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Focussing on prices True to their stripes |
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An avoidable tragedy
Tough task for Musharraf
Of Geri-route
Follow Up Woman allowed to go abroad for assisted suicide Delhi Durbar
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Focussing on prices The BJP protest in Delhi on Wednesday brings to the centrestage the issue of price rise. Is the BJP right in blaming the Congress for the upward spiral of prices? The party that was busy playing politics during the last session of Parliament and allowed the Budget to be passed without a discussion is now finding fault with certain economic initiatives of the Congress. It is questioning the wisdom of extending the service tax to several new areas. The cost of living has gone up steeply due to four factors: a rise in global oil prices, an increased demand for steel the world over and the consequent rise in its prices, new taxes in the 2004-05 Budget like the extended service tax and an education cess, and the Railways raising the freight on items of common use. The measures taken by the Manmohan Singh government to counter the oil pressure are questionable. The Centre could have further reduced the Customs and excise duties on petroleum products. It could have invited the states’ representatives and adopted a national strategy on the issue. Despite a strain on their finances, the states too could be persuaded to cut the sales tax on petroleum products. The cash-rich oil companies could further bear part of the pressure. Instead, the Centre chose the easier option of raising the petro prices, which indeed had a cascading effect on the prices of almost all transported goods, including groceries. While the common people bore the brunt of the almost 70 per cent rise in the oil prices this year, the government earned more revenue from the taxes on oil. About 45 per cent of the Centre’s revenue comes from the oil sector. The government imposes 10 per cent Customs duty on crude
imports. The price rise has earned it a 60 per cent higher revenue. Besides, a Rs 6 per litre surcharge was imposed in 2002-03 apart from a Rs 1.5 per litre cess for funding the highways. Instead of cutting the taxes, controlling their wasteful expenditures and bearing the oil burden collectively themselves, the Central and state governments have passed it over to the citizens. |
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True to their stripes The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr Velupillai Prabakaran, has, predictably, warned that they would “advance” their struggle if the Government of Sri Lanka does not unconditionally revive the peace talks based on the demand for an Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA). In other words, the Tamil Tigers are holding out an open threat of war unless Colombo concedes them administrative and political authority over the Tamil-majority North-East Sri Lanka. The LTTE and Mr Prabakaran are only being true to form, proving the adage that tigers can never change their stripes. Mr Prabakaran’s threat, delivered in the course of his “Heroes Day” address on November 27, was expected and, therefore, is hardly surprising. For effect or otherwise, the LTTE could be looking for ways to renege on its commitment to a negotiated solution within the framework of the island republic’s constitution. Even when it entered the negotiations brokered by Norway, its objectives were to advance the Tamil cause towards a separate state under its monopolistic authority. This is borne out by the fact that though the LTTE signed a declaration to “explore a federal solution” for “internal self-determination” at the Oslo round of talks in December 2002, this has been repudiated in effect through self-serving interpretations. In April 2003, the LTTE effectively withdrew from the negotiations and the Norwegian facilitators admitted that the peace process was “melting at the edges”. In the months since then, political changes, especially the exit of Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and emergence of Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga at the helm of state and government, have unsettled the LTTE. Its hopes of an interim authority as a halfway house towards a separate state have been dashed, and the LTTE is desperate to hold on to its politico-military supremacy in the Tamil-majority region. The split in the LTTE and the continuing intra-militant violence in the North-East have also weakened Mr Prabakaran’s clout. However, it remains to be seen if the LTTE can actually go to war again, for that would leave them bereft of friends and facilitators in the international community, and condemned as a terrorist organisation unworthy of being engaged for a negotiated resolution of the Tamil-Sinhala conflict. |
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An avoidable tragedy The death of 12 passengers near Bhopal in a rail accident was a tragedy that could well have been averted. If only the passengers, who were arguing on the tracks after getting off another train, had noticed the second train coming towards them; or if the driver of the second locomotive had been able to stop the train in time. But this was not to be, and 12 persons were mowed down before the train came to a halt. Railway officials maintain that the driver did apply the emergency brake, but in vain. The Union Railway Ministry has taken prompt action in announcing an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 25,000 to those injured in the accident, but money is little compensation for the lives lost. If only this were an isolated incident. Many readers would remember the accident in May when four students were killed after a train hit a van they were travelling in at Ludhiana. As we look at the region, the figures are frightening. The Kalka-Ambala track which runs through Chandigarh has claimed 25 lives during the last nine months, most of them due to accidents. An astonishing 99 persons have been killed and 214 injured while crossing the tracks at Sonepat railway station in the past one year. Why are the numbers so high? A study by the railways has said that most of the accidents and 84 per cent of deaths occur at level crossings, many of which are unmanned. On paper there is a plan to build over-bridges, underpasses and manned level crossings and have warning and anti-collusion devices. In fact, surplus railway staff should be deployed at such crossings at the earliest, to prevent accidents. Various automated alarm systems have also been suggested by experts, but not much has been done on this score. The railway authorities must give highest attention to safety. |
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All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. |
Tough task for Musharraf
Pakistan politics is always interesting. To start with, political initiative continues to be held by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. Reports are that the six parties’ religious alliance, the MMA, is trying to snatch this initiative. It has started a mass movement for the purpose. The President, probably to tackle this eventuality, has initiated a national debate on possible Kashmir solutions. This was a startling move. But it has partially prevented the loss of the initiative he might otherwise have experienced. It also seems to have had a salutary effect on New Delhi — to an extent. There is another initiative the President cannot own. Asif Ali Zardari, husband of Ms Benazir Bhutto and now a PPP leader with a halo around him, has been released. Although two important officials of the government, including the Information Minister, have admitted that it was a political decision taken at a high level, the President cannot own it. Why? Because the release was, in form, a decision by the Supreme Court that merely accepted Mr Zardari’s bail plea. While this throws a bad light on the Supreme Court because it had after all rejected Mr Zardari’s earlier bail pleas after many acquittals and bails in seven successive cases by high courts. Those bails were conditional on there being no other cases pending. While comment or speculation on the Supreme Court’s decision can be contempt of court, circumstances surrounding this judicial determination cannot be ignored. Mr Zardari has been enlarged on bail while the trial in the eighth corruption case has still to be completed. Bail itself cannot be questioned. But the circumstances include past bail denials by the Supreme Court and inimical to Ms Bhutto and Mr Nawaz Sharif, statements by the President do underline the politics behind this release. To many people, including the Secretary-General of the king’s party, the Q League had appealed for the release of three prominent politicians - Yousuf Raza Gilani of the PPP and Javed Hashmi of the PML, besides Mr Asif Zardari. Mr Zardari’s release has come about. The others release might follow. Also, negotiations on Kashmir have all but failed. In the last September’s Indo-Pak summit in New York the Indian government agreed merely to continue the talks. But even after the November 24 Manmohan Singh-Shaukat Aziz meeting in New Delhi there is scarcely any likelihood of progress being made in the coming talks, despite General Musharraf’s assurance to India that his position is no longer rigid; he is prepared to think outside the box. Domestically, this was a wholly unexpected pronouncement by a Pakistani ruler of the kind Musharraf is. It has smashed to pieces the old stance of Pakistan on a solution based on the 1950s’ UN resolutions and the plebiscite they envisioned. He is now talking of what can replace it. However, this was intended to be a confidence-building measure for India. A national debate of what might possibly be the alternatives, together with the stoppage of jihad from Pakistan soil, should reassure India of Pakistan’s pacifist approach on the Kashmir problem. The debate on the alternatives to the old demand on Kashmir, likely to be open-ended, can divert people’s attention from opposition moves to an extent. But more was needed. General Musharraf faces not only the threat from the Opposition, he is constantly under pressure from the Americans who want not only stern physical action to take on Al-Qaeda operatives, Al-Qaeda’s Pakistani and foreign supporters, leading Taliban and their protectors and supporters. The Americans think that Pakistan is crawling with all kinds of Islamic militants. General Musharraf is doing all that a military government can do. But it is no more than fire-fighting. It does not prevent the germination of Islamic extremism. The latter is a long haul goal that only a democratic government can achieve. It seems to have registered with General Musharraf. Civil and military eggheads available to General Musharraf know what is required. While protecting his power he needs to make up with the PPP and the PML of Mr Nawaz Sharif despite his loathing for them. His recent moves — telephoning Mr Nawaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia, where he is now forced to live, to condole his father’s death — and the release of Mr Asif Zardari are gestures of goodwill to facilitate the desired opening to them. The President seems to be receiving two separate pieces of advice from his friends: one says the two exiled leaders should come back in safety to take part in the 2007 general election; while the present set-up can continue. The second wants a new government headed by Ms Benazir Bhutto (with General Musharraf as President), though a government of national unity will be even more effective. Presumably, Ms Bhutto’s stance is to demand a new general election in 2005; apparently, the PML too is going along with another general election next year. But that sounds the death-knell to the grandees that comprise the king’s party and the Islamabad government. Very few of them can get elected on the strength of the Q League that was created by the ISI in a few months and comprises mostly renegades of the PML and the PPP. The PPP hopes to win a comfortable majority if the polls are not rigged. But would the PPP do a deal like that? Most observers believe that both Ms Bhutto and Mr Nawaz Sharif will do a deal with General Musharraf if he provides a face-saving formula. Would General Musharraf concede something? The answer is uncertain. It will be hard for him to an election unmanaged by secret agencies. On what terms would Ms Bhutto or Mr Nawaz Sharif agree to return and stay out of power, doing normal politics? General Musharraf faces a formidable array of problems with the US. The US wants not only the elimination of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but also Islamic extremism. In addition, there is the question of human rights and democracy. Not that the Americans are serious about democracy and human rights. These concerns come in handy to the Americans at the declaratory level for pressurising the regime. US experts know that a military regime is inherently unsuitable to tackle the problem of Islamic extremism. The Pakistan Army’s pep-talk to its troops has always been couched in religious terms; GHQ in Rawalpindi has long utilised mullahs both in domestic politics and vis-à-vis Afghanistan and Kashmir. Another US concern is for Pakistan to not only end the Kashmir insurgency but to arrive at a cooperative relationship with India. A purely military regime is an anomaly. Should the PPP and the PML (N) participate in governance, they would automatically restrict the space for Islamicists. President Musharraf has also a skeleton in his cupboard: Dr A.Q. Khan. His pardon for Mr Khan does not close the chapter the latter wrote on nuclear proliferation. The US has wanted its investigators being allowed to question him. So long as American concerns with Iran and North Korea remain urgent, there are bound to be indirect or direct pressures on General Musharraf to produce Dr Khan for questioning. A Benazir government, tom-tommed as a more representative one, will be better placed to do something about it, including bowing before the Americans’ demand. A General, acting alone, cannot do it for fear of infuriating the extremists in his own
constituency. |
Of Geri-route Our City Beautiful is known for a number of things viz. the Rose Garden, the Rock Garden, PU Campus, the Sukhna Lake, the broad roads and streets, greenery and what not. Add to it its white-collar bureaucrats nee babus, red light cars, retired people, buzzing markets and trendy sales. The list would remain incomplete without the mention of Geri-route, the most frequented rendezvous of the teenagers. Stretching from one corner of the Sector 11 market with its reach extending up to the flower shops in Sector 10, the Geri-route now finds a mention on the Chandigarh maps also. Come the evening and the ‘Champ-Elysee’ of Chandigarh is lined up with the latest models of expensive cars with smart guys and gals vying for each others’ attention. This may be the beginning only. The crowd thickens, the road gets busier and the atmosphere gets charged with loud, foot-tapping, romantic music as the evening advances towards maturity. The “bunch” of boys and the “bevy” of girls slow down their open jeeps, Esteems, Opal Astras, Honda Cities, Scorpios, Octavias, the latest SUVs, and what not. Parking “etiquette” are thrown to the winds with the whiff of the hand. The bubbly enthusiasm takes over as we see the hip-hugging, low-waisted, ready-to-slip jeans, the sleeve-less spaghetti tops, the Ray Ban goggles, the loosely hung ‘D&K’ leather purses and the ‘Gucci’ shoes adding to the glamour of the evening. The careless demeanour, the lethargic gait, the sing-song accent, the dangling pony tail, the thick clouds of smoke from the “fag” and the latest dainty models of “mobile phones” define our “youth” who keep busy in “mindless chatter” The darkening dusk, the splurge of the dense trees on both sides of the road and its thick foliage makes the mood all the more languid, dreamy and romantic. The stage is all set for them to fly on the “viewless wings of Poesy” and drink life to the “lees” with “beaded bubbles winking at the brim”. The guys and the gals wait for each other. The “anointed” hour brings them together and they look deep into each others’ eyes and carelessly walk a few steps down their favourite “geri-route”. They forget their tuition travails, the ever-shortening attendance in their schools and colleges, the regular scolding of the teachers, the ever approaching exams and the eternal nagging of their ‘moms’. All these take a backseat, while, the ‘poor’ father has, all the while, remained ‘blissful’ in his paradise of ignorance and work. The cars are lazily parked on either side of the road in full view of the police. While the cops seem to gloat over their sense of duty by stopping some insignificant, innocuous looking drivers by asking them to show their licenses et al, our “spectrethin” youth has already marched back and forth (the geri- route being sandwiched between the two posh markets) enjoying a sip of bitter coffee and croissants at the famous Barrista or chocolate doughnuts with a dollop of delicious strawberry jam at the ever popular Cafe Coffee Day. Unmindful of either time or expenses, our youth measures out its evenings with the “coffee spoons” talking of their latest crushes or fashion trends or the recent blockbusters. What a bliss! “Oh! Long live our ‘Geri-route’ if it doesn’t land up our children in Hell along with a cup of “Hemlock!” was all I could say with a look of derision. The feeling has dawned only after my son has joined the
ranks.
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Follow Up by Reeta Sharma
For a follow-up of Pushpa Gujral Science City, a trip to Kapurthala left this columnist in awe. The very first phase of the science city project is mind-boggling. Spread over 71 acres, the Rs 100-crore science city was gifted to Punjab by former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral in 1997. While the land, water supply and electrical services have been provided by the government of Punjab, the Centre has already released Rs 47.11 crore for the first phase. In addition, the Punjab government has also widened the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road from 22 ft to 30 ft. The first thing that commands your attention is the dome theatre. This state-of-the-art “large format film studio” is in 23 metres tilted shape with a capacity of 328 reclining seats. One can view a film from all over the dome. About 27 lakh multi-coloured tiles cover the outer surface of the dome to give it an earth-like-look. The film projection system, housed in glass windows, is in itself an amazing Rs 10 crore machine, which automatically lifts itself to project the film into the dome. This frame is 10 times larger than the 35 mm projector used in the cinema halls and three times larger than even the standard 70 mm film used in the classic Hollywood epics. The first film on the life of sharks, hired to show to people of Punjab , will cost Rs 40 lakh as rent for one year. The film itself will make people sit up in admiration of nature. Dr R S Khandpur, Director-General of the science city project, says, “We hope students, families and other visitors should be able to feel the wonders of science visiting this city. There is a transparent human body model depicting all organs, which are indigenously assembled. To witness the functioning of different organs a visitor will have to press the relevant button. This model would have cost us crores, if imported from Japan , as was initially proposed”. The 30-seater “Flight Simulator” is rocket-shaped and gives one dizzy highs or lows like a pendulum. The visitor will be able to have a “virtual voyage” and experience what happens when scientists go into space, pyramids, deep sea or reach the moon. This journey lasts three minutes, but it gives one a life-time experience. Right from the entry gate, the vastness of the science city strikes the visitor. Also standing out is a dinosaur, an animated model of a rocket lift-off, a globe-shaped dome and a white and blue building structure literally sprouting out of the earth. An alluring souvenir shop, various restaurants, sparkling colours of the buildings and architectural aesthetics keep one in a spin. One enters the world of satellites, travels through the galaxy of stars, learns the uses of solar energy, understands the varied marine life, the world of robots, laser effects or video conferencing. The project has been envisaged as a future mini city, complete with all civic amenities and public facilities for a family outing and also to provide an opportunity to have a close look at life, as the range of subjects chosen is wide — physical, applied, natural and social sciences, engineering, technology, agriculture, health sciences, energy, crafts, human evolution, ecosystems etc. It will also have a Jurassic park and frontier areas like nuclear science, information technology, robotics, bio-technology etc. “It is an open classroom or a lab that brings science close to the people and instils in the young a spirit of inquiry! We have envisaged a ‘virtual reality pavilion’ which will display the universe through holographic displays, simulators, 3-D images and laser shows”. A huge liquor vend that had come up near the entrance gate of the science city was shifted only on the
intervention of Capt Amarinder Singh and it was given an alternative site. |
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Woman allowed to go abroad for assisted suicide
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travel ban on a terminally ill woman who asked her husband to help her commit suicide abroad was lifted in the High Court on Tuesday. The legal challenge had been brought by her local authority which had discovered that the husband was making plans to assist his wife to travel to Zurich where she wanted to commit suicide in a clinic specialising in euthanasia. Lawyers for the authority, who had care of the woman, wanted to know whether they were under a civil duty to try to stop the husband committing an offence under the Suicide Act 1961. The woman, identified as Mrs Z, has an incurable and degenerative illness, diagnosed in 1997, and is too ill to travel without assistance. Mr Justice Hedley ruled that the authority, which cannot be named, had fulfilled its legal obligations by informing the police of the couple’s intentions. The judge said he had granted an injunction last week so Mrs Z’s legal capacity to make free decisions regarding her own life could be fully investigated. He said: “The evidence clearly establishes that she has legal capacity and her decision is her own, freely arrived at with full knowledge of its consequences. “The court is not entitled to test that decision against what the court thinks is right. The right and responsibility for such a decision belongs alone to Mrs Z. The court should not frustrate indirectly the rights of Mrs Z. The role of Mr Z is a matter for criminal justice agencies.” The local authority said it had no wish to pursue its application for a civil court injunction against Mr and Mrs Z, although it might have power to do so. Deborah Annetts, the chief executive of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, said after the ruling yesterday: “This is a very important judgment, a watershed. It means the Suicide Act is on its last legs.” The judge had told the court: “The local authority had known for some time that she wished to commit suicide. They have now learnt that Mr Z has made arrangements for her to go to Switzerland for an assisted suicide. In making these, Mr Z has arguably committed an offence under Section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961.” Mark Everall QC, representing the local authority that provides care for the woman in her home, told the judge the husband had at first refused to help his wife. But as her condition worsened, he made inquiries about assisted suicides in Switzerland where it is legal. Helping a person commit suicide in Britain is punishable by up to 14 years in jail but the police had not been clear on whether helping someone travel to a country where it was legal constituted aiding a suicide, Mr Everall said. It is believed that 22 Britons have managed get round UK euthanasia laws in the past two years by using a Zurich-based clinic run by a not-for-profit organisation called Dignitas, founded in 1998. — By arrangement with The Independent, London |
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Delhi Durbar Home Minister Shivraj Patil is out to ensure that there is no “negative” media coverage of his ministry. Last week he discussed with top officials measures to ensure “positive” coverage. He has shown keen interest on the suggestion to have a spokesperson to brief the media on day-to-day developments to prevent speculation. Patil admonished a senior official for using the words “media management”, pointing out that it was not “media management but media relations” in a world where communication is a major power, even “Patil Saheb” cannot remain aloof from the media! Awards for Bengal leaders There is a debate in Congress circles that politicians contesting elections in West Bengal against the Left candidates and emerging victorious should be honoured for their courage. A senior Congress leader who was returned to the Lok Sabha from West Bengal in the last general election said that he was actually going to suggest to President APJ Abdul Kalam that there should be an award for the West Bengal politicians emerging victorious against Left parties, candidates on the lines of Padma Shree awards. They can probably be awarded with “Nirvachan Shree” or “Election Shree” awards, he said with a smile. BJP yatra
in Bihar? Is Shatrughan Sinha the only hope for the BJP in the coming assembly elections in Bihar? There are confusing signals emerging from the party high command and from “Shotgun”, who is now a full-time politician. While he is going to lead a “Parivartan Yatra” (journey for change) in Bihar which will take him to different parts of the state in the coming two months, the party had to undertake a major damage control exercise recently in the state to send out signals that he was not the party’s chief ministerial candidate. While Shotgun is said to have been picked to lead the Parivartan Yatra by Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the Indian Airlines flight to Ranchi where the two travelled together to attend the party’s National Executive meeting, the former star went on air pointing out that he had enough indications that he would be leading the BJP campaign in Bihar. Shibu Soren’s
simplicity Union Cabinet ministers and even those from the states enjoy many privileges, including VIP treatment at the airports and railway stations. The tribal leader from Jharkhand and Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren surprised many at the domestic airport here recently as he waited to pick up his luggage from the conveyor belt. While even a junior minister would have had his entourage doing these chores, the tribal leader surprised
everybody with his simplicity. A ‘democratic’ dictator As Chief Election Commissioner
T. S. Krishna Murthy met his counterpart from Pakistan, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, there was a feeling that the nuclear neighbour was preparing the ground to return to democracy. While the Indian officials in the poll panel explained the flawless functioning of the electronic voting machines and the instant availability of results, there was a sense of joy and disappointment among the Pakistani officials. They were happy that the real voice of the people would be known and were unhappy that the people in the immediate future were unlikely to get a chance to express their real choice. Perhaps not, if President Musharraf is enthused enough to use the new gizmos. —
Contributed by S. Satyanarayanan, Anita Katyal, Satish Misra, R. Suryamurthy |
Truth rests at the pinnacle of great effort. From the base, the pinnacle appears to be shrouded in mists of maya (delusion). This often leads men astray. They became uncertain of its existence and remain at the base, asking meaningless questions and wasting time. — The Bhagavadgita The guru stands above all. To him bow the multitude and the king. He is the giver of knowledge. Knowledge is the greatest source of strength. — The Mahabharata Love has no meaning if it isn't shared. Love has to be put into action. You have to love without expectation, to do something for love itself, not for what you may receive. — Mother Teresa Faith is not imparted like secular subjects. It is given through the language of the heart. — Mahatma Gandhi  |
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