Are current theme in the Indian newspapers, over the past two decades, and one that is getting increasingly pronounced with the passage of time, has been the lumpenisation of Indian politics. Given the misdeeds of A Rajas, Lalus, Chauthalas, Shakshi Maharajs and Kalmadis, the image that has formed in the minds of the Indian masses of the archetypical Indian politician is one of shameless corruption, venality, nepotism and parochial regionalism. Add to these the blatant use of muscle power by political mafia dons and there emerges the picture of an utterly sordid state of political affairs and political actors. In fact, this state is the culmination of a long process of lumpenisation of Indian polity that started in the 70s and became more and more pronounced in the succeeding decades. Gone are the days when Indian politics was peopled predominantly by legal luminaries, eminent educationists, social activists and visionary statesmen. The giants of yesterday have been replaced by the pygmies of today in all their short-statured grotesqueness. In this murky world, the pursuit of Mammon and power has uprooted the anchors of values, ideals and ethics.

It is thus refreshing to come across, even though sparingly, exceptions that stand out among contemporary Indian politicians. Kapil Sibal belongs to this rare, vanishing tribe of eminent individuals still left in Indian politics. His background, talents, accomplishments and above all values and ideals compare well with the best of India's glorious political past. Born to renowned advocate in what is now Pakistan, Sibal's family was uprooted in the wake of India's partition. Starting life afresh, the family settled in Delhi in the 1960s and young Kapil on the strength of his academic excellence found his way into the elite St. Stephens College from where he graduated. In spite of getting selected for the premier Indian Administrative Service in 1973 he chose to follow his heart and joined the legal profession after acquiring possibly the best credentials therefore - a stint at the Harvard Law School. Known for his almost encyclopaedic knowledge of law he made his mark in the Indian courts and was appointed the additional Solicitor General of India in 1989.

His personal qualities mark him out from the run-of-the-mill Indian politician. A facile command over the English language, razor-sharp wit, an astounding grasp of complex issues, quick of repartee and irresistible in debate, he has made his presence felt in Parliament as also as the Congress party's official spokesperson. Known for his deeply secular outlook, a modern belief in scientific and technological progress, honesty and integrity, an instinctive aversion to injustice and exploitation, he has never shied away from taking on orthodoxy and fascist forces. On the personal front his intellectual sophistication comes through in his penchant for writing poetry which he taps out, on his own admission, on his i phone in the few free moments of peace and solitude he gets during flights. Contrary to the public persona, he comes across as an unassuming person with an old-world grace and impeccable manners exuding a disarming charm.

There is however an irony in all this. These very qualities of his, exceptional as they are, sometimes make it a rather difficult for him to mix and match with the hoi polloi of Indian polity - an impediment, even shortcoming, for any gifted politician. People who do not interact with him closely, are thus likely to get the impression of an aloof, even arrogant person. At times, this limits his effectiveness in moulding public opinion, persuading political peers and attaching to the grass-roots of the electorate.

Nevertheless, we can take heart from the fact that while Indian polity, unfortunately, has its Rajas and Kalmadis, we also have in our midst the likes of a Kapil Sibal, a veritable oasis in a vast desert of mediocrity. May his tribe increase!

Sathya Sai Baba born as Sathyanarayana Raju (23 November 1926 - 24 April 2011 was a guru, spiritual figure and educator. In 2011, he was listed by the Watkins Review as one of the 100 most spiritually influential people in the world. Sathya Sai Baba claimed to be the reincarnation of the spiritual guru, Sai Baba of Shirdi, whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and Muslim beliefs.

Sathya Sai Baba established schools and colleges, hospitals, and other charitable institutions in India and abroad. The number of active Sathya Sai Baba followers was estimated in 1999 to be around 6 million, though adherents' estimates are far higher.] Since there are no formal ties of membership, the actual figure may never be known. The Sathya Sai Organisation reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 114 countries worldwide. In 2002, he claimed to have followers in 178 countries.

Early life and proclamation

In 1940, Sathya Sai Baba declared that he had no worldly relationship with anyone and, around this time, devotees began to gather to him. In 1944, a mandir (temple) for Sathya Sai Baba's devotees was built near the village. It is now referred to as the old mandir. The construction of Prashanthi Nilayam, the current ashram, began in 1948 and was completed in 1950.In 1957 Sathya Sai Baba went on a North Indian temple tour. In 1954, Sathya Sai Baba established a small free General Hospital in the village of Puttaparthi. In 1963, Sathya Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks. It is believed by some that he healed himself of these, and on recovering announced that he announced that he would be reborn as Prema Sai Baba in the state of Karnataka.

Illness and death

Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to a hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi on 28  March 2011, following respiration-related problems. After nearly a month of hospitalisation, during which his condition progressively deteriorated, Sai Baba died on 24 April at 7:40 IST. Political reactions were swift with many offering their condolences, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Dalai Lama. Others who reacted to his death included cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who canceled his birthday celebrations. The Hindu newspaper reported that "Sri Sathya Sai Baba's propagation of spiritualism and preaching of Hindu philosophy never came in the way of his commitment to secular beliefs."

His body lay in state for two days, after which it was buried on April 27, 2011.The burial was accorded the status of a state funeral by the Andhra Pradesh government. The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers S. M. Krishna and Ambika Soni apart from various other political leaders, celebrities and intellectuals were in attendance through the last rites. Around 500,000 people have attended the burial.

Institutions, organisations and projects

Sathya Sai Baba supported a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in over 166 countries. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (now changed to Sri Sathya Sai University) in Prashanthi Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission). Sri Sathya Sai University of which Baba was the Chancellor, has three campuses, one at Puttaparthi for men one at Whitefield, Bangalore for men, and one at Anantapur for women. His charity supports an institute for Indian classical music called the Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music. Baba's educational institutions aim to impart character education along with excellence in academics with emphasis on human values and ethics.

Sathya Sai Baba chaired the Muddenahalli- Sathya Sai Loka Seva School and Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust Educational Institutions in Muddenahalli-Kanivenarayanapura regions. In addition a Sathya Sai Baba University and Medical School as well as a world-class hospital and research institute are being constructed on over 200 acres (0.81 km2) to serve the destitute population. Baba said that the campus will be modeled after Puttaparthi and will infuse spirituality with academics.

Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital, Whitefield (suburb of Bangalore), Karnataka, India.

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi is a 220-bed facility that provides free surgical and medical care and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991. The Sri Sathya Sai bed facility that provides free surgical and medical care and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bangalore is a 333-bed hospital meant to benefit the poor. The hospital was inaugurated on 19 January 2001 by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The hospital has provided free medical care to over 250,000 patients. The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 and provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has treated over 2 million patients. The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust runs several general hospitals, two specialty hospitals, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries and conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India.

The Trust has also funded several major drinking water projects. One project completed in 1996 supplies water to 1.2 million people in about 750 villages in the drought-prone Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to Chennai through a rebuilt waterway named "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal". Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi praised the Chennai water project and Sai Baba's involvement. Other completed water projects include the Medak District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the Mahbubnagar District Project benefitting 350,000 people in 141 villages. In January 2007, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust said it would start a drinking water project in Latur, Maharashtra. In 2008, 2 million people in the state of Orissa were affected by floods. As a relief measure, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, has built 699 houses as a part of their first phase in 16 villages by March 2009.

Sathya Sai Baba's Educare program seeks to found schools throughout the world with the goal of educating children in the five human values. According to the Sai Educare site, schools have been founded in 33 countries, including Australia, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Peru. The Times of Zambia states, "The positive influence of Sathya Sai is unprecedented in the annals of education in Zambia. Sai Baba's education ideals as embodied in his human values-based approach in education are an eye opener to educationists in Zambia."

In Canada, the Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian research and educational organization, ranked the Sathya Sai School of Canada as one of the top 37 elementary schools in Ontario. On 23 November 1999, the Department of Posts, Government of India, released a postage stamp and a postal cover in recognition of the service rendered by Sathya Sai Baba in addressing the problem of providing safe drinking water to the rural masses.

On 23 November 2001, the digital radio network Radio Sai Global Harmony was launched through the World Space Organization, United States. Dr Michael Oleinikof Nobel (distant relative to Alfred Nobel and one of the patrons for the radio network) said that the radio network would spread Sathya Sai Baba's message of global harmony and peace.

In January 2007, an event was held in Chennai Nehru stadium organised by the Chennai Citizens Conclave to thank Sathya Sai Baba for the 200crore water project which brought water from the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to Chennai city.

Off course, his vast empire and personality had several controversies but surely the better work and social service of Sathya Sai Baba shall inspire the world for many years to come. He was a hope for millions of his devotees and inspiration for mankind all across the globe.

(Tribute paid by Prabhakar Rao son of late PV Narsimha Rao, former PM of India)

It seems lots of people do not know about Anna Hazare and his indefinite fasting and about the LokPal bill. I like to share the following email floating around the internet to explain it crystal clear in a nutshell to share.

1. Who is Anna Hazare?

An ex-army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War.

2. What's so special about him?

He built a village Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra.

3. So what?

This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.

In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest village in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly & harmonic village.

4. Ok,...?

This guy, Anna Hazare is well decorated. He was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.

5. Really, what is he fighting for?

He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.

6. How that can be possible?

He is advocating for a Bil, The Jan Lokpal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill), that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers), beurocrats (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.

8. It's an entirely new thing right..?

In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change the bill to suit their theft (corruption).

7. Oh.. He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?

The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.

Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the JAN LOKPAL BILL. 50% government participation and 50% public participation. Because you can't trust the government entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.

8. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?

A LokPal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge, say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not like, Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case that has been going for last 25 years without any result.

9. Is he alone? Who else is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?

Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and many more. Prominent personalities like Aamir Khan is supporting his cause.

10. Ok, got it. What can I do?

At least we can spread the message. How? Putting status message, links, video, changing profile pics.

At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India. At least we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain. At least we can pray for his good health.

(Inputs by Dr Rahul Misra, Associate Editor)

As India embarks on long-overdue reforms of its tertiary and professional education systems, including promotion of research culture in the universities, there is merit in diversifying the partners with whom it seeks deeper engagement in this area. India's increasing integration with the global economy, including emergence of Indian multi-nationals, also requires such diversification.

The US and the selected Commonwealth and European countries have been India's traditional partners in tertiary education and in innovation activities. While engagement with them should continue to be deepened, as is evident from ongoing India-US strategic dialogue, it is essential to accelerate such engagement with non-traditional countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. This column, however, focuses on the case for deepening tertiary education and research engagement with Japan. The recent assumption of office by Japan's new prime minister Naoto Kan and Japan's efforts to expand international linkages of its universities provide a favorable backdrop for intensifying such partnership with Japan.

There are two broad factors which necessitate such diversification. First, there has been increasing globalisation of research and development and innovation activities. Thus a recent survey by the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the US found that American manufacturers conduct about a fifth of their total R&D in other countries. Indeed, in several key sectors, such as motor vehicles, textile and apparel, and electrical equipment, the offshoring share exceeds 30%. While relevant data are not available, it is a reasonable presumption that such tendencies are also occurring concerning other major economic powers such as Japan, South Korea, and Germany.

Secondly, the current global economic crisis has diminished medium-term growth and employment prospects of the US, The European Union as a group, and the UK. India's rising share of working-age population to total population strongly suggests generation of livelihoods, including for increasingly educated workforce with high aspirations, as among the highest priorities. India therefore must explore all avenues for such employment generation. Non-traditional sources, which are rapidly ageing, with Japan and South Korea expected to register decline in absolute population, therefore represent an attractive opportunity.

India should therefore increasingly leverage on countries with strong global presence of technology-intensive companies, and excellent university system with close industry linkages. It is in the above context that India must intensify its efforts to engage Universities and research institutions in Japan, as well as R&D labs of Japanese corporations. Japan has increasingly emerged as among India's most important economic and strategic partners. It is also the largest bilateral provider of economic and technical assistance. Japan is globally recognised as a leader in many areas such as automotive engineering, life sciences, electronics, railways, solid waste management, and renewable energy. Its proven competitiveness is based on excellent universities, who have traditionally been engaged in close collaboration with industry, but whose international engagements have so far been limited.

This is however changing, with Universities introducing more courses in English, and actively seeking foreign students who could form part of Japan's talent pool. Japan's strength in close university-research institutions-industry linkages has been an area of major weakness in India. Separation of teaching and research and of graduate and undergraduate education has not permitted realisation of synergies of full-fledged universities combining teaching and research. Commercially oriented and socially useful research col-industry and universities and research has therefore been limited. This has hampered India's efforts to progress on the path of becoming a knowledge economy. Deeper engagement with Japan could help address this deficiency.

The Japanese government has set up several scholarship programs to attract foreign students and to facilitate exchange of faculty and researchers. But Indian higher education and research institutions, as well as Indian's desiring to pursue higher education abroad have not given requisite priority to exploring opportunities with their counterparts in Japan. For the individuals, need to study Japanese language have been considered a formidable barrier. This is however unwarranted and counter-productive, particularly given deep cultural linkages between India and Japan. Indians are generally adept at languages, with most growing up with familiarity with at least two to three Indian languages. The use of English has also become more widespread. Several states, such as Gujarat, have begun to promote English as a language essential for global commerce and science. While these are steps in the right direction, importance of non-English languages on the internet, and in commerce and science is expected to grow as multi-polar world emerges. Functional knowledge of other major languages, including Japanese, has now become more essential.

Acquiring such knowledge in Japanese language takes about one year. This is a relatively small investment for widening career options for individuals, business opportunities for firms, and for enhancing scientific and technological options for the country. Accessibility of Japanese language training needs to be expanded considerably in different parts of the country. There are indications that Indian professionals, particularly in the IT industry, and in engineering are exploring prospects with Japanese companies. Indians desiring to widen their higher education options are also enrolling in tertiary institutions in Japan. But the trend needs to be significantly accelerated. Global operations of companies from Japan, including their growing presence in India, which is beginning to rival similar presence of companies from South Korea, can be expected to provide promising career prospects for in India, which is beginning to rival similar presence of companies from South Korea, can be expected to provide promising career prospects for Indians familiar with Japanese language and business culture.

To accelerate the trend, Indian universities should consider collaborations with Japanese universities as they seek global partners. Institutions such as St Xavier's college in Mumbai, which are planning to Internationalise their curriculum, student assessment criteria, and management practices would also greatly benefit by collaborating with their Japanese counterparts, particularly in science and technology. They could also consider establishing Japan Centers to facilitate such collaboration. Deeper engagement in tertiary education and in innovations will provide greater substance to India-Japan strategic partnership, and enhance economic space and strategic leverage for both countries. India should also consider entering into totalisation agreement with Japan, recognising social security arrangements of each country.

The states, such as Gujarat, which annually organise global investors meetings, and which aim to emerge as global business hubs, would particularly benefit by initiatives to also invite Japanese universities and research institutions to such meetings. These could be utilised to link similar institutions in Gujarat with their counterparts from Japan, and to facilitate establishment of research labs of Japanese corporations in India. Deeper engagement in tertiary education and in innovations will provide greater substance to India-Japan strategic partnership, and enhance economic space and strategic leverage for both countries. India should also consider entering into totalisation agreement with Japan, recognising social security arrangements of each country. Similarly, an agreement to facilitate Indian workers to fill specific needs in Japan could also be considered.

Higher Education is Japan core strength that made it a global tech superpower - Aftab Seth

AFTAB is an iconic face of India in Japan, He is former Indian Ambassador to Japan who is playing the role of a catalyst to bridge the gap between unexplored land of opportunity for the Indian Gen-Next. Mr Seth highlights the tremendous depth of Japanese core strength that is yet to be tapped in India Higher education. Japanese universities as a general rule offer high-class education at a price which is less than private universities in the USA. State universities in Japan tend to be reasonable compared to top private ones like Keio or Waseda founded by Okuma Shigenobu in 1888. The G-30 initiative by PM Fukuda in 2008 is aimed at increasing the number of foreign students in Japan from the present 130000 to 300000 by 2012. The Ritsumeikan office established in October 2010 at the Japan Foundation building is part of this initiative. Waseda has an office in Vietnam and other Universities have been given responsibility for other territories.

As part of this work we helped the G30 in January 2011 to invite students from top schools in Delhi and other cities to attend a seminar addressed by the representatives of leading Japanese universities. I inaugurated this seminar. The purpose is to attract young talent to study in Japan. The benefit Indian students would derive from such study are explained at such seminars. To make it easier some universities like Keio have started English medium classes at the Fujisawa campus which teaches all high tech subjects such as IT, Energy, environmental science and others. Keio has a separate initiative GIGA which aims to attract bright youth to study at the undergraduate level. Postgraduate schools in many leading universities have been conducting their classes in English for some years now. This is a trend that is growing.

If the Congress had been sincere about fighting corruption, it would not have drafted a toothless Lok Pal Bill whose provisions are laughable

The promise of bringing in an effective law to curb corruption in the top echelons of the state should undoubtedly go down as the biggest hoax played by the political class on the people of India after independence. Every Government, from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru to Mr Manmohan Singh, promised to establish an institution to bring to book corrupt Ministers and MPs and reneged on it.

But, going by the statements of Mr Manmohan Singh and Ms Sonia Gandhi after the recent settlement with Anna Hazare, there can be no doubt that the Congress and the Prime Minister have taken deception to a new level altogether.

The first acknowledgment that the cancer of corruption had begun to destroy the great gains of the freedom movement came in the 1960s when the Santhanam War of Independence from Corrupt Rule.

Is neither sincere about nor capable of working for? Does the community have the right to recall?

Santhanam Committee was appointed to assess the extent of the problem and to suggest remedial action. This was followed by the report of the first Administrative Reforms Commission which recommended the appointment of a Lok Pal to inquire into the conduct of Ministers and MPs.

The farce vis-à-vis the Lok Pal Bill began after Mrs Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister when her Government introduced it in the Lok Sabha in 1968, knowing fully well that the Bill would lapse if the Lower House was dissolved prior to its passage in Parliament. Sure enough, the Lok Pal Bill faced sudden death when Mrs Gandhi opted for early dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1971. Since then, eight more half-hearted attempts have been made to legislate on this issue in Parliament and on a majority of these occasions, it was the Congress that was in power.

After all this humming and hawing for over four decades, the Lok Pal Bill proposed by the Manmohan Singh Government last year constitutes an affront to the intelligence of every citizen. Here, it must be made clear that this draft had the tacit approval of the Congress and the attempt to distance party president Sonia Gandhi from it is as disingenuous as the attempts by the ruling party to accuse Anna Hazare of re-sorting to "blackmail" and undemocratic means.

Instead of empowering the aam admi to complain against corrupt Ministers and MPs and arming the Lok Pal to go after the wrongdoers, the Government's draft Bill seeks to protect the corrupt in a variety of ways, while simultaneously trying to intimidate complainants.

The Government's draft says the Lok Pal will only be an advisory body without any police powers or the power to register FIRs against the corrupt. Nor will the CBI be under it. Further, the Lok Pal will have no power to initiate suo motu action or receive complaints of corruption from citizens. It will be empowered to proceed only if the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (both political appointees) permit it to do so. And, after all this, the punishment for guilty politicians who swindle the ex-chequer of thousands of crores of rupees will be a minimum of six months and a maximum of seven years in jail.

As against this bogus Bill drafted by the Government, Anna Hazare's 'Jan Lok Pal Bill' wants the Lok Pal to be an independent body like the Election Commission with suo motu power to investigate complaints against Ministers, MPs, judges and bureaucrats, to file FIRs and prosecute the corrupt, and not be just an 'advisory body'. Further, the 'Jan Lok Pal' will directly receive complaints from people and act on them.

There is another major point of difference. Mr Singh and Ms Gandhi do not want the Lok Pal to have the power to investigate the Prime Minister in regard to foreign affairs, security matters and defense-related issues. Anna Hazare's draft makes no such exception and rightly so. Bofors was a defence deal (purchase of field guns) in which Ottavio Quattrocchi, a friend of the Gandhi family, received commission payments from the Swedish company. Obviously fearing a repeat of a scandal of such proportions, the Government does not want the Lok Pal to investigate defence deals.

The Government's draft Lok Pal Bill is also so cleverly worded that everything can be classified as coming within the purview of 'security matters' and thus kept out of the Lok Pal's scrutiny. For example, if we had a Lok Pal last year on the lines proposed by the Government, the Prime Minister would in all probability have claimed that the Rs 1.76 lakh crore 2G Spectrum scam was a 'security matter' that cannot be probed by the ombudsman.

There are other areas of divergence which are equally significant. Mr Singh and Ms Gandhi prefer to go soft on the culprits (jail term of six months to seven years) whereas Anna Hazare wants the jail term to be five years to life imprisonment. Further, Anna Hazare says the loss to Government must be recovered from the accused. For example, if A Raja is held guilty, then all his properties must be confiscated. Mr Singh and Ms Gandhi do not want such a provision.

Finally, there is a clear attempt in the Government's draft Lok Pal Bill to scare away complainants by saying that those who file false complaints will be penalised and imprisoned. Anna Hazare's Bill is devoid of such intimidation.

All this is not to say that everything is fine with Anna Hazare's draft 'Jan Lok Pal Bill'. It has its flaws and hopefully these will get ironed out in the coming months. But, is it not ludicrous for Mr Singh and Ms Gandhi, who are primarily responsible for allowing Quattrocchi to walk away with the Bofors loot, to now claim that they are committed to a strong anti-corruption law? Or for Congress loudspeakers to claim that the settlement with Anna Hazare is indicative of the "sagacity and wisdom" of Ms Gandhi and Mr. Singh?

Even more laughable is the contention of the 'Amul Baby' of the family (whose great grandfather, grandmother and father fooled the people into believing that they would bring a strong anti-corruption law) that he too favours a strong anti-corruption law. If so, what was he doing all this while when his party and Government were circulating a draft Lok Pal Bill not worth the paper it was printed on?

It has been wisely said that you cannot fool all the people all the time. But this is one lesson that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty will never learn.

IT IS OUR DEMOCRACY THAT IS TO BLAME FOR THE SORRY STATE OF INDIA

I have been witnessing the revolution at Jantar Mantar since 5 April and have listened to responses on TV debates.  The Executive and the legislature are worried about losing what they consider their rights and their exclusive space. One basic premise of their responses runs as follows; We are a democracy with a constitution and nothing can be done or even attempted outside the constitutional framework. Legislative, Judiciary and Executive alone can make laws, change the constitution, adjudicate constitutional disputes until it is amended and execute laws through procedures and rules laid down by the executive. Civil Society and the citizen at large have no locus standi in decision making once they have sent their pseudo representatives to the legislature.

The following beg serious consideration.

1 Whose constitution is it? Is it of WE THE PEOPLE or is it of they the legislature?

2 Who is the sovereign? The Citizen or the MP/ MLA or the PM/ Cabinet?

Following subsidiary questions then arise:

1 Does the legislature indeed represent the majority as should be the case in a democracy? Most Win with 15 to 20 % of total votes cast.

2 Do the voting citizen have any say in selecting candidates? Does he have a real choice of selecting? Parties allot tickets through an opaque mechanism.

3 Is the elected legislator free to work in the best interest of those who he pretends to represent? Or is he subservient to Party whip or his own political interest?

4 What recourse does the voting community have to correct an errant legislator who manages to get elected on promises he is neither sincere about nor capable of working for? Does the community have the right to recall?

5 Does our democracy enable citizens to get laws they wish passed? Is referendum not their right especially when their interests are obviously at variance from those of the elected legislators? Are we not stakeholders in our own governance in a democracy 'of the people for the people and by the people'? People as in the public and as in the Civil Society. Our legislature has a vested interest in Corruption and power of patronage. Are they our patrons or are they our servants? The question reverts to who is sovereign he or we?

Anna's agitation as it is being termed is only the starting point for getting answers to these very basic questions in the public mind. It cannot stop here because the root causes of the maladies of misgovernance and corruption lie, not in the lok Pal Bill not being in position. It lies with our Electoral System, with our Party System indeed with our democracy.  The politician has to find his rightful place as a servant of society who must work for the common good of the majority and for the maximum good of the nation. His own survival (Not his best political interest) must be co-terminus with the best interest of the people of India.

To that end this movement must aim at rectification of our democratic system. The constitution is sacrosanct only so far as it serves the interest of the people who have adopted it for themselves. Despair and frustration have reached the stage where People don't give a damn for being called a Democracy. They would rather exchange it with good governance with or without the false glory of being called the largest democracy in the world. Long Live Veteran Anna Hazare Long Live Veteran Solidarity with Anna. Veterans Will go all the way in supporting the Second War of Independence from Corrupt Rule.

Uttar Pradesh is now home to a people with dangerously wide gaps in skills, income and caste

If Uttar Pradesh was to be declared a separate country today, it would be the sixth-largest nation. With a total population at par with Brazil, population density comparable to that of the UK and per-capita income similar to Kenya's, it indicates the paradox of its citizen occupying the same space as his Latin and UK counterparts, yet living in conditions similar to those in Africa.

Setting this hypothesis aside, let us visit a few demographic facts. Uttar Pradesh has nearly 80% rural population, and its 76% population comprises scheduled castes (SC) and backward classes. A quick analysis shows that by 2016, more than 95% of the 8.5 crore population in the 25-60 age group would be looking for earning opportunities with neither sufficient education nor skills.

"(80% Rural population & 76% SC/OBC population has given birth to state-level parties namely BSP and SP led by Ms Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav respectively, tactically national parties namely Congress and BJP are lacking in appeal in rural and SC/OBC constituencies) Even in the best-case scenario, we cannot expect more than 5-7 lakh graduates along with another 10 lakh secondary-educated in that age group. The remaining would have attended only primary or middle school, or no education at all. The picture becomes more alarming when we see that the quality of education at lower levels is poor and completely disconnected from increasing employability.

Statisticians might argue that the unemployment rate in UP at 2-3% is quite low, and it may be true; but when we view this through the lens of nature of employment, a different picture emerges. About 96% of the economic activity in Uttar Pradesh is in the informal sector with low productivity and low income. This mostly includes daily wagers working as agriculture labourers, construction workers, drivers, cleaners, carpenters, cooks, waiters, Kirana owners and so on. With very low monthly per-capita expenditure (MPCE) about. 828 rural and 1,365 urban - we see a grave danger of incomes not matching expenditure. The low education levels and work skills along with poor socioeconomic bargaining power further dampen productivity, thereby affecting income levels and making people more vulnerable. This vulnerability would be significantly high in the age group of 25-34 years, which would see the highest rise in population to a whopping 3.5 crore in 2016, almost a 25% rise over the present population of 2.8 crore. The aggregate position may be alarming, but a region and religion-wise dissection is starker. As in 2011, nearly 8 crore of the 20 crore people in UP are spread over 27 districts of east UP who live in despair with a MPCE of. 838 compared to. 1,124 of west UP that comprises Noida, Ghaziabad and richer districts of upper Gangetic Plain. With more than a third of the state population at the lowest MPCE, 90% rural and a burgeoning youth population, east UP is one of the most vulnerable regions in India. No wonder we have hotbeds of crime like Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and others.

(The East-West divide of UP in terms of development is huge, it has impacted the social demography of the population at large hence the voting patterns are different)

Now, let us look at west UP that has nearly 32% Muslim population in 10 high-growth districts compared to an average of 17% in all of UP, yet the benefits of growth seem to elude them. The MPCE of Muslims in west UP is 49% lower than that of Hindus whereas in east UP, the difference is only 16%. Another alarming figure is that west UP has the highest urban population of 35%, indicating a strong case where the two religious groups are strongly concentrated near each other with wide disparities in income, creating a situation that could be easily exploited by religious forces.

(Muslims votes are key in 128 constituencies specially in 10 districts of West UP and six districts of East UP. Congress-RLD combine tie-up in West UP is build on attracting Muslim votes And SP is focused on Muslims votes on the East UP But emergence of Peace Party may challenge SP position in 2012 elections)

Though the state has witnessed sensitive situations between religious groups in the past, the last two decades have seen sharper divisions along caste and class lines. The state's 51% OBCs are divided in over 230 groups and its 25% SCs are now more sensitive around caste and class than religion. The OBCs in west UP have become stronger and are 23% more prosperous than their counterparts in east UP.

(51% OBC population has thrown leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Ajit Singh (RLD), Beni Prasad Verma (Now with Congress), Kalyan Singh (Former BJP poster boy), Vinay Katiyar/ Uma Bharti (BJP) And political parties like Apna Dal, Mahan Dal ETC)

Similarly, SCs in east UP have become the poorest in the country with an MPCE of. 699 while their counterparts in west UP are located much above the state average at. 948. Such disparities have been consistently exploited by political parties, leading to inequity at the time of distribution of wealth, justice and services. Uttar Pradesh, which represents nearly a fifth of India, is reckoned as the biggest contributor to the demographic and economic paradigm in the country. With rapidly-changing demographic trends, the state would soon have a very large uneducated, unskilled and low-income workforce that is vulnerable to crime, anti-social activity and an easy target for radical groups.

(Consolidation of Poor SC population under the banner of BSP has made Ms Mayawati strong in UP politics)

A lot of debate today revolves around India's demographic dividend, drawing comparisons with China. However, India fail to analyse that China in the 1980s made some radical reforms in education and employment apart from industrial and investment policies which led to its phenomenal growth over the last two decades.

Learning from what China did 30 years ago, the government and policy-makers in our country and states have to put together an integrated approach to manage this looming danger. Industrial, investment, education and employment policies have to be aligned, parallel systems of skill enhancement have to be set up and labour markets have to be organised. India cannot politicise the issue asthe danger cuts across party, religious and caste lines. Over the next decade, the large pool of uneducated and unskilled youth mostly engaged in the informal sector with low productivity may become a 'liability' instead of 'dividend', unless acted upon now.

(The national planning authorities must act, irrespective of which party that rules UP, state government has limited budget and vision hence the national government must take responsibility of bridging the gap between "have & have not's" in UP to avoid national disaster)

RADIAGATE HAS BROUGHT THE FOCUS BACK ON ETHICS IN MEDIA

Finally the malice has reached fourth pillar of democracy, though there were some whisper campaigns running on internet but the final nail in the coffin is set in by the Radiagate episode. It poorly reflects the misuse of power enjoyed by certain individuals holding strategically important positions in the national media and selling the access to power to corporate interests. Now senior editors in India are considering putting in place systems to ensure ethical practices in journalism.

The move follows a scandal involving high-profile journalists after tapes of revealing phone conversations with an influential lobbyist were leaked. At the center of the controversy are two well-known journalists, Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt. Critics say they acted like deal-makers, not journalists. Neither denies the conversations took place, but they deny any wrongdoing. The larger question is why they have to do it? Money can be an important factor though both of them are paid handsomely by their respective employers. Sadly, there conduct shows a poor light of individuals who acquire power and indulge in proxy governance by corrupt means .

Ms Dutt is heard on tape offering to relay messages from the corporate lobbyist to politicians to influence the process of forming a cabinet. Columnist Vir Sanghvi is heard offering a businessman a “rehearsed” interview.

‘NO GREY AREAS’

“Journalists need to exercise their judgment and verify everything that is said by a source. There are no grey areas, it’s black and white,” Vinod Mehta, editor of Outlook magazine which published the tapes, said. Corporate lobbyists represent certain interests which should be clear to everyone.” Mr Mehta was among a number of participants who spoke in a debate held at the Press Club of India.

Rajdeep Sardesai, the editor of the TV channel CNN IBN, said: “Let us not over- look the fact that it is the media’s unflinching attempts that have exposed these scams. Most of us are doing a very good job. “This rot is not new – it’s been around for three decades at least.”In this competitive age, access is information which is where the politicians have co- opted the journalists. Corporate India and politicians are subverting the system,” he said. Rajdeep is having a valid point that media is the recent past have played a crucial role in streamlining clean governance. More than 100 tapes of conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and leading journalists were recorded as part of an authorized police tap. Police were acting on a request from income tax authorities investigating the alleged mis selling of mobile telephone licences.

Last month, federal auditors said former telecommunications minister Andimuthu Raja had undersold mobile phone licences worth billions of dollars, resulting in an estimated loss of $39bn to the exchequer. It is not clear who leaked the tapes to the media. Transcripts of the conversations have appeared in the Open and Outlook magazines and have angered many Indians.

‘ Error of judgement’

In the tape recorded in the summer of 2009, Ms Dutt is heard discussing with Ms Radia who should be in the cabinet. Ms Radia was pushing for Mr Raja to be reinstated as a minister. Ms Dutt, currently group editor at NDTV is heard assuring Ms Radia that she would speak to a senior Congress party leader on her behalf. Barkha Dutt has apologized for “an error of judgement”, but she insists that she has not done anything wrong.

Mr Sanghvi  who is heard offering a “fully scripted” and “rehearsed” television interview to Ms Radia’s client, India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani says he was “just stringing her along”.Ms Radia works as a lobbyist for two of India’s biggest industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata.Since the leaks, Mr Tata has gone to court saying that conversations between him and Ms Radia were “personal” and that the leaks violated his right to privacy.

But who is clean?

Just blaming Ms Dutt and Mr Sanghvi should not do any good to the country, the corruption malaice has reached in every section of the society. And the most disgusting fact of the entire corruption saga of the country is that it is affecting the lower class of our country, people are suffering at large and sectors like health, education, rural development, are the worst sufferer because they are largely funded by the government grants in a socialist country. Today, political class, bureaucracy, judiciary and media are becoming syndicated tool in the hand of few powerful lobbies operating in the country thus directly challenging the ethics of democratic practice. Hence short listing Ms Dutt and Mr Sanghvi for the entire misadventure will not solve any problem.

– BY PRAKHAR MISRA for OPINION EXPRESS

OBAMA FINALLY GETS OSAMA

Osama bin Laden, the world’s most wanted terrorist, was killed early today by US special forces in a helicopter-borne operation at Abbottabad near the Pakistani capital, climaxing a over 10-year long massive manhunt.

The special forces personnel swooped down on the compound where bin Laden was holed up guarded by his ultra loyal Arab bodyguards in a predawn operation killing the dreaded terrorist, US officials said.

The news of the slaying of the world’s most prominent terror mastermind was broken to the world by US President Barack Obama, who made the announcement live from White House.”Bin Laden, 54, is dead and his body is in US custody,” President Obama said at half past 11 mid- night US time after initial story had been broken by news channels.

Though it was dark, crowds massed out- side White House chanted ‘USA, USA’.Besides the al-Qaeda chief who carried a bounty of USD 25 million, two couriers one of whom was his son and the other a woman, reportedly used as a human shields, were killed in the operation, unnamed American officials were quoted as saying by ABC News.First reports said that it was through these couriers that bin Laden had been traced.Other women and children present in the compound were not harmed, ac- cording to Pakistani officials.An American helicopter was destroyed by US Navy Seals after it was damaged and crashed during the operation that targeted a large compound in Bilal Town area near Abbottabad, 120 km from Islamabad.There was no word from the Pakistani government or military on the operation.Two US helicopters swept into the com- pound at 1:30 am and 2 am and 20 to 25 Navy Seals under the command of the Joint Special Operations Command stormed the compound in cooperation with the CIA and engaged bin Laden and his men in a firefight, US officials told ABC News.Bin Laden fired his weapon during the fight, the US officials said.The Americans took bin Laden’s body into custody after the firefight and confirmed his identity.One of the US helicopters was damaged during the operation and the troops decided to destroy it themselves with explosives. Several Pakistani news channels beamed grainy footage of a burning helicopter on the empty lawn of the com- pound.They also beamed footage of the compound surrounded by Pakistani troops this morning.

A PHONE CALL THAT TRACKED OSAMA

When one of Osama bin Laden’s most trusted aides picked up the phone last year, he unknowingly led US pursuers to the doorstep of his boss, the world’s most wanted terrorist. That phone call, recounted Sunday by a US official, ended a years-long search for bin Laden’s personal courier, the key break in a worldwide manhunt. The courier, in turn, led US intelligence to a walled com- pound in northeast Pakistan, where a team of Navy Seals shot bin Laden to death.

The violent final minutes were the culmination of years of intelligence work. Inside the CIA team hunting bin Laden, it always was clear that bin Laden’s vulnerability was his couriers. He was too smart to let al-Qaida foot soldiers, or even his senior commanders, know his hideout. But if he wanted to get his messages out, some- body had to carry them, someone bin Laden trusted with his life.In a secret CIA prison in Eastern Europe years ago, al-Qaida’s No 3 leader, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, gave authorities the nicknames of several of bin Laden’s couriers, four former US intelligence officials said. Those names were among thou- sands of leads the CIA was pursuing.One man became a particular interest for the agency when another detainee, Abu Faraj al-Libi, told interrogators that when for the agency when another detainee, Abu Faraj al-Libi, told interrogators that when he was promoted to succeed Mohammed as al-Qaida’s operational leader he received the word through a courier. Only bin Laden would have given al-Libi that promotion, CIA officials believed.

If they could find that courier, they’d find bin Laden. The revelation that intelligence gleaned from the CIA’s so-called black sites helped kill bin Laden was seen as vindication for many intelligence officials who have been repeatedly investigated and criticized for their involvement in a program that involved the harshest interrogation methods in US history.

“We got beat up for it, but those efforts led to this great day,” said Marty Martin, a retired CIA officer who for years led the hunt for bin Laden.

Mohammed did not reveal the names while being subjected to the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding, former officials said. He identified them many months later under standard interrogation, they said, leaving it once again up for debate as to whether the harsh technique was a valuable tool or an unnecessarily violent tactic.It took years of work for intelligence agencies to identify the courier’s real name, which officials are not disclosing. When they did identify him, he was nowhere to be found. The CIA’s sources didn’t know where he was hiding. Bin Laden was famously insistent that no phones or computers be used near him, so the eavesdroppers at the National Security Agency kept coming up cold.Then in the middle of last year, the courier had a telephone conversation with someone who was being monitored by US intelligence, according to an American official, who like others interviewed for this story spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation. The courier was located somewhere away from bin Laden’s hideout when he had the discussion, but it was enough to help intelligence officials locate and watch him.In August 2010, the courier unknowing- ly led authorities to a compound in the northeast Pakistani town of Abbottabad, where al-Libi had once lived. The walls surrounding the property were as high as 18 feet and topped with barbed wire.

18 feet and topped with barbed wire. Intelligence officials had known about the house for years, but they always suspect- ed that bin Laden would be surrounded by heavily armed security guards. Nobody patrolled the compound in Abbottabad.

In fact, nobody came or went. And no telephone or Internet lines ran from the compound. The CIA soon believed that bin Laden was hiding in plain sight, in a hide- out especially built to go unnoticed. But since bin Laden never traveled and no- body could get onto the compound with- out passing through two security gates, there was no way to be sure.

Despite that uncertainty, intelligence officials realized this could represent the best chance ever to get to bin Laden. They decided not to share the information with anyone, including staunch counter terrorism allies such as Britain, Canada and Australia. By mid-February, the officials were convinced a “high-value target” was hiding in the compound. President Barack Obama wanted to take action.

“They were confident and their confidence was growing: ‘This is different. This intelligence case is different. What we see in this compound is different than anything we’ve ever seen before,'” John Brennan, the president’s top counter terrorism adviser, said on Monday. “I was confident that we had the basis to take action.”

Options were limited. The compound was in a residential neighborhood in a sovereign country. If Obama ordered an airstrike and bin Laden was not in the compound, it would be a huge diplomatic problem. Even if Obama was right, obliterating the compound might make it nearly impossible to confirm bin Laden’s death. Said Brennan, “The president had to evaluate the strength of that information, and then made what I believe was one of the most gutsiest calls of any president in recent memory.”

Obama tapped two dozen members of the Navy’s elite SEAL Team Six to carry out a raid with surgical accuracy.

Before dawn Monday morning, a pair of helicopters left Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. The choppers entered Pakistani airspace using sophisticated technology intended to evade that country’s radar systems, a U.S. official said.

Officially, it was a kill-or-capture mission, since the US doesn’t kill unarmed people trying to surrender. But it was clear from the beginning that whoever was behind those walls had no intention of surrendering, two US officials said.

The helicopters lowered into the com- pound, dropping the SEALs behind the walls. No shots were fired, but shortly after the team hit the ground, one of the helicopters came crashing down and rolled onto its side for reasons the government has yet to explain. None of the SEALs was injured, however, and the mission continued uninterrupted.

With the CIA and White House monitoring the situation in real time presumably by live satellite feed or video carried by the SEALs the team stormed the compound.Thanks to sophisticated satellite monitoring, US forces knew they’d likely find bin Laden’s family on the second and third floors of one of the buildings on the property, officials said. The SEALs secured the rest of the property first, then proceeded to the room where bin Laden was hiding. A firefight en- sued, Brennan said. The SEALs killed bin Laden with a bullet to the head. Using the call sign for his visual identification, one of the soldiers communicated that “Geronimo” had been killed in action, according to a US official.

Bin Laden’s body was immediately identifiable, but the US also conducted DNA testing that identified him with near 100 percent certainty, senior administration officials said. Photo analysis by the CIA, confirmation on site by a woman believed to be bin Laden’s wife, who was wounded, and matching physical features such as bin Laden’s height all helped confirm the identification. At the White House, there was no doubt.”I think the accomplishment that very brave personnel from the United States government were able to realize yesterday is a defining moment in the war against al- Qaida, the war on terrorism, by decapitating the head of the snake known as al- Qaida,” Brennan said.US forces searched the compound and flew away with documents, hard drives and DVDs that could provide valuable intelligence about al-Qaida, a US official said.

The entire operation took about 40 minutes, officials said.Bin Laden’s body was flown to the USS Carl Vinson in the North Arabian sea, a senior defense official said. There, aboard a US warship, officials conducted a traditional Islamic burial ritual. Bin Laden’s body was washed and placed in a white sheet. He was placed in a weighted bag that, after religious remarks by a military officer, was slipped into the sea about 2 am EDT on Monday.Said the president: “I think we can all agree this is a good day for America.”

– OE News Bureau