Different views – Indian Government’s Questionable Ethics

Last week while Japan was battling with nuclear crises, in India numerous questions were raised on the Indian government’s involvement in corruption scandals. Indians are disheartened with the high scale involvement of politicians, businessperson and bureaucrats in corruption and fraud. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh now fortnightly gives a clarification of his non-involvement in the various frauds exposed by the media. Mr. Manmohan Singh’s clean image is tarnished and very few are willing to buy his version of truth.

The first issue raised this week in India was if a similar incident as Japan occurs in any of the existing and proposed nuclear plants is India capable of disaster management. In this week, there were a number of protests against government’s plan for a nuclear plant in Jaitapur in the Konkan region in Maharashtra. In the last two decades, the region experienced 92 earthquakes with three major ones. In light of these statistics, it is better for the government to explore solar energy options, which are very viable in India and discontinue nuclear power plans for energy. Professor Arindum Chaudary in his blog “Passionate About India” wrote an article titled- India Can’t Afford a Japan Type Disaster. He discusses the Indian nuclear plans and alternative options available for energy. It is a good time for Indian public to understand the issues and actively discuss their concerns with the government.

The second issue that grabbed headlines was the suicide of Sadiq Batcha. The CBI investigations of 2G Telecom Scam is closing in on A. Raja and the DMK party. Sadiq Batcha, a close associate of A. Raja was key witness to the probe as CBI suspected that bribe money was transferred through his business enterprises. Since CBI has started questioning DMK family members, questions are being raised whether it was a suicide or murder. Has DMK family executed its own internal justice to protect the family members? Rajdeep Sardesai is Editor-in-Chief, IBN 18 Network expressed his views on the workings of DMK and other regional parties on Suhel Seth’s Blog. “Madras tiffin March 10, 2011”authored by Mr. Sardesai lucidly explains the way political parties have become dysfunctional and cling to power at all costs. It also explains how they continue to remain in power with public support despite high-level corruption.

WikiLeaks expose led to new trouble for Congress party. It stated that UPA government in 2008 trust vote bought Members of Parliament by paying cash. UPA in some circles has been codenamed United Poachers Association. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh again had to make a statement in Parliament. He claims that there was no money exchanged in the 2008 and public should not give credence to unverifiable sources. His most preposterous statement was that since UPA government was re-elected by the public it proved  Congress members innocence. No one is ready to believe him as public suspects high-level fraud in Common Wealth Games, 2G Telecom spectrum sale, and ISRO-Antrix deals. As a Prime Minister, he cannot repeatedly claim ignorance as it depicts lack of governance and control on his path. Barka Dutt  of NDTV mentioned in her article “Sounds of Silence” in Hindustan Times the pitfalls in Congress strategy.

Click on the headings below to read the full posts. These definitely give some food for thought as to the where India is going.

1.      India Can’t Afford a Japan Type Disaster (via Passionate About India – Author Arindun Chaudary)

The recent heart paining earthquake and tsunami in Japan that has led to a nuclear disaster that is still unfolding in Japan as an aftermath, speaks volumes of how fragile nuclear plants are and how dangerous such leakages can be. Any case of nuclear meltdown would cause leakage of radiations which not only can lead to a high death toll and permanent physical and mental disorders but in the long run can make the vicinity uninhabitable for tens of decades. India, which is blindly following a dream of going the nuclear way, is largely ignoring the threats that these reactors bring with themselves! The Three Mile and Chernobyl disasters during the eighties are testimonies to catastrophes that can be caused by such plants. And it is not that this is something new for India – in August 2010, the Journal of Contemporary Asia reported that between 1993 and 1995, more than 120 hazardous nuclear accidents took place in India. And then, there are protests which are already being organized in Jaitapur in Maharashtra after adverse effect of nuclear plants were seen on the ecology. Even if one ignores the Jaitapur protests, what comes as a surprise is how our government seems to have forgotten the biggest disaster of all time in Indian history. People have not even come out of the Bhopal Gas tragedy and mind you, there was nothing nuclear in that disaster!

The whole nuclear saga began in the October of 2008, when we signed the controversial and much criticized 1-2-3 deal with the US. This deal opened a $250 billion nuclear reactor market for India and today we are finding companies (mostly American and European) waiting for their contracts. This brings me to the biggest contract we signed with Areva that furthered our dream of becoming nuclear powered nation by adding a 9,000-MW plant at Jaitapur in the Konkan region in Maharashtra. As it is said that the devil is in the details, interestingly the Konkan coast is located in the seismic belt of the nation and is categorized under the high damage risk zone. For the record, in the last two decades, this zone has experienced a whopping number of 92 earthquakes, of which three were major, with the highest being measured at 6.3 on the Richter scale in 1993. And on the top of this, we are using a very controversial and unapproved nuclear reactor for this plant. As of now, we’ve more than 20 nuclear reactors dotted along the coastal areas of the nation that may be either exposed to quakes or tsunamis

2.    Madras tiffin March 10, 2011(Via Suhel Seth’s Blog – Author Rajdeep Sardesai)

M Karunanidhi, the octogenarian patriarch of the DMK family, has been cast in the role of an ageing political godfather, someone who is attempting to ensure a successful transition to his next generation by parceling the spoils of power among them. The children too are seen to be dividing the Dravida empire among themselves. Son and heir MK Stalin controls Chennai; the other son, MK Azhagiri, is responsible for southern Tamil Nadu while English-speaking daughter Kanimozhi was seen as the party’s youthful face in Delhi till the 2G scam hurt her credibility. Not to forget the urbane Dayanidhi Maran, who had established a reputation for being a savvy Union minister.

Yet, today, in the autumn of a long and distinguished career in public life, Karunanidhi is being reduced to a political caricature, a leader who is seen to have put family before ideology. By insisting on prized portfolios for DMK ministers, by issuing periodic threats to withdraw support to the Centre, by anointing his children in key posts, Karunanidhi has devalued the rich traditions of reformist zeal which once imbued his politics. Instead, he has allowed himself to become, like so many of his ilk, a dynastical politician who allows loyalty to his family to overwhelm all else.

It is indeed hard to believe that the benefits of the 2G scam were being monopolised by A Raja and friends without the knowledge of the Tamil Nadu chief minister or that the money was not being transferred from Delhi to Chennai. Certainly, the manner in which Karunanidhi virtually held the UPA government to ransom in May 2009 while insisting that the telecom portfolio stay with the DMK is reason enough to believe that behind the muscle-flexing lay the desire to be part of  the 2G loot. In parties like the DMK, an A Raja is only the trusted family retainer, the rules of the game are set by the head of the family. Karunanidhi, whatever his compulsions, cannot escape responsibility for the actions of Raja.

3.  Sounds of silence (via Hindustan Times – Author Barkha Dutt)

When I watch the ‘shellacking’ the UPA government is getting on an almost daily basis both inside and outside Parliament, it’s befuddling that the top leadership in both the party and the government still seems to think that ‘communication’ is some new-age, airy-fairy concept that has no actual impact on the political process.

If anything, more than the constant crises it’s the UPA’s often delayed public response to them that regularly turns opportunity into defeat. A political style that remains entrenched in formality, opaqueness and large periods of silence surely cannot be the remedy for the government’s present afflictions.

Take the recent uproar over a WikiLeaks cable that chronicles the conversation between an American diplomat and a political fixer described as an ‘aide’ to Congress politician Satish Sharma.

The cable quotes a conversation that indicates that the Congress was readying to pay bribes in exchange for support during a trust-vote in 2008. In itself this cable, like so many others on the site, is a reported conversation between two people and not concrete evidence per se. It does raise some serious questions but its facts have also been challenged by the key players mentioned in it.

Ajit Singh, whose MPs are charged with having been offered the Rs 10 crore each, for instance, points out that they didn’t even vote on the side of the government. The cable refers to exactly this chicanery, argues the Opposition. But because public memory is still jogged by the shocking images of thick bundles of cash waved about on the floor of the House in 2008, the cable has resurrected an old, unresolved controversy. Add to that, the sense of a government that is heaving under the weight of daily scams and this WikiLeaks story swiftly acquired a traction it may not have got at another time.

To summarize in my view India needs to clean up its act if it wishes to be a global leader in this century. The corrupt and fraudulent practices followed are not only resulting in Indian public losing faith, but also impacting international brand image. For the sake of the country the politicians and business persons should stop lining their pockets with ill-gotten money. A cleaner and moral image would benefit the country. Maybe a lesson for India to learn from Japan.

 

Happy Holi

 

Wishing all my readers

A Happy Holi.

Hope your life is filled with colours this spring.

  

Warm Regards,

Sonia

  

Image Courtesy: 24indnews.blogspot.com  

 

Let Us Help The Japanese

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant seems to be at the brink of a catastrophe with the increasing probability of meltdown of the fuel in reactors and exposure of spent fuel rods in the rooftop pools. The estimated radiation risk is increasing and would have severe impact on health and safety of the Japanese people. The Japanese are still reeling under the loss caused by the earthquake and tsunami; this third hit may break their resilient spirit. They are in dire need of help from the world. I think world citizens we need to step up our efforts to give them our support and assistance.

It is heartbreaking to see children being checked for radiation. The little ones don’t even know what it is all about. I send a little prayer to God to keep them safe every time I see a photograph. I don’t know whether God is listening but it is worth a try. The Japanese survival strength and capability to recover is well known. The previous generation of Japanese suffered radiation impact because of World War II attacks and it seems that the present generation is deemed towards the same fate. Let us pray for the health and safety of the Japanese people.

The Japanese have a culture of deep respect and duty. It is society over the individual. The strength of their culture and character is depicted in this crisis. Whereas when other disasters (e.g. Haiti) have occurred, we hear stories of violence, theft, looting etc. In Japan, their discipline is showing, no person is taking advantage of another’s misfortune or vulnerability. They are going without essentials like food and water, and stoically facing adversity. Let us donate whatever we can to the charitable organizations to support them. Here is a link if you wish to donate funds

Japanese child getting radiation exposure check

The sacrifice of the emergency staff at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is heroic. I think all military and security staff somewhere know that sometime in their career they will have to put their life at stake for the wellbeing and safety of the society. To think theoretically and imagining it is different. To actually face the time when one knows that fulfilling the call of duty may result in lifetime health problems or death is victory of human spirit. Let us world over ensure that the emergency workers and all the families are financially supported and provided the best possible health care. The world should honor and respect their sacrifice and courage.

I heard the news today that countries are calling back their citizens and companies are providing safe passage to their expat employees. My question is what about the Japanese staff, who is looking after them? Globally the corporate sector and public has benefited from Japanese technology and collaborations. There will be hardly a household that does not have Japanese gadgets. Their products made our life easier. Is it not the social responsibility of the world to ensure that in their hour of need the Japanese are protected? Can the organizations not provide the Japanese a safe passage or holiday for a month in their home countries, till things stabilize in Japan. Is it not possible for Indian employees (and other countries employees) to host Japanese colleagues’ families for a few weeks? It may impact the bottom line a bit, but let us be more caring for the Japanese who are suffering.

The other aspect of Japanese collaborations and partnerships is that companies who have joint ventures or export agreements may not get the products on time. In the next month, the stock deliveries maybe haphazard or negligible. The manufacturing companies may suffer losses if they do not have secondary suppliers. Let us support the Japanese organizations by not raising the penalty clauses attached in the contractual agreements for non-delivery. With the financial losses the Japanese are facing let us not levy more charges on them. They really are not in a shape to bear them.

Lastly, with the colossal damage of infrastructure due to the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese government and organizations will be looking for funds. Generally, Japan has been lending funds to other countries. Let us ask our governments to take the initiative to return those funds and give additional funds at low cost to Japan. The global markets need to ensure that Japanese financial markets and exports are sustained to give them a chance to re-construct.

I have always been impressed by Japanese “can do” attitude. I think even after so much damage, they will be able to stand up and rebuild their nation quickly. All they need from a world is a bit of support and leeway. We need to show some of the moral courage and character they have shown to the world. Let us pray that the emergency workers are successful in minimizing the damage to the reactors and give the Japanese people all our love and support.

An Indian Perspective on Affirmative Action

India continues to face challenges relating to caste, religion and gender inequalities. The question is how society creates a more level playing field where there is equal opportunity for all. Indian government has introduced various reservation bills to improve the status of backward classes and women. According to the XI Planning Commission Mid-Evaluation report on Social Justice the government strategy is targeted towards “providing social empowerment, economic empowerment and social justice to ensure removal of disparities and elimination of exploitation”.

The issue discussed in this post is that in light of huge disparities is affirmative action by government the right approach. Would you consider it socially ethical? To put forth my views I am first providing some background information on income disparities and gender inequality problems in India. In the end, I have added Michael Sandel’s lecture video on “Affirmative Action”. It is an hour-long lecture and discusses the ethical dilemmas relating to affirmative action.  

 Indian Social Structure

Amongst Hindus, the Brahmins were according to Hindu philosophy superior to the other three castes. The Harijans/Dalits now called scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes were considered untouchables belonging to the lower caste order. This caste differentiation was abolished after independence, however differences in education and financial status continue. Same problems prevail in Muslim community. Not only are Muslims earning lesser, they have lower education levels, and culturally higher restrictions on women. According to 2001 Census scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities consist 42% of the total Indian population.

The income disparities continue to be huge. As per Planning Commission assessment 27% Indian population is below poverty line and in the top 10-world billionaire Forbes list of 2011 there are two Indians, Lakshmi Mittal and Muskesh Ambani. Successive governments have partially succeeded in running various programs for backward classes by reserving seats in educational institutes and government offices. The irony is that lower caste Hindus who adopted Islam or Christianity to get rid of the cursed caste tag, now wish to be classified as Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians to leverage the advantages of reservations. 

Status of Women

India was one of the few countries that in its constitution provided equal rights to women. According to Hindu religion women are avatars of goddesses. In Hindu religion, the three main representatives of God are Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Respectively their roles are of creator, manager and destroyer of the world. The devis (goddesses) are Durga, Saraswati and Laksmi. The goddesses bestow power, knowledge and wealth to their followers. Delving in the Hindu philosophy shows that women are considered equal.

In the present scenario, one would assume that Indian women would be in a better position. A few women hold politically powerful positions. Ms. Pratibha Patil is President of India, Ms. Sonia Gandhi is leader of the ruling party Congress, Ms Sushma Swaraj is leader of opposition party BJP and Ms. Meira Kumar is Speaker of the House.  Four key positions held by women, and the Women Reservation Bill is awaiting approval in Lok Sabha for quite some time.

However, we cannot say no progress has been in made. In the last decade a few laws, namely Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence and Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, have been passed. Still the road ahead is extremely difficult. India has a high rate of female infanticide, dowry deaths, sexual harassment and violence against women.  Therefore, Indian women continue to struggle for equality and fight a multitude of gender biases . To offer support and eliminate such extreme disparities in the Eleventh Plan Ministry of Women and Child Development has Rs 56,765 crores (USD 12,549 million) allocated for women welfare.

India corporate sector is doing no better in promoting diversity. The Economic Times article  “Tough climb for women up India Inc ladder” on Women’s Day stated – “A population of 500 million women, but only 258 of them hold some of the top jobs in the country. That’s how skewed India Inc’s ‘diversity ratio’ is….. There are only 16 women on the board of directors of the 30 Sensex companies, or 4.8% of the 335 people who hold directorship positions”

 The Privileged Class View

Most people would proclaim that effective measures should be implemented for uplifting the underprivileged. However, there is a wide gap between words and actions. The good intentions are not followed through as the social cost has to be borne by the privileged class. The socially affluent have benefitted from the legacy privilege and the belonging to the right network.  The privileged classes do not wish to consider that minorities and women need the extra support since they don’t have the right connections. Reservations for backward classes and women have men complaining that they are being forced to sacrifice their individual rights for society’s betterment. The wrongs were done for centuries, so why does the present generation need to pay the price for it.

 There are a number of arguments for and against affirmative action. Watch the video of Michael Sandel’s debate in class about the subject and decide what the right thing to do is? The same problems persist at global level relating to socially weaker communities.

References:

1. Tough climb for women up India Inc ladder
2. Planning Commission Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007- 2012 – Social Justice
3.  Planning Commission Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007- 2012 – Women’s Agency & Child Rights