulfilled; they pile up so as to be repeated every year in the form of poll promises. The backlog of unmet demands gets reflected in the staleness of the manifestoes brought out by teachers' leaders year after year. While associations remain mute spectators, the teaching community feels let down by their associations and leaders. They continue to brood and sulk over their unfulfilled demands and the incapacity of their associations to get these accepted. Their resentment gets reflected in the poor attendance at general house meetings. The associations become more inert, powerless and defunct. This syndrome of the sagging stature of teachers associations in the campuses renders teachers still more vulnerable and prone to the callousness of the authorities. They feel disillusioned and alienated from the system, which adversely affects their performance. The moot question is why the teachers’ associations have lost their sheen and substance? Why they have failed to justify their objectives as enunciated in the National Policy on Education (1956); Education Commission (1964-66) and National Commission on Teachers (1983-85)? These objectives are, among others, to safeguard professional interests of teachers and to secure satisfactory conditions of work and service; to work for their professional growth; and to uphold and enhance the dignity of teachers. The problem lies in the non-elected nature and structure of the executive bodies of the regional universities governing their affairs. In most cases, the governing executive bodies in these universities comprise nominated or appointed members, instead of democratically elected representatives, representing various segments of society. Most of these members are from politics and administration, nominated for a short period. Very few are distinguished academicians. The nominated members, being politicians and bureaucrats, are usually not keenly involved in the university activities, nor do they fully appreciate the finer nuances of the research and academic requirements of the university. They are virtually apathetic to the debates in the executive meetings, choose to be least assertive, and let the whims of the Vice-Chancellor prevail. That makes the latter very powerful. The political bosses in the state usually appoint the VCs of the regional universities, more often on the basis of their political connections. Thus the VCs enjoy relentless administrative and political support from their political mentors, which inexorably enhances their own power and strength. So with such powerful executive head at the helm of affairs in the universities, the aura of his power and stature virtually sways any trace of dissent on the campuses. For the fear of earning the VC’s displeasure, any difference of opinion is subdued or is reticent. Instead, a rat race sets in among the faculty to cultivate proximity to the VC to curry his favour or to evoke a tilt in a rule in one’s favour. Although visibly pro and anti establishment groups of teachers do come into being, but in effect all try to converge at the central authority. Even in the deliberations at the meetings between the association executive and the VC on the demands of teachers, a sense of euphemism prevails with the intention of not to displease the boss. This is blatantly uncharacteristic of unionist ethos. Consequently, the teacher members do not show interest in the association activities. The associations are pushed into the dark alleys of irrelevance and ignominy. Teachers’ associations have also failed to promote the overall professional growth of the teachers. Unlike before, least emphasis is laid on organising seminars, debates, discussions, guest lectures and cultural activities to foster a fraternal, inspiring and moral boosting environment for member teachers. Instead, the associations have come to be construed as levers to get the fulfillment of pecuniary and mundane objectives such as service matters or other trifle benefits here and there. This is a parochial view of the activities of teachers’ associations, which must be transformed. The need is to make union activity more interesting, inviting and engrossing for the members. There is an impression that the associations are used as tools by their leaders to grind their own axe and to extract undue benefits for their supporters, while neglecting the larger interests of teachers. Such narrow perceptions should be decimated through a transparent approach by the leaders by eliciting timely feedback from members about progress on important issues on the agenda. Otherwise, surreptitious dealings by association leaders will foment misgivings and weaken a movement. The associations have also weakened because of their outright focus and precedence for local and individual issues. They must exude the impression of a broader force striving to achieve a comprehensive development of the teaching community, while promoting its dignity and social status. After strengthening the associations at the local campus level, the federation of university teachers’ associations at the state, regional and national level also needs to be revitalised. Regular meetings and seminars should be organised so that the associations and the federation of university teachers’ associations emerge as a monolithic force to reckon with, and work for the betterment and confidence building of the whole university teaching fraternity. The writer, who is Professor of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, is vice-president, GNDU Teachers’ Association |
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ON RECORD
Excerpts: Q: The Congress has been plagued by infighting in Haryana. How are you dealing with it? A: Groupism is not new to the state unit. It is an old disease. Leaders have been going to the media, making accusations against each other. My effort is to see that internal matters of the party are not commented upon in public. Statements that can hurt should not be made in public meetings. I have achieved some success but not to the extent I would have liked. Secondly, rallies and public meetings are organised by leaders in their own way. At times, these turn out to be one-sided affairs which is not good. The rally should be held under the banner of either the PCC or DCC or any of the party cells. The PCC chief and CLP leader should be informed and invited to such meetings so that it looks a Congress show. I will take steps in this direction. I will first talk to all the senior state leaders. I hope they will maintain the decorum. I will also issue directions in the matter within a month. A code of conduct will be evolved and everyone has to follow it. Q: You have not allocated work among the AICC secretaries attached to you? A: I have not felt the need so far. UP is a big state and the secretaries may be involved there. But I have not yet decided. Q: How do you assess the party’s position in Uttar Pradesh? A: There are chances of party’s revival. My effort is to organise the party structure till the block level and make it functional. We are organising agitations on public issues. Congress was the first party to start a successful agitation on the Taj corridor project. Our cause was upheld by the Supreme Court. Between July 21 and 30, the party is undertaking a "jail bharo" agitation in every Assembly segment in the state on issues of corruption, deteriorating law and order, inadequate power, increase in fees and problems faced by farmers. Q: What are the drawbacks? A: The party in UP was not connecting to the causes of the people. The organisation was inactive. The DCC chiefs who have been on their posts for years will be changed. The state unit will be revamped in the next two months. The PCC will be asked to suggest changes in the DCCs. Similarly, DCC will suggest names for the block committees. Q: Will Congress enter into a tie-up with Samajwadi Party in UP for Lok Sabha polls? A: I am not talking of any party. We have said that the Congress is not averse to tie-ups and has an open mind on the issue. We can go for a pre-poll or post-poll alliance, as elucidated in Shimla. When and how will it happen, what shape it will take, all this is difficult to say today. It will be decided when the time comes. But we are not against alliances. Q: Has the party set a target for itself? A: No targets have been set. All this will come only when we enter into any negotiation. We have to see how many seats we can win based on ground realities. The BJP has set a target of 300 seats. Are they going to achieve it? Q: You are not ruling out a tie-up with BSP? A: It is a hypothetical question as the BSP is an ally of the BJP in UP. We have not decided with which party we will enter into a tie-up and when. But we have finalised our policy which says that Congress will enter into need-based alliance. Q: After having raised a hue and cry over the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh having lost the majority, the Opposition parties have gone silent. Your comment? A: The state Governor rejected our appeal. Whereas the Maharashtra Chief Minister was asked to prove his majority after dissenting statements by five MLAs. In UP, it was not done despite 14 MLAs having withdrawn support. We were hoping that the Governor would ask the Mayawati government to prove its majority. Now the possibilties include a vote of no-confidence and cornering the government after the state assembly is convened. The Congress is not a major partner in the Opposition ranks. We will back all attempts to oust the Mayawati government. The other parties have to take the lead. Q: How do you assess the Congress prospects in Rajasthan? A: The
party’s prospects have improved significantly. My estimate is that
the Congress will return to power in the state. The drought-relief
work done by the state government in the past five-six months has
brought a qualitative change in the mood of the electorate. The
decision of the Gehlot government on reservation for economically
backward sections will also benefit the Congress. The infighting in
the BJP is damaging its prospects. |
He sets a new trend in Gujarati poetry
The nonagenarian poet had a traumatic childhood, his father having died when he was barely two-year-old. Upbringing by his mother, said to have literary inclination, left an indelible mark on his personality and proliferated as the child grew into a boy and then into a man and became a poet. Hard knocks of life made him feel the agony of others and this is often reflected in his poetry. Those who know him intimately say Shah is known to be a simple man, has child-like innocence, sentimental and a natural instinct for social service. His poems too reveal a commitment to society but he has also dedication of an artist. He is among the initiators who set a new trend in Gujarati poetry in the post-independence period. The Bharatiya Jnanpith’s panel, headed by Mr L.M. Singhvi, which selected Shah for the honour has noted “his intensity of emotion and innovation in form and expression which set him apart as a poet of great significance. The mystical tone of his poetry stems from the tradition of great medieval masters like Kabir, Narasimha Mehta and literary giants like them”. The nonagenarian poet has come out with around 15 poetry collection in his literary journey spanning six decades and his works have been translated into English and Hindi. A 40-minute documentary on his life and time has also been produced under the auspices of Sahitya Akademi three years back. “Dhavani” was his first poetry collection, published in 1952. His second collection “Shant Kolahal” won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1963. Barely three years back he received Sahitya Aakademi fellowship, considered a rare honour. Shah has a variegated career having worked one time as a grocer and a printer and that too after graduating in philosophy from Vadodara University, particularly evincing keen interest in “Advaita” philosophy, a highly complicated subject. He also worked as a teacher and later tried his luck in business. Born in a teeming, little town of Kapadvanaj in Kaira district, he did his matriculation from his home town and then moved on to Wilson College in Mumbai and graduated from the University of Baroda. As a pre-matriculate student, he was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi during freedom movement and unfurled the tricolour atop the town hall building. As a student in Bombay, he greatly enjoyed reciting poems. Shah does not believe in ideologies; nor do they inspire him. Inspiration comes from within when something like nature, love, death, beauty of rural life, fast life of present day and its hazards move him emotionally. “His intensity of emotion and innovation in form and expression sets him apart as a poet of great significance”, says the Jnanpith Award Selection Committee. The doyen of Gujarati poetry now rarely writes. For, he says, he does not want to repeat what he has already penned. According to him, Gujarati is a lyrical language and ideally suited for chanting of hymns. Shah is the third Gujarati author to have won the Jnanpith Award. He was selected by a board headed by Laxmimal Singhvi. The Jnanpith Award instituted on May 22,1961, is given for the best creative literary writing by an Indian citizen in regional
languages. |
Of salutes and a creaking structure My friend is an oddball in the sense that he is very deeply attached to his village and is pulled to go and live there. In his home his wife either curses him for it or shares his view and there is no refrigerator or hot water geyser. The family is vegetarian. He is a great reader and buyer of books. He used once to read a lot on policing. Now he says he is utterly bored with what he is doing, he sees no chance of the system changing or even budging and he doesn't bother to turn the page of any book on policing. His wide reading and his convictions make him a thoughtful man with whom it is a pleasure to talk; and of course policemen have a depth of experience. He said something interesting as we sat on the lawn outside an old British-time sprawling bungalow where we were guests. “I studied in the primary school of my village and then worked my way up by the scholarship ladder”, he said, “that is impossible now. The old educational system has been crushed and no young people today could possibly do what I managed to do.” Unlike me both my companions had spent a lot of time in villages. They know the environment under which people lived out their lives, the problems of law and order, caste, and so on. My second friend also loves his own village dearly. His was in Garhwal at about 7,000 feet. It was my friend's dream to go and live there. Both were cynically dismissive of a word now used again and yet again — Development. “Development, as it is sprinkled on our villages”, they said, “means Destruction”. Stuffed compulsorily into every Development package is corruption which feeds on and contaminates every aspect of economic and social growth they said. In their profession, policing, money lubricates the entire machinery of arrests and releases, hearings and
judgments. The officers accept this as run-of-the-mill and inevitable, starting from the filing of FIRs to manipulating releases even after the most heinous of crimes, to the court decisions of a palm-outstretched judiciary. Caste is still a most powerful ruling factor and every officer has to be knowledgeable about its nuances. The administration, they said, generally took care not to post two senior officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) and his DSP from the same caste to a district. The fear is that they might collude to cream off greater pickings than usual. There is little or no monitoring. A senior who makes an adverse report against a junior will himself be mildly rebuked by the boss-man in the state capital. “You don’t rough up people from lower castes in the State system today”, is the ticking off. Surprising? But the senior is just trying to give political advice so that the junior can set an even course without rocking the boat. With this chequer board game going on there is very little work done in the upper reaches of state government officers. A most favoured subject of discussion there is transfers and promotions. I have seen how much of the time and efforts of police officers in small towns are taken up with doing favours for their seniors in personal matters. How, despite bankrupt coffers, state resources are poured, under some strung together fig leaves into the personal use of the “official”. Yet salutes are smartly returned and orders are carried out at all hours. The basic structure, though creaking badly, is as the British constructed it. Officers who make the effort and give time to listen to all who come with problems and who lean over to help are still admired, even by those who twist the system. Whether they will be promoted to the top is another question. Whether the British wanted things this way or not I have no means of knowing but the lower orders — constables, bodyguard forces and such like other ranks — are on call 24 hours of the day. Their boss comes to consult his senior; the men wait in the escort gypsy or jeep, or on the ground where there is not a wisp of shade. This is true equally when their boss comes to yarn and have a long drink. Police Commissioners cannot ensure that officers lead from the front and put the welfare of their men first and always
first. |
Asian cinema festival thrills film lovers THIS
week it was Asian cinema at its peak. More than 75 films from about 30 Asian countries were screened here in three different venues. To encourage buffs and actual lovers of cinema, the viewing was totally free and in the best of venues — French Cultural Centre, India Habitat Centre and the Siri Fort auditorium. It was one of the best managed festivals and credit definitely goes to Aruna Vasudev, the person behind Cinemaya. It was she and her band of enthusiasts who were manning the screenings. Though large numbers turned up, there was no chaos or confusion. The three films that I enjoyed were “Osama” from Afghanistan, “Drifters” from China and “The Clay Bird” from Bangladesh. Each of these portrays how simple commoners get affected and wrecked by the political mess and powers at work. In fact, Siddiq Barmaq the Afghan director of “Osama” was present for the screening of the film. Though he didn't really give an opening speech, the film opened by Nelson Mandela’s famous one-liner “I can't really forget though I can forgive...” And as I viewed these films, I wondered (I am wondering rather aloud) why these films are not screened at regular commercial theatres. No, don't tell me that they will not attract audience, for here they ran house-full; as each film had a strong story line together with those build-ups — emotional and much more, not to overlook the connectivity of it all — the Asian connectivity so to say, for there is a lot of similarity between we Asians. Goutam disappoints I suppose it is sheer coincidence that this week has had its normal share of films. In fact, on Thursday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs screened Goutam Ghose directed documentary on Sikkim — “The Treasure in the Snow”. In spite of the two hypes attached to it, that is, directed by Goutam Ghose and presented by the Ministry of External Affairs it failed to impress. The reception and the screening was done in style at the Oberoi and though the ministry men (right from the suave spokesperson-cum- novelist Navtej Sarna to Union Minister Vinod Khanna) and the Delhi's who's who turned up in full strength but to be missing was Ghose. In fact, minutes before the screening, an e-mail message from Ghose was read aloud which went on to say that he couldn’t make it as one of his colleagues was battling with death and “the inevitable was near…” Though after a initial disappointment on two fronts, the director missing and the film missing the expected mark, spirits soared high as the atmosphere livened over drinks and the people around. Most were heard muttering that because of this documentary screening, they couldn’t make it to Rahul da Cunha's much talked about play “Class of 84” which was being staged almost simultaneously at the Ashoka hotel. Disparities widening As news comes by that there would be a documentary film on sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, I am lost in thoughts. On the two occasions that I had interviewed Pandit Ravi Shankar, he had spoken rather affectionately about shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, coming up with elaborate nostalgic notes. Though both aging artists are of worldwide fame and both have Benaras in the backdrop, the economic disparity between the two stands out. This brings me to highlight two aspects which the younger artists have begun to speak about — it’s important for an artist to be stationed in a metropolitan (so that he is in constant media hype and glare) and also to be able to bring in dashes of a rather offbeat personal life. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Bismillah Khan must have led a simple and safe matrimonial existence, just he, his spouse and
children. |
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One south, one train, one ticket Bangalore: Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are concretising plans for a special train to create a Southern Tourist Quadrangle like the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The four states and the Union Territory of Pondicherry are working out pricing for tour packages that could be taken for one or all states in the six-day circuit weekly train, Kerala Tourism Secretary T. Balakrishnan has said. “Indian Railways have agreed to run this train touching the capitals of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram. Tourists can board the train anywhere and visit tourist spots in just one state or go around other states, too,” Balakrishnan told media persons. “The train will be run by the Indian Railways while states will take care of ground handling like coaches, taxis, etc,” said Kerala Tourism Minister K.V. Thomas. “The plan is to promote southern states like the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur,” added Karnataka Tourism Minister D.B. Inamdar. “The formation of circuits will help tourists, particularly foreigners, to visit more than one area,” he said. The project is expected to break even with 65 per cent occupancy over a period of five years. “Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have agreed to compensate the losses. The other states would be taking a decision soon,” Balakrishnan said. “The concept of circuits would be implemented for the first time with Karnataka and Kerala collaborating to promote the Malabar region like the Calicut, Kodagu and Mysore and Mangalore region,” Inamdar said. “A tourist on a 21-day tour of India will naturally get bored visiting just Kerala. So, we proposed collaboration of a region so that the tourist potential for southern India can be fully exploited,” Thomas said. Kerala and Karnataka have planned a travel mart, the “Mystiques of Malabar”, in August with exhibitions, cultural shows, food festivals, a photo gallery and seminars. “Nearly 42 hoteliers and other entrepreneurs from Kerala are here to discuss and coordinate with their counterparts from Karnataka,” Thomas added. “South India should be a formidable tourist destination with its richness in biodiversity, eco tourism,” Inamdar said. Kerala Tourism is investing Rs.12.5 billion for road development, Thomas
said. IANS |
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CORRUPTION has become a major problem confronting developing countries today. Though it is endemic in poor countries, developed countries cannot be entirely absolved of the blame. 
YET another new academic session in the university campuses has started. This coincides with the election of teachers’ associations in the campuses. Their leaders make tall promises to fellow teachers in their manifestoes. New group alignments are worked out by the rival factions of the teachers so as to score a strategic edge over others at the hustings. But certainly, this time again would be ensued by a trail of shattered promises and belied hopes of a vast majority of teachers, who were looking to their leaders in the hope of getting their genuine demands fulfilled by the government and university authorities.
ONE of
the few leaders in the organisational set-up of the Congress who has
taken part in the freedom struggle, Nawal Kishore Sharma is looking
after party work in the faction-ridden units of Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh. Having started his political career in 1951 from Dausa
district council, the septuagenarian leader has held several
organisational posts in the party. A former union minister, he has
represented three Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan. Mr Sharma’s
reinduction as general secretary is seen as a signal by the Congress
to the restive Brahmin electorate in his native Rajasthan and part of
the party’s attempts in UP to wean away upper castes from the BJP.
The Congress, Mr Sharma says, has not decided with which party to have
a tie-up in UP. 
HAD the winner of 37th Jnanpith Award, Rajendra Keshavlal Shah composed his verses in English or French, he might have been considered for a Booker or Magsaysay. He wrote in Gujarati, one of the 18 regional languages of India. Obviously, did not come to the notice of the literary world. Even in India, he is little known outside Gujarat, and the prestigious Jnanpith Award has come to him too late and it is too little for him. Keshavlal Shah has passed 90 gruelling years of his life, entered 91st year and now lives with his daughter. India’s top literary award, which had decorated many literary giants, hardly thrills the Guraraji literary prodigy; he has, perhaps, risen above worldly matters.
My police officer friend was very senior, an Inspector-General, no less. He comes from a small village of some 2,500 people in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand, near its border with Madhya Pradesh. He and I and another policeman of almost same seniority were at adda ruing, as usual, the tatterdemalion state of the country.