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THE
HINDU: Growing crackdown on activists
The audacious and
unprovoked attack last week on
a group of activists who held a peaceful rally in Rajasthan can only be
explained in terms of the rising resentment on the part of the ruling class
towards civil society organisations demanding accountability.
Flagged off by social activist Aruna Roy, the Jawabdehi Yatra was aimed to spread awareness about government schemes and raise the issue of accountability in their implementation. A mob, allegedly led by BJP legislator Kanwar Lal Meena, attacked the members of organisations such as the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghathan (MKSS) at Aklera in Jhalawar district, in a sign that sections of the ruling party in the State were unhappy with civil society activists entering a region falling under a Lok Sabha constituency represented by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the past and by her son Dushyant Singh now, and demanding answers from the authorities. While the police have registered a case and arrested some of the assailants, it was only after video footage showing the apparent presence of Mr. Meena in the crowd was released that there is a hint that his involvement may be probed. The 100-day yatra, under the banner of the Soochana Evam Rozgar ka Adhikar Abhiyan, itself was as innocuous a programme as there could be. It merely tried to cover blocks across all the State’s districts to listen to people’s grievances and spread awareness through street-corner meetings. The Rajasthan Chief Minister would do well to heed the call for a formal inquiry into the incident, come out openly in condemning such unsavoury events, and prosecute the offenders.
Flagged off by social activist Aruna Roy, the Jawabdehi Yatra was aimed to spread awareness about government schemes and raise the issue of accountability in their implementation. A mob, allegedly led by BJP legislator Kanwar Lal Meena, attacked the members of organisations such as the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghathan (MKSS) at Aklera in Jhalawar district, in a sign that sections of the ruling party in the State were unhappy with civil society activists entering a region falling under a Lok Sabha constituency represented by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the past and by her son Dushyant Singh now, and demanding answers from the authorities. While the police have registered a case and arrested some of the assailants, it was only after video footage showing the apparent presence of Mr. Meena in the crowd was released that there is a hint that his involvement may be probed. The 100-day yatra, under the banner of the Soochana Evam Rozgar ka Adhikar Abhiyan, itself was as innocuous a programme as there could be. It merely tried to cover blocks across all the State’s districts to listen to people’s grievances and spread awareness through street-corner meetings. The Rajasthan Chief Minister would do well to heed the call for a formal inquiry into the incident, come out openly in condemning such unsavoury events, and prosecute the offenders.
It is
difficult to see this incident in isolation. The Centre itself has been a poor
role model, looking at the way Greenpeace India has been hounded and its
registration sought to be cancelled. It is not difficult to surmise that a
message is being sent out that activism should be tempered by a nuanced
deference to the state’s overarching interests. Even under the previous UPA
regime, activists
in Tamil Nadu opposing the Kudankulam nuclear power project faced, and continue to face,
hostile treatment by various arms of the state. If bureaucratic aversion to
criticism is often an adequate source of harassment and intimidation, political
players too weigh in with disparaging remarks against non-governmental organisations
and individual activists. Their influence is obvious in incidents as diverse as
the prevention of a Greenpeace activist from
going abroad and the registration of a large number of cases against activists.
In recent years, civil society has played a significant role in shaping policy.
Landmark pieces of legislation — the Right to Information Act, for instance —
have come about only because the government chose to involve stakeholders
across the political and social spectrum and obtain their inputs and advice.
Any attempt to prevent the free functioning of such organisations will amount
to de-legitimising key participants and stakeholders in the country’s social,
economic and political policymaking sphere.
crack·down
Severe measures
to restrict or discourage undesirable or illegal people or behavior.
re·sent·ment
Bitter
indignation at having been treated unfairly.
ac·count·a·bil·i·ty
The fact or
condition of being accountable; responsibility.
mob
A large crowd
of people, especially one that is disorderly and intent on causing trouble or
violence.
as·sail·ant
A person who
physically attacks another.
ap·par·ent
Clearly visible
or understood; obvious.
probe
Physically
explore or examine (something) with the hands or an instrument.
in·noc·u·ous
Not harmful or
offensive.
heed
Pay attention
to; take notice of.
con·demn
Express
complete disapproval of, typically in public; censure.
un·sa·vor·y
Disagreeable to
taste, smell, or look at.
hound
Harass,
persecute, or pursue relentlessly.
sur·mise
Suppose that
something is true without having evidence to confirm it.
nu·ance
Give nuances
to.
a·ver·sion
A strong
dislike or disinclination.
ha·rass·ment
Aggressive
pressure or intimidation.
. in·tim·i·da·tion
The action of
intimidating someone, or the state of being intimidated.
dis·par·ag·ing
Expressing the
opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory.
sphere
A round solid
figure, or its surface, with every point on its surface equidistant from its
center.
THE HINDU: Lessons from a
floating armoury
The conviction of
35 crew members of a foreign vessel for
illegal possession of arms and ammunition marks the end of a trial that threw
little light on what exactly the ship was doing when it was seen anchored off
Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu in October 2013. Those convicted, many of them
nationals of Britain, Ukraine and Estonia, besides some Indians, were sentenced
by a sessions court recently to five years’ rigorous imprisonment despite a
vigorous defence that their vessel, m.v. Seaman Guard Ohio, was engaged in anti-piracy
operations at sea and was
looking for fuel and provisions while in distress. The Tamil Nadu Police,
through the Q Branch-CID, may have obtained a conviction under the provisions
of the Arms Act, but its investigation did not really determine whether the
ship was engaged in something more suspicious than supplying armed manpower to
merchant ships. Its charted course lay somewhere in the direction of the
Maldives, but what it was doing on the eastern coast is not clear. The
sentencing may be troubling for the countries involved, mainly because they may
believe that their nationals were imprisoned in harsh conditions for six months
and forced to stay in India while out on bail for two and a half years. Going
by the detailed court verdict, neither Britain nor the other countries
involved, including the U.S., to which the maritime security company owning the
ship, Advanfort, belongs, nor the flag state, Sierra Leone, could really help
them prove their innocence.
The court’s
order is reasonably sound in legal principles. It records a finding that the
ship was in Indian territorial waters; second, there was no official document
to prove that the company was authorised to do its business in the U.S. or
elsewhere. Its registration as a ‘utility boat’ in Sierra Leone contradicted
its claim that it was a security vessel. The court ruled that no licence was
produced to show that the armaments on board were legal. It rejected the
defence of ‘innocent passage’ and noted that its log books did not disclose any
distress. The strongest defence was that Section 45 of the Arms Act exempts
arms on board a sea-going craft from prosecution if they are part of its
‘ordinary armaments’. However, the court did not agree that the huge cache of
automatic and semi-automatic weapons, magazines and cartridges seized from it
were part of its ‘ordinary armaments’. The matter will surely be taken on
appeal to the higher courts. The case ought to be an eye-opener to all
countries on the problem with private security agencies deploying floating
armouries without adequate legal protection. The International Maritime
Organisation has guidelines for Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel,
but what happens when these norms clash with municipal law is an issue that the
global maritime industry has to ponder over. This case underscores the need for
states to resolve issues arising out of a key, but weakly regulated sector.
float
Rest or move on
or near the surface of a liquid without sinking.
ar·mor·y
A place where
arms are kept.
am·mu·ni·tion
A supply or
quantity of bullets and shells.
rig·or·ous
Extremely
thorough, exhaustive, or accurate
vig·or·ous
Strong,
healthy, and full of energy.
con·tra·dict
Deny the truth
of (a statement), especially by asserting the opposite.
dis·tress
Extreme
anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
pon·der
Think about
(something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a
conclusion.
BUSINESS STANDARD: Retail investors falter
There has been turmoil across the world's
financial markets and it is likely to continue. Commodity prices have
collapsed. Base metals and energy fuels are trading at multi-year lows after
being hit by the double whammy of low demand and over-supply. There is
geopolitical uncertainty due to multiple conflicts. Most asset classes are
under pressure. The US dollar has strengthened appreciably since the US Federal
Reserve increased rates in mid-December, and that has driven every other major
currency down. The euro zone is in slowdown; Japan is in slowdown. The latest
economic growth data from China indicate that the world's second-largest
economy is growing at its slowest rate in many years.
India is by no means immune to this tsunami of depressing data. India's stock-market indices have fallen by 20 per cent in the past 10 months. The Sensex and Nifty are trading at 20-month lows, close to the levels prevailing when the current government took charge in May 2014. The rupee is also trading at two-year lows. Growth has not accelerated much since Narendra Modi was sworn in as the prime minister, what with rural demand being impacted by successively poor monsoons. The only silver lining has been lower fuel prices. The Nifty and the Sensex closed out May 2014 at 7,230 points and 24,217 points respectively. At the end of January 19, the Nifty closed at 7,435, while the Sensex was at 24,480. The apparent lack of change is deceptive. It masks violent swings in both directions, which have effectively cancelled each other out. In May 2014, the stock market experienced one of its frequent bouts of euphoria, surging by eight per cent, when it became apparent that the Bharatiya Janata Party would win. The bull run topped out in March 2015, when the Nifty and Sensex hit all-time highs (the Nifty touched 9,119, the Sensex 30,025). Since then, it's been downhill. The correction has now turned into a rout with the market down seven per cent in 2016.
In the current financial year, a trend of continuous selling by foreign portfolio investors has been partially counterbalanced by buying from domestic institutions and retail investors. In particular, strong retail sentiment propped up the market for several months. However, retail sentiment may have completely broken down in the past few weeks - at least, if one goes by heavy selling in small stocks where there is little or no institutional presence. Anecdotally, mutual funds have also seen a tapering off of retail subscriptions in January. Volatility apart, it could be argued that the correction is rational. While India will be among the faster growing economies this year, the Nifty is trading at a current price-to-earnings ratio of about 20 - high, given that earnings growth is expected to be in the mid-single digits. Future drivers of economic growth are also hard to discern. In terms of sentiment, India remains hostage to China since global investors are unlikely to favour emerging market exposure until China settles down. The pain, therefore, could continue in the short term. Retail investors usually swayed by deteriorating sentiment could easily choose to exit equity and head back into unproductive assets like gold. But lower prices will eventually make valuations attractive.
India is by no means immune to this tsunami of depressing data. India's stock-market indices have fallen by 20 per cent in the past 10 months. The Sensex and Nifty are trading at 20-month lows, close to the levels prevailing when the current government took charge in May 2014. The rupee is also trading at two-year lows. Growth has not accelerated much since Narendra Modi was sworn in as the prime minister, what with rural demand being impacted by successively poor monsoons. The only silver lining has been lower fuel prices. The Nifty and the Sensex closed out May 2014 at 7,230 points and 24,217 points respectively. At the end of January 19, the Nifty closed at 7,435, while the Sensex was at 24,480. The apparent lack of change is deceptive. It masks violent swings in both directions, which have effectively cancelled each other out. In May 2014, the stock market experienced one of its frequent bouts of euphoria, surging by eight per cent, when it became apparent that the Bharatiya Janata Party would win. The bull run topped out in March 2015, when the Nifty and Sensex hit all-time highs (the Nifty touched 9,119, the Sensex 30,025). Since then, it's been downhill. The correction has now turned into a rout with the market down seven per cent in 2016.
In the current financial year, a trend of continuous selling by foreign portfolio investors has been partially counterbalanced by buying from domestic institutions and retail investors. In particular, strong retail sentiment propped up the market for several months. However, retail sentiment may have completely broken down in the past few weeks - at least, if one goes by heavy selling in small stocks where there is little or no institutional presence. Anecdotally, mutual funds have also seen a tapering off of retail subscriptions in January. Volatility apart, it could be argued that the correction is rational. While India will be among the faster growing economies this year, the Nifty is trading at a current price-to-earnings ratio of about 20 - high, given that earnings growth is expected to be in the mid-single digits. Future drivers of economic growth are also hard to discern. In terms of sentiment, India remains hostage to China since global investors are unlikely to favour emerging market exposure until China settles down. The pain, therefore, could continue in the short term. Retail investors usually swayed by deteriorating sentiment could easily choose to exit equity and head back into unproductive assets like gold. But lower prices will eventually make valuations attractive.
fal·ter
Start to lose
strength or momentum.
tur·moil
A state of
great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty.
col·lapse
(of a
structure) fall down or in; give way.
wham·my
An event with a
powerful and unpleasant effect; a blow.
ap·par·ent
Clearly visible
or understood; obvious.
.
lack
The state of
being without or not having enough of something.
de·cep·tive
Giving an
appearance or impression different from the true one; misleading.
bout
A short period
of intense activity of a specified kind.
eu·pho·ri·a
A feeling or
state of intense excitement and happiness.
surge
(of a crowd or
a natural force) move suddenly and powerfully forward or upward.
down·hill
Toward the
bottom of a slope.
rout
A disorderly
retreat of defeated troops.
coun·ter·bal·ance
(of a weight)
balance (another weight).
anecdotally
(anecdotal)
having the character of an anecdote; "anecdotal evidence"
ta·per
Diminish or
reduce or cause to diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end.
volatility
The property of
changing readily from a solid or liquid to a vapor
dis·cern
Perceive or
recognize (something)
sen·ti·ment
A view of or
attitude toward a situation or event; an opinion.
hos·tage
A person seized
or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition.
sway
Move or cause
to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side.
de·te·ri·o·rate
Become
progressively worse.
Indian
Express: A shadow of its own
It was meant to be
the final chapter penned on the golden age of tennis — Nadal would rise like a
phoenix from a slump, Federer would burn dazzlingly like the final flicker of
the candle, Djokovic would continue hoarding the silverware in tennis’s most
talented era and Murray would never let the other breathe easy. Instead, the
year’s first major headlines are about match-fixing and corruption, and about a
shadow steadily lengthening on yet another sport, arguably the greatest in
individual gladiatorial contests. After FIFA’s bribery scandals and the doping
headache that confronts Seb Coe in athletics, after the annihilation of
cycling’s greatest tour event and a decade-long match-fixing crisis and
scepticism in cricket, it’s almost as if the last bastion of credibility has
now shattered after secret files leaked to BBC and BuzzFeed News revealed
evidence of suspected match-fixing at the topmost level of world tennis —
including at Wimbledon.
What’s more
dispiriting, however, is the report’s bold print that all of those players,
which includes Grand Slam champions, were allowed to continue, with no action
taken. In cold numbers, the TIU has won 18 convictions, including six life
bans, since it came up in 2008. But the knowledge that eight of those players
tracked by the TIU are due to play in the Australian Open that began on Monday,
points to the massive failure of tennis’ top authorities to catch the big fish,
and some might even call this a “cover-up”. That it would have been legally
impossible to retrospectively punish the offenders in 2007 and that authorities
“have to find evidence as opposed to information, suspicion, or hearsay” means
even a dedicated integrity unit has lacked the teeth to take necessary action,
even as betting syndicates in Russia, northern Italy and Sicily came under the
scanner.
It ought to have been
a year to sit back and admire that famous backhand, and those sliding
retrievals and that forehand with a racquet wielded like a mace. But it will
unfold as a season when the ebbs and flows of a five-setter will be viewed with
cynicism.
pen
Write or
compose.
phoe·nix
(in classical
mythology) a unique bird that lived for five or six centuries in the Arabian
desert, after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre and rising from the
ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle.
slump
Sit, lean, or
fall heavily and limply, especially with a bent back.
dazzlingly
In a manner or
to a degree that dazzles the beholder
flick·er
(of light or a
source of light) shine unsteadily; vary rapidly in brightness
hoard·ing
A large board
in a public place, used to display advertisements; a billboard.
sil·ver·ware
Dishes,
containers, or cutlery made of or coated with silver.
gladiatorial
Of or relating
to or resembling gladiators or their combat; "gladiatorial combats"
brib·er·y
The giving or
offering of a bribe.
con·front
Meet (someone)
face to face with hostile or argumentative intent.
annihilation
Destruction by
annihilating something
skep·ti·cism
A skeptical
attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.
bas·tion
A projecting
part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow
defensive fire in several directions.
shat·ter
Break or cause
to break suddenly and violently into pieces.
retrospectively
In a manner
contemplative of past events; "retrospectively, he seems like a great
artist"
hear·say
Information
received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate; rumor.
back·hand
(in tennis and
other racket sports) a stroke played with the back of the hand facing in the
direction of the stroke, typically starting with the arm crossing the body.
wield
Hold and use (a
weapon or tool).
Mace
An irritant
chemical used in an aerosol to disable attackers.
cyn·i·cism
An inclination
to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism.
THE DAWN(PAKISTAN): Friday
sermons
IN any Muslim society, the Friday sermon is a powerful platform
from which to disseminate views. Most mosques are filled to capacity and
preachers use the pulpit to communicate various concerns.
Sadly, in Pakistan, as
well as other Muslim states, some clerics have used the pulpit — particularly
during Friday prayers — to promote obscurantism and militancy.
There are cases on
record in Pakistan where the mosque loudspeaker has been misused to stir up
sectarian hatred, demonise other religions and communities, and promote
extremism. In view of these concerns, the Sindh government has reportedly
decided to table a bill in the provincial assembly designed to regulate Friday
sermons.
On Monday, the adviser
to the Sindh chief minister on religious affairs said the move was aimed at
promoting “sectarian harmony” and bringing an “end to hatred and extremism”.
There can be little
argument with the need to counter the poison of sectarianism and extremism in
society. However, we must ask if government-issued sermons are the best way to
approach the problem.
First, this method has
been tried in other Muslim countries, with less than commendable results. For
example, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the state gives ‘themes’ and
‘guidelines’ to preachers to incorporate in Friday sermons.
This is primarily
designed to exercise political control and ensure clerics toe the official
line. Further, for the military in Egypt and the royal family in Saudi Arabia,
these measures are designed to stamp out criticism.
Yet despite the strict
controls over religious activity in these states, they have failed to snuff out
militancy. Second, we must ask whether the action suggested by Sindh would not
breach the principle of freedom of expression — although the state must ensure
that preachers do not egg on the people to break the law.
Monitoring what
preachers have to say in these tense times and punishing them for attempting to
incite violence may be acceptable, but to assume that all of them will actually
do so is unreasonable.
Finally, there is the
issue of practicality. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of mosques in
Sindh where the Friday sermon is delivered. Does the state have the wherewithal
to bring all these under its control and issue them uniform sermons?
Rather than dictating
the content of sermons, the state needs to keep an eye on what is being said by
preachers. There must be simple guidelines: promotion of militancy and hate
speech, rebellion against the state etc must be strictly off limits.
The state has a
relatively effective intelligence apparatus at its disposal. This — together
with the involvement of communities and ulema — must be employed to keep an eye
on rabble-rousing clerics who misuse the pulpit to encourage militancy and fan
hatred.
Citizens also have a
responsibility to stop frequenting mosques which host hate-mongering clerics.
ser·mon
A talk on a
religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and
based on a passage from the Bible
dis·sem·i·nate
Spread or
disperse (something, especially information) widely.
preach·er
A person who
preaches, especially a minister of religion.
pul·pit
A raised
platform or lectern in a church or chapel from which the preacher delivers a
sermon.
con·cern
Relate to; be
about.
cler·ic
A priest or
religious leader, especially a Christian or Muslim one.
ob·scu·rant·ism
The practice of
deliberately preventing the facts or full details of something from becoming
known.
militancy
Combativeness:
a militant aggressiveness
stir
Move a spoon or
other implement around in (a liquid or other substance) in order to mix it
thoroughly.
sec·tar·i·an
Denoting or
concerning a sect or sects
de·mon·ize
Portray as
wicked and threatening.
ser·mon
A talk on a
religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and
based on a passage from the Bible.
ex·trem·ism
The holding of
extreme political or religious views; fanaticism.
snuff
Extinguish (a
candle).
breach
An act of
breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.
preach·er
A person who
preaches, especially a minister of religion.
in·cite
Encourage or
stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).
where·with·al
The money or
other means needed for a particular purpose.
ap·pa·rat·us
The technical
equipment or machinery needed for a particular activity or purpose.
dis·pos·al
The action or
process of throwing away or getting rid of something.
u·le·ma
A body of
Muslim scholars recognized as having specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law
and theology.
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