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THE HINDU

8 Saturday, February 24, 2024

Editorial Delhi

Changing the growth paradigm


I
ndia’s economy is not healthy, the industrialisation and urbanisation have been too fundamental than steel, concrete, and plastics.
Governor of the Reserve Bank of India has slow. And more fundamental than digital
X factor said in an open letter to the Union Finance
Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. More GDP
India must address the global climate crisis
while growing its own economy to catch-up with
communication services, Smil points out.
Fossil fuel-based solutions have become
Courts must act against blocking of does not improve the well-being of citizens if it developed countries. With the present model of integral for increasing the scale of food
does not put more income in their pockets, he progress, India must use more fossil fuels to production and distribution systems in the last
social media posts says. They need decent jobs, which the Indian Arun Maira propel economic growth. This has become a century, to meet the needs of the human
economy has not provided despite impressive bone of contention in global climate negotiations, population on the planet, which has increased in

T
hat the use of Internet shutdowns and ar- is the author of
bitrary curbs on free speech on social me- growth of GDP. ‘Shaping the Future (A where all countries are expected to make equal the last 100 years from two billion to eight billion
dia have become a rampant tool for those The health of any complex system, whether Guide for Systems’ sacrifices to save the global climate. Therefore, (1.4 billion in India). Fertilizers are produced from
in power is evident in the manner in which the the human body or a nation’s economy, cannot Leaders)’ India must find a new paradigm of progress, for fossil-fuel feedstock. Farm machinery is made of
Bharatiya Janata Party-led State governments of be determined by its size. What matters is the itself and for the world, for more inclusive and steel and runs on fossil fuels. Plastics are used for
Haryana and Rajasthan and the Union govern- shape it is in. GDP growth has become the environmentally sustainable growth. What could hygienic transportation of food in global supply
ment have dealt with the farmer protests. These dominant measure of the health of all economies. this paradigm be? chains.
State governments have used Internet shutdowns The dominant paradigm is, first, increase the size Smil says, “the greater the retreat of
arbitrarily, and without adequate cause, using of the pie before its redistribution. It has replaced Fossil fuels and the modern economy agricultural mechanization and reduction in the
vague reasons related to the prospective break- “socialist” models which were concerned with The Czech-Canadian environmental scientist, use of synthetic agrochemicals, and reduction of
down of law and order and without any actual conditions at the bottom. Economists do not Vaclav Smil, provides a blueprint in his book, these fossil-fueled based services (which is
evidence to implement such shutdowns, thus fail- agree on how the well-being of citizens should be How the World Really Works: A Scientist’s Guide to necessary now), the greater the need for the
ing the proportionality tests laid out in Anuradha measured; and what the best measures of Our Past, Present, and Future (2023). He analyses labor force to leave cities to produce food in the
Bhasin vs Union of India. The Union government, poverty, employment, and adequate income are. the use of fossil fuels in the modern economy. old ways. Purely organic farming would require
on the other hand, has used its oft-deployed dev- In their models, such hard-to-quantify conditions They are used in the production and the most of us to abandon cities and resettle
ice of issuing notices to social media companies are taken care of by some invisible hand when distribution of four foundational materials for villages”. Are we prepared to do this,” he asks.
such as X to block the accounts of those leading GDP grows. India is becoming one of the most modern civilization: steel, concrete, plastics, and
or even supporting the protests without even is- unequal countries in the world with this flawed food. Steel and concrete are required for Local solutions work
suing the reasons to those who hold these ac- model of economic progress. buildings, roads, and bridges, which provide the Systems science reveals that local systems
counts. In the past, X, when it was known as Ms. Sitharaman is not responsible for the poor basic needs of habitation and transport. Steel is solutions, cooperatively developed by
Twitter, did not accede to all blocking requests shape of the Indian economy. All Indian also the backbone of most machinery. communities in their own villages and towns, are
unless they ran afoul of its own rules or were not governments, since the liberalisation of the Moreover, almost all mobile machinery used the way to solve global systemic problems of
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sufficiently issued with recorded reasons among economy in 1991, have focused on GDP. GDP grew for transportation and farming runs on fossil climate change and inequitable economic growth.
other considerations. Twitter/X had also ap- at 7.2% per year in the 10 years of United fuels. Plastics in many compositions have become This was the “Gandhian” solution for India’s
proached the Karnataka High Court to challenge Progressive Alliance rule (excluding 2008-09, ubiquitous in the construction of machines, economic and social progress, which was set
several of the blanket blocking orders that were when the global financial crisis hit); and also at buildings, and appliances. They are light, easy to aside to adopt modern, western solutions for
issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Infor- 7.2% in the National Democratic Alliance’s 10 mould, and are durable. Plastics also enable development since the 1950s. Sixty-four per cent
mation Technology during the earlier round of years (excluding the 2020-21 global COVID-19 India’s hygienic storage and transportation of foods and of Indian citizens live in rural areas (36% in
farmer protests in 2020-21. The High Court had, pandemic shock). There was no difference in policymakers are widely used for sanitary protection in China; 17% in the United States). A majority work
in a problematic judgment by a single judge, dis- growth. But, structural conditions that cause must free hospitals and homes. Plastics are formed from on farms, and in small industries in rural India —
missed X’s petition, but later admitted an appeal inequitable growth have also not changed. In fact, fossil raw materials, and fossil fuels are also not in large factories that use automated
they have worsened.
themselves required in the production processes of plastics. equipment. Rather than trying to catch up with
by the firm and hearings are under way.
Unfortunately, X, ever since Elon Musk’s take-
from western- Smil examines alternatives to steel, concrete, and rich countries on their historical development
over, has not been publishing its transparency re- Inclusive and sustainable development dominated plastics that are in the pipeline, and calculates the paths, India should take advantage of its present
ports that indicate the number of legal requests All economies in the world develop through theories of overall requirements of fossil fuels. He evaluates realities.
made by Indian state agencies to block, take similar stages, according to economists. First, economics; in the “total system” requirements of fossil energy India’s policymakers must free themselves
down content or accounts. By admitting that it populations move from agriculture to industry, this, local (and steel, concrete, and plastics) for from western-dominated theories of economics.
has decided to withhold accounts and posts and then to services. Simultaneously, they move solutions are technological innovations for renewable energy These are the cause of global problems, not their
flagged by the government, even if it disagreed from rural to urban. In this, “one path for all”, solutions such as electric vehicles and solar solution. The time has come to go back to old
model of progress, villages are bad, and cities are
the way to panels. It will take many decades to replace these solutions to go to the future. Rural Bharat can be
with these actions, X was giving up any recourse
for its users affected by these actions. This is not good; and farms are bad, and factories are good. solve global basic materials, and fossil energy, in their a university for the world, producing innovations
unexpected; X under Mr. Musk is no longer a According to this theory of progress, India has systemic production processes. Food is the most in institutions and policies for inclusive and
thriving platform for free speech that strives to not developed sufficiently because both problems fundamental need for human survival: more sustainable growth.
promote discussion, information-sharing and
even critique of governments. It now takes its cue
from the views and business interests of its own-
er. But it is even more worrisome that the extant
judgment in the Karnataka High Court has given
credence to the idea that government authorities
The NB8 visit to India focuses on cooperation and trust
enjoy a wide berth in issuing content blocking or-

T
ders without the need to provide notices to the wo years after Russia’s full-scale invasion Lars Løkke and tourism. Trade and investment figures The war affects global food and energy
originators of the content or even seeking ac- of Ukraine, cooperation with global Rasmussen between our region and India are steadily security, supply chains, macro-financial stability,
count-level blocking without valid reasoning. It is partners has become more important increasing. Jointly, India and the Nordic-Baltic inflation and growth. Indeed, the Russian
is Minister for Foreign
hoped that X’s appeal in the High Court will de- than ever before. In this year’s Raisina Dialogue countries are coming together in pursuit of blockade of Ukrainian ports is especially
Affairs, Denmark
finitively clarify the rights and obligations of so- in New Delhi, we, the eight Nordic-Baltic common goals. pernicious, given the substantial global
cial media companies over content on its plat- countries, are participating in it together as Margus Tsahkna In a time of geopolitical shifts, the security of humanitarian needs. For this reason, it is most
forms. As for the government, it does not seem to representatives of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation, the Nordic-Baltic region and the Indo-Pacific is welcome that Ukraine has pushed through the
be concerned at all about what such actions the NB8. Our message is clear: in times of turmoil is Minister of Foreign interlinked. Today, it is more essential than ever Russian blockade and resumed food exports that
and conflict, the world needs more trust, Affairs, Estonia to work together to uphold international law, and are so critical for the world at large — not least for
mean to India’s reputation as a free, open and de-
mocratic society, a key reason for social media dialogue and cooperation. Let us join forces to to build capacity to tackle both traditional and the countries and people in need.
protect and defend peace and stability, to oppose Elina Valtonen non-traditional security threats, be it in India’s
companies to operate in the country, beyond just
the presence of a large consumer base. aggression, to maintain a rules-based world is Minister for Foreign neighbourhood or in our own. We recognise Peace formula
order, and to strengthen a world economy based Affairs, Finland India’s increasingly important role in Two years on, it is clear that Russia has totally
on free trade, sustainability and long-term international politics. India has taken on underestimated Ukraine as well as the support
partnerships. Bjarni important global responsibilities. Indian and determination of the international
On the long road We represent the governments of eight
countries of the north: Denmark, Estonia,
Benediktsson leadership, as illustrated not least through the
successfully concluded G-20 presidency, is
community. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy has presented an ambitious peace
is Minister for Foreign
Current ground realities, and not past Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Affairs, Iceland increasingly important for global security and formula for a comprehensive, just and lasting
glory, will shape seat adjustments Sweden. We are linked geographically, and we prosperity. peace, based on international law and the UN
share deep historical, social, economic and Krišjānis Kariņš Our objective for coming to India is clear: in a Charter. The peace formula, which has received

A
fter doddering for the past few months, cultural ties. Our advanced economies are more interconnected world, challenges are broad international support, includes issues of
the Opposition has got a shot in the arm outward-looking, innovation-driven, is Minister of Foreign shared and require us to work together. In recent global concern such as energy and food security,
complementary and fully integrated into the Affairs, Latvia years, we have all experienced global health, environmental consequences and justice. We
with Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Con-
gress finalising their seat-sharing agreement in world’s largest single market area, the European climate-related and geopolitical shocks that have fully support Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts for
Gabrielius
Uttar Pradesh. This is a milestone in the long road Common Market. Taken together, the size of the caused significant strain to our peoples, the peace and welcome the increasing number of
Landsbergis
to opposition unity that still remains distant at a Nordic-Baltic economies would qualify not only international system and indeed on our common countries and international organisations taking
national level against the BJP. The agreement sees for the G-20 but also the G-10. is Minister of Foreign planet. We see an urgent need to get back to a part in the peace formula meetings — most
each side gaining something in the bargain. The Our countries share a commitment to Affairs, Lithuania more positive agenda for global cooperation. This recently in Davos, Switzerland in January, where
Congress has got a respectable figure, though out democracy and human rights. We are all is an ambition that we share with India, and one there were 83 participants.
of the 17 seats that it will contest, not many hold champions of an international order based on Espen Barth Eide where our enhanced cooperation can make a Our visit represents the first joint high-level
much electoral promise against a dominant BJP. multilateralism and international law. It is in this is Minister of Foreign difference. NB8 delegation outside Europe. We have chosen
Sonia Gandhi will not be contesting Rae Bareli, spirit that we pursue a very productive and Affairs, Norway India as our first destination, for many good
which the Congress has won 17 times since 1952. deeply valued cooperation with India which is a The impact of the war against Ukraine reasons. Building on our strong commitment to
Whether one or both of her children, Rahul key country with a long-standing democratic Tobias Billström Today, the global agenda for progress is seriously the multilateral system, we want to increase
Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, will contest, choos- tradition and with which we share many core hampered by Russia’s illegal and full-scale war dialogue and cooperation on the issues that
values. We also have long-term and ever-closer is Minister for Foreign against Ukraine. Russia is trying to destroy and dominate India’s and other global partners’
ing between Rae Bareli and neighbouring
Affairs, Sweden
Amethi, remains an open question. Mr. Gandhi is ties with India and the Indo-Pacific region in dominate a democratic neighbouring country agendas.
trying to bring his battle against the BJP to the common. and alter borders using illegal force. It is an attack We are honoured to participate as a region in
heartlands of U.P. As for the SP, the alliance is on international law and on the fundamental this year’s Raisina Dialogue and to be able to
crucial in sustaining its social base of Yadavs and Diverse links with India principles of the territorial integrity and deepen our partnership and cooperation with
Muslims which resists the BJP. The Congress and The Nordic-Baltic cooperation with India spans sovereignty of all states. Upholding these India. Our message to the world continues to be
the SP have found their alliance not merely mu- fields as diverse as innovation, green transition, principles that are enshrined in the United partnership, trust and cooperation. A partnership
tually beneficial but also critical for their survival. maritime, health, intellectual property rights, Nations Charter, be it in Europe, the Indo-Pacific for development and health; a partnership for
It should be noted, however, that an alliance is no new technologies, space cooperation and or elsewhere, and ensuring accountability for the green transition and digitalisation; and a
guarantee of victory. In 2019, the SP-BSP alliance artificial intelligence, student exchanges, culture crimes committed, is paramount. partnership for peace and stability.
could not aggregate its individual vote shares of
2014, and ended up a distant second to the BJP.
The SP-Congress tie-up is the rare good news LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
that the INDIA bloc needs, hit by attrition with
the exit of two of its partners, the Janata Dal (Un- Political preparedness It was truly a case of which meant a lot. Ameen Sayani was like the Geetmala. Those were the fact that the show ran for
ited) in Bihar and the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar With the Lok Sabha election national integration at work It is no exaggeration to say favourite family member days. more than 40 years is a
Pradesh, in recent days. In West Bengal, the Tri- dates likely to be in reality. We settled down that millions of listeners who visited your home P.G. Menon, tribute to his unmatched
namool Congress and Congress are again in talks, announced soon, the and Ameen Sayani became across the country were every week, with stories Chennai popularity.
though the broad contours of the conversation still-unprepared state of the a part of life every glued to Binaca Geetmala and songs. M. Anand Ram Seshu,
have not changed. The TMC remains adamant on INDIA bloc is surprising. The Wednesday at 8 p.m. with because of his extraordinary Much before the television There is no doubt that Bengaluru
conceding only two seats in the State and want- bloc partners need to rise the Binaca Geetmala knowledge and era, to have the entire Ameen Sayani is the real
ing a seat in Meghalaya and two in Assam. Neith- above their differences or programme on Radio announcement skills. family gathering around the architect of the golden age For most of us, Ameen
er have the conditions that led to the breakdown else it will be too late to Ceylon. In the absence of a M.V. Nagavender Rao, radio, was the happiest of radio. It was a voice that Sayani’s radio journey
in talks improved since then. Coinciding with the make a political and radio facility, music Hyderabad moment in our lives and the resonated from the two started with Binaca
revival of negotiations, Congress State President electoral impact. enthusiasts like me would best example of connecting channels of the time, Radio Geetmala. His golden voice
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited Sandeshkhali, A.Jainulabdeen, be there at the ‘Bhade Miya Ameen Sayani will remain people. Ceylon and Vividh Bharati. had a charm and a warmth
which is the new battleground between the TMC Chennai Chai’ hotel that was located etched in our hearts and T.S. Karthik, Sudhir Kangutkar, that struck a chord across
and the BJP. Attacking West Bengal Chief Minister behind the hostel buildings. minds. Those were the days Chennai Vangani, Thane, Maharashtra generations. He played an
Mamata Banerjee, he called her the “queen of Ameen Sayani With a bun maska in hand of no recorders, TV, and important role in
cruelty”. Opposition parties have not been able In 1965, when I joined NIT and savouring a cup of tea computers. Life was simple Ameen Sayani’s unique style Ameen Sayani’s ability to revolutionising Indian
to announce seat sharing in Tamil Nadu and Bi- Warangal (it was the REC till the closing moments at and we would wait eagerly of presentation was truly seamlessly weave broadcasting.
har as yet. For the alliance to seamlessly work, then) to do mechanical 9 p.m., the hotel owner every week, for his show to captivating. During my commentary with music, Jubel D’Cruz,
the dominant partners in each State will have to engineering, I was excited to would give us the privilege start — melodious golden younger days in Bombay, I, interspersed with humour Mumbai
cede ground to others, setting aside their own as- see students from all parts of listening to the flowery hits with a mesmerising like several others, always and insightful anecdotes, Letters emailed to
pirations, while others will have to show the of the country, thanks to language of Ameen Sayani. commentary. made it a point to return created a fascinating letters@thehindu.co.in
grace to accept the ground realities without bask- the quota system of seats His introductory words were P.V. Srinivas Sreelekha, home from work on time so experience for millions must carry the full postal
ing in past glory. for each State. “Behano Aur Bhaiyo”, Secunderabad as not to miss Binaca tuning in every week. The address.
CM A ND-NDE
YK
THE HINDU
Saturday, February 24, 2024 9
GROUND ZERO
Delhi

and to move away from the conflict.


Even after January 5, when Shahjahan went in-
to hiding, not much has changed for the villagers,
they said. However, with every passing day, their
voices have grown louder. They have been unre-
lenting in their demand that the Trinamool lead-
ers return their dues and justice be served.
On February 7, a group of Trinamool suppor-
ters led by Sardar organised a rally, allegedly to
threaten the villagers to fall in line. However,
hundreds of villagers, mostly women, ran out of
their homes with sticks and batons and chased
the mob away. The properties of Sardar and Haz-
ra, the local block president of Sandeshkhali,
were attacked and set on fire. A poultry farm, a
school under construction, and a three-storey
Trinamool office were also not spared.

The political flashpoint


While the villagers alleged that they were beaten,
not allowed to vote, and forced to close shops
and businesses, it was their allegations of sexual
assault that created national outrage.
It was when a woman from Sandeshkhali told
a Bengali TV news channel that “their men would
come down to see which households have beauti-
ful, young women” that the floodgates opened.
More women came forward and said that they
were asked to visit the party office on the pretext
of a meeting and made to wait there until night.
The Union Minister for Women and Child De-
velopment, Smriti Irani, translated these allega-
tions from Bengali to Hindi and conducted a
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press conference at the BJP headquarters in Del-
hi. Over the next few days, Sandeshkhali became
a political flashpoint. The administration im-
posed prohibitory orders and prevented Opposi-
tion leaders from visiting certain areas.
The West Bengal Police said that there was no
specific complaint of sexual assault until a wo-
man made a statement before the magistrate on
February 15. On February 17, while addressing a
press conference, the Director General of Police,
Rajeev Kumar, said that there were attempts to
The police in Sandeshkhali along with the woman who filed a complaint of sexual assualt against two aides, Uttam Sardar and Shiboprasad Hazra, of the Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan. DEBASISH BHADURI give a “communal colour” to the incidents. He al-
so demanded to know why there were no com-
plaints before February 6 (the time the protest by

Fire and smoke


care and development. Juthika had come with a the villagers erupted when Sardar took out a
group of six women to the house of the complai- rally).
nant and had nudged her to report the attack on “Even though there were attempts to paint the
her house to the police. “If Shahjahan is not ar- picture as Hindu women being targeted by Mus-
rested, peace will not be restored here. Several of lim leaders, such claims have not divided the pe-
his aides are still roaming around,” she said. ople on the ground,” a senior police official said.

in Sandeshkhali
Ajanta Dey, joint secretary of the Nature Envi- Several Central teams, including of the Nation-
ronment and Wildlife Society, said small land hol- al Human Rights Commission, the National Com-
ders are not being allowed to own bheries and are mission for Scheduled Castes, the National Com-
being forced to work as labourers. “The region mission for Women, and the National
was not suitable for agriculture because of high Commission for Scheduled Tribes visited the vil-
salinity. That is why the fisheries sector began to lage. Some of these quasi judicial bodies sought
thrive. In the 1980s, prawn cultivation began. the imposition of President’s rule in West Bengal.
A Trinamool Congress leader and his two local aides have been facing accusations of sexual assault and land The growing cost of such fisheries along with ec- On February 20, the Leader of the Opposition,
ological changes are forcing people to give up Suvendu Adhikari, visited Sandeshkhali with per-
grab in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal. While the two aides have been arrested, the leader, Sheikh Shahjahan, is bheries. And this is what powermongers are tak- mission from the Calcutta High Court. He re-
absconding. Shiv Sahay Singh reports on the villagers who narrate stories of a man who allegedly unleashed a ing advantage of,” Dey said. ceived a rousing welcome. Now, the BJP has a
new party office next to the closed and battered
reign of terror, and how an island close to the Sundarbans has become the centre of Trinamool-BJP politics ‘We have not got our dues’ Trinamool office. Saffron flags fly everywhere
Outside a school in Sandeshkhali, Krishna Bar and far outnumber the Trinamool colours of
looked for a piece of paper to lodge her com- orange, white, green, and black, in Sandeshkhali.
wo days before her house was at- have alleged that their fisheries have been forci- plaint. “One bigha of land belonging to my father-

T tacked in the dead of night, a woman


from Sandeshkhali, a village in North
24 Parganas district of West Bengal,
had deposed before a magistrate accusing local
leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress party of
Since digging
the soil for
bheries is
bly taken away by Shahjahan, Hazra, and Sardar.
Like many local strongmen in the Trinamool,
Shahjahan, 42, rose to political prominence from
humble beginnings. He was a driver and soon be-
came the leader of a brick kiln union. He went on
in-law, Ishwar Chandra Bar, was taken on lease by
Hazra and his men. For three years, we have not
got any lease money,” she explained.
Tapan Das started a cooperative of bheries
along with other farmers. He said he had to pay
Resentment in the air
Bhakta Das was not even 18 when he first waved
the Trinamool flag. He is president of booth num-
ber 117 of Sandeshkhali for the party. “Shibopra-
sad and his men owe me ₹1.33 lakh,” he said.
sexual assault at a nearby party office. On Febru- to control bheries and, consequently, the econo- ₹4,000 in 2022 for every bigha in the bheries “When I asked for the money, they threatened to
ary 16, the woman, accompanied by four others costly, my and the politics of the region. where he was rearing prawn, to Hazra and Sar- break my leg. Why should we suffer such humilia-
from her village as well as police personnel, villagers Shahjahan owns many properties and hun- dar. “I paid more than ₹1.20 lakh for the 28 bighas tion?” Asthami Sardar, a Trinamool Panchayat
made the deposition under Section 164 of the leased their dreds of acres of land of which many were alleg- I cultivated. The Trinamool leaders told me that Samithi member, said that the people should not
Code of Criminal Procedure, which empowers a land out for edly grabbed from the villagers. He seized a play- they would return the money through job cards resent the party because of the “misdeeds and
magistrate to record a person’s testimony or con- a yearly sum. ground from a local organisation and locked the (or cash transfers of the Mahatma Gandhi Nation- the torture committed by a few.” But Bhakta is
fession regardless of whether or not they have ju- But most of main gate, villagers allege; the place was subse- al Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) but we not convinced. “Didi (Mamata Banerjee) should
risdiction over the case. On reaching the Basirhat quently named the ‘Sheikh Shahjahan Fan Club’. have not received a single rupee,” he said. come and hear us,” he said.
them have
sub-divisional court, the woman also recorded a A market complex near his residence is named Villagers alleged that they were ‘punished’ in Angry villagers did not spare Sukumar Maha-
video saying that she had reached safely. not been after him. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had various ways for refusing to give away their land to, the Sandeshkhali MLA, who visited the area 14
On the morning of February 18, however, she paid. once described him as “popular”. But Shahjahan and bheries. Some were not paid shop dues. days after violence broke out. “Where were you
did not feel safe any longer. As she spoke to jour- Whenever was little known in political circles until a team of Some others watched helplessly as their poultry all these days?” an angry farmer shouted, alleg-
nalists in front of her house, she said, her voice someone has the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his resi- was taken away or as fish was removed from their ing that he had lost 6 bighas of land to Trinamool
trembling, “Look what they have done. Had I not asked for dence in connection with a ration scam on Janu- ponds. “There was no one to speak against Shah- leaders. On February 22, the police and the MLA
gone into hiding last night, they would have money, they ary 5. A mob attacked the ED officers leaving jahan and his aides. If you said something, you ensured that the gates of the ‘Sheikh Shahjahan
killed me.” Pointing to the holes in the walls of three of them injured. Shahjahan ran away. were targeted,” said a villager. Fan Club’ were opened to the public and the
have been
her house built with bamboo and cane, she al- Conflict has often arisen around the power In an attempt to assuage the anger of the villag- name of the absconding leader was white-
leged that the ‘visitors’ of the previous night had beaten up. that comes from the control of land and area do- ers, on February 18, the district administration washed. Parts of Sandeshkhali remained on the
identified themselves as the police, abused her JUTHIKA ROY minance. Movements against forcible land acqui- set up grievance redressal camps in every school boil, with hundreds of women coming out of
Villager
father-in-law, and tried to break into the house. and ICDS worker
sition in Singur and Nandigram, for instance, of Sandeshkhali. Each had separate counters to their homes, raising allegations against Shahja-
When asked repeatedly about what she had en- brought an end to the 34 year-long stint of the enlist complaints regarding agriculture, food sup- han and his men, and attacking properties and
dured, she threw up her hands in frustration. Left Front government. Sandeshkhali was the ep- plies, and land. The district administration hired bheries of Trinamool leaders.
“How can I tell you,” she said in anguish. “They icentre of the Tebhaga movement, among of the artists and drummers to encourage villagers to So far, more than 20 people have been arrest-
did bad things.” largest farmers’ movements, in the late 1940s. lodge their complaints at the booths. About 200 ed. They include two Trinamool leaders accused
The woman was referring to Uttam Sardar and “Since digging the soil for shallow fish ponds complaints were lodged on the first day. A major- of sexual assault, more than 10 BJP workers, CPI
Shiboprasad Hazra, two aides of Trinamool lead- is costly, villagers leased their land out for a year- ity of these were related to land grab. Many spec- (M) leader and former Sandeshkhali MLA Nirapa-
er Sheikh Shahjahan, who are facing allegations ly sum of ₹10,000-₹12,000 per bigha. But most of ified that they were not paid the promised lease da Sardar, and a television journalist who was la-
of sexual harassment and land grab. While the the villagers have not been paid. Whenever so- money for the fisheries. Since agriculture is not a ter granted bail by the Calcutta High Court.
two men have since been arrested, Shahjahan is meone has asked for money, they have been bea- viable option and the bheries have been taken ov- After Hazra’s arrest, villagers began distribut-
absconding. The allegations have caused a politi- ten up,” said Juthika Roy, a worker of the Inte- er by Trinamool leaders, the villagers claimed ing sweets to shopkeepers. Many people accept-
cal storm with the Trinamool and the Bharatiya grated Child Development Services, a than more than one-fourth of the youth in San- ed the jalebis eagerly before the cameras.
Janata Party (BJP), the main Opposition party in government programme for early childhood deshkhali had migrated to other regions for work A 46-year-old shopkeeper selling metal uten-
the State, engaged in a fierce war of words. sils and silver jewellery was angry. “During the
The woman said her husband went to ask the panchayat elections last year, we were made to
men why they were torturing women. “They close shops. We were given sticks and batons and
beat him up,” she said. “And ever since he prot- made to wait outside polling booths,” he said.
ested, he has not been getting any work here.” The Trinamool Congress swept the panchayat
The woman alleged that she was sexually as- polls in Sandeshkhali without any contest in
saulted five months ago. Hazra and Sardar were 2023. The BJP workers who dared to contest were
present along with others at the Trinamool party forced to flee the area and take shelter in Kolkata,
office where the incident took place, she said. said the villagers.
Customers, mostly women, were glued to the
Prawns and the pursuit of power TV in the shop. “How dare he ask women alleging
Sandeshkhali II block is a part of the Sundarbans, sexual assault to reveal their identity on live TV,”
an area of mangroves in the delta formed by the a woman said referring to the comments made by
confluence of the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra, a Trinamool spokesperson. Asked about the alle-
and Meghna. Located about 100 kilometres gations made by the women of Sandeshkhali,
south of the capital Kolkata, Sandeshkhali is one another said, “There is no smoke without fire.”
of the hundreds of islands in the delta. Here, over On February 21, Asthami Sardar tried to meet
the years, single-crop agriculture has given way the complainant. She had been sent to Sandeshk-
to bheries (shallow fish ponds) for prawn cultiva- hali to assuage the anger of the villagers. A police
tion. The road to the ferry ghat of the island is post has been set up near the woman’s house
dotted with bheries and brick kilns. The dark soil where six policemen stand guard. “She will not
from the fields, now converted into agricultural speak to anyone,” the woman’s father-in-law said.
ponds, is used in brick kilns. The complainant was upset that red strings
At the heart of the conflict that erupted in Fe- had been tied around her house. “It is only when
bruary are allegations of land grab. Today, politi- someone dies that this is done. I don’t know why
cal and economic power in Sandeshkhali stems the police have tied them here,” she said. “Des-
from the control of bheries. Most of the villagers Villagers of Sandeshkhali lodge a complaint with Asthami Sardar, a Trinamool member of the Panchayat Samithi. DEBASISH BHADURI pite police protection, we are still living in fear.”
CM A ND-NDE
YK
6 . bl . think
DELHI

businessline.
SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 24 - 2024

CIRCUIT
BREAKER.
SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 24, 2024
AARATI KRISHNAN

Carrot and stick


O
f late, any discussion
about retirement in India
tends to get diverted into
the debate on whether the
CCI’s ‘leniency plus’ will, hopefully, curb cartelisation New Pension System or
Old Pension Scheme is better. But this
he ‘leniency plus’ scheme, which came into

T
question is irrelevant to 96 per cent of
force from February 20, marks a significant Indians, as only about 4 per cent of the
country’s workforce is employed with
step forward in competition law in India. It the Central or State governments.
encourages individuals and companies involved in Over 50 crore Indians who are in
one cartel to disclose information on another cartel non-government jobs today will need to
save enough during their working lives
of which they are a part, by reducing the penalties

The great Indian


to fend for themselves after retirement.
with respect to both cartels. The provisions in this Most of them don’t realise that this
regard are spelt out in Section 46 of the Competition could be a superhuman task, thanks to
India’s high inflation rates, low real
Act, and the recently notified Competition returns from debt and rising longevity.

retirement challenge
Commission of India (Lesser Penalty) Regulations. Under-funded pensions are among the
biggest problems confronting the
Cartels are notoriously difficult to current generation of Indians. Yet, the
establish in law because of the covert nature great Indian retirement challenge seems
of the understanding between competing to be under-appreciated in policy circles.
businesses to fix prices, limit production, UNATTAINABLE TARGETS Indians of this generation face a superhuman task in funding retirement
allocate markets or customers, or rig bids With the FIRE (Financial Independence, GETTY IMAGES
for public procurement, all of which are Retire Early) movement taking off in the
designed to reduce competition and West, many young people are eager to stock market Gods to make it work. Employees Provident Fund (EPF) or
know the size of the corpus they will This implies that Suja would need to Public Provident Fund (PPF) as their
increase profits for the cartel members. need to retire at, say, 45 in India. The set aside nearly 24 per cent of her income default retirement vehicle. They should
Thus, detection of cartels is often reliant on numbers that financial planners throw towards retirement alone. Her living instead be leaning on equity vehicles like
insider information or whistle-blowers. The up are so mind-boggling that they tend expenses, not to mention emergencies mutual funds or National Pension
96eed26b-6814-45ab-804d-2e0baf8d4232

96eed26b-6814-45ab-804d-2e0baf8d4232
basic purpose of the leniency plus rules is to to give up the idea and resign themselves and other goals such as home loan System (NPS). Tax sops and laws such as
encourage ‘informers’ or whistle-blowers in to a long slog. servicing and care of dependents, will the EPF Act need to reworked to
If FIRE is beyond the reach of most need to squeezed into the remaining 76 promote this.
order to make the job of the regulator, CCI, folks, building a retirement corpus that per cent of her pay. Two, the prevailing view in a section
easier in enforcing proper market can outlive them is no breeze even for of babudom seems to be that equity
behaviour. Leniency (or lesser penalty) and folks who plan to work until 60. THE INDIAN PROBLEM returns are free money and that equity
leniency plus provisions are a feature of Consider 25-year-old Suja who earns However, a recent research paper by investors are getting a bonanza at a 10
₹75,000 a month. She would like to retire Rajan Raju and Ravi Saraogi suggests per cent capital gains tax rate. But the
competition laws in the UK, US, Singapore, at 60 and live on her accumulated savings that the 4 per cent withdrawal rate rule truth is that Indian investors,
Canada and Brazil. In India’s case, the thereafter. To calculate her retirement cannot be blindly applied to the Indian This significantly raises the bar for irrespective of their risk appetite, have
penalties involved are daunting (as a corpus, a financial advisor would ask her situation. people like Suja. If she were to target a 3 no choice but to invest in equities to
proportion of net profit or turnover for the to estimate the living expenses she’s Using empirical data on inflation, FD per cent withdrawal rate to fund her meet long-term goals such as
likely to incur after retirement. Let’s say rates and equity returns in India over the retirement, she will need to plan for a retirement. Contrary to the perception
duration of the cartel’s existence), but she pegs it at ₹50,000 a month or ₹6 lakh last 23 years, they model retirement corpus of ₹15.37 crore (₹46.1 lakh x that stocks are for the wealthy, it is lower
providing material and timely information a year. Adjusting this for 6 per cent portfolios to find that the safe 33.33) at 60. This will need monthly and middle-income households who
can potentially result in a 100 per cent inflation over the next 35 years, Suja withdrawal rate for an average Indian investments of about ₹23,900 in equities badly need them to get to a reasonable
reduction of the penalty in the case of one would need a cool ₹46.1 lakh for her looking to fund a 30-year retired life is (12 per cent return) for the next 35 real return. A friendly capital gains tax
cartel and a 30 per cent reduction in living expenses in her very first year of closer to 3 per cent. They point out that a years. That would eat up nearly a third of regime for equities needs to continue, to
retirement. 4 per cent withdrawal rate in India would her current income. ensure this.
another. Retirement thumb rules from the lead to a high failure rate (where the Unlike Suja though, most Indians give Three, tax tweaks in recent years have
The new rules promise confidentiality to West say that the safe withdrawal rate to individual outlives her retirement fund) priority to goals such as home purchases removed inflation indexation benefits
the informant. But the question, of course, fund a retired life of 30 years, is 4 per due to volatile equity returns and a high and children’s education early in their on most financial assets, while gold and
is whether this carrot and stick policy will cent. This means that at 60, Suja will inflation rate which significantly trims career and get to retirement planning real estate continue to enjoy them. This
need a retirement fund of ₹11.57 crore the real returns on safe options like fixed only in their forties. The accompanying has dealt a body blow to real returns
lead to the desired changes. Given the size (₹46.1 lakh x 25) to draw from. deposits. You can read their research table captures the astronomical sums from financial assets. To encourage
of India’s economy and anecdotal Getting to that corpus with debt here: https://papers.ssrn.com/ that folks starting late, need to invest to retirement savings through a balanced
indications of the existence of cartels, CCI’s avenues such as the PPF with a 7 per cent sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4697720. fund their retirement. portfolio, indexation benefits need to be
track record has not been very good. It has return will be quite impossible, as that restored on financial assets. To ensure
not been able to realise even a fraction of the would require her to invest over ₹63,000 To encourage retirement POLICY FIXES that only long-term investors benefit,
huge penalties which it has imposed upon
a month for the next 35 years. She has a savings through a If India is to ward off a crisis on indexation can be made conditional on a
better shot at getting to that corpus, if under-funded pensions 15 or 20 years holding period of, say, 7 or 10 years.
the enterprises for their anti-competitive she targets a 12 per cent post-tax return balanced portfolio, hence, this may need significant policy Finally, income tax slabs for retirees
conduct. The existing leniency regime in with an equity-only portfolio. In this indexation benefits interventions. need to rise with inflation, so that they
case, she would need to invest ₹17,900 a One, given the lofty retirement don’t have to over-invest in risky assets
India (for single cartel) has remained a month for the next 35 years in equity need to be restored on targets they face, Indians cannot afford that can put their hard-won corpus in
non-starter. Enterprises are not willing to funds. But she will need to pray to the financial assets. to have debt-oriented vehicles such as jeopardy.
come forward and admit guilt. Not many
which have come forward appear to have
benefited from reduced penalty.
There is a downside to the proposed
regime though. Unlike in the US, UK, Brazil
and Canada, the law here does not provide
Everyone loves the shopping experience
any deterrence for providing wrong
information. This creates apprehensions If women across classes are inveterate shoppers, the men too are catching up
over possible misuse of the law to settle banished to slink away quietly as fantasy changing! The man who went out with
scores. The new rules would have to strike a Sathya Saran makes an entrance. his wife, mother or girlfriend to buy
balance between incentivising disclosures A woman can be princess, corporate shirt/shoes/trousers is a disappearing

S
and ensuring that such incentives do not hopping. Girls of all ages love it! honcho, Barbie look-alike by turn, and species. Whether he depended on the
Ok, maybe some of them are shopping defers to all her moods. The woman’s advice, or resisted it, this is no
encourage malpractices. The regulator middle aged, and do not qualify to child looking at glass bottles holding longer a situation that exists.
should inspire confidence with respect to be called girls. But just say the word, or sweets had to choose, but today’s Men have found a refuge in shopping
maintaining confidentiality. It should be let them loose in a mall or even a store, woman, with money in her purse, often online. Safe and private, quick and easy,
able to act decisively on the basis of and the years fall away. doesn’t make a choice. She buys it all; without worrying about parking issues
A sense of wonder takes over; they one for every mood. and time away from other occupations.
information and reward whistle-blowers. A may as well be children staring at the Not so long ago, retailers knew their Statistics garnered across 35,000
perception of being rigorous and array of glass bottles lined up in a sweet target buyer well. The demographics respondents across 35 States in an
ONLINE SHOPPING. Elderly women
even-handed could foster a culture of shop, trying to make up their minds were clear. But online shopping has
haven’t shied away ISTOCK
online survey conducted by
compliance. The leniency plus provisions about what to buy. turned everything on its head. IIM-Ahmedabad says that men spend 36
It really does not matter; the fact Introduce a 60-plus woman, who per cent more than women on online
are a step in the right direction. The ball is remains that whether they are 16, 30,or claims to be gadget illiterate, to the government announced free-bus-rides purchases.
now in industry’s court. India Inc must 55, shopping comes infused with simple act of extending the use of her for women, buses overflowed. Out of a And they are not far behind in what
come forward in good faith. adrenaline; the urge for it runs in every smartphone to click on a shopping site, total of 51 lakh passengers bussing they shop for either, as 47 per cent
woman’s blood. and paying for it online, and lo! a about, 30 lakh were women…60 per cent, shopped for fashion wear as against 58
Women shop for different things. lost-to-retail generation returns dizzy in other words. per cent women, while only 36 per cent
Essentials like groceries, yes. That’s a with happiness to the joys of shopping! Pushing the bus services to full shopped for electronics.
POCKET RAVIKANTH given. Some do it as a matter of course; Daring where they have never dared to capacity, forcing the introduction of new All of which boils down to this. Retail
the others make it an art, looking at go a few decades ago, 60-year-olds invest buses. And a hefty percentage of the therapy is the new opiate. Online, with
colour, shape, size and weight before in frilly long dresses, seqinned saris and majority were older women, stepping easy returns possible, painless, easy.
making decisions on whether they are Anarkali kurta sets, and plan out to meet friends, and go festive Drooling over shops/websites and their
worthy of shelling out cash for. get-togethers to show off their new buys. season shopping. booty… choosing, buying, returning…
But even the most critical appraiser of Thanks to the .com, when it comes to keeps the mind from angst over other
groceries finds a strange abandon shopping, for many 60 is the new 30. MALE SHOPPERS issues.
entering her psyche when she sets out to This is not about city women of the Men may be reluctant shoppers, Women knew it always. Now men
shop for herself. Clothes, jewellery, higher echelons only. Women in two-tier especially when accompanying a wife on know it too.
makeup, shoes and bags head the list of and three-tier cities are as enthusiastic. the prowl, but they are not averse to it.
delectables, and good sense can be In the 11 days after a state Not one bit. And the male shopper is The writer is a Consulting Editor with Penguin India

LETTERS TO EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

Downfall of Byju’s mounting debts and subsequent into a preferred destination for hard to export goods and services to the subterfuge-inflicted mayoral
This refers to ‘ED upgrades lookout defaults. These financial challenges investment. The RBI has estimated Japan. Hence to that extent, foreign election, by invoking the
circular against Byju’s promotor’ unveiled questionable accounting the Indian economy will grow at 7 exchange earnings of these Constitutional powers vested under
(February 23). It is crucial to reflect practices, ultimately shaking the very per cent at a time when Japan and countries will be affected. It is here, Article 142. The diminishing code of
on the significant downturn foundation of the company. Britain are facing recessionary the significance of diversifying conduct and ethics on the part of the
experienced by Byju’s, once hailed as Byju’s serves as a stark lesson on how conditions. Since Japan and Britain exports arises. India, in particular, persons responsible for conducting
the darling of the edtech sector. Byju corporate entities should not be are trading partners of India, the should explore more markets to elections transparently is worrisome,
Raveendran’s ambitious pursuit of managed, underscoring the perils of effects of the recession there can export its commodities and earn and they must face deterrent
rapid expansion, following initial prioritising unchecked growth over impact our economy, especially our considerable foreign exchange, punishment. Also, accountability
success during the surge in demand financial prudence and governance. exports. which is vital for economic growth. should be fixed on the authority
for online learning post the Covid-19 Srinivasan Velamur VSK Pillai What India loses in Japan nominating such persons for
pandemic, steered the company off Chennai Changanacherry, Kerala economically can be made good by handling such important tasks.
course. other nations. However, the main cause of worry is
Regrettably, in his quest for Attracting investments Expand export markets S Ramakrishnasayee that amidst mounting pressure on
phenomenal growth, Raveendran This refers to ‘Implications of Recession is defined as a situation of Chennai the judiciary in settling the
lost sight of prudent means, opting recession’ (February 23). The slow fall in aggregate demand leading humongous number of pending
for an aggressive capital mobilisation political stability, to a fall in employment, income and Conduct of elections cases, the inefficiency of the state
strategy through an inorganic inflation-controlling measures of the output. It can last for months. Now, This refers to ‘Lessons from administration is unnecessarily
growth model. Unfortunately, this RBI, and the robust socio-economic Japan is in this unenviable economic Chandigarh’ (February 23). The apex adding to the burden of the courts.
approach, coupled with an overly reforms being enforced by the situation. This naturally means, other court once again had to be dragged Sitaram Popuri
zealous expansion, resulted in government have transformed India nations including India will find it in to save the democratic process in Bengaluru

Published by Nirmala Lakshman and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., Chennai-600002. Editor: Raghuvir Srinivasan (Editor responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). ISSN 0971 - 7528

CM
YK . . . . . . . . ND-NDE
>
NEW DELHI | SATURDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2024 OPINION 9

Putin has already lost from, even antipathy toward, Russia.


Indeed, Mr Putin may go down in history
as one of its main, if unwitting, catalysts.
Given his conviction that Russians and
before the invasion and both have first-
rate armies. With their addition, Russia
will be even more hemmed in, not least in
the Baltic Sea and by the 830-mile land
and building modern defence industries
by signing agreements for technology
transfers and joint production. Even a
non-Nato Ukraine will not quite be non-
And yet, for all that, Mr Putin’s war has visitor to Ukraine will fail to be struck by Ukrainians are really one people, such a border it shares with Finland. aligned because of its substantial and
failed. As Carl von Clausewitz famously its many daily manifestations. result is especially ironic. What’s more, Russia’s attack jolted increasing defence ties with the West.
stressed, war is not ultimately about killing Everywhere you go, Ukrainians speak His war has backfired not only in non-US Nato countries into rethinking The pessimists may be right: If
people and destroying things: It’s a means Western languages, particularly English, Ukraine but also in Europe. The European their longstanding aversion to boosting American military assistance were to
to achieve specific political ends. Those in seemingly ever greater numbers. Union, jolted into action by the invasion, military expenditure. According to Nato cease, Ukraine would find it far harder,
who start wars expect to be in a better Ukraine tends to be depicted as an summoned a common spirit in its support estimates, the combined annual military perhaps even impossible, to reclaim more
strategic position once the gunfire stops. uneasy amalgam of two national commu- for Ukraine. Previously somewhat divided spending of Canada and the European of its land and may even lose additional
But even if this war ends with Russia nities: one in the country’s western in its approach to Russia, the bloc has acted members of the alliance increased to 8.3 territory. Yet even a smaller Ukraine will
retaining all the Ukrainian land it now regions, defined by Ukrainian ethnicity in near unanimity — Prime Minister Viktor per cent in 2023, from 2 per cent in 2022. remain strategically important. When it
holds, Moscow’s position will be worse. No and language, the other in its Russophone Orban of Hungary being the only excep- This year, 18 member states are reportedly became independent in 1991 it ranked —
RAJAN MENON matter what, Ukraine will go its own way. east and south. If this was ever wholly tion — to oppose Mr Putin’s act of aggres- set to meet the goal of spending 2 per cent Russia aside — first in Europe in size and
For Mr Putin, more concerned by Ukraine accurate, it is no longer. To take one exam- sion. Equally important, Ukraine’s journey of their gross domestic product on their fifth in population. Even a truncated

A
s the second anniversary of than any other country that arose from the ple, any visitor to Ukraine’s eastern and toward EU membership, for years fiercely militaries — a sixfold increase in a decade. Ukraine would be among Europe’s big-
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine wreckage of the Soviet Union, that alone southern front lines will encounter soldiers opposed in Moscow, is now very much in Even in Germany, historically sensitive to gest countries, its heft added to by a bat-
approaches, it has become a com- is tantamount to defeat. who speak to one another in Russian and train, even if it won’t be a short ride. One Russia’s security interests and an advocate tle-tested army of 500,000 that is already
monplace that time favours President If the fundamental purpose of Mr may not even know Ukrainian. But they sign of progress: Along with Moldova, of engagement with Moscow, the mood far larger than that of any European Nato
Vladimir Putin. With Ukraine running Putin’s war was to keep Ukraine within see themselves as citizens of Ukraine com- Ukraine officially began negotiations to has shifted. Its defence minister now country and that will only become
low on weaponry and ammunition, Russia’s orbit — politically, culturally and mitted to preventing Russia from subor- join the bloc late last year. warns that Russia has become a serious, stronger and more modern.
American military assistance in doubt economically — it has had the opposite dinating their homeland — a cause for Then there’s Nato. Russia’s invasion growing threat. Mr Putin sees Ukraine as a peerless
and Russia determined to fight on, effect. Ukraine’s leaders and citizens, par- which they are prepared to die. was undeniably an attempt to forestall the Ukraine, of course, is keen to join the prize, even a Russian entitlement. But
Ukrainian victory now seems out of reach. ticularly those from younger generations, More than any other event, Russia’s alliance’s eastern encroachment, which Mr alliance: A nightmare scenario for the the war he started to possess it has guar-
Some influential experts go further, insist- have decided that their future lies with full-scale invasion in 2022 has contrib- Putin has long regarded as a threat. In the Kremlin. But even if that desire remains anteed that it will never be his.
ing that Kyiv will suffer only more death the West, not Russia. The prevalence of uted to this sentiment. Ukrainian nation- event, Russia’s assault on Ukraine impelled unfulfilled — as seems likely, at least in
and destruction by persisting and should this mind-set became increasingly pal- alism today, transcending region and lan- two more countries, Finland and Sweden, the near term — Ukraine will continue The writer is the director of the grand strategy
seek a political settlement with Moscow pable over the course of four trips I have guage, reflects a deep determination to to seek Nato membership. Neither had looking to Nato countries for help in train- programme at Defence Priorities.
— even if it requires sacrificing territory. taken to Ukraine since the invasion; no forge an identity defined by separation shown the slightest inclination to sign up ing its soldiers, equipping its armed forces ©The New York Times News Service

ILLUSTRATION: BINAY SINHA

To-do list for Modi 3.0


A final view on who is OBC, agricultural reforms, and the Agniveers replace military recruitment in the
second, we can set the bar higher in the third.
abolition of anti-defection law and UPSC are among the 6. Now, let’s delve into some political reforms.
key goals PM should pursue if he wins a third term End the anti-defection law. After all the cor-
ruption and shenanigans we have seen, it is

F
or the question asked most these days rity reserves, it should buy in the open market evident that the law is irrelevant and pro-
— “So who’s winning the general elec- and compete with private trade. Trade should motes horse-trading rather than curbing it.
tion and by how much?”— let us, for be freed so the challenges of seasonal boom- It should be up to the parties to keep their
now, take Prime Minister Narendra Modi at and-bust cycles, shortages and hoarding can coherence. At the same time, the whip system
his word. We can then offer him a 10-point be met through exports and imports. must go and be restricted only to finance Bills

Byju’s spectacular meltdown wish list of what he could — and, in our view,
should — do in his third term.
Not only does he think and repeatedly
3. Only a small percentage of Indian farmers
produce surpluses in procurable volumes. All
landowning farmers get PM Kisan now, then
and confidence motions.
7. Electoral reforms should follow, and some
of these will undo what was seen as reform in
$200 million. That rights lier, when Educomp, a the popularity of private assert that 2024 is a done deal, he is also act- trillions of rupees is spent on fertiliser, power the past. The ceiling on election expenses by
issue was at an implied val- listed edtech company, tuition and the mushroom- ing as if the coming election is a mere cam- and water subsidies. All of these must go, and candidates while their parties can spend
uation of between $225 and soared to heights before ing coaching centres. paigning interregnum between his second be replaced by one, sizable farming support unlimited amounts is nonsensical. As is the
250 million. going bankrupt. Every Indian family, and third terms, which he takes for granted. in cash, even if the cost increases. Pricing for Model Code of Conduct, since nobody cares
This is a far cry from What is unusual is the regardless of religious affil- This week’s Cabinet meeting, for example, all inputs should be determined by the market. for it. The Prime Minister, for example,
Byju’s peak valuation of $22 industry that Byju’s (and iation, worships at the altar was unusually long. He announced an impor- That will dismantle so many agencies, bring announced a nationwide free foodgrain
billion in March 2022. Educomp) occupied. of education. Every lower- tant policy change, opening up the space sec- efficiencies and, most importantly, save the scheme extension during the Chhattisgarh
Byju’s has spent at least Education is not an indus- income family knows it is tor to 100 per cent foreign direct investment. environment — especially water tables — from state poll campaign. The other totally wasted
$2.5 billion in an acqui- try in the normal sense — the only honest way to He also asked his ministers to start preparing ongoing destruction. idea is to stop campaigning 48 hours before
sition and expansion spree, indeed schools and col- climb the ladder. the agenda for the first 100 4. All of the other support polling. Everybody violates it and in any case,
VIEWPOINT and now it’s finding it dif-
ficult to pay salaries!
leges are non-profits.
Edtech delivers education
Byju’s exploited that
genuine need and that
days of his next term.
It is a good time, there-
schemes to the poor should
go too and be replaced by one
digital and social media make it utterly out-
dated. Trying to enforce it is a case of too
DEVANGSHU DATTA The marque investors using digital technology, so insecurity to sell courses. fore, for us to list our wishes Universal Basic Income. much government, zero governance.
who had pumped in cash while edtech is for profit, it Parents scraped together for his third term. The first These include MGNREGA, 8. In the two terms so far, Mr Modi has gone

T
he latest shenanigan earlier have pulled their rep- services a non-profit sector. the resources to sign up three emanate from ongoing free grain under NFSA, the back on three reforms: Land acquisition, agri-
at edtech giant resentatives from the board. Byju’s was, by far, the their children. But political issues right now. cooking gas subsidy and so culture reforms, and labour reforms. He erred
Byju’s is an extraor- The auditor, Deloitte, has largest and best funded because Byju’s did not l. A final view on Other on. A third-term majority gravely in pushing them through without a
dinary general meeting also quit. There are allega- edtech in India, maybe the deliver what it promised, Backward Class (OBC) reser- government can and should real debate, and the first two through the
(EGM) where sundry share- tions the Raveendran family world. The implosion will the users have lost years vations must be taken. One do it. Remember the spirit of ordinance route. The first is partly resolved
holders try to oust founder sold large stakes, in off-mar- bury edtech, so far as of their lives learning lit- option is for him to draw the minimum government/max- with the government offering a lot more and
chief executive officer Byju
Raveendran and his family.
ket deals, while the going
was good.
investor funding is con-
cerned, for years, if not
tle, while parents have lost
hard-earned money and,
line and declare that the
status quo is final, and the
NATIONAL INTEREST imum governance.
5. You might scream if I say
making the sale of land lucrative, and by
exempting defence. The other two must
That power struggle is That’s quite a train permanently. in many cases, they’re 50 per cent limit won’t be SHEKHAR GUPTA abolish UPSC as it exists return to the agenda.
hardly the only issue with wreck — from being the That is heartbreaking struggling to repay loans. breached. For this, even his today. It has become a 9. Theaterisation is an epochal military reform
the company. world’s most highly valued and it has policy implica- Edtech offered hope party and allies have to stop tossing about mechanical compete-by-rote government and four decades delayed. It’s a pity that the
Byju’s faces an edtech unicorn to losing 99 tions that go beyond the that under-educated youth issues such as Marathas or Jats, or further recruitment system at the top. The competi- two Modi terms have failed to accomplish this.
Enforcement Directorate per cent of that value in less negative externalities that could leverage it to learn messing up Karnataka’s ridiculous algebraic tion is fair. But the system is gamed by dozens The result is the kind of band aid/patchwork
probe for alleged forex vio- than two years. result when a large busi- skills they did not acquire formula. On the contrary, he could hold a of multiple-hundred crore — now some even change we just saw with the creation of a new
lations. It filed FY22 (year These things happen in ness collapses. Byju’s posi- in classrooms. This is in nationwide caste census, determine who the unicorn-strength — coaching academies. Army Corps facing the Chinese in the Middle
ended March 2022) finan- the tech and startup eco- tioned itself as the solution analogy to the way fintech OBCs are and close the issue. If this means Families from the middle, lower-middle Sector. A third term, or 15 years in power with
cials late, in November 2023, system, though they are to a huge, unmet need. has pulled unbanked mil- taking reservations beyond 50 per cent, so be and what Modi calls the neo-middle classes majorities, leaves no excuses.
reporting losses of ~8,245 rarely as spectacular. But India has an under-edu- lions into the formal it. Just put an end to the matter that keeps beg-steal-borrow to send their kids to sweaty, The 10th and the last item on our list is the
crore on revenues of ~5,298 Byju’s spent enormous cated population strug- financial system. holding our politics to ransom. slummy dormitories in big cities, slogging in most challenging. For six and a half decades
crore. This follows losses of sums to build a brand — gling for access to better A valuation of any busi- 2. He tried serious agriculture reforms in his the face of near-impossible odds. Millions of now, India’s external security has struggled
~4,558 crore on revenues of including sponsoring the education. ness is based on projec- second term but failed. In the third, he should families are ruined or driven into debt as only with a two-front challenge. China uses
~2,298 crore in FY21. Indian Premier League Conventional schools tions of future earnings. invest real political capital and time in build- a couple of thousands — if that many — make Pakistan as a cheap instrument to triangulate
It faces litigation in the and the football World and colleges lack the capac- The collapse of Byju’s val- ing the environment for the reform India it. Fundamentally, it’s a giant transfer of beg- India. Mr Modi has achieved much in India’s
US from lenders suing to Cup. It’s no exaggeration to ity to fill that gap. Hence, the uation and the impact on needs most of all. Aligning the farm and borrowed wealth from lower-middle India to foreign relations and strategic repositioning.
recover $1.2 billion, and its say it’s a household name. desperate competition to edtech funding pulls down farmers with the market is far more challeng- the now increasingly private equity-addled Can he now rid India of the two-front curse?
US subsidiary has declared So the collapse is equally get into engineering and the “valuation” of the ing than P V Narasimha Rao’s junking of the coaching business. This reform isn’t just about It will involve settling India’s disputes with
bankruptcy. It has high-profile. medical courses. On aver- demographic dividend. old industrial policy (licence-quota raj) family economics. It is about a deeply calcified at least one of our two nuclear neighbours. It
reportedly sacked over half The tech ecosystem has age, most of India’s work- An under-educated pop- because farming has political power. system of preparing by rote and killing inno- will be tough and fraught with political risks.
its employees — at its had its share of scams and force has 10 years of school- ulation will earn less, which Remember, Rao brought about his reforms vation. A new recruitment system must be But if Mr Modi wants to leave a real legacy,
peak, it had 60,000. It has scandals — think Satyam, ing or less. The average means lower gross domestic with a minority government. Mr Modi should found, and ultimately a similar philosophy breaking India’s strategic triangulation would
problems paying those or Theranos — so that too school student has very product growth through now have the courage to end the MSP regime. should reform other competitions by rote, be the real gift. Temples, he can keep building
who remain. is not unusual. We’ve seen poor reading or numeracy coming decades. That cold It was a reform 60 years ago, but is market including JEE and NEET. If Mr Modi could and rebuilding en passant.
In January 2024, it a less spectacular version skills, according to equation will translate into destructive, distortionary and anti-farmer now. abolish the Planning Commission and the
floated a rights issue to raise of this sort of collapse ear- Pratham’s surveys. Hence, misery for millions. If the government needs grain for its food secu- Railway Budget in his first term and have By special arrangement with ThePrint

Are you not entertained by Bazball? Startup & family business governance
EYE CULTURE and moves forward with a no-fear-of-
failure mentality. Since then, Bazball has
Ashes series, several commentators
labelled their “Bazball at all costs”
generation, and exports, the
small and medium sectors are
a challenge to the management.
It is not the board’s role to design
were founded around 2005, and
have built an enterprise track
ATANU BISWAS completely transformed Test cricket, strategy “risky” at best and “reckless” at crucial. Several companies in or execute strategies and inno- record of almost two decades,
which hasn’t always been suitable for worst. But can we really evaluate Bazball India and overseas have been in vation, though individual direc- and the average age of these six

A
fter only 78 overs of batting, today’s attention-challenged, time- based on only a few results? It’s an the news for governance rea- tors may contribute through founders was 57 when they
England declared at 393/8 on the constrained audiences. identity, a philosophy, and a mindset sons in recent times: Unlisted experience and debate. began. Startups often manage
opening day of the Edgbaston The T20 cricket revolution may have that create this powerful brand, termed startups (Byju’s and Paytm), Private-equity (PE) com- business for valuation. Family-
Test of the 2023 Ashes series and ulti- had an influence on Bazball. Former a radically different approach or a nice listed companies (Zee and panies try to achieve the same managed businesses and start-
mately lost! Well, this wilful ignorance of Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keefe, surprise strategy, where playing for a Religare), and foreign entities effect. Since several PE execu- ups have been combined in this
established facts surrounding Test however, linked it to Phillip Hughes’ on- draw is the gravest sin. Tesla and Toyota Motors. Stuart tives have no hands-on business piece about governance, though
cricket doesn’t fully capture the essence
of the “Bazball” revolution. You’ll not
field death in 2014. McCullum, then
captain of New Zealand, declared at the
The Bazball approach’s applicability
to businesses and lifestyles is a hot topic
BUSINESS & PURPOSE Kirk wrote a piece in the
Financial Times on January 27,
experience, the firms rely on
experienced leaders as advisors.
there are differences. For exam-
ple, families manage businesses
hear anybody on the English side time that they would play carelessly and of debate. Specifically, people are R GOPALAKRISHNAN 2024, wondering whether there Why do some startup founders for legacy, with valuation as an
expressing regret. That’s where Bazball without consequence because they’d debating whether adopting the was any correlation between behave as though the PE pro- outcome. An example of this,

S
can truly be considered unique and, play each day as if it were their last and to principles of Bazball can lead to ome people hold a view better governance and com- viders should provide them Beit Binzagr in Saudi Arabia, in
arguably, inimitable. hell with judgement. improved market penetration, faster that ideas on neeyat and pany results. I responded by money and let the founder do a future column.
Numerous lifestyle keywords have Apparently, Bazball’s fundamental product innovation, and increased governance are relevant emphasising the obvious about whatever he or she wants — The innovative ideas in start-
been influenced by sport. “Moneyball”, a principle is that no established narrative competitiveness through the creation of only for well-established and the distinct and separate roles BharatPe, Zilingo, Housing.com? ups and family businesses
recent example, shows how objective or axiom can remain unchallenged. For a supportive environment, acceptance listed companies. While the sub- of the management and boards. Equally, the greed of some PE- would benefit by challenge and
analyses are used in decision-making. example, “nightwatchman” has been of change, and risk-taking. ject is relevant for them, govern- The kinetic energy of a com- executives may pressure debate. Such action does not
The Collins dictionary now lists redesignated “nighthawk,” with the Not easy, though. While encouraging ance is relevant also in startups pany rests with the manage- founders to grow exponentially. mean that the board is adver-
“Bazball” as one of the top 10 significant explicit goal of not squandering a single players to take risks, the fundamental and family-managed busi- ment, led by the chief executive Sequoia is a respected and value- sarial to management. As stated
words of 2023. ball. It suddenly makes so much sense. tenet of Bazball instils in them the nesses. A metaphor might help officer (CEO). The manage- based PE firm, yet it considered in my recent book (Inside the
By the start of summer 2022, England English wicketkeeper Jonny assurance that they won’t be dropped no to make the point succinctly — ment’s role is akin to the raw ousting its former CEO Michael Boardroom), behavioural
had only won one of the previous 17 Test Bairstow provided perhaps the finest matter what. In business and lifestyle, just as values and ethics must be energy generated by the firing of Moritz from the board chair- aberrations beyond the bound-
matches. Then, Ben Stokes was named description of Bazball when he how is it feasible to have that type of addressed early on within fam- fuel in the engine compartment manship of a troubled fintech aries of business sanity and
Test captain, while Brendon McCullum discussed the newfound “freedom” in immunity? So, if combined with ilies and schools, governance of an automobile — innovative startup, Klarna, which it itself neeyat must engage the atten-
became head coach. Together, they terms of both sport and physicality. objective analyses, would it then and business neeyat must be ideas pulsating with calorie- financed. Enterprise sans gov- tion of boards. If not, the ques-
created the exciting revolution known as “Sometimes you look back over the last become a better lifestyle mantra? Will addressed early in startups and loads of human energy. To be ernance is prone to crashing. tion will continue to remain,
“Bazball”. Suddenly, a ridiculed team’s couple of years,” he remarked. Bazball eventually undergo family businesses. effective, this energy needs Public markets provide a test what was the board doing?
lacklustre play turned into the talking “Everyone’s been through it with Covid, Moneyballisation? Enterprise is essential for channelising to the wheels of the of governance. Though imper- In closing, a potentially con-
point, with England winning 14 of the some pretty dark moments. Isolation, Bazball is a transformative idea. “We national growth. Family busi- automobile through the trans- fect, they are better than no test. troversial view. Courts rely on
next 19 Tests. Before England’s June 2022 bubbles, being away from family ... But want to create a legacy in Test cricket,” nesses and small companies are mission: This is the role of the India is proud that it has pro- near-perfect proof and regu-
series against New Zealand, hopefully we’re through the worst: stated Stokes. It’s possible he’s already the backbone of enterprise; board. Boards and leadership duced about 110 startup lators rely on substantive
ESPNcricinfo’s UK editor Andrew Miller putting smiles back on faces and bums done that. In the post-pandemic world, sometimes I wonder whether groups are essential in channel- unicorns. Bravo. However, only evidence, but boards must rely
used the term “Bazball”, “Baz” being the on seats.” The apparent laughing-crying is Bazball the biggest push in society’s they themselves realise how ising management ideas and 13 have faced the test of the pub- on and act upon early warning
nickname of McCullum. Interestingly, emoji of Bazball may therefore indicate mindset? Similar to Maximus in the film important they are. There are energy for effective delivery to lic markets, accounting for just signals. It is common that direc-
McCullum, however, felt the usage was an emotional response to an Gladiator, it puts on a show for the crowd about 63 million enterprises reg- customer and community. A $1.5 billion out of a total of tors can hear the canary in the
rather “silly”. unprecedented civilisational crisis. and poses the question: “Are You Not istered with the government. Of pleasurable car must have both $4,200 billion; of the 13, only six coalmine first.
Cricket and accelerationism collide in The Indian team’s thumping victory Entertained?” What’s more, Stokes’ these, a minuscule 20,000 have a great engine and a matching are reported to generate positive
Bazball, where it hardly matters if against England in Rajkot last week squad is entertaining themselves as well. capital of more than ~10 crore. transmission system. So too, an operating cash flows, which is The writer is an author. His new book,
someone wins or loses. One plays with a drew criticism for England’s Bazball The media focuses on listed enterprise must have fine man- the most basic test of business Embrace the Future: the soft science
positive, aggressive, and attractive rhetoric. Even earlier, after England’s The writer is professor of statistics, Indian companies and startups. In agement with a great board. The acumen and success. All of these of business transformation, is due in
playstyle; embraces freedom and fun; loss in the opening two Tests of the 2023 Statistical Institute, Kolkata terms of employment, income board collaborates, yet provides six positive-cash flow unicorns February. rgopal@themindworks.me
16 NEW DELHI
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 24, 2024

Opinion

{ OUR TAKE }
E STA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 24
How justifiable
The making is the Maratha
of a contest
INDIA bloc gets to business as the Congress,
SP and AAP agree on seats. The alliance must
also have a narrative to challenge the NDA
claim for quotas?
In crucial socio-economic as other forward castes and OBCs, and signifi-
fter weeks of waffling over the sharing of seats, cantly higher than SC-STs. Data shows that
indicators, the community is
A the Opposition INDIA bloc is finally getting its act
together. Reflecting its federal character, the bloc
seems to be building a united front by stitching alliances
just behind the Brahmins. But
its anxieties, in the backdrop
Marathas have similar levels of poverty as Brah-
mins and other forward castes, but are less poor
than OBCs and SC-STs. In terms of infrastruc-
ture, Maratha households have better access to
electricity and flush toilets compared to SC-STs.
state by state, with parties deferring to local power of agrarian transformation, Education-wise, the average Maratha has 6.58
equations, and setting aside pride, ego and long-held need to be addressed years of education, which is lower than Brah-
prejudices to challenge the BJP-led National mins but on par with other forward castes and

T
he Maratha community in Maha- OBCs, and higher than SC-STs.
Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is riding high on rashtra holds a significant place in In sum, available data indicates that in most
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma, the Ram the state’s social and political land- crucial socio-economic indicators, Marathas are
Mandir in Ayodhya, and a heady narrative of religious scape. Yet, it has time and time again second only to Brahmins in the state, and are
demanded a share of the reservation significantly better off than all other social
pride, muscular nationalism and developmental pie. With the announcement of the groups. Extending quotas to relatively richer and more powerful groups would amount to diluting the
populism. With the Election Commission of India (ECI) inclusion of Marathas in the Socially and Educa- The main bone of contention and the primary already small and shrinking entitlement for communities that are truly disadvantaged and
set to announce the schedule for the general elections tionally Backward Communities (SEBC), the motivation for the demand for reservations is discriminated against. BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO
Maharashtra government has, once again, access to government jobs. The surprising fact is
soon, seat talks have predictably gathered momentum. yielded to a demand that has been repeatedly that even without reservations, in 2011-12, Mara- to achieve this target in the remaining four their power slipping away or eroding, in addi-
It would help the Opposition, smarting under the recent struck down by the courts. thas’ access to government jobs was already sim- years. Mint calculations, based on the NSS 2019 tion to feeling ill-prepared to shift towards
loss of Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Lok Dal, and This time the evidence for the backwardness ilar to that of Brahmins, and higher than that for estimate, indicate that, for Maharashtra, this urban, formal sector livelihood opportunities.
of Marathas comes from the Shukre Commis- other forward castes and OBCs, and not different would be 15.2% per year (₹1.38 lakh in agricul- Individuals or communities who feel strongly
the exits of numerous legislators and leaders from the sion report. Set up in December 2023, it submit- from that for SC-STs. tural year 2018-19 to ₹2.43 lakh in FY23). that the odds of economic success are stacked
Congress, improve the optics at least. ted its report on February 15, 2024. This is faster We examined both rounds of the IHDS data to The initial 13.5% was impossible enough. A against them are more likely to feel deprived.
On Wednesday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the than the speed of light: The claim is that two see whether, between 2004-5 and 2011-12, the growth rate of 15.2% per year seems like a fan- Other estimates from IHDS panel data show that
crore people were surveyed over 11 position of the politically dominant tasy. Mint calculations for all states reveal that “forward castes were about 30% more likely to
Congress settled on a pre-poll alliance for Uttar Pradesh days. Chief minister Eknath Shinde Maratha community deteriorated rela- this aim to double farming incomes in seven feel that they were worse off in 2011-12 than in
(UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP). After blowing hot and thanked the “3.5-4 lakh” people tive to the other groups. The short years was an incredibly ambitious target. It is 2004-05”. Thus, perceptions of being worse off
cold over the number and nature of constituencies, involved in the survey. These numbers answer is no. not surprising that this discussion has gone into are real: Our analysis suggests that these percep-
seem incredulous. Maharashtra needs In terms of average per capita cold storage. Other government schemes like tions are exactly that—feelings, not supported by
agreed on a 63:17 seat formula for UP in favour of the SP; to share its secret ingredients of light- expenditure, their position improved PM-KISAN, announced in 2019, provided some evidence on the ground.
in MP, the Congress has left a lone seat for SP. ning-fast household surveys far and Ashwini over the period. The probability of succour to landholding farmers but the real Having said this, economic changes that give
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) and the wide with government agencies and Deshpande being poor did not increase. We found value of the ₹6,000 per year given to beneficia- rise to widespread anxieties, definitely need to
academic researchers. some evidence of a decline in the prob- ries of the scheme has been eroding. be understood and genuine grievances, includ-
Congress have reportedly settled on a 4-3 seat-sharing The Shukre Commission report is ability of owning or cultivating land, Overall, there is discontent among powerful ing those that might come from dominant castes
agreement in Delhi while the latter has conceded two not public, but there is empirical evi- which could be the reason for the farming communities due to the perception that dealing with agrarian transformations, need to
seats in Gujarat and one in Haryana to the AAP. There dence from other more carefully done surveys, heightened anxiety resulting in the renewed real economic power lies in the hands of the big be addressed.
which allows a detailed assessment of where an demand for secure, well-paying government corporations, and the State, overtly or covertly, However, is reservation the real answer?
are reports that the Trinamool Congress and the average Maratha household stands in relation to jobs. acts in their interest. These communities feel Given increasing privatisation, the base, i.e.,
Congress have revived seat negotiations. Talks are close average households from comparable groups The Marathas are a predominantly agricul- total jobs that are eligible for reservations, is
to a conclusion within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Shiv within Maharashtra. tural community that benefited from the Green already shrinking. Our other research shows
Along with economist Rajesh Ramachandran, and White Revolutions. While their demand for MARATHAS HAVE A LOWER how existing OBCs and SC-STs are further lag-
Sena-UBT, NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar, and the I looked at data from the India Human Develop- reservations is not new, today it is juxtaposed PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION ging behind upper castes on a range of material
Congress) in Maharashtra while the INDIA bloc has a ment Survey (IHDS) to compare Marathas to against farmers’ unrest. Recognising the volatil- EXPENDITURE THAN indicators. In this context, extending quotas to
settled look in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Kerala. The seat Brahmins, non-Brahmin forward castes, existing ity of farm incomes, in 2016, Prime Minister Nar- relatively richer and more powerful groups
Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled endra Modi announced the government’s inten- MAHARASHTRA BRAHMINS, would amount to diluting the already small and
agreements reveal that the Congress has finally Castes-Scheduled Tribes (SC-ST) in Maharash- tion to double farmers’ incomes by 2022. Mint BUT ARE AT THE SAME LEVEL shrinking entitlement for communities that are
accepted that it is no longer the political hegemon it tra. calculations show that for Maharashtra, the tar- AS OTHER FORWARD CASTES, truly disadvantaged and discriminated against.
once was, and has had to concede seats and even Marathas are more likely to own or cultivate get rate set for a seven-year period was 13.5% per
land than all other social groups. They have a year (₹1 lakh in FY16 to ₹2.43 lakh in FY23). OBCS, AND SIGNIFICANTLY Ashwini Deshpande is professor of Economics,
leadership roles, to the dominant party of the state. A lower per capita consumption expenditure than The Doubling Farmers’ Income Committee HIGHER THAN SC-STS Ashoka University.
touch of realism seems to be shaping its political Maharashtra Brahmins, but are at the same level report in 2018 outlined the growth rates required The views expressed are personal
outreach while potential allies, recognising its decline as
a pan-Indian umbrella outfit, are driving a hard bargain.

A 90-year journey of
A big beneficiary of this emerging scenario is the AAP, guidance, and blessings. As we celebrate this A tapestry woven with faith
which was born out of a mass movement that targeted milestone, we find inspiration in The Psalms: As we come together to celebrate the remarka-
“The days of our lives are 70 years, and if by rea- ble milestone of her 90th birthday, we weave a
political corruption, primarily of the Congress, over a son of strength, they are 80 years, yet their boast tapestry of blessings and wisdom drawn from
decade ago. Today, the AAP has two state governments
to show and it is seeking a national footprint after
undergoing a process of normalisation that saw the
faith and spirituality is only labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off,
and we fly away.” These words remind us of the
brevity of life and the need to cherish every
moment.
diverse sacred texts. In embracing the teachings
of the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, the Bible, and
the Vedas, we recognise the universal truths that
bind us all — the eternal nature of the soul, the
once crusading post-ideological formation transform n this auspicious day, we find ourselves we are reminded to celebrate not just the years As we wish her a joyous 90th birthday, we closeness of the divine, the brevity of life, and the
itself into a tactically shrewd party focussed on
furthering its national prospects even while mired in
corruption charges.
However, arithmetic is not enough to win elections,
O in the presence of a remarkable soul,
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani, who has
traversed nine decades of life’s journey.
Today, we gather to celebrate her 90th birthday
and embrace the profound wisdom bestowed
she has lived but the eternal spirit that resides
within her.

Quran: A beacon of light


Turning to the Quran, the holy book of
reflect on the tapestry of blessings woven
throughout her life. May the coming years be
filled with grace, peace, and the enduring love
that transcends the passage of time.
path from darkness to light.
May her 90th birthday be a celebration not
only of the years she has lived but also of the
profound spiritual journey she continues to
embark upon.
upon us by the sacred scriptures of different Islam, we find verses that resonate with Vedas: Ancient wisdom for As we offer our heartfelt wishes, let us also
and chemistry among allies is essential for the show to faiths. In this celebration, we draw inspiration the spirit of celebration and gratitude. modern times reflect on the timeless wisdom that accompanies
succeed. More importantly, the bloc needs a narrative from the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, the Bible, “And We have certainly created man, The Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hin- her, making this milestone a beacon of grace
that can hold it together and force the issue against the and the Vedas, as we wish my mother a birthday and We know what his soul whispers to duism, encompass a vast body of and inspiration for us all. Happy 90th birthday
filled with joy, health, and spiritual fulfilment. him, and We are closer to him than Anil D knowledge and wisdom. From the Rig- to a soul whose journey is a testament to the
incumbent government. PM Modi has already gone on (his) jugular vein.” This verse encapsu- veda to the Upanishads, these sacred enduring power of faith, love, and the divine
Ambani
the offensive that negative agendas drive the Bhagavad Gita: The song of the divine lates the divine connection between texts delve into the nature of existence, presence that guides us all.
Opposition. Indira Gandhi in her prime had berated the The Bhagavad Gita, often called the song of the God and His creation, emphasising the consciousness, and the interconnect- “The mother represents colourless love that
divine, is a sacred Hindu scripture that imparts closeness of the sacred to our hearts. edness of all life. “Asato ma satgamaya/ knows no barter, love that never dies,” Swami
Opposition in a similar vein with great success! INDIA profound teachings on duty, righteousness, and As we extend our heartfelt wishes to her, we Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya/ Mrityorma amritam Vivekananda said.
bloc will have a critique of the party in government, of devotion. As Mummy turns 90, we reflect on the acknowledge the divine presence that has gamaya” (Lead us from the unreal to the real, Even as we celebrate your 90th year on this
course, especially when the latter has been in office for a Gita’s timeless wisdom: “For the soul, there is guided her through the years. May her 90th from darkness to light, from mortality to immor- Earth, we equally celebrate the spiritual gui-
neither birth nor death at any time. He has not birthday be a reflection of the light and love that tality). dance and faith in a higher purpose that you
decade. But as it makes a claim to govern, it also needs come into being, does not, and will not. He is emanate from the divine source within her, as On her 90th birthday, we invoke these pro- have instilled in us from the day we were born.
to offer a transformative agenda to voters to stay in the unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and primaeval. the Quran teaches us to be grateful for the pre- found words from the Vedas, seeking guidance I count my 90 blessings but know that they are
reckoning. New India is aspirational and the INDIA bloc He is not slain when the body is slain.” cious gift of life. and enlightenment for her journey ahead. May indeed countless.
These verses remind us that the essence of our she continue to lead a life illuminated by the
could be seen as out of sync with the times if its tales are loved one is eternal and transcends the passage Bible: A tapestry of blessings light of wisdom, transcending the transient Anil D Ambani is chairman, Reliance Group.
all gloom and doom. of time. As we wish her a happy 90th birthday, In the Christian tradition, the Bible offers solace, nature of the material world. The views expressed are personal

Rajiv’s “Singapore-returned” father had part of AIR’s Vividh Bharati service. { EDITOR’S PICK }

A voice that united brought with him a transistor and a habit of


listening to the radio. Father and son lis-
tened to Binaca Geetmala, anchored by Say-
What made Ameen Sayani a much-loved
household name? Many in the industry in
the later years had similar baritone voices
HT’s editors offer a book recommendation every Saturday, which provides history,
context, and helps understand recent news events

a new-born nation
ani on Radio Ceylon. Ameen Sayani’s and the same command over English, Hindi
mother, Kulsum, met Gandhi in 1917, and
since then, she weaved threads of national-
or Urdu, but no one became as cherished as
him. When Ameen Sayani was talking about
ANOTHER PAKISTAN
ism on the charkha and spread the message a song, he took a feather-touch approach, Pakistan’s two major political parties finalised
of Hindustani. Ameen Sayani considered his reassuring the listeners affectionately. Talk- a pact this week to form a coalition government
ost of the obituaries on Ameen The Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar mother a great inspiration. He had seen her ing about family, health, wealth, or relation- after days of uncertainty following an inconclu-

M Sayani, who passed away this Sabha was launched in 1918 in Madras.
week, recalled a “golden voice of Mahatma Gandhi volunteered his son Dev-
the yesteryears”. But what was das to Madras to spread the message of
the social fabric, the sovereign mood that Hindi. In a letter, he asked Devdas to learn a
made an Ameen Sayani possible? If nation- new Tamil word for every new Hindi word
fight many battles, including the one with
the Muslim League’s idea of two nations
and two languages. Kulsum’s son, as a much
sought-after broadcast voice, would one day
flip Gandhi’s famous call to Indians, bhaiyon
ships, he could organically connect the lis-
teners’ lives to a Hindi film number. This
formula made him an all-time model for
successful radio jockeying in any mode of
broadcasting. A shoemaker sitting in front
sive election. The uncertainty turned the spot-
light on Pakistan’s fragile democracy and the
army’s outsized role in its broken polity, which
were the themes of much commentary on the
country.
building in the first decade of he taught there. The desired aur bahnon to bahnon aur bhaiyon. of Akashvani Bhawan in Delhi’s Parliament This week, we recommend something
Independence gets its own his- quid pro quo came about A rather warped notion about culture led Street once told me how Ameen Sayani beyond the headlines: Raza Rumi’s Being Paki-
tory, this Gujarati Muslim’s quicker through melody. The BV Keskar, the then information and broad- became a fraternal voice for him and his stani: Society, Culture and the Arts. The book
name is sure to figure in it, tunes in many South Indian casting minister, to the banning of Hindi brother, a tailor who migrated to Lahore explores Pakistan’s arts, literature, and heri-
along with those of his politi- films in the 1950s and 1960s film songs on All India Radio (AIR). Keskar after Partition. The brothers were from Luc- tage and concludes that they are an extension,
cal soulmates — Pandit Nehru, were seasoned by popular believed that film songs had become vulgar, know. and a product, of shared South Asian identities.
Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, S Gopalakrishnan Hindi film songs. With Sayani erotic and westernised. The same Keskar The remembrance of Ameen Sayani itself It explores the cultural mores that tie India and
among many. His voice, trans- counting down Hindi hits on had closed the doors of India’s public broad- is becoming a social memory. His was not Pakistan together by examining visual arts,
mitted from a foreign land in Radio Ceylon, melody lovers in caster on hereditary female singers with his just a singular golden voice, it represented poetry, music, and literature. It introduces con-
1952, unified India culturally. the South were tuning in to infamous “ban anyone whose private life is the collective soundscape of a spring, temporary Pakistani writers and artists as well
He accomplished what the Hindi Prachar Short Wave 11905 Khz. a public scandal” diktat. bloomed by the subcontinent’s longing for as the milieu of their works. The book also
Sabhas couldn’t: Armed with the melody- I was in Class 8 in a school in Kerala 1973, The ban on broadcast of Hindi film songs an aesthetic of freedom. focuses on artistic traditions and provides an Being Pakistani:
thread of Bollywood songs, he was more when my classmate Rajiv hummed Yaadon on AIR came in 1952. Ameen Sayani started alternative view of Pakistan beyond political Society, Culture
effective than all the missionaries from the ki baaraat nikli hai aaj dil ke dwaare in the Geetmala over Radio Ceylon in December S Gopalakrishnan is a writer, broadcaster, and instability, economic crisis, and social violence and the Arts: Raza
Hindi heartland who travelled to South classroom. He translated the lyrics for me -- that year, just before his 20th birthday. He founder of the podcast, Dilli Dali. and of people and institutions other than the Rumi
India to popularise the language. “the procession of memories has left today”. continued it till 1988, and then he became a The views expressed are personal army, clerics, and religious extremists. Year: 2018

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

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BOARD: (011)23361234 ● EDITORIAL: (011)66561234 Extn. 1254, 1268 ● CIRCULATION: (011)66561111 ● ADVERTISING: (011)66561389 ● FAX: (011)66561270.

EDITOR: KUNAL PRADHAN


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Democracy will never be supplanted
by a republic of experts—and that is Thomas
a very good thing Piketty

06 HYDERABAD SATURDAY 24 02 2024


� �

A
RVIND Panagariya, chairman There is a view that the Centre shares more of the tax kitty commission had also given many grants to
of the 16th Finance Commission, states for specific projects. The 14th one, on
INDIAN EXPRESS IS NOT AN has an unenviable task. The with states following Finance Commission counsel. the other hand, decided not to provide in-
INDUSTRY. IT IS A MISSION. economist has to bring order to But the share has shrunk thanks to some nifty shifts dividual grants, except where necessary,
— Ramnath Goenka the sharing of resources be- and to pass on the amount as an allocable

THE ART OF GIVING


tween the Centre and states and share; this meant an additional 1.5 percent.
between the states themselves. Thus, all that occurred was a composition-
He has held one meeting and one member al shift, not a significant actual increase in

CENTRAL BANK WORK


is reported to have resigned. This resigna-
tion must have taken him by surprise, the LESS WHILE SEEMING the states’ share.
However, based on the perception of the

TO SHARE MORE
genial soul that he is. state share having increased exponentially,
ON LOWERING PRICES War has started between the states and
the Centre even before Panagariya has had
the Centre persuaded states to accept much
lower central shares in centrally-sponsored
IN DELICATE BALANCE time to take stock. The Kerala government
has gone to court against the central gov-
schemes. Thus, instead of gaining from the
perceived increase in states’ share in the di-

T
ernment on the restrictions placed on state visible pool, the states collectively probably
HE Reserve Bank of India appears to be in its final leg borrowings, and their case may have mer- ended up as losers.
of bringing inflation to heel. Though headline inflation it. They argue that, under the Constitution, The divisible pool also shrank as the Cen-
is showing steady signs of easing, the central bank’s the central government has no power to K M CHANDRASEKHAR Former Cabinet Secretary and author of tre resorted to cesses and surcharges, which
six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is restrict borrowing by states. Article 293(1) As Good as my Word: A Memoir do not have to be shared with the states. The
steadfast on retaining repo rate at 6.5 percent as any of the Constitution specifically states, RBI highlighted this issue in its ‘Study of
“Subject to the provisions of this article, State Finances’, which points out that due
“premature move (to cut rates) may undermine the success
the executive power of a state extends to to an increase in cess and surcharge, the di-
achieved so far”. As we navigate the ‘last mile’ of disinflation, borrowing within the territory of India visible pool has shrunk from 88.6 percent of
the policy imperative is to ensure a durable decline in price upon the security of the Consolidated gross tax revenue in 2011-12 to 78.9 percent
rise and aligning not just headline, but also core inflation, to Fund of the state within such limits, if any, in 2021-22 despite the 10 percentage point
the 4 percent target. If declining global commodity prices and as may from time to time be fixed by the increase in tax devolution recommended by
higher government capex are positive signs for growth, the legislature of such state by law and to the the Finance Commission. A study by India
government’s fiscal consolidation drive will help lower infla- giving of guarantees within such limits, if Ratings says the Centre has allocated barely
any, as may be so fixed.” 35.5 percent (budgetary estimate) of the di-
tionary pressures and the evolving trajectory of current ac- The Seventh Schedule under Article 246 visible tax pool with states, lower than the
count deficit suggest that India is well placed in terms of reinforces this view. ‘Public debt of the 15th commission’s recommendation of 41
macro-financial stability. Union’ comes under the Union List as percent. The states’ share averaged 35.4 per-
That said, consumption demand revival holds the key in item 35, while ‘Public debt of the state’ is cent of the divisible pool during 2021-25,
sustaining the current growth momentum, which in turn shown as entry 43 in the State List. Thus, down from 39.8 percent during 2016-20.
on the face of it, decisions relating to state The Centre has also been borrowing more
depends on falling unemployment and rising household in-
debt are to be controlled by the state legis- liberally than the states. Central govern-
come. As it is, private consumption, which accounts for 57 lature, not the government of India. ment debt accounted for 58.3 percent of the
percent of the GDP, continues to suffer due to elevated food In 2003, the Fiscal Responsibility and country’s nominal GDP in Jun 2023, com-
inflation, particularly in rural areas. High inflation erodes Budgetary Management Act restricted the pared with the ratio of 57.5 percent in the
purchasing power, especially among the low-income brack- overall borrowing to 60 percent of the GDP, previous quarter. The average debt ratio of
ets; so restoring price stability is non-negotiable. While a of which the central share was to be 40 per- states barely exceeds 27 percent.
cent, thus limiting the states’ share to 20 The share of states has also been badly
tight monetary policy lowers high inflation, it is important percent. In the first two decades of the law, SOURAV ROY affected by the large number of centrally
to minimise the output costs of disinflation during the proc- the states did not question this limit. sponsored schemes. Some states do not re-
ess. As such, the current real interest rate of 2 percent (repo In 2018, through an amendment to the limit been restricted, the public account Bhagwant Mann and Farooq Abdullah by quire them and a few others cannot be im-
rate adjusted for year-ahead inflation projections) “creates FRBM Act brought in by the Finance Act, and off-budget borrowing by state public his side. Karnataka organised a separate plemented in some states. Combined with
the very real risk of turning growth pessimism into a self- the central government introduced the con- enterprises has been included in the defini- protest on the same subject. their lack of flexibility, this has resulted in
cept of ‘general debt’, the total state and cen- tion of public debt, further reducing the Have some states been discriminated a wide variation in their implementation
fulfilling prophecy”, and hence the MPC’s external member tral debt. The general debt was pegged at 60 states’ capacity to borrow and seriously against? The 16th Finance Commission across states.
Prof Jayanth R Varma, the lone dissenter, is batting for a 0.25 percent of GDP, with 40 percent going to the damaging its welfare activities. must study this allegation and impartially Panagariya and his commission, there-
percentage point rate cut. central government. This concept allows The state government later claimed the make its recommendations. fore, have their task cut out in restoring or-
While the government’s ongoing prudent fiscal policy cer- the central government to restrict state bor- central government was willing to increase When I was Vice Chairman of the Kerala der and fairness in government finances,
tainly helps anchor the long-term inflation expectations of rowing legally; according to Kerala, this the state’s borrowing limit this year, pro- State Planning Board, the 14th Finance keeping in view that while states account
violates the Constitution. vided the state withdrew the Supreme Commission submitted its recommenda- for 62 percent of public expenditure, they
market participants, the implications of the elevated food
In his reply, the Attorney General re- Court case. If true, the finance ministry tions. The share of the states in the total receive only 37 percent of the revenue.
inflation to the overall pricing pressures and its volatile na- ferred to the importance of financial pru- probably feels that, constitutionally, it is on divisible pool was increased from 32 percent The commission’s press release after
ture are hard to miss. Which is why, the majority of the MPC dence for the nation: “Increases in the a weak wicket. Their assumption that Ar- to 41 percent. On the face of it, this looked their first meeting said, “The 16th commis-
is firm on sticking to a tight monetary policy to rein in house- state’s debt servicing liabilities as a conse- ticle 293(4) gives them the power to restrict like a huge jump, but it was much less. sion acknowledged the need for wide-rang-
hold inflation expectations and arrive at the 4 percent target. quence of higher borrowing will reduce the market borrowings of the states may not Until the 13th Finance Commission, the ing consultations with various stakehold-
As we navigate disinflation, RBI’s caution and conservatism availability of funds for development, lead- be correct; in the context, the Article ap- mandate of the commission was restricted ers, including state governments, local
ing to impoverishment of people and loss pears to relate only to borrowings from the to non-plan finances. The 14th commission bodies, ministries of the government of In-
are welcome. At the same time, the central bank also has to of state income, and hence also loss of na- central government. Nor is Kerala the only was the first to consider all resources, plan dia, and experts.” A long, acrimonious and
undertake the most difficult job of ensuring that it does not tional income. It may also engender vari- aggrieved state. When the state organised and non-plan. The plan share was 6.5 per- arduous journey awaits them.
move too soon or wait too long to cut rates. ous social and other problems.” Kerala a public protest in Delhi, Chief Minister cent; hence, the state resources automati- (Views are personal)
pointed out that not only has the borrowing Pinarayi Vijayan had Arvind Kejriwal, cally increased to 38.5 percent. The 13th (kmchandrasekhar@gmail.com)

PREVENT HOME BIRTHS


WITHOUT SKILLED HELP
MYANMAR FACES LOSS OF
I
T was a case of YouTube inspiration gone wrong. A 36-year-
old woman and her newborn died in the capital of Kerala
following a botched-up home birth, which her husband
allegedly tried to carry out with the help of childbirth tips
GENERATIONS TO CIVIL WAR Farmers’ concerns
Ref: Govt, farmers need common ground
to offset market whims (Feb 23). In their
on YouTube. The police have arrested the victim’s hus- determined pursuit of securing guaranteed

O
band, who insisted on denying his wife modern institutional N February 1, Myanmar com- MSP for all 23 crops, the farmers sat through
care, on charges of murder and Penal Code section 315 (act pleted three years since the coup punishing weather conditions near Delhi. This
done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause d’etat led by General Min Aung has enabled them to grab the attention of the
it to die after birth). A detailed probe has been ordered to look Hliang. The intense civil war country. Unfortunately, the Centre appears
that followed the 2021 coup, the SHANKARI Professor at School of International Studies, not interested in making any meaningful
into the complicity of others, particularly his first wife, who lack of a political will to move concessions that address their concerns.
SUNDARARAMAN Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
apparently assisted the failed delivery with the help of acu- towards any forms of resolution, R Sivakumar, Chennai
puncture techniques. and the deteriorating economic conditions
That two lives were lost despite the intervention of the state have all contributed to bringing the coun- ASIAN AXIS Flexibility needed
machinery makes the matter more complicated. It is learnt try back to year zero, undermining the The farmers and government are once again
minimal progress achieved during a dec- tive response from the civilian population misread, which has been the nuanced ray of in a standoff. The Centre has shown flexibility
that ASHA workers and ward councillors had repeatedly re-
ade of political change. against the junta leadership. Most of these hope in how the conflict has evolved. by including maize, cotton and pulses among
quested the husband to take the victim to the hospital as she The civil war that began in 2021 has seen groups have taken inspiration from the na- Throughout the last few months the PDF the crops that will get guaranteed MSP. The
had had three caesarean births. A doctor from the district three main groups fighting for political con- tional unity government in exile, but were and the ethnic armed groups have staged a ball is now in the farmers’ court. They must
medical office visiting them had insisted on institutional care. trol. Of the three, one is the Myanmar mili- disadvantaged due to the lack of a struc- strong pushback against the military and scale down their demand.
But the husband apparently refused to heed the advice and tary, which is focused on maintaining politi- tured leadership, command base and re- have made advances that ushered in a phase George Jacob, Kochi
even prevented other health workers from entering the home. cal control following its capture of power. sources to sustain their activities. Where of change, even if this remains limited for
The ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and they have an advantage is in how their ef- the time being. These small advances con- Kerala contest
As Health Minister Veena George rightly said, the mother and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) are the forts, triggered by the changed ground reali- tributed a sense of energy to the forces op- Ref: CPM goes all-out to outwit Kerala Cong
child consigned to death by the husband is a “serious crime”. other two. The former has been fighting the ties, have influenced the group’s resistance. posing the military, though it would be pre- (Feb 23). I feel the editorial has painted a rosy
Institutional deliveries have been rising steadily across the military ever since independence. The latter mature to call these as major shifts in the picture about CPM’s prospects. The people of
country; the current national average of home births is only emerged in the aftermath of the 2021 coup. political scenario. The military has lost near- the state typically rally behind big national
4.5 percent. It must be noted with pride that maternal mortality In Myanmar, there is a unique relation- ly 30,000 soldiers and efforts to recoup has led parties like the Congress during Lok Sabha
ship that binds the military with the ethnic to forced conscription where the youth are elections. Also, this time around, the BJP is
has also come down in the country. That two lives were lost in groups. During the nationalist movement being drafted into the civil war in the most looking very strong with popular leaders like
a state that is one of the best performers on institutional births, in Burma, the Burmese interim govern- uncivil fashion. This approach to recalibrate Suresh Gopi and Anil Antony in its fold.
and maternal and infant mortality, is shameful. The state gov- ment led by General Aung San fought the its strength and control will put at risk an Venkat Desikan, Chennai
ernment must take serious note that the trend of opting for colonial presence in the country. The Brit- entire generation of youth, significantly al-
ish divided the ethnic groups from the Bur- tering the nation’s demography, placing More Narimans
riskier home births is on the rise, thanks to misinformation
mese interim government with promises of young lives at risk. Moreover, the recruit- Ref: Nariman point is courage of conviction
spread through social media about the benefits of ‘natural’
recognition and political rights, where the ment of child soldiers on both sides of the (Feb 23). Though everyone cannot be like
childbirth and fear-mongering on C-sections. According to the groups could gain their own advantages un- political divide creates the added risk of a Nariman, we need more lawyers like him. To
AFP

health department, 266 home births happened in Malappuram der the British. However, the Burmese in- generational loss in the ensuing conflict. become like him, one must read everything
district alone in 2022-23. Patriarchal mindsets also play a role terim government and the ethnic groups Though rebel groups fighting A report published by the UN Office for that comes to hand and be obsessed with the
and women often have no say in these matters. The government entered into the Panglong agreement of the junta have made gains, the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs law. Above all, one must be principled and
1947 which allowed the ethnic groups the in end of 2023, titled Humanitarian Needs have strong courage of conviction.
must also put under scanner those institutions which facilitate
right of autonomy within a federated struc-
their success will be limited and Response Plan Myanmar for the year Ravi Nair, Kollengode
these births by offering traditional midwives and hold them ture allowing for certain privileges. This led without sustained international 2024, estimates that the dire circumstances
accountable. Childbirth at home without skilled care is a public to the Burmese interim government and backing. Meanwhile, tens within the country has pushed nearly 19 Golden voice
health issue and must be prevented at all costs. the ethnic groups combining their efforts to of thousands of young million people to the brink. The humanitar- Being an ardent admirer of Ameen Sayani, I am
remove the colonial presence. ian situation was also exacerbated by the saddened by his departure. During my younger
Following the 1962 coup d’etat under Gen- Myanmarese are dying on both devastating effects of Cyclone Mocha, days in Mumbai, I, like several others, had
Q U I C K TA K E eral Ne Win, years of military rule kept a sides of this protracted conflict which hit Myanmar in the summer of 2023, always made it a point to return home from
tight lid on the differences, but widened the combining both natural and political crises work on time on Wednesday so as not to miss
LIFTING BRAIN FOG gap between the ruling establishment and The PDF has given the military some of the in a smoldering cauldron. the Binaca Geetmala presented by Sayani. The

M
OST of us know somebody or other complaining of a post- the ethnic armed groups. While the mili- most long-drawn battles since the coup, While the recent victories of the PDF and golden voice of the radio will keep ringing in
tary government was able to establish tenu- pushing the resistance against the military EAOs have offered some degree of hope. the ears of those from my generation.
Covid brain fog, whose symptoms range from increased ous ceasefires with some of the armed to the grassroots. This strong response from But, in order to achieve sustained advances, P G Menon, Chennai
forgetfulness to difficulties in concentrating. A new study groups, others continued fighting. With the civilian population was unusual, be- these groups need to be supported both fi-
published in Nature Neuroscience says it could be caused by a Aung San Suu Kyi coming to power in 2016, cause during earlier military rules since the nancially and militarily, which cannot hap- Cat call
leaky blood-brain barrier. If abnormalities occur in the lining a 21st century Panglong agreement was en- August 1988 revolt, the civilian Bamar eth- pen as the non-interference in internal af- The Calcutta High Court’s observations on
of blood vessels in the brain, it can wreak havoc by driving visaged to bring in a lasting peace, albeit nic majority were more easily pliable and fairs principle automatically kicks in the naming of two big cats are quite relevant
changes in neural functions. Other scientists in the field have prematurely. But it made little headway. subjugated by the military. However, this negating the amount that the international in today’s polarised society. The naming had
Then came the 2021 coup. time around, the brief period of democratic community can do. As the conflict in Myan- nothing to do with secular tradition. The word
called for a larger study on this vital lead given by Trinity Col-
The PDF, unlike the ethnic armed groups, rule, the experience of relative change in the mar continues, it only reveals that the level secular has now become fashionable. History
lege Dublin researchers. Given that this phenomenon directly emerged recently during the uprisings political environment, led to a remarkable of losses are going to be truly high, regard- shows us that tolerant religions are always
affects work, it may be time for large employers to sponsor re- against the junta in the aftermath of the shift in how the civilians mobilised them- less of who wins in the end. besmeared with abominable name-calling.
search to lift the bewildering fog once and for all. February 2021 coup, which saw a more ac- selves. This is the clear shift that the junta (Views are personal) Jitendranath Guru, Padampur

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS


Chairman of the Board: Manoj Kumar Sonthalia Editor: Santwana Bhattacharya
Resident Editor (Telangana) : T Kalyan Chakravarthy* Printed and Published by R K Jhunjhunwala on behalf of Express Publications (Madurai) Private Ltd., at H.No.6-3-1113/1, B.S.Makta Lane, Somajiguda, Near Grand Kakatiya Hotel, Punjagutta, Hyderabad – 500 016 and printed by him at Sakshi Press, Plot No.D-75 & E-52, Industrial Estate (APIE),
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VXEMHFWHGWRML]\DDVSHFLDOWD[:KLOHWKHSURSRVHGWD[LVQRWH[SOLFLWO\UHOLJLRXVLQQDWXUH mindset of the
LWVUHVHPEODQFHWRML]\DKDVQRWJRQHXQQRWLFHGDQGFULWLFVYLHZLWDVDIRUPRIHFR Taliban, it is hardly
QRPLFGLVFULPLQDWLRQ2QHRIWKHSULPDU\FRQFHUQVUDLVHGE\WKHPRYH VRSSRQHQWVLV surprising that they
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WKHVHOHFWLYHWDUJHWLQJRI+LQGXSODFHVRIZRUVKLSDVVLPLODUGHPDQGVDUHQRWEHLQJPDGH by the United Nations, to discuss
RIRWKHUUHOLJLRXVLQVWLWXWLRQVVXFKDVPRVTXHVRUFKXUFKHV7KLVDV\PPHWU\KDVOHG the humanitarian crisis facing
WRDFFXVDWLRQVRIELDVDQGIDYRXULWLVPRQWKHSDUWRI Afghanistan, and cooperation on
WKH*RYHUQPHQW,IWKHDLPLVWRJHQXLQHO\LPSURYHIDFLO the human rights issue. They
spurned the UN’s invitation say-
LWLHVDWUHOLJLRXVSODFHVLWVKRXOGEHHYHQKDQGHGDQG ing that they would attend only
QRWVHOHFWLYH2XU&RQVWLWXWLRQLVFOHDUDERXWUHOLJLRXV if they alone were officially rep-
IUHHGRPDQGHTXDOLW\DQGDOO*RYHUQPHQWVDFURVVWKH resenting Afghanistan, as inclu-
FRXQWU\PXVWFRPSO\ZLWKWKDW$UJXLQJWKDWLWLVDPDW sion of other groups would jeop-
ardise progress. This exclusivist
WHURIILVFDOUHVSRQVLELOLW\KRZHYHUWKHWD[SURSRQHQWV mindset, which reflects their
SRLQWWRWKHYDVWZHDOWKDFFXPXODWHGE\VRPHWHP intolerance of the existence of any
SOHV7KH\UHDVRQWKDWLWLVRQO\IDLUIRUWKHVHWHPSOHV organisation that does not share
WR FRQWULEXWH WR WKH EURDGHU ZHOIDUH RI VRFLHW\ their obscurantist Islamist world-
view, and does not owe allegiance
$GGLWLRQDOO\WKH\FRQWHQGWKDWWKHIXQGVFROOHFWHGZLOO to them, is at the core of their
EHXVHGIRUWKHEHQHILWRIWKHFRPPXQLW\LQFOXGLQJWKH rejection of democracy, and advo-
SUHVHUYDWLRQRIFXOWXUDOKHULWDJHDQGWKHVXSSRUWRIUHOL cacy of an Islamist theocracy Council of Foreign Ministers. rights of Muslim women. It except the face, hands and feet,
JLRXVSUDFWLWLRQHUV7KHSURSRVDOKDVVSDUNHGZLGHVSUHDGRXWUDJHDPRQJFHUWDLQVHJ manifest in their designation of In this regard, he reviewed will be submitted for adoption in public, and can get driving
Afghanistan as an Islamic OIC efforts in providing at the forthcoming Islamic licenses and can go to work,
PHQWVRIWKH+LQGXSRSXODWLRQZKLFKVHHVLWDVDQHQFURDFKPHQWRQWKHLUUHOLJLRXVIUHH Emirate, run according to the dik- humanitarian assistance, send- Summit, scheduled to be held study or run errands without
GRPVDQGDQDWWHPSWWRXQGHUPLQHWKHLUKHULWDJH tats of mullahs. ing scholars delegations, and in Gambia at the end of this male escorts. While women
)RUPDQ\+LQGXVWHPSOHVDUHQRWMXVWSODFHVRIZRUVKLSEXWV\PEROVRIWKHLUFXOWXUDO The Taliban are unlikely to have holding a conference on year, and subsequently pre- demanding more freedom are
LGHQWLW\$Q\DWWHPSWWRLPSRVHILQDQFLDOEXUGHQVRQWKHVHLQVWLWXWLRQVLVYLHZHGDVDQ realised that they have shot them- women's rights in Islam host- sented to all relevant interna- treated harshly and much
selves in the foot by boycotting ed by the Kingdom of Saudi tional fora. He hoped that more remains to be done, the
DWWDFNRQWKHLUZD\RIOLIH0RUHRYHUWKH*RYHUQPHQW VLQYROYHPHQWLQWKHILQDQFLDODIIDLUV the conference held in Doha on Arabia.” those doubting Islam’s fairness gains have been considerable
RIWHPSOHVUDLVHVEURDGHUTXHVWLRQVDERXWWKHVHSDUDWLRQRIUHOLJLRQDQG6WDWH%\H[HUW February 18 and 19 under the Ambassador Bakheet was toward women would consid- compared to the situation ear-
LQJFRQWURORYHUWKHILQDQFHVRI+LQGXUHOLJLRXVLQVWLWXWLRQVWKH*RYWULVNVRYHUVWHSSLQJ chairmanship of the UN secre- referring to the international er women’s rights as set out in lier.
LWVERXQGDULHV,QWKLVOLJKWLWLVHVVHQWLDOIRUWKHSROLF\PDNHUVWRWUHDGFDUHIXOO\DQG tary-general, Antonio Gutteres. conference on “Women in this document, and not on the One can be certain that the
Besides the special envoys of 25 Islam: Status and basis some isolated social prac- Taliban would not change
FRQVLGHUWKHLPSOLFDWLRQVRIWKHLUDFWLRQV:KLOHWHPSOHPDLQWHQDQFHDQGSULHVWZHOIDUH countries, members of Empowerment” (November 6 tices in some Muslim societies their views. Bigots dig their
DUHXQGRXEWHGO\LPSRUWDQWLVVXHVWKHVHPXVWEHDGGUHVVHGLQDPDQQHUWKDWUHVSHFWV Afghanistan’s civil society and to 8, 2023), organised by the that in no way reflect the sub- heels deeper and deeper the
WKHULJKWVDQGVHQVLWLYLWLHVRIDOOFLWL]HQV8OWLPDWHO\WKHGHEDWHRYHUWKHWHPSOHWD[LQ women’s groups, it was attended OIC’s general secretariat and lime vision and universality of more people reject their creed.
.DUQDWDNDUDLVHVIXQGDPHQWDOTXHVWLRQVDERXWUHOLJLRXVIUHHGRPDQGWKHUROHRIWKH6WDWH by representatives of the hosted by Saudi Arabia. It Islam and its teachings. If the OIC and the Muslim
European Union (EU), Shanghai included in its Final 85C74>820=3C74 Taha’s not-so-veiled rejection countries are serious about
LQUHOLJLRXVDIIDLUV0HDQZKLOHLWLVFUXFLDOIRUDOOVWDNHKROGHUVWRHQJDJHLQFRQVWUXF Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Declaration 20 recommenda- <DB;8<2>D=CA84B of the Taliban’s views on women’s rights, they must
WLYHGLDORJXHDQGVHHNVROXWLRQVXSKROGLQJWKHSULQFLSOHVRIIDLUQHVVRQO\WKHQFDQZH and Organisation of Islamic tions highlighting the rights women’s rights in the last sen- work out tough economic and
HQVXUHWKDWRXUVRFLHW\UHPDLQVWUXHWRLWVYDOXHVRISOXUDOLVPDQGWROHUDQFH Cooperation (OIC). that Islam gave to women and 0A4B4A8>DB01>DC tence above, will not please the political sanctions that would
By not attending the conference, the status of women in Islam. mullah’s running Afghanistan. compel the Taliban to change
the Taliban have only perpetuat- These also addressed the chal- F><4=³BA867CB Nor will they be amused by his their policies in this regard.
?82D1<; ed their isolation in the world.
They obviously do not seem to
lenges and opportunities per-
taining to the realisation of
C74H<DBCF>A: affirmation that women’s
empowerment issues would
They must also take mea-
sures to compel the Taliban to
mind that since humanitarian women’s rights and enhance- >DCC>D67 remain high among the OIC’s act against terrorist outfits like
assistance continues to come in ment of their role across all priorities, and that the OIC a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
for the sake of the country’s peo- fields and at all levels of soci- 42>=><820=3 would launch and support (TTP) and Islamic State of
ple suffering from natural disas- ety. ?>;8C820; numerous efforts and initia- Khorasan Province (ISKP)
ters like floods and earthquakes The conference also produced tives to elevate the status of active in Afghanistan. The
as well as the violence stalking the “The Jeddah Document on B0=2C8>=BC70C women in Muslim societies. former is targeting Pakistan
country. The OIC’s role was out- Women’s Rights in Islam” Taha’s words carry a special and the latter Iran. Given,
lined by Ambassador Tarig Ali which, as stated by OIC’s sec- F>D;32><?4;C74 significance as he spoke in however, their obscurantist
Bakheet, special envoy of organ- retary-general, Hissein Brahim C0;810=C>270=64 Saudi Arabia where, under the creed, and determination to
isation’s secretary-general. During Taha, in his address at the con- leadership of the crown prince, impose their version of sharia
his interventions, Bakheet ference’s closing session, would C748A?>;8284B8= Mohammed bin Salman al law globally, there is no reason
recalled his organisation’s com- serve as an intellectual and Saud, significant steps have why they will not strike other
mitment to support Afghanistan practical reference document C78BA460A3 been taken to improve countries in future, particular-
and engage in a constructive that could be adopted by leg- women’s position. Women can ly the Muslim ones they con-
dialogue with the country’s de islative bodies and human now attend sporting events, sider as apostatic.
facto authorities [Taliban] “on rights organizations in mem- need not wear the abayah, a (The author is Consulting
issues and topics included in the ber states and all Muslim soci- long, loose-fitting, garment Editor, The Pioneer. The
relevant resolutions of the [OIC’s] eties when considering the covering the entire body, views expressed are personal)

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Sir — As per a report the Congress Party
on Thursday alleged that democracy is
being "murdered" in the country after 7TaTRTXeTSbTeTaP[PfPaSbP]SW^]^dabX]R[dS
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block accounts and posts related to the fPbP[b^P]PeXSaTPSTafaXcTaP]Sb_TPZTa^]
C?819<0;8 ongoing farmers' protests. Congress MP ePaX^dbc^_XRb^U[Pf_^[XcXRbP]SRd[cdaT
Rahul Gandhi claimed the public knows 0\TT]BPhP]XfPbcWTXR^]XRaPSX^_aTbT]cTaP]S
$FWLYHSDUWLFLSDWLRQLQ*RYWVFKHPHVDQGHPSKDVLVRQHQWUHSUHQHXUVKLS that the government has "murdered W^bc^UcWT_^_d[PaaPSX^bW^f1X]PRP6TTc\P[P
fWXRWaP]Ua^\ ($!c^ ((#^]APSX^2Th[^]
democracy" and will give a strong answer.
RIIHUSURPLVLQJDYHQXHVWRZDUGVDEULJKWHUIXWXUHIRU,QGLD VUXUDO\RXWK Rahul Gandhi asked "If farmers ask for 7TaTe^[dcX^]XbTS8]SXP]Qa^PSRPbcX]VfXcWWXbbXV

8
MSP, shoot them. Is this the mother of ]SXPWPb[^bccf^^UXcb\^bcX[[dbcaX^dbP]SX]U[d ]PcdaTVaTTcX]V1TW]^Pda1WPXh^P]SWXbfPa\
n 2023, India experienced self-reliance, benefiting both The primary goal of JKSRLM democracy? When the youth ask for T]cXP[_Tab^]P[XcXTb5P[XB=PaX\P]P]S0\TT] P]S UaXT]S[h bch[T ^U W^bcX]V =PaX\P] P]S

I a notable surge in unem-


ployment rates, impacting
both rural and urban areas.
the individual and the coun-
try. Rashid highlights the
importance of parental
is to reach 66% of the rural
population in 125 blocks of
Jammu and Kashmir, provid-
appointments, refuse to even listen to
them this is the mother of democracy?
If a former governor tells the truth, send
BPhP]XfW^[TUcQTWX]SP[TVPRh^UTgRT[[T]RT
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Particularly concerning was involvement in identifying ing sustainable livelihood the CBI to his house. bT]X^aPSe^RPcT^UcWTBd_aT\T2^dac^U8]SXP PS\XaTSQhcWTXa_TTabP]SUP]bU^acWTXa_PbbX^]
the rise in urban unemploy- and nurturing their chil- opportunities to uplift them Is this the mother of democracy?" Freeze 7TfPbX]e^[eTSX]bTeTaP[[P]S\PaZRPbTbcWPc X]cTVaXchP]SX]]^ePcX^]CWThfTaTQ^cWX]e^[eTS
ment, escalating from 8.5% dren's interests, guiding them from poverty and enhance the bank account of the most prominent bWP_TS8]SXPbR^]bcXcdcX^]P[[PfP]SYdSXRXP[bhb X]cWT\XbbX^]^U]PcX^]QdX[SX]VP]SX]b_XaX]VVT]
in October to 9.3% in towards the numerous their standard of living. The opposition party. Is this the mother of cT\7TfPbPRWP\_X^]^URXeX[[XQTacXTbP]ScWT TaPcX^]bc^UXVWcU^aPYdbcb^RXTchCWThfX[[QT
November and further opportunities available today Indian government has ini- democracy? Section 144, internet ban, X]ST_T]ST]RT ^U cWT YdSXRXPah 7T aTbXV]TS Pb STPa[h\XbbTSQhcWTXaUP\X[hUaXT]SbP]SUP]b
climbing to 10.1% in becoming job providers. in areas such as sports, the tiated various poverty allevi- sharp wires, tear gas shells is this the 0SSXcX^]P[B^[XRXc^a6T]TaP[c^_a^cTbcPVPX]bccWT <PhcWTXab^d[baTbcX]_TPRT
December, mirroring levels Azhar Ali, a 24-year-old internet, singing, dancing, ation schemes to improve the mother of democracy? Be it media or 4\TaVT]RhX] (&$cWT^][h[Pf^UUXRTac^S^b^ Amarjeet Kumar | Hazaribagh
from a year prior. This surge cricket enthusiast, under- art, painting, photography, quality of life for the poor. It social media, suppressing every voice of
has undeniably heightened scores the importance of and sculpture. is crucial for the youth to truth — is this the mother of democra- office should provide the same facility i.e. hub of cricket in Odisha. To revive
stress among the younger effective facilities for skill In the current scenario, var- actively engage with and cy?" the Congress leader Gandhi said. open day at all passport offices of Odisha’s cricketing history and groom
generation, actively seeking enhancement. He believes ious skill-related schemes benefit from these govern- According to sources The Ministry of Hyderabad to solve the aroused problems young cricket aspirants in the state, it was
job opportunities, with thou- that with the provision of are being implemented by ment schemes, fostering self- Electronics and Information Technology instead of a single door at Secunderabad. necessary to redevelop it. A Sports com-
sands applying for each avail- adequate facilities, the youth both central and state gov- reliance in employment mat- had ordered social media platforms to Thus the applicants can reach their plex having world-class facilities for
able position. In the age of can excel in their respective ernments across India. ters and contributing to soci- temporarily block 177 accounts linked to nearest office and the rush at a single door other sports will also be built along with
technology, however, a par- fields, significantly contribut- Notably, the National Rural etal development. the farmers' protests at the request of the will also be diluted. the new stadium. A few days back a crick-
adigm shift is encouraged— ing to societal and national Livelihood Mission (NRLM), To ensure the success of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The concerned area traffic police should et stadium in Sambalpur was also decid-
from job seekers to job development. Azhar con- operated by the Ministry of these schemes, relevant Farmers from across the country have also provide sufficient parking places ed for renovated.
providers. tends that timely access to Rural Development, stands departments should actively been protesting to press the Centre for instead of lifting and imposing huge After Hockey and Football, Odisha is now
The youth grappling with essential facilities is crucial out as one of the most effec- provide information and their demands, including a legal guaran- penalties on applicants. Hope the area investing in the cricketing ecosystem and
unemployment challenges for the younger generation to tive projects. This initiative guidance, encouraging their tee on the minimum support price Corporator, MLA, Concern Minister infrastructure. This move will assist
are urged to redefine their play a more impactful role in focuses on promoting self- 100% implementation and (MSP) for crops and farm loan waivers. and the authorities of passport offices and youths in the state who want to make a
goals and leverage their the country's progress. employment and supporting timely achievement of goals. Bhagwan Thadani | Mumbai traffic police will take necessary action career in sports. The developed sports
potential and skills. Sayyed Muhammad Waqar, a 22- rural individuals, especially By embracing the shift from soon and will provide mental and phys- infrastructure will make Odisha a hub for
Toiba Kousar, a 22-year-old year-old, advocates for a economically disadvantaged job seekers to job providers, @1CC@?BD?66935G?5C ical relaxation to the applicants. many national and international sport-
resident of the border district focus on sports activities at young men and women. In youth can play a vital role in Sir — It is observed that a huge gather- Arif Hussain | Secunderabad ing events. The development of sports in
Poonch in Jammu and the school level to divert Jammu and Kashmir, the shaping a more prosperous ing above five hundred applicants includ- the state will boost the economy as well.
Kashmir, emphasises the youth from addictive behav- Jammu and Kashmir State and self-sufficient future for ing aged and mothers carrying just born ?49C81D?9=@B?F5C@?BDC9>6B1 Odisha has already hosted the Hockey
transformative role technol- iours and guide them Rural Livelihood Mission themselves and the nation. babies are standing in queue, outside the Sir — The Odisha government has World Cup and FIFA World Cup and in
ogy can play in the employ- towards establishing self- (JKSRLM) oversees the (The writer is from the office on Thursday i.e. open day, to get decided to renovate Barabati Stadium in its way to becoming the sports capital of
ment landscape. Through employment opportunities. implementation of NRLM, Poonch district of J&K. He solve the problems of passports to be Cuttack. The Barabati stadium is one of India.
the strategic use of technol- Ajaz Hussain, aged 27, aiming to integrate the poor writes on socio-economic issued at RPO, Secunderabad. Moreover the oldest stadiums in the state. This sta- Deba Prasad Nayak | Dhenkanal
ogy, the younger generation emphasises creating oppor- into self-help groups and development challenges of over the area traffic police lift the vehi- dium has witnessed many national and
can not only secure employ- tunities aligned with chil- connect them with self- his community; views are cles parking outside the said office. The international sporting events in the past. BT]Shh^daUUTTSQPRZcc^)
ment but also venture into dren's interests to inspire employment opportunities. personal. Charkha features) concerned authorities of the passport Barabati Stadium is also known to be the [TccTabc^_X^]TTa/V\PX[R^\
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their longstanding struggle for
sustainable profitability in the
agricultural sector. Although
their demands are diverse, their primary
request is for a legal guarantee for MSP
(Minimum Support Prices). Farmers
KHOSWKHPGHYHORSWKHNQRZOHGJHDQGVNLOOVWKH\QHHGWRVXFFHHGLQ believe that the government has not
shown genuine interest in effectively
WKHZRUOG implementing MSP, which has led to dis-
,WLVLQWHUHVWLQJWRQRWHWKDWPDQ\SHRSOHWRGD\EHOLHYHWKHVWHUHRW\SH trust, frustration, and the need for a legal
WKDWWHDFKLQJLVDVWUHVVIUHHMRE,WLVWKHRQO\SURIHVVLRQWKDWJHWVVXP guarantee. These issues have forced them
PHUVDQGZHHNHQGVRII0RUHRYHULWLVW\SLFDOO\DMREWKDWSHRSOHRQO\ to leave their homes and farms and take
GREHFDXVHWKH\FDQQRWGRDQ\WKLQJHOVH7KHDGDJHWKRVHZKRFDQ to the highways in protest, resulting in the
GRWKRVHZKRFDQ·WWHDFKLVZLGHO\EHOLHYHG+RZHYHUWKHUHDOLW\LV death of three farmers a couple of injuries,
WKDWWKHUHLVDJUHDWDPRXQWRIVWUHVVDVVRFLDWHGZLWKWKLVW\SHRISUR and disruption of normalcy that has
affected the commuters and business
IHVVLRQ activities.
7KHUHLVQRGHQ\LQJWKHIDFWWKDWWKHWHDFKLQJSURIHVVLRQLVHPRWLRQDO In September 2020, the government intro-
O\SK\VLFDOO\DQGPHQWDOO\H[KDXVWLQJ0DQ\WHDFKHUVDFURVVWKHZRUOG duced three controversial farm laws that
DUHH[SHULHQFLQJWHDFKHUVKRUWDJHV$VSHUWKHODWHVWVXUYH\LWZDVIRXQG were met with widespread protests and
WKDWDOPRVWRIWKHQHZWHDFKHUVZKRMRLQZLWKVXSHUH[FLWHPHQW demands for their repeal. While the laws
SDVVLRQDQGDGUHDPWRWDNHRQWKHZRUOGTXLWZLWKLQWKHILUVWILYH\HDUV were eventually repealed in November
RIWHDFKLQJZKLFKEHJVWKHTXHVWLRQZK\GRVRPDQ\RIWKHPOHDYH 2021, there has been no interim report
from the Committee on MSP formed to
DIWHUJRLQJWKURXJK\HDUVRIFROOHJHIRUWKLVSURIHVVLRQ":LWKRXWHQRXJK address farmers’ concerns. This delay in
WHDFKHURQHFDQQRWVXFFHVVIXOO\HGXFDWHWKHLUFKLOGUHQ0RUHRYHUWKH decision-making perpetuates uncertainties
PRVWGLVWXUELQJSDUWLVWKDWWKHHGXFDWLRQV\VWHPUHOLHVRQPDVVLYH in the agricultural sector and under-
DPRXQWV RI XQSDLG ODERXU $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH %LOO DQG 0HOLQGD *DWHV mines the effectiveness of the present MSP
)RXQGDWLRQWKHDYHUDJHWHDFKHUZRUNVIRUKRXUVDZHHNRYHU as a stabilizing force. gerated claims about its fiscal costs. tee will create fiscal disasters for nation by maintaining a stable pro-
PRUHWKDQWKH\DUHFRQWUDFWHGIRU0XOWLSOHVXUYH\VGHFODUHXQFHUWDLQ MSP was introduced in 1966-67 to ensure These claims have misled succes- India are baseless. According to duction environment for key sta-
W\ZRUNORDGQHJDWLYHSHUFHSWLRQDERXWWKHMREFRQFHUQIRURWKHUV·ZHOO food security amid food scarcity. Despite sive governments, and it is essen- government estimates, the MSP ples, contributing to the overall
broad political support for a legal guaran- tial to clarify that legalising MSP values of the total production of the food security of the country.
EHLQJKHDOWKVWUXJJOHVDQGSOD\LQJPXOWLSOHUROHVKDYHKDPSHUHGVFKRRO tee for MSP, successive governments have does not entail the government 23 crops worked out to be around A legal framework enables the gov-
WHDFKHUV·PHQWDOKHDOWKDQGZHOOEHLQJ failed to formalize this issue, leaving the procuring all agricultural produce. Rs 17 lakh crore, and some stud- ernment to conduct strategic oper-
agricultural sector in a state of uncertain- The apprehensions over excessive ies worked out to be around Rs 10 ations in domestic and internation-
ty. However, it is high time to address the fiscal requirements are unfounded lakh crore. Furthermore, only 70% al markets. By selling procured pro-
weakening of the decades-old MSP poli- and should not prevent the legal- of the farm produce comes to mar- duce at minimal markups during
cy, remove the complexities surrounding isation of MSP. kets as a marketable surplus, and times of higher market prices, the
its legislation, and recognise the potential To make MSP a legal guarantee, farmers’ families consume the rest government can manage inflation
benefits of legalising MSP to fuel the necessary amendments are need- for household purposes. The MSP surges, ensuring price stability for
wholesome growth of the agriculture sec- ed in the Agricultural Produce & legal guarantee will cost the govern- consumers.
tor, which is the country’s lifeline. The Livestock Market Committee ment about Rs 5 lakh crore if MSP reduces the vulnerability of
Modi government has demonstrated its (APMC) Act by incorporating a traders or big corporations engaged farmers to market fluctuations,
commendable ability to revamp decades- clause that ‘auction of farm produce in processing boycott the APMC’s ensuring a minimum income for
old mechanisms with various robust in APMC’s markets is legally not markets, which is an unlikely sce- their produce. Farmers can navi-
reforms such as the amendments to
Indian Penal Codes and the abrogation of
;460;8B8=6<B? permitted below the declared MSP
prices’. The apprehensions on the
nario. It is time to dismiss the mis-
conceptions surrounding the legal-
gate uncertainties more confi-
dently, knowing that the govern-
1RWRQO\WKLVUHVHDUFKDOVRLQGLFDWHVWKDWEXUQRXWFRQWULEXWHVWRKLJK
Article 370 in Kashmir, and now they must 5>A0F834A operation of MSP legal guarantee isation of MSP and focus on the ment is legally bound to intervene
take bold steps to address this pressing are that most of the sales of farm merits of providing a legal guaran- when market prices fall below the
DWWULWLRQUDWHVDPRQJHGXFDWRUV0DNLQJWHDFKHUVZRUNEH\RQGWKHLUFRQ issue. E0A84CH>5 produce are not in APMCs, and tee for MSP. Merits of legalising MSP. A guaranteed MSP leads to
WUDFWHGKRXUVDQGQRWSD\LQJIRULWJLYLQJWKHPILYHKRXUVRUOHVVSHU
ZHHNWRSODQIRUKRXUVRILQVWUXFWLRQVJUDGLQJDQGSURYLGLQJIHHG
Why farmers asking for legal guarantee:
The MSP is an administered advisory price
2A>?B4=BDA4B traders may boycott the purchas-
es of farm produce. The govern-
MSP: Farming is inherently risky,
influenced by factors such as
increased rural income. This, in
turn, stimulates the rural economy
EDFNRQDVVLJQPHQWVIRUDOPRVWVWXGHQWVRQDQDYHUDJHDQDO\VLQJ for 23 crops and is determined annually C70CC74 ment does not have physical and weather conditions, pest attacks, by boosting demand for goods and
by the Commission for Agricultural Costs economic resources to purchase, and market dynamics. By establish- services, creating a positive ripple
GDWDFRQWDFWLQJSDUHQWVDWWHQGLQJPHHWLQJVSUHSDULQJWHDFKLQJPDWH
ULDOVH[SHFWLQJWHDFKHUVWRLPSOHPHQWQHZLQLWLDWLYHVSURJUDPVDQG
and Prices (CACP) as a key government 14=458CB>5 store, and market the procured ing a legally binding framework for effect in various sectors.
SUDFWLFHVZLWKRXWSURSHUWUDLQLQJFRPSOHWLQJDGPLQLVWUDWLYHWDVNVH[SHFW
intervention to insulate farmers from
price volatility when the market prices fall
?A824BC018;8CH farm produce, which is an irra-
tional argument. Government
minimum floor prices across all
crops, will mitigate the current
The way forward: Policymakers
can pave the way for a more
LQJWHDFKHUVWRGLIIHUHQWLDWHDQGLQGLYLGXDOLVHLQVWUXFWLRQVIRUDFODVV below the MSP as well as of consumers 0A4=>C;8<8C43 intervention is necessary only challenges and safeguard farmers secure and prosperous future for
ZLWKVWXGHQWVDQGDERYHDOOEODPLQJWHDFKHUVIRUDOOHGXFDWLRQ against corrupt manipulative market infla- when market prices fall below from unpredictable fluctuations farmers by dispelling misconcep-
UHODWHGLVVXHVGHVSLWHQRWLQFOXGLQJWHDFKHUVLQGHFLVLRQPDNLQJRIHGX tion and maintains food security. It has C>B?428582 MSP, and it does not require the in the prices of their produce. tions and addressing concerns.
FDWLRQUHODWHGLVVXHVSURYHRXWWREHDIHZUHDVRQVIRUWHDFKHUEXUQRXW been in existence in India for more than
five decades. Why, then, are farmers ask-
B46<4=CB>5C74 procurement of the entire mar-
ketable surplus.
However, the government has pro-
posed buying cotton, maize, tur,
Replacing the decades-old and
inefficient MSP policy with a leg-
7KHFRQVWDQWWXUQRYHUUDWHRIWHDFKHUVODFNRILQWHUHVWLQWHDFKLQJDQG
ODFNRIFRPPLWPHQWWRWKHSURIHVVLRQFRQWLQXHWREHDPDMRUFRQFHUQ
ing for a legal guarantee? Only 6% of farm- 50A<8=6 The potential boycott of farm pro- urad and Masur for five years islatively guaranteed MSP offers a
ers benefit from MSP, and it procures just duce in places MSP legal regimes directly from the farmers at the comprehensive solution to the
IRUVFKRROV\VWHPVDOORYHUWKHQDWLRQ6WUHVVKDVEHFRPHDFRPPRQ 11% of total agricultural output in the 2><<D=8CH by the traders is an irrational MSP without any quantitative challenges faced by the agricultur-
FKDUDFWHULVWLFRIWHDFKHUVDQGZLWKWKHLQFUHDVHGDPRXQWRIDFFRXQW country, according to the latest available argument because the commodi- limit. Notably, these crops are al sector. It not only ensures con-
DELOLW\WHDFKHUVSOD\DVLJQLILFDQWUROHLQVWXGHQWVDQGVFKRROVUHVXOW NITI Aayog data. ty’s supply is tight against the grown outside Punjab and sistent implementation but also
LQJLQSRRUFODVVURRPHQJDJHPHQWDQGXOWLPDWHO\ORZVWXGHQWDFKLHYH Over 90 % of crops are sold at prices that demand for farm produce. First, Haryana, the home states of the promotes diversification, inclu-
PHQW are 20-30% lower than the declared MSP, this was also evident from the fact protesting farmers. From this, can sivity, and economic resilience,
7REHDQHIIHFWLYHHGXFDWRUDOOWHDFKHUVQHHGWRPDLQWDLQWKHLUSV\FKR leading to average losses of Rs 20,000 per that the government could manage it infer that small pulses growing contributing to the wholesome
acre and about Rs 10 lakh crore annually to procure only 26 million tonnes farmers all over the country stand well-being of farmers and the
ORJLFDOZHOOEHLQJ)RUDQRUGLQDU\KXPDQEHLQJQRWUHODWHGWRWKLVSUR for farmers. A study by the Indian Council of wheat at MSP against the target to benefit? Legalising MSP for a prosperity of the rural economy.
IHVVLRQDWHDFKHULVDSHUVRQZKRLVZRUNLQJDURXQGKRXUVD for Research on International Economic of 44.4 million tonnes fixed for the wider variety of crops ensures that This will help to fuel the dream of
\HDUZKHUHDVLQUHDOLW\WKH\DUHWKHRQHVZKRDUHZRUNLQJDURXQG Relations and the Organization for 2023 season. Second, the govern- the benefits of price stability are not a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
KRXUVD\HDURQDYHUDJHZKLFKVKRZVWKDWDSSUR[LPDWHO\KRXUV Economic Cooperation and Development ment’s expenditure on procure- limited to specific segments of the (The author is Vice-Chairman of
DUHXQSDLGZRUNLQJ found that Indian farmers have been suf- ment and imports of farm produce farming community. Sonalika Group, Vice-Chairman
5HPHPEHUWKHWHDFKHUVFDQQRWHIIHFWLYHO\DFFRPSOLVKDOOQHFHVVDU\ fering losses since 2000 due to ineffective like edible oil and pulses, and on Small and marginal farmers culti- of the Punjab Economic Policy
WDVNVRQO\GXULQJWKHLUFRQWUDFWKRXUV7KHJURZLQJFRQFHUQLVWKHSV\ policies. The report revealed that Indian procurement of food grains on vating diverse crops can access the and Planning Board, and
farmers lost Rs 45 lakh crore during 2000- MSP in 2022-23, has already sur- protective shield of MSP, con- Chairman of ASSOCHAM
FKRORJLFDOZHOOEHLQJRIWHDFKHUVQRWRQO\DWWKHVFKRROOHYHOEXWDOVR 2017 due to low prices. passed Rs 5 lakh crore and Rs 2.28 tributing to inclusive agricultural Northern Region Development
DWWKHFROOHJHOHYHO Misconceptions in legalising: The legali- lakh crore, respectively. growth, and playing a pivotal role Council; Views expressed are per-
7KHZULWHULVDQHGXFDWRUYLHZVDUHSHUVRQDO sation of MSP has been hindered by exag- Claims that the MSP legal guaran- in ensuring food security for the sonal)

7KHHQGXULQJOHJDF\RI$PHHQ6D\DQLWKHUDGLRLFRQ
9G_GTO YOTLR[KTIKK^ZKTJKJLGXHK_UTJZNKIUTLOTKYULZNKYZ[JOUKGXTOTMNOSGVRGIKOTZNKNKGXZYGTJSOTJYULSORROUTY
n the melodic realm of and fostering unity through Beyond the airwaves, Ameen to become a hit. Phrases like on my soul. It was truly a mag- ited with a bouquet of melody made him a sought-after

I post-independence, India
emerged a captivating
voice that transcended mere
Hindi film melodies. With 90
million listeners, it has evolved
into a cherished tradition,
Sayani's unparalleled contri-
bution as a voiceover artist
echoes through the annals of
“Aawaz ke duniya ke doston”,
and “Bhaiyon aur Beheno”
were introduced by him which
ical time, enhanced by the
charm of our beloved host."
Writer, social activist and
rhythm and poetry. Millions
in this country will remember
with the nostalgia of the times
emcee, infusing every event
he hosted with enchantment.
Veteran journalist and author,
broadcasting to become a binding families over enchant- time, with over 54,000 radio people are using today and President of the Guild of when pleasures were simple Khushwant Singh eloquently
cherished companion for ing tunes. programmes and approxi- trying to establish themselves. Services, Meera Khanna and radio hosts made you feel captured Sayani's significance,
countless listeners for almost They were not merely a fleet- mately 19,000 jingles to his He was very mild in his behav- shares her memories of grow- good about our world”. saying, “Ameen Sayani wasn't
four decades. With the ing waltz through the sonic credit — a testament to his iour and very gentle. ” ing up listening to Ameen Smita Vats, Founder and just a radio presenter; he was
resounding greeting, realms; it was a timeless sym- lasting impact on the hearts "Listening to Ameen Sayani's Sayani. She says, “With the President of ITIHAAS (Indian a storyteller whose voice
“Namaskar bhaiyon aur B1:455@?0C70: phony, a melody that lingered and minds of a nation. iconic radio show, 'Binaca passing away of Ameen Sayani Traditions Heritage and painted vivid images in the
behno, main aapka dost in the hearts of generations. Bhajan Samrat, Anup Jalota Geet Mala,' with my siblings it is as if a precious memory Society) kept it simple when minds of his listeners.” In the
Ameen Sayani bol raha hoon,” peers. Ameen Sayani's pio- With the gentle caress of nos- while sharing his thoughts was a cherished ritual in our of childhood has slipped away. she said, “My memories are words of the man himself,
Ameen Sayani forged an neering radio show, starting as talgia, it continued its melodi- with me on hearing the news household," reminisces Dr The ‘Binaca Geetmala’ which just of his voice… diction, and “This is Ameen Sayani, sign-
indelible connection through a modest segment on Radio ous journey, spanning the of Ameen Sahab’s demise said Sumitra Guha, a renowned he hosted in his amazing metre while reading and talk- ing off with the hope that
the airwaves, beckoning listen- Ceylon, swiftly became a cul- years from 1952 to 1994, a tes- that he was one of the pioneers classical vocalist and recipient voice was an integral part of a ing. All lost now, as no one you'll join me again next
ers to join him on a journey tural sensation in the 1950s. tament to its enduring charm in the field of entertainment in of the Sangeet Natak Akademy childhood when television speaks well these days.” week, same time, same sta-
of music and camaraderie. From Binaca Geetmala to Hit and universal appeal. And broadcasting media and the award. "The mesmerising had not invaded homes. Throughout his illustrious tion.” As we bid farewell to
This golden voice of radio Parade and Cibaca Geetmala, like a phoenix rising from the texture of his voice captivated voice of Ameen Sayani filled Gathered around the radio or career spanning decades, this titan of the airwaves, his
passed into eternity on his presentation remained ashes of bygone eras, it expe- many people. “Today many of our hearts with joy, as we with the transistor stuck to the Sayani epitomised innova- voice and legacy will long be
February 21, 2024, in timeless, bridging simplicity rienced resurgences in the the anchors try to copy his tex- eagerly awaited the melodious ear Ameen Sayani invited you tion and authenticity. Amidst cherished. Farewell Ameen
Mumbai. He was 91. and connection, resonating dawn of new millennia, ture and finesse”, he said, tunes of legendary playback to float on the melody or foot evolving media landscapes, Sahab!
His voice, emanating from with ordinary hearts. revivals in 2000-2001 and adding, “It was almost a mir- singers like Lata Mangeshkar. tap to the rhythm of the most he championed radio's time- (The writer is programme
vintage radio sets, possessed a Geetmala transcended bor- 2001-2003, each breathing acle that any song that Ameen His captivating narration and popular Hindi film songs. less ability to unite commu- executive, Gandhi Smriti
captivating charm, diverging ders, captivating audiences new life into its hallowed Sahab would announce in his the golden era of Bollywood Thus, every week Ameen nities. Beyond the airwaves, and Darshan Samiti; views
from the seriousness of his across Asia and East Africa name. Binaca Geetmala, would go on music left an indelible mark Sayani was the friend who vis- Sayani's magnetic charisma are personal)

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