#everydayquiz #readDaily #TheHindu #IndianExpress #Business Standard #TheDNA #TheDawn
THE HINDU:Undermining the SYL Canal
The Punjab Assembly continues
to thumb its nose at the law of the land. A
day after a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court orderedstatus
quo
on land marked for the
construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna
Link (SYL) Canal, on Friday
the Assembly unanimously resolved that it cannot be allowed to be built. It is
not clear whether this is an emotive cover for the Punjab government to wind
down the efforts to change the facts on the ground by even levelling the canal.
But the events of the past week frame political adventurism of an order that
this country has not witnessed in a long time. Supported by a political
consensus that brings the Opposition Congress and even the Aam Aadmi Party on
board the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government’s unilateral
repudiation of inter-State agreements, they put the onus on the Centre to
reiterate the redlines that cannot be crossed in a federal set-up. On Monday,
the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Sutlej-Yamuna
Link Canal(Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill 2016,
seeking to return land acquired for the canal’s construction to the original
owners free of cost, and thereby completely destroy the work (still incomplete
after more than three decades) to channel to Haryana its duly allotted share of
the waters of the Ravi and the Beas. Even though the Governor’s assent has not
come for the Bill, work on levelling the land, scooping earth and flora along
the canal began at fever pitch, causing ecological damage and wiring up the
original owners into frenzied activity.
The origins
of the crisis go back to 2004, when the State passed the Punjab Termination of
Agreements legislation. With this, it reneged on its upper-riparian
responsibility to share water with Haryana through the SYL Canal. The matter
went to the Supreme Court, and hearing finally started this month. The 2004
abdication has now been aggravated by wilful destruction of parts of the canal,
on which hundreds of crores of rupees have already been spent. The earlier
effort to reap political dividend by raising the spectre of Punjab’s fields
turning barren has been topped by exciting hopes on the possibility of farmers
getting back lost land. All political parties are on board. The 2004 law was
passed under Amarinder Singh’s Congress government. The 2016 Bill has been
guided by Parkash Singh Badal’s SAD-BJP government. Twelve years ago, the
Congress-led government at the Centre refused to read the Riot Act to a
Congress Chief Minister. Today, a BJP-led Central government is keeping silent
at the outrage fomented by its own coalition in Punjab. Inter-State water
disputes tend to be particularly emotive, and thereby amenable to populist
politics. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, most issues relating to the SYL
Canal had been sorted out. Indeed, by the 1990s, much of the construction of
the 212-km-long canal had been completed in Punjab. It is against this
groundwork that the Punjab government-led destruction and repudiation of a
federal agreement must be squarely condemned.
re·pu·di·a·tion
Rejection of a proposal or idea.
o·nus
Used to refer to something that is one's duty or responsibility.
re·it·er·ate
Say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis
or clarity.
scoop
Pick up and move (something) with a scoop.
re·nege
Go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract.
ab·di·ca·tion
An act of abdicating or renouncing the throne.
fo·ment
Instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or
course of action).
con·demn
Express complete disapproval of, typically in public; censure.
THE HINDU: Politics of intimidation
It is far from clear where in
the rule book there is sanction to suspend a member of a legislature for
allegedly outraging the nationalist sentiments of colleagues. But as things
stand, Waris Pathan, a member
of the Maharashtra Assembly, is suspended for the remainder of its Budget
session for refusing to chant along to “Bharat
Mata ki Jai”. The sequence of events that led to his punishment is
unbecoming of a legislative chamber. Mr. Pathan belongs to the All-India
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Imtiyaz Jaleel, the party’s other MLA,
participating in a debate on the Governor’s Address, criticised the State
government’s plans to build memorials for historical and contemporaneous
political leaders, including Shivaji, B.R. Ambedkar and Bal Thackeray.
Questioning the expenditure, he sought funds for public goods such as
hospitals, when a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA cornered him on his loyalties and
demanded that the AIMIM’s two MLAs chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. Mr. Pathan said
he would not, drawing an uproar from MLAs not only of the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena
coalition, but also of the Opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.
Following some threatening slogans, Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil
moved a resolution to suspend Mr. Pathan for the rest of the session, and it
was carried through unanimously. Even by the recent standards of intimidation
within some legislatures, the Maharashtra
Assembly’s action is a
dangerous one and must be contested legally if it is not to become a precedent
that would further hollow out India’s constitutional freedoms.
The
suspension of a member for asserting his freedom of expression is a
particularly spectacular low for democracy. India’s legislatures enjoy
extraordinary privileges to secure the freedom of expression, drawn from the
British House of Commons’ historic struggle to win autonomy from the Crown.
Over the decades they have absorbed dissent against the Indian Republic far
more potent than this insistence by Mr. Pathan that he be allowed to choose how
to word his loyalty to India. Indeed, it is a matter of pride for Indian
democracy that not only have legislatures accommodated different ideas of
nationhood but they have emerged the stronger for that. Wednesday’s events
therefore must be seen for the alarm that they represent — for the substitution
of a new politics of intimidation in place of India’s more organic politics of
persuasion. If politics is going to fall in place around binaries forced by
slogans such as “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, with ideologues like the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh’s patriarch marking deeper lines in the sand, and giving
smaller political groups such as Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM more polarising means
to profess their challenge to a majoritarian consensus, the polarisation can
only be fought from the middle ground on the basis of basic democratic values.
That political parties see little value in holding this ground must be cause
for foreboding — about the “Bharat Mata ki Jai” touchstone migrating out of the
State legislature.
in·tim·i·da·tion
The action of intimidating someone, or the state of being
intimidated.
out·rage
Arouse fierce anger, shock, or indignation in (someone).
u·nan·i·mous·ly
Without opposition; with the agreement of all people involved.
in·tim·i·da·tion
The action of intimidating someone, or the state of being
intimidated.
prec·e·dent
An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or
guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.
dis·sent
Hold or express opinions that are at variance with those
previously, commonly, or officially expressed.
Indian Express: Dead man singing
India wallows so luxuriously in history that
the desire to bring it back to life is almost excusable. But when it amounts to
raising the dead and organising entertainment events around them, it can get a
bit eerie. Even so, the singer Chitra Singh has failed to get a stay on an
event at Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditorium billed as “Jagjit Singh live in concert”.
Which is clearly an illogical and untenable promise, since Singh departed the
mortal plane in 2011. - See
Apparently, the organisers have extracted the voice of the
enormously popular ghazal singer from various live performances and backed it
up with the band which used to play with him. But that band on stage was all
that was alive about the performance. Admittedly, the organisers were on to a
good thing. Nothing moves hearts and minds in India as forcefully as the idea
of bringing the past back to life. This year, entire ministries in the Central
government have been tirelessly pursuing this goal. But it’s not an exclusively
Indian fantasy. Hollywood has been dying to bring lucrative dead actors back to
life and starring in new movies.
Digital technologies has been used to complete films and shows
whose actors died inconsiderately before shooting was completed. Gladiator and
the second season of Dallas benefited from the prolongation of screen life.
Coca-Cola advertising has featured James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Louis
Armstrong while a liquor ad was built around Bruce Lee. The prolongation of
intellectual property and brands — which is what performers generate — is
obviously an attractive goal to shoot for. To have a girl band singing for
decades on end saves the trouble and expense of reinventing girl bands. But
presenting a singer “live” when he’s not on stage may strike some fans as
strangely creepy.
wal·low
(chiefly of large mammals) roll about or lie relaxed in mud or
water, especially to keep cool, avoid biting insects, or spread scent.
ex·cus·a·ble
Able to be justified or forgiven; forgivable.
un·ten·a·ble
(especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or
defended against attack or objection.
fan·ta·sy
The faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things
that are impossible or improbable.
star
(of a movie, play, or other show) have (someone) as a principal
performer.
lu·cra·tive
Producing a great deal of profit.
prolongation
The act of prolonging something; "there was an indefinite
prolongation of the peace talks"
creep·y
Causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease.
BUSINESS STANDARD: The
recovery debate
Many are beginning
to question whether the slump in global commodity prices is coming to an end.
For almost two years, commodity prices have slumped, driven by slowing demand
and over-supply. In the process, major commodity exporting countries and
sectors have been hit. Countries such as Brazil have seen growth slow
significantly. India is, by and large, a commodities importer, and as such has
benefited - the moderation in inflation owes much to lower commodity prices.
But even within India, certain sectors - such as metals, for example - have
suffered, and added to the stress in the financial system. But, over the course
of 2016 so far, some have detected signs of a commodity revival. For the first
time in years, the Dow Jones Commodity Index has beaten the S&P500 index of
stocks. Iron ore prices have gained over 40 per cent since January - including
a spike in the past week after news came in that China might revive
infrastructure spending as the high season for construction begins in that
country. And last Friday, the International Energy Agency suggested that crude
oil prices might have "bottomed out", after a prolonged slump since
June 2014 that saw prices crash by 65 per cent. This followed the price of barrel
of Brent crude oil breaking the $40-barrier for the first time in months.
However, the voices of caution have been equally strong - and perhaps stronger. The fundamentals of the global economy have hardly changed enough to warrant a surfeit of optimism about the future direction of commodity prices. While it is true that, at China's annual National People's Congress, it was announced that a record high budget deficit and even looser money supply would be permitted in the coming year in order to meet growth targets, it may be too much to assume that this will correspond to a revival of demand sufficient to steadily lift commodity prices. China's commitment to its "rebalancing" away from construction- and investment-driven growth remains, and confusion as to policy aims from its authorities has become sadly common over the past year. Few signs of actual revival are being reported from the ground; its exports continue to slump. And the National People's Congress also re-committed the Chinese government to cutting over-capacity, particularly in steel.
Meanwhile, the path of oil prices remains a dangerous puzzle. The proposed freeze of crude oil production at the levels seen during January this year - an agreement between the leaders of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, and a major non-OPEC producer, Russia - still awaits Iran's final position. Iran, excluded from the oil market for years due to international sanctions over its nuclear programme, will not want any such agreement to come in the way of its ramping up production to at least its pre-sanctions share of the world petroleum trade. Meanwhile, shale gas and oil production in the United States serve as an effective cap on the price of crude oil, which could hit a ceiling somewhere between $55 and $60 a barrel - the price at which additional shale capacity becomes profitable and competitive, and mothballed facilities come online. Overall, while the commodity bounce may continue for some time in several commodities - some of which may have overshot their true market value during the years-long slump - few rational observers hold expectations of a return to the commodity boom years.
However, the voices of caution have been equally strong - and perhaps stronger. The fundamentals of the global economy have hardly changed enough to warrant a surfeit of optimism about the future direction of commodity prices. While it is true that, at China's annual National People's Congress, it was announced that a record high budget deficit and even looser money supply would be permitted in the coming year in order to meet growth targets, it may be too much to assume that this will correspond to a revival of demand sufficient to steadily lift commodity prices. China's commitment to its "rebalancing" away from construction- and investment-driven growth remains, and confusion as to policy aims from its authorities has become sadly common over the past year. Few signs of actual revival are being reported from the ground; its exports continue to slump. And the National People's Congress also re-committed the Chinese government to cutting over-capacity, particularly in steel.
Meanwhile, the path of oil prices remains a dangerous puzzle. The proposed freeze of crude oil production at the levels seen during January this year - an agreement between the leaders of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, and a major non-OPEC producer, Russia - still awaits Iran's final position. Iran, excluded from the oil market for years due to international sanctions over its nuclear programme, will not want any such agreement to come in the way of its ramping up production to at least its pre-sanctions share of the world petroleum trade. Meanwhile, shale gas and oil production in the United States serve as an effective cap on the price of crude oil, which could hit a ceiling somewhere between $55 and $60 a barrel - the price at which additional shale capacity becomes profitable and competitive, and mothballed facilities come online. Overall, while the commodity bounce may continue for some time in several commodities - some of which may have overshot their true market value during the years-long slump - few rational observers hold expectations of a return to the commodity boom years.
slump
Sit, lean, or fall heavily and limply, especially with a bent
back.
re·viv·al
An improvement in the condition or strength of something.
bottomed out
to have reached the lowest
point in a continuously changing situation and to be about to improve
sur·feit
An excessive amount of something.
ramp
Provide or build (something) with a ramp.
moth·ball
Store (clothes) among or in mothballs.
The
dawn: Pak-India peace process
THE imminent trip by a Pakistani investigation
team to India is both necessary and history-making. The Pathankot air force
base attack in early January was a grim episode that could have yet again
derailed dialogue between Pakistan and India.
It
goes to the credit of the governments of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the Pathankot attack did not
cause the rupture that it could have and both governments have kept the
channels of communication open.
Yet,
nearly three months will have passed since the attack by the time the Pakistani
investigation team arrives in India later this month.
In
the meantime, the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue both countries so boldly
agreed to late last year has all but stalled. It is time for that process to
begin and, therefore, it is disappointing that a meeting on the sidelines of a
Saarc summit in Nepal between Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Indian
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj did not go far beyond talk of the Pathankot
probe.
Resumption
of dialogue — or, technically, the start of the Comprehensive Bilateral
Dialogue — hinges on two things. In administrative terms, the foreign
secretaries of India and Pakistan must meet to determine a schedule for
meetings of the various dialogue sub-groups and determine how a first round of talks
will move ahead.
So
far, the two governments appear reluctant to announce a date for the foreign
secretaries’ meeting, suggesting a link to progress on the Pakistani side of
the Pathankot investigation.
In
political terms, Mr Modi and Mr Sharif will need to invest their time and
capital in dialogue — both to ensure that it restarts and, subsequently, to
nudge bureaucratic negotiations towards results. Thus far, both leaders have
only demonstrated a willingness to take risks in meeting each other — but not
the willingness or confidence to actually move dialogue forward. That must
change.
Necessary
and welcome as prime ministerial interactions are, they must go beyond
tentative ideas. When Mr Modi and Mr Sharif next meet, the emphasis must be on
substance. Regional hopes for peace could soon turn to a familiar
disillusionment if the two prime ministers reduce their meetings to desultory
photo ops.
Perhaps
what India needs to recognise is that dialogue should not hinge on any single
issue, especially if that issue is a militant attack meant to derail dialogue.
Moreover,
the terrorism threat in the region can only be combated by joint action by
Pakistan and India — and dialogue alone offers the opportunity to create a
robust framework for joint action against militancy and terrorism.
Yet,
Pakistan needs to acknowledge the centrality of terrorism to India’s concerns
about its relationship with Pakistan. The recent sharing of intelligence with
the Indian national security adviser by Pakistan was a positive step. Faster
action on the Pathankot and Mumbai attacks would send a stronger signal yet.
im·mi·nent
About to happen.
grim
Forbidding or uninviting.
de·rail
Cause (a train or trolley car) to leave its tracks accidentally.
rup·ture
(especially of a pipe, a vessel, or a bodily part such as an
organ or membrane) break or burst suddenly.
stall
(of a motor vehicle or its engine) stop running, typically
because of an overload on the engine.
hinge
A movable joint or mechanism on which a door, gate, or lid
swings as it opens and closes, or that connects linked objects.
nudge
Prod (someone) gently, typically with one's elbow, in order to
draw their attention to something.
ten·ta·tive
Not certain or fixed; provisional.
dis·il·lu·sion·ment
A feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that
something is not as good as one believed it to be.
des·ul·to·ry
Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
THE DNA: Embracing Sufism
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s effusive praise for the Sufi tradition at the World
Sufi Forum reveals his intention to reach out to the Muslim community in a big
way. Invoking a long line of Sufi saints, their couplets and teachings, the PM
hailed the Sufi way of life as a means to go beyond the practice and precepts
of religion for a deeper unity with God. He also extolled Sufism as a
celebration of diversity and pluralism, drawing parallels to the Bhakti
tradition, noting that the Sufi commitment to peace, coexistence, compassion
and equality was the need of the hour. While Modi’s appreciation of Sufism is
unlikely to endear himself to the conservative Muslim intelligentsia, many of
whom owe allegiance to Deobandi, Wahabi and Salafi ideologies, there is no
denying that Sufism holds considerable sway among the lay followers of Islam.
Nevertheless, the PM, even while attempting to build bridges with the Muslim
community, did not forget to dwell on the scourge of terrorism that has roiled
many countries.
Modi has
repeatedly harped on the theme that terror knows no religion. But his eagerness
to drive home the point while addressing a Muslim audience strikes a discordant
note because the average Indian Muslim’s daily struggles are not concerned with
terrorism or religious extremism. Like other vulnerable communities, Muslims
want their political leaders to address issues like social discrimination and
the difficulty of accessing quality education and jobs. To be fair to him, Modi
did note that the “message of Sufism is not confined to combating terrorism”.
In this context, he also invoked his once-popular slogan, “Sabka Saath Sabka
Vikas”, and said that this was inspired by “values of harmony, welfare,
compassion and love for human beings, which are the foundation of a just
society”. However, the PM must guard against the pitfalls of grandiloquence. In
terms of policies, the promise of Sabka Saath is yet to translate into action.
More worryingly, Modi, despite his considerable attempts to reach out to the
Muslim community, has not done enough to silence the Hindutva fringe. There is
a creeping sense of insecurity among minorities and the PM must note that his
words are not having the desired salutary effect.
In his
speech, the PM has correctly pointed out that in many parts of the world there
is uncertainty about the future, and that societies and nations were struggling
to deal with this uncertainty. Modi also warned that these are “times that the
world is most vulnerable to violence and conflicts”. However, in a rather
simplistic approach, Modi fell back to quoting from various scriptures to make
a fervent call for world peace. This search for easy, almost escapist and
abstract, solution was also evident in the PM’s postulation that “we need just
not constitutional provisions or legal safeguards, but also social values to
build an inclusive and peaceful society, in which everyone belongs, secure
about his rights and confident of her future”. With hierarchies of caste,
class, religion, gender and ethnicity, the best hope for people living in
unequal societies is the rule of law and constitutional provisions. Religious
reform and dialogue are important, considering the important role played by
religions in the political and personal spheres. Modi, however, must first turn
the mirror towards Hindutva fanatics to bolster his inclusive and reformist
credentials.
em·brace
Hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of
affection.
ef·fu·sive
Expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an
unrestrained or heartfelt manner.
cou·plet
Two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by
rhyme, that form a unit
hail
Call out to (someone) to attract attention.
ex·tol
Praise enthusiastically.
en·dear
Cause to be loved or liked.
al·le·giance
Loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an
individual to a group or cause.
dis·cord·ant
Disagreeing or incongruous.
pit·fall
A hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty.
grandiloquence
Grandiosity: high-flown style; excessive use of verbal
ornamentation; "the grandiosity of his prose"; "an excessive
ornateness of language"
fringe
An ornamental border of threads left loose or formed into
tassels or twists, used to edge clothing or material.
sal·u·tar·y
(especially with reference to something unwelcome or unpleasant)
producing good effects; beneficial.
vul·ner·a·ble
Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.
fer·vent
Having or displaying a passionate intensity
sphere
A round solid figure, or its surface, with every point on its
surface equidistant from its center.
fa·nat·ic
A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal,
especially for an extreme religious or political cause.
bol·ster
A long, thick pillow that is placed under other pillows for
support.
‘
#SSC #IBPS #SBI #RBI #NABARD #NICL #NIACL #CAT #NMAT #everydayquiz
No comments:
Post a Comment