For those who cannot get enough of the bygone eras, a collection of three million stamps from the dominion of the Nizam of Hyderabad packages a nostalgic delight. Story by Chahak Mittal
Emails and messages have altered the way we sit and communicate. Purchasing stamps to post letters has become a bygone practice. We have lost the art of detailing and the pleasure of waiting to instant communication. Nevertheless, nostalgia continues to be the favourite among the ones who lived it, and as well the ones who have only heard of it through their ancestors.
Presented by the Gujral Foundation, Property of a Gentleman, Stamps from the Nizam of Hyderabad’s Dominions, a US-based collector Hanut Ewari has inherited a collection of rare stamps and stamp sheets from his grandfather, Nawab Iqbal Hussain, who also served as the postmaster general of Hyderabad under the reign of seventh and last ruling Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The exhibition, curated by Pramod Kumar KG, showcases the collection that has grown under the stewardship of Ewari with a plethora of stamps from across the globe.
Says Pramod, “The oldest stamp in the Ewari collection is from 1866. The collection consists of more than three million stamps and valuable, unusual and representative pieces from across what were called the princely states, including related paraphernalia such as blind and wet stamps, invitation cards, original letters, calligraphy art, postcards, revenue stamps of the region, erroneous stamps, seals and monograms.”
Given that the stamps hail from the 1860s, they were in a very good shape and properly maintained when he first looked at them. He says that it is also an evidence of how the paper used for these stamps has yellowed but didn’t decay through the years. “They were properly maintained and in a healthy condition. We didn’t have to restore any of it,” informs Pramod.
Well, archives and repositories are much more than just shelves stacked with historical records. They are a crucial collection of the different kinds of material cultures inherited over the ages. The curator, who has been associated with a few national archives since a long time, believes that India, being a country with vast diversity and history, can easily use and develop more archives for a deeper understanding of history and hence, a better development of the future. He feels that we don’t know how to use our archives appropriately and effectively. “Museums and archives are a record that this existed and in a particular way. If we look at them closely, we will learn about things that are completely forgotten or ignored in the modern-day advancements. I feel that archives should be more than just about oral histories or past incidents. There is a lot to record for future references like poetry, transition in language, artifacts, writings, graphic art and various other things not talked about today,” says he.
He narrates that when the Ewari family approached him for the curation and presentation of their collection, he felt it was important since it “is something that will talk about the print history of India. These stamps reflect the postal history and transition of visual and graphic arts in the country. With the technological advancement, these objects, which once played an essential role in the communication network, seem insignificant.” He says that it important to make the current generation realise that they were originally used as modes of payment to transfer messages and facilitate revenue collection, and taxation.
The exhibition also aims to help people take into account that apart from their fiscal purposes, many states also utilised them as a way of celebrating the material heritage and culture of their region. The stamps show the use of exquisite calligraphy in diverse languages and architectural tropes that existed in the erstwhile Hyderabad.
Well, one of the most special elements of the exhibition, Pramod says, is the “focus on the architecture of the Nizam’s dominion” on the stamps. The collection also includes the first stamp ever issued by the Nizam government in the city; a wide range of postage stamps in different colours, values, inscriptions and sizes; stamps featuring monuments from across the Nizam’s dominion as well as the last stamp issued by the princely state, with the most special one being the rare stamps issued in the city to commemorate the victory of the Allied Powers in the Second World War.
“There is also Penny Black (the first adhesive postage stamp in the world in 1840), and a King George VI series of Indian postage stamps depicting different modes of transportation used to deliver mail,” he adds.
(The exhibition is on till March 24 at Bikaner House.)
Writer: Chahak Mittal
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Conferences or predictions made by scientists and organisations on climate change may not deliver any results, unless such exercises are put into action for meaningful reduction in GHG levels. It’s up to the Government to act
As the month of March scripts the final chapter of winter, one cannot help but notice how this year was climatically different from other seasons in the preceding years. The intermittent rainy days this year helped fight bad air days and were instrumental in bringing the pollution levels down.
This is indeed a miracle considering the fact that winter seasons are usually air pollution nightmares. Healthy rains in the northern plains, coupled with ample snowing in the hills somewhat marked a thankful departure compared to last year when the Himalayan mountains, especially the foothills, bore a dry appearance due to the absence of proper snowfall in March.
With a winter that is signing off on a positive note, can we gingerly expect the summer of 2019 to treat us well? Maybe not if some reports by meteorological offices are to be believed from across the world. With the imminent advent of the summers, experts in the weather offices and laboratories have started making well-researched scientific predictions on what the summer has in store for us. Though these have no direct bearing on how India will fare during the hottest months, they do give a general idea of what is in store for mankind globally.
Climate forecasters in the United Kingdom warned that 2019 is expected to be one of the hottest years of all time. The British meteorological office estimated that average global temperatures for 2019 will be 1.10C above pre-industrial levels, putting it among the five hottest years ever. In fact, it is uncomfortably close to the record-breaking 2016, when temperatures were 1.15C above the 1850-1900 period. The predictions were based on the worsening impacts of climate change caused mainly by spiralling greenhouse gases. Britain by itself experienced a hot summer in 2018 with the year’s average temperatures around 0.96C above pre-industrial levels.
Predictions for India are not promising as well. The combined effect of climate change and an evolving El Niño could make 2019 the hottest year ever. In fact, the past three years from 2015 to 2017 happened to be the warmest ever recorded. And although the current year started off with a moderate La Niña phenomenon, which generally has a cooling effect on global climate, it is going to end up being the fourth warmest year, clearly showing a warming trend.
In fact, the 20 warmest years on record have occurred in the last 22 years. This trend also sits in perfectly with the emission rates of greenhouse gases (GHGs), which were at a record high in 2018, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.
According to climate scientists from the Pennsylvania State University, the combination of human-caused warming and a natural upswing in temperatures increases the odds that any new El Nino year will be the warmest ever. Many weather forecasters around the world, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), had predicted the development of an El Niño phenomenon by the end of 2018. This has already made winters in India warmer than usual and if the trend continues into the spring of 2019, it will mean that the summers, too, will witness soaring temperatures.
Another major indicator of the warming trend due to climate change is ocean heat content (OHC). The year 2018 recorded a new high in terms of OHC since observations began in 1940. There is more heat stored in the earth’s oceans today than at any time in the last 78 years. When GHGs trap heat in the atmosphere, some of it gets converted into surface temperature but 90 per cent of it gets assimilated into the oceans. Therefore OHC is a much better indicator of climate change than surface temperatures. So how will India cope with this temperature spike? Although it’s clear that nothing as such can be done to register an immediate impact, much can be done to prevent worse summers.
The green house gas (GHG) emissions are the main culprits behind the rising number of hot days. This can be curtailed by bringing a decisive difference in the usage of fossil fuels, which contribute heavily to GHG emissions. Thermal power plants and vehicular fuels are the main bulk source of GHG and sadly enough, India is unable to ramp up the alternative energy sources so that they can replace the polluting thermal energy and fossil fuels.
Although on the face of it, worsening climate seems to be the prima facie reason for soaring temperatures, the real anthropogenic reasons cannot be overlooked. The numerous climate conferences or climate scientists’ predictions are only a pointless exercise if the same are not translated into action in the form of meaningful reduction in GHG levels. The time has come for the Government to start assessment of the efforts based on GHG level monitoring. This alone will ensure that further time and money is not wasted and effective progress is clocked in protecting the environment. If this is not done, we will soon have only one season all throughout the year — summer.
(The writer is an environmental journalist)
Courtesy: Pioneer
Writer: Kota Sriraj
The world moves at an ever-faster rate. Those who take too long to decipher the modern code tend to be left behind. However, there are individuals who have the capacity to rise above these challenges and put themselves bang in the centre of the storm. They chase the twisters and harness that energy to give life to issues that often get forgotten or misrepresented. My friend Bob Blackman, Member of Parliament in the UK has not been shy about where he stands on even the toughest of issues. Today I write to give you a glimpse of the man who has become the champion for India, and for Jammu and Kashmir.
Bob Blackman MP of Harrow East has been a long-term champion of the Indian diaspora in the UK. He has remained a strong voice of the British Indians representing them in the parliament as well as other National and International platforms for over 25 years, including as a Councillor and Leader of the Brent Council nearly two decades before being first elected as the Member of Parliament for Harrow east in 2010 and re-elected to the seat in 2015.
In the House of Commons, he stood up and said, “I know of no other issue that creates such emotion among this country’s Indian and Pakistani communities as the position of Jammu and Kashmir. It is important that we as elected representatives should debate the issues and represent those views. I stand as an unabashed friend of India to defend India’s position in the conflict and the people who were ethnically cleansed from Kashmir.”And as recently as 26 October 2015, Bob sponsored the historic seminar commemorating the 68th anniversary of the signing of the instrument of accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India by Maharaja Hari Singh.
I caught up with Bob and below I share with you in brief some key elements which I am sure will be both informative and enlightening.
What is your current position?
I was elected MP for Harrow east in 2010, winning the seat from Labour, and successfully re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority. I am Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, Secretary of the India APPG, member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union executives and Secretary of the 1922 Committee. I am also a member of the Communities & Local Government, Procedure and Backbench Business Committees.
What are your proudest achievements to date?
I was instrumental in turning around the London Borough of Brent which was regarded as a centre of left wing radicalism in the 1980s, reforming the finances and cutting the local tax rates every year for 6 years whilst dramatically improving local services.
Who/What inspires you?
Mahatma Gandhi for changing the world through peaceful means.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for being the inspiration in the creation of a strong India and in my view, he should have been the PM. Winston Churchill for being steadfast in the face of the most severe adversity.Margaret Thatcher for rescuing the UK from being the sick man of europe. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making Gujarat the economic powerhouse of India and for inspiring India to believe that the whole nation can become a great power.
What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?
I attended a state comprehensive school and Liverpool University. I have only had the privilege of a loving family and the wonderful support of my wife. At every stage of my political career, I have had to overcome the obstacle of those with prejudicial views on an individual’s background. At every stage, people have tried to prevent me from achieving my potential.
Who has been the biggest influence in your career to date?
My wife has been my constant guide and help over the years. I have observed a number of politicians over the years and taken appropriate guidance from each of them. I have cherry-picked ideas from others rather than had one inspiration!
What would you like to achieve before GE2020?
I am keen to ensure that we abolish the ill-thought out, unnecessary and divisive caste discrimination legislation. This was passed in the last Parliament but has not been enacted as yet as it was passed by a combination of Labour and Liberal MPs against strong Conservative opposition. The legislation has created consternation amongst the Hindu community who rightly regard this as creating friction where none exists.
If you were the Prime Minister of the uK, what one policy would you wish to implement and why?
I strongly believe that we need to create an international partnership between the UK, India, USA and Israel to help preserve the security of the free world. I believe that the special relationship that exists between the UK & USA needs to be replicated with both India and Israel.
Where do you stand on the Eu Referendum and why?
I am immensely proud to represent one of the most diverse constituencies in the UK. Harrow is also one of the safest boroughs in London, home to a lot of hardworking people who genuinely care about our community and ways of life. I was born and raised in North London. As a former local Councillor and representative of Brent and Harrow on the Greater London Authority, I have seen the damage being caused by remote and unelected bureaucrats from the european Union. endless red tape is harming local businesses, unchecked immigration from europe is making a housing shortage into a crisis and lots of people are being trapped by unfair visa policies.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Our hands are tied by european Union policy which is designed to discriminate, so that jobs go to europeans who can move freely across our borders instead of potentially better qualified people from our Commonwealth cousin nations, despite far closer family ties and shared history and values.
When people can’t even welcome relatives to the UK short term for weddings or family events, and our temples can’t bring over the expert stonemasons they need to maintain their buildings, because of a biased and overloaded immigration system, we have to do something.
I want the UK to trade freely with our friends from the Commonwealth and other developing nations. I want the immigration system to be a fair and just one where people from India are given preferential access to the UK. Currently we have no control over immigration from the eU and draconian restrictions are placed on those applying from outside the eU as a result. We also need to remove the artificial trade barriers against goods from the Commonwealth and provide an equal playing field to those goods and services from the EU.
You are very outspoken when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir, can you tell us where you stand on this critical issue? I have been outspoken on the issue since 1991, when I heard about the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. I held a conference in Brent Town Hall on the subject and was instrumental in ensuring that the subject of Jammu and Kashmir was mentioned in the 1992 Conservative Party Manifesto for the 1992 General election.
I am firmly of the view that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is part of India and so it should remain. I believe that the Pakistani forces, illegally occupying part of Jammu and Kashmir, should leave the region and the whole of the state should be reunited under Indian Administration in line with the original decision of the Maharajah.
I visited Jammu and Kashmir in February 2016, and I saw for myself the opportunity for increased trade, commerce and tourism to the state. I am looking forward to helping to promote the first ever Jammu and Kashmir festival in the UK in the autumn.
If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
If I was marooned I would want someone with me with a practical capability of surviving in extreme circumstances! I take a very practical view! I would therefore choose David Livingstone, the famous explorer.
So, you now have a sense of the man. Let me also bring you totally up-to-date. On 13th July 2017 Bob placed before the British Parliament the following EDM:
That this House condemns the recent killings of innocent Hindu pilgrims in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir in India; recognises it as a gruesome attack on innocent pilgrims by Lashkare-Toiba, an internationally recognised terrorist group, led by Abu Ismail; urges the Government to condemn strongly the attack and stand with India in the fight against terrorism; calls on the Government to investigate if there are any direct or indirect links to organisations or individuals in the UK that may be involved in such cross-border atrocities in India; and further calls on the Government to reject all forms of terrorism and support to organisations and individuals propagating such ideology and to take strong action against such organisations and individuals in the UK to ensure peace in the UK as well as India.
This has been one of the most powerful statements ever presented to the British Parliament on Jammu and Kashmir. So I say to Indians everywhere, search out in your politicians, people of character and integrity who are willing to champion the toughest of causes – so that in the end we can secure justice for those who have been wronged. Great Britain and India have a history. It has not always been rosy, and yes there are multiple areas where redress is still outstanding. However, Indians in the UK are beginning to galvanise political support so that many of these important matters can be approached with seriousness and the customary diplomatic tact.
The era of PM Modi has given hope to millions in India and around the world. We have even seen the USA issue their formal State Department note in which they now formally say, the ‘State of Jammu and Kashmir’. In the space of a few years the world order is changing. With such changes the UK and India, with their special understanding and relationship, can take full advantage of the situation for the welfare of their respective citizens. We live in interesting times, let’s see who remains steadfast in reaching their goals.
Konversations with Kapil
Twitter: @kapil Dudakia
As sultanate Oman has chosen for the path of peace, I would love to introduce it as the highest form of intellectual stimulation and to involve in discussions in a unique debate for the world problems. To make it happening, that the Arabic world was never used to. A conference where ideas are being respected, after all as we all know, the Oman and his Majesty Sultan Qaboos proved itself in the new dimension of civilization as well as in science, commercial values and the culture of the Humanistic -tradition.
The choice of Sultanate Oman will be offering the international oriental platform with the highest intellectual qualities. As we all know that the Arabic world as well as the western world is struggling with conflicts and how we will repeat the past with glory and not the mistakes (wars) of the past.Cases that do matter for both societies: Tolerance is required, a debate is required. In my point of view there is nothing called politics, there is something called economics. A mission has to be accomplished world wide.
In my opinion this must be the highest educational cultural intellectual moral awareness to teach the new generations how to deal with differentiation into societies in a peaceful matter. We want discussions to happen Boundaries to be set away. The Answer is taken with both cultural backgrounds the debate will bring people together. The new generations have to deal with the highest technical inventions that can bring the world together. Art, artists, philosophers, politicians, scientists and many distinguished guests of all religious parties will take place in Sultanate Oman to discuss future of the Middle east being affected by the West Vice Versa.
We shall discuss on an intellectual site in a humble and luxurious procedure with possibilities to open eyes and make the awareness happen. Dialogue will take place. People will be heard. Performances will happen with investments groups with projects that can put Sultanate Oman on the map of peace. Royalties do have a mission; they are decision makers for the best of their knowledge. every one of us must be guided. I think that Oman with the position in the Gulf region has been in this moment very crucial. It is having an excellent position to hold a masterpiece with a unique opportunity to deal with the topics.
Awareness has to be spread. We need international speakers that think and can inspire for finding solutions for a peaceful platform. Universities cannot do it alone; we need to give tools to our children, in cooperation with the government of Sultanate Oman. Poets will be heard, every Arab must be proud as H.M. Sultan Qaboos, the king of Oman just received the unique award of peacemaker man of the year. Let us make gardens and spread our borders, Let us hide from provoking wars. The great Arab culture and philosophy will lead to peace. With courage of knowledge we shall speak about all urgent questions. Let us talk of the nobility of the spirit of the new dimension of civilization. Let us make peace and build better tomorrow for the next generation.
(Dr Mohiba Khalil: The writer is an international peace ambassador and regular contributor to Opinion Express)
Southern Politics in tailspin courtesy Dr Subramanian Swamy
Dr Swamy effort to cleanse southern states politics has started yielding results. Tamil Nadu politics minus Chidambaram’s influence shall be ethical and healthy. Dr Swamy’s long legal battle with PC & corrupt family is reaching to its logical conclusion. In fact, Congress people should thanks Dr Swamy for prosecuting corrupt PC so that the grand old party can be liberated from the maximum corrupt practices promoted by Chidambaram since he has become a power centre in the party. Chidambaram was the architect and author of all the mega scams in India namely 2G, Coal, NPA scam, Aircel Maxis, NDTV, Vasan Eye Care, Shradha Scam, Forex derivative scam, Airbus scandal to name the few scams that rocked the nation.
It was Dr Swamy in August 2018 who unlocked the clandestine relationship between PC, Ahmed Patel with Congress Karnataka leader DK Shivkumar and handed over the evidence to investigative agencies leading to the ED registering case against DK recently. IT department has already collected enough evidence against this agent of PC and Ahmed Patel who with his set of conduits’ operated cash collection for his Delhi bosses. Incidentally the set of information regarding the corrupt trio is provided to Dr Swamy by rival group of disgruntle Congress leaders unhappy with the JD(S) Congress party alliance to form the collation government. The streaming of classified information is flowing now due to the vertical split in the Congress party that includes information on the controversial Govind Raju diary wherein the IT department has raised demand from the tainted Congress MLC.
With the seizer of the property of Karti Chidambaram: there is a huge unrest in the entire Congress party. The imminent action that was installed by certain forces in the government seems to be broken by the Prime Minister’s interference on the specific complaint made by Dr Subramanium Swamy to PMO. The Congress leaders and associates likely to be prosecuted are P Chidambaram & family, Robert Vadra, Ahmed Patel, BS Hooda, DK Shivkumar, Virbhadra Singh. Modi government has yielded to the advice of Dr Swamy to fast track investigation against the Congress leadership so that BJP can go in the 2019 elections with conviction that they have delivered on the election promise of dealing the corruption head on. PMO has instructed the investigative agencies to fast track pending investigation to bring confidence in the common masses, it will bring floating votes back to BJP.
Dr Swamy has vowed to track down all the white color criminals to cleanse the politics. After hunting down Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case, P Chidambaram & family in multi corruption cases, BS Hooda in HUDA case, DK Shivkumar in Hawala case linked to AP & PC: Dr Swamy is likely to push for the prosecution of the culprits in the court of law.
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu politics is likely to witness tremendous structural change in the next few days. Dr Swamy is a man in hurry to convict the Neta’s who have looted the country and they are responsible for the entire mess in the country including the poverty, Naxalism, poor health care and disastrous education system, poor justice system. According to his own words, ”corruption in India is the biggest cause of misery for millions for native Indians and I have taken pledge to wipe it off from the country with or without the support of the government machinery”.
Prakhar P Misra : Political Editor, OPINION EXPRESS.
I remembered the first stanza of Rabindranath Tagore’s seminal poem Prasna (Question), written towards the end of his life, as I began writing this column. It reads in literal English translation: “God, you have sent messengers from age to age/To this compassionless world/ — They have said ‘forgive all’, said love/ — Destroy the poison of hatred from your hearts/they have been people to be respectfully welcomed and remembered, yet in these unfortunate days/we have turned them away from our outer door with futile salutation.”
Was Gandhi a messenger of God? Does Tagore’s lament apply to his case? He was certainly not a messenger if the word is taken to mean reincarnation; he himself had strongly denounced attempts at deifying him. He was, however, certainly so if the word is interpreted in the wider sense of being someone of towering stature spreading God’s message and applying it in practice. Deeply religious, Gandhi tirelessly strove to apply to both personal and public life the values of truth, compassion and non-violence enshrined in all religions.
His belief in truth had clearly prompted him to lay bare his weaknesses and inadequacies in My Experiments with Truth. His abiding faith in non-violence had led him to withdraw the non-cooperation movement, then at a high tide, after a mob had burnt alive 22 policemen in the local police station at Chauri Chaura in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district on February 4, 1922, thereby courting intense unpopularity in some quarters. The savage communal violence in Noakhali, in which thousands of men were killed, women mass raped and property was systematically damaged on a large scale, shook him to his core. While there might have been other considerations such as continuing to wage his losing war against a partition of India, “it was”, in the words of Harijan, “the cry of outraged womanhood that had peremptorily called him to Noakhali.” The horrible atrocities perpetrated on women en masse had devastated the Mahatma emotionally and deeply violated his sense of morality.
Arriving in Noakhali in November 1946, Gandhi stayed on till March 1947, in the teeth of increasingly shrill attacks, verbally and in print, by communal groups associated with the Muslim League. The uneasy peace that had descended with his arrival continued even after his departure but many parts of the rest of India and Bengal continued to be wracked by periodic violence and India was partitioned. Towards the end of his life, he was increasingly haunted by a sense of failure. Nirmal Kumar Bose, pioneering anthropologist and a close associate of the Mahatma, has quoted him as saying, “My own doctrine was failing. I don’t want to die a failure….”
Some would consider him to have been a failure by looking at the outcome of what he tried to achieve. He could not stop Partition. Non-violence as a method, which played a major role in mobilising the masses for participation in the freedom struggle, has been swamped by an increasing resort to violent methods that began even before the communal riots had started with the Great Calcutta Killing (August 16-20, 1946). It now receives only lip service. The same goes for the values of truth, which few now seem to consider an end in itself, and compassion which, though not absent, moves a decreasing number of people.
From a historical perspective, however, it would be unrealistic to expect a massive transformation of Indian polity and society, and the lives of Indians, along the radically different lines prescribed by Gandhi, in the little over a century since his return to India. More than 2,000 years after the crucifixion, one finds that the ethical principles and conduct that Christ stood for are observed more in the breach in Christian countries.
Gandhi has provided a moral compass and a non-violent political trajectory to the world. The indication of the measure of his success would lie in the extent to — and the pace at which — people and nations adopt both. There have been significant developments. The values of truth and non-violence that Gandhi stood for, and the method of non-violent satyagraha that he applied in India’s freedom struggle, had deeply influenced Martin Luther King. His influence on Nelson Mandela is clear from the latter’s statement, made on being awarded the Nobel prize for peace in 1994, that he owed his success to Gandhi. One saw methods of protest, approximating his, in action in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989, in several cities, including Cairo, during the Arab Spring which began in 2010, arousing great hopes that ended in disillusionment, and several other places.
Yet, a very great deal of ground remains to be covered. What is needed is an increasingly powerful global mass movement propagating his ideals and implementing them through praxis. The first pre-requisite for its emergence would be keeping his ideals alive through political action, meetings, discussions, talks and writings. All of these continue, albeit primarily within academic precincts. There is also a growing corpus of Gandhiana containing volumes that are scholarly, readable and informative.
Particularly needed in the context of a mass movement, however, are books that bring Gandhi to life through photographs and readable prose. One that does this admirably is the historian Aparna Basu’s Gandhi’s Vision: Freedom and Beyond (2019), published by Niyogi Books. It covers the entire span of Gandhi’s activities from his life and movements in South Africa to his defining role in India’s freedom struggle and efforts to end communal violence and prevent the Partition of India. It puts his arrival and work in India in perspective by placing both in the background of the social, political, cultural and economic developments, and the reform movements that transformed India in the 19th century. It also dwells on the political movements that, gathering momentum from late 19th century and, involving direct action and the participation of a large section of the middle class during the movement against the Partition of Bengal in 1905, had laid the foundations of a national struggle that Gandhi transformed into a mass movement across the country.
The distinguishing feature of the publication, which combines scholarly knowledge with accessible prose, is the large number of photographs it carries, covering the entire range of Gandhi’s activities. This gives it the character of a pictorial biography which vividly recalls a time of great stirrings and upheavals and the man with the stick and steel-frame glasses who played a defining role in it.
(The writer is Consultant Editor, The Pioneer, and an author)
Writer: Hiranmay Karlekar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
As India celebrated its Republic Day, one’s mind goes to the Constitution and the wonderful promises it made. The most poetic of them all is liberty, equality and fraternity, a vow taken from the central slogan of the French Revolution that began in 1789. The three words incidentally contain a harmless contradiction; namely, that liberty and equality cannot go together. If a society wants to have equality, it has to willy-nilly curb liberty. If say, the income of all its citizens is desired to be equal or equable, inevitably, the Government must place control on higher incomes. And, perhaps, also add subsidy to the lowest incomes. An extreme of this social desire was tried by the communist states led by the Soviet Union.
The contradiction between liberty and equality has best been illustrated by the Hindu faith in karma. How can any society place control over good or better karma? And if a person’s karma is excellent, his bhagya or luck is also likely to be commensurate. How can the society or its Government curb it in order to ensure equality among the citizens? If a person with poor karma performance is expected to have poor luck, he could be subsidised or even fed and clothed for free. But what about the other facets of good luck rewards? Then there is also the risk of the Government running out of money if too many of its citizens are unlucky, poor and need subsidies.
Article 15(1) states: “The state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.” This Article is commendable in insisting that there would be no discrimination on any ground. In other words, it means absolute equal treatment by the state. Yet, Article 30 promises minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions. “(i) All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.” This stands in contradiction of Article 15. It gives this right and freedom to the minorities, which are not allowed to be members of the majority community, namely the Hindus. Minorities comprise mainly Muslims. Christian schools are in such demand that they normally face no problem, nor do the linguistic minorities encounter any difficulties. Article 30 (1A) gives the minorities the privilege of being assured the allocation of land that is affordable by the proposed school or its society.
A more fundamental question arises out of this inequality. That was raised by Acharya Justice Dr Durga Das Basu, who rightly contended that a minority, which deserves such special privilege or protection, is one which became one (a minority) by circumstances beyond its influence or control like a war between two or more countries. In the case of Muslims of the sub-continent, it is they who demanded a separate homeland, a Darul Islam or a New Medina called Pakistan. And it had to be granted by the departing British rulers and conceded to by the Congress because the Muslim electorate in the 1945/46 general elections overwhelmingly voted for Pakistan. To quote from Hamid Khan’s authoritative book, Constitutional and Political History of Pakistan: “The results showed a decisive victory for the idea of Pakistan. The League won all Muslim seats in the Central Assembly and 446 out of a total 495 Muslim seats in provincial Assemblies. In Bengal, the Muslim League won 113 out of a total 119 Muslim seats and was able to form a Government with Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy as Chief Minister. In the Punjab, the Muslim League captured 79 out of 86 Muslim seats. In Sindh, a Muslim League Ministry was formed. Only in the North-West Frontier Province did the League fall short of a majority by winning only 17 out of a total of 36 Muslim seats. These elections proved conclusively that the Muslim League alone represented the Muslims of India.”
Partition was the single-point manifesto of the Muslim League, which obtained nearly unanimous support in the elections. The League’s proposal, repeated by MA Jinnah and seven of his senior colleagues, was that there should be an exchange of population. Thereby, ideally, all Muslims should gather in Pakistan and all non-Muslims would emigrate to Hindustan. Justice Gopal Das Khosla, ICS, was commissioned to survey the Punjab and report on the immediate post-Partition situation. The report was printed in an Oxford University Press published book entitled Stern Reckoning: A Survey of the Events Leading Up to and Following the Partition of India. Therein, the Justice wrote that an exchange of population was an integral part of Partition. After all, the vivisection of the country was necessary because as Jinnah said that Hindus and Muslims could not co-exist in the same country. If they were able to co-exist, where would be the need for the division?
Article 27 states, “Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion. No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination.” The writer petitioned the Supreme Court in 2007, requesting that the Haj subsidy be withdrawn as the Constitution declares that India is a secular country. If, however, the Government was not prepared to do so, he should be exempted from the payment of Income Tax. The subsidy was paid from the consolidated fund of India as the Income Tax was credited to the same fund. Four years later, Justice Markandey Katju delivered a long judgement. Its gist was that the Haj subsidy was like an expenditure made by the Government as incidental to maintaining law and order at the Kumbh Mela or on making arrangements for a visit to Mansarovar. To reduce or abolish the Haj subsidy would damage the edifice of secularism that Jawaharlal Nehru had so painstakingly built.
The following year, namely 2008, Justice Aftab Alam decided, in a petition filed by one Syed Intesar Mehdi, that the Haj subsidy should be progressively reduced and discontinued in the course of 10 years. The subsidy was not in conformity with the tenets of Islam, the judgement said. Incidentally, the late Syed Shahabuddin, IFS and a former MP, had told this writer twice that this subsidy should be gradually withdrawn. So much for the implementation of our secular Constitution.
In conclusion this writer would like to quote Acharya Basu from his book, Introduction to the Constitution of India, 2002, that makes a telling point: “The leaders of divided India incorporated in their draft Constitution, certain safeguards for minorities, notwithstanding the Partition, because they refused to concede on the principle that the Muslims in India constituted a separate nation. That India constituted one nation, whose unity and integrity must be maintained, was proclaimed in the very Preamble of the draft Constitution of divided India. The Muslims, who did not go to Pakistan, did so with their eyes open to this Preamble and the safeguards for minorities included in the Constitution.”
(The writer is a well-known columnist and an author)
Writer: Prafull Goradia
Courtesy: The Pioneer
When we do not find a Bharat Ratna for four years, admitting to a colossal vacuum of national genius and worth, and then suddenly find three jewels — two of whom are no more with us, and one of long-time provenance — then it means that we have been blindfolded and woken up to sudden enlightenment. Or as this year’s roll call of national honours shows, set our goals deliberately, namely the general elections. Nothing else can explain why the NDA government has strayed from just rewarding ideological affiliates to celebrating a rainbow coalition of non-partisan and big names from public life. Except that the neutral choices seemed far more politically motivated than they would otherwise. And the messaging was far from subtle. Little wonder then that Gita Mehta, sister of Odisha Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik, refused the Padma Shri bestowed on her, saying the intent behind it would be misconstrued in an election year and she would much rather have people believe that she got it for her worth. It is no secret that the BJP is trying to woo Patnaik, who is hell-bent on maintaining a political equidistance. It also explains why life-long Congressman and ex-President Pranab Mukherjee wondered aloud what he had done so great to merit the nation’s highest award. Of course, Mukherjee’s choice is in tandem with the BJP’s appropriation of Congress icons, from Mahatma Gandhi — who dominated the Republic Day flotilla — to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The BJP clearly wanted to show that the Congress didn’t even bother to reward the dyed-in-the-wool partyman for his contribution to the sustenance of its governments only because he didn’t kowtow to its first family. It is no rocket science to understand how both he, though he may not talk about it, and many across the spectrum were surprised about him being passed over for prime ministership in 1984 and 2004, mainly because of opposition from the Gandhis. With Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi also Bharat Ratnas, the BJP seems to be attempting to soothe hurt pride of a dedicated public servant, who at one time was heading the maximum number of the now abolished GoMs (group of ministers), and equate him as an equivalent of the dynasty. But if the BJP believes that backing Pranabda would get it sympathy from Bengal, appealing to the gentry’s respect of him, it is highly mistaken. Just as it is mistaken that Mukherjee himself, while maintaining cordial relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will feel grateful enough to critique the Congress. Even while gracing the RSS event, he had ended up emphasising plurality and inclusiveness and not disappointed the Congress one bit. Naming Assamese author, singer composer Bhupen Hazarika for Bharat Ratna — and playing his song during the R-Day parade — was again a desperate attempt to assuage the Assamese sense of identity. Given that the Citizenship Bill has stoked a wave of ethnic protests across the Northeast with even Mizos staying away from R-Day, the BJP hopes to build bridges by positing one who commands reverence across the region. With the Asom Gana Parishad walking out as an alliance partner, the BJP has a boiling cauldron it can ill-afford to stir in pre-election season. In fact, the Bharat Ratna to Nanaji Deshmukh, while intended to appease the RSS, still doesn’t seem biased considering his socialist credentials. Even the Opposition would find little fault in his contribution to rural development or his sustainable solutions on water management and agriculture. The only homage to anti-Congressism comes from his role in the anti-Emergency movement.
In the end, everybody, citizens included, should question the increasing politicisation of the nation’s highest civilian award and insist upon a national poll on the greatest Indian of the year. Granted some have been political tributes to founding fathers and their struggles, others have rightly honoured men of rare talent and stature. But just because a template is skewed by non-transparency doesn’t mean it cannot or should not be set right. Bharat Ratna should celebrate rare talent and cannot be allowed to be used as a tool for settling political wrongs. Just as a Padma Bhushan to Nambi Narayanan cannot be looked at as an apology for wrongly labelling one of India’s best cryogenic specialists a spy.
Writer and Courtesy: The Pioneer
Delivering a speech to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1979 ‘Message of Compatriots in Taiwan’ on January 2, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “A Taiwan independent from mainland China is not an option and no person or party can stop the trend towards unification.” Xi also reportedly said that China would not renounce the idea of using force to re-unify Taiwan with China. He further said, “Independence would only bring profound disaster for Taiwan” and assured the island a bright future under a “one-country, two-system framework.”
In an equally strong reply to President Xi’s speech, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen argued that her Government does not accept the “1992 Consensus,” and emphasised that a vast majority of Taiwanese stand resolutely opposed to “one country, two systems.” She further said that the development of cross-strait relations must be based on “the four musts”: China must face the reality of the existence of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and not deny the democratic system that the people of Taiwan have established together; China must respect the commitment of the 23 million people of Taiwan to freedom and democracy and not foster divisions and offer inducements to interfere with the choices made by the people of Taiwan; China must handle cross-strait differences peacefully, on the basis of equality, instead of using suppression and intimidation to get Taiwanese to submit; and it must be the Government or Government-authorised agencies that should engage in the negotiations. Any political consultation that is not authorised or monitored by the people cannot be called “democratic consultation.” This is Taiwan’s position, a democratic one.
Of course, the tension between Taiwan and China is not new. In fact, the genesis of the conflict between them goes back to 1949, when losing the mainland China to the Mao-led Communist Party of China, Chiang Kai-Shek retreated to Taiwan, establishing Taipei as the capital of the Republic of China Government. Subsequently, China and Taiwan claimed to represent all of China.
The ouster of Taiwan from the membership of the United Nation General Assembly and its Security Council as well as the US’ decision to recognise China as a country, ending its diplomatic ties with the Republic of China in 1979, boosted China’s position against Taiwan. At the same time, the Chinese leadership focussed on using the 1992 Consensus between representatives of the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang (KMT) party of Taiwan as the strongest tool to claim Taiwan as a part of China.
However, since President Tsai came to power in 2016, she made one thing very clear that her Government does not recognise the 1992 Consensus. At the same time, Tsai’s New Southbound policy to strengthen Taiwan’s ties with Southeast Asian countries and build a strong relationship with South Asian countries, including India, and other developments caused heartburn in the Chinese leadership. As if these developments were not enough for China to initiate punitive actions against Taiwan, US President Donald J Trump’s special focus on elevating ties with Taiwan accentuated the rift between China-Taiwan relations. This is evident from the fact that after being elected as President, Trump received a telephone call from Tsai Ing-wen and also initially questioned the ‘One China Policy.’ Trump signed into law the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) for the 2018-19, which mentions strengthening defence partnership between the US and Taiwan as continuing US legal commitments.
The NDAA also stated that the US should invite Taiwan to participate in military exercises and consider re-establishing port-of-call exchanges between the navies of the two sides. Trump signing the Taiwan Travel Act cleared the way for the visit of high-ranking officials to Taiwan. A new de facto US Embassy was inaugurated in Taipei, among other things. In December 2018, the US President signed into law the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, which reiterates American commitment “to counter efforts to change status quo and support peaceful resolution acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”
In turn, while China has been extensively using its economic power to force several countries — Nigeria, Panama and others — to de-recognise Taiwan as an independent country, it also opened a new air route over the narrow Taiwan Strait separating China and Taiwan and has been carrying out military details in the vicinity. China put pressure on the International Civil Aviation Organisation to not initiate Taiwan as a guest of the Icao Assembly in September 2016. Beijing wrote letters, asking dozens of international airlines to change the way they refer to Taiwan on their websites and threatened to disrupt their operations in China if they did not comply.
Amid China’s offensive strategy against Taiwan, the defeat of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the local elections of Taiwan encouraged Beijing because the Chinese leadership saw the DPP’s electoral loss as the rejection of the Tsai Government’s efforts to make Taiwan an independent country. At the same time, the victory of the KMT in the elections was a welcome development, given its pro-China stand. In fact, Chinese state-run media depicted the election reversals as a vindication of Xi’s measures to isolate Taiwan and undercut its international standing.
But the fact remains that the defeat of the DPP in the local elections must not be seen as an indication of the change in the thinking of the people of Taiwan as far as the country’s independence and sovereignty are concerned. The reality is that in a poll, 75 of the Taiwanese respondents saw China and Taiwan as two different states. Viewing mainland China as a perverted form of Chinese culture, Taiwanese also consider their culture and tradition as pure Chinese and feel proud of their democratic institutions, freedom of Press and other liberal values. They do not want to give up these hard-earned markers.
To argue that the DPP’s loss in the elections resulted from the Tsai Government’s assertive policy towards China would be misplaced. In fact, a number of domestic issues, including her Government’s labour and pension policy, Tsai’s poor leadership, lack of strong strategy, her Government’s performance on marriage and economic policy among others were responsible for the DPP’s loss in the elections. On the other hand, the KMT planned an effective election strategy to defeat the DPP.
While saying that the use of military power cannot be ruled out to bring Taiwan under the control of China, the Chinese President completely overlooked the fact that today, Taiwan enjoys strong ties, although unofficial, with a number of countries, including all the other major powers of the world. It is also a fact that countries across the globe have recognised Taiwan as a champion of democratic institutions. At the same time, it is also a core interest of the US to see Taiwan flourish as a promising democratic and independent country. Given the fact that the people of Taiwan are aware of China’s dubious stand on ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong Kong and Tibet, Xi could not win over Taiwanese with these tactics.
Thus, it is imperative for the Chinese leadership to recognise the direction of the wind as far as the China-Taiwan issue is concerned. Any provocative statement will only make the people of Taiwan more resilient against China. At the same time, it is also the responsibility of the global community to see that Taiwan must remain a strong democratic country. It is only through peace talks that the two sides can end conflict, leading to strengthening peace, security and development in the Taiwan strait and the region.
(The writer is Visiting Fellow, National Chengchi University, Taipei, and Research Fellow, Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata)
Writer: Sumit Kumar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Tata Power Delhi Distribution (Tata Power-DDL) and the Norwegian power technology company—PIXII, have joined hands to explore the use of distributed pole-mounted storage for a resilient and sustainable distribution grid. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the collaboration was signed between the CEO of Tata Power-DDL, Sanjay Banga and the chief innovative officer of PIXII, Ole Jakob Sørdalen, on the occasion of the state visit of the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, during the India-Norway Business Summit 2019 in New Delhi.
India is witnessing a major revamp of its electricity generation system and distribution network. The country is leveraging on renewable energy generation and emerging smart grid technologies to make its energy supply system smart and green. As a natural progression from distributed solar PV/grid level battery storage, distributed pole-mounted storage is yet another emerging technology that has the potential to facilitate smart optimisation of distribution ecosystems by ensuring various aspects of grid reliability.
As a major distribution company, Tata Power-DDL is in the process of integrating Indian’s first 10MW of grid storage to address grid stress situations and to compensate variability with renewable generation. As an extension to this effort, the company is evaluating pole-mounted storage solutions to address the challenge of space constraints to bring a reliable and a robust grid for customers and communities. With this distributed storage, Tata Power-DDL aims to reduce the strain on distribution transformers by smoothening the daily electricity peaking cycle. The integrated system will also help reduce technical losses and improve the asset health of feeders and distribution transformers, thus significantly reducing the network augmentation investment needed to support a fast-growing urban landscape.
Speaking on the collaboration, Tata Power DDL’s CEO, Sanjay Banga said, “At Tata Power DDL, we are constantly looking for innovative technologies to promote smart sustainable solutions that can be integrated with our grid and eventually with the grids across the country. We are excited to partner with PIXII to explore pole-mounted storage cost effective solutions.” The chief innovative officer of PIXII, Ole Jakob Sørdalen, added, “As a future oriented technology provider, we are very excited about the collaboration with an innovation oriented organisation like Tata Power-DDL. We are looking forward to contributing to a greener, more cost-effective, and reliable grid together with the company.”
Writer & Source: The Pioneer
If you thought that rabies concerned only dogs, then one must look back to the records at the King Edward Memorial Pasteur Institute and Medical Research Institute, Shillong. It had published a scientific article in 1950 recording two instances of a positive microscopic finding in the brain — evidence of rabies — of the Bengal tiger in Assam, the first in 1943 and the second in 1950. In the first case, the tiger severely mauled 18 people in just over 24 hours before it was killed but made no attempt to eat any of the victims. In the second case, the tiger terrorised the inhabitants of five or six villages and attacked 14 people, at least five heads of cattle and a dog, of whom one person and the dog were killed on the spot and two others died in hospital the following day. Subsequently, the animal was killed.
The rabies virus was found in both cases. And though these two cases were examined following complaints of unseemly behaviour, several others were ignored. A few cases of leopards dying ostensibly due to rabies were also reported in south India during the British period. The rabies-inflicted stray dogs, living on the boundaries of Kruger National Park in South Africa and other reserves, are threats to predators such as lions, leopards, hyena and wild dogs. Perhaps deaths of predators by rabies do not get the exposure they deserve. The veterinary advisor for the Siberian Tiger recommended the vaccination protocol for use in all wild tigers to save them from viral disease.
Four years ago, a similar behaviour was observed in two lions — first was a male lion in Girnar on May 31, 2011, and the second was a young lioness in the Khamba range of the Gir forest on December 15, 2015. In both cases, the frenzied felines chased people and attacked a few of them, including the forest staff. The injured people were vaccinated and saved but both lions died within a few days. Symptoms like biting of tyres and frequent roaring in the daytime indicated the presence of rabies but cases were never examined to know the truth. The extent of damage by the fatal Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) attack, ostensibly a mutation or aggravation caused by the rabies virus, was taken seriously only when 23 lions died in September 2018 in the Gir forests.
In the past, deaths of the lion by virus attacks were detected but ignored because the number was not high. Unlike the lion, tigers or leopards do not live in groups. Thus, death of one or two of them at a site by the fatal disease was ignored. It was recorded as a natural disease but facts prove otherwise. Almost every other day, news reports cite the recovery of dead leopards, tigers, lions and several other carnivores from their habitats but the cases have never been examined by virologists to confirm the cause of deaths.
In a study, four concomitant incidents of rabies related deaths were recorded in Gujarat during 2012-2014. Brain samples were collected from two buffaloes, nilgai and mongoose and rabies virus was found in all of them. Further, the genetic relationship of these isolated specimens was determined and the rabies virus transmission among the wild and domestic mammals was established. In Deva village in Allahabad district, two cows and a young buffalo cub were bitten by a rabies-infected dog. All died within two weeks. Finally, the dog was killed and the carcass was disposed off in a remote area of the village. What had happened to carnivores such as jackals and foxes, which consumed the carcass, is not known but the villagers confirmed that the carnivores had not been spotted. Why is it that the jackals are fast disappearing from the villages? Why are the hyenas becoming rare in the countryside? Why is it that the population of the wild dog (dhole) declined drastically in its habitats such as the Satpura Tiger Reserve and then recovered in a few years and again declined drastically? Is it due to the spread of rabies or any other virus? Has rabies’ presence in the domestic dog caused the loss of wildlife in an unbelievable scale? Perhaps yes. Casualties of the major wild carnivores in India due to transmission of rabies, CDV, FIV or other viruses are high but it is impossible to provide facts about the scale of the crisis. After the lion deaths due to a CDV attack in the Gir forests, investigations indicated that like the African lions, the CDV and other viruses are present in some wild lions in the Gir forest. All of these become fatal when other diseases such as Babesia protozoa are transmitted from an unhealthy prey.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries. Dogs are the source of a vast majority of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99 per cent of all rabies transmissions to humans. Human deaths due to rabies are known and have been well-documented but it is also primarily a disease of terrestrial mammals, including dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals, big cats (lions, leopards and tigers), mongooses, badgers, bats and monkeys. Rabies is endemic to India and accounts for 36 per cent of the world’s human deaths due to this disease. The true burden of rabies in our country is not fully known; although as per a WHO report, it causes 18,000-20,000 deaths every year. Nobody knows how many wild carnivores die due to this disease. India had over 19.1 million domestic dogs in 2007 and a majority of them belonged to the category of feral or stray dogs. A substantial number of this forms the prey base for carnivores, especially for leopards, tigers, lions, hyenas, wolves and jackals.
In India, dogs play an important role in rabies transmission to wildlife. However, little is known about the role of wild animals in rabies transmission. As per a study in the US, the rabies disease unexpectedly re-emerged in wildlife. Rabies is a viral zoonosis associated with many species of carnivores, including cats, jackal, hyena and bats, which are the primary hosts of the Rabies virus. Although sporadic cases of rabies in wildlife have been documented across the African continent, convincing evidence for the circulation of rabies in populations of wild carnivores has been found only in south Africa, where wild canids, such as jackals and bat-eared foxes, are assumed to be primary hosts of the virus. Although wolves, wild dogs, jackals and foxes are susceptible and readily succumb to the disease, they can disseminate the disease in other wildlife.
The carnivores — lion, tiger, leopard, hyena, wolf, and jackal — are susceptible to diseases as they largely prey upon domestic animals, including dogs and pigs which are a carrier of pathogens. Domestic livestock, including dogs, constitute major food for these wild animals. Cases of tiger and leopard deaths are reported from time-to-time, but the institute engaged in the field of wildlife research does not give priority to such an important problem. In the absence of adequate studies, it is difficult to assess deaths of wild carnivores due to rabies but it seems a major hurdle, although not accepted till date of wildlife conservation in India.
To eliminate rabies in wildlife, ‘progressive control pathways’ and procedures for international certification of rabies-free status should be established. To achieve this, wildlife managers should know the extent of the problem. The sample of every dead animal should be examined scientifically in institutes that deal with wildlife or virology. Institutes, too, need to focus on the scale of natural deaths rather than just concern themselves with environment impact assessment (EIA). It has taken us long to maintain a healthy population of the big cat. Let us not lose them to another threat.
(The writer is Member, National Board for Wild life)
Writer: Hari Shanker Singh
Source: The Pioneer
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