DELHI THE HINDU 8 EDITORIAL THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Begusarai, metaphor of a secular crisis For the minorities secularism is a survival tool, for the elite it is an ideology. In caste competition, it could be a tactic (RJD) in Begusarai, the latter two Kanhaiya Kumar’s candidacy, not been a speedbreaker for Hindut are avowedly opposed to the BJP’s withstanding the presence of ‘Mo va, could collapse. Alternative dreams Hindutva politics. The RJD is in al diKanhaiya’ voters among his Politically ambitious OBCs and liance with the Congress and some supporters. But the nearly exclu Dalits prefer Hindutva in which K. Chandrashekar Rao’s outreach to regional other small outfi ts representing sive control of the CPI by a single they have representation to a secu parties sets the ball rolling on a ‘third front’ Dalit and backward communities. caste makes it suspect in the eyes lar nationalistic project that is V arghese K. George Its candidate, Tanveer Hasan, is a of subalterns whose politics it pro thoughtless of those ambitions at here are two more phases of polling in the Lok respectable modernist leader who fesses to advance. Of the fi ve seats best and exclusive at worst. Lower Sabha election and results are not due until May lost in 2014 but stayed active in the that the CPI wanted to contest as caste politics is broadly indiff erent T23. But Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashe egusarai, in the Gangetic constituency since. part of the RJDled alliance, four to the rhetoric of secularism and kar Rao, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, has plains of Bihar, has long How the principles of secula were for Bhumihars, according to their opposition to Hindutva is pri sought meetings with his counterparts in other south Bbeen a stronghold of the rism and social justice, both com Shivanand Tiwari, RJD leader. marily from a social justice per ern States as well as with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Communist Party of India (CPI). ponents of progressive politics, in The Muslim elites could bargain spective. Many champions of low Kanhaiya Kumar, the fi rebrand teracted in electoral politics could with the upper castecontrolled er caste interests would even president M.K. Stalin in what is a clear attempt to pre young leader and former presi be understood in terms of the in Congress and the backward caste grudge that Muslims are indiff e pare the ground for a ‘federal front’ of nonCongress, dent of Jawaharlal Nehru Universi tense competition among caste RJD and Samajwadi Party for fa rent to their struggles against Ma
nonBJP parties after the elections. Mr. Rao had at ty Students Union, is the CPI can based interests groups for political RANJEET KUMAR vours and representation, but nuwaad. Hindutva 2.0 under Mr. tempted to bring together such a formation earlier as didate from the Begusarai Lok power over the decades. In the era participants in this caste competi their power to do so is in decline Modi has cleverly used this dy well. Last year, a preelection federal front did not quite Sabha constituency. Over the past of Congress dominance in Uttar tion. with the rise of Hindutva. In any namic for its rise, by off ering them take off due to the varying positioning of the regional fi ve years, he has become a nation Pradesh and Bihar, the upper case, the material condition of av representation though no signifi parties. Some such as the DMK, the Rashtriya Janata Dal al icon of resistance against Hin castes that controlled the party Progressive, oppressive erage Muslims is the lowest com cant political power. dutva. His candidacy has so in roped in Dalits and Muslims with The elite, vernacular and English, pared to other social groups, A progressive politics, of which and the Janata Dal (S) favoured a direct alliance with the spired opponents of Hindutva that the rhetoric of justice and secula articulated the standards of secu though the Hindutva narrative secularism is a part, and agnostic Congress and were not part of the TRS’s plans. While they raised all the money that he rism, but excluded the Other Back larism, but remained disconnect portrays them as undeserving reci of all considerations of caste and others such as the Trinamool Congress did not fully could legally spend in campaign ward Classes (OBCs) from power. ed from the dynamics of caste as pients of secular appeasement. religion, may be an ideal worth rule out a postpoll alliance with the Congress, the Biju through crowdfunding — ₹ 70 lakh. The rise of Hindutva changed this pirations at play in the electoral Even for Muslims who do not sub pursuing, but questions of repre Janata Dal has not ruled out any such alliance with eith Actors, academics and activists, dynamic, as the upper castes were arena. The ideologues and leaders scribe to secularism as a principle, sentation for diff erent social er the BJP or the Congress. For the TRS, the idea of a an array of people from India’s the fi rst to abandon the Congress of this elite, the Nehruvian and the it is a survival strategy in a Hindu groups within it is extremely criti federal front is rooted in the political contest in its own secular, liberal universe cam for the BJP. The emergent OBC pol Marxist streams, have been prima majority country. The rise of Hin cal. paigned for Mr. Kumar. So did en itics, with Lalu Prasad and Mu rily upper caste. It would be unfair dutva has correspondingly meant State. The Congress is the primary rival in Telangana thusiastic youngsters from all over layam Singh Yadav at the helm in to question their intentions or a decline in Muslim representation The road ahead for the TRS, and so itsantipathy to a Congressled coali the country. If Prime Minister Na Bihar and U.P., respectively, of commitment but the accident of in politics. Security has increasing In the arena of caste competition, tion. In fact, the TRS had late last year abstained in the rendra Modi personifi es the march fered an alternative to Muslims as their birth limited their appeal ly become the sole expectation of secularism could be an eff ective trust vote called by the Opposition in Parliament, sig of Hindutva in India, Mr. Kumar the Congress collapsed. With the among the subalterns. The role of Muslims from secularism. But the tactic; for the minorities it is a sur nalling equidistance with the BJP and the Congress. personifi es the resistance to it. support of Muslims, the OBCs real Bhumihars in Bihar politics is in RJD and the SP continue to fi eld vival tool, and for the elite it is an However, by now seeking to meet Kerala Chief Minis And the fi ght for Begusarai has ised their decades long yearning structive. Several doyens of the Muslim candidates, and in Bihar ideology. Reconciling these diff er ter Pinarayi Vijayan of the CPI(M), Karnataka Chief Mi larger messages than the fortunes for political power. Communist movement were from and U.P., there are constituencies ing, though not necessarily con of the candidates in the fray. The MuslimOBC social combi the community, which also had where Muslims can win. testing, perspectives, is essential nister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) and Mr. Stalin, nation, with the Yadavs at its core, the progressive poet Dinkar Begusarai is one such, but the but diffi cult as the contest bet Mr. Rao seems to be indicating a reorientation of sorts. Collapse of binaries not merely ended the upper caste among its ranks. But the landown contest between the CPI and the ween the RJD and the CPI shows. Some of these parties are the Congress’s coalition However, this binary world as ima hegemony, but also crushed its ing community also mobilised a RJD put the community in dilem For secular politics to be sustaina partners — the JD(S) in Karnataka and the DMK in Tamil gined by the elite was processed vehicle, the Congress party. There private army called the Ranveer ma. An upper caste communist’s ble as a winnable electoral plat Nadu — and the Left has an unequivocal position diff erently in Begusarai, which is no normative exposition or pur Sena, which launched murderous verve to take on Hindutva is evi form, it must merge with social against the BJP. Mr. Rao’s outreach has raised specula went to the polls on April 29. “We suit of secularism in this context, attacks on Dalits in waves of vio dently more than a vulnerable justice politics. That requires a ne tion that his party would be willing to be part of a re want Narendra Modi as Prime Mi but social justice parties were lence in the 1990s, simultaneous Muslim could achieve, and the gotiation between the selfinter nister and Kanhaiya Kumar as MP,” against Hindutva for its Manu with the MuslimOBC political community supported Mr. Kumar ests of diff erent social groups as gional front that is clearly more antithetical to the BJP said Binod Singh, a 26yearold be waad, or upper caste dominance. partnership, and as a reaction to in signifi cant numbers. For securi they subjectively perceive them and that could be supported by the Congress if the need longing to the same upper caste From the social justice perspec it. If Brahminism denotes hegemo ty, Muslims are willing to surren with the normative claims of that arises. It may not be so simple, as there are other forces Bhumihar community as the can tive, the opposition to Hindutva ny, Bhumiharism represents vio der their claim of representation — politics articulated by the elite. that the TRS is politically opposed to, such as the Telu didate. This view is broadly repre can be summarised thus: upper lent oppression. which, ironically, is the implied Though they have overlapping gu Desam Party, which are likely to be part of a post sentative of a signifi cant section of castes allied with Muslims to ex That being said, the CPI’s Bhu demand that Hindutva makes to traits, their accents are diff erent, poll antiBJP coalition. The idea of a third front in which Mr. Kumar’s Bhumihar suppor clude OBCs initially; when they mihar candidate won nearly two the community in exchange for se and there is even a subterranean the Congress and the BJP do not play a part has always ters, though the BJP’s candidate is abandoned Muslims for Hindutva, lakh votes in Begusarai in 2014, curity. If Muslims abandon a Mus hostility with one another. Begusa been attractive to the regional parties, and the Left in also a Bhumihar. OBCs challenged Hindutva, made which evidently included votes of lim RJD candidate, the OBCs and rai is a metaphor of that crisis of In the triangular contest of the a social coalition with Muslims Dalits and OBCs, for the politics it Dalits would rethink their attitude Indian secularism. particular. But despite the continued relevance of re Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the that proved enduring, and won represents. This wider appeal has towards Muslims — and the secula gional parties, the resilience of the two main national CPI and the Rashtriya Janata Dal power. Muslims were unwitting been signifi cantly strengthened by rismsocial justice axis, which has v [email protected] parties has prevented this from happening. The fact that the TRS could not work out a prepoll, panIndia coalition to delineate itself from the Congress and the BJP is in itself a signal of this . In the larger scheme of A travesty of justice things, all this manoeuvring by the TRS chief might yield little more than some additional leverage for his Judges must not reduce the institution to a private club, whereby they are the last word on their own colleague party in a postpoll situation. the allegations are found to be true pliance with the provisions of the The public have been kept in the and grave, the accused’s employ Sexual Harassment of Women at dark, having no access to and no ment is terminated; if not, other Workplace (Prevention, Prohibi knowledge of what transpired in Circle of life forms of departmental penalties tion and Redressal) Act, 2013, a the proceedings. This has hap Biodiversity assessments must be are imposed. special legislation to curbharass pened at a time when the Right to factored into all economic activity So why does the entire body of ment. Nor was not in accordance Information Act, 2005 has revolu T hulasi K. Raj procedural safeguards and legal with any requirements under the tionised access to information by he overwhelming message from the global assess principles disappear when the ac existing framework of law. The the public.
ment report of the Intergovernmental Science cused is the CJI? It was on April 19 GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO reafter, the complainant was The institution of the judiciary TPolicy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem n May 6, the “inhouse” pa that the complainant sent affi da tioned. The highest law offi cers of forced to abstain from the panel, has a strong countermajoritarian Services (IPBES) is that human beings have so rapa nel of the Supreme Court vits to the judges of the Supreme the country, the Attorney General citing various reasons such as the character. It is considered neutral gave a clean sheet to the Court accusing Justice Gogoi of and the Solicitor General, joined refusal of the panel to allow the — free from selfinterests. It is sup ciously exploited nature, and that species belonging to O Chief Justice of India (CJI), Ranjan sexual harassment. The complaint this judicial proceeding. Within no presence of her lawyer, refusal to posed to protect individual rights a quarter of all studied animal and plant groups on Gogoi, after an allegation of sexual is specifi c, detailed and supported time, an allegation of sexual ha record the proceedings or to in and adjudicate freely and fairly. earth are gravely threatened. If the world continues to harassment was levelled against by documentary and other forms rassment turned into a matter of form her of the procedure fol But the current episode points to a pursue the current model of economic growth without him by a former female staff er of of evidence. The account seems, judicial independence. lowed and prohibition on convey larger problem in Indian democra factoring in environmental costs, one million species the court. prima facie, consistent, warrant The third development was the ing the details of the proceedings cy: the emergence of judicial oli could go extinct, many in a matter of decades. Catas Let us a ssume, for example, ing an inquiry. constitution of an “inhouse” pa to anybody else, including her la garchy. An allegation against a sit trophic erosion of ecosystems is being driven by unsus that an average employee in a go nel comprising three judges of the wyer. The panel continued the ting judge is inquired into by three tainable use of land and water, direct harvesting of spe vernment department is accused Series of fl aws Supreme Court. It did not seem to proceedings in her absence and other judges of the court, the ac of sexual harassment at the work The fi rst reaction was by the be of concern that to ensure inde then met the CJI . Now, the panel cused is exonerated, the panel re cies, climate change, pollution and release of alien place. If at the outset reasonable court’s Secretary General quickly pendence of the inquiry and check has concluded that the allegations port is made available only to the plants and animals in new habitats. While ecosystem material is found in favour of the discarding the complaint as one by for bias, members other than judg are without “substance”. CJI and the seniormost judge of losses have accelerated over the past fi ve decades un complaint, the accused is sus “mischievous forces”. The second es should have constituted the the court, and this secrecy is justi iversally, there is particular worry over the devastation pended from employment pend was unprecedented in the consti committee. How can judges in Opaque report fi ed by relying on a judgment of occurring in tropical areas, which are endowed with ing an inquiry. This is considered tutional history of India. The CJI quire into allegations against a col The fi nding of the panel that the al the Supreme Court itself. The judg greater biodiversity than others; only a quarter of the necessary in administrative law to himself constituted an extraordin league, no less the CJI, who is the legations are baseless is the fi nal es must not reduce the institution land worldwide now retains its ecological and evolu ensure that the accused does not ary hearing in the Supreme Court, ‘master of roster ’ assigning cases blow in a process that has violated to a private club where certain in tamper with evidence or intimi along with two other judges, on a to fellow judges and, most signifi all principles of fairness, due pro terests are privileged at the cost of tionary integrity, largely spared of human impact. Na date or infl uence witnesses. Usual nonworking day in a case titled cantly, the highest judicial author cess and impartiality. The panel’s judicial integrity. ture provides ecosystem services, but these are often ly, an independent inquiry will fol “Matter of great public impor ity in the country, wielding an report is not available to the public The Chief Justice of India is not not included in productivity estimates: they are vital for low which will give both parties an tance touching upon the indepen enormous amount of power and on reasons of confi dentiality. above the law. food production, for clean air and water, provision of opportunity to present evidence dence of the judiciary”. The com infl uence? What grounds did the panel cover fuel for millions, absorption of carbon in the atmosph and arguments and to examine plainant, in her absence, was The constitution of the “in to reach its conclusion? What evi T hulasi K. Raj is a lawyer at the Kerala ere, and climate moderation. The result of such skewed and crossexamine witnesses. If defamed and her motives ques house” panel was not in com dence did it examine and rely on? High Court policies, as the IPBES estimates, is that the global rate of species extinction is at least tens to hundreds of times LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. higher today than the average rate over the past 10 mil lion years, and it is accelerating alarmingly. No review memory chip within the use has proved to be more Election Commission’, is not fi nd out how EVMs and out “clean chits”. With their Ecological economists have for years pointed to the The decision of the EVM. This can be transparent and effi cient convincing. It is baffl ing how VVPATs have weighed down partisan coverage, large extreme harm that humanity as a whole is courting by Supreme Court to dismiss a downloaded to a printer when compared to ballot increasing the number of the election process. If EVMs sections of the media too modifying terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosys plea by 21 Opposition later whenever a candidate papers, which could be VVPAT verifi cations holds are not 100% secure, we have covered themselves tems to suit immediate needs, such as raising agricultu parties to review its challenges the result. This misused and manipulated. back technological should return to the ballot with shame by failing to ral and food output and extracting materials that aid ev judgment rejecting 50% will not only be economical It’s hypocrisy on the part of advancement. If anything, it paper. portray the correct picture of erincreasing consumption. Expanding agriculture by random physical but will also eliminate the Opposition to vilify the will contribute to enhancing Aires Rodrigues, the election. verifi cation of EVMs must simultaneous printing EVM as every party that has the credibility of the process. R ibandar, Goa C.V. Aravind, cutting down forests has raised food volumes, and min be seen objectively (Page 1, leading to a breakdown of won elections earlier used A few additional counting Bengaluru ing feeds many industries, but these have severely af “SC turns down Opposition VVPATs and the election the same EVM. The days is a small price to pay The true poll picture fected other functions such as water availability, polli plea for increased VVPAT process. The Election Opposition’s increased thrust for an assurance of The general election of 2019 Afghan link nation, maintenance of wild variants of domesticated verifi cation”, May 8). The Commission of India (EC) and propaganda over the transparency. will go down in history as That Indian dairy giant Amul plants and climate regulation. Losses from pollution are Opposition’s demand was can seek the Supreme issue in the midst of the Ratheesh Chandran, one of the most acrimonious will be the offi cial team usually not factored into claims of economic progress unreasonable and Court’s approval for the general election is only to T hiruvalla, Kerala ever; the name calling, sponsor of the Afghanistan made by countries, but as the IPBES assessment points politically motivated even new process. explain away possible unwarranted and cricket team at the upcoming ■ out, marine plastic pollution has increased tenfold when it has been Madhava M. Kotian, electoral losses. I recollect what happened uncharitable references to ICC World Cup is a matter of established beyond Bengaluru N. Sadhasiva Reddy, in Goa when EVMs and the dead, gross violations of pride. Amul is a symbol of since 1980, aff ecting at least 267 species, including 86% reasonable doubt that Bengaluru VVPATs faltered on polling the Model Code of Conduct rural uplift and of marine turtles, 44% of seabirds and 43% of marine EVMs are tamperproof. In ■ The Opposition’s sustained day on April 23. One of the are some examples which empowerment and its mammals. At the same time, about 9% of 6,190 domes fact the petition should campaign, led by Andhra ■ The decision is most precious rights — the have been glossed over by an association with the fastest ticated breeds of mammals used for food and agricul have been rejected Pradesh Chief Minister N. disappointing. With right to vote in a free and fair ineff ective EC (Page 1, “PM’s growing cricket team is sure ture had gone extinct by 2016, and another 1,000 may outright. However, the Chandrababu Naidu, is instances of EVM election, free of fraud and comments obscene: Cong.”, to give them a new life. disappear permanently. Viewed against a shrinking villain of the piece is the retrograde. The techsavvy malfunction on the rise, intimidation — was denied to May 8t). The desperation to History has it that Frontier base of wild varieties of farmed plants and animals, all VVPAT and simultaneous Mr. Naidu is one among very increasing the number of many voters. There was win a decisive mandate is Gandhi Khan Abdul Ghaff ar printing of ballots. With few politicians in the country verifi cations was the least “bragging” for over a month clearly manifest in the low Khan visited Amul in 1969. countries have cause for alarm. They are rapidly empty technological advances, it is to have adopted e that could have been done. earlier that meticulous steps level diatribes, lies and Milk producers from ing their genetic resource kit. Reversing course is a dire possible to eliminate the governance and extensive The stock answer of had been taken to ensure halftruths being uttered by Afghanistan have also made necessity to stave off disaster. This can be done by in VVPAT altogether. It should application of technology in spokespersons of the ruling that the election process lead campaigners, industrial visits to Amul. corporating biodiversity impacts into all economic ac be easy to have a screen on daytoday administrative party, ‘that we should not would be fl awless. On the unmindful of their stature M. Pradyu, tivity, recognising that irreparably breaking the web of the EVM to show the image functions. It’s bizarre that hamper technological contrary, voters went home and position. The EC, which K annur, Kerala life will impoverish and endanger people everywhere. of the party symbol and now he leads the campaign advancements and that we frustrated and upset. The woke up from its slumber, more letters online: simultaneously save it on a against EVM use alone. EVM should have faith in the judiciary needs to step in and has then proceeded to hand www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019 OPED 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE A wake-up call on proprietary seeds The anatomy of a How India can shift its agriculture from a high-yield ideal to a high-value one marginalised region “improved”, proprietary varieties. Currently, in the garb of protecting With a high percentage of Muslims, Bihar’s Seemanchal this diversity against biopiracy, India region frames issues of representation and welfare is preventing its eff ective use, man agement and monetisation for the political ghettoisation of Muslims have given benefi t of its farmers. rise to identity politics in Bihar. In recent Mrinalini Kochupillai & Second, an immutable record years, polarisation has demonstrated that a Gregory Radick keeping system, perhaps blockchain party can secure majority votes without ac or DLT, is needed to break the link commodating Muslims. Such political non between the profi table and the pro mobilisation of Muslims has resulted in two When the news broke that PepsiCo prietary. Such a system would allow S hahana Munazir things. One, it has led to the idea that Mus was suing small farmers in India for India and its rural communities to lims are a homogenised community who growing a potato variety that is used keep proper track of where and how root their politics in religion. Two, it has led in its Lay’s chips, popular sympath their seeds/propagation materials In the ongoing general election, Seeman to Muslims relegating themselves to the ies immediately went, of course, to and the genetic resources contained chal, a historically neglected and yet socially background of active politics. the farmers. National and interna therein are being transferred and and politically signifi cant region in Bihar, has tional pressure swiftly mounted, and traded. It would also ensure, through once again registered a high voting percen A welfarist agenda in short order a humbled PepsiCo smartcontract facilitated micropay tage. Comprising four districts — Purnea, Ka This should stop with Seemanchal . Despite backtracked, announcing its with ments, that monetary returns come tihar, Kishanganj and Araria — Seemanchal constituting a high percentage of the voting drawal of the lawsuit. There was glo “Where farmers could be using genetically distinctive seeds adapted to local in from users and buyers of these has a population of about 1 crore. It assumes population in the region, Muslims have not bal schadenfreude at Goliath’s PR conditions, they are adapting local conditions to use genetically standardised seeds, from around the globe. These sociopolitical signifi cance owing to the large been able to assert themselves. As a result, disaster and, in India, pride at being seeds, to ruinous eff ect.” A farmer in Jammu. * REUTERS monetary returns would eff ectively proportion of Muslims in its population. On parties have used them as bait to get para on the side of the righteous Davids. incentivise continuous cultivation average, these districts have 47% Muslims as chute candidates elected. These candidates What should not be a source of source of the seeds is. This broad productive material that does not ful and improvement of indigenous against Bihar’s Statewide average of 17% and secure votes in the name of protecting a mis pride, however, is the fact that so ma permission (called farmers’ privi fi l the variety defi nition... that there seeds on the one hand, and ensure the allIndia average of 14%. In this election, understood and universal idea of ‘Muslim ny small farmers are, like the ones lege) is considered indispensable for could be benefi ts of using such di sustainable growth of agriculture of the nine Muslim candidates who have identity’ and not to improve their welfare in targeted by PepsiCo, reliant, directly socalled seed sovereignty, which verse material… to reduce the spread and of rural communities on the been chosen by diff erent parties in Bihar, the region. For example, Asaduddin Owaisi’s or indirectly, on proprietary seeds. has become synonymous with per of diseases, to improve resilience other. fi ve are contesting from constituencies in All India MajliseIttehadul Muslimeen (AI Typically these seeds are grown in mitting farmers to save, sow, multip and to increase biodiversity.” Accord Third, and as a key prerequisite to Seemanchal. The region is a fertile ground MIM) contested in the region in the 2015 As high input (fertilizerpesticideirriga ly and use proprietary seeds, as well ingly, the regulation removes the le the execution of the fi rst two plans, for political parties that pit Hindus against sembly election, but it failed to win even a tion) environments that, over time, as proprietary vegetative propaga gal bar on marketing of “heteroge India’s invaluable traditional ecologi Muslims. single seat. Yet, again the AIMIM has pinned erode local biodiversity. Between the tion materials such as what are used nous materials” and encourages its cal knowledge systems need to be re its hopes on Akhtarul Iman from Kishanganj expense of buying these seeds and for the cultivation of potatoes. Des sale for organic agriculture, thus vived and made a part of mainstream Continued neglect this time. These Muslim parties have failed to inputs, and the loss of the skills and pite the shift away from seed replace clearing the way to much more ex agricultural research, education and It may have political and symbolic value, but gain a stronghold in the region because Mus social relationships needed to do ment to the right to save seeds, the pansive use of indigenous varieties. extension services. Knowhow con Seemanchal fares poorly on welfare indices. lim voters have opted for a welfarist agenda otherwise (through the saving and emphasis remains on proprietary Once the delegated acts under the tained in ancient Indian treatises like It is an example of political apathy towards and not one that is centred on their religious exchange of seeds of indigenous va seeds that have narrow, uniform and EU regulation are formulated, they the Vrikshayurveda and the Krishi the minorities. According to Census data, the identity alone. rieties), smallscale farming looks set nonvariable genetic builds. Where will support the creation of markets, Parashar falls within the scope of average literacy rate of the four districts is Further, even within the Muslim com to continue on its downward spiral of farmers could be using genetically especially markets and marketplaces what international conventions such 54% as against Bihar’s average of 64%. The munity, there is marginalisation of backward lower income, status and dignity. distinctive seeds adapted to local facilitating trade of heterogenous as the Convention on Biological Di average per capita district GDP of the region Muslims such as the Pasmandas who are re conditions and farming traditions, seeds, including by small farmers versity refer to as ‘indigenous and is ₹ 10,000, while it is ₹ 14,574 for the State. In presented not by their own but by the upper It’s time for a paradigm shift they are instead adapting local condi who are currently the most active in traditional technologies’. The revival districts with a higher density of Muslims, caste Ashrafs. Since the 1990s, the assertion No one can blame farmers for think tions and traditions in order to use maintaining and improving such of these technologies is central to the situation is worse. For example, in Kish of rights by groups such as the Pasmanda ing that proprietary seeds are better. genetically standardised seeds, to seeds in situ. Indeed, multimillion promoting sustainable ‘high value’ anganj, with a 68% Muslim population, near Muslims paved the way for inclusivism and Since the days of the Green Revolu ruinous eff ect. Euro research and innovation pro agriculture, not least because of the ly 50% live below the poverty line. social justice. In this context, Seemanchal tion, agricultural extension offi cers — It is time for a paradigm shift. To jects being invited and funded by the growing global demand for organic The socioeconomic indicators may be can be a fertile ground for the emergence of the fi eld representatives of agricultu get a sense of what can be done, it EU already aim to make this diversity and Ayurvedic products. woeful, but there has been remarkable en rightsbased politics. The struggle of Pas ral modernity — have taught farmers may be useful to take a peep into re a more integral part of farming in Eu The withdrawal of the lawsuit by thusiasm in electoral participation, seen in mandas and their underrepresentation in to buy everhigheryielding seeds. cent regulatory eff orts in Europe. rope. And here they are talking only PepsiCo may be a welcome relief to the last six general elections. This year, See politics have been largely ignored . In See Taking this scienceandindustry The EU Regulation on Organic Pro of the diversity within Europe. several farmers who can neither af manchal saw a voter turnout of 64.8%, manchal, though Pasmandas constitute two knowbest stance on seed quality a duction and Labelling of Organic ford to defend themselves in court, which was much higher than Bihar’s average thirds of the Muslim population, there is no little further, eff orts have been ongo Products, adopted in 2018, for the Minimise harm, maximise gain nor to abandon the cultivation of of 58.6%. In the last fi ve general elections, Pasmanda candidate for the elections. Late ing, albeit unsuccessfully due to fi rst time permits and encourages, How can a biodiversityrich nation proprietary varieties. It must, howev the average voter turnout in Seemanchal was ly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP pressures from farmers and NGOs, to inter alia, the use and marketing for like India shift its agriculture from a er, be a wakeup call to the govern around fi ve percentage points more than the have espoused concerns about backward pass a new seed law in India permit organic agriculture, of “plant repro highyield ideal to a highvalue one, ment and policymakers who need to average turnout for the State. Clearly, the vo and Dalit Muslims, but more in rhetoric than ting the sale of certifi ed seeds only. ductive material of organic heteroge where the ‘values’ include striving to do much more to secure sustainable ters in the region care about exercising their in action. In the current Indian law regulat nous material” without having to minimise environmental harm while rural societies, protect soil health franchise. They believe that their electoral Contrary to popular perception, Muslims ing intellectual property rights in comply with most of the arduous re maximising nutritional gains and and promote seed sovereignty for participation can make a diff erence to their do not always prefer en bloc voting along re seeds, the Plant Variety Protection gistration and certifi cation require farmer welfare? the economic development of Indian dismal socioeconomic situation. But why is ligious lines. In Seemanchal, specifi cally, law, this same offi cial preference for ments under various EU laws. Hete First, small farmers must be edu farmers and of the entire nation. an electorate with such a dominating pre they are divided by caste, class and lan the proprietary takes a diff erent rogenous materials, unlike current cated and encouraged with proper sence helpless in this region? What explains guage, and vote for leaders they think will form. The law permits farmers not proprietary seeds, need not be un incentive structures, to engage with M rinalini Kochupillai is a lecturer and Senior their continued neglect despite having elect address their deprivations. It is high time our only to save and resow (multiply) iform or stable. Indeed, the regula agriculture that conserves and im Research Fellow at the Technical University of ed infl uential leaders in the past, such as M.J. concerns move beyond politics and religion. Munich and Gregory Radick is Professor of seeds, but also to sell them to other tion clearly acknowledges based on proves traditional/desi (heteroge History and Philosophy of Science at the Akbar, Tariq Anwar and Pappu Yadav? farmers, no matter what the original “Research in the Union on plant re nous) seeds in situ, rather than with University of Leeds Both Muslim vote bank politics and the S hahana Munazir is a Delhi-based scholar
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FIFTY YEARS AGO MAY 9, 1969 Taking tensions seriously Russia may give more aid to India A true strategic partnership between The Defence and Foreign Aff airs Committees of the Union Ca binet will meet soon to assess the wider political and military India and the U.S. remains elusive implications of the current Soviet approach to IndoPakistan Michael Kugelman and SinoIndian problems as enunciated by the Soviet Pre mier, Mr. Kosygin, in his talks with Mrs. Indira Gandhi here The U.S.’s decision to not extend Iran [New Delhi] this week. Mr. Kosygin is reported to have stressed sanctions waivers, including the one once again that, while the Soviet Union did not foresee the provided to India, has notable impli possibility of another IndoPakistan confl ict, it was not ruling cations for IndiaU.S. relations, given out the danger of renewed SinoIndian border clashes so long the importance of New Delhi’s ener as China persisted in its militant policy of territorial claims gy relationship with Tehran. It comes backed by threats of force. The Soviet Defence Minister, Mar on the heels of many other delete
REUTERS shal Grechko, said the same thing during his recent visit to In rious developments for bilateral ties dia which coincided with the SinoSoviet border incidents in including the U.S.’s decision to withdraw GSP benefi ts for In the Ussuri river region. He, too, had emphasised the need for dian exports (in retaliation for Indian tariff s that the U.S. continued vigilance on India’s northern borders to meet the deemed to be prohibitively high) and the Trump administra Chinese threat. tion’s discontent deepening over India’s policies on ecom merce, intellectual property rights and data localisation. A HUNDRED YEARS AGO MAY 9, 1919. These IndiaU.S. trade and economic tensions aren’t new; CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC the nonsecurity dimension of the relationship has long D ATA POINT lagged behind the fastgrowing defence side. Still, the com The Malabar Conference. (From an Editorial) plaints and perceived grievances, especially from the U.S., have seemingly intensifi ed in the Trump era. Both sides have played down these diff erences and of The addresses delivered and the Resolutions passed at the fered reassuring data points: India will scale up oil imports fourth session of the Malabar District Conference point as from other top producers; the GSP withdrawal will have mi much to the fact that such functions may be conducted with nimal impact on India’s economy; the two capitals are work success and in a satisfactory manner in spite of some diff e ing actively on high levels, most recently through the U.S. rences of opinion on the part of some of the leaders as to the India CEO Forum and the IndiaU.S. Commercial Dialogue, real trend of public opinion in the country. The Chairman of to ease tensions; and above all the strength of the bilateral the Reception Committee, a leader of the aristocracy, as well relationship can easily withstand all these headaches. as the President of the Conference laid emphasis on the perni This is all true. But let’s be clear. A fullfl edged strategic cious manner in which the Rowlatt blunder has been commit partnership, which both countries endorse, will be diffi cult ted, its possible consequences in the light of our experience of to achieve amid such multiple and longstanding discon the way in which executive discretion, wherever allowed, has nects on the trade and economic side. Indeed, if bilateral been exercised, the need for the reversal of the present repres ties are largely driven by technology transfers, arms sales, sive policy and its replacement by a liberal one. joint exercises, and foundational agreements on defence, this amounts to a deep but onesided security relationship, CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC and not a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership. To be sure, IndiaU.S. relations extend well beyond secur P OLL CALL ity. Recent joint statements have dwelt on the potential for M odel Code of Conduct cooperation on initiatives ranging from clean energy to in novation. And despite the problems, bilateral trade in goods The Model Code of Conduct refers to a set of norms laid down and services has increased over the last decade. Still, so long by the Election Commission with the consensus of political as the nonsecurity nuisances aff ect the bilateral relation parties in order to ensure free and fair elections. Parties and ship, the shift from a strong security relationship to a bona candidates are expected to follow the model code in their fi de strategic partnership will be diffi cult. After all, one rare election manifestos, speeches and general conduct. The mo ly hears complaints or concerns about trade and economic del code is not statutory. It comes into force on the announce matters in the U.S.’s relations with the U.K., Australia, or Is ment of the poll schedule and remains operational till the rael, some of its other strategic partners. The U.S. and India election process is concluded. In case parties/ candidates vio have long struggled to agree on what a strategic partnership late the model code by making hate speeches, intimidating should look like. Still, no matter how it is defi ned, any stra voters, providing inducements to voters, etc., the Election tegic partnership must be broadbased, with trust and coop Commission is expected to take action against them. eration present across a wide spectrum of issues and not just limited to close collaborations in the gunsandbombs CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC category. In this regard, a true strategic partnership re mains, at least for now, elusive between India and the U.S. M ORE ON THE WEB 3
The writer is Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia with the Meet Chennai's sea turtle warriors Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington, DC http://bit.ly/Chennaiturtle
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