Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

A black spot

Governors as tools

Managing and
administering the Nation

By Subhash Mansotra

Fate and future of
Cabinet decisions

By H C Katoch

Fighting legacy of partition

By Aditya Nath Dar

In a changing world order after the end of the cold war a number of issues at the international level will prevent India from pursuing its main national interests. Any situation at home or abroad, which leads to diversion of its resources and attention to unproductive investments and activities, will endanger the basic national interest. India, therefore, has a vital stake in the maintenance of world peace and stability, especially in its own region. .......more

EDITORIAL

A black spot

How do you define crime situation in a state in which two out of every one lakh of the total registered crimes are rapes? This rate is among the highest of the most heinous offence in states in the country much above the national average (should not one call it "shame") of 1.6 per lakh and unfortunately Jammu and Kashmir is included in this demeaning category. According to the figures given by the Union Government in the ongoing session of the Rajya Sabha there have been 218 registered cases of rapes in J&K during 2004 of the total 17633 in the country. If one takes into account their proportion to the total crimes one will find that this is among the major sins in this State. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal all of which have witnessed larger number of actual rape incidents have them quite low in their crime chart. Many of them have far bigger population as well compared to our State which again would show J&K in a rather bad light in this behalf. Among the large states Madhya Pradesh is the only one which is a very big culprit. It tops in terms of the real cases (2875) accounting for a high 4.4 out of every one lakh crimes. West Bengal, UP, Maharashtra and Assam follow MP in that order so far as the dubious catalogue of actual happenings is concerned. On the basis of the crime chart, however, North-Eastern States of Mizoram (5.7 per lakh), Tripura (4.8) and Assam (4.2) figure in the top bracket in the company of Chhattisgarh (4.4) apart from MP. The national capital of Delhi, which has been in more often in the news of late because of this dastardly phenomenon, with 551 cases and 3.5 rate is not way behind

There can't be two opinions that this brutal phenomenon is a black spot on human society. It can't be measured in cold statistics but has to be seen in the context of the pain and trauma it causes to victims. Admittedly, the law has been given teeth to deal resolutely with perpetrators of the beastly crime. The emphasis has been put on quick registration of first information reports, investigation and filing of charge-sheet within three months from the date of occurrence of crime, creation and strengthening of the cells like Crime against Women, recruitment of women police officials, setting up of exclusive women police stations, institutional support to sufferers and proper counselling for them. What is equally encouraging is that society has also by and large shed its earlier inhibition and is more sympathetic and supportive of the victims instead of either looking disapprovingly at them or striving to hide their miserable plight by brushing the incident under the carpet.

There is increasing tendency to punish the offenders and bring them to the book. This is a very healthy and sensible approach. There is no reason at all why animals in the guise of human beings should be allowed to go scot-free. It hardly bears any reiteration that our State should spare no effort to ruthlessly curb the evil. It does not speak well of it if the modesty of four women is outraged every week.

Governors as tools

There are very rightly many admirers of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Jagmohan in this State. His master stroke has been the rare nerve he had shown in tackling the eruption of militancy in 1990. Another historic development ascribed to him is the establishment of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board which has been earning praise of the devotees and tourists alike all over the world. In both the cases he had lived up to his reputation of being an administrator par excellence. However, it is difficult at the same time to find any justification for his dismissal of Dr Farooq Abdullah as the Chief Minister in 1984. If one has a close look at the developments around that turbulent period one will find that he had acted as a hatchet agent of Indira Gandhi to settle her score with Dr Abdullah his own explanation notwithstanding. It is but natural that his gubernatorial stint comes to mind at a time in this State when the issue of governors acting as pliable tools of the Central Government is rocking the country. It is extremely upsetting that a former Union Home Minister is making more news on this count than everybody else. Mr Buta Singh as the Governor of Bihar has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the Congress in particular. Of course, it is doubtful whether Mr S.C. Jamir (Goa) and Mr Sibte Razi (Jharkhand) have done the party any proud in their new roles as governors. One has seen an extremely rare spectacle of the President summoning at least one of these governors to explain his action.

The debate about the governors as a link between the Centre and states is at least two decades' old particularly after 1980 when Indira Gandhi had begun employing the institution to fight her political battles. Right from the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution to the Sarkaria Commission that had done a commendable job in going into the entire gamut of Centre-State relations a hope was expressed that governors would act in an impartial manner bound only by the Constitutional limits of their position. If one takes into account the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission as well one will come across a common pious vision that the Governor's "character, calibre and experience must be of an order that enables him to discharge with skill and detachment his dual responsibility towards the Union and the State of which he is the Constitutional head". To quote Jawaharlal Nehru: " Politicians would probably like a more active domain for their activities but there may be an eminent educationist or person eminent in other walks of life who would naturally while cooperating fully with the Government and carrying out the policy of the Government at any rate helping in every way so that policy might be carried out, he would nevertheless represent before the public some one slightly above the party and thereby in fact help that Government more than if he was considered as part of the party machine". This is actually the challenge before the governors. Whether they are politicians --- the Sarkaria Commission had shut the gubernatorial doors on them for good reasons --- or not, they must keep the dignity of their high offices.

Managing and administering the Nation

By Subhash Mansotra

Undoubtedly, we as a Nation are developing and growing amidst many maladies and fiscal felonies. A large chunk of our citizenary, irrespective of their age group or position in society with a very thin number of exceptions, have turned unethical, morally weak and a corrupt lot, devising means and methods to amass money, pelf and power. Scientifically and economically, we may have good number of strides and feats to our credit, providing us a bit honourable position, but dismally deplorable fronts too. So many areas require a redressal. This all needs serious approach and tackling by all those who matter more in managing the affairs. Can we expect standards from the sub-standards and the ethics from the unethical? It has turned out to be a serious enigma for any sensible and responsible citizen having the least concern for the Nation. The four pillars of our democracy are termite ridden with perpetually deteriorating quality.

With so many laws, judicial and Quasi - Judicial authorities, the ground reality is sordid and deplorable one. Most of our development programmes, particularly the rural ones get bogged down in the quagmire of prevalent corrupt practices of public servants, from a Gram - Sewak to the bureaucrats and ministers, sans few exceptions. Our schemes and development plans remain more in files and papers. This all speaks of our lowest National Character and an unethical, by and large, disparaged citizenry across the length and breadth of our soil, especially those who are manning the high and responsible positions and offices. What is more condemnable is that the corrupt and the unethical have found a recognition and earned respect of the society and neighbourhood. There is no social boycott or ostracization of the wrong. It is rather the honest and ethical ones who have got isolated and irrelevant in the system. What to do ........ And where to go........... and how to overcome !!!!! is a billion dollar question, which must concern first and foremost to any right thinking person. It is difficult to discuss the individual corruption being practised with the active or passive support of the Government. It is here that the management of the Nation requires significantly a colossal redressal. It is no exaggerated grouse. Take any sphere or walk of life, no area is left unplagued by the malady of corruption. The nation's true spectrum and horizon stands pathetically adumbrated. The falling political standards and values is another serious monster with raised ugly head and widely spread tentacles, certainly does not augur sound for our nation.

We are neither nationalist nor patriotic to the hilt or a standard level even. The official work culture by and large in our nation is in distorted and disgusted state. The things run at snail's pace and file leaves turn only if supported by 'Vitamin-M'. The sycophancy, corrupt deals, and the understandings have become the common convenient means to climb the ladder of any hierarchy surpassing and superseding the competent and deserving meritorious ones.

Apart from it, the matter of highest concern pertains to irresponsible youth of our nation who lack culture, sophisticated traits with high morality and values which is a sine qua-non for manning any responsible position to successfully run the affairs of the nation with global competitiveness.

A three-pronged strategy consisting of both long term and short term measures is required to be launched so as to save the nation from the catastrophic fall of values, corruption and adulteration. Firstly, we have to inculcate through school and college curriculum, to a responsible citizenary traits pregnant with ethical moral values of highest nationalism and patriotism.

Secondary, a well planned systematic corruption eradication programme ought to be started so as to make the nation free from corruption and adulteration. The political and bureaucratic corruption going on at gigantic scale must be viewed very seriously and tackled with all might.

Thirdly, by a strict accountability, the work culture of public servants need amelioration. We must ensure the right, the competent and the deserving ones, their due and explore their potential so as to convert the vast human resource into a national asset. We must make a searching exercise so as to bring, the dedicated, righteous persons to man the position of responsibility on high political and official positions.

In no situation, come what may ....... we should shirk our duty. Lest this nation further degrades and deteriorates, we must rise to the occasion. The thin miniscule number of honest, scrupulous, dedicated learned persons must be spotted and encouraged in every possible manner to man the positions which require this all. The nation must not be deprived of their valuable contributions and services, an ardent need of the hour.

The nation has to be saved from situation where unethicals are the leaders of the ethicals, unscrupulous lead the scrupulous, scoundrels lead the noble and suppresses the righteous with their aggrandizement, violence, pelf and criminality.

Salute and kudos to all those who are honestly dedicated to the nation and sailing against the tide.

The panacea lies in reforming the human beings, our citizens by inculcating among them a sense of duty and patriotism. We must manage to produce fine and civilized hands and nation must get handed over for its over-all management and administration to seasoned and highly responsible managers.

Fate and future of Cabinet decisions

By H C Katoch

The Cabinet took certain decisions of far reaching consequences for socio-economic development and the legislature also passed certain bills aiming at bringing reformation of the system functioning in the State leading to welfare of the people in general. Amongst theses some of the decisions related to uprooting corruption from public life, while others delve at to streamline the functioning of the administrative apparatus and address grievances of financial management etc.

The setting up of i) Accountability Commission ii) Establishment of Planning Board & iii) State Finance Commission (which other states have already set up) are some of the most crucial decisions that were taken to infuse a spirit of change in the existing system of functioning of the Government and catapult confidence in the new environ. It could have brought a discernible change and the results could show encouraging reactions from all in the fields in which these are projected for attainment of the specific goals.

Announcement of Accountability Commission, aroused feelings of the sincere approach of the Government in tackling the much hyped menace of corruption and keeping promise with public that the Government is concerned about this issue of vital importance and ramification. Every one had high hopes, but its movement with snail pace has liquidated the will of the Government and the general impression now fed to the media by the critics have tarnished the image of the Government to a great extent. This was even pronounced and visible in the legislature when there was lot of hue and cry for delaying its setting up. Half of the term of the legislature is expiring shortly and the rest half is expected to pass in waiting for action. Will the leaders be in a position to justify their failure to act and deliver ?

Establishment of the Planning Board was another decision taken by the Government, but the processing of this is left unattended as nothing is heard about its movement. This also speaks of the powerlessness of the people in power to push through this radical step that could have given opportunity of calculated and calibrated actions to the Autonomous Authority and it would have emanicipated the decision making process from the slavery of procedural hassles. Further the developmental activities could have been related to the achievement of targeted growth rate and the process could have undergone a change with building econometric models for development instead of the present system of consolidating statements of departmental expenditure in a routine manner and terming it as District and State plan. Publication of Annual and Five years plan documents at present is forgone concept. The Board would have provided the services of professionals and deviated from the stereotype laid procedures for achieving the desired goals in consonance with the potential existing in different parts of the state, it's exploitation and finally contribution to the net state domestic product. The perspective planning, manpower management and monitoring apparatus could have been well looked after. There are various other facets that could have been covered in the role of planners, had the proposed Board been set up.

Finance Commission is another institution that has yet to see the light of the day. The Government decision is a sincere step to address the devolution of financial powers and supplementing the administrative structure of the institutions for a healthy growth of the democratic institutions at the grass root level and urban areas. Besides providing opportunities to the people in participation in the developmental process the Finance Commission could recommend to the Government the principles governing the sharing of the net proceeds of taxes between the state and the local self Governments especially the Municipal Corporations, provision of grant-in aid from the consolidated fund of the State, devolution of functions, funds and functionaries keeping in view the existing delivery system and the resources of the state. Besides this the Finance Commission would have suggested to the Government the areas where some basic and primary services would form the part of the administrative control within the limtis of the Corporation or the local bodies where the peoples representatives control would exist. Infact the day to day wrangling between the Government and representatives of these institutions would have come to an end. Any delay shall continue to add more and more distance between the Government and these institutions in absence of the recommendations that would have flowed from the Finance Commission.

Thus there is need to expedite the setting up of the promised institutions to maintain, the credibility, sincerity and honesty of purpose.

Fighting legacy of partition

By Aditya Nath Dar

India, therefore, has a vital stake in the maintenance of world peace and stability, especially in its own region. Unfortunately, however, India is situated in a sub-continent with a fractious history which has left a legacy of bitterness and suspicion, principally between India and Pakistan.

The partition of India in 1947 was a hasty and a messy affair. It left many problems unresolved. Most of them are out of the way, but the Kashmir problem remains. It has become intractable because at the beginning it got enmeshed in the manipulations of the cold war. India's policy of non-alignment and Pakistan's pro-western stance which, later in 1954, developed into a US-Pakistan alliance, gave it an additional twist. The end of the cold war and the absence of superpower rivalry should make the solution of the problem easier. But, unfortunately, Kashmir has an inherent complexity about it. It is not just a territorial dispute. Pakistan's claim to Kashmir is primarily based on the fact that the majority of its people are Muslim. India cannot accept this claim without endangering the edifice of its secular state and pluralist national life.

What makes matters worse is the fact that Pakistan has increasingly emphasised its Muslim character in ideological terms, especially since 1977 after Gen. Zia-ul-Haq's successful coup d' etat and the subsequent drive towards Islamisation. Events in Afghanistan, and the emergence of Muslim fundamentalism in the heartlands of Islam, have further encouraged Pakistan to adopt a confrontationist attitude in the matter.

The economic assistance, military supplies and diplomatic support that it received as a frontline state on account of Afghanistan, combined with the latest political developments in Central Asia, have further emboldened Pakistan on a confrontationist course.

As a secular and pluralist democracy with a large and assertive Muslim minority (larger, in fact, than the population of Pakistan), India will have to oppose Muslim fundamentalism, however, much it may loathe the idea. One of the most important reason for this is the fact that a central idea of fundamentalism is the solidarity of the faithful which legitimises interference in the affairs of countries with Muslim minorities. Muslim fundamentalism has not left Indian Muslims unaffected. What is worse, it has enormously encouraged Hindu fundamentalism as a counterpoise. It needs to be noted here that the real danger of religious fundamentalism does not lie in its emphasis on doctrinal purity or in its abhorrence of the western way of life; it lies, rather, in its quest for power and desire to capture the state. This is as true of Hindu fundamentalism as it is of Muslim or Sikh fundamentalism.

In India, religious revivalism and fundamentalism have sharpened communal hostility reviving, once again, the old fear of disintegration. This is a fear with a deep resonance in its historical memory.

It is, therefore, in India's national interest to take a forthright stand against religious fundamentalism as a political ideology. To be able to do so effectively it must strengthen its own secular credentials. A lot has gone wrong with secularism in the country in recent years. Rectification of these wrongs will require many changes in domestic policies including a review of the relevant constitutional provisions.

The respect for all religions, enshrined in the Constitution, has turned out to include respect for all varieties of fanaticism and obscurantism. Religious freedom, which includes the right to establish schools, colleges and other educational institutions, has vastly encouraged the growth of fundamentalism and communalism. These developments call for constitutional changes and serious educational and other reforms.

In matters of religion and secularism, other countries of the sub-continent are part of the Indian domestic scene as was vividly demonstrated by the events that followed the Ayodhya episode. This creates additional complications for India. In its pursuit of secularism, it has to contend with the anti-secular policies of some of its neighbours. This asymmetrical situation, which has existed since partition, is now becoming unsustainable. India has, therefore, not only to strengthen secularism but also stand for it in its neighbourhood. After all, India's support to Gamel Abdel Nasser of Egypt and Saddam Hussein of Iraq, before the latter's invasion of Kuwait, was based on the perception that these leaders favoured secular politics. Again, India's lack of enthusiasm for the Mujahideens in Afghanistan was due to the fear that their victory would vastly strengthen the obscurantist forces in the region.

It has to be admitted that Muslim fundamentalism would not have assumed the shape and force it has if it had not been found useful by the West in the struggle against the former Soviet Union. With the end of the struggle against communism, liberal democracies cannot afford to support religious fundamentalism. Thus, on the issue of fundamentalism as a source of future turbulence, India's national interest coincides with that of the liberal democracies.

The events leading to the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and the dangers of untamed ethnic nationalism creating chaos in the territories of the former Soviet Union, have made the western concept of self-determination an abstract doctrine, somewhat more circumspect.

In the words of Joseph Nye, "a policy of unqualified support for national self-determination would turn into a principle of enormous world disorder." Mr. Nye has noted that less than 10 per cent of the 191 states in today's world are ethnically homogeneous.

Africa is a continent of a 1,000 ethnic and linguistic peoples squeezed within and across 53 countries. If such states are called into question; it is difficult to see where the process ends. The answer to such problems is being sought increasingly in federalism, local autonomy, minority rights and human rights. These are solutions which fit well with the Indian constitutional structure and political practice. Domestic political pressures in India are working for further strengthening these provisions and practices. It is in these terms that a final solution of the Kashmir problem will have to be sought.

The predominant sentiment in Kashmir is not fundamentalism even though Pakistan has worked hard to foment it. The basic unhappiness with India is for not letting Kashmiris govern themselves. With the decline in centralised planning in India, and a growing trend toward making the Indian union more federal, it should be possible for New Delhi to satisfy the Kashmiri sentiment for more genuine autonomy.

However, this is not possible without bringing to an end the low intensity war Pakistan has launched against India in Kashmir. Unless checked, it will degenerate into open conflict and chaos in which the present national entities of the sub-continent will dissolve into unrecognisable socio-ethnic components. INAV