2012

Corruption co-existed with all systems of governance whether ancient, medieval or modern. Its basic feature of misuse on abuse of power for personal gain and advantage of public officials remains the same, though the process and methodology may very over time.
Long ago Kautilysa’s Arthashastra described various forms of bribery that were resorted to by the King’s minions charged with realisation of the King’s revenues. But because it has an ancient history it does not mean that time had at (…)

From N.C.’s Writings
The excitement over the Presidential poll having ended with Giani Zail Singh winning it —though the official results are yet to be known when these lines are written—it is perhaps time for a sober appraisal of its political fall-out. Leaving aside the personal antics of the President-designate—who has already earned the distinction of being extraordinarily folksy—the implications of this contest need to be noted as these are important for an understanding of how Indira (…)

The debate was generated on the verdict of the Supreme Court for maintaining 25 per cent of reservations in the public and convent schools. This was declared a historic step. In fact, it may prove to be so, but in reality such cosmetic makeover hardly serves the purpose of the large numbers of schoolgoing kids remaining out of schools. There are numerous government reports and independent surveys categorically pin-pointing the basic lacunae in the system of elementary education. From (…)

by Nalini Bhanot and Kalpana Mehta
Medicines are a commodity consumed by all of us, and they are the only commodity about which consumers cannot make any informed choices except to buy and consume whatever is prescribed or dispensed to them. It is the responsibility of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to ensure that these are efficacious and safe before licensing them, monitor their use once marketed, and ban those that are found to be hazardous.
In May 2012, the (…)

IMPRESSIONS
A return to the theme of Subhas Chandra Bose is necessitated by the “discovery” of two books. Both are by Lt. Manwati Arya who was born in Burma and joined the INA’s women’s wing, the Rani Jhansi Regiment, in her early 20s. Patriot (2007)* is a “personalised biography” of Netaji. It is flowery and exaggerated: Bose’s marriage to Emilie Schenkl is called “the divine wedlock”.
Judgment: No Aircrash, No Death (2010)* is a compendium of records and stories about Netaji’s widely (…)

The Karnataka State is hit by drought. And the State Government of the BJP has found a brilliant solution by initiating steps to bring down rains from heavens by recourse to propitiating the gods. The Department of Revenue has issued a circular to 34,000 temples under its control to conduct ‘abhishekha’, ‘varuna mantra’, ‘jalabhishekha’ and several other rituals. The circular says the government is “convinced” that it is necessary to conduct these rituals in view of the severe drought, and (…)

TRIBUTE
This month of July saw the passing away of two extraordinary women—Mrinal Gore and Lakshmi Sehgal—who left a deep and indelible impress on our polity and society. Veteran socialist leader Mrinal Gore, 84, died following a cardiac arrest at a hospital at Vasai in Mumbai’s Thane district on July 17. She was a staunch fighter for women’s empowerment and water rights and led many agitations against price rise in the metropolis.
Mrinaltai, as she was fondly called by one and all (…)

BOOK REVIEW
by Tapan Bandyopadhyay
Etibritte Chandal Jiban (Pratham Khanda)—History of a Dalit Life (Vol. 1) by Manoranjan Byaparee; Priyashilpa Prakashan, Kolkata; Price: Rs 250.
He was a mean man. he is a great man. He is known as Manoranjan Byaparee. In reality, he is Madan Chandal. It is difficult to dissociate this mean and great man of the fifties of the last century still going strong at 2012 with his cooking job at the deaf school in south Bengal from his illiterate and (…)

The country has been witness to several harrowing incidents of crime against women in the last few days, the one in Guwahati (vividly described in the article in the following page) having acquired national prominence. That incident, it is alleged, was instigated by a TV reporter so as to get pictures of the rape scene for his own (and/or his organisation’s) benefit. This definitely puts a question-mark on how far freedom of the press can be accepted as an unfettered right in rare cases of (…)

Where is India going? Are we moving towards becoming a major player in world politics, an economic superpower or a regressive country where women have no place to live, no freedom, no dignity, no voice, no rights, not even basic human rights? Violence against women has become the order of the day, and these are not sporadic, occasional incidents, these have become an everyday affair. We open the news-papers in the morning, and they are full of reports of atrocities against women. Not all the (…)