An Open Letter to Ms. Mamata Banerjee

Respected Madam,

You have created history in West Bengal by ushering in a change of guard after thirty four long years. the 'Red Bastion' which hitherto looked invincible, has been humbled at the hustings.

Your resolve and determination all these years have finally paid off, and today you symbolize a new beacon of hope, not only for millions in West Bengal, but in our Country as a whole, who are desperate to see West Bengal transform itself to one of our most prosperous and dynamic states.

Certainly, while there are several challenges awaiting you as the Chief Minister, and you have an unenviable task in delivering upon the expectations of all those who have deposed their trust upon you, there is a pressing need for you to call upon your electorate in particular and the people of West Bengal in general, to come forward and begin that ‘Paribartan’ in their respective attitudes and mindsets right away.

May I suggest that you appeal to the people of West Bengal on the following lines:

Dear Fellow Citizens,

With your support we have created history in our state by ushering in a change of guard at the Writers’ Building after thirty four long years.

Today, I have inherited the governance of a state which is crying for development, where our educated and talented youth have no choice but to migrate out of West Bengal in search of appropriate job opportunities, where major portion of our tax receipts are spent on salaries, pensions, and interest payments on debt, thereby leaving very little for productive expenditure etc.

While you have voted out those who governed our state for over three decades, and reduced it to such a pitiable condition, let us not forget, that the rest of the country is watching us, if we can change our fortunes in the next five years.

While on behalf of each member of The Trinamool Congress, I give you a commitment, that we would leave no stone unturned to live upto your expectations, but at the same time I need a commitment from each one of you as well, that together we will transform our state to one of the most progressive and investor friendly states of our country, which has a highly disciplined workforce.

And to achieve this dream, there would be no more ‘bandhs’ in our state under any circumstances, and any attempt to cause any disruption will be dealt with very severely.

Each one of us who is fortunate enough to be employed anywhere in our state, in any undertaking whatsoever, be it government, private etc, will make a renewed commitment to our employers, that we would display a new sense of commitment and discipline, where our responsibilities are concerned.

If any of us have any genuine grievance, we will address them with our management in a very cordial manner, and attempt to find an amicable solution. Those of our fellow countrymen and others, who wish to invest in our state and generate jobs for us, besides contributing our overall progress and development, would be accorded a warm welcome by each one of us, and we would do everything possible to ensure that their experience of investing in our state, is very memorable indeed.

Let us not forget, that with such an attitude, we would ensure a better standard of living for our own selves, besides making West Bengal one of the most progressive and dynamic states of our country.

Let’s get down to work right away.

Jai Hind !!

Dear Mahender Singh Dhoni

Dear Mahender Singh Dhoni,

The magnificent win, which team India under your able Captaincy pulled off in Mumbai to lift the ICC World Cup, would certainly go down in the annals of Indian Cricket, for all times to come.

The nation prayed with a bated breath, and millions of hopes, aspirations, and dreams, were put on the able shoulders of your team members and your goodself, which came true in the most exciting contest of the entire tournament.

In what seemed to be a lost opportunity initially, when we lost the two opening batsmen most unexpectedly, the finesse, calm, and remarkable skills, with which the batting order progressed subsequently, to turn the tide in our favor, was indeed an excellent source of inspiration for each one of us.

Certainly, besides that great performance which left millions of fans spellbound and created mass hysteria, the art to keep our nerves in check and maintain focus, despite all odds, which ultimately enabled such a superb outcome, was not lost among all those, who would otherwise be battling similar kind of situations, in their everyday lives.

While the next ICC World Cup may be four years away, yet I am sure that this feat would relive itself millions of times each day, as and when millions of your fans like me, are able to pull off small victories in our everyday lives under similar situations, all thanks to the inspiration provided by team India under your able Captaincy.

Undoubtedly, there is much more to this performance for all of us, than mere entertainment!

And finally, I an alumni of Jawahar Vidya Mandir School Ranchi, where I spent two of the most memorable years of my student life, feel proud to belong to a fraternity of its former students, the most distinguished of all, is none other than your goodself!

With Best Wishes

Navneet Dhawan

New Delhi

Abductions by Maoists - Enough is Enough

The abductions of Malkangiri Collector R.V. Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi by the Maoists, has reiterated the fact that, when it comes to tackling the Maoist menance, the state governments are yet to demonstrate a firm determination to crush it with all our might.

It was a known fact that the Malkangiri district is a Maoist infested area, besides being Orissa’s remotest flank. As per reports, Krishna and Majhi were on a two wheeler when their abduction took place. How come the state government not consider it prudent to provide adequate security cover to both of them? That the Maoists have been using abduction as a favorite strategy to put the state governments on the backfoot, is a well established fact.

Now, within hours of the abductions, Orissa government halted all the combing operations against the Maoists, and is now also considering the release of some of their cadres to secure the release of the two officials. Whether or not the cadres who are being considered for release, were booked on serious charges, is a moot point.

What merits serious concern now is that, such a swap deal would only reinforce the fact that, the best way to tame the state governments, is by carrying out such high profile abductions, and then getting some Maoist cadres released, thereby making a complete mockery of the anti Maoist strategy deployed by the various state administrations.

Secondly, another matter of serious concern is that, if Krishna could be abducted despite doing an excellent work in this remote area of Orissa, then how could we expect to bring about the necessary progress and development in such remote areas, which are at present infested by the Maoists? It is no surprise that many administrative posts in such areas are vacant, as no official is willing to be posted there.

That more than 10,000 tribals in the area covering fifteen villages along the Andhra-Orissa border, besides several others, held peace rallies seeking the release of Krishna and Majhi, speaks volumes of the kind of popularity which Krishna enjoys, all due to his dedicated efforts in bringing about a transformation in those remote areas of our country.

By ignoring such appeals, the Maoists have proved it beyond doubt, that they are nothing but a band of ruthless criminals, who are bent upon challenging the might of the Indian state, to serve their own interests.

The Orissa government should have first upped the ante against the Maoists, by deploying as many forces as possible in the region, where Krishna and Majhi are suspected to be held, followed by a heavy air surveillance by the IAF or Army choppers, so as to put pressure on the Maoists. Besides, the government should have also capitalized on the support of the tribals, to zero down on the area, where the two could have been held hostage by the Maoists.

This would have given the state government the necessary psychological advantage, before getting down to negotiations. Simultaneously, the state government should have also threatened an all our war if Krishna and Majhi were harmed in any way. But then who has the courage to take this kind of a bold stand?

That will be the day when the various state governments in coordination with the Centre, make a firm resolve to wipe out this menance once in for all, by a well coordinated action, which may include assistance from the defence services if required. But till then, let us be prepared to see more of such abduction dramas and release of some important Maoists, who have been captured at the cost of the supreme sacrifices made by our valiant security personnel, not to overlook the innumerable civilians, whose lives have been so ruthlessly snuffed out by such criminal elements.

And finally, what is really worth noting is that, while there was a brief drama in the Orissa assembly over this abduction, there has not been any voice of condemnation or protest by the political bigwigs in New Delhi. Perhaps, for such political bigwigs misappropriation of funds and corruption, are far more important issues than misappropriation of the priceless lives of our security personnel and all those helpless victims of such ruthless Maoists.

Tragic Casualities in Our Defence Services - Let's Do Something

A Cheetah helicopter crash in Nasik claimed the precious lives of two Army Majors, one of whom was a qualified flight instructor. According to newspaper reports, preliminary investigations suggest, that the chopper’s rotors developed a snag within minutes of the take off.

The same report mentioned that seventy Cheetah copters have been lost in the past nine years, and the Defence Ministry plans to replace the entire fleet of Cheetah copters by 2017.

The tragic casualties involving our young and promising defence personnel, either in crashes involving flying machines from all the three services or anti terror operations, have become a routine affair now. The sad part is that, even our mainstream media does not consider it worthy enough of a sustained campaign, to force our political Bosses to do something, which could save the lives of all those who have been valiant enough to opt for such high risk careers.

To take the case of anti terror operations. Young Army officers like Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Captain Devinder Singh Jass and others losing their precious lives in various anti terror operations, have become a routine news item for most of us, who by now have perhaps become immune to such costs, which we the people of India have to bear, for what seems to be an eternal problem confronting our nation.

Apart from an occasional visit by a politician to the bereaved families, and a short lived public sympathy, there is nothing really much which attracts the attention of the powers that be, either at the Centre or the states. No one in the highest echelons of our political bureaucratic apparatus seems to be really concerned at the loss of such precious lives, nor considers it prudent to reflect upon the following:

• Could we have avoided such casualites ?
• Was the intelligence inadequate regarding the quantum of threat in such encounters?
• Did we not have adequate information on the number of terrorists and the kind of destructive materials and arms at their disposal?
• Were our security personnel assigned for such encounters not well equipped with the right bullet proof protective gear, night vision goggles etc?
• Did they go overboard while taking on the terrorists thereby suffering so many casualties in the bargain? Was it necessary?
• Was it not possible for them to be equipped with gas masks and gas spray or any such equipment, so as to immobilize their targets and getting them alive without harming themselves?
• Have the authorities such as the Army, conducted a thorough and meticulous probe into the particular encounters to identify the possible loose ends, and make the learnings part of their SOPs to be strictly adhered to in the future encounters? And most importantly
• Is the Defence Ministry aware of the same, and has pledged all support to our security personnel involved in such ongoing war against terror?

A satisfactory answer to the above questions would depend upon how we as a nation are committed towards the overall safety and security of our fellow citizens , who perhaps despite all odds and opposition from their loved ones, followed their heart to join the Defence Forces, and have put their own security at risk, for the safety and security of our nation, and for we the people of India.

In this context, it would be worthwhile to reflect upon some newsitems which appeared last year in ‘The Times of India’. These have been reproduced word by word from the respective news items, and are indicated in italics as under:

Dated 4th March, 2010

State of fleet across services a matter of concern( Against the backdrop of the crash of a Kiran MK2 aircraft in Hyderabad in March 2010, which killed both pilots each having over 1000 hours of flying experience)

While the Indian Armed Forces that include the IAF, Navy, Army, and Cost Guard do have a flight safety record that is satisfactory, the material state of the fleet across the board is cause for deep concern. Vintage aircraft that have been assigned a place of pride in museums abroad are still flown by the IAF and IN. The Kiran, the primary trainer for Navy or the MiG 21 for the Air Force are case in point. The basic design and technology for both these aircraft are almost 50 years old and yet they form the mainstay for training of fighter pilots in India.
The reasons for this kind of obsolescence that puts lives in jeopardy on a regular basis may be ascribed to the strategic culture of India and the protracted procurement processes that plague Indian Military since the days of the first Prime Minister , Pandit Nehru. Specific to the aircraft inventory, it merits recall that the IAF mooted the need for an advanced jet trainer as far back as 1983. It took the Indian elephant a good 20 years before the AJT became a reality in 2003, and that too because of the many crashes and lives lost. Even now, the number of AJTs in the inventory is far short of what had been sought, and as far s Navy is concerned its original request for an AJT is still to be realized. Hence, Kiran still remains the work horse for training for the IN.

The policy issue that is crying for attention is the total inadequacy of the Indian political bureaucratic apex to deal with procurement issues in an objective manner which is politically bi partisan and driven by the single consideration of enhancing national security. From the needless Bofors scandal to the current submarine and Gorshkov delays, and the much anticipated fighter deal, major procurement decisions have been marred by delays, steep price revisions, and charges of kickbacks and corruption.

But life alas is cheap and the Indian apex rarely accountable for their transgressions.

Barely had we managed to get over this tragic loss of two well experienced pilots, the plight of their bereaved families, and this pathetic state of affairs of our political bureaucratic set up as illustrated above, we were greeted with another piece of news which shocked us beyond words:

Dated 12th March 2010

Government quietly inks deal for 12 VVIP copters
The Defence Ministry has quietly inked a Rs. 3726 crore deal to acquire 12 three engined AW 101 helicopters from Agusto Westland, for IAF’s elite Communication Squadron which ferries around the President, PM and other VVIPs, “All the 12 helicopters would be delivered in three years or so” said a source.

The ministry as usual remained silent about the deal, leave alone the exact contours of it, despite repeated claims made by the defence minster A.K. Antony of “ total transparency”. The Cabinet Committee on security apparently gave the nod for the exorbitant helicopter deal despite objections from the Finance Ministry, due to security concerns by the Special Protection Group as well as IAF .

One wonders :
• What was the life and death kind of a situation which prompted our Defence Ministry to go about it in such a hush hush manner, disregarding the objections of even the Special Protection Group and the IAF ?
• Why is such kind of an urgency lacking for more critical requirements, like the latest Advanced Jet Trainers for the IAF and IN etc.?
• How can we ignore the fact that the crashes of IAF fighter jets, mainly of the MiG series have claimed so many promising young lives? As indicated above in the newsitem dated 4th of March, such vintage aircrafts now deserve a place of pride in the museums, but unfortunately are still being flown by our pilots thereby exposing them to unnecessary risks, and
• What’s wrong with our priorities ? Are the lives of our young and promising fellow citizens serving in the Defence Forces not valuable enough for us? Are the VVIPs so important that we can bend rules and disregard even the security concerns of the Special Protection Group and the IAF ?

The tragic crash of a naval jet in Hyderabad in March 2010, which claimed the lives of two young pilots who had over 1000 hours of flying experience to their credit, was yet another reminder of the kind of avoidable and unnecessary risks faced by some of our Defence personnel.

Such state of affairs in our overall security apparatus in general and with reference to our Defence Forces in particular, concerns the interest of our public at large.

For one, it has a direct bearing on the precious lives of our loved ones, who perhaps despite the availability of other attractive career options, and perhaps despite strong reservations of their parents etc opted for such a career in the Defence Forces,

Secondly, it is an open secret that our Defence Forces are woefully short of officers as compared to the sanctioned strength. This situation could only get worse if we do not take the corrective measures right away, most critical being the need to send out a clear message to the nation that:

“ When it comes to the overall security and welfare of our defence personnel, there will be no compromises whatsoever from our end. We value each and every precious life which is at stake to protect our territorial integrity and the security of our citizens”

If we have to secure our borders, effectively deal with the insurmountable challenges posed by our internal security situation , cross border terrorism , and above all an untrustworthy neighbourhood, then we have no other option but to move heaven and earth to do everything possible to restore the pride and dignity to a career in our defence forces, besides of course raising the morale of our combat units by eliminating as many threats as possible to their lives during the course of their operational roles.

Needless to add, the most critical step towards the same would be to ensure adequate and timely investments in the right equipment and the right military hardware, which as indicated above leaves a lot to be desired as of now.

If such state of affairs are indeed a matter of concern and do impact our national interests ultimately, then its time for a Public Interest Litigation in which our Defence Ministry is made a respondant to explain the reasons behind such state of affairs, and the steps being taken to eliminate as many risks as possible to the lives of all those who have embarked upon such a noble mission of defending our motherland from various threats.

Dr. Binayak Sen's Trial - Some Thoughts

The Hon’ble Raipur Sessions Court has held Dr. Binayak Sen guilty under Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities Act of 1967, for support to Maoist or any other banned organization. Though the conviction under this section carries a maximum sentence for ten years, Dr. Sen has been awarded only five years under this section.

On the other hand, the Hon’ble Sessions Court has maximised the sentence for sedition, under Section 124 A.

As per a report appearing in ‘The Times of India’ dated 28th December 2010, the Hon’ble Sessions Court has held him guilty of passing on seditious letters written by the jailed Maoist Narayan Sanyal to Piyush Guha,. This was based on a testimony of a cloth vendor Anil Kumar Singh, apart from two policemen.

Other incriminating evidence against Dr. Sen included:

a) Seizure of post cards written by Narayan Sanyal and another Maoist Madanlal Barkhade from Dr. Sen’s house,

b) Testimony of Deepak Choubey, a resident of Raipur, who has deposed that he rented his father in law’s house to Sanyal, since the latter came with a recommendation from an ‘eminent citizen’ Dr. Sen. According to Chaubey, Sen had introduced Sanyal as a relative,

c) Another witness, Arun Dubey a Bank Manager, testified that he gave his house on rent to Shankar Singh ( held by the Hon’b;e Sessions Court as a hardcore Naxal), who worked for ‘Rupantar’ an NGO headed by Ilina Sen, Dr. Sen’s wife. Dubey further deposed that Sen and Sanyal would often visit his tenant Shankar Singh and Amrita Srivastava (also held as a hardcore Naxal by the Hon’ble Sessions Court). Amita was reportedly introduced by Singh as his sister in law,

d) Two school Principals testified that they hired Amita on Ilina Sen’s recommendation. One of them Meeta Puri, said that Amita left the job abruptly, without even tendering her resignation,

e) The Hon’ble Judge quotes the testimony of B.S. Jagrit , a Police Inspector, who has claimed that Amita and Shankar absconded soon after Sanyal was arrested. He also quotes Sher Singh Bande of the Churia Police Station, who said that Amita and Shankar were among the Naxals active along Chattisgarh-Maharashtra border, where high level meetings would take place, attended among others by Sen and Ilina. On cross questions by the defence, Bande admitted that he had not personally witnessed this but heard it from the villagers, and hence could be a hearsay. But the Hon’bl;e Judge does not mention the same in his final order. Interestingly, of the fifty odd witnesses cited in the judgement ,nearly half are policemen, and on their testimonies the Hon’ble Judge concludes that Amita and Shankar are absconding hardcore Naxals, and by association, held Dr. Sen guilty of providing support to the CPI Maoist network.

“ Based on the above testimonies, it is clear that hardcore Naxals Shankar Singh and Amita Srivastava are acquaintances of Binayak and Ilina Sen, who helped them open bank accounts, get jobs and even houses on rent”, The Hon’ble Judge observed.

Certain questions which merit attention:

1. Assuming that Dr. Sen is indeed guilty of passing seditious letters written by jailed Maoist Narayan Sanyal to Piyush Guha, one wonders what was Dr. Sen’s motive behind the same? Did Dr. Sen not make any statement in the Hon’ble Court written or oral, to justify the same, if indeed he believed that he did not do anything wrong ? Certainly, a person of his stature would have known better that by acting as a “courier” for a jailed Maoist, would certainly land him in trouble.

On the other hand, if Dr. Sen has denied the same, then did the final order take a note of it?

2. The verdict dwells on the seizure of postcards written Narayan Sanyal and other Maoist Madanlal Barkhade from Sen’s house. What were the contents in these postcards? Did they convey that Dr. Sen was a willing accomplice in the nefarious designs of the jailed Maoists, or was he a potential threat to the State?

3. Shankar Singh and Amita Srivastava have been held as “hardcore Naxals” by the Hon’ble Sessions Court. Was there any lookout notice by the State on these two, prior to this trial, ands were any FIRs filed against them? Did the State Police have any incriminating evidence against these two individuals?

Sadly enough, it is entirely on the basis of the testimonies of the policemen, that the Hon’ble Judge has concluded that they are absconding hardcore Naxals.

4. Shankar Sigh reportedly worked for ‘Rupantar’ , the NGO headed by Ilina Sen. Was Ilina Sen ever called upon to depose in the Hon’ble Court regarding the various background checks done on Shankar Singh, before accepting his services? And further more, what were the responsibilities shouldered by Singh, while he was with ‘Rupantar’? Most importantly, is Shankar still associated with it, or has he vanished all of a sudden? If Ilina has indeed deposed before the Hon’ble Court, then what was her version?

5. Deepak Choubey has claimed that he rented out his father in law’s house to Narayan Sanyal, since he came with a recommendation from Dr. Sen. Did Choubey not conduct any background verification on Sanyal on his own? How did Dr. Sen recommend Sanyal to Choubey, via a letter, or a phone call, or in person in the presence of any witness? Can this claim be substantiated? And above all, was there any lease agreement signed between Sanyal and Choubey’s father in law, and if ‘Yes’, then did Dr.Sen sign it as a witness?

6. Two School Principals have testified that they hired Amita on Ilina’s recommendation. Again, besides the recommendation, what were other background checks done by those two Principals on Amita, and secondly, during her tenure in their respective schools, what was her performance?

7. According to the testimony of Police Inspector B.S. Jagrit, who claimed that Amita and Shankar absconded soon after Sanyal was arrested, the questions to be asked are,

“Was the Police already on the lookout for both of them prior to Sanyal’s arrest, and if ‘Yes’ then on what specific charges?” and

“After they had reportedly absconded, did the State Police issue a lookout notice for both, and besides what all other measures they took to nab the two?”

And above all, even if one were to agree with the judgement that “Hardcore Naxals” like Shankar Singh and Amita Srivastava, were acquaintances of Dr. Sen and his wife, who helped them open bank accounts, get jobs and even houses on rent”, one wonders if Dr. Sen could be held guilty under section 124 A, the application of which is limited to acts of involving intention or tendency to create disorder, or disturbance of law and order, or incitement to violence?

Let the higher judiciary adjudicate on this question as and when the time comes.

But then, one wonders how come an eminent personality like Dr.Sen , manage to get himself involved with Maoists like Sanyal to such an extent, that his very credibility is at stake?

Certainly, now it is hard to believe, that Dr. Sen is really what his ardent supporters would love all of us to believe about him.

Visit of the Chinese Premier - A Realistic Assessment

If there is one parameter by which we need to evaluate the visit of the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, then that should be - how comfortable are we with our largest neighbour, where our territorial integrity and overall security is concerned?

Sadly enough, the current visit does not lend much comfort to us on the same. We can't lose the sight of the fact that, China's relationship with Pakistan is qualitatively better than its relationship with us, notwithstanding the 400 member contingent consisting of business delegation which accompanied the Chinese Premier.

What has really raised eyebrows is China's refusal to mention 26/11 and the well established Pak involvement in the same, in the joint statement, as well as its refusal to acknowledge Kashmir as an integral part of India.

How could we miss the irony that the day the Chinese Premier landed in Delhi, the Chinese engineers blasted through the last part of a tunnel that will connect Metok in Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering Arunachal Pradesh, to the rest of China.

Yes, against such a backdrop rhetorics like " India and China are friends and not rivals" sound hollow, and especially so when we recall the slogan of "Hindi Chi Bhai Bhai" before the fiasco of 1962.

By not agreeing to include the usual mention of the "One China principle" and "Tibet Autonomous Region as part of China" in the joint statement, we might have scored some brownie points on paper at least, but then we need to be realistic about the fact that our refusal to include the same, would not matter at all where the ground realities are concerned, given the fact that the Chinese are way ahead of us, both economically and militarily.

We might rejoice over the fact that the India China trade target for the year 2015 is set at $100 bn, but what we need to dissect here is that - to what extend our trade with China help generate employment, enable industrial growth, and above all protect the interests of the millions of our small artisans, who have been unable to match the growing might of cheap Chinese products flooding our country.

And finally, there is some hope that the issue regarding stapled visas is going to be resolved, but then why could it not preceed the visit of the Chinese Premier, at the Foreign Minister level, so that the credibility of this visit in terms of a genuine improvement of the overall relationship with our largest neighbour, been well beyond doubt?

Yes, we have not choice but to engage with our neighbours, but the least we can do is to ensure that our engagements are conducted to secure our core concerns first and foremost. Under the current circumstances, if we consider our security, territorial integrity, and unnecessary needlings like the unprovoked Chinese intrusions in Arunachal Pradesh, denial of visa to a serving commander of the Indian Army posted in J&K, stapled visas to Indian citizens from Kashmir, support on 26/11, and terror emanating from Pakistan etc as our core concerns, then there is certainly a lot of groundwork to be done where our engagements with the Chinese are concerned, before we indulge in other niceties.

I am a talent.......

I am a talent waiting to be discovered,
In this wilderness of ambition, hope, and desire,
Waiting to be uncovered.

“Efforts do not go waste,
Persist, and do not expect anything in haste”
Is what I had heard all along.

I made up my mind that I will persist,
And from expecting anything so quick I shall desist,
Even if all that name, fame, and money take long,

But my efforts, toil, and sweat seem to be going in vain,
I could be doomed to be another failure,
Or another set of aspirations unmet,
Is what is giving me all that anguish and pain.

How easy it is for anyone to inspire,
Merely through encouraging words,
And how amazing it is for others to muster courage,
Merely through encouraging words.

But alas, how difficult it is for those like me,
To hope against hope,
And wish every passing moment,
A step towards that elusive hope.

The road to that name, fame, and money,
Seems further away,
And I have no choice but to keep moving,
This way or that way.

Yes, I am a talent waiting to be discovered,
In this wilderness of ambition, hope, and desire,
Waiting to be uncovered.