Aseema april 2013 web by aseema magazine

Vol. 14 Issue 9 Pages 52 APRIL 2013 Chaitra / Vaishakha PRICE 20/-

Choppergate Khalnayak Evading Tax

Apr il 2013

aseema

IN THIS ISSUE

Barbaric Act Indian government is likely to vote in support of a UN resolution condemning the barbaric crimes of Lankan army on Tamil civilians during the recent battle that finally crushed decade-long rebellion in the island nation. It seems Karunanidhi played his part in the country’s decision.

Terrorising Mother Country

cent study, published in a French language journal for religion and science, declares that, she is anything but a saint. The Canadian study points out that Mother was interested in glorifying people’s suffering, rather than providing them relief.

Socializing with Socialism

They took birth here and grew up here, drinking its water and breathing its air. Now, suddenly, they are the country’s most wanted criminals. Here is a nervewracking story of two Bhatkal brothers who spend day and night plotting terrorist attacks on Indian soil.

Choppergate

Wharton

Politcal Chessboard He is a comedian and also a former television anchor, who says Italian politics is corrupt, elitist and closed, bereft of any real connection with people. He has now sought the support of social networking sites to launch a campaign against the country’s political elites.

History Frightens Bangla Bangladesh is in a political turmoil, political parties are not in talking terms. This is a country where democracy is struggling to survive and this the country politics has become superior to the country. The latest issue to haunt the country is its history, the 1971 war with Pakistan.

Doubting the Mother Doubts are being raised over Mother Teresa’s sainthood and the motive to nurse the ailing citizens. A re-

Villain or Misguided? As a son of DGP, Bitti Mohanty had everything to live life happily, but he ended up in jail after raping a foreigner. He had thought that he could escape from the law because his father was a police chief. His conviction is an example of successful police inquiries.

Hanging Guru of Terror Afzal Guru was of the assumption that he would never be hanged, but the country had no choice but to hang him as the attack on India’s parliament had led to the death of half a dozen people.

India’s Swiss Banks Private banks have been accused of teaching wealthy depositors how to launder money and evade tax. Let alone money laundering, banks have even been suspected to be assisting clients in turning black money into white.

aseema

Apr il 2013

IN THIS ISSUE Cover Story

Diplomatic Coup The marines not only killed the firshermen, they did not even bother to inform the coastal authority and had continued sailing 70 miles enroute to Egypt by the time Indian coastal guards intercepted. Now the sailors say they mistook fishermen for pirates.

Transcending Boundaries Volume 14 Issue 9 Chaitra/Vaishakha April 2013 Editor Narayana Sevire Editorial Team Susheela H. Narayan A. Sridharan.M.K

Design and production Yashwanth Harsha Perla Sathya Shankar Bhavna

Marketing Jayavanth Mob: 096861 13537 E-mail: redrosejayanth@gmail.com

Edited, Published, and Printed by Narayana Sevire on behalf of Jnana Bharathi Prakashana, Mangalore Phone: 0824 249791

Cover Price: Rs. 20

aseema

Apr il 2013

Barbaric Act

ndia is likely to vote against Sri Lanka in the upcoming the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meet in Geneva. India is left with little option but to support the US-moved resolution, following the new revelations of war crimes committed against Tamils by Sri Lankan forces. The government came under pressure following the release of three photos by UK’s Channel 4 television, ahead of UNHRC meet. The photos indicated a possible sequence of the alleged cold-blooded murder of LTTE chief Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son. Subsequently, Channel 4 telecast documentary “No War Zone – The killing fields of Sri Lanka” during the UNHRC session in Geneva. Sri Lanka rejected the allegation, claiming the photos are morphed. It maintained that the boy could have been caught in crossfire. However, the argument could not ease India’s discomfiture vis-àvis the UNHRC vote. Sri Lanka is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia. In January, the two countries signed two accords related to counterterrorism and economic fronts, following the 8th India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting. When Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a private visit to In-

India condemns civil rights violations in Lanka By Susheela Hegde dia in February, it was anticipated that he would meet Indian leaders. It was speculated that he would seek support over the UN resolution on war crime against his country, to be moved by the US in March. However, Sri Lankan president confined the visit to pilgrimage centres Bodh Gaya in Bihar and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Apparently, he did not want to embarrass India by seeking its support, given the domestic compulsion prevailing in this country. A year ago too, India voted for a US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. The resolution called for promoting reconciliation and fixing accountability for the excesses during the 26-year-long conflict between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil rebels. Before the vote, members of Sri Lankan delegation had urged India to recognize that their country needs time to probe and fix accountability for war crimes committed by both Army and the LTTE. De-

spite voting for the resolution, India sought to strike a diplomatic balance by stating that Sri Lanka should be provided time and space to achieve reconciliation and peace. There were also reports that India persuaded the US to dilute resolution, ensuring that UN intervention would be limited to assisting Sri Lanka in the reconciliation process. In India, the move of voting against Sri Lanka was met with mixed responses. Some analysts said the UPA government took the step under DMK’s pressure, as the Tamil party is an alliance partner. Others said China, which stood behind Sri Lanka during the UNHRC vote, stands to gain in this episode. China and Russia were among the 15 countries that rejected the resolution in March 2012 convention. This assumes significance in the wake of growing ties between China and Sri Lanka. There is an increasing Chinese presence in the island nation’s infrastructural projects. The two countries have also firmed up their defense ties in the

recent past, with China launching Sri Lanka’s first communication satellite in November last.

India in a fix Sri Lanka has set up a committee, Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, in 2010, following the end of the conflict in 2009. The Commission in its report noted that the failure of successive governments in addressing the grievances of Tamil people was the root cause of the ethnic conflict. It came up with several recommendations for national reconciliation, which included land distribution, re-establishment of civil administration in the erstwhile conflict zone, phasing out of security from the area, and so on. However, the commission remained silent on the issue of accountability for crimes committed during the conflict. The report was blasted by human rights organizations as a white wash. However, India welcomed the recommenda-

Apr il 2013

aseema

Indian government is likely to vote in support of a UN resolution condemning the barbaric crimes of Lankan army on Tamil civilians during the recent battle that finally crushed decade-long rebellion in the island nation. It seems Karunanidhi played his part in the country’s decision. tions and urged Sri Lanka for speedy implementation and early completion of rehabilitation process. Although, India has expressed its displeasure over the slow pace of reconciliation process, it is wary of pushing for an international probe into human rights violations as demanded by many other countries. For one, Sri Lanka supports

India’s reservation to international intervention in Kashmir. And India is bound to reciprocate the gesture. Another reason is China’s growing proximity to Sri Lanka. However, Tamil parties have been demanding that India act tough. Last year, India shelved plans to allow Sri Lankan businessmen more access to

Indian market, on the behest of Tamil Nadu. There is a palpable anger against Sri Lankans in the state. In recent past, Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting the state were attacked. Also, the state government raises fishermen issue from time to time, alleging harassment by Sri Lankan Navy. It may be noted, chief minister Jayalalithaa objected

to training facility for Sri Lankan military in Tamil Nadu. She is also against conducting sports events involving Sri Lankan teams in the state. Strategically, India needs to have strong ties with Sri Lanka on fronts. But the vexed issue of war crime has become a thorn in the flesh of India-Lanka relations.

Terrorising Mother Country

A Bhatkal youth’s journey to Pakistan’s Karachi

t is a sleepy town on the Konkan coast of Karnataka state. Given the tranquil environment of the town, it is hard to imagine that the word “terror” can be associated with the town. But facts are stranger than fiction. The name of this small town, Bhatkal, has become the identity of India’s three most wanted

terrorists -- Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal. The first two are biological brothers and have gone a long way from their home town Bhatkal to Karachi in Pakistan, in the path of terrorism. The third one is also from the same town, though from a different family. Born as Riyaz Shahbandri and Iqbal Shahbandri,

the brothers were brought up in Kurla Mumbai. Both have studied civil engineering. While the elder brother Iqbal joined a real estate company, younger Riyaz helped his father in his leather tanning and purse making business initially. The family was living close to the head office of now banned SIMI in Kurla. Riyaz , who was

a shy student at college, joined SIMI, and soon became a prominent preacher of the Islamist student organization. Sources say his brush with crime began with extortion and supari killing, with which he funded SIMI activities. By 2003, Pakistan reportedly had launched Karachi Project to target India. The project replaced

aseema

Apr il 2013

ISI’s erstwhile Forward Section 23, which was guiding infiltration and terror activities in Indian territories. David Colman Headley, who was involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, revealed about the project in his confession to US authorities in 2010. According to him, LeT commander Syed Abdur Rehman Hashim was the handler of the project. The purpose of the project is to mobilize extremists from both Pakistan and India to carry out terror attacks in Indian cities. The modus operandi consists of recruiting Indian Muslims, training them in terror activities, and deploying them on the mission. Using Indians has its advan-

tage. They can strike deep in heartland, using local men and material, so that needle of suspicion does not point to Pakistan. Riyaz Bhatkal travelled to Pakistan and received terror training, making bombs included, at at a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) camp, and engaged himself in recruiting and training activities. The Bhatkal brothers, along with another youth called Amir Reza, are considered as the founders of Indian Mujahideen (IM). Their first recruits were from Azamgarh village in Maharashtra. It is believed that Riyaz conducted the first training camp in a farm house near his home town Bhatkal. He also re-

They took birth here and grew up here, drinking its water and breathing its air. Now, suddenly, they are the country’s most wanted criminals. Here is a nerve-wracking story of two Bhatkal brothers who spend day and night plotting terrorist attacks on Indian soil. cruited local youths there. Yasin Bhatkal aka Ahmad Zarar Siddibapa, who is believed to be behind the latest Hyderabad bomb blasts, was one of them. The outfit later spread its tentacles to other cities including Pune, Nanded, Hubli and Bangalore. It recruited at least 100 persons in a pan-India set up. IM carried out its first terror attack in October 2005, causing serial blasts in Delhi. A total of 62

people died in the blasts. In 2006, the attack at the Sankat Morcha temple in Uttar Pradesh killed 28. In 2006, serial blasts occurred in Mumbai’s local trains killing more than 200. David Headley’s revelation to US authorities confirms that the attack was engineered by LeT commander and Project Karachi handler Syed Abdur Rehman, but executed by IM operatives, including Yasin Bhatkal.

Fabricating Facts About Terrorism Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde might have regretted for his saffron terror remarks. But there is no denying that he made allegations that the BJP and RSS conducted terror camps in order to polarize Muslim votes in Congress’s favour in upcoming elections. It is significant that, he and officials in his ministry kept repeating, as long as possible, that accused in Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Samjhauta Express blasts had connection with the RSS. The aim was only to create communal impressions. Understandably, the majority of the media did not question the claims, though charges against none of the accused are proved yet. However, facts contrary to these claims are established by the US investigators long ago, at least in the case of Samjhauta Express blasts. The National Investigative Agency has filed charge sheet against Naba Kumar Sarkar alias Swami Aseemanand, Sunil Joshi (now dead), Lokesh Sharma, Sandeep Dange alias Parmanand and Ramchandra Kalasangra alias Ramji alias Vishnu Patel. However, in 2009, a press release from the US Treasury Department had said that LeT operative Arif Qasmani was involved in the blast. Subsequently, the United Nations Security Council committee on sanctions repeated the same. Later, both Indian and US media reported that David Headley’s Moroccan wife Faiza Outalha had revealed that she herself was involved in the Samjhauta Express attack unaware. However, NIA ignored all these facts, available in the public domain before filing the charge sheet. It claimed the confessions by Swami Aseemanand (suspected to be extracted by questionable means) excluded theory of other’s involvement. Apparently, NIA is concerned more about fixing terrorists than finding them.

Apr il 2013 Since then, IM has been striking at regular intervals. From Uttar Pradesh to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat to Maharashtra, Delhi to Bangalore, no city or town seems to be immune to IM attacks. Indian intelligence and security

apparatus has proved inefficient time and again. Although more than 50 IM men are in jail, February 23 blasts in Hyderabad shows, their ability to strike at will has remained intact. Incidentally, now the globally infamous

Bhatkal brothers operate from across the border, waging a proxy war on their own nation. According to sources, they live in the secure environs under ISI protection in Karachi, while their confidants like Yasin Bhatkal exe-

aseema

cute their orders in India. They have already earned the dubious distinction of killing more than 340 innocents, outshining even the dreaded Dawood Ibrahim. One wonders when the deadly play of Bhatkal brother will end.

Do we investigate to cover up or to unveil?

By Susheela H

an any investigation into a big ticket scandal be over in three months in India? Probe into the Bofors scam, involving Rs 64 crore bribery, began in 1987, the guilty not punished and money not recovered. Investigation into 2G scam, the first mega scam of the UPA government, which caused Rs 176,000 loss to the exchequer, began in 2009. However, although some key figures, such as A Raja and Kanimozhi spent some time in jail, the case is dragging. There is no certainty of convictions. Ditto with the CWG scam of 2010, and the “Coalgate” 2012. India’s investigative agencies could not complete probe on any case in three-month’s time. But, the UPA government thinks our parliamentarians are able to achieve what the specialist investigators cannot not. It has constituted a JPC to probe into the “choppergate” scam involving the Rs 37,000 deal for the VVIP helicopters. The Opposition pointed out that there is

High-profile investigations in the country often end up in covering a VIP rather than unveiling their crime. CBI’s probe into chopper scandal appears to be heading in the same direction. Criminals thrive in a country where investigators are weak. CBI cannot act on its own unless it is freed of political connections. hardly any time left to conduct the probe by a JPC, with the parliament getting dissolved in a year time. The government says it the JPC is given a three-month time-frame to complete the task. Will the JPC, boycotted by most of the opposition parties, come up with another easy clean chit at the end of three months? Defence Minister AK Antony has already given one such verdict about his ministry’s officials. Antony ordered an internal enquiry after the matter came up in Italy. Investigators had found that Finmeccanica, the holding company of AgustaWestland, had paid bribe

to clinch a VVIP helictopter deal in India. Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini were arrested and the charge sheet named middle men, including three cousins of former IAF chief, S.P. Tyagi. When the incident echoed loud in Indian media, with the needle of suspicion falling on the ex-IAF chief, Antony ordered the informal internal inquiry in February. The inquiry said there is no evidence to prove that Indian government functionaries received kickbacks. It also failed to trace the money trail. If Indian investigators are famous for not finding evidence, JPCs are no

aseema

Apr il 2013

better. Rajiv Gandhi had set up a JPC on the Bofors scam. But it proved to be an exercise in massive cover up. When the Swiss investigation nailed the culprits and the money trail, the JPC found no irregularities and corruption in the mega deal of Rs 1,472 crore. In November 2002, a special court trying the Bofors case said that the JPC was not interested to arrive at the whole truth. The court pointed out that the CAG report showed that Bofors contract was not awarded in a fair manner and Rajiv Gandhi and the then Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar had abused their positions, prima facie. Lashing out at the role of the CBI in the massive cover up, the court said the purpose was to see that the truth remains buried in the deep of the Swiss vaults. The court also blasted the CBI for delaying in fil-

e was a household name as a television comedian in Italy in the 1980s. Three decades later, he has successfully steered a movement to emerge ahead of every other political party in the recent general election. A comedian has turned into a king maker, polling 25.55 per cent of the votes in a hung parliament. The electoral success of his movement, not a party, mind you, has stunned political observers the world over. They wonder how a movement started by a clown named

ing the FIR.

History repeats itself Now, it seems the wheel has turned a full circle. Again a mega defence deal. Again a scam. Again a JPC. Again delay in filing FIR. Again CBI officials hollow trips abroad, taken up not to find evidence. The intent of the government is indicative of its purpose by the way approval for the JPC on choppergate is secured in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition in minority. Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath sprung a surprise putting the JPC proposal to the vote when Opposition was not present in full strength. Vote on the proposal was not on the list of RS business for the day. The vote was accepted by a

voice, as many parties staged a walk out in protest. Opposition parties criticized the government for rushing in to form a JPC when an FIR was not yet filed. Without an FIR, there was no possibility of getting help from the Italian investigating agency, which has put the case on trial in Italy. The Congress has an uncanny ability to make it appear that the shoe is on the other foot. It blamed that the BJP wasted a whole session of parliament, demanding a JPC on 2G scam, and when the government offered one now, the party is opposing. No one can miss the eerie similarity between the investigative tactics adopted over the Bofors scam and choppergate. Will there be any difference in the verdict?

Politcal Chessboard Beppe Grillo, who has nothing except a powerful presence on social networking sites, could emerge a key political force? The success of “Movimento 5 stelle”, which translates into “Five Stars Movement”, is significant given that the mainstream media mostly ignored its

foray into national election. A deeper dig into his Grillo’s story points to new political paradigm where frustration rules the roost. Grillo was known for his ranting monologues through his TV shows. His monologues were replete with witty punch lines, which were loved

What has gone wrong with Italy’s politics? By Susheela H by his audience. Gradually, as corruption became a widespread phenomenon in Italy, he started targeting it. He took it on himself to reveal uncomfortable truths about people and parties through his satires. He even criticized country’s prime minister. As a result, Grillo became

Apr il 2013

aseema

He is a comedian and also a former television anchor, who says Italian politics is corrupt, elitist and closed, bereft of any real connection with people. He has now sought the support of social networking sites to launch a campaign against the country’s political elites. a hot potato to handle, and it became difficult for him to continue on TV. After disappearing from the state-run television RAI in 1993, he started blogging to give vent to his anger against the establishment. His core narrative was that Italian politics is corrupt, elitist and closed, bereft of any real connection with people. His writing struck a chord with the internet-savvy youth, who were getting increasingly frustrated at the system. Soon, he acquired a cult following among netizens, which resulted in numerous Grillo fan clubs. Subsequently, his blog became one of the most visited websites in the world. Grillo’s activism grew from strength to strength. Exchange of ideas among his followers did not confine to online. His supporters started organizing face-to-face meetings. And Grillo’s activism spread, feeding on a mix of virtual and real. As part of his campaign, he began “Operation Cleanse Parliament” on his blog. According to him, the crime rate inside Italy’s

parliament is higher than anywhere outside. His blog contains the list of Italian parliamentarians who are convicted for crimes, ranging from corruption to tax evasion to abetting murder. In 2009, Grillo and his friend and digital guru Roberto Casaleggio founded “Movimento 5 stelle”, or M5s. The five stars represent development, transportation, public water, internet connection and environment. The M5s took its first political steps in 2010, fielding its candidates in the regional councilors’ elections. While only two of its candidates won the polls, it registered a notable vote share in five regions. In the 2012 local elections, the movement did well in several cities. Its vote share had significantly improves. The same year, M5s went on to win 15 seats in the 90-seat Sicilian assembly. It had polled around 14.9 per cent. By 2013 general elections, M5s had become truly a force to reckon with. Grillo’s public rallies started to attract huge crowds. His last cam-

paign rally in the run up to February polls was attended by more than 800,000 people. Opinion polls projected M5s to poll 15-20 percent votes. But it ended up emerging single largest party by garnering 25.5 percent votes and 109 seats in the 630-member Chamber of Deputies, and polling 23.8 percent and winning 54 seats in the 315-member senate. Grillo did not contest as he was convicted in a manslaughter case, involving a road accident, in 1980.

Contesting polls, the Grillo way The Five Star Movement selected it candidates through an online ballot, in which only 25,250 voters participated. The 15page M5s manifesto promises pay cut for elected representatives, bringing it down to equal the average national income. The other promises include ending of public finding of political parties, allowing only two terms for elected representatives, providing free internet connections, creating more bicycle lanes, abolishing stock options and putting cap

on pay packages of senior executives. Neither Grillo, nor any M5s candidate appeared on TV during the campaigning, as the maverick leader had made it a policy. Critics say it is because of the bitter end to his TV association. Others say, Grillo did not wanted to submit to cross examinations. Despite an absence on the mainstream media, M5s scored higher than any other single party in the polls. The profile of some successful M5s candidates also adds interesting hues to the parliament mosaic. These candidates include a 25-year-old student and a dialect poet. Political analysts interpret M5s’s success as a wakeup call to Italy’s political parties. They contend that it signals deep public discontent as the country is swept over by a wave of scams and scandals, involving the political and business worlds. Their worry is that if discontentment results in the arrival of establishment parties, more countries, including the UK, are susceptible to having them.

aseema

Apr il 2013

History Frightens Bangla The ghost of 1971 war frightens Bangladesh By Susheela H

he ghost of 1971 war returned to Bangladesh last month, unleashing a wave of violent protests, and leaving a bloody trail of death and destruction. The trigger was capital punishment awarded to three persons, leaders of the largest Islamist party of the country, Jamaat-e-Islami, for their involvement in war crime. Of the nine offenders bring tried in the special tribunal for war crime, two were also from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Both Jamaat and BNP called for nationwide protests against the verdict, plunging the country in a spate of violence. Protesters got engaged in fighting police, torching, trains, vehicles and police stations, and attacking Hindus and their temples. As the violence escalated, the heat felt in India soon. India and Bangladesh share 4,097 km of international border along the five eastern and north-eastern states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Mizoram and Tripura. Infiltration from across the border is one of the biggest problems these states, WB and Assam in particular, facing. In WB, more than 300 km of the international border is left unfenced. Reports suggest, infiltration increased ever since violence broke out in Bangladesh. Officials, on the one hand, maintained that there were no infiltrations. On the other, a BSF official

Bangladesh is in a political turmoil, political parties are not in talking terms. This is a country where democracy is struggling to survive and this the country politics has become superior to the country. The latest issue to haunt the country is its history, the 1971 war with Pakistan. revealed that they intercepted 29 infiltrators in one day in Malda district. Sources said infiltration also took place along Nadia and North 24-Parganas borders. On March 2, a Bangladeshi youth was handed over to the police by locals in Shantipur in Nadia district. He revealed that he, along with 13 others, crossed the Ichhamati river and entered India. Soon after the group dispersed and the youth came to Shantipur, in order to live with his uncle. What is more alarming is the thriving illegal immigration business along the border. The youth revealed Bangladeshis are charged Rs 3,000 per person to cross over. The youth also said that he could buy a SIM card with his Bangladeshi citizenship, as soon as he reached Shantipur. He was to get an identity card as well within a day or two. Violence in Bangladesh also hit imports and exports in India. Hun-

dreds of loaded trucks were stranded in the border area by March 3. West Bengal Export Company said transportation came down by 50 per cent by then; ditto with the trade between Tripura and Bangladesh. It was also feared that the repercussion of violence that was spearheaded by Islamists could whip up communal sentiments in India as well. Jamaat-e-Islami activists had damaged several Hindu temples, prompting the Bangladesh High Court to take a suo moto notice and order for minority security. Indian intelligence agencies got into alert mode, keeping tab on communication channels, such as telephone and internet. Special vigilance was also maintained on the activities of banned SIMI members in places like Indore.

Communal tinge Bangladesh government maintained that the fight was between communal and secular forces. The three persons, awarded death sentence, were from the largest Islamist party of the country. They were prominent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islam: Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president; Abdul Quader Mollah, assistant secretary- general; and Abul Kalam Azad, who is absconding was a formal leader of the party. They were among the nine people, facing prosecution for war crime in the special tribunal. Jamaat was against the Liberation War of 1971, and it sided with Paki-

Apr il 2013

stani forces. The war had left over 3 million people dead, while unofficial figures put it over 5 million. The special tribunal had found the Jamaat leaders guilty of arson, looting, mass killing and rape, as well as forcing minority Hindus to convert to Islam. Earlier in January, the tribunal had awarded death sentence to Abul Kalam Azad in absentia. However, a

month later, it handed only life sentence to Abdul Quader Mollah, triggering massive protests by seculars and youth. The protest was mainly spread through social networking sites and blogs. It escalated when an anti-Islamist blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider got killed. The protesters demanded justice for Haider’s killing and remained adamant on their demand of death penalty for Mollah.

aseema

Under pressure, Bangladesh parliament amended the law to enable the government to appeal against tribunal’s verdict, and sought a relook into the death sentence. The tribunal revised its verdict andhanded capital punishment to both Mollah and Jamaat vice-president Sayedee, sparking another wave of protests that turned fatally violent.

Doubting the Mother Was Mother Teresa really a Saint

he was hailed as the symbol of hope to the poor, the homeless, and the diseased. India, where she began her long journey in charity by setting up a destitute home in Kolkata, showered her with all possible civilian awards, including the Bharat Ratna. She also won several global recognitions, includ-

ing Ramon Magsaysay and Nobel awards. When she died in 1997, the Vatican, the seat of power for the Roman Catholic Church showed an uncanny hurry to make her a saint. It canonized her, the first step in sainthood, without waiting for the mandatory five-year waiting period after her death.

However, more and more doubts are raised over Mother’s sainthood. A recent study, published in a French language journal for religion and science journal, declares that, she is anything but a saint. The Canadian study points out that Mother was interested in glorifying people’s suffering, rather than pro-

aseema

Apr il 2013

viding them relief. The study also sheds light on how Mother spent very little on the actual care for the sick and the poor, despite getting huge sums of money as donations in their name. It says in the 517 destitute homes spread in 100 countries, no proper care was provided for patients, many of whom were simply left to die. Mother Teresa, who died in 1997, was eventually beatified in 2003. The move was questioned by many. They said the miracle, based on which the beatification was done, did not appear genuine. The “miracle” involved 35-year-old tribal woman West Bengal, Monica Besra, who said a beam emanating from a medallion bearing Mother’s picture cured her ovarian cancer. However, the doctors in the state-run hospital, where she received treatment, maintained that she had only tubercular cyst, not cancerous tumour, and it was cured by medicine. Traditionally, miracles are subjected to rigorous scrutiny, to eliminate all natural causes. In Besra’s case, there was a strong natural cause, medical treatment, preceded the cure. Still the Vatican accepted it as a miracle caused by Mother Teresa. The Vatican is still waiting for the second miracle that is needed to declare Mother Teresa, a saint. But the question is will that happen ever? According to the Canadian study, the Vatican sought to bestow sainthood to Mother Teresa just to reinvigorate faith in the Church at a time when the Roman authority is crumbling. In its rush to do so, the Vatican failed to look at the human side of Mother. The study also contends that media campaigns orchestrated her beatification, while her hollowed image fails to stand up to any factual analysis.

Doubts are being raised over Mother Teresa’s sainthood and the motive to nurse the ailing citizens. A recent study, published in a French language journal for religion and science, declares that, she is anything but a saint. The Canadian study points out that Mother was interested in glorifying people’s suffering, rather than providing them relief.

Attraction of poverty Born as Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Albania in 1910, Mother Teresa had always wanted to come to India. She joined Sisters of Loreto as a missionary at age 18. A year later in 1929, she came to India and began to teach in a school in Darjeeling. A few years later, she moved to the Loreto convent school in Kolkata, where she went on to become its head mistress after teaching there for almost 20 years. By now she had become a nun and changed her name to Teresa. In 1943, a sever famine struck Bengal and Teresa was increasingly perturbed by the surrounding poverty and misery. She left Loreto and started missionary work in 1948. Two years later, she secured Vatican permission to start her own Mis-

sionaries of Charity. The aim was to care for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone,” in her own words. However, years later, her statement on the poor during a press conference in the US came for much criticism. She said, “I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people.”

Love for Christ Mother Teresa set up her first home for the dying in 1952 in Kolkata by convert a dormitory into “Nirmal Hriday” at Kalighat. She claimed the place offered “beautiful death to those who lived like animals”. However, critics maintain that patients are given little medical care. Her charity claims that the inmates are offered an opportunity to die in dignity and with rituals as per their faith, reports said she encouraged baptizing of dying patients. Media often quoted her speech delivered at the Scripps Clinic in California in January 1992 -- “Not one has died without receiving the special ticket for St. Peter, as we call it. We call baptism ticket for St. Peter.

Apr il 2013

We ask the person, do you want a blessing by which your sins will be forgiven and you receive God? They have never refused. So 29,000 have died in that one house from the time we began in 1952.”

Bonding with rich and famous Mother Teresa was wined and dined by the world’s rich and famous, including those with dubious reputation. She did not mind taking donation from former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who was

later found guilty of siphoning off massive amounts. She also accepted a huge amount donated by American banker Charles Keating, who was later convicted by court over a savings and loan scandal. There were calls to return the money. But Mother Teresa ignored it, and went on to ask the court to show mercy on Keating. Being hailed as a champion of poor, Mother Teresa never hesitated to back the powerful. She supported 1975 emergency in India, saying, people were happy and there were no strikes.

aseema

Critics say she adopted different yardsticks for poor and herself. While she was reluctant to install modern facilities in her charity homes, she enjoyed five-star hospitalities abroad. While proper medical care was denied to inmates of her charity homes, she got treatment in state-of-art facility hospitals in the US. Now, the Canadian study has once again brought her human side to the fore. Is the Vatican, which is awaiting another miracle to declare her saint, willing to see it?

Socializing with Socialism Venezuela struggles to get out of Chavez’s legacy

he death of Hugo Chavez, the flamboyant Venezuelan president, on March 5 has left a huge vacuum in the political scene of Latin America. That several countries in this part of the world officially mourned the loss of the leader is a testimony to the enormous clout he wielded over them. May be these countries were not just expressing their emotional solidarity with Venezuela; but their flowery tributes to the tallest leader of the region were imbued with a sense of gratitude for economic

Hugo Chavez lived and ruled like any autocratic leader. ‘Enemy’s enemy is my friend’ was his political ideology. Maybe that was the reason why he befriended every global leader that the United States hated. For him, standing up against the U.S. was an achievement. In the end, that has what turned out to be his only achievement. benefits they received from Chavez. In fact, at least 17 countries have directly benefited from Chavez’z benevolence of sharing his countries oil wealth with neighbours. Chavez died of cancer at 58, as a hugely polarizing and controversial world

leader. His anti-American stance and friendship with countries like Iran, Syria and Cuba antagonized the West. But his 14-year rule as Venezuelan president saw the number of poor halved in his country. He prescribed over a socialistic democracy based on

his own revolutionary ideas, which he called Bolivarianism or 21st century socilaism. He launched Bolivarian Revolution, in the name of 19th century reformer Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan who led the movement against the imperialist Spanish authorities. Bolivar’s revolution had resulted in independence of most north Latin American countries from the Spanish rule, and Chavez wanted to usher in another revolution to free Latin Americans from poverty and backwardness. A former military offi-

aseema

Apr il 2013

cer, Chavez was involved in a failed coup against President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1992. He floated the Fifth Republic Movement party in 1996 and came to power in 1999 in an alliance with leftleaning parties. Later, his Fifth Republic Movement party merged with other socialist parties to create the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. When he came to power, country’s economy was in dire state with more than half of the population living below the poverty line. Corruption was rampant, and economic and political power was concentrated in a few hands. Chavez unleashed a slew of measures that benefitted the poor, but enraged the rich. His Bolivian Revolution was marked by enhanced state spending on subsidized food, healthcare and education, as well as nationalization of key industries and redistribution of land. He also brought in constitutional changes providing political platform for poor by setting up participatory democratic councils. These steps not only made him immensely popular in his country, but also resulted in more equitable distribution of wealth. The percentage of the poor fell from 55.4 in 1998 to 29.5 in 2011, according to a UN report. Also, UN

index of human development shows that Venezuela moved up 7 points to rank 73 out of 187 countries from 2006 to 2011. Chavez did not confine reforms to his country alone. He offered a helping hand to other Latin American and Caribbean countries using oil, which is in abundance in his country. In fact, Venezuela has the largest estimated oil reserve in the world. Chavez launched Petrocaribe program (energy sharing club) and offered 10 percent of crude oil produced in Venezuela to 18 countries at dirt cheap prices and ridiculously easy terms. The beneficiaries included Cuba, Dominica, and Dominican Republic to Haiti, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Even bigger countries like Brazil and Argentina benefited from Venezuelan oil. Chavez also worked for forging greater cooperation among Latin American and Caribbean countries. He was instrumental in setting up the Union of South American Nations, fashioned on European Union, which intended to bring in common currency, parliament and passport in member countries. In order to bring about closer ties among the neighbouring countries, he stitched together the Bolivian Alliance for Americas. He also helped establish the

Bank of the South as an alternative to the International Monitory Fund, to promote economic development in region. On the flipside, Chavez extended support to militant rebels, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, provoking the Colombian government. His bonhomie with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has irked the West that has isolated Iran over its controversial nuclear programmes. Besides, Chavez called former Cuban president Fidel Castro, America’s old foe, as his god father. At the same time he became the bitterest critic of the US. He even called President George Bush a donkey, and flayed US Afghan policy, saying it was an attempt to fight terror with terror. His friendship with Russia and Syria has also not gone down well with the US. Chavez’s associations, as much as his policies, had made him a deeply polarizing person. He criticised the neo-liberalism of the West, which he says is the root cause of global economic problems. But critics say his social democratic agenda increasingly turned Leftist and his rule autocratic. They contend that in his attempt to effect more equitable distribution, he drove out the rich, and brought down the middle class on par

with the poor. They also point out that instead of using oil judiciously, he squandered the natural resource to appease his neighbours. Another criticism levelled against Chavez is that while seeking to end the rule of oligarchy, he created “Boligarchy”, allowing people close to him flourish. Although UN data show that there is a sharp decline in poverty, critics say Chavez’s populist propoor policies have left the economy in doldrums. Venezuela’s economy is crucially dependent on oil, which contributes 18 per cent to the total GDP, but constitutes 95 per cent of exports. However, crumbling infrastructure in the oil sector is expected to affect the production. The economy is also expected to slow down to 1.7 per cent, the slowest in the major Latin American countries. At the same time inflation is expected to reach 26 per cent. While critics seek to highlight the declining growth rate and rising inflation as a legacy left behind by Hugo Chavez, his popularity in his country and in Latin America will not wane anytime soon. He is credited for changing lives of millions by lifting them out of poverty and acute poverty. And they would remember him for life.

aseema

Apr il 2013

Diplomatic Coup How the Indian Government pulled off this memorable Coup? By Narayan Ammachchi

Apr il 2013

The marines not only killed the firshermen, they did not even bother to inform the coastal authority and had continued sailing 70 miles enroute to Egypt by the time Indian coastal guards intercepted. Now the sailors say they mistook fishermen for pirates.

taly, it seems, has avoided a difficult diplomatic tussle by handing back the marines accused of killing two fishermen in India. The navy soldiers arrived back in India, a day after they were due to attend a court trail. UPA government is in a state of jubilation because analysts described the event as an unprecedented diplomatic coup India had ever managed to pull off. Italy had in fact put the government in a difficult situation by declaring that it would not send back the sailors who were granted bail after the Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini gave a personal assurance. Italy caved in after the Supreme Court prepared a case to remove the diplomatic immunity that Mancini thought he could use to escape the law. Under increased political pressure, UPA government headed by the Italy-born Sonia Gandhi, alerted airports and prevented the envoy leaving the country. Italy knew that the envoy can’t be punished, but it soon understood the difficulty of taking on the Indian government after it learnt that he had given a written assurance to the court. Italy maintained all along that the case should be tried by an international court inside Italy because it said the killing took place on international waters. Marines, in the meanwhile, admitted to killing the fishermen but said they mistook them for pirates. Pushing the envoy into dock was a shrewd move though that was the only weapon left in the

aseema

Indian armory. The marines left for home to vote in their country’s parliamentary election and celebrated Christmas. When the date for their return came close, Italian government threw a bombshell declaring that it would not send back the marines. Thereby, it sparked off a heated diplomatic squabble. The most interesting part of the episode that prime minister Manmohan Singh gathered all the prowess in his body to threaten the Italy government said ‘there would be consequences”. Now it seems his threat has paid off. The Supreme Court, on the other hand, said the envoy could not seek cover behind diplomatic immunity as he had failed to live up to his words.

How it all happened? It all began in December when Italian sailors – Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre – assigned to guard the ship carrying oil to Egypt shot and killed two fishermen – namely Ajesh Binki and Valentine – while passing by the Kerala coast. Under the international marine law, sailors need to issue warning shots and alert nearby coastal guards before shooting at the suspected pirates. Moreover, in this case, the fishermen were unarmed and were sailing on a boat that went far slower than the ship. The marines not only killed the firshermen, they did not even bother to inform the coastal authority and had continued to sail 70 miles enroute to Egypt by the time Indian navy crew learnt of the incident.

aseema

Apr il 2013

The coastal guards intercepted the ship and asked its captain to head to Kochi. The naval officers rounded up the ship and inspected the vessel to know if she had suffered any bullet wounds. The preliminary inspection confirmed that the marines had taken away innocent lives in the name of securing their ship. The killing has frightened the fishing community in Kerala coast, making them dread sailing into the deep sea. Before leaving for home, the Italian marines spent 105 days in prison, and currently they are in a guesthouse. Vice Admiral KN Sushil told the Supreme Court that the Italian ship showed no regard for the lives of fishermen. Had thought they were

being chased by a pirate vessel, they should have carried out evasive maneuvers to alter the course of the ship. “If the pirates were sill after them, they would’ve fired a few warning shots well above the bow of the pirate vessel to deter it,” he argued. It was clear that the fishermen were unarmed and were not attempting to take control of the ship. Sushil said he dispatched an army unit to ascertain if there were bullet marks on the ship. They went around the ship and confirmed that there was none. He later asked his men to verify the ship’s logbook if there were any mention of firing warning shots. Sushil wonders asking how a fish-

ing boat whose maximum speed is eight knots can chase a huge ship that sails far faster. On 2 March, Indian investigators found out that the ship had failed archive its internal communication in its voyage data recorder (VDR), something mandatory under the law. According to the International Maritime Organization’s SOLAS requirements, every vessel has to maintain VDR data, because this is equivalent to the black box in an aircraft. Ships are supposed to record conversations in the captain’s cabin, the vessel’s position and happenings on board every 12 hours, after which it overwrites the data with fresh details unless archived manually.

Christian politics over the killing The case took religious twist after Mar George Alencherry, a senior Christian cardinal in Kerala, called on the Indian government not to press for punishing the marines. His comments made during an interview given to Vatican-based Catholic news agency Agenzia Fides kicked up a row. India Today magazine ran an article with a title “Is cardinal Alencherry more loyal to Italy than Kerala?” The magazine quoted his statement made to the Italian press: “I learnt about the Catholic fishermen who were killed: it is very sad. I contacted Catholic ministers straight away, asking the government in Kerala not to act hastily. Errors of course were made during the incident, as fishermen were mistaken for pirates. The point, however, is that it seems the opposition party

wants to take advantage of the situation and manipulate the case for electoral reasons, making reference to western powers and to America’s attempt to gain supremacy.” “I am and will remain in close contact with the Catholic ministers of Kerala and I hope that they will help to pacify the situation. In particular, I trust in the work of the Tourism Minister, the Catholic K.V. Thomas, who participated in the consistory in Rome in the past days and attended the mass with the Holy Father and the new cardinals. He is a man of great moral stature and of significant influence, both in the local and Central Government, and he assured me his maximum effort. I guarantee, in the next few days, my constant involvement with the Indian authorities on the matter.” His statement really surprised

everyone. Of course he later denied he said so. The cardinal’s main argument was that BJP was taking advantage of the matter. His words sounded as if he wanted the whole case to be decided by the Catholic Church, because he said both the killers and the killed are Catholic Christians. Later a spokesman of the Kerala Church issued a statement saying Alancherry’s statement was “distorted” by media. It went on saying “the report of the Italian press agency is wrong. The agency removed the report and expressed their apology for the mistake. I have not tried to intervene in this matter, nor have I contacted any ministers regarding this. Two precious lives have been lost. Strong legal action should be taken against the guilty.”

Apr il 2013

everal movie stars and politicians are rallying behind Sanjay Dutt and arguing that he should be pardoned. Such things happen in this country when an elite person from a reputed family is found guilty of committing crime. What they are not answering is that why the Supreme Court needed to waste so much time to investigate into the charges against him if the intention was to pardon him. Remember, Sanjay Dutt has been found guilty of illegally possessing three AK-56 rifles, a pistol and ammunition obtained from the Mumbai gangsters who plotted the serial bomb blasts. The point is not that Sanjay is a terrorist, nor that he is an anti-national. Sanjay could have prevented the bomb blasts had he tipped off the police about the terrorists’ plans. Instead, Sanjay gave them shelters and tried to hide their arms from police. The bomb blasts led to the deaths of more than 200 innocents and the relatives of those who died are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Courts spent lakhs of rupees of taxpayers’ money on investigation into the case. Now there is a growing call to pardon him. If Sanjay was a so good a person why he did so? Why should we pardon only Sanjay, why not the thousands of prisoners who have long been telling that they were wrongly convicted. Seeking pardon for Sanjay is something like seeking enactment of different laws for different people. Pardoning Sanjay sends out a wrong message. Such a wrong a message that people assume law can discriminate. There will be no bigger tragedy than creating a sense of feeling among people that the law of the land treats different people differ-

ently. Hearing Sanjay’s case in the TADA court, Judge Kode said:”the crime was not brutal and did not result in any harm to anyone, but it was an eminently dangerous act which encouraged others to break the law.” A few years ago, legendary film director Roman Polanski ran away to

aseema

to Sanjay for 40,000 rupees. Does this seem to be an innocent act? On 19 April 1993, Sanjay was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA). He spent 18 months in jail until he was granted bail in October 1995. He was later re-arrested in December 1995 and re-released in April 1997. Be-

Khalnayak

SC Gives Sanjay Jadu Ki Jappi & Pappi

By Narayan Switzerland after he was accused of raping 16-year-old girl in the United States. Polanski is still hiding in Switzerland, but the United States has continued its effort to extradite him. Interestingly, no one in the US is calling for pardoning. Who is Sanjay Dutt? Sanjay Dutt could be an innocent, but his innocence is nowhere to be seen in his decades-long career. 58year-old Sanjay spent two years in U.S. to kick his addiction to drugs. On his return to India, he founded success on action hero roles. Sanjay, it seems, had a good rapport with the underworld. In February 2007, Mumbia police arrested Abdul Qayyum Abdul Karim Shaikh, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind of Mumbai bomb blasts. Qayuum later named Sanjay Dutt in his confessional statement. Dutt had said that he met Qayuum at a movie set in Dubai in September 1992. Later Qayuum gave him a pistol in Mumbai at the insistance of Dawood’s brother Anees Ibrahim. According to CBI, the pistol was sold

tween 2006 and 2007, Dutt spent 7 months in Arthur Road Prison and Pune prison on three occasions for arms offences. In early 2009, Dutt announced that he would contest the 2009 Lok Sabha elections on the Samajwadi Party ticket. However, he withdrew his candidacy in March 2009 after the Supreme Court refused to suspend his conviction; the party instead named him the General Secretary of the party. Dutt was born on 29 July 1959 to a Punjabi family of Bollywood megastars Sunil Dutt and Nargis and was educated at The Lawrence School, Sanawar near Chandigarh. Dutt married the actress Richa Sharma in 1987. Sharma died of brain tumour. The couple have a daughter, Trishala, born in 1987, who lives in the United States with her grandparents, following a custody battle with Dutt after the death of his wife. Dutt’s second marriage was to model Rhea Pillai in 1998. They divorced in 2005. Dutt married Manyata (also known as Dilnawaz Sheikh) in 2008 at a private ceremony in Goa, after two years of dating.

aseema

Apr il 2013

Wharton

Whartonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war against free speech By Susheela H

merica is touted as a temple of free speech. It allowed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, arguably one of its most hostile enemies, to address students at Columbia University, a few years ago. However, its refutation has taken a beating when a student forum in Wharton School of Business disinvited Narendra Modi. The move assumed significance as the Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) took the controversial step following the management intervened. Wharton management buckled under pressure from Left-leaning Indian-American academics. They got more than 200 people to sign a petition opposing the invitation to Modi. Importantly, the signatories included none from Wharton. Also, those who led the campaign were not from business stream. Still, the Wharton community was deprived of a chance to hear their chosen speaker, who stands for economic development and good governance in popular imagination. The Wharton snub, as it is dubbed by the celebrating Indian mainstream media, seems to have done more good to Modi and more damage to the business school. Not only some key speakers and sponsors withdrew from the event, free speech advocates severely criticised Wharton, both in India and the US. Many questioned what changed

with Modi after WIEF sent out the unsolicited invite to him. Ron Somers, president of US India Business Council (USIBC), called it unfortunate and disrespectful. USIBC represents more than 350 top US companies, some of which are Fortune 500. Wall Street Journal columnist Sadanand Dhume is another keynote speaker, who refused to participate in the event after Modi snub. In his letter to Wharton he said the institute chose to toss aside the principles of free speech and reasoned debate. Interestingly, even Modiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diehard critics slammed the Wharton move. Union minister for state in HRD ministry Shashi Taroor took a stand different from his party and

said Wharton should have heard Modi after inviting him. Another Modi critic and distinguished scholar Ashutosh Varshney said Wharton should have followed Columbia University, which did not pay heed to pressure against inviting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but allowed students grilling him with tough questions. Many argued that the university has gone against its liberal ethos and the values that allow free debate and discourse.

To celebrate or slam As it happens with anything related to Narendra Modi, heated debates took place in Indian media. A deluge of articles appeared in print,

Apr il 2013

With its decision not to allow Narendra Modi to address the students, Wharton Business School has proved that it does not always respect freedom of speech. People are now wondering why the School invited Modi and why it later refused him a chance to speak. and high-pitched arguments inundated prime time TV debates. With most “liberals” slamming Wharton, many journalists appeared confused as to whether celebrate or slam the disinvite. A famous anchor of a TV channel asked “Should India get a prime minister who is likely to be met with black flags and protests every where?”. The answer given by a panellist was more interesting: “Should people select a leader on

the basis of black flags and protests or governance?” Obviously, Modi detractors want to include the Wharton disinvite in the list of parameters that disqualify the Gujarat strongman for the top most job in the country.

India First The Wharton snub notwithstanding, Narendra Modi addressed In-

aseema

dian diaspora in the US. He equated secularism with India First concept, or country above religion. Again it was time for heated debates. Intellectual in our country sought to explore what “India” means to Modi. “Does it include only Hindus?” Some even argued that Modi should be the last person to talk about secularism. Interestingly, these free speech advocates want to set terms for others’ speech. More importantly, Gujarat chief minister’s records of the past 10 years in good governance and development, the die-hard Modi critics are desperately tying him a communalist image. Will they succeed?

Villain or Misguided? T

he story of Bitti Mohanty trumps Bollywood thrillers. Probably it is also a story of a misguided youth. And most probably he was misguided by his own family members and relatives to hoodwink the law, while his father was a top cop overseeing the law and order of a state. However, their misguidance did not help him evade the law for ever. Instead, it resulted in aggravating his crime and enhancing their agonies. Bitti Mohanty’s story is a lesson in why law should

be dealt with strait forward strokes than complicated manoeuvrings. As son of a DGP, Bitti must have had everything going great for him. He was an MBA student, and his future must have been holding exciting possibilities. However, he ended up in jail for raping a foreigner. In India, it is not rare to see the rich and powerful getting away with rape and murder. However, Bitti’s case went on a different course from the word go. He assaulted the German woman tourist,

whom he was accompanying, in Alwar, Rajasthan on March 21, 2006. A fast track court began the trial after 10 days on April 1. And the trial ended and verdict pronounced in just nine days, which is a record in India. Apparently, pressure from German Embassy prompted the wheel of justice turn quickly. The court found Bitti guilty and sentenced him to seven-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Bitti’s jail term began in an Alwar prison, and later he was moved to the

central prison in Jaipur. In the meanwhile, he had appealed against the verdict in the Rajasthan High Court and sought bail. According to Bitti’s father BB Mohanty, courts rejected his son’s appeal seven times, and bail was not considered for one year. But, Bitti was allowed to go out on a 15-day parole to visit his ailing mother. He never came back. Now it appears, the parole was used to chalk out an extensive plan to help him go absconding. Unlike common people,

aseema

Apr il 2013

who have little choice but to follow the course of law, the rich and the powerful seldom think the law should run its course in their case. If Bitti was advised by his well wishers to abide by the law, he would have been a free man in a couple of months now. Instead, they seemed to have joined him in waving a web of deceit, by helping him assume a new identity. By doing so, they had virtually pushed him to live with a fake identity and under fear of disclosure for the rest of his life. Their gamble paid for six long years, but no more. It is another thing that the disclosure come about not due to police efforts, but because of an anonymous letter, purportedly written by his jilted lover. Rumours also had it that Bitti himself revealed his identity to his female colleague who wanted to marry him. Whatever led to the revelation, the consequences of Bitti’s past crime were waiting for him. He is just 30 years old and faces the prospects of spending more years in jail for additional crimes. It is like being forced to pay back an unpaid debt with compound interest. If only the Mohantys were the people of straight forward thinking, they would not have brought more dishonour and more agony on themselves. Surely, the course of deceit was not an easy one. Father BB Mohanty, who was the DGP in Orissa, got suspended and arrested for helping his son jump the parole. Later, he was acquitted by court and also reinstated. After his retirement, he chose to live in a humble house outside Cuttack, doing charity work. But he disappeared from the scene soon after the news of Bitti’s arrest broke out. Now, the suspicion of needle once

again falls on him. In July 2011, he said to a TV correspondent that his

son might have committed suicide, or have become a sanyasi, and he had wiped out the memory of his son. He also claimed that he never believed Bitti was guilty of raping. He indicated that it could be consensual sex, as his son and the German woman were friends. He also doubted if there was a conspiracy to trap his son. After the news of Bitti’s arrest broke out, Bitti’s aunt was quoted as saying she did not believe her nephew committed the crime as a German, who came from an open society, was involved. Apparently, the “well-wishing” relatives wanted to “save” Bitti. But it all went horribly wrong, and he plunged into deeper troubles.

In his new avatar Bitti appeared a changed man in his new avatar as Raghav Raj. His colleagues described him as a spirituality-inclined person, who would keep to himself. His mentor in Puttaparthi, retired school head master SV Ram Rao, was so impressed by his attitude that he helped secure not one but two jobs during his three-year stay in Puttaparti. Bitti secured all the possible documents – from secondary school certificate to degree certificate to voter ID in Ragav Raj’s name – during his stay in Puttaparthi. He then moved to Kannur in Kerala to enrol for an MBA at Chinmaya Institute of Technology. Reports say he secured MBA degree with flying colours. His subsequent successful attempt in bank officers’ examination resulted in Bitti joining the State

Bank of Travancore as a probationary officer. Probably, had he not revealed his identity to his female colleague (as reports say), he could have lived rest of his life as Raghav Raj. However, strange are the ways the truth emerges. According to a report, the female colleague’s marriage proposal prompted an emotionally overwhelmed Bitti to reveal the truth. The report says the revelation shocked the woman and changed her mind. And eventually she became instrumental in blowing the lid off the conman, who sought to live a new life under a new identity. While it has stunned everyone, it must have inspired some story tellers. But few fictional tales can boast the incredible twists and turns contained in the real story of Bitti Mohanty.

aseema

Apr il 2013

Hanging Guru of Terror What India could have done with Afzual Guru other than hanging him to death?

error talks are in the air ever since Afzal Guru was hanged on February 9. Intelligence sources had warned about possible attacks in India’s major cities and Jammu and Kashmir. However, attack did take place in Hyderabad and Srinagar. While the first one came in the form of serial bomb blasts, the second one was a fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp. India is convinced that both the attacks were emanated from Pakistan. Emerging evidence indicated that Hyderabad bomb blasts were planned by Indian Mujahideen founders, Bhatkal brothers, and executed by IM’s Indian operators. And in the Srinagar attack, the two fidayeen, who were guned down during the encounter, were believed to be from Pakistan. Analysts warn of the prospects of enhanced militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and more attacks on Indian cities. Apparently, Pakistan is executing a two-pronged strategy to trouble India. On the one hand, it is to increase India-centric activities by terror organisations, and on the other, to raise diplomatic bogey against

By Susheela H happenings in Jammu and Kashmir. The strategy is evident in the increasing prominence of Hafiz Saeed and the passage of a resolution, condemning the hanging of Afzal Guru, in the Pakistan National Assembly on March 14. Reports say 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed is now in charge of United Jihad Council (UJC), an umbrella outfit of terror groups operating in Pakistan and Kashmir. Days after Afzal Guru’s hanging, he chaired a meeting of the council and urged all groups to take revenge. And within a month, terror struck Hyderabad market place and Srinagar CRPF camp. While the first attack claimed 17 innocents, the second left five soldiers and two civilians dead. At the same time, diplomatic sound bites emanating from Pakistan is turning more and more hostile. On the day the controversial resolution on Afzal Guru was passed in the national assembly, Pakistan’s foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that her country wanted to end the six decades of animosity and hostility with India, but the latter’s attitude was posing

Apr il 2013

he Roman Catholic Church has created a history by electing a Latin American and Jesuit as its new pope for the first time. The appointment of Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio, a Jesuit from Argentina, as the 266th pope also signals the shifting constituency of the Catholic Church. The papacy has left Europe after 1,000 years to a developing country. This coincides with an expanding Catholic base in Latin America and dwindling Church membership in Europe. The appointment also comes at a time when the Church is beset with sex abuse scandals. Soon after his election the new pope made it clear what would be his focus. He assumed “Francis” as his papal name in the honour of the church’s most venerated saint Francis of Assisi, who preached a gospel of poverty. Later he said he would like a poor church for the poor. Pope Francis’s words assume significance as he has now the head of the church and the sovereign of the Vatican City, the capital of one of the wealthiest empires of faithful. Although church’s income and expenditure are kept secret, the Vatican has a reputation for lavish spending. Invoking the word “poor”, the new pope appears to have an intention to

New Pope New Hope Will New Hope Clean Up the Vatican? By Susheela H

change this practice. During his first media interaction he expressed his concern for the well-being of the poor. In his previous services in Argentina too, he was known for goading fellow church leaders

to help the poor. He himself maintained a modest lifestyle, in spite of his high status in the church as cardinal. Apparently, new pope’s previous orientation will continue to have a bear-

aseema

ing on his papacy. Observers noted a marked deviation from the traditional ways in the immediate aftermath of his election as pope. When he appeared on the Instead of the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica to greet the devotees, the new pope was in a white cassock, instead of the red mozzetta worn by his predecessor Pope Benedict. He also continued to wear the iron pectoral cross, instead of shifting to a gold one as done by his predecessors. Pope Francis also indicated that he wants to be a reconciling figure by adopting a papal name that stands for Franciscans. The Jesuits and the Franciscans are the two orders representing the Catholic Church, with contrasting styles and orientation. While the former represents more intellectually oriented, engaged in running universities and shaping church rules, the latter is into the field of missionary work. During his previous services as Cardinal Bergoglio, the new pope was known as a humble and skilled administrator, who worked to modernize the Catholic Church in Argentina. In his new role as pope, those skills could come handy to deal with the global church, which is in deep trouble. The church is hit by a wave of sexual abuse allegations,

aseema

Apr il 2013

The Vatican has got a new pope who is active, has a smiling face and caring attitude. But the question is will he change the church? He is from Argentina, the Latin American country whose economy is in shambles after years of careless governance. casting a shadow on its moral standing. Recently, England Keith Cardinal had to resign over sexual misconduct. Similarly, the Los Angeles Archdiocese

and Roger Cardinal Mahony faced abuse charges and opted for a $10 million settlement with the alleged victims. It may be recalled that

the Jesuits led a movement, liberation theology, in the 1970s to help the oppressed seek change. Being the first Jesuit to head the Vatican, Pope Francis is looked upon with a great amount of hope that he would bring changes and lift the church out of scandals and schisms. In his early statements, he expressed his intention to promote

the New Evangelization movement to invigorate Catholics and bring back the disaffected into the fold of the Church. However, people are curious to know what stance the new pope would take on subjects like on abortion, the ordination or women, and particularly, gay marriage. Will he dare to go the places his predecessors could not?

Evading Tax Some IT companies, it seems, are fake and they are using their business as a front to evade tax.

he glistening Indian IT industry has recently had a major black spot on its face. The blue eyed boy of the Indian industrial sector, among the most respected domains in the Indian job scene, has shown its ugly side to the world. Recently, Times of India revealed a damning side of the much acclaimed Indian IT exports. A report carried in the newspaper stated that many illegal

deals and money transfers were done under the garb of software exports and the government was caught napping. The black deed of this blue collar sector came to fore when kickbacks in the recently exposed VVIP chopper deal was reportedly transferred to India through shoddy software deals. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is now compiling some data and skeletons are

tumbling out of the closet. According to DRI, except the big and respectable names like TCS, Wipro and Infosys, numerous mid level and small level IT firms engage in such illegal deals. In the Italian chopper deal, Chandigarh-based IT companies named IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix were allegedly used to transfer kickbacks to middlemen in India. The company had stated that

By Raju Shanbhag this money, about 21 million Euros, were for its ‘software exports.’ But the Italian investigators who are investigating this deal say the transaction was falsified. Although the government has woken up to such frauds after the Italian chopper deal fiasco, it will not be easy to nab down the culprits in this domain. With the current system in place, it’s almost impossible to ascer-

Apr il 2013

tain the real value of any software. Also, investigators in India feel that it will be very difficult to go to the root of such fraudulent transactions unless oversees companies with whom these IT firms are dealing cooperate with the investigation. Any problems with the Indian IT sector will be a major setback for the Indian economy, as experts are painting a rosy picture for this field, despite a volatile economy in the US and European markets. National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has predicted that the aggregate revenue for the Indian IT-BPO sector will exceed $101 billion; a huge amount indeed. Indian authorities are trying to determine the amount of black money being laundered in this sector. Many fly by night operators have set shop in various smaller towns in India, misused the export benefits given to the software industry for a couple of years, and vanished without a trace. According to Reserve Bank of India, about Rs 1.51 lakh crore of transactions in the software field did not match their accounts. Apart from illegal transactions, the country also stands to lose out on tax, as many of these companies show false records to evade taxes. In the latter part of 2012, the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCI) raided 27 software companies in India to check for possible tax evasion. These companies included software firms such as Bitdefender, K7, eScan and e-Guard. But Indian IT sector has contributed immensely to the Indian economy, and has singlehandedly changed the quality of life for the Indian middle and lower class. In In-

It is a cunning network of brainy people and they cannot be caught as easily as you can think of. Let alone arresting them, it may be impossible to ascertain the real value of any software company, because their business is spread around the world. They have registered offices in countries like Cayman Island, the notorious tax haven in the Caribbean islands.

dia, a software job is deemed highly respectable and IT employees generally enjoy better infrastructure at their workplaces, compared to their peers from other industries. Not long ago, Indian middle class parents dreamt about their sons and daughters being engineers or doctors and sailing the foreign seas in search of greener pastures. Now, with India being the epicenter of world IT industry for years, the coveted MBBS and Engineering seats have lost their sheen and an

aseema

employment in a IT company is the new goal in life for various job aspirants. While big cities like Bangalore and Mumbai enjoy leadership positions in IT sector, many IT companies are spreading to smaller cities because of the availability of cheap labor and affordable real estate. One the one hand, this proliferation of IT industry in smaller town is creating endless job opportunities and offering better lifestyles for the youth in smaller towns; but on the other hand, they are also making life difficult for government watchdogs. But not all the companies doing business in smaller towns are tax evaders. Many companies go to these cities as they can save up to 30% of costs compared to big cities and also, their clients in US are refusing to pay more. These companies also face severe competition from other Asian and North American countries that do the same job for a lesser amount. So how does the government separate the wheat from the chaff? Again, cooperation from the overseas clients can be a key factor. Software is a unique product. One cannot decide its value based on the materials used. It is an intellectual product and hence, its value can only be determined by the end user; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the foreign companies, with whom Indian software firms deal, come into the picture. But even with their help, regulating software exports will be a herculean task for the Indian authorities. With innumerable IT companies having spread to the nook and corners of our country, DRI and its associate bodies will need more resources and vigor to stem this rot.

Apr il 2013

New Pope New Hope Will New Hope Clean Up the Vatican? By Susheela H

to help the poor. He himself maintained a modest lifestyle, in spite of his high status in the church as cardinal. Apparently, new pope’s previous orientation will continue to have a bear-

aseema

Apr il 2013

and Roger Cardinal Mahony faced abuse charges and opted for a $10 million settlement with the alleged victims. It may be recalled that

Evading Tax Some IT companies, it seems, are fake and they are using their business as a front to evade tax.

Apr il 2013

aseema

Apr il 2013

[ News Capsules ] Robbing Cyber Space

n January 31, SMSs Ankur Korani, a director in a cosmetic company in Mumbai, received a series of SMSs on his phone. The messages, 12 in all, informed him about money being transferred from the current account of the company he worked for. In a short span of one hour, more than Rs 1 crore was transferred to 12 different accounts that were opened in different parts of the country. Immediately, Ankur informed the police, and all the 12 accounts were blocked. But, major part of the transferred money was withdrawn by then. Later it was found that the fraudster could break into the bank’s online security system and get the money transferred through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). The incident marks the growing phenomenon of cyber crime in India. According to sources in the finance ministry, there were 32,928 cases of cyber fraud in the past three years. Most the cases took place in Mumbai and the banks include ICICI, Citibank, American Banking Corp, HDFC and Standard Chartered Bank. ICICI Bank reported highest number cases, 24,918, and lost Rs 74 crore in the three years. Internet penetration is growing and online transactions are increasing. At the same time, more and more people are falling prey to cyber attacks, such as hacking and phishing. Some cyber fraud cases also have the involvement of bank staff in the form opening fictitious accounts for a fee. It may be noted that the RBI has issued instructions on examining staff accountability in case of fraudulent transactions. Obviously, organizations and individuals need to go a long way when it comes to cyber safety and sensitivity about the same.

School in the Cloud

ow to level the education playing field in this highly unequal world? How could children in Indian slums and rural areas equip themselves to enter a technology-driven workplace? Dr Sugata Mitra, pro-

fessor of Educational Technology in UK’s Newcastle University had found a way out, way back in 1999. He installed a computer with internet connection in a wall in a Delhi slum letting children use it freely. No teacher, no instructions. The “Hole In the Wall” (HIW), as it was called, experiment showed that children can learn to use computer and internet on their own, overcoming the language barrier. Later, the experiment was repeated in more slums and villages in India. It was also emulated in some other countries, and it inspired the book Q&A, the basis of Slumdog Millionaire. Now Dr Mitra has won $1 million TED prize, handed out by the Technology, Entertainment and Design conference. Dr Mitra wants to use the money to build a school in the cloud. No, it is not building a castle in the air. He has already planned a project the Granny Cloud, which involves retired people teaching Indian children via Skype’s video chat. Dr Mitra also wants to promote self learning, with providing software to children living in remote areas and letting them learn on their own. The concept of standard education does not inspire Dr Mitra. He says the current education system produces identical factory workers and there should be a fresh model. According to him, education should facilitate learning new skills, help ask new questions, and spur imagination and creation.

5 Crore Gift on Shiva

new pop star has arrived on Indian literary scene. Amish Tripathi, the banker-turned novelist, seems to have earned the grace of Lord Shiva with his work. His Shiva trilogy has sold more than one million copies in the past two years and recorded an earning of Rs 22 crore. Now he has got Rs 5 crore advance to write his next series. The deal with Westland Publisher is the biggest for an Indian author by an Indian publishing house.

Apr il 2013

aseema

[ News Capsules ] The deal signifies the fantastic journey of Amish Tripathy, whose first novel, “The Immortals of Meluha”, was rejected by at least 20 publishers. Finally, his agent published it in February 2010. The book became a commercial success, aided by strategic campaign that included action video on YouTube and free availability of the first chapter of the novel. Then the “Secret of Nagas” came and sold like hot potatoes. Buoyed by the success, Tripathy quit his job and became full time novelist. The third book in trilogy, “The Oath of Yavuputras”, was released on February 27. The Rs 5-crore deal came about even as Tripathi has not decided the subject of his next series. Significantly, the deal of nearly $1 million is for the books, audios, and e-publishing rights within South Asia. The deal could end up at $4 million, if film rights and rights from regions are considered. Amish Tripathi says that he is a sworn devotee of Lord Shiva. Apparently, the Lord has bestowed a big boon on his devotee.

‘Oily’ Moily

yebrows were raised when Veerappa Moily replaced Jaipal Reddy as Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister in October last. Speculations were rife that Reddy was removed for resisting pressure from Reliance to raise gas prices. Reddy had not approved the proposals of Reliance related to gas pricing and production at Krishna Godavari basin block. Critics said the UPA government installed more “accommodative” Moily in the ministry to handle the “oily” issue. Social activist and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: Oily Moily will now work as per Reliance? Before being shifted to Petroleum and Natural Gas, Moily was the Corporate Affairs minister. It seems he was quite accommodative in that ministry as well. Otherwise, why should a big corporate house donate Rs 6 crore to his family trust?

Recently, media reported that Kissan Sabha Trust received the donation from ITC’s CSR budget in September 2012, when Moily was the corporate affairs minister. The trust has Moily as president his wife, son, and daughter as members. Media quoted Moily’s son’s email, which reveals Moily role in securing the donation. “Dad just called and confirmed that ITC has approved funding the operating expenses of KST for the next five years.” Reports also said Veerppa Moily’s son Harsha Moily firm MokshaYug Access has Ananth Ravi, president, Reliance Industries Limited as advisor. Now Moily is heading the petroleum ministry. His son’s firm having link with someone from the petrochemical giant has once again raised many eyebrows.

Fake Herbal Medicines

rganic food and herbal medicines are the new fad across the globe. The notion is anything direct from the natural source is good for health. People are also attracted to herbal and other forms of traditional medicines, due to harmful side effects of allopathic medicines. After all, these medicines have been used for thousands of years. According to World Health Organization, 80 percent people in Asia turn to traditional medicine for primary healthcare. In India, the swelling middle class has also spurred a growing army of obese and a corresponding rise in weight loss remedies. Many believe going herbal is an easy and safe way. But, British scientists warn that herbal medicines available in India and China may cause kidney diseases and bladder cancer. Scientists from King’s College London have found that herbal medicines, used to treat problems such as asthma, arthritis and slimming, are derived from preparations that contain aristolochic acids (AA). Many countries in Europe, as well as the US, have banned all the AA-contained products. The scientists suspect there could be millions of people, who are suffering from AA-induced kidney diseases and cancers, in India and other Asian countries. They also advise

aseema

Apr il 2013

[ News Capsules ] researchers to study about the presence of AA in the medicines prescribed for chronic patients with kidney problem or asthma. In India, one in every ten persons suffers from chronic kidney diseases. Health experts estimate that nearly two lakh people require kidney transplant or dialysis every year, but 90 per cent of them die without getting either of the treatments.

A Reel Jailbreak

ometimes back, prison officials in the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmadabad had found an 18-ft tunnel dug under a prison cell. The discovery, which foiled the jailbreak plan of the inmates that included terror accused though, had stunned the nation. But the tunnel plan pales when compared to a recent jailbreak attempt in the province of Quebec in Canada. Two prisoners, lodged in the Saint-Jerome jail, were airlifted in a helicopter by their accomplices from outside the jail, providing a “James Bond moment” to the onlookers. The prisoners were pulled up with a rope ladder while the hijacked chopper was made to hover over the jail rooftop. However, the audacious operation could not take them far. Police launched a massive manhunt with road and air operations and found them 43 km away from the jail. While one prisoner surrendered, another sought to extend the drama, by hiding in a shack and creating a barricade around it. After a brief negotiation, he too gave up. At the same time, the helicopter was found 85 km away from the jail and its pilot in a shocked state. Apparently, prison breeds innovative and daring ideas.

Patriotism of Ajmer Sharif?

pirituality scores over religion and politics. It was proved when Pakistan prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf visited the dargah of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Rajastan. Ashraf was

accorded a warm welcome by the Khadim (priest) community of the dargah and the Union minister Salman Khurshid, who also hosted lunch for him. However, the spiritual head of the dargah, Diwan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan boycotted the visit, dumping the tradition of being present at the dargah when a nation head is visiting. The reason for his protest was the recent killing and beheading of Indian soldiers by Pakistani army in the border area. The Diwan, a descendent of the Sufi saint condemned Pakistan for hurting Indian sentiments. He pointed out that despite India’s protest Pakistan did not initiate any action against the guilty. Holding Pakistan responsible for heightening tension in the region, the Diwan demanded that Pakistan apologise to martyrs’ families, government of India, and the army. And the spiritual head of Ajmer Sharif showed the way for rising above narrow considerations of religions and politics. Truly, Diwan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan’s action reflects the philosophy of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, one of the greatest saints Indian sub-continent has seen. He spread the message of universal love and peace in the 13th century. His spiritual powers and boundless compassion for the mankind attracted people from all religions and regions. Even today, people, regardless of their caste, creed, religion, or nation, visit the dargah and seek his blessing. Pakistani leaders are not behind. But do they carry back the saint’s message?

Women & India

he woman in India has become a discussion point in India ever since the Delhi gangrape of December 2012. The Justice Verma Committe, appointed to study and recommend measures to strengthen country’s legal system vis-a-vis women’s safety, had gone beyond its brief to shed light on institutional and societal fault lines. The panel had picked gender inequality as one of the key points that have contributed to Indian woman’s misery today. The point is endorsed by the latest UN report.

Apr il 2013

aseema

[ News Capsules ] India scored poorly on reproductive health index as well. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maternal death is 200 per 1 lakh childbirths, compared to 37 deaths in China and 21 in the US. Obviously, India has to go a long way.

Racism in Britain

he 56-year-old Prakash Patel is a resident of Manchester in the UK for the past 31 years. A bank officer by occupation, Prakash loves football and is a die-hard fan of Manchester United. He and his family members have been following M-United tournaments for the past 25 years. However, a recent outing has left him so shaken that he has lost faith in British society and wants to return to India. A brutal racist assault did this change in him.

According to the United Nations Development Programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Human Development Report 2013, India is better than only Afghanistan on gender equality in South Asia. Even Pakistan and Bangladesh fare better than India. Globally, India stands at 132nd place out of 187 countries, while Pakistan is placed at 123 and Bangladesh 111. Sri Lanka is far better with 75 ranking while Nepal stands at 111. Gender inequality not only limits opportunities for women, but also impacts life prospects of future generations. The UNDP considers health, education and income as three indicators to assess human development. To measure gender inequality-induced loss, reproductive health, women empowerment and labour market participation are considered. According to the report, only 29 percent of women above 15 years of age were part of the work force as against 80.7 percent of men in 2011. When it comes to education, only 26.6 women over the age of 25 has secondary education, as against 50.4 percent of men in 2010.

Prakash and his 21-year-old daughter were travelling back home in a tram after watching a clash between M-United and Fulham for the FA Cup. On the way, a group of seven men boarded the tram and started throwing racist slurs at them. Prakash politely told them to behave, but the men began hitting his face. His daughter started screaming, but people in the jam-packed tram just looked on and did not utter a word. The assault left Prakash with two black eyes and concussion. He had to undergo a CT scan and keep away from work for two weeks. He is unable to walk outside on his own. But his and his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith in the society suffered deeper damage. Prakash says he would never take public transport in the future. What is more, he wants to leave Britain, his home of three-decades. The incident is not isolated one. Racism is on the rise in Britain. A few months ago, in a survey conducted by OnePoll with a sample size of 2,000 adults, one in three Brits admitted that they were racists.

aseema

Apr il 2013

[ From the world of books ]Beyond the MBA Hype: A Guide to Understanding and Surviving B- Schools

parameters such as public finance, inflation, balance of payments, trade, agriculture, growth, infrastructure, and fiscal consolidation, among other issues. These analyses serve as important messages to policy makers.

Author: Sameer Kamat

he book looks into the pluses and minuses of earning an MBA at the international level. A Master of Business Administration degree draws aspirants from diverse academic disciplines, and has become one of the most sought after degrees in this century. The popular perception is that MBA provides solutions to all career-related problems. A lot of hype exists among Indian students about MBAs, particularly when it comes to pursuing them in international institutes. The author seeks to dispel confusions of aspirants and help them make the right choice. The book also provides guidance to fresh MBA graduates in making their career choices, as well as those who are already employed. Publisher: Collins Business Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 200

Economic Survey 2012-13 Author: Government Of India Ministry Of Finance

he annual report from the Ministry of Finance, Government of India takes a critical view of the developments in the Indian economy for the financial year 201213. The report provides summaries of performance of key development programmes and highlights government policy initiatives. It also looks at the economic prospects of the country in the near and medium terms. There are analyses the trends in all the important macroeconomic

Publisher: Oxford University Press Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 440

The Test of My Life: From Cricket to Cancer and Back Author: Yuvraj Singh

ashing Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh recounts the experience he underwent while he was fighting with cancer. The book provides insights into his indestructible love that Yuvraj has for Cricket even when faced with the perilous disease. In fact, he reveals cancer could not stop him playing for the World Cup in 2011. The book sheds light on Yuvraj Singh’s personal fight with himself as well as his torturous treatment of Chemotherapy, which resulted in various side effects like insomnia, hair loss, and coughing fits. The book provides a tale of human will triumphing over all odds. It is about cricket, cancer and back to cricket. Publisher: Ebury Press Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 216

Apr il 2013

aseema

[ From the world of books ]The Unreasonable Fellows

elegant argument, the author maintains that people should know that people can make money and keep it too, only if they work hard. He emphasises the importance of sound institutions that allow virtuous circles of innovation, expansion and peace in attaining prosperity.

Author: Myshkin IngwaleÂ and Nikita Singh

any of dream about changing the world, but very few of us have the courage and temperament to cross all hurdles to realize our dreams. Those few stand for a cause they believe, and persist with it despite the setbacks. The book provides the tales of ten people, who dared to walk on a less pursued paths, following their passions. Through their venturs into social and environmental entrepreneurships, they are doing their bit in making the world a better place. The book is inspiring, and shows the way to take the very important first step in following oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion. Publisher: Grapevine India Publishers Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 216

Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty Author: Daron Acemoglu James A

he book espouses a new theory to find answer to the question, why are some nations more prosperous than others. The new theory professes that it is not down to climate, geography or culture, but because of institutions. Examples in support of this theory are drawn from an extraordinary range of contemporary and historical examples, from ancient Rome through the Tudors to modern-day China. With his compelling and

Publisher: Hachette Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 464

Hindus, The: an Alternative History Author: Wendy Doniger

he book offers a new way of looking at Hinduism, the oldest major religion of the world. The author seeks to draw a wedge between historical accounts and imaginary worlds, surrounding Hinduism. She maintains that a strict chronological account related to the religion is difficult as many of its central texts could not be accurately dated even within a century. She also notices that the central tenets of Hindu religion, such as karma and dharma, vary in each era, differ between genders and castes. The book shows how Hinduism is kept alive by multiplicity of players, not always with Brahminical roots, or their expressions let out in Sanskrit texts. Publisher: PENGUIN Published in: 2013 No of Pages: 800