Power is heady, addictive and corrupt. Once you taste power you will cling to be there come hell or high water. Look at the old Netas.... what is the collection of antiques at the helm of affairs doing there? creating a geriatrics ward?
If common people are eased out at 60 because they are no more the agile, alert humans they once were, the thirst for power keeps politicians at 70-80 still young and capable of governing a big Democracy like India!
No? Then why are they pursuing netagiri with single-minded devotion, immune to kosi's wrath, mahanadi's mayhem and Bajrang Dal's brutality against Christians, closeted in their ivory towers, dreaming of winning the general elections just round the corner, to grab power once again?
Power gives the right to donate someone's land to your friend, legalise a structure in the middle of the road, create a slum where ther was none, hold back a planeload of aam janta for your late arrival and go globe trotting with your extended clan spending the tax payers' money!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
This is me
This is me. I live my life thinking about me. What am I going to do today? Call up a few friends, arrange to hang out, grab a bite, take in a movie basically do everything that I want to do to make me happy. This is me. What are the other things I love to do? Lets squeeze those in. Its great to be living life king-size as the ad goes. Have tons of stuff going on so maybe go onto facebook and let the world know - man, life's a ride, a long weekend, I am living it up. This is me.
And in the background of this hectic, happening, awesome life there's stuff happening that sticks like little yellow post-it notes way back on the noticeboard. Take down the salsa classes and the shoe-shopping and whoaa whats that? Some one else, another person, another someone like me? Naaah they're not having such a great time. Hell no, they're being beaten up, and Oh my god! burnt alive Good Lord! Why? Why? What? there's a truckload of reasons why and not a single one makes sense!! Because would it make sense? to thrash the living daylights out of someone, another someone (like me?) Oh man. Tough. Wrong place wrong time. Shit happens. Next.
But hang on a minute, what if I'm next?
BIG FAT WAKE UP CALL. Now's the time to make some noise. Now's the time to ask those questions. Now's the time to snap out it. Because I've a dirty feeling I know who's next!
And in the background of this hectic, happening, awesome life there's stuff happening that sticks like little yellow post-it notes way back on the noticeboard. Take down the salsa classes and the shoe-shopping and whoaa whats that? Some one else, another person, another someone like me? Naaah they're not having such a great time. Hell no, they're being beaten up, and Oh my god! burnt alive Good Lord! Why? Why? What? there's a truckload of reasons why and not a single one makes sense!! Because would it make sense? to thrash the living daylights out of someone, another someone (like me?) Oh man. Tough. Wrong place wrong time. Shit happens. Next.
But hang on a minute, what if I'm next?
BIG FAT WAKE UP CALL. Now's the time to make some noise. Now's the time to ask those questions. Now's the time to snap out it. Because I've a dirty feeling I know who's next!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Greatest Great Grand Mother
We were privileged. As children we had plenty of loving hearts, caring minds and soothing hands to tend to us. Turn to one or the other- there was always a tender bosom and gentle caress as balm to our minor worries and hurts. Yes, those were the days of ideal and extended families…….
Grandmothers, the matriarchs were the anchoring force that held drifting youth and warring women firmly secured to the hearth and home. Their unconditional love bound people together and forged a family into one loving unit that enjoyed and sorrowed as one man.
But grandmothers these days can be found mostly in old-age homes, fending alone for themselves or relegated to the dark corners, denied of their rightful place and position. So, I invite you to take a peek into the world of grandmothers……those spent forces that have given everything they possessed to make you and me what we are today!
She was a frail pretty lady bent under the weight of her age, but filled the house with her quiet presence and calm yet dignified ways. She was Aboli, my great grandmother, whom I had the good fortune of knowing in my own childish ways only for a few years at the beginning of my life.
Her husband, Bernard Kamath was known to be a handsome towering personality and beside her huge knight, Aboli looked the dainty little bloom that she really was! But if looks could ever be deceptive, they were in this case- I have heard it said that she ruled her large family with an iron hand hidden in that gentle touch. The large man in her life had a large heart too and would have donated even the shirt off his back if not for the firm restraining hand behind him. Not that she was uncharitable, living next to the church provided ample opportunities for reaching out to the church and the needy.
Though all of us loved ‘Aboli Mai’, few of us knew that her real name was not Aboli and till this day none of us of the fourth generation ever felt the need to know her real name, for us she will always remain the sweet Aboli mai she was to the family. Even my father and his siblings addressed her by that name apart from the dozens of his cousins, nieces, nephews…..!
As a result of education and employment in the premier cities of the country, parents in my family were addressed according to the legacy of our erstwhile white rulers. So that left the endearing term of ‘mai’ to be bestowed on the grandmothers both of who were the embodiment of love and concern for the littlest members of the family. If the grandmother was a ‘mai’ what would her mother be? Not one contemporary of mine would distort it into ‘big mai’ or ‘small mai’! So ‘Aboli Mai’ it was, the name that fitted the personality perfectly.
Often the mix-up in forms of addressal was the rule of the day, since aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces were contemporaries and no form of salutation would measure the deep bond that existed between them. But the name ‘Aboli mai’ remained unmoved and unchanged; she was a grandmother to all! As an Octogenarian, she moved around the house alert and observant of the situations, risen out of catering to the diverse needs of the vast family. Her eldest daughter, my own grandmother turned out to be a chip of the old block, sensitive and patient to the point of being a living saint!
Sometimes it dawns on me that my love for all things in nature must come from that one gene passed on to me by these two beloved grandmothers of mine. Both had green thumbs, planted saplings in the vast properties they owned and lived in cottages that were airy and open to the sun. The use of earthenware vessels on woodstoves produced the most delicious food I have ever tasted in my life- both were cooks par excellance! The image of Aboli Mai sitting on her haunches on the vast verandah of the house, enjoying her red-rice and fish curry from her ‘Malthi’, while the steady drizzle outside sprinkled her with a few drops of water as though in blessings, is etched in my mind till this day!
Much later, after her demise I learnt the origins of this name. It seems, to distinguish her from the other grand mothers, she was named, ‘Abageli Mai’( grandmother from grandfather’s house) which on young inexperienced tongues evolved into the present short form! When the June wind rustles the Jackfruit leaves on the huge tree next to the house, it is a reminder to all of us that a great spirit lived and died in this house all those years ago! May her soul rest in peace!
- Vera Alvares
Grandmothers, the matriarchs were the anchoring force that held drifting youth and warring women firmly secured to the hearth and home. Their unconditional love bound people together and forged a family into one loving unit that enjoyed and sorrowed as one man.
But grandmothers these days can be found mostly in old-age homes, fending alone for themselves or relegated to the dark corners, denied of their rightful place and position. So, I invite you to take a peek into the world of grandmothers……those spent forces that have given everything they possessed to make you and me what we are today!
She was a frail pretty lady bent under the weight of her age, but filled the house with her quiet presence and calm yet dignified ways. She was Aboli, my great grandmother, whom I had the good fortune of knowing in my own childish ways only for a few years at the beginning of my life.
Her husband, Bernard Kamath was known to be a handsome towering personality and beside her huge knight, Aboli looked the dainty little bloom that she really was! But if looks could ever be deceptive, they were in this case- I have heard it said that she ruled her large family with an iron hand hidden in that gentle touch. The large man in her life had a large heart too and would have donated even the shirt off his back if not for the firm restraining hand behind him. Not that she was uncharitable, living next to the church provided ample opportunities for reaching out to the church and the needy.
Though all of us loved ‘Aboli Mai’, few of us knew that her real name was not Aboli and till this day none of us of the fourth generation ever felt the need to know her real name, for us she will always remain the sweet Aboli mai she was to the family. Even my father and his siblings addressed her by that name apart from the dozens of his cousins, nieces, nephews…..!
As a result of education and employment in the premier cities of the country, parents in my family were addressed according to the legacy of our erstwhile white rulers. So that left the endearing term of ‘mai’ to be bestowed on the grandmothers both of who were the embodiment of love and concern for the littlest members of the family. If the grandmother was a ‘mai’ what would her mother be? Not one contemporary of mine would distort it into ‘big mai’ or ‘small mai’! So ‘Aboli Mai’ it was, the name that fitted the personality perfectly.
Often the mix-up in forms of addressal was the rule of the day, since aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces were contemporaries and no form of salutation would measure the deep bond that existed between them. But the name ‘Aboli mai’ remained unmoved and unchanged; she was a grandmother to all! As an Octogenarian, she moved around the house alert and observant of the situations, risen out of catering to the diverse needs of the vast family. Her eldest daughter, my own grandmother turned out to be a chip of the old block, sensitive and patient to the point of being a living saint!
Sometimes it dawns on me that my love for all things in nature must come from that one gene passed on to me by these two beloved grandmothers of mine. Both had green thumbs, planted saplings in the vast properties they owned and lived in cottages that were airy and open to the sun. The use of earthenware vessels on woodstoves produced the most delicious food I have ever tasted in my life- both were cooks par excellance! The image of Aboli Mai sitting on her haunches on the vast verandah of the house, enjoying her red-rice and fish curry from her ‘Malthi’, while the steady drizzle outside sprinkled her with a few drops of water as though in blessings, is etched in my mind till this day!
Much later, after her demise I learnt the origins of this name. It seems, to distinguish her from the other grand mothers, she was named, ‘Abageli Mai’( grandmother from grandfather’s house) which on young inexperienced tongues evolved into the present short form! When the June wind rustles the Jackfruit leaves on the huge tree next to the house, it is a reminder to all of us that a great spirit lived and died in this house all those years ago! May her soul rest in peace!
- Vera Alvares
Friday, May 2, 2008
anilthakraneyonsunday: Pirate BMC
Well, Mumbaikars used to turning a blind eye to BMC's corruption and failure for a long time will not bother about this move to levy taxes on the rent collected by landlords.Is the BMC authorised to do this? Can it be challenged ina court of law? Who will bell the fat cat?...Barring the few activists battling to save open spaces, clear pavements, implement non-hawking zones,no Mumbaikar has the time or inclination to fight for his rights. With the redevelopment of properties, corporators are getting richer, skimming the cream at the source, for themselves! That apart, the poor track record of BMC should have prompted right-thinking citizens to question as to where the funds already collected by BMC, the richest Civic body in India go..Yes, housing will be expensive, flats will remain vacant for want of residents.Buyers will hesitate to invest in real estate and hopefully the construction activity will come to a standstill. But in the long run, the increasing number of slums, encroachers, hawkers will turn away good citizens from coming here... Schemes such as these will hasten the demise of the so-called commercial capital of India... whom will they tax then?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Masala Mania!
Masala Mania!
Blame it on the balmy sea-breeze, the proximity to personalities or the verdant vegetation, people in Bandra sport an unparalleled zeal for action, according to the reports of happenings in newsletters.Life here is always filled with smells, sounds and colours.
I love the colours of life- life for me is a VIBGYOR stretched from birth to death! Lots of sober indigoes, blues and greens, a touch of sunny yellows most of the time, with oranges and reds creeping in bringing troubles and trauma sometimes!
One such event was being organised by the busybodies of Bandra and the announcement proclaimed that the ‘Bombay Portuguese’ community was organizing a fun and food mela at the local Gymkhana! At the mention of 'food', i sat up and took note, food that is cooked by anyone other than me, is a treat. I had to sample the fare, the parade of mouth-watering dishes with exotic names.The disclosure that the recipes were a closely guarded secret by generations made the cuisine all the more mysterious. That brings me to today’s colour of life- Masala !
Though the debate whether man lives to eat or eats to live has been raging for long, it cannot be denied that man cannot live without food- some enjoy it more while others sit with their mental calculators to count the calories till the food goes to sleep on the plate, cold and unappetizing. No respect for the tantalizing aroma wafting out of that delectable dish or the loving labour of those hands toiling for hours at the hot stove. Food is just a commodity. Love’s labour lost is another story, better told another day. So back to the masala……
Like the original inhabitants of Bombay (sorry BalaSaheb, you came much after them!), many experienced cooks guard their recipes as though it is a question of life and death. They deal with the request for the recipe deftly, omitting that one important ingredient that makes or breaks the dish or conveniently forget to mention that the meat has to be basted in the grill not burnt at the stake! With the result that there are hundreds of recipes of the same dish floating around- right from Chole to Churise, Sambar to Sambari and Vindal becomes Indad, Vindalu, Vindaloo( with one o or two)! Appams of some regions begin to wander around as Hoppers when transported to other regions. No Pav-Baji tastes the same at different places in the same city. Oh, the intricacies of Indian cuisine are as vast as the masalas in this land- ask Kunal, my favourite chef!
Stepping back to the time our grandmothers stood over the wood-stoves to make delectable stone-ground masala by ‘throwing in a fistful of this and a pinch of that’, we realize that most of those mysterious menus are lost in the haze of man’s memory. Preparation of food was an art, to be practiced and mastered, not read out of worn out pages. A ‘lemon sized’ tamarind could either ruin the curry or render it inedible, depending on the size of lemons that grew in one’s garden. You see the damage done to the prized recipes by writing them down? Anyway how can you put down on paper the love and care bestowed on each item that went into the pot- the freshness of fish, the unadulterated spices and the stone pressed fragrant oil that lent its personality to the preparation? Tearing tetra or plucking plastic to get at the ready-made contents requires no concentration, leave alone labour of love! But who cares, for those who eat to live, the rubbery scraps of vegetables floating in the cornflour taste like manna!
Oh yes, we know the usual rhetoric- life in the fast lane, aiming for higher achievements, reaching for the stars…..leaves no time to know what a masala is! More than that, cooking is meant for housewives, not high-flyers!
Not many know that many entrepreneurs have pitched in to help just such lifestyles, by packaging ground masalas, some of which are so good that chefs swear by them…..one such is the king of masala, named so for the unique blend of ingredients available in the Eastern spice lands. Just dump whatever you wish to cook in this powder, throw in some yoghurt and leave the mess alone till you complete your office assignment at your PC. The food sits there quietly incorporating the flavours and turning into a delectable dish when tossed on the grill, tandoor, oven or stove. You will get several brownie points for this highly appreciated cuisine and the bonus is you can still guard your ‘secret recipe’!
The holiday season is here……go enjoy some good food and forget calories!
- Vera Alvares
Blame it on the balmy sea-breeze, the proximity to personalities or the verdant vegetation, people in Bandra sport an unparalleled zeal for action, according to the reports of happenings in newsletters.Life here is always filled with smells, sounds and colours.
I love the colours of life- life for me is a VIBGYOR stretched from birth to death! Lots of sober indigoes, blues and greens, a touch of sunny yellows most of the time, with oranges and reds creeping in bringing troubles and trauma sometimes!
One such event was being organised by the busybodies of Bandra and the announcement proclaimed that the ‘Bombay Portuguese’ community was organizing a fun and food mela at the local Gymkhana! At the mention of 'food', i sat up and took note, food that is cooked by anyone other than me, is a treat. I had to sample the fare, the parade of mouth-watering dishes with exotic names.The disclosure that the recipes were a closely guarded secret by generations made the cuisine all the more mysterious. That brings me to today’s colour of life- Masala !
Though the debate whether man lives to eat or eats to live has been raging for long, it cannot be denied that man cannot live without food- some enjoy it more while others sit with their mental calculators to count the calories till the food goes to sleep on the plate, cold and unappetizing. No respect for the tantalizing aroma wafting out of that delectable dish or the loving labour of those hands toiling for hours at the hot stove. Food is just a commodity. Love’s labour lost is another story, better told another day. So back to the masala……
Like the original inhabitants of Bombay (sorry BalaSaheb, you came much after them!), many experienced cooks guard their recipes as though it is a question of life and death. They deal with the request for the recipe deftly, omitting that one important ingredient that makes or breaks the dish or conveniently forget to mention that the meat has to be basted in the grill not burnt at the stake! With the result that there are hundreds of recipes of the same dish floating around- right from Chole to Churise, Sambar to Sambari and Vindal becomes Indad, Vindalu, Vindaloo( with one o or two)! Appams of some regions begin to wander around as Hoppers when transported to other regions. No Pav-Baji tastes the same at different places in the same city. Oh, the intricacies of Indian cuisine are as vast as the masalas in this land- ask Kunal, my favourite chef!
Stepping back to the time our grandmothers stood over the wood-stoves to make delectable stone-ground masala by ‘throwing in a fistful of this and a pinch of that’, we realize that most of those mysterious menus are lost in the haze of man’s memory. Preparation of food was an art, to be practiced and mastered, not read out of worn out pages. A ‘lemon sized’ tamarind could either ruin the curry or render it inedible, depending on the size of lemons that grew in one’s garden. You see the damage done to the prized recipes by writing them down? Anyway how can you put down on paper the love and care bestowed on each item that went into the pot- the freshness of fish, the unadulterated spices and the stone pressed fragrant oil that lent its personality to the preparation? Tearing tetra or plucking plastic to get at the ready-made contents requires no concentration, leave alone labour of love! But who cares, for those who eat to live, the rubbery scraps of vegetables floating in the cornflour taste like manna!
Oh yes, we know the usual rhetoric- life in the fast lane, aiming for higher achievements, reaching for the stars…..leaves no time to know what a masala is! More than that, cooking is meant for housewives, not high-flyers!
Not many know that many entrepreneurs have pitched in to help just such lifestyles, by packaging ground masalas, some of which are so good that chefs swear by them…..one such is the king of masala, named so for the unique blend of ingredients available in the Eastern spice lands. Just dump whatever you wish to cook in this powder, throw in some yoghurt and leave the mess alone till you complete your office assignment at your PC. The food sits there quietly incorporating the flavours and turning into a delectable dish when tossed on the grill, tandoor, oven or stove. You will get several brownie points for this highly appreciated cuisine and the bonus is you can still guard your ‘secret recipe’!
The holiday season is here……go enjoy some good food and forget calories!
- Vera Alvares
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Death of a Daughter
She is a mother, battling against the powerful and corrupt forces to get justice for her dead daughter, to lay her down in eternal rest among the lilies grown on a hillside in a faraway land. Long after the demise, she has not been able to give her daughter a decent farewell, instead watched the lifeless body sullied and debased as repeated Post-mortems had to be conducted on it to expose the lie by the very people who are supposed to be the guardians of the law of the land. She has been called names, branded as a poor irresponsible mother, for whose sins the daughter had to die a miserable death, plied with substance, raped, and her head held under water till her thrashing body subsided into death.
Would you suffer this fate for your darling little girl? No….? Then why should Fiona?
After killing her body, even her memory is being assassinated by the perpetrators of the crime to deflect attention from their heinous crime and the media gleefully laps it up! Has the word, ‘compassion’ disappeared from the dictionary in the land of the Mahatma? Even if there was some truth in it, we humans are known to leave the dead to bury its dead. The human action of hurling abuses at a corpse can be interpreted as a desperate attempt to save one’s one own neck!
No mother however negligent deserves this fate- every waking hour a torment by the memory of those vivid bruises on her daughter’s body, each night a torture chamber of imagining the brutal assault and rape of her child by strangers who befriended the hapless girl from the very beginning with ulterior motives. No mother should be compelled to endure the agony of not knowing the thoughts and struggles of her child during her dying moments. No mother should be made to feel guilty for seeking justice on behalf of her dead girl. Then why are those snoopy moles digging into the antecedent of this brave mother? Is it to assist the cover up?
Wordly-wise or not, no young girl deserves the kind of death her daughter was condemned to, by people who had no right to judge her morality. Going by the same standards, the perpetrators of the crime and also thousands of women of such loose character should all be condemned to die similar deaths. Was Scarlett the only girl-woman with the trust of a little girl and the actions of a gown woman, the only one of our times who entrusted her life to a lover, a man no never really loved her? Who will judge the rest of the sinners and pronounce punishment? You or the enthusiastic media?
If poverty is no sin, living in a decrepit caravan can be a decent way to live for the poor, better than begging on the streets. Justifying punishment on the basis of one’s economic status is worse than the primitive law of stoning the adulteress. So, deprive the poor of access to law courts because they have to be punished for being poor!
Since when have a poor mother’s sins to be atoned by sacrificing a daughter at the altar of drugs and lust? Since when have Indians, reputed to be spiritual and homely turned rapists and butchers in the pursuit of pleasure and riches? Who are these hard-hearted fathers of young daughters who untouched by the gruesome death of a young girl of their own daughter’s age, trying to cover up the crime? Is power and wealth so intoxicating that a government goes overboard using its machinery to dodge the simple issue of arresting criminals responsible for the girl’s death?
Each day there is a ‘new twist to the Scarlett case’, apparently leading to more lies to cover up the original one. Where will this sequence of deceit end? Would the ending be different if the parents of the slain girl were rich and influential that they could rattle a few bones in the corridors of power with a snap of their fingers? Why is the government going round in circles, even at the risk of making itself the butt of aversion and ridicule at the hands of the citizens of the land? Are the stakes so high that the ministers are willing to get caught evading questions on national television, than get cracking cleaning up the state?
Everything is linked together. Those who make a few pennies more are gloating over the fact without realizing that the larger picture reveals doom for the state. Renting shacks and feeding a few mouths cannot balance the dangers of rape and fragmentation of the land, degeneration of values to accommodate tourism and the influx of aliens swiftly taking over trade and business from the locals. Can we see beyond our own noses?
- Vera Alvares
Would you suffer this fate for your darling little girl? No….? Then why should Fiona?
After killing her body, even her memory is being assassinated by the perpetrators of the crime to deflect attention from their heinous crime and the media gleefully laps it up! Has the word, ‘compassion’ disappeared from the dictionary in the land of the Mahatma? Even if there was some truth in it, we humans are known to leave the dead to bury its dead. The human action of hurling abuses at a corpse can be interpreted as a desperate attempt to save one’s one own neck!
No mother however negligent deserves this fate- every waking hour a torment by the memory of those vivid bruises on her daughter’s body, each night a torture chamber of imagining the brutal assault and rape of her child by strangers who befriended the hapless girl from the very beginning with ulterior motives. No mother should be compelled to endure the agony of not knowing the thoughts and struggles of her child during her dying moments. No mother should be made to feel guilty for seeking justice on behalf of her dead girl. Then why are those snoopy moles digging into the antecedent of this brave mother? Is it to assist the cover up?
Wordly-wise or not, no young girl deserves the kind of death her daughter was condemned to, by people who had no right to judge her morality. Going by the same standards, the perpetrators of the crime and also thousands of women of such loose character should all be condemned to die similar deaths. Was Scarlett the only girl-woman with the trust of a little girl and the actions of a gown woman, the only one of our times who entrusted her life to a lover, a man no never really loved her? Who will judge the rest of the sinners and pronounce punishment? You or the enthusiastic media?
If poverty is no sin, living in a decrepit caravan can be a decent way to live for the poor, better than begging on the streets. Justifying punishment on the basis of one’s economic status is worse than the primitive law of stoning the adulteress. So, deprive the poor of access to law courts because they have to be punished for being poor!
Since when have a poor mother’s sins to be atoned by sacrificing a daughter at the altar of drugs and lust? Since when have Indians, reputed to be spiritual and homely turned rapists and butchers in the pursuit of pleasure and riches? Who are these hard-hearted fathers of young daughters who untouched by the gruesome death of a young girl of their own daughter’s age, trying to cover up the crime? Is power and wealth so intoxicating that a government goes overboard using its machinery to dodge the simple issue of arresting criminals responsible for the girl’s death?
Each day there is a ‘new twist to the Scarlett case’, apparently leading to more lies to cover up the original one. Where will this sequence of deceit end? Would the ending be different if the parents of the slain girl were rich and influential that they could rattle a few bones in the corridors of power with a snap of their fingers? Why is the government going round in circles, even at the risk of making itself the butt of aversion and ridicule at the hands of the citizens of the land? Are the stakes so high that the ministers are willing to get caught evading questions on national television, than get cracking cleaning up the state?
Everything is linked together. Those who make a few pennies more are gloating over the fact without realizing that the larger picture reveals doom for the state. Renting shacks and feeding a few mouths cannot balance the dangers of rape and fragmentation of the land, degeneration of values to accommodate tourism and the influx of aliens swiftly taking over trade and business from the locals. Can we see beyond our own noses?
- Vera Alvares
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Indian Prime Minister!
Saluting the most qualified Prime Minister in the World!
The Indian Prime Minister seems to be the most qualified PM
anywhere in the world...
RESUME
EDUCATION /Qualification:
1950: Stood first in BA (Hons), Economics, Punjab University, Chandigarh ,
1952; Stood first in MA (Economics), Punjab University , Chandigarh ,
1954; Wright's Prize for distinguished performance at St John's College, Cambridge,
1955 and 1957; Wrenbury scholar, University of Cambridge ,
1957; DPhil ( Oxford ), DLitt (Honoris Causa); PhD thesis on India 's export competitiveness
OCCUPATION /Teaching Experience :
Professor (Senior lecturer, Economics, 1957-59;
Reader, Economics, 1959-63;
Professor, Economics, Punjab University , Chandigarh , 1963-65;
Professor,Internati onal Trade, Delhi School of Economics,Universit y of Delhi,1969-71 ;
Honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University ,New Delhi,1976 and Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi ,1996 and Civil Servant
Working Experience/ POSITIONS :
1971-72: Economic advisor, ministry of foreign trade
1972-76: Chief economic advisor, ministry of finance
1976-80: Director, Reserve Bank of India ;
Director, Industrial Development Bank of India;
Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, Asian Development Bank;
Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, IBRD
November 1976 - April 1980: Secretary, ministry of finance (Department of economic affairs);
Member, finance, Atomic Energy Commission; Member,finance, Space Commission
April 1980 - September 15, 1982 : Member-secretary, Planning Commission
1980-83: Chairman , India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee
September 16, 1982 - January 14, 1985 : Governor, Reserve Bank of India .
1982-85: Alternate Governor for India , Board of governors, International Monetary Fund
1983-84: Member, economic advisory council to the Prime Minister
1985: President, Indian Economic Association
January 15, 1985 - July 31, 1987 : Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
August 1, 1987 - November 10, 19! 90: Secretary-general and commissioner,
south commission, Geneva
December 10, 1990 - March 14, 1991 : Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs
March 15, 1991 - June 20, 1991 : Chairman, UGC
June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996 : Union finance minister
October 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam on Congress ticket
June 1995: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
1996 onwards: Member, Consultative Committee for the ministry of finance
August 1, 1996 - December 4, 1997: Chairman, Parliamentary standing committee on commerce
March 21, 1998 onwards: Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha
June 5, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on finance
August 13, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on rules
Aug 1998-2001: Member, committee of privileges 2000 onwards: Member, executive committee, Indian parliamentary group
June 2001: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
Aug 2001 onwards: Member, general purposes committee
BOOKS:
India 's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth -
Clarendon Press, Oxford University , 1964; also published a large number of articles in various economic journals.
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Adam Smith Prize, University of Cambridge , 1956
Padma Vibhushan, 1987
Euro money Award, Finance Minister of the Year, 1993;
Asia money Award, Finance Minister of the Year for Asia, 1993 and 1994
INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS:
1966: Economic Affairs Officer
1966-69: Chief, financing for trade section, UNCTAD
1972-74: Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on
International Monetary Reform
1977-79: Indian delegation to Aid-India Consortium Meetings
1980-82: Indo-Soviet joint planning group meeting
1982: Indo-Soviet monitoring group meeting
1993: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Cyprus 1993: Human Rights World Conference, Vienna
RECREATION :
Gymkhana Club, New Delhi; Life Member, India International Centre,
New Delhi
PERSONAL DETAIL:
Name: Dr Manmohan Singh
DOB: September 26, 1932
Place of Birth: Gah ( West Punjab )
Father: S. Gurmukh Singh
Mother: Mrs Amrit Kaur
Married on: September 14, 1958
Wife: Mrs Gursharan Kaur
Children: Three daughters
We salute you, Mr. manmohan Singh........but under your regime, how come the poor in this country are becoming poorer while the Capitalists are getting richer and richer? How come your party leaders are acting like the stooges of the big Industrialists? How come those with hand-to-mouth existence are losing their livlihood due to your government's policies?
Moral of the story- More than an impressive resume, one needs to have a finger on the weakest pulse of MotherIndia's millions!
The Indian Prime Minister seems to be the most qualified PM
anywhere in the world...
RESUME
EDUCATION /Qualification:
1950: Stood first in BA (Hons), Economics, Punjab University, Chandigarh ,
1952; Stood first in MA (Economics), Punjab University , Chandigarh ,
1954; Wright's Prize for distinguished performance at St John's College, Cambridge,
1955 and 1957; Wrenbury scholar, University of Cambridge ,
1957; DPhil ( Oxford ), DLitt (Honoris Causa); PhD thesis on India 's export competitiveness
OCCUPATION /Teaching Experience :
Professor (Senior lecturer, Economics, 1957-59;
Reader, Economics, 1959-63;
Professor, Economics, Punjab University , Chandigarh , 1963-65;
Professor,Internati onal Trade, Delhi School of Economics,Universit y of Delhi,1969-71 ;
Honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University ,New Delhi,1976 and Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi ,1996 and Civil Servant
Working Experience/ POSITIONS :
1971-72: Economic advisor, ministry of foreign trade
1972-76: Chief economic advisor, ministry of finance
1976-80: Director, Reserve Bank of India ;
Director, Industrial Development Bank of India;
Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, Asian Development Bank;
Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, IBRD
November 1976 - April 1980: Secretary, ministry of finance (Department of economic affairs);
Member, finance, Atomic Energy Commission; Member,finance, Space Commission
April 1980 - September 15, 1982 : Member-secretary, Planning Commission
1980-83: Chairman , India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee
September 16, 1982 - January 14, 1985 : Governor, Reserve Bank of India .
1982-85: Alternate Governor for India , Board of governors, International Monetary Fund
1983-84: Member, economic advisory council to the Prime Minister
1985: President, Indian Economic Association
January 15, 1985 - July 31, 1987 : Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
August 1, 1987 - November 10, 19! 90: Secretary-general and commissioner,
south commission, Geneva
December 10, 1990 - March 14, 1991 : Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs
March 15, 1991 - June 20, 1991 : Chairman, UGC
June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996 : Union finance minister
October 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam on Congress ticket
June 1995: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
1996 onwards: Member, Consultative Committee for the ministry of finance
August 1, 1996 - December 4, 1997: Chairman, Parliamentary standing committee on commerce
March 21, 1998 onwards: Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha
June 5, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on finance
August 13, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on rules
Aug 1998-2001: Member, committee of privileges 2000 onwards: Member, executive committee, Indian parliamentary group
June 2001: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
Aug 2001 onwards: Member, general purposes committee
BOOKS:
India 's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth -
Clarendon Press, Oxford University , 1964; also published a large number of articles in various economic journals.
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Adam Smith Prize, University of Cambridge , 1956
Padma Vibhushan, 1987
Euro money Award, Finance Minister of the Year, 1993;
Asia money Award, Finance Minister of the Year for Asia, 1993 and 1994
INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS:
1966: Economic Affairs Officer
1966-69: Chief, financing for trade section, UNCTAD
1972-74: Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on
International Monetary Reform
1977-79: Indian delegation to Aid-India Consortium Meetings
1980-82: Indo-Soviet joint planning group meeting
1982: Indo-Soviet monitoring group meeting
1993: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Cyprus 1993: Human Rights World Conference, Vienna
RECREATION :
Gymkhana Club, New Delhi; Life Member, India International Centre,
New Delhi
PERSONAL DETAIL:
Name: Dr Manmohan Singh
DOB: September 26, 1932
Place of Birth: Gah ( West Punjab )
Father: S. Gurmukh Singh
Mother: Mrs Amrit Kaur
Married on: September 14, 1958
Wife: Mrs Gursharan Kaur
Children: Three daughters
We salute you, Mr. manmohan Singh........but under your regime, how come the poor in this country are becoming poorer while the Capitalists are getting richer and richer? How come your party leaders are acting like the stooges of the big Industrialists? How come those with hand-to-mouth existence are losing their livlihood due to your government's policies?
Moral of the story- More than an impressive resume, one needs to have a finger on the weakest pulse of MotherIndia's millions!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Gorai revisted!
I see this as response to my blog- The Great Divide- SEZ who? This missive was hand delivered to 20 of us members of the Justice and Peace Commission, Archdiocese of Bombay, at the JPC office, St. Pius College, Goregaon East, on10th March, 2008.
Please take a look.........
PRESS RELEASE
ESSEL GROUP TO DROP GORAI PROJECT
Commenting on the recent agitation against the proposed Gorai SEZ, the Essel group reacted very strongly to activists and vested interests (who have encroached on government land earmarked for the project) for misguiding the locals about the project and about Essel’s ntentions. Some of these activists are rank outsiders to the region. Their statements about the proposed SEZ project, the Essel group and Subhash Chandra indicate that they have not understood Essels’ Gorai SEZ plan, have no idea of Essels track record as a respected business house and they are indulging in unnecessary mud-slinging about a well intentioned, God fearing and respected business icon who has done more for his fellow villagers than any of them singly or jointly.
Essel is a respected Business conglomerate with interests in various businesses such as packaging, education, media, and entertainment. Every time you pick up your toothpaste tube you are holding an Essel product and each time you switch on your TV, chances are you will be watching a Zee program. The Gorai SEZ is just one among many future business projects of the Essel group & the group is re-evaluating its business interests to go ahead with this project. Essel is sensitive to the apprehension of the villagers and has now taken a clear position that is after properly understanding Essel’s proposed SEZ plan, the villager still think the project will infringe on their rights Essel is ready to drop the project.
Commenting on the recent agitation Essel Chairman Subhash Chandra appreciated the concerns of Cardinal Oswal Gracious about preservation of local culture and displacement of ethnic groups. He wished to reassure the locals and the Church that the Gorai SEZ project conceived by Essel, is designed to showcase local culture- not harm it. He believes that sustained development without diluting the local culture and ethnic value systems are crucial to maintain the diversity of cultures in advancing economies such as ours. He said “we recognize this need and hence want to preserve the Gorai region for future generations otherwise it will be taken over by the builder lobby and unscrupulous anti-local elements”.
The activists who are poisoning the minds of locals have not done anything concrete to improve the economic conditions in the villages. Neither are they aware of how deep the relationship is between d Essel and the local population. When Esselworld was being built, the entire material and manpower requirement was procured from the locals and that today 442 locals are directly employed in Esselworld and water kingdom. This does not include indirect employment the Essel projects have created for numerous other villagers.
Essel has always stood for wholesome development of this region and its people. In fact all the earnings from Esselworld during past 20 years have been reinvested in the area. “We are an integral part of the local community and feel that it is the outsiders who are creating disharmony among us” said Chairman Chandra. Ask the locals working in Esselworld and water kingdom about the various schemes implemented by Essel to preserve the local ecology and protect the environment, and you will know the truth about our good work!
It was pointed out that if Essel had not been sensitive to the preservation of the local culture and environment, Esselgroup could have exploited the land to create a commercial hub like the developments across the creek at Borivali and Malad which are a blatant violation of norms. Why have the activists turned a blind eye to this? In fact if Essel intentions were bad it would have sold the land to a leading high profile builder who claimed that since Essel does not have the wherewithal to steamroll local sensitivity, he would develop the land.
Nilesh Mistry, Senior VP- Corporate Affairs stated, “Activists such as Medha Patkar, Ulka Mahajan, Surekha Dalvi and others are complete outsiders to this region. They are clueless on the norms regarding development of the region and we would like to ask them if they have done anything by way of economic development that has benefited the local community in this region? We are open to withdraw from the project, but will the villagers be able to handle the means deployed by the builder lobby?”
The whole belt from Manori to Uttan including Gorai was declared a s a Recreation and Tourism Development Zone( RTDZ) by the government in 1999 and many groups /villagers deposed before the government for and against the proposed development. It is difficult to understand why this agitation is taken up now, 9 years after being passed?
Essel has also clarified that the entire development of the Esselworld, water kingdom and the pagoda has been within rules and regulations laid down by law. The land for the Pagoda is donated by the promoters and it is built with the objective of fostering world peace for people from all walks of life, irrespective of caste, creed, and community. Use of the Pagoda is free.
Regarding the Essel SEZ project it is categorically stated that the project will remain within the RTDZ regulations by using the wasteland and Essel land. There is no intent to displace any gaothans or heritage precincts in this region. On the contrary, the proposed development would showcase the gaothans, the heritage precincts, and the rich culture of the local fishing community- as the main highlights of the region,
Essel believes that the project as conceived by it will benefit the entire community and provide a better life and a higher standing of living to future generations. Essel appeals to the community to shun the negative approach of the activists and the vested interests who are misguiding them and misrepresenting facts. Let there be a sincere and open dialogue under the auspices of the Church and the Government, and if the community is still not convince Esssel will be happy to withdraw from the project.
Mumbai
21st Feb. 2008
Please take a look.........
PRESS RELEASE
ESSEL GROUP TO DROP GORAI PROJECT
Commenting on the recent agitation against the proposed Gorai SEZ, the Essel group reacted very strongly to activists and vested interests (who have encroached on government land earmarked for the project) for misguiding the locals about the project and about Essel’s ntentions. Some of these activists are rank outsiders to the region. Their statements about the proposed SEZ project, the Essel group and Subhash Chandra indicate that they have not understood Essels’ Gorai SEZ plan, have no idea of Essels track record as a respected business house and they are indulging in unnecessary mud-slinging about a well intentioned, God fearing and respected business icon who has done more for his fellow villagers than any of them singly or jointly.
Essel is a respected Business conglomerate with interests in various businesses such as packaging, education, media, and entertainment. Every time you pick up your toothpaste tube you are holding an Essel product and each time you switch on your TV, chances are you will be watching a Zee program. The Gorai SEZ is just one among many future business projects of the Essel group & the group is re-evaluating its business interests to go ahead with this project. Essel is sensitive to the apprehension of the villagers and has now taken a clear position that is after properly understanding Essel’s proposed SEZ plan, the villager still think the project will infringe on their rights Essel is ready to drop the project.
Commenting on the recent agitation Essel Chairman Subhash Chandra appreciated the concerns of Cardinal Oswal Gracious about preservation of local culture and displacement of ethnic groups. He wished to reassure the locals and the Church that the Gorai SEZ project conceived by Essel, is designed to showcase local culture- not harm it. He believes that sustained development without diluting the local culture and ethnic value systems are crucial to maintain the diversity of cultures in advancing economies such as ours. He said “we recognize this need and hence want to preserve the Gorai region for future generations otherwise it will be taken over by the builder lobby and unscrupulous anti-local elements”.
The activists who are poisoning the minds of locals have not done anything concrete to improve the economic conditions in the villages. Neither are they aware of how deep the relationship is between d Essel and the local population. When Esselworld was being built, the entire material and manpower requirement was procured from the locals and that today 442 locals are directly employed in Esselworld and water kingdom. This does not include indirect employment the Essel projects have created for numerous other villagers.
Essel has always stood for wholesome development of this region and its people. In fact all the earnings from Esselworld during past 20 years have been reinvested in the area. “We are an integral part of the local community and feel that it is the outsiders who are creating disharmony among us” said Chairman Chandra. Ask the locals working in Esselworld and water kingdom about the various schemes implemented by Essel to preserve the local ecology and protect the environment, and you will know the truth about our good work!
It was pointed out that if Essel had not been sensitive to the preservation of the local culture and environment, Esselgroup could have exploited the land to create a commercial hub like the developments across the creek at Borivali and Malad which are a blatant violation of norms. Why have the activists turned a blind eye to this? In fact if Essel intentions were bad it would have sold the land to a leading high profile builder who claimed that since Essel does not have the wherewithal to steamroll local sensitivity, he would develop the land.
Nilesh Mistry, Senior VP- Corporate Affairs stated, “Activists such as Medha Patkar, Ulka Mahajan, Surekha Dalvi and others are complete outsiders to this region. They are clueless on the norms regarding development of the region and we would like to ask them if they have done anything by way of economic development that has benefited the local community in this region? We are open to withdraw from the project, but will the villagers be able to handle the means deployed by the builder lobby?”
The whole belt from Manori to Uttan including Gorai was declared a s a Recreation and Tourism Development Zone( RTDZ) by the government in 1999 and many groups /villagers deposed before the government for and against the proposed development. It is difficult to understand why this agitation is taken up now, 9 years after being passed?
Essel has also clarified that the entire development of the Esselworld, water kingdom and the pagoda has been within rules and regulations laid down by law. The land for the Pagoda is donated by the promoters and it is built with the objective of fostering world peace for people from all walks of life, irrespective of caste, creed, and community. Use of the Pagoda is free.
Regarding the Essel SEZ project it is categorically stated that the project will remain within the RTDZ regulations by using the wasteland and Essel land. There is no intent to displace any gaothans or heritage precincts in this region. On the contrary, the proposed development would showcase the gaothans, the heritage precincts, and the rich culture of the local fishing community- as the main highlights of the region,
Essel believes that the project as conceived by it will benefit the entire community and provide a better life and a higher standing of living to future generations. Essel appeals to the community to shun the negative approach of the activists and the vested interests who are misguiding them and misrepresenting facts. Let there be a sincere and open dialogue under the auspices of the Church and the Government, and if the community is still not convince Esssel will be happy to withdraw from the project.
Mumbai
21st Feb. 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Power On!
The advertisement was playing full blast on the television set when electricity decided to play hide and seek. Suddenly India and particularly its commerce capital were switched off the map triggering a deluge of words from the prone figure in the recliner placed close to the TV set! The patriarch of the family very much addicted to the game of 11 men hitting and chasing a tiny red ball, had been in a bad mood for the past few days. The ‘Monkey gate’ had left him fuming and his knowledge of the evolution of man from apes came pouring out targeting anyone within a couple of yards from his seat.
“There was a time when Bombay, yes Bombay never suffered from this malaise of living in the dark. Now look at the state of this city…… it is returning to the dark ages….you cannot rely on anyone, the term reliance has become obsolete…” Grandfather kicked off his next innings of sixers for the day.
A tinny voice piped in from the next room, “Bijli nahin paani nahin, aam jantha me dum nahin…. Granpa, what is dum?” The old man’s young helper was always at hand to add more power to the words and actions of the only member of the family who stood by him through thick and thin and lightened his load of punishments. They were co-conspirators in many a crime. “What was that again…where did you pick up that line Sunny?” asked the old man. At his age reading the newspaper was just a pretense, more to look at the semi-clad models on page 3 than to read any print. Even today his failing vision had prevented him from reading the day’s news item in fine print, that the Reliance workers had taken out a morcha to the energy minister demanding double pay, (the President of India had set an example to follow!) more sub-stations in the compounds of private buildings and Nano cars for engineers to travel fast through the perpetual traffic jams in Mumbai, not Bombay!
The small citizen was indeed a chip of the old block and the explanation was ready, “I heard it at the procession of people that passed the school gate yesterday, people were singing this song……Bijli nahin paani nahin, aam jantha me dum nahin…what is dum grandpa?” The tiny figure came into view and positioned itself next to his grandfather’s chair repeating his query once again. “What is dum grandpa, is it dum maro dum?”
Shaking his wisened head the grandfather replied, “I’ll tell you what dum is….dum is power, you see those wires above the roadside, they carry the power to light up our homes and to put life into our TV sets. And don’t say dum maro dum, at least not until you reach a decent age…”
The little master as inquisitive as the stray pup sniffing the roadside garbage would not give in easily. All lessons in life are not taught and learnt in our classrooms, some are picked up from encounters on the roads and public places. “I think the people in the procession were kind to say that aam jantha should be given power, they knew that people do not have power. I think more people should have joined them. When I finish school, I want to join all the processions because they give power to the people. I love that song that says power on, India on!... but how can India be switched on?”
Now even the doting old man was equally confused. He changed the topic in an effort to change tracks. He saw a replica of himself in this son of his son, the heir to not only his Life Insurance fund but also to his talents, interests and hobbies. He lost no opportunity to inculcate in the youngster a love of Cricket that kept the nation talking, eating and even sleeping cricket. So he tried again, ‘If you become a cricketer, you’ll have all the power in the world. You can earn money for losing, import cars without duty, you can build ten palatial homes all over India, own hotels and restaurants. You can also become a builder and make pots of money. Do you not want to be a cricketer?”
“But what if someone calls me a monkey? I won’t mind if they call me an ape because the science teacher says we were apes once upon a time… and then we became people. So apes are ok. Monkeys are not..” Outspoken Sunny spoke his mind without hesitation. Grandfather was dumbstruck. This was simply getting worse. Every topic was ending in confusion. What were the teachers teaching children these days? Instead of birds and bees they were teaching them about apes and monkeys… well, times had surely changed!
Just then the TV screen lit up for power had made a timely entrance saving grandpa from further confusion. He quickly changed the channel to news. The charming newsreader was saying that the government if voted to power once again will promise to take electricity to every Indian village by the year 2010.
A small smile hovered around the old man’s mouth as he remembered that the same government had made the same promise before the previous elections five years ago… only the newsreader was different then! Suddenly he was forcefully drawn back to the news item as she continued to announce that the heir to the powerful industrial empire the nation relied upon, had gifted his wife an aircraft on her birthday and now he would build a sixty storey house for himself, 20 storeys of which would only house his cars! Power to the people, to some people, muttered the old man as the TV screen went blank again, power
had gone to where it came from!
“There was a time when Bombay, yes Bombay never suffered from this malaise of living in the dark. Now look at the state of this city…… it is returning to the dark ages….you cannot rely on anyone, the term reliance has become obsolete…” Grandfather kicked off his next innings of sixers for the day.
A tinny voice piped in from the next room, “Bijli nahin paani nahin, aam jantha me dum nahin…. Granpa, what is dum?” The old man’s young helper was always at hand to add more power to the words and actions of the only member of the family who stood by him through thick and thin and lightened his load of punishments. They were co-conspirators in many a crime. “What was that again…where did you pick up that line Sunny?” asked the old man. At his age reading the newspaper was just a pretense, more to look at the semi-clad models on page 3 than to read any print. Even today his failing vision had prevented him from reading the day’s news item in fine print, that the Reliance workers had taken out a morcha to the energy minister demanding double pay, (the President of India had set an example to follow!) more sub-stations in the compounds of private buildings and Nano cars for engineers to travel fast through the perpetual traffic jams in Mumbai, not Bombay!
The small citizen was indeed a chip of the old block and the explanation was ready, “I heard it at the procession of people that passed the school gate yesterday, people were singing this song……Bijli nahin paani nahin, aam jantha me dum nahin…what is dum grandpa?” The tiny figure came into view and positioned itself next to his grandfather’s chair repeating his query once again. “What is dum grandpa, is it dum maro dum?”
Shaking his wisened head the grandfather replied, “I’ll tell you what dum is….dum is power, you see those wires above the roadside, they carry the power to light up our homes and to put life into our TV sets. And don’t say dum maro dum, at least not until you reach a decent age…”
The little master as inquisitive as the stray pup sniffing the roadside garbage would not give in easily. All lessons in life are not taught and learnt in our classrooms, some are picked up from encounters on the roads and public places. “I think the people in the procession were kind to say that aam jantha should be given power, they knew that people do not have power. I think more people should have joined them. When I finish school, I want to join all the processions because they give power to the people. I love that song that says power on, India on!... but how can India be switched on?”
Now even the doting old man was equally confused. He changed the topic in an effort to change tracks. He saw a replica of himself in this son of his son, the heir to not only his Life Insurance fund but also to his talents, interests and hobbies. He lost no opportunity to inculcate in the youngster a love of Cricket that kept the nation talking, eating and even sleeping cricket. So he tried again, ‘If you become a cricketer, you’ll have all the power in the world. You can earn money for losing, import cars without duty, you can build ten palatial homes all over India, own hotels and restaurants. You can also become a builder and make pots of money. Do you not want to be a cricketer?”
“But what if someone calls me a monkey? I won’t mind if they call me an ape because the science teacher says we were apes once upon a time… and then we became people. So apes are ok. Monkeys are not..” Outspoken Sunny spoke his mind without hesitation. Grandfather was dumbstruck. This was simply getting worse. Every topic was ending in confusion. What were the teachers teaching children these days? Instead of birds and bees they were teaching them about apes and monkeys… well, times had surely changed!
Just then the TV screen lit up for power had made a timely entrance saving grandpa from further confusion. He quickly changed the channel to news. The charming newsreader was saying that the government if voted to power once again will promise to take electricity to every Indian village by the year 2010.
A small smile hovered around the old man’s mouth as he remembered that the same government had made the same promise before the previous elections five years ago… only the newsreader was different then! Suddenly he was forcefully drawn back to the news item as she continued to announce that the heir to the powerful industrial empire the nation relied upon, had gifted his wife an aircraft on her birthday and now he would build a sixty storey house for himself, 20 storeys of which would only house his cars! Power to the people, to some people, muttered the old man as the TV screen went blank again, power
had gone to where it came from!
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Growing Divide- SEZ Who?
Recently, a National television News channel presented the results of a nation-wide survey on the growing rural poverty in India, in a bid to focus on the wrong policies of the Central government. It was reported that 20% of rural India lives on 12 Rs. per day per person, a paltry sum compared to the princely amounts wasted by the present set of rulers on blowing their own trumpets!
Planting himself firmly against the backdrop of the Parliament House, the seat of all policy making, the reporter alleged that the wrong policies of the government were responsible for the growing divide between the rich and poor in India, with the government aiding and abetting the rich to grow richer and the poor to grow poorer. It seems that the number of ‘Crorepati’ s has now jumped to over one Lakh which according to the government a benchmark in the booming economy of India. Likewise the numbers of those slipping below the poverty line too must be growing, since the benefits of the booming economy are skimmed at the surface by the capitalists. The voice of poverty is muted, unheard in the corridors of power! After the builder politician nexus this is the next bold step by the government to creating segments of super rich. The alarming number of farmer suicides and the influx of rural population into the already bursting cities tell a story of neglect of the backbone of India’s economy- villages. That the government is going to further tax the common man to provide relief to farmers, is another story. “Rob Peter to pay Paul”!
One such policy that is steadily increasing the divide between the rich capitalists and the poor farmers and tillers is the development of a great number of SEZs all over the country. The government has flaunted it as the new path to progress in an atmosphere of rapid Globalization, open trade and free markets, the language the poor of this country fail to comprehend. For them, ownership of land, conservation of water, education for their children and medical aid for the family remain only a dream, even after more than 60 years of independence. Bridging the gap between the rural poor and the urban rich can only take place if the government policies are directed towards meeting the needs of the poor. But how can this happen when an elected government works only to realize the dreams of a miniscule minority, knowing that its action will impoverish the major section of people, however inconsequential they may be?
It is of great significance that most Indians are in the dark about the need, system or procedure of sanctioning of SEZs all over the country. When the UPA government passed the SEZ Act through Parliament with much haste in 2005 the question that plagued legal minds was- Is the act itself constitutional if it contains clauses which allow it to override long-standing constitutional provisions? No clear or specific information is forthcoming regarding the rehabilitation policy, identity of the real stakeholders and basis for clearing the applications for promoting SEZs etc. With a typical myopic vision, the policymakers have washed their hands off all responsibility towards damage to environment and people in the process of SEZ implementation. The large loopholes seem to be escape routes deliberately left open for the use of defaulting SEZ promoters!
The mood in the Commerce ministry was clearly upbeat on February 2006, when the SEZ Act came into effect. The smug feeling was more a glee that the sops proffered by the government were packaged attractively enough to lull any suspicions by India’s SEZ effected poor, than job satisfaction. It has been claimed that in addition to world-class infrastructure, Trade liberalization and the proliferation of Special Economic Zones are expected to provide livelihood opportunities to lakhs of people. It is also claimed that SEZs will bring in investments of up to Rs 100,000 crore and create 5 lakh jobs by the end of 2007. This employment is expected to balance the huge revenue losses, large-scale displacement of farmers and regional development disparities resulting from SEZs. But the government seems to be overlooking the fact that farmers have no wish to be displaced for the simple reason that losing the only livelihood and the land they have tilled for generations spells an uncertain future. With no skills or proficiency they see their chances of securing the promised jobs in a SEZ very slim.
Considering the limited nature of arable land, it is shocking that the state allows acquisition of prime agricultural land from farmers for industrial purposes, without a proper rehabilitation policy in place. Why grab the land from the farmers when more than 20% (68 million hectares) of the country’s area officially classified as ‘wasteland’ can be used to accommodate the SEZs? Voices in the media have questioned as to how these few “treasure islands” take shelter from the nation’s Constitution in the guise of economic growth? The preferential treatment given by the government to the SEZ issue is nothing short of clear breach of the laws of the land. So much so that one may justifiably fear that the internal security and territorial integrity of India is endangered in the long run by the fast-track implementation of the SEZs!
Opposing SEZs does not mean protest against industrialization, but against the ruthless acquisition of agricultural land and the possibility of exploitation of people and natural sources by the promoters. Thousands of villagers and farmers in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, West Bengal and Orissa are agitating against large-scale land acquisitions by big corporations like Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) -- with help from the government -- that wish to develop SEZs. Innocents have died in police firing. Riot charges have been filed against children. Police jeeps and other vehicles have been set on fire. Women farmers have been seen on national TV networks being beaten into submission after bloodletting by policemen! India’s millions are threatened with myriad chaotic consequences of the ill-understood and unfolding realities of rapid the Special economic Zones. That despite being offered compensation according to market rates, the farmers are unwilling to give up their land should stop the government on its tracks. The shortsighted government fails to realize that this is not the opposition arisen out of disagreement or loss, but it is a question of life and death for the effected! Losing ownership of a piece of land translates into losing access to the water courses or ground water available on that land!
One example in our own backyard is the SEZ being planned at Gorai- Dharavi- Uttan. The intensity of the protests against this SEZ has only increased with more like-minded groups joining the struggle. The reason is that they see the rape of a land, nature’s cradle of ecology, being desecrated by the high and mighty. They are shocked by the preference given to planning entertainment for people more than feeding or accommodating them. The lack of government response to the recent rally organized on a massive scale at Uttan and addressed by prominent speakers has succeeded in uniting people against such atrocities in the name of progress. Gorai- Manori has been reserved for a SEZ for entertainment, to showcase ‘local culture’, according to the promoter, the entertainment company. The evidence of the ill effects of its existence on the natural resources of the area such as land and water have alarmed the locals, galvanizing them into action against future ventures of this kind.
Those living in their ivory towers need to know that the very lifestyle of the locals here exudes culture and the Uttan belt itself is a showcase for the rich heritage of the Agri, Koli and other communities that reside there. The best way to “preserve the Gorai region for future generations” is to let the present generation exist in peace and the culture will continue to showcase itself without outside interference. As for the better life the SEZ promises, it is for the effected people to decide whether giving up their roots in exchange for promises of jobs will benefit them or not. Their questions need to be answered- What are the working conditions that are actually being created in this zone, what sort of employment will the zone provide, are the benefits of SEZ in terms of employment sustainable? Therefore the participation of locals in any “sincere and open dialogue” is essential to gauge the gravity of the situation!
The SEZs have so far left a trail of blood on the sacred soil of India! The stiff opposition from the affected people has resulted in loss of lives and limbs, police brutality and a rising sense of discontentment denoting a greater unseen divide between promoters of SEZs, and the economically weaker classes. Government is using its muscle power to iron out the creases of opposition from the common people, raising doubts of ulterior motive behind the move. “We will give you our blood but not our land”, the slogan heard at Nandigram, West Bengal, where the CPM government was trying to seize land to hand over to the Indonesian conglomerate, the Selim group, reflects the sentiments of rural people. Statements issued by various leaders speak of oppositions and doubts about the SEZs within the ruling party itself. “…In India there is a sacred bond that binds the tiller with the land. If you want to snap that bond, do that with great caution. Don’t think you can do it lightly…it is a minefield.” Finance Minister P Chidambaram had said at a meeting of empowered group of ministers (EGOM). Without the SEZs a handful of capitalists will have few Crores less to play with but with the SEZs lakhs of people in India will have less food and no livelihood to eke out a meager living! So the question is- why this callous indifference of the government to the will of the people?
A glut of questions has so far appeared in the press and on websites. Why have the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram expressed publicly their deep reservations with regard to the SEZ policy, ultimately leaving only the Ministry of Commerce and Industries canvassing heavily for it? If this is the extent of dissent within the political establishment itself, how are the projects still going through, and what are the likely implications of the increasingly explosive opposition to the policy from farmers, workers, artisans, political activists, intellectuals and countless other ordinary citizens both in cities and in the countryside? Or is the actual reason that SEZs are being pushed in such a big way the fact that they are helping engineer a real-estate boom in the country with the help of foreign funds, bringing astronomical windfall gains for builders, developers, realtors, property dealers and international financiers and investors including many from Wall Street?
Planting himself firmly against the backdrop of the Parliament House, the seat of all policy making, the reporter alleged that the wrong policies of the government were responsible for the growing divide between the rich and poor in India, with the government aiding and abetting the rich to grow richer and the poor to grow poorer. It seems that the number of ‘Crorepati’ s has now jumped to over one Lakh which according to the government a benchmark in the booming economy of India. Likewise the numbers of those slipping below the poverty line too must be growing, since the benefits of the booming economy are skimmed at the surface by the capitalists. The voice of poverty is muted, unheard in the corridors of power! After the builder politician nexus this is the next bold step by the government to creating segments of super rich. The alarming number of farmer suicides and the influx of rural population into the already bursting cities tell a story of neglect of the backbone of India’s economy- villages. That the government is going to further tax the common man to provide relief to farmers, is another story. “Rob Peter to pay Paul”!
One such policy that is steadily increasing the divide between the rich capitalists and the poor farmers and tillers is the development of a great number of SEZs all over the country. The government has flaunted it as the new path to progress in an atmosphere of rapid Globalization, open trade and free markets, the language the poor of this country fail to comprehend. For them, ownership of land, conservation of water, education for their children and medical aid for the family remain only a dream, even after more than 60 years of independence. Bridging the gap between the rural poor and the urban rich can only take place if the government policies are directed towards meeting the needs of the poor. But how can this happen when an elected government works only to realize the dreams of a miniscule minority, knowing that its action will impoverish the major section of people, however inconsequential they may be?
It is of great significance that most Indians are in the dark about the need, system or procedure of sanctioning of SEZs all over the country. When the UPA government passed the SEZ Act through Parliament with much haste in 2005 the question that plagued legal minds was- Is the act itself constitutional if it contains clauses which allow it to override long-standing constitutional provisions? No clear or specific information is forthcoming regarding the rehabilitation policy, identity of the real stakeholders and basis for clearing the applications for promoting SEZs etc. With a typical myopic vision, the policymakers have washed their hands off all responsibility towards damage to environment and people in the process of SEZ implementation. The large loopholes seem to be escape routes deliberately left open for the use of defaulting SEZ promoters!
The mood in the Commerce ministry was clearly upbeat on February 2006, when the SEZ Act came into effect. The smug feeling was more a glee that the sops proffered by the government were packaged attractively enough to lull any suspicions by India’s SEZ effected poor, than job satisfaction. It has been claimed that in addition to world-class infrastructure, Trade liberalization and the proliferation of Special Economic Zones are expected to provide livelihood opportunities to lakhs of people. It is also claimed that SEZs will bring in investments of up to Rs 100,000 crore and create 5 lakh jobs by the end of 2007. This employment is expected to balance the huge revenue losses, large-scale displacement of farmers and regional development disparities resulting from SEZs. But the government seems to be overlooking the fact that farmers have no wish to be displaced for the simple reason that losing the only livelihood and the land they have tilled for generations spells an uncertain future. With no skills or proficiency they see their chances of securing the promised jobs in a SEZ very slim.
Considering the limited nature of arable land, it is shocking that the state allows acquisition of prime agricultural land from farmers for industrial purposes, without a proper rehabilitation policy in place. Why grab the land from the farmers when more than 20% (68 million hectares) of the country’s area officially classified as ‘wasteland’ can be used to accommodate the SEZs? Voices in the media have questioned as to how these few “treasure islands” take shelter from the nation’s Constitution in the guise of economic growth? The preferential treatment given by the government to the SEZ issue is nothing short of clear breach of the laws of the land. So much so that one may justifiably fear that the internal security and territorial integrity of India is endangered in the long run by the fast-track implementation of the SEZs!
Opposing SEZs does not mean protest against industrialization, but against the ruthless acquisition of agricultural land and the possibility of exploitation of people and natural sources by the promoters. Thousands of villagers and farmers in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, West Bengal and Orissa are agitating against large-scale land acquisitions by big corporations like Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) -- with help from the government -- that wish to develop SEZs. Innocents have died in police firing. Riot charges have been filed against children. Police jeeps and other vehicles have been set on fire. Women farmers have been seen on national TV networks being beaten into submission after bloodletting by policemen! India’s millions are threatened with myriad chaotic consequences of the ill-understood and unfolding realities of rapid the Special economic Zones. That despite being offered compensation according to market rates, the farmers are unwilling to give up their land should stop the government on its tracks. The shortsighted government fails to realize that this is not the opposition arisen out of disagreement or loss, but it is a question of life and death for the effected! Losing ownership of a piece of land translates into losing access to the water courses or ground water available on that land!
One example in our own backyard is the SEZ being planned at Gorai- Dharavi- Uttan. The intensity of the protests against this SEZ has only increased with more like-minded groups joining the struggle. The reason is that they see the rape of a land, nature’s cradle of ecology, being desecrated by the high and mighty. They are shocked by the preference given to planning entertainment for people more than feeding or accommodating them. The lack of government response to the recent rally organized on a massive scale at Uttan and addressed by prominent speakers has succeeded in uniting people against such atrocities in the name of progress. Gorai- Manori has been reserved for a SEZ for entertainment, to showcase ‘local culture’, according to the promoter, the entertainment company. The evidence of the ill effects of its existence on the natural resources of the area such as land and water have alarmed the locals, galvanizing them into action against future ventures of this kind.
Those living in their ivory towers need to know that the very lifestyle of the locals here exudes culture and the Uttan belt itself is a showcase for the rich heritage of the Agri, Koli and other communities that reside there. The best way to “preserve the Gorai region for future generations” is to let the present generation exist in peace and the culture will continue to showcase itself without outside interference. As for the better life the SEZ promises, it is for the effected people to decide whether giving up their roots in exchange for promises of jobs will benefit them or not. Their questions need to be answered- What are the working conditions that are actually being created in this zone, what sort of employment will the zone provide, are the benefits of SEZ in terms of employment sustainable? Therefore the participation of locals in any “sincere and open dialogue” is essential to gauge the gravity of the situation!
The SEZs have so far left a trail of blood on the sacred soil of India! The stiff opposition from the affected people has resulted in loss of lives and limbs, police brutality and a rising sense of discontentment denoting a greater unseen divide between promoters of SEZs, and the economically weaker classes. Government is using its muscle power to iron out the creases of opposition from the common people, raising doubts of ulterior motive behind the move. “We will give you our blood but not our land”, the slogan heard at Nandigram, West Bengal, where the CPM government was trying to seize land to hand over to the Indonesian conglomerate, the Selim group, reflects the sentiments of rural people. Statements issued by various leaders speak of oppositions and doubts about the SEZs within the ruling party itself. “…In India there is a sacred bond that binds the tiller with the land. If you want to snap that bond, do that with great caution. Don’t think you can do it lightly…it is a minefield.” Finance Minister P Chidambaram had said at a meeting of empowered group of ministers (EGOM). Without the SEZs a handful of capitalists will have few Crores less to play with but with the SEZs lakhs of people in India will have less food and no livelihood to eke out a meager living! So the question is- why this callous indifference of the government to the will of the people?
A glut of questions has so far appeared in the press and on websites. Why have the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram expressed publicly their deep reservations with regard to the SEZ policy, ultimately leaving only the Ministry of Commerce and Industries canvassing heavily for it? If this is the extent of dissent within the political establishment itself, how are the projects still going through, and what are the likely implications of the increasingly explosive opposition to the policy from farmers, workers, artisans, political activists, intellectuals and countless other ordinary citizens both in cities and in the countryside? Or is the actual reason that SEZs are being pushed in such a big way the fact that they are helping engineer a real-estate boom in the country with the help of foreign funds, bringing astronomical windfall gains for builders, developers, realtors, property dealers and international financiers and investors including many from Wall Street?
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