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Hurdles, ideas and silver linings
The economy needs a stimulus and the Budget has to push for growth while ensuring fi scal responsibility
ney in the hands of the consumer? licking their wounds from the porary aberration.
Or should it be in the form of even combined eff ect of past excesses
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
spending? The government has al pushing through a 5G auction now problem will be to identify the best
in Karnataka through a series of defections ready announced an expansion of would be disastrous. way to impart stimulus. There are
Raghuvir Srinivasan
the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sam That leaves us with just one op two choices — either to cut taxes
W
ith two MLAs of the Congress resigning from
the Karnataka Assembly, it is clear that horse man Nidhi Yojana that will take tion — that of increasing borrow and let consumers to go out and
F
altering GDP growth, a con away ₹ 87,500 crore this fi scal. And ings which will, of course, mean spend the excess. Or just borrow
trading to pull down the State government is
sumption slowdown, a there are many other pet schemes curtains for the fi scal defi cit target and spend on asset creation in in
under way. The BJP is not just waiting in the wings; it is truant monsoon that has al of this government that need to be of 3.4% this fi scal. Higher govern frastructure. Given that there is a
actively trying to reenact a script it has perfected over a ready hit kharif sowing, global funded. ment borrowings may elbow the serious slowdown in consumer
decade and more. The resignations of Vijayanagar MLA trade tensions and a freeze in the It will be next to impossible for private sector borrowers out. facing sectors, the better option
Anand Singh and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi can only credit market that has set alarm Ground realities the government to meet its over Increased borrowings by the go may be to put more money in the
be seen as a replay of a strategy the BJP used earlier, lur bells ringing across the fi nancial To be sure, the answers are not ea ambitious tax estimates in the in vernment will have the unintend hands of consumers.
ing Opposition MLAs to resign from the Assembly, the system. This is the backdrop to the sy. But just consider these. GDP terim Budget for 201920. And ed negative consequence of push A good option to consider
maiden Budget of the Finance Mi growth fell to 5.8% in the fourth then there are the bills to pay from ing up market rates which is would be adjusting income tax
reby forcing byelections. The BJP’s confi dence in win
nister, Nirmala Sitharaman. quarter of 201819, with important last year to the Food Corporation something that the government slabs and increasing deductions
ning the bypolls stems from its spectacular showing in industry segments reporting a fall of India and a couple of other pu would not desire. And then, of under Section 80C which is a
the Lok Sabha election. The party is yet to reconcile it Walking a tightrope in growth. Sales of automobiles, blic sector undertakings which course, there will be questions to measly ₹ 2 lakh now. Better still
self to the role of the Opposition after having emerged The Minister has had less than a the bellwether for the larger eco helped the government ‘achieve’ answer from Standard & Poors would be to increase the interest
as the single largest party in the May 2018 Assembly month to work on this crucial Bud nomy, has been sliding since Oc the fi scal defi cit target last year. and Moody’s which are certain to deduction for housing loans which
election. At 105 seats in the 224strong House, it was get which is expected to work its tober last year and in the fi rst take a dim view of the fi scal would also give a boost to the real
eight short of a simple majority and began plans to ma magic on the economy. Ms. Sitha quarter of this fi scal, sales vol Pros and cons of options indiscretion. estate market. These measures
raman’s position is unenviable. umes are down by about 18%. Fast There are a few options that the But then there is some good would run counter to the reform
noeuvre its way to power. The BJP appears to be con
She has to push for growth, which moving consumer goods, two government can consider for off news too. Thanks to the recent di objective of easing out all exemp
vinced that the time is ripe for a strike, both because of means stimulus measures, but al wheeler and consumer durables balance sheet fi nancing. First, go rective of the stock market regula tions and lowering rates. But then
its success in the parliamentary election and the disen so stay fi scally responsible, which manufacturers are all reporting big on asset sales. The interim tor, the Securities and Exchange that is under examination by the
chantment in the Congress over the alliance with the JD means sticking to the fi scal defi cit dull rural sales. Budget had earmarked ₹ 90,000 Board of India directing mutual Direct Tax Code (DTC) panel; the
(S). If enough number of coalition MLAs resign, the BJP glide path. This balance is almost Real estate and construction, crore from disinvestment but if the funds to put away 20% of their li concessions given now will auto
could claim a majority with its present strength in an impossible to achieve in an envi one of the biggest job creators in government is able to successfully quid scheme investments in go matically become a temporary
Assembly of reduced strength, and bypolls could fol ronment where tax revenues do the economy, have been in stupor pull off the Air India sale, it would vernment securities, a new market measure assuming that the DTC is
low. The CongressJD(S) coalition could be facing a stor not off er enough support for a sti for several months and are a direct be almost halfway there. There opens up for the government. soon implemented.
mulus package. cause of the credit freeze in the are a host of other government Whether it is deep enough to ab The fall in tax revenues from
my Assembly session, scheduled to begin on July 12.
The questions before Ms. Sitha markets now. It is clear that the companies that can be sold off to sorb the increased borrowings is a the concessions will be eventually
A Karnataka model had come to inspire nonBJP par raman are simple: Should she opt bottom has fallen off consumption raise the targeted proceeds. matter of detail but it can certainly made up downstream from indi
ties nationally after the formation of the coalition go to stimulate consumption in the demand, something refl ected in Second, a onetime transfer cushion the market to some rect taxes if consumers spend the
vernment. The Congress decision to concede the Chief economy even if it means putting the annual results of a host of com from the Reserve Bank of India’s extent. extra money in their hands. The
Minister’s position to junior partner JD(S) in order to the fi scal defi cit glide path in tem panies in the consumer sector. reserves, which is under the con Second, yields on government choice to borrow and spend is in
prevent it from joining hands with the BJP was remarka porary cold storage? If yes, what is Given these, there is little doubt sideration of the Bimal Jalan Com securities are at around 6.82% cur deed a diffi cult one but in the cur
ble. But it was also remarkable for its opportunism. In the best way to do that? that the economy needs a stimu mittee. However, if reports of the rently. So even a 10 or 20 basis rent circumstances this may be in
Following from the above are lus. The downside to the govern committee’s deliberations are to point rise due to higher borrow evitable. Fiscal conservatives are
stability is inherent in coalitions led by smaller partn
subsidiary questions such as ment embarking on this path is be believed, it may be futile for the ings may not cause much disso bound to frown at this and there
ers, but the present contradictions in the Congress in these: Will the resultant higher clear. Direct tax revenue growth government to hope for a major nance. The market is aware of the would be dire warnings of the con
Karnataka, the only southern State where the party is borrowings crowd out the private failed to meet budgeted levels in windfall here. The committee will diffi cult circumstances now and sequences of not adhering to the
facetoface with the BJP, have another dimension. Le sector borrowers and push up 201819, falling short by ₹ 82,000 anyway submit its report well after should be able to take this in its fi scal defi cit commitment. The
gislators yearning for positions of power is nothing un market interest rates at a time crore from the target of ₹ 12 lakh the Budget is presented. stride. best answer is that this govern
usual, but they usually think twice before crossing over when the monetary authority is crore. Goods and Services tax col Third, 5G spectrum auctions. As for the ratings agencies, the ment now has fi ve years to make
to a diff erent party. The skills of leaders and claims of a driving rates down? What will be lections, though rising, are still not While there is reason to hope for government needs to be in dia up for the indulgence. Will Ms.
the impact on infl ation? Should stabilising at the required level of some support here, it is unlikely logue with them, reiterate its com Sitharaman go the whole way?
larger purpose, howsoever meagre those may be, are
the stimulus be in the form of cut between ₹ 1,00,000 and ₹ 1,10,000 that it would materialise this fi scal. mitment to fi scal discipline and
factors that hold together vastly divergent ambitions ting taxes and putting more mo crore a month. The telecom companies are still reassure them that this is a tem raghuvir.s@thehindu.co.in
within a political party. The Congress is lacking in these
aspects and is paying a heavy price. If power is the only
glue, it is natural that legislators who are denied minis
terial berths would rebel. The party still enjoys signifi
cant public support in Karnataka, as was demonstrated
The primacy of the elected
in the local body elections weeks after its rout in the
The questions the constitutional crisis in Puducherry raises are fundamental to the concerns regarding federalism
Lok Sabha election. The Congress cannot lend itself to Centre ran a protracted war with jects such as police, public order pointed if actual powers are inde
brazen business and rentseeking rivalries that oversha the Delhi government which and land, no such restriction ex pendently exercised by an un
dow politics in Karnataka. If the party and its coalition brought its administration to a sta ists for Puducherry under Article elected nominee of the Centre?
survive the current turmoil it will still be only a hiatus. lemate until the Supreme Court af 239A. In fact, the Government of The Supreme Court, in the NCT
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M
umbai once again struggled to stay afl oat after raises pertinent questions about Since the appointment of Kiran ter and not the Lieutenant Gover rules governing Puducherry, the the Madras High Court judgment
the fi rst heavy spell of rain this year, bringing the future of federalism in India. Bedi as the LG in May 2016, Pudu nor is the executive head of the Madras High Court held that the and ensure that the LG acts only as
back memories of the July 2005 fl ood. Each Will a “strong” Union government cherry Chief Minister V. Narayana NCT government, and that the LG LG has very limited independent per the aid and advice of the elect
which does not require the sup samy has protested her continual is bound by the aid and advice of powers. Under Article 239B, the ed government.
massive rainfall event is making it evident that the city
port of “regional” allies be detri interference in the daily aff airs of the Council of Ministers. It held LG can issue an ordinance only Perhaps because of its distance
is putting on a brave front and projecting resilience, but mental to the interests of States? the Puducherry government and that the executive power of the when the Assembly is not in ses from Delhi, small area and rela
the failure of the Maharashtra government to upgrade While the Prime Minister has often running an alleged parallel admi NCT government is coextensive sion and with the prior the appro tively low political heft, the consti
its tattered infrastructure is taking a heavy toll and invoked the need for “cooperative nistration. The Union Govern with the legislative power of Del val of the President. If there is a tutional crisis in Puducherry has
weighing down on the fi nancial capital. A single day of federalism”, the actions of his go ment, in clarifi cations issued in Ja hi’s Legislative Assembly and the “diff erence of opinion” between received far less attention than it
rain has killed 22 people in a wall collapse in north vernment in its fi rst term some nuary and June 2017, further LG must follow the decisions of the LG and the cabinet on “any deserves. However, the questions
Mumbai, while many more died in Pune and elsewhere. times went against this stated bolstered the case of the LG. When the cabinet on all matters where matter”, like in Delhi, the LG can it raises are fundamental to the
ideal. These include dismantling this was legally challenged, the the Assembly has the power to refer it to the President or resolve concerns regarding federalism in
In Ratnagiri, a dam gave way creating a catastrophe;
the Planning Commission and Madras High Court quashed the make laws. it herself if it is expedient. Howev India. While Puducherry may not
fl ights have been cancelled and normal life is aff ected. transferring its power to make clarifi cations issued by the Union Puducherry, like Delhi, is a Un er, the Supreme Court in the NCT be a “State” under the Constitu
Clearly, the State government should have regarded the state grants to the Finance Minis government and ruled that the LG ion Territory with an elected legis Delhi case held that “any matter” tion, the principle of federalism
94 cm of rain that paralysed Mumbai in one day 14 years try; introducing terms of reference must work on the aid and advice of lative Assembly and the executive shall not mean “all matters” and it should not be restricted to States
ago as the baseline disaster to prepare for. That it could to the Finance Commission which the Council of Ministers and not constituted by the Lieutenant Go should be used only for “excep but also include the legislative As
not manage 37 cm in 24 hours, that too after incurring a threaten to lower the revenue interfere in the daytoday aff airs vernor and Council of Ministers. tional” situations. Hence, there is semblies of Union Territories and,
massive expenditure on management projects, shows a share of the southern States; and of the government. The Union go However, Puducherry and Delhi no legal basis for the LG to exer arguably, councils of local govern
the partisan use of the Governor’s vernment challenged this decision derive their powers from distinct cise powers independently and by ments. As more centralising mea
lack of resolve among political leaders, rampant ineffi
offi ce to appoint Chief Ministers in in the Supreme Court where a va constitutional provisions. While pass the elected government of sures such as simultaneous elec
ciency and lack of integrity in the administrative ma cases of hung Assemblies. cation Bench passed interim or Article 239AA lays out the scope Puducherry. tions to Parliament and State
chinery. As one of the wettest metropolises in India get The most blatant abuse of pow ders recently restricting the Pudu and limits of the powers of the le Assemblies are being proposed by
ting about 210 cm of rain annually, it should have been a er was the imposition of Presi cherry cabinet from taking key gislative assembly and council of Respecting federalism the Centre, it is important to reaf
top order priority to restore rivers and canals to man dent’s Rule in Oppositionruled decisions until further hearing. ministers for Delhi, Article 239A is Ultimately, the question is wheth fi rm the values of federalism at ev
age fl oods. The government of Chief Minister Devendra Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarak The Madras High Court had re merely an enabling provision er state actions should respect the ery forum.
Fadnavis needs to explain why Mumbai is yet unpre hand, decisions the Supreme lied on the 2018 decision of the Su which allows Parliament to create underlying principles of democra
Court subsequently held as uncon preme Court regarding the power a law for Puducherry. Interesting cy and federalism. Why should a Mathew Idiculla is a research consultant
pared to cope, especially when rainfall is projected to
stitutional. Further, through the of the National Capital Territory ly, while Article 239AA restricts legislative Assembly be elected at the Centre for Law and Policy Research,
become erratic in coming years, and when scientifi c in Lieutenant Governor (LG), the (NCT) government of Delhi. In that Delhi from creating laws in sub and a Council of Ministers ap Bengaluru
sights point to intense rainfall in a short span of time,
driven by warmer oceans and hotter cities.
In a recent report, the Comptroller and Auditor Gen LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
eral identifi ed prolonged delays in the upgrading of
storm water drain infrastructure in Mumbai. On the Lip service Trump’s Korea gambit 13%, which is impossible Primary Health Centres and politician. Fortunately, he offi cers. Though the police
other hand, after the deluge of 2005, the consensus was Prime Minister Narendra U.S. President Donald without an increase in Community Health Centres has not so far authorised force is idolised, the perils
for the fl oodcarrying capacity of the Mithi river in the Modi’s warning that he Trump’s off thecuff agricultural productivity — an astonishing number of the ‘representative’ to of working there do not
city to be increased. But the choked and polluted river would not tolerate personal diplomacy is an and transfer of semiskilled them are poorly manned attend the Parliament and motivate many to join it.
arrogance and excellent way to bring some labour from agriculture to and resourced. As long as take part in the This only skews the already
was again overfl owing this year. Beyond the sclerotic
misbehaviour is just lip thaw to a frozen other sectors. Escalating apathy plagues the deliberations on his behalf. low policemancitizen ratio
management of fl ood waters that relies on storm drains service and, in reality, he relationship (Editorial, trade tensions, stagnant decisionmakers, it would C G Kuriakose, further. The state needs to
in Mumbai, and several other Indian cities, there is a wouldn’t take any action “Trump in North Korea,” exports and low consumer be futile to expect any Kothamangalam, Kerala care for the wellbeing of
need for a new urban paradigm. For one thing, Mum against erring members, as July 3). One only hopes that demand are among the positive change. our policemen, in addition
bai, Thane, Ratnagiri and Raigad have, during the last can be seen from his past this leads to meaningful challenges in our path. A.G. Rajmohan, Policeman suicides to ensuring a more humane
century, displayed a high seasonality index, indicating record (Page 1, “Won’t dialogue and the two Alan Seemon, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh The article, “Why work environment and
a relatively small monsoon window bringing a lot of tolerate bad behaviour, PM countries move away from Kottayam, Kerala policemen kill themselves,” better welfare provisions.
Modi warns BJP members,” their rigid positions on Sunny’s representative ( July 3) has sensitised Varsha V. Shenoy,
rain. This is in contrast to steady, prolonged rain in the Mangaluru
July 3). He maintained denuclearisation and Health-care woes Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) readers to the high
central districts in Maharashtra. So a new climate studied silence against sanctions relief to strike a Pathogens cause disease in MP Sunny Deol’s act of emotional costs borne by more letters online:
changeinfl uenced normal could mean fewer days of legislators following the middle path. general but it is poverty appointing a our country’s police www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
torrential rain and erratic monsoons. Managing them Kathua and Unnao rape Kosaraju Chandramouli, that causes disease in India ‘representative’ to attend
calls for a new approach that is ecological, and makes incidents and numerous Hyderabad (OpEd page, “Health care’s meetings and follow up on corrections & clarifications:
attacks by cow vigilantes. primary problem,” July 3). important matters on his A report headlined “LCA Tejas drops fuel tank on farmland in
restoration of existing urban wetlands and creation of Coimbatore” (some editions, July 3, 2019) had erroneously given
reservoirs and water channels a high priority. The wa He never condemned Unrealistic goal Many patients visiting the behalf is not only strange the full form of LCA as Light Compact Aircraft. It should have been
remarks by leaders from his Prime Minister Narendra tertiary healthcare but also unheard of (News Light Combat Aircraft.
ter question is the biggest challenge for Indian cities to
party like Yogi Adityanath, Modi’s goal of a $5 trillion institutions are from rural page, “Sunny Deol appoints
day, as both drought and fl ood are common. State go The reference to Dominic Thiem as a twotime French Open
Jayant Sinha and Pragya economy by 2024 seems to areas who cannot aff ord representative, draws ire,” champion in a Sports page story titled “Federer shakes off a slow
vernments should give it priority and address it by Thakur. It is futile to expect be unrealistic (Editorial private medical care. July 3). Mr. Deol, an actor start to advance” ( July 3, 2019) is incorrect. Thiem is a twotime fi
https://t.me/TowardsTomorrow
making urban planning peoplecentric. A strong frame
work is needed to manage water, starting with Mumbai.
CM
such action from him now.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
page, “Not by wishful
thinking,” July 3). India has
to grow at an annual rate of
Policymakers can bring
down their numbers by
equipping better the
who has played macho
roles, is trying to assume a
largerthanlife image as a
nalist in the French Open.
The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
The growing power of the lumpen
The national bar against hate crime has been lowered, but resolute corrective action is possible
the past fi ve years. that only some States had com there are several obvious steps
According to Hate Crime Watch, plied with the Supreme Court’s or which would be easier to take and
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Radha Kumar dents mentioned by the website, action, including safety for wit Home Minister could set bench
152 occurred in Bharatiya Janata nesses; set up fasttrack courts in marks for policemen and adminis
T
he Union Budget has announced a bold move to
make a transition to electric vehicles, and off ered Party (BJP)ruled States, 40 in Con such cases; and take action against trators to deal with hate crime.
O
nce again, the fi rst weeks of gressruled States and the rest in policemen or offi cials who failed The legislature and political par
a tax incentive for the early adopters. Its stated vi
the Narendra Modi admi States ruled by regional parties or to comply. Those State govern ties could suspend or dismiss
sion to leapfrog into an era of electric mobility and nistration have been coalitions. Rarely, if ever, did bys ments that did comply, the report members who are implicated in
domestic vehicle manufacturing, led by public tran marked by hate crimes — two Mus tanders attempt to stop the vio commented, did so only partially. hate crimes or practise hate
sport and commercial vehicles, is forwardlooking. It is lim men beaten by mobs in Jhark lence or police arrive on time to do In several instances, the police ac speech. The electronic and print
also inevitable because poor air quality and noise pollu hand and Mumbai, demanding so. In both studies, Uttar Pradesh crime, worldwide data show that tually obstructed investigations, media could stop showing or pu
tion have sharply aff ected the quality of life, and pose a they shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’, one so topped the list of States with the hate speech encourages or legiti even fi ling charges against the blishing hateful comments and
serious public health challenge. As the NITI Aayog has mercilessly that he died. Another largest number of hate crimes for mises acts of violence and a cli victims. threats. Priests could preach the
man, a tribal, lynched in Tripura the third year, followed by Gujarat, mate of impunity. France has a a Whether it is political hate values of tolerance and respect
stated, the goal of shifting to electric vehicles cannot
on suspicion of being a cattle thief. Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. draft Bill to prohibit hate speech, speech or police bias on the that are common to all religions
make progress without deadlines, and a marketdriven Most recently, 24 men accused of These facts are striking enough and Germany has already enacted ground, there is little doubt that and schools could revitalise cours
approach sought by some sections of the automotive in being cattle smugglers, beaten and to concern any government. The one. the national bar against hate crime es on the directive principles of
dustry will leave India’s capabilities and infrastructure made to shout ‘Gau Mata ki Jai’, in Prime Minister expressed pain at According to a study by NDTV has been lowered. On television, our Constitution.
for emobility trailing others, notably China. With 2030 Rajasthan. the sickening murder of Tabrez there are at least 45 politicians in we see replays of hate speech and For Mr. Modi, there is an addi
as the outer limit, the imperative is to fi x a realistic time This time, however, there is a Ansari in Jharkhand, but clearly our newly elected union legisla videos of lynching. Though the ac tional challenge. He has twice spo
frame by which scooters, motorcycles, threewheel car rising tide of concern, both dom far more is required. The Rajas ture who have indulged in hate companying commentary is criti ken out against hate crime, but his
estically and internationally. Dom than administration is introducing speech over the past fi ve years; 35 cal, repeated iterations normalise words of pain have not been
riages and, later, all new vehicles will be battery po
estically, there have been a num a Bill prohibiting cow vigilantism, of them belong to the BJP. No ac the hateful. Indeed, anchors them backed by action, either by his
wered. An additional income tax deduction of ₹ 1.5 lakh ber of editorials, OpEds and talk but that deals with only one hate tion has been taken as yet by the selves resort to invective far more party or by BJPled administra
is now off ered on interest paid on loans to purchase shows calling for action; interna crime. An omnibus act against all party, though it is in such a posi often than before — note how tions. Does he have so little in
electric vehicles, and the GST Council has been moved tionally, India has begun to feature hate crimes, including hate tion of strength electorally that it Kashmiris are routinely heckled fl uence over his own? We have to
to cut the tax on evehicles to 5% from 12%. Both de prominently on a growing list of speech, is required across India would lose little by acting against and abused on talk shows. The hope not.
mands were made by the industry earlier. There is a sig countries marked by hate crime, and should be a priority of the 17th them. print media too is failing. Several For a demographically diverse
nifi cant outlay under the second iteration of the Faster including hate speech in electoral Lok Sabha. Germany, for example, newspapers now publish trium country such as India, hate crimes
campaigns. amended Section 46 of its Crimi Court directives phalist opinion articles, including — including crimes of contempt —
Adoption and Manufacturing (of Hybrid and) Electric
nal Procedure Code, dealing with In 2018, the Supreme Court direct comments to articles that are hate are a disaster. Each of our religious
Vehicles (FAME) plan of ₹ 10,000 crore, to give a fi llip to A rising graph sentencing in violent crime, to say ed Central and State governments speech by any defi nition. Criticism and caste communities number in
commercial vehicles and to set up charging stations. Studies of hate crimes in India the sentence must be based on to make it widely known that of blatantly communal govern the millions, and crimes that are
The budgetary measures will have an immediate im show that they have steadily risen consideration of ‘the motives and lynching and mob violence would ment actions such as extension of directed against any of these
pact on the pricing of electric vehicles and bring in over the past fi ve years. Amnesty aims of the off ender, particularly ‘invite serious consequence under refuge and citizenship on religious groups could result in a magnitude
more models, but it will take a sustained eff ort by the International India documented where they are of a racist or xeno the law’ (Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. identity has grown increasingly of disaff ection that impels vio
Centre, in partnership with State governments, to ena 721 such incidents between 2015 phobic nature or where they show Union of India & Ors). Then Home muted. lence, even terrorism. Far less di
ble a fast rollout of charging infrastructure. The Minis and 2018. Last year alone, it contempt for human dignity’. Minister Rajnath Singh told Parlia verse countries than India are al
tracked 218 hate crimes, 142 of We have a number of sections in ment that the government had Key steps needed ready suff ering the result of hate
try of Power issued guidelines and standards for this in
which were against Dalits, 50 the Indian Penal Code that can be formed a panel to suggest mea One of the policy issues that is ‘moving into the mainstream’, as
December last year, setting technical parameters for against Muslims, 40 against wo used to punish or even prevent sures to tackle mob violence, and high on the Modi administration’s UN Secretary General António Gu
public charging stations that can enable normal and men, and eight each against Chris hate crime, but they are disparate would enact a law if necessary. list is dealing with incitement to terres recently highlighted. We
fast charging. With price competition, a speedy spread tians, Adivasis, and transgenders. and few policemen are aware of The panel’s recommendations are violence through social media. But can still contain its spread if we act
of electric twowheelers can be expected, given that ov The more common hate crimes, them. Those that are, fear to use not in the public domain, and acts the focus is on hate in relation to resolutely. Or else our political
er 80% of conventional vehicles sold in India come un they found, were honour killings — them in areas whose political lead of hate crime do not appear to terrorism, and it is unclear wheth leaders might fi nd the lumpen tail
der that category. Aff ordable charging will make these that have sadly occurred for de ers mobilise through hate speech. have diminished in the year since er government policy will extend wagging their dog.
cades — and ‘cowrelated vio Though some Indian analysts de Mr. Singh’s promise. to cover hate crime. Important as
vehicles and commercial threewheelers attractive be
lence’, that was rare earlier but bate whether there is a correlation In a May 2019 report, Human it is to do so, the digital media is Radha Kumar is a writer and policy
cause operating costs are a fraction of petrol and diesel has become more frequent over between hate speech and hate Rights Watch India pointed out not the only off ender. In fact, analyst
equivalents. Yet, longer range travel will require more
than a chargeathome facility, and this would have to
be in the form of fast charging at parking lots, retrofi t
ted fuel outlets, new public charging stations, hotels, of
fi ces and so on. Swapping the battery at convenient lo
More appeasement than justice
Maratha reservation borders on class legislation rather than signifying reasonable classifi cation
cations with one that is precharged, especially for
commercial vehicles that run longer and need a quick vation policy. The Supreme Court of land as a result of inheritance Gurvinder Singh (2016) though
has refused to stay the Central go laws rather than it being a sign of along with Gujjars, four other
turnaround, is worth considering. A longerterm policy
vernment’s decision to grant 10% backwardness. The Maratha share castes were also given the benefi t.
priority has to be the setting up of lithium battery pro quota in jobs and education to the of 19.5% in government jobs too Jat reservation, in Ram Singh
duction and solar charging infrastructure of a scale that economicallyweaker sections and cannot satisfy the constitutional (2015), was declared unconstitu
matches the ambition. The Centre has accepted some the Bombay High Court has now requirement of inadequacy of re tional because only one caste was
of the demands of the auto industry to popularise EVs. Faizan Mustafa upheld reservation for the Ma presentation; even the fi nding that favoured. Maratha reservation
FILE PHOTO
ratha community. Marathas constitute 30% of the thus borders on class legislation
U
nder Prime Minister Naren Infl uential reach Commission excluded Muslims, tion. Article 14 prohibits class
dra Modi, the Bharatiya Ja Anyone familiar with Maharashtra sticks it adopted were controver Jains, Sikhs and unreserved cate legislation.
Markets react negatively to the Budget’s nata Party (BJP), once con will know that the Maratha com sial. For example, the Commission gories in its population count. In Since the National Commission
populism and inability to force reforms sidered to be just a party of upper munity is an infl uential and politi noted that of the total farmer sui fact on most parameters, Marathas for Backward Classes was not con
caste Hindus, is beginning to ex cally dominant caste which has cides of 13,368) 2,152 Maratha are on a par with other forward sulted, the constitutionality of Ma
M
any investors who were hoping for business
pand its social base. And a party not faced any systematic social dis farmers had ended their lives. It ig castes and the OBCs. Singling ratha reservation is suspect but
friendly reforms were not too impressed by that has consistently criticised the crimination or exclusion. Most of nored the fact that these were not them out for reservation is ap the High Court observed that the
the maiden Budget of the second Narendra Indian National Congress for its so the State’s Chief Ministers have due to backwardness but because peasement and not justice. More NBCC had in no way taken away
Modi government. After a moderate negative reaction called appeasement policies in been Marathas. While the Mandal of agrarian crises. The Commis over, the Commission had recom the powers of the State commis
when the Budget was presented in Parliament on Fri cluding subquotas for minorities Commission identifi ed Marathas sion also attached great impor mended 12% to 13% reservation sion. Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh
day, both the Sensex and the Nifty witnessed their big within Other Backward Classes to be a ‘forward’ community, two tance to its fi nding that while 69% which the BJP government en government has ignored the Na
gest fall in over two years on Monday. The Sensex in (OBC) and reservation for OBC State Backward Class Commis Maratha families sought medical hanced to 16%. The sample size tional Commission for Scheduled
curred a huge loss of 792.82 points while the Nifty shed Muslims is no longer hesitant in sions, namely the Khatri Commis treatment for jaundice, 9.65% was too small and it considered Castes in according SC status to 17
extending reservation to newer sion (1995) and Bapat Commission sought treatment from tantriks just 950 urban families; it also ex castes.
about 250 points. Sectors such as banking, automobiles
castes. (2008), recommended not to in while 0.54% left it ‘to the mercy of cluded Mumbai. The weakest part of the judg
and power were the worsthit, each witnessing a loss of In keeping with this line, one clude them within the OBC catego god’; superstition, and ‘blind ment is ignoring the 50% upper li
over 3%. Investors were spooked by a variety of propo has seen it introduce reservation ry. After the High Court had stayed vows’ were factored in as proof of On classifi cation mit of reservation by relying on
sals made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman that for politically dominant castes the 16% reservation made on the backwardness though such irra After all, social and educational the small window of exception
are expected to increase the tax burden on them. These such as the Gujjars in Rajasthan, basis of the recommendations of tional practices or beliefs are pre backwardness are but an aspect of permitted in Indra Sawhney, i.e.
include the proposal to increase long term capital gains Patidars in Gujarat and the Ma nonstatutory Narayan Rane Com valent even among the higher backwardness and must therefore the factor of remote or far fl ung
tax on foreign portfolio investors and to tax the buy rathas in Maharashtra. The BJP go mission (2015), the matter was re castes as well. The Commission al fall within the OBC classifi cation. areas and an absence from nation
vernment in Uttar Pradesh has in ferred to the M.G. Gaikwad Com so found that a large number of Even conceding that Marathas are al main stream. None is available
back of shares by companies at 20%. The negative sig
cluded 17 OBC castes in the mission in 2017, which submitted Marathas in Mumbai are engaged backward and need reservation, to the Marathas.
nal sent by the increased surcharge on people earning Scheduled Castes list. Even the its report in 2018. The Bill was in the business of dabbawallas. Ac they should have ideally been in Let the BJP not deviate from its
over ₹ 2 crore a year also weighed on markets. This tax judiciary that has so far been quite passed and brought into force in ceptance of food from them shows cluded within the OBC. But the stated policy on appeasement and
on the “superrich” is unlikely to make much of a diff e concerned about the ‘merit’, ‘effi less than two weeks. that people do not consider them High Court upheld the creation of do justice to all including Marathas
rence to the government’s fi scal position. However, it ciency in administration’ and in The Mandal Commission had 11 low caste. The fi nding of 71% Ma a distinct class of socially and edu and Muslims.
does damage the image of the present government as a terests of ‘general candidates’, has yardsticks to determine backward rathas owning land of less than 2.5 cationally backward class with just
probusiness one and can aff ect fund fl ow into the sent out mixed signals on invoking ness. On certain parameters, the acres was considered a sign of one caste (Marathas) included un Faizan Mustafa is Vice-Chancellor,
the strict scrutiny test in examin Gaikwad Commission did go backwardness but such small der it. The issue of Gujjar reserva NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.
country if the wealthy prefer to move to other coun
ing the constitutionality of a reser beyond Mandal; some of the yard holdings are due to fragmentation tion was struck down in Captain The views expressed are personal
tries. The proposal to raise minimum public sharehold
ing in listed companies from 25% to 35% is also seen as LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
an unnecessary intervention in markets. Global factors
like strong jobs data coming from the United States
which lowers the chances of an interest rate cut by the Karnataka crisis government with fl oating appeasing the disgruntled this shortterm special profi teering at the expense of overlook poor road
The political charade in MLAs, its longevity will be MLAs they can never be measure was intended to deserving candidates. The infrastructure as another
Federal Reserve, and the potential systemic risk posed Karnataka has come to such suspect again. This will give trusted. Amidst political bring the ‘backward’ system today not only major cause. Data from the
by the troubles faced by Deutsche Bank may have also a pass that the Bharatiya rise to a piquant situation. uncertainty the sections to a level that was strengthens the caste divide Public Works Department
weighed on the markets. However, the losses expe Janata Party that had One can safely conclude administration will be in a on a par with others. That it but also creates resentment last year, on Delhi’s roads,
rienced by western markets on Monday were nowhere unsuccessfully formed the that democracy in state of inertia. Parties must continues and expands is an in communities unable to showed an average of 2,000
as heavy as the losses faced by the Indian markets. fi rst government after the Karnataka is at the mercy of think about dealing with indication of the failure of reap the benefi ts of potholes along the main
All these aside, the larger issue bothering the Indian election is at government powerhungry politicians. horse trading and shifting the scheme. Instead of there reservation. It may not be an roads. There were also
investor may be the Budget’s supposed tilt towards po formation again by trial and Abdul Assis P.A., allegiance in a serious being a scientifi c assessment, exaggeration to say that broken footpaths, dislocated
error and subverting the Kandassankadavu, Thrissur, Kerala manner. Existing anti the issue has been treated ‘brain drain’ is a kerb stones and trees
pulism as the government expands the size of its wel
will of the people of defection laws are ineff ective politically. To perpetuate the consequence of the aff ecting traffi c. India ranks
fare projects instead of taking steps to revive private in Karnataka (Editorial, “The ■ Even if the BJP forms the and lawmakers fi nd out shortterm plan and to reservation system. Capable very high in road accidents if
vestment in the slowing economy. Apart from a few visible hand”, July 9). Both government through the ample loopholes to escape expand it in all directions are students prefer to move one accesses data from the
words from the Finance Minister on simplifying labour the party and its State party back door, it would not the disqualifi cation. Those who the hallmarks of votebank abroad where their work and International Road
laws and relieving startup investors from the regressive president and former government of, for and by vitiate democratic credibility politics. How it reduces the capabilities are rewarded. Federation, Geneva. In a
“angel tax”, the Budget was largely bereft of any major Karnataka Chief Minister, the people, but of, for and by must be debarred from ‘merit’ element in education, Kshitij Mani Tripathi, review of accident
structural reforms that could instil confi dence among B.S. Yeddyurappa, have a defectors. The party accessing all benefi ts as the bureaucracy, legislature Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh prevention, there has to be a
yen to wrest power even if leadership in Delhi may elected representatives. and other sections is a holistic view of all factors.
investors. The trajectory of markets in the coming
they lose elections. claim that it has nothing to Dr. George Vareekal, governance issue. This is the Road safety Tushar Anand,
months will depend on the kind of reforms the govern Consequently, the party do with the the crisis but the Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh reason why caste hierarchies Though the human factor is Patna, Bihar
ment manages to push through, and on the actions of with a diff erence has acts of their State leaders continue and are reinforced. often cited in fatal road more letters online:
central banks across the globe. While the Reserve Bank metamorphised into a make it crystal clear that Quota and caste Only proper Constitutional accidents, one cannot www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
of India looks to be easing its policy, any global liquidity party of defectors and the these cannot be without The assertion in the article, amendments to delete corrections & clarifications:
tightening can aff ect foreign fund infl ows. Despite lack MLAs who are raring to clearance from Delhi. “Reinforcing caste discriminatory provisions The report headlined “Shutdown in Valley on Wani’s death an
cross over have betrayed Perhaps the time has come hierarchies” (Editorial page, can help progress. niversary” ( July 9, 2019) referred to Burhan Wani’s killing on June
lustre company earnings and other fundamental is 8, 2016. It should have been July 8, 2016. Also, it talked about slow
the trust of the people. If to dissolve the House and let July 9) is that “reservation is P.R.V. Raja,
sues, markets in the past have been pushed up aggres Pandalam, Kerala ing down of internet speeds on Tuesday. It should have been
the JD(S) and the Congress voters decide who they want. not the real answer” though Monday.
sively by the ample liquidity provided by central banks. give rebel MLAs ministerial N. Nagarajan, in the context of its latest
But without enough reforms to strengthen the funda Secunderabad
An Editorial page article titled “A shot at economic logic” ( July
berths, it will be a surefi re avatar, the Maratha quota, is ■ The objective of 9, 2019) talked about the creation of an African common market
mentals that can back lofty valuations, it may be only a way for others to rebel. This a good enough reason to reservation was to uplift the with a GDP of $3.4 billion. It should have been $3.4 trillion.
matter of time before markets begin to lose steam. is a vicious circle. Even if ■ If the party leadership revisit the time when it was ‘downtrodden’ and not to The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
the BJP manages to form a somehow succeeds in fi rst introduced. At that time, encourage indiscriminate E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
A demographic window of opportunity
In India, investing in the laggard States will ensure their role as being the greatest contributors of the future
fertility decline, which is good porated in broader development dependency ratio is still low. But
news by all counts. policies. this opportunity only lasts for 20
Caution needed Like it or not, India will reign as
the most populous country
Population growth in the north
and central parts of India is far
to 30 years. For States such as Ker
ala and Tamil Nadu which expe
Supreme Court decision on the Rohingya’s throughout most of the 21st centu greater than that in south India. rienced fertility decline early, this
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
ry. Whether we adjust to this de What should we do about the old window of opportunity is already
status must protect those fl eeing persecution Sonalde Desai
mographic destiny in a way that policies aimed at not rewarding past.
T
he Supreme Court’s decision to examine the contributes to the longterm wel States that fail to control popula As the United Nations Popula
L
question whether illegal immigrants are entitled ast month, the United Na fare of the nation or not depends tion growth? These policies in tion Fund estimates, over the next
to refugee status needs to be welcomed, but with tions released the 26th revi on how we deal with three critical clude using the 1971 population to 20 years, the window of opportun
sion of World Population issues. allocate seats for the Lok Sabha ity will be open for moderate
caution. It is debatable whether the Centre is right in
Prospects and forecast that India and for CentreState allocation un achievers such as Karnataka, Ha
claiming that this has emerged as a substantial question will overtake China as the most Population control der various Finance Commissions. ryana and Jammu & Kashmir. As
of law in the context of the Rohingya Muslims from populous country by 2027. The on First, do we need to adopt strin tility Rate (TFR) for the poorest In a departure from this practice, the demographic window of op
Myanmar. For, it is fairly obvious that those escaping ly surprise associated with this fo gent population control policies? women was 3.2 compared to only the 15th Finance Commission is ex portunity closes for these States, it
persecution in their home country are invariably un recast is the way it was covered by History tells us that unless the In 1.5 for the richest quintile in 2015 pected to use the 2011 Census for will open for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
documented. It logically follows that those fl eeing con the media. Is this good news or dian state can and chooses to act 16. To get to TFR of 1.5, a substan making its recommendations. This and other States that are the last to
ditions of war or confl ict will have to be treated as refu bad news? Is it news at all? with the ruthlessness of China, the tial proportion of the population has led to vociferous protests from enter fertility transition. This sug
Is this news? Not really. We have government has few weapons in among the top 40% must stop at the southern States as the feeling gests that workers of Bihar will be
gees fi rst before their cases can be examined in detail,
known for a long time that India is its arsenal. Almost all weapons one child. is that they are being penalised for supporting the ageing population
and deemed fi t for deportation as illegal entrants. It will destined to be the most populous that can be used in a democratic In western societies, low fertili better performance in reducing of Kerala in 20 years.
be strange if any court holds that no illegal immigrant is country in the world. Population nation, have already been de ty is associated with the confl ict fertility.
entitled to refugee status. That would amount to a per projections are developed using ployed. These include restriction that working women face between There is reason for their con The focus areas
verse denial of the very existence of refugees as a class. existing population and by adjust of maternity leave and other ma work and child rearing and the in cern. Between the 1971 and 2011 In order to maximise the demo
What the government is perhaps looking for is a deci ing for expected births, deaths and ternity benefi ts for fi rst two births dividual’s desire to enjoy a child Censuses, the population of Kerala graphic dividend, we must invest
sion holding that it can choose the class of illegal immi migration. For shortterm projec only and disqualifi cation from free life. Not so for Indian couples. grew by 56% compared to about in the education and health of the
grants it wishes to treat as refugees; and that it can deny tions, the biggest impact comes panchayat elections for people In India, couples with one child do 140% growth for Bihar, Uttar Pra workforce, particularly in States
from an existing population, par with more than two children in not consume more nor are women desh and Madhya Pradesh. A whose demographic window of
that status to any section it deems a threat to national
ticularly women in childbearing some States along with minor in in these families more likely to move to use the 2011 Census for opportunity is still more than a de
security or is likely to strain local resources. The court’s ages. Having instituted a onechild centives for sterilisation. work. My research with demogra funds allocation will favour the cade away. Staying fi xated on the
decision to go into the issue, therefore, off ers an oppor policy in 1979, China’s female pop As demographer Judith Blake pher Alaka Basu from Cornell Un northcentral States compared to notion that revising State alloca
tunity to clarify India’s approach to the refugee ques ulation in peak reproductive ages noted, people have children, not iversity shows that it is a desire to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. tion of Central resources based on
tion, which has generally been favourable to vulnerable (between 15 and 39 years) is esti birth rates and few incentives or invest in their children’s education However, continuing to stay current population rather than
entrants, but is stridently hostile to the Rohingya. mated at 235 million (2019) com disincentives are powerful enough and future prospects that seems to with a 1971 Censusbased alloca population from 1971 punishes
India is not a signatory to the UN Convention on the pared to 253 million for India. to overcome the desire for chil drive people to stop at one child. tion would be a mistake. Cross States with successful population
Thus, even if India could institute dren. Groundlevel research by Richer individuals see greater po State subsidies come in many policies is shortsighted. This is be
Status of Refugees, 1951, and a Protocol adopted in 1967
a policy that reduces its fertility former Chief Secretary of Madhya tential for ensuring admission to forms; CentreState transfers is but cause current laggards will be the
on the subject. However, since Independence it has by rate to the Chinese level, India will Pradesh Nirmala Buch found that good colleges and better jobs for one. Incomes generated by work greatest contributors of the future
and large adhered to the larger humanitarian principles overtake China as the most popu individuals who wanted larger fa their children, inspiring them to li ers in one State may also provide for everyone, particularly for age
underlying these instruments. In this backdrop, it is as lous country. milies either circumvented the res mit their family size. Thus, im the tax revenues that support resi ing populations of early achievers.
tonishing that the present regime is determined to de The element of surprise comes trictions or went ahead regardless proving education and ensuring dents in another State. The vary Enhancing their productivity will
port the Rohingya, in utter disregard of the danger to from the date by which this mo of the consequences. As one of her that access to good jobs is open to ing pace of onset and end of demo benefi t everyone.
their lives in Myanmar, and in violation of the principle mentous event is expected. The informants noted, “The sar all may also spur even poorer hou graphic transition creates intricate It is time for India to accept the
UN revises its population projec panch’s post is not going to sup seholds into having fewer children links between workers in Haryana fact that being the most populous
of nonrefoulement, the norm that prohibits states from
tions every two years. In 2015, it port me during my old age, but my and investing their hopes in the today and retirees in Kerala and nation is its destiny. It must work
forcibly returning refugees to conditions that caused was predicted that India would son will. It does not really matter if success of their only daughter or between future workers in Uttar towards enhancing the lives of its
them to fl ee their homes in the fi rst place. It will be am overtake China in 2022, but in the I lose the post of sarpanch.” son. Provision of safe and easily Pradesh and children in Tamil Na current and future citizens.
oral and unjust if this most vulnerable group from 2019 projections it is 2027. The UN Second, if punitive actions accessible contraceptive services du.
Myanmar’s Rakhine state, numbering about 40,000 in has revised India’s expected popu won’t work, we must encourage will complete this virtuous cycle. Demographic dividend provid Sonalde Desai is Professor of Sociology,
India now, is denied refugee status. With the Centre tak lation size in 2050 downward from people to have smaller families vo ed by the increasing share of work University of Maryland and Professor and
ing a stand against treating them as refugees, a positive 1,705 million in 2015 projections to luntarily. There are sharp diff e Population and policy ing age adults is a temporary Centre Director, NCAER-National Data
1,639 million in 2019 projections. rences in fertility among diff erent Third, we must change our mind phase during which child depen Innovation Centre. The views expressed
ruling is needed from the apex court to prevent their
This is due to faster than expected socioeconomic groups. Total Fer set about how population is incor dency ratio is falling and oldage are personal
forcible deportation. The government’s keenness to de
port the Rohingya is rooted in the technicalities of its ci
tizenship law. It defi nes “illegal immigrant” as any fo
reigner entering India without valid travel documents,
or overstays a permitted period of stay. It rules out giv
Turning down the heat
ing citizenship by registration to such illegal immi There is enormous potential in mitigating climate change through forest restoration
grants. The amendments it proposes to the Citizenship lent through additional forest and which to remove carbon. If done as the wood is burned.
Act do not cover Muslim immigrants and are limited to tree cover by the year 2030. Trees correctly, the green cover increase Besides, some of the trees se
persecuted Afghan, Bangladeshi and Pakistani minori and other vegetation fi x carbon as will provide many other benefi ts: lected for the plantations may rely
ties. India should work with the world community on part of photosynthesis and soil too it will improve water quality, store on aquifers whose water becomes
the voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya and not bes holds organic carbon from plants water in wetlands, prevent soil more and more precious with
and animals. The amount of soil erosion, protect biodiversity, and greater warming. Such forms of
mirch its fi ne record of humane treatment of refugees
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Grecian churn
D
uring the runup to the Pa naturally will sequester 42 times vide related benefi ts. India, there
ris climate change meeting Enhancing green cover the carbon compared to land con fore, needs fi rst to ensure that de
Greece under Mr. Mitsotakis is set for in 2015 (COP21) under the India has yet to determine how its verted to plantation, or six times forestation is curtailed to the
United Nations Framework Con carbon sink objectives can be met. for land converted to agroforestry. maximum extent. Second, the
a period of stability and continuity vention on Climate Change, each In a recent study, the Forest Sur Another study in Science by area allocated to the restoration of
T
he verdict in Sunday’s Greek elections aff ords a country decided the level and kind vey of India (FSI) has estimated, will be by restoring forests and af JeanFrançois Bastin and col impaired and open forests and
rare comfort for Europe’s centrists, who, argua of eff ort it would undertake to along with the costs involved, the forestation on wastelands, with a leagues estimates that it is possible wastelands in the FSI report
bly with the exception of Spain in April, have of solve the global problem of cli opportunities and potential ac modest rise in total green cover. to add 0.9 billion hectares of cano should be focussed entirely on nat
mate change. These actions were tions for additional forest and tree The FSI study has three scena py cover worldwide, potentially ural forests and agroforestry.
late ceded ground to populist forces. The conservative
later referred to as nationally de cover to meet the NDC target. Gi rios, representing diff erent levels mitigating up to twothirds of his While using a carbon lens to
centreright New Democracy party of Prime Minister termined contributions (NDCs). ven that forest and green cover al of increase in forest and tree cov torical greenhouse gas emissions. view forests has potential dangers,
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has won 158 out of the 300 seats. India made a number of promis ready show a gradual increase in er. For example, 50%, 60% or 70% This would then prevent or delay involving local people and plant
The leftwing Syriza party of outgoing premier Alexis es that would lead to the reduction recent years, one might use this in of impaired forests could be res the worst impacts from climate ing indigenous tree varieties
Tsipras was left with 86 seats. Critical support for Mr. of greenhouse gas emissions, or crease as part of the contribution tored. The total increase in the car change. would also reduce likely diffi cul
Tsipras could not be ruled out from MeRA25, the Greek mitigation, and actions to adapt to towards the NDC. Or one might bon sink in these scenarios could ties. Instead of plantations, grow
wing of Europe’s antiestablishment DiEM25, of exfi living in a warmer world, or adap think of the additional 2.53 billion be 1.63, 2.51 or 3.39 billion tonnes Restoration type is key ing food forests managed by local
tation. Many of its described pro tonnes of CO2 equivalent sink as of CO2 equivalent by 2030, at costs Taken together, these studies indi communities would have addition
nance minister Yanis Varoufakis; it has nine seats. But
grammes and plans were intended having to be above the back varying from about ₹ 1.14 to ₹ 2.46 cate that while there is enormous al cobenefi ts. Once natural forests
there is another dimension to this overall sense of polit to enable India to move to a cli ground or businessasusual in lakh crore. These fi gures show potential in mitigating climate are established, they need to be
ical balance and stability in Parliament. Golden Dawn, matefriendly sustainable develop crease. that the policy has to be at least at change through forest restoration, protected. Protecting and nurtur
the antiMuslim party that ranked third in the last elec ment pathway. Primarily, by 2030, The additional increase in car a medium level of increase to at the amount of carbon stored de ing public lands while preventing
tions, has been convincingly rejected by voters, with there will be reductions in the bon sinks, as recommended in this tain the stated NDC targets. pends on the type of forest resto their private enclosure is therefore
less than the requisite vote share to enter the legisla emissions intensity of the GDP by report, is to be achieved by the fol ration carried out. The most eff ec paramount. Active forest manage
ture. The potential for mischief from hardline national about a third and a total of 40% of lowing ways: restoring impaired Natural forests tive way is through natural forest ment by local people has a long
the installed capacity for electrici and open forests; aff oresting was A recent study in Nature by Simon regeneration with appropriate in history in India and needs to ex
ist parties was on display only recently. In January, Mr.
ty will be from nonfossil fuel telands; agroforestry; through Lewis and colleagues provides in stitutions to facilitate the process. pand to meet climate, environ
Tsipras’s government narrowly survived a vote of confi sources. India also promised an green corridors, plantations along sights into what works well with Vast monocultures of plantations ment and social justice goals.
dence after Independent Greeks, a coalition partner, additional carbon sink — a means railways, canals, other roads, on regard to green cover. Locking up are being proposed in some coun
withdrew support, refusing to back the renaming of the to absorb carbon dioxide from the railway sidings and rivers; and via the carbon from the atmosphere tries, including in India, but these Sujatha Byravan is a scientist who studies
former Yugoslavian state as Northern Macedonia. Given atmosphere — of 2.5 to 3 billion urban green spaces. Close to three in trees, ground vegetation and hold very little carbon; when they science, technology and development
the infl ux of immigrants and the refugee crisis, the rul tonnes of carbon dioxide equiva quarters of the increase (72.3 %) soils is one of the safest ways with are harvested, carbon is released policy
ing New Democracy and Opposition Syriza party both
have a moral responsibility to consolidate the middle
ground. Mr. Mitsotakis has assumed charge under rela
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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Looming challenges to India’s standing
In the coming fi ve years, a host of geopolitical and economic issues need to be reconciled
improve our relations with the Un are involved in intense rivalry in hence be how to overcome our
ited States without jeopardising military matters as well as compe current inadequacies in the realm
Karnataka conundrum our longterm relationship with
Russia, and paper over our prickly
tition on technology issues.
The U.S.ChinaRussia confl ict
of disruptive technologies rather
than remaining confi ned to the
Converting resignation into a disqualifi cation relations with China without con has another dimension which purely military domain. The U.S.,
ceding too much ground; all the could aff ect India adversely. The China, Russia, Israel and few other
matter adds new dimension to a political crisis M.K. Narayanan while maintaining our strategic in strategic axis forged between the countries dominate these spheres
T
he Supreme Court’s decision to ask the parties to dependence. This is too much to Mr. Putin’s Russia and Mr. Xi’s Chi as also cyberspace and cyber
P
the political crisis in Karnataka to maintain the rime Minister Narendra Modi hope for at the present time. na will impact not only the U.S. methodologies. New policy pa
status quo until it examines the questions of law has maintained a frenetic The global situation that made but also India’s position in both rameters will need to be drawn up
pace, renewing contacts all this possible has altered. Rival Asia and Eurasia, with India being by India, and our capabilities en
involved, is pragmatic and expedient. The Speaker has
SHASHANK
with world leaders ever since the ries among nations have intensi seen as increasingly aligned to the hanced in areas such as artifi cial
been asked not to decide the issue of MLAs’ resignation results of general election 2019. He fi ed. There is virtual elimination of U.S. Hence, India needs to devise a intelligence, biotechnology and
or disqualifi cation. An order has been passed when one was the cynosure of all eyes at the the middle ground in global polit policy that does not leave it isolat cyber methodology, all of which
of the questions to be decided is whether the court can G20 meeting in June, in Osaka. At ics, and it has become far more ad participate in China’s programmes ed in the region. constitute critical elements of the
give such a direction to the Speaker. It now transpires the BRICs informal meeting, also versarial than at any time pre such as the Belt and Road Initiative Again, notwithstanding the disruptive technology matrix.
that legislators can be prevented from resigning by in Osaka, he called for the streng viously. Even the defi nition of a (BRI). India and Bhutan are the on ‘Wuhan spirit’, India cannot but
claiming that they have incurred disqualifi cation. It was thening of the World Trade Organ liberal order seems to be undergo ly two countries in this region that be concerned about China’s true The economy needs attention
argued in court that “the rebel MLAs are trying to avoid isation and for a global conference ing changes. Several more coun have opted out of the BRI, and intentions, given the regional and None of this would, however, be
on terrorism. He discussed coun tries today profess support for they seem like the odd men out. global situation and its desire to possible unless India pays greater
disqualifi cation by tendering resignations.” This is as
terterrorism and climate change their kind of liberalism, including The challenge in the coming years dominate the Asian region. Within heed to its economy. Despite a
tounding, as the penalty for defection is loss of legisla issues at separate meetings with Russia and China. At the other for India is to check the slide, espe the next decade, China will be plethora of offi cial statements, the
tive offi ce. Quitting the current post before joining China’s President Xi Jinping and end, western democracy appears cially in Asia, and try and restore come a truly formidable military state of the economy remains a
another party is a legal and moral obligation. Defection Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. far less liberal today. India to the position it held pre power, second only to the U.S. The matter of increasing concern.
is condemnable, especially if it is to bring down one re He participated in the JapanIndia viously. India cannot aff ord to wait ongoing IndiaU.S. entente could Even statistics regarding the eco
gime and form another. But politicians cannot be tied U.S. trilateral grouping, arguing China, U.S. and Asian realities too long to rectify the situation. well provoke a belligerent China to nomy are being questioned. Not
down to parties against their will by not letting them for a “rules based order” in the In In this backdrop, India needs to re Deepening IndiaU.S. relations act with greater impunity than withstanding India’s ambition to
doPacifi c region. He met with U.S. work many of its policies in the today again carry the danger of In previously. As it is, China would be become a $5trillion economy by
leave even their legislative positions. Even if it can be ar
President Donald Trump, to dis coming fi ve years. South Asia, in dia becoming involved in a new concerned at the rise of a ‘nation 202425, the reality today is that
gued that two MLAs had pending disqualifi cation pro cuss the future of IndiaU.S. rela particular, and the region of our kind of Cold War. This is another alist’ India, which is perhaps not the economy appears to be in a
ceedings against them, what about the rest? They say tions. highest priority, according to the area that needs our special focus. unwilling in the prevailing circum state of decline. Jobs, specially
they tried to meet the Speaker, but could not. They may new External Aff airs Minister, S. India must ensure that it does not stances of today to become em skilled jobs, are not available in
have been wrong to rush to the court without getting an A vastly altered situation Jaishankar, needs close attention. become a party to the confl icts broiled in a confl ict over ‘freedom suffi cient numbers and this should
appointment with the Speaker, but in the few interven This may convey an impression The region is one of the most dis and rivalries between the U.S. and of navigation’ in the South and be a matter for concern. The abili
ing days, their parties issued a whip to all MLAs to be that everything bodes well for In turbed in the world and India has a rising China, the heightened ten East China seas. ty to sustain a rate of growth bet
dia in the external realm. What is little or no say in any of the out sions between the U.S. and Russia, ween 8.5% and 9.5% is again highly
present in the House and vote for the government.
often overlooked is that while we comes taking place. IndiaPakistan and also avoid becoming a pawn in The new buzzword doubtful. Neither the Economic
Converting resignation into a disqualifi cation matter were fortunate in the past to be relations are perhaps at their low the U.S.Iran confl ict. On another plane, as India intensi Survey nor the Budget contain
is an attempt to deny a member’s right to quit his seat in able to take advantage of a rare est point. Tarring Pakistan with There is little doubt that current fi es its search for stateoftheart useful pointers to a more robust
the legislature before joining another party, even if the combination of favourable condi the terror brush is hardly policy, IndiaU.S. relations provide India military equipment from diff erent economy, one that is capable of
crossingover is a politically expedient measure. The tions, this situation no longer ex and stable relations continue to be better access to stateoftheart de sources, it may be worthwhile for providing a higher rate of growth,
logic seems to be that a disqualifi ed member cannot be ists. The 2019 election verdict was elusive. India has no role in Afghan fence items; the recent passage of India to step back and reconsider more opportunities for skilled la
come a Minister without getting elected again, whereas a defi nitive victory for Mr. Modi, aff airs and is also excluded from the National Defence Authorisa some of its options. Military power bour, and greater potential for
but it hardly carries an assurance current talks involving the Tali tion Act in the U.S. makes India vir is but one aspect of the confl icts investments.
one who resigns can be inducted into an alternative Ca
that India can pursue the same ban, the Afghan government, Pa tually a nonNATO ally. However, that rage today. Experts point out The looming challenge for India
binet without being a member. Accepting a resignation policies as before. While it has be kistan, the U.S. and even Russia such close identifi cation comes that outright war, insurgencies in the coming fi ve years, therefore,
is a simple function of being satisfi ed if it is voluntary, come commonplace for most In and China. India might have re with a price. It could entail estran and terror attacks are fast becom would be how to build a strong
while disqualifi cation is decided on evidence and inqui dians to affi rm that India has ar couped its position more recently gement of relations with Russia, ing passé. Nations confront many economic foundation, one that is
ry. The two should not be mixed up. The ongoing pro rived, there are a host of issues in the Maldives, but its position in which has been a steadfast ally and other and newer threats at pre capable of providing the kind of
ceedings represent an increasingly common trend in li that exist which need to be recon Nepal and Sri Lanka remains tenu a defence partner of India’s for the sent. Today, disruptive technolo power structure needed for an
tigation on constitutional issues: the propensity of the ciled before we can achieve what ous. In West Asia again, India is no better part of halfacentury. Clos gies have tremendous danger po emerging power, and also one pos
we aspire for. longer a player to reckon with. er relations with the U.S. also car tential and nations that possess sessing the best liberal credentials.
political class to twist and stretch the law in their favour
The past cannot be a guide to Across much of Asia, China is ries the risk of aggravating ten these technologies have the ability
and leave it to the court to set things right. The Speaker the future. In the past, we did the major challenge that India has sions between India and China, to become the dominant powers M.K. Narayanan is a former National
already enjoys extraordinary powers under the Consti manage a shift from nonalign to contend with. Smaller countries even as China and the U.S. engage in the 21st and 22nd Centuries. Security Adviser and a former Governor
tution. In addition to immunity from judicial scrutiny ment to multialignment, could in the region are being inveigled to in contesting every domain and A major challenge for India will of West Bengal
for legislative matters, such as whether a Bill is a money
Ecological perils of discounting the future
bill, presiding offi cers get to decide whether a member
has incurred disqualifi cation under the antidefection
law. Though the decision is subject to judicial review,
many Speakers have evaded judicial scrutiny by merely
not acting on disqualifi cation matters. The question
With growing environmental distress, policymakers cannot shy away from adopting best ecomanagement practices
whether the Speaker’s inaction can be challenged in dies of signifi cance have disap built by the Kakatiya dynasty. Why should other urban
court is pending before another Constitution Bench. peared in the past century. Con From the perspective of intergen centres shy away from adopting,
Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have in cretisation or the increase in erational justice, this is a move to remodelling and implementing
stances of Speakers not acting on disqualifi cation ques paved surfaces has aff ected the wards giving future generations in some of the best water manage
percolation of rainwater into the the State their rightful share of wa ment practices to avoid disaster?
tions for years. The current crisis in Karnataka has ex
soil, thereby depleting groundwa ter and, therefore, a life of dignity. The answer perhaps lies in the ten
posed a new dimension to such partisan action. ter levels to a point of no return. The city of Hyderabad is now mov dency of policymakers to discount
Kalvakuntla Kavitha
ing towards a sustainable hydraul the future and of their obsession
PTI
Warlord and war crimes Urbanisation without vision ic model with some of the best of focussing on the here and now.
I
n a report last year, the Comp Chennai, however, is not alone in to buildings. minds in the country working on
The International Criminal Court verdict troller and Auditor General of terms of suff ering from the conse In Telangana, the byzantine net it. This model integrates six sourc By 2050
India (CAG) called the Chennai quences of human folly. Urbanisa work of tanks and lakes built by es of water in a way that even the It is estimated that in just 30 years
against Bosco Ntaganda is a breakthrough fl oods of 2015 a “man made disas tion at the cost of reclaiming water the Kakatiya dynasty has disap most underdeveloped areas of the from now, half of India will be liv
T
he conviction of the Congolese warlord Bosco ter”, a pointer to how the en bodies is a panIndia if not world peared over the years. However, city can have equitable access to ing in cities. If we truly envision a
Ntaganda is cause for cautious optimism that per croachment of lakes and river wide phenomenon. There are ex the question is not about what fol water resources and the ground great future for this country, how
fl oodplains has driven India’s sixth amples in cities such as Bengaluru, lies were committed in the past, water levels restored in order to can we possibly risk the lives of
petrators of serious crimes cannot escape justice,
largest city to this ineluctable sit Hyderabad and even Mexico city. but about what we can do in the avoid a calamity of the kind that half of our people and the next
even where they have evaded domestic laws. Ntaganda, uation. The Chennai fl oods are a In Bengaluru, 15 lakes have lost present and, more importantly, has gripped Chennai now. generations who could be facing a
known as “the terminator”, was pronounced guilty of symbol of consistent human fail their ecological character in less for the future. In Telangana, The larger question is: Can we life in cities parched by drought,
13 counts of war crimes and fi ve of crimes against hu ings and poor urban design which than fi ve years according to a High “tanks have been the lifeline of the not take inspiration from the fol stranded by fl oods, mortifi ed by
manity by the International Criminal Court. These re are common to most urban Court notice to the Bruhat Benga State because of its geographical lowing examples? When Mexico earthquakes or torn by wars over
late to the 200203 ethnic confl ict in the Democratic Re centres in India if not urban luru Mahanagara Palike, the city’s positioning”. The State’s “topogra city can create a new executive po fresh water? What has happened
public of Congo. After a 2006 indictment by the Hague centres across the world. Now, administrative body responsible phy and rainfall pattern have sition of a “resilience offi cer” to in Chennai now or what happened
Chennai is in the midst of another for civic amenities and some in made tank irrigation an ideal type save its sinking urban sprawls, in Kerala last year in the form of
court, it took seven more years for him to surrender
crisis — one of water scarcity. frastructural assets. The lakes, of irrigation by storing and regulat Bengaluru can reclaim Kundala fl oods are not a case of setting
and months more before the trial could start. The con Unlike issues such as traffi c con which are now encroached areas, ing water fl ow for agricultural halli lake (once a landfi ll) through alarm bells ringing, but one of ex
viction follows the ICC’s 2012 sentencing of Thomas Lu gestion or crime which are visible, fi nd use as a bus stand, a stadium use”. corporate social responsibility plosions. If we do not wake up
banga, the fi rst to be pronounced guilty under the environmental degradation is not and, quite ironically, as an offi ce of funds in a Public Private Partner now, we have to be prepared to
Rome Statute, also pertaining to atrocities during the what most people can easily see or the Pollution Control Board. In The Telangana example ship model, and Hyderabad and face the consequences of nature
Congolese confl ict. The verdict in this latest case is a feel in their every day lives. There Mexico city, what was once a net There are a number of lessons that the larger state of Telangana re wreaking great havoc on humani
breakthrough for the prosecution, which has come un fore, when the consequences of work of lakes built by the Aztecs in can be learnt. The Chief Minister build its resilience through a com ty. We would not need nuclear
der increasing scrutiny. It has even been forced to aban such degradation begin to wreak the 11th and 12th centuries, has gi of Telangana launched a massive bination of political will and well bombs for our obliteration.
havoc, it becomes diffi cult to draw ven way to a downtown city rejuvenation movement in form of designed policies such as the Ka
don highprofi le trials involving heads of government
the correlation between nature’s centre. Parts of the city, especially “Mission Kakatiya” which involves leshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme Kalvakuntla Kavitha is a former Member
owing to the intimidation of witnesses and tampering vengeance with human failings. In downtown, sink a few metres ev the restoration of irrigation tanks and Mission, what stops us from of Parliament and the founding president
with evidence. In 2014, the ICC dropped charges of Chennai, more than 30 waterbo ery year causing immense damage and lakes/minor irrigation sources learning from each other? of the Telangana Jagruthi
crimes against humanity on Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta, the fi rst sitting President to appear before it,
relating to the death of hundreds in the 2007 postelec
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
tion ethnic violence. The judges held that the Nairobi
government had not acted in good faith, as crucial evi Deciphering the moon povertystricken country Goa” ( July 13). The defection ordinary voters. Reforms Wielding the broom be the major reason for
As earthlings and Indians, can invest in space of MLAs, whether induced or need to be, fi rst of all, The MPs’ act of ‘cleaning’ India’s exit from the
dence had been withheld from the prosecution. Fatou
we exult at the launch of programmes is based on voluntary, is ugly. The targeted at keeping criminals Parliament premises, which quadrennial tournament.
Bensouda, the ICC chief prosecutor who has been in the Chandrayaan2 mission misconception. The right legislators, having won the away from the electoral are already kept reasonably The selectors made a huge
the midst of some of these reversals, described as “re to scan the moon’s surface approach is that we must election as a member of one scenario. If men and women clean, comes across as a blunder by not picking
grettable and troubling” a majority appeal decision last and soil, map its have the wherewithal to do party, have no moral right to of integrity are elected as supreme farce aimed at technically equipped players
year. That ruling acquitted JeanPierre Bemba, a former topography, study its both poverty mitigation defect to another. Anti representatives, issues like drawing attention of citizens like Ajinkya Rahane and
DRC vice president, who was in 2016 convicted of war mineral and chemical and space exploration. defection laws are no longer money power, method of and making them believe Cheteshwar Pujara, who
crimes and handed an 18year sentence. In January, composition and G. David Milton, acting as a deterrent. The appointment of Election that the lawmakers are alive have performed well in
understand its origin and Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu hidden hand of the Bharatiya Commissioners and EVM use to the burning issue. Instead England, to strengthen the
Laurent Gbagbo, former President of Ivory Coast, was
evolution (Nation page, Janata Party to gain control can be addressed. Legislation of this, the VIPs should have middle order. Also, it is
acquitted of crimes against humanity. In the face of “Chandrayaan2 all set for ■ Amid pessimistic news of States where it has not is urgently required to selected some remote city/ baffl ing that despite being
strong resistance to prosecute crimes committed in the 3.84 lakh km voyage,” and items related to political been elected to power can be empower voters with a right town in the country to prove groomed for the last couple
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many African nations feel FAQ page, both July 14). The defections, violence and sensed. Democracy needs to to recall MPs/MLAs. their sincerity to the cause of years for the crucial No. 4
they were being selectively targeted. In an unjustifi ed unmanned mission, scams, the report on ISRO’s be saved from such Similarly, a 50%+1 rule, based (News page, “Cleaning the spot, Ambati Rayudu was not
move, Burundi has quit the ICC, as also the Philippines. undertaken days ahead of ambitious moon mission dishonest manoeuvres. The on voters’ list, is needed to house,” July 14). selected.
Arguably the greatest challenge today to enforce ac the 50th anniversary of the project comes as a ray of Supreme Court needs to declare a winning candidate. V. Padmanabhan, These apart, when India
fi rst successful moon hope. Scientists are said to intervene and force the Empowering the None of the Bengaluru wins a tournament, selectors
countability transcending domestic and regional bor
landing, has to be seen as have skipped holidays and defecting legislators to forfeit Above (NOTA) option is get fi nancial rewards, but
ders could be linked to the surge of nationalism around part of the wider scientifi c worked hard for the success their membership, bar them equally important. From the WC dream ends when the team loses, it is
the world. The genesis of the Rome Statute, adopted in eff orts to push the of the mission. All for life from contesting demarcation of From a potential reality, only the players who bear
1998, made a modest beginning to ensure that serious boundaries of human government departments elections and make them constituencies to the India’s World Cup dream the brunt. While the
atrocities committed by elected representatives do not knowledge. Space should take inspiration from ineligible for pension. formation of Cabinets, a turned illusory and blew into Committee of Administrators
go unpunished. The refusal of major states to bring exploration has both the premier space R.M. Manoharan, sense of anarchy prevails at smithereens. The ‘Men in (CoA) has got into most
themselves under the court’s jurisdiction has dam tangible and intangible organisation and strive to Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu every step. Parliament needs Blue’, who were heroes of a cricketing matters,
pened such hopes. It is an irony that countries this year benefi ts and it sometimes better their work culture. to take up such serious issues frenzied cricket nation, surprisingly it has avoided
transforms the way we look Kshirasagara Balaji Rao, Electoral reforms to keep the spirit of suddenly turned villains with assessing the performance of
are marking the 75th anniversary of the Bretton Woods
at ourselves and the Hyderabad The themes discussed by democracy alive (Editorial one bad game against New selectors.
institutions. But the new world order they sought to universe. Surely, reaching former Chief Election page, “A welcome debate on Zealand in the big semifi nal. R. Sivakumar,
usher in, underpinned by a rulesbased system of glo out for the celestial bodies Undignifi ed defections Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, electoral reforms,” July 12). (Editorial, “The climax”, July Chennai
bal governance, is facing its biggest challenge yet. is good for life on earth. This is with reference to the while not irrelevant, lag P.R.V. Raja, 13). As is widely perceived, more letters online:
The question of how a Editorial, “Aftershocks in behind in priority for Pandalam, Kerala the middle order proved to www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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A test of law and justice
The challenges made to the 103rd constitutional amendment present a more diffi cult judicial examination than usual
of the total seats available, may not services.” State of Kerala v. N.M. Thomas
appear to impinge on the existing By providing for a more propor (1975) held that reservations based
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Chandrayaan2 missed this rendezvous with er than the classes that are already would end at least some of caste trinsic facet of the idea of equality.
the moon, but the next date is not too far Suhrith Parthasarathy eligible for reservation. Conse based domination of jobs, particu
quently, persons belonging to larly of employment in the public Unseating equality
I
ndia’s second moon mission, Chandrayaan2, was
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled sector — a domination that was It is in departing from this logic
pulled back from launch just 56 minutes before its
C
onstitutional challenges are Tribes and persons who are not built over thousands of years, that the 103rd amendment unseats
scheduled liftoff on July 15. This was owing to a tech often described as hard cas part of the creamy layer of the Oth where Dalits and Adivasis were de the Constitution’s code of equality.
nical glitch in the GSLV MarkIII rocket launcher. No res es. This is, however, seldom er Backward Classes will not be nied access to equal status. As Ms. Pure fi nancial ability is a transient
cheduled date has been announced for launch. This has true. Invariably, disputes possess a eligible to the seats available un Omvedt has pointed out, the stra criterion; it doesn’t place people
no doubt served as a damper on those who eagerly simple solution. We can debate ov der the quota. introduced denominating com tegy behind reservations could, into a defi nite group requiring spe
looked forward to India being only the fourth country er what theories of interpretation According to the petitioners in munities as “Backward Classes”, therefore, never have involved an cial privileges. If anything, allow
to apply and over whether the text the Supreme Court, the central hy and providing for them a larger attack on pure economic back ing for reservation on such a prin
to launch a mission that would land on the moon, and
of a clause needs to be read literal pothesis of the amendment, share in the administration. By the wardness. The idea was always to ciple only further fortifi es the
the very fi rst to land on and explore its south pole re ly or in light of its historical back where reservation is predicated on time the Constitution was being disavow castemonopoly in the pu ability of powerful castes to retain
gion. Yet, it was best that the glitch was discovered be ground, but in most cases, the Su individual economic status, vio drafted as a reading of the Consti blic sector. their positions of authority, by
fore the launch. Rocket launches always have a nailbit preme Court’s own precedent and lates the Constitution’s basic struc tuent Assembly’s debates shows creating an even greater monopol
ing fi nish. Even the GSLVD1, the slighter predecessor to commonly accepted legal theories ture. In their belief, the law, by us, the rationale for reservations Theory of justice isation of their share in adminis
the GSLV MarkIII, suff ered such a setback when it was provide an easy enough guide to providing for affi rmative action had broadened. The Constitution’s Even when the Constitution’s fi rst tration. If such an end is indeed
about to be launched for its fi rst developmental test fi nding a principled answer. The unmindful of the structural in framers saw the measure as a pro amendment was introduced in the vision, it’s diffi cult to see how
challenges made to the 103rd con equalities inherent in India’s socie mise against prejudice, as a tool to 1951, to allow the state to make the elementary conception of
fl ight in 2001. It was called off exactly one second be
stitutional amendment, though, ty, overthrows the prevailing ra assimilate deprived groups into special provisions beyond reserva equality guaranteed by the Consti
fore launch, as it was discovered that one of the four li which a twojudge bench of the Su tionale for reservations. In doing public life, and as a means of repa tions in public employment for tution can continue to survive.
quid propellant strapon stages had not developed the preme Court is slated to hear this so, they argue, the amendment ration, to compensate persons be “the advancement of any socially Now, no doubt the Supreme
required thrust. This test fl ight was conducted just 21 month, present a rather more diffi destroys the Constitution’s idea of longing to those groups for the re and educationally backward class Court may, on the face of things,
days later, paving the way for several successful launch cult test. equal opportunity. The Union of prehensible acts of discrimination es of citizens, or for the Scheduled consider Parliament as possessing
es of the GSLV rocket subsequently. Here, the issues involved con India argues that while the Consti wrought on them through history. Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”, the power to altogether dismantle
What seems to have touched the popular imagina cern questions both over whether tution demands equality, it does Marc Galanter has called this a the rationale, as the lawyer Malavi the Constitution’s existing idea of
the amendment infringes the ex not confi ne Parliament to any sin compensatory discrimination ka Prasad has argued, remained equality without simultaneously
tion is that the current launch window ends on July 16
tant idea of equality, and over gular vision. According to it, the principle. constant. Attempts made at the demolishing the document’s basic
and if this window is missed there could be an indefi whether that idea is so intrinsic to power to amend the Constitution Yet, despite the expanded justi time to categorise individuals on structure. But, if nothing else,
nite delay in rescheduling the launch. Coupled with the Constitution, that departing must necessarily include a power fi cation, the basic foundational the basis of economic status were when the court hears the challeng
news reports that checking and correcting the error from it will somehow breach the to decide how to guarantee equal logic for reservations was still expressly rejected. Behind this es made to the 103rd amendment,
could take up to 10 days, this has led to dire pronounce document’s basic structure. The status to all persons. predicated on a demand for a fair thinking was a distinctive theory it must see the petitioners’ argu
ments of an indefi nite postponement of the mission. court’s answers to these questions er and more representative share of justice: that by according a grea ments as representing a credibly
The ‘launch window’ is determined by several factors. will operate not merely within the Meaning and purpose in political administration. This is ter share in public life to historical defensible view. The least the
One of the most important considerations is that any realm of the law but will also likely In some senses, as sociologist Gail demonstrated by R.M. Nalavade’s ly disadvantaged groups the rela court ought to do, therefore, is to
have a deep political bearing — for Omvedt wrote in these pages comment in the Constituent As tive position of those groups refer the case to a constitution
spot on the moon receives sunlight for approximately
at stake here is the very nature of (“The purpose of reservation – I”, sembly. “Our experience in the would stand enhanced. No doubt bench, given that Article 145(3)
14 (earth) days before being plunged in night for anoth justice that India’s democracy em March 24, 2000), “the whole his provinces, though there are provi such a policy would not, in and of mandates such an enquiry on any
er fourteen. The landing has to be timed so that it maxi bodies. tory of the struggle for reservation sions for reservation in the servic itself, help eliminate the various issue involving a substantial ques
mises the overlap with the sunlit days on that spot. This The law, which was introduced has also been a debate about its ve es, is bitter,” he said. “Even though inequalities produced by the caste tion of law concerning the Consti
is because the lander and the rover need solar energy to in January this year, amends Arti ry meaning and purpose”. When the depressed classes are educat system, but it was believed it tution’s interpretation, and, in the
power them and to keep the instruments warm. There cles 15 and 16 of the Constitution, reservations were fi rst introduced ed and qualifi ed, they are not gi would represent a resolute eff ort meantime, stay the operation of
fore, given a landing spot that can be seen from the and grants to government the by some of the princely states the ven chances of employment under to eliminate at least some of the the amendment until such a bench
power to provide for reservation policy was seen largely as an alle the Provincial Governments. Now castebased domination prevailing hears the case fully. Should the
earth, the landing date has to coincide with the sixth
in appointments to posts under viative measure. For instance, in that we have provided for this in in society. court fail to do so the government
phase of the moon (fi rst quarter) as seen from the the state and in admissions to edu the princely State of Mysore, the Constitution itself, there is no Indeed, the policy and the idea will surely one day present to it a
earth, on that spot. Secondly, once placed on the moon cational institutions to “economi where privileged castes had cor fear for the Scheduled castes. Ac of justice that undergirds it have cruel fait accompli.
orbit, Chandrayaan2 must have full visibility to the cally weaker sections of citizens nered virtually every post availa cording to this clause we can be been seen as so indispensable to
ground station, which will determine the time of oper [EWS]”. At fi rst blush, this reserva ble under the government, a sys adequately represented in the pro the Constitution’s aims and pur Suhrith Parthasarathy is an advocate
ation of the landing. From the date of launch to the date tion, which can extend up to 10% tem of reservations was vincial as well as in the Central poses that the Supreme Court in practising at the Madras High Court
of landing, the planned interval is about 54 days. Much
of this time is needed for the Chandrayaan2 mission to
make various orbital manoeuvres and operations, but
there is a leeway of a day or two to take some decisions.
A handtomouth Budget
A window that takes all this into account, is available for It is inescapable from the arithmetic that revenue expenditures and tax revenues are in need of serious corrections
about 10 minutes on each day now for about a week.
ment of owning up to this shortfall vidends, is not going towards sig jected rate of GDP growth.
Such a window can be found every month. Other tight on the fl oor of the House, alth nifi cantly expanding public This comes when the Budget
er windows are available but are highrisk options. So ough this is not the fi rst time that a investments. This is because much speech made much about the
even if Chandrayaan2 misses its rendezvous with the government has overestimated tax of it is getting spent on providing need to revive investments to ac
moon this month, it will fi nd a date, perhaps even next collections. for salaries, pensions, subsidies celerate GDP growth. Ms. Sithara
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month, that will be suitable. Ms. Sitharaman has now bud and interest payments on past man emphasised in her speech
Puja Mehra geted for lower tax revenue in the borrowings. that investments of ₹ 100 lakh
ongoing fi nancial year, 201920, This is why the Budget present crore would be needed cumula
Closer than close than her predecessor, Piyush ed by Ms. Sitharaman is a handto tively over the next fi ve years to
F
inance Minister Nirmala Sith Goyal had in the Interim Budget. mouth Budget. She did well in re boost infrastructure; this works
England did well to win the World Cup, araman began a new practice The new Budget estimate for sisting demands for a fi scal stimu out to be around ₹ 20 lakh crore a
in the Union Budget, present gross tax revenue is ₹ 90,936 crore lus to pump prime the economy. year.
but New Zealand did not deserve to lose ed on July 5, when she relegated lower than what was projected in That is also what has made it a fi s She did not say where this mo
the numbers, or the budgeting, to the Interim Budget. This is despite year to ₹ 90,000 crore. cally prudent budget. ney would come from. Current
S
ummit clashes of global sporting tournaments can
the fi ne print, in a break with tra the higher surcharge Ms. Sithara The Budget now estimates The revenue expenditure is savings and investment rates in
often be underwhelming. One team revels in the
dition; they are usually presented man has imposed on incometax ₹ 1,05,000 crore to be raised budgeted to grow to ₹ 24,47,780 the economy cannot provide for
occasion, the other wilts, and a lopsided climax as a part of the speech on the fl oor for those earning more than ₹ 2 through disinvestment, higher crore in 201920, an increase of such large sums. Perhaps the hope
occurs. But Sunday’s ICC World Cup fi nal involving En of the House in Parliament. crore and a range of hikes she has than the ₹ 90,000 crore that Mr. 14.3% over the revised estimate for is that foreign investors will deploy
gland and New Zealand at Lords wasn’t cut from the What are the compulsions that levied on customs duties. Goyal had projected in the Interim the previous year. in India cheap funds they will be
same cloth. Never has a cricket match invested with could have made her shy away The new Budget estimates show Budget and the ₹ 80,000 crore The fi scal gap between expendi able to raise in advanced econo
such magnitude concluded in a tie. The same fi nish line from stating the numbers as her that the government does not ex raised in 201819. tures and revenues will be fi mies where the costs of borrow
was again replicated after the super over was taken to predecessors have done earlier, no pect to improve its performance nanced by borrowing ₹ 7.10 lakh ings are expected to reduce as the
matter how uncomfortable the fi s on tax collections in the current Tapping public enterprises crore. In 201920, the outgo to global economy enters a phase of
break the stalemate. The rivals scored 241 apiece in
cal position? year: Gross tax revenueGDP ratio On the revenue side, therefore, wards interest payments is budget weak economic growth and trade.
their respective innings and drew level at 15 in the super is budgeted to slip from 11.9% in the government proposes to make ed at ₹ 6,60,471 crore, or more than Be that as it may, what is not
over. Ideally both units should have shared the trophy Falling tax revenues 201819 to 11.7% in 201920. While up for its belowexpectations per a third of the total revenue clear is how the government ex
but the quest for a singular winner and a tournament The Central government’s tax re the direct taxtoGDP ratio is ex formance by extracting more from receipts. pects the Budget to be called ‘pro
law that mentioned cumulative boundaries as the ulti venues for the fi nancial year end pected to go from 6.4 to 6.3, the in profi table public sector enterpris The government’s interest pay investments’.
mate dealbreaker, helped England pip New Zealand. ing Marchend 2019 — as reported direct taxtoGDP ratio will reduce es (PSEs); the economy would ments for past borrowings, the lar It is inescapable from the Bud
The host had 26 strikes past the ropes, well ahead of the by the Controller General of Ac from 5.5 to 5.3. have been better off had these en gest component of the revenue ex get arithmetic, though, that reve
visitor’s 17. For a contest of gladiatorial proportions, it counts (CGA) — fell short of the In To fi ll the gaping hole on the tax terprises taken the lead in rolling penditure, are budgeted to grow in nue expenditures and the tax reve
terim Budget’s estimates (that the revenue side, signifi cantly higher out fresh investments, thereby nominal terms, from 11.1% in 2018 nues are in need of serious
was perhaps an unfair judgment. In the current popu
Modi government presented in its nontax revenues have been bud generating growth impulses for 19 to 12.4% in 201920, or faster corrections. If they were in better
lar imagination both squads are champions, but after fi rst tenure) in February by a geted than the estimates of the In the rest of the economy. than even the estimated GDP shape, signifi cant expansions in
many years when only cold statistics linger, England whopping 0.9% of GDP. terim Budget. Dividends and pro As a percentage of GDP, nontax growth. public investments would have
will have the halo and New Zealand will remain the bri The CGA’s fi gures show that di fi ts from public sector enterprises revenue is budgeted to grow from Capital expenditure of the go been possible.
desmaid. The tussle that kept London agog had many rect tax collections for 201819 fell are budgeted at ₹ 1,63,528 crore 1.3% in 201819 to 1.5% in 201920. vernment is budgeted at ₹ 3,38,569
stars, but one player shone the brightest. Ben Stokes, short by ₹ 74,774 crore while those compared to ₹ 1,36,072 crore in Fe The expenditure estimates crore for 201920 which refl ects a Puja Mehra is a Delhi-based journalist.
who had spoken about how England cannot be denied, of indirect tax collections were by bruary. This includes an extraordi show that the money the govern growth of 6.9% over the revised es She is the author of the book, ‘The Lost
₹ 93,198 crore. narily large increase in dividends ment is raising from assets, timate of 201819. In other words, Decade (2008-18): How India’s Growth
rose to the occasion, and his splendid unbeaten 84
The Budget Speech saved the from the Reserve Bank of India through disinvestment and ex capital expenditure is projected to Story Devolved Into Growth Without a
helped Eoin Morgan’s men keep pace with Kane Wil Modi government the embarrass from the ₹ 68,000 crore it paid last tracting from the PSEs through di grow at a rate slower than the pro Story’
liamson’s unsung heroes.
England, the willow game’s birthplace, needed this
triumph to resuscitate the sport which is waning across LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
the country. The game’s followers belong to an older
demographic space and Asian immigrants, while the Chandrayaan-2 delay representatives of their long considered the champion emerge for the ■ The scores were: 241 for 8 that there was little to choose
youth root for football. A win of this scale should in Indians need not lose heart constituencies (Editorial, greatest World Cup match fi rst time since 1996. for New Zealand and 241 all between England and New
crease footfalls at various training academies and after the launch of the “Karnataka conundrum,” ever played (‘Sport’ page, L.S. Hareesh, out for England. The Super Zealand. Then came the
Chandrayaan2 mission was July 15)? Are they looking “Ecstasy for England, agony Chennai Over also resulted in a tie. anticlimax. In the fi nal of
grounds, and the talent base will widen. For New Zea
stopped due to a technical after the interests of the for New Zealand in a Hence, to decide the result such a major event, there
land, the second consecutive loss at the last hurdle will
glitch. The Indian Space people? Are they being true humdinger,” July 15). This ■ A ‘Super Over’ at the end of on the basis of a lone statistic should have been a more
hurt, but unlike in the 2015 edition where it succumbed Research Organisation is to the oath taken at the Sunday’s contest, also a Cricket match is meant to of boundaries scored looked sensible way to break the
meekly to cohost Australia, here it fought with all its one of the fi nest institutions time of their induction as hosted by England, can decide the winner of a like a travesty. Both the deadlock. An additional
might, be it crucial runs or decisive wickets. The Black of the country and has legislators? They seem to be now lay its claims over the knockout contest. But what teams could have been Super Over would not have
Caps dished out outstanding fi elding, and in a faceoff carried out several world just blatantly advancing epithet. Following the happens if the tiebreaker declared joint winners. been out of place. Even
of slender margins every run saved has deep ramifi ca class missions successfully their own interests to claim humdinger, neither itself ends up in a stalemate? S.V.S. Mani, declaring the teams as joint
over the past few decades, power and position, which England nor New Zealand England was handed over Chennai winners was acceptable.
tions. Williamson, who excelled with the bat and
despite the absence of a is their sole objective of deserved to lose. It is a the World Cup by virtue of Around the same time at
amassed 578 runs, was a brilliant captain and he never
lavish budget. The getting into politics. shame for cricket’s having scored more It was a feast for sport lovers Wimbledon, Roger Federer
lost his sense of grace. Judged the ‘Player of the Tourna institution is the pride of Political parties nurture governing body that such a boundaries, a rule that needs as two highprofi le events and Novak Djokovic,
ment’, the Kiwi skipper and his men can return home India and should be an them for their own survival. great match had to be to be revisited. Why couldn’t reached their climax in the produced a classic fi nal
with their heads held high. For a championship that inspiration to many Why doesn’t the public see decided on the basis of both teams have been same city, in the same style, (Sports page, “Djokovic
featured skewed games and four rainedout fi xtures in developing countries. through this game and such a farcical metric. It is declared winners and made within minutes of each other. leaves Federer heartbroken
its fi rst part, the second stage proved engrossing and Meena Yadem, protest against such grand high time the International to share the World Cup? Why The Cricket World Cup after epic fi nale”, July 15).
the fi nal was the piecederesistance. The World Cup al
Hyderabad betrayals? Cricket Council revisits its should the result have match provided unmatched Again, it was a match neither
M.K. Anantha Swamy, rule book to provide some caused ecstasy for one team thrills, a contest of equals player deserved to lose. And
so held a mirror to cricket’s overall health. Except for
The Karnataka crisis Bengaluru predictability when it and agony for the other where the dominance passed again, a new rule to break
England, New Zealand, Australia, India and to some ex Whatever be the rights or comes to giving closure to when the performance, and repeatedly from one team to the tie was the culprit.
tent Pakistan, the other squads have become weak and legality of the actions of the Honours tied such fi ercely fought the scores, were on such an the other in a seesaw battle P.P. Menon,
the respective boards have to address structural fl aws. MLAs in Karnataka, are The semifi nal clash encounters. However, for a even keel? that ended in an incredible Kochi
The sport needs robust competition, not jaded outfi ts. they performing their between Australia and cricket fan, it is heartening Victor Frank A., tie. And then the Super Over more letters online:
duties as elected South Africa in 1999 was for to see a new World Cup Chennai also produced a tie, proving www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
K. MURALI KUMAR
pressure due to fall in exports and investment Valerian Rodrigues Congress, has 78 members in the years. Second, the JD(S) with the of historical reasons, castes and
224member House. While there Chief Minister at the helm and communities are key players on
T
he Chinese economy is seeing the fi rst signs of are two independents, the BJP, with the support of a section of the the political scene in Karnataka.
trouble after long years of sustained growth that
A
distinct genre of political which is in the opposition, has 105 State Congress leadership, has sys Hindutva has been attempting to
rode on cheap labour and high volumes of ex theatrics in which elected members. From the beginning, tematically attempted to undercut fi ll this vacuum in recent years but
ports. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics representatives play ‘hide the relationship between the coali holding out the threat of disqualifi the lucrative wheelerdealer net has a very tentative hold still.
on Monday revealed that the economy grew by 6.2% in and seek’ in plush resorts to es tion partners has been very unea cation for noncompliance. The work that the Siddaramaiah go
the second quarter, its slowest pace in 27 years. This is cape poaching by their very own sy, with the media constantly Supreme Court was made to step vernment of the Congress (2013 Personal gain, sectarianism
and rival party leaders is currently abuzz with rumours of a break in in order to decide the relative 18) had built — it involves mining, Even today, the elected represen
in contrast to the growth rates of 6.4% and 6.6% report
playing out in Karnataka. While down. On its part, the BJP has status of resignation and disquali land, construction and transport — tatives primarily consider them
ed for the fi rst quarter and the full year of 2018, respec the dramatis personae, the layout made umpteen attempts to wean fi cation of elected members and and which directed those resourc selves as members of castes and
tively. The faltering growth rate was due to a slump in of the plot, the resources de away a few members from the coa their precedence, given their es to its henchmen. It led to inter communities, and in the distribu
exports in June amidst China’s ongoing trade war with ployed, and the message conveyed lition, widely termed ‘Operation widely diff erent political implica ference in departments and transf tion of public resources, the gain
the United States and the downturn witnessed by sec are distinct this round, this mode Kamala (lotus)’. After the Lok Sab tions. On the fl oor of the Assemb er of employees which the to one’s community becomes an
tors such as housing construction, where investor senti of doing politics is not new to the ha election, and the BJP’s resound ly, the Chief Minister announced ministers concerned regarded as overriding consideration. There
ments play a major role. Many economists believe that State. ing victory where it got 25 Lok Sab that he would move a trust motion their fi efdoms. It made Mr. Sidda fore, elected representatives form
In fact, following the State elec ha seats out of 28, the rumblings on his government, which has ramaiah, the preeminent leader a clique with a powerful leader
the worst may not yet be over for China and that eco
tions last year, leaders of the ruling within the coalition have become made the issue of status and prece of the Congress in the State, to with access to public resources,
nomic growth could further worsen in the coming coalition enacted a similar play al louder; moving to the greener dence crucial to the ambitions and blow hot and cold occasionally and strive to tilt the scales in their
quarters. But just as growth seems to be faltering, the most 14 months ago by shepherd side, i.e. the BJP, has become more designs of the rebels, and also against the coalition. favour. Being elected as a member
latest growth fi gures also showed that the retail sales ing the elected representatives of tempting for the fencesitters. placing them in a quandary. The Third, the Congress and JD(S) of the Legislature is often per
and industrial output components of the growth num their respective parties to safe ha A few days ago, there was dra unfolding of these events has been are traditional political rivals in ceived as an entry point to seek
bers witnessed steady growth, suggesting that domestic vens; this was done ostensibly to ma when 16 members of the As laced with several subplots: lavish the southern region of the State other goodies such as a ministerial
demand may be compensating for the dropping appe stop them from being poached by sembly, three from the JD(S) and 13 living, private jethops, invocation and over the years, a signifi cant berth through which the member
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of the Congress, most of them of divine help, political “attempts” section of the Vokkaligas, the pro can channelise public resources
tite for Chinese exports weighed down by high tariff s.
which laid claim to power as the sheltered in a luxury hotel in to cajole the rebels to return to the nounced social base of the JD(S), for personal gain and to extend pa
But with China still heavily reliant on exports and its largest party in the House and Mumbai, announced that they had partyfold, and a roughing up of have been attracted to the Hindut tronage. In the context of the wea
trade war with the U.S. showing no signs of coming to needed a few more legislators to resigned from the Assembly. Two party colleagues, and each party va agenda. The inability of the coa kening party leadership of coali
an end, the pressure on growth is likely to remain for secure a majority. independents, who were made mi moving its Assembly members to lition to forge an overlapping vot tion partners, since a
some more time. So the Chinese government, which nisters earlier in order to retain wellsecured and lavish resorts. ing base is what has led to its representative may have to largely
has tried to boost the economy through measures such The bare sketch them within the coalition fold, re overwhelming defeat in the very fend for himself or herself, the
as tax cuts, increased public spending and a relaxation Such mimetic displays have not signed from the cabinet and ex Disaff ection within coalition region of its strength. temptation to accumulate as much
been rare in the past either. They tended support to the BJP. The While the coalition government The data is telling. In the As as possible during one’s stint is
in bank reserve requirements to encourage banks to in
make room for extended invention Speaker of the House, however, and the parties supporting them sembly elections of April 2018, the seen as a mark of political com
crease lending, will hope that domestic demand for its of subplots and even erasure of a faulted the procedure adopted by have targeted the BJP for attempt BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) se mon sense.
goods will hold up the economy. few, often delving deep into the 10 legislators to tender their resig ing to pull down the government, cured 36.34%, 38.14% and 18.3% of It is time Karnataka politics dis
China’s quarterly GDP numbers, while useful in ma rich folklore Karnataka is known nations, dragging in the Supreme the fi rst group is primarily respon the voteshare respectively, while covers not merely its egalitarian
ny ways, don’t reveal very much about the underlying for. Analogical practices are there Court to decide its rectitude. sible for allowing disaff ection in the Lok Sabha elections, it was and pluralistic traditions and sets
challenges facing the country. One is the need to im in other States too, although Kar While receiving these resignations within its fold to spread for three 51.4%, 31.88% and 9.67%, respec out to reconstruct its political ar
prove the credibility of data released by the Chinese go nataka can claim a certain exper afresh, following the court’s direc reasons. tively. The disaff ection has led a chitecture to refl ect them. A public
vernment. An even larger challenge is the urgent need tise in this regard by now. While tive, the Speaker stood his ground First, for reasons known to it large number of Congressmen to culture imbued by such a perspec
such theatrics may have tactical on ascertaining their constitution self, the Congress did not include question the utility of the coalition tive may not eliminate all diff e
to restructure the Chinese economy from one that is
political purpose at times, the al and legal validity. the most important leaders from on grounds of sectarian loyalties, rences but there would be some
driven heavily by stateled investment and exports to question to be asked is the pur In Parliament, the Opposition Northern Karnataka in the minis personal interests, and future elec yardsticks to hold elected repre
one that is driven primarily by market forces. The high pose for which such a political tac accused the ruling BJP of employ try for months; a small coterie of toral prospects; some of them with sentatives to accountability. But
growth years of the Chinese economy were made possi tic is employed; the bearing it has ing unfair means to bring down an Vokkaliga leaders in the coalition large interests at stake have decid for the time being, it seems a mir
ble by the huge amount of liquidity provided by the Chi on electoral representation, and elected government. With the Kar from the erstwhile Mysore region ed to jump ship. The hand of the age.
nese state and the large and aff ordable workforce that the aff ront such political means nataka government having decid have attempted to direct the BJP has always been there with the
helped build China into an export powerhouse. But off er to nurture a democratic ed to convene the Budget session, course of political developments. bait and off ering promises. Valerian Rodrigues taught Political
culture. the coalition partners issued a The Lingayatdominated northern The disaff ection mentioned Science at Mangalore University and
now, with China’s tried and tested growth model facing
In Karnataka, there is a coali whip to its members to attend, region, already smarting under above have little to do with repre Jawaharlal Nehru University
the threat of getting derailed as the export and invest
ment boom comes to an end, the Chinese will have to
build a more sustainable model, or forfeit hopes of dou
bledigit economic growth in the future. As of now,
there are no signs to suggest that the Chinese authori
The wheels to a low-carbon transport system
ties are looking at implementing deepseated structural It rests on accessing public service, choosing rapid transit over car driving and supporting electric vehicle transition
reforms reminiscent of its early decades of liberalisa Climate action also requires an bility where there is a lack of forming India’s vision of ‘Make in
tion that can help fundamentally restructure the eco understanding of how emissions alternatives. India’.
nomy. There might not be a need for radical macroeco vary with spatial context. In India, Compact cities improve accessi
nomic changes, but China’s economic troubles will not we fi nd in our new study (pu Technology transition bility and reduce emissions from
go away unless the government boosts domestic con blished in Environmental Research Second, India should double down transport and even the building
sumption and reduces the reliance on exports. Letters), that income and urbanisa in its strategy to transition to elec sector. Most Indian cities are alrea
Sohail Ahmad & tion are the key determinants of tric two and threewheelers. India dy very dense, with few benefi ts
Felix Creutzig travel distance and travel mode is the thirdlargest market for auto expected by further highrise. City
One for the ages choice and, therefore, commuting mobiles; about 25 million internal managers should ensure that exist
GETTY IMAGES
C
ongested streets and pollut and the design of public transit are 2017, including about 20 million routes and fast access to schools,
Alongside Federer and Nadal, Djokovic is
ed air are common expe critical for lowcarbon mobility twowheelers. A recent study re hospitals and jobs, otherwise, resi
ensuring tennis is at its competitive best riences in India’s metropol systems. The study is based on the ports that India has 1.5 million bat dents would be required to travel
ises, although the average Indian most recent results of the Indian nonmotorised transport emerges terypowered threewheeler rick long distances. To achieve this
N
o player in the last decade has so thrillingly dis
contributes only minu scule Census in 2011. as a sweet spot of sustainable de shaw (over 300,000 erickshaws aim, mayors and decisionmakers
rupted the Roger FedererRafael Nadal binary
amounts of transportrelated car Average commuting emissions velopment, resulting in both lower sold in 2018). In the coming years, need to rethink how to deliver bas
quite like World No.1 Novak Djokovic. Back in bon dioxide (CO2) emissions to glo in highemitting districts (Delhi) emissions and better public health experts judge that the electric ic services such as education and
2008, when Federer and Nadal met at Wimbledon in bal climate change. Patterns of are 16 times higher than lowemit in cities. According to the recent threewheeler market is expected health. Building schools and hos
that iconic fi nal, the contest had a defi nitive feel to it — road transport, however, diverge ting districts (most districts in Bi National Family Health Survey to grow by at least 10% per year. In pitals matters especially for infor
to crown that era’s best. The two met again this year, wildly between cities and districts. har and Uttar Pradesh). Average (201516), nearly 30% of all men 2019, nearly 110,000 electric two mal settlements and are critical in
eleven summers since, just to earn the right to chal Delhi tops the charts and emis per capita commuting emissions are overweight or obese in south wheelers were also sold, and the achieving low carbon develop
lenge Djokovic. Such has been the Serb’s excellence sions are more than twice as high are highest for the most affl uent west Delhi, but only 25% in Thiru annual growth rate may be above ment as well as improving the
that in the time between the two FedererNadal meet as other Indian megacities, such as districts, which are predominantly vananthapuram and 13% in Allaha 40% per year. quality of life.
Mumbai, Bengaluru or Ahmeda urban, and that heavily use four bad. These data correlate with The current statistics even sug Providing access to public ser
ings, he increased his Grand Slam count from one to 15.
bad. wheelers for commuting. This is a high reliance of car use in Delhi gest that electric threewheelers vice, choosing rapid transit over
Sunday’s pulsating fi veset victory over Federer Studies show that India’s road surprising result, as in other parts and low demand for walking. and electric twowheelers, rather car driving in cities and support
brought him his fi fth Wimbledon to put him just two transport emissions are small in of the world such as the United Another of our studies that in than electric cars, will drive the ing the rise of electric two and
shy of Nadal (18) and four behind Federer (20) in the all global comparison but increasing States, commuting emissions are vestigates data from the India Hu electric vehicle market in India. threewheelers will help drive In
time list. At times, his oncourt demeanour and his exponentially. In fact, the Global low in urban areas but high in sub man Development Survey shows Electric car sales are minuscule dia to a modern and lowcarbon
grinding style of tennis have detracted from the percep Carbon Project reports that India’s urban or exurban settings. In con that a 10% increase in cycling and even falling (dropping from transport system fi t for the 21st
tion of his success. To not celebrate his greatness, ho carbon emissions are rising more trast, average per capita commut could lower chronic diseases such 2,000 in 2017 to 1,200 in 2018). century.
than two times as fast as the global ing emissions are lowest for Indian as diabetes and cardiovascular dis Consumers realise the practical
wever, would be a severe disservice. Nadal and Federer
rise in 2018. Globally, the tran districts that are poor, and com eases for 0.3 million people, while advantages of lighter in weight Sohail Ahmad is a Research Fellow at the
are still ranked two and three in the world and are play sport sector accounts for a quarter muting distances are short and also abating emissions. Car use, in two and threewheelers that re GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and
ing at nearpeak levels. But even at their best, Djokovic of total emissions, out of which rarely use threewheelers. contrast, correlates with higher quire much smaller and less po Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods
has left them short of breath. In fact, starting from the three quarters are from road tran rates of diabetes. Therefore, fuel werful batteries and are easily (SHLC), University of Glasgow. Prof. Dr.
2011 Australian Open — his second Major — Djokovic has sport. Reducing CO2 emissions of Focus on wellbeing price increases, congestion charg plugged in at home. Felix Creutzig is the head of the working
triumphed at nearly every second slam he has entered road transport leverages multiple Two policy implications follow. es or parking management could India is one of the world’s lar group Land Use, Infrastructures and
(15 of 34). Federer in the same period has accumulated cobenefi ts, for example, improv First, mayors and town planners be a strategy that improves the gest producers and consumers in Transport at the Mercator Research
ing air quality and increasing should organise cities around pu wellbeing of individuals living in two and three wheelers and In Institute on Global Commons and Climate
four and Nadal nine, of which seven have come at the
physical activity, which are critical blic transport and cycling, thereby urban areas. In contrast, fuel price dian companies can take a leading Change, and Chair of Sustainability
French Open. Remarkably, Djokovic has vanquished for wellbeing, particularly in ur improving mobility for many, increases would be detrimental in role in switching to electric vehi Economics at Technische Universität
either Federer or Nadal in 12 of the 16 slams he has won. ban areas. while limiting car use. Uptake of poorer rural areas, impairing mo cles. This will also help in trans Berlin
Eight of those victories have come in fi nals.
That Federer, just three weeks shy of turning 38,
came within one stroke of upstaging Djokovic is credit
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
to the Swiss’s genius. Even in a career as storied as his, it
would have been more than just a normal data point if 103rd amendment equality as envisaged under advising advocates to resorts to the use of contrast to the sword the umpiring errors, the odd
In M.R. Balaji (AIR 1963 SC Article 14. However, if the refrain from addressing its phrases such as “the celebration by Ravindra rules made a mockery of the
he had clinched his ninth Wimbledon by beating Nadal
649), the Supreme Court process of reservation gets judges as “My Lord” and petitioner/applicant most Jadeja in the semifi nals. game and its intricacies.
and Djokovic — two of his greatest rivals — backtoback. made a signifi cant overheated so as to deprive “Your Lordship” must be humbly showeth that ….” Players should realise that What if there was a tie in the
It is a testament to Djokovic’s supreme mental strength observation by saying, the economically weaker encouraged across the S.K. Khosla, wild gestures sometimes number of boundaries?
that he did not fl inch, even under extreme pressure, “social backwardness is, in sections a more judiciary. There were Chandigarh take away the focus from Would the ICC then use the
and despite not being the better player on the day. the ultimate analysis, the proportionate share in the directions over a decade the main target of winning criterion of the number of
When he started out, Djokovic was among the most result of poverty”. For the administration and access ago, to settle for “Your Final outcome a game. Finally, one hopes catches? One can go on
emotionally fragile. Questions abounded as recently as writer (Editorial page, “A to opportunities, then it Honour”, “Honourable New Zealand’s Kane that with its victory, adding all sorts of
test of law and justice”, July would be a violation of their Court” and “Sir”, but it Williamson was all grace England is able to permutations and
last July when he slipped outside the top20. But by se
16) “to say that there cannot fundamental rights. One does not seem to have while fi elding questions rejuvenate the game. combinations. In the true
curing four of the past fi ve Majors, he has truly redisco be reservation for the has to see how reservation caught on. In fact, a little from the media. As the V. Subramanian, spirit of the game, the ICC
vered the mind of a champion. Among women, it was economically weaker has worked to the more is required to be done underdogs, the Kiwis Chennai should revisit the result.
the turn of Simona Halep to display similar powers, by sections of society unless detriment of economically to maintain gender equality deserve accolades and S. Seshadri,
they are socially backward” weaker sections so that especially when female empathy for the way they Chennai
adding Wimbledon to her 2018 French Open win. There ■ True fans of cricket will
was a feeling that following her breakthrough in Paris may not be wholly right. To they don’t become socially judges hold court as a handled the postmatch never accept the result of the more letters online:
she had suff ered a meltdown, as she had not progressed say that reservation for the backward also. single bench. Besides this, situation, despite losing the ICC World Cup. Apart from www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
economically weaker N.G.R. Prasad, it would also be more fi nal match to England and
beyond the quarterfi nals at any Major since then. Ho corrections & clarifications:
sections goes against the K.K. Ram Siddhartha, appropriate if the use of the unconvincing rules. It is
wever, the way she mowed down one formidable oppo A Sports page report headlined “DPR Korea downs Tajikistan”
basic structure of the Chennai archaic and colonial terms heartbreaking to lose due (some editions, July 16, 2019) erroneously said both Tajikistan and
nent after another at SW19, including the legendary Se Constitution is to ignore/ in law suits is also to some extraneous DPR Korea had six points from two wins and a draw. Actually it
rena Williams in the fi nal for the loss of just four games, dilute the signifi cance of In court amended. For instance any reasons. The composure should be two wins and a loss for each team.
was enough proof of her strong mental makeup. Article 14. The very purpose The resolution moved by petition fi led in courts or shown by Ben Stokes after The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
of reservation is to achieve the Rajasthan High Court judicial tribunals often reaching his 50 was in quiet E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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T
he judgment of the International Court of Justice nancial Crisis) was to raise gross
Ramkishen S. Rajan
at The Hague in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case has Sasidaran Gopalan savings rates. While the rise in Heterodox policies, reforms
come as major relief for India, providing space household savings was partly due Thus, much of the investment and
T
and direction for Pakistan to reconsider the illformed he recentlyreleased Eco to the positive demographic divi export acceleration in East Asian
process it pursued in convicting and sentencing to nomic Survey either glosses dend, a variety of other factors, in countries was due to heterodox
death the former naval offi cer. In its judgment, the ICJ over or ignores many acute cluding macroeconomic stability, policies and reforms that were
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
challenges faced by the Indian low infl ation, lack of social safety carefully calibrated, wellse
ruled in favour of India’s petition on six counts, fi nding
economy — like the severe agrar nets, inability to leverage (due to a quenced and implemented at a
that Pakistan was in breach of its own commitments to ian crisis; the troubles of lossmak highly regulated banking system) time when the external environ
the Vienna convention on consular relations, and also ing and debtridden public sector and forced savings (fullyfunded ment was far less hostile than it is
rejecting its contention that the convention doesn’t ap units; and the issues plaguing pu Provident Funds) also played a today. These measures allowed
ply to the charges of espionage and terrorism levelled blic sector banks. role. Stateowned enterprises had the nations to benefi t from their
against Mr. Jadhav. Put plainly, the judgment castigates While the Survey is not incor to operate with budget con demographic dividends and trans
Pakistan’s legal process against Jadhav ab initio: from rect in highlighting the impor straints. This, coupled with the fi s form themselves into developed
tance of incorporating insights cal discipline practised by the eco closed to foreign banks. Even Sin for savings alternatives. economies in record time.
the initial failure to inform India of the arrest, besides
from psychology into economics, nomies, ensured that the public gapore initially adopted a dual Along with these, the govern In contrast, due to political and
the failure to inform him of his rights, to provide him le it is odd that this has been done so sector did not crowd out private banking structure that sheltered ments undertook sophisticated in other compulsions, India’s re
gal representation, and to provide him an open and fair late in the day. Many other coun savings and, in some cases, actual the domestic economy largely dustrial policies to promote dom forms since 1991 have been rather
trial. Pakistan’s leadership may choose to publicly re tries like the U.K., Australia and ly added to national savings. from signifi cant shortterm bank estic investment, much of which haphazard and of a ‘stopandgo’
joice over the fact that the ICJ didn’t annul the trial or Singapore have for long being ap Another goal was to ensure that fl ows. It resorted to a calibrated was exportled (though not neces nature with perverse consequenc
direct a release, but the order should give it pause for plying such points to policy design the private savings were actually policy to allow fully licensed fo sarily freemarket based). The go es, all of which has made it much
thought, and allow saner minds within its establish and implementation areas and the intermediated into the formal fi reign banks only in the late 1990s. vernments understood that a ver more challenging for the country
issue has been discussed in India nancial system, failing which the tical industrial policy (of ‘picking to take full advantage of its demo
ment to order a comprehensive review of the trial pro
over the last few years as well. It is cost of capital would remain high Tight fi nancial oversight winners’) would not work without graphic dividend.
cess, if not a full retrial. The ICJ has worked with prece unclear what added value the re and the availability of capital for So, while these economies were a sound horizontal industrial poli Successive governments have
dents in the cases of Germany vs the United States port truly has to off er here. investment would be low. To generally successful in encourag cy (dealing with labour and land neither had the toolsets and the
(LaGrand) and Mexico vs the United States (Avena), both One issue that the Survey right achieve this, importance was gi ing savings, the cost of capital was reforms, bringing about basic lite policy space nor the embedded
cases where it had ruled that the U.S. was in violation of ly underlines is the need for India ven to the establishment of a safe rather high, not unlike the pro racy and raising women’s partici autonomy needed to drive the in
the Vienna convention, and ordered a “review and re to revive private investment if it is and secure public sector banking blem in India today. To tackle this, pation in the labour force). Be dustrial transformation as in the
consideration” of its process. Pakistan must realise that to achieve the magical $5trillion system (usually in the form of pos the East Asian economies under sides, incentives also had clear East Asian countries.
it cannot now emulate the example of the U.S., which economy status by 202425. Ho tal savings networks) where depo took fi nancial repression — con guidelines and sunset clauses and Though measures like reducing
wever, what is odd here is that to sits were guaranteed by the cen ventionally understood as a ceiling mechanisms were in place to policy uncertainty; ensuring that
defi ed the ICJ’s ruling, and work instead in good faith to
stress this, the document invokes tral bank and interest incomes was price keeping lending rates lower phase out support. Thus, winners the fi scal expenditures do not
implement the ICJ’s detailed recommendations for an the ageold comparison between taxed lightly, if at all. The state than market equilibrium. prospered while losers were al crowd out private savings and in
eff ective process of justice for Mr. Jadhav. India and East Asian countries. It owned banks were tightly regulat This, in normal circumstances, lowed to fail. vestment; enhancing the effi cien
Those recommendations, however, can only ensure is rather strange that the Survey ed as fi nancial stability was the would have led to disintermedia In addition, the bureaucracies cy of fi nancial intermediation; and
a fair trial process for Mr. Jadhav in Pakistan, and not brings up something that has been cornerstone of overall macroeco tion from the formal fi nancial sys of these East Asian economies had dealing with land acquisition and
his release or eventual return home. For its part, New taught in economic development nomic stability. tem, a consequent reduction in what Berkeley sociologist Peter environment clearances are all es
Delhi must recognise that the verdict is only a breather, classes over the last two decades. Financial inclusion was encour the quantity of fi nancing and the Evans referred to as “embedded sential to reignite investment, we
aged, though the focus was on ac creation of a shadow banking sys autonomy”. This allowed the state do not need to invoke the East
a window of opportunity in which to open talks with Is
How the NIEs prospered tual use of the deposit accounts tem. However, central banks of to be autonomous, yet embedded Asian example to understand the
lamabad, parallel to the trial review on Mr. Jadhav’s fu Here, a question that arises is: Can rather than just their opening. these economies maintained tight within the private sector and ena importance of these.
ture. Pakistan must recognise India’s resolve in secur the East Asian model help revive While the manufacturing sector oversight, and selective capital bled the two to work together to
ing the safety of its citizen, and any rash move to try and India’s fl oundering investment was viewed as a growth engine controls ensured that the low develop policies or change course Ramkishen S. Rajan is a Professor at the
put his sentencing into eff ect will cause deep and last rates? Some crucial reminders are and open to export competition, yielding savings did not leave their if the policies did not work. This Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,
ing damage to its own attempts to restart bilateral talks. worth underlining. the banking sector, in all econo countries of origin, while limited made industrial policy operate as Singapore. Sasidaran Gopalan is a Senior
This will be even more diffi cult to do than it was when The East Asian model was large mies apart from Hong Kong, re fi nancial development forestalled a process of selfdiscovery, as em Research Fellow at the Nanyang Business
ly a story driven by the newly in mained tightly regulated and the possibility of people looking phasised by Harvard economist School, Singapore
Mr. Jadhav was arrested in March 2016, as at the time
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had just visited Lahore,
I
n an epochal development, In tionally disregarded the fact that of treading on China’s toes. Va investment. Moreover, China re
The health emergency declared by the WHO dia became the ‘Guest of Ho India is a democratic and secular rious OIC resolutions have, in the frains from preaching to others
AFP
can counter the risk of a global spread nour’ at the 46th session of the country, where every citizen is past, referred only superfi cially to about human rights or systems of
Council of Foreign Ministers of the protected by the Constitution and “commend the eff orts of the Peo the matter. For instance, the Isla governance.
A
fter holding itself back on three occasions, the
Organisation of Islamic Coopera is free to practise one’s religion. It ple’s Republic of China in provid mabad OIC meeting in May 2007 As China’s continued import of
World Health Organization has declared the Ebo tion (OIC) held in Abu Dhabi in has also conveniently disregarded ing care to its Muslim citizens”. made only an anodyne request to oil from Iran suggests, countries
la virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Re March. The fi nal declaration es the fact that India regularly holds This would have come as a huge its Secretary General “to make under U.S. pressure and sanctions
public of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of Inter chewed the customary reference State and general elections, in relief to Beijing, especially after a contact with the Government of often turn to China for relief. In re
national Concern. The outbreak in Congo, offi cially to Jammu and Kashmir. This can cluding in Jammu and Kashmir. review held by the United Nations China” on the matter “and to sub turn, they do their best to guard
declared on August 1, 2018, has killed nearly 1,700 peo be considered unique since the Committee on the Elimination of sequently report on these consul China’s interests at the OIC.
ple and made more than 2,500 people ill. While cases previous Dhaka Declaration in Turning a Nelson’s eye Racial Discrimination in 2018 had tations”. The Baku OIC resolution However, OIC countries, under
in other areas are reducing, Beni is the new hotspot. May 2018 had contained this refe On the other hand, it has turned a claimed, citing credible reports, of June 2006 made an appeal “to the infl uence of Pakistan, support
rence. Credit must go to the strong Nelson’s eye to the human rights that Beijing had turned the Uighur give special attention to the condi resolutions against India despite
The announcement of the health emergency comes
personal and statetostate ties violations committed by its own autonomous region into “someth tions of Muslims in East Turkistan having excellent bilateral ties with
amid renewed concerns that the virus could spread to built by the Narendra Modi go members, like the actions of the ing that resembles a massive in (Xinjiang) and to examine the pos the country. Recent developments
other countries. A single imported case of Ebola in Go vernment with important OIC Pakistani state in Balochistan. ternment camp”. sibility of working out a formula — a call from Pakistan’s Minister
ma, a city in Congo with two million people and with an states, especially the UAE. At the However, the organisation’s re Earlier, a Human Rights Watch for cooperation with the Chinese for Religious Aff airs Pir Noorul
international airport bordering Rwanda, served as a same time, one of the resolutions cord on China’s Xinjiang province, report issued in September 2018 Government”. Haq Qadri urging China to lift res
trigger to fi nally declare a global emergency. Surpris did refer to Kashmir and ex which is in the news on account of had also criticised Beijing’s poli China has resented the use of trictions on Muslims in Xinjiang
ingly, the spread to neighbouring Uganda last month pressed concern at the situation of alleged violations of human rights cies in Xinjiang. the term “East Turkistan” in OIC and JamaateIslami Pakistan chief
Muslims in India. and curbs on religious freedom of On its part, China has defended documents, reminiscent of the Sirajul Haq’s raising concerns
did not seem to change the way the WHO assessed the
The OIC, representing 57 mem Uighurs and other Muslim ethnic its policies and claimed that its so banned East Turkestan Islamic about the Uighur issue with the
situation. Even when a handful of Ebola cases were con ber states and a population of groups, is far more curious. called ‘internment camps’ are ac Movement of separatist Uighurs Chinese Ambassador — must,
fi rmed in Uganda, all the infected people had travelled about 1.8 billion people, is the The main Abu Dhabi declara tually vocational centres meant to from Xinjiang. Yet, Beijing has en hence, have come as deep embar
from Congo and there had been no local transmission world’s secondlargest intergo tion, like the Dhaka Declaration, “to educate and save [the local pe gaged the OIC and just before the rassment to the OIC.
or spread within Uganda — one of the criteria used by vernmental organisation after the made no reference to China or its ople of Xinjiang] who were in Abu Dhabi meeting, it welcomed
the WHO to assess if an outbreak is a global emergency. UN and is committed to protecting Muslim minorities. Further, it is in fl uenced by religious extremism”. an OIC delegation to Xinjiang, a The author is director general of the
This is the fi fth time that the WHO has declared a global the interests of the Muslim world. triguing that one resolution In its White Paper in November development which perhaps Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses,
It routinely expresses solidarity passed at Abu Dhabi chose to 2018, Beijing had projected Xin played a role in the OIC ‘com New Delhi. Views expressed are personal
emergency. The earlier occasions were in February
2016 for Zika outbreaks in the Americas, August 2014
for Ebola outbreaks in western Africa, the spread of po
lio in May 2014, and the H1N1 pandemic in April 2009. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Declaring an event as a global emergency is meant to
stop the spread of the pathogen to other countries and ICJ verdict Given Islamabad’s to travel, legally and outcome of a ‘review and legislators cannot be insisted on an intervention
to ensure a coordinated international response. The International Court of intransigent position on the diplomatically, before the reconsideration’ by a compelled to attend the by the third umpire (“Did
There have been several challenges in interrupting Justice (ICJ)’s verdict issue and the strained ultimate goal of securing Mr. military court. India should Assembly, has only cricketing sense prevail in
the virus transmission cycle and containing the spread directing Pakistan to nature of IndiaPakistan Jadhav’s release can be continue to make all out considered the rights of the World Cup fi nal,” July 18).
“review and reconsider” relations, it would require secured. Once India exhausts eff orts through diplomatic MLAs and overlooked the V. Lakshmanan,
— reluctance in the community, attacks on health work
the conviction and death extraordinary political and the remedies provided for by channels and put pressure rights of the voters. The Tirupur
ers, delays in casedetection and isolation, and chal sentence of Kulbhushan diplomatic acumen to international laws, the ICJ on Pakistan to free the ruling will undermine India’s
lenges in contacttracing. But compared with the situa Jadhav is baffl ing on several ensure justice for Mr. will have no option other retired Naval offi cer. multiparty democracy and Tech-averse state
tion during 20142016, the availability of a candidate counts (Front page, Jadhav. Euphoria on the ICJ than tossing the case back to Kosaraju Chandramouli, promote horsetrading. The kneejerk manner in
vaccine has greatly helped. Though the vaccine has not “Review Jadhav sentence, judgment is thus a bit too Pakistan’s civilian courts. It is Hyderabad S.S. Rajagopalan, which the Indian
been licensed in any country, the ring vaccination stra grant consular access, ICJ premature. not known whether India Chennai government reacts on being
tegy where people who come into contact with infected tells Pak.,” July 18). Despite S.K. Choudhury, possesses any trump card in SC decision confronted with
having held unequivocally Bengaluru the form of a bargaining In this struggle among Extra run technological changes needs
people, as well as the contacts of those contacts are im
that Islamabad committed chip, but in the end, only a parties for political power, The two onfi eld umpires a rethink. While other
munised, has helped . Of the nearly 94,000 people at
gross violation of both the ■ Thanks to the Vienna thaw in the frozen India the interests of voters have during the World Cup fi nal nations are formulating
risk who were vaccinated till March 25, 2019, only 71 got Vienna Convention and the Convention and a well Pakistan ties can open the been totally forgotten should have halted the game progressive policies on the
infected compared with 880 unvaccinated who got in International Covenant on coordinated legal defence doors for Mr. Jadhav’s return. (Editorial, “Balance and tilt,” for a moment if they had any use of technology, India
fected. The vaccine had 97.5% effi cacy; a majority of Civil and Political Rights, it before the ICJ, India was able V.N. Mukundarajan, July 18). A legislator gets doubt on the total number of suff ers from the ailment of
is surprising that the court to realise the immediate Thiruvananthapuram elected by people as a runs to be awarded after the technological parochialism,
those who got infected despite being vaccinated were
highrisk contacts. Owing to vaccine shortage, the still thought it fi t to only objective of getting a stay on representative of a given overthrow. That they did not whose cure lies in education
WHO’s expert group on immunisation has recommend suspend the execution, the death sentence handed ■ The ICJ verdict is only a party. Once chosen, he has consult the television umpire of policymakers and greater
instead of annulling the out to the former Indian temporary relief for Mr. to obey the party’s whip. is a bit puzzling. ‘Cricketing involvement of
ed reducing the individual dose to meet the demand.
sentence. Also, by naval offi cer Kulbushan Jadhav as his fate now Further, if he wants to join sense’ did not prevail at that entrepreneurs in
What is equally important is for the G7 countries to ful refraining from spelling out Jadhav by a Pakistani military depends on what Pakistan’s some other party, he should crucial stage and it is policymaking. (“The benefi ts
fi l their promise to the WHO to contain the spread. The how Pakistan should go court. While celebrating the arbitrarily assembled resign from membership of unfortunate that such a of blockchain,” July 18).
agency received only less than half of the $100 million about ensuring a review, ICJ’s verdict, India should military courts decide. While the legislature and seek bizarre incident enabled a Supreeth K.,
the court has allowed the take care to avoid any consular access could reelection. The Supreme team that was probably Bengaluru
that was requested to tackle the crisis. The global emer
gency now declared may probably bring in the funding. country to conduct another triumphalist drumbeating provide moral support, it is Court, by giving an interim losing to win the World Cup. more letters online:
trial in a military court. because there is a long way not diffi cult to foresee the order that the dissident Ben Stokes should also have www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
W
ith the Supreme Courtled process of updat
ing the National Register of Citizens in Assam links and clues by using informa argument excavates historical to critical thinking, surely its wri
A
few months ago, a school tion and concepts drawn from dif grounding. It says: “Indian univer ters had cast a glance at the larger
nearing its deadline of July 31, the complexi
principal told me about her ferent subjects. Imagine our sities such as Takshshila and Na ethos and noticed the demise of
GETTY IMAGES
ties involved in the gargantuan exercise have dawned conversation in the morning youngsters proceeding to higher landa... defi nitively emphasised several bastions of liberal educa
upon the executive. Both the Central and State govern assembly with children of the mid education after this kind of intel the liberal arts and liberal educa tion. Had they evinced even mod
ments have sought an extension. But it remains to be dle (Grades VIVIII) section. She lectual training at school: you can tion tradition.... The critical In erate concern, their endorsement
seen whether the Court, which has insisted on sticking had asked them for suggestions to picture a transformed college dian concept of liberal arts has in of the liberal arts would have
to the timelines, would relent when it hears the matter turn the school into heaven. Some classroom. wards neoliberal policies has wea deed become extremely gained credibility. Unless liberal
on July 23. The fi rst draft NRC published on the inter children suggested a garden, with kened critical thinking in liberal important in the modern day em arts graduates are to be produced
trees, grass, and fl owers blossom Pivotal to reform arts courses. This matter has sud ployment landscape of the 21st exclusively for export, their train
vening night of December 31 and January 1, 2018 had
ing all year round. Others pointed In the draft NEP, the section for denly become relevant for us in century, and liberal arts education ing would have to include the
the names of 19 million people out of the total 32.9 mil out that the school already had a higher education opens with ‘lib the wake of the draft NEP propos of this kind is already being exten smartness to not let anyone know
lion who had applied for inclusion as citizens. The se nice garden. They suggested that eral arts’ as the key to reform. This ing both critical thinking and liber sively implemented today (e.g. in what exactly you believe in. One
cond draft NRC, published on July 30 last, upped it to heaven should have peace, so we is another term that has been gain al arts, virtually in the same the United States in Ivy League suspects that their American
28.9 million but left out four million found ineligible. should end all fi ghts. The assemb ing currency in India over recent breath. schools) with great success. It is counterparts already receive such
Around 3.6 million of them subsequently fi led citizen ly ended with everyone taking a years, but its history is rather diff e time India also brought back this training.
ship claims. An “additional exclusion list” was issued vow to stop all fi ghting in the rent from that of critical thinking. Applying critical thinking great tradition back to its place of Let me get back to the heaven
school to make it like heaven. A In India, owing to our colonial his Implementing the draft NEP in my origin.” (pp. 223224). alluded to in the principal’s story.
last month containing 1,02,463 names included earlier
short while later, two boys came tory, we are more used to the term own mind, I thought of using criti The resounding, elaborate com Trees and peace apart, a school
in the draft list. In anticipation of millions being ulti scuffl ing into the principal’s offi ce, ‘liberal’. In modern education, cal thinking to refl ect on the pros mendation of liberal arts in the turned into heaven will surely
mately left out, the Assam government is moving to set quarrelling and seeking her inter ‘liberal arts’ refers to undergrad pects of liberal training. The late draft NEP brought me back to the have to resolve the problem of
up 200 Foreigners’ Tribunals to handle cases of people vention. On inquiry, one of them uate courses in America’s elite Professor Ravinder Kumar, an principal’s story about turning her fear, so endemic to our education
to be excluded from the fi nal NRC, as part of a larger said, “Ma’am, didn’t you say you private universities. For years, I eminent historian of modern polit school into heaven. The boy who system. The boy who wanted the
plan to establish 1,000 such tribunals. The State go want our school to be like hea have been looking for a suitable ics, was a selfavowed liberal. I asked her about his classmate — principal to adjudicate was not
vernment is also preparing to construct 10 more deten ven?” Then he pointed at the other term in my mother tongue, i.e. once heard him explain why liber “What is he doing here, Ma’am?” — afraid of indicating to her his own
boy and asked, “What is he doing Hindi, to convey the many layers alism is the hardest social doctrine was asking a fundamental ques preferred solution. It was implied
tion centres; six are now running out of district jails.
here, Ma’am? He fi ghts with me all of meaning underlying the word to practice. He said the capacity to tion pertinent to the future of lib in the question: ‘What is he doing
A humanitarian crisis awaits Assam whether the fi nal the time.” ‘liberal’. The common translation tolerate your adversaries, with cu eral values. The youngster’s query here?’ This stance also carries the
NRC is published on July 31 or after. In the runup to the This story came back to me is ‘udaar’ or largehearted. (I am riosity to understand them, calls demonstrates that he has internal hope of impunity from being
fi nal publication, case after case has emerged of per when I started reading the section sure this is the term they will use for a mutual agreement. If there is ised the spirit of the age. Many charged of intolerance. As a
sons wrongfully left out of the list. The process has left on higher education in the 480 when the draft NEP is made availa no such consensus, i.e. liberal out children do that. Their questions grownup he might say: ‘If we want
no group out of its sweep, be it Marwaris or Biharis page draft of the National Educa ble in Hindi.) The idea of liberal look is practised by one side only, carry valuable material to under to preserve our neatly fenced hea
from elsewhere in the country, people tracing their an tion Policy (NEP). I had completed ism as largeheartedness or intel it can be frustrating, and might stand our times better and more ven, why can’t we expel from it the
tecedents to other Northeastern states, people of Nepa my reading of the section on lectual generosity ran into trouble even lead to a tragic failure of lib objectively than we might be able people we don’t appreciate?’ We
school education, so I was ready to when ‘neoliberalism’ gained eralism itself. When I hear about to do as adults, submerged as we might add: isn’t this already being
li origin, and caste Hindu Assamese. The prime targets
be told how a future generation centrestage in economic policy. liberal arts courses being off ered are in our ethos, feeling forced to argued in many liberal countries,
of this exercise, however, are Hindu Bengalis and Ben that spends its school years under The only way one might notice in private universities, I often won cope with it. The boy’s query con so why should we hesitate? My
galiorigin Muslims of Assam — more than 80% of the 4.1 the guidance of the proposed new some generosity in it was by recog der what future awaits them. How tained the hope that principal principal friend, however, fol
million people named in the two lists belong to these policy will spend its college years. nising the state’s willingness to will they face a world in which the Ma’am, being the custodian of hea lowed her instinctive good sense
two groups. Yet, the rationale of the Centre and State in For improvement in learning at loosen its grip. Neoliberalism has ‘narrow domestic walls’ are rising ven, will exercise her authority to and sent the two boys away, asking
seeking a deadline extension, as found in their submis school, the draft NEP wants criti now settled in, transcending ideo higher and higher? This metaphor adjudicate in his fi ght. What were them to talk it over and play with
sions in the Supreme Court, betrays an exclusionary cal thinking and creativity to be logical boundaries, but its impact was used by Tagore, a bold liberal, her choices? There were mainly out a quarrel together.
treated as the cornerstones of in on liberal arts education in Ameri who wanted India to become a two: to expel the alleged fi ghter or
bias. The joint plea sought time to conduct a 20% sam
tellectual development from early ca is far from clear. Many scholars ‘heaven of freedom’. ‘Where to ask the complainer to talk to his Krishna Kumar is a former director of the
ple reverifi cation process in districts bordering Bangla childhood onwards. As a term, have suggested that the turn to knowledge is free’, the same poem adversary. Only the latter would NCERT
desh and 10% in the rest of the State to quell a “growing
perception” that lakhs of illegal immigrants may have
slipped into the list. This, despite the State NRC Coordi
nator’s reports to the apex court suggesting that up to
27% of names have been reverifi ed during the process
Green shoots of economic growth
of disposal of claims. It hasn’t helped that the Central Without factoring in agriculture, the vision of a $5-trillion economy will remain a distant dream
government keeps holding out the prospect of unleash policy regime in the past several fronts. There also needs to be a growth in nonagricultural sec
ing a nationwide NRC to detect and deport illegal aliens, decades has resulted in sluggish centralised institutional mechan tors. Public investment in agricul
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
I
ndia’s dream of becoming a $5 agristartups and agritourism, sation and value addition. This rious schemes for a pragmatic vestment in R&D. Therefore, pu
Trump’s racist tweets risk damaging trillion economy by 2024 is now where the potential for job crea would lead to a sustained increase food system. blic investment in agriculture
in the open with a ‘blue sky’ vi tion and capacity utilisation is far in farm income and savings with It is widely accepted that re should see a commensurate rise
the fabric of American society further sion envisaged in the Economic less. Integrating the existing tou an exportoriented growth model. source conservation comes with with a healthy mix of education,
A
visceral debate on racism and immigration has Survey this year. The document rism circuit with a relatively new Fourth, investment in renewa behavioural change, which needs research and extension encourag
again gripped the United States, after President lays down a clear strategy to aug area of agritourism (as a huband ble energy generation (using small dedicated investment in behaviou ing ‘bluesky thinking’ in all seg
Donald Trump attacked four Democratic Con ment the growth of key sectors by spoke model), where glimpses of wind mill and solar pumps) on fal ral farm research sets. Perhaps ments, while pushing for a target
shifting gears as the current eco farm staff and farm operations are low farmland and in hilly terrain this would help fi nd a way to lever ed pruning of public expenditures
gresswomen of colour, asking them to return to the “to
nomic conditions are smooth in displayed to attract tourists, would would help reduce the burden of age nudge policies/choice archi on subsidies, kind transfers, loan
tally broken and crime infested places from which they terms of macroeconomic stability help in boosting the investment debtridden electricity distribu tecture for resource conservation, waivers and populist measures.
came”. His tweets raised a furore over their racist tenor to expand growth. However, un cycle and generate insitu employ tion companies and State govern fertilizer use, irrigation and elec Agriculture and its allied sectors
and exacerbated the sense of bitter polarisation, given less there are adequate investment ment. ments, besides enabling energy tricity consumption. Above all, are believed to be one of the most
the strident ongoing debate over Mr. Trump’s zerotole reforms in primary sectors, steps Second, investment needs to be security in rural areas. there is a need to converge frag fertile grounds to help achieve the
rance approach toward undocumented migration. The taken to augment growth in other driven to strengthen both public Fifth, a farm business organisa mented investments (public, priv ambitious Sustainable Develop
House of Representatives, under Democratic control, sectors would be futile. and private extension advisory tion is another source of routing ate and foreign) to address the mental Goals (SDGs). However,
systems and the quality of agri private investment to agriculture. structural weaknesses in the agri with the current pace of agricul
voted to condemn Mr. Trump’s remarks as racist, mark
Investment is the key education and research through Linking these organisations with culture sector, enunciated in the ture growth, India requires ‘pa
ing the fi rst such reprimand of a sitting President in ov According to the Food and Agricul collaboration and convergence. It commodity exchanges would pro Economic Survey 201617. tient capital’, as fi nancial returns
er a century. Not only did that Congressional rebuke to ture Organisation (FAO), insuffi would also serve as a stage to de vide agriculture commodities to investment are unlikely to mate
Mr. Trump pass mostly along partisan lines, by a vote of cient investment in the agriculture monstrate resource conservation more space on international trad Trickledown eff ect rialise in the initial years. An inclu
240 to 187, but other senior Republicans including Se sector in most developing coun and sustainable use through or ing platforms and reduce the bur Though economic transition has sive business model facilitating
nate majority leader Mitch McConnell defended the tries over the past 30 years has re ganic, natural and green methods, den of markets in a glut season, seen signifi cant growth contribu strong investorfarmer relations
President against the racist label. Nevertheless, Mr. sulted in low productivity and and also zero budget natural farm with certain policy/procedural tion from services and industry, should be created, with a legal and
stagnant production. ing. modifi cations. agriculture remains the most trust institutional framework for gover
Trump hit back again at the four Congresswomen —
In India, with a steadily decreas Third, given that India has the ed sector in helping alleviate po nance. Expanding institutions is
who have adopted the moniker “the Squad” — on Twit ing share of 14.4% in Gross Value highest livestock population in the Pivotal role for data verty, hunger and malnutrition essential to accommodate the de
ter for what he called their “horrible and disgusting ac Added since 201516, the sector’s world, investment should be made Finally, data is the key driver of and ensuring better income velopmental impacts of foreign
tions”, “racist hatred”, and for being “antiAmerica”, contribution to a $5trillion econo to utilise this surplus by employing modern agriculture which in turn distribution. agricultural investment.
“antiSemitic”, and possibly communist sympathisers. my would be around $1 trillion — nextgeneration livestock technol can power artifi cial intelligence An earlier experience of BRIC
Stepping back from the immediate, acerbic terms of assuming a positive annual growth ogy with a strong emphasis not on led agriculture, emarkets, soil (Brazil, Russia, India and China) Naveen P. Singh and Ranjith P.C. are with
this exchange, the bigger concern is that these hateful rate hereafter. ly on productivity enhancement mapping and others. Currently, nations has shown that a 1% the ICAR-National Institute of
comments risk damaging the fabric of American socie Investment is the key to unlock but also on conservation of indige there are issues of enumeration, growth in agriculture is at least Agricultural Economics and Policy
ing the potential of a developing nous germplasm, disease surveil maintenance and accessibility to two to three times more eff ective Research, New Delhi. The views expressed
ty further, as they are an unmistakable and painful hint
economy. However, the myopic lance, quality control, waste utili help maintain agridata on various in reducing poverty than similar are personal
from their President that legal immigrants, especially
people of colour, are not welcome. Yet, there can be no
denying the signifi cance of immigrants as a demograph LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
ic cohort of the country. More than 44.5 million immi
grants, at least 13.7% of the overall population, reside in Betrayal of verdict would ensure that the of legislators with criminal construed as an indictment that more than 70 years protecting national security
the U.S.; one in seven U.S. residents is foreignborn. The political conundrum in mandate given to a party is records vindicates this point of Islamabad’s military since India’s Independence, are open knowledge
Mexicans, Indians and Chinese immigrants are respec Karnataka, and the apex not sabotaged by individual (Parley, “Does the anti courts and its system of the state is deploying it not (Editorial page, “OIC’s
tively the largest subgroups within this cohort. It was court’s reaction to it, come politicians and also save the defection law serve any dispensing roughandready just to settle political scores curious record on Xinjiang,”
as a disappointment to the expenditure incurred in purpose?” July 19). justice. but also to silence journalists July 19). The writer’s
little surprise then, that Ilhan Omar, one of Mr. Trump’s
State’s electorate (Front conducting bypolls. The Karnataka crisis has However, though the ICJ has when they report on issues observations on how
targets, situated the comments in the agenda of white page, “Karnataka CM asked B. Sundar Raman, turned into a streetfi ght with halted Mr. Jadhav’s execution like the Maoist insurgency countries in the Organisation
nationalism, arguing that given the direct contraven to prove majority on Coimbatore legislators switching sides pending a review of his trial, and communal violence of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
tion of U.S. constitutional values implied, it was time to Friday,” July 19). Legislators and throwing barbs at each it has not entertained India’s (Editorial, “Sword against work may have some
consider impeaching him. Yet impeachment would be get elected because of the ■ The antidefection law has other. The parties care less request for either his pen,” July 18). The sedition substance but it won’t be
an option only if the Senate were also to come under backing of their party and been often misused by some about what the people what; acquittal or a retrial in provision is not just an appreciable for India to
Democratic control, or if there might be some conceiv voters choose a party more legislators to suit their winning the crown is all that civilian courts. The anachronism in the indulge in ‘whataboutery’.
than the candidate. Hence, unethical and immoral matters to them. The international court did not democratic setup of the The OIC’s silence on
able reason why Republicans would break with their re
it is unethical for MLAs to political intentions. However, Supreme Court’s bizarre have the jurisdiction to rule country, it also runs counter restrictions in Xinjiang
cent record of siding with Mr. Trump no matter how switch loyalties midway deleting the 10th Schedule verdict on the rebel MLAs on such matters. Both the to the freedom of speech and doesn’t absolve India of its
egregious his conduct. A more tedious, but deeproot into a term. To preempt will amount to throwing out has only come as the cherry the countries must now expression enshrined in own responsibilities. If New
ed approach would be for liberals of all hues to engage such crises, the the baby with the bathwater. on the cake. The common move forward and pursue Article 19 1(a) of the Delhi wants to get more
in a meaningful dialogue with their conservative de Representation of People Also, the suggestion that man is left scratching his diplomatic channels to bring Constitution. It is high time respect in the international
tractors, over what they could agree on as a common Act should be amended and legislators who act in head in baffl ement. closure to the case. the government of the day arena, it needs to raise the
minimum agenda and values that could anchor their the new rule should unscrupulous ways should A.V.S. Shubhangi, K.S. Jayatheertha, abrogates the provision. bar when it comes to
stipulate that once a be voted out in subsequent Bengaluru Bengaluru Vijay Singh Adhikari, protecting the human rights
nation’s march into the 21st century. If a nationwide
candidate gets elected from elections may not work in Nainital, Uttarakhand of all its citizens and
conversation of this sort, aimed at discovering a reason a given party’s ticket, his India as polls are fought not ICJ reprieve Abolish sedition law residents.
able middle ground is not undertaken, the very idea of resignation, stepping down on the merits of a candidate The International Court of Section 124A of the IPC, Violation of rights Bitra Raghuveer,
the American dream, of a meritocracy built on harness or demise will result in the but on extraneous factors Justice’s directive to Pakistan introduced by the British to The Indian state’s violations Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh
CM M ND-NDE
YK
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The judicial presumption of noncitizenship
In further strengthening the Foreigners Tribunal, the judiciary has failed to fulfi l its duty as the last protector of rights
duals who have found themselves clared noncitizens in exparte que.
A
decade after the fi rst successful mission to the rules, this meant that an adverse an investigative media report fea mid2000s, known as Sarbananda
moon with Chandrayaan1, the Indian Space Re fi nding against an individual tured testimony by a former Tribu Sonowal I and II. In those judg
O
n May 17, in a very short would not automatically result in nal member who stated that his ments, relying upon unvetted and
search Organisation successfully launched its se
hearing, a threejudge their name being struck off the compatriots competed to be what unreviewed literature, without
quel, Chandrayaan2, to further explore the earth’s nat Bench of the Supreme NRC. Furthermore, the Tribunal’s was jokingly referred to as “the any detailed consideration of fac
ural satellite. Earlier this year, China landed a robotic Court (the Chief Justie of India opinion could be subsequently re highest wickettaker”, i.e. the one tual evidence, and in rhetoric
spacecraft on the far side of the moon, in a fi rstever at Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak viewed, if fresh materials came to form nor in their functioning do who could declare the highest more reminiscent of populist de
tempt. Now India is attempting a similar feat — to land Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna) decided light. This was particularly impor Foreigners’ Tribunals even re number of individuals “foreign magogues than constitutional
its rover Pragyan in the moon’s South Polar region, at a batch of 15 petitions under the tant because, as had been ob motely resemble what we normal ers”. courts, the Court declared immi
tempted so far by none. The equatorial region has been title Abdul Kuddus v Union of India. served repeatedly, citizenship pro ly understand as “courts”. First, When adjudicating upon a per gration to be tantamount to “exter
the only one where rovers have landed and explored. Innocuously framed as resolving a ceedings were riddled with Foreigners Tribunals were esta son’s citizenship — a determina nal aggression” upon the country;
“perceived confl ict” between two administrative (and other kinds blished by a simple executive or tion that can have the drastic and more specifi cally, it made the as
The launch by itself is a huge achievement considering
paragraphs of the Schedule to the of ) errors, which often came to der. Second, qualifi cations to severe result of rendering a hu tonishing fi nding that constitu
that it is the fi rst operational fl ight of the indigenously Citizenship (Registration of Citi light much later, and often by serve on the Tribunals have been man being stateless — only the tionally, the burden of proving citi
developed Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle zens and Issue of National Identity chance. And fi nally, the petition progressively loosened and the highest standards of adjudication zenship would always lie upon the
MarkIII (GSLV MarkIII) to send up satellites weighing Cards) Rules, 2003, the judgment ers argued that if the opinion of vague requirement of “judicial ex can ever be morally or ethically person who was accused of being
up to four tonnes. The orbiter, the lander (Vikram) and — little reported in the media — the Foreigners Tribunal was used perience” has now been expanded justifi able. But in further streng a noncitizen. A parliamentary le
the rover (Pragyan) together weigh 3.87 tonnes. Having nonetheless had signifi cant conse to justify keeping an individual out to include bureaucrats. And per thening an institution — the Fo gislation that sought to place the
reached the earth parking orbit, the orbit of the Chan quences for the ongoing events in of the NRC, then that decision haps, most importantly, under the reigners Tribunal — that by design burden upon the state was struck
Assam surrounding the prepara could be challenged and would Order in question (as it was and by practice manifestly exhi down as being unconstitutional.
drayaan2 spacecraft will be raised in fi ve steps or ma
tion of the National Register of Citi have to be decided independently amended in 2012), Tribunals are bits the exact opposite of this prin What the rhetoric and the hold
noeuvres in the coming 23 days before it reaches the fi zens (“the NRC”). of the decision arrived at by the given sweeping powers to refuse ciple, the Supreme Court failed to ings of the Sonowal judgments
nal orbit of 150 x 1,41,000 km. It is in this orbit that Tribunal. In short, the petitioners’ examination of witnesses if in fulfi l its duty as the last protector have created is a climate in which
Chandrayaan2 will attain the velocity to escape from Two parallel processes case was that the two processes — their opinion it is for “vexatious” of human rights under the Consti the dominant principle is the pre
the earth’s gravitational pull and start the long journey What was the issue in Abdul Kud that of the Foreigners Tribunal purposes, bound to accept evi tution. sumption of noncitizenship.
towards the moon. A week later, on August 20, the spa dus? In short, it involved the status and of the NRC — should be kept dence produced by the police, Apart from the absurdity of impos
cecraft will come under the infl uence of the moon’s of an “opinion” rendered by a Fo entirely independent of each oth and, most glaringly, not required Unwelcome departure ing such a rule in a country that al
reigners Tribunal, as to the citizen er, and without according primacy to provide reasons for their fi nd The Court attempted to justify this ready has a vast number of margi
gravitational pull, and in a series of steps the altitude of
ship (or the lack thereof ) of any in to one over the other. ings, “... as it is not a judgment; a by observing that “fi xing time li nalised and disenfranchised
the orbit will be reduced in 13 days to reach the fi nal cir dividual. The issue arose because, concise statement of the facts and mits and recording of an order people, it is this fundamental de
cular orbit at a height of 100 km. The next crucial step in the State of Assam, there are Flawed tribunals the conclusion will suffi ce” (alth rather than a judgment is to en humanisation and devaluation of
will be the decoupling of the lander (Vikram) and the two ongoing processes concerning The Supreme Court rejected the ough the Court, as an off hand re sure that these cases are disposed individuals that has enabled the
rover (Pragyan) from the orbiter, followed by the soft the question of citizenship. The petitioners’ arguments, and held mark, also added “reasons” to of expeditiously and in a time manner in which the Foreigners
landing of the landerrover in the early hours of Sep fi rst includes proceedings before that the “opinion” of the Foreign “facts” and “conclusions”). Sub bound manner”. This, however, is Tribunals operate, the many trage
tember 7. Despite the postponement of the launch from the Foreigners Tribunals, which ers Tribunal was to be treated as a ject to provisions of this manner, the reasoning of a company CEO, dies that come to light every week
have been established under an “quasijudicial order”, and was Tribunals are left free to “regulate not that of the highest Court of the in the context of the NRC, and
July 16 owing to a technical snag, the tweaked fl ight
executive order of the Central go therefore fi nal and binding on all [their] own procedure for disposal land, adjudicating upon a matter judgments such as Abdul Kuddus.
plan has ensured that the Pragyan robotic vehicle will vernment. The second is the NRC, parties including upon the prepa of cases.” that involves the rights of millions It is clear that if Article 21 of the
have 14 earth days, or one moon day, to explore. a process overseen and driven by ration of the NRC. There are, ho Unsurprisingly, over the last few of people. When the stakes are so Constitution, the right to life, is to
Unlike the crashlanding of the Moon Impact Probe the Supreme Court. While nomi wever, serious problems with this months, glaring fl aws in the work high, when the consequences en mean anything at all, this entire ju
on the Chandrayaan1 mission in November 2008, this nally independent, both processes holding, which will severely im ing of the Foreigners Tribunals tail rendering people stateless, risprudence must be reconsi
will be the fi rst time that ISRO is attempting to softland nonetheless bleed into each other, pact the rights of millions of indivi have come to light. Questions in then to allow such departures dered, root and branch.
a lander on the earth’s natural satellite. A series of brak and have thus caused signifi cant duals. Parliament showed that as many from the most basic principles of
chaos and confusion for indivi To start with, neither in their as 64,000 people have been de the rule of law is morally grotes Gautam Bhatia is a Delhibased lawyer
ing mechanisms will be needed to drastically reduce
the velocity of the Vikram lander from nearly 6,000 km
an hour, to ensure that the touchdown is soft. The pre
sence of water on the moon was fi rst indicated by the
Moon Impact Probe and NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Map
A misleading presentation of a labour programme
per on Chandrayaan1 a decade ago. The imaging in The Economic Survey presents an unbalanced view of the technical interventions in MGNREGA
frared spectrometer instrument on board the orbiter previous years. It was worst in paper’s analysis. Taking cogni point that the programme was in
will enable ISRO to look for signatures indicating the 201617, when pending liabilities sance of the Court’s orders and troduced as a legal right and not as
presence of water. Though the Terrain Mapping Came were 35% (₹ 13,220 crore) out of a continuing monitoring, the Minis an act of charity. Indeed, to this
ra on board Chandrayaan1 had mapped the moon total allocation of ₹ 38,500 crore. try of Rural Development issued end, the Minister for Rural Deve
MGNREGA wages in many States strict directives (between 2014 lopment recently made an odd
threedimensionally at 5km resolution, Chandrayaan2
are about 40% lower than the Mi and 2017) to ensure allocation of comment: “I am not in favour of
too has such a camera to produce a 3D map. But it will nistry of Labour’s national mini works and ontime payment of continuing with MNREGA because
Rakshita Swamy &
be for the fi rst time that the vertical temperature gra Rajendran Narayanan mum wage. Instead of suffi ciently wages. it is for the poor and the govern
dient and thermal conductivity of the lunar surface, funding MGNREGA, a legal right, These judicialadministrative ment wants to eradicate poverty.”
B. VELANKANNI RAJ
A
much with the success of Chandrayaan1 and Manga chapter in the recent Eco disproportionate attention by the after Aadhaar was introduced, the ALP identifying “ghost benefi
lyaan, the success of Chandrayaan2 will go a long way nomic Survey on the “trans government towards creating a played an important role in the in ciaries” is exaggerated as an RTI
in testing the technologies for deepspace missions. formational” impact of Aad complex architecture based on crease in the MGNREGA work up query showed that they accounted
haar on the Mahatma Gandhi technical solutions. take in drought areas. Not ac for only about 1.4% of total house
National Rural Employment Gua fi rst is the time taken by the blocks counting for the Court’s orders as holds in 201617.
rantee Act (MGNREGA) merits Technological inputs to generate the electronic Funds a contributing factor in their “cau
What’s NEXT? scrutiny. It presents a skewed and
unbalanced view of the pro
Second, the Economic Survey mis
represents the continuous techno
Transfer Orders (FTO) and send it
digitally to the Central govern
sal” analysis makes their fi ndings
unreliable. In fact, in Rajasthan,
Violation of rights
The technology historian, Melvin
National Exit Test should overcome legal and gramme’s technical interventions logical interventions in the ment. The second is the time ta under the new State government, Kranzberg, wrote, “Technology is
instead of taking a comprehensive MGNREGA since its inception. ken by the Central government to the ‘work demand’ campaign in neither good nor bad; nor is it neu
political opposition and avoid the NEET way view of the implementation. The Electronic funds transfer started process these FTOs and transfer itiated in December 2018 has re tral.” It is telling that the Survey
I
n its second iteration, the National Medical Commis Survey draws heavily from the In as far back as in 2011 through the wages to workers’ accounts. While sulted in a 67% increase in employ completely ignores numerous in
sion (NMC) Bill seems to have gained from its time in dian School of Business’s working Electronic Fund Management Sys it is true that delays in the fi rst ment generated and a record stances where technology has re
the bottle, like ageing wine. The new version has paper titled “A Friend Indeed: tem (eFMS), and became symbolic stage have reduced, those in the number of households having sulted in violation of workers’
some sharp divergences from the original. Presented in Does The Use of Digital Identity of the Direct Benefi t Transfers second stage continue to be unac completed 100 days of work under rights under the MGNREGA —
Make Welfare Programs Truly (DBT). This served as the basis for ceptably high. Only about 30% of the MGNREGA. There is a three some examples are not registering
Parliament in 2017, it proposed to replace the Medical
CounterCyclical?” the National Electronic Fund Man the payments are credited on fold increase in employment gen work demand, not paying unem
Council Act, 1956, but it lapsed with the dissolution of A rebuttal of this working pap agement System (NeFMS), intro time; the Central government eration in Karnataka in 2019 com ployment allowance and compen
the Lok Sabha. The NMC will have authority over med er, published in November 2018, duced, in 2016. The Survey uses takes more than than 50 days pared to 2018. This demonstrates sation for payment delays among
ical education — approvals for colleges, admissions, highlighted glaring fl aws on three the term “ALP” for Aadhaarlinked (which is the second stage) to how political and administrative others.
tests and feefi xation. The provisions of interest are in counts — factual, methodological payments and confl ates it with the transfer wages to workers. priorities can have a strong posi In fact, another ISB study, not
the core area of medical education. The Bill proposes to and conceptual. Yet the paper has DBT by repeatedly referring to the The Survey only considers the tive impact on the programme. cited in the Economic Survey
unify testing for exit from the MBBS course, and entry been uncritically accepted and time before 2015 as “preDBT” to delays in the fi rst stage. Aadhaar Fifth, while the Survey rightful shows that 38% of the Aadhaar
widely cited in the Survey. This make its claims. The confl ation of has no role in reducing the delays ly acknowledges the nature of pos based transactions in Jharkhand
into postgraduate medical courses. A single National
raises questions about the credi terms prevents one from making in the fi rst stage but comes into itive targeting of the MGNREGA — were diverted to a diff erent ac
Exit Test (NEXT) will be conducted across the country bility of the Chief Economic Advis an honest assessment on the eff ect play only in the second stage. The with women, Dalits and Adivasis count. Overlooking these funda
replacing the fi nal year MBBS exam, and the scores er’s (an affi liate of the ISB) offi ce. that diff erent interventions have refore the claim in the Survey that benefi tting the most — it wrongful mental issues, cherrypicking stu
used to allot PG seats as well. It will allow medical grad Here are six reasons why the Eco had. the “ALP has positively impacted ly attributes it wholly to the intro dies and using fl awed analyses to
uates to start medical practice, seek admission to PG nomic Survey’s presentation of Third, the Survey makes strong the fl ow of payments under the duction of Aadhaar. The argument justify technocracy is an example
courses, and screen foreign medical graduates who the MGNREGA is misleading. assertions that timely payment of scheme” is a manipulation of denies the unambiguous impact of of ethical paralysis. While the Eco
want to practise in India. Per se, it off ers a defi nite bene Aadhaar has to be understood wages have positively impacted facts. the universal access of the nomic Survey harps about an ill
as merely being a pipeline for worker participation. To support Fourth, the Survey attributes an MGNREGA without having to meet designed technological pipeline,
fi t for students who invest much time and energy in fi ve
funds transfer in the MGNREGA. A this, the Survey makes dubious increase in demand for and supply any eligibility criteria. It is disap the fact is that a landmark labour
years of training in classrooms, labs and the bedside, by lack of adequate fi nancial alloca causal claims on reduction in pay of work in droughtaff ected areas pointing that in independent In programme is being put on a
reducing the number of tests they would have to take in tion, pending liabilities and low ment delays due to the introduc to Aadhaar ignoring other crucial dia, an offi cial document on the ventilator.
case they aim to study further. There are detractors, wages have dogged the pro tion of Aadhaar. However, their factors. For instance, it ignores the state of the economy compares a
many of them from Tamil Nadu — which is still political gramme over the past eight years. understanding of payment delays Supreme Court’s orders on constitutionally backed legal gua Rakshita is affi liated with the Social
ly opposing the National EligibilitycumEntrance Test About 20% of the Budget alloca is faulty. drought (Swaraj Abhiyan vs. Union rantee to the largesse of feudal Accountability Resource Unit. Rajendran
(NEET) — who believe that NEXT will undermine the tion in each of the last fi ve years is Wage payments to MGNREGA of India (2015), which coincided kings. This should have been ex Narayanan teaches at Azim Premji
of pending wage liabilities from workers happen in two stages. The with the duration of the working pected as the Survey misses the University, Bangalore
federal system, and ask whether a test at the MBBS level
would suffi ce as an entry criterion for PG courses.
The Bill has also removed the exemption hitherto gi LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
ven to Central institutions, the AIIMS and JIPMER, from
NEET for admission to MBBS and allied courses. In do Off to the moon Launching satellites at administration is not only friendly’. At a time when in the public domain is fraternity have often
The quick resolution of the aff ordable rates in using our funds but also India’s rank in the global through whistleblowers who observed that the disease
ing so, the government has moved in the right direc
fault that aff ected the liftoff comparison to other global delivering on its promises. transparency index is low, need to be protected. loses its sting when those
tion, as there was resentment and a charge of elitism at of the Chandrayaan2 lunar space agencies is another Amending this to protect we cannot enact laws that Deepak Singhal, who have it put up a fi ght.
the exclusion of some institutions from an exam that mission leading to a masterstroke. ISRO has not either the bureaucracy or the cover up scrutiny. Noida Survivors would do well to
aimed at standardising testing for entry into MBBS. The successful launch yesterday only failed to amaze and has political system is against the H.N. Ramakrishna, create awareness in the
is cause for celebration. also broken the stereotype of spirit of not only the RTI Act Bengaluru What matters minds of those undergoing
government also decided to scrap a proposal in the ori
ginal Bill to conduct an additional licentiate exam that The country looks forward public sector undertakings but also our democratic The heartwarming story of a treatment of the need for
all medical graduates would have to take in order to to India becoming part of being ineffi cient. Perhaps credentials (Editorial page, ■ To say that the RTI Act has cancer survivor should early detection and dogged
the ‘space elite’. Our other public sector “The tremor of unwelcome empowered citizens and inspire those with the determination to fi ght back.
practise, in the face of virulent opposition. It also re
scientists at ISRO are the undertakings can emulate amendments”, July 22). The brought transparency in disease (Open Page, “The C.V. Aravind,
moved, rightly, a proposal in the older Bill for a bridge epitome of hard work, the work culture of ISRO. right to information is as government departments is tale of a gritty survivor’s Bengaluru
course for AYUSH practitioners to make a lateral entry perseverance and team Mejari Mallikarjuna, important as the right to vote not factual for the simple battles”, July 21). Even more letters online:
into allopathy. It is crucial now for the Centre to work spirit. One hopes that the Nadigadda, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh and altering this equation reason that replies to RTI members of the medical www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
amicably with States, and the Indian Medical Associa success stories of ISRO and making the RTI chief queries are generally vague. corrections & clarifications:
tion, which is opposed to the Bill, taking them along to inspire Indian youth. RTI amendments subservient to the Seldom does an applicant In a frontpage report headlined “Govt. to roll out big push for
ease the process of implementation. At any cost, it must B. Suresh Kumar, The RTI Act is one of those government of the day is receive a pointed reply. The infrastructure” ( July 22, 2019), the projected spending in the infra
Coimbatore rare pieces of legislation both antidemocratic and government should ensure structure segment for the next fi ve years was erroneously given as
avoid the creation of infl exible roadblocks as happened ₹ 100 crore. It should have been ₹ 1.5 lakh crore.
which empower citizens to setting a wrong precedent. If that the Act should serve its
with NEET in some States. The clearance of these hur ■ India has begun a new look into the often any amendments are true objective and is not It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signifi cant errors as soon as possible. Please specify
dles, then, as recalled from experience, become space journey and the ambiguous workings of the contemplated, the shortchanged by government the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office can be
contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to
fraught with legal and political battles, leaving behind scientists at ISRO deserve government and our elected government should only offi cials under the guise of Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; Email:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in; Mail: Readers’
Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India.
much bitterness. NEXT will have to be a lot neater. praise for their focus, hard representatives. Citizens further strengthen the laws technicalities. Another fact is All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No personal
work and perseverance. have a right to know how the and make them more ‘user that most of the information visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com
CM M ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
NARINDER NANU/AFP
vember 2019, the 550th anniver ple, at a time when Indian and Pa groups subdued. According to va
F
acing a furore in Parliament over the issue, the go
vernment has clarifi ed in no uncertain terms that sary of Sikhism’s founder Guru Na kistani Ministers do not even hold rious reports, infi ltration fi gures at
T
ies between India and Pakis nak. talks when they meet at multilater the LoC are signifi cantly lower (a
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not request
tan are at an ebb — their low The symbolism for pilgrims al conferences, New Delhi sent 43% reduction since the Balakot
U.S. President Donald Trump to “mediate or arbitrate” est in two decades. The who will be able to travel from De two senior Ministers to Pakistan to strikes in February); offi cials have
on the Kashmir issue, as Mr. Trump claimed on Mon thread from this phase, as a series ra Baba Nanak town in Punjab to participate in the groundbreaking marked about 20 terror camps in
day. Addressing Parliament, External Aff airs Minister S. of events — the Kargil war (1999), the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kar bad has an ulterior motive. In a ceremony for the event. It remains PoK they believe have been “shut
Jaishankar said India remains committed to its policy of the Agra Summit (2001), the attack tarpur just a few kilometres inside dossier handed over during the to be seen who the government down” recently. Civilian and mili
discussing all outstanding issues with Pakistan only bi on Parliament (2001) and Opera Pakistan, which are sites where last round of talks on Kartarpur on will send to the inauguration, and tary casualties from ceasefi re vio
laterally, and assured the House that Mr. Modi did not tion Parakram (200102) — meant a Guru Nanak spent his last few July 14, India spelt out its appre whether Mr. Modi, who has li lations have also reduced. Pakis
sustained period of deep hostili years, goes well beyond the date hensions over Pakistan allowing kened building the Kartarpur cor tan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s
raise this with Mr. Trump at their recent meeting in Osa
ties, with diplomatic missions and year. This is a route that the separatist Khalistani groups, in ridor to the fall of the Berlin wall, government, which has been bu
ka during the G20 summit. In making the claim that downgraded and travel routes Guru and his followers traversed cluding those funded by groups will grace the occasion. oyed by Mr. Khan’s U.S. visit and
has been roundly denied by New Delhi, Mr. Trump truncated. Since 2015 and Prime with ease for half a millennium un based in the United Kingdom, the by Pakistan’s newfound accep
breached several welllaid diplomatic protocols, includ Minister Narendra Modi’s Lahore til Partition resulted in the India United States and Canada, to try A range of possibilities tance in the international com
ing one against discussing privileged conversations visit in the same year, the leaders Pakistan border cutting through it. and infl uence pilgrims. Of specifi c With the Kartarpur exception to munity for its role in Taliban talks,
with a leader, during a public conversation with anoth of both countries have not met for While Sikh pilgrims have been gi concern is the ‘Referendum 2020’ India’s policy on Pakistan now es and Mr. Modi’s government, which
er. Mr. Trump also said a “lot” of his talks with the Pa talks. In mid2018, the backchan ven easy access since then to Guru plan by the Sikhs for Justice group tablished, it is necessary to see has been bolstered by its strong
nel diplomacy between the Na Nanak’s birthplace at Nankana Sa (banned by India). whether it can be built on to create electoral mandate, will also be in
kistan Prime Minister would focus on India and Afghan
tional Security Advisers of both hib, the circuitous 200 km route to This group has already held a a mechanism for broader conver the strongest positions politically
istan, an odd departure from the precept of putting countries was called off by Pakis Kartarpur via AmritsarWagah has series of public events in the U.S. sations between India and Pakis to forge agreements.
bilateral issues to the fore, and being more discreet tan, while in September 2018, In been off limits. The Kartarpur and the U.K. demanding a ‘world tan. The obvious extension from Thus, it would be a travesty to
when discussing sensitive relations involving other dia called off a planned meeting shrine has one of the last copies of wide referendum’ on a separate this would be for having other waste the opportunity made possi
countries. For New Delhi, it may be time to recognise between the Foreign Ministers in the original Guru Granth Sahib; Sikh state. The other irritant is the faithbased “corridors” for Hindu, ble by the Kartarpur corridor, and
that Mr. Trump’s comments are a sign of new realities in New York. In the wake of the Pul there are some who believe that it possible use of the corridor for Muslim and Sikh pilgrims in both by extension, the founder of the
international diplomacy, where leaders care less about wama terror attack in Jammu and contains not only the wisdom of drugs and arms movement; there countries; this would be in addi Sikh faith himself (revered by Hin
Kashmir in February this year, In the 10 Gurus but is itself the 11th are many routes and tunnels at the tion to the list of 20 shrines (15 in dus and Muslims in India and Pa
niceties and more about open communication. Mr. Mo
dia attacked terror targets in Pakis and last Guru. Giving life to the border between the two Punjabs. Pakistan, fi ve in India) that were kistan) to bring both countries
di will have to prepare accordingly for some plain tan which in turn sent fi ghter jets wishes of so many will also ensure The terror threat by Pakistani Pun negotiated under the 1974 Protocol back to the table for talks. The
speaking when he visits the U.S. and meets with Mr. to the border. Subsequently, after political dividends in India, an as jabbased antiIndia groups such on visits to Religious Shrines. most famous story at Kartarpur is
Trump, as he is expected to, in September this year. India moved missiles and de pect no government in the State or as the LashkareToiba and the The template that Kartarpur the one of the ‘miracle’ that Guru
In the short term, the government’s decision to ad ployed submarines, Pakistan at the Centre can ignore. JaisheMohammad is also a con has given both sides is also worth Nanak wrought after his death as
dress the claim by Mr. Trump will have nipped any re raised a full air alert and imposed stant concern. considering for the format of other his Hindu and Muslim followers
percussions in the bud. The government should pursue an airspace ban that lasted till mid Some irritants Agreeing to the Kartarpur corri bilateral negotiations given that debated late into the night wheth
the issue through diplomatic channels with the U.S. go July. Despite the rich signifi cance of the dor means the government has the talks have been immunised er their Guru should be cremated
corridor, there were many reasons made an exception from a matter from both terror attacks and elec or buried. When they awoke, his
vernment, and determine whether Mr. Trump made
Unbroken thread for the earlier hesitation to revive concerning national policy for a tion rhetoric. The venue of the body had vanished, replaced by
the comments out of confusion or deliberately. India What has been disconnected from the project. The Kartarpur corri matter of faith. In the last few talks, at the AttariWagah zero fl owers which they divided up.
has always opposed any suggestion of thirdparty me all those tensions are the talks on dor project is an issue that has years, every avenue has been shut point, lends itself to more success The Guru Nanak’s ‘samadhi’ and
diation on Jammu and Kashmir; both the 1972 Shimla the Kartarpur corridor. The off er been raised by India for several de down from those for offi cial, bilat ful outcomes too away from the grave were built side by side. As
Agreement and the 1999 Lahore declaration included from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Im cades, with New Delhi’s reasons eral and regional (South Asian As glare of the media, without focus pilgrims across the border pay a
India’s and Pakistan’s commitment to resolving issues ran Khan to open the corridor was for wanting the corridor clear. Ho sociation for Regional Coopera on arrangements for both parties. visit in November, it should be
between them. It is unlikely that Mr. Modi would have conveyed fi rst by Pakistan Army wever, in the case of Pakistan, tion) talks to even those for travel The two sides can cross over, meet clear what the bigger miracle is:
Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, these have not been as transpa and tourism. Trade too has ground for the duration of talks and return that the Kartarpur exception has
spoken out of line with this policy, and the most charit
and accepted by Mr. Modi, mark rent, with the military establish to a halt with crossLine of Control after issuing a prearranged joint been made at all.
able explanation for Mr. Trump’s new contention is that ing a rare moment of coordination ment’s surprise backing only (LoC) trade route suspension the statement.
he mistook India’s appeal to the international commun between the two nations. raised doubts on whether Islama latest casualty. The timing of the Kartarpur suhasini.h@thehindu.co.in
ity to hold Pakistan accountable for terror groups on its
T
measures to force a resolution in Afghanistan will have he Joint UN programme on UN General Assembly Special Ses for nongovernmental organisa relevance of the organisation but
farreaching and lasting impact, including on India. AIDS, commonly known as sion (UNGASS) 2001 was a game see the end of AIDS very soon. tions and communitybased or strengthening its presence at
UNAIDS, is facing one of the changer with the adoption of a This is far from true. Regions such ganisations working on prevention country level and making it more
worst challenges affl icting the glo political resolution that itself was as eastern Europe and Central Asia has virtually dried up. meaningful to the communities
Caribbean cruise bal AIDS response — this time an
existential threat questioning its
exceptional in many ways. The
creation of a Global Fund to Fight
and West Asia are nowhere near
reaching that goal, with many
Third has been the weakening
of country leadership of UNAIDS
which look to it for leadership. The
new executive director has to
India goes to the West Indies sensing very relevance. The UN Secretary AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria countries such as Russia witness in many highprevalence coun work relentlessly to place preven
more cricketing opportunities than threats General, António Guterres, is ex (GFATM) and the slashing of prices ing a raging epidemic among drug tries. Senior countrylevel posi tion of the epidemic and empo
pected to appoint a new executive of AIDS drugs by Indian generics users and men who have sex with tions are, in many instances, held wering communities at the centre
I
n the past, a tour of the West Indies was deemed the
director after the departure of Mi have brought treatment within the men (MSM) communities. With by people who do not possess the of global response.
toughest endeavour for any cricketer. Reputations chel Sidibé in May 2019 on the re reach of many countries. Today the top leadership in UNAIDS ex core competence to constructively With 1.7 million new infections
were either enhanced or lost and fractures seemed commendation of the programme some 22 million people are under horting countries to bring AIDS engage political leadership to un and one million deaths occurring
imminent in the battles against the fi ery fast bowlers, coordinating board which manag antiretroviral therapy (ART) and “out of isolation” and integrate dertake legal reforms and provide every year, we can’t aff ord to drop
while the crowds requested the perfumeball, a euphe es the organisation. There are preventing mothertochild trans with health systems, the political access to services to marginalised the ball half way. The commitment
mism for a nasty bouncer. But times change, and the in strong contenders from Africa and mission of HIV has become an leadership in many countries have populations. to end AIDS by 2030 is ambitious
herent quality of the Caribbean squads has declined so the U.S. in the reckoning among achievable goal by 2020. The or thought that AIDS is no more a but not impossible to achieve.
those who have been shortlisted. ganisation has provided leader challenge. Weakening activism What we need is a reenergised
much that a sporting visit to the isles with their sunny
ship to many countries which in 10 Second has been the thinking But the biggest setback has been UNAIDS with a strong and fearless
beaches is seen as an exercise towards etching tri A pivotal role years (20012010) could halt the that the AIDS epidemic can simply the lost voice of vulnerable com leadership from a person of high
umphs, fattening batting averages and multiplying bow At such a crucial time, it is disturb epidemic and reverse the trend. be treated away by saturating anti munities which was the main driv integrity and commitment along
ling yields. With this as the backdrop, India will fl y half ing to hear voices again question retroviral (ARV) coverage. Nothing ing force of AIDS response in the with a sincere eff ort to remove the
way across the earth for a set of three Twenty20s — ing the relevance of UNAIDS for The epidemic is still alive could be farther from the truth. It decade after UNGASS. Activism deadwood from the organisation.
interestingly, two of them are being hosted in the Unit the global response. However, at a time when it should is forgotten that AIDS aff ects the surrounding AIDS has suddenly Any thought of winding it up or
ed States of America — three ODIs and two Tests against There are suggestions that AIDS be leading the global response to poor, the marginalised and crimi fi zzled out emboldening many giving the mandate back to WHO
the West Indies from August 3 to September 3. India will should go back to the World end AIDS as a public health threat, nalised communities dispropor countries, especially in Africa, to would be suicidal at this moment.
Health Organisation (WHO) where the organisation has started to fal tionately as they face challenges in further stigmatise and discrimi
be the favourites across the three formats, though in li
it originally belonged to some 25 ter in its strategy. First came the accessing the ‘test and treat’ pro nate by enacting new laws that cri J.V.R. Prasada Rao is a former Health
mited overs games, where the abridged nature of the years ago. And that the new execu extremely optimistic messaging grammes. The ever increasing minalise vulnerable sections of Secretary, Government of India. The views
sport tends to iron out the fl aws, the host might fancy tive director should be equipped blitz that the world was going to number of young people who are society. expressed are personal
its chances. The tour, coming as it does close on the
heels of the World Cup in England, presents an oppor
tunity for India to look ahead, make a few changes in LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
personnel and prepare for the future. Transition always
coincides with the quadrennial World Cup and India Trump and the ‘K’ word relationship but selfinterest U.S., a doubt about who is statesman, examples being the question of mediation Narcotic hub
The claim by U.S. President has always been a priority in economical with the truth his meddling in Obamacare, seriously with Mr. Trump. That it is not just youngsters
too is part of that global trend. Donald Trump that Prime American foreign policy. The will gain ground hurting the his unilaterally scrapping the Observing the U.S.’s previous from ‘dysfunctional families’
M.S. Dhoni has straddled three generations, the one Minister Narendra Modi off er may be a part of a Prime Minister’s credibility. Iran nuclear deal, verbal attempts at mediation, it but also those from ‘perfectly
that had Sachin Tendulkar, the second with the likes of broached the subject of Mr. strategy relating to Pakistan S.K. Choudhury, attacks on European leaders would be much better if the normal families’ who are
Yuvraj Singh and the latest under Virat Kohli as captain. Trump’s mediation on the China policy. Once we are Bengaluru and his mishandling of the process involved only India becoming drug victims
The former India captain has held fi rm in a storied ca Kashmir issue during the drawn to the mediation immigrants issue in the U.S. and Pakistan even if it takes “solely for recreational
reer of triumphs, losses, frenzied runs, sharp catches meeting of the two leaders table, our contention of ■ India may maintain that the Mr. Trump needs to set his another 70 years. purposes” is alarming
and quicksilver stumpings, but at 38 he is near his crick in Osaka in June, is sovereignty over Kashmir Kashmir issue should be own house in order fi rst Hannah Jacob P., (’Ground Zero’ page,
stunning (Page 1, “I would will be jeopardised. resolved bilaterally but the before he can even think of Bengaluru ““Ecstacy and the agony”,
eting twilight. Though he avoided retiring from the blue
love to be a mediator on S. Rajagopalan, fact is that there have been mediating on Kashmir. July 20). This is possibly due
shade by preferring to serve the Army in his role as an Kashmir: Donald Trump”, Chennai regular global interventions T. Anand Raj, The ISRO model to a lack of proper parental
honorary lieutenant colonel, Dhoni presented an op July 23). Is it a white lie? Or as far as IndiaPakistan Chennai The successful launch of monitoring, compounded
portunity to M.S.K. Prasad and his fellow selectors to is it a political gimmick? ■ It is signifi cant that as no relations are concerned. Chandrayaan2 demonstrates when one or both parents
fasttrack Rishabh Pant as the fi rstchoice wicketkeep Even if India had sought his less than the POTUS himself During the Kargil intrusions ■ The U.S. has most often what India is capable of is/are working abroad as in
er batsman across all formats. Dhoni, who retired from assistance, the fact that the has named the Indian Prime in 1999, it was the Clinton been at the wrong end of doing if there is unwavering Kerala. The pocket money
Tests in 2014, might still make appearances in the shor U.S. has all along been Minister as personally having administration which led understanding the focus and funding. The being given to middle and
providing military sought Mr. Trump’s Pakistan to step back. Also geopolitical aff airs of successful model of ISRO upperclass youngsters is
ter versions, and there is speculation about next year’s
assistance to Pakistan meditation, it is in the fi tness after 9/11, it was the U.S. and developing countries, should be replicated in the way beyond basic
Twenty20 World Cup in Australia being his preferred would by itself make of things and in keeping with the U.K. which helped in Vietnam, Iran and Iraq being defence sector especially requirements.
last stop. But it all depends on what the selectors and America very unsuitable as the best parliamentary blacklisting Pakistanbased examples. America’s attempt when India is spending The statement that
Kohli prefer as they look at building the team afresh for a mediator. traditions that the Prime terror outfi ts. India has relied to help these countries has billions of rupees buying Uthamapuram is “notorious
the 2023 World Cup in India. The imminent West Indies B.V.K. Thampi, Minister off ers his own on global support when it ended in disastrous results. arms. If we can develop a for ganja trade but remains
Thiruvananthapuram clarifi cation on the fl oor of comes to cornering Pakistan. In the Kashmir confl ict, a credible weapons out of bounds for
tour will help the team management get a fair idea
about the potential in the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Mayank the House even if it means Therefore, Mr. Trump mediator must understand manufacturing ecosystem enforcement agencies” is
■ Mr. Trump’s off er could causing personal wanting to be a mediator the sociocultural context of that is on a par with our baffl ing. The “Student Police
Agarwal, Manish Pandey, Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pan
well be a trap, a product of embarrassment to Mr. should not raise hackles. the State as well as its history space industry, we can save Cadet” scheme must be
dya, Washington Sundar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Cha his meeting with the Pakistan Trump, who is not known to Harvinder Singh Chugh, which Mr. Trump is clearly billions and also tap the emulated across India.
har and Navdeep Saini, besides the other regulars. The Prime Minister. The U.S. has observe diplomatic niceties. Jalandhar, Punjab unaware of. billion dollar international Kosaraju Chandramouli,
opposition may be depleted, but for these players, a history of long friendship If Mr. Modi chooses to I am sure that the Prime weapons market. Hyderabad
CM M ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Having the last word on ‘population control’
There should be a clear understanding that off ering choices and services rather than outright state control works best
more people chase fewer and few have. This is a relation that has lit rhoea. This is the spirit in which
er resources. This image is so in tle to do with religion and everyth India has looked at population so
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Jagdish Rattanani class or religious confl ict that pits child survival is low, son prefe exactly the kind of phraseology,
the poor, the weak, the downtrod rence remains high, children lend mindset and possibly action that
T
he fall of the CongressJD(S) coalition government
in Karnataka, at the culmination of weeks of pol den and the minorities against the a helping hand in economic activi will spell doom for the nation. It
O
n July 11, World Population more privileged sections. From ty for poorer households and so will undo all the good work that
itical skulduggery, hardly marks the end of uncer
Day, a Union Minister ex this point to naming, targeting and support the economic as well as has been done and set the stage for
tainty and the beginning of stability for the State. The pressed alarm, in a Tweet, attacking is a dangerous and short emotional needs of the family. a weaker and poorer health deliv
crisis in the ruling coalition had crippled governance, over what he called the “popula slide. The implications of such an This is well known, well under ery system — exactly the opposite
even as allegations of bribing and kidnapping of legisla tion explosion” in the country, approach are deep and wide but stood and well established. of what a scheme such as Ayush
tors by the Opposition BJP emerged. The coalition tried wanting all political parties to not easily understood because the (Health and Family Welfare), Anu As the National Family Health man Bharat seeks to achieve. To
every trick to hold its fl ock together, but to no avail. enact population control laws and argument is couched in sterile priya Patel, in a written reply in Survey4 (201516) notes, women day, as many as 23 States and Un
Howsoever delayed, the inevitable happened on Tues annulling the voting rights of those numbers and a rule that, it would the Lok Sabha noted that the “fa in the lowest wealth quintile have ion Territories, including all the
having more than two children. seem, applies to all sections equal mily Planning programme in India an average of 1.6 more children States in the south region, already
day as the government led by H. D. Kumaraswamy lost a
Just a month earlier, a prominent ly. On the contrary, what is sug is target free and voluntary in na than women in the highest wealth have fertility below the replace
trust vote in the Assembly. In a House shrunken by the businessmanyoga guru wanted gested is the ugliest kind of dis ture and it is the prerogative of the quintile, translating to a total fertil ment level of 2.1 children per wo
resignation of several coalition MLAs, the BJP, which the government to enact a law crimination, worse than physical clients to choose a family planning ity rate of 3.2 children versus 1.5 man. So, support rather than con
had won 105 seats in the 2018 election, had a majority. where “the third child should not attacks or social prejudice because method best suited to them as per children moving from the wealth trol works.
Its protestations notwithstanding, the BJP has been in be allowed to vote and enjoy facil it breaks the poor and the weak bit their reproductive right”. iest to the poorest. Similarly, the
strumental in engineering the rebellion. Regardless of ities provided by the govern by bit, and in a very insidious way. The then Health Minister, J.P. number of children per woman Scars of the past
the claims of both sides, it would be diffi cult to concede ment”. This, according to him, Nadda, has said pretty much the declines with a woman’s level of The damage done when mishan
would ensure that people would Policy of choice same thing. About a year ago, he schooling. Women with no school dling issues of population growth
that their slugfest had to do with any principles. The le
not give birth to more children. The fi g leaf of population control articulated the “lifecycle frame ing have an average 3.1 children, is long lasting. Let us not forget
gislators who resigned from the Assembly have demon Both these demands are way allows for the outrageous argu work” which looks to the health compared with 1.7 children for wo that the scars of the Emergency
strated a remarkable disregard for the people’s man ward and represent a warped ment to be made that a family will and nutrition needs of mother and men with 12 or more years of are still with us. Men used to be
date, and their excuses for doing so are shallow and thinking which has been rebutted be virtually ostracised and a citi child not merely during pregnan schooling. This reveals the depth part of the family planning initia
dishonest. This drama must end, at least now. rather well in the Economic Sur zen will be denied his or her basic cy and child birth but “right from of the connections between tives then but after the excesses of
Though it had not won a majority, the BJP, as the sin vey 201819. The Survey notes that rights if he or she is born as the the time of conception till the health, education and inequality, forced sterilisations, they continue
gle largest party was invited to form a government after India is set to witness a “sharp third child. This has of course nev child grows… carrying on till the with those having little access to to remain completely out of family
the 2018 election. The Supreme Court intervened to en slowdown in population growth in er been public policy in India. adolescent stage and further”. health and education being caught planning programmes even today.
the next two decades”. The fact is In fact, a farsighted and for This argument is not about deny in a cycle of poverty, leading to The government now mostly
force an early trust vote that the BJP failed to win, pav
that by the 2030s, some States will wardlooking National Population ing services but about off ering more and more children, and the works with woman and child
ing the way for the government that has now collapsed. start transitioning to an ageing so Policy (NPP) was introduced in choices and a range of services to burden that state control on num health programmes. Mistakes of
The BJP never ceased its machinations to drive a wedge ciety as part of a wellstudied pro 2000 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee mother and child on the clear un ber of children could impose on the Emergencykind are not what
in the coalition, and now wants to form a government. cess of “demographic transition” was the Prime Minister. The es derstanding that the demographic the weakest. As the latest Econom a new government with a robust
Seventeen coalition MLAs abstained from the voting, which sees nations slowly move to sence of the policy was the govern dividend can work to support ic Survey points out, States with electoral mandate might like to re
and most of them had resigned already. The status of ward a stable population as fertili ment’s commitment to “voluntary growth and drive opportunity for high population growth are also peat. So it is time to ask some of
their resignations and questions regarding their dis ty rates fall with an improvement and informed choice and consent ordinary people only when the the ones with the lowest per capita the prejudiced voices within the
in social and economic develop of citizens while availing of repro population is healthy. availability of hospital beds. government and ruling party not
qualifi cation are now subjects of scrutiny by the Speak
ment indices over time. ductive health care services” In fact, demographers are care to venture into terrain they may
er and the Supreme Court. Many of the questions are along with a “target free approach Crucial connections ful not to use the word “popula not fully understand.
without precedent and complicated, but they need to Dangerous imagery in administering family planning Thus, family health, child survival tion control” or “excess popula
be settled urgently. Until then, it would be undesirable The demand for state controls on services”. This is a position reiter and the number of children a wo tion”. The NPP 2000 uses the Jagdish Rattanani, a journalist, is a
to form a new government. It would be facetious for the the number of children a couple ated by various governments, in man has are closely tied to the le world “control” just thrice: in refe faculty member at SPJIMR and co-author
BJP to claim a majority in the House with its strength re can have is not a new one. It feeds cluding the present government vels of health and education of the rences to the National AIDS Con of the advocacy book, ‘Population:
duced by schemed absenteeism of members or vacant on the perception that a large and on the fl oor of both Houses of Par parents, and in particular the wo trol Organisation; to prevent and Questions That Should Be More
growing population is at the root liament. For example, in March man; so the poorer the couple, the control communicable diseases, Frequently Asked’ (Through The Billion
seats. Nothing in the statute prevents the BJP from stak
of a nation’s problems as more and 2017, the then Minister of State more the children they tend to and control of childhood diar Press)
ing claim, but it should not pursue that path. Instead, it
should wait until fresh elections are held for all vacant
seats. It is possible that the BJP could repeat its perfor
mance in the Lok Sabha election and win most of these
seats. It needs at least eight more MLAs to cross the half
Shifting strategic concerns
way mark in the House that has a strength of 224 elect What India needs to do as the U.S. and China get busier in the subcontinent
ed members. No government with the support of fewer dence that the international envi surance card for persisting securi time... when strategic concerns
than half the total strength could be deemed to have a ronment was moving in a direc ty challenges such as regime change.”
LUV PURI/THE HINDU PHOTO ARCHIVES
mandate. Waiting might be in the BJP’s best interests. tion that opened options for survival for U.S. client states in So, while it is reasonable to fore
The party has an opportunity to demonstrate that it Pakistan that were unavailable in West Asia as well as for the con cast that both the U.S. and China
wants to form an alternative government not because of the previous decade. This includ tainment of Iran. For China, a sta benefi t from a more normalised
any desperation to wield power, but because it wants to ed the renewed patterns of Pakis ble Pakistan can be a partner in Pakistan, India’s policymakers
ensure political stability and restore good governance. Zorawar Daulet Singh tan’s ties with the U.S. and China, the Belt and Road initiative and fu should also remain cleareyed that
with the latter reassuring Pakistan ture continental industrial and neither country would be willing
and, most importantly, the Army energy corridors. As the writer An to expend much strategic capital
Undermining RTI
T
he U.S. President Donald on their respective strategic com drew Small underlines, Beijing’s in an ambitious policy to reorder
Trump’s latest gaff e has in mitments and bilateral partner large economic investments the domestic scene or civilmili
Amendments should not downgrade troduced another thorn in ships. In the U.S.’s case, this ap “come with some clear expecta tary relations in Pakistan. In any
what is now clearly an unsettled pears to have been undertaken Pakistan perceive themselves to be tions about the choices that Pakis case, Indian statecraft is essential
the status of information panels IndiaU.S. relationship. His claim, discreetly to avoid ruffl ing India’s in a comfortable strategic position. tan’s political and military leader to reorient perceptions of the
A
ny amendment to a law is bound to be viewed on Monday, that India sought U.S. feathers, with the result that the At any rate, the evolving roles and ship make about their country’s great powers. Maintaining that In
with suspicion if no fundamental need is seen for mediation in Kashmir will pinch enduring aspects of U.S.Pakistan interests of third parties are be future”. dia has the right and the capacity
the changes it proposes. Amendments passed by the Narendra Modi government ties remained obscure, but still ve coming signifi cant again, and how In sum, both the U.S. and China to adopt an active defence posture
the Lok Sabha to the Right to Information Act are so ob more because it strikes at a vital in ry real. In the past few days, the re Delhi leverages the international seek a strong, stable and secure — that is, blocking the fl ow of
viously unnecessary that naturally many see an ulterior terest: India’s territorial integrity. silience of that relationship has environment will determine the Pakistan that controls its destabi crossborder terror by proactive
But if we had been more attuned come out into the open. Let us not success of its overall policy. lising behaviour because that un operations on the Line of Control
motive. It is diffi cult not to concur with activists who
to international shifts, we would ever forget that this is a military al dermines their wider regional in (LoC) along with reserving the op
contend that the amendments pose a threat to the free have noticed that structural trends liance forged in the 1950s. Histori Pakistan’s benefactors terests. For the U.S., a revisionist tion for more ambitious punitive
dom and autonomy of Information Commissions at the in South Asia have been changing cally, U.S. policymakers have al Both the U.S. and China have over Pakistan pulls India inward and strikes in response to major terro
Central and State levels. The Central Information Com over the past several years. While ways sought to restore the alliance lapping interests in regional stabil away from potential IndiaU.S. rist attacks on Indian military tar
missioner, the corresponding authorities in the States India’s hand is not as strong as we with Pakistan whenever Islama ity and avoidance of a major sub cooperation on Asian geopolitics. gets — would play an important
(State Information Commissioners) and other Informa sometimes believe it to be, there bad’s ties with China became continental confl ict. While each For China, it undermines its indus part in shaping how third parties
tion Commissioners at both levels are statutory func might be opportunities to leverage stronger. India has borne the maintains deep ties with Pakistan trial and connectivity projects in view Indian interests and thereby
the international situation further brunt of this recurring geopolitical for diff erent reasons, it is unclear Pakistan, while negatively impact assume constructive roles in ma
tionaries vested with the power to review the decisions
down the road. dynamic. to what extent their longer term ing IndiaChina ties. Hence, evolv naging Pakistani behaviour.
of public information offi cers in government depart Much of Pakistan’s contempor interests coincide with India, ing interests of the great powers in If India ever asks third parties to
ments, institutions and bodies. The amendments pro Perceived advantage ary leverage can of course also be which seeks a structural transfor South Asia might not necessarily assist in the region, it should be for
pose to modify the status, tenure and conditions of ap If we step back and evaluate the In traced to the ongoing phase of the mation in Pakistan’s domestic pol portend an adverse geopolitical a cessation of Pakistan’s proxy war
pointment of these Commissioners and empower the diaPakistan equation over the Afghan confl ict. It fended off the itics and external behaviour. The setting for India in the medium in Kashmir, and, once an atmosph
Union government to set their tenure and remunera past fi ve years, what stands out is most dangerous phase when U.S. U.S. and China appear content term. This is even more plausible if ere of peace has been established,
tion. While the original law assured incumbents of a that both sides proceeded from a policy might have shifted in an ad with, or probably prefer, a Pakis the widening comprehensive na to persuade Pakistan to accept the
perception that each holds an ad versarial direction, or instability in tan with a strong Rawalpindi, tional power gap between a rising LoC as part of a fi nal territorial set
fi xed fi veyear term, with 65 as the retirement age, the
vantageous position. India’s confi the tribal frontier areas might have along with competent civilian go India and an unstable Pakistan tlement similar to the off er by Indi
amendments say the Centre would decide their tenure. dence emanated from Mr. Modi’s completely exploded. Thus, the vernance structures and an elite make the latter’s traditional role as ra Gandhi in the 1972 Shimla
In one stroke, the security of tenure of an adjudicating electoral victory in 2014 that yield Pakistan Army perceives itself in a with a wider world view. A Pakis a balancer or spoiler unattractive negotiations.
authority, whose mandate is to intervene in favour of ed a strong Central government position of strength where Wash tan that looks beyond South Asia in the eyes of the great powers. As
informationseekers against powerful regimes and bu and expectations of stable ties ington, Beijing, and even Moscow could be a useful potential partner Pakistani scholar Hussain Haqqani Zorawar Daulet Singh is a fellow at the
reaucrats, has been undermined. The original legisla with all the major powers. Mostly have recognised Pakistan’s role in in burden sharing, ironically for predicts, “You can try to leverage Centre for Policy Research and author of
tion says the salary and terms and conditions of service overlooked in India, Pakistani a future settlement on the confl ict both the U.S. and China. For Wash your strategic location as much as ‘Power and Diplomacy: India’s Foreign
of the CIC are the same as those of the Chief Election leaders too have displayed confi in Afghanistan. So, both India and ington, the Pakistan Army is an in you like, but there will come a Policies During the Cold War’
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Gaff eur, entertainer, Brexiteer, Premier
The rise of Johnson, U.K.’s 20th Etonian PM, marks not just the ‘celebrifi cation’ of politics, but also its poisonous triviality
dership put the Conservatives on chauvinism. More seriously, his la
Second shot at power 25% of the vote, exactly what it
was before. If a new leader was
ziness and refusal to understand
his brief scuppered negotiations
Constitution is under strain in Karnataka, as supposed to result in a polling with Iran over the release of a de
an impatient Yediyurappa rushes to take oath ‘bounce’ for the Tories, this must tained British journalist, Nazanin
be very disappointing. ZaghariRatcliff e. She is still in pri
G
iving a second opportunity to a person who
Richard Seymour son.
could not prove his majority on the fl oor of the Farage off ers a ‘deal’ Yet these scandals didn’t hinder
House earlier may seem unusual. And when one
G
ive it a few years, U.K. Prime There is only one circumstance in his progress. Why? Because, like
remembers that B.S. Yediyurappa’s last term lasted only Minister Boris Johnson told which Mr. Johnson could risk an Mr. Trump, he made his base feel
three days, it may even seem amusing. However, Gover the House of Commons, election. The leader of the Brexit good. He was entertaining copy
nor Vajubhai Vala’s invitation to Mr. Yediyurappa to and Britain will be “the greatest Party, rightist enragé and former for editors, producers and his so
form a government in Karnataka is understandable. A place on earth”. The new Conser City trader Nigel Farage, has of cial media following. And in a lea
vative leader, overwhelmingly fered Mr. Johnson a “sensible dership election in which no one
coalition regime has just been voted out. In a House
elected by party activists, is the deal”. If he called an election be had any answers, Mr. Johnson at
that is only 14 months old, it was to be expected that the consummate confi dence man. fore October 31 on the promise of least had star power.
Governor would again ask the leader of the largest par With a patter that makes the Brit quitting the EU on a ‘no deal’ ba In part, this is an old story
ty to explore the possibility of forming an alternative re ish media swoon, Mr. Johnson pro sis, Mr. Farage might just stand about the Etoneducated rich
gime. Yet, questions abound on whether Mr. Yediyurap mises that he will deliver Brexit by down his Brexit Party candidates. dominating politics. Mr. Johnson is
pa should have been in such haste to stake his claim, October 31. Britain, of whose colo But by cutting such a deal right Evening Standard, back him? Why It won him the matey, gently the 20th Etonian Prime Minister.
given that there is profound uncertainty over the status nial past he is a bombastic cham now, Mr. Johnson would empower are rightwing tabloids so delirious mocking aff ection of correspon Legend has it that W.H. Auden,
of at least 13 of the legislators, and consequently, about pion, will be on top again. and legitimise a competitor, some about their new leader? The short dents, who uniformly call him ‘Bo when told by his schoolmaster
Yet, everyone knows, including one who has done enormous dam answer is that after two years of ris’. It enabled him to become that only the ‘cream’ attended his
the strength of the House. Consider the situation: one
the backbenchers roaring and age to the Conservative Party. disarray, defeats and demoralisa London Mayor twice, despite school, replied: “yes, I know what
government has been voted out only because of the ab hawing with delight at his every Even if his colleagues were to per tion, Mr. Johnson off ers that se achieving staggeringly little, and you mean: thick and rich”. The
sence of 15 legislators who were given an unusual ex word, that he can’t deliver. There mit such a deal, which is unlikely, ductive opiate: optimism. wasting money on vanity projects preparation of the thick and rich
emption by the Supreme Court from the constitutional is no time for him to reach a new he would be weakening his own Lacking answers to the constitu like water cannons. It saw him for rule has been the vocation of
bar on defying the party’s whip; the Speaker is yet to ac deal with the European Union position, confi rming his party’s tional crisis, underlying crisis of through scandals that might have the U.K.’s public schools for centu
cept their resignations, but has disqualifi ed three dissi (EU), even if it off ers a new deal. terminal descent, and risking Jere legitimacy for the political system, crushed other politicians. ries. Yet, Mr. Johnson also embo
dent MLAs under the antidefection law, and the The current Parliament will not my Corbyn in Downing Street. and stalemated economy, and well dies, not just the ‘celebrifi cation’
pass the deal that is on off er. And if The most likely scenario is that out of options, the Right is hanker Erring and apologising of politics, but also its relentless
strength of the State Assembly stands at 222, including
Mr. Johnson tries to leave without Mr. Johnson will seek yet another ing for the ‘hopeium’. As the Daily In his political columns, written and poisonous triviality. It is not
a nominated member. No one can dispute that the fall a deal, he will split his party and Brexit delay to negotiate the terms Mail’s front page beseeched, refe for the Thatcherite faithful, he is a iceable that new rightwing ten
of the CongressJanata Dal (Secular) coalition was sup probably bring down his of a new deal. And yet the only rencing a famous song by the old provocateur, who refers to black dencies are thriving in cultures of
posed to be caused by a set of tactical resignations, but government. deal he could possibly get would British comedy duo Morecambe people as “piccaninnies” with fl ippancy, contrarianism and on
the move was stalled when it became a question of pos There has been much frantic be unacceptable to much of his and Wise, “Bring Us Sunshine”. “watermelon smiles”, equates Pa line irony.
sible disqualifi cation. One would presume that the Go discussion in the British press party. He would need to build Such a bathetic plea, just over a pua New Guineans with cannibals, The pervasive lack of serious
vernor would have wanted to be doubly sure about the about Mr. Johnson’s appointed Ca crossparty support, which would couple of years after the same pap refers to gay men as “tanktopped ness in Britain’s political culture,
binet members and advisers, mean having discussions with Mr. er hopefully exhorted Prime Mi bum boys”, and suggests that the which has internalised the values
ability of the appointee to form a durable government.
stuff ed full of Brexiteers and gurus Corbyn. That, he cannot do: one nister May to “Crush The Sabo colonial powers should reconquer of mass entertainment, has ena
The BJP has the support of 106 MLAs, while the major from the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign. of the breaking points of There teurs”, shows how deep the their former empires. If ever bled the new celebritypolitician
ity mark is 112. This means that when the Governor Yet, he doesn’t get his way merely sam May’s reign was when she en depression goes. Indeed, Brexit caught out in one of these state to evade consistency and accoun
formed his opinion that Mr. Yediyurappa is in a position by surrounding himself with right tered into formal talks with Mr. was itself partly a placebo answer ments, he plays up the clowning, tability, and revive discredited
to command a majority, he was either counting on the wing ideologues. To get the parlia Corbyn, a man whom she and ma to a longbrewing melancholia on knowingly adding one more entry ideologies.
remaining 13 rebel legislators vacating their seats soon, mentary numbers he needs to de ny of her colleagues bait as a ‘trai the British Right over the loss of to his “global itinerary of To what eff ect? In this case, the
or was assured of their support to the incoming regime. liver Brexit, he would have to call a tor’ to the country. Mr. Johnson, empire: chauvinist selfassertion apology”. main result of Mr. Johnson’s ascent
snap general election. And he among the fi rst to condemn her as national therapy. His stint as Foreign Secretary is to store up yet another melt
The Assembly election of May 2018 threw up a hung
spent much of his leadership cam for it, would be hoist by his own Mr. Johnson is the right person was less kind to him. The Foreign down at the top of government,
Assembly, and resulted in the second and thirdplaced paign assuring fellow Tory MPs petard if he risked such to benefi t from this because, like and Commonwealth Offi ce being a and a bitter backlash among the
parties forming a postpoll coalition. Now that the coali that they wouldn’t have to face an negotiations. Donald Trump, he is a product of residue of the empire, Mr. Johnson base. This may be a terminal crisis
tion has unravelled, the Speaker’s decision becomes election. Why? Because, since So what, then, is the point of the entertainment industry. It is felt compelled to remind people of for the Conservative Party. And it
crucial to determining the strength of the House. The June 2017, it has been clear that Je Mr. Johnson’s charade? Why did through his selfclowning appea the fact. On a trip to Myanmar, for is not likely to end well for the
BJP, for its part, ought to have exercised restraint rather remy Corbyn could win a general Conservative MPs overwhelmingly rances on the satirical show, ‘Have example, he thoughtlessly recited country either.
than rushing in to fi ll the power vacuum. After all, three election. Because, since the Euro choose him as the best leadership I Got News For You’, that he in Rudyard Kipling’s procolonial
seats are now vacant, and the fi gure may go up to 16. pean elections, the new hardright candidate? Why did party activists vented his public persona as a poem, ‘The Road to Mandalay’. Richard Seymour is a Londonbased
Brexit Party has almost cut the trust him? Why did the Conserva harmless gaff eur, stumbling Many Britons, particularly older writer, a founding editor of 'Salvage'
The new Chief Minister may win the trust vote, but to
Conservative vote in half. The fi rst tive press, from the proBrexit Dai through political life. That persona conservatives, would have en magazine, and author of the book 'The
remain in power for the current Assembly’s term the poll since Mr. Johnson took the lea ly Telegraph to the proEurope shrouded his politics in ambiguity. joyed Mr. Johnson’s display of Twittering Machine'
party would have to win eight more seats in the result
ing byelections. The party has to live down the image
of having engineered the fall of the H.D. Kumaraswamy
government by getting Congress and JD(S) MLAs to re
sign. However, its leaders ran into an unusual road
block when the two parties and the Speaker took the
From ‘being diff erent’ to ‘being dishonourable’
view that they were quitting only with the intent of de Under Advani, being a ‘party with a diff erence’ was BJP’s article of faith; under Modi, the claim is just a nostalgic memory
fecting to the BJP. Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar remind
ed them that they could be disqualifi ed, rather than be party that calls itself ‘a party with them but it also speaks volumes BJP’s vaunted claim of being a
allowed to resign. He asserted that he was empowered a diff erence’?” about the sincerity of the BJP’s ‘party with a diff erence’? The
to examine whether their resignations were voluntary There wasn’t a single occasion Hindutva message. truth is that under Narendra Modi
or induced. And sensing that some of them may be when this didn’t make Mr. Advani and Amit Shah, the BJP feels like
wince. It wasn’t just embarrass Embracing the defectors any other party. In 1980, when
come Ministers in the next regime even without being
ment that I could discern but pain, Let me go one step further. Atana members of the Haryana Janata
members of the House, he reminded them that under Karan Thapar of the sort that’s selfinfl icted and, sio ‘Babush’ Monserrate faces sev Party under Bhajan Lal defected
Article 164(1B) of the Constitution, a person who is dis therefore, more hurtful. Whenev eral serious criminal charges, in en masse to Indira Gandhi’s Con
T
qualifi ed for defection could not become a minister hese days, I fi nd myself in er that happened, I knew I had cluding over the rape of a minor in gress, Mr. Advani would have
without being reelected to the House. creasingly thinking of Lal made my point. Mr. Advani was 2016. This was forcefully raised by called it the worst example of
Krishna Advani. He was the too shrewd a politician to verbally the BJP in the Panaji byelection ‘Congressisation of Indian polit
egardless of the amoral politics and skulduggery be president of the Bharatiya Janata concede but the look on his face just two months ago. ‘Save Goa ics’. Today we’re witnessing the
R hind the toppling of the regime, the role of the
Speaker has been no less questionable. As a means of
Party (BJP) in 1990 when I re
turned to India and started work
said it all. from Babush’ was the party’s slo
gan. On that occasion, he won and
‘Congressisation of the BJP’.
There is, however, a deeper iro
ing as a journalist. In those days, Part of moral core defeated the BJP candidate. Today, ny here. Few would deny that Mr.
blocking moves to bring down the government some privately owned news channels In those days, the BJP genuinely the BJP has opened its arms and Advani is a founding architect of
tactical decisions are understandable, but the manner did not exist. Doordarshan was a believed that it was diff erent from embraced him. His wife Jennifer is the BJP. He took it from two seats
in which the Speaker has used the law poses a threat to monopoly. The only way indepen every other party. This diff erence vel methods. On one occasion, a Minister in its government. The in 1984 to six years in power begin
the autonomy of legislators in a general sense. First, can dent current aff airs was possible was its moral core. It convinced twothirds of a party’s strength in charges he faces have been forgot ning 1998. During those three de
a legislator intending to quit his seat be accused of de was through video magazines. the party that it was superior to the legislature defected; on anoth ten and forgiven. cades (1984 to 2004), the claim of
There were two that were best others. At that time, it had 85 MPs er, a sizeable number of MLAs re It seems that in its inexorable being a ‘party with a diff erence’
fection at all, when the penalty for crossing over to
known: Newstrack and Eyewit in the Lok Sabha but even when signed to enable the BJP to cross march to a comprehensive domi was not just meaningful but, for
another party is the loss of that very seat? Given the ness. I was the editor of the latter. six years earlier it just had two, it the majority mark. nation of Indian politics, the BJP is many, an article of faith. A mere
propensity of presiding offi cers in the country to avoid I did many interviews with Mr. drew its strength from its moral Not only is the BJP unconcerned trampling upon its own moral decade and a half later, Mr. Modi
deciding matters within a time frame, it is perilous to al Advani, probably more than I did conviction as much as from its le about what this has done to its mo principles and ethical values. No and Mr. Shah have taken the BJP to
low them to delay the acceptance of resignations until a of any other politician in that fi n de gislative numbers. ral image, but also, perhaps more doubt this fi rst happened in Kar another level altogether. Mr. Adva
point when the members concerned are seen as “vo siècle period. The common thread I wonder what Mr. Advani surprisingly, it is indiff erent to nataka in 2008 with ‘Operation ni could only have dreamed of
luntarily giving up their party membership”, which is that ran through the interviews would make of his party’s beha what this will do to its internal co Lotus’ but, at the time, that was a where it has got to. But, in the pro
the fi rst ground on which a member can be disqualifi ed was a ploy I was rather fond of. viour today? Since the swearing in hesion and ideology. Consider oneoff and the BJP was not proud cess, the party’s proud claim of
Whenever my focus was on an is of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Goa. The 10 Congress MLAs who of it. Now, there’s a brazen de ‘being diff erent’ has been
for defection. This is precisely what has happened in
sue or a decision that smelt of real for a second term, the BJP has switched to the BJP had been elect fi ance of ethics and unconcern scrubbed. Today, that is just a nos
the current case. Secondly, does the power to scrutinise politik and appeared less than eth been on an unparalleled — and, it ed to oppose it but three of them with the consequences. The party talgic memory for Mr. Advani’s
a resignation letter for its voluntary nature extend to re ical, I would counter Mr. Advani’s seems, unstoppable — spree of lur are now members of its govern wants to form a government or generation. I bet the modern BJP
jecting it even if it is in the correct format and is handed defensive answers with a set state ing MPs, MLAs and even corpora ment. One is the Deputy Chief Mi gain legislative strength no matter doesn’t even know what it means
over in person? ment, which I delivered with a tors. This has happened in Karna nister. Just two months ago, they what the cost. It’s the end that or, if it does, considers it a foolish
Even the disqualifi cation of the three MLAs does not grin: “That answer may be okay taka, West Bengal, Goa, Uttar were strong opponents of Hindut matters not the means. Success is commitment.
appear to be in order. Two of them, Ramesh Jarkhiholi for other leaders but how can it be Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. And va. Today, they are its champions. its own justifi cation.
acceptable for the president of a it has happened by a variety of no No doubt this says a lot about So where does this leave the Karan Thapar is a broadcast journalist
and Mahesh Kumathalli, have been disqualifi ed on a pe
tition seeking action against them that was submitted in
February. It was not acted on for months, but revived in
the wake of the resignation controversy. Secondly, it is a
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
moot question whether suffi cient opportunity was gi
ven to them, as the matter was decided after they were Karnataka imbroglio the voters the right to recall ■ H.D. Kumaraswamy never ■ Disgust gives way to anger (RTI) Act were pushed amendments done should be
absent on the day they were due to appear. Further, the The proposal, by K.R. elected representatives. had the mandate to rule as we observe the disgraceful through Parliament even in forthwith withdrawn or the
Ramesh Kumar, Speaker of Nevertheless, some Karnataka. He was the leader behaviour of the elected the face of stiff opposition Bill should be sent to a Select
Speaker appears to have assumed the power to fi x a pe
Karnataka Legislative improvements to the rules of the Janata Dal (Secular), a representatives in Karnataka. from several political parties Committee of Parliament.
riod during which a member will remain disqualifi ed, Assembly, to include governing defections and party which fi nished third in Not just these unprincipled and widespread resentment Satish C. Aikant,
and barred the three MLAs for the remainder of the cur ‘opinion of voters’ as a disqualifi cations are the Assembly elections. The and selfi sh politicians, the in the civil society betrays Mussoorie
A straightforward lesson on resolution
By not sorting out confl icts between themselves, India and Pakistan are eff ectively outsourcing the role to third parties
es to invest in bilateral diplomatic diff erent from confl ict resolution. a deal with the Taliban in Afghan
measures to resolve Jammu and And yet even when the focus is on istan, in which Pakistan is key, is
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
on development despite political uncertainty Happymon Jacob lovehate relationship with third between the mediator and the Moscow, the European capitals
party mediation in Jammu and confl icting parties. This is precise will also eventually start courting
T
he BJP government in Karnataka won a trust vote
in the Assembly on Monday, but that does not Kashmir in 1948. However, much ly what seems to underlie the cur Pakistan. This will invariably in
U
.S. President Donald of this overt third party interven rent American interest visàvis crease, albeit marginally, the glo
end the political instability. B.S. Yediyurappa,
Trump’s claim last Monday tion in Kashmir ended with the Kashmir. So even though New Del bal focus on Kashmir either at Pa
who has become Chief Minister for the fourth time at that Prime Minister Naren Simla agreement of 1972 which hi accepts crisis management, and kistan’s insistence or because
the age of 76, can breathe easy for six months now. The dra Modi had asked him at the stated, at New Delhi’s insistence, not confl ict resolution in the con third parties might see a link bet
irony of his trust vote victory is that his government G20 summit in June in Japan to that Kashmir will be a bilateral is text of Kashmir, it is not easy to ween Kashmir and regional insta
does not have an absolute majority of the total strength mediate between India and Pakis sue thereby ending the United Na ceptual distinction between con separate the two either during a bility. As a matter of fact, several
of the House. The exact numbers in favour of the go tan on the Kashmir question may, tions Military Observer Group in fl ict resolution and crisis crisis or when the confl ict is crisis people have in the past made a di
vernment were not clear as there was no division of for the moment, have been deftly India and Pakistan’s (UNMOGIP’s) management. While both involve prone. rect link between instability in Af
handled by the two foreign policy peacekeeping work in Kashmir, de some amount of mediation, the Put diff erently, given that crisis, ghanistan and the Kashmir con
votes on Monday, but it is apparent that the BJP is short
establishments, but this is not a facto, if not de jure. The current former is focussed on a specifi c is at least in this context, is the func fl ict. Such voices could potentially
of the halfway mark of the Assembly’s full strength, question that is likely to go away UNMOGIP involvement in Kashmir sue — Kashmir in this case — and tion of a preexisting confl ict, cri become sharper now. More so, if
which is 225, including one nominated AngloIndian re all too easily. Given that Mr. Trump is neither encouraged nor recog seeks to address and resolve the sis management by third parties the rising concerns about the Is
presentative. Winning 105 seats, it had fallen short in made this rather outoftheblue nised by India, something Pakis root causes of the confl ict. The lat and the attendant focus on the lamic State’s infl uence in Kashmir
the 2018 Assembly election but Mr. Yediyurappa had statement during Pakistan Prime tan continues to do. New Delhi be ter involves mediation during an broader confl ict is not easy to turn about to be notsomisplaced,
never conceded defeat. Supreme Court intervention Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the lieves that its UN experience ongoing crisis with a potential for avoid. the heat on Kashmir is only going
ended his third tenure as CM in just three days then, but United States, it has fuelled further visàvis Kashmir has been an un escalation. Crisis mediation unlike More so, while New Delhi is to increase.
speculation about what it implies. savoury one which partly explains confl ict resolution does not seek loathe to having third party discus What further ensures third par
he is back in the saddle 14 months on, riding a rebellion
the current distaste in India for to resolve the political or root sions on Kashmir, especially on ty involvement in Kashmir is the
in the ranks of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) A mixed bag any third party mediation. Then causes of a confl ict. the human rights situation, it ac lack of a confl ict resolution pro
which had formed a postpoll coalition and government To be fair to the Indian establish there is India’s statuslinked indif tively seeks third party attention cess between India and Pakistan.
in 2018. While the coalition had inherent contradictions ment’s traditional logic, third par ference to external opinion that Management and resolution on terror emanating from Pakistan The less the two sides talk on
that weakened it from the very start, it was the BJP’s re ty mediation in Jammu and Kash comes with being a major econo New Delhi has traditionally been as well as the latter’s sponsorship Kashmir, the more there is are like
lentless and amoral pursuit of power that led to its col mir might not be a useful idea my and military power whose averse to mediation in the form of of violence in the Valley. While this ly to be crisis situations between
lapse. The BJP is evidently elated, and Mr. Yediyurappa simply because third parties typi deep pockets and growing mar confl ict resolution while accepting might be a desirable distinction to them which would invariably lead
cally come with their own agenda. kets are of signifi cance to those po more than once third party media New Delhi’s mind, it is not easy to to more third party involvement in
said he believed in the principle of “forget and forgive”.
Second, it might do more harm tentially desirous of talking about tion during crisis events. Kargil is get a third party to focus on one the whole Kashmir quagmire. In
Many other characters in the monthslong political than good in an age of hyperna Kashmir. So theoretically, New an example when India accepted part of the problem and ignore the other words, by not resolving con
drama in Karnataka may not be able to “forget and for tionalism and frenzied media at Delhi has consistently, and suc third party mediation by the Clin other. In other words, New Delhi’s fl icts between themselves, India
give” the machinations that preceded the vote. K.R. Ra tention on anything to do with cessfully, blocked all third party ton Administration in the U.S. This eff orts at getting other countries to and Pakistan are eff ectively out
mesh Kumar, who resigned as Speaker on Monday, dis Kashmir. In a milieu where bilater mediation in Kashmir, except was also evident during the post condemn Pakistan’s sponsorship sourcing crisis management, and
qualifi ed 17 rebels from the Congress and the JD(S) al diplomacy on Jammu and Kash when it wants to let others play a Pulwama military standoff in Fe of terrorism in Kashmir while at thereby confl ict resolution, albeit
under the antidefection law. By disqualifying them for mir itself comes under intense role. And if anyone indeed makes bruary this year. While both Kargil the same time disparaging the re in a limited manner, to third par
scrutiny from domestic political a reference to Kashmir which New and the February standoff were ports of the Offi ce of the United ties. The lesson then is a straight
the Assembly’s remaining tenure, he sought to pre
forces, third party mediation is al Delhi disagrees with, it either ig directly linked to Kashmir, media Nations High Commissioner for forward one: if you do not engage
empt their inclusion in the new government, but the is most impossible to even consider. nores it or strongly disapproves of tion by the third party did not seek Human Rights (OHCHR) on the hu in a dialogue with Pakistan to re
sue is headed for the courts. It might be a while before More so, past instances of third it. to address anything beyond the man rights situation in Kashmir is solve the Kashmir issue, third par
bypolls are held, and those could alter the Assembly’s party mediation have had mixed That is, in practice, there has immediate diff usion of tensions. a diffi cult balance to maintain. ties will continue to meddle.
composition. The bitterness among political parties results. historically been a great deal of Then there are other instances
will linger, and the government will have uncertainty And yet, Kashmir is likely to be third party attention on the larger where third party crisis mediation Impact of regional geopolitics Happymon Jacob teaches at the
hanging over it. The State houses some of the best com on the great power radar and will Kashmir question some of which took place even though they had The unfolding developments in re Jawaharlal Nehru University, and is the
panies and has built for itself a reputation as a destina continue to attract international has been encouraged by India. no direct links to Kashmir such as gional geopolitics could also have author of ‘Line on Fire: Ceasefi re
attention for a variety of reasons, In order to understand this ar the post26/11 terror attacks. implications for third party inter Violations and IndiaPakistan Escalation
tion for investors and jobseekers. A dishonourable pol
not least because New Delhi refus gument better, let us make a con For sure, crisis management is est in Kashmir. The U.S.’s desire for Dynamics’
itical culture that involves rentseeking,
highhandedness and rapacity by leaders has dented
that reputation in recent years. Karnataka continuing
its success as an economic powerhouse is in the interest
of the country. While these are mediumterm concerns,
In Assam, basic dignity at stake
the State has some immediate challenges to tackle, par There are concerns over how the State government plans to solve the issue of stateless citizens after the NRC exercise
ticularly water scarcity and urban management. With necessary: his team had already deemed stateless after they fi nd leged foreigners must have access
such tasks ahead, the Chief Minister will need all the reverifi ed 27% of the list. This themselves off the list. to rights that will enable their sur
time and focus he can possibly garner for governance. again has roiled the waters — the I have two questions: What be vival. These would include the
Now that Mr. Yediyurappa has realised his dream and local unit of the Bharatiya Janata comes of them while applying to right to education and health. But
taken command, he should ensure that his rivals who Party (BJP) says the offi cer, Prateek tribunals and courts for relief — all it would exclude the right to vote
Hajela, had no business to do so. the way to the Supreme Court, a or to acquire property so that they
ended with bloody noses in this battle are drafted for
Sanjoy Hazarika The State unit’s president asserted detailed, drawnout process? How did not have a role in political pro
better governance and the progress of Karnataka. that the party stood by its demand will the government deal with cesses.
for a 20% reverifi cation: “Even if those who are declared nonciti Is this an indication of how the
Talks and terror
T
he Supreme Court has ex some more time is taken, we want zens and if Bangladesh refuses to governments, in Assam and the
REUTERS
T
he attack on Afghan vice presidential candidate from July 31 to August 31, giving a franchised in the process. This has ple alleged to be “foreigners” by marks of a senior BJP leader from right to vote and acquisition of
Amrullah Saleh’s offi ce in Kabul on Sunday that month’s relief or another oppor happened numerous times in the others whose identity was kept se Assam on the issue are important. property? As has been mentioned
killed at least 20 people and injured 50, including tunity to those who are off the list ongoing exercise as also with cret. Unknown entities tossed For they outline a process which earlier, what also needs to be clar
to scramble and get into it. Thus, it members of traditional tribal vague charges against people who the government believes can help ifi ed is the status of lands on which
Mr. Saleh, is a grave reminder of the crisis the wartorn
has provided an equal time frame groups in the State. had lived in India for generations. resolve the situation. In a recent they are living or have acquired.
country is going through even amid attempts to fi nd for those who say that many on the The overall eff ort is to untangle television panel discussion, the Will they be deprived of those?
peace. Mr. Saleh, a former intelligence chief and a list shouldn’t be there because Identifying Indians what appears to be nothing short BJP leader underlined his nonac Would this amount to creating an
strong critic of the Taliban and Pakistan, is President they are not actually ‘foreigners’. The goal of the gargantuan eff ort of a Gordian knot — to resolve the ceptance of the Assam Accord, enduring phenomena since Ban
Ashraf Ghani’s runningmate for the September 28 elec With this extension, the Court of the NRC appears simple: identi issue of illegal immigration from which has been the madhyam (me gladesh refuses to take alleged ille
tion. And the irony is that the assault occurred a few rejected demands by both the fy Indians living in Assam and by neighbouring Bangladesh into the dium) for the issue of alleged mi gals back?
hours after President Ghani offi cially launched his cam Central and State governments exclusion pick out the ‘foreigners’ region over decades. But each grants, and which enabled the Many of those who are off the
paign in which he promised that “peace is coming”. which, concerned about the na or Bangladeshis. In this case, some stage and layer appear to under conferring of citizenship on a dis list are poor, cannot aff ord lawyers
tionwide controversy about the 40 lakh people were left out of the line how challenging the problems tinct group of people after a cool and may not even know of their
The message the insurgents are trying to send is that
drive, had said they wanted to re NRC when the draft list was pu remain, with issues of legal re ing off period of 10 years. right to legal aid. At stake is the
even the most fortifi ed political offi ces in the country or verify 10% to 20% of those on the blished last July. This led to an out dress being acute. About 75,000 persons who be basic dignity of the weak, voiceless
its top politicians are not safe. The insurgents have list. In making such a request, the cry by civil society groups, and nefi ted from this process had mi and vulnerable. The next few
made it clear they will carry out their off ensive irrespec governments were expressing a media accounts showed how citi The plight of the stateless grated from then East Pakistan months will see how many of them
tive of the peace process, especially when Afghanistan degree of anxiety about the data zens had been left out, reportedly Concerns in Assam have been high between 1966 and 1971; most of will receive succour and how ma
gets down to a fullfl edged election campaign. In recent quality of a process for which they on religious and ethnic grounds, over the purported infl ux them were Hindus. The BJP leader ny will need to carry their bundles
months, even when the U.S. and Taliban representa themselves have pressed strongly and due to bad data collection. In post1971 after the creation of Ban said that such a cooling off period of documents from court to court
since 2014. the past months, not less than 36 gladesh. The eff ort is to calm local was unacceptable, that “there in an unending and perhaps des
tives have held multiple rounds of talks in Doha, Qatar,
The Court’s decision was based lakh or 3.6 million counter claims anxieties and also cater to a politi should be” push back” but “push perate search for hope.
insurgents have kept up attacks, both on military and on a declaration by the State Coor seeking inclusion were fi led. cal agenda. Yet the question that is back with dignity”.
civilian locations. The Taliban appears to be trying to dinator of the NRC, the offi cer That is nearly 90% of those who often asked but rarely answered is But it is signifi cant, however, Sanjoy Hazarika is International Director,
leverage these assaults to boost its bargaining position whom it has mandated to run the were left out. In the last storm of what happens to those individuals that what appears to be emerging Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
in talks with the U.S. And the Kabul government’s in NRC, that such a review was not datadriven eff orts, the country’s (and their dependents) who are is that until such expulsion, al The views expressed are personal
ability to prevent them and the U.S.’s apparent decision
to delink the negotiations from the daily violence are LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
giving the insurgents a free run in many Afghan cities.
Afghanistan’s crises are many. Half of the country is
A betrayal of trust if they fail to live up to their be moved against him. present U.S. population. Will post, position or purse and coupled with sense of
either directly controlled or dominated by the Taliban.
What has happened in expectations (South page, Therefore he hurriedly the President choose to despite being in the humour, made him a natural
In the eastern parts, the Islamic State has established a Karnataka over the last few “BJP expected to have a disqualifi ed the MLAs. In ‘return’ the U.S. to its Congress, was a great critic choice to be the
presence and the group targets the country’s religious months is no drama — it smooth sailing in Karnataka doing so, he inadvertently original inhabitants? ( World of dynasty rule. He also had spokesperson of the party or
minorities. The government in Kabul is weak and noto comes as a very real insult trust vote,” July 29). did a favour to the BJP, which page, “Trump defends attack a penchant for taking on the government he
rious for chronic corruption. Its failure to ensure the to the mandate of those in J. Akshay, sailed through the no on black lawmaker as biggies such as Reliance represented. The Janata Dal,
the State. While B.S. Bengaluru confi dence vote. However, criticisms mount,” July 29) without being afraid of the when it was facing a
basic safety and security of civilians is in turn eroding
the public’s confi dence in the system. At present, the Yediyurappa has won the the Speaker’s move could act C.G. Kuriakose, repercussions. He belonged leadership crisis due to
government appears beleaguered. Its security agencies trust vote, the people have ■ Former Karnataka Speaker as a deterrent for future Kothamangalam, Kerala to a rare tribe of politicians factional feuds, could count
lost the trust they had K.R. Ramesh Kumar acted in dissidents wanting to who were ‘in’ politics but not on his felicity with words.
are strained by the prolonged war. It is true that Afghan
imposed in their MLAs. haste in disqualifying all the destabilise a government. A political titan ‘for’ politics. His death is a great loss to
istan needs a political settlement. The war has been in a Monday’s development 17 lawmakers who had K.V. Seetharamaiah, In the death of S. Jaipal M. Somasekhar Prasad, the country.
stalemate for long. The government, even with U.S. may have given temporary resigned and proved that he Hassan, Karnataka Reddy, the country has lost Hyderabad Gundu K. Maniam,
support, is not in a position to turn the war around. The closure to the political is more loyal to his party one of its mostgifted sons Bhandup, Maharashtra
Taliban, on the other side, has expanded its reach to turmoil that kept than to the Constitution Insulting tweet (Front page, “Jaipal Reddy ■Jaipal Reddy was a thinking more letters online:
the hinterland, but not the urban centres. While a governance in the State in a (“Karnataka Speaker U.S. President Donald passes away,” July 29). Ever man’s politician. Knowledge, www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Padding up for the next UNSC innings
India must give exceptional weightage to how all Security Council issues have an impact on the subcontinent
tries, and 800 bases in 70 nations. in world politics. India should un Indian reference is to Pakistan.
The rise of China and the bogey derline the validity of Article 2 of The question of an international
I
f India has increased its population of tigers to an es
FILE PHOTO/AP
in artifi cial intelligence, high tech tional society, India should under tions subcommittee to proscribe
timated 2,967 individuals in 201819, putting behind
D
espite the fact that India has nology and 5G which will have line the sanctity of treaties such as Pakistanbased militant groups
fi ascos such as the Sariska wipeout 15 years ago, it served as a nonpermanent strategic signifi cance in future de the multilateral accord with Iran and individuals. But experience
adds to its global standing as a conservation marvel: a member of the United Na cades. In this variable world of in endorsed by the Security Council shows that this is frankly of du
populous country that has preserved a lot of its natural tions Security Council (UNSC) cessant jockeying for greater in gest economies, which even the and the Paris Agreement on Cli bious benefi t when weighed
heritage even amid fastpaced economic growth. Since more often than any country other fl uence among big and medium pessimists cannot deny. Accord mate Change. against the eff ort expended.
the majority of the world’s wild tigers live in India, there than Japan from the AsiaPacifi c powers, and where the centre ingly, its voice resonates and is Among countryspecifi c topics New Delhi will feel in the next
is global attention on the counting exercise and the Group, it is a matter of satisfaction ground for concepts such as stra capable of making a signifi cant that are likely to reappear before few years that its time has come
and a tribute to Indian diplomacy tegic autonomy and equidistance contribution during its tenure by the UNSC are the ‘frozen’ disputes for a major role on the world
gaps the assessment exposes. The National Tiger Con
that the Group unanimously de has shrunk with rising polarisation emphasising and strengthening of Cyprus, Palestine, Ukraine and stage, but big player status will be
servation Authority (NTCA) has asserted in its report, cided this year to support India for between the major powers, there multilateralism as a means of mak North Korea. On each of these, In diffi cult without India being pivo
‘Status of Tigers in India 2018’, that 83% of the big cats an eighth secondyear term. The are nevertheless some constants. ing the world safer. dia has taken a balanced position tal in the South Asian region. In
censused were individually photographed using came elections are to take place in June Whether or not the U.S. President that needs little reset. Kashmir re this respect, India’s regional status
ra traps, 87% were confi rmed through a camera trap next year. This means that India’s Donald Trump is reelected , the Multipolar focus mains on the UN agenda and if the is insuffi ciently credible. Accord
based capturerecapture technique, and other estima election is assured and its term ‘America First’ doctrine will en India needs to uphold the objec situation in the Kashmir Valley de ingly, on all issues before the
tion methods were used to establish the total number. will run in the calendar years 2021 dure in some form since it has the tive of a multipolar world and teriorates, the issue may be re UNSC, India must give exceptional
and 2022. support of a sizeable constituency counter existing trends towards vived in the UNSC by Pakistan, weightage as to how they will have
Previous estimates for periods between 2006 and 2010
in that country. This makes U.S. fo unilateralism, ethnocentrism, although third parties have no en an impact on the Indian
and then up to 2014 indicated a steady increase in tiger Fast-changing dynamics reign policy more transactional, protectionism and racial intole thusiasm for involving themselves subcontinent.
abundance. Such numbers, however, are the subject of To anticipate what issues will arise which in turn will generate less rance. It should seek to protect the in IndiaPakistan disputes. If re Demosthenes in Fourth Centu
debate among sections of the scientifi c community, during India’s tenure two and traction to the reform process World Trade Organisation from ports are true that Mr. Modi is ry BC Athens stated that diplomats
mainly on methodological grounds, since independent three years down the road, in the within the UN and the expansion American attempts to undermine seeking to normalise relations had “no battleships at their dispo
studies of even wellprotected reserves showed a lower highest decisionmaking organ of permanent membership of the it, since the WTO’s dispute me with China during this term in of sal... their weapons are words and
increase. It is important to put all the latest data, which concerned with peace and confl ict UNSC to which India aspires. chanism is a resource for develop fi ce, it will greatly strengthen In opportunities”. India’s presence
are no doubt encouraging, through rigorous peer re in the global organisation, is clear India can use its term as a non ing countries, as is the work of the dia’s position. on the UNSC will present oppor
ly problematic. The dynamics of permanent member to enhance its United Nations Educational, Scien tunities to enhance the country’s
view. Conservation achievements — and some failures —
international politics are fast mov credentials as a constructive and tifi c and Cultural Organization, the Pakistan and the terror angle reputation. American policies in
can then be the subject of scientifi c scrutiny and fi nd a ing. responsible member of interna UN Human Rights Council and It bears repetition that the growth India’s nearneighbourhood to
place in scientifi c literature to aid eff orts to save tigers. The Washington consensus of tional society, but an upgrading of other UN bodies despite the U.S. of India’s economy and its demo wards West Asia, Russia and China
There are several aspects to the latest counting oper the postSoviet era, if it ever truly its status will have to wait until an and a few other countries with cratic system are our best insu present challenges that can be met
ation — a staggering exercise spread over 3,81,400 sq existed, has unravelled in the indeterminate future date. It may drawing support to them. India rance policy; witness what China only with great skill and delicate
km and 26,838 camera trap locations — that are of inter wake of three factors: tensions be noted in passing that the inclu should attempt to make progress has been able to get away with in balance. India should aim to end
national interest, because some tiger range countries between major powers; proxy sion of India, Japan, Germany and on the nondiscriminatory elimi respect of the Uighurs. New Del its eighth term on the Council with
wars in West Asia, and widespread Brazil in the UNSC, to which pack nation of weapons of mass des hi’s preoccupation with Pakistan its merit and legalitybased judg
are beginning their own census of the cats. Moreover,
and scattershot use of threat and age India is formally committed, truction, protection of the envi fi nds its articulation in the subject ments intact and widely
even developed countries are trying to revive popula economic sanctions by the United will create an even greater imba ronment against global warming, of international and crossborder respected.
tions of charismatic wild creatures such as wolves and States which pursues a militarised lance in favour of the West versus safeguarding outer space from terrorism. Although the context is
bears through a more accurate outcome measurement. foreign policy with a military and the Rest in world aff airs. weaponisation, and enhancing normally couched in general Krishnan Srinivasan is a former Foreign
For India’s tigers, not every landscape is welcoming, as intelligence presence in 150 coun India is one of the world’s big respect for diversity and plurality terms, no one is in doubt that the Secretary
the offi cial report makes clear. The less accessible West
ern Ghats has witnessed a steady increase in numbers
from 2006, notably in Karnataka, and Central India has
an abundance, but there is a marked drop in Chhattis
garh and Odisha; in Buxa, Dampa and Palamau, which
The makings of a digital kleptocracy
are tiger reserves, no trace of the animal was found. It is
When data is monetised, as the Economic Survey advocates, it becomes toxic and harms public interest
imperative for the NTCA to analyse why some land These three — information ob count, but used it to siphon off ing for jobs, getting health insu
tained through the RTI Act, admi money. The Survey treats personal rance or whether you were speed
scapes have lost tigers, when the entire programme has
nistrative data and data collected data (such as date of birth, mobile ing, we cannot question them.
been receiving high priority and funding for years now by the statistical machinery of go numbers and addresses) the same Some believe that a data protec
at ₹ 10 lakh per family that is ready to move out of crit vernment — are examples of “data way as data on rainfall, tempera tion and privacy law can, even
ical habitat. Ultimately, saving tigers depends most on
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
L
and identifi ed movement corridors should be cleared ast year, I was denied infor expanding digital footprint of peo that these be sold for a price. This on Aadhaar, these laws are unlike
mation requested under the ple, falling costs of data generation has already started. In early July, ly to protect citizen’s rights adeq
of commercial pressures. Hunting of prey animals, such
Right to Information Act and storage and the growing data the Union Minister of Road Tran uately. Further, privacy and data
as deer and pig, needs to stop as they form the base for (RTI) 2005. I had sought the mining industry. The thrust is on sport and Highways, Nitin Gadka protection laws will face unique
growth of tiger and other carnivore populations. As names of agencies empanelled by how to monetise these data, for ex geted” advertising. The fact that it ri, informed Parliament that the implementation challenges in In
some scientists caution, faulty numbers may hide the the Unique Identifi cation Authori ample by selling data that we share is often not very well targeted is department had earned ₹ 65 crore dia. This is on account of low le
real story. They may only represent a ‘political popula ty of India for an “image makeov with the government in trust. something its proponents prefer from the sale of vehicle registra vels of techdigital and legal litera
tion’ of a favoured animal, not quite refl ective of reality. er” and the expenditure on it. It Another worrying suggestion is to ignore. As a single person I reg tion and licence data. Imagine the cy combined with preexisting
was denied by invoking the ex consolidation of our data across ularly receive SMSes which off er a consequences of your health data social inequalities which directly
emption clauses of Sections 8(d) various ministries. solution to this problem: “kya being sold to private health insu bear upon power relations
Flee market and 8( j), respectively, i.e. the
‘commercial confi dence, trade se Under watch
aapke pati aapki baat nahi
maante? (does your husband not
rance companies; or your data on
your earnings being sold, or data
between us (as citizens/consum
ers) and them
Investors seem disappointed with tax crets or intellectual property’ and The view in the Economic Survey listen to you?”) Mistargeting is not being used in the way Cambridge (government/corporations).
measures seen as burdening businesses ‘unwarranted invasion of the pri is data utopic. In this datafairy always accidental. “Predatory Analytica did.
vacy of the individual’. Apart from land, (near) realtime data collec lending” thrives on it. For in Jumping on the bandwagon
T
he wheels of India’s multiyear stock market rally
the recent RTI Amendment Bill, tion can be a suffi cient condition stance, ICICI functionaries sold in The many faultlines Even where such laws have been
are slowly beginning to come off . Since the Union 2019, there are many ways in for remedying gaps. If only the of surance policies to unsuspecting If data can be toxic, centralising put in place, those societies/eco
Budget was presented this month, there has been which the RTI is being under fi cersincharge could receive a customers such as poor Mahatma and consolidating it, as advocated nomies are grappling with the fal
a palpable change in mood among investors, who in mined. weekly report about school toilets Gandhi National Rural Employ by the Survey, increases its toxici lout of corporations whose prac
June led a minirally in the market as signs emerged one In 2017, my coauthor and I that do not function, “they can ment Guarantee Scheme workers ty exponentially. Contrary to the tices can best be described as
after another that the government led by Prime Minis wanted to check what proportion take the required action”. and Kisan Credit card holders widely advocated principle of de “digital kleptocracy”. To under
ter Narendra Modi would be returning to power at the of benefi ciaries receive their pen The day after I read this chapter whose premiums it was clear they centralised/disaggregated data si stand this, take the example of
sions or rations using data provid of the Survey, a local Gujarati pap would not be able to pay. The Sur los as a fi rst line of defence by data lending and credit scores. The lit
Centre. The Nifty and the Sensex are down roughly by
ed through government portals, er carried news of an ememo be vey’s data utopia is misplaced. security experts, the Survey por erature documents unscrupulous
about 5% since the Budget was presented. Foreign port for example the National Food Se ing sent (thrice) to the owner of a Data can easily become toxic. trays decentralisation as an obsta use of algorithms to identify vul
folio investors have pulled out over ₹ 2,500 crore in July, curity Act and State social security scooter for a traffi c off ence; the The Survey does not tell us this. cle. With decentralised data, data nerable targets such as search his
in contrast to June when FPIs made a net investment of pensions. We found data without scooter had been stolen 10 months Ever wondered why you get SMSes mining companies employ sophis tories of single African American
close to ₹ 10,400 crore. Investors who were quite enthu dictionaries, abbreviations that ago. The police had spotted the off ering you companionship (“aao ticated tools to combine distinct mothers in the United States that
siastic about the prospects of structural reforms that were not spelt out anywhere, fi scooter on a CCTV in various local meethi meethi baat karen”), cures data silos to create profi les of indi are used to sell them home or edu
could boost India’s economic growth under the second gures that were inconsistent ities of the city but were unable to for baldness (“ganjapan door ka- viduals. Consolidating it, for ex cation loans which it is clear they
Modi government, have been quite disappointed by the across diff erent pages of the same catch the culprits and return the ren”) or strategies for losing ample if a unique number such as are unlikely to be able to repay.
website, and missing or broken scooter. This anecdote is at odds weight (“vajan ghatayen”). So Aadhaar links them, reduces the Thus, digital kleptocracy is a
Budget proposals. Among other things, Finance Minis
links. It took us months to deciph with the datafairyland conjured mewhere along the line, your mo company costs for profi ling and means by which rich tech compa
ter Nirmala Sitharaman imposed new taxes on the er public data. With several ca up in the Survey. In the real world, bile number and/or email ID got targeting. Centralising it (in one nies mine poor people’s data,in
“super rich” and on companies that buy back their own veats about interpreting the remedial action on nonfunctional sold in the data market. Even as data silo) means that a single data fact, steal; in most cases the per
shares, and raised the mandatory minimum public sha results. toilets is more likely to be ham most of us delete these, others get breach can compromise all as son is unaware of their data being
reholding in listed companies (a move that is seen to be More recently, there has been pered by a lack of funds, of ac trapped. A former Chief Justice of pects of your life. harvested and used for profi t.
against the interests of promoters). Not surprisingly, in public furore over the delay in the countability or an offi cer, rather India was duped of ₹ 1 lakh recently There are two other toxic as What the Economic Survey advo
vestors have been taken aback by these measures, release of data, for example farm than lack of data. Having data/in as a result of a fraudulent email. In pects of the personal data econo cates is not only for the govern
er suicides, suppression of data formation can only take us that far. Mumbai, identity fraud was perpe my. Often they are collected and ment to facilitate such practices
which are seen as increasing the burden on businesses.
such as on employment, bungled Each time you click on a link, or trated by accessing personal data shared without our consent or but also climb aboard this band
Even more worrying is the signal that is sent across migration data in the Census, and even hover your mouse over one, (address, phone number and Aad knowledge, for example CCTVs or wagon of digital kleptocrats.
by the falling stock market. As stock prices discount the controversy over the methodology your behaviour is being tracked haar). In phishing attacks in Rour web browsing histories. When our
future, lacklustre market performance could well be a used to calculate GDP growth and analysed to understand your kela, Odisha, fraudsters called data are used by opaque algo Reetika Khera is an Associate Professor at
prelude to the further worsening of general economic rates. These data are the backbone preferences and needs and being bank customers asking for Aad rithms to make crucial decisions the Indian Institute of Management,
conditions in the near term. There is already a signifi of policy making in India. sold to companies to enable “tar haar details to update their ac about our lives, such as shortlist Ahmedabad
cant downturn in sectors such as automobile with ma
jor companies reporting falling sales and earnings, and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
automobile dealers closing down showrooms and slash
ing jobs. The overall gross domestic product growth,
Cat count few days ago, should set necessary action to protect an umbrella move to save Kuldeep Sengar is an The Hindu’s Open House in
which slipped below 6% to hit 5.8% in the fourth quar While it is a matter of pride alarm bells ringing. this equally magnifi cent other species too. embarrassment for the BJP. Kochi have wished. The
ter, has also been slowly catching up with the bleak pic that India’s tiger population Steps must be taken to fi nd animal before it is too late. Mejari Mallikarjuna, Meghana A., young generation should
ture painted by highfrequency economic indicators for is nearly 3,000 strong in a solution to growing C.R. Gopalarathnam, Nadigadda, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh Shell Cove, NSW, Australia know that there is nothing to
the backdrop of shrinking encroachments in wild Thillaisthanam, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu match reading newspapers
quite some time. The underlying turmoil in Indian mar
kets becomes evident when one looks beyond the Sen forests, we cannot aff ord to habitats. The importance of Unnao case Open House and books in their ‘physical
sex and the Nifty at the midcap and smallcap space ignore reports of growing wildlife protection has to be ■ The tiger could be out of The Unnao rape case is one The joy of reading a form’ for personal and
mananimal confl ict (Page 1, inculcated from primary danger, but we must admit where the Uttar Pradesh newspaper or a book cannot personality development
that has witnessed signifi cant value erosion since the
“India has nearly 3,000 school level. that we are failing to Chief Minister must ensure be substituted by online and deepening their
start of 2018. The smallcap index has lost almost a third tigers, up by a third from M. Pradyu, conserve other endangered justice. The prime accused is reading. It would be understanding of the world.
of its value since January 2018 while the midcap index 2014 count”, July 30). The Thalikavu, Kannur, Kerala animals. Not a day goes by an MLA from the BJP, the worthwhile to do whatever is G. David Milton,
has lost about a fi fth of its value. Interestingly, many in ‘encounter’ in Maharashtra without reports of elephants party in power. CM Yogi possible to ignite the passion Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
dustrialists who were previously enthusiastic cheer last year with Avni the ■ At last India’s national being killed in various ways. Adityanath has done nothing for reading among the next more letters online:
leaders for the Narendra Modi government have turned tigress and, more recently, animal has got its due. But The problem seems to be to restore people’s faith generation as participants in www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
vocal about their disappointment at the government two incidents, the fi rst what is disturbing is the lack more pronounced in West when it comes to
where a tigress and her of awareness of the Bengal, Odisha and Assam. maintaining law and order. corrections & clarifications:
not being bold enough in pushing through structural re Figure mismatch: The frontpage story on tiger census ( July 30,
cubs were poisoned at dwindling population of Development in Chhattisgarh Civilised societies cannot
forms needed to boost economic growth despite the Chandrapur, Maharashtra Asiatic lions in Gujarat’s Gir and Odisha in the form of allow the fathers of rape
2019) put the number of tigers in India at 2,967. It is correct. The
accompanying graphic erroneously said it was 2,976.
majority it enjoys in Parliament. This suggests the deep and the second where forest, which is the last mining companies is creating survivors to die in A related inside page report on top tiger reserves talked about
selloff in stocks over the last 18 months may well be a another tigress was beaten bastion for this species. I disturbances resulting in mysterious circumstances or sanctuaries in 80 States. It should have been 18 States.
sign of disappointed investors voting with their feet. to death by villagers in hope the authorities humanelephant confl ict. have the survivors meeting The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, a concerned will now take Tiger conservation must be with a suspicious accident. E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
YK
Downloaded from: https://t.me/upsctyari Downloaded from: https://t.me/eduhaak
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Marking Tipu’s legacy to foster historical temper
Developing an understanding of our confl ictual pasts, and not retribution, is the way to deal with ‘historical wounds’
“foul bunchback’d toad” though er stripe for instance — and indeed
Gender justice we now know he only had a
‘crooked’ spine. But it is what the
his adoption of Persian as the offi
cial language tell us about the
Leicester Cathedral has done to quest for legitimacy? Moreover,
Poor women are even more disadvantaged as this legacy that has interested me was the religious zeal of Tipu, the
supplicants before powerful men Janaki Nair the most: the display called for a son of a usurper, politically pio
contemporary reconciliation with neering since his kingship had to
N
early seven years after the Nirbhaya tragedy the confl icting aspects of the me be seen as deriving directly from
shocked India and the world at large, a 19year
O
n a recent visit to the Un mory of this King, emphasising the god (hence Khodadadi — or godgi
old, who was allegedly raped in 2017 by a local iversity of Leicester, I had necessity of commemorating a ven — sarkar)?
MLA in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district, is battling for the opportunity of visiting brave and remarkable soldier, des Why is it that indisputable facts
her life. Hooked to a ventilator, the girl’s latest trauma the newly established memorial to pite many popular memories to — such as Tipu’s protection of Srin
began on Sunday. She was travelling by car with two Britain’s controversial King Ri the contrary. Richard III is no un geri Math following the Maratha at
chard III, the last of the Plantage blemished hero, and there is no at tack in 1791, and his continued do
aunts and a lawyer from Unnao to Rae Bareli when a
net Kings, and also the last British tempt to varnish that legacy. nations to the place — equally
truck with a “blackened number plate” rammed into King to die in battle in the War of The previous Karnataka govern serve as testimony to his ‘secula
the vehicle. Whether it is an accident or not is now a Roses against the Tudors. Richard ment had introduced a ‘Tipu rism’ and as an example of his pol
subject matter of offi cial investigation, but India has III (r. 14831485) also has the dis Jayanti’, which was scrapped by itical chicanery?
had a history of rogue trucks silencing those question tinction of being the only British the recently swornin Yediyurappa
ing the system. Since 2017, it’s been a long, diffi cult road King whose remains, found under regime in one of its fi rst actions in Coming to terms with the past
a parking lot in Leicester close to power. I wish the previous regime Tipu Sultan, in short, provides us
GETTY IMAGES
to justice for the family. Two years ago, the girl had
gone to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a fourtime BJP legislator the Cathedral, were identifi ed by had installed a ‘Museum to Our with mindboggling opportunities
mitochondrial DNA in 2012. Confl ictual Pasts’, which would al to fulfi l one of the most urgent
from Bangermau, for a job. The teenager accused him
In 2015, he was reburied in the low all visitors to come to terms tasks of our times: to help people,
of sexually assaulting her, but the family’s cry for help Leicester Cathedral, under a sim with the most controversial fi gure and young people in particular, to
went unheard till April 2018, when Sengar was arrest ple yet beautiful gravestone, un of Mysore history, Tipu Sultan. bear fruit (for instance his experi 19th century Jain historian, Deva come to terms with India’s many
ed, days after the girl threatened to immolate herself adorned except for a coat of arms Such a museum would have al ments with silk production and his chandra, saw Tipu and Haider Ali confl ictual pasts, to teach people
outside Uttar Pradesh (U.P.)Chief Minister Yogi Aditya in pietra dura. The ‘rediscovery’ of lowed both those who malign his interest in large scale irrigation). (his father) as just one moment in that understanding and apprecia
nath’s residence in Lucknow. In the meantime, her fath his remains became the basis of a memory and those who celebrate The list is endless. a long Mysore past peppered with tion, rather than revenge or retri
er was arrested in an arms case and died in police cus controversy that was fi nally settled it to learn how to come to terms There is equally the memory, desecrations, thefts, and destruc bution, are the ways in which we
in court, and the city of Leicester with historical controversies — and particularly in South Canara, Ko tions — particularly of Jain tem may deal with real and perceived
tody. Helpless in the face of such brazen show of power,
has been the benefi ciary, raking in the Indian past is replete with ma dagu and Malabar, of Tipu’s real ples. Visitors could come to under ‘historical wounds’.
the family wrote to the Chief Justice of India on July 12, money from tourists who wish to ny such examples. Tipu Sultan for and imagined excesses: his zeal for stand why Tipu supported some Karnataka’s pasts off er limitless
alleging grave danger from the accused. Ranjan Gogoi discover for themselves the legacy long emblematised the valiant conversion; his massacre of popu nonMuslim religious people and possibilities for such instruction,
got to know of the letter only on July 30 and expressed of this controversial King. struggle of Mysore against the Brit lations he considered hostile; and institutions and not others and and for refashioning the relation
displeasure about the delay. ish and, like Richard III, was the his introduction of Persian as the why one temple was attacked but ship between history and memo
The family did not get any relief from State govern Shakespeare’s portrait only one to die on the battlefi eld state language at the expense of another, located 700 metres away, ry. Such a ‘Museum of Our Confl ic
ment agencies, which appear to have been complicit in Why controversial? Richard III’s (all others were defeated by, col Kannada. was left alone, as in Kodungallur tual Pasts’ will help us to deal with
ascent to the throne, after his laborated or made their peace Kerala. They could equally ask the inconveniences of the past,
the coverup, with the MLA belonging to the ruling par
brother’s children were declared with, the emerging British power). Reading multiple sources why he commandeered some and perhaps heal and reconcile,
ty. The BJP has come under pressure from the Opposi illegitimate, has been under a Over the last few decades in Our ‘Museum of Confl ictual Pasts’ Muslim communities and not oth instead of staging afresh the bat
tion to expel Sengar. In the Unnao case, muscle, money cloud: did he ‘disappear’ his Karnataka, there has been a steady would not stage Tipu’s brief and ers — the Navayat traders of Bhat tles of history.
power and the right political alignment weighed heavi brother’s son? Shakespeare, loyal infl ation of shrill debates about Ti embattled rule (17 years) as so kal recalled, in the richly textured In a gigantic edifi ce dedicated to
ly against the girl. As for crimes against women, U.P. has to his Tudor masters (the victors of pu’s legacy. There are of course mething requiring condemnation kaifi yats collected by Colin Mack the memory of the ‘Battle of the
a high rate, not least because many are reported, unlike the Battle of Bosworth) fostered those who focus on his undoubted or celebration, but present it as an enzie and magnifi cently annotated Nations’, the city of Leipzig com
in some other States. According to National Crime Re the portrait of Richard III as a ma virtues, as the fi rst early modern opportunity to develop a histori by M.M. Kalburgi, that they were memorates the successful battle
levolent ruler in his celebrated ruler to put in place a form of eta cal temper, a new sense of the made to perform Tipu’s govern involving 6,00,000 people in 1813
cords Bureau fi gures, released in 2016 – the last time da
play of the same name, from the tisme in the absence of a social past. It would urge the visitor, and ment work under duress. against Napoleonic forces. The ad
ta were uploaded – of the 38,947 cases of rape reported, very fi rst scene. class which could undertake radi especially the young visitor, to Visitors to the museum could joining museum, however, ack
the second highest was from U.P. (4,816). As for all Shakespeare’s Richard III is cal economic change; whose lust think historically: to read a variety ask why the Dewan of Mysore, Pur nowledges the many achieve
crimes against women, Uttar Pradesh reported 14.5% wracked by selfhate and doubt, for knowledge bequeathed to us a of confl icting sources — including naiah, when asked by the British ments of Napoleon, and is free of
(49,262 out of 3,38,954 cases) of the total. The Supreme (“I am determined to prove a vil marvellous library of books; the words of the man himself — in June 1799 about who they the vituperative celebrations of
Court has ruled that fi ve cases relating to the issue will lain”) and invites the harshest whose spectacular military suc from the vantage point of his should install after Tipu’s defeat, victors. We too must fi nd the re
be transferred from U.P. to Delhi, and ordered the State words from others: like “foul de cesses stunned the British, and times. The museum would make replied that the memory of the sources to develop a historical
government to pay a ₹ 25 lakh compensation to the fami facer of God’s handiwork”; “hell’s whose technological inventions — the visitor ask why colonial ac Wodeyars had all but been forgot temper that acknowledges the in
black intelligencer”; “carnal cur”; particularly the rocket — were pil counts of this indefatigable foe, ten, and then went on to serve the convenient truths of our past.
ly. This may bring some relief, even though justice has
“bloody dog”; and “bloody laged by the West; whose pen which necessarily cast him as a ty British faithfully as a placeholder
been inordinately delayed. Despite the increased focus wretch”. Richard III was not chant for restless innovation made rant and a villain, enjoy such an for Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. What Janaki Nair is Professor, Centre for
on women’s rights, nothing changes on the ground. Till spared the ignominy of being de him try his hand at transforma enduring infl uence up to the pre does the rich symbolism of Tipu’s Historical Studies, School of Social
such crimes continue with impunity and patriarchal scribed as a hideously deformed, tions that would only much later sent day; or to ask why the early court — his obsessive use of the tig Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University
mindsets don’t change, as a diverse and plural society,
India would have failed the girl, and every woman.
Finding the data on missing girls
Fed’s insurance policy The fi gure quoted by the government fails to completely take into consideration deliveries in private hospitals
The rate cut is aimed at insuring against global from the Health Management In ports or adequately dealt with by ticularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bi
risks to favourable U.S. economic outlook formation System (HMIS), a funda the Health Ministry. For two de har, where one in every three In
mentally fl awed source that large cades, in visits to hospitals, partic dians is born, revealed a massive
T
he U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday an ly considers home deliveries and ularly private, too often we ob expansion of ultrasound clinics
nounced its fi rst reduction in the funds rate since births in government institutions. served more male children even even in remote corners. And in the
2008, a move that was widely expected. Elabo Data from the HMIS are incom when the total number of births absence of a stringent implemen
rating on the Federal Open Market Committee’s ration Sabu M. George plete and not representative of the were small in number. So, we used tation of the PreConception and
ale in deciding policy action, Chairman Jerome Powell country as a whole as births hap NFHS 4 data to quantify this bias. PreNatal Diagnostic Techniques
K. BHAGYA PRAKASH
F
was emphatic that the aim was to provide a measure of emale foeticide continues to pening in private institutions are It is criminal to use public funds to (Prohibition Of Sex Selection) Act
increase at an alarming rate, underreported. The HMIS report privilege boy births and facilitate (PCPNDT Act), practically anyone
insurance, especially given that the outlook for the U.S.
as per the Sample Registra itself acknowledges that based on discrimination against girls right who wants to determine the sex of
economy remains favourable. The quarter percentage tion System (SRS) data released in the estimated number of births, from birth. However, for years, in the foetus was able to get it done il
point interest rate cut, he said, was designed to support July for the period 20152017. The the number of reported births is the special neonatal care units legally. We are disappointed that
economic growth by ensuring that confi dence was kept sex ratio at birth (SRB) has been much less in both the years consi (SNCU) set up by the government, the Central Supervisory Board es
intact and “intended to insure against downside risks dropping continuously since Cen dered — 201516 and 201819. liable and therefore used SRS. there was an excess of about 8% tablished under the PCPNDT Act
from weak global growth and trade policy uncertainty.” sus 2011, coming down from 909 Further, even when we only male children in several States. has not met for over oneanda
In the space of less than three quarters, the Fed has pi girls per thousand boys in 2013 to Points of delivery consider institutional deliveries in Regrettably, the government half years. It should have ideally
voted from talking of further rate increases, to being on 896 girls in 2017, to quote the year The diff erences among the three government hospitals, the SRB is has prioritised an expansion of met at least thrice during this pe
ly Statistical Reports. In the 2014 points of delivery become evident falling. The worst regional SRB for SNCUs rather than deal with the is riod. We hope the new Health Mi
hold, to fi nally cutting interest rates as a global econom
2016 period, of the 21 large States, when SRB is calculated using data government sector was for North sue of the ‘missing girls’. Protect nister restores the regularity of the
ic slowdown is exacerbated by trade tensions un only two — Kerala and Chhattis from National Family Health Sur ern India (885 girls per thousand ing the integrity of birth statistics meetings.
leashed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressively garh — had an SRB of above 950 vey4 (NFHS4). Of the 2.5 lakh re boys). The picture was somewhat will help the people, governments The Supreme Court has been
insular approach to trade ties. The U.S. economy, which girls per 1000 boys. Thus at pre ported births in the 20102014 pe better for Central India (926) and and health professionals to focus continuously reminding medical
expanded by 2.9% in 2018 and posted a 3.1% expansion sent, at least 5% of girls are ‘elimi riod, the distribution of births at Southern India (940) while the on ameliorating the known gender associations since 2002 of their
in the fi rst quarter, slowed to a 2.1% pace in the second nated’ before they are born, des home, government hospitals and performance of Eastern India gaps at birth rather than be com obligation to follow the law, its lat
quarter, with the ongoing trade war with China blamed pite the promises of the Beti private hospitals was 21%, 52% and (965) and Western India (959) was placent with dubious claims. est reminder being the formidable
Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. 27% respectively and the corres even better. 92page judgment against the Fed
for a manufacturing slowdown as well as a decline in
Taking into consideration the ponding SRB fi gures were 969, In the Northeast, where the go Bias over fi rstborn child eration of Obstetrics and Gyneco
business investment. Just last week, the IMF pared its SRS estimates, the Niti Aayog ack 930 and 851. vernment is the dominant health An analysis of the NFHS4 data al logical Societies of India (FOGSI)
forecast for global growth in 2019 by 0.1 percentage nowledged the seriousness of the Thus, private hospitals had a care provider, the government so revealed a bias when it comes to earlier this year. The Indian Medi
point to 3.2%, warning that “risks to the forecast are problem in its latest report. Ho disproportionate excess of male sector SRB rivaled that of the priv the fi rstborn child — the SRB cal Association (IMA) has to ensure
mainly to the downside”. The IMF cautioned that furth wever, despite all the offi cially ack children births, which the HMIS ate sector (both are 900). among fi rstborn children was 927, that private hospitals don’t profi t
er trade tensions could dent sentiment and slow invest nowledged facts, Women and sample excludes. It is to be noted For too long, institutional births meaning that 2.5% of fi rstborn from discrimination against girls
ment, a theme that Mr. Powell too referred to, when he Child Development Minister Smri here that sources in the Niti Aayog have been the goal of the govern girls are eliminated before birth. before birth.
ti Irani claimed in the Lok Sabha confi rmed that they did consider ment. That data for the private This was not the case historically.
said the rate cut was intended “to help off set the eff ects
that SRB has improved from 923 to HMIS data but found after statisti sector are more skewed has not Our fi eld visits to various parts Sabu M. George has been a researcher on
these factors are currently having on the economy.” 931 girls. She was quoting data cal examination that it was unre been articulated in the NFHS re of India in the past fi ve years, par girl children for 34 years
The Fed Chairman, however, fi nds himself in an un
enviable situation with the rate reduction satisfying
neither the sharply critical President who appointed
him in 2018, nor the markets where investors fretted
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
that Mr. Powell had failed to signal the start of a pro
A wake-up call? markets is key for Triple Talaq Bill will act as ■ Rather than addressing a come from the poorest witnesses in the case
tracted easing cycle. A fair part of the problem appears
The death of billionaire entrepreneurship and for deterrent to the abhorrent social issue, the passage of sections of the society, to eliminated. This is a fi t
to be of his own making as the central bank chief mud entrepreneur and the businesses to thrive and practice of instant talaq is the Triple Talaq Bill through take up the issue against her occasion for the Supreme
dled his messaging, speaking at one point during the founder of Café Coff ee Day, grow. Hence, this should be hard to digest. However, both the Houses of husband with the concerned Court to step in. A thorough
post policy press conference of a “somewhat more ac V.G. Siddhartha, is a wakeup call for the the fact that Muslims take Parliament gives rise to authority. inquiry must be held under
commodative stance”, and at another emphasising that extremely saddening. The government to see that recourse to this detested questions. The government’s A.G. Rajmohan, its aegis, all culprits arrested
the move was not the start of a long series of rate cuts. market capitalisation of the capital is made available to form of divorce, even after reasoning that it was giving Anantapur immediately and the trial
Central bankers at the best of times have a delicate ba company has taken a the fi rms with good growth the 2017 Supreme Court eff ect to the Supreme Court conducted on a daytoday
nosedive in the last few prospects, if it is serious verdict, is a worrying verdict declaring it Unnao case basis. The victim and her
lancing act to perform to ensure that policies to support
days, which would force the about making India’s GDP development and one unconstitutional is absurd, The Unnao case appears to family must be provided
growth do not lead to a dilution of focus on price stabil creditors to take a serious reach $5 trillion and cannot but share the considering that the be a tragedy from the strong security. Let people
ity. In the Fed’s case, Chairman Powell is clearly con haircut. Had he been part beyond ( Front page, government’s concerns Bharatiya Janata Party was medieval ages — a poor girl is like her tormentors know
cerned that with infl ation in the U.S. stubbornly refus of the U.S. system, there is a “Siddhartha cremated in over this. Religion should opposed to the same court’s raped by the local that rule of law does prevail.
ing to move toward the central bank’s 2% objective, very high chance that he family estate,” August 1). not be a factor when it verdict when it came to strongman, the state In this regard, the fact that
there is a risk that persistent global disinfl ationary pres would have found a way to Varad Seshadri, comes to the irresponsible allowing entry to women in machinery doesn’t help and the CBI has taken over
sures could at some point feed into the domestic econo deal with the creditors and, Sunnyvale, California, U.S. desertion of spouses and the Sabarimala shrine. The even the judiciary fails to investigation in the case
most importantly, he would children. Herein lies the Centre’s claim that it is a step protect her family. (Front surely comes as a welcome
my, undermining its eff orts to spur wage and price
have been alive. His death Criminalising talaq need for a common divorce towards gender justice also page, “SC takes note of development.
gains. For the RBI, the Fed’s move signals that, for now just shows how nascent the Marriage is a civil contract law, which the Bill fails to sounds false. The Act may complaint by rape survivor’s Harjas Bains,
at least, it can stay on its accommodative path in the corporate debt markets are and criminalising what is address (Editorial, “Beyond not be of much benefi t as it family,” August 1). Instead, Bassi Pathana, Punjab
confi dence that U.S. investors seeking rate arbitrage in India, and how private obviously a civil issue is a talaq,” August 1). expects the victim or her alleged tormentors keep
may hit the pause button on plans to head home. equity fi rms operate in the step in the wrong direction. Abdul Assis P.A., someone from her family, in openly threatening her and more letters online:
Thrissur, Kerala www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
country. Access to capital The Centre’s logic that the most cases women who get her family members and
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
J
ammu and Kashmir has been a theatre of muscular unwillingness to enter into consul in place is a new audacious plan Graft crackdown
I
Hindutva nationalism, in the early decades in script n 1948, the tallest leader of Jam tation with the mainstream politi beyond the constitutional inter Corruption is thus being ad
and since 2014 in performance. Adopting a highly mu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdul cal leaders; in no other State ventions. As a start, the Modi plan dressed not just at the fringes; but
lah, greeted Prime Minister Ja would former Chief Ministers have is fundamentally about directly the very core of a rotten system is
militarist approach to separatism, and shunning politi
waharlal Nehru at Lal Chowk, been dealt with so cavalierly. Simi reaching out to the people without now being targeted where a few fa
cal process entirely since 2014, the BJP has now deli Srinagar, with a couplet from the larly, the impression that the move the mediation of either separatist milies are seen to have usurped
AFP
vered on a promise it has long made, by abrogating the Sufi poet, Amir Khusro: “Mun tu on Article 35A is designed to engi groups or mainstream politicians. power and economic benefi ts —
special status that Jammu and Kashmir had enjoyed in shudam tu mun shudi,mun tun shu- neer demographic change rather ity. This was, of course, a marked not just in Kashmir but in Jammu
the Constitution through a combination of executive dam tu jaan shudi; Taakas na than to protect the rights of wo departure from recent history. Grass-root reach as well. Indeed, almost every pop
and parliamentary measures. Additionally, the State is guyad baad azeen, mun deegaram men and other marginal groups of Reaching out to the people is seen ular survey in Jammu and Kashmir
being downgraded and divided into two Union Territo tu deegari (I have become you, and the State, will need to be The Gupkar model as being best done by empowering reveals that one of the leading
you me, I am the body, you soul; corrected. Internally, for nearly 70 years, local democracy to its fullest. In causes of youth angst and aliena
ries. The mechanism that the government used to rail
So that no one can say hereafter, New Delhi managed Jammu and the past, the devolution of powers tion was nepotism and corruption
road its rigid ideological position on Jammu and Kash that you are someone, and me so A mirror to geopolitics Kashmir (or more precisely the to the panchayats and urban local among the ruling elite.
mir through the Rajya Sabha was both hasty and meone else”). Five years later, Ab The move is clearly embedded in Kashmir Valley) through Srina bodies carried little popular ap This anticorruption drive is ac
stealthy. This move will strain India’s social fabric not dullah was dismissed from offi ce the larger geopolitics of the region gar’s Gupkar Road. Gupkar Road peal with elected members of the companied by attempts to fast
only in its impact on Jammu and Kashmir but also in the and interned on the instructions and the manner in which regional became a metaphor for the Legislative Assembly, who saw this track development to create insti
portents it holds for federalism, parliamentary democ of Nehru. Since then the body of alliances are marginalising Indian Centre’s approach, historically, to as directly eroding their authority tutions of academic and extracur
racy and diversity. The BJPled government has under Kashmir and the soul of the rest of interests in the heartland of the re wards Kashmir. New Delhi’s follies and had a vested interest in centra ricular excellence and to generate
mined parliamentary authority in multiple ways since the country have cohabited gion. With the United States seek and its fi rmness; its cleverness and lising power. One of the key fac skilled employment in a manner
restlessly. ing a quick exit from, and willing its calculations; its vacillating lar tors, it may be recalled, behind the that the youth are gainfully em
2014, but the passing of legislation as farreaching as
On Monday, August 5, 2019, the to let the InterServices Intelli gesse and its ubiquitous Leviath Centre’s disconnection with the ployed and weaned away from
dismembering a State without prior consultations has Narendra Modi government made gencesponsored Taliban to con anlike presence, were part of Mehbooba Mufti government was radical thought. This, of course, is
set a new low. The founding fathers of the Republic fa arguably the most audacious deci trol Afghanistan (and China deep Gupkar’s landscape and legacy. its continued unwillingness to easier said than done.
voured a strong Centre, but they were also prudent in sion of its tenure and probably the ly embedded in the power play), Gupkar Road is the meandering hold elections to local bodies. In the interim, the new doctrine
seeking the route of persuasion and accommodation to boldest decision made by any go the heartland of central Asia has gateway to the vistas of the Dal Since the imposition of Gover will have to persuade the majority
wards linguistic and religious minorities in the interest vernment on Kashmir since Indira rarely been as adverse to Indian in Lake, which runs from the deso nor’s (and now President’s) Rule, of the people of Jammu and Kash
of national integration. The centralising tendencies in Gandhi arrived at a modus vivendi terests since 1989, when the Soviet late offi ces of the United Nations the State Administrative Council mir that greater integration with
with Sheikh Abdullah in 1975. By Union withdrew from Afghanis Military Observer Group in India has acted with remarkable alacrity India will provide them with more
creased in the following decades, but Hindu national
moving to revoke the ‘special sta tan. Kashmir could, in these cir and Pakistan at Sonwar to the fad to devolve powers to panchayati opportunities, provide more free
ists always argued for stronger unitary provisions and tus’ granted to the State under Ar cumstances, become even more ing charms of erstwhile royal pa raj institutions in the State. Imple dom and space, and strengthen
viewed all particular aspirations with suspicion. For ticle 370, and by reorganising the vulnerable to external elements laces on the banks of the lake. It is mentation of important schemes their rights much more than the al
them, Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional sta State into two Union Territories — than it was in the 1990s. here that security agencies are such as the Mahatma Gandhi Na ternatives proposed by other
tus was an impediment, not an instrument, for the re Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh On top of it, the new camarade nested in close comfort with the tional Rural Employment Guaran mainstream parties or separatists.
gion’s integration with the rest of the country. —it demonstrated unprecedented rie between U.S. President Donald political and business elite, and tee Act, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Will the Modi plan lead to grea
The entire exercise of getting Article 370 of the Con chutzpah, but it may have un Trump and Pakistan Prime Minis where interrogation centres have Yojana, the MidDay Meal scheme, ter harmony between New Delhi
leashed a chain of events diffi cult ter Imran Khan and the repeated morphed into “haunted” guest Integrated Child Development Ser and Srinagar, bringing enduring
stitution eff ectively abrogated has been marked by ex
to predict or contain. For one, ‘off er’ by Mr. Trump to meditate in houses. vices and social forestry projects peace to the body and the soul? If
ecutive excess. The fi rst step was to declare by a presi while even the founding fathers re Kashmir may have precipitated As a model, Gupkar Road re has been devolved to the it does, it will have performed an
dential decree that the ‘Governor’ — without regard to cognised that Article 370 was a the decision, which would, howev fl ected itself in a series of policies panchayats. extraordinary national service and
the fact that he has no Council of Ministers now to aid transitional or temporary provi er, have in any case taken months that had become predictable; a The monitoring and supervi resolved one of New Delhi’s great
and advise him — can speak for the State government sion, there was a clear subtext; of preparation. A decision to can network of patronage and power sion of schools and health institu est challenges. For the moment,
and give his concurrence to any modifi cation in the way that its revocation would only hap cel the Amarnath yatra and take that had been gamed by friends tions has also been passed on to however, we have to live with the
the Constitution of India applies to Jammu and Kash pen once the acquiescence of the hard decisions, with both domes and adversaries alike. It sustained the panchayati raj institutions. In uncertainty that is germane to all
people of the State was obtained. tic and international ramifi cations, a politics of entitlement; be it polit addition, panchayats shall also be highrisk, almost adventurous
mir. Second, on the basis of this ‘concurrence’, the lat
There is no doubt that the move suggests that the government be icians or newspaper editors or bu conducting a quarterly social audit undertakings.
est Presidential Order scraps the previous one of 1954, will be legally challenged on lieved that a settlement in Jammu reaucrats who were kept in good of works and programmes in their
abrogating the separate Constitution of Jammu and grounds of procedural infi rmities and Kashmir and its ‘pacifi cation’ humour on the basis of some area. Amitabh Mattoo is Professor at
Kashmir. Third, the fact that the State is under Presi and, more substantively, that it un was vital for India’s national secur chimeralike national interest. The Almost in parallel is the Savona Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
dent’s Rule has been used to usher in a new dispensa
Y
conversion of a State into two Union Territories without esterday the Ministry of Law an order scrapping Article 370, tence. So, at the core of consti ment has given Kashmiris two op
any recommendation from the State. and Justice issued a notifi ca sent it to itself for “concurrence”, tuent power is democratic tions: either assimilate into the
AP
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Kashmir has been cut to the quick
The Centre is riding roughshod over Kashmiri public opinion already beset with disaff ection
tion of India’s Constitution. The raja turned in desperation to sent of the Governor as consent of
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisa India. the State. The people themselves,
I
t is a truth, universally acknowledged, that surroga
dakh. While the UT of J&K will has argued that the logic of Parti are indeed designed to benefi t the
AFP
cy needs to be regulated by law. There is no argu
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n the face of a massive security have a legislature, the Union Terri tion meant that the State had to be people, was it necessary to bring
ment about whether an issue such as surrogacy buildup in Kashmir at the close tory of Ladakh will be without League had its support lay not in a part of Pakistan. But by recourse them before Parliament under
fraught with bioethical issues aplenty requires regula of July, a seasoned journalist one. Although in the past UTs have the Kashmir Valley but across the to an invasion by Pakistan’s fron stealth, with the leaders of main
tion: it does. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, conjectured, “This is just the right been upgraded to States, never Pir Panjal, in Mirpur and the old tier tribesmen and the support of stream parties, the former Chief
should have come a long time ago. Regulations in the time when militants and their mas has a State been downgraded, thus Poonch principality of the feudal the invasion by Pakistan’s armed Ministers the Abdullahs (father
past in the area of child adoption and transplantation of ters in Rawalpindi could do with a bringing to a consummation the State of Jammu and Kashmir, an forces, Pakistan virtually lost its and son), Mehbooba Mufti and the
terror attack in Kashmir.” Such process initiated with the acces area a large part of which Pakistan case, certainly in the eyes of Kash BJP’s ally Sajjad Lone all under
human organs have, historically, borne fruit, eff ectively
were the arguments trotted out by sion, although hardly in the man occupies today and calls ‘Azad miris. India’s case rested on the house arrest?
putting an end to rampant commercial transactions, experienced media persons in ner dreamt. Kashmir’. public will. Indeed, Sheikh Abdul
and providing a structure by which any excursions out seeking to account for the extraor It is important to remember lah spoke for Kashmir at the Unit Opaque moves
side of the law may be shut down. Flagrant violations of dinary lock down that had des Umbilical link that the Kashmir freedom move ed Nations in February 1948 as There is little doubt that these are
human rights have been witnessed repeatedly in the cended on Kashmir throwing its ci Article 370 has governed the ac ment was a movement to rid Kash part of a delegation led by N. Go bold constitutional measures de
‘babymaking factory’ in India, the underprivileged wo tizens into a panic, with a run on cession and relationship of the mir of despotism, working in tan palaswami Ayyangar fi rmly declar scribed with contrasting adjective
man often in the cross hairs, and at the bottom of the banks, petrol pumps and stores princely State of Jammu and Kash dem with the national movement ing, “We shall prefer death rather or invective, consummating a pro
across the Valley. I began receiving mir with India under the Indian but not part of it. This was primari than join Pakistan. We shall have cess that began with the Constitu
pile. The plethora of unregulated assisted reproductive
phone calls from friends and asso Constitution. As originally envis ly a Kashmiri movement drawing nothing to do with such a coun tion of India. But if the view of go
techniques (ART) clinics that mushroomed, coinciding ciates as far as Gopalpora, Mattan aged, Article 370 formed the basis almost universal Kashmiri support try.” And it was this freedom with vernment was simply to rectify a
with India becoming a global healthcare destination, and Doabgah and Sopore asking of Kashmir’s special and autono in a Muslim majority State where in the Indian Union that Abdullah constitutional error or remedy an
ensured that there was a good volume of traffi c toward what was happening. My former mous status. Mainstream political the Kashmiris were the largest sin sought through the constitutional anachronism as claimed by assidu
the country, besides growing domestic demand for sur colleagues in government, some in leaders such as Farooq Abdullah, gle ethnic group. Despite eff orts by guarantee of Article 370, which ous government spokesmen, did it
rogacy services. In this context, there is expectation key positions, had no inkling and Mehbooba Mufti and others have Maharajah Hari Singh’s Prime Mi read with Article 369, provided not follow that democratic com
that the Surrogacy Bill will regulate commercial surro made dire predictions. warned that revoking Article 370 nister Ram Chandra Kak in elicit temporary powers to Parliament pulsion required that it be placed
will mean a break in the relation ing the Sheikh’s support for Inde to make laws for J&K. before the public most aff ected —
gacy, while allowing an altruistic form of it to continue,
A steamrolling ship between the State and India. pendence, the latter stood Under subsection 3 of this Arti the people of J&K, — before being
by putting in place strict supervisory and regulatory And then we had the statement of A devout Muslim, the then un steadfast in his demand for an end cle, the President of India can re sneaked into Parliament in tight
frameworks. The question here is whether the Bill, re the Home Minister, Amit Shah, in challenged Kashmiri leader, to the monarchy. voke Article 370 only on advice secrecy? This without the know
cently passed by the Lok Sabha, will serve the whole the Rajya Sabha on the morning of Sheikh Abdullah (BabaiQaum to Visiting Srinagar on June 18 23, from the Constituent Assembly of ledge of even the local government
some purpose of regulating the vastly complex area of Monday August 5, 2019. Under Ar his people), ‘faced a clear choice India’s Viceroy Lord Louis Mount Jammu and Kashmir. The Consti amidst security measures unpre
surrogacy, while sensitively balancing the needs of ‘in ticle 370 of the Constitution of In in 1947; he could join a Muslim na batten urged Hari Singh not to tuent Assembly was dissolved in cedented in their intensity, sur
tending parents’ and surrogates. dia, the State of Jammu and Kash tion or he could join a secular make a declaration of indepen 1957, and replaced by a Legislative passing even those that the Jagmo
The Bill mandates payment to the surrogate mother, mir had its own Constitution and state, where Kashmiris would be dence. He conveyed Sardar Val Assembly, which was dismissed han government was forced to
its own laws, with the President of free to live a life of their own labhbhai Patel’s message that ‘the last year after the coalition bet take following the outbreak of in
who can only be a ‘close relative’, to the extent of cover
India empowered to decide which choosing. In making his choice, In States Department was prepared ween the Bharatiya Janata Party surgency in 198990? This endea
ing medical expenses and providing insurance during provisions of the Indian Constitu dia’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal to give an assurance that, if Kash (BJP) and the Jammu and Kashmir vour has meant riding roughshod
the term of the pregnancy. It has specifi ed that ‘exploit tion would be applicable within Nehru was the Sheikh’s reassu mir went to Pakistan, this would Peoples Democratic Party col over Kashmiri public opinion al
ing the surrogate mother’ would attract punishment of the State, but only with the assent rance. Of Kashmiri descent, a her not be regarded as unfriendly by lapsed and the Governor Satya Pal ready beset with widespread disaf
imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fi ne of up to ₹ 10 of the State. itage that Nehru cherished, Nehru Government of India’. It was only Malik rejected a bid for an alterna fection. What it has succeeded in
lakh; advertising for surrogacy and selling/importing In one fell swoop, the President, had an inclusive vision of what In when Jammu and Kashmir forces tive coalition. Importantly, the doing is leading to a feeling of be
human embryos or gametes for surrogacy also attract Ram Nath Kovind, declared that all dia was to be’. By contrast, the faced an uprising by the Poonch current Presidential order modi trayal among a section of our peo
provisions of the Indian Constitu leader of the newly emerging na troops of the British Indian Army’s fi es Article 367 of the Constitution, ple and foreboding among well
the same punishment. It has mandated registration of
tion shall now apply to the State, tion of Muslims, Mohammed Ali decommissioned Sixth Punjab Re with “Constituent Assembly” to be wishers of Kashmir.
surrogacy clinics, and put in place regulatory boards to thus nullifying Article 370 with the Jinnah, was a cold and distant fi giment (in the border district of read as “Legislative Assembly of
ensure compliance with the law. But its critics have use of that same article thereby gure, a modernist who could ex Poonch), and then a military rout the State” and the State govern Wajahat Habibullah, a retired civil
panned it for the lack of specifi cs in defi nitions (the gen ending the special autonomous cite awe but little aff ection. At the by invading frontier tribesmen in ment construed as the Governor. servant, has served as Chief Information
eralised ‘close relative’ criterion for surrogates); the ex status of Jammu and Kashmir that time of accession, the portion of the State’s border town of Domel This has enabled the President to Commissioner and Chairperson of the
clusion of various groups of people from access to sur it had enjoyed since the promulga the State where Jinnah’s Muslim on October 22, 1947 that the Maha abrogate Article 370 with the con National Commission for Minorities
rogacy (only married couples of a certain age group are
eligible); and primarily, of trying to put the ‘cart before
the horse’ by seeking to regulate surrogacy before set
ting the ART house in order. The capacity of the state to
The pitch for a second term
end commercial surrogacy may itself be compromised The Trump strategy seems to focus on internal progress and in pursuit of peace abroad in unconventional ways
if it does not fi rst set up a regulatory framework for ART
clinics, which provide the basic technology for surroga ly Democratic candidates Joe Bi peace in action has tempered the sood Azhar issue shows that China
den and Bernie Sanders, are older image of the President. Though his is sensitive to the U.S. position.
cy. Else, the government is merely setting itself up to
than him. announcements of withdrawals China does not seem to put any
implement a law that may spectacularly fail. That from international treaties have pressure on the U.S. when it
would be a tragedy, because this is one law that is preg ‘America First’ been swift, he seems to be relying comes to North Korea. China also
nant with the possibility of truly revolutionising the sur With his majority in the Senate en on his bureaucracy to soften the does not sense much pressure
rogacy sector, cleaning it up, and fulfi lling the dreams T.P. Sreenivasan hanced, Mr. Trump has set aside blows. The Paris Agreement com from the U.S. to contain it in the In
of people who are themselves unable to bear children. his fears of impeachment and mitments have not been reversed doPacifi c, with the Quadrilateral
moved on with his ‘America First’ pending the formal exit of the U.S., having receded into the
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oday, there is expectation policy, internally and externally, while sustainable energy projects background.
plete his term but also win a se and enemies alike. The President pectation in the case of India when is deviating from foreign policy
An ingrained gun culture and patchy cond term in 2020. But not so long is busy dealing with weighty mat ma, Mr. Trump has withdrawn he exerted pressure on Pakistan to priorities such as countering Chi
regulations set off hate crimes in the U.S. ago, the demand to impeach Mr. ters of state such as trade with Chi U.S. forces from abroad, even from release the Indian prisoner of war, na and Russia and instead focuss
Trump on the charge of Russian na, North Korea, Iran and Afghan active fronts such as Syria and Af Wing Commander Abhinandan ing on nations that pose no real
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wo American cities, El Paso, Texas, and Dayton,
interference in the U.S. presiden istan, and improving the ghanistan. In contrast, the Nation Varthaman, from Pakistan’s custo threat to the West such as Iran, Ve
Ohio, more than 2,500 kilometres apart, wit tial electoral process arose within economy. The Democrats are also al Security Adviser, John Bolton, dy, thus stopping an escalation in nezuela and Cuba. The Democrats
nessed lethal shootings resulting in mass fatali weeks after his largely unexpected coming round to the view that it is has been on the warpath, con confl ict during the IndiaPakistan believe that such shifts will dam
ties over the past weekend, with at least 31 people dead, victory in 2016. Many believed he better to focus on the election stantly urging the President to use standoff in 2019. Similarly, China age the credibility of the U.S. with
many injured, and a nation in shock. The El Paso attack, would not complete his term as ac than on the impeachment, a move force in diff erent theatres of con was told that the international its European allies in the long term
which bore telltale signs of a hate crime, was the dea cusations gathered momentum, which is bound to fail. fl ict, especially North Korea. For community would not tolerate in as the Europeans are likely to cul
dliest mass shooting in the United States since Novem which culminated in the Mueller Mr. Biden, who started leading all his threats of rage and fury, Mr. action anymore in the case of Ma tivate other powers. Among the
report — it had enough material to the polls even before he an Trump has not declared war on sood Azhar. In both these cases, countries named as being agitated
ber 2017 and brings to 32 the tally of shootings there in
indict the President. The Presiden nounced his candidature recently, anyone. Though he has issued a Mr. Trump has demonstrated a about the U.S. policy are Turkey,
2019 that had at least three victims. In his reaction to cy came close to one constitution and raised a contribution of a little warning that the U.S. is ready to clear proIndian stand vis-à-vis Pa South Korea, Japan and India.
the shootings, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared al crisis after another, but the Pre more than $6 million in fi rst day defend itself if Iran threatens its in kistan and China. But when it Behind Mr. Trump’s perplexing
to denounce the racist intention behind the shooting sident used the same report to fundraising, has been tainted by terests in the Gulf or elsewhere came to the withdrawal of U.S. ‘America First’ policy, there seems
when he said, “In one voice our nation must condemn claim there was no collusion or his offi cial and personal actions as (even announcing the deployment troops from Afghanistan, Mr. to be a clear game plan for the Pre
racism, bigotry and white supremacy,” and that these coverup. the Vice President, which include of the USS Abraham Lincoln Car Trump unabashedly feted Pakis sident to secure a second term by
“sinister ideologies must be defeated.” While he was While the Democratic challen inappropriate pictures and his al rier Strike Group and others to the tan Prime Minister Imran Khan in focussing on internal progress and
not wrong to highlight the pervasive threat of racist vio gers to the President have multi leged interference in Ukraine to U.S. Central Command region), Washington in July, promising me peace abroad in unconventional
plied with each passing day there help a company with ties to his the warmongerinchief has be diation between India and Pakis ways, without paying attention to
lence — police investigating the El Paso shooting said
are no serious Republican conten son. The candidature of Pete Butti come a messiah of peace. tan on Kashmir. Russian missiles, the consequences for the U.S. and
they found an antiimmigrant document espousing ders even though many in the gieg, who is in a samesex relation Iran and trade imbalance are the the world beyond 2020.
white nationalist and racist views, which they believe Grand Old Party believe that the ship , and characterised by Time A thread of reform irritants in IndiaU.S. relations.
was written by the suspect, Patrick Crusius — his focus President has undermined the magazine as “unlikely, untested The regimechanging policy of the On China too, the evolving U.S. T.P. Sreenivasan, a former diplomat, is
on violent video games, mental illness and online bigo party. While age was an issue and unprecedented” will be U.S. is very much a part of Mr. position appears to be paradoxi Chairman, Academic Council and
try leaves a glaring gap in policy: commonsense gun when Mr. Trump off ered his candi another distraction in the months Trump’s global strategy, but he is cal. The trade war appears nego Director, NSS Academy of Civil Services.
control reforms to curb the proliferation of deadly, mil dature fi rst the same issue is now to come. pursuing a path of reforming tiable as there does not seem to be He is also the Director General, Kerala
in the President’s favour today as Unlike his predecessor and world leaders rather than elimi a strategy to strangle China. The International Centre,
itary grade weapons and highcapacity magazines.
the two serious contenders, name Peace Nobel winner, Barack Oba nating them. Bluster in words and way China has relented on the Ma Thiruvananthapuram
The battle to pass broad, eff ective gun control legisla
tion, such as tougher background checks for gun buyers
and the banning of certain gun technologies and acces LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
sories such as bump stocks that exponentially raise the
lethality of weapons, has punctuated the past few de Kashmir road map alienation and resentment without political consensus ■ Revoking Article 370 seems the entire territory of India. I Goals. Together with Brazil,
cades of America’s unrelenting, 228yearold loveaff air In his book on nationalism, would be incorrect and was undoubtedly an exercise to have been done also am certain there is South Africa, India and
with guns. Despite sustained lobbying to push forward Rabindranath Tagore has inappropriate (Editorial in avoidable unilateralism. At because of global understanding what the China (BASIC), Brazil has
basic gun control laws through the U.S. Congress — said that a nation is not just page, “Piecing together the same time, Article 370 compulsions such as the challenges to protect and been proactive and
composed of land and Kashmir’s audacious road metamorphosed into a reemergence of the Taliban ensure the sustainable constructive in negotiations
former President Obama saw no fewer than 17 of his at
boundaries, but of the map”, August 6). lodestar to stoke separatist and statements by the U.S. development of such vast under the United Nations
tempts to bring gun control to the fl oor of Congress de people who live there. The Gagan Pratap Singh, sentiments. President. The government lands entails. With this aim, Climate Change Convention.
feated by conservative lawmakers — the constitutional same point applies to Noida, Uttar Pradesh Having crossed the Rubicon, must reach out to Kashmir by Brazil has established In 2019, the Bolsonaro
right to bear arms has never been more fi ercely defend Jammu and Kashmir. Unless the government will have to strengthening grassroots internationally recognised Government has shown a
ed. Further Mr. Trump’s regular dog whistles to the and until the people of ■ When you need a million address the fears of democracy, holding institutions responsible for willingness to engage in new
forces of racist xenophobia appear to have emboldened Kashmir also troops and a warlike siege in Kashmiris of the possibility immediate elections and the permanent monitoring of institutional frameworks. In
fringe elements within the gunloving fraternities to car wholeheartedly embrace place to pass an order, the of being swamped by reverting to full Statehood the rainforest and a legal the process of becoming a
the Indian nation, order has already failed. ‘outsiders’. It needs to assure status after normalcy system which handles member of the OECD, Brazil
ry out mass attacks against minorities. The National Ri
integration will be India in Kashmir has failed the people of Kashmir that a returns. Were the infringements. In this will abide by more than 35
fl e Association quietly hands around $6 million annual incomplete. Today there is miserably; the fact that India revocation of Article 370 is constitutional changes a connection, the Minister of environmentrelated
ly to lawmakers in Washington to retain its progun a feeling of betrayal in cares only for the land and not an exercise to alter the valid process? Do the the Environment announced instruments. In the recent
agenda as a top priority. Progun lobbies consistently Kashmir as the condition not for the people of demographic and religious changes have the potential to last week the strengthening European UnionMercosur
mobilise voters around the Second Amendment. The which led to Kashmir’s Kashmir has been profi le of the state similar to strain federalism? of the capacity to obtain Association Agreement,
result of combining this ingrained “gun culture” with merger with India has been reaffi rmed. One waits to see the forced Jewish settlements Punya Jyoti Boruah, higher resolution satellite Brazil has agreed with
patchy gun regulations is ever more incidents of mass diluted. It is more whether the highest court of in the West Bank or the New Delhi images on a daily basis. provisions that will enhance
important to develop trust the land will take cognisance Chinese ethnic re Brazil, like India, has been the integration of sustainable
shootings. The societal and economic challenges that
and confi dence so that of what has happened. engineering in its Xinjiang Amazon policy working to balance the development in both trade
minorities face in the U.S. are already immense; if they Kashmir’s unique culture, Umer Bashir province, except for the This is with reference to the social, economic and and investment.
become targets of a new vector of racist hatred, but customs and rights are safe Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir return of Pandit families to Editorial, “Logged out” environmental dimensions in André Corrêa do Lago,
tressed by the unregulated fi repower of guns, then from outside infl uences. To their original homes. (August 1). The size of its society, which includes Ambassador of Brazil in India
America’s “melting pot” dream will unravel fast. adopt an intransigent ■Radically altering Jammu V.N. Mukundarajan, untouched Amazon forest the implementation of the more letters online:
attitude that there won’t be and Kashmir’s special status Thiruvananthapuram inside Brazil is larger than Sustainable Development www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
T
wo weeks after the International Court of Justice
T
oday, we, the people of In wider problem. The ruling party is and accommodated class, caste, tem. The Congress had, however,
at The Hague ruled in favour of India in the case
dia, are trapped between a not known for either innovative and group interests within the or mislaid the ability to contain dis
of Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan has yet to take rock and a hard place. On politics or imagination. Its concept ganisation. The Congress found content; it opted for coercion. Mrs
the fi rst step towards implementing the order: provid one side is the Bharatiya Janata of wellbeing is limited to a free gas place for most demands, from in Gandhi declared an Emergency.
ing him “consular access”. In its verdict on July 17, the Party (BJP) which continues to connection and an indiff erently terest groups, from individuals de Today, India faces imminent
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ICJ had decided nearunanimously that by not inform bulldoze legislation, controversial built fl at. Its ideology is stuck in co sirous of social reform, and from economic catastrophe. We con
ing India immediately of Mr. Jadhav’s arrest in 2017, by at best and illintentioned at worst, lonial stereotypes of ‘Hindu’ and that Nehru’s vision inspired great individuals stirred by the desire front serious threats to our democ
not informing him of his rights, and not allowing the In through Parliament. On the other ‘Muslim’. There is nothing new in literature, poetry, fi lms, art, for power and prestige. The Con racy and to the Constitution. The
dian High Commission to meet with him and arrange is the Opposition, unable to mount its political discourse; merely a re theatre, and architecture. What do gress was accommodative and a ruling party is not particularly
a concerted and eff ective critique hash of what V.D. Savarkar wrote we have today except mediocre dialogical party. It practis ed wedded to democracy. Rightwing
for his legal representation, Pakistan was in violation of
of government policies. The slug in 1923. The problem is that the hagiography? A ruling class which democracy. authoritarianism has no love for
the Vienna convention on consular relations. Although gishness of the nonNDA parties is chauvinistic ideology of religious cannot inspire cultural creativity any fundamental right that con
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had off ered a meeting bet cause for some puzzlement. After nationalism precludes refl ection can only rule by coercion. In mod Long shadow of centralism strains the exercise of absolute
ween Mr. Jadhav and the Indian High Commission in Is all, 55% of the electorate has voted and selfcritique. The great de ern politics, this is counted as a fai Four, the decline of the party in power. Civil society will continue
lamabad on Friday afternoon, the off er came with con for them. Unfortunately, this vote bates of contemporary politics lure. the late 1960s and the early 1970s to struggle against violations of de
ditions, including CCTV cameras on proceedings, and a is hardly refl ected in Parliament. have simply bypassed the party was caused by organisational atro mocracy. Scholars will write of the
Pakistani offi cial being in the room during the meeting. Political scientists have been, multiculturalism, minority rights, Leading from the front phy. At one point of time, the Con threat posed by wielders of abso
for long, concerned with the often redistributive justice, citizenship To reinvent itself the Congress gress possessed the ability to ad lute power to our constitutional
This was a violation of the unimpeded consular access
astounding gap between vote or cosmopolitanism. must draw upon fi ve lessons of its dress, negotiate, and resolve democracy. But civil society has to
that the ICJ had ordered, and India decided to reject the shares and the number of seats a own past, some good, some bad, competing demands. As the party function along with a democratic
off er until Pakistan reconsiders its conditions. India’s party obtains in Parliament. This Forgotten legacy some indiff erent. One, its leaders became the captive of the leader, it political party. Regional parties
concerns are threefold. First, Pakistan’s delay in grant leaves a majority of the voters un The Indian National Congress has, were moral exemplars. They were lost this skill. Even as Ms Indira have degenerated into oneperson
ing full consular access displays a nonserious attitude represented. Democrats have in the past, been more inventive visionaries and they were courage Gandhi began to forge a national dictatorships, or become family
to implementing a clearcut order from the UN’s highest strongly argued that the “winner because its ideology was forged in ous. In the middle of Partition vio constituency over the heads of concerns. We have to call upon a
judicial body. This augurs badly for Pakistan’s applica takes all” principle needs to be re the heat of the freedom struggle. lence Nehru was there, in the kill State leaders, the party slid into party that had fought the fi rst free
legated to the wayside and re Pluralism, secularism, tolerance, ing fi elds of Punjab and Delhi. He centralism and the politics of the dom struggle. The Congress has to
tion of the rest of the ICJ order that calls for a full review
placed with the system of propor citizenship, fundamental and mi persuaded people to desist from durbar. The power of individual step in after it reinvents itself. For
of Mr. Jadhav’s trial conviction and death sentence for tional representation. This is, nority rights, cosmopolitanism, violence and he assured Muslims members depended on their prox only a democratic party can un
terrorism and espionage charges. Most importantly, the however, another story. The BJP is nonviolence and antiimperialism of their safety. Today when In imity to the leader. The BJP should derstand what the people of India
nature of the conditions indicates Pakistan wants to hardly likely to initiate an electoral were thrown up in the course of dians are lynched and left to die on learn from this history. Recollect want, desire and aspire for.
monitor what Mr. Jadhav tells Indian offi cials closely, as project that might derail its relent the movement. On these planks the streets, politicians stay safely that even ministers of the party It is our duty to remind the Con
much of their original case, as presented to the public, less search for power by any the Congress was able to mobilise indoors. Our own people die are faceless and anonymous, their gress that it owes the people of In
rested on his purported confession. If he shares ad means. vast masses of people against colo avoidable deaths and leaders are fates are held hostage by the dia. What else can we say? We can
nialism. Sadly, the party has for silent. We need leaders who motiv leader. only repeat Mark Anthony’s words
verse details of coercion, the court may well go beyond
Bearish on the economy gotten its legacy. We need a na ate us by example. Five, the decline of the Con in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar:
its current order in the case, and India may have a What the ruling party is doing with tional party to provide substantive Two, the Congress could lead gress took place at a time when ‘For I have neither wit, nor words,
stronger chance of trying to have the trial overturned. the power it has acquired is equal opposition to the government. the mainstream freedom struggle politics demanded new forms of nor worth/Action, nor utterance,
Islamabad must stop dragging its feet and creating ly puzzling. India is heading to The Congress fl ounders, it is rud because it had a robust organisa legitimacy. In the two decades fol nor the power of speech/To stir
unnecessary hurdles in providing what is a basic hu ward an economic crisis. Econom derless. tion, both decentralised and de lowing Independence, the Con men’s blood/ I only speak right on/
man right for Mr. Jadhav, and New Delhi needs to keep ic growth has slowed down, All is not lost. Moments of crisis mocratic. The party formed a coa gress was legitimate because the l tell you that which you your
its rhetoric low, while pressing its case for access to the domestic and global capital is re can lead to reinvention. The party lition of what has been called ‘big party and its leadership were iden selves do know.’ If the party does
former naval offi cer, consistently and fi rmly. This will luctant to invest in the economy, must reinvent itself, simply be men’: heads of caste groups, pea tifi ed with the freedom struggle. not respond, our future is an un
and unemployment reaches a new cause it is synonymous with the santry, industry, religious forma Twenty years later, a new genera certain one.
not be easy, as after some relative calm, shelling at the
high every day. Seldom have pro history of our freedom struggle, tions, and workers organisations. tion had no direct memory of the
Line of Control has opened up with a new fury in the minent industrialists expressed and with enlightened leaders such When the party initiated or called liberation movement. The Con Neera Chandhoke is a former Professor of
last few days. The allegations by Pakistan that the In such public concern about im as Jawaharlal Nehru. Remember off a movement, it relied upon se gress was however in thrall to its Political Science at Delhi University
dian Army is deploying clustermunitions on civilian
areas (fi rmly denied by the government), and the Ar
my’s claim that several Pakistani regulars and terrorists
were killed in an infi ltration attempt by a “Border Ac
tion Team” (BAT) have ratcheted up tensions further.
Pulling a Vietnam in Afghanistan
The government’s hamhanded reaction to the threats, Mired in Afghanistan, America’s retreat strategy mirrors its Vietnam war campaign
of cancelling the Amarnath Yatra, pulling out tourists French colonial rule. The U.S. fi rst vernment in Kabul, which the U.S. government and has made it clear
and pilgrims and raising security levels in the valley backed France against the Viet backs, is known for infi ghting and that it would hold talks with the
further, have only added to the narrative. It would in Minh guerrillas. After France exit chronic corruption. The security government only after a pullout of
ed Vietnam in 1954, the U.S. forces are struggling to ensure bas foreign troops. Second, the U.S.
ASSOCIATED PRESS/FILES
deed be a tragedy if the situation overshadows the fate
backed South Vietnam against the ic security to the public, even in continued to hold talks even in the
of Mr. Jadhav, just when hopes had been raised by the
communistled North. Initially, the the capital city. Like Nixon’s “Viet absence of a ceasefi re. As a result,
international court verdict to help secure his freedom. Stanly Johny U.S. involvement was limited to namisation”, U.S. President Ba the Taliban continued its terror
advisory roles. But after the U.S. rack Obama had started “Afghanis campaign even when the peace
Bigger and better destroyer, USS Maddox, was at ing” the war — pulling out most process was under way.
B
y the late 1960s, it became tacked by North Vietnamese tor troops and moving the remainder U.S. offi cials have hoped that a
evident to American leaders pedo boats off the Vietnamese Vietnamese regime was unpopu to training and advisory roles. The deal could be reached by Septem
More judges are welcome, but SC must focus that they could not win the coast, in August 1964, the Lyndon lar, oppressive and weak. In a visit Afghan war is also unpopular in ber 1. It is anybody’s guess what
on its role as interpreter of the Constitution Vietnam war. Richard Nixon, who Johnson administration steadily to Saigon, the South’s capital, a America. Mr. Trump, who cam will happen to the Afghan govern
A
ny move to increase the strength of the judiciary was elected President in 1968, as escalated the U.S.’s role. At its few months after he assumed the paigned to wind down America’s ment once America is out. When
ought to be welcomed, given the perennial com signed Henry Kissinger, the Na peak, in 1968, American troop de presidency, Nixon promised peace foreign interventions, wants to the U.S. was forced to pull out of
tional Security Adviser, to hold ployment in Vietnam reached and asked the communists to reci end it. But the U.S. cannot unilat Vietnam, the Southern and North
plaint that availability of judges is not increasing
talks with the communist North 549,500 personnel. The U.S. went procate. He badly wanted a deal, erally pull out, especially when the ern governments hadn’t reached
in proportion to the institution of cases. In this perspec Vietnam, seeking “peace with ho into Afghanistan after the Septem and Mr. Kissinger was his bet. Taliban is on the off ensive. That any settlement but for the cease
tive, the Union Cabinet’s decision to raise the strength nour”. The Americans were ac ber 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Nixon fi rst started “Vietnamis would cause a lasting stain on fi re. The plan was for talks to con
of the Supreme Court from 31 to 34, including the Chief tually prolonging a war they had launching its war on terror. At the ing” the war — reducing U.S. troop America’s already battered reputa tinue, seeking a fi nal agreement.
Justice of India, will help in dealing with the large pen already lost. The goal was not to peak of the war here, there were presence in Vietnam and shifting tion as the world’s preeminent The ceasefi re did not last long. In
dency — 59,331 cases on July 11. The law that fi xes the defeat North Vietnam but to stop over 1,00,000 troops. Despite the the focus from direct participation military power. Hence, it needs a the two years after the U.S. pulled
number of judges in the highest court was last amended them from taking over the South, massive deployment of troops and in land war to training and adviso deal; fi nding one is Ambassador out, the communists captured Sai
in 2009 to raise the fi gure from 26 to 31. Chief Justice the American ally. Daniel Ellsberg, superior air power, the U.S. got ry roles, while continuing with air Khalilzad’s mission. gon and the government crumbled
who leaked the Pentagon Papers, stuck and failed to stabilise the strikes. At the same time, Mr. Kiss like a house of cards.
Ranjan Gogoi had written to the Prime Minister recent
called this approach the “stale country. inger started talks with Le Duc Advantage Taliban In the case of Afghanistan, there
ly, highlighting the problem of paucity of judges, due to mate machine”. Tho, a North Vietnamese revolu Mr. Khalilzad has already held is not even a ceasefi re between the
which he was unable to constitute enough Constitution Cut to today’s Afghanistan. It’s From a position of weakness tionary and diplomat. When talks multiple rounds of talks with the government and the Taliban even
Benches to decide important questions of law. Howev hard to miss the similarities in the In Vietnam, the U.S. was negotiat were deadlocked, the U.S. off ered Taliban’s representatives in Doha, as the U.S. is preparing to make an
er, a moot question is whether the highest court should U.S.’s strategy. After 18 years of ing from a position of weakness. to pull out of the South as a com Qatar. As in Vietnam, the main de exit. The winning side is the Tali
go into the correctness of every decision of every high fi ghting — longer than America’s By the late 1960s, American public promise. In 1973, the U.S., North mand of the Afghan insurgents is a ban, which, unlike the Viet Cong,
court. Are the judicial resources available being used direct military involvement in opinion had largely turned against Vietnam and representatives of complete U.S. troop withdrawal. is a antimodern, antiwoman, an
Vietnam — the U.S. has realised the war. Despite massive troop de South Vietnam and Viet Cong, the The U.S. and the Taliban have timinority fundamentalist ma
optimally? Is valuable time being taken up by mundane
that it cannot win the Afghan war. ployment, both the U.S. and its communist guerillas from the agreed to a road map for peace: chine, whose earlier regime was
matters that do not impinge on larger questions that in The American goal is no longer de South Vietnamese allies had failed South, signed the Paris Peace Ac the U.S.’s withdrawal in return for notorious for excessive sectarian
volve interpretation of laws and constitutional provi feating the Taliban but to stop to make substantial gains. Ameri cords. The North and the South the Taliban’s assurance that Af violence. The Taliban is part of the
sions? For instance, routine bail matters land up in the them, at least for now, from taking ca’s search and destroy operations agreed to a ceasefi re and continue ghanistan would not be used by problem, not a solution. The Com
Supreme Court within days of persons being arrested. over Kabul. Veteran diplomat Zal in communistdominated villages holding peace talks, while the U.S. terrorists. munists unifi ed Vietnam, and after
Every major crime or disaster seems to invite a litigant, may Khalilzad is the new Kissin in the south and its disastrous air agreed to pull troops out of The U.S. has already made two early years of struggle, moder
ostensibly in public interest, who mentions the matter ger. Just as Nixon wanted to get out campaign in the north only fuelled Vietnam. big compromises in its rush for an nised the economy and rebuilt the
of Vietnam, President Donald Vietnamese hostility. The U.S. had In the case of Afghanistan as exit deal. It has given in to the Tali country into an Asian power
before the Chief Justice for urgent hearing. The court is
Trump too wants to get out of dropped more than three times as well, the U.S. is negotiating from a ban demand that the Afghan go house. For Afghanistan, the tunnel
being invited to even oversee fl ood relief work. Afghanistan. many bombs on Vietnam as the Al position of weakness. The war en vernment should be kept away gets longer and darker.
A mere increase in the court’s strength may not be The U.S.’s involvement in Viet lied forces had during the Second tered a stalemate long ago. Ameri from the peace process. The Tali
enough to liquidate the burgeoning docket. Another set nam goes back to the last years of World War. Besides, the South ca’s allies stand divided. The go ban does not recognise the Kabul stanly.johny@thehindu.co.in
of measures that would save the court’s time, including
a reasonable restraint on the duration of oral argu
ments and a disciplined adherence to a schedule of
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
hearings may be needed. In this case, one of the princi
pal objectives should be to preserve the apex court’s Sengar’s stronghold perpetrators of heinous unsolved and amidst so Kashmir have left the people pilgrims to cancel their trips Activities (Prevention) Act
That the residents of crimes have been on the many twists and tragic turns, fl ummoxed and fearful. and its move to increase the may be misused by leaders to
primary role as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional
Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, are rise under the previous and it has required the Supreme (Front page, “Uncertainty number of troops in the settle political scores. A
questions and statutory interpretation. All other ques defending Kuldeep Singh current Central Court’s intervention to fast grips Kashmir Valley,” August Valley, is a cause for concern. wrongful designation of an
tions involving a fi nal decision on routine matters, espe Sengar, the expelled governments. The BJP high forward the investigations. 4). At the same time, one The government’s actions individual as a terrorist will
cially civil cases that involve nothing more than the in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) command, by not reining in Indian society needs to cannot question the give an impression that its cause irreparable damage to
terests of the parties before it, ought to be considered MLA, despite the fact that such criminals, has only recalibrate its moral compass government’s right to adopt top echelons are planning his/her reputation and
by a mechanism that will not detract from the court’s he is in jail and charged emboldened them and this if we are to progress as a preemptive measures based something ‘big’ and its career. The amendments
primary role. Some countries have brought in a clear di with raping a young has had a detrimental civilisation. With its brute on actionable intelligence unilateral handling of all also give more power to the
woman, speaks volumes impact on the peaceful majority, the government about possible attacks. issues is bound to have Centre, encroaching on the
vision at the level of the apex judiciary by having sepa
about the money and coexistence between should deal with rape cases Though the government serious repercussions. The authority of States. The law
rate constitutional courts, which limit themselves to de muscle power of politicians communities. Those in with a fi rm hand without cannot be expected to reveal BJP would do well to can become one more
ciding questions of constitutional importance. It may belonging to the ruling authority should do their showing favour to anybody. the exact details of the remember that weapon in the hands of a
be worthwhile considering the 229th Report of the Law party (Front page, “Despite best to bring justice to the Bringing justice to those intelligence reports, a notwithstanding its brute regime hellbent on
Commission, suggesting a new system under which the outrage, Unnao bats for victims of these crimes. aff ected by such crimes is as reassuring clarifi cation that majority in Parliament, delegitimising dissent. The
there will be one Constitution Bench in Delhi, and four rapeaccused Kuldeep A. Jainulabdeen, important as maintaining the security blanket is not to democratic governance is government needs to be
Sengar,” August 4). Earlier, Chennai national security, the further any political agenda premised on consensus. mindful of fundamental
‘Cassation Benches’ for diff erent regions of the country.
some BJP MLAs in the government’s pet theme. will help to assuage the J. Anantha Padmanabhan, rights of citizens while
These will be fi nal appellate courts for routine litiga
erstwhile Jammu and ■ The way in which the A.S. Srinivasan, people’s concerns. Tiruchi legislating against terror
tion. This arrangement may also increase access to jus Kashmir government had Unnao episode is unfolding Chennai V.N. Mukundarajan, (“UAPA Bill gets Rajya Sabha
tice to those living in farfl ung areas of the country and expressed their solidarity makes me wonder whether Thiruvananthapuram UAPA amendments nod,” August 3).
who may otherwise have to come to Delhi and spend with those involved in the our society has lost all sense Build-up in Kashmir India undoubtedly needs T.S.N. Rao,
Kathua rape episode. Acts Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh
more time and money in pursuing appeals. It may also of morality and ethics. Even The surge in troop ■ The situation in Kashmir, in tough laws to combat
cut down on the time taken for disposal of cases. that show tolerance after two years of the deployment and the eviction the wake of the Centre’s terrorism, but the proposed more letters online:
towards the alleged incident, the case remains of tourists and pilgrims from decision to ask Amarnath amendments to the Unlawful www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
The fragility of India’s federalism
The government’s Kashmir move exposes the contingent nature of India’s asymmetric constitutional provisions
Asymmetric federalism in Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the This constitutional permissive
volves the granting of diff erential new Union Territories alongside ness has been used to do things
Blackout rights to certain federal subunits,
often in recognition of their dis
the abrogation of Article 370. As
the Home Minister, Amit Shah,
that have deepened federalism in
the past under both Congress and
Dissent does not have to invite measures tinctive ethnic identity. In the case said in the Lok Sabha: “Those who BJPled governments, such as the
of Jammu and Kashmir, the nego support Article 370 are antiDalit, creation of new States in response
aimed at throttling information fl ow
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Louise Tillin tiation of Article 370 was a transi antitribal, antiwomen.” to regional demands from the lin
J
ammu and Kashmir remains entirely cut off , ironi tional and contingent constitution guistic reorganisation of States in
cally, as part of the eff orts at eff ecting its “complete al arrangement agreed in the A deliberate fl exibility the 1950s onwards. By granting
T
he abrogation of Article 370 midst of a continuing confl ict By design, India’s federal institu the Central government the power
integration” with the rest of the country. Rightly or
has exposed ambiguities that while the Indian Constitution was tions place relatively weak checks to create new States or alter State
wrongly, the BJP government at the Centre in its wis have long been evident in In being fi nalised. Over time, this on the power of a government boundaries under Article 3, and
dom thought that annulling the special status accorded dia’s federal system. Asymmetric ‘transitional’ clause had become a with a parliamentary majority. As not giving State governments a ve
to J&K in the Constitution and demoting and dividing it agreements have been negotiated semipermanent institutional the political scientist, Alfred Ste to over bifurcation, the Constitu
into two Union Territories were essential steps towards in settlement of a number of re compromise, although this was ev proponents of asymmetric arran pan, identifi ed, federal systems tion enabled the Central govern
national integration. Information fl ow to and from J&K gional confl icts in India. Kashmir’s er an uneasy compromise. Kash gements argue that it is the denial can be more or less ‘demos con ment to accommodate linguistic
has been restricted to almost nil, and media platforms autonomous status was the oldest mir’s autonomy arrangements had of autonomy that can provide straining’. In those at the more ‘de and ethnic diversities in a way that
and — in original conception — the been eroded under successive go ground for secessionist claims to mos constraining’ end of the spec would have been much harder in a
reported on the momentous changes abruptly an
most farreaching of these provi vernments as tensions grew bet grow. trum, federalism serves to more rigid federal system. It also
nounced by the Centre without any independent ac sions. But in practice, there has ween the desire of Prime Ministers However, asymmetric arrange undermine the consolidation of enabled the Central government
count of the situation on the ground. That the world’s been a contingency to autonomy from Jawaharlal Nehru onwards to ments are often contested by ma power by national majorities. For to adopt asymmetrical measures
largest democracy could clampdown on information to provisions, leaving them open to integrate the State more closely in jority national communities and instance, the American theorist, in the fi rst place without facing a
the public in such a cavalier manner may appear in revision by popular majorities at to the Indian Union and the desire by other regions without special William Riker, saw American fed backlash from other regions that
comprehensible under ordinary circumstances. But the allIndia level. of many Kashmiris to preserve a arrangements. The annulment of eralism as a counterweight to na might have resented the ‘special’
then, muzzling voices from J&K was only a corollary to a special status for their State. Since Article 370 has long been a cause tional populism since ‘the populist treatment of minority regions. Un
far more consequential directing of discourse. People An altered trajectory 1954, as many as 94 of 97 entries in célèbre for Hindu nationalism, but ideal requires that rulers move til the 2000s, most of these chang
The regionalisation of India’s par the Union List and two thirds of it was striking that it also received swiftly and surely to embody in es were done based on a slow pro
in J&K even missed the Prime Minister’s tweet on how
ty system between 19892014 con constitutional articles have been wide support from many regional law the popular decision on an cess of consensus building within
the new scheme of things would be helpful for them, as tributed to the appearance that extended to the State. This process parties in Parliament. electoral platform’. By contrast, the regions concerned.
they were, and continue to be, snapped off the Internet. deeper federalism and growing re has happened with the approval of The rationale set out by the BJP other federal systems, such as In
Reporting from confl ict zones is not new to Indian me gional autonomy vis-à-vis the Cen the Supreme Court. this week drew on all the textbook dia’s, are more ‘demosenabling’. The unknown
dia. Journalists have covered riots, insurgencies and tral government was an almost in Subsequent asymmetric agree critiques of asymmetric arrange This means that the design of fed By abrogating Article 370, bifurcat
wars for decades in the country, and governments have exorable process. However, the ments were reached with the Na ments to attract the support of ma eralism places fewer checks on the ing Jammu and Kashmir and
allowed them to do so. By and large, state agencies have rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party gas and the Mizos, which are en ny regional parties to pass the le power of national majorities. For downgrading the status of the suc
(BJP) to national political domi shrined in Article 371 in the gislation in the Rajya Sabha. These instance, the composition of the cessor units to Union Territories,
even enabled reporting from confl ict zones and sites of
nance has altered that trajectory. Constitution. When the small State include the argument that asym Rajya Sabha mirrors the composi the government has used the fl exi
natural disasters with curfew passes and special com By abrogating Article 370 and bi of Sikkim joined the Indian Union metric provisions are discrimina tion of the Lok Sabha, rather than bility of the federal provisions of
munication facilities, though there have been excep furcating Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1970s, Article 371F was tory, for instance, by placing pre providing equal representation to the Constitution to other ends.
tions. Accurate information is always the best counter State to create two Union Territo added to the Constitution. Article scriptions on who can own States regardless of size, and the This is not the fi rst time that a Cen
to misinformation and treacherous rumours. ries, the BJP has demonstrated the 371F allowed for laws that were in property in particular regions, or Rajya Sabha has weaker powers tral government has used its pow
Information coming out of the State is sparse, costly possibility of using the inherent place before Sikkim’s accession to because they privilege certain than the Lower House. Fewer pow ers to bifurcate a State in the ab
and hard to gather. The announcement on the withdra fl exibility in the federal order to remain in place unless amended kinds of ‘special’ identities over ers are constitutionally allocated sence of local consensus. This was
centralise power and reshape the or repealed by the legislature. Arti others. A Telugu Desam Party MP, to federal subunits exclusively also seen with the creation of Te
wal of the special status of J&K was preceded by a fl urry
size, powers and stature of a con cle 371 also contains measures that from India’s fi rst linguistic State compared to more demoscon langana in 2014. As in the case of
of reporting sourced to government offi cials that terror stituent unit of the Indian Union — were intended to promote intra Andhra Pradesh, welcomed the straining federations. Telangana, the creation of the Un
threats were the reason for additional troop deploy the only unit with a Muslim major State equity in Andhra Pradesh, fact that India would now be ‘one Placing this kind of fl exibility in ion Territory of Ladakh does res
ment. The Amarnath yatra was discontinued and the ity population. Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat nation with one fl ag and one con the hands of the Central govern pond to a longrun demand in this
Valley was emptied of tourists owing to these threats. The constitutionality of the and Karnataka. stitution.’ Alternatively, asymmet ment was deliberate and designed region with a substantial Buddhist
Quite likely, irrespective of the nature of the threat abrogation of Article 370 will be ric status is presented as contri to enable decisive Central action population. However, the decision
alerts, these measures were linked to the Centre’s deci carefully picked over in the Contesting asymmetry buting to secessionist claims, to protect national integrity in the to transform the remainder of J&K
months and years to come. But the Asymmetric constitutional provi hence the argument that Article aftermath of Partition. In the Con State into a Union Territory, at the
sion on removal of the special status. Even before the
government’s ability to table and sions are a common feature of fed 370 is the ‘root cause of terrorism’. stituent Assembly, B.R. Ambedkar same time as annulling Article 370,
clampdown on communication facilities, the govern pass legislation with such impor eralism in diverse societies. Many Autonomy arrangements are also highlighted the diff erence bet is a departure with profound and
ment had been tightfi sted with information. The same tant consequences for the fabric of have argued that India sets an in presented as antiegalitarian be ween the ‘tight mould’ of other as yet unknown consequences in
attitude was evident subsequent to other critical deci federalism — while the elected as ternational example for how cause they prevent the extension federal systems and the fl exibility Kashmir, and wider implications
sions it made in recent years: offi cial communication sembly of Jammu and Kashmir is asymmetric features can help of rights in force elsewhere in a hardwired into India’s which for Indian federalism.
with the public has been strictly a oneway process, in abeyance — exposes the fragile dampen secessionist confl icts by country. This last argument under would enable it to be both ‘unitary
through press releases, radio monologues, and social set of compromises on which In recognising multiple modes of be scores the signifi cance of the si as well as federal’ according to the Louise Tillin is a Reader in Politics at
dia’s asymmetric federal system longing within the Union. Rather multaneous emphasis on extend requirements of time and circum King’s College, London. She is the author
media posts. Parliament, which ended a highly produc
rests. than encouraging secessionism, ing reservations for Scheduled stances. of ‘Indian Federalism’ (2019)
tive session in terms of business transacted, has been
reduced to endorsing executive decisions with little
meaningful discussions. While these are concerns that
the government must address at the earliest, it must
start with the immediate removal of all restrictions on
Hong Kong adrift and China without an anchor
movement of people and communication in J&K. Only Beijing should realise that political reform rather than economic lures is what resonates in Hong Kong
security concerns under exceptional circumstances,
The Chinese government is in had, alongside Mao and Deng known Hong Kong as a part of Chi
and not aversion to democratic dissent in the normal creasingly a target of the demon Xiaoping. Sending tanks into Hong na. But their identity, outlook and
course, can justify choking the information fl ow. strators, who recently attacked Kong is not going to help him worldview is not mainland Chi
Beijing’s liaison offi ce in Hong achieve this. But neither can he al nese, but distinctively Hong Kong.
Kong and defaced the Chinese na low his authority to be defi ed in They speak Cantonese, not Man
to bring in the PLA to end the China does not understand When they travel on holiday, it is
unleash measures to boost growth
A
s Hong Kong’s turbulent protests. what fuels the anger in Hong Kong. not to China but to other parts of
F
aced with slowing GDP growth and encouraged summer of protests conti It has fallen back on the standard the world. When they go abroad to
by benign infl ationary trends, the Reserve Bank nues unabated, China’s pa The Tiananmen shadow argument that governments con study, it is not to China, but to the
of India (RBI) has delivered a Goldilocks cut of 35 tience with its restive southern ci In a rare public statement, the desperately seeking to modernise fronted with popular protests tend west. Like their parents who grew
ty could be wearing thin, and it head of the PLA garrison in Hong its economy and emerge as a glo to use: foreign forces are behind up under British rule, they have
basis points in the benchmark repo rate. Though a rate
has hinted at using the People’s Kong, Chen Daoxiang, warned bal power. The G7 refused to deal the unrest. Yang Jiechi, a PolitBuro no desire to be integrated with the
cut was a foregone conclusion ahead of the monetary Liberation Army (PLA) to quell the that “violence should not be toler with China, World Bank loans member of the Communist Party rest of China; they are suspicious
policy announcement, the expectation was of either a protests. That would be disastrous ated” and that the PLA “was deter were frozen, and many western of China, has said that the U.S. and of Chinese intentions.
25 or 50 basis points one. Given the extent of the slow for both Hong Kong and China. mined to protect national sove countries imposed trade other unnamed countries had China’s leaders had thought
down in the economy, the Monetary Policy Committee Angry and frustrated young reignty, stability and prosperity of sanctions. been stirring up trouble in order to that greater economic opportuni
(MPC) deemed the former as too low but taking into ac Hong Kongers have confronted the Hong Kong.” To drive home the undermine Hong Kong. ties in a booming China would
count factors such as the turbulence in the global fi nan city’s government with a series of message the PLA released a video Potential global fallout But there is no evidence to show help bind Hong Kong to the moth
demands, including the withdra of antiriot drills showing heavily Any violence in Hong Kong with that these protests are anything erland. The booming cities of the
cial markets and the rupee’s fall in the last few days, the
wal of a bill that would allow peo armed soldiers supported by heli the Chinese military will produce but home grown, and the continu Pearl River delta have become
latter was seen as too high. In the event, the MPC set ple to be extradited from Hong copters quelling demonstrators. a strong reaction from China’s ing tragedy is that the Chinese lea closely economically integrated
tled on a median and unconventional 35 basis point Kong to China. The government If PLA troops and tanks rumble main trade partners. The United dership is either unable or unwill with Hong Kong, off ering jobs in
cut, which keeps the powder dry for further cuts this fi has said it will shelve the bill tem through Hong Kong’s streets it States is already engaged in a trade ing to understand the roots of the cutting edge industries to young
nancial year. With this, the RBI has cut rates in four con porarily, but will not scrap plans to would eff ectively end any pre war with China, and the Trump anger in Hong Kong. Hong Kongers.
secutive policy announcements beginning February reintroduce it at a later stage. tence of Hong Kong’s autonomy administration has slapped addi But these economic lures have
this year, aggregating to a total of 110 basis points. But The extradition bill is only the within China. It would spell the tional import duties on Chinese A disconnect not enticed them. Their desire is
the transmission by banks to lenders has not been even latest issue that has brought peo end of Hong Kong as a city open to goods to force it to end what it de The hard fact China has to face is to to preserve what they see as the
ple out on the streets. In 2014, the world, where freedom of ex scribes as predatory trade practic that 22 years after the British with Hong Kong way of life. And for that
a third of this. The central bank says that banks have
young people occupied the streets pression and the rule of law pre es. Military action in Hong Kong drew and Hong Kong returned to to happen, they demand their own
passed on just 29 basis points which is poor indeed. of central Hong Kong for several vailed. will only strengthen support in the Chinese sovereignty, the former elected government, not leaders
One factor inhibiting transmission was the tight liquid weeks demanding among other For China, it would be a rerun U.S. for tougher trade and eco colony is drifting further and appointed by the Chinese govern
ity conditions until June when the RBI fl ooded the mar things universal suff rage rather of June 1989, when troops and nomic sanctions. Similarly the Eu further away from China, rather ment. This is more than China is
ket — in fact, the last two months the central bank has than the current electoral college tanks were used in Tiananmen ropean Union can be expected to than getting closer to the mother willing to concede, and therein
had to absorb excess liquidity fl oating around. There is, to chose the head of the Hong Square in Beijing to crush students react strongly to any action by the land. lies the seed for future tragedy in
therefore, reason to hope that transmission from here Kong government. Earlier, stu protesting for reforms. That action PLA in Hong Kong. The Hong Kongers who are at Hong Kong.
dents had protested attempts to taken at the urging of Deng Xiaop China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is ex the forefront of the protests were
on would be quicker.
introduce what was described as ing quelled the unrest, but threw tremely conscious of the legacy he all born shortly before or after Thomas Abraham is a former Editor of
The repo rate at 5.40% is now at a nineyear low and patriotic education into the school China into a decade of internation wants to create as the most conse Hong Kong returned to Chinese The South China Morning Post in Hong
is headed lower in the next few months and could well curriculum. al isolation at a time when it was quential leader modern China has sovereignty. They have only Kong
settle at 5% or very close to that by the time this rate cut
ting cycle plays out. Supporting this theory is the fact LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
that infl ation is projected to be benign for the next one
year. Growth, on the other hand, is expected to be weak
and the MPC has revised downwards the projected GDP Inspiring Minister how an External Aff airs humanism in all her ■ Over and above her unilaterally downgrade and Y.G. Parthasarathy is a shock
Former External Aff airs Minister should function. functions. She was a people’s administrative acumen, Ms. split the State. This is (August 7). “Big Miss” was a
growth rate for this fi scal to 6.9% from 7% earlier, with Minister Sushma Swaraj She won the hearts of minister all through. Swaraj will be fondly anathema to federalism. class apart. Her role
downside risks. Even this appears optimistic given the was a very aff able countless overseas Indians, C.P. Chandra Das, remembered for her Though there is an assurance stretched from taking
current impulses in the economy and it is very likely personality and a popular particularly the NRI blue Collierville, Tennessee, U.S. humaneness during her stint of full statehood being English prose, Shakespeare,
that GDP growth this fi scal will be closer to 6.5%. With face of the Bharatiya Janata collar worker in distress. She as Minister. She was not only restored, expecting moral science class, morning
the latest cut, the RBI has signifi ed that it is willing to do Party (Inside pages, “A BJP was an embodiment of ■ Ms. Swaraj was an able instrumental in arranging for normalcy to return any time and Friday assembly and
the heavy lifting. But this alone will not suffi ce as cost of stalwart with Socialist compassion and a decent administrator, stateswoman the homecoming of several soon would be too illusory overseeing school
capital is just one aspect that determines investment. roots”, August 7). In her politician. At a time when the and an adept stranded Indians but also given the gravity of such administration. Her favourite
stint as foreign Minister, her ruling dispensation is intent parliamentarian. Kerala will displayed a mother’s touch radical decisions. quote was: “More things are
The government has to play its part too in boosting
untiring eff orts were what on implementing its agenda remember her eff orts in by facilitating medical visas S.K. Choudhury, wrought by prayer than
growth. Arguably, the space for fi scal concessions is li helped a number of Indians by hook or by crook, it is 2014, in rescuing 46 nurses for ailing Pakistanis. Bengaluru [what] the world dreams of”.
mited given the overall revenue scenario, but the go stranded abroad being unfortunate that the country who were held captive by the S. Vaithianathan, S.S. Ramesh,
vernment can certainly push for further reforms to in brought back safely. An has lost a senior leader who Islamic State. Without her Madurai Mrs. YGP Chennai
centivise investment without impacting its fi scal excellent orator, her was also a balanced thinker. intervention the operation The passing of educationist, more letters online:
arithmetic. The slowdown now is part cyclical — which speeches had a great Tharcius S. Fernando, would not have been Kashmir road map and patron of the arts, Mrs. www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
impact. Chennai possible. Governments and No one was in doubt this
can be addressed by a rate cut — and part structural, for corrections & clarifications: In the report headlined “Bi
V. HariHaran, ministers may change but time around about the Prime furcation of Kashmir arbitrary: Opposition” (Aug. 7, 2019, some
which reforms are an absolute necessity. Therefore, un Chennai ■ There is no doubt that Ms. Ms. Swaraj will live on in the Minister walking the talk on editions) , there was a reference to DMK MP Murasoli Maran. It
less the government responds with its own measures, Swaraj projected a very high hearts of every Indian. scrapping Article 370. But should have been Dayanidhi Maran.
the RBI’s eff orts to support growth may go in vain. ■ Ms. Swaraj will be image of India at the global Georgil K. Jeemon, what came as a bolt from the The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
remembered as a model of level. There was a touch of Pallikara, Ernakulam, Kerala blue was the decision to E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
An abrogation of democratic principles
The Kashmir move aff ects the robust nature of Indian democracy in addressing internal confl icts and alienation
tion and have rarely been disap room for any consultative process While the bottomline of Con
pointed. In view of the diffi cult and no space for dissent. gress governments has been a
circumstances under which the The decision to divide the State commitment by their opponents
Crisis as opportunity Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh had ac
ceded to India, Article 370 itself of
is particularly fraught with the risk
of deepening regional and com
to abjure the path of violence and
abide by the Indian Constitution,
The NehruGandhi dynasty must withdraw fered an excellent example as to munal fault lines. While Ladakhi the erstwhile Vajpayeeled Nation
how the special needs and politi Buddhists, for instance, are now al Democratic Alliance (NDA) re
without leaving a vacuum in the Congress Navnita Chadha Behera
cal aspirations of the people of J&K celebrating the fulfi lment of their gime was even more generous in
S
onia Gandhi’s return as the Congress party presi could be politically and constitu long pending demand for Union off ering the broad framework of
T
dent — an interim measure, apparently — ends the he recent abrogation of Arti tionally accommodated by India’s Territory’s status, the voices of ‘insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kash
leadership vacuum since the party’s massive de cle 370 ending the special Constitution makers. Kargilis who are still under a strict miriyat’.
feat in the 17th Lok Sabha election, but only superfi cial status of Jammu & Kashmir Decades later, when Ladakhi curfew are yet to be heard. They
( J&K) in the Indian Constitution Buddhists launched an agitation in may not support this decision be Political fallout
AFP
ly. When Rahul Gandhi succeeded her in 2017, Ms.
along with the Jammu and Kash 1989, demanding Union Territory cause ‘a Union Territory without a In a signifi cant point of departure,
Gandhi had held the post for 19 years, the longest te mir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, bi status, the Indian Constitution and coalitionmaking among diff e legislature’ not only negates the the present government is pursu
nure for anyone in the party’s 134year history. Despite furcating the State into two Union once again made space for politi rent communities certainly helped idea of decentralisation of power ing a hard, topdown approach.
a spirited poll campaign, Mr. Gandhi could not reverse Territories ( J&K and Ladakh), cal experimentation by introduc in shaping the peace process, in to the grassroots (the undergirding The Home Minister has categori
the fortunes of the party that had already been in a free have delivered a knockout blow to ing intermediate state structures — turn bolstering India’s deeply di principle of the autonomous hill cally ruled out any dialogue with
fall. In what some of his party leaders thought was an the longdrawnout peace process the creation of two autonomous verse and plural character. council) but could well lead to a militants and the Hurriyat, and
impetuous decision, he resigned as the party president, in Kashmir. hill councils for Leh and Kargil. In J&K’s context too, it has also shifting of the loci of power to Leh, has even castigated the main
These moves also herald a para proven to be a critical common resulting in losing whatever gains stream regional political leader
after the Lok Sabha defeat, pushing the organisation in
digm shift in the fundamental pre Weakening federalism factor helping to explain the fai they have assiduously made over ship of the National Conference
to a tailspin. While the collapse of the party was on his mises and parameters of India’s Against this backdrop, it is for the lures and successes of various pol the years. and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples
watch, its vitals had been corroded in the years before approach towards the Kashmir is fi rst time in independent India’s itical demands. The Kashmiri idea The celebrations by Kashmiri Democratic Party for being cor
he took over. While holding that post for nearly two de sue, with longterm implications history that the Bharatiya Janata of selfdetermination in a multi Pandits are anticipated because of rupt, promoting family rule and
cades was unwise, the cardinal failure of Ms. Gandhi’s for its political strategy of tackling Party government has used consti ethnic, multireligious and multi the gross injustice and displace fomenting separatism and vio
leadership was in not preparing the ground for a transi such internal confl icts. There are tutional provisions for opposite lingual society, for instance, was to ment they have suff ered since lence. This move has nullifi ed the
tion, even if it were to be within the family. Mr. Gandhi three cardinal principles which ends: to undermine and weaken call for a plebiscite as mandated by their forced exodus from the Val very idea of a process of dialogue
successive political regimes have India’s federal character by down the UN resolutions of 1949 or seek ley in the early 1990s. It remains to and runs the risk of discrediting
who was to take over as party president, did not join
hitherto followed in addressing in grading a State and territorially di an independent and sovereign be seen whether the abrogation of the mainstream politicians and
the government, undermining his credibility as a Prime ternal confl icts and seeking politi viding it into two Union Territories State of J&K, but this was not the Article 370 by itself, would facili obliterating the middle ground
Ministerial aspirant. While Ms. Gandhi allowed politics cal reconciliation with alienated without the consent of the people approach taken by other commun tate their return to the Valley with between the militants and main
to be reduced to intrigues in her durbar, Mr. Gandhi segments of the populace. These of J&K. ities such as the Dogras, Kashmiri out the support of local Kashmiri stream politicians.
spent his time on misjudged priorities such as revamp in turn have bolstered the robust The method adopted to execute Pandits, Gujjars, Bakkarwals, and Muslims and rising violence. The Prime Minister in his recent
ing the student and youth wings of the party. and resilient nature of Indian de this decision is of special concern Ladakhi Buddhists. In the 1950s, Instead of making all communi address to the nation, expressed
In her second coming as party chief, Ms. Gandhi mocracy. The future, however, ap because by equating or replacing as indeed in the 1990s, the de ties equal stakeholders in the hope that new leadership in Kash
pears much more uncertain. Here the Constituent Assembly of J&K mand by Kashmiri Muslims for a peace process, the BJP govern mir would emerge from grass
must use her authority to not only pave the way for a
is why. (which was dissolved in 1957) with right to selfdetermination or aza ment’s decision may well end up roots politics. It is important to
smooth transition of leadership but also ensure that the the Legislative Assembly of J&K, di was politically checkmated by pitching one community against note that in 1,407 out of 2,135 hal
role of the family in the party is reimagined. It is true Accommodative parameters and Parliament appropriating the these communities as their politi the other. A deepening of societal qas or village clusters, there was
that in the absence of any coherent unifying thought — The fi rst principle entails adhering latter’s powers since the State is cal choices were very diff erent; fi ssures and communal fault lines no voting at all in the panchayat
as evidenced in the squabble among its leaders over the to the letter and spirit of the Indian under President’s rule, the Central time and again, an exclusively Val do not go hand in hand with the elections that were held in 2018.
Centre’s decision to unilaterally change the constitu Constitution. Its farsighted and government has acted unilaterally leyfocussed approach has agenda of peacemaking. This does not lend credence to
tional status of J&K — the family has been the glue that malleable nature has stood the test to reorganise the State of J&K. doomed the prospects of the The third principle refers to a youth being optimistic about join
of time. Since 1947, India has faced This rests not only on legally peace process. promise and the practices of hold ing mainstream politics especially
held the Congress together. However, what used to be
a wideranging nature of political shaky ground but also fl ies in the ing a dialogue process and sharing after the abrogation of Article 370,
the best solution for all crises in the Congress — the sur demands ranging from secession, face of constitutional norms and Demographic impact political power with opponents of a move which is only likely to dee
name — is itself a crisis for the party, in the current polit to the creation of a separate State propriety. If this passes judicial The BJP government’s move has, all hues. In Kashmir, successive pen the alienation. The Modi go
ical climate. The focused attack on the NehruGandhi for Jammu, Union Territory status scrutiny, it can then be done to however, not only completely Central governments have until vernment faces an uphill task in
legacy by the advancing Hindutva troops has contribut for Ladakh and others seeking af any State in India, with drastic im swung the pendulum but is also now never shut the door of dia identifying credible local partners
ed to the diminishing infl uence of the family, but the fi rmative discrimination for the plications for its federal character. antithetical to the very idea of in logue in the face of political oppo in ushering in peace to the Valley,
fact is also that an increasing number of people abhor Dogri language, Scheduled Tribe The second principle pertains clusivity. By turning J&K, especial nents who have ranged from the which may well end up in facing
dynasty politics and the privileges associated with it. status for Gujjars and Paharis and to the maxim of ‘inclusivity’, that ly the Valley, into a virtually open Sheikh Abdullahled Plebiscite yet another impasse.
so on. is, a political demand being made air prison, with a full clampdown Front in the 1960s to the Muslim
Ms. Gandhi has an opportunity, nay a responsibility, to
In response, the central leader must be inclusive in terms of re and information blackout, the United Front in the 1980s to the Navnita Chadha Behera is the author of
proactively help the old guard and the younger genera ship has tried fi nding ways and presenting the interests of all message is clear: that New Delhi Hurriyat leadership since the ‘Demystifying Kashmir’ and ‘State,
tion within the Congress to reconcile their diff erences means within the overarching pa those in whose name it is made. alone will decide the political fu 1990s. This also holds true for mil Identity and Violence: Jammu, Kashmir
and devise a common purpose of existence. At the rameters of the Indian Constitu This supported bridge building ture of the people of J&K with no itant groups. and Ladakh’
helm of the party yet again, Ms. Gandhi must now focus
Countering the Right’s hegemony
on ending the centrality of the family in Congress, in a
thoughtful manner.
In a fi ghtback, only a deep fostering of intrasubaltern solidarity using culture can help
Strongman candidate breaking up Dalit subcastes and down machination even if there is status of groups that are higherup
Gotabaya nomination may strengthen view fully exploiting intrasub caste ten fear, intimidation, control of me in the ladderlike structure even if
sions and mutual prejudices. dia and destabilisation of institu they are simultaneously victi
that Rajapaksas are pursuing family interests tions. The current dispensation is mised by dominant groups. Sub
Everyday prejudices
I
n naming his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa as his par bringing into the open all the cul division of Dalits is viewed as a
ty’s presidential candidate, former Sri Lankan presi Similarly, it is making advances in tural contradictions that existed pulling down of the relatively well
mobilising lesser mobilised Other historically. While the Congress’s todo castes within Dalits; a subdi
dent Mahinda Rajapaksa has apparently gone by his Ajay Gudavarthy
GETTY IMAGES
I
ndia has witnessed the rise of such as Yadavs and Kurmis. It is cally without overcoming social ditional caste Hindus. Gandhi at
tabaya, a former defence secretary credited with being the Hindu Right as not just a further sharpening the confl ict prejudices, the BJP’s muscular na tempted ‘change without confl ict’;
the brain behind the crushing military defeat infl icted political but also a cultural between OBCs and Dalits. Added clear historically; politically the tionalism lies in including them he failed to usher in faster change
on the Liberation Tigers in 2009, is the candidate of the force like never before. The has to all this is allowing the dominant kind of mobility they have got after politically but dividing them so but off ered a semblance of bury
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). The party was been made possible by a series of Rajput caste to vent its angst the implementation of the Mandal cially. The divisions existed; the ing confl ict. Today, we are witness
tactical moves which has allowed against the mobility Dalits have ac Commission has only sharpened Right is only widening them. ing confl ict and change itself is sus
launched in 2016 by Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists, but
for a consolidation of power with crued so far: by allowing street vio the diff erences. Violent attacks pended between mobility and
he has taken over its leadership only now. Sri Lanka is the traditional castes and classes. lence and mob lynching of Dalits. against Dalits by the OBCs are a A new multitude reinforcing traditional hierarchies.
set to have a presidential election before the year is out, The Right has managed to do It is reinforcing social power of do continuous, if less discussed as The fi ght against the Right is only Mere critiquing and electoral de
one that would be a virtual referendum on the perfor this by exploiting and magnifying minant castes at one end and frag pect of Indian politics. The Khair focusing on critiquing its strategies feat of the Right is not going to
mance of a powersharing arrangement between politi microlevel social confl icts that lie menting this through a mobilisa lanji incident was the most recent and exposing it without off ering a work.
cal rivals from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and dormant in order to create a meta tion of lesser mobilised subcastes attack against Dalits by the Kunbis positive fi ght to construct an intra Castes, religious groups and re
the United National Party (UNP). The alliance of Maith level hierarchy and reinforce the of subaltern castes. It is sharpen who are listed as OBCs in subaltern solidarity. There needs gional identities should fi ght it up
hold of traditional power. It has ing dormant prejudices that have Maharashtra. to be a robust cultural programme front by overcoming the prejudice
ripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe came to pow
led to a weakening of the resis existed for a long time between Within the minority religion of fi ghting prejudices, encourag within. To truly fi ght the Right, re
er in 2015 on the promise of ‘good governance’, and a tance of lower end social groups subaltern castes, caste and reli too, which includes Muslims, ing interdining and intermarriag latively dominant social groups
democratic departure from nearly a decade of authori by fragmenting them and allowing gion, and religion and region. there are castes, sects and other es. Not mere tolerance but positive must be prepared to lose a bit of
tarian rule, majoritarian triumphalism and denudation intracaste, intrareligious and in Similarly, the relation between diff erentiations. For instance, in celebration of cultural diff erences social power they wield, however
of democratic institutions under Mr. Mahinda Rajapak traregional diff erences to articu Dalits and OBCs has been fraught Kashmir, there are diff erences bet is required. Whether or not the small it may be. It would also
sa. The SirisenaWickremesinghe combination does not late themselves in order to delegi with mutual suspicion and dislike, ween Sunnis and Shias, between Right can be made to retreat de mean being critical of one’s own
seem to have done enough to revive the economy or in timise the resistance and mobility in spite of four decades of ‘Bahu Sunnis of the Valley and those in pends on this deep cultural pro social location, however op
troduce political and economic reforms. Their alliance of vulnerable social groups that jan’ identity having been mobil the border areas of Poonch and gramme. We are not clear how one pressed it may be. Is this realistic
have so far benefi ted and accrued ised, mostly in the north. In fact, Rajouri, and those living in La should go about it. This may have at the current historical juncture?
collapsed last year due to persistent diff erences, and in
some social power. The Right ne B.R. Ambedkar himself identifi ed dakh. They neither intermarry to happen as more of a cultural The Right compulsively requires
October 2018, Mr. Sirisena sought to replace Mr. Wick gates the power of such groups in the OBCs as ‘savarnas’ and some nor do they enjoy amicable rela than a political fi ght. It has to be fear, anxiety and insecurity to
remesinghe with Mr. Rajapaksa. The courts stalled the the name of justice and power to times equates them with Aryans. tions. Class and regional prejudic about humanity, not power; it has block the process. What are the
move and restored the UNP leader’s offi ce. Earlier this those even weaker and further This again collates in complex es overlap with that of sect and to be more about everyday reali cultural resources on the other
year, the Easter Sunday bomb blasts in churches and neglected. ways with regional dynamics bet caste. ties than about a programmatic side of the political divide?
hotels, may have brought back popular apprehensions In terms of caste, it is now well ween the north and the south. The Bharatiya Janata Party idea of justice.
about national security and accentuated diff erences in known that the Right has made sig What the location of the OBCs is in (BJP)Rashtriya Swayamsevak Every move towards solidarity Ajay Gudavarthy is Associate Professor,
nifi cant advances in terms of this complex matrix is not very Sanghled hegemony is not a top is also perceived as lowering the Centre for Political Studies, JNU
the multiethnic country. In this backdrop, the candida
ture of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is no surprise.
However, Mr. Gotabaya’s presence in the fray comes LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
with its own controversies. His strongman image
evokes fear among minorities. His name is linked with Putting back the hood One is also in agreement especially on an auspicious reimposed. The words change in India’s water conservation techniques
war crimes, murder, corruption cases as well as with The situation in Kashmir is with Jeremy Corbyn, the occasion. Extra deployment attributed to Abraham management methods. such as drip irrigation
the infamous ‘white van abductions’ that led to many not normal (Page 1, Leader of the U.K.’s of paramilitary forces in Lincoln come to mind: “You There has to be a water technology from Israel can
disappearances. That he holds dual citizenship is “Restrictions return to Opposition Labour Party, places of congregation would can fool all the people some revolution which lays stress also help make India water
Valley”, August 12). The that the Kashmir issue have been a better option of the time, and some of the on reuse of waste water, secure.
another controversy, but it is now claimed he has re
whole of Kashmir is under should be resolved through than imposing a blanket ban. people all the time, but you setting up farmponds and V.S. Sindhuri,
nounced his U.S. citizenship and obtained a new Sri arrest. If things were fi ne, UN resolutions. At some stage or the other, cannot fool all the people all making scientifi cally done Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
Lankan passport. With Mr. Mahinda likely to aim for the why are the T. Anand Raj, the security arrangements the time”. rainwater harvesting more letters online:
PM’s position in a Gotabaya presidency, the candidacy communications systems Chennai will need to be relaxed. Tilak Subramanian V., mandatory. Adapting water www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
The contours of the Kashmir move
India’s actions were enabled by the unilateralism in global politics and a decline in multilateral arrangements
three and fi ve military bases. In out air strikes on a terror camp in the people”, and therefore no
the past, America’s dependence Pakistan, after which the Pakistan blame accrues to the government
O
ne of the most unedifying sights in public life is
lawmakers taking to organised disruption of le ter Imran Khan that the U.S. tiveness of the UN has been writ sired outcomes.
T
he government has defended counts on Pakistan to “extricate” it large over many other similar dis
AFP
gislative business. Such displays became com
its twin decisions to revoke from Afghanistan, accompanied putes. Russia’s control of Crimea The Kashmir line
mon in Parliament in the past decade as political par operative portions of Article by an off er to mediate on Kashmir, on the Kashmir issue. Given that has only strengthened since 2014 In the Kashmir case, the govern
ties and legislators demonstratively advertised their 370 of the Constitution and divid set alarm bells ringing in Delhi and four permanent members of the despite a UN General Assembly ment’s actions, which have includ
points of view without recourse to debate. A number of ing Jammu and Kashmir into two dictated the timing of the recent UNSC have already accepted Kash (UNGA) resolution, UNSC state ed the pouring in of troops, a
crucial bills have taken an inordinate time to be enacted Union Territories as “internal poli moves. Facing a fastclosing win mir’s reorganisation as an “inter ments and a “package of mea clampdown on communications
due to disruption, while others were not enacted des cy” that warrant no international dow of opportunity to consolidate nal matter” — and China’s dissent sures”. When the U.S. decided, in and the arrest of local leaders,
pite a broad consensus — such as the Women’s Reserva comment. While the Prime Minis its position in Jammu and Kash is mainly on the issue of the reor 2017, to declare Jerusalem as Is have all been justifi ed through the
ter’s moves have a domestic basis, mir, the government chose to pre ganisation of Ladakh and Aksai rael’s capital, it lost a vote in the expressions of euphoria the deci
tion Bill — due to the behaviour of a few naysayers. Ma
their manner, or “Modi’s vivendi” sent the U.S. and Pakistan with a Chin — there is little expectation UNGA, but suff ered no real action sions have elicited among its sup
ny sessions of Parliament in the recent past saw little as it were, must be studied in their fait accompli before a deal was that the UNSC petition by Pakistan as a consequence of changing the porters nationwide. The populist
business being done due to repeated disruption. In this broader global context. concluded. will make any headway. The Prime decadesold status quo. Neither assessment is that any negative
context, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu’s exhortation Minister can travel next month to has Israel, despite UN censure of consequences — violence in Kash
to political parties to incorporate a model code of con The U.S.Afghan factor The UN’s limited impact New York quite confi dent that he the Gaza bombings, and settle mir, resistance in Jammu and La
duct for their legislators in State Assemblies and in Par The immediate context is the fu The government’s move in Kash will not face more than a few un ments in the West Bank; nor has dakh to the freeing up of property
liament is welcome. He suggested that the code should ture of Afghanistan and what the mir, which had not been contem comfortable moments and per China changed after UNSC resolu rights, for example, or the larger
deal between the United States plated in all the decades since In haps some protests outside the tions on Tibet and UNGA petitions impact of worsening IndiaPakis
include stipulations on members not entering the well
and Pakistan for Afghanistan will dia signed the 1972 Shimla UN, if at all. on Xinjiang. tan ties on the Kartarpur corridor,
of the House, and desisting from sloganeering and un mean for India. According to re agreement — India and Pakistan The government has already Kulbhushan Jadhav’s fate, and
ruly acts. If indeed parties adopt a code, it will go a long ports, an assessment by Indian in committed that “neither side shall tested the UN’s will and faced no Refl ecting a trend trade and transport arrangements
way in making parliamentary work meaningful. Other telligence agencies that there unilaterally alter the situation” — repercussions. In July 2014, the go Finally, while “Modi’s vivendi” on — will not hurt the government as
wise, the general public will lose interest in the proced would be an imminent settlement has also been enabled by the pre vernment declared that the U.N. Kashmir is aimed at his domestic they were authorised by “the will
ural aspects of parliamentary democracy and limit was what triggered the discussion vailing unilateralism in interna Military Observer Group in India base, it mirrors the prevailing of the people”.
their participation to just voting in the elections. within the Modi government tional politics and the concomi and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) set up in trend of populism worldwide, The prevailing narrative is that
about a response that would en tant decline in multilateral 1949, had “outlived its utility”, and much like the demonetisation de the government’s Kashmir deci
But the absence of disruption alone does not make
sure India was not overlooked. arrangements. It is clear that the asked it to vacate its premises in cision in 2016 did: recapturing the sions have fi nally allowed ‘Realpol
for meaningful debate. The current Budget session The U.S.’s deal for the return of UN and the UN Security Council Delhi. In September 2016, after national narrative, startling oppo itik’ to prevail over the woolly
sailed through with minimal disruption. Yet the high the Taliban to Afghanistan’s main have few real powers to stop New the Uri attacks, the government nents with an unexpected move, headed idealism of the past that
productivity during the session came without suffi cient stream has three specifi c dangers Delhi. publicly announced it had crossed and thrilling voters with forceful has not benefi ted the nation in all
deliberation over crucial bills, several of which were for New Delhi. First, the deal Pakistan has itself carried out the LoC, a line monitored by the action. In his treatise “What is Po these years. Furthermore, an in
rushed through without vetting by parliamentary would most certainly derail the Af such a reorganisation in the parts UNMOGIP, to carry out what it pulism?”, Princeton professor Jan fl ux of investments and nonKash
standing and select committees. These committees ghanistan elections planned for of Kashmir it occupied in 1948: called “surgical strikes” on terror Werner Müller recounts how po miri residents into the Valley will
have in the past been useful in expanding discussion ov September 28, or make their re military control and demographic camps in PoK. pulist regimes frequently frame “normalise” it and usher in an age
sults irrelevant. India’s stakes in a changes in Pakistan Occupied While such operations have fre their actions as representing the of prosperity. While the term Real
er laws with civil society and experts from various
democratic Afghanistan go Kashmir (PoK), or what Pakistan quently been mounted by the In will of the “real people”, a group politik is used today in a positive
streams of the larger society. They have also facilitated beyond the process since every calls Azad Jammu and Kashmir; dian and Pakistani Armies, this they exclusively represent. By ex sense, it is important to remember
an enhanced crossparty coordination over issues. By one of the 17 presidential ticket as elections in which its national par was the fi rst such public claim and tension and example, those who the context in which its earliest
not sending a single Bill among the 28 that were intro pirants is a leader with ties to In ties, the Pakistan Peoples Party, faced no pushback whatsoever dissent are deemed to be not “Real proponent, Athenian general Thu
duced and passed to a standing or select committee for dia. Second, a deal will bring the the Pakistan Muslim League (Na from the UN. In mid2018, the go Poles” (prawdziwi Polacy) in Po cydides introduced it, In the ‘His
scrutiny, the current session accentuated the trend that Taliban, whose leaders owe alle waz) and the Pakistan Tehreeke vernment also dismissed the fi rst land or “Real Hungarians” in Hun tory of the Peloponnesian War’;
has minimised the importance of such committees over giance to Islamabad and Rawalpin Insaf take part, and an ongoing report by the Offi ce of the UN High gary. In the same vein was the re here he states: “Right, as the world
di, into the central power struc process to dilute GilgitBaltistan’s Commissioner for Human Rights tort by Turkish President Recep goes, is only in question between
the last few years. Unlike the 15th Lok Sabha (2009
tures and institutions in Kabul. autonomous status. Pakistan has on the situation on both sides of Tayyip Erdoğ an to his opponents: equals in power, while the strong
2014), when 71% of the bills were referred to such com Third, intelligence estimates indi done all this without any UN push the border in Kashmir, accusing “We are the people. Who are do what they can, the weak suff er
mittees, in the 16th Lok Sabha, they constituted only a cate that after the deal, U.S. troops back. In addition, its sustained the High Commissioner of “indivi you?” what they must.”
fourth of the overall number of bills. Time spent on de will not “zero out” completely but support of terror groups inimical dual bias”. And in February 2019, In populist moves worldwide,
bates in the current session in both the Lok Sabha and continue to maintain between to India has discredited its protests India announced that it carried such actions are “authorised by suhasini.h@thehindu.co.in
Rajya Sabha was barely a third of the overall business.
This does not augur well for lawmaking. As Mr. Naidu
has also pointed out correctly, deliberation is an impor
tant component of parliamentary democracy apart
from legislation and accountability of lawmakers. All
Writing out a clean Bill on health
three aspects must cohere for a thoroughgoing proced
Medical education needs continuous reforms; the National Medical Commission Bill could be the fi rst step towards this
ural democracy. trance test to the postgraduate le formed decision before seeking ple of natural justice: the NMC’s
vel, and as a licentiate exam before admission. opinion would be sought before
doctors can practise. It aims to re The next issue is of representa giving directions.
War within war duce disparities in the skill sets of
doctors graduating from diff erent
tion in the NMC. A report of the
then vicechancellor, NITI Aayog, In a nutshell
As the Saudiled coalition crumbles, Yemen institutions. It would also be a sin on reforms in medical education While some sections of people
GETTY IMAGES
needs a nationwide ceasefi re Sumant Narain gle licentiate exam for graduates says: “The current electoral pro have sought to create a negative
across the world. Thus, the go cess of appointing regulators is in perception about select clauses of
T
he Saudiled coalition’s intervention in Yemen is
vernment has in eff ect implement herently saddled with compromis the Act, they have not highlighted
proof of how things can go wrong with an illcon
O
ver the past few days, there ed a ‘OneNationOneExam’ in es and attracts professionals who other features. The Act establishes
ceived, poorly strategised and geopoliticsdriven have been expressions of medical education. are capitation feedriven, resort to may not be best suited for the task the Diplomate of National Board’s
military interference that cares little about human lives. concern in various fora ov Second, concerns have been ex a discretionary management quo at hand. Indeed, there is ample equivalence to NMCrecognised
After four years of war, the Saudis have not met their er a few clauses of the National pressed over the limited licence to ta and often have charges of cor evidence that the process has degrees — a longpending demand.
declared goal — pushing back the Shia Houthi rebels Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, practise for community health ruption levelled against them. The failed to bring the best in the fi eld It also promotes medical plural
from the capital Sana’a and restoring the ousted go now enacted. Even medical pro providers. We have to appreciate Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 in regulatory roles. The process is ism. Then, there is a paradigm
fessionals have protested. Accord that even with about 70% of India’s has no provision for fee regula based on what is now widely re shift in the regulatory philosophy
vernment which is now temporarily headquartered in
ing to media reports, there are fi ve population residing in the rural tion. Until now, ‘notforprofi t’ or garded as a fl awed principle whe from an inputbased, entry barrier
the southern city of Aden. On the contrary, the war has primary concerns. These pertain areas, the present ratio of doctors ganisations were permitted to set reby the regulated elect the regula for education providers without
pushed Yemen into what the UN calls the worst human to the National EligibilitycumEn in urban and rural areas is 3.8:1; up medical colleges, a process in tors.” The Act, therefore, provides corresponding benefi ts, to its be
itarian crisis. Thousands have been killed, tens of thou trance Test (NEET)/National Exit 27,000 doctors serve about volving enormous investments for a transparent search and selec coming outcomefocused. Both
sands displaced and about two thirds of the country’s Test, empowering of community 650,000 villages of the country. A and a negotiation of cumbersome tion process with an eclectic mix the number of doctors and their
28 million people do not have enough to eat. And now, health providers for limited prac recent study by the World Health procedures. The NMC Act removes of elected and nominated repre skill sets are expected to improve.
there is a rebellion within the coalition. Last week, the tice, regulating fees for only 50% Organisation shows that nearly the discretionary quota by using a sentatives, both in the search com Autonomy to boards and segrega
Southern Transitional Council (STC), a militia group seats in private colleges, reducing 80% of allopathic doctors in the transparent fee structure. It em mittee and the commission itself. tion of their functions will avoid a
the number of elected representa rural areas are without a medical powers the NMC to frame guide The government has further ad confl ict of interest and reduce
that was fi ghting the Houthis as part of the Saudiled
tives in the Commission, and the qualifi cation. The NMC Act at lines for determination of not only dressed the concern of preponde rentseeking opportunities. And
coalition, turned against their masters and captured overriding powers of the Centre. tempts to address this gap by eff ec fees but all other charges in 50% of rance of selected members in the ‘quacks’ are liable to face impri
the presidential palace in Aden as well as the city’s main tively utilising modern medicine seats in private colleges to support commission by adding members sonment or be fi ned or both. The
port. In return, Saudi jets targeted STC fi ghters before a On examinations professionals, other than doctors poor and meritorious students. from State medical councils and Act ends inspector raj.
tenuous ceasefi re set in. It now looks like a threeway First, a focus on the examinations. in enabling primary and preven It would be simplistic to assume universities. The eff orts of successive go
confl ict. The Shia Houthis, who the Saudis claim are For the past few years, a separate tive health care. Evidence from that a rise in unethical practices in Finally, we need to view the is vernments have now culminated
backed by Iran, are controlling much of the country’s NEET is being conducted for un China, Thailand and the United this profession is solely the result sue of overriding powers of the with the NMC Act replacing the
dergraduate and postgraduate Kingdom shows such integration of private medical education. Centre in the context that the Med IMC Act. There is no denying that
north including Sana’a. Yemen’s internationallybacked
courses. In addition there are dif results in better health outcomes. While a cap on fees is necessary, ical Council of India, even if direct medical education needs continu
government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the Saudi ally, ferent examinations for institutes Chhattisgarh and Assam have also there is also a need for incentives ed by the government on critical ous reforms in order to usher in
is controlling the south, though Mr. Hadi is running the such as the All India Institute of experimented with community to attract private investors. In any matters, may not always pay heed. improvements in health care.
purported administration from Saudi Arabia. The STC Medical Sciences and the Jawahar health workers. Further, the Act case, the transparency that NEXT In public emergencies, citizens ex There cannot be just one solution.
wants the south to be an independent entity, like it was lal Institute of Postgraduate Medi requires them to “…qualify such provides would lead to fee regula pect the government to address is The NMC Act is a serious attempt
till the Yemeni unifi cation in 1990. cal Education and Research. This criteria as may be specifi ed....” tion through market forces. The sues. In the current setup, it may to meet the primary need of more
The STC’s rebellion also signals the growing friction Act consolidates multiple exams at thereby ensuring quality. Act also provides for rating of col not be possible all the time. Also, medical professionals in the coun
the undergraduate level with a sin leges. Thus, reducing entry bar the government should be able to try; it is a beginning.
in the multinational coalition Saudi Arabia has stitched
gle NEET and in turn avoids multi Fee structure riers for setting up medical colleg give directions so that NMC regula
together to fi ght the Houthis. The STC is backed by the ple counselling processes. NEXT The next issue relates to the cap es, along with their rating, is tions align with its policy. Hence, Sumant Narain is a civil servant and
UAE, a crucial partner of Saudi Arabia in its foreign pol will act as the fi nal year MBBS ex ping of fees. It is an open secret to expected to benefi t students. They these powers. The use of such ex-director, NITI. The views expressed are
icy adventures. They stayed together in propping up amination across India, an en day that private medical colleges would be able to make an in authority would follow the princi personal
the military dictatorship of Abdel Fattah elSisi in
Egypt, in countering the spread and infl uence of the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab world, in opposing the
Iran nuclear deal and on blockading Qatar. But when it
China’s gesture our hands in friendliness. record in Tamil Nadu. In based on these. For the 20 cm: ‘Devastation’; 20 to Are those not following the
comes to Yemen, the Saudis see the Hadi government Every year, Indian pilgrims Our thoughts would Kerala, there has been rain ‘magnitude scale’ , in 30 cm: ‘Devastation on a advice adhering to the
and Sunni Islamic parties, including the Islah, as allies undertake an arduous pleasantly agree, if I know averaging 40 cm. addition to the large scale’; Above 25 cm: maxim “live and help to
who could stabilise and rebuild the whole country after journey to the highaltitude you and you know me.” Therefore, the present classifi cation of low ‘Unimaginable live”?
the Houthis are defeated, while the UAE, already frus Kailash Manasarovar. Peace R. Pichumani, system of classifi cation of intensity rain the revisions consequences’. C.G. Kuriakose,
trated by the coalition’s failure to defeat the rebels, of mind is a goal. At this Thippirajapuram, Tamil Nadu rains should change. The can be on these lines: 25 A. Rajagopal Kamat, Kothamangalam, Kerala
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp
A close reading of UAPA Tribunal orders shows how fundamental principles of fair procedure are being given a miss
A close reading of UAPA Tribu Matters, however, did not end second, the most valuable piece of
nal orders makes it clear, however, there. The testimony of a senior evidence that the association had
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
The continuing communication restrictions vernment vast amounts of leeway activities”, “extremism”, and “ter bunal wink at this, but then used
in Kashmir have only deepened alienation Gautam Bhatia in proving its case, tribunals de rorism” went unrebutted. More the absence of that piece of evi
part from some of the most funda importantly, as the JeI, J&K ar dence against the association that
E
xactly a month ago, Jammu and Kashmir lost its
mental principles of fair proce gued, a look at its membership re it had been seized from, and in fa
special constitutional status, and its status as a
L
ast month, amendments to dure, and act as little more than gister would make it clear that its vour of the government that had
State, through a dubious and hurried process. the Unlawful Activities (Pre judicial rubber stamps. And this is members had nothing to do with seized it.
Ahead of that decision that could rankle for years to vention) Act (“UAPA”), In made starkly evident by a recent criminal activities. The problem, Throughout its opinion, the Tri
come, the region, particularly the Kashmir Valley was dia’s signature antiterrorism legis UAPA Tribunal Order (issued on however, was that its membership bunal made multiple references to
put under a lockdown with all communication cut and lation, allowing the Central August 23, 2019) confi rming the closed. Notably, the evidence was register had been seized by the go how the UAPA allows for depar
movement of people severely restricted. One month government to designate indivi government’s ban on the Jamaate not disclosed even to the associa vernment. Consequently, the JeI, tures from the “strict rules of evi
duals as “terrorists”, caused a fu Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (“JeI, tion and its lawyers, who were J&K made a rather commonsense dence”, in order to serve larger
on, the Valley continues to be under severe restrictions;
rore. Critics warned that vesting J&K”). contesting the ban. argument: let the government pro goals. And this, indeed, is the pro
the death of a teenage protester on Wednesday who such sweeping powers in the Now, it would appear to be a ve duce the membership register, blem: these “departures” have
was injured earlier may further delay the administra hands of the political executive Sealed covers and evidence ry basic principle of justice that if since it was in its possession. been made boundless, and bound
tion’s plans to withdraw the clampdown. Communica would prove to be a recipe for The government’s ban on the JeI, an association is to be banned for lessly manipulable to the extent
tion networks in the Jammu region of the newly created abuse, and for political and social J&K was based on its opinion that unlawful activities, then the mate Lions under the throne that they have swallowed up the
Union Territory have been substantially restored and persecution. In response, it was the association was “supporting rial on the basis of which that ban The government, however, re most basic rules of procedural jus
the Ladakh UT, carved out of the erstwhile State, has argued that the UAPA provided for extremism and militancy”, “in is justifi ed is put to the association fused to do so, and instead submit tice and fairness. What we eff ec
not seen disruptions. Prominent newspapers published a system of checks and balances dulging in anti national and sub so that it has a chance to defend it ted even this piece of evidence in a tively have now, thanks to the in
which would ensure that govern versive activities”, and activities to self. To take a decision on the le sealed cover. And the Justice Chan terpretation of Tribunals, is this
from Srinagar, discontinued for several days, have res
mental abuse could be swiftly re “disrupt the territorial integrity of gality of a ban by looking at secret der Shekhar’s response to this was situation: on the one hand, every
umed publication. Mobile phones and the Internet are viewed and rectifi ed. the nation”. In support of this opi material that is withheld even truly Orwellian: he observed that leeway is provided to the govern
not back in operation and schools, though reopened, nion, the government said that from the association itself is exact “the respondent Association has ment, loopholes have been creat
have sparse attendance in Kashmir. It took a while be What the UAPA requires there existed a large number of ly akin to condemning a man un not led any evidence to substan ed where non existed, and every
fore the Kashmiris learned about the lightning changes To what extent is this argument First Information Reports (“FIRs”) heard. It is kangaroocourt style tiate their defence that their offi ce procedural and evidentiary stan
that had been imposed upon them. But a mood of tri wellfounded? A look at how the against various members of the as justice, which has no place in a bearers or members are not in dard diluted, while on the other,
umphalism is evident across the country, which is resis UAPA functions presently suggests sociation. Among other things, the modern democracy. However, this volved in the kind of activities al associations (comprising Indian ci
that the defenders of the law are JeI, J&K responded that for almost is exactly what the Tribunal did. leged against them”. In short, tizens) are held to impossible stan
tant to an informed and tempered national discussion
too optimistic in their faith in “in all of the FIRs in question, the pe Justice Chander Shekhar ob therefore, the Tribunal wanted the dards in order to disprove the case
on the changed status of J&K. Reports of protests and stitutional correctives”. Before the ople accused had nothing to do served that he had “opened the association to prove that their against them.
police action from the Valley have largely been dismis 2019 amendments, the UAPA with the association. This, it was sealed covers and carefully exa members were not committing il This is not a jurisprudence that
sed by the Centre. could be used to ban associations argued, could be proven by look mined each and every document”, legal activities, while the main respects constitutional democracy
The revocation of the special status of J&K has the and not individuals. To this end, ing at the association’s member and that it was convinced that source of evidence that the asso or fundamental freedoms such as
support of the majority of the political community out the UAPA required, and still re ship register, which had been these were “credible documents.” ciation would rely upon to prove speech and association. Rather, it
side the Valley, although the decision is under judicial quires that the ban must clearly set seized by the government. To this day, neither the association exactly that, was in the hands of is a jurisprudence of the judicial
out the grounds on which the go One would think that such a nor anyone reading the Tribunal’s the government — and the associa rubber stamp: courts acting to leg
review. The government and other supporters of the
vernment has arrived at its opi case can be resolved straightfor opinion has any way of knowing tion was not allowed to rely on it. itimise and enable governmental
move continue to argue that the people in Kashmir nion; and it may then be contested wardly: had the government man what the evidence was. In essence, If, therefore, we take a step back overreach, rather then protecting
have been freed from the political families that held by the banned association before a aged to prove that there existed therefore: the fundamental free and look at the Tribunal’s opinion, citizens and the rights of citizens
power at their cost, that investments will fl ow in, jobs Tribunal, consisting of a sitting suffi cient evidence of wrongdoing doms of speech and association two aspects stand out starkly. against the government. It is a sit
will multiply, women will get equal status as men in High Court judge. As a number of against members of the JeI, J&K, have been violated on the basis of First, a fi veyear ban upon an asso uation where in the words of a fa
terms of inheritance and the Scheduled Castes and judgments have held, the task of a that would justify banning the or secret evidence passed from the ciation — going to the very heart of mous English judge the judiciary
Scheduled Tribes will benefi t from nationally mandated UAPA Tribunal is to carefully scru ganisation altogether. It is here, government to the Tribunal; an as the freedom of speech and asso has gone from “lions under the
tinise the decision of the govern however, that things began to get sociation numbering in at least the ciation, potentially making all per throne” to “mice squeaking under
reservation. Unfortunately, discussions on these points
ment, keeping in mind the fact murky because the government thousands has been shut down for sons associated with it criminal — a chair in the Home Offi ce” – with
in the last one month have been going on with little or that banning an organisation or a then fell back on the increasingly fi ve years, and all its members was upheld by a judicial forum on “consequences that the nation will
no representation by the people of Kashmir who are the group infringes the crucial funda convenient “sealed cover jurispru made putatively unlawful, poten the basis of secret evidence that one day bitterly regret”.
supposed benefi ciaries. That they were not taken into mental freedoms of speech and as dence”, submitting material that it tially criminal without even being the association had neither the
confi dence before the decision was made was bad sociation. claimed was too sensitive to be dis told why. chance to see, nor to rebut. And Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based lawyer
enough, but what is worse is the continuing restrictions
on free speech. The elected Mayor of Srinagar and a
doctor who spoke out about the risk to lives due to res
trictions were promptly detained. The reports that
emanate from the Valley in recent days, patchy as they
Steaming back into the IndoPacifi c
continue to be, point towards increasing alienation
Russia could be imagining a greater role for itself in reshaping the region’s geopolitics
among the residents. Ironically, the most disappointed ferent course. As the 1960s unfold sian infl uence from parts of Eura restricted to one conception: he
are those who believed that Kashmir’s future would be ed, the SinoSoviet ideological sia but that Moscow’s calculus is distinguished India’s independent
secure within India. The Centre needs to reassure them struggle culminated in an ugly spat also shaped by the strategic neces approach that includes stable ties
that the change of status is not to the detriment of the in the Communist world. Ironical sity of a mutually benefi cial part with Beijing from the U.S. concept
ly, both New Delhi and Washing nership with Beijing in order to that some interpret as “Chinese
people of Kashmir.
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ton perceived that trend diff erent counterbalance a rigid and un containment on the cheap”; and
Zorawar Daulet Singh ly and with contrasting ends in friendly West. most importantly, Russia being a
mind. The RussiaChina relationship is Pacifi c power with interests in the
Tending to the heart presently guided by, as Dmitri Tre Indian Ocean should join the de
A
n exchange in 1964 between A multipolar world nin suggests, the principle of “nev bate.
Targeting risk factors is key to reducing deaths U.S. diplomat Chester Bow For AngloAmerican policymak er being against each other, but In substance and without ruf
due to cardiovascular diseases les and Triloki Nath Kaul, In ers, a long cherished dream of iso not necessarily always with each fl ing Beijing’s feathers, Russia is al
dia’s then Ambassador to Moscow, lating Russia and pulling China other”. This formula “puts a pre ready shaping the geopolitics of
T
he reinvention of the wheel can be painful. Tak off ers a fascinating insight into back into their orbit became a real to have a robust afterlife. The U.S. mium on a solid partnership bet the IndoPacifi c. It has managed
ing lessons from those who have already run the contemporary geopolitics. While ity. For India, the spectre of an un RussiaChina triangle still contains ween Moscow and Beijing where the rare feat of deep cooperation
wheel several revolutions and tweaking those les discussing South East Asia, Bowles friendly China being checked complex and counterintuitive dy their interests meet, eschews con with rival parties in the South Chi
sons for domestic conditions might not be a bad idea. said, “it would be a good thing if through a shared understanding namics that often get obscured or fl icts where they don’t, and allows na Sea disputes. As Alexander Ko
For India, there is indeed valuable learning from the re India could try to bring the Soviet with Washington and Moscow fell distorted in India’s strategic de a lot of fl exibility where interests rolev, a scholar at the University of
sults of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology and American points of view clos by the way side, and New Delhi bates. overlap only partially”. For in New South Wales, notes, the “Rus
er… India’s friendship with both was compelled to imagine new ap stance, we saw this nimbleness at siaVietnam partnership should
(PURE) study published in The Lancet this week. Study
could act as a sort of bridge bet proaches to safeguard its interests Complex dynamics the UN Security Council when not be underestimated, because it
ing the situation in 21 countries across fi ve continents, ween them.” He “hoped that it and security. By 1969, the bipolar Despite the Donald Trump admi Russia and China were on oppo has been growing despite and in
categorised by income levels, researchers showed that would be possible for [the] USA system had cracked open into a nistration’s posturing on China site sides in reacting to India’s new dependently of RussiaChina rela
while cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause and USSR, with the help of India, multipolar world. The U.S. and and its attempt to redefi ne the Kashmir policy. tions”. Indeed, once Russia’s ad
for death overall, there have been some transitions, to come to some kind of under China were on the cusp of a rap terms of that relationship, we do vanced military and naval
particularly in the highincome countries, which have standing about preventing Chi prochement while New Delhi and not yet see a credible and sustain The Asia pivot modernisation assistance towards
managed to reduce the number of deaths from CVD. In nese expansionism and infi ltration Moscow had established strategic able strategy to respond to China’s When mainstream American poli IndoPacifi c states such as India,
in South East Asia.” Kaul replied, understanding at the highest level rise. And growing SinoRussian re cymakers look at the big power Vietnam and Indonesia, along
lowincome countries, including India, however, CVD is
“India would be glad to bring the to respond to this disconcerting lations have not led to any funda triangle of the U.S.ChinaRussia, with Russia’s own underrated Pac
still the top killer, with death three times more frequent U.S. and Soviet points of view clos global realignment. December mental reassessment in the U.S.’s their unconcealed prejudice and ifi c Fleet whose area of responsi
than that due to cancer. What fl ies in the face of logic is er as far as lay within our ability. In 1971 reaffi rmed the new multipolar thinking. In recent years, whether geostrategic preferences are appa bility extends to the Persian Gulf is
that the risk burden of CVDlinked mortality is inversely fact this was our present policy.” world with the Soviet Navy enter on the U.S.’s attempts to pressure rent to all. The door is still very accounted for, Moscow is already a
proportional — lower risk but higher mortality in low This response refl ected India’s ing the Indian Ocean to stymie the North Korea or security in North much open to China whom the player in Eurasia’s Rimland areas.
income countries, and higher risk but lower mortality then geostrategy to position itself AngloAmerican attempt to dis east Asia or confl icts in the Middle West would like to wean away Having been reassured that In
in highincome countries. PURE’s analysis concluded as an area of agreement between rupt India’s military operations East we have abundant evidence from Russia to arrest America’s de dia is not bandwagoning with the
the superpowers. during the liberation of Bangla of Moscow and Beijing providing teriorating global position. New U.S. and genuinely believes in
that the higher mortality in poorer countries was likely
As Kaul’s cable in September desh. That seminal period laid the psychological and diplomatic sup Delhi, of course, like in the 1960s, open and inclusive security and
due to other factors, including ‘lower quality and less 1965 to Indira Gandhi subsequent foundation, as External Aff airs Mi port to each other. Even potential would prefer the opposite out order building ideas, Russia could
health care’. Access to aff ordable, quality health care is ly explained: “the interests of nister S. Jaishankar alluded to in ly contentious issues such as their come: to wean Russia away from now begin the process of imagin
still a dream in many pockets in India. A great amount America, USSR and India, have a Moscow last week, for a fourde Eurasian integration visions, that China or more realistically provide ing a role in the IndoPacifi c that
of outofpocket expenditure (according to Health Mi common feature of being aimed at cade relationship that withstood is, Russia’s Eurasian Economic Un Russia with more options in its brings its vast diplomatic expe
nistry data for 201415, nearly 62.6 % of India’s total the prevention of Chinese expan further disruptions in internation ion and China’s Belt and Road in Asia pivot. Mr. Jaishankar’s re rience and strategic heft into the
health expenditure) often frustrates continuation of sion in this area. This provides an al politics, including the end of the itiative, have been projected in a marks at the prestigious Valdai open.
opportunity for India to reap the fi rst Cold War in 1989 and the dis spirit of coexistence and mutual Club in Moscow made such a case
treatment, or adherence to drug regimens. While some
maximum possible advantage appearance of the Soviet Union in respect, often disguising deeper for the next chapter in IndiaRus Zorawar Daulet Singh is a fellow at the
States have shown limited successes with government from both sides and strengthen 1991. questions of power and ambition. sia ties. In essence, he asserted Centre for Policy Research and author of
sponsored health insurance schemes, the Centre’s Ay herself for the future.” If we fast forward to recent It is not that Moscow is oblivious to that Asia’s multipolar age has ar ‘Power and Diplomacy: India’s Foreign
ushman Bharat Yojana will have to take much of the History, however, followed a dif years, historical patterns continue Beijing potentially squeezing Rus rived; that the IndoPacifi c is not Policies During the Cold War’
burden of hospitalisation for complications of non
communicable diseases. National and State schemes
running on mission mode, including the National Pro
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
has stooped so low when attempt to harass and security forces and the In a Business page story headlined “Mondelez to strengthen
to have belled this particular cat. Any plans that target presence with Oreo” (Sept. 1, 2019), the name of the company
the professors have given it humiliate them. Their Indian Army in the Valley, Rerailing the economy should be corrected to read Mondelez India Foods Pvt. Ltd.
the risk factors and prevent the onset of noncommun their all to build the prolonged and selfl ess diluting Article 370, The economy is sluggish and Mr. Sudhanshu Nagpal’s designation should have been Associate
icable diseases will clearly have to be truly gamechang institution academically. service is suffi cient proof of converting a State into a unless corrective actions are Director – Marketing (Biscuits).
ing, and incorporate the environmental angle as well. The committee that their worthiness. Dissenting Union Territory, placing local taken, there could be The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
thought of this outrageous voices have to be heard in a leaders under house arrest, recession. Falling private E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
I
ndia’s record in promoting occupational and indus
Lancet editorial. can only see peace, calm, order, creasing the duration of its Hindi
trial safety remains weak even with years of robust
O
n the last morning of Octob With most “national media” happiness and acceptance. In the and Urdu bulletins with the teas
economic growth. Making work environments safer er 1984, Rajiv Gandhi was plunging into the patriotic duty of battle between hard reality and ing tagline: “Neither Internet shut
is a low priority, although the productivity benefi ts of campaigning in West Ben drumming up support for the ‘sarkari’ spin, between democracy downs nor power cuts can stop in
NISSAR AHMAD
such investments have always been clear. The conse gal when a police jeep intercepted “constitutionally contentious” and ‘desh bhakti’, loyal owners, dependent news”. Meanwhile, the
quences are frequently seen in the form of a large num his Mercedes to deliver the mes move — privileging the interests of editors, anchors and other toadies Indian MSM was resting its oars,
ber of fatalities and injuries, but in a market that has a sage: “There’s been an accident in a rampaging State over that of the know which perception has grea having done its bit in the sacred
steady supply of labour, policymakers tend to ignore the house. Return immediately to caged citizen — the contrast pro ter purchase in the #NewIndia task of manufacturing consent on
Delhi.” His mother, Prime Minister vided by global outlets unmasking begs the question as to why Indian market. the mainland. With the hashtag
the wider impact of such losses. It will be no surprise,
Indira Gandhi, had been shot at by the suppression of human, civil mainstream media (MSM) vehicles #KashmirWithModi trending on
therefore, if the deaths of four people, including a se her Sikh bodyguards in her gar and fundamental rights of Kashmi have not been able to fi nd the The peak of lows social media even without Kash
nior offi cer, in a fi re at the Oil and Natural Gas Corpora den, on the way to a TV interview. ris, has been so stark that one web space or the resources for them. In truth, however, Kashmir marks mir being connected to the grid,
tion gas facility in Navi Mumbai, or the tragedy that As he waited for a helicopter to site was constrained to ask: “Are Or, why they have felt dutybound the apogee in a long orbit of evis Umberto Eco’s warning of the “in
killed nearly two dozen people at a fi recracker factory take him to Calcutta, the Congress foreign and Indian media report to “broadcast sunshine stories that ceration of the Indian media, an vasion of the idiots” has come
in Batala, Punjab are quickly forgotten. Such incidents General Secretary turned on his ing on the same place?” A main life is back to normal and getting ongoing project that has over good.
make it imperative that the Central government aban transistor radio to get the latest. land journalist on assignment says better every day”, in the words of turned the profession’s credo to In the “Brave New World” of
He tuned in, not to All India Radio she has encountered so much a British academic. Either the In “comfort the affl icted”. Successive Kashmir, the Indian state has
don its reductionist approach to the challenge, and en
but the BBC. The news was not hatred for the media’s part in dian media is so true to its craft, or low benchmarks — JNU, cow lynch worked out the Huxleyan circuitry
gage in serious reform. There is not much evidence, ho good but that is not the point. painting a monochromatic pic so craven, that not a single report ings, love ‘jihad’, Sabarimala, tri of how to make the media relay a
wever, of progressive moves. The Occupational Safety, Even in prereforms India, ture, that she has had to apologise has had to be disputed. For the ple ‘talaq’, Rohit Vemula, demone unitary message without explicitly
Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019, introduced when broadcast media was a go on behalf of her fraternity multiple fi rst time since 2014, the parrot tisation, Pulwama, surgical strikes making it appear so. Therefore, a
in the Lok Sabha in July to combine 13 existing laws re vernment monopoly and mouth times. cannot hear the cries of the major — have taught the watchdogs to as scarcity of dissent in spite of a
lating to mines, factories, dock workers, building and piece, a wouldbe Prime Minister’s ity, Muslim in this case. sume a supine pose. The pliancy plethora of evidence. It is a model
construction, transport workers, interState migrant la fi rst resort of trust was “Auntie”, Ground zero in Kashmir in Kashmir, therefore, is a Pavlo that can be developed further and
not mummy’s Akashvani. Thirty Therein lies the great paradox. For Near capitulation vian response. As The Economist replicated anywhere else at short
bour and so on, pays little attention to the sectorspecif
fi ve years on, with 400 private TV a whole month in the 21st century, It is not as if all the Indian media commented: “The Press’s current notice — within the pretence of a
ic requirements of workers. One of its major shortcom news channels, 1,000 newspap Kashmiri journalists have worked has buried the story: there have sycophancy rises from a hinter democratic framework.
ings is that formation of safety committees and ers, and 3,000 radio stations, it is a in the 20th. They have not been been tiny isles of valiance in an land of intimidation, trimming In 1954, Gabriel García Márquez
appointment of safety offi cers, the latter in the case of telling commentary on the credi able to freely use the phone and ocean of conformity. Just that, af and currying favour dating back to wrote: “Journalism is a biological
establishments with 500 workers, is left to the discre bility of the Indian news media the Internet, write or transmit sto ter the initial fl urry, the giants are Narendra Modi’s rise in power in necessity of humanity.” To the
tion of State governments. Evidently, the narrow stipu ecosystem — in fact, on the theolo ries, print or distribute newspap coasting in the routine and the offi 2014.” eternal shame of the Republic, in
lation on safety offi cers confi nes it to a small fraction of gy of “competition” in a freemar ers. They have been denied curfew cial, as per the sage advice: “Some The strategem to subjugate the 2019, from the judges of the Su
ket economy — that nearly every passes, harassed at security check news is best not reported”. Pock Kashmiri voice is, of course, a preme Court to the former judge
industries. On the other hand, the Factories Act cur
piece of information which con points, made to delete photos and ets of English print and digital work in progress but it gained who heads the Press Council, from
rently mandates appointment of a bipartite committee tests the establishment narrative videos. They have had to beg tra journalism still off er some excep steam when the Bharatiya Janata the Information and Broadcasting
in units that employ hazardous processes or substanc that all is well in Kashmir, has vellers fl ying out of Srinagar to car tions but large swathes of language Party (BJP) joined hands with the Minister to industry bodies, the
es, with exemptions being the exception. This provi come from a nonIndian source. ry pen drives and printouts of mo media have served unvarnished, Peoples Democratic Party in 2016. openended trade fi neprint “Con
sion clearly requires retention in the new Code. bile screenshots. Of the Valley’s Islamophobic propaganda sans Standard intimidatory tactics with ditions Apply” seems to be the op
A safe work environment is a basic right, and India’s Stark contrast in coverage 174 dailies, fewer than 10 are being scrutiny. “Whatever [the] Indian plausible deniability built into erative clause. And to think that
recent decades of high growth should have ushered in a Here’s a baker’s dozen since the published; their epapers are fro media is reporting, the opposite is them — labelling newspapers as the train of events — from the BJP
framework of guarantees. Unfortunately, successive go “lockdown” began: First video of zen in time, on August 5. One edi true,” says one Kashmiri journal “antinational”; denying govern pulling out of the coalition, to the
protests, fi ring: BBC, ‘Al Jazeera’, tor going abroad for training was ist. “Editors give directions to fi eld ment advertisements; arresting abrogation of Article 370 — was set
vernments have not felt it necessary to ratify many fun
Reuters; Number of arrested: AFP, stopped inside an airport after he reporters on the kind of sound and interrogating editors — served off by the assassination of a jour
damental conventions of the International Labour Or AP, Time, The New York Times; Mi had picked up his boarding pass bites they want from the ground to to send the signal to the rest of the nalist: Shujaat Bukhari, the found
ganization (ILO) covering organised and unorganised nors among those detained: The es. fi t into their studio scripts. People tribe. Battered by revenue short ing editor of ‘Rising Kashmir’. But,
sector workers’ safety, including the Occupational Safe Washington Post; Detenus fl own Yet, with foreign correspon oblige but viewers do not see the fall, salary cuts and job losses, then, does a Chinar tree make
ty and Health Convention, 1981. Those ILO instruments out of overcrowded jails: AFP; dents being denied permits to go security men behind the camera.” most fell in line. An artfully creat noise when it falls, if the Indian
cover several areas of activity that the NDA govern First pellet injury death: ‘Huffi ng to Kashmir, American, Arabic, A charitable explanation for the ed class divide among journalists, media is not around?
ment’s occupational safety Code now seeks to amalga ton Post’; Soura, epicentre of resis British, French and German media nearwholesale capitulation — the between local and national, Pandit
tance: Reuters; First bullet injury organisations have relied entirely “underhand censorship” as one and Muslim, Indian and foreign, Krishna Prasad is former Editor-in-Chief,
mate, but without the systemic reform that is necessary
death: France 24; Beatings, tor on homegrown journalists for media watcher called it — is that, in has polarised positions, and re ‘Outlook’ magazine, and former member,
to empower workers. It is essential, therefore, that the ture: BBC, The Independent; Ha their standout coverage, which the epoch of hypernationalism, moved empathy from the Press Council of India
new Code go back to the drawing board for careful scru
tiny by experienced parliamentarians, aided by fresh
inputs from employees, employers and experts. Indus
tries that use hazardous processes and chemicals de
serve particular attention, and the Code must have
The larger picture about inclusive programming
clear defi nitions, specifying limits of exposure for work India is in a unique position to scale up ‘same language subtitling’, improving both media access and reading literacy
ers. Compromising on safety can lead to extreme con lead. Still, India’s foray into TV reading skill improvement, and achieve its commitment to SDG 4
sequences that go beyond factories, and leave someth captioning is signifi cant for two improved reading skills result in on quality education, we need so
ing that is etched in the nation’s memory as in the case reasons. It is one of the fi rst major much higher rates of newspaper lutions, backed by evidence, and
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T
he Ministry of Information has been established for mass Inspired by the Indian expe Broadcasting has taken the most
on Federer’s record in the race for tennis’ apex and Broadcasting (MIB) re reading literacy. rience, there is an active campaign important step toward main
cently mandated captioning one billion viewers, and, fi nally, in the United Kingdom to TurnOn streaming TV captioning. Now, to
R
afael Nadal’s relationship with hard courts can be
for TV programming in order to Key goals media access for 65 million aurally TheSubtitles (TOTS) by default in gether with the Ministry of Elec
described as tenuous at best. While he is the king
make it accessible to the Deaf or At a time when countries are challenged people. children’s programming. Ironical tronics and Information
of clay and quite adept on grass, the acrylic has Hard of Hearing population. The searching for scalable and evi All English channels in India ly, while India plans to follow in Technology, policy needs to man
often been his bane. Over the years, the Spaniard has decision comes nearly four de dencebased solutions to achieve have been implementing SLS for the footsteps of the U.S. and the date SLS on all digital OverThe
found the surface unforgiving; from his back to both his cades after the United States fi rst their Sustainable Development fi lm and general entertainment U.K. to get started on captioning Top (OTT) platforms. Although
hips right down to his knees, all have suff ered signifi implemented captioning for the Goals (SDGs), SLS in India, if im content for over a decade. A fasci for media access, the U.K. is draw translation subtitling is common
cant wear and tear. Yet, none of this stopped the 33 same purpose. India’s phasewise plemented as mandated, is poised nating study that compared ‘dub ing on SLS work in India for read place on OTT platforms and they
yearold from securing his fourth U.S. Open title on implementation plan requires all to make a massive contribution to bing’ with ‘subtitling’ countries of ing literacy. India is in a unique po off er SLS in English, none of them
800 plus channels to start this on SDG4 on quality education; this is English content on TV found that sition to scale up SLS on TV for has SLS in the Indian languages,
Sunday, making him the most successful champion at
at least one programme a week, because quality education, foun the population in the latter group both goals: media access and read such as Hindi subtitles for Hindi
Flushing Meadows this decade above Novak Djokovic beginning August 15, 2019, Inde dationally, depends on good read has better English language profi ing literacy. content and so on. This is simply
(3). The thrilling fi veset win over Russian Daniil Medve pendence Day. By 2020, 10% of all ing skills. ciency. English channels in India The cost of SLS is negligible for because policy does not yet re
dev gave Nadal his 19th Major and puts him just one programming must have captions; India has a billion TV viewers. added SLS on their own to help new content when incorporated in quire SLS on OTT.
short of recordholder Roger Federer. To be sure, the the fi gure is to grow by 10% every The average Indian watches TV for the Indian ear grasp unfamiliar the production process itself. To Civil society has shown how SLS
surface is still his least favourite. Last month, when he year, covering up to 50% of all pro 3 hours and 46 minutes every day, English accents, causing a rise in institutionalise SLS on TV, broad can be implemented costeff ec
won the Rogers Cup in Montreal, it was the fi rst time in gramming by 2025. according to the latest FICCI–EY viewership. Importantly, the En cast policy could, therefore, simp tively. Academia has provided
Media & Entertainment report glish SLS experience establishes ly mandate it for all new content strong evidence that SLS works re
his illustrious career that he had defended a hard court
The wellspring (2019). Film (24%) and general en that it is not diffi cult for the enter produced and telecast after a set markably well to achieve the mul
title. As recently as in 201718, there was a stretch during The policy impetus for this deci tertainment (53%) are the domi tainment industry to implement date. tiple goals of media access, read
which he retired or withdrew from 11 of the 12 hard sion is rooted in the Rights of Per nant genres. All of this content is SLS systemwide, if it so desires. For more than a decade, the An ing literacy and language learning.
court events he had entered. However, the latest tri sons with Disabilities Act, 2016 now required to have SLS, in all Studies in India are at the global nual Status of Education Reports The entertainment industry must
umph showed what a healthy, wellrested and mentally which made “subtitles” on TV a languages. forefront of advancing SLS for (ASER) have found that, national play its part by turning on SLS for
sharp Nadal could achieve. While in 2018 he had left right. The major challenge for the Scientifi c evidence suggests that reading literacy, having proven in ly, half the rural children in stan audiovisual content in all Indian
New York limping, after three long, bruising encoun Ministry now is to ensure com SLS on TV would serve three goals: several TV pilots that: SLS causes dard 5 cannot read standard 2le languages. SLS is a right. Let us do
pliance by all channels, state and daily and automatic reading litera automatic and inescapable read vel text. Despite all the the right thing.
ters, Nadal this time, at least until the fi nal, was su
private, as set in the time table. cy practice for one billion viewers, ing engagement even among very systemlevel inputs on quality edu
premely effi cient. The court did its bit too; slightly be Captioning on TV for the aural including 500 million weakread weak readers who can barely de cation, this outcome measure has Brij Kothari is on the faculty of IIM
low mediumpace, it gave Nadal a fraction extra to set lychallenged is not new. Many ers who would benefi t the most; code a few letters; regular expo stubbornly resisted any notewor Ahmedabad and co-founder of
up his shots and at the same time rewarded his recently countries have followed the U.S.’s Indian language improvement for sure to SLS leads to measurable thy improvement. If India is to PlanetRead and BookBox
acquired aggressive streak.
The success is also another indicator that the Big 3 of LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, all in their thirties, are still
the hegemonic class in men’s tennis. Medvedev ap
Amazon fi res and get the Brazilian leader is just a transfer of a Chief the collegium could have cancelled, with the result deterrence is the main
peared to usher in the next generation for a fl eeting set
We now know the obverse to see reason in saving this Justice of one High Court to considered her request to that posts in these areas objective, then the fi nes too
or two but couldn’t deny a 12th straight Major for the ce side of the “Amazon forest jewel of the earth. another. Criticising the roll back its decision. remained unfi lled, thereby should be realistic. However,
lebrated trio. In fact, an astonishing 51 of the last 59 fi re” story and the need to Praveen B., prerogative of the A. Jainulabdeen, delaying development. More for dangerous and drunken
Slams dating back to the 2005 French Open have been prioritise fossil fuel Hyderabad collegium that is mandated Chennai often than not, such a driving or wilful violation of
cornered by the three. What it now does is set up a tan emission reduction to make such judicial transfer was not viewed as in traffi c rules, the fi nes may be
talising endgame in the race to most Grand Slam titles. (Editorial page, “The Chief Justice’s transfer transfers is uncalled for. ■ During my service as the public interest but as being reasonably higher.
It is a competition that the protagonists Federer (20), Amazon fi res, an alarm that Too much is being read into R. Prabhu Raj, head of a division in a biased, punitive in nature Nevertheless, it is a fact that
lacks proportion”, the “unusual transfer” of Bengaluru Central government and unusual. There is need the dismal condition of roads
Nadal (19) and Djokovic (16) attest to being least inter
September 10). However, the Chief Justice of the department, I often to change this attitude. and the absence of signalling
ested in. But coming as it does when the threat from the we should not forget that Madras High Court, Justice ■ It is only the justice encountered several cases of Perhaps Justice Tahilramani at many intersections are
younger crop appears genuine, it is a compelling scena the Amazon forests are the Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani delivery system and the refusal by staff under my would have sent out a responsible for numerous
rio for the fans at least. On the women’s side, however, lungs of the earth and their to the Meghalaya High public at large that stand to charge to get transferred to powerful signal had she accidents. Moreover, fi nes
the thrill of novelty continued unabated with Canadian conservation is a must. Court (Editorial, September lose, being unable to make “undesirable areas” — North accepted the order. are seldom imposed for
teen sensation Bianca Andreescu becoming the latest There can be no quibbling 10). Instead of looking at it use of Justice Tahilramani’s east India, Jammu and N. Rama Rao, vehicles that emit plumes of
fi rsttime Slam winner. In her remarkable straight sets about this. The politics over as a step done with the best vast judicial experience Kashmir, or even the Chennai smoke from tailpipes, those
victory over Serena Williams, the 19yearold played the cause of the fi res must intention of leveraging her (Page 1, “Don’t wish to Andaman Islands even without functioning lights
end. And is there anyone experience of having served discuss my transfer or though they were liable for New traffi c rules and horn or even visible
with the kind of intelligence, imagination and audacity
who is championing the at various courts across resignation, says transfer anywhere in India There needs to be a relook of number plates.
that is usually the preserve of the sport’s very best, as cause of the natives whose India, the hue and cry over Tahilramani”, September according to service rules. the new traffi c rules with Shivaji K. Moitra,
she left the American legend’s dream of a record only source of livelihood is it shows our scant regard 10). Though it is arguable The person concerned would their provision for huge fi nes Kharagpur, West Bengal
equalling 24th Major in tatters, yet again. the Amazon forest? The for the collective decision that “one high court is as try to move heaven and and being enthusiastically more letters online:
world must get together of the collegium. After all, it good as any other”, perhaps earth to get the order enforced across India. If www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
The absentee constitutional court
Unlike in 1976, the judiciary has not upheld the suspension of civil rights — instead, it has ducked, evaded and adjourned
betrayed that principle. It has ment of when a region was ‘ready’ Kashmir and ‘meet’ the indivi
been condemned as the darkest for democracy. duals who were (allegedly) under
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mally overruled it, stating that it If Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Doval’s scheme, no citizen needs a certifi
Suspicion that the Ansari case is being diluted should be ‘buried ten fathom deep arguments are taken as the offi cial cate of permission from a court to
underscores need for antilynching law Gautam Bhatia with no chance of resurrection’. In justifi cations for the lockdown and travel through the country. And
its place, the court erected the the detentions, then it should be under cover of granting this ‘per
T
he decision of the Jharkhand police that the kill
principle of proportionality: if the clear that there are some serious mission’, the court has refused to
ing of Tabrez Ansari, 24, in June did not amount
‘U
ltimately, the object of de state wants to infringe peoples’ doubts about whether the consti pronounce on the validity of the
to murder is quite debatable. They have chosen priving a few of their li rights in service of a larger goal, tutional requirement of propor detentions themselves: it has
to charge the 11 men arrested for his lynching with cul berty for a temporary pe then it must demonstrate that the tionality is fulfi lled. But even as sought to fashion ad hoc compro
pable homicide that does not amount to murder. To the riod has to be to give to many the measures it is adopting bear some 37 days, government offi cials have the argument has raged in the pu mises in individual cases, without
layman, it would seem strange that those who labelled perennial fruits of freedom.’ It was rational relationship with the goal. justifi ed both moves. In Brussels, blic sphere — in newspapers, discharging its constitutional obli
Ansari a thief, tied him to a pole and assaulted him for with these words that the Supreme More importantly, it must show External Aff airs Minister S. Jaish through interviews, and in the gation to adjudicate the legality of
hours at night, are not going to be prosecuted for mur Court held that the fundamental that rights are being infringed to ankar asked: ‘How do I cut off halls of the United Nations (the the lockdown and the detentions.
rights to life and liberty stood sus the minimum possible extent. And communication between the ter criticism by UN High Commission And so, through this judicial eva
der. It is not clear if the police are going to include ac
pended during Indira Gandhi’s the constitutionality of the state’s rorists and their masters on the er for Human Rights Michelle Ba sion, the status quo continues.
counts that claim he was forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Emergency. The court’s verdict — actions is to be tested by the one hand, but keep the Internet chelet being the latest) — there is
This aspect may help establish a clear sectarian motive popularly known as the habeas courts, keeping in mind Justice open for other people?’ More re one place where it has been con Unchallenged executive writ
on the part of the crowd to turn into a lynch mob and at corpus judgment — was based H.R. Khanna’s famous dissenting cently, National Security Adviser spicuously absent: the courts. Thus, by not ruling upon the cases
tack him. It is known that it was only the arrival of the upon the principle of ‘executive opinion in the habeas corpus case: Ajit Doval said that political lead Unlike the Emergency, the before it, in eff ect, the courts have
police that ended the assault on him. That the police supremacy’. This principle holds that the ‘greatest danger to liberty ers would remain in custody until courts have not upheld the go allowed the infringements of civil
have chosen to prosecute them for culpable homicide that in ‘times of peril’, civil liber lies in insidious encroachment by ‘the environment is created for de vernment’s actions — so far. What liberties to continue. And they
ties must be subordinated to the men of zeal, wellmeaning but mocracy to function’, and refused they have done is dodged, ducked, have done so in a particularly insi
shows that the causal link between the assault on his
interests of the state. What are lacking in due deference for the to say how long this would last. evaded, and adjourned. Political dious manner: by exempting the
person and his death has been established. It is true these ‘times of peril’? The govern rule of law’. Mr. Jaishankar’s argument was leader Shah Faesal’s petition chal government from its constitution
that the line between culpable homicide and murder is ment will decide. Whose rights vehemently opposed. A few days lenging his detention has been al obligation to explain itself, and
thin. It is the courts that usually assess the circumstanc will be curtailed, and how? The go Habeas corpus in 2019 earlier, rights experts from the Un twice adjourned by the Delhi High by exempting themselves from
es in which a homicide took place and decide whether vernment will decide. When will From August 5, 2019, the State of ited Nations had called the com Court (one time because the go their obligation to hold the govern
it amounted to murder or not. Murder is punishable un freedoms be restored? The go Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) has munication lockdown a form of vernment lawyer was not pre ment to account. This is nothing
der Section 302 with death or life imprisonment, while vernment will decide. The judici been placed under a ‘communica “collective punishment”, where, sent). At the time of writing, it has other than executive supremacy
ary, held the Supreme Court, was tions lockdown’. In addition, polit under the guise of ‘prevention’, an been over two weeks since the pe by stealth: at the time at which the
forms of culpable homicide attract either a life term or
to ‘act on the presumption that ical leaders along with an un entire population’s rights were ta tition was fi led. judiciary is most needed to defend
10 years in prison under Section 304 of the IPC. powers [of preventive detention] known number of other ken away for the actions of a few. Meanwhile, things have not civil liberties, it has simply vacated
The offi cial explanation for concluding that it was not are not being abused’. individuals have been detained. Collective punishment is an inhe fared any better at the Supreme the fi eld, absented itself, and cho
murder is unconvincing. The twopronged argument is The hollowness of the Supreme These moves followed the Centre’s rently disproportionate infringe Court. Petitions challenging the sen to walk away.
that the medical report gave the cause of death as ‘car Court’s position was soon re decision to downgrade J&K’s ‘spe ment of fundamental rights. Oth lockdown have also been repeat In the 19th century, the Russian
diac arrest due to stress’, and the fact that the victim vealed. After the end of the Emer cial status’ under Article 370 of the ers pointed at the irrationality of edly adjourned (the fi rst time with playwright Alexander Pushkin
did not die immediately, but succumbed some days la gency, the government’s excesses Constitution, and eventually con the justifi cation: if the mere threat the court remarking that the go wrote ‘Boris Godunov’, a timeless
ter. The police also say a second opinion from forensic — committed under cover of the vert it into two separate Union of terrorism or violence is the vernment should be ‘given some tragedy about power and tyranny.
habeas corpus judgment — came Territories. ground for cutting off communica time’ — a striking echo of the ha Its last line is a stage direction,
experts was that the death was caused due to a combi
to light. These included the tor Both moves violate crucial fun tion, then the lockdown ought to beas corpus case). By the next date upon the investiture of a new tsar
nation of heart attack and the injuries he suff ered. It is ture and murder of dissidents. The damental rights. A communica be extended to the entire country. of hearing (September 16), the before the public: “The people are
quite obvious that merely attributing death to a heart episode was a stark reminder of tions shutdown violates the free Additionally, recent scholarship lockdown would have been in silent.” This is in stark contrast
attack is meaningless without referring to the trauma one basic principle: absolute pow dom of speech and expression, has shown that there is no evi place for more than 40 days. But with lines uttered by Lord Atkin, a
caused by the physical assault. It may not make a legal er corrupts absolutely. Our repu prevents those outside the State dence that communication lock perhaps, most grotesquely, the great English judge: “Amid the
diff erence to the prosecution whether the accused are blican Constitution is, therefore, from being in touch with their fa downs contain violence; if anyth court has engaged in a bizarre per clash of arms, the laws are not si
given a life term for murder or mere culpable homicide based upon a system of checks milies, provides cover for civil ing, the available evidence points version of the right to habeas cor lent.” In India, in 2019, the people
and balances, where even the go rights violations that cannot come the other way. And Mr. Doval’s ar pus: when petitions challenging of Jammu and Kashmir have been
not amounting to murder. However, invoking only the
vernment must always be held ac to light, and fi nally, in this day and gument was nothing but a reitera detentions came up before the silenced. But the Supreme Court
off ence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder countable for its actions. When age, damages an entire infrastruc tion of the principle of executive bench of the Chief Justice of India, has elected to silence itself. Amid
may make it easier for the defence to claim that their of these actions infringe fundamen ture, of health, food, and tran supremacy — that the government and hearings take place, instead of the clash of arms, that is a tragedy
fence lacked premeditation or intention. Instead, they tal rights, accountability must be sport, causing real suff ering. De would decide when to detain, calling upon the government to in its own right.
could claim that they were deprived of their selfcontrol sought in a court of law. tention selfevidently violates whom to detain, and for how long justify itself, the bench has ‘auth
by the “provocation” given by the victim. The narrative The habeas corpus judgment personal liberty. And over the last to detain, based upon its assess orised’ the petitioners to go to Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based lawyer
in recent lynching incidents that it was the victim who
was at fault may come in for needless reiteration unless
the prosecution resolutely makes a case of murder. The
suspicion that the charge is being diluted underscores
Striking a blow for investigative credibility
the need for a special antilynching law. Such a law Probe agencies should be given more freedom to be professional without diluting the controls already in place
could cover acts of group violence, whether spontane
by the former. Most of them try in the times of the noted jurist, Jus ing such custody. Investigators
ous or planned, so that those who join lynch mobs do
earnest to place the correct facts tice V.R. Krishna Iyer, and the have been pilloried over this be
not gain from any ambiguity about their intentions. before the judge. courts have been generally liberal cause of possible misuse in ques
In such a backdrop, it is refresh in granting bail (this includes pre tioning under controlled condi
ing to note a bench of the Supreme arrest or the socalled ‘anticipato tions. Custodial questioning is
Brexit brinkmanship R.K. Raghavan
Court, of Justice R. Banumathi and
Justice A.S. Bopanna, observing
ry bail’), the growing volume of
crime and the dexterity of many
with a view to getting details
which have not been obtained ear
Boris Johnson is fi rm on leaving by October 31, recently that probe agencies such off enders have induced a certain lier under routine examination. It
as the Enforcement Directorate change in judicial thinking. Courts would not be fair to say that such
but a lastminute breakthrough looks remote
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hese are hugely contentious and the Central Bureau of Investi at all levels now believe that grant custody is sought only to humiliate
T
he recently enacted law to stop Britain from leav times for India’s criminal jus gation (CBI) needed a free hand to ing bail cannot be a routine and an accused person. Police custody
ing the European Union (EU) without an agree tice system. With sensational conduct their investigations. This mechanical process, and that cer casts a serious responsibility on
ment has brought little certainty that a cliff edge criminal cases, many of them in was in response to a demand tain cases deserve an application the investigating offi cer. Any pres
volving celebrities, controversy made by certain defence lawyers, layered economic crime, on the of mind while ordering bail. This sure tactics or attempted physical
exit will be avoided. Despite failing to block that legisla
erupts almost every day. that courts, even at the pretrial one hand, and pressure from the slight shift in stance has led to violence (the usual thing in the
tion and twice losing his bid to hold a general election, The courtroom presents an in stage, should be in a position to public and the executive on the lengthy hearings before a bail ap past) on the person in custody is
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is defi ant that the country teresting picture. The judiciary scrutinise every piece of evidence other, the pressure that the CBI plication is disposed of. It has fraught with serious consequences
must leave on October 31. His refusal to seek a further stands apart, enjoying a certain in collected by the agencies before should produce instant results is rightly invited adverse comments as far as the investigator is con
threemonth extension from the EU has raised con sularity. It has the advantage of be passing any orders, including telling. As a result, the spotlight is that while the application of an or cerned. This must amplify the fact
cerns that the government could be held in contempt of ing required not to be overly com those related to the granting of solely on the agencies. dinary off ender is summarily re that a request for custodial interro
parliament. With other hardline eurosceptics, Mr. John municative, which enables it to bail. The essence of the charge jected, the rich and the famous are gation is made after due evalua
stay away from direct confronta The top court’s positive obser against the CBI — some recent cas able to persuade judges to devote tion of the pros and cons. When
son has long resisted calls to take no deal off the table,
tion with others. Next are the pro vations permitting a certain lati es are examples — is that it has several sittings to decide the fate of there are reasonable guarantees,
adamant that without such a threat, the government secutors and investigators who tude to an investigating offi cer are been selective in its targets, pursu their bail application. including accountability to the
could not strike a bargain in its EU negotiations. Oppo plough a lonely furrow with none based on an anxiety that investiga ing a campaign of vendetta at the In fairness to courts, however, judiciary for civilised treatment of
sition parties and several rebel Tories have stressed the to support them; it is about the is tors should not be pressured to behest of its political masters. It is they now demand and peruse pro an accused in police custody, I
fact that the 2016 referendum merely asked Britons sue of trust. As for the defence compromise on the confi dentiality strange that critics do not dispute secution documents to satisfy wonder why there is a hue and cry
whether they would stay in, or leave the bloc. Moreov team, a few articulate private la of evidence they have gathered the fundamental facts on which a themselves that no injustice has when an accused person is re
er, as the agreement still on the table has been rejected wyers hired by some infl uential ac during the process of data collec case has been built against the ac been done to a bail applicant. quired to be held in police custody
repeatedly by Conservative MPs, it was the entire legis cused persons seem to enjoy an tion. In my view, the top court’s cused. They harp only on alleged When this is the case, neither the for a few days.
immunity that encourages them to stand is sensible and reasonable. procedural irregularities. The fact prosecution nor those accused Criminal law and its contours
lature’s responsibility to determine the precise terms of
go overboard, often bordering on Investigators are sure to breathe is that the latter can be blamed on can complain of judicial caprice or are evolving. It is easy to criticise
the historic exit. With the many controversial ma contempt, both within and out more easy now while discharging ly if during a trial the court fi nds arbitrariness in the matter. and accuse police agencies
noeuvres thwarted, the government has been forced to side court. In their perception, the their duties, instead of being wary malicious prosecution actuated by charged with effi cient solving of
renew its eff orts to fi nd fresh terms to reach an agree prosecution team is somehow try of being bamboozled either by the personal motives. During an ongo Custodial interrogation crime with arbitrariness. They are
ment with Brussels. Ahead of a meeting with his Irish ing to fi x the accused. . court or the defence. ing investigation, the issue of esta There is also controversy over the carrying out an extremely diffi cult
counterpart on Monday, Mr. Johnson proposed aligning In all this, investigators have no blishing malice does not normally need for custodial interrogation of job under “pressure cooker condi
Northern Ireland with the EU single market solely for mechanism to air their grievances, These are changed times arise. an accused person. The complexi tions”. The attempt should not be
and are made to bear the cross I can only refl ect on goingson in Recent events have fl agged two ty of present day crime and the to choke them. Rather, the accent
agricultural products. Dublin has said that the idea
when things go wrong. In sum, the the CBI some two decades ago. main issues in court: the right of ease with which the many details should be on allowing them more
could not go far since agribusiness forms a small pro prosecution lawyers and investi Back then in the early 1980s and an accused to get bail and the need of a crime can be hidden enhance freedom to be professional with
portion of its trade with Belfast. There is also a move to gating offi cers are pitted in an un 1990s, arrests were rare. But now, for custodial interrogation by the need for custodial examina out diluting the controls that are
bring Northern Ireland under the regulatory frame equal battle against the defence. I given the sheer volume and com probe agencies. Although the max tion. While courts are convinced already in place.
work of the EU single market, mooted in 2017 by the EU. perceive here a certain lack of ap plexity of investigative processes, im that ‘bail is the rule, and jail is of its utility, nevertheless, they are
This was rejected subsequently by the Democratic Un preciation for the hard work put in especially those linked to multi an exception’ has held sway since circumspect and sparing in grant R.K. Raghavan is a former CBI Director
ionist Party (DUP) and Theresa May as potentially detri
mental to the U.K.’s sovereignty, unity and integrity.
Such an arrangement would entail erecting border
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
checkpoints between Northern Ireland and Britain.
Towards dystopia? know the facts (Editorial PR outreach, has made the However, pointing the fi nger performance but because of interests of justice will be
The alternative is the now famous Irish backstop, Any attempt to impose a page, “The drumbeaters of vast majority believe that at such preferences for the a lack of viable alternatives. betterserved by such a
which would keep the U.K. in an EU Customs union, but fascist or totalitarian system dystopia,” Sept. 11). nothing can go wrong as far fall in automobile sales is a Now, to further divert move. Some reports in the
strip London of room to make trade deals with third of government begins with A.G. Rajmohan, as its leader is concerned; as stretch too far (News page, attention from the economic press suggest that the
countries. That has already been voted down thrice by the regime’s fi rm control on Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh a corollary, any criticism of “Millennial mindset is a slowdown, it is investing punctuality of Justice V.K.
Parliament under Ms. May and dismissed by Mr. John a country’s media. It is the the leader is treated as an factor,” Sept. 11). The political capital in moves like Tahilramani was an issue.
son and other eurosceptics. But the DUP’s support has case of a blackout in ■ Both the willingness of aff ront to the entire nation. government cannot wish the Article 370 dilution and This is unconvincing; even if
little relevance to the Conservative government, which Kashmir but even in the major sections of the Indian Instead of holding a mirror away the fact that the National Register of true, a transfer for such a
rest of the country, an media to toe the line of the to the establishment, the demonetisation and faulty Citizens in Assam. fl imsy reason appears
is already without a majority after Mr. Johnson sacked
attempt to subjugate media establishment and the fourth estate has been trying implementation of the Goods G. Shankar, disproportionate. If there is
21 MPs for backing the ‘stop no deal’ legislation. There is being actively carried out government’s armtwisting in to press the point that a and Services Tax are to Chennai something else that bothered
is speculation that the government could revive the pro by the dispensation and its the form of threats to ban leadership that attempts the blame for the downturn. the collegium, it should have
posal on retaining only Northern Ireland’s status, not supporters. A paper like advertisements have been ‘unimaginable’ and Many small businesses have An opaque move been stated. It is unfortunate
withstanding Mr. Johnson’s assurances to the DUP lead The Hindu was abused on completely exposed. In their ‘unthinkable’ is always right. had to close shop due to the A transfer of a High Court that the apex court, which
er. The latter option aff ords the only chance there is of social media for its Rafale scramble to promote the G.B. Sivanandam, complex methodology Judge has to be for very demands transparency in all
an agreement at the October summit of EU leaders and revelations. The ruling government’s Coimbatore involved in fi ling GST strong reasons that are actions of the government
party never condemned misadventures, news outlets returns. Low organisational welldocumented and can be and public administration,
Britain leaving with a deal at the end of the month.
such acts by its supporters. have acted as cheerleaders Minister’s remarks turnovers are a factor in verifi ed, because such a chose to remain opaque.
Should an accord with the bloc prove elusive, Mr. John At the end of the day, more on various issues — be it The Finance Minister is right there being no major job move impinges upon the R.V. Easwar,
son is under legal obligation to seek an extension. But than the publishers being demonetisation or the when she says that creation in the last 34 years. public’s confi dence in the New Delhi
10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Congress, stuck in a quagmire
Plagued by ideological schisms and impaired by defections and arrests, the grand old party has hit a dead end
peace and pushed the economy to velopment Council, to insist that
Bolton goes ruin. But with every setback, every
blunder, their party gathered
he wanted Muslims to have the
‘fi rst claim’ over ‘resources’. Sev
more followers and more victo eral clarifi cations notwithstand
India must not allow its ties with the U.S. to be ries, its success run culminating fi ing, the BJP continues ad nauseam
dictated by the dynamics of the Trump regime nally in the humongous second to repeat its charge. Similarly, in
Vidya Subrahmaniam term it pulled off in May 2019. The 2007, the party seized on Mr.
T
he departure of U.S. National Security Advisor BJP thundered home on strategic Singh’s remarks concerning Mo
w
(NSA) John Bolton from offi ce, after he was forced
I
n the wake of the divide within brilliance and majoritarian bluster hamed Haneef, an Indianorigin
to leave by President Donald Trump, won’t evoke the Congress Party on the Na while the Congress’s lack of stra doctor in Australia who was falsely
much sadness in most world capitals. Mr. Bolton’s term rendra Modi government’s un tegic vision, compounded by a accused of aiding terrorists. To
ro
in offi ce was marked by his ultrahawkish positions; he ilateral moves on Jammu and brain fog on its core belief, day, the same BJP justifi es the elec
pursued hostilities with Iran, sanctions with Russia, Kashmir ( J&K), an idealistic party brought it a second humiliating de tion to the Lok Sabha of Pragya
insider pointed to me the irony of feat in the Lok Sabha. Thakur, an accused in a Hindutva
brinkmanship on trade with China, opposed talks on
or
the chorus against the party’s ‘fi rst The Congress’s offi cial line on terrorism case.
Afghanistan, and with North Korean leader Kim Jong family’ — when push came to the J&K moves has, in a way, taken with the public sentiment. Former feated by Hinduism. Mr. Gandhi’s The charge of ‘Muslim appease
un, and pushed for regime change in Venezuela. A shove, it was the Gandhis, Sonia the party back to its ideological Union Minister Kumari Selja appa Shiv bhakti, his visits to temples ment’ is now permanently stuck to
former U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Mr. Bolton in and Rahul, supported by sections moorings — something its leader rently asked how there could be a and his fl aunting of his janeu Rahul Gandhi, making a mockery
m
fl icted the greatest damage on multilateral institutions of the muchderided ‘old guard’, ship seemed to have forgotten in debate on a core ideological issue (sacred thread) were all aimed at of his attempts to embrace Hin
and agreements, as he advocated the U.S.’s exit from who had proven to be ideological the race to compete with the BJP which should have been automati showing that he was a real Hindu duism. The allegations have
the Human Rights Council and UNESCO, presided over ly and constitutionally committed for the heart and the mind of the cally clear to the party. However, as opposed to his rabid Hindutva fl owed from the BJP’s highest
and correct. Hindu majority. Rahul Gandhi’s the battle lines were drawn — the counterpart in the Sangh Parivar. echelons. Amit Shah has accused
to
the cancellation of the multiparty nuclear deal with
A good chunk of the party’s fi rst tweet on J&K on August 6, Gandhis, the nowjailed former Fi He should have known that the BJP Mr. Gandhi of ‘helping Pakistan’
Iran, and informed Moscow that the U.S. was pulling
younger generation, among them 2019, which charged the govern nance Minister P. Chidambaram, had changed the lexicon of nation via his statements on J&K. One
out of the 1987 IntermediateRange Nuclear Forces Jyotiraditya Scindia and Milind De ment with unconstitutional action Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ms. Selja and a al debate: ‘Hindutva’ is the new year ago, Minister Nirmala Sithara
Treaty. His fi nal act, one that is regarded with relief in
India, was to ensure that the U.S. deal with the Pakistan
backed Taliban was scuttled. The relief, however, may
be temporary, given that Mr. Trump has publicly criti
ora, lined up behind the govern
ment. They either cited the gung
ho public support for the forced
integration of J&K with the Union
or held the government’s actions,
ds and abuse of executive power,
predictably had the Hindutva troll
army descend on him and savage
him as an ‘antinational’ and a ‘Pa
kistani agent’.
few others on one side and the re
bels on the other side.
It will surprise no one if the end
point of the dissent turns out to be
‘destination BJP’, the way forward
‘Hinduism’ and ‘nuance’ is a word
long purged and excised from peo
ple’s memory and understanding.
The BJP’s followers, growing in
numbers and shrillness, have been
man joined BJP trolls in heckling
Mr. Gandhi for a mere meeting
with Muslim intellectuals.
The Congress is in a quagmire
from which there appears to be no
ar
cised his outgoing NSA, and may reverse many of the
even if unconstitutional, to be in The Congress Working Commit having already been shown by conditioned to demand full adhe escape. The party watches help
positions the U.S. had taken with Mr. Bolton at the
the ‘national interest’. If this falsi tee’s resolution was even more ex Bhubaneswar Kalita, the Con rence to a belief system that ex lessly as the BJP picks and chooses
helm. The fi rst such reversal is an off er to meet Iranian fi ed the dichotomy between the plicit. Alongside deploring the gress’s chief whip in the Rajya Sab cludes Muslims by thought, ac its targets: men known for their in
President Hassan Rouhani without any preconditions
w
‘old’ and the ‘young’ in the Con “unilateral”, “brazen” and “unde ha. Mr. Kalita himself joined the tion, and now, even by law, as telligence or mobilising capabili
on the sidelines of the UNGA session this month made gress and challenged the assump mocratic” way in which Article hordes, especially from the Con demonstrated by the unapologeti ties such as P. Chidambaram and
by U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. tion that a younger, nonGandhi 370 was revoked, it made the point gress units in Karnataka and the cally sectarian Citizenship Amend D.K. Shivakumar. The people who
to
While New Delhi must continue to keep a keen eye member would necessarily be a that the Article represented the NorthEastern parts of the coun ment Bill. believe that these Congress lead
on all the changes in the White House and Cabinet, it is good candidate to lead the party, it terms of the Instrument of Acces try, that have bought themselves The change, since reinvented as ers are corrupt do not ever ask
also brutally exposed the ideologi sion between J&K and India and better lives in the BJP, using in ‘New India’, has been in the mak why the BJP spares its own men
clear that investing too much in any one adviser, or ex
cal schisms within the party ranks. therefore deserved to be “ho each instance the catch phrases ing for decades. It started with the and defectors to the party. All this
e/
pecting consistency in American policy as a result, noured” until it was amended, af ‘nationalism’ and ‘national Ram Janmabhoomi movement even as more and more Congress
would be a folly. Since he assumed offi ce in 2017, Mr. ‘Nothing succeeds like failure’ ter “consultation with all sections interest’. and the razing of the Babri Masjid persons either fall to the seduction
Trump has run a revolving door for recruitments and The Congress had once again of the people”. The emphasis was and gained muscle during the of muscular nationalism or advo
.m
sanctions. On the bilateral front, India must build its adventures that shattered the unconvinced and reiterated the Gandhi especially, mistakenly be line, torn out of context, from Mr. with the Hindu Centre for Politics & Public
strategic and economic relationship with the U.S. with a country’s communal and social need to align the party’s position lieved that Hindutva could be de Singh’s address to the National De Policy
keener eye on the transactional thinking that now pre
tp
vails in Washington. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi
heads to the U.S. this month, with a plan to meet the
U.S. President, it may be best to keep in mind the words A U.S.Iran detente could be on the cards
ht
of Mr. Pompeo, a contender for the NSA position; asked
about the impact of Mr. Bolton’s exit on U.S. foreign pol The exit of John Bolton, and Israel’s diminished infl uence on Washington, signal a possible reduction in tensions
icy, he said the only person who determines who works
for Mr. Trump, and what that means for the policy of
Some of Mr. Trump’s closest as the U.S. and especially on Mr. Iran. He was also strongly opposed
the U.S., is Mr. Trump himself.
sociates, especially the recently Trump to attempt to block such a to the deal that Zalmay Khalilzad
sacked National Security Advisor meeting if he decides to go ahead had worked out with the Taliban
John Bolton, have been promoting with it. Mr. Netanyahu seemed to in order to begin an orderly with
Futile fi nes a policy that amounted to advocat
ing a regime change in Iran, even if
confi rm this understanding this
week when he stated: “Obviously,
drawal of American forces from
Afghanistan. Mr. Bolton’s virulent
Better enforcement and infrastructure are key Mohammed Ayoob by force. However, Mr. Trump is I don’t tell the U.S. President when opposition to any deal with Iran
to mitigating anger over higher road fi nes fundamentally averse to leading to meet or with whom.” short of complete denuclearisa
I
f it is not Afghanistan then it the U.S. into an openended war tion and regime change, both ob
T
he steep penalties for violation of road rules that must be Iran. U.S. President Do with Iran. This stance is prompted Diff erences with Israel jectives beyond the realm of possi
came into force on September 1 under the Motor nald Trump desperately needs largely by his attachment to his Nonetheless, this relative soften bility, had angered Mr. Trump,
Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 have produced a dramatic foreign policy break campaign promise of bringing ing of their respective stands by especially because it ran counter
a backlash, with several State governments opting to re through before the 2020 elections American soldiers home that gar the U.S. and Iran have worried the to his instinctive antipathy toward
duce the quantum of fi nes, or even to reject the new to establish his reputation as a nered a signifi cant number of Israeli establishment. This is why, getting involved in overseas mili
strategist who can shape afresh votes for him in the last election. of late, Mr. Netanyahu has once tary confl icts.
provisions. Gujarat has announced a substantial reduc
the contours of American foreign He, therefore, abhors the idea of ponse by adding that he would again been making shrill noises However, the fi ring of John Bol
tion in the fi nes, West Bengal has refused to adopt the policy. His lovefest with Kim Jong sending more of them to the vola meet Mr. Trump only after Wash about Iran’s nuclear weapons cap ton, when combined with the visi
higher penalties, Karnataka and Kerala are studying the un has petered out without pro tile West Asia. ington lifted the sanctions reim ability. He has even gone to the ex ble diminishing of Israeli infl uence
prospects to make the provisions less stringent, and ducing any noticeable reduction posed on Tehran after Mr. Trump tent of identifying a nuclear facili on U.S. policy toward Iran, signals
others are proceeding with caution. Motorists have in North Korea’s nuclear arsenal or Zarif ’s visit to Biarritz pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear ty near Isfahan that, according to that Washington is interested in
reacted with outrage at the imposition of fi nes by the any curbs on its ballistic missile These instincts were on display at deal in 2018. But the signal that him, the Iranians destroyed after easing tensions with Tehran. This
police, obviously upset at State governments pursuing programme. His attempt to get the the recently concluded G7 meet Iranian leaders are not averse to he had made its existence public. is confi rmed by the Secretary of
Taliban to accept a ceasefi re so ing in France following an unsche talking with their American coun In response Iranian Foreign Minis State Mike Pompeo’s statement on
enforcement without upgrading road infrastructure
that he could begin withdrawing duled visit by Iranian Foreign Mi terparts has been sent by Tehran ter Javad Zarif promptly tweeted: September 10 that it was possible
and making administrative arrangements for issue of American troops from Afghanis nister Mohammad Javad Zarif to and received in Washington. In “The possessor of REAL nukes that a meeting between Mr. Trump
transport documents. Union Transport Minister Nitin tan, and thus fulfi l the promise he Biarritz for talks with the French turn, Mr. Trump reciprocated by cries wolf — on an ALLEGED ‘de and Mr. Rouhani could take place
Gadkari has reiterated that it is left to the States to had made during the 2016 election President Emmanuel Macron. Pre stating that he has no problem molished’ site in Iran.” It is clear this month on the sidelines of the
choose the quantum of fi nes, since it is their responsi campaign, has also stalled because sident Macron announced at the meeting with President Rouhani. that there is a fundamental dis UN General Assembly session in
bility to bring about deterrence and protect the lives of of Kabul’s opposition and the Tali conclave that a TrumpRouhani “It could happen. It could happen. juncture between American and New York. Such a meeting, even if
citizens. Mr. Gadkari’s argument is valid, and the intent ban’s unwillingness to stop mili meeting was likely to take place in No problem with me,” he said ear Israeli objectives regarding Iran it does not immediately resolve all
tary action before a settlement is the “coming weeks”. lier this week. and recent events have begun to the contentious bilateral issues,
behind amending the Motor Vehicles Act cannot be
announced. Mr. Trump said that he had no Israel and John Bolton have bring the fi ssures in AmericanIs could form the beginning of a de
faulted. After all, India has some of the deadliest roads This leaves Iran as the only are intention of imposing regime been the two major obstacles to a raeli approaches to this issue into escalatory process that is likely to
in the world, and 1,47,913 people died in road accidents na where Mr. Trump can demon change on Iran and declared that direct encounter between the two the open. benefi t both Washington and Teh
only during 2017. The question that has arisen is wheth strate his diplomatic dexterity under the right circumstances, he Presidents as a prelude to a possi Mr. Bolton, an outspoken fo ran in the long run.
er enhanced fi nes can radically change this record even if it means returning to the would certainly agree to a meeting ble rapprochement between the reign policy hawk, has been the
when other determinants, beginning with administra status quo that had existed when with Mr. Rouhani. U.S. and Iran. Mr. Trump, despite standard bearer of the hard line Mohammed Ayoob is University
tive reform, remain untouched. President Barack Obama left of In a speech hours earlier, Mr. his close relationship with Prime visàvis Iran and is directly or indi Distinguished Professor Emeritus of
fi ce. However, Mr. Trump would Rouhani had also signalled that he Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, rectly responsible for many of the International Relations, Michigan State
The core of reform lies in Section 198(A) of the
like to add a dramatic fl ourish to was willing to talk with Trump. He seems to have concluded that the harshest measures adopted by the University, and Senior Fellow, Center for
amended law, which requires any designated authority, turning the clock back. has since qualifi ed his positive res Israeli leader is too dependent on Trump administration in regard to Global Policy, Washington, DC
contractor, consultant or concessionaire responsible
for design or construction or maintenance of the safety
standards of the road to meet those laid down by the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Central government. This provision, which prescribes a
penalty for a violation leading to death or disability, can
be enforced through litigation by road users in all Naidu’s arrest constitutional rights. Y.S. has been steadfast in its (Front page, “Nitin Gadkari its part by making the cricket team has been a
The unprecedented house Jaganmohan Reddy is determination to resist defends steep fi nes under periodic maintenance of unifi er. The team has taken
States. Since the standards are laid down, compliance arrest of N. Chandrababu setting a bad precedent by attempts at thirdparty Motor Vehicles Act,” Sept. public roads a top priority. giant strides in the game
should be ensured without waiting for a road accident Naidu and his son, who undoing initiatives of the intervention. The onus is 12 ). The imposition of steep V.N. Mukundarajan, since 2008, when it was
to prove it. Until infrastructure meets legal require planned to take out a rally previous administration on Pakistan to create a fi nes to penalise the wanton Thiruvananthapuram admitted into DivisionV of
ments, fi nes and enforcement action are naturally lia to protest against the and using law enforcement conducive climate for talks disrespect to traffi c rules the World Cricket League.
ble to be challenged in courts; the condition of roads, incumbent government, is agencies as tools of but its provocations across and disregard for the lives Brave exemplars Many of its players honed
traffi c signals, signage and cautionary markings which unwarranted and uncalled vendetta. the LoC, unwillingness to of pedestrians and fellow Afghanistan’s victory in the their skills at refugee camps
aff ect motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, would all fall for (Front page, “TDP chief M.Y. Shariff, rein in terror outfi ts and its motorists should be seen as Test against Bangladesh by across the border in
Naidu, son detained as they Chennai needless intervention in a belated policy eff ort to a huge margin of 224 runs Peshawar. Their unfl inching
within its ambit. State governments also cannot escape
attempt to take out a rally,” matters concerning Jammu deter undisciplined drivers. does not come as a desire to form a team and
responsibility for failing to reform their Regional Tran Sept. 12). Preventive Dialogue with Pakistan and Kashmir have queered The paying capacity of surprise. Leg spinner see Afghanistan play cricket
sport Authorities, since these offi ces are generally detentions and arrests by UN Secretary General the pitch. India has always drivers and the Rashid Khan, who became on a world stage has fi nally
steeped in corruption. The Transport Ministry could agencies targeting mainly Antonio Guterres’s call to wanted peace but when the eff ectiveness of using hefty the youngest Test captain, borne rich dividends.
well have made electronic delivery of RTO services the Opposition leaders have both India and Pakistan to other side is spoiling for a fi nes as a tool to deter rash deservedly won the manof R. Sivakumar,
become the usual norm. sort out their diff erences fi ght, the prospects of driving are extraneous to thematch award. For a Chennai
mandatory, something that a lapsed UPAera Bill pro
mised. It should act on this now. Ultimately, ending the Any leader has the right to through dialogue reveals dialogue are bleak. the primary task of infusing country sharply divided more letters online:
www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
take out rallies to express his anxiety over the C.V. Aravind, a fear of law in the minds of along ethnic lines, the
culture of impunity that allows government vehicles
displeasure, dissent and escalating tensions (Front Bengaluru drivers. At the same time,
and VIPs to ignore road rules will encourage the aver dissatisfaction with the page, “Sit down and talk, the fact is bad roads also corrections & clarifications: >>“Case fi led against parents
age citizen to follow them. Mr. Gadkari should lose no of toddler who fell off vehicle in Kerala” (Sept. 11, 2019): the open
government and oppose UN chief Guterres tells Instilling a fear of law cause accidents. Road ing paragraph needs to be corrected to say that the Munnar police
time in forming the National Road Safety Board to re the government within the India and Pak.,” Sept. 12 ). Road accident fatalities, safety should be a have confi rmed that the cases were registered under the Juvenile
commend important changes to infrastructure and to limits of law. Resorting to India has always made its mostly caused by rash and collaborative eff ort of the Justice Act (Section 75) and the Indian Penal Code (Section 308).
enable professional accident investigation. such house arrests amounts stand clear on all issues of negligent driving, remains society’s stakeholders. The The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
to a curtailment of confl ict with Pakistan and unacceptably high in India government should also do E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM M ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
R
emarks made by a Minister in Uttar Pradesh that
tended to sabotage the elections. ing; the Taliban’s insistence on the Third, free from elections, the
REUTERS
the construction of a temple in the disputed site
I
n a characteristically mercurial These were not allowed to aff ect announcement of the deal before Afghan government should take
at Ayodhya is a certainty because “the Supreme tweet on September 9 morning the agreement. the visit, deprived him of the lime the lead in forging a national con
Court is ours” cannot be dismissed as mere political (Indian Standard Time), U.S. mining the elections and render light for sealing the deal. sensus behind talks with the Tali
zeal displayed by a party committed to the cause. It re President Donald Trump abruptly Out of sync ing them meaningless. The fear However, while Afghanistan ban that it has failed to do until
veals a disconcerting cockiness that those in power called off ‘peace’ talks with the Ta The deal as negotiated was one was that if successful, they could and the world may breathe a sigh now.
tend to display when they believe that courts have to liban — led directly by the U.S. Spe sided, partial and highly fl awed. It have undercut plans to instal an in of relief that the Khalilzad deal has Fourth, the international com
cial Envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay was loaded heavily towards Mr. terim, transitional or powershar been aborted for now, this may be munity should support this pro
defer to those with an electoral majority. “The con
Khalilzad — citing the killing of an Trump’s goal of a withdrawal of all ing arrangement that could pro shortlived. The mindset of a un cess and focus its eff orts on the Ta
struction of a Ram temple is our resolve. The Supreme
w
American soldier just days before U.S. troops by November 2020, vide the fi gleaf of a mechanism ilateral pullout unmindful of its liban to demonstrate their
Court is ours, the judiciary, the country and the temple in a suicide bomb attack for which weak in guarantees against terro and an illusion of peace to pull out consequences for Afghanistan and ‘nationalism’ by distancing them
are ours,” is what the Minister for Cooperatives, Mukut the Taliban claimed credit. He also rism aimed at the U.S., and lacking U.S. forces. It would have paved the region and the danger of selves from Pakistan’s InterServic
ro
Bihari Verma, is reported to have said. It is reassuring to revealed that he had secretly invit safeguards for the security and the way for a dominant position Trumpian swings, remains. For es Intelligence, halting attacks
note that the Bench, which is hearing a set of appeals ed the Taliban and the Afghanis stability of Afghanistan. Unre for the Taliban in any future dis now, Mr. Trump has proclaimed against fellow Afghans, agreeing to
against the decree passed by the Allahabad High Court tan President, Ashraf Ghani, sepa solved diff erences over the with pensation before they took over the talks to be “dead” and ordered a ceasefi re, and negotiating direct
or
rately to Camp David over the drawal of the remaining troops power altogether. It would have off ensive operations. But he still ly with a representative Afghan
in the title suits, condemned the remarks, as soon as its
weekend to clinch a deal personal (8,600) amid U.S. insistence on a pushed Afghanistan towards insta needs a counterterrorism strategy delegation.
attention was drawn to them. Such irresponsible utte ly. The agreement had been in the residual counterterrorism (CT) bility and even a civil war worse for which he would have to look Fifth, resumed U.S. military
rances must be quite annoying to the judges, and unfor
m
making over many rounds of talks, and intelligence presence, and a than the intraMujahideen fi ghting for options. The demand for a pressure on the Taliban is not
givably embarrassing when they come from prominent largely in Doha, Qatar, of which lack of trust in the Taliban at criti of the 1990s with unpredictable peace process will also remain. enough. The Doha talks dispel any
members of the ruling party at the Centre. The court the Afghan government was not a cal levels in the U.S., were among consequences. Things could change again in a few doubt that the route to peace in Af
to
has said its reservations would be recorded in the order, part on account of a Taliban veto the reasons for Mr. Trump’s deci More fundamentally, the agree months. ghanistan is through Pakistan
which means that it will not let this brazen claim con that the U.S. implicitly accepted, sion. ment was also widely criticised in even though it was the U.S. that
sume its valuable time. Mr. Verma has sought to clarify ostensibly to bring peace to Other elements of what the U.S. the U.S. and elsewhere. It was seen A role for India was making the concessions. Ev
ds
Afghanistan. maintained was a composite as a “negotiated withdrawal”, “ab Nevertheless, the suspension of ery possible instrument should be
that when he said the court was “ours”, he did not
agreement, were also seriously dication”, and even a “surrender” U.S.Taliban talks has opened the brought to bear on Pakistan to de
mean that the government “owns the court”, but only Agreement contours compromised. The comprehen rather than a peace agreement, sa space for the holding of Afghan liver on this.
that the court belongs to everyone and that it refl ected The tweet capped a turbulent sive ceasefi re was watered down to crifi cing the political, military and presidential elections and a win Crucial to Afghanistan’s future
ar
his faith in the top Court. It is quite unconvincing as his week during which Mr. Khalilzad a limited ‘reduction’ in violence economic investments and civic dow of opportunity for the inter is its ability to stand on its own feet
claim of control over the judiciary was made in the con briefed Mr. Ghani and the Chief (observed more in its escalation). gains of the last 18 years including national community and India to economically, through investment
text of the party’s resolve to construct the temple. Executive of the National Unity And, the intraAfghan government democracy and the advancement reset their approach to peace and in Afghanistan’s mineral sector to
w
the cause of building the temple at the site in which tails of the agreement were re nership and security agreements, a betrayal of Afghanistan to the Ta exercise of Afghan sovereignty. Finally, India should be able to
frenzied mobs had pulled down the Babri Masjid, it is vealed on a private television was sidelined and powerless, con liban and Pakistan. These are con Concerns about misuse of govern use Prime Minister Narendra Mo
unlikely that any such action would be forthcoming. channel on the evening of Septem tributing to a public sense of help cerns Indians share deeply. ment apparatus should be ad di’s rapport with Mr. Trump and
.m
The hearing in the Ayodhya appeals in the Supreme ber 2. They centred primarily on lessness that decisions regarding dressed. The Taliban will try to Russian President Vladimir Putin
an initial timetable for the with Afghanistan were being taken by Short-lived relief? disrupt it. But a reasonably good to infl uence their policies and play
Court has been going on for weeks. In Lucknow, the
drawal of around 5,400 out of foreigners. The government has Under the circumstances, not turnout even if elections are held a larger international diplomatic
trial court is making slow progress in the criminal case nearly 14,000 U.S. troops from fi ve gained from the backlash. withstanding the manner and rea only in secure areas would be a ba role in Afghanistan.
//t
against those who demolished the mosque. In this back Afghan bases in 135 days. Also in The most insidious aspect of the sons for calling off the talks for rometer of support elsewhere, vic
drop, any attempt to create an atmosphere of fear or in cluded was a tight timeline of two announcement was its timing and which Mr. Trump has been rightly tory for the constitutional order Gautam Mukhopadhaya is a former
fl uence the proceedings will have to be viewed serious weeks to kickstart intraAfghan attempt to rush intraAfghan talks lampooned — particularly the and ‘Islamic Republic’, and a repu Ambassador to Afghanistan (2010-2013)
s:
ly. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court Bench talks before the Afghan presiden just days before the presidential shocking invitation to the Taliban diation of the ‘Islamic Emirates’ of and, currently, Senior Visiting Fellow,
ordered notice to a Chennaibased octogenarian who tial elections scheduled on Sep elections with the aim of under to Camp David just days before the the Taliban. Centre for Policy Research, Delhi
tp
had allegedly written to senior advocate Rajeev Dha
van, hurling curses on him for representing a Muslim
party in the dispute. Mr. Dhavan has spoken about fac A milestone in greater transparency, accountability
ht
ing threats, ridicule and intimidating behaviour. While
welcoming the court’s assurance that the parties can The launch of the Jan Soochna Portal in Rajasthan is a vital cog in access to the right to information
advance their arguments without fear, it would be in or
der to underscore that it should remain vigilant against asked to account for the enormous vides details about pollution and to ensure digitisation of records. In
delay in such a large number of environment clearances. Finally, addition, the Department of Infor
attempts to undermine its role in adjudicating this dis
cases. Chief Justices and Registrars the portal provides details of pro mation Technology will serve as
pute. After all, the quarters from which these irrespon in many courts appreciated the duction and royalties and taxes the nodal department for the de
sible utterances come do not consider the fact of being fact that they needed to answer paid. This kind of information can velopment, operationalisation
in offi ce a restraining factor. questions relating to such enor facilitate a progressive partnership and maintenance of the JSP.
Madan Lokur mous delays; now many courts between government and citizens This department has been in
have begun to concentrate on the for a cleaner society. formed of its obligations, which in
Bane of banners disposal of old cases with consid What is important is that a tre cludes adherence to the norms
T
he Jan Soochna Portal ( JSP) erable success. This is a good ex mendous amount of information and standards laid down by a digi
GETTY IMAGES
Illegal hoardings put up by politicians launched by the government ample of transparency accompa is available on the fi les of the go tal dialogue advisory group. To en
of Rajasthan yesterday is a nied by accountability brought vernment of Rajasthan, which till sure that the responsibilities are
have become a threat to road users remarkable achievement in fur about by civil society. date could only be accessed carried out, the advisory group
T
he pervasive lack of governance in India’s cities therance of the right to informa through the fi ling of RTI applica will be the monitoring agency.
has claimed the life of another citizen, this time tion (RTI) — especially Section 4 of Several access points information. For example, I saw tions. However, with the use of Grievance redressal offi cers will be
the RTI Act — that deals with I had the privilege of a sneak pre that on a random basis, a number technology and digitisation of re appointed so that citizens can
in Chennai. A banner put up on a road divider by
proactive disclosure of informa view of the JSP. Details of every ac of identifi ed persons in a particu cords and information, this infor make the State government truly
a functionary of the AIADMK to celebrate a wedding fell tion. Transparency must be ac tivity of the government such as lar area had not availed them mation is made freely available on accountable.
on a young woman riding a twowheeler, sending her companied by accountability, and availability of food grains and ra selves of any rations for several the JSP. To this extent, there is no
off balance and under a tanker lorry. Subasri, 22, joins that is where the JSP has great va tion shops and their distribution, months. Such persons can be easi need for anyone to take recourse Training for citizens
the list of hapless citizens whose lives were ended by lue and signifi cance since it places implementation of various ly contacted and if they do not to the RTI Act and await a res The government of Rajasthan has
civic neglect, police indiff erence, and, in Tamil Nadu es the power of making the State go schemes and their benefi ciaries want to avail the benefi ts available ponse. All information can be ac also taken steps to train citizens so
pecially, a political culture that dominates public spac vernment accountable to eve and a variety of other information to them, they can surrender it in cessed immediately, free of cost. that they are aware of the facilities
ryone who accesses the informa are available on a realtime basis favour of some other deserving available. This by itself may not be
es through exaggerated displays of cutouts, crude arch
tion made available on the portal. virtually making it a Janta Informa person. Similarly, the government Key challenges enough. Therefore, it has been de
es and fl ags at the cost of safety. Only two years ago, Has transparency accompanied tion System. The portal has been of Rajasthan, like some other The mere launch of the JSP is not cided to host the JSP in decentral
Raghu, a young engineer, died under similar circum by accountability brought about arrived at through a regular and ri States, has waived farmers’ loans. enough. There are huge challeng ised locations, right down to the
stances in Coimbatore and another youth, Babu, was transformation in any system? gorous consultative process bet The portal gives the details of ev es with regard to maintenance is municipal ward and panchayat le
electrocuted in Udhagamandalam when he touched a During my association with the ween government offi cials, IT pro ery farmer in every bank branch sues and ensuring that there is no vels. They will have access to wel
party fl ag that was in contact with a wire; both instanc eCommittee of the Supreme Court fessionals and civil society. Such a whose loans have been waived, letup in the availability of infor fare schemes, revenue activities
es involved ramshackle structures placed along roads. of India, and keeping transparen process of dialogue should be along with the amounts. Another mation. With this in mind, draft such as mining, and other service
cy in the justice delivery system in practised in all spheres to genuine signifi cant piece of information is guidelines have been framed for delivery issues such as health and
That political parties of all hues and motley groups see
mind, a National Judicial Data Grid ly harness the benefi ts of informa about mining leases. Illegal mining the development and mainte education.
no need for restraint, even after many directions from was launched. This gave informa tion technology. Digital divide is has been a major issue in diff erent nance of the JSP. Once implement It would be wonderful if all oth
the Madras High Court to stop endangering public safe tion about all pending cases across indeed a serious problem in India. parts of the country, with people ed, this will ensure that the infor er State governments follow the
ty goes to show that there are no serious consequences. the country. Some time back, a To bridge this, care should be ta unable to determine the details of mation system continues Rajasthan government’s initiative,
Evidently, they are not persuaded by the orders issued yearwise breakup of pending cas ken to ensure that access points clearances given. This portal gives uninterrupted. Various depart which aims to make people, in
in February this year by a division bench, impleading 11 es was given on the grid and it was are open and free. the list of mines in every district, ments of the government of Rajas cluding the marginalised sections,
political parties and reminding them of its many earlier found that more than 70,000 cas Since the information is availa provides geographical coordi than, called Line Departments, a part of the governance process.
orders that prohibit threats to public safety through es were pending for over 30 years. ble on the Internet, every citizen, nates, and the area where mining have been given a set of obliga
These fi gures meant nothing until right down to the municipal ward has been permitted, including the tions that they are expected to ful Justice Madan Lokur is a retired judge of
banners and boards. The government must fi x accoun
the justice delivery system was and panchayat, has access to the land deed identifi ers. It also pro fi l. For example, they are expected the Supreme Court of India
tability and make individual members of the executive
liable for lack of public safety.
There are disturbing aspects to the offi cial response LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
to the incident in Chennai, and the inquiry must go into
the reported reluctance of the police to proceed against Condemnable remarks Waqf Board, one doubts drivers, cyclists and heavily penalised. Multi detente could be on the newspaper and its readers.
the AIADMK member who was responsible for the ban The remarks of Uttar whether the court will be pedestrians. With the new storey parking spaces can be cards,” Sept. 13). Here, In today’s digital world,
ners being put up. The Revenue Department and the lo Pradesh Minister Mukut able to deliver justice rules in force, the created by civic authorities Supreme Leader Ayatollah many individuals express
Bihari Verma, that the without fear or favour. authorities cannot absolve to accommodate vehicles. Ali Khamenei has to take a their opinions — ranging
cal body must explain their failure to prohibit the
construction of Ram temple D. Sethuraman, themselves of liability for Separate spaces need to be neutral stand and let from the sublime to the
dangerous structures, when there are clear orders in is “our” (BJP’s) resolve and Chennai accidents. demarcated on roads for President Hassan Rouhani trivial — online. However,
force, and acts of omission and commission should at that the Supreme Court, Blaming only citizens and diff erent types of vehicles have his way. Only by when we see a letter in print,
tract strong action. Even two years ago, the Madras judiciary and the country Riding rough levying fi nes is only part of and noncompliance needs sidelining hardliners and we automatically know that it
High Court had ruled in a case that “the erection of are all “ours” show the While driver errors such as the solution. We read to be punished. These bringing moderates to the is refi ned and stands out
arches, placards and display boards, banners with depth of arrogance of the speeding and drunk driving repeatedly about ‘road measures will add more forefront can the two sides amidst the clutter. No social
poles, etc., abutting into public streets and pavements, ruling party’s members are among the causes of safety weeks’ but never teeth to the regulations create the conditions for a networking platform can give
(Front page, “Ayodhya: SC automobile accidents and hear of a ‘road brought under the Motor possible rapprochement. one the joy of seeing his or
which obstruct free and safe movement of traffi c or free
frowns on U.P. Minister’s need to be punished improvement week’ Vehicles Act. Abdul Rahman, her name in the day’s
and safe movement of pedestrians or obstructs visibili remarks,” Sept. 13). This stringently, dangerous road (Editorial, “Futile fi nes,” A.L. Agarwal, Ayodhya newspaper (Notebook, “The
ty of drivers is patently illegal.” It is clear, therefore, that distasteful statement was conditions are also a Sept. 13). Chennai art of managing LTTE,” Sept.
even where limited permissions could be given, the made not by an ordinary signifi cant contributor. The H.N. Ramakrishna, In fi ne print 13).
BJP member, but by a recent episode of a Bengaluru U.S.Iran talks Since the days of yore, the
structures cannot aff ect public safety. Considering the Adrian David,
Minister. The Supreme hoarding falling on a Iran needs to unequivocally ‘Letters to the Editor’ section Chennai
long history of illegal political banners and religious dis
plays, often involving theft of electricity, the court can Court did the right thing in woman driver is in a ■ The government needs to welcome the departure of has been serving as an more letters online:
condemning the comment. diff erent league altogether. make full use of technology U.S. National Security umbilical cord between the www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
bring about compliance with the law through a special
However, considering that Who is to be punished for on roads to record violations, Advisor John Bolton and the
panel, similar to the Supreme Court’s committee on some Hindutva activists are this ghastly accident? reducing the burden on signals coming from
corrections & clarifications:
road safety headed by a retired judge. Strong action is In the the news report headlined “RSS softens its line on gay
reportedly sending Various government traffi c police. Further, Washington that President marriage” (Sept. 11 , 2019), the references to Article 377 should be
needed against recalcitrant politicians and lumpen threatening messages to agencies are responsible for parking of vehicles on roads, Donald Trump is open to corrected to read as Section 377 IPC.
groups who use banners as displays of power or fealty. advocate Rajeev Dhavan, maintaining roads and footpaths and public land talks without preconditions The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
who is appearing for the ensuring they are safe for needs to be banned and (Editorial page, “A U.S.Iran E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Why India’s growth fi gures are off the mark
The overreliance on the organised sector for offi cial GDP data is causing a gross miscalculation
How could these agencies be so ed stimulus. For that the fi scal def vernment Revenue Expenditure”.
far off with their estimates? The icit would have to be allowed to Except for agriculture, these be
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
offi cial data is erroneous, their nues. The fiscal defi cit today is at basically data for the organised
structural reforms are nowhere on the horizon Arun Kumar projections would also turn out to about 9% if the States and the pu sector are used — like in the case of
be incorrect. Clearly, the govern blic sector units are taken into ac mining, banking, hotels and res
P
eople who have been yearning for major econom ment is interested in projecting a count. And how much can the go taurants, and transport. For con
ic reforms from the Narendra Modi government,
D
uring the global fi nancial good image and so discounts bad vernment raise is a political struction, steel, glass, etc are used
it seems, will have to wait to have their dreams crisis, it was said that the news and ramps up data. decision that has not yet been which are also derived from the or
come true. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sa experts were behind the The question to ask is, if the taken. ganised sector production. Thus,
turday presented the third round of stimulus measures curve. The International Monetary economy is growing at 5 or 6%, the implicit assumption is that the
to resuscitate the struggling economy, but once again Fund (IMF) and fi nancial sector ex which is historically a good rate of drive to make major announce The source organised sector can be a proxy
these have largely failed to live up to the initial hype perts continued to predict till Oc growth, why is investment rate not ments so soon after the full Budget So, where does the problem origi for the unorganised sector. But
tober 2008 that the global econo rising and consumption in the eco was presented in July. This is an nate from? It is from the unorgan with the economy suff ering three
around them. The previous two rounds of the stimulus
my would grow rather than nomy stagnant? Where is growth admission of there being a slow ised sector which has been in de shocks in quick succession over
plan, presented at press conferences held by the Minis shrink. They were way off the dissipating? The alternative expla down in the economy. cline since demonetisation. It was the last three years which adverse
ter over the last few weeks, focused primarily on reviv mark since the global economy nation is that the rate of growth is Unfortunately, none of these further hit by the Goods and Ser ly impacted the unorganised sec
ing the automobile sector, boosting the confi dence of was rapidly slipping into a great much less than 5%; that is why in announcements will lead to a re vices Tax though it is either ex tor, this assumption does not hold
foreign investors who were spooked by the Budget an recession. vestment rate and consumption covery since they do not address empt from it or there is a simpli true. Most of the experts have im
nouncements in July, and improving the health of are stagnating or declining. the source of the problem. An fi ed provision for this sector. This plicitly accepted the government’s
dangerously fragile stateowned banks by doing eve Explaining the markdown The investment rate has ho hour before the latest data on eco sector producing 45% of the out fallacious argument and have thus
Is India facing a similar situation at vered at around 30% for the last nomy showing slowdown was to put and employing 94% of the fallen behind the curve.
rything short of privatising them. This time around the
present? The economic growth several years because the capacity be announced, the government workforce, has been in decline, In brief, the offi cial data only re
focus has been on helping out the underperforming ex rate (quarterly) has been sliding utilisation in the economy has announced the big bank merger. which is pulling down the rate of presents the organised sector. To
port and real estate sectors through piecemeal fi scal re for the last fi ve quarters from 8% been around 75%. Unless this ris Was this to divert attention from growth of the economy. But, why incorporate the unorganised sec
forms. Among other things, Ms. Sitharaman announced to 7% to 6.6% to 5.8% and now to es, fresh investment will mean the data to be released? Be that as does it not show up in the growth tor, data from alternative sources
a new tax refund scheme and greater priority sector 5%. Yet, experts have been talking even lower capacity utilisation it may, bank mergers will have lit data? need to be used. The decline in the
lending for the export sector to incentivise exports. It is of a 7% annual rate of growth; ev and lower profi tability since capi tle impact on the immediate pro In simple terms, the reason is workforce, the rise in the demand
expected that the new tax breaks to the exports sector ery quarter when the rate of tal will be underutilised. In June, blem of the slowing economy. It that the data for this sector is col for work under the Mahatma
growth has been announced, they the stock market was at a record may only further disturb a major lected once in fi ve years (called re Gandhi National Rural Employ
will cause a dent of up to ₹ 50,000 crore to the govern
have argued that things have bot high and yet the investment rate chunk of the banking system in the ference years) since the sector has ment Guarantee Act, etc. suggests
ment’s revenue. Further, external commercial borrow tomed out and that the rate would did not rise. Data from the Moni coming year — and that would not tens of millions of units for which that the unorganised sector has
ing norms have been eased to make it easier for Indian rise henceforth. toring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd. be good for a slowing economy. data cannot be collected monthly, declined by at least 10%. If this is
real estate companies to tap funds from abroad, and The Economic Survey in July shows that investment proposals The package for the automobile quarterly or even annually. In bet taken into account, the current
funds worth ₹ 10,000 crore have also been allocated to talked of a growth rate of 7% for are at a 14year low. In the last year, sector or making banks pass on in ween the reference years, the data rate of growth is much less than
aid the completion of aff ordable housing projects. With the current year. The Reserve the RBI has cut interest rates four terest rate cuts to businesses, an is only projected on various 5%. If the government does not ac
lack of demand and major supplyside bottlenecks be Bank of India (RBI), in its August times and by a total of more than nounced a little earlier will also assumptions. cept this, then it must reveal the
policy statement, talked of a slow 1%; but the investment rate has not have little impact since the pro The government document on rate of growth of the unorganised
ing the primary issues facing exports and real estate, it
down to 6.9%, from the 7% pred budged. blem did not originate there. estimating advance annual esti sector that it is using in its esti
is doubtful whether the present measures will be icted in June and 7.2% predicted The announcement of a transf mates and quarterly estimates mates and which is not based on
enough to revive these fl ailing sectors. before that. The Asian Develop Impact of announcements er of ₹ 1.76 lakh crore from the RBI makes this clear. For estimating using the organised sector as a
Overall, cutting across all three stimulus rounds an ment Bank cut its growth forecast The government has been in de to the government will only cover quarterly growth it uses, “latest es proxy.
nounced till date, the government has been relying al from 7.2% to 7% in April 2019. Si nial but now experts in the Eco the shortfall expected in revenue timates of Agricultural Produc
most entirely on providing fi scal relief, in the form of milar is the case with the IMF nomic Advisory Council to the (which is a result of an unduly high tion, Index of Industrial Produc Arun Kumar is Malcolm Adiseshiah Chair
tax cuts coupled with a tiny amount of government which cut its forecast for the year Prime Minister, in NITI Aayog and projection of revenue growth). It tion (IIP) and performance of key Professor, Institute of Social Sciences, and
spending, to wade through what seems like a structural from 7.3% to 7%. So, they all talked the RBI have admitted that there is will allow the government to main sectors like, Railways, Transport the author of ‘Indian Economy since
of a 7% rate of growth when a year a slowdown. The Ministry of Fi tain the fi scal defi cit target at 3.3%. other than Railways, Communica Independence: Persisting Colonial
crisis in the economy. The hope seems to be that these
earlier it had fallen below that. nance has now gone into hyper But, this will not provide the need tion, Banking, Insurance and Go Disruption’
measures combined with a looser monetary policy
stance adopted by the RBI will boost spending and re
vive growth. This is, however, a far cry from what many
expected from a government that promised radical
structural reforms when it rose to power in 2014. With
A dilution that falls short of the law
out enacting any major supplyside reforms like land Several loopholes in the process of the substitution of Article 370 make the action problematic
and labour reforms that can raise potential growth, it is State of Jammu and Kashmir”, dated August 5, 2019 has not been abrogating Article 370 in its es
also hard to see how greater spending can raise growth thus paving the way for the virtual validly issued. sence, another question which ar
for very long. The government may believe that the pre abrogation of Article 370 the fol Otherwise too, the August 5, ises is whether it was at all re
sent slowdown, marked by fi ve consecutive quarters of lowing day. The important aspect 2019 order is illegal as it has the ef quired to be done, weighing its
dropping growth, is merely a cyclical one. But given the of this move was to substitute the fect of amending Article 370 as likely adverse eff ects. The true na
size of its victory in two consecutive elections, the go expression “Constituent Assembly well which could not have been ture of Article 370 as it existed is
Sakal Bhushan of the State” with the expression done. The reason is that while ex best exemplifi ed by the then
vernment should aim higher by trying to push through
“Legislative Assembly of the State” ercising powers under Clause (1) of Home Minister Gulzari Lal Nanda’s
longpending structural reforms that can raise India’s in proviso to Article 370(3). Under Article 370, the President is not statement in Parliament on De
growth trajectory to the next level.
T
he manner in which Article the existing Article 370(3), it had competent to amend Article 370 it cember 4, 1964 just a few months
370 was substituted by the been provided that the President self; and his powers are confi ned after Nehru’s death. Nanda had
GETTY IMAGES
Centre to carve up Jammu could abrogate or amend Article only to amending the “other provi said, “May I submit that Article
Eff ort worth emulation and Kashmir is fraught with sever
al loopholes and challenges. Tech
370 on the recommendation of the
Constituent Assembly of the State
sions of the Constitution” in their
application to Jammu and Kash
370 is neither a wall nor a moun
tain, but that it is a tunnel. It is
Rajasthan’s Jan Soochna portal is a step in the nically, Article 370 has not been which had ceased to exist in 1957. mir, meaning thereby provisions through this tunnel that a good
right direction for transparency in governance abrogated. Rather, vide Constitu The Centre made this amend defi ned in Article 370(1) itself, read other than Articles 1 and 370. This deal of traffi c has already passed
tion Order No. 273 dated August 6, ment in proviso to Article 370(3) as with C.O. No. 44 dated November is clear from the conjoint reading and more will. There is no wall
F
ourteen years since the implementation of the 2019, “Declaration under Article a part of a wellconceived strategy. 15, 1952 as a person recognised by of subclauses (c) and (d) of Article between Jammu and Kashmir and
groundbreaking Right to Information (RTI) Act, 370(3) of the Constitution”, the ex The strategy was that after such the President “on the recommen 370(1). Consequently, the amend India. At the most, you can say it is
which has helped shed light on government isting Article 370 has been substi substitution, the powers of the Le dation of the Legislative Assembly ment introduced in proviso to Ar some kind of movable partition.
works and administration, the launch of the “Jan tuted by a new paragraph whereby gislative Assembly would be used of the State” as SadariRiyasat of ticle 370(3) vide the order dated We can move it on our own. There
all provisions of the Constitution by Parliament during President’s Jammu and Kashmir acting on the August 5, 2019 whereby the ex is nothing coming in the way.”
Soochna Portal” (public information portal) by the Ra
of India, as amended from time to Rule. Parliament would then re advice of the Council of Ministers. pression “Constituent Assembly of And the noted journalist B.G.
jasthan government on Friday marks a milestone in in time, without any modifi cations commend abrogation of Article The expression ‘SadariRiyasat’ the State” has been substituted by Verghese had once asked, “If Arti
creasing transparency and accountability in gover and exceptions, have been made 370 to the President, which it has was substituted by ‘Governor’ in the expression “Legislative As cle 370 vests the people of Kash
nance. The portal details various schemes run by 13 applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. done leading to the issuance of 1965. sembly of the State”, is bad in law mir with a certain sense of identity
government departments — the employment guarantee This action of the President which C.O. No. 273 dated August 6, 2019, If this was the defi nition of the on this basis also. and autonomy within the ambit of
programme, sanitation, the public distribution system amounts to the virtual abrogation virtually abrogating Article 370. “Government of State” in Article Since the amendment made in federal relations, how is India di
among others, by not only explaining the schemes but of Article 370 in its essence is a Now if it is shown that the 370(1), the order dated August 5, proviso to Article 370(3) is illegal, minished or endangered in any
matter of legal and political amendment made in proviso to 2019 cannot be said to have been the consequent action of the Presi way?” The virtual abrogation of
also providing real time information on benefi ciaries,
debate. Article 370(3) is illegal, the conse issued with the concurrence of the dent in issuing the C.O. No. 273 vir Article 370 will leave indelible
authorities in charge, progress, etc. The information quent action of the President in is Government of the State. The sim tually abrogating Article 370, scars on the psyche of the vast
provided is indepth, covering the whole gamut from Process adopted suing of C.O. No. 273 would also ple reason is that the Governor based upon a recommendation population inhabiting the strategi
the districts, blocks and panchayats, allowing access to As the fi rst step toward achieving become illegal. who is said to have given the con made by Parliament which in turn cally located territory of India;
details of schemes implemented at these levels. This is a its goal, the Centre issued a fresh The order dated August 5, 2019 currence as Government of the became possible due to the said il otherwise there had been practi
laudable eff ort by the State government which is wor Constitution (Application to Jam had been issued by the President State was not a person recognised legal amendment, is also rendered cally nothing ‘special’ about Kash
thy of emulation by other States. The RTI Act had dealt mu and Kashmir), Order 2019 one purportedly with the “concur by the President “on the recom illegal. mir’s ‘special status’ for all the
with the citizen’s right to know about public informa day earlier on August 5, 2019. This rence of the Government of State mendation of the Legislative As years that have passed by.
superseded the Presidential Order of Jammu and Kashmir” as re sembly of the State” as Governor Adverse eff ect
tion and required public authorities to expeditiously
of 1954 purportedly with the “con quired under Article 370(1). The of Jammu and Kashmir as required Apart from the issue of the legality Sakal Bhushan is a Delhi-based practising
provide information on request from the citizenry. This currence of the Government of Government of the State had been under law. Therefore, the order or otherwise of the order virtually advocate
aspect of the Act brought a sea change in accountability
and has led to the possibility of a wellinformed citizen
ry on the workings of the government.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
While RTI fi lings have increased exponentially and
RTIactivism has become part and parcel of civil socie Statements that divide all over India, it had unifi ed not make it lose its head and language at the cost of others was an unpardonable act, “diffi cult” question by
ty, there have been dilutions in the Act pertaining to the With one statement, the the country. Now, English cause it to become arrogant, would amount to inviting the fact that it caused the journalist John Pilger, Mr.
Home Minister has divided language papers and autocratic and nonamenable trouble. Fostering unity is a tragic death of a young Bolton had asked the latter
appointments of information commissioners, therefore
the country and achieved magazines are published to reasoning. noble objective. But to think woman is unforgivable whether he was a member of
impinging on their autonomy. Besides, the response the opposite of what he and read throughout India, Tharcius S. Fernando, that unity can come only out (Editorial, “Bane of the Communist Party,
rate to RTI requests has also slowed down compared to professedly intended (Front unlike otherlanguage Chennai of uniformity is highly banners”, Sept. 14). This inferring that anyone as
the fl urry in the immediate aftermath of the Act’s imple page, “Only Hindi can work publications that are fallacious. banner culture prevalent in critical of the
mentation. These problems with the RTI law apart, it is to unite country, asserts confi ned to particular ■ No doubt Hindi has a rich G.G. Menon, many Indian States simply neoconservative agenda as
Amit Shah”, Sept. 15). The regions. English has literary tradition. It is also Tripunithura, Kerala tells that government offi cials Mr. Pilger must have been at
important to note that Section 4(2) of the Act, which
specifi cally enjoins upon public authorities to publish Central government conferred immense benefi ts much easier to learn are more loyal and the other extreme of the
represents the entire on our people. It is a compared with many other ■ I love Hindi but imposing it subservient to political spectrum.
information proactively, has not been implemented
country. Just because its doorway to knowledge. It is Indian languages. Further, as a national language and parties and lumpen groups. Had he been the leader of a
holistically so far. While government departments have offi ces are located in a not for nothing that C. over the last seven decades, creating an unequal More often than not, political foreign country striving
successfully taken to egovernance and there has been a Hindispeaking area it does Rajagopalachari called it due to a host of factors advantage to naturalised parties and motley crowds towards independent
rapid release of public information on various govern not mean all Indians are for the “gift of goddess including the universal reach Hindi speakers is gross care a hoot for public safety development and sitting on
mentrun websites, this information has often been par Hindi. There are two myths Saraswati”. of Hindi fi lms and TV discrimination and cannot and law and order. vast oil reserves, Mr. Bolton
celled, dispersed and diffi cult to parse. Some of the bet here that need to be B.G. Baliga, programmes and the internal be a unifi er. The The court’s question: “How would have been the West’s
cleared. First, Hindi is not Thrissur, Kerala migration of people for government, having no many more litres of blood do archenemy and a favourite
ter maintained central websites have also tended to
the national language. All livelihood and other reasons, reform or development you want to paint on the for the U.S. corporate media
deploy “dashboard” information, which is meant more
the languages listed in the ■ At a time when the country more and more people from measures to boast of, is roads ?” must serve as a rude to lampoon. But as he has
to showcase data and records rather than release struc Eighth Schedule of the is facing an unprecedented nonHindi speaking States targeting people’s awakening and a chilling spent a career furthering U.S.
tured information for extensive study and for the know Constitution are equally economic slowdown, it is today are in a position to sentiments. But this time, it eyeopener to all concerned. interests in the world, Mr.
ledge of the citizenry. As a oneshot portal for public in important. Indians not unfortunate that the Home communicate in Hindi. That has scored a selfgoal that C.G. Kuriakose, Bolton automatically gains a
formation on government programmes, the JSP, speaking Hindi outnumber Minister has broached the said, any offi cial attempt to may cost it electorally in the Kothamangalam, Kerala certain degree of
therefore, can advance the objective of transparency. those speaking the subject of making Hindi the push Hindi down the throats future. The Congress’s respectability amongst the
The challenge would be to ensure that the information language. Second, English national language. May be it of nonHindi speaking history in this regard should A hawk departs West’s cultural gatekeepers
is not a foreign language. It is a tactic to divert people’s people can only give rise to be instructive. Whether John Bolton whose partiality stems from
fl ow remains unhampered over time. Besides this, it is
is only a language of foreign attention from the faltering avoidable problems. The Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, resigned voluntarily or was the erroneous idea of
important to educate the citizenry about the use of data origin. It has become our economy due to the policies history of countries such as Faridabad, Haryana asked to resign, his American exceptionalism.
on the portal. While digital connectivity and literacy own over the more than of his own government. The Pakistan and Sri Lanka resignation is a welcome Louis Shawcross,
have increased over time, these have not adequately 200 years of its use. As it massive parliamentary should teach governments Banner culture development (Editorial, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
The slow climb to the trillion economy peak
There has to be a focus on human capital formation and in addressing the real reasons for the economic slowdown
away the lion’s share of the $5tril from the ancillaries of the automo be another aim. Human capital
lion incomes if and when we reach bile industry, many other indus formation will give a big push to
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
employment has declined with in (MSME). goods. The government should
I
t may be customary for the Union Home Minister, creasing economic growth; we not worry about the fi scal defi cit
who is also in charge of the Department of Offi cial
O
n Independence Day, the have now reached a stage where Crisis in agriculture ratio as these measures will ad
Language, to make a pitch for greater use of Hindi in Prime Minister expressed the economy is suff ering from the All this has aff ected trading and dress the major problems of the
offi cial work on the occasion of ‘Hindi Diwas’, observed confi dence that India highest ever unemployment rate. business units. Agriculture is in economy.
every year on September 14. However, Home Minister would be a $5trillion economy in With rising population and, conse crisis today on account of rising
Amit Shah’s remarks this year have raised the hackles of 2024, a line that has been picked quently, the labour force, India costs of inputs and low prices of Fall in demand
up by ruling party leaders, Minis will soon experience demographic produces, and low public invest What we witness, however, is that
political leaders in some States that do not speak Hindi.
ters and also senior government disaster rather than demographic of GDP on health. Finally, in the ments in this sector. Again, agri public expenditure is declining
The possible reason for the pushback from south In offi cers. dividend. The story of health and process of growth in India, there cultural real wages are in decline continuously in the last few years,
dian leaders to his pitch is that he went beyond the However, this is surprising as nutrition is also quite similar. The has been a severe depletion and and nonfarm wages are constant As the Centre For Monitoring In
usual general remarks on promoting Hindi, and made the impact of economic growth on literacy rate has grown very slowly degradation of environmental re if not declining; urban wages are dian Economy Pvt. Ltd. has point
sweeping claims that Hindi alone could unite the coun major development goals — exam and according to the United Na sources. A recent Intergovernmen also declining in recent years. As a ed out, public expenditure has de
try, and it was the language which should become In ples being improvement in educa tions, India’s literacy was 71.1% in tal Panel on Climate Change report consequence of all these develop clined to the minimum in the last
dia’s “identity” globally. Embedded in his tweets as well tion, health and overall human de 2015. India is now far behind many has warned India of the serious ments, there is a crash in the ag fi ve years. Steps such as rolling
as a speech on the occasion was a note of resentment velopment/human capital African countries such as Rwanda, ness of climate change and its sev gregate demand in the economy. back some budgeted tax propo
formation; expansion in produc Morocco and Congo in terms of lit ere adverse impact on the environ What is needed urgently is for sals, providing a stimulus package
against the continuing infl uence of English. The Kerala
tive employment for all and envi eracy. According to the Annual ment and the livelihood of masses. the government to increase public to industries, raising foreign direct
Chief Minister dismissed as absurd the claim that Hindi ronmentally sustainable develop Status of Education Report (ASER) Another major concern about expenditure in investing in agri investment fl ows, reducing Goods
was a unifying force, and even saw in Mr. Shah’s re ment, etc — depends on the nature 2018, about 7074 % children (in reaching the aim of a $5trillion culture — in infrastructure, inputs, and Services Tax to help indus
marks an attempt to trigger a controversy and to divert and composition of growth. the age group 614 years) go to economy is that at present the eco extension, marketing and storage tries are not likely to increase
attention from real issues. Former Karnataka Chief Mi school regularly; far fewer go to se nomy is experiencing a severe and training — and in providing much aggregate demand in the
nisters Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy and DMK Share in wealth condary school. The quality of slowdown; it would be very diffi profi table prices to farmers. It economy. Also, reduction in repo
president M.K. Stalin questioned Mr. Shah’s remarks The economic growth experience education is far from satisfactory, cult to raise the rate of growth to should also raise funds for the Ma rate by the Reserve Bank of India
in India in recent decades has if one is to read ASER 2018. reach $5 trillion in 2024 unless we hatma Gandhi National Rural Em and asking banks to pass on re
and saw in them an attempt to impose Hindi on their
shown that growth has had an ad There is an urgent need for a focus on human capital formation ployment Guarantee Act to push duced rates to customers, recapi
States. Few would disagree that imposing a language on verse impact on all these develop quantum jump in public expendi and address the real reasons for up demand by following a Keyne talisation of banks by ₹ 70,000
the unwilling is hardly unifying, but could turn out to mental goals. To start with, Credit ture on education in order to fi ll the slowdown. As NITI Aayog has sian approach. crore to raise liquidity in the eco
be divisive. Further, national identity cannot be linked Suisse, for example, has shown re wide gaps in infrastructure, train observed recently, the present cri It should raise public employ nomy and other steps to ease cre
to any one language, as it is, by defi nition, something cently that 1% of the wealthiest in ing and retraining of teachers and sis is the worst crisis India is facing ment by fi lling all vacant sanc dit fl ows to the economy are all
that transcends linguistic and regional diff erences. India increased their share in to ensure a strong follow up on the since the Independence. The rate tioned posts in the Central and supply side measures; the real
It is time the Centre realised that the creation of lin wealth from 40% in 2010 to more quality of education. However, as of economic growth, at 5%, is the State governments, which would problem is a crash in the aggregate
than 60% in the last fi ve years, and against the norm of 6% of GDP, the lowest in the last few years. Also, be around 2.5 million jobs. The go demand.
guistic States has obviated the need for a campaign
the richest 10% in India own more government spend is around 4% of the rates of savings and invest vernment should also regularise Let us hope that the govern
against a “foreign language” allegedly fostering a slave than four times wealth than the re GDP on education. It is the same ment in the Indian economy have contract, casual and “honorary” ment looks at the weaker sectors
mentality. Regional languages have become the offi cial maining 90%. That is, if we pro when it comes to the story of declined, as also exports and total jobs and make them regular jobs. and sections to get out of the crisis
languages of the States, and the continued use of En ceed on the same growth path, a health, where the decline in mal credit. Among the major indus Increasing additional jobs for en if not to improve their wellbeing.
glish has a strong utilitarian value. While the develop large part of the increase in wealth nutrition, particularly among wo tries, the automobile industry is suring basic health and good qual
ment of Hindi is undoubtedly a constitutional com and GDP will be claimed by the top men and children is very slow; experiencing continuous decline, ity education up to secondary le Indira Hirway is Professor of Economics,
mand the Union government cannot ignore, the 10% richest population in India. In against the norm of 3% of GDP, the which has led to the retrenchment vel to all so that any meaningful Centre for Development Alternatives,
other words, the top 10% will take government spends around 1.5% of 3.5 lakh workers so far. Apart skill formation is possible should Ahmedabad
manner in which it is done should not give the impres
sion to the States that there is creeping imposition of
Hindi. It was only a few months ago that the Centre de
fused a controversy when it got a paragraph removed
from the draft New Education Policy that indicated the
Israel, Pakistan ties a bridge too far?
mandatory teaching of Hindi. The fact that the ruling Islamabad would dilute its Islamic credentials if it were to establish diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv
Bharatiya Janata Party is seen as a ‘HindiHindu’ party
that encourages unbridled homogenisation also works mediate neighbourhood. Israel kistan’s national interests would about Pakistan’s recognition of Is
has established diplomatic rela better be served by having ties rael, stating that such stories were
against it whenever such controversies emerge. It
tions with a large majority of the with Israel, particularly since Is part of a propaganda war aimed at
would be disastrous for the country’s famed diversity if 193 UN member states. rael carries weight in Washington turning the general public against
the promotion of Hindi is considered a step towards a and could perhaps mediate on re the country’s military.
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
R
ecently, Israeli and Pakistani two democracies together, it is a rael and Pakistan appears to be divide in Pakistan is frequently a
ing of English. According a hegemonic role to the
scholars and opinionmak fact that both have successfully farfetched. The fl y in the oint point of friction between Iran and
“mostspoken” language in the country may promote ers appear to have speculat tackled statecentric threats ment is that Pakistan is considered Pakistan. However, as Ms. Siddiqa
cultural homogenisation, but that is hardly desirable in ed about the possibility of the two throughout their history. Israel the “swordarm” of the Sunni notes, Israel cannot expect Pakis
a country with a diverse population, a plural ethos and states establishing diplomatic ties. has successfully dealt with the prime focus of its endeavours. world. Islamabad has invested tan to be used against neighbour
is a cauldron of many languages and cultures. This has cast fresh light on the gauntlet thrown down by the com While Israel established diplo considerably in the security of the ing Iran and risk the dangers of es
changing dynamics in the region bined Arab opposition in 1948, matic ties with China at the same Arab monarchies, including in calation in sectarian confl ict, given
and Israel’s growing diplomatic 1967 and in 1973. India has pre time as with India ( January 1992), Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Pakistani that more than 20% of its popula
Avoidable boat tragedy reach and success.
Ever since Israel’s founding in
vailed over an acutely hostile and
implacable Pakistan in every con
their relations have been primarily
limited to the economic realm due
military units have been stationed
in these countries to promote in
tion is Shia. Pakistan is unlikely to
take any steps that could rock its
As past lessons remain unlearnt, manmade 1948, it has been the endeavour of fl ict since Partition. Both Israel to the American embargo on sell ternal stability. Pakistani leaders relations with Iran. In April 2015,
the Jewish state to overcome its re and India have been victims of ing sophisticated weapons sys such as Nawaz Sharif have sought Pakistan’s Parliament had turned
tragedies recur with alarming regularity gional isolation and enhance di asymmetric warfare such as terro tems to Beijing. Israel, however, is and received refuge in the Arabian down Riyadh’s request to join a
plomatic relations with as many rism, which they continue to tack expanding its arms sales to India Peninsula. Saudiled military intervention in
T
here is a familiar ring to boat tragedies in Andhra
countries as possible. Apart from le with resolve. and to countries in Southeast Asia. Pakistan has used the platform Yemen to fi ght the Houthi rebels
Pradesh. Unsuspecting tourists, mostly from ci
Turkey (1949), Egypt (1979) and Thanks to the dynamism in Under a changing rubric, Israel provided by the OIC to drum up supported by Iran.
ties, craving to capture a bewitching river view Jordan (1994), none of the states in fused in India’s foreign policy by is also looking at increasing its di support for its stand on Kashmir, India has successfully walked a
and meeting with a watery grave. The government of the region have recognised Israel. the Indian Prime Minister, India’s plomatic footprint in South Asia just as the OIC has done for the tightrope between Israel and Pal
the day announces a hefty exgratia, promises deter In fact, the Organisation of Islamic interactions with the Gulf Cooper and beyond. Forging closer ties Palestinian issue. If Pakistan were estine, and Israel may well hope to
rent action against all those responsible and initiates Cooperation (OIC) routinely pillo ation Council (GCC) states have with populous Asian Muslim coun to establish diplomatic ties with Is do so between Pakistan and India.
steps to prevent such tragedies. But the wheel is not ries Israel for its “occupation” of witnessed an impressive upward tries such as Bangladesh and Indo rael, it would dilute its Islamic cre However, it is not in Israel’s inter
broken, and very soon another tragedy strikes. The lat Palestinian lands. The latest in this trajectory in recent times, encom nesia would help it to gain greater dentials and lead to a weakened est to seek diplomatic ties with a
est boat tragedy on the Godavari in which eight tourists long acrimonious saga is the OIC’s passing economic and security legitimacy in the Islamic world. support base within the OIC on state that sponsors terrorism.
call to convene an emergency ses ties. Highlevel political engage Kashmir, a point acknowledged by While it is the sovereign right of
drowned and 37 are still missing, is no diff erent. The
sion to discuss Israeli Prime Minis ment with the West Asian region Investment in the Arab world Pakistani commentator Ayesha nation states to decide such mat
private operator took on board over 70 tourists who ter Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks has been another hallmark of the Pakistan, however, is a diff erent Siddiqa in an opinion article in the ters, it appears that the idea of di
were hoping to see the scenic beauty of Papikondalu, that, if reelected, he would defi Narendra Modi government. kettle of fi sh. The president of the same newspaper following Prof. plomatic ties between Israel and
without any permission and ventured into the river that nitely annex the Jordan Valley in No doubt, mutual apprehen Jerusalem Institute for Strategy Inbar’s piece. The regime in Pakis Pakistan remains, for now, a pie in
has been in spate for days now. Apparently the inexpe the West Bank and the northern sions about Iran have nudged Is and Security, Prof. Efraim Inbar, tan would also face the heat from the sky.
rienced crew could not cope with a sudden current of Dead Sea. rael and the Gulf states closer. Is recently published an opinion its many domestic conservative Is
water at Kachuluru, one of the most dangerous spots The regular and scathing indict rael continues to look beyond the piece in the Israeli newspaper, lamist groups. More importantly, Sujan R. Chinoy, a former Ambassador
ment by the Islamic world not confi nes of its immediate region Haaretz, titled ‘Israel would wel in a recent interaction with the who has served in Saudi Arabia, is
enroute. The boat tilted and capsized within minutes
withstanding, Israel has been suc for greater economic and diplo come ties with Pakistan – Should media, military spokesperson Maj. Director General of the Institute for
and only those wearing life jackets could save them cessful in gradually expanding its matic Lebensraum. The IndoPac India Worry?’ (https:// Gen. Asif Ghafoor refuted the pos Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
selves. Among the reports that came from the accident diplomatic profi le beyond its im ifi c region too is fast emerging as a bit.ly/2lWr8EE). He argues that Pa sibility in response to a query The views expressed are personal
spot, there was one that suggested that some tourists
removed their jackets as it was sultry, some wanted to
have lunch and some more thought it would come in
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
the way of taking selfi es. Only a thorough investigation
Language politics yet living in harmony. The More transparency hearts (Editorial, “Eff ort the baby out with the wonders if these voices of
will bring out all the facts.
The Narendra Modi mother tongue is a marker At a time when aggressive worth emulation”, Sept. 16). bathwater (OpEd page, dissent would elicit a
Police records show over 100 people perishing in government 2.0 is of identity of every eff orts are being made to Samiul Hassan Quadri, “Mission successful, end response from the corridors
boat mishaps during the last three years, the major one becoming a perennial individual and the Centre reduce the iconic Right to Bikaner, Rajasthan product defunct”, Sept. 16)? of power. Here, the balanced
being on the Krishna in November 2017 when 22 tou headache. It seems to have would do well not to tinker Information (RTI) Act to Sunil K. S., and sensitive approach of
rists lost their lives. And all of these tragedies were a multitude of antipeople with the right of an Indian sheer insignifi cance, the A project stalled Gudalur, Tamil Nadu former Prime Minister Atal
avoidable if simple precautions were in place — having policies and programmes in to communicate in his Rajasthan government’s Train 18’s launch was a proud Bihari Vajpayee on the issue
only experienced crew with valid licences, provision of its kitty and releases them mother tongue. launching of ‘Jan Soochna moment for the country. The Concerns of Kashmiris comes to mind. Without the
one after another, having Manoharan Muthuswamy, Portal’ is laudable. whole process of design and It is heartening to see goodwill of the Kashmiris, no
life jackets for all and not setting out when the river is in Nabadwip, West Bengal
scant regard for the Simultaneously, it is an manufacture cost only grassrootslevel coverage of fundamental policy decision
full fl ow. Were any lessons learnt from these recurring suff erings of the people. honour to the citizens of around ₹ 100 crore, half of the situation in Kashmir. One regarding their homeland
mishaps? The accident on the Krishna jolted the N. After the abrogation of ■ The BJP seems to have Rajasthan, which occupies what a similar project would feels solidarity with the can succeed. And such
Chandrababu Naidu government into action and a com Kashmir’s special status and either ignored or forgotten the pride of place as one of cost in many nations. It was average Kashmiri, whose sensitivity and realisation is
mittee was formed to formulate preventive steps. The the release of the expensive the upheavals that rocked the fi rst in the country to no less an achievement than fundamental right to exist what diff erentiates statesmen
committee highlighted the multiplicity of the depart National Register of Madras in the 1960s witness the beginning of the Chandrayaan and arguably peacefully has been from mere politicians
ments concerned — ranging from irrigation to director Citizens, the Home Minister consequent to the then epic movement for RTI in the of far more immediate repeatedly violated. While (Ground Zero, “Valley of
is hinting at a ‘One Nation, Central government’s 1990s. The current move will practical value for Indians. the newspaper has done its discontent”, Sept. 14).
of ports — with permitting rides and monitoring and
One Language’ policy decision to impose Hindi. undoubtedly lead to greater Many countries, particularly duty in highlighting the Rosen Brar,
checking illegal ones. It pointed to lack of coordination. (Front page, “Only Hindi Sensing the strong transparency in government those in SouthEast Asia, concerns of citizens there Patiala, Punjab
For instance, when the river touches the danger mark, can work to unite country, opposition to the move in schemes, and thus set even evinced interest in against the perceived high more letters online:
the irrigation department should send out a warning to says Amit Shah”, Sept. 15). South India, the Centre gave Rajasthan on the path to purchasing the model. One handedness of the state, one www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
all concerned not to allow any rides. Without a single He could not have made an assurance that English becoming a corruptionfree would have thought that an
regulatory body, the result was this typical bureaucratic this statement without the will continue to be the State. This will, above all, go achievement of this corrections & clarifications:
phenomenon of passing the buck. The committee sug concurrence of the Prime associate offi cial language. to win the people’s faith in magnitude would receive the The graphic that accompanied a Sports page story “Chance for
Minister. The two are like One is at sea as to why the the working of the State wholehearted backing of the India to set the record straight” (Sept. 15, 2019) erroneously said
gested making the directorate of ports as a nodal agen that Virat Kohli is yet to score a halfcentury against SA. Actually, he
Scylla and Charybdis, Home Minister has made a government. The Centre and government. But, incredibly,
cy and the AP Inland Vessel Rules were brought into ef had scored a half century against South Africa in 2014 WC T20.
taking the country from statement on this topic now. other State governments it got shelved, due to issues
fect. Nobody knows what happened to these rules and one crisis to another. India Doesn’t the government have must take a leaf out of like nontransparency in It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signifi cant errors as soon as possible. Please specify
other decisions. To prevent such manmade tragedies, the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office can be
is a multilingual country more urgent problems to be Rajasthan’s book. They must procurement of parts. Surely, contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to
the government must pin responsibility on offi cials in consisting of people addressed? understand that it is if there were irregularities, Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; Email:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in; Mail: Readers’
Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India.
stead of resorting to mere palliative steps. speaking multiple Mani Natarajan, transparency that ultimately they could have been All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No personal
languages and dialects and Chennai wins the common people’s addressed without throwing visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com
CM A HY-HY
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Over the hills and far, far away
Integration of the mountains with the mainstream is unlikely under a unitary dispensation that promises a ‘green bonus’
ley. However banal the demands sequences on the hilly regions.
of the Himalayan States seem in The mountains are in a permanent
Smoke of the vaper comparison to what has been hap
pening in Kashmir since August 5,
state of exception.
W
hen alternatives are peddled as ‘the lesser with the specifi city of the Hima mands of the Himalayan States
I
evil’, virtue is artifi cially added as a measure n the last week of July this year, layan region, whether political, so seeking a special “green bonus” —
of degrees. The evil is often clear and pre 11 Himalayan States of India met cial, or ecologicaleconomic. which the BJP supports — and the
sent, as in the case of electronic cigarettes, in all forms in Dehradun demanding a The problem of integrating the autonomy incorporated in the
“green bonus”, or a payment for northern mountains to the nation late, lamented Article 370 — which
— Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), vapes,
environmental services they pro al mainstream is not specifi c to In the BJP opposes. In India, specifi
and ehookahs. The Centre’s move to ban these pro
ow
vide to the nation. Finance minis dia. If one takes a look at the entire cally, the massive expansion of the
ducts shows a welcome intolerance of anything that im ter Nirmala Sitharaman, 15th Fi mountain zone stretching from national economy over the past
pacts negatively on the health and wellness of the peo nance Commission Chair N.K. Balochistan, through Khyber Pak The Kalka-Shimla highway in Himachal Pradesh. *
AKHILESH KUMAR three decades now allows for com
ple of the country. The Cabinet recently cleared the Singh and Niti Aayog Deputy htunkhwa, J&K, Ladakh, Himachal modifi cation of mountain resourc
rr
Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019. Chairman Rajiv Kumar were pre Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sik regions from the Indian main The postcolonial nation states es (forests, water, labour, tourism,
Now, any production, import, export, sale (including sent. The assembled Chief Minis kim and Gorkhaland, to Arunachal stream in terms of their social and of Asia, be it India, Pakistan, China horticulture and even agriculture)
ters argued that the Himalayan Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, economic structure. Yet, this re or Myanmar, have not been able to in ways that are unprecedented. It
mo
online), distribution or advertisement, and storage of e
States, stretching from Jammu and Manipur, Mizoram and the Chitta search has not really percolated to break out of this diffi cult relation has led to changes in the class
cigarettes is a cognisable off ence punishable with im Kashmir (which was still a State gong Hill Tracts, it is easy to see political understanding, whether with their mountain regions. structure and the emergence of a
prisonment or fi ne, or both. Ecigarettes, which were to then) to Tripura (which most peo that each of these regions has had at the level of policy formulation These independent nation states new middle class with national as
to
aid smokers kick their habit, do not burn tobacco ple would not really include in the problems when it comes to inte or popular conceptions. have all imagined themselves to be pirations that fi nds the geographi
leaves. Instead these batteryoperated devices produce Himalayan region) paid a develop gration of the hilly regions with the inheritors, in the high Hima cal specifi city of the Himalayas at
aerosol by heating a solution containing among other mental price for maintaining for the nation states that are primarily Legacy of the colonial era layas, of the geopolitical stakes of once a hindrance and the main
ds
things, nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance that ests, rivers, and other environ anchored in the plains. (Himachal To appreciate this point, we need their colonial predecessors. commodity in its exchanges with
may, according to studies, function as a “tumour pro mental goods which helped the Pradesh is the only exception, to move back by a couple of centu Even their national imageries the nation state. Thus, the varia
rest of the country. which perhaps proves the rule.) ries when the geography of the co have been framed — despite all tion from secessionist movements
moter” and aid neurodegeneration. Some other com
This meet was organised with One could also further argue lonial state was being made. There their other variations — on the so in J&K and Nagaland to active inte
pounds in the aerosol are toxic substances that have much fanfare, and was meant to
ar
that this ‘integration problem’ is is a long, complex and surprisingly cial, political and economic specif grationist movements in Himachal
known deleterious eff ects, and might just be less harm showcase the Bharatiya Janata Par not just a South Asian phenome unpredictable history to the esta icities of the communities based in Pradesh, Arunachal Pardesh and
ful than cigarettes, not harmless. Seven deaths have ty (BJP)’s commitment to its gener non — China is struggling to inte blishment of Pax Britannica’s bor the riverine plains. It is the village Manipur expresses the same co
ow
been recorded in the U.S. — the largest consumer of eci al election manifesto which had grate its mountain people and der lines along India’s northern or town of the Ganga plains, or nundrum — how do these regions
garettes in the world — where, New York recently promised a fi nancial package to their homelands with its national mountains. For most regions in along the Narmada or Krishna and and people reach a fair pact with
banned the sale of fl avoured ecigarettes. address the special developmental mainstream, as are Myanmar, the Himalayas, this was the fi rst Cauvery rivers, which has defi ned the Indian nation state and be
/t
needs of the Himalayan States. Thailand, and other countries. time that a ‘nation state’, an what it means to be ‘Indian’. The come part of the national
There is ample evidence on the harm of nicotine ad
The States asked for help to deve Scholars have for long been chored in the society and political norms of what an ‘Indian village’ imagination?
diction — the reason that it is only approved under the lop hydropower resources, subsi acutely aware of this problem. Se economy of the plains, was able to is, how its society is structured, History tells us that almost all
Drugs and Cosmetics Act for use only in nicotine gums dies for their environmental pro venty and more years ago, Owen reach so deep into the Himalayas how its economy is backward or in Asian nation states have found
me
and patches. As the WHO’s Framework Convention on tection measures which deny Lattimore wrote extensively about and control them in a way which what ways does its political life such a coming together very diffi
Tobacco Control (FCTC) outlines, these devices can on them normal ‘development mo the exceptionalism of the “Inner was historically unprecedented. In work make no reference to the cult, if not impossible. With its ide
ly be believed to succeed if smokers have moved on to dels’, and recognition of their ef Asian Frontiers of China” and, a brief, the Himalayas successfully specifi cities of the mountain re ological militarism, ethnic sectar
t.
an alternative nicotine source, and then stopped using forts to meet human development decade back, James C. Scott ar provided a barrier to Russian colo gions. These are at best imagined ianism and a rapidly shrinking
parameters. gued persuasively about ‘Zomia’ nial expansion but were unsuc by the national mainstream as economic base, the present dis
that too; and the recruitment of minors into nicotine
as the mountain zone of South cessful in providing a trade route idyllic ‘hill stations’ peopled by pensation in New Delhi may well
dependence eventually wanes to zero. There is evi
//
Unique needs East Asia (and South Asia) which into China. ‘noble savages’, or, at worst, as be able to throw a few crumbs but
dence now that vaping, dangled as a cool, fun, activity, There was perhaps nothing excep deliberately kept itself indepen By the end of the 19th century, wild regions inhabited by irration seems unlikely to be able to fi nd a
lures youngsters, and ironically, serves to introduce tional about much of this, and dent of the plains. Scholars in In keeping the mountains politically al bloodthirsty tribesmen. way to meet the special demands
within a week, the meagre media dia too, from Verrier Elwin to D.N. quiet and socially peaceful was This is not only a socialpsycho of the Himalayan people. A “green
s:
them to smoking. The FCTC also records that eciga
rettes are unlikely to be harmless, and longterm use is attention this received was over Majumdar and Y.S. Parmar, Gerald both a desirable aim and a hopeful logical feature but has direct prac bonus” will remain a charade.
expected to increase the risk of chronic obstructive pul shadowed by the abrogation of Berreman and Ramachandra Gu description. The idyll of the ‘hill tical consequences as policies and
J&K’s special status under Article ha, have written, even if in less am station’ and the warlike strategies programmes are devised with the Aniket Alam teaches history in the
tp
monary disease, lung cancer, and possibly cardiovascu
370 and the massive clampdown bitious terms, about how structu towards the northern tribesmen ‘national norm’ in mind, which al International Institute of Information
lar disease and other diseases also associated with on civilian life in the Kashmir val rally diff erent are the Himalayan were both creations of this policy. most always have unintended con Technology, Hyderabad
smoking. The urgency to act on this front is also justi
ht
fi ed by the number of users. As per fi gures submitted to
Maths helped Einstein; it can help the economy too
Parliament earlier this year, ecigarettes and accesso
ries valued at about $1,91,780 were imported to India
between 2016 and 2019. The government, already on
the right path, must go all out to ensure that its ban is
implemented earnestly in letter and spirit, unlike the The theory of relativity is regarded as the pinnacle of mathematical elegance, more than a century since its formulation
patchy execution of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco
Products Act. It is essential to ensure this progressive curate most of the times, had its Thus, one could do a measure though spacetime itself is not di
ordinance does not go up in smoke. limitations. When gravity was ex ment to check whether lines that rectly observable, all of these ob
tremely strong or when the mo are originally parallel remain pa servable predictions were verifi ed
tions involved were extremely rallel. If they don’t, this is an evi by a variety of astronomical obser
fast, the calculations became im dence that the spacetime is vations and laboratory tests.
Israel undecided Parameswaran Ajith
precise. For example, the theoret
ical calculation of the orbit of Mer
curved. Several astronomical ob
servations conducted in the last Is math useful?
cury — the planet closest to the century confi rm that spacetime is Not all areas of sciences are able to
Netanyahu must step aside to allow Israel to
C
an policymakers plan to Sun — turned out to have a small indeed curved in the presence of construct theories or models that
get a new stable government make India a $5 trillion eco disagreement with the actual ob massive objects. have the level of mathematical ri
nomy in fi ve years without servations of Mercury’s motion. Einstein himself was not well gour that theories of physics enjoy.
O
nce again, Israel is poised for protracted coali worrying about the basic mathe Einstein’s theory not only predict versed in the geometry of curved This is due to the highly complex
AFP
tion talks between the country’s two main par matics of economic growth? Some ed the orbit of Mercury accurately, spaces. Here, Einstein turned to nature of the phenomena they
ties. Tuesday’s election, the second this year, is of our leaders seem to think that but also predicted a number of in his friend, mathematician Marcel seek to describe. Most of the social
shaping to be as inconclusive as the poll in April. The wishful thinking can take us there. teresting phenomena not antici we can see the curvature of a sur Grossmann, to master the neces sciences are in this end of the
Albert Einstein’s discovery of grav pated earlier. face when we have access to a sary techniques and tools. Armed spectrum, due to obvious reasons.
ambition to win a fi fth term in offi ce could elude Prime
ity has been invoked as a success higher dimension. For example, with these tools, and driven by However, economics is probably
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the conservative Likud ful example for achieving seeming A theory of ‘space-time’ we see the curvature of the surface some unique physical insights one notable exception, where mo
party. If anything, his appeal to hardline Jewish parties ly unattainable goals through Einstein’s description of gravity of a football because we have ac which are marks of a genius, Ein dels and techniques employing
to the right helped Israeli Arabs, under the rubric of the “outofthebox” thinking. Two ob was radically diff erent from that of cess to a third spatial dimension. It stein was able to construct an ele higher mathematics have proven
Arab Joint List, to coalesce as a more cohesive force vious questions arise. First, did Newton. Newton assumed the ex is impossible to directly observe gant mathematical theory of to be highly fruitful.
ahead of the polls. Mr. Netanyahu also burned his bridg Einstein indeed explain relativity istence of an absolute space and the curvature of the spacetime spacetime. However, “math” is also com
es with potential centrist allies in recent months. With sans any inputs from mathemat universal time. According to Ein since we don’t have access to a However, mathematical ele monly used as shorthand for
ics? And, two, can economic stein, space and time are part of a fi fth dimension. However, it is pos gance is not the primary touch quantitative reasoning, which is
about 96.5% of the ballots counted, Israeli media says
growth models be devoid of single entity called ‘spacetime’. sible to infer the curvature of a stone of a theory of nature. The the backbone of all scientifi c en
the Likud party has won 31 seats. Blue and White, the mathematics? What we identify as space or time space without accessing extra di key yardstick of success is the the quiry. Ideally, planning and policy
Opposition of former Army chief Benny Gantz, has re Einstein’s general theory of rela heavily depend on the frame of re mensions. All the familiar axioms ory’s ability to describe the natu should be largely informed by
portedly won 33 seats. In the 120seat Knesset, neither tivity is the most accurate theory ference of the observer. However, of Euclidean geometry cease to be ral phenomenon that it seeks to quantitative reasoning, including
is thus anywhere near securing a clean majority. Bet of gravity available to us at pre spacetime is universal. And gravi valid on curved spaces. For exam describe — in this case, gravity. the purported goal of doubling the
ween the two of them, Mr. Netanyahu’s position ap sent. True, Einstein was certainly ty is the manifestation of curved ple, according to Euclidean geom General relativity remained inac size of Indian economy in fi ve
pears more precarious. Having failed to forge a right not the fi rst one to make contribu spacetime. Any massive object etry, two parallel lines always re cessible to most of the scientists years. Wishful thinking and ideo
tions to our understanding of grav would curve the spacetime main parallel. However, this is not during its initial years. However, logical propaganda are poor sub
wing coalition after the inconclusive April election, he
ity. More than two centuries prior around it. true, for example, on the Earth’s Einstein and many others were stitutes to quantitative reasoning.
opted to return to the people rather than allow Mr. to him, Isaac Newton had pro It is hard to imagine a curved surface. Consider lines of constant able to extract specifi c observable
Gantz to try and break the deadlock. Predictably, the posed a universal law of gravita spacetime, an entity that spans longitude: on the equator, meri consequences of the curved na Parameswaran Ajith is a physicist at the
latter has off ered to establish a unity government with tion. However, Newtonian theory four dimensions — three spatial di dians are parallel to each other; ture of spacetime by mathemati International Centre for Theoretical
Likud, but without Mr. Netanyahu at the helm. Israel’s of gravity, though remarkably ac mensions and the time. Typically but on the poles all of them meet. cally solving the equations. Even Sciences, Bengaluru. Views are personal
longest serving Prime Minister could not even contem
plate such a scenario, as the country’s chief prosecutor
is scheduled to begin a probe within weeks into bribery LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
and fraud against him.
Reports indicate that given Mr. Gantz’s openness to Ban on e-cigarettes ■ Smokers have a wrong are more likely to start Aramco attack could be insurgents. U.S. should Language parity
work with other parties, Israel’s President Reuven Riv The Central government’s perception that ecigarettes smoking conventional followed by further breach of temporarily place on hold its The belated clarifi cations by
lin may be inclined to invite him fi rst to form a govern concern is commendable are a lessharmful alternative cigarettes. the terms of nuclear deal if plans for complete troop Shah on Hindi are short on
ment. The other dilemma Mr. Netanyahu faces is from but one wonders why to cigarettes. On the R. Sivakumar, sanctions against Tehran are withdrawal to enable the question of English
the Israel Our Home party, headed by his former De ecigarettes alone are contrary, test results have Chennai not relaxed (Editorial page, peaceful conduct of the continuing as an associate
fence Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who has relentless prohibited; why not ban shown that they could cause “Obama was right about elections and to force the offi cial language at the
normal cigarettes, other potential health problems, A costly withdrawal Iran,” Sep, 19). Taliban to return to the table Centre, between the Centre
ly campaigned to remove the exemption of ultraortho
tobacco products and including cancer, as they U.S. President Donald Md. Ehteshamullah, for talks. This time, and the States and between
dox Jewish communities from enlisting in the armed alcohol? (Front page, contain chemicals and toxins Trump’s withdrawal from the Malappuram, Kerala Washington needs to make the States. It is now
forces. The issue was a major obstacle to the two parties “Cabinet approves ban on that are addictive. When you Iran nuclear deal was a big the talks more broadbased necessary to amend the
coming together earlier this year. Israel Our Home and ecigarettes,” Sept. 19). stop using them, you could mistake which has taken Afghan peace process and give the Afghan Constitution to provide a
the Arab Joint List are expected to improve on their tal Neither are ecigarettes as feel depressed, and West Asia to a dangerous The collapse of talks government its rightful place levelplaying fi eld for all the
ly in this election. But to anticipate a working arrange widely available as the incorrigibly tetchy. Research situation. The Gulf is bearing between U.S. and Taliban at the negotiating table. India languages in the country and
ment between them and the Blue and White Opposition conventional tobacco has also proved that the use the brunt of Mr. Trump’s marks a new phase in the and other regional players ensure parity.
products nor are they of Electronic Nicotine illthoughtout decision. In Afghan crisis with the can play a signifi cant role in V. Padmanabhan,
may be stretching optimism too far. After all, Mr. Gantz
consumed as much. If the Delivery Systems (ENDS) has spite of, until recently, ground situation the peace process. Bengaluru
has resorted no less to the rhetoric about expanding Is government is really not been eff ective in complying fully with the deteriorating further and Kosaraju Chandramouli,
more letters online:
www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
rael’s borders deep into the Palestinian territory. But in concerned about public stopping smoking. Tobacco nuclear deal, Iran was attacks on civilians becoming Hyderabad
https://t.me/towardstomorrow
aside. That would be the statesmanly act.
CM
YK
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
fact, research suggests that
youngsters who use ENDS
threat of “losewin” war will
loom large in the region. The
campaign rallies could
become easy targets for the
The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
A ND-NDE
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
P
olitics is set to take the centre stage in national de
bates with the announcement of Assembly elec ing of social action, notably among steel and cement more carbon carbon world.
C
an global diplomatic jaw the youth. While more noticeable friendly. Notably, domestic objec Third, such a domestic message
tions in Maharashtra and Haryana, though there
boning backed by an up in the global North, young people tives are central to these conversa would position India to be a true
AFP
was hardly a lull after the Parliament election earlier surge of popular youth mo are also mobilising in India and tions: promoting solar energy for global climate leader, rather than a
this year. The BJP is in power in both States currently, in bilisation shift the hard economic other countries in the global ic pressure, countries have been energy security reasons; making leader only among climate lag
Maharashtra with its oldest and most combative ally, and political calculus of nations? South, with The New York Times re urged to enhance their pledges for cities more liveable; and making gards. Could an India, fi rmly com
the Shiv Sena. In 2014, the BJP got its fi rst Chief Minis Today’s global Climate Action porting that organisers estimate action made as part of the Paris industries more effi cient and the mitted to a lowcarbon future that
ters in both the States, reaping the reward for some au Summit, convened and energeti four million youth turned out in Agreement, committing to lower refore competitive. These initia brings development benefi ts,
dacious political moves. In Maharashtra it gambled cally backed by the United Nations protest (on Friday) against inac future emissions. The intention is tives serve as a focal point for strike common cause with other
Secretary General, seeks to pull off tion on climate change around the to provide a platform for climate broader conversations including powers? Could, for example, India
away its alliance with the Shiv Sena and contested sep
just this feat. It seeks to spur na world. champions to step up and claim coalitions of business and re and China, both jostling for in
arately to win 122 seats compared to Sena’s 63. The Se tional pledges and action to ad leadership of an important global searchers. If the UN Summit is to fl uence in African nations but also
na lost its position as the alliance leader in the postpoll dress climate change in the face of A political disconnect agenda. result in enhanced action, this both losers from climate impacts,
alliance, and that reality will now be formalised in a mounting information that the If science, experience and public So far, the response is under may well be the more fruitful jointly help ensure that Africa’s de
prepoll alliance. In Haryana, the BJP dramatically rose, community of nations is doing too alarm are increasingly on the side whelming. A number of small and track. velopment is powered by renewa
assembling a nonJat social coalition and later reinforc little, and too late. How likely is of action, unfortunately, national midsized countries, including the ble energy rather than fossil fuels
ing it by appointing a nonJat CM in Manohar Lal Khat this eff ort to be successful? And politics in country after country is United Kingdom, have already A path for India and based on an energy effi cient
what are India’s stakes in this trending in the wrong direction. A committed to achieving the objec What does this canvas of global cli future? Such an agenda could
tar. In Maharashtra too, the party’s political strategy in
summit? turn toward nationalism in multi tive of making their economies net mate politics mean for India? First, bring together economic, environ
volved the appointment of a nonMaratha as CM — ple countries has created a short carbon neutral by 2050 (that is, that the prospects of eff ective glo mental and political gains.
Devendra Fadnavis. In both States, the Prime Minister’s Visible signs and science term, lookoutforourown men the sum of emissions and uptake bal action required to address cli The UN Summit is likely to
popularity provided further momentum to the BJP’s The summit occurs amid a steady tality that is inimical to the global of carbon through ‘sinks’ such as mate change are so weak is ex teach us hard lessons about cli
rise, which continued into 2019. The track records of drumroll of scientifi c alarm. The collective action needed to ad forests is zero). By contrast, sever tremely bad news for India. We are mate politics in an era of national
the State governments can be debated but the party’s scientifi c advisory group to the dress climate change. Thus, in the al large countries, notably the Un a deeply vulnerable country to cli ism. The pathway to enhanced ac
advantage over its political rivals is evident. summit (of which I am a member), United States, President Donald ited States, Brazil, Australia, Cana mate impacts. It would behove In tion is unlikely to override
reports that the fi ve years since Trump not only refuses to en da, Japan and Mexico are dia not to be a status quo player in entrenched national politics, po
The disarray in the opposition ranks, which is partly
2015 is set to be the warmest of hance actions, he has actively reportedly not even going to parti this context, but to argue for en wered by international suasion. In
a refl ection of the underlying social factors including any equivalent recorded period, rolled back measures in the elec cipate in the event at a high level. hanced global collective action. stead, the aim should be to make
deep communalisation of the polity in both States, is sea level rise is accelerating, and tricity sector and actions to limit China and India have issued state Second, India has the potential accelerated climate action con
the biggest advantage for the BJP. In Maharashtra, the oceans have become 26% more methane emissions in the name of ments hinting that they are doing to show the pathway to accelerat gruent with an enlightened notion
CongressNCP alliance had long become a bastion of dy acidic since the dawn of the Indus competitiveness. In Brazil, Presi quite enough, and India has high ing action on climate change even of national interest by focusing on
nastic politics and vested interests. The BJP’s strong trial era. Recent weather events dent Jair Bolsonaro has made it lighted the need for enhanced fi while pursuing its development in key actions in rapidly changing
arm tactics has contributed to furthering the existing bring into focus the likely implica clear he sees environmental pro nance if it is to do more. While terests. A notable example is its areas such as energy and urbanisa
tions of a warming world. This tections as limiting Brazilian busi there may be last minute surpris energy effi ciency track record, tion. Such a pathway holds entic
vulnerabilities of the alliance. In Haryana, the Opposi
summer saw Delhilike tempera ness. And nationalism in some es, the UN Summit does not look which helps limit greenhouse gas ing prospects for India. But it re
tion is split into three — the Congress, the Indian Nation tures across southern Europe; countries makes it much harder to like shifting any entrenched posi es even while saving the nation quires that India can build a
al Lok Dal and another breakaway faction of the party. Hurricane Dorian rendered large pursue aggressive action even in tions — those willing to act are energy. However, there are incon diplomatic approach on a fi rm
These groups are in the grip of the dominant Jat com parts of the Bahamas unliveable; countries where the politics is known, and those unwilling are sistencies in India’s story as a cli domestic foundation that takes se
munity, which gives a tremendous starting advantage to and witnessed simultaneous rag more conducive. unmoved. International suasion, mate champion. India is justifi ably riously climate change as a factor
the BJP. The Congress, under pressure from former CM ing fi res in the Amazon, central Backed by popular mobilisation even backed by science and popu recognised for promoting renewa in its future development pathway.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda, replaced its State Chief Ashok Africa and even Siberia. and scientifi c evidence, can the lar mobilisation, seems unlikely to ble energy, yet also muddies the
Tanwar, a Dalit, just ahead of the poll announcement. Scientists are increasingly able UN Summit swing the tide toward shift entrenched national politics. waters by sending mixed signals Navroz K. Dubash is a Professor at the
to link these individual events with enhanced action? The Secretary The second track operates less on future coal use. The choice of Centre for Policy Research, and the editor
Altogether, the Congress’s messaging has been unin
climate change — the heat wave in General is pinning hopes on a two in the realm of diplomacy and Houston — the U.S. oil capital — for of the forthcoming book, ‘India in a
spiring for its crucial social base of disadvantaged France and Germany was made track approach. seeks instead to induce changes in the Indian Prime Minister’s recent Warming World: Integrating Climate
groups. Despite these remarkable advantages, the BJP eight to 10 times more likely by cli First, in an exercise of diplomat real economies around a set of ‘ac public event, risks signalling that Change and Development’
has shown a tendency in recent weeks to stir up contro
versial issues. In Haryana, the CM wants to implement
the NRC; in Maharashtra the government is, unlinked to
the NRC, planning detention centres for undocument
ed people suspected to be immigrants. The BJP has also
Punjab’s pain, India’s agony, Britain’s unrepentance
sought to bring issues such as the hollowing out of Arti The U.K. needs to build on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s repentant gesture at Jallianwala Bagh
cle 370 into the campaigns. As two industrialised a number of deep stains on British troops to fi re without warning and cial force was designed to, in his
States, Haryana and Maharashtra must be at the centre history. The pain and grief that has continued even when he could see own words, create a “wide impres
of any eff ort to infuse fresh momentum in the country’s transcended the generations since that people were running for their sion” and “moral eff ect”. He had
sagging economy. Not surprisingly, these States are also must never be dismissed or de lives. In his evidence to the Hunter the backing of Michael O’Dwyer,
nied.” No words could be more ap Committee, he persisted, “… I had the Lieutenant Governor of Pun
hosts to migrant communities. A sharp focus on gover
propriate, welltimed and consol committed a just and merciful jab and Lord Chelmsford, the Vice
nance and economy at the State level in the forthcom ing. act.” Dyer regretted nothing, and roy of India.
ing campaign will be helpful not only for Maharashtra Nonica Datta
As head of the Anglican Church made no attempt to conceal anyth The shrieks of the victims of the
and Haryana but for the entire country too. of the world, the Archbishop, Jus ing. After the fi ring, there was no massacre continue to hound the
AP
I
happened to be in Amritsar for tin Welby, commands a worldwide provision for the relief of the legacy of the British empire. They
E
ver since the Centre and the States passed the
as aff able, kind and humble. He the Amritsar massacre, he said he sibility for its own imperial past tain British circles. The Dyer Fund blame and instilling guilt on the
landmark legislation in 2016 adopting a single
was ready to talk to a stranger like was not speaking for his country, and violence. This is the unre was set up for his survival back in British Empire and its aftereff ects
countrywide Goods and Services Tax (GST), the me. but the Anglican Church. As the solved and controversial historical England. What is appalling is that and holding it culpable for its un
federal council that is tasked with overseeing all the reg senior most churchman in a Chris issue of colonial injustice and apol the colonial monstrosity conti warranted monopoly on violence
ulatory aspects of the indirect tax has had its hands full. Gesture of atonement tian country, his words do matter. ogy. The Queen did not apologise. nued even after April 13, 1919 in against the colonised. It is also
From recommending the rates that could apply to va His presence in Jallianwala Bagh, In the light of the descendants Prince Philip did not. Former Brit Punjab. Martial law was imposed about introspection, acknowledg
rious products and services, to deciding on what could on September 10, as we remember of the victims appealing for an ish Prime Minister David Cameron from April 15. The British held ment and responsibility that
be tax exempted, the GST Council has had the onerous the 100 years of the massacre this apology from the Archbishop to on a visit to India in 2013 did not. summary trials, tortured prison would facilitate healing and resti
task of laying out the policy framework for administer year, is momentous. What he did assuage their “hurt feelings The current British High Commis ers and executed Indians. Punjab, tution. The Archbishop of Canter
inside the premises of the Bagh against the British atrocities”, the sioner in 2019 did not. The list which provided the largest num bury’s compassionate gesture is
ing the tax in a manner that benefi ts all stakeholders –
was even more dramatic. He lay Archbishop’s repentant gesture goes on and each time a British ber of recruits during World War I, certainly a symbolic sign of recon
the governments, the consumers and the suppliers down fl at to pray in front of the seeks to lend a healing touch to the dignitary comes to Amritsar, it was rewarded with such type of ciliation and empathy. The people
along the value chain. Given the complexity of the lega memorial and said he was “perso echoes of the dead. The Jallianwa feels like scratching a scab on the terrible punishment and brought of India demand that the British
cy taxes that GST subsumed and replaced and the teeth nally very sorry”. This was no pu la Bagh massacre is one of the wound. A perpetual wound. The under a rule of terror. Punjab government takes the “historic
ing troubles of operating a new tax system, ensuring blicity stunt. It requires courage to most horrifi c acts of violence in city of Amritsar continues to grap could never be the same again. step” towards tendering an apolo
optimal outcomes has proved an abiding challenge. A do that. modern history. The impact of ple with the legacy of Dyer’s savag On April 19, Dyer promulgated gy. Is it not time for Britain to ack
signifi cant concern relates to the loopholes that un The Archbishop further added, General Dyer’s coldblooded, ra ery. The ensuing military violence the “crawling order” on a street in nowledge the inconvenient truth
“I have no status to apologise on tional shooting of hundreds of in echoed across the Punjab. Amritsar where a lady missionary, and trauma of colonial and racial
scrupulous operators have sought to exploit, whereby
behalf of the UK, its government nocent lives, on April 13, 1919, with Miss Sherwood, had been at violence? Perhaps, the Archbish
revenue that ought to have accrued to the Centre and or its history. But I am personally 1,650 gunshots continues to tor Contours of imperial violence tacked. The order instructed peo op’s initiative marks a new
the States has leaked while allowing these elements to very sorry for this terrible atroci ment. We still have not got over it. Dyer’s monstrous act was princi ple to crawl on all fours through beginning.
derive illicit profi ts. And the scale of some has been ty.” He said, “Coming here arouses Many may never. Not just confi ned pally a racially motivated on the lane. They were tied to fl og
breathtaking. Earlier this month, the Directorate Gen a sense of profound shame at what to Punjab, the pain of the carnage slaught, which formed the core of ging posts and fl ogged with several Nonica Datta teaches history at
eral of GST Intelligence and the Directorate General of happened in this place. It is one of forms the collective agony of en imperial violence. He ordered the stripes. Dyer’s excessive use of ra Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Revenue Intelligence conducted a panIndia joint oper
ation, which saw about 1,200 offi cers simultaneously LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
conducting searches at 336 diff erent locations. In the
process they unearthed a network of exporters and Children for change ones. It is delightful that the both the U.S. and India in identity, regional identity, “slum touch” but have Everything went on
their suppliers who had connived to claim fraudulent It has been heartening to youth climate movement recent times has something language and religious nevertheless won audiences smoothly as long as there
refunds of Integrated GST, with more than ₹ 470 crore read about and see visuals launched by the young to do with this. There is a identities have been over with their focus on was only an exchange of
of input tax credit availed being based on nonexistent of the protests staged by Swede, Greta Thunberg, trend in both countries to fl ourishing from time critical issues such as caste, nostalgic moments. Enter
entities or suppliers with fi ctitious addresses. A further millions of school students has been able to invigorate push forward narrow and immemorial and will education, religion, women’s politics, the villain of the
₹ 450 crore of IGST refund is also under review. across the world last Friday and mobilise e youth across exclusivist defi nitions of continue to irrespective of rights and even music. piece. Soon posts grew with
over inaction on climate the world against national identity . Beyond the ideology of whichever G. Padmanabhan, a counterwave of replies.
It is against the backdrop of such cases, and the fact
change. These protests and environmental degradation. all this, the Indian party rules. In a democracy, Bengaluru Fake versions of politics had
that frauds totalling up to a staggering ₹ 45,682 crore strikes off er many valuable Venu G.S., American community may the ruling party does not a free run. As a group
have been detected since the rollout of the tax in July lessons. The fi rst is that Kalluvathukkal, Kollam, Kerala also have been looking for drop from the sky but is Hardly united administrator, my requests
2017, that the GST Council has decided “in principle” to students’ lives are not some kind of a parity — or chosen by the majority. The column, ‘Letter from a to stop posting political
recommend linking Aadhaar with registration of tax confi ned to the four walls of Houston and after an illusion of parity — Indian voters are more Concerned Reader’ content went unheeded. The
payers. In its 37th meeting in Goa on Friday, the council the classroom but It is strange that the between the U.S. and India mature and intelligent; the (Magazine, “Tea and innocence of schooldays had
also agreed to appraise the possibility of making the transcend beyond that. sponsors of the mega event in getting the two leaders national identity is supreme. ParleG”, September 22, vanished. After a while,
Since they are also social in Houston, U.S., “Howdy on a common platform Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao, sums up in its own some friends left the group
biometricsbased unique identifi er mandatory for
beings, they too must have Modi”, do not even appear even as the world waits Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh humorous way how a single in a huff while relations with
claiming refunds. Already the GST Network — the infor deep awareness of burning to realise that ultra with bated breath for the man’s “wave” is unwittingly others soured. It was ironical
mation technology backbone on which the whole tax social issues. What is the nationalism, which grips likely binational Oscar entry having a huge impact on that while we were united on
system runs — has made it mandatory for new dealers logic of fi lling their minds some in the curiously ramifi cations of the meet. Once again a Hindi fi lm has relations among family and a social platform, we
registering under the composition scheme for small bu with information about ambivalent Indian M. Jameel Ahmed, been nominated for the friends. Three years ago, suddenly found ourselves
global warming and climate American community, is a Mysuru Oscars (Page 1, “Gully Boy is after shifting to Chennai divided. It is disturbing that
sinesses to either authenticate their Aadhaar or submit
to physical verifi cation of their business, starting Janu change if they have no role doubleedged sword the offi cial entry for Oscars”, from Mumbai, I created a when it comes to making a
ary 2020. The council too needs to follow the network’s in bringing about changes (Editorial page, “One ■ I fail to understand what September 22). And this fi lm WhatsApp Group of school choice between political
in the world ? The student people, many countries”, the multiple identities and too has its gaze on the slums friends, now scattered affi liation and personal
lead and move swiftly to recommend mandatory link
community across the September 21). One day split loyalties are which the of India. The point is that the across. It was a major online relationships, there are many
ing for refunds, especially since that has proved to be world must take a leaf out they could end up facing a writer is arguing about and jury needs to understand reunion after nearly 30 who prefer the fi rst.
the main source of most frauds. In a becalmed econo of the youth climate backlash from those of their how such identities, if at all that there are fi lms in India years. It led to even V. Subramanian,
my, neither the Centre nor States can aff ord to forego movement’s book and learn ilk on foreign soil. It they exist, are being in other languages too — invitations being extended to Chennai
even a rupee of revenue that is due to the public coff ers. to protest over substantive appears that the upsurge of trampled on in India under especially from south India — each other to visit home and more letters online:
issues rather than trivial populist nationalism in ‘Hindutva rule’. Individual which may not have the attend family functions. www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM M HY-HYE
YK
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Another chance in Afghanistan
Donald Trump’s calling off Taliban peace talks is to India’s advantage; an outreach to the outfi t could secure it
in Afghanistan with devastating at though that is unlikely to happen. a shot in the arm to Pakistan, and
tacks being mounted by the Tali This will mean little check on the young Kashmiris who are willing
P
rime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertive stance
particular? Once the Taliban returns to ment doing the rounds among sec
on the need for all countries to walk the talk on
I
t is perhaps for the best that the power in Afghanistan, on its own tions of aggrieved Kashmiri youth.
climate change action is to be welcomed as a sig U.S.Taliban talks were called Implications for Afghanistan or as part of a powersharing ar The manner in which talks bet
nal of India’s own determination to align domestic pol off earlier this month. The Tali The direct fallout of the American rangement, Indian civilian assets ween the Taliban and the U.S.,
icy with its international commitments. Mr. Modi’s ban leadership’s proposed visit to pullout from the negotiations is and interests in Afghanistan could were being conducted would have
AP
comments at the UN Climate Action Summit in New Camp David in the United States more bloodshed in the country. come under increased pressure. led to negative consequences for
York have turned the spotlight on not just the national would have led to a slew of signifi The gloves are now off (not that commitments on its domestic Today, with the Pakistani side up New Delhi. To that extent, the
contributions pledged under the Paris Agreement of cant geopolitical changes with im the Taliban was greatly restrained behaviour. in arms against India, thanks to breakdown of the TrumpTaliban
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change plications for the region and earlier) and the Taliban has alrea New Delhi’s Kashmir decision, the talks is advantage India. The U.S.
beyond. dy started carrying out major at What it means for India possibility of the Taliban going and the international community,
(UNFCCC), but also the possibility of India declaring en
Perhaps the Taliban became far tacks with the American troops Even with a properly negotiated against Indian interests is much while picking up the threads of ne
hanced ambition on cutting greenhouse gas emissions too greedy and impatient, or the fi ghting back. However, the cur deal, the ascent of the Taliban in higher, if we were to assume Pakis gotiations in the days ahead, will
under the pact next year. Several aspects place the U.S. President has pulled out what rent dispensation in Afghanistan, Afghanistan would have meant a tan to be a major infl uence on the need to ensure that there are
country in the unenviable position of having to recon he thinks is the Trump card to gain led by President Ashraf Ghani, certain amount of regional uncer Taliban’s actions. enough guarantees built into a
cile confl icting imperatives: along with a declared pro a negotiating advantage especially might not be too displeased with tainty and geopolitical recalibra deal to disincentivise undesirable
gramme of scaling up electricity from renewable sourc given that the American establish the outcome. The September 28 tion. Pakistan, for instance, has The Kashmir question external behaviour by the Taliban.
es to 175 GW by 2022 and even to 450 GW later, there is ment is not too happy with the elections are likely to go ahead, been counting on the return of the Kashmir in many ways will conti India, on its part, needs to
deal. There were misgivings about and Mr. Ghani has a chance to con Taliban in Afghanistan which it nue to be at the centre of how the reach out to the Taliban, not to re
a parallel emphasis on expanding coalbased genera
the deal that the chief U.S. negotia tinue as President without having deeply believes gives it strategic emerging geopolitical situation in cognise it but to engage with it, in
tion to meet peaks of demand that cannot be met by so tor to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalil to share power with the Taliban — depth visàvis India. Pakistani tri Afghanistan will impact India. its own national interest. In fact,
lar and wind power. The irony of the Prime Minister zad, was about to ink with the a prospect Kabul has been uneasy umphalism in the context of Af While it is true that a repeat of the we are already pretty late in this
telling the international community in Houston that his Taliban. about for a long time — to the ex ghanistan would have meant pin late 1980s, when scores of unem game, and with the Chinese, Pakis
government had opened up coal mining to 100% fo tent that he actively discouraged pricks for India. Now that there is ployed Afghan fi ghters turned up tanis and even the Russians con
reign direct investment was not lost on climate activists Back to square one all talks with the Taliban that did no deal between the Taliban and in Kashmir at the behest of the Pa verging on the importance of the
campaigning for a ban on new coal plants and divesting The Taliban, having fought against not involve Kabul. The Ghani go the U.S., there is likely to be more kistani agencies, is unlikely to hap return of the Taliban to the Afghan
and displaced the powerful coali vernment will also be pleased with violence internally within Afghan pen today for a number of rea scheme of things, one wonders
of shares in coal companies. No less challenging is a
tion forces over the past 18 years, the fact that U.S. troops are likely istan while the external implica sons, including due to physical whether India will ever be able to
substantial transition to electric mobility, beginning has the luxury of time on its side, to continue in the country, for if tions would be more or less con barriers and the amassing of In make inroads into the higher eche
with commercial and public transport, although it even as it is steadily increasing its left alone the government will not tained. This calculus might change dian troops on the border, some lons of the Taliban. In any case,
would have multiple benefi ts, not the least of which is political legitimacy within Afghan survive long. if and when the Taliban returns to presence of the Taliban fi ghters any outreach from the Indian side
cleaner air and reduced expenditure on oil imports. istan. Recall that this is not the fi rst The larger question that should power and foreign troops cannot be ruled out. More signifi would make the government in
Advancing the national climate agenda in the spirit of time U.S.Taliban talks are break concern the Afghan people is withdraw. cantly, however, if a nonnegotiat Kabul led by Mr. Ghani, unhappy.
Mr. Modi’s actionoverwords idiom requires the Cen ing down, and every time the whether the Taliban is a changed India’s best bet in Afghanistan ed withdrawal of the U.S. forces This leaves India in a diffi cult situa
Americans have had to come lot or not. The Taliban has been would be a negotiated withdrawal takes place, it could lead to an tion. Hence, such an outreach will
tral government to come up with a strong domestic ac
around to negotiating again. Mr. making direct and indirect asserta of foreign troops from Afghanis open season for Taliban’s regional also need to be carefully calibrated
tion plan. The existing internal framework, the National Donald Trump on the other hand tions about how they are a much tan, for this would check the Tali engagement which could poten and discreetly executed.
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) is more than a may not have the luxury of time. evolved group on the question of ban’s proclivity to engage in trou tially be infl uenced by Pakistan’s
decade old. It lacks the legal foundation to incorporate As for the international communi girls’ education, treatment of wo ble making outside Afghan strategic calculations. Even if there Happymon Jacob teaches at the
the key national commitment under the Paris Agree ty, it has grown tired of the Afghan men and minorities, among oth territory. is a deal between the U.S. and the Jawaharlal Nehru University, and is the
ment: to reduce the emissions intensity of economic story. ers. But these are claims at best A nonnegotiated withdrawal of Taliban, the fact that the Taliban author of ‘Line on Fire: Ceasefi re
growth by a third, by 2030. Without an update to the In any case, we are back to and that is precisely why a deal U.S. forces would be the worst will have “forced” the Americans Violations and IndiaPakistan Escalation
another season of heavy fi ghting with the Taliban should include case scenario for India even out of Afghanistan would provide Dynamics’
NAPCC and its missionmode programmes, and legisla
tion approved by States for new green norms governing
buildings, transport, agriculture, water use and so on, it
will be impossible to make a case for major climate fi
nance under the UNFCCC. It is equally urgent to arrive
at a funding plan for all States to help communities
Defeated, discredited and diminished
adapt to more frequent climatelinked disasters such as
The British Supreme Court’s calling out of PM Johnson’s decision to prorogue Parliament is a constitutional earthquake
cyclones, fl oods and droughts. There is, no doubt, wide iciary. It also determined at what to determine how long Parliament British Prime Minister has been
support for India’s position that it cannot be held res point the jurisdiction of the legisla can function? put for at least a hundred years.
ponsible for the stock of atmospheric carbon dioxide ture ends and that of the executive It was the answer to this third He may well fi nd that his fi rst call
starts. Finally, it even touched question that led to the unani on his return from America is to
infl uencing the climate; even today, per capita emis
upon the constitutional role of the mous decision of all 11 judges to Buckingham Palace to hand in his
sions remain below the global average. Paradoxically, Queen. As the BBC website put it: declare the prorogation unlawful. resignation. If that happens his
the country is a victim of climate events on the one Karan Thapar “Should the Palace have pushed The judges decided that the power sole distinction will be to have
hand and a major emitter of GHGs in absolute terms on Downing Street harder as to the to prorogue is limited by its eff ect served as Britain’s shortestlived
the other. In New York, Mr. Modi chose to rely on the reasons for the prorogation?” It is, on the rest of the Constitution. In Prime Minister.
A
country’s culture of environmentalism to reassure the unanimous decision of all 11 therefore, hard to think of a more this case it “prevented parliament Up until the Supreme Court de
international community on its ability to act. In coming judges of the British Su important judicial pronounce from carrying out its constitution livered its judgment, Mr. Johnson
preme Court — the largest ment in recent memory. al role”. Distinguishing between had suggested he would not resign
AFP
years, national actions will have to be demonstrably ef
constitutional bench possible — prorogation and a recess, the Su if his prorogation was declared un
fective in curbing carbon emissions. has declared Boris Johnson’s deci Judicial split Minister did not mislead the preme Court said that the former lawful. But that was before the
sion to prorogue the British Parlia To understand just how seminal Queen. Furthermore, since no one meant Parliament cannot “meet stinging humiliation of all 11 judges
Balakot Redux ment “unlawful, void and of no ef
fect”. The order of the Privy
this ruling is, you need to fi rst un
derstand how the issue had split
other than Mr. Johnson and the
Queen know what he said to her,
debate or question ministers”. Its
conclusion was blunt: “the eff ect
quashing it. No one had predicted
such a strong and decisive verdict.
Evidently, the strike on terrorists in Pakistan Council to prorogue, which was the British judiciary. Earlier two how can a court hold he misled on the fundamentals of our de For the Prime Minister to carry on
based on Mr. Johnson’s advice to British High Courts had come to her? Second, even if he is alleged mocracy was extreme”. as if nothing has happened is likely
did not have a lasting impact the Queen, has been “quashed”. opposite conclusions. First, the to have done so, prorogation is a A somewhat technical second to be unacceptable to many in his
A
rmy chief Bipin Rawat’s revelation at the Offi cers The outcome is that “Parliament High Court in London ruled that political issue and a Prime Minis defence from the Prime Minister Conservative Party if not also to
Training Academy in Chennai that the terrorist has not been prorogued”. It never the Prime Minister’s advice to pro ter’s political decisions cannot be was also swiftly dismissed The ar the British people.
camp in Balakot has begun functioning again is a happened. rogue is a political issue and, the questioned by the courts. gument that the need for a Earlier his offi ce and his lawyers
deeply worrying development on several counts. It was This is a constitutional earth refore, not justiciable. The courts Now, in addressing and judging Queen’s speech to set out new le had suggested that if prorogation
quake which will rattle the British cannot look into it. However, the these issues, the court, in eff ect, gislation justifi ed prorogation was was struck down, the Prime Minis
barely seven months ago, in February, that the Air
government and has led to stri Scottish High Court — more cor reduced them to three key ques almost scoff ed at. As Lady Hale put ter might prorogue a second time
Force bombed Balakot and claimed to have taken out dent demands for the Prime Minis rectly known as the Inner House of tions. As Lady Hale, the president it, four to six days should be suffi but on diff erent — and, presuma
about 300 terrorists being trained there. That action ter, Mr. Johnson’s resignation. the Court of Session — took the op of the Supreme Court, explained cient for that purpose, not a proro bly, lawful — grounds. That is still a
was sold as being a preemptive one, and at the same When he returns from New York, posite view. It ruled the Prime Mi whilst reading the summary judg gation of fi ve weeks. possibility but it increasingly feels
time as a punitive response for the Pulwama attack where he is attending the UN Gen nister’s advice can be reviewed, ment, they go to the very heart of The outcome is striking. Proro politically mistaken. It would
which killed 40 CRPF personnel earlier that month. eral Assembly’s annual session, he not on ordinary judicial grounds the issues at stake. First and fore gation never happened. The seem to place a humiliated Prime
Though the Army Chief paraded this information on re may fi nd he is forced to resign. The of review but on fundamental con most, is the advice to prorogue jus Speaker of the House of Commons Minister in defi ance of the Su
court did not inquire into whether stitutional principles. Parliament’s ticiable? The court concluded it is. and the Lord Speaker must decide preme Court . That is unlikely to
sumption of Balakot camp’s activities as yet more con
his advice to the Queen was mis role scrutinising government, The judges next addressed wheth what happens next. There is no appeal to British voters.
clusive proof that the air force strike had put that terro leading — i.e. a lie — but it has, non which it called a central pillar of er the prerogative of a prime mi need for the Prime Minister to do Quietly leaving offi ce after his
rist camp out of business for the intervening months, it etheless, left him defeated, discre the British Constitution, is one nister can be inquired into and, anything. The clock has wound party has quickly found a succes
really comes across as an action that has not had any of dited and diminished. such principle. Therefore, any ad again, concluded that it can be back to the moment before proro sor may be the wisest course for
the intended eff ects the planners had hoped for, not The case touched on the pow vice motivated by an intention to challenged on the grounds of its li gation was ordered. Boris Johnson. It also could be
one. Indeed, it seems to have had the opposite eff ect. ers of all the key institutions of Bri stymie Parliament is unlawful. mits. This led to a third question: least damaging for his Tory party
Evidently, the JaisheMohammed, though a banned en tain’s unwritten constitution. To The government’s defence at can the Executive use its preroga The road ahead and the Brexit cause.
start with, it defi ned the powers of the Supreme Court rested on two tive to stop Parliament making Finally, where does this leave Bo
tity, continues to operate with impunity. This under
Parliament versus those of the jud broad arguments. First, the Prime laws by exercising that prerogative ris Johnson? In a place where no Karan Thapar is a television anchor
lines the reality that replenishing the numbers of terro
rists who are taken out of reckoning is not a challenge
for Pakistan’s establishment. That things have been LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
turned around in less than seven months opens the
door to more questions about the much touted effi cacy Common utility card ■ The very idea of one card threats and digital frauds like the recent and in the queues in order to get it happened in the case of
of the strike as well. Certainly, the development does The idea of “1 card for all for all utilities is absurd. The may witness an controversial National Aadhaar, Electors Photo the Aadhaar card.
not increase the Indian people’s confi dence that the Ba utilities” (Page 1, September ruling party, the Bharatiya unprecedented rise. Register of Citizens. Identity Card and ration Anshul Mittal,
lakot strike has somehow frightened terrorists and their 24) is a wellthoughtout Janata Party, should come Intruders would have only Naveen Raja, card. A new multipurpose Mansa, Punjab
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Childhoods lost in a troubled paradise
Kashmir’s children grow up traumatised by confl ict and live in perpetual fear of being picked up by the state
R. Vaigai, 400 schools gutted between 1990 the only forums off ering some pro up turning the innocent, including
E
very third child in Shopian Human Rights. Such destruction special status was abrogated, have among the surviving inhabitants
Disqualifi ed rebels should not be barred from district, Jammu and Kashmir of educational infrastructure, in taken away even this limited op caused their forced displacement,
bypolls in Karnataka ( J&K), has a clinically diag addition to the unlawful deten tion from Kashmiris. Following the the court observed that the omis
nosable mental disorder, said a tions, leaves a lifelong impact on arrest of presidents of the J&K sions, tolerance and collaboration
W
ith the Election Commission of India agreeing survey published in the Communi children, perpetuating a cycle of High Court and District Bar Asso by the state and the general popu
to defer byelections to 15 of the 17 vacant As ty Mental Health Journal earlier trauma, fear and bitterness. ciations and senior lawyers under lation amounted to aggravated hu
sembly seats in Karnataka, the defectors this year. Around 1.8 million adults A report by the UN High Com PSA, most of Kashmir’s 1,050 la man rights violations in the name
from the Congress and JD(S) have got a breather. By the in Kashmir Valley — 45% of its pop missioner for Human Rights ear wyers have been on strike. Over of ‘war on terror’.
dint of this order, the question whether they can con ulation — showed symptoms of lier this year found that children in 200 habeas corpus petitions have
test the elections will be answered by the Supreme mental illness in 2015, according Kashmir, many of whose ages were been fi led till now. However, since Caged and disturbed
to Doctors Without Borders. Thus, wrongly recorded, were being de most post offi ces are closed, la Children in Kashmir grow up
Court before the bypolls. The rebel former legislators of
even prior to the incidents of Au tained and mistreated for several wyers are unable to serve notices caged and under the shadow of a
the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had earlier this gust 5, the disastrous results of a days in police lockup, without any on the respondents. gun. As the parents of many of
year resigned from their respective parties and were la history of violence, illegal deten charge, mostly under the Public On August 5, all 31 cases shown them go missing, they are also
ter disqualifi ed by the then Speaker Ramesh Kumar. tions and torture in the Valley Safety Act (PSA), which allows pre in the ‘orders list’ of the Srinagar forced to assume the responsibili
AP
Following these actions, the BJP managed to get to pow were visible on the region’s chil ventive detention for up to two Bench of the J&K High Court were ty of caregivers for their siblings.
er with the support of 105 of the 208 remaining legisla dren. years without any trial. The report of the National Commission for adjourned “due to restrictions on The strain on social structures due
tors in the Assembly. The then Speaker’s actions dis The horror has since continued found that the Armed Forces Spe Protection of Child Rights clearly movement of traffi c” as advocates to the loss of family environment,
qualifying the legislators who had resigned till the end and got magnifi ed, as chronicled cial Powers Act remained a key ob state that a blanket characterisa could not be present. Weeks later, safe spaces and education and
in many reports. Media has report stacle to accountability. tion of adolescent boys as security on September 24, out of the 78 health facilities severely traumatis
of the current term of the Assembly added a twist to the
ed illegal detention of scores of In 2018, the Jammu & Kashmir threats during civil unrest should uploaded cases, advocates were es many of them and snatches
tale. This sent the fate of these disqualifi ed legislators children, many of them whisked Coalition of Civil Society ( JKCCS) be avoided and authorities should present for both parties in just 11, their childhood away. Gowhar
into a limbo, as it made it unclear whether they can away at midnight by law enforce found through Right to Informa investigate and take action against none appeared in nine cases, peti Geelani, in his recent book Kash
contest following this ruling. Under the law (the Tenth ment offi cers with no record of tion applications that hundreds of personnel involved in arbitrary tioner’s counsel alone in nine cas mir Rage and Reason says children
schedule) though, it is not clear as to how the exSpeak their arrests, making it diffi cult to children had been detained under detentions, mistreatment or tor es and only the government coun in Kashmir learn terms like “custo
er could fi x a period till which a member can remain trace them. A report by economist the PSA between 1990 and 2013. In ture of children. sel in 47 cases. dy killing”; “catch and kill”; “tor
disqualifi ed and bar them for the rest of the assembly Jean Dreze in August detailed ille many of these cases, the police/ Anticipating such contingen ture”; “interrogation”; “deten
gal detention and torture of boys. magistrates had no procedure to A sledgehammer treatment cies, our Constitution provided for tion”; and “disappearance” —
term. It is evident that the disqualifi ed legislators
A recent report by the Indian Fed verify the age of the detainees and In 2003, the Madras High Court in the protection of the citizens’ fun internalising a vocabulary they
should not be disallowed by the Supreme Court from eration of Indian Women and oth minors were kept in custody along Prabhakaran v. State of Tamil Nadu damental rights by empowering should not be privy to otherwise.
contesting in the byelections for the seats. er organisations gave a fi rsthand with adult criminals and released held that the Juvenile Justice Act is them to approach the Supreme What kind of world can such
However, the actions by the rebel legislators and the account of the haunting spectre of only after judicial intervention. a comprehensive law and over Court directly in case the rights children look forward to if they
Speaker, cumulatively beg the question if the letter and mothers standing at their door About 80% of these detentions rides preventive detention laws were violated. The right to consti have to live in constant fear of be
spirit of the antidefection law were undermined. It was steps in the desperate hope of were held illegal by courts. enacted for national security. Ear tutional remedies is by itself a fun ing picked up for an unknown
clear that the legislators who quit the CongressJD(S) their children’s return, not know Such treatment of children is lier, in 1982, the Supreme Court damental right. Quite conscious of crime and taken to an unknown
ing where they are. These disap undoubtedly in violation of multi had in the Jaya Mala case con its obligations to protect the right destination? Surely, this is not the
coalition did so to curry favour with the BJP and to gain
pearances are in clear breach of ple laws and conventions. To be demned the preventive detention to life of Kashmiris, the apex court fi rdous (heaven) on earth that ma
new loaves of power in the form of ministerial berths. the Supreme Court’s directions in gin with, all of them violate Article of a student and observed that has thus taken upon itself the task ny visualise Kashmir to be?
The fact that the BJP government led by B. S. Yediyurap the D.K. Basu case, where the 14(4) of the International Conven young people, even if their acts are of inquiring into the allegations of No curbs on democratic rights
pa has kept portfolios vacant in its council of ministers court said that the next of kin have tion on Civil & Political rights misguided, cannot be punished state violence against children. on the promise of development
indicates that these seats have been kept warm for the to be informed of every such ar which states that “all proceedings with a sledgehammer. The observations made by the can justify inhumane treatment of
turncoats. On the other hand, the CongressJD(S) rigma rest and the reasons thereof. against juveniles shall take into ac However, none of these laws Inter American Court of Human children. We need to speak out for
role of locking up legislators in resorts and hotels be count their age and the desirabili and directives seem to be followed Rights had observed in a 2005 the children of Kashmir or we will
Pawns in a political game ty of promoting their rehabilita in Kashmir. Parents are now too case, concerning Colombia’s Mapi also be complicit in the ‘aggravat
fore trust votes, besides the machinations by the Speak
Kashmir’s children have become tion.” The UN Convention on the scared to send their children to ripán Massacre, are instructive ed crime’ by the state apparatus.
er — sitting on the resignations for a long period and pawns in a political game where Rights of the Child, ratifi ed by In school, lest they be picked up by here: “One does not combat terror The preventive arrests should be
coming up with an unusual disqualifi cation order — did the government wants to punish dia, provides that the arrest/deten authorities or get caught in a cross with terror, but rather within the stopped lest the children of Kash
not help matters. The fractiousness of the coalition had those protesting against its author tion of a child shall be in conformi fi re. When such disappearances framework of the law. Those who mir go missing forever.
already led to a stasis in governance and had contribut ity. Between 1990 and 2005, a to ty with the law and used only as a take place in a confl icttorn region, resort to the use of brute force bru
ed to its loss in the Lok Sabha election and it is no won tal of 46 schools were occupied by last resort and for the shortest ap who does the aggrieved party talise themselves, creating a spiral R. Vaigai, Anna Mathew and Devika S. are
der that the Congress and the JD(S) have decided to con the armed forces and more than propriate period. The guidelines complain to? Courts seem to be of widespread violence that ends advocates at Madras High Court
test the byelections on their own. Besides deciding the
future of the BJP government, which has a narrow mar
gin of support in the Assembly, the byelections provide
a good opportunity for voters of these constituencies to
judge the parties and their representatives for their res
Institutions weakened, economy crippled
pective roles in the sordid drama this year. It is the pe
ople’s reasoned will that could ultimately bring a
The credibility of the RBI, the CSO and the Niti Aayog has taken a beating in recent times due to political interference
change in the political culture rather than just the im
neglected. This has resulted in a currency; second, its role as regu become routine exercises, with
plementation of the antidefection law to regulate legis
series of banal policy measures for lator of the banking sector was uncritical acceptance due to a lack
lator behaviour. reviving growth. questioned when banks faltered; of wellresearched documents.
A marketcentred economic and, fi nally, its reserves were si As another Nobel laureate, Dou
model necessitates creating and phoned. The net result has been glass North, opined: “Institutions
Trump & impeachment sustaining credible institutions that the RBI has been reduced into are the rules of the game in a socie
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
M Suresh Babu that further the effi ciency of mar an institution which presides over ty or, more formally, are the hu
He may fi nd it hard to shrug off the charge of ket mechanism. Given the possibil a limited space of monetary poli manly devised constraints that
N
obel laureate Oliver Wil ity of ‘market failures’, such insti cy, that is, infl ation targeting. shape human interaction.” Institu
leaning on Kiev to meddle in domestic politics liamson pondered over an tutions assume a larger role in the It is also interesting to note that tions are formed to reduce uncer
important question, economy in shaping expectations the only major policy tool availa tainty in human exchange. Togeth
U
.S. President Donald Trump discussed former
around 25 years ago: “Why are the and decisions. Journalist Henry ble in the RBI’s armoury is cutting er with the technology employed,
VicePresident Joe Biden in a July 2019 tele
ambitions of economic develop Hazlitt grouped the pillars of mar repo rates, which the central bank they determine the costs of tran
phone conversation with Ukraine President Vo ment practitioners and reformers ket economy into private proper did four times this year. The last sacting (and producing). While the
lodymyr Zelensky, allegedly in a bid to infl uence him to so often disappointed?” According ty, free markets, competition, divi time the RBI made so many back questions are bound to arise on formal rules can be changed over
investigate the business dealings of Mr. Biden’s son, to him, “one answer is that deve sion and combination of labour toback cuts was after the global fi the credibility of the numbers. The night, as has been practised by the
Hunter. Now he faces the prospect of an impeachment lopment policymakers and re and social cooperation. Institu nancial crisis over a decade ago, veracity of the data is to be tested present government, the informal
inquiry. That happened, fi rst, because of an “explo formers are congenital optimists. tions are needed to strengthen when most major central banks by researchers and the public who norms change only gradually.
sive” whistleblower complaint fi led against Mr. Trump Another answer is that good plans these foundational pillars are a were desperate to revive economic consume the data and not by ‘ap In this context, it is useful to fo
are regularly defeated by those prerequisite for markets to work. growth. However, rate cuts alone proving agencies’. It is altogether cus on understanding and reform
by a national security offi cial, which also alleges that
who occupy strategic positions. The credibility of three such im could not help India’s economy another matter that had we had ing the forces that keep bad insti
Mr. Trump used the call to “solicit interference” in the An intermediate answer is that in portant institutions — the Reserve this time, as banks, saddled with admitted that the rate of unem tutions in place, especially
2020 election, and that the White House then inter stitutions are important, yet are Bank of India (RBI); the Central bad debt, were slow to reduce ployment was high, perhaps more political institutions and the distri
vened to “lock down” the transcript of the call. The persistently neglected in the plan Statistical Organisation (CSO); and lending rates. This provides a clas private investment could have bution of political power. This re
whistleblower added that this was “not the fi rst time” ning process.” the Planning Commission/NITI sic case of an institution’s weaken come due the expectations of fi nd quires understanding the complex
that Trump administration offi cials placed presidential The question and all the three Aayog — has taken a beating in re ing, leading to questions on its role ing labour at lower wages. Such a relationship between political in
call transcripts in a separate, classifi ed system. The answers assume relevance in the cent times. and credibility. possibility was shut out by an atti stitutions and the political equili
context of India’s recent economic Markets, which work on infor tude of denial on the part of the brium. Sometimes, changing the
White House further exacerbated matters when they
performance. The slowdown in Erosion in RBI’s autonomy mation and expectations, rely on government. political institutions may be insuf
sought to block that complaint from reaching the House GDP growth rate has been dissect The RBI, which was clamouring offi cial data to arrive at decisions. fi cient, or even counterproduc
Intelligence Committee. Further, Mr. Trump is said to ed, digressed and disowned by for more autonomy, has been sys In an era of ‘big data’, we fi nd that Space for course correction tive, in leading to better economic
have personally ordered his staff to freeze more than analysts, commentators and poli tematically brought under the am India’s offi cial data procuring and NITI Aayog presents the case of an outcomes as has been the case in
$391 million in aid to Ukraine, before his call with Mr. cymakers. However, the diagnosis bit of the Central government. publishing agency has been crip institution that lost its character in India in recent times. The use of
Zelensky, making his conditions to the Ukrainian Presi is far from complete and the Starting from the sidelining of the pled. Often we fi nd that the offi cial the process of transformation. By highquality academic informa
dent an outright quid pro quo. The Congress, even the growth engine is running out of central bank on the important is series, ranging from national ac abolishing the erstwhile Planning tion, which the present establish
fuel. Both the demand and sup sue of currency demonetisation, counts to unemployment, has Commission and transforming it ment lacks, is valuable both to
Republicancontrolled Senate, was having none of this.
plyside factors have been central the attempt has been to steadily been smothered with repeated re into the NITI Aayog, the govern think about these issues and gen
In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Senate passed un in all the analyses, but the crucial erode the central bank’s indepen visions and change of data defi ni ment lost the space for midterm erate better policy advice.
animously a resolution calling for the White House to role of institutions in shaping the dence. A threepronged strategy tions. When data that needs ‘ap appraisals of plans and policies.
release the whistleblower complaint. Capitol Hill has outcomes of both the factors in resulted in this — fi rst, the RBI was proval’ before release, as in the Course correction and taking M. Suresh Babu is a Professor at IIT
now got both the memo of the call between Mr. Trump this episode of slowdown has been bypassed on matters relating to case of the unemployment data, stock of the economy have now Madras
and Mr. Zelensky and the complaint, whose allegations
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff
described as “deeply disturbing and very credible.” LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
It was in this backdrop that Speaker Nancy Pelosi an
nounced an inquiry into impeachment proceedings Impeachment inquiry despite the ceremonial Minister should descend to State of education level of the degree course is research in various science
against Mr. Trump, to begin after she meets with col Close on the heels of what hugs and lavish display of a level of unrelenting Education in India is the reason for the disciplines, if the country
leagues next week. Neither the complaint nor the edit was perceived as Prime bonhomie spring from the hostility that seeks to basically seen as a means to “mediocre quality” of the has to make real progress.
ed transcript of the call are exculpatory of Mr. Trump. Minister Narendra Modi’s inherent contradictions discredit and delegitimise lucrative employment publications. Inculcating Apart from transforming
Even the edited memo of the call makes clear that Mr. oblique endorsement of involved in the relationship the actions of the (Editorial page, “Diff erent scientifi c thinking has to the educational system, we
Trump is linking the payment of military aid to Ukraine President Donald Trump’s between the two nations. government no matter that peas in diff erent pods,” start from the school level need to invest in creating
reelection bid comes the Manohar Alembath, international opinion Sept. 26). That is the reason with the right kind of institutes of excellence.
to Mr. Zelensky agreeing to investigate Hunter Biden’s
news of impeachment Kannur, Kerala approves good policies like why the best of students teaching methods and Kosaraju Chandramouli,
role on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian gas inquiry against him (Front building toilets. The choose to pursue either an provision of basic Hyderabad
company. This, despite Ukraine’s public prosecutor, page, “Impeachment Award for Modi Swachh Bharat mission engineering or a medical infrastructure. There is an
Yuriy Lutsenko, saying that he had no evidence of inquiry against Trump The article “An award and resurrected toiletaccess course. Students join the urgent need to attract the more letters online:
www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
wrongdoing by the younger Biden. Contrarily, Mr. begins,” Sept. 26). This an unholy tradeoff ,” from the cocoons of shame rest of the courses also best of minds into basic
Trump may fi nd it hard to shrug off the prospect of an underscores the need for (Editorial page, Sept. 26) and secrecy and made it a based on their perception
ignominious impeachment. At least 140 House Demo caution while getting seems to be a petulant and focus of public health. about the relative
corrections & clarifications: >>Editing error: A frontpage
involved in the domestic uncharitable denunciation Entangling it in employment potential of
crats and one Independent have said that they would report (Sept. 26, 2019) erroneously said in the headline and text
politics of another country. of the Gates Foundation’s unsubstantiated and those courses. Unless this that two Dalit boys, aged 11 and 12, had been beaten to death in a vil
support impeachment proceedings against Mr. Trump Personal chemistry has conferring of the ‘Global indefensible theories about attitude of students lage in Madhya Pradesh. Actually, it was a boy and a girl aged 11 and
for leaning on a foreign power to meddle in domestic little relevance in Gatekeeper’ award on the perceived loss of liberty changes, we cannot expect 12 respectively.
politics, which would constitute a betrayal of the oath international relations Prime Minister Narendra appears to be a to produce more Jagadish >>In the report headlined “MIDHANI to be part of combat air
craft project” (Sept. 26, 2019, some editions), a sentence that read
of offi ce and compromise of national security. Ultimate which is essentially shaped Modi for advancing the demonstration of Chandra Boses and G.N.
“Work on MIDHANI’s new ₹ 4,000 crore plant to make highend
ly the inquiry leading to such an outcome would turn by a country’s perceived cause of public health by intolerance, a fl aw that the Ramachandrans in aluminium alloy in a joint venture with the Steel Authority of India
on whether there is, in the complaint, a “smoking gun” commercial and building of millions of article accuses the biotechnology fi eld or any Limited at Nellore has begun... “ should be corrected to say a joint
geopolitical interests. Mr. toilets across the country. government of. other science stream. The venture with NALCO at Nellore.
of the kind that brought down Richard Nixon.
Trump’s occasional One wonders why political V.N. Mukundarajan, lack of interest and quality The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
diatribes against India opposition to the Prime Thiruvananthapuram of the students at the entry E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
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the Emergency. But this judgment freedom of expression, freedom of rant to extend and apply the legis
Pakistan through its Kashmir pronouncements Suhrith Parthasarathy is scarcely an outlier — it is merely assembly and the freedom to lation with impunity to any area
an extreme exposition of the move freely throughout India — designated as “disturbed” for any
T
he statement issued by the Organisation of Islam court’s default frame of mind. were simply not available to a per unlimited period the government
ic Cooperation’s Kashmir Contact Group calling
T
he most powerful court in son detained under a penal law. thought fi t.
on India to “rescind its actions revoking Article the world? A protector of Faulty tradeoff Therefore, in its belief, the state The ritual burying of Gopalan
370”, among other stipulations, may not even be worth fundamental rights? One’s Throughout history the court has had no obligation to show the has, therefore, had little practical
the paper it is written on. If it has a dubious relevance, it heart sinks. There are scores of consistently seen individual liber court that a statute providing for consequence. Despite the ostensi
is one that allows the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran shibboleths that need dispelling in ty as an expendable value. Its cor communist leader A.K. Gopalan, preventive detention was other ble change in the law, the court
India, but foremost among them is pus of judgments is replete with who had been detained without wise reasonable and grounded in has continued to uphold statutes
Khan to sell the theory back at home that his trip to
the notion that the Supreme Court cases where it has allowed the bo trial, even after Independence, one of the constitutionally stated that treat basic civil liberties as a
New York, focused on Kashmir, has met with some suc acts, in the words of its second gey of security to trump freedom. was incarcerated under a freshly exceptions. The upshot was catas trifl ing inconvenience merely be
cess. From the mid1990s, when this Contact Group Chief Justice M. Patanjali Sastri, as That such a tradeoff is neither minted Preventive Detention Act, trophic: the court had eff ectively cause they deal with a special class
was formed, it has issued several statements on behalf a “sentinel on the qui vive”. constitutionally mandated nor a legislation that was passed hot held that so long as a law providing of off ences. As Justice R.M. Sahai
of Pakistan, which happens, not surprisingly, to be a rooted in a logic of the rule of law on the heels of the Constitution’s for preventive detention con noted in his dissenting opinion in
member, as does Turkey, Niger, Azerbaijan and Saudi Rights in Kashmir has barely placed any constraints inauguration. Supporting the sta formed to the procedural require Kartar Singh, the court has eff ec
Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Sal If the court’s handling of the cases on the court. This has meant an tute, the state cited Article 22, ments of Article 22, it could man tively taken the “law back once
concerning the unending suspen upholding of a plethora of legisla which provided, among other date confi nement without trial on again to the days of Gopalan”.
man had Imran Khan fl own on his private jet to Saudi
sion of human rights in Jammu tion, including The Preventive De things, a set of procedural guaran any arbitrary basis.
Arabia for a twoday visit before speeding him on the and Kashmir should tell us anyth tention Act, 1950; The Armed tees to persons detained preemp Almost a template
same plane to New York and the UNGA. It is also no ing it is this: freedom is of dispen Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 tively. But what the government A disconnect That the Constitution requires
coincidence that OIC is headquartered in Jeddah and sable merit. Nothing else can ex or (AFSPA); Maintenance of Inter failed to see was that the provision This idea, that fundamental rights pursuance cannot be doubted.
receives its fi nancial raison d’etre from its chief bene plain the court’s disdain for the nal Security Act, 1971; The Terro was primarily incorporated to en exist in a silo, has since been over The Supreme Court, even in re
factor, Saudi Arabia. Further, though it boasts of a writ of habeas corpus, which has rist and Disruptive Activities (Pre sure that even those persons con ruled in R.C. Cooper’s case (1970). cent times, has intervened to re
membership of 57 countries, its infl uence on world af now been stripped of all meaning, vention) Act, 1985, or TADA; and fi ned in exigent circumstances But the court’s ostensible change suscitate some of the document’s
and the court’s dogged refusal to The Prevention of Terrorism Act, were entitled to a set of basic in attitude has not translated into most foundational guarantees.
fairs has always been marginal. It is also extremely
so much as review the prevailing 2002. Although some of these sta rights. actual rulings limiting the govern Notably, in K.S. Puttaswamy
doubtful if the statement issued by the Contact Group suspension of liberty in the region, tutes have since been repealed, The article, it ought to have ment’s ability to detain people (2017), a ninejudge bench unani
refl ects faithfully the national positions of the indivi simply because “security matters” each of them allowed, among oth been clear, hardly provided a carte without reason. Quite to the con mously ruled that a promise of a
dual member states. The United Arab Emirates, for in are involved. Yet, for some reason, er things, the political executive of blanche to Parliament permitting trary, the rationale employed in right to privacy is embedded in Ar
stance, conferred the Order of Zayed, its highest civilian even otherwise sagacious com the time to defi ne and cite “secur it to legislate and allow for preven the judgment in Gopalan was ap ticle 21. There, in his concurring
award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than a mentators continue to place spe ity of the state” as a legitimate rea tive detention on arbitrary plied when the court upheld the opinion, Justice R.F. Nariman af
week after New Delhi’s moves on Article 370, and de cial faith in the judicial process. son for limiting a citizen’s rights. grounds. Indeed, as M.K. Nam Maintenance of Internal Security fi rmed, among others, Justice Fazl
They see the condonation of the As Ujjwal Kumar Singh has argued, byar, who represented Gopalan in Act, or MISA, a few years later in Ali’s dissenting opinion in Gopa-
clared that Kashmir was India’s internal matter.
continuing wrongs infl icted in J&K these judgments have resulted in court, argued, “no amount of fi ne Haradhan Saha (1974). The Consti lan, the foresight of which, he
The OIC’s record of confl ict resolution when it comes — including the judges’ failure to the exception becoming the norm, phrasing could disguise the fact tution, the court wrote there, con held, “simply takes our breath
to issues between OIC member states is poor. In practi account for the practical freezing and in the creation of a seemingly that preventive detention without ferred rights under Article 19, but away”. Yet, as we have seen time
cal terms, its fatuous attempts to meddle in Kashmir, in of the J&K High Court’s function permanent state of emergency. trial is utterly repugnant to the un it also “adopted preventive deten and again, when the stakes are at
cluding by appointing a socalled special envoy on Jam ing — as a mere aberration. But The groundwork for this re iversal conscience of civilized tion to prevent the greater evil of their highest the Supreme Court
mu and Kashmir, have amounted to nothing. The when we probe deeper what we cord, however, was laid at the very mankind”. elements imperilling the security, reverts to type, bringing to mind
organisation, constituted on religious lines, but seeking see is a court that has so often in founding of the Supreme Court. But the court endorsed the law. the safety of a State and the wel Sir Edward Coke’s aphoristic ap
the past been a grave of freedom. Today, we are prone to off ering en It saw the Constitution’s provision fare of the Nation”. peal in the House of Commons for
to fulfi l geopolitical interests, needs reforms from with
Ordinarily, when we think comiums to the court’s earliest of a framework for preventive de Gopalan’s logic persisted the Petition of Right: “Shall the sol
in. It could begin by asking Pakistan to change its state about the Supreme Court and its years, but nowhere is its inherent tention as a parliamentary licence. through the ensuing decades dier and the justice sit on one
policy on terrorism. Imran Khan did admit at various record in preserving civil liberties, and deeply felt distrust of funda What is more, even more damag when the court upheld the TADA bench, the trumpet will not let the
fora that Pakistan had backed entities such as the al our collective minds hark back to mental freedoms more apparent ingly, the court held that the gua and the AFSPA, respectively, in crier speak.”
Qaeda, but he should ensure that Pakistan abjures sup the dark days of the Indira Gandhi than in its fi rst big constitutional rantee of a right to life and perso Kartar Singh (1994) and in Naga
port to Kashmircentric groups such as the JaisheMo imposed Emergency. Then, the verdict. nal liberty under Article 21 could People’s Movement of Human Suhrith Parthasarathy is an advocate
hammed and the LashkareTaiba. It serves no useful court’s status as a check on demo The year was 1950, and the be denied so long as there existed Rights (1997). In the former, a di practising at the Madras High Court
purpose for the OIC to paint Kashmir in communal and
religious political colours. India, though not a part of
the OIC, has the second largest numbers of Muslims in
the world, perhaps more than Pakistan and some of its
As Xi comes a-calling, a footprint without traction
most ardent backers put together. The OIC would do a Nepal will gain little from China’s outreach unless there is a recalibration in its long-term vision of development
lot better if it did something useful to better the lot of its
members or mediate between warring Saudi Arabia with help and relief materials. This one in West Bengal has been about underground, received tacit sup
made everyone feel that the multiple factions that keep split port. With the communist parties
and Yemen, for instance. In the meanwhile, New Delhi
changes in ties were for real. But ting and coming together rather in India in disarray now, the Nepali
must demonstrate to the world that its new Kashmir
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E
arlier this week, on Septem tion of Nepali youth, and Nepali Second, the communist move nal who became Prime Ministers
A second Premadasa is against a second ber 24, in a twoday event at leaders played the nationalism ment in both India and Nepal has earlier with Indian support are try
Rajapaksa in race for Sri Lanka’s presidency tended by the top brass of card to reach out to China. Chi implemented. It has never been been about rentseeking on posi ing to look for options in China.
the ruling Nepal Communist Party nese interest grew after the earth about seeking investments and get tions and selling rhetoric and hy While Chinese engagement in
I
n fi elding Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka’s United Na (NCP) which included the Prime quake and the blockade. With the into a partnership model such as pocrisy. It has been about talking Nepal has increased post the BRI
tional Party (UNP) has chosen arguably its strongest Minister, a memorandum of un announcement of the Belt and what Bangladesh has been able to about Red Book during the day phase and with revamping of out
candidate to take on former Defence Secretary Gota derstanding (MoU) was signed by Road Initiative (BRI), exchanges do successfully with both China and on other diametric subjects la reach policies, those backing the
baya Rajapaksa in the presidential election to be held the NCP with the Communist Par and interactions between the two and India. ter. This is in stalk contrast to the few projects with Chinese invest
ty of China. Signed on the side countries grew. Nepal signed With a strong patriarchal and Chinese societal model of hard ments have not been happy with
on November 16. The party chose to back the claims of
lines of the programme, “Commu agreements with China to ensure it feudal culture embedded in Hin work and encouraging entrepre the government as they now face
Mr. Premadasa, its deputy leader, over those of Ranil nist Party of China’s Opinion was not “India locked”, in turn duism, rituals dominate Nepali neurial pursuits. the same problems that other in
Wickremesinghe, its leader and the Prime Minister. The about Xi Jinping Thought and Ide opening transit and trade oppor life. With people from the Bahun Third, Nepali communists, es vestors are experiencing. Foreign
party may have reckoned that Mr. Premadasa, son of ological Discussion between Nepal tunities through its northern bor (Brahmin) community dominating pecially the former insurgents, direct investments to Nepal are
the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, with a li Communist Party and Communist der. the bulk of leadership in politics still talk about Mao and the Maoist low and the way government has
neage not drawn from the urban elite, is its best bet Party of China”, it was in prepara and bureaucracy, there is much ideology. In China, Mao is a word functioned does not really encour
while facing Mr. Gotabaya, a rival from another Sinha tion for the visit of the Chinese Inertia in reaching out emphasis on rituals rather than an best avoided and is jarring for the age large Chinese investors to look
President, Xi Jinping in October, Nepal, in its nearly 70year jour understanding of the deeper is current key leadership. Finally, in at Nepal seriously enough. The in
lese political family from the same southern region.
his fi rst since assuming presidency ney after the Rana autocracy end sues. Therefore, there is little ex China, over the years, when a ma crease in Chinese businesses in
The latter has the image of a strongman who guided the in 2013. The last time a Chinese ed in 1950, has yet to leverage its pectation about the upcoming vi jority group within the party de Nepal has remained mostly low le
armed forces, as defence secretary, to victory over the President visited Nepal was 23 bilateral or multilateral ties. From sit apart from keeping nationalism cides on an issue, people with op vel examples being operations in
separatist LTTE, and the UNP may need all the grass years ago, in 1996. the days of the Shah kings who alive from an electoral point of posing views accept the decision hotels and restaurants. Till there is
roots support that Mr. Premadasa can mobilise to re ruled directly till 2006 to the cur view: in general about creating and do not challenge them in the a complete recalibration in Nepal’s
capture the presidency it lost in 1994. For Mr. Wickre Looking north rent form of a federal democratic doubts about India to making anti future. You can debate on an issue longterm vision of development,
mesinghe, it will be the third consecutive election in In August 2014, when the Indian republic, Nepal’s engagements India statements. but after a decision is made, you a willingness to implement inves
which he has had to step aside from the contest in fa Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the outside world have been abide by it. Nepali communism torfriendly policies and enable
visited Nepal, Kathmandu shut to more of theatrics, speeches and Nepali politics has been about continuous infi ght concrete steps towards effi ciency,
vour of another. In the 2015 election, as part of a grand
welcome him. It was called a his little action. After the 2015 earth The biggest feature of the Nepali ing and creating fi efdoms rather President Xi’s visit will be once
opposition plan to unseat Mr. Rajapaksa, he backed toric visit by an Indian Prime Mi quake, China, India and other communist ignored by parachute than accepting an individual’s lea again be one made by a “friendly
Maithripala Sirisena, who recorded a historic victory nister after more than a decade countries pledged approximately analysts is that communism to Ne dership. neighbour or cousin”, who brings
on the promise of good governance, economic revival andahalf. It felt as if the IndiaNe $4billion for reconstruction; India pal came through Calcutta and not The recent rise of the Nepali some gifts, exchanges pleasantries
and ethnic reconciliation. pal relationship would undergo pledged more funds, but Nepal straight from China. Therefore, communist has been due to the and then moves on.
It is quite uncommon that the battle lines in a presi changes as a number of sops were has been tepid in utilising these what we see in Nepal is the West empathy of and support from the
dential election appear to be drawn even before it is announced. Less than a year later, funds. Scouring for grants remains Bengal version of communism Communist parties of India that Sujeev Shakya is Chair of the Nepal
when a big earthquake struck Ne key while there has not been much rather than a Chinese one. First, were part of the United Progres Economic Forum and the author of
known whether the incumbent will seek reelection or
pal, India was quick to respond traction on agreed projects being the communist movement like the sive Alliance. The Maoists, while ‘Unleashing Nepal’
his party will fi eld a candidate. In recent times, Presi
dent Sirisena has been marginalised in the political are
na, and his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is no more LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
the organisation it was in its heyday. He has had a bitter
parting of ways with Mr. Wickremesinghe, even though Childhoods lost ■ The situation in Jammu and only physical torture but the Kashmir issue.The rest of science, irrigation dams, buyers, when compared with
both have shared power for nearly fi ve years. Last year, The slew of reports Kashmir is worrying. Even serious longterm mental India needs to highlight the science and technology and the builders, bureaucrats
the president ousted Mr. Wickremesinghe from his regarding the violation of though the government may torture that will probably abuse of basic rights. pioneering education. The and politicians, was
child rights in Jammu and have justifi ed the lockdown create another class of Durga Prasad Dash, letter writer says there are highlighted but did not seem
post, but the courts reinstated him. Former President
Kashmir are indeed of 50 days citing security Kashmiris who can be easily Berhampur, Odisha “unsubstantiated and to have got the attention of
Mahinda Rajapaksa, who cannot run for president now worrisome. The atrocities reasons, independent radicalised. The havoc that is indefensible theories about the judiciary. How far the
because he has already completed two terms, has that are being infl icted reports on human rights waiting to happen will be India’s legacy the perceived loss of liberty”, order to pay the amounts
walked away with a signifi cant part of the SLFP’s sup upon the children amount cannot be ignored. The data very fatal for India. The gross The writer of the letter which according to him, it is using the builders’ accounts
port base, and leads the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to the most brutal form of on children and the total violation of human rights in (“Letters to The Editor”, a “demonstration of would get fi nal legal sanction
(SLPP). He has fi elded his brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, child abuse. Gandhiji said, population as such being the cases of these young ‘Award for Modi’, September intolerance”. How far it is must be watched. The roles
on its behalf. It will be primarily a contest to win the “If we are to teach real aff ected by mental trauma children must be taken 27) needs to ponder over the from the truth. Has the letter of politicians are sure to
peace in this world... we are alarming. Lack of access seriously. We should not be tone and language of writer also forgotten the surface in due course. The
support of the majority Sinhalese. The leftist Janatha Vi
shall have to begin with the to proper health care, locked carried away by ultra utterances of the Prime hostile environment in which government, if experience is
mukti Peramuna has chosen its leader Anura Dissa children.” down schools and Internet nationalism. What is the Minister and the right wing large sections of the media anything, cannot be
nayake as its candidate, whose prospects may not be It is shameful and an irony blockage cannot be glossed government trying to do? when it comes to the legacy function? expected to take an impartial
high, but can make a dent in the vote share of the two that at a time when the over as those aff ected Erase a complete generation of India of the last 70 years. I D.M. Mohunta, and bold stand. If the
principal candidates. Lost in the perennial jockeying nation is celebrating the include children and women. from the pages of wonder why the political Chennai developments lead to the
for power is the promise of abolishing the executive 150th anniversary of the The government will have to history?The Kafkaesque fear opposition to Jawaharlal demolition of illegal
presidency, something that has been heard for the last Mahatma, such misconduct make sure the availability of that every Kashmiri keeps in Nehru should descend to the Verdict and complexes constructions and an end to
and anarchy prevails in our basic needs. The judiciary his mind will never be in level of unrelenting hostility Justice appears to have been, any unholy builder
25 years. Sri Lanka will be holding one more election
own backyard (Editorial needs to take note. favour of India. By doing that seeks to discredit and at least partly done, in the bureaucratpolitician nexus,
for the post, even while the idea of scrapping it remains Page, “Childhoods lost in Ahmad Hussain, this, the government is only delegitimise his actions no Maradu fl ats demolition case that would be welcome.
a key issue. That there is no sign of the promised inclu troubled paradise”, Mangaluru further alienating a whole matter what the as the top court has ordered P.R.V. Raja,
sive Constitution for the multiethnic country is anoth September 27) generation.This will also international opinion has interim compensation to the Pandalam, Kerala
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
P
rime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the UN lution of Article 370 and demotion sions that it could only be quelled the Indian taxpayer several thou
T
GA catalogued welfare and development he Narendra Modi adminis of the State to two Union Territo by tens of thousands of additional sand additional crores per annum,
schemes that he had initiated. He sounded like a tration has used a number of ries will enable better security. It is troops, hundreds of preventive de and will most likely be unsuccess
seer in his call for unity of humanity, but it was his em arguments — security, eco also argued that preventive deten tentions and a massive communi ful in the goal of appeasing Kash
phasis on Indian diversity that stood out for its remar nomic and welfare — to justify its tions, curfews and a communica cations blockade. miri resentment. As violence
new Kashmir policy. While the tions lockdown are necessary to mounts, so will our security costs,
AP
kable departure from the sort of domestic politics he
economic and welfare arguments prevent a security deterioration. Widespread resentment both human and economic. Is this
and his party, the BJP, have come to be associated with have been shown to be based on The two appear contradictory: if If that is the case, two questions suspension of mobile telephony, a price we are willing to pay for
lately. India’s achievements in housing, sanitation, little or false information, and the the fi rst slew of measures enables arise. First, if the administration intelligence on militancy will be what may turn out to be a selfgen
health care, banking and education are signifi cant, as Modi administration’s actions better security, what was the need knew their new J&K policy would more diffi cult to collect. erated security threat?
the PM noted. His tenacious public campaign on issues have been challenged on both hu for the second slew of measures? be widely, even violently, protest These are formidable challeng The biggest cost, of course, is to
such as water conservation, environment and girls’ man rights and constitutional Conversely, if the second leads to ed, why did they adopt it? Second, es for our security forces who the security of our democracy.
education has brought these issues to the centre of the grounds, there has been relatively better security then what was the has this new policy made our se have, unfortunately, been pushed Several millions of our citizens in
little discussion, let alone analysis, need for the fi rst? curity more rather than less vul back into the line of fi re. The Modi J&K have been denied their funda
development discourse and he deserves full credit for
of the security argument. Ironically, the fi gures that the nerable and, if so, in which ways? administration is trying to com mental rights of freedom of move
it. Mr. Modi has consistently presented material deve This lacuna is surprising given Modi administration presented in Certain facts are inescapable, pensate with better housing and ment, commerce and expression
lopment as an end in itself, sometimes ignoring that it how often the security argument their submission to the Supreme and pose an immediate challenge allowances and there is some dis for six weeks already, with no
might be at the cost of other markers of progress such is parroted, especially on our tele Court against humanitarian relief for our forces. The Modi adminis cussion within the Army about set clear end in sight. In the U.S. and
as expansion of freedoms and equity. This idea is also vision channels, and accepted as petitions actually belie the securi tration may not be able to keep the ting up integrated battle groups, Europe, when security is allowed
the explanation of his government’s policy on Jammu beyond question. Indeed, national ty claim. From a high of 5,938 inci current lockdown in force for any but these would be for crossbor to trump democracy, it is for days,
and Kashmir, as refl ected in his own pronouncements security is a critical concern, not dents of terrorist violence in J&K in length of time, though it was ear der action rather than internal de not weeks. The question is rarely if
only for policymakers, but also for 1995, with 2,600 casualties, vio lier rumoured it could last for as ployment. As defence and strateg ever debated in relation to preven
and those of other offi cials, during their diplomatic out
us ordinary citizens. That is why lence has steadily declined to 365 long as 1824 months. Even with ic analysts have long known, our tive detention, banning dissent, or
reach in the U.S. A Prime Minister’s use of a global pul offi cial assertions regarding secur incidents in the fi rst nine months the lockdown, security forces have security forces lack the range of blocking Internet and mobile
pit to showcase India’s progress and diversity to a world ity need to be examined and, if ne of this year, with 237 casualties. not been able to plug the gaps protective equipment needed to phones — because in most democ
that is divided, and deliver a message of unity, would cessary, questioned. Surely, these fi gures do not sug along the border with Pakistan: 60 deal with internal security, and racies these concern fundamental
have been inspiring for all Indians. But his UNGA gest a major or even imminent se terrorists have reportedly infi ltrat their spans of duty are so long as rights that cannot be brushed
speech sits at odds with his campaign speeches at Placing limits on rights curity threat. Nor has the Modi ad ed in the past month. Given the wi to increase the stress that makes aside in the name of security.
home, and corresponding administrative measures. The key question is whether, and ministration presented any despread resentment not only at so many triggerhappy. We are yet We appear to have exited this
The claim that there can be a neat insulation of inter at which point, security impera evidence of a planned attack that what has been done but also the to hear how the Modi administra group of democracies. More gall
tives can supersede democratic might constitute so serious a way in which it was done, even the tion plans to deal with these chal ing still, we appear to have done so
nal issues of a country from global concerns is antithet
and human rights. Some will argue threat that it could only be thwart scant support our troops received lenges. Perhaps we never will. over an issue, Article 370, which is
ical to the rationale of all global institutions, particular ‘never’, though it is generally ac ed by the lockdown of over six mil from local communities may evap held by the Modi administration to
ly the UN. Populist politics around the world has sought cepted by most democracies that lion people. orate — indeed the threat of at Cost to the taxpayer have had little substance left in it
to privilege national sovereignty over universal values there might be occasions when se In fact, the Modi administration tacks from the rear is likely to rise In the meantime, there are other anyway. What then is this alleged
and commitments, slacking off eff orts to tackle critical curity threats require some limits acknowledges that the lockdown exponentially. aspects of the security argument public celebration about? Have we
challenges that are transnational. Human rights, de to rights. The issue has been hotly was necessary because wides Beginning 10 years ago, cross to consider. In the past month, at a become a people who exult in the
mocracy and liberty are as much global questions as cli debated in the U.S. and Europe, pread protests against its new J&K border militants had started be conservative estimate, Kashmiri humiliation of our own, as so ma
generally in relation to surveil policy were anticipated. The go coming unwelcome in the Valley industry has lost hundreds of ny Kashmiris believe?
mate change, health and terrorism. Selective globalisa
lance and privacy rights. Whichev vernment’s submission argues and their sanctuaries were drying crores of rupees, and the Modi ad
tion is diffi cult to sustain or defend. India cannot aspire er side those governments and that “it was clear” that Kashmiri up. They might now have renewed ministration has spent hundreds Radha Kumar’s latest book is ‘Paradise at
to meet global best practices in governance, infrastruc their institutions come down on, politicians would oppose the Modi sustenance. Moreover, with the of crores, if we add the costs of War: A Political History of Kashmir’
ture and investment climate on the one hand and on
the other, choose to overlook soft power attributes such
as tolerance, pluralism and diversity. Pakistan Prime
Minister Imran Khan’s bluster on Kashmir and the im
plied threat of a nuclear war were irresponsible and ov
er the top, but that is beside the point. India cannot
Seeking harmony and moderation in Ayodhya talks
wish away questions regarding Kashmir at international Now that both parties have expressed faith in mediation, the emphasis must be on healing minds and hearts
fora. The best — and the only way — to keep domestic is
sues domestic is to resolve them through internal dia in the Supreme Court appears to stake claim to any other “disput ative to seek to achieve what is be
logue and accommodation. Tamil poet Kaniyan Pun be meandering around the uncer ed” Muslim place of worship in In nefi cial (masalih) and avoid what is
gundranar’s verse Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir — all tain pathways of dogmatic certi dia. The Muslim side too must real harmful (mafasid) for the com
tude eliciting exasperated expres ise that thwarting a negotiated munity under all circumstances,
places are our own, everyone is our kin — that Mr. Modi
sions of suff erance from the settlement on the basis of religious especially when faced with unpre
cited to underscore India’s ancient faith in universalism
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
advocate for one of the Muslim beliefs would amount to losing an cedented problems and pressing
is a tenet far from fulfi lment, but worth striving for. De A. Faizur Rahman parties, Rajeev Dhavan. During a opportunity to strengthen the en adversity.”
viation from it could be detrimental, and would have recent hearing, he indirectly ac tente cordiale.
I
consequences at home and abroad. n a signifi cant move, the Su cused the Court of entertaining ar Neither the Koran nor the auth For a win-win outcome
preme Court earlier this month guments based on theology rather entic statements of the Prophet As for those Muslims who feel that
permitted mediation to resume than legality and concrete proof. It lend credence to the perception a negotiated agreement with the
I
t has been a nightmare of a week for thousands of way out of the imbroglio. delving deep into confl icting theo and that communal brotherhood schools do not subscribe to this dered the agreement to be a humi
customers of the Punjab and Maharashtra Coopera This is a welcome development, logical positions in a title dispute shall bring to the dispute at Ayod idea although they all endorse the liating surrender to the Meccans.
tive Bank (PMC), who were told last Tuesday by the considering the fact that there was be conducive to the apex court’s hya an amicable solution long be fundamental doctrine of the es But the Koran called it “manifest
widespread scepticism among the genuine desire to “heal minds and fore the courts resolve it.” Now sentiality of mosques in Islam. victory” (fathan mubeen) and ulti
Reserve Bank of India that no more than ₹ 1,000 could
same parties when the Supreme hearts” of the disputants, especial that several Muslim and the Hindu The Majmu al Fatawa of Hanbali mately the treaty proved to be of
be withdrawn from their accounts for a period of six Court mooted the idea in March. ly when the parties themselves parties have exhibited their mod scholar Ibn Bazz contains a fatwa great benefi t to the Muslims.
months. The 35yearold lender may not be the fi rst but While many Hindu groups op have renewed their faith in the me erateness by renewing their faith which mentions the shifting of a Therefore, in the interest of
is certainly one of the largest urban cooperative banks posed mediation, the Muslim side diation process? in the process of mediation, to mosque in Kufa by Caliph Umar peace and communal harmony, if
facing this clampdown. The resultant distress is also questioned the neutrality of one of In the Ismail Faruqui case, a taste success they must see to it “for a particular benefi t that called the Muslims come to a negotiated
more widespread as the bank, with a large footprint in the mediators, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Constitution Bench of the apex that the process is kept free of de for that.” And Ibn Taymiyyah in his agreement with the Hindus which
Maharashtra, is also present in Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, and but agreed to join the process. Un court refused to answer a Presi liberations purely based on faith. Majmu al Fatawa states: “It is per results in a winwin situation for
fortunately, despite its best eff orts, dential Reference under Article missible in public interest to re both sides, they would not have
Karnataka. Strikingly there was no ostensible sign of
the panel could not get the parties 143 asking for its opinion on Truth and reconciliation place a mosque by another one be gone against the shariah.
distress to trigger the bank’s virtual collapse, following to come to an agreement. whether any Hindu religious struc The Hindu parties, notwithstand cause in some cases such a change The Hindu side, on its part,
the regulator’s intervention. Things were going swim ture existed prior to the construc ing their unshakeable views on the can be more useful and benefi cial must realise that for India to
mingly as per its latest annual report, with deposits A pragmatic realisation tion of the Babri Masjid. Re exact birthplace of Lord Rama, even when the mosque is not fully prosper, it must listen to Swami Vi
growing nearly 17% yearonyear to ₹ 11,617 crore by Yet, the court immediately grant nowned jurist Nani Palkhivala is must try to “heal the minds and in a state of disrepair.” vekananda, who pointed out more
March 2019, with longtenure savings accounting for the ed the parties’ request to restart also on record stating: “Courts can hearts” of the Muslims by accept With the help of legal devices than a century ago: “For our own
largest chunk. Profi ts, in a tough year for banks, were mediation and let it proceed con decide only questions of fact or of ing that what happened on De such as takhayyur (selecting from motherland, a junction of the two
currently with the daytoday law. They cannot decide, and cember 6, 1992 was a gross viola diff erent opinions) and talfi q al great systems, Hinduism and Is
fl at, and while bad loans more than doubled, their pro
hearing. For this, it deserves should never be called upon to de tion of law. Such a gesture would mazaahib (fusing diff erent legal lam — Vedanta brain and Islam bo
portion was far lower at PMC than at most public sector praise. But the biggest takeaway cide, questions of opinion or belief emulate the restorative process opinions) Muslim jurists can easily dy — is the only hope. I see in my
banks. Given this backdrop, the bank’s depositors, who for the peaceable majority of this or political wisdom.” mandated in the South African harmonise the doctrines of va mind’s eye the future perfect India
ironically include the RBI’s own employees’ coopera country is the eagerness shown by The seeming intractability of Truth and Reconciliation Commis rious Islamic schools to formulate rising out of this chaos and strife,
tive, are understandably perturbed about the fate of the contending parties in resum this doddering mandirmasjid case sion and would go a long way in as reformist interpretations that are glorious and invincible, with Ve
their savings. The RBI has said it is acting in depositors’ ing mediation. It subtly points to a lends credence to the view that an suaging hurt Muslim feelings. Oth capable of addressing any emer danta brain and Islam body.”
interests after ‘fi nancial irregularities, failure of internal pragmatic realisation that exces adversarial court process ground er confi dencebuilding measures gent issue. In fact, Ibn Ashur, one
control and systems of the bank and underreporting of sive reliance on theology may not ed in religious sentimentalism may include a legally enforceable of the great Islamic scholars of the A. Faizur Rahman is the secretarygeneral
bring about an amicable resolu may not be the best alternative to a assurance to Muslims that, after 20th century, argues in his legal of the Islamic Forum for the Promotion of
exposures’ came to its notice and on Thursday, raised
tion to the confl ict. negotiated agreement. A quarter the peaceful resolution of this is treatise Maqasid al Shariah al Isla Moderate Thought. Email:
the withdrawal limit to ₹ 10,000 per account, stressing However, the ongoing hearing of a century ago, the judges in the sue, no Hindu organisation would miyyah that “It is a shariah imper a.faizur.rahman@gmail.com
this should allow 60% of its depositors to recover their
entire savings. The RBI must still explain what made it
increase the withdrawal limit tenfold within 48 hours,
lest it be seen as a politically weighted move ahead of
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
the Maharashtra election.
Riposte to Imran With respect to even a limited trade rate has touched a low 5%. is. It is a matter of fact that Languages. Even the Indian
Questions have been raised on the bank’s large expo
A perfect riposte was Contrary to what Prime agreement could not be Dividing the nation on the Patna is a badly planned city. Constitution recognises Urdu
sure to Housing Development and Infrastructure Limit delivered by the First Minister Narendra Modi reached with the U.S. basis of languages and Most of its areas are as an Indian language. Its
ed (HDIL) which is itself undergoing insolvency pro Secretary in India’s claimed, India, as the government, and that Mr. religion is on the rise. For congested. Concrete roads history and importance to
ceedings. The bank’s chairman had served on the board Permanent Mission at the largest democracy, has Modi’s appeal for India’s nearly two months, voices of have weakened soil stability. our freedom struggle, and
of the HDIL for ten years between two long stints at the UN, Vidisha Maitra, who always been held in high entry to the Nuclear Kashmiris have been gagged. Now we have boats fl oating our fi lms and literature, is
bank, and any irregularities in loans to the fi rm would lambasted Pakistani Prime esteem by countries around Suppliers Group as a Should the international on the busiest roads of the known to all. I myself have
be an indictment of the quality of oversight on banks. Minister Imran Khan’s the world (News page, member country also went community honour India for city and water entering studied Urdu for over
views. ( Front page, “India “World respects India more unheeded, betray failure of any of these? households. What makes the seventeen years after my
That the RBI shares regulatory responsibilities over
slams Imran’s ‘hate speech’ now: Modi, Sept. 29). But the Indian mission. A. Jainulabdeen, situation more tragic is that retirement and, for the past
such banks with States’ Registrar of Cooperative Socie at UN,” Sept. 29). Throwing the success of a diplomatic Manoharan Muthuswamy, Chennai we are not even getting four years, have been
ties further mires the problem. With over 1,500 urban caution to the winds, Mr. tour depends on the Nabadwip, West Bengal coverage in the ‘national translating Urdu short
cooperative banks operating in the country, and a few Khan talked in terms of achievements made and A capital waterlogged media’ (Nation page, stories, including those by
of them already under RBIimposed restrictions, a new ‘bloodbath’ in Jammu and not on the ‘respect’ earned. ■ Mr. Modi’s claim that “the It is not new for Patna to be “Watery way,” Sept. 29). writers like Rajinder Singh
road map is essential for their future course. Perhaps Kashmir and also referred As a large contingent of honour of the country has waterlogged. For the past Pawan Raj, Bedi and Gulzar, into Marathi
the only major gain from demonetisation was the de to the nuclear weapons in offi cials, led by the Prime increased in the eyes of the fi ve years, the Ganges has Patna — my mother tongue. The
Pakistan’s arsenal. It is high Minister himself, went to international community” is been crossing the danger university should forthwith
ployment of public savings into the formal fi nancial sec
time the world community the U.S., expectations were not based on ground reality. mark. This year, it has been Not a foreign tongue discard its absurd, if not
tor. But failures like PMC Bank can quickly erode that. takes notice of the high. However, from the The International Monetary giving us more trouble as it I was appalled to read about mischievous, proposal.
Timebound, transparent action to fi x the PMC mess belligerence being thunderous ‘Howdy, Modi!’ Fund expressed its concern has rained incessantly over the Panjab University’s Sukumar Shidore,
and a systemic overhaul is necessary to prevent cash exhibited by the country. event to the UNGA session, about the downturn in the the last three days. A fresh proposal to treat Urdu as a Pune
from moving back below household mattresses. C.V. Aravind, no tangible progress seems economy. Was that in honour debate has started on how ‘foreign language’ as part of more letters online:
Bengaluru www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
to have been made. That of the country? GDP growth safe Bihar’s capital actually its School of Foreign
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
The link between jobs, farming and climate
It is imperative to focus on agricultural production in devising a longterm solution to the problem of unemployment
it is in crisis today, and that is un The rural picture matters not a stagnation. Now, unlike in the
Dangerous precedent employment. Figures reported in
the report of the last Periodic La
only because the largest numbers
are located there but also because
case of a cycle, recovery cannot
simply be assumed. We would
bour Force Survey point to a dra of their low incomes. This means need the expertise of agricultural
The EC’s order on Sikkim CM’s disqualifi cation matic rise in the unemployment that the future growth of demand scientists to confi rm what exactly
goes against the antigraft current in law rate since 201112, when the pre for much of industrial production is responsible for this state but it
Pulapre Balakrishnan vious survey on unemployment is likely to come from there. After would not be out to place to ask if
T
he Election Commission (EC)’s order reducing
was undertaken. Apart from the all, how many more fl atscreen te there is not a role for ecological
the period of Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh
A
t a panel discussion hosted category of ‘Urban Females’, the levisions can an urban middle factors in causing agricultural stag
Tamang’s disqualifi cation from electoral contest recently by the students of most recent estimate of unemploy class household buy once it alrea nation. These factors encompass
is morally wrong and a dangerous precedent that may Delhi’s Ambedkar Universi ment shows that it is the highest in dy possess one? The high unem land degradation involving loss of
end up reversing the trend towards decriminalising pol ty, the topic was, ‘Are we heading the 45 years since 197273. But ployment rate for ‘Rural Males’ soil moisture and nutrients, and
itics. Under Section 11 of the Representation of the Peo for an economic crisis?’ Presuma even for ‘Urban Females’, it is dou does suggest that we have zoomed the drop in the water table, lead
AFP
ple Act, 1951, the EC indeed has the power to remove or bly, they had been prompted by ble what it was in 201112. For the in up to a reasonable degree of ing to scarcity which raises the
reduce the disqualifi cation attached to a conviction. the allabsorbing news of a slowing largest cohort, namely ‘Rural precision on the site of low de cost of cultivation. Almost all of
economy. It is indeed correct that Males’, in 201718, it is four times mand. lowers the demand for agricultural this is directly manmade, related
However, this has been used rarely, and seldom in a
such a slowing is taking place. the average for the 40 years up to labour and, subsequently, its sup as it is to overexploitation or
case involving a conviction for corruption. Mr. Tamang Growth has slowed for the past 201112. These fi gures should con Production decline ply, showing up in greater unem abuse, as in the case of excessive
was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act few quarters — the past twoanda vince us of the existence of a grave We must now answer the question ployment. It has been pointed out fertilizer use, of the earth’s re
for misappropriating ₹ 9.50 lakh in the purchase of half years, if we go by annual situation, if not crisis, with respect of why rural incomes are growing that the investment rate has de sources. Then there the increas
milch cows for distribution in 199697. His oneyear pri growth rates. to employment in the country. In so slowly. The recent history of clined. This is indeed correct but ingly erratic rainfall, seemingly
son term was upheld by the High Court and the Su That this has not been comfort the average country of the OECD, crop agriculture points towards this may well be a refl ection of the godgiven but actually due to cli
preme Court. He went to jail and was released on Au ing to the government is evident an increase in unemployment of one reason. In the nine years since poor agricultural performance. mate change entirely induced by
from the fact that its Ministers are such magnitude would have trig 20082009, this activity has re Private investment both follows human action. A deeper adapta
gust 10, 2018. He was controversially — and in brazen
running from pillar to post in an gered a nationwide debate, not to corded zero or negative growth in output growth and leads it. When tion is required to deal with these
disregard of the Supreme Court’s 2001 ruling in the eff ort to goose the economy. But mention agitation on the streets. fi ve. Put diff erently, in the majori nonagricultural fi rms observe factors. Intelligent governance, re
case of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa — ap should we be worried? The government has responded ty of years, it has shown no slow agricultural growth, they are source deployment and change in
pointed Chief Minister by the Sikkim Governor earlier Those who heard the address to to the slowing of growth by an growth. The economy has very likely to shrink their investment farmer behaviour would all need
this year. Mr. Tamang did not contest, but was elected the United Nations climate change nouncing a range of measures, the likely not seen anything like this plans and may not revise their de to combine for this.
legislature party leader by the Sikkim Krantikari Mor summit by the teenager Greta most prominent of them being the since 1947. cision till this growth improves. It is signifi cant that the reality of
cha (SKM), which won the election. His appointment as Thunberg earlier this month may reduction in the corporate tax When growth fl uctuations in Thus, attempting to infl uence the an unstable agricultural sector
Chief Minister was challenged in the Supreme Court. not be as worried about economic rate. While this may have a posi clude production decline, a partic private investment rate is to only rendering economywide growth
growth as the government is. Glo tive eff ect, the move is not based ular feature emerges. Households deal with a symptom. It is rural in fragile has not elicited an adequate
Meanwhile, he approached the EC for removing his dis
bally, industrial growth driven by on the big picture. The tax cut is incurring consumption debt in come generation that is the economic policy response. Policy
qualifi cation. His main argument was that the law pre mindless consumption is the meant to be a remedy for stagnant bad crop years would be repaying problem. focus is disproportionately on the
vailing at the time of his off ence entailed disqualifi ca cause of climate change, now un corporate investment. But if the le it in the good ones. This implies tax rate, the ease of doing business
tion only if the sentence was for a term of two years or mistakably upon us. But India vel of corporate investment itself that consumption does not grow Long-term solution in the nonagricultural sector and
more; and that the amendment in 2003, under which does need some growth as income refl ects some underlying reality, it appreciably even in good years. Any longterm solution to the pro a fussy adherence to a dubious fi s
any conviction under the anticorruption law would at levels here are still very low. The is only by tackling the latter that Recognising the record of agricul blem of unemployment to which calbalance target. It is now time to
tract the sixyear disqualifi cation norm, should not be problem of low incomes can, ho we can get to the root of the pro tural production is suffi cient to the slowing growth of the econo draw in the public agricultural in
wever, be tackled even with less blem. A large part of corporate grasp what we see in India today. my is related must start with agri stitutes and farmer bodies for
applied to him.
growth so long as it is of the appro sales is driven by rural demand, This does not imply that other fac cultural production. Observing their views on how to resuscitate
Disqualifi cation from contest is a civil disability creat priate type. So, the slowing of refl ected in the reported layoff s tors do not matter, and we could the performance of crop agricul the sector. We may be experienc
ed by electoral law to keep those convicted by criminal growth in India cannot reasonably by biscuit manufacturers. We do imagine several, ranging from low ture for close to a decade since ing an ecological undertow, and it
courts from entering elected offi ces. It is not a second be termed a crisis. not hear their voices or, more im export growth to the state of the 200809, we might say that we are could defeat our bestlaid plans for
punishment in a criminal sense. Mr. Tamang cannot ar portantly, the government does banking sector, but this does sug witnessing something wholly new progress.
gue that disqualifi cation for a oneyear term amounts to Rural unemployment not, as they are less organised gest that poor agricultural perfor in India. It has long been recog
being given a punishment not prevalent at the time of There is, however, one feature of than some other sections of the mance is a signifi cant explanation nised that there is a cropyield cy Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor,
the economy that does answer corporate world, the automobile of slack domestic demand. Unsta cle related to annual variations in Ashoka University, Sonipat and Senior
the off ence. The EC decision also goes against the grain
positively to the query of whether industry being one such. ble agricultural production fi rst rainfall but we are now witnessing Fellow, IIM Kozhikode
of a series of legislative and judicial measures to streng
then the legal framework against corruption in recent
years. The apex court has described corruption as a se
rious malady and one impinging on the economy. In
2013, the protection given to sitting legislators from im
mediate disqualifi cation was removed. Further, com
A test for judicial review in India
mon sense would suggest that disqualifi cation should U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling on Parliament prorogation is an exemplar on how the judiciary should view executive actions
be more strictly applied to those convicted for corrup
tion. Legislators handle public funds, and there is good rogue Parliament for it to recon mentary processes: Reservation these Bills were introduced in Par
reason to keep out those guilty of misusing them. Mr. vene on October 14. The process for Economically Weaker Sections liament was also in direct violation
Tamang, even by virtue of the order reducing his dis was widely perceived to be a sharp and the Bills passed around Jam of the Rules of Procedure and Con
and calculated move by the go mu and Kashmir ( J&K). The Con duct of Business. In Rajya Sabha,
qualifi cation to oneyearandamonth, was not eligible
vernment to conclude the Brexit stitutional (One Hundred and specifi cally, Rule 69 talks about
to be sworn in, as his disqualifi cation continued till Sep process with minimal parliamen Third) Amendment Act 2019 pro ‘Motions after Introduction of
tember 10. Yet, he is now eligible to contest a byelection Manuraj Shunmugasundaram tary scrutiny. viding reservation for Economical Bills’ and ‘Scope of Debate’. Ac
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T
tion that its actions are partisan. Its order in favour of he highest court in the U.K., culminating with the Scottish for consideration of Parliament in there is discretion given to the
Mr. Tamang, coming just a day after the BJP struck an earlier this month, found Court of Session fi nding that the less than 48 hours from the time Chairman in exceptional situa
alliance with the SKM for bypolls to be held on October that the actions of Prime Mi Prime Minister had misled the the decision was taken by the tions. But, every discretionary
nister Boris Johnson to prorogue Queen with regard to the proroga Centre. By doing so, the govern power does require that the Chair
21, is bound to further strain its credibility.
Parliament were unlawful. The tion of Parliament. Simultaneous ment ensured that there was insuf man must exercise it judiciously
matter had come to be heard be ly, the matter was heard by the fi cient time for Parliament scruti and with proper application of
fore a panel of 11 Justices, the per High Court of England and Wales, ny. The Bills around J&K also mind. There has been no cogent or
Testing time mitted maximum quota of serving
Justices, of the Supreme Court.
which ruled that the prerogative
powers of the government were
the fi rst instance, dismissed the le
gal challenge on the grounds that
suff ered from a similar defect. detailed explanation given by
those presiding our Houses of Par
As India plays South Africa, it has the chance The verdict had the eff ect of nonjusticiable. These confl icting this was a matter of “high policy Violation of rules liament as to why the government
quashing the Queen’s order to pro decisions were handed down on and political judgment” and as The Monsoon Session of Parlia has been allowed to fl out parlia
to strengthen its Test position
rogue Parliament on the advice of September 11. The appeals ema such was nonjusticiable. Allowing ment was originally scheduled to mentary rules and convention on
I
ndia began its campaign in the ICC World Test Cham the Prime Minister. By doing so, nating from these two courts were the appeal, the Inner House found end on July 26 but was extended to more than one occasion.
pionship on a rousing note a few weeks ago, over the U.K. Supreme Court asserted heard by the Supreme Court bet that the advice given by Mr. John August 7 by the government. On Such actions of governments of
whelming the West Indies 20 in the Caribbean. The its majesty in the constitutional ween September 17 and Septem son, which formed the basis for August 5, the Jammu and Kashmir Mr. Johnson and Prime Minister
result put India on top of the nascent Championship ta framework and functioned as the ber 19 and the judgment was deli the Queen’s order, was justiciable Reservation (Second Amendment) Narendra Modi have revealed a
true sentinel on the qui vive. vered on September 24. The entire and further, declared it to be un Bill, 2019 was suddenly intro complete disregard for established
ble with 120 points, and made Virat Kohli the country's
As legal ramifi cations of this de judicial approach, in dealing with lawful. Upholding this judgment, duced to the ‘Parliamentary List of parliamentary processes. This has
most successful Test captain with 28 wins. It may be ar cision ripple through common law a matter concerning the “funda the Supreme Court confi rmed that Business’. When the Rajya Sabha placed democratic institutions in
gued that the West Indies was not the hardest of oppo countries and constitutional de mentals of democracy”, under the prorogation was “unlawful be convened, Home Minister Amit the peril of being weakened. While
nents, but Kohli’s men were hugely impressive. Hanu mocracies, what is equally star lines the eff ectiveness of the judi cause it had the eff ect of frustrat Shah, at 11.15 a.m., moved the Stat the courts in the United Kingdom
ma Vihari and Ajinkya Rahane scored tough runs while tling is the time taken by the coun cial review process when ing or preventing the ability of Par utory Resolution proposing to nul have made their determinations
Jasprit Bumrah proved virtually unplayable. Mo try’s apex court to hold and conducted in a timely manner. liament to carry out its lify all clauses in Article 370 apart on these issues, there is suffi cient
hammed Shami and Ishant Sharma were relentlessly conclude these proceedings. The last parliamentary session constitutional functions without from Clause(1). Copies of the Bill material for Indian courts to assess
in the United Kingdom, which be reasonable justifi cation.” In other and the Resolution were not pro whether executive actions have in
good too as Kohli rejoiced in the might of his pace bat
Prorogation in U.K. gan in June 2017 and lasted more countries following the Westmin vided to MPs till 11.30 a.m. deed undermined parliamentary
tery. His team now has a chance to strengthen its posi It was known that the Boris John than 340 days, was one of the lon ster system of government, this The conventional practice is processes. How the court res
tion in the World Test Championship when the three sonled government had promised gest in recent history. The govern decision should naturally lead to that legislative documents are pro ponds to this challenge will deter
match series against South Africa begins in Visakhapat to make Britain leave the Euro ment justifi ed that the prorogation increased introspection of execu vided at least a few days before mine the majesty of the judicial re
nam on Wednesday. India has established a pean Union by October 31, even if was necessary under such circum tive actions and provide a boost to they are tabled. This is done for view process in India.
nearimpregnable home record, having lost only one of that meant an exit without a deal. stances and also for the prepara due parliamentary processes. the MPs understand the contents
its last 29 Tests on home soil, a record stretching back The suspicion around actions of tion of the Queen’s Speech. Closer home, there have been at of the legislation, seek views and Manuraj Shunmugasundaram is an
the government grew when Mr. Accepting these arguments, the least two key executive actions this formulate their positions better. advocate and spokesperson of the Dravida
some sixandahalf years. Key to that dominance has
Johnson advised the Queen to pro Scottish Court of Outer House, in year that have undermined parlia The manner in which both Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)
been the mastery India’s spin bowlers have exerted ov
er touring sides, and the home team’s superior batting,
helmed by Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
At fi rst glance, this South Africa team in transition ap LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
pears unlikely to off er a stern challenge. When the side
was here last for a Test series, in 2015, it was tormented Not just Nehru’s call presentday Pakistan Kashmir issue with a fi ne Respect and rewards Call for help entering homes and shops,
by spin. No South African batsman barring A.B. de Vil With elections occupied Kashmir. But, the tooth comb (Editorial page, It is preposterous for an Incessant rains have taken rendering us isolated. The
liers managed more than 150 runs over the four Tests. approaching, Amit Shah is war was far from easy, “Strictures in the name of incumbent Prime Minister Bihar’s troubles to its peak. situation of the poor
Indeed only two others even got to triple fi gures for the back again at the Nehru given the mountainous security,” Sept. 30). The to boast that respect for Had this calamity struck in people, whose means of
bashing game (News page, heights, the wintry writer seems to have India has gone up around some other State, people livelihood have got
series. Faf du Plessis, who is now captain, averaged less
“Kashmir curbs only in conditions and many other ignored that the situation in the world since he assumed would have put up stories destroyed and who have no
than nine. Yet, it would be unwise to consider the cur certain minds,” Sept. 30), factors. India had hoped Ladakh and Jammu are offi ce. By making such a on Instagram, added food or water to drink, is
rent contest a foregone conclusion. Aiden Markram has paying scant regard to facts. that taking the matter to the almost normal. But with the claim, in one sweep, Prime ‘hashtags’ and changed unimaginable. Sadly, many
been in form in the preparatory matches, and in Kagiso India’s fi rst war with UN would help in getting mention of nuclear Minister Narendra Modi has their profi le pictures to of our fellow Indians seem
Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Vernon Philander, the visitor Pakistan in 19471948 went the aggressor to vacate the weapons by Pakistan undermined the valuable muster up support. Where to have forgotten that Bihar
has a potent pace attack, even if the conditions are un on for more than 14 territories illegally occupied President Imran Khan and contributions of all his are all the ‘woke citizens’ of too is part of the country
likely to favour the three. And India can be vulnerable. months, much longer than by it. The decision to this with hundreds of terrorists predecessors. Mr. Modi’s the nation now? People are and in need of help.
the duration of the eff ect was taken by the waiting to cross the Line of visit drew a blank on a losing their lives, homes, Mrinalini,
There is an overreliance on Kohli and Pujara. Mayank Patna
subsequent ones between Union Cabinet that Control to foment terror in number of bilateral trade property and their
Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari have played only 10 Tests the two nations. Jawaharlal consisted of stalwarts like the Kashmir Valley, the related irritants. While emotional and physical more letters online:
between them. Rishabh Pant, who was India’s wicket Nehru had resisted Sardar Patel, B.R. government can’t close its several other issues remain strength. Rainwater is www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
The worst may be over of them.”
Given the inescapability of deep
there is a fundamental unity
among all religions and precisely
cause we have love or lovelike
feelings for them. Others are toler
religious diversity, he argued, “the because of it they must be regard ated not despite hate but rather
The economy is showing positive signs though need of the moment is not one re ed as equal. If so, movements of because they are loved — I love, so
a turnaround is some distance away ligion for the whole of human conversion or purifi cation are I tolerate. This is Gandhi’s love
kind, but mutual respect, equal re pointless. ‘The real Shuddhi move based toleration, entirely consis
T
he latest set of economic numbers released this Rajeev Bhargava gard and tolerance of the devotees ment consists in each one trying to tent with respect.
week sends across mixed signals about the health of diff erent religions.” This moral arrive at perfection in his or her Unlike the mainstream, hate
of the economy. Core sector growth, which mea practical attitude of equal regard own faith.” In such a plan, a per based conception of toleration
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sures the output of eight major infrastructure sectors of andhi was suspicious of ma for all religions is entailed by an son’s character is the only test. that presupposes that oneness
the economy, went into negative territory for the fi rst ny things modern, includ epistemic grasp of the deeper, “What is the use of crossing from with signifi cant others is achieved
time in over four years in August as fi ve out of the eight ing modern Hinduism: a more fundamental unity of all reli one compartment to another, if it by abolishing the radical other, by
new, 19th century religion, sharply gions. “The soul of religion is one, does not mean a moral eliminating plurality, for this se
sectors constituting the index shrank in size. Overall
demarcated from others, and a fi t but encased in a multitude of ery god or goddess in one culture enhancement?” cond, Gandhian conception, one
growth in these sectors dropped to 0.5% in August in ting rival of Islam and Christianity. forms. Wise men will ignore the could be related to gods and god ness is attained by accepting all
contrast to the same month last year when core sector Why? Because he viewed himself outward crust and see the same desses of another culture. For ex Toleration and respect radical others as equally signifi
growth stood at a much stronger 4.7% and July this year as a sanatani, an adherent of a way soul living under a variety of ample, the goddess Parvati of one For Gandhi, respect and toleration cant because they variously manif
when it was 2.7%. The coal sector witnessed the worst of life that started long, long ago crusts.” Indian regional culture is related were related, and virtually indis est one supreme being. Thus, to
fall, contracting 8.7% yearoveryear in August, while but, unlike the ancient that is dead The basic reference of all reli to the goddess Durga of another tinguishable. This might appear tolerate is to refrain from interfer
steel, fertilizer and refi nery products saw positive and gone, continues to live today. gions is the same: God or Truth. region by viewing both as benign strange. To ‘tolerate’, in the classi ing in the life of others not despite
growth. These dismal numbers suggest that the econo “All religions are true and all have and fi erce forms of one primal cal 17th century meaning of the our hatred for them, but because
Ineradicable diversity some error in them and that whilst goddess, Devi. This way diff erenc term, is to refrain from interfe we love them as alternative manif
my is still some distance away from posting a strong re
Central to this seemingly everlast I hold by my own, I should hold es — benign/fi erce — continue to be rence in the activities of others estations of our own selves or be
vival in growth and it may be too soon to predict a defi ing Hindu imagination is its deep others as dear as Hinduism and viewed as irreducible and yet tran even though one fi nds them mo cause we deeply care for some
nite turnaround. However, other highfrequency data plurality, refl ected in its accep make no distinction between slatable. This is a theology of re rally repugnant and despite having basic norm common to all of us.
on the economy suggest that the worst might be over. tance of the coexistence of three them.” cognition in which the gods and the power to do so. Here one puts We may not be able to be what
Vehicle registrations have witnessed a strong comeback basic ethical forms: one depen goddesses of each culture are re up with, even suff ers the morally they are, we may even dislike
in September as discounts ahead of the upcoming fes dent on multiple gods and god Inclusive monotheism cognised within the background of reprehensible activities of others. some of their beliefs and practices
tival season have managed to spur sales. Further, alth desses, one on a single god, and Gandhi’s inclusive (belief in one a common semantic universe. At best, the powerless other es but we recognise that they are
one even entirely independent of God that encompasses all gods) One feature of inclusive mo capes interference of the powerful translations of our own selves or of
ough car and tractor companies continue to witness a
god, gods and goddesses (truth rather than exclusive (belief in on notheism then is that “all worship because the latter shows mercy to god within each of us. This, Gand
drop in sales compared to last year, their rate of con seeking). For Gandhi, this religio ly one True God, while holding all the same God although under dif wards them. This is hatebased tol hi believed, binds us together in a
traction has begun to slow down. A return to the sales philosophical plurality is the inev others as false) monotheism fl ows ferent names”. Gandhi illustrates eration — I hate but still tolerate. relationship of lasting aff ection.
levels witnessed last year, however, will require a stron itable and healthy destiny of hu directly from Indian ‘polytheistic’ this by a striking verse from the Gandhi’s ‘toleration’ is diff e Gandhi’s religious vision en
ger rebound in the overall economy. mankind. “There is endless varie traditions, a trait they share with Guru Granth Sahib in which Nanak rent. How? Parents often put up couraged multiple attachments,
Other macroeconomic indicators that could poten ty in all religions” and other religious traditions of the an says that God may be called by the with the blemishes of their chil multiple belongings, and multiple
tially tie the hands of the government as it tries to tackle “interminable religious diff erenc cient world (Greek, Latin, PreIs name of Allah, Rahim or Ram. dren which they would not suff er religious identities. Is it not time
es,” he said. “Some go on a pil lamic Arab religions). The implicit Such an ecumenical perspective in others. We choose to overlook a that we challenge the idea of reli
the slowdown have also shown signs of improvement.
grimage and bathe in the sacred theology of these religions allows permits multiple attachments. If fault in our spouse, lover, or close gion as an exclusive monolith, one
The government has limited its borrowing in the fi rst river, others go to Mecca; some for translation of gods. diff erent names refer to the same friend that we would not excuse in for which the highest achievable
half of the year to ₹ 4.42 lakh crore, which is in line with worship him in temples, others in In virtually all cultures of classi god, then why not embrace all? others. We might endure diff e social ideal is an opportunist, mo
its initial borrowing plan in order to achieve the fi scal mosques, some just bow their cal antiquity, each god performed Two more things follow. First, rences with fellow citizens be rally dubious hatebased tolera
defi cit target of 3.3% for the year. The current account heads in reverence; some read the a function based on his cosmic “to revile one another’s religion, cause we value fraternity. In short, tion and recover the deep plural
defi cit at the end of the fi rst quarter of the current fi Vedas, others the Quran… some competence — gods of love, war, to make reckless statements, to ut we tolerate some disagreeable be ism and lovebased toleration at
nancial year has narrowed to 2%, from 2.3% at the end call themselves Hindus, others knowledge, or craftsmanship. ter untruth, to break the heads of liefs and practices of persons or the heart of Gandhi’s religious vi
Muslims…” For Gandhi, there is Likewise, each god embodied an innocent men, to desecrate tem groups because we identify with sion? Indeed, as religious rivalry,
of Q1 last year, thanks to higher service sector exports.
not only diversity of religions but entity of potentially cosmic signifi ples or mosques is a denial of many of their other beliefs and confl ict and violence intensify, can
The result of the various stimulus plans that have been also diversity within them. “While cance — gods of fi re, rain, earth, God.” Second, “it is wrong for practices. In all such cases, we put we aff ord not to?
announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman I believe myself to be a Hindu, I time, sun, moon, sea or there were anyone to say that his God is supe up with dislikeable states of others
over the last few weeks and the Reserve Bank of India’s know that I do not worship God in primal gods who create, destroy, rior to that of another’s. God is one even if we have some power to do Rajeev Bhargava is Professor, Centre for
spree of rate cuts beginning in February will be seen ov the same manner as any one or all preserve and so on. Virtually, ev and the same for all. At one level, something about them simply be the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi
er the next few months and quarters. It is doubtful, ho
wever, whether these reform measures, even if they
manage to reverse the slowdown, will be enough to
boost growth over the 8% mark anytime soon. The Eco
nomist Intelligence Unit, for instance, predicts GDP
What would Gandhi say about the Indian media?
growth to be just over 5.2% this fi scal. The corporate tax
cut last month was an important structural reform that
He would be delighted to see the rise of regional and social media and would be appalled by the spread of fake news
could signifi cantly boost animal spirits in the economy.
course of events in South Africa in protect its integrity, and wrote One development that would
More such reforms, however, will be needed to perma
any other way, with the same ease mostly in Kannada, Gauri was a have thrilled Gandhi is the rise of
nently lift India’s growth trajectory. and success as through Indian Opi- journalist Gandhi would have social media platforms. He would
nion, which therefore was certain been proud of. see these as empowering technol
ly a most useful and potent wea Gandhi was ready to face sedi ogies that allow citizens to share
A
common ground with political rivals s we celebrate Mahatma supporter of the regional media. termed a “prince among the polit voices to fi ght on valiantly.
Gandhi’s 150th birth anni He published Indian Opinion in ical sections... designed to sup However, the prevalence of fake
S
unday’s snap election has ensured the return of versary, a thought experi four languages: English, Gujarati, press the liberty of the citizen”. He news on social media would have
Sebastian Kurz of the conservative Austrian Peo ment that could yield provocative Hindi, and Tamil. He also inspired would be astounded to see this deeply upset him. Gandhi would
ple’s Party (ÖVP) as Austrian chancellor. The pre insights would be to explore what other journalists to write in region cowed down by epithets such as Britishera law being used against fi nd it unbelievable that WhatsApp
vious government led by Mr. Kurz collapsed in May over Gandhi would say about diff erent al languages. On this front, he “presstitute” and “antinational”? journalists and activists today too. messages can trigger mobs to
a corruption scandal involving his coalition partner, the aspects of modern India. Since would have been happy to see that Or is concentrated ownership of lynch people. He would have con
farright Freedom Party (FPÖ). But the more important Gandhi was a journalist before he the regional media is fl ourishing in Indian media houses by business In the era of fake news demned BJP President Amit Shah
became a political revolutionary, I India today. es that are afraid of attracting the Gandhi emphasised that publica when he praised the fake news
question is whether Vienna’s centreright party is ready
will conjecture how he would have Gandhi argued that “one of the government’s wrath aff ecting the tion of “false news is a crime spreading capacity of his party
to jettison the xenophobic right in its bid to form a new responded to the state of the In objects of a newspaper is... to fear editorial line? against humanity... Young India members. He would have been re
government. The answer would depend on how Mr. dian media today. lessly expose popular defects”. The Modi government is alrea will be stale when truth becomes lieved that factchecking sites have
Kurz, known to be ideologically fl exible, plays his cards Thus, a vital role of the media is to dy denying advertisements to stale.” He would have been emerged to debunk fake news.
in the coming weeks. Foremost, an alliance between Gandhi, the journalist speak truth to power and ensure some media houses. While Gandhi shocked that doctored videos be Given Gandhi’s foray into Noak
Austria’s two mainstream parties and the biggest in Gandhi started as a journalist with accountability and transparency. had no problems with big business came the basis for demonising stu hali in 1947, he would have tried
these elections, ÖVP and the Social Democratic party the Vegetarian in England, before However, today, he would fi nd a (and garnered substantial support dent leaders of Jawaharlal Nehru his best to communicate with our
(SPÖ), is almost ruled out. Neither is any longer animat launching a weekly newspaper media that has mostly acquiesced from them), he did decry a depen University. The infamous “tukde, fellow citizens of Jammu and Kash
called Indian Opinion in South in a Prime Minister taking no ques dence on advertising. tukde gang” label was propagated mir and to lift the lid on what is ac
ed by the idea of a grand coalition between them, no
Africa. When he returned to India, tions at press conferences and The Press Freedom Index, re by TV anchors, who spun mali tually happening there.
matter that circumstances warrant such pragmatism he founded publications like Nava- generally eats out of his hand. He leased by Reporters Without Bor cious and fi ctitious tales to whip Gandhi said, “Freedom of the
among centrist parties. That leaves Mr. Kurz the option jivan, Young India, and Harijan would have been appalled, for in ders in August 2019, ranked India up public frenzy. press is a precious privilege that
to explore a threeway alliance among ÖVP and two that became communication plat stance, by how the mainstream 140 out of 180 countries. The re Further, Gandhi would have no country can forgo.” At another
smaller parties from Sunday’s polls — the Greens and forms for the freedom movement. media avoided asking hard ques port highlighted how criminal pro been disgusted by primetime TV time he stated: “It is my certain
the probusiness liberal NEOS. The Greens may have Writing about the Satyagraha in tions on the economy during the secution, especially sedition, is debates, which are sensationalist, conviction that no man loses his
good reason to use the opening, given the chance it af South Africa, Gandhi highlighted 2019 general election. When the rampantly used to gag journalists. jingoistic, partisan, exploitative of freedom except through his own
the critical role of the media. He Modi government rejected the Pe It also noted that “at least six In viewers, and prone to warmonger weakness”. One can only hope
fords them to build on the popular support their coun
wrote: “I believe that a struggle riodic Labour Force Survey that dian journalists were killed in con ing. Given that journalists can that the media heeds his words
terparts gained from the European elections in May. which chiefl y relies upon internal showed record levels of unem nection with their work in 2018”. choose what information to share and reclaims the strength and in
Any positive movement in this regard cannot, however, strength can be carried on without ployment, it was given a free pass. The recent death anniversary of and what aspects to emphasise or dependence befi tting the fourth
be assumed given the fraught nature of such a newspaper, but it is also my ex After the election, when it ack Gauri Lankesh is a chilling remin downplay, they are in a privileged pillar of our democracy.
negotiations. perience that we could not per nowledged that the data was in der of the cost of standing up for position to infl uence thinking, be
Instructive is the case of the socalled Traffi c Light haps have educated the local In deed valid, there was no outrage truth in India. A strong critic of haviour and attitudes. Gandhi M. V. Rajeev Gowda is a Congress member
coalition talks in 2017, among German social demo dian community, nor kept Indians from the media on such an impor communal politics, who refused to would be saddened by the blatant of the Rajya Sabha representing
all over the world in touch with the tant issue. So, is the Indian media sell ad space in her newspaper to misuse of this privilege. Karnataka. Views are personal
crats, liberals and the Greens that dragged on for
months before the current government was installed in
Berlin. On the other hand, it would be awkward for Mr.
Kurz to revisit the alliance with the antiimmigrant FPÖ, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
especially after the latter lost over a third of its 2017 vote
share in Sunday’s poll. That tieup broke down after re On the bottom rung development. It is not just criticised by the Opposition his scheme of things, When I see Dalits, other But when our freedom is
velations that the former vicechancellor and FPÖ lead It is unfortunate but not education, health care too parties but that apparently communalism has no place minorities, climate change again on the verge of being
er had tried to hand control of a media house to a Rus surprising that U.P. is at the is abysmal in U.P. is no skin off the EC’s nose. in any civilised society. As activists and young Indians lost, and when truth is at
sian oligarch for campaign support. After its poor bottom of NITI Aayog’s J.P. Reddy, The EC’s acts of omission the nation celebrates his on the streets protesting the risk of becoming
School Education Quality Nalgonda and commission in the 150th birth anniversary peacefully, I know that irrelevant, a new Gandhi
showing, one view is that it should sit in the opposition.
Index (“Kerala tops recent past are a sad today, we should stand Gandhi is still relevant. will be born.
Another view is that under a new leader, the FPÖ is well education ranking,” EC’s order reminder that the days of united in rooting out hatred Gandhi fought a struggle Ratnaraj Jain,
placed to return to negotiations with the conservatives. October 1). Successive During the 2014 and 2019 T.N. Seshan, M.S. Gill and and intolerance. that we will never Rajahmundry
Crucial to a reading of this scenario is also Mr. Kurz’s governments in the State Lok Sabha election J.M. Lyngdoh are long gone M. Jeyaram, understand, a freedom that more letters online:
past embrace of FPÖ’s Islamophobia, prior to the 2017 have been fi ghting to stay in campaigns, the BJP accused and that constitutional Sholavandan we take for granted today. www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Decoding the corporateHindutva alliance
It spells double danger — threatening India’s secular and democratic standing and miring the economy deeper in crisis
(though aggravated by blunders there will be no additional invest relief from the judiciary which
such as demonetisation and the ment that would be caused by typically follows the executive;
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
its usefulness to the corporates overall aggregate demand will de by the Enforcement Directorate
Supreme Court’s order on antiatrocities law is would have been limited. This al cline, worsening the crisis. What is and the Central Bureau of Investi
liance would have got ruptured. more, with such a decline in aggre gation for alleged fi nancial misde
a caution against entering legislative domain Prabhat Patnaik But Hindutva’s ignorance in eco gate demand, investment in the meanours; and then there is the
A
fter last year’s amendments aimed at nullifying nomic matters has stood it in good next period will decline, accen army of “trolls” and hoodlums
the eff ect of a Supreme Court judgment that was stead vis-à-vis the corporates; and tuating the downward spiral of the that can be unleashed on anyone,
H
seen as diluting the law against atrocities on indutva “nationalism” un the alliance continues. economy. with the police generally looking
like anticolonial national This shift of discourse is from the other way. In this context, and
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the apex
ism does not comprehend one bequeathed by the anticolo velopments. In the lee of the dilu Income divide given the virtually complete capit
court’s decision recalling the earlier verdict may not ap economics. The reason is simple. nial struggle, where political for tion of Articles 370 and 35A, which This crisis itself has been caused ulation of the media to the project
pear very signifi cant. However, the latest order by a Central to anticolonial national mations vied with one another in amounts to a forcible annexation by the enormous increase in in of Hindutva hypernationalism,
threejudge Bench on the Centre’s petition seeking a re ism was an understanding of colo projecting the relief they promised of Jammu and Kashmir and which come inequality that neoliberal only one side of the picture gets
view is more than a mere academic exercise. Its sound nial exploitation. This is why it dis to the people, to one of hyperna stokes Hindutva hypernational capitalism has brought about, not presented; not surprisingly this
reasoning and sympathetic reconsideration have forti tinguished between all previous tionalism that has little in common ism, the government has intro just in India but the world over. It side is taken by many as the truth.
fi ed the legislative measure to restore the law on atroc rulers and the colonial rulers: pre with anticolonial nationalism, duced corporate tax concessions has shifted incomes from the
vious rulers had appropriated eco and largely sidesteps the material worth ₹ 1.45 lakh crore, ostensibly working people, namely peasants, A camoufl age
ities committed on Dalits as originally conceived by Par
nomic surplus from the peasantry conditions of life of the people. It to overcome the economy’s crisis. workers, artisans, craftsmen, and The counterproductiveness of fol
liament. The March 2018 decision laid down three new and spent it domestically, thereby harks back rather to a European Whatever opposition one would fi shermen, towards the corporate lowing a procorporate and anti
rules as safeguards against the Act’s possible misuse: generating employment; colonial hypernationalism that reached its have normally expected to this fi nancial oligarchy. The demand working people income distribu
that the bar on anticipatory bail under Section 18 need ism expropriated surplus from the culmination during the interwar gratuitous transfer of public funds contracting eff ects of this shift had tion strategy in the midst of a crisis
not prevent courts from granting advance bail; that a peasantry and shipped most of it years. to corporate pockets, is drowned been off set for long by a set of con caused by inadequate aggregate
person can be arrested only if the “appointing authori abroad which destroyed domestic out in the din of hypernationalism tingent factors, mainly asset price demand, will become apparent ov
ty” (in the case of a public servant) or the SP (in the case employment. Hindutva obliterates Political impact celebrating the “triumph” in bubbles, both in India and global er time; but this will only spawn
this basic distinction, putting the Such a shift is unprecedented in Kashmir. ly. But with the decline of such fac even greater Hindutva hyperna
of others) approves such arrest; and that there should
Mughals and the British on a par, Indian politics which is why the The fact that this taxconcession tors, the crisis has manifested it tionalist mega projects. The idea is
be a preliminary enquiry into all complaints. It caused because it does not comprehend Opposition has become so inca will have a negative eff ect on the self, with Narendra Modi’s to “shock and awe” people in or
an uproar among Dalits, and a nationwide protest in economics. pacitated. The Left, committed to level of activity in the economy, demonetisation and GST only der to distract attention from the
August last year turned violent in some places. There the old discourse, has been and hence on employment and compounding the problem arising economy and camoufl age the go
was political clamour for Parliament’s intervention to A discourse shift stunned; it is now just beginning output, though obvious, is scarce from the structural infi rmity of vernment’s economic failures.
restore the antiatrocities law to its original rigour. That This ironically has been its forte. to stir. The Congress is unable to ly articulated. Since the taxcon neoliberal capitalism. And now This however entails a double
the Bench declined to stay its own order when a review In a period in which neoliberal make up its mind whether to stick cession will not be fi nanced by a the government’s solution to the danger to the country. The Hin
was sought spurred the government into action. capitalism has lost its steam, the to the old discourse, or to follow, larger fi scal defi cit, as that would crisis is to further shift incomes dutva hypernationalist “shock
corporatefi nancial oligarchy however grudgingly, the new dis alienate globalised fi nance capital from the working people to the and awe” mega projects, such as
There was widespread criticism then that the BJP’s
wants an ideological prop diff e course of Hindutva which the government is loath to corporates which caused the crisis “one countryone language”, or a
perceived espousal of upper caste interests and its weak rent from the one it had used ear hypernationalism. do, it will have to pinch resources in the fi rst place. National Register of Citizens for
submissions in court had led to the verdict. It was even lier, namely the promise of a high The importance of this dis from the working people. Any in But as long as the government the country as a whole, or the Citi
argued that the Centre was under political compulsion GDP growth and its potentially be course shift was clearly manifest comeshift from the working peo succeeds in keeping alive the Hin zenship Amendment Bill, pose a
to undo the perception that the interests of the SCs and nefi cial eff ect for all. This no lon during the recent Lok Sabha elec ple to the corporates, however, ce- dutva hypernationalist discourse, threat to our very existence as a
STs were in danger. The court’s reexamination, on the ger suffi ces when growth slackens. tions. The Bharatiya Janata Party teris paribus reduces consumption it can manage to divert attention secular and democratic society
contrary, is anchored in sound principles. It fi rst under Orienting state policy in favour of had lost ground prior to it; and a demand in the economy. from its economic mistakes. The and polity; at the same time the
this oligarchy and yet preventing powerful peasant movement was This is because the propensity real question is: how did it suc procorporate and antiworking
scores that special laws for the protection of SC and ST
any revolt from below requires a building up threatening its conti to consume out of income is high ceed in marketing its hyperna people economic policies would
communities fl ow from social realities, the discrimina discourse shift, which Hindutva nuance in power. But Pulwama er for working people than for cor tionalist discourse? mire the economy deeper in crisis.
tion they still face and the circumstances that preclude provides. This is the basis of the and the Balakot strike, strengthen porates who keep their extra in While there are multiple rea Since such economic policies stim
them from mustering the courage to lodge a complaint formation of the corporateHin ing the hypernationalist dis come partly as undistributed sons for it, one must not underesti ulate the “shockandawe” pro
in the fi rst place. The court assails the assumption that dutva alliance which currently course, gave it a fresh lease of life. profi ts; even out of the dividends mate the pervasive inculcation of jects, the country is caught in a vi
SC/ST members are more likely to give false complaints rules the country. The same peasants, who had distributed out of such extra in fear and insecurity in the minds of cious dialectic which will continue
than the general population (as evidenced by the fact Had Hindutva been more eco marched against the government come the propensity to consume the people. Any criticism of the go until the tide turns.
nomicssavvy and attempted to in Delhi just days before the elec is low. And since corporate invest vernment, or any presentation of
that there is no preliminary enquiry or prior sanction
tinker with the economic regime tions, voted for its continuance. ment depends on the expected the other side of an argument, Prabhat Patnaik is Professor Emeritus,
for arrest envisaged for other complaints). In other to overcome the crisis that has ari The usefulness of this discourse growth in the size of the market, brings in charges of “sedition”, an Centre for Economic Studies and
words, the additional “safeguards” against the alleged sen essentially because of the con shift to the corporatefi nancial oli which a rise in the current posttax tinationalism, and belonging to Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
abuse of law by Dalits is another form of discrimination, tradictions of neoliberalism garchy is obvious from recent de profi ts does not change an iota, the “tukdetukde” gang, with little New Delhi
the court has pointed out. Further, it rejects the idea of
Furthering this neighbourhood friendship
treating Dalits as people prone to lodging false com
plaints. The directions for getting an authority’s sanc
tion for arrest or holding a preliminary enquiry for this
class of cases alone are extrastatutory, and clearly
amount to the judiciary engaging in legislation. The re
There is scope for IndiaBangladesh ties to move to the next level, based on cooperation, coordination and consolidation
view is a timely reminder that the top court’s power to riers will help Bangladeshi exports be forgotten that in 2018, the BSF hingyas) is in the national interest
pass any order required to uphold justice cannot be such as harmonising the standards DG had said: “Relations between of all three countries Bangladesh,
used to give directives contrary to existing laws or to for goods accepted by India. In India and Bangladesh and the two Myanmar, and India.” However, it
2018, in addition to the 660 MW of border guarding forces are at their is China that is mediating when, gi
supplant them altogether.
power imported by Bangladesh, best right now.” ven its geographical proximity, it is
Indian export of electricity in Since 2010, India has approved India which is ideally positioned to
Raining misery Syed Munir Khasru creased by another 500 MW. A
1,600 MW power station with a
three lines of credit to Bangladesh
of $7.362 billion to fi nance deve
play a positive role in regional
leadership.
Better infrastructure for water management dedicated transmission system is lopment projects. Due to bureau IndiaBangladesh relations have
B
angladesh Prime Minister being developed to boost power cratic red tape, just $442 million matured in the last decade with
to break the droughts, fl oods cycle is needed Sheikh Hasina will make her trade. has been disbursed till December development in many areas of
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f Bihar is struggling to stay afl oat in the ongoing mon fi rst offi cial visit to India Land routes have gained popu 2018. While Bangladesh has been cooperation. In a neighbourhood
PTI
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
A
fter the unconventional 35 basis points cut in in M.K. Narayanan curity pact between China and In relations. India’s relations with Ja would be well advised to try and
terest rates in August, the Reserve Bank of India dia (in the early 8th century) pan have greatly strengthened. arrive at a multifaceted under
T
(RBI) returned to a normal 25 basis points cut on he second informal summit involved a Pallava king (Rajasim The Quadrilateral (the U.S., India, standing of China and the Sino
AFP
Friday. While a rate cut was a foregone conclusion, the between leaders of India and han, or Narasimha Varma II), from Japan and Australia) has gained a phone world in 2019. Achieving a
speculation was over whether it would be 25 or 40 basis China is scheduled to take whom the Chinese sought help to new lease of life. more holistic understanding of
points, going by the August experience. With this, the place in the second week of Octob counter Tibet, which had by then China relations. For instance, rela All this is certain to make China China’s sense of itself is even more
er in the coastal town of Mamal emerged as a strong power posing tions between China and the U.S. pause and rethink issues. Addi important today than in 2018.
central bank has pruned rates by 135 basis points in just
lapuram, south of Chennai. a threat to China. The Chinese side have sharply deteriorated. Apart tionally, certain recent actions by Blowing his ‘conch’ well ahead
seven months since the rate cut cycle started in Febru Among the decisions taken at the is unlikely to miss this subtle hint, from the U.S., a vast majority of India are likely to arouse China’s of the 70th anniversary of the re
ary. Of this, until August, banks had passed on 29 basis Wuhan Summit held in April last concerning the changing fortunes nations in the West have cooled off suspicions about India’s inten public, President Xi has already
points to borrowers. But with the shift to an external year was to hold more such sum of nations and the importance of towards China. While in 2018, the tions, which could impact the begun talking of the “great strug
benchmark by major banks recently — mostly linked to mits, aimed at ensuring “higher le sustaining relationships. ChinaRussia axis appeared to be summit outcome. While India’s ef gle” needed to build a new China.
the repo rate — the transmission could be quicker from vels of strategic communications.” Informal summits have their carving out an exclusive zone of in forts to ‘dumb down’ the Dalai La He is obliquely seeking a reversion
here onwards. The RBI has also sharply marked down The Mamallapuram meet adheres use as trustbuilding exercises. It fl uence in East Asia, by mid2019, ma will have appeased China to an to the Maoist period of “struggle to
the GDP growth projections for the current fi scal to to the Wuhan Summit in letter but has to be acknowledged, however, new alignments, including a furth extent, other events in Ladakh and achieve victory.” For Indiabased
one wonders whether in the past that since the Wuhan Summit, lit er strengthening of IndiaRussia Arunachal Pradesh, where it takes China experts, it may be worth
6.1% from the 6.9% that it had projected in the August
18 months the two leaders did suc tle has changed as far as IndiaChi ties, as also a new triangular rela a keen interest, will be seen as a while to decipher how this tran
policy. This was inevitable after the shocking 5% growth ceed in enhancing strategic na relations are concerned. Dok tionship of Russia, India and Ja provocation at this juncture. For slates in terms of international re
reported in the fi rst quarter but it could be argued communications. lam and the disputed border pan, appear to be altering equa example, the recent announce lations. In the meantime, it would
though that even the revised estimate is a trifl e optimis When China agreed to an infor between the two countries re tions in the East Asian region. ment by India of an “all arms inte be best to adhere to the dictum,
tic. If the projection of 6.1% for 201920 is to be met, the mal summit in 2018, there was mains an issue of concern. Hopes China’s Belt and Road Initiative grated” exercise ‘codenamed the medium is the message.
economy has to grow by about 7% in the second half considerable scepticism as to what raised at the Wuhan Summit that (BRI) has also come under increas Changthang Prahar (assault)’ in a India can try and seek answers
which does not look very likely. If the high frequency would be on off er from the Chi the two countries would jointly ing attack, even from countries “super high altitude” area near on how to deal with today’s China,
nese side while agreeing to such a work together on an economic which previously viewed China as Chushul in eastern Ladakh, featur from the “wisdom of the orient.”
data of the last couple of months are any indication, the
move. China was riding the crest project in Afghanistan have a munifi cent nation. ing tanks, artillery guns, drones, Reading up on treatises such as
second quarter may well end up mirroring the fi rst in of a wave of achievements, and did proved to be evanescent. Instead, China’s domestic scene is again helicopters and troops, as well as Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ would help.
terms of GDP growth. The basis for RBI’s optimism, the not think it needed to make con even as the political situation in Af marked by heightened anxiety to paradrops, is almost certain to be “Subduing the enemy without
refore, appears unclear at this moment. cessions to anyone, least of all In ghanistan deteriorates, China, day. The economy is far more fra read suspiciously by China. Simul fi ghting” has been a recurrent
The central bank has done the heavy lifting in the last dia. Since then, however, China along with countries like Pakistan, gile than in early 2018, as exempli taneously, the reopening of the theme in Chinese thinking, and
few months and monetary policy may well be nearing has met with certain setbacks — remains more intent than ever on fi ed by the jitters emanating from Advance Landing Ground at Vijoy while informal summits have their
its limits in so far as its ability to infl uence growth pros geopolitically and economically — ensuring that India has no role to China’s equity and currency mar nagar in Arunachal Pradesh for uses, it is imperative not to over
while India, though beset by a host play there. kets, and the decline in growth the use of military aircraft and a look this aspect. China’s eff orts are
pects is concerned. Infl ation is well within the target
of economic woes, seems better rates. Internal security concerns proposed major combat exercise, more than likely to be directed to
giving space to the RBI to focus on growth. Crude oil positioned today than in the Contradictory outlook such as unrest in Tibet, inroads also in Arunachal Pradesh, in wards ‘disruption’, primarily con
prices are back in the comfort zone, retreating from the spring of 2018. It, however, re Meanwhile, China and India conti made by radical extremist groups which the new Integrated Battle centrating on disrupting the stra
spike in midSeptember, and food prices are projected mains to be seen whether it will nue to compete and have a con in Xinjiang and the latest turn of Groups will be seen in operation tegic alliances that India has
to remain soft on the back of a good monsoon. The mo ensure that this summit is more tradictory outlook on many stra events in Hong Kong are also rein will add to, and aggravate, China’s forged, or strengthened, recently.
netary policy statement is unambiguous that the RBI productive. tegic and civilisational issues. forcing fears about the leader concerns. If India does not proceed with
will continue with its accommodative stance “as long as These include the nature of Asian ship’s ability to control the situa Anyone familiar with the way care and caution, the Mamallapu
Symbolic choice of venue security, regional stability and the tion. The relentless attack by the the Chinese mind works will re ram summit could well prove to be
it is necessary to revive growth”. While this statement is
The choice of Mamallapuram was, role of the U.S. in the region. The U.S. and President Trump on Chi cognise that the concatenation of a step back from Wuhan. With
credible, the problem is that the central bank can only perhaps, not as arbitrary as it ChinaPakistan axis has, if anyth na’s economic practices has only circumstances spelt out here is al preparations and proper han
facilitate lower rates and push banks to lend. It cannot might seem. If Wuhan was picked ing, been further cemented — the aggravated this mood of pessi most certain to make China even dling, the forthcoming meet
force borrowers to borrow and this is evident from the by President Xi Jinping as the ve UN designating JaisheMoham mism. more intransigent as far as its ne could, on the other hand, provide
soft trends in credit off take in the last few months. As nue last year to demonstrate Chi mad chief Masood Azhar as a glo gotiating stance is concerned. In India’s leaders with a realistic esti
per latest available data, bank credit is growing at just na’s economic resilience and bal terrorist a mere blip in the wid China’s concerns dia, hence, needs to proceed with mate as to where IndiaChina rela
10.3%. The onus, therefore, is on fi scal policy which might, Mamallapuram is symbolic er scheme of ChinaPakistan India, on the other hand, has rea utmost caution, lest China reacts tions are headed.
of India’s ‘soft power’. Mamallapu relations. sons to be more optimistic than a in a manner that would under
alone can prod borrowing and investment. To be fair,
ram, an important town of the After the Wuhan Summit, many year ago. India’s relations with the mine the ‘Wuhan spirit’. India M.K. Narayanan is former National
the government has been engaging the levers, and the erstwhile Pallava dynasty that things have changed, altering the U.S. have attained a new high. Re must ensure that it does not pro Security Adviser and former Governor of
corporate tax cut last month is a major move to get priv ruled this part of south India from circumstances surrounding India lations with Russia have acquired a voke China to the point where it West Bengal
ate investment going. However, the ₹ 1.45 lakh crore gi
veaway has set off fears in the market of a fi scal slippage
and higher borrowings by the government. These con
cerns also explain the unenthusiastic response of the
stock and bond markets to Friday’s rate cut. The ongo
Rethinking college recruitment
ing festival season consumption holds the key to revival
of the economy this fi scal.
Underlying problems need to be addressed before the tenure track system is introduced in the IITs
critical evaluation. According to the newer IITs. There have been any other academic institution.
the Council, this leads to a situa innumerable cases in the older With the MHRD planning to ex
Web of deception
GETTY IMAGES/ ISTOCK PHOTO
W
hat the embittered relationship between Ta culty whose performance is below mentalists will be at a greater dis tion at an alternative institution
mil Nadu and the National EligibilitycumEn par has risen to such an extent that advantage as setting up labs will will be almost nil. Unlike in the
I
trance Test (NEET) required was a salve, but n a marked departure in the “more than half ” underperform. take longer. While even esta U.S., industry jobs are not in plen
instead things just got more complicated and murkier. way assistant professors, who The tenure track system is being tight leash can prove to be coun blished IITs face diffi culty fi nding ty in India for those who fail to get
The recent expose of what has come to be known as the are on the lowest rung of the seen as a silver bullet to prevent terproductive. To begin with, the good computer science faculty, tenured. The 5.5year period to se
academic ladder, are hired and further deterioration and to re power asymmetry that already ex fi nding computer science students cure tenure is particularly disad
NEET examination scam has placed further stress on
confi rmed at all the 23 Indian Insti move nonperformers. “The te ists between new recruits and the willing to pursue the PhD pro vantageous to women
the State’s experience with the exam in more ways than tutes of Technology, the IIT Coun nure track combines academic older faculty will worsen. But te gramme will be even more chal researchers.
one. A couple of mails sent to the administrators of the cil recently introduced the tenure freedom with responsibility and nure’s biggest disservice may be in lenging among the new recruits. Will the introduction of the te
Theni Government Medical College in south Tamil Na track system. accountability,” Higher Education the fi eld of research. With the nure track system at IITs make the
du blew the lid off a scam with farreaching conse Secretary R. Subrahmanyam told sword of Damocles hanging over Funding issues task of securing fresh talent even
quences. A student of the college had gained his seat New hiring process the media. their heads, young faculty may While the older IITs provide seed more diffi cult? Professor V. Ram
through subterfuge — by having someone impersonate Under this system, an assistant end up being more riskaverse and funding of about ₹ 20 lakh, the new gopal Rao, Director of IIT Delhi,
professor may be hired without No guarantees refrain from working in unchar IITs provide just a couple of lakhs had said sometime ago that the in
him at the NEET. This turned out to be only the tip of
the mandatory postPhD expe If we look at the tenure track sys tered, cuttingedge research areas. of rupees. Researchers will neces stitute had not been able to fi nd
the iceberg, and as investigators began unravelling the rience requirement and her per tem in other countries, it is clear The temptation to settle for safer, sarily have to turn to funding agen “suitable candidates” to fi ll 300 fa
spool, more skeletons tumbled out. A number of stu formance reviewed internally after that the process doesn’t guarantee shortterm, sureshot solvable re cies for grants. With a signifi cant culty positions that have been ly
dents and their parents were investigated for possible three years. Based on an evalua excellence or improve accounta search problems or just extending reduction in the number of re ing vacant for the last 10 years.
impersonation fraud in the NEET, for operating with tion by an external committee at bility at the institutional level. their PhD or postdoc research is search proposals getting funded, The introduction of the tenure
the help of middlemen to hire a medical student to the end of 5.5 years, hr or she may While the principal purpose of te likely to become overpowering. new faculty will be forced to com track system without addressing
write the test for them, for a hefty consideration. This, either be granted tenure (made nure in the U.S. is to provide per If the Ministry of Human Re pete with wellestablished re the underlying problems research
permanent) and promoted to the manency and safeguard academic source Development (MHRD) feels searchers for a piece of the pie. ers face is likely to make it even
no doubt, required spinning a careful web of decep
next higher level of associate pro freedom, using the same system to compelled to ape the West, it The delay in disbursal of funds by more challenging to fi nd good ta
tion, right from submitting photos of the impersonator fessor or asked to leave. In certain promote research and teaching ex should be willing to go the whole agencies is another problem. lent. It is also unclear if the new
in the NEET application forms, to actually appearing cases, based on the recommenda cellence refl ects a lack of applica hog and match the U.S. and other The biggest area of concern is IITs, which are just being built,
for the examinations and singlewindow counselling for tion of the external committee, an tion of mind. Flogging a small sub countries that have this system in the upper age limit of 35 years for will fi nd themselves at a disadvan
admissions, to submitting the application with the ori extension of two years may be set of young faculty to improve the terms of research facilities. Unlike an assistant professor’s post, tage in attracting talent. At this
ginal student’s photo at the allotted college. Further granted to the candidate before metrics using the threat of tenure in most U.S universities that have a which is not the case in the U.S. stage, one can only hope that the
probe cast a shadow on the admission of more stu being assessed again. track while leaving the large ma tenure track system, it is extreme Since assistant professors are in IIT Council has deliberated on
dents, including in private medical colleges. With the At present, a fresh faculty mem jority of senior faculty unmoni ly diffi cult for new appointees to the early 30s when they secure a these critical issues and not acted
ber is placed on probation for a tored will do little to achieve the hit the ground running as even position, anyone who fails to se in haste or under duress.
CBCID tasked with investigating the case, bits and piec
year before confi rmation without prime objective. basic infrastructure to carry out cure tenure at the end of 5.5 years
es of the puzzle are falling in place, revealing a multi being subjected to any kind of a Keeping the young faculty on a research is not in place at many of is almost out of the reckoning at prasad.ravindranath@thehindu.co.in
State operation. While the larger picture, with all its
many nuances, is not yet clear, it is evident that fraud
has been committed, and serious lapses in procedures LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
and processes were exploited by students eager to
score a medical seat by hook or by crook. They might
have got away with it, but for an anonymous tipoff .
The NRC demand Friendly ties in Bangladesh that are cannot be taken lightly, The Modi government has Ratnam, Aparna Sen and
Even as the fate of the 1.9 Bangladesh Prime Minister being fi nanced by India especially at the Supreme been doing away with many Adoor Gopalakrishnan to
Given that NEET was intended to standardise testing million left out of the fi nal Sheikh Hasina has struck a should be expedited. Court level. That these timetested conventions in the Prime Minister? (“Adoor
for admission into medical colleges and ensure a cer list of the National Register positive note by stressing Bangladesh should be judges have not given any the last fi ve years. Mr. Modi questions sedition charge
tain minimum quality, such lapses erode the very core of Citizens in Assam hangs that there are no problems assured that it has a reliable reason seems to hint that himself has said that the against him for writing
of its raison d’étre. The Ministry of Health and Family in the balance, a demand in bilateral ties (“Hasina to friendly neighbour in India. they are afraid of a VIP culture should be open letter to PM Modi”,
Welfare and the National Testing Agency, which con by Ministers for a similar focus on economic Kosaraju Chandramouli, backlash. shunned. Surely the October 4).
ducts the examination, must exhibit zero tolerance to exercise in some other agenda”, October 4). In the Hyderabad V. Lakshmanan, bilateral talks won’t fail if They have every right to,
such attempts to frustrate the integrity of the test. Both States lacks wisdom light of the evergrowing Tirupur this convention is given up? given that India is a
(“Karnataka considering presence of China in the Problem of recusals If our courts don’t protect democracy. All of us have a
these agencies must immediately set their energies to
NRC: Minister”, October 4). neighbourhood under its The judges who have Banners for Xi our right to safety and right to express concern
identifying lacunae in the existing system and ensure While security concerns ‘String of Pearls’ policy, and recused themselves from It is most unfortunate that security, people will slowly and ask our elected
that a foolproof testing methodology is in place. Using merit segregation of anti with many countries the Gautam Navlakha case only a few weeks after the lose faith in the judiciary. representatives questions if
biometrics to identify students taking NEET has been social elements, this cannot joining the Belt and Road must give reasons for their death of Subasri due to the N. Nagarajan, the nation is seen as taking
suggested, and its value in adding a further layer of be an excuse to carry out a Initiative, India must put in decision (“Five SC judges banner culture, the Madras Secunderabad a wrong turn. The response
checks and balances is indisputable. Parents and stu witchhunt on a communal extra eff ort in improving its recuse from Navlakha High Court has allowed the of the government should
dents too would do well to temper their vaulting ambi basis. It is important to fi rst bilateral relations with all case”, October 4). Judges government to put up Right to ask questions be to address their
see how the Assam NRC its neighbours. Eff orts must be true to the oath welcome banners in It is true that there is mob concerns, not press charges
tion for an MBBS seat with a measure of rationality.
pans out before should be made to fi nalise they take, which means honour of Prime Minister violence and intolerance in of sedition.
There are only a limited number of MBBS seats availa implementing the exercise the Teesta watersharing that they should discharge Narendra Modi and Chinese this country. So, what is Unnikrishnan Mangalasseri,
ble, and while that number is slowly growing, it will in other States. agreement with the their duties to the best of President Xi Jinping wrong in the letter written Malappuram
never equal the demand. Yogesh Aggarwal, cooperation of West Bengal. their abilities. Avoiding (“Banners for summit must by eminent persons like more letters online:
Jalandhar The development projects hearing sensitive cases follow rules”, October 5). Ramachandra Guha, Mani www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
A Bill that undercuts key constitutional values
There is ample evidence that the protection of minorities is not the genuine objective of the Citizenship Amendment Bill
sation — having spent 12 years in ween that stated objective and the ment Bill is closely linked to plans
the country — is halved to six actual text of the Bill is wide for a nationwide National Register
T
he registration of a case of sedition against 49
L
ast week, while speaking or deportation); and it creates a
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
prominent citizens at a police station in Bihar’s
about implementing a Na fasttrack to citizenship for these Violating the Constitution Argument and reality
Muzaff arpur for writing an open letter in July to tional Register of Citizens in individuals. The problem, of Now, some people have argued However, apart from the nowpu
the Prime Minister has caused understandable outrage. West Bengal, Home Minister Amit course, is that it does so on an ex that even if this is true, Article 15 of blic knowledge of how fl awed the
There was nothing in the appeal, which asks for steps to Shah said, “I want to assure Hin plicitly communal basis: it categor the Constitution — that bars reli NRC process has been in Assam,
stop lynching and other hate crimes, especially in the du, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Chris ically excludes Muslims from its gious discrimination — applies on there is a key question: why do we
name of religion, that even vaguely connoted an at tian refugees, you will not be ambit. The implications are clear: ly to citizens. But what these argu need to have a national NRC? Mr.
tempt to promote disaff ection or any prejudice to na forced to leave India by the if the government goes ahead with ments forget is Article 14 of the Shah has stated that it is required
Centre.” These words sparked an its plan of implementing a nation that as these three countries are same Constitution, which guaran for national security, and that In
tional integration. In these polarised times, it is not sur
immediate backlash as Mr. Shah wide National Register of Citizens, Muslimmajority, they may be sub tees to all persons equality before dia cannot “run smoothly under
prising that a lawyer took it upon himself to initiate had evidently omitted one reli then those who fi nd themselves ject to persecution on account of the law, and the equal protection the weight of so many intruders”.
criminal proceedings against the fi lmmakers, artists gious community, Muslims, from excluded from it will be divided in their faith, and, therefore, need re of law. Discriminatory treatment However, there is absolutely no
and writers such as Shyam Benegal, Adoor Gopalak his statement. But his statement to two categories: (predominant fuge in a country such as India. and especially, discrimination that evidence to suggest that there is a
rishnan, Aparna Sen and Ramachandra Guha for sign was not merely a communal dog ly) Muslims, who will now be is arbitrary, and classifi cations that huge infl ux of illegal migrants into
ing the open appeal on a matter of public concern. That whistle: he was echoing the provi deemed illegal migrants, and all Flawed logic are unreasonable violate the es India: in fact, recent evidence sug
a chief judicial magistrate had taken this vexatious com sions of the Citizenship Amend others, who would have been If that is the logic of the Bill, ho sence of the equal treatment gests that the rate of migration has
ment Bill, which the previous Na deemed illegal migrants, but are wever, then it is so evidently clause. A state that separates indi been declining. The Assam NRC
plaint on fi le and directed the police to register an FIR is
tional Democratic Alliance now immunised by the Citizenship fl awed that it borders on irration viduals and treats them unequally arose out of a very specifi c histori
perplexing. Magistrates indeed have the power to order government introduced in Parlia Amendment Bill, if they can show ality. First, as the PRS Legislative on palpably arbitrary grounds vio cal experience, and Assam’s own
a police investigation into cognisable off ences. And the ment before the last election, but that their country of origin is Af Research website points out, if the lates the prescription of Article 14, position as a border State; howev
Supreme Court has, in Lalita Kumari vs. Uttar Pradesh was unable to enact because of wi ghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakis objective is the protection of mi and the heart and soul of the In er, for the rest of India, Assam’s
(2013), laid down that registration of an FIR is mandato despread protests in the North tan. norities, then there is no explana dian Constitution: respecting the own experience shows that an ex
ry if information received by the police discloses a cog east Indian States. Mr. Shah made The last bit is important, be tion for why Jews and atheists (to dignity of all. ercise such as this — fl awed and
nisable off ence, and that in some cases, a preliminary it clear, however, that the new go cause it shows that nonMuslims take just two examples) have been Beyond issues of strict constitu riddled with errors as it is — will
enquiry may be conducted before the FIR is registered. vernment would reintroduce, and who are left out of a hypothetical left out. Second — and more im tionality, there are other disturb only lead to misery and exclusion
pass, the Bill in the next parlia nationwide NRC will not imme portantly — there are Muslim reli ing issues raised by the Citizenship on a national scale, with no reason
However, in this case, it is quite astounding how the
mentary session, or soon diately receive legal immunity, but gious minorities within these Amendment Bill. The fi rst is how it whatsoever to justify it.
court or the police could conclude that the contents thereafter. will have to jump through further countries who are subjected to dramatically seeks to alter the ba The coming months, therefore,
were seditious or indicative of any other off ence. hoops before they are protected. grave and serious persecution: the sis of citizenship in India. During will present a serious challenge to
While private complaints targeting public fi gures are Umbrella Bill That apart, however, the fact re classic example is that of the Ah the framing of the Indian Constitu fundamental constitutional va
not unusual, courts should not, without suffi cient So, what is the Citizenship Amend mains that by dividing (alleged) madis in Pakistan. And third, there tion, it was agreed that the prim lues. A nationwide NRC will repli
cause, indulge the motivated outrage of litigious com ment Bill? As its name suggests, it migrants into Muslims (but also, as is no explanation for why only ary basis for Indian citizenship cate the fl aws of the Assam NRC on
plainants. Superior courts do intervene to quell at makes an amendment to the Citi we shall see below, Jews and ath these three countries have been would be jus soli — or, citizenship a much larger scale; and for those
zenship Act, the umbrella law that eists) and nonMuslims, the Citi singled out. Lately, the Rohingya by birth (in the territory of India). who fi nd themselves on its wrong
tempts by those claiming to be off ended by some re
sets out the elements of Indian citi zenship Amendment Bill explicit community in Myanmar, another Over the years this principle has side, the discriminatory Citizen
mark or public statements, but it is time the lower zenship. The Amendment stipu ly, and blatantly, seeks to enshrine neighbouring country, has been been diluted to an extent, with citi ship Amendment Bill will protect
judiciary stopped acting refl exively on frivolous com lates that “persons belonging to religious discrimination into law, subjected to prolonged persecu zenship by descent replacing jus some — but only some — based on
plaints. Surely, the court should have been aware of the minority communities, namely, contrary to our longstanding, sec tion, ethnic cleansing, and poten soli in certain respects. The Bill, their religion. Both exercises, the
ongoing national debate on retaining sedition as an of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, ular constitutional ethos. tially genocide. However, the go however, will be the fi rst time that refore, need to be urgently chal
fence under the IPC’s Section 124A and growing de Parsis and Christians from Afghan Of course, neither the Bill nor vernment has been openly hostile religion or ethnicity will be made lenged, at the level of popular
mand for its abrogation. The pervasive disregard for pu istan, Bangladesh and Pakistan... the government directly admits towards the Rohingyas and has the basis of citizenship. That movements, in the domain of Par
shall not be treated as illegal mi that it is targeting Muslims. Both even argued for their deportation would do grave damage to the very liament, and of course, before the
blic opinion against the indiscriminate use of the
grants for the purposes of that the text of the Bill and its ‘State before the Supreme Court. idea of India as an inclusive and di sentinels charged with guarding
sedition provision is disappointing enough. It is worse if Act”. These individuals are made ment of Objects and Reasons’ ref It is therefore evident that the verse polity, where religion has no our fundamental rights — the
the magistracy disregards Supreme Court judgments eligible for naturalisation as Indian ers to “minority communities” protection of minorities is not the bearing on who can become a full courts.
that say sedition is attracted only if there is incitement citizens, and furthermore, the from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and genuine objective of the Citizen member of society.
to violence, and does not apply to statements that con normal precondition for naturali Pakistan. The logic appears to be ship Amendment Bill: the gap bet Second, the Citizenship Amend Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based lawyer
tain mere opinions, howsoever strong they may be. It is
unfortunate that the court did not see that the com
plaint was nothing more than a political counterblast to
what the complainant saw as criticism of the Prime Mi
nister. One can only hope that the Patna High Court
A road to economic revival runs through agriculture
puts an end to this farcical attempt to use the judiciary
The current growth slowdown is an ideal time to implement doable agricultural reforms
for political ends, and also examine how its supervisory ging growth while stimulating key price, and ameliorate supply side in any survey is that interState mi
powers can be used to sensitise the magistracy to the sectors. constraints. As reiterated in the gration has a huge impact on per
constitutional provisions protecting free speech. past, the Agricultural Develop sonal consumption expenditure.
Eff ect on primary sectors mental Council (ADC) in line with Giving a policy nudge to in-situ em
The ripples of the slowdown are the GST Council is a dire need to ployment creation is a must for a
gradually moving to the primary make agricultural reforms more stable income and spending. Also,
Best friends for now Naveen P. Singh & Ranjith P.C. sectors which is already reeling expressive and representative. For there must be eff orts to have an ac
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
O
ne of the world’s fastest ral and allied gross value added crop planning and the agroclimat closer to facts. Fourth, there is a
relationship, but areas of concern remain growing economies, India, (GVA) grew by 2.9% during 201112 ic zone model at the highest possi need to reconsider the few distort
F
requent meetings between neighbours are hall is now facing sluggish to 201718, while in the National ble level so as to make agriculture ing reforms that are often stated to
marks of a strong friendship, and Bangladesh growth, with the Reserve Bank of Agricultural Policy (2000), it the engine of sustainable econom revive the shortterm chaos in the
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s fourday India vi India sharply cutting GDP growth should have been around 4%, to ic growth in India 2.0 by 2022. long run. Finally, the sweet spot
sit, the fi rst full bilateral meeting since both countries forecast to 6.1% for 201920, which attain an overall economic growth Second there is a strong case to created by low oil prices in the
went to polls, marks a new chapter between New Delhi is lowest in last six years; there has of 8%. A highly skewed and unpre down lies in a selective group of re believe that deindustrialisation 2.0 past is slowly taking its turn to hit
been a sharp decline in the perfor cedented monsoon, erratic rain forms in the key sectors. and creative destruction is under the economy to further cut down
and Dhaka. The two nations have come closer over a
mance of key sectors. fall, and extreme natural events As always the push must start way from the decreasing growth aggregate demand.
decadelong engagement that began with Ms. Hasina’s While some economists feel this are creating havoc as far as farms with the primary sector. First, rate, and that slowly fading reform The occasional dip in growth
return to power in 2008, with an improvement in the slow pace is also a stage to bounce and farmers are concerned which there is a great need to accept the to stimulate the traditional sectors due to various reasons will slow
strategic sphere, and alignment on regional and global back and is cyclical, others (policy in turn are likely to disrupt supply role of agriculture in invigorating is adding to unemployment and the pace to achieving a $5trillion
issues, connectivity and trade. During this visit, the two pundits) see this as a gross failure chains, fuel infl ation and have a crucial economic segments. The job loss. There is immense need to economy by 2024. This is the right
countries have committed to upgrading port facilities, of economic reforms and even a negative impact on consumption, sector is a potential enabler and promote occupations which are time to execute a slew of doable
implementation of India’s underutilised Lines of Cre colonial legacy, which only time all of which can further dampen employer for more than 50% of less infl uenced by the slowdown agricultural reforms as the role of
will tell. Whatever the reason for the prospects of revival of the the population; it also has the po such as farming, handloom, han agriculture in reversing the slow
dit, a coastal surveillance system, and agreements on
the slowdown, the opportunity to economy. tential to revive “animal spirits” by dicrafts and others. down is immense in the light of its
education, culture and youth. They will also coordinate speed up must accommodate a di In addition, the current growth ensuring farm viability: increasing nearly 20% contribution to a $5
better border management and counterterror cooper verse body of opinion and options rate in the farm sector is less than the ratio of farm to nonfarm in Investment and jobs trillion economy. Therefore, a
ation, and are also working on a regional trilateral ener for sustainable and inclusive adequate to take on developmen come to 70:30 by 202223 from the Third in the Economic Survey blend of eff orts from a range of
gy sharing arrangement with Bhutan. Mr. Modi and Ms. growth. tal challenges originating from the present 60:40. According to the 201819, the working age popula sectors, agriculture and allied sec
Hasina inaugurated three projects, which includes one The conventional approach of Sustainable Development Goals, agriculture census 201516, the tion will continue to rise through tors is warranted to enable overall
for the availability of LPG to India. Where they have fi scal and monetary stimulus op mainly zero hunger, no poverty, real income of farmers doubled in 2041. Therefore, there is urgent growth.
failed to make headway yet, despite many forward tions to address the relics of a slow life on land, and gender equality. almost 20 years from 199394 to need to increase the jobtoinvest
pace would only give immediate Hence any key reforms packages 201516. As the target to double ment ratio which is currently very Naveen P. Singh and Ranjith P.C. are with
looking paragraphs in the joint statement, is on river
relief and not an enduring solu in improving the economy should farmers’ income by 2022 is near low. Some estimates say that ₹ 1 the ICAR-National Institute of
water sharing agreements. Chief among them is the tion. Hence key policy measures also take cognisance of the crisis in ing, there must be fastlane op crore investment in India can Agricultural Economics and Policy
Teesta agreement, for which a framework agreement as they exist now must reach out the agricultural sector. tions and swift actions to ensure create only four formal jobs. What Research, New Delhi. The views expressed
was inked in 2011, but which has not moved forward to emancipate that which is drag The key to addressing the slow curated reforms on land, market, has been less noticed and assessed are personal
since, chiefl y because of tensions between the Central
and West Bengal governments. The longpending up
grading of the GangaPadma barrage project, the draft
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
framework of interim sharing agreements for six rivers
Open letter representative of the of the FIR against the Maharashtra Chief Minister as the felling of thousands of the actions of the
— Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhku
Strange are the ways of the people to seek to defend celebrities. should realise that there are trees. Maharashtra government are
mar — as well as the draft framework of interim sharing judiciary in India. On the the Prime Minister. And C.G. Kuriakose, ways to go ahead with the An ecosystem such as most dismal and robotic.
agreement of the Feni river are also pending. This task one hand, it is fi rm about what a colossal waste of Kothamangalam, Kerala project. In the process the Aarey’s takes decades to Rajan Viswanathan,
must not be taken lightly between two countries that protecting the liberty and judicial time, apart from Aarey trees can still be saved. create and cannot be re Mumbai
CM A ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
Stirring up the truth about ZBNF
Zero Budget Natural Farming has no scientifi c validation and its inclusion into agricultural policy appears unwise
organic farming. For him, “organ or aluminium, manganese and nitrogen requirements of Indian
ic farming” is “more dangerous iron toxicities. In certain other re soils.
KOMMURI SRINIVAS
A
s campaigning gains momentum in Maharashtra
calls Steiner’s biodynamic farming tists do identify the improper/im ers will stop drinking, gambling,
for the Assembly election on October 21, the rul
M
ost criticisms of modern “biodynamite farming”. His own balanced application of fertilizers, lying, eating nonvegetarian food
ing BJP has reinforced itself and disoriented the agricultural practices are alternative of ZBNF is, thus, posed that too with no focus on micronu and wasting resources. For him,
opposition. With this election, the slow changes in Mah criticisms of postLiebig against both inorganic farming trients, as a matter of concern. only Indian Vedic philosophy is
arashtra politics over the last fi ve years have taken developments in agricultural and organic farming. Hence, they recommend location the “absolute truth”. By placing
shape. Devendra Fadnavis is the fi rst nonCongress science. It was after the pioneering Mr. Palekar’s premise is that soil ment of Andhra Pradesh has a re specifi c solutions to nurture soil cows at the centre of ZBNF, he
Chief Minister in the State to complete a fi veyear te work of Justus von Liebig and Frie has all the nutrients plants need. port, but it appears to be a selfap health and sustain increases in soil (wrongly) claims that India’s cattle
drich Wöhler in organic chemistry To make these nutrients available praisal by the implementing fertility. They suggest soil test population is falling. From there,
nure. He has decimated internal party rivals and forced
in the 19th century that chemical to plants, we need the intermedia agency; independent studies based balanced fertilisation and he espouses empathy for the activ
ally Shiv Sena to accept a subordinate status. The BJP fertilizers began to be used in agri tion of microorganisms. For this, based on fi eld trials are not availa integrated nutrient management ities of gau rakshaks. All of this
unilaterally announced 164 seats for itself out of the to culture. In the 20th century, the he recommends the “four wheels ble. There is a report from the La methods combining organic ma reeks of a cultural chauvinism that
tal 288 and the Sena, which used to get the lion’s share criticisms levelled against Green of ZBNF”: Bijamrit, Jivamrit, Via Campesina for Karnataka, but nures (i.e., farm yard manure, uncritically celebrates indigenous
of Assembly seats and the CM’s post, meekly accepted Revolution technologies were crit Mulching and Waaphasa. Bijamrit it is based on accounts of practi compost, crop residues, biofertil knowledges and reactionary fea
the situation. This supremacy of the BJP is partly due to icisms of the increasing “chemical is the microbial coating of seeds tioners and not fi eld trials. One izers, green manure) with chemi tures of the past.
national factors, but the fact that the party’s Hindutva isation” of agriculture. with formulations of cow urine fi eld trial is ongoing at the G.B. cal fertilizers. But ZBNF practition
nationalist politics has trumped the Sena’s regional Claims were made that alterna and cow dung. Jivamrit is the en Pant University of Agriculture and ers appear to insist on one blanket Scientifi c approach needed
tive, nonchemical agricultures hancement of soil microbes using Technology, but its full results will solution for all the problems of In Undoubtedly, improvement of soil
agenda is itself noteworthy. The Thackerays at the helm
were possible. Organic farming be an inoculum of cow dung, cow be available only after fi ve years. dian soils. One of Mr. Palekar’s fa health should be a priority agenda
of the Sena used to control power in the State without came an umbrella term that repre urine, and jaggery. Mulching is the According to reliable sources, pre vourite remarks is that “soil testing in India’s agricultural policy. We
contesting elections, but this time, one of them is per sented a variety of nonchemical covering of soil with crops or crop liminary observations of these is a conspiracy”. need steps to check wind and wa
sonally in the fray, in yet another sign of the changed and lesschemical oriented meth residues. Waaphasa is the building fi eld trials have recorded a yield Fourth, Mr. Palekar has a totally ter erosion of soils. We need inno
times. The BJP augmented itself with a cocktail of social ods of farming. Rudolf Steiner’s up of soil humus to increase soil shortfall of about 30% in ZBNF irrational position on the nutrient vative technologies to minimise
and administrative measures over the last fi ve years. It biodynamics, Masanobu Fukuo aeration. In addition, ZBNF in plots when compared with non requirements of plants. According physical degradation of soils due
weakened the Maratha power network but also off ered ka’s onestraw revolution and Ma cludes three methods of insect ZBNF plots. to him, 98.5% of the nutrients that to waterlogging, fl ooding and
dagascar’s System of Rice Intensifi and pest management: Agniastra, plants need is obtained from air, crusting. We need to improve the
the community reservation. Massive protests by run
cation (SRI) were examples of Brahmastra and Neemastra (all dif Standing reason on its head water and sunlight; only 1.5% is fertility of saline, acidic, alkaline
down farmers was met with a loan waiver scheme. The specifi c alternatives proposed. In ferent preparations using cow Third, most of Mr. Palekar’s claims from the soil. All nutrients are pre and toxic soils by reclaiming them.
Bhima Koregaon incident of 2018 in which a Dalit gath India, such alternatives and their urine, cow dung, tobacco, fruits, stand agricultural science on its sent in adequate quantities in all We need locationspecifi c inter
ering was attacked by a violent group was followed by variants included, among others, green chilli, garlic and neem). head. Indian soils are poor in or types of soils. However, they are ventions towards balanced fertili
an extensive crackdown on social activists and Dalits by homoeofarming, Vedic farming, ganic matter content. About 59% not in a usable form. Jivamrit, Mr. sation and integrated nutrient
the State police. The BJP’s social engineering mean Natueco farming, Agnihotra farm Unsubstantiated claims of soils are low in available nitro Palekar’s magical concoction, management. While we try to re
while roped in OBCs to its fold. ing and Amrutpani farming. Zero To begin with, ZBNF is hardly zero gen; about 49% are low in availa makes these nutrients available to duce the use of chemical fertilizers
Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), budget. Many ingredients of Mr. ble phosphorus; and about 48% the plants by increasing the popu in some locations, we should be
Ruthless effi ciency remains the hallmark of the BJP,
popularised by Subhash Palekar, is Palekar’s formulations have to be are low or medium in available po lation of soil microorganisms. All open to increasing their use in oth
while the NCPCongress combine is battling internal the most recent entry into this purchased. These apart, wages of tassium. Indian soils are also vary these are baseless claims. The Ji er locations. But such a compre
dissent, organisational disintegration and an unfavora group. hired labour, imputed value of fa ingly defi cient in micronutrients, vamrit prescription is essentially hensive approach requires a
ble social climate. Several coalition leaders crossed ov According to Mr. Palekar, all mily labour, imputed rent over such as zinc, iron, manganese, the application of 10 kg of cow strong embrace of scientifi c tem
er to the other side. NCP chieftain Sharad Pawar is him knowledge created by agricultural owned land, costs of maintaining copper, molybdenum and boron. dung and 10 litres of cow urine per per and a fi rm rejection of anti
self the target of an ED inquiry. Former Mumbai universities is false. He calls Liebig cows and paidout costs on elec Micronutrient defi ciencies are not acre per month. For a fi vemonth science postures. In this sense, the
Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam is unhappy that his sup as “Mr. Lie Big”. He labels chemi tricity and pump sets are all costs just yieldlimiting in themselves; season, this means 50 kg of cow inclusion of ZBNF into our agricul
cal fertilizers and pesticides as that ZBNF proponents convenient they also disallow the full expres dung and 50 litres of cow urine. tural policy by the government ap
porters have been ignored in ticket selection and will
“demonic substances”, crossbred ly ignore. sion of other nutrients in the soil Given nitrogen content of 0.5% in pears unwise and imprudent.
not campaign for the party. Dynastic politics appears to cows as “demonic species” and Second, there are no indepen leading to an overall decline in fer cow dung and 1% in cow urine, this
be the comfort zone of an opposition in retreat. Chil biotechnology and tractors as “de dent studies to validate the claims tility. In some regions, soils are sa translates to just about 750 g of ni R. Ramakumar is NABARD Chair
dren of several leaders are in the fray, and among the monic technologies”. At the same that ZBNF plots have a higher yield line. In other regions, soils are trogen per acre per season. This is Professor and Arjun S.V. is a student at the
new entrants is Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of the time, Mr. Palekar is also critical of than nonZBNF plots. The Govern acidic due to nutrient defi ciencies totally inadequate considering the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
patriarch. The NCPCongress manifesto is a combina
tion of nativist slogans such as reserved employment
for the local population and addresses broader issues
regarding agricultural crisis and environment. Grand
Rethinking water management issues
intentions of the alliance are hardly inspiring because NITI Aayog’s strategy for water resources is a continuation of failed policies of the past
of the popular apathy towards dynastic politics and the
elites who stand rightly accused of rigging the social authority is another failed idea. straints’, only one, the Easement linking project, the IndiaNepal
and economic order to their benefi t. The CongressNCP Maharashtra established a water Act, 1882, which grants groundwa Pancheshwar project, and the
resources regulatory authority in ter ownership rights to landown Siang project in Northeast India
combine is deeply entangled in the State’s cooperative
2005. But far from an improve ers, and has resulted in uncon need to be completed. A major
and sugar sectors, which was once a source of strength ment in managing resources, wa trolled extractions of roadblock in completion of these
but is currently a millstone around its neck. Maharash ter management in Maharashtra groundwater, is actually a con projects is public interest litiga
A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN
tra is the perfect stage for an ascendant BJP that is pro Chetan Pandit & has gone from bad to worse. With straint. The remaining are are not tions fi led in the National Green
mising to bring down the old order. Asit K. Biswas out analysing why the WRA alrea constraints. These are: irrigation Tribunal, the Supreme Court, or in
dy established has failed, the re potential created but not being various High Courts. Unless the
commendation to establish water used; poor effi ciency of irrigation government has a plan to arrest
A delicate balance
I
n December 2018, NITI Aayog resources regulatory authorities is systems; indiscriminate use of wa the blatant misuse of PIL for envi
released its ‘Strategy for New inexcusable. tic, particularly for a fi veyear win ter in agriculture; poor implemen ronmental posturing, not only
Portugal needs to fi nd a way of boosting India @75’ which defi ned clear The strategy document notes dow. Not even one of these goals tation and maintenance of pro these but also other infrastructure
objectives for 202223, with an that there is a huge gap between ir has been achieved in any State in jects; cropping patterns not projects will remain bogged down
growth without aff ecting welfare measures overview of 41 distinct areas. In rigation potential created and util the past 72 years. Some goals, such aligned to agroclimatic zones; sub in court rooms.
this document, however, the stra ised, and recommends that the as ‘Har Khet Ko Pani (irrigation to sidised pricing of water; citizens The document takes no cogni
P
ortugal’s centreleft Socialists (PS) are eyeing a se
cond consecutive term in offi ce after securing tegy for ‘water resources’ is as insi Water Ministry draw up an action every fi eld)’, are simply not not getting piped water supply; sance of some real and eff ective re
pid and unrealistic as the succes plan to complete command area achievable. and contamination of groundwa forms that were once put into mo
about 37% of the vote in Sunday’s elections. But
sive National Water Policies development (CAD) works to re ter. These are problems, caused tion but later got stalled, such as a
the rigours of putting together a coalition all over again (NWP). Eff ective strategic plan duce the gap. Again, a recommen Who is accountable? by 72 years of misgovernance in National Water Framework law;
may have sobered the sense of victory for Prime Minis ning must satisfy three essential dation is made without analysing A strategy document must specify the water sector, and remain chal signifi cant amendments to the In
ter António Costa, who leads a minority government. requirements. One, acknowledge why CAD works remain incom who will be responsible and ac lenges for the future. terState River Water Disputes Act;
The Socialists have emerged as the largest party, unlike and analyse past failures; two, sug plete, that too despite having a countable for achieving the specif Ideas listed under ‘way for and the Dam Safety Bill.
in 2015, when the centreright Social Democrat (PSD)’s gest realistic and implementable CAD authority as an integral com ic goals, and in what timeframe. ward’ and ‘suggested reforms’ do India’s water problems can be
failure presented them with an opportunity to forge a goals; and three, stipulate who will ponent of the ministry. Otherwise, no one will accept the not say how any of these will come solved with existing knowledge,
do what, and within what time Goals include providing adeq responsibility to carry out various about. For example, there is no re technology and available funds.
coalition. The Socialists’ main coalition partner, the an
frame. The ‘strategy’ for water uate and safe piped water supply tasks, and nothing will get done. commendation to amend the But India’s water establishment
ticapitalist Left Bloc (BE) has held on to its seats, while fails on all three counts. to all citizens and livestock; pro Take one goal: “Encourage indus Easement Act, or to stop subsi needs to admit that the strategy
the Communist party (PCP) has lost a few. The new par viding irrigation to all farms; pro tries to utilise recycled/treated wa dised/free electricity to farmers. pursued so far has not worked.
liamentary arithmetic appears advantageous to the So No new vision viding water to industries; ensur ter”. Merely encouraging someone On the contrary, the strategy re Only then can a realistic vision
cialists, but it may not always convert into greater polit The document reiterates two ing continuous and clean fl ow in to do something, is not a “goal”. commends promoting solar emerge. It is unfortunate that NITI
ical leverage. When the coalition took shape among the failed ideas: adopting an integrat the “Ganga and other rivers along That apart, NITI Aayog does not pumps. These are environmental Aayog has failed to admit this and
three parties some weeks after the 2015 elections, it was ed river basin management ap with their tributaries”, i.e. in all In say who will do this encouraging, ly correct and ease the fi nancial has prescribed only a continuation
proach, and setting up of river ba dian rivers; assuring longterm and how? Should the State Water burden on electricity supply agen of past failed policies. Far from
described as “geringonça”, or an ‘unlikely contraption’.
sin organisations (RBOs) for major sustainability of groundwater; sa Ministries do this by restricting or cies. However, the free electricity solving our water problems, this
The two leftwing parties backed a minority PS govern basins. The integrated manage feguarding proper operation and even withholding recalcitrant in provided by solar units will further helps India to continue walking on
ment only on the latter’s promise to end the austerity ment concept has been around for maintenance of water infrastruc dustry’s access to fresh water? encourage unrestricted pumping the unsustainable path it has pur
policies of the centreright administration. 70 years, but not even one moder ture; utilising surface water re Should the Environment Minis of groundwater, and will further sued for decades.
This time around, conditions are markedly diff erent, ate size basin has been managed sources to the full potential of 690 tries cancel clearances for indus aggravate the problem of a steady
with unemployment around 6%, and a positive outlook thus anywhere in the world. And billion cubic metres; improving tries which do not practise recy decline of groundwater levels. Chetan Pandit is a former member of the
from credit ratings agencies. Mr. Costa has committed 32 years after the NWP of 1987 re onfarm wateruse effi ciency; and cling? Or should the Finance Central Water Commission. Asit K. Biswas
commended RBOs, not a single ensuring zero discharge of un Ministries do this through mone Reforms overlooked is Distinguished Visiting Professor,
to maintaining fi scal discipline and a surplus budget to
one has been established for any treated effl uents from industrial tary incentives and disincentives? The document fails to identify real University of Glasgow, U.K., and
cushion Lisbon from the risk of a global recession. major basin. units. These goals are not just over No one knows. constraints. For example, it notes Chairman, Water Management
While the prospect of a zero per cent budget defi cit may The water resources regulatory ambitious, but absurdly unrealis Of the issues listed under ‘con that the KenBetwa River inter International Pte Ltd, Singapore
hold some appeal in European Union circles, the Social
ists’ allies are concerned about Mr. Costa’s evident shift
in stance. The BE has not guaranteed support for Mr.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Costa, declined to accept ministerial positions, and in
stead off ered backing based solely on specifi c issues. Growing intolerance? worrying. If true patriots ■ The democratic strength of under siege in this day and history of leading Indian viceversa in terms of
The party has said that it would advocate for an in The Editorial (“Sedition have FIRs slapped on them a nation is assessed by how age. Free expression is a dailies that such an penning balanced editorials.
annoyance”, October 8) is a for their genuine concern its citizens can freely express product of application of interactive opportunity is Tharcius S. Fernando,
crease in the minimum wage, rollback of pension cuts, Chennai
grim reminder of the height about secularism, then the their thoughts and views sane human intellect to an being given to readers. This
investments to combat global warming and other la of intolerance towards plight of the common man despite being caustic to the issue at hand to then help would also help the editors more letters online:
bour legislation. Mr. Costa, possibly expecting a more freedom of expression. who dares to raise a fi nger ruling dispensation or those enrich discourse. Today, as understand readers and www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
assertive BE, had cautioned voters against the risk of India’s pluralistic society against the establishment who are majoritarian. By intellectualism itself is
political instability — drawing comparison with the im has seen disturbances on on religious intolerance, is framing charges of sedition sought to be branded as corrections & clarifications:
passe in neighbouring Spain — if the Socialists were not religious lines, but never anybody’s guess. The Prime against eminent people, the antinational, few are In “BJP’s backing will help AIADMK, says L. Ganesan” (Inter
before has anyone felt that Minister and the Home notion of intolerance has prepared to nurture the very view, some editions, Oct. 7, 2019) the reference to Lok Sabha
handed a majority. Now that the polls are behind, the byelection in Vellore should be corrected to read as election.
the country is treading the Minister should only been strengthened. sap that feeds the spirit of
Prime Minister has the delicate task of negotiating with Editing error: In “Devendra Fadnavis tightens grip on Maha
dangerous path of religious concentrate on good Criticism of government is men, society and nations.
the same allies in the weeks ahead. A guarantee to es polarisation as we see it governance which includes not sedition. R. Narayanan,
rashtra BJP” (Oct. 7, 2019), the blurb read: “The CM sidelined sev
chew the path of punitive austerity could go some way eral bigwigs whose relations with him had soured of late, without
now. facing criticism and the Gagan Pratap Singh, Navi Mumbai
the high command backing him.” It was actually with the high com
to assuage the concerns of the BE and the PCP. Mr. Cos It is painful to see the press, allaying the fears and Noida, Uttar Pradesh
mand backing.
ta should also address the charge that despite his anti secular fabric which has concerns of people instead Tuesday, at The Hindu A Business page story headlined “Classic Legends to unveil 3
austerity drive, several sectors are woefully in need of been woven together with of always keeping the ■ Sedition arises out of It is laudable that two new Jawa variants” (Oct. 7, 2019), said the company “has been ac
mutual understanding and country on tenterhooks and demonstrable crime against Editorial meetings a month cepting bookings, though the product has been sold out till March
public investment. His priority regarding the need for a 31, 2010”. It should have been March 31, 2020.
stable government is understandable. The political dea harmony since focusing on development in the state and not out of at The Hindu will be open to
Independence, being the runup to elections disenchantment with it. It is readers to expand In a Metro Plus article titled “The Clean Beauty alphabet soup”
dlock he had warned of after Sunday’s elections must (Sept. 23, 2019) a part of the quotation attributed to Bhawna Ku
shredded which even those rather than on the planks of a pity that we should be conversations and trust. mar from Ecocert has been redacted. The redacted portion is:
be averted at any cost. Mr. Costa seems best placed for of standing in the ruling hypernationalism and revisiting the days of the Raj. (’From the Readers’ Editor, “For a product to be claimed organic, 96% of the ingredients
the task, going by the plaudits he has won for balancing party are turning a blind Hindutva. It is an anachronism that the “Dialogues to bridge should be certifi ed.”
the need for growth and fi scal rectitude. eye to and intentionally so G.B. Sivanandam, notion of freedom of speech divides”, October 7). This The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
— and all the more Coimbatore being above all liberties is may be the fi rst time in the E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM M ND-NDE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Affi rmative action at the crossroads
The Harvard undergraduate admissions case has elements that strongly resonate with the Indian reservation debate
tive action (AA). on marks, while also making allo mainstream use of the words
This is a complicated and im wances for socioeconomic cir “equality” and “fair” in the con
War on words portant case not just for the future
of AA in the U.S., but because it
cumstances, need not mean an au
tomatic death of “merit”. The
text of AA is an excellent example
of irony, which is typically lost on
has the potential to impact antiAA challenges in increasing access to the users and consumers of these
What matters is the taking of human life, sentiment everywhere. It contains higher education to students from arguments. AA, or reservations in
and not the Sangh’s name for it Ashwini Deshpande elements that strongly resonate deprived backgrounds are enor India, is essentially a policy of
with the Indian debate on reserva mous, but these challenges are in compensatory discrimination,
T
he annual Vijayadashami speech of its chief, the
tions. herent in any strategy that ex which discriminates in favour of
FILE PHOTO/NYT
Sarsanghchalak, outlines the thinking of the RSS
I
n 2014, a group called “Stu What does the evidence show? pands access to higher education, groups that are traditionally dis
on critical issues. As incumbent chief Mohan
dents for Fair Admissions” David Card, a reputed labour and have to be dealt with. criminated against, stigmatised
Bhagwat noted on Tuesday, until 2014, these speeches (SFFA), founded by a conserva economist at Berkeley, provided and marginalised, such as African
did not attract much attention. In the speech that tive activist, Edward Blum, alleged evidence in support of Harvard Legacy admissions Americans, Latinos in the U.S.; Da
spanned domestic politics, education, economy, fo that Harvard University discrimi University. He examined the statis diacono, argued on behalf of the AA has been on the retreat in the lits and Adivasis in India. Because
reign aff airs, and culture there was nothing that would nates against AsianAmerican ap tical evidence in meticulous detail, SFFA, and focused exclusively on U.S., battling several legal chal of historical and contemporary
surprise those who have followed the Sangh. But those plicants in the undergraduate ad especially the SFFA’s claim that academic achievement to show lenges. Today it stands on a pre discrimination, these groups
views are today consequential as they get translated to missions process. The lawsuit Harvard could achieve its ‘diversi that AfricanAmerican and Latino cipice because AsianAmericans would typically be underrepre
claimed that AsianAmericans ty goals without considering race students with lower academic feel that they are losing out to sented in formal institutions, and
state policies, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
were held to higher standards by using a variety of raceneutral scores were admitted at the ex whites in terms of entry into pres in order to compensate for that,
Mr. Modi, a former RSS pracharak, and the Home Minis compared to students from other admissions practices’. pense of AsianAmericans with tigious institutions. If the SFFA preferential policies such as quo
ter were recipients of praise for ending the special con races, and that Harvard was using higher scores. Dr. Card demon wins this case in the Supreme tas are needed.
stitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr. Bhagwat an “illegal” quota system, which Applicant pool and views strates conclusively that Dr. Arci Court, it might be the fi nal nail in Those against AA turn this logic
termed this year’s Lok Sabha election results a demon informally capped the number of In an impressively thorough re diacono’s empirical analysis did the coffi n of affi rmative action. on its head and argue that the pre
stration of a new resolve of the country. The Sarsangh AsianAmericans, but gave prefe port, Dr. Card demolishes the not account for the overall context What would be the impact on ferential policies are unfair and
chalak said too much discussion on the frail health of rential access to AfricanAmerican SFFA’s arguments successfully. of each candidate’s application, whites, the most privileged group? foster inequality, because they use
or Latino students. The SFFA’s claims of discrimina such as the ‘quality of high school, They are already the majority in criteria other than “merit” for ad
the economy would only cause more negativity. A
This claim was made despite tion are based on the evidence socioeconomic circumstances, educational institutions; even if missions (race in the U.S., caste
thread in his one hour speech was that certain enemies the fact that AsianAmericans are that AsianAmericans have higher resources and opportunities avail AA for minorities and women and tribal status in India). Howev
of the nation were trying to defame and weaken it. roughly 6% of the U.S. population, academic achievements than able to the applicant as a result of were dismantled, the implicit quo er, these critics are blind to the ele
Some “chutput” — small — incidents get publicised as but were 23% of the entering batch white applicants, but are admitted their high school, neighbourhood ta for them will, most likely, stay phant in the room: legacy admis
lynching, which to him is a conspiracy to defame India, in 2018, compared to 15% African at a lower rate. Dr. Card shows that and family background’. intact. All these years, the extent sions in the U.S., or their Indian
as “both sides are involved in such acts”. Lynching is a Americans and 12% Latino stu academic achievement is only one of “legacy” admissions, i.e. prefe counterpart: discretionary man
western construct, he said. dents. Indeed, the share of Asian of the criteria for judging excel Indian parallel rential admissions for students agement quotas or donations
Americans in the top U.S. universi lence. Harvard’s applicant pool The signifi cance of this point can whose parents graduated from based admissions. These methods
The RSS chief is very particular about the words that
ties is far greater than their share consists of students with outstand not be overstated. In India, the Harvard or Radcliff e (its former of entry are opaque, completely
are to be used and avoided, going by his speech. He in in the population, and this makes ing academic credentials, and the fact that entrylevel cutoff s are sister school) was unclear, but divorced from “merit” (even in the
sisted that India’s culture, heritage, diversity and life it prima facie diffi cult to under process is very competitive. In lower for reserved category stu thanks to this lawsuit, it is clear narrowest sense of examination
could be encapsulated in the word Hindu and no other stand their grievance. 2019, it received 37,000 applica dents is seen as proof that the re that legacy preferences can make scores), and blatantly favour those
word, including Bharatiya, could be a suitable substi tions for 2,000 seats; more than servation policy is “antimerit”, a big diff erence, and not just at with means and privilege.
tute. A considerable part of his speech called for unity, Race as factor 8,000 of these had perfect grades, and leads to its corollary, viz., abo Harvard. According to 2018 data, This case reveals, once again,
harmony, and dialogue among communities and sacrif Harvard acknowledged that they and more than 5,000 had perfect lition of reservations is needed in 42% of private institutions and 6% that critics of affi rmative action
ice for the country. But he reiterated his position that did, indeed, use race as one factor mathematics or verbal SAT scores. order to improve merit. If our un of public institutions in the U.S. the world over argue exactly the
among many, mainly to ensure a Thus, to choose from this pool, iversities adopted a more holistic consider legacy status as a factor same way, regardless of the con
such a worthy pursuit could be termed only Hindu
diverse student body. They a strong candidate cannot be de set of criteria for admissions, that in admissions. Universities, in text. We have to wonder why the
Rashtra — the fundamental tenet of the Sangh. Whether claimed that their use of race was fi ned only on the basis of test would have the twin benefi t of re cluding Harvard, defend this prac fi ercest of them never train their
or not there is an equivalent word for lynching in any consistent with law. Earlier this scores; nonacademic aspects ducing the excessive and un tice by claiming that it fosters a guns on the fundamental, most
pristine indigenous language, what should concern month, the Federal District court have to be considered. Harvard healthy obsession with board ex healthy and diverse campus and critical feature of college admis
anyone interested in the reputation of India, that is Bha ruled in favour of Harvard. Howev claims that they judge ‘excellence amination scores, and reorienting alumni community. But the truth sions that is antimeritocratic, un
rat, is not the label but the act that is being described. er, if the case goes to the Supreme in a variety of forms, and include admission priorities. It would ena is that legacy admissions favour af fair and inequalityenhancing:
That act, which Mr. Bhagwat tiptoed around with ver Court, there is a chance this ruling students with diverse experiences, ble universities to account for va fl uent white students. pathways for easy entry for the al
might be reversed. If the Supreme backgrounds, skills and interests’. rious sources of disadvantage due What did the lawsuit say about ready privileged through legacy,
bose obfuscation, is mob violence against hapless indi
Court, dominated by conservative This multidimensionality is to poor socioeconomic circum legacy admissions? Nothing. “Stu networks and money.
viduals, mostly from the minority religious communi judges, strikes down the use of possible when the student body is stances. This is not to argue that dents for Fair Admissions” sounds
ties or Dalits. It would be reassuring to know that the race as a criterion for admissions, racially diverse. marks should not count at all, but disconcertingly similar to the In Ashwini Deshpande is Professor of
act of lynching is alien to India, but unfortunately, the it would mean an end to affi rma Another economist, Peter Arci to say that the admissions based dian “Youth for Equality”. The Economics, Ashoka University
ire was more against the word than against the act. Ex
plaining the concept of Swadeshi, Mr. Bhagwat said In
dia would not hesitate to accept from foreigners what it
does not have and cannot do without. If lynching is a vi
deshi act, then it might need a videshi label too. But this
Maintaining the IndiaChina stride length
war on the word is refl ective more of a concern about
Wuhan was meant to stabilise IndiaChina ties at a time of major global changes; the basic understanding must continue
India’s reputation in the eyes of the world than of any na’s 2013 and 2014 policy declara lationship has regained impor to confl ict on every occasion.” In
alarm at the underlying acts of sectarian violence. For tions of deepening ties with its pe tance and become “a positive fac essence, Wuhan was grounded in
riphery including with tor for stability” in the global realpolitik considerations.
the sake of Bharat’s reputation, lynchings, by whatever
subcontinental states, followed power fl ux. Both sides recognise
name, must stop. soon after with the ambitious Belt the “importance of respecting Three-point road map
and Road initiative and the China each other’s sensitivities, con Going forward, India’s China poli
Zorawar Daulet Singh Pakistan Economic Corridor in cerns and aspirations”. Both lea cy should be guided by three
Infi nite crisis April 2015. derships would provide “strategic grand strategic goals: an inclusive
FILE PHOTO/AP
While all three factors contri guidance to their respective mili security architecture in Asia that
T
A Turkish incursion into Syria could weaken he recent calm in IndiaChi buted to the complexity of India taries” to manage the border facilitates a nonviolent transition
na relations might have China relations in the period lead peacefully. And fi nally, both sides to multipolarity without disrupt
antiIS forces and plunge the region into chaos erased images of the turbu ing up to 2017, the region became would strive for “greater consulta ing economic interdependence; a
P
resident Donald Trump’s decision to pull U.S. lent chapter that preceded it. For the main arena of interaction, with to arrest the deterioration in the tion on all matters of common in fair and rulesbased open interna
troops out of northeastern Syria is tantamount to much of the period between 2014 both sides adopting antagonistic relationship and attempt to chart a terest”, which includes building a tional order to better refl ect Indian
and 2017, uncertainty regarding approaches and strategies. Much fresh course. real “developmental partnership”. and developing economy inter
betraying the Kurdish forces who were in the fo
the other side’s policies and inten of this acrimonious buildup can Subsequently, the Wuhan ap ests; and, geopolitical peace and
refront of the war against the Islamic State. Within days tions leading to tension, mistrust, be traced to China’s decision to ex Creating some order proach was critiqued for not going sustainable economic develop
of the U.S. decision, Turkey launched its muchantici and competition characterised the pand linkages with its southwest Both leaderships also discovered far enough in terms of laying out a ment in the neighbourhood. China
pated military incursion on Wednesday into the predo relationship. It was an unusual ern periphery and India’s percep the void of a contemporary frame blueprint to resolve diff erences. is important to the successful pur
minantly Kurdish northeastern Syria. The Syrian Kur spike in the postCold War era and tion and reaction to that process. work to guide their complex rela There is some merit in that inter suit of each of these goals, and the
dish region, Rojava, is now run by a semiautonomous only subsided in 2018. In retrospect, the Doklam episode tionship in a rapidly changing and pretation. Yet, the fact is both principal task before Indian poli
Kurdish government, and its militias People’s Protec in the high Himalayas was really uncertain international environ sides have contained much of the cymakers is to envisage and exe
tion Units (YPG) are guarding the borders. The YGP was Wuhan and after the culmination of a deeper fester ment. Recall that the 1988 modus spiralling competition and mis cute a policy framework that al
Over the past decade, three histor ing question — how would India vivendi was built on a very prag trust, and, there is little doubt that lows for progress on these three
the dominant player in the U.S.backed Syrian Demo
ical forces have been shaping In and China relate to each other as matic understanding that despite an uncertain international envi ends.
cratic Forces (SDF) that destroyed the IS “caliphate”. diaChina relations. Some of these their footprints grew in their over their decadesold territorial dis ronment motivated both sides to The historian Odd Arne Westad
Turkey, which is fi ghting a violent Kurdish insurgency forces have been pushing both lapping peripheries? pute, both sides would keep the wards such a choice. It has also recently advised, “The more the
led by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in its Kurdish countries towards competition It was only with the outbreak of ball rolling so to speak and deve been claimed that China had tacti U.S. and China beat each other up,
territories, sees an empowered YPG and a Kurdish au and some impelling them towards the border crisis and the possibili lop allround ties until the time cal reasons for a truce with India the more room for maneuver oth
tonomous government across the border a growing se cooperation and collaboration. ty of a confl ict that both leader was ripe for a dignifi ed settlement in order to focus on strategic com er powers will have.” One could
curity threat to itself. Turkish President Recep Tayyip The fi rst is a changing world order ships undertook a sober assess of their dispute. But there was petition with the U.S. This is also equally apply that mantra to India
and the rise of Asia, a phase that is ment of the complex historical nothing in that understanding to true. But what has not been em and China. Unrestrained competi
Erdoğ an’s plan is to carve out a buff er between the bor
generally traced to the period after forces at play. When situated either guide a geopolitical accom phasised enough is India too bene tion only benefi ts other powers.
der and the Rojava, which will be controlled by proTur the 2008 global economic crisis. against the broader picture of an modation or regulate the depth fi ts from not having to overburden The recent stability in IndiaChina
kish Syrian rebels. He also plans to resettle some Syrian The second is the idea that with emerging multipolarity, uncer and range of issues that have come its military, weak economy, and relations is a choice made by both
refugees here. In its previous intervention, Turkey had the West’s declining capacity and tainty on the future of globalisa to defi ne the relationship in the underresourced diplomatic corps sides. History is obliging both
already pushed the YPG out of Afrin, a border town. It is inclination to responsibly manage tion, and, the still long journey to ensuing decades. Wuhan 1.0 was from having to focus on two fronts countries to step up and play con
now planning to repeat Afrin in a longer and wider international and Asian aff airs, In wards social and hightech an attempt to articulate some in a regionwide rivalry with Chi structive roles to shape the emerg
stretch of the border region. The American presence dia, China and other reemerging rejuvenation of their economies, it norms that could serve as a re na. As India’s Foreign Secretary ing world order even as it is impell
powers are being thrust into new led to a similar conclusion by the newed set of guidelines to policy stated in February 2018, “India ing both sides to learn to coexist
may have held Mr. Erdoğ an back, but with the White
order building roles that would re two leaderships: a lessening of re makers and bureaucracies in both has to fi nd and defi ne for itself a in a common neighbourhood.
House saying that the U.S. troops “will not support or quire coordination and coopera gional tension was in the national countries. It was built on fi ve pil relationship with China which al
be involved” in the Turkish operation, the decks were tion to preserve global stability interest of both countries. This, in lars. The “simultaneous emer lows us to maintain our foreign Zorawar Daulet Singh is a fellow at the
cleared for Ankara. and codevelop new governance essence, was the backdrop to the gence of India and China”, two policy objectives and at the same Centre for Policy Research and author of
To be sure, the U.S. withdrawing troops itself is not institutions and norms. The third April 2018 “informal summit” in major powers with independent time allows us a policy that is pru ‘Power and Diplomacy: India’s Foreign
the problem. Mr. Trump had made the campaign pro is a changing South Asia with Chi Wuhan, where both sides decided foreign policies is a reality. The re dent enough that does not lead us Policies During the Cold War’
mise to wind down America’s military engagements in
West Asia. Also, the U.S. cannot get stuck in the Syrian
confl ict forever. The problem is the way in which it is
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
whole region into chaos. It is a recipe for tragedy. India cannot aff ord to government appears intent in Badulla, Sri Lanka. I readership outreach to a and professional more letters online:
remain one of the largest on promoting have their consider myself fortunate level of radical underpinnings of news www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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In Mamallapuram, seeking the true north in ties
The IndiaChina informal summit is another opportunity for both leaders to reset relations in an era of geostrategic fl ux
labour rules. During Pakistan meditation at the Shaolin monas putes. India and China will always
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit tery in Henan province in China, have to coexist cheek by jowl, as
A Chennai setting to Beijing this week, Mr. Xi is re
ported to have stated that China is
hailed from this region. When the
two leaders gaze out at the sea,
they have done for millennia. It is
in the larger interests of the two
“paying close attention” to the sit they will be greeted by the same peoples that there be greater trust
The ModiXi summit might restore the uation in Kashmir and that China expanse of waters of the IndoPac and cooperation and that there be
bonhomie in ties that saw strains recently Sujan R. Chinoy would support Pakistan on its core ifi c that once united, not divided, deeper friendship at all levels.
B. VELANKANNI RAJ
interests, inviting a quick riposte India and China. The choice of Ma At Mamallapuram, the cool sea
A
unique relationship requires unique and imagi
by the Indian Foreign Ministry mallapuram as a venue also high breeze, the palm fronds and the
native ways to manage diff erences. It is for this
T
he second informal summit that it is not for others to comment lights the scope of the IndiaChina ancient temples and monuments
reason that India and China, with a 3,380 km between India and China in on the internal aff airs of India. economic partnership across In will provide a perfect setting to the
common boundary, thousands of years of a shared his Mamallapuram, off Chennai dia. There is much untapped po two leaders to muse over our time
tory, and halfacentury of boundary disputes and ten in Tamil Nadu, on October 1112 On Kashmir nessed many peaks and troughs. tential for Chinese investments in less ties and their future. Helpful
sions has always needed unique mechanisms. The se provides an opportunity for Chi China maintains that the question The frequency is greater, but the India. Chinese FDI has seen a wel steps that can contribute to better
cond “informal summit” between Prime Minister na’s President Xi Jinping and of Jammu and Kashmir should be cycles of disruption have become come spike since 2015. According relations include fi rewalling the bi
Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping that be Prime Minister Narendra Modi to settled on the basis of the UN Char shorter. After the border war in to the Chinese side, cumulative lateral track from thirdparty con
continue discussions on overarch ter, UN Security Council resolu 1962, it took 14 years to normalise FDI in India stands at $8 billion. siderations, fi ghting stereotypes
gins on Friday is one such way for the two countries to
ing issues of bilateral, regional and tions and bilateral agreements. relations at the ambassadorial le Mutual investments provide the through objective media coverage,
deal with the ebb and fl ow in ties. The leaders last held global importance. What is of note is that its boundary vel. In the wake of India’s nuclear ballast for the ship of bilateral rela encouraging high level and other
an informal summit in Wuhan, in the wake of the Dok agreement with Pakistan of March tests in 1998, it took only two years tions. exchanges, especially among the
lam crisis, when the time they spent visibly improved Some stress points 2, 1963 and the ChinaPakistan to normalise ties. After the stand youth, enhancing confi dence
the atmospherics around the relationship. In the Ties have experienced some tur Economic Corridor (CPEC) have off at Doklam (2017), the two lead Global context building measures between the
months prior to and following the Wuhan summit, the bulence of late. China’s position de facto altered the status quo and ers met within days at the BRICS The second informal summit armed forces, balancing India’s
two nations brought down tensions along the boun on issues such as Masood Azhar, violated the spirit of the very UN Summit. Obviously, there is grea comes within weeks of the so trade defi cit of $58 billion and in
India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group Security Council Resolutions that ter maturity in the ties. Both India called Quad meeting at the Fo jecting greater transparency in
dary, initiated a new dialogue on trade, which led to
membership, the yawning trade China cites in support of Pakistan. and China are keen to deepen en reign Ministers’ level. It also takes China’s growing presence in South
more market access and a small indent in the $53bil gap and inroads into South Asia, China holds approximately gagement and impart stability and place at a time when tensions bet Asia.
lion trade defi cit between them, and saw more interna have all played a role. Mr. Modi’s 38,000 sq km of land in Aksai Chin predictability to their relations. ween the U.S. and China are China expects the world to ac
tional coordination including at the WTO, and on cli vision of an inclusive IndoPacifi c and a further 5,180 sq km illegally mounting along a broad front, commodate its rise and core con
mate change and terrorism. Earlier this year, China region, outlined at the Shangri La ceded by Pakistan to China under Signifi cance of the setting from trade to military, with the lat cerns on Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan
joined UNSC members in a statement condemning the event in Singapore in June last the 1963 agreement. The latter The informal summit at Mamallap est kindling being the blacklisting and Hong Kong. Likewise, China
Pulwama attack and then in May reversed its decade year, has helped allay some con agreement recognises under Arti uram off ers yet another opportun of 28 Chinese Artifi cial Intelligence too needs to adjust to the rise of In
old position by allowing the UNSC listing of the Jaish e cerns over America’s Free and cle 6 that the settlement is an inte ity to both the strong leaders to re fi rms for their involvement in the dia and accommodate its concerns
Open IndoPacifi c strategy. China’s rim arrangement under which set relations in an era of alleged human rights violations in on sovereignty and territorial inte
Mohammad chief, Masood Azhar. Since the August 5
public support for Pakistan on China would reopen negotiations geostrategic fl ux. Their strategic Xinjiang. China’s 70th anniversary grity. This could pave the way for
decision by the government on Article 370 and the bi Jammu and Kashmir has created a with the concerned sovereign guidance to the stakeholders on celebrations of communist party furthering cooperation under the
furcation of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, and the new stress point. authority once the question of both sides would act as a compass rule on October 1 were marred by IndiaChina Plus framework.
strong reaction from China, these positive steps The slowdown in the Chinese Kashmir is settled. in fi nding the true north in ties. continuing protests in Hong Kong, Neither China nor India can
seemed to have been stalled. If Beijing’s decision to economy and the geostrategic China’s endorsement of the Mamallapuram is not a place raising questions about the realisa contain the other. Both are des
raise the Indian government’s move at the UNSC was a competition with the United States CPEC has been rejected by India as without signifi cance. Wuhan, the tion of the “China Dream” by 2049 tined to rise. Much will depend on
clear break from the “Wuhan Spirit”, its subsequent point to further uncertainty. The it passes through Pakistan Occu site of the fi rst informal summit, is through the full reintegration of the choices we make at
idea of a Chinacentric order in pied Kashmir. Straws in the wind the place where Mao Zedong had the Hong Kong Special Administra Mamallapuram.
statements including at the UN General Assembly have
Asia has met with resistance. Even suggest that China may have real displayed his vitality by swimming tive Region. Further, the ‘One
alienated New Delhi further. Optics closer to the sum at the Minsk Dialogue Forum in ised that the CPEC was a hasty de in the currents of the Yangtse riv Country Two Systems’ applied to Sujan R. Chinoy, a former Indian
mit have been more troublesome, and Mr. Xi’s invita Belarus this week, several speak cision, without proper consulta er. Today, it straddles the great rail Hong Kong, meant to be a model Ambassador and China specialist, headed
tion to the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit ers referred to cooperation bet tions with India. However, connectivity route to Europe envi for Taiwan’s return to the fold, the Indian side in the Expert Group of
Beijing in the same week that Mr. Xi meets Mr. Modi is ween the EUEurasian Economic considering its fl agship status, it sioned in the BRI. The coastal could be viewed with scepticism. Diplomatic and Military Offi cials tasked
clearly a negative signal ahead of the Chennai summit. Union and China’s Belt and Road will be diffi cult for China to review town of Mamallapuram is evoca There is no gainsaying the fact with boundaryrelated CBMs between
India’s decision to hold mountain combat exercises in Initiative (BRI) with palpable un it. Nor can China easily pull away tive of ancient maritime links bet that India and China must work to 19962000. He is currently Director
ease, citing China’s lack of adhe from its strategic “iron brother” ween the Pallava empire and Chi gether to forge stable relations in General of the Institute for Defence Studies
Arunachal Pradesh just prior to the summit is another
rence to global standards and dis Pakistan. na 2,000 years ago. Bodhidharma, which competition does not lead and Analyses, New Delhi. The views
in the series of red fl ags raised, which had even cast a regard for the environment and IndiaChina relations have wit the founder of the Dhyan school of to confl ict nor diff erences to dis expressed are personal
doubt over whether the summit would go ahead.
As a result, Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi have their task cut
out for them: in restoring some of the bonhomie from
last year, while charting a course for ties ahead. In the
immediate future, it is hoped that Mr. Xi will assuage In
It is still an amber light for road safety
dia’s concerns on trade issues with a view to meeting In spite of the ambitious provisions in the amended Motor Vehicles law, safe road behaviour is still miles away
the deadline for the ASEANled RCEP free trade agree dians of juvenile off enders to be traffi c fatalities has continued to which said: “It is suggested that
ment in November, and possibly direct special repre penalised. While there have to be increase in India. substantial increases in fi nes and
sentatives on the boundary issue to speed up their penalties for off enders, there does A Ministry of Road Transport licence disqualifi cations would
talks. For the larger picture, it is important that they not seem to be any correlation bet and Highways (MoRTH) report of have limited potential in deterring
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
end the downslide in bilateral ties and set up more ro ween stricter and higher penalties 2018 has listed 1,51,430 fatalities. recidivist off enders. The present
and a reduction in road traffi c However, for the same year, the analysis failed to fi nd any evidence
bust communication in order to address each other’s
Geetam Tiwari crashes in countries where road World Health Organisation esti for a signifi cant relationship bet
concerns in a timely manner. If the Wuhan summit fo traffi c deaths have reduced over mates nearly 300,000 deaths. In ween [the] fi ne amount and the li
cused on a reset between India and China, the Chennai the years’, examples being West fact a government of India study kelihood that an off ender will re
summit will be successful if it ensures that there is no
T
he Motor Vehicles (Amend Europe, the United States, Japan by the Registrar General and Cen turn to court for a new driving
rollback in the relationship, a goal that will no doubt be ment) Bill, 2019 passed by and Australia. sus Commissioner, India (‘The Mil off ence. Nor was there any evi
aided by the Mamallapuram setting, which will remind the Lok Sabha on July 23 and The idea of higher fi nes as a de lion Death’ study) also reports at dence from our analyses to sug
the leaders of the ancient and traditional ties between by the Rajya Sabha on July 31 has terrent to traffi c crashes is based traffi c safety theories of the last 50 least a 50% underreporting of gest that longer license disqualifi
the two countries based on trade, travel, and faith. 63 clauses with the aim of reduc on the assumption that a driver is years, safety interventions have to traffi c fatalities and a higher share cation periods reduced the
ing road traffi c fatalities and inju careless and that the fear of a high be based on three important prin of pedestrian and motorised two likelihood of an off ender reap
ries in India. The amended MVA er penalty will encourage “care ciples: recognition of human frail wheelers as Road Traffi c Collision pearing before the courts.” In
Going down together has several new provisions: in
creased compensation for road ac
ful” behaviour while on the road.
This goes against current scientifi c
ty, acceptance of human error,
and creation of a forgiving envi
victims when compared to the
MoRTH report. The MVA amend
creased fi nes alone, as suggested
in the amended MVA, will not have
The world must heed the IMF warning cident victims, a Motor Vehicle Ac understanding in reducing traffi c ronment and appropriate crash ments do not address the reliabili the intended eff ect of reducing
that everyone loses in a trade war cident fund to provide crashes that promotes the design energy management. Experience ty of crash estimates, which form traffi c crashes. Current traffi c safe
compulsory insurance cover to all of a system which can forgive mis from the U.S. and European coun the basis of designing preventive ty science suggests that if road us
T
he International Monetary Fund has some words road users, defi ning a good Samar takes made by road users. Road sa tries shows that road standards strategies. ers do not have their share of res
of advice for global leaders on how to resuscitate itan, recall of a defective motor fety experts suggest that road de alone cannot ensure safe roads for ponsibility, for example due to a
the faltering global economy. On Tuesday, its vehicle, development of a National signs such as lane width, shoulder all unless safety performance is Road safety data lack of knowledge or competence,
new managing director Kristalina Georgieva singled out Transportation Policy, a National presence, number of lanes and evaluated. It has been a tradition in ‘road sa or if personal injuries occur, or for
India, along with Brazil, as witnessing a “pronounced” Road Safety Board, recognising median design infl uence driving There is another factor in India. fety to analyse road safety data in other reasons that lead to risks,
growth slowdown as global growth experiences a “syn taxi aggregators and increased pe behaviour such as operating The density of small towns and vil order to understand why crashes the system designers (road design
nalties for several off ences. All speeds, lane changing, etc. lages along highways and the pre occur, which factors infl uence ers) must take further measures to
chronised” downswing. The IMF expects growth to
these are intended to reduce traf Therefore, one could expect sence of tractors, threewheelers, risks, and what determines crash prevent people from being killed
slow down in nearly 90% of the world this year, in con fi c crashes by at least 50% by 2030 that ‘roads themselves play an im cars, buses, trucks and truck trail severity, and then, based on this or seriously injured.
trast to two years ago when nearly 75% of the world wit (a target set by the United Na portant role in road safety, and im ers on these highways present a understanding, to arrive at reliable Therefore, if there is to be a re
nessed accelerated growth. In fact, global growth is ex tions). Out of the many amend proved geometry design and in very diff erent traffi c mix as com conclusions on how to prevent duction in India in the growing
pected to hit its lowest rate since the beginning of the ments proposed in the Act, the in frastructure could in turn help to pared to North America and west them most eff ectively and effi health burden due to traffi c crash
current decade. In July, the IMF cut its FY 2020 growth creased penalties have been improve road safety. Drivers can ern Europe where most highway ciently. This is called a datadriven es, it requires establishing a sys
forecast for the Indian economy by 30 basis points to implemented in many States from modify their behaviour based on standards have been developed. approach. In this approach, prior tem or institutional structure
September 1, 2019; at the same what they see on the road ahead of Pedestrian and motorcyclist invol ities are derived by using crash da which enables the generation of
7%. It would not be a surprise if, given the further dete
time, many States have decided to them. Drivers are more likely to vement in fatal crashes on high ta, background data, exposure da new knowledgenew road stan
rioration in growth since then, the IMF cuts its India fo “dilute” the suggested increase in fall asleep or experience boredom ways is greater than those involv ta and data on safety performance dards thereby ensuring safe high
recast once again. Ms. Georgieva’s maiden speech had penalties. on straight, monotonous, dual car ing other road users. In the past indicators’. This is what research ways and urban roads. Thus, we
the usual elements where slowing growth was blamed riageway roads with little traffi c’. two decades, there have been ma ers call as a scientifi c method and have a long way to go in ensuring
on various factors including the trade war between the Penalties as deterrents Stricter penalties and intensive jor investments in expanding the evidencebased interventions. In “safe road behaviour”.
United States and China, which is expected to shave off New penalties have been intro driver training cannot reduce the national highway system in India. dia has still not created a culture of
0.8% from global GDP by 2020. She made the right nois duced for ‘faulty registration de risk of driver fatigue. However, Yet, fatalities have continued to producing scientifi c evidence for Geetam Tiwari is Professor, Civil
tails, the concessionaire or the road engineers can change the grow. Can the amended MVA ad designing preventive strategies. A Engineering Department and
es about how “everyone loses” in a trade war and how
contractor who is responsible for a road design to reduce boredom dress these concerns? report from New South Wales, Transportation Research and Injury
synchronised global policy action can help everyone. faulty road design or has not fol and monotony. Despite the eff orts of the last Australia in 2007 evaluated the ef Prevention Programme, Indian Institute
What the IMF chief did not get into during her lowed standards, and for guar Given the understanding from few decades, the number of road fectiveness of stricter penalties of Technology, New Delhi
speech, however, was the failure of even the prolonged
period of extremely loose monetary policy to sustain
global growth. The global economy has been helped by
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
a whole decade of historically low interest rates, yet the
recovery that ensued after the global fi nancial crisis was A life is what matters taking exception to “too could fuel disenchantment. several Opposition Khama). Mr. Magufuli has testimony to this. More
the slowest in history and seems to be in trouble alrea Lynching in India is a stark much” discussion on a Children who have already candidates won personally built national than 90% of the extensive
and recurring reality and worsening economy. lost a precious number of parliamentary seats unity by appointing media holdings are
dy. Even worse, this time around, as the global econo
the recordings of these Abdul Assis P.A., school days, will have no including the commercial Opposition leaders in privately owned.
my slows, interest rates are near or below zero in much ghastly incidents that are Thrissur, Kerala love for a nation that holds capital, Dar es Salaam. A diff erent positions in his Tanzania is an independent
of the developed world and corporations and govern circulated by the them captive for no fault of Pew Research survey in government. country that has ratifi ed
ments are burdened with unsustainable amounts of perpetrators are testimony Kashmir lockdown theirs. 2017 conducted among Since 1992, Tanzania still various international
debt. While she did warn about the risks posed by the to this (Editorial, “War on The more the delay in V. Subramanian, 41,953 respondents in 38 remains one of the few treaties and this includes
sudden reversal of capital fl ows and high global debt, words”, October 10). Such restoring civil liberties in Chennai countries found 88% of countries in Africa to enjoy health. Tanzania, like many
she still did not refrain from calling for more monetary acts by any other name will the Kashmir Valley, the Tanzanians to be satisfi ed multiparty democracy other countries, is looking
not make them any less greater the danger of pent Reality in Tanzania with the way democracy is with respect to two limits in to see how it can overcome
and fi scal policy actions. From an Indian point of view,
revolting. The RSS chief’s up feelings growing to To say that Tanzania which working in the country offi ce. Tanzania continues the loss of money and
what is worth noting is the IMF chief’s emphasis on the “disagreement” with the unmanageable propositions has long enjoyed a under Mr. Magufuli’s to cement democratic missed opportunities for
need for structural reforms to boost growth, particular use of the word “lynching” (OpEd page, “In Kashmir, reputation for stability, is leadership. principles, observe local industrialisation due
ly in the emerging market economies. She cited the betrays a reluctance on his opening a Pandora’s Box”, now taking an authoritarian The African Leadership adherence to the rule of law to the export of
forthcoming “World Economic Outlook” report which part to accept the October 10). When the turn under President John magazine also nominated and to accelerate its anti unprocessed minerals.
estimates that the right structural reforms can double unacceptable. The speech Emergency was lifted, Magufuli is far from the the President for the award corruption agenda. Tanzania off ers one of the
the speed at which emerging market economies such as is also an object of Indira Gandhi truth (OpEd page, “The of ‘Political Leadership for About actions against best examples in managing
contradictions. If lynching miscalculated the power of Magufuli ‘bulldozer’ the year 2018’. This was the dissenting opinion, the fact mineral resources with a
India can catch up with the living standards of people in
was alien to India, why is it the Opposition. The NDA eff ect”, October 3). Mr. second award after the is that no journalist has view to ensuring a winwin
advanced countries by raising their productivity. The that some Indians indulge government too may be Magufuli was elected Africa54 online magazine been jailed or killed in situation.
government at the centre, which came to power on the in it despite his assertion to paving the way for a similar democratically in 2015 in named him as the second Tanzania for publishing Darius Mukiza,
promise of delivering bigbang structural economic re the contrary? His speech situation in Kashmir, where which there was the best Africa President for dissenting opinion, and the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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10 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
T
hat the Jammu and Kashmir government has Stanly Johny despite the bad optics itself points or a threat to each other. India off ered support for China’s
withdrawn an advisory it issued on August 2 forc to their quest to deepen the vicechair push at the FATF. Ear
ing tourists to leave the Valley is to be welcomed, engagement. Taking it to the next level lier this year, amid mounting inter
E
but it would be naive to expect any signifi cant infl ow of very government will have to There are four constituents in the national pressure, China removed
visitors immediately. Jammu and Kashmir was emptied factor in three geopolitical The Rajiv momentum multidimensional IndiaChina its technical hold on the declara
of its tourists and the Amarnath pilgrims at the peak of constituents while setting its IndiaChina ties have seen a turna partnership that can take ties to tion of Masood Azhar as an inter
broader foreign policy trajectory — round over the past three decades, the next level. The avenues of eco national terrorist. If it’s driven by
the season on the pretext of terror threats but the real
immediate neighbourhood, ex since Prime Minister Rajiv Gand nomic cooperation between the realism, India should actually en
reason, it turned out, was the Centre’s move to rescind
AFP
tended neighbourhood and great hi’s 1988 visit to Beijing, to be spec two countries are still wide open. gage with Pakistan, which will not
the special constitutional status of the State on August powers. Realistically, an emerging ifi c. Since then, the countries have China is keen to make investments only calm down its borders but al
5. Tourism, a key driver of the State’s economy, was se power should stay focussed on decided to strengthen ties in areas in India, especially in building in so weaken China’s Pakistan card.
verely hit by restrictions on movement and communi building capacities while main that were not constrained by ment. The challenge before Mr. frastructure and fi fth generation But since it appears impossible
cation. With no word from authorities still on restora taining good ties with the neigh structural issues. Economy was Modi and Mr. Xi is to deepen this technology architecture. India, on with the current government in
tion of mobile telephony and the Internet, few tourists bours, deep engagement with the the chosen fi eld, as in the early further, and for that they should the other side, wants greater mar New Delhi, it’s critical for New Del
are likely to consider the Valley for a winter adventure. extended neighbours and balanc 1990s, India, following China’s not allow strategic glitches dictate ket access in China, and action by hi to stay engaged patiently with
ing between great powers. India’s footsteps, started liberalising its terms for a bilateral partnership. Beijing to address the trade imba Beijing on issues related to
Due to lack of communication facilities and as a mark of
current government has sent economy. Trade ties between the In this, they face fresh challenges lance. At the Wuhan summit, both Pakistan.
protest businesses remain shut and life in the Valley re mixed signals on this. It has a hos two countries boomed over the today. India and China warmed up Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi had, in princi Last, and most important, there
mains far from normal. The partial relief announced tile relationship with Pakistan, but years (it touched $95 billion last to each other in a diff erent world. ple, agreed to IndiaChina cooper has to be a doctrinal consensus in
now, meagre as it is, could mark a new beginning. The has cultivated strong partnerships year), though it’s largely skewed The U.S. and China were in a bet ation in projects in third countries. India’s foreign policy thinking.
government has now initiated a process to release pri with the other neighbouring coun towards China as the latter was ter relationship. Beijing’s focus They could perhaps come up with Should it compete with China for
soners who were detained around the August 5 mea tries. It has deepened engagement fast emerging as an industrial and was entirely on economic develop a plan to take economic ties to the dominance of Asia or should it
sures, in phases. These can only be the fi rst steps in with the extended neighbour technological powerhouse. The ment and “peaceful rise”. It was next level, addressing mutual con stay focussed on its own rise in
hood, which, for India is both a border has been largely peaceful also the beginning of the golden cerns. Take the example of the which competition with China will
what will have to be a quick journey towards complete
source of energy and a transit to during this period. age of globalisation and free trade U.S. and China. In the 1950s and be a part? India should perhaps
normalcy and peace in Jammu and Kashmir. the rest of the world. Though Even when the Chinese and In that softened borders between big ’60s, the U.S. tried everything it learn from both China’s rise and
By politically eliminating the middle space between there’s a proAmerican tilt in its fo dian militaries were in a standoff trading and investment partners. could to weaken and isolate Mao its engagement with the U.S. post
separatists and hypernationalists, the Centre has made reign policy, New Delhi has been in Doklam at the IndiaChinaBhu Now, U.S.China ties have turned Zedong’s China, a policy that mir Nixon’s visit. For decades, China
electoral politics diffi cult in Jammu and Kashmir for wary of not disturbing the equili tan trijunction in the Himalayas in hostile at a time when India is stea rors its approach towards nuclear hid its strength, bid for time. It was
mainstream representative regional parties. The notion brium between the great powers 2017, both governments were care dily enhancing its strategic part North Korea now. But it didn’t stop building capacities without letting
that there is vast, unexpressed support for the watering and rising great powers. ful enough not to let the situation nership with Washington. China President Nixon from visiting Chi external strains to derail the pro
Of this, relations with Beijing spiral out of control. That the Dok under Mr. Xi is also a more asser na in 1972 that led to a remarkable cess. When a mightier U.S.
down of Article 370 is misplaced as most independent
are doubly critical for India as Chi lam incident was followed by the tive and confi dent power. Both the turnaround in SinoAmerican ties. reached out to China, Beijing
reporting from the ground has borne out over the last na is both a neighbour and a rising fi rst informal summit in Wuhan in U.S. and China see India as “a Second, India and China are pil knew that Washington was trying
two months. The failure to involve the stakeholders in great power. To be sure, there are 2018 between Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi, swing power”. Washington wants lars of an emerging world order. to exploit the rift within the com
the Valley in any search for a political solution in Kash structural problems in ties — the with an aim of dialling down ten India to swing to its side and join Both countries see the unilateral munist bloc. China played along.
mir is disconcerting. While the only concern for the go boundary dispute, the Pakistan sions and rebooting ties, showed its IndoPacifi c strategy, the unde world order in decline, and are Now it’s confi dently challenging
vernment appears to be preventing street violence, the factor, and historical mistrust. The how New Delhi and Beijing look at clared aim of which is to contain champions of multilateralism. Se the U.S., at least in the sphere of
BJP is raising Kashmir as a key campaign issue in poll conventional understanding of the each other. They don’t share the China’s rise. Beijing, obviously, curity and stability in Asia, which the economy. India should also
IndiaChina relationship is centred antagonism of conventional wis doesn’t want India to swing to the is billed to be the 21th century’s turn the focus to its rise and build
bound Maharashtra and Haryana. The government’s
around these challenges. These dom. The Mamallapuram summit other side. Second, the Pakistan continent, is in the common inter ing capacities, not on confl icts and
plans to raise a new class of local leaders through Block factors were more or less at play in should be seen against this factor looms large over ties. With ests of both countries, and they rivalries. If it’s driven by such a
Development Council elections in Jammu and Kashmir the runup to the second “infor background. Mr. Modi’s hypernationalist go are already cooperating on global broader but a realist vision, India
on October 24 is very impressive, at least in theory. As mal summit” between Prime Mi vernment taking an aggressive ap issues like tackling climate change. could expand the avenues of deep
suming that it turns out as is being hoped and project nister Narendra Modi and Chinese Tactical engagement proach towards Pakistan and Third, China had shown in the tactical engagement with a power
ed, disparate local leaders are no substitute for organ President Xi Jinping at Mamallapu Arguably, India and China are still cracking down on Kashmir, Beij recent past that when it comes to ful China. As the saying goes, a na
ised political parties. With proIndia politicians ram on Friday and Saturday. An In in a tactical engagement, not in a ing’s Pakistan card is now stron dealmaking and tackling interna tion can pick its friends, but not its
dian military exercise in Aruna strategic partnership. But it’s a tac ger. Third, the border disputes re tional pressure, the Pakistan card neighbours.
detained and discredited, the room for negotiations
chal Pradesh had irked the tical engagement with depth, not a main unresolved, and are unlikely is negotiable. When India is pa
which was never expansive in the Valley has shrunk Chinese. And China hosted Pakis shortterm foreign policy adjust to be resolved in the near future. tient, has the international opi stanly.johny@thehindu.co.in
further since August 5. Some seriously proactive mea
sures by the Centre are required to restore normalcy
As the West re-evaluates ties with China and India, there is an opportunity for a ‘grand bargain’ at Mamallapuram
Ending malice
ry diff erent fi rom ts ordinary En You have to be invited to become a getting out of the ‘middle income
What India needs is a closure to malicious glish meaning. member and each department in trap’ is now in the party and na
prosecutions based on manufactured outrage So, what did China do? First, it the university has a party secre tional constitution, akin to ‘liberal
defi ned growth in terms of both tary to whom the dean reports. Yet ism’ in the West.
T
he police in Muzaff arpur district in Bihar have GDP, as the target for provincial students can ask for views on de The party permeates Chinese
done well to order the closure of a sedition case heads, and per capita income, mocracy and take the ubiquitous life keeping a lasersharp focus on
against 49 eminent personalities for addressing Mukul Sanwal which the Communist Party moni digital surveillance in their stride. the two centenary goals and recog
an open letter to the Prime Minister on the need to stop tored. We know that China is now China has noted that each Western nises China cannot dominate the
the second largest economy and country has its own variant of pol U.S. with its size, population and
AP
A
come much earlier rather than weeks after the Chief s China and India are civili has foreign exchange reserves of itical organisation and has settled technological prowess. With two
Judicial Magistrate ordered the registration of an FIR sational states, neighbours over $3 trillion. What is less well are no longer defi ned only in for election at the grassroots level. thirds of global GDP again to be in
and members of the future known is from 1998 to 2008, mid terms of GDP. Environmental con Party schools conduct regular pro Asia, China’s foreign policy focus
based on a lawyer’s complaint. The complaint has now
global triumvirate, the Narendra dleclass income grew only 4% in cerns are very much on the agen grammes on current concerns. is really the Eurasian land mass,
been closed as false, an opinion that both the magis ModiXi Jinping summit in Mamal the U.S. and 70% in China. That is da, and an emissions trading sys How China chose its leaders is where it is not in direct clash with
trate and the stationhouse offi cer could have arrived at lapuram raises the question — do why despite the trade headwinds tem has been instituted to curb the most interesting contrast with the U.S.
on a mere glance at the complaint. Sudhir Kumar Ojha, we understand China as well as we and moderation of growth, the emissions of carbon dioxide from the West. They candidly admit
the lawyer who approached the magistrate, had pro claim to understand the U.S.? shift to a consumptionled econo power plants. Electricity con that ‘Tiananmen Square’ was inev The Modi factor
duced no supporting documents, not even a copy of the Western labels do not explain my is a success, and in 2018 Chi sumption, car ownership and food itable, as the generals did not anti The new development in this sce
letter signed by the writers, fi lmmakers and artists. the actions of civilisational states na’s retail ecommerce exceeded waste remain onetenth that of the cipate popular concerns and then nario is not Donald Trump but the
like China and India. The two that of the next 10 countries. U.S. This trend is not changing as sent in the tanks. The next group ‘Modi factor’. China recognises
Further, it would have been quite obvious that there
countries’ transformational lead Second, China realised the im incomes rise as it is based on civil of leaders were engineers and pi that it will achieve its goals only if
was nothing in the appeal that promoted disaff ection ers are responding to unique na portance of infrastructure in both isational values that are very diff e loted the infrastructure push and there is an ‘Asian Century’ and
against the government or brought it into hatred and tional problems with a new deve supporting economic activity and rent to Western values. now urban administrators are at needs to work with the other civil
contempt. The complaint had further absurdities. It in lopment paradigm and view of the wellbeing in cities. Construction Fourth, the Chinese have be the helm. isational power, India, now talking
cluded penal provisions related to making imputations world order. Both implicitly ques accelerated from 2000. In three come global technology leaders in China is now less dependent on of its own model of global order.
against national integration, public nuisance, aff ray and tion Western ideas and institutions years China added cement capaci telligently, not just stealthily. At a the world, and as it moves to a The two orders can overlap in cer
even trespassing into a burial ground! Mr. Ojha has the as they seek their legitimate space ty equal to what the U.S. added in time when there was no demand hightech consumptionled econo tain sectors and areas.
in setting global rules. They have a hundred years. It achieved satu for highspeed trains and nuclear my it faces similar problems like Further movement on main
habit of arraying celebrities and prominent leaders as
diff erent, rather than divergent, ration levels in cement, steel and plants, for example, China paid for the U. S. — children of the urban taining the status quo at the bor
accused in private complaints and obtaining orders un approaches with convergent goals. electricity generation in 2013. By the best technology and improved middle class now want middle der could be followed by a nonag
der Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C. for a police investiga then more than half the popula upon it. Its highspeed trains travel class employment. Over the last gression pact. What about India
tion. It is quite certain that both the magistracy and the China’s unique roadmap tion had moved to the cities and at 300 km/ hour. China is export couple of years students in Tsing buying 5G technology that Huawei
police are aware of his predilection for serial litigation. Take China’s two centenary goals: into the middle class. Their stan ing nuclear power plants. Huawei hua are concerned that they are wants to sell to jointly shape the
A simple search of his name in the website of the CJM’s eliminating poverty by 2021 and dard of wellbeing — education, is the global leader in 5G technolo no longer getting the jobs they future of digital innovation global
court reveals that he has fi led complaints against Ar establishing an advanced socialist health, municipal services and pu gy, and the cheapest. China’s na want. Wuhan in central China is ly? Discussion could also begin on
nation by 2049. The lesson the blic transport — is comparable to tional goal of global leadership in currently setting up a new $30 bil the conceptual frame of the ‘Asian
vind Kejriwal, Imran Khan, Digvijaya Singh, Priyanka
Chinese leadership drew from the the best in the world. Artifi cial Intelligence and quan lion hightech research centre Century’ with the two poles in
Vadra and Chandrababu Naidu in 2019 alone. collapse of the Soviet Union was Third, China’s choice of deve tum computing is serious enough with publicprivate partnership, as peaceful coexistence, as has been
The decision to prosecute the advocate for fi ling false that legitimacy will only come lopment pathway used much less to cause a rift with the U.S. it sees the digital economy gener the case throughout civilisation.
complaints is an encouraging sign that his run may not from continued growth in house natural resources than the West ating middleclass jobs. This ex
last. Section 182 of the IPC makes giving false informa hold incomes and that people and is remarkably carbon effi The Party’s role plains in part the Belt and Road In Mukul Sanwal is a former UN diplomat
tion to a public servant with a view to causing injury or must be rich before they get old. cient, when the population is ta The Communist Party of China is itiative (BRI) linking cities with and currently Visiting Professor at the
annoyance to another an off ence punishable with a six China’s concept of “stability” is ve ken into account. Growth targets unlike political parties in the West. other countries. This ‘thought’ for Tsinghua University, Beijing
month jail term or a fi ne of ₹ 1,000. And under Section
211, making a false charge of an off ence, knowing that
there is no lawful ground for doing so, attracts a two LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
year prison term; and, if a more serious off ence is al
leged, the accuser may be jailed for even seven years. It Modi-Xi meeting The atmosphere for the boundary dispute. Not beyond repair economy and disastrous across the country, the
is quite obvious that these provisions have not deterred It is a great honour for ModiXi meeting is far from K.S. Jayatheertha, The article needlessly tends decisions such as ruling party enjoys
malicious complaints. In cases involving celebrities, it is Tamil Nadu that Prime ideal. The long shadow of Bengaluru to infuse fear and demonetisation, poor tremendous support. But
to be expected that a public outcry would stymie a mal Minister Narendra Modi Pakistan continues to be an pessimism among implementation of GST, the how long will this last?
and Chinese President Xi irritant in IndiaChina ties. Death by stalking Congresspersons (“The communication shutdown Manoharan Muthuswamy,
icious prosecution, but not everyone can be as lucky. In Nadia, West Bengal
Jinping are holding their With the China Pakistan Both parents and schools Congress is beyond repair”, in Jammu and Kashmir, and
times when outrage, feigned or real, is used to accuse informal summit in Economic Corridor under have a responsibility in October 11). Ups and downs the idea that the NRC more letters online:
people of defamation, obscenity, cyberinsults and in Mamallapuram (“A Chennai construction and China’s preventing such incidents, are common in politics. The should be implemented www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
juring religious sentiments, it would be wise to recall setting,” October 11). Such comments on Jammu and which are becoming BJP, which has a clear
the Supreme Court’s caution in Khushboo vs. Kanniam- important summits should Kashmir, that relationship is common (“Spurned ‘lover’ upper hand, is busy corrections & clarifications: A sentence in an Oped page
mal (2010) in which the court quashed multiple private be conducted all over the only becoming stronger. sets ablaze 17yearold girl targeting the political article titled “The minimum wage solution” (Oct. 10, 2019) that
complaints against actor Khushboo for remarks on pre country in historical places. Unlike in Wuhan where the in Kerala”, October 11). opposition through IT raids read: “So the estimated gains of more than a 1,000 companies
These places will not just ModiXi meeting led to Parents should teach boys and arrests. The Congress would be equivalent to the annual earnings of around 7.2 crore
marital sex with the observations, “It is not the task of NREGA labourers” needs to be recast to say: “So the estimated
get global recognition, but deescalation in Doklam, to respect girls. Boys should might stand defeated in
the criminal law to punish individuals merely for ex the locals too will feel this time nothing dramatic be taught to accept a ‘no’. elections, and senior gains of just 1,000 companies would be ... NREGA labourers.”
pressing unpopular views” and that courts should not happy about hosting world can be expected. At best, Schools should provide leaders might be leaving the It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signifi cant errors as soon as possible. Please specify
the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office can be
allow a criminal trial “triggered by false and frivolous leaders. It will further boost both Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi psychological help and party, but there is no contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to
complaints, amounting to harassment and humiliation national integrity. can hope to improve ties in counselling to students. drastic decline in the Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; Email:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in; Mail: Readers’
Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India.
to the accused.” J.P. Reddy, other areas like trade and Prithvikumar A., party’s vote bank. Despite All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No personal
Nalgonda move towards solving the Thiruvananthapuram the slowdown in the visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com
CM M HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Scholarship in times of populism
In these changed times, there has to be a reiteration and defence of the basic principles of constitutional democracy
codifi ed in the Constitution and lars continued to believe that the Eric Hobsbawm, democratic revo
defended by the civil liberties idea of the civic nation was best lutions produced a populist con
Chennai Connect movement had been secured. We conceptualised by Ernest Renan sciousness, which was hard to dis
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
could move on to transforming Di and the ideology of the French Re tinguish from a national and even
Modi and Xi have not allowed recent rective Principles of State Policy, volution. The concept of ethnic a chauvinistic patriotism. Merely
Neera Chandhoke notably the right to social goods, nationalism articulated by Johann by dint of becoming a people, the
disagreements to cloud their meeting into fundamental rights. Today Gottfried von Herder and German citizens of a country became citi
J
ust ahead of the Chennai informal summit between our basic civil liberties are threa Romanticism arose as a reaction to zens of a community seeking for
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China’s President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Na he task of a scholar is not on tened. Civil society has been ren the Enlightenment and its commit things in common, “places, prac
rendra Modi, senior offi cials said the purpose of the ly to coin clever soundbytes. dered powerless, and state institu ment to reason. tices, personages, memories,
Intellectuals have to bring a tions that could make a diff erence The distinction between the signs, and symbols”. Today within
second meeting of its kind, following the Wuhan sum
historical and comparative per prudently keep away. other commitments out? Perhaps. two is overstated. In 1923, V.D. Sa these societies, norms of demo
mit, was for the leaders to show that they are “getting spective to bear upon the present. Who would have thought that Have we overstated the distinction varkar, the prime ideologue of the cratic, civic nationalism cannot
down to business”. Cutting through much of the pomp Their job is to tell us what the his over seven decades after India’s in between civic and ethnic nations Hindu right, cast the political cate prevent hate against immigrants
and show at Mamallapuram, the leaders ensured just torical processes that brought us dependence we, the legatees of a and nationalism? Perhaps. We un gory of the Indian nation in the and suspicion of the outsider. All
that — by putting “business” fi rst. In a decision taken af from ‘there’ to ‘here’ are, identify magnifi cent freedom struggle, thinkingly fell into the trap of be mould of the majority religion. nationalisms, howsoever moderat
ter their talks, the leaders established a “HighLevel political problems, and, if possi have to prove citizenship? Who lieving that we had a civic nation, The nation is Hindu because the ed they may be by constitutional
Economic and Trade Dialogue mechanism” between ble, help resolve them. But refl ec could have imagined that one day other countries of the postcolonial community has a common histo ism and civic sentiments, show a
tion, analysis, critique and con a democratic government would world had ethnic nationalism. The ry, common heroes, a common lit terrifying tendency to xenopho
the Finance Ministers with the threepronged objective
ceptualisation need stable spend its time and our money into distinction was a western con erature, a common art, a common bia.
of enhancing trade volumes, bridging the massive bilat political contexts. We must know fi guring out who is a citizen, and struct and continues to be so. Writ law, and a common jurispru History has warned us. The con
eral trade defi cit, and increasing mutual investment in of what we speak when we speak who is not, and build bare deten ing in the aftermath of the Second dence, common fairs and festivals, cepts and the theories we explore
sectors agreed upon. If the mechanism works, it will of categories that allow us to tidy, tion camps for the latter? These World War, Hans Kohn argued that rites and rituals, ceremonies and and expand upon might prove
not only succeed in taking away one of the major irri challenge and remake our worlds. summon up terrible historical pa territorially based civic national sacraments. Others are outsiders. provisional. The days when politi
tants in ties but also allow infl uential stakeholders in We must be sure of the empirical rallels. Television images of tin ism is infi nitely more desirable This was not the kind of nation cal philosophers dreamt that they
the business communities of both countries to promote referents we address. topped sheds evoke horror and than cultural or ethnic national that India’s fi rst Prime Minister Ja had resolved political dilemmas
ties as well as help New Delhi and Beijing work more disbelief. They have been de ism. The former is the culmination waharlal Nehru conceptualised have gone. Politics, we have learnt
Threat to civil liberties signed for our own people, who of a political movement that and dreamt of, democratic, secu is chancy, unpredictable, and con
closely on the multilateral stage. A key test of the bon
Till the fi rst decade of the 21st cen have mixed their labour with the sought to limit governmental pow lar and inclusive. In 1933 Nehru tingent. How can our theories be
homie and trustbuilding will be seen towards the tury, the political context in which land they wish to live in. er and secure civic rights in the wrote in The Bombay Chronicle: neat, confi dent, and predictive?
monthend when the two leaders attend the ASEANled scholars theorised was more or United Kingdom, the United States “Whither India? Surely to the great We no longer know what we speak
summit in Bangkok that is due to announce the conclu less settled. We knew what we Appropriation of nationalism and France. The temporal and the human goals of social and eco of when we speak of democracy,
sion of the 16nation free trade Regional Comprehen spoke of when we spoke of consti The second lesson we have learnt spatial contexts for ethnic nation nomic equality, to the ending of all or accountability, or the power of
sive Economic Partnership agreement. India has been tutional democracy. Today the is that nationalism can be easily alism, which arose later in central exploitation of nation by nation, citizens to hold their elected go
reluctant to join it thus far, mostly because of concerns political battleground that consti appropriated. Nationalism formed and eastern Europe and in Asia, and class by class, to national free vernment responsible. The terms
tutes our worlds, which is the con the anchor of our freedom strug were diff erent. Consolidated in dom within the framework of an of the social contract are up for
over China’s predatory trade policies. Among the key
text for our words, is consolidated gle. It is also the excuse for some times of social and economic un international cooperative socialist grabs. Life has become much
takeaways from the Chennai summit, which added the by the emergence of rightwing very unpalatable eff orts to repress derdevelopment, ethnic national world federation.” more unpredictable, much more
“Chennai Connect” to the “Wuhan Spirit”, was the de populists across countries. The us. The concept has been de ism articulated the belief that a uncertain and much more fright
cision to mark the 70th anniversary, in 2020, of the es empirical referrals of analysis, cri ployed by governments to target community is held together by Diff erent notions ening. Do we have the luxury to
tablishment of IndiaChina relations. The others were tique, conceptualisation and theo minorities and immigrants, to dis ‘blood and belonging’. Within a decade we see two in conduct intense intellectual de
to nudge the Special Representatives on the boundary ry have rapidly changed. Still, we miss dissent as sedition, to justify Kohn’s distinction between two compatible notions of the nation bates and charged polemics? We
issues to meet soon to add more confi dence building might succeed in understanding oppression, and to reduce our sta sets of nationalism set the stage for taking shape and shaping each might have to put aside, for the
where we have come from. What tus from citizens to subjects. Na subsequent discussion on the sub other. Beneath and around civic moment at least, some very so
measures, to cooperate on fi ghting terror, and to conti
on earth are we headed towards? tionalism has legitimised rhetoric ject. The diff erence has by now be nationalism marked by citizenship phisticated debates that marked
nue the “informal summit” series, with Mr. Modi at I am not suggesting that scho and decisions that would have come an integral part of literature rights, lurked ethnic nationalism academia hardly six years ago. We
tending the next meeting in China next year. lars should not refl ect, theorise or aroused widespread political prot on nationalism. In the 1990s, eth that divided and excluded. Today have to get back to the basics. We
Above all, the leaders decided, as they had in Wu critique. All I am suggesting is that est a few years ago. The vulgarities nocultural nationalism again it is precisely ethnic nationalism have once again to reiterate and
han, that they would “prudently manage” diff erences our priorities have been set by of a nationalism that prevents de raised its head in distressingly ugly that has won the battle. Civic na defend the basic principles of con
and not allow “diff erences to become disputes” or as processes outside our control. The bate, let alone dissent, bewilders; forms, that of ethnic cleansing and tionalism gasps for breath. stitutional democracy.
Mr. Xi put it, “dilute cooperation”. This is easier said fi rst lesson we learn is that we can it saps energies. genocide in former Yugoslavia and The case is not all that diff erent
not take anything for granted. For Have scholars underestimated other countries of Eastern Europe. in Europe. In France, England and Neera Chandhoke is a former Professor of
than done as many of the bilateral disputes appear to
long we believed that civil liberties the power of nationalism to push The duality was reinforced. Scho the U.S., wrote the noted historian Political Science at Delhi University
have an external factor. India often sees China through
the prism of its ties with Pakistan, while China looks
constantly for an American role in Indian actions. Both
the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor and the U.S.In
dia joint IndoPacifi c vision have further derailed bilat
A tax policy that could work
eral trust. It is thus necessary to remove the worry of Ensuring, with political will, that multinational companies actually pay their fair share of taxes is a feasible strategy
“third parties” from the room if New Delhi and Beijing the government. One obvious low It could be argued that this specify the criteria for determin
are to move beyond laying the foundations of engage hanging fruit is a strategy to en would only work if all countries ing routine profi ts, instead sug
ment and building atmospherics to actually resolving sure that multinational companies agree, and certainly that is the gesting that the “arm’slength
the serious issues they have in territorial, economic and (MNCs) actually pay their fair ideal to be aimed at. But the beau principle” will be used to decide
strategic areas. Only when they see each other as inde share of taxes. ty of this proposal is that just some this, which defeats the entire pur
pendent and autonomous decisionmakers will the It is well known that MNCs man large countries can move the de pose. As it happens, there is no
age to avoid taxation in most coun bate and make it less advantage system of corporate taxation
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Jayati Ghosh
leaders realise their vision of an Asian century where
tries, by shifting their declared ous for global companies to shift anywhere in the world that makes
the “elephant and dragon” learn to dance. costs and revenues through transf their profi ts around. If the big mar such a distinction — so why should
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he Indian government er pricing across subsidiaries, kets such as the United States and an international system rely on
T
he Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to (GST) collections. Its declared lars in profi ts across the globe, but dent Commission for the Reform other places. Indeed, the Indian rion, but developing countries
award this year’s Peace Prize to Abiy Ahmed, the budgetary target for the current pay barely any taxes anywhere. of International Corporate Taxa government has already proposed would lose out from this because
year requires tax receipts to in The International Monetary Fund tion, or ICRICT (full disclosure: I in a white paper that it could take they are often the producers of
Prime Minister of Ethiopia, is both a recognition
crease by around 25%, when the has estimated that countries lose am a member). such a unilateral initiative for digi commodities that are consumed in
of his eff orts for peace in East Africa and a reminder of fi rst quarter increase was only 6% $500 billion a year because of this. The idea is this: since an MNC tal companies. the advanced economies. Instead,
the challenges ahead for him. Mr. Abiy, who became over the previous year. In the mis Also, it creates an uneven playing actually functions as one entity, it The OECD BEPS Initiative will the G24 group of (some of the
Prime Minister in April 2018 after his predecessor Haile placed belief that what is required fi eld, since domestic companies should be treated that way for tax be meeting on October 19 to set most infl uential) developing coun
mariam Desalegn resigned amid a political crisis and to address the current slowdown is have to pay taxes that MNCs can purposes. So the total global pro out its own proposal, and for the tries has proposed that a combina
social unrest, has taken steps to politically stabilise the more tax relief to corporates, it avoid. fi ts of a multinational should be fi rst time, it is willing to consider tion of sales/users and employ
country and establish peace on its borders. The com has off ered tax rate reductions to calculated, and then apportioned the possibility of unitary taxation. ment should be used, which
25% of profi ts to companies that How the idea works across countries according to But there are some stings in the makes much more sense.
mittee recognised in particular his “decisive initiative to
do not avail of other concessions, The Organisation for Economic some formula based on sales, em tail that may well render the pro It is important for the Indian go
resolve the border confl ict with neighbouring Eritrea”. and further rebates to new compa Cooperation and Development ployment and users (for digital posed measures practically impo vernment to look at this issue se
Eritrea, which got independence from Ethiopia in 1991, nies. So very signifi cant tax short (OECD) has now recognised this companies). This is something tent. These concerns are set out riously and take a clear position at
has fought a disastrous border war during 19982000 falls are likely even in the current through its BEPS Initiative, and that is actually already used in the clearly in a new report from the OECD meeting, because the
with its big neighbour. It split thousands of families and year, unless the government takes has even attempted a belated at United States where state govern ICRICT. outcome will be very important
killed about 80,000 people. In Eritrea, the dictatorship proactive measures. tempt to include developing coun ments have the power to set direct for its own ability to raise tax reve
used the prolonged border confl ict as a convenient ex tries through what it calls its inclu and indirect tax rates. Key concerns nues. A government that is cur
cuse for conscription and repression of its critics, Looking at MNCs sive process. So far, this process Obviously, a minimum corpo The biggest problem is the arbi rently ineff ective in battling both
But such measures need not — and has delivered a few benefi ts, but rate tax should be internationally trary separation between what economic slowdown and declining
which led to a mass refugee outfl ow. Mr. Abiy, imme
should not — take the form of the these are limited because it has agreed upon for this to prevent OECD calls “routine” and “resi tax revenues cannot aff ord to ne
diately after assuming offi ce, took steps to resume the tax terrorism that this government continued to operate on the basis companies shifting to low tax juris dual” profi ts, and the proposal glect this crucial opportunity. But
stalled peace process. He led Ethiopia’s fi rst state visit has been prone to, or increasing of the arm’slength principle of dictions (ICRICT has suggested that only residual profi ts will be more public pressure may be re
to Eritrea and met its President, Isaias Afwerki. Within GST rates, which would be regres treating the subsidiaries as sepa 25%). Then, each country can subject to unitary taxation. This quired to make the government
days both countries declared the end of the border war. sive and counterproductive in the rate entities. simply impose taxes on the MNCs has no economic justifi cation, respond.
Mr. Abiy, 43, had also initiated reforms at home, such slowdown. Fortunately, there are But this can change if there is operating in their jurisdictions, in since profi ts are anyway net of va
as lifting the ban on opposition political parties, releas other measures that could provide political will. The basic idea is terms of their own shares based on rious costs and interest. Jayati Ghosh is a professor of economics at
signifi cantly more tax revenues to breathtakingly simple, and has the formula. The proposal does not clearly Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
ing political prisoners and jailed journalists and remov
ing media curbs. Half of his Cabinet members are wo
men and his government has welcomed the dissidents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
who were living in exile to return. More important, Mr.
Abiy, himself hailing from the Oromo ethnic group, per Less RTI use claim should be kept confi dential administration is not service providers (Page 1, questionable political actions infrastructure which
suaded the Oromo Liberation Front to join a widerang Home Minister and BJP but in most cases this delivering on its promises. “Parliamentarians want to are largely responsible for included removing posters
ing peace process with the government. But his biggest president Amit Shah has provision is observed more Amending this to protect ditch BSNL, MTNL over poor the sorry state many PSUs and banners. If wonders
challenge is to calm ethnic tensions in his confl ictrid patted himself on the back, in its breach. There is a dire either the bureaucracy or the service”, October 13). But as fi nd themselves in today. could happen in just a week’s
den country. Ethiopia is a multiethnic federation ruled and quite generously, by need to tighten the political system is against the peoples’ representatives, our HMT, the Ashok Group, time, one asks why this sense
linking the reduction in RTI provisions of the Act to spirit of our democratic MPs should have initiated Hindustan Vegetable Oils of pride and cleanliness is
by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic
queries to the government ensure confi dentiality of credentials. action much earlier. Some Corporation, Hindustan not maintained every day. A
Front with a tight grip. Mr. Abiy has loosened this grip turning transparent and whistleblowers and all H.N. Ramakrishna, years ago, public sector HMT Photo Films and city that is visually pleasing
and called for a panEthiopian identity and a freer eco proactively putting out those seeking information. Bengaluru was closed. Air India is now Manufacturing Corporation, can fi nd unexpected returns.
nomy and polity. But his reform agenda was challenged information in the public C.V. Aravind, on life support. A sense of Bharat Jute, Hindustan M.B. Madhusudanan,
domain (Inside pages, Bengaluru MPs and public units belonging, responsibility, Cables Ltd, Tyre Corporation Chennai
by ethnonationalists both within and outside his party.
His government remained a spectator when ethnic vio “Govt. transparency Three decades ago, accountability, regular and Air India are some
lence was unleashed in several parts of the country ov eliminating need to fi le RTI, ■ It is not the transparency of governmentowned supervision and monitoring, examples. Many could have ‘The happiest’
says Amit Shah”, October the government but the telecommunication punctuality and fl exibility been run effi ciently and in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak
er the past year, and subnationalisms emerged stron
13). However the real danger, denial and providers, BSNL and MTNL, are the traits needed by professional manner, also Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan
ger. The Oromia and Amhara regions remain tense. reason could well be obfuscation that comes when were in an enviable position public undertakings in order granting secure jobs to many. Bhagat in his speech in
Ethnic Gedeos and Gujis are in confl ict in the south. diff erent. In today’s India, submitting information to when they enjoyed to compete. Ruth Prabhuraj, Bhubaneswar on Saturday
Earlier this year, at least 5,22,000 Ethiopians were dis seeking information under RTI applicants that precludes monopoly status. After the R. Sridharan, Bengaluru has said that the happiest
the RTI Act is fraught with Chennai
placed by ethnic confl icts. With the country set to go to citizens from seeking advent of private telecom Muslims in the world are
elections next year, many fear that violence could esca risks; there have been information in a secure players, the two Chennai summit eff ect found in India “thanks to
late. Mr. Abiy has to arrest this slide of Ethiopia into an several instances where RTI manner. The RTI Act is one organisations should have ■ It is amusing that our It was a visual treat to move Hindu culture” (October 13).
activists have been subject of the rare pieces of stepped up their game by elected representatives are around Chennai during the I think it is for the Muslims in
interethnic civil war. Being a Nobel peace prize winner,
to attacks, and, in some legislation that empowers upgrading their technology. now fi nding fault with the IndiaChina second informal India to make that assertion
he should come up with a national action plan to end cases, have had to pay with the citizen to look into the Statusquo proved to be a services of BSNL and MTNL. summit. For this one has to and not for others.
violence, ease ethnic tensions and resettle the thou their lives. According to the often ambiguous workings of slow killer. It may be justifi ed If they care to go over the list compliment the eff orts put in Sudha Krishnaswamy,
sands displaced by the violence. That should be as im provisions of the Act, the the government and our that our parliamentarians, as of public sector undertakings by the civic authorities in Chennai
CM A HY-HYE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Financial stability and the RBI
The slowing of the economy suggests that the central bank’s stance on infl ation may have impacted growth
avoided. When applied to fi nance, tively lax regulation. Alan Green ILFS. While some part of the bur
this model requires of the govern span, the chairman of the U.S. den this company faced before it
D
evelopment economics just got a boost with the
wealth. After all, when prices rise of the economy turned out to be Maharashtra Cooperative Bank
award of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Eco
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he Reserve Bank of India together, no one individual is false. (PMC Bank). Improper conduct
nomic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel to (RBI) recently carried out its worse off if the infl ation has been was also evident in the cases of Yes
three economists who have worked, and are still work mandatory bimonthly an perfectly anticipated. It is unanti India’s hawkish stand Bank and ICICI Bank. Scenes of ag
ing, to understand and alleviate poverty — Abhijit Ba nouncement on the future course cipated infl ation that is the pro In a monumental failure of the itated depositors outside the PMC
REUTERS
nerjee and Esther Dufl o of Massachusetts Institute of of monetary policy. These an blem for producers, as it has the imagination, India’s policymakers Bank’s offi ce in Mumbai must have
Technology, and Michael Kremer of Harvard University. nouncements ostensibly off er ‘for potential to derail their profi t cal adopted infl ationtargeting as the sent shivers down the backs of mil
This is only the second time a woman has bagged the ward guidance’ to economic parti culations. However, infl ation, even growth, employment and infl ation defi ning function of its central lions of Indians who have trusting
cipants, so that they may plan when fully anticipated, can harm are jointly determined, and mostly bank, even as the rest of the world ly entrusted their hardearned
prestigious award, popularly called the Economics No
their future. Arguably, though, the holders of fi nancial assets yielding they are, infl ationtargeting via the was reassessing its credibility. money to India’s banks, only to
bel, and it is a fi rst for a husbandwife duo to win in this public would have perhaps been fi xed incomes by eroding their interest rate can lower infl ation Though the switch was eff ected by fi nd their trust violated with im
discipline — Mr. Banerjee is married to Ms. Dufl o. In the more interested in knowing how wealth. only by suppressing growth. This legislation only in 2015, a hawkish punity in pursuit of private gain.
words of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the the RBI intends to respond to the Borrowers on the other hand is the mechanism by which infl a infl ation stance had emerged at The latter would be unacceptable
experimentbased approach of the three laureates has unusually large number of instanc are better off with infl ation as the tiontargeting inevitably lowers the RBI some two years prior to even if the act is not risky, which in
transformed development economics and turned it in es of fraud that have surfaced in real value of their outstanding growth. Is this an argument for that. The real interest rate swung the case of PMC Bank was extraor
to a “fl ourishing fi eld of research”. One of their studies the fi nancial sector of late. The loans are now less. While the pro leaving infl ation unchecked? No, it upward by over 5 percentage dinarily so.
RBI’s reputation as a regulator has blem of infl ation can in principle isn’t. On the other hand it points points. Infl ation did come down,
resulted in benefi ting 5 million children in India
been aff ected by these. What led be tackled through infl ationindex to other means of keeping infl a but that it continued to decline Financial instability
through programmes of remedial tutoring in schools. the bank to this place needs ation, the practice is not wides tion low, which, as has been de even as the real interest did not do The emergence of fi nancial insta
The three adopted an evidencebased approach to ap understanding. pread. This leaves owners of fi nan monstrated for India, would take so commensurately belies the pos bility in India following the institu
ply theory to reallife situations using randomised trials cial wealth averse to infl ation. the form of checking foodprice sibility that infl ationtargeting tion of infl ationtargeting is in line
and assessing the outcomes. The eff ort was to under Role of a central bank infl ation. alone is responsible for it. Com with what we have seen in the An
stand the impact of interventions to achieve desirable Central banks command an im Infl ation control If infl ationtargeting is essential modity prices, both of oil and gloAmerican economic area. In
outcomes. The approach is derived from the concept of portant position in the market As the volume of fi nancial wealth ly a response to the concerns of domestic agricultural goods, have India, the virtual redefi nition of
economies of the West today. How in an economy increases so does the fi nancial sector, it tends to go grown slower since. Oil prices the central bank’s functions ap
clinical trials in the pharmaceuticals industry.
in a democracy so much power the power of its owners over go with the view that the sector needs have actually been declining in pears to have encouraged the RBI
If this sounds like gobbledygook, the experiment that could be ceded to an unelected bo vernment. Now infl ation control no particular regulation. This view certain phases, and would surely to consider its work done once in
Mr. Banerjee and Ms. Dufl o carried out in Rajasthan dy must itself come as a surprise. It tends to take centrestage in eco was ascendant in the United States have had a direct impact on infl a fl ation is within target. Televised
some years ago would explain the concept better. Des refl ects two things: the political nomic policy formulation. When and the United Kingdom before tion. But the slowing of the econo monetary policy statements every
pite immunisation being free, women were not bring power of fi nancial interests in the infl ation control is implemented the ‘North Atlantic Financial Cri my after 2016, which we are still two months would be no more
ing in their children for the vaccination shot. The two U.S. economy and the global intel via monetary policy it results in sis’ of 2008, so dubbed by Rakesh experiencing, suggests that infl a than a charade, if infl ation slows
MIT economists decided to give a bag of pulses free to lectual infl uence of the American higher interest rates. Managers of Mohan and Partha Ray to convey tiontargeting may have had an im for extraneous reasons, and a
economic model. This model re fi nancial wealth lobby for such a that its provenance is related to pact on growth. This would not be smokescreen, if fi nancial stability
women who brought their babies for vaccination.
volves around the goal of maxi policy on behalf of their clients. the policies pursued in that geog surprising at all. has been compromised due to lax
Word soon spread and the rate of immunisation shot up mum creation of wealth by private This lobbying is the origin of the raphy. Following this crisis, ho After the adoption of infl ation regulation of the fi nancial sector.
in the region. Another experiment they did was in individuals unimpeded by societal policy of infl ation targeting. Infl a wever, there has been substantial targeting in India, besides the Even as the TV screens gurgle
Mumbai and Vadodara to understand learning out objectives. Leave alone the distri tion targeting by the central bank rethinking on infl ationtargeting slowing growth, we see the repeti with news of some microscopic
comes in the fi eld of education. Was it lack of access to bution of income, not even the ob involves use of the interest rate to and the role of central banks. Es tion of a pattern observed in the cut in the repo rate I see hapless
textbooks or hunger that caused poor learning out jective of ensuring stability of the keep infl ation under control. As it sentially it was recognised that U.S. We have seen the appearance vendors at Delhi’s swanky new air
comes? Through fi eld studies, Mr. Banerjee and Ms. Du economy is allowed to come in the targets infl ation it must let go of lulled into complacence by low in of stress in the fi nancial sector. port scrambling for change. In the
fl o established that the problem is that teaching is not way of private individuals pursu the employment objective. fl ation, the U.S. central bank had Following the rising nonperform new India, the buck, it seems,
ing wealth enhancement. Though ‘fl exible infl ationtarget ignored the possibility of fi nancial ing assets, or NPAs, of public sec stops nowhere.
adapted to the needs of the students. Learning out
Public regulation, which sets li ing’ is meant to take care of this instability. Instability had pro tor banks, we now see the emer
comes improved in schools that were provided with mits to private activity, is rejected objection, infl ation is retained as gressed due to the complete viola gence of instability in the private Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor of
teaching assistants to support students with special as an unnecessary interference in the target and the central bank is tion of the norms of prudence by segment of the fi nancial sector. Economics, Ashoka University, Sonipat,
needs. The importance of the work being done by the benefi cial activity that maximises not accountable for unemploy U.S. investment banks and hous The most prominent case is that of Haryana and Senior Fellow, IIM
three laureates cannot be overemphasised. Govern social gain, and is therefore to be ment. In fact, in situations where ing societies in a climate of rela nonbanking fi nancial company, Kozhikode
ments across the world, including in India, spend big
money on social schemes without the vaguest of ideas
on whether their objectives have been met. The fi eld
work based approach that these economists have per
Looking beyond the Rafale
fected has revolutionised the fi eld of development eco Even as the Indian Air Force gets ready to welcome its new acquisitions, ad hocism should give way to strategic thinking
nomics and made it more relevant in policy making.
The government would do well to borrow from the re number of modifi ed and upgraded fi ghter — a foreign design to be of Chinese weaponry developed
search of these laureates to understand the impact of its aircraft presently in service. The made in India under the contro for the type, Pakistan is well
Indian government is paying top versial Chapter 7 of the 2016 De placed to recapitalise a signifi cant
several schemes, and where necessary, tweak them to
dollar to Dassault to not only mod fence Procurement Procedure proportion of its air force with a
derive maximum benefi t for the thousands of crores of ify and certify the aircraft to an ex (DPP). Where the budgetary sup relatively modern aircraft. Deve
rupees that it spends. acting specifi cation but also to port for a programme of 114 mod lopment and production of the
Harsh V. Pant & Angad Singh stand by its reliability in service — ern fi ghters, and indeed the ability JF17 can be extended to replace
something that has never been of the country to establish and sus the PAF’s Mirage fl eet at short not
A man for all seasons done with a fi ghter aircraft in In tain two fi ghter manufacturers, ice as well, if so required. And as
O
n October 8, 2019, the fi rst dian service to date. will come from is not clear. De China ramps up its fi fthgenera
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Sourav Ganguly might just be the person Rafale fi ghter aircraft for Going by past operational expe fence budgets have remained ef tion aircraft programmes and unit
the Indian Air Force (IAF) rience and certain common fac fectively fl at for a long time, and costs drop, there is little doubt
Indian cricket administration needs now was handed over to Defence Minis tors in aircraft upgrade pro option — HAL’s Tejas Light Combat with the economy fl agging, an in these platforms will also fi nd their
O
ver the last four years, Indian cricket has played ter Rajnath Singh in France. This grammes and acquisitions such as Aircraft. Domestically produced crease in capital outlay is not like way to Pakistan.
out at two distinctly contrasting levels. On the milestone is the latest in a series of the Rafale, some key aspects of and paid for mostly in rupees, it is ly. Procurement funding will also The PLAAF’s growth has been
muchneeded yet perennially de IAF thinking are revealed. A prefe not only fi scally attractive but also necessarily have to compete with well documented. And in addition
fi eld, the squad gained heft, remained unassail
layed steps to bolster the IAF’s rence for integrated and ideally certainly good enough to replace funding for research and develop to a fourth and fi fth generation re
able at home with the latest validation being the tri combat capabilities. The IAF has selfcontained electronic warfare the IAF’s ageing MiG21 and MiG27 ment for upcoming domestic pro equipment programme, the ser
umph over South Africa; and Virat Kohli’s men also historically been one of the best suites, for example, along with a fl eet as it stands. However, non jects such as the redesigned LCA vice benefi ts from a large number
found their voice overseas as even Australia was equipped forces in the region, but requirement for open architecture compliance with a 1980s Air Staff Mk.2 and fi fthgeneration Ad of force multipliers, including
quelled in its backyard. But off the fi eld, the scenario has seen its advantage, particular avionics are clear. The former is Requirement and low production vanced Medium Combat Aircraft tankers, surveillance and control
was one of cloak and dagger as the Board of Control for ly quantitative, against China and selfexplanatory, while the latter rates continue to raise questions (AMCA). aircraft, and longrange bombers.
Cricket in India (BCCI) delayed the implementation of Pakistan narrow dramatically over would allow for integration of a about the type’s future. Notwith Finally, even if all nearterm While primarily oriented toward
the muchneeded Lodha Committee reforms that had the past twoodd decades. The IAF range of imported and indigenous standing these concerns, the IAF procurements proceed to plan, taking on the U.S. military in the
is today faced with the twin tasks weaponry at a lower cost by doing has committed to a large number there is still a ‘ramp up’ period to Pacifi c and beyond, China’s for
the Supreme Court’s backing. That the BCCI needed its
of having to acquire technological the expensive fl ight trials in India of an upgraded evolution of the contend with — the training of air midable aerial arsenal cannot be
share of cleansing became a grim reality once the spot superiority over its two adversar itself. type incorporating a range of mod and ground crew, building of in ignored in New Delhi.
fi xing and betting controversy marred the 2013 Indian ies, as well as mustering enough ern improvements such as an ac frastructure and actually opera So as the IAF gets ready to wel
Premier League. The investigations had yanked out ske aircraft to head off any collusive Indigenous option tive array radar as well as fi xes to tionalising new types will pose come its new acquisitions, it
letons that pointed fi ngers at players, offi cials and boo misadventures. Unfortunately, air power is an ex problems identifi ed early on, such their own challenges that will slow should be clear about the challeng
kies. The Lodha recommendations and the Committee On the technological front, the pensive business, and in a scena as lack of a selfprotection jammer. the eff ective rate of force accre es it faces at a time when India’s
of Administrators led by Vinod Rai, the former Comp Rafale jet brings to the table an un rio where manpower and running If this variant can be delivered tion. strategic and operational environ
precedented airtoair capability costs consume the lion’s share of cheaply and quickly, it will arrest ment is undergoing a dramatic
troller and Auditor General of India, which was vested
in the form of the MBDA Meteor the budget, the principal impedi the dramatic hollowing out of the In the neighbourhood transformation. Ad hocism should
with the power to speed up the reforms, ran into a missile, as well as a new long ment to a comprehensive renewal IAF that is anticipated to take Meanwhile, the Pakistan Air Force give way to strategic thinking if
bunch of obfuscating BCCI offi cials. But fi nally there is a range precision strike capability of the IAF is a fi nancial one. As place around 202425, by which (PAF) and China’s People’s Libera these challenges are to be eff ec
semblance of light at the end of the dark administrative with the MBDA’s SCALP air such, lower capital costs and low time some 100 aircraft could be tion Army Air Force (PLAAF) are tively met.
tunnel. The reforms have been enforced and the BCCI launched cruise missile. The air er sustainment costs have to go withdrawn from service. not standing still. The PAF is sad
with a new set of offi cebearers should formally take craft also fi nally provides the IAF hand in hand — it is simply not dled with a number of legacy is Harsh V. Pant is Director, Studies at
charge following the elections on October 23. And, in with a combat platform that is enough to argue that expensive Budgetary support sues that are similar to the IAF. Ho Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi
more completely and tightly inte western aircraft make up for their In the middle of the French import wever, with the SinoPak JF17 and Professor at King’s College London.
terestingly, former India captain Sourav Ganguly is all
grated by the original equipment high upfront costs over lifetime and the domestic LCA sits a fl ed available cheaply and in numbers, Angad Singh is a Project Coordinator with
set to step up as the board’s president. manufacturer, rather than any sustainment. Enter the indigenous gling tender for a third type of alongwith access to a wide range the Observer Research Foundation
Having been the president of the Cricket Association
of Bengal, a chair he will relinquish due to his ascen
dancy to the BCCI’s top post, Ganguly does have admi LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
nistrative experience. The latest elevation fi ts into his
template of constantly defying the odds. In 1996, when Nepal-China ties recent times (Editorial, warming. The Ethiopian from Mr. Abiy’s peace eff orts condemnable (Inside pages, the assassination is not only
he was selected to play for India during the England Had there been a contest “Prize for peace”, October Prime Minister may have and resolve the Kashmir “Seeman kicks up row with antinational but also a crime
tour, the elegant southpaw was deemed to have between India , Pakistan 14). Some of the winners achieved peace with issue once and for all. remark on Rajiv’s killing”, as it could be understood as
and Nepal as to which have been either Eritrea, but ethnic violence T. Anand Raj, October 14). Any person support for a heinous act.
sneaked in through the informal East Zone quota sys Chennai
country would score over controversial or questions continues to rage. The directly or indirectly The Election Commission
tem. His riposte was a hundred on Test debut at Lord’s. China during the Chinese have been raised about Nobel Committee should supporting a banned terror should take notice of this.
When Indian cricket got mired in the matchfi xing con President’s visit, nobody their suitability. In make the selections more ■ Mr. Abiy’s policies have organisation (under the law), A. Mohan,
troversy during 2000, Ganguly took over the reins of would have even guessed it literature, recipients such rigorous and transparent, sparked hope in confl ict has to be prepared to face Chennai
CM M HY-HYE
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8 EDITORIAL HYDERABAD
Taking national data seriously
India must not trade away its national data rights at the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations
and better access to data for dom etc. But a big part of data that the mainstream of a digital econo
estic businesses. But how is this to comes into play in a digital econo my and society.
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to withdraw from the land acquisition case Parminder Jeet Singh dia’s and Indians’ data, and then but in other important areas, the data sovereignty. And with it, it
by default treat it as their private community data concerned may will give up any chances for eff ec
S
hould Justice Arun Mishra recuse from a fi vejudge
property, including freely sending require close regulation. This tively using Indian data for India’s
Supreme Court Bench formed to give an authorita
I
n a digital economy, data is the it abroad? French AI strategy calls could be about accessing such da development, and for digital in
tive interpretation of a provision in the 2013 land central resource. The Prime Mi for an aggressive data policy, and ta for social purposes, ensuring dustrialisation to become a top
acquisition law? There is quite a compelling case that nister recently compared data control on data outfl ows. NITI that important public interest is digital power. It will eff ectively be
he must. In the normal course, recusal could be a judg to property at the advent of the in Aayog’s AI strategy has sought met in various uses of data, and to laying the path for permanent dig
e’s individual decision. In the course of the hearing, be dustrial era. Data is being consi mandated sharing of data for so make data available to domestic ital dependency, with India’s data
fore orders were reserved on this question, he suggest dered as a nation’s new wealth. cial purposes. milarly, data about a group of peo businesses, to stimulate competi fl owing freely to data intelligence
How data will be employed fruit Appropriate data policies must ple, even if anonymised, provides tion and for India’s digital centres in the U.S., and now some
ed that the demand for his withdrawal amounted to
fully, and its value captured, will ensure that the required data is ac very wide and granular intelli industrialisation. in China. From these global
“benchhunting” and an attempt to tame the judiciary. decide a nation’s rank in the tually available to Indian digital gence about that group or com All this requires India to pre centres, a few global “intelligence
However, the case history shows that there could be emerging new global geoeconom businesses. After all, most of this munity. The very basis of a digital serve its data policy space. We corporations” will digitally, and in
grounds for apprehension that he has a predisposition ic and geopolitical hierarchies. data in the fi rst place is collected economy is to employ such data have not even begun dealing with telligentally, control and run the
towards a particular view that would aff ect his ability to The global digital or artifi cial intel from Indian communities, arte based intelligence to reorganise the very complex data policy is entire world.
render an impartial ruling in the current referral. Last ligence (AI) economy is currently a facts and natural phenomenon, and coordinate diff erent sectors — sues, including data classifi cation, With countries yet hardly clear
year, in an unusual verdict, a Bench headed by Justice twohorse race between the U.S. and is about them. Global corpora think Uber in the transport sector data ownership rights, data shar about appropriate data policies,
Mishra, with one judge dissenting, overruled a 2014 and China. It is feared that all oth tions like to consider data as a free and Amazon in consumer goods. ing, data trusts, and so on. This is a and the datarelated requirements
er countries, including the Euro ly shareable open resource till the But this databased community in task that India should urgently em for digital industrialisation, it is
judgment by another threejudge Bench on the inter
pean Union (EU) and major deve data is out there, with the people, telligence can equally be used to bark upon, in full earnest. There is not clear what the hurry is to sign
pretation of Section 24 of the Right to Fair Compensa loping countries such as India, will communities, outside ‘things’, etc. manipulate or cause harm to the no time to lose as global advantag global free fl ow of data agree
tion and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilita have to become fully digitally de But the moment they collect the community, if in the hands of an es and vulnerabilities in terms of a ments. The digital economy seems
tion and Resettlement Act, 2013. It was unusual because pendent on one of these two digi data, it seems to become their de untrusted or exploitative party. digital economy are fast being en to be growing and fl ourishing very
every Bench is bound by the precedent set by another tal superpowers. This will consid facto private property and they re Such databased harm could be trenched. This is very similar to well even without such regimes.
Bench of the same size. And if a Bench diff ers with the erably compromise their fuse to share it, even for important economic — beginning with unfair how the Industrial Revolution trig Disengaging from signing bind
ruling of a coordinate Bench, it ought to refer the mat economic and political indepen public interest purposes. sharing of the gains of digital effi gered fundamental changes and ing agreements on uninhibited da
dence, something referred to as This lawless logjam can only be ciency, but also social, political se new global power confi gurations ta fl ows across borders does not
ter to a larger one, instead of adjudicating the question
digital colonisation. broken by asserting a communi curityrelated and military. in the 19th century. mean that a country would simply
itself. Adherence to this doctrine of precedent ensures The shift to digital power, and ty’s legal right over data that is de It is for this reason that com localise all data. Some kinds of da
judicial discipline. In holding that the earlier judgment its concentration, is very evident. rived from, and is about, the com munities, including a national Preserving data policy space ta may indeed need to be local
was per incuriam (an order passed without due regard Seven of the top eight companies munity concerned, or about community, should eff ectively News reports indicate that at the ised, while others should freely
to law) Justice Mishra departed from this doctrine. by market cap globally today are ‘things’ that belong to it. This is control and regulate intelligence Regional Comprehensive Econom fl ow globally. It just means that a
When a similar matter came up before judges who databased corporations. A decade the concept of community data in about them. This requires eff ective ic Partnership trade negotiations, country retains complete data pol
were part of the Bench that had passed the 2014 judg back, this list was dominated by in scribed in India’s draft ecom community control over its data being held with Association of icy space, and the means to shape
dustrial and oil giants. Almost all merce policy. that produces such intelligence. A Southeast Asian Nations, China, its digital industrialisation, and
ment, it was brought to their notice that their ruling no
top digital corporations in the complex and gradual process of South Korea, Japan, Australia and thus its digital future. Our under
longer held the fi eld. The Bench, headed by Justice Ma world are U.S. or Chinese. Community data classifi cation of various kinds of New Zealand, India may accept standing in these areas is just now
dan Lokur, ordered that in view of the confl icting judg To understand data’s value, and data, and developing governance free data fl ow clauses with some beginning to take shape. It will be
ments, all hearings on land acquisition matters involv Importance of data sharing why a community should own da frameworks around them, is public policy exceptions. extremely unwise to foreclose our
ing Section 24 be postponed until the question whether All credible eff orts to escape such ta about itself, it helps to see data required. The history of trade agreements options even before we discover
the matter has to be examined by a larger Bench was a dismal situation, like in the as the basis of detailed and deep A great amount of data would clearly show that such public poli and decide the right data and digi
decided. It was only thereafter that Justice Mishra re French and the U.K.’s AI strategies, intelligence about a community. indeed be fully private to the cor cy exceptions almost never work, tal polices and path for India.
numerous EU documents, and In We are careful in parting with per poration concerned. Public agen especially for developing coun
ferred the matter to the CJI for constituting a larger
dia’s NITI Aayog’s AI strategy, fo sonal data because it provides cies and regulators may not be too tries. It needs to be understood Parminder Jeet Singh is with IT for
Bench. In this backdrop, Justice Mishra’s vehement re cus on one central issue — more deep intelligence about us which bothered about how such private that suitable data controls and pol Change. E-mail:
fusal to withdraw from the hearing is disappointing. Far datasharing within the country, can be used to manipulate us. Si data is used, where it is moved to, icies are not to be exceptions but parminder.js@itforchange.net
from undermining the judiciary, the demand for his re
The operative word must be bilateralism
cusal advances the principle that justice must be seen
to be done. International standards of judicial impar
tiality take into account the perception or apprehen
sion of bias, and it need not necessarily be a fact. The
argument that a prior decision on a question of law Using their convergence of perception on many issues, India and the U.S. can work closely in reshaping the global order
does not disqualify any judge from considering the deal, and continuing U.S.Pakistan Defence has openly lambasted Pa chatter about the start of another
same question again is normally valid. However, it may bonhomie, among other irritants, kistan (in his latest book) even as arms race. However, India cannot
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not be applicable when the prior decision was made have taken the wind out of the Mr. Trump who was till very re aff ord to get dragged into this and
against the reigning precedent. The controversy also sails of the friendship between the cently calling Pakistan a “friend must focus on multialignment
brings under focus the power of the CJI as Master of the leaders of the two nations as seen who he does not need” is now pro both with the U.S. and Russia espe
at the recent “Howdy Modi” event jecting Pakistan Prime Minister cially in terms of getting a waiver
Roster. In a court of 34 judges, would it not have been
Jaiveer Shergill in Houston. Crosscurrents in the Imran Khan as his “friend in need” under the Countering America’s
better had the case been posted before a Bench in IndiaU.S. relationship cannot be (on account of America’s Afghan Adversaries Through Sanctions
which Justice Mishra was not a member? ruled out. ‘ejection plan’) without realising Act in purchasing the S400 mis
G
lobal politics is changing at Pakistan’s bond with terrorism. sile system from Russia.
a fast pace. Thus a setting Contextualising ties ground in Afghanistan. In this con Third, the U.S. campaigned for
Agents of change where there was a chariot of
peace, joint cooperation, multi
IndiaU.S. ties have shades of the
good, the bad and the ugly. The
text, before taking any decision on
the future trajectory of IndiaU.S.
Iran’s nuclear deal in 2015, then
withdrew itself from the accord in
Potential in trade
On the trade front, India, instead
There is evidence of the overall benefi ts that lateralism and liberalism whose good is linked to historic terms, a dynamics, the Indian establish 2018 and has now adopted a blan of China, can be an eff ective sup
strings were controlled by institu key example being the IndiaU.S. ment must remain mindful of the ket sanction policy qua any nation plier rather than being an out
accrue from investing in women’s education tions such as the United Nations, civil nuclear deal, the ongoing de unpredictability and inherent con dealing in oil transactions with sourcing hub. With respect to the
I
f the evidence is clear and present, then not acting the World Trade Organisation fence cooperation of the past de tradictions in U.S. foreign policy Iran. With such a track record IndoPacifi c, the U.S. views it as a
on it would be a chilling demonstration of inability (WTO) and the International Court cade worth billions of dollars and and, at the same time, capitalise what is the guarantee that the U.S., platform to contain China hege
and ineffi ciency, and the lack of will to bring about of Justice has now become one of the signing of three “foundational on U.S. “isolationism and re which now expects India to forego mony. India, on the other hand,
warhorses pulling in diff erent di defence agreements”, i.e. the trenchment” by maintaining its its ageold friendship with Russia, sees it as an opportunity for eco
change. There should be no doubt that educating a wo
rections to embrace unilateralism, Communications Compatibility timetested policy of “nonalign will not start transactions with nomic expansion, with the U.S. be
man serves a larger ameliorative purpose. The recently protectionism and isolationism. and Security Agreement, the Lo ment and strategic autonomy”. them later, leaving India out in the ing an equal partner. China’s cau
released Health Ministry survey that showed a direct The global order is now dipping in gistics Exchange Memorandum of cold? tious pragmatism along with
correlation between the nutritional status of children to a vortex of disruptions largely Agreement and the Basic Ex Points of concern Despite these contradictions assertiveness needs to be factored
and their mothers’ education is a further stroke for the caused by the United States, China change and Cooperation Agree The contradictions in the U.S.’s and challenges, a number of op into the decisionmaking process
case of women’s education. The Comprehensive Na and Brexit. India also stands at the ment for Geospatial Cooperation. outlook are many. First, the recent portunities in the new world order of both New Delhi and Washing
tional Nutrition Survey, which studied 1.2 lakh children crossroads in terms of its foreign The bad is current trade challeng and abrupt abandonment by the await India. The Prime Minister ton. What India and the U.S. could
policy approach. It has a crucial es, the U.S.’s hyphenation of India Trump administration of the must ensure that IndiaU.S. bilater do is to forge a broadbased and
between 201618, measured diet diversity, meal fre
decision to make in terms of the with China in its trade war and its Kurds who assisted the Americans alism survives the axe of unilater productive political partnership.
quency and minimum acceptable diet as the three core journey ahead whether to: conti call for the removal of the “deve in fi ghting the Islamic State both in alism without sacrifi cing India’s After all, mutual interdependence
indicators of nutritional defi ciency among infants and nue with its timetested stable pol loping country” tag assigned by terms of resources and manpower “sweet spot” and tag of being “eve of countries is based on formal
young children. It demonstrated that with higher levels icy of nonalignment and strategic the WTO. And the ugly is when should serve as a warning sign to ryone’s friend”. Mr. Trump needs prerogatives of sovereign states.
of schooling for a mother, her children received better autonomy; join the bandwagon of during the 1971 war, the U.S. sent India in terms of its Afghanistan to realise that India at this juncture The convergence of perception
diets. On two counts, meal diversity and minimum ac unilateralism and be a permanent its fl eet towards India to assist Pa strategy. The current Indian dis cannot aff ord to get derailed from between India and the U.S. on glo
ceptable diet, and in terms of bolstering food with mi treaty ally of one of the superpow kistan. pensation must prepare for the the tracks of globalisation, region bal and regional issues of common
cro nutrients, the children of mothers with better edu ers, and, fi nally, embark upon a The good outweighs the bad eventuality of a sudden withdra al alliances, trade opportunities interest provides enormous op
calculated trip with the objective and the ugly but a sense of the cur wal of U.S. forces from Afghanis and, at the same time, be con portunities for both countries to
cation did well. The data is revelatory: Only 11.4% of
of expansion in terms of forging rent mood at Capitol Hill that pre tan which could lead to a complete vinced that India will never take work closely in reshaping the glo
children of mothers with no schooling received adeq new relations and exploring fresh ceded the highprofi le visit to takeover by the Taliban, with po sides hurting U.S. interests in real bal political order. The friendship
uately diverse meals, while 31.8% whose mothers fi n territories by adopting a strategy Houston in September seems load tential repercussions on India’s strategic and economic bilateral has the potential to grow stronger
ished Class XII received diverse meals. While 9.6% of of “multialignment and transac ed with scepticism as far as India’s northern front. Second, with res terms. When the U.S. withdrew by the day without sacrifi cing In
children whose mothers had fi nished schooling got mi tional autonomy”. multilateral outreach is con pect to Pakistan, there is confused from the IntermediateRange Nu dia’s global positioning at the altar
nimum acceptable diets, only 3.9% of children whose The answers are complex. But cerned, especially in connection signalling from the offi cial “advis clear Forces Treaty signed with of unilateralism.
mothers had zero schooling got such a diet. one domain of foreign policy with the procurement of defence ers” of the White House, often Russia in 1987, the comment by
which requires a serious relook is material from Russia and some un creating a fog of uncertainty over U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper Jaiveer Shergill is a Supreme Court lawyer
Development economists have long studied the role
the IndiaU.S. relationship because real expectations such as India stated policy. For example, Jim that the “U.S. is looking to deploy and National Spokesperson of the Indian
that education of girls plays in enabling them to emerge the backstage reality of a notrade having military boots on the Mattis, former U.S. Secretary of more missiles in Asia” has led to National Congress
as agents of change. Empirical work in recent years, No
bel laureate Amartya Sen reasons, has clearly shown
how the relative aspect and regard for women’s well be
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
ing is strongly infl uenced by women’s literacy and edu
cated participation in decisions within and outside the Water fl ow to Pakistan which is guided by the Amazon forest was burning, agreements. talks”, October 16). image after the betting and
family. In the late 1990s, Tamil Nadu along with the The statement by the Prime Helsinki rules. These rules all nations prayed for it Durga Prabhu, Manthena Damodara Chary, spotfi xing scandals. For long
Minister that India would make provision for the though many are not direct Karangalpady, Mangaluru Hyderabad the BCCI has been
Danish International Development Agency, launched a
put to use its share of water reasonable and equitable benefi ciaries of it. Nature is functioning in a whimsical
mass rural literacy project in Dharmapuri, then consi from the rivers fl owing to benefi cial use of water by supreme. Let not politics be Ignition off BCCI innings manner. Things need to
dered backward, riding largely on local leaders, most of Pakistan is not in the spirit riparian states. Titfortat brought into it. The strike by staff of the With his vast experience, change, with more
them women. Evaluation showed overall salubrious ef of natural justice and is on principles should not be at T. Anand Raj, Telangana State Road both as a cricketer and as an transparency and
the borderline of rights the cost of innocent Chennai Transport Corporation is administrator, one is hopeful accountability in its
fects on the community within a short while. Imple
mented largely through the employ of the local arts, violation. Water is one of civilians. causing immense hardship to that Sourav Ganguly, as the operations.
one measure of success, as recorded then, was an in the most fundamental N.R. Jagannath, ■ At election rallies, it is not the public and the common new BCCI president, will R. Sivakumar,
natural resources and a Bengaluru surprising for politicians to man. There have been some infuse a certain degree of Chennai
creased outpatient attendance in primary health
possible decision to stop make strange and outlandish incidents which point to a pride and prestige and
centres. There is a body of compelling evidence for the water will certainly deprive ■ One hopes that the Prime promises. In this case, one politicisation of the strike. At restore the board’s fading
more letters online:
www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
government to focus on improving female literacy. In Pakistan of water security. Minister’s remark is yet must not stretch it to this juncture, senior leaders
Census 2011, the female literacy rate was 65.46%, much Water security ensures the another empty ‘poll extremes. There is an Indus in both the ruling party and corrections & clarifications:
lower than for males, at 82.14%. States such as Kerala availability of an acceptable promise’. Even before the River treaty signed by India the Opposition should make The interview — “BJP seems to have pervaded every nook and
quantity and quality of formation of nations on this and Pakistan, according to earnest eff orts to resolve the corner” (Oct. 16, 2019) — had the name of the political scientist
with a high literacy rate (male and female) also sit at the from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences wrong. It was Prof.
top of the table on development indicators. As former water for a number of planet, nature was supreme which India is bound to crisis. The government needs
Ashwani Kumar, not Ashwini Kumar as published.
reasons and has an impact for millennia. All natural release water to Pakistan. It to shed its tough stand and
American First Lady Michelle Obama said, “Because we In the story “From Mamallai to Mamallapuram: tracing the port
on the landless and the resources found on this is unfortunate that the top invite the leaders of the
know that when girls are educated, their countries be resource poor. What India planet are to be shared and leader of this land is raising various transport unions to
city’s history” (Oct. 12, 2019), it was erroneously stated that
Mamallapuram had its origins in the word Mamallan, a title be
come stronger and more prosperous.” No other task needs to keep in mind is the preserved. To say that no an emotive issue that the negotiating table. There stowed on Narasimhavarman II. Actually, Narasimhavarman I was
can assume greater urgency for a nation striving to im international law on water would be sent to concerns two countries just should also be a plan to called Mamallan.
prove its performance on all fronts. Transboundary Water Pakistan is totally to win votes, while modernise the corporation The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
Resources management unacceptable. When the disregarding bilateral (Editorial, “Get back to E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A HY-HYE
YK