Across the Aisle: Do Good; Else, Do No Harm
A year after demonetisation, P Chidambaram in his column in The Indian Express questions how it failed to put an end to counterfeiting of currency, ending corruption and elimanting black currency - the basic reasons why it was even announced. Challenging a debate with the Finance Minister, he demands answers for hard-hitting questions like if it was ethically right to destroy 15,40,000 regular jobs during January-April 2017, force thousands of micro and small businesses to close down and provide an easy way for converting black money into white.
One year later we are told that out of the Rs 15,28,000 crore (by value, of demonetised currency notes) that was returned to the RBI, there was only Rs 41 crore, by value, of fake currency! That represented 0.0027 per cent of the value of the demonetised notes. Before you express shock at the paltry amount, read this too: ‘The counterfeit versions have improved from easily identifiable in the beginning to highest quality in recent times’, according to officials who track fake Indian currency notes (FICN). Between August and October 2017, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized high-quality FICN of face value of Rs 35 lakh in the two new denominations (Rs 2,000 and the new Rs 500) in three separate cases in Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. On November 8, FICN of Rs 4 lakh in Rs 2,000 notes was seized in Mumbai. A senior DRI official had said, “Currency seized just after demonetisation was of low-quality, visible to the naked eye, but the quality of the notes recently seized has improved and a common man now cannot immediately distinguish whether it is fake or genuine.”
The Virtue and Practice of Toleration
In this time and age, where people are beaten up or murdered by those who are intolerant to their caste or practices or beliefs, Rajeev Bhargava writes in The Hindu what the word’ tolerance’ really means. Sometimes it means refraining from interfering in someone else’s business in the fear of ensuing a large conflict or just be absolutely indifferent. In a society with diverse cultures, varying temperaments, and complex dispositions we might not all be equally tolerant but we could sure adopt an attitude to live and let live.
But would it be wise to push it as a universal ideal in all contexts and for all times? I don’t think so. Which form of toleration is best suited then for our time, when intolerance is part of religious or nationalist piety for many? Recall the distinction between toleration as practice and as an attitude. In complex, diverse societies, inhabited by people with varying temperaments, dispositions and upbringing, we might not share the same tolerant attitude but still manage to agree on common practices of toleration. Those consumed with passion, verging on the fanatical, may be persuaded to cultivate negative or modus vivendi toleration. Those with a more empathetic disposition may well cultivate the virtue of positive toleration, embrace an attitude of critical respect. And the many in between should easily be satisfied with an attitude of live and let live. To expect everyone to cultivate the virtue of toleration is unrealistic today. But is it not our good fortune that uniformity in tolerant attitudes is not necessary for a tolerant society?
Rahul's Tweets Have Tadka but 2019 Needs a Solid Main Course
Chetan Bhagat in his column in Times Of India analyses Rahul Gandhi’s new persona - one that seems to have a new zing in his tweets and statements about the government, particularly PM Modi. If you look closely, the reasons that are helping this enhancement of his image is because Modi is now more criticised as it is no longer the honeymoon phase, the questionable benefits of GST and demonetisation is getting a lot of listeners, public’s short lived memory to forgive Congress’ scam history and the need for a strong opposition for more accountability.
But, the question still remains: is this good enough for 2019? Frankly, the answer right now is no. The odds against him remain solid. Incumbent Modi is seen as a doer and perceived to be more in sync with the average Indian. Rahul is seen as a symbol of dynastic politics (even though he isn’t the only dynast politician). At present, many aren’t even sure if his newfound energy is here to stay. He has still to prove his credentials, whether in terms of leading his party to a big victory or in stellar governance. Rahul makes headlines today mainly because of his sharp attacks on Modi. This may help for a while, but eventually he will need more substance to say his own story. He will have to convince India about what he plans to do differently from Modi, and how it will be better for India. Spicy tweets are a good snack to begin with, but eventually people will want a more substantial main course.
The Smog in the Living Room
The last one week, Delhi has made it to headlines and newshour debates, thanks to the smog that has engulfed the city and is sure to worsen in the next few months. Sampath writes a satirical piece in The Hindu on the capital, which usually sits in the lap of luxury and comfort of facilities compared to the rest of the country, but finally has a problem that is unique to the city and is clouding everyone’s vision and lungs.
Despite all these hardships, I am not demanding that other States send humanitarian aid to Delhi. I’m guessing the rest of India is anyway too blinded by jealousy and anti-national schadenfreude to show us much sympathy. No problem, we’ll manage. Personally, I take a rather philosophical view of the smog. Perhaps it is nothing more than a metaphor made material — a meteorological manifestation of the intellectual, ethical and moral smog that is the hallmark of Kalyug, where fair is foul, and foul is air.
Self-Styled Censors, Leave Our Movie Fantasies Alone
Taking a dig at all those who’ve raised a flag against the movie Padmavati, Shobhaa De writes in her column Politically Incorrect in Times Of India, about how movies need to be treated as entertainment and not equated to documentaries. It is for the audience to take a call on whether a song sequence is offensive or whether Deepika Padukone’s acting matches the unprecedented beauty of Padmavati as told in the fables. How dare anybody take away the cinema goer’s right to judge the film for himself/herself?
The cultural games being played by politicians pretending to guard sensitivities of their flock have to be actively stonewalled and opposed. This is nothing but arrogance and an abuse of power. We refuse to accept the diktats of a self-appointed censor board that gives itself the power to clear or reject films, books, plays, music… anything for that matter. India is full of the most wonderful myths, legends and stories. The legend of Padmini/Padmavati has been celebrated for centuries in various forms. We know the ruler of Chittor, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh, Padmavati’s husband, did exist. The siege of Chittor is a well-documented fact. Everything else is up for debate. Legend has it that the beauteous Padmavati chose to die rather than surrender. Legend has it that 16,000 women of Chittor followed their queen into the mass pyre. Legend has it Padmavati and Khilji never met. Let’s stay with the legend. Equally, let’s stay sane and sober when it comes to pre-judging movies. Padmavati deserves to be seen. It’s not about the money riding on the movie at all. It is about a key principle and creative freedom. If we allow the screening of Padmavati to be negatively impacted in any way, we will be granting a licence to other disrupters to indulge in the same conduct with films that don’t meet with their arbitrary ‘approval’ in future. Kabhi nahi!
To Prevent NYC-Style Attacks, Agencies Need Structured Response
In his column in The New Indian Express, Yatish Yadav throws light on one of the most pressing issues the world is staring at: how to tackle terrorism and keep people in a safety net? What is of utmost need today is to strengthen the surveillance of internet whales who are fishing for vulnerable youth, censorship of jihadi videos, take precautions for potential fundamentalist penetration in Kashmir Valley, and basically deal with terrorism by engaging with the communities directly.
What can be done to prevent Barcelona, Nice, Berlin-style attacks? There was no definite answer except suggestions to erect various layers of security barricades at sensitive places. The security establishment was shocked again earlier this week following the IS-inspired jihadi struck in the heart of New York. Significantly, the lone wolf attack was carried out just days after the terrorist outfit lost control of so-called capital of caliphate in Raqqa. Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, the 29-year-old self-radicalised terrorist, who plowed the truck into a crowd, had never made a pilgrimage to Syria and Iraq. Neither was he trained in the battlefield of Afghanistan. The man, who used a pickup truck as the mowing machine, had migrated to the US in 2010 from Uzbekistan and suspected to had been indoctrinated in the virtual world by IS handlers. The New York incident is a grim reminder that terrorism cannot be tackled by regaining the territories.
Russian 'Help' to Trump Holds Important Poll Lessons for India
SA Iyer in his column Swaminomics in Times Of India talks of how the Russians tampering with the voter lists and voting machines to help raise Trump to power could be a scenario that we Indians too need to fear when it comes to elections. The new dangers posed by misuse of technology, possible hacking by China and Pakistan, social media manipulation by anonymous haters, rampant fake news and paid media are threats we need to tackle and it is necessary to adopt an attitude that is inclusive and devoid of hostility.
US outrage at Russian interference is in one sense laughably hypocritical. The US has long tried to topple foreign regimes it dislikes and supported those it likes, overtly and covertly. It helped topple Mossadegh in Iran, Lumumba in Congo and Allende in Chile, to name just a few. The USSR did the same, and quashed dissenting communist regimes in Hungary (1956), Prague (1968) and Afghanistan (1979). Many regional powers have played similar regional games.The whole point of foreign policy is to influence other countries, through not just overt but covert financial and military assistance, through spying, counterfeiting and propaganda. It is well known that Indira Gandhi got election money from the US, and the CPI from the USSR.What, then, is different about Russian intervention in Trump’s election? One is misuse of the social media, which have displaced newspapers and TV as the main source of information in the US. The second is the sinister possibility that Russia sabotaged the electoral process by hacking into voting machines and voter rolls.
Bow to the New Stand-Up God
We might all eye a hunk who opens the door for the lady, holds up the collar of the man who catcalled her and can sweep her off her feet in a second, but the man who gets her in splits is the charmer at the end of the day. Shinie Antony in her column in The New Indian Express talks of how every lord, guide, god-man, minister and mentor needs to add a ha-ha to his vocabulary and take his halo a little less seriously. Marvel Heroes like Thor are doing it and winning hearts, maybe it’s worthwhile to give it a try?
And the Valkyrie, Tessa Thompson with such smudged eyes, may take herself seriously, but she tumbles down in a drunken mess when we first meet her. Thor’s failings are divine. A hero who knows he cannot stop an impending haircut with lofty allusions to sacred relatives, who then pleads in a tiny voice, but is still sheared. Empty-handed, hammer blown to smithereens, father dead, siblings vile, but forging on with one-liners, that’s the mighty god of thunder for you. Or, as Jeff Goldblum calls him: ‘sparkly’. True to their Marvel Studios roots, the hero here is anti-heroism too, giving him ample scope for stand-up comedy. Pairing him with Mark Ruffalo’s Banner is a punch-line in itself. How magical to see the ex-Mr Hulk go all girlish on us; when asked to be part of a newly named gang called Revengers, he seems unsure in his own delicately slapstick way.
Is That a Tantrum, or a Cry for Help?
Sanchita Sharma talks in her column in Hindustan Times about deviant behaviour which usually comes with warning signs of passive aggression and flashes of anger, that needs to be addressed at the earliest. Mostly it’s the teenagers and young adults who fall prey to this vortex of collective brutality because they have a stronger need to seek validation and support from their peers, both in real and virtual life. And the biggest mistake parents do, is find excuses for the tantrums. All that they need is the assurance that someone is there to listen.
Punishment rarely works because it is perceived as a further injustice and can make the child secretive, hostile and resentful. Several studies show that children who are physically disciplined are more likely to resort to violence to deal with problems as they grow older. Early signs of trouble can include regular temper tantrums, fights, hurting animals, hitting others or the self, throwing things. Children who display such symptoms regularly, and in response to smaller and smaller irritants, may need professional counselling or prescription medication. Even in the absence of a clinical problem, children can learn to resolve conflict in incorrect ways, and much of the onus for this lies — however unfairly — on the parents.If you want your children to have a healthy equation with anger, you have to show them by example how feelings can be expressed in assertive, non-aggressive, ways. The old adage about counting till 10 before reacting is simple and effective, as is using conciliatory body language, like opening the arms wide.
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