#everydayquiz The Hindu indian Express and business Standard
The Hindu:Ominous signals from Ayodhya
That the Ramjanmabhoomi movement was more political than religious in
nature was evident from its very beginnings in communal frenzy and bigotry. And
that the demand for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the site
where the Babri Masjid stood would become more strident with every approaching
general election was a foregone conclusion. Even so, the offloading of
truckloads of pink sandstone at the premises of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
in Ayodhya this month adds a new element of provocative divisive politics in Uttar
Pradesh, which goes to polls for the Legislative Assembly in a little over a
year’s time. The elaborate ritual performed on the stones, the ‘shila puja’, is
in itself an indication of the symbolism sought to be evoked with the arrival
of every batch of stones. Already, about one half of the total requirement of
the stones necessary for the building of the temple is lying at the premises,
but the offloading of each truckload is celebrated as an event in time marking
the journey to the construction of the temple at the Babri Masjid site.
Although the VHP insists that the entire exercise is a routine affair, the fact
that this is the first time in eight years that such activity is happening
gives it an ominous colour.
Issues relating to the
site, whether a Ram temple was pulled down or modified to build the Masjid, and
who could claim ownership of the plot of land believed by some sections of
Hindus to be the birthplace of Ram, are still part of an unresolved legal
dispute after the Supreme Court stayed an order of the Allahabad High Court
that split the disputed site in three parts. With the restoration of status quo
ante, no construction is possible at the site. By making preparations for the
construction of a temple without waiting for the court verdict, the
Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, a trust run by the VHP, is clearly attempting to whip up
communal passions over the dispute. Although the Samajwadi Party government of
Akhilesh Yadav put the law and order machinery on alert, in such
tension-charged atmosphere it would take no more than a few rumour-mongers to
disrupt communal peace. However, with the Bharatiya Janata Party in power at
the Centre, senior leaders are a lot more circumspect, not wanting to be seen
as defying court orders. Indeed, the BJP is at present fighting under the cover
of the VHP, assuming that any political gains from communal tensions over the
issue would accrue to it, but the cost would be borne by the VHP alone. But the
BJP is mistaken if it thinks it can harness the demons the VHP unleashes. Hate
campaigns have a life of their own, and could spiral into unstoppable violence.
The Ayodhya dispute should be left to the courts of law to adjudicate on. There
can be no room for political games to stir communal passions.
om·i·nous
Giving the impression
that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious
fren·zy
A state or period of
uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior.
big·ot·ry
Intolerance toward
those who hold different opinions from oneself.
stri·dent
Loud and harsh;
grating.
off·load
Unload (a cargo).
pro·voc·a·tive
Causing annoyance,
anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately.
mongers
(monger) trader:
someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
cir·cum·spect
Wary and unwilling to
take risks.
ac·crue
(of sums of money or
benefits) be received by someone in regular or increasing amounts over time.
ad·ju·di·cate
Make a formal judgment
or decision about a problem or disputed matter.
The Hindu
Spain’s vote
against the status quo
The results of
Sunday’s parliamentary election in Spain are the strongest challenge yet to the
post-Franco political order that has been dominated by the country’s two major
parties — the centre-right Popular Party and the Socialist Workers Party. In
the post-Franco years, the motto of the Spanish political class was ensuring a
democratic transition, checking the military’s overreaching influence,
rebuilding the country’s damaged international reputation and creating a
relatively prosperous society. This socio-political project held sway for
nearly four decades, with the established parties championing it. But the
European economic crisis, which particularly hit Spain hard, and the
conservative response of the main political parties towards the crisis, along
with a generational change in Spanish society, seems to have ruptured the
status quo. The two main parties have failed to win a simple majority. The
Popular Party of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won 123 seats in the 350-member
Parliament, while the Socialist Workers Party secured only 90 seats. Both saw
an erosion of popular support, while emerging parties, the radical-left Podemos
and the liberal Citizens party, made huge gains. They won 69 and 40 seats,
respectively.
The performance of Podemos,
which was formed only in January 2014, is particularly impressive. The party
led by Pablo Iglesias has a strong anti-austerity policy and has called for a
new politics of people’s participation. They could resonate with the young
voters easily as the austerity policies adopted by the government are taking a
toll on their lives while the economy is still struggling. Joblessness among
the youth is dangerously high, at 47 per cent. But during the campaign Podemos
faced a “Syriza problem”. Its rivals said if the radical-left party won, it
would push Spain into a Greece-like crisis. Unlike in Greece, the Spanish
Socialists are not completely discredited among their support base. Podemos had
actually toned down its radical rhetoric during the campaign to present itself
as a responsible Leftist force that can deal with the economic challenges of
Spain. But they still could not crack the rural vote base of the Socialists.
The Citizens party, on the other side, is also critical of the establishment,
but it doesn’t have any alternative economic agenda to offer, which limits its
scope of growth. So there’s no clear winner. The transition is likely to be
chaotic. One possible outcome of the election would be the formation of a weak
coalition government. The Left parties have said they would block the Popular
Party from forming a government again. The Socialists and Podemos are
reportedly in talks. But both groups have divergent views on key issues,
beginning with the economic policy. Even if a coalition is put together, it’s
unlikely to solve Spain’s main problems. Another scenario is a fresh election
in a few months. In either case, the churn in Spanish politics will continue
until a clear leader emerges out of the present chaos.
o·ver·reach
Reach too far.
rup·ture
(especially of a pipe,
a vessel, or a bodily part such as an organ or membrane) break or burst
suddenly.
podemos
can we, be able to,
can
aus·ter·i·ty
Sternness or severity
of manner or attitude.
dis·cred·it
Harm the good
reputation of (someone or something).
re·port·ed·ly
According to what some
say (used to express the speaker's belief that the information given is not
necessarily true
cha·os
Complete disorder and
confusion
Business Standard
EU's unending
struggles
Last week, the leaders
of the European Union (EU) met in Brussels for a two-day summit where outward
bonhomie masked considerable internal tension. Unlike in previous meetings,
southern European debt did not dominate the discussions. The meeting was, after
all, held in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in November, one of the
largest such attacks on a European city. But, even aside from terrorism and
financial crisis, the list of issues that must concern European leaders is
long. Russian President Vladimir Putin's expansionism in Europe's south-eastern
fringes; the fast-approaching referendum in Britain on whether it should exit
the Union; the millions of refugees fleeing conflict zones in West Asia and
North Africa; and what Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has called a tide of
populism among the continent's voters, who are increasingly flocking to
xenophobic hyper-nationalist parties. And, of course, the very idea of the euro
- though no longer under threat - continues to be questioned. Some countries
are close to discovering that a majority wants to leave the euro - a survey in
Finland, which has suffered three successive years of economic contraction,
showed 44 per cent of Finns thought the country would do better outside the
euro.
The European Union has
never been a coherent enough polity to deal with these problems immediately and
directly. Instead, it has traditionally chosen a series of short-term solutions
- what British historian, Timothy Garton Ash, quoting the German newspaper Der
Spiegel, calls "the philosophy of muddling through". Thus the
troubles with Greece's finances were never solved solidly and at one go, but
instead addressed through a sequence of actions, each of which was incomplete
in itself. The troubles it faces today are no less pressing. For one, the flood
of refugees from West Asia needs to be dealt with. Germany, under Chancellor
Angela Merkel, has taken the moral high ground; France, although still reeling
from the Paris attacks which many link to the refugee crisis, has also said it
will take its share of refugees. But other countries baulk. Greece and Italy,
in particular, are the first ports of call for refugees in the EU, and can
correctly demand assistance. Barely two of 11 proposed reception centres for
migrants have been created so far, and only 200 refugees have been relocated.
One of the unmitigated European success stories, therefore, the Schengen visa
and Customs union, is now under threat, thanks to renewed concern about the
social and security-related consequences of the refugee influx. Several
countries have temporarily reinstated partial border inspections, something
permitted under the Schengen Border Code.
It is far from certain
what Europe's path from here is. Certainly, much depends on the outcome of the
British referendum. Even if "Brexit" does not happen, however, it is
likely that change will come to the European Union. And the concern, given the
nationalistic mood prevailing in many countries, will surely be that the grand
European experiment could fail. Certainly, further integration seems the last
thing on anyone's mind. But hasty judgment is dangerous. One of the things the
EU's leaders agreed on in Brussels was for a deadline on which to agree how to
upgrade and properly arm its hitherto small unified border control force, with
the "right to intervene" in countries that appeared
"overwhelmed". This does not sound like less Europe, but more.
bon·ho·mie
Cheerful friendliness;
geniality.
fringe
An ornamental border
of threads left loose or formed into tassels or twists, used to edge clothing
or material.
flock
Congregate or mass in
a flock or large group.
xen·o·pho·bic
Having or showing a
dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
co·her·ent
(of an argument,
theory, or policy) logical and consistent.
mud·dle
Bring into a
disordered or confusing state
hith·er·to
Until now or until the
point in time under discussion.
o·ver·whelm
Bury or drown beneath
a huge mass.
Indian Express
A trust deficit
The public debate over
the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission report has focused on its
financial implications and likely impact on the government’s fiscal deficit
target. Little attention has been paid to the issues raised by various Central government
services affected by these recommendations. As per procedure, their concerns
are considered by a committee of secretaries under the cabinet secretary, which
sends the recommendations to the Union cabinet for approval. This method has
worked well so far, as it doesn’t deal with the substantive questions or allege
an inherent bias in the deliberations of the pay commission. Now, by writing a
joint memorandum to the defence minister over the pay commission
recommendations, however, the three military chiefs have taken the controversy
to a different — and disquieting — level.
Not only is it
extremely rare for the three chiefs to jointly sign a memorandum — the
seniormost service chief usually signs tri-service letters as the chairman of
the Chiefs of Staff Committee — but also the issues raised by them point to a
complete lack of trust in the commission’s recommendations. The defence
services believe that their joint presentations to the pay commission, unlike
those made by civilian employees, have been dismissed without even being
included in the report. A downgrade of the status of military officers
vis-a-vis their civilian counterparts, fixation of hardship allowances at lower
rates, and denial of a real non-functional upgrade have been identified by the
service headquarters as issues that emanate from the allegedly anti-military
bias of the pay commission.
The three chiefs have
asked the defence minister to institute an expert committee, with members from
the armed forces, to look into these grievances. These issues have also been
flagged by the three chiefs informally to the defence minister, Manohar
Parrikar, who has asked for a formal presentation this week. It will take more
than a presentation, however, to bridge the widening trust gap between the
uniformed personnel and the government. The unresolved issue of one rank one
pension has already created tensions that are adversely affecting the military.
The political leadership needs to actively reach out to the military, redress
their genuine concerns and restore their trust in government. Simultaneously,
the top military leadership needs to quell the tide of heightened emotions in
the defence forces to reinforce the well-established balance of civil-military
relations. India is situated in a tough neighbourhood and beset with several
internal
security problems. It
cannot afford to have a disaffected military, least of all over the issue of
pay and allowances.
sub·stan·tive
Having a firm basis in
reality and therefore important, meaningful, or considerable.
em·a·nate
(of something abstract
but perceptible) issue or spread out from (a source).
quell
Put an end to (a
rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force.
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