'There was state-sponsored distortion of history in Bangladesh'

Q&A


As the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh's war of liberation arrives, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, Bangladesh's deputy high commissioner to India, spoke with Rakhi Chakrabarty about preserving this struggle's history, deep ties between India and Bangladesh - and how a film festival aims at strengthening links and memories created from this war:


Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, March 23, 2012

Myanmar's Future Is Now

India must strengthen bilateral ties as its neighbor starts on a new path

Myanmar's Future Is Now

Myanmar now finds itself engaged in the democratic process and in a rebuilding phase that hopes to propel the nation onto a new path. It is crucial, says Rajiv Bhatia, former ambassador to Myanmar, for India to strengthen its bilateral ties with its neighbor. 

"Suu Kyi articulates her criticism of India's engagement with the military regime, but seems ready to take a more positive view of its approach to Myanmar's transition to democracy"

-The Times of India, March 23, 2012

Budget Blitz

No country is as obsessed with the FM's annual hisaab as India is

Budget Blitz

Jug Suraiya elaborates the period during the budget when the whole of India finds itself hooked to the Finance Minister's accounts. 

-The Times of India, March 23, 2012

Those White Papers

When you want change, don't write one

Those White Papers

During the proceedings of the recent Budget 2012-13, Pranab Mukherjee promised to produce a white paper on black money. But history suggests that a production of white paper in the public domain seldom creates action and, subsequently, change.

-The Times of India, March 23, 2012

Handle With Care

Child welfare must be the priority in the custody case in Norway

Handle With Care

It is seen from the fresh details pouring in, that the Bhattacharya's had not been forthcoming about their domestic problems. At the same time, neither have Norwegian authorities been proactive in explaining their stand. 

However, what remains important at the end of it all is the welfare of the children. 

-The Times of India, March 23, 2012

The Common Touch

It's something Mitt Romney and Rahul Gandhi are trying too hard to show they have

The Common Touch

"There is one person standing in the way of dynastic power grabs. Some patronizingly refer to him as the "common man""

-The Times of India, March 22, 2012

Montek's poor joke

The flip-flop on poverty beggars the imagination, and many more

Montek's poor joke

Bachi Karkaria writes on the Planning Commission, and its outrageous cut-offs as qualifiers for benefits. Recently the figures were reduces further and made beyond outrageous.

-The Times of India, March 22, 2012

Where's The Change?

A troubled start for SP regime in UP

Where's The Change?

As soon as the Samajwadi Party was declared as the majority party, violence broke out in several areas, and the ones responsible for it, or at least some of them, have been reported allegedly as party's own members. That even a life was lost in a celebratory fire wasn't a good sign of things to come. However, the party needs to take the necessary action to maintain the popular goodwill that has brought it into power in the first place.

-The Times of India, March 22, 2012

Jet, Set, Go

Give aviation a level playing field and watch it fly

Jet, Set, Go

"Reform-based steps are in order" in the aviation sector. The editorial recommends that the Air India enjoy no more privileges, and that if they "can't do without coddling," they should be privatized, so as to create a level playing field.

-The Times of India, March 22, 2012

Afghanistan as "Lost Cause"

"The idea that liberal democracy is alien to the country, now being used to legitimise early western withdrawal, is racist libel."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Afghanistan as "Lost Cause":  Powerful voices in western geo-strategic discourse had long railed against efforts to build a secular-democratic order in Afghanistan after 9/11. Now, the notion that liberal democracy is in some way alien to Afghanistan has become a pervasive meme. In order to legitimise early withdrawal, the anti-democratic politics of the Taliban is being marketed as an authentic voice of Afghan tradition. The ideological underpinnings of these ideas need extremely careful examination.

Feed the needy, not nuclear ambitions

"The crucial test for North Korea and the U.S. will be how the tussle over the DPRK's nuclear programme and the supply of food aid are resolved." 

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Feed the needy, not nuclear ambitions: North Korea's statement last Friday that it would launch a satellite into space as part of the celebrations next month on the 100th birth anniversary of Kim Il-Sung has again thrown a spanner into the works.

Just two weeks ago, an agreement had been reached between North Korea and the United States on the resumption of food aid in return for suspension of nuclear activities. The U.S., Britain, Japan and South Korea responded immediately, urging the North not to proceed as it would violate the United Nations ban on nuclear and missile activity.

Former Karnataka Lokayukta on mining scam

"If no one appeals the Karnataka High Court judgment, the case will go uninvestigated, says former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde."

The Hindu : Opinion / Interview : 'I was given a sweeping mandate to inquire into all aspects of mining illegalities':  It is too early to say whether the 2011 report by former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde on illegal mining in Karnataka will have the huge impact on the way the industry operates in the State — and elsewhere in the country — the 26,000 page document is possibly the most exhaustive, carefully-researched investigation into corruption and its linkages with industry and politics that has been compiled in India.

A recent judgment by a division bench of the Karnataka High Court on a petition by former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa challenging the First Information Report filed against him by the Lokayukta police has been widely viewed as a setback to the legal fight against corruption.

Congress without Trinamool

"Mamata Banerjee will do anything to enhance her political image, even if this means humiliating her senior colleagues. By obtaining the resignation of Railway Minister, she is hoping to project herself as the sole champion of the poor, as someone who is able to push and prod the UPA into working for the greater common good. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Congress without Trinamool:  Each time, as she maximises her political mileage, the Congress ends up looking a clueless pivot of a rudderless government.

Stem cell science is already saving lives

 "Blood donated from healthy babies' umbilical cords is in focus."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Stem cell science is already saving lives - The cells that are being collected from the placenta are magic cells, miraculous cells. They're the blueprint for all the different cells in the blood — so for someone whose own bone marrow isn't working properly, they can be a real lifeline.

Let good sense prevail

"After a Norwegian court placed two toddlers in permanent foster care, their parents' plight has generated indignation in India and led to high-level diplomacy between Oslo and New Delhi. The parents have alleged the children's removal stems from a deep cultural bias. The Child Welfare Service (CWS) in Norway has consistently denied this, saying the children were removed for far serious reasons related to their delayed development."

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Let good sense prevail:  The strains of negotiating a foreign culture and environment are evident — both for the Bhattacharyas and for the Norwegian authorities — but the fact that the family needed assistance is undeniable. On its part, the CWS is not without blame. It has shown cultural insensitivity and made serious mistakes in handling the case.

Nitish Kumar says Delhi will come to a halt if Biharis don't work for a day

Times View - Reinforcing 'us and them' attitudes
Counter View - Boosting the Bihar brand


Editorial

-The Times of India, March 20, 2012

How Trinamool Was Nailed

Trivedi's defiance exposes the crumbling legitimacy of Mamata's brand of politics

How Trinamool Was Nailed

"'Poriborton' was to be about healing and getting Bengal back on track. Either Mamata was joking when she made those promises, or her control over the party is weaker than assumed. The latter is more likely"

-The Times of India, March 20, 2012

The Odd Couple

Landlords and tenants - was there ever a more troubled relationship?

The Odd Couple

-The Times of India, March 20, 2012

Critical Point

Maoists have to come to the negotiating table

Critical Point

-The Times of India, March 20, 2012

Exit, With A Message

Trivedi showed reform can be pushed despite the odds

Exit, With A Message

-The Times of India, March 20, 2012

'Why should one's family name be a disadvantage to anyone?'

Q&A


Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi are only some of parliament's youthful members - at 29 years, Hamdullah Sayeed, MP from Lakshadweep, is the youngest representative from the 15th Lok Sabha. Speaking with Amin Ali, Sayeed discussed his move form studying law to fighting elections, developing one of India's farthest locations, ignoring jibes about youth or family legacy - and recent upheavals in neighbouring Maldives impacting his constituency:


Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, March 19, 2012

Sarkari syncophancy

There are no stops for those who butter up superiors

Sarkari syncophancy

-The Times of India, March 19, 2012

There's Something About Sachin

The Tendulkar saga is about genius, dedication and an unquenchable love of the game

There's Something About Sachin

"There have been great cricketers before him and undoubtedly more will follow, but Tendulkar stands alone both as driving force and glue in the contemporary game, especially in India"

-The Times of India, March 19, 2012 

Cease and Desist

Retrospective change in tax laws lowers confidence

Cease and Desist

-The Times of India, March 19, 2012

Bite The Bullet

Reducing the subsidy bill will have multiple benefits

Bite The Bullet

-The Times of India, March 19, 2012

Muddy questions about Mullaperiyar dam

A purely technical matter has turned into an emotional and political issue between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The entire fight is centred on whether the water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir should be raised by two meters.

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Muddy questions about Mullaperiyar dam: "The silt building up in the reservoir cannot be ignored for any decision on the dispute."


In any dam, silting - a natural hydrological and sedimentological process by which sediments flowing from the upstream catchment area in the river water get deposited in the reservoir -  reduces the life of a reservoir as well as its storing capacity. The cumulative accumulation of silt in the reservoir is not dangerous to the stability of the dam as it does not exert any dynamic pressure on the body of the dam.

With the passage of time, due to siltation, the storing capacity and consequentially the availability of water will  continue to decrease and the demand to raise the water level would crop up again.  If any decision is taken ignoring the silting of the reservoir, that decision is certainly not going to solve the Mullaperiyar problem.

A budget at war with the Finance Minister

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : A budget at war with the Finance Minister: "A huge hike in indirect taxes will cause a fall in both savings and consumption, achieving the opposite of what was intended."

With revenue deficit (4.4 per cent of the GDP) and fiscal deficit (5.9 per cent) hitting the roof, the Finance Minister seems to have turned to chartered accountants for ideas to make his balance sheet appear less inelegant. The result is the innovation of “effective revenue deficit,” which bears the stamp of some multinational accounting firm rather than our conservative civil service.

There are more positive signals in the Finance Minister's speech than in the budget proper. Finance Minister has declared that the government is committed fully to providing for food subsidy even if it cannot afford it. Yet, he has not provided a single penny for the food security project!

Water transport imperatives

"Inland Water Transport (IWT) for passenger and freight movement involves lower operating costs and environmental pollution than for road, rail or air options. It could relieve pressure on the other modes, which face their own constraints. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Water transport imperatives:   In India only 0.15 per cent of domestic surface transport is accounted for by IWT.  The reasons are many, but include, most significantly, lack of investment for the creation of infrastructure modernisation and lack of efficient operators.

India needs to study the viability and means to attract more investment to the sector, by creating an institutional framework. The enhanced level of involvement of the private sector in IWT that has now been initiated is a welcome step. More waterways should be identified for development, and those earmarked given a push.

IWT should power the growth of the economy.

Losing hearts and minds

"The anger and bitterness millions of Afghans feel over the war's rising civilian death toll will not subdue by an American apology. There is simmering resentment over repeated episodes in which the conduct of NATO forces has been grossly offensive. The clear message is that Nato troops are above Afghan law, that the Afghan judicial process is not good enough to try them. This makes a nonsense of U.S. claims of respect for Afghan sovereignty.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Losing hearts and minds: As the self-imposed deadline of 2014 for the withdrawal of U.S. troops approaches, it is essential that Afghan sovereignty be strengthened and respected in word and deed. This means ensuring a greater role for the Afghan National Security Forces, particularly in combat operations, and zero tolerance towards acts by western troops which are an affront to Afghanistan's identity and sense of self-respect.

Who killed Baby Falak?

"The two-year-old died a horrible death because the system did not care enough to want her to live."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Who killed Baby Falak?:  A child died and we collectively mourn. She was just two years old. And she fought bravely, but the tubes and wires connecting her to life support in the AIIMS Trauma Centre were no match for the systemic failures that carried this baby to her death. For the truth is that Falak never really stood a chance.

Playing The Growth Card

Constrained by economic circumstances, the finance minister had made the best of a poor hand

Playing The Growth Card

"If the budget assumptions are validated, and the revenue and expenditure targets hold, fiscal policy will be back on the path of consolidation, while also helping to revive growth."

-The Times of India, March 17, 2012 

Digging Up The Ghost of Non-Alignment

Digging Up The Ghost of Non-Alignment

Centre for Policy Research had recently released a study on India's foreign policy options. Nayan Chanda presents a commentary on the study, and notes that their label Non-Alignment 2.0 maybe outdated and negative.

-The Times of India, March 17, 2012

Timid Knock

Budget 2012-13 is no tonic for a slowdown-hit economy

Timid Knock

With a metaphor to cricket, the editorial goes into the various nuances of the budget in considerable detail, and says, "it plays too safe, having the feel of a tail-ender's knock in the UPA's innings."

-The Times of India, March 17, 2012

'It's possible that between 2012-16, we'll grow at 6%-plus, not 9%'

Q&A


Shankar Acharya has been chief economic advisor to the government between 1993-2001 - a formative years for India's economic reforms. He's also served in the prime minister's advisory council and the 12th Finance Commission. With the 2012-13 Union Budget arriving, Acharya spoke with Vikram Sinha about major challenges facing the Indian economy - and solutions he envisages:


Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

The Gangrapes of Gurgaon

These crimes are a wake-up call - and a pointer to how skewed development is hurting India

The Gangrapes of Gurgaon

"While one part of Gurgaon got sewn into a global economy, another part remained cloistered in rural hamlets, awash suddenly in big money with no sensitization about what caused its arrival."

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

A smile from Lanka

The best gift we can bring back from a so-called 'failed state' is a :-)

http://author.toiblogs.com/jugglebandhi/entry/a_smile_from_lanka

Jug Suraiya shares his experiences from his visit to Lanka, and the abundant receiving of smiles from the Lankan public, and a greeting of Ayubowan.

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

Save The Budgets

Congress and Mamata must work out a deal

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Save-the-budgets/articleshow/12279973.cms

With West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee triggering "a political storm by requesting the axing of her own party minister, Dinesh Trivedi, after he presented the railway budget," the congress may have to be prepared for further opposition "to anything other than populist sops" from "the same quarters" in today's budget.

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

Asset Gains

Census figures show growth may be trickling down, to some extent

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Asset-gains/articleshow/12280048.cms

Improved growth rates have trickled down into housing, inclusive banking, and possessions of telephones, televisions, motorcycles, cars and jeeps over the last decade.

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

Balochistan : Another Bangladesh???

For long, Pakistan hasn't come out of the conventional and the orthodoxy approach to administration, culture, socio-economic qualms and other issues.

A lot of territorial sections of Pakistan have gone ahead of this increasingly tight-bound approach to growth and are looking for an imperial and a Sovereign status that has often led to widespread unrest in the country.

The Indian-spined Bangladesh movement is a classic case and the Balochistan's liberation movement that has and is gaining impetus in the recent past is another fine example.

Rubbing salt to the injury is the Pakistan defense forces' attack on the prosperous and prospective liberation movement leaders from the region.

If the situation continues to be as disturbing as the status quo, creation of another Bangladesh will be inevitable, opines Balachandra Rao as he explains the social dynamics of the territory and the political and geographical sensitivities of the region...

Balochistan: Pakistan's second Bangladesh?

A budget for the auto sector

Vinesh Kriplani, a tax partner in Ernst & Young (along with Sonal Jain, senior tax professional with a member firm of the Ernst & Young) explains the potential in the auto sector to boost the economy and why should the government consider providing it the required attention in this years' budget.

"A strong Budget that supports the auto sector at large and brings in clarity on existing anomalies in law will be welcomed by the industry."

Wanted : A budget that plays straight for the auto

Growth engine

The budget for the year 2012 is almost on the cards and India is yearning to see an all inclusive, realistically plausible, and a far-sighted economic perspective with apt imagination and innovation in our plan and balance sheet for this fiscal year.

PM Mathews, a professor of economics in the Christ University explains more...

A fantastic read if one needs to understand the complicated dynamics in economy and the challenges that India face to stabilise it....

Growth is fine, but can Pranab take all on board?

Jairam Ramesh advises NGO leader to stay away from politics

Times View - Can't farewell social work
Counter View - Activists are not politicians


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Jairam-Ramesh-advises-NGO-leader-to-stay-away-from-politics/articleshow/12235940.cms

-The Times of India, March 13, 2012

Cinema, Uninterrupted

Shared love of films can help forge closer links between India and Bangladesh

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Cinema-uninterrupted/articleshow/12235968.cms

-The Times of India, March 13, 2012

Dissecting The Soul

Why post-debacle inspection is such an elevated exercise

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Dissecting-the-soul/articleshow/12235469.cms

-The Times of India, March 13, 2012

Time To Talk

UPA must work together better

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Time-to-talk/articleshow/12236007.cms

Lack of an "effective consultative mechanism to thrash out contentious issues," and insufficient communication with allies, the editorial says, has led to "UPA's trust deficit, hurting its image and policy-making."

-The Times of India, March 13, 2012

Resource Curse

To check illegal mining, focus on implementing policies on the ground


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Resource-curse/articleshow/12236047.cms

The mining mafias in the recent past have begun to create terror. The center must coordinate and accelerate the efforts and "put an end to end to illegal mining at the earliest."

-The Times of India, March 13, 2012

Greg Chappell says Indian culture doesn't breed leaders

Times View - Tactless and highly patronizing - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Tactless-and-highly-patronising/articleshow/12200199.cms

Counter View - Chappell has a strong case - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Chappell-has-a-strong-case/articleshow/12200150.cms

-The Times of India, March 10, 2012

When Local Meets Global

Rising regional political forces must see domestic and foreign policy as interlinked

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/When-local-meets-global/articleshow/12200231.cms

"Political leadership requires thinking about the interconnections and trade-offs that are involved between short-term local policy choices and long-term strategic goals"

-The Times of India, March 10, 2012 

Adieu To Fiats of High Commands

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Adieu-to-fiats-of-high-commands/articleshow/12200063.cms

"The fiats of the 'high command', ideological posturing, coterie deliberations and too-clever-by-half electoral calculations - all of them manifestation of the 'commanding heights' approach to politics - are well and truly a thing of the past."

-The Times of India, March 10, 2012

Fathers, Sons - And Some Others

Bringing you Indian elections - with all the family politics

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fathers-sons--and-some-others/articleshow/12200263.cms

The editorial presents, humorously, the political situation of the recent months, which extensively featured "family members"as a part of the plot.

-The Times of India, March 10, 2012

Phoney Deal

Rapid technological change can make useless old things into priceless antiques

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/phoney-deal

-The Times of India, March 9, 2012

'Indian cities have hidden wealth - they just have to be well-planned.'

Q&A


Andre Dzikus, chief of water and sanitation at the United Nations Habitat Agency, is one of the key coordinators of the UN's 'I am a city changer' campaign, focussing on how to make cities a better place to inhabit. Dzikus spoke with Pratiksha Ramkumar on cities that are 'green' in shade, but not in substance, factors making a city ideal - and how India can still get there: 


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Indian-cities-have-hidden-wealth-they-just-have-to-be-well-planned/articleshow/12189419.cms

-The Times of India, March 9, 2012

Curing Our Hospitals

To keep patients safe, we must transform the quality of our healthcare system


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Curing-our-hospitals/articleshow/12189373.cms

"The scale of this quality problem is enormous even in high-end urban medical centres, leave alone rural health clinics. Inappropriate treatment, malpractice, excessive use of certain procedures and negligence are rampant."

-The Times of India, March 9, 2012

A New Degree

Vocational education must be mainstreamed

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/A-new-degree/articleshow/12189406.cms

The proposal to introduce a Bachelor's degree in vocational education is most welcome. It will enhance job prospects tremendously in India. The vocational education, for that very reason, must be mainstreamed.

-The Times of India, March 9, 2012

Leadership Lessons

Lack of credible regional leaders is affecting Congress's prospects

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Leadership-lessons/articleshow/12189357.cms

The Congress is losing ground at an alarming pace, says the editorial. It can be attributed to the over-centralization of the Congress leadership, and a lack of credible regional leaders, as is the trend in most states, especially Southern states, in India.

-The Times of India, March 9, 2012

Decentralisation lessons for parties

Ever since the 1991 elections, India has not had a majority government. While it may be looked as congress' failure to reach the masses, it is also in general, the inability of national parties (including BJP) to reach out. This article talks of the need to decentralize the national parties which have too many leaders, and focus on problems at ground level.

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/decentralisation-lessons-for-parties/370465.html

Real estate business needs a regulatory body

A critical view of how the real estate business looks like an unorganized sector, even though it generates a lot of revenue. The editorial calls for a regulatory body to ensure that this sector too gets its fair share of limelight and recognition, especially in the recent problems of loan repayment as the financial year approaching an end.

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/real-estate-business-needs-a-regulatory-body/370804.html

A new lease of life for BSY

The State High Court of Karnataka dismissed all FIR's lodged against illegal mining pertaining to former Chief Minister of State, B S Yedddyurrappa against illegal mining.

BSY was forced to resign from the Chief ministerial post due to this and many other cases which are pending yet.

Having got a life from the judgement, it will be difficult for his party and his detractors to shun down when many believed he had already made hay while the Sun shone.

It is not easy to stop BS Yeddyurrappa now

Vodafone case's influence in this year's financial budget

The budget session is just around the corner.

The landmark judgement by the SC in favour of the Vodafone telecom company should mean that this year's budget should incorporate a mechanism to prevent such severe loss to the exchequer or a direct ruling in accordance with the SC verdict, whichever it seems deemed fit...

Vodafone had filed a case against the government for demanding tax for shares bought by the company from the Hutchinson-Essar limited. This was a sensitive issue which was very keenly watched by the corporate world...

Will the budget revisit the supreme court ruling on Vodafone?

Jewelry companies target teeny-boppers with low-cost diamonds

Times View - Market is a great leveler - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Market-is-a-great-leveller/articleshow/12177896.cms

Counter View - Diamonds aren't for everyone - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Diamonds-arent-for-everyone/articleshow/12177876.cms

-The Times of India, March 8, 2012

Readymoney vs Parsimoney

Poor little rich Parsis redefine poverty line and purchasing power parity

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Readymoney-vs-Parsimoney/articleshow/12178768.cms

-The Times of India, March 8, 2012

How The Lotus Can Bloom

BJP 2.0 must be a vehicle for the politics of aspiration and economic change

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/How-the-lotus-can-bloom/articleshow/12178289.cms

A debate has ensued in the BJP between two ideational models, says the writer. What are these models and how do those models fair in view of the recent outcomes in assembly elections?

A discussion on possible changes, and the results of past and current strategies of the BJP are expressed.

-The Times  of India, March 8, 2012

So Many Good Words

Preserving books - despite digital tech

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/So-many-good-words/articleshow/12178140.cms

Former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Brewster Kahle, is collecting books in order to preserve them from the rapidly changing world of technology.

-The Times of India, March 8, 2012

Mandate's Message

Promising people a better life won't do, delivering it will


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Mandates-message/articleshow/12178238.cms

There are many important lessons to be learnt from the recent outcome of the assembly elections, says the editorial, and the central one may be that identity politics has its limits.

"Youth-driven India's burgeoning popular aspirations should drive home the urgent need for more inclusive growth and accelerated development. The budget is the UPA's chance to show that it not only understands this, but also has the political will to act."

-The Times of India, March 8, 2012

Keeping The Faith

The Election Commission made it easy for voters in UP

Keeping The Faith

-The Times of India, March 6, 2012

How To Be A Winner

Bihar's done well on the growth front, now it must further speed up development

How To Be A Winner

-The Times of India, March 6, 2012

Media Under Fire

Lawyers pounce on scribes in Bangalore

Media Under Fire

-The Times of India, March 6, 2012

Putin Returns

He should try the path of reform now, for the sake of his legacy


Putin Returns

-The Times of India, March 6, 2012

No more at sea

"With China's increased engagement in the Indian Ocean region causing concern in some circles in India, it is good that the two sides have begun exploring ways of working together on the maritime front. 

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : No more at sea: A multi-ministerial group is to finalise the details of the anti-piracy proposal. Once operationalised, this may well see Indian and Chinese naval vessels cooperating with each other on the high seas."

A regular Sino-Indian dialogue on maritime matters will dispel the fears both sides have developed about each other, fears the U.S. is able to take advantage of by playing the role of a balancer.

Past politics

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France seems intent on criminalising Armenian genocide denial, even after his country's Constitution Council quashed a recent bid.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Past politics: "France has been dabbling with similar counter-intuitive measures in recent years. Surely, the country's large racial and religious minorities are unlikely to feel reassured by official validations of history. Of material significance would be policies that promote respect for their rights and protect jobs, mitigating a sense of alienation, especially in the current economic crisis gripping Europe."

Surely, the politics behind attempts to deny the horrors of history must be exposed. But to clamp down on such forces betrays an authoritarian and undemocratic tendency inimical to an open polity.

Needed, more HUNGaMA over malnutrition

"The solutions to ending chronic hunger, the consequences of which are felt over generations, are not complicated."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Needed, more HUNGaMA over malnutrition:  The solutions to ending malnutrition are not complicated. What is necessary to be done is known and has been achieved in parts of our own country. What is needed are the will and the determination to make this happen.

Camera Obscura and the manufacture of happiness

"Hostile online campaign takes some of the shine off Vedanta's promotionals."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Camera Obscura and the manufacture of happiness: Vedanta's “Creating Happiness” campaign, is part of an “initiative to tell our side of the story”; yet the hostile reception on blogs and social-media networks like Facebook and Twitter highlights the risks of exposing a tightly controlled corporate message to the anarchy of the internet.

The final countdown in Nepal

"Political parties have less than three months to resolve three issues — integration of Maoist combatants, form of government, federalism — that will shape state structure for years to come."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The final countdown in Nepal: By any stretch, these are enormously challenging tasks. Instead of getting embroiled in short term power-sharing games, Nepal's political leaders would be well advised to focus on the big issues with long-term consequences, and fulfil the mandate of the 2006 People's Movement. 

Adrift in Andhra

"Nothing seems to be going right for the Congress and its government in Andhra Pradesh. If it's not Telangana, then it's the revolt within that keeps the Kiran Kumar Reddy government permanently in a crisis mode. Far from providing any respite, the disqualification of 16 Congress Members "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Adrift in Andhra: At stake is not just the survival of the State government but the long-term future of the Congress in south India's largest province. Going by the way it has mishandled the political challenges posed by the Telangana and Jagan factors, the party will be struggling to hold its own in Andhra Pradesh.

Sri Lanka against itself

"Sri Lanka is engaged in an all-out effort to stave off a resolution against it at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at Geneva.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Sri Lanka against itself: The United States, the prime backer of the resolution, has circulated a draft among the Council's 47 members calling on Colombo to do nothing more than implement the recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, as well as to initiate credible investigations into violations of international human rights laws not addressed adequately by the LLRC. "

Sri Lanka must realise that its own interests require it urgently to address these twin bases of national reconciliation. Sadly, its response to the Geneva challenge has been to whip up anti-U.S., anti-West, Sinhala nationalist protests at home, creating an atmosphere of an island under siege.

Losing the plot

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Losing the plot: "The response to the anti-Kudankulam protest shows that space for the democratic right of dissent is shrinking."

A fire in the forest

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Nation in a State: A fire in the forest: "The destruction of large tracts of the Nilgiri bioreserve in a recent blaze reiterates that more needs to be done to prevent forest fires."

‘A free man'(s) freedom is not completely empty'

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : ‘A free man'(s) freedom is not completely empty': "Aman Sethi's book lays bare the poverty, exploitation and the persistent insecurity of ‘informality' of the lives of workers."

The Iron Lady under siege

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The Iron Lady under siege: "In 2007, the upper castes helped to create the mood for a Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh; in 2012, they want to undo it."

Manmohan Singh's aggression

Manmohan Singh, PM of India, expressed concern over fundings from foreign NGO's for the Kundakkulam Nuclear plant protests.

There have been widespread protests by the localites in the region over establishing a plant there for nuclear power generation as it supposedly could harm their daily livelihood.

Is it right upon our Prime minister to accuse them when they are expressing a general concern? Or are the localites unnecessarily panicking over a non-issue?

Whatever it is, the author of this article, G Sampath takes a rather strong and a vindicative stand against Manmohan Singh over his accusation of the foreign NGO's...

An article with some pretty strong opinions...

How is Manmohan Singh different from nuclear waste?

Sandeep Singh : Worth been wary of...

It's been 8 years since Indians have played hockey in Olympics since their disqualification in 2008.

And the player who is instrumental for this success : Sandeep singh.

Sohail Abbas said other teams will be wary of him. Mihir Vasavda reflects upon that point.

Teams will be wary of Sandeep Singh : Sohail Abbas

The cold wind from Russia

"Putin's election-eve attack against Washington and its western allies for exporting “rocket-bomb democracy” indirectly targets India too."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The cold wind from Russia: PM Vladimir Putin, almost certain to win the Russian presidential elections, has laid out a tough foreign policy vision for his third term in the Kremlin that may entail changes in Russia's relations with its main partners East and West.

Moscow feels its cooperation with the West on Libya was wilfully abused when Nato countries, in Mr. Putin's words, "did away with the Libyan regime by using air power under the pretext of humanitarian support."

Russia's intransigence on Syria steps from a clear understanding that the U.S. and the Saudi-led group of Arab countries are out to pull down the Assad regime in order to weaken Iran, change its political regime, and remodel the entire region. The standoff on Syria may also trigger shifts in Russia's relations with its two main strategic partners, India and China. 

A river sutra, without links

"There are less disruptive and cheaper alternatives than connecting rivers to reduce the misery of floods and droughts."

As plans for inter-basin transfers of water across vast distances, from surplus to deficit areas, appear to have got a lot of attraction for a country exposed all too often to droughts and floods, these need to be seriously evaluated and debated. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : A river sutra, without links


In practice, people in so-called surplus areas do not agree that they have spare water which can be transferred to other, faraway areas. At a time when there are problems relating to the sharing of waters, transfer of water across distant areas can easily aggravate these tensions. This should be avoided.

Also, any neat division between "deficit" and "surplus" areas becomes more of a problem in these times of climate change when erratic weather patterns are more frequently seen. The tensions are likely to be much greater when inter-basin transfers also involve neighbouring countries. Given the real world of shifting rivers, land slides, seismic belts, etc. it makes the task difficult, enormously expensive, energy-intensive and hazardous. We also have not explored how the bio-diversity flourishing in a particular river system will react when it is linked to another river.

A combination of traditional water-collection/conservation practices and other drought-proofing methods — which also use modern technology — still provides the best available answer (also the cheapest one) to water scarcity in drought-prone areas. A good drainage plan — so that flood water clears quickly — combined with a package of livelihood, health, education and other support suited to the needs of flood-prone areas and communities is what is really needed.

Small stories in U.P.'s big poll picture

"Unlike in 2007, it is a fierce contest in 2012, with the Congress, the BJP and other players determined to take a larger share each."

The consensus is that Ms Mayawati has squandered away a wonderful opportunity to do some good for U.P. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Small stories in U.P.'s big poll picture

These are among the many conflicting voices that have made elections, 2012, in Uttar Pradesh a befuddling, exasperating experience. The big picture seems clear enough: the plus votes (votes in addition to the core vote) that gave Mayawati a sensational victory in 2007 have fragmented.

The SP, which seemed to have lost its way, is robustly back in the reckoning, having rid itself of the Amar Singh-Bollywood baggage and spearheaded now by the old-young team of Mulayam Singh and ward Akhilesh Yadav.

The U.P. election story is complicated by the many micro pictures within it. The wind is undoubtedly in the SP's favour but its Muslim support has become vulnerable to poaching by the newly aggressive Congress and the Dr. Ayub-led Peace Party with its clear objective to wean away poorer Muslims.

The ways of science

"After announcing that neutrinos travelled 60 nanoseconds faster than light, the OPERA (Oscillation project with Emulsion-tRacking Apparatus) team has recently identified certain flaws, pertaining to the novel use of the global positioning system (GPS) in particle physics to synchronise the atomic clocks "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The ways of science: Regardless of whether a rerun of the experiment proves or disproves the initial result, the entire exercise has gone a long way in showcasing the way science operates.

This work has shown what is so basic to science — even the most fundamental laws of science will often be challenged by scientists using the most sophisticated instruments and experiments. After all, independent verification and replication of the results are central to science.

Speeding on safety

"The proposed amendments to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 could achieve good results in reining in the growing band of lawless drivers on India's roads. But conditions today are not really conducive to the creation of a scientific zero tolerance regime."

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Speeding on safety: The stronger penalties that are sought to be introduced can at best have a patchy impact on the notorious national record on road safety. Since the law cannot be effective in the absence of a credible and professional enforcement machinery.

The Centre must recognise the multi-sectoral nature of the issue, involving not just the police, but engineering, urban planning and public health specialists.

Stop playing politics over crimes against women

Incidents in India are being increasingly mixed up to some top level agenda and they are just forgotten in blame game. The recent incident of Bengal chief minister blaming politics over a rape incident is only the most popular, and not an exception. The editorial calls for not playing politics on such issues by pointing to the terrible consequences that will happen on those who are being victimized.

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/stop-playing-politics-over-crimes-against-women/368908.html

"When our approach to rape becomes circumcised by imperatives of politics and power, every woman, not just the rape survivor, has reasons to be afraid. Challenging the credentials of the rape victims, under such dispensations, becomes part of a callous routine to evade responsibility. Every time a rape is reported the public gaze is shifted more on the woman who has been brutalised and not on the acts of omission and commission of those who are supposed to prevent crimes against women and punish their perpetrators."

Thorn in the crown

British were miffed that India didn’t favour their planes in our multi-billion dollar Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal. The UK media rose in uproar that India could dare to turn down Britain’s proffered hand when it was the recipient of some $400 million of aid each year. 

Thorn in the crown | Deccan Chronicle: Our overall relationship with Britain is a complicated one. The kingdom was India’s colonial master for two centuries. While recent developments — India’s economic boom, its emergence as a global powerhouse, has reversed the historical pattern. It is now Britain that is seen as the supplicant, seeking to please an often-indifferent India.

After two centuries of presiding over the systematic impoverishment of the Indian people, Britain arguably has a historical and moral responsibility towards the well-being of its former subjects. So the fact that it provides India annually with some $400 million of developmental assistance, mainly targeting beneficiaries in three of India’s poorest states, is perfectly reasonable.

However, the British media made it an issue of Indian “ingratitude”, not to mention profligacy, thereby conflating the poor Indians, whom its tax money was aiding, with the Government of India. So don’t aid the Indian government, but do aid poor Indians; they need it, because however much the Government of India is doing for them, their poverty is so dire that it can never be enough. Channel it through charitable non-governmental organisations, British or Indian, working directly with the poor. It would avoid a revival of this invidious debate.

With all due respect, My Lords

"It is not for the Supreme Court to decide how the government should ensure the right to water; in any case, the connection between this right and the river linking project is tenuous."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : With all due respect, My Lords: Supreme Court, in its order, explicitly directs the Executive Government to implement the Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILR) Project, and to set up a Special Committee to carry out that implementation; it lays down that the committee's decisions shall take precedence over all administrative bodies created under the orders of this court or otherwise; it (graciously) authorises the Cabinet to take all final and appropriate decisions, and lays down a time-limit of 30 days for such decision-making (though it has the saving grace to say “preferably”); and it grants “liberty to the learned Amicus Curiae to file contempt petition in this court, in the event of default or non-compliance of the directions contained in this order”.

The Supreme Court was clearly entitled to ask the government to state categorically where it stood on this project. What it was not entitled to do was to issue a direction to the government to implement the project. It has done so since the Supreme Court is convinced that the project is good and urgently needed; and that a very important national initiative is getting bogged down because of various reasons and needs to be galvanised.

The view that the country faces a looming water crisis; that the answer lies in augmenting supplies; that given the magnitude and distribution of India's future water requirements, the ILR project is the best possible answer; and that it is in the national interest to implement it quickly. It is that conviction that provides, in the Supreme Court's view, the justification for its intervention. If that view of India's water crisis and its solution is challenged, the whole basis for the Supreme Court's order collapses. There is a diversity of views on it, which the Supreme Court has failed to consider.

In China's parliament, a long list of millionaires

"Membership of the National People's Congress provides wealthy businessmen a powerful platform and secures their support for the Communist Party of China."

The net worth of the 70 richest delegates at the National People's Congress (NPC), the Chinese Parliament and top legislative body, the country's 3,000-member legislative house, rose by a stunning $11.5 billion last year. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : In China's parliament, a long list of millionaires.

The 70 richest delegates' net worth was $89.8 billion. Their appointment to government bodies handed them a powerful platform in a business climate which values official contacts. The practice of bringing in China's wealthiest individuals into political advisory bodies largely serves two purposes. For the party, giving the business elite a voice in policy decisions was seen as a way of securing their political support. For the businessmen, there was “strong incentive to become ‘within system' due to the relative weakness in the rule of law and of property rights”

The marriage of business and politics that takes place at the highest levels has increasingly become a source of public anger and debate. This has been reflected in the growing resentment towards official corruption and renewed calls for economic reforms, amid concerns about fast-rising inequality.

China must not shut its eyes to the powerful, vested interests that have been monopolising the benefits of China's reform and opening movement, thus impeding deeper reform. The core of reform is not about opening coastal cities to boost the economy but about paying more attention to people's social welfare.

Online privacy in danger of turning an open book

"The edifices of privacy that we once thought we understood are melting like ice in a heatwave. "

It's not just in the narrow space of web browsing or apps that we're identifiable and losing privacy, supermarkets track your purchases.

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Online privacy in danger of turning an open book

There's growing awareness among a number of people on social networks that there's value in keeping information about yourself, your whereabouts and life private. Not just to protect yourself from identity theft; also just because it's nice to have some part of you that isn't subjected to the panopticon of the web.

The announcement by the Obama administration that it would push for all browsers to have a “Do Not Track” button as part of a “consumer privacy bill of rights”, while the Californian attorney general said that apps would have to include privacy policies to tell users what data they would access.

But where does it all end? It's a systemic problem, and the situation will only change when it's not fashionable to give away your data, when it becomes sad to do so in front of your peers.

Putting the lid on a silent epidemic

"Preventing contamination of stored water can cut the incidence of killer diseases."

To truly understand the predicament of water-related disease in slums, you have to understand these storage practices. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Putting the lid on a silent epidemic

High population density combined with a lack of toilets and open defecation means that slum residents are exposed to the faeces of hundreds of other people, and all of these bacteria can get introduced into stored water. Studies of urban slums from around the world have found diarrhoea to be one of the top two causes of death for children under five years.

There is growing international public health consensus about the need to make household water storage safer. A safe water system has the potential to greatly decrease child deaths, hospital visits, and missed days of work, resulting in increased economic productivity.

While addressing the tap water contamination is important, the tragic reality is that there is an even larger silent epidemic of household water contamination that remains unaddressed. This epidemic undoubtedly extends to innumerable other city slums and villages across India with intermittent water supplies, which lead to prolonged water storage. It presents a unique opportunity for the government to intervene on a mass scale with simple, cost-effective interventions to reduce diseases that are major killers of children. 

When insanity rules the world

"India should resist the West's brazen efforts to use championship of democracy as a cover for regime change."

Tired of unending economic woes at home and fighting a losing battle against the Taliban, the U.S. and the EU have seized upon the Arab Spring in a desperate bid to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. To do so, they are posing as champions of democracy and human rights. The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : When insanity rules the world: In their eagerness to don the mantle of saviours they have trampled upon the  doctrine of national sovereignty upon which the international law and order, has been based for the last 350 years.

India has a duty, to not only its own people but the rest of the world, to become an independent voice of sanity and moderation. As the most open and democratic and the least threatening large country in the world, it has far better credentials to do so than Russia and China. It must not leave this task to them alone.

Allowing Israel to trigger a ruinous war with Iran will not make the world "safer for humanity", instead it will  only unleash the fury of Shia terrorism on the West.

Chasing a mirage

"The Supreme Court direction to the Centre to constitute a special committee to pursue the outdated plan of linking India's rivers is based on a misplaced premise. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Chasing a mirage: The national record on resettlement of people displaced by mega dam projects does not inspire confidence. As importantly, the plan's environmental aspects or cost-benefit calculus have not been considered. There is the additional challenge of taking along states let alone neighbouring countries.

The way forward to improve the prospects of water-deficit basins is to work on more efficient and less destructive options, like devoting resources for rainwater harvesting programmes of scale, raising irrigation efficiency, curbing pollution.

Syrians pay the price

"As ferocious fighting continues in Syria, it is imperative that the international community strive for an immediate ceasefire of some kind. President Bashar al-Assad's regime is increasing its use of heavy weapons, while continuing to claim legitimacy."

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Syrians pay the price: Since the constitutional changes are coming via a questionable referendum at a time when Syria is at war with itself, the promises held out by the new constitution seem utterly farcical.

The failure of the Arab League mission and the absence of consensus and even credibility at the U.N. Security Council mean that international options are fast disappearing. Given the interests propelling U.N.'s most powerful members, its helplessness should not surprise anyone.

Vodafone is a misunderstood case

"The demand for tax in the Vodafone case was a result of failing to understand the difference between the sale of shares in a company and the sale of assets of that company."

The demand for tax in the Vodafone case was a result of failing to understand the difference between the sale of shares in a company and the sale of assets of that company. It is an elementary principle of company law that ownership of shares in a company does not mean ownership of the assets of the company. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Vodafone is a misunderstood case

The shares owned by Hutchison were sold to Vodafone indirectly purchasing 51 per cent of the share capital of Hutchison Essar Ltd., a company registered in Mumbai. Not a single asset of this Mumbai based company was transferred either in India or abroad. Indeed, there would be no transfer of any asset in India.

Prashant Bhushan responds:
The stated purpose of the sale purchase agreement between Hutch and Vodafone was to transfer the shares, assets and control of the Indian Telecom Company HEL, but they claim to have achieved this by transferring a single share of a Cayman Island-based holding company. This "device" of using the transfer of the Cayman Island company in the bid to avoid Capital Gains tax is clearly a tax avoidance device.

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Prashant Bhushan responds: "Tax avoidance devices have been honed to a fine art by clever lawyers and consultants advising such corporations. Unfortunately, in the Vodafone and the Mauritius cases, the court has winked at them instead of frowning upon"

It's time for India to revisit its time

"We have one time zone from Jaisalmer to Jorhat and beyond, at UTC plus five and a half hours, even though the nation embraces nearly 30 degrees of longitude (from 68° 7' to 97° 25' east) and the normal rule of thumb is one new time zone an hour apart per every 15 degrees of longitude."

It's time for India to revisit its time | Mail Online: This actually has negative consequences in such diverse areas as lifestyle habits and energy conservation. A sensible national system could give India three time zones: UTC plus 5 for places like Lakshadweep, Mumbai and Punjab; UTC plus 5 and a half, as at present, from Delhi to Chennai; and UTC plus 6 from Kolkata to the Burmese border, including the Andamans.

Think of the advantages: efficiency enhanced, electricity saved, bureaucratic rigidity reduced.

There is an elephant in the room

"Two conflicting narratives, both built around the BSP, dominate the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh."

The statement "This is an election where every party thinks it is forming the government" says it all.
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : There is an elephant in the room:

Israel unveils sophisticated shelters in Tel Aviv

"Israel has put the finishing touches on a new gathering place that it hopes will never host a crowd — the country's most advanced public underground bomb shelter."

The shelter, four stories underground and with space for 1,600 people, is usually a parking lot. It is also part of Tel Aviv's elaborate civil defence infrastructure. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Israel unveils sophisticated shelters in Tel Aviv: The shelter is part of the city's network of shelters that can give cover to 250,000 people.

Recent talk of conflict with Iran has given the safety measures extra relevance. Officials say the timing is coincidental. Israeli leaders have hinted they may mount a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, even as American military leaders urge Israel to wait for tough economic sanctions to take effect. Should Israel attack, Iran has promised a punishing counter strike.

The growth gamble

The sharp fall in economic growth in the third quarter of the current fiscal, is the sixth time in the last seven quarters that growth has declined and is proof, if any were needed, of the seriousness of the slowdown.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The growth gamble: "A reduction in rates will boost sentiment, which is desperately needed now, and encourage companies to resume investment activity. As for the government, the fiscal deficit is spinning out of control and it has to either cut spending or raise additional resources, both of which are tough."

Fatal attraction

"Plagiarism is a curse that afflicts every endeavour where pen is put to paper — journalism, literature and academic research — but when it shows up in the world of science, the consequences can be far more damaging. At stake are not just individual reputations but the robustness of scholarly findings. That is why every effort must be made to stamp out the rot. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Fatal attraction:  One of the ironies of our times is that the computer makes both plagiarism and its detection easier than ever.

Four insights that could lift the fortune of retailers in India

A massive part of the Indian population are retailers and they span various sociological bands and scales.

K Radhakrishnan provides 4 essential insights about customers that these retailers need to posses so that their businesses flourish.

Four insights that could lift the fortunes of retailers in India.

NCTC row: How to lose allies and alienate the opposition

The recent embarrassment regarding the formulation of the "National counter terrorism centre" is another chink in the armour for the centre which is already in a weak position.

P Chidambaram's black marks, Manmohan Singh's silence, Strong chief ministers, Dual ruling, lack of cooperation among allies and leaving the opposition out in the cold are some of the factors that has brought this system to such a fragile condition.

NV Subramanyam elaborates...

NCTC row: How to lose allies and alienate the opposition

Congress turning the UP gun on itself

Recently Jaiswal, leader of the union, said congress will demand president's rule if congress does not get a majority in the UP polls.

Neerja Chowdhary explains why is his statement a faux Pas...

"Political implications apart, it was highly objectionable for Jaiswal - he is not just a party leader, like Digvijay Singh, but holds a constitutional office as a minister of the Union - to talk of president’s rule in the midst of elections. After all, polls are held to enable an elected government to be formed, not with a view to impose Central rule, and that too before the election process is over."

Congress turning the UP gun on itself

Centre must not stall state legislations

The editorial calls for the central government to expedite the review/approvals of the various state legislature bills passed, especially by the opposition ruled states. The government-governor disputes in many states (especially Karnataka, Gujarat) has added to this enormous delay in passing the bills. Neither does this put good light on the federal structure of the country, nor does the government send signals to the people of those states about the intent of the center.

The editorial also points to the cases where the center and states have collaborated well (Tamilnadu and Meghalaya with their governor appointments) and calls for such healthy exchanges.

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/centre-must-not-stall-state-legislations/368279.html

"The Supreme Court has in fixing three months as the period within which the Centre will have to decide on applications seeking sanction for prosecution of officials has set an example which may have to be followed in this case too."

Callous delay by govt in recognising new IITs

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.

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/callous-delay-by-govt-in-recognising-new-iits/368281.html