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10 EDITORIAL DELHI
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
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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 A ND-NDE
YK