The Hindu : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 01, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Reporter's Diary

Captain's innings

Sir, -- Today's Punjab, a modern, successful and self-radiant state, is the result of hard and principled struggle.

Two years back the economy of Punjab was totally shattered. Every post was on sale. The PSEB was in deep trouble. A vice-chancellor of a prestigious university tried to play with the modesty of his student.

In just two years, the derailed economy is put back on its right track. If Punjab is not shining, it is at least basking in sunlight. Roads are built. Diversification of crop was the need of the hour because water level was going down due to century-old system of farming pattern. The present people-oriented government has brought back life into PSEB. If reports are to be believed the PSEB will be in profit in March 2004.

Captain Amrinder Singh's Government has done yeoman service in nabbing corrupt officials. Corruption can be contained only if bigwigs are caught. The Captain has not spared anybody. If the bigwigs who matter are caught ordinary officials will be afraid of vigilance.

By holding Heritage festivals, the government is trying to preserve our culture and traditions. Every Punjabi youth must know something about our past.

Dr. Naresh Raj,

34, Power Colony,

Patiala - 147 001

* * *

Arif's somersault

Sir, -- Arif Mohaammad Khan who owes his political career to the Congress has now joined the BJP and says that he will earn the goodwill of BJP and the Sangh Parivar. This is nothing but the eerie echo of RSS supremo Sudarshan's statement of March 2002: "Let Muslims understand that their real safety lies in the goodwill of the majority. Muslims will be safe in the country provided they win the goodwill of the majority community." This was nothing but naked intimidation of Muslims. Now, Arif Mohammad Khan, like the loyal follower and pracharak of Sudarshan, will blindly follow this line of intimidating the minorities.

Mr. Khan's contention that by joining the saffron party he will remove all doubts and misunderstandings between Sangh Parivar and the minorities is wishful thinking and far from the ground realities. He conveniently forgets that the Sangh Parivar and BJP stand for Hindu Rashtra and Hindutva and in their ideology there is no place for the separate identity of minorities. This ideology stands for assimilation of minorities, which is quite against the Constitution and over and above against the country's composite culture.

He should know that a delegation of Muslim MPs had pressed Rajiv Gandhi to get a legislation embodying the rights of Muslim divorcee women granted by Islam to them should be passed which was ultimately done. Barring Mr. Khan no Congress Muslim MP had opposed it and an overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims had supported the Muslim divorcee women act of 1986 and Najma Heptullah had headed the delegation of Congress Muslim MPs. Mr. Khan also forgets that nationalisation of banks and abolition of privy purses had been struck by the Supreme Court but that could not stop nationalisation of banks and abolition of privy purses.

Consistency in politics is a virtue which, unfortunately, one does not find in Mr. Khan.

Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai,

C-501, Rosewood,

Mayur Vihar,

New Delhi - 110 091

* * *

Lure of power

Sir, -- It is generally observed that when a person is nearing his last days, specially men, he is reminded of his good deeds, evil deeds and undone deeds. The person is also reminded of what he wants to be done.

Exactly the same is the case with all political leaders to whatever party they may belong. The ancients have said that what sins are there which a hungry man doesn't do (Bubhuksitah kim kim na karoti paapam).

In the last days one is reminded of pilgrimage too, of performing some generous deeds and giving away some gifts. Many Sankalpas (determinations and decisions) are announced. If the risk of death gets removed, even for the time being, the Sankalpas are mostly forgotten or put off.

During my 81 years of age, I have often observed a repetition of what I have said herein, at least at the time of elections.

I have spent days in close contact with top leaders in this country, and with my knowledge about religion, I could not yet understand why persons are so mad after all kinds of positions carrying power. God has not enlightened me about it.

Pandit K.B. Parsai,

91, DDA Flats,

Hauz Khas,

New Delhi - 110 016

* * *

Madrasas maligned

Sir, -- Neither the Centre nor State Governments have paid due attention to education in rural areas where poverty and backwardness deprive children of even primary education. Despite budgetary allocations and tall promises, children of socio-economically backward families remain illiterate for want of institutional care and infrastructure. If members of Parliament and Assemblies gave even a bit of their time to thinking about illiteracy, this could have an electrifying effect, facilitating the intellectual emancipation of rural India.

Schools run by State Governments are totally mismanaged and their teachers irregular. Patasalas and madrasas run by locals are more organised and serve poor children better without charging any fees. Despite the selfless service madrasas render to the downtrodden, they are maligned as dens of anti-national activities and as centres for the training of terrorists.

Hindus and Muslims have lived together for centuries, and should work together for rural uplift rather than foment mutual hatred. Communal disharmony can have catastrophic results. Madrasas are open to all communities. It is regrettable that motivated people should brand them as breeding ground of fanaticism.

Obaidur Rahman Nadwai,

Teacher,

Nadwa College,

Lucknow

* * *

Access to IIMs

Sir, -- The Supreme Court is right when it says that IIMs should not be accessible only to the elite. I think, the quality of an institution is not linked to money nor slashing of fee has anything to do with the standard of these IIMs.

Jawaharlal Nehru Uuniversity with its academic excellence and competent staff is an internationally acclaimed institution and the best example of "quality education at affordable price". Just like primary education, higher education should also be within everyone's reach and one has to ensure that technical and professional education does not remain unaffordable to talented but poor students.

Fahad Tanweer,

A-56, Abul Fazl Enclave,

Jamia Nagar,

New Delhi - 110 025

* * *

Male bastion

Sir, -- The ceremonial inauguration of the 16th World Book Fair in New Delhi recently was a sad reflection of the way in which women are effaced from public space. The mounted dais with its row of over a dozen "seats" was occupied by men only. The obvious impression and inherent message was that the world of books is a male creation. It owes itself to the special genius of men, as writers, producers and managers of an industry developed from papyrus to Internet writing.

Even though reference was made to carefully preserved leaves of papyrus in Alexandria, one of which depicted the picture of a girl with a book, the irony of our own situation must have escaped the speaker.

The age-old association of women with knowledge is something that never came across at the inauguration. To make matters worse an interesting parable about the old woman and the tree narrated to eulogise the unique bond between a book and its reader, was in conclusion reduced to the gendered relation between the lover and his mistress. Without mincing words the speaker went on to elaborate how the reader is like the wilful lover and the book remains the abiding mistress.

It is regrettable that a public event of such significance could not include a few women who are worth more than mere agents for handing bouquets or mementos.

Shashi Khurana,

Co-ordinator,

Women Development Centre,

Satyavati College,

Ashok Vihar, New Delhi - 110 052

* * *

Neglected patasalas

Sir, -- Despite our repeated appeals and representations made through BJP leaders interested in the Vedic cause, to the Human Resource Development Minister and the Maharishi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishtan, Ujjain, about the salary for five more Vedic teachers and the increase in salary from Rs.5,500 to Rs.6,500, as announced by the Veda Vidya Pratshtan, in their annual reports, there has been no response. Our appeals are more than three years old and we still await a response from the Human Resource Development Minister.

It could be seen from the annual reports of the Veda Vidya Pratishtan, that representations to the various committees for promotion of Vedic study are largely from the North, even in places where there are no patasalas, while the South, that has a number of Veda Patasalas, has been neglected, and with no representation in the committees.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minster, M. Karunanidhi was instrumental in forming the advisory committee for Sanskrit, on 11.6.98 by a G.O. Ms No.227. He once mentioned that the North alone prospers and the South decays. This seems to be aptly true.

N.V. Vasudevachariar,

Sri Ahobila Math Veda Patasala,

West Mambalam, Chennai - 600 033

* * *

Migrants' plight

Sir, -- One of the outstanding demands of Kashmiri migrants registered in the Capital, has been regularisation of migrant teachers, working in Delhi Administration and MCD schools, on a contractual basis, getting consolidated salaries (which is much less than what the regularly appointed teachers are getting), benefit of perks like medical allowance, earned leave, travel facility, selection grade, promotion to higher posts, PF benefit etc.

The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, at a meeting on 4-7-2002 and in a special communication dated 27-12-2002, had assured that their demand would be considered sympathetically. On 18-10-2003, when she visited Kashmir Bhavan to listen to the charter of demands from the community, she held the assurance that this specific demand would be taken up after the Assembly election. Nothing has emerged till date. Regularisation of Kashmiri migrant teachers warrants immediate attention.

L.G. Kaul,

D-40, Pamposh Enclave,

New Delhi - 110 048

* * *

Wrongly quoted

Sir, -- This is with respect to your news report, "AIDS Scenario Grim In India" (The Hindu dated February 26). I am shocked to see that the quote ie., "HIV/AIDS is a crisis without parallel..... estimated that between 2015 and 2050 about 49.5 million Indians will die of the disease" has been wrongly attributed to me. I am not an epidemiologist and not in a position to forecast any figures.

In fact, my presentation focused on vulnerabilities of women and risks to HIV/AIDS and shared experiences and voices of women affected by the disease. I spoke on the need to strengthen partnership between women's groups and women living with HIV/AIDS towards empowering them.

Suneeta Dhar,

Regional Programme Coordinator,

Gender and HIV/AIDS,

UNIFEM, New Delhi.

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