© 2006-2017 Kasturi & Sons Ltd. -vijay kumar [email protected] - EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

CHENNAI THE HINDU 12 EDITORIAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Towards a genomics revolution India has the scientic resources for genetic research — all it needs is the vision at the national level to leverage them dies” that compare genomes of industry, the IT industry and the cases and controls could be used nascent biotechnology industry. to identify genetic risk factors re­ This coherent push should aim to Money talks lated to common diseases (such as set an ambitious but realistic ob­ heart disease that stem from many jective of creating an Indian genet­ Pakistan is worried less by U.S. withdrawal genes) that aect the health of ma­ ic data bank, to promote academic of aid than the overall downslide in ties Shivaji Sondhi & ny more individuals. We would programmes that train scientists, Priya Moorjani like to emphasise that much of this technicians and doctors in this hat the U.S. will continue to withhold $255 mil­ is simply a question of applying ex­ area and to create a regulatory fra­ lion in Foreign Military Financing to Pakistan this isting methods and could all be mework that promotes broad ob­ Tyear suggests it is prepared to downgrade its ties n 1865, Gregor Mendel disco­ done fairly quickly. jectives for both public and private with Pakistan further in an eort to hold it to acco unt vered the two laws of inheri­ This is a good point at which to sectors without being self­defeat­ on terrorism. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley Itance that are now named after note that such a survey of Indian ing. cited Pakistan’s “double game” of cooperating with the him. Almost 90 years later in 1953, genetic diversity will be an impor­ The fact is that both genetic da­ U.S. and harbouring terrorists who attack its troops in the work of James Watson, Francis tant asset, beyond disease genet­ ta and biological samples are easi­ Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosa­ GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO ics. The data collected as part of ly transported across borders and Afghanistan. Mr. Trump’s own tweet, a day earlier, on lind Franklin, deciphered the ing techniques, such as CRISPR. much more genetically diverse — these eorts will also help to un­ if Indian regulation is shortsight­ January 1, was less temperate in its wording. He accused structure of the molecule — DNA — with something like 5,000 ethno­ cover the basic biological function ed, it will simply cause Indian ge­ Pakistan of “lies and deceit” and of treating the U.S. lea­ that stores our hereditary informa­ Surveying Indian variation linguistic and religious groups of genes and their interactions, nomics to move abroad to places dership as “fools”. Pakistan has reacted, but without tion and gets transmitted from pa­ What implications do these deve­ (castes and others), all of which which are not yet fully under­ such as Singapore. In this context the same heat in its words. After a National Security rents to children over generations. lopments have for India and are probably have some degree of ge­ stood. This knowledge will be use­ it is worth mentioning that the Ge­ Council meeting of top generals and ministers con­ there deliberate choices that netic distinctiveness — it needs a ful to humanity worldwide and al­ nomeAsia 100K Initiative based in vened by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, it is­ Personalised medicine would shape this coming future larger survey to do justice to all In­ so oer India a chance to claim a Singapore plans to sequence At this point, in principle, the more advantageously for the coun­ dians. piece of the global medical and 100,000 Asian genomes, includ­ sued a statement expressing “disappointment” over the prospect of building individual­ try and its people? Are there The genetic distinctiveness of scientic frontier. ing some from South Asia. While U.S. statements, and referring to Pakistan’s record in ised medicine based on the pre­ strengths that India can bring to dierent Indian groups is in part As a large part of the enterprise this is eminently worthwhile as it ghting terrorism and providing support to the U.S. ef­ cise information stored in each hu­ this task? To gain fully from the ge­ the result of endogamy. While we would be the application of infor­ will provide a broader pan­Asian fort in Afghanistan. One reason is that the U.S. decision man’s DNA (their genome) had nomics revolution, India needs to cannot know the full impact of en­ mation technology or “bio­infor­ set of data, it would be important to hold back the $255 million was not unexpected. In come into view. But the human ge­ collect information about the ge­ dogamy in advance of a proper matics”, the prospects of esta­ to make similar investments at a May last year, the Trump administration had decided to nome has around 3 billion base netics of its population and train survey, some recent research has blishing viable commercial national scale quickly to avoid the cut the annual outlay for 2018 from $255 million to $100 pairs and in 1953 it wasn’t possible manpower capable of interpreting shown that endogamy is very like­ enterprises with synergies to exist­ situation that this is one of the on­ million. In August, it notied Congress it would with­ to imagine extracting genetic in­ it. The information that is needed ly to be medically signicant. ing IT champions are also ly enterprises to which Indians formation on the molecular scale has to come from a large and sus­ Castes are not just “of the mind”. promising. can turn to. hold the current tranche due for 2016 as well, while a and of this collective size. tained collection of data — fully se­ The genetic implication of this is All in all, the time is ripe for In­ decision on 2017 was still pending. Second, while the Technological advances in se­ quenced individual genomes that there are likely to be many re­ What then is to be done? dia to begin its own genomics re­ overall downslide in ties with the U.S. will be a major quencing methods have made the along with medical histories for cessive diseases stemming from As things stand there is certainly volution. The technical under­ worry for Pakistan, the cancellation of funds may not possibility glimpsed 60 years ago a the individuals who volunteer for single genes specic to individual progress under way. There has standing and will needed to be that alarming. American assistance to Pakistan is at reality today. Already by 2001 the this eort. groups that can be identied. been path­breaking work in using launch this is present in India’s its lowest levels since 2001. Third, Pakistan’s con­ human genome project and its This kind of longitudinal study genomics to shed light on Indian scientic leadership, in medicine dence that it has an alternative in China has grown, with private competitor, Celera Genom­ is what would allow actual physi­ Decreasing disease burden history, a small number of hospi­ and in industry. What is needed is ics, showed that an entire genome cal manifestations relevant to This knowledge could then also be tals are using genetic information a vision and leadership at the na­ Beijing’s pledge of more than $100 billion in loans for could be sequenced. health, e.g. specic illnesses, to be quickly applied to the task of ma­ to help patients, and there is at tional level to leverage this and the China­Pakistan Economic Corridor infrastructure, Since then the cost of doing so related to features in the genome. naging diseases in these groups as least one private sequencing com­ seize the day. Nothing less than the power projects, and so on. The question, then, is has plummeted — currently it is so­ To pick an ambitious but not im­ well as be used for genetic coun­ pany in India. But all of this activi­ very health of the nation is at whether the U.S. will consider stronger measures, such mething like $1000 per person possible number, a data bank that selling that could reduce their inci­ ty is on a much smaller scale than stake. as stopping all funding, sanctions, or cancelling Pak is­ and becoming cheaper — and the collects this kind of information dence in future generations. As an needed and is currently not gener­ tan’s ‘major non­NATO ally’ status. age of genomics­informed medi­ on one million Indians over the example elsewhere, the founder ating the manpower required to From India’s point of view, any attempt to hold Pakis­ cine is now within sight. Perhaps coming decade would be a feasible group of Ashkenazi Jews have al­ equip the next generation of med­ Shivaji Sondhi is Professor of Physics at this will also make interventional eort of the right magnitude. We most eliminated Tay­Sachs disease ical and research activities in the Princeton University, U.S. Priya Moorjani tan’s feet to the re on its support to terror groups is a treatments feasible, in the not too note that the China Kadoorie Bio­ from their population by such area. What is needed is a coherent is Assistant Professor of Genetics, positive development. It is particularly important t hat distant future, thanks to the revo­ bank has been studying half a mil­ means. Looking ahead a bit more, push at the national level that in­ Genomics and Development, Department the U.S. follow through on its ultimatums in this res­ lutionary advances brought about lion people since their recruit­ with large samples the technique volves government, academic in­ of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC pect. However, all American statements so far focus on by the discovery of new gene­edit­ ment in 2004­2008. As India is of “genome­wide association stu­ stitutions, the existing health­care Berkeley, U.S. Pakistan’s support to terror groups that threaten Af­ ghanistan, and more particularly, the U.S. troops in Af­ ghanistan. Therefore, action against the groups that threaten India is unlikely to be an immediate priori ty. Understanding Bhima Koregaon New Delhi must also be mindful of the impact of a more fractured U.S.­Pakistan relationship on regional securi­ Hindutva forces are worried by the conspicuous politicisation of Dalits ty. Above all, the U.S.­Pakistan relationship, like th at cludes the names of the Mahar sol­ It was Govind Mahar (Gaikwad), a druk. All indications are that this #2 1 6 5 9 between India and the U.S. and India and Pakistan, is a diers who unknowingly brought Dalit resident of Vadhu Budruk, was a pre­planned attack. long­standing bilateral one. While welcoming all moves an end to the Peshwa rule in 1818. who then gathered the body parts Being the 200th anniversary, to address India’s core concerns on terror, New Delhi together and made arrangements that gathering in Bhima Koregaon must ensure it doesn’t get ensnared or triangulated in The past and the present for the last rites. Sambhaji’s me­ this year was much larger than Dalits are unanimous in drawing morial was said to have been erect­ usual. Many Dalit and Bahujan the equation between Washington and Islamabad. prabodhan pol inspiration from the victory. In re­ ed by the Mahars of that village. groups collectively organised a big cent years, particularly in Maha­ Consequently, Govind Mahar’s public conference in the name of hima Koregaon in Pune, rashtra, since the Bhima­Koregaon tomb was also erected in the vil­ Elgar Parishad at Shaniwar Wada, Citizen count Maharashtra, the seat of un­ Ranstambh Seva Sangh (BKRSS) lage after his death. which was the seat of the Peshwas Brest now, is a tiny village, but was formed, Dalits regard the pil­ until 1818. The agenda of this con­ The draft of Assam’s National Register of is associated with an extraordin­ lar as a site of positive memory of A planned attack ference was evidently against Hin­ Citizens is a rst step, but it opens up concerns ary phase of Maratha history. Two their valour and a symbol of their A few days ago, upper caste Ma­ dutva politics which was powerful­ hundred years ago, on January 1, renewed political aspiration. Their rathas, who refuse to acknowledge ly manifested by projecting rodded by an unrelenting Supreme Court Bench, 1818, a few hundred Mahar sol­ denunciation of the Peshwas is the role played by Govind Gaikwad Hindutva politics as the neo­pesh­

Assam met its December 31 deadline for publica­ diers of the East India Company, strategic; it helps them relate to GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO and other Mahars in the last rites wai (new Peshwas). Jignesh Meva­ Ption of the rst draft of the updated National Re­ led by the British, defeated the their social and political marginal­ promoting organisations that ad­ of Sambhaji, objected to a sign at ni and Prakash Ambedkar were in­ gister of Citizens. In the event, the list proved to be a massive Peshwa army, led by Pesh­ isation in contemporary times. vance the cause of Hindutva, as the site that recounted the story. vited. draft of a draft, with 13.9 million cases remaining under wa Bajirao II, in Koregaon. This The debate here, however, is being responsible for bringing the Complaints were led with the The conspicuous politicisation scrutiny and names of only 19 million of the 32.9 million battle has, since, attained legen­ whether such invoking of history State to a halt. These organisations police by both sides. In Maharash­ of Dalits against Hindutva, particu­ dary stature in Dalit history. Am­ is eective in hoisting Dalit politics have been polarising the political tra, there has been a consistent ef­ larly after the Una violence in Guj­ applicants making the cut. It is to the government’s cre­ bedkarite Dalits do not see this to a new level. landscape on religious and caste fort to situate Maratha history arat, has been a cause of concern dit that its repeated clarications that missing out on from the narrow lens of national­ What happened on the day of lines, particularly against Ambed­ within the anti­Muslim Hindutva for those who propagate the latter. the list is no reason to panic kept people’s anxieti es in ism versus imperialism. Over the the battle’s 200th anniversary karite Dalits who are seen as impe­ framework — in fact, this even pre­ The Elgar Parishad helped consoli­ check. The bigger challenge lies ahead when the con­ years, as the battle came to be which led to the death of one? Pra­ diments to their political project. dates the rise of the political right­ date their apprehensions against tours of the draft assume a rmer shape, and there is a seen as a victory of the Mahars kash Ambedkar, the grandson of A recent, and crucial, illustra­ wing in the State. Maratha youth, the politicised Dalits. The new pol­ clearer sense of the numbers that do not make it to the against the injustices perpetuated B.R. Ambedkar and a prominent tion of this was at Wadhu Budruk, who are facing unemployment itical articulation of the Dalits (by Draft Consolidated List of the NRC — by implication, pe­ by the Brahminical Peshwas, thou­ Dalit leader from Maharashtra, has a village not far from Bhima Kore­ and a lack of educational oppor­ equating Hindutva with the Pesh­ sands of Ambedkarites have been said that a few Hindutva organisa­ gaon. V adhu Budruk is where tunities, are now being easily wai) has annoyed the right­wing ople who are illegal immigrants in Assam. The process gathering in Bhima Koregaon on tions planned and perpetuated Sambhaji, the eldest son of the Ma­ pulled into these conicts by Hin­ forces and exposed the fault lines will be protracted, with claims and contestations ev en January 1 to pay their respect at violence against the Dalits in Bhi­ ratha ruler Shivaji, was cremated dutva organisations that are con­ we are seeing today. after the nal draft. But, when completed, one can only the Vijay Sthamb (victory pillar). ma Koregaon. He has named after being killed by the Mughals in sequently built by invoking past hope the exercise will bring some closure to the vexed The pillar was erected by the East Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ek­ 1689. As the legend goes, Sambha­ Maratha glory. The violent clashes issue of foreigners in the State, one that had trigg ered India Company in memory of bote, prominent Maharashtrian ji’s body was mutilated and in Bhima Koregaon were an exten­ Prabodhan Pol teaches history at Ramjas the six­year­long Assam Agitation that ended in the those who fought the battle and in­ leaders who have been actively thrown into a river by Aurangzeb. sion of the conict in Wadhu Bu­ College, University of Delhi mid­1980s but has continued to roil its politics. The pro­ mise of detection and expulsion of aliens has propelled LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. two parties to power 31 years apart, the Asom Gana Par­ ishad in 1985 and the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2016. Still opaque forced to undergo stringent America itself. Mr. Trump’ s Rajinikanth in politics apologises for remarks on being granted to Pakistani While the scale is debatable, border crossings into When the scheme of KYC norms to identify warning appears to signal a Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, soldiers,” January 3). Being nationals is also worrisome. Assam and West Bengal are a reality, and political par­ electoral bonds was himself for getting measly visible change in America’ s who has chosen the current an elected representative, he India needs to be balanced ties are to blame for turning a blind eye to the situation announced in the last subsidies. Unless there is a attitude (“U.S. foolishly phase of political instability is expected to be responsible when engaging with its Budget, much like the political will to bring the gave money to Pakistan”, in Tamil Nadu to announce in his public utterances. Far neighbours and the world. over the decades in order to cultivate vote banks. The euphoria generated around operations of political January 2). There is reason his much­awaited plunge from encouraging our jawans Sheba Rivy Simon, issue has, however, become much larger than a cut­ demonetisation, it was parties under the ambit of to believe his words to be into politics, has lent an air and ocers who guard our New Delhi and­dried question of who is an Indian citizen and who hailed as yet another the Right to Information genuine as he has already of lofty idealism to his borders round the clock, his is not. There are important humanitarian concerns at unprecedented step Act, the nexus between successfully barred the political philosophy by remark will only hurt their Donkeys under threat play, concerns that go beyond identication and num­ towards rooting out black corporates and political entry of citizens of specic characterising it as morale and demotivate That the least celebrated but bers. Nearly ve decades have elapsed since the cut­o money in the system and parties operating for countries that have been “spiritual”, which can be them. one of the most useful and date of March 25, 1971, and individuals who have ensuring transparency mutual benets will never accused of exporting presumed to mean value­ The Prime Minister needs to silent of all animals in the sneaked in illegally have children and grandchildren by (“Electoral bonds for see the light of day. terrorism to America and based. reiterate his caution to his world, the donkey, is being political donations V. Subramanian, other places. It remains to be seen MPs to exercise restraint in hunted in order to cater to now. Since India is the only country they have ever notied”, January 3). Chennai Jayaraman B.S., whether he will succeed in their thoughts and the greed of native medicine known, where are they expected to go? The conditions However, the claim of the Coimbatore reforming the State’s comments. manufacturers of China under which some 20,000­odd doubtful, or ‘D’, voters Finance Minister that the Throwing good money notoriously venal political P.K. Varadarajan, makes sad reading (“Donkey have been conned in Assam do not inspire condence. bonds would put to rest the All these years, successive I Mr. Trump seems to have culture where voters see Chennai slaughter in Africa is a high That the list of aliens will only increase is daunti ng gi­ criticism about the actual American Presidents were begun the new year on a nothing wrong in demanding price for healing in China”, ven the absence of a deportation treaty with Bangla­ ow of funds fell at the rendering help to Pakistan sensible note, which also a share of the political spoils Pursue soft power January 3). desh. The situation has been muddied with the Centre’s moment the bonds were in every possible way appears to be the natural as “ballot money” during By coming out in the open The gory details in the made bearer instruments despite knowing full well culmination of measures elections. Can the actor­now­ against the holding of any report, on how its hide is intent to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and not carrying the name of that it would be used which began with the turned­politician tame all cricket matches between used in cures for a host of make Hindu illegal migrants and those from certain the “payee”. Where is the against India. All our eorts conditional transfer of aid this and even a section of the India and Pakistan, External ailments, werechilling. other minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangla­ need to withhold the at international fora could during the Obama regime. bureaucracy for whom Aairs Minister Sushma Perhaps we need to be on desh and Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship. Part of identity of the “payee”, if not make America mend its Mr. Trump has rightly bribes are an entitlement? Swaraj has struck a blow our guard in India as well the BJP’s manifesto for the 2014 general election, the the government is ways as it worked as our realised Islamabad’s devious V.N. Mukundarajan, against soft diplomacy (“No even as the animal is Bill, with a cut­o date of December 31, 2014, under­ committed to transparency shadow enemy. Now, acts. New Delhi’s credibility Thiruvananthapuram cricket with Pak., says respected here as a mines the process of the NRC, which is denominational­ in nancial transactions? It Donald Trump appears to on the global stage has got a Sushma”, January 2). While proverbial friend. The day shows that irrespective of have realised that aid is much­needed boost with Thoughtless talk attempting to resolve may not be far o when ly agnostic. The BJP would do better to focus on its cam­ asserting their adherence to being misused by Pakistan Washington’s mention of The thoughtless comment bilateral issues, India should international agencies may paign promise of sealing the India­Bangladesh border ethical electoral practices, to sow and foster terrorism India as “leading global made by a BJP MP from Uttar not lose sight of the hidden have to save the animal. and explore the possibility of provisions such as tran­ political parties play it safe on its soil which is power” in its National Pradesh, that it was normal potential of soft power in Sivamani Vasudevan, sparent work permits for foreigners, rather than pus h on the issue of electoral becoming a threat not only Security Strategy. for soldiers to die in combat, diplomatic engagement. In Chennai for this politically contentious legislation. funding. The common to peace loving countries Anjali B., betrays his outrageous this context, the reduced more letters online: man, on the other hand, is such as India but also to Thiruvananthapuram insensitivity (“BJP MP number of medical visas www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/

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