Save Sharmila

2011-10-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Attack on Sharmila

“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ:” Gandhi. Now, if you read it in the same tread by ‘Eche’ Sharmila, she is probably likely to say “I like your India. I do not like your Indians. They are so unlike your India.”

The moment I heard that few right-wing thugs attacked on the supporters of ‘Eche’ Sharmila Chanu in Delhi last week, while they were trying to hold a peaceful protest march against the most controversial and draconian –Armed Forces Special Power Act, my mind tried to catch a glimpse of Mahatma Gandhi, who strongly advocated and pioneered of nonviolent, for peace and harmony across the world in the form what he called Satyagraha. I know, I was wrong that this is not the land of Gandhi, where he dreamed, where he hoped for a country, a land of diverse caste, creed... living together. Also I know that the country named India is using his name and exploited the humanity. But my simple argument is - why is India still observing 2^nd October and International Day of Non-violence by the United Nations. Don’t you think it is mockery to the ‘Father of Nation’, who they say because of his Satyagraha the British left India? Still unbelievable!

Now, coming to the point. Why these so-called right wing goons attacked those people who simply held a silent rally against the Act? Did Sharmila do something wrong or wage war against the country? Or is it a manifestation of dominant attitude with a juvenile mindset lingering in the name of ‘Bharat Mataki Jai, Vande Mataram’, who even do not fully understand what the meaning says? Or, do they really know what is India?

If they really believe in Mahatma Gandhi and love Vande Mataram, they should first try to find who is Sharmila and why she is being on fast for more than a decade, before raising their voice and such a callous and unsolicited character being shown towards her, whom millions are praying and looking upwards every day.

As the Sangai Express rightly pointed that “the very attack is a damning testimony of the growing belief that to Delhi, the North East region is an outpost, a territory that exists to ensure the security of the rest of the country no matter if in the process the very people inhabiting this region are subjected under an Act which empowers the security forces to shoot anyone to death on mere suspicion without the fear of being hauled up for crossing the line that divides duty and murdering. It now seems that this Act now means that it offers immunity not only to the security forces but also to the zealots to whom Nationalism or love for the country may come garbed in the form of right wing Hindu extremists, who may attack anyone standing against AFSPA with impunity.”

If it is the belief than do we need to relook at the history, how India became a nation and how this very Act that has been imposed in the North East for over half a century has become a symbol of hatred and colonialism? If the past events tell us the reality, many great emperors/nations in this world have banished from this earth right from Great Alexander to British Empire to Hitler to invisible Hosni Mubarrack and Muammer Gaddafi. Those right wing thugs should learn the history first and should not try to recreate the past events of bloodsheds.

‘Eche’ Sharmila is just a normal human being. She is not like even Gandhi, who spoke different languages at different people and different places. She hates bloodsheds; she hates differences between man and man. That’s why she has been fighting against the blooded AFSPA. Eche, we are with you.

2011-08-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

Who will throw the stone first?

"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone" – Is a story about a woman, who had been caught in the act of adultery and was brought to Jesus Christ by those people big people, at that time, as a test to see if the Messiah was a liberal in matters of the Law of God. In response to their deceitful query, He didn't condemn the woman, not because he (Jesus) was a liberal, not because he condoned her sin, but because the men who brought the woman to him were hypocrites. He was the only person there that day who was free of sin, the only one who had the right to "cast the first stone." He didn't stone her (or her accusers), but instead forgave her and told her to "sin no more." Then he asked those people to throw the stone first, who never had committed sins or crimes or corruptions in their life. No one could do – why? Because all were sinners, corrupt.

Now, if you ask the same question to the Congress, BJP and others - who will be first among them to come out and says we never did commit crimes, sins and corruptions? All are hypocrites, liars, who always live by sucking blood from the common people. How can you say Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a clean man, when he is heading the most corrupt regime in the ‘Independent India’. It doesn’t matter how much ‘clean’ he is. The country is matured enough to see his ‘charming’ fainted face and claiming all the time - ‘I didn’t aware of it’, when corruption charges being piled up on his desk.

Why can’t the Prime Minister simply say – I am sorry, I did mistakes, forgive us. The country will follow you; the country will listen to you. We all know he is not the lone person, but if he continues to behave like a ‘Godfather’ he will be loser at the end of day.

I know I am not a fan of Anna Hazare, neither to the Congress nor to anyone for that matter. But my simple argument is - why both the Congress and Government are feeling so much allergic with Anna when he simply demanded for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill to eradicate corruption from the soil of the country. He has every right as a citizen of a democratic country to demand from the government what he wants to know. Even Mahatma Gandhi committed crimes in life, but he openly accepted his mistakes and renounced such activities.

Now, tell me who is going to throw the stone first to Anna.

2011-07-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

The Clean vs the Unclean

The key issue is, who is right and who is wrong – not who will win or lose. If a popular uprising could unseat Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, once thought to be invincible, why can’t the Indian people overthrow the most corrupt government the country has ever had? You might argue that while Egypt was a dictatorship, ours is a democracy. But remember, it is a democracy in which fully one-third of the MPs have criminal records; it is one in which Rabri Yadav could rule Bihar for years by proxy. True, several high-profile public figures, and politicians like A Raja, Kanimozhi and Suresh Kalmadi have been put behind bars. But the question is - why did it take so long to nail them for their misdeeds?

The so-called people’s “representatives” are cheating the very constituencies that elected them and amassing crores of rupees that rightfully belong to the public. The unease in the political parties over Anna Hazare’s insistence that the Lokpal be given teeth came to the fore during the all-party meet that was called to discuss its contents. When it came to its formal drafting, all parties insisted that it must be done “within the framework of the Constitution”. This, quite clearly, is just an alibi, a façade to conceal their impatience with a transparent polity. Their doublespeak too is on record – because just days before they had assured Hazare that they were with him in demanding a strong Lokpal.

Yet another noteworthy question is - why did the personally clean Dr Manmohan Singh keep ignoring the advice of senior ministers like the late Sunil Dutt and Mani Shakar Iyer who sent him documents that established Kalmadi’s dubious dealings during and before the Commonwealth Games. Why, for instance, is Dayanidhi Maran still walking free? What stops this clean prime minister from accepting moral responsibility for it all and stepping down?

If you want to know the real situation in the country ask the man on the street, the honest tax payer, who almost right since Independence has been looted by so-called popular representatives. You don’t have to be a constitutional expert to know what is wrong with the country. All you need to do is hear the people who have been defrauded day after day with no recourse to any kind of justice.

What is Anna Hazare getting from all this? He doesn’t want publicity. That much should be clear from all his public statements and his body language. It is in complete contrast with that of people like the smooth-talking Kapil Sibal who smugly justified boycotting the Hazare team because, to use his words, these “unelected civil society members are running a parallel government”. The fact, on the contrary, is that those who want the sanitized Lokpal are scared that someday they might get nailed themselves.

2011-04-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

The price of a person

It would sound a little bit awkward, but for those who have gone through such a situation, would say, well this is just a life what you can do.

In an astonishing revelation which was recently published in a newspaper based outside India, it asked what is the price of an Afghan. How would you define or measure the value of a person – by beauty, by height, jobs, race, caste, nationality? The answer is as simple as you think, i.e. it could be

anything depending what you decide better. Yes, it could also be true that if Mr Shahrukh Khan is arrested or detained again in a London airport, it would make headlines across India, if not in United Kingdom, than someone like me!

Now, if these are the deciding factors, what about Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gurjarat, who was not given visa to participate in a Gujarat Summit in United States few years ago? Why there is a law, a constitution which says everyone is equal in the eye of the law?

The answer is all are not equal in the eye of law.

However, if you agree with the theory of natural law, no one can deny to the fact that all human life is of infinite value. If you put one human life on one side of a scale, and the rest of the world on the other side, the scale is balanced equally.

Most of us would say that Jai Kishan who is a rickshaw- wallah in Chandni Chawk, Delhi, is worth the same as Shahrukh Khan.

Isn't that what all believe?

Now, look at this. The Ministry of Defence, the Government of United Kingdom, has been paying compensation to Afghans for accidentally killing their children, their brothers and sisters, or their parents, during the present low-level war in Afghanistan. Thanks to a freedom of information request

the newspaper further mentioned how much the MoD has paid families when a member has been killed.

Here are some examples: a daughter hit by shrapnel from air-strike and later died of injuries, $1,000; mother killed during bombing, $5,000; two brothers and two sons killed by hellfire missile strike, $32,000. The variation in the figures is not explained, but in no case was more than $8,000 (about £5,000), paid for the loss of a single life.

Again, look at the value of a British life. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), UK, assesses drugs and other medical treatments for cost-effectiveness and recommends whether they should be supplied on the National Health Service (NHS). The key factual question is

how much the treatment costs for each quality-adjusted life year, or QALY, gained. A QALY is one year of life of good quality, or its equivalent, which might be a longer period of life of lower quality. The Nice then tells you that while decisions are made on a case by case basis, "generally … if a

treatment costs more than £20,000-30,000 per QALY, then it would not be considered cost effective".

Remember, that sum is per QALY, not per life saved. So if one has to take the bottom line of this range, Nice recommends that the NHS pay up to four times as much to extend the life of a British citizen by just one year, as the MoD is prepared to pay in compensation for killing a child or young person. That young person could – even allowing for Afghanistan's dismal life expectancy – expect to live another 40 reasonably good-quality years. That suggests an answer to the question with which I started in the beginning: it takes about 4 x 40, or 160 Afghan lives, to be worth the same as one British life!

According to international price comparisons that would not be the right answer, because £5,000 will be much figure in Afghanistan than it would be in Britain – perhaps four or five times as much. We can say five times. Even with that adjustment, it is, now, going to take 32 Afghan lives to be worth the same as one British life.

Here, there is nothing unique about the UK in this respect. The paper has further reported that the US generally pays no more than $2,500 in compensation for the loss of an Afghan life. In contrast, after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the United States Government had set up a ‘Victim Compensation Fund’. The average payment it made to families of victims was $1.8m! Adjusting for purchasing power at a 5:1 ratio suggest that the US regards the life of an American as equivalent to the lives of 144 Afghans.

Look at the suggestion, what would happen if the Nato or Western forces really took seriously the idea of the equal value of all human life? They would then have to compensate Afghans for the civilian deaths and injuries they are causing at the same level as they would compensate their own citizens. That would serve three important purposes. First, it would demonstrate to the Afghans that the Nato forces truly respect them as equals. Second, the troops themselves might start to see Afghans as more like them, and have a new respect for the people they are trying to aid. Third, a dramatic increase in the costs of endangering the lives and limbs of civilians might foster a new restraint, because no military force wants to drain its own resources. The result would then be that fewer civilians would be killed – surely a very good thing, both for the civilians themselves, and for winning over the support of Afghans.

If it is the case, would our government convene a meeting to fix a new price for a person, when he got killed either by plane crash or train accident or killed by Naxalites or security forces, so that we can say proudly all are equal in the eyes of law, even if someone can’t become a Shahrukh Khan or Narendra Modi.

2010-12-30T02:06:00.000-08:00

Why Dr Binayak Sen

Well, one may not agree with what China does to its pro-democracy dissident Liu Xiaobo. But if we look at the differences between the Nobel peace laureate and Dr Binayak Sen, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of sedition by a trial court in Chhattisgarh has thrown up some uneasy question about the nature of the Indian state.

Also one may argue what Dr Sen’s wife had asserted in an interview to a TV channel that the conviction of her husband was the Indian state and not an independent judiciary in action but one is certain there is a farce difference in a seemingly open society and freedom of expression that the country has advocated around the world.

In an era where ‘personal integrity’ overrules the scam in which people in positions of power are known to have siphoned off public money to the tune of Rs 1,70,000 crores, persons like Dr Sen who have no power or position to defend themselves have to face life-term. The reason given is he was acting as a courier for a Maoist leader lodged in jail, and thus was “conspiring to wage war against the state”, attracting punitive action under Sections 120(B) and 124(A) of the Indian Penal Code, Sections 8(1), (2), (3), and (5) of the draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, and Section 39 (2) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (as amended in 2004).

But even if it is true that he did carry these documents, the legal question being raised is, does this amount to sedition. Indeed, the sedition debate has been raging ever since Arundhati Roy and others declared publicly on stage during a conference on Kashmir in New Delhi, that Azadi was Kashmir’s right. The consensus has been, unless a statement amounts to direct incitement of violence, anything anybody says or does cannot amount to sedition. So, even in this hypothetical scenario, Dr Sen may have been a friend of the Maoists or maybe did carry Maoist literature with him (both of the charges are denied) but this cannot amount to sedition under Indian law.

We do agree that the sudden upswing of the Maoist violence in recent years has indeed been a major cause of concern for the country. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had gone on record saying the Maoist menace is the most serious challenge to the internal security of the Indian nation in modern times. This rebellion, unlike those in the peripheral regions of the Northeast and Kashmir, is like a dagger pointed at the heart of India.

The fact is, even as Dr Sen is so harshly convicted for charges that are at best flimsy, there are many who are accused in some of the biggest scams in recent times. The CWG scam and the 2G allocation scam to name just two cases would fall in this category. Yet, people guilty of crimes against the nation of this magnitude are still not made to face the kind of persecution a well respected civil rights worker was made to go through. In all likelihood, in the end all the accused in these scams will go scot free, or at best end up with penalties that cannot remotely compare with Dr Sen’s.

Now, if it is the case, why couldn’t a single FIR lodged against Arundhati Roy and others who openly supported Azadi of Kashmir. Why the Government kept silence while the tribes belonging to the ‘upper class’ struck at the very sovereignty of the nation.

As Rajinder Puri rightly pointed out, more than 22 Nobel laureates (nine Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine, nine in Chemistry, two each in Physics and Economics, and now Indian Nobel Laureate Dr Amartya Sen) pleaded with Indian authorities to release Sen. If the higher courts do not overturn the recent judgment administering a life sentence on Sen, it is entirely possible that in 2011 Binayak Sen might be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to succeed the current recipient, Chinese jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo, as he was also supported by Nobel laureates including Dalai Lama. Thereby India would be honoured with one more Nobel Prize. China pressured other countries to boycott the Nobel Prize distribution ceremony. Beijing refused to attend the ceremony. If Sen is awarded the Nobel Prize it is possible that India may proudly attend the ceremony for having won the honour. Most certainly India would never pressure other countries to boycott the ceremony. Unlike China we do not bully other countries. Like China we bully our own people.

Surprisingly, in October this year, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 15 others Nobel Laureates wrote a letter to the leaders of the G20 group of nations, asking them to help in seeking the release of the Chinese dissident. But it is unlikely that Prime Minister would write a letter to the G20 nations seeking help to release his own fellow or shall we wait a letter written by Hu Jintao for his fellow comrade – Dr Binayak Sen.

2010-12-13T01:41:00.000-08:00

Body of Lies

It sounds like David Ignatius’s 2008 blockbuster Hollywood film – Body of Lies. Yet, it’s not so as complicated as it should be in the film. Now, it is true that the ‘self-appointed front-runner’ for a permanent UNSC seat is playing a hypocritical double-standard when it comes to human rights and its outlook towards the other nations.

RK Sanayaima, chairman, UNLF

The contention might be a little critical to those who are so professed themselves in the idea of India, but what they do not know is the path they follow is dangerous and loom to self-destruction.

Over the last few weeks, there is a lot of debate, sit-in protests against the sudden disappearance of a prominent insurgent leader of northeast India, who was actually or allegedly kidnapped by sleuths of intelligence agencies of India and Bangladesh from an area of Bangladesh city, Dhaka. According to a BBC report, RK Meghan alias Sanayaima, chairman of the outlaw organisation – United National Liberation Front (UNLF) was arrested from Dhaka by a joint team of RAW agents and their Bangladeshi counter parts on September 29 this year. The arrest was further confirmed by a press communiqué of the outfit itself, an investigative report by Delhi-based Tehelka magazine, and by one Dhaka-based political organisation - the Communist Party of Bangladesh. The reports also gave further inputs that he was flown to Delhi by RAW agents.

In the face of growing demands of his whereabouts and expressed anger by public of Manipur and political parties, the self-professed Government of India has finally made up its mind that it couldn’t conceal for so long, and says now the UNLF leader was actually arrested from Motihari district of Bihar, which is border to Nepal that he was arrested “while trying to sneak into the Indian territory from Nepal”.

The question is not to ask how and why a rebel leader was arrested, but how it staged a well-known action that has already become in the public domain. One can’t deny to the fact that he is/was a wanted man for the government or whatever it may be, yet, you can't fool all the people all the time. And how would you argue, how would prove in the international fora that he was not at all arrested from Dhaka, but from a little known place, where he might even never known in his lifetime.

Another point is why the government kept him for so long, without any formal statement about his arrest and whereabouts either to the state Government or to his family. For that matter, Government needs to answer: Did the concerned authority give any arrest memo at the time of his arrest? Why the Government kept silent for two months and why wasn’t he produced within 24 hours to a nearest police station after his arrest?

If it is the case, the Government of India had violated Article No. 3, 5.6.7.8.9.10, 14, 19, 20 and 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Fundamental Right Article No. 19-22 and 23-24 of the Indian constitution.

2010-10-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Permanent membership

Honestly, his intention was not cleared, yet what I knew is his interest of the relentless debates round the corner – what if India becomes a permanent member in the United Nation Security Council or what if not or otherwise what are the rewards of being into that club. The questions my childhood friend Beelu asked when he just stepped into the room from the airport might be simple assertion out of his mind, but what it underlined is the unyielding conversation so far by many intelligentsias’, public or to the higher up authorities.

Well, the argument is, obviously, too far and big. For that matter, there will be always a supporter and against or merits and vise-versa. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that I am a supporter or opposed to the idea. However, the simple submissions or rather figment of imaginations that came cross in my mind when Beelu placed his question were – is there anybody on earth who is permanent and when India cannot even secure its own people in Delhi, how could it secure the world.

Take for an instance – Delhi Commonwealth Games, 2010. At a time when the entire folks of the country, especially Delhiites, should unite and cheer the athletes, who came from across the world, the stadia are emptied – because of the psyched of the ‘imminent terrorist threats’ during the Games. No account in the history texts of India ever occurred that killed 76 jawans in just one go, that too not by any external force. The country had been fighting wars with Pakistan, China, but never ever happened with such a war-like scenario. Does anybody damn cared about it.

Coming to the point. There are two reasons with which India wants a permanent membership in the UN Security Council. First, the present structure of the United Nation General Assembly or Security Council is irrelevant in the present ages. Also it fails to exercise its ‘primary responsibility’ for maintaining peace and harmony in the increasing conflicts of the world. Second, as an emerging economic power, and also being the largest democratic country and second most populous nation, it’s the time to be recognised or atleast heard at the regional level if not as a whole what it deserves to. Third, but not to be mentioned is the ‘veto power’, that India has been eyeing for.

The given propositions are as good as bad from any sight of the angle. Yes, let’s assume all is right as of now. But here I would like to borrow one simple line what my junior Gunamani had pointed out that when India becomes fully a economic superpower, say in 2050, will the other nations remain what they are today. That’s merely impossible. The another point here is there are three other countries – Brazil, Germany and Japan, which are superpower on their own right. Although, India and Brazil are two of the largest contributors of troops to UN-mandated peace-keeping mission,

Japan

and Germany are the UN's second and third largest funders respectively. If the status of a superpower is determined by money, where lies India’s position is still remained a questionable subject.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute’s annual “Global Hunger Index” for 2010, India has more hunger than Sudan, one of the poorest countries in the world. India is home to 42 per cent of the underweight children under the age of five. With an empty stomach, you can’t fight with.

2010-08-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Mamata alias Maoists

It would be a sheer mistake to call – Only Happen in India – impression that most of us are so accustomed in the present political diction in India. But it would be wrong to deny at the same time what is actually happened among political parties and its alike. From Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala and from Gujarat to Manipur, there is a peculiar political uniqueness that we as a whole showcases to the entire world. There is a saying that animals do fight first and become friend and men become friend first and then become foes. Now if it is truth in its sense, there is a lot we can learn from what is different between men and animals.

Political vendetta or making alliances among themselves are synonymous what we call – democracy – today. In the face of this so called holly alliance and vise-versa, there is one very interesting in the present United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre. Or may be lack of my understanding that the Communist Party of India – Marxist is now accusing the All India Trinamool Congress (Trinamool Congress) of being hand-in-glove or collaborating with Maoist insurgents, with whom the Centre faces a daunting task to tackle the latter’s menace.

To my understanding, Maoists are known for its guerrilla warfare and its emphasis on the revolutionary potential of the peasantry and is what our comrades (read CPM-M) have been fighting for. Also because of this reason, our three states, namely – West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala are still ruled by Communist.

However, as it said in the beginning and given the present ‘holly-alliance’ era, the “erstwhile” blood-bonding between the Communist-Marxist and Maoist (Naxal) have been changed over the years and latter seems to favouring more on TC.

The worry is how the Central Government led by Congress and its biggest alliance TC would cooperate in fighting against the Naxal movement in the country. Also at a time when the country unites together against the Maoists menace, where covers almost two-third of the geographical areas of the nation, it’s a moral duty to clarify on the side of the Government and its alliance parties how is it going to tackle the problem when one party supports the movement and the others not.

One may not agree to the suggestion that TC is supporting Maoists but also one can’t deny the fact that it has a soft-corner on the movement.

Also supporting or not the Maoists movement could be one’s personal view, but the observation expressed by the CPM at the Centre can’t deny easily. What is in their mind (Government) is still a questionable subject.

2010-07-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

A shame for

India

On the face of it the British Government's decision not to doll our so much financial aid to India on the ground that a 'nuclear-powered' nation doesn't need to go with a begging bowl sounds reasonable. But if one cares to remove that thinly-wielded nuclear layer one can find that the real reasons for such an action from the UK lay somewhere else. And it calls for a thorough investigation into the goings on in our administration; in this case; one that is pertaining to the filed of education. What the Indian media has failed to highlight is the immediate provocation on the part of David Cameroon to take such a decision lies in certain investigative reports that had appeared in certain British newspapers. The media there has revealed that millions of pounds in aid for education in this country under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme have just vanished in thin air. The report put this figure at a staggering £340 million, which is around Rs 2,327 crore. To further this report, the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) investigation here found that almost £14 million (around Rs 100 crore) had been spent on acquiring luxury cars and garishly furnished houses among other creature comforts for those who run the programme. As is evident this has nothing to do with SSA. Responding to the media reports, Britain's secretary of state for international development Andrew Mitchell, said: "These are shocking allegations. I have launched an immediate inquiry to ensure British aid money has not been misused."

The SSA, one of the flagship programmes launched by the United Progressive Alliance Government, in 2001, was aimed at providing useful and relevant elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group by 2010. Initially, the project was expected to enroll all out- of- school children in schools/education guarantee centres or alternate schools by 2003. However, the date was revised in March 2005. But as per March 2005, out of 3.40 crore children (as on 1 April 2001), 1.36 crore (40 per cent) children in the age group of 6-14 years remained out of school; that too after having incurred an expenditure of Rs 11,133.57 crore. The investigation by CAG found that in the districts test checked by audit in 11 states (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), Rs 99.88 crore was spent on items not permitted under SSA. Besides, in 14 states/union territories, financial irregularities of Rs 472.51 crore were also noticed. Interestingly enough, there is no official response from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, which is solely responsible for the implementation of this programme. The media reports and the British Government's response are likely to cause bafflement. Now in the face of these alleged misusing funds and open criticism of the UK Government, the UPA Government, which has been proud of being launched so many people-oriented or aam aadmi programme, should have initiated a strong corrective and punitive action to those err officials, which otherwise, the nuclear-armed India will be reduced to just another spectator scrambling country.

2010-07-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

New Delhi's apathy

Yes, I would agree to some degree to what my senior Santosh Kumar has said. When the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a much publicised 75-minute annual press conference at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on May 24, he confidently said that all the northeast states of India would be connected by airlinks. Wow! It’s good development or say a new vision for the poor and landlocked hilly people!? But what Mr Manmohan Singh didn’t know is – Is airlink only viable option for these hilly and poor people? How many people can afford of air travelling? Even after 60 years of India’s independence there are still five days journey in Arunachal Pradesh. Over the last few years, the Central Government has a special attention on Arunachal Pradesh, however, if this state is/was not under the radar of affluent China on the other side of the border, how would New Delhi view – is still a matter of discussion.
Than it took all of two months for New Delhi to react to the 65-day-old blockades of two important national highways leading to Manipur by a few Naga groups shows how important the region is on the radar of national politics. Life in Manipur, ravaged by insurgency and under a controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act has never been easy. The blockade has made it even more hazardous. It was started in April by Nagas in protest against Manipur Government’s announcement of ADC elections in hilly areas of the state. Nagas live in several adjoining states and have been waging a war for a separate Greater Nagaland including chunks of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (although the fight was for an independent state). Whatever be the political motives behind the blockades, it is the people who suffer ultimately. Availability of essential commodities like petrol, cooking gas, life-saving drugs, were dwindling by the day with prices skyrocketing. In fact, Manipur faced one of the most man-made human disasters in recent history. Yet it took more than two months for the Centre to wake up to the reality when Home Secretary GK Pillai announced that central forces would be “rushed” to remove the blockade. Imagine the reaction of the government had such a situation taken place in the Hindi heartland, where the vote banks of most political parties lie.
Successive governments in New Delhi have shown scant respect to the north-eastern region nor has there been any concerted effort to make the hill people join the mainstream. The Seven Sisters (excluding Sikkim) is showcased to the outside world as a symbol of harmony and unity in diversity. But, each time any part of the north-east erupts, it has been quelled by ad hoc measures. At no time was there any sincere effort to find long-standing solutions to the genuine grievances of the people there. Many parts of the area are still inaccessible. There is no infrastructure whatsoever. New Delhi talks of linking the north-east by air, when there are not even motorable roads. Every year the region gets cut-off from the rest of the nation by incessant landslides. Other than making headlines for a day or two it is all forgotten till the next landslide happens. What the north-east needs is not the myopic view of those who matter in Delhi, but breathing space.
Now, it’s the time for New Delhi to wake up and accept the reality that the Northeast is still a part of India but not as its traditional strategic interest point.

2010-06-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

The I-M factor

There is hardly any difference between the alphabets I and M in the political lexicon of Nagaland and Manipur. Between Ibobi and Muivah, there is nothing which they cannot execute in this part of the country. They can make you suffer from asemia and at the very same time rekindle your past. If the Isak-Muivah led National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) can make you believe that a small tribal community in the Northeast is nothing but Nagas, Ibobi of Manipur also can make you believe in whatever he does, even if it is blatantly wrong. Both are notorious in their own ways in deceiving the masses on both sides.

A few months ago, right after the killing of a youth, 27-year-old Chungkham Sanjit, in a fake encounter in the heart of Imphal which also claimed a young pregnant woman, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi became the most hated political figure in the annals of modern political history of Manipur. The incident got national publicity when the Tehelka weekly published photographs of the shootout. Following the incident, the entire Imphal valley was shut down for the next four months as students went on a protest. While schools and colleges were closed indefinitely, banks and government offices pulled down their shutters. Thousands of students were forced to go for private tuition. Thousands of worried parents were compelled to admit their children in schools and colleges elsewhere. There were strikes, blockades, sit-in-protests; dozens of memorandums were sent to the Central leaders. But nothing happened. Nothing happened to Ibobi either, simply because he has the backing of Congress high command. The state can go to the dogs. Who cares? That is the uniqueness of Ibobi.

On the other hand, Muivah of the NSCN -IM is better known of his political and militant stature than his own organisation. Thuingaleng Muivah, a Tangkhul, was born in 1935 and brought up at Somdal, in Manipur's Ukhrul district. He had his early education in Shillong and graduated in political science from Guwahati University, Assam. He was enrolled as a member of the Naga National Council (NNC) in December 1964 and was made general secretary of NNC at Viswema village in February, 1965, where he was recently camping.

He was among the 140 activists of the erstwhile Naga National Council (NNC), which trekked to China's Yunan province and underwent arms training. He made the Kachinland and Somra tract in Myanmar his home, from where is directed his cadres in guerrilla tactics. By 1980 he had emerged as the flag-bearer of Naga insurgency following the ill-fated 1975 Shillong Accord.

The accord was signed between the NNC, led by the legendary Angami Zapu Phizo, and the Centre in 1975 and its terms mandated that the rebels would come overground and disarm themselves. However, Muivah and the group of 140 activists preferred otherwise and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). Phizo escaped to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in December 1956, from where he went to London. He continued supporting the secessionist movement in Nagaland, until he died in exile in London in 1990.

And with the passage of time, the NSCN emerged as the most powerful insurgent group fighting for the Naga "cause". It was formed on January 31, 1980 by the threesome Isak Chisi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and SS Khaplang opposing the Shillong Accord. Later, differences surfaced within the outfit over the issue of commencing a dialogue process with the Indian Government and on April 30, 1988, the NSCN split into two factions, namely the NSCN-K led by SS Khaplang, and the NSCN-IM, led by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah.

This opened the floodgates to a new phase of bloodshed in Nagaland and Manipur.

Muivah's homecoming

There is always a nostalgic as well as intriguing part on the recent development especially in Nagaland and Manipur over the controversial visit of the Thuingaleng Muivah at his hometown in Ukhrul district of Manipur. Yes, coming home after four decades is indeed a nostalgic and emotional moment in anybody's life. Yet, Muivah's visit has turned out to be disastrous for both Manipur and Nagaland.

First, although he was born and brought up at Somdal in Manipur, he has been waging a war against the Government of India for over 40 years from Nagaland. The Government of Nagaland had issued a warrant for his arrest while SC Jamir was chief minister. But as to give a new impetus to the peace talk, it was only in 2000 that the Government of Nagaland had withdrawn all criminal charges against him. However, the neighbouring state of Manipur didn't do so. Manipur has slapped over a dozen of criminal cases against him ranging from killings, lootings, extortions, kidnappings and above all insurgency against the country. As per reports in newspapers, there still exists a warrant for his arrest and a reward of Rs 3 lakh for his head. It is contained in the order issued by the State Home Department vide No.1/4(6)/S-H(Pt-1) and dated 4 April 1994. Altogether 71 persons, from both the hills and the valley in Manipur are listed in it. And it includes the United National Liberation Front chairman Sanayaima and the Revolutionary People's Front chief Irengbam Chaorel.

Among the most high-profile cases against Muivah is the 1990's Kuki-Naga clash that led to the massacre of hundreds of Kukis and the brutal killing of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan, and his two staff Token and Rajen by his cadres last year.

If one goes by the report of Sanjoy Hazarika, a former New York Times correspondent and an ex-member of the National Security Advisory Board, the NSCN's budget for Nagaland in 2002 is placed at Rs 44 crore (Rs 440 million), nearly double of that for 2000-2001. It has a finely tuned taxation system which has every single business in the states where it is active on record and has a tax net for government employees as well. The actual collection figure is said to be about Rs 105 crore (Rs 1050 million).

Also in January 19, 2000, Muivah was arrested at Bangkok international airport by Thai authorities on the charge of travelling on a fake Korean passport in the name, Hwan Soo Chung. After his arrest, Muivah appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Bangkok for recognition as a refugee, stating that the Government of India had declared the Naga peoples struggle for the right to self-determination a secessionist movement. He also told the UNHCR that for nearly five decades the Naga freedom movement was being ruthlessly suppressed by the India armed forces who have been given immunity against prosecution under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act enacted by Parliament in the early Fifties. He informed the UNHCR that as a matter of policy the India Government does not grant passport to persons who challenge Indian authority and that as a Naga nationalist who rejected Indian hold over his homeland, he could not have requested the Indian Government for a passport. He, therefore, appealed to the UNHCR to be recognised as a refugee under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees.

However, the UNHCR had rejected Muivah's application under Article 1F of the 1951 Convention which means he was alleged to have committed offences which may be characterised as 'war crimes and serious non-political crimes'.

Since the onset of NSCN (IM) - Central Government talks that began in 1997, around 68 rounds of talks have been held in the different parts of the world, including the June 1 in Kohima, the capital town of Nagaland, for the first time. And it was in 1999 Muivah came to India for the first time he left home to fight for the Naga cause.

Since then he has been up and down in Delhi once in year. Also he visited Nagaland quite frequently, which is in fact just few kilometres away from his hometown. But the question is how he became so home sick at a time when the Government of Manipur was preparing for the Autonomous District Council elections in the five hill districts of Manipur, and why not in other years or day?

Here lies the problem.

As per record, the election of the district autonomous bodies has been put on hold for almost 20 years because of some technical problem in the five hill districts of Manipur including Sardar hills.

Speaking to this correspondent, N Biren, spokesperson and also Minister of Youth Affairs, Government of Manipur, said that the very Autonomous District Council Act 1971 was enacted by the Indian Parliament and accordingly rules were framed in the year of 1972 to suit the needs. He further said that the State government cannot take up any decision without the recommendation/consent of the Hill Areas Committee which was formed by the elected members of the hill tribal people.

However, he claims that the very Hill Areas Committee which is the sole authority to initiate the process was not in favour of the election for so long due to many factors.

Biren said after a threadbare discussion among the hill's people including the seven MLAS, who recently resigned and have been selected to represent in the Manipur Assembly under the merciful umbrella of NSCN-IM, they have unanimously given their full consent in conducting the election, thus the Manipur Assembly passed an amendment bill in 2008 so as to fulfil the aspirations of the people as proposed by the Hill Area Committee members.

One Manipur Indigenous Democratic Forum, a strong tribal forum called a state-wide bandh in Manipur earlier alleging the Government for delaying the process of ADC election.

But suddenly the hill people especially the Nagas led by United Naga Council (UNC) rejected the government's move as "indifferent and chauvinistic attitude" towards the hill people and started the blockade of two national highways - 39 and 52, which are considered lifelines of Manipur. But the state Government sees that this is a plot espoused by Muivah and its NSCN -IM for their Greater Nagalim dream, the Minister disclosed.

The blockades and Central Govt's response

Now, more than 60 days after Naga students and some NGOs cut off supplies to neighbouring Manipur, the Central Government on Monday announced its decision to move in central forces to the two states to reopen the two highways that constitute Manipur's lifeline - one is because of the 'imposed' autonomous district council elections in the hilly areas and another is because of the banned of Muivah's visit to his native village Somdal in Manipur by the State government. The ongoing economic blockade by the Naga groups has been severely impacting essential commodity prices forcing residents in the state to take to the streets. Ever since the blockades announced, Manipur has been experiencing exorbitant price rise with rice selling at Rs 100 per kg, LPG at Rs 1,200 a cylinder and petrol at Rs 150 per litre.

Unfortunately on the side of Central government, it is still watching as an outsider. The present siege began on April 11 with the Manipur government's decision to hold Autonomous District Council elections, including in districts claimed by the Nagas. Given the confrontationist situation, it should be noted that it was the Central government which sent Muivah to Manipur without taking the state government into confidence. The lack of urgency shown by New Delhi in the matter is beyond comprehension and its lackadaisical attitude will further alienate the already trouble-torn state. It is time the Central Government show its maturity and just can't afford to be indifferent. New Delhi must act to dispel the impression that it is appeasing Muivah and Naga sentiments at the cost of other ethnic groups in the region. Just as there can be no question of conceding the NSCN (I-M)'s claim of "full sovereignty," the demand for Nagalim, in every sense a destabilising effect on the region should be left to the courts to take a final decision.

2010-05-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Will the Home Minister resign?

Yes, I firmly believe that it’s not an individual responsibility. It’s rather a collective amenability. Also no one can envisage what would happen after a few moments. The only thing what one can do is to be prepared ourselves from the looming incidents. Moreover, mistakes shouldn’t be taken as a sign of stop; it ought to be rather used as guidelines. The problem is how far we have been prepared ourselves from those mistakes and how far we have learned from those avoidable episodes – is the matter of discussion.
It was just right after the November 11, 2008 Mumbai incident, people across the country stood up and voiced in a single platform that the country needed a strong government and strong leader who could defend the country from terrorists’ activities. The incident was one of the most horrible kind of terrorists attacks in a nuclear powered country, where nearly 200 people were massacred in a continued four-day mayhem by just two 10 individuals. The incident also ushered a new black era in the history of post-independent India. The country realised that it was the time to wake up and pushed for a free-terror country.
The fateful episode not only brought to change the chief minister of the state of Maharashtra it also forced to remove the guard of the Central government. The Congress-led UPA government had abruptly removed the then Home Minister Shivraj Patil (now the Governor of Punjab) from the post. And within hours, a new dynamic, a man of word, Mr P Chidambaram was anointed to handle the charge of Home portfolio. Many believed that his no-nonsense approach, his integrity in handling issues and his pro-activeness would bring smiles to the hearts of the millions.
For the past few months, the situation was relatively calmed and seemed to return to the normalcy. Unfortunately, now the ghost of terrorism has started haunting Mr P Chidambaram.
Look at the following charts:
April 13, 2009: 10 Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists.in Orissa’s Koraput district
April 22: Maoists hijacked a train with at least 300 people on board in Jharkhand and force it to Latehar district before fleeing.
May 22: Maoists killed 16 policemen in the jungles of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra.
June 13, 2009: Maoists launched two landmine and bomb attacks in a small town close to Bokaro, killing 10 policemen and injuring several others.
June 16: Maoists killed 11 police officers in a landmine attack followed by armed assault. In a separate attack, four policemen were killed and two others seriously injured when Maoists ambush them at Beherakhand in Palamau district.
June 23, 2009: A group of motorcycle-borne armed Naxal rebels opened fire on Lakhisarai district court premises in Bihar and free four of their comrades including the self-style Zonal Commander of Ranchi.
July 18: Maoists killed a villager in Bastar and in a separate incident torched a vehicle engaged in road construction work in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.
July 23: A 40-year-old tribal killed by Maoists at Ettapalli taluka in Gadchiroli district.
July 27: Six persons killed when Maoists trigger a landmine blast at Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.
July 31: A special police officer and another person killed by Maoists in Bijapur district.
Sep 4: Maoists killed four villagers in a forest in Aaded village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.
Sep 26: Maoists killed BJP MP from Balaghat Baliram Kashyap's sons at Pairaguda village in Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh).
Sep 30: Maoists set ablaze Gram Panchayat offices at Korchi and Belgaon in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Oct 8: 17 policemen killed when Maoists ambushed them at Laheri police station in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Feb 15, 2010: 24 personnel of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) killed as Maoists attack their camp in Silda in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.
April 4: Maoists triggered a landmine blast killing 11 security personnel of the elite anti-naxal force Special Operations Group (SOG) in Koraput district of Orrisa.
April 6: 75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official killed in a Maoist attack in Dantewada district.
May 8, 2010: 8 CRPF jawans were killed when Maoists blew up a bullet-proof vehicle in Bijapur district of Chhhattisgarh.
May 16: Around 50 CRPF jawans were killed by when Maoists blew up a bus at Dantewada district of Chhattishgarh.
Given the above facts and its brutality of the terrorists’ activities, there are ample arguments and questions that Chidambaram has to answer.
a). How long will he be a lovely ‘cowboy’ of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi?
b). Will he offer resign again just to please his boss?
c). Is he really a no-nonsense man which is widely presumed? Or Man or word?
d). Who is going to take responsibility – he or Mr Manmohan Singh or who?
e). Why was Mr Shivraj Patil forced to resign and why didn’t he say a single word?
f). Or otherwise is Mr Chidambaram a power hunger man, just looking for opportunity?
g). Why not Prime Minister or Sonia Gandhi speaks to him? Where are those intellectuals or so-called intelligentsias?
h). And finally, is Mr Chidambaram a really strong or good leader?

If he can’t answer these few questions, he is just another Shivraj Patil. Good Luck, Mr Home Minister.
But I still believe it's everybody's responsibility.

2010-04-14T10:58:00.001-07:00

Govt vs Maoists

Call it cynical. But there is one thing which I really do not subscribe the way the Central Government has been dealing with the Maoists, the ‘gravest internal threat’ of the country. If the April 6 attack by the Maoists on the Central Reserve Police Force where 76 personnel of it were murdered is anything to go by, it is now pertinent to firmly believe that it is the real danger; it is the real threat of the country, as asserted by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. As expected, the blame game starts, who is wrong, who is right from the top brasses of the Armed forces to those sitting on the arm-chair persons. However, those are the people in the field who suffer the most.

From the outset of Maoists movement in 1969, thousands of lives have been lost, thousands are maimed and thousands are homeless.

It is nowhere to compare with even the most militants’ affected states in the country.

The estimated 20,000 Maoist combatants operate across a "red corridor" of 220 districts stretching from the Nepal border to West Bengal and through central India into the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. In fact, India is fighting a war within.

Now, given the scenario and its brutality, I have a simple question – why can’t the government impose the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958, to those Maoists affected areas.

Well, you may argue with my point, but if you agree it is the most effective weapon to deal with the insurgents or extremists, it could have been imposed long time back against Maoists. For, this controversial or say the most draconian Act in the Independent India has been used as a favourite tool by the Central government to dealing with militants in the states like Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir over the last five decades or so. Secondly, the people living in these militants’ affected areas and many rights groups have long been demanding to repeal the Act, which they say it aversely violates the fundamental rights and values of the human beings. But still the government is refusing to repeal the Act, saying that it is the only weapon if you want to deal with the militancy problems. Yes, I do agree to some extent that war is a war, there would be at least some casualties, and collateral damages, but at the end rule of the law has to be implemented.

So, given the state of affairs, the government must have imposed this draconian act long time back if it wants to finish off.

Unfortunately, the government is hapless, because they are our ‘brethren’.

How could you impose this act with our own people!?

This is real nature of the Government of India.

2010-03-29T03:08:00.000-07:00

Expressing oneself

I see my soul captured
In the forms of an unknown existence
Of abstract expressionism
When thoughts become a rainbow
And colours acquire fragrance
Gently whisper my poem to sunshine
And it shall merge with the universe
--- Kusum Shukla

For somebody life is a journey. But for an artist art is an express to oneself; the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings.
The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.
According to Richard Wollheim, a renown British philosopher noted for original work on mind and emotions, especially as related to the visual arts, specifically, painting, there are three distinguishes approaches on art: the Realist, whereby aesthetic quality is an absolute value independent of any human view; the Objectivist, whereby it is also an absolute value, but is dependent on general human experience; and the Relativist position, whereby it is not an absolute value, but depends on, and varies with, the human experience of different human beings. An object may be characterised by the intentions, or lack thereof, of its creator, regardless of its apparent purpose. A cup, which ostensibly can be used as a container, may be considered art if intended solely as an ornament, while a painting may be deemed craft if mass-produced.
And if you think in that latter category, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’s new solo painting exhibition – Past, Present & Future - by Kusum Shukla is a perfect example, where you can discover the real human experience of different human beings.
For her painting is a fragrance of flowers that cannot be suppressed. The beauty of creativity has to emerge and mingle with the stream life. Painting is like delivering a child, which is so painful. But her beliefs in god, listening to him can express what she feels.
“Since I am a poet, expressionism was bound to come to me and become an integral part of my works. I view my works as poetry written in colours. Art is like meditation to me. It can make me transcend this world to sublime divinity. The dynamism of hope and optimism- the sensation of upward movement in my works is symbolic of that. Since I have grown up surrounded by nature, I admire and worship it. Perhaps that is why subconsciously it has become the medium to project my sentiments and impressions of life. I try to depict exuberance, cheerfulness, and optimism through my works,” she says.
Kusum Shukla is a self taught artist specialising in painting with palette knives on canvas and other medium, She first started painting during late Indian career diplomat husband Ambassador R C Shukla’s posting in Jakarta some 30 years ago and held her first solo show at Mustings Hus in Copenhagen in 1989, Since then she has exhibited all over the world during his foreign service career and continued even after her husband’s retirement.
Shukla says as a child she used to write very philosophical poems in Hindi. Indeed at a Kavi Sammelan the great poet Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' blessed her and asked to keep Hindi alive.. “My parents often asked me if I understood what I was writing. With growing acquaintance with English, I started writing in that language too. I attribute this creative urge to living in Jamshedpur which is simply surrounded with nature; jungles, rivers lakes and hillocks, she adds.
One of her paintings is part of the ICCR’s collection – Celebrating Women by Amrita Shergill and was first exhibited at Mati Ghar under the show Women on Women.
Kusum was also a contributing artist for the fundraising initiative of the new Alliance Francaise de Delhi building and this contribution is acknowledged on the plaque outside Gallerie Romain Rolland. Some of her paintings have also been acquired by ODA at the Ministry of External Affairs.

2010-03-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Not lifestyle but mindset makes them vulnerable

Barely has the dust settled on the horrifying incident where one Manipur girl was done to death in her own compartment in Munirka last year, the community was in for another shock as another was molested, that too in the same locality - Munirka. Luckily the girl fought back with the culprit and was able to free herself from the perpetrator.
Even though it might look 'another stray incident' of violence against women, it also reciprocates the effectiveness on the part of Delhi police who have claimed that it has taken various initiative/schemes to control crime against women especially from the North-East states, ranging from help line number, community meeting after every two months and forth.
While generalisation of crime against Northeast girls cannot be entirely truth, certain individuals and community leaders from the region have now started asking the basic reasons why these girls are being singularly targeted by local people.
Is this because of the look which is different from "others"? Is this because of the fact that they have certain lifestyles, which are not suited with the local people or is it because of the food habit or culture or whatever that offend the surrounding people? Although none of these questions are not entirely true, the real problem lies with the perceptions what you think and how you react. When the Hollywood culture or the Bollywood or say the western culture are intruding to all our day today lifestyles, traditions, there is little amount of thinking and consciousness that what is right or wrong. From three-year-old child to seventy years old person, everybody wants new outfits or taste new things.
According to a data released by the National Crime Records Bureau, there are 32,000 murders, 19,000 rapes, 7,500 dowry deaths and 36,500 molestation cases reported in India in 2006 against women. There are many instances of crime especially against women go unreported in India. While Madhya Pradesh is worst off among the states, the national capital New Delhi continues to hold on to its reputation of being the most unsafe city in India. Delhi takes the top slot for crimes ranging from murders and rapes to dowry deaths and abductions.
For instance while the national crime rate declined negligibly by .02 per cent in 2006; Delhi's rate grew to 357.2 more than double the national average of 167.7. Rape is the fastest growing crime in the country today and as many as 18 women are assaulted in some form or the other every hour across India.
In a conversation with Madhu Chandra, general secretary of the North-East Support Centre, says that nearly half the number of women sexually harassed in Delhi and its neighbourhood is from the North-East. He says that the Centre is "flooded with complaints related to sexual harassment, adding that most of the complaints are coming from innocent girls. From last two years about 50 complains have been made to the various police stations in the city, but nearly ninety per cent of the cases are not properly taken/handle by the concern authorities, he alleges.
He further reveals that a survey conducted by the Centre and Helpline 86 per cent (or about 86,000) people hailing from the region and living in Delhi face some sort of discrimination or the other "on a daily basis."
Rejecting the claim that north-east girls are scantly dressed and that is one reason they have been singled out for molestation, Chandra said that when so many young girls and young boys are sitting in Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park in a very compromising position and nobody talks about this. Then why they feel tempting or attracted to northeast girls and not to those girls sitting in those parks everyday.
He says that most of the girls are looking cheap in the eyes of the local people, who they think everything can do, which is why there are reports of landlord molesting girls in Gurgaon. He also asks Delhi Police to be more astringent in dealing with the crimes, even though there are certain signs of improving in their activities. Also, he says, there is no dedicated helpline numbers, even though the Delhi Government had promised for it earlier.
Sensing that there are two basic reasons why northeast girls are in most of the times landed on the wrong people, Luikang Lamak, president, Naga Students Union, Delhi, says these are because of their look and innocent. Also because that they do not have the fortitude to fight back, which is why they are always vulnerable, he adds.
On the dress code, he vehemently rejects and says that Delhi is after all a multi-cultural society, where every section of the society from across the world settles here. How can it point out to particular community, he asks. If it is the idea which attract girls from the North-East, this should be more accountable from other communities, he demands.
Talking about the police initiatives, he says that Delhi Police's new scheme to interact with the students' community from the region every two months is a good idea, which has a lot of impacts. But also he particularly praises DCP, Sagar Preet Hooda of North range, for his excellent working approaches to the students.
But unfortunately, he says that, there is still no dedicated helpline number, even though the Delhi Police have earlier promised to start. The so-called dedicated numbers are all already existing ones. Also there is no formal announcement from the department, he laments.

2010-03-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Pakistan needs a healing touch

My friend Subhajit Dasgupta got it right. Every time when I start my usual work, I have an intrigue feeling that springs up always in my mind – that is, how many people have been killed in Pakistan today? That is not an unusual synopsis what would happen in that country but is a revelation what is actually happened in Pak. Every alternate day if not everyday, there is a shooting, kidnapping, bomb blast and so forth.
So this is what Subhajit suggests if not insisting me not to bother how many people were killed in bomb blasts or drone attacks into the militants’ hideouts or at public places.
The gradually expanding influence of militants in Pakistan represents the interplay of religious, political, strategic, sociological and economic trends experienced in the country since its inception in August 1947.
A report – Countering Militancy in Pakistan by the University Club, The University of Western Australia, says that the growing militancy in Pakistan and its implication for the regional and global stability has attracted intense attention around the world. It further points out that the specter of Taliban gradually extending their control over Swat and neighbouring areas have intensified fears of militants gaining access to Pakistan’s nuclear assets.
There are two main causal factors contributing to terrorism in Pakistan: Sectarian/religious violence, the active support of the Pakistani state in nurturing terrorist proxies for perceived strategic ends. After imposition of Martial Law in 1956 Pakistan's political situation suddenly changed and entered into dictator type of national behaviour at different levels either civil servants, the army, political forces and other factors. Other causes, such as political rivalry and business disputes, also take their toll.
It is estimated that more than 25,070 people were killed since 2003-09. Of these, 14,596 belonged to terrorists, 2876 to security forces and 7598 were civilians.
Unsurprisingly, suicide attacks were at the forefront. As compared to 917 killings in 59 suicide attacks in 2008, the year 2009 recorded a total of 80 suicide attacks, in which 1,018 persons were killed.
The US launched 44 distinct drone strikes in Pakistan in 2009, far more than in previous years which killed more than 700 civilians and dozens of hard-core terrorists.
The post-9/11 War on Terrorism in Pakistan has had two principal elements: the government's battle with jihad groups banned after 9/11, and the US pursuit of al-Qaeda, usually (but not always) in coordination with Pakistani forces.
In 2004, the Pakistani army launched a pursuit of al-Qaeda members in the mountainous area of Waziristan on the Afghan border. Clashes there erupted into a low-level conflict with Islamic militants and local tribesmen, sparking the Waziristan War. A short-lived truce known as the Waziristan accord was brokered in September 2006.
In Swat valley, government entered into war against the Taliban in May 2009, which is yet finish. But last month there were two contradictory statements within the establishment of the Pakistani Government that war is over and another is not.
In Pakistan's struggles with Islamist militant groups--foreign and homegrown--the country's provinces have experienced levels of violence that differ widely by type, severity, and consequences. An analysis of a recent WorldPublicOpinion.org poll of Pakistan reveals that these different provinces vary significantly in their views of militant groups and the recent government's actions to an extent that is relevant for policymakers. Of special interest, support for the Pakistani government's efforts and concern about specific militant groups prove to be strong in some unexpected places.
Pakistan is home to numerous ethnic groups, who tend to be clustered in specific provinces, e.g.: Punjabis tends to be clustered in the Punjab, Pashtuns in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Baluch in Baluchistan and Sindhis in Sindh. Of course, there has been tremendous migration within Pakistan. Karachi, in Sindh, is now to home to more Pashtuns than any other city in Pakistan and ethnic Punjabis are settled throughout Pakistan. Indeed, these internal demographic changes have often been a source of conflict among different ethnic groups.
On the other hand, the recent upsurge of jihadi violence in Punjab, the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan’s provincial capital, Quetta, demonstrates the threat extremist Sunni-Deobandi groups pose to the Pakistani citizen and state. These radical Sunni groups are simultaneously fighting internal sectarian jihads, regional jihads in Afghanistan and India and a global jihad against the West.
Admittedly, Pakistan of today is itself created by its own deed.
Well, whether this should be just left out to Pakistan only or Pakistan needs a healing touch or should we watch as a silent spectator, my small mind still could reach to that point.
But at the end we are all human being. We need to give a healing touch to Pakistan.

2010-03-07T01:33:00.000-08:00

The Gandhi

What’s in a name? Certainly quite a lot.

Well, first of all let me ask you one simple question – what is the most popular name in India if not common. My simple answer is – Gandhi. Right, Gandhi is the most popular name in India, yet it is used by only few individuals in the country.

Unlike in Western countries where name of a person is mostly influenced by his/her sheer desire of a particular individual personality; people in India do not necessarily follow that pattern. Also naming of a person, it seems, is to be more of the adaptation to the personality of that person. For instance, if I am supposed to add the word Gandhi to my name, says Kullajit Gandhi, people would definitely laugh at me.

In a report published in the Telegraph of London, the names like – Jack and Olivia have emerged as the most popular baby names of 2009. According to the Office of National Statistics of UK, of 708,711 live births in England and Wales last year 8,007 were called Jack, with 5,317 named Olivia – previously the most popular name in 2008. It further says that the name Riley for a boy, and the girl’s name Lexi were the fastest rising among the top 100. Riley rose 24 places from 2007 to be the 33^rd most popular boy’s name, while Lexi was a new entry into the top 100, rising 40 places to be the 73^rd most popular name for a girl.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, ‘Jack’ has been the most frequently used male given name for babies for at least the years 2003–2007. Looking back through the historical record, the top status for Jack as a male given name is a recent phenomenon. For all of the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century, William or John held the title of most frequent male given name. A closer look at London shows that as of 1994 "Jack" was the most popular given name in the city, but does not appear among the top-ten most popular in the preceding 970 years. A survey in December 2008 showed that Jack is the most popular name in the UK for the 14th year running, since it took over from Thomas in 1994.

Interestingly, even if one looks at the historical point of view, the flag of the United Kingdom is also known as Union Jack.

Scots preferred Sophie, while Katie was top in Northern Ireland and Ruby was most popular in Wales. Some of the top names of boy in UK are Jack, Oliver, Charlie, Harry,Alfie, Thomas, Joshua, William, James and Daniel.

Now, the question is why Gandhi is so popular name even though it is just used by few countable people of the one billion country. The answer is that some 450 central and state government schemes and institutions involving tens of thousands of crores (of rupees) from the public exchequer have been named after three individuals, ie. Jawarharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi and all former prime ministers and icons of the Congress party.

A statement given by the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani in the Parliament recently, says almost all the programmes/schemes initiated by the Central government are under these few individuals. Some of the programmes include the Rs 28,000 crore Rajiv Gandhi Grammen Vidyutikakran Yojana (Rural electrification programme), Rs 7,400 crore Rahiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers, the Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (to promote small enterprises ) and two insurance schemes – the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana and the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana

Likewise, there are many programmes named after Indira Gandhi and Nehru like the Indira Avvas Yojana, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, the Jahawarlal Nehru Rojgar Yojana and the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.

These are only few in numbers. But there are hundreds of institutions either in educational institutions or public institutions which are named after these few individuals. However, almost all Indians do not call their name after these few Great persons.

Sometime one worries whether the government has ignored the Father of Nation, the real (Mahatama) Gandhi.

That is the uniqueness of the GANDHI.

2010-02-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

A flawed democracy

US may be the biggest democracy on planet. Yet India is the largest democracy in the world because of its vast participation of public in the electoral process and decision making or more so in comparison to its neighbouring countries. But if you ask in the same logic – Is India the best democratic country in the world? Then the answer is no. This is what Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), a US based international research body had recently said so. Where does India stand today then? According to it, India is a “Flawed democracy”. Out of the total 167 countries, India ranks 35th position, which is based on a collective score of electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, and functioning of government.
The EIU’s democracy index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture. Countries are placed within one of four types of regimes: full democracies; flawed democracies; hybrid regimes; and authoritarian regimes.
It further said that although almost half of the world’s countries can be considered to be democracies, the number of “full democracies” is relatively low (only 30); 50 are rated as “flawed democracies”. Of the remaining 87 states, 51 are authoritarian and 36 are considered to be “hybrid regimes”. The developed of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries dominate among full democracies, although there are two Latin American, two central European and one African country, which suggest that the level of development is not binding constraint. Only two Asian countries are represented: Japan and South Korea.
There are several ways in which democracy might be adversely affected:

• Economic recession could boost extremist political forces in western Europe, and is also likely to feed anti-immigrant sentiment. These trends will interact with existing concerns about terrorism and could result in a further erosion of civil liberties.

• Many non-consolidated democracies are very fragile and if subjected to intense socio-economic stress, backsliding in democracy is possible. This would especially be the case in much of Latin America (which has a history of democracy reversals), Eastern Europe, and Africa where progress in democratisation in recent decades—already under stress in many cases—could suffer significant setbacks.

• The shallowness of democratic cultures—as revealed by disturbingly low scores for many countries in the Economist Intelligence Unit's indexes for political participation and political culture—also underscores the fragility of many democracies and the potential for reversals.

• Serious recessions typically threaten democracy via increased social unrest. It is therefore worrying that 48 countries are assessed by the Economist Intelligence Unit as being at high risk of social unrest. In the category of flawed democracies there are 15 such countries out of 55; among hybrid regimes, 16 out of 36; and 17, or one third, of the 51 authoritarian states. It is true that historically economic crises and difficulties have been associated with democratic breakthroughs, such as the sudden collapse of seemingly stable autocratic regimes, as much as with the opposite outcome of increasing authoritarianism. However, under present circumstances, and given the combination of other factors that are at work, it seems much more likely that the negative impact on democratisation would predominate.

• Democracy promotion by the Western world was already discredited by the experience in the Middle East over recent years. The economic crisis is likely to further undermine the credibility of efforts by developed nations to promote their values abroad.

• The financial and economic crisis may increase the attractiveness of the Chinese model of authoritarian capitalism for many emerging markets.

Political and economic freedom are often closely associated Our democracy index is negatively correlated with levels of government regulation in various fields, including the degree of financial sector regulation. While the causality is unclear, a rise in economic nationalism may be associated with less democracy.

2010-02-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

For a dream of global power status

Pakistan has the nuclear bombs, but who on earth would call it a global power. This is what Dmitry Kosyrev, vice president of the Foreign Policy International Association, Russia had once famously asked. In the backdrop of Slumdog saga, one still vividly recall a nostalgic incident where one boy of around 12-year-old asked to buy his books at the busy road of Barakhamba road, New Delhi in a winter evening. The boy looked smart, spoke some broken English. Though he was a bit dirty, he had a wonderful dream – to become a pilot one day. Whether he becomes a pilot or not, the time would tell, but what one wonder is how many boys, how many girls are on the streets, whose parents are living in the so-called slums for years in the capital city of a dreaming super power country. Leave them alone living in the countryside, a 20-minute walk away from the power corridor of Parliament House, there are dozen of children living on the mercy of those ‘generous’ gentlemen crossing through the road. If one would believe, there are more than 6.5 crore people living in slum in the country, which is enough more than the entire population of Great Britain.
When the country sells slums, the world’s clapping with triumphant. When the seller earns one hundred million dollars, the dwellers are starving. And we are all happy, because we have manpower, we have resources, we have talents. And we are all proud of Slumdog Millionner success. The is the country called India, dreaming for a global power.
But Kosyrev has reasons to fear about it.
A world power, a global power, a super power – what is the exact meaning of these words, in the absence of any formal recognition of such status, save for the permanent membership of the UN Security council, which got itself frozen in the mid-20th century, he argued.
No doubt, though, that there is a certain common perception that some countries are powers (regional or global), while others are not. For that matter, he asked, what are the components of a global power status then. And this is the question that lies ahead upon us today, whether we want a world power, a global power or a super power or what power is India seeking for. Or should we choose an ‘alternative’ that being different from the rest?
The Soviet Union was a super power, according to him, because it was an alternative – to the West, to Capitalism. The Marxist idea proved to be very hollow, but so many countries are using the availability of choice – commercial as well political.
The global trade and financial system is unfair and will stay unfair as long as the seller wants the price to be high and buyer prefers it to be low. A possibility of finding another seller/buyer is the only lever you can use in this situation, he said.
Yes, ‘military factor’ is also important in the power status equation. But is it the end for power? No, In fact, a very special component of a global power status is the special image of the country, a message it conveys to the world. Admittedly it is the economy. The economic power is vital that is economic indispensability. And finally it’s the culture that shapes the national image more than anything else.
So the question is what image does India have today in the world; what culture shape India’s global status in the present context. Arguably, India too have the nuclear arsenal, then whey is it still being termed as a developing country or buying 126 fifth generation of fighter aircrafts can India achieve its global status? Japan doesn’t have a nuclear bomb, but why is it still being considered as one of the most advanced and developed countries. The answer still remains an acute for India. Because India is still not readied to change its image, it is not ready to shape its culture. Culture doesn’t mean unity in diversity of different people. The culture of tolerance, culture of oneness is still very far.
Do you believe that there are four Indian in Forbes 2008 list of ten riches people in the world and there are 800 million Indian, which is about 75 per cent still living under Rs 20 a day. One billion dollar is the amount Mukesh Ambani is spending on building a house. But there is a housing shortage of 24 million units in the country. Soft drink giant, PepsiCo plans to invest around 500 million dollars in India, which one of its top 5 markets, but fifty per cent of children in this market for Pepsi are malnourished, and 60 per cent women are anemia. Thirty-five per cent of the world’s poor live in India, which has 17 per cent of the world population, forty per cent illiterate, too live here. And India ranks 128 on the Human Development index, though we are 4th in the world in purchasing power parity.
So this is what India has to decide now where it is willing to sell its slums or buying fighter aircraft. It is upto us we have to decide, whether we want to be a global power, or what alternative have we. If we want then from the moment on we should start behaving like one.

2010-02-14T11:32:00.000-08:00

Reign Of Terror

“Do you have any idea how many women; girls were raped by Awa during “Seven Years of Devastation” and how many people were killed during those times?” In a weird tone Tamo Singhajit asked, turning his face towards me.
“Yeah…but certainly not sure about it.”
“This is the problem,” he raised his voice.
“Because nobody knows it and not anyone tries to know about it…we are all their offspring, we’re all their sons and daughters that is why we’re fighting; we’re killing each other everyday. And it will continue for more sometime now,” he continued.
Looking at the present political imbroglio stretching from Afghanistan to Swat Valley in Pakistan; Bangladesh Rifles mutiny to Myanmar’s military junta and finally breathtaking scenic of Manipur’s hilly region to Imphal valley, there is undoubtedly one common discernment for sure that is hatred, anger, distrust among the same people and at the same place. I don’t know much about how Talibanised is Pakistan, yet I would definitely believe that there we’re not lesser than those of things – an insane society, cross-roads of head-ways. This is the infinite discussion neither have you the solution nor I have the reasons.
The other day I had joined a candle light vigil at Delhi’s Janter Manter where dozens of college students, professionals, and some older generation took part and chanting slogan against the brutal killing of Dr. Thingnam Kishan, a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul District of Manipur and two of his staff members. I don’t know what was exactly in their minds, but by peeping through at their appearance, one is certainly sure that they have the sense of hatred, anger, and insecure about their life, about their future way back to Manipur. Some spoke about their friendship relations with Kishan, some spoke about the ongoing conflict, some spoke about the divide-rule policy of the Central Government and some raised their angst against those perpetrators.
But few little questions that cropped up in my mind just after the rally was that why we have organized this protest rally – Was Dr. Kishan good enough to be a social being, who led thousands of people from an insatiable society? We organized this because be belonged to a community and killed by another community? We organized this because he was a civil servant also because he was a young and bright officer? We organized this because he was a good husband, who cared very much of his family? We organized this protest because he was killed by a known a militant group, which is actually based outside the state?
Now the point is if you’re occupied by these few issues on your mind than you should be ready to accept that you’re also part of the same game-conspiracy. The harsh reality is that we never try to ponder how deeply wounded/fractured our society is. Everyday at least 2-3 three people have killed in Manipur either by State security forces or non-state actors. Does anybody raise an alarm for this? Every alternative day we have seen people throwing their venomous speech against each other. Does anyone raise their hands up to stop this?
The rally reminds me the same protest rally organized at the same place against the alleged mass rape case in Churchandpur’s Lungthulien and Parbung in January 2006 by a well-known militant group. Apart from that there are hundreds of such gross human right violations in the state. Does anybody dare to speak against it?
Dr Kishan was a good man, and he must be good person; he had a vision, he must have a vision, but how many people did know him and what great and remarkable service he had done for Manipur? The argument is rather not his service to the society but as a human being why couldn’t he lived and enjoyed a meaningful life as we do. In fact there are hundreds of such persons who lost their lives while doing duties for the masses. There are thousands of parents who everyday wait for their lost children and never sure of their return.
First of all we need to create an image of oneness among ourselves. But for that matter we need to shed our self-made image that is – “Meitei chauvinism”, “Narrow Naga politics”, and “Unmindful Kuki demand”. We need to fight collectively and not to let overcome such sinister design of communal politics played by few dozens of thugs. And we must be resolved that a person like Kishan should not lost in vain. Otherwise we would lose hundreds of Dr. Kishans.
Peace in compromise
Is there anybody on earth who doesn’t want peace? No doubt everyone would want peace. And this is one what all human race from generation to generation, all castes, creeds, religions, are striving for – sometimes by violence or non-violence. Both or either the two methods could be used, but which is to be more lasting is anybody’s guess. Yet one has to choose from one of them, whether you want peace by violence or non-violence. You can’t use both of them simultaneously.
This is what, over the years, the people of militancy-affected northeast states of India have been yearning for.
Sadly this very beautiful word – peace – has been tumultuously used by few people having pseudo colonial mindset on the line of ethnic. Peace doesn’t come from barrel, randomly killing, kidnapping, extortions. You can’t raise your voice for peace by pointing your gun toward a civilian. Peace is something created from our body, heart, soul with spirituality. Peace has always been among humanity's highest values-for some, supreme. Peace is also seen as concord, or harmony and tranquillity. When you fight for something nobody will disturb you. But if you have eyes only result neither will you be a virtuous person nor you will get the result, you will be like a trader, who only believes in profit. And sometimes, winning a heart is more important than winning a goal. Whosoever may be the killers, of a young and bright officer, but it only manifests how their tender mindset has been largely affected by some unknown diseases and how their myopic vision would occur such large-scale protest. Even the worst law can not validate for that gruesome act.
Now the questions to most of the right thinking individuals are – what kind of peace you are talking about, you want? Killing your brethren regularly will bring your peace? Dividing people on the line of ethic would bring you more benefit? What are you fighting for? Will you give your keys to “outsider” to look after your deserter house? Will those outsider help to get your dream? Is it to show that you can do everything? Is it to tell to the world you want peace- only for namesake? Is it for fear that those unarmed civilian will disturb your peace process? Is it a show to boost your lost moral character? Or is it to wipe out “other” communities so as to secure your unfulfilled dream? – None of these seems to answer.
Then why does a peace seeking party break this serenity every time and again? The answer is they can’t see and think over beyond the environment where they exist. Once they realise how big the world is, they would understand what peace is all about.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had said, "We must build dike of courage to hold back the flood of fear... That old law about "an eye for an eye" leaves everybody blind... The time is always right to do the right thing... Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

2010-02-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

Brunch with Momos

Well, I must be first sincere to myself. I am not a regular guest to this centre. The only thing I can guess is it was my fifth visit and every time I had to wait at least forty minutes for my turn. And this is the place where many Delhiites, mostly youngsters and youth rush to every alternate day, if not everyday, for a small bite of it.
Though there are good number of hotels and restaurants in the city with their different specialities of cuisine and dishes, here is only one restaurant if you are fond of genuine Momos, especially the chicken Momos.
The Sikkim House (New) at Chanakya Puri in Delhi has an ethnic style when it comes to serve the momo to customers. Though the restaurant dishes out to both vegetable and non-vegetable recipe, if you are preferred on non-vegetables dishes, especially chicken-momo, this is the right place.
There are different varieties of momos. Most common are C-momo, Kothey momo, momo soup and fried momo. C-momo is momos in a hot and spicy sauce consisting of onions, capsicums, etc., usually served in a bowl. Fried momos are prepared by deep frying the steamed momo, momo soup is steamed momos immersed in a meat broth and Kothey momos are pan-fried.
And some of the common momos available in the market are: Pork steam momos, mutton steam momos, chicken momos, veg-steam momos, fish steam, prawan steam, mix thukpa, veg thukpa, prawan thukpa and mushroom thukpa.
But as we aware that there are two type of momos: non-veg and veg momo, so one has to clearly choose the right momo either of these two for their own convenience.

Dough

First of all, make the dough. You don't have to be very exact about the measurements. Mix the flour and water very well by hand and keep adding water until you make a pretty smooth ball of dough. Then knead the dough very well until the dough is flexible. Now leave your dough in the pot with the lid on while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. You should not let the dough dry out, or it will be hard to work with.
Filling
Normally momos are made with either meat or vegetables. For non-veg momo, different kind of meats filling are popular in different region, such yak meat, mutton, beef and buffalo's meats are used in different parts of the world, especially Tibetans, China, and other South East Asian countries. However, in India chicken momos are often used because of religious affinity.

Vegetable momo filling:

Chop all the following ingredients into very, very small pieces: onions, fresh ginger two or three cloves of garlic, a bunch of cilantro, cabbage, tofu, dark brown mushrooms , soy sauce, and spiciest.

Meat momo filling
As we mentioned above, different people of different regions used various type of meat. But in India, particularly in Delhi chicken, mutton, lamb, pork momos are used. So first of all one has to chop into very small pieces. For both kinds of momo's, put all of the ingredients in a pot or big bowl, then add a teaspoon of bouillon and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix everything together very well. (If you are making meat momo's, you may need to use your hands to mix it up.)

Shaping the Momos

Deep Chandra Pandey, manager of Sikkim House (New), says that shaping of momo is one of the most tricky subjects while making it since it's being the attraction point for the customers. For this, place the dough on a chopping board and use a rolling pin to roll it out quite thinly. It should not be so thin that you can see through it when you pick it up, nor should it be quite as thick. Somewhere between those two should work out. After you have rolled out the dough, you will need to cut it into little circles for each momo.
"The easiest way to do this is turn a small cup or glass upside down to cut out circles about the size of the palm of your hand. That way, you don't have to worry about making good circles of dough because each one will be the same size and shape," says Pandey, who also holds a degree in hospitality management.
Of course, you can also make the circles by the more traditional, and more difficult, way of pinching off a small ball of dough and rolling each ball in your palms until you have a smooth ball of dough.
Over the last few decades momo has become a very popular street food in many Indian cities, such as Kolkata, Siliguri, Guwahati, Delhi and other parts of the country.
There are dozens of restaurants or hotels, which serve momos in Delhi. Few of them are : Momo's Point at Jawahar Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Delhi; Momo Mia at Dilli Hatt, Aurobindo Marg, Sarojani Nagar, Delhi; and Jaswant Place at Chanakyapuri. One unique point of the Jaswant Place is that the centre has more than 20 momo centres that serve all type of momos. One Sanjay Malhotra, who has two centre at the same place says that since the inception of this centre ( Jaswant Place) in 1985, many people across the city visit the market and still enjoy the same.

Ingredients
Momos are very good for your social life.
Ingredients (Makes 30 momos)
4 cups: Wheat flour
750 gm: Meat minces
2 large: Onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized: Ginger, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon: Salt

Method
1. Mix well wheat flour with 2 cups of water and knead into a stiff paste, roll out on a floured board till it is very thin. The rolled dough should be about 2 feet square.
2. Cut in circle with the rim of tea cup.
3. Place a circle of dough on your left hand, slightly stretch the edges and place about a teaspoon of filling in the centre.
4. Then with your right thumb and forefinger pleat the dough together over the centre of the meat, forming a pin-wheel design. Your left thumb is used to tuck the minced meat down as you go, and the dumpling turns on your palm as you pleat around it. A special steamer locally called moktu is required.
5. Filled up dumplings are placed on oiled racks, slightly separated in the moktu.
6. Bottom of the moktu is filled with water and steam the dumplings for 20-25 min.
7. Momo is ready to serve hot.
8. Momo is eaten with meat/vegetable soup, and tomato achar.

2010-02-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

33 killed due to landmines in 2008

The historic disarmament Mine Ban Treaty entered its 10th years of entry into force in 2009. However, even after ten years, India still has not signed this treaty.
According to the Landmine Monitor Report – 2009, 33 Indians were killed due to landmines in 2008, even though it is far lesser than 2007, which stood at 177.
The report also further mentioned that around 3000 Indians have been killed and over 2000 were injured/maimed in the last 10 years. Most casualties occurred in Jammu and Kashmir followed by Manipur in the Northeast India.
The other states affected by landmines are Rajasthan, Punjab, Sikkim and Naxal affected areas in eastern and central India.
The report which will be launched tomorrow for India unit, highlights that India remains one of the few countries still producing antipersonnel mines. Its stockpile is estimated to be between four and five million, which is the fifth largest in the world. It says India’s last major use of antipersonnel mines took place between December 2001 and July 2002, when the Indian Army deployed an estimated two million mines along its 2,880 km northern and western border with Pakistan in Operation Parakram. The operation direrctly affected more than 6,000 families across 21 villages and was one of the most extensive worldwide since the Mine Ban Treaty was signed in 1997.
“156 countries have signed the Treaty. They are banning the use, production, stockpile and trade of landmines and their armed forces learnt to protect their borders without using landmines. 39 countries—including India, China, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States—have yet to join the treaty for various reasons. But India must join the process as non-explosive viable alternatives already exist", says Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh (retd), Diplomatic Advisor to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Binalakshmi Nepram, of New Delhi based think tank Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI), says, “In the next decade more countries must meet their obligations to clear areas of existing landmines and put more effort into educating affected communities about mine hazards. Governments must ensure that no more people are killed or injured by these indiscriminate weapons. And they must also ensure that people affected are adequately compensated”,
Dr. Swaran Singh, Professor, JNU, says, “Ten years of Mine Ban Treaty represent an era or hope and expectations. Antipersonnel landmines ban is a model for change in disarmament diplomacy for the 21st century world. This treaty has since inspired several other initiatives in conventional disarmament where civil society, non-governmental organizations, and policy networks.”

2010-02-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

Bed and Breakfast Scheme

For the millions Indians and so does to the tourism industry, Commonwealth Games is just like a shot in the arm as it has accelerated the construction and progress of infrastructure like the airports, flyovers, connectivity of metro rail and roads in the NCR. Also it could now at least enhanced and overcoming shortage of hotel rooms.
Apart from it the new scheme - 'Bed and Breakfast' launched by the Government of India, is another great milestone, as many in the industry see it - 'a forward step'.
The basic idea behind the Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme is to provide a home-like, clean and affordable accommodation facilities to the tourists of India and abroad. The scheme gives the foreign tourists an opportunity to experience the customs and traditions and relish the authentic cuisine of India during their stay with an Indian family.
In fact, the initiative is an attempt to address what is expected to be a shortage of affordable rooms in the city. According to industries experts and analysis, the city has a shortage of 15,000 rooms currently, which is expected to reach upto 30,000 rooms during the times of Commonwealth Games.
D K Gupta, assistant director, Tourism department of the Delhi Government, says that with this scheme private residences have been given permission to register single rooms as bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Under the scheme, the number of rooms which can be let out is 2/3 rd of the total bed rooms available with minimum one and maximum five bed rooms. Interestingly, the owner must be a resident of the premises along with his/her family.
There are two categories namely: Silver and Gold depending upon the size and other facilities of the rooms. The size of bedroom under Silver category should be 120 sq.ft. and under Gold category, it should be 200 sq.ft.
Though the tariff under this scheme has been not fixed yet, which will be regulated by the market forces, water, power and property tariffs would be levied on domestic rates and no other tax would be applicable to these premises.
The bed-and-breakfast system is not new in the Delhi region. However, it was not profitable until the coming of the Commonwealth Games. Now that the system has been revived and officially ratified, it will doubtlessly continue at an organised level even after the Games. Home owners who have been issued bed-and-breakfast licenses will have to renew them every two years, and three months prior to expiry.
There has also been some speculation about farmhouses in the Delhi NCR region being mobilised as stopgap accommodation measures. Going by records, requests by farmhouse owners to utilise their properties for this purpose have certainly been made. The provisions for the Bed & Breakfast scheme would extend to farmhouses as well. Conceivably, a certain number of farmhouse owners may rent out single rooms for tourist use during the Games.
Though the scheme has given a lot scopes and helpful to the immediate crisis of the room shortages, there are still some sceptical whether the schemes would be effective or successful amongst the industry expert and analysis.
Expressing his views on the issues, Rajindera Kumar, director, the Ambassador Hotel, says that though the Bread and Breakfast scheme is a good initiative which would definitely augment the existing room inventory and offer reasonable accommodation at comparatives rates, the scheme may not be very successful as it could face by various issues and problems, such as security issue, infrastructure issue, settlement of dispute. And above all there should be a nodal agency to look after all these sorts, which is why it could ultimately end up in deep disputes with non payments. Therefore, he says, it may not be very sustainable in the long run.
He is of the views that at the time of Commonwealth Games, the Bread and Break-fast inventory will definitely come handy to help solved the acute room shortage, however there is a need of strict control and regulation in terms of safety to the visitors, cleanliness, hygiene, safety and security.
Kumar, also president of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), says that beside the Government should have a nodal agency to control and regulate the scheme, it also needs to closely monitor the tariffs as per their standards, ensure safety security, hygienic standards, location of lettable rooms and approach and accessibility for the visitors etc. Once these issues are addressed, the schemes could be successful and may not have dispute.
Supporting to Rajindera Kumar, Praveen Kumar, an expert in the industry, says because of the personal sentiments attached to these properties, their location, and the fact that they have residential-use status only, this temporary semi-commercial utilisation will not turn into a long-standing trend after the Commonwealth Games.
Praveen says these farmhouses are at the luxury end of the residential market, often with carefully maintained ambiance and infrastructure. Offering them for long-term tourist use would not be a concept that would appeal to many of these farmhouse owners.
In the second place, most farmhouses in the Delhi NCR region are located in clusters around Mehrauli, Bijwasan, Rajokri and Chattarpur, which are far from strategically placed in terms of where the main Commonwealth Games action will be. As such, they would not present much of an advantage for visitors.
On the revenue front, Paramjit Singh Dugal, CEO, Casa Duga, says that even though there is no hard and fast rule of the amount charges on the guest, a house owner could fetch around Rs 1 ,800 to Rs 4,500 per room per day.
Talking about the misuse of the scheme, Dugal further says that there are reports of misuse of the B&B scheme but as of now there is no officially figured on the subject.
It may be mentioned that UT of Chandigarh has already scrapped the scheme after its operators allegedly misused it and violated rules.
DK Gupta says that so far the Delhi Government has approved more than 1000 properties under the scheme, adding that there is no reports of misusing the scheme, but anybody found misusing the scheme would definitely given punishment.
Obligations of the guest
The guest shall, among his other obligations, comply with the following -

(a) he shall disclose his correct particulars for making entries in the register maintained by the owner;
(b) he shall be responsible for his good conduct and behavior and shall not indulge in any disorderly activity leading to breach of peace, civil and social atmosphere of the locality or create any nuisance to adversely affect the rights of other guests and residents of the establishment;
(c) he shall not run a separate kitchen in the establishment;
(d) he shall be responsible for the repair of damage caused by him or by any person whom he permits on the establishment through any of their willful or negligent act, but not for damage caused by normal wear and tear

(e) he shall cooperate fully with the owner of the establishment to maintain the premises neat and clean, to pay charges as due in time and to abide by other rules of the establishment; and
(f) he shall not allow any other person to stay in the establishment overnight.

Obligations of the owner of the premises

The owner of the premises registered as Bed & Breakfast establishment shall:
(i) maintain a register and/or computerized record in electronic form giving detailed particulars as prescribed, of the guests and keep the same readily available for inspection at all times. The register shall have to be renewed on year-to-year basis and preserved for such period as may be prescribed;
(ii) send information of the guests staying in the establishment to the municipal body concerned and the police every fortnight on the 15th and last day of every month;
(iii) display the list of guests at the establishment;
(iv) obtain verification of the employees in the establishment by the police;
(v) maintain establishment in a good state of repair and cleanliness and fit for habitation of guests at all times and shall comply with any rules respecting standards of health, hygiene and safety including fire safety;
(vi) display at a conspicuous place in the establishment the certificate of registration, type of food offered, the schedule of charges for the accommodation and food, names of employees and time of checking out;
(vii) provide good quality food prepared in hygienic conditions;
(viii) inform the guests in advance of the type of accommodation, facilities and food offered, the rates charged, time of opening and closing of the establishment, etc;
(ix) provide the food and facilities to the guests as promised; and
(x) inform the prescribed authority within a week of the changes, if any, in the facilities at the establishment as approved at the time of registration.
Restrictions on the owners of the premises
The owner of the premises shall not :
(i) maintain a front office and the entire house should appear like a normal residential house;
(ii) carry out or allow any commercial activity of tours and travel, sight-seeing, transport, handicrafts or any other similar activity in or from the establishment;
(iii) indulge or allow any such activity which adversely affects the privacy and rights of the neighbours and residents of the locality;
(iv) make misrepresentation to any person in respect of the establishment; and
(v) indulge in any kind of touting activity.

2010-02-14T06:50:00.000-08:00

Counterfeit currency: a new menace in India

It was business as usual. Retail vendor Santosh Kumar Jha was about to close his grocery shop at Karol Bagh at around 10 pm, when a customer asked him for a pack of cigarettes with a Rs 500 note in hand. Since it was closing time, the vendor didn't bother to check the veracity of the currency note and handing over a packet of cigarettes, he closed the shop and went home.
Next morning, when he checked out his previous day's earnings, he felt an unusual sense on his hand while holding the Rs 500 note. Later in the afternoon, when he again checked it with a friend working in a bank, the note was found to be fake. Similar was the experience of Mohammed Nasan, an auto driver.
It is not the sole cases to someone likes Santosh or Nasan, there are hundreds of people today in the city who do not exactly aware of fake currency, which has been flooding Indian markets from the neighbouring countries.
According to investigating agencies the amount of fake currency in India is a whopping Rs 169,000 crore. But the Reserve Bank of India officials dispute this figure and say that as of July 2008, the total currency available with the Indian public was Rs 603,000 crore and if what the IB is saying is true, then it would mean that 28 per cent of the currency in the country is fake.
A statement given by the Reserve Bank of India confirms that the detection of counterfeit banknotes have been increased by 103.3 per cent with 3,42,281 pieces have been recovered, which has a value of Rs 15,57, 05,5000 at the Reserve Bank’s offices and bank branches during 2008-09 from 195811 pieces recovered with a value of Rs 5, 49,91, 180. However, it vehemently rejected the media report that Rs 1,69,000 counterfeit notes are in circulation.
In value terms, the counterfeit notes increased by 183.1 per cent during 2008-09 on account of rise in detections in the notes of higher denominations, viz., Rs.100 and above and also on account of the large detection of counterfeit notes of higher denominations at Dumariaganj in September 2008.
The high-level Group on Systems and Procedures of Currency Distribution, headed by Usha Thorat, Deputy Governor, RBI, which was set up by RBI to look into the currency distribution, says that the number of fake notes in India is estimated at 3 to 6 pieces per million, and this is one of the lowest in the world. The Group noted that the RBI appointed Nayak Committee (1988) did not, in fact, make any estimate of forged notes; the figure of Rs 1,69,000 crore refers to the projection made by the Committee of the actual notes in circulation by the year 2000.
According to intelligence reports, fake Indian currency notes racket is being carried out by using the network of underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim, not only in India but also in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal in close association with different terror outfits.
Fake notes are not a new phenomenon; what is new is the technological sophistication involved, the sharp rise in the amount of counterfeit currency.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 2,204 cases of counterfeiting were reported during 2007 and roughly Rs 10 crore worth of fake currency was seized. Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have reported a 200 per cent, 178.6 per cent and 175 per cent increase respectively in counterfeiting cases over 2006.
Upon analysing the trend of FICNs seized as per CCIMS data, Maharashtra reported the highest number of total notes with the number being pegged at 33,567 (having a total value of Rs 1,49,11,870) during 2009 (till August 16).
From 2006 to 2008, Uttar Pradesh was top of the list, reporting highest number of total notes seized and value-wise as well. However, the highest number of FICN seizure cases was reported from Tamil Nadu, with 601 cases in 2008 and 172 cases till August 16 this year.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken even said that Lashkar-e-Toiba was a key player in the massive inflow of fake currency into the Indian market from Pakistan. He even told in the Lok Sabha that the Lashkar had set up a well-oiled criminal network across the country. Syndicates like the D-Company were also behind the inflow of the fake currency.
Even if we go by the report of last week's recovered of Rs 10,00,000 counterfeit notes by Delhi police, the trend is alarming. According to a report given by the Delhi Police, the total amount of fake currency, which was recovered up to November this year is Rs 76,58,300 (including 1500 Euro and US$2000). In the same corresponding previous year, it stood at Rs 59,19,000 (including US$1300).
An official of the Delhi police says that the denomination of Rs 500 is the highest number of pieces being recovered so far at 8,038 followed by Rs 100 at 4934 and 3076 of Rs 1000 respectively. Though, he further informs, all the denominations have been affected by this counterfeit fiasco, Rs 5 denomination has not been touched so far. The official says that most of the counterfeit currency comes from the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, but all starts from Pakistan.
Officials of the RBI say that RBI has taken steps for installation of 250 NSMs at its offices and selected non-currency chest bank branches across the country to check the menace of counterfeit bank notes. It has set up Forged Note Vigilance Cells (FNVCs) at the banks (to ensure stringent levels of anti-counterfeit management in the banking system) to help in the increased detection of counterfeit bank notes.

All currency chest branches of banks (and certain identified non-chest branches which are close to international borders or have heavy cash transactions) have been equipped with Note Sorting Machines to detect and curb the circulation of counterfeit notes. The RBI has been coordinating with the investigating agencies as well as State police authorities for information sharing.

2010-02-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

Spurt in motor theft cases
These days Deepak Bharti is in a state of shock. Only a few months back, Deepak had invested his hard-earned savings and bought for himself a swanky Hero Honda Hunk. And believe it or not the Hunk has vanished last week. For, Deepak's bike was stolen from the parking slot right in front of his office in Bahadurshah Safar Marg, the Fleet Street of Delhi. If such an experience is a first-time one for Deepak, Praveen Kumar Singh of East Delhi is twice bitten. He has lost two of his vehicles, one scooter and a car, over the past five years.
The Delhi Police may be blowing its own trumpet by publicising its achievements in busting crimes in the city, including Motor Vehicle Theft (MVT), in its house journal. But for citizens such as Deepak or Kumar, life is not going to be the same. They are back to commuting in our over-crowded buses or the Metro, their hopes of travelling on their own dashed by the gang of vehicle lifters who stalk the streets of this capital city without fear.
However ironical it may be, the data provided by the Delhi Police shows a remarkable decrease in the MVT cases in the city. The DP claim recovery of 1,625 vehicles in 2009 while it was 1,258 in 2008. This may not be a mean achievement on the part of the police considering the ever-increasing number of vehicles in the city and its growing borders. But the truth is that at least 11,892 motor vehicles were stolen in 2009, a whopping 20 per cent more than 2008, which stood at 9,949.
Interestingly motor vehicle thieves seem to prefer motorcycles over cars. Among the stolen vehicles, 7.843 were two wheelers, 4,723 cars, 173 trucks, 109 auto-rickshaws, seven buses and 390 other types of vehicles. The police stations most affected were Prashant Vihar with 401 cases, Rohini (302), Saraswati Vihar (238), Malviya Nagar (207), Patel Nagar (174), Anand Vihar (172), Paschim Vihar (171), Shalimar Bagh (169) and Pandav Nagar (163).
On December 6 last, Delhi Police chief YS Dadwal said that police alone couldn't prevent vehicle thefts as there were a huge number of vehicles in the city. "People have to invest some money in this. It is not possible for police alone to prevent such incidents," Dadwal went on record.
A senior official of the Delhi Police says that MVT is a low-risk, but high-profit venture. He further contends that MVT manufacturers by making their products more attractive by paradigm change in vehicle models and costs as well automatically become favourites of lifters. .
These thefts constitute about 15 per cent of all the crimes committed in Delhi. These figures also include scooters and motorcycles. "Our analysis shows that motor vehicle theft is the biggest crime in Delhi and there has been a considerable increase in it," said a senior police officer.
Talking about the factors responsible for vehicle theft, the officer says that non-availability of parking places in residential areas or in front of offices is one of the main factors. Also, he says, indifference of owners and 'Police May Care' attitude, reluctance to spend on installation of security devices, second-hand market in other states plays a major role in absorption of stolen vehicles.
He further points out that re-registration of stolen vehicle in some states without completion of procedural formalities, manual maintenance of records by State Transport Authority in some states led to the vehicle theft, adding that most of the stolen vehicles from Delhi are found disposed off in other states like, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, J&K, North East states and foreign countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, where it is impossible to get them back.
Non-availability of a fixed registration number plate facilitates re-painting in no time, he claims.
About the action taken of MV theft, the officer says that identification of affected places and time zone and proper deployment of staff in these areas are in the process. The department also asks State Transport Authorities not to register second hand vehicles without receiving NOC from the concerned authority.
He says that manufacturers of any type of vehicles are informed to install security devices at the factory/show room. Saying that parking attendants are sensitizing, he asserts that the police department is getting in touch with the insurance agencies and letters are posted to the citizens of the city asking for installing Anti Auto-Theft safety devices.
Police said they keep arresting gangs and the moment they come out on bail, they started committing the crime again.
As Dadwal pointed out at his annual press conference on New Year's Day that a policeman is not a "chowkidar" and people need to be careful about their vehicles; the onus lies on the owner of the vehicle to ensure its safety. It is true that a policeman cannot be deployed at every nook and corner. People need to spend some money on putting proper security locks in their vehicles. When people can spend lakhs on vehicles, they can also afford to spend a few thousands on the security apparatus. But the best bet would be the manufacturers doing so in all earnestness rather than indulging in fancy, meaningless gimmicks they generally tend to come up with.

2010-02-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

Why women want abortion?
If one goes by Nancy Meyers’s Hollywood blockbuster flick – What Women Want – there is a lot that the Government of India can learn about.
The day would not be so far when one can ask – why women want abortion. But if you ask the same question to the Government – the answer in all probability – failure of any contraceptive device or method. Because it is same answer or reason why most women want abortion, when asked why they want to.
According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment Act), 2003, there are six categories or reasons for termination of an unborn child viz: a. danger to life of the pregnant woman; b. grave injury to the physical health of the pregnant woman; c. grave injury to the mental health of the pregnant woman; d. pregnancy caused by rape; e. substantial risk that if the child was born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped; and f. failure of any contraceptive device or method.
Of the 39,384 cases of abortion being reported in Delhi during the year 2008-2009, almost half of them (women) are diagnosed with the given category – failure of any contraceptive device or method and followed by ‘ danger to life of the pregnant woman.
A study conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research, found that 19 per cent of the 1.9 million teenage abortions that take place every year in developing countries happen in India.
Of the approximately 3,61,000 teenage abortions that take place in India every year, around one lakh happen in the urban towns of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. And the national Capital contributes to half of that figure.
Though there are no specific figures of abortion cases among the teenager, top abortionists in the city say that at least 4,200+ teenage abortions take place in the capital every month. That’s 50,000 every year.
Also if one looks at the data given the Family Welfare Department (FWD), Government of Delhi, abortion between the ages of 20 – 30 has the maximum number of such cases.
The Law Commission of India, in its one recommendation suggested that the Government of India should bring a suitable change in the law so as to prohibit the marriage of children below the age of 18. The marriageable age, at present, of girls is 18 while the same for boys is 21, according to the Hindu Marriage Act. If the Government accepts the report and changes the rules accordingly, for the first time in India’s history, a child marriage involving a bride or groom below the age of 16 will be illegal.
Now, if we look at the statistic datas prepared by the FWD, Delhi Government, there is no distinguish case whether it would be a rightful age to marry or sex, if one goes to the reports of abortion cases.
Having said that the classification of ages for abortion is divided between the ages of: below 15, age between 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44 and above 44. But, by the given classification of data, the highest cases of abortion in Delhi occurred in the ages between 25-29 and followed by 20-24. Which means, even though there is a permissible ages for one to marry or abortion, there is no distinction whether it is young women who just married or college going students or any other workingwomen.
An official of the FWD, Delhi Government, says that abortion among the teenage (read under 18), is having one of the highest cases in the city, but most of these teenagers go to quacks because if they are below 18 years of age any registered abortion clinic would ask for a guardian’s consent. Quacks won’t question them at all.
According to UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children-2009” report, 47 per cent of India's women aged 20–24 were married before the legal age of 18, with 56 per cent in rural areas. The report also showed that 40 per cent of the world's child marriages occur in India.
Now if you look at the data comparatively with the year between 2007-2008, which stood at 35,981, the abortion cases are also increased sharply. And of the nine districts of Delhi, West district has the maximum number of abortion cases, having 883 cases reported in July and 814 in August in this year alone and East district has the least number of such cases, having 49 and 109 in July and August respectively.
Dr Uvashi Jha, director, Obstetrics and Gyaecology Department, Max Healthcare, says that although the number of abortion cases comparatively similar among the married women and college going students, which is around 10 cases every month in the hospital, these girls are rather brazen attitude towards the pregnancy. She says that there is no fear or regret seen on their faces. But for the married women the majority of abortions are sought for personal reasons such as they do not have the financial resources to bring up a child or they are not ready for the responsibility of raising a child.
She further discloses that in most of the cases, girls are coming with somebody either her boyfriends or relatives and with parents are very rare, adding that there is a gross difference between knowledge and practise.
Dr Jha says that mostly the cause of adolescent pregnancies is unplanned sex, which happens at the spur of the moment. Also by the records, she says, most of them do not actually care for their health in future as well.
An official of the FWD, says there are 506 registered clinic centre/hospital in the city. She says that an authorised MTP centre can only terminate a pregnancy of 12 weeks in case of complications. For termination of pregnancy between 12 weeks and 20 weeks, the centre needs to seek permission from the appropriate district health authority backed with medical reasons given by at least two gynaecologists and tests from two ultrasound scan centers.
Under the MTP Act, a person found involved in the illegal termination of pregnancy can be subjected to an imprisonment of 2 to 7 years, but as of now there is no report, says an officer.
So it's time for parents to wake up and smell the coffee. Saying no to "no sex" won't help, a loud yes to "safe sex" will.

2010-02-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

Now, a helpline purely for those from Northeast
Forget about 9/11 attacks, throw out 26/11 stories, yours is 1090. Following the incident of October 24 in which one Manipuri girl was strangled by a Ph.D scholar in Munirka in South Delhi, the Delhi Government has set up a special toll-free help line number - 1090, which will be purely dedicated for use by the Northeast students, specially the girls. This number was launched under the scheme called - Eyes and Ears of the Delhi Police to help the victims or students from Northeast and will be in service for 24x7. Beside this, other regular women helpline No 1091, PCR call centre No 100 and 23317004 can be used.

Talking about the new initiative, Delhi Police spokesperson, Rajan Bhagat says that the new initiative was launched following the frequent attacks on students from the Northeast region and specially after the recent killing of one Manipuri girl in South Delhi.
He further disclosed that besides identifying the pockets where most people from Northeast people are living, such as Munirka, Kotla, Satya Niketan near Dhaula Kuan, South Ex circles, Asharam, Maharani Bagha, North Campus areas, the Delhi Police have also selected three nodal officers: One for the northern range i.e. DCP/North, DCP/East will be the nodal officer for the Northeast states community living in Trans Yamuna area, while DCP/South will be nodal officer for the Northeast states community living in the Southern range and New Delhi District for interaction with students and other persons belonging to the North eastern states, who will look after all the incidents and crimes.
This aside, Bhagat says, in all police stations in North and North-West districts at and around the Delhi University including police stations Model Town, Mukherjee Nagar, Civil Lines, Roop Nagar, Timarure etc. there should be regular patrolling covering not only hostels where students live but also pockets in normal residential colonies in which students from Northeast live in large numbers.
The spokesperson further informs that a special sensitisation programme has already started for those handling helpline no. The beat constables in such areas should be sensitised to establish close interaction with the community leaders of the residents belonging to the Northeast states so that they are aware of the problems, if any, being faced by them and can take appropriate action or inform the Division Officer/SHO for necessary action. The Area Security Committee, which has been formed in the North District, should meet regularly and interact with various stakeholders including the students, he added.

2010-02-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Legalising prostitution may prove counter-productive

They say we want it, the other articulate it may prove counter-productive for them. Even as Supreme Court’s recent observation that if the Government cannot practically possible to curb the menace of prostitutions in the country, it was better to legalise it, has become the talk of the town, many experts, intelligentsias feel otherwise, saying that instead of bringing a new impetus for the prostitute, it may also bring a negative impact in the society. But on the other hand, those who involved directly or indirectly in the business, who the PBD spoke says it would help them escape exploitation by the police and other ‘rough’ people. Citing illustrations of the Bollywood fames – Pakeezeh, Umrao Jaan, Amar Prem, Devdas, they say they should not be left untouched and remain deprived all their life. “We want to be freedom from exploitation, we have the right to exist, have grown-up children, we need to feed them”, they asserted.
Responding to a public interest litigation filed by an NGO last week, the Apex Court had asked the Government that legalising sex trade would be a better option to avoid trafficking of women and said nowhere in the world has the trade been curbed my punitive measures. It said that they (sex trade) have been operating in one way or the other and nowhere have they been able to curb it by legislation.
Even though the statement given by the SC might not be perceived as a mere obligatory remark, it can also be seen as infinite rule, rather than a firm law that has to be taken problems of the prostitution.
It can also see how a country, which is one of the fastest growths in its GDP, has still 37 per cent of the country’s population under below poverty line (BPL).
The bench said child trafficking and sex trade were flourishing because of poverty which needs to be tackled.
Reacting to the statement of the SC, Ruchira Gupta, president, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, says that legalisation would only increase trafficking, normalises violence against women and girls and protects male buyers of prostituted sex again disease rather than protecting women and girl against rape.
Citing examples, Gupta says that some cities of foreign countries like, Amsterdam Holland, Victoria, Alberta, which have been legalised prostitution, illegal brothels have increased by 300 per cent and there are more North African and Eastern European girls in Amsterdam’s brothels than Dutch girls and more South East Asian girls in Australia than Australian girls. It has also increased violence. She says that in Nevada, USA where prostitution is legalised, rape has increased by 300 per cent.
On being viability, Gupta says it can never be feasible to legalise prostitution as most countries which have legalised to have found it. She says the mayor of Amsterdam found that it has increased money laundering and illegal immigration. In Australia and Nevada, they have found that it distigmatises pimps and brothel owners, not the women and girls.
On the legal angle, she says that legalising prostitution is also against the spirit of the Indian Constitution, as it would be illegal for Art 14 and Article 21 that guarantee the life and liberty of Indian citizens and also the freedom against discrimination. She is of the opinion that legalising prostitution is the legalisation of sexual exploitation, especially of those who are poor and low caste. It would be like saying that we should legalize the caste system.
Instead, she says harsh punishment should be given against traffickers and buyers of prostituted sex thereby dismantling the system of prostitution not for legalisation, which only legalise the co modification of women and girls.
In India, prostitution itself (exchanging sex for money) is not illegal, but the surrounding activities (operating brothels, pimping, soliciting sex etc) are illegal.
According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development there are about 2.8 million sex workers in India, with 35.47 per cent of them entering the trade before the age of 18 years.
But the average age of entry into prostitution is the age nine to thirteen, according to the National Human Rights Commission study and most of them are from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Ninety seven per cent are from scheduled caste/scheduled tribe and other backward classes.
According to a Human Rights Watch report, Indian anti-trafficking laws are designed to combat commercialised vice; prostitution, as such, is not illegal. A sex worker can be punished for soliciting for seducing in public while clients can be punished for sexual activity close to a public place and the organisation puts the figure of sex workers in India to be around 15 million, with Mumbai alone being home to one hundred thousands sex workers, the largest sex industry centre in Asia. Over the years, India has seen a growing mandate to legalise prostitution, to avoid exploitation of sex workers and their children by middlemen and also in the wake of growing HIV/AIDS menace.
Normally, girls prostitutes are categorised as common prostitutes, singers, and dancers, call girls, religious prostitutes (or devdasi), and caged brothel prostitutes.
The current laws of India allow prostitution to thrive, but attempt to hide it from the public, says Rajinder Kumar Sharma, former vice-president, Delhi Bar Association. He says that the statement given by the SC was just an observation, which cannot be fully utilised in a practicable manner. He argues that if the Government is sincere enough to curb the menace, they have to change the law first and then try to improve the economic viability of the poor people. Poverty comes out of capitalism and it is their (sex workers) compulsion to turn in the profession, with which unless the Government does not do anything for them, the situation will remain the same, asserts Sharma.
He further says that every Act has always aim and objective. It’s been long enough which the Government can do to content the profession.
The basic reason to being in prostitution, says Gupta, is the demand for prostituted sex. She says that these men are actually buying dominance and not sex. The majority of men does not want to or don’t buy sex. As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply as there are enough poor people for men to exploit. Traffickers rush in to prey on poor women because there is a demand. Only ending demand will end prostitution, she claims, adding that by confronting the demand it requires to have a new anti-trafficking law, which will punish severely the traffickers and buyers of prostituted sex so that it will make it untenable for trafficker to run the flesh trade and act as deterrent to the end-users (the buyers of prostituted sex).
Sharma says that primary law dealing with the status of sex workers is the 1856 law referred to as The Immoral Traffic (Suppression) Act (SITA). According to this law, prostitutes can practice their trade privately but cannot legally solicit customers in public. Organised prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings, pimping etc) is illegal. As long as it is done individually and voluntarily, a woman (male prostitution is not recognised in the Indian constitution) can use her body’s attributes in exchange for material benefit. In particular, the law forbids a sex worker to carry on her profession within 200 yards of a public place. Unlike as is the case with other professions, sex workers are not protected under normal labour laws, but they possess the right to rescue and rehabilitation if desire and possess all the rights of other citizens.
In practise SITA is not commonly used. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) which predates the SITA is often used to charge sex workers with vague crimes such ‘public indecency’ or being a ‘public nuisance’ without explicitly defining what these consist of. Recently the Government has amended as The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act or PITA. Attempts to amend this to criminalise clients have been opposed by the Health Ministry and has encountered considerable opposition. Interestingly, in a sign of improvement of the lives of female sex workers in Kolkta, state owned insurance company has provided life insurance to 250 individuals.
An official of the Delhi State Aids Control Society says that there are around 60,000 thousands sex workers in the city. Though, he says, legalising prostitution is not their primary concern, it would be to some extent helpful for the sex workers as there was a lot of problem while implementing aids awareness programme for the sex workers, adding that there is only 0.6 per cent HIV/AIDS cases among the sex workers in Delhi.

2010-02-11T09:46:00.001-08:00

Hospitality: Realty Check

With the Government's unflagging hard work and incredible efforts from generation to generation, the country's hospitality sector - travel and tourism industry has turned into a new phase, which has resulted in India being recognized by the entire world as an exciting place to visit.

'The Readers Travel Awards 2006', conducted by Conde Nast Traveller has recently placed India at number four among the world's must-see countries, up from number nine in 2003. This has also furthered its impression as a leisure destination.

India's hospitality sector has grown in an unprecedented manner during the last few years if not decades, and has become one of the fastest and leading global players. This has been the result of a strong performance of the corporate sector in the country and largely a sense of sanguinity with regard to economy.

And why not? This sector enjoys offering the country a promising and largest number of employees in both the organized and the unorganized sector. Of this, the travel and tourism industry accounts for one of every nine job opportunities created in the country, aggregating 20 million. According to industry analysis, globalisation and liberalisation of every single industry/units and the recent introduction of 'Look East Policy' and 'Open Skies Policy' by the Government of India has brought and will keep bringing a new dimension and impetus to the hospitality sector.

With 4.4 millions tourists' arrival in the country last year, the industry has been seeing unprecedented growth with an average of 15 per cent every year. This figure is expected to grow further in the coming years. The Capital has also witnessed 32.1 per cent growth in tourists' arrival in the last year. The cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata have shown a growth of 25.0%, 10.0% and 2.9% respectively.

Even though India has witnessed a great changing and doubling of foreign exchange earning (6.70) in the industry, some hoteliers and experts of the industry think otherwise. Says Mr. Rajindera Kumar, director of The Ambassador Hotel, in New Delhi and President of 'The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India' (HRANI), "Although we are talking more of the growth and boom in the hospitality industry, there is another side that one has to see."

He is of the view that the Government's imposition of different taxes and irrational treatment of low star hotels are of great concern. He feels that the Government should come out with a strong suggestion and open agenda that should be something that the hotelier can rely upon. The high rocketing price of taxations has unnecessarily caused/created great worry to the tourists and travellers, which made them ultimately opt for other destinations. "The government should try to nationalize and make its taxation norms more convenient," he said.

Mr. Kumar also explains that the present auction[ing] of hotel sites at an unreasonable price by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has also created a lot of hurdles, in which there is no justification of higher prices. The government should stop it and instead should regulate more to the low star hotel giving more rooms than the present available hotel rooms of around 15,000, which is expected to reach 25,000 -30,000 in 2010 in the city. Talking about the Government's proposal of 'paying guest house' project, Kumar describes, "It should clearly justify the norms to be given to the owner and for how long."

Agreeing with the words of Kumar, Rajesh Mishra, President of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), says that higher taxations and differences in taxes charged by different states and the lack of proper infrastructure is a grave matter of concern for the growth of the industry. He demands that infrastructure building should be given priority under Sec. 80 IA of Indian Income Tax, 1961 by the Government.

"VAT, F&B, Entertainment taxes should be cut down in minimum levels that would provide some kind of relief to the hoteliers as well as tourists," he avers.

Mr. Mishra also insists that the Government should make a uniform policy and that the legislative should be more sympathetic to the industry, without which the foreign tourists and travellers will be off to cheaper destinations at neighbouring countries.

Taking a strong exception of Government policies, Mr. Manbeer Choudhary, ex-president of the FHRAI and the President of the 'Hotel and Restaurant Association of Haryana, expresses his disappointment at the lack of coordination between the Government and the private sector.

He says, "No concrete tourism policy at national and state level, critical urgency to rationalize tax structures, high cost of land in metros leading to higher room traffics, lackadaisical attitude of the state governments towards the importance to tourism, red-tapism and bureaucratic approach are few of the things which have resulted in delays in tourism products."

He also asserted that the inadequate infrastructure, like underdeveloped airports and other connectivity steps like roads/metro linkages and lack of hotel rooms in the country were a major pointer toward this.

However, Mr. Choudhary describes that domestic tourism in India has come of age and it is touching new heights and that hotels of all segments are reporting strong occupancies and average rate. "I would say that a buoyant domestic economy, the aviation and real estate boom, initiatives to liberalize foreign investment and improve infrastructure and perhaps, most importantly, the efforts to communicate the Brand India message have contributed to strong demand conditions in most cities across the country.

The result is that India is today one of the world's fastest growing hotel markets," he tells. According to him, the last three years have been particularly exciting with the industry performing exceptionally well and more interestingly, it has taken us approximately 11 years to reach or exceed the previous occupancy highs seen in the mid nineties. He feels that the current trends will continue and present a bright future for the hotel industry in India.

Talking about the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, Mr. Choudhary explains that Commonwealth Games is like a shot in the arm of this tourism industry as it has accelerated the construction and the progress of infrastructure like the airports, flyovers, connectivity by metro rail and road to be enhanced and overcoming shortage of hotel rooms in the NCR.

He believes that this wealth of improved infrastructure and new hotels besides cleaning up the city like Delhi will leave a remarkable impact on the visiting tourists. He adds that the most important gain is that the demand -supply imbalance in a city like Delhi, where Hotels have been charging very high tariff

The recent plans and initiatives under the stewardship of Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, for example, visa on arrival for the foreign traveller, improving infrastructure status for the hotel industry, modernization of airports and construction of more International Airports in major towns, encouragement of public private partnership, involving private sector in decision making by encouraging various association of the trade are of great encouragement to the industry.

So as a industry which is not only linked to luxury or is not just a service provider but also an industry which is an employment generator, the government needs to realize that tourism alone has the capacity to stimulate wide spread direct private sector investment. With effective planning and development one can make more productive and valuable use of the country's vast continental landmass where other development may not be feasible. Also, the government's own efforts can covert this tourism into a money spinner sector as tourism has been aptly describe as "one of the most remarkable economic and social phenomena of the last century."
So what are we waiting for?

2010-02-10T06:51:00.000-08:00

Gun violence: Who will protect us
ON DECEMBER 11, 2007, the entire country was shocked with disbelief of the incident that a boy in a school in Gurgaon, Haryana, killed one of his classmates in campus. The boy was just 14 years old.

But the intriguing question that remains to one’s guess is that how many of us are aware of the fact that over three lakh people are killed every year by guns. It’s not the responsibility of a particular country or region that has been affected by gun culture. In fact no country is immune.

If thousands of people have died due to the global epidemic of bird flu, the world would sit up and take notice of it. But what one forgets is that gun violence is the most serious global epidemic.

A survey by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization shows that armed conflicts are the single largest cause of world hunger; conflicts were the main cause of 35 per cent of the food emergencies occurring from 1992-2003. Every year over one lakh people face gun injuries, over two lakh people fall prey to gun homicide and around 50,000 are victims of gun suicide. In the context of war and armed conflict 60-90,000 people are killed every year.
According to International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), during 2004, 21.3 million people across the world were internally displaced and 11.5 million were refugees and seeking protection outside their own countries. According to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), armed conflict is now the driving force behind most refugee flows. In addition to being homeless, many refugees are injured by guns. In a refugee camp in Kenya, 11 per cent had suffered gunshot injuries, the most common cause of disability among the refugees.

Leaving aside for a while of what happened in Gurgaon, ten and thousands of soldiers in the armed forces of over 60 countries, between 2001 and 2004, were children and at least 10 of those countries have used these child soldiers during the conflict.

In West Africa, guns have been used in all conflict in the last ten years, fuelling overlapping and uncontained conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia and most recently Cote d’lvoire. According to Mexican authorities, 80 per cent of the guns in Mexico originate in the US. In 2002, the Toronto police’s gun taskforce estimated that 50 per cent of handguns recovered in crime were smuggled from the US. Over 30 per cent of guns recovered in Japan originate from the US, while 21 per cent originate from China.
IANSA says over 90 per cent of gun homicide victims are men and of the 50,000 people who commit suicide with a gun, 88 per cent are men. A study in the US shows that half of the 10-year old boys cannot distinguish toy guns from real ones, nor can they resist touching a gun if they find it by accident.

In July 2001, the first UN Conference of Small Arms produced an agreement called the UN programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects (UN Programme of Action on SALW).

The last four words, in all its aspects, are crucially important as an acknowledgment of the multidimensional nature of the small arms problem: it has multiple and diverse sources and its impact varies in different geographic, political and social contexts. This means the solution must also be multidimensional, incorporating measures at local, national, regional and global levels to control supply, reduce demand, remove existing weapons from circulation, stop diversion from legal to illegal users, close loopholes, improve detection and prosecution of offenders, among other steps.

A subsidiary agreement is the 2005 International Instrument to enable states to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit small arms and light weapons.

Even in India the situation is worsening every day. Over the last four or five decades, the country has witnessed a series of gun violence all across the country. Hundreds of small arm weapons have been penetrating in India’s northeast and Jammu and Kashmir region.

According to Binalakshmi Nepram, secretary general of the Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI), states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who have not seen much violence like in northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, have also become prone to violence.
And now these two states top the list of states with the maximum number of licensed arms. India has emerged as the second most heavily armed country in the world. An estimated 40 million firearms in India are in civilian possession. There are 9,00,000 arms license holders in Uttar Pradesh alone, she added.

Though we have seen enormous gun violence over the last few months if not years, taking hundreds of innocent lives, maiming thousands of people, the country has not been able to curb the spiraling situation.

On 26 October 2006, the United Nations voted to establish a group of governmental experts [GGE]… “To examine the feasibility, scope, and draft parameters for a comprehensive, legally binding instrument establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.” The resolution, which passed by a vote of 139-1, with 24 abstentions is the first step towards an international arms trade treaty (ATT).

The governments of Australia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Finland, Japan, Kenya, and the United Kingdom have spearheaded the effort among governments, and have been encouraged by NGO participants.

Unfortunately the Government of India has not yet signed such an important step to curb gun culture.

Now the question is – who will protect us? Time will tell.

2010-02-10T06:43:00.001-08:00

Peace in Northeast India, an undisputed dispute

Kuldip Nayar once said, "The escalating violence in the country frightened me. Still more frightening is the shape it is taking. It has turned in some places communal, regional and ideological." Official jargon of the Indian state dubbed North-eastern part of the country "disturbed areas" infested with institutionalised violence spearheaded by insurgents. For mainland Indian citizens who read only the Government's version about the North-east, the situation there is highly explosive. In general the North-East people are being identified with atavistic Afghan marauders who during heyday of British colonial rule had disturbed peace on the frontiers of erstwhile Indian subcontinent. There is no denying to the fact that the region is home to above fifty insurgent organisations (according to the report of Home Ministry, Government of India), of which United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur, Naga Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) constitute the oldest and most notorious organizations in South-Asia-Pacific regional level. The demands of insurgent organisations operating in the region range from ethnic assertion or creation of autonomous regions (within the Indian state) to creation of separate countries.

Northeast insurgency might be perceived a 'political aberration' i.e., a general perception based on terms such as "terrorism", "disturbance" and "law and order problem". Insurgency is very much rooted into the soil of Northeast where overlapping unrests on issues related to economic underdevelopment, ethnic identity assertion, illegal immigration, border dispute and so on were either interplaying or counter-playing. While generalising insurgency as the most predominant violent expression of the dissenting voice, the purpose of the article is to briefly highlight the weakness on the part of GOI in dealing with core issues that have been thriving ground for breeding insurgency. The article intends to focus on both subjective and objective factors that have so far acted as impediments to the peace process.

Firstly, the secessionist tendency is well connected with the historical background coupled with the sense of alienation prevailing in the popular perception about the notion of responsible government. The perceptions of being forcibly annexed, militarily occupied, culturally dominated, politically subjugated and economically underdeveloped persist beyond doubt. The perception interplayed with the feeling of negligence by the centre, administrative corruption and security tyranny.

Secondly, the feeling of being underdeveloped is perpetuated against the background of stagnant character of development process that has failed to make sudden investment take off and corresponding equitable distribution for the growing population. In fact, the Northeast is rich in natural resources and is known for its various products across the globe. However, the 60 years of economic policy following the independence has not improved the agrarian sector despite the fact that it alone constitutes the primary sources of livelihood of the people. It is indeed astonishing to note that there has not been much improvement in the agricultural facilities, i.e., the basic prerequisite for agricultural modernisation, transport facilities, scientific farming and tools and implements.

In term of its industrial and resource utilisation the region remains backward without any corresponding infrastructural development required for sustainable growth. The structural adjustment programs, despite the fact that it has tremendous impetus for the growth of notable private/public oil refineries, mining, factories and entrepreneurs, have not substantially addressed the issue of economic backwardness. On the contrary attempts to arbitrary construction of dams and hydro-electricity power projects without adhering to established norms such as Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Environment Management Plan and Public Hearing (EMP), etc, thereby creating a sense of economic insecurity, displacement and deprivation, have generated confusion and mistrust. As a result, the process of the construction of the Tipaimukh Dam in Churchanpur district of Manipur, the Teesta Hydel Project in Sikkim, the Debang Multipurpose project (3000 mgw) in Arunachal Pradesh, etc., have been widely condemned and protested.

Thirdly, the uninterrupted infiltration of foreigners from neighbouring countries like, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal and migrants from neighbouring mainland regions have also generated a sense of insecurity. The feeling that the indigenous Tripuris in Tripura were being outnumbered and subjugated by outsiders have added to the apprehension that infiltration/ migration of outsiders would socially, culturally, politically and economically dominate the 'indigenous population '. The apprehension acted as surrogates to ethno-centric claims for the defence of respective cultural, customary and traditional identities with corresponding claims for control over territory and resources. To cite an example of the extent of the problem, there was a torch-light procession in Assam against illegal immigrants. The failure on the part of the government to address the issue of the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit system in the Northeast and the extradition of illegal immigrants have generated a sense of insecurity, created unrest and mistrust against the Indian state.

Fourthly, the military policy of the Indian state, beginning with what Neville Maxwell had termed forward policy in early 1950s onwards, a geo-strategically calculated myopic vision of defending the established territorial integrity through military might, have failed to quell insurgency. The military policy that provides the armed forces with impunity, e.g. the controversial AFSPA 1958 has created a situation that the South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre has termed "security tyranny". The demand of the people for an end to terrorism in any form has not been adequately addressed by the Indian state. Pressures or recommendations from several international bodies, including the UN, the progressive Indians and the government instituted inquiry commissions, e.g. Justice Upendra Inquiry Commission, to repeal the AFSPA on the ground that it violates basic constitutional rights, i.e. right to life, and the series of protest for more than two decades have been turned down by the Supreme Court Ruling in 1997 and the succeeding governments. On the contrary, the government has extended military intervention in social service sectors through implementing 'Military Civic Action Programme' and other cosmetic ad hoc policies. The entire military policy in the Northeast raises several questions against the character of Indian democracy in this region. National security concern must not override the fundamental democratic rights of the people. Indian military policy in the Northeast must be reviewed for a practical peace process. Otherwise, the authoritarian military policy will continue to perpetuate what may be called dissenting movement or secessionism in the north east.

The government of India and its armed forces had entered into several rounds of ceasefire with several secessionist parties in the past and has been continuing it with NSCN (IM) and other insurgent groups such as the Kuki militants in Manipur. The situation has created temporary end of armed clash between the negotiating parties. However, it has only added to increase propaganda activities of the negotiating parties towards the general population and has also generated inter-community misunderstanding on matters related to the geographical extent of on implication of the agreements so on and so forth. Negotiation with any insurgency organisation, of course, is a leap towards in the peace process. And yet, any peace initiative that would not adequately address the fundamental issues that have paved the way to the breeding of insurgency or anti-Indian establishment feeling would remain cosmetic and apolitical in the long process. The sincerity of the Indian state in dealing with the issues, its transparency and accountability in handling the peace process are indispensable.

So in trying to bring peace and a long lasting solution in the North-east region, the government should try explore the most possible way to negotiate the armed guerrillas, though they are mostly based on different ideological factors, and to bring them for peace talks. The foremost thing is to be sincere from the government side. For now as one understands that the whole problems could only be solved through political dialogue and effective political campaign not militarization the region.

Power might come from the barrel of gun, but peace doesn't come from the barrel of gun.

2010-02-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

My father is an extortionist’s agent

IT MUST be around half-past-five on a fine morning. My sleek mobile turned fiend, and woke me up. I had just slept for one hour. I was so tired the day before because of unscheduled heavy work in my office. “Hell, who is calling me at this time” – my anger bursted out on the cell phone.

It was my friend Athouba, who works for a TV channel, started talking in a horrified manner rather than a normal conversation.

“There is a serious problem I have to discuss with you.”

When I asked him what’s it. He said, “My father has become an extortionist’s agent.”

“What… how!” I asked.

“My father collects money from his staff and delivers the sum to those people. Sometimes he has to travel to very distant places.”

“Do you know if he didn’t reach there on time, what would be the consequence,” he continued without waiting.

The episode was, as we normally call, a tiny illustration in thousands of such cases in this small state – Manipur, where I was born and grew up. The crimes in this state are not phenomenon yet they have been rooted in the soil for long.

There are thousands of untold stories here. There are mothers who day and night wait for their “lost” sons. There are families who have been continuously tortured, either by state forces or non-state actors. Remember Sanamacha? – A young boy who was picked up by the security forces on the eve of his board examination. He has never returned home till today. His blood-stain clothes were found the next day. His ailing parents are still hoping to see his face one-day. Who is to blame – is still an unanswered question.

The terror and insurgency activities in the country always make headlines in every newspaper and TV channel, but media never tries to find why and where the root cause started. Why Islamic terrorism now, why not earlier. Why Hindu fundamentalism is on the rise everyday. Why Christians are being attacked regularly and why Dalits are been frequently tortured. Terrorism doesn’t occur. It is being created by you, by me.

Ask anyone when we celebrate – Gandhi Jayanti. Of course, everybody would answer it is on Oct 2, the day Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation was born, but why it is important would be a bit difficult to respond because the day is dedicated for Gandhi’s non-violence and tolerance. The assertion is, we remember Gandhi and non-violence only on Oct 2, not on other days. We do not follow his teachings, his path. The country has been fragmenting by these so-called nationalists and shadowy jargons.

“So what’ll you do,” I asked.

“I want to write a story about this. I think it’s enough. They have been harassing my father every time and then… we can’t bear their demands anymore.” “What to write then?” “My father’s an extortionist agent,” he bluntly replied. “Oh my god, you want to be killed? Anyway go ahead, but don’t mention your father name and place,” I suggested. He seemed to have felt a little relieved, but I knew he was not satisfied with my answer.

“Shall I hang up; I think I should sleep a little more.” “Ok, thank you.”