The Editorial calls for the government to expedite the call for giving the necessary parliamentary recognition for the newly created IITs. While there have been numerous descent in the way new IITs were created, and concern for the quality of them, the new IITs are taking shape slowly anyways. In this juncture, not giving them the necessary parliamentary recognition will create doubts on the minds of students who are studying there.
29 Feb 2012
A festering wound in Pakistan
"The conspiracy of silence over Balochistan is finally breaking but the alienation of the province runs too deep for any easy solutions."
The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : A festering wound in Pakistan: Intelligence agencies have viewed the Balochistan with suspicion from the very beginning for their reluctance to join Pakistan. This resulted in four earlier rounds of insurgency but none of them lasted this long. And those resistance movements were not for independence but rights, quite unlike this time. Demand for secession is a bitter pill to swallow for any country, more so for a nation that has been seeking strategic depth in Afghanistan at phenomenal costs to itself to counter the Indian behemoth.
As always, “foreign hands” are being accused of destabilising Balochistan with the aim to Balkanise Pakistan. Rhetoric of ‘foreign hands' has allowed for further militarization of Balochistan and given the military a licence to seal the province and make it a no-go zone where it can abduct, torture, kill and display bodies with impunity, extract Balochistan's resources under the barrel of a gun, use Balochistan territory to conduct nuclear tests. However, the military in Balochistan has not been able to control the spirit of the Baloch people.
The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : A festering wound in Pakistan: Intelligence agencies have viewed the Balochistan with suspicion from the very beginning for their reluctance to join Pakistan. This resulted in four earlier rounds of insurgency but none of them lasted this long. And those resistance movements were not for independence but rights, quite unlike this time. Demand for secession is a bitter pill to swallow for any country, more so for a nation that has been seeking strategic depth in Afghanistan at phenomenal costs to itself to counter the Indian behemoth.
As always, “foreign hands” are being accused of destabilising Balochistan with the aim to Balkanise Pakistan. Rhetoric of ‘foreign hands' has allowed for further militarization of Balochistan and given the military a licence to seal the province and make it a no-go zone where it can abduct, torture, kill and display bodies with impunity, extract Balochistan's resources under the barrel of a gun, use Balochistan territory to conduct nuclear tests. However, the military in Balochistan has not been able to control the spirit of the Baloch people.
Government must link rivers without any delay
The editorial urges the government to take affirmative action based on the Supreme Court decision to interlink rivers.
When right to private defence is wrong
"A police claim of self-defence to justify encounter killings must be held to higher standards of proof as the force is armed and trained for combat."
The “encounter” deaths of five persons suspected of having carried out two bank robberies in Chennai has once again focused attention on the practice of extrajudicial killings in Tamil Nadu. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : When right to private defence is wrong
In all cases of encounter deaths, the practice is to claim that the killings were done in self-defence. The right of private defence is available to all, and no distinction is made between the police and layman.
Family members of the deceased or human rights activists who wish to reopen suspected cases of false encounter find it an uphill task to get even a death certificate or post-mortem report and are thwarted at every stage, often facing threats to their life.
Though National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a series of guidelines in 2003, the commission now seems to be condoning such violence.
In all cases of encounter deaths, the practice is to claim that the killings were done in self-defence. The right of private defence is available to all, and no distinction is made between the police and layman.
Family members of the deceased or human rights activists who wish to reopen suspected cases of false encounter find it an uphill task to get even a death certificate or post-mortem report and are thwarted at every stage, often facing threats to their life.
Though National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a series of guidelines in 2003, the commission now seems to be condoning such violence.
Awaiting its spring
"Staggeringly corrupt and repressed, Saudi Arabia is ripe for revolution. But reformers are hesitant."
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Awaiting its spring: Most of the factors that led to the Arab uprisings are present in Arabia. The Saudi regime holds tens of thousands of political prisoners, most without charge. The scale of corruption is staggering. The expansion in communication tools has deprived the regime of the secrecy and deception on which its legitimacy relied.
Despite the widespread conviction that a change of regime is necessary, reformers remain hesitant about declaring their views, let alone taking action. The level of distrust between activists is so significant, making any collective act of protest difficult.
This does not mean change is impossible. The balance of factors in Arabia is clearly tipping in the direction of change.
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Awaiting its spring: Most of the factors that led to the Arab uprisings are present in Arabia. The Saudi regime holds tens of thousands of political prisoners, most without charge. The scale of corruption is staggering. The expansion in communication tools has deprived the regime of the secrecy and deception on which its legitimacy relied.
Despite the widespread conviction that a change of regime is necessary, reformers remain hesitant about declaring their views, let alone taking action. The level of distrust between activists is so significant, making any collective act of protest difficult.
This does not mean change is impossible. The balance of factors in Arabia is clearly tipping in the direction of change.
Numbers in search of a narrative
"Using voter turnout to predict the outcome of an election is fraught with risks."
Increased voter participation can have many causes. And the voting pattern is as varied as the causes. Unless there is one pre-dominant (and, therefore, easily identifiable) factor in an election, there is no way to analyse how an increased voting percentage will affect the outcome. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Numbers in search of a narrative If the factors are varied, then one factor could counteract another, making any prediction hazardous.
There is no simple co-relation between voter turnout and election outcomes. Without going into the specifics of which section in which area voted in increased numbers, it is pointless to talk about how turnout will impact on the result. The turnout is dependent on voter interest, and this, in many cases, is not any one thing.
No one grand theory will hold; no one methodology is adequate.
There is no simple co-relation between voter turnout and election outcomes. Without going into the specifics of which section in which area voted in increased numbers, it is pointless to talk about how turnout will impact on the result. The turnout is dependent on voter interest, and this, in many cases, is not any one thing.
No one grand theory will hold; no one methodology is adequate.
Let truth prevail
"The choice of a basement to house the backup power generators that should kick in during an emergency is absurd. If the 9-magnitude earthquake of March 11, 2011 knocked off power supply from the grid, the tsunami that soon followed killed the backup power to the units. "
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Let truth prevail: Japan's regulations are flawed, outdated and below global standards.
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Let truth prevail: Japan's regulations are flawed, outdated and below global standards.
Considering the recent admissions by the regulator and the track record of the operator, should the world rely on them to know the truth? Only a thorough investigation by truly impartial and independent scientists can provide the answers. That can happen only if the Fukushima plant is nationalised.
Time to introspect, not celebrate
"For a nation with an enviable record of eight Olympic gold medals, the very fact that it had to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics points to the gross mismanagement of Hockey."
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Time to introspect, not celebrate: Sadly, there is still no end in sight with the two factions - Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India, fighting to gain control. The International Hockey Federation's efforts to settle the issue have also failed.
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Time to introspect, not celebrate: Sadly, there is still no end in sight with the two factions - Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India, fighting to gain control. The International Hockey Federation's efforts to settle the issue have also failed.
The qualitative improvement effected by the new Australian coach, Michael Nobbs, with the full backing of the Sports Ministry, shows that a recovery path can be charted out provided the faction-ridden administration stays focussed on consolidating what little has been gained out of the Olympic qualifier. Such an opportunity may not arise again.
28 Feb 2012
The battle against forgetting
"If we accept Gujarat 2002 as something ‘in the past,' as some would like us to, we threaten the meaning of our present, and endanger our future."
The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The battle against forgetting: These contestations are not just about many battles in courtrooms that must be waged. The contestation is about the meaning of citizenship. It is about the relationship between citizen and State. It is about challenging State impunity. Gujarat is the battle for collective memory against forgetting because it is ultimately the battle for the idea of India.
In 1950, India made a constitutional promise to protect the rights of its minorities to live with dignity and with full rights of citizenship. Time and again, that sacred promise has been violated. Institutional biases of the State machinery cannot be acceptable in any civilised democracy — that is the lesson of Gujarat.
We cannot legislate against communal prejudice and hatred in the hearts and minds of people. That is a battle that we as a society and a people must wage in a million different ways at a million different moments in our collective and individual lives. But we can and we must legislate to ensure justice to the weak.
We give up on the battle for justice in Gujarat at our own peril. For in giving up on Gujarat, we give up on hope for a better India — an India that is by right home to each one of us.
In 1950, India made a constitutional promise to protect the rights of its minorities to live with dignity and with full rights of citizenship. Time and again, that sacred promise has been violated. Institutional biases of the State machinery cannot be acceptable in any civilised democracy — that is the lesson of Gujarat.
We cannot legislate against communal prejudice and hatred in the hearts and minds of people. That is a battle that we as a society and a people must wage in a million different ways at a million different moments in our collective and individual lives. But we can and we must legislate to ensure justice to the weak.
We give up on the battle for justice in Gujarat at our own peril. For in giving up on Gujarat, we give up on hope for a better India — an India that is by right home to each one of us.
Why caste persists in politics
"An internal code, culture and values make a caste special to its members."
The reason for the persistence of caste in politics has to do with the internal code of the caste, its positive aspects, its culture. This aspect erodes more slowly, if it erodes at all, because it is felt. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Why caste persists in politics:
The fact is that the Indian votes confessionally. For him or her, merit comes from caste values. This condition may not be forever unalterable. But it is evident that modernity by itself has thus far not dented it as it has the prescriptive aspect of caste.
Home, work and worship are precisely where caste is embedded most powerfully, and the reason why caste consciousness persists in 2012. Voting is only an extension of this consciousness that has, in fact, not changed that much.
The reason for the persistence of caste in politics has to do with the internal code of the caste, its positive aspects, its culture. This aspect erodes more slowly, if it erodes at all, because it is felt. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Why caste persists in politics:
The fact is that the Indian votes confessionally. For him or her, merit comes from caste values. This condition may not be forever unalterable. But it is evident that modernity by itself has thus far not dented it as it has the prescriptive aspect of caste.
Home, work and worship are precisely where caste is embedded most powerfully, and the reason why caste consciousness persists in 2012. Voting is only an extension of this consciousness that has, in fact, not changed that much.
A rich and common past, a promising future
"Italy is eager to establish the truth of the Enrica Lexie incident."
Piracy is a common enemy. It is a menace we need to fight in close cooperation and with the strongest determination, if we want sailors to continue to navigate the seas safely. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : A rich and common past, a promising future: As peoples who live by the sea, both Indians and Italians strongly feel the loss of two fishermen who went out to sea that day, just as any other day, to do their job and support their families.
India and Italy have a rich common past. But the future is before us, open to new avenues for cooperation, in a world that is fast becoming more integrated and interconnected. We can work together for a better life for future generations.
The author, Giulio Terzi is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
India and Italy have a rich common past. But the future is before us, open to new avenues for cooperation, in a world that is fast becoming more integrated and interconnected. We can work together for a better life for future generations.
The author, Giulio Terzi is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
The UPA’s Committee Raj
In India, the best way of procrastination today is to form committees. The government, in its second stint in the center has been plagued by various problems and has found an ideal way to come out of this: form committees and let people forget it. In this column, Shankkar Aiyar exposes this brilliant 'problem camouflage tool' the government has developed, by pointing out to the various committees created during the UPA regime and their ineffectiveness to do anything towards the problem. And it is not just the government, but also the President's office, with its own committee exposing how much the country is being swamped by 'Committee Raj'.
http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/the-upa%E2%80%99s-committee-raj/367052.html
"When the UPA first came to power, I had studied this phenomenon of Committee Raj and discovered that in its first 11 months of existence, it had created 56 committees, roughly one a week."
"It is a spectacle. The government waits for committees to recommend, and committees wait for the government to act. It makes you wonder if the committees are a means to an end or an end in itself."
http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/the-upa%E2%80%99s-committee-raj/367052.html
"When the UPA first came to power, I had studied this phenomenon of Committee Raj and discovered that in its first 11 months of existence, it had created 56 committees, roughly one a week."
"It is a spectacle. The government waits for committees to recommend, and committees wait for the government to act. It makes you wonder if the committees are a means to an end or an end in itself."
G-20 linking IMF hike to bigger EU ‘firewall' fund
"The G-20 nations are conditioning additional money for the International Monetary Fund on the European Union first increasing its financial stabilisation funds to ease concerns about the Euro zone debt crisis"
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : G-20 linking IMF hike to bigger EU ‘firewall' fund: There is broad agreement that the IMF cannot substitute for the absence of a stronger European firewall and that the IMF cannot move forward without more clarity on Europe's own plans.
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : G-20 linking IMF hike to bigger EU ‘firewall' fund: There is broad agreement that the IMF cannot substitute for the absence of a stronger European firewall and that the IMF cannot move forward without more clarity on Europe's own plans.
Labor against itself
"As expected, Australia's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has easily held off former Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd's leadership challenge with a ballot of ruling Australian Labor Party MPs"
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Labor against itself: The party has been very badly tarnished; Ms Gillard will want to get on with policy, but will need to communicate far better with the voters.
The same old show
"Hollywood's ritual of self-congratulation, otherwise known as the Oscar awards, has become the most boring show on the planet."
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The same old show: It is due to the utter predictability of the prizes. Was anyone really surprised when The Artist, a slight but charming ode not just to silent cinema but to Hollywood itself, left its competition in the dust with five wins? About the only award that quivered with an iota of suspense was the one for Best Actress.
The problem lies with the interminable stretch of honours announced in what has come to be known as “awards season.” And what the Academy does, essentially, is stamp their seal of approval on these awards.
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The same old show: It is due to the utter predictability of the prizes. Was anyone really surprised when The Artist, a slight but charming ode not just to silent cinema but to Hollywood itself, left its competition in the dust with five wins? About the only award that quivered with an iota of suspense was the one for Best Actress.
The problem lies with the interminable stretch of honours announced in what has come to be known as “awards season.” And what the Academy does, essentially, is stamp their seal of approval on these awards.
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