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Feel-good cricket Mulayam
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Another
MiG crash No ‘flying coffin’, this? MiGs continue to tumble out of the sky with such sickening regularity that it has become impossible to keep count of such accidents. Anywhere else many heads would have rolled because of even one such accident, but here in India even dozens of them do not seem to have woken up the authorities to the grim reality.
Peace across the
borders
Remembering Atwal
The man behind binding
melodies Consumer
rights
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Feel-good cricket EXCITING days are ahead for cricket lovers with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announcing the schedule for the Indian cricket team’s tour of Pakistan beginning March 10. The BCCI has been realistic enough to make some alterations in the schedule to address the fears of the government. What is remarkable is that it has been able to convince the Pakistanis the need for such changes without causing any heartburn among them. Consequently, there will be no Test matches in Karachi and Peshawar, the two venues about which India was not overtly enthusiastic. The rescheduling of the tour suggests that the BCCI has accommodated the government’s views despite its president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s earlier statement that the Board would not allow anyone to shoot from its shoulders. The reason why the government insisted that the five one-day internationals should precede the three Test matches was to ward off the possibility of a defeat in one-dayers affecting the Lok Sabha elections. The calculation is that the Test matches that follow will cushion the impact of a defeat. Of course, such calculations are weird and stem from the belief that the Indian voters are politically so immature that they can be swayed by a cricket victory or defeat. Those who believe so do not realise that the Indian voter has come of age and is politically savvy enough to sift the wheat from the chaff. In any case, the tour would be over by the time the voters would begin going to the polling booths. To all intents and purposes, it will be a gruelling tour for the players, who will have little time for rest. Captain Saurav Ganguly has indicated that no player will back out of the tour. Given the excitement the tour has already generated in the subcontinent, it is imaginable the kind of pressure they will have to undergo. Every Indian expects them to win and bring laurels to the country. Though a small Indian security contingent would be accompanying the team, security will entirely be the responsibility of Pakistan. The world will be watching how Pakistan lives up to the hope that there will be no untoward incident during the tour and the grounds will witness nothing but first-class cricket. |
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Mulayam is mistaken UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has, perhaps, come to realise that his Muslim support base has eroded considerably. His undeclared understanding with the BJP to regain power has come into the open. In his desperation to woo Muslim voters, therefore, he quietly issued an order that all government-run schools in the state would function till 12 noon on Fridays to enable Muslim students and teachers to offer prayers in mosques. But the cunning idea has boomeranged. He has not only been forced to withdraw the controversial order, but also exposed for blatantly misusing the communal card. It is good that Muslim leaders have also taken him to task for his communally explosive move. Politicians should never be allowed to exploit the sentiments of any community or caste group. Mr Yadav should know that Muslim students can offer their Friday prayers, if they so desire, even after the classes in schools and colleges are over. Moreover, religion is a private affair, and a Chief Minister should keep himself away from such matters. There is no need even for authorising the District Magistrates, as he has done, to use their discretion for getting the government schools closed for Friday prayers in areas with a substantial Muslim population. This authorisation may lead to a communally charged atmosphere in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. While Mr Yadav may not be able to garner Muslim votes because the community has seen through his game, the card he has played may be used by others for communal polarisation. Normally, the BJP is a major gainer in such a situation, but only the Samajwadi Party leader will be blamed for creating the ugly scenario. People in UP, as also elsewhere, are fed up with communal and caste politics. Everybody wants development-related issues to be highlighted. If Mr Yadav is really concerned about the problems of the minority community, he should concentrate on uplifting it educationally and economically. No section of society can object to such a drive. |
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Another MiG crash MiGs continue to tumble out of the sky with such sickening regularity that it has become impossible to keep count of such accidents. Anywhere else many heads would have rolled because of even one such accident, but here in India even dozens of them do not seem to have woken up the authorities to the grim reality. Everyone from the Defence Minister downwards continues to counter the allegation that the MiGs happen to be ‘flying coffins’. Paradoxically, they put forth the argument that it is not just MiGs alone which crash. In other words, since other planes crash, it is all right if MiGs also do so. The latest crash near Jamnagar in Gujarat on Friday resulted in four deaths and injuries to many although the pilot was safe. After so many eggs in the face, the Air Force has at least admitted that the crash might have taken place due to engine failure. The media and independent agencies have been pointing out such faults for long. Air experts allege that its single engine has very little safety margin; delta wings are unstable without computerised controls and panoramic view from the cockpit is restricted. Besides, the training of pilots, the maintenance of aircraft and the quality of spares are all suspect. One argument that is forwarded in favour of the ageing MiGs is that they happen to be much cheaper than their competitors. But persisting with them is proving to be penny wise and pound foolish. There is a big question mark on the advisability of persisting with this policy. The issue whether the MiG is a ‘flying coffin’ or not should not be pre-judged but discussed threadbare with an open mind. Its poor safety record cannot be explained away. One should also be alive to the grave threat that every accident poses. Friday’s crash took place barely 16 km from Reliance’s petroleum refinery. One shudders to think of the consequences if the plane had come down on the refinery causing a conflagration. |
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Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, and disregard of all the rules. — George Orwell |
Peace across the borders PRESIDENT Pervez Musharraf is full of surprises and at times we cannot help admiring him. Addressing the clergy in Islamabad, the President, in his military fatigue, demanded an end to jihad by individuals and sought a solution of the Kashmir dispute through dialogue. As the religious heads broke into slightly muted applause, President Musharraf admitted that Pakistan had paid a heavy price for being associated with terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism. Extremists had exploited the situation, and the State had lost credibility in the world. The contents of the speech and its occasion were significant. It was clearly an appeal addressed to the moderates in Pakistan. The President knew that the clergy could play a leading role in convincing the people on the need to shun violence and return to the negotiating table. Thanks to the recent peace initiative, contacts at various levels are being established. Sporting ties, particularly the resumption of Indo-Pak cricket matches, are high on the President’s agenda. Thankfully, the uncertainty over India’s cricket tour of Pakistan is over and we can look forward to days of fascinating cricket in the next few weeks. There are still doubting Thomases like the Shiv Sena, which is averse to any kind of contact with Pakistan. They are now in a minority and will not be in a position to damage cricket pitches across the border. Ever since the peace process began, General Musharraf and his aides have been championing loudly for the resumption of cricket ties. The BJP government moved slowly on the issue, being aware that certain sections in the government were not in favour. It was only after much huffing and puffing that the cricket tour was okayed. To rebut the argument that sports and politics did mix occasionally, the anti-tour groups pointed out how South Africa was kept out of the international sports arena for nearly two decades for “political” reasons. This argument is false. South Africa was an international “pariah” for its apartheid policy, which was a disgrace to human values. There was nothing like that here; it was simply a slur on millions of native blacks who were made to live like slaves in their own country. The unifying qualities of cricket and other games were shown clearly when the racist, white government in South Africa fell, apartheid was uprooted and India joyously welcomed the South African cricket team. It was a memorable re-entry and India was proud to have played an important role in the process. That sports and politics did not mix was clear from the fact that despite being bitter enemies during the Cold War era, the Soviet Union and the US readily encouraged sporting ties. They participated without any fuss in a series of Olympic Games, the record spoilt only when the West boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games over the issue of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet bloc retaliated by boycotting the next Olympic Games at Los Angeles. Fortunately, the ugly chapter ended with these boycotts with both groups realising that sports events should be kept away from political happenings. Cricket had generally united nations rather than divide them. An exception could be the infamous “Body line” tour by Douglas Jardine’s English team to Australia in 1932 when the English pace attack, in an effort to contain scoring machine Don Bradman, resorted to totally intimidatory fast bowling. Feelings ran high, particularly after some Australian batsmen got hurt. But this was only a minority view and the situation did not get out of hand. Of late, there is considerable tension between England and Zimbabwe following the “authoritarian” rule of President Mugabe and his government’s forcible annexation of British-owned farms. England and New Zealand chose to forfeit their games against Zimbabwe during the 2003 World Cup held in South Africa. For years, India and Pakistan did not seem to give thought to this sensible approach of not mixing up sports with politics Thus the two nations seldom met officially on the cricket field. Brilliant, talented cricketers from both sides lost the chances of playing against each other and lived to regret this. What a pity that we could not watch ace Pakistan fast bowler, Wasim Akram, in full flow at his prime! It must also be understood that a sport by itself could neither break nor make a political situation. Much depended on the men who organised such sports, the media which covered it and the people who watched it. Unfortunately, for both Indians and Pakistanis cricket was not just a game “You have bat, I have got ball, let’s see who wins!” Goaded by politicians and the media, people in both countries came to associate the noble game with jihad, a holy crusade. The media was clearly to be blamed for much of the mischief. For most of the media Indo-Pak cricket was nothing less than a “holy war”. The players also got caught in such propaganda and made foolish statements like “Winning against Pakistan was more important than winning the World Cup”. This was nothing short of the worst kind of jingoism which made no sense. Mischief-makers were always ready to invent and exploit situations and threaten peace. Much was made of some cricket watchers applauding the “enemy”, that is Pakistan. The exploding of crackers was supposed to be an “unpatriotic” act and the people behind it needed to be punished. Trivial incidents led to more serious happenings. This was a slur on the game. In many cases, such incidents were “invented” so that the mischief-makers could take advantage and create trouble. When India played abroad, the Indian expatriates in the UK, Australia and the West Indies (Trinidad and Tobago), settled in those places for decades, warmly cheered the Indians. Did this amount to treason? Did the locals beat up the Indians and set fire to their homes? Finally, it is left to the people of both nations and the media to draw the best out of the current situation. The mood on both sides is clearly mellow, calling for peace and understanding. The cricket matches are just icing on the cake. Let us enjoy them as just sporting events, let us cheer both teams and let the better team win. Our political leaders have displayed rare maturity in reducing tension between the two nations. I can never forget the heart-warming scene when Chennai spectators warmly cheered captain Wasim Akram and his men after they had beaten India in the closely-contested 1998 Test match. The entire sporting world applauded the gesture. It is now the turn of the spectators and the media to rise to the occasion. Any unsavoury cricket-related incident affecting peace may derail the process of sporting ties between the two nations and take us back to the bad, old days. We do not want to be made the laughing stock of the sporting
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Remembering Atwal AT long last, it was done! More than 55 years after our Independence in 1947, the shame written in para 14.29(2) of the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, was wiped out. The 69-year-old rule commemorated the memory, interalia, of J.P. Saunders, the then Assistant Superintendent of Police in Lahore, who was gunned down by Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Shaheed Shivram Rajguru on December 17, 1928, for having rained lathi blows on Lala Lajpat Rai who had died as a result thereof. The rule related to the founding of a charitable fund by the name of The Saunders-Chanan Singh Memorial Fund (Head Constable Chanan Singh was also killed in the shootout). The Punjab government vide a notification issued on May 13, 2003, amended the rule and renamed the fund as the Shaheed Avtar Singh Atwal Memorial Fund. Atwal was gunned down at the steps to the Golden Temple, Amritsar, on April 25, 1983, as he emerged out of the temple after paying obeisance there. He was posted then as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar range. Atwal was born on February 23, 1943, at Sirsa. He came from the Army background. He joined the IPS in 1969, the year in which I, too, joined the service. We did our training together at the National Police Academy, then at Mount Abu. Atwal was assigned 1964 as the year of allotment in the IPS on account of his Army service. Atwal was suave, mild-mannered, upright, and honest to the core. In social get-togethers, he would win the affection of everybody, specially of ladies and juniors. When the war broke out with Pakistan in December, 1971, he was posted to Gurdaspur as additional superintendent of police. I was already posted there as an assistant superintendent, and had to myself a kothi on the jail-road, allotted by the district administration. Atwal and I were bachelors then. I offered him to live under the roof of my house. He gratefully accepted the offer. One evening, we decided to go for a movie. There were only two cinema-halls in the town at that time. Atwal gave a 10-rupee-note to the constable-orderly, and instructed him to go to a particular cinema-hall, purchase two tickets for entry to the balcony (Rs 3 per ticket) and wait for us out there. After a while, we — Atwal and I — walked up from our residence to the cinema-hall, a distance of about 2 kilometres. Atwal shunned the use of the official jeep for private purposes. There stood the orderly at the entrance to the theatre. Atwal demanded of him the tickets. “The owner of the cinema didn’t let me purchase the tickets,” replied the orderly. The owner, standing close by, folded his hands in salutation. “You are our guests, sir,” he said. “You don’t need tickets for seeing the movie,” he added. Atwal insisted on the tickets, saying that he was there in his private capacity, the owner, all the time declining to sell the same, and anxious to oblige him ( and me) by way of a free passage to the balcony of the hall. “Alright, if you are not giving me the tickets, we would not see the movie,” Atwal said and turned back, ready to walk away. The owner then relented and gave us the tickets against payment. We enjoyed the movie, and happily walked back to our kothi on the
jail-road.
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The man behind binding melodies
Music, for Ghulam Ali, is a means to bring this loveless, alienated world together. That is why he chooses his fare with caution so that music is not reduced to a mere celebration of ragas, but becomes a medium to preach respect and love. Over the past 40 years, the ghazal king, through his unalloyed passion for music and poetry, has been bringing an increasingly estranged world together with melody, particularly across the Indo-Pakistan border. He pledges to do the same in the future. Recently in Patiala for a presentation, Ghulam Ali talked to The Tribune about his roots in the Patiala gharana and his love for Urdu poetry. Charming in conversation, as in concert, the maestro broke ice with a refreshing verse, “Ukna jo kaam hai woh ahl-e-siyasat jaane…mera paigam-e-mohabbat hai jahaan tak phaunche…”
Pronouncing love for poetry in nearly every utterance, Ghulam Ali says music is nothing but poetry in melody. In love with Nasir Qazmi (who wrote his ghazals like Hungama, Dil mein ek leher si), Mirza Ghalib, Mir Taqi Mir, Ahmed Faraz and more lately Gulzar, the vocalist says, “I only practice how to sing poetry in rhythm. A ghazal is one in which poetry reigns supreme. Raga is secondary.” Lamenting that ghazals are losing their character, Ghulam Ali who recently sung Gulzar’s lyrics in an album titled, “Visaal”, says, “Few artistes understand the meaning of verses. Unless the purpose of poetry is known, it cannot be expressed through music. Composing is also very challenging. One ghazal can take days to acquire beauty. You must first love the poetry yourself, and then select the raga to justify the mood of lyrics. Innovation comes later. But to be able to do that you must be rooted in classical music. It is sad to see people reciting poetry in the name of ghazals. Sadder still is that jarring notes are selling in the name of music. I wish I could arrest this trend.” Trained in the nuances of Patiala gharana, Ghulam Ali recalled his association with great gurus. “Coming to Patiala is like homecoming. I owe everything to this city of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, who was my guru for 12 years. I was a very quick learner. I could render musical pieces within minutes. Being with Ustad sahab and then with Ustad Barkat Ali and Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan was the greatest experience of my life. I am yet to see a musician of skills as extraordinary as Bade Ghulam Ali sahab. He used to break musical sessions only for lunch and dinner. I am trying to follow in his footsteps,” he says. The attempt has paid, though in a different genre. Ghulam Ali vividly remembers why he chose ghazals, instead of pure classical music. “I was born into a family of musicians. My father Daulat Ali Jafferey was a great vocalist. He died unsung because those days there was no media hype. After I imbibed the classical traditions, I was drawn towards ghazals for the sheer romance of their form. Literally ghazal means “the last cry of a deer, wounded by an arrow”. The word comes from Persian “ghazaal”. I was smitten with the variety of this genre. Every verse in a ghazal creates an ambience that can, at the same time, spell romance and deluge. I was just waiting to drown in the ocean of poetry, which is my greatest love. I am happy Urdu could manage a greater following through my art. I love Urdu poetry so much that I can remember all of it by heart.” Gifted with an outstanding memory, Ghulam Ali never scribbles ghazals for concerts. Nor does he maintain diaries to document particulars of friends. He says, “Allah ki rehmat hai yeh bhi". I never forget what I glance through. I can easily memorise poetry. Thankfully, God has not made me dependent on the gizmos of modern age and people have still loved me for what I am. India has loved me the most. Indians remember my ghazals verbatim. They may not understand Urdu, but they respect poetry and music. I enjoy singing here. I wish these borders became less pronounced so that artistes can exchange their philosophies better. That is important to convert dissonant tunes into sweet melodies.” Wary of pop invasion, Ghulam Ali says, “I hear harshness around. Pop music is eroding our melodic base. TV channels are promoting anybody in the name of singers. I don’t understand how people can sing while dancing. Music is a spiritual subject. It is not sport. The only consolation is that phases of dissonance are transient, because non-singers fade out as soon as they come in.” Himself a guru to many disciples in India and abroad, Ghulam Ali is passing on his tradition, lest it should be lost. His close friend back home is also documenting his life in Lahore. Having composed many ghazals, from “Aawargee” to the timeless “Chupke chupke”, which was first recorded 28 years ago, the musician is still engaged in creation. He is among the few who have rendered Punjabi ghazals. He says, “Punjabi songs are popular, but Punjabi ghazals are rarely sung. I feel the Punjab rang gayaki is a contribution of Patiala to the world. I sang my first Punjabi ghazal from Radio Pakistan”. His first Urdu ghazal was by Ahmad Nazeem Qazmi. It was “Shaam ko subah chaman yaad aayee…Kiski khushboo-e-badan yaad aayee…” This ghazal, first presented from Radio Pakistan in 1960s, set the tone for Ghulam Ali's success. But even while presenting ghazals, he never gave up his love for classical music. In fact, he also regards ghazals as classical. No wonder he composes in difficult ragas like Saraswati, Kedar and Nat Chhaya. |
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Consumer rights All
airlines promptly take the telephone numbers of passengers at the time of booking the ticket — how many ever bother to call up and inform the passenger if the flight is delayed? How many provide refreshments to stranded passengers when a flight is rescheduled? Or for that matter, give passengers accurate information about a delayed flight when they call? In one of the earliest cases, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had warned airlines that they may escape liability for delays or sudden cancellation of flights, when they are caused by circumstances beyond their control such as a bird hit or bad weather. However, the consumer courts would be inclined to award compensation to stranded passengers who are not provided all facilities such as food and water, accommodation where needed and also medical and paramedical facilities for passengers who required them. In the case of Station Manager, Indian Airlines versus B.B. Das, even though the consumer court did not allow any compensation for flight delay, it awarded him Rs 2,000 as compensation for the inconvenience undergone as a result of the failure of the airline to provide basic minimum services to the waiting passenger. While doing so, it said that the immunity granted under the Non-International Carriage (Passenger and Baggage) Regulations cannot absolve the officers of failing to show minimum courtesy towards the passengers. More recently, the apex consumer court has made it clear that airlines cannot escape liability for delays and cancellations which are not caused by circumstances beyond their control. In this case, Mr M.K. Abdul Majeed, who was to travel to Agra for a conference of space engineers, was to fly from Thiruvananthapuram to Mumbai by Air India and then catch another flight to Delhi for his onward journey to Agra. On the day of the journey (April 7, 1999), Mr Majeed, along with other passengers, boarded the aircraft at 8 a.m. After making them wait for three hours, Air India announced cancellation of the flight. With great difficulty, Mr Majeed managed to get on to another flight and reached Delhi only by 11.45 p.m. Since the conference was beginning at 8 a.m. the next day, he was forced to hire a taxi at midnight to Agra, and travel through unfamiliar territory, causing him tremendous anxiety and stress. Air India’s contention in this case was that the cancellation was caused by unexpected circumstances and therefore the airline cannot be penalised. The pilot operating the flight from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram was to take the aircraft further to Mumbai. However, since the flight from Dubai was delayed, he would have exceeded his working hours if he had flown further and faced disciplinary action. The airline, therefore, had no option but to cancel the flight, Air India argued. The apex consumer court, however, disagreed. Holding the airline guilty of negligent service, it ruled that when the incoming flight from Dubai was delayed, the airline should have made some alternative arrangements to get another pilot to operate the flight to Mumbai. Cancelling the flight and leaving the passengers to fend for themselves was an act of gross negligence. It therefore held the compensation of Rs 20,000 and reimbursement of taxi fare for the journey from Delhi to Agra, awarded by the lower consumer court to be just and fair (Air India Ltd vesrus M.K. Abdul Majeed, RP No 1136 of 2002, decided on September 26, 2003).
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Repentance is a genuine change of heart and includes contrition or sorrow for the past sin and a decision to prevent a repetition of it in the future. When once the resolution is adopted, the transformation of the lower into the higher is steadily effected. — Dr Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan in The Bhagavad Gita He, the Omnipresent, Pervades the universe, He is not born, Nor does He die to be born again. — Guru Nanak In the Bhagavad Gita, devotion has a great significance, inasmuch as it opens a new phase in the dynamic life and helps to realise God as lover and sustainer of all devotees. — Shri Adi Shankaracharya Ahimsa is the highest duty. Even if we cannot practise it in full, we must try to understand its spirit and refrain as far as is humanly possible from violence. — Mahatma Gandhi In tribulation, immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment and instruction. — Saint John of The Cross |
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