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8
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
WORDLY WISE

THE EDITORIAL PAGE I meant what I said and I said what I

meant. An elephant’s faithful one-hundred
per cent! — DR SEUSS

FOUNDED BY
Reimagining the herd
§

§
RAMNATH GOENKA
Key Covid challenge is to institute transparent
BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL
mechanisms at points where science meets policy

TEST AND PROTEST Kaushik Das Gupta

For BJP, name-calling may be a tried, tested way to trash
IN MARCH WHEN the WHO declared the pathwaysinthehumanbody—co-optingen- well-being, especially the most vulnerable.
Punjab farmers’ protest. But it is unwise and fraught with risk

A
COVID-19 a pandemic, the consensus in the
scientificcommunitywasthat humanity isin
SFARMERSPROTESTINGtheCentre’snewfarmlawsgatheredatDelhi’s for a long haul. There was no antidote to the
doorstep,demandingthatthegovernmentlistentotheirconcerns,shrill contagionandthemostoptimisticprediction
sections of the BJP have rashly reached for an older playbook. Instead of was a vaccine by the middle of 2021. A shield
beginning a dialogue with the farmers to address their anxieties, many against COVID-19 is still in the works but we
in the ruling party in Haryana and at the Centre have sought to suggest are close to taking the first steps towards re-
solving the lethal conundrum much earlier
that the agitating farmers, overwhelmingly from Punjab, are being instigated or misled,
than anticipated — the first vials of a vaccine
that they are mere puppets and pawns in a larger conspiracy sponsored by the Congress — arelikelytorolloutinthenexttwomonthsand
or infiltrated by those whom Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar has called “unwanted el- ifallgoeswelltherewillbemorethanonepre-
ements” and others have not hesitated from describing as “Maoists” and “Khalistanis”. ventive against the contagion. In a year when
Name-callingorotheringisaneasybutunbecomingstrategyforarulingpartywhenfaced nothingseemedtobegoingright,theworkin
withpopulardissent,atanytimeandinanycontext.Itisespeciallyunwise,however,when laboratoriesinseveralpartsoftheworldisone
the BJP wields it in this moment, against the protesting farmers from Punjab. This is the of the few comforting developments.
For most of us, the yearning for a vaccine
state, after all, of a hard-won peace and stability, after a decade lost to turbulence and ter-
is a relatively new experience. The epic fight
rorism. In Punjab, all players and stakeholders must know, any attempt to play with the againstthedreadedsmallpoxispartof reced-
“Khalistani” label and spectre is fraught with peril. ing memory. Immunisation programmes
The BJP needs to tread especially carefully also because it lost a crucial interlocutor af- have,of course,becomefarmorerobustsince
ter the breakup of its long alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal recently. The partnership the 1950s when Jonas Salk’s discoveries gave
humanity the upper hand against the crip-
with the SAD was a way for the BJP to gain a foothold and expand in a state dominated by
pling polio virus. But the stakes in a vaccine
the Congress and the regional party —but it also served a larger political purpose. After the
against COVID-19 are unprecedented.
insurgency of the 1980s, the coming together of the “Hindutva” and “panthic” parties be- Economies have gradually opened up after
camesymbolicof theforgingandrevivalof asyncreticculture,aPunjabiyatlargerthanthe lockdowns during the early months of the
sum of the two state’s two main communities. If the SAD was still with the BJP, if the Modi pandemic, festivals have been celebrated, al-
ministry still had a SAD representative — it withdrew its minister and walked out of the al- beitinasubduedmanner,andpollshavebeen
liance over the same farm laws that are at the heart of the current discontent — the Centre conductedinseveralcountries.Butit’sthevac-
cinethatpromisestosetusfree,givebackthe
mighthavefounditeasiertocommunicatewithaprotestdominatedbySikhfarmersfrom
quintessentialhumanfreedomofassociation,
Punjab, the path to a dialogue arguably softened and eased by the social coalition brought and,mostimportantly,relievetheanxietyand
together by the political pact. worry that has become the leitmotif of life in
Today,evenastheBJPconfrontsangryfarmersfromPunjabbereftofacrucialPunjabally, large parts of the planet.
pressure may be building on the SAD to assume a more hardline stance in the current cri- That’swhatmakestheresearchinlabora-
sis.Ithaslongdefineditself asapartyof thepanthandof thepeasantry.Now,itmustnego- tories, virtually at breakneck speed, so signif-
icant. It has evidently helped that the epi-
tiate, all over again, a separate space and identity. For both the BJP and its erstwhile ally,
demics caused by pathogens of the
therefore,thedaysaheadwillbechallenging.Theymustbemindfulofthestakesinremain-
coronavirus family in the past 20 years, SARS
ing sober and getting it right — for farmers, for Punjab, and for the country. andMERS,havepushedscientiststostudythe
varied interactions between the human im-
Contemporary medical
history shows that
achievements in laboratories
often have a long and
tortured path to people’s
well-being, especially the
most vulnerable. India, for
instance, produces 60 per
cent of the world’s vaccines
and is home to the largest
manufacturer, the Pune-
based Serum Institute. Yet,
the country also has the
largest number of
unvaccinated children in the
world. NSO data shows that
less than 60 per cent children
receive the entire basket of
vaccines. Securing 1.3 billion
people will require a massive
public policy effort at
bolstering the country’s
public health infrastructure,
roping in the private sector
without imperilling equity
zymes of the host’s cells for example.
Knowledge of the spike protein — the corona
or crown that gives the coronavirus its name
andisitslifeforce—hasinformedunderstand-
ing of the ways in which the immune system
behaves when a person contracts the novel
coronavirus.Approachestargetingthisrogue
protein,whetherthroughgeneticmaterialas
in the case of the vaccines developed by
Moderna and Pfizer or through a viral vector
from chimpanzees as in the Oxford-
AstraZeneca vaccine, have benefitted from
earlier trysts with coronaviruses.
The caveat, based on historical evidence,
that vaccines take years to develop should
thus be measured against humankind’s
nearly 20-year-long endeavour to neuter
coronaviruses.Butit’saseriouscaveat,never-
theless. We can say for certain that the fron-
trunnercandidatesareaptattrainingtheim-
mune system to recognise the spike protein
of the novel coronavirus and produce anti-
bodiestotargetit.Butaretheyenoughtopre-
venttransmission?Oristheirefficacylimited
to preventing individual recipients from
fallingsick?Oncurrentevidence,wecanonly
answer the latter query in the affirmative. A
conclusive answer to the first question will
require periodic swab tests on the partici-
pants of the final trials — and tests, as our ex-
perience of the pandemic has shown, are a
fraught issue.
All this means that the novel coronavirus
could be at large months after the first jab is
administered. The initial months of the vac-
cinationdrive—perhapseventhefirstyear—
couldbeakintoanextendedinoculationtrial.
Theemergingdataislikelytonecessitatefine-
tuning the initial products and as several ex-
pertshavepointed,askingscientistsworking
on different anti-COVID vaccines in different
India, for instance, produces 60 per cent of
the world’s vaccines and is home to the
largestmanufacturer,thePune-basedSerum
Institute. Yet, the country also has the largest
number of unvaccinated children in the
world. NSO data shows that less than 60 per
centchildrenreceivetheentirebasketof vac-
cines.Securing 1.3 billion people willrequire
a massive public policy effort at bolstering
the country’s public health infrastructure,
roping in the private sector without imper-
illing equity and obviating black markets as
well as checking the diversion of resources
from regular immunisation programmes.
The key challenge will be to institute
transparentmechanismsatpointswheresci-
ence and research meet public policy.
Inoculation drives have a history of making
communities edgy. Rumours run rife and
vaccine hesitancy has been the Achilles heel
for almost every immunisation programme
in history — a Lancet paper of May 2019 re-
ported“delayinacceptance orrefusalof vac-
cinesdespiteavailability of vaccination serv-
icesinmorethan90percentcountries inthe
world”.Incaseof theCOVID-19vaccine,with
much in the realm of the unknown, any
opacityon safety issues willcome in the way
of building public confidence in the work in
laboratories.
The sheer scale of the anti-COVID vacci-
nation makes it unprecedented in human
history. Securing localities, districts, states,
even entire countries or regions will not be
enough against a virus that multiplies at a
dizzying speed. The herd to be inoculated
against the contagion has dimensions not
scaled in human history. That makes the
medical, economic and public policy dilem-
mas inextricable from the ethical aspects of
vaccine distribution. Too often in recent his-

STRIKE ONE
mune system and contagions. These out-
breaks petered out before vaccines could be
developed.Buttheresearchhasstoodhuman-
ityingoodsteadinthebattleagainstitslatest
First case under new UP anti-conversion law offers clinching bête noire.
We know that unlike other flu viruses,
argument for why it is an assault on individual freedom
and obviating black
markets as well as checking
the diversion of resources
from regular immunisation
programmes.
parts of the world to join forces — or create a
bouquet of complementing preventives.
In more ways than one, this could be the
make-or-breakperiodinthefightagainstthe
pandemic. Contemporary medical history
shows that achievements in laboratories of-
tory, inoculation drives have left the margin-
alised in the lurch. The novel coronavirus
forces us to do things differently, it demands
a different conception of herd from science
and public policy.

T
coronaviruses make use of various biological ten have a long and tortured path to people’s kaushik.dasgupta@expressindia.com
HE FIRSTCASE filed under the regressive new anti-conversion law in Uttar
Pradesh illustrates precisely why this is a piece of legislation that enables
misuse and harassment, and how it endangers inter-personal relation-

DEATH OF A STUDENT
ships in a society already hostile to individual autonomy and desire. The
facts are these: A year ago, two adults who met in school fell in love and
eloped. They were brought back to their families, and a case of kidnapping filed by the
woman’s parents against the man, a Muslim, which led to his arrest. In court, however,
the woman rebutted the prosecution’s case that she had been abducted against her will.
Nevertheless, she was married off by her family to another person. Enter the “love jihad” It points finger at an education system that turns a blind eye to inequality
law. A day after the UP Governor cleared the ordinance, the woman’s family filed a case
against the 24-year-old Muslim man, accusing him of trying to force her to convert and
marry him.
Disha Nawani
This is new gloss on an old, depressing story that plays out far too often in Indian so-
EVER SINCE THE young student, Aishwarya education that we get. There is no awkward- particular kind of music/film, the list is long
ciety — that of families using all means at their disposal to browbeat young people, espe- ReddyfromLadyShriRamCollege,diedbysui- ness, guilt or repentance on part of either the and encompasses every part of their being.
ciallywomen,if theyexercisechoiceinloveandmarriage.Inmanysuchinstances,thelaw cide, the media, political activists and civil so- policymakers for the stratified education sys- COVID-19, however, unleashed multiple
is a weapon that often reinforces the power asymmetry involved and quells the chal- cietyingeneral,besidesexpressingshock,grief tem devised by them or us as consumers, for tensionsforallstudentsbutturnedtheworld
lenge from such unions to family fiat and archaic notions of honour. In Karnataka, an- and concern, have been busy identifying the gleefully lapping it up. upside down for those already struggling to
other state that is considering a version of this law against freedom, this paper has re- culprits responsible for her untimely death. While most students find it difficult to survive. Aishwarya would have also had her
Aishwarya’s story apparently has a “simple” come out of their vicious cycles of disadvan- share of troubles but the change in environ-
ported that Section 366 of the Indian Penal Code (dealing with kidnapping, abducting
narrative — an ambitious, bright girl from a tage, a few resilient ones manage to enter ment from college to home must have made
and coercing a woman into marriage) is being used to stop several inter-faith and inter- poorfamilytookherlifeduetoherinabilityto those elite institutions, to which there is lim- mattersworse—thebiggestof whichwasno
caste unions. Studies have shown how the law against rape has been used to criminalise buy gadgets required by her to continue her ited access. However, the challenges faced by access to those very gadgets which would al-
consensual relationships. online education. thesestudentsoutweightheinitialthrillofbe- lowhertocontinuehereducation,something
Given the structural inequalities of caste, gender and class that hobble Indian life, Four factors are being held primarily re- ingadmittedtosuchinstitutions.Onceadmit- shewassopassionateabout.Shewouldhave
the implementation of a law is often held hostage to entrenched power equations on sponsible for creating the circumstances that ted, the college treats them alike. Everything also experienced the painful everyday strug-
pushedhertochoosedeathoverlife.Theyare that the students go through — syllabus, cur- gle of her parents, the inability, desperation
the ground. But the UP government’s law is doubly dangerous because discrimination
havoccausedbythe“digitaldivide”inaccess- ricularresources,pedagogicprocesses,assess- and frustration of her father to buy her a lap-
is explicitly written into its provisions. In the hands of a conservative society and an ing online education, the Department of ment practices — is uniform/same for every- top and the guilt of pushing him to mortgage
overstepping police, it enables an unconstitutional assault on the rights of young men Science&Technology’s(DST)tardinessingiv- one,irrespectiveof the divergentspaces they their house and forcing her younger sister to
and women. In a climate of ceaseless communal polarisation, it is being used as a dog- ingherthewell-deservedscholarshipontime, comefrom.Childrenwithdifferentcaste,class, drop out of school.
whistle against the Muslim community. By allowing the state to certify what conver- and lack of knowledge on part of the college religionandethnicity,withunequaleconomic, Doallthesefactorsmakeherdeathherper-
sion is kosher or not, this law will pit Hindus and Muslims against each other in a zero- administration about its students’ socio-eco- socialandculturalcapital,arealltreatedalike. sonal problem, requiring counselling due to
nomic backgrounds because of which all stu- It is important to recognise Herein lie the seeds of inequality, because poverty, anxiety, depression and inability to
sum game in which the only winner is the overweening and unconstitutional power
of the vigilante state.
dents,exceptthefreshers,wereaskedtoleave the huge pressures on what seems to be equal and neutral is in ef- cope, etc? Or is it the responsibility of the col-
thehostelpremises.Thefourthfactorpointed students, even in regular fect unequal and biased. This does not mean legewhichadmittedherbutmadenoattempt
outbysomeisthegirl’sinabilitytoproactively thataheterogeneousmixof studentsaccess- toreachouttoherortheDSTwhichdidnotre-
circumstances — the

KAAVAN AND FRIENDS

reachouttothoseinpositionsof authorityfor
help. Who is blaming whom and why is not
important, but one must understand that a
hastyidentificationof“factorsresponsible”will
The ‘world’s loneliest elephant’ has moved from Pakistan to leadtoevenmorehastily“arrivedat”solutions,
which may, at best, be “quick-fix” and unable
Cambodia. His journey has particular resonance in Covid times
pressure to do well
academically, to dress or talk
in a certain way, to appreciate
a particular kind of music or
film. COVID-19 unleashed
ing a good institution is a bad idea. However,
that is not enough and it is the responsibility
of the institutions to make such spaces more
democratic and egalitarian, and adopt more
proactive measures to reach out to their stu-
dents, especially those belonging to margin-
lease her scholarship on time? Or is it the re-
sponsibility of every single person who be-
lieves that more islands of excellence should
becreated;celebratesexclusivespacesforthe
meritoriousfew;turnsablindeyetostruggles
ofothers,consideringthemtheirdestiny;and

L
toaddressthedeepermalaiseplaguingoured- alised backgrounds. whoseesstatesupportasactsofcharitydoled
ucation system. multiple tensions for all It is important to recognise that the pres- out to the less fortunate ones?
ONGBEFORECOVID-19,Kaavanwasinlockdown.Thesoleexpatriateof his Attheoutset,weneedtoacknowledgethat sures faced by such students, even in regular
kind in Pakistan, since his partner Saheli died in 2012, he was overweight, ours is an unequal society and our socio-eco-
students but turned the circumstances are huge — the pressure to do The writer is professor and dean,
depressed and suffering from a series of ailments. Now, thanks to local ac- nomic and cultural locations determine the world upside down for those well academically, pressure to conform and School of Education, Tata Institute of Social
tivists, a celebrity champion and a lot of planning, he has moved to greener school that we go to and the nature/quality of already struggling to survive. look/dress/talk in a certain way, appreciate a Sciences, Mumbai
pastures, where there is hope of recovery aswell as company. The 36-year-
old pachyderm has been transported from the Islamabad zoo to an elephant sanctuary
in Cambodia.
Authorities at the zoo had initially denied that Kaavan was being mistreated. His ail-
ments and listlessness, they argued, were a result of loneliness. But after a long campaign
DECEMBER 1, 1980, FORTY YEARS AGO
supported by music legend Cher, a Pakistan court ordered that animals from the zoo be CM to take “stern action” against police offi-
relocated. Having been transported via jumbo jet to Cambodia, his ordeal is set to be- PM ON PRICES BHAGALPUR BLINDINGS cials concerned.
PRIME MINISTER INDIRA Gandhi warned of THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT has acted at last.
come the subject of a documentary — one which will, hopefully, also record a happy end-
ing to the story of the “world’s loneliest elephant”.
a further rise in the prices of petrol and other It has suspended 15 police officials and insti- PM BREAKS DOWN
petroleum products because of the contin- tuted 14 cases in the scandalous blinding PM Indira Gandhi broke down at the district
Elephants are, like homo sapiens, social animals with the ability to feel grief, loss, love uing war between Iran and Iraq. If the Gulf tragedy involving undertrials lodged in the development conference in Amethi while
and anger. Kaavan's life in Pakistan (where he was adored by the public) was never easy. War, already three months old, did not end, Bhagalpur central jail. Chief Minister speaking about her son, the late Sanjay
But with the death of Saheli, he became, as so many people have become over the last petroleum prices would go up beyond the Jagannath Mishra said this action followed Gandhi. At one stage, her voice choked and
year, lonely, listless and trapped indoors without anyone to share the misery with. control, the PM told her party workers at a “prime facie” evidence of “negligence of hereyesfilledwithtears.Hersobsseemedun-
Solitary confinement is widely acknowledged to be the most cruel of punishments, a tor- meeting in Rae Bareli. Later, talking to news- duty” against12 sub-inspectors, two inspec- controllable, but she composed herself.
men, Mrs Gandhi also ruled out the possibil- tors and one deputy superintendent of po- “Sanjayhadhisbaptismthroughfirethelikes
ture for higher mammals hardwired by evolution and socialisation into developing a
ity of any changes in the leadership of Uttar lice. He said all these police officials, already ofwhichIhadseenduringthefreedomstrug-
relational idea of the self — the “I” is formed only in how it is reflected in others. The Pradesh. She said: “There is no question of a sent out of Bhagalpur district, would be fac- gle. And this was his battle against the con-
next challenge for Kaavan is to make friends, and maybe even find love again. Unlike for change in the leadership of the state. Why ing departmental proceedings. Mishra’s an- certed attack by the entire opposition aided
humans, there is no smartphone app for him to swipe left and right while being en- shouldtherebeachangeatallwhenthestate nouncement comes in the wake of the state- by western forces,” she said. “It is the duty of
gaged in an illusory consumerism of friendship and desire. Maybe, for Kaavan in his is moving ahead under the leadership of mentmadebytheUnionHomeMinisterZail everybody to translate into reality the deeds
new home, that is just as well. Vishwanath Pratap Singh?” Singh in the Lok Sabha that he had asked the and dreams of Sanjay,” she told the people.

New Delhi

9
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
THE IDEAS PAGE
A killing & the new Middle East The triumph and
Whether they want to or not, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
must deal with the changed geopolitical realities in West Asia
RAJA MANDALA
by C Raja Mohan
THEBRAZENMURDER of a top Iranian nu-
clear scientist outside Tehran last week un-
derlinesafamiliarpoliticaltruthintheMiddle
East — it is not that important if you are right
orwrong;whatreallymattersiswhetheryou
are weak or strong. The assassination of
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh highlights the Islamic
RepublicofIran’sgrowingstrategicvulnerabil-
ities.Italsopointstoacontinuingregionalre-
alignmentagainstTehranmarkedbythenor-
malisation of ties between some key Arab
states and Israel.
ThisgeopoliticalturbulenceintheMiddle
East has major consequences for the subcon-
tinent, which has intimate religious, eco-
nomic, and strategic ties with the region.
Whether they want to or not, India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh must deal with three broad
trends that define the new Middle East.
One is Iran’s growing isolation in the re-
gion. The Trump administration (and the
Republicans), Israel and the Gulf Arabs have
asharedinterestinpreventingJoeBiden,the
next US President who takes charge on
January 20, from renewing nuclear diplo-
macywithIranandendingTehran’sisolation.
The assassination of Fakhrizadeh is about
achievingthatpoliticalobjective.If Iranretal-
iates vigorously, it will invite an all-out con-
frontation with Israel and the US and kill the
prospects for a productiveengagementwith
the Biden administration. Holding back will
exposeIran’sweaknessandsharpeninternal
divisions between pragmatists who want to
engage the US and the hardliners who are
itching for a confrontation.
Worse still, the frequent attacks on high-
profile Iranian targets raise questions about
thehostilepenetrationof itssociety.Arethere
enough domestic opponents of the regime
that are now willing to collaborate with for-
eign security agencies, including Israel’s
Mossad? The exposure of Iran’s internal po-
litical weakness is compounded by the mas-
siveeconomicpainimposedbytheTrumpad-
ministration’s “maximum pressure
campaign”inthelastfewyears.Iranhasmuch
goodwillinSouthAsia,butIndiaanditsneigh-
bours have no desire to get sucked into
Tehran’s conflicts with the Arabs or the US.
The second regional trend is the rapid
transformation of Arab relations with Israel.
Thefearof IranhasbeendrivingGulf Arabsto
embraceIsrael.Inthelastfewmonths,Bahrain
and the United Arab Emirates have nor-
malised ties with Israel. Reports of a secret
meeting between the Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime
MinisterBenjaminNetanyahulatelastmonth
havebeendeniedbyRiyadh.Thathasnotput
an end to speculation of an impending nor-
malisation of ties between Israel and Saudi
Arabia — the ideological core of the Islamic
and Arab world.
Where does that leave the subcontinent,
which has nearly 40 per cent of the
world’s Muslims?
Pakistani pragmatists long wanted to es-
tablish ties with Israel and neutralise Delhi’s
Mohan Rao
THE CREATION OF demographic anxieties is
central to the Sangh Parivar’s politics. It finds
reflection in a proposal by a number of BJP-
ruledstates — MadhyaPradesh,Haryanaand
Karnataka — to make a law against so-called
“love jihad”. The UP government has passed
an ordinance that provides for a jail term of
uptofiveyearsfor“forcedconversions”inor-
der to marry. “Love jihad” is an idea that
crudely but effectively argues that Muslim
men are waging jihad in India through love
marriages. The young men apparently wag-
ing war through love — through the capture
of innocentHinduwomen—arealsoreferred
to as “love Romeos”. Given credence by the
courts and police in some states, “love jihad”
isseenasastrategybyMuslimfundamental-
iststolureHinduandChristiangirlsintotheir
fold,thusswellingtheirnumbersinanongo-
ing demographic war.
Ten years ago, the Hindu Janajagruti
Samiti in Dakshina Kannada district of
Karnataka claimed that 30,000 young
womenhadbeendupedby“loveRomeos”in
the state. The Kerala High Court ordered an
inquiry in 2010, while the Karnataka High
Court, in the same year, stated that a case in-
volving a 23-year-old woman who had con-
verted to Islam to marry a Muslim man had
“national ramifications”. Indeed, the
Karnataka HC went egregiously further, or-
dering the woman be “restored” to her par-
ents while the police investigated the case.
On its part, the Kerala police found no evi-
connection with Tel Aviv. But the growing
weight of Islamist ideology, decades of fan-
ning theories about a Yehudi-Hindu conspir-
acy, and relentless propaganda equating
Palestine with Kashmir seemed to hold
Pakistan back.
However,thecontexthasdramaticallyal-
tered with the normalisation of ties between
the Gulf Arabs and Israel. Pakistan’s Prime
Minister Imran Khan has talked of pressure,
apparentlyfromSaudiArabiaandtheUAE,on
recognising Israel. Pakistan also knows the
value of having a sensible relationship with
Israel and its useful spinoffs in Washington,
whereIslamabadismakingadesperatepitch
tolimitAmerica’scurrentpoliticaltilttowards
India.Rawalpindiisprobablynolongerdebat-
ingtheideologicalargumentsonIsraelbutthe
mechanics of making that decision, manag-
ing the potential domestic backlash, and get-
ting the best possible benefits from it.
If Pakistan recognises Israel, Bangladesh
would not want to be left behind. Economic
and technological collaboration with Israel
will give Bangladesh’s economy and foreign
policy a big boost. Like Pakistan, Bangladesh,
too, could use a new Jewish connection to
cope with the mounting criticism in
Washington of the country’s political free-
domsandhumanrightsunderPrimeMinister
Sheikh Hasina.
For Israel, having Bangladesh and
Pakistan, two of the world’s largest Islamic
nations, recognise it would be a great ideo-
logical and political bonus. Some in Delhi
might rue the loss of a presumed special po-
sition in Israel. But an India that proclaims
thevirtuesof engagingallsidesintheMiddle
Eastcan’tgrudgethesameprivilegeforIsrael
in South Asia.
The third trend shaping the new Middle
East is the deepening rivalry between Saudi
Arabia and Turkey for the leadership of the
Muslimworld.WhileSaudiArabia,Egypt,and
the UAE want to return the Middle East to-
wardspoliticalandreligiousmoderation,the
once secular Turkey under Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has become the new champion of
politicalIslam.Turkey’snewreligiouszealpro-
vides a good ideological cover for Erdogan’s
ambitionstoexpanditsgeopoliticalinfluence
in the Middle East.
Turkey’scontestationwithSaudiArabiais
already having an impact on India and
Pakistan. Erdogan’s Turkey is now hostile to
IndiaandhasjoinedPakistanintakingupthe
Nothing fair in this war on love
The long and deceitful history of the ‘love jihad’ bogey
dence of “love jihad” and no organisation
named Romeo Jihad that was executingthis.
The Karnataka police clarified that 404 girls
weremissingduringtheperiodandthatthey
had been able to trace 332 of them. The ma-
jority were Hindu girls who had eloped to
marryHindumen,allof thembreakingcaste
barrierstotheirmarriages.Yet,themediaand
varioussectionsof theSanghParivar,includ-
ingtheABVP,havemountedasustainedcam-
paign against this “grand Muslim conspir-
acy”. This is seen as one more manner in
which“they”,Muslims,seektooutbreed“us”,
Hindus,inourowncountry—ademographic
argumentthathasevidentpoliticaldividends.
More recently, we had the infamous
Hadiya case, where parents of a 24-year-old
homeopathy student in Kerala, with support
from the police and the courts, attempted
to prevent her marriage, despite her argu-
ments that she had converted to Islam of her
own free will and wanted to marry the man
of her choice.
This discourse of demographic anxiety —
of whichthe“lovejihad”propagandaisapart
— has a long and deceitful history. As early as
1909, U N Mukherji wrote Hindus: A Dying
Race,whichwentontoinfluencemanytracts
and publications by the Hindu Mahasabha,
the parent organisation of the RSS. The book
went into many reprints. It had a special ap-
pealtoHinducommunalistsof thetime,who
were anxious to create a monolithic Hindu
community in the face of demands for sepa-
For Israel, having Bangladesh
and Pakistan, two of the
world’s largest Islamic
nations, recognise it would
be a great ideological and
political bonus. Some in
Delhi might rue the loss of a
presumed special position in
Israel. But an India that
proclaims the virtues of
engaging all sides in the
Middle East can’t grudge the
same privilege for Israel in
South Asia.
rate representation from both Muslims and
lower-castes. Whipping up anxiety about
Muslimswasonewaytoweldtogetherhugely
diverse,andoftenantagonistic,castesintoone
community, and erase structural divisions in
castesociety.Indeed,ashistorianPKDattahas
noted in Carving Blocs: Communal Ideology in
EarlyTwentiethCenturyBengal(1999),“it(the
book, A Dying Race) had a more direct reso-
nanceasHinducommunalismwasnowpre-
occupied with numbers… the possibility of
lowcastesdeclassifyingthemselvesasHindus
was a motivating anxiety”. Deeply riddled
withinaccuracies,wild,baselesspredictionsof
the future, the book nevertheless provided
“demographiccommon-sensefunctioningas
a trope for extinction”. It reinforced the fun-
damental belief that India is defined “cultur-
ally” as a Hindu nation, just as Muslim com-
munalists would later go on to believe in the
purityof anIslamicPakistan.Thecommunal-
ists of both religions, Hindu and Muslim, by
evokingdemographicfears,neatlysubscribed
to the colonial definition of Indian society as
comprisedoftwohomogenouscommunities,
Hindus and Muslims, eternally at war with
each other. This is so blatantly false as to be
laughable, but it had its takers.
Therewasyetanotherflamestokingthese
fears among Hindus resentful of social re-
form. Emblematic here was the tragic figure
of the Hindu widow. Forbidden remarriage
among the upper castes, she was at once re-
sponsible for the dying of the “Hindu race”,
C R Sasikumar
Kashmirquestionatinternationalforums.For
Pakistan, this seemed a useful counter to the
Gulf Arabs, who were ramping up strategic
ties with India and appeared unwilling to
make a big deal of Delhi’s constitutional
changes in Kashmir.
Earlier this year, a peeved Pakistan chal-
lenged Saudi Arabia by threatening to break
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and
set up a more radical forum in partnership
with Turkey and Malaysia. Saudi Arabia and
UAE,longthebenefactorsof Pakistan,didnot
take kindly to the threat. They demanded a
returnof theloanstheyhadgiventoPakistan
to tide over its economic crisis.
More recently, there have been reports of
Abu Dhabi deliberately blocking Pakistani
labour exports to the UAE. There are also re-
portsthattheUAEmightsendbackPakistani
workers—anestimated1.2millionPakistanis
workintheEmirates—aspartofthedownsiz-
ing of the foreign labour force in the country
amid the current economic downturn. If
Pakistan continues its tilt towards Turkey,
SaudiArabia,whichhostsmorethantwomil-
lionPakistanworkers,couldsurelyfollowthe
UAE example. Put simply, UAE and Saudi
Arabia have the option to put massive costs
on the Pakistani economy that can’t be
plugged by Turkey or Malaysia.
Narratives about the Middle East have
been central to the evolution of the subcon-
tinent’s religious and nationalist politics
over the last century. But the old markers
that defined South Asian discourse on the
Middle East are beginning to fade. The con-
ventional political assumptions of the South
Asian elites about the Middle East barely
correspond to the region’s changing reality.
Although India has made some impor-
tantadjustmentstoitsengagementwiththe
Middle East in recent years, Delhi can’t take
its eyes off the rapid changes in the region.
Pakistan and Bangladesh can’t afford to take
the Middle East for granted and view the re-
gion solely through the religious prism. For
now,thequestioniswhethertheSouthAsian
states can manage the fallout from the
geopolitical churn in the Middle East and
seizethenewopportunitiesthatarepresent-
ing themselves.
The writer is director, Institute of South Asian
Studies, National University of Singapore and
contributing editor on international affairs for
The Indian Express
sinceshecouldnotbearchildren,aswellasan
allurement for virile Muslim men, a danger
within the sacred heart of the Hindu house-
hold, waiting to be profaned. Fitting neatly
into this gendered anxiety was the commu-
nalisationof theissueof “abduction”of Hindu
women. Indeed, this, too, was prominent in
the profusion of rumours before the Gujarat
carnage in 2002.
It is not just anxieties about inter-faith
marriage that propels these ideas. More sig-
nificant is the need to control women’s sex-
ualities, lest they threaten patriarchy and
casteendogamybyexercisingchoiceintheir
marriages. Choice marriages in India com-
prise,sadly,lessthanfourpercentof allmar-
riages.Butthatisenoughtotriggeranxieties.
WhatisutterlyunacceptabletoHindutvaide-
ologues is that young women might want to
throw off shackles of caste patriarchy. That
the anti-CAA protests brought out young
women in hundreds of thousands on to the
streets was not lost on them. As Kavita
Krishnan has argued in her recent book
Fearless Freedom, young women want to be
free from violence, free to study, to reclaim
publicspaces,freetomarrywhomtheywant,
or not marry at all. This is the stuff of night-
mare for the Sangh Parivar, as it is to all the
khap panchayats of India.
The writer is former professor at the Centre of
Social Medicine and Community Health,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
WHAT THE OTHERS SAY
“The effects of reneging on Britain’s commitment to spend 0,7 per cent of its
GDP on aid on some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people will
be devastating.”
trial in Bihar
State elections silence dire predictions of
‘democracy backsliding’, frame challenge
of jobs and growth
Subrata Mitra
ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT winning or losing.
There are few drawn matches in this game.
But, over and above the actual outcome,
electionsarealsopartofamuchlargergame,
known to students of constitutionalism as
the “game on the rules of the game”. When
seen through this particular lens, what les-
sonsdowegetfromtherecentlyconcluded
assembly elections in Bihar?
Thefirstandforemostmessagewegetis
oneofaresoundingwinforelectoraldemoc-
racy in India. The judicious decision of the
Election Commission to hold the elections
despitethepandemicandelaborateprecau-
tions with regard to polling and staggered
countinginordertofacilitatesocialdistanc-
inghavedrawnappropriateresonancefrom
the electorate, which reciprocated with a
high turnout of over 55 per cent, barely one
per cent below the previous assembly elec-
tions of 2015. The smooth and seamless
courseoftheelection,thespiritedbutorderly
campaign, the suspense of the last scene,
whichkepttheaudiencerivetedtillthecur-
tains came down, turned this election into
an eloquent testimony of the resilience of
India’s electoral democracy. The contrast
withthepresidentialelectionsoftheUnited
States must give a feel of schadenfreude to
theIndianvoter,whosedemocraticcreden-
tials have always been treated with a touch
of condescension by Western experts of
democracy transition and consolidation.
Thesecondpointtonoteisthesuccessof
the electoral process in putting forces that
matter on the ground — such as the radical
Left,socialists,andthereligiousright—into
theelectoralfray,and,subsequently,intothe
legislature. The electrifying convergence of
theoppositiongrandcoalitionanditsstrate-
gic, coordinated manoeuvre showed the
deeppenetrationofelectoralculture.Equally
significantwastheinductionoftheAllIndia
Majlis-e-IttehadulMuslimeen(AIMIM)into
the legislature of Bihar which opens up
roomforfutureexpansionintotheeastand
the north of India. Liberal democrats need
notpanicattheexpansionof apartywhose
leader is often derided for his communal
views.Afterall,politicsisnotonlyaboutroti,
kapda aur makan; it is also about kursi, izzat
andcollectiveidentity,notignoring,also,the
loaves and fishes of power. A national plat-
form that can represent Muslim interests
and compete for power within the frame-
workof parliamentarypolitics,wouldbean
effective countervailing force to Hindutva.
Thisprocessofrealignmentisatworktoday,
from “Kashmir to Kanyakumari”. In addi-
tion, the fact that these “anti-system” par-
ties have become part of parliamentary
processshouldsilencethedirepredictionsof
“democracy backsliding” in India.
Therearetwodissonantissuesthatalso
emerged from this election which need
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WHAT AN IDEA
This refers to the article, ‘Who’s afraid of
Vivekananda?’ (IE, November 30). The
piecemakesalabouredattempttodraw
links between Vivekananda and the al-
leged lack of work ethics amongst a sec-
tion of JNU’s staff. A statue of the monk
hasbecometheruseforlevellingunsub-
stantiated allegations against faculty
members for their refusal to use online
teachingmethods.It’sanotherissuethat
these methods themselves have been
open to serious questioning.
Priti Pande, Chandigarh
BOWLING CONCERNS
THISREFERSTOthereport,‘Phenomdoes
an encore’ (IE, November 30). With the
omissionofopenerRohitSharmaforthe
Australiatour,itwaslikelythattheIndian
team will not be of the same calibre. Yet,
itsperformancehasbeenstartling.India’s
bowling is a matter of grave concern.
JaspritBumrahhasnotfoundhisrhythm
and Yuzvendra Chahal also seems to be
out of form.
Tushar Anand, Patna
NEED TO CHANGE
This refers to the article, ‘New script in
Pakistan’(IE,Nov30).Theshadowof the
army over Pakistan’s politics is so huge
thattobreaknewground,apoliticalparty
will have to script a narrative that is fun-
damentally at variance with accepted
norms.Anti-Indiasentiments,feudalism,
inequality, too much importance to reli-
New Delhi
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
— THE GUARDIAN
careful dissection. The display of open, un-
abashed,politicalpromiscuitysuchassome
see in Nitish Kumar’s serial change of part-
ners, the coexistence of dynastic politics,
and thinly disguised tactical coalitions
based on caste arithmetic that underpin
electoral politics in the state are anathema
for true-blue liberal democrats.
The gap between normative categories
of liberal democracy and cognition of the
opportunitiesthattheelectoralprocessgen-
eratesneedstobefactoredintothetheoryof
democracytransitionanditsconsolidation.
At the ground level, campaign cash is an in-
centive for participation in the electoral
process. It is seen as an opportunity for en-
titlement,empowermentandenfranchise-
ment — the three core ideas of democracy.
Oneneedstounderstandthatthefineflow-
ers of liberalism blossom from within the
bosom of dark calculations of interest. To
frame it the other way around would be to
think of democracy in the mode of a top-
down, civilising mission.
The second point that emerges from a
close reading of the campaign poses a co-
nundrum. The promise of “10 lakh jobs”
which gave the Mahagathbandhan its fire-
power, was made with no indication of
where these jobs were going to come from.
Of course, one could always create jobs by
gettingpeopletodigholesandthenfillthem
in and create a semblance of employment.
Buttheyaddverylittletooverallproductiv-
ity, generate a culture of dependency and
create a false sense of security.
How does one combine the electoral
pressure to create jobs and the hard logic of
sustainableeconomicgrowth?Thisisgoing
tobetheacidtestforthe“twin-engine”,Modi
in Delhi and Nitish in Patna. The post-elec-
tion Union government scheme PIL —
Production Linked Incentive Scheme — de-
serves careful consideration because it at-
temptstobalancedomesticproductivityand
employmentcreationthroughmanufacture
andinfrastructurebuilding,withglobalvalue
chains. But, for states like Bihar and Odisha
—ranked,respectively,29and26ontheease
ofdoingbusiness—thisposesanevenbigger
hurdle. Ironically, both in job creation
through the setting up of manufacturing
units or cashing in on the infrastructure
building bonanza, backward states face the
same difficulty with regard to the whole of
India,asIndiadoeswithregardtoChinaand,
now,theRCEP.Inopencompetition,themore
advanced players get the upper hand.
However, closing competition by fending
competition off stymies creativity and gen-
eratesinefficiency.Assuch,backwardstates
like Bihar face a hard choice. They will need
to look beyond harvesting the low-hanging
fruit through schemes like the MGNREGA
andhavetocomeupwithradicallynewideas
such as systematic organisation of man-
power export. They will need to wean their
people away from welfare dependency and
lead them on the path of hard, structural
change. Bihar’s, just like the rest of India’s,
moment of “blood, sweat and tears” is now.
The writer is emeritus professor of political
science, Heidelberg University, Germany. He
is the author, with Harihar Bhattacharyya, of
Politics and Governance in Indian States:
Bihar, West Bengal and Tripura
IDEAS
ONLINE
ONLY IN THE EXPRESS
● USER INTEREST FIRST:
VISWANATH PINGALI AND
D DANIEL SOKOL
● DIGITALINDIA’S
REGULATORYPARADOX:
JASPREETSINGH
www.indianexpress.com
gioninpubliclife aresomeofthenotions
that need a new political vocabulary for
any real change to happen.
H N Bhagwat, Chiplun
CAPITAL’S GOVT
THISREFERSTOtheeditorial,‘Talktothe
farmers’ (IE, November 28). It does not
takeonethingintoconsideration:What
if the government doesn’t care a hoot
about “farmers” or “consumers”? It is
known to side with middlemen since
1953. It introduced contract farming in
1990s to let MNCs control farm inputs.
BiharabolishedAPMCsin2005.Nowthe
BJP’soneagendaistoletcronycapitalists
control farm output as well.
Varun Dhir, Ahmedabad
 E EXPLAINED
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

12
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
@ieExplained
#ExpressExplained
If there are questions of current or contemporary relevance that you would like
explained, please write to explained@indianexpress.com

CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER

INDIA ACTIVE CASES

500,000
446,952
Kashmir, India and the OIC
New Delhi has hit back at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for references to Kashmir. Pakistan is an
446,952 important voice in the OIC, but India has strong bilateral relationships with most other member countries
439,747
special chief guest at the 68th Republic Day
450,000 SHUBHAJITROY celebrations in 2017, the first time India had
NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER30 laid out the Republic Day red carpet for a
leader who was neither a head of state nor a
ON SUNDAY, India hit out at the Organisation head of government. The Crown Prince had
LAST 10 DAYS ofIslamicCooperation(OIC)formakingfactu- earlier visited India in February 2016, follow-
Nov 20 Nov 29 ally incorrect and unwarranted references to ing a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
400,000 Jammu and Kashmir. The 47th session of the to the UAE in August 2015.
OICCouncilofForeignMinistersonNovember DaysbeforetheOICinvitationtoSwarajin
Note: The Nov 29 figure in this graph is based on the government update on Nov 30 27-29atNiamey,Niger,hadmadeareference 2019, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin
to India over its policies on J&K. SalmanhadvisitedIndia.Theinvitemayhave
Inastatement,IndiaadvisedtheOICtore- been an important outcome of the MBS visit,
INDIA TOTAL CASES WORLD TOTAL CASES frain from making such references in future apart from being an indication of India’s im-
9,431,691 62,924,259 andsaiditisregrettablethatthegroupingcon- proved ties with both Saudi and the UAE.
tinues to allow itself to be used by a certain BeforeSwaraj’svisittoAbuDhabi,areport
Source:MinistryofHealth&Family Source:JohnsHopkinsUniversity, country “which has an abominable record on bytheofficialEmiratesNewsAgencyhadde-
Welfare,updatedat11pmonNov30 updatedat11pmonNov 30 religioustolerance,radicalismandpersecution scribed India as a “friendly country” of “great
ofminorities”.ThiswasareferencetoPakistan. global political stature”. The External Affairs
Ministryhadsaidtheinvitationindicated“the
WhatistheOIC? Then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as Guest of Honour at the OIC desire of the enlightened leadership of the

Why influenza makes The OIC — formerly Organisation of the

Islamic Conference — is the world’s second
largest inter-governmental organisation after
Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Abu Dhabi in 2019. Express Archive UAE to go beyond our rapidly growing close
bilateral ties and forge a true multifaceted
partnership at the multilateral and interna-

people vulnerable to the UN, with a membership of 57 states. The

OIC’sstatedobjectiveis“tosafeguardandpro-
tect the interests of the Muslim world in the
atatimeofheightenedtensionswithPakistan
following the Pulwama attack. Pakistan had
opposed the invitation to Swaraj, and its
ing the unwavering support for the Kashmiri
people in their just cause”, and “expressing
deep concern at atrocious human rights vio-
tional level” and a “milestone in our compre-
hensive strategic partnership with the UAE”.
The OIC includes two of India’s close

bacterial infection spiritofpromotinginternationalpeaceandhar-

monyamongvariouspeopleoftheworld”.OIC
hasreservedmembershipforMuslim-major-
itycountries. Russia,Thailand,andacoupleof
othersmallcountrieshaveObserverstatus.
WhatisIndia’srelationshipwithOICasan
organisation?
Atthe45thsessionoftheForeignMinisters’
Summit in 2018, Bangladesh, the host, sug-
gestedthatIndia,wheremorethan10%of the
world’sMuslimslive,shouldbegivenObserver
status, but Pakistan opposed the proposal.
In 1969, India was dis-invited from the
Conference of Islamic Countries in Rabat,
Morocco at Pakistan's behest. Then
Agriculture Minister Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
was dis-invited upon arrival in Morocco af-
A box of flu shots at Bristol. The deaths of most influenza patients ter Pakistan President Yahya Khan lobbied
arecaused by bacterial infections rather than the flu virus. AP against Indian participation.
In2019,Indiamadeitsmaidenappearance
at the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting, as a
INFLUENZA IS caused by a virus, but that different nutrients and antioxi- “guest of honour”. External Affairs Minister
the most common cause of death in dants,suchasvitaminC,leakfromthe Sushma Swaraj addressed the Inaugural
influenza patients is secondary pneu- blood. This creates an environment in Plenary in Abu Dhabi on March 1 2019, after
moniacaused by bacteria, rather than the lungs that favours growth of the having been invited by Sheikh Abdullah bin
the influenza virus itself. While this is bacteria. The bacteria adapt to the in- Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister. The
well known, what is largely unknown flammatory environment by increas- Ministry of External Affairs said then that the
is why influenza infections lead to an ing the production of an enzyme invitation was a “welcome recognition of the
increasedriskof bacterialpneumonia. called HtrA. The presence of HtrA presence of 185 million Muslims in India and
Now, researchers at Sweden’s weakens the immune system and oftheircontributiontoitspluralisticethos,and
Karolinska Institutet have described promotes bacterial growth in the in- of India’s contribution to the Islamic world”.
findings leading to so-called “super- fluenza-infected airways. This first-time invitation was seen as a
infections”. The study is published in In a statement, principal investi- diplomatic victory for New Delhi, especially
the journal PNAS. It can gator Birgitta Henriques
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi
boycotted the plenary after the UAE turned
down his demand to rescind the invitation.
WhatistheOIC’sstandonKashmir?
It has been generally supportive of
Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir, and has issued
statementscriticisingtheallegedIndian“atroc-
ities”inthestate/UnionTerritory.Thesestate-
ments over the last three decades became an
annual ritual, of little significance to India.
Lastyear,afterIndiarevokedArticle370in
Kashmir,PakistanlobbiedwiththeOICfortheir
condemnationof themove.ToPakistan’ssur-
prise, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — both top
leadersamongtheMuslimcountries—issued
nuanced statements, and were not as harshly
criticalof NewDelhiasIslamabadhadhoped.
Overthelastoneyear,Islamabadhastried
to rouse sentiments among the Islamic coun-
tries,butonlyahandfulofthem—Turkeyand
Malaysia — publicly criticised India.
In2019Meccasummitaswell,theOICcrit-
icisedtheallegedIndian“atrocities”inthestate.
In 2018, the OIC General Secretariat had
“expressedstrongcondemnationofthekilling
of innocent Kashmiris by Indian forces in
Indian-occupiedKashmir”,describedthe“di-
rectshootingatdemonstrators”asa“terrorist
act”, and “called upon the international com-
munity to play its role in order to reach a just
andlastingsolutiontotheconflictinKashmir”.
The 2017 session of the OIC Foreign
Ministershadadoptedaresolution“reaffirm-
lations being committed by the Indian occu-
pation forces since 1947”.
At the 2018 meeting in Dhaka, however,
“Jammu and Kashmir” figured in only one of
39resolutionsadopted,thattoo,alongwith12
otherstatesorregionsworldwide.Pakistanac-
cused Bangladesh of circulating the text very
late.EventheresolutioninAbuDhabi,adopted
thedayafterSwarajspoke,condemned“atroc-
itiesandhumanrightsviolations”inKashmir.
HowhasIndiabeenrespondingtosuch
criticism?
IndiahasconsistentlyunderlinedthatJ&K
is an “integral part of India and is a matter
strictly internal to India”. The strength with
which India has made this assertion has var-
ied slightly at times, but never the core mes-
sage.Ithasmaintainedits“consistentandwell
known”standthattheOIChadnolocusstandi,
Thistime,Indiawentastepaheadandsaid
the grouping continues to allow itself to be
usedbyacertaincountry“whichhasanabom-
inable record on religious tolerance, radical-
ism and persecution of minorities”.
WhatisIndia’srelationshipwithOIC
membercountries?
Individually,Indiahasgoodrelationswith
almostallmembernations.TieswiththeUAE
and Saudi Arabia, especially, have looked up
significantly in recent years.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh
MohammedbinZayedAlNahyan,wasavery
neighbours, Bangladesh and Maldives.
Indiandiplomatssaybothcountriesprivately
admit they do not want to complicate their
bilateral ties with India on Kashmir, but play
along with OIC.
What is the significance of India’s latest
statement?
India now sees the duality of the OIC un-
tenable, since many of these countries have
good bilateral ties and convey to India to ig-
noreOICstatements—butsignoffonthejoint
statements which are largely drafted by
Pakistan.
New Delhi’s statement on Sunday target-
ing the OIC grouping as being led by Pakistan
hastobereadinthatcontext.SouthBlockfeels
itisimportanttochallengethedouble-speak,
since Pakistan’s campaign and currency on
theKashmirissuehashardlyanytakersinthe
international community.
Indiaalsowantstochallengethisissuebe-
cause of the possibility that the Joe Biden ad-
ministration in the US — which may have a
strong view on human rights in Kashmir —
may issue statements that may complicate
India’s image at the global stage.
With New Delhi preparing to take over a
non-permanent member’s seat at the UN
SecurityCouncil,itwantstouseitsdiplomatic
clout and goodwill to bury this issue at the
globalbodyinthenexttwoyears—andbring
up the Pakistan-sponsored cross-border ter-
rorism high on agenda.

A Hyderabad temple, and the city’s name

also contribute to re- Normark, microbiologist
search on Covid-19, the at Karolinska Institutet,
scientists suggest. said: “The ability of
The researchers cite pneumococcus to grow
the example of the inthelowerairwaysdur-
Spanishflu,whichwasan inganinfluenzainfection Secunderabad MP G Kishan Reddy claimed the run-up to the elections to the Greater isationsassociatethenamewithBhagyanagar.
influenza pandemic that PAPER seems to depend on the SREENIVASJANYALA that the temple predates Charminar, whose Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, and the BJPleaderssayHyderabadwasearlierknown
swept across the world in
1918–20. Unlike many CLIP nutrient-rich environ-
ment with its higher lev-
HYDERABAD,NOVEMBER30 construction was started in 1591.
Sources in the Archaeological Survey of
connection being made with the name
Bhagyanagar.
as Bhagyanagar but it was changed to
Hyderabad by Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah.
other pandemics, the els of antioxidants that ON SATURDAY, Union Home Minister Amit India said the temple encroaches on the pro- On November 18, on the directions of the
Spanishfludisproportion- NEW RESEARCH occurs during a viral in- ShahvisitedtheBhagyalakshmitemplewhile tective perimeter of Charminar. Officials say State Election Commission (SEC), the Hasthetemplebeenthesubjectof
ately hit young healthy fection, as well as on the on a trip to Hyderabad to campaign for the a small guard pillar erected to protect the Telangana government stopped distribution controversybefore?
adults. And one important reason for bacteria’s ability to adapt to the envi- city’smunicipalelections. AndUttarPradesh monumentfromvehicleswasfoundpainted of flood relief as the model code of conduct It has witnessed violence in the past:
this was “superinfections” caused by ronmentand protect itself from being Chief MinisterYogiAdityanath,campaigning in saffron sometime in the 1960s and some waseffect.TherulingTRSallegedthattheBJP’s ■InNovember1979,afteranarmedgroup
bacteria, in particular pneumococci. eradicated by the immune system. inHyderabad,madeapitchforrenamingthe people started performing aarti there. When Telanganachief,BandiSanjayKumar,hadwrit- seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the MIM
Pneumococcal infections are the cityasBhagyanagar,whichBJPleadersclaim a state road transport bus hit the guard pillar ten to the SEC complaining against the distri- calledforabandhintheOldCityofHyderabad.
most common cause of community- Possible treatments used to be its name earlier. “Some people damaging it, a small structure made of bam- bution of relief. Sanjay denied this and chal- AsDiwaliwasapproaching,manyHindushop-
acquired pneumonia and a leading Theresearcherssuggesttheresults wereaskingmeifHyderabadcanberenamed boo was built overnight and the idol of the lengedTRSleaderstovisittheBhagyalakshmi keepers requested the MIM to allow them to
globalcauseof death.Apriorinfluenza could be used to find new therapies as Bhagyanagar. I said — why not?” he said. goddess was placed. temple and take an oath of truth. On keeptheirshopsopen.Thisresultedinclashes
virus infection is often followed by a for double infections between the in- ShahisthelatestinalineofBJPleaderswho “After that incident, the shrine started ex- November20,Sanjayhimselfvisitedthetem- and the Bhagyalakshmi temple was attacked
pneumococcal infection. In the new fluenza virus and pneumococcal bac- have visited the Bhagyalakshmi temple over panding by a foot or two during every festival ple and said under oath that he had not writ- and desecrated.
study, researchers looked at mecha- teria. “A possible strategy can there- the last several days. Some BJP leaders claim untiltheHighCourtdirectedpolicetostopany ten a complaint to the SEC. ■ In September 1983, banners put up on
nismsbehind thisincreasedsuscepti- fore be use of protease inhibitors to thetemplederivesitsnamefromBhagyanagar. expansionin2013,”saidMohammedShabbir Since then, several BJP leaders have vis- thetempleontheGaneshfestivalcausedten-
bility:influenzainduceschangesinthe prevent pneumococcal growth in the Ali, Leader of Opposition in the Telangana ited the temple, including Amit Shah on sions as it was reported that the temple had
lower airways that affect the growth lungs,” lead author Vicky Sender said WhatistheBhagyalakshmitemple? Legislative Council. Saturday. Shah said his visit was to seek expanded, and the temple as well the Allwyn
of pneumococci in the lungs. inthestatement.Theresearchersnote It is a small temple dedicated to Goddess AlargenumberofHindutradersandbusi- blessings,anddeniedthatitwas symbolicor mosque were attacked.
thatitisstillnotknownif Covid-19pa- Lakshmi, adjacent to the southeast minar of nessmen who have shops in Charminar area a statement. ■InNovember2012,clashesbrokeoutaf-
The mechanism tients are also sensitive to such sec- Charminar.Madeofbamboopolesandtarpau- visit the temple daily. During festivals, espe- ter reports that the temple management was
The researchers used an animal ondary bacterial infections. lins, it has a tin roof, and the southeast minar cially Diwali, the temple attracts long queues. WhatisitcalledBhagyalakshmitemple? expanding it by replacing the bamboo struc-
model for their studies. They found Source: Karolinska Institute forms its back wall. There is no definitive ver- Devoteesassociatethenamewiththeirbe- ture with a sheets. The then Andhra Pradesh
siononhowandwhenexactlyitcameup,but Whyisitinthenewsnow? liefthatprayinginthetemplebringsgoodluck HighCourthaltedanyconstructionactivityof
it has been there since at least the 1960s. It is because of the visits by BJP leaders in andfortune.Ontheotherhand,Hinduorgan- the temple.

The journey of an Annapurna idol, from Varanasi to Canada and back

DIVYA A
NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 30
IN THE November 29 episode of Mann Ki
Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi an-
nounced that an ancient idol of the god-
dess Annapurna, stolen from India about
a century ago, is being brought back from
Canada.
“Every Indian would feel proud to
know that an ancient idol of Maa
Annapurna is being brought back from
Canada to India. This idol was stolen from
a temple of Varanasi [Modi’s Lok Sabha
constituency] and smuggled out of the
country around 100 years ago somewhere
around 1913,” Modi said. “Mata
Annapurna has a very special bond with
Kashi [Varanasi]. And the return of the idol
is very pleasant for all of us. Like the statue
of Mata Annapurna, much of our heritage
has been a victim of international gangs.”
How it reached Canada
Annapurna, also spelt Annapoorna, is
the goddess of food. The 18th-century idol,
carved in the Benares style, is part of the
University of Regina, Canada’s collection
at the MacKenzie Art Gallery. Last year,
when Winnipeg-based artist Divya Mehra
was invited to stage an exhibition at the
gallery, she began to research the collec-
tion, which was built around a bequest
from lawyer Norman MacKenzie in 1936.
One sculpture thought to represent Lord
Vishnu struck her as female; it was holding
a bowl of rice. Looking into records, she
found that the same sculpture had been
stolen from an active temple in 1913 and
acquired by MacKenzie.
Siddhartha V Shah, Curator of Indian
and South Asian Art at Peabody Essex
Museum, US, was called upon to identify
the statue. He confirmed it was indeed of
the goddess Annapurna. She holds a bowl
The Annapurna idol at the MacKenzie
Art Gallery. University of Regina
of kheer in one hand and a spoon in the
other. These are items associated with the
goddess of food, who is also the deity of
the city of Varanasi.
Mehra’s research showed that
MacKenzie had noticed the statue during
a trip to India in 1913. A stranger had over-
heard McKenzie’s desire to have the statue,
and stole it for him from a temple on stone
steps on the riverbank in Varanasi.
The process of return
Mehra spoke to John Hampton, interim
CEO at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and re-
quested that the statue be repatriated. The
Gallery agreed. After reading about the
discovery of the stolen statue, the Indian
High Commission in Ottawa and the
Department of Canadian Heritage reached
out and offered to assist with the repatri-
ation.
The statue will begin its journey home
next month, with its virtual repatriation
ceremony having taken place on
November 19. “As a university, we have a
responsibility to right historical wrongs
and help overcome the damaging legacy
of colonialism wherever possible,” said
University of Regina’s Vice-Chancellor
Thomas Chase. “Repatriating this statue
does not atone for the wrong that was
done a century ago, but it is an appropri-
ate and important act today.”
After it reaches India
The idol is expected to land in Delhi in
the middle of December, as per sources in
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),
who are the official custodians of all such
repatriated artefacts. A thorough verifica-
tion and documentation will be carried
out, after which a decision will be taken
about its final custody. The PM has said
the statue will be back in Kashi; the ASI
has tasked with ascertaining the security
arrangements at the idol’s original loca-
tion before handing it back to trustees at
the temple.
Other objects returned
A few weeks ago, Union Culture
Minister Prahlad Patel handed over 13th-
century bronze idols of Lord Rama,
Lakshmana and goddess Sita, which were
repatriated from the UK recently, to the
Tamil Nadu government. During the han-
dover, Patel put the onus on the respec-
tive state governments to keep antiquities
in safe custody so that such situations of
theft and legal battles don’t arise in the fu-
ture.
Between 2014 and 2020, the govern-
ment has been able to retrieve 40 antiq-
uities from various countries; between
1976 and 2014, as per ASI records, 13 an-
tique pieces had been repatriated to India.
Patel had said the return of another 75-80
stolen antique pieces is in the pipeline, but
the legal process takes a long time.

New Delhi
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against the current budgeted
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Earth.” His collaborative response
WLHVWRWUDGHUVDQGUHDVVLJQVWKDWULJKWWRLWVHOIDUJXLQJWKDWSURGXFWLRQVXSSO\DQGGLVWUL in sync with multi-lateral institu-
EXWLRQRIJRRGVPDNHIRUD6WDWHVXEMHFW3XQMDELVDOVRSODQQLQJWRWZHDNWKHGHILQLWLRQ tions to prioritise ESG-centric
RID´WUDGHDUHDµZKHUHIDUPHUVWUDGHUVDQGHOHFWURQLFWUDGLQJWUDQVDFWLRQSODWIRUPVDUH concerns (based on the tri-pillar of
environment, sustainability and
JLYHQIUHHGRPWRGHDOLQIDUPHUV·SURGXFHZLWKRXWDQ\UHVWULFWLRQVWRFRYHULWVOLPLWV,WLV governance) commits to a much-
LPSRVVLEOHIRUWKH&HQWUHRUIRRGPDMRUVWRDJUHHWRVXFKFODXVHVEXW6LQJKKDVVFRUHG needed collective responsibility of
RYHUWKHPLJKWRIWKHUXOLQJ%-3RUDQ\VDQHDUJXPHQWE\FUXVDGLQJZLWK]HDODQGV\P all nations in managing the plan-
et’s resources.
EROLVP5DMDVWKDQ&KLHI0LQLVWHU$VKRN*HKORWDQG%DJKHOWRRKDYHSXVKHGDPHQGPHQW By the same yardstick, the
%LOOVEXWZLWKQRWDVPDQ\SXQLVKLQJFODXVHV%XWWKHWKUHHKDYHFHUWDLQO\EXLOWPRPHQ Prime Minister’s post-pandemic
WXPRQDQLVVXHWKDWPDWWHUVDFURVVKHDUWODQG,QGLDDQGKDYHVXVWDLQHGDQGPRELOLVHGD management of his own country
has paved the way for a new and
PRYHPHQWDURXQGLWVWURQJHQRXJKWRJLYHWKH&RQJUHVVLWVILUVWFRJHQWWRRODVDQ2SSRVLWLRQ distinct style of governing democ-
,QIDFWVWUDWHJ\RUQRWWKHWKUHH&RQJUHVV&KLHI0LQLVWHUVDUHQRWMXVWKROGLQJRQWR racies on a similar “trusteeship par-
WKHLUWXUIVEXWDUHDUWLFXODWLQJSRVLWLRQVRQQDWLRQDOLVVXHV%DJKHODQG*HKORWKDYHEHHQ adigm.” When benchmarked
against global counterparts, Modi’s
ZDUQLQJDJDLQVWWKHEUXWDOFRPPXQDOLVDWLRQRISHUVRQDOIUHHGRPVLPSOLFLWLQWKHSURSRVHG crises-management places him in
´ORYHMLKDGµODZVE\%-3UXOHG6WDWHV6LQJKKDVUHIXVHGWKH&HQWUDO%XUHDXRI,QYHVWLJDWLRQ the league of the tallest global lead-
developed countries had greater
flexibility for welfarist mea-
sures to cushion vulnerable sec-
tions of society. In contrast,
injecting four stimulus packages
worth 10 per cent of the GDP
to fire up the economy was the
extent to which the
Government could stretch its
limits, with the fiscal deficit dou-
bling to 7.7 per cent of the GDP.
Were India’s containment
measures and public messaging
of the COVID crisis the best?
Certainly not, when compared
to Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada,
Germany or New Zealand.
Was Modi’s early lockdown
proactive or premature? Initially,
the response to relief and reha-
bilitation was ad-hoc and knee-
jerk. But then the Government
ing the reform of archaic mul-
tilateral institutions.
As we enter the last month
of a calamitous year, one is com-
pelled to assess just what was it
about Modi that he not only
retained but exponentially
widened his electoral base as
seen in the recently-concluded
Bihar elections, despite a severe-
ly pandemic-ravaged econo-
my? Because 2020 was a year
that savagely punished elected
leaders for acts of omissions in
administering inadequate relief
and rehabilitation, while out-
rightly rejecting Trump for
remaining in denial of a human-
itarian crisis of unprecedented
scale.
The answer lies in Modi’s
minutiae precision on last-mile
leadership as the primary engine
of growth, instead of China,
which augurs well for global
recovery.
India is now uniquely posi-
tioned for a faster climb-back
after a contraction of -7.5 per
cent, with the grounds being
laid to expand economic activ-
ity. Optimism for an economic
rebound is based on the struc-
tural reforms undertaken in
2020, the lowered rate of corpo-
rate taxation, a stable currency
backed by strong foreign
reserves, vibrant FDI flows of
£35.73 billion and the Finance
Minister’s nudge to increase
CAPEX spending by public
sector enterprises to drive eco-
nomic growth. Sustained buoy-
ancy will, of course, depend on
into “smart classrooms” is
implemented by connecting
60,000 villages within three
years with high-speed optic
fibre. The Ministry of
Electronics and IT is contem-
plating a public-private business
model for this visionary project,
which will lower the cost of edu-
cation per child through e-
learning.
In order to evolve as a
knowledge-based economy and
transit towards optimal digitisa-
tion, the Modi Government
has made great strides to push
brand India into the top 50
countries club in the Global
Innovation Index for the first
time. Our higher education
institutions have improved their
global rankings and in the
&%,HQWU\ZLWKRXWKLVSHUPLVVLRQ8QOHVVWKHUHLVDVWUDWHJ\WRGHIOHFWDWWHQWLRQIURPWKH ers for coming across as a trustee-
head of the nation, who from the
FHQWUDOOHDGHUVKLSWKH&RQJUHVVFKLHIWDLQVDUHGRLQJSUHWW\ZHOODVWKHYRLFHRIWKH2SSRVLWLRQ beginning, remained visible,
RQWKHLURZQ7KHSUREOHPLVSHRSOHVWLOOZDQWWRKHDUWKHFHQWUDOOHDGHUVKLSDQGH[SHFWLW accountable, admonishing, nudg-
WRVWHHUWKHGLVFRXUVH%XWHYHUVLQFHWKH+DWKUDVUDSHPXUGHUFDVHZKHQWKH*DQGKLVFLRQV ing and persuasive. At the same
YLVLWHGWKHYLFWLP·VIDPLO\DPLGKLJKGUDPDWKH\KDYHEHHQVLOHQW,QIDFWWKDWZDVDELWRI time, he was empathetically “shep-
herding his people, instead of
DKLWDQGUXQJLYHQWKHLUEHOOLJHUHQFHDVZHDUH\HWWRKHDUIURPWKHPRQDIROORZXSWRWKH resorting to punitive measures
FDVH&RQWUDVWWKDWWRWKH&KLHI0LQLVWHUVZKRKDYHVWD\HGZLWKWKHLUUHVSHFWLYHFDXVHV that would have regressed econom-
$OVR6LQJK*HKORWDQG%DJKHOKDYHGHIHQGHGWKHOHDGHUVKLSWRRWKDQGQDLOVSHDNLQJRXW ic recovery.”
Democracies, noticeably for
DJDLQVWWKH&RQJUHVV·GLVVHQWHUVVD\LQJLWZDVPRUHLPSRUWDQWWRFRDOHVFHDJDLQVWWKH the last five years, have mutated
%-3RQJUDYHULVVXHVWKDQILJKWDPRQJWKHPVHOYHVRUODPSRRQWKHOHDGHUVKLS$QGWKDW their strains, deviating from the
´HOHFWRUDOGHIHDWVZHUHQRWWKH\DUGVWLFNIRUOHDGHUVKLSFKDQJHµ4XHVWLRQLVZLOOWKH&RQJUHVV original concept of fair, inclusive
and participative governance to
OHDGHUVKLSUHZDUGWKLVOR\DOW\DQGEULQJLWVFKLHIWDLQVIRUZDUGRUXVHWKHPIRUILUHILJKWLQJ" morphing into illiberal and total-
7KHIDFWWKDW6LQJKDQG%DJKHODUHPRUHSRSXODUWKDQ5DKXO*DQGKLLQWKHLUKRPH6WDWHV itarian regimes. Viewed in this con-
VKRZVWKDWWKH&RQJUHVVGRHVKDYHOHDGHUVRIPHULWZKRFROOHFWLYHO\KDYHLWLQWKHPWR text, a “trusteeship model of
democracy” is in sharp contrast to
UHYLYHWKHSDUW\DQGNHHSLWUHOHYDQW7KH&HQWUDOOHDGHUVKLSKDVQRFKRLFHEXWWRGHYROYH the ascent of authoritarian leaders,
SRZHUDQGEXLOGDVHPEODQFHRIUHSUHVHQWDWLRQDOGHPRFUDF\LQLWVRUJDQLVDWLRQDOVWUXFWXUH even in the most advanced democ-
,QIDFWWKH&RQJUHVVKDVKLVWRULFDOO\KDGVWURQJUHJLRQDOOHDGHUV,IRQO\LWZHUHWRQXUWXUH racies.
Was the Modi-led
WKHLUVWUHQJWKVWKDQPDNLQJWKHLUFRQWLQXLW\FRQGLWLRQDORQGRLQJWKHELGGLQJRILWVILUVWIDP Government’s response to the cri-
LO\WKHSDUW\·VRUJDQLVDWLRQDOPDWUL[ZRXOGQ·WKDYHEHHQO\LQJLQVKUHGVDFURVV6WDWHV1RU sis financially adequate? This will
ZRXOGWKHJUDVVURRWVZRUNHUVJRIRUWXQHKXQWLQJWRRWKHUSDUWLHVIHDULQJWKHLUYRLFHZRXOG
Q·WHYHUPDWWHU:LOOWKH&RQJUHVVOHDUQWRLGHQWLI\LWVDVVHWVILUVW"
GRTTZ_Vec`fS]Vd
:KDWGRHVWKHFDVHRIWKHYROXQWHHULQ&KHQQDLWHOOXV
FT]TTSc^aTR^V]XbT
PbPb^RXTchcWPcP[[^U
^daTR^]^\XTbPa^d]S
cWTf^a[SPaTQdX[c^]
cWTQPRZb^Uf^\T]³b
DERXWPHGLFDOWULDOV" d]_PXS[PQ^da
:
KLOHD\HDUROGPDQDSSDUHQWO\DEXVLQHVV 0\TaXRP]_WX[P]cWa^_Xbc
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swung into streamlining
Centre-State coordination for
DBTs and food grains reaching
800 million people.
During disaster manage-
ment, it is impossible to forecast
the duration or depths of force
majeure damages as no leader
can possibly see the end of the
tunnel clearly when adversities
strike. While the US and the
UK’s health infrastructure is
ranked among the best by the
Global Health Security Index,
India’s “mortality rate per mil-
lion” remained among the low-
est.
Modi’s popularity: Modi
2.0 in 2020 is a distinctly
changed persona, in image, in
demeanour, in electoral rhetoric,
in elevating the national agen-
da above narrow political, ide-
ological or populist gains, and
in taking the moral high ground
B>D=318C4
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micro-management of 269 key the budgetary proposals and the Employability Rankings 2020
projects, down to the district efficacy of the vaccine in con- Index, India has scaled up to the
level percolation. As India trolling future surges. 15th position globally. However,
approaches the delivery stage of Going beyond crisis man- we need to scale up to skill/re-
the vaccine, Modi’s forward- agement, the Government skill 40 crore people by 2022 in
planning is becoming more needs to scale up human order to match up to the pace
job-stepped by visiting vaccine resource capital and find newer of virtualisation which is a key
hubs to fine-tune distribution avenues for raising capital enabler for economic recovery
mechanisms, down to assessing resources. as these measures remain a
the availability of cold storage Second, if we aspire to work-in-progress.
chains and ancillary equipment make India a “Plus One” invest- I conclude this analysis by
like syringes. ment destination, gaps must be paraphrasing an opinion from
India ready for economic plugged for delays in contract The New York Times, which
take-off? In January 2021, the enforcement. India takes 1,440 lauded Modi’s initiatives by
levers of global growth are days to implement contracts stating that he fared “better than
expected to rebalance more against 150 days in Singapore. many peers because he acted
favourably towards a partial We need to hasten dispute res- decisively, pre-emptively and
return to globalisation, which is olution and follow Vietnam’s relatively early...Modi’s success,
a distinct reversal from the example of allocating large land analysts say, may be more
economic insularity of the parcels on lease/rent/ mort- durable. He’s widely seen as a
Trump era. With President- gage. mobiliser, not a despot...”
elect Joe Biden taking charge Third, the pandemic forces (The author is a columnist
next month, economic recovery a relook at our woefully inade- and Chairperson for the National
is expected to accelerate with the quate investment in healthcare, Committee on Financial
liberalisation of international education and labour-skilling, Inclusion at the Niti Aayog)
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denial of the presidential election
VWLOOGRQRWNQRZZKHWKHUWKHLQGLYLGXDOZDVJLYHQWKH outcome is getting more extreme
QHZYDFFLQHRUDSODFHERZKLFKLVZK\KLVDOOHJDWLRQV each day. However, US President
UDLVHGE\KLVODZ\HUVDUHVOLJKWO\VXVSHFW7KHLQVWDQW Donald Trump’s lawsuits have
FRXQWHUVXLWE\6,,PDNHVRQHVXVSHFWZKHWKHUWKLVZDV been failing with his pleas get-
ting rejected in US courts.
MXVWDQH[WRUWLRQDWWHPSWEXWRQHWKLQJLVFOHDUWKHLQGLYLGXDOLQYROYHGKDVOLWWOHFKDQFHRI The latest bit from a Trump
VXFFHVVLQFRXUWDVYROXQWHHUVWRFOLQLFDOWULDOVIRUDQ\PHGLFDWLRQVKRXOGEHIXOO\DZDUH interview — “This is total fraud
WKDWWKH\FDQVXIIHUH[WUHPHO\DGYHUVHUHDFWLRQVWRWULDOPHGLFDWLRQDQGWKRVHUHDFWLRQV and how, the FBI (Federal
Bureau of Investigation) and
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7KHH[WUHPHO\UXVKHGUHVHDUFKDQGGHYHORSPHQWIRUYDFFLQHVWRFRXQWHUWKH&29,' know, maybe they’re involved”
YLUXVZKLFKKDVGHYDVWDWHGWKHJOREDOHFRQRP\DQGGULYHQPLOOLRQVDFURVVWKHZRUOG — shows that doubts will always
remain around the verdict.
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WULDOVVKRXOGEHPDGHIXOO\DZDUHRIWKHULVNVDQGWKH\XVXDOO\DUH,QFDVHWKLVLVJHQXLQH purpose is to protect the US and
its way of life. They serve the
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starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr,
EHJLYHQDGHTXDWHFRYHUDJHIRUWKHGDQJHULQYROYHG(YHUVRRIWHQLQ,QGLDPDQ\WULDOV may have been over the top but
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ZLWKRXWFRPSHQVDWLRQRUUHFRXUVHLIWKLQJVJRZURQJ7KHUHPD\EHPRUHWKDQZKDWPHHWV their country by working for the
FBI and not against it. Shame on
WKHH\HLQWKLVSDUWLFXODUFDVH%XWWKDWVKRXOGQRWWDNHDZD\IURPWKHWUHPHQGRXVULVNV you, President Trump!
DQGWURXEOHVWKDWPDQ\FOLQLFDOWULDOYROXQWHHUVSXWWKHPVHOYHVWKURXJK7KLVDOVRKLJK A court in Pennsylvania has
OLJKWVWKDWFRPSDQLHVLQYROYHGLQFOLQLFDOWULDOVZKHWKHUWKH\DUHODUJHJOREDOSKDUPDFHX dismissed a lawsuit filed by
Trump’s team, observing that
WLFDOILUPVRUVPDOOUHVHDUFKILUPVLQ,QGLDVKRXOGEHPRUHRSHQDQGWUDQVSDUHQWDERXW “voters, not lawyers choose the
ZKDWWKHYROXQWHHUVVXIIHU6,,ZRXOGGRZHOOWRWHOOXVWKHHQWLUHVWRU\OHVWWKLVEHFRPHV President.” The judgement came
DFDVHZKHUHWKHDQWLYDFFLQHPRYHPHQWFDQJHWDIRRWLQWKHGRRULQ,QGLD four days after Pennsylvania
C>C74438C>A
the consultative nature of democ-
2Ui_^TdXU[YdSXU^S_e^dUb racy. Cracking down on them
with force is no solution.
>
]X^]fWXRWXbPbcP_[TZXcRWT]XcT\P\^]V^cW Given the recent decisions on
TabU^aP]PeTaPVT8]SXP]XbP]TbbT]cXP[X]VaT Shaheen Bagh and other cases,
SXT]cU^a\P]hRdXbX]TbP]SaTRX_Tb5a^\b_XRh pertaining to protests against
RdaaXTbc^cP]VhaT[XbWTbXcXbX\_^bbXQ[Tc^X\PVX]T the Citizenship (Amendment)
R^^ZX]VP]hcWX]VfXcW^dcXc1dcXcP[b^WPbWXVW\TS Act, this brutal silencing of protest
XRX]P[eP[dT was all but expected.
8UU^[ZaT\TSXTbPaTc^QTQT[XTeTS^]X^]bR^d[S The discontent of farmers in
caTPcR^[SR^dVWPbcW\PP]SQa^]RWXcXb0\^]V^cWTa this country has been growing
]dcaXcX^]P[ QT]TUXcb ^]X^]b bcX\d[PcT Va^fcW ^U over the years due to the Central
WTP[cWhQXUXS^QPRcTaXPX]cWTR^[^]P]SWT[_X][^f government’s careless economic
TaX]VQ[^^S[X_XSbP]SPaTcWdbTUUTRcXeTX]\P]PVX]V policies. These have debilitated
RW^[TbcTa^[[TeT[bCWTbd[UXSTX]^]X^]aTSdRTbcd\^a the rural economy. Farmers have
Va^fcWP]SXbQTX]VTg_[^aTSPbP_^bbXQ[TX]VaTSX experienced a growing mismatch
T]cX]cWTRdaTU^aRP]RTa XcfXcWfPa\fPcTa>]TRP]P[b^\Xg^]X^]YdXRTfXcW between their production efforts
CWTU[Pe^]^XSbX]^]X^]WT[_X]aTSdRX]VQPSRW^ [T\^]YdXRTP]S\PbbPVTcWTbRP[_fXcWXcCWXb_aT and income under the current
[TbcTa^[fWX[TcWX^bd[UX]PcTcWX]b^dccWTQ[^^SUdacWTa eT]cbWPXa[^bbP]SSP]SadUU regime.
CWTbTcaPSXcX^]P[_aPRcXcX^]TabbPhaTSdRTcWTaXbZ^U 8]cWTbTcX\Tb^UX\\d]XchQ^^bcTabfT\dbc Climate change and its out-
WTPacPccPRZP]Sbca^ZT>]X^]P[b^bcX\d[PcTbWPXa cP_X]c^^da_[P]cfTP[cWP]SWTaXcPVTP]SSTeT[^_P comes have already worsened the
Va^fcWQTRPdbT^UcWTWdVTR^]cT]c^Ubd[_WdaX]Xc W^[XbcXRfT[[QTX]Va^dcX]TX]^daSPX[h[XeTb<dRW^U farmers’ condition. The new
8cbcX\d[PcTbQ[^^SU[^fP]S_a^SdRTbR^[[PVT]fWXRW ^daWTaQP[WTaXcPVT]TTSbc^QTaTR^V]XbTSP]S_PcT]c farm Acts expose them to mar-
WT[_bX]cWTVa^fcW^UWPXa>]TRP]TgcaPRcXcbYdXRT TSU^a_WPa\PRTdcXRP[dbTb ket fluctuations, hence the inse-
\XgXcfXcWP[\^]S^X[^aR^R^]dc^X[P]S\PbbPVTXc 9dQT[32adi curity. The community of farm-
^]cWTbRP[_*[TPeTXcU^aPa^d]S#$\X]dcTb*cWT]fPbW <d\QPX ers is thus right in feeling agitat-
ed. The Government can try and
certified Trump’s Democratic as the winner but made it clear use stadiums to imprison protest- keep farmers under control but
rival Joe Biden as the winner in he was not prepared to “concede” ers (farmers). It is a small mercy it cannot deny the discontent that
the State which has 20 electoral the election. that the Delhi Government is growing among 60 per cent of
college votes. Dennis Fitzgerald refused to grant the police the the country’s voting population.
Trump told reporters on Melbourne, Australia permission to do so. These farm- They could turn the tide.
Thursday that it would be “hard” ers have simply been protesting Bhagwan Thadani
to concede to Biden, a against a law that they don’t find Mumbai
Democrat. He said he would 6Qb]Ubcµg_Uc favourable. They have as much
leave the White House if the Sir —In a democracy, it beats rea- right to make themselves heard BT]Shh^daUUTTSQPRZcc^)
Electoral College declares Biden son that its police force wants to and be invited to negotiations in [TccTabc^_X^]TTa/V\PX[R^\
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 YDFFLQHFOLQLFDOUHVHDUFKRQ1RYHPEHU)LUVWRIDOOWKH%-3
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EDD1=6D?C0
ince 2014, the Narendra Modi Government
S has weeded out close to 44 million bogus
ration cards by using the Information
Technology (IT) infrastructure viz. digitisation,
seeding of Aadhaar on ration cards, electronic
point of sale machines at retail shops and so on.
However, this addresses only a small aspect of the
problem and that, too, is unlikely to be rooted out
completely with the use of technology alone.
Besides, large-scale diversion and black market-
ing of grain, inclusion of the privileged among
beneficiaries, a ballooning subsidy bill and so on
will persist so long as the extant system of rout-
ing food subsidy through State agencies contin-
ues. What then is the way forward? The
Government should stop selling food at a sub-
sidised price. Instead, it should limit its role to
6WDWH*RYHUQPHQW.DUQDWDNDLQLWVNLWW\7KLUGWKH%-3ZDQWVWR crediting subsidy directly to the accounts of ben-
FXWWKH$,0,0WRVL]H7KH$VDGXGGLQ2ZDLVLOHG$,0,0KDVDOZD\V eficiaries. When foodgrains at C1/2/3 per kg are
EHHQVWURQJLQWKH+\GHUDEDGUHJLRQ2ZDLVLKDVH[SDQGHGKLVSDUW\ not available, these maladies will be automatical-
WR0DKDUDVKWUD8WWDU3UDGHVKDQG%LKDU7KH$,0,0LVTXLWHXSEHDW ly nipped in the bud.
Under the National Food Security Act
DIWHUZLQQLQJILYHVHDWVLQWKHUHFHQW%LKDUSROOVDQGZDQWVWRH[SDQG
(NFSA), the Union Government arranges for sup-
LQ:HVW%HQJDOLQQH[W\HDU·V$VVHPEO\HOHFWLRQVWRR+RZHYHUWKLV ply of wheat, rice and coarse cereals to the ben-
ZLOOFXWLQWRWKH0XVOLPYRWHEDQNDQGLWZLOOEHKHOSIXOIRUWKH%-3 eficiaries at C2/3/1 per kg, which is a fraction of
WRVSOLWWKH0XVOLPYRWHV(YHQWKRXJKWKH756KDVDOZD\VFRQ the cost of procurement, handling and distribu-
WHVWHGDJDLQVWWKH$,0,0LQHYHU\HOHFWLRQWKHIRUPHUKDVHQMR\HG tion (eg. 1/15th in case of wheat). Every person
LVVXHEDVHG VXSSRUW IURP WKH ODWWHU 7KH WZR SDUWLHV WDFWLFDOO\ whose name is mentioned on the ration card is
DQQRXQFHGWKDWWKHUHZRXOGEHQRWLHXSLQWKHPXQLFLSDOSROOVLQ eligible to receive five kg of rice or wheat per
RUGHUWRSURWHFWWKHLUWXUIV month. In addition, during April-June, to miti-
7KH%-3WKH756DQGWKH$,0,0KDYHDOOEHHQJHQHURXVLQVSHQG gate the impact of COVID-19, the PM Garib
LQJPRQH\DQGKDYHPRUHWKDQDGHTXDWHPXVFOHSRZHUDQGPDQ Kalyan Yojna added a “free” five kg of rice or
wheat per person per month to all 815 million
SRZHUWRILJKWWKLVHOHFWLRQIRUGLIIHUHQWUHDVRQV7KH%-3ZDQWVWR
individual beneficiaries under the NFSA. Besides
VSUHDGLWVZLQJVIXUWKHULQWKH6RXWK7KH$,0,0KDVDOZD\VZRQ one kg of free pulses per month was provided to
LQWKH+\GHUDEDGUHJLRQDQGLVSURWHFWLQJLWVWXUI$VIRUWKHUXOLQJ every family. These additional provisions were
756LWLVDILJKWIRULWVSUHVWLJH7KHSDUW\ZKLFKKDVEHHQRQD extended for a further five months till November.
ZLQQLQJVSUHHVLQFHWKH6WDWHZDVELIXUFDWHGLQPDGHDFOHYHU The supplies are made by the Food
DQGVXUSULVHPRYHE\DGYDQFLQJWKHFLYLFSROOE\WZRPRQWKV7KH Corporation of India (FCI) and other State agen-
756KDGZRQVHDWVLQWKHSUHYLRXVFLYLFHOHFWLRQVZKLOHWKH$,0,0 cies on behalf of the Central Government, which
ZRQVHDWVWKH%-3WKUHHDQGWKH&RQJUHVVWZR reimburses to the former the excess of the cost
7KH%-3LVDWWDFNLQJWKH756IRULWVSROLWLFVRIDSSHDVHPHQW of purchase, handling and distribution over the
3OXVWKHUHFHQWIORRGUHOLHIPHDVXUHVKDYHEHHQLQDGHTXDWH7KH price charged from the beneficiaries i.e. C2/3/1
per kg on additional supplies (during the eight
0XVL5LYHUWKDWUXQVWKURXJKWKHFLW\ZDVLQVSDWHODVWPRQWKDQG
months of the current year, this is zero). This reim-
WDQNVDQGQXOODKVGHYHORSHGEUHDFKHVDQGORZO\LQJDUHDVZHUHZDWHU
bursement or food subsidy is paid from the
ORJJHG$ERXWPXQLFLSDOZDUGVZHUHDIIHFWHGGXHWRLW7KH%-3 Central Budget. In recent years, food subsidy has
FOHYHUO\ZDQWVWRFDVKLQRQWKLV,QWHUHVWLQJO\ZKLOHWKH*+0&SROO increased to frightening levels. During 2019-20,
LVQRUPDOO\IRXJKWRQFLYLFSUREOHPVOLNHZDWHUVHZHUDJHVDQLWD it was C2,19,000 crore. For 2020-21, prior to
WLRQURDGVDQGRWKHUDPHQLWLHVWKHFDPSDLJQVKRZHGDSRODULVLQJ COVID-19, the likely spend was estimated to be
WUHQG ,W ZDV FHQWUHG DURXQG SRODULVLQJ FRPPHQWV RQ 3DNLVWDQ C2,53,000 crore. Including the impact of free food
0RKDPPDG$OL-LQQDKDOOHJDWLRQVLQYROYLQJ5RKLQJ\DUHIXJHHVDQG during April-November or about C1,50,000
D+LQGX0XVOLPQDUUDWLYHQRWFLYLFLVVXHV crore, this will scale up to C4,03,000 crore. In case
7KLVOHGWRWKH'LUHFWRU*HQHUDORI3ROLFH0DKHQGHU5HGG\WR the free food scheme is extended further, the
spend will be much higher.
ZDUQWKHSDUWLHVDIWHUDVHFXULW\PHHWLQJ´7KH\DUHWU\LQJWRLQFLWH
FRPPXQDOWURXEOH:HDUHH[DPLQLQJWKHVSHHFKHVFDUHIXOO\$FWLRQ The ballooning food subsidy is putting a huge
stress on the Union Budget. Faced with a short-
ZLOOEHWDNHQDVSHUODZDJDLQVWWKRVHWU\LQJWRFUHDWHGLVWXUEDQFHVµ fall in tax collection in recent years and the over-
KHFDXWLRQHG+\GHUDEDGKDVRQHRIWKHODUJHVW0XVOLPSRSXODWLRQV arching need to contain fiscal deficit, the Centre
IRUDFLW\LQ,QGLDDERXWSHUFHQWRIWKHSHRSOHLQWKHFLW\DUH has been making short payments to the FCI, forc-
0XVOLPZKLOHSHUFHQWDUH+LQGX$OOWKHSDUWLHVKDYHEHHQJHQ ing the latter to borrow heavily to sustain its oper-
HURXVLQSURPLVLQJVRSVWRWKHHOHFWRUDWHLIWKH\ZLQ7KH%-3WKH ations. The situation is so pathetic that since 2016-
756DQGWKH&RQJUHVVKDYHSURPLVHGIUHHGULQNLQJZDWHUVXSSO\ 17, the FCI has been drawing funds from the
WRWKHFLW\ZKLOHWKH%-3KDVSURPLVHGDIUHHYDFFLQHWRWDFNOHWKH National Small Savings Fund (NSSF). As on
1RYHO&RURQDYLUXVDQGUHQDPLQJRI+\GHUDEDGDV%KDJ\D1DJDU March 31, the cumulative borrowings from the
7KH&KLHI0LQLVWHURI7HODQJDQD.DOYDNXQWOD&KDQGUDVKHNKDU NSSF were to the tune of C3,30,000 crore.
5DRLVWKUHDWHQLQJWRPRELOLVHDQRQ%-32SSRVLWLRQIURQWLQFOXG The allocation for the current year being
C1,26,000 crore (C1,16,000 crore provided in the
LQJWKH7ULQDPRRO&RQJUHVVWKH6DPDMZDGL3DUW\WKH1DWLRQDOLVW Budget, plus C10,000 crore in the first supplemen-
&RQJUHVV3DUW\DQGVRRQLQDQDWWHPSWWRUHYLYHWKHDQWL%-3IURQW tary demands for grants) against the requirement
2SLQLRQSROOVKDYHFRPHXSZLWKYDULHGILQGLQJVJLYLQJWKHPD[ of C4,03,000 crore, the shortfall is C2,77,000 crore.
LPXPVHDWVWRWKH756DWZKLOHDOPRVWDOORIWKHPVHHWKH%-3 If no further supplementary authorisation comes,
ZLQQLQJQHDUO\SHUFHQWRIWKHYRWHV7KHYRWHVRIWKH0/$V the FCI will have to borrow all of this from the
DQG03VLQWKHUHJLRQZRXOGJRLQIDYRXURIWKH756+RZHYHULW NSSF, taking its borrowings to a gargantuan
DOOGHSHQGVRQZKRP'DPH/XFNIDYRXUVLQWKHHQG C6,07,000 crore as of March 2021. Though stay-
C74
6>E4A=<4=C
20=CA0=B54A
C!'?4A<>=C7
BD1B83H0CC74
A0C4>5C!'?4A
:65>A :6
C>C74 is entirely the liability of the Union
14=458280AH³B Government and will need to be ser-
022>D=CC> viced from the latter’s tax collections in
the future. The core feature of this
4=01;478<74A scheme, or supply of wheat or rice at a
C>1DH :6
price almost close to zero, may be a
5A><C74 boon for the beneficiaries but ends up
<0A:4C1H being a bane for the economy. The avail-
?0H8=6C" ability of wheat at C2 per kg through the
8=2;D38=6C! Public Distribution System (PDS) under
5A><78B74A the NFSA, when the market price is a
?>2:4CC78B minimum C30 per kg, is a huge allure-
F8;;BCA8:40C ment to all those involved in its imple-
C74E4AH mentation. No wonder, there is large-
scale diversion of foodgrain from rake
A>>C>5 unloading points and godowns of the
38E4AB8>=
FCI. Trucks disappear on way to the
?8;54A0640=3
retail sale points. Then there are mil-
1;02: lions of non-existent or fake beneficia-
<0A:4C8=6 ries.
F74= There is a clamour for becoming
5>>36A08=B0C beneficiaries under the scheme even as
C !"?4A:6 there are numerous instances of people
0A49DBC=>C selling their subsidised quota of food-
0E08;01;4C74 grain, say wheat bought at C2 per kg, to
dubious traders at C12 per kg or more.
E4AHC7>D67C Clearly, there are millions availing sub-
>5<0:8=60
sidised food despite being above the
@D82:1D2:F8;; poverty line. The official word on the
14=8??43 number of poor in India is no more than
8=C741D3 25-30 per cent; yet the beneficiaries
under NFSA are nearly over 66 per cent.
Further, since the handling and dis-
tribution cost, besides the Minimum
Support Price (MSP) paid to farmers,
is reimbursed to the FCI and other State
agencies on “actual” as food subsidy,
inefficiency and inflated cost claims
(including bogus) are inevitable. The
“loaders” getting away with monthly
salary in lakhs easily pass muster under
a cost-based mechanism. Reports of dis-
appearance of food stocks in Punjab
causing a loss of over C20,000 crore to
the exchequer in 2016 are still fresh in
people’s memory. Such inefficiencies
and irregularities have also been point-
General (CAG) of India. Meanwhile,
the most deserving (poorest of the poor)
continue to be deprived of their full
requirement. This is because supplies
under the NFSA at five kg per person
per month barely cover 50 per cent of
the requirement of a person, which is
10 kg per month, as estimated by the
National Sample Survey Organisation
(NSSO). Having to buy the balance five
kg at a very high price, say C30 per kg
in case of wheat, they are worse off.
Weeding out of 44 million bogus
beneficiaries in itself may appear to be
a big accomplishment. But seen in the
broader perspective, this addresses only
a small aspect of the problem and that,
too, is unlikely to be rooted out com-
pletely with use of technology alone.
Besides, other problems will persist so
long as the system of routing food sub-
sidy through State agencies continues.
In early 2015, a committee under Dr
Shanta Kumar, a senior BJP leader, had
recognised the need to deal with non-
deserving beneficiaries and restricting
subsidised food only to the very poor.
It recommended a cut in the number of
those eligible for subsidised food from
67 per cent to 40 per cent and restrict-
ing the benefit of C1/2/3 per kg only to
the poorest of poor people under the
Antyodaya Anna Yojana, while increas-
ing the supply to seven kg per person.
Others should pay 50 per cent of the
MSP paid to farmers.
Even as that report is lying in cold
storage, its prescription is nowhere
near addressing the flaws in the exist-
ing system. The way forward is to stop
routing subsidy through the State agen-
cies. In other words, the Government
should not sell food at subsidised price;
instead, it should limit its role to cred-
iting subsidy directly to the beneficia-
ry’s account. The Government can
transfer C280 per month (subsidy at the
eficiary’s account to enable him/her to
buy 10 kg from the market by paying
C300 (including C20 from his/her pock-
et). This will strike at the very root of
diversion, pilferage, black marketing.
When, foodgrains at C1/2/3 per kg are
just not available, the very thought of
making a quick buck will be nipped in
the bud. As for the FCI et al, while they
will still be involved in purchase, han-
dling and distribution, they will oper-
ate like any other business entity and be
compelled to operate efficiently and
keep costs low.
With private entities, too, allowed
to directly buy from farmers, stock farm
produce sans any limit (courtesy, the
three farm laws recently enacted by the
Centre), there will be plenty of products
available in the market ensuring fair
amount of competition and enabling
low price to consumers.
We will have a scenario whereby the
market price of wheat could come down
to say C25 per kg or even less (from the
existing minimum of C30 per kg) giv-
ing relief to everyone. Ditto for other
products. It will have a deflationary
impact down the line as all of the
processed food will cost less. There will
be huge saving in subsidy, which will be
restricted only to the poor or about 300
million (down from existing 800 mil-
lion) even as the Government need not
have to pay for any flab such as inflat-
ed cost, inefficiencies, subsidy to bogus
beneficiaries and so on. This will rein
in fiscal deficit and trim borrowings,
thereby preventing an unsustainable
burden on the future generation of tax-
payers.
The outcome of this approach is
very promising; however, its adoption
will require political courage and a fun-
damental change in the mindset of our
policymakers.
(The writer is a New Delhi-based
7KHZULWHULVDVHQLRUMRXUQDOLVW ing on the FCI’s balance sheet, this mammoth debt
$OHDGHUZKREHOLHYHGLQOHDYLQJQRRQHEHKLQG
/TJOXG-GTJNOTGZOUTGROYKJVXO\GZKHGTQYZ[XTKJZNKSOTZUZNKHOMMKYZV[HROIYKIZUXHGTQOTMY_YZKSOTZNK]UXRJ]NOINMG\KVKUVRKRUGTYLUXYKRLKSVRU_SKTZ
54E1B4? 50;48A>
ecently, we commemorated
R the birth anniversary of the late
Indira Gandhi, who has so far
remained the only woman Prime
Minister of India. She was considered
the most popular leader of the mass-
es of Independent India especially
among the weaker sections of soci-
ety. The Congress Party during Indira
Gandhi’s tenure coined the slogan
“Garibi hatao (eradicate poverty)”
and she led the efforts for the amend-
ment to the Preamble of the
Constitution to include the words,
“Socialist, Secular and Democratic
Republic of India.”
In furtherance of these con-
cepts, her Government implement-
ed the 20-point programme. Its basic
objective was to eradicate poverty and
to improve the quality of life of the
poor and the weaker sections of soci-
ety. It included removal of rural
poverty, health, education and hous-
ing for all, justice for Scheduled Caste
(SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) and
equality for women.
Indira Gandhi nationalised pri-
vate sector banks and turned them
into the most gigantic public sector
banking system in the world, which
gave people loans for self-employ-
ment. I happened to be involved in
the implementation of the 20-Point
Programme when I was Union
Minister of State for Finance. The
banks were instructed to provide
loans to the poor and weaker sections
of society who wanted to open some
small business. As a result, millions
across the country got those small
loans for setting up their own ven-
tures. The rate of repayment of those
loans was as good, if not better, than
the repayment of large loans taken by
big firms. For the benefit of the peo-
ple, the number of bank branches was
increased substantially, too.
In Goa, we had branches of the
State Bank of India (SBI) and of a cou-
ple of other banks in the main towns
but not in the villages. During my
tenure, in the process of implemen-
tation of the 20-Point Programme,
branches of different banks were
opened in practically every village of
our State. Similar steps were taken in
all States across India.
Indira Gandhi was much criti-
cised for imposing the Emergency in
1975 which lasted for 21 months. To
my mind, Emergency was thought to
be necessary at that time in view of
the moves of the Opposition to
destabilise the Government and the
country. The Emergency was
imposed on the advice of Sanjay
Gandhi and Siddhartha Shankar
Ray. Much of the criticism of the
Emergency was on account of the
Family Planning programme, which
was implemented in North India
ed out by the Comptroller and Auditor
sometimes in a drastic and brutal
manner. Sometime later, Indira
Gandhi herself felt that imposition of
the Emergency had been a mistake.
In Goa itself, Emergency proved
to be beneficial. “Trains are running
on time” was then a national slogan
and in Goa the Administration
became more efficient, black market-
ing and hoarding stopped and food
and other articles of general con-
sumption were easily available, which
was not the case earlier. The support
of the Goan people to the
Government of India during
Emergency benefitted the Congress
Party, which went on to win the Lok
Sabha seat of South Goa. This was the
first-ever election victory of the
Congress Party in Goa. Until then, the
Congress had not won a single seat
either in Parliament, in the Assembly
or even at the municipality level.
In the general elections held in
1977, Indira Gandhi lost her Lok
Sabha seat from Rae Barelli but
immediately thereafter in 1978 she
won a byelection from the
rate of C28 per kg for 10 kg) to the ben-
Chikmagalur constituency. In
November 1978, the Janata Party
brought in a motion to expel Indira
Gandhi from Parliament. My party,
the Congress (U), supported this
motion of the ruling party. However,
I personally could not support it. I felt
that I had won the Lok Sabha elec-
tion in the name of Indira. I met
Yashwantrao Chavan, who was the
leader of the Congress (U) in
Parliament. Chavan permitted me to
oppose the motion. During the
debate, while my party supported the
motion, I strongly opposed it. Indira
Gandhi was in the Lok Sabha during
the debate and apparently she never
forgot my support to her on that day.
In 1980, I was the only candidate in
the whole country belonging to the
Congress (U) who was also support-
ed by the Congress (I).
After Liberation, there were two
opposite points of view on the status
of Goa, Daman and Diu. In the first
four Assembly elections, the
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party
(MGP) obtained a significant victo-
policy analyst)
ry and formed the Government.
The MGP wanted the merger of Goa
into Maharashtra on the grounds that
Goa identified culturally and in
many other ways with Maharashtra.
The United Goans Party (UGP) as
well as the Congress held that Goa
should not merge with Maharashtra.
The MGP wanted the matter to be
decided by voting on the floor of the
Assembly.
This was strongly opposed by the
UGP and the Congress. Thereafter,
during the premiership of Indira
Gandhi an opinion poll (referendum)
was held for Goa. This was the first
and so far the only one ever held in
the country. It went against the
demand for the merger. Thereafter,
the Congress and the UGP demand-
ed statehood for Goa.
My first speech in the Lok Sabha
echoed that demand for statehood.
However, Morarji Desai, then Prime
Minister, was not in favour of small
States. In 1980, Indira Gandhi
returned as Prime Minister and I
moved a Bill seeking statehood for
Goa. Rajiv Gandhi, then General
Secretary of the Congress Party, met
me and promised that statehood
would be granted to Goa. True to his
word, statehood was granted to us in
the next term of the Lok Sabha dur-
ing the premiership of Rajiv Gandhi
himself.
It was obtained due to the efforts
of then Chief Minister Pratapsingh
Rane, my colleague in the Lok Sabha
Shantaram Naik and other leaders of
the Congress and the MGP’s Pankar.
The MGP brought a resolution
demanding Statehood for Goa. While
replying to the debate, Shashikala
Kakodkar, then Chief Minister said,
“In the early years after Liberation, the
MGP stood for merger with
Maharashtra and fought for it
through the opinion poll in a demo-
cratic way. The verdict of the poll
went against the merger. The MGP
accepted the people’s verdict because
it believes in the wisdom of the elec-
torate.”
(The writer is a former Union
Minister)
THE SIKH TIMES
Study sheds light on possible
factors leading to obesity
Research-based on 5,425 citizens’ responses to a
questionnaire survey has illuminated that obesity
causes are linked to various factors in addition to
the individual’s current socio-economic
circumstances, including childhood experiences,
particularly those of abuse.
The study was carried out by Project Professor
TAMORI Yoshikazu (Division of Creative Health
Promotion) et al.’s research group at the Kobe
University Graduate School of Medicine.
Conventionally, there is a tendency to perceive
individuals who are overweight as lacking the
willpower to improve their lifestyle habits.
However, this research study has revealed that in
women, obesity in adulthood is linked not only to
factors such as social environment (for example,
economic circumstances and education), but also
to childhood experiences, in particular abuse.
This suggests that improving child welfare, such as
by increasing abuse prevention measures, will
also help to prevent obesity in adults.
These research results are due to be published in the
scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Obesity is increasing worldwide against a
background of lifestyle habits such as overeating
and insufficient exercise. In Japan, approximately
1 in 3 men and 1 in 5 women are overweight.
Obesity causes various disorders such as Type-2
diabetes, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, heart
disease, fatty liver, stroke and sleep apnea, thus
shortening healthy life expectancy.
There is a strong relationship between obesity and
lifestyle habits, however, it has been reported
overseas that various aspects of individuals’ social
backgrounds also have an effect. In Japan, this
kind of survey study had yet to be carried out. In
addition, there are racial and cultural differences
between Japan and overseas. Therefore, this study
aimed to understand the relationship between
obesity and social background based on the results
of a survey carried out in Japan.
Revealing the relationship between obesity and the
individual’s social background will make a large
contribution towards measures to tackle and
prevent obesity.
Research results
In 2018, the Kobe City authorities distributed a
survey to 20,000 citizens aged between 20 and 64
about aspects such as their living conditions and
health issues in order to gain an understanding of
residents’ health. Based on the results of this
questionnaire, Professor Tamori investigated
what sort of personal living conditions were
connected to obesity, which has been called ‘the
cause of all kinds of diseases’.
There were more obese male respondents (27.2%)
than female respondents (10.6%), which is the
same as the national trend in Japan. When the
researchers investigated the social and personal
factors that were linked to obesity, they found that
there were differences in the following categories
between obese women and those with an average
weight: employment status, household economic
circumstances, educational background,
extracurricular activities during middle
school/high school, economic circumstances at
age 15, and experiences of adversity during
childhood. Furthermore, marital status, household
economic circumstances, educational
background, and experiences of adversity during
childhood were factors that could predict the onset
of obesity. On the other hand, no statistical
differences were found between the surveyed
categories in men.
Prioritising healthcare counts, not grandstanding
Grind is the glory in healthcare policy-making. Glitz is not!
But one sees flashy and sizzling pronouncements more
often. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call.
Worse still, the position and pathway taken in health is
not optimal because it is not critical to political
equilibrium. Inevitably, we find policies and actions
where rubber does not meet the road and health outcomes
end up short. Now, it is beyond doubt that unless there is a
political will to reform, no palpable change will be
possible. The interregnum is more dangerous where a
market without competitive equilibrium will operate
even though 80% of society does not get attended to,
lacks affordability or faces hardships to access the
healthcare offered by the market (Niti Aayog statistics).
Resultantly, the government misses out the opportunity
on right investment.
Bangladesh invested in healthcare. They pressed the right
button, remained substantially undistracted by the glitzy
best practices and the improvement in social indicators is
there to see. Better social indicators, among others,
contributed to better economic outcome. But how do we
actualise and trigger the need for change and reform. The
reforms required are quite well-known. They are letting
go, letting be and doing right. The present resolute
leadership gives a lot of hope. But can they do it right?
The real leadership hinges on doing the right thing. Once
that is done, the right way of doing it will fall in place.
Let's start in reverse. Having an insurance scheme for
secondary and tertiary care at the cost of primary
healthcare is not the best way of going forward. It could
be a good support scheme for the corporate hospitals, but
does not meet the healthcare needs. On the one hand, we
see a willful deprioritisation of support to primary
healthcare and other public hospitals. We also see an
insidious collaboration with private hospitals by leaving
the space open to them, even though it is beyond the
majority's affordability, and thereby access. They also
EDITORIAL New Delhi, Tuesday, 1 December, 2020 6
Transatlantic barrier stalls China’s march
China has been concerned at the visited Tokyo to mend fences over the
enthusiastic reaction of European Union recurrent dispute with Japan over the
(EU) countries such as Germany and Senkaku islands. Wang told Japanese PM
France at the election of US President- Yoshihide Suga that Xi wanted to build
elect Joe Biden. Germany’s Foreign good working relations with him and the
Minister Heiko Maas remarked recently Senkaku dispute should not come in its
that “transatlantic friendship is way.
indispensable if we are to deal with the The two sides agreed to resume business
major challenges of our time including travel and set up a hotline to manage their
China.” maritime dispute. Japan’s dispute with
China had drawn immense leverage from China is relatively minor and PM Suga is
the hard knocks given by President hedging to improve relations with China
Trump to the transatlantic unity, calling and other countries while maintaining
NATO “brain-dead”, imposing tariffs on close ties with the US.
certain German and French exports to Chinese President Xi Jinping is
the US, publicly rebuking the EU contemplating a visit to South Korea after
countries to spend more on their the coronavirus situation stabilises. But
collective defence and taking major South Korean President Moon Jae-in is
decisions such as withdrawal from the already under considerable domestic
Iranian nuclear and Paris climate pressure for his China-friendly approach
agreements without consulting them. amid escalating anti-China sentiment in the
Finding that the US was considerably country.
enfeebled, had no appetite for new military
conflicts and was in a withdrawal mode, China,
Finding that the US was enfeebled, had no appetite for new Chinese PM Li Keqiang held a video summit with the
leaders of ASEAN countries in the middle of
under President Xi Jinping, had started setting military conflicts and was in a withdrawal mode, China under November and urged them to “take a flexible
tougher terms of engagement with the US allies approach to speed up the negotiations for a code of
and partners in Europe and Asia. Supported by President Xi Jinping had started setting tougher terms of conduct to demonstrate to the international
its Belt and Road and other economic initiatives, community that they and China have the wisdom to
the EU was divided with the establishment of a engagement with American allies and partners in Europe and control the situation in the South China Sea” to
group of 17 plus 1 countries, led by Hungary and
others, which supported China’s interests.
Asia. With Biden’s election and his call for a united front of avoid external (read US) interference.
China’s attitude towards Australia has been more
With the election of Biden and his call for the the US and its allies to confront China, the tables have turned. obdurate, telling Canberra to cease any criticism of
establishment of a “united front of the USA, its China, be it for Covid-19, its human rights record
allies and partners to confront China’s abusive and domestic interference. Similarly, China has
behaviours,” the tables have suddenly turned. been truculent in its posture towards India, arguing
need to send a ‘friendly’ message to Washington.
China finds a different EU with more tenacious leaders that the latter has drifted towards the US in its rivalry with
What is galling to China is that the EU countries are now
and considerable hardening in their terms of cooperation that country, an accusation India has denied. China is
asking her to respect the human rights of its minorities in
with China. putting immense pressure on both India and Australia to
Xinjiang and Tibet, guarantee freedoms to Hong Kong
EU leaders are now asking China for more market access, and release the Canadian nationals, Michael Kovrig and change course, but these countries have stoutly resisted
elimination of subsidies to China’s state-owned Michael Spavor (arrested by China to seek the release of Beijing’s depredations.
enterprises (SOEs), fair terms of trade and putting Huawei top executive Meng Wanzhou) and Chinese The restoration of transatlantic unity has hurt the
restrictions on the SOEs for takeover of assets in the EU dissidents like Gui Minhai. When Xi Jinping told the EU considerable leverage that China had started enjoying in
markets, demands that the US had been making; they have leaders that China would not accept their lectures on pursuing a hawkish foreign policy. A Biden presidency
told her that a comprehensive agreement on investment human rights and the EU should mind its own human would open new debates along new parameters among the
would hinge on China making stronger offers. China is rights record, EU leaders pushed him back saying that US allies and partners on how best to collectively deal
hoping that the EU countries would not follow the US China’s human rights violations were ‘systemic’. with a rising and aggressive China. The Chinese are
direction in starting a new ‘cold war’, economic hoping that their quick diplomatic moves with the US
Xi, who has cultivated a strongman’s image, has little
decoupling and exclusion of Huawei from their 5G allies and partners may help in restraining some of them,
leeway to compromise on market access, state subsidies or
networks. and side completely with the US.
human rights issues. There were earlier plans to invite the
The new undercurrents are perceptible across several EU Chinese President to a meeting with the members of the As the US, its allies and partners in Europe and Asia begin to
countries. Slovakia joined the other east European push back the unfair economic policies and abusive
European Council (EC) next year; these have been
countries in signing declarations with the US in October, dropped for now. Instead, the EC is inviting the US behaviour of China collectively, the terms of engagement
aimed at rolling back the Chinese influence in 5G telecom set by Beijing earlier, would, undoubtedly, undergo a
President to discuss the shared priorities.
infrastructure. The Netherlands has become reluctant to change. The Chinese leadership is making its best efforts
In Asia, too, the senior Chinese leaders are at work to deal
renew an export licence for the sale of critical microchip to ensure that they don’t lose too much in the new political
with new maelstroms stirred by the resumption of
technology to China. Even an indebted Italy is now trying alignment.
transatlantic unity. Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently
to balance its economic relationship with China with the
Find a meeting point on farm laws
The farmer protests, primarily led stakeholders. And the second is
�Reach out by land-owning agriculturists of the fear of the mandi and
Punjab, have raised a range of minimum support price (MSP)
sensitively, questions — about India’s larger regime getting undermined.
and find a political economy, relations Farmers will have to recognise that
between Centre and states and the reality of the laws will not
mechanism to between states, the salience of change. They also need to
assure identity politics in Punjab,
especially given its troubled
understand that extremist
rhetoric and action — including
farmers that history of the 1980s, and the flirting with extreme identity-
their incomes capacity of the Indian State to
allow dissent and be politically
issues when the demand is
largely economic — is wrong,
will be accommodative. But at the root unacceptable, and undermines
protected, of it is the question of finding a
meeting point between what is a
their own cause. At the same
time, the government must
including reality and the apprehensions there is sound rationale for the the laws have generated recognise the depth of the
generated by that reality. sentiment of farmers, reach out
through an The reality is that Parliament has
move — agricultural markets apprehensions because of two
sensitively, and find a mechanism
needed to be liberalised, there is a reasons. The first was the rather
amendment if passed laws which will change greater need for interface abrupt manner in which the to assure farmers that their
the manner in which agricultural incomes will be protected,
necessary produce is procured and traded.
between industry and farmers,
and this will potentially enhance
change was brought about — the
Centre should have invested including through an amendment
As this newspaper has argued, if necessary.
farm incomes. At the same time, more in engaging with all
they artfully bundle issues to their benefit. Though there
How do people become demanders of affordable and accessible healthcare? Community- is a tendency to move towards the median need even in an
based organisations, NGOs and the panchayat system should create a demand among electoral promise, it is surprising that something on
the people. Once it is created and figures in the election as an issue, politicians are which 80% of the voters depend has not been flagged as
the real issue. In the process, the political establishment
bound to respond to this new development. Only then will priority funding, proper can change the distribution of benefits. It can support the
sequencing and recognition of issues involved take place. corporate hospital while starving off the public health
institutions. It can go for an insurance scheme where
conveniently sidestep their systemic challenges in forced to correct its course? private sector institutions get their custom and
consolidating the existing government hospitals and Letting go is an important aspect of health management consequently, public institutions, particularly primary
continue to under-invest in money and manpower. There healthcare, suffer.
where science and judgement of the professional can
is a shortage of 20% doctors in PHCs and 33% specialists Emphasis can continue to be on increasing the number of
prevail. The pandemic showed disconnect between
in CHCs. Even if the budget is enhanced significantly, it institutions without consolidating the existing ones
policies and scientific judgement. An association of
may be wasted on unwise new-fangled ideas. despite a shortfall in trained manpower, giving full play
political actors should be at the board level of these
to smoke and mirrors.
Letting be requires putting your health institutions, instead of direct
attention where the nous of the matter intervention, which topples the How do people become demanders of affordable and
lies. When 80% of the people go to apple cart. To be fair, politicians here accessible healthcare? Community-based organisations,
rural medical practitioners (RMPs), are clueless and they must be guided NGOs and the panchayat system should create a demand
the political economy doesn’t allow by the enlightened policy actors. among the people. Once it is created and figures in the
the BSc nursing graduates to become Instead, what we see is a widely election as an issue, politicians are bound to respond to
a nursing practitioner who are more believed crony plan to corporatise this new development. Only then will priority funding,
amenable to work in rural areas. them with private capital. If it is true, proper sequencing and recognition of issues involved
Instead, the emphasis is on creating it is driven by pure greed of the real take place. There will be recognition that there is no
more doctors knowing full well that estate of public health institutions. escape from direct production and allocation at the
they would be reluctant to go to the The ecosystem of public hospitals primary level and certain secondary and tertiary
villages to serve. Curiously, what we can change without giving them on a hospitals.
see in a country with 50 crore poor and another 50 crore platter to the private sector which does not hold solutions But here, grind is the glory. To force the government to
non-poor who can easily slide below the poverty line is to the health problem of most Indians. recognise the inescapability of the critical issues and the
naïve to repose faith in private and corporate healthcare For the right policies to be enforced and right emphasis in responsibility involved, the people and the NGOs will
with an insurance scheme. The result can range between terms of priority and budget to be given to the sector, have to package it as an electoral issue. This will compel
the sub-optimality to calamitous outcome. Nowhere was political will is a must. But in most countries, until the the political actors to respond to it as an electoral trade-
the inevitable mismatch clearly discernible as during time the political establishment is threatened, health does off. Politicians cannot escape the onus by organising
Covid-19, when revenue gouging and reluctance of not get the priority and importance it deserves. Be they glitzy schemes with questionable outcomes. Both sides
private players came to the fore. Underinvestment in the National Health Service (NHS) of the UK or will have to put their act together and it is not without
primary healthcare and negligible investment in the elsewhere, until the time the ruling elite is pushed to the grind. Next time a pandemic happens, the country will
government’s hospitals exacerbate deep problems in the corner, it has not happened. not hopefully grapple with half truths and ‘ad hocism’
health sector. Can the politico-bureaucratic structure be Politicians and political parties are vote maximisers and then.
www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia
FARMERS REJECT
IN-DEPTH
PM’s ASSURANCE
ON NEW AGRI
LEGISLATION
D
evelopment being his main plank,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
inaugurated the six-lane, 73-km
Varanasi-Prayagraj National
Highway in his constituency to
improve connectivity in the entire eastern Ut-
tar Pradesh. The widened section of NH 19
has been built with an outlay of Rs. 2,447 crore
and is expected to reduce the travel time be-
tween the two cities by about one hour. The
prime minister was in Kashi, believed to be
Lord Shiva’s abode, for a mega development
push and to review the progress of the Rs
600-crore Kashi Vishwanath Extension and
Beautification project. The infra projects are
part of prime minister’s ambitious plan of
developing Varanasi on the lines of Kyoto.
Although Ganga is not yet pollution-free,
the famous ghats of Varanasi have become
cleaner and more picturesque. The develop-
ment, the PM said, will boost tourism to the
city. This is his first visit to the city during
the pandemic.
In line with his initiative to make India
aatmnirbhar (self-reliant), the prime minis-
ter pitched for local products as he asked the
crowd to complete his slogan “vocal for” by
adding “local” and told them that the prefer-
ence for local products during Diwali should
be made a daily affair.
The thrust of the prime minister’s address,
however, was the farmers’ agitation. Insist-
ing that the farmers should have access to the
bigger markets, he said “reforms have given
agriculturists new options and legal protec-
tion”. He asked if the farmers should not get
freedom to sell his produce directly to those
who give them better prices and facilities.
He attacked the Opposition for “cheating
farmers” in the name of loan waivers and
minimum support price and fertilisers.
While reminding farmers that his govern-
ment kept its promise of giving them 1.5
times more MSP as per the M.S. Swamina-
than’s report, he said “The farmers are being
misled on these historic reforms by the peo-
ple who have misled them for decades.
The prime minister did not appear agreea-
ble to the agitating farmers demand for repeal
of the new agri-marketing legislation. He
charged the Opposition for creating apprehen-
sions in the minds of the people and instigat-
ing protests over “what has not happened, or
was never going to happen”. Farmers doubted
the government’s intentions because of the
lies being fed to them and assured the farming
community of clearing all their doubts.
But the farmers have refused to budge. The
All-India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination
Committee called the PM’s statement an “in-
sult” to their hopes of their concerns being
addressed by the government. In farmers’
view the legislation is about “freedom to the
corporate, opportunities to the corporate and
income for the corporate”. Farmers reiter-
ated that no political party was behind their
agitation as they braved the winter chill.
What Ails Corporate Governance in India?
M
ost businesses
perish not be-
cause of strong
competition or
adverse macro-
economic conditions but
because of cracks within.
One such failing is weak
corporate governance. For
publicly listed companies,
this often translates to con-
trolling shareholders or
“promoters” pursuing poli-
cies and practices in their
own interests at the expense
of minority shareholders. It
turns out that companies
with such promoters are at
greater risk of crises and
near-death moments in bad
economic cycles. Those
companies with better gov-
ernance, where promoters
act responsibly in the inter-
ests of shareholders, tend to
do better during adversity.
In fact, savvy investors now
treat good corporate govern-
ance as an intangible asset.
This can be best seen in
 Vol 2  Issue No. 175  RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur.
Published at 304, 3rd Floor, City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504. Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra. Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
HOW TO SELECT BEST
PERFORMING MUTUAL FUNDS?
W
The most
common forms
of styles are
growth
investing and
value
investing.
Growth
investing is
focused on
stocks to gain
momentum in
the near-term
owing to above-
average growth
in earnings.
India’s banking sector. In
general, private sector
banks have practiced bet-
ter governance than state-
owned ones. Consequently,
their financial and operat-
ing metrics also tell a story
of profitable growth with
less asset quality issues
than their public sector
peers. No wonder that pri-
vate sector banks trade at a
higher valuation than pub-
lic sector ones.
Higher valuation puts majority of credit growth
these banks into a virtuous in India is led by private
growth cycle. They are able sector banks. In fact, state-
to raise capital cheaply owned banks are strug-
with less dilution. This re- gling and the government
inforces their already high is forced to merge them to
return ratios, which in ensure their survival. The
turn continue to support a
higher valuation. This self-
success of well-run private
banks demonstrates how
perpetuating cycle has led good governance can lower
to long-term compounding a company’s cost of capital.
of shareholder returns. That is not all. The result-
State-owned peers have ing higher valuation also
fared much worse. gives such companies im-
Despite a large number mense pricing power in
of state-owned banks, the corporate transactions and
PERSPECTIVE JAIPUR | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
02
hile zeroing in on a mutual fund
as an investment opportunity,
various measures can come into
play. Some of the widely known
measures assess the mutual
fund performance based
on risk assumed and returns
generated. A more comprehen-
sive way to analyze both the fac-
tors simultaneously is to look at
the fund’s risk-adjusted returns.
RETURN MEASURES
1. Historical Performance: The
most important yardstick that
lets an investor shortlist a
mutual fund is its historical
performance. While historical
returns do not guarantee future
performance, the returns do
indicate the fund’s appeal and n Create a well-diversified portfo- an adverse movement in the
competence when compared lio of mutual funds by reducing mutual fund value.
with other funds within the the repetition of exposure to
same category. sectors. SOME OF WIDELY FUND-SPECIFIC FACTORS
2. Attribution Analysis: Attribu- n Review existing funds for any KNOWN MEASURES n Style Analysis and Drift: Style
tion analysis is a detailed pro- style drift toward that of the ASSESS THE MUTUAL analysis involves determin-
cess of understanding whether benchmark. An actively-man- FUND PERFORMANCE ing the investment style of
the fund’s return adheres to aged is supposed to outper- the fund manager. Investment
BASED ON RISK
the fund philosophy and is form the benchmark and not styles can be of varied types
directly influenced by the fund mimic the performance of the
ASSUMED AND and depend upon the market
manager’s strategy. Attribution benchmark. Therefore, if the RETURNS GENERATED. A capitalization and valuation of
analysis is understanding the R2 measure is high, it means MORE COMPREHENSIVE the stocks. The most common
source of returns, which can the returns of a fund are highly WAY TO ANALYZE BOTH forms of styles are growth
be one of the three: Alloca- correlated to that of the bench- THE FACTORS investing and value investing.
tion to sectors, Specific stock mark essentially reducing the SIMULTANEOUSLY IS TO Growth investing is focused
selection, and/or an interaction fund’s ability to create alpha. LOOK AT THE FUND’S on stocks to gain momentum
of the two. 3. Up and Down-market capture: RISK-ADJUSTED in the near-term owing to
Up-market and down-market RETURNS above-average growth in earn-
RISK MEASURES captures are to mutual funds ings. On the other hand, value
1. Standard Deviation: Standard what a beta is to stock. Market investing is focused on stocks
Deviation (SD) is a measure of captures measure the fund’s that are undervalued relative
risk that measures the devia- sensitivity to index or bench- to their fundamentals and re-
tion of returns from the mean mark movements. A higher additional unit of risk. Excess quired the fund manager to be
returns. SD of the mutual up-market ratio and a lower return is defined as the fund’s invested for a longer-term.
fund lets the investor under- down-market ratio makes a return over the risk-free rate of n Turnover Ratio: The turnover
stand the expected volatil- fund attractive. The higher the return. The unit of risk is the ratio is an indicator of how
ity in the fund’s returns. For ratio, the more the outper- standard deviation. The higher often a fund manager buys and
example, if a fund has an SD formance of the fund. the Sharpe ratio, the greater replaces securities for a fund.
of 5 percent and an expected the fund performance. Turnover ratio is the number of
return of 15 percent, the actual RISK-ADJUSTED 2. Sortino Ratio: Sortino ratio is securities replaced expressed
RETURNS
returns may vary between 10 similar to the Sharpe ratio in as a percentage of the total
percent and 20 percent. Risk-adjusted returns incorporate that the Sortino ratio also is number of stocks that the fund
2. R-Squared (R2): R-squared is the theory of risk-return trade-off a relative measure and uses invests in. The turnover ratio is
a statistical measure of the per- in that a higher degree of risk excess return as one of its typically high for actively man-
centage of fund’s returns that demands higher returns. Risk- inputs. The key difference is aged funds and low for index
can be explained by the move- adjusted returns use a measure that the Sharpe ratio uses the funds.
ments in the fund’s bench- of volatility to specify the risk total volatility as a measure of n Total Expense Ratio: TER
mark. R-squared determines undertaken. Popular risk-adjusted risk whereas the Sortino ratio includes management fees,
the similarity between the fund return metrics are: uses downside deviation as administrative fees, brokerage
and the fund’s benchmark. 1. Sharpe Ratio: Sharpe Ra- a measure of risk. A higher costs, and legal costs. The
R-squared can be used by tio measures the excess return Sortino ratio is favorable and expense ratio reduces the net
investors to: generated by the fund for every signifies a lower probability of return available to an investor.
Top
TWEET
and has other benefits. In- effect incentivized to take Jagat Prakash Nadda
dia is short of capital and advantage of minority @JPNadda
needs to earn investors’ shareholders. Today, on the auspicious
trust. Without an infusion Second is the slow and occasion of Prakash Parv,
of capital, the Indian econ- selective enforcement by sought blessings by praying at
omy will fail to thrive. the Securities and Ex- Shri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
There are multiple is- change Board of India and prayed for the happiness
sues that plague corporate (SEBI), the country’s mar- and prosperity of all.
governance in India. First ket regulator. Cases against
is the lack of accountabili- the management’s mis-
ty among controlling share- steps take years to resolve. Prakash Javadekar
holders. For example, pro- SEBI generally hands out @PrakashJavdekar
moters get away with ap- warnings or mild punish- Do not misunderstand the
pointing their friends, ex- ments. This could be be- Farm Law. Punjab farmers
talent management, widen- employees and business- cause SEBI does not have sold more paddy in the market
ing their economic moat. school classmates as inde- enough resources to deal on #MSP than last year. MSP
is also alive and market is alive
pendent directors with no with a large number of
and government procurement
MULTIPLE ISSUES one raising an eyebrow. cases, or it could be a lack is also happening.
India boasts of the oldest Often, statutory auditors of authority or compe-
stock exchange in Asia, are given only one-year ex- tence. In certain cases, pro-
which is also the region’s tensions to pressurize them moters are extremely pow-
largest. However, corporate
governance in India still
to “comply” with manage-
ment demands. Compliant
erful and politically con-
nected. Given that regula-
Spiritual
lags behind many other auditors tend to persist for tors are political appoin- SPEAK
places like Singapore or too long, developing far-too- tees, it is far from easy for
Taiwan. India must under- cozy relationships with the them to ignore pressure “In whom there is no
stand that good corporate very people they are sup- from politicians, remain sympathy for living beings:
governance is the founda- posed to keep an eye on. impartial, punish the pow- know him as an outcast.”
tion of a lasting business. It With no strong checks and erful and deliver justice.
—Buddha
builds investor confidence balances, promoters are in FAIROBSERVER.COM
 EDIT
THE ASIAN AGE | TUESDAY | 1 DECEMBER 2020 | NEW DELHI
pg 5

1 DECEMBER 2020

Mend ties in region, Subhani

try to counter China

W
e are glad of the flurry of in-person, “non-virtual” diplomacy effected by
India in recent weeks in order to pay greater attention to neighbour-
hood contours that have been allowed to languish of late for want of
foresight, although it is time to ponder how this will be rated on the ade-
quacy scale.
India’s immediate neighbourhood is “Saarc Plus” if we take into account
Myanmar to the east, China to the north, and Iran and the Gulf Arab states to the
west. Of these, the prickly or difficult ties have traditionally been with Pakistan
and China, which too need engagement of another kind. Regrettably, however, for
some time we have lost sight of the value of ties within Saarc, Afghanistan being
the exception, and the neighbourhood too if Iran and the Gulf are excluded.
The relationship with Beijing has now grown tense, with China having militari-
ly encroached into our territory in Ladakh this summer, with India responding to
save face by amassing forces inside our own borders
Regrettably for to face the People’s Liberation Army. Our northern
LETTERS
Will our farmers force
neighbour’s repeated attempts to encircle us on the
some time we have Bhutan and Sikkim side has added gravity to the
lost sight of the way we think about China.
value of ties within China’s military incursion into Indian territory BRAZEN DISPLAY
Saarc, Afghanistan adds many layers of complexity to an already com-
being the excep- plicated dynamic, whose key characteristic was per-
It is despicable that an

arrogant govt to yield?

sistent Chinese efforts over a fairly long period to cut
tion, and the neigh- us off from our South Asian neighbours, one by one, acutely debt-ridden Goa
bourhood too if Iran by lavishing vast sums of money on these countries government has decided
and the Gulf are in the form of investments and infrastructural
excluded. installations, besides buildup of defence facilities. to merrily squander a
It’s no exaggeration to say that Beijing has got pretty whopping `100 crore to
far in that game, and it is to this reality that the There is enough to positive spin turns out be
celebrate 60 years of
Narendra Modi government has finally woken up. a bluff, and the farmers
discuss there, and have seen through this.
Parsa Venkateshwar Goa’s liberation.
Thus, we had the foreign secretary heading to Bangladesh in August. A few
weeks later, in early October, he was in Myanmar along with the Army Chief. In the government The Prime Minister and
may have a point or Ironically, what Goa is
October-November there has been a cluster of visits. The external affairs minister
headed to Bahrain, the UAE and Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. The Army Chief Rao Jr two, but it does not
the government have
been forced on to the witnessing today is
and the RAW chief showed up in Kathmandu, followed up by the foreign secretary. backfoot. They will have
Relations with Nepal have dipped with Kathmandu eating into Indian territory,
matter if the people to take greater pains to
another liberation move-
redrawing boundary maps and getting this endorsed by its legislature. There is affected by them explain the hidden bene- ment by way of a peo-
considerable lost political ground to cover even as India is going about promising remain suspicious fits to the farmers that ple’s uprising against ill-

T
development aid for infrastructure, connectivity and education. The national he march of the
security adviser was in Colombo for the fourth meeting of the India, Sri Lanka, Punjab farmers
Maldives trilateral maritime security conference, which had been dormant for to New Delhi,
some time. accompanied by
On the whole, however, there is a sense that these are bit moves to compensate their counter-
for lost time in which the Chinese have made deft manoeuvres. Even as our foreign parts from Uttar Pradesh,
secretary left Kathmandu, the Chinese defence minister landed there for follow-up Rajasthan and other parts
action. Our eastern Himalayan neighbours are extremely valuable in dealing with of northern India, despite
the Chinese. In the Narendra Modi government’s six years, foreign policy has all the attempts by the
mainly meant being worshipful of the US to the extent of showing partisanship BJP-ruled Haryana gov-
with President Donald Trump in domestic US politics. This is not just amateurish ernment, and the refusal
but also harmful. The neglect of neighbours, breaching the first principles of diplo- of the leaders of the farm-
macy, has been another feature of our recent policy. It is time to rethink priorities ers’ unions to abide by the
and have a few good, grand ideas in a rapidly changing environment. conditions laid down by
Union home minister
Amit Shah to move to a
A long way still to go specified protest site
before talks with the gov-
ernment could begin, and
more basically rejecting
I
ndia’s economy, according to a set of numbers released by the government last the home ministry’s
week, has shrunk by 7.5 per cent in the quarter that ended on September 30. intervention and insist-
The contraction in the size of the economy for the second successive quarter ing that the talks will be
has technically got the Indian economy into recession for the first time in its his- held with the agriculture
tory. A decline in economic growth for two consecutive quarters indicates a reces- ministry, is a clear rebuff
sion, or economic stagnation. The silver lining, however, was that the degree of to the self-righteous and
contraction in the economy has reduced in the July-September quarter, compared arrogant Narendra Modi
to the April-June quarter. government one-and-a-
While economic activity picked up pace in the second quarter of financial year half years into its second
2020-21, there is no consensus about the durability of this economic growth. term. The farmers are not
Industrial activity witnessed in the July-September quarter could be to address willing to buy the spin of
pent-up demand during the festive season. While people have slowly started Prime Minister Narendra
resuming their normal activities, business transactions in the touch-heavy sec- Modi and his Cabinet and
tors have still not reached their pre-Covid levels — a key prerequisite for India’s party colleagues that the
economic growth re-entering the positive territory. three farm reform laws
According to data released by the ministry of statistics, key indicators such as rushed through the two
cargo handled at seaports and airports, production of cement, sale of commercial Houses of Parliament dur-
vehicles, and exports continued to underperform and remain in a two-digit con- ing the Monsoon Session
traction. The inter-city movement of people — as shown by data of airports and in September through a
the railways — has not reached normal levels yet. Unless such a big component of voice vote was to
the GDP does not resume its activity, the real economic growth will not be seen. strengthen the position of
The government, which was expected to step in to restore demand normality in farmers.
the economy, has in fact reduced its revenue expenditure. The government's final
consumption expenditure, according to the ministry of statistics, has come down
The issue is no longer
about the merits and
by over `1 lakh crore at `3.62 lakh crores in the second quarter of fiscal 2020-21 demerits of the laws shak-
compared `4.65 lakh crores in the second quarter of fiscal 2019-20. In a scenario, ing off the shackles of the
where the government tries to escape its responsibility by blaming an act of God, local mandis and appar-
one could only hope that God gives Indians strength to beat the coronavirus and ently freeing the farmers
help them resuscitate the ailing economy. to sell where they choose,
of giving a backdoor
entry to corporates into
engaging farmers to grow
what they need for their
commercial purposes and
lifting the “essential com-
THE ASIAN AGE modities” tag from food-
T. VENKATRAM REDDY grains and other com-
modities, enabling corpo-
Editor in Chief
Printer & Publisher: K. SUDHAKAR rate groups to store the
THE ASIAN AGE office is located at:
produce.
New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru National Youth Centre, 219 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi-110002. Phone:
(011) 23211124. There is enough to dis-
Published and Printed on behalf of and for cuss there, and the gov-
◗ Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited, Jawaharlal Nehru National Youth Centre, 219 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, ernment may have a point
New Delhi 110 002 at BFL Infotech Ltd., C-9, Sector-III, Noida -201301.
or two, but it does not
◗ London: Quickmarsh Ltd, 8th Floor, Block 2, Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London, SE1 7NQ.
matter if the people affect-
RNI Registration number: 57290/94
ed by them remain suspi-
cious and hostile, and the
government do not have
any convincing argu-
ments.
What is at issue is the
Modi government’s con-
viction that it can do no
wrong, and that the farm-
ers in this case should
grasp the good being done
for them. The attitude is
not that of a democratical-
ly elected government,
but that of a paternalist
state which believes that
people should accept the
government’s decisions
in good faith and not raise
impertinent questions.
The Modi government
has been getting its way
in the last six-and-a-half-
years, but now it has
come up against the farm-
ers’ formidable barri-
cades. The Haryana and
Delhi police, with the lat-
ter falling under the
Union home ministry,
have tried to barricade
the farmers’ march but
there was no stopping the
farmers. The Union gov-
ernment had to get off its
high horse, and Mr Shah
was forced to plead with
the farmers that the gov-
ernment was ready to talk
to them and that they
should move to the
Nirankari Grounds at
Burari on the outskirts of
the national capital. It
appears that Mr Shah has
no option but to yield fur-
ther ground.
There is of course the
fact that this is also a
political tussle between
the BJP and its erstwhile
ally in Punjab, the
Shiromani Akali Dal. The
farmers form the core
By freeing the
mandis, the Centre
is not enabling the
farmers to sell their
produce where
they want to
because 90 per
cent of them are
marginal farmers
and hostile, and the
government do not
have any convinc-
ing arguments.
constituency of the Akali
Dal, and it is alleged that
the Agriculture Produce
Marketing Committees
(APMC), or the mandi
committees in the state,
are controlled by the first
family of the party,
Prakash Singh Badal and
his son Sukhbir Singh
Badal.
The BJP under Mr Modi
has been on the warpath
of weakening its allies in
the National Democratic
Alliance — the Shiv Sena
in Maharashtra, the Akali
Dal in Punjab, and Janata
Dal (United) in Bihar. The
Shiv Sena and Akali Dal
have sensed the danger
and they are hitting back,
though the JD(U) is not in
a position to do so now.
Prime Minister Modi
seems to have miscalcu-
lated the horse sense of
the farmers. The hard-
nosed men and women of
the soil are not going to be
overwhelmed by the PM’s
rhetoric and sweet talk.
His “one nation, one farm
market” idea does not fool
them.
They know their prob-
lem is different from that
of their counterparts in
other parts of the country,
and they know the prob-
lems they face on the
ground more than any
government which pre-
tends that it knows best.
The issue of minimum
support price is only one
part of the problem. By
freeing the mandis or
grain markets, the Centre
is not enabling the farm-
ers to sell their produce
where they want to
because 90 per cent of
them are small and mar-
ginal farmers owning not
more than two acres of
land, but it is enabling the
corporates to enter the
mandis.
The Prime Minister’s
would flow from the new
laws, or they will have to
promise to address the
concerns of the farmers
and incorporate them
into the laws through nec-
essary amendments.
More than anything
else, Mr Modi and his col-
leagues need to learn,
quickly, that they are not
infallible, that they mean
to do the right thing but
yet go wrong, and that
even without any evil
intention they may do
things that harm people
more than benefiting
them. Their desire to
change the country
overnight based on a par-
liamentary majority
reveals political immatu-
rity. Farm reforms may
be necessary but for them
to be successful it is not
enough to pass new laws.
There is need to connect
with the people and win
their trust and consent, or
at least of a majority of
them. The BJP has come
to believe in the mantra of
“Modi hai toh mumkin
hai”. It is not. Even Mr
Modi must persuade and
convince the people. He
cannot simply have his
own way. Mr Modi and
the BJP might chomp at
the reins of democratic
controls exerted by the
people. But they must
learn to hold back and
reconsider all issues.
There is an urgent need to
change the style of gover-
nance from that of the
presidential to the parlia-
mentary. Had the govern-
ment sent the bills for
review by a joint select
committee, as the Akalis
and the Opposition par-
ties had so vociferously
urged, there would have
been time and scope
enough to respond to the
concerns of the farmers
and to incorporate the
necessary changes before
they became law.
The writer is a
Delhi-based commentator
and analyst
conceived projects that
are sought to be bull-
dozed against their wish-
es. With the Mhadei
waters issue haunting us
apart from other frauds, it
is inappropriate for the
government to even have
thought of this celebra-
tion and at a time when
the pandemic is raging.
Aires Rodrigues
Ribander, Goa
FARMERS: GOVT IN FIX
THIS REFERS TO THE editorial
“Farmers have its ear...” (November
30). The Centre is blowing hot and
cold on the farmers’ strike. By all
accounts it is now in a Catch-22 situ-
ation. If it rolls back the new laws, it
will set a wrong precedent and derail
its ambition to introduce reforms in
various other sectors. How the gov-
ernment proves its mettle by ending
the impasse remains to be seen. Not
to mention the overlooked fact that
the big farmers of Punjab and
Haryana are in fact a most pampered
lot, who enjoy subsidies, free elec-
tricity, etc. They comprise the
adhatiyas, who clearly stand to lose.
Deepak Singhal
Noida
WILL HE, WON’T HE?
ACTOR RAJINIKANTH CONTIN-
UES TO maintain suspense over his
political entry in Tamil Nadu. On
Monday he asked his Rajini Makkal
Mandram (RMM) functionaries to
continue their efforts to strengthen
the mandram while he would
announce his final decision on taking
the political plunge soon. Only a
while ago, it seemed that he had given
up on these plans after keeping his
supporters on tenterhooks for several
years. A true leader does not betray
the hopes of his people.
Sankar Paul
Chakdaha, West Bengal
`500 for the best letter of the
week goes to R. Narayanan
(Nov. 23). Email:
asianage.letters@gmail.com

I
ndia’s economy had contracted
for another three months, we
were told late last week.
Meaning that, as a nation, we pro-
duced less in goods and services
than we did in the same period last
year. Meaning also that Indian fam-
Aakar Patel ilies in the numbers of lakhs and
perhaps crores got pulled into
poverty. India’s economy has con-
tracted for six months since Prime
Minister Narendra Modi called for
the harshest lockdown in the
world. This has brought the nation
ested in “deep thinking and
research”. In the economic survey,
he used Wikipedia as a source.
News about the third quarter is not
good. Bank credit is lower in the
current period than it was in the
one when the economy contracted.
The core sectors (steel, cement,
electricity, coal, oil, refining and
fertilisers) shrunk in October. If
you do not know this, it might be
because the Prime Minister and the
finance minister have not tweeted
about it. If they ignore something,
the protesters are anti-national and
separatists. The standard line that
is used for anyone — academics,
minorities, farmers, dissident
industrialists — who points out
that what the government is doing
is wrong. It is like children and
name-calling. That is the level of
maturity in our national debate.
On the Ladakh front, China has
refused to go back from the spaces
they have occupied on our border
and the Indian Army has to spend
the winter in spaces that have not
minister of India, has said that the
implementation of his pet project,
the Citizenship Amendment Act,
has been postponed for now. He
says this is because of Covid-19 and
he will only implement the CAA
after the pandemic ends. Why
Covid-19 should affect India’s giv-
ing citizenship to those non-
Muslims who came to India illegal-
ly before December 2014 is not
known. No other law has been
paused because of it. But after an
aggressive campaign against those
presidential election and a
Democrat will become America’s
new President in two months’ time.
The Democratic Party has been
very vocal about its concern that
India is heading in the wrong direc-
tion under Mr Modi and is damag-
ing itself by indulging in overt
majoritarianism and harassing and
bullying its own minorities. We
will see what the effect of India's
outreach to the Democrats is soon
enough.
Meanwhile, there has been no let-

Looking at the into what economists call a reces-

sion, whose definition is two
straight quarters of de-growth.
We know we are in a recession
then it doesn’t exist. The data is all
from the corporate sector. We have
no idea what is happening to the
unorganised and small sectors
been prepared for such an eventu-
ality. Our jawans were issued
sleeping bags that have been previ-
ously found to be “unfit for use in
he called “termites”, Amit Shah is
now hesitant to take India down the
road of religious discrimination. It
might help to understand why by
up in the conduct of the ruling
party. In Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh and elsewhere, laws have
been passed that will jail Muslim

future in fear as because of the media.

The Prime Minister has not tweet-
ed out the numbers his government
has put out. The finance minister
where most Indians are employed.
The weak and the poor cannot
“work from home”. They must toil
every day to eat. We do know that
glacier and super higher altitude
areas”. But they must make do
because the political establishment
has decided it does not want to deal
looking at what our ambassador in
the United States is up to.
He has spent the last two weeks
sweet talking those American lead-
men for 10 years if they marry
Hindu women. In Hyderabad, the
BJP has said in the campaign for
the local elections that a vote for

economy goes has not done so either. The Niti

Aayog’s head says he was “pleas-
antly surprised” that the numbers
were not worse that had been
the lockdown, like the earlier
demonetisation, like GST, has
taken work away from the small
and the poor and given it to the cor-
with the problem. The Prime
Minister tweeted that he had an
“excellent discussion with my
friend Boris Johnson”, the British
ers who had previously condemned
India’s actions on the CAA, the
National Register of Citizens and
on Kashmir.
Muslims is a vote against India.
Ten years ago, this would have pro-
duced outrage, but today it is nor-
mal and is accepted because it has

into ‘de-growth’ expected. The chief economic

adviser professes “cautious opti-
mism” about the data. He had pre-
viously predicted growth in the two
quarter from April to September. It
turned out that instead of growth
we had a contraction of 23.9 per
cent. He describes himself as inter-
porate sector. The stock market is
at a historic high for this reason.
Elsewhere, the capital of our
nation is facing farmers’ protests.
They want the government to take
back the laws that will gut procure-
ment and affect their livelihood.
The government’s agents have said
Prime Minister, about climate
change and other matters. He has
not found the time to have a discus-
sion with his friend Xi Jinping
about his Army going back from
our borders. Again, if you don’t
talk about the problem, it doesn't
exist. His right hand man, the home
He has been tweeting out the
details of the meetings without say-
ing why India was now engaging
with those who did not like the
become normalised. This is what is
going on in our country today. It is
hard to see any of it without a sense
of dread and fear for what is hap-
actions of the Narendra Modi gov- pening and what may lie ahead.
ernment. The reason of course is
that Mr Modi’s friend Donald The writer is a columnist and a
Trump has been defeated in the senior journalist
 Editorial 4
Readers Messenger
(English Weekly)
Lucknow, Tuesday, 01December , 2020

A DBT for manufacturers A new civil war in Ethiopia

Jagdish K.Maurya
The Central Government has
approved production-linked
incentives (PLI) for manufacturers in
13 sectors. It essentially means that
if an eligible manufacturer produces
and sells/exports eligible goods
worth Rs 100 crore, the Government
will give him Rs 5 crore (assuming
five per cent incentive) as a reward/incentive because
such sale/export of locally manufactured goods will
create local jobs.
The PLI will be available for sale/export for the next
five years in addition to the existing incentives. Now
this is one of the concerns that remains for investors
and would need to be addressed to make the scheme
a success. As the PLI benefit has been assured only
for five years, the investor has to assess the financial
viability of the project beyond the PLI period. Once a
manufacturing unit has been set up with a lot of fixed
investment, recovery may be difficult. So the five-year
period has to be utilised to make life easy for all
businesses and job creators. In other words, the “ease
of doing business” has to improve substantially. The
Government expects that it may be called upon to pay
about Rs 2 lakh crore, which means a total sale/export
of about Rs 40 lakh crore (assuming five per cent PLI
rate) during the next five years. This PLI will increase
local manufacturing of eligible goods by an output
equal to about 20 per cent of the current GDP. Thus,
the second concern is changing growth dynamics and
the global demand scenario, especially in the post-
pandemic world. To get free cash of Rs 2 lakh crore
from the Government, specified goods worth about Rs
40 lakh crore would need to be produced in India and
a matching demand would be needed in a world where
the cut-throat competition is going to deepen. The third
concern is about how much of the PLI benefit would
boost the investor’s actual post-tax income. In October,
the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MEITY) approved PLI benefits (four per cent to six per
cent) to 16 companies. The PLI is available for
incremental sales of goods manufactured in India five
years subsequent to the base year (FY 2019-20). Now,
whether the incentive of four per cent to six per cent of
invoiced price for five years would be enough
compensation to offset the cost disadvantage in India
remains to be seen. One plus point in favour of the new
manufacturing units is 15 per cent corporation tax that
was announced last year. For them, manufacturers of
highly branded products like Apple iPhones, the PLI
scheme and reduced corporate tax are major
BETWEEN THE LINES
Hari shankar
Ethiopia, located in the Horn of Africa, is
popularly known as the “Mecca of Coffee”.
Today it has seen one of the bloodiest
conflicts in its northern region of Tigray
wherein the federal forces are fighting with
the local Tigray regional forces. The fierce
fight that broke out in early November is
simply a war between Addis Ababa, the
central capital city, and the regional capital
town of Mekele. It’s a show of strength of
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali against
combative Tigray People’s Liberation Front
(TPLF) based in the restive region. Further, it
is straight fight between the majority Oromo
community (around 34.6 per cent)
represented by the PM Abiy and the minority
Tigryans, barely 6 per cent of the total
population of the country. Initially, the war in
the Northern Province was planned for a
limited scale, directly to target the TPLF, a
militia cum political party, but now more than
two weeks of military campaign has hinted a
severe fight, showing no signs of talk,
withdrawal and negotiation between the two
warring groups. The current crisis in Ethiopia
has its roots in the recent past of the country.
The TPLF was established in February 1975,
more than 45 years ago in the Tigray
Province. A year before i.e. 1974 witnessed
a tumultuous political situation in the country
as Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown
by the military.
Afterwards, a new military junta, popularly
known as “The Derg”, came into power in the
country. The subsequent years brought
home a devastating conflict, leading to the
killing of thousands of young man and
woman across the country. However, the
Tigrayan region had to largely bear the brunt
of the so-called “Red Terror”, unleashed by
the Leftist Derg junta. Sadly, Derg continued
in power in Ethiopia till 1991, when it was
finally ousted by the armed rebels. And
incidentally, the TPLF was an integral part of
a coalition of resistance forces that finally
moved out the junta from the power corridors
of Ethiopia. Then TPLF leader Meles Zenawi
Over the years, the Tigray ethnic group has massively
expanded its sway over the army, secret services and
the bureaucracy. These circumstances offered an
opportune moment for Abiy to get elected as the
leader of the EPRDF. For years, the Ormos have
been marginalised by the EPRDF, led by the Tigray
community and its powerful leaders in Addis Ababa.
From the very beginning, he spoke the language of
unity and promised his countrymen peace, develop-
ment and progress. And this earned him praise even
from his arch rivals in the Opposition political parties.
After assuming power, he released thousands of pris-
oners, unblocked a large number of media channels
and privatised many Government owned enterprises.
He reached out to Eritrea, Ethiopia’s old rival on the
northern border, and made peace with that country.
became the interim President later and also
holds the historic record of being the first
elected Prime Minister of the country in 1995.
What it demonstrates is the consolidation of
power by the minority Tigryans over the
majority of the public institutions of Ethiopia.
And the rest is a new history for this
emerging African nation. The Tigryans ruled
the country for almost three decades from
1991 to 2018 by becoming an alliance
partner of the ruling coalition known as the
Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary
Democratic Front (EPRDF). This coalition
was the brainchild of the veteran Meles to
bring together like-minded groups to capture
power in Addis Ababa. The EPRDF earned
both reputation and severe criticism from the
Ethiopians in its entire period in power and
even after. Many say that during its time,
child mortality rate fell, and the famine was
prevented. But others argue that the
Tigrayan-led EPRDF was no other than an
absolute authoritarian regime that ruled the
country with an iron hand.
Unfortunately, the other coalition partners
had hardly any voice in regard to making
critical policy decisions and deciding future
course of actions. A new era has begun with
the coming of Abiy to power in 2018 who is
the first Oromo leader to come to occupy the
seat of the head of the Ethiopian
Government. He was a former military
intelligence officer of the Government. In
fact, years of protest that started after the
departure of Tigray’s powerful leader and
former PM Meles in 2012, forced his
successor Hailemariam Desalegn to finally
resign after six years of misrule and anarchy
across the country. He was the chairman of
the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic
Movement. From the very beginning of his
tenure, his role was ambivalent as he could
hardly keep the powerful alliance partners
under his control.
And most importantly, since he did not
belong to the powerful Tigray community, it
was absolutely difficult for him to exercise
administrative control over them. Over the
years, the Tigray ethnic group has massively
expanded its sway over the army, secret
services and the bureaucracy. These
circumstances offered an opportune moment
for Abiy to get elected as the leader of the
EPRDF. For years, the Ormos have been
marginalised by the EPRDF, led by the
Tigray community and its powerful leaders in
Addis Ababa. From the very beginning, he
spoke the language of unity and promised
his countrymen peace, development and
progress. And this earned him praise even
from his arch rivals in the Opposition political
parties. After assuming power, he released
thousands of prisoners, unblocked a large
number of media channels and privatised
many Government owned enterprises. He
reached out to Eritrea, Ethiopia’s old rival on
the northern border, and made peace with
that country. And as a result, he was
awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize which
had brought home a chance of reclaiming
Ethiopia’s position in the African continent
once again. However, gradually his reform
package has altered the long-drawn power
relations of the country. And in the last two
years, the Tigrayans have registered their
displeasure with Addis Ababa. They say that
they are being targeted for the wrongs
committed in the past and the current
Government is fast trying to marginalise the
community and its leadership. Last year, Abiy
dissolved the EPRDF, and formed the
Prosperity Party, but the TPLF refused to join
the new coalition. Thus, formally, the
dominance of the TPLF has come to an end
and it was made possible by the shrewd
leadership of Prime Minister Abiy. What has
finally triggered the current crisis in Tigray is
no other than the regional election that took
place in the province in September. Actually,
because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Abiy
Government postponed the much
anticipated general election on August 21
across the country.

THE SOUNDBURST
incentives. Since such manufacturers face little
competition for their products, they can set prices of
their products on their own. The PLI benefit may or may
not be fully passed on to the retail buyers in this
particular case.
Most other manufacturers may face stiff price Sky-rocketing decibel levels penal code in respect of crimes like restrictions – on the use of crackers.
competition and may not be able to fully pocket the PLI heaped miseries on the old, infirm murder, robbery, serious fraud, One can then show oneself as a
benefit to offset their cost disadvantage. Their People engaged in and the ill. Animals, particularly printing of counterfeit currency and daring rebel as well. There are
discerning, hard-bargaining buyers will demand price orgies of bursting dogs, suffered terribly, with some so on. People engaged in orgies of doubtless, other means of self-
discounts on the basis of the PLI benefit. The going almost crazy with fear. bursting crackers cannot be assertion in the form of producing
percentage of PLI benefit may vary across crackers cannot be Billowing smoke from cracker unaware of the consequences of works of art like painting and
beneficiaries and depending on the competition, the unaware of the bursts severely spiked the already what they are doing. These have photographs, making films, staging
post-tax actual benefit could vary from investor to high air-pollution levels that had been dinned into their plays, writing, dancing, singing,
investor. The PLI scheme, therefore, needs consequences of what been playing havoc. Unforgivably, consciousness for at least two making sculptures and designing
supplementation by sustained investor facilitation and they are doing. These all this happened despite decades now. Is it that they enjoy and building celebrated works of
improvement in ease of doing business. Incentives like restrictions and bans, exhortations bursting crackers so much that architecture. Engaging in these
income tax and Central excise exemptions, VAT/GST have been dinned into against unrestrained cracker they cannot help doing it heedless requires training, skill, effort and, of
BETWEEN THE LINES
reimbursements, interest and insurance subsidies, By s.p.singh their consciousness for at bursts by civil society elements, of the consequences? If this be course, talent, and the expending of
subsidies on plant/machinery and so on are typically environmentalists and a growing true, what can be the explanation? a huge amount of time, which would
provided for industries set up in industrially-backward least two decades now. Is army of school children pleading To answer the first question, one leave one with little opportunity for
areas like North-eastern states. At present, the total India is in the grip of a raging it that they enjoy bursting that their future be not jeopardised. needs to look at some of the going though all the stages of
manufacturing output of all items (whether PLI eligible COVID-19 pandemic, which is In fact, over the past several years deeper processes at work. Every activity associated with explosion of
or not) in a year is about 16 per cent of the GDP. The surging forward relentlessly. New
crackers so much that now, there has been a growing action by an individual is crackers. One may be asked: How
services sector has a 55 to 60 per cent contribution in cases and deaths are reported they cannot help doing it movement calling for a progressive fundamentally a result of instinct or does one know that people who
GDP and has been a major employer so far. The PLI every day in alarming numbers. reduction in the explosion of an exercise of will. One instinctively explode crackers are not engaged
will be available to all new manufacturing units and also Things are made worse by severe
heedless of the crackers and a ban on the more jumps out of the way of a truck that in creative activity? Some of them
to existing manufacturing units for their extra air pollution levels in many places consequences? If this be deafening and polluting kinds of suddenly comes across a bend and may. This writer, however, is not
production, additional over baseline output. For — particularly Delhi. Besides these, without, of course, any threatens to run one over. It is the aware of any survey, which shows
example, existing mobiles and electronics
true, what can be the
enhancing people’s vulnerability to significant effect. Why is it that a result of the instinct for survival at how many or what percentage of
manufacturers are entitled to PLI benefit for whatever the Corona virus — these are explanation? To answer large section of Indians is work. The bursting of a cracker is an cracker enthusiasts are engaged in
they produce over and above the 2019-20 level causing permanent damage to the the first question, one relentlessly trying to reduce what is act of will, the final one of a series creative pursuits. The nature of
production in the next five years. The manufacturing health of children and the old. One meant to be a splendid festival of that involves the decision to buy it, activity required in any form of
units will have to apply, register and go through a would have thought that all this and needs to look at some of lights into a prolonged orgy of the act of buying it, followed by acts creative venture and the setting off
vetting process and enter into proper agreement with the crisis stalking the economy the deeper processes at horrid, ear drum-splitting noise? of storing it, taking it out and igniting of crackers respectively are,
the Government so as to ensure that only eligible would invoke a sombre mood that They cannot be unaware of the it. The self wills the action which, in moreover, totally different and this
manufacturers get the incentive for actual local would be reflected in the work. Every action by an consequences of what they are turn, underlines its existence. One writer knows of no novelist, poet,
manufacturing. On April 1, a PLI scheme promising Rs observance of Deepavali, one of individual is doing and the impact this will have can act because one exists. A playwright, painter, film-maker or
40,951 crore incentive (four to six per cent of the most beautiful events in the on their children and much-referenced statement by the stalwart photographer who
production value) was notified for manufacturers of country, which is celebrated by a fundamentally a result of grandchildren, not only in terms of French philosopher, Rene explodes crackers. The argument
mobile phones and other electronic components. large section of Indians of the instinct or an exercise of health but of character. Their Descartes, runs, “Cogito ergo sum” can be that people explode
Medical devices and bulk drugs (active pharmaceutical diaspora as well, and prompts progenies, and those of the latter, or “I think, therefore I am.” One can crackers because they enjoy doing
ingredients) were added to PLI eligibility in July and on warm gestures by friendly will. will come to feel that what matters see a subconscious extension of it and that those engaged in
November 11, 10 more manufacturing sub-sectors countries. Witness the lighting up hoped that people would abjure is doing what they want to and not the same thought process behind pursuits that are essential to the
were added. Thus, Rs 1,97,291 crore of cash incentive of the Times Square in New York crackers, whose use had been their society’s well-being and the statement implied in each functioning of a society but are not
has been promised in the next five years to City on the occasion. One had banned or severely restricted in future, and that rules and laws can cracker burst, “I explode crackers, regarded as creative —
manufacturers of automobiles and auto components expected that the emphasis in many parts of the country. Nothing be broken with impunity. The therefore, I exist.” In fact, there is businessmen, administrators,
(Rs 57,042 crore); mobile manufacturing and specified India would be on observing like this happened. There was not consequences can be serious in more. One sometimes gets hurt — managers, clerks, lawyers, doctors,
electronics/technology products (Rs 45,951 crore); Deepavali as a festival of lights, only no decline in their use but they terms of maintaining social even badly — while setting off a engineers and so forth, for
advance chemistry cell batteries (Rs 18,100 crore); dispelling the gloom that has continued to be burst on Deepavali harmony and law and order if this cracker. This therefore, can also be example — have as much right to
pharmaceuticals and drugs (Rs 21, 940 crore); medical enveloped the country this year, day, which was November 14, and leads to a generally cavalier projected as a testimony to one’s enjoy themselves as writers,
devices (Rs 3,420 crore); telecom and networking creating an interlude of cheer in the in some cases, even a week later, attitude towards obeying laws, courage. It can be doubly so if the painters, film-makers,
products (Rs 12,195 crore). midst of grief and despair. One had albeit in diminishing frequency. including those embodied in the act is in defiance of a ban – or photographers and so on.

Caught in between
Walton family’s Walmart. He even
wrote a book, It Happened In India, to
celebrate his success. His Big Bazaar
store sales on national holidays
attracted thousands of people and
there were kilometre-long lines outside
outlets in order to get a bargain. But
Biyani, like many others in different
industries, never saw the internet
coming and it hit his business like a
freight train. The irony of a group
named “Future” not realising the future
of retail will likely become a case-study
in some business schools one day.
By Srikant Mishra
Biyani was forced to first drive a deal
with Amazon and then later deal with
Reliance Retail as well. Amazon
Kishore Biyani was Indian retail’s
subsequently claimed that the Future
poster child 15 years ago, featured on
Group could not sell its retail assets to
the covers of top business magazines
Reliance and went to emergency
and being a regular on the front pages
arbitration in Singapore which gave it
of financial dailies. We were told that he
relief. While this should bring up
was building a retail empire through
questions of why Indian corporate
Future Group that would rival that of the
battles constantly go to arbitration in
nations like Singapore and the United
Kingdom, it is also bad news for Biyani.
Yes, he has a massive ready-made
network of retail stores across the
country which Amazon or Reliance
would love to get their hands on. More
importantly, both multi-billion dollar
companies would not want the other to
get their hands on it. While both
Amazon and Reliance have issued
statements with all the right words, it
appears that this matter will not be
resolved anytime soon. This is horrible
news for Biyani and his retail empire,
which was already bleeding but was
dealt a body blow by the Coronavirus-
inspired lockdown and the closure of
malls. Amazon and Reliance don’t just
have the pockets to ride out the crisis,
they also know that if they can’t get
their hands on the asset, they can
estate being a lot cheaper than ever before. What happens next only the courts will decide.
always create another one with real
EDIT
THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL
MUMBAI | TUESDAY | DECEMBER 1, 2020
Why 'Thalaiva' is cynosure of young eyes in TN
SINCE 1928
FOUNDER EDITOR: S SADANAND
Economic revival needs Long Shot
a demand-boost
SHEKHAR IYER
T hough there is no dearth of sceptics questioning
the veracity of the latest GDP numbers, it is unde-
I
niable that the economy has turned for the better in the t is easy to dismiss the
second quarter of the pandemic year 2020-21. If in the craze among sections of
first quarter it contracted by a whopping 23.9 per cent, young voters of Tamil
Nadu to look up to superstar
in the second, it shrank by 7.5 percent. Nominal GDP
Rajinikanth to make his for-
loss in the second quarter data which was released last
ay into the state elections
week was Rs 1.98 lakh crore as against Rs 11.1 crore in
next year, as a result of their
the first full- lockdown quarter. The expectation is,
obsession with cinema since
from here on, the economy can only regain further mo-
the days of M G Ramachan-
mentum. Manufacturing and real estate sectors, which
dran (MGR) and later, J Jay-
revived in the second quarter from near-zero in the pre-
alalithaa, who dominated
vious quarter, will pick up appreciably in the second the scene till their demise.
half of the current financial year. The manufacturing But it is also because of
sector grew 0.6 per cent in the second quarter, after their disenchantment with
contracting 39.3 per cent in the previous quarter. It may the existing Dravidian par-
be partially due to the pent-up demand suppressed by ties, given their track record
the lockdown and also in expectation of the higher de- in misgovernance and cor-
mand in the festival season. The services sector, a ma- ruption.
The vacuum in the state’s
jor driver of the economy, too cut down losses from the
political scenario after the
first quarter. The encouraging factor is the buoyancy of
exit of stalwarts, including
the agriculture sector. It did well in the first quarter, as
M Karunanidhi, has also
also in the second. The fact that the contraction in the
meant that a younger lot of
second quarter was lower than the 9.8 per cent forecast
voters is not left with much
by the RBI is significant. The worst may be over but the
choice when dynastic poli-
continuing uncertainty over the coronavirus pandem-
tics, corruption, and differ-
ic is still a matter of concern. The recent surge in Del-
ent shades of political ob-
hi, Gujarat and elsewhere in the country needs to be scurantism have thrived in
watched carefully, lest it disrupts a return to normal- the name of Tamil pride.
cy. Surprisingly, during the first half of the financial It is an accepted fact that
year, government spending, instead of picking up, ac- many young voters are not
tually contracted. Despite multiple pandemic-related enthused by the existing lot
relief packages, and sector-specific incentives to trade of players including
and industry, the impact on demand was rather negli- Karunanidhi’s son and DMK
chief M K Stalin, possibly
gible. Hopefully, as normalcy returns, economic re-
the most fancied to win the
vival will gather steam. The government has also en-
next polls.
visaged a huge public works programme, entailing
The anti-incumbency fac-
massive investments in infrastructure projects. But the
tors working against the rul-
problem with the economic direction of the country is
ing AIADMK dispensation,
that the government continues to send conflicting sig-
which is led by Chief Minis-
nals. On the one hand, it undertakes labour and land re-
ter Edappadi K Palaniswami
forms to make fresh investment attractive for domestic
(EPS) and his deputy O Pan-
and foreign companies. On the other hand, it sends neg-
ative signals to foreign investors, by refusing to shed
the distressing baggage of the past. For instance, its re-
ONE FLEW OVER THE NEST
fusal to abide by the Singapore arbitration award in the
Vodafone case only serves to warn future investors Entering BJP. Give him an inch and he will take an ell .
against doing business in the country. Or take the not-
so-secret attempts to create regulatory and other road- He must stop this big messiah nonsense of announcing his entry every year and backing off. If he is genuinely interested in public service he wouldn't create such
blocks for foreign-owned digital retail market plat- hungama about his stupid entry. Let your work speak. This is not a movie where people vote just for his grand entry.
forms in order to grant an unfair advantage to a big in-
dustrial group which is now keen to make a huge
Why they want Rajini to be positive in this Covid times
splash in e-commerce. Without a stable, predictable and
transparent environment, foreign investment will
Rajnikanth is shrewd enough to understand that politics needs money, and right now nobody is there to back him. He announced RMM, expecting @BJP4India's
shirk from coming to India. Domestic business must support to cut DMK votes, but unfortunately that did not happened therefore he is getting jittery.
learn to compete with foreign competition on fair and
equal terms, and not exploit proximity to governments
Sir, your decision is our decision, as the Great Tenalirama once opined in the Court of Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara empire!
to gain unfair advantage.
Farmers should see reason
I think this whole drama which Rajnikant is subjecting his fans and followers is not right and that too in COVID times.
W hether they are justified in protesting what are
essentially pro-farm sector reforms, the need for
an early end to the siege of the national capital cannot
The progressive unlocking, coinciding with the festive season and pent-up demand, helped the economy deliver a positive surprise
Cautious optimism is the mantra
be exaggerated. For the fifth day straight, farmers have
sought to block all entry points to Delhi from Haryana
and UP, even if the bulk of the protesters are from the
Congress-ruled Punjab. Though leading farm experts
have unanimously welcomed the three reform laws,
Comment
suspicion and distrust among a section of the farmers
fuels the disruptive stir. It now threatens to bring life
in the capital to a standstill by blocking supplies of es-
sential items from the neighbouring states. The offer A L I CHOUGULE
of talks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah was
turned down on Sunday on the ground that it was con-
T
tingent on the farmers assembling at a designated he highly anticipated GDP prints for the
place and lifting the roadblocks put up by them. On second quarter, after a dismal first quarter
Monday, Shah is reported to have invited them for performance due to the Covid-induced lock-
talks without any conditions. Hopefully, farmers will down, were announced on November 27. As ex-
try and find a modus vivendi to suspend the stir after pected, the economy recovered quite significant-
their meeting with the Home Minister. The longer they ly in the second quarter from the severe contrac-
continue to protest against the long-overdue reforms, tion in the April to June quarter. With 7.5 per cent
the more likely will they forfeit the sympathy of the contraction in Q2 of FY-21, the growth rate is bet-
people. At one level, the big farmers in Punjab are the ter than most estimates. The recovery in the slide,
aided by progressive unlocking coinciding with
most-pampered, getting 24x7 free power, hugely sub-
the festive season and pent-up demand, helped
sidised fertilisers, higher-than-market price for their
produce through obligatory procurement by the state
the economy deliver a positive surprise. Notwith-
standing the confirmation that India is in techni-
agencies and, above all, no tax on farm income. They cal recession, the sharper than expected narrow-
should cut their losses and in good faith, commit to ing in the pace of GDP contraction was primari-
modernise farm production, instead of burdening tax- ly driven by agriculture, manufacturing, elec-
payers with a recurring bill for multiple subsidies. tricity and utilities. Agriculture, in fact, is the
bright spot for the second straight quarter, amid
FPJ ARCHIVES NOVEMBER 22, 1962 a grim GDP performance.
India’s Q2 GDP numbers were anticipated to
have a significant sequential rebound, even as
they were expected to remain in the negative. The
first quarter contraction by a whopping 23.9 per
cent was unexpectedly higher than the consensus
estimates, which was primarily because of the
stringent nationwide lockdown between April
and June. Notably in the first quarter, agriculture
was the only sector that registered 3.4 per cent
growth, while other segments recorded massive
contraction – construction (-50.3 per cent), manu-
facturing (-39.3 per cent), mining (-23.3 per cent)
and services, trade and transport shrinking at 47
per cent each. With the high frequency indicators
– auto sales, real estate, manufacturing PMI and
railways freight earnings – having shown grad-
ual signs of pick-up, pointing towards overall eco-
nomic recovery, the second quarter growth ex-
pectations, therefore, were significantly better
than that in the first quarter because of the
phased unlocking of the country.
Analysts’ estimation of the second quarter slip-
page was in the range of 8 to 13 per cent. The RBI
expected a contraction of 8.6 per cent. In the July
to September quarter of last year, the GDP
Over 900 POWs in Chinese "black hole" growth was 4.4 per cent. In expectations of a sig-
nificant sequential pullback in the Q2 GDP, rating
The FPJ News Service GANGTOK, Nov. 21: Chinese have lodged 927 agencies and global brokerages have revised
Indian prisoners in dark, dingy camps in Urumchi in Sinkiang and Lhasa their FY-21 GDP forecasts for India to around mi-
in Tibet, according to reports reaching here. About 200 Indian soldiers nus 7 per cent from the over minus 8 per cent ear-
captured in Ladakh region have been placed in Urumchi camp and about lier. Although GDP growth is expected to improve
700 of them have been lodged in Lhasa prisoners' camps. in the remaining two quarters of the current fis-
These reports were confirmed by Radio Peking which said "royal cal, with the improved pace of pick-up in eco-
treatment" was being meted out to POWs by the Chinese military nomic activity in most sectors, analysts expect
authorities. The broadcast said Indian soldiers had written to their the economy to face downward pressure from the
relatives in India about the "cordiality and hospitality" extended to still worrisome spread of the pandemic in some
them by the Chinese. states and the re-imposition of restrictions in cer-
Letters to the editor should be sent to: The Free Press Journal, Free Press House, Free Press Journal Marg, 215 Nariman Point, Mumbai. 400021; Fax: 22874688, e-mail: mail@fpj.co.in; Type letter, leave space, write your views and name. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Nothing is more
admirable than the fortitude with which millionaires
tolerate the disadvantages of their wealth.”
― Rex Stout, The Red Box
With youths accounting for more than 50 per cent of Tamil
Nadu voters, it is Rajinikanth’s every word and move that has
caught attention now and then, even though he has
postponed his plans several times since he announced he
would fight the 2021 elections way back in December 2017
neerselvam (OPS), have
forced an uneasy arrange-
has drawn much traction. play by relying on modern
ment between factions since
His announcement later technology for his cam-
Jayalalithaa’s untimely de-
that he would take a deci- paign without undertaking
mise and her aide Sasikala
sion soon came against the strenuous tours to project
Natarajan's incarceration
backdrop of doctors advis- his brand of “spiritual pol-
following her conviction in a
ing him against entering itics.”
disproportionate assets case
politics in view of his Rajinikanth’s famous lines
being upheld by the
health condition and the of December 2017 still echo
Supreme Court. ing, social reformist Peri- from charting an independ-
prevailing pandemic situa- among the young fans who
Her jail term is due to end yar’s ideas and Left-driven ent course for TN BJP. They
tion. The 69-year-old super- recall his words. He had
early next year, ahead of the agenda, has so far not exact- unilaterally announced the
star of Tamil cinema was said, “I will enter politics
TN polls due in April-May. ly set the state on fire— in “continuation” of an “old”
apparently told by his offi- and launch a party to serve
She is the aunt of T T V Dhi- providing an alternative op- alliance between the BJP
cials that he would have a the people of Tamil Nadu, as
nakaran, who runs a band of tion to the voters. and the AIADMK, days after
good chance of winning if the (political) system in
hard-core Sasikala loyalists With youths accounting for both parties appeared to be
he started his political jour- Tamil Nadu has been ru-
under the banner of the more than 50 per cent of at loggerheads at the state-
ney as soon as possible. ined.”
Amma Makkal Munnetra Tamil Nadu voters, it is Ra- level.
Significantly, only a month Of course, this depends
Kazhagam (AMMK). jinikanth’s every word and It is no secret that the sur-
ago, Rajinikanth had stated on Rajinikanth’s ability to
Even as EPS may be seen move that has caught atten- vival of the AIADMK
that he had been advised recreate the magic of 1996.
as making up for the lost tion now and then, even regime has been largely con-
against entering politics by At that time, his punchline
time to shore up on his gov- though he has postponed his tingent on the Centre’s
doctors as he had undergone was that “even God cannot
ernance record by massive plans several times since he friendly view towards it.
a kidney transplant in 2016 save Tamil Nadu" if the
doses of largesse to different announced he would fight It is also no secret that the
and due to the coronavirus AIADMK comes back to
sections of voters, the DMK the 2021 elections way back BJP has been wooing Ra-
pandemic. This disclosure of power. His clarion call re-
has been trying to woo in December 2017. So much jinikanth assiduously for
his health status indicated sulted in Jayalalitha’s hu-
young voters by projecting so, Rajinikanth’s Hamletian some months to take the
he was willing to miss the miliating defeat. The DMK-
Stalin’s actor-cum-producer dilemma had an exasperated plunge to prevent the DMK
bus again though he had set Tamil Maanila Congress
son Udayanidhi as the heir- BJP finally seeing merit in from sweeping the assembly
up the Rajini Makkal Man- alliance swept to power,
apparent. shaking hands with a divid- polls, especially after its al-
dram as a 'launch vehicle' to thanks to him.
The entry of actor Kamal ed AIADMK, rather than liance performed outstand-
float his political party This time, his political
Haasan and his political for- wait for the superstar to pro- ingly in the Lok Sabha elec-
ahead of the 2021 elections. friends, particularly the
mation Makkal Nidhi Ma- vide the fulcrum for creation tions, winning 38 of the 39
But, as his deliberations BJP, would want Ra-
iam (MNM) did evoke a lot of of a third front to provide an seats from Tamil Nadu.
at Chennai’s Raghavendra jinikanth to make the foray,
interest before the 2019 Lok alternative to the Dravidian It is this context that Ra-
Kalyana Mandapam if not to win the elections,
Sabha elections. parties. jinikanth’s exercise of ask-
showed on November 30, then to at least prevent the
In the parliamentary elec- When Union Home Minis- ing his outfit Rajini Makkal
Rajnikanth knows that he DMK and its allies from
tions, the MNM’s debut did ter Amit Shah went to Chen- Mandram and its district
won’t get another window sweeping the elections.
see the fledgling party pick nai on November 21 to meet secretaries and office-bear-
again to launch his party. The writer is a former Senior
up 3.75-3.80 per cent votes. BJP cadres to discuss their ers if they were ready to
He can still play the role Associate Editor of Hindustan
But the MNM’s political campaign strategies for the "start a political party in
that his political friends as Times and Political Editor of Dec-
thought process, which is a elections, EPS and OPS said January" at a meeting in
well as his fans want him to can Herald, New Delhi
mixture of anti-BJP postur- to have pre-empted Shah Chennai on November 30
#Rajinikanth TUESDAY'S SWIPE
Winter of discontent
Sandeep Choudhury@Sandeep71121431
With winter approaching, it
Bruce Wayne@BruceWa67656471 appears from Punjab to
Afghanistan to Iran, conflicts
are surfacing again, threatening
Navigator@Navigator404
the peace of nations. The killing
of an Iranian nuclear scientist,
bomb blasts killing many in
S P Rajeev@SPRajeev Kabul and the ongoing
farmers' protests with jibes of
Khalistan in our country, China
AndyIndi@MckinseyAndy
meddling at our border, Brexit
conflicts in UK, are all nothing
Merwin Rodrigues@merwinricks but symptoms of community
unrest and 'war mania', which
seizes nations, communities
and leaders across the globe,
periodically. I appeal to the
United Nations and groups like
SAARC, to pay due attention to
these apparent local conflicts,
and deal with them in
cooperative spirit. I appeal to
several industries and services that continue to all national leaders too, to
bleed profusely through multiple deep cuts. refrain from such 'meddling'.
However, despite the debilitating effect on the We pray for sanity everywhere.
economy, the Q2 GDP numbers hold hope with V Balasubramanian
some sectors reporting smart recovery. The no-
table takeaway is manufacturing, which grew 0.6 Feeling blue
per cent; this implies that the output from manu- Ref.: 'Now playing: Retro flops'
facturing industries is greater over the previous (November 30). With the
three months and is on par with production in the omission of opener Rohit Sharma
comparable quarter last year when the economy on the Australia tour, it was a
was in a better shape. All other sectors – mining, given that the Indian team would
trade, hotels, transport, communication, broad- suffer but who expected such
casting and retail – have shrunk at a slower pace, startling results. India's bowling
which is a sign of recovery, implying greater eco- has become a matter of grave
nomic activity across sectors, compared to the concern, since Australia set up a
previous quarter. So when the official view is that gigantic score consecutively in
green shoots are visible, holding out hopes of a both the one-day internationals.
Although GDP growth is expected to better recovery in coming quarters, there is a India's trump card Jasprit Bumrah
improve in the remaining two quarters need to be little circumspect because while the was not in rhythm and Yuzvendra
headline numbers are better than most estimates, Chahal,who has an outstanding
of the current fiscal, analysts expect the the economy remains in bad shape. The only ma- record in the Australian soil also
economy to face downward pressure jor positive is that the Q2 contraction has been of seems to be out of form. The
a smaller magnitude, but the economy has en- Aussies must be looking for a
from the still worrisome spread of the tered technical recession because of negative clean sweep after wrapping up
pandemic in some states and the re- growth in two consecutive quarters. the ODI series. Therefore, the
imposition of restrictions in certain The need to be cautious also arises from the men in blue ought to play with
fact that the Q2 numbers are being compared an absolute determination at
regions. Consumption demand and with the second quarter of 2019, which was Canberra to salvage their pride.
investment are needed to push the also the year of the slowdown that began in Tushar Anand
2018. Before Covid-19 hit the country, our econ-
economy on a sustained growth path. omy was on a downward spiral; the pandemic No time to celebrate
Since both continue to be tepid, any dealt it a brutal blow. Therefore, the road to a It is despicable that an acutely
full recovery is pretty long. Two successive debt-ridden Goa Government,
meaningful recovery in the December quarters of contraction and the third quarter which is borrowing hundreds
quarter looks doubtful. also likely to be in the negative territory im- of crores of rupees every
plies that India is heading for a full-year fall in month, has decided to merrily
GDP growth, for the first time since 1979. Going squander a whopping Rs 100
tain regions. Consumption demand and invest- forward, the hope of sustaining the current re- crore to celebrate 60 years of
ment are needed to push the economy on a sus- covery for the economy to come back on track Goa’s liberation. With the
tained growth path. Since both continue to be next year will depend critically on the spread crucial Mhadei issue haunting
tepid, any meaningful recovery in the December of the pandemic, as the winter months war- us and so many other
quarter looks doubtful. In fact, now that the festi- rant caution. extremely serious tribulations
val season is over, demand is expected to slow The 23.9 per cent fall in GDP in the first quarter confronting the state, it is
down considerably. was one of the worst among major economies of the very inappropriate for the
As of November 30, three days after the Nation- world. The 7.5 per cent reduction is better than the government to have even
al Statistical Office released the Q2 GDP data, global average of minus 12.4 per cent for 49 coun- thought of such celebrations
there were 9.31 million reported Covid-19 positive tries. In the first quarter, the average of these 49 and that too, while the
cases in India, accounting for about 15 per cent of countries was minus 5.6 per cent, while India con- pandemic is raging. Goa
the world’s 61 million cases. With an average of tracted by almost 24 per cent. But there are many needs to be freed from
around 40,000 cases reported daily in recent days, countries that have recorded better growth, or less corruption, nepotism and see
the pandemic is still a cause of concern, while the contraction, than India: US, Germany, Italy, Japan, good governance. There has
progress on the vaccine front is the only hope to
contain its spread. There is still time before the
Singapore, Sweden and Hong Kong, while Taiwan,
China and Vietnam recorded positive growth. This
to be total transparency and
accountability in the
vaccine will be available to the public. Therefore, means, as the data suggests, the contraction in In- functioning of the
the economy will continue to be disrupted by the dia’s economic growth during July-September quar- government. Our state has to
pandemic because of restrictions on travel and ter has been sharper than most other major be unchained from the
tourism, which will affect airlines, hospitality economies, though the decline in the case of Spain menace of being a gambling,
and service sectors. The degree of disruption and (-8.7) and Britain (-9.6) has been slightly higher than drug and rostitution den and
its prolonged impact on businesses will continue India’s. Given the uncertainty, one can be cautious- a safe hub for crime. Only
to haunt the economy, which is far from reaching ly optimistic on Indian economy, but there are sev- then could we have reason to
pre-pandemic levels. The GDP prints for two con- eral areas of concern as well. proudly celebrate a truly
secutive quarters of the current fiscal reflect the The author is an independent liberated Goa.
exceedingly high impact of the pandemic across senior journalist Aires Rodrigues
millenniumpost| NEW DELHI| TUESDAY, 1 DECEMBER, 2020 mp editorial 7

Policing in the
EDITORIAL
On the bright side
Stories of hope from across the tribal areas of how communities survived due
digital age to the Forest Rights Act even as attempts have been made to dilute it

T
he novel coronavirus diverse ecosystems.

A
disease (COVID-19) For example, Adivasi
number of factors in recent times have pushed to pandemic has had Kondh communities in Naya-
the forefront, the public debate over racial profiling SHWETA TRIPATHI a drastic impact on garh, Odisha, were able to sur-
and systemic racism in policing across the world. forest communities, causing vive on a diverse range of forest
The killing of George Floyd and the furore that losses of livelihoods and shel- foods during the lockdown as
followed was a large contributor to this push. Joe Biden and ter, food insecurity, physical they had been regenerating
Kamala Harris have promised to eliminate rampant systematic hardships, health-concerns their natural forests for over
racism from American policing. While racial profiling itself and economic suffering. four decades.
is not old or specific to the US, there is a troubling dimension But it is heartening to Women also played a key
to the whole situation that affects the long term existence of witness hundreds of stories role in managing the crisis in
systemic racism in policing practices. of empowered communi- areas where the village assem-
As technology has advanced, facial recognition technol- ties under India’s Scheduled blies were empowered. In the
ogy and predictive algorithms have increasingly become a Tribes and Other Traditional Dindori block of Madhya
much-coveted tool for policing worldwide. In the US in par- Forest Dwellers (Recognition Pradesh, women organised
ticular, police departments are increasingly adopting digital of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, a system of food distribution
technology in the hopes that they can make law enforcement also known as Forest Rights and water collection that made
both accurate and efficient. A noble initiative to be certain Act (FRA) coping with the cri- sure that physical distance was
and on the face of it, a well reasoned one. After all, the cliche sis with remarkable resilience. maintained in tribal villages.
is that data never lies. Understanding the dras- Since the legal recognition
Not so, however. Predictably, there are many problems. The There are tic impact of the pandemic on of their CFRs in Dhule, Maha-
biggest of which is that this new band of predictive policing forest communities and their rashtra, communities have
is based on machine learning. Ample evidence and examples case studies spirited efforts to tackle it is been practising self-sufficient
over the years have shown that, depending on the input, these documented from vital in these times of chaos, agriculture as a way of long-
machine learning models can imbibe the biases in the data it is climate concerns and socio- term cluster development.
presented. The problem has only gotten worse. Data received various parts of economic distress. This long-term practice helped
from a flawed first generation of predictive tools was used as
the basis for further generations of such tools. Because they are
the country where Glaring loopholes
The COVID-19 pandemic
Collection, use and sale of minor forest produce by forest dwellers got severely affected due to the pandemic them to save food grains and
vegetables that helped them
based on pre-recorded sets of data, the machine mimics older empowered exposed many lacunae in the Community Forest Resources reported. FRA and PESA (Provisions of during the pandemic.
biases in data collection. The problem is particularly acute in village assemblies implementation of welfare (CFR). Dilution of laws the Panchayats (Extension to The Gotti Koya tribals in
the US. Consider figures provided by the US Department of schemes and services. Follow- It was only after demands Amid such hardships faced Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, the Mulugu district of Telan-
Justice itself that showed that you were twice as likely to be under FRA ing the announcement of the from people’s organisations by tribal communities, the have helped to facilitate sup- gana made face masks of teak
arrested if you are black rather than white. A black person initiated a holistic first phase of lockdown, there and civil society groups that dilution of laws and policies port for forest communities at leaves. Tribals in Chhattisgarh’s
is also five times more likely to be pulled over by the police was an exodus of nearly 40 mil- over 16,000 new names were under the theme of ‘Self-Reli- various levels by overcoming Bastar district made face masks
without cause. Now, consider the result of feeding data that is COVID-19 lion internal migrants from the registered for employment and ant India’ to boost the econ- constraints and crisis situations of palm leaves. Tribals of Viz-
based on this bias into a machine learning programme that governance plan cities to rural areas. got work on an average of 25 omy has increased resentment during times of wide-scale ianagaram district in Andhra
then comes up with an algorithm for predictive policing. The These included tribals and days across a number of states. among them. distress. Pradesh made masks of herbal
data bias has clear potential for aggravating the situation. well before local other forest-dwelling com- The collection, use and There has already been a There are case studies doc- leaves. They covered their faces
Another aspect of this is the likelihood that such software administration. munities who got stuck in the sale of minor forest produce diversion of around 0.39 mil- umented from various parts of due to non-availability of pro-
can also misidentify you as it is trained to work better with a cities without any support sys- (MFP) by forest dwellers also lion hectares (ha) of forest land the country where empowered tective masks in the tribal
particular set of features. In 2018, an MIT study of three com- There are also tem, shelter, food or water. got severely affected due to the between 2008 and 2019. Recent village assemblies under FRA areas.
mercially available gender recognitions systems showed that examples of how The absence of healthcare pandemic. An estimated 100 announcements regarding initiated a holistic COVID-19 The strong resilience of
they had error rates of up to 34 per cent for women of colour, facilities in tribal areas, with million forest dwellers depend the dilution of Environment governance plan well before communities in these tough
nearly 49 times the error rate for white men who were pre-
secure tenure a prevalence of diseases and on MFP for food, shelter, med- Impact Assessment and lib- local administration. times exemplifies their own-
dictably the target group that the software had trained with. and empowered health concerns such as mal- icines and cash income. eralisation of entry norms for There are also examples of ership and a deep sense of
As such, last week the UN also expressed deep concern village assemblies nutrition, malaria, leprosy, etc, The season for collect- private entities in the coal sec- how secure tenure and empow- belonging to the forests. Tribals
over the growing use of big data in policing and the potential severely limited the capaci- ing non-timber forest pro- tor has increased tribal anger. ered village assemblies helped have been the prime conser-
for disproportionate negative effects on minorities. Their con- helped reduce ties to deal with any major duce this year coincided with FRA has the potential to reduce distress migration dur- vationists of forests and have
cerns are largely based on the example of how such systems distress migration COVID-19 outbreak, posing the lockdown. This adversely secure the forest rights of at ing the pandemic. managed the biodiversity of
increased discrimination when used in profiling systems used a serious threat to the tribal impacted those whose liveli- least 200 million tribals and For instance, a study done forests since ages.
by many private companies for their hiring process. during the population. hoods depend on MFP. other traditional forest dwell- by the Community Forest Deep forests are a complex
Of course, the problem does not end with policing and job pandemic The poor access of tribal After demands from peo- ers over 40 million ha (50 per Rights - Learning and Advo- ecosystem encapsulating the
hiring. Big data and predictive algorithms are becoming more and forest dwellers to the pub- ple’s organisations, the Gov- cent of India’s forest land) cov- cacy or CFR-LA recorded sto- grand narratives of resources,
widespread by the moment. Already everything from loan lic distribution system was ernment of India’s Minimum ering 1,77,000 villages. ries from Central India. nature, biodiversity and lives.
applications to targeted social media apps are based on these reported from all states. There Support Price (MSP) scheme It has been a decade and a Around 50-gram sabhas in Breaking this ecosystem would
predictive algorithms. In regards to policing itself, it is alarm- were also various reports of for procurement of selected half since the law was passed. the Gondia district of Maha- only intensify the disposses-
ing to note that the Black Lives Matter movement in America starvation from the tribal areas MFPs was further revised However, only 13 per cent of rashtra organised a federation sion, alienation of the com-
has not actually slowed the use of biased predictive algorithms since they remain excluded and procured a value of Rs the 40 million ha has been that guaranteed competitive munities, thereby adversely
in policing in America, it has stimulated its growth. As discus- from most of the benefits of 152 crore MSP during the demarcated under the FRA by prices and bonus for the com- impacting the forests.
sions over defunding and further regulating the police force the socio-economic scheme. pandemic. the environment ministry. munities for their product Whether the government
take centre stage, so does the need for police departments to The lockdown measures The survival of the partic- This laxity in duly record- collection. It earned Rs 2.5 learns from these stories of
plug in the gaps with measures like predictive policing. have badly affected wage ularly vulnerable tribal groups ing existing forest rights and crore by selling Tendupatta, resilience and works towards
All is not lost, however. Unlike human bias, machine bias employment for tribal com- living in remote and scattered the resultant tenurial insecu- an MFP while taking precau- effective implementation of the
can be course-corrected by teaching algorithms to identify and munities. FRA title holders geographical locations in India rity is likely to increase vul- tions against the spread of FRA remains to be seen. The
then tackle bias in the data it is presented. Several organisa- are entitled to an additional was another issue. Incidents of nerability and more adversely COVID-19. communities however would
tions across the world are already working to identify biases 50 days of work under employ- the forest department illegally impact livelihoods and food There are also striking continue with their spirit of
in existing algorithms. Furthermore, there are larger regula- ment guarantee schemes with demolishing houses, beating security of forest dwellers dur- examples of how local knowl- survival, securing their habi-
tory efforts by governments as well such as the General Data which they can take up activi- up women and children and ing the pandemic and after. edge and long-term conserva- tats and existence within the
Protection Regulation in the EU which, among other things, ties such as land development filing cases against them under Stories of hope tion efforts led by local people ecosystem.  DTE
prevents any organisation from using data that promotes spe- and enhanced productivity of several strict provisions were Rights recognised under can create healthier and more Views expressed are personal
cific biases to make automated decisions.

Backed into a corner

This is a matter of interest to India as well. In the last
decade, Indian police forces have steadily expanded their use
of predictive policing systems to identify criminal hotspots.
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are some of the Indian states that
have made use of such systems. While there has been very little
research done over how predictive policing works in India, it
would be optimistic to the point of foolishness to expect that
similar problems of bias will not creep into India’s systems.
Ultimately, there is no denying that predictive policing has The panicked response of the Pakistani administration in the face of recent foreign
the potential to be a significant tool in keeping society safe but
the premature use of such technology without ironing out the policy setbacks indicates that 73-year-old nation may have lost its way

P
kinks can have dire consequences.
akistan was dealt Pervez Musharraf during one to pay a considerable price for
a very humiliating of his US visits, had met the not having heeded to an inde-
EVERLASTING Dear blow by the 57 mem- members of the Jewish lobby pendent foreign policy keep-

MEMORIES Editor SHANTANU MUKHARJI bers all-powerful

Saudi backed Organisation of
there and was of the firm opin-
ion that Pakistan needed to be
ing it’s “dignity and sovereign
credentials” intact.
Islamic Cooperation (OIC), friendly with Israel. Now, reli- Judging by the fresh hap-
We the people of Kannur, Kerala cherish the day Maradona which outrightly rejected a able sources feel that even a penings in Pakistan, a visit to
came to our city eight years ago. Maradona came, Maradona Pakistan plea to include Kash- section of the Pakistani mili- the ISI headquarters by Prime
saw, and Maradona conquered the hearts of the people of mir in the OIC agenda at its tary wants to be getting close Minister Imran Khan on
Kannur. The God of football came to Kannur on October 23, Foreign Ministers meeting to Israel to use the Jewish lobby November 29 is seen as signif-
held on November 27-29 at to use it against India to focus icant. He was comprehensively
2012, and it was a private visit sponsored by an international
Niger’s capital Niamey. on Kashmir. However, such briefed by the ISI chief, Lieu-
jewellery company. The whole city was in a frenzy and I Bluntly dismissing Paki- plans look utterly utopian with tenant General Faiz Hamid
remember the roads and the premises around the hotel in stani requests to drum up no chances whatsoever to woo and among those present at
which Maradona stayed was jam-packed with soccer fans Kashmir issue, Secretary- Israel. That said, it’s not pre- the briefing included Planning
who came from far and near. The city of Kannur which has General of the OIC, Dr Yousef dictable as yet if more pressure Minister, Asad Umar, For-
a rich legacy of producing some of the best footballers for Al Othaimeen disclosed in is mounted on Pakistan to cosy eign Minister, Shah Mehm-
the state and the nation was all decked with huge posters, Riyadh on November 27 that up to Israel so as to end the iso- ood Qureshi and chiefs of the
banners and hoardings to welcome the legend. Maradona Kashmir is not on the list of lation being faced by Pakistan three arms of the military.
came in a helicopter. Thousands of fans thronged patiently in Prime Minister discussions and instead, Islam- Turkey will likely impede Pakistani attempts to mend fences with Israel today in the global fraternity. The briefing, though details
front of the hotel for hours together to have a glimpse of the Imran Khan very ophobia, defamation of reli- Turkey, as is widely known, of which are kept under the
greatest of soccer players. As soon as they saw him waving gion, Palestinians, funding of to communalise the issue, out- ters of Islamophobia and need is trying to use Pakistan to wraps, was on national, inter-
from the balcony of the hotel room the whole populace went recently admitted Rohingya Muslims and their side the formal agenda, didn’t for a global dialogue did get a parrot Ankara led policies, national and regional issues.
in euphoria - whistling, clapping, shouting, dancing and some being under case in the International Court elicit any response from the mention. is thought to be a stumbling Here, ‘regional’ is fundamen-
even crying, for that type of a vibe did he create in them. Later of Justice would be debated Muslim countries. Commu- In another Pakistan related block to Pakistani thinking of tal as in all likelihood, matters
at the Jawahar stadium where the organisers conducted a
severe pressure at the forum. OIC also plans nalist, because he tried to cau- development, the country is mending fences with Israel. discussed were how to target
special function Maradona mesmerised the biggest crowd the from some yet to outline the formatting and tion ‘rise’ of Hindutva in India. under immense external pres- Most likely, because of this and Kashmir in a more aggres-
city ever saw with his football stunts, dance and songs! When execution of “implementation Frustrated by the tepid reac- sure to mend ties with Israel. its own parochial and theo- sive way as the most recent
footballs were shot into the gallery by the legend the spectators
unnamed quarters of OIC 2025”. tion, Qureshi made a feeble This looks very visible in the logical considerations, Paki- ISI machinations in abetting
made a mad rush to possess the balls ending up in ‘rugby’ that Pakistan The rejection of the attempt to seek support for light of the Saudi Arabia, stan has very recently rejected terror in the state of Kashmir
repeated Pakistani attempts to exercising political and eco- Bahrain and the UAE com- any move to recognise Israel met with decisive failures with
matches in the gallery! Maradona even cut a huge cake made should warm up include Kashmir is a major set- nomic influence to rein in ing incredibly close to Israel. though most of the Arab coun- huge casualties inflicted by the
especially for him in the replica of a stadium and football but
the legend, witnesses say, made it sure that he didn’t slice the
to Israel in view back to Pakistan foreign policy so-called atrocities in Kash- More notably, the November tries are going for a thaw. The Indian security forces to the
and perhaps a glaring diplo- mir. Qureshi, frustrated in 23 meeting between Israeli explanation put forward by Jaish sponsored terror mis-
football because for him it was his life and soul! Maradona of the changing matic victory for the Indian the absence of any anti-India PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistan is the same old record sions. The meeting possibly
left Kannur with golden memories the people will cherish ground political diplomacy. It must have been support, came down heavily Mohammad bin Salman of of extending support to the also discussed increasing ISI
forever. The hotel room, room number 309, in which the possible due to robust, mature on France by appealing to the Saudi Arabia with the Israeli Palestinians on their inalien- operations in Afghanistan to
Soccer God stayed has been turned into a ‘shrine’ where all the equations and aggressive pursuits on audience for observing one day Intelligence (Mossad) Chief able right to self-determina- counter any Indian move to
things he used during his stay has been kept intact. The hotel part of the Indian mandarins in the year as ‘International in tow has led to fresh think- tion which Pakistan claims to further befriend Afghanistan.
management also allows only Maradona fans to stay in that and policymakers to foil Paki- Day to combat Islamophobia’. ing among a section of the be in line with its stated official These panic measures with the
extra-special room! His memories linger on in the hearts of stani bids to raise Kashmir in However, amid conflicting Pakistani polity to revisit its position. With the new Biden involvement of the deep state
soccer fans here and the everlasting energy left by the legend is an international forum such reports, Pakistan claimed to policy towards Israel. Prime led US Government in the off- are indicative of the 73-year-
felt even now in the stadium and the place where he stayed. as the OIC which is predomi- have raised the Kashmir issue Minister Imran Khan very ing, the Jewish lobby is likely old country, founded on the
nantly Islamic. at the CFM (Council of For- recently admitted being under to strengthen ties with Israel basis of religion, seems to be
....M PRADYU, KANNUR via email Meanwhile, Pakistani For- eign Ministers) meeting. On its severe pressure from some yet and Pakistan needs to watch surely losing its way. That’s at
eign Minister Shah Mehmood part, India describing Kashmir unnamed quarters that Paki- out for that as Turkey too will least the experts are assessing.
millenniumpost.in Qureshi while addressing the as the inalienable part of India stan should warm up to Israel be on US radar for its pan- The writer is a security
OIC‘s 47th audience at Niger has described allegations of in view of the changing ground Islamic activities misleading analyst who was the
Log on to write letters to the editor or send them to on November 28, urged the human rights abuses in Kash- political equations. the Muslim world as seen by former National Security
letter2editor.mp@gmail.com. You can also send your comments to The Editor, OIC to prevail upon India for mir as factually incorrect. In In this context, it may be Erdogan’s actions and rhetoric Adviser to the Prime
Millennium Post, Pratap Bhawan, 5 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002 alleged provocation against the essence, Kashmir issue didn’t worthwhile to point out that in in France and other European Minister of Mauritius. Views
Muslims. His futile attempted get any publicity though mat- 2005, then Pakistani President countries. Pakistan may have expressed are personal
10 NEW DELHI
TUESDAY
DECEMBER 01, 2020

Opinion

{ OUR TAKE }
E STA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 24
What the Indian
The perils of markets don’t tell you
UP’s approach In contrast to the fate of
millions of poor people,
was functioning normally. It defies companies, their shareholders and
conventional wisdom that when busi- people employed in the financial mar-
nesses are shut, and sales are falter- kets sector. Worse, such increase in
ing, that the market value of compa- market wealth did not help to create
UP should step back from a law that could stock markets have nies should increase so sharply. new jobs in these companies. Instead,

deepen the Hindu-Muslim divide boomed with little The market value of most of these some reduced their workforce while
companies has risen irrationally many reduced the wages of their
tangible benefit because of exuberant stock market employees. There was no tangible
activity with utter disregard to the benefit to the economy or society

T
he Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police has lodged the

I
ndia is in an economic recession
first case under the just-promulgated UP for the first time in its independ-
Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of ent history. Since April, large
swathes of the nation were com-
Religion Ordinance against a person in pletely shut for three months
Bareilly — a Muslim man, accused of seeking to and only partially open there
coerce and convert a Hindu woman in order to after. A recession and a pall of gloom
over the economy were inevitable.
marry her. News reports present a complicated The only surprise would have been if
picture, with the woman’s father alleging the India’s economy had not suffered a
accused had threatened the family for opposing deleterious impact. But, for a tiny
sliver of India’s elite, it is not gloom
conversion; the woman’s brother claiming that the but boom times.
entire episode took place a year ago, the matter In the seven-month period between
had been settled, his sister was now married to April and October, when businesses
were shut and jobs were lost, 274 mil-
someone else, and the police took the initiative of lion rural Indians earned their liveli-
lodging the case; others suggesting that the hoods primarily by labouring an
relationship was consensual; and the family of the entire day to earn a paltry ₹200 under
the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
accused arguing that this was a false case. Employment Guarantee Scheme
If the multiple versions of this story present a (MGNREGS). Hundred million more
somewhat complex picture, it is because the truth people asked for work under
MGNREGS this year vis-à-vis last
about relationships between young people in a year, reflecting the economic impact
patriarchal set-up in general, and about interfaith of the lockdown.
relationships in a set-up where religious In exactly this sombre period, the
top 50 companies in India’s stock
prejudices are deep in particular, has many layers. market increased their value by $200
Young people, even when they are in consensual billion combined. This is seven times
relationships, often keep it under wraps for fear of more than the increase in the value of
these same 50 companies in the same
parental recrimination; families try to end such period last year, when the economy
relationships, when it goes against their beliefs
and they fear social sanction. In the backdrop of a
political climate where a certain type of
relationship — between Muslim men and Hindu
women — is stigmatised and now made legally
From India’s wars, five
state of the underlying economy or from this excessive speculative stock
the performance of the companies. market activity except enriching a
Foreign investors flush with money select few and widening the economic
from central banks in their home and social inequality.
countries have poured their excess Excesses of financialisation and
cash into India’s stock markets. A few financial markets are a real threat to
thousand investors gamble in the social stability and harmony, not just Excesses of financialisation and financial markets are a real threat to
stock markets on a daily basis which in India but in many other countries social stability and harmony, not just in India but elsewhere too REUTERS
pushes up the value of such as the United States
companies. and United Kingdom. In income above a certain high thresh- The government’s economic
Just when millions of the garb of market effi- old. None of these measures worked response to the Covid-19 crisis has
rural Indians were toiling ciency and price discov- and in the decade since the crisis, the only further aggravated this social
in the sun for ₹200 ery, financial markets financial sector has only turned even disparity through a bountiful mone-
rupees, these investors have turned into a den for more reckless and shallow. Obama is tary stimulus for the financial sector
spent $250bn every day to Praveen gambling and a channel candidly remorseful that he was una- and negligible fiscal aid for ordinary
speculate on the prices of Chakravarty for easy wealth for a select ble to tame the beast of financialisa- people.
shares, currency, deriva- few. But their risks are tion. It may not be an exaggeration to It is time to acknowledge that
tives and other exotic borne by all and protected impute that such extreme financiali- India’s stock markets have no mean-
financial instruments in by governments using sation of the economy disrupted the ing for the larger economy. Gloating
India’s stock markets. Levels of specu- taxes and savings of ordinary citi- social order and fostered the subse- over stock market ebullience as an
lative trading (measured as delivery zens. The social costs of excessive quent extreme Left and extreme Right indicator of economic performance is
percentage) in the stock markets financialisation of economies now political movements championed by like treating ticket sales of the Indian
reached an all-time high, with 50% far exceed their perceived trickle Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump Derby as an indicator of the larger
more buying and selling this year down economic benefits. respectively. economy.
compared to the same period last year In his recent memoirs, former US India’s post Covid-19 economy is Covid-19, apart from damaging the
when there was no economic shut- President Barack Obama describes his like the fire god Agni — two faced with health of millions of Indians, may also
down. experiences in dealing with the one beneficent and the other malig- further rupture India’s economic and
These 50 companies employ nearly extravagances of the financial sector nant. Malignant for a vast majority of social equity.
two million workers. A vast majority during the 2008 global financial crisis. Indian families that is experiencing
of these workers did not gain a single He famously shamed the financial job losses and declining incomes. Praveen Chakravarty is a former
rupee from the new wealth added to sector professionals by calling them Beneficent for a minuscule few that banker and a senior
their companies. Nearly all the gains “fat cat bankers” and attempted to have seen their wealth soar, driven by office-bearer of the Congress
accrued only to the owners of these impose a 90% tax on their financial irrational financial markets. The views expressed are personal
{ M VENKAIAH NAIDU } VICE-PRESIDENT

P
lessons for the present
difficult, the ability to exercise autonomy and be
truthful about it is even more difficult.
As this newspaper has consistently argued, the
India condemns terrorism
UP legislation as well as the proposed legislations aving spent eight years researching ness to stand up as a responsible international
in all its manifestation.
in other states — based on the flawed theory of
“love jihad” — stems from patriarchy and bigotry.
Unless there is criminality and conversion due to
inducement, coercion, allurement or fraud —
H and writing in a focused manner on player.
war and conflict in independent The third lesson is a corollary of the first
India, it is time to distil five big les- and a consequence of both moral and devel-
sons for a diverse constituency of stakehold- opmental dilemmas in the Indian strategic
ers in India’s national security matrix. These DNA. In its quest to emerge as a responsible
We are particularly
concerned about states
that leverage terrorism
which is covered by other laws — matters of the range from the policymaker and the practi- and restrained power that strives to uphold
as an instrument of

A
tioner to the academic and the common citi- the ideals of its pioneering leaders, India has
heart are best left to individuals. Instead, what has
happened is first, an attempt to politically deepen
zen. As India matures as a democracy and its often been surprised by assertive and rela-
aspirations to emerge as a leading power tively clear-headed adversaries, both at the
their state policy.
the distrust about interfaith relationships, and gains momentum, all these stakeholders must state and non-state levels. While moral dilem-
understand the conduct of war and the utility mas have often delayed military responses,
second, an attempt to address this through laws. of force as an instrument of statecraft. developmental dilemmas have resulted in the
Irrespective of the truth of the case in Bareilly, the The first lesson is that contrary to the creation of suboptimal military capabilities.

Where India and

state is making a mistake. It should avoid largely peaceful trajectory of growth envis- A fourth lesson of realpolitik and umbilical
aged by the drafters of the Constitution, India linkages between politics, policy and war in
interfering in the personal realm, and its current has been a “reluctantly warring democracy” contemporary India emerges from the propo-
social outlook could increase the possibility of the to protect its sovereignty and internal fabric. sitions laid out by Kautilya, the ancient Indian
law being implemented in a discriminatory
manner. UP should review the law which could
deepen existing fractures.
It has fought four major wars and one high- strategist and Clausewitz, the Prussian mili-
intensity but limited conflict with its principal tary thinker of the early 19th century. While
adversaries, Pakistan and China. It has the former suggested “hard” and seemingly
quelled four insurgencies (Mizoram, Tripura, “amoral” decisions in pursuit of power for the
China differ in the
Punjab and Assam), in which the
latter two also displayed shades of
terrorism. It continues to search
for a solution to the longest insur-
common good, the latter advo-
cated close coordination between
political entities, policymakers and
practitioners of war as the only
Indian Ocean region
Donald Trump’s last gency in the post-World War-II era way to ensure the successful con- he national security adviser-level tri- isena, Sri Lanka had committed to its par-

push in West Asia

(the Naga insurgency) that has
merged with another violent
expression of ethnic angst in Man-
ipur. Left-wing extremism has
shown signs of fatigue, but secu-
Arjun
Subramaniam
duct of war as an instrument of
statecraft.
These have been clearly vali-
dated in India’s experience over
the last 74 years. The orchestration
T lateral between India, Sri Lanka and ticipation in the Belt and Road Initiative. It
Maldives was held in Colombo last was then that China became the largest
week, after a gap of six years, under- investor in Sri Lanka and one of its projects,
lining the renewed urgency for cooperation the deep-sea Hambantota Port, was leased
in the region, particularly in the wake of to it for 99 years due to staggering debt.
rity forces continue to search for of the 1971 War and the occupation China’s ambitious geopolitical tactics. Similarly, in Maldives, President Abdullah
resident Donald Trump has given up on foreign

P
conflict termination before the phase of con- of the Saltoro Ridge that overlooks the Sia- In the wake of the trilateral, it is impor- Yameen’s tenure in office (2013-2018) was
policy except in West Asia. His administration is flict resolution offers some light at the end of chen Glacier were examples of hard-nosed tant to examine ways to deepen co-opera- regarded as a time of a pro-China tilt for the
presumed to have had a role in the assassination what has been an intense struggle of ideas. In decisions that went against the grain of con- tion between India and its Indian Ocean Maldives. And it was then that large invest-
what has been a mother of all struggles, the ventional Indian statecraft. Similarly, Prime neighbours. One way to do this is strength- ments in infrastructure were made.
of Iran’s top nuclear scientist last week. His son-in- Indian State continues to grapple with a wax- Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s decision not to ening India’s policy of development cooper- Since most of the Chinese investment has
law has flown to the Persian Gulf for one last ing and waning proxy war in Jammu and allow Indian forces to cross the Line of Con- ation and economic diplomacy in the region been in infrastructure projects, which have
diplomatic roundabout. Mr Trump’s team is tying up Kashmir (J&K) that has shown chameleon- trol during the Kargil conflict was another vis-à-vis China’s engagement track. long gestation periods, and the
like shades of insurgency, terrorism and example of political clarity that led to the India’s development cooperation majority of the development assist-
the loose ends of what it sees as its great foreign policy hybrid war. occupation of a high ground by India that has been a consolidated effort over ance is in the form of non-conces-
moment — getting a slew of Gulf Arab nations to The second lesson is that India has not demonstrated that it could balance the appli- several decades, across four key sional loans, Sri Lanka and Mal-
recognise Israel and concretise an anti-Iran coalition. been averse to the application and demon- cation of force with restraint. verticals. One, housing and reha- dives find themselves in a debt
stration of force outside its geographical The fifth and last lesson, based on recent bilitation projects and high impact trap. The Maldives, for instance,
West Asia’s deepest geopolitical fault-line no boundaries in response to a call for help from events in the security domain, highlight community development projects has run up a debt of $1.3 billion to
Urmi
longer runs between Israelis and Arabs but between neighbours and the global community. The India’s attempts to shape new policies, strate- have involved grassroots develop- China, which is more than a quar-
Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) interven- gies and structures to meet contemporary ment and large-scale local partici- Tat ter of the GDP of Maldives. The
Shia Persians and Sunni Arabs. It was the Gulf
tion in Sri Lanka; the foiling of the 1988 coup national security challenges. There is clearly pation. unsustainable levels of debt have
monarchies which applauded Mr Trump ending the in Maldives; the sustained contribution to a reduced threshold to absorb “first blows” Two, education-based tourism made the new governments in both
Iran nuclear agreement, initiated the Israel outreach United Nations peacekeeping and peace and an articulated aspiration to migrate from programmes and skill-building initiatives countries wary of foreign participation in
and are now working to ensure all this will be fait enforcement operations, many of which have diffidence and excessive restraint to a more such as the Indian Technical and Economic large-scale infrastructure projects.
led to violent armed confrontations and assertive and proactive response mechanism. Cooperation (ITEC) and the Technology However, India can look to increase its
accompli for President-elect Joe Biden. Mr Biden’s resulted in casualties; and the resolute action India’s recent cross-border strikes on its east- Adoption Project were fully sponsored by engagement in a threefold manner. First,
foreign policy supports the Arab-Israeli in Doklam, are all examples of India’s willing- ern and western frontiers, its response at the government of India, in coordination New Delhi can play a much bigger role
rapprochement. But it may be frosty towards Saudi Doklam and the firm, albeit delayed, reaction with over 68 premier institutions. Three, through climate diplomacy with Maldives
to transgressions by the People’s Liberation infrastructure projects have followed the and Sri Lanka, since it has taken the lead in
Arabia and includes plans to resurrect the Iran Army in eastern Ladakh have demonstrated Security and Growth for All in the Region promoting two initiatives globally: The
nuclear agreement. The last won’t be easy. Iran has this clearly. What emerges is that for any sig- (SAGAR) policy and aimed to deepen eco- International Solar Alliance and Coalition
12 times more low-enriched uranium than the nificant shift in strategy to be effective, there nomic and security cooperation with its for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
needs to be a strong bridge that connects poli- maritime neighbours. Some key Indian pro- Second, India could take a leaf out of
original agreement allowed while Washington has tics, policy, strategy, doctrine, structures and jects in Sri Lanka are the Kankesanthurai China’s “sharp power” diplomacy and util-
zero diplomatic credibility. capability, much like the Strategy Bridge sug- harbour in Northern Sri Lanka and the ise its information broadcasting capacity to
The stakes are high. The Arab Street has no love gested by the renowned English scholar, Colin Indo-Japanese East Container Terminal showcase its own global initiatives. This
Gray. Clearly, it is this bridge that needs signif- (ECT) at Colombo Port. Similarly, for Mal- would help soften its “big brother” image in
for Israel. Iran’s informal empire remains intact but icant bolstering at every level. dives, India is assisting with the Greater the region.
broke. Outsiders must tread this minefield carefully. Recent initiatives indicate that this process Male Connectivity Project. And, finally, And finally, a key grouping that can play
India has even more reason to avoid a regional role has commenced in right earnest with a top- India is also committed to improving a bigger role in strengthening cooperation
down approach; there will be hits and misses energy infrastructure and helping cope with with Sri Lanka and Maldives vis-à-vis China
and continue to maintain a set of bilateral along the way as India seeks a “new normal” the climate crisis in the region, aided by its is the Quad. Key individual actors — namely
relationships. Pakistan is struggling. The United in its national security and warfighting dis- expertise in solar energy. Japan, India and United States (US) — are
Arab Emirates banned visas for Pakistan and others course. Lessons from the past will always India’s investments have thus been present in both the countries as independ-
offer instructive guidance. focused on human capital development and ent donor nations and can do much more
who opposed normalisation of ties with Israel. As deployed largely in employment-intensive through coordinated actions, to promote
West Asian politics becomes ever more cut-throat, Arjun Subramaniam is a retired Air Vice Marshal sectors. This is in contrast to Beijing’s soft power and economic diplomacy.
Islamabad may have to choose between ideological from the Indian Air Force and the author of India’s efforts. China had developed particularly
There will be hits and misses as India Wars: A Military History 1947-1971 & Full Spec- close ties with past regimes in Sri Lanka Urmi Tat is a research associate,
sanctity and economic stability. Either way will be to seeks a new normal in its national trum: India’s Wars 1972-2020 and Maldives. During the earlier presidency Centre for Air Power Studies
New Delhi’s advantage. security and warfighting discourse HT The views expressed are personal of Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sir- The views expressed are personal

R. N. I. No. 503/1957 ● Postal Reg. No. DL(ND)-11/6058/2018-19-20 ‘Licensed to post without prepayment’ LICENCE No. U(C)-113/2006-08, Air surcharge: Raipur and beyond by Rail or Road - Re 5/-, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Hyderabad, Khajuraho, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and beyond by Rail or Road - Rs. 10/-;

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Editor: KUNAL PRADHAN

06 NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 01 DECEMBER 2020
Incorporating and directly descended
from THE FRIEND OF INDIA - Founded 1818
Waving a club
I
n 2015, the World Health Organisation’s Strategic
Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation cha-
racterised vaccine hesitancy as a “delay in ac-
ceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availabil-
ity of vaccination services”. Four years later, but
before the coronavirus epidemic swept the world,
WHO identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top
ten global health threats. But in 2020, with Covid-19
having emerged as a global scourge and with accel-
erated vaccine development programmes having
brought the world within nodding distance of an
antidote to the virus, concerns about the efficacy of
vaccines are bound to dominate public discourse
in the weeks and months ahead. This discourse was
energised at the weekend with allegations that a 40-
year-old participant from Chennai in a third phase
clinical trial of one of the vaccine front-runners suf-
fered a virtual neurological breakdown and impair-
ment of cognitive functions 10 days after adminis-
tration. In the crosshairs of the legal action initiated
by the man’s family is the AstraZeneca vaccine can-
didate manufactured by the Pune-based Serum
Institute of India. The family has sought compensa-
tion of Rs 5 crore, but beyond the money involved,
the complaint has cast a fearful shadow over the
vaccine’s side-effects. While the Drugs Controller of
India has announced an investigation into the com-
plaint, the response of Serum Institute of India must
raise some eyebrows. The manufacturer has dis-
missed the charges as “malicious and misconceived”
and threatened to seek damages of more than Rs
100 crore from the afflicted person, a business con-
sultant. While claiming sympathy with the com-
plainant’s medical condition, it has said there is
“absolutely no correlation” with the vaccine. It said,
“The claim is malicious because the volunteer was
specifically informed by the medical team that the
complications he suffered were independent of the
vaccine trial he underwent.” This is in contrast to
AstraZeneca’s response to a report of a woman vol-
unteer in the United Kingdom reporting neurologi-
cal distress in September, and another volunteer
reporting a neurological problem in July. On both
earlier occasions, clinical trials were halted. Later, it
was claimed that one volunteer suffered from mul-
tiple sclerosis, and the other had a spinal inflam-
matory disorder called transverse myelitis. But in
the Indian case, the vaccine manufacturer has strai-
ghtaway chosen to go on the offensive, threatening
the complainant with a countersuit and hefty dam-
ages. This seems both unfortunate and insensitive.
For there is no dispute on two critical facts. One,
the man did participate in the AstraZeneca vaccine
trial. And two, he did a few days later apparently
suffer considerable neurological damage. Whether
or not the two events are related is for an investiga-
tion to determine, and that cannot be preempted
by waving a club at a person in obvious distress. On
the contrary, the vaccine manufacturer must join
the investigation and allay fears that people have.
Certainly, the report from Chennai has caused huge
consternation and will likely add to the vaccine hes-
itancy many already feel.
Dons indeed
I t has become something of a fashion to mock
political correctness in recent times. That’s pat-
ently unfair, given what is termed politically corr-
ect terminology is usually a manifestation of the pu-
shback against tropes around gender, class, ethnic-
ity, race, faith and caste which aid the demolition of
stereotypes. To that extent, it has been an important
aspect of sensitising society to the harm inflicted
upon those who have been typecast and calling out
the privilege of those responsible for it. For example,
popularising the use in public discourse of human-
kind in place of mankind or s/he instead of the mas-
culine singular, Afro-Caribbean as opposed to Col-
oured, developing countries and not Third World…
the list is long and spreads across geographies. But it
is important that individuals from all strata of soci-
ety feel included, non-stigmatised and can identify
with the narrative. With this caveat in place, it has to
be said there is something called overdoing it. Worse
still when it is not just over-enthusiasm but a con-
certed attempt by an intellectual cartel which speaks
almost exclusively to and within its echo chamber to
snuff out all diversity of thought and expression.
This academic mafia with followers in politics,
media, cinema and literature has set itself up as the
final arbiter of what is deemed acceptable and can
easily be recognised by the air of smug self-affirma-
tion which surrounds it. Most, if not all, who prefer
to think for themselves have caved to this new
dogma, if only to save themselves from accusations
of being insensitive, exclusionary and worse. Not
so, Cambridge University dons. They have opposed
the University’s latest bout of illiberal political cor-
rectness reflected in a series of updates to free spe-
ech rules proposed by the authorities last week, arg-
uing that the changes are authoritarian. “The Uni-
versity has no right to demand that we be respectful
towards all beliefs and practices. On the contrary,
we have a duty to satirise and to mock them,” the
Campaign for Cambridge Freedoms, a group of aca-
demics who oppose the changes, asserts. In partic-
ular, the rule proposed by the Council of the 800-
year-old institution requiring academics to be
“respectful” of the diverse identities of others ~ how-
ever misogynistic, bigoted or vile ~ is problematic.
Tolerance of others’ identities as long as their mani-
festations are in conformity with the law of the land
is not an issue. Critics say the proposed changes,
no doubt meant well, could be used to undermine
academics’ freedom of speech rather than protect it
given the vague nature of their wording. Sacking
those who, say, mock individuals and/or ideas they
disagree with would be perfectly kosher if the pro-
posals get through. While the academics’ protest
has forced the University to put its proposals to vote,
one suspects the Orwellian nightmare could well be
unfolding much closer home for the West.
Songs of Protest
Today, country after country in Latin America has been out on the streets against growing
poverty, frustration with non-performing models of governance, unrest on campus and
environmental depredations. Many protesters are using their bodies as a political act
L
atin America enjoys a
unique place in the world.
It is a world where politics
and prose are one and the
same. While politics intersects
with literature, society and econ-
omy, Latin American writers are
keeping alive the tradition of the
uncertain border between reali-
ty and imagination. Perhaps
Percy B Shelley had Latin Ameri-
ca in mind when he wrote, “poets
are the unacknowledged legisla-
tors of the world.”
Latin American writers like
Pablo Neruda and Gabriel Garcia
Marquez had great influence on
world writings. Latin America, as
Marquez saw it, was born in a co-
lonial mind thousands of miles
across the Atlantic. And yet, it did
sustain a vision of its own, a dis-
tinct memory, a different history
enshrined in oral cultures, sto-
ries, legends and collective myth.
Latin American writers
rejected Western aesthetics of “art
for art’s sake”; art for them is for
life’s sake. Literature is not just a
mere string of words; it gives the
writers a view of the world.
Mario Vargas Llosa cam-
paigned for presidency in Peru,
Gabriel Garcia Marquez remain-
ed deeply involved in Colombian
politics and Carlos Fuentes
actively campaigned for democ-
ratic change in Mexico. Pablo
Neruda was nominated for the
Chilean presidency in 1970 but
he gave his support to Salvador
Allende who won. Some intellec-
tuals and writers indeed became
presidents.
Latin America’s romance
with football is no less spectacu-
lar. Football not just charms, it
seduces. When the World Cup is
on, in most Latin American hom-
es organized religion and orga-
nized football can be seen vying
for supremacy. When the going is
not in their favour, many invoke
the divine power ~ the religious
ones their gods and football
fanatics their heroes and stars for
deliverance. Small wonder there-
fore that the French paper L’
Equipe should frontpage Diego
Maradona’s demise, “God is
dead”.
In recent decades, Latin
America has become a hotbed of
political innovations. Ecuador
and Bolivia have given Nature the
“right to exist, persist, maintain
and regenerate its vital cycles,
structures, functions and its
processes in evolution”. Consulta
previa (prior consultation) is
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Political role in NPAs
SIR, Non-performing Assets (NPA)
are the single largest problem
being faced by banks in India. The
concept of categorization of assets
as NPA began with the implemen-
tation of the Narasimham Com-
mittee Recommendations in
1992. Prior to that most banks
were booking interest income on
all loan accounts, without assess-
ing whether the interest or princi-
pal amount due for repayment
had been paid or not. It was fool-
ishness. Once the recommenda-
tions were made operative, sur-
vival of three nationalized banks
with headquarters in Kolkata
and of Indian Bank was threat-
ened.
Bank balance sheets are scru-
tinized by the chartered accounts
at specified periods. The article
'The NPA Conundrum (November
30) by Amarjit Chopra and
Sabyasachee Dash contains expert
analysis of the NPA problem The
cause of the problems being faced
by industries specified in the arti-
cle is not lack of credit from the
banks "for fear of business deci-
Vol. CXXXXXI 284
A MEMBER
OF THE
ASIAN VOICES
Suu Kyi’s capabilities
tested amid
numerous issues
E
fforts to weaken the military’s
involvement in politics are
essential if Myanmar is to pro-
mote democratisation and achieve
domestic stability. Aung San Suu Kyi’s
ability to take action is being called
into question. In the Myanmar general
election, the ruling National League
for Democracy (NLD), led by State
Counsellor Suu Kyi, the de facto leader
of the government, won more than 80
per cent of the seats up for grabs,
maintaining its sole majority. Suu Kyi’s
popularity has been demonstrated,
but the future will be difficult. The
NLD won a landslide in the previous
election in 2015, marking a shift from
the military-centred political rule that
lasted more than half a century. How-
ever, the Constitution that was estab-
lished under the military regime allo-
another significant legal frame- political technologies” like block- democracy has opened up spaces cates one-fourth of the seats to mili-
work that some countries in Latin ing roads, burning tires, picket- and the internet has provided tary personnel, and the military still
America have institutionalized to ing etc. various platforms which are not has a certain amount of influence.
deepen democracy. It is the right In recent years Rio’s carnival easy to crush. The ruling party’s victory over the
of the indigenous and ethnic has become a site for resistance Culture has now become a main opposition party, which devel-
groups to be consulted on mat- and rebellion. This year, “long live tool in the hands of protesters. oped from the military regime, may
ters affecting their culture and resistance” was the theme of Sao People dance in the streets to the reflect public wariness regarding a
heritage. Paulo’s carnival. Earlier, it used to rhythms of cumbia and salsa return to military-led politics. There
Today, country after country be a carnival of the oppressed. music and march along to has been little progress on revising the
has been out on the streets agai- Now it is overly political. Art is sounds of trumpets, trombones Constitution and ending the civil war
nst growing poverty, frustration now stoking the protest moveme- and horns. The indigenous and between the military and ethnic
with non-performing models of nts in Latin America. Demonstra- oppressed communities find minorities, issues that Suu Kyi includ-
governance, unrest on campus tors from Mexico to Argentina are healing in such cultural practices. ed in her campaign pledges. Under
and environmental depredations. relying on traditional art forms, Today these have been weapo- these circumstances, she cannot avoid
Many protesters are using their dances, and music to hold their nised. Victor Jara’s 1971 song being criticised for a poor track record.
bodies as a political act. At a time leaders accountable. The mes- “Derecho a la paz” (Right to
when governments are taking sage is loud and clear. If elected peace) has become a resistance
away the rights that nations gave leaders have made a mockery of anthem for students and work-
to their citizens, the protesters politics, the masses too know ing-class protestors across the Ethnic minority parties dissatisfied
are claiming streets as belonging how to mock them in public. region. with the government split with the
to people, not just for cars. Music, dance and other for- The youth unrest is a ticking ruling party and won seats indepen-
For instance, in ms of art even at time bomb. Massive cuts in the dently. This should be interpreted
New York one needs this time of pan- education budgets, steep fee hike as disappointment over the excessive
permission from local demic have kept and unprecedented unemploy- consideration for the military. If Suu
authorities if more the heat on polit- ment have led to the fear of the Kyi fails to achieve results in the
than 20 people gather ical leadership young generation being locked future, her power to unify is certain to
in a park. In many across the regi- out of the economy. The millen- decline. The economy has also failed
other cities in the US on. nials and Generation Z played a to grow. Problems including delays in
the street march is free In Brazil, su- key role in forcing two presidents infrastructure development and the
only if it involves pporters of for- out in Peru within a week recent- corrupt nature of bureaucrats and oth-
fewer than 100 people mer president ly. Earlier the Chilean youth ers have hampered investment from
and if they occupy a Luiz Inacio Lula played no less important a role abroad. The administration bears a
single lane. In London da Silva have for- in forcing the government to heavy responsibility for failing to solve
political protests now ASH NARAIN med Free Lula dump the Pinochet-era constitu- problems that have long been pointed
are lumped with loot- ROY Samba groups tion. out. Suu Kyi, who led the pro-democ-
ers as threats to public The writer is Director,
around the cou- Earlier, it was believed that racy movement under military rule,
order. The Indian gov- Institute of Social Sciences, ntry. Anti-Bol- extremist forces on the left and faced oppression through such means
Delhi
ernment has a taken a sonaro groups the right were more politically as house arrest. Despite this, criticism
leaf from the US and too have prolifer- committed and hence they par- of the government has become the tar-
the UK in restricting protests at ated. Hundreds of indigenous ticipated in protests. Now almost get of crackdowns, even under the cur-
India Gate, Jantar Mantar and the women recently occupied the every section of the people seems rent administration. It betrays the
historic Ramleela Maidan.. Ministry of Health, demanding to be willing to take to the streets. expectations of the international com-
Various organisations, indi- the restoration of basic health In 2000. President Jamil Mahuad munity that supports Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi
genous and peasant groups in and human services to their of Ecuador was forced to resign also has shown no presence regarding
Latin America have created big communities. Wearing their tra- after a week of demonstrations the issue of the persecuted Islamic
movements which have captured ditional outfits, women sang and
the imagination of the world. The danced inside the building to
by the indigenous people. Argen-
tinian president Fernando de la
minority Rohingya, about 700,000 of
whom have become refugees and fled
indigenous people in many highlight their struggle. Rua fled office besieged by riots to neighbouring Bangladesh. The US
countries are, today, well-organ- The indigenous and margin- in 2001. A very powerful protest and European countries are increas-
ised at the grassroots, regional alized groups in Latin America that opposed the tax system by ingly criticising Myanmar, calling the
and national levels. They advo- seem to have perfected the art of President Sanchez de Lozada of situation a grave humanitarian crisis.
cate for indigenous rights, access collective action. The region is Bolivia forced his ouster in 2003 In Myanmar, where 90 per cent of the
to land, autonomy, basic services, witnessing the ‘festivals of pro- after only 14 months in power. people are Buddhists, feelings of dis-
environmental protection and test’ or ‘politics of crowd’ like Writers and intellectuals crimination against the Rohingya are
political representation. nowhere else. The indigenous wield immense political influ- so strong that the issue did not surface
Street protests played an people revel in feasting, costum- ence in Latin America. Their writ- as a point of contention in the elec-
important role during the demo- ing and dancing, which is long ings are a source of respectability tion. However, the problem must not
cratization process of the 1990s. part of communal celebration of for the governments in power be allowed to be left unaddressed. Suu
Now these protests are for demo- their culture. and provide, in equal measure, Kyi must accelerate such measures as
cratic consolidation and making Earlier, particularly during legitimacy to an array of revolts granting nationality to the Rohingya
politics accountable. These the military regimes, protesters and movements. Peruvian novel- that will lead to the return of refugees.
protests are also a way of assert- met with brutal force of the ist Mario Vargas once wondered Stability in Myanmar is extremely
ing people power which has now police and the military. Artists why “being basically creators and important for Japan, which advocates
acquired greater intensity. People and writers weren’t spared either. artists”, Latin American writers a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” A large
are increasingly frustrated with When Salvador Allende was killed have ended up being “politicians, number of Japanese companies are
the institutionalized road - vot- in a military coup in 1973, the agitators, reformers, social publi- also operating in Myanmar.
ing, forming political parties, bar- notorious Pinochet regime took cists and moralists.” Maybe,
gaining in parliament, funding aim at ‘nueva cancion’ (new because “literature is fire”, as he IN MEMORIAM
political parties and think tanks. music) by banning this kind of said way back in 1967 while
They have now shifted towards music and exiling many musi- receiving the Romano Gallegos NATHANIEL JOHN — You will
what has been called “alternative cians of that genre. Today, Prize. remain in our hearts forever.
editor@thestatesman.com
such advances were not repaid. view of ushering in a Uniform Civil
MUST ACT Although the total amount of such
advances was proportionately
Code, they also invert the princi-
ple of ‘minimum government,
SIR, The farmers' agitation small, it eroded the culture of maximum governance’ enunciat-
has been going on for the repayment of bank loans. ed by PM Narendra Modi by giving
past two months or so, but Yours, etc., Sanjit Ghatak, Naren- the state a veto on personal mat-
the situation has taken a drapur, 30 November. ters. If these laws are pushed
grim turn with thousands of through, New Delhi must prepare
farmers and union activists DIVISIVE LAWS for likely unflattering portrayals in
on the march to Delhi. In a SIR, After Madhya Pradesh govern- international media comparing
democracy, such a situation ment’s announcement that it India to South Africa under
is unhealthy. We, as common would table a bill to prosecute ‘love apartheid. Among other things it
citizens, can just sit with our jihad’, Uttar Pradesh has now would be a blow to Indian diplo-
fingers crossed. I hope that passed the UP Prohibition of macy, which championed the anti-
the Union Government will Unlawful Religious Conversion apartheid movement.
find a pragmatic political ordinance making forced religious At a time when the country is
solution as the farmers are conversions – whose meaning will facing multiple challenges from
very significant stakeholders include conversion for marriage – the Covid-19 pandemic and eco-
in the national economy. punishable by a tough jail term nomic recession to the twin securi-
Yours,.etc., Chandan Kumar and fine. ty threats posed by China and Pak-
Nath, The UP ordinance mandates istan, the people of this nation
Guwahati, 30 November. that those willingly wanting to need to be united. Divisive and
convert for marriage need to polarising ‘love jihad’ laws under-
inform the district magistrate two mine such unity and aid our
sions being subjected to subse- banks by politicians to make months in advance. The law will adversaries.
quent scrutiny." The cited indus- advances to dishonest borrowers. cause great difficulty for interfaith The BJP central leadership
tries suffer from want of demand Glaring instances are those of Vijay couples. should tell its state governments to
of their products on account of Mallya, Nirav Mody and others. Not only does it undermine reverse course. A better path would
Covid-19. They are simply not in a The writers’ belief that lend- personal liberty and free will, it be to simplify the provisions of the
position to absorb bank credit. ing to the priority sector is a reason also incentivises hooligans, who Special Marriage Act that allows
While discussing "principal for accumulation of NPA is not may take advantage of the advance interfaith couples to marry with-
factors for accumulating bad correct. In most cases, priority sec- notice to intimidate couples. out converting.
loans" the writers have omitted to tor advances were made in the past These draconian laws not Yours, etc., Vandana,
mention the pressure exerted on under political pressure. Bulk of only contradict BJP’s long stated Chandigarh, 26 November.

The world vs China?
HARSHA KAKAR
T
he India-China standoff is con-
tinuing through the winter.
Despite eight rounds of talks,
no end appears on the horizon.
The dispute remains on the sequence
and methodology of disengagement.
While China insists on India disengaging
and pulling back from the Kailash
Heights, south of Pangong Tso, India
demands a Chinese pull back from north
of Pangong Tso and also desires to
include Depsang in the discussions. The
Chinese defence spokesperson stated
last week that India should meet China
halfway to safeguard ‘peace and stability
with sincerity’ in the border regions.
Simultaneously, China faces
global criticism for hiding details of
the pandemic, enabling travel from
Wuhan to all parts of the globe lead-
ing to its global spread while block-
ing internal movement from affected
areas, thus slowing domestic cases. Its
claim that the virus existed in parts of
the globe before emerging in China is
ignored. Chinese offensive actions in
the South China Sea against Taiwan
and the crackdown in Hong Kong are
being criticized.
Global challenges have led to
European nations to join the US in
enhancing naval presence in the
Indo-Pacific. Chinese attempts to win
over Europe have been rebuffed.
European nations have turned down
Chinese demands to permit Huawei
to enter their markets. Europe, on the
other hand, is enhancing trade ties
with Indo-Pacific countries, bypass-
ing China.
The RCEP may have been signed
but that has not ended the creation
of coalitions against China. The
QUAD may currently be a grouping of
likeminded democratic nations; how-
ever, Japan and Australia are dis-
cussing a bilateral defence pact
against China. China pushing Asean
nations to agree on a code of conduct
on the South China Sea based on Chi-
nese perceptions is unlikely to suc-
ceed.
China’s Belt Road Initiative is not
progressing as per plans. Most coun-
tries where China has invested are
unable to repay loans due to econom-
ic impact on account of the pandem-
ic. Chinese economy, despite all
claims, is facing problems of unpaid
loans. Currently Chinese total debt is
350 per cent of its GDP. Reports state
Welcome reset in India-Nepal ties
ATUL K THAKUR
W
hile diplomacy can’t be
sentimental, essentially it
should be courteous. Harsh
Vardhan Shringla, India’s
foreign secretary, was in Kathmandu,
and it is indeed heart-warming how
India’s top diplomatic envoy can speak
fluent Nepali and understands the
norms that safeguard India-Nepal rela-
tions. Shringla’s visit to Nepal followed
two recent high-level visits from India
- by Indian Army Chief General Manoj
Mukund Naravane earlier this month
and Samant Goel, chief of India’s exter-
nal intelligence agency Research and
Analysis Wing (R&AW) in the third
week of October.
Without linking the visits to a
common cause, the rapprochement
from both sides should be welcomed.
During the last three high-profile vis-
its from India, Prime Minister KP Oli
made himself available to meet the
visiting officials, giving the required
impetus to the partnership. What
does it suggest? India is keeping busi-
ness as usual and working on the pro-
jects undertaken before the China-
originated coronavirus flattened the
world, and the boundary issue sud-
denly found extra prominence. It
would be too naive to say anything
else of a significant nature has taken
place in the partnership. Apparently, a
choice makes a big difference either
way.
The Oli government had com-
pletely misunderstood a very crucial
stage in history and abstained from
pursuing ‘enlightened self-interest’
when China did everything possible
to alter the boundaries of its neigh-
bours. Reportedly, the Tourism Min-
CROSSWORD
that China is slowing down invest-
ments in BRI projects. Even the CPEC,
which is its pilot project, is behind
schedule. Nations which had agreed
to Chinese projects are now backing
out. Myanmar, Thailand and Maldives
are examples.
Companies are moving manufac-
turing out of China. Apple has moved
its manufacturing to Vietnam while
Samsung is moving to India. Other
companies are exploring Asean and
South Asian nations. The world is
uniting to move supply chains away
from China, despite the RCEP. Many
nations, including India, are closely
monitoring Chinese investments and
blocking them in key sectors. All this
is in response to Chinese handling of
istry has once again proposed resum-
ing flight services to India more than
one and a half months after its first
proposal was rejected outright by the
government amid soured relations
with the southern neighbour over a
boundary dispute. To keep an inde-
pendent and balanced worldview, the
most important virtue to be relied on
is a ‘sense of proportion’.
Prithvi Narayan Shah called
Nepal a ‘yam between two boulders’
referring to India and China. For
British India, Nepal was a buffer zone
between China and India. In the pre-
sent time and context, by not align-
ing domestic policies with interna-
tional affairs, Nepal has a better
chance to practise a serious non-
alignment policy. Remarkably, Nepal
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION
NOTE: Figures in parentheses denote the number of letters in the words required. (By arrangement with The Independent, London)
the pandemic and its offensive diplo-
matic and military actions.
Nations are crossing Chinese red
lines at will. Earlier, diplomatic and
military visits to Taiwan were avoided,
but no longer. The recent visit by two
US secretaries and a Rear Admiral to
the island as also the visit by the
Czech speaker are indicators. Lobsang
Sangay, President of the Central
Tibetan Administration, was invited
to the White House to meet the newly
appointed U.S. Special Coordinator
for Tibetan Issues, Robert Destro. This
was the first visit by a Tibetan leader
to the White House in six decades.
Simultaneously, China is facing
criticism for Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong
Kong. When Wang Yi, the Chinese for-
has a long history of sovereignty and
independent status. Even noncon-
formists will not forget that the
Gorkha Kingdom appealed to the
British Empire for protection from a
Chinese attack through Tibet. The first
British mission came to Nepal in 1793
followed by the next one in 1802.
The collaboration didn’t last long,
however, and the Anglo-Nepal War or
Gorkha War (1814-16) was fought
between the Gorkha Kingdom and
the British East India Company. A
British victory and the 1816 Sugauli
Treaty ended the war. With the treaty,
Nepal renounced its territorial claims
on the Tarai, and parted with its con-
quests west of the Kali River that
reached up to the Sutlej River. Nepal
could retain its independence, though
ACROSS
1 Piece of furniture having
unpleasant smell? Fine when in
church (8)
5 Hot priest shows wit (6)
9 Normal People full of sex appeal?
That's cheesy! (8)
10 Case of Marianne disrupting class,
abandoning school – some spirit! (6)
12 In relation to ‘heat': time woman's
getting male partner (9)
13 Flower girl found at Platform 25 (5)
14 Connell regularly meets Peggy, at
last alone (4)
16 Porter perhaps keeps on offering
student accommodation? (7)
19 Meat: food rejected in German
city (7)
21 It's nonsense to be quiet (4)
24 Correct answer will reveal body
parts (5)
25 26 unhappy about smooth melodic
eign minister visited Europe earlier
iStock
this year, he was questioned on Xin-
jiang and Hong Kong. Chinese
attempts to warn the global commu-
nity on its red lines is being ignored.
The world is uniting to demand the
admission of Taiwan into the WHO,
despite Chinese objections.
China is facing a united globe,
challenging its actions and question-
ing its behaviour. It needs allies, apart
from Pakistan and North Korea, which
it currently lacks. Russia is amongst
the few nations which avoids criticiz-
ing China as long as China does not
comment on Russian actions. China
is almost alone.
India was always careful in its
relations with China. Despite having
it had to be under the supervision of a
British resident sent to look after the
protectorate. Nepal succeeded in not
letting the British resident be a ‘con-
trolling agent’ of the British East India
Company that ruled its immediate
neighbour India.
In 2020, it is still worthwhile to
look back and know well about the
choices exercised by Nepal, and the
glorious journey of overcoming the
challenges. With hindsight, a saner act
would be self-introspection rather than
blaming the neighbours. The neigh-
bours are not the ‘boulders’, Nepal is
not a ‘yam’. In fact, it should not be a
conduit for ‘bridge diplomacy’. As a
country with immense possibilities and
aspirations, Nepal should think of a
free-spirited move in its foreign affairs.
It should give ‘realism’ well-deserved
traction. However, this should not be
confused as a new system bound to
overlook the conventional wisdom that
helps in knowing friends and adver-
saries in difficult times.
As a matter of fact, Nepal can do
without seeing India and China in
comparison. This will be particularly
helpful in avoiding any impending
consequences, especially avoiding the
risk of turning into a ‘geostrategic
hotspot’ in South Asia. Nepal, a mod-
ern republic, should strengthen its
democracy and democratise its insti-
tutions. It should underline a devel-
opment strategy that has an inclusive
nature. To bring it into action, a par-
ticipatory model should be followed.
For managing its affairs in the world
with new vigour and progressive
thinking, Nepal has to bring the home
in order. Realising it will be a true
diplomatic nicety.
The visit of the Indian foreign
effect (9)
27 Here in Ireland, couple's without
love (largely what love is, they
say) (6)
28 Split vote in Parliament (8)
29 Required: E, N and D, sorted in
various quantities (6)
30 I listened to fado performance, end
of July, in the sun (3,2,3)
DOWN
1 Somewhere off the beaten track,
young person starts to visit Roman
city (6)
2 Writer of ordinary book's nothing
to Lorraine (6)
3 The best thing that goes with
strawberries (5)
4 Johnson's occasionally in blue
during visit (7)
6 People wasting money stop eating
chips? On the contrary (9)
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, 01 DECEMBER 2020
moved closer to the US and becoming
an active member of the QUAD, it
avoided taking any action which was
detrimental to China. It strictly
adhered to its One-China policy,
avoided criticising China on internal
matters and refused to give major
diplomatic space to the Dalai Lama
despite China not adhering to the
One-India policy. It overlooked
China-Pakistan proximity and con-
struction of the CPEC through disput-
ed Gilgit Baltistan. India even ignored
its growing trade deficit in the belief
that trade coupling would maintain
sanctity of the LAC.
India refused to join the BRI and
RCEP as these would be detrimental
to the country. However, it never
objected to others joining. India
enhanced ties with China to ensure
sanctity of borders. The Chinese
intrusion in Ladakh stabbed India in
the back, compelling it to counter the
aggression by employing every
avenue. India blocking Chinese
investments, its mobile apps and
restricting imports, alongside an
unofficial national call to boycott Chi-
nese products have reduced trade
deficit and opened doors for decou-
pling, especially in the case of IT and
smaller products.
An article in The Financial Times
of 27 November, covered the impact
of India banning Chinese Apps,
specifically on companies based in
Hangzhou. It covered examples of
companies such as Club Factory,
Alibaba, Tencent and TikTok, and
detailed their financial losses com-
pelling them to lay off employees. It is
evident that many more companies
would have been impacted. Money
Control, in an article of 30 June quotes
Global Times as stating that Indo-
China trade has dropped by 50 per
cent since the standoff.
China, by its offensive actions,
has awoken a sleeping and friendly
India, compelling it to take measures,
in addition to military, to hit back. It
has pushed India into joining global
groupings against it, while defending
itself vigorously in Ladakh. Simulta-
neously, with visits by the Foreign
Minister, foreign secretary and NSA to
Seychelles, Nepal and Sri Lanka, India
is pushing back against Chinese influ-
ence in South Asia.
China should know that India is
no pushover, and the decision on
whether it needs India as an ally,
enemy or competitor is in its hands.
India is comfortable with either
choice.
The writer is a retired Major-General of the
Indian Army.
secretary will help India’s develop-
ment partnership assistance to Nepal.
It is expected that with the ongoing
and potential infrastructure projects,
connectivity between the two coun-
tries will see promising times ahead.
Timing is particularly crucial for
cooperation in coping with the exis-
tential challenges with Covid-19. As
the first vaccine is about to be
launched in India, Nepal can stay
assured of all assistance from the
southern neighbour.
Also, it is high time that econom-
ic cooperation was given its due to
ensure a post-pandemic economic
rebound. The bilateral engagement
has to be proactive. Long-pending
matters related to treaties and terri-
tories should get an official mecha-
nism so they can be tabled and sorted
out with a trust-based approach. Such
matters should not stop Nepal’s top
leadership from engaging with India
and resuming flight operations with
the required pandemic-related cau-
tion. The policies should have
humane consideration. The unprece-
dented crisis merits a brave counter-
response. In testing times like this,
there is a need to work together to
save lives and livelihoods. Nepal
should reciprocate, and this will posi-
tively support millions of people
across the border.
Without prefixing, the Indian
envoy termed Nepal a ‘friend’ of India.
In essence, a friend for all seasons. He
said that not in the Queen’s language,
but in chaste Nepali. He has reset the
tone for benign diplomacy. This is the
need of the hour and should be taken
seriously. In equal measure, decision-
makers of both countries should work
on it and clear the fog. We all should
rise to the occasion.
The Kathmandu Post/ANN.
NO 28151
7 Suddenly moved back from
playground that's greasy (8)
8 They keep records of unbelievable
husband leaving Maidenhead (8)
11 Time together to become less
intense, they say (4)
15 Deranged Etonian securing
university grant without bombast?
Sweet! (9)
17 Playwright's woman managed to
steal papers (8)
18 Friendly guy supporting Jamie after
dropping clothes (8)
20 Musical performance on island (4)
21 Taking part in attempt to create
threesome (7)
22 Louis XIV discovered Germany's
cruel (6)
23 Footballer, one given welcome by
coach Hodgson (6)
26 County should look into golden
opportunities for starters (5)
07
100 YEARS AGO
OCCASIONAL NOTE
A valedictory address to the American
Society of Naturalists by Professor E.M.
East, of Harvard, contains some inter-
esting forecasts and speculations about
the results of the increasing pressure of
the world’s population in the near
future. For, in spite of everything, the
population of the globe is increasing.
Professor East estimates the world’s
population at present at about 1,700
millions, increasing at the rate of 14 to
16 millions every year. Most of the
increase is in the white races. China’s
population of 300 millions is practically
stationary, not so much on account of
the periodical famines and floods but
because the soil is incapable of carry-
ing an increased number of persons.
Domestic animals have almost disap-
peared and infanticide is practiced.
Although the birth-rate in most civilised
lands is steadily decreasing, preventive
medicine by lowering the death-rate has
maintained an increase in population. If
the rate of increase in the population of
the United States is maintained the
inhabitants within the lifetime of the
grandchildren of persons still living will
number more than a billion. America
has to face a special problem in the fact
that the birth-rate of the foreign popu-
lation now coming largely from eastern
and southern Europe is much greater
than the birth-rate of the Anglo-Saxon
stock, so much so that within a century
that stock will form only a small frac-
tion of the whole. Probably the United
States will severely restrict immigration.
NEWS ITEMS
SERIOUS FIRE IN
PESHAWAR
Delhi, Nov 30
A serious fire causing damage to the
extent of over two-and-a-half lakhs of
rupees and razing to the ground nearly
seventy houses occurred in Peshawar
on Friday. It originated in the house of a
sick man named Amir Chand in Ram-
pura Mohalla, and presumably, either
the lamp which was burning near him
overturned, or a spark escaped from his
hukka. The room caught fire at 9 o’clock
and Amir Chand was burnt to death. His
two relatives also received very serious
injuries which may prove fatal. There
was some delay in informing the fire
brigade which arrived at 11 P.M. Several
houses were demolished to prevent the
fire spreading. The local Seva Samiti also
rendered great aid, but it was not till
nine o’clock in the morning that the fire
was completely under control.
TROUBLE AT PORT
SAID
Allahabad, Nov 30
There appears to have been industrial
trouble again at Port Said, but for the
moment things are quiet there. The
cause has ostensibly been an economic
one, says the Pioneer correspondent.
Workers of certain firms handling the
shipping passing through the Suez
Canal have struck for higher wages, but
there is every reason to believe that dis-
content has been fomented by Bolshe-
vik agents, and, in view of an abortive
attempt made to bring out the Canal
Company’s employees, who having
recently received substantial increases
in pay had no cause to complain, it
would look as if a serious attempt was
being made to paralyse shipping
through the Suez Canal. Troops have
now been drafted into the Port Said
area, and the authorities appear to have
the situation well in hand.
ST. ANDREW'S
DAY IN BOMBAY
St Andrew’s Church was crowded yester-
day evening with a large and distin-
guished company on the occasion of the
St Andrew’s day service and the unveiling
of a memorial by his Excellency the Gov-
ernor. The service was conducted by the
Rev. A.M. Neilson, who preached a ser-
mon explaining the life and character of
St. Andrew. At the conclusion of the ser-
vice his Excellency the Governor
unveiled the memorial which has been
placed on the wall behind the pulpit.
This memorial is placed here to the Glory
of God and in honour of nursing sisters,
naval and military officers, and men
belonging to the Church of Scotland and
other Presbyterian churches, who died
in Bombay in the service of the Empire.
PLEASANT
CEREMONY
Nagpur, Nov 30
On Saturday evening a pleasant func-
tion took place on the Bishop Cotton
School play-ground, Nagpur, when the
friends of the Rev. Edward R. Day
assembled to bid him farewell and
Good-speed. Mr. Day has been in Nag-
pur for three and a half years, and has
taken a very keen interest in all matters
generally and in the Bishop Cotton
School particularly, where, in addition
to his arduous duties connected with
the parish, he has often taken the class-
es for two or three hours daily during
the absence of the teachers. He is now
proceeding to England under the
instructions of his medical adviser.
10 TUESDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2020
MUMBAI

V EWS
OUR VIEW MY VIEW | BARE TALK
ISTOCKPHOTO

Experts might be right on bank

licensing even if their logic isn’t
Their objections may seem muddled but India’s economy is too fragile right now to risk instability

promoting banks. But the experts con-
tradicted themselves. They proposed
lame safeguards when confronted with
the prospect of a non-banking finance
company (NBFC) promoted by a corpo-
rate entity applying for a bank licence.
They did not suggest that a corporate
promoter must fully divest its stake
before it could apply for such a licence.
V. ANANTHA NAGESWARAN That would have been consistent. Fur-
is a member of the Economic Advisory ther, it’s puzzling that a foreign share-
Council to the Prime Minister. holding cap of 74% in banks went
unquestioned.
licensing, public policy cannot be a
morality play.
The timing of the proposal, however,
is an issue. India’s economy is still frag-
ile. Potential incremental instability,
even if deemed remote, seems unavoid-
able over the next two to three years.
Proposals to strengthen bank supervi-
sion are theoretically elegant but practi-
cally impossible for now. Internal resist-
ance will likely make RBI hiring quali-
fied supervisors at market salaries a non-
starter. Further, constructing a scheme

The value that island

If the concern is diversion of deposi- for rewarding loss prevention presents a
tors’ funds to connected entities, then ‘wicked problem’. If deposit insurance
corporate promoters can do it even now premiums are set higher for new pro-

T
iming is everything. Whether one through the NBFCs that they promote. moters for a few years, it would not be a
is executing a cover drive on the NBFCs are refinanced by banks, which level playing field, and there could be

resorts can generate cricket field or making an invest-

ment decision. Or, if one is releasing an
internal working group (IWG) report on
corporate groups being eligible to apply
are funded by depositors. Deposits are
thus in play in any case. If anything, it
may be more difficult to ‘rob’ individual
depositors than faceless taxpayers.
adverse selection as well.
India’s public sector banks (PSBs)
have lent vigorously in the past. Total
non-food bank credit rose from ₹6.8
for bank licences. The IWG of the As Shankkar Aiyar noted in a recent trillion in 2002-03 to ₹51.6 trillion by
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had done column, corporates have promoted 2012-13. Credit growth is anaemic now
Our Prime Minister has reportedly proposed the creation of holiday spots off the mainland’s good work, but its report was released NBFCs, mutual funds and insurance due to weak demand. If the appetite for
before news of the failure of Lakshmi companies. What is the incremental loans improves, banks will step up and
coast. Given the requisite state backing, this could yield attractive commercial opportunities Vilas Bank had faded from memory. damage, especially since RBI has capital can be mobilized from the public
Coincidentally, within days of the recently decreed that large borrowings by diluting the government’s stake.
report being placed in the public must be from capital markets and not Underlying conditions (e.g., procure-
domain, came news that General from banks? The IWG notes that RBI ment and distribution of electricity) that

A
ll these decades, India has been
less than successful in making
good economic use of a coastline
that traces a length of over
7,500km, let alone the many
islands that dot the waters
around the country’s landmass. We do not
seem to consider ourselves much of a seafaring
nation, which may explain why offshore
opportunities are rarely top-of-the-mind.
This indifference may be about to end. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly asked
officials at the Union ministry of ports, ship-
ping and waterways to identify Indian islands
that could be developed as new tourist destina-
tions or as urban centres in their own right. As
reported, this idea was proposed as part of a
discussion on a maritime plan for the next
decade, which suggests a timeline that Modi
might have had in mind for such ventures to
start attracting holidayers and settlers. We
have more than 1,300 islands in all, most of
them uninhabited, and there must surely be at
least a few that could serve the purpose with-
out resistance from locals. Given the trends of
rapidly. Once the coronavirus scare is over,
both those industries are likely to stage a robust
recovery. The time to plan ahead is now. An
island getaway within a couple of hours’ flying
time from an Indian metropolis could prove to
be a big draw. If its allure matches that of other
beach resorts around the world, it could earn
foreign exchange off globetrotters as well. The
choice of locations would be a big determinant
of success. The Andaman and Nicobar archi-
pelago in the Bay of Bengal may suggest itself,
but earlier plans to develop these fell by the
wayside on considerations of national defence
and natural habitat conservation. Also, many of
these isles are inhabited by tribals who may not
take kindly to their lives being gatecrashed by
outsiders. A better bet might be a candidate in
the Arabian Sea that can boast of a beautiful
shoreline and afford a variety of watersports. In
his Independence Day speech this year, Modi
said Lakshadweep would get fibre-optic con-
nectivity within 1,000 days. If this happens,
and an airport is built that is more than just an
airstrip with a check-in and security apparatus,
people may come to see it as a place to live, not
Motors Company had decided to apply has the flexibility to impose additional generate bad loans should be fixed first.
for an industrial bank charter in the US. rules to assess an applicant’s “fit and PSB employees can be brought on a
This is distinct from a bank charter. proper” status. The criteria appear level regulatory field with their private
Loosely put, it can be thought of as an robust, and in future, should cover qual- sector counterparts. That would
“augmented NBFC” licence. There is itative inputs gleaned from surveys of improve risk appetite for lending, and
no bar on such licencees accepting stakeholders like employees, suppliers banks might be permitted to offer mar-
deposits from the public. and even family members. In 2013, no ket salaries for key functions. Easing the
When RBI allowed large corporate corporate applicant for a bank licence department of financial services’ choke-
groups to apply for bank licences in met the ‘fit and proper’ test. hold might see PSBs step up their game
2013, there was no major backlash. But, In general, while raising objections to in both lending and capital raising. Sep-
in the last two years, several institu- any new proposal, two things must be arately, the central bank can proceed
tions—financial and non-financial— considered. One is the worst case sce- with augmenting its supervisory skills
have failed. Concerns have arisen over nario and the other is the cost of persist- and resources at its own pace.
the security of bank deposits. Further, ing with the status quo. Amol Agrawal Once the economy has regained its
the resolution process proposed for has correctly pointed out in an article in footing and achieved a certain heft (say,
winding up banks sowed doubts in the Hindustan Times that “out of the six a gross domestic product of ₹300 tril-
depositors’ minds about the safety of failed/merged/troubled banks, four lion), then corporate houses promoting
their deposits. Also, RBI’s supervision were run by professionals, one by a banks may not be a systemic risk, as
capabilities appear inadequate. financial institution and one by a corpo- currently feared. Even though the
Of all the experts who the IWG con- rate. Clearly, professionals have not objections of experts are muddled, their
sulted, only one did not find anything fared on expected lines.” Whether it is caution is worth heeding. For now.
wrong with the idea of corporate groups demonetization, tax collection or bank These are the author’s personal views.
www.livemint.com New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh*, Pune* Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Infosys bets
CORPORATE:
Vol.4 No.285 `3.00 32 PAGES

domestic demand, what may be ideal in this
context is the creation of a Maldives-like holi-
just visit. The internet, after all, has allowed a on sensor technologies >7
TELECOM: Government, CBI open to
apex court oversight in 2G probe >3
REALTY: Emaar MGF looks to sell
Price controls almost
large number of professionals to “work from
properties ahead of IPO >7

invariably produce black

EXCLUSIVE PARTNER
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Leaked papers spark
alarm over the fate of diplomacy >6

SENSEX 19,521.25 Æ 116.15 NIFTY 5,862.70 Æ 32.70 DOLLAR `45.88 æ `0.05 EURO `59.63 æ `0.57 GOLD `20,540 Æ `215 OIL $86.60 æ $0.12

day resort, complete with white-sand beaches, anywhere”, as it were. Again, local consent Kishore Biyani EARLY CHRISTMAS QUICK EDIT

turquoise waters and well-appointed tourism would be critical to success.

clubs family
holdings into
one company
B Y B AIJU K ALESH
S APNA A GARWAL
&
8.9% surprise revives
dream of 9% growth
More heat,
less light
U nion finance
minister Pranab
Mukherjee wants to
promote inclusive
markets, where prices are
not only higher than the
························· development and ensure
MUMBAI
sound public finances.

R etailer Kishore Biyani has There are doubts if

services, but with the capacity to serve a wider Whether an Indian island can emerge as
consolidated his family in-
vestments in group companies
into a single holding firm, Fu-
ture Corporate Resources Ltd,
in a move expected to help
him create a more transparent
ownership structure and facili-
tate succession planning. It
While the finance these contradictory goals
minister and the can be attained. In any
developing country,
economic adviser attaining a balance
remain bullish, analysts 9.3 Gross domestic product
Interest rates: Whether RBI
between spending and
fiscal prudence is hard.
strike a note of caution Year-on-year growth (in %)
will raise interest rates further will
It is more so in India
depend on sustainability of the
current growth momentum, as “inclusive growth”

legally permitted prices,

could also help him raise mon- B Y A SIT R ANJAN M ISHRA 8.9 global economic scenario and is a code word for

range of vacation budgets. If the government India’s own Singapore, though, seems doubt-
ey to fund an aggressive ex- asit.m@livemint.com inflationary situation in the redistribution, something
pansion plan, by offering lend- ························· country. that is expensive and
ers shares in the new holding NEW DELHI DK JOSHI
defies the logic of

firm as collateral, even though
his flagship retailing company
has higher debt levels than its
peers.
The new holding company
now owns a 39.13% stake in
W
ill India return to the Principal economist, Crisil
sound public finances.
9%-plus economic For example, the
growth rate it wit- Inflation: Robust farm sector
growth will have positive impact
minister has set himself
nessed in the boom years be- on inflation going forward. a target of reducing
tween 2005-06 and 2007-08? 5.8 Wholesale inflation may come the fiscal deficit by
The country’s chief economic 1.5 percentage points by

were to play facilitator-in-chief, which would ful. A would-be entrepot would not just need
down to 6% by March end.
Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd, adviser thinks so and the fi- Q1 Q4 Q1 Q4 Q1 Q4 Q1 Q2
SAMIRAN CHAKRABORTY March 2015. It is difficult

but also higher than they

India’s largest retailer by sales.
This stake was earlier held
by several investment firms.
The consolidation process
began in December 2009, with
Future Corporate Resource’s
purchase of the 23.6% stake in
Pantaloon Retail held by PFH
nance minister is bullish, FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 Head of India research, to see how this goal can
though not enough to predict a Standard Chartered Bank be met when there are
9% number, but analysts say Sectoral performance (in %)
ever rising demands on
achieving that target this fiscal Jul-Sep FY10 11.3 Rupee: The latest data signifies government money from
year will be difficult given the Apr-Jun FY11
10.5 9.8 domestic economy is doing well. populist programmes.
slowing in factory output and 8.4 8.9 9.3 This may attract more portfolio
Jul-Sep FY11 Attaining the two
the fade-out of the base effect. investment and may lead to
appreciation of the rupee.
goals is almost close
The government’s hopes seem 2.5

be vital for clearances, anchor developers to be located at a high-traffic intersection of

4.4 to tilting at windmills.
0.9 ABHEEK BARUA
Entertainment Ltd. The hold- Our leaders ought not to
Chief economist, HDFC Bank
ing company later increased TURN TO PAGE 2® publicize such dreams
AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY SERVICES
its stake in the listed retailer by when they know that
ALSO SEE Growth on the back Manufacturing drove Trade, communications

would be in a free market,

purchasing shares held by these have little
three smaller investment com- of lower base, growth. Slowdown key drivers. Financial
>OurView: GDP pictures sturdy
normal monsoon. likely. services recovering.
credibility to them.
growth >P30 Source: CSO, Mint research
panies—Erudite Trading Pvt.
Ltd, Varnish Trading Pvt. Ltd
and Manz Retail Pvt. Ltd.

could plausibly be found through auctions. global shipping lanes, it may have to offer
“The (Biyani) family plans to
raise its stake by 3%, to 47% MORE ADVICE
from the present 44%, by con-
verting its preferential shares
into equity shares in the next
one year,” said Anand B., Fu-
Air India hires yet
ture Group’s finance director.
another consultant
since the legal risks must
The Biyanis had earlier invest-
ed `100 crore to convert a part

According to the Madrid-based United access to a vast hinterland market. Offshore

of their holding of preferential
shares into equity shares, to
raise their stake in Pantaloon
Retail to 44%.
“Consolidation of family
holdings into one company
gives the promoters lots of op-
tions and flexibility to divide
the ownership of the compa-
B Y P .R . S ANJAI & ues to oversee the integration
M ANISH B ASU process, the carrier has either
························· engaged or been in talks with
MUMBAI/KOLKATA consultants such as McKinsey,
A ir India, seemingly ever
willing to take advice
where it can get it, has appoint-
NM Rothschild and Sons Ltd
and Booz.
For operational restructur-
ed yet another consultant. The ing, Air India hired three other

Nations World Tourism Organization, more ports do have their place on maritime maps,
nies without disturbing the
management of these compa-
nies,” said a Mumbai-based
lawyer, who requested ano-
nymity because his firm does
business with the Future
TURN TO PAGE 2®
move comes as the airline
struggles to cope with losses
and accumulated debt in the
midst of a government bailout.
Besides this, some recent se-
nior appointments have come
under a cloud and the shifting
of domestic services to Delhi’s
new Terminal 3 in November
also be compensated.
foreign firms—US-based avia-
tion consultant Simat Helliesen
and Eichner Inc., Flug-
werkzeuge Aviation Software
GmbH of Austria and Texas-
based technology company Sa-
bre Holding Corp.—to help re-
draw its flight network and
save on fuel costs.

than 26 millions Indians holidayed abroad in but this business could be even harder to swing
was marked by chaos.
The latest adviser to have
been hired is Deloitte Consult-
ing India Pvt. Ltd, which beat
five other contenders—KPMG,
McKinsey and Co., Booz and
Co. Inc., Bain and Co. and the
Boston Consulting Group. It
will advise the airline on macro
For financial restructuring,
Air India appointed SBI Capital
Markets Ltd (SBICaps), an arm
of State Bank of India.
Air India is keeping the hir-
ing of Deloitte under wraps,
said an aviation analyst who
declined to be named, because
it’s taken on so many of them

2018, spending more than $21 billion. Before our way, unless we see a sharp rise in our trade
issues and review the turn- in the past two years and re-
around programme. jected most of their plans.
Under the contract, Deloitte Roopen Roy, Deloitte’s man-

THOMAS SOWE L L
will present a report within two aging director in India, de-
months, suggesting ways of re- clined comment.
viving Air India. A senior Air India executive,
Since the government requesting anonymity, said
merged Air India and Indian Deloitte will be conducting a
Airlines in 2006, the merged “high-level review” of the cur-

the covid pandemic brought travel and tourism intensity. But then again, new holiday resorts
entity has engaged a clutch of rent turnaround process.
Mint is also available for R5.50 with consultants.
Hindustan Times under a combo offer While Accenture Plc contin- TURN TO PAGE 3®

to its knees, those figures were projected to rise should be enough to boost commerce.

MY VIEW | MUSING MACRO

Price controls must be resisted even in times of inflation

Meanwhile, at home it would lead to under-
AJIT RANADE hand cash deals and other malpractices.
Hospitals would find ways to charge through
other means, like operation-theatre rentals
and overheads. Foreign companies like
Abbott, Medtronic and Boston Scientific
And the price reduction? A whopping 95%. cater to rush-hour spikes in demand cannot below. But what they are asking for is insur-
The lesson to learn is that this price reduc- be more than 50% of the base fare. Even the ance, just in case free market prices collapse.
tion was effected without imposing any arbi- cancellation fee has been capped. School An MSP works as a safety net because it is
trary price ceiling. The power of large-scale fees is another political favourite. The Guj- backed by government procurement, much
procurement, combined with competitive arat government passed a law in 2017 cap- like the Chinese policy on stents, or India’s
bidding, ensured it. This works better than ping fees charged by private schools. Sur- on LEDs. But the government always tends

is an economist and a senior
fellow at The Takshashila
Institution, an independent
centre for research and
education in public policy.
I
n February 2017, the National Pharma-
ceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
reduced the top price of base-metal and
drug-eluting stents by a whopping 85%. The
price caps would make a basic stent available
at ₹7,260 instead of ₹45,000. Stents are
mesh tubes made of metal and inserted in
blood vessels to improve blood flow. With
India’s high prevalence of heart disease, this
treatment has become widespread and relia-
ble. Since they relate to critical healthcare,
the government thought it fit to impose a
price ceiling to make them affordable. But
was this the best way to curb stent-price
inflation? A prominent doctor and former
medical director of Mumbai’s city govern-
ment wrote that while the intent to control
their prices was laudable, the way it was
done was misdirected. Today it was cardiac
stents, he added, tomorrow it could be
orthopaedic implants and oncology drugs.
He predicted that those who could afford
better quality stents would go to Singapore,
Bangkok or even Colombo for implants.
asked for an exemption for high-end stents,
failing which they would withdraw these
products from the Indian market. This was
like a threat. The government responded by
resorting to an emergency clause requiring
medical suppliers to sell at specified prices
or less. Such actions don’t exactly inspire
investor confidence. The operation of
inserting a stent is often a life-saving proce-
dure, and not being able to afford it becomes
an emotive issue. So governments and politi-
cians trumpet their victory over high prices
through ceiling diktats. But such actions
don’t work. Shortages, black markets and
malpractices are an inevitable fallout. Is
there any other way to achieve cost reduc-
tion? Just last week, the Chinese govern-
ment announced a centralized government
procurement scheme covering 10 varieties
of stents. The bidding was won by eight
companies, including two American, the
very same Medtronic and Boston Scientific,
and six other Chinese companies. The pur-
chase order was 1.07 million units per year.
price caps, assuming that the government prisingly, this interference was upheld even to betray a control-orientation. At a time
has the resources to deploy by the high court. This past when India’s mandi system (and hence crop
for their purchase, storage month, Gujarat cut fees of pricing) was being deregulated through new
and eventual recovery of Arbitrary price private schools by 25%, cit- farm laws, it banned onion exports. It also
costs from patients. In ing covid and the closure of tinkered several times with the prices of len-
India, something similar caps tend to schools. An instinct for tils and pulses through import tariffs. It
was tried to scale up usage price controls is also mani- won’t let the international price of crude oil
of light emitting diode
distort market fest in the Centre’s new pass through to retail pumps.
(LED) bulbs. Here too, state mechanisms education policy. It An era of higher inflation is coming. Some
procurement played a big reaches into the domain of of it might be because of excessive liquidity,
role in slashing prices.
The urge to tame infla-
and also yield unaided, fully self-financed
educational institutions,
or inadequate investment in new production
capacity, or higher import tariffs erected as
tion through price controls unpleasant which were hitherto protective barriers for domestic industry. As
is omnipresent in all gov- untouched, and recom- prices of commodities start to rise, be it steel,
ernments. India’s NPPA side-effects mends price controls. The coal, cement, proteins or healthcare, not
has been busy capping much-publicized Udaan everything can be fixed through price ceil-
drug prices since 1995. The scheme, providing air con- ings or large-scale state procurement. Any
number of drugs under price control has nections to smaller towns and cities, man- measure that suppresses price signals, or fid-
gone up from 74 in 1995 to 860 in 2019, as dated a price ceiling of ₹2,500 per seat per dles with the “thermometer” that shows the
per a research report by Amir Ullah hour. Airlines are expected to make up losses market’s “temperature”, is bound to lead to
Khan.The latest victims of price control are by bidding for viability gap funding. unpleasant side effects like black markets.
ride-hailing apps. The ministry of transport The farmers’ agitation is motivated by a Most often, it’s better to let the price mecha-
and highways has mandated that “surge” desire to get a minimum support price (MSP) nism work, and use direct transfers to pro-
pricing used by the likes of Ola and Uber to for their crop. This too is price fixing, from vide the vulnerable with safety nets.
 TUESDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2020
MUMBAI 11
V EWS
MY VIEW | IT MATTERS M I N T C U R AT O R

Digital advertising is already in A Senate gridlock can’t thwart

America’s clean energy thrust
the throes of a third revolution Green fuels will gain popularity regardless of what politicians do

Sophisticated new bidding systems enable the real-time purchase of slots on the internet for advertisers to maximize impact

ISTOCKPHOTO

CARL POPE
is a former chairman of the Sierra Club and
the coauthor, with Michael R. Bloomberg, of
Climate of Hope.
SIDDHARTH PAI
is founder of Siana Capital, a venture fund
management company focused on deep
science and tech in India

I
n naming former secretary of state John
Kerry to become America’s global cli-
mate czar, President-elect Joe Biden is

T
he first revolution in digital advertising
occurred when Google began to place
advertisements along with its standard
web search results. Search Engine
Optimization was all the rage a few
years ago, which meant that companies
were willing to spend money to ensure that a Goo-
gle search for certain keywords would throw up
their website within the first few hits. Simply put,
these companies wanted to be on the first page of
what Google served its users. The company was
smart enough to add video to the mix, and now
YouTube, with all its advertisements, operates as
the second-largest search engine on the internet.
This revolution was so significant that it caught
the attention of Europe’s vigilant regulators. The
European Union filed a suit against Google—spe-
cifically its “Search Engine Results Pages” and its
advertising businesses. In 2017, the European
Commission levied a record €2.42 billion fine on
Google for having “abused its market dominance
as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to
another Google product, its comparison-shopping
service.” Google’s case in its defence has always
been that it has reached this level of market domi-
nance simply by building a better product than
others, and not by acting unfairly.
The second revolution came along with Face-
book, which with its own social media approach
created the largest advertising platform that the
world had yet seen. Its purchase of WhatsApp,
Instagram and other such players meant that it
knew a lot about each one of us on its platforms,
from who our associates were to what our areas of
political, commercial, filial and artistic interests
might be. And users, in droves, gave Facebook
more information on their own likes and dislikes
by putting up pictures of food, “checking in” upon
arriving at restaurants, theatres or other places of
interest, and generally trying to best their online
“friends”. This gave the behemoth an untram-
melled view of our personal lives, advertising grew
significantly more finely targeted, and “echo
chambers” came up that played information back
to us that we were likely to approve of.
There is now a third revolution at hand. The
world of broadcast television is going away, as our
viewing screens become more and more internet-
connected for regular programming as well as for
premium video feeds from channels such as Net-
flix, Amazon Video, Apple TV, YouTube TV and
others. This is already apparent, at least in coun-
tries like the US (and soon in India as well, one can
safely predict, with the current boom in internet
connectivity across the nation).
Broadcast TV advertising was always a bit of a
hit-or-miss affair, and advertisers relied on data
companies such as AC Nielsen and others that
would track samples of viewers to understand
viewing patterns. This was achieved by placing a
small device on the TV sets of people in an audi-
ence sample, and collecting data from it to under-
stand which TV shows people watched, and how
often. Television Rating Points (TRPs) are an out-
put of this process.
But TRPs will play less of a role in the future, as
TV viewing moves online. And TV advertising will
become less of a hit-or-miss affair. Programmatic
advertising placement—targeted ads that are auto-
matically placed online to appear on various net-
connected devices, including TV sets—is the third
wave. This entails automating the buying and sell-
ing of advertisement slot inventory in real time
through an automated bidding system. It enables
advertisers or ad agencies to purchase advertise-
ment impressions on publisher sites or apps
within milliseconds through a sophisticated tech-
nological ecosystem. So far, this has been used
mainly on mobile phones.
In the US, there are a few companies which are
leading the way on programmatic advertising via
connected TVs. The largest of these is The Trade
Desk. The $41 billion California-based company,
founded by chief executive officer (CEO) Jeff
Green, is a demand-side advertising platform that
lets advertising agencies and other buyers place
digital advertisements using algorithms and highly
enriched data. This segment is growing far faster
than the overall advertising market, but for now it
is still just a fraction of the latter’s size.
The Trade Desk operates a cloud-based technol-
ogy platform that lets advertisers optimize their ad
spending, typically by getting the right advertise-
ments to pop up for the right shoppers at the right
time. Its stock has jumped almost 220% this year.
Early in November, the company announced a
huge positive surprise in its revenue and earnings
for the preceding quarter.
On the earnings call at the time, CEO Green said:
“While our growth is very encouraging, we are still
operating at a time of great uncertainty for many
industries... Advertising is an engine of economic
growth and our customers know that their cam-
paigns can fuel growth and drive market share
gains for their brands. And because of that, during
times of uncertainty, they become much more
deliberate.”
As companies seek to rebuild their businesses
after the pandemic, the typical measurement tech-
niques that have been used by marketers are going
to come under microscopic scrutiny by chief finan-
cial officers. And that means that advertisers have
to focus on advertising opportunities that are
measurable to the extent that returns generated
for their business can be tracked and proven.
Green says his company is working to overhaul
its systems with an improved user interface, and
expects to bring ad buying and planning tools
together in one space. It will also feature easier
integration and management of data, with updates
to its machine-learning and artificial intelligence
engines for advertising campaigns. Others in the
field, no doubt, would be rushing to improve too.
Bye bye, television TRPs. Hello, internet pro-
grammatic advertising.
wasting no time making emissions reduc-
tion a top White House priority. Political
observers are already gaming how much
Biden will be able to accomplish on climate
protection. Will Mitch McConnell lead a
Republican Senate to tie up legislation? If
the two Georgia Democratic candidates
prevail in their runoff elections, can a
Chuck Schumer-led Senate bridge divi-
sions among Republican oil minions, pro-
gressive climate hawks and moderate “all
of the above” straddlers?
Either way, the conventional wisdom
runs, President Biden will have a hard time
delivering on his pledge to decarbonize the
power and road-transportation sectors.
My bet is that Beltway political gridlock
won’t be such a big problem—just as
Donald Trump’s presidency wasn’t as big
an obstacle to progress as it once appeared.
Just after this month’s election, a friend
sent me a blog post I wrote four years ago in
the wake of the Trump triumph, noting
how accurate my predictions on climate
had proved to be. But even back then there
was reason to assume that Trump’s desper-
ate efforts to preserve the coal industry
would be undone by the economic reality
of the fuel’s collapsing profitability. And it
was possible to hope that congressional
battles between climate deniers and pro-
gressive advocates of emissions reduction
would be overshadowed by the clean-en-
ergy momentum of American cities, states
and businesses—along with international
government mandates to lower emissions.
Even then, wind and solar power were
undercutting coal and gas generation.
Today electric batteries have become
cheap enough to leave gasoline and diesel-
powered vehicles in the dust. And an
emerging competition between hydrogen
and electricity is preparing to decarbonize
heavy industry.
Just this week, it was announced that the
aptly named Samson Solar Energy Cen-
ter—at 1,300 megawatts, the biggest in the
US—would be built in Texas, of all states.
This is the result not of a government man-
date, but of power purchase agreements
among four Fortune 500 corporations and
three moderate-size Texas municipalities,
all wanting the 20 years of guaranteed
cheap power that Samson promises.
And this happened during Trump’s
presidency. It’s hard to imagine a Republi-
can Senate deprived of the White House
turning back the clean-energy tide that’s
transforming the US power sector, and
Politicians must ensure that American
families welcome the shift BLOOMBERG
electrifying cars, trucks and buildings.
Climate-industrial innovators represent
most of the US economy and half of the
country’s emissions. As Biden reverses the
White House course on climate, American
society will outpace whatever he and Con-
gress can do. Even so, the US no longer
leads the world on climate policy. Europe
took post position with its green stimulus.
And the covid-19 pandemic has extin-
guished any long-term future for fossil
fuels. Within five weeks of Europe’s action,
China, Japan and Korea all committed to
zero carbon economies before 2060.
As the global transition to clean energy
accelerates, the supply chains and invest-
ment dollars on which the US economy
depends will shift further from fossil fuels.
Take transportation. As the world’s big
vehicle manufacturers stop investing in
internal combustion engines, even coun-
tries that haven’t made ambitious climate
pledges (Saudi Arabia, Russia) will none-
theless buy electric vehicles, because they
will be better and cheaper. American man-
ufacturers, required by California’s zero-
emission coalition to produce a low-carbon
fleet for half the country, will put pressure
on Congress to support a national transi-
tion to electric cars and trucks. And as
research and development dollars flood
into electric vehicles (EVs), and dry up for
internal combustion engines, EV perform-
ance advantages will improve even as pri-
ces continue to fall.
This is not to say that Biden’s ambition
doesn’t matter. It does—not so much for
how many American drivers get behind the
wheel of a zero-emission car, but for where
that car gets made. Biden and Congress
may not determine the pace of the clean-
transportation revolution, but they can
help determine its leadership.
One more thing that policymakers do
control and must confront is how Ameri-
can families and communities fare in the
transition. How do we ensure that the
surge of new jobs in clean energy recreates
a middle class economy, with well paying,
career-building, family-supporting jobs?
Here Trump’s voters and Biden’s voters
have a lot in common. And advocates of cli-
mate mitigation share their concerns,
because if the clean energy revolution
doesn’t benefit average families, it won’t
live up to its promise. © BLOOMBERG

GUEST VIEW

The unclear admissibility of Adani’s revised DHFL bid

arose over whether the confidentiality of the
MAMTA TIWARI latter’s bid had been compromised. Almost
all the other bidders contended that Adani’s
revised bid could not be considered, and the
threat of legal action stalling the resolution
process loomed large.
submitted by Ultratech for Binani Cement,
the NCLAT held that the “The ‘I&B Code’ is
for reorganisation and insolvency resolution
of corporate persons... for maximisation of
value of assets of such persons” and “to... bal-
ance [the] interests of all stakeholders”. It
entire portfolio, DHFL’s liabilities being
around ₹86, 000 crore. The attention of the
lenders that cried foul was drawn to Clause
39.1 of the Bid Documents, which reportedly
vests them with the power “to extend the
resolution plan submission date with the
licited and submitted after the deadline, it
also seems in violation of a stipulation that
“bidders could submit revised bids only for
the portion of business they themselves had
previously bid for and not for any other por-
tion of the business.” Adani had earlier bid

T
he DHFL saga appears to have drawn
the attention of India’s entire business
world—both figuratively and literally.
Out of four bidders for its assets, two are for-
eign entities, namely the US-based Oaktree
Capital Management and Hong Kong-based
SC Lowy, and two are Indian—the Adani and
Piramal groups.
It may be recalled that the submission of
revised bids has in the past helped unlock
better value. For instance, in the case of
Essar Steel, ArcelorMittal had bid ₹29,000
crore in the first round of bidding in Febru-
ary 2018, but later, in December 2019, a con-
sortium of ArcelorMittal and Japan’s Nippon
Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corp Ltd raised
also stated, “It is possible to balance [the] objective of unlocking maximum value for only two books/businesses, but its
interests of all stakehold- while balancing interests of revised bid is for DHFL’s entire portfolio.
ers if the resolution maxi- all stakeholders”. Also, notably, the Ultratech bid was
mises the value of assets of Revised bids in The obvious next step upheld not just because it was higher, but
the ‘Corporate Debtor’”, was to call all bidders to also because it was found to balance the
and finally that Section the past have submit fresh bids for interests of stakeholders better than a bid
25(2)(h) of the Insolvency DHFL, given that SC Lowy from Dalmia Bharat, which was deemed
and Bankruptcy Code has
helped unlock threatened to walk out. At unfair to some lenders within the same class.

is counsel, Fox Mandal & Co

DHFL has already chalked up many firsts
to justify such high interest. It is the first
non-banking financial company (NBFC) to
be subject to a corporate insolvency resolu-
tion process under the Insolvency and Bank-
ruptcy Code, 2016, or the Insolvency Code.
With Oaktree looking a potential winner,
there was the usual excitement and discus-
sion around India attracting foreign invest-
ment even in a distressed entity, till one of
the domestic bidders pulled off a surprise
with a revised bid. The submission of a
revised unsolicited bid after the deadline by
the Adani group led other bidders to cry foul.
As Adani’s revised bid was slightly higher
than that of Oaktree, the usual questions
that bid to ₹42,000 crore. This helped the
steelmaker’s lenders recover 92% of their
total claims of ₹49,000 crore.
In DHFL’s case, the Adani Group has
countered objections by arguing that its new
bid offered superior value for the NBFC’s
assets. It seems to be referring in this context
to principles laid down by the National Com-
pany Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in
the matter of Binani Industries Limited vs
Bank of Baroda (Company Appeal (AT) (Insol-
vency) No. 82 of 2018), which were upheld by
the Supreme Court in Rajputana Properties
Pvt. Limited vs Ultratech Cement Ltd. & Ors
(Civil Appeal No. 109988 of 2018. While over-
ruling objections raised over a revised bid
to be read in conjunction
with Regulation 36B of the
value but our
Insolvency and Bank-
ruptcy Board of India
courts may have
(Insolvency Resolution to decide how
Process for Corporate per-
sons) Regulations, 2016. late is too late
Regulation. Regulation
36(B)(6) thereof, in turn, is
all-encompassing and lays down that the
“resolution professional may, with the
approval of the committee, extend the time-
line for submission of resolution plans.”
The Adani bid reportedly offers ₹33,000
crore, which is slightly more than the
₹31,000 crore offered by Oaktree for the
the time of writing this,
fresh bids have been called
from the four bidders, with
a deadline of 10 December
2020. There was no escape
from this.
Currently, it appears that
no other rules apply so long
as the bids of existing bid-
ders are in compliance with the basic
requirements of the Insolvency and Bank-
ruptcy Code of 2016. However, the Adani bid
seems riddled with procedural irregularities
if we compare the case with Ultratech’s bid
for Binani, in which objections were over-
ruled. Not only was Adani’s revised bid unso-
The key here is also whether the Resolu-
tion Professional has indeed, with the
approval of DHFL’s Committee of Creditors,
extended the timeline for the submission of
resolution plans, or if one of the bidders has
unilaterally put in a revised bid that could
turn victory into a fait accompli. From what
we know, Adani’s unilateral revised bid was
not made in response to “an extension of the
deadline by the Resolution Professional”
and would thus appear to be in violation of
the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Given
such contentious issues, I have little doubt
that this matter will reach the NCLAT, and
finally the Supreme Court—which would
have to consider how late is too late.
06 OPINION
A society that fears love
THE TRIBUNE established in 1881
Politics of ‘love jihad’ is byproduct of a patriarchal ideology of religious nationalism
Time for fruitful talks
Onus on Centre to break the deadlock at the earliest
W
ITH the farmers’ agitation having reached its doorstep, the Cen- AVIJIT PATHAK
tre is yet to extend a formal invitation for talks with the protesters SOCIOLOGIST
over the contentious farm laws. The Union government can’t
F
escape blame for letting the situation come to such a pass. Some leaders of ROM Madhya Pradesh to
the ruling party have been quick to vilify the protesting farmers, calling them Uttar Pradesh—a series of
Khalistan supporters, Congress puppets and anti-national elements. The legal provisions to stop and
unleashing of paramilitary forces on the peaceful marchers — pitting the punish what is being project-
jawan against the kisan — amounted to blatant use of brute force. The Cen- ed as ‘love jihad’ indicates the level of
tre has been reiterating that the laws are in the interests of farmers, but the decadence we, as a society, have
latter remain unconvinced, fearing the abolition of the time-tested mandi passed through. In a way, when patri-
system and the MSP regime. The yawning chasm between the two sides was archy and religious bigotry begin to
visible on Sunday. Even as the farmers rejected an appeal by Home Minister shape our consciousness, we fear what
love is all about: its unrestricted flow,
Amit Shah to shift to the designated protest ground at Burari, PM Modi, in
its healing power to overcome all bor-
his Mann ki Baat, claimed that the newly enacted legislations had already
started benefiting peasants financially and bestowing new rights on them.
ders and boundaries, or its music of
the fusion of horizons. As we suspect
Agriculture was the only sector that managed to register growth in the magical power of love, we allow
the April-June quarter, which bore the brunt of a stringent lockdown. the state to intervene in the realm of
During the July-September quarter, too, the sector grew by 3.4 per cent, our sacred and intimate space—one’s
even as the recession-hit economy shrunk by 7.5 per cent. Such love relations, or one’s choice of reli-
resilience during a pandemic should have dissuaded the government gion. Possibly, a society that fears the
from tinkering with a system which, though imperfect, was largely run- ecstasy of love is potentially authori-
ning like clockwork. Instead, it insisted on introducing sweeping tarian. It becomes culturally regres-
reforms without developing consensus among the stakeholders. sive. Is it the emerging politico-cultur-
The farm leaders have been scuttling attempts by Opposition parties al landscape that characterises Indian
to derive political mileage from their agitation. Now, they should seize the society? There seems to be no escape
from this question.
opportunity to negotiate with the Centre. We have had enough of verbal
Before we reflect on ‘love jihad’, let
assurances about the MSP. It ought to be incorporated in the law as a
us acknowledge what happens in the
farmer’s inalienable right. It’s a given that both sides would have to make name of arranged marriages. It would
some concessions so that a middle ground is found. The deadlock must not be an exaggeration to say that a
be resolved amicably at the earliest. A prolonged crisis would not only complex calculation and measure-
impair the agriculture sector but also impede India’s economic recovery. ment of a set of ‘qualities’—
family/caste background, economic
status of the bridegroom, or the physi-
cal beauty of the bride—is a distinctive
Covid curfew’s impact feature of this sort of marital negotia-
tion. It is by no means about love; it is
pure mathematics. We see the logic of
Not just economy, lockdown affected people’s health too commodification and caste/religion
fixation in matrimonial columns; and
T
HE adverse effects of the Covid-19 restrictions on health are appar- diverse forms of dowry (often regard-
ent from the report of the PGIMS, Rohtak, which says that the pro- ed as ‘gift’) reveal that while we
longed lockdown resulted in poor blood sugar control among understand the strategy of instrumen-
patients suffering from Type-1 form of diabetes, a chronic condition tal reasoning, we are uncomfortable
which usually appears during adolescence. Diet and exercise, essential with the ecstasy of unconditional love.
for glycemic control, were affected because of confinement at home and Moreover, these normal or socially
reduced physical activity. The outbreak also made it difficult to seek med- sanctified marriages often rob women
ical attention for patients suffering from other diseases because medi-
cines were in short supply due to the thrust on containing the virus.
My husband’s first wife
Diabetes is essentially a lifestyle disease that requires modifications in
routine to keep its debilitating effects under check. Wasim Akram, the Pak-
istani cricketer who suffered from Type-1 diabetes, battled it successfully
by adapting to its requirements, for getting afflicted with an illness early
in life can put a career in jeopardy. The PGIMS report also puts the focus Mina Surjit Singh
on how the priority accorded to Covid-19 has affected healthcare, with oth-
S
er illnesses not receiving proper follow-up, OPDs in hospitals remaining HINGARA Singh was a burly,
closed, surgeries being postponed, dispensaries and clinical laboratories well-fed, well-meaning consta-
that provided cost-effective intermediary consultations shutting down and ble attached with my husband
the healthcare staff, tasked to tackle coronavirus cases, facing problems at when he was posted as SP Jalandhar
many places because of staff shortage and non-payment of salaries. in 1966. He ruled the roost like a pri-
The lockdown has also seen fallouts not linked to the pandemic. Liv- mo uomo in all domestic matters,
ing constantly in closed spaces has tended to affect inter-personal relations. right from buying groceries to plan-
For students, being confined to home and without much activity and scope ning menus and keeping an eagle-eye
on the other domestic staff. Since his
for recreation, being glued to TV, mobile phones and computer screens
‘ Saab bahaddar’ was more than
because of the break from schools and colleges, meant severe stress,
busy all day with official matters,
besides other health problems. As the battle against the virus continues, good old Shingara Singh made sure
tackling the pandemic should not be allowed to result in more health night- he was spared the bother of house-
mares. Covid-19 deserves attention, but the neglect of other medical con- hold management and would dish
ditions for a long period can result in a healthcare breakdown. The econom- out a fairly edible repast which was
ic slowdown resulted in distress and a similar situation from the health consumed without any undue fuss.
point of view is best avoided by ensuring physical well-being. And then the spouse happened! Day
one in my conjugal home began with
laying a scrumptious breakfast of
❝ ❞
thought for the day
Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart PM’s assurance not enough
whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. — Plato Apropos of ‘New agri laws have
given farmers new opportunities:
PM’, Modi in Mann ki Baat was
expected to remove all the confu-
on this day...100 years ago sion but the outcome was unsatis-
factory. Beating around the bush
when the annadata’s life is at
stake is uncalled for. The indiffer-
ence towards the farmers’ con-
cerns prove that we have failed as
lahore,wednesday, december 1, 1920
a so-called democratic country.
The question of keeping the MSP
Official Non-Co-operation. intact remains unresolved. Deci-
WE have in our leading article dealt at some length with Col. Wedgwood’s phering the issue might save us
observations on the non-co-operation movement, and have seen that he is from chaos in the prevalent bed-
strongly opposed to certain aspects of it, and especially to the methods on lam of the pandemic.
which it is being conducted in some quarters. But Col. Wedgwood would not AGAM GARG, BY MAIL
be the fair-minded and practical politician that he is if his condemnation
were one-sided, if he did not recognise, as he himself says, that “it would be Reach out to farmers
unfair as well as futile to expect Indian patriots to stop building up this Refer to ‘Adamant farmers break
mountain of hatred and bitterness unless the British Government stopped barricades in Hry’; it is important to
building from their side too.” In the very opening passage of the interview, remove misconceptions regarding
he points out that the non-co-operation movement was first started not by MSP, which is the primary task
Indians but by the O’Dwyer school and bureaucratic extremists, and that before various governments and the
the best way of stopping non-co-operation on our side is for the Government Centre. Outreach at the highest lev-
to definitely discard the principles and methods, for which Sir Michael el could be a game changer, but
O’Dwyer and the bureaucratic extremists stand, not only in theory but in before that, it is also needed that
practice. Col. Wedgwood says: “I have seen nothing worse”, he says, “than tempers are cooled following clashes
the way in which the Punjab Government has quite recently destroyed the between the police and farmers. The
Government of India Act so far as that province is concerned. They have so Centre’s reforms package may be a
gerrymandered the franchise and the constituencies that they themselves sincere attempt to improve private
boast that the nationalist can only elect 7 out of the 70 supposedly elected participation in the farm trade, but
members. Want of trust, want of co-operation is visible in every line of this this has to be well explained to the
arrangement. The non-release of 86 martial law prisoners shows that though farmers. Ironically, paddy procure-
His Majesty the King Emperor is willing to co-operate and start a fresh page ment in Punjab has topped last
of history, the Punjab Government knows better than His Majesty and
wants to change neither its manner nor its methods.” Letters to the Editor, typed in double space, should not exceed the 200-word limit. These should be cogently written and can be sent by e-mail to: Letters@tribunemail.com
NOT WAR: Love is the defiance of fascism. It is sad that we are not yet ready for it.
Despite the glitz of modernity or neoliberal consumerism,
religious orthodoxy and patriarchal thinking continue to
characterise our collective consciousness.
of their agency; it is assumed that they
are like ‘dolls’; and ‘successful’
men—MBA graduates, doctors, engi-
neers, NRIs and IAS officers with
appropriate caste and religion—would
rescue and preserve them.
Is it, therefore, surprising that we
live amid dowry death, ‘honour
killing’ and caste/patriarchal vio-
lence? However, seldom does one see
the political class or the ruling regime
critiquing this sort of regressive and
obnoxious practice. What a journey we
have undertaken! In his Discovery of
India, Nehru felt the need for over-
coming the ‘dead weight of the past’.
And with the passage of time, Gandhi
pleaded passionately for inter-caste
marriages. It seems we have forgotten
this quest for a new India—open, dem-
ocratic and liberal. Instead, we are
becoming increasingly patriarchal and
culturally regressive. The irony is that
despite the outer glitz of modernity or
neoliberal consumerism, religious
orthodoxy and casteist/patriarchal
thinking continue to characterise our
collective consciousness.
In this process, there are two things
cornflakes, milk, stuffed omelette,
toast, butter, marmalade and fruit
which I proudly laid out on my new
linen, much to the consternation of my
husband’s first wife (read SS), who
had been giving him an apple and
black coffee for the first meal of the
day. With censure writ large on his face
he boomed, ‘Nah-nah bibiji, Saab
bahaddar eh kuj nai khande (sir does
not eat all this)!’ Now it was my turn to
get shocked. Bibiji (mother), when I
was just a nubile young creature of 20!
However, I was soon to learn that bibi-
ji was the accepted form of salutation
for police officers’ wives those days.
So from the day I entered my mari-
tal home as a bride eagerly looking
forward to setting up home and deftly
displaying my culinary skills, SS’
tranquil Shangri-la was grossly threat-
letters to the editor
year’s numbers by nearly 20%. This
should allay the fears of immediate
MSP rollback to some extent. A
phased, orderly transition through
farm reforms and income support,
offers a win-win situation for the
farmers and traders. The govern-
ment must handhold farmers
through this big shift, which can
prove as momentous and fruitful as
the Green Revolution.
LAL SINGH, AMRITSAR
Agitating farmers
The recent march of farmers to
Delhi highlights their grievances
against the farm laws. There is so
much going on during the pan-
demic that this crisis will surely
add to the country’s problems.
While the Centre says that the
Opposition is misleading the
farmers, the Opposition blames
the Centre. There should be a
conclusion on which farmers
must agree to avoid the worsen-
ing of the situation. There should
be education regarding the laws
that are being misinterpreted and
concerns related to the MSP must
be addressed.
PALAK BATHLA, KAITHAL
BJP’s big lie
Refer to ‘Farmers’ march’; and
considering the plight of the
JALANDHAR | TUESDAY | 1 DECEMBER 2020
that have happened. First, the ghettoi-
sation of the mind has become sharp-
er. We are growing up with all sorts of
conditioning: a ‘nationalist’ Hindu vs
a ‘suspicious’ Muslim; a ‘pure’ Brah-
min vs a ‘polluted’ Dalit; or men as
‘protectors’ vs women as silent ‘fol-
lowers’. The prevalent cultural politics,
media industry and even educational
practice stimulate this conditioned
mind. It is closed; it erects all sorts of
walls of separation; and it fears the pos-
sibility of the breakdown of barriers.
Second, with the ghettoisation of the
mind, surveillance is normalised and
even sanctified. What we eat and drink,
or people we mix with: everything has
to be closely monitored by the self-pro-
claimed protectors of ‘culture’. We
keep constructing our ‘enemies’.
The result is the arrival of totalitarian-
ism, which as a mode of thinking and
living, is inherently patriarchal and
repressive. It creates an identity based
on a fixed essence of nation or religion;
it abhors the unpredictability of free
existence; it wants a standardised/con-
trolled mind. It is anti-women; it
assumes that men must have absolute
ened, now that he had competition.
He hovered around me like the
proverbial ‘badi bahu’, looking disap-
provingly at the entire day’s menu
and seeming quite troubled at the dis-
possession of his territorial suprema-
cy. But undaunted by the challenge,
he kept pushing his luck till one day I
lost it and screamed, ‘Shing…ga…ra
Singh! Can I discover for myself what
my husband likes and what he does-
n’t?’ He cringed but was unfazed and
planned out another strategy now.
That evening, when Saab came back
from work, SS approached him gin-
gerly and declared he needed more
staff since the household work had
increased now that bibiji had come.
Besides, janaab’s junior officers had
more staff and his reputation was
being seriously jeopardised amongst
farmers these days, the slogan of
the BJP government that their
income would double by 2022 is
proving to be the biggest lie of the
year. Only 15 months are left for the
due date to arrive. The only way to
double the income is if the govern-
ment doubles the MSP of rice,
wheat, maize and sugarcane. This
much rise is next to impossible.
RN MALIK, GURUGRAM
UP law not anti-Muslim
Refer to ‘Of an unsuitable girl
and other inanities taking firm
hold’; the UP law is to prevent
forcible inter-faith marriages and
conversion from one faith to the
other. Referring to it as ‘love
jihad law’ is mischievous. The
premise that it is meant to target
Muslims is misplaced. Nikita, a
Hindu woman, was killed by a
Muslim man who wanted to
forcibly marry her and convert
her to Islam. The law is to prevent
such sad incidents. Do not label it
as anti-Muslim. It will equally
apply if a Hindu forces a Muslim
to marry him and convert to Hin-
duism. The writer quotes a HC
ruling that says that two grown-
up individuals, irrespective of
caste, creed or religion are free to
choose a partner as they wish.
The courts can err. No freedom is
THE TRIBUNE
control over women’s sexuality and life
choices. As a result, it is against love. A
totalitarian mind cannot love freely and
unconditionally. It fears what the ecsta-
sy of love can do to humans. Love tends
to defy all constructed boundaries. This
power of love with its unpredictability
and free flow is something that a con-
servative culture cannot tolerate.
And it is in this context that we can
understand the politics of a vocabu-
lary like ‘love jihad’. A cross-reli-
gious marriage is suspected because
it reveals a possibility that we are
more than our ascriptive religious
identities; and this is what totalitari-
anism cannot bear. Hence, the very
idea is condemned and scandalised.
It is seen as a conspiracy—a strategic
attempt by a Muslim to marry a Hin-
du, and eventually convert her into
Islam. It cannot imagine that a
woman can be a free subject with her
autonomy and choice. Hence, a cross-
religious marriage, for the fanatic, is
nothing but a sort of ‘jihad’. See how
everything is turned into its opposite
in the age of totalitarianism. All those
who raise critical voices against some
policies of the government are bound
to be ‘anti-national’; young idealist
students who question the politics
beneath the NRC/CAA are nothing
but ‘urban Naxals’. In other words,
our true patriotism has to be always
demonstrated through certain prac-
tices—say, dancing with the cacopho-
ny of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, seeing all Mus-
lims in the Kashmir valley as
potential terrorists, and spreading
Islamophobia all around. The politics
of ‘love jihad’ that we are seeing in
recent times is an inevitable byprod-
uct of a patriarchal ideology of reli-
gious nationalism.
No fundamentalist ideology (Hindu
or Islam) is comfortable with uncon-
ditional love. Fundamentalism is
against our true religiosity which is
not what the clergy and the priest-
craft regard as religion. Love—yes,
love as a creative life energy, or love as
an eternal fountain—is our true reli-
giosity. Love is revolutionary. Love is
the defiance of fascism. It is sad that
we are not yet ready for it.
his tribe! He waited patiently for
janaab’s reaction. Seeing none com-
ing forth, our warrior carried on relent-
lessly and put in his next demand
while he could. ‘And we must get a
Murrah buffalo, janaab, which gives at
least 10 litres of milk every day, now
that bibiji is here!’ I baulked. Howev-
er, giving short shrift to his sugges-
tions, my husband quietly stated,
‘Shingara Singh, I can either afford
bibiji or your mujj (buffalo)!’
Sufficiently chastised, SS was
quick to take the cue and fearing for
his own honesty now, he dove into
the kitchen and fished out a huge
roll of well-preserved grocery bills as
proof that he had not been accepting
anything gratis. ‘Janaab,’ he stated
triumphantly, ‘main saray bill
saambh ke rakhay ne! ’
unfettered, especially if it con-
cerns inter-faith matters. The
writer’s disdain for the UP CM is
so obvious that he ends his article
with a strong note. This does not
behove a ‘veteran journalist’.
WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), JALANDHAR
Humorous sithnis
The humorous write-up ‘Wedding
limericks that broke the ice’
prompts me to quote sithni from
Baba Nanak’s wedding with Mata
Sulakhni on the occasion of Gur-
purb celebrations. Two such, in part
are ‘Assan ta suniya ehde naag bhi
yaar ne, karde ne shawan enhu
phan khilar ve, yadoogaran ton
ghat nahi, yadoogaran ton ghat
nahi be larhya, saanu na yaado kar
dayee’ (we learnt that serpents are
his friends who give him shade
after spreading fangs and he is not
less than magicians. Being not less
than magicians, oh, the groom, do
not cast your spell upon us); and
‘ Chaj da janjhi tenu labha na
larya, laike Mardana ayan
bhukhan da marya, ajj raza ehnu
layen’ (Oh groom, you did not get a
suitable companion and got
hunger-afflicted Mardana; get him
fed fully today). Alas! With the
changed wedding scenario, the old
hearty humour has vanished.
GURMIT SINGH SAINI, MOHALI
THE TRIBUNE
JALANDHAR | TUESDAY | 1 DECEMBER 2020 OPED 07

Patel’s demise marks end of the Sonia era

Although it seems inconceivable And it will be impossible to find anoth-
that the death of a non-Gandhi would
prove to be a seminal event in a
Although it seems er Ahmed Patel to do the job for her.
The stage then is set for the rise of
dynasty-driven party’s history, Patel inconceivable that the death the ‘Rahul Congress’. Time will tell
was not just any Congress veteran. He whether he steps up to lead it himself
occupied a unique space. In the years of a non-Gandhi would or whether he appoints a proxy presi-
he functioned as Sonia Gandhi’s
political aide and chief troubleshooter,
prove to be a seminal event dent through whom he can run the
party. Whatever decision he takes, the
ARATI R JERATH
POLITICAL COMMENTATOR
he became virtually synonymous with in a dynasty-driven party’s clock has already started ticking for
her. He was Sonia Gandhi’s face and him to prove his mettle, now that there
voice inside the party and outside. history, Ahmed Patel was not are no obstacles to hold him back.

R just any Congress veteran.

AHUL Gandhi has no fig leaf
left to hide behind after the
demise of Sonia Gandhi’s
trusted lieutenant Ahmed
Patel. For years, he and his coterie
blamed the old guard represented by
Patel for obstructing his efforts to
craft a new Congress to replace the
rusty, creaky, decaying organisation
led by his mother.
Whether they were right or wrong is
a matter of debate. But it provided
Rahul with a convenient excuse to
duck responsibility, disappear without
notice, take holidays in the middle of
an election, defy the party line with
inconvenient tweets and generally
cultivate the air of a reluctant prince.
The time for all that is over now.
With Patel gone, Rahul can’t justify
his non-performance for much longer.
His moment of reckoning may well
have come, finally.
There is widespread acknowledge-
ment in the Congress that Patel’s
demise marks the end of the Sonia era.
He has brought down the curtain in
death with a finality that Sonia has
failed to achieve in her lifetime, despite
numerous attempts to retire and pass
on the leadership baton to Rahul.
In many ways, Patel represented the
quintessential ‘Sonia Congress’. Like
her, he believed in status quo and in
consensus, strove to make peace
between warring factions and chose
caution over rapid-fire responses.
When the Congress surprised itself
and everyone by winning the 2004 Gen-
eral Election, Patel became the pillar of
its first successful experiment with
running a coalition government at the
Centre. Later, when the party lost pow-
er and Sonia began making noises
about retirement, she turned to him for
help to pave the way for a smooth tran-
sition. He then became the bridge
between the generations, doing his best
to fulfil his boss’ desire to balance the
old with the new, experience with youth
and, above all, keep the party united.
It is no secret that Patel and Rahul had
a tense and uncomfortable relationship.
Patel’s first loyalty was to Sonia and
Rahul knew that. Like any other legatee
waiting to take over the family firm, he
wanted his own team of loyalists, not
some hand-me-downs from his mother.
Yet, despite efforts to marginalise
Patel, Rahul was soon made to appre-
ciate his utility and importance. Patel
was no mass leader and, consequently,
had little to contribute in the election
arena. But no one understood the Con-
gress system better than him. Patel
alone knew how to work the levers that
turned the Grand Old Party’s wheels.
If Rahul needed a navigator to find his
way through the complex maze that is
the Congress, Patel was his best guide.
Ultimately, Rahul agreed to appoint
him party treasurer, but Patel was nev-
er really absorbed into the Gandhi
scion’s team. He continued to be seen
as a representative of the ‘Sonia Con-
He occupied a unique space.
In the years he functioned as
Sonia Gandhi’s political aide
and chief troubleshooter,
he became virtually
synonymous with her.
GO-TO MAN: Ahmed Patel was Sonia’s voice
within the party and outside.
gress’, someone who spoke on behalf first time in many years, another Con-
of the matriarch and functioned as an gress split seemed to loom as the old
interlocutor with the old guard. guard called for a ‘collective leader-
In his last days, he had set himself ship’ amid hints of a lack of confi-
the task of healing the internal rift in dence in Rahul’s stewardship.
the party which exploded in full public There is little doubt that Patel’s
view at a stormy Working Committee demise is a body blow to the G-23 (as
meeting in late August. A letter writ- the dissident group came to be
ten by 23 leaders exposed the simmer- known). Many admit that without him
ing tensions between veterans of the as an interface, their communication
‘Sonia Congress’ and attendants of link with Rahul and his coterie has
the ‘Rahul Congress’ eagerly waiting snapped. Sonia has neither the capac-
in the wings to take charge. For the ity nor the health to play peacemaker.
There are three immediate challenges
for Rahul. One is to keep the party
together. Members of Sonia’s team are
feeling orphaned without Patel and
could end up scattering in different
directions. While some have no electoral
heft, others do. For instance, Bhupinder
Singh Hooda. He was on the verge of
quitting before the 2019 General Elec-
tion. It was Patel who persuaded him to
stay back and worked out a compromise
whereby he was given a free hand to fight
the election in Haryana. Hooda is one of
the few Congress leaders left with a mass
base of his own and unless Rahul’s team
reaches out to him, he could well go his
own way. Captain Amarinder Singh in
Punjab is another one. He is smarting
and restless and increasingly taking
autonomous decisions.
The second challenge for Rahul is to
revamp the organisation and make the
Congress fighting fit to take on the
BJP’s formidable election machine. So
far, Rahul has met with little success, but
then he always had the old guard to
blame. Now, there’s no defence.
And the third is to start winning
elections. His biggest test is coming
up in 2022 when UP goes to the polls.
Is Rahul up to the task?

obituary
VN Datta (1926–2020)

A historian who delved deep into India’s past

P
ROFESSOR VN Datta, histo-
rian, newspaper columnist
and an extremely kind per-
son, would be sorely missed.
Born in Amritsar in a very well-off
business family, Datta was educated
at the Government College (Lahore),
Lucknow University and the Univer-
M RAJIVLOCHAN
sity of Cambridge. Datta spent his
HISTORIAN working life at Kurukshetra Univer-
sity before settling down in Delhi.
Datta’s writings opened Professor Datta was in the tradition
of those great scholars who were also
up new vistas for great teachers. He trained an entire
generation of students, each of whom
understanding history. He made a seminal contribution to histo-
was in the tradition of those ry as a subject and to the history of
Punjab particularly.
great scholars who were Datta’s writings opened up new
vistas for understanding history. He
also great teachers. He examined the entire evidence of the
trained an entire Hunter Commission that was set up
to look into the Jallianwala Bagh
generation of students, massacre. Datta (who wrote The Tri-
bune, 130 Years: A Witness to Histo-
each of whom made a ry), in an interview with another emi-
seminal contribution to nent historian, Nonica Datta,
recalled his searches and his discov-
history as a subject and to ery that the massacre at Jallianwala
Bagh was no error of judgement or a
the history of Punjab chance event. In this interview,
particularly. He examined which was published by The Tribune
on April 14, 2019, Datta made it clear
the entire evidence of the that the massacre at Jallianwala
Bagh was the result of a well-planned
Hunter Commission that conspiracy in which the British
was set up to look into the allowed — in fact urged — a huge
gathering to assemble and then
Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Brigadier General Dyer moved for-
ward to teach Indians what he
thought was going to be a lesson of a
lifetime. A lesson it indeed was for
CHRONICLER OF A CARNAGE: VN Datta, the author of Jallianwala Bagh (1969), saw
the 1919 massacre as the outcome of a well-planned conspiracy.
after that, Datta would say, Indians
resolved ever more firmly to get rid
of British rule. An Indian named
Hans Raj, who had collaborated with
the British in ensuring the gather-
ing, had his house at Amritsar burnt
down, Datta reported.
Datta was unremitting in blaming
Congress leaders for the manner in
which they conducted their politics
after coming to power in 1937. Sim-
ilarly, Datta would be quite dismis-
sive of any reconstruction of the
history of the partition of India
which gave too much value to inex-
orable forces of history that were
supposedly driving the country
towards Partition.
In 1996, Professor Datta presided
over the Indian History Congress
session at Madras University. The
theme that he chose for his presiden-
tial address was one very close to his
heart. Here and later, he talked at
great length about the role of specif-
ic individuals in engineering Parti-
tion, either through action or inac-
tion. Datta had no patience with
those who made an effort to absolve
individuals of the consequences of
the history that they had created.
Datta was firmly of the view that nei-
ther history nor its consequences
would have happened the way they
did had key individual participants
taken care, risen beyond their nar-
row self-interests, and shown some
wisdom while making choices. Such
a view of history always put him at
loggerheads with some of the leading
historians of those times. The public
spats between him and Professor
Bipan Chandra were memorable. On
more than one occasion, the heated
exchanges between them would end
in exasperation on the part of each.
In one of the last such exchanges, as
Professor Salil Misra recalls, each of
them accused the other: “25 saal se
kehta aa raha hun, par tum abhi bhi
nahin sudhare.” It is anyone’s guess
which of the two friends was sup-
posed to reform himself.
This was the time when the histori-
ans of India were getting bogged
down in filling up the micro-details of
a picture about India’s history that
they had put together in the troublous
years of Indira Gandhi’s first regime.
Datta insisted that this focus on
micro-history was detracting histori-
ans from understanding the broader
sweep of Indian history.
Datta was quite dismissive of his-
torians who took memoirs and auto-
biographies too seriously. These
were “third-grade evidence”, he
would say, “usually peppered with
tittle-tattle”, likely to mislead any
historian who took them too seri-
ously. When having recently
entered the profession, I told him
about my interest in Gandhi,
Maulana Mohamed Ali and pan-
Islamism, he warned: never use
autobiographies and memoirs as
key sources. Any historian who
wrote history on the basis of such
nonsense was likely to make serious
errors. It pleased me no end when,
many years later, he would tell me
that I had heeded his warning. That
was the sort of kindness that Pro-
fessor Datta reserved for those who
were young and inexperienced.
As a PhD examiner, he would rip
into any thesis that came up for his
scrutiny. Then just when the poor
PhD candidate thought that the the-
sis might have to be rewritten entire-
ly, he would turn kind and point out
why many parts of the thesis were
indeed quite unique and just for that
he would recommend the candidate
for the award of a PhD.
In the politics-riven world of aca-
demia, Datta had the unique dis-
tinction of not being partisan. In
fact, many professors of history to
whom I talked for putting together
this obituary remembered him for
having risen above petty depart-
mental intrigue and insisted that
the most deserving candidate be
selected, politics, friendships and
enmities be damned. Those he
selected, who shall remain
unnamed for the moment, went on
to make important contributions to
our understanding of India’s past,
away from the establishment ver-
sion of Indian history.

quick crossword su do ku calendar forecast

ACROSS DECEMBER 1, 2020, TUESDAY SUNSET: TUESDAY 17:24 HRS
1 A country’s money (8)
5 Beat with whip (4) 6 4 5 ■ Vikrami Samvat 2077 SUNRISE: WEDNESDAY 07:08 HRS
9 Acknowledge (5) ■ Shaka Samvat 1942
10 Humorous (7)
11 Live within one’s 9 2 ■ Marghshirsh Shaka

■ Marghshirsh Parvishte
10
17
Sunny Partly Cloudy Cloudy
CITY MAX
Rainy
MIN
Foggy
income (4,4,4)
13 Obtain by threats (6) ■ Hijari 1442 Chandigarh 25 09
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17 Deeply ingrained
8 2 3 1 ■ Krishna Paksha Tithi 1, up to 3.00 pm New Delhi 27 07
■ Siddha Yoga up to 11.08 am Amritsar 24 07
habit (6,6)
20 Brilliant display (7)
21 Habitual residence (5)
3 9 5 ■ Rohini Nakshatra up to 8:31 am

■ Moon enters Gemini sign 9:37 pm

Bathinda 25 07
Jalandhar 25 06
22 Advantage (4)
Ludhiana 25 08
23 Forming a whole (8)
6 3 4 2 YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION
Bhiwani 24 09
DOWN 2 4 5 7 9 8 3 1 6 Hisar 26 08
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2 Unchecked in growth (7)
3 Venture capitalist (12)
7 2 6 6 8 9 5 3 1 7 4 2 Sirsa 26 09
Dharamsala 19 08
4 Crevice (6) 3 1 7 2 6 4 9 8 5
Manali 14 02
6 Sotto voce comment (5)
7 Latest possible 2 8 6 9 1 2 6 4 7 9 8 5 3 Shimla 19 09
moment (4,4) 4 5 3 1 8 2 6 9 7 Srinagar 13 -02
8 Prove truth of (12)
12 Practicable (8) 7 8 9 7 8 6 5 3 4 2 1
Jammu 25 09
15 Place of shelter for Kargil 03 --06
YESTERDAY ’ S SOLUTION ships (7) 7 3 1 9 4 5 2 6 8
5 6 8
Leh 04 --05
Across: 1 Ostracism, 8 Avoid, 9 Booming, 10 Mussel, 11 Render, 12 Offshoot, 15 16 Fruitlessly (2,4)
Unsettle, 18 Deadly, 20 Sermon, 21 Masonry, 22 Value, 23 Look after. 18 Resonant metallic 5 6 4 8 2 7 1 3 9 Dehradun 25 10
Down: 2 Scope, 3 Remedy, 4 Confront, 5 Maquis, 6 Monsoon, 7 Adulatory, 11 Repulsive, sound (5) 1 Mussoorie 19 09
8 9 2 3 6 5 7 4
13 Feedback, 14 As a rule, 16 Trowel, 17 Far-off, 19 Large. 19 Cut down (4) V.HARD TEMPERATURE IN OC
 MUMBAI

4 THINK BusinessLine
TUESDAY • DECEMBER 1 • 2020

0
xyz

tuesday, december 1, 2020

The many elements of China challenge
India must look to countering China on many fronts especially if it wants to achieve self-reliance
Problem of plenty
phyu  port  in  Myanmar,  only  to  be
Recent macro data has brought in a gusher of kept at a distance on this project, by
the astuteness of Aung San Suu Kyi
foreign flows, but liquidity is also at play and  the  Myanmar  military.  Myan­
mar’s  leaders  have  further  hedged

F
oreign  investors  seem  to  be  taking  a their bets, by agreeing to India de­
veloping the nearby Port of Sittwe,
rather more sanguine view of India’s eco­
G PARTHASARATHY
as  a  maritime  link  to  the  Kolkata
nomic  prospects  than  domestic  institu­ port  for  India’s  landlocked  North­
tions  and  the  commentariat.  At  least East States.

that’s the inference one draws from unabated in­
flows from foreign portfolio investors and direct
investors  in  the  post­Covid  period.  Government
data show that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in
July­September  2020,  at  $28  billion,  was  double
the same period last year. If one considers the last
six months to smooth out flows and looks at only
incremental equity investments, FDI into India at
$30 billion has still seen a 15 per cent increase. Net
investments by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)
in Indian equities, after faltering a bit in Septem­
ber,  have  turned  into  a  gusher  with  inflows  of
₹1.56­lakh  crore  this  fiscal,  including  record  in
November  .  While  strong  in­
Scan & Share flows are definitely desirable at
a time when India’s capex cycle
needs  a  fresh  start,  their  sus­
tainability cannot be taken for
granted.  Ocean.  A  new  report  published  by takeover”  of  ports  and  mines  has
At a macro level, three factors
could  be  behind  the  optimism  despite  the  eco­
nomy  entering  a  technical  recession.  One,  after
the 23.9 per cent contraction in Q1, high­frequency
indicators have shown a faster­than­expected nor­
malisation  since  September,  prompting  GDP  up­
grades. Two, listed companies and late stage start­
ups  —  two  key  recipients  of  FPI  and  FDI  flows  —
have weathered Covid relatively well. Listed com­
panies managed a 31 per cent rebound in their net
profits in Q2 helped by cost savings, interest rate
cuts and a shift to the formal sector. Tech start­ups
have  been  key  beneficiaries  of  the  digitalisation
and consumer migration to online transactions.
Three,  recent  reforms  on  FDI,  production  linked
incentives and the steep corporate tax cuts have
also aided flows. These,  however, do not fully ex­
plain the story; there’s also the liquidity tailwinds
powering record flows. The resumption of money­
printing by central banks keen to shield their eco­
nomies from Covid has played no small role in the
gush of  global  liquidity  that  has  inflated  public
C
hina has emerged India’s The  same  strategy  has  been  fol­
largest  and  fastest  grow­ lowed  by  China  in  its  “aid”  to
ing  trading  partner  dur­ Pakistan,  for  developing  the  stra­
ing  the  past  decade.  In­ tegic Port of Gwadar, located to the
dia’s  exports  to  China  in  the  last east of Karachi. Gwadar is being de­
financial year, 2019­20, were barely veloped  as  a  huge  naval  base  that
$16.6 billion, while its imports were can  accommodate  Chinese  war­
$65.26  billion.  India,  thus,  faced  a ships and submarines. China’s stra­
300  per  cent  trade  deficit  with tegic aim is to increasingly control
China during the last financial year. the sealanes between the Straits of
Moreover, in strategic terms, the de­ Hormuz in the West, and the Straits
pendence  on  imports  from  China of Malacca, on India’s East Coast. 
has  been  rising  in  key  industries The Gwadar Port east of Karachi is being developed into a Naval base REUTERS
like  pharmaceuticals,  telecom  and The CPEC factor
power.  It  would  be  very  unwise  to The  entire  $60­billion  China­ electronic equipment, with an ever­ business  and  industrial  develop­ Moreover, given the close collab­
become excessively dependent on a Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), increasing dependence on imports ment.  oration  between  Pakistan  and
China,  which  is  becoming  increas­ is designed to provide China facilit­ from  China.  The  US  State  Depart­ China,  we  should  be  prepared  for
ingly  aggressive  on  its  territorial ies for access to the Arabian Sea, and ment notes that China and Taiwan The 5G threat closer  cooperation  between  them
claims.  across  the  shores  of  Persian  Gulf. control 70 per cent of global integ­ The  US  State  Department  report on  Jammu  and  Kashmir.  Given  its
China is, moreover, sparing no ef­ The CPEC also provides China access rated­circuit  fabrication,  which  is pointedly notes: “Since Huawei and own  experience  and  continuing
fort to undermine India’s relations to, and presence in, Gilgit­Baltistan. vital  to  the  digital  economy,  apart ZTE  are  subject  to  China’s  various Russian  distrust  of  China,  Putin’s
with neighbours across the Indian This  strategy  of  “build  and from  advanced  weapons  systems, national security laws that compel Russia is hardly going to place any
aerospace,  artificial  intelligence them to ‘support, assist and cooper­ trust in Xi Jinping’s China.
the US State Department, titled The been adopted by China also across and other essential industries.  ate  with  the  state  intelligence The  US  State  Department  report
Elements of the China Challenge, the East Coast of Africa. China’s stra­ India  has  an  official  presence  in work’,  countries  that  use  them  as clearly  spells  out  concerns  which
spells  out  the  road  ahead  that tegic aim is to invest in infrastruc­ Taiwan,  normally  headed  by  a 5G vendors face growing threats to the  US  and  many  of  its  partners
China has planned for extending its ture,  make  East  African  countries senior/retired  diplomat.  But  South their  network  integrity,  data  pri­ have  about  China’s  policies.  Given
dominance of the global order financially  dependent,  and  then Block  gets  shivers  when  deciding vacy,  economic  stability,  and  na­ the  statements  by  President­elect
China’s takeover of the Hamban­ utilise the East and Central African measures for promoting exchanges tional security. This is a fact that our Joe Biden himself and members of
tota  Port  was  swiftly  ex­ region’s  vast  mineral  re­ of  official,  industrial  and  business security agencies have been acutely his team like Anthony Blinken, who
ecuted  when  Sri  Lanka sources.  delegations with Taiwan. India has conscious of and must increasingly has  been  nominated  Secretary  of
Scan & Share
found  that  hardly  any The  same  US  State  De­ failed to take advantage of the eco­ become  an  important  element  in State,  the  new  US  administration
shipping vessels were call­ partment  report  men­ nomic  opportunities  Taiwan  can economic policies. will be hard­headed in dealing with
ing on the port. Unable to tioned  above  spells  out provide, primarily because of ill­ad­ These  are  factors  that  cannot  be China. 
repay  its  debts  to  China details  of  the  policy vised  policies  of  being  too  con­ ignored  any  longer  by  India.  We It  will,  however,  make  common
for  the  construction  of China  is  adopting  to cerned about implications of its ac­ have  only  ourselves  to  blame  if cause  with  China  on  climate
the port, Sri Lanka had to dominate  global  devel­ tions on the relations with China. China  believes  that  it  can  regard change.  There  will  be  significant
hand it over to China. The opments by using its sur­ Prime  Minister  Narendra  Modi and treat India as a “soft state”, in­ changes  from  the  Trump  adminis­
port was built as an integral part of plus  economic  capabilities  and has  expressed  his  commitment  to capable of challenging China’s ter­ tration policies on a series of issues,
China’s “economic aid” to Sri Lanka. technological  advances.  The building  a  “self­reliant”  India.  The ritorial  ambitions.  In  the  present ranging  from  dealing  with
China tried out the same strategy in primary focus of China has been in more realistic way to achieve self­re­ context  and  given  China’s  domin­ European allies, Russia, Iran and on
Maldives. It was foiled by economic communications  and  infrastruc­ liance  is  to  collaborate  with  com­ ant  say  in  Pakistani  policies,  we climate  change.  Relations  with  In­
and diplomatic efforts by India and ture,  where  it  does  not  use  local panies from with Taipei in Taiwan, should not be surprised if Pakistan dia  will  be  accorded  importance,
the  US,  after  the  preceding  China­ manpower available, but brings in and  not  just  Shanghai  in  China. stirs  up  tensions  along  the  Line  of because  of  the  Quad  partnership,
backed government, was voted out its own manpower to retain control Business  and  economic  decisions Control in Jammu and Kashmir and though  there  could  be  some  rum­
of power in Maldives.  of  economies  of  resource­rich should be based purely on objective even in locations along the interna­ blings on developments in Jammu
Beijing  has  been  trying  hard  to countries. considerations,  with  a  focus  on  at­ tional border, which are easy to in­ and  Kashmir  from  sections  of  the
take control of the strategic Kyauk­ India  assembles  virtually  all  its taining  increasing  self­reliance  in filtrate.  Democratic Party.

Capital reaping the whirlwind

and  private  market  valuations.  Should  central
banks stop or even pause in their efforts, the tide
could recede as quickly as it rushed in. The Indian
market  is  poised  at  a  historically  high  valuation
(the Nifty PE is at 31 times) and will be particularly
at  risk.  FDI  flows  into  India  remain  heavily  de­ If farmers are protesting so steadfastly against the new farm laws, perhaps the Centre must listen to them
pendent on individual deals sewn up by the lead­
RASHEEDA BHAGAT And, then, bang in the middle of Gandhi  is  a  core  committee port, empathy and access to know­
ing lights of India Inc and remain unpredictable.  the pandemic, when critical issues member  of  the  India  Against  Cor­ ledge  in  best  farming  practices,

The  liquidity  gusher  has  created  an  unusual
problem  of  plenty  for  the  Reserve  Bank  of  India
(RBI),  which  has  been  mopping  up  dollars  in  its
bid to prevent sharp Rupee appreciation. But with
the market interventions contributing to excess­
ive liquidity with banks, forcing down market in­
terest rates and fuelling inflation risks, RBI must
perhaps  consider  letting  the  Rupee  find  its  own
level. Plentiful flows also offer a rare opportunity
for  Indian  regulators  to  more  closely  scrutinise
the quality of money rushing in, by tightening the
screws on Participatory Notes and round­tripping
through brass­plate entities.  Shaheen  Bagh,  who  protested  for
OTHER VOICES
Cutting development spending
What’s another broken promise? Boris Johnson’s government
has doubtless lost count of all those left strewn in its wake. So
the news that Britain is abandoning its pledge to spend 0.7% of
GDP on aid, enshrined in law by David Cameron and
reaffirmed in the Conservative manifesto only a year ago, is
not as surprising as it should be. The dismantling of the
Department for International Development, now folded into
the Foreign Office, demonstrated where things were heading
despite denials that funding would suffer.  LONDON, NOVEMBER 29
Heal US divide with smooth transition
John Adams, the first American president to lose a re­election,
made a quiet departure in 1801. He got on an early morning
stagecoach to avoid having to attend the inauguration of his
successor Thomas Jefferson. Mr Donald Trump, the 10th United
States president to be denied a second term, could do likewise
and slip out of office without conceding his loss. No legal storm
will ensue. On Dec 14, the Electoral College will formally cast
votes affirming Democratic candidate Joe Biden's win and clear
the way for his inauguration on Jan 20.  SINGAPORE, NOVEMBER 30
Celebrations must be tempered with caution
The long weekend is upon us. From Tuesday, citizens and
residents of the UAE will enjoy a five­day break as the country
celebrates its 49th National Day. It provides an ideal opportunity
for family gatherings and get together of friends. A day out will
also figure prominently in the plans of many families. No doubt,
it’s a time to rejoice, but people should temper the celebrations
with caution. The coronavirus continues to rampage the world,
and that is reason enough to desist from lowering the guard
even during such days of gaiety.  DUBAI, NOVEMBER 30
I
f  marching  from  one  contro­
versy  to  another  is  the  recipe
to  win  elections  and  stay  in
power, then the BJP­led NDA is
doing a good job of it.
First  it  was  the  ruckus  over  the
Citizenship  Amendment  Act  and
threatening and taunting of Indian
Muslims,  not  only  illegal  immig­
rants,  with  “kagaz to dikhana
padenga” (you’ll have to show your
papers).  An  ill­thought­out  move
that put the entire country in tur­
moil with protests and communal
poisoning.  The  brave  women  of
long  nights  braving  Delhi’s  harsh
winter,  became  the  face  of  this
controversy.
Then,  we  had  the  sudden  lock­
down of March 24, leaving tens of
thousands  of  migrant  workers
stranded. Heartbreaking images of
thousands making the long and ar­
duous journey back home on foot,
without food and water, with many
States  closing  their  borders  and
denying  them  passage,  will  con­
tinue to haunt us.
LET TERS TO THE EDITOR
Farmers’ fury
The new farm laws are anti­farmer,
notwithstanding  Prime  Minister
Narendra  Modi’s  spirited  defence
of  them.  It  is  a  fallacy  to  say  that
these  laws  in  their  present  form
will  benefit  farmers.  The  benefits
listed by Modi in his speech don’t
really  stand  up  to  scrutiny.  Farm­
ers seem to be determined to pro­
tect their interests from being sub­
ordinated  to  those  of  big
commercial entities.
There  is  no  guarantee  that  cor­
porates  won’t  exploit  the  vulner­
able farmers. The government has
a social  responsibility  to  ensure
that the farmers get a fair price for
their produce.  now  firmly  on  the  path  to  sus­
The entry of big private players
into  the  agricultural  market  will
eventually  lead  to  the  closure  of
the  government­regulated
mandis. The government must see
reason and repeal the anti­farmer
laws. If need be, it can frame new
such  as  shoring  up  of  health­care
systems, unprecedented economic
distress  from  loss  of  jobs,  and  the
GDP registering a massive contrac­
tion,  came  the  controversial  farm
laws.
Just look at the result: a massive
farmers’ agitation that has reached
Delhi’s  borders.  This  despite  the
Haryana  government using  water
cannons on the men who put food
on the plates of over 1.3 billion Indi­
ans.  And  the  courageous  farmer
who  switched  off  the  water  is
charged with attempt to murder!  ing their crops, problems with the
Agricultural  experts  have  ana­
lysed these laws threadbare and are
concerned  that  allowing  big  com­
panies  unfettered  access  to  what
our farmers grow can be disastrous
for the future of a good section of
our  already  distressed  farming
community. The worst affected will
be the small and marginal farmers,
bound to be tempted by the money
offered  in  advance  by  corporates
and big agri players, for their pro­
duce. Those who support the three
farm  laws,  which  were  pushed
Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.
farmer­friendly  laws  in  consulta­
tion with the farmers to fulfil the
Prime Minister’s promise of doub­
ling farm incomes.
G David Milton
Maruthancode (TN)
loosened its purse strings and an­
Sustain this momentum
That  the  Indian  economy  had
fared better in the second quarter
of the current financial year with
the  pace  of  contraction  easing  to
7.5 percent compared to an unpre­
cedented decline of 23.9 percent in
the  first  quarter  is  heartening
news.  However,  one  should  not
rush  to  the  conclusion  that  the
worst  is  over  and  the  economy  is
tained  recovery.  Steady  improve­
ment  in  economic  activities  with
the easing of restrictions, ramping
up  of  production  to  satiate  the
pent­up and festival season­led de­
mand  and  good  performance  of
the agriculture sector are the ma­
Growing anger PTI
through  Parliament,  argue  that
this would protect the farmer from
potential  loss  if  the  crop  fails.  But
the  reality  on  the  ground  is
different.
Multiplying farm income
The  uncertainty,  trauma  and  pain
with which the Indian farmer lives
is  best  described  by  Mayank
Gandhi, a social activist, in a recent
webinar on community farming.  Farmers  need  this  kind  of  sup­
jor  factors  that  helped  the  eco­
nomy.  rise.
While private consumption has
improved,  the  spending  of  the
Union Government has fallen sig­
nificantly.  It  is  time  the  Centre
nounced  further  fiscal  stimulus
measures to revive demand.
M Jeyaram
Sholavandan (TN)
With  reference  to  the  news  re­
port  ‘MPC  likely  to  keep  rates
steady’ (November 30), the monet­
ary  policy  rates  and  the  stance  of
the committee matter a lot to pro­
pel  economic  activities.  With  the
rise  in  productive  activities  and
corrections in the supply chain of
goods  and  services,  inflation  will
decelerate.  VSK Pillai
Given the ample liquidity in the
banking system, a cut in the repo
rate followed by instant transmis­
sion  of  the  rates,  the  demand  for
ruption movement and a national
executive  member  of  the  Aam
Aadmi  Party,  which  he  quit  on
moral  grounds  after  it  came  to
power.  His  views  are:  “Any  Indian
village  is  like  a  multiple  organ
thing… if you work on the liver, the
heart fails, if you work on the heart,
the  lung  will  fail.  The  life  of  the
farmer in such villages is unpredict­
able.  Farmers  face  problems  and
challenges  we  town  people  can’t
even imagine… from the weather,
too much or no rain, insects attack­
soil, etc. If I was a farmer, I’d have
got 10 heart attacks till now.”
He went to the drought stricken
area  of  Parli  in  Marathwada,  fam­
ous for farmer suicides, and system­
atically  organised  group  farming
through  planting  of  robust,  high­
yielding fruit trees and other crops
in such a way that farmer’s incomes
have jumped from ₹10,000–15,000
from  1­3  acres  to  ₹2­4  lakh,  and
some  times  even  ₹6  lakh,  from  a
bumper crop.
capital  to  create  investment  will
The  growth  in  credit  disburse­
ments by the banking sector is vi­
tal to reduce the level of non­per­
forming  loans  and  to  drastically
improve the returns to sustain the
financial health of the banks. The
ease in the flow of cash through in­
creased consumption and produc­
tion needs to become robust to en­
able the consumers of bank credit
to  service  the  borrowing.  A  rate­
cut sans a cut in the deposit rates
even though makes a negative im­
pact  on  the  bank's  returns  in­
stantly,  yet  an  aggressive  reduc­
tion in non­performing loans and
a continuous rise in low­cost busi­
ness  will  strengthen  the  sound­
ness of the banks.  Auditors can lend a helping hand.
Changanacherry (Kerala)
GST leakages
With  reference  to  the  Editorial,
seeds and saplings, water conserva­
tion  and  augmentation,  all  of
which Gandhi and his NGO, Global­
Parli,  organised  for  the  distressed
farmers of that village. They can do
without the fear of big corporates
getting into farm produce, tramp­
ling all over the small farmers with
their  power  and  might,  and  argu­
ably  taking  over  or  controlling
their land and livelihood. 
The  ongoing  confrontation  of
the huge collective of farmers, who
have rejected Home Minister Amit
Shah’s conditional  offer  for  talks,
does  not  augur  well.  Not  only  the
government  and  the  laws  of  the
land,  but  the  entire  Indian  popu­
lace, owe it to our farmers to ensure
they don’t have to live with a sword
over their heads. The last thing dis­
tress­hit  farmers need  is  tricky  le­
gislation that promises them relief
and  prosperity,  but  could  be  a
masked recipe for disaster and ma­
nipulation. 
Indian  farmers  are  astute
enough to reject these laws and the
government must listen to them. 
‘Plugging GST leakages’, there are a
plethora  of  areas  where  leakages
and seepages exist which requires
a holistic approach with coordina­
tion  between  various  agencies.
There has to be a concerted effort
in  achieving  almost  zero­level  of
prevention  of  malpractices  that
flourish. 
Fake invoices to claim ITC input
credit  is  a  silent  mischief  maker.
Fake e­way bills is yet another area
of concern.
To redress the malady, the regis­
tration  process  must  be
strengthened  and  due  diligence
parameters spelt out which can go
a long way to arrest such malprac­
tices.  Even  personnel  engaged  in
registration work like CAs and Tax
The  GST  software  also  needs  to
play  a  pivotal  role  in  attacking
problems and in their prevention. 
Ashok Jayaram
Bengaluru

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BusinessLine
TUESDAY • DECEMBER 1 • 2020 THINK 5

The alarming rise in education costs in New India

An official survey shows that education spending has gone up sharply in India, forming a huge financial burden on households
legislation  clearly  required
that  the  costs  of  elementary
schooling would be borne by
the state. Yet, as Chart 1 indic­
ates,  only  a  minority  of  stu­
dents  receive  free  education,
and  less  than  a  quarter  in
CP CHANDRASEKHAR JAYATI GHOSH urban  areas.  And  there  are
also  other  costs  associated
MACROSCAN with schooling — such as text­
books,  uniforms,  transport  —

O
ne  of  the  few  as­
pects of the Indian
development  pro­
ject  that  is  sup­
posed  to  have  seen  some  re­
cent  success  is  education.
Enrolment  has  increased  sig­
nificantly  in  school  and
higher  education,  and  the
gender gap in enrolment has
reduced up to secondary edu­
cation  (after  which  it  still  re­
mains high).  ondary  level,  when  spending
However, the Report of the
NSSO’s  75th  Round  survey  of
“Household  Social  Consump­
tion  of  Education  in  India”
conducted  from  July  2017  to
June 2018 provides some very
disturbing results. Essentially,
this  expansion  in  education
has involved increasingly bur­
dening  households  for  the
payment, creating a situation
in  which  education  beyond
the  secondary  level  is  essen­
tially  unaffordable  for  most
working  people,  and  even
school  education  involves
costs  for  families  that  can  be
very high.
Table  1  provides  an  indica­
tion of just how much is actu­
ally  being  spent  by  house­
holds  on  education  at
different levels. Several points
of  interest  emerge  from  this.
First,  pre­primary  education
is  clearly  quite  expensive.
Thereafter, the sharp increase
in  costs  comes  up  at  the  sec­
nearly doubles in rural areas.
Tertiary  education  is  really
quite  expensive,  with  even
rural  areas  indicating  high
levels of spending on this.
Why are households having
to  shell  out  so  much  when  a
significant  amount  of  enrol­
ment is still in public institu­
tions  which  should  be  much
more accessible to all?  private government­aided in­
The Right to Education Act,
2009,  specified  that  school
education up to the age of 14
years would be free and com­
pulsory, and the spirit of that
which  also  add  to  the  finan­
cial  burden  on  households.
And  in  this  respect,  very  few
students  received  any
assistance.
Sharp rise
Further, it turns out that even
for  government  institutions,
costs  rise  sharply  with  the
level  of  education  on  offer.
The difference in spending on
government  institutions
compared  to  private  ones
(both  aided  and  unaided)  is
very  large  until  secondary
education as expenses are low
for government schools until
that point. But thereafter, the
gap  narrows,  and  by  the
graduate  and  post­graduate
levels there is not much differ­
ence  between  them  and
stitutions.  lation of the average monthly
It is striking that for private
unaided  institutions,  ex­
penses  are  very  high  for
higher  secondary  schooling,
The rising education expenses will have a telling impact on social development
almost as high as post­gradu­
ate.  Essentially  this  means
that  not  just  the  poor  but
even middle classes are effect­
ively  squeezed  out  of  educa­
tion  beyond  secondary
schooling.  And  of  course
gender  gaps  grow  after  this
points as well, as families are
more  reluctant  to  pay  so
much for educating girls.
To  gauge  just  how  much
these  expenses  amount  to,
Table 2 present a simple calcu­
spending  on  education  for
two  students,  relative  to  the
incomes  of  male  workers  re­
vealed by the Periodic Labour
Force  Survey  conducted  over
the same period 2017­18. (Bear
in mind that women workers’
incomes  are  considerably
lower.)  of one per cent of casual work­
Pinching the poor
The  numbers  are  stark.  In
urban  areas,  nearly  40  per
cent  of  a  casual  labourer’s
wage  (assuming  20  days  of
work per month, which could
be an overestimate) would be
required for the education of
two children. The proportions
are lower for rural wage work­
ers,  mainly  because  they  are
effectively  excluded  from
seeking  higher  education  for
their  children.  The  survey
shows  that  only  a  small  pro­
portion  of  households  at­
tempted it and less than half
ers rural households had any­
one  studying  for  a  graduate
degree.  For  rural  casual  la­
bour  households,  average  ex­
penses per student increased
from ₹335 per month per stu­
dent for secondary school, to
₹576 for higher secondary, to
more  than  ₹12,220  for  diplo­
mas, certificate and graduate
courses.
It  is  worth  noting  that  the education.  Figure  3  indicates needs of students, despite the
actual fees form only a part of that the fees charged by an in­ relatively high costs.
the total expenses involved in stitution  (including  not  just This  suggests  that  the  re­
the tuition fees, but the exam­ cent expansion in enrolment
ination  fees,  “development” has come at a substantial cost
fees and other charges levied to  families,  especially  among
by institutions) accounted for the  less  well­off,  who  may
only 43 per cent of total edu­ have  had  to  sell  their  few  as­
cation expenses in rural areas sets or take on debt simply to
and  57  per  cent  in  urban educate  their  children.  These
areas. Books and other mater­ aspirations  for  betterment
ial  account  for  a  substantial through  education  are  in­
chunk of the money spent, es­ creasingly risky given the ter­
pecially  in  rural  areas,  and rible state of the job market. 
transport costs are significant Unequal  access  and  high
everywhere.  Interestingly, personal  costs  involved  in
private  tuition  costs  remain educating more of the young
significant,  suggesting  that may well boomerang on soci­
the quality of the institution­ ety; both employment condi­
ally  provided  learning  is  not tions  and  educational  access
good enough to meet the felt need urgent policy action.

SHORT TAKE
BusinessLine
Can a minimum All you want to know about... TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY
corporate levy Current  account  convertibility
refers  to  the  freedom  to  convert
work by relaxing end­user restric­
tions.  Inward  FDI  is  allowed  in
the tide turns.
The  report  further  points  that
December 1, 2000

avoid tax fights? your  rupees  into  other  interna­

tionally  accepted  currencies  and
vice versa without any restrictions
most  sectors,  and  outbound  FDI
by Indian incorporated entities is
allowed as a multiple of their net
most  currency  crises  arise  out  of
prolonged  overvaluation  in  ex­
change rates leading to unsustain­
Philips IMV revises open offer to 49 pc
Royal Philips Electronics NV Netherlands today revised the
size of its open offer to the shareholders of Philips India

F rench  Finance  Minister

Bruno  Le  Maire  wants  US
President­elect Joe Biden’s help
whenever you make payments.
Similarly,  capital  account  con­
vertibility  means  the  freedom  to
worth

on corporate tax reform. Unfor­
tunately,  he  is  going  about  it
the wrong way.
Le Maire hopes Biden will un­
freeze global negotiations that
have been stalled since June.  The  RBI  Governor  recently  said
France,  Britain,  Spain  and
Italy  would  like  digital  giants
such  as  Amazon.com  and
Google’s  parent  Alphabet  to
pay  tax  partly  on  the  basis  of
where  sales  are  made,  rather
than where profit is declared.  to a great extent.
The  current  regime  allows
technology  companies  to  shift
profit generated in, say, France,
to  lower­tax  countries  like  Ire­
land and Luxembourg.
The new approach will be as
hard  for  Biden  to  accept  as  it
was  for  his  predecessors.
Barack  Obama’s  administra­
tion, for example, helped kill an
earlier effort to update corpor­
ate­tax rules for the digital age.  cross­border movement of capital
The  problem  is  that  France
and  others  are  reaching  for
money  that  could  ultimately
find  its  way  back  to  America’s
coffers, for example when tech
companies  move  cash  stashed
in Ireland to US shores.  easy
It won’t help that France and
Britain  introduced  emergency
digital  taxes,  mostly  hitting
American  companies,  in  case
the OECD­led talks fail.
There’s  a  simpler  option.
Rather than focussing on tech,
governments  could  introduce
a global  minimum  corporate
tax rate. 
This would suit everyone ex­
cept  tax  havens.  America
already  has  a  similar  measure
in the so­called GILTI provision
of its tax law.  another (7)  14. Refusal to participate (3­3)  without one (4)  ride out (9)
Le Maire, for example, could
then  take  the  difference
between  the  agreed  threshold
and what French companies ac­
tually pay on profit declared in
low­tax countries.  of dope, I can cycle about
It would end the incentive to
shift profit.
An  OECD  analysis  suggests
introducing  a  minimum  tax
rate  would  raise  up  to  $70  bil­
lion  outside  of  the  United
States,  with  high­income  na­
tions like France doing particu­
larly well.  REUTERS
Why is it important?
able  current  account  deficits.  An
excessive  appreciation  of  the  ex­
change  rate  causes  exporting  in­
Ltd. its 51 per cent subsidiary, announcing its desire to
acquire the remaining 49 per cent equity capital of the
company. On October 10, the company had made an open
SATYA SONTANAM conduct  investment  transactions Developing are usually cautious in dustries to become unviable, and offer to acquire 1,04,72,671 fully paid­up equity shares,
without any constraints. Typically, opening up their capital account. imports  to  become  much  more representing 23 percent of the total paid­up equity capital
SLATE it would mean no restrictions on This  is  because  inflows  and  out­ competitive,  causing  the  current of the company, at a price of Rs 105 per share. The last day
the amount of rupees you can con­ flows of the foreign and domestic account deficit to worsen. Thus, it for revising the offer is December 1.
vert  into  foreign  currency  to  en­ capital, which are prone to volatil­ suggests transparent fiscal consol­ East is where the sun sets
able you, an Indian resident, to ac­ ity,  can  lead  to  excessive  appreci­ idation is necessary to reduce the Which is India's fiscally roost mismanaged State? Ten out of
that  India  will  continue  to  ap­ quire any foreign asset. Similarly, ation/depreciation  of  their  cur­ chances of a currency crisis.  10 people would say Bihar'. Wrong! Uttar Pradesh, then? Or
proach capital account convertib­ there  should  be  no  restraints  on rency  and  impact  the  monetary Orissa? The right answer, which would surprise even those
ility  as  a  process  rather  than  an your  NRI  cousin  bringing  in  any and financial stability. Why should I care? reasonably well­acquainted with the intricacies of the
event.  He  also  pointed  out  that amount  of  dollars  or  dirhams  to India’s prudence in opening up If  you  are  an  investor  looking  to Indian economy, is West Bengal. A State that since the '80s
capital  account  transactions  in acquire an asset in India.  its  capital  account  was  lauded park  money  overseas  or  an  NRI has emerged as an agricultural powerhouse of sorts, being
the rupee are already convertible India has come a long way in lib­ after  the  currency  crisis  in  East wanting to invest in Indian assets, the country's largest producer of rice, vegetables and, of
erating the capital account trans­ Asian  countries  in  1997  exposed full  convertibility  on  capital  ac­ course, good old jute.
actions  in  the  last  three  decades the problems arising from the po­ count may give you a greater op­ I-T waiver on amounts up to Rs 5 lakh under VSS
What is it? and  currently  has  partial  capital tent combination of high current portunity to diversify investments The carrot of income­tax exemption is now being offered
The balance of payments account, account convertibility. account  imbalances,  dependence and  reduce  geographical  risk. by the Government to attract employees in sick and
which  a  statement  of  all  transac­ Some  of  the  recent  moves  in­ on  short­term  capital  flows  and Note  that  cross­border  invest­ unviable public sector undertakings (PSU) to accept
tions  made  between  a  country clude increasing the foreign port­ the  whimsical  nature  of  these ments  are  allowed  even  now  un­ Voluntary Separation Schemes (VSS). The Finance Ministry
and the outside world, consists of folio  investment  limits  in  the  In­ flows.  The  SS  Tarapore  commit­ der  RBI’s  Liberalised  Remittance has now decided to provide income tax exemption on
two  accounts  —  current  and  cap­ dian  debt  markets,  introducing tee’s  report  on  fuller  capital  ac­ Scheme  but  within  the  overall compensations up to Rs 5 lakh received under the VSS to
ital account. While the current ac­ the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) — count  convertibility  released  in limit of $250000.  make the exit path smoother for thousands of employees
count  deals  mainly  with  import through which non­residents can 2006  argued  that  even  countries in sick PSUs. The exemption would place them at par with
and export of goods and services, invest in specified government se­ that  had  apparently  comfortable The bottomline employees who opt for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme
the capital account is made up of curities  without  any  restrictions fiscal  positions  have  experienced It’s an alluring idea in theory but (VRS). The Government had also received similar requests
and  the  easing  of  the  external currency crises and rapid deterior­ we’re not ready to put it into prac­ from banks for tax breaks where VRS schemes have been
by way of investments and loans.  commercial  borrowing  frame­ ation of the exchange rate, when tise yet. successful.
bl two-way crossword 1755 not so easy
ACROSS DOWN ACROSS DOWN
01. Track prepared for skiing (5)  01. They accept money of those 01. One could step out and go 01. Mr Peter asking for them to
04. Greek district of pastoral leaving cars (7,6)  down it on skis (5)  take the motorists' money
pleasure (7)  02. Kind of whale, rorqual (3)  04. Where the simple rural (7,6) 
08. Additional assistance of 03. Putting forth of strength (6)  life made a cad air his 02. A whale is to turn up around
troops (13)  04. Sudden and unexpected (6)  differences (7)  end of June (3) 
10. Lassos (5)  05. Dairy product (6)  08. Strengthening may 03. Work put in to the attempt (6) 
11. Percussion instrument (4)  06. As though a vision (9)  compel people to enter 04. Sudden burp can be disguised
12. Have a desire (4)  07. Of the science of the inert form (13)  at getting around it (6) 
16. Apart, with detachment (5)  heavenly bodies (13)  10. Lines known by such as are 05. One may be skittled by
17. Full of information (13)  09. Regular, ecclesiastical (9)  experienced (5)  Roquefort (6) 
19. Substance that dissolves 13. Clumsy, tactless (6)  11. A medal for leaving 06. As if a vision could make fifty
 
20. One resisting authority (5)  15. A romantic intrigue (6)  12. This bone father to the 07. About the science of the stars
18. Confer knighthood on (3) thought, if merry! (4)  pastor has his clay to form
16. Stand­offish way a fruit (13) 
pudding is sent back (5)  09. It's the orthodox way to flip
17. With all­round knowledge coin in Panama (9) 
13. To be so tactless is left to the
SOLUTION: BL Two-way Crossword 1754
(13)  French (6) 
ACROSS 1. Morse 4. Grommet 8. Dissemble 9. Dot 10. Legatee 12. Plea 19. Can pay all one owes for 14. Refusal to participate with
14. Monitor 17. Styx 18. Eternal 20. End 21. Light bulb 23. Neglect 24. glue, say (7)  policeman on strike (3­3) 
Rathe CLUES DOWN 1. Middle­Eastern 2. Resign 3. Election 4. Gab 5. 20. Be up in arms or be in a bit 15. The business of an illicit love
Open 6. Muddle 7. Tetrasyllable 11. Exile 13. Forester 15. Pye­dog 16. of a relapse (5)  entanglement (6) 
Insult 19. Blue 22. Gut 18. Make a knight add the
soundtrack (3)

CM .. ....... .....BM-BME
YK
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6 EDITORIAL DELHI

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020

THE HINDU
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The perils of deregulated imperfect agrimarkets

The Farm Acts were legislative misadventures, while much more is needed to address the genuine fears of farmers
with the average area served at 775 development  fee.  The  Punjab dia’s agricultural markets once ob­
km2. The National Commission on Mandi Board uses these revenues served,  “deregulated  imperfect

Closer to punishment Agriculture  (NCA)  had  recom­

mended that every Indian farmer
to construct rural roads, run med­
ical  and  veterinary  dispensaries,
markets  may  become  more,  not
less, imperfect than regulated im­
should be able to reach a mandi in supply  drinking  water,  improve perfect markets”.
More details emerge about Tahawwur one hour by a cart. . Thus, the av­ sanitation, expand rural electrifi­
Rana’s role in the 26/11 attacks R. Ramakumar erage area served by a mandi was cation and provide relief to farm­ Steps to be taken
to be reduced to 80 km2. For this, ers  during  calamities.  Such  rural Discussions  between  the  govern­

M
ore than 12 years since the dastardly attacks
the  number  of  mandis was  to  in­ investments will also be adversely ment  and  the  farmers  can  be
across prominent locations in Mumbai, its key

T
he eruption of massive farm­ crease to at least 41,000. But there affected if mandis are weakened.  structured  using  a  broad  frame­
conspirators have continued to evade justice ers’  protests  across  India were  only  6,630  mandis  in  2019 work based on two focus points. 

AP
in India. While nine of the attackers were shot dead by against  the  Farm  Acts  has with an average area served of 463 The fate of MSPs First, India needs an increase in
the  police  between  November  26­29,  2008,  one  of shocked those in the seat of power km2. Using another set of criteria, take  over  the  role  of  mandis and Without doubt, MSPs would conti­ the density of mandis, expansion
them, Ajmal Kasab, was apprehended and sentenced to in Delhi. According to the govern­ a government  committee  in  2017 the village trader, they incur con­ nue to survive on paper as the go­ of investment in mandi infrastruc­
death  after  a  trial  that  revealed  the  conspiracy  and ment,  many  private  markets  will had  recommended  that  India siderable costs in opening collec­ vernment will have to procure to ture and a spread of the MSP sys­
planning by LeT operatives among others responsible be established, middlemen would should have at least 10,130 mandis. tion centres and for salaries, grad­ maintain a minimum buffer stock. tem  to  more  regions  and  crops.
disappear, farmers would be free So, by all counts, India needs not ing,  storage  and  transport.  The However,  many  policy  signals This should happen hand­in­hand
for the attacks. One among the foreign collaborators is
to sell to any buyer and farmgate less but more mandis. more  the  number  of  small  and point to a strategic design to wea­ with a universalisation of the Pu­
Tahawwur Rana, who conspired with former FBI agent prices would rise. But the protest­ The second reason is that most marginal  farmers  are,  the  higher ken the MSPs.  blic Distribution System as an af­
David Headley to assist the LeT in the planning and exe­ ing  farmers  do  not  accept  these small and marginal farmers, given will these costs be. Corporate re­ First, input and labour costs are fordable  source  of  food  for  the
cution. Rana, a Pakistani­Canadian citizen, was found claims. They believe that farmgate their small marketable surplus, do tail chains face additional costs in rising sharply in agriculture. This poor.
guilty by a U.S. court in 2011 of providing material sup­ prices would fall with the intensifi­ not find it economical to bear the urban sales and storage, as well as necessitates a regular upward revi­ Second, we need not just more
port to the LeT and planning an attack on the offices of cation of a corporate presence in transport  costs  to  take  their  har­ the  risk  of  perishability.  This  is sion  of  MSPs  to  keep  pace  with mandis,  but  also  better  mandis.
the Danish newspaper,  Jyllands-Posten, and was later agricultural markets. They also be­ vests to mandis. Thus, they end up why many retail chains prefer pur­ costs of living. However, MSPs are APMCs  need  internal  reform  to
lieve  that  the  government,  ulti­ selling  their  harvest  to  a  village chasing  bulk  quantities  of  fruits rising at a far slower rate over the ease the entry of new players, re­
sentenced to 14 years in prison. Unlike Headley, who es­
mately, wants to phase out the Mi­ trader  even  if  at  a  lower  price. and vegetables from mandis rather past  five  to  six years  than  in  the duce  trader  collusion  and  link
caped  extradition  after  entering  into  a  plea  bargain nimum  Support  Price  (MSP) Even  if  private  markets  replace than directly from farmers. past. Second, the government has them  up  with  national  e­trading
with the U.S. prosecutors and was sentenced to 35 years system.  mandis, small and marginal farm­ not yet agreed to fix MSPs at 50% platforms. The introduction of un­
in prison, Rana was acquitted in the U.S. of charges of Let us look at the major claims ers will continue to sell to traders Transaction costs above  the  C2  cost  of  production. ified national licences for traders
involvement in the 2008 terror attacks. An Illinois court and their merits. Due to space con­ in  the  village  itself.  The  situation Even  if  private  markets  emerge, As  a  result,  farmers  continue  to and a single point levy of market
commuted his jail sentence that was scheduled to end straints, the focus here will only be will  change  only  if  economies  of the  size  of  transaction  costs  are suffer a price loss of ₹200 to ₹500 fees  are  also  steps  in  the  right
in  September  2021,  after  he  tested  positive  for  CO­ on  the  Farmers’  Produce  Trade scale  rise  substantially  at  the likely to offset any decline in man- per quintal in many crops. Third, direction.
VID­19; this has opened the window for his extradition and  Commerce  (Promotion  and farm­level. di taxes. As a result, there is no as­ the  Commission  for  Agricultural However, if we go by the Union
Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC Act). Second,  de jure too,  the  free­ surance  that  farmers  would  re­ Costs and Prices (CACP) has been Finance  Minister’s  statement  in
to India. Rana, according to Headley, had helped him to
dom to sell outside mandis already ceive  a  higher  price  in  private recommending to the government November  2019,  the  government
open an immigration firm in Mumbai, which was used More mandis needed exists in many States. Already, 18 markets.  In  the  existing  private that  open­ended  procurement  of thinks that the APMC system has
by Headley to survey targets chosen by the LeT. An ex­ An important assumption behind States have allowed the establish­ markets too, there is no evidence food grains should end. These pol­ “served  its  purpose”  and  the
tradition memorandum filed by U.S. prosecutors in a the FPTC Act is that  mandis con­ ment  of  private  markets  outside of farmers receiving higher prices icy  stances  have  set  alarm  bells States  should  “reject”  and  “dis­
California district court has reaffirmed Rana’s role and trolled  by  Agricultural  Produce the APMC; 19 States have allowed than in the mandis. In fact, if tran­ ringing among farmers. mantle” mandis. Such statements
provides more detail into the conspiracy and the know­ Marketing Committees (APMC) are the direct purchase of agricultural saction costs exceed mandi taxes, In Punjab, Haryana and western betray  the  real  intent  of  the  go­
ledge shared with him by Headley about the attacks. monopsonies in rural areas. This produce  from  farmers;  and  13 the costs would be transferred to Uttar Pradesh, most crop sales are vernment,  which  has  not  missed
assumption itself is specious. First, States have allowed the establish­ the farmers as a lower price. This, at the MSP through procurement the  attention  of  the  protesting
This should provide the U.S. court enough reason for
official  data  show  that  even  for ment of farmer’s markets outside then,  would  imply  a  stronger centres including the mandis. The farmers. Further, the branding of
Rana’s extradition to India to face punishment. paddy  and  wheat,  respectively, the APMC. Despite such legislative squeeze  on  the  farmer  than  at farmers  in  these  regions  legiti­ protesters  as  “anti­national”  and
The trial of Ajmal Kasab exposed the collusion of the only 29% and 44% of the harvest is changes, no significant private in­ present mately  feel  that  they  have  been “Khalistanis”  has  only  helped  to
Pakistan deep state with terrorist organisations. Argua­ sold  in  a  mandi,  while  49%  and vestment has flowed in to establish Many commentaries treat taxes dealt a double whammy. If mandis further alienate the farmers from
bly, this has helped in a dramatic reduction in  terror 36% is sold to either a local private private  markets  in  these  States. in mandis as wasteful. This asser­ weaken and private markets with the  government.  The  govern­
targeting civilians in India. Groups such as the LeT and trader or an input dealer. In other Private  markets  have  emerged  in tion is not fully true. First, much of no commitment to MSPs expand, ment’s  legislative  adventurism
JeM have changed their modus operandi to target secur­ words, de facto, a large proportion some pockets for some crops, but the mandi taxes are reinvested by they fear a gradual erosion of their with the Farm Bills was misplaced
of  Indian  harvest  is  not  directly these  are  by  no  means APMCs to improve market infras­ entitlement  to  a  remunerative to begin with. . But it is never too
ity  forces  since  then.  The  scrutiny  over  Pakistan  has
sold in a mandi.  widespread. tructure.  A  fall  in  mandi taxes price. If mandis weaken and priv­ late to rethink. Unconditional talks
been accentuated by the FATF’s decision to retain Pa­ Farmers  are  forced  to  sell  out­ The reason for poor private in­ would reduce the surplus available ate markets do not sufficiently re­ with farmers would be an appro­
kistan  on  its  greylist.  Yet,  Pakistan  has  done  little  to side  the  mandis for  two  reasons. vestment  in  markets  is  the  pre­ with APMCs for such investment.  place them, they fear that the void priate starting point.
bring the culprits of the 26/11 attacks to book — a case in The  first  is  that  there  are  not sence of high transaction costs in Second, in States such as  Pun­ would  be  filled  by  unscrupulous
point being LeT chief Hafiz Saeed who has been sen­ enough  mandis.  In  1976,  there produce  collection  and  aggrega­ jab,  the  government  charges  a and  unregulated  traders.  As  Bar­ R. Ramakumar is a Professor at the Tata
tenced to prison for terror financing but has eluded jus­ were 4,145 large markets in India, tion.  When  private  players  try  to market committee fee and a rural bara Harriss­White, a scholar of In­ Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
tice  for  his  role  in  the  2008  attacks  by  never  being
charged  despite  being  identified  by  Ajmal  Kasab  and
Headley as a mentor with knowledge of the attacks. Ra­
na’s extradition would go a long way in bringing justice
A misguided policy that cuts deep into patient safety
to  the  nearly  160  victims  of  the  Mumbai  attacks  and
shed further light on cross­border terror.
It is impossible for Ayurveda to incorporate surgical techniques while ignoring the other domains of modern medicine
in  medicine  can  safely  perform consists  of  a  basic  degree  during man knowledge is a universal re­
surgery. It is an aphorism in mod­ which  the  fundamentals  of  the source, ever growing. The way for­

Winter worries ern medicine that a surgeon needs

to know not only how to perform
functioning  of  humans  in  health
and  disease,  and  techniques  to
ward is to incorporate traditional
medical  systems  into  modern
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Targeted containment of COVID-19 can work, surgery,  but  when.  Importantly, diagnose  illnesses  are taught.  In­ medicine. 
the surgeon needs to know when creased knowledge in various do­
but there is no room for complacency George Thomas not  to  perform  surgery,  a  skill mains  is  obtained  through  post­ Could deepen inequity
commonly  called  clinical  judge­ graduate  training.  All  these  do­ The  quality  of  medical  care  re­

N
ew Home Ministry guidelines to check further
ment.  These  skills  are  difficult  to mains  work  together  in  order  to ceived  in  India  is  highly  depen­
spread of COVID­19 during the winter months

T
he  basic  requirement  of
starting  with  December  reflect  the  govern­ medical practice is the safety
ment’s concern that the gradually reviving economic of  the  patient.  Surgery  is  a
activity should remain unaffected by ongoing contain­ branch of medicine in which poor
ment measures. The Centre has mandated that States training  can  have  dramatic  and
declare  containment  zones  online,  identifying  them disastrous  results.  This  is  the
with micro targeting to minimise the impact. It has also strongest argument against the ill­
advised  move  of  the  government
prohibited any lockdowns at State and city levels with­
of India to allow graduates in Ayur­
out prior consultation with the Ministry. Such advice veda to practise surgery.
might appear redundant, coming as it does after a long
unlock phase that permitted the relaxation of restric­ Apprenticeship is key
tions  on  almost  all  public  activities,  barring  regular Surgery in the present era is an in­
flights and trains, and the onus having shifted to the citi­ terdisciplinary endeavour. A well­
zen to avoid getting infected. Several States with a per­ trained  anaesthesiologist  keeps
the patient free of pain. Other spe­
ceived decline in new infections have opened up even
cialist  doctors  address  any  other
more; in Tamil Nadu, for instance, final year in­person illnesses  that  the  patient  has  be­
college classes and medical courses except for fresh en­ fore  surgery  can  be  safely  per­
trants are set to reopen on December 7. This is a time to formed. The well­trained surgeon
reiterate proven safety norms, considering that India must  have  a  good  knowledge  of
has about 4.48 lakh active cases out of a total of 94.31 the structure of the human body
lakh cases recorded thus far, and where almost three­ in health and disease. This is one
fourths  of  new  infections  are  concentrated  in  eight branch of medicine where know­
ledge  can  only  be  acquired
States and Union Territories including Delhi. Encourag­
through apprenticeship — that is,
ing results from vaccine trials and the likelihood of ear­ the learner needs to be guided by
ly emergency use authorisation have weakened volun­ an expert. It takes many years and
tary  caution,  and  citizens  are  yielding  to  pandemic much exposure before a graduate
fatigue. Health authorities must reinforce the message
that low­cost interventions such as masks, good ventila­ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
tion and distancing norms cannot be abandoned. 
Evidence from the lockdown in India shows that the Protesting farmers
reproductive  number  for  COVID­19,  representing  the The farmers’ protests
number of fresh infections caused by an individual, was against the Farm Acts
indeed reduced by the severe curbs, although the out­ continue to simmer yet the
come varied by location. At the end of April, as the lock­ government seems to be
down rigour eased, India had over 30,000 cases and nonchalant to their
teach and difficult to master.  ensure safe surgery. It is impossi­ dent on personal resources. Surgi­
Errors in surgery can be devas­ ble  for  Ayurveda  to  incorporate cal facilities manned by graduates
tating. Data from the United States surgical techniques while ignoring of Ayurveda will be patronised on­
suggests that up to 4,000 surgical the framework of the psychologist all  the  other  domains  of  modern ly  by  the  very  poor  who  do  not
errors  occur  each  year  despite Rasmussen’s Skill, Rule and Know­ medicine and still perform surgery have the resources to access mod­
well­considered  controls  on  who ledge­based  Error  model.  Some safely and effectively.  ern medical care. This will further
can perform surgery. Efforts to re­ complex tasks are a set of repeti­ What  is  scientific  knowledge? entrench  the  existing  grossly  un­
duce  this  rate  focus  on  better tive  steps  where  the  person  ac­ How  is  it  to  be  transmitted?  Is equal  access  to  health  care.  An
training.  Besides  professional quires proficiency merely by prac­ there any sound basis for different epidemic  of  catastrophic  compli­
codes,  legal  mechanisms  have tice, for example, using a complex scientific  systems  in  the  modern cations, disproportionately affect­
been  developed  to  ensure  safe machine without knowing how it world? More specifically, can there ing  the  poor  can  be  expected  if
medical practice.  works.  This  is  not  applicable  in be fundamentally different expla­ surgical  procedures  are  per­
In India, the Consumer Protec­ surgery where novel situations are nations of how the human body is formed by the poorly trained.
tion Act serves as an incentive to often  encountered and  a  good structured  and  functions?  These There  is  a  shortage  of  trained
modern  medical  practitioners  to knowledge  base  is  essential  to are  all  important  questions  and medical personnel in rural areas.
provide  high  quality  health  care. solve  problems  which  may  not have  implications  for  policy  in The only way to address this is to
Even this legal mechanism is not have  been  previously health  care.  Important  decisions greatly increase the number of go­
accessible  to  the  poor.  It  is  quite encountered. with  potential  to  seriously  harm vernment  medical  colleges.  This
clear  that  there  is  no  shortcut  to thousands of people should not be will take a few years, but it is a safe
safe surgical outcomes. One simp­ What constitutes safe surgery casually  made  without  clear and effective policy. Safety of pa­
ly cannot get away from it — safe Modern medicine is an integrated answers. tients should not become a victim
surgery requires years of training. whole  in  which  specialties  have Safe  and  effective  health  care of  misguided  policies  based  on
The  idea  of  competence  with­ developed  from  the  understand­ should not become a casualty of a poor  understanding  of  what  safe
out comprehension should not be­ ing that the knowledge base is so misguided  desire  to  protect  indi­ surgery requires.
guile us into believing that surgery vast that a single human can only genous systems. Traditional know­
is a suitable subject for its applica­ ever hope to master a few of the ledge in India has become the vic­ Dr. George Thomas, an orthopaedic
tion. Anecdotes of people not edu­ domains required in order to pro­ tim  of  self­serving  apparatchiks surgeon practising in Chennai, is the
cated,  but  able  to  perform  com­ vide the best possible outcomes to who have fossilised it, preventing former editor of the ‘Indian Journal of
plex tasks should be understood in patients. Modern medical training its development and growth. Hu­ Medical Ethics’
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
■ The hallmark of the traps of the corporate of farmers. Structural resonance in the mainstream
To read more letters
online, scan the QR code
present regime at the Centre economy. It is better the bottlenecks such as media. Second, when
is the arbitrary way of taking rulers learn, as Jawaharlal removing the hurdles in reforms are not undertaken on the side of caution and get
decisions and formulating Nehru says in his Glimpses of institutional credit system frequently, people get used things right. Human safety
laws, whether it is concerned World History, that “there is and enhancing infrastructure to the old ways. Poverty of comes first.
with the economy a limit to human and logistical support in reform in agriculture could Sudharsan Rajagopalan,

1,153 deaths in all. But seven months later, there were demands. The high­ (demonetisation), the endurance”. rural areas are essential for be the reason for the Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

handedness in dealing with environment (the EIA draft Sukumaran C.V., the effective implementation relevance and longevity of

39,806 infections and 433 deaths in a single day, No­
their protests speaks
vember 29, underscoring the continuing challenge. The volumes of the
prime task before health administrators is to convince government’s response and
the  average  citizen  that  there  is  much  to  be  gained follows a familiar thread as
through inexpensive lifestyle modification. A study of seen during
131 countries published in The Lancet estimated the be­ demonetisation,
nefits of restricting group gatherings to 10 people, and introduction of the GST
regime, inept handling of
how reducing physical attendance at workplaces could
the health pandemic, the
bring  down the  reproductive  number  by  38%  in  one poor handling of the
month.  Universal  masking,  with  95%  compliance,  is migrant labour crisis or the
projected to reduce deaths dramatically, in another Un­ rushing through of
iversity of Washington study. Evidently, the entire eco­ important pieces of
nomy  stands  to  benefit  from  such  painless  interven­ legislation such as the
tions,  while  sparing  doctors  and  frontline  health labour Bills. It appears that
the country is being led to a
workers  of  deadly  risk.  The  Central  government  has
future where
rightly prioritised targeted containment, but it should authoritarianism only
standardise testing protocols across States, and not di­ would prevail and citizens
lute the message of safe behaviour by labouring over will have no voice.
the point of recoveries and low per­million fatalities. V. Padmanabhan,
Bengaluru
notification) or farmers (the
ordinances that have been
made into law). The ruling
dispensation does not feel it
necessary to discuss such
vital matters with the people
whom these decisions affect.
We are the largest
democracy in the world, but
the rulers who are
democratically elected have
created the perception of
behaving autocratically.
Instead of saving farmers, on
whose toil the nation runs,
from the usurping hands of
the free market which is
controlled by the corporate
giants, every ruling
dispensation seems to be
wanting to push them
further and further into the
Palakkad, Kerala
of the agrarian reform laws.  the MSP regime. The India tour
Nayakara Veeresha, Lalit Kumar Bhardwaj, It has been miserable to
■ It is not just the guaranteed Bengaluru Vadodara, Gujarat watch our experienced
MSP but the weak regulation Indian cricketers biting the
of alternative market ■ The agitation has Vaccine trials dust in Australia. India has
mechanisms created by the highlighted two issues: the A report on the allegation by displayed one of its worst
newly enacted agrarian laws protest seems to be centred a ‘Covishield’ vaccine performances ever in one­
that is the serious cause of around farmers of certain volunteer, of serious side­ dayers against Australia; it
concern. Placing farmers in a States, reflecting the uneven effects, needs scientific seems as if the team lacked
complex web of bureaucratic lines in the farming rebuttal with data rather grit, determination and
and legal mechanisms to community. The reticence of than a dismissal and threat of confidence. Our batsmen,
settle disputes is going to farmers from the rest of counter­suing. The side­ many of whom dazzled
enhance farmer distress India could be due to their effects have not been studied during the IPL, fizzled out
especially for the marginal, tacit acquiescence of the new completely yet, partially due Down Under before the
small and medium farmers. Acts or that they are too to the breakneck speed at Australian avalanche. Our
The intentions behind the inequipped to devote time which the vaccine is being cricketers should note that
Acts seem to be good; and the resources in such brought to the market. The there are scores of
however a robust demonstrations. Even after development has brought youngsters in India A and B
implementation mechanism decades following into focus the volunteer teams, just waiting for a
with the necessary checks Independence, it is recruitment strategy and chance to show their mettle.
and balances will go a long unfortunate that the voice of screening procedures. I M. Pradyu,
way in addressing the issues a tribal farmer does not find strongly feel, it is wise to err Thalikavu, Kannur, Kerala

CM A ND-NDE
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THE HINDU
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
DELHI
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Is a person’s address public information? Recalibrating India-Nepal ties
Only information bearing a nexus to public activity should be available to the public
Shailesh Gandhi
& Prashant Reddy T.
Recently, in a case involving activist
Saket  Gokhale,  the  Bombay  High
Court ordered the Ministry of Infor­
mation and Broadcasting to remove
Mr. Gokhale’s contact details from its
website. His address was revealed to
the general public when the Right to
Information application filed by him
was displayed on the Ministry’s web­
site. According to Mr. Gokhale, once
his phone number and address were
displayed, he began receiving threats
on the phone. A mob gathered out­
side  his  house  chanting  slogans
against him because of his  activism
against  the  ruling  party.  What  hap­
pened to Mr. Gokhale is unaccepta­
ble and the state must take all possi­
ble  steps  to  prosecute  those  who
threatened him and his family.
The larger question here is wheth­
er  a  person’s  address  is  public  or
private  information.  The  answer  to
this will have significant implications
for transparency in governance and
the fight against corruption in India.
Addresses in public records
The instinctive reaction of most peo­
ple is to consider their address priv­
ate  information  and  this  is  entirely
understandable.  However,  it  is  also
important to note that the address of
people’s residence or office has nev­
er been considered private under In­
dian  law.  Back  in  the  day,  govern­
ment telecom service providers used
to  supply  telephone  directories  to
everyone containing the names, tele­
phone numbers and addresses of ev­
ery subscriber in the city. Similarly,
electoral  voter  lists  include  the  ad­
dresses of all voters in each and ev­
ery ward. These lists are now availa­
ble online in a digital format on the
website of the Election Commission.
Land  records,  containing  details  of
ownership,  are  open  for  public  in­
spection across the country and play
a crucial part in ensuring confidence
in the volatile land markets in India.
Similarly, all FIRs in cognisable cases
must be displayed on the website, ac­
cording  to  a  Supreme  Court  judg­
Moving forward in base areas
There are many advantages in deploying additional
security forces in Chhattisgarh to tackle the Maoists
R.K. Vij
The Union government is in the pro­
cess of deploying five more battalions
of  the  Central  Reserve  Police  Force
(CRPF)  to  Chhattisgarh to  scale  up
anti­Maoist  operations,  particularly
in the south Bastar region.  medical staff of security camps. Once
More than 45 Central Armed Pol­
ice  Force  battalions  are  already  de­
ployed in Chhattisgarh, where 14 dis­
tricts  are  Maoist  affected.  Of  them,
eight  are  severely  affected.  Most  of
the 22 State armed battalions are also
deployed in these districts. In addi­
tion, the CRPF’s specially trained ‘Co­
bra’ units and the State’s Special Task
Force  and  District  Reserve  Guards
are also engaged in operations in the
forward areas. Though the proposed
deployment  is  in  line  with  the  ‘Na­
tional Policy and Action Plan’ of the
Central government on Left Wing Ex­
tremism, its impact may have wider
implications on the ground.
Despite  the  present  deployment,
Bastar still has a security vacuum in
many  pockets,  particularly  in  the
south  Bastar  and  Abujhmad  areas.
These pockets, called base areas by
the  Maoists,  not  only  provide  them
occasion  to  wage  ‘mobile  war’
against the security forces, but also
enable their military formations, in­
cluding the People’s Liberation Guer­
rilla  Army  battalion,  to  move  about
freely. Though their movement is reg­
ularly checked by the security forces,
the Maoists still enjoy sufficient con­
trol over the tribal populace.  began the Professor, the aristocratic and the
Benefits of more forces  However, the security forces need to
The newly inducted battalions could
have  multiple  advantages  for  the
State. First, as more area will now be
dominated by the security forces, the
Maoists’ movement will be restricted
to  a  comparatively  smaller  area.  In
case  of  any  attack  on  the  security
forces, the Maoists will not be able to
retreat unchallenged. Consequently,
the intensity of war will be reduced
and the ‘mobile war’ will come down
to its basics, i.e., the ‘guerrilla war’.
Similarly, the Maoists’ battalion, be­
ing  large  in  size,  will  become  more
vulnerable  and  in  all  likelihood,
would be cut back over time due to
continuous pressure from the securi­
ty  forces.  Also,  additional  deploy­
ment and frequent movement of the
CM
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BIJOY GHOSH
ment.  These  would  display  the
names and addresses of the complai­
nants  and  the  accused.  Ironically,
even  the  courts,  including  in  Mr.
Gokhale’s case, disclose the address­
es of litigants in their judgments as a
regular  practice.  Many  of  the  new
transparency  initiatives  such  as  the
Jan  Soochna  Portal  in  Rajasthan
make available the details of all be­
neficiaries of all welfare schemes ad­
ministered by the State government.
The rationale for such disclosures
is quite simple. As has been demon­
strated repeatedly by grassroots acti­
vists working on the Mahatma Gand­
hi  National  Rural  Employment
Guarantee  Scheme  and  the  Public
Distribution Scheme, access to infor­
mation  about  beneficiaries,  includ­
ing addresses, is critical to weeding
out  ‘ghost  beneficiaries’  created  by
officials looking to pilfer funds or ra­
tions. In all of these cases, the disclo­
sure  of  addresses  of  citizens  in  the
public domain plays a crucial role in
boosting public confidence in gover­
nance systems and ensuring efficien­
cy while also combating corruption
in its various forms.
Privacy and information
Questions such as privacy, which in­
volve  fundamental  rights,  must  be
dealt with not just on the basis of the
consequences that may follow from
the disclosure of their addresses but
also  first  principles  of  the  law  and
this  is  where  the  judgment  of  the
Bombay High Court is on thin ice.
In its order in Mr. Gokhale’s case,
the Bombay High Court relies heavily
on a brief order of the Calcutta High
security forces would improve the in­
telligence network.
Second, establishment of new se­
curity  camps  always  brings  imme­
diate benefits for the nearby villages.
New  borewells  are  dug  and  health
services  are  also  extended  by  the
these  services  are  initiated  by  the
forces,  the  district  administration
scales them up by providing the re­
quired  funds.  The  dislocated  fair
price  shops  (PDS)  are  restored  to
their original locations and villagers
are not required to walk long distanc­
es  to  fetch  their  rations.  All  other
schemes of the governments are also
implemented  better  through  these
newly  established  security  camps­
cum­development centres.
Third, once the security environ­
ment  improves,  more  roads  can  be
laid and mobile towers and electrici­
ty poles installed for better transpor­
tation, communication and electrici­
ty supply. Financial inclusion can be
improved  and  the  MNREGA  works
started to give impetus to economic
activities.  More  schools,  primary
health  centres  and  anganwadis  can
be opened up to provide basic amen­
ities to the villagers.  A HUNDRED YEARS AGO DECEMBER 1, 1920
Fourth,  democratic  institutions
like panchayats may get revived and
political  activities  could  increase
with the improved security scenario.
This may further lead to better grie­
vance redressal in the existing inac­
cessible areas.
Being alert on tactics
be more alert to thwart any untoward
incident while moving in base areas.
They  need  to  be  more  watchful  of
their tactics knowing well that IEDs
and iron spikes have been laid all ov­
er by the Maoists. The collateral dam­
age must be reduced to its minimal.
The  Maoists  usually  oppose  esta­
blishment of new security camps and
use  villagers  as  their  cover.  A  lot  of
violence  has  been  witnessed  in  the
past at the behest of the Maoists. The­
refore, the villagers must to be taken
into confidence and told that the new
security camps will act for their wel­
fare as centres of development.
R.K. Vij is a senior IPS officer in Chhattisgarh.
Views are personal
OPED 7
The relationship has never been free of controversy as both
countries have not changed their perspectives of each other
Court did not think twice about dis­
closing  his  address  in  its  own  judg­ lopment projects, it can win Nepali hearts.
ment that is published on the Inter­ But despite  pouring billions of rupees into
net for all to access. Nepal over decades, it has still not been able
to  do  so.  Therefore,  it  needs  to  reflect  on
RTI v. Privacy what it is not doing right. Two issues are im­
Thus, the correct question to ask in portant to understand here. First, all aid to
such cases is, which law or principle Sujeev Shakya Nepal from countries other than India and
of  law  prevents  the  state  from  dis­ China  go  through  the  Plans  of  the  Govern­
closing  such  information  about  the ment of Nepal. Indian aid is seen in Nepal as
addresses of citizens? When  Foreign  Secretary  Harsh  Vardhan a favour bestowed on a constituency it wants
The RTI Act clearly lays down that Shringla  arrived  in  Kathmandu  on  Novem­ to garner support from rather than a contri­
all  information  held  by  the  govern­ ber 26 and spoke in fluent Nepali to the me­ bution to Nepal’s planned development. Se­
ment  must  be  shared  with  citizens dia, there was some hope that the visit would cond, India competes with China in provid­
unless it is exempted under Section 8 go beyond the traditional exchange of plea­ ing  aid  outside  government  budgets.  And
or 9 of the Act. The exemption relat­ santries. When he departed, the hope was China picks up projects of visibility and stra­
ing to privacy is given under Section that his visit would be the beginning of a con­ tegic location. Chinese involvement in Nepal
8 (1)( j) which exempts “information tinued dialogue between the two countries has  increased  since  the  April  2015  earth­
which  relates  to  personal  informa­ that have had a  strained relationship since quake and Nepal is surely an area of strategic
tion the disclosure of which has no the imposition of a five­month­long blockade influence in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. 
relationship to any public activity or in 2015 in Nepal just as the country was reco­
Court in the case of Avishek Goenka interest,  or  which  would  cause  un­ vering from a devastating earthquake.  People­to­people ties
v.  Asish  Kumar  Roy (2013).  In  the warranted invasion of the privacy of In the past five years, the only glimmer of The Foreign Secretary raised the issue of pe­
Goenka case, an RTI activist wanted the individual unless the Central Pu­ hope  to  work  on  the  relationship  was  the ople­to­people exchanges between the coun­
to provide a P.O. Box number as his blic Information Officer or the State constitution of an Eminent Persons Group. tries,  a  welcome  development.  In  the  past
address while filing a RTI application Public Information Officer or the ap­ The Group was disbanded after submitting two  decades,  two  significant  changes  have
in order to not disclose his residen­ pellate authority, as the case may be, its report, the outcome of which is still not happened in this area. First, Indian workers
tial address and thereby protect him­ is satisfied that the larger public in­ known. Nepal thought that the Eminent Per­ in  Nepal  constitute  a  big  part  of  the  work­
self from possible reprisals. Howev­ terest justifies the disclosure of such sons Group would be the foundation for re­ force and send about $3 billion to India every
er, the public authority insisted that information: Provided that the infor­ working  the  relationship  between  the  two year. In terms of remittances to India, Nepal
he  disclose  his  residential  address. mation, which cannot be denied to countries, but for India, as a former diplo­ ranks  eighth.  So,  the  Government  of  India
The Calcutta High Court ruled in fa­ the Parliament or a State Legislature mat put it, it was just one of the hundreds of needs to keep in mind that many households
vour of the RTI applicant because the shall not be denied to any person.” initiatives  or  administrative  mechanisms. in India are being run with remittances from
RTI Act does not require information While this provision protects the The  Foreign  Secretary  did  not  touch  upon Nepal. Second, Nepalis have migrated in the
seekers  to  disclose  personal  details privacy of citizens, it requires disclo­ the issue of the Eminent Persons Group in past 20 years to more than a hundred coun­
except those which may be required sure of information bearing a nexus his latest address. His speech was not diffe­ tries; India is not the only country that Nepa­
for contacting him. At the same time, to public activity. Generally, most of rent from speeches made in the past, and the lis rely on for jobs or education. This is a new
the  Calcutta  High  Court,  confound­ the information in public records ar­ joint statement from both the governments Nepal comprising young people with global
ingly,  also  permitted  authorities  to ises  from  a  public  activity.  Applica­ was a usual nicety.  aspirations. Nearly three­fourths of the pop­
disallow P.O. boxes and insist on per­ tions  for  a  government  job,  ration ulation of Nepal is under 35 years of age. In­
sonal details in cases where the Pu­ card, caste certificates are some ex­ Unchanging perspectives dia needs to engage beyond its current con­
blic Information Officers faced “diffi­ amples  of  public  activity.  However, The Nepal­India relationship has never been stituency, the minuscule proportion of the
culty”.  This  was  followed  with  the there  may  be  some  personal  infor­ free  of  controversy  as  the  perspectives  of population  who  are  above  65.  Meanwhile,
caveat that in all such cases, personal mation  which  may  be  with  public both sides are yet to change. Many in Nepal Nepal needs to plan how it engages with the
details should be hidden by the go­ authorities  which  is  not  a  conse­ continue to equate being anti­India with be­ youth in mainland India for whom Nepal is
vernment from public disclosure in quence of a public activity, e.g. med­ ing nationalistic. Politicians and political par­ just like Bangladesh or Myanmar, areas they
order  to  prevent  harassment  of  the ical  records,  or  transactions  with  a ties  whip  up  such  sentiment  and  compete study about in geography in school but know
RTI activist. This part of the Calcutta public  sector  bank.  Similarly,  a  pu­ with  each  other  on  who  can  be  more  ex­ little about.
High Court’s order formed the basis blic authority may come into posses­ treme, especially before an election. Prime There  are  some  fundamentals  that  we
of the Bombay High Court’s order in sion  of  some  information  during  a Minister K.P. Oli won the 2017 election partly simply  cannot  forget:  geography  will  not
Mr. Gokhale’s case. raid or seizure which may have no re­ because  he  projected  himself  as  someone change, the border will remain open as mil­
Both the Calcutta High Court and lationship  to  any  public  activity. who stood up to India during the blockade. lions of livelihoods on both sides depend on
the  Bombay  High  Court  followed  a These would be exempt. Everything He  again  whipped  up  nationalistic  senti­ it, and China is going to be a big global player
consequential line of reasoning i.e., else should be published in the pu­ ments when he got the Nepal map amended with varied interests in the neighbourhood.
the  information  in  question  should blic domain. to add new territory. This was a good way to Therefore, the India­Nepal relationship has
be treated as private because its dis­ In  the  meanwhile,  RTI  activists deflect attention from the poor management to be recalibrated. The hope is that the Nepa­
closure  may  lead  to  threats  against looking to protect themselves should of  the  COVID­19  pandemic  by  his  govern­ li­speaking Foreign Secretary who has Sikki­
the RTI applicant. With all due res­ be urged to use P.O. boxes as a means ment. His government’s excuse was that af­ mese ancestry will be able to rethink the dy­
pect to the honourable High Courts, to  preserve  the  anonymity  of  their ter India released its new map in November namics of the relationship as he reflects on
this is the wrong approach and will addresses. 2019, Nepal wanted to discuss the map with his visit to Nepal. 
lead to inconsistent outcomes as vis­ India but the latter did not provide any time
ible in Mr. Gokhale’s case, where the Shailesh Gandhi was a former Central for a discussion.  Sujeev Shakya is the author of ‘Unleashing the Vajra:
government  was  upbraided  for  dis­ Information Commissioner and Prashant India continues to think that by providing Nepal’s Journey Between India and China’ and
closing  his  address  while  the  High Reddy T. is a lawyer largesse to Nepal in the form of aid and deve­ ‘Unleashing Nepal’
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
FIFTY YEARS AGO DECEMBER 1, 1970
Fire in Guruvayur temple
A disastrous fire broke out in the famous Sri
Krishna temple here [Guruvayur] in the ear­
ly hours of this morning [November 30] re­
ducing three sides of the Chitrambalam sur­
rounding  the  sanctum  sanctorum  to
cinders.  The  sanctum  sanctorum  and  the
presiding deity were not affected by the fire
which was stated to have started at about 1­
20  a.m.  The  fire,  it  was  stated,  originated
near  the  Vinayaka  shrine  on  the  western
side of the Chitrambalam and soon spread to
the  “mystery  room”.  (This  room  is  never
opened). It engulfed the whole of the west­
ern  Chitrambalam  and  destroyed  it  com­
pletely. The fire spread to the southern and
northern enclosures and destroyed most of
them. The copper plate roofing of the Chi­
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC trambalam melted and what little remained
on the roofing was all twisted out of shape.
DATA POINT Three­fourths of the Chitrambalam were re­
duced to a shambles. The Chief Priest of the
temple removed the idol of Sri Krishna from
the sanctum sanctorum fearing that the fire
might also engulf it. He kept the idol under
safe custody in his residence adjoining the
temple until the fire was brought under con­
trol. 
University lectures
Professor Mackenale concluded his series of
lectures on “Social Philosophy” on Monday
evening. The subject of the evening was “so­
cial ideals.” There were three sets of ideals,
democratic,  the  socialistic  and  the  indivi­
dualistic, the national and the international.
The items of each of these sets were com­
monly supposed to be antagonistic. The fact
was not so. A harmony underlay the seem­
ingly  opposites.  In  aristocracy,  the  rulers
had need to be statesmen with practical wis­
dom, knowledge of men, men who had the
confidence of the people. That meant some
sort of selection by people. The democratic
‘fraternity’ was the basis of citizenship and
equality and liberty had ultimately to be in­
terpreted in terms of fitness and opportuni­
ty which subserved the aristocratic ideal. He
had already dealt with the socialistic and in­
dividualistic  ideal  in  his  previous  lectures;
and as regards the national and internation­
al ideals, the trend was towards the interna­
tional. But the international ideal itself con­
tained an element of nationalism in that it
allowed local self­government and so forth. 
A ND-NDE