Open Forum

New Delhi, 3 July 2009

Maoists Problem

DON’T STIFLE BASIC RIGHTS

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

The Centre’s recent ban on the Maoists has raised a moot question: will it solve the deeper issues behind their confrontation with the State? Undeniably, there is need for a political and administrative solution. Improving the ground situation may go a long way in getting them to give up the path of violence. Let the State not take an easy way out and go deeper into the problem.

The political and economic rights of the people, specially of the poorer section, are being curtailed. Anyone who dares to speak against the policies of the State in regions such as Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal or Andhra Pradesh are termed Maoists or Naxalites and arrested and tortured. People fighting against displacement or for their livelihood are branded as ultra left or anti-socials and arrested and these include adivasis and tribals. Not only Naxalites and Maoists but Muslims, dalits and tribals and those fighting for the right to self-determination like Kashmiris, Nagas, Assamese, the Bodos and the Kamtapuris have become particular targets by the respective State governments. Are we heading in the right direction?

This year has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Human Rights “to broaden and deepen human rights learning on the basis of the principles of universality, individuality, interdependence, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, constructive dialogue and cooperation, with a view to enhancing the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms”. The Centre has all along been clamouring for human rights in official meetings and conferences. But does it show sincerity? It is necessary to critically examine the record of the country in the sphere of socio-economic and political rights that our citizens enjoy.

As is well known, the policies of globalization and liberalization pursued for the last few years have boosted the GDP growth and raised the average incomes of the rich and the upper middle income sections of society, who contribute merely 15 to 18 per cent of the population. But around 70 per cent of the population, which constitutes the economically weaker sections and below the poverty line groups has been suffering from hunger, malnutrition, displacement and various other problems.

As Jeremy Seabrook, renowned journalist and author, in a recent article pointed out: “it (globalization) turns sacred forests and groves, rivers and springs into timber and water resources. It evicts people from subsistence for the sake of cash crops, introduces a global market in places where people had survived immemorially within the limits of the local resource base”. On the one side, we have increasing leisure and amusement while, on the other, the survival of the poor is at stake. Thus there have been no perceptible development in their standards of living and they continue to languish in poverty and squalor.    

It is thus argued by a section of economists and development experts that wealth is being concentrated in a few hands and the vast section of the masses have been left impoverished, deprived and discriminated. People have been fighting for their land, for the rights of self-determination for the empowerment of women against social injustice and displacement. In the face of people’s resistance, which are quite natural and just, the State acts as an oppressor in a violent manner by curbing mass movements, conducted in a democratic manner.

In different regions of the country’s jails, political prisoners, who are at the forefront of highlighting political demands, have been languishing in pitiable conditions. Most of these prisoners are considered a “threat to security”. In spite of tall talks of human rights, the prisons where these prisoners are kept cannot be considered a place worthy of living of human beings. Moreover, there are many cases where prisoners have been languishing without trial, thereby affecting human mind and body.  

The inhuman torture, specially of Maoists and Muslims, in the name of security has raised a demand for proper treatment of political prisoners and release of those against whom there are no specific charges. In fact, a Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) was formed, last year to coordinate the work at the all-India level, involving activists from all parts of the country including Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, the North East (including Assam and Nagaland) and West Bengal.

Following brainstorming sessions, the Committee put forth a list of demands which need to be considered. These include: doing away with illegal detention of political prisoners and giving them special status and rights of political prisoners; as more than 230 countries of the world have put an end to capital punishment, this barbaric punitive instrument should be repealed as it does not address any social or political malady; putting an end to the worst form of atrocities ( as is the case with gangs like the Salwa Judum in Chattisgarh, the Sulpha in Assam, the death squads of Punjab, the Ipwan-ul-Muslim in Jammu & Kashmir, the Green Tigers and Narsa Cobras in A.P., the Nagarik Suraksha Dal in Jharkhand and Harmad in West Bengal) in the name of national security and scrapping all anti-people laws that have given blanket power to the State.

In addition, the Committee made a note that as prisoners from the Muslim community, the Kamtapuris, the people of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, the Maoists have been facing the worst form of humiliation and torture in the prisons. Thus, there is a need to improve conditions in these places and judiciously follow the jail manual. It even sought the lifting of the ban on SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) and the seven mass organizations including Damana Pratirodh Manch of Orissa and stopping of torture through unscientific tests like Narco analysis, polygraph and similar third degree methods; treating prisoners of war as human beings and in accordance with Geneva Convention to which India is a signatory; and lifting the ban on all parties, organizations in the schedule of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Many activists are of the opinion that whether it is the tribals, women, minority communities, the displaced or the Maoists, the State has let loose a reign of terror. It has been trying to project the Maoists and the Muslims as demons or witches who could be hunted and killed in cold blood, which reminds us of the days of witch hunting in medieval Europe.        

Clearly, the protests time and again for political and economic rights of the poor and downtrodden people has become manifest in the country and people from all sections of society, which include intellectuals, advocates and students are coming forward to raise the banner of revolt. This has become even more pronounced since the report of Debabrata Bandyopadhyay, Retd. IAS, submitted to the Planning Commission on increase in the popularity of the Naxalites. The report sadly points out that there has been wrong treatment of the Maoist problem. This is not at all a law and order problem but basically a socio-economic problem. Indeed, isn’t it time that the powers-that-be give a serious thought to what ails the society and consider providing the underprivileged the basic necessities of life? --INFA

 
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Events & Issues

New Delhi, 8 July 2009

Hillary Visit 

INDIA SHOULD BE FIRM

By PK Nigam

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other U.S. officials are soon going to descend on New Delhi. A big number of US and UK leaders such as Condoleza Rice and the British Foreign Secretary, David Milibrand visited Delhi shortly after the Mumbai blasts. Their sole aim was to prevent any strong action against Pakistan in view of the anger in India and the public condemnation worldwide. Clearly, the intention of both the Americans and the British was to use India and Pakistan to fight the Taliban, which is fighting against the US and the NATO. 

The two did succeed in pacifying the UPA Government. Young ‘Milibrain’ (which describes Milibrand better) posing as a great champion of truth claimed: “I have no evidence of Pakistan state directing terrorist activities against India. I would never make that claim without that evidence.” Either Milibrain’s claim was due to ignorance (which shows British Intelligence in a very poor light) or for ulterior motives. The latter is more likely. Europeans think that the Albino is a big intriguer and a liar. The real reason is “tilt” towards Pakistan, which was England’s creation. The truth is conclusively proved in following paragraph:

Ahmad Rashid, the famous Pakistani journalist and an authority on Taliban has written in his widely-acclaimed book, “Descent into Chaos/ The U.S. and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia”:  “The ISI (and Pakistan army) has for more than 20 years, for its own purposes, deliberately and consistently funded and incubated a variety of Islamist groups, including in particular Jaish-e-Mohammad and Laskhar-e-Taiba. Since the days of the anti-Soviet Mujaheddin, the Pakistan army saw the Jihadis as an ingenious and cost-effective means of both dominating Afghanistan – something they finally achieved with the retreat of Soviets in 1987 – and bogging down the Indian army in Kashmir – something they succeeded in achieving from 1990 onwards.” ... “Hamid Gul, (the then director of ISI), who was largely responsible for developing this strategy, once explained to me, “if the ISI ‘encourages the Kashmiris, it is understandable”

It is more than seven months since the Pakistani terrorists, trained and armed by the ISI and its government, struck in Mumbai. Though the US and the UK preached New Delhi to fight terror in cooperation with Islamabad, as both were fighting a common enemy, Pakistan has done nothing concrete to punish the terrorists involved in Mumbai or in closing down the numerous terrorist training camps and hate-preaching Madarasas even now. According to some estimates, there are 20,000 Madarasas in Pakistan. Saed, who founded the Laskhar-e-Taiba and master-minded the Mumbai attack, was let off by the court in Pakistan. 

Importantly, the US could have put effective pressure on Islamabad to close the terrorist training camps and Madarasas, as it keeps a bankrupt Pakistan afloat. On the other hand, the US is flooding Pakistan with money in the name of fighting terror. This only emboldens Islamabad to attack India. Despite our protests, since the birth of Pakistan, the US has been giving arms and economic aid to Islamabad under various pretexts such as fighting communism and now terror.  However, all this is being used against India.

In the past, Pakistan loudly said and is saying even today that its main enemy is India. We are now being told by the US that we have nothing to worry about other than liberal economic aid to Pakistan (when the US, itself is bankrupt today). Sadly, this is a repeat of the old song. Moreover, Pakistan army is putting up a show of fighting the Taliban and making false claims of victory. Hence, we should not expect any help from the US, our so-called partner in the fight against terror. Both Pakistan and the US are playing a double game. The main question for us today is: what do we do to protect our national interest and our people?

We should not take a defensive posture in our incoming talks with Hillary Clinton and other US officials and tell them firmly our policy. We will neither reduce any troops from our western border nor will we give up our nuclear arsenal. The two are absolutely necessary for our national defense, in view of Pakistan’s hostile and offensive posture. Sending terrorists to India is an offensive posture. Islamabad has very clearly said that India is its main enemy and its nuclear arsenal is against it only. The US was saying so also. Thus, our nuclear arsenal ensures that Pakistan can never use any nuclear bombs against us.

As far as Kashmir is concerned, it is a bilateral matter, between India and Pakistan, to be resolved peacefully and bilaterally according to the Simla agreement.  We do not want the U.S. as a mediator, facilitator or under any other fancy name. Nehru had correctly said that Kashmir is not the cause but a symptom of Pakistan’s hostile attitude. More than the US or any other country, we want to live in peace with Pakistan for the benefit of both of us.

Gandhiji had agreed to the partition of India in 1947 on the condition that it will be between two brothers. Any pretension of the Pakistan government, that it is the protector of Muslims interests is hollow and devoid of truth. An objective study of conditions of Muslims in pre-partition India shows that they are much better off in Indian than Muslims in Pakistan with its murderous military dictators. This goes to prove that the claim of Pakistan and its former president Parvez Musharraf that it has a natural interest in Kashmir is a fabricated excuse for creating trouble in the Valley.

Hence, we have to protect our national interest and our people on our strength, based on our own judgment. The only concession we can give to the US is that we will take a defensive posture and not attack Pakistan, unless attacked overtly or covertly. This should enable Pakistan to fight the Taliban without any danger from us. ---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 9 July 2009

Mamata’s Rail Budget

DERAILED BY INTER-STATE DIVIDE

By Insaf

The much-hyped pro-janata Union Railway budget appears to have got caught in the vortex of inter-State warfare. Specially, those States due to hold Assembly elections in a few months. Accusing the Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee of rolling out her ‘‘goods train” for West Bengal, MPs cutting across States and Party lines said, “Sab kuch Bangal, baaki sab kangal.” Reminding her that the Railway Ministry did not “belong to West Bengal but to the entire country,” they insisted that the “States’ demands be incorporated.” Specially against the backdrop that of the 309 model stations proposed, 40 are from Kolkata and 97 from Bengal, with Bangalore being “off the radar.” Playing States’-pooper, Maharashtra however, which too is going to the polls this winter took a contrary view: there was no budget-election co-relation. Given that few new trains had been sanctioned for the State.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, described by some as the “nation’s dil (heart)” too echoed  similar grievances, notwithstanding the retinue of Prime Ministers (Nehru, Shastri, Indira, Rajiv, Vajpayee et al) from the State. Demands for a number of new trains/connections from Lucknow have been hanging fire for the past five years. Acknowledging that the Railways was the “lifeline” of the nation and promotes “national integration”, the Railway Minister disputed the complaints made by the States. Said she, “UP has been given 21 new trains, Maharashtra 19 and Orissa seven. What more do you want”, she told the States’ representatives. Adding, “I am not a magician but am willing to consider requests.” It remains to be seen if Mamata will show some mamata and redress the States’ grievances or let the regional drift widen?

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States On Mat For NREGS Non-implementation

All States have been put on notice by the Centre vis-à-vis the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). Given the States abject apathy towards meeting the 100 days of employment target. In a chat with Insaf, the Union Rural Development Minister C P Joshi asserted that the “programme was not working properly. There was no monitoring of works in the pipeline and those concluded resulting in corruption, malpractices and various acts of omission and commission.” Pointing out the anomalies in the NREGA Act, Joshi added, “the Centre provides three-fourth of funds and the balance is put up by the respective States but the onus for implementing the scheme is with the States, which have failed to perform.” Specially, in the implementation of roadworks. What is more the ‘rogue’ States are those boasting of a large poor population. Shockingly, instead of 100 days of guaranteed employment the national average has been between 42 and 48 days. It remains to be seen if Joshi’s whip-cracking will get the States to get their NREGS act together!

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Drought Woes In Northern States 

With the monsoon playing truant in the northern States, ‘drought’ clouds are hovering over the UPA Government. The nation’s granary—Western UP, Punjab and Haryana, have had almost nil monsoon showers, as against a spurt in the monsoon in east and central India. The sowing of paddy crop is not only far behind last year’s levels, which had seen early monsoon, but also behind the sowing pattern in 2007-08. The maize crop is affected in Himachal Pradesh as there has been 59 per cent shortfall in pre-monsoon rains. The Met office has already rung the alarm bells by saying that the monsoon was deficient by 44 per cent and worse, that the next 10 days will only have scanty rain. A worried Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar held a meeting with top officials of his ministry, Meteorological and Water Resources Department on Wednesday last to review the kharif season, which is in danger. To top it all, the poor power situation in north India is adding to the government’s woes. All eyes are on the sky.   

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Punjab & Haryana Show The Way

However, with monsoon blues staring them in the face, both Punjab and Haryana, are trying to overcome their power shortage woes with stern orders. Last week, the Haryana Government banned air conditioners in all its offices. An official communication sent to various departments, said the ban would be implemented “in both letter and spirit”. Except for hospitals, ACs are not to be used in government offices, corporations, universities, boards, local bodies et al, within and outside the State. Neighbouring Punjab, however, has done one better. It has not only banned ACs in Government offices, but asked the public servants to report to work at 7.30 a.m. and shut office at 1.30 p.m. Other than saving electricity, the Government can also hope of getting a more efficient staff. Will others follow? 

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Andhra Hub of Counterfeit Currency

Andhra Pradesh is acquiring a notorious reputation with capital Hyderabad becoming a hub of counterfeit currency. According to reports, the Task Force of the State police has recovered a whopping amount of Rs 2.80 crores in counterfeit notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations. An analysis has revealed that notes were printed in sophisticated mints in Pakistan and were routed to Hyderabad and various other places through the UAE. Till end-June, the police have unearthed five major rackets, but fear that this is only the tip of the iceberg.  

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Bihar & Orissa Working In Tandem

Bihar and Orissa have bandied together in accusing the Centre of adopting “double standards” on calamity relief funds. Adding insult to injury asking the respective State Governments to return money provided to them under that head. Working in tandem, both parties stalled proceeding in the Lok Sabha earlier this week when the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram denied the charge of seeking return of relief money from the States. Later talking to Insaf, the JD(U) President Sharad Yadav reiterated his charge. “The Centre gave Rs 1000 crore to West Bengal for Cyclone Alia but wants Bihar to return the monies given as relief for Cyclone Kosi.” Added a BJD MP, “Ditto the case with Orissa.”  It is another matter that till yesterday, the two satraps of Bihar and Orissa, JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar and BJD’s Naveen Patnaik respectively were being ardently wooed by the Congress prior to the General elections. 

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Assam’s ‘New Born’ Scheme

Grandmother skills are much in demand in Assam, what with infant mortality figures giving the State health department sleepless nights. The latter has embarked upon a one-year project entitled Sakhi, (friend), wherein grandmothers or the elderly village women, well-versed with traditional methods for care of both the newborns and their mothers, will be hired by hospitals. They are expected to give tips to the mothers-to-be and help the department bring down the mortality figures, which in 2007 were 66 infant deaths per million births as against the national figure of 55. This apart, another scheme, Mamata has been designed for rural areas to ensure that the newborn stays in hospital care for at least 48 hours after birth. Gifts such as baby blanket, towel and other childcare items to be handed to the mothers for the hospital stay are expected to do the trick. --INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Economic Highlights

New Delhi, 4 July 2009

Mamata’s Kolkata Budget

MIX OF SPARK & BUREAUCRATIC TRAP

By Shivaji Sarkar

The earthly Maa, Maati, Manush, Mamata Banerjee was expected to bring in the people’s vision into her budget. Unfortunately, she has got caught in the bureaucratic trap. The innovation she may have had in her mind appears to have got lost. She got enamoured by the high-speed but low-achievement syndrome – bureaucratic malaise afflicting the Indian Railways for decades.

Mamata made a candid admission: there was nothing hunky dory during the last five years and promised to come out with a White Paper on it. She also called her predecessor Lalu Yadav’s projection as unrealistically high and as the new Railway Minister pointed out that at least one Rs 3400 crore public-private partnership (PPP) was mere publicity, so she had to give it up.

This apart, the revenue projections too have been reduced from the interim budget projections, which under pressure from Lalu did not take into account the slowdown in loading of goods to two per cent of the target last fiscal. Consequently, gross revenue projections have been reduced to Rs 88,419 crore from Rs 93,159 crore of the interim budget. Overall surplus has too been brought down to Rs 2,642 crore from 5,572 crore of the budget. However, the Railways borrowings and central budgetary support have increased to Rs 15,800 crore, a raise of Rs 5,000 crore thanks to the Finance Minister.

In such a situation, instead of announcing new trains, many of which are often not introduced, she could have taken a pique at trains like the pride of the 50s –the Janata Express. It was a new classless fast train with the latest cabin type coaches, a first those days. The train still runs, a favourite of the poor, but is in ramshackle condition. No railway minister has ever taken an interest in it. Even earthly Mamata missed the opportunity to revive the Janata and similar other trains. Sadly, the Railways do not need gimmickry by reintroducing all that is there but strengthen what it has with it.

Though the Tatkal scheme has been streamlined a bit, it has not been reduced to Rs 100 as claimed in her speech. It is Rs 100 for Sleeper Class and Rs 200 for AC Class as fixed charges plus there would be 10 and 15 per cent surcharge on the basis of the fare. Her speech neither indicates that the seats in this category would be reduced. Clearly, she needs to make a clear departure from Lalu’s unethical convoluted Tatkal system.  

Again, there is little substance in her Duranot non-stop trains. The Sampark Kranti non-stop train was introduced by the NDA railway minister Nitish Kumar. Mamata should have reviewed the technical and track capacity of the railways before introducing the so-called new trains. She should have ensured a culture of sustaining and improving what exists. Introduction of every new train has only resulted in the slowing down of the existing trains including the Rajdhanis and the Shatabadis.

In her reply, to the Budget she still has the option to introduce her new vision. She has it. She only needs to push through it, overlooking bureaucratic objections. Mamata also needs to introduce hop-in and hop-out long-distance trains free from harassment by railway ticket conductors.

The Yuva train also looks impractical. It is supposed to be 1500-km all-seated air conditioned train for Rs 299 and Rs 399. The youth may be strong but can anyone endure a 20-hour journey sitting all through?

There are, however, some sparks. But these are restricted to her Kolkata vision. For years, journalists have been agitating about the Basumati press, a historic institution with nostalgic connection for the Bengalis during the freedom movement. Bengal’s elite was associated with it. The State government did little by taking it over to finally virtually shutting it down. Mamata’s offer to take it over for use by the Railways is not only to restore the Bengali pride but also to resuscitate an institution.

In Europe, many such institutions are kept alive for the new generation take a glimpse of a living past. It is called industrial archaeology. By default Mamata may have introduced this here. But, she wants to play politics too. The Basumati press is with the Left Front government. If it parts with it, then it draws flak from its cadre and if it doesn’t it loses popular support. Either way Mamata is a winner.  

She has also exhibited that spark in the takeover of the wagon units of Burn Standard and Braithwaite, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The companies, based in West Bengal, are in poor health. Their closure would lead to job losses. The decision to take these over in the so-called “reforms’ – privatise and perish - era shows her real concern and “mamata” for the Bengal’s poor. She has also tried to exemplify that an elected leader, rooted in grassroots can go against the lobbyist-oriented politics of “reform generation”. It would not cost the Railways much but would instill hope among the poor - a real prescription to counter recession.

At the same time, the Eastern part has benefited least from the reforms era. Her concept of using the railway land along the freight corridor as land bank to set up industry is again a clear rebuff to those propagating Nandigram-type special economic zones (SEZ) or Singur-type land acquisition. How much it earns for the Railways is not the issue, but creating industry on the existing land, next to the freight corridor, should be considered an innovative approach. It would certainly make transportation easier and cheaper if properly implemented. Importantly, it could also bring in an industrial revolution in the East, long stalled by the conservative socialist-minded people.

Likewise, the past five years had ignored the wagon manufacturing sector. Now the Railways has decided to acquire 18,000 new wagons to replace its ageing fleet. It would give a boost to the Railways PSUs apart from making goods movement, often stuck by derailments caused by poor rolling stock, smoother.

The PSUs that are likely to gain from her new policies are Ircon International, a turnkey infrastructure construction company, Railtel (Telecom), Rites and Indian Railway, Tourism and Catering Company (IRCTC). The allocation for new railway lines has been increased to Rs 2921 crore from Rs 1100 crore in the interim budget. Apart from taking care of the safety aspects, the move would also generate business for the sagging public sector SAIL.

But Mamata needs to widen her vision. She need not have robbed Bihar of the two projects to create a new coach factory at Kanchpara in her State. Possibly she has settled the score of losing Dhanbad from the Eastern Railways. Well, the budget has some difference but it is not different. Would she be able to revise it by the time she prepares her reply to the budget debate? ---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)