india debates april press

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T H E O P E N F O R U M F O R D I A L O G U E

RAJASTHAN: IS IT TURNAROUND TIME FOR BJP? P-16

PRAN: THE UNFORGETTABLE P-30

INDIA’S PRESIDENT: A SCHOLAR’S DELIGHT P-4

a cross section publication Volume 1 | Issue 5 | 16-30 April, 2013 | Rs. 20

OUR TAKE

insid

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POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

SHOULD MAMATA THANK THE CPM?

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY

FTAs: NEED TO REVISIT STRATEGY?

LIFE AROUND US IPL: THE STORY SO FAR, SO GOOD, THE

SHOW GOES ON

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POLITICS & GOVERNANCE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

WITH SRI LANKAN HIGH COMMISSIONER

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PAPPU & FEKU – WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE? P-12

THE MANMOHAN AND MERKEL PARTNERSHIP

india DEBATESTHE OPEN FORUM FOR D IALO GUE

editor: NAVIN S BERRY [email protected]

contributing editor

RITWIK SINHA [email protected]

business

SAURABH SHUKLA [email protected]

INDIA DEBATES is printed, published and owned by Navin S Berry and printed at Anupam Art Printers. B-52, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi - 110 028.It is published from IIIrd Floor, Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi – 110 002. Editor: Navin S Berry Tel: 011-43784444, 41001622.Fax: 011-41001627Total pages 40

How long will this government last? The debate continues and while some interested parties in the opposition say the next elections may be held within the year, the government maintains it will last its full term, which means till May, next year. It is a game of wits, perhaps, or the survival of the fittest, or the strongest --- or, just a situation full of opportunities, not

just for the survival of individuals and political parties, but also for making tangible gains for some of the affected states. The primary and generally expected presumption is that SP and BSP will pull the carpet at some opportune moment. But what will decide that moment?

Will it be when they see a new opportunity for a new alignment, for bigger gain? As the two are presently aligned with the UPA, this new alternative could either be the Third Front, or the NDA. The Third Front is believed by many to be a mirage, as it means reconciling too many prime ministerial candidates. Joining the NDA is not going to give them some extra mileage over what they are getting from the present dispensation. Alternatively, they could stay with the UPA as long as they see an advantage in staying on. Presently they do, for whatever reason – it is safe to presume they enjoy some advantage, whatever that may be.

Pulling the carpet would make sense only when it means succeeding in pulling down the government – they do not see that happening right now. As yet, there are alternatives alignments with other parties, with similar numbers of seats/votes making up for lost numbers by offering support for the usual reasons – like keeping out the communal elements, and other similar sentiments. It is also safe to assume that between the BSP and the SP, one party would not pull the rug and leave the other to enjoy the spoils at the centre. Another assessment of the scenario is that whatever it be, no party will withdraw while there is still time to reap/encash gift vouchers at the centre. And there will be new parties ready to support, and to fill in the blanks till such time that there is time and opportunity to encash support.

And this cannot be dismissed merely as rank opportunism – if such actions or support bring much needed financial muscle to the states, and therefore its people, then it is in the best interests of the ruling parties concerned – namely in this case, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Bihar!

That time, ideally, is wide open till the next Budget, and the next financial year, that is April 2014 onwards. There is plenty of time for the centre to provide special grants till then, grants that can transform the economies of cash-strapped states for many years to come.

To this extent, states like Bihar and West Bengal can be counted upon for their support. And between these two, there is adequate support to make up for either of the two parties in Uttar Pradesh, or even both of them! The same does not hold good for Tamil Nadu, as the party in power is not one supporting the UPA, but then there could be considerations for them too, to ponder over! That makes for a stable government, for sure, till next May.

BEYOND THE HYPE! THE GOVERNMENT APPEARS STABLE TO LAST ITS FULL TERM

NAVIN S BERRY Editor

The BIG Picture

Seeking atonement for a misplaced remark – Ajit Pawar has set off a new debate on sensitivity needed in public life. Ironically, the incident has snowballed into an issue within the party.

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india debates | 16-30 April 2013

OUR TAKE

“”QUOTES WORTH A DEBATEDR. MANMOHAN SINGH

speech at NDTV Indians of the Year Award function

We sometimes see sensationalism driven by personal and political

prejudices. There is trivialization of the serious issues resulting sometime

in misinformation. Reports about ‘paid news’ during the election times should be

a major cause of concern to the media.,,

The world has given too many frivolous patents and India

should veer away from that. But we should not get carried away

and create and atmosphere hostile to innovation.

KIRAN MAZUMDAR SHAWChairperson, Biocon,,

It’s a blessing for our party that there are so many

talented leaders with us, but no doubt L K Advani is the tallest leader. Everybody

knows this.

SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHANMadhya Pradesh CM ,,

This country is too huge and diverse to be

whipped into submission. Sometimes you have to wear a cap, sometimes

you have to sport a tilak.

NITISH KUMARBihar CM ,,

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16-30 April 2013 | india debates

With the President of Bangladesh, Md. Zillur Rahaman during his ceremonial arrival at Hazarat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Bangladesh last month.

Welcoming the French President Francois Hollande; Hollande’s wife Valerie Trierweiler, looks on during the ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in February.

PM of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley with the President during his state visit to India.

In Mauritius – seen here meeting with HE Hon. Rajkeswur Purryag, President of Republic of Mauritius at Port Louis.

A CONNECTING PRESIDENT

During the IAF Fire Power demonstration Exercise ‘Iron Fist 2013’ at Pokharan, Rajasthan.

Meeting with the members of Indian Women’s Press Corps on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

At the inaugural exhibition match of the annual President’s Polo Cup.

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Welcoming the French President Francois Hollande; Hollande’s wife Valerie Trierweiler, looks on during the ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in February.

PM of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley with the President during his state visit to India.

India’s 13the President Pranab Mukherjee has been one of India’s most successful politicians for a long time, and has always been held in

the highest esteem by all, both within his party and also outside --- a rare honour for a person in times like today. It was therefore no surprise that once freed from the restraints of party and day-to-day politics, his conversion from a seasoned politician comfortable with realpolitik, into a far sighted statesman has been very swift, comprehensive and exemplary.

In just nine months at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the 77 year old President has used his grasp of a wide range of subjects to extend India’s reach onto the global stage, as well as to offer some profound and meaningful advice to fellow citizens. When he travels abroad, as head of state, he already carries weight and his statements reflect a patriot who projects the importance of his country and his motherland in no uncertain terms. While his speeches are perhaps not going to influence policy, his views and presence are certainly no displays of tokenism. Yes, Pranab Mukherjee has made his mark as a man of thought.

Protocol forbids him from any direct interaction with the media but his speeches (uploaded and updated on the Rashtrapati Bhawan website), clearly indicate that India’s First Citizen is a scholar’s delight, to say the least, now that he has been elevated from a partisan role in Parliament to be the

presiding occupant of Rashtrapati Bhawan. His has been a near perfect performance so far, justifying the trust reposed in him even by the political outfits opposed to the party which fielded him.

Here are some extracts from a variety of his interactions with the world at large

On a state visit to Mauritius“The Bilateral Line of Credit between the two sides must be used as a vehicle to upgrade our economic and commercial exchanges, ” he said, stressing co-operation in exploration of marine resources, renewable energy, environt friendly technologies besides health, higher education, information technology, science, tourism, textiles, agro-processing, culture and legal co-operation. In few words, well received by the island, the President of India had effectively highlighted the harmony between the two countries.

At the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas’ in Kerala“India is the third largest economy in the world on the basis of ‘purchasing power parity’. It’s the second fastest growing economy after China. It has earlier managed to grow at 8 per cent…a revival of the high investment rate in the country is a must for the economy to regain its growth levels. The Indian diaspora could help in the process…The capital market for Qualified Foreign Investors is open.”

INDIA’S PRESIDENT: A SCHOLAR’S DELIGHT Away from the constraints of party politics and rigors of cabinet responsibilities, President Pranab Mukherjee’s transformation into a statesman has been quick and swift. BY AROON SHARMA

NEW AVATAR


At the inaugural exhibition match of the annual President’s Polo Cup.

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Being conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa by the Chancellor of University of Dhaka, President of Bangladesh, Md. Zillur Rahaman during the 47th Convocation of Dhaka University.

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At a recent seminar on Indology at Kurukshetra “‘Dharma’ and ‘Artha’ are important goals for leading a meaningful life. ‘Dharma’ is both a law and duty in itself… ‘Artha’ is a basic necessity of life.” Quoting Dr S. Radhakrishnan, he said: “Spiritual life finds full scope only in communities of a certain degree of freedom from sordidness. Lives that are strained and starved cannot be religious except in a rudimentary way.” And added, “The pursuit of wealth should not blind the seeker to the path of righteousness.”

At the inauguration of ‘India Water Week’ “Our endowment of water resources i s disproportionately less than our population. India is home to 17 per cent of the world’s population but possesses only four per cent of its renewable water resources… the per capita availability of water has reduced significantly from 1,816 cubic metres in 2001 to 1,545 cubic metres in 2011. Conservation, balanced distribution and reclamation of used water are essential cogs in the wheel of water management to mitigate regional imbalances…The equitable allocation of water could be made possible by inter-basin water transfer.”

On the solo circumnavigation trip by Lt. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy at Mumbai “A nation’s social and economic well-being is intricately linked to the seas, not only for trade, but also in how it faces any threats to its security that develop across the seas. Sponsorship of terrorism through non-state actors, and across the seas, is a matter of deep concern to the entire nation …It is indeed a matter of great pride that the Indian Navy has been building bridges of… goodwill across the oceans with its professional excellence.”

At the 125th anniversary of ‘Malayala Manorama’ at Kerala “The media has an important role to play in cleansing public life. …However, the media itself should be above board….ends and means are both important…the highest standards of ethics must be maintained…Sensationalism should never become a substitute for objective assessment and truthful reporting. Gossip and speculation should not replace hard facts…political or commercial interests should not be passed off as legitimate and independent opinion….media is accountable to its readers

and viewers…and through them to the entire nation.”

On Women’s International Day “Women comprise 48.5 % of our total population and although the overall sex ratio has increased by 7 points during the decade 2001 to 2011, the declining child sex ratio for children of 0-6 years of age is disturbing….female literacy is also 16.7 per cent below male literacy…female hourly wage rates in agriculture also vary from 50 to 75 per cent of the male wage rates. More disturbing is the increase in the incidence of violence against women…The Founding Fathers of our Constitution had been unambiguous in their commitment to the equality of women.”

On being conferred the ‘Liberation War Honour’ at Dhaka “A number of proud Indian citizens have been honoured and accorded (Bangladesh’s) hospitality in the last year and it is a tribute to our close friendship. It is with pride that Bangladesh engages in the task of building a modern, progressive and prosperous nation. As in 1971, so in 2013, the people of India stand beside the people of Bangladesh. We will walk with you as equal partners, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm. We are both inheritors of an undivided civilizational legacy….people share a special connection.”

On Bhutan completing five years of a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy“Bhutan has harmoniously embraced and adopted democracy and, in a short time, taken long strides towards progress and prosperity…Bhutan’s GDP has grown at over 8% annually; unemployment reduced to only 2%... it achieved close to universal primary school enrolment, access to healthcare, safe drinking water, electricity and other such facilities for its people. Telecommunication services have reached all corners…a network of motor able roads has been created.”

Hopefully in the months to come, President Pranab Mukherjee can be expected to carry the country’s success story to far off shores, extending a hand of friendship and goodwill. Back home, he has been impeccable in office so far. The controversies which had erupted when he was contesting for President have all been confined to the dustbins of history. India deserves him. And there are no two opinions on that.


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Rahul Gandhi is out to eliminate divergent opinions and, at times, odious comparisons of Opposition leaders drawn up by his party men

in an election year: For each word uttered by the party in power, pitching for a third successive term counts; weighs in the popular psyche; is open to interpretation or the most unexpected of misinterpretation by the lead campaigners of the Opposition; is often subject to rebuttal on the rebound, and is a most hungered-for fodder by the media hounds on the prowl.

To undo the anomaly, the recently anointed 43 year old Vice President of the Indian National Congress has set up a compact task force of seven: four in their 60s, two in late 40s and one in his mid-30s, all in whom the Congress DNA stands out. This envied ‘mix of seven’ is the first major pick from the pack by Rahul Gandhi, party’s prime choice for 7, Race Course Road, should the UPA breast the tape in 2014.

Behind every chosen one is a well thought of purpose and a pipeline, keeping in the loop the two leaders who matter the most: Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh. Ahmed Patel, 63, makes the grade by virtue of being the political secretary for over a decade now to the Chairman of the Indian National Congress, Mrs Gandhi. A low key Congressman, he has the ears of the country’s Family Number 1.

An automatic choice by his being active and articulate at the All India Congress Committee headquarters at 24, Akbar Road since the mid-80s, is the Chairman of the party’s media department, Janardan Dwivedi, 67. Well versed in Hindi, the language most in use in campaigning, he is known to lend inputs to the electioneering by the Gandhis. His is the last word in the press handouts and briefings.

Then, Rahul has handpicked Digvijay

TEAM BUILDING

RAHUL’S ALL WEATHER RESPONSE TEAM: 7 FIRE

FIGHTERS INDUCTED


As Rahul Gandhi prepares to face the toughest challenge of his life, he has subtly put together a team of trusted

lieutenants – a combo of experience and youth – to ensure nothing is left to chance. BY AROON SHARMA

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Singh , 66, who after a vowed 10 year exile from an electoral contest is a weighty General Secretary at the AICC, is the most outspoken on television channels, is well versed on when to put across a point of view; when to withhold comments, and has been the scion’s Man Friday on ‘Mission Regain the Lost Hindi Belt’. He alone can breach BJP bastions. Rahul is aware.

The select l ist has the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s office, V. Narayanasamy , 66, a valuable link, Rahul has plumped for. Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh by now enjoy a two-UPA-term rapport, and thus the MoS would come in handy as the campaigning nears with the inherent need to fine tune the to and fro inputs and outputs between 7, Race Course Road and restricted-entry10, Jan Path.

What weighed in favour of Manish Tewari, 48, was his background of having led both the frontal organisations – the NSUI and the IYC. Rahul Gandhi’s stress has always been on building up a youth cadre. Having graduated onwards

as the party spokesman, onto the Union Ministry f o r I n f o r m a t i o n & Broadcasting, Manish can handle the diverse media in English and Hindi with equal ease. That’s a plus, Rahul knows.

Sandeep Dikshit, 49, has been picked up as well. A spokesman, at present, he has been entrusted with building up a panel of colleagues who can be fielded on the electronics media as well as from the headquarters. His additional charge would be ‘research’ which has a wide connotation encompassing w id e r co - o r d in a t i on encompassing what all sells in campaigning; what through the manifesto in the run up to power.

The youngest in the Quick Response Team is Deepender Hooda, 35. The computer savvy fast emerging face will now on be charge of the social media – mainly the Face book and the Twitter. He has to measure up to the onslaught of the Bharatiya Janata Party, in particular which already honed its network of social media in a big away. India Against Corruption’s social media penetration is another success story.

Safe it would to assume tha t Rahu l Gandh i ’ s election mode would need a broader screen which can display the right and decimate the wrong at the press of a button of a wired up keyboard to be directly accessed by him, wherever he is. The Quick Response Team, for sure, is only the first on the canvass of a battle ready Congress.

THE RECENTLY ANOINTED 43 YEAR OLD VICE PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS HAS SET UP A COMPACT TASK FORCE OF SEVEN: FOUR IN THEIR 60S, TWO IN LATE 40S AND ONE IN HIS MID-30S, ALL IN WHOM THE CONGRESS DNA STANDS OUT. THIS ENVIED ‘MIX OF SEVEN’ IS THE FIRST MAJOR PICK FROM THE PACK BY RAHUL GANDHI, PARTY’S PRIME CHOICE FOR 7, RACE COURSE ROAD, SHOULD THE UPA BREAST THE TAPE IN 2014.

Ahmed Patel

Digvijay Singh

Manish Tewari Sandeep Dikshit

V. Narayanasamy

Sandeep Dikshit

Janardan DwivediJanardan Dwivedi

Deepender HoodaDeepender Hooda

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In a year from now or before 2013 signs off? The debate on next parliamentary election schedule continues to grow in intensity with the prospective

leading actors indulging in their own calculations.

EARLY, OR ON TIME ?GUESSING GAME GOES ON

GENERAL ELECTIONS

DR MAN MOHAN SINGHPRIME MINISTER

Obviously coalitions face issues. Sometimes, they give the impression that these arrangements are not very stable. But I am

confident our government will complete five years.,,

PRATAP SINGH BAJWAPUNJAB PCC CHIEF

(To party workers ): Start preparations for the municipal

polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections…the

common man is suffering under SAD-BJP rule.,,

NAVEEN PATNAIKORISSA CM

(On the formation of a Third Front): We’ll have to wait and

watch and see how these matters progress. (On the

possibility of early elections): Let’s see.,,

P.CHIDAMBARAMUNION FINANCE MINISTER

(On setting the tone for the general elections scheduled

for 2014): That economic growth is the winning mantra and that calculated risks need to be taken to revive growth.,,

DIGVIJAY SINGHCONGRESS LEADER

We will go to the elections (2014) under the leadership

of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. We are

not projecting any candidate as Prime Minister.,,

RAJNATH SINGHBJP PRESIDENT

(Asking party men to be prepared for the polls): Lok Sabha elections can take

place in November; I believe the polls can take place even

in November.,,


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MULAYUM SINGH YADAVSP CHIEF

(To partymen): Prepare for elections, they could be held as early as in November this year. I see a non-Congress,

non-BJP Third Front coalition forming the next government at the Centre. Congress is a

party of ‘cheats and is ‘clever.,,

L.K. ADVANIBJP LEADER

It is possible that Lok Sabha polls can happen in 2013…it is possible that they could be held with state elections later

this year.,,

MAMATA BANNERJEEWEST BENGAL CM

The next general elections will be held in the next two to three months, instead of

2014 as scheduled. ,,

MAYAWATIBSP SUPREMO

I foresee early general elections but my party will not do anything to bring

down the government. We do not want it to be said that

they could have achieved much but for the BSP.,,

PRAKASH KARATCPI(M) LEADER

I expect non-Congress, non-BJP parties to do well in

elections. There is a possibility of a non-Congress secular government at the Centre.,,

KAMAL NATHCONGRESS LEADER

The Congress-led UPA government will complete

its full term and the general elections will be held as per schedule in 2014. It does not look like an early elections at all. There is no question of

early elections.,,

SHARAD PAWARNCP CHIEF

There is no possibility of a Third Front as talked about by Samajwadi Party chief

Mulayam Singh.,,

AKHILESH YADAVCM, UTTAR PRADESH

We won the assembly polls last year with a thunderous

majority. So there is no reason to bother about early

Lok Sabha polls.,,

As JD(U) queers the pitch, Nitish Kumar has given the BJP time till December to declare its PM candidate – an oblique but direct indication that they do not expect elections till next year.


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T???????

Th e a p p e a r a n c e o f Rahul Gandhi at CII’s annual meet followed by that of Gujarat

CM Narendra Modi at a FICCI conference organised by its ladies wing have clearly been the most talked about developments of the last fortnight. And given the fact that the two are seemingly slated to be the leading men, as of now, for the grand finale to Elections 2014, the importance of presenting India Inc. with their ideas and visions was significant. While this was Rahul Gandhi’s first direct appeal to the captains of industry, Modi is already a much friendlier and familiar face for business people, the only difference being that he was interacting with them for the first time after being inducted to the BJP Parliamentary Board where he now seems firmly saddled.

But even as large sections of industry, the media and political observers and experts engaged themselves in reading between the lines of what was said, it was the noisy, vocal herd of online trolls who seem to have really up-staged the discussion by likening Rahul Gandhi to Pappu (meaning immature, inexperienced, naive) and Narendra Modi to Feku (a boaster and a braggart). A classic Rahul vs Modi battle has begun to unfold online, finding new ex-pression under the Pappu vs Feku catch line on innumerable blogs

and twitter accounts. In fact, a theory doing the rounds is that the exchanges were deftly fuelled by media managers of both par-ties to mount attacks on each other. This is probably the first full-fledged war of words via so-cial media of this election with wired volleys exchanged almost instantaneously – a trend which is likely to become stronger as D-Day draws nearer.

But the din created by the twit-terati apart, one thought expressed by many is: why attach so much importance to Rahul and Modi’s interaction with the two lead-ing industry chambers? Industry platforms after all are meant for everyone to make the right noises and where a give and take for-mula usually comes into the play. Secondly, on what grounds one can be sure that a probable future prime minister was speaking at either meet? The name Pappu, in fact emanates to some extent from a perception of Rahul being a re-cluse who does not want to take any responsibility. Similarly, given the pulls and pressures within the NDA (Nitish Kumar is increas-ingly toughening his stand on the issue of declaring the prime minis-terial candidate), it is certainly not definite that Narendra Modi is to be Prime Minister so it makes little sense to talk about what economic or other agenda he will adopt if and when he is positioned at 7 Race Course Road.

PAPPU & FEKU – WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE?IN INDUSTRY’S COURT

Trolls playful intervention notwithstanding, Rahul and Modi’s recent utterances before industry elites interestingly have some common ground. BY RITWIK SINHA

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However, while the verdict on who gets ultimate validation to lead the opposing parties (it could be beyond these two as well) is something which will have to wait for the time being, a sensible read-ing and analysis of the gestures and postures of Rahul and Modi at the elite industry meets should not be dismissed as unimportant. Beginning 2008, Indian industry has been on a bumpy ride which is refusing to smoothen out. The decade’s lowest GDP growth rate at the end of 2012-13 is reflected in the severe drop in sales in once booming sectors like automobiles. Inflation continues to remain un-settling, the interest rate is still unattractive, there have been re-verses on the exports front and the current account deficit has gone up at an alarming pace – all these facts put together pose a serious threat to the hope that India will become an increasingly stronger economic force in the world. It is in this context that the invitations doled out to Rahul and Modi by the two chambers need to be ana-lysed. Like everybody else, Indian industry too has probably con-cluded that these two are the most important political personalities in terms of the near possibilities and therefore it is important to under-stand their minds.

So have Pappu and Feku man-aged to assure India Inc. that they are in safe and capable hands? There are mixed feelings. Though Rahul Gandhi surprised many with his eloquence and adhered to the larger issue of inclusive growth while maintaining that ‘no single man can fix the problems

of over a billion,’ the audience was keener to understand just how and what he would like to do to at least start tackling them. Though praise was showered upon on him in no small measure by some leading industrialists, the fact is that his idea of inclusive growth could well turn out to be counterproductive for a differ-ent section of the economy. For instance, it could mean farmers being allowed to sell their lands at four or five times the present rates (the main provision of the pending Land Acquisition Bill) to industry. Does this vision suit them? Clarity on sticking points like these is still far away. Modi, on his part, too pressed the need for inclusive growth in his own way – by talking about empower-ing communities at the grassroot level. And thanks to his admin-istrative experience, he also dealt with the how and what of it by demonstrating some examples from his own state.

While there is no final word yet on Rahul or Modi’s candidature and guessing games continue, at least their presence at the two in-dustry forums have given us a faint glimpse of the direction they might take if destiny positions them at the helm. And for once, they seem to have more similarities in their thoughts than dissimilarities – both of them want to empower the last man and would like the industry to play a larger participatory role in nation building. If only economic thought processes are to be judged, it seems Pappu and Feku do not have too much of a difference in perspective, after all.

PAPPU & FEKU – WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE?

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THE MANMOHAN AND MERKEL PARTNERSHIP

COVER STORY

It is only natural that the Prime Minister of India and the German Chancellor should meet biennial ly because, measured in economic terms, this is India’s richest relationship in the EU.

There is no denying UK’s place in India’s psyche for historical and linguistic reasons. There is the additional plus of a large Indian diaspora there. For these and other reasons there is sometimes a feeling that we bond better with the Brits.

Yet, the fact that we share with Germany a common aspiration for UN Security Council membership is often lost sight of. The UK is already there, and secretly apprehensive about our quest. We also do not adequately appreciate the fact that Germany is our biggest trade partner in the EU.

Prime Minister Singh obviously had the importance of the relationship in mind when it was mentioned, “India will seek greater trade and investment ties with Germany on the PM’s three day visit to Berlin as India looks to boost investments, attract foreign investors and spur the economy back to its long-term growth potential of 8 %. More

immediately, the PM hopes for an early conclusion to a balanced India-EU trade and investment agreement.”

Germany too had its wish list. Its concerns were more immediate, and demands direct. That was the agenda it pressed during the talks. The German Chancellor was unambiguous in stating that it seeks a comprehensive treaty with higher foreign equity levels in insurance and lower duties on auto imports into India. For Germany these high level talks were meant to achieve a purpose, and that was the promotion of its business interests.

This was to be expected. Germany finds its European market stagnating; there is no sign that in the near future there might be a change for the better. That’s why it is seeking new markets, and India is a very large and expanding market much of which remains unexplored and untapped. So even as Chancellor Merkel appeared distracted sometimes due to continuing Eurozone worries, she pitched strongly for German and European business by advocating greater access for their pharmaceutical, liquor

and dairy products.India too needs to revitalise and expand

its manufacturing sector. And Germany ranks among the best in the world in this field. Yet, our cooperation remains less than noteworthy. Moreover, a related factor is often lost sight of. All the major powers in the world are self sufficient in defence technology; they manufacture most of their needs domestical ly. Moreover a profitable defence industry is only possible if it has a civilian dimension to it; be it airplane manufacturing or ship building. Unfortunately, India has neither a noteworthy defence manufacturing base nor a substantial manufacturing industry on the civilian side. Both these are areas where Germany can become a major partner.

However, rather than an increase in trade there seems to be a decline. As the Foreign Secretary admitted in a pre-departure briefing, our trade with Germany declined by 10% in 2012!

All therefore is not well. Rather, there are many miles to go and the advantage so far in the relationship lies with Germany. The first question that we

Germany is India’s biggest trading partner in the EU. And they also share the common string of UN Security Council membership aspiration. Given these commonalities, the Manmohan-Merkel meet could have resulted in a better outcome. BY RAJIV DOGRA

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It is true that the PM was accompanied by f ive Ministers making this an unusually high powered delegation. But in these days of cost benefit analysis it might be worthwhile spending some time on calculating the benefits.

It could be said that six agreements were signed during the visit, but even a cursory look at the type of agreements would make one wonder whether they

must ask is whether we have articulated our concerns adequately and forcefully enough? Even on a simple matter like visas, an Indian national is required to provide vast volumes of personal information, while the results remain uncertain. Moreover, despite efforts over the years our pharmaceutical industry does not have easy access into the European market.

needed such a high level presence. It could also be said that a “Joint Statement on Further Development of Strategic and Global Partnership between Germany and India,” was also issued. Well that’s good news. But there are questions to be asked here too. What is the substance of it? What does the written text of that statement contain?

Germany is the most powerful and the richest state in EU. India is second only to China in Asia. So a joint statement issued by two such nations is going to be studied carefully for the effect it may have on the world. Such a statement assumes greater significance if it claims to concern ‘strategic and global partnership.’

Sadly, these hopes are belied the moment one reads the statement. Matters like ‘vocational training’ and ‘urban mela’ find prominent mention in it! Are these really the contours of a ‘strategic and global partnership’ between Security Council aspirants like India and Germany? This limit to our strategic imagination seems surreal. Alas, it is the printed text.

(The author is a former IFS officer and Ambassador; he is an artist and novelist)

Commerce and Industry minister Anand Sharma meeting Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organisation, in Geneva.

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As Vasundhra Raje Scindia’s Sooraj Sankalp (Vow of Good Governance) Yatra wove its way through Jaipur, her rath

has drawn a tremendous response, one rousing enough in fact to rattle current Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Though he was expectedly dismissive of her commenting that she was “misleading” a gullible populace, Vasundhra Raje, with 28 years of electoral politics behind her and a streak of poll victories beginning at the age of 32, is much too seasoned not to know that in politics while one struggles hard to swim, one has to struggle even

IS IT TURNAROUND TIME FOR BJP?

STATES: RAJASTHAN

Vasundhra Raje is back on her rath to oust Ashok Gehlot’s government. And given her track record, her opponents can’t afford to be dismissive of effective people connect

programme she is capable of pursuing. BY AROON SHARMA

harder not to sink. She has learnt this herself during her

various tenures in the Assembly, at the Centre and back in the Assembly, and these past electoral successes have kept her politically afloat in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) despite a self-enforced period of seclusion in the recent past from both the media and the masses. Thus, should her re-energised efforts to woo back her vote banks of earlier from atop a rath succeed, she would have lived up to the axiom that “history is past politics and politics is present history,” formulated by Sir John Robert Seeley in The Growth of British Policy.

Legend has it that in the constant wars that once raged across Rajasthan’s harsh desert terrain, there were over some 100 calls for men to go forth in battle from the Charbhuja Temple in Rajasamand, and seldom did any of these warriors have to court defeat. It was early this April that Vasundhra Raje, for the second time, stepped onto a rath (a chariot, the BJP’s preferred mode of mass contact in vehicular comfort) from the same hallowed spot in the temple where her Parivartan Yatra in 2004 had started out to end of course in huge success. The BJP had ousted Congress then by120 seats to

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78 in a House of 200. Vasundhra Raje Scindia took over the

reigns as the first lady Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Somewhere along the line, feuds and factionalism ate into her otherwise generally well-regarded governance. The groundswell of goodwill too gradually dried up leading her to lose to Ashok Gehlot in 2009. The score: her seats 56; his 96.

On the count, in 2004, she had unseated him. And in 2009, he had unseated her. Since then, the hot seat of the state has constantly see-sawed between the two contenders. And this has spiced up their political attempts at downsizing each other. At one point, Vasundhra Raje Scindia derided him: “I don’t have time for Gehlot and his petty politics. I cannot stoop to that level. I do not have an answer to his comments. The people of the state will give him a fitting reply in the elections. Gehlot has failed the state. There are not one or two but several issues that will bring down his government. But corruption is the biggest issue and he will have to pay for it.”

Ironically, Ashok Gehlot too had taken off on a Sandesh Yatra, a week earlier, to highlight his achievements, though perhaps the most stellar of them has been his being able to last a full term; and also to contain anti-incumbency – an affliction which has never had a complete cure. No wonder then that the supporters he could rustle up were nowhere near the numbers who turned out so enthusiastically for Vasundhra Raje.

Where Vasundhra’s Yatra had a marked edge is the positivity inherent in her promise of ‘good governance’ – while it may be a rub off from Narendra Modi’s adjacent Gujarat (with whom she rebuilt bridges in a much hyped meeting in January at Ahmedabad) – there’s nothing wrong with the premise. Too much was read into Modi’s absence at the Yatra’s flag off by the media. That the BJP was solidly with her was evident by the presence of Party President Rajnath Singh flanked by the two Leaders of the Opposition in Parliament – Mrs Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

In contrast, while it is true that the Congress’s Chintan Shivir or the anointing of Rahul Gandhi as Vice President of the party was held in Ashok Gehlot’s state, that was entirely about the scion of the dynasty without any chintan or thought even from the sidelines for a Chief Minister getting into

ASHOK GEHLOT’S GOVERNMENT

I don’t have time for Gehlot and his petty

politics. I cannot stoop to that level. I do not have an answer to his comments.

The people of the state will give him a fitting reply in the elections. Gehlot has failed the state. There are not one or two but several

issues that will bring down his government. But corruption is the biggest issue and he will have to

pay for it.

,,

INFIGHTING WITHIN STATE BJP UNIT

Every family has its up and downs. There are differences of opinion and you have to take

everything with a pinch of salt. You have to earn your place and work hard for it.

,,PEOPLE’S RESPONSE

I am quite nervous at this tremendous response. This shows people are desperate for change. Their needs and the

promises made by the Gehlot government have

not been fulfilled. This makes me sad, but I don’t

have a magic wand.

,,

VASUNDHRA’S ELECTION PITCH

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battle gear for a third term. Gehlot’s Yatra thus appeared to be a lonely furrow being ploughed on his own. In the meantime, Vasundhra Raje Scindia’s juggernaut is roller coasting through a sand swept state with habitats and hamlets far apart where the UPA’s schemes of Cash Subsidy Payouts and the ir showpiece MNREGA have been plagued by glitches much to Ashok Gehlot’s consternation. If at a later stage, the Congress deputes other leaders to aid his charge into election battles, it may be a bit too late.

Being a committed BJP-ite and having been initiated into politics by her mother – the legendary late Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia – the daughter is marking her route the way every BJP Rath Yatra always does: halting at places of worship (Rajasthan abounds in them), paying obeisance to high priests (read of all religions), and will do so throughout the 1,383 kilometres of the first phase of the Yatra. So far, she should be pleased as is evident even in her response to the boycott of her Yatra by the leading RSS blessed BJP honcho in the state: Ghanshyam Tiwari. Wiser now after the wrangles which ended her reign, she says philosophically: “Every family has its up and downs. There are differences of opinion and you have to take everything with a pinch of salt. You have to earn your place and work hard for it.”

Conscious that only a cohesive party working closely with her can get her first past the post six months hence, she is putting it across to the more enlightened segments of the electorate that “We (BJP in Rajasthan) are not a party with a dynastic rule. We are a family.”

Her response to the reception the Rath has received till date has been guarded as well: “I am quite nervous at this tremendous response. This shows people are desperate for change. Their needs and the promises made by the Gehlot government have not been fulfilled. This makes me sad, but I don’t have a magic wand.”

That’s rather modest of her. Her first stint had many highlights, for instance her well-publicised pitch for the state’s tourism potential. Of course it also had her detractors who derided her as stiff lipped royalty far removed from the day to day realities of governance.

An image makeover will certainly do her much good. And she’s showing signs of doing just that.

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Mamata Bannerjee couldn’t possibly have asked for more media space than has come her way in

the aftermath of the alleged assault at Yojana Bhawan on her and her ministerial colleague Amit Mitra. The accompanying swell of public sympathy is manna from heaven for Mamata and should help the

mercurial chief minister recapture some of the support she has eroded bit by bit across the political spectrum with the rigidity of her cut and dried statements – always a big no in politics – even on sensitive issues which would have merited a more healing approach.

Now, as Mamata completes two years of government since making history by

dislodging the CPM from its 32 year old entrenchment in Writer’s Building, this sudden glare of arc lights has helped her fell two birds with one stone. For in addition to generating sympathy and concern, of more consequence to her was the whopping 17% over and above the planned allocation earmarked for West Bengal that she managed to secure

SHOULD MAMATA THANK THE CPM?

STATES: BENGAL

The mercurial West Bengal chief minister probably knows much better than her adversaries how to make capital out of a difficult situation. BY AROON SHARMA

Mamata Banerjee with Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Rajeev Shukla West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra

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unnoticed in the melee. By default or design, a third bird was bagged by her as well when she called off her meeting with the Prime Minister (thus managing to avoid him since he had to leave for Germany the same evening) and the Union Finance Minister, citing it both as a protest and the result of her and Amit Mitra’s damaged health after the fracas. Both were hospitalised.

A suave Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, had earlier already had a first-hand taste of her temper. Pointing a finger at him, she flew off the handle as the Minister of State for Planning Rajiv Shukla stood by ashen faced.

In a way, it was the latter’s second drubbing at her hands. It was only a few months back that, as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Shukla had failed to get her onto the side of a beleaguered Government battling for numbers to get the bill on FDI past the post. Then, a stung Mamata Bannerjee had announced the walkout of Trinamool Congress after seven years of support – often on her terms, often preceded by tantrums – to two UPA governments.

For a full 20 minutes, she unleashed her fury on Ahluwalia and Shukla, both at a loss as to how to calm down the country’s most enigmatic chief minister, and a fiery woman at that: “This is unprecedented…this is dirty politics…is this how the administration works?…the SFI showed me 20 people…I will show them 20 lakhs. We are not safe in Delhi…they could’ve beaten me…one of them was holding an iron rod…I never expected this kind of hooliganism…you have created a new precedent…my minister was assaulted… this is scandalous.” Her anger and her agitated refrains in the corridors of Yojana Bhawan were telecast again and again to mark the boiling point between sworn foes: the TMC and the CPM back home in West Bengal.

And sure enough, Mamata’s furious thunder wasn’t confined to a one-off flash of lightning on television. The TMC activists were out in Kolkata and by sunset the same day, her cadres were ruling the mean streets of the suburbs of the state capital, ransacking the offices of the CPM. For a while, the forever resurgent CPM

in Kolkata. It was a cleverly crafted play with cleverly worded eulogies , as all Modi-moves are – and both his interactive sessions were telecast live on all news channels. There could have been no better way for the BJP to send a politically loaded signal to a former NDA a l ly a s the

run up to the general elections goes into overdrive.

On the UPA side of the fence, the grass is no less green for Mamata Bannerjee. The Prime Minister expressed regrets at the incident; his floor-manager-in-chief – Union Minister Kamal Nath was soon to follow suit, and nearer home, even Centrally-appointed West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayan put the traditional neutrality of Raj Bhawan behind and counseled the CPM to apologise to the TMC. With the UPA’s desperate damage control in trying to calm her down, and with the BJP reaching out as well, does Mamata need any further image building? When will she visit Delhi next? And on what terms? These are the big questions which presently defy answers!

cadres were on the retreat. But by evening the following day with Mamata back in Kolkata and hospitalised, the warr ing cadres had sporadica l ly turned violent, and there was arson and peripheral mayhem in the city. Even in Delhi, TMC ac t i v i s t s dug in a t Jantar Mantar holding placards and sporting black bands. The dailies in West Bengal headlined Mamata-speak verbatim as she recalled for them: “They tried to hit my head with an iron rod. Luckily, Firhad Halim (Minister of State in her Government) shielded me and snatched the rod. Two or three people came from Kolkata and instigated the whole thing. They can kill me but they can’t stop me.” It went on. And on.

And as if by coincidence, about the same time she was spewing fire at Yojana Bhawan, the fast emerging dynamo of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi was glorifying her rule to a distinguished assembly of industrialists at the Bengal Chamber of Commerce; and later, to yet another get-together of intellectuals in an open house

THIS SUDDEN GLARE OF ARC LIGHTS HAS HELPED

HER FELL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. FOR IN

ADDITION TO GENERATING SYMPATHY AND CONCERN,

OF MORE CONSEQUENCE TO HER WAS THE WHOPPING

17% OVER AND ABOVE THE PLANNED ALLOCATION EARMARKED FOR WEST

BENGAL.

Students at a protest rally at the prestigious Presidency College

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MAKING USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA,

OBAMA STYLE

SOCIAL MEDIA & ELECTIONS

Media researchers around the world are attributing (to a considerable degree) President Obama’s two electioneering success to the path breaking use of social media.

Can that formula be replicated in India? BY RITWIK SINHA

That social media will play an important role in the next gen-eral elections is a perception that was strongly reinforced

last fortnight. First the Pappu vs Feku squabble demonstrated how the two lead-ing parties – the Congress and the BJP --- are going to make extensive use of so-cial media to score over each other. And then came a report jointly prepared by the RIS Knowledge Foundation and the Internet and Mobile Association of In-dia (IAMAI) which predicts that as many as 160 constituencies can be influenced

by social media during the next general elections. They have been termed ‘high impact constituencies’ and each is believed to have more Facebook users than the margin of victory of the winners in the last election, with over 10 % of their reg-istered voters on Facebook or other social media platforms.

How will social media impact the elec-tions game to be played out here? As just a tool to ridicule each other, to exchange volleys and create negative perceptions of rivals? Or will it take a more meaning-ful and expansive form? The latter while

no doubt is desirable would be easier said than done if global benchmarks are taken into con-sideration. And here the biggest success story undoubtedly is that of American President Obama whose deft social media man-agement is a research subject for many across the world.

“A major success factor for Obama’s v ic tory was how Obama’s campaign used social media and technology as an in-tegral part of its strategy, to raise money, and, more importantly, to develop a groundswell of empowered volunteers who felt they could make a difference.” This is a major take away from a study paper prepared by Pro-fessor Jennifer L Aaker of the Stanford School of Business ana-

lysing Obama’s social media model. The study presents graphic details of Obama’s social media strategy over two elections. The paper underlines a very well thought of strategy comprising crawl, walk and run stages. In simple terms, the strategy means reaching out to prospective voters, engaging them and then turning them into your supporters. And for this, while social media remains the prime force, oth-er popular tools like e-mailing and mobile texting was also used as the part of over-all touching base exercise. Not to forget, some offline tools also played an effective

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supplementary role. “Neighbour-to-Neighbour (an important component of the social media programme) was launched in September 2008 and al-lowed logged-in users to see a list of undecided voters who needed to be called or reached by going door-to-door. Volunteers were matched with undecided voters, had access to a script, customised flyer, and easy interfaces to report back. Volunteers used the tool to make eight million calls,” the report highlights. Not surprisingly, Obama has reaped rich dividends on both oc-casions (first as a challenger and then as somebody who had to sustain his support base) and today is considered to offer the best model for the use of social media in elections.

Can we expect Obama’s formula to be replicated in some way in the next general elections here in India now that social media has spread its wings (seven crore Indians are registered on Facebook) quite significantly? “ If your question is whether Obama’s success story in social media usage can be replicated in next general elections in this country, then the answer is no. But yes, some very valuable lessons can be learnt from it,” says Dr. Arvind Gupta who heads BJP’s IT cell and is credited with preparing an effective social media base for the party. Gupta maintains that social media would play a very crucial role with nearly 12 crore new voters in the ring who probably

UDAY SAHAYCommunication Analyst and

Former IPS

There is no doubt in my mind that media managers of most of the political parties will exhaustively

make use of the social media. The point is: will they just manage to reach out or go beyond in terms of engaging and grabbing new

set of supporters.,,

PROFESSOR JENNIFER L AAKERStanford School of Business

A major success factor for Obama’s victory was how

Obama’s campaign used social media and technology as an integral part of its strategy, to raise money, and, more importantly, to develop a

groundswell of empowered volunteers who felt they could

make a difference.,,DR. ARVIND GUPTAHead-IT Cell, BJP

If your question is whether the Obama success story in social media usage can be replicated in the next general elections in the country, then the answer is no. But yes, some very valuable

lessons can be learnt from it.,,RAKESH SINHA

Director, India Policy Foundation

Social media has begun a new kind of participatory democracy

and in some ways has more credibility than other conventional forms of media. But as far as next elections are concerned, I expect its impact to be largely restricted to metropolitan constituencies.,,

PERSPECTIVESwould have a hang of the internet – elementary or advanced. He, how-ever, presents his own rationale as why Obama’s online success mantra can’t be replicated. “Our social media usage to appeal to the voters would obviously be a function of our own demograph-ics. In the US elections, eventually it’s a fight between two individuals. But here it’s between parties, their ideolo-gies and there are so many candidates in the fray.”

Rakesh Sinha, Director, Indian Policy Foundation, believes the next general elections will witness the country’s first brush with the utility of social media in something as vital as the most im-portant democratic process. “Social media has begun a new kind of par-ticipatory democracy and in some ways has more credibility than other conven-tional forms of media. But as far as the next elections are concerned, I expect its impact to be largely restricted to met-ropolitan constituencies.” According to Uday Sahay, former IPS and communi-cation analyst, social media’s definitive role in terms of being a magnet for political outfits to attract prospective voters is a foregone conclusion. “There is no doubt in my mind that media man-agers of most of the political parties, not only the BJP which is believed to have a headstart over others and the Congress which has given up its couldn’t care less attitude and is drawing up a strategy to catch up with the principal opposition, will exhaustively make use of the social media. The point is: will they just man-age to reach out or will they go beyond that in terms of engaging and grabbing new sets of supporters like Obama did? In my view, this time it would mostly be used to reach out.”

The verdict, therefore, is out. Even as the intensity and scale of Obama’s online mantra may be missing in In-dia’s next parliamentary elections, social media as an effective electioneering tool would be making a big-ticket de-but (hopefully more than just being the pitch for Pappu-Feku slanging match). And would probably prove to its skep-tics (a shrinking tribe of course) once again, the magic social media holds in connecting people.

CAN WE EXPECT OBAMA’S FORMULA TO BE REPLICATED IN SOME WAY IN THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS HERE IN INDIA NOW THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS SPREAD ITS WINGS QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY?

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ISOLATING SRI LANKA WILL NOT HELP SRI

LANKAN TAMILS: Prasad Kariyawasam

FOREIGN POLICY

Sri Lanka has not done anything against India or Tamil Nadu: Sri Lankan High Commissioner

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam has been facing a barrage of questions from the media ever since the

Sri Lankan Tamils issue took centre stage in Tamil Nadu and rocked New Delhi with the pullout of DMK from the UPA Government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The veteran diplomat, who has worked in the US, Geneva and Riyadh before taking the hot seat in New Delhi, took time out to explain Sri Lanka’s point of view on various issues in a detailed interview to G Ganapathy Subramaniam. Edited excerpts from the exclusive exchange

Q What i s your v iew on the Tamil Nadu assembly resolution demanding that Sr i Lanka be declared an enemy country?

It is unfortunate that a resolution of that nature has been passed. Sri Lankans don’t think that way about India or Tamil Nadu. We have had a very important relationship with Tamil Nadu and it is a very old relationship. We should return to that. I think that the current wave of campaigns against Sri Lanka is misplaced and based on misinformation that has reached Tamil Nadu from sources outside both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

People spreading this misinformation campaign have their own reasons for doing so. It is driving people to conclusions which are illogical and irrational to our mind. We think of India and Tamil Nadu as friends. We want the people of Tamil Nadu to understand what Sri Lanka really is and see the ground situation in Sri Lanka where Sinhalese and Tamils live in harmony. There are political issues that

we need to sort out, but that does not breach harmony in the country. There are political issues for all communities. Tamils have issues. Sinhalese have issues. Muslims have issues. That is normal in a democratic country, but to paint a picture that Sri Lanka is in trouble is not true. And Sri Lanka has not done anything against India or Tamil Nadu.

Q Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha says Katchatheevu should be taken back from Sri Lanka. How do you view this?

The In t e rna t i ona l Ma r i t ime Boundary Line between Sri Lanka and India was agreed upon in 1974-1976. The Agreements were drawn up after careful and lengthy examination of issues. Sri Lanka still recognises the right of Indian fishermen to visit Katchatheevu for the St Anthony’s festival every year and we make all necessary arrangements to welcome the pilgrims. The annual pilgrimage is a success story.

Q The Katchatheevu issue is in focus now due to the repeated attacks by the Sri Lankan navy reported by Tamil Nadu fisherman. What has Sri Lanka done to prevent these attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen?

There have been no attacks by the Sri Lankan navy on Tamil Nadu fishermen since the conclusion of the conflict. During the conflict

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period, there were cross-fire incidents in which some Tamil Nadu fishermen were unfortunately killed. That was because they were mistaken for LTTE operatives. After peace arrived in Sri Lanka, our navy is under strict instructions to treat Tamil Nadu fishermen in a humane manner. During the fishing season, nearly 600 to 800 trawlers from Tamil Nadu cross the border every day, enter Sri Lankan waters and fish close to Sri Lankan shores. Such poaching happens even in places close to Mannar in the south-west and Mullaithivu in the north-east. Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen complain that their fishing rights are being violated by the Indian Tamil fishermen. Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen have come out of a long conflict and they want their fishing region to themselves to resume their livelihood

which they were deprived of during the conflict. So, that is the issue. Sometimes we are compelled to arrest Tamil Nadu fishermen when they are fishing very close to our coast, sometimes too close to security installations or when our own Tamil fishermen complain vehemently that their nets are being destroyed and that the illegal fishing methods are being used by Tamil Nadu fishermen, that is bottom trawling and use of nylon nets; and they complain that the Sri Lanka navy and authorities turn a blind eye. In Sri Lanka, both bottom trawling and use of nylon nets are banned because it damages the sensitive sea bed and marine eco system in the Palk Bay area. Our appeal to Tamil Nadu fishermen is to refrain from crossing the international border and fishing in fishing grounds that belong to Sri Lankan

Tamil fishermen. We also appeal to them not to indulge in bottom trawling or use of nylon nets as it will destroy fishing grounds in the Palk Straits.

Q Political parties of Tamil Nadu want India to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo. As a diplomat, how do you react to this call?

It is a very unfortunate call because CHOGM is being hosted in South Asia after 25 years. All of us in South Asia should be proud that CHOGM is being held in our region. India is the most important Commonwealth country in our region and India is a leader in our region. Therefore, India should be represented at the CHOGM in Colombo at the highest level.

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Q Due to recent controversies, Sri Lankan cricket players are not participating in IPL matches in Chennai. How does Sri Lanka view this situation?

Unfortunate because we think politics should be kept out of sports. Cricket is a very popular game in our part of the world. Sri Lankan cricketers are popular in India. It is unfortunate that they are not being allowed to play in Tamil Nadu. We are very concerned about the safety and security of our players as they are very precious sportspersons not only for Sri Lanka but for world cricket. If for that reason, they have to avoid Tamil Nadu at this point, well, we will leave it at that.

Q What is Sri Lanka’s reaction to India’s decision to support the American resolution against Sri Lanka in the meeting of the United Nations Council for Human Rights in Geneva?

We are disappointed that India did not vote with us on a resolution that does not have merit in our view, but we understand

India’s domestic and other compulsions. The resolution is uncalled for and it does not add anything to our local progress and what we are doing on the ground. It will only vitiate the atmosphere in our country where we are trying to bring all communities together in such a manner that all will exercise their equal rights and live in harmony.

Q There are reports that part of Indian Oil Corporation’s infrastructure in Sri Lanka is being taken away. How true is this and why is it happening?

Absolutely not true. There is no effort like that. This is media speculation. IOC was given 100 tanks out of which only three or four are being used. The current proposal is that we come up with a joint venture that will put these tanks to good use.

Q A related question is about Indian businesses in Sri Lanka. There are a lot of Indian businesses in Sri Lanka and many


of them are doing well. What does the future hold for them in the wake of the ongoing controversies?

Indian businesses are doing very well in Sri Lanka without any hindrances. On the other hand, Sri Lankan businesses in India may be having some difficulties. It is very unfortunate that the Bank of Ceylon in Chennai was attacked. It is very unfortunate that the Mihin Lanka airlines office was attacked. Mihin Lanka started flying between Colombo and Madurai at the request of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce. There is no problem about Tamil or Tamil Nadu businesses in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Tamils do not face any problem at all because they are Sri Lankan. In Colombo city, most of the businesses are owned by Tamils. The real issue is for Sri Lankans visiting Chennai and Tamil Nadu; and Sri Lankan businesses in Tamil Nadu. We want the people of Tamil Nadu not to harm innocent civilians and students. We are being told some Sri Lankan students cannot even find

26



accommodation because they are being refused. This is very unfortunate. There is a misplaced idea that isolating Sri Lanka will help Sri Lankan Tamils. It won’t. If you want to help Sri Lankan Tamils, you must engage with Sri Lanka. The Indian government is doing a lot for the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern provinces and Tamil Nadu people should also join those efforts. Without understanding the ground situation, anything else will only be counter-productive.

Q In view of the current situation, are you planning to shift the Sri Lankan deputy high commission office in Chennai out of Tamil Nadu?

No, there is no decision like that yet, but I hope the situation in Tamil Nadu wil l improve and our deputy high commission will not be forced out due to circumstances. We think it is an important office for Sri Lanka, India and also for Tamil Nadu. We want to retain it. We are, however, concerned about the safety and security of the premises and the personnel working there.

Q The current agitation in Tamil Nadu is about justice for Sri Lankan Tamils and investigation into what happened in 2008 and 2009. What does the Sri Lankan government think about the demand of use of words like genocide and war-crimes for describing the events into which international investigation is being sought now?

Those who use the word genocide in this context, I think, do not understand the meaning of the word. Genocide is a very serious term and what happened in Sri Lanka does not fit that word. It is unfortunate that it is being used in such a liberal manner. The actual number of people killed in the final stages of the conflict is far lower than what is claimed. We set up a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and it has come out with a series of recommendations and we are implementing them step by step in a structured and methodical manner. One such recommendation is to set up a local mechanism to investigate these allegations. It is being done through various tribunals. We are a democratic country and we should be allowed to do

these things through our own mechanisms and institutions. No democratic country in the world has allowed their military to be investigated by international bodies. There are allegations about what happened in Afghanistan and Iraq, but there are no international investigations. We must be allowed to investigate these allegations locally.

Q When does the Sri Lankan government plan to hold elections in the northern province and what is happening to the 13th amendment through which political empowerment to Tamils was promised long ago?

We are expecting to have elections to the northern provincial council this year. With regard to the 13th amendment, it has been there for 25 years. It was set up as a response to a conflict situation. It needs improvement and readjustment. Political

empowerment of any community in Sri Lanka must be both at the centre and regions since communities are well spread out throughout the country. For instance vast majority of Tamils live outside the North. The Sri Lankan government has set up a Parliamentary Select Committee to consult all stake holders on this matter. However, the Tamil National Alliance has so far refused to join this process. If they can join and work with us, we will be able to move forward without delay.

Q There is an accusation that Sri Lankan government is lobbying that Indian should not act against Sri Lankan government since the Sinhalese are also descended from India. While Tamil Nadu is supporting the Sri Lankan Tamils who descended from south India, the Sri Lankan authorities have been accused of seeking support of politicians in Orissa and West Bengal from where the Sinhalese are said to have migrated. What’s your response?

Historical facts remain facts. Both Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka have their roots in India. Tamils have their roots in south India while Sinhalese have their roots in east India. Those facts cannot be denied. Sinhalese can claim a particular level of ancient kinship with Kalinga (Odissa and Bengal). But we are all today Sri Lankans. We have had connections with many parts of India including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. We should be treated today as Sri Lankans; not as Tamils, Sinhalese or Muslims. We are all Sri Lankans first. But, historical facts about origins cannot be denied. Over 200,000 Sri Lankans visit Buddhist sites in north India every year. They go there because they have a connection to that land. A large number of Sri Lankans also visit other parts of India on pilgrimage including churches in Southern India and Hindu shrines. Recently our President visited both Bodhgaya and Tirupathi. Neither the Sri Lankan government nor I as High Commissioner would ever attempt to use historical facts regarding the origins of Sri Lankan people to inflame emotions of people in India. We despise communalism and racism.

(G Ganapathy Subramaniam is the Delhi Bureau Chief of Puthiya Thalaimurai, the most popular Tamil TV channel.

WE HAVE HAD A VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP WITH TAMIL NADU AND IT IS A VERY OLD RELATIONSHIP. WE SHOULD RETURN TO THAT. I THINK THAT THE CURRENT WAVE OF CAMPAIGNS AGAINST SRI LANKA IS MISPLACED AND BASED ON MISINFORMATION THAT HAS REACHED TAMIL NADU FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE BOTH SRI LANKA AND TAMIL NADU. PEOPLE SPREADING THIS MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN HAVE THEIR OWN REASONS FOR DOING SO. IT IS DRIVING PEOPLE TO CONCLUSIONS WHICH ARE ILLOGICAL TO OUR MIND.

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By the time you read this piece, India may have finalised the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU, a process which was

initiated in 2007. The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was in Germany recently negotiating with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the modalities. For the record, Germany is India’s largest trading partner in the EU and is backing the proposed FTA quite strongly. Going by some media reports, the issues which have rankled during the talks are: higher FDI in insurance, lower duty on cars, relaxed visa norms for Indian professionals, the identification of India as a data secured country, and lower import duty on dairy products. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma was scheduled to begin the final round of negotiation early this week with EU Trade Commissioner Karl De Gucht.

But unlike in the past when the signing of FTAs have not met with vehement opposition from the within, the scene has been different this time. There are sectoral representatives who are miffed fearing that instead of a win-win deal, India would be inking a deal which would hurt its own interests. And there are political voices asking for pragmatism in preferring FTAs when recent examples show that the country is not benefitting from them. “In the give and take business, India is giving more and taking less,” that is the refrain. So are FTAs turning out to be a flawed

strategy for India which is keen to enhance its presence in world trade?

Before looking for an answer, it ’s important to understand what an FTA is and what it does. Going by a generic definition, a free-trade agreement (FTA) between two signatories (nation to nation or nation to a trading block) tends to eliminate tariffs, import quotas and preferences on most (if not all) goods and services traded between them. It also ensures the free movement of people for professional reasons. Countries choose this kind of economic integration if their

economic structures are complementary. If their economic structures are competitive, it is likely there will be no incentive for a FTA, or only selected areas of goods and services will be covered to fulf ill the economic interests of the two parties.

It’s in the second part of the definition that the rub lies for the India’s tryst with FTA – competing economies can’t become good FTA partners. And this is the genesis of the criticism that the government is facing for taking hasty decisions without safeguarding the country ’s interests. Barring a few exceptions, India’s experience with over half a dozen FTAs has proved counterproductive in the sense that while imports from the partnering country or block have gone up significantly, our exports to those countries have not grown in similar proportion. Not surprising, since India’s trade deficit has consistently been on an upward spiral - the 2012-13 Economic Survey indicates a trade deficit of $167 billion for 2012-13 (April-January) indicating an increase of 8% as compared to the corresponding ten month period of 2011-12. And here FTAs are also being looked upon as a major contributory factor. “The idea of signing the FTAs was to increase exports, but we have not seen the benefits. We should not just sign and leave it ... We will release the potential areas that exporters can tap, something that the government should have done,” FIEO

ECONOMY & INDUSTRY

TRADE IMBALANCE

As India-EU FTA deal reached to the final stage of negotiation recently, questions emerged from all quarters on the validity of such pacts which have turned out to be

detrimental for the domestic industry. BY RITWIK SINHA

FTAs: NEED TO REVISIT STRATEGY?

Amul, the largest dairy product company in the country, has also urged the government to protect interest of local players

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president M Rafique Ahmed commented recently.

Time and again India Inc has raised the issue of how FTAs are affecting domestic producers and benefiting their counterparts in partner countries. For instance, last year a leading industry chamber had presented a memorandum to the government seeking immediate exclusion of steel products under Chapter 72 of the International Trade Centre (ITC) code from the Indo-Korea and Indo-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), in order to ensure the sustainability of the domestic steel industry. “With large surplus floating steel capacity together with r i sing steel product ion and declining demand for steel both Japan and South Korea have amply utilised the concessional duty rates under the CEPA FTA for salvaging part of their surplus steel thereby f looding steel exports into India,” the chamber had said in its note.

This is just one of the many examples of the kind of imbalance which a large section of Ind ian indust r y be l ieve s F TA s a re creating. From India’s perspect ive, a more serious blow is that the country has not been able to ensure concrete concessions on services – India’s stronghold --- from its FTA partners. For instance, India had signed an FTA with ASEAN three years back, but the services pact is still waiting to be finalised. A myriad reports have suggested that India has negotiated these deals badly and have literally rushed into them without looking at the long-term consequences.

So is it past failures on the part of the government to strike non-detrimental FTA deals for domestic manufacturers which forced some sections of the industry to get into a pro-active mode and make noises before the final round negotiations with the EU? It certainly seems so. For instance, the domestic auto body, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIA M) has made

no bones about its displeasure that cheaper import duties on European vehicles would badly hurt domestic manufacturers. “Opening the CBUs to imports/lowering import duties under the EU FTA is a retrograde step and will have a severely damaging and long term irreversible effect in several ways for the Indian economy, auto industry and the consumer at large,” says a recently released SIAM white paper. Interestingly, even the country’s largest dairy co-operative - Amul – is opposed to the FTA deal. Managing Director R S Sodhi of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) recently shot off a strong letter to the Minister of Commerce urging him to ensure that the country’s farmers are not forced to suffer for no fault of theirs.

The issue of the government strik-ing hasty FTA deals is no longer just an economic debate. Political inputs too

have crept in and there is every pos-sibility that if the India-EU deal is signed now, the opposit ion wi l l have one more salvo on its platter. BJP leader Shanta Kumar who also heads the Parlia-mentary Standing C om m it te e on

Commerce recently confirmed to a pink daily that he has urged the prime minis-ter not to go ahead with the deal without an extensive discussion in the parlia-ment. “I have written to Prime Minister that any decision on the FTA should be put on hold till the committee forms a view. The entire committee has backed the move to examine the subject,” he was quoted as saying. The CPM polit-bureau too has issued a strong statement saying that “the agreement will have a negative impact on virtually every area of economic activity – including agri-culture, industry and services.” Clearly, the sentiment against FTAs is turning out to be more averse than ever. But whether it forces the government to get more accommodative of local concerns is something that remains to be seen.

ECONOMY & INDUSTRY

S GOPALAKRISHNAN CII president

“I would like to propose a

review mechanism to review the existing FTAs as this is essential

to ascertain the impact on domestic industry and suggest

amendments wherever required,” Gopalakrishnan said, adding that bilateral trade pacts ‘are ongoing,

evolving’ processes.,,M RAFIQUE AHMED

FIEO president

The idea of signing the FTAs was to increase exports, but we have not seen the benefits. We should not just sign and leave it ... We will release the potential areas

that exporters can tap, something that the government should have

done.,,AN INDUSTRY CHAMBER IN ITS MEMORANDUM TO THE STEEL

MINISTRY LAST YEAR

With large surplus floating steel capacity together with rising steel production and declining demand for steel, both Japan and South

Korea have amply utilised the concessional duty rates under

the CEPA FTA for salvaging part of their surplus steel thereby

flooding steel exports into India.,,SIAM WHITE PAPER

Opening the CBUs to imports/lowering import duties under the EU FTA is a retrograde step and will have a severely damaging

and long term irreversible effect in several ways for the Indian economy, auto industry and

consumer at large.,,

PERSPECTIVES

SO IS IT PAST FAILURES ON THE PART OF THE

GOVERNMENT TO STRIKE NON-DETRIMENTAL FTA DEALS FOR DOMESTIC

MANUFACTURERS WHICH FORCED SOME SECTIONS

OF THE INDUSTRY TO MAKE NOISES BEFORE THE FINAL

ROUND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EU?

THE ONE-LEGGED SOLDIER MALANG CHACHA IN MANOJ KUMAR’S PATRIOTIC SAGA

UPKAR(1967) PUT HIM ON THE RIGHT PATH. AFTER THE FILM RELEASE, PRAN WAS FLOODED

WITH COMPLIMENTARY FAN LETTERS.

LIFE AROUND US

LEGEND HONOURED

Even though he was brilliant in maths, Pran Krishan Sikand realized early on that academics were not meant for him. He

quit school after matriculation and joined a photo studio in Delhi. Shortly after, he was shifted to Shimla and after a year moved to Lahore as the shop opened new branches.

In Lahore he caught the eye of filmmaker Wali Mohammed Wali one night when waiting outside a paan shop in Hari Mandi. Wali saab had just finished a new script and thought Pran fitted one of the character perfectly. So he approached him and asked him if he’d like to be in a movie. Pran responded with a firm, “No!”, but Wali saab refused to take his “no” for an answer and insisted he pay him a visit at the studio the next day. Pran promised him he would go, but the next morning, presuming the man had been high, went to his shop as usual.

The next weekend, at Plaza theatre, he bumped into Wali saab again in the foyer and was cursed for not keeping his word. This time Wali saab insisted on taking Pran’s address and the next morning arrived to accompany him to the studio. And Pran landed the role of the bad man in Dalsukh M Pancholi’s Punjabi film, Yamla Jat (1940) for a monthly remuneration of Rs 50.

The f i lm was a superhi t , as was Khandaan (1942), his first film as a hero opposite 15-year old Noorjehan. Over the next four years he acted in 22 films, 18 of which got released. Then the Partition

fires brought him across the border to Indore and then Bombay. For four months he was jobless, forced to sell off his wife’s jewellery to make ends meet. Then the miracle happened. Hhe landed four films in three days--- Ziddi, Apradhi, Putli and Grahasti- and after that he never looked back.

Pran was so good as the bad man in films like Madhumati (1958), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960) and Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) that people assumed that he was a badmash even in real life. “Those days, whenever I came on the screen, children would hide their faces in their mother’s lap and only open their eyes after I’d left,” he had once confessed, adding that parents refused to name their sons Pran.

His reputat ion didn’t bother the khalnayak till his daughter asked him quietly why he couldn’t do some decent roles for a change. It was obvious that having a baddie for a daddy wasn’t doing his children any good in school. The one-legged soldier Malang Chacha in Manoj Kumar's patriotic saga Upkar(1967) put him on the right path.

After the film release, Pran was flooded with complimentary fan letters. One of them was from a youngster who introduced himself as his bhatija (nephew) and wrote that l ike Chacha Nehru (Jawaharlal Nehru) he too now should be addressed as Chacha Pran.

Malang Chacha and Mr Bharat made a successful jodi (pair). Before Upkar they’d done three films together, including

In a career spanning nearly six decades, Pran portrayed all kinds of shades on the silver screen and has been a trendsetter in his own rights. BY ROSHMILA BHATTACHARYA

Pran Krishan Sikand THE GOOD, THE BAD AND

THE UNFORGETTABLE!

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LIFE AROUND US

Shaheed in which Pran’s cameo as Kahar Singh was unforgettable. After Upkar they impressed in films like Patthar Ke Sanam (1967) Purab Aur Paschim ( 1 9 7 0 ) , B e - i m a a n ( 1 9 7 2 ) , S an ya a s i ( 1975) and D us Numbari (1976).

His daughter Pinky believes that the Dadasaheb Phalke Award conferred on him last week should have come earlier. Manoj Kumar agrees that at 93 the recognition is belated. “It came much too late,” he sighs.

Amitabh Bachchan who owns his success to Pran and Zanjeer (1973) that gave his career a new lease of life is thrilled for his “disciplined, punctual and most professional” colleague who as meticulous about his hennaed hair and beard, as he was about his costumes and getting his accent right. During Zanjeer Sher Khan was the star and when the not yet Big B arrived for the film’s premiere in Kolkata, he was greeted by angry crowds who had gathered to see their ‘hero’Pran.

The next morning though they had a new hero in Bachchan, but even today, the cop drama is remembered as much for its angry, young Inspector Vijay as it is for his Pathan dost (friend) Sher Khan and their foot-tapping qawwali,Yaari mera imaan hai…, with which shooting flagged off.

Four decades later, 27-year-old Ram Charan who is gearing up to step into Bachchan’s shoes in the Zanjeer remake, still remembers the scene where Sher Khan visits the police station and Vijay kicks the chair over. Reportedly, Bachchan just couldn’ t get himself to kick the chair till Pran reminded him that on the sets he was not his friend’s father, but a criminal and the scene demanded “real anger”.

Today, we can look back on the scene without anger because from being much hated Pran saab today is much loved!

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LIFE AROUND US

“The biggest barometer of a successful IPL for me is the phone calls for free passes,’ ’ says a veteran

well-known cricket writer in the country. “This year I got just one call so I can say IPL has gone down in popularity chart,’’ he adds. Perhaps this cricket writer is right. What can you say when a certain Mr Glenn Maxwell was cooling the Mumbai Indian bench in team’s first three outings! Dubbed as a Million Dollar baby Maxwell was fetched by Ambanis’ for a neat one million dollar in the auction.

Over a week into the tournament,

THE STORY SO FAR, SO GOOD, IT CONTINUES

SPORTS

In terms of public attention, IPL 6 does not seem to have made a start on the frontfoot. But there have been some scintillating performances in the initial weeks. And the

tournament, therefore, is not ducking either. BY NORRIS PRITAM

Maxwell has not found a decent enough space in media. “As it is you can’t expect good cricket in a 20x20 tournament but when highest paid player doesn’t even come to field there is nothing much to talk about the tournament,’’ says another cricket writer covering the tournament.

This well may be the reason why even TV rat ings for IPL has gone down compare to the last edition. In offices there is not much buzz. During Delhi Daredevils three matches at Kotla, people seemed more worried about the traffic jams rather than the fare at the Kotla strip where Delhi lost all their matches.

Last year champion KKR has delivered a mixed performance in their initial matches

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LIFE AROUND US

PERSPECTIVES

Some sparkling performances in a lackluster show

Even in a lackluster fare, there were some performances that somewhat made up for lack of top action. Leave aside Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik may be no match for the physique of dashing hitter Kieron Pollard, but he definitely did match up to his big hitting skills. Requiring an improbable 50 runs of the last four overs against Royal Challengers, Karthik decided to cut loose and Dan Christian had to bear the brunt

of this attack as he was dispatched over the ropes not once, not twice but three times in succession.

The local fans in Hyderabad got their money and weekend’s worth as the Sunrisers and Royal Challengers played out a thrilling match. After posting only 130 on the board, the RCB bowlers pulled the game back brilliantly, including conceding only 6 of the last over to take the match into a Super Over.

Vinay Kumar, the hero of the match for the Royal Challengers so far, started off

TAM MEDIA RESEARCH

The IPL’s average first-week viewership has marginally dropped

compared to the corresponding figures from 2012. The television viewer ratings (TVR) for the first week slipped from 3.9 in 2012 to 3.8 this year. However there were only five games in the first week

(till Saturday) as opposed to six in 2012.,,

VIJAY LOKAPLLY (WELL-KNOWN CRICKET WRITER)

The biggest barometer of a successful IPL for me is the phone calls for free passes. This year I got just one call so I can say IPL has gone down in popularity chart. As it is you can’t

expect good cricket in a 20x20 tournament but when the highest paid player (Glenn Maxwell) doesn’t even

come to field there is nothing much to talk about the tournament.,,

with a high full-toss and was followed by pretty ordinary deliveries as White took full advantage to set a target of 21 to get for the Royal Challengers. Steyn conceded only 8 of the first four deliveries leaving Gayle to get 12 from the final two. He struck the first one sweetly as the ball sailed over the sightscreen. It was now down to the last ball but Steyn held his nerve to deliver an Yorker that Gayle could only dig out giving Sunrisers their second win in as many games.

After all the glitz and glamour of the

Players of Chennai Super King – The team registered a thrilling last ball victory against RCB but were humbled in their own backyard by a struggling Pune Warriors

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LIFE AROUND US

The united colours of IPL 6

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LIFE AROUND US

opening ceremony, it was down to business as the Kolkata Knight Riders took on Delhi Daredevils in front of a packed Eden Gardens in the opening game of the IPL. Brett Lee, now playing only in the T20 leagues across the world, would begin proceedings as Unmukt Chand, India’s U-19 World Cup winning skipper, took strike.

The veteran Aussie charged in and delivered a perfect out swinger as it beat Chand’s bat and knocked the off stump off the ground. It was a perfect start to the sixth edition of the IPL. Just before the IPL marketing gurus and admen had raised Unmukt Chand to the skies with a TV advertisement. But it just remained a marketing gimmick to sell IPL.

No domestic cricket, but bought for IPLInterestingly there are players who have not played top class domestic cricket but have

found place in IPL. The franchises had no choice. For sheer want of good players they had to try some of these unknown faces. This doesn’t make a tournament like IPL interesting for the fans. Even some of the known faces have flopped. Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan haven’t done anything worthy of attention. So much so that the best player of the IPL so far would not stand a chance to walk into the Indian team.

IPL history is replete with unheralded names making it big. Young Indian players have gone on to play domestic cricket after developing the necessary temperament by rubbing shoulders with the Test stars. Shane Watson’s exploits in the inaugural IPL

season forced the Australian selectors to select him in the team. His stint with Rajasthan Royals and the confidence he gained out of it made him a lynchpin of Australian batting line-up.

But there also have been instances where t he ow ner s have sp l a shed a st ronomica l sums on resourcefu l youngsters and they have at best , f lattered to deceive. Take the case of Saurabh Tiwary who Royal Challengers Bangalore purchased for a whopping $1.6 million last season. AB de Villiers received $1.1 million. AB de Villiers, on any given day, wins more number of matche s t ha n Tiwa r y, a nd ca n perform the role of the wicket-keeper thus enabling the RCB think-tank to play extra batsman or bowler. Tiwary getting more money than AB de Villiers is incredulous. And in the current IPL, Tiwary has not played a single match for RCB.

Chennai deprived of Sri Lankan players

Cricket fans in Chennai seem to be the biggest losers. Due to political reasons they were deprived of watching some of the otherwise popular Sri Lankan players in action on their home ground. Many feel cricket and especially IPL could have been used to ease tension in the region. But Sri Lankan players were forced to withdraw from the matches played in Chennai.

PERSPECTIVES

ZEE NEWS

The illegal betting market in Indian Premier League is witnessing an increased participation from people employed in white collar jobs. Due to the chances of winning big and the ability to place small bets, more

white-collar professionals are turning to betting.,,

(L) Mumbai Indians captain Ricky Ponting with team mates and Dale Steyn (R) who is spearheading Hyderabad Sunrisers’ bowling attack.

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A classical show Pranab Mukherjee with artists after a vocal concert by Girija Devi at Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium.

Sharing the other world story: Astronaut Sunita Williams poses during her visit in New Delhi early this month.

Amazing product? Honda finally enters the diesel market! At a price point that will bring a new level of competition.

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, talks with S. Gopalakrishnan, co-chairman of Infosys during the AGM of CII. This is the first time that Rahul addressed an industry chamber.

IMAGES OF THE FORTNIGHT

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A classical show Pranab Mukherjee with artists after a vocal concert by Girija Devi at Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium.

Fresh coronation on her birthday: Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit wearing a turban presented by supporters at her residence.

Striking an emotional cord? Narendra Modi at a function organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation.

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, talks with S. Gopalakrishnan, co-chairman of Infosys during the AGM of CII. This is the first time that Rahul addressed an industry chamber.

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GEM & JEWELLERY FAIR WITH THE STARS

Lara Dutta

Madhur Bhandakar and Jacqueline Fernandes

Neha Dhupila

Zeenat Aman

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PADMA AWARDEES WITH THE PRESIDENT

Ultimate honour for The Wall (Padma Bhushan)

A much deserved recognition for actress Sharmila Tagore.

The Padma Shree award to film actress Sridevi.Chitrangada Singh

Juhi Chawla

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Date of Publication: 16/04/2013 RNI No. DELENG/2013/48250. Posting Date 15-20/04/2013DL(C)-01/1358/2013-2015


A CARING AND CONCERNED CITIZEN! Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit seen with autism-affected children in a program during Autism Awareness Walk 2013 at India Gate in the capital.

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