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Article115.pngThe suicide bomber of Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of Pakistani Taliban, carried out bomb blasts in a park in Lahore on March 27 where Christians were celebrating Easter. The powerful bomb explosion in which more than 20 kgs of explosives was used killed more than 72 persons and caused injuries to about 340 others, mainly Christians. The spokesman of the terrorist outfit not only took the responsibility of the heinous act but also threatened of more such attacks against Christians. The ghastly act was condemned by Pakistani Prime Minister, Pakistani Chief of Army staff as well as by several other local leaders. Indian Prime Minister as well as leaders of United States, Australia and other countries also condemned the blast.

Both Pakistani Prime Minister and Chief of Staff chaired separate meetings to deal terrorism especially in Punjab. Nawaz Sharif promised to take stringent action and the police also arrested few persons suspected to be involved in the blast. Pakistani civil as well as military leadership project Punjab as a peaceful state hence terrorist activities in the province are kept underground instead of dealing with them severely. At present military operations against terrorists are going on in North Waziristan and Karachi while Punjab is publicized as a safe province. The Islamic Jihadists attacked Christians, whose population is about 2.5 million in Pakistan. In the past too, two blasts in Lahore in March 2015 killed 14 persons and injured 80. In 2013 more than 80 persons lost their lives in bomb blasts that shook Peshawar.

The Islamic extremism is increasing in Pakistan rapidly. Christians are badly treated in the country and face inequity, abhorrence and constant maltreatment by the Muslim majority. There were reports of destroying dwelling places, villages, churches and even the religious books of Christians without provocation. The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are grossly misused against the minorities to settle their personal feuds. The minorities have to face mob fury even on false allegations of blasphemy. Both civil and military leadership made tall claims to prevent such occurrences but no worthwhile effort were made to protect the Christian minorities.

Pakistan administration claimed that bomb blasts were not against Christians and more Muslims were killed in the explosion than the Christians but it was a distortion of facts as Christians were celebrating Easter with their families and in the blast more women and children were killed. Not only this spokesman of Jamat-ul-Ahrar the terrorist outfit took responsibility of the blast and unambiguously mentioned that the blast was against Christians and they would carry out more such terrorist attacks. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who wanted to avoid attending 4th and final Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington cancelled his visit under the pretext of Lahore bomb explosion. The summit was expected to converse about the safety and security of nuclear and other radiological weapons in view of terrorist threat.

Pakistan Army is the real custodian of nuclear warheads and the civilian government headed by Nawaz Sharif has a little sway over it. Besides this Pakistan is also a breeding ground of terrorists and the world community is worried about the safety and security of the nuclear weapons especially of ‘Nasr’ missile which is capable of carrying nuclear warheads up to 60 kilometers. There are umpteen number of press reports that Islamic State (IS), the most powerful and resourceful terrorist organization, is trying to procure nuclear warheads from Pakistan. Several Islamic terrorist organizations active in Pakistan also claim that they would procure nuclear warheads through some Islamic fanatic who can lay hands on the nuclear weapons. The cohorts of Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer surrounded Islamabad and demanded the execution of Aasia Bibi who was guilty of blasphemy. The administration is unable to take stringent action against the protesters who were supporting a murderer of a governor who was against blasphemy law.

Pakistani administration should take stringent action against the perpetrators of terror on Christian minority. The security agencies are taking half-hearted action against the terrorists especially in Punjab hence terrorist outfits are strengthening. There are also reports that Christians are migrating to other countries especially Sri Lanka, Thailand as migrating to Europe and America is difficult from Pakistan. The Pakistani administration must take corrective measures as migration of Christian community would send out wrong signals. The administration must understand that extremism and terrorism have no limits. The Islamic extremists first eliminate non-Muslims and then to Shia Muslims and afterwards various Sunnis groups like Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki, Hanafi, Wahabis, Shafi, Barelvi, Deobandis would fight among themselves. According to an estimate more than 44 percent Madrassas of Pakistan are in Punjab and they are propagating extremism in the province. These Madrassas are financed by various terrorist outfits as well as by few Mid-East countries hence controlling of these Madrassas is essential.

(Jai Kumar Verma is an independent security analyst based in Delhi.)“

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dialdfordon.pngFormer Delhi Commissioner of Police Neeraj Kumar’s book — DIAL D FOR DON : Inside Stories of CBI Missions — is highly absorbing for its forthright narrative which puts one on the edge of a seat. Needless to say it involves painstaking investigation in the cloak and dagger game which is real with all the concomitant dangers. There have been several instances where the author has been caught in tricky situations along with his team in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) where he was on deputation for nine years and established some enviable benchmarks.

Kumar provides an account of the country’s underworld particularly in Mumbai ranging from organised crime to match fixing along with the blood letting and mayhem of terrorism. He has tried to put matters in perspective without undermining its deleterious impact on society. Being his first book the author’s personality comes across as being a pragmatic and a dogged sleuth leading to convictions in court. There have been moments when he has wondered if he has taken a wrong decision which might bring a bad name to the CBI, acknowledged as the premier investigating agency in the country. Ultimately his steadfast approach and quiet confidence paid rich dividends.

Raja Vijay Karan, former Director of CBI as well as Commissioner of Delhi Police, draws pointed attention to Kumar’s remarkable memory with “”no notes, no documents and no background papers”” which has held him in good stead. In his foreword, he refers to Kumar’s narration which brings out though mutedly the anxiety that he had to face due to personal jealousies of fellow officers in the CBI and the police. “”It is a shame that we human beings are such imperfect entities, capable of spite, deceit and needless oneupmanship.”” Further, India still continues to pay a heavy price for the communal riots that occur frequently in the country. Pakistan is always there to exploit this faultline in our country both to to give this country a bad name and inveigle the minority community into terrorism against India,”” observed Karan.

A book of this kind is uncommon as one has hardly come across real time painstaking investigations on transnational terrorism which has never been the forte of the CBI. Nevertheless the agency had taken up the challenge and come up trumps despite the handicaps. Subsequently there was a felt need to constitute the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to exclusively probe terrorism in its entirety. The book has been devoted to the investigations connected among others with the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai along with Mumbai’s shady and dangerous under world. The topics range from — Gifts from the Gulf, The rise and fall of Aftab Ansari, Operation Desert Safari: the story of an anti-kidnap, Dial D for Don: My Conversations with Dawood Ibrahim, Devil Wears Khadi, Our Man in Dubai: the CBI versus the ISI and Between 22 yards: Tracing of ‘MK’ the pioneer of match fixing in cricket.

“”Operation Desert Safari”” is the tantalising story of an anti-kidnap operation pertaining to an Abu Dhabi based entrepreneur Thekkat Siddique ready to venture into uncharted territory. He arrived in Delhi on 11 March 2001 at the invitation of one Vijay Rathore whom he had never met. Vijay had repeatedly spoken to Thekkat on the telephone and through emails inviting him to Delhi for business negotiations. Hailing from Calicut, Thekkat had moved to Abu Dhabi more than two decades back. As it turned out a Dubai based gangster had received news of Thekkat’s ‘boundless riches”” and plotted to have him kidnapped during his visit to India. He was received at the airport by one of Vijay’s PAs and taken to a well appointed bungalow in South Delhi. Once inside the house Vijay was conspicuous by his absence. Instead Thekkat was confronted by unkempt men who roughed him up.

The captive was informed he would have to pay a ransom of $ two million if he wanted to be set free. Thekkat realised his mistake of not checking the antecedents of his host in Delhi. He was made to speak to his wife in Abu Dhabi and notify her about his abduction. On the following day on March 12, Thekkat’s family members met India’s then ambassador in Abu Dhabi K C Singh seeking his help. The Ambassador took a written complaint from the victim’s wife and faxed it promptly to R K Raghavan, the then Director of CBI. Kumar was not sure how to respond especially as the CBI’s capabilities in tackling a live kidnap situation had never been tested. The option was to take up the case in the Economic Offences wing of which the author was the Joint Director. At this stage the CBI had three divisions: Anti Corruption Division, the Economic Offences Wing and the Special Crimes Division.

A hostage situation requiring search and rescue operations was unheard of in the CBI. Volunteering to investigate such a case was “”sticking one’s neck a bit too far.”” Kumar took it up as a challenge and did not want to disappoint the Ambassador who had reposed faith in him. To cut a long story short Kumar worried endlessly for the man being held hostage by transnational criminals. His perseverance and resoluteness paid. His highly dedicated team facilitated Thekkat’s rescue along with the Special Cell of Delhi police. All the surviving accused in the case were awarded life sentences. Kumar found operation Desert Safari easily one of the most thrilling and satisfying experiences of his professional life.

In Dial D for Don, the author drew attention that before moving to CBI on deputation he was DCP, Crime Branch in the national capital where he became aware of the movement of gangsters acting at the behest of the dreaded Dawood Ibrahim in securing arms and ammunition in large quantities for creating chaos in the western metropolis of Mumbai. Two names that figured often were Ahmed Mansoor from the Jama Masjid area in Delhi. Mansoor had grown up with Dawood and knew a lot about his formative years and his later life as well. Dawood’s father was a constable in the police and extremely strict with his seven children. The family lived in a small room in a crowded chawl. Dawood knew there was no future for him in these environs.

Mansoor also told police about Dawood’s lavish lifestyle in Dubai, his fondness for mujras (soirees musicale) and women along with keen interest in cricket and Bollywood and how his word was the law in Mumbai. Most disputes involving real estate, monetary matters, release dates of films by different producers, casting of film stars etc were decided in his ‘court’ in Dubai. Kumar and the Don had three long conversations on 10 June, 20 June and 22 June 1994. “”What Dawood wanted to convey to me was that Tiger Memon had approached him ostensibly in connection with his dispute with Haji Ahmed. Tiger had tricked some of his aides into thinking that he was part of the overall controversy behind sending consignments of weapons and explosives. Dawood was kept in the picture when the conspiracy was hatched. “”D”” continues to be safely hiding in Pakistan with no chance of India getting him back.

Pakistan, despite being given Dawood’s place of hiding, routinely denies his presence in the neighbouring country. Giving up Dawood is a difficult demand for Pakistan to comply resulting in ISI losing its credibility in engaging Indians for terrorist activities in the future. Willy nilly but happily destiny brought Kumar to be part of four major inquiries/investigations into match fixing malpractices in cricket. “”I was exposed to the rot that has set in the game once played by lords and royals on sunny afternoons. It was common for batsmen to ‘walk’ even when declared not out if the batsman knew he had nicked the ball and had been caught behind. If given out even when he was not, the batsman would still walk.”” A few rotten eggs have muddied the waters and given the game a bad name,”” emphasises Kumar.

He acknowledged he needed hard facts to beef up the stories in this book and while researching the author had to reconnect with police officers at all levels in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Gujarat and the CBI. The book has some explosive details and nerve tingling suspense. Overall a must read book.

TR

(T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator.)
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Article114.png“Jawaharlal cannot become a dictator. And yet he has all the makings of a dictator in him – vast popularity, a strong will directed to a well-defined purpose, energy, pride, organizational capacity, ability, hardness and with all his love of the crowd, an intolerance of others and a certain contempt of the weak and the inefficient. His fleshes of temper are well known and even when they are controlled, the curling of the lips betrays him.” These are the few lines from an anonymous article bylined Chanakya, published under the heading ‘Rashtrapati’ in 1939 in the Modern Review, edited by Ramananda Chatterjee. It caused a sensation. Nehru eventually owned up and explained he had himself written the article because he did not want a third term as Congress president.

Even when the Web was in its infancy, two decades ago, The New Yorker magazine ran a cartoon with a dog sitting in front of a computer, one paw on the keyboard. The caption read: “”On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” Anonymity has always been an appeal of online life. But its menace has increased manifold as users of social media have taken for granted that the territory was both a free-for-all and a digital disguise, allowing them to revel in their power to address the world while keeping their identities concealed. It is as if people lose all empathy and that the person they attack online is not a human being. People lose all sense of decency and humanity through online communication.  This shows that if that is the major legacy of the Internet then the web has been a bad development for humanity.

What’s important is that one has the freedom to engage in a conversation, not that one has the right to be as unpleasant or rude as possible.  The bottom line is that civility is important in personal relations and on the internet too. At its worst, it gives trolls and cyber bullies licence to pick arguments, threaten and abuse. Anonymity has become the refuge of scoundrels. Because of anonymity the Internet is the biggest showcase of inanity and stupidity. The misinformation, the paranoia, the childish illogic, the endlessly repeated Internet hoaxes, the phony statistics, fake quotations, the doctored-up examples from history: all go under the cover of anonymity. Deceit and fakery have destroyed the fabric of Internet culture.  Anonymous commentators definitely write more scathingly and righteously and angrily. Anonymity has made comment streams on websites havens for a level of crudity, bigotry, meanness and plain nastiness that shocks the Internet public.

Votaries of the anonymity on the web argue that even voting is anonymous. It’s the basis of democracy. The often repeated allegation that anonymity encourages vileness from some (not all) people is not correct. There are also thoughtful and perceptive anonymous comments – so it is not the anonymity alone that leads to vileness in comments. Anonymity rather gives you the means to express your true viewpoint, free of any pressure. Anonymous comments more accurately reflect the true opinions and insights of the commentator. People have varied opinions on lots of things. You might have some views on one subject, but quite different from your bosses. We don’t live in a fair world, and if those bosses see your point of view on the Internet, odds are you’ll lose your job, or worse. There are sensitive subjects like abortion, gay marriage, political leaning and so on. Moreover, some people on the Internet don’t understand the concept of sarcasm.

I have never posted any comments online anonymously.  I believe this defeats their purpose: namely, to stir up debate on important issues of our day, and solicit the views of others—who may disagree. What has perhaps stunned me the most are the negative and vile comments on Indian news sites. To eliminate or censor comments, however, does not seem to be the answer either. I agree that personal attacks should be eliminated.  However, here is a catch. Too many prominent Web sites censor political views, and exclude those that are not “”politically correct,”” which is absurd.

The New Yorker has quoted the psychologists Marco Yzer and Brian Southwell putting, “new communication technologies do not fundamentally alter the theoretical bounds of human interaction; such interaction continues to be governed by basic human tendencies.” Whether online, on the phone, by telegraph, or in person, we are governed by the same basic principles. The medium may change, but people do not. The question instead is whether the outliers, the trolls and the flamers, will hold outside influence—and the answer seems to be that, even protected by the shade of anonymity, a dog will often make himself known with a stray, accidental bark. Then, hopefully, he will be treated accordingly. Few news organisations, including The Times, have someone review every comment before it goes online, to weed out personal attacks and bigoted comments. Some sites and prominent bloggers, like Andrew Sullivan, simply do not allow comments.

Most news sites do not have the resources to do routine policing. Many sites allow readers to flag objectionable comments for removal, and make some effort to block comments from people who have repeatedly violated the site’s standards. If commentators were asked to provide their real names for display online, some would no doubt give false identities, and verifying them would be too labor-intensive to be realistic. But news sites executives say that merely making the demand for a name and an e-mail address would weed out much of the most offensive commentary. Several industry executives have cited a more fundamental force working in favour of identifying commentators. Through blogging and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, millions of people have grown accustomed to posting their opinions – to say nothing of personal details – with their names attached, for all to see. Adapting the Facebook model, some news sites allow readers to post a picture along with a comment, another step away from anonymity.

Free speech has its limits. Let the warning go out to all those who engage in such attacks, that “”truth”” will not be a defence. Incidentally, it’s a pity they didn’t have these laws in place. 250 years ago in France, when Voltaire used false names to publish nasty “”whistle-blowing”” attacks against Rousseau, viciously exposing the fact that Rousseau had abandoned his children in orphanages.  Rousseau pointed out that the author of these pseudonymous attacks was a coward, but it would have been good to put Voltaire in jail too for what he did. We’ve seen how unfettered anonymity quickly breaks down into digital anarchy on other sites, and vowed to approach things differently at our current online news and information offering. Some news sites executives are extremely pleased with the result, finding that taking a hard stance against trolls and fifth columnists goes a long way toward preserving civility and, ultimately, the value of the site for their readers.

Online behavior, the mere isolation behind the screen, leads to a host of problems that are not really related to usage of one’s real name or an anonymous one – this comes from being alone behind the screen, not unlike that of being a sole driver in a car in traffic. The isolation and anonymity is there, and the anger, rudeness and aggression are there as well.  The widespread phenomenon known as cyber bullying is prevalent among teens regardless of whether the real name is used or not. Internet use today is a large, unchecked playing field where people are not taught how to behave civilly. Various circles are trying to figure out what creates this behaviour.

In the early days of the Internet, anonymity ruled in chat rooms and message boards. The interest in an anonymous web has never disappeared. But it has become less popular amidst the growth of Facebook. The early days of the Internet resulted in a largely negative connotation towards anonymity, but that is shifting as anonymity is coming back into fashion. The recent revelations about NSA monitoring of phone and Internet activity only increase concerns about privacy, Web companies like Airbnb are using real identity on the Web to make sure users are safe when they travel to strangers’ homes. The Facebook verification is a key part of establishing trust for such sharing economy companies. Travelers can see that a user is a normal person, not, say, a psychopath. Airbnb has also gone beyond Facebook to add another layer of identity verification, wherein people have to upload a photo of their driver’s license or passport to be verified. The information age is really the age of disinformation. We all know that, of course. Not only is public discourse marred — or perhaps defined, which is even more unfortunate — by various propaganda campaigns waged by one party against the other.

Not only is the public trust betrayed by those in public office and those who report on it, but disinformation has leached into our personal lives. If you’ve ever read a review of a hotel or restaurant that proved to be entirely false, then you’re a victim of the disinformation age. If you’ve ever left a negative comment because of some slight, or trashed a book without reading it because you’d heard something about the author or the topic that didn’t appeal to you, then you’re just like so many people who use modern technology to disseminate age-old vitriol. It’s a start. So-called trolls who use comments sections to espouse negative views or to threaten or foment discord will always find ways to keep fanning the flames of disinformation. Will traffic drop to the sites that require a person behind the comment? Who knows? And if traffic is strong as a result of anonymous comments, which by their anonymity play to the cowardly worst in human nature – that tendency to be cruel without being discovered – then if traffic drops when anonymity is banished then the site is attracting a better class of visitor, even if there are fewer of them.

The Internet is for building relationships, not for belittling others or for dropping insults behind a false screen name. In the conversation that’s supposed to occur in an online community, anonymity breeds contempt. The Huffington post, the thriving US news site has recently denied anonymous comments. In the post, announcing this decision, it said, “it’s the tension between anonymity and accountability that is at the heart of a recent decision the Huffington Post has made to move away from anonymous accounts on its commenting platform. From its earliest days, The Huffington Post prioritised investing in its community. We wanted to create a positive environment for people to have a real conversation with each other. We pre-moderated all comments, developed state-of-the-art moderation technology, and hired a platoon of human moderators – a 40-person-strong team to supplement the technology and ensure a civil environment.

“But one glance at our comment section or the comment sections of other sites demonstrates what we’re all up against. Trolls have grown more vicious, more aggressive, and more ingenious. As a result, comment sections can degenerate into some of the darkest places on the Internet. At HuffPost, we publish nearly 9 million comments a month, but we’ve reached the point where roughly three-quarters of our incoming comments never see the light of day, either because they are flat-out spam or because they contain unpublishable levels of vitriol. And rather than participating in threads and promoting the best comments, our moderators are stuck policing the trolls with diminishing success. “It’s simple and painless to decry online toxicity; it’s harder and more important to do something about it. We at The Huffington Post have chosen to take an affirmative step by verifying the identities of new commenter accounts. We won’t eliminate every last note of negativity and nastiness on the site, but we believe this change will offer the guarantee of a gut check.

“Our hope is that this decision will lead to more of the robust conversations that we love having on HuffPost.” Newspapers in their web sites are also turning toward regulated comments. Of the largest 137 U.S. newspapers — those with daily circulation above 50,000 — nearly 49% ban anonymous commenting, according to Arthur Santana, assistant communications professor at the University of Houston. Nearly 42% allow anonymity, while 9% do not have comments at all. No one doubts that there is a legitimate value in letting people express opinions that may get them in trouble at work, or may even offend their neighbours, without having to give their names, said William Grueskin, Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia’s journalism school. “But a lot of comment boards turn into the equivalent of a barroom brawl,” he said. “People who might have something useful to say are less willing to participate in boards where the tomatoes are being thrown.”

(The writer is a senior journalist and had a long innings with The Hindustan Times. Views expressed are personal.) “

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Article118.pngJust before the peak summer season sets in the country, foreign tourist arrivals during March 2016 touched 8,17,000, showing a growth of about 12 per cent over March 2015 when 7,29,000 foreign tourists had arrived in India. According to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during the January- March 2016 period were 2.50 million, registering an increase of 10% as compared to the FTAs of 2.28 million with a growth of 3.5% in January- March 2015 over January- March 2014.

Among the top 15 source countries from where the tourists visited India during March 2016 were from Bangladesh (14.07%) followed by UK (13.16%), USA (11.84%), Germany (3.74%), Canada (3.57%), Sri Lanka (3.48%), Malaysia (3.45%), Russian Federation (3.19%), China (2.92%), France (2.92%), Australia (2.83%), Japan (2.43%), Nepal (1.72%), Singapore (1.67%) and Thailand (1.60).

The percentage share of FTAs in India during March 2016 among the top 15 airports was highest at Delhi Airport (33.82%) followed by Mumbai Airport (15.97%), Chennai Airport (7.30%), Bangaluru Airport (5.44%), Goa Airport (4.05%) and Kolkata Airport (4.02%). Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism in India during March 2016 were Rs. 13,115 crore as compared to Rs. 11,133 crore in March 2015 and Rs. 10,479 crore in March 2014. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during March 2016 over March 2015 was 17.8%, according to official figures. FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during January- March 2016 were Rs. 40,411 crore with a growth of 15.9% as compared to the FEE of Rs. 34,875 crore during January- March 2015. FEEs in US$ terms during March 2016 were US$ 1.958 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 1.783 billion in March last year.

The Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of FTAs on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau of Immigration (BOI) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis of data available from Reserve Bank of India.”

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Article117.pngFour days before the signing of the historic Paris Agreement, religious leaders from across the world have signed and issued an Interfaith Climate Change Statement impressing upon their respective governments to ratify the Paris Agreement. The Statement has been signed by 250 global faith leaders from across 50 countries, demonstrating a positive sentiment towards making the Paris Agreement work, and urging prompt ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. Paris Agreement will be signed on Earth Day (22 nd April,2016) in New York. India along with rest of the countries will be present for a high level signing ceremony convened by UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

The Statement impresses upon the governments to rapidly sign, ratify and implement the Paris Agreement and to increase pledges to reduce emissions in line with keeping the global temperature ruse to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. The Statement insists on rapid emissions reduction and peaking by 2020, in order to keep the 1.5 C goal within reach and strongly advocates for greater flows of finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage. The Statement urges the swift phase out of all fossil fuel subsidies and a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and encourages faith communities to reduce emissions in their homes, workplaces and centres of worship and to support and stand in solidarity with communities already impacted by climate change while calling for fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment in renewables, including within our own communities. The Statement was signed in Church Center of the UN.

The Statement also reaffirms the faith community’s support for increased ambition in climate change action and for the commitment to limit the global temperature rise to no more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

The signatories include twenty religious leaders from India – Swami Agnivesh, President of the World Council of Arya Samaj; Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh and Co-Founder/chair Global Interfaith WASH Alliance; Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of Art of Living Foundation; Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice Chancellor of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University; Swami Charukeerty Bhattarak, Pontiff of Jain Shravanabelagola Math; and Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami of the Vaishnava tradition. Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyassi, Chief Imam, All India Organisation of Mosques; Dharmacharya Shantum Seth, Ahimsa Trust, Plum Village International Community of Engaged Buddhists; Dr Mar Atsongchanger, President, National Council of Churches in India; Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, and President, Federation of Asian Bishops´ Conferences (FABC); Ven Khandro Rinpoche, Teacher in both the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism; Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma); Bhagwati Saraswati, Secretary General, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance; Dr A.K.Merchant Trustee, Lotus Temple and National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is; Lieutenant Colonel Dasari Daniel, National Secretary, The Salvation Army; Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary, National Council of Churches in India; Wahidudin Khan, Founder of the Islamic Centre – Urdu Islamic Institution; Dr. Acharya Lokesh Muni, Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati; Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Director, Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery among others.”

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Article116.pngCentre and the World Bank have signed a USD250 million credit agreement under the Jhelum and Tawi flood Recovery project for reconstruction and recovery support in flood-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir in which public infrastructure and livelihoods were impacted severely. It will also strengthen the capacity of the state government to respond to and better manage natural disasters in the future. The Project will focus on the 20 flood-affected districts including Anantnag, Baramula, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Srinagar, Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur.

The project will be funded by credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm with a maturity of 25 years, including a 5 year grace period. The credit agreement for the project was signed by Mr Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government and Mr Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director, India on behalf of the World Bank.

The continuous spell of rains in September last year, caused Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi rivers including their tributaries and many other streams to flow above the danger mark. Due to the unprecedented heavy rainfall, the catchment areas, particularly the low lying areas were flooded for more than two weeks. The Jhelum River breached its banks at several places. Over a million families were affected, directly or indirectly, and some 300 lives lost. More than 648,000 hectares of agricultural and horticultural land were affected causing huge loss to crops, plantations and animals.

“”The project will focus on restoring critical infrastructure damaged by the floods using international best practice. The infrastructure will be designed to improve resilience to future flooding and landslide, as well as seismic risk,”” according to Mr Raj Kumar.

World Bank assistance has been sought in rebuilding damaged public buildings, such as hospitals, schools, higher education buildings, fire stations, and selected block and district offices, and other important public buildings. It will restore and improve the connectivity disrupted by reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges. The infrastructure will be re-designed to withstand earthquake and floods as per the latest official design guidelines.

“”This region is highly vulnerable to natural disasters that can push millions into poverty. In addition to reconstruction, which includes reconstruction of roads, bridges and public infrastructure, the project will also help the region to better prepared for the future,”” Mr Ruhl said. Another key component of this project will be to strengthen and reinforce existing weak and vulnerable flood control infrastructure. It will strengthen the capacity of government entities in managing disaster risks, enhancing preparedness, and achieving resilient recovery through the preparation of a Hydro-Meteorological Resilience Action Plan with a focus on extreme weather events; River Morphology study for some key rivers impacted by the disaster; and an urban vulnerability assessment among others.”

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Article121.pngWith conventional higher education the world over continuing to be beset by access, cost and productivity challenges, Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions should speak of their founding ideals and more explicitly evaluate their progress. “”There has never been a greater need for innovative institutions. Immense benefit would come from constructive tracking and disclosure of key student and institutional performance metrics. The tide is turning in favour of niche ODL solutions,”” says a report on “”The State of Open Universities in the Commonwealth: A Perspective on Performance, Competition and Innovation”” authored by Richard Garrett of The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the report says specialist ODL universities, in the Commonwealth and worldwide, are one of the marvels of modern higher education, challenging long-held assumptions and offering a ladder of opportunity to millions. In 2015, as mature providers and amid new competition from both conventional universities and start-ups, specialist ODL universities offer many lessons but need to speak more directly to their strengths and the new reality.

On enrollment patterns, the study says while all the mature ODL institutions embody great achievement over time and are unique in scale and scope in local settings, the recent enrollment picture is very mixed. Although about half of the sample institutions have continued to grow strongly in recent years, the other half have suffered recent enrollment decline or loss of market share, along with financial difficulty in some cases. Each institution is different, but these trajectories speak to the mainstreaming of forms of ODL, particularly online learning, across conventional universities.

Regarding limitations and potential of ODL, the report argues that there is a tension between the typical ODL student experience and the capabilities, situations and preferences of many ODL students. ODL institutions either serve non-traditional students for whom the conventional university is impractical or address a traditional campus capacity gap for traditional-age students. “By definition, the typical ODL student experience — wherein the student ultimately has limited contact with faculty and other students — requires greater dedication and self discipline than what is expected from a conventional student, and it is certainly less familiar.’’

“”The model works well for some students, who come to prefer it, but is an often vexing challenge for many others. The circumstances and backgrounds of many ODL students, particularly at the undergraduate level, can render the delivery mode as much a hurdle as an enabler unless expertly handled. In any large, decentralised institution with significant faculty autonomy, the gap between the theory of ODL pedagogy and the reality at the individual course level can be large and uneven. Of course, the conventional university experience is a struggle for many students,”” the study says while pointing out that legacy ODL — conventional online learning included — succeeds in accessibility and convenience much more than in experience and outcomes. This reality constrains the power and potential of specialist ODL institutions. These institutions also have yet to make a convincing case for the pedagogical merits of scale.

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to promote the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. The goal of this report is to critically examine one of the marvels of modern higher education: specialist open and distance learning (ODL) universities. These institutions, such as The Open University (UKOU), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the University of South Africa (UNISA), have pioneered radically innovative instructional and support methods, opening pathways for vast numbers of non-traditional students.

Today, there are dedicated ODL higher education institutions in many Commonwealth countries, but in most cases, ODL is no longer first and foremost the domain of specialists. In the 1990s, the rise of online learning promised a range of enhancements to legacy forms of ODL, in terms of interaction, engagement and simulation, and attracted the attention of both conventional universities and the private sector. New models were characterised as means to advance the perennial goals of ODL — to widen access to higher education and lower cost whilst maintaining quality — but also as tools to address the issues of affordability and productivity in mainstream higher education. The online learning explosion paralleled the massification of higher education worldwide, creating new capacity, cost and quality pressures at the system level.

This project relied on secondary data. Institutional and organisational websites and specialist literature were the main sources. This report aims to evaluate specialist ODL institutions in the Commonwealth in an environment of competition and scrutiny, where clarity of purpose and transparency of value are essential. The institutions which were evaluated were: Athabasca University (AU, Canada), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU, India), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Open Universities Australia (OUA), The Open University (UKOU, United Kingdom) ,Open University Malaysia (OUM), Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), University of South Africa (UNISA), University of the South Pacific (USP),and University of the West Indies (UWI).

All of the sample institutions were large by some measure, ranging from the giant IGNOU — one of the largest universities in the world, with over 700,000 students — to USP, with about 25,000, comparable to a mid-sized conventional university in many countries. All the institutions offer undergraduate and post-graduate programming, but undergraduate students dominate, constituting 80–90 per cent of the population in most cases.

“”All of the sample institutions have grown strongly since foundation, and many have exhibited strong or steady growth in recent years. Some have suffered fluctuation or even marked decline. The biggest case of decline is IGNOU, which scaled back a large “community college” and international alliances initiative, citing quality concerns, thereby relinquishing hundreds of thousands of students in the process. UKOU has seen enrollment fall by a quarter since 2010/11, following the introduction of higher tuition fees for all UK undergraduates. Whilst full-time undergraduate enrollment nationally recovered after an initial blip following the introduction of higher fees, part-time student enrollments, on which UKOU depends, have fallen sharply — there were 30 per cent fewer new part-time undergraduates in the UK in 2013/14 than in 2010/11. This is despite government funding that offers part-time undergraduates a means-tested loan with no repayments until three years after the start of their studies, and only after a certain income threshold has been reached. Prior to the introduction of higher fees, part-time students were not eligible for financial support. The theory behind the enrollment decline is that prospective part time students may be debt averse and particularly concerned about higher fees,’’ the study points out.

All sample institutions were founded to broaden access to higher education, but few publish much detail on student characteristics. For example, the IGNOU website states: Specific efforts shall be made for providing access to education and equity in opportunities to women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, the rural population, the remote areas, tribal regions, differently-abled, and the socially and economically weaker sections of society.

“”However, the site appears to offer no data to permit a clearer understanding of how enrollment breaks down across such groupings, or comparisons with figures for the general population or higher education overall,”” the report says.

“”IGNOU notes alliances with 29 international institutions, mostly in the Middle East and Africa, and a desire to serve the Indian diaspora, but few details appear to be in the public domain. As previously noted, IGNOU announced a freeze on international activity, following concerns about Quality Assurance.””

The term “open and distance institution” covered a wide range of models and arrangements in the sample. Some institutions are wholly distance based, whilst others run substantial numbers of in-person classes. Some operate multiple regional centres. Some operate largely online but all also deploy other forms of distance learning, with online delivery as one component. Here, the study examined each sample institution in turn. IGNOU employs multiple delivery modes. Most students use print-based self-study materials, with the option of in-person or telephone/video conferencing for interaction with “counsellors” (i.e., non-faculty support staff). IGNOU runs 56 regional centres, each of which oversees often many more study centres, numbering over 3,000 in total. There is a regional centre in most parts of India. Regional centres offer library and audio-visual facilities as well as Internet access. Regional centre staff train local counsellors, conduct certain examinations and liaise with local authorities. For students in highly practice-based programmes, some regional and study centres offer specialised equipment. IGNOU runs its own radio and television channels, often satellite-based, offering another way for learners to study. The television programmes are now archived on YouTube. The university also runs about 20 online degree and sub-degree programmes, primarily at the post-graduate level. There appear to be no IGNOU data showing enrollment distribution by delivery mode, and no doubt many students use multiple modes. Clear enrollment distribution by delivery mode is missing at most sample institutions.

The study concludes that despite often decades of experience, many mature ODL institutions sustain a mixed reputation for academic quality, and none in the sample squarely reports on student performance. No sample institution provides a graduation rate or makes detailed comparisons with conventional universities. Whilst the implication is not explicit, this absence suggests that student attrition is typically quite high. Of course, there are good reasons why ODL institutions do not report “simple” student performance data, such as a graduation rate.

The “open” nature of these institutions means that some students may enroll quite casually, may be interested in completing just a course or two rather than a degree, or may transfer to a conventional institution. Another issue is that some ODL institutions encourage significant credit transfer, which complicates graduation rates. If one student enters with half the credits towards a degree but another enters with none, hence, making it difficult to compare the two in terms of time to completion, or attrition.”

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Article120.pngBihar chief minister Nitish Kumar making a bid for the Prime Ministership of the country has rattled the Congress party. The wily politician has underlined the the need for all non-BJP parties coming together for defeating the Lotus party in the 2019 general elections. On its part the busy bodies in the 130-year-old party want to know if Kumar visualises any role for their heir apparent and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who has failed to infuse confidence in the rank and file or catch the imagination of the people.

Unity among non-BJP parties

Having called for a “”Sangh Mukt Bharat”” akin to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “”Congress Mukt Bharat”” and realising the futility of such slogans, the wily Kumar changed tack within 48 hours emphasising that without all the non-BJP parties joining hands it will be difficult to beat the saffron brigade. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav wasted no time in backing Kumar for the top executive job in the country. In some ways he is trying to get even with the Congress for forcing him to join the Mahagatbandhan along with accepting Kumar’s leadership in Bihar resulting in BJP’s defeat in last year’s assembly elections in the state.

Kumar, who took over as the JD (U) president recently, has already got cracking on his ambitious plan of trying to merge parties beginning with Ajit Singh’s RLD, who has listed his conditions, and Babulal Marandi’s JVM. He has also announced taking his prohibition drive to other states as well.

Imponderables in Nitish’s PM ambitions

There are imponderables galore in Kumar’s Prime Ministerial ambitions. For one it is bound to come into conflict with the aspirations of Congress vice-president and heir apparent Rahul Gandhi. There can be any number of permutation and combinations in case the Congress emerges as the single largest entity among all the non-BJP parties which appears to be remote. In such a case, it is bound to pitch for the Prime Minister’s job. The Congress has already expressed its reservations emphasising that a grand alliance for defeating the BJP works in the states but not at the centre.

Simultaneously, former BJP Deputy Chief minister Sushil Mody exhorted Kumar to move to national politics as “”governance has suffered and crime has surged in the Bihar.”” In the event of Kumar’s departure from Bihar, Lalu envisions a God sent opportunity for one of his two sons becoming the chief minister in Patna. His younger son Tejasvi is currently the Deputy Chief minister in Kumar’s cabinet and has won praise for focussing on development.

There is suspicion that Kumar is probably toying with the old idea of a non-Congress, non-BJP Front which has remained a non-starter all along. He believes that the BJP is anyway losing the general elections three years hence. That is where he visualises his chances of occupying the seat of power on the majestic Raisina Hill in the national capital. Can the two poles of the BJP and Congress be brushed aside in heading coalition governments at the centre? Evidently Kumar thinks so. It is no secret that the Congress is in the dumps with its lowest ever tally of 44 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha in the 2014 general elections. It failed to secure even one third of the strength of the Lower House of Parliament for being made the leader of the opposition.

It will, however, be naive on anybody’s part to see the back of the Congress party overnight having been in the vanguard of the freedom struggle. Its leadership is clueless in getting its act together. Except for the odd noises by Rahul Gandhi here and there, it seems to be in a slumber.

On the other hand the RSS as the mentor of the BJP which has been banned twice since Independence, is firmly entrenched at its headquarters in Nagpur. The chances of this “”cultural organisation”” as characterised by former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, being proscribed again is ruled out. Kumar has the onerous task of bringing together all those opposed to the BJP. The Janata experiment after the emergency was lifted in 1977 proved to be a disaster. The leaders of its constituents kept pulling in different directions and unabashedly pitched themselves forward as Prime Minister potential leading to its downfall. That attitude has not changed among the host of regional satraps who want their pound of flesh having carved out spheres of influence in their states.

Scenario in UP, Tamil Nadu

BSP supremo Mayawati believes she is in with a strong chance of winning the assembly elections in UP next year. It is unimaginable for the SP chief netaji Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati to come together. The situation is no different in West Bengal as far as the Left Front and chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC are concerned. Then there are the arch rivals in AIADMK and DMK in Tamil Nadu and last but not the least the continuing rumblings in the ruling JD (U)-RJD combine in Bihar. Even at the best of times it is not easy having to contend with oversized egos of too many Prime Ministerial contenders floating around. Such a coalition is doomed even before it has any chance of taking off.

Having been associated with the BJP for 17 years, Kumar broke ranks in 2013 when Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat, being declared the Lotus party’s Prime Ministerial nominee. With Modi assuming the high office on May 26, 2014, the RSS is determined the second time around to implement its three point Hindutva agenda of building a Ram temple at Ayodhya, abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution according special powers to J and K and having a Uniform Civil Code.

The real test for the BJP and and others opposed to it including the SP and BSP will be in the assembly elections in UP next year. It will be deleterious for the BJP if it loses the country’s most populous state in the cow belt with general elections 24 months later in 2019. It is already gearing up its loins for the assembly elections having appointed junior Union minister Keshav Prasad Maurya with strong Sangh moorings as the party president in UP which provides the maximum number of 80 seats in the Lok Sabha and 31 in the 250-member Rajya Sabha.

In the two years that Modi has been Prime Minister there have been brazen instances of intolerance particularly brutal attacks on the members of the minority community by the fringe elements of the Sangh Parivar. This has whipped up a fear psychosis.
BJP leaders have categorised these as law or order problems which is a state subject. Having been associated with the BJP for 17 years, Kumar broke ranks in 2013 when Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat was declared the Lotus party’s Prime Ministerial nominee. When Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee headed a 27-party coalition at the centre from 1998-2004, NDA (I) had adopted a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) shunning the Hindutva agenda.

After the 2014 general elections the BJP could have formed a government on its own as it enjoyed a majority for the first time but decided to continue with its allies thus enabling the NDA to cross the rubicon of 300 and reaching a healthy tally of 340 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP is handicapped being in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and unable to pass crucial economic legislation required for boosting economic development. People are getting increasingly disenchanted with Modi as the much touted lyric “”acche din aane wale hai”” has remained a mirage so far.

The question is can the BJP match its 2014 performance in UP when it won a mind a boggling 71 seats out of 80 in the Lok Sabha. It finished with 73 seats with its allies winning two. Polarisation of votes was total. Lets wait and see if Kumar’s gambit works as politics is the art of the possible.

(T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator. Views expressed are personal.)“

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Article119.pngThe World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new global strategy to achieve a world free of leprosy. The strategy calls for stronger commitments and accelerated efforts to stop disease transmission and end associated discrimination and stigma. The strategy aims to reduce to zero by 2020 the number of children diagnosed with leprosy and related physical deformities; reduce the rate of newly-diagnosed leprosy patients with visible deformities to less than one per million; and ensure that all legislation that allows for discrimination on the basis of leprosy is overturned.

The key interventions needed to achieve the targets as identified in the strategy include– detecting cases early before visible disabilities occur with a special focus on children as a way to reduce disabilities and reduce transmission; targeting detection among higher risk groups through campaigns in highly endemic areas or communities; and improving health care coverage and access for marginalized population. Screening all close contacts of leprosy affected persons, promoting a shorter and uniform treatment regime; and incorporating specific interventions against stigma and discrimination are the other strategic interventions that endemic countries need to include in their national plans to meet the new targets, it says.

The new strategy builds on the success of previous leprosy control strategies. It has been developed in consultation with national leprosy programs, technical agencies and NGOs, as well as patients and communities affected by leprosy. The strategy focuses on equity and universal health coverage which will contribute to reaching Sustainable Development Goal on health. “”The new global strategy is guided by the principles of initiating action, ensuring accountability and promoting inclusivity. These principles must be embedded in all aspects of leprosy control efforts. A strategy can only be as good as its implementation,”” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, said.

The main and continuing challenges to leprosy control have been the delay in detection of new patients and persisting discrimination against people affected by leprosy which has ensured continued transmission of the disease.  Several leprosy-affected countries still have legislation in place that allows discrimination against people suffering from leprosy. Social stigma impedes early detection of the disease, particularly in children, and increases disabilities.  Stigma also facilitates transmission among vulnerable groups, including migrant populations, displaced communities, the ultra-poor and hard-to-reach population. Combating stigma and ensuring early diagnosis through active case-finding, which the new strategy emphasizes, is critical to making progress.

Leprosy was eliminated globally in the year 2000 with the disease prevalence rate dropping to below 1 per 10,000 population. Though all countries have achieved this rate at the national level, at the sub-national level, it remains an unfinished agenda. Leprosy continues to afflict the vulnerable, causing life-long disabilities in many patients, subjecting them to discrimination, stigma and a life marred with social and economic hardships. Of the 213,899 new cases in 2014, 94% were reported from 13 countries – Bangladesh, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and the United Republic of Tanzania. India, Brazil and Indonesia account for 81% of the newly diagnosed and reported cases globally.”

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Article124.png”” alt=””Article124″” />Countries in the Asia Pacific region have pledged to collaborate to combat the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Drug resistance transcends borders and endangers global health by making life-saving antibiotics ineffective. Health ministers from 12 countries of the region agreed to improve the way information on antimicrobial resistance is collected and shared to guide effective policies and actions; to strengthen and harmonize how they regulate the production, sale and use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines; and to take innovative approaches to stimulate research and development of new antibiotics, diagnostic tests, vaccines and other technologies. The decision was taken at the Meeting of Health Ministers on Antimicrobial Resistance held in Tokyo recently. Rapid economic development and socio-demographic and cultural changes, coupled with the health status, puts the population of the Asia Pacific region at higher risk for emerging drug-resistant infections, evident by the spread of multidrug resistant strains of malaria and tuberculosis.

“”Antimicrobial resistance is a threat to global security and economic stability. It is a looming health and economic crisis that requires both global and local solutions. Since drug resistant genes can travel, countries with higher levels of economic and social organization have a stake in the success of measures taken by less developed countries. In the fight against antimicrobial resistance, we are only as strong as the weakest link,”” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, told ministers at the meeting.

“”Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to human health today. Having effective antimicrobials is also critical to the social and economic development of nations. We have a limited window of opportunity to take action and avoid a post-antibiotic era. WHO is supporting countries across the Asia Pacific region to take critical steps to preserve the effectiveness of these life-saving medicines. We must strengthen health systems’ response and cooperation with the agriculture sector to contain this threat, and improve understanding of the problem among the public. The Tokyo meeting has provided a platform to move forward with this important agenda,”” said Dr Shin Young-soo, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific.

Ministers acknowledged that antimicrobial resistance is a by-product of system failures—from regulation of medicines to agricultural and trade controls—and strengthening these systems is a critical component of the Sustainable Development Goals. They agreed on the need for urgent action to raise awareness across all sectors of the need for responsible use of antibiotics. The region’s health ministers pledged to take a multi-sectoral approach, with effective governance mechanisms, to enable all stakeholders to work collectively and effectively. Accelerating progress towards universal health coverage—to ensure people across the region have equitable access to quality health services, including the prevention and control of infections and rational prescribing of antibiotics—was another key initiative emphasized and agreed upon by ministers.

WHO has called for urgent collaboration to slow down antimicrobial resistance and avoid a post-antibiotic era—in which minor wounds and injuries could be life- threatening, and treatments longer and more costly, causing economic hardships to families, societies and countries. The World Health Assembly in 2015 endorsed a Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. In line with this, WHO is supporting countries in the Asia Pacific region to develop national action plans. Priority areas include: improving awareness and understanding of the problem; strengthening surveillance of infections in humans and animals which are resistant to antimicrobials; reducing the incidence of infections; promoting rational use of antibiotics in all sectors; and promoting investments in research.

Ministers or senior officials from Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam, and representatives of WHO and other partner organizations attended the meeting.“