Where is the demarcation line? Cannot all details of scribes’ involvement in politically murky affairs be published?

Things are taking a serious turn with Kuldip Nayar preparing to approach the Press Council of India about journalists’ involvement in string pulling for appointment of particular persons as minister and helping out 2G spectrum allotment scam offenders.

Simultaneously Ratan Tata is moving the Supreme Court, as per channel reports, trying to put a stop to further publication of telephonic talks between scribes and political leaders and the like.

If there is no scurrilous and sexually explicit or other incendiary content in it, what is the harm in publishing the telephone conversation details?

Now the US Government is dumb struck by Wikileaks, still it apparently is not gagging the move to publish content. The US government is only alerting those concerned with the leak exercise that things may go wrong.

Our democracy is also developing fast and there should not be a full-stop to opening up. Leaks about conversations of Radia, Barkha Dutt, or Vir Sanghvi are not enough. If there are conversations and involvement of others, let the full content come out. Let the people know, for these are not private affairs of individuals, but these are affairs of the state and therefore it is of concern to the people.

Bihar had never been governed well, Nitish had given a semblance of good governance and he has won

Times are changing. The Yadav magic is not shining anymore in Bihar. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party had to bite the dust in the Assembly elections in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal(U) and ally BJP are coming back to power. He would be sworn in Chief Minister on Friday.

One could see the good governance of Nitish Kumar at the Centre as Railway Minister. He had strengthened the kitty of the railways where a separate security fund was created for maintenance and renovation of old infrastructure.

When Lalu Prasad Yadav became the Railway Minister he presented himself as a great minister pointing to the robust financial health of the railways. In fact, he had scrapped the security fund which was merged with the general fund. Congress Party had to just look askance at the gaffe of Lalu for coalition compulsions.

Anyway Nitish Kumar had shown his mettle. And now he ruled Bihar with confidence and conviction. Lalu Yadav had earlier trumpeted that his people are poor, they don’t need good roads for vehicles to ply on . When floods ravaged the state, he had said people would welcome it as they could easily catch fish and eat it.

Such wide-mouthing would not carry the day always. If the Nitish Kumar way of development is continued, the state may go in for better times.

Congress has no efficient local leaders there. And so it could not reap better results.

Will it be a setback for BJP’s grandstanding?

The latest speak about BJP’s Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa refusing to kowtow to the central leadership’s inclination for him to quit. In New Delhi, where he landed for consultations and meetings rather late, he made it clear that he would not resign over the land scam imbroglio.

He also said that no one had told him to call it a day. It was at a time when the BJP wanted to take the moral high ground in Parliament over its stance on the 2 G spectrum allocation scandal rocking Parliament and tweaking the ears of the Congress Party for its inaction, not to mention the Supreme Court’s demand for an affidavit regarding the Prime Minister’s alleged procrastination. The PMO has denied any instance of inaction, all the same the government was put at unease.

Now the BJP should be in trouble if Yeddyurappa finally refuses to fall in line. Usually, in such political situations, the people concerned take a so-called brave stand to strike some sort of a rapprochement regarding successors and a quiet exit, without much encumbrances falling on them subsequently.

Let us see whether Yeddy’s would also be such a game.

Great positions manned by morally puny figures

We cannot say the corruption, slush and sleaze, no doubt potboiler stuff, are the offshoot of systemic failure. In fact, there is no system failure, the problem is with the persons sitting in responsible positions and doing things without an iota of conscience prick. Moral, ethical dimensions do not deter them to do any underhand dealings.

2G spectrum allocation scam, CWG muddle, Adarsh Housing Society misdeeds, landscam in Karnataka – these have all come out, how many more are yet to be discovered- no doubt, are a symbolism of man’s minds going mean for petty gains.

Two three flats, a few acres of land, a few crores of rupees and the like should be peanut for a Union Minister, Chief Minister and the like. Media specialists functioning as agents for the corrupt have not come out fully. A lot of them are steeped in evil practices for gains. Those among the media who want to pursue an ethical line are not allowed to do so by the evil section straddling senior positons. Such worthies do not deserve any respect. Those who had to bow out on account of the machinations of this type of malevolent actors need not be worried. They may have lost something in the eyes of those seeking worldly pleasures, but their mental framework, the sheer will-power to stand up against evil within the system are all shining like anything. They don’t wither away.

In democratic system, at least a tip of the iceberg of corruption gets unravelled. In totalitarian systems, nothing comes out until the system itself perishes.

Those couched in top positions should have sufficient results kept in their kitty at the end of the day for them to be happy about. What we see around us are not happy things, but the worst kind of evil.

We have embraced capitalism, but where is the social security network?

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has stressed the need for "institutions and mechanisms that can deliver effectively our promise of livelihood security, the right to education, to employment, to food, to shelter."

This should be pursued in right earnest. He has made a caveat. These things cannot be done from the top. These should have top priority at the state level. No point of difference with him regarding the priority for all-round development.

But I have always been insisting on one thing about social security in the serious sense now that we have opened up our economy, markets, gone in for liberalization, globalization etc in tune with the norms of capitalism.

Where is our social security network as obtaining in capitalistic countries. There should have been a hue and cry from the political parties for institutionalizing a federalized social security department catering to the people who are jobless and incomeless.

Countries like the UK are going in for slashing the benefits for those taking unduly advantage of the welfare network. Mind you incomeless people are given as much as 850 pounds a week for their survival in many forms.

Here we have allowed big companies and corporates to reap rich harvest from the opened up market and economy. Parallel work for setting up effective social security network has not even begun. One may say Mahatma Gandhi job scheme is there. That is not the sort of social security scheme running successfully in capitalist countries.

One can say the economy is robust, growth is forward and the like. But we are backward in the matter of taking care of the incomeless people. There should be a social security network as a federal scheme taking care of all the people of all states, to be taken care of by a single department.

Is it possible to simply ask Tecom to butt out?

Smart City project in Kochi has been much touted for creating a lot of jobs in the IT sector benefiting the educated unemployed in the state. After four and a half years of its stone-laying, the project has not moved an inch forward. No doubt, political interference has stalled the project.

It was the previous government led by Congress leader Oommen Chandy that had mooted the project. The subsequent V.S.Achuthanandan government has not been amenable to some of the provisions of the agreement entered into between executing company, Tecom, and the government.

Achuthanandan government may have scored a point by saying that it was not giving over the existing IT park for free. But then was it forced to give freehold rights to Tecom? The government says there was no such provision, but Tecom insists on freehold rights of 28 acres, that is 12 per cent of the total extent of 236 acres. Oommen Chandy says there was no word, freehold, in the previous agreement.

Legal stalwarts should have been retained before signing the agreement. International companies dod that, but Kerala leaders limit legal advice to the one being given to it by the politically submissive lawyers. That will not do when it comes to issues that come up in the international arena.

Now, if Tecom is asked to butt out, will it sit idle? It will go before international legal fora for sufficient compensation. Adjudication, if any, would also entail huge compensatory provisions. Political oral blitzkrieg would not deter international companies from fleecing their pound of flesh.

Now it is the turn for Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi

Muthuvel Karunanidhi’s children are lucky like the father. Their turn would come on a platter. Now that A. Raja’s fate as a Union Minister appears to be sealed, judging from the turmoil in Parliament, stiff opposition from political rivals and comments from the Supreme Court, who could be the successor to him in the Union Ministry?

No doubt, it would be none other than the poet-writer MP Kanimozhi. Earlier, she was elected to the Rajya Sabha. And she has been doing a fine job in Delhi, positively championing the cause of DMK and her family.

It has been only because the DMK’s support was indispensable for the Congress-led UPA II Government at the Centre that Raja remained in the ministry in spite of strong opposition arising from the 2 G spectrum scam. Coalition compulsions have been holding the fort for him so far as his mentor Karunanidhi stood with him.

Now whatever may be said about it otherwise, archrival J.Jayalalithaa’s missive offering unconditional support to the UPA II Government if Raja is ousted may prove to be a big pressure against him.

Kanimozhi’s days of reckoning are ready in Delhi, it seems

Fresh air of freedom for Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar

Definitely, Myanmar is a peculiar country where democracy has no sway. Everything is decided by the military junta. For the last 30 years at least there has been constant and continuing struggle for freedom and democratic exercise for the people, mostly led by a single woman leader- Aung San Suu Kyi.

Her party had won the election years ago, but the military dictators did not allow her to take over the reign. Instead she was put in house arrest, a euphemism for imprisonment. She was leading her life like this for 15 years.

Her term of incarceration should have ended in 2009, but the same was extended for the act of someone swimming into her place of residence. Now she has been released. Will the junta allow her to take up democratic campaign and propaganda? The whole world has been putting pressure on the military regime to release her. At least now, it has obliged, but will it tolerate a different voice?

In apartheid –ridden South Africa, Nelson Mandela was put in prison for decades, and it was solitary confinement and doing the work of blasting rocks. At last he had to be released. The world rejoiced at that.

Cloistered Myanmar should not be allowed to continue with military dictatorship, not allowing dissent. The world is too large with different opinions elsewhere and Myanmar cannot be militarily autocratic. Human kind cannot go on praising the rulers, and that too the military variety.

Indian citizens should consider it their great blessing to have a democratic republic where the people can voice any kind of assertions. Sometimes people go overboard and speak about things bordering on maybe sedition. Still, we are a tolerant nation.
Let all people of all the world enjoy a breath of fresh air of freedom and equity. Let Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Myanmar enjoy freedom.

Jayalalithaa is striking a cordial note with Sonia Gandhi

Refurbishing her ambitions to corner a plum place at the national politics, AIADMK chief of Tamil Nadu, J.Jayalalithaam has offered the cake to the Congress Party. She would support the Congress-led UPA II Government at the Centre, provided Minister for Communications, A.Raja of the DMK, struggling with the 2 G spectrum allocation scam, is jettisoned from the Dr Manmohan Singh Ministry.

She has also made it clear that issues with Sonia Gandhi were a thing of the past. She knows it too well that without entering the heart of Sonia Gandhi, her voyage seeking fresh pastures would prove futile.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, in his report, had stated that as much as Rs 1.76 lakh crore was lost to the national exchequer owing to the shabby way in which the 2 G spectrum was allocated to private entities.
The Supreme Court had also made unsavoury references to the continuance of Raja in the ministry in spite of the allegations.

The surprise announcement of Jayalalithaa, through select media, could not have been at a more opportune time when Parliament is embroiled in continued turmoil over Raja’s irregularities and other issues. No one had approached her seeking support and the Congress has been guarded in its reaction. It just noted Jayalalithaa’s feelings and left it at that saying as of now its ally is the DMK, her bête noire.
She has only nine MPs when the ruling dispensation at the Centre would need the support of at least 18 MPs, if the DMK pulls out of the coalition. She would say she has the number in her kitty, offered by her allies. No doubt, all of them would fleece a pound of flesh from the fresh move.

The impact of the swift turn-around could be gauged from the fact that DMK chief M.Karunanidhi has decided to look into the report of the CAG. His daughter Kanimozhi, MP, has rushed to meet senior leader Pranab Mukherjee of the Congress Party, who is an efficient trouble-shooter.

In a way, things have started moving at the politicalscape in New Delhi as well. Congress had shown the way by taking action against Ashok Chavan and Suresh Kalmadi who were enmeshed in Adarsh Housing Society and Commonwealth Games scams. Coalition compulsions had deterred it from taking suo motu action, but has left it to the DMK to follow suit.

Certain nations not happy with Obama’s concurrence for India’s membership

The latest is that Germany and Japan have expressed their dissatisfaction over US President Obama’s approval of India getting a permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

These and some other countries have been angling for a slot in the Security Council. The world has transformed much after the end of World War II when the contours of the Security Council were drawn.

The winners, the US, UK, Russia (formerly Soviet Union),France and China, have been automatically chosen to be the permanent members of the Security Council. The present China was not there as such. It was Kuomintang China, which was replaced later by China. India was approached by the great powers to become a member before China was admitted. India had suggested that China of Mao Tse Tung should be admitted to the Security Council.

Now the very same China is dilly-dallying over India’s representation proposal. That is the fate of history. Opportunities should be grabbed without looking into the ethics of posts being got, according to opportunists, not only in the international arena, but even in personal life. Still there is a charisma and enthusiasm about being broadminded and following ethics and moral principles. Not many can follow the diktat of ethics.

Now the Communists, including Prakash Karat and A.B. Bardhan have expressed their opposition to the ties being broadened between India and the US. Maybe it is true, India should have to bear more liabilities when it would get the membership in the reformed UN Security Council. There should be a price being paid for every accretion.

Correct yourself, even if you are Obama

Comparisons are odious, if one attempts to do that between the elections in the US and those in Kerala. The parties are different, the cultures are diametrically opposite, the ways of life are not linear.

Still there can be some sort of a general reference. Obama had romped home to victory as the US President, the first African-American one in the history of that great nation, on the plank of ‘change’.

People overwhelmingly supported him. Two years down the lane, people have felt that ‘change’ for the better is not that on the way. His party, the Democratic Party, has got majority in the Senate, though in a reduced way, but rival, Republican Party, has gained 50 per cent majority in the House of Representatives, which is the lower house of the Congress.

That means Obama cannot get his legislations passed in the House of Representatives without the support of the Republican Party. For sure, the American people would see to it that on policy matters the parties may join together and work for the betterment of the people who are now seeped in a situation of rising unemployment and weak economy.

What about the Communists-led LDF in Kerala, India, where they got a drubbing in the local administration bodies elections. The LDF may have done something in the ruling realms. But the people were not enamoured. In a democracy, the people have to feel the affability of the administrators.

It is here that many operators in the political and administrative arenas have failed. The people should be respected. When we refer to people, they are vast and variegated. You cannot call them names, cannot humiliate them, on the contrary they should feel that the government is with them.

No section of the people can be ignored and they should not be termed as abominable. If there are criminals among them, action should be taken against such elements in accordance with the provisions of the law of the land. Others should be roped in for good governance.

Mind you, people should not be laughed at for their faith or non-faith.
The LDF may have opportunities to launch a diatribe against the UDF during the 2011-2016 period when the players in the UDF may not be able to cater to the interests of all the sections clinging on with it.

Party can arraign him, but was it possible for VS to justify the lottery fraud?

Reports speak about CPM leadership putting the blame squarely on Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan for the debacle in the election to the local bodies in Kerala, maybe citing the single reason that he opposed the stance taken by strong forces in the party in the lottery issue.

He was blamed earlier for the body blow received by the party in the Lok Sabha elections on account of his stance in the SNC Lavalin issue. The party was dealing with the issue legally and politically when VS had taken stern stance.

Forget about Lavalin and all that, but in the lottery fiasco, could it have been possible for VS to justify the forces which were supporting draw of lotteries which were dubbed fishy? Transparency has been totally lacking in the running of outside lotteries in Kerala. Those supporting this sort of lotteries were basing their arguments on the situation that the Central law was standing in the way of taking action against spurious lotteries.

At the same time, some legal pundits have pointed out that there are provisions in the Central Act itself empowering the states to take action against erring lotteries. Recently, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee himself had said that the states have the power to deal with faulty operators.

Therefore, could it be possible for a Chief Minister to support erring people. Everyone knows that such lotteries do not have transparency and that they were taking advantage of gullible poor people on a large scale.

Lo, 50 per cent women are being positioned in our local bodies, polls under way

Mullappally Ramachandran may say people cannot vote fearlessly in Kerala, India. State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan may pooh-pooh the allegation of the Union Minister. No doubt, people can understand a little bit of politicking.

However, the beauty of it all in Kerala is that 2.50 crore people are exercising their franchise for electing the leadership of various local bodies. This is for the first time that the local bodies would have 50 per cent women representing the people. In other states, such a scenario cannot be dreamed as of now.

The polling has already begun on Saturday (October 23) in seven districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts. In the other seven districts-Idukki, Kottayam, Alapuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram- polling would be held on October 25.

Brisk polling has been registered in the Malabar area of the State. There are 978 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 60 municipalities and five city corporations in the state. Of the 60 municipalitiesm, election is being held only in 59 municipalities as the term of the Mattannur municipality will expire only in 2011. Of the 21,612 total wards, women will don the leadership positions in half of them.

Paper ballots are being used in all panchayats and electronic voting machines in municipalities and corporations.

As many as 8,000 EVMs are being used in the municipalities and corporations. There are 40,000 polling booths and 2.6 lakh polling officials.

Gandhiji’s gram swaraj may be eluding the nation, garbage clearance may be the worst problem for the people and no one is taking care of the issue for a solution on a permanent basis, still the people have a prominent role in all areas of the realm through local bodies.

Let us not miss the woods for the trees, in the lottery fiasco

A lot of hot discussions are going on about the lottery fiasco in Kerala, which is running the state lottery without any hitch.

The problem is with regard to outside lotteries that have been fleecing the gullible poor man for a long time now.

Those who seek action against the erring lotteries are drawing attention to the well-run Kerala lottery which is transparent and the outside lotteries, particularly the Bhutan and Sikkim varieties.

No one in the state would have any doubt about the hanky panky in the outside lottery. The affairs are not transparent. No one knows who all got the prizes. Neither is the way the lottery is being run.

Ordinary folks used to purchase tickets in bulk, thinking that they would get Rs 5,000 each for the last three digits or so. If one gets a Rs 5,000 winning once, he would go on buying lottery tickets in bulk. The reality is that the people are not aware of the venue where the draw is conducted or whether the first and bumper prizes are given at all.

The blame game has been going on in Kerala as to who should take action against the erring lotteries. Now it is time for the authorities to clear up the mess. No one should be allowed to run spurious lotteries. The people should know where the draw is conducted and who are all getting the sprizes.

The authorities cannot hoodwink the people anymore.

Who said India is down in the dumps in the Commonwealth Games?

Overall performance of Indian sportspersons in the Delhi Commonwealth Games has been scintillating. The last event was the crown of all other events when Saina Nehwal won the gold in the badminton women’s singles.

And this gold has contributed to India finishing second in the medal haul in the Delhi CWG. India bagged 38 gold and altogether 101 medals.

Without this win, India would have been relegated to the back with a third position. Now England has been placed on the third slot.

India is traditionally a slow starter. In the case of Saina also she had lost the first set. But she rallied to grab the second and third sets.

Even in organising the event, the country has been abysmally slow and had suffered a lot in the international media about shoddy arrangements. But in the end everything had been placed all right.

But one thing should be sure, when India haggles for holding the Olympic Games, this lethargy should be nipped in the bud.

Everyone who should be impartial is partial in Karnataka

The drama of a trust vote in Karnataka is over and BJP’s B.S.Yeddyurappa Government has been saved by the skin at the intervention of Speaker K.G.Bopaiah. By a simple voice vote, claiming the support of 106 members, apparently the government secured trust vote, maybe in a tainted way.

The Speaker early morning disqualified 11 rebel BJP MLAs and five independents. They were not allowed to enter the precincts of the Assembly. Some of the independents had barged in but they were restrained by security people, including the police. What a shame, the police had to be called in at the sacred precincts of the Assembly.

Does the Speaker has the power to disqualify independents at all? Can disqualification proceedings commence before the members defy the party whip?
Governor H.R.Bharadwaj had issued an advisory to the Speaker to allow all the members to participate in the trust vote. But that advice was not taken kindly by the Speaker.

Now the dissidents are planning to move the court against the tainted trust vote.
Meanwhile, the BJP has called for the recall of the Governor who is allegedly pro-Congress.

In Karnataka, the political situation is quite confusing.

Yeddyurappa the most opposed CM from within the ranks

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa has stood steadfast as of now amidst domineering opposition. His government has been rattled from Day One by rebels from his own party.

It stands as a black mark for the BJP which had cobbled up a government in the Southern States for the first time. But then everyone is fated. Yeddy’s fate has so far been secure in spite of nagging worries on all days.

This time too he feels the problem would solve itself and he would prove his majority on the floor of the House on October 11. His hope against hope is that the rebels would come back. How, no one knows. He may be banking on the central leadership of the BJP to save his face. If Yeddy goes, the party withers away in Karnataka. That feeling may incite even his opponents among the central leadership to somehow save his fate.

Deve Gowda’s party had indirectly facilitated the success of Yeddy earlier. That party had ditched Yeddy at the crucial time, after receiving its support for more than two years. Now Janata Dal is trying to cobble up a government with the support of the Congress and independents.

Politics is like that, and anything can happen.

What had happened to Mani Shankar Aiyyar?

Well-read, well-experienced Mani Shankar Aiyyar has been the single most outspoken person against India hosting the Commonwealth Games. The diatribes were without offering an escape route of give and take.

He may have reasons for the grievous criticism he thought fit to lavish on the organizers. He had put up a proposal earlier when he was in charge of sports affairs to set up sports facilities in each village, costing crores of rupees. And the next day he was divested of the sports portfolio.

Aiyyar has said the country should have made preparations for years together after setting up facilities all over the country. There is a point in his argument, but his criticism has gone overboard.

Good that Aiyyar thought it fit to be out of the country when the Delhi Commonwealth Games are being played out.

India’s system is a peculiar one, with a lot of corruption, lethargy, babudom and nobody taking responsibility. Still it would out-manoeuvre all obstacles and put the best in place.

India is on the verge of playing out as a developed country even as nearly half of the 1.2 billion population is not living a decent life of income and facilities.
Mani Shankar Aiyyar’s criticism was a little too much. Wasn’t it?

Let Mandir-Masjid co-exist, let peace rule Ayodhya and elsewhere

The Ayodhya verdict by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court should ultimately pave the way for co-existence of a Mandir and Masjid at the place held sacred by both communities.

For years we have been concerned about the fate of this issue and have been anxious about the fall-out of any one-sided initiative. Now after about 60 years of legal wrangling, at least the High Court come to a conclusion, which allows a Mandir and Masjid to come about in the plot concerned.

The parties concerned can definitely approach the Supreme Court and seek final conclusion. In fact, that step should be pursued since the problem has not been settled outside the court. If it is a court solution, let it have the seal of approval of the apex court as well, whatever be the outcome.
Hair-splitting arguments apart, the nation seeks resolution of the issue amicably through court or otherwise.

Now that a legal decision has come which allows sharing of the property by both communities, there is scope for India as a nation to face the facts boldly and resolve the most contentious issue.

The scope would enable the people to leapfrog into ambitious growth and development. The people should feel that they are now unbound by the debilitating issue.
 

The question is whether the Ayodhya verdict can be delivered

The moot-question is whether the Ayodhya verdict on the Ramajanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue can be delivered. The crucial problem has arisen on account of the fact that one of the judges of the three-member bench at Lucknow of the Allahabad High Court is slated to retire from service on September 30.

If the verdict is stayed beyond his retirement date, the whole exercise of determining the title of the disputed site would have to be decided afresh by going into all the aspects from the very beginning.

It seems people have been concerned about the stay granted by the Supreme Court on the issuance of the verdict by the Lucknow bench thinking that the apex court would not determine the issue before September 30.

To me that seems far-fetched. The Supreme Court which has decided to look into the question on September 28 can settle the issue on that day itself and if not possible the next day. This would enable the Lucknow bench to deliver the verdict on time.

If political parties decide to remain unruffled, the verdict on the title suit would not cause much damnation. In India, the political plank is the strongest. They can make or mar the very edifice of the society. Let the political stalwarts decide to rest the issue with the courts. The decision of the Lucknow bench is not the final answer. The disputing agents can appeal before the Supreme Court and can have threadbare arguments.

The most important aspect for Indians should be maintenance of peace and tranquility. In a world beset with umpteen and variegated problems, this should not batter India and its edifice.

Do everything to salvage Delhi CWG

When the opening ceremony is fast approaching, the Commonwealth Games preparations in Delhi are under strident criticism. In a diversified democratic country like India, decisions on anything are often delayed, execution further delayed, if not done. We are loquacious about everything, but not in the matter of implementation.

The government which had fought hard to fetch the rights for CWG in Delhi definitely should evince that keenness to provide proper facilities. We have heard that the participating countries were offered one lakh dollars each and all expenses of the visiting teams would be met by India. We had got seven years to make preparations. Still last-minute arrangements are not completed. It was expected that everything should have been got ready six months ago.

Various countries have complained about the sub-standard nature of facilities. Moreover, many countries are not sure about the security being provided in India.
To make matters worse, the overbridge near the stadium has collapsed. Sure, something has gone amiss.

And terrorists have contributed to creating some sort of panic. Still, the government is firm we would hold the Games come what may.

Withdrawal of a few sportspersons may not have a killer effect, all the same the sheen may have been shorn off.

Even at the last minute, something could be done for the smooth conduct of the Games.

Develop three-dimensional reporting for the print medium

By O.J.George

Surf the internet for views on the print medium and its survival and future. No one is prepared to vouch for bright prospects for the newsprint product in the world of new developments in communication and dissemination. Definitely, these forecasts have relevance, mostly in the developed world.

However, it could be a universal truth that wherever vernacular papers cater to the cultural, social and religious ethos and when people are living in a community as inter-locked as in Kerala, readers would wait for the newspaper boy early morning.

There can be no cessation of interest in the matter, even as we have heard the main points of the same news items the previous day in numerous channels criss-crossing the state.

This does not mean that the newspapers should not change in their treatment of ingredients being dished out to the readers. There is no point in continuing to display news items in the five Ws and one H mode. Newspapers should find a way-out and give a product which would be something different and more analytical and appreciative.

The very concept of writing for newspapers should undergo a sea-change, for which the scribes have to be properly trained. But where is the training and where are the youngsters queuing up for a print medium job?

Mainstream Malayalam newspapers have started putting in more effort to include more stories of their own, other than the hard news items available and which cannot be spiked.

There were times of yore when front pages contained only classified advertisements. We have come a long way. Chronological reporting was the order of the day at one time. Minute-by-minute, blow by blow accounts of incidents and events were being reported accurately, disregarding the most important aspect of what transpired at the venue.

Then again there was transformation by giving the most important news point first and presenting the news story in an inverted pyramid structure. Still, there was great importance given to stenographic reporting. The coverage given to a political leader could be adjudged best if everything from A to Z he had said was carried.

Later, more involvement of the scribe in the content of what was being reported came into being. Developing the story from points jotted down and giving a tilt or twist had become quintessential.
Now these criteria would not suffice anymore for the print medium, which should develop a three-dimensional style incorporating the five Ws and one H as embedded points in an analytical piece on what transpired. The impact story would have more takers among readers, for, otherwise there would be nothing new for them.

Newspaper managements know how to sustain themselves and thrive. That is whey the media-mix has come into being. Many of the newspapers have their own channels which attract combined ad income for the channel as well as their print entity. Those who don’t have their own channels are apparently training themselves to launch one too soon. Others may perhaps have tie-ups.

Morever, the newspapers have their own internet editions through which they justify currency in news dispensation.

Change is, therefore, a must for the print medium, with which they would survive, particularly the vernacular variety with strong societal connections. However, even with all sorts of changes put in, it a moot-questionw whether the best talents can be attracted to the print medium any more. One cannot showcase clichés like ‘remuneration would not be a problem, remuneration package would be the best in the industry’ anymore.

Those gloating in the profession as of now need not be in glee, for the times are as precarious as any danger that might shove them off the hook.

The great democratic exercise at the grass-roots level

Kerala has again become politically vibrant with the announcement of election schedule for the local bodies, which are slated for October 23 and 25. Results would be announced on October 27. The new leadership would be in place on November 1. Mind you, that is the States Reorganisation Day, and is marked as Keralappiravi.

We may speak about political overplay, corruption that dominates various echelons etc, but the very fact that we can conduct elections even at the village level is something of a great achievement compared to many other states.

This time women get 50 per cent of the seats and they have been allotted panchayats, municipalities and corporations where the fair sex would have presiding seats.
Mahatma Gandhi had visualised gram panchayats sans political affiliations. But that cannot be in a state like Kerala which has an overdose of politics. We have seen panchayat regimes changing hands as even one or two persons defect to the other side.

With all these proclivities, let us welcome the great democratic exercise and hope for the best for better development, social awareness, continuing and leapfrogging education, avenues for all for bigtime opportunities in the job sector and what not.
Democracy may be reckoned as something of a cacophony and babble, perceiving certain evil tendencies. But that is definitely the best practice and holding elections every five years speak well of our system to this extent. Remember we had times when panchayat elections could not be held for even 13 years.

Stray thoughts about worldly ways

We have been somewhat okay when substantial parts of the developed world were flapping their hands in recession. And this included the US and the UK.

Countries like India, China etc were having a good time amidst the woes of the West. Did anyone think about the systemic problems?

In developed countries, the governments have to dole out a huge amount to take care of welfare measures.

A lot of families go on living on welfare payments as they don’t have jobs. For them, it is not essential that jobs are there for the asking, for the welfare schemes and cash payments for various activities would be sufficient for a decent living in their own currencies.

Compare this to the situation in countries like India where the economy was thrown open wide, but the governments have not announced parallel measures like the ones existing in capitalist countries for total welfare.

We have announced manual labour jobs for up to 100 days a year at Rs 65 or so, may be Rs 100 in certain states. Even this has not been implemented in full. Still, to the extent the project was implemented in certain states, this was something like a boon.
Compare the situation to the opening up of the economy for two G, three G etc, oil sector, and anything for certain people to mint money, that is in unimaginable proportions.

Our billionaires are not prepared to give anything substantially to charity, even as US billionaires are simply giving away 50 per cent of their earnings.

In the welfare states of the developed world, since they lacked cash during the heaviest recession, the banks in the countries did not mind laundering 352 billion dollars of drug money. The drug cartels, flush with funds, did not mind pumping in this much of money to the economy through banks. They were benefited because of money laundering as their black became white money.

Where can a line be drawn about ethics and morality in dealings?

Unending processes of medical admission

It is a pity that we can’t make a sustainable process for ensuring medical admission in government and private medical colleges in Kerala.
The problem gets vitiated as private medical colleges want to collect hefty fee. The government may say the fee levied by private medical managements is Rs 5.50 lakh and Rs five lakh deposit.

But the grapevine has it that to get medical admission in the management quota would entail up to Rs 50 lakh. I heard someone asking a person involved in private management admission about the hefty fee. The reference was about Rs 20 lakh. Cool came the reply. There is no vacant seat for the next three years. All these seats are filled in advance. Don’t make a mistake, fee payment has also been made in advance. Maybe, most of these seats would be cornered by NRIs.

I always used to wonder why should private institutions charge exhorbitant fee? Many of the managements can easily muster crores of rupees by donation from philanthropists and run these medical colleges charging ordinary fee from competent students.

Why can’t Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Tata and all start medical colleges and IITs at ordinary rates of fee using part of their income? In the US, all billionaires are donating half of their earnings to charities.

After all, an educated and well-equipped India would be a noble thing.

Sell yourself, not this ridiculously

Popular persons promoting various goods and services should be very careful in promotional advertisements. Because of their acceptance in society, particularly among the youth and lower tier of the crown and glory of all creations who are not much of a thinking class, what the hero or heroine thinks, acts and promotes is mimicked.

No doubt, mimicry has gained more acceptance than other basics in the world of make-belief. If we dwell deeply on the goings-on in society, one should recognize the fact that commoners always want someone to lead them.

Suppose those who lead others fall in the category of misleaders, society would have to bear the pangs. The latest report about popular actor Jagathy Sreekumar refusing to do any more promotional advertisements for Sikkim, Bhutan lotteries is relevant in this regard.

The pit-falls into which the gullible public plunge have been unraveled these days in popular dailies. Though belatedly, Jagathy Sreekumar has decided to call it a day

Anand Sharma not game for revoking the rubber decision

Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has categorically made it clear that the slash in import duty for rubber cannot be withdrawn.

Various MPs from Kerala have been after him seeking some favour to save their skin. No MP can justify the reduced import duty. That is why they are doggedly after some authority to get the order revoked.

On Wednesday also the MPs surrounded the Commerce Minister and wanted him to do something.

But the Minister was vehement in his justification of the decision saying the import duty was cut on the advice of an expert committee.
Earlier, there were reports that Rubber Board had wanted no reduction in the import duty.

The decision in question is that for import of one lakh tonnes of natural rubber at 7.50 per cent. Earlier, the import duty was 20 per cent.

Anand Sharma has maintained that the import of one lakh tonnes would not have serious impact in the market.

However, the rubber growers are concerned about the decision which may mar their prospects. Now natural rubber is fetching more for them in the internal market compared to the prices ruling in the international market.

Can’t we do something without any controversy?

Would it be possible to do any good deed without creating a controversy? The instant case refers to the confusion created by someone with regard to conferment of an honorary doctorate on Viswanathan Anand, India’s own chess emperor of the world.
Hyderabad University, which is a Central varsity, wanted to honour Viswanathan Anand and another with a doctorate.

But the extra-curious officials raised a question whether Viswanathan Anand was an Indian, as he has been living in Spain for quite some time.
Cannot an Indian live some time in another country? Was there any doubt about Viswanathan Anand being an Indian when he used to bring laurels for the country in the chess field?

Things are apparently ridiculous, as one ponders over the issue. Thankfully Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal reacted quickly and set the doubts at rest and apologised to Viswanathan Anand and wanted him to accept the honour.
For the present he may not be able to receive it as he is preoccupied with his various championships. Let us hope he would receive the title and receive the honour.

MPs’ salary hike and other things

There can be not much of a dispute regarding the need for our MPs to lead a decent life. No one wants our MPs to lead a miserable life. There are unconfirmed reports about a lot of persons or agencies offering a helping hand to our Parliamentarians one way or the other.

No doubt, a salary of Rs 16,000 per month is too measly. Now that has been raised to Rs 50,000 per month. Fair enough, but their allowances have been raised only to Rs 20,000 from Rs 14,000 per month.

MPs’ minimum pension has been raised from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.
In fact, the Lok Sabha has been adjourned over the division in this regard. Some MPs want a hike in pay of up to 500 per cent.

There are other sumptuary provisions like air travel tickets, free train tickets, phone call charges, office expenses and what not. More than that, all MPs are members of several parliamentary committees. Attendance of these committees will fetch them a lot of money.

There may be objections to the pay hike, even though there is merit in the argument that the MPs’ economic life should be wholesome.

The Constitution of India is framed by “We the people of India” and so MPs themselves can decide on their pay hike. “We the people of India” phrase largely denotes MPs even though it was originally intended to mean all the literate and illiterate human beings of India.

There can be much disparity with regard to pensions for ordinary mortals. There are lakhs of workers under the Employees Provident Fund scheme who receive a monthly pension of roughly Rs 500 per month.

There is a wide chasm existing in this regard. Forget about the plight of ordinary people toiling to fetch a livelihood, fighting between below the poverty line and above the poverty line, standing on the fringes of the demarcating line.
Judges, MPs, officials, workers and pensioners definitely deserve salubrious salaries or allowances. Corporate growth and empowerment of the moneyed class alone should not be the only factors of the economy. All the poor people should be roped in and offered a helping hand. Mind you, we don’t have a welfare scheme as existing in capitalist economies, even though we have opened up our economy.

Films reflecting dimensions of real life experiences lacking in current presentations

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan has rightly observed films should reflect lives and then only there would be progress in the industry.

Malayalam films these days are apparently violence-prone, in the sense even the goody-goody super hero indulges in feats of violence one way or other transcending human frailties. These lack sensibility in the real sense.

I heard a comment by Sathyan Anthikad on television that a super hero’s films started receiving less public acclaim only because his characters had turned super human.
Films are telecast every day, most of whom are projecting super human heroes, that is ordinary heroes accomplishing impossible feats.

It would appear real if they don roles of superman, batman and the like because people expect super human feats from such characters.

Even the ageing actors who have talents in the most accomplished realms have a lot to contribute in a realistic way. Either they are taking up roles of characters transcending reality or they are being conferred with such roles by others to suit their convenience. That way the audience are the loosers, for these actors have the talent to act in other realistic roles fitting their age and experience but such contributions are lacking.

If the present state of affairs continues , there would be disadvantages all around, to the film buffs, the industry and the actors themselves.

Sad news items, what is happening to this world?

Monday morning opened up with the sad news of the train tragedy in West Bengal in which over 50 people were killed and hundreds injured. This could have happened because of human error, it is presumed. Ordinary people are the butt of tragedies caused by absent minds, possibly.

On Sunday, near Tiruvalla, in Kerala, a whole family was enjoying the boon of a new car for them. The father was driving the new vehicle, his two daughters were in the car which was being taken out in reverse gear to go to church. The mother was behind, closing the gate. The car lost control and it plunged into the ferocious river, killing the two girls. The father attempted suicide, but still alive, the mother is shell-shocked. What could explain this phenomenon?

The other day, a woman was killed by her paramour who was accosted through missed calls from mobile phone. The paramour killed the woman, took away her ornaments and later he was nabbed. All these things happened when the husband was around, he was sleeping in the next room. Initially the police seemed to have suspected him.
To tag these things along, there was a girl who was driving a two-wheeler in an inebriated condition, hitting several targets in an uncontrolled fashion. Whoever chided her received choicest abuses from her. Cannot a girl take liquor, cannot a girl ride a two-wheeler, in an inebriated condition, she seemed to have asked.
Where are we heading for?

Thank God, there would be further talks between India and Pakistan

Pak Foreign Minister Qureshi wants India to simply solve the Kashmir problem by agreeing to whatever that country wants, it seems.

From media reports Qureshi has always been seen as a hawk and, therefore, it has been characteristic of him to draw parallel between India’s Home Secretary G.K.Pillai and terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

Somehow it has come convenient to him to expect that India would offer the moon, in spite of Pak terrorists indulging in a killing-spree in Mumbai. One of the killers is in Indian custody!!!

Qureshi says he was willing for anything, but India was intransigent and External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna was taking orders from New Delhi.

Where else should Krishna take orders from? And as for Qureshi, will the Government of Pakistan, let alone the numerous terrorist organizations, heed to Qureshi, if he offers something?

Qureshi’s public outbursts might have been meant to appease the home audience, including terrorist outfits which do not want any solution to core issues. They can thrive only in disputes.

India should not be disillusioned by such outbursts, for there is no predictability for whatever is happening in Pakistan.

This neighbour cannot be replaced at all and, therefore, all avenues of living with it should be probed and peace secured through continued dialogue.

Sure strides in the international economic arena

No doubt, India is going ahead with sure strides in the economic sphere, the latest indication being the decision to fix a numerical symbol for the rupee.
Dollar, pound, euro and yen have numerical symbols which are recognized the world over. Now that India is considered an emerging economic power in the years to come, it is only proper that we have gone in for an official symbol.

The government has made it clear that it would become functional in two years, for the symbol has to be etched in various instrumentalities.

Running parallel to the strides, the government should ensure adequate measures to take care of the have-nots in the country. Ultimately, all should fall in the mainstream of development. Of course, the government is keen on it. One indication is the government’s concern to provide educational loans to the needy students so that they would acquire good education and contribute to the development of self and the nation.

Similarly, all sorts of assistance should be provided for food security, and proper housing.

See, the tendency of big companies is to milk the people, for example the reluctance of the petroleum companies to reduce the price of petroleum products. They have only got the power, and they are using the power the wrong way. Are they concerned about the plight of the common people?

What a shame, a drunken patient kills another patient!!!

Morning’s bugle was about the killing of a weak patient by a drunken patient in the closed ward of the General Hospital, Ernakulam, on Wednesday.

Three more patients were injured in the attack by the liquor addict. It is learnt that the attacker was simply beating others with a stick.

The fellow appears to have been suffering from withdrawal syndrome. He wants liquor at any cost. What can other poor patients do to the demands of this fellow?
Definitely, confining the violent person with others was a mistake. Maybe, there was no separate block for treating addicts.

With escalating instances of violence unleashed by drug and liquor addicts, there is a crying need for setting up separate de-addiction centres at government expense. The government which gets a lot of revenue from sale of liquor should set apart sufficient funds for the purpose.

Drugs and liquor are available at joints everywhere in the state. In the days to come, the state would be forced to face violence from addicts of all kinds.

There should be no hurry to arrest Madani

India is notorious for being very slow in dispensation of justice because of the rigmarole involved in the legal procedures and the mounting number of cases in courts. Also we have the tradition of not condemning anybody without proper proof. More than that, every effort is being made to see that the other party should be convinced that he could get justice.

On that score, there should be no hurry in arresting PDP leader Abdul Naser Madani. The leader and his acolytes should not entertain the feeling that justice was denied.
Therefore, the police can wait until Madani exhausts all avenues of legal procedures.
Personally, I don’t think the Karnataka police would hastily arrest him. For that would be found to be expeditious disposal in the wrong way. Our administrators are shrewd enough not to step into foolish situations.

After all, if proof is proof that would be there even after going through a little more of court procedures.

All have to go through the drill of Fate, howsoever high and mighty they may be

Alexander the Great, who conquered all the-then known worlds, had died of a common cold!!!The futility of conquests could be best exemplified by the ordinary death of the great personality.

Southern Naval Chief of Staff Rear-Admiral Jamval, apparently, has died of an accidental self-shot wound. Things are beyond one’s imagination.

The other day a doctor succumbed to his fever infection after treatment for more than a fortnight in hospital. Could his life have been saved?

All sorts of viruses, physical and mental, are creeping into the lives of the people. That may be why mankind, disregarding the unworthiness of attacking others for some gains, or sometimes for no gains than egoism, goes on assaulting others. In fact, one man’s freedom ends at arms length of the other.

Would anyone care to leave the fellow beings to his freedom?

I have seen a lot of worthies holding crucial positions going mean, leading rotten selfish lives, some for a regular supply of bottles of the inebriating kind. People say we have to compromise and be with the mainstream.
But there should be the freedom for a man to remain as he is even as he allows others to have their way of life.

Pawar’s ICC presidentship is prime moment for the PM to reshuffle Cabinet

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has got a golden opportunity to reshuffle his Cabinet without his taking an initiative.

In the Cabinet system of government, it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to select his Cabinet colleagues. That is true, of course, in a general way. But in a coalition set-up, many considerations creep in with regard to Cabinet formation and consequent tinkering with it.

And Dr Manmohan Singh has been giving prompt ear to Congress President Sonia Gandhi in such matters. And it should be like that only, although political rivals may scoff at the idea.

Now Nationalist Congress leader Sharad Pawar himself has approached the Prime Minister to ease him of some of his Ministerial burdens, now that he has another onerous duty to perform as the president of the ICC. Already there have been allegations that Pawar may not be able to devote full attention to the duties enjoined on him as ICC chief as he is burdened with serious Cabinet responsibilities.
It is generally believed that the PM may go in for some sort of changes in the Cabinet, may be easing out some, making changes in the portfolios of a few and adding new ones to the bandwagon.

Issues like price rise, hike in prices of petroleum products and the like haranguing him, the PM has an opportunity to stem the rot.

For political parties calling for a hartal or bandh is easy; it is nothing but arm-chair politics

The nation is witnessing the worst form of bandh and hartal on Monday, for the Left parties and the BJP have called for the bandh the same day. Although the parties have organised the agitation separately, the people are bearing the brunt of its cumulative effect.

Even the smallest of political parties can organise a hartal or bandh easily. A few workers can forcibly close shops, trade establishments, stop buses and taxis from plying services.

Now-a-days, even force need not be exerted, for the people themselves choose to remain indoors for fear of violence. No one is prepared to take risks, and it should be like that only. Why should the people walk into trouble, for no noble cause?

Actually, if the political parties, whichever these may be, should have taken out foot processions in each corner of the country to protest against the hike in price and to apprise the people of the ill effects. For making this a success a lot of ground work is needed, participation of the grass-roots level work is essential.

For calling for a bandh, nothing of the sort is needed, actually no effort is enjoined.

This sort of agitation is nothing but arm-chair politics, the leaders can gloat over it and the people should bear it.

Congress leadership may be in a dilemma over whom to promote, son or daughter

Senior Congress leader K.Karunakaran has fired another salvo against the present organisational elections of the party in Kerala. He does not approve of the ‘farce’. Someone is trying to corner the party. Whether the cornering is done by Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala or either one severally has not been clarified.

Karunakaran would meet the High Command once again and then decide about the future course of action. That means there may be one more visit of the veteran to Delhi to call on Sonia Gandhi.

Karunakaran has said it in black and white. But suppose the party reveals all the developments, it may be causing confusion.

These days his son, K.Muraleedharan, and daughter, Padmaja, have been in different camps. Karunakaran wants plum posts for both. But apparently, Padmaja is not amenable to offering much to Muraleedharan.

And Padmaja has grown to lead a coterie of her own. What can the party do in the circumstances? Maybe, take both the children and give them their due.

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.

Don’t dismiss Mani-Joseph merger as a very simple affair

As the Kerala Congress factions led by K.M.Mani and P.J.Joseph seal their merger with a public meeting at Thirunakkara Maidan at Kottayam on Tuesday, present-day analysts are prone to dismiss the affair as simple and innocuous.

Those who have watched the political developments close to the formation of Kerala Congress know it for a fact that the union of the two factions now could generate a lot of interests that would engender politics to take twists and turns.

The Congress Party in Kerala has definitely been shattered on account of the fact that the new dispensation would have to be provided with more seats.
There are reports about the CPM making overtures to K.R.Gowri Amma of the JSS which is in the UDF.

Gowri Amma was once a tall leader of the CPM, but she had to leave that party out of frustration.

Now after long years of separation, is it possible for her to reunite with the CPM? All the same, Gowri Amma has hurt feelings in the UDF that certain elements in the Congress Party had worked against her election to the Assembly last time.

No doubt, one way or other, Mani-Joseph merger would cause an upheaval in many realms.

If anyone thought the PM should overshoot, it has been proved wrong
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has spoken to the Press for the first time in four years in Delhi.

He has not made any overbearing announcement than reiterating whatever has been going on these days, be it Indo-Pak relations, Indo-US relations, conduct of his Cabinet colleagues, his ambience with the Congress president, corruption and what not.

Perhaps if it were someone else flamboyant, there would have been a bevy of announcements on which the media would be whetting and whining. There is no harm in pursuing that line. But Manmohan Singh is a different person altogether.

Even about the legacy he would like to leave, he said he was not bothered about it, let future historians record the fact. He did not even say that he would like to be an economic wizard who kept Indian economy rather well when even developed countries floundered.

The media were keen to dish out something from him regarding some sort of divergence of views between him and the Congress president on various issues.

True, he has kept himself aloof from contentious issues like the way increasing level of attacks by Maoists is being handled, whether broader mandate is needed as clamoured for by Home Minister P.Chidambaram, or about the alleged corruption involving Communications Minister A.Raja of the DMK.

Take for example, he did not care to directly defend Raja, he only revealed the assertion of Raja as 2G auctions were held as per a policy that was relevant then. Also, the CBI has been pursuing the issue.

On the whole, no doubt, Dr Manmohan Singh does not want to dominate anyone, he only wants to keep his government workable in the given circumstances of leading a coalition omnibus, guided by a party which is bigger than his assignment.

Air disaster visits India again; 160 lives lost in a split second

After a long time, a passenger plane has crashed in the country, at the Mangalore airport, of whom about 50 persons are apparently from Kerala.

Mangalore airport is quite convenient for people of the Malabar areas in Kerala. A lot of them are working in the Gulf countries. And this Air India Express flight has been coming to Mangalore airport from Dubai.

Quite miraculously eight of the passengers could jump out from the jaws of death to the living world as they got a toe-hold in the form of a gape on the burning aircraft after it split.

They could be the luckiest people on Earth, for all those who were around them in the aircraft, at arms length, had all perished.

The Serbian origin commander of the aircraft had ample flying hours of experience with him. The co-pilot was an Indian. And so there could be no communication gap on account of the language problem.

Initial reports speak about the aircraft having overshot the runway on account of a dislocated landing.

The aircraft might have touched down farther than the spot it should have landed. Escaped passengers have recounted over television channels that the pilot had applied brakes several times, but the aircraft hit building structure, caught fire and fell into the ravine nearby.

Life for all these people were a slip between the cup and the lip. They have flown all the way from Dubai and reached Mangalore, but they could not have the blessing of a safe landing. They have paid dearly for their lives for no fault of theirs.
Can we make our flights fool-proof and save the lives of the passengers?

Skin-deep analysis is going on about Mani-Joseph merger;
There is something more to it than meets the eye

Jerk-kneed reactions are outpouring in the political and analytical arena about the merger of K.M.Mani and P.J.Joseph factions of the Kerala Congress. Things are apparently moving smoothly in the merger process as far as both the factions are concerned. For others, this would appear to be ludicrous, suicidal and destructive of the front politics.

No doubt, Mani has been waiting in the wings to see a strengthened Kerala Congress. He was prepared to have a broad bandwagon with R.Balakrishna Pillai and T.M.Jacob as well, in addition to the already immersed P.C.George faction. Balakrishna Pillai and Jacob are keeping off the bandwagon for the simple reason that they may not get equal positions in the united entity.

Reactions of bravado have been pouring in even to the effect that the united Mani-Joseph entity should be dropped from the UDF. This is something easier said than done. In politics, any strong entity need not be afraid of launching themselves into new experiments. For sky is the limit for spoils of office. One-party rule is a thing of the past even at the national level.

No doubt, Congress and other partners would come to properly understand the significance of the merger. Brave Mani would not jump into unfathomable depths; comparatively new faces in politics may take time to imbibe the consequences of the latest developments.

Classic example of media treatment, now the deified Dhoni is the whipping boy

Media treamtment is like this. One will be extolled beyond his accomplishments and almost deified.

Dhoni and company were simply made gods. Now when they have been thrown out of the Twenty20 world cup, nobody is there to sympathise with the literally tired team,skipper particularly.

An agency has published a story purportedly dictated to the scribe by a former player-anonymous, of course.

Partying, wine, willing women, drugs and what not are available in plenty in IPL bonanza. No doubt, not an iota of energy would be left out of the players.
And you want them to bring cricket laurels from abroad!!!

Perhaps Dhoni might have blurted out some plain truths. No doubt, he cannot be justified, for he had the powers to rein in the flawed characters in his team.

But he had not lifted his small finger against the queuing up of actresses at the pleasure of the players of the bat and the ball.

I, for one, often thought about the unrealistic hype given by the media about the space achievements of the country. Some of the scribes have even gained the nickname, science fiction writer.

The reports go like we will be colonosing the Moon on whose deep craters are some embedded ice particles, churning which our water needs there would be met.

The oxygen would be separated from the water molecule ( H2O) for human survival on Moon!!! Or something like that.Some hundreds of tonnes of ice specks would yield half a litre of water!!!

And here on Earth we wait for the Gods to provide salubrious climate for sending out our rockets. If the atmosphere is cloudy and windy, the programme would be postponed.

After sending one rocket into space, the media would go on claiming that within a few years an Indian would land on the Moon, then we would use Moon as a transit point for space odyssey to Mars and what not.Kalam had not predicted the timeframe.

These days nothing is being heard about our rocket programmes after the failure of the cryogenic engine rocket.

Thank God, the media have not yet started kicking the scientists.

Scientific programmes have to be ironed out after careful completion of hundreds of successful repetitions. But we are in glee at once, and then vituperative at the next moment.

Jairam Ramesh has spoiled himself, no one can save him

The environment is definitely hostile for our know-all Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. For him the fall would be too much.

Predictably, the Opposition has been clamouring for his scalp. The Congress Party cannot save him. Maybe, he thought he could have his way because of his proximity to the Gandhi family. This time, nothing is going to help him.

Even a school boy would not utter words like the ones he splashed around in a cavalier manner in China. Jairam Ramesh has been too much involved in climate change projects and anxiously rigid with ideas, some of which were unworkable in his capacity as a minister.

What is the great idea now about his pacifying letters drafted to the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi and meeting Home Minister P.Chidambaram?

The deed is done and he has to bear the consequences. Thinking about informed persons like Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor, one would wonder what happened to these fellows when ministership came by their way.

Could it be suicidal for the UDF, minus Mani and Joseph, in a three-cornered Assembly elections?

By O.J.George

Kottayam: The Left, particularly the CPM, has reasons to cheer about in West Bengal and Kerala, at least for the time being. It is not because of the good works done by the respective ruling fronts in both the states, headed by the CPM. The golden opportunity has come to it because of the bickering in the rival fronts in both the states headed by the Congress Party.

In West Bengal, Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee is on a hell-bent rush to dethrone the CPM-led front government. She would like to take the credit solely for herself rather than sharing it with the Congress Party. Definitely, she has made inroads into the pocketboroughs of the CPM held in a vice grip all these three decades of time. The grip is loosening. No, the party has lost its grip with the people on a large scale, may be due to incidents like Nandigram and others. Global publicity through increasing number of television channels has also gone against the CPM-led front there.

Mamata Banerjee is not prepared to give even a little credit to Sonia Gandhi-led Congress Party in whose government at the Centre she is a Cabinet minister. In the election to the local bodies, she has conceded a few seats to the Congress which feels that these were simply unwinnable. The Congress retaliated by affirming it would go alone in the ensuing municipal elections. The writing on the wall is clear, the Congress-Trinamul bonhomie is over. The near-drubbed CPM would naturally gain from the rift in the rival camp.

In Kerala, the Left, particularly, the faction-ridden CPM, can definitely feel happy about the public bashing by the Congress and the Kerala Congress c(M). Kerala Congress(M) supremo K.M.Mani has been publicly criticised by various senior leaders of the Congress Party as well as junior functionaries at the district and local levels over the merger of the P.J.Joseph faction, which was with the LDF till the other day, with the Mani faction.

Since the differences have trickled down to the grassroots level, there Is no point in making efforts to bring about a patch-up. Muslim League leader P.K.Kunjalikutty, who had taken the initiative on his own to solve the problem, has given up his effort.

The Catholic Church, to which Mani and Joseph belong, is keeping guarded silence over the developments, for it cannot publicly vouchsafe for sealing the merger of the Mani and Joseph factions.

But everyone, even those who outwardly deny such interventions, know it for a fact that the church or some of its leaders have blessed the political matrimony.
The Congress-led UDF is not in a position to convene a meeting of the leaders of its front. Things have gone further down the patch-up level, for Mani has made it clear there is no going back for him as far as the merger issue concerned. He has urged his followers to muster strength on a greater level, affirming when strength is earned, seats would come round automatically.

Congress is willing to part with only the number of seats allotted to the Mani faction as usual even if P.J.Joseph group is drafted into the Mani faction. Mani and Joseph know it for a fact that even if they contest elections alone, they would get substantially more than this number of seven or so offered by the Congress. Splinter Kerala Congress groups led by R.Balakrishna Pillai and T.M.Jacob may say Mani’s move is suicidal, for their parochial gains.

Could it be suicidal for the UDF minus Mani and Joseph in the ensuing three-cornered Assembly elections?

Do we smell the emergence of a third front in Kerala during ensuing Assembly elections?

It may be far fetched, but politics in Kerala may be in for some change. One cannot say it with certainty, but the rumblings between Congress Party leaders and Kerala Congress (Mani) group may go out of hand in course of time.

The outbursts by the Congress leaders, particularly those of the second and third rung leaders may have irked Mani to his tether’s end.

The stiffness of Mani could definitely be a body language akin to intolerance against the Congress for whipping up an unnecessary controversy over the merger of Mani and P.J.Joseph factions of the Kerala Congress factions.

The Congress Party may have been flabbergasted by the sudden announcement of the merger.

Leaders of the Congress Party may have been sitting pretty happily over the portends of their snatching power so easily in the ensuing Assembly elections in 2011.

Panchayat elections in 2010 could also have been favourable. The Congress Party would be getting a major chunk of the seats. Almost all the seats given over to the erstwhile DIC in the last elections could also be cornered by it, minus a few seats being given to the Janata Dal of Veerendrakumar.

Now things may be going out of their control. A strengthened Kerala Congress may not be willing to sign on the dotted line.

Unless the Central leadership of the Congress steps in and saves the situation, the whole scenario may go out of hand one time or the other.

Narco test never had any legal binding, now it is officially stricken out

Narco analysis test, brain mapping test and polygraph test have been declared invalid by a bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice K.G.Balakrishnan.

Narco test, definitely, was something bizarre. We have seen the videos, on television channels, of narco analysis test conducted on Sister Sephi and Fr Thomas M Kottoor. Another priest, Fr Poothrukka, was spared because of his ill health.

By injecting chemicals into the human body, he/she is numbed and made to answer questions. The victim fumbles something , and sometimes goes into unconsciousness, again awakened and asked questions.

The Supreme Court has now ordered that such tests cannot be done without the consent of the parties concerned. In the normal course, no one will willingly take on this injurious test.

The CBI and the police maintain that as there is no room for third degree methods in investigation, narco analysis and such other tests are essential.

Narco analysis test results have never been taken as pieces of evidence in courts of law. But these tests provided clues to the investigating agencies as to the direction which they should take in arriving at conclusions.

It would definitely be humane to dispense with such tests if we can go ahead with investigation otherwise.

Do we perceive the absence of a Karunakaran touch in dealing with the merger of P.J.Joseph and K.M.Mani factions?

Clearly, the merger of P.J.Joseph-K.M.Mani factions has been mishandled at the UDF level, particularly by some Congress leaders. No doubt there would have been many other ways of dealing with dilemma, had the leaders tried to do so than washing the dirty linen in public.

A P.T.Thomas, M.I.Shanawaz and the like vigorously speaking against the merger would not be salubrious for the UDF.

Think of the situation being handled by K.Karunakaran, were here at the helm of affairs now. He would not have, in the first instance, remained oblivious of the goings-on before hand. He would have devised ways in which the Congress was definitely benefiting.

Splitting and splintering Kerala Congress groups was in a way a pastime for him. The-then powerful Kidangoor Gopalakrishna Pillai was packed off to Singapore on a gubernatorial assignment on completion of which he became a nobody. The NDP had to pack up.

In the instant case, P.J.Joseph does not seem to be in glee about the merger. His coterie is definitely pleased. Mons Joseph would have been nowhere otherwise, for Kaduthuruthy would have gone to someone else. Ettumanur would be gobbled up by Congress. Now Congress is taken unawares and its plans are going awry.

Mons Joseph now claiming that he was proud of being a minister in the Achuthanandan ministry is ludicrous. He cannot explain away the precarious situation.

One should have seen the happy face of Dr K.C.Joseph on television channels when he spoke after demitting office as a member of the public service commission. He seems to have already cornered Kuttanad from where he has been eased out by various compulsions, particularly the arrival of an economic giant there to oppose him.

T.U.Kuruvilla is as good as dead-wood and he would not mind being a commoner.

Surendran Pillai knows it for a fact he would never be a minister if he does not grab the opportunity now, staying with P.C.Thomas.