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Belated wisdom A compact Cabinet |
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Cash and carry
Economy on the upswing
The small C
A former banker turns author Bureaucrat likely to be next chief executive of Hong Kong Defence notes
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Belated wisdom THE resignation of the Jharkhand Chief Minister, Mr Shibu Soren, will be welcomed by all right-thinking people. It is surprising that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader waited till the Centre asked him to quit. His continuance had become untenable after he failed to prove his majority on the floor of the House as asked by the Supreme Court. Right from the beginning of the Assembly session, it was obvious that he did not enjoy the requisite support. He tried to find short cuts by nominating an Anglo-Indian, who would have voted in his favour. But the Supreme Court stopped him in his tracks. With no other option left, the JMM-Congress coalition tried to disrupt the proceedings of the House on Friday, thereby frustrating the Supreme Court’s order. Fortunately, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs intervened and asked him to quit. The root cause of the problem in Jharkhand is the partisanship of the Governor, who overlooked the genuine claim of the BJP-JD (U) coalition despite the alliance parading its supporters before him. Instead, he allowed Mr Soren to be sworn in despite the fact that he had no majority support. What’s worse, he gave him three weeks to prove his majority. This forced the President to summon the Governor to New Delhi and advise him to advance the trial of strength. Again, the Governor danced to the tunes of Mr Soren when the latter fixed the schedule for the Assembly session in such a way that he had enough time to influence the five Independent MLAs. In other words, the whole game was to gain time and exert pressure on the Independent legislators, something which the Supreme Court could see through. The court’s intervention has upset some political leaders like the Lok Sabha Speaker, who will do well to remember that it was the Machiavellian conduct of a Governor and his political aides which precipitated the crisis. There would have been no occasion for the court to step in if the politicians had sorted out their problems in the best traditions of democracy. Hence, the move to seek a Presidential reference on the questions thrown up by the court decision is ill-advised. Fortunately, the Centre has rejected the all-party demand for such a reference. What is urgently required is to undo the damages done by the swearing in of Mr Soren and give the BJP-JD (U) alliance a chance.
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A compact Cabinet The formation of the Haryana Cabinet has proved to be easier than the selection of a Chief Minister. The 10-member team of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda that was sworn in on Thursday is compact and fairly representative. A Chief Minister is supposed to give representation on the basis of so many parameters that there will always be some heart-burn that one region or another, or a community, has been ignored but overall, his ministry is fairly balanced. Some strong claimants are bound to feel cut up on not finding their names in the select list but there is always a tomorrow. One hopes that the bickering over the issue will be less bitter than was the case when it came to appointing a Chief Minister. However, ministry formation is only the easier part of governance. Now comes the more difficult task of living up to the expectations of the people. The voters have rejected the party and policies of Mr Om Prakash Chautala with some hope that the Congress government will undo many a mischief committed by the Chautala government. Vestiges of that family rule will have to be studiously removed by the Hooda government. Even in that priority list, certain tasks take precedence. The foremost is the need to weed out corruption and end the atmosphere of fear and persecution. People will have to be patiently reassured that the government is responsive to their complaints and aspirations and these will be addressed without fear or favour. While the ministry is small enough in keeping with the norms set recently all over the country, care will have to be taken that the Punjab contagion of keeping MLAs in good humour by appointing them as Parliamentary Secretaries will not spread to Haryana. That will be nothing but a mockery of the rules. The brute majority that the Congress has obtained is in a way a dull headache also for the party. There are far too many MLAs who want to be “gainfully employed” and Mr Hooda will have to use all persuasive skills at his command to resist the pressure to post them as Parliamentary Secretaries and corporation chairmen. |
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Cash and carry The 80-odd Delhi sales tax officials caught on the video camera by a TV news channel while allegedly demanding or accepting bribe made an interesting viewing. They were only practising what most of their tribe are notorious for doing day in and day out. It is just that the vigilance never gets to see the obvious. Now that the media has nailed their routine, the Delhi Administration has made it bold to suspend 30 of them. Ingenious excuses are flying around. Some of them are saying that they were only receiving back the money that they had lent to someone. The government could as well convert the sales tax offices to lending banks in that case. Given the way even bigger sharks have escaped the judicial net, it will be no surprise if they too come back with their honour intact. And learning from the Tehelka example, it will not be too far-fetched to think that the TV journalists may be hauled over coals. The government may deny any corruption and the guilty may even escape punishment but the fact remains that certain departments are notorious for corruption. Postings at certain lucrative police stations, sales tax and excise offices and airports literally go to the highest bidder. Nothing moves there unless it gets wheels of currency notes. That is why India ranks so high in the list of most corrupt nations of the world. The malady is so prevalent that the public has become used to it. What cannot be cured is meekly endured. That is the “system”, those who have to deal with it on a daily basis tell the newcomers. But should the government also concede defeat by dismissing it as a global phenomenon? Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a name for his probity and integrity. He will earn the gratitude of the entire nation if he places the eradication of corruption high on his agenda. For doing that he will have to start with some of the politicians whose hands are not clean. |
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Strength is the product of struggle — Unknown |
Economy on the upswing
Indian economy, for the second consecutive year, has performed well. GDP growth for the year 2004-05 has now been projected at 6.9 per cent after a record growth of 8.5 per cent in the previous year. Inflation has been successfully contained at 5.01 per cent. Capital market is buoyant and investment has picked up in all the sectors. Bank credit, including agricultural credit, increased by 23.8 per cent in April-December 2004 as against 9.3 per cent in the corresponding period last year. On the external front trade has registered an impressive growth, export rising by 25.58 per cent and import by 34.72 per cent. Foreign exchange reserves have exceeded $ 130 billion and investors are gathering more confidence for investing in India. Termination of Multi Fibre Agreement on January 1, 2005, has opened up vast opportunities for the textile sector to grow and, if properly tackled, to be able to provide additional employment to nearly one crore persons over the next five years. Fruits of liberalisation, of releasing the economy from the shackles of bureaucratic controls, of encouraging competition and promoting investment and of inviting foreign participation in a wide range of activities, are now clearly visible, although the process of reforms continues to be slow and many sectors of the economy still remain neglected. While presenting the Budget proposals for 2005-06 the Finance Minister has appropriately highlighted all these achievements of the economy and has, at the same time, moved some way forward introducing several more measures for growth of the neglected sectors, more particularly, development of agriculture, rural economy, infrastructure and employment. On taxation front, corporate tax has been marginally reduced by less than 3 per cent whereas slabs and deductions for personal taxes have been remodelled. As additional measures to promote investment market will be developed for trading in corporate bonds and mutual funds will be permitted to issue gold exchange traded funds. Bankers have been given greater flexibility in employing their funds. Along with these measures, however, under the garb of tracking black money and taxing fringe benefits, some highly derogatory measures have also been proposed whose anti-growth effect has been discussed separately. In respect of indirect taxation, in keeping with the WTO mandate, the maximum rate of customs duty has been reduced from 20 per cent to 15 per cent and in some deserving cases still lower. Similarly for removing disparities and for extending relief to certain sectors, including the small-scale sector some changes in the excise structure have always been proposed. However, the thrust of economic reforms in the present budget is mainly on two fronts. Fiscal management has, for the first time, shown distinct signs of improvement after many years. Revenue deficit has been reduced to 2.7 per cent and fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent with a hope of scaling these deficits further down in the coming years. The other major step is that the government has finally succeeded to be able to announce the application of Value Added Tax all over the country with effect from April 1, 2005, which, by all accounts is, as also stated by the Finance Minister, the most important single tax reform. These two measures will undoubtedly contribute effectively to better economic management in the coming years. Real state of the economy, however, cannot always be judged only by the proposals and promises made in the budget year after year and the success in each case is totally dependent upon the extent of actual implementation and the results achieved. Lapses in implementation, as repeatedly seen in the past, have always affected economic development very adversely placing the country for behind in the global race. A few examples will illustrate:
* Inadequate electric power is the single most important bottleneck for economic growth in India. As against our need for 220000 MW we now have a generating capacity of only 113000 MW only. Even if we ignore the rise in future needs and want to reach the target of 220000 MW by 2010 we must grow at least at the rate of 20000 MW per year. Against such a Projection our generating capacity in the current year will not grow by more than 4000 MW. Oil is another sector connected with power shortage. Our need for oil is increasing by 3.6 per cent every year but, in spite of promises, production of crude oil has stagnated around 34 million tonnes increasing our dependence on imported oil. We now have to import 77 per cent of our needs which will cost us $ 80000 crore in the current year. *
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As indicated earlier, this year’s budget proposes to introduce two highly retrograde measures, which if implemented will cause enormous harm to the economy. The Finance Minister has proposed a new taxation where in the name of taxing fringe benefits enjoyed by the employees, he proposes to impose an additional levy on genuine economic activities such as travel, conferences, conveyances, sales promotion, entertainment, housing, publicity and the like. In a fast-moving economy facing global challenges, where only the fittest can survive, such expenses are essential inputs for the success of any enterprise and taxing of such inputs is bound to cause great harm to the very objective of economic growth. The other most inappropriate and uncalled for imposition is a levy of 0.1 per cent on cash withdrawals from the bank, a type of imposition which cannot even be conceived in a modern economic frame. The money appropriately accounted for and kept in a bank account is legitimately owned by the account holder and he is the rightful owner of such money having total discretion to use in any manner he considers appropriate. In a civic society taxing the account holder on the withdrawal of his own money on the pretext of tracking black money amounts to interfering with his right of privacy and is a direct insult to the dignity of his citizenship. Such measures, if implemented, can only lead to loss of confidence and will undo the benefits reaped so far by economic reforms. Investment will shrink and any dream of India emerging as a leading economic power investing $ 150 billion in infrastructure over the next 10 years may remain only a dream. It is, therefore, sincerely hoped that government will desist from taking such draconian measures and will stick to the basic objective of accelerating the process of economic reforms with appropriate fiscal
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The small C
There was a time when advertisements for condoms featured sensuous young women like Pooja Bedi and Viveka Babajee. When these advertisements appeared on TV, my young sons usually looked away. The message was very clear: this was adult business as indeed condoms used to be. But what happens when Rahul Dravid in all his clean-cut earnestness is pitching the message of condoms and staying AIDS-free on primetime? Rahul Dravid is a hero, not just for those who most need the AIDS message, but also for a whole generation of under 12s. When Rahul comes on screen, what you expect him to endorse is the big C:Cricket, or cricket memorabilia, healthdrinks, sportswear, or crisps, and the kids are all ears. They are not familiar with the product their hero is endorsing, but it confuses the brat audience and makes them as Alice would say,"curiouser and curioser" about it. Suddenly, condoms and AIDS are not adult business anymore. Of late the talking point for cricket babies has been Rahul Dravid endorsing condoms, unabashedly. Naturally, there is trouble ahead, for parents and grandparents, of the legions of Dravid fans. Because the next logical question from inquisitive young minds is: What is a condom and what is AIDS ? Well AIDS is a disease, easy enough, but what of condoms? Yes, Rahul, wish you could help field those googlies. Grandma tries hard and says its a balloon. Grandpa says it's plastic underwear. Dad says it's a groin-guard cricketers wear. So when the bratpack gets down to comparing notes, the result is one confused and hyper-inquisitive bunch of young minds, looking for more. Threshold levels for awareness are at an all-time high with satellite TV and the internet-enabled generation. Ten-year olds today ask questions about stuff we discovered in our twenties. But strangely, yet gratifyingly, no matter what the information or where they pick it up from, they still do seem to need adult ratification for it. And that's where I develop the heeby-jeebies. I'm mortally afraid of losing credibility and authority. It's a lose-lose situation: If you tell them a bird and bee story, you run the risk of appearing stupid and lose reliability. And if you tell them too much you impact on their innocent psyche, detrimentally presumably. I have often wished some psychologist would publish a handbook on how to explain the tricky facts of life to growing children. There is help now apparently from TARSHI's Blue and Red books and Manjula Lal's I-File. Outlook recently published the results of an urban survey of four Metros that indicates that one in four of 13-17 year olds has had a physical experience. Can you blame them? There is a constant barrage of suggestive messages being sent out through iconic satellite TV channels such as MTV and Channel V. Even the Punjabi and desi channels carry repeats of videos of the “Kaanta laga” genre. Clothes and attitude are all invested with an “in-your-face” sexuality. I believe it’s time that parents and schools sat up and took note and realised the importance of calling in the experts. Whether it is counselling or workshops supervised by psychologists, some form of formal institutional input is both urgent and imperative so that the young ones can dispel their doubts about physicality and urges lose their novelty and curiosity value. More significantly, if the young are correctly informed, they can make responsible choices and decisions about their behaviour and
relationships.
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A former banker turns author Surely his parents wouldn't be addressing him with those initials prefixed? What about the very original they had fixed on him? Somehow he relents "It’s Krishan Partap. Partap as the Punjabis spell. But I'm called KP. Everybody knows me as that." And as one gets to meet this writer at Delhi's Golf Club, he looks younger than his 28 years and definitely more outspoken than I'd expected. For a day before, over the telephone he came across as somewhat impatient and tight with the flow of words. But, then not really so, as we settled down to chewing chicken and a hard and a soft drink (his and mine). His face looks child-like, but it's his eyes that do not just look straight at you, but carry a certain determination. No, not forlorn as a typical writer's, but rather sharp and focussed. Perhaps that could explain why this young man had the confidence to kick off his banker's job of about two years. Why? "For I'd realised I didn't have the banker's temperament and took to full-time writing. Began writing this novel". To the very obvious that why a debut novel which is so obviously dipped in hard politics when he seems someone who is rather far away from the world of politics — KP Singh's father is a diplomat and there's no apparent family connection to any of the political characters of the day or of the years passed by. Except that he does stress that he has been fascinated by the leadership qualities of Jawaharlal Nehru and another character that appealed to him is that of Moti Lal Nehru. But those are bygones and his novel is set in today's India. He elaborates: "For me the year 2002 was of great significance. The Gujarat riots made me question and wonder: where are leaders of this country. If a leader of the calibre and stature of Nehru were alive, he would have made every effort to halt the riots." He goes on to say that the anti-Sikhs riots of 1984 affected him , though he was a young school-going kid then and wasn't directly affected by the rioting but then those images and memories of those days are there to stay with him. Perhaps, strongly embedded in his psyche. "Yes, I wouldn't ever be able to forget those riots. Those riots of 1984 were of a great shock for me. Then came the demolition of the Babri Masjid and it was again very emotionally upsetting and after that the Gujarat riots of 2002 was on your face. Television channels brought those shots right to your face and those of us who call ourselves secular felt the pain and the feeling of injustice." Perhaps KP Singh did feel the anguish and pain for his novel revolves around two characters — a young Muslim, Azim Khan, and the other is Karan Nehru. From a bureaucrat's son living in Lutyen's New Delhi and studying in the well-known Modern School to joining politics. Going up the stream, but not without those insecurities and dilemmas hitting his head at every turn. In fact, what I found particularly interesting is the manner in which this young Sikh writer has managed to stretch out insecurities that Azim Khan voices. How could he feel what an average Muslim had felt when the Babri Masjid was demolished — felt stirred enough to make his character speak along those emotions? Did he have a Muslim friend or a girl-friend or a close acquaintance who voiced those sentiments and fears ? I ask him. For the first time, he smiles. A sad, low-key smile spreading on his face and then fading away as quickly as he sways his head and says: "No, I have no Muslim friend, don't even know many Muslims. Its just that because of the 1984 riots in the backdrop, I could really feel their pain when the Babri Masjid got demolished and then when the Gujarat riots took off. You could say I put myself in Azim Khan's shoes to write what this character feels and reacts. Then I have been reading a lot on politics and following political patterns and that's how my novel is inter-webbed in politics. “And why did I choose to base the story in New Delhi and in Uttar Pradesh? New Delhi because this is the city I grew up in and can relate to it and Uttar Pradesh because that's the place the political battle will be fought in the ultimate sense." And though KP denies any autobiographical patches, there seem similarities along the way. The manner in which the two prime characters move from one career to another as he 'd moved from a full-time banking career to an unrelated one — that of creative writing. I quote from the novel: "Best friends Azim Khan and Karan Nehru never considered politics a career choice, but then fate decreed otherwise. Forced by circumstances to rethink their professions the two friends find themselves willy-nilly contesting the elections." When queried, KP denies nurturing an ambition of stepping into politics, but it doesn't come as a firm denial. He comments with much confidence on the political ongoings of this land, about the so-called political leaders and how they walk and talk and, of course, throw their weight around. But, then a disappointment holds out as there's almost a dry on their sex lives. Don't know why he has been so self-controlled in penning much on that front. Coming back to the young novelist, he says that he is optimistic about the future of politics in our land. "I have faith in my generation, though don't believe in dynastic rule. I'm optimistic about our future, though care should be taken not to take democracy for granted.” Let me add that with so much thrust on politics, the novel would largely appeal to the political savvy or those who manage to hang close to the power circuit of the Capital. And, perhaps also to those who've studied at that particular public school of the Capital as there are rather vivid passages on school life and students at Modern School. In fact, KP says that many a reader has congratulated him on this apt portrayal. He doesn't really spell out his next move. Probably more writing before he eventually and actually moves into politics. Yes, politics does seem to hold sway on KP Singh. |
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Bureaucrat likely to be next chief executive of Hong Kong Hong Kong’s unpopular chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, submitted his resignation to the Chinese government on Thursday, ending his difficult tenure as the territory’s first post-colonial leader and leaving China with the delicate task of picking a successor despite public demands for direct elections. Tung cited strains on his health as the reason for his abrupt departure, two years before the end of his second term. Speaking at a news conference, he dismissed any suggestion that he had been forced to resign by the Communist leadership, which has been tightening control over the former British colony to counter a growing pro-democracy movement. “The real issue is that I will be 68 years old in three months,” Tung said, adding that he took painkillers so he could stand through an hour-long speech in January. “I think it’s better for me to step aside and to have another person carry this thing through.” The announcement ends more than a week of awkward uncertainty during which Tung refused to comment on reports he was planning to step down. The silence reinforced Tung’s image as a rigid politician, loyal to the leadership in Beijing but out of touch with the people of Hong Kong. Although the Chinese government stood behind Tung through a series of crises over the past eight years, including mass protests demanding democratic reforms, it is expected to accept his resignation and appoint him to a national advisory body as a face-saving gesture in the next few days. The sudden reversal comes as Tung’s chief political patron in Beijing, former President Jiang Zemin, is retiring from his final government post and just months after Jiang’s chosen successor, Hu Jintao, publicly reprimanded Tung and urged him to do a better job. Under Hong Kong law, an 800-member Electoral Committee composed of business figures, professionals and politicians will meet within 120 days to select Tung’s successor. Because the committee is stacked with Beijing's allies, it will almost certainly approve whoever the Communist leadership nominates. People familiar with the deliberations said the leadership was prepared to endorse the candidacy of Chief Secretary Donald Tsang, a career civil servant who defended Beijing's unpopular decision last year ruling out direct elections to choose Hong Kong's next chief executive. Tsang, 60, is known as a skilled bureaucrat who was honored with a knighthood in the final days of British rule. He became the first Chinese to serve as Hong Kong’s financial secretary in 1995, then stayed on in that job after the territory's return to China. Tsang’s modest background — the son of a policeman rose through the civil service without a college degree — stands in contrast to the resumes of other contenders for Tung’s job, many of whom are members of Hong Kong’s richest families. Tsang enjoys greater popular support than Tung, a wealthy shipping magnate. But members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition have criticized him for being deferential to Beijing officials and powerful industrialists. Several mainland officials and members of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing parties have also expressed reservations about Tsang, noting his long career with the former colonial government and his Catholic faith. Some have urged the leadership to appoint Tsang to fill only the remaining two years of Tung’s term, instead of naming him to a regular five-year term. That would allow Beijing to appease factions that support other candidates, but it would also force China to find a way to overrule Hong Kong’s constitution and trigger a new debate about the erosion of the autonomy promised the territory after its return to Chinese rule. Ronny Tong, a pro-democracy legislator, warned that China’s “one country, two systems” policy would be “in imminent danger of failing” if Beijing stepped in and mandated a two-year term for the next chief executive. — LA Times-Washington Post |
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Defence notes Even as India and Pakistan are working towards solving their long-standing disputes, one issue that should be on top priority is the large number of Indian soldiers languishing in jails across the border. According to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, there are 62 Indian soldiers lodged in Pakistani jails. The government has consistently taken up the issue of early release and repatriation of these prisoners of war (PoWs). The Defence Minister said the matter was also raised during the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to New Delhi on November 24, 2004. It was also discussed during the Foreign Secretary level discussions on December 27, 2004. However, the problem is the Pakistani government does not acknowledge the presence of these PoWs in its custody. He informed the Rajya Sabha recently that out of the 62 soldiers, 54 are PoWs and eight are those who inadvertently crossed the international border. Patrol craft for Seychelles To strengthen its visibility and position in the Indian Ocean, the government last month presented one of its latest patrol craft INS Tarmugli to Seychelles which, in turn, would provide the Indian Navy a strategic foothold in the region with a view to patrolling the country's shores and addressing its maritime concerns. As the Indian Navy has been asked to formulate a comprehensive policy for the Indian Ocean region which would help address security concerns, the handing over of the patrol craft would help in controlling the movement of unwanted elements along the high seas. As part of the plan, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, presented INS Tarmugli to the authorities in Seychelles at Port Victoria on February 23.
India's central location has made it a major stakeholder in the security and stability of the region. Maritime concerns range from apprehensions about illegal EEZ exploitation to terrorist attacks on maritime assets. Gardens open to soldiers The Mughal Gardens and the Spiritual Garden of Rashtrapati Bhavan will be opened exclusively for the personnel of the armed forces, the paramilitary forces and the Delhi Police and their families from 10 am to 4 pm on March 15 and 16. MoD officials say that such personnel as want to visit the two gardens should bring their identity cards along with them. The entry and exit will be through Gate No. 35 located at the extreme end of the Church Road, about 300 metres West of the Cathedral Church. However, there is a advisory for the personnel that they should not carry any water bottles, briefcases, umbrellas, handbags or ladies purses, cameras, radio sets or transistors, cell phones, remote car keys and eatables. Such articles will not be allowed into the Mughal Gardens and will have to be deposited at the entry point.
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He who controls the senses and passions and concentrates on the self through meditation and scriptural study definitely practises — Lord Mahavir The entire Nature is saturated with the divine life of Ahura Mazda. — Zarathushtra God turns one who is pleasing to Him, from a crow into a swan. — Guru Nanak |
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While reading KP Singh's debut novel "The Road to Raisina" (Harper Collins) I kept wondering why this young writer decided to use his initials, especially in the backdrop of the fact that it's a politically potent novel. And so before any other query it was exactly this that I'd shot. "But KP Singh is my name, that's what I'm called. I'm KP for friends."