How are we going to deal with these Maoists?

Twenty-six CRPF hawans were killed in the Maoists’ attack in Narayanpur in Chhattishargh the other day. There may be various explanations regarding the massive toll of the paramilitary force personnel. But nothing would save the lives of the security people.

One may say the jawans were trying to defuse a mine when the explosion occurred. The explanation may centre on nothing being basically wrong with the tactic to deal with the dreaded extremists.

There can be no gentle way of dealing with those who kill the security forces. In April, 76 CRPF jawans were done to death by the Maoists. On Wednesday, seven jawans were injured in a mine blast in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.

A lot of threadbare discussions have been held to deal with the extremists who get support from the local people as well as from outside. There is trepidation to deploy the Army to quell the Maoists. Maybe, the Army could be the last weapon, the Brahmastra.

Even otherwise, the Central and State governments should be able to devise ways in which people would be able to live peaceful lives. The state of under-development should also be solved along with measures to dismantle the Maoist infrastructure.

World should appreciate India’s tolerance towards Pakistan; India, Pak cannot afford war

In spite of direct attacks in the core of India like the one on Parliament and the other in Mumbai, the world had felt relieved that India had not declared a war on Pakistan.

A war between two nuclear powers cannot be limited. And when there is nothing unfair in war, one cannot imagine what would be the consequences.

A nuclear war, normally, will not limit itself to the areas of the direct enemies. The result could be a world war. Anyone can perceive the danger.

Now India and Pakistan are trying to find some thread to pursue the composite dialogue. Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, Nirupama Rao and Salman Bashir, have commenced talks to find ways by which the ties could be normalized. At present the state of affairs is not normal.

Players in Pakistan, whether state-supported or non-state ones, are able to create considerable trouble in India, for which they garner support from at least some elements in India. Otherwise, attacks against Parliament and in Mumbai could not have been arranged in such blatant manner. Let humanity be grateful that a nuclear war between the two nations had not ensued.

Now it would be wiser on the part of both countries to be realistic and take up positions that would ease tensions.

The art of being loquacious using a few words

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan was at his best in expressing intended information with the help of a few words during the Cabinet briefing on Wednesday.

About IG Tomin Thachankary interacting with those connected with extremism in the Gulf, he said the Union Government has sent a letter to the Chief Secretary in this regard and they will give proper reply.

He won’t explain more about it. Why should he clarify anything more? Everything is cocooned in one golden sentence. That Tomin Thachankary had discussions with those who have links with extremist elements, the Union Government has sought a report from the State Government and the latter would take prompt action is very clear in his observation.

Some things are said the less would be better has been proved correct.

BJP-Nitish war hotting up in Bihar

By O.J.George

Bihar is a boiling cauldron now, because of the turf war between BJP and Janata Dal (United).Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been the poster boy of JD(U) even as the party has been running a government with the BJP as an alliance partner.

The BJP seems to have sensed advantage by roping in controversial Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, to make a roller coaster ride of Bihar. And Narendra Modi copiously distributed posters with himself and Nitish Kumar in bonhomie.
Going by the developments afterwards, Nitish Kumar became furious and he does not want to have any truck with Narendra Modi.

Nitish did not ask anybody but returned the Rs five crore donated by Gujarat as assistance to be given for the Kosi flood victims.
BJP has not taken this rude gesture kindly. BJP’s state leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushilkumar Modi retorted by calling off the joint campaign tour to be undertaken along with Nitish.

The rhetoric would be nothing short of rancor in the coming days. Mind you, Assembly elections in Bihar would be held this year.

Apparently, Nitish wants to go it alone, but the BJP does not care less.

Corporate growth could be wholesome, but agricultural growth is dismal

Share sales, IT sector expansion, strides in science and technology etc may be comfy in the country, but the lot of the farmers are not that cosy. In fact, the farmers have not gained much in wealth creation for themselves.

When we are skyrocketing in space age applications, back on the land, the tillers and the sowers are trying to inch forward in their life realms.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has underscored the need for doubling the agricultural growth rate at the earliest.

Delivering a lecture at the G B Pant University in Uttarkhand, he spoke about the urgent need to provide more investments in the farm sector, boost productivity and make the ryots' lives livable, if not prosperous.

In recent years, there have been thousands of cases of farmers’ suicide. Perhaps, there might have been slight improvement in the situation.

But one should ponder over the dichotomy between the rich enriching themselves at one go on account of the measures launched by the government, and the farmers and the poor not being able to catch up with the all-round developments otherwise. If they wallow in misery and penury for years together, one cannot call the country a welfare state even if it achieves gloriously in other sectors.

MNCs, global and national, may be going on a development-spree, the nation may be brimming with wealth, but if the downtrodden are not looked after well, there would be nothing to gloat about on becoming aristocratic in other spheres. The main plank is the farming sector and the farmers constitute the mainstream.

The economy has been thrown open to the money seekers at one go, and they readily flourish, but welfare measures have not kept up pace with the prevailing welfare set-up available in other open economies.

How many days will we celebrate the Anderson thing and then forget about it, pursuing another story?

Media hype is ephemeral, and it seems there is no dogged pursuing of an issue to its natural ending. This happens to be because public memory is short. And people forget about even the bitterest thing after a while, for there are other issues cropping up by the day.

Now no one speaks about Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar, after the eloquent poor guy has been shown the door. It seems IPL anti-hero Lalit Modi may also escape hype coverage and he may escape.

After the Warren Anderson issue became active following the court verdict, Sharad Pawar’s alleged family involvement in the IPL deal seems to be left to oblivion.
All these years we have not been touching upon the fact that the criminal case against Indian managers of Union Carbide has been whittled down by the Supreme Court itself and that consequently, the trial court could not go beyond giving a maximum sentence of two years’ jail term.

No one had challenged the verdict of the Supreme Court. And all these years when the case against the Indian managers of the company has been going on, the fact about Warren Anderson absconding has not been hyped. He has not even been declared a proclaimed offender.

Will the production of Warren Anderson in court provide succour to the millions of victims of Bhopal gas tragedy? While we may pursue the issue of getting hold of Warren Anderson, let everything be done to alleviate the sufferings of the victims.

Inhouse plot executed with precision, Karanavar’s murder exposed a heinous mind

Karanavar’s murder, an inhouse plot executed with heinous motive of a woman who dons the role of his daughter-in-law, to enjoy life to the brim at all costs, had hogged headlines everywhere.

It seems this woman, a mother herself, was not happy with the marital ties she had, a knot with a man who is not quite well.

With the wealth and concomitant luxury available at the expense of father-in-law Karanavar who had toiled hard in the US to save the money, she was spoiling herself in cahoot with criminal elements in carnal pleasures.

Now where has she landed up after planning the bloody deed? In Central Prison, for life. Several lives have been put in jeopardy by the machinations of the gang involved.

It is intriguing to note that the incident occurred at Cheriyanad which is a panchayat notified as litigation controlled. But it has also been the native place of infamous Sukumara Kurup, who is absconding for decades together for doing away with the life of film representative Chacko for encashing insurance benefits.
But then, areas do not have any speciality with regard to crimes or absence of them. Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace is now-a-days the haven of criminals, it has been reported.

Life of luxury, pleasures, sleaze, corruption, criminal acts attracting the youth is really dangerous.

Was there sincere effort to provide relief, rehabilitation to Bhopal gas tragedy victims?

It is doubtful whether anyone took sincere effort to provide succor to the millions of Bhopal gas tragedy victims.

At least after the fall of Herr Hitler, Nazi concentration camp victims and sufferers were provided with relief all sorts.

Here millions were dead and other millions were living death-in-life lives on account of Bhopal gas leak from Union Carbide company.

The total solatium was restricted to 470 million US dollars. The criminal charge was diluted from culpable homicide not amounting to murder ( 304 of IPC) to negligible offence like careless in upkeep of the gas in the company.

One cannot blame the present court which awarded two years’ jail term to eight Indian officials of the company. The Supreme Court itself had diluted the framing of charges, of course on some petition. Now Justice Ahmadi who was part of this decision says no one had gone in appeal against this verdict of the apex court.
Justice Ahmadi has also cited a provision to the effect that there cannot be vicarious responsibility in criminal cases.

So, perhaps we were correct in arraigning the boat driver for the Thekkady boat tragedy? KTDC chairman and other top officials could not be tried for vicarious responsibility?

Now what are we going to do about paying adequate amount of compensation to all Bhopal gas tragedy victims? Will the group of ministers’ conclave actually work out some gracious settlement?

Not even vicarious responsibility for Warren Anderson, not even a judicial comment?


The court did not even pass an obiter dictum, some comment about the vicarious responsibility of the MNC Union Carbide.

No doubt, the court restricted itself to the case in hand regarding the responsibility of the Indian operators of Union Carbide for the gas leak in Bhopal in 1984 killing 10,000 people and injuring, maiming and incapacitating, may be, lakhs of people over a period of time.

The present court verdict has bestowed on eight Indian accused the maximum punishment allowed by the Supreme Court for carelessness and allied offences. The Supreme Court had excised the CBI move for charging culpable homicide not amounting to murder. That charge would have bestowed on them , may be, 10 years of imprisonment.
US citizen Warren Anderson, the global corporate chairman then, was earlier held and enlarged on bail and the gentleman is absconding.

People definitely can go in appeal. Maybe in course of time, the Supreme Court may review its decision. But how many years after the occurrence of the disaster?

Change the rules relating to holders of fake currencies received from banks, treasury etc

The common refrain is to destroy the fake currency once it is detected to avoid complications. The problem arises because of criminal proceedings being initiated against a person getting a counterfeit note.

These days people get cash from ATMs where currencies of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations are dispensed. ATMs have no human touch. One cannot tell the dispenser about the fake currency. He has to go to a bank branch whose people would wash their hands off. If the aggrieved goes to register a complaint with the police, the complainant is looked upon as the culprit.

Latest reports speak about counterfeit notes dished out from government treasury to employees who drew their salaries. The treasury gets the cash from the banks. Where do the aggrieved people go to get justice?

The solution lies with simplifying the procedures dealing with complaints. If the complainant is not harassed, the police would get an opportunity to pursue the case and get at the root of the problem one way or other.

No person holding a fake currency as received from bank or treasury or other institutions or joints should be treated as a culprit. On the other hand, instances of filing complaints should be encouraged so that proper investigation can be undertaken in the case of all instances.

No doubt there is a churning process on in West Bengal, against CPM

The local bodies polls results too reflects the losing grip of the CPM among the electorate in West Bengal. Something has gone wrong for that party in the state as evidenced by the setback in the last Lok Sabha elections and now the municipal polls.

Politburo member M.K.Pandhe has pointed out that the CPM registered better performance in the municipal elections than in the previous Lok Sabha elections. It may have marginal gains, which do not justify continuation of the people’s mandate.
However, the Forward Bloc, a partner of the Left Front, is not in agreement with the argument that the outcome of the municipal polls would have no relevance to the ensuing Assembly elections.

Stormy petrel Mamata Banerjee all alone, ditching the Congress, has achieved this feat of conquering the CPM at its bastion. The fact that the CPM is facing a sort of rout in a State which was its total fiefdom for three decades continuously is really stunning.

It appears stop-gap changes and acceptance of support from elements in an indirect way may not help the party very much. But no one can blame the party for looking at all avenues to shore up its lost ground.

Constitutionally, the Left Front Government can cling on for nearly a year for the Assembly elections. Calling for snap polls or not vests entirely within the prerogative of the ruling front.