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FEBRUARY 2014 .Com/Civilsocietyonline `50 VOL. 11 NO. 4 FEBRUARY 2014 www.civilsocietyonline.com .com/civilsocietyonline `50 AAALLLLLL SSSTTTRRREEEEEETTT NNNOOO GGGOOOVVVT?T?T? Protest dents AAP image ‘MY JOB IS TO AAP GOES TO SCHOOLS CITIES AND WATER FACILITATE Pages 8-10 Pages 25-26 MANI ON MOHALLAS WALK INTO PLURAL PAST DECISIONS’ Pages 10-12 Pages 29-30 Anil Swarup on speeding up of clearances to mega projects DOCTORS ON CALL KOLKATA’S LIT ADDA Pages 6-7 Pages 22-23 Page 32 CONTENTS R E A D U S. W E R E A D Y O U. Kejriwal must be held accountable HE Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has disappointed many Indians who put their faith in it. It has received wide support and people voted for it in Delhi in the hope that it would initiate change in politics and Treform governance – raise the bar for behaviour in public life, so to speak. But the opposite has been happening. The dharna led by Arvind Kejriwal and the antics of his Law Minister, COVER STORY Somnath Bharti, in particular, need to be roundly condemned. Kejriwal has said on record that he himself is an anarchist and that he wants to disrupt ALL STREET, NO GOVT? the parade on Republic Day. He has also given a call to policemen to come out on the streets and protest along with him. These are violations of his Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared himself an anarchist and constitutional obligations as Chief Minister and he should be held account- took to the streets on the question of control over the Delhi able. There is a fit case for legal action against Kejriwal and his entire Police. The result was chaos in the capital and no work done. 18 Cabinet because they occupy office on the basis of their allegiance to the Constitution. They are free to quit office and do as they please. But as long COVER PHOTOGRAPH: SANDEEPA VEERAMACHANENI as they remain ministers, they have responsibilities and are bound by a cer- tain code of conduct. Villagers in J&K use RTI . 14 Kejriwal knows all too well that an amendment to the Constitution is required to bring the Delhi Police under the state government. Clearly this can’t happen in the short term. AAP is therefore wrongly whipping up pop- 5 winning social enterprises . 15 ular sentiments in the hope of making gains during the coming Lok Sabha elections. Breaching Kargil’s male bastion . 16 It is amoral of AAP to denigrate the police like it has been doing for its own political ends. Police reforms are needed. But the first step in that direc- tion is to energise the force and give it direction, not demoralise it. The sta- ‘In Brazil we need a new farm model’ . 16-17 tion house officer the AAP government wanted suspended was right when he refused to enter a home at the dead of night without a warrant. He is also known by women’s groups to be a good officer. The plight of child ragpickers . 26-27 People elect politicians to lead. For AAP, or any other party, the opportu- nity is in attracting the best talent and turning Delhi into a model modern city with an administration that is accountable and provides its citizens with Arriving at a decision . 28 transparent processes that make their lives happier. Activism is welcome because without passion little can be achieved. But suc- cessful activists know when to get down to the business of implementing their Getting caste exposed . 30-31 ideas and negotiating the much more complex terrain of consensus-building. Many AAP members are seriously concerned about the recent events. They don’t like the way Kejriwal and his ministers conduct themselves. It ‘Muslim OBCs are powerless’ . 33 should also be noted that very few people heeded Kejriwal’s call to join his dharna. It is sad but AAP’s image has been seriously dented. Andretta blues / Kettle & cup . 34 Contact Civil Society at: [email protected] The magazine does not undertake to respond to unsolicited contributions sent to the editor for publication. Publisher Layout & Design First Floor, Panchsheel Vihar, Umesh Anand Virender Chauhan Malviya Nagar, New Delhi -110017. Advisory Board Get your copy of Civil Society from Printed at Samrat Offset Pvt. Ltd., Editor Cartoonist ANUPAM MISHRA B-88, Okhla Phase II, New Delhi - 110020. Delhi: Bahri Sons, Central Market, Galleria Market, Rita Anand Samita Rathor ARUNA ROY News Agency, stalls at Green Qutab Plaza, Sector 14 Postal Registration No. News Network NASSER MUNJEE Park market, South Extn Part Market, Sector 17 Market, Write to Civil Society at: DL(S)-01/3255/2012-14. II, Aurobindo Market, R. K. Sector 54, Sector 44. Shree Padre ARUN MAIRA D-26 Basement, South Registered to post without pre-payment Puram, Vasant Vihar, Vasant Jehangir Rashid Kolkata: Oxford Bookstore, Extension Part 2, U(SE)-10/2014 at New Delhi PSO DARSHAN SHANKAR Kunj, J.N.U., S.D.A. Market, Classic Books. Rakesh Agarwal New Delhi -110049. Saket, Kalkajee, C. R. Park, Registered with the Registrar of HARIVANSH Bengaluru: Variety on Susheela Nair Ph: 011-46033825, New Friends Colony, Lajpat Newspapers of India under JUG SURAIYA St Mark’s Road. Shayak Majumder 9811787772 Nagar, Defence Colony, Hauz RNI No.: DELENG/2003/11607 SHANKAR GHOSE Khas, Moti Bagh, Sector 62 Lucknow: Ram Advani Noida. Bookseller at Hazratganj. Photography Printed and published by Total no of pages: 36 UPENDRA KAUL Lakshman Anand Umesh Anand from A 53 D, www.civilsocietyonline.com Gurgaon: DLF Phase 1 Chandigarh: The Browser. VOICES IN THE LIGHT by SAMITA RATHOR We do need to change the political to be charged only `2 per day per bed Gram Vaani is a major boost to devel- culture in India. A person should join in a dormitory. opment in rural India. This is one LETTERS politics to serve the nation and not just But now this facility is only for offi- example that will go around the to fill his pockets. By underlining sim- cers and staff members of the Pusa world. The Gram Vaani team must plicity and honesty, AAP is trying to Institute. They can stay at the hostel expand its horizons. redefine the way politics is practised in by paying `50 per day per bed. But we Babajide Bankolemanuel India and attract only those who share village farmers are not permitted to its values. The party has already bust- stay there although we can furnish all A great example of how technology ed the biggest myth of all – that ordi- kinds of proof that we are farmers. If, can make a social impact! nary people can’t stand for elections by some luck, we get permission to Vikas Guru stay, we are charged `200 per bed. because you need big money. The Rajendra Prasad Farmers Shehla Ansari Mewat radio Hostel was set up for farmers but, Shayak Majumder’s report, ‘Radio ironically, we are not allowed in. Today we all feel so empowered. This speaks up for Mewat’ was very inter- The government should allot one man has had the courage to go out and esting. Alfaz E Mewat is an excellent or two flats in a central location in be there in the field, while most of us medium to reach out to the masses. Delhi where farmers coming from spoke only in our drawing rooms. In Interestingly, none of their radio over 400 km can stay. Or they should our own spaces we must do all we can jockeys have any background in radio be permitted to stay in state govern- to make sure that this revolution or any other media. Yet they have ment buildings. After all, we are com- spreads without turning into anarchy. successfully connected with the audi- ing here on work. The manner in which the crowd man- Mangal Singh ence since they themselves belong to aged itself at the Ramlila Ground was a the community. Aam Aadmi grand statement of how disciplined we Gram Vaani Sharmili Dey Your cover story, ‘AAP and Beyond’ can be when we want. May God give ‘Rural India knows its mind’ by Goa film was well-balanced. It captured the these new leaders strength and health. Navina Jafa Chetna Verma was an excellent Laxmikant Shetgaonkar’s latest film, enthusiasm of AAP supporters and example of how information can be sounded a note of warning about what ‘Baga Beach–A Season in Paradise,’ passed on to rural folk in an engaging sounds interesting and I am looking many consider to be the party’s pop- Farmers’ plight and interactive manner. forward to seeing it. Your writer, ulist policies. But there is no doubt that I would like to draw your attention to Undoubtedly, mobile phones are the Saibal Chatterjee, picks very unusual the youth have wholly backed AAP the fact that small farmers who visit new tools of empowerment for the and contemporary films. and for the first time after independ- Delhi on work have no place to stay. masses. We need many more such George Almeida ence, the young are once again inter- In the past, farmers could stay at the enterprises to reach out to people, ested in politics. Dr Rajendra Prasad Farmers Hostel at educate and inform them. Letters should be sent to Ashish Mehra the Pusa Institute campus. They used Anil Dewan [email protected] CIVIL SOCIETY, FEBRUARY 2014 5 NEWS ‘In 6 months projects worth `4,00,000 crore cleared’ dle issues that come to that ministry. On the portal INTERVIEW itself, the joint secretary puts in his comments on the issues raised by industry.
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