‘If I am not fit to fly, he is not fit to be a pilot'

"Travelling by air is often not a very pleasant experience for a person with disability. Incidents of harassment are quite common when a passenger with disability travels by air on her own or his own."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : ‘If I am not fit to fly, he is not fit to be a pilot': This is an adapted version of a letter sent by Jeeja Ghosh to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. She is Head of Advocacy and Disability Studies at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy in Kolkata.

The author was not allowed to fly because of her cerebral palsy — which is not a disease but a condition caused by damage to the brain. This is yet another incident that shows lack of awareness and a humane touch even among the so-called elite and educated people of society.

A case for judicial lockjaw

"Judgments should speak for themselves; when judges justify them in public, they run the risk of sounding like politicians."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : A case for judicial lockjaw: Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly, a judge of the Supreme Court, who retired recently, has, since leaving office, actively engaged with the media. As well as raising questions of individual propriety, it contains possible portents of the slowly changing nature of the Indian higher judiciary. His statements, especially to the extent they clarify and defend his judgment, raise deep questions regarding the proper role of judges in post-retirement public life.

The judge, after rendering judgment, becomes 'functus officio' and the judgment speaks for itself, is a long established principle in the Indian judicial system. Any engagement with the media by a judge in a judicial capacity, whether while holding office or post-retirement, fundamentally erodes the extent of the institutional detachment, which allows judges to be immune from the passions of popular sentiment and political machinations, thereby facilitating the independence of the judiciary as an institution.

Justice Ganguly's comments, unwarranted as they may have been, perhaps provide an early sign of the subtle transformation of the Supreme Court into an overtly political institution, owning up and reacting to the immense political ramifications of its actions. Equally, they raise deep questions regarding the interaction between judges and the media, arguably two of the most powerful pillars in Indian democracy today.

Supreme Court should issue official media summaries of important decisions. Not only will this facilitate wide comprehensibility of key judgments, but it will also ensure that judicial decisions are not wantonly misinterpreted. Most importantly, it will mean that judges, whether in office or speaking in their judicial capacity immediately post-retirement, will have an additional reason to remain lockjawed, allowing their judgment together with its officially authorised summary to do the talking.

When an earthmover comes to school

"There is a strange air hanging over parts of the country ever since the vaults in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple were opened to reveal their hidden treasures.

A 14-year-old was murdered in Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh in January in a human sacrifice for treasure in a fort. In many parts of Andhra Pradesh, people are now digging under monuments looking for their own Padmanabha swamy pots of gold, thereby endangering those structures. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : When an earthmover comes to school. Now near a school ground in Hyderabad, in a bizarre series of events, the State Department of Archaeology, basing itself on some bizarre information, has embarked on an incompetent, arbitrary and perhaps illegal pursuit of its own pot of gold."

How does the Department of Archaeology go by the supposed statement of one construction worker? Why did the Department of Archaeology never contact any teacher or parent, or the school management? Was permission sought from central government before entry? If not, is the State department not engaging in an illegal operation? 

Allow Kingfisher to fly into the sunset

The end of the runway appears well nigh for Kingfisher at the moment but there are still those who believe it should not be allowed to fail, and this includes the government.

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Allow Kingfisher to fly into the sunset: "It is becoming increasingly clear that Kingfisher Airlines is well beyond rescue and only a miracle can save it. "

Either Vijay Mallya, the high-flying promoter of the airline agrees to put his money where his mouth is. Unlikely, since he has reportedly refused to give a personal guarantee sought by banks to refinance the company.

Or Kingfisher is able to attract an investor — domestic or foreign, airline or non-airline — with deep pockets and strong guts to take on the balance-sheet of a company splattered in red all over, which is as unlikely.

Kingfisher's exit could restore some sanity in the industry and the ticket prices which are currently low. Of course, the government has to keep a sharp watch to ensure that airline companies do not exploit the situation.

A necessary step to counter terror

"Home Minister P. Chidambaram's note to Chief Ministers on the National Centre for Counter Terrorism (NCTC)"

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : A necessary step to counter terror: 

Check the criminality

"If the cruelly apathetic handling by officers of the Kolkata police of a serious complaint brought before them by a woman of having been raped and assaulted in the heart of the city wasn't bad enough, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's misinformed or hubristic attempt to dismiss her charge as a story that was cooked up to malign her government, was even worse. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Check the criminality: Such atrocious remarks might be driven by political expediency but they are typical of how sections of Indian society continue to view crimes against women.

Ms Banerjee and her team need to do some serious introspection with regard to the State government's will, and ability, to put the lid firmly on criminality of all kinds that pervade the State.

Engage, don't vilify

"PM Manmohan Singh's remarks about foreign-funded NGOs stalling the introduction of genetically modified food and the commissioning of the Kudankulam nuclear power project are bound to be taken seriously by his supporters and detractors alike. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Engage, don't vilify: When Dr. Singh, who has a reputation for reticence on sensitive subjects, drops dark hints about a foreign hand, it is surely something that needs to be substantiated and, if necessary, followed up with action. However, the idea that NGOs with ‘foreign' links are fuelling the protests seems more expedient than convincing.

The government needs to engage with people in a transparent and constructive manner and allay their fears with facts and arguments rather than innuendo and slander.