OC 75 ` 2020 28, IS CRORE DECEMBER LAKH SYSTEM 9.4 THE BJP’S LONG GAME LONG THE BJP’S SOUTHERN CONQUEST SOUTHERN Rs OF HOW TO AVERT IT AVERT TO HOW NPAs INDIA’S BANKING INDIA’S OFFING. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT BIPIN GENERAL THE MISGOVERNANCE,

FRAUD, OUR BANKS ARE TIMEBOMBS OUR BANKS HEADING FOR A CATASTROPHE. A FOR HEADING

Y AND MORE IN MORE AND

MASSIVE WH

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

n a move designed more to buttress her socialist creden- difference is that it is the taxpayer’s money in the case of PSBs, tials than for any compelling economic reason, Mrs Indira while shareholders bear the brunt of the misdemeanours of Gandhi nationalised 14 of India’s largest private banks, private banks. I which held 85 per cent of the country’s deposits, in 1969. Over the years, these nationalised banks have deepened ver the past six years, there have been enough indications of bank penetration in the rural hinterland and increased credit O the rot within the banking sector. The slew of cases began to agriculture, although some have argued that this could just with Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, businessmen who epitomised as well have been achieved by exercising social control over the worst of crony banking. With bad debts of Rs 8.8 lakh crore, private banks. Meanwhile, the collateral cost to the Indian PSBs account for nearly 85 per cent of India’s total NPAs. The cou- economy has been enormous as it set in motion a gravy train ntry’s largest government-owned bank, State Bank of India, alone on which politicians and crony businessmen have taken a free has Rs 2.23 lakh crore of bad loans. Mounting NPAs mean banks ride ever since. There have been loan melas where banks were are wary of lending despite sitting on huge cash piles. Public trust forced to extend credit with little chance of recovery, thanks to in banking, the cornerstone of the business, is severely eroded. electorally-dictated populist compulsions. Today, about 65 per Capital, as we all know, is the lifeblood of the economy. Without cent of India’s banking sector (by deposits) is state-owned, and access to it, businesses cannot grow and, without growth, our Indian banks were among the most unprofitable in the world economy will continue to teeter on the edge. At a time it is facing in 2018-19. Run as political fiefdoms and with all the attendant one of its worst years on record, rising NPAs mean we could be inefficiencies of government-owned businesses, India’s public staring at a crisis of unprecedented magnitude in the coming year. sector banks (PSBs) are giant black holes sucking in trillions of The banking sector is no doubt in an unholy mess. Riddled with rupees of taxpayers’ money. The government has spent roughly fraud, growing NPAs, sloppy management, and averse to risk, the Rs 3.5 lakh crore in recapitalising PSBs in whole sector is stuck in a quagmire. The govern- the past few years. This is the entire outlay for ment’s half-hearted reform of merging 10 PSBs the Jal Jeevan Mission, announced in August into four is just window-dressing the problem 2019 to provide piped drinking water to all and kicking the can down the road. Attempts to households. This August, RBI’s annual report give PSBs autonomy and appoint more profes- said frauds cost banks Rs 1.86 lakh crore in sional management have proved stillborn. FY20, of which PSBs accounted for 80 per An RBI working group has taken the first cent. This figure is six times the government’s step by suggesting that large corporate houses intended expense on women and child devel- become bank promoters. It’s a move fraught with opment. It’s a crying shame that the taxpayer the risk of connected lending or banks lending should be bearing the cost of bank malfea- to their own holding companies. RBI data shows sance when the money could be used for more that PSB market share in loans dipped from meaningful purposes. 74.3 per cent in 2015 to 59.8 per cent in 2020 Last month, business circles were rattled while that of private banks surged from 21.3 per by the impending collapse of yet another cent to 36 per cent. Some private banks have bank. The RBI stepped in to write off Rs 318 excelled in value creation. HDFC Bank’s market crore worth of debt and Rs 336 crore of equity to bail out Lak- cap italisation, for instance, was Rs 7.79 lakh crore on December 16, shmi Vilas Bank. Mercifully, this was small change, but it drew more than the combined m-cap of all PSBs (Rs 4.88 lakh crore). attention to the looming crisis non-performing assets (NPAs), There is a message in this if the government chooses to heed as bad loans are called in banking parlance, posed. NPAs stood it. The long-term solution demands a complete reform of India’s at Rs 9.4 lakh crore as of June 2019. This number, four times banking sector. It calls for greater scrutiny and stringent controls India’s entire health budget, now rocks the struggling ship of on large loans, including asset audits and reviews, and strict India’s economy. Most of these loans were extended in the ris- checks every quarter. ing tide of India’s economic boom a decade ago when Indian Our cover story, ‘Why Our Banks are Timebombs’, put togeth- bankers lent indiscriminately, especially to the then-booming er by Executive Editor M.G. Arun, Deputy Editor Shwweta Punj money-guzzling telecom and real estate sectors. Of late, howev- and Senior Editor Anilesh S. Mahajan, looks at this very worrying er, the existing NPAs are beginning to look like just the tip of the phenomenon and suggests ways out of it. iceberg, with an expanding mass of bad loans lurking below the If the Indian economy is to grow, credit will have to flow with- surface. With the pandemic-dictated and government-mandat- out burdensome NPAs. India’s credit to GDP ratio is 56 per cent; ed moratorium on interest payments, former finance secretary China’s is in the 150-200 per cent range. For India to become Subhash Chandra Garg estimates that NPAs will increase by a $5 trillion economy, credit growth needs to be at 15 per cent an additional Rs 10 lakh crore by the end of this financial year, for the next five years; it is currently about 8-10 per cent. If the doubling the existing number. As companies fail to repay banks government is serious about economic development, it must bite and their debt balloons, the proverbial iceberg keeps getting the bullet of fundamental bank reform. Otherwise, the economy bigger. In 2017, the government drew up a plan to infuse Rs 2.11 will just blunder along. lakh crore—more than twice the budgetary allocation to educa- tion this year—to recapitalise its bleeding PSBs. Private sector banks are not above reproach either. The examples of ICICI Bank and, more recently, YES Bank, where the promoters were compromised, underline this. The (Aroon Purie)

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AIR INDIA: SALE TN: KAMAL TO TAKE WING? HAASAN STEPS PG 12 IN PG 14

RAJASTHAN’S MP: SHIVRAJ SINGH WILD LIFE UPFRONTCHOUHAN’S CLEAN-UP CRISIS PG 16 AGENDA PG 18

STORM TROOPERS BJP supporters block a road in Kolkata to protest the attack on party president J.P. Nadda’s convoy TAMAL SHEE/ GETTY IMAGES WEST BENGAL THE ART. 356 DARE By Romita Datta

hree attacks in three days, two is a popular hypothesis that it’s not just we are playing into the BJP’s hands,” says of them fatal. BJP president J.P. BJP leaders clamouring for Art. 356; the a minister in the state cabinet. Nadda’s convoy is attacked by ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) may Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s been T stone pelters in South 24 Par- even be willing such an eventuality in zealous in flagging the “violence against ganas; a BJP booth president is beaten the hope of garnering sympathy. A clutch BJP workers”, but the party itself appears to death in North 24 Parganas; an- of ruling party MLAs, unwilling to be divided on the wisdom of demanding other party activist is murdered in East identified for reasons all too obvious, President’s rule. Nadda maintained, even Burdwan—all in a span of three days confided that the lumpen elements in after the attack on his convoy, that “the (December 10-12). If the news stories the party were out of control and that the central leadership does not want Presi- were playing up the possible imposition imposition of President’s rule may be in- dent’s rule”, but Bengal unit leaders Kai- of President’s rule in Bengal, invoking evitable. “There’s a certain laxity among lash Vijayvargiya, Mukul Roy, Babul Su- Article 356 of the Constitution, it was by a section of the police, which is why the priyo and others were crying themselves no means beyond the pale. hooligans are running amok. Even the hoarse demanding central action. “We But what beggars the imagination chief minister has no control over them… have lost 136 people since 2015. I person-

UPFRONT

ally feel Art. 356 must be imposed im- since October. Newspaper reports suggest mediately if we have to restore democracy even the TMC has lost at least six workers in the state,” says Roy. Vijayvargiya feels to violent incidents in 2019-20. The police the “immediate deployment of central puts the number of political killings at forces” is the only way election canvassing 50 so far this year, and the BJP claims a can continue without fear. Meanwhile, Mamata dismissed the majority of the ‘martyrs’. on Tuesday, December 15, Chief Minister “What was the need to kill a BJP Mamata Banerjee too upped the ante dar- attack on Nadda’s convoy booth leader and malign our image when ing the Centre to impose President’s rule, as the BJP’s “nautanki” even we are trying to gain ground with the even suggesting that the attack on Nadda’s as some sections of the TMC duare sarkar initiative (a programme to convoy was the handiwork of the “crimi- called it a “spontaneous bring public services to people at their nals acc ompanying him”. outburst of the people” doorstep)?’’ asks a party leader from Is there more, then, to this brouhaha North 24 Parganas. Many in the party feel than meets the eye? Amal Kumar Muk- this kind of violence will not go down well hopadhyay, former principal of Presidency politics. Mamata, too, made good use of it with voters. History bears witness that University, feels the violent incidents are in her days in the Opposition,” says Justice state-sponsored violence in the 2018 pan- in some part a manifestation of the tur- Ganguly. Commenting on grounds to in- chayat polls saw the TMC win 34 per cent moil in the ruling TMC, given the near- voke Art. 356, the Sarkaria Commission, of the seats ‘uncontested’ but it boomer- certain defections from the party, and all set up to review Centre-state relations, anged in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. the ensuing uncertainty, in the run-up to had observed that it must be used “very The TMC itself is not speaking in one the assembly election due in April 2021. sparingly, in extreme cases, as a measure voice on the convoy attack incident: if “The TMC is losing its grip and the recent of last resort, when all other alternatives one section, led by Mamata’s nephew and violence just shows its desperation. The fail to prevent or rectify a breakdown of TMC heir apparent Abhishek Banerjee, party probably feels President’s rule will constitutional machinery in the state”. says it was a spontaneous outburst of the give them a lifeline, help Mamata win Lawyer and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha people against the BJP, another section, [voter] sympathy by playing the victim MP Bikash Bhattacharjee points to the represented by Mamata herself, dis- card. But the BJP central leadership is deteriorating law and order in BJP-ruled misses the alleged attack as “nautanki” unlikely to fall for it,” says Mukhopadhyay. states—such as the encounter killings (drama). Meanwhile, the police and state Iman Kalyan Lahiri, professor of in- in Uttar Pradesh, which has invited no administration played down the incident. ternational relations at Jadavpur Univer- censure from the Centre. He believes an The Bengal police tweeted: “Nothing sity, agrees the BJP will not dethrone the attempt to overthrow the state govern- happened to [Nadda’s] convoy. A few government, given that the anti-incum- ment will not go down well with the bystanders at Debipur, Falta PS, Diamond bency in the state favours it anyway. “The people. “There will be an adverse reaction, Harbour suddenly threw stones at the central leadership will not press for Art. as seen in 1968, 1970 and 1971 in Bengal. vehi cles trailing behind his convoy. Every- 356 as it will lend credence to the Opposi- Public sympathy is usually with the elected one is safe and [the] situation is peaceful.” tion’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra government,” says Bhattacharjee. Mamata too said something similar at a Modi is an autocrat,” says Lahiri. He feels If that is so, why are the state BJP rally in Bhowanipore (her constituency) in the hue and cry made by the BJP is only leaders trying to drum up support for im- south Kolkata the same day of the attack: to keep the government and administra- position of Art. 356? “This could be a ploy “There was a small incident, but I ask why tive bosses under pressure. Union home to dissociate the police and administra- were there 50 cars in his convoy? Every minister Amit Shah has said he won’t tion from Mamata. Even though elections day they (BJP activists) are coming out spare anyone. Heads have already begun are held under the strict surveillance of with firearms. They are slapping them- to roll, starting with the recall of the three the Election Commission, the BJP feels selves and blaming it on the TMC.” IPS officers in charge of Nadda’s security, free and fair polls are unlikely with the The constant baiting and the game though Mamata has refused to relieve TMC holding the reins,” adds Lahiri. of political oneupmanship is par for the them, leading to yet another standoff. course in an election where so much is at VIOLENCE UNABATED stake. There will be more of this in the A FIT CASE FOR ART. 356? Saikat Bhowal was campaigning for the run-up to the election, and both sides Talking about the ongoing rumble, former BJP’s Jansanjog (connecting with the are quite adept at whipping up popular Supreme Court judge A.K. Ganguly says people) programme when he and his col- sentiment. Nadda’s statement that the the situation in Bengal does not merit leagues were attacked on December 11 in Centre would not recommend Presi- the imposition of President’s rule. “The Halishahar, North 24 Parganas district. dent’s rule “no matter what the state election is due in four months and I don’t He succumbed to his injuries en route (BJP) leaders think” and Mamata’s dare see any reason to overthrow an elected to the hospital. Seven others were also on the same issue are all throws of the government. The demand for President’s injured, and some of them are still critical. dice in a game where neither party will rule is a common template of opposition Six BJP workers have died in Bengal blink at some collateral damage. ■

8 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 SIDDHANT JUMDE

Illustration by Illustration

SAFE PASSAGE JD leader Tejashwi RYadav has been going all out to keep up the pres- sure on the ruling NDA in Bihar. His party fielded a nominee for the assembly speaker, forcing a contest for the post for the first time in five decades. But why no candidate against Sushil GLASSHOUSE Modi in the recently con- cluded Rajya Sabha bypoll? Deliberately, claims a senior POLLS IN THE TIME RJD leader—to pave the BJP heavyweight’s way out of OF PROTESTS the state’s politics. he protests over the contentious farm laws have derailed the BJP’s plans for elections in Punjab. First, the party’s oldest ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal, walked ANI T out of the NDA in September. And now the outrage of the state’s farmers has reportedly forced BJP chief J.P. Nadda to defer moves to induct defectors from other parties. Poll season kicks off in Punjab in February 2021, with campaigns for nine municipal corporations. Assembly elections are due in early 2022. Given the BJP’s weak rural base in the state, it will be interesting to see how its famed election machinery plays catch-up.

GUEST OF HONOUR CP chief Sharad Pawar’s 80th birthday Change of Ncelebrations in Mumbai saw the heavy presence of close friends, family, Heart? Maharashtra ministers and industrialists. he Yogi Adityanath Among those who turned up was an government is set to industrialist whose name has figured in the T amend the ‘Maintenance farmers’ protests as one of the beneficiaries and Welfare of Parents of the central farm laws. Opposing laws in and Senior Citizens Backdrop Parliament is one thing, allowing politics Rules, 2014’ to allow the to get in the way of influential friendships prosecution of children of Elections quite another. picture of the Dakshineswar Kali temple for evicting parents from Aas the backdrop of Prime Minister their properties in Uttar Narendra Modi’s virtual meet with Uzbek Pradesh. Officials see it as president Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 11 a move to make amends has invited flak from the Trinamool Congress after the Adityanath (TMC), which called it yet another of the BJP’s government scrapped attempts to appropriate Bengal’s icons in the former CM Akhilesh run-up to the state election. “Why Dakshineswar Yadav’s ‘Shravan Yatra’ and not Ram mandir?” asked TMC Rajya Sabha free pilgrimage for the

MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray. Rhetorical question? ANI elderly in 2017.

—Sandeep Unnithan with Anilesh S. Mahajan, Romita Datta, Amitabh Srivastava, Ashish Misra and Sahil Joshi UPFRONT

UTTAR PRADESH ince the very beginning of the pan- demic, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has taken on a very Shands-on role in the state’s Covid management efforts. Soon after the nation- wide lockdown was announced on March 24, GEARING CM Adityanath set up a “Team 11” comprising 11 inter-departmental committees to moni- tor the developing Covid situation. The 11 officers heading each committee would brief UP FOR the CM every morning on the latest health developments. Due to this direct monitor- ing, UP, according to its health department, has become the only state to conduct over THE 22 million Covid tests in the country and is still conducting over 15 0,000 tests daily, the highest in the country. As a result, UP, India’s most populous state, which also had VACCINE one of the highest share of returning migrants during the pandemic, has recorded fewer By Ashish Misra Covid deaths (8,103, as on December 16) as compared to other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and West Bengal. The state government’s handling of MANEESH AGNIHOTRI

THE FRONTMAN UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the launch of ‘Mera Covid Kendra’ mobile app on Dec. 5

108 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 ON A WAR FOOTING  On December 15, Covid cases per million in Uttar the Covid crisis even won the praise Pradesh were 2,781-- An effective implementation of a of the World Health Organization in much less than the country’s convenient vaccination programme November. As India nears the 10 mil- average of 7,300 will definitely benefit him in the lion case mark, the manner in which assembly election.” one of its largest states handled the  A total of 390 testing Currently, UP is working to increase Covid crisis is indeed a working exam- labs are currently conducting its vaccine storage capacity from Covid tests in UP, including ple of how foresight, planning and 80,000 litres to 2.03 lakh litres and 258 government and closely-monitored execution can help 132 private labs; UP has its cold chain centres to 35,000. Yogi contain infectious diseases. become the first state in the Adityanath has asked the health depart- Now, with hopes of a Covid vaccine country to do more than ment to ensure that the vaccine is not on the horizon, the state has once again 20 million Covid tests misused at any cost. “On the basis of taken the lead on immunisation plans. experiences of vaccination campaigns On December 10, Yogi Adityanath con-  The rate of the RT-PCR for the prevention of rubella and mea- stituted a screening committee and a test in the state has been sles in the past, the chief minister has task force, each meant to handle a sep- fixed at Rs 700—the lowest directed that implementation of Covid arate aspect of the vaccination drive. in the country vaccine be done effectively too,” says The screening committee, headed by Prasad. Yogi Adityanath has also asked  In all 75 districts of chief secretary R.K. Tiwari, will moni- for CCTV cameras to be installed at UP, Covid patients are tor the availability and distribution of being monitored via the vaccine storage centres and vaccine car- the vaccines, while the committee will Integrated Covid Control rier vehicles to be GPS tracked so that review the state’s vaccination efforts Room equipped with a safe supply can be ensured. According continuously and troubleshoot any ‘facility allied desk’, ‘home to Prasad, “Centres for vaccine will be problems that arise along the way. The isolation desk’, ambulance given the same level of protection as task force, under additional chief sec- desk, ‘public grievance desk’ EVMs are given during elections.” retary, health, Amit Mohan Prasad, and ‘doctor support desk’ A senior health department official will ensure effective administering of says, “As per the plan prepared, vac- the vaccine. Preparations are being  Covid patients in UP are cination will be done in three stages in being treated in 62 level- made in the state to administer the every centre for which three separate 1 hospitals, 494 Covid vaccine to around 40 million people Care Centres, 95 level-2 rooms will be arranged. Vaccination in the first phase. Of these, about hospitals and 26 level-3 of a person is likely to take 30-40 1.6 million will be frontline workers, hospitals minutes.” UP is now waiting for the including 900,000 health workers approval of a vaccine, based on which and the rest will be made up by secu-  People can get information it will know what temperature the vac- rity personnel, home guards and civil about free testing centres cine will need to be stored at. The state security organisations, disaster man- near their home on the “Mera government has asked for eight walk- agement volunteers, food and logistics Covid Kendra” mobile in coolers, four walk-in freezers, 1,610 departments, employees of essential app developed by the Uttar ice-lined refrigerators (ILR), 1,430 Pradesh government. At services and bodies, details of whom deep freezers, 26,800 vaccine carriers present, details of 1,260 free have already been sent to the Centre. and 1,950 cold boxes from the Centre. Covid testing centres are Vaccination data will be digitally available in this app So far, 730 ILRs, 1,040 deep freezers recorded at the block level and each eli- and 17,454 vaccine carriers have gible individual will be informed about been provided. vaccination plans via a door-to-door There has been no formal awareness initiative. Eligibility for Former additional director of announcement regarding which vac- the vaccine will be determined on the health department and former in- cine the state plans to procure. There basis of the data collected by the state charge of the pulse polio campaign, are three which have applied for health department via its Covid sur- Dr Ashok Mishra says: “The corona emergency use authorisation (EUA) veillance programme that has, till date, vaccination will start in Uttar Pradesh in India—Pfizer, Bharat Biotech and surveyed almost 147 million people by next year when the Yogi Adityanath Serum Institute—and the decision will, living in 30 million houses in 170,000 government begins preparation for of course, be based on the results of areas. Principal secretary, health, Alok the 2022 assembly election. In such the phase 3 trials of these vaccines, but Kumar says: “The surveillance pro- a situation, the CM will do the ‘image with the groundwork being done with gramme continues. Accordingly, the building’ of his government via Covid gusto for vaccine distribution, UP will figures are being recorded in the health vaccinations. It is why he is monitoring find itself in a good position once a vac- department’s portal.” the vaccination arrangements himself. cine does get approval in the country. n

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 11 UPFRONT SATYABRATA TRIPATHY/GETTY IMAGES TRIPATHY/GETTY SATYABRATA

AIR INDIA SALE TO TAKE WING? By M.G. Arun

nlike in 2018, when the members, staff and a US-based invest- Damaged by decades of mis- Centre’s attempt to find a ment firm, Interups Inc. Physical bids management and bad commercial deci- buyer for the beleaguered need to be submitted by December 29, sions, the erstwhile Maharaja had sunk Air India saw no takers, and qualified bidders are likely to be into a financial quagmire, defaulting on there are several bidders in notified on January 5. loans and sometimes delaying salaries. theUfray this time around. By the time The bid to sell Air India comes “To keep Air India running, we have the deadline to submit expressions of at a time when its domestic market invested Rs 50,000 crore [in it]. That interest (EoIs) to bid for the national share has nosedived to single digits. money is the government’s money, it’s carrier closed on December 14, “mul- As of August, Air India had a 9.1 per your money. It could have been used tiple EoIs [had been] received,” said cent share, as per DGCA (Directorate for school education,” said then-Union Tuhin Kanta Pandey, secretary of the General of Civil Aviation) data. IndiGo finance minister Arun Jaitley in an department of investment and pub- has the largest share—60.4 per cent— interview in 2015. “And if 86 per cent of lic asset management. According to followed by SpiceJet with 15.7 per cent, [the air travel market] can be handled reports, the bids include one from Tata while Vistara and AirAsia India had 4.2 by the private sector, it can also handle Sons—which already holds 51 per cent per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively. 100 per cent.” That was one of the first stakes in Vistara and AirAsia India— However, in international operations, serious signals sent out by the NDA as well as SpiceJet and a consortium Air India claims to be the leader, with an government that it intended to sell the consisting of some Air India board 18.6 per cent market share. national carrier, and a precursor to an

12 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE and AirAsia, a successful bid forthe Air India planes at Chhatrapati Shivaji airline it founded will be both sym- Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai bolic and eventful. Tata Sons holds 51 per cent stakes (each) in AirAsia announcement to that effect in June India and Vistara, with Malaysia’s 2017. If the current attempt to sell AirAsia Berhad holding the balance Air India—which posted losses of of AirAsia, and Singapore Airlines Rs 8,556.4 crore in 2018-19—is suc- holding the balance of Vistara. The cessful, it will also take some weight Tata Group’s entry into aviation was off the Centre’s shoulders. First, it will also one of the points of contention signal the government’s commitment between ousted chairman Cyrus to divesting state-owned firms—it has Mistry and group chairman emeritus been widely criticised for delays in this Ratan Tata; Mistry alleged he was effort. It will also be a step towards the pushed by Ratan Tata to enter the ambitious disinvestment target of aviation sector even though it did not Rs 2.1 lakh crore for financial year make business sense, an argument 2020-21, of which the government, Tata Sons has rebuffed. Meanwhile, so far, has only 5 per cent in the bag. the bid by Air India’s employeespro- If the bid by Tata Sons is success- poses to give a 51 per cent staketo the ful, the sale will also be significant airline’s employees’ association, which for historical reasons—Air India was includes 219 staffers, and 49 percent founded by J.R.D. Tata, Tata Group to Interups Inc, which will be a finan- chairman from 1938 to 1988, who cial partner, say reports. launched India’s first commercial airline, Tata Airlines, in 1933. In July ne of the key reasons bidders 1946, Tata Airlines became a public stayed away from the govern- limited company under the name Air O ment’s previous attempt to India, but was nationalised in June sell Air India was the enormous debt 1953. Although the Tata Group re- it carries—liabilities and provisions entered the aviation business through of Rs 70,686.6 crore and a net debt its alliances with Singapore Airlines of Rs 58,255 crore as of 2018-19. Later, the government transferred Rs 29,464 crore of this debt to a govern- ment-owned special purpose vehicle, ~15% Air India Assets Holding Company of the winning bid will go to the Ltd. To make the deal more attrac- government; the remaining 85% tive, the government is allowing is the debt the winner will take on potential buyers to bid on the basis of the airline’s ‘enterprise value’, which allows them to determine the level of debt they want to take on. Under `70,686 CR this system, of the total bid amount, Air India’s total liabilities in around 15 per cent will go to the gov- 2018-19, with a net debt of ernment as the price of the airline, Rs 58,255 crore; Rs 29,464 crore while the remaining 85 per cent will was later transferred to a govt- be the debt that the winning bidder owned special purpose vehicle will take on. The other difference is that in the earlier sale attempt, the government was offering only 76 per cent in the airline, but this time 100% round, it has decided to offload 100 The current sale proposal per cent in Air India and its low-cost involves a full offloading of the government’s stake; in the cousin international carrier Air India previous attempt in 2018, only Express, and 50 per cent stake in its 76% of Air India was up for sale ground-handling arm, AISATS. n UPFRONT

TAMIL NADU/ KAMAL HAASAN campaigns on social media. The party hopes to leverage on the star following of the Aandavar (literally ‘God’ of acting, as his fans fondly refer to him) to compen- sate for the apparent disadvantages in terms of resources compared to the rul- ing AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida THE PROMISE Munnetra Kazhagam) and the rival DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). Can Haasan be the harbinger of change? Enthusiastic MNM activ- OF CHANGE ists feel that in the event of Thalaiva Rajinikanth’s to-be-launched party align- By Amarnath K. Menon ing with Haasan, the charismatic com- bination could dent and perhaps even eclipse the Dravidian majors. Together, the actors were seen in 16 films, the last ctor-turned-politician Kamal efforts. The young, the educated and of which was the forgettable Geraftaar, Haasan kicked off his party the women are the MNM’s target a 1985 Hindi film, which also starred Makkal Needhi Maiam’s poll groups. Incidentally, women voters out- Amitabh Bachchan. After both report- A campaign on December 13 number men in 198 of the 234 assem- edly discussed prospects following the from the temple town of Madurai, the bly constituencies, according to the Lok Sabha election, Haasan went on same place where he had launched the draft rolls. The party had contested 37 record saying they might join hands. Prof. party in February 2018, with the prom- of the 39 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha Ramu Manivannan, head, department ise of providing a people-centric and election but made no sort of impact, of politics and public administration, honest government. The local authori- polling only 3.7 per cent of the votes Madras University, though, is doubtful. ties tried to put a spoke in the wheel at (which, in fact, was just under the 3.8 “Film heroes suffer from a history of self- the last minute, refusing permission to per cent filmmaker-actor Seeman’s obsession, they will never be able to work campaign within Madurai city, so he Tamil nationalist Naam Tamizhar took part in a Town Hall-style meeting Katchi managed). It did fare better in at the local chamber of commerce and urban pockets, though, and the plan later drove out in a convoy, popping is to consolidate this vote bank. As up out of his car’s sunroof to a rousing someone who belongs to the southern reception in nearby villages. part of the state, he also enjoys emo- “Not just our governance style, our tional ties with the people in his native election strategy too will be based on Paramakudi and in pockets of Madurai, honesty,” Haasan declared at the meet- Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi ing, adding, for dramatic effect, that if and Coimbatore districts. all the black money the politicians had The Haasan strategy, therefore, is amassed was pumped back into the to rely on a mix of the traditional barn- economy, it would really make Tamil storming tour in select pockets and an Nadu a better place. Taking barely extensive digital campaign relying on veiled potshots at the time-tested strat- television and social media. Besides egy of political parties to lure voters the TV channels, the MNM will be with bribes, he said the MNM cadre reaching out to voters through focused would make door-to-door visits to messages to students, farmers, house- “wake people up to the new political wives and other groups. Again, it plans hope. We’ll tell them that they deserve to ensure viewership for the ‘e-public not just the Rs 5,000 (per vote) but meetings’ through call and messaging also welfare benefits worth Rs 5 lakh (from the government)”. Unlike other actors pitching to be MADURAI MANNAN politicians and hoping for instant elec- Kamal’s convoy on the roads of toral success, Haasan has pursued his Madurai after the launch of the goal through assiduous party-building MNM’s poll campaign

14 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 as equals. It’s a universal truth, whether voicing support for the grama sabhas general secretary handling IT, data you are Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and grassroots-driven administration and research besides preparing the or even Seeman,” he says. Then there are a welcome change,” says Jayaram election manifesto. Sources say good are other deal-breakers such as Rajini’s Venkatesan, founder trustee of Arapp- governance, eliminating corruption, ‘spiritual politics’ and support for Prime or Iyakkam (‘The Good Fight’), a participatory democracy and women’s Minister Narendra Modi versus Haasan’s Chennai-based advocacy group work- empowerment will be the focus areas. acknowledged atheism and trenchant ing on police, judicial, electoral and But that alone may not be enough. “As criticism of Modi. administrative reforms. “That said, he an outstanding actor, Kamal has high “The MNM’s strength is Kamal and should reveal the changes in policies visibility and his statements on issues his brand of Left-leaning, anti-estab- and implementation that he would are learned and mature. But his politi- lishment politics, which is not rooted bring if voted to power.” cal base is still very weak,” says bureau- in Dravidian or traditional electoral For this, Haasan has turned to doc- crat-turned-civil society leader M.G. identities. Everything else, including his tor-turned-IAS officer Santosh Babu, Devasahayam, adding that the MNM communication skills, is a weakness,” who recently took voluntary retirement. cadre appear to be well informed on say political commentator N. Sathiya The former Tamil Nadu information people’s issues but there’s still a ques- Moorthy. “If Rajini’s one-liners—saying technology secretary will be the party’s tion mark over whether they have the something without ever saying enough— strength and coherence to carry forward always leave you hanging, then Kamal’s IN THE 2019 LOK a meaningful agenda. long-winded speeches and even his Others point to more chinks in tweets appear to be products of an equal- SABHA ELECTION, Haasan’s armour. “He still does not ly confused mind. He is unable to convey KAMAL HAASAN’S discuss issues, and without speaking his ideas with brevity or clarity.” MNM CONTESTED about the issues affecting the lives of Still, there are many who feel that 37 OF THE 39 SEATS, people he cannot go beyond stage- what distinguishes Haasan from the BUT MADE NO SORT managed speeches. He appeals to mid- pack are his thoughts about transform- OF IMPACT, POLLING dle-class morals, but then the middle ing Tamil Nadu. “His concerns about ONLY 3.7% VOTES class itself has moved away from them. corru ption, promises about transpar- Even now, Kamal’s appeal is the stron- ency and accountability in governance, gest among the urban youth, but then how many of them will turn out to vote?” asks Manivannan.

JAISON G. JAISON Meanwhile, the rise of the new actor-led parties is raising ques- tions about how they may affect the Dravidian core of identity politics in Tamil Nadu. As Manivannan puts it, “If you consider that the DMK represents Dravidian identity, there will be a few dents. But the Dravidian movement is much stronger at the civil society level. In fact, the real challenge to these actor-turned-politicians comes from Dravidian civil society, because people here perceive non-party political forma- tions as a provocation.” Analysts also argue that, tradition- ally, the DMK and AIADMK together have polled around 80 per cent of the vote and that the realignment of votes is only within the remaining 20 per cent. “This time, unless there is an [unlikely] event on election-eve that tilts the balance in favour of, say, Rajini, chances are that the reign of [one of] two Dravidian majors will continue,” says Moorthy. n

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 15 UPFRONT

RAJASTHAN A WAKE-UP CALL FROM THE WILD By Rohit Parihar

ne of the scores of camera sparking human-animal conflicts. traps inside Rajasthan’s Ranthambore has long been a TIGER FRONTIERS Ranthambore National hunting ground for poachers. In April Park clicked a photo- 2018, two tiger cubs there died after 9,600 O graph early December eating a bull suspected to have been that shocked both wildlife officials and poisoned by poachers. This April, SQ. KM activists. It showed a tiger struggling forest staff arrested poachers found Total protected forest area in Rajasthan, in a wire snare. The big cat was imme- cooking the meat of a wild animal. In about half the minimum 5% geographical diately tracked down by officials, tran- February, camera traps caught poach- area each state is required to have quilised, rescued from the snare and ers carrying a beheaded chinkara. released into the forest. Forest and police officials who went The incident has served as another to arrest the suspects were attacked MAJOR TIGER/ LEOPARD RESERVES wake-up call for the state’s wildlife by villagers with stones, leaving Jhalana Sariska Tiger Reserve establishment, a grim reminder of the six members injured. Soon after, Leopard Safari Alwar poaching activity inside the 1,334 sq. Rajsamand MP and National Tiger Jaipur 75 sq. km 881 sq. km km national park in Sawai Madhopur, Conservation Authority (NTCA) arguably India’s top tiger reserve. Acting member Diya Kumari demanded an Jawai Bandh Leopard promptly after this incident came to inquiry into the claimed disappear- Conservation Reserve light, Shruti Sharma, Rajasthan’s prin- ance of 26 tigers from Ranthambore Pali cipal chief conservator of forests, issued over a decade or so. 20 sq. km a red alert across the state, cancelled leaves of forest field staff till February, FREE RUN FOR POACHERS and ordered heavy patrolling. Sharma Rajasthan’s worst poaching catas- RAJASTHAN said a few poachers were arrested on trophe was in 2005 when the entire December 5 for hunting down a sambar tiger population of Sariska reserve in the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. in Alwar was reported to have been Rajasthan’s three national parks wiped out. The problems with wild- (Ranthambore, Keoladeo and life management in the state, how- Mukundra Hills) have 69 tigers, as per ever, are not limited to tigers. On the 2018 tiger census, of which 52 are December 12, over a week into the red Mukundra Hills Ranthambore in Ranthambore alone. Officials say the alert against poachers, forest officials National Park National Park park has a high adult tiger population produced Meetha Lal Meena, a villag- Kota-Jhalawar Sawai Madhopur and younger tigers have been ventur- er from near Ranthambore, in court 760 sq. km 1,334 sq. km ing afar in search of new territories, for allegedly killing a wild boar inside

16 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 RISING THREAT A tiger family in Ranthambore; (inset) a camera trap image of the tiger with a wire snare around its neck

the reserve two days ago. In Barmer villagers have questioned the move to district, on December 11, forest minis- shift them when VIPs, tourists and ter Sukhram Bishnoi’s son Bhupendra hoteliers continue to be wooed to the Bishnoi joined protesters demanding area. Sariska gets fewer tourists than action against officials suspected of con- Ranthambore, but requires rigid moni- niving with a poacher, who had been toring because of the movement of apprehended on December 3 with arms locals. Experts say the delay in reloca- and a chinkara carcass. In April, the tion of tigers has disturbed their gender remains of three chinkaras were seized ratio in Sariska—currently one male from four poachers in Jaisalmer district. tiger to eight females. However, reloca- tion poses major risks to big cats. In STAFF SHORTAGE 2019, a male tiger shifted to Sariska was “I doubt if the red alert will be effec- tranquilised for a tumour surgery and tive because even 10 days later, the died soon after. Among the suspected suspects in the tiger poaching attempt reasons for the death are heat stroke and [in Ranthambore] have not been tranquiliser overdose. Eight of the 11 identified,” says Simrat Sandhu, mem- tigers shifted to Sariska since 2008 have ber, Rajasthan Wildlife Board. Her had untimely deaths. In 2018, tran- CHANDRABHAL SINGH apprehensions may not be out of place. quiliser overdose killed a tiger that had Monitoring of wildlife and poachers by strayed out of Ranthambore park. the forest department is constrained by an acute manpower crisis—3,642 of SPECIALISED VETS NEEDED 3 the 9,980 sanctioned posts are vacant. The lack of expertise in handling big national parks in the state In 2017, the erstwhile Vasundhara cats is most glaring in the absence of (Ranthambore, Keoladeo and Raje government sanctioned Rs 100 vets qualified and trained for the job. Mukundra Hills). Notifications to crore to set up a monitoring system, Usually, vets on wildlife duty hold uni- declare the Desert and Sariska using watch towers and thermographic versity degrees in livestock and poultry. sanctuaries as national parks cameras. Of this, Rs 50 crore has been In most states, forest departments take pending because of existing spent on erecting 50 towers in the them on deputation and put them on human habitations Ranthambore, Sariska and Mukundra the job after short trainings in wildlife. Hills reserves and the leopard reserves Sreya Guha, principal secretary (forest at Jhalana in Jaipur and Jawai Bandh and environment), Rajasthan, says the 25 in Pali. Private agencies and NGOs have forest department has only six vets on wildlife parks in Rajasthan, been roped in to analyse the camera deputation, against a requirement of 23, six conservation reserves images. An additional Rs 45 crore was and no assisting staff when 33 are need- to be spent on the project over the years ed. Only one vet in the state is consid- till 2021, but the Ashok Gehlot govern- ered an expert in tranquilising big cats. THE HUMAN COST ment cut off funds on grounds that the In October last year, the Union min- project would serve no useful purpose. istry of environment, forest and climate » Shifting 61 villages out of the 1,113 “The project seems ill-conceived, the change instructed the NTCA to deploy sq. km Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) in sole purpose being to release funds to a vet in every tiger reserve. However, Ranthambore could create space for some NGOs. It has not helped nab any there has been little action on this in 25 additional adult tigers. Moving out poacher,” says Sandhu, who adds that Rajasthan, where even the animal hus- 29 villages from the Sariska CTH can officials are not held accountable for bandry wing is short of vets. This April, add 10 adult tigers to the existing popu- wasting money on half-baked projects. the Central Zoo Authority, out of fear lation of 13. Governments are wary of displacing people for fear of losing their She cites the death of two tigers and of Covid, directed all its 160 zoos to support—and vote. Relocation means a few cubs in July-August after their train vets in zoonotic diseases. Jaipur’s loss of livelihoods and access to forest ‘hasty’ relocation from Ranthambore to Nahargarh zoo has lost eight big cats resources, which makes it a very sen- Mukundra in 2018-2019. since September 2019 to leptospirosis. sitive issue, with political consequenc- The proposal to have a founder pop- Guha calls for a dedicated vets wing in es. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, on ulation of 20 tigers in Sariska, mostly the forest department, with training in December 15, sanctioned Rs 3.28 crore through relocation from Ranthambore, wildlife. Holistic wildlife conservation, to speed up relocation from Sariska got held up midway due to the delay she says, will require the state to look in shifting 26 peripheral villages. The beyond merely tackling poachers. n

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 17 UPFRONT

ON THE GROUND Shivraj Singh Chouhan inspects a public services centre at the Bhopal Collectorate, Nov. 23

Most works departments, except for public health engineering (PHE), have failed to get even half of their approved projects started. The PWD (public works department) budget, which stood at Rs 3,562 crore in 2019-20, has been slashed to Rs 1,687 crore. Bills worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore towards mainte- nance of roads, government buildings and bridges and construction of new roads are pending at the treasury. In the run-up to the assembly by- polls held in November, projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore were announced in the Gwalior-Chambal region. None of these has made any headway. On the revenue side, inflows through excise, transport, MADHYA PRADESH state GST and VAT on fossil fuels were badly hit in the first three months of the financial year due to Covid. Revenues are showing signs of recovery, riding on DIVERSIONARY CLEAN-UP the back of spending in the wedding and agricultural season. “By the end of the By Rahul Noronha financial year, we are confident that indi- rect tax collections, along with GST loss adhya Pradesh chief min- with sections of the bureaucracy saying compensation, will almost be the same as ister Shivraj Singh Chou- it’s a drive designed to divert attention last year,” says a state official. MP collects han convened a meeting of from the slump in development works around Rs 36,500 crore through state Mtop officials on December forced by budgetary cuts. GST and VAT on fossil fuels, which are 11 to discuss the strategy for a narcot- Almost all departments have suffered at unprecedented high levels right now. ics crackdown. The meeting followed budgetary cuts due to low revenue re- The local media has been highly sup- a woman’s arrest in Indore on charges alisation and diversion of funds to fight portive of the anti-mafia drive. A year of supplying narcotics at parties and to Covid. Also, Chouhan has announced a ago, then chief minister Kamal Nath had students. Officials were nevertheless Rs 4,000 annual support for marginal launched a similar operation. It began puzzled about the drive since MP, un- farmers. Addressing farmers in Bhopal with a campaign against food adultera- like Punjab or the Northeast, does not on December 15, he gave an insight into tion and turned into a campaign against face the problem of rampant drug abuse. his ongoing plans: “Aajkal apan toofani Indore-based journalist Jitu Soni, who Chouhan has called for action against hain, jahan gadbad ho, wahan tod do was linked to a honeytrap scandal. all sorts of anti-social elements, with (I’m in action mode these days; See some- Not surprisingly, the Congress is an apparent special focus on organised thing wrong? Smash it).” supporting the crackdown. “The Kamal crime. The police have been told to go af- Nath government started the anti-mafia ter land-grabbers and betting syndicates. operation. We will be happy if people’s A drive has been ordered against food “I’M IN ACTION MODE rights to water and health are ensured adulteration in the Gwalior-Chambal THESE DAYS. SEE and the farm loan waiver is completed region. Chouhan says a central govern- SOMETHING WRONG? by the BJP government,” says Congress ment report has indicated significant SMASH IT,” SAYS CM spokesperson Abhay Dubey. The state’s drug abuse in 15 of the state’s 52 districts. CHOUHAN finances weren’t too good last year ei- However, there is much speculation over ther. Has the BJP government taken a the timing of this clean-up campaign, leaf out of the Congress book? n

18 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020

COVER STORY BANKING FIXING THE BANKING MESS Public trust in India’s banks has been shaken by all the bad news about bank failures, misgovernance and a gargantuan Rs 9.4 lakh crore pile of bad debts. How to avert the impending catastrophe

By M.G. ARUN, SHWWETA PUNJ & ANILESH S. MAHAJAN Illustration by NILANJAN DAS

COVER STORY BANKING

ndia’s banking sector is frequently under the spotlight, and usually for unflattering rea - sons—from an insupportable pileup of loans gone bad (non-performing assets or NPAs in banking parlance) to outright fraud to cronyism or worse. The rot is endemic, has hit banks small and big—including some well-regarded names—and is by no means limited to the public sector. If government-owned banks like Punjab National Bank (PNB) and State Bank of India (SBI) have embarrassed themselves, names like YES Bank and ICICI Bank in the private sector have also made headlines for the wrong reasons. The list of banks of dubious honour is long, including, most recently, Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LV Bank), which the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) had to step in to bail out. The Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated the crisis by another order of magnitude, with the government-mandated moratorium on interest payments (it expired in September) and state-guaranteed loans threatening to further increase the already Ihumongous NPA pile (at Rs 9.4 lakh crore as of June 2019, nearly four times India’s health budget). This has created an unprecedented crisis of capital in the banking system. ` It’s not a crisis thegovernment or the central bank have missed or ig- nored, but the proposed solution, many experts fear, could lead to a fate even worse than the current problem. An RBI internal working group 166LAKH CRORE has suggested an amendment to the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, to allow large corporate houses to become bank promoters. Broadly, those SIZE OF THE INDIAN in favour argue that this is a way of recapitalising the banking system, BANKING SECTOR and possibly the only way to fund India’s growth ambitions, while those ranged on the other side flag the risks of ‘connected lending’ (a phenom- enon where banks promoted by existing corporate houses with other businesses end up favouring their own group businesses). It’s a knotty ` problem, and to correctly assess if privatising public sector banks is the panacea adherents of the idea think it is, we must first scrutinise the myriad co-morbidities of the larger banking system—including NBFCs 9.4LAKH CRORE (non-banking financial companies) and cooperative banks. TOTAL NPAs IN THE THE NPA/ NBFC QUAGMIRE INDIAN BANKING SECTOR In a report published on October 29, research consultancy Capital AS OF JUNE 2019 Economics issued a dire warning—that India’s banking sector, which had been in poor shape even before the pandemic began and suffered further balance sheet damage from the coronavirus crisis, warrants extreme concern. ‘[India’s banking] sector is entering a slow-burning crisis, where bad debts will eat into profits and restrict lending, hold- ` ing back recovery [through] the decade’, wrote economists Shilan Shah and Simon MacAdam. They predicted that, relative to its potential, the Indian economy would see one of the weakest recoveries among major 1.85LAKH CRORE THE AMOUNT BANKS LOST 22 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 TO FRAUD IN 2019-20 SATYABRATA TRIPATHY/ GETTY IMAGES

› COLLATERAL DAMAGE Depositors outside a PMC Bank branch in Mumbai after the RBI imposed restrictions on the bank economies. As much as 65 per cent of India’s banking in fiscal 2008 to 9.3 per cent in fiscal 2019; well-run sector in terms of deposits is state-owned, says RBI banks in the private sector tend to have gross NPAs data. Capital Economics reckons the sector was one of below 5 per cent. Bad debts constrain a bank’s ability the most unprofitable in the world in 2018-19. to continue lending: with its assets unable to gener- For over a decade since the global financial crisis in ate enough income, the bank’s ability to issue further 2008, sparked off by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, credit diminishes. “The challenge with public sector the Indian banking sector has been on a roller-coaster banks is that there are many internal organisational ride. To escape the crisis, India entered one of the most issues that are not being addressed or resolved,” says extravagant phases in its financial history—involving a splurge of central spending, a loose monetary policy to lower interest rates and aggressive lending by banks. This phase saw Indian companies take on big loans and amass assets in money-guzzling sectors like infra- structure and telecom. While the spending did lead to a quick recovery, over a longer term, it left the banking THE GOVERNMENT HAS INSTITUTED sector saddled with NPAs, eroded the health of public REFORMS IN PSBs TO IMPROVE sector banks (PSBs) and, as a consequence of the bad debt pile, led to sluggish lending. GOVERNANCE, UNDERWRITING, The problem of bad loans is certainly worse in the MONITORING AND RECOVERY, public sector. Of the total Rs 10.35 lakh crore worth of NPAs as of March 2018, 85 per cent or Rs 8.8 lakh RESULTING IN A REDUCTION OF NPAs” crore are on PSB accounts, with SBI alone account- ing for Rs 2.23 lakh crore (21.5 per cent) in 2017-18. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN Gross NPAs have risen from 2.3 per cent of total loans Union finance minister HOW HEALTHY ARE OUR BANKS?

Banks’ Bank Report Cards Return Profitability

profits assetson 10.4%

The performance of PSU Net cr) 9.4% High NPAs continue lakh 7.9% banks has been a drag on (Rs to impact the health 0.4 0.4% Return overall bank profits 97 of banks on -0.2 equity 88 Gross 4.2% FY17 -0.3 NPAs FY17 81 FY18 FY18 129 & FY19 -0.15% 2.5% FY19 -0.09% 118 Loans cr) 2.5% advanceslakh interestNet margin 111 (Rs cr) -2.8%-1.9%

lakh 166 Deposits (Rs 5.3% 152 -2.7% 6% NPAs cr) Net

142 assets

lakh 3.7%

(Rs Total S 220 K 90 N

A 2015-16 P B 150 2018- R 19

30 IV R

A O -70 T 240 30 TE 120 EC BA S

NK IC

S UBL P 160 130

Operating 30 170 2016-17 40-45 140 2017- profit

160 18 Net profit

80 110

150 The Bad 40 -90 Provisioning* Debt Pile 140 (Rs thousand 2017-18 crore)

30 2016- The provisioning for -5 17 *Funds set NPAs (setting aside funds aside to hedge

to hedge against losses) 2018-19 2015- against losses has a telling effect -10 16 Source: RBI

Losing Out Public sector banks have been ceding their dominance in deposits to private sector banks over the years Market share of deposits (%)

81.3 78.2 77.7 76.3 64.8

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 17.1 17.3 19.4 30.44 TANMOY CHAKRABORTY TANMOY 12.6

5.5 4.7 5.1 4.3 4.9

Graphics by by Graphics Source: RBI Public sector banks Private sector banks Foreign banks Note: Figures may not total to 100% due to rounding off

24 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 COVER STORY BANKING

Ashvin Parekh, a financial advisor. “The whole system April 2019, the Supreme Court struck it down, saying has been in gradual decay over the years.” the order exceeded the RBI’s authority. The Covid-19 crisis has made things worse. With Over the past four years, PSBs have written off the RBI announcing a moratorium on repayment of about Rs 6.66 lakh crore of bad debt, with the Centre retail loans in March, as well as the financial pres- repeatedly bailing them out—in her budget speech sure of the Centre’s Rs 3 lakh crore of collateral-free this year, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said loans, the stress on PSBs has increased manifold. The the Centre had infused about Rs 3.5 lakh crore into consequences of these will unfold over the next few PSBs in the past few years. A former PSB chief tells years—former finance secretary Subhash Chandra INDIA TODAY that there is an urgent need for structural Garg says NPAs resulting from the changes. “Else,” he says, “PSBs will coronavirus crisis could be as high remain a black hole into which tax- as Rs 10 lakh crore. This complicates payers’ money will have to be pumped a long-standing problem. In late in at regular intervals.” Nonetheless, 2015/ early 2016, to come to grips the Centre has said it will continue to with the NPA issue, the RBI, under support the banking sector—a state- then governor Raghuram Rajan, ment from the Prime Minister’s Office instructed banks to identify loans in July this year was explicit that the that could potentially turn sour, and government would take any necessary set aside capital to hedge against BANKS HAVE steps to do so. the possibility. This threw up bad Janmejaya Sinha, chairman (In- loans amounting to about Rs 10.4 TO SHARPEN RISK dia) of the Boston Consulting Group lakh crore, but as a side-effect of this MANAGEMENT AND explains that a major issue is credit clean-up, banks became wary of lend- supply, saying, “The real challenge for ing. Sanjeev Kapoor, a Delhi-based RAISE CAPITAL ON the Indian economy is the need for chartered accountant, says he has AN ANTICIPATORY more credit. [India’s] credit-to-GDP been advising his clients to keep their ratio is about 60 or 70 [per cent], money in established banks even BASIS. THEY HAVE TO while the ratio for China would be if they are giving lower returns on REMEMBER THE OLD double that. We need a more robust fixed deposits because, he says, this and vibrant banking sector to improve indicates they are not desperate for SAYING THAT CARE credit flow.” According to Viral deposits and, therefore, are in good Acharya, former RBI deputy governor, financial health. “We will know the AND DILIGENCE India’s credit-to-GDP ratio is 56 per actual state of banks in March, but BRING LUCK” cent; in China, it is in the 150-200 per defaults have already begun. I don’t cent range. And as the economy recov- know what other regulations will SHAKTIKANTA DAS ers from its worst recession in decades, come in on withdrawals.” RBI governor access to credit will be crucial. The RBI has since made several The stress in the banking sector interventions to address the NPA has taken its toll on NBFCs as well, mess. These have not always had the desired effect. which accounted for 30 per cent of all retail loans in fis- For instance, on February 12, 2018, under governor cal 2019. The RBI’s annual inspection report for 2014- Urjit Patel, the RBI set a six-month deadline for banks 15 red-flagged infrastructure funding firm IL&FS to resolve NPA cases valued at Rs 2,000 crore or (Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services), whose more, failing which they would have to immediately net-owned funds had been wiped out. On October 1, refer such cases to the NCLT (National Company 2018, the Centre replaced the board of the beleaguered Law Tribunal) for insolvency proceedings. This order, firm in an attempt to calm financial markets after it which required banks to report a default to the RBI defaulted on its loans. Though the government tried to for even a single day’s delay in repayment, was widely stabilise matters by appointing a six-member board led criticised, with several petitions filed in courts across by Uday Kotak, chairman of Kotak Mahindra Bank, the country, mainly from companies in the power, the ripple effect of IL&FS’s fall shook the entire sector, textiles and shipbuilding sectors. Petitioners alleged triggering defaults by other major NBFCs such as that the RBI order did not consider sector-specific Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL), which also issues and that it was arbitrary and discriminatory; in went into insolvency; its promoters were arrested in a

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 25 BANK FRAUD: CHINKS IN THE ARMOUR As much as 80 per cent of bank frauds took place in state-owned banks

Number of frauds Fraud amount (At end-March; Rs crore)

Advances Card/ Internet Deposits 3,606 2,059 1,866

876

2,525 757 695 691 2,251 2,322 1,372 2,125 1,191 593 845

903

809

64,548 457 437 110 22,558 20,561

17,122 17,368 71 52 40 148 42 2017-18 2017-18 2017-18 2016-17 2016-17 2016-17 2014-15 2014-15 2014-15 2018-19 2018-19 2018-19 2015-16 2015-16 2015-16

Figures for frauds of Rs 1 lakh and above. The figures reported by banks and financial institutions are subject to change based on revisions filed by them. Frauds reported in a year could have occurred several years prior to year of reporting. Amounts involved reported do not reflect the loss incurred; depending on recoveries, the incurred loss reduces. Further, the entire amount involved is not necessarily diverted. Source: RBI

MISGOVERNANCE/ CRONY CAPITALISM THE CHALLENGE WITH PUBLIC SECTOR The debacles in the NBFC segment and the YES Bank, BANKING IS THAT THERE ARE MANY PMC Bank and LV Bank crises have rattled public faith in the banking system. Looking at the litany of high-profile INTERNAL ORGANISATIONAL ISSUES, cases—Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, both facing extradi- tion charges in the UK for financial crimes in India; the NONE OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY BEING case relating to former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Koch- ADDRESSED OR RESOLVED” har and Videocon; that of DHFL’s Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, who are both facing money laundering ASHVIN PAREKH charges along with former YES Bank chairman Rana Financial advisor Kapoor; and HDIL’s (Housing Development and Infra- structure Limited’s) Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan, who are facing charges of conniving with the PMC Bank money-laundering case related to YES Bank. management to swindle depositors’ money—it is clear as As part of its Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus announced in daylight how crony capitalism besets the banking sector. May, the Centre said Rs 45,000 crore would be infused These stories also lend credence to worries about the RBI into NBFCs through a partial credit guarantee scheme. working group’s proposal to allow corporates with other Industry players say this has not yet had the desired effect business interests to become bank promoters. because NBFCs do not have the size or the capacity to use In July 2018, Parliament passed the Fugitive Eco- it—they tend to rely on term loans to raise funds. They nomic Offenders Bill, in an attempt to prevent perpetra- also stand the risk of their existing debt going bad. S.S. tors of big financial fraud from fleeing the country. While Mundra, an independent banking expert, says given the the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi challenges the NBFC sector has seen in the past two or continue to dodge government efforts to bring them to three years, regulators should consider scale-based regu- justice in India, the bill is expected help the government lation; a one-size-fits-all approach does not work with confiscate the properties of these fugitives even before NBFCs of different sizes. they are convicted. But even after this, in August this

26 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 COVER STORY BANKING

year, the RBI annual report said banks had lost Rs 1.85 lakh crore as a result of fraud in fiscal 2020, a 28 per INDIA’S CREDIT-TO-GDP RATIO IS cent increase over the previous fiscal year. As much as ABOUT 60 OR 70, WHILE THE RATIO FOR 80 per cent of these losses affected state-owned banks. According to Mohit Bahl, a partner in the KPMG CHINA WOULD BE DOUBLE THAT. WE NEED Cyber JV-India, Singapore & Indonesia, there are three types of activities necessary to prevent such fraud. One A MORE ROBUST AND VIBRANT BANKING set includes banks assessing their current exposure SECTOR TO IMPROVE and identifying fraud risks under trade-based lending activities—this relates to the risks that led to the Nirav CREDIT FLOW” Modi-PNB scam. The second is a transformation of JANMEJAYA SINHA banks’ internal audit functions, while the third is the Chairman (India), development of a fraud-risk assessment framework Boston Consulting Group as an integral part of a bank’s control framework. In the first case, it is essential to assess all transactions across a bank’s network that may have used the modus operandi seen in the scam. Then, all overseas branches/ some said the RBI had been too busy fighting inflation regions that may be impacted need to be identified, fol- to uphold other aspects of its mandate as a banking lowed by a review of the documentation and processes regulator and a protector of consumers. In the case of followed in these transactions. Next, banks should the PNB fraud, many are baffled that even the RBI’s assess their existing internal controls to monitor trade auditors could not identify the scam. While the central transactions, as also the role of bank staff and to inves- bank has been refining its regulatory and supervisory tigate any collusion or negligence, including of compli- architecture in the light of cases that have surfaced, it ance with job rotation guidelines. still has a long way to go, say experts. Observers say the frauds point to a systemic failure, which could have been addressed to some extent if the THE CO-OP BANKING MESS Centre had chosen to implement some of the recom- The crisis at PMC Bank, which jeopardised the mendations of the P.J. Nayak committee on governance deposits of hundreds of thousands of customers, has issues in banking, submitted to then RBI governor Ra- raised questions about slack corporate governance and ghuram Rajan in May 2014. Although allegations of nexuses between bank as many as 82 structural interventions directors, politicians and businesses. had been recommended, only six or In the PMC Bank case, real estate seven have been implemented so far. company HDIL was a major benefi- Auditing needs to be strengthened ciary of poor governance—the bank’s at all levels—internal, external and at now-suspended managing director, the RBI. Bahl says to improve internal Joy Thomas, reportedly admitted that audits, it is important for banks to PMC Bank’s actual exposure to HDIL reassess their coverage and components 65PER CENT was over Rs 6,500 crore, four times (including execution)—these include in- the cap fixed by the RBI and over 70 ternal, IT, concurrent and management OF INDIA’S BANKING per cent of the bank’s assets of Rs audits, etc—to bring them in line with SECTOR IN TERMS 8,880 crore. (RBI guidelines limit a dynamic risk assessment and changes OF DEPOSITS bank’s exposure to a single entity to 15 in regulations. Also, a centralised IS STATE OWNED per cent of its assets.) This also raises transaction-monitoring unit that trig- questions about why such a gross vio- gers early warnings for reconciliation lation of RBI norms went undetected bypasses, inadequate margins, breach by the regulator for so long. of guidelines etc, needs to be deployed. As per RBI data, there were 1,551 The existing internal audit structure urban cooperative banks in India and allocation of roles and responsibili- in 2018, down from 1,926 in 2004, ties need to be enhanced to improve 59.8PER CENT highlighting the high risk of failure of overall functioning and set up real-time these banks. Often started with small management reporting frameworks. THE MARKET SHARE capital bases—as little as Rs 25 lakh— After the PNB scam came to light, OF PSBs IN LOANS IN these banks frequently become victims 2020, DOWN FROM 74.3 PER CENT IN 2015 DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 27 COVER STORY BANKING

THE PROBLEMS THE THE SOLUTIONS Ô Unprofitability. Indian banks are among the Ô Reduce government stake in most unprofitable in the world. Almost half BANKING banks to less than 50 per cent of India’s banks were loss-making in 2019, Focus on innovation and according to Refinitiv data Ô PANDEMIC differentiation using technology Ô High NPAs. Worth Rs 10.4 lakh crore as of Reform HR practices in 2018, they severely constrict lending ability Ô banks——from the constant Ô State ownership. Over 70 per cent of banks rotation of CEOs to giving are state-owned, more than in most banks ggreater flexibility in hiring emerging markets decisions. This means giving PSBs greater autonomy Ô Governance and HR issues. PSBs hhave CEOs on rotation, fewer incentives, leess Ô Set upu a ‘bad bank’, as some hiring flexibility to attract top talent economistsm advise, to buy bad loans of other banks and Ô Government obligations and interfeerence in financiala institutions. This will decision-making and running of bankss clean up the balance sheets Ô Covid-19. NPCI data and Macquariee Capital of other banks and free their research show that bounce rates on the NACH capital up for lending (National Automated Clearing House) platform Ô Mergge old private sector stood at 40% in volume at October-ennd banks tto reduce risks Poor credit outgo. India’s banks issue half of Ô Ô Convertv NBFCs with an asset what China’s banks do. Outstanding bank credit TANMOY CHAKRABORTY TANMOY size of overo Rs 50,000 crore has to double from Rs 95 lakh crore inn five into banksn years for India to become a $5 trillion economy

Illustration by by Illustration

of political interests and fraud. Being unlisted, most do talks about the buzz in the market about the “Rana not attract public scrutiny unless something goes amiss. Kapoor style of management”, saying it was apparent For instance, Dhananjay Khanzode, a Pune-based that trouble was brewing at YES Bank years before the depositor at Rupee Cooperative Bank and chairman of bubble burst. For PMC Bank depositors, the situation is the depositors’ association, has been fighting for access the same as it was a year ago, when the RBI took control to his savings and for those of hundreds of thousands of it. After the RBI placed restrictions on withdraw- of other depositors since withdrawal restrictions were als, depositors have spent the year protesting, but the imposed in 2013. Depositors have been allowed only a restrictions have remained and were recently extended one-time withdrawal of Rs 1,000, or up to Rs 100,000 to December 22, 2020. A former cabinet minister of the for medical purposes/ Rs 50,000 for education or mar- Modi government laments: “Who is standing behind riage. Khanzode held a business account with the bank; these deposits?” At stake in said deposits are the entire since restrictions were imposed, his businesses—Scon- life savings of some people. nexion Software and Siddhivinayak Construction—have collapsed. Depositors want to take the case to the high SHOULD THE STATE OWN BANKS? court; the hold-up is the pending merger of Rupee Co- The plethora of problems in public sector banks has led operative with Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. some to ask whether India still needs state-controlled The latest in the line of bank failures is the story of banks at all. Five decades after the nationalisation 94-year-old LV Bank. In November, the RBI imposed a of banks in 1969, when the Centre took control of 14 moratorium, capping withdrawals by account holders private sector banks, there is a growing belief that the and creditors at Rs 25,000. The RBI also announced government cannot run banks as commercial entities. a draft scheme to merge it with DBS Bank India Ltd, a In an article in the Indian Express on September 5 last wholly-owned subsidiary of DBS Bank Ltd, Singapore. year, former RBI governor D. Subbarao asked whether A former public sector banker, speaking on condition PSU banks are still needed. ‘Banks were nationalised of anonymity, says the collapse of LV Bank seemed in- 50 years ago in a different era, in a different context,’ he evitable eight years ago. Another banker from Mumbai wrote. ‘In the event, PSBs rendered commendable ser-

28 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 vice by deepening bank penetration into the hinterland “THE QUESTION IS, and implementing a variety of anti-poverty pro- grammes.’ However, those tasks have been executed, so HOW DO WE MAKE SURE it’s time to move on, he argued. ‘Do we still need PSBs? THAT CORPORATES DO NOT Isn’t the financial sector wide enough and deep enough to take care of financial intermediation without the CHANNEL FUNDS FROM government at the steering wheel? Aren’t there better THEIR BANKS TO THEIR uses for the government’s mind space and its time?’ In fact, PSBs have been losing market share to OTHER COMPANIES?” private banks. RBI data shows the market share of PSBs in loans dipped from 74.3 per cent in 2015 to 59.8 MADAN SABNAVIS per cent in 2020, while that of private banks surged Chief economist, Care Ratings from 21.3 per cent to 36 per cent. The government has approved the merger of 10 public sector banks into four, which, it says, could transform the competitive those owned by corporate houses, may be considered landscape, and will bring down the number of state- for conversion into banks, subject to completion of 10 owned lenders to 12. Subbarao, however, believes the years of operations and meeting additional criteria mergers ‘will contribute nothing towards engineering such as due diligence requirements. It also recom- a turnaround of the economy. Worse still, the adminis- mended that the cap on promoters’ stakes, in the long trative and logistic challenges of mergers will divert the run (15 years), be raised from the current 15 per cent to mind space of bank management away from their most 26 per cent of the bank’s paid-up equity capital. pressing task at the moment—of managing the NPAs RBI officials say the top 100 NBFCs (of the uni- and aggressively looking for lending opportunities.’ verse of 10,000 with assets of Rs 32 lakh crore between Those who argue for privatisation of PSBs also them) control 80 per cent of the assets. If some become point to the value some private banks have created over banks, the RBI will be able to directly lend them money the years. For instance, HDFC Bank became only the and they will also be able to raise deposits from the third Indian firm after Tata Consultancy Services and public. “It will also free up space for NBFCs, and better Reliance Industries to cross the $100 billion mark in and more necessary regulations for the sector could be market capitalisation, on November 12 this year. At put in place,” points out Raman Aggarwal, area chair over Rs 7.79 lakh crore, HDFC Bank’s market cap on of the Council for International Economic Under- December 16, 2020, overtakes that of all other PSU standing, a New Delhi-based think tank. banks’ m-cap (around Rs 4.88 lakh crore) put together. The RBI’s recommendations have kicked up a big debate in banking circles. Rajan and Acharya, who CORPORATE BANKING came down heavily on the proposal, wrote: ‘While the Is privatisation, then, the answer to the woes of the proposal is tempered with many caveats, it raises an im- banking sector? Experts say privatisation may have portant question: Why now? Have we learnt something benefits but, left unregulated, it can be disastrous. that will allow us to override all prior cautions on allow- While the crisis of capital in banking is hard to ignore ing industrial houses into banking? We would argue no.’ and the RBI working group’s recent suggestion to It is even more important today to stick to the tried and allow corporate entry can be defended citing those tested limits on corporate involvement in banking, they requirements, critics of the idea, such as ex-RBI gov- argued. The RBI has invited comments on the recom- ernor Raghuram Rajan and ex-deputy governor Viral mendations of its working group, and this window is Acharya, see this move as granting back-door entry open till January 15 next year. Sachin Chaturvedi, a to large corporates, which would be a paradigm shift member of the working committee that drafted the rec- from strict arms-length restrictions the RBI has so far ommendations, has said the overall aim was to provide maintained in this regard. capital to an economy that is aiming to grow to a size The RBI maintains that the proposed amend- of $5 trillion by 2024, to provide a greater avenue for ments in the Banking Regulation Act will prevent industrial houses in capitalising economic activity and connected lending and strengthen supervisory to give NBFCs a bigger role in providing capital. mechanisms for large conglomerates, including “The question is, how do we make sure that consolidated supervision. The RBI working group has corporates do not channel funds from their banks to also recommended that well-run large NBFCs, with their other companies?” asks Madan Sabnavis, chief an asset size of Rs 50,000 crore and above, including economist with Care Ratings. “Corporates operate

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 29 COVER STORY BANKING THE HALL OF SHAME

BEFORE DISCUSSING BANK PRIVATISATION OR ALLOWING PRIVATE Vijay Mallya Nirav Modi/ Rana Kapoor PLAYERS TO SET UP BANKS, Former Chairman, United Mehul Choksi Co-founder, YES Bank THE GOVERNMENT MUST Breweries and former Founder, Nirav Modi/ Promoter, The case. Arrested owner, Kingfisher Airlines Gitanjali Gems by the Enforcement BRING BACK THE FINANCIAL The case. Owes The case. In a Rs 14,000 Directorate in March RESOLUTION AND DEPOSIT Rs 9,000 crore to 17 crore scam (as of 2018), they 2020 in a money Indian banks; charged took credit from overseas laundering and banking INSURANCE BILL” with fraud and money branches of Indian banks fraud case involving laundering on the basis of fraudulent Rs 4,300 crore ILA PATNAIK Banks involved. SBI, Letters of Undertaking and Bank involved. Letters of Credit issued by Professor, NIPFP PNB, IDBI, Bank of India YES Bank and Bank of Baroda, PNB’s Brady House branch among others Bank involved. PNB a plethora of subsidiary companies. No one will know as a last resort, to liquidate them. However, the bill was which companies they will be lending to, or what the withdrawn because of controversy over a provision to ‘bail holding structures of those companies are.” Even in the in’ troubled banks—using uninsured depositor money to case of NBFCs operated by corporates, more often than infuse equity into them if a buyer couldn’t be found. not, they finance products from other group companies, Since the direct entry of corporates into the banking so there are chances that violations will happen. sector is likely to meet political opposition, an easier inter- If the RBI working group’s recommendations are ac- mediate step the government might consider is to allow cepted, it will be the first definite step towards the re-entry large NBFCs to enter the sector first. Some experts say that of corporates into the banking sector, after the final round allowing large NBFCs into the banking space will by itself of bank nationalisation in 1980. This may not happen afford the RBI better regulatory oversight of that segment. overnight—apart from parliamentary sanction of the pro- In 2016, the RBI had come up with an ‘on-tap’ model posed amendments, the RBI will also need to review the for universal banking licences, under which individuals regulatory oversight in place. The move could also prove to with 10 years of experience in banking and finance at a be a political hot potato, given the history of crony capital- senior level and NBFCs with a successful track of 10 years ism and outright fraud leading to massive NPAs. could apply for a licence, provided the entity had a mini- Ila Patnaik, a professor at NIPFP (the National Insti- mum paid-up equity capital of Rs 500 crore. Large indus- tute of Public Finance and Policy), who formerly served trial houses were kept out of scope. However, this model as India’s principal economic advisor, argues that before did not elicit much interest, a likely damper being the 15 beginning discussions on privatisation or corporate entry, per cent cap on promoters’ holdings. Allowing private pro- the Centre must bring back the Financial Resolution and moters to hold 26 per cent in banks could act as a trigger Deposit Insurance Bill (FRDI). Existing banking laws em- for at least a few NBFCs to get into the banking space. power the RBI to effect changes in bank management, or Following the recommendations of the P.J. Nayak impose moratoriums and recommend mandatory mergers. committee, a Banks Board Bureau was set up in the RBI In the cases of YES Bank, LV Bank, IDBI Bank and PMC in 2016. The big ideas were to end political meddling in Bank, these methods were invoked. In 2018, the NDA the appointments process and the functioning of bank regime withdrew the FRDI bill, after the limits on deposit boards, and to help build capacity to attract, retain and insurance became politically contentious. “With some nurture talent. But the recommendations fell flat. INDIA corrections, this bill needs to be [re-introduced],” Patnaik TODAY reached out to Nayak to try and understand why, argues. She says it would have empowered the RBI to set but he chose to not speak on the issue. Other members up an additional level of checks and balances for banking of the same committee said it was impossible to even supervision, such as an additional supervisor in the shape loosen government control, in any matter of note related of a resolution authority like the US Federal Deposit Insur- to PSBs—any corrective action or merger or even to get a ance Corporation, to take over failing banks and either run grip on NPAs. “This is the correct reform, but introduced them temporarily, sell them, infuse equity into them, or, at the wrong time,” says the same member. “There is a

30 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 Cases of swindling, cheating and money laundering have shaken up Indian banks, but they wouldn’t have been possible without misgovernance and conniving bank officials

Chanda Kochhar/ Rakesh and Sarang Kapil and Dheeraj Vikram Kothari Deepak Kochhar Wadhawan Wadhawan Promoter, Rotomac Former MD and CEO of ICICI Bank/ Promoters, HDIL Promoters, DHFL The case. Arrested Co-founder, NuPower Renewables The case. Arrested The case. Arrested by the in 2018 by the Bank The case. Chanda Kochhar is in October 2019 by the Enforcement Directorate Securities and Fraud Cell accused of abusing her official Economic Offences Wing (ED) in a cheating and of the CBI for cheating a position to approve a loan worth of the Mumbai Police for money laundering case consortium of seven banks Rs 3,250 crore for the Venugopal their alleged role in the registered against YES of Rs 3,695 crore; later Dhoot-promoted Videocon in 2012 Rs 6,000+ crore bank fraud Bank’s Rana Kapoor; the ED released on bail for a deal that involved NuPower in Punjab & Maharashtra pegs the proceeds of the Banks involved. A Renewables, her husband’s firm Cooperative (PMC) bank crime at Rs 4,300 crore consortium of seven Bank involved. ICICI Bank Bank involved. PMC Bank Bank involved. YES Bank banks led by Bank of India

need to ring-fence capital from corporates’ below 50 per cent. “Government-owned requirement for capital. This can easily be banks should work the same way Uday done through technology as well as stricter Kotak owns his bank. This will take care of regulations,” says Charan Singh, chairman of HR-related issues and create a spirit of com- Punjab and Sind Bank. petition,” he says. On the RBI’s suggestion of allowing corporates to set up banks, Sinha NEW-AGE CHALLENGES argues that if industrial houses can own Banks are the oxygen of the economy—they NBFCs, why not banks? He also argues that provide credit to businesses and individuals. industrial houses will not have the courage For the economy to grow, outstanding bank to fail depositors. There are others who say credit has to nearly double from the current THE that recent measures will soon bear results. Rs 95 lakh crore over the next five years. SUGGESTIONS According to a Business Today-KPMG Best For India to become a $5 trillion economy, Banks and Fintech study, which did an credit growth needs to be at 15 per cent a (OF THE RBI’s in-depth analysis of the financials of banks year for the next five years—it is currently for FY19, the worst may be over for India’s about 8-10 per cent. WORKING banks. Results suggest that the merger of A former public sector banker explains COMMITTEE) the 10 PSBs into four large banks will bring that credit outflow is integrated with how economies and other benefits of scale. The banks are run. Until now, even with multiple WERE MADE de-risking effort by ICICI Bank and Axis blueprints to reform PSBs, the pace of change WITH A VIEW TO Bank is also showing results, with asset has been slow. There needs to be a greater quality deterioration halting after almost appetite for risk—bankers are currently too SUFFICIENTLY seven years. wary of lending. As the primary stakeholder CAPITALISE THE The Indian banking sector has ex- in these PSBs, the Centre needs to play a panded considerably in the recent past, with leadership role. “Best practices flow from the $5 TRILLION new entities creating niches for themselves. top,” says a banker with a long career at the Small finance banks and fintechs are taking head of a PSB. The CEOs of PSBs are rotated ECONOMY deposits and lending—small finance banks every two years, and they report to both the TARGET” ended FY19 with advances of Rs 70,000 bank board as well as the government, which crore. As the Indian economy grows, the makes the job an administrative tightrope. SACHIN CHATURVEDI culture of credit must also evolve—today, Walking that tightrope also makes them risk- Member, entrepreneurs seek easy and fast credit. In- averse in a way not always good for business. RBI working committee dian banks, especially PSBs, need to quickly The BCG’s Janmejaya Sinha suggests get their acts together and either embrace the government bring its ownership in PSBs new-age banking or risk irrelevance. ■

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 31 DEFENCE CDS UNITED COLOURS OF ARMED FORCES

THE CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF AND THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS COMPLETE A YEAR IN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES. WILL INDIA GET THE INTEGRATED MILITARY STRUCTURE IT NEEDS?

By Sandeep Unnithan

ceptance and acceptability all around and structures are be- ing created for integration.” (See accompanying interview.) The idea of creating the post of CDS—a single-point military advisor to the government—was always a political one. It was first proposed in 2001 by the Group of Ministers appointed after the 1999 Kargil War, reiterated by an MoD (ministry of defence)-appointed committee of experts in 2016 and finally announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15 last year. The armed forces were opposed to it for reasons of inter-service rivalry. The post of CDS is independent India’s single-biggest military reform, one that will over the years A change how the armed forces are structured. Apart from being the CDS and the single-point mili- A row of Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17s, Indian Army tanks tary advisor to the government, General Rawat wears two in the Himalayas and a naval landing ship tank in the more hats. As the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Andamans. Three large photo frames hang on one wall Staff Committee, he is first among equals on a panel that of General Bipin Rawat’s spartan office in South Block, a includes the three service chiefs. And as Secretary, Depart- daily reminder of his task at hand. As India’s first Chief of ment of Military Affairs (DMA), he’s a file-pushing military Defence Staff (CDS), General Rawat has to get the army, bureaucrat heading a fifth department in the MoD. All these air force and navy—the world’s second, fourth and seventh responsibilities converge at a low-roofed, windowless 300 sq. largest, respectively—to work together as one unit. ft office on the ground floor of South Block. For an office that “Some years ago, we used to ask, ‘Why do we need a wields enormous power and responsibility, it has a remark- CDS?’” says General Rawat, with a smile. “Now, there is ac- ably modest setting. The room is smaller than the lounge

32 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020

LEADING FROM THE FRONT Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat with the three service chiefs, Gen. Manoj M. Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria in New Delhi CHANDRADEEP KUMAR

THE ROAD TO CONVERGENCE What the Chief of Defence Staff and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) have achieved so far

Ô Studies for theatre com- Ô Integrated Capability Ô Measures to Ô Common mands initiated. Maritime Development Plan increase the terms of communication Theatre Command (MTC) (ICDP) to manage engagement of armed protocols completed. National Air De- all armed forces forces personnel to for the three fence Command (NADC) and procurements. Defence reduce immediate services in Delhi. Northern, Western and Eastern Capital Acquisition Plan pension payouts and Information Commands underway. MTC (DCAP) with two- and cut down defence sharing, joint and NADC to be set up by 2022. five-year horizons. expenditure. briefings. where General Rawat met visitors when he was the army chief. The potted plants in brass containers and the red foot-mat outside—government code for an impor- tant office—break the monotony of a long corridor. Officers from the three services hurry past with files to be perused by the CDS’s one-star military advisor. This is the beating heart of a one-year-old military-bureaucratic machine set up to STRENGTH IN make the armed forces future-ready. SYNERGY Even General Rawat’s worst critics An army tank is loaded SAM PANTHAKY/ GETTY IMAGES PANTHAKY/ SAM will agree that the tasks before the CDS onto a naval landing and DMA are humongous. A one-year craft during a joint exercise in Gujarat review would hence only list what will largely be work in progress. “The office of the CDS is like a Ocean. This was in stark contrast to the Kargil War when one-year-old child who is still taking baby steps. It will take the army struggled for a month to get the air force to deploy time to stabilise,” says Lt General D.B. Shekatkar, who headed their fighter aircraft to support the ground offensive. “We the 2016 MoD committee that, among other things, recom- are very optimistic about the CDS and the DMA,” says Navy mended the post of CDS. chief Admiral Karambir Singh. “There are several instances Over the next few days, General Rawat is to prepare for where we have been able to take problems head on and move defence minister Rajnath Singh a report on ‘annual achieve- [forward] in terms of jointness.” ments in jointness during the year’. This, in all probability, will “Everybody was kept on board from the very beginning,” list some of his office’s most significant accomplishments over says General Rawat of the Ladakh standoff. He regularly vis- the year. These include kicking off three studies that will create ited the operations rooms of all three services for briefings. His the first of two integrated theatre commands—the National office is now pushing to integrate the three secure standalone Air Defence Command (NADC), followed by the Maritime communication systems used by the armed forces. The Air Theatre Command (MTC)—by 2021. Next is a plan to harmo- Force Net, the Navy Enterprise Wide Network and the Army nise the Rs 1 lakh crore worth of military hardware purchased Data Network link up all of a single service’s command head- by the armed forces every year. And finally, a drastic proposal quarters, bases and formations. But it is only in Delhi that these to increase the retirement age of armed forces officers to save three networks are linked. All three services will be linked pensions and give the government a brief budgetary respite. across the country once the Network for Spectrum (NFS) fiberoptic cable backbone is completed a few years hence. THE JOURNEY SO FAR General Rawat took over as CDS on the first day of a year that he DMA overcame the service bugbear that the has been a turning point in the nation’s history. The Covid-19 military was kept outside the edifice of MoD for pandemic saw a nationwide lockdown leading to an economic over 70 years. It took over all military responsibi- crisis. The sudden mobilisation of two divisions following T lities that were earlier performed by the Depart- incursions by China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) in ment of Defence, headed by the defence secretary. eastern Ladakh in May completed a near-unprecedented Among other issues, it looks after transfers, postings and convergence of health, economic and national security crises. promotions of one-star officers from the three services—tasks General Rawat listing his biggest achievement as getting the earlier performed by the civilian bureaucracy. The DMA is a three services “to talk to each other” might sound facetious. mix of civilian and military officials. The department includes But it must be seen in the light of what was, until last year, a five joint secretary rank officers—one from each of the three peculiarly siloed defence ministry. The military, the political services and two from the civilian bureaucracy. (Interestingly, leadership and the bureaucracy stood like the Ashokan Lion within the DMA, the armed forces officials are designated symbols of the Indian state—each looking in different direc- ‘Joint Secretary Equivalent’ or ‘Director Equivalent’.) A senior tions and rarely speaking to each other. military official says the DMA secretariat has speeded up file General Rawat says that the first test of a new structure, movement—the ultimate measure of government efficiency. where the stakeholders began to speak to each other, came “Earlier, it was almost a rule that files would come back with during the Ladakh border crisis. IAF fighter jets and trans- multiple queries; now it is no longer so,” says General Rawat. port aircraft were flown in almost immediately to support It is impossible to separate the persona of General Rawat the army while the navy stood mission-ready in the Indian from the post he occupies. Over the year in office, he has

34 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 DEFENCE CDS

stoked controversy, generated antipathy and inspired What- the Western, Northern and Eastern Integrated Theatre Com- sApp memes. There are jointmanship jokes, such as ‘all ser- mands are underway. All of these commands will be under vices now jointly loathe the CDS’. A former army commander, a future Chief of Defence Staff, but only seven or eight years who did not want to be named, terms his record “a mixed one, hence, says General Rawat. That is because, he adds, the mostly negative”. “He has initiated a few things, meddled in services don’t know enough about each other’s capabilities yet. a few things that were not his responsibility, earned a poor The MTC proposal puts the command under the Chiefs name for having become politicised and hasn’t been able to of Staff Committee and envisages the navy chief as responsible take all the services along with him,” says the officer. only for equipping, arming and training functions. General A senior government official calls the CDS “a great idea but Rawat believes it is too early for that to happen. “As of now, stuck with the wrong guy”. Another officer dismisses the DMA you cannot take away the responsibility of operations from the as yet another structure within the MoD: “Earlier, we had a service chiefs. How they will get integrated will be [taken care four-bedroom house, now we have a five-bedroom house.” An of] by a theatre commander. But the operational guidelines armed forces official calls General Rawat “bull-headed” but will come from the respective service chiefs, depending on the also agrees that “goody-goody guys never bring change”. theatre. In a land theatre, the army chief will be responsible for General Rawat shrugs off the criticism and is nonplussed conduct of operations. The air force chief will be responsible for about making enemies. “Dost toh sabhi air space management,” he says. ban jaate hain, lekin dushman humko General Rawat speaks about his satark rehne ki chetawni bhejte hain CDS post in third person, as though (Friends are easily made, but enemies anxious to not sound overbearing. He keep us alert),” he says. The angst, he THEATRE is generous with his praise of the three adds, comes from the love of inertia and service chief colleagues and believes that resistance to change. COMMANDS WILL the CDS should always be a four-star of- ficer because “a higher rank will disrupt THE REFORMS PLAN BE THE NEXT BIG the bonhomie we share”. “The CDS must Much of the recent furore comes from a be [made] strong enough by giving him DMA proposal to increase the retirement LEAP FOR THE power, but in decision-making. The deci- age of officers. General Rawat says the sion he takes must be implementable.” issue was “misread” as an attempt to cut ARMED FORCES. By mid-2021, General Rawat hopes pensions. The proposal was only aimed THE FIRST TWO to get government approval for a plan that at raising the retirement age of officers in will reassess how the armed forces buy the ranks of colonel, brigadier and major WILL BE UP BY 2021 military hardware. The Integrated Capa- general and their equivalent ranks—by bility Development Plan (ICDP) is aimed three, two and one year, respectively. This at equipping the forces and managing will defer payments in the short term and procurements. So far, the system was for make funds available for other priority areas, including in- the three service headquarters to submit their 15-year wishlists frastructure development. “I visualise the government going or Long Term Integrated Perspective Plans (LTIPPs). through a crisis over the next two-three years because of Covid. Importantly, LTIPPs were not linked to available bud- In a small way, we are helping overcome it by cutting down on gets or urgency. Proposals were worked on a first-past-the- the pension budget for some time,” says General Rawat of the post system, with the acquisition case that successfully proposal, which will be sent to the cabinet committee for ap- jumped through all the hoops making it to contract-signing proval for implementation in the next financial year. stage. The Defence Capital Acquisition Plan (DCAP) will Theatre Commands will be the next big leap for the review the five-year horizon and bring all services on a com- armed forces. Jointmanship, the military term for integrated mon capability development. This could see the CDS facing military operations with a common strategy, methodology opposition from the armed forces as he questions big-ticket and conduct, is the cement that will go into building the purchases. Does the navy, for instance, need a third aircraft military structures called theatre commands. These theatre carrier? Does the IAF need as many squadrons as projected commands, which will see the three services move out of their or there is a case for unmanned state-of-the-art aerial sys- 17 single-service commands into just five integrated theatres, tems becoming game-changers in future combat? will form the edifice of the reformed structure. “Any new plan to redo acquisitions needs to balance three The navy has just finished its study for the MTC, which issues—requirement of the hardware, financial capability to aims to knit together all tri-service military assets operating pay for it, and the feasibility of acquiring it,” says Lt General out of peninsular India and having a bearing on the maritime P. Ravi Shankar, former director general artillery. Clearly, domain. An IAF study on the NADC and an army study on questions needed to have been asked for several years now. ■

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 35 DEFENCE INTERVIEW BIPIN RAWAT

THERE WILL BE NO COMPROMISE In his first detailed interview after taking over as Chief of Defence Staff on January 1, GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT tells Executive Editor SANDEEP UNNITHAN about what his Department of Military Affairs (DMA) has achieved, the border standoff with China, his plans to transform the armed forces, the road ahead and the resistance to change.

Looking back at the past it was unduly delayed. With the CDS tion amongst the three services. year, what has been your coming into the picture, the three ser- biggest achievement as vices always kept everyone abreast of Q. How hopeful are you of a resolu- Chief of Defence Staff what was happening from the start. tion to the Ladakh standoff? (CDS)? There is hope of a resolution, but at Q We’ve been able to get all Q. Did the fact that the Indian Air the same time we must prepare for the the services on board on Force (IAF) was in theatre almost im- worst case scenario. Everybody wants the issue of integration. It has dawned mediately have something to do with a resolution, but we must not lower our on everyone that—to be combat- this information-sharing? guard and must be prepared for things effective—unless we operate together, Yes. Not just that, even the navy was not working out the way we want them we won’t be able to apply our combat raring to go and ready for any task. We to. It has been spelt out very clearly that power the way we should. It’s good to were able to coordinate the action and there will be no compromise. So if we have individually strong services, but it make sure everybody knew what the are not looking at a compromise, then shouldn’t lead to lopsided development other service is doing. To that extent, we there’s going to be a hardening (of posi- of one service. Finally, we have to realise were able to bring about unity in effort. tions). Everybody has been saying that that each service has to operate in a both sides should return to April 2020 synergistic, coordinated manner with Q. And this would not have been pos- positions—status quo ante. That’s the the other services. Wars are fought for sible without the office of the CDS? bottom line we’ve spelt out. ensuring territorial integrity, hence the The Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) that army is supported by other services to existed earlier wasn’t really empow- Q. Is there a deadline? How long are ensure victory on land. ered. If the army was doing something, you prepared to wait? whether they should even share that Both sides are preparing and con- Q. Within four months of taking with, say, the navy was left entirely to solidating. Finally, we don’t want a charge, you faced a crisis on the them. If the air force was doing some- permanently defensive line to be drawn. border with China. How did the office thing, whether the army or the navy Of course, negotiations will happen at of the CDS help in this situation? should be informed was completely left the political level—it is already happen- Earlier, there was hesitation on sharing to them. That’s not the case now. The ing at the military and diplomatic levels. information between the services or office of the CDS has brought coordina- Some resolution will be found because

36 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 BANDEEP SINGH you don’t remain in eyeball to eyeball Q. 2020 is perhaps the first year the this (two-front war) as something new. confrontation for years to come. Every- army has lost lives on both fronts— body talks of Sumdorong Chu (an In- LoC and LAC. Is the two-front war Q. Are you looking at greater collu- dian Army-PLA standoff in Arunachal you have spoken of finally a reality? sive action between both fronts? Pradesh in 1987) lasting seven years. We were always tasked for defending We worked out our methods to say That’s not the way we want to go. The our borders. And when you have un- how collusive [action] could happen climatic conditions in Sumdorong Chu settled borders on your north and west, and not happen, how much and how and Ladakh are very different. One has you don’t know which side the battle far one nation can go against an- to look at these issues. will commence and where it will end. other. How they would support…we’ve So you should be prepared on both worked out our contingencies, but yes, Q. Nine months into the standoff, fronts. How you want to deal with the some kind of collusive [action] should have you been able to figure out why fronts is [something] the leadership be anticipated. the Chinese did what they did? will have to decide, but to say you will Many theories are going around. I don’t not be prepared—we shouldn’t look at Q. Would it be greater than in the think it’s worth guessing. This (Chinese past? Has Xi Jinping altered the situa- incursion) has been going on over the tion greatly? years. Only that [in this case], the I don’t think so. It’s the same. number of face-off points increased. Yes, they must have come with some in- Some resolution (to Q. The economy has been severely tention, which we have analysed, but it impacted in 2020. As CDS, would you would be incorrect to come to a specific the standoff with ask for a hike in the defence budget? conclusion as to why this was done. China) will be found. We have sought additional funds, es- pecially for emergency purchases that Q. Do you believe the topmost Chi- You don’t remain in the services are making now. The gov- nese leadership was aware of this? eyeball to eyeball ernment has said funds will be made The Chinese would not have done available. The emergency purchases anything of this nature and magnitude confrontation for are not happening overnight. The without their leadership’s knowledge. years to come” funds flow is spread over years.

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 37 DEFENCE INTERVIEW BIPIN RAWAT

Q. How much additional funds have you asked for? We’ve given them (government) a ballpark figure, but I won’t like to com- ment on it. We’ve been promised [that funds] are coming. They are being HIGH VIGIL released based on our expenditure. An IAF jet flies over Leh, Sept Q. What has been the most signifi- 2020 BANDEEP SINGH cant achievement of the DMA? The most important part is looking at integrating procedures of the three services. We are trying to see com- By 2022, we will have the structures been talking about it—to allow citizens monality of purpose. Communication in place and the rollout will start. I to serve in the army; then they will be systems and a large part of our training expect air defence to roll out faster. The facilitated to find jobs elsewhere. are being streamlined. Gradually, we maritime command will follow next, by are moving to joint training, not only 2021, and by 2022, we will at least start Q. What are the savings through all at the officer level but the level of men the rollout of land-based theatre com- these measures? (soldiers). We’ve integrated in certain mands. It will take time to stabilise, but If we extend the retirement age, the gov- places. In Delhi, systems are talking we are confident the process will begin. ernment will have funds to support the to each other. When the Network for defence services, to help us move faster Spectrum (NFS) comes through, each Q. You don’t see any difficulty in car- with the creation of infrastructure. service will have a common system. We rying out reforms while the army is have, as a test bed, created three joint guarding unsettled borders? Q. When we met in February, you logistic nodes in Chennai, Mumbai and If we don’t integrate, there will be a had objections regarding the navy’s Guwahati, where common logistics are problem. Today, you are looking at a proposal for a third aircraft carrier. being done. Each service has its own northern theatre and a western theatre. Do those objections still stand given promotion boards and HR policies. We The northern theatre commander has the altered threat perception? are in the process of bringing about to be very sure as to what is avail- Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshad- commonality amongst the services. able to him, and how he is going to be weep—these are unsinkable aircraft resourced, and how he’s going to fight carriers. Today, there is so much visibil- Q. What about synergy of the if war is thrust upon us. The western ity on the battlefield, there is absolute three services? theatre commander must be very clear transparency—whether you use satel- Getting the three services to agree on how he is going to fight the war. He lites or drones or UAVs or any system. on integration has been the biggest must know how the army, air force and Anything which moves on the surface— achievement. Synergising activi- navy will support him. For example, even on land—is dead. Anything at sea ties, whether it’s training, logistics navy assets are now also being using on will get picked up. You’ve got fairly ac- or maintenance, and even foreign land, which we never did earlier. curate systems to bring down anything cooperation, are being looked at in an on land or at sea. So aircraft carriers are integrated manner. We are developing Q. There’s been a lot of controversy going to be vulnerable. One might say an Integrated Capability Development around your proposals to reduce they keep moving, but so does the chap Plan (ICDP) to equip the armed forces pensions and increase terms of ser- have the capability to keep you under and manage procurements. The ICDP vice. Are those still on the table? observation. Adversaries have systems will be unveiled soon. We are working We are not looking at reducing pen- that will target you based on where you on a Defence Capital Acquisition Plan sions; we are looking at age extension. are next. We need an in-depth assess- (DCAP). ICDP is going to be the pro- The proposal will go to the government ment of requirement of aircraft carriers, cess on how we do capability develop- soon and will have to be approved by grey hull ships, submarines and, above ment. The DCAP will look at acquisi- the CCS. We hope to get it by the next all, our ability to maintain all-round tions over the next five years. financial year. This is only to extend the surveillance and to target the adver- service for officers. There is some other sary’s sea-going vessels and aircraft. ■ Q. Are you on course to establishing scheme coming in for the men, referred To read the full interview, theatre commands by 2022? to as Tour of Duty. The army chief has log on to www.indiatoday.in

38 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 SPECIAL REPORT BJP IN THE SOUTH ANI

CHARGING AHEAD Union home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah at the Charminar in Hyderabad during the GHMC poll campaign, Nov. 28

n the 2019 general election, Karnataka was the only state in the south where the SAFFRON’S Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) notched up more than half the vote share (51.4 per cent). The five states in the region send SOUTHERN 129 members to Parliament, Iso it was no surprise that a concerted cam- paign was launched to enlarge the saffron footprint before 2024 and the next Lok SOJOURN Sabha election. The party also knew that for this to happen, leveraging the state assem- THE BJP CUSTOMISES PLANS TO bly election was crucial like it did in Karna- BREAK INTO THE BASTIONS OF THE taka in 2018 (it polled 36.2 per cent of the ENTRENCHED POLITICAL PARTIES vote and fell just nine short of the majority in the 224-seat house). BY AMARNATH K. MENON AND ANILESH S. MAHAJAN The BJP is not in a similar position in any other southern state but it is making deft moves to widen the support base and

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 39 SPECIAL REPORT BJP IN THE SOUTH

become a force in the state assemblies, all of which go to leaders were briefed to make common cause with the people the polls before 2024 (except for Andhra Pradesh, where on village- and district-level issues. Party flags were hoisted election is scheduled the same year as the general election). in the villages to register its presence. Long-term strategies differ, though, from one state to the Despite the stupendous efforts, the BJP won just one next. Social engineering by winning over select disadvan- seat in the 119 assembly constituencies, Goshamahal, the taged groups, taking on board their issues and espousing smallest of them all and in urban Hyderabad, creating the their cause, and the tried-and-tested poll booth-level com- perception that it was far from being a force. But even after mittees are common strategies. But to become a decisive the defeat, the party did not allow cadre enthusiasm to flag. presence, wooing and enlisting local political heavyweights Meanwhile, an opportunity presented itself when the death and influencers is essential, and that depends on the ground of a sitting TRS MLA forced a byelection to the Dubbaka realities in individual states. seat in November 2019. The BJP again mounted an aggres- In July 2019, soon after the Lok Sabha poll, the BJP ap- sive campaign, and this time, it edged out the TRS. pointed B.L. Santhosh as general secretary (organisation). Santhosh, a native of Udupi in Karnataka, had played a big he cadre were on a high and the BJP realised that role in the party’s rise in the state. He was now entrusted the win, even if by a narrow margin, would help with ‘Mission Kamalam’, the saffron party’s big push into the it in the impending GHMC polls for which it had south. The larger focus is, of course, 2024, but the build-up T already identified candidates. So when a jittery will use every poll leading up to the general election to build TRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) advanced the polls the cadre and enlarge the voter base. This means strengthen- by two months, the BJP knew they were on to something. ing the cadre down to the polling booth level, and in many Firebrand Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the party MP from KCR’s cases down to the level of panna pramukh or voter sheet native Karimnagar, who was inducted as state party presi- in-charge (who is assigned pages of the voters’ lists). While dent earlier in the year, relied on his RSS background and Tamil Nadu and Kerala head for the assembly polls in April- the clout of his community cohort among the OBCs (he’s a May next, Karnataka and Telangana are set for April and Munnuru Kapu), to optimise party poll prospects. November 2023, and Andhra Pradesh in April-May 2024. It enabled the BJP to improve its tally from four to 48, and ensure that no party got a clear majority in the 150-seat THE DECISIVE EDGE GHMC. With the passing away of another TRS MLA even In Telangana, the only other southern state where the before the GHMC poll results came in, the combative BJP BJP won four Lok Sabha seats—besides the 26 in Karna- began instantly planning for the impending bypoll for the taka in 2019—the recent Greater Hyderabad Municipal Nagarjunasagar seat, by trying to woo Raghuveer Reddy, Corporation poll (GHMC) results seem to suggest that a the son of Congress leader Jana Reddy, who had lost to the shift is already happening. A high-decibel campaign by TRS in the previous assembly poll. the BJP with several of its national leaders descending While roping in influential leaders and celebrities from on Hyderabad hit the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi other parties is a time-tested tactic, the BJP is also sending (TRS) hard. In an election that drew out its state-level leaders on yatras to less than half the electorate out on increase mass contact and attract the polling day, the TRS vote share (35.8 MISSION KAM- youth. In Telangana, the party’s target per cent) was only marginally better is to assume power after the next as- than the BJP’s (35.6 per cent). Signifi- ALAM’S LARGER sembly poll, due in November 2022. cantly, the BJP’s vote share was up by FOCUS IS 2024, To further its growth plans in the state, an astounding 25.2 per cent from the the RSS has posted Sunil Ambekar as previous election in 2016. BUT IT WILL USE the sah prachar pramukh based in Hy- When the TRS advanced the last EVERY POLL derabad. He was the ABVP’s national assembly election by about six months organisation secretary for over 15 years. to 2018 and resorted to Machiavellian LEADING UP TO tactics like poaching leaders, notably THE GENERAL MIXED MOBILISATION from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) But before Telangana, there are the as- and the Congress, to cripple the op- ELECTION TO sembly elections in Kerala and Tamil position and stifle criticism, the BJP Nadu, due in April-May 2021. After sensed that a space was opening up. It BUILD THE CAD- getting its first-ever MLA elected on a dispatched its cadre to the villages to RE AND ENLARGE BJP ticket in Kerala in 2016, the par- enrol members and assigned them to ty is bracing to become a reasonable distinct election booth panels. Local THE VOTER BASE force by cobbling together a coalition

40 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 Karnataka A LONG Telangana 2019 Lok Sabha 2019 Lok Sabha 28 25 WAY 17 4 51.4% AHEAD 19.8%

Christians and Muslims too. So it’s playing both sides in the Orthodox-Jacobite war over the ownership of 2018 Assembly 2018 Assembly churches among the Syrian Christian communities, 224 104 119 1 while also trying to exploit the power struggle in the 36.2% 7.1% Syro-Malabar Church among the Roman Catholics. The RSS has also set up an affiliate, the Rashtriya Christian Manch, along with a reoriented Rashtriya Muslim Manch, to focus on new supporters. The BJP and its NDA constituents have committees set up in 30,450 of the 34,780 polling booths across the state. A constituency-wise micro plan has also been drawn Kerala Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh up, with the party focus on Thiruvananthapuram, 2019 Lok Sabha 2019 Lok Sabha 2019 Lok Sabha Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Pal- 20 0 39 0 25 0 akkad and Kasargod among the state’s 14 districts. 13% 3.7% 1% The BJP also wants to capitalise on the disen- chantment among Christian leaders over the grow- ing influence of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in the UDF in Kerala. To this end, Chris- tian Rashtriya Manch chief and party spokesman Tom Vadakkan is rallying church leaders for a meet- 2016 Assembly 2016 Assembly 2019 Assembly ing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share 140 1 234 0 175 0 their concerns about minority welfare benefits be- 10.6% 2.9% 0.9% ing cornered by the Muslims and the alleged rise in ‘love jihad’ cases. “Through the special outreach programme, we have also explained every detail of the Citizenship Amendment Act to religious leaders and cleared their apprehensions about the flow of Total seats Won by BJP Vote share international funds to NGOs and church affiliates. These are being reviewed by concerned agencies on a case to case basis,” says Vadakkan. Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY A DAUNTING TASK of smaller parties. But it’s still some distance away from break- In Tamil Nadu, the BJP is trying to make space be- ing the see-saw control of the state which alternates between the tween two well-entrenched Dravidian parties—the Communists-steered Left Democratic Front and the Congress- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All led United Democratic Front. The local body election results India Anna Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). It has on December 16 will be of no help in this. The party made a few an alliance with the AIADMK and also in the works gains in the gram panchayats, but after a vitriolic social media is a plan to persuade superstar Rajinikanth to join campaign, did worse than expected even in RSS strongholds like hands with it. But it is also wary of Rajini—who is Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. expected to announce the arrival of his new party on The BJP’s plan in the past few years has been to project itself New Year’s eve—joining hands with actor-politician as a third alternative, playing the Hindutva card and raking up Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (see Up- sensitive issues like women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple. front: The Promise of Change). The NDA had in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll got a 15.6 per cent “We are watching their moves, but our focus is voteshare—the BJP 13 per cent, the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena on building the party across caste lines. The BJP is (a consolidation of the Hindu Ezhava community) 1.9 per cent and committed to Hindutva, development and national- Kerala Congress (P.C. Thomas faction) 0.8 per cent by improv- ism…that is how we explain it to voters,” says C.T. ing its vote tally in the Thrissur, Pathanamthitta, Attingal and Ravi, party in-charge for organisational affairs in Thiruvananthapuram constituencies. Having stunned Kerala by Tamil Nadu. To improve its presence, the BJP winning its first-ever assembly seat in 2016 (Nemom in Thiru- state president L. Murugan, a Dalit who was app- vananthapuram district), the BJP will be hoping to build on this ointed earlier this year, embarked on a month-long next summer. religious political roadshow, the Vetrivel Yatra. Apart from the Hindu consolidation, the BJP is wooing the Though it was a damp squib, Murugan claims the BJP

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 41 SPECIAL REPORT BJP IN THE SOUTH

will possibly win 50 of the 234 assembly seats (assuming that the YSRC. “Their policies are harming the state’s economic many will be offered to the saffron party in the seat sharing). growth,” he insists. With Murugan at the helm, the BJP also hopes to fend Currently, the BJP is soft on the YSRC, as it is a depend- off flak from the DMK about it being a party of Brahmins. able ally in the Rajya Sabha, but the state unit is building “In 2016, when we fought alone, we were second and third its support by poaching from the TDP besides allying with in 35 seats. Our votes made a difference to the results in 90 the actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena party that enjoys the seats,” claims Murugan, though the party got only 2.9 per backing of the Kapu community cohort. Influential Rajya cent of the total vote. After evaluating the constituencies Sabha members Y.S. Chowdary and C.M. Ramesh have de- that could be conducive to its interests, the BJP is focusing fected from the TDP to the BJP (they were being probed for on Coimbatore, Tirupur, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli financial irregularities by the Enforcement Directorate) and districts. Party president J.P. Nadda, after recovering from more are expected to desert the TDP ranks in a similar man- Covid, is expected to reach Chennai on New Year’s eve to ner. The party is already eyeing its prospects as the main launch a high octane campaign. This will be followed by challenger (dislodging the TDP in Naidu’s home district visits of other national leaders, following the template used Chittoor) in the upcoming Lok Sabha bypoll for the Tirupati in Hyderabad ahead of the GHMC polls. seat caused by the death of the incumbent YSRC member. “The BJP strategy is to try and drain the TDP cadre SLOW START even as the middle class vote shifts to it while also identify- Riding high on the success in Hyderabad, BJP na- ing a young leader like the firebrand Bandi Sanjay tional general secretary and Andhra Pradesh in- Kumar in Telangana to take the battle to the es- charge Sunil Deodhar has begun consultations to NEXT tablished parties,” says analyst Dr D. Balasubrah- find ways for the party to eat into the vote share of PITSTOP manyam. The RSS is working on other challenges BJP president the regional heavyweights, N. Chandrababu Naidu’s J.P. Nadda at a too. “It is building support for the BJP through Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the ruling Yuvajana rally on one of propaganda besides raising heat on issues such as Sramika Rythu Congress party of Y.S. Jagan Mohan his visits to the alleged rise in Christian proselytisation since Reddy. Deodhar claims the huge unemployment Chennai the YSRC took over,” says Ravi Komarraju, former in Andhra Pradesh is due to the ‘failed’ schemes of professor of political science, Andhra University. ANI the CM for the remaining 18 months. The problem is, the RSS isn’t keen on elevating Karjol. Yediyurappa, say the sources, has now promised a new succession plan in 2021, provided the BJP permits him to expand the cabinet to re- ward the erstwhile Congress and JD(S) MLAs who jumped ship and helped him become chief minister. For now, then, the BJP is focusing only on strengthening its grassroots operations which includes joining forces with the JD(S) discreetly to make inroads into south Karnataka. WANT TO TAKE ON While the JD(S) clearly will not let go of its advantage, they are power-hungry and are also seeing an erosion of their CM YEDIYURAPPA, base with many stalwarts leaving the party. JD(S) chief and ex-CM H.D. Kumaraswamy has already said that he would FEARING IT WILL be happy to share power with the BJP. The party has also ALIENATE THE LIN- supported the BJP on the farm reforms but stopped short on the saffron party’s pet anti-cow slaughter bill fearing a GAYAT COMMUNITY. revolt by its farmer constituency. BUT THEY WANT A The BJP’s aim is to win from 150-plus assembly con- stituencies next time and Yediyurappa will be integral to CHANGE IN LEADER- this. The BJP still wants to fight the next elections under SHIP BEFORE THE the “great leader” who honorably led the party to victory in Karnataka. For there is no other leader who is as popular NEXT ELECTION as Yediyurappa, and the party is fearful of alienating the Lingayats. The strategy is to consolidate the Lingayat vote bank in central and north Karnataka districts, appoint a new minister from among the Vokkaligas for south Kar- WIDENING REACH nataka besides enlarging the portfolio of Dr C.N. Ashwath In Karnataka, where the BJP is in office, the challenge is one Narayan, the deputy chief minister from the community. It of consolidation and expansion. It wants to end the reliance also plans to give 20 per cent of the party tickets in the next on Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in the next two years assembly polls to first-timer youth leaders. and make way for a new leadership. However, it has to be Among the BJP’s recent initiatives is a membership wary because taking on Yediyurappa in the absence of a drive across Karnataka through 600 virtual rallies in the suitable successor could be detrimental to the party’s inter- past three months; inviting OBCs and Dalits from the hin- ests. At the same time, it is expanding its base, especially in terland to RSS camps and providing them skill development the south Karnataka districts (Cauvery river belt) where it training; and appointing youth leaders from Karnataka for has yet to make inroads into the Congress and Janata Dal national roles in the party. So Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi (Secular) or JD(S) bastions. Surya is the now the Yuva Morcha president and C.T. Ravi “The BJP owes its rise in Karnataka to the JD(S) is national general secretary. because of its blunder in not handing over the reins to The national team of the BJP has many more faces Yediyurappa as agreed in 2007. This was considered a from the south. Besides Santhosh, there is D. Purandeswari betrayal by the state’s dominant community, the Lingay- (Andhra Pradesh), D.K. Aruna (Telangana) and A.P. Abdul- ats, who stood with him and voted him to power in 2008. lakutty (Kerala), all familiar faces picked to build the party Since then, the BJP has become a formidable force that progressively. Nadda also has three leaders from the south has eclipsed the Congress and the JD(S) in the state,” says head three of the party organisation’s seven verticals. So political historian Dr A. Veerappa. Vanathi Srinivasan (Tamil Nadu) heads the party’s women’s While it hasn’t been discussed in public, internally there wing, ex-Telangana party chief Dr K. Laxman heads the is clarity that Yediyurappa will step down 18 months be- OBC wing and Tejasvi Surya steers the youth wing. The fore his tenure as chief minister expires in May 2023. BJP coming years will see if these moves have been enough for sources say he does not want another Lingayat—deputy CM the BJP to make inroads in the south. Tamil Nadu and Lakshman Savadi had been proposed as an alternative—to Kerala in 2021 will be the first test case. If it does cause be his successor. In order to placate Yediyurappa, the BJP an upset, the BJP will be on the road to displace several has proposed a ‘powerful position’ for his son B.Y. Vijayen- regional parties from the reckoning in the 2024 parlia- dra (already the state BJP vice-president) and will appoint mentary polls. ■ deputy chief minister M. Govind Karjol, a Dalit leader, as with Aravind Gowda and Jeemon Jacob

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 43 ‘LOVE JIHAD’ THE BIG STORY LOVE AND HATE A CONTROVERSIAL NEW LAW IN UTTAR PRADESH, OSTENSIBLY INTENDED TO HINDER FORCIBLE CONVERSION IN INTERFAITH MARRIAGES, IS SEEN BY MANY AS A COMMUNAL TACTIC AND A THREAT TO BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BY KAUSHIK DEKA

he Uttar Pradesh police, on De- cember 2, stopped a wedding between a 24-year-old Muslim man and a 22-year-old Hindu woman in Lucknow’s Duda Colony. The ceremony was to Muslim man and a Hindu woman, who had come to be solemnised as per Hindu register their marriage solemnised in July, to the police. rituals and had the consent of The man and his brother were arrested on the basis of a both families. The police, who complaint filed by the woman’s mother that her daughter were acting on a complaint by had been lured into the marriage and converted. This a vigilante group, asked the couple to seek the district was despite the woman asserting that her relationship magistrate’s nod for their marriage. Official permission was consensual. Two days later, on receiving a phone call for interfaith marriages is mandatory under the new that a Muslim man was marrying a Hindu woman after Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordi- converting her, police stopped a marriage in Kushinagar nance 2020, promulgated on November 28 by the Yogi and questioned the groom and the bride—both Muslims. Adityanath-led BJP government in the state. The allegation turned out to be false and the couple got While the couple in Lucknow was relieved to escape married the next day. punitive action, others in UP have not been as lucky. Instances of such vigilantism and police overzealous- Since the ordinance came into effect, police have reg- ness are increasingly being reported since the promul- istered five cases relating to interfaith marriages and gation of the contentious ordinance premised on ‘love arrested seven people. On December 6, members of jihad’—a conspiracy theory, peddled by radical Hindu the Sangh Parivar-affiliated Bajrang Dal reached the fringe groups, about Muslim men luring Hindu women marriage registration office in Moradabad and took a into marriage and converting them by guile or force. As

44 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 A LAW WITH A COMMUNAL TINT

he Prohibition of Unlaw- Tful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, promulgated in Uttar Pradesh, states that no person shall convert or attempt to convert through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudu- lent means or by marriage. If a marriage is conducted for the sole purpose of an unlaw- ful conversion or vice-versa by a man of one religion with a woman of another, it shall be declared void. All offences under the ordinance are cog- nisable and non-bailable. A person who desires to convert must give a notice of at least 60 days to the district magistrate that the same is being done without force, coercion, undue influence or allurement. The person performing the con- version will also have to give a month’s notice. The burden of proving that the conversion was not done through misrep- resentation, force, coercion or by any fraudulent means or by marriage rests on this person. So far, the UP police have registered five cases under the ordinance and made seven arrests. On December 2, police stopped a wedding in Lucknow Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thundered at a rally in SAFFRON IRE between a Muslim man, 24, A Vishwa Hindu Jaunpur on October 31: “I warn those who conceal iden- and a Hindu woman, 22, and tity and play with our sisters’ respect. If you don’t mend Mahasangh protest against asked the couple to first get your ways, your Ram‘ naam satya (chant associated with ‘love jihad’ and the DM’s approval. On Decem- Hindu funerals)’ journey will begin.” religious ber 6, Bajrang Dal members in Justifying the ordinance, UP cabinet minister and conversions in Moradabad took an interfaith spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh said: “Over a hundred New Delhi, Nov. 8 couple, who had come to the incidents of forceful religious conversions had been re- marriage registration office to ported. There were also reports of religious conversions in register their marriage held in the state using deceitful means. So, to make a law on this July, to the police. The Muslim becomes an important policy matter now.” The ordinance man and his brother were came just two days after the Kanpur police had filed a arrested on a complaint by report on an investigation into 14 cases of inter-religious his Hindu wife’s mother that relationships, which asserted that 11 of these cases were she had been lured into the indeed instances of marriages involving deception over marriage. The woman refuted one partner’s religion. her mother’s claim and told Critics argue that by promulgating the ordinance, the police that the relationship was consensual. the UP government may be seen as having practically

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 45 THE BIG STORY ‘LOVE JIHAD’ MANJUNATH KIRAN/ GETTY IMAGES

endorsed the view that interfaith marriages are a conspiracy by Muslims to convert Hindu women with the larger goal of expansion of Is- lam in India. Officially, the ‘love jihad’ theory finds no takers in the BJP-led Union govern- ment. In February, Union MoS for home affairs G. Kishan Reddy said in the Lok Sabha that the term ‘love jihad’ was not defined under the ex- tant laws. No such case of ‘love jihad’ had been reported by any of the central agencies, he said.

A VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS Modelled on the Uttarakhand Freedom of Re- ligion Act, 2018, the UP ordinance states that a marriage could be declared null and void if per- formed for the sole purpose of an unlawful con- version or if an unlawful conversion has been done for the sole purpose of marriage. Also, local authorities need to be given a two-month notice before an interfaith marriage—a provi- sion ostensibly aimed at curbing ‘love jihad’. A raging debate erupted when a 21-year-old The ordinance also flies in the face of a November 11 verdict by Hindu woman was shot dead in the last week the Allahabad High Court. Quashing an FIR that accused a Muslim of October outside her college in Ballabhgarh, man of abducting a Hindu woman and forcing her into marriage after allegedly by a Muslim man who had been stalk- conversion to Islam, the court said the two adults in question were free ing her. The woman’s family alleged that the to choose their partners. The two-judge bench also said that the high man was pressuring her to convert to Islam court’s judgments in two previous cases of interfaith marriages—where- and marry him. Several Hindu outfits jumped in it was observed that “conversion just for the purpose of marriage is in, declaring the murder a case of ‘love jihad’. unacceptable”—were “not good law”. The court noted that interference Legal experts argue that the UP ordinance in a personal relationship amounted to serious encroachment upon violates fundamental rights enshrined in the individuals’ right to freedom of choice. Constitution as it disregards an individual’s “The ordinance puts freedom of choice and dignity on the backseat. right to practise a religion of their choice. “Any It is difficult to see what objection there can be to two adults of different law that takes away bodily autonomy and de- faiths consenting to marriage. By objecting, is Uttar Pradesh trying to cision-making from individuals doesn’t stand encourage live-in relationships? It will need a miracle to declare this on the principles and values laid down by the ordinance constitutionally valid,” Justice Madan Lokur, former Supreme Constitution or the international principles of Court judge, told india today. human rights (Convention on the Elimination A PIL filed in the Supreme Court in early December has challenged of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) both the UP ordinance and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act that India is a signatory to,” says Renu Mishra, on grounds that such laws violate the basic tenets of the Constitution. A executive director of the Association for Advo- writ petition in the Allahabad High Court has argued that the ordinance cacy and Legal Initiatives, a legal advocacy and gives the police a licence to terrorise and harass interfaith couples. resource group. Offering a judicial perspective, To experts, the biggest strike on personal liberty is the fact that the she adds: “The Supreme Court, through sev- ordinance places the burden of proving a conversion as lawful on the eral progressive judgments over the decades, people who “caused” or “facilitated” it, rather than the individual in has laid down that the right to decide and the question. For instance, even if a woman who has got converted affirms freedom to choose one’s partner, irrespective that she was not coerced into it, her partner, who is deemed to have of caste or religious identity, is a fundamental “caused” the conversion, will have to justify the step. In short, every right and must be protected by the state for all religious conversion is presumed to be illegal unless proved otherwise. individuals. Instead of implementation of the “[By this,] we are completely ignoring the agency of women. We are precedents laid down by the apex court, we con- suggesting that they are stupid and cannot decide right and wrong on tinue to see excessive use of the policing system their own,” argues Prof. Arvinder A. Ansari of the department of soci- to suppress and even reprimand young couples.” ology at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. Indu Agnihotri,

46 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 EPA

STATE LAWS AGAINST ‘LOVE JIHAD’ Several BJP-ruled states have enacted or expressed the intent to enact laws discouraging inter-religious marriages

TWO SIDES Uttarakhand: The Ut- such a conversion. OF A ROW tarakhand Freedom Protests in Madhya Pradesh: of Religion Act, 2018, Bengaluru The proposed MP against ‘love says marriages for Religious Freedom jihad’ laws in the sole purpose of Act, 2020, prohibits BJP-ruled religious conversion conversion by mar- states; can be declared null riage or any other (top right) a and void if a petition fraudulent means. demonstration in is filed by either of Bhopal against the spouses. Karnataka: The BJP ‘love jihad’ government has Himachal Pradesh: adopted resolutions In 2019, the state en- for the passage of EPA acted a law relating legislations against to conversions. It has interfaith marriages. a specific clause on conversions for the Haryana: The state’s director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, a New purpose of marriage home minister, Anil Delhi-based autonomous research institute, cautions that turning or interfaith run- Vij, says a “strict law the heat on interfaith marriages in the name of ‘love jihad’ will away marriages. The to control love jihad” only encourage the targeting of women who choose to assert their state is now mulling a is on the anvil. independence in decision-making. separate law to curb Assam: The state religious conver- is formulating a HIGH ON BJP’S AGENDA sions for marriage. marriage law under Soon after the UP ordinance was promulgated, several other BJP- Uttar Pradesh: The which the bride and ruled states, such as Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Haryana, Prohibition of Un- groom will have to promised laws against ‘love jihad’. Terming it as another ‘Beti lawful Conversion of disclose their religion Bachao Andolan’, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: Religion Ordinance, and income a month “It is easy to mislead young girls with malicious intent. Later, their 2020, prohibits con- before wedding. life becomes hell.” In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP government last verting a person’s Bihar: Union min- year enacted a law relating to religious conversions with a specific religion by marriage. ister Giriraj Singh clause on conversions surrounding marriages. The state is now mull- The law makes a DM’s has demanded a law ing a separate law to curb conversions for the purpose of marriage. nod mandatory for against ‘love jihad’. ‘Love jihad’ is likely to emerge as a poll plank in the forthcoming

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 47 THE BIG STORY ‘LOVE JIHAD’

West Bengal assembly election, where the BJP is locked in a data from the 2005 India Human Development Survey high-stakes battle with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Con- conducted by the University of Maryland and the National gress (TMC). Bengal, which the BJP sees as the final frontier Council of Applied Economic Research, found that only 2.21 in its eastern expansion plan, has been witnessing increasing per cent of women in the 15-49 age group had married out- communal polarisation over the contentious CAA (Citizenship side their religion. Among Hindus, only 1.5 per cent women Amendment Act) and NRC (National Register of Citizens). married outside their religion—indicative of the aversion to Kailash Vijayvargiya, the BJP national general secretary in interfaith marriages. A 2016 survey, titled ‘Social Attitudes charge of Bengal, has endorsed the UP ordinance, saying: Research for India’, conducted by the Center for the Ad- “The law has been formulated [to deal with] the conspiracy vanced Study of India (CASI), University of Pennsylvania, behind inter-religious marriages. Love is sanatan (eternal) in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan found and effortless. It does not see religion or caste. But if someone most respondents opposed to inter-caste and inter-religious loves and marries another person with a plan or intention to marriages, and even favouring a law banning such alliances. convert their religion, this law is for them.” TMC MP Nusrat “Close family and kinship bonds are interwoven in the Jahan, who had an interfaith marriage, counters: “Don’t make fabric of Indian society. The closeness of these bonds rests religion a political tool. Love and jihad do not go hand in hand. on marriage practices that subjugate individual preferences People come up with such issues just before polls.” to corporate family needs and ideologies. Thus, the idea of love itself is threatening, let alone interfaith love marriages. indu fringe groups in Bengal have been run- Perhaps that is the reason ‘love jihad’ has gained so much ning online campaigns cautioning Hindu attention,” says Sonalde Desai, professor of sociology at the women against ‘getting trapped’ by Muslim University of Maryland. men. On February 7, 2018, a 25-year-old- Those clamouring for ‘love jihad’ laws cite a clutch of H woman from North 24 Parganas district incidents to back their claims. In May 2019, Imran Bhati, a was shocked to find her name in a list of 100 Facebook pro- married Muslim man with three children from Rajasthan, files of Hindu women compiled by ‘Hindu Varta’, a group on allegedly married a Hindu woman by introducing himself as the social networking site. A post by the group declared these ‘Kabeer Sharma’ and even took Rs 10 lakh as dowry. He then women as victims of ‘love jihad’ and exhorted “all Hindu went missing with his wife. He was arrested a month later in tigers to find the men listed and hunt them [down]”. Soon, Mumbai after the woman’s parents filed a police complaint. the woman and her Muslim partner started receiving death In August 2014, the Jharkhand police arrested Ranjit Kumar threats. It was only after they filed a complaint with the Kohli, alias Raqibul Hasan Khan, for allegedly deceiving police cyber cell that the offensive post was deleted. national shooter Tara Shahdeo into marriage and forcing ‘Love jihad’ has also infiltrated the political discourse in her to convert to Islam. According to the FIR, Shahdeo was Assam, another state headed for assembly elections in 2021. tortured into accepting her husband’s religion. Kohli claimed Muslims, who form 35 per cent of the state’s population, are he was born Hindu and had embraced Islam, but denied widely perceived as Bangladeshi infiltrators. Himanta Biswa forcing Shahdeo to convert. Sarma, the state’s finance minister, said in October: “Many Sunil Raghav, president of the Bulandshahr unit of the Muslim boys create Facebook accounts with Hindu names Hindu Yuva Vahini, a Hindutva youth organisation, claims and post their pictures at temples. After marrying such a he is familiar with some 4,000 cases of deceitful conversions boy, the girl discovers he is not from the same religion. This and marriages in the district in the past 7-8 years. “We are is a not a bona fide marriage but a breach of trust.” A month later, Sarma announced that the Assam government was formulating a marriage law under which the bride and the groom will have to disclose their religion and income in of- I warn those who ficial documents a month before their wedding. conceal identity and play Political observers and election strategists don’t see ‘love jihad’ through the prism of electoral politics alone but also with our sisters’ respect. as part of an ideological outreach. “Issues such as ‘love jihad’ If you don’t can help a party with some marginal increase in its vote mend your share. Such divisive issues consolidate votes on both sides of the divide, benefitting rival political groups as well,” says ways, your Pradeep Gupta, chairman and managing director of Axis ‘Ram naam My India, a poll prediction agency. satya’ journey A DIVIDED SOCIETY will begin” It’s not difficult to understand why the BJP sees ‘love jihad’ — Yogi Adityanath as a fertile electoral plank. Indian society has traditionally Chief Minister, been hostile to interfaith marriages. A 2013 study, using Uttar Pradesh

48 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 POLITICS OF ‘LOVE JIHAD’ A ‘THREAT’ ONLY The term ‘love jihad’ first surfaced in Gujarat in ON PAPER? 2007 when Bajrang Dal leaders announced a mission to Investigations by state and central ‘rescue’ Hindu women in relationship with Muslims. In enforcement agencies have offered no 2009, it sprung up in Kerala and Karnataka. The Hindu empirical evidence that ‘love jihad’ exists Janajagruti Samiti, a fringe group in Karnataka’s Da- kshina Kannada district, claimed 30,000 women had fallen victim to ‘love jihad’. Four years on, love jihad be- ➼ A 2013 study, faith marriages in came a political slogan in the aftermath of the Muzaf- based on the India Kerala and found no farnagar riots in UP, which were allegedly sparked off Human Develop- proof of coercion. by the molestation of a Jat woman by a Muslim. In 2014, ment Survey (2005), ➼ Of the 19,250 mar- the term found its way into the BJP mainstream when conducted by the riages registered in magazines Organiser and Panchjanya, published by the University of Mary- Delhi between Janu- party’s ideological fountainhead, carried cover stories on land and the Nation- ary and September ‘love jihad’. Since then, ‘love jihad’ has been a part of most al Council of Applied 2019, only 589 were BJP poll campaigns. Economic Research, interfaith. But it was with the 2016 Hadiya case from Kerala noted that 2.21 per that ‘love jihad’ made national headlines. The 24-year- cent of all women in ➼ In February 2020, the 15-49 age group Union MoS for home old woman, born as Akhila to a Hindu couple in Kerala, had married outside affairs G. Kishan had converted to Islam and married a Muslim against her their religion. Reddy told Lok family’s wishes. In 2017, the Kerala High Court annulled Sabha that ‘love ji- the marriage, terming it a case of ‘love jihad’, and handed ➼ In October 2005, had’ was not defined Hadiya’s custody to her parents. Hadiya’s husband Sha- the Kerala Catholic under the extant fin Jahan challenged the order in the Supreme Court, Bishops’ Council laws, and no case of which set aside the high court order in 2018 and ruled alleged that 4,500 ‘love jihad’ had been that Hadiya was free to live with her husband. Later that girls in the state had reported by the cen- year, on the apex court’s insistence, the National Inves- become victims of tral agencies. ‘love jihad’. In 2009, tigation Agency (NIA) scrutinised 11 cases from a list of then Kerala chief ➼ A report filed by 89 interfaith marriages in Kerala and found no evidence minister Oommen the Kanpur police of ‘love jihad’. Chandy said 2,667 in November on an This, though, wasn’t the first instance of official scru- women had con- investigation into 14 tiny debunking ‘love jihad’. In 2012, then Kerala chief verted to Islam since cases of inter-reli- minister Oommen Chandy said that 2,667 women from 2006, but none was a gious relationships the state had converted to Islam since 2006, but no evi- forced conversion. asserted that 11 of dence of coercion had been found. According to a 2009 these cases were ➼ Karnataka police investigation, in 229 cases (reported A probe by the marriages involving National Investigat- since 2005) of women going missing and later being found deception over one as having married interfaith, religious conversions had ing Agency in 2018 partner’s religion. examined 11 inter- taken place in only 63. A Delhi government study shows that of the 19,250 marriages registered between January and September 2019 in the state, only 589 were interfaith. “There is no data to support claims [of ‘love jihad’]. This fake narrative is being rationalised by people in high positions with the political motive of winning votes by not against love or interfaith marriages. We are against fak- dividing society along communal lines,” says Ranjana ing identities or using marriage as a ploy to convert Hindu Kumari, director of the New Delhi-based advocacy group women. This is a big conspiracy,” says Raghav. Centre for Social Research (CSR). A UP IPS officer doesn’t see any larger conspiracy -be Concurs Jamia’s Prof. Ansari: “The issue is being hind interfaith marriages but claims that some people fake raised to deflect attention from more pressing matters, identities to “land a trophy girlfriend”. “For some Muslim such as the economic downturn, unemployment and men, particularly from the lower economic strata, it’s an farmers’ crisis.” aspirational or macho thing to be in a relationship with a However, wary of rising Hindu nationalism across the Hindu woman. Some do it for human trafficking too. After country, opposition parties and leaders have shied away marriage, some coerce the girl to convert but it’s not being from challenging the BJP on its ‘love jihad’ campaign. done as some grand conspiracy to increase the population Among the exceptions is Rajasthan chief minister Ashok of Muslims,” says the officer, on condition of anonymity. Gehlot, who said: “‘Love jihad’ is a term concocted by the

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 49 THE BIG STORY ‘LOVE JIHAD’ RELIGION NO BAR The Special Marriage Act, 1954, provides BJP to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony. legal sanctity to interfaith marriages in India Marriage is a matter of personal liberty, and bringing in a law to curb it is completely unconstitutional and won’t stand in any court of law. Jihad has no place in love.” ny couple, ir- the objection, the RISE OF VIGILANTISM Arespective of couple can appeal in a Despite the lack of credible evidence of ‘love jihad’, vigilante religion, may marry district court within groups have been indulging in unauthorised interference in under the Special 30 days of such a interfaith marriages by consenting adults. They keep an eye Marriage Act, 1954, refusal. The decision applicable in the en- of the district court on social media profiles, temples and marriage registrar of- tire country. A notice shall be final in the fices and use all possible pressure tactics to prevent interfaith must be sent to the case. Experts argue marriages. In May this year, Punjab BJP secretary Sukhpal marriage registrar that since anyone can Singh Sra was arrested for allegedly pelting stones at an in- 30 days before the raise an objection on terfaith couple’s home in Bathinda. Recently, the video of scheduled date of the specified grounds, a young Hindu girl, who had apparently gone to meet her marriage. All de- family members and Muslim boyfriend, being heckled and slapped by BJP Mahila tails provided to the even community vig- Morcha members went viral. marriage officer are ilantes can not only Hindi Vishwa, the mouthpiece of the Vishva Hindu Pari- published in a notice foil a couple’s plans shad (VHP), dedicated its September 16-30 issue to ‘love and displayed at the to marry but even jihad’, chronicling 147 media reports on the issue and primar- marriage office. The cause them physi- ily relying on sources propagating Hindu right-wing politics. details include the cal harm—more so “‘Love jihad’ is a calculated agenda of invasion on the demo- couple’s names, their because the couple’s graphics,” said Alok Kumar, VHP central working president, dates of birth, ages personal details as at the launch of the issue. and occupations, par- well as the place of It’s a view echoed by Apurba Adhikary, who heads a forum ents’ names, and their wedding, i.e. the mar- to protect the Satras, or Vaishnavite monasteries, in Assam addresses and phone riage office, are -ac from land grabbing by infiltrators from Bangladesh. “Many numbers, along with cessible to the public. Muslim men of immigrant origin are trapping Hindu women their photographs. In September 2020, in relationships by faking identities on social media. The Any person can raise the Supreme Court nexus of human trafficking is also a factor,” says Adhikary, an objection to the agreed to examine whose 13-year-old niece was kidnapped by Muslims of im- proposed marriage whether publication during the 30-day of personal details migrant origin in 2003 and rescued by the police after 23 period. If the mar- violates couples’ right days. “We were forced to relocate the monastery as even the riage officer upholds to privacy. administration failed to provide us protection, thanks to votebank politics,” he adds. Social scientists, however, disagree with the assertion that Muslim men systematically assume fake identities on social media to lure Hindu women. “I have found no evidence of men of any particular religious group concealing identities to NEEDED: A LAW THAT PROTECTS target women of another faith as part of a larger conspiracy to As the threat of persecution in the name of ‘love jihad’ rises, coerce them into conversion later on. Criminals do use social existing laws related to interfaith marriages have failed to media for human trafficking, but this has nothing to do with provide effective legal recourse to those wishing to marry religion or conversion,” says CSR’s Ranjana Kumari, who is outside their religion. Many observers feel religious conver- also a member of both Facebook’s Global Safety Advisory sion often takes place just before a wedding because the Board and Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council. couple in question prefers to have a same-religion wedding Over time, the ‘love jihad’ narrative has begun to impact instead of an interfaith marriage through the Special Mar- a wide section of society. In November, the Netflix series A riage Act, 1954. Under this Act, a prospective groom and Suitable Boy, based on a novel by Vikram Seth, ran into bride must give a 30-day notice to the marriage office, and controversy for a scene showing its Hindu female protagonist a copy of it should be displayed at the office. The norm is kissing a Muslim man. A member of the Bharatiya Janata intended at ensuring transparency and enabling individuals Yuva Morcha (BJYM) filed a police complaint in Madhya to file legitimate objections, such as an existing spouse. The Pradesh against two Netflix officials and demanded an apol- notice must include personal details of the groom and bride, ogy for the scene that he claimed “promoted love jihad”. In such as name, photograph, date of birth, age, occupation, October, a Tanishq jewellery advertisement featuring an in- parents’ names, address and phone number. terfaith couple sparked such outrage that it was withdrawn. ‘Love jihad’ vigilantes have been using the information

50 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 THE JUDICIAL VIEW Several court verdicts have upheld an individual’s right to marry by choice, irrespective of religion

› On November 30, › The Allahabad had observed that riages since such integral to Article 2020, the Karna- High Court, on “conversion just relationships 21 (right to life taka High Court November 11, for the purpose of promoted “so- and liberty) of held that liberty 2020, said two marriage is unac- cialism”. “If they the Constitution relating to the adults were free ceptable”—were marry each other and set aside a personal to choose their “not good law”. under the law, 2017 order of the why should there Kerala High Court relationship of partner. The two- › In September be problems?” ob- that had annulled two individuals judge bench said 2019, a two-judge served the bench the marriage of could not be the high court’s Supreme Court a Hindu girl who encroached upon judgments in two bench said it › In 2018, the SC had converted by anybody, irre- previous cases of was not averse upheld the right and taken a new spective of caste interfaith mar- to interfaith and to marry a person name, Hadiya or religion riages—wherein it inter-caste mar- of one’s choice as

in such public notices to track down and threaten interfaith same social milieu,” says advocate Utkarsh Singh, who filed couples into backing out of marriage. For instance, in June- the petition on behalf of Dhanak of Humanity. July this year, the details of some 120 interfaith couples in Interestingly, the UP ordinance applies only to inter- Kerala were leaked on social media by vigilante groups. The faith marriages, solemnised under the Special Marriage Kerala government has now stopped uploading interfaith Act, wherein either the groom or the bride seeks to convert marriage applications online. Other states haven’t exercised to marry as per personal laws. This distinction has earned such caution. “In Maharashtra, anyone can access details of the ordinance support from some corners, such as author interfaith couples from government websites, leaving them Chetan Bhagat. “The ‘love jihad’ law does not stop inter- vulnerable to vigilante groups,” says Asif Iqbal who, with religion marriages. It simply casts a responsibility on the his wife Ranu Kulshrestha, founded Dhanak of Humanity, state to check the bona fides of love by seeking notice and a support group for interfaith couples in India. information. Is it desirable? Of course, yes. In fact, it is the In 2018, a Law Commission of India report observed that duty of the state,” tweeted Bhagat. procedural hiccups in the Special Marriage Act leave inter- As the ‘love jihad’ controversy rages on, Justice Lokur faith couples with little choice but for one of them to convert cautions against police over-activism in complaints of al- to the other’s religion so as to ensure a smooth same-religion leged forced conversions. “The police have been overzealous marriage, sans the need for issuing notices, etc. The commis- in misunderstanding the law, and therein lies the problem. sion recommended that either the notice period required for What the future holds, particularly in UP, only time will interfaith marriages be scrapped or such couples be provided tell, but it doesn’t look good at all,” he says. adequate police security. The developments in UP since the promulgation of the In September this year, following a petition by a law ordinance somewhat put the intent of the state government student from Kerala challenging the Special Marriage Act, and the enforcement agencies under a cloud. The arrest of the Supreme Court agreed to examine whether the publi- two Muslim men in Moradabad on December 6 sharply con- cation of the personal details of prospective grooms and trasted with what happened in Bareilly a day before, when brides violated their right to privacy. “When two consent- the police refused to entertain a Muslim man’s complaint ing adults decide to marry, it is terribly unconstitutional that his daughter had married a Hindu after conversion. to call for objections from the public. Such provisions are The police went by the woman’s testimony that she got mar- absent even in traditional personal laws. As such, a kind of ried in September before the ordinance had come into effect. discrimination is meted out in the case of those who opt for The police did the right thing in this case, but instances of interfaith marriages under the Special Marriage Act,” says bias and misuse of power abound. With religious conversion Kaleeswaram Raj, the Supreme Court advocate represent- laws like the one in UP certain to complicate—and poten- ing the petitioner. tially even discourage—interfaith marriages, it is imperative The Special Marriage Act has also been challenged in the that law enforcement officers rise above religious prejudice Delhi High Court by Dhanak of Humanity. “The problem of and act with fairness and integrity on every complaint. n ‘love jihad’ is a ramification rooted in this Act. The laws aren’t —with Ashish Misra, Romita Datta, Rohit Parihar, inadequate but the people implementing them are part of the Rahul Noronha and Amitabh Srivastava

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 51

NIKKHIL ADVANI: THE BONG THE REAL DEAL CONNECTION PG 55 PG 56

THE SWEET HISTORY Q&A WITH OF THE BISCUIT JOHNNY LEVER PG 59 PG 60

FILMS THE BIG SHORTS More and more filmmakers and actors are embracing the anthology format to tell succinct stories

QUICK TALESPutham (top) Stills from Pudhu UnpausedKaalai and Best LEISURE Anthologies Out There

Before 2020, Tamil filmmaker Gautham Ashi Dua, is said to have another one ready. Vasudev Menon had never made a short December 18 is also the day Amazon Prime film in his two-decade-long career. He releases Unpaused, five Hindi shorts by five ended up making three this year alone, all filmmakers with lockdown as the focus. part of anthologies for OTT platforms. The Nitya Mehra (Made in Heaven) was glad first, Avarum Naanum, Avalum Naanum to be part of Unpaused’s director roster, (part of an anthology titled Putham Pudhu which includes Nikkhil Advani, filmmaker HOMEMADE Kaalai) released on Amazon Prime in Oc- duo Raj & DK, Tannishtha and Avinash Netflix tober; Vaanmagal (or Sin, part of Paava Arun. What appealed to Mehra was that An anthology shot in the lock- Kadhaigal), shot just before the lockdown, Aparna Purohit, head of India Originals, down. Recommended—The Lucky streams on Netflix from December 18, and Amazon Prime, wanted creators to go be- Ones, Couple Splits Up While in he just finished shooting for Netflix’s second yond the prism of lockdown and play with Lockdown LOL & Penelope Tamil anthology, Navrasa. Menon picked the theme of “new beginnings” and include the rasa [emotion] of love. “It was liberat- a “lens of hope”. Unlike Menon, who was in ing filmmaking,” he says. “These are stories touch with his contemporaries on Paava which you can’t narrate for a feature format Kadhaigal, Mehra wasn’t aware what others or with actors who have to be convinced or were making. Her film, Chaand Mubarak, with producers who are mostly looking to examines Mumbai’s disparate societal make money.” With its duration of under 40 structures through the tale of an affluent minutes, writing it is less of a headache as middle-aged single woman (Ratna Pathak there are “no second half or interval issues”. Shah) who has to rely on a young rickshaw “I think I’m getting good at it,” he adds. driver to run errands. COFFEE & CIGARETTES Menon is not the only one who has found Mehra is a fan of short films, having YouTube freedom in the anthology format. Filmmak- started her career with one. “Unfortunately, Directed by Jim Jarmusch, the er Sudha Kongara also features in Putham it [The Cherry on Top, about a qawwali sing- anthology, all black-and-white er] never showed [in Mumbai] as there vignettes, features some delightful conversations were hardly any places to show short films A still from Oor other than at film festivals,” says Mehra, Iravu, part of Netflix’s Paava who has also made Aalaspur, a short for a Kadhaigal developing anthology on seven sins. With platforms like Netflix and Prime having viewership in over 190 countries, the lack of audience for shorts is no longer a deterrent. It’s why filmmakers are more open to the anthology process. Actors and technicians are also not differentiating between shorts and fea- SMALL AXE Amazon Prime International ture anymore. Menon’s Navrasa short has Steve McQueen directs five films Tamil star Suriya and is shot by renowned centred on the lives of London’s cinematographer P.C. Sreeram. Johar’s West Indian community between short for Lust Stories had Vicky Kaushal the late ’60s and the early ‘80s and Kiara Advani; Zoya Akhtar’s Ghost Pudhu Kaalai and Paava Kadhaigal. Apart Stories had Janhvi Kapoor, and Dibakar from Navrasa, Netflix has also commis- Banerjee’s segment for Bombay Talkies THE BALLAD OF BUSTER sioned The Other, four shorts which look at was led by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Menon, SCRUGGS the “the third person in a relationship—the though, adds that there are those still averse Netflix one who breaks it, or, maybe even completes to the streaming medium. “Some [actors] The shorts by the Coen Brothers it”. “When we look at greenlighting an an- think that it will kill their market,” he says. feature their trademark blend of thology, all we want is to bring the story to But 2020 has been a game-changing year gritty violence and dark comedy life in the most authentic way possible,” says in Indian cinema, with OTT platforms su- Srishti Behl Arya, director, International perseding theatres as the preferred mode of Original Films, Netflix India. RSVP Mov- entertainment. It’s not a question of if but ies, which co-produced Netflix anthologies when stars accept it. ■ Ghost Stories and Lust Stories along with —Suhani Singh

54 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 FILMS THE REAL DEAL Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani on his upcoming series and the importance of factual accuracy

ikkhil Advani’s affinity for of a government hospital. “The logline is This principle of factual accuracy is also the authentic is well- ‘those who are meant to heal are broken being followed on other Emmay shows: N established. As director of themselves’,” says Advani. If received Rocket Boys (on the lives of scientists thrillers D-Day and Batla well, he hopes to continue Mumbai Dia- Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai and A.P.J. House, and producer of ries as an anthology, with each season Abdul Kalam) and an adaptation of Empire Airlift and Lucknow Central, Advani and dealing with a seminal incident in the of the Moghul, a series of historical fiction his partners at Emmay Entertainment metropolis. novels written by Alex Rutherford. gravitate towards narratives rooted in Mumbai Diaries comes at a time when Even though OTT platforms, unlike reality. “Even if we do fictional, we tend to audiences on OTT platforms are being re- the box office, give more leeway to film- ask, ‘Who would this character be based ceptive to real stories, as demonstrated makers, Advani is aware of the thin line on’?” says Advani. “It helps us see the by shows like Scam 1992 (SonyLIV) on “between being audacious and foolish”, story better.” stock broker Harshad Mehta, and Jamta- more so “given the current dispensation”. Reality, though, is not how Advani ra (Netflix) on the mobile phishing scam. With OTT coming under the purview of found fame. That came as director of the Research, Advani notes, is everything, the Ministry of Information and Broad- Karan Johar-produced Kal Ho Naa Ho. with OTT audiences being vigilant about casting, there are concerns of censor- His cinematic journey, he says, began inaccuracies, especially with shows set ship. Advani, though, isn’t worried, having with assisting directors Saeed Mirza and in the past. For Mumbai Diaries, the cast, worked with the standards and practices Sudhir Mishra, known for their socio- which includes Konkona Sensharma and departments of both TV and streaming political works. Mohit Raina, underwent a giants. “They are cognisant about what Advani is all set to make his 12-day medical workshop is going to be allowed and how much a web series debut in early 2021 before the shoot and a filmmaker can stretch the rubber band,” with Mumbai Diaries: 26/11—a For Mumbai doctor was present on set he says. fictional story set against the Diaries, the to ensure the procedures For now, he is focused on encourag- real backdrop of the terrorist cast playing were depicted accurately. ing young talent. With Emmay, he is giving attack of November 26, 2008. doctors and “The responsibility of opportunities to both his assistants and Created for Amazon Prime, the getting it right is multiplied outsiders. The roster includes Kaashvie show, shot like a docu-drama, nurses under- when you are dealing with Nair, Madhumitha (of Tamil filmK.D. fame), follows the chaotic lives of the went a medi- an event where lives were Vishal Furia and Shazia Iqbal. n doctors, nurses and residents cal workshop at stake,” says Advani. —Suhani Singh

DECEMBER 28, 2020 INDIA TODAY 55 THE BONGBONG Swastika Mukherjee Or a moment? Raima Sen having exotic’ CONNECTIONactors the ‘new of OTT Are Bengali a part and simply industry are they film exploring? the Mumbaihave been platforms

ee5’s upcom- sister-in-law) to ensure that Shakuntala Devi and Sadak Criminal Justice and Undekhi. ing howdunit doctor babu is suitably com- 2, as well as in films like His role in Criminal Justice Z Black Wid- pensated. While Bose has Mardaani 2, Manikarnika especially had him receiving a ows shows long straddled the world of and Piku, Sengupta is a flood of hate messages for play- two of West Bengal’s most Hindi, Bengali and English recurring Bengali face on ing a sexual predator called recognisable faces in one films, it is heartening for screens pan-India. Talukdar. shot—Swastika Mukherjee Bengali film fans to see ac- Other familiar actors This long a roll-call does and Raima Sen. Directed tors like Chattopadhyay and who have been seen in mem- beg the question—are Bengali by Bengali filmmaker Birsa Dam effortlessly sliding into orable roles are Riddhi Sen actors having their moment? Dasgupta, the Hindi series a very Bengali story told in in Helicopter Eela, Tridha “Well, I would like to think stars Shamita Shetty, Mona Hindi. Dam’s Binodini is an Choudhury in Bandish Ban- it will last longer than that,” Singh and Mukherjee as especially complex char- dits, and Anindita Bose who jokes Swastika Mukherjee, leads along with actors acter—as much a victim of played the pivotal Chanda in who poimts out that it is not Parambrata Chattopadhyay, the patriarchal zamindari Paatal Lok. just actors from Bengal. “You Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, system as a facilitator. Zee5’s crime drama can make four series or films Sen and many other familiar Tolly wood’s other Laalbazar, named after for an OTT platform in the Bengali actors. darling, Mukherjee, on the Kolkata’s police headquar- time it takes to make one fea- In one of his memorable other hand, has received ters, boasts of a cast that is roles this year, Chattopad- rave reviews from peers and nearly all Bengali—Kaushik hyay, who plays a sensitive viewers alike for her role in Sen, Gaurav Chakravarty, young doctor in Clean Slate Paatal Lok as Dolly Mehra, Sauraseni Maitra, Dibyendu Films’ Bulbbul, released the anxious, pill-popping, Bhattacharya and scores in June on Netflix, has just neglected wife of Sanjeev of others. Bhattacharya, in treated the young lady of Mehra (Neeraj Kabi) who particular, has been noticed a manor for a mystifying loves her furry friends. in many productions, what injury that has broken both In Zee5’s Durgamati, with his appearance in the her legs. When it is time to leading Bengali actor Jisshu Emmy-winning Delhi Crime leave, the zamindar (Rahul Sengupta plays a cop. Seen and a filmography that in- Bose) says imperiously to throughout 2020 in sev- cludes Selection Day, Anurag Paoli Dam (the sycophantic eral OTT releases, including Kashyap’s Black Friday,

Paoli Dam

YASIR IQBAL LEISURE

ture film. With so much con- Rai Bachchan in old Calcutta tent being created, the makers homes,” says Madhuja Mukher- have to look beyond the 10 jee, filmmaker and professor of Yesteryear Reel friends and family members in Film Studies, Jadavpur Univer- The Bengali actors who once Mumbai. No wonder all of us sity. “Kolkata and small towns ruled the screens are getting cast. Not just from with their specific regional Bengal and the South, but also characteristics have become the Biswajit Chatterjee small towns and regions like new Switzerland, the new exotic Seen in films like Mere Sanam Bundelkhand.” Raima Sen for the Mumbai film industry at (1965), Do Kaliyan (1968) and agrees: “There is so much tal- present. Which is why there are Sharaarat (1972), he usually ent here. And OTT platforms so many films and shows set in starred opposite renowned allow for a lot of creativity and specific regions, like Mirzapur.” actresses like Asha Parekh, it is easier to work without the There was a time when Waheeda Rehman, Mumtaz pressure of raising the money actors from Bengal ruled the back.” According to Param- screen. Sharmila Tagore, Rakhi, Rakhi brata Chattopadhyay, OTT Mithun Chakraborty, and, way She debuted in Bollywood platforms are very content- before that, Biswajit Chatterjee, with Sharmeelee (1971). Her and consumer-driven. “It is among others. So, are Bengali other hits include Heera why we are seeing an upsurge fans going to see a revival of Panna (1973), Kabhi Kabhi of people from different cor- those days? (1976) and more ners of the country. Not just “I don’t think it is right to actors but directors, music look at it through that prism Mithun Chakraborty directors and more,” he says. because times have changed. Debuted with Mrinal Sen’s It has helped that since This was a time when there was Mrigaya (1976) but followed Kahaani (2012), a lot of films no other audio-visual medium it up with commercial films were made in the city. “When apart from cinema. So it may like Disco Dancer (1982) directors Shoojit Sircar and be unwise to state unequivo- and Gunda (1988) Sujoy Ghosh shot in Kolkata, cally that Bongs are back,” says they involved the local film Chattopadhyay. Mukherjee, industry. Perhaps it started too, makes it a point to steer Sharmila Tagore with Chokher Bali when Ritu- clear of “regional bias” and Debuted with Satyajit Ray’s parno shot with Aishwarya suggests that the contemporary Apur Sansar (1959) and fol- actors’ comfort with the Hindi lowed it up with Hindi hits, like Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), Bengali actors’ medium may also be a factor. Raima Sen, granddaughter of Aradhana (1969) and more growing comfort yesteryear icon Suchitra Sen, with the Hindi is more confident: “That was a medium may be different era, but there sure are Suchitra Sen a factor behind a lot of Bengalis on the digital She ruled the screens in Bengal for over 20 years and was part platform,” she says. ■ their increased of the golden duo with actor —Malini Banerjee onscreen presence Uttam Kumar. Her cult hindi films include Devdas (1955), Mamta (1966) and others

Utpal Dutt Aa pioneering figure from the modern Indian theatre move- ment, he was known not just for Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome (1969) and Satyajit Ray’s Agantuk (1991) but also comedies like Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Gol Maal (1979).

Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) Debuted in Guddi (1971), her other films include Jawani Diwani (1972), Anamika (1973), Parambrata Abhimaan (1973), Silsila (1981) Jisshu Sengupta Chattopadhyay and the iconic Sholay (1975) UNCOVERING GEMS (clockwise from right) The restored principal chamber of the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan; the newly illuminated tomb; and restoration efforts in progress NARENDRA SWAIN, AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE AGA KHAN TRUST NARENDRA SWAIN,

Photographs by Photographs

HISTORY/ MONUMENTS Restored to Glory Once a crumbling ruin, the imposing tomb of Abdur Rahim Khani-Khanan in Delhi is back in the spotlight

1956, historian and polymath Damodar D. five years ago, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the Kosambi famously complained about “the Archaeological Survey of India undertook its restoration. The straits to which the formal historian is reduced InterGlobe Foundation funded the project, the first instance of in India”, due to lack of material. For all the CSR monies supporting such an effort. It became a part of the IN strides historians have made since, history has extensive Nizamuddin Urban Renewal initiative, the largest become an even more bitterly-contested discipline for political restoration programme of a historical district in India. and ideological reasons. The restored structure has just been reopened to the public. The figure of Abdur Rahim Khan towers above all acrimony While the structure itself was verging on a collapse, says Ratish over history—and not just because his influence spread across Nanda, AKTC’s director in India, the embellishments inside the reign of four of the six great Moghul emperors. In classi- were just covered by dirt and soot. It was a more painstaking cal circles, he is ‘Khan-i-Khanan’, a powerful Mughal general, task to clean and restore the delicate craftsmanship than it governor, statesman, polymath. In popular culture, he is one of might have been to recreate it. It was restored based on available Akbar’s ‘Navaratnas’ whose verses are part of school curricu- evidence. There were no drawings or literary references to go by. lums. But in folk memory, he is merely ‘Rahiman’ or ‘Rahim Certain elements had been obliterated, for example, the Das’, the Bhakti poet memorised and repeated for the earthy cenotaph in the main enclosure; these had to be built from wisdom and emotional succour in his Hindavi couplets, even scratch. Some of the renovations undertaken in the 1920s have among the illiterate. been retained as a record of the efforts to conserve the structure. Now, Rahim has a memorial worthy of his stat- Some tricky portions have not been restored. This ure. Actually, the memorial has existed for about gives the monument an incomplete look. 400 years in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area. What the With no draw- “Conservation has no one grammar. One has ruinations of time spared, the depredations of later ings or literary to choose between several levels of reasons and monument builders destroyed; the tomb was quar- references to sensibilities,” says Nanda. The monument will ried for stones in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most go by, the res- now display new stone engravings of Rahim’s people who walked or drove past the Tomb of Khan- toration was couplets. Cold stone may not have life, but it is a i-Khanan could not identify the final resting place of done based on sturdier form of memory than what any hard disk the great poet. It had developed large cracks and was the little evi- drive can offer.■ looking for a reason to collapse into a heap when, dence available —Sopan Joshi

58 INDIA TODAY DECEMBER 28, 2020 LEISURE

and war came together to shape the modern biscuit. Collingham uses colourful individual accounts to illuminate the historical shifts that gave rise to T the familiar flat, hard bread. These include women and men working in various kinds of kitchens, sailors, soldiers and colonisers. Inter- spersed throughout the book are historical sketches about particular This summer, when migrant workers biscuit varieties, like gingerbread, streamed out of India’s locked down wafers, funeral biscuits or Anzac cities, one of the recurrent images biscuits. There are also recipes, of their long walks to their home both historic and contemporary, villages were the packets of biscuits that are interesting reading for that were, sometimes, all they had anyone interested in the evolution of to eat, or that would be distributed methods of baking. by authorities and people from Collingham also uses biscuit- passing cars. In her latest book, The related archival sources to bolster Biscuit: The History of a Very British non-biscuit-related historical Author Lizzie Collingham Indulgence, historian Lizzie Colling- theories. For example, while there traces the journey of the ham unwraps the complex history of are no official navigation records of biscuit from being this simple food item—both in terms Portuguese ships making explorato- sustenance to becoming of its role as basic sustenance, as in ry journeys into the Atlantic before sweet treats the workers’ marches; and the idea Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of a biscuit as a kind of civilisational of Good Hope, Collingham suggests nicety. The latter goes with the other that this was the case because image of biscuits in India: perenni- “the records of the Lisbon bakery ally perched on the chai saucer, a show that it was producing far more necessary accompaniment biscuits than would have been to the liquid life force that needed for the voyages that In her book, flows through govern- LIZZIE are listed”. ment and other offices. COLLINGHAM Given that her In her preface, also includes previous books have Collingham notes that references to biscuit been variously focused THE BISCUIT hierarchies in India The History of a Very “no other nation buys and, of course, on Indian food, the British Parle-G British Indulgence and eats more biscuits” Empire and World War II, By Lizzie Collingham PENGUIN than Britain—an astonishing she naturally delves a bit `732 (Kindle); fact given the ubiquity of biscuits further into imperial history (includ- 320 pages in India, which are, of course, as ing references to biscuit hierarchies much a part of our colonial legacy in India, and, of course, Parle-G). At as tea. Yet, despite the title’s focus times, Biscuit feels like a companion on Britain, Collingham traces the object-history to Collingham’s other history of the biscuit, or ‘twice- books, which looked at food and his- baked bread’, over a fairly wide tory through relatively tighter frames swathe. Beginning in ancient times, of time or geography. This, along with bread found in Pompeii, “nearly with her accessible writing style and 2,000 years over-baked”, she uncluttered historical vision, makes brings together nuanced but not Biscuit a book well-suited to dipping distractingly academic accounts of in and out of. Preferably along with a how sugar production, religion and cup of tea, of course. ■ geopolitics, trade, industrialisation —Sonal Shah QA

Johnny Lever, who features in the remake of Coolie No. 1, on the secret of staying relevant

Q You have over 300 films to your credit. What does it take to stay in the game for 40 years? It’s the audience’s love that has kept me relevant. What’s also important is how passionate one is about their work. When you start out, there is a lot of hun- ger, but once you get success, it vanishes. I, though, do every film like it is my first. I work with languages, dance, body language and facial expressions; it’s the variety, the masala which has ensured I endure.

Q How much do you ad lib when you act? Without our input it won’t happen. Writ- ers and directors want me to elevate the words and make them my own. It is part of the system now. In Baazigar, one of the standout films of my career, my bits in the script were totally impro- vised. If something comes to me that can make the scene better, I add it.

Q You have ensured your humour is never offensive. Is that important to you? Our seniors did it too. Kishore Kumar is a genius, he made us laugh and he never said or did the wrong thing. Mehmood too. It takes a lot of hard work to keep it clean and make people laugh. I want families to enjoy my work. I tell my kids you don’t need to stoop low for laughs.

Q When will audiences get to see a Johnny Lever stand-up special online? Hopefully soon. I was one of the first to do stand-up in India. I have been doing it for three decades now. People didn’t understand it then. Comedy was essentially mimicry at the time. Now stand-up acts are trending.

—with Suhani Singh

60 Volume XLV Number 52; For the week December 22-28, 2020, published on every Friday Total number of pages 62 (including cover pages)