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Al-Qaida at it again Forest-bound BSNL breakdown |
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Learning and equity
Battle of the bucket
Europe counters Russia’s energy dominance More than meets the eye in Army rape allegation Defence Notes
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Al-Qaida at it again Britain
is on a “critical” security alert following last week’s discovery of car bombs in London and the terrorist attack at Glasgow international airport. The authorities, sure of a link between the two incidents, fear a wave of such strikes in view of the approaching anniversary of the July 7, 2005, train blasts that killed a number of people in London. A secret US law enforcement report has warned of a “spectacular” terrorist strike by Al-Qaida, though nobody has any idea about the likely target. And at least five of those arrested by the British police after the unsuccessful attempts at bomb blasts are doctors of West Asian origin, with one of them being an Iraqi national. Britain has already been on the hit list of terrorists mainly because of its controversial Iraq policy. Surprisingly, this time an India connection is also seen, as the sixth medical professional taken in custody, not in Britain but in Australia, is from Bangalore. This again proves the need for international cooperation in fighting terrorism. Reacting to the unearthing of this possible Al-Qaida plot, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that there appears to be a “long-term and sustained” threat to security, but his government “will not yield”. The Al-Qaida hallmark has added to the anxiety in the US, too, where President George W. Bush has commented that “it just goes to show the war on these extremists goes on”. The terrorist threat of “You never know where they might strike” remains as real as it has ever been. They continue to make their presence felt in most parts of the world. Pakistan, which has been using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, is today also caught in terrorism. The new British government has initiated “tougher security measures”, which may make the entry to the UK of highly qualified people particularly from West Asia very difficult. But Mr Brown’s approach is different from that of his predecessor, Mr Tony Blair. Mr Brown is reportedly working on policy initiatives to let the scourge die its natural death. Since the terrorists in Britain happen to be Muslims, Mr Brown has indicated that he may come out with measures to win the “hearts and minds” of ordinary Muslims. The idea may be to isolate the extremists within their own community so that their dirty designs can be exposed with the help of the peace-loving majority. But it may not be an easy policy to follow when the latest plot seems to have been hatched outside Britain. Mr Brown has just moved into 10 Downing Street. His policy on combating terrorism will take time to evolve. May be, it will be decided by what the terrorists will do. |
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Forest-bound It
is customary for persons of certain mature age to enter Vanaprastha ashram and head towards the forests. But Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Dhanda has no such exalted intentions. All he wants to do is to make a forest rest house his home sweet home, because he has not been allotted a government accommodation and only gets Rs 30,000 house allowance! According to his remarkable logic, the government can save this sum if he takes up residence in the forest rest house near Chandigarh. It does not matter to him that the forest rest houses are not meant for providing after-office hours rest for over-worked parliamentary secretaries or ministers. Nor does Mr Dhanda’s suggestion come by way of a request. He wants to take over the rest house – meant to be used during inspection of areas – as a matter of right. So peeved is he at being denied this “right” that he has been holding “hearings” forcing his “subordinates” like the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to appear before him. Apparently, forests and kangaroo courts have a lot in common. The Parkash Singh Badal government has only recently completed 100 days in office and is already saddled with such an embarrassment. The Chief Minister should seriously mull over the issue whether he should really have such passengers on his team. What the Ludhiana MLA has displayed is more than megalomania. This is a wanton example of the corrupting capacities of power. We have always maintained that the post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary is nothing but a badly masked attempt at giving ministerial berths to some MLAs without actually calling them ministers. This subterfuge cleverly bypasses the constitutional regulations about the limit on the size of the ministries but does not befool anyone. Mr Dhanda has articulated the ground reality by claiming that he enjoys a Cabinet rank and is well within his authority to summon any government official. He has thus himself shed the fig leaf of morality and modesty. Dispensing with him will do the exchequer a lot of good, besides saving much more than the Rs 30,000 house allowance that he gets. The same holds true of the other members of the Parliamentary Secretary brigade. Mr Badal’s government will be better off without them. |
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BSNL breakdown The
city of Chandigarh has its flaws. Before last Saturday’s fire, few had perhaps realised how significant a role BSNL plays in day-to-day life. The services that the citizens had almost taken for granted stood disrupted. The fire not only hit the Internet, landline and mobile telephone services, but also paralysed railway bookings and banking and even affected essential services like hospitals. The growing importance of BSNL perhaps has not found a matching upgradation of the safety measures. BSNL had taken the precaution to install the fire-fighting equipment at its exchange, but none at the top had thought of providing training to the staff to use the equipment. It is such simple failures that aggravate the loss. Once a fire breaks out or a tragedy like the recent collapse of the vegetable market roof occurs, the response system in Chandigarh is seldom found up to the mark. The fire brigade does not have enough basic equipment like oxygen cylinders and its lone ambulance is ill-equipped. Last month when a fire broke out in a market, the inquiry officer brought to the Municipal Corporation’s notice that the fire department was short-staffed. The city does not have a full-time chief fire officer. Against the requirement of 46 firemen, it has only two firemen, one leading fireman and four driver-operators. When there is no shortage of funds in the Union Territory, why is there a shortage of staff? There are now plans to gear up the fire-fighting mechanism. Two new fire stations are proposed to be set up. The fire department needs to have an effective communication system, sufficient water in the reservoirs and repair facilities for the vital equipment. Preventive steps too are required. The city’s labour colonies have illegal electricity connections. Ramshackle markets have come up in a few sectors. These are open to fire hazards. A survey can reveal vulnerable points as well as shortcomings in the fire-control mechanism. A will to do is all that is required, but is apparently lacking in Chandigarh. |
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Summer set lip to earth’s bossom bare,/And left the flushed print in a poppy there.
— Francis Thompson |
Learning and equity
A
number of events have coincided over the past couple of weeks that should make us ponder over the status of and trends in the country’s university system: the annual university admission rush; the Prime Minister’s address to Bombay University in celebration of its 150th anniversary; a UGC survey finding of falling university standards; the St Stephen’s College quota controversy; and the Gujjar agitation for tribal status. The key link in all of these is the relationship between education, knowledge, equality and opportunity. The triumph and tragedy of students scoring as much as 90 to 95 per cent marks and then barely scraping admission to a favoured college or course or facing rejection symbolises several problems: a qualitative shortage of seats; ambiguity about standards and what constitutes a good education; and autonomy and choice in higher education. What worth do we place on an evaluation of 95 per cent plus? Are marks and grades everything? Recall the words of F.E. Smith, later Lord Birkenhead and a figure of great standing, when asked about his university grades. His response: “I avoided the vulgar ostentation of a first and the obvious mediocrity of a second to retire into the decent obscurity of a third”! Many flowers bloom late, while early bloomers may quickly lose their blush. The UGC findings stare us in the face. More than half of all school leavers fail to proceed for higher education while 90 per cent of our colleges and 68 per cent of our universities are of middling-to-low quality. A sustained 9 per cent growth rate must, therefore, remain a chimera unless university enrolment rises from 8 to 15 per cent of the 18-25 age group by 2015 (Knowledge Commission). We are 50 years behind schedule in universalising elementary or even primary education. The Prime Minister has now called for the universalisation of secondary education, emphasising quality, as soon as possible. When? Can we target 2015; else there will be an insufficiency of candidates to enter the projected stream of expanded college education and, subsequently, to move into areas of higher specialisation and research or to man the schools and vocational institutions envisaged at the foundational level. A quality school in each of 6000 blocks is planned, plus 340 colleges in districts that currently show low college enrolment. This should target the SCs, STs, minorities, OBCs and the differently-abled and especially girls across this entire range. The Prime Minister’s imperative is “access and excellence” — more seats, varied courses, better facilities and easily available loan scholarships and freeships. Given this, why should Gujjars in Rajasthan (and others elsewhere) hanker after tribal status to win opportunity on the basis of reservation rather than qualification and merit. The whole Gujjar-Meena debate is wrongly focussed with able-bodied people turning violent in a frenzied search for crutches. The Prime Minister also spoke about the falling quality of university governance with the politicisation of appointments, stagnation in fashioning new, wider and more relevant curricula, and lack of university autonomy and accountability. Why should Governors be appointed university Chancellors, often ex-officio? Many have proved to be an encumbrance and embarrassment, or plain useless. Colleges must rethink the value of absurd cut-off marks and universities should not be too concerned as long as final degree evaluations ensure excellence. Let “good” colleges enroll even 50-60 percenters on the basis of their 10 plus 2 records plus sporting, social service and extra-curricular activity assessments. The country needs both specialists and generalists. And why should a St Stephen’s College abandon excellence for denominational numbers as a “minority institution” that will produce “minorities” who then seek to “mainstream” their lives, unless they wish to remain cultured fish in little backwaters. More than a numerical expression, being a “minority” speaks of an attitude and state of mind. The category “dalit Christian” has long been urged. This may describe social origins and a transference of social disabilities to the new faith, both of which are realities. But these are secular issues and have (or should have) no bearing on faith. Such handicaps, if any, are best addressed by wider and improved schooling and coaching and minimal reservation, with a limited minority preference at the college level. This is even more pertinent when minority institutions are totally funded by the State. Education must liberate and not build or perpetuate walls, even though inadvertently. A policy review before the 2008 admissions would be in order. One does not know what policy or cut-off marks informed admissions to the universities of Nalanda, Taxila and Nagarjuna in earlier millennia. Today, when the nation celebrates 150 years of modern university education in India, we must build for the future. This will call for requisite funding and investments and an end to restrictive policies within a liberal and forward-looking regulatory framework limited to the least number of critical nodal issues. Excessive top-down supervision and control must go as also fossilised and narrowly unionised associations of teachers and staff — all yesterday’s men — and more scope allowed for experimentation, innovation and private initiative. That is the way
forward.
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Battle of the bucket
DING-DONG! It’s the hostel wake-up bell ringing. I jump out of my bed and nudge my room-mate, “Sleepyhead! Wake up!” We pick up our buckets and dash towards the bathrooms. Another day has begun in the hostel with the Battle of the Bucket. Sure enough, no one has ever heard of this battle though a high-brow historian pretended to know all about it. But let me enlighten you. I was an undergraduate hosteller in a prestigious women’s college in Delhi University’s campus area. Geysers were not “in” then. Come winter, and water for bath would be heated in huge boilers on the ground floor, between the two three-storied blocks. How hot water was supplied to all baths on different floors with unfailingly efficiency is the battle’s story. How we loved our “lave” — that’s French for bath! Any girl will tell you that bath is a prelude to prettying up, an essential routine of blissful teens. Most of the girls in the hostel were look-alikes of (correctly, tried to be Cinderellas, Marlyns, Dianas and Barbies apart from desi Plane Janes. Hostellers in their nighties and baby dolls hurried n’ scurried in corridors with curlers in their hair and faces smeared with creams, besan, lemon juice or fruit/vegetable pulp (don’t ever call it muck, ‘cos it simply isn’t) invariably each one of them with a plastic bucket dangling from her hands. Remember the good old verse: ‘Where are you going, my pretty maid? / I am going a-milking (read bathing), Sir, she said? / What is your fortune, my pretty maid/ My face is my fortune, Sir, she said.’ Every floor had huge windows near the bathrooms. Girls would lean over them and throw down their empty buckets to be expertly caught by paniwalas on the ground floor despite the eye-stinging haze of smoke spiralling skywards. It’s a wonder they never missed them. And they uncomplainingly climbed the three floors carrying buckets filled with steaming water for m’lady’s bath. Three hundred-odd buckets with almost identical colours n’ sizes are bound to get placed in wrong bathrooms. But there was hardly ever a mix-up in them. How paniwalas did this, we owe it to their managerial skill and expertise. Sometimes you even had to queue up for a bath with a bucket in one hand and a mug in the other. If a girl knocked and yelled, “Hurry up! I’m getting late,” she was sure to get a splash of water on her face from a bathroom window. Decorum demanded that we be punctual and formally dressed for breakfast. The Battle of the Bucket was a unique leveller, breaking down barriers between blue-blooded and ordinary mortals. The low brows rubbed shoulders with high brows of tomorrow like Brinda Karat (nee Das). An English lady, who had stayed in the hostel 10 years earlier than I, revisited it. And she commented, “You still have to fight the Battle of the Bucket”. Indeed a unique battle, it
was. |
Europe counters Russia’s energy dominance As Presidents George Bush and Vladimir Putin talk in Kennebunkport, Maine, Russia’s leader has many reasons to smile. His country is increasing its strategic dominance over Europe’s energy supplies while US-led efforts to promote energy diversity for Europe are faltering and the European Union’s energy policies are in disarray. On June 23 Russia further eroded European energy unity when its state company Gazprom reached agreement with Italy’s ENI energy conglomerate to build a gas pipeline connecting Russia to Southern Europe via the Black Sea. This could displace a similar, US-backed project called Nabucco, which is important to achieving diversity in energy sources. In May Russia reached an agreement (though not yet a binding treaty) with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to expand Russian control over the flow of vital Central Asian gas and oil to Europe. This followed on Russia’s success of two years ago in getting Germany’s chancellor at the time, Gerhard Schroeder, to support a Russian-German pipeline bypassing Poland and Ukraine. Putin later rewarded the former German leader with the lucrative chairmanship of the project. Increased dependence on Russian-dominated energy routes and supplies poses the risk that Russia will be able to exert significant political pressure on Europe. It has already demonstrated its capacity to do so. In the past 18 months Russia has twice shut off gas to Europe, first during a politically driven dispute with Ukraine and then in an energy dispute with Belarus early this year. The E.U. response has been to commit itself to broad-based energy diversification, a policy championed by Vice President Dick Cheney, who told a NATO summit last year: “No legitimate interest is served when oil and gas become tools of intimidation or blackmail, either by supply manipulation or attempts to monopolize transportation.” Yet, while European and U.S. rhetoric has been strong, action has been weak and unfocused. Two major projects could help diversify European energy sources. The first is a proposed Caspian-Black Sea-Ukraine-Poland route, which would transport Kazakhstan’s oil by tanker across the Caspian Sea, then through an existing pipeline across Azerbaijan to the Georgian port of Supsa. From there it would be shipped by tanker to Odessa and then through a Ukrainian pipeline (yet to be completed) ending in Gdansk, Poland. The second major diversification initiative is Nabucco, a prospective pipeline that would ship Azerbaijani — and eventually Central Asian — gas via Turkey into Central and Western Europe. The European Union declared Nabucco a top priority at its March summit, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is ready to finance 70 percent of the costs of a pipeline from eastern Turkey to Austria. Unfortunately, little progress has been made on either project (despite determined efforts by E.U. Energy Commissioner Andris Pielbags). In the meantime, Russia, awash in gas and oil revenue, is busy enticing countries essential to both projects into separate deals that would undermine European diversification efforts. But the coming months could bring a turnaround. Concerned by Western passivity, the presidents of Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania have taken the lead in two recent energy-focused summits that brought together leaders of the Caspian and Central European regions. Their aim is to give new impetus to a route that would link Caspian and Central Asian oil to the Odessa-Gdansk pipeline. This regional initiative deserves more than rhetorical encouragement from Europe and far greater attention at the upper reaches of the Bush administration. While capable U.S. diplomats are trying to advance European energy diversification projects, these vital initiatives are being addressed primarily by deputy assistant secretaries of state and mid-level National Security Council staff. By contrast, when the Clinton administration sought to promote energy diversification through the now-completed Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, that key initiative was spearheaded at the highest levels, by Stuart Eizenstat, then undersecretary of state and later deputy Treasury secretary. There are two reasons for optimism on this matter. One is the diplomacy of the presidents of Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania and the increased interest of energy-rich Azerbaijan in reducing Europe’s dependence on Russia. The second is the U.S. presidential campaign. With the next election likely to be decided in states such as Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where millions of Polish, Ukrainian and Baltic Americans reside, the issue of a focused energy security policy for “Old” and “New” Europe is likely to get some attention. It’s not likely to be a major factor in the campaign, but as with NATO expansion into Central Europe in the 1992 election, it’s a potential “side” issue that could resonate among tens of thousands of voters in states where such numbers might represent the margin of victory. Perhaps the Bush administration will yet rise to the emerging opportunity. Perhaps the give-and-take of a presidential campaign will prod the United States to act. In either case, Vladimir Putin’s recent run of energy triumphs is likely to come to an end. The writer is senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and president of the Orange Circle, an international network promoting democratic reform in Ukraine. By arrangement with
LA Times-Washington Post |
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More than meets the eye in Army rape allegation On
28 June 2007, the reading public was exposed to the repugnant sight of one of two Army soldiers being paraded naked in the streets of Pati Kunan village in Bandipora (J&K), for an alleged rape bid. The accompanying news item, running into several columns in almost all national dailies, gave graphic details of how the two men in civil dress entered a house, ordered the mother of a seventeen year-old girl to leave, and tried to molest her. Pati Kunan village is well known for its anti-national stance. Even otherwise, it would be prudent to assume that every village in the insurgency affected area would have presence of militants or elements that are inimical, either with the support of locals or despite their opposition. In the Army, planning of every column and every outgoing patrol is based on this premise and contingency plans are made. In the reported incident even a ‘surface analysis’ raises questions. Would two soldiers without weapons take the risk of entering an unknown house in one of these villages, or could they have been enticed with something like the promise of providing intelligence? Would they box themselves in, blocking their own escape? Would they then ask the parent to leave, so that she can raise an alarm and collect a crowd, or – if indeed they had intention of committing a rape – wouldn’t they have gagged and tied her up till they had escaped after performing their alleged act? The reported incident not only reflects the bestial nature of the soldiers but also slights their basic intelligence in not taking the elementary precaution of covering their retreat. And would it be possible (something the media has not highlighted) for thousands of people to assemble within minutes, including politicians of different hues? While detailed investigations will no doubt follow, prima facie, rape does not appear to have been a motive, and there is more than meets the eye. Could the whole incident have been pre-planned at the behest and pressure of the militants to defame and demoralise the Army? This being always their aim, I can say from experience that the possibility, nay, the probability, appears high. Could the incident have been staged to support the ongoing demand for troop reduction? The Army has been involved in countering insurgency in many states in the north east and to a much greater extent in J&K. This is not the Army’s main task. If the Army continues to be so involved, it is mainly because no other agency or force is considered capable of controlling the situation. The Army’s involvement is a national compulsion. Insurgency is an unconventional war. The insurgents do not wear uniforms or any other symbols of identification and do not carry arms openly. They operate in crowded areas often using locals as human shield. They also pressurise and use the local population and media to defame the security forces. An unconventional activity cannot be countered by statute books. One has to follow unconventional and unorthodox methods. Since the insurgents operate fleetingly and do not give a standing fight, intelligence about their location, activities and intentions is of vital importance. And gathering intelligence is not census taking, where one goes from door to door collecting data. It is a clandestine activity, undertaken by specially selected operatives, and is fraught with dangers and risks. In the incident, as is reported, the two soldiers were intelligence operatives. For them to operate in civil clothes and as buddy pairs is normal. The Army will investigate and determine whether they have strayed from their assigned duty. And, if found to be guilty, they will be given the most stringent punishment. We need to show faith in the integrity and efficacy of the system. No commanding officer can run a unit by condoning indiscipline in his command. It cannot be denied that, despite occasional aberrations, the Army continues to do a splendid job in maintaining the external and internal integrity of the country. In the prevailing environment, they also stand out for their discipline, dedication and unflinching loyalty. However, in their unenviable task, they need support from all quarters, media included. While constructive criticism is always welcome, let us not lean on negativism, and pre-judge and sensationalise unfounded allegations. Doing so will be playing into the hands of anti-national elements. Sniping at the Army is a one-sided fight and in J&K it is a well-organised and effective adjunct to the ISI inspired and sponsored insurgency. The writer is a former Deputy Chief of Army Staff |
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Defence Notes The
Army’s Remount Veterinary Services have got their first Director General with Lt. Gen. Narayan Mohanty taking charge. Lt. Gen. Mohanty, who has had a distinguished career in the Army spanning 37 years, is an alumni of the Orissa Veterinary College, Bhubaneshwar. He has commanded the prestigious Military Veterinary Hospital attached to the President’s Bodyguard (PBG), besides commanding the the Remount Training School Depot, Hempur. As Director General of the Remount Veterinary Services, he would be the custodian of the largest organised equine and canine breeding, rearing, training and health-care operations in the country.
Beyond disability In an effort towards enhancing the opportunities for gainful employment for persons with disabilities, “A Courier Collection Centre” was established for the first time within the entire services fraternity, at the Army Headquarters here. This has been started by the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) and D.T.D.C courier and Cargo Ltd, under Mission – Ability Beyond Disability . The Army has a large number of soldiers who suffered injuries and disabilities due to a variety of reasons while in service. Ventures such as this aim at their economic rehabilitation as well as that of the kin of the affected army personnel.
Hawk training Even as the IAF is waiting to get the first of the spanking new Hawk 100 Advance Jet Trainers (AJT) from British Aerospace, the first lot of pilots have already begun training on these jets at the Royal Air Force (RAF) valley in Britain. Till last month, the IAF pilots sent to the RAF valley were being trained on the older version of the Hawks. However, a group of instructors from the IAF and test pilots from HAL are now being provided training on the new Hawks trainers which BAE has manufactured specially for India. India has signed an 800-million-pound deal with BAE for the purchase of 66 Hawks AJTs, which also includes the training of the pilots. Two courses of six IAF instructors will undergo training on the new Hawks till September, just before the first of the Hawks’ gets delivered to the IAF. As of now three of the 24 Hawks being manufactured by BAE for India are being used for the training purposes. Since 42 jets would be manufactured at HAL, its set of test pilots are also undergoing training on the aircraft.
RTI at Army HQ Provost Marshal at the Adjutant General’s branch, Major General AC Soneja, has been designated as the new appellate authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for the Army Headquarters. Maj Gen Soneja will receive all appeals relating to the Army under RTI Act at the postal address: Intergrated Head Quarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army), DHQ Post, New Delhi-110001. Till now this authority was vested in the Director General (Discipline, Ceremonial,
Welfare) at the Army HQ. |
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