Marriages and madness

 

Of the many wattsapp forwards I receive everyday one that I got a couple of days back set off my thinking nerves jingling in all directions. It was a video clip of a news report carried by a local TV channel, on a wedding in Uppaka Village of Bhadradri Kothagudem a district in Telangana. It was a video clip of a pitched battle between the brides and grooms family. The reason for the skirmish was the Girl’s family not serving mutton to the guests. Of all the reasons I have heard since I understood the concept of a wedding and the tradition of not disappointing the grooms family’s demands this was the weirdest. According to the report the trouble started when the groom’s party was being served the wedding feast and one of the guests asked for mutton curry, the person who was serving a relative of the girl’s replied there was only chicken curry and no mutton. At this the guest got annoyed and abused the girl’s side, the server replied in the same tone and hot and harsh words were exchanged between the guests of both sides. Within no time more of the grooms and brides family and friends joined in the argument and it degenerated into a free for all with fists, chairs and tables being used as weapons. Finally peace prevailed on the intervention of the village elders and the marriage solemnised and the girl sent off to her inlaws home.

Marriages are said to be made in heaven and solemnised on earth. But I guess it is beyond even Gods immense capabilities to match the temperament of both the grooms and brides family members. If God made matches keeping all the variables of the myriad relatives in the equation, it would make many couples married life a true bliss. Failing that we mere mortals have to live with the failings of our respective sides inability to meet the high standards to which our respective inlaws and their entourage of relatives expect the marriage to be solemnised. I still remember my grandmother telling my aunt how in her marriage I mean my aunts, her parents gifted my grandmother gold earnings when in all the marriages that year the groom’s mother was given a gold chain. Poor aunt she had to bear with this complaint for nearly two decades till my grandmother left for her heavenly abode. I am sure almost all families have a similar tale of unmet expectations in their repertoire of marital grievances.

Forget the material expectations it is the other incidents where the expectations of the guests and the extended families are not met and their antics to show displeasure while still being a part of the wedding festivities that make our Indian marriages events to remember for years. The bua and pupaji who sulk during all the rituals are passé as are the uncles and aunts who take grudge on the youngsters not paying them enough attention or listening to their advice on the correct way of doing things. The most common incidents where mountains were made of molehills is to do with as the was in the wedding in Uppaka village to do with food and wine.

 

When one of my husband’s cousins was getting married, the girls family categorically stated that they will serve vegetarian fare on the wedding day and no alcohol would be allowed. Now in our community liquor with kebabs and biryani and dum ka murg is de rigeur, it is more important than the pandit performing the marriage. Though the Grooms father was OK with this the other members of the family were not and made alternate arrangements. The practice today for the baraat procession is to start from the grooms side, where the people dance and go for about a hundred metres or so and then disband and gather again at a location near the wedding hall where the baraat reassembles and walk in to the wedding venue. In this case the baraat was to reassemble in front of a cousins home. And he made the necessary kebab and sharab arrangements for all the groom’s guests. As scheduled the baraat started from the grooms house and after a brief spell of dancing to the band everyone disbanded and went to the venue where the baraat was to reassemble. Now all the baraatis went into the cousins house leaving the groom along with a few kids in the flower bedecked car sitting on the road waiting for the rest of the baraat to come refreshed and start the walk to the function hall. It speaks a lot of the cousins hospitality that the grooms entourage of cousins, uncles, and friends had such a rollicking time that they forgot the poor groom sitting on the road in all his finery. After waiting for more than a hour the frustrated and angry groom called his brother in law and threatened to come inside and join them if the baraat did not start immediately. After this threat the barati’s slowly trickled out and the baraat reached the venue around mid night.

A year later my nephew got married and his inlaws laid down the same no nonveg and no liquor rule for the marriage day. To avoid the similar fate as his uncle, my nephew had the brilliant idea of organising starters and liquor in the cars in the parking lot of the function hall. Accordingly a special area in the parking lot was set aside for these special cars and leaving no scope for error the nephew also applied for and received liquor permission for the marriage, though without his inlaws knowing about it. Everything was fine till the baraat reached the wedding venue, however as soon as the groom disembarked from the decked up car and was escorted to the welcome area almost all the baraati’s abandoned the groom and went off in search of the cup that cheers. While the youngsters converged at the cars in the parking lot where arrangements were made the older generation made off to the hotels and homes nearby where arrangements were made for them. The poor groom who was expecting the usual playfulness and teasing and light hearted fun at the Jaimal had the company of his old aunts and young pre teens and the whole exercise was over in a few minutes instead of the usual half hour of puns and good natured ribbing between the girls and grooms side. Finally when the wedding rituals were nearing completion the baraati’s returned flushed with cheer and happiness to bless the couple and take the baraat home.

The most hilarious though embarrassing wedding reception that people still recall with shudders was held a few years back. The grooms father a teetotaller refused to entertain any suggestions on serving liquor. And the groom being a teetotaller himself fully agreed with his father. Some of the younger generation refused to comply with the hosts rules and made surreptitious arrangements for liquor in their cars. Even as the reception was in full swing, there was a commotion that the task force had raided the venue for illegal consumption and serving of liquor. All the youngsters and a few of the elders who were surreptitiously enjoying a drink in the obscurity of the cars started running and hiding. The police confiscated and the liquor from the cars and was taking the grooms father into custody when some of the seniors intervened and others called in their contacts in the police force and the Government to pacify and settle the issue. Finally after more than an hour of pleading and the use of influence the situation was  defused and the police departed after confiscating the liquor bottles and collecting a fine and warning to not repeat the mistake in future. It transpired later that most of the invitees knowing the hosts nature had made their own arrangements with their respective friends and most of the cars were being used as bar counters with snacks being commissioned from the reception spread. It is still a mystery as to who gave a tipoff to the police on liquor being consumed. Even today when this incident is recalled it has people catching their stomachs doubled over with laughter recollecting the stalwarts of the community running to hide from the police in their pristine suits and sherwanis.

 

The romance of the morning tea

 

The Americans take their coffee on the go, if you happen to be driving during the morning hours in the US, you will see a majority of the drivers having their coffee while driving to work. While America works on coffee, the English and their tea is a tradition. The English tea in flowered porcelain cups are as much English as bread pudding. But no where in the world has the making and taking of tea acquired a cult status as it is India.

From the kadak chai of Mumbai to the Irani chai of Hyderabad every Indian has his or own favourite way of making the brew that India wakes upto. We Indians do not believe in the making tea as the world does, with the tea leaves seeped in hot water and had with a little cream or sugar. Like our cuisine we prefer our tea to be robust. Based on personal preferences, the tea is made either with full milk or half milk and half water, which has to be boiled and simmered and sugar and tea leaves till its aroma wafts around the surroundings and wakes up the soul. 

Each person I have seen has his or her own idiosyncrasy associated with the first cup of the day, some like it scalding hot right from the kettle on the stove to their cup and their lips in a matter of minutes if not seconds any delay and they say it is as cold as water. While some prefer it luke warm and some take it downright cold. The variations are as varied as there are races, one of my cousins wants his tea to be served hot with steam rising from the cup, he would take the cup place it on a table near him and watch it till the steam slowly subsides, when  only then would he take the first sip. Give him a cup of tea that is not scalding hot and he would send it back saying the tea is cold. When asked the response was classic, “watching the steam rise from the tea enhances the pleasure of anticipation it is the same as the romance of waiting for ones beloved” .

This set me off thinking of tea and romance Indian style and what I observed was that no matter how harried the life of the Indian couple, no matter how hard up he is for time and space no matter how rushed the days, irrespective of age and social status morning tea time is a time for romance Indian style. And each couple has perfected its own style of romantic tea ritual.

I know this couple, the husband makes the morning tea as he is the one to get up earlier of the two and after his morning walk returns home and makes the tea and wakes up his wife, by the time she finishes her morning rituals the tea is ready. The husband serves the tea along with the biscuits and takes it out in the verdandah, where the couple enjoy their first cup of the day. Now, the wife takes extra sugar in the tea, and it is the husbands duty, once she is seated across him to add the extra sugar to the tea and stir it and hand over the cup to her. And if the husband adds in the extra sugar in the kitchen she takes a sip of the tea and leaves it saying its not done properly. And the days when the husband is off on tours, she has no trouble with making and drinking the tea by herself.

Then there is this other couple who have their first cup of tea in the balcony of their apartment, while reading the paper. The husband reads the paper while the wife prepares the morning tea and brings it out to the balcony. Once she places the tea cups on the table the husband stops reading the paper and gives it to his wife, who reads the paper while the husband drinks the tea. Once she finishes reading the paper, the husband removes the thin layer of cream that forms on the tea if left to cool, and hands over the cup to the wife.

The one with most consequences was the ritual of one of my many aunts and uncles, it was the husbands duty to make the morning cup of tea for the wife. My aunt after having the cup of tea would enter the kitchen only after her husband served her tea. She would not have the morning tea if any person other my uncle made or served it to her. And God forbid if for any reason my uncle did not make or serve tea to her, she would not enter the kitchen itself forget cooking. My uncle had to first make the tea and serve her and only then would she enter the kitchen. One good thing about this was no matter how big the quarrel between the two of them, it would have to be resolved by a cup of morning tea else the whole house would go hungry.

As for me and my husband, we get up in the morning and wait for the maid to come and give us the morning cup of cheer.

India Parliament attacked by Seemandhra MP’s

Pakistan no longer needs to fund Organisations like the LeT, Indian Mujahideen and several others and incubate terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, Ajmal Kasab or others like them, for why waste time and effort and incur the wrath of the World, when its anti India agenda can be carried out by the likes of Lagadapati Rajagopal, Venugopal and others who can carry out armed attacks within the Parliament of India.

The attack on the Parliamentarians inside the House on 13, February 2014, with chemical sprays and knives led by Ladgapati Rajagopal and Venugopal is an act of war on the Indian Nation. Those carrying out these attacks need to be tried as traitors and anti-India arsonists and awarded the strictest sentence.

The people of India, cannot take this act of aggression on their Parliament lying down, we demand that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha file a case of criminal conspiracy against the Nation on these anti India elements, and they be arrested immediately for endangering the lives of the MP’s and  for carrying out an armed assault.

Lagdapati Rajagopal, Venugopal and the others should be awarded a life ban from contesting any election in India and from holding any Government or Constitutional post in India. The very fact that knives and chemical weapons were brought into the house, inspite of the heavy security and frisking of all personnel entering the Parliament, shows that the act was premeditated and other others are involved in smuggling in these weapons inside the parliament. A judicial enquiry should be instituted to investigate how the weapons were smuggled into the house and who else was involved in planning and carrying out this invasion of democracy.

The attack today was carried out with the aim of subjugating the will of the Parliament and forcing them 12^th of July 2006, after the deadly Mumbai train bombings, and refused to be bowed down by the acts of terrorists. So do the Parliamentarians need to defeat the very purpose of this attack and unanimously pass the T Bill. For to keep silent now or take any other action like opposing the bill or boycotting the parliament when it is to be passed will be to give victory to these arsonists and set a precedent for similar tactics to be employed for pressing demands in the future.

The Nation will be proud of you if you collectively defeat the objective of these anti India elements.

Jai Hind

Neera Kishore

High time India stood by its citizens

"Well, let us understand one thing. There are about 1.8 lakh Indian students in the United States of America. And we are now talking about these 12 or 18 students who have been subjected to this treatment. I would appeal to the people of the country and to the media in particular, that we should look at it in the larger perspective of these one lakh and odd Indian students who are pursuing their studies in various universities."

These are the words of SM Krishna India’s Minister of External Affairs, on the radio tagging of Indian students, in Pleasanton, California. The Indian Government seems to have thrown the fate of the 1500 odd Indian students, held on charges of Immigration and visa fraud to the wolves. It is a sad day for the country when its Government turns its back to the rights of its citizens.

Immigration and visa fraud is a serious offence and needs to be punished, but there has to be a clear distinction between the victim and the perpetuator of crime and America has to realize this. The Indian students had gone to the US on valid visas issued by the US consulates, which we assume are given only after a diligent verification of the students education credentials and the legal status of the University. To a large extent the US administration has been lax in identifying and acting against sham Universities. If there was any shard of suspicion the students applying for admission to the Tri Valley University should have been warned of its suspect status.

If there is to be retribution then all three parties to the alleged fraud need to punished, the management of Tri Valley University which defrauded students to the tune of lakhs of rupees and is responsible for their present predicament, the US Administration for failing to detect and act against this sham University and the students who willingly took the risk of a US visa through the dubious route promised by Tri Valley and to a lesser extent the students who fell for the University’s promise of work visa’s. The Management of Tri Valley University with its band of lawyers is walking free, the US Administration has donned the garb of the victim and absolved it self of all guilt and the least culpable of the three the helpless and alienated students have been made out to be prime suspects and are being treated as common criminals, and tagged like animals and criminals and delinquents on parole.

It is high time the Government of India especially the Minister of External Affairs took up the cudgels on behalf of our students. Young people go in for higher education overseas to enrich their knowledge and experience, and to further their career and life goals. What they do not expect is to be harassed, detained, made out to be criminals and tagged under threats of confinement. The moral and psychological trauma these young people are going through can only be imagined. They are condemned to go through life carrying the scars of this humiliation.

India is ta major contributor of revenue to the American education Sector Indian students studying in the US contribute more than 10bn USD to US revenue. The US needs the Indian students as much as our students aspire for the US dream. It is time for India to take a stand and fight for the rights of its citizen the world over. India needs to make it clear to the American administration that if it does not remove the radio tags from the students and ensure they have access to their families and legal and medical help and financial redress for the trauma and the loss of money and an academic year, then it will have no recourse except to prohibit Indian students from taking admission in the US universities. This will have the desired effect on the world stage, and will carry the message to all nations that India can and will stand up for the rights of its citizens.

For long have Indians suffered racial abuse in Australia, UK, USA, Middle East and even Sri Lanka. It is high time the Indian Government took a strong stand against the atrocities committed on its people and ensure they receive the respect and dignity that every human being has a right to.

By Neera Kishore
Courtesy Hindi Milap

Prayers for Aam Aadmi, Windfall for the Rajas

“I seek the blessings of Lord Indra to bestow on us timely and bountiful monsoons, I would pray to Goddess Lakshmi as well.”
With these words, India’s Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, wiped his hands off the fate of the Indian middle class, and went on to bestow his and the Government’s largesse on the new age rajas and rani’s of India.
The UPA government’s budget for 2011 -2012 has dealt the final blow to the already bleeding with high prices and inflation middle class. The expectations of this huge but largely overlooked population of the country was neither high nor unaddresable, its expectations from the budget were simple, address the issue of hoarding and price stability, and a small measure of relief in the taxation structure by making the direct taxes more realistic and in tune with the times. The Finance Minister has turned a Nelson’s eye and ear to the pleas and expectations of the Indian Middle Class. Forget lessening their burden, he has only added to their woes by levying a tax on Medical care!!
The middle class, that is fighting to hold on its last shards of dignity now has to protect itself from sickness and ill health, for to fall sick and be admitted to a hospital will mean he will now have to sell his soul to pay for the current exorbitant cost of medical care plus the tax on healthcare. The Finance Ministers gift for the middle class!!!
Forget, the relief the Finance Minister has made the burden of the common Man, heavier still, a whopping 130 items of every use like tooth powder, spectacles, packaged foods etc have been taxed. Not only this, the new tax structure has impacted the already reaching the sky cost of education by making stationery more expensive.
But, all is not lost for the common man, in case he/she survives the strain of meeting ends meet and can afford the increased cost of healthcare, to reach the age of 60, he/she will get an IT exemption upto Rs 2.50 lakh. And if they can manage to stretch a little longer to reach the ripe old age of 80 years, he/she will get an IT exemption of 5 Lakhs!!! Needless to say that it is the monied class, which is above the daily fight for survival like the middle class, that can aspire to live upto 80 years and enjoy the Finance Minister’s largesse.
And what of the monied class, the Rajas and Rani’s of the emerging India, the Finance Minister has filled their stockings with gold, silver and precious stones. Not only have these become less expensive but the Finance Minister has given them more moolah to splurge on these luxuries, by reducing the surcharge on domestic companies by 2.5 %.
As for the celluloid kings, the Chopra’s, Johar’s, Bhatt’s etc. the Finance Minister has bestowed a windfall on them by exempting the countervailing duty (CVD) on jumbo rolls of cinematograph films of 400 feet and 1000 feet.
One needs to applaud the Finance Minister who has with his foresight and vision taken another step towards making India an attractive investment destination for the FII’s. So what, if in doing so he has sacrificed the interests of the common man. After all, history is made of tales of sacrifice and valour. Only in India’s case it is the valour of the Middle Class to carry on against all odds and its determination not to succumb to mass depression no matter what blows the political and administrative class rains on its battered backs, that is to be appreciated.

by Neera Kishore

courtesy Hindi Milap

Andher Nagri Chaupat Raj

“Jehan kaan kaan per mobile phone rehta hai tanga, who bharat desh hai mera. Jehan har jhoopad ke upar laga hai dish TV ka chata, who bharat desh hai mera”

These lines reflect the India of today, a land of plenty. We are fortunate to be living in these exciting and wonderful times, all the luxuries and material possessions our parents and grand parents could only look at with aspiration and longing are within our grasp. We only need to reach out to own them. The once to be dreamed to goodies are all within the reach of the common man, a dream international vacation, a HD 32 inch LCD TV, a mobile for everyone in the house including the bai who does the cleaning and washing. But, the things our parents and grand parents took for granted like a belly full of food, milk in the morning, fruits in the evening are beyond our wildest imagination.
Today it is an achievement if a man can feed his family, and educate his children. Forget the roti’s dripping with ghee, his family is lucky if they can get chapatti’s roasted in a tea spoon of adulterated vegetable oil.

We are indeed living in strange and wonderful times, the cost of a return ticket to Dubai at fourteen thousand rupees, is more affordable than a month of food on the table for a middle class family of four. If only the family could live off relatives and neighbors for a month, one of them could visit Dubai or if they set their sights a peg lower two of them, could fly down to Colombo. This is not so difficult, as the Indian extended family is known for throwing farewell and welcome back parties, for anyone going to or returning from abroad. So what if by throwing this party, the host families home budget goes into a
tail spin and will take atleast six months of scrimping and cutting corners to recover.

Or if the thought of sponging on relatives and friends deters us, we can forego the foreign visit for a latest LCD TV or a refrigerator. The latest refrigerator model or a 32 inch LCD TV, available at a throw away price at around thirty five thousand is still affordable and within reach of a middle class family, compared to school fees reigning in the stratosphere at Fifty thousand plus per year, in a reasonable school. This is excluding the monthly incidentals on school projects and test and home work books, pens and pencils which cost upwards of a thousand rupees per month.

We have to thank our Government and its economic policies for making available to us the humble middle class, goodies that our parents could only dream about. Even as you watch the evil bahu hatch a scheme to usurp the family’s property, please send in a silent prayer to God, thanking him for blessing us with a leader who in his wisdom has steered our country to such prosperity. And if by chance your son refuses to be captivated by the cartoons chasing each other on the flat screen and cries out for milk, just wait a few minutes for him to calm down, as within a few minutes, an ad for milk supplements will be aired and he can go to sleep satiated. For with the prices as they are, it is the closest a middle class child will get to milk. We have to learn to be satisfied with our LCD’s and mobiles.

by Neera Kishore

Courtesy: Hindi Milap

Onions and tears

Onions are known to activate the lachrymal glands while being cut and chopped. Yet, it is the very absence of this humble vegetable from the housewives shopping basket that has brought the Nation to tears. As with all commodities the price of onion has sky rocketed beyond the means of the middle class family leave alone those living on the fringes of poverty. The time is not far when people reminisce of the good old days, where the use of onion in cooking was not a status symbol and even the common man could afford to eat it everyday.

The Indian Government instead of running from Washington to St. Petersburg in search of the elusive non-voting seat in the UNSC should focus its energies and efforts in getting “make the household budget last the full month” a competitive event in the Olympics. This will give twin and tangible benefits, firstly India will be assured of a sure shot gold in the Olympics and in other sporting events where this is made a competitive sport. And secondly our Ministers can claim to promoting sports and doing their mite to ensure an Olympic gold for India, when ever the issue of price rise comes up.

The Indian housewives balancing of the household budget is nothing short of a miracle. How else could one explain the infinite stretching of the household budget to meet the ever increasing price rise. No economic theory can explain how a limited salary can continuously expand to meet the relentless demands made on it month after month, year after year. Whether it is the 40-50% hikes in school fees, the frequent rise in petrol and diesel prices, the hike in auto and cab fares, the barrage of increase in food prices, dal one day, milk the other, and vegetables another day, the budget of the Indian house wife has been taking these blows square on the chin even as it prepares itself for the next one to land.

In lass than a decade, we seem to have fallen from a nation shining to a nation crying. Yesterday it was the cost of pulses we were raving about and today it is the onion. The price of onions has been propelled into the stratosphere and is selling in the range of Rs.70 to Rs.100 a kilo. It remains to be seen how the Indian housewife will weather this latest attack on her household budget. The humble onion has been her ally in making ends meet. She has banked on it to balance meals and feed a family of four with vegetables that could barely fill the belly of two, by adding it for bulk and quantity. And today her ally has fallen to the combined assault of hoarders greed and the Government’s apathy, leaving her to face the fight alone. Left with no choice the house wife may now look at a liberal seasoning food with salt and chilies to make ends meet. The only fallout one foresees is the increase in arguments and fights at the dining table. Which is not so bad, Spice as they say is what makes life interesting!!!
By Neera Kishore

Courtesy: Hindi Milap, Hyderabad

Let’s be vary of Uncle Sam’s iron hand

The proverbial velvet glove of the American Administration seems to be slowly slipping away to reveal the iron hand underneath. In the last decade the US of A has deteriorated to a Nation of paranoid administrators, and conspiracy theorists who see a terrorist lurking behind every skirt and under every head gear. Mohamed Atta had his team have destroyed much more than the twin towers of the world trade center on that fateful day, they seem to have ripped apart the very fabric of American society. No where is this more apparent than the aggressive “us” vs. “them” ideology of the American Administration.

The change in American policy and outlook can be summarized in two words “pre emptive annihilation”. It was started by George Bush Jr leading his country in the first crusade against terror in Afghanistan, followed by the misadventure in Iraq, and has culminated into body searches and pat downs that have not spared even diplomats and visiting foreign dignitaries.

The concretization of this mindset can be seen in the US of A’s response to Wikileaks, a band of computer whiz kids and journalists. The American politburo, cutting across party lines has been baying for the blood of Julian Assange, editor in chief Wikileaks, Republican leader Sarah Palin has likened Assange to an al-Qaida operative, Newt Gingrich has dubbed him an information terrorist and Mike Huckabee has called for his execution. The Democrats are not far behind, they want him charged under the U.S. espionage act, and are calling for the law to be changed to allow a prosecution of WikiLeaks. Leaders, army officials, and other public figures threaten dire consequences and even call for Assange's assassination.

The US has launched a multi fronted financial, political, diplomatic and plain old threats and coercion, attack on Wikileaks. Julian Assange is fighting extradition to Sweden. Paypal, Visa and Mastercard have stopped processing donations to the website, allegedly after Congressional staffers and leaders in Government called up these companies and threatened them.

US has arm twisted several nations and world policing organizations to fall in line chiefly France, Switzerland, and Sweden. Sweden has been pressurized into filing a criminal case and issuing an international arrest warrant on the basis of an obscure law drawing on an alleged incident of 'condom breaking during intercourse' against Assange, and Interpol has been prevailed upon to issue a 'Red Corner' notice for the same 'crime!!! Under pressure from the US, French industry minister Eric Besson has allegedly written to internet companies warning them of “consequences” for dealing with WikiLeaks.

But what is worrying for the world community is the American “us” vs. “them” policy that views all countries toeing the American line no matter what their track record example Pakistan favorably while coercing other free thinking Nations like India to fall in with the American thinking. The design of the American Administration to control and manipulate the world bodies is out in the open, diplomats including envoys to the UN and are spied upon and installations vital to US interests monitored.

More ominous is the fact that the US today does not shy away from openly threatening countries like India to toe the US line. US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Central Asia Robert O Blake has publicly suggested that India's voting pattern at the United Nations Security Council during its forthcoming two-year term commencing January would have a bearing on India's prospects of realizing its bid to become a permanent member. He pointed out that records show that India voted only 10 percent of the time alongside the US on important issues at the world body. He then added, 'Over time that is going to change. That is going to change not because of pressure of the United States, but because of India's own desire to take up greater global responsibilities. That would surely be reflected in its voting record.'

Robert Blake’s statement is the bugle cry for India to be ever vigilant in its dealings with the US and be wary of falling into the honey trap of a permanent non voting seat in the UNSC laid down by President Obama. In the last half century India has attained a stature far beyond any emerging Nation can hope to aspire to as a Non aligned state. No amount of military support, nuclear technology transfer or the aspired to permanent seat in the Security Council is worth the price of pledging India’s sovereignty.

by Neera Kishore

courtesy: Hindi Milap, Hyderabad

Is Dr. Singh guilty, you decide

For the last few days, we have been deluged with details of the 2G spectrum scam. Every channel worth its salt has aired innumerable talk shows and discussions on this mother of all scams. On the one hand Subramanyam Swamy is accusing Dr. Manmohan Singh of refusing to act on his petition to prosecute Andimuthu Raja, and on the other we have the congress spokespersons eulogizing the Government’s morality sacking in Raja. All this reminds of a Vikramaditya and the vetal story I read years ago.
Once there lived an old and pious man, renowned for his honesty. One day his neighbor, a rich merchant comes to him with a request. The merchant was leaving on a voyage and wants the old man to safeguard his wealth, until his return. The old man agrees and with God as witness promises to protect and safeguard the merchant’s wealth.
The old man then entrusts the safe keep of the merchant’s wealth to his son, from whom he takes an oath of propriety and honesty. Slowly the son starts dipping into the merchants wealth, people notice this and warn the old man of the son’s misdeeds. The old man calls his son asks him to explain, he also reminds him of his oath on following the right path. The son rubbishes the accusations as rumors and the idle gossip of jealous people, who could bear to see his prosperity. The old man accepts the son’s explanation and things go on as before.
The merchant returns and demands his wealth. The old man calls his son, who hands over a quarter of the merchant’s wealth saying that is all there was. The merchant realizing that he has been cheated approaches the King. The King listens to the merchant’s complaint and summons the old man. The old man comes to the court with his son and handing him over to the King says “your majesty, the merchant is right. My son has confessed to the crime. Please punish him.”
The king has the son flogged and imprisoned. He then praises the old mans honesty and dismisses the case. But the merchant demands punishment for the old man saying, “I have still not received justice. I had entrusted my wealth to the old man which he swore by God to safeguard. The old man’s integrity is intact, but what of me, I have been robbed of my life’s savings, and made a pauper. It was the old man’s decision to entrust my wealth the son for safe keeping. As far as I am concerned the old man is the culprit, and should be punished.
The king is astounded by this demand. The old man, was neither a party to the theft nor did he benefit from it. In fact, he had sent his son to jail. Yet, the merchant was asking for the old man’s punishment.
The vetal asks Vikramaditya, “What should be the Kings decision.”
Vikramaditya’s replies, “Though the old man is innocent of the actual theft, he is guilty of dereliction of duty. The son’s crime was a straight forward one, the old man’s was a graver crime. He did nothing to protect the merchant’s wealth. Far from being vigilant he failed to take action even when he was warned of his son’s misdeeds. Because of his laxity the merchant is condemned to a life of penury. He should be punished.”
India 2010, Dr. Manmohan Singh, esteemed economist, former Governor of RBI, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, former Finance Minister, a man whose personal ethics and integrity are unblemished, takes oath to protect and safeguard the Nation and its assets. He appoints Raja, as his Cabinet Minister for IT & Telecom.
Raja the Telecom Minister has with him keys to the 2G spectrum a finite and precious National asset. Raja flouts all rules of propriety and transparency in Government, and in violation of his oath of office, sells the spectrum a throw away price of Rs.1651 crore.
1. DoT with Raja at its helm issues an astounding 120 UAS licenses in a single day, January 10, 2008. A feat unsurpassed in the history of Government anywhere in the world. Suspiciously 85 of these licenses are issued to companies which suppressed facts, disclosed incomplete information and submitted fictitious documents.
2. In issuing these licenses neither the High Powered Telecom Commission, which was expressly set up for this nor the Finance Ministry or the Ministry of Law and Justice are consulted. Vital decisions are taken without being deliberated and discussed at inter ministerial forums.
3. In sharp deviation of business practice, the cut off date for receiving applications gets advanced from Oct 1, 2007 to Sept 25, 2007, violating all canons of fair play and ethics.
4. Real estate companies which till date of application had no interest in Telecom are allotted Licenses and spectrum ahead of genuine applicants. These then go on to reap windfalls from foreign players by selling equity.
Unlike the story, this heist of a precious national asset is carried out in full view of Dr. Manmohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues. Newspapers across the country cry out at this outrage in front page headlines.
The Indian Constitution grants the Prime Minister absolute power in running the country. He is the head of the Government and the Union Cabinet functions at his pleasure. As per the Transaction of Business Rules the Prime Minister has the unrestricted right to demand and get any file, any record from any Ministry. Dr. Man Mohan Singh could have at any time stopped this heist of a National asset, yet he chose to remain silent. The Minister’s failure to exercise his constitutional rights has caused irreparable loss to the Nation.
Dr. Singh did not profit personally from Raja’s shenigans, but his failure to act, to honor the oath of office, to protect and safeguard the nation and its wealth is unforgivable. Like the old man, he has sacked Raja from his ministerial berth, but does his culpability end there.
The people of India had entrusted their faith and the future of the Nation in Dr. Manmohan Singh, believing him to be a man of integrity and honesty, and not to Raja. Does dismissing Raja absolve Dr. Singh or like the old man is he guilty of dereliction of duty and failure to safeguard the Nation and its citizens. Does he deserve punishment?
It is for the Indian citizen to decide, whether of not Dr. Singh is guilty.

courtesy: Hindi Milap, Hyderabad