The Other Russia a Badge of for an End to Honor in Stalemate in India Politics Washington

PREMIERE EDITION ... TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013 Jail time Urgent pleas The other Russia a badge of for an end to honor in stalemate in India politics Washington DALTENGANJ, INDIA WASHINGTON As growing middle class Financial leaders warn opposes tainted leaders, of deep threats to fragile tribal areas defend them global economic revival BY ELLEN BARRY BY ANNIE LOWREY AND NATHANIEL POPPER When he decided to run for a parliamen- tary seat from this impoverished and Leaders at World Bank and Internation- mainly low-caste constituency in north- al Monetary Fund meetings over the east India, Kameshwar Baitha made no weekend pleaded, warned and cajoled: effort to sugarcoat his criminal record. the United States must raise its debt Obediently, he cataloged the serious ceiling and reopen its government or charges pending against him, all of risk ‘‘massive disruption the world which he says are false. There were 17 over,’’ as Christine Lagarde, the fund’s for murder, 22 for attempted murder, 6 managing director, put it. for assault with a dangerous weapon, 5 The fiscal problems of the United for theft, 2 for extortion, and so on, a leg- States overshadowed the official agen- acy from Mr. Baitha’s previous career das for the meetings, with representa- as a leader of the local Maoist insur- tives from dozens of countries — includ- gency. On top of that was the fact that he ing two of Washington’s most important was in jail. economic partners, Saudi Arabia and But this did not hurt him with voters China — publicly expressing worries here in the state of Jharkhand, noted his about what was happening in Congress son, Babban Kumar, who hopes to fol- and in the White House. low his father into politics. With people The leaders came to Washington to in this area, who look to elected leaders talk about the international recovery, as Robin Hood figures, it may have Ms. Lagarde said during an interview helped. on the NBC News program ‘‘Meet the ‘‘You have to fight against something, Press.’’ ‘‘Then they found out that the how else can you get into politics?’’ Mr. debt ceiling was the issue,’’ she added. Kumar said. ‘‘Without going to jail, you ‘‘They found out that the government cannot be a big politician.’’ had shut down and that there was no New impulses are rippling through remedy in sight.’’ Indian politics this year, as a growing, ‘‘So it really completely transformed urbanized middle class demands that the meeting in the last few days,’’ Ms. hundreds of tainted politicians be driv- Lagarde said. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DMITRY KOSTYUKOV FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES en from the system. With only three days left before a po- A churchgoer at the Iversky Monastery, which has had a lustrous renovation financed by state-connected companies. President Vladimir V. Putin has a vacation home next door. In Delhi, crowds driven by Internet tential default, Senate leaders failed on campaigns have rallied around an anti- Sunday to reach agreement on a plan to corruption platform, holding brooms to reopen the government and raise the symbolize the coming cleansing. The debt limit. Supreme Court, sensing the public Many leaders at the World Bank and Between 2 cities, signs of a world left behind mood, ruled in July that it was illegal for I.M.F. meetings said that they believed politicians who had been convicted of the impasse would be resolved before LYUBAN, RUSSIA stretch of road that is a 12-hour trip by car crimes to continue holding office by Thursday, when the government would — that one sees the great stretches of simply filing an appeal against their be at severe risk of not having enough BY ELLEN BARRY Russia so neglected by the state that they convictions. The ruling would disqualify money to pay all its bills on any given seem drawn backward in time. politicians sentenced to more than two day. A few times every day, the high-speed As the state’s hand recedes from the years in prison by a lower court. This But they pressed Treasury Secretary train between St. Petersburg and Mos- hinterlands, people are struggling with change, which could uproot formidable Jacob J. Lew and the Federal Reserve cow barrels through the threadbare choices that belong to past centuries: to political forces, was endorsed this chairman, Ben S. Bernanke — who were town of Lyuban. When word gets out heat their homes with a wood stove, month by the governing coalition’s both at the I.M.F. meeting — on the issue, that the head of Russia’s state railway which must be fed by hand every three crown prince, Rahul Gandhi. predicting that even a near-default company — a close friend of President hours, or burn diesel fuel, which costs The effort will meet its greatest chal- would lead to higher borrowing costs and Vladimir V. Putin — is aboard, the sta- half a month’s salary? When the road has lenge in another India — the old one, a slowing down of the global economy. tion’s employees line up on the platform so deteriorated that ambulances cannot where voting is still largely driven by ‘‘This cannot happen, and this shall standing at attention, saluting Russia’s reach their home, is it safe to stay? When caste. In the tribal region that Mr. not happen,’’ Baudouin Prot, chairman modernization for the seconds it takes their home can’t be sold, can they leave? Baitha represents, the vast majority of of the French bank BNP Paribas, said at the train to fly through. Whoosh. Clad in rubber slippers, his forearms elected officials face criminal charges, FUND, PAGE 19 But Vladimir G. Naperkovsky is not sprinkled with tattoos, Mr. most related to corruption, but many for one of them. He watched with a cold, Naperkovsky is the kind of plain-spoken violent crimes. Voters typically dismiss blue-eyed stare as the train passed the man’s man whom Russians would call a such charges as trumped-up, one more town where he was born, with its pitted RUSSIA, PAGE 14 attempt by elites to crush the champi- roads and crumbling buildings. At 52, ons of the poor. having shut down his small computer re- These are some of the things that al- pair business, Mr. Naperkovsky is leav- lowed Mr. Baitha to discuss the subject ing for another region in Russia, hoping comfortably in the red-velvet seating it is not too late to start a new life in a area of a government guesthouse, as a more prosperous place. The reasons are ceiling fan turned slowly overhead. He Ryoma Michai, 13, and Mariuka Rudel, 14, before their wedding ceremony in the village of many, but his view boils down to this: urged his guest to imagine if everyone Chudovo. Many children no longer attend school, as was required in Soviet days. ‘‘Gradually,’’ he said, explaining his convicted of a crime were barred from view of Lyuban, ‘‘everything is rotting.’’ politics. At the edges of Russia’s two great cit- ‘‘The whole Parliament will be ONLINE: THE OTHER RUSSIA ies, another Russia begins. empty,’’ he said. ‘‘It will become a Find an interactive account of Ellen An interactive map showing the day-by- This will not be apparent at next year’s joke.’’ SPECIAL REPORT: TURNING THE PAGE II Barry’s multiday road trip from St. day stages of the trip. Winter Olympics in Sochi, nor is it visible A big test of the new measures’ effect The pace of change in our times can Petersburg to Moscow. Join Aleksandr Chertkov, a truck driver from the German-engineered high-speed will come in the case of Lalu Prasad, the upend ways of life with little warning. A slide show from Dmitry Kostyukov who has spent years on Russia’s highways, train. It is along the highway between Aleksandr Chertkov, a truck driver, craves longtime leader of the neighboring state We peer around the corner at what illustrating the journey. as he travels toward Moscow. inyt.com Moscow and St. Petersburg — a narrow order, which he thinks existed under Stalin. INDIA, PAGE 4 might be coming next. INSIDE LETTER TO OUR READERS ONLINE AT INYT.COM Introducing Sinosphere Today we celebrate the debut of The In- around the world has never been great- from around the globe. Our new China-focused blog delivers ternational New York Times, a news re- er. To celebrate the launch of The Inter- timely and authoritative dispatches port tailored specifically for the valued Over the past year, we have built one national New York Times, we are offer- members of our global audience. news-gathering operation by combin- ing complimentary access this week to from this fast-changing country. Edited from Paris, London, Hong ing the journalistic strengths and the our digital readers on inyt.com, iOS mo- sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com Kong and New York, The International newsrooms of The New York Times bile apps and all mobile devices via a New York Times will continue to serve and The International Herald Tribune, Web browser. Inflation hits India businesses the many loyal readers of The Interna- with continuous news desks and a 24/7 Additional details on how to access As India battles with slowing growth tional Herald Tribune by maintaining global news flow from Hong Kong, Par- The International New York Times can and a weakened rupee, small its tradition of journalistic excellence is, London and New York. Our commit- be found on Page 2. businesses across the country are and innovation. ment to providing quality global journa- It is our belief that The International among the worst affected.

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