Only union minister Vayilar Ravi is capable of comparing the Telangana issue to Appadam or Dosa. It appears that he lost words when the media kept questioning him about Telangana. He replied to the persistent questioning, that resolving this complex problem was not as easy as making appadam or dosa.
Stating that deliberations were continuing on the issue, Ravi commented that media appeared to be more interested in the issue than the political leaders. He parried the question on how long it would take to resolve the issue. ‘Let’s wait till the parliament budget session ends’, he counseled lightly and made a hasty exit.
Two things are full of benefits for the human being, lukewarm water and pomegranate. Pomegranate is a seasonal fruit in India and I did an experiment with dried pomegranate seeds.
I prepared a decoction boiling the fistful of dried seeds in half liter of water for 10 minutes, squeezed the seeds, strained the decoction and advised those patients suffering from painful angina to use a glass of lukewarm decoction on an empty stomach in the morning.
Amazing result was observed, the decoction of dried pomegranate seeds worked like a magic, the feelings of tightness and heaviness of chest and the pain had gone.
It encouraged me to try more experiments on all types of cardiac patients so I tried other experiments on patients who were suffering from painful angina, coronary arterial blockage, cardiac ischemia (insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle) etc., waiting for a bypass surgery. The same lukewarm decoction was used on an empty stomach in the morning. The patients experienced quick relief in all symptoms including painful condition.
In another case of coronary arterial blockage the patient started using half glass of fresh pomegranate juice every day for one year, although all symptoms were completely relieved within a week but he continued taking it for a whole year, it completely reversed the plaque build-up and unblocked his arteries to normal, the angiography report confirmed the evidence.
Thus decoction of dried pomegranate seeds, fresh pomegranate juice or eating a whole pomegranate on empty stomach in the morning proved to be a miracle cure for cardiac patients. But the lukewarm dried seeds decoction proved to be more effective compared to eating a whole pomegranate or fresh pomegranate juice.
Use of pomegranate in any way has demonstrated even more dramatic effects as blood thinner, pain killing properties for cardiac patients, lowers LDL (low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol) and raises the HDL (high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol). There are more than 50 different types of heart diseases, the most common being coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the number one killer of both women and men in some countries, and there has been no medicinal cure for this disease.
Many cardiac patients have reversed their heart diseases on my advice using one glass of lukewarm decoction of pomegranate dried seeds, half glass of fresh pomegranate juice or eating a whole pomegranate on empty stomach in the morning. It was the very first real breakthrough in the history of cardiology to successfully treat the cardiac diseases by a fruit.
The more super foods to obtain the even faster results for cardiac patients which are most promising curative and protective agents like fresh raisins, quince, guava, prunes (dried plums), natural vinegar, mixture of grape fruit juice and honey in the morning (empty stomach), basil leaves, chicory leaves, powder of oregano leaves and rock salt in equal quantity (in case the patient is not hypertensive) and sesame oil as cooking oil for cardiac patients.
It is regretted to say that treating the heart patients and bypass surgery has become far more profitable business around the world which has failed to help avert life threatening heart attacks and life time cardiac complications resulting in almost paralyzed life. A regular use of pomegranate in any way ensures a healthy cardiac life, thinning your blood, dissolving the blood clots and obstruction inside the coronary arteries, maintains an optimal blood flow, supports a healthy blood pressure, prevents and reverses atherosclerosis. (Thickening of the internal lining of the blood vessels) from whatever I experienced and observed in last several years, I can say:
“A pomegranate a day keeps the cardiologist away” you can try and see the wonder.
The potential of the growing Indian market can only be realized through a coordinated aviation policy. India is a huge country, a land of great diversity. Geographically, culturally, and socially, the sub-continent swings from one end of the scale to the other. Its aviation sector doesn’t buck the trend.
The potential is enormous. The market already has some 150 million travelers passing through its airports, and if Indians begin to travel with the same frequency as Americans, then the years ahead could see the market boom beyond the two billion mark. This will not happen quickly and is dependent on an expected increase in per capita GDP. Even so, by 2020 traffic at Indian airports is expected to reach 450 million, making it the third-largest aviation market in the world. Some 90 million passengers per annum (mppa) are projected to pass through Delhi alone.
At the same time, a multifaceted crisis has taken hold of the industry that threatens to nip any progress in the bud. Air India and Kingfisher Airlines, for example, are in critical condition. Airline losses approached $2 billion in the year ending March 2012—on the back of a $3.5 billion loss over the previous three years. The Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA) believes Indian airlines’ debt burden will soon reach $20 billion. Indian banks and financial institutions are exposed to about half of this amount.
Indian domestic traffic fell 1.1% in July compared with a year ago. After expanding at 20%-plus rates through 2010 and early 2011, the Indian market stopped growing at the end of 2011. July capacity rose 2.1%, ropping the load factor from 71.8% last year to 69.6%.
At least the crisis has pushed aviation to the forefront of national thinking. But current aviation policy has a fragmentary approach that is not connecting the dots in the value chain. Airports and fuel are getting more expensive even as airlines struggle.
A coordinated “India Inc.” approach that addresses the central challenges of infrastructure, costs, and taxes is urgently required.
A different picture
In terms of airport infrastructure, India has got a great deal right in previous years. The Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) model has delivered world-class facilities at Hyderabad, Cochin and Bangalore. And the benefits of these developments are clear to see. Bangalore’s international services have more than doubled over the past decade, for example, enabling India’s “Silicon Valley” to earn contracts throughout the world.
“In India, the PPP model for developing greenfield airports as well as upgrading existing airports has provided the opportunity to develop integrated airport cities on the lines of Dubai and Hong Kong,” says Promananda Elangbam, Manager of Marketing at Bangalore International Airport Ltd. “A holistic approach to airport infrastructure and its management is the need of the hour. Done in a transparent and effective manner, this can help boost international trade and tourism considerably.”
But at Mumbai a different picture emerges. A delayed new terminal that will push capacity to 40 mppa should finally open for business at the end of 2013. Traffic growth is such, however, that the airport will become congested again by 2017. And there is no possibility of significant further expansion at this facility.
Mumbai is India’s financial capital and an important part of the country’s economic wellbeing. A jam-packed airport will undoubtedly curtail the many benefits of healthy air connectivity.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has recognized the urgency of the situation and backed the Navi Mumbai airport project that dates back to the mid-90s. Even fast-tracking the development may not be enough, though. Projections suggest there will be nearly 275 million passengers in the Indian system by 2017, the majority of whom filter through Mumbai and Delhi.
A dire situation
The lack of space isn’t the only concern at Mumbai. It has a similar concession model to Delhi—and the northern hub has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) approved a 346% increase in charges at Delhi Airport effective from May 2012. The increase will add more than $400 million annually in operating costs for airlines.
“An increase of this magnitude will impact travel demand 5% to 7%,” says Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO. “That’s bad for airlines, for passengers, for Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL), for the Delhi hub, for Delhi as a city, and indeed for India and its economy as a whole. We need to focus on how to make Delhi a more competitive airport, a successful hub and a driver of economic growth.”
DIAL pays 46% of top-line revenue to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as a concession fee. Much of this is used to subsidize other public sector airports, which is not only in contravention of international standards but also distorts competition.
“I urge the government to initiate deliberations on utilizing the 46% concession fee to offset the increase in aeronautical charges and the cost for passengers,” says Tyler. “This could be the basis for a way forward that protects the interests of DIAL, its airline customers, the fare-paying public, and the economy. And it is important that we find a workable solution soon to avoid Mumbai, with a similar concession structure, falling into the same dire situation.”
Any discussions won’t come a moment too soon. The hike in prices has come about through aggressive concessions fees and the over-recovery of a $10 billion investment in airports over the past decade. The next 10 years are expected to see airport projects totaling $20 billion—which may mean yet more record rises in airports charges unless concession fees and over-recovery are tackled. Already Chennai has proposed a 118% increase to fund its modernization project, while at Kolkata, the Airports Authority of India has asked for a 242% increase in for 2012/2013 and a 35% increase the following period.
“There has been huge improvement in infrastructure with newer terminals like Terminal 3 in New Dehli, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad, Bengaluru International Airport and others across the country,” says Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways. “However, the imposed levies and charges have resulted in an increase in operational costs.”
Tax increase
India is becoming increasingly expensive. Taxes are everywhere in India’s aviation sector, a clear indication that the government views the sector as a revenue source rather than a revenue generator. Including taxes on domestic fuel, India’s aviation sector contributes in the region of $2.15 billion (INR120 billion) in taxes annually according to an Oxford Economics India Benefits of Aviation study.
In contravention of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) policy, India’s Ministry of Finance has put a service tax on tickets as well as landing and navigation charges. Fuel taxes—an excise duty of 8.2% and domestic charges that can add up to 30% to the bill—mean fuel is 45% of Indian carriers’ operating costs. This compares unfavorably with the global average of 33%.
“For the industry to recover from its current travails and achieve long-term sustainable growth, there is a need to address problems created by high input costs,” says Goyal.
It is little wonder that the sub-continent’s airlines are struggling. The difficulties being faced by Air India and Kingfisher Airlines in particular have been well documented. Aside from the structural issues, industry observers have cited Air India’s artificially low fares as the main factor behind the struggles of Indian carriers. It is reported that the average Indian ticket price of $95 is about $11 shy of a break-even figure. A weak rupee isn’t helping and has caused further cost increases in dollar-denominated expenses.
The contraction by Air India and Kingfisher Airlines does have a slight upside. CAPA reports yield increases for Indian airlines in the region of 10% in the fourth quarter of the 2011/2012 financial year, improving toward 15% in the first quarter of 2012/2013.
And capacity management will remain tight. Approximately 24 aircraft are due to be delivered in the next 12 months, eight of which will be Bombardier Q400s. This will lead to an increase in domestic capacity of 7% to 8%, only half of the increase seen in the previous financial year.
India’s carriers are not part of the global alliance scene and there has been little enthusiasm to revamp a number of bilateral agreements. Emirates—one of the few carriers looking to increase its presence on the sub-continent—has exhausted its entitlements, for example.
The government may be loosening the shackles slightly. In March 2012, then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government would allow foreign airlines to take up to a 49% investment in Indian carriers. Closer ties with international airlines could make a crucial difference, although there has been little enthusiasm to date.
For many, though, it is putting the cart before the horse, as investment won’t be forthcoming while the fundamental aviation framework is so weak. “India is an attractive destination for us to serve, but I am not sure if India will be an attractive destination for us to invest in,” Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group has noted.
Other challenges loom on the horizon. The policy on ground handling needs to be resolved. Airlines have argued against the government proposal to limit airports to a maximum of three competing handlers and no final decision has yet been made. It is also expected that much-needed investment in air traffic management could translate into higher fees.
It is estimated that Indian aviation will need about 350,000 new employees to facilitate growth in the next decade. Shortfalls in skilled labor would see staff salaries rise above inflation, adding further cost pressure. Robust training programs will be the key to a sustainable future, especially considering that India will probably continue to provide a significant workforce for Gulf carriers.
Numbers in the wings
If India can resolve the crisis, the economic and social benefits that derive from improved competitiveness and air connectivity would be enormous. Already, the aviation industry supports close to 0.5% of Indian GDP and some 1.7 million high-productivity jobs. The annual value added by each employee in air transport services in India is approximately 10 times higher than the Indian average.
Tourism is an obvious area of improvement. The Indian Tourism Ministry is targeting 10 million tourists by 2017, nearly double the 5.7 million arrivals expected in 2012. Foreign visitors—around 89% of which arrive by air—contribute $9.8 billion (INR548 billion) every year. Stronger air services would make a notable difference, not only to the tourism sector, but also to the bottom line of the Indian economy.
Indian exports could also gain substantially from a more competitive and cost-efficient air transport sector. The Commerce Ministry wants to double India’s exports to $500 billion by 2013-14 compared with the 2010-11 level. The Indian government must utilize the determination it has shown in fighting the European Emissions Trading Scheme to put its aviation sector back on track.
“The world is focused on Indian aviation—from manufacturers, tourism boards, airlines, global businesses to individual travelers, shippers and businessmen,” notes Tyler. “If we can find common purpose among all stakeholders in Indian aviation, a bright future is at hand. The benefits of such an effort will be shared across the entire economy.”
The optimism is echoed by Jet Airways’ Goyal. “In an emerging economy like India where the need for connectivity is critical to facilitate the growth of trade and travel, one can only be optimistic about the future.”
Action plan for India
A Knowledge Paper on India: The Emerging Aviation Hub by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with KPMG released in March 2012 suggested the following eight-point action plan for Indian aviation.
- Ensure collaboration between the Ministry of Civil Aviation, other related ministries, regulators, and the industry
- Promote other sectors that can both support and benefit the aviation sector
- Reduce fuel sales tax. The long-term benefits in terms of higher economic activity and employment generation would more than compensate for the notional loss of tax revenue in the short run
- Create an Essential Air Services Fund (EASF) to support air connectivity to second and third-tier airports. Greater private sector investment in airports should also be encouraged
- Implement recent policy decisions such as the 49% Foreign Direct Investment limit, and establish safeguards to prevent excessive and predatory ticket pricing
- Establish an Air Cargo Promotion Board (ACPB) to address the significant challenges in the air cargo sector and make India an air cargo hub for the region
- Promote the domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul industry by removing the anomalous tax structure and providing a “deemed export” status to help prevent business moving abroad
- Establish a world-class National Aviation University and promote private sector investments in training academies to produce highly-skilled human resources
Hyderabad become a epic-center for all bomb blasts, terror activities and extreme crimes on world map. Investigators feel due to the smooth flow, less vigil and easy movements, this place become a centre for all crimes.
During interrogation in Kerala last week, alleged terrorist T Naseer claimed that Hyderabad is the epi-centre of jihad in India. rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa reports from Hyderabad on how the city has become a breeding ground for jihadis.
Some days back, captured Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative T Naseer reportedly told his Kerala police interrogators that Hyderabad is the Pakistani-based terrorist outfit's Indian headquarters.
Information provided by the security agencies reveal that Hyderabad has the most number of alleged terror operatives who have gone missing or are currently believed to be resident in Pakistan.
Walking through the streets of Hyderabad's old city, one does get the feeling of alienation amongst its youth. Old timers in the area say many of them have not come to terms with the fact that the city was liberated from the Nizam in September 1948 and handed over to the Indian government. They speak about how prosperous the city was under the Nizam and allege how after the liberation thousands of Muslims have been killed.
Maulana Nasirrudin, a Muslim cleric who has recently acquitted of charges under the Terrorist and Disruptive (Prevention) Activities Act, says that many residents have not forgotten the lives lost when the city was liberated nearly 62 years ago. He claims there have been several police atrocities against Muslims since as a result of which some have gone to Pakistan in a bid to take revenge. "This is not the right approach. We need to stay and fight the government and demand our rights," the maulana points out.
Mohammed Shahid Bilal, the alleged mastermind in the August 2007 twin blasts in the city and the Mecca Masjid blasts in May that year, who is said to have been killed in an encounter in Pakistan, continues to remain a hero in the area where he lived.
A youth from his area, who preferred not to be identified for this report, says, "Saab jab tak Bilal tha, paani or current ka problem nahin tha. (When Bilal was alive, we did not have water or power problems)."
"He was framed by the police since he stood up to a RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) leader," alleges the young man. "The RSS leader wanted to instal a Ganapati [ Images ] pandal on wakf land and Bilal opposed this. After this they started fixing him in murder cases and later terrorism charges. He went to Pakistan to take revenge on the Indian establishment and has not returned since."
The Hyderabad police dismiss this allegation. City police officers say many young men are influenced by Lashkar propaganda. "We have evidence to prove that these men owe allegiance to the Lashkar. In 2002 the Lashkar decided to get aggressive. In October 2002, 14 men were sent to Pakistan for training. Various reasons like the liberation of Hyderabad, the demolition of the Babri Masjid were given to brainwash these men," the police sources say.
These men, the police sources claim, established sleeper cells in the city. In 2007, when the Lashkar gave a call for jihad, the likes of Bilal and Rehman Khan became full-fledged terror operatives. They were among the 14 men who had been sent to Pakistan and told to set up Lashkar networks in the city.
Intelligence Bureau agents believe Rehman Khan changed the thinking of many Muslim young men in Hyderabad and ensured that several Hyderabadi youth traveled to Pakistan to pursue jihad.
Hyderabad police sources say the first batch of 14 men executed several terror attacks including the assassination of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya, the May 2007 blast at the Mecca Masjid and the August 2007 twin blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chaat.
"Muslims have always been blamed and sidelined," says Riyaz, a resident of the city's Moosrambagh area. "Today there is anger since many youth are being framed in terror-related cases. Why would a Muslim bomb a mosque and kill his own people? It was the blame for the Mecca Masjid blasts which angered us the most. I know it is stupid to join some organisation in Pakistan and fight the Indian government. But several youth have crossed the border to take revenge."
Human rights activist Lateef Mohammad Khan, who is fighting for Muslim youth booked in cases of terrorism, believes it is a conspiracy against the community. "Is there anything wrong in raising your voice against injustice? If the youth raise their voice, then they are branded terrorists. Following the blasts in Hyderabad several youth were picked up. Thirty six youth were charged in these cases. As of today 30 have already been acquitted of all charges."
Motasim Billa, who has been acquitted of terror charges, said during an earlier meeting: "I feel like laughing at what you guys write in the press. One day I am the commander of the HuJI (Harkat-ul-Jamaat-e-Islami) and the next day I am the chief of Lashkar's southern operations. Here I am standing in front of you. Do I look like a terrorist? It is all a conspiracy."
While the 2007 bomb blast cases and the charges that followed angered several Muslim youth, Maulana Nasiruddin's arrest was a turning point. When the maulana was arrested for provocative speeches in the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat violence, there was a protest outside the police headquarters. A young man named Mujahid was shot by the police.
IB agents claim this incident led to Nasiruddin's son Riazzuddin Nasir, a friend of Mujahid, to take up arms. He was recruited by Lashkar agents and sent to train in Pakistan. Before he could carry out attacks, Nasir was arrested by the Karnataka police. He is currently in a Gujarat jail facing charges for the July 2008 Ahmedabad bombings. The maulana's other two sons, Yasir and Jabir, are in an Indore jail facing terrorism charges.
The Lashkar, the IB sources say, has planned to set up a terror network in Hyderabad since 2000 when its founders Mohammad Saeed and Abdul Rehman Makki declared at a rally in Pakistan that the time had come to liberate Hyderabad from Hindu rule and restore the rule of the Nizam.
IB sources say the Lashkar first sent a man named Ishtiaq with an Indian passport. He married a local resident and tried setting up a network, but was picked up by the police.
Azam Ghauri then took over; he was accused of involvement in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. IB sources say Ghauri set up a network comprising nearly 70 men before he was killed in a police encounter.
Abdul Aziz, who had done jihadi service in Bosnia, was Lashkar's next choice for leader. With the help of the city's criminals he roped in the likes of Bilal and Rehman Khan.
A large part of Hyderabad's old city remains underdeveloped. Many of its winding lanes are havens for petty crime, pervasive unemployment and poverty. The promoters of jihad find willing recruits from these lanes. Controversial clerics aid their cause.
"We have seized material several times which say the time has come for a jihad to liberate Hyderabad and restore the rule of the Nizam," police sources say. IB sources believe the Lashkar has its strongest network in the old city.
During a meeting of America's Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and Indian security officials it emerged that 21 terrorists operating in Pakistan, including Abu Jundal, have Hyderabad origins. Hyderabad, the IB sources say, has surpassed Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala as a breeding ground for Indian terrorists.
Hyderabad police sources believe Lashkar recruiters, foot soldiers and planners operate in the city. "We have intelligence that in the years to come they will set up modules for fidayeen (suicide attackers)," the sources say. "We suspect that there are at least 10 dedicated Lashkar modules in the city. It is a cat and mouse game. Since the blasts of two years ago, we have neutralised at least four of them (modules), but they are constantly working and keep setting up more modules."
Experts opined over Telangana tussle resulted a revenge attack as a bomb blast happens in Dilsukhnagar recently. This has come with a spark when congress leader spills anger on telangana parties during a press conference in Hyderabad.
Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal is also following the example of minister TG Venkatesh. While T G Venkatesh linked terrorism to Telangana and said separate 'T' state would further boost terrorism, Rajagopal took a step forward and said the present terror strikes were due to the Telangana movement.
He said the entire time of the police force was being wasted in handling the agitation and attacks of the Telangana activists, resulting in terrorists using the laxity and strike at will. He lamented that several innocent lives were being lost because of this laxity. He said while separatist movement was violent, integrationist movement was silent. Still the power of that silence would be known at an appropriate time, he cautioned.
He said if an announcement was made about state division, the integrationist movement would rise like a massive tide. Referring to the questions being raised by Telangana protagonists on whose property Hyderabad was, Rajagopal said integrationists must say Hyderabad was their property.
He said a majority of the 8 crore population of the state was for keeping the state united and even people of the Telangana region were not trusting KCR’s words. Stating that BJP, CPI and TDP which sent resolutions demanding bifurcation of the state, however became silent, after watching the intensity of the integrationist movement.
The BJP doesn’t need to formally announce Narendra Modi as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate anymore. The proceedings of party’s three day national Executive and Council meeting stand testimony to that.
It serves three purposes – the party’s highest decision making body, the Parliamentary Board, would not have to go into the huddle over the subject. Such was the pressure from the cadre that the much vexed leadership issue was settled through a quicker process of natural evolution.
Secondly, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), BJP’s key ally cannot react harshly as yet because there is no official word yet.
Thirdly, Modi can continue in Gujarat without giving his critics a chance to force a debate on whether he should move to Delhi to accept this new position.
If there was any doubts left in anyone’s mind within and outside the party, it came to a rest after Modi’s hour-long address at the National Council meet on Sunday. It seemed to be an acceptance speech of a Prime Ministerial candidate — giving direction to the party, highlighting Congress’ dynastic follies and giving a mantra to his party cadre to work with ahead of the next elections – “BJP works with a mission, Congress works with a commission.”
A reference of daamad (Robert Vadra, without naming him) was made in this context. True to the occasion, his speech was political, aimed at galvanising the morale of his party cadre and convincing them that their faith in him was not misplaced — he was ready to deliver.
Party president Rajnath Singh through his gestures clearly indicated that the primacy of position that Modi had now come to enjoy in the organisation. The moment Singh called Modi’s name to speak, over 2000 delegates who were packed into the Talkatora indoor stadium gave him a standing ovation, lustily cheering, clapping, chanting shouting slogans for him. The noise decibels were such that there was no point in talking from the podium for next few minutes. Slowly, Modi began with his trademark Bharat Mata ki Jai.
Even as he basked in glory, he tried to appear humble in front of the party biggest policy-making body when he spoke about himself and angry, when taking on the rival Congress and “political pundits.”
His tone and tenor was reflective of the fact that without saying a word on leadership or Prime Ministerial candidate issue, he has accepted the new role. If “family (Nehru-Gandhi)” was thrust of his target against the Congress and the UPA, he strategically singled out two non-dynasty leaders from the Congress – Lal Bahadur Shastri and Sitaram Kesri for special mention.
If he praised Shastri for giving Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan slogan, which gave a sense of confidence to farmers across the country to become self reliant, then by referring to the humiliation meted out to Sitaram Kesri, he sought to impress that in the Congress, no one from outisde the “the family” could head the party.
Kesri was thus a leader to be empathised with. But behind extended references of Shastri and Kesri there could also be a political strategy. Shastri belonged to UP and Kesri to Bihar, states where the BJP needs to retrace its social support base. If Shastri belonged to educationally mobile Kayastha community, Kesri belonged to numerically significant OBC community.
Through his anger he sought to convey that he had the strength and resolve to take on the might of Congress party. He also declared that the Congress was a sinking ship because of that party’s self inflicted wounds of devotion to the family at the cost of nation’s and their own party’s interest. So much so that they chose a night watchman in name of Manmohan Singh instead of more capable, rooted to the ground leader Pranab Mukherjee. Though he did not take Sonia Gandhi’s name, her National Advisory Council (NAC) came for a bitter criticism, “a gathering of rootless five-star” wonders.
Modi is acutely aware of his party’s organisational shortcomings in East and South India. As such the organisational expanse in these areas gave the Congress an initial start up advantage to the Congress in 2014.
Modi had a counter to that. Though he targeted “political pundits” for making this kind of an analysis he warned his own leaders and workers not to be carried away by “these statistics”. “The people have made decided to get rid of the Congress, the issue is how do you contribute in translating that into reality,” he said.
The message was if his name was flavour of the season among the people in the country, the organisational strength may not matter much as had happened in case of VP Singh.
His prescription was to instill a new sense of belligerence among the BJP workers against Congress and work with a renewed sense of conviction.
“The Congress has forced a mood of pessimism in the country, it has to be replaced with a sense of hope and aspiration. People don’t get a feeling whether or not a government exists at the centre”, Modi said. “It thus presented a challenge before the BJP and it should be call of duty for all workers that the Congress regime must be overthrown.
He ended with a Hindi couplet Mana ki andhera ghana hai, par diya jalana kahan mana hai.
As he finished, the cheering delegates moved out of the stadium to continue the discussion. As old timers say, it’s been a long time since they saw same sense of purpose among the party workers at a National Council meet.
Modi not capable of attaining stature of national leader: Cong
Stung by Narendra Modi‘s attack at BJP National Council, Congress today said the Gujarat Chief was mistaken if he thought that he could attain the stature of a national leader by spending crores of rupees of the state for “self propaganda”.
“The kind of language that Narendra Modi ji used today does not behove any leader of national stature. I think he is yet not capable of attaining the stature of a national leader. By spending crores belonging to Gujarat for self propaganda, if someone thinks that he has become a national leader, then he is mistaken,” Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said.
The ruling party accused Modi of double-speak and took exception to his remarks against the Prime Minister. “His speech is a bundle of lies. Today he is expressing liking for Pranab Mukherjee. If you had courage and conviction, than why did Modi ji not support Pranab Mukherjee (in the Presidential elections). NDA partners Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena had done so. Yesterday Pranab Mukherjee was not likeable, then you were praising Sangma. This is double speak,” Shukla added.
Earlier Modi, in his speech at the BJP National Council meeting here had said that though Pranab Mukherjee was more deserving, the Congress did not make him the Prime Minister and chose Manmohan Singh.
“They realised that if Pranab Mukherjee is successful then what will happen to the (Gandhi) family,” Modi had said.
Without naming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the BJP leader said the Congress appointed a “night watchman” to keep the seat warm for the first family of the Congress.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi retorted: “Dr Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister of the country and not just of the Congress. His name should be taken with respect. His honour is the country’s honour.”
The State and society must understand that only when we facilitate and provide safety nets and ladders can people in desperate economic conditions hope to get out of the poverty trap.
A few days ago, a widow killed her two young daughters aged 14 and 8 years, and then took her own life. Apart from appearing as a small news item tucked away in page 5 in most dailies, it did not seem to attract much attention. The political tamasha of truth ceremonies and swearing before Gods has hogged more newspaper space on a daily basis in our metro-driven news media than this relatively insignificant tragedy in far-away Chitradurga.
The police had a simple explanation for their files. Sathyamma had given ammonium phosphate to her children before taking it herself - out of sheer desparation resulting from her poverty. She had lost her husband, an auto driver, a few months ago and just could not cope with the economic and social demands placed on her. Her meagre income as a coolie was not sufficient to meet ends, and she decided to call it a day for herself and her family.
More than a century ago, Swami Vivekananda had thundered, "I do not believe in a God or religion that does not wipe away the widow's tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan's mouth." Despite giving ourselves a Socialist republic, neither State nor society seems to have imbibed this message.
Who is responsible for Sathyamma and her children's death? Can we summarily dismiss this event as being born out of poverty, or go deeper in our understanding of how all of us collectively failed? Could not a more sensitive society have prevented their deaths? With so many welfare schemes that the state runs and the innumerable NGOs working to ensure social and economic justice, how could we remain mute spectators to this heart-wrenching event?
As I was wondering where we had collectively failed in responding to this crisis, my mind wandered to the present state of India. On one hand we as a nation are an economist's delight. Sustained growth at over 8 per cent is something we are all getting used to. There is so much wealth that is being created that one feels that poverty should now be confined to our history books.
But what is the reality that prevails? Fewer than 50 families in India generate and control nearly 40 per cent of India's wealth. The top 20 per cent of Indians generate and control 85 per cent of the Indian economy while the bottom 20 per cent have to be content with a mere 1.5 per cent. While wealth is indeed growing, so is the inequity that prevails. Our food inflation is constantly hovering around 10 per cent, while the World Bank in one of its recent reports mentions that 70 per cent of the food meant for the poor in our Public Distribution System is siphoned off.
With the kind of growth that we are witnessing, how can we explain why 54 per cent of children in the state are still mal-nourished and 74 per cent of our rural women are anaemic? Why are we not able to provide safe potable drinking water in the required quantity to more than 30 per cent of our people and sanitation facilities to more than 20 per cent? How long should we remain silent when more than 50 per cent of the people in the state eat less than the required daily calorific intake?
On paper, we are trying something or the other to address this, but we may be doing nothing more than pulling wool our own eyes - most, if not all schemes can only boast of inputs, not outcomes. For instance, despite spending close to Rs.3600 crores annually in Karnataka alone, why has the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme not actually reached money to the toiling millions? The evidence nationally is similar; NREGS has done more to fill the coffers of the implementing officials than to eliminate distress poverty.
Recently a woman whose life was made miserable because of her alcoholic husband came to me requesting me for help to get a bank account opened for her. She was keen that she save some money and keep it far away from her husband who would otherwise drink it away. She had approached the local bank that refused to help her, saying she was not qualified to open an account with them.
Since there are now guidelines to promote financial inclusion for all in the banking industry, I probed this complaint, and discovered that her only 'disqualification' to open a bank account was that she is poor. In practice, the banks go on as if they have no obligation to the poor, and this despite being nationalised in the name of a Socialist state! Financial inclusion for the poor remains a mere slogan of the Planning Commission and the powers that be.
At every level the poor have to surmount greater obstacles to get out of the poverty trap. Neither the State nor society seems to understand that only when we facilitate and provide safety nets and ladders can people like Sathyamma cope and hope to get out of the trap of poverty. Till a more humane, compassionate, and just social order gets created, Sathyamma and her kind will have to find solace in death. And the rest of us have to live with the fact that it was not her poverty, but our attitude towards her poverty that killed her and her two young children.
Am I not a human being? Translation sometimes removes much of the power of expression, and this is one such instance. For a few minutes, the man had gone up and down the narrow deserted platform muttering repeatedly 'Saheb, ek rupaiyya dedo, saheb,' his constant wailing of hunger both monotonous and incessant. Bent from age, and unable to traverse the entire length of the train, he was forced to target the few compartments that were within walking distance. The stony faces on the other side of the windows spoke in familiar tones -- why can't he go someplace else?
A few minutes passed, and he stopped walking, stooping over a long branch he used as a prop. A little girl watched from behind the bars, staring with the unintentional cruelty that only a child can muster. Her mother tugged at her sleeve, beckoning her away, even as she pointed to him and said something he couldn't hear. Seeing the woman, he switched gender: "Amma, ek rupaiyya dede amma." The woman turned her face away for a few seconds, then quickly glanced over her shoulder to see if the intruder was still there. Seeing him, she frowned.
In the distance, a whistle blew, and a few feet further up the platform, a man with a flag stepped out and waved it lazily. In a minute, the train would be off, his hunger unassuaged. Bleakly, he looked at the woman, despairing beyond description. And then, clearly and quite audibly to the woman, his monotone gave way to a different plea. As the first puffs of smoke rose from the engine, he stopped appealing to a compassion that no one had, and sought refuge in a humanity that is infinitely more troubling -- naanum manishan thane?
Struck by the enormity of the appeal, the woman reached around her daughter, muttering under her breath 'just my luck'. As she fumbled in her bag for money, the train started to pull away slowly. Seeing the woman moved to act, the man hobbled along, hoping to stay within reach and praying the train would not pick up speed so fast. The little child was pestering her mother, obstructing her belated charity. As the puffs of smoke gained in strength, the woman leaned back in her seat and shrugged her shoulders to herself, as if to say 'I tried'. In the distance, the figure became less visible, as if the man had physically shrunk.
We all have a list of things that we'd like the government to do. Fight corruption, improve education, better military planning, whatever. And an election is always a good time to let the political parties know what we want. For myself, I seek but three things. I do not ask for an information superhighway, although that would be nice. I do not ask for widespread and affordable health care, although I fervently wish it were real. I do not ask for universal education, although that has been promised repeatedly.
Five years is a long time, one can accomplish a lot as it goes by. And yet, I have only these three things that I really want from the next government. Just three simple requests that any of you can recognise as reasonable, humane and absolutely necessary in a civil society. Ordinary wishes that, if we truly wanted to, we could easily achieve. Simple, yet eloquent. Basic and magnificent at once. Fifty years from the Declaration of the Rights of Man, this is not too much to ask. Just three things.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner -- for everyone.
