OC 75 ` 2020 12, OCTOBER OCTO GOOD FOR YOU? FOR GOOD ARE HEALTH ID CARDS CARDS ID HEALTH ARE WHATSAPP RESHUFFLE THE BIG BJP BIG THE HOW PRIVATE? AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF TO PROTECT DO CAN YOU AND WHAT

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW THE PHONE THE PHONE ABOUT HOW NEED TO KNOW YOU EVERYTHING MESSAGING SERVICE CAN BE TAPPED, CLONED OR HACKED OR HACKED CLONED BE TAPPED, CAN SERVICE MESSAGING i in

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

hile the nation was transfixed by the soap opera wants to tap you, it will. Privacy activists believe these agencies of the investigation into the suspicious death of have sweeping powers to track people online, read their mes- actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a collateral issue sages, intercept their phone conversations and monitor their web W started playing out simultaneously. Besides the browsing histories without warrants or independent oversight. personal interrogations, most of the evidence in the case is in Electronic evidence is admissible in courts if accompanied with a the form of WhatsApp chats of persons close to Rajput and certificate that such evidence has not been modified. a chain of others on the issue of the consumption and supply A range of sophisticated digital tools makes it easier for agen- of drugs. Regrettably, the enforcement agencies chose to leak cies to harvest data from phones and storage devices. This has these conversations selectively to the media, which, in turn, often helped law agencies solve what seemed like uncrackable built a whole narrative of lawbreaking with par- cases. The NIA recently pieced together a moun- tial evidence even before the case is registered. tain of digital evidence from the partially dam- This was not an isolated incident. Last month in aged mobile phone of Pakistani national Umar Delhi, chat transcripts of 15 persons charged by Farooq, to conclude that he was the mastermind the police for organising the Delhi riots in Feb- of the suicide bombing attack in Pulwama on ruary this year were again leaked to the media. February 14, 2019. All this has got people wondering how secure they can really feel about the privacy of their et, the alarming rate at which law enforce- phone conversations—particularly on What- Yment agencies are accessing and using sapp. Over 400 million Indians use this popular WhatsApp chats as incriminating evidence is messaging service. The country is its largest making users wary. This has raised concerns customer base in the world. We make up close to Our September 27, 2004 cover about privacy which the Supreme Court has de- one-fourth of the 2 billion user base of the app, clared a fundamental right of the citizen. It has owned by social media giant Facebook. A con- once again fuelled the demand for an effective venience tool, Whatsapp has been in for and comprehensive law on data protection and over a decade, bringing people and communities privacy. India currently has no such laws to pro- closer and allowing them to share text, voice and tect individual privacy, and with multiple agen- video messages and photographs. It has become cies authorised to snoop on smartphones, we run the preferred way to speedily disseminate infor- the risk of becoming a surveillance state. A Joint mation, especially during unprecedented situa- Parliamentary Committee is examining the tions like the pandemic and the lockdown. But, proposed Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, as is the case with all technology, it has a darker set to be tabled this winter session of Parliament. side. Two years back, video rumours about child Our April 9, 2018 cover Once passed, the bill will restrict the collection lifters triggered random acts of mob violence of digital evidence by allowing law enforcement across the country in which 30 innocent persons agencies to get only specific information for were killed. Last year, there were reports of investigating crimes. several WhatsApp accounts being compromised Our cover story, written by Deputy Editor by hackers using the spyware Pegasus. Kaushik Deka, looks at the issues the leaking of Besides the state police, 10 central agencies private phone chats has thrown up and privacy are presently empowered to intercept, monitor implications. He examines the technical and and decrypt communications. They include the legal aspects and the moral and ethical issues Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Inves- of tapping private chats. Sure, you cannot cite tigation, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics privacy as your fundamental right to hide crim- Control Bureau, Central Board of Direct Taxes, inality. Still, there needs to be a system with Our July 23, 2018 cover Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, National oversight that governs the collection of such evi- Investigation Agency, Research & Analysis dence and maintains a balance between privacy Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence and the concerns and the need to gather evidence. Delhi police commissioner. Under Section 5 of the Telegraph Cyberlaw expert Pavan Duggal offers us a useful reminder. Act, 1885, the Union home secretary and the home secretary of “The internet as a paradigm,” he says, “never sleeps, and the a state can order interception in the interests of the sovereignty internet as a phenomenon never forgets. Every activity we do and integrity of the country or for preventing incitement to online leaves behind an electronic footprint, which can be used an offence. In exceptional circumstances, a duly authorised against us.” So, tread carefully in the digital world. officer of joint secretary rank or above can also issue such an order. There are other safeguards for review but all within the bureaucracy. There is no independent review outside that. Considering how compliant the bureaucracy has become to its political masters, the chances are that if the government (Aroon Purie)

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 3 UPFRONT LEISURE LADAKH: HIGH-ALTITUDE GAMING IN INDIA IS SHADOWBOXING PG 6 LEVELLING UP PG 51 www.indiatoday.in HATHRAS RAPE: Q&A WITH CHAIRMAN AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie THE UNANSWERED CARRYMINATI VICE CHAIRPERSON: Kalli Purie QUESTIONS PG 10 INSIDE PG 56 GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Raj Chengappa GROUP CREATIVE EDITOR: Nilanjan Das; GROUP PHOTO EDITOR: Bandeep Singh MANAGING EDITORS: Kai Jabir Friese, Rajesh Jha EXECUTIVE EDITORS: S. Sahaya Ranjit, Sandeep Unnithan, Manisha Saroop; MUMBAI: M.G. Arun SENIOR DEPUTY EDITORS: Uday Mahurkar, HYDERABAD: Amarnath K. Menon DEPUTY EDITORS: Kaushik Deka, Shwweta Punj 18 SENIOR EDITORS: Sasi Nair, Anilesh S. Mahajan MUMBAI: Suhani Singh; JAIPUR: Rohit Parihar SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Ashish Mukherjee MUMBAI: Kiran Dinkar Tare; PATNA: Amitabh Srivastava ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Sonali Acharjee KOLKATA: Romita Sengupta; BHOPAL: Rahul Noronha ASSISTANT EDITORS: Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri, Aditya Wig PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Yasir Iqbal (Deputy Chief Photographer), Rajwant Singh Rawat (Principal Photographer), Chandra Deep Kumar (Senior Photographer); MUMBAI: Mandar Suresh Deodhar (Chief Photographer) PHOTO RESEARCHERS: Prabhakar Tiwari (Chief Photo Researcher), Saloni Vaid (Principal Photo Researcher), CHIEF OF GRAPHICS: Tanmoy Chakraborty ART DEPARTMENT: Sanjay Piplani (Senior Art Director); Angshuman De (Art Director); Devajit Bora (Deputy Art Director); Vikas Verma (Associate Art Director); Siddhant Jumde (Senior Illustrator) PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Harish Agarwal (Chief of Production), Naveen Gupta (Chief Coordinator)

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General Manager: Mayur Rastogi (North), COVER STORY Illustration by Upendra Singh (Bangalore), Kaushiky Gangulie (East) GROUP CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: Vivek Malhotra SALES AND OPERATIONS Deepak Bhatt, Senior General Manager (National Sales) HOW PRIVATE IS YOUR CHAT? Vipin Bagga, General Manager (Operations) Rajeev Gandhi, Deputy General Manager (North) NILANJAN DAS Syed Asif Saleem, Regional Sales Manager (West) It’s not for a determined state agency, especially S Paramasivam, Deputy Regional Sales Manager (South) when there is no legal framework, as in India, to Piyush Ranjan Das, Senior Sales Manager (East) guarantee personal data protection

BJP BIHAR

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THE GST HATHRAS RAPE: MISAPPROPRIATION THE UNANSWERED PG 9 QUESTIONS PG 10

THE POACHERS GOA’S MISSING OF PANNA TOURISTS PG 12 PG 14

A SHOW OF FORCE Indian Army soldiers with a T-90 ‘Bhishma’ tank in Ladakh

ANI

LADAKH s the tense military standoff between India and China in Ladakh entered its sixth month, the situation on the ground showed A no signs of de-escalation. The Chinese TALKS, TANKS People’s Liberation Army (PLA) hasn’t budged from the Finger 4 area of Pangong lake—8 km into Indian territory based on India’s perception of the LAC (Line AND HIGH-ALTITUDE of Actual Control)—and in the Hot Springs area. The Indian Army is heavily deployed along the LAC and atop the Kailash Range, a row of hill features south of SHADOWBOXING Pangong lake, which it occupied using special forces in successive waves beginning August 29. By Sandeep Unnithan Both sides issued a rare joint statement after the September 21 Corps Commander-level talks, where they agreed to ‘strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings and misjudge- ments, stop sending more troops to the LAC, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the



UPFRONT

ground and avoid taking actions that by India, and opposes infrastructure may complicate the situation’. This is THE ATAL construction in disputed border areas the sixth round of talks between gener- for military control purposes,” said als from the two armed forces. TUNNEL, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson As if in a parallel universe, and fill- Wang Wenbin in Beijing, in response ing the time until a yet-to-be-decided ROHTANG to a question on India’s heightened seventh round of talks, the two nations The world’s longest construction activity. On this count, nonetheless continue to strike bel- tunnel (over 3,000 metres in early October, defence minister ligerent postures. China peppered its above sea level) will be will inaugurate 43 state-owned media with footage of the inaugurated on October 3 bridges in the border areas of Ladakh, PLA’s Tibet military command conduct- Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal ing live-fire drills, on September 24, of Work started Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and tanks and artillery and missiles. As a 2010 Jammu and Kashmir, including seven Chinese military spokesperson said, this in Ladakh built by the BRO all along was to ‘test its adaptability and firepow- the LAC with China. And on October er of troops in ultra-high altitudes (over Original date 3, Prime Minister is set 18,000 ft)’, leaving no doubt where the of completion to inaugurate the 8.8 km Atal tunnel in ‘ultra-high altitudes’ were. 2015 Rohtang, which will provide all-weath- er connectivity to a section of the vital he message was duly received, Tunnel breakthrough route linking Manali to Leh. with the Indian Army reveal- With the stalemate sliding into OCT 15, 2017 ing just a few days later to winter and both sides digging in, T the media its newly inducted Indian Army officials say they are T-90 tanks and BMP-2 infantry com- Completed in watchful for Chinese attempts to alter bat vehicles, deployed at areas over 2020 the status quo in Ladakh and conduct 15,000 ft above sea level. While it was possible diversionary military actions. known that tanks had been inducted in Length China, like India, is in a heightened Ladakh—the world’s highest deploy- state of military readiness. It has been ment of the armoured beasts—these 8.8 km conducting live-fire exercises not just in were the first visuals to have come out Ladakh but also on its maritime fron- so close to the theatre of operations. What it does tier. On September 28, it conducted a On September 29, China hit back Allows year-round connectivity near-unprecedented series of simul- with one of its harshest statements from Manali to Lahaul and Spiti val- taneous military exercises—two in the since the standoff began. “China does ley. The tunnel will reduce the road South China Sea and one each in the not recognise the so-called Union ter- length of the Manali-Rohtang Pass- East China Sea and in the Bohai Sea. ritory of Ladakh, illegally established Sarchu-Leh road by 46 km These exercises, Indian analysts say, have been sparked off by fears within China of a possible military strike by NORTHERN the United States, which could help LIFELINE US President Donald Trump fighting a An interior view tough re-election campaign. of the Atal tunnel Indian analysts say they are also looking at a significant event within China that could perhaps define the trajectory of the standoff in Ladakh. The fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) begins in Beijing next month. This crucial meeting, which will decide the course of China’s economy over the next five years, will be presided over by President Xi Jinping. There is much more at stake in the standoff for all players than meets the eye. n

8 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 GST

A CASE OF Illustration by

STICKY SIDDHANT JUMDE FINGERS By Anilesh S. Mahajan

t the GST Council meet- fund of India. A senior finance min- against the estimated compensation of ing on September 20 last istry official, speaking on condition Rs 3 lakh crore. Many point out that if year, a major disagreement of anonymity, maintains that states the Centre had transferred the excess A erupted over delays in pay- received the full compensation they collections in 2017-18 and 2018-19 to ment of GST compensation owed by the were entitled to in these two years— the compensation cess fund—as legally Centre to the states. A point of serious Rs 41,146 crore in 2017 and Rs 69,275 required—an additional Rs 47,272 acrimony was an allegation by a group crore in 2018. However, this defence crore would have been available for the of finance ministers from non-NDA still sidesteps the point that the GST Centre to pass on to states. “It may not (National Democratic Alliance) states— Compensation Cess Act requires the have been enough [to fully compensate Punjab’s Manpreet Badal, West Bengal’s entire cess collection to be transferred the states this year], but it would have Amit Mitra, Delhi’s Manish Sisodia, to the compensation fund, regardless played a pivotal role in building trust Chhattisgarh’s T.S. Singh Deo and of whether collections exceed com- between the Centre and the states,” says Kerala’s Thomas Isaac—that the Centre pensations due. Some analysts point a finance minister from a BJP-ruled was ‘diverting’ GST cess collections. out that as a result of this ‘creative state, requesting anonymity. Former That charge appears to have been vin- accounting’, the Centre was able to Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha dicated by the CAG (Comptroller and overestimate its revenue receipts (and agrees on that last point, saying that Auditor General) of India audit report, underestimate its fiscal deficit) for the facts established by the CAG report tabled in both houses of Parliament in these two years. “only deepen mistrust and create more its recently concluded monsoon ses- This revelation has reignited the challenges for the federal structure”. sion. The CAG audit of the Centre’s fiery disagreement between the Centre On the point of Centre-state trust, finances found that the Union min- and state governments over their GST a further provocation came at the GST istry of finance had violated the GST dues. Even more galling for states, the Council meeting on August 27, when Compensation Cess Act, 2017, by short- Centre recently claimed it was unable the Centre unilaterally reduced the crediting the GST compensation cess to pay them the compensation they compensation it owed to the states. fund by Rs 47,272 crore over two years. were due this year as a result of rev- Finance minister In 2017, state governments gave enue shortfalls—GST cess collections argued that since GST collections up the right to levy indirect taxes, sub- are about Rs 65,000 crore this year, as had fallen due to an “act of God”—the ject to an assurance from the Centre Covid-19 pandemic—the Centre was that they would be compensated for only liable for Rs 97,000 crore of the the loss of revenue. The Centre was ` Rs 3 lakh crore of revenue lost to the allowed to levy a cess on certain goods 1.57 lakh crore states this fiscal year because of the and services, with these collections to GST compensation cess implementation of the GST. Even more be transferred to a compensation fund. collected by the Centre aggravating was the Centre’s proposed The CAG report says that in 2017-18 in 2017-18 and 2018-19 solution—that state governments bor- and 2018-19, these cess collections row the shortfall from the market. The were Rs 62,611 crore and Rs 95,081 Centre said that if states agreed to the crore, respectively. The report says that ` ‘revised’ compensation amount, both instead of transferring the total collec- 47,272 crore principal and interest on these debts tions to the compensation fund, the GST compensation cess collec- would be paid out of the compensation finance ministry retained about tions retained by the Centre in the fund, but if they did not, only the princi- Rs 47,272 crore in the consolidated consolidated fund of India pal would be repaid. n

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 9 ANI ANI RAJWANT RAWAT RAWAT RAJWANT ANI

HATHRAS GANG-RAPE CRIME AND PUNISHMENT By Ashish Misra

n September 14, a ing for breath with her tongue cut off. thought village boys had thrashed her, 19-year-old Dalit girl Doctors at Aligarh’s Jawaharlal but later it was found that she had been from Boolgadhi vil- Nehru Medical College Hospital said at gang-raped.” lage went to a farm, the time of admission the same day that Boolgadhi village, located some 400 with her mother and the girl was paralysed with a severe spi- km from state capital Lucknow, has a O a male family mem- nal cord injury and had several broken small Dalit population—90 of 300-odd ber, to collect fodder. bones. Her mother paints an even more resident families. Despite the gruesome The village falls under Chandpa police horrific picture. “When I saw my daugh- nature of the crime, the UP police took station in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras dis- ter (on the farm), she was bleeding. Her five days to bestir itself and record the trict. While at work, she was attacked and tongue had been cut off—the police girl’s statement. They visited the village gang-raped, allegedly by four upper caste are lying when they deny it. Before she only after BSP supremo Mayawati and men from her village. The girl’s mother fainted, my daughter named one of the Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar found her with a deep neck injury, gasp- accused into her brother’s ears. We first condemned the incident. One youth

10 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 UPFRONT

SORROW AND OUTRAGE violence to keep them at bay. (Clockwise from far left) Grieving relatives of APPALLING the gang-raped girl after news of her death; Around 200 police personnel blocked a protest in New Delhi on Sept. 30; a Youth APATHY the cremation ground during the funeral Congress agitation in the national capital; police and the girl’s family was reportedly not stop Congress workers from marching towards Sept. 14, 2020 allowed to go near the pyre. “The brother CM ’s residence in Lucknow A 19-year-old Dalit girl is of the victim called and told my office that gang-raped and tortured, al- he and [their] father were taken to the legedly by four upper caste cremation ground while the cremation was men, in Boolgadhi village of from the village was arrested on September on, but were not allowed to see the [girl’s] Hathras district in UP 19. On September 22, eight days after the face,” tweeted National Commission for attack, the police pressed charges of gang- Sept. 14 Women chairperson Rekha Sharma. rape and attempt to murder against him The girl is admitted to the Questions are also being raised about and three more youths from the village, who Jawaharlal Nehru Medical the casual dismissal by the police of a were subsequently arrested. All four men College Hospital in Aligarh caste angle in the case. “Despite endless have also been booked under provisions of with a severely damaged announcements by the UP government, the SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. spinal cord and fractures incidents of atrocities and rapes and mur- As the girl’s condition worsened, she Sept. 19 ders of Dalits and women are not stopping. was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in New Police record the girl’s It is but natural to question the intentions Delhi on September 28. Her death next statement and arrest a of the state government,” said Mayawati. morning sparked countrywide outrage. On youth from her village A recent report, ‘Quest for Justice’, by social media, the tragedy has brought back the National Campaign for Dalit Human memories of similar ghastly crimes against Sept. 22 Rights, a coalition of Dalit activists and women, with some calling the Hathras girl Police file a case of gang- academics, says crimes against Dalits have rape and attempt to murder the ‘forgotten Nirbhaya’, a reference to the risen alarmingly, with over 391,000 atroci- against the youth and three December 16, 2012 gang-rape of a young others from the village. ties reported between 2009 and 2018. The medical student in New Delhi. Arrests follow over the report says close to 90 per cent of the cases next four days filed under the SC/ ST Act during this peri- rime Minister Narendra Modi od were pending action. According to the spoke to UP chief minister Yogi Sept. 25 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Adityanath on the morning of The SHO of Chandpa police there has been a 7 per cent increase in crimes P September 30, asking for strict station, under which the vil- against women in India between 2018 and lage falls, is transferred action against the culprits. 2019, with Uttar Pradesh registering the Soon after, the state government announced Sept. 28 highest numbers. that a special investigation team (SIT), The girl’s condition worsens However, a report released in August headed by home secretary Bhagwan and she is shifted to Safdar- by the Uttar Pradesh home department Swaroop, would take up the case. Adityanath jung Hospital in New Delhi claims a drop in rape incidents in the state has announced a compensation of Rs 25 in the first half of 2020—down 38.7 per lakh and a house in Hathras city for the girl’s Sept. 29 cent compared with 2016. UP additional The family is informed family, apart from a job for one member. The director general of police (law and order) about the girl’s death case will be fast-tracked. Prashant Kumar says: “The police are tak- As political parties try to corner the UP Sept. 30 ing strict action in cases of crimes against administration over the handling of the case, The girl’s body is brought to women. Instructions have been given to several questions remain unanswered. First, her village at 12.45 am. The step up patrolling to prevent such crimes.” the response of the local police. Not only did family alleges that police The situation on the ground, however, it take pressure from national leaders for the kept them away from does not lend any credence to those sta- police to take some action, there was a long the last rites tistics and police claims. As Adesh Singh, delay in registering a case of gang-rape. It is Sept. 30 a Lakhimpur-based social activist, says: also unclear why the police forced the cre- An SIT is set up. CM Yogi “The anti-Romeo squad, formed after mation in the middle of the night soon after Adityanath orders Rs 25 Yogi Adityanath assumed power in 2017, the girl’s body had arrived at Boolgadhi vil- lakh compensation for the became inactive during the pandemic. With lage around 12.45 am on September 30. girl’s family schools, colleges and coaching institutes Amid protests by villagers, the girl’s family closed, troublemakers are now commonly had repeatedly pleaded that they be allowed spotted in markets, at road intersections, to take the body home once, but the police even hospitals, and young girls and women allegedly declined and even resorted to are routinely molested.” n

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 11 STALKING THE BIG CAT A Panna tiger on a morning stroll

AJAY PANNA

BIG CAT POACHING ALARM BELLS IN PANNA By Rahul Noronha

n mid-August, the decomposed were his head and private parts—a a resident of Brijpur in Panna, led the body of a tiger, P-123, washed sure sign of poaching. A week later, the team to more recoveries in his home- up on the banks of the Ken river Special Tiger Strike Force (STSF)—the town. Four days later, two more leopard I in the Panna National Park, the state’s dedicated anti-poaching unit— and spotted deer hides were recovered. fifth tiger death in the reserve in the unearthed an organised poaching ring Meanwhile, two leopard poaching cases past eight months. The park man- feeding off the Panna park. were reported in the past few months. agement initi ally claimed P-123 had For a park that had lost all its tigers Tiwari’s arrest wasn’t a regulation succumbed to injuries sustained in to poaching in 2008, losing a tenth poaching case. The STSF found that a territorial fight with another tiger, of the adult population and the pres- Tiwari and his associates were running P-431. One of the staff had witnessed ence of an organised poaching gang in an organised poaching syndicate and it, they said. It was the autopsy report, its vicinity are deeply troubling signs. were, in fact, the back-end of operations which came out a month later, that On September 17, the STSF arrested that helped legitimise illegally sourced raised alarm in the state’s wildlife three people in Jabalpur and recovered wildlife trophies. The STSF, however, establishment and beyond. leopard skin and spotted deer skin. did not recover any of the missing tiger The tiger’s claws were missing, as One of the accused, Jitendra Tiwari, parts, of P-123 or any others.

12 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 UPFRONT

How did the legitimisation process distinction of having to report in into how the reserve lost all its tigers. work? Well, in the early 2000s, the December 2008 that it had lost its The central committee found poaching Madhya Pradesh government had come entire tiger population. In March to be the main reason while the state out with an amnesty scheme to legal- 2009, the forest department launched theorised that the skewed sex ratio (too ise old, unregistered wildlife trophies. a tiger reintroduction programme, many males) in Panna had led to the big Under the scheme, owners of unregis- under which tigers from other cats straying out of the reserve to areas tered merchandise like old horns, skins parks such as Kanha, Pench and where protection measures were weak and antlers were to get a second chance Bandhavgarh were released in Panna and got killed. to do so. The trophies had to be present- after being radio collared. The released The peripheries of the Panna reserve ed before the forest department, which tigers were monitored 24x7 by six- are also populated with communities would tag them and issue a certifi cate of member dedicated teams. The added who have traditionally engaged in hunt- ownership. The government announced protection played a crucial role in ing. The Bundelkhand region, where that any ‘trophy’ found without regis- reviving the tiger numbers. Ten years the Panna tiger reserve is located, is also tration after the scheme ended would after the first tiger arrived, Panna now known for its gun culture and higher be illegal and invite action under the has more than 40 adult tigers and over incidence of crime. Naturally, wildlife Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. a dozen cubs. Tigers from Panna are crimes, too, are more common here. The STSF said the Panna gang had now also populating other reserves According to the wildlife wing intel- sourced a seal from a wildlife office in such as Satpura and Sanjay National ligence, Katni, an important railway Khajuraho and was issuing certificates Park in MP and even the forests of UP. junction in the vicinity of Panna, has and tags along with the wildlife ‘tro- What are the peculiar vul nerabilities helped smugglers transfer wildlife mer- phies’ being sold to people. of Panna? After the 2008 debacle, the chandise to various parts of the country Soon after the poaching gang’s Centre and the state government had from where it is often shipped outside arrest, chief wildlife warden Alok both appointed committees to look the country. The Covid pandemic has Kumar rushed to Panna on also taken a toll on livelihoods, September 23 on a damage especially in the tourism sec- control mission. “All issues tor, which is a big employer pertaining to the deaths locally, as Khajuraho is located of tigers have been looked close by. Criminals and anti- into. Except for the last socials have seen an oppor- one, in which body parts tunity and are exploiting the of the tiger went missing, situation. all were natural deaths. “The factors that threat- But I agree that there are ened tigers more than a decade issues of management ago are still present. It’s just at the park that must be that a strong park manage- addressed,” Kumar said. ment deterred them. The What are the management moment management got lax, issues he flagged? For one, forces antithetical to the park the inexplicable delay in became active. The poaching the recovery of carcasses HIDE AND SEEK An arrested poacher cases around the reserve is a of tigers after their deaths. The park with the seized leopard and deer skins consequence of this,” says Shyamendra management has claimed that all five Singh, Panna resident and former mem- tiger deaths have been due to territo- ber of the state wildlife board. Park rial conflict—a natural consequence of authorities need to work closely with increasing tiger numbers. locals to prevent a repeat of 2008. The Even in the case of P-123, the park 2008 wildlife habitat already faces too many management claims the body parts were The year Panna had to shame- threats, from the new environmental chopped off after the tiger had died a fully declare that it had lost all laws and the persistent threat from the natural death. “Territorial fights are a its tigers to poaching Ken-Betwa river link project. If poach- natural occurrence, but the incidence ers continue to strike, Panna’s tigers of fights is lower in Panna given that may not be able to bounce back. the female to male ratio is favourable,” It’s not all bad news for Panna, claims Kumar. But the theory has few 58 though: in the last week of September, takers, mainly because of the number of No. of tigers in Panna now, park director K.S. Bhadoria released tiger deaths in such a short interval. according to park officials; pictures of two new cubs that were The park has the dubious 42 adults and 16 cubs born some time in June. „

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 13 GOA THE MISSING TOURIST With international tourists unlikely to visit this year, the state is trying to attract domestic travellers—but with restrictions still in place and fearful locals not warming to the idea, it will be a hard year By Kiran D. Tare

NO DEMAND Tourist boats moored at a dock in Goa’s backwaters

oa’s famous beaches government losing annual royalties of travellers, doing away with the require- look desolate. Its about Rs 400 crore. Goa’s dependence ment that visitors have transit per- vibrant nightlife, sus- on tourism is anyway higher than the mits. On September 1, it revoked a rule tained by its tourists, national average—a 2019 report by requiring mandatory Covid-19 testing has disappeared. The the World Travel and Tourism Council for domestic tourists visiting the state. music has fallen silent estimated that tourism accounted for Now, only visitors with symptoms— and revellers are few 6.8 per cent of India’s GDP that year. coughs, fevers, etc—must be tested at Gand far between. The only thing that While the state had the highest per the state’s ICMR (Indian Council of appears to have retained its demand capita income in the country in 2019— Medical Research)-approved laborato- even in the midst of this pandemic is about Rs 4.7 lakh—the slump in tour- ries. It has also allowed about 10,000 alcohol, which brings its own conse- ism is likely to affect incomes this year. licensed bars to resume operations, with quences for health and safety. For Goa, The state government says seven physical distancing a compulsory norm. a hot favourite tourist destination for million tourists visited Goa between State chief minister domestic and international travellers June 2019 and March 2020. This year, admits that tourism has been badly hit alike, the loss of tourism has grave eco- it has seen practically no tourists in the by the pandemic. As of September 27, nomic consequences too. According to summer and monsoon seasons (though Goa had 5,097 active cases (with 31,557 the state’s economic survey for 2019- official figures are unavailable). So cumulative cases) and 401 deaths. 20, tourism accounted for 9-11 per cent severe is the financial crunch that the Nonetheless, he insists that precautions of the state GDP (gross domestic prod- government has had to borrow about are being taken. “We are taking all the uct). Its dependence on tourism has, Rs 900 crore to meet its commitments. necessary safety measures,” he said on in fact, grown since the ban in March It has also taken a number of steps September 25. “All [domestic tourists] 2018 on iron ore mining, which used to recently to attract domestic tourists. In are welcome in Goa.” He estimates that be the largest source of revenue for the end-August, after a five-month lock- the relaxation in lockdown rules will state. The ban has resulted in the state down, it opened the state’s borders to help the hospitality industry increase its

14 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 UPFRONT

occupancy rate by 20-25 per cent. As a economic impact of the tourism indus- result of the relaxation, Goa’s Dabolim try in Goa is estimated at 40 per cent,’ airport has seen an improvement in says the note. It expects that the indus- passenger numbers. On September 6, try will see a revival by December if the Air India restarted flights from Mumbai Centre announces relaxations on inter- and Surat to Goa—these cities account national travel in October. for a significant number of traders and Even so, tourists visiting Goa will businessmen who regularly visit the have fewer entertainment options. The state on weekends. Dabolim currently state’s continuing ban on operations of handles some 20 daily domestic flights, the 350-odd beach shacks along Goa’s about three times higher than on May 105-km coastline means that these 25, when domestic air travel resumed. iconic establishments remain closed. Authorities expect this number to rise to Though ports minister Michael Lobo about 30 per day in the coming weeks. announced a 50 per cent concession Currently, the airport sees about 1,000 in the operating licence fee for shacks passengers arriving each day, a sig- on September 13, this likely comes as nificant improvement from the nearly very faint cheer for owners. Similarly, empty flights in May and June. casinos also remain closed, which indirectly worsens the state’s financial owever, a central component of crunch—in 2019-20, the state govern- Goa’s winter tourism—foreign ment collected about Rs 150 crore in H travellers—will likely remain taxes from such establishments. absent this year, as the Union govern- Another complicating factor is that ment’s strict restrictions on internation- many Goans are unhappy with the al flights remain in force. Each year, Goa idea of tourism resuming. Many took typically sees thousands of tourists from to social media to voice their protests Europe arriving on chartered flights at the state government’s relaxing of soon after the beginning of winter in Covid-19 rules in early September, say- October. In 2018, over 800 such flights ing that tourists regularly flout health from Europe landed in Goa between and safety norms, from not wearing ANI October and January. Data from the masks to not maintaining physical state’s tourism department shows that distancing. A popular travel content average spending by a foreign tourist creator, Shenaz Treasury, with over is significantly more than his domes- 744,000 followers on Instagram, tic counterpart—about Rs 87,000 for recently faced significant backlash 9-11% a week’s visit, while a domestic tourist when she posted a maskless selfie rid- The share of tourism in Goa’s spends about Rs 31,000 in that time. ing pillion on a two-wheeler at Anjuna GDP in 2019. That year, the all- Hotel managers and tour operators beach. After deleting the post, she India figure was 6.8 per cent say the restrictions on international uploaded a new one, which read in travel mean their marketing plans have part: ‘Don’t come to Goa. When I came to remain on hold. Nilesh Shah, presi- here, things around me seemed nor- dent, Travel & Tourism Association of mal, but the locals, who love their state, ` Goa (TTAG), says tour operators cannot educated me that it’s not normal and 87,000 even entertain enquiries without the I’m grateful to them for that.” Average spend by an Centre easing these restrictions. “As Goa Many point out that the Covid international tourist in a week is a small state, tourism cannot be sus- spread in Goa accelerated significantly in Goa. Domestic tourists tained by tourists from within the state.” after early May, when trains to the spend about Rs 31,000 Domestic tourist numbers in September state began operating from Delhi and were about 20 per cent of the figure for Mumbai. Vibhor Naik, a resident of the same month last year. Calangute, says: “Tourists don’t follow ` According to a TTAG note pub- rules. If they are not stopped [from 900 CRORE lished in June, Goa’s tourism industry visiting Goa], the situation will get Goa’s borrowing this year had by then lost about Rs 1,000 crore out of control.” Chief Minister Sawant to make up for revenue loss worth of business because of the lock- is yet to finalise the draft tourism pol- from the lockdowns downs. Even today, only a few hotels icy, which is expected to have a road- have reopened. ‘The direct and indirect map for the next decade. n

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 15 UPFRONT Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE

ANI

UNCLE KNOWS BEST aharashtra deputy chief Mminister Ajit Pawar has been in a sulk. The NCP leader was recently asked by uncle and party chief Sharad Pawar, who continues to have the final sayin all party-related matters, to take down a tweet. Ajit had tweeted GLASSHOUSE a tribute to BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary on September 25. The tweet, however, was deleted within BEHIND an hour after Pawar Sr called him to express his displeasure. CLOSED DOORS Interestingly, a few years ago, Ajit two-hour closed-door meeting between Maharashtra’s had said that one should not take leader of opposition and Shiv advice from anyone over the ageof A Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut on September 26 50. The rule, though, clearly set the rumour mill running. It was the first high-level contact doesn’t apply to him. between the estranged parties since their split 10 months ago. The two clarified that the meeting was for an interview of Fadnavis to be published in Saamna, of which Raut is executive editor. But speculation continues. One theory is that Raut had called on Fadnavis, BJP in-charge of Bihar election, to get him to ease up on the attacks on the Maharashtra government in its handling of the Sushant Singh Rajput case. Others say the meeting was a trap set by NCP leader Sharad Pawar, who used Raut for the task, to fuel speculation about BJP-Sena ties and embarrass Fadnavis in Bihar. Wheels within wheels.

Firebrand 2.0 n 2015, Akhilesh Yadav, the then ormer IPS officerBharati Pilgrims’ Progress chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had Ghosh, once a close aide I F launched a ‘Samajwadi Shravan Yatra’ of West Bengal chief minister scheme meant to fund the pilgrima­ Mamata Banerjee, jumped ship ge of senior citizens. The scheme, in 2019 to join the BJP. This year, though, was a non­starter and didn’t the BJP seat hopeful has been benefit Akhilesh electorally. The Yo g i campaigning against the TMC in Adityanath government now is East and West Midnapore. But considering a similar scheme that will what should really worry the CM fund the religious trips of the 150 is the moniker Ghosh has been million registered labourers in the given by the people—Agnikanya state. There is no estimate of costs (fire woman)—a name Mamata yet, but it will likely be launched on had earned in her younger daysas November 10, as part of the birth a Congress activist. Has Didi finally centenary celebrations of RSS met her match? ideologue Dattopant Thengadi. ANI

—Sandeep Unnithan with Kiran D. Tare, Ashish Misra and Romita Datta OBITUARY

JASWANT SINGH 1938­2020 The Artful Diplomat By Yashwant Sinha

was greatly saddened to hear of the demise of carried out the nuclear tests in Pokhran. I was also taken into Jaswant Singh. He was a valued colleague, both confidence by Vajpayee, but I was not aware of the exact date in government and the party to which we both of the tests. One day, I got a call from Jaswant Singh asking if I belonged and of which he was a founding member. could come to 5, Race Course Road for an important meeting. A thorough gentleman and an upright army officer, “Has it happened?” I blurted out. He didn’t respond. It was a Jaswant Singh was also an astute diplomat and a top-secret operation and one was not supposed to utter a word Isuperb administrator. He was a great parliamentarian who about it. We met. The note Vajpayee read out to the media acquitted himself with great distinction. and the letter sent to then US President Bill Clinton were both When I joined public life, he was already in politics, but drafted at this meeting. we were in two different parties. Our names were phonetically Most of the powerful nations of the world, including the similar, which often created confusion and comic situations. US, did not take kindly to this development. They imposed In fact, on the day of his demise, a journalist from a news economic sanctions, and politically India was considered a channel called me and said that “Jaswant Sinha” had expired pariah. The task of making the world understand our case and wanted me to record a message of condolence. There was entrusted to Jaswant Singh. His engagement with Strobe were others who thought I had passed away. I remember, Talbott, then US deputy secretary of state, is now history. It cre- once Ramakrishna Hegde, who was ated the foundation for a constructive Karnataka chief minister at the time, dialogue with the US on nuclear and convened a meeting of leaders from other issues and marked the beginning opposition parties and I also received a of a new phase in our relationship. message to attend the meeting, though In 2000, when President Clinton we both belonged to the . visited India, it was the culmination I reached Karnataka Bhawan, only to of the extensive work Jaswant Singh realise that there had been a mix-up had done on presenting India’s case to when Hegde, very politely, enquired the global community. His expertise about Jaswant Singh. in strategic affairs, security issues and We became close colleagues when foreign policy was utilised when he I entered Rajya Sabha in 1988. Once drafted India’s nuclear doctrine. Even when the Janata Party and BJP decided when we were in opposition, he deter-

to form an alliance in Rajasthan for an SINGHSUMEETINDER mined the BJP’s position on the nuclear assembly election, we worked closely, deal and the civil liability law. and accommodatively, to finalise a seat- He channelled his expertise In 2014, during the last session sharing formula in record time. He was in security issues and foreign of the Lok Sabha, while having coffee an honest negotiator. In Rajya Sabha, policy while drafting India’s with him and in we newcomers would carefully observe the Central Hall of Parliament, I said how persuasively he articulated his nuclear doctrine I wouldn’t contest another election to views. His command over both Hindi return to the ‘Golghar’. Jaswant Singh, and English was superb, though many people thought him a on the other hand, said the people of Barmer wanted him to ‘pucca brown saheb’. He also had a unique sense of humour. contest one last time, but he was denied a ticket. This hurt him Commenting on an inconsequential tax proposal, during a dis- deeply. In 2009, after his book on Jinnah, he was expelled from cussion on the finance bill, he once said: “This is not even good the party in the most unceremonious fashion. After a year or so, enough to buy me a bottle of whiskey”. he expressed his desire to return. I conveyed this to Advaniji, When I joined the BJP, I realised Jaswant Singh was an who met him and cleared the way; I was happy about my bit important leader in the party. During meetings, he used to role. But the denial of a party ticket in 2014 and the pain of share the dais with Vajpayee, Advani and Rajmata Scindia of becoming inconsequential in a party where he was once pivotal Gwalior. He would generally be entrusted with the responsibil- made him extremely unhappy. ity to draft the political resolution while I handled the economic The country should not forget the stellar contribution resolution. We often exchanged notes. In May 1998, when Jaswant Singh made to build a new India. n he was deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, India —As told to Anilesh S. Mahajan

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 17 COVER STORY HOW PRIVATE ARE YOUR WHATSAPP CHATS?

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW YOUR MESSAGES CAN BE TAPPED, CLONED OR HACKED AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF

BY KAUSHIK DEKA Illustration by NILANJAN DAS

s a private chat forum, WhatsApp to-end encrypted. No one outside of this chat, not even has no equal—not in India, not in WhatsApp, can read or listen to them”. the world. Globally, the American This reputation of confidentiality that the messaging freeware, cross-platform messag- service enjoyed has now come under a cloud in India. Seri- ing service, owned by Facebook, ous concerns are being raised about WhatsApp’s ability to boasts 2 billion users across 180 protect a person’s privacy apart from preventing content countries. With an estimated 65 from being transmitted and stored on its service from billionAmessages being transmitted daily apart from 2 unauthorised access and misuse. Ironically, the erosion of billion minutes of voice and video calls being made every trust began with a series of unrelated recent incidents. It day in 2018, it is undoubtedly the world’s most popular started when Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput died messaging service. In India, its user base of 400 million in Mumbai on June 14 under mysterious circumstances. makes the country WhatsApp’s largest market. Besides Agencies investigating Sushant’s death began to selec- being free, WhatsApp is simple to use, allows one to send tively leak WhatsApp conversations to media initially to text, audio and video messages and documents. But, most debunk claims by suspects, including Sushant’s ex-girl- of all, it promises privacy and secrecy of communication, friend Rhea Chakraborty. In one instance, Chakraborty’s assuring every user that “messages and calls are end- conversations with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt were used

NO. OF WHATSAPP USERS IN INDIA 400 MILLION

IS WHATSAPP VULNERABLE?

Ô WhatsAppmessages, get overwritten and to cloud storage or both sent and received, deleted, and if the external hard drives are stored in the phone phone is physically is also fairly easy. memory. Even if a destroyed, the data For instance, chat specific chat is deleted cannot be accessed. backups stored in in the app, messages However, messages decrypted form on could still be retrieved might still be Google Drive or iCloud by hackers who accessible on the can be accessed by have either remote phone of whoever simply using a copy or physical access to you have been of the original SIM your phone. There communicating with card while installing are some caveats—if Ô Accessing the WhatsApp on a new the phone memory is phone full, older messages chat backups saved

SENDER’S/ RECEIVER’S WHATSAPP’S PHONE SERVERS Ô Sent and received Ô WhatsApp messages are stored does not store in a decrypted formon private messages the phone and can be on its servers retrieved by anyone once they have who has access to it been delivered Ô WhatsApp’s Ô If a message auto-backup feature is not delivered stores data on Google immediately, it Drive or iCloud in an remains on the unencrypted format. server (in an Manual backups encrypted form) to cloud storage/ for a maximum hard drives are also of 30 days unencrypted. Anyone Ô Metadata— with access to these which includes files can read these call and message messages logs, IP addresses, geo-locations, etc—are stored on WhatsApp servers, and can be accessed by law enforcement via a legal order

TRANSMISSION Ô Messages are encrypted before being transmitted; they are decrypted on the recipient’s phone. WhatsApp says that even if messages are intercepted in transit, they cannot be read by anyone, not even its own technicians Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

WHATSAPP’S MONTHLY USER BASE 2 BILLION COVER STORY

to show that she left Rajput and not he claim that when you send a WhatsApp also the largest market of its parent body who asked her to leave. message to someone, the particular Facebook with around 350 million users Later, the Narcotics Control Bureau message, whether audio, video, image and nearly Rs 900 crore business annu- (NCB), which began investigating a or text, cannot be intercepted by any- ally. In December 2018, the Ministry of drug angle in the death, used her alleged one during the time it first travels to the Electronics and Information Technolo- chat with a drug peddler to arrest her. WhatsApp server and from there to the gy proposed changes to Section 79 of the As the NCB expanded its investigation recipient’s phone. Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 scope, WhatsApp conversations of top WhatsApp has repeatedly claimed making it mandatory for such platforms actors such as Deepika Padukone were that end-to-end encryption ensures to enable tracing out of originators of released in the public realm, feeding the only the sender and recipient and no- information when demanded by legally impression that drug abuse is rampant body in between, not even WhatsApp, authorised government agencies. in the Mumbai film industry. Earlier, can read what’s sent. Is it true? “Mes- While traceability is beyond law on September 16, the Delhi Police filed sages sent on WhatsApp are secured now, what these message services are a charge-sheet in a special court against with locks, and only the recipient and silent on are the areas your chats are 15 people alleging that they created sender have the special keys needed to vulnerable in. All electronic messages WhatsApp groups in December 2019 unlock and read your messages. All of transmitted from one phone to another to organise the riots that broke out in this happens automatically, and there are stored in four places from where the national Capital in February. Once is no need to turn on settings or set up data can be retrieved later—the phone again, chat transcripts of these groups special secret chats to secure your end- memory of the sender as well as of were selectively leaked to the media. to-end encrypted messages,” claims a the receiver, the server of the service WhatsApp spokesperson. provider, be it WhatsApp, Telegram, he alarming rate at which Most cyber experts agree that the in- Signal or iMessage, and on the cloud, law enforcement agencies terception of these encrypted messages should the user have allowed it in his are accessing and using during transmission is near-impossible. settings. Besides, messages are not en- T WhatsApp chats as incrimi- “It is not easy to decrypt encrypted crypted in storage, which means any- nating evidence is increasingly making messages. What enforcement agencies one with access to the sender/ receiver’s users wary of the security and privacy are passing off as decrypting messages phones can read those messages. apparatus of this most widely-used is more a case of recovering the backup Hackers and even government messenger platform in the world. The on the user’s phone, and accessing the agencies are alleged to be using spy- impunity with which media houses messages,” says Jaijit Bhattacharya, ware to spy on targeted phones where publicly air these chats, infringing on president, Centre for Digital Economy decrypted messages can be read live privacy that the Supreme Court has Policy Research. In fact, this end-to-end or even retrieved. Several WhatsApp declared a fundamental right, has once encryption is why WhatsApp has often accounts were hacked worldwide by the again fuelled demand for the immedi- expressed helplessness to law enforce- Pegasus remote surveillance software ate passage of an effective and compre- ment agencies about fake news and hate made by Israel-based cyber tech firm, hensive law dealing with data protec- messages transmitted via the app, as NSO. The most famous instance was tion and privacy. The question is: Just it has no way of knowing what is being in 2018, when Jeff Bezos, CEO of how private and secure are your chats sent or received. Indian government Amazon, had his mobile phone hacked on messaging forums like WhatsApp? has been pressing for traceability of after receiving a WhatsApp message WhatsApp messages to check the spread purportedly sent from the personal HOW SAFE IS YOUR CHAT? of fake news but the chat platform has account of the crown prince of Saudi Data security experts assert that declined to comply with such requests Arabia. “Once a hacker accesses a WhatsApp is not the only messenger till now saying that it undermines the phone, either through physical pos- platform susceptible to breach. Other privacy of the people. Many observers session or through hacking, he or she popular apps like Telegram, Signal and fear that traceability of the source of a can virtually collect all the data inside iMessage are as vulnerable. Messages message could be misused for snooping the phone,” says cybersecurity expert sent across these platforms, including for political purposes and it could be a Subimal Bhattacharjee. WhatsApp, are end-to-end encrypted matter of time before WhatsApp starts It’s equally easy to hack into the and cannot be intercepted during cooperating with government agencies, cloud backup of such messages. In the transmission. In other words, they at least unofficially, given that India is case of WhatsApp, if the user activates

GLOBAL MONTHLY USERS OF FB MESSENGER 1.3 BILLION COVER STORY COULD YOU BE WHATS-TAPPED? the backup option, the message is still undelivered after 30 days, gets stored in Google Drive or it is deleted,” explains a What- nder Sec- interception must con- iCloud. One then only has to un- sApp spokesperson. tion 5 of the tain a justification for instal and re-instal WhatsApp In this respect, WhatsApp Telegraph doing so, and a copy of on the same phone or another and Signal score over Telegram, Act, 1885, A the order must be sent UUnion homse secrtary to the review com- using the same SIM card to which doesn’t have end-to-end or a home secretary of mittee within seven retrieve the back-up on Google encryption as its default setting. a state can order the working days. The re- Drive or iCloud. Only if the user exercises the “Se- interception of phone view committee at the cret Chat” option are messages conversations to pro- central level comprises ost chat platforms transmitted through end-to-end tect the sovereignty the cabinet secretary, claim they don’t encryption in Telegram. Even and integrity of India, the law secretary and store private mes- so, the choice is not available for the security of the the telecom secretary. M sages of users on group chat. When Secret Chat is state, friendly relations At the state level, the their servers. “WhatsApp does not activated, the messages travel with foreign states chief secretary, law not store private messages on its encrypted from the sender’s or public order, or to secretary and any prevent incitement to secretary other than servers once they’re delivered. If device but get decrypted on the commission of an the home secretary are a message cannot be delivered Telegram’s server, which means offence. In exceptional members of this com- immediately (say, if a person is messages can be read. Again, the situations, an officer mittee. All requests for offline), it may be kept on What- messages are encrypted on the (not below the rank of phone taps must come sApp servers for up to 30 days as server and sent to the recipient’s joint secretary), who from an officer not be- it tries to deliver it. If a message device, where they are finally has been authorised low the rank of super- to do so by the Union intendent of police (or home secretary or a equivalent), through ANI state home secretary, the proper channels. can also issue such an The officer authorised order. Interceptions to intercept communi- cannot last longer cations must maintain than 180 days. proper records of the The order for an exercise, including the

decrypted. So, if someone succeeds in hacking into Telegram’s server, they can access users’ private messages. In theory, law enforcement agencies can also access data stored on Telegram servers with an official request, though the Dubai-based platform is known for not being cooperative with authorities. Even platforms that don’t store messages on their servers can help in different ways. “It’s not just the conversation,” says a scientist in the Cyber Laws Group of the IT and electronics ministry. “These platforms can help probe agencies with other information such as metadata, which can be crucial in finding leads and busting crimes.” Metadata refers to the log of chats and phone calls between different users, timestamps on messages, IP addresses, geolocation, details of contacts, etc. IN ED’S SIGHTS Rhea While metadata does not allow anyone to read the and brother Showik messages, it gives information on whom and when Chakraborty at the ED office a user messaged or called and how long. Platforms

INSTANT MESSAGING ACCOUNTS IN 2018 7 BILLION However, since chats functioning and mainte- and phone calls through nance of the device, or a platforms like WhatsApp forensic examiner who are encrypted, these can- has conducted an analysis not be intercepted during of it. If electronic evidence transmission. is procured through illegal The police can none- means, that itself becomes theless legally access an offence under Section data stored on a phone or 66 of the IT Act, 2000—‘un- a computer. Section 76 officially obtained’ elec- Illustration by of the IT Act provides law tronic evidence cannot be enforcement agencies used in a court of law. RAJ VERMA the power to confiscate If a person suspects any computer resource or they are under unauthor- communication device. ised phone or digital com- Private chats can be used munication surveillance, details of those to whom any computer resource. as electronic evidence they can file a complaint the intercepted communi- This power can only be under the Indian Evidence with the National Hu- cation has been disclosed. exercised under similar Act, 1872. However, elec- man Rights Commission A formal request must be circumstances to those tronic evidence is admis- or have an FIR filed at the placed with the service mentioned in the Tele- sible in court only if the nearest police station. provider for phone tapping. graph Act for phone tap- conditions in Section 65 (B) They can also move the This surveillance, howev- ping. The safeguards and of the Indian Evidence Act, courts against unauthor- er, is limited to phone calls. review mechanism for this 1872, are strictly followed. ised tapping. A Delhi High For surveillance of are prescribed in Rule 419A When such evidence is Court ruling in December electronic communica- of the Indian Telegraph produced in court, it must 2018 said citizens can tion—emails, SMSes, Rules and the Information be accompanied with a find out from the Telecom chats, etc—Section 69 of Technology (Procedure certificate stating that Regulatory Authority the Information Technol- and Safeguards for Inter- there has been no addition of India if their phones ogy Act, 2000, allows the ception, Monitoring and to, alteration of or manipu- are being tapped, under government to order the Decryption of Information) lation of the evidence. The the Right to Information interception, monitor- Rules, 2009, and the stan- certificate can be issued Act. Officially, phones of ing and decryption of dard operating procedure by the owner of the device, elected representatives any information through issued for the purpose. the person in charge of the cannot be tapped.

such as Signal store minimal metadata regular phone and internet calls (see installed on the phone was a missed and are becoming popular among Could You be Whats-tapped?). However, call to the target through Whatsapp. It people concerned about their privacy since chats and calls through Whatsapp could then steal passwords, contacts, or committed to it on principle. and other messenger platforms remain text messages and even voice calls encrypted end-to-end, these cannot be made through messaging apps—in this CAN THE POLICE TAP YOUR intercepted during transmission, unlike case, Whatsapp. It allowed the hacker WHATSAPP? regular phone conversations. access to the phone’s camera, micro- So, if messages are not stored on a chat phone and GPS to track live locations. platform’s server, can they be accessed owever, that doesn’t prevent “Law enforcement agencies or even or retrieved even if the user has deleted enforcement agencies or professional hackers may instal mal- them? More importantly, can the police hackers from reading your ware in the device and carry on surveil- spy on Whatsapp chats or phone calls? H messages or listening to lance. Israeli spyware, widely available The answer is yes, and no. It your conversations by using spyware to in the Indian security apparatus, can depends on your handset’s security breach your handset, as with Pegasus. snoop into any phone and collect data breaches and vulnerability and not The spyware targeted a vulnerability with geolocation,” says Bhattacharjee. so much on the chat service provider. in Whatsapp’s VoIP stack, which is Besides snooping, digital security Under the Telegraph Act and IT Act, used to make audio and video calls. All experts say there are multiple ways enforcement agencies can monitor your that was needed for the spyware to be enforcement agencies or hackers can

PROJECTED RISE IN SUCH ACCOUNTS BY 2022 8.9 BILLION COVER STORY WHATSAPP, TELEGRAM HOW SAFE ARE AND SIGNAL PRIVACY MESSAGING SERVICES?

Ô No messaging service is 100 per cent secure

Ô Themostvulnerable point is the phone itself. If someone gains access to your handset—either by hacking it or by physically stealing it— all the data stored on it can be accessed

Ô A phone infected with spyware can even be monitored by hackers in real time. Though software vulnerabilitiesarefrequently patched,spywareisalso constantly evolving WHATSAPP TELEGRAM SIGNAL Ô Even if chats are PROS PROS PROS deleted from an app, they can still be Ô Chat ÔTelegram’s Ô Chats and meta- retrieved from the encryption ‘secret chat’ option data are encrypted phone’s memory. The isenabled prevents backups by default. The only way to prevent by default— being stored on ‘sealed sender’ this happening messages in the phone or on setting prevents istophysically transit cannot cloudstorage/ anyone—even Sig- destroy the phone be read by third hard drives nal—fromidentify- parties ÔCan be set up so ingasender Ô Messages are stored Ô Messages that messages are Ô No contact data in multiple locations— arenotstored automatically de- is saved on the app. the sender’s and on WhatsApp leted after a speci- Can be set up to receiver’s phones, on servers fied period of time auto-delete mes- cloud storage systems sages after a speci- (if data is backed up), CONS CONS fied period of time etc. Even if one’s phone is destroyed, the other Ô Backups, Ô Encryption is not CONS locations remain whether on cloud enabled by default. pointsofvulnerability storage or hard Only ‘secret chats’ Ô As with other drives,are not areencrypted messaging apps, Ô Messaging service providers such encrypted Ô Can access ‘non- hackers can access as WhatsApp and Signal don’t store unencrypted chats delivered messages on their servers and Ô Metadata secret’ chats (sender and stored in the phone can’t access encrypted messages. While Ô Group chats do memory or backups WhatsApp can provide law enforcement receiver IDs, call not support end- timestamps, etc) in cloud storage/ on agencies with users’ chat logs and call to-end encryption hard drives logs, Signal doesn’t even keep that data is not encrypted

Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

TOTAL MONTHLY USERS OF IMESSAGE 1.3 BILLION retrieve your private chats even gets stored in the cloud even if it if they are deleted. The simplest is generated on our computers way is to pull them out of phone and mobiles,” he says. STAYING SECURE ON memory, where messages Security experts also claim MESSAGING SERVICES remain stored even if deleted by that not just the OS but other the chat platform’s user. “Unless apps installed on the phone that the phone memory is full and can also access such messages î Don’t use î When install- these messages get overwritten, can be later exploited to retrieve messaging ing an app, note services to the permissions anyone with basic technical deleted messages. “The user communicate it asks for—access expertise can retrieve deleted should carefully read the terms information that to contacts, the messages from a handset,” says and conditions and check the could get you in camera and mic, Bhattacharjee. permission settings when he or trouble/ leave etc—and deny all To access WhatsApp data she instals an app on the phone. you vulnerable permissions that stored on a phone, security and So when authorities or hackers are unessential investigating agencies can also get access to the phone, there î Turn off auto- “clone” it on another device, are many places in the phone backups unless obtaining a mirror image of the where they can look for private you really need original. With forensic exper- data,” says the scientist at the IT them. Avoid saving tise, they can retrieve all kinds and electronics ministry. backups on storage of data such as phone call re- The only way to prevent such services that you do î Regularly update cords, messages, images, What- retrieval is to destroy the phone not directly control apps and your (like cloud storage) sApp chats, data on the phone’s and avoid backup in the cloud or phone’s operating cloud service and data stored in any external drive. The failure to system—updates various apps. This is how Rhea’s destroy his cellphone completely often patch newly WhatsApp chats were accessed, led the National Investigation discovered secu- according to media reports. Agency to Jaish-e-Mohammed rity vulnerabilities When asked, WhatsApp commander Umar Farooq, officials shrug off their responsi- the mastermind behind the bility for messages stored in de- February 2019 terror attack in vice memory in decrypted form, Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF which most security experts troopers were killed. Farooq î Be careful when downloading files say is the biggest flaw of the had been instructed by his onto your phone, chat platform. “Any questions handlers in Pakistan to destroy even from known relating to a phone device can his mobile phone soon after the contacts—their î Use unique pass- be answered by phone manu- terror attack. An overconfident phones may be words for each app facturers and operating system Farooq ignored the instruc- compromised without and activate two- (OS) developers. The operating tion. A month later, when he factor authentication them being aware ofit systems of devices dictate how was killed by security forces (which adds a second various apps store information,” in an encounter, his partially layer of security). This might decrease says a WhatsApp spokesperson. damaged mobile phone was re- ease of use, but sig- In other words, unless these covered. Forensic experts helped nificantly improves messages are not further en- NIA piece together a mountain security crypted for storage, WhatsApp of digital evidence that helped î Don’t leave your cannot provide absolute security them unearth the conspiracy. phone unattended, to its users. N. Vijayashankar, However, even destroying a especially if there chairman of the Foundation of phone or not having its physical is sensitive infor- Data Protection Professionals in possession does not guarantee mation on it. Make India, agrees that data storage chats’ secrecy. With access to sure to use a strong is beyond the control of chat metadata, authorities can trace passcode platforms. “Today, Microsoft, every person with whom a Apple and Google have auto- phone owner has communicat- mated many of their services in ed. So the user’s chat transcripts such a manner that data always can also be retrieved by access-

Illustration by RAJ VERMA

...AND OF TELEGRAM 400 MILLION; SIGNAL 10 MILLION AFP ing or taking possession of the recipients’ handsets. In Deepika Padukone’s case, the agencies did not recover her chats from her phone but from the phone of her manager Karishma Prakash, with whom the actor allegedly was having a conversation soliciting illicit drugs. That’s why, experts assert, there is no foolproof way to keep digital data protected from surveillance, retrieval or unauthorised access. “We need to remember that if we use any electronic device, it is almost impossible to protect our information from being retrieved,” says Vijayshankar. COLLATERAL DAMAGE ARE CHATS ADMISSIBLE Deepika Padukone AS EVIDENCE IN COURT? arrives at NCB The practical impossibility of securing headquarters one’s digital footprint in the cyber world makes it imperative to have a robust submitted in court as evidence,” says There have been multiple instances legal framework to ensure data is not Bhisham Singh, DCP Crime (Cyber), in the past when the lack of specific misused, and privacy is not violated. Delhi Police. Electronic evidence pro- guidelines in the IT Act on collecting, Unfortunately, India still does not have duced in court must be accompanied saving, retaining and producing relevant a specific law on data protection, privacy with a certificate saying there has been and incriminating electronic evidence and cybersecurity. No provision in the no addition, alteration or manipulation in a court of law has led to either misuse IT Act, 2000, expressly and directly, of any kind to the electronic evidence. of this provision or legal collapse of protects the privacy of conversations The Khotkar case judgment has made cases. “What we are seeing on TV now that take place on online messenger obtaining this certificate absolutely is a different ball game altogether,” says platforms. Under the Indian Evidence essential unless original documents are Duggal. “That has no connection with Act, 1872, even deleted chats retrieved produced in courts. The device owner how electronic evidence is produced in through forensic analysis can be used or the person in charge of its function- courts. Such drama explains why India as electronic evidence. However, in July ing and maintenance if an organisation has a conviction rate of less than one per this year, the Supreme Court’s constitu- owns the device can give the certifi- cent in cases of cybercrime.” tion bench redefined electronic evidence cate. “Rhea or Deepika may decline to norms in a landmark judgment in the issue a certificate as the police cannot HOW TO PREVENT MISUSE Arjun Panditrao Khotkar case. It cat- coerce someone to give evidence against OF YOUR CHATS egorically said the police have to strictly themselves,” says cyber law expert Pavan In fact, instead of using digital evidence follow the provisions under Section Duggal. However, he adds, once the law for busting crimes, enforcement agen- 65(B) of the Evidence Act concerning enforcement agencies legitimately take cies in India have often been accused the digital output produced and owner- the device under Section 76 of the IT of using it for political motives. In the ship of the device if they want to produce Act, 2000, which provides for confisca- absence of any specific privacy law, and prove electronic evidence in the tion of devices, and send it for forensic selected leaks have often been used to court of law. analysis, the forensic examiner—either set the media narrative. The regular leak So, when evidence related to Rhea from the government or a private lab— of WhatsApp conversations during CBI’s Chakraborty, Deepika Padukone or the can also give a certificate. probe into Rajput’s death and NCB’s Delhi riots is presented in court, the Even if the NCB manages to submit inquiry into the alleged drug racket in police will have to prove the electronic the certificate, the suspects and accused Bollywood has sowed distinct divisions evidence has been collected through may claim they did not have the phone in political circles and inside Bollywood. legal means. “At times, ethical hacking is when those chats were received in their On the one side, the BJP and JD(U), used to gather the information that can defence in the court. Rhea has already with an eye on the election in Rajput’s provide us a crucial lead in investigat- claimed it was Sushant who asked her home state Bihar, have used the con- ing a serious crime. But this cannot be to send those messages from her phone. versations to allege a conspiracy in the

MOBILE MESSAGES SENT IN AN ONLINE MINUTE 2019 41 MN actor’s death while the ruling coalition use limitation, and leans towards treat- nal acts. “The Indian Constitution of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in Ma- ing personal data as personal property. does not guarantee privacy to enable harashtra projects it as suicide. Among Instead, many fear that the ambigu- criminals to hide from crimes,” says Bollywood actors, Kangana Ranaut ity in laws related to interception and Vijayshankar. “This includes those who has demanded a detailed probe into the decryption of private data has been are reasonably suspected of having “drug cartel” in the film industry, but pushing India towards becoming a committed a crime, and an investigat- others have alleged political vendetta. police state where enforcement agen- ing agency is required to collect neces- Legal luminaries claim this politi- cies, with technological capabilities, sary evidence.” Besides, more than cal shadow-fighting over WhatsApp snoop on individuals and groups at laws, the emphasis should always be on conversations has been possible because the behest of their political masters. “If the honest implementation of existing of the absence of dedicated privacy laws. that situation is allowed to continue regulations guiding privacy and data A joint parliamentary committee is cur- untrammelled, I too feel that we will be security. “While there are ample provi- rently examining the proposed Personal sions both in the existing regulations Data Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019, which and the proposed PDP Bill to create was supposed to be tabled in Parlia- a balance between privacy concerns ment during the monsoon session. PRIVATE and the need for probing agencies However, the JPC sought an extension to access data to detect crimes, the until the second week of the winter ses- BECOMES proper implementation of the said sion to present the report. PUBLIC measures needs to be looked into. For example, Sections 43A and 72A of the nce the bill is passed, The regular leaking of IT Act penalise improper disclosure of the modus operandi of private WhatsApp mes- personal information. However, such sages recovered from procuring digital evidence provisions are seldom enforced,” says various phones during will undergo a structural O the CBI’s probe into actor Salman Waris, a partner in legal firm change. Instead of collecting all data Sushant Singh Rajput’s TechLegis, which has offices in Delhi stored on a computer or mobile phone, death and the NCB’s in- and Noida. The Information Technol- the police will be able to access only quiry into an alleged drug ogy (Reasonable Security Practices relevant and case-specific information. angle—which led to actor and Procedures and Sensitive Personal “The data protection bill allowing law Deepika Padukone being Data or Information) Rules, 2011, enforcement agencies to get specific in- questioned—has brought notified under Section 43A, explicitly formation is necessary for the purposes into question the legality define “sensitive personal information”, of an investigation into a crime,” says of such practices. While which includes financial informa- there has been no official constitutional and digital law expert tion such as bank account or credit admission either from the Arghya Sengupta, who was one of the card or debit card or other payment police or the media about members of the Justice B.N. Srikrishna- the source of these leaked instrument details of the users. In led committee on the data protection messages, affected indi- Chakraborty’s case, all these things framework for India, which became the viduals, including Rhea have been made public. Legally speak- basis of the PDP Bill. “It should not hap- Chakraborty and Padu- ing, therefore, Rhea and Deepika can pen the way it is in the current investi- kone, can take the police drag the police and media houses to gation into the alleged drug racket in and media houses to court court for publicising their private data. Bollywood where full access to the cell in accordance with Sec- With the invisible footprint of our phone of certain individuals appears tions 43A and 72A of the IT personal data being as large as it is, to have been asked for. The police are Act for compensation. and data privacy laws being as lax as not supposed to gather all the informa- they currently are, privacy in the digital tion stored on the phone and share it ecosystem is almost a myth. “The inter- with whoever they want.” Some privacy reduced to an Orwellian state with Big net as a paradigm never sleeps and the advocates claim that even the PDP Bill, Brother snooping on us all the time,” internet as a phenomenon never forgets. after revisions, fails to grant adequate says Justice Srikrishna, the architect of Every activity we do online leaves be- privacy safeguards and lacks the teeth the PDP Bill. hind an electronic footprint, which can and general orientation of other laws However, while strongly decrying be used against us,” says Duggal. The such as the General Data Protection state surveillance, experts are unani- only uncertain protection in the virtual Regulation (GDPR) of the European mous that privacy as a fundamental world, then, is to try to be on the right Union, which emphasises user consent, right cannot be used to hide crimi- side of the law. „

VIKRAM SHARMA

THE BIG STORY THE BIG FIVE (Front row, from left) Rajnath BJP Singh, J.P. Nadda, PM Modi, and B.L. Santhosh at a BJP parliamentary party meet

2019 polls, holding daily meetings with opinion-makers, columnists and other influential sections of society, and how READY FOR things began faltering when he handed things over to another leader briefly. The lack of a full-time ‘guiding force’ was most acutely felt in Jharkhand, where the BJP lost the election late last TAKE-OFF? year. The party, which had an alliance THE NEW ‘TEAM BJP’ HAS QUITE A with Sudesh Mahto’s All Jharkhand Students’ Union in the Lok Sabha elec- CHALLENGE ON ITS HANDS tion, rejected his demand for more seats By Uday Mahurkar in the assembly polls and discontinued the alliance. The result: the BJP won just 25 of 80 seats and lost over a dozen with margins of less than 2,000 votes. These were mostly constituencies where AJSU ith the announcement of is the absence of a guiding force like the candidates secured substantial votes. So, a new team for the party late or or had they stayed together, the alliance organisation, BJP presi- vice-president . With would have won nearly 40 seats and had W dent J.P. Nadda has laid Covid, China and the crisis in the econ- a good chance of forming the govern- the party’s blueprint for the next three omy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ment. The party think-tank sees this as years. It’s an important period, as has his hands full. His No. 2, Amit Shah, a clear case of how a lack of guidance can these are the years which will see seven who led the party from the front (2014- impact things at the ground level. major elections, starting with Bihar this 19), also won’t be available full-time con- month-end; West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, sidering his preoccupations as the Union A FINE BALANCE Assam and Kerala in 2021; and then home minister and health issues. The BJP’s new team is more representa- Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in 2022. Is tive—having members from the south, the party up for the challenges now that NEEDED: A GUIDING FORCE the northeast and women. Two senior it has a fairly balanced team in place? BJPobserversrecallhowtheailingJaitley leaders, Om Mathur and Ram Madhav, Theanswerisnotsoclear. Thereason guided the party till the last days of the have been dropped despite being very

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 29 THE SAFFRON OLD/ NEW PUBLIC FACES LIKELY TO EMERGE IN A SOLDIERS NEW LIGHT

SUDHANSHU TRIVEDI Spokesperson, will play a more prominent role DUSHYANT GAUTAM TEJASVI Dalit Morcha Spokesperson. SURYA president from UP APARAJITA TV staple SARANGI Yuva Morcha takes on more president Will be one of responsibilities the party voices on policy and economic issues

RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR Spokesperson. NALIN KOHLI Industrialist, media mogul Spokesperson. and defence analyst Expected to play a more active role JAY PANDA SANJU Vice-president. RAJYAVARDHAN VERMA To be party’s RATHORE Spokesperson. voice on policy, Spokesperson. Is an economist economy Olympic medal winner and ex-minister

THE LEADERS WHO WILL HELP DRIVE THE PARTY INTO THE FUTURE

KAILASH VIJAYVARGIYA Secretary. The national general Former Maha- secretary has BHUPENDRA rashtra minister shaken up Bengal YADAV C.T. RAVI National general secretary. Will General play a more secretary. A General prominent role four-time MLA secretary from from Karnataka Assam

RAJ KUMAR SAMIR ORAON CHAHAR President, ST Morcha. President, Kisan Is the third tribal face Morcha. A Jat, he will from Jharkhand after fight the BJP’s case in and the row over the new V-P. The man farm laws who pulls the Secretary. The MP AMIT MALVIYA strings in West from Basti in UP Head of IT and social Bengal is the party’s media cell, recognised Brahmin face for his good work New faces

Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY THE BIG STORY BJP

good negotiators, due to differences with of the party. Tejasvi Surya, the young the TMC-turned-BJP leader and new the party leadership. That said, some of MP from Bengaluru South, seems a national vice-president is the party’s local the dropped leaders could still find a likely candidate, considering his debat- face. New general secretaries C.T. Ravi place in the coming cabinet reshuffle. ing skills on ideological issues and could from Karnataka and Dilip Saikia from The new team is also more youth- be groomed to be a vote-catcher for the Assam are expected to be crucial for the ful, with the average age around 45, and BJP among the 18-30 age group. Dalit party’s growth in their respective regions. symbolised by Tejasvi Surya, 29, who Morcha chief Dushyant Gautam is the Three other secretaries are expected to has been elevated as the head of the BJP new backward community face of the lead the party’s growth—Arvind Menon, Yuva Morcha. Fourteen women find a BJP after Union minister Thawar Chand the party in-charge for Bengal, Vinod place in the 70-member team, again Gehlot. The fact that he is a Jatav, a com- Tawde and . A fourth the highest the party has accommoda- munity which the BJP has all along secretary who will play an important role ted. Except for , ignored in the belief that they are BSP is the MP from Basti in Uttar Pradesh, the seniormost general secretaries now, leader Mayawati’s core constituency, Harish Dwivedi. He will be the Brahmin Bhupendra Yadav and Arun Singh, are only strengthens his case. face of the party in the Hindi heartland. both under 55. For the first time, the party also has he party has weighed its options A JAT FOR KISAN MORCHA a general secretary from the Northeast on policy and economic issues Two important appointments that in Assam Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia, Twhere it has a serious fight on its could be crucial in the coming days are and representation from states like hands in the face of the opposition chal- Rajya Sabha MP Samir Oraon, who Nagaland (M. Chuba Ao and M. Kikon), lenge. Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda is expected heads the party’s ST Morcha (and will part of the BJP’s agenda of mainstream- to be the new public face on economic be the party’s fourth big face in Jhar- ing the Northeast. To dispel the allega- issues. The other new candidates are khand after , Babulal tions of being a ‘north Indian party’, the Marandi and Arjun Munda), and Raj south now gets two general secretar- Kumar Chahar, a Jat leader who heads ies, C.T. Ravi from Karnataka and D. THERE IS WIDER the BJP’s Kisan Morcha. Purandeshwari from Telangana, daugh- GENDER AND Chahar is important because he is ter of NTR. And for a Hindu right-wing REGIONAL the first Jat after many years to head party, even Muslims get fair representa- REPRESENTATION the Kisan Morcha, and also because tion—ex-CPI(M) MP A.P. Abdullakutty the BJP faces a challenge from the from Kerala is among the 12 new nation- THIS TIME, WITH opposition now on the new farm laws. al vice-presidents while the three others WOMEN AND LEADERS Jats form the core of the farming com- are Shahnawaz Hussain, Syed Zafar FROM THE SOUTH munity in many northern states like Islam and Jamal Siddiqui. AND NORTHEAST IN UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. Former Maharashtra ministers Chahar is also a popular leader, who Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde (who ENOUGH NUMBERS defeated Raj Babbar by over 500,000 didn’t get along with ex-CM Devendra votes from Fatehpur Sikri in the 2019 Fadnavis) have been accommodated Lok Sabha election. as secretaries. The other entrant from industrialist , Much will also depend on general Maharashtra is Mahila Morcha president Bhubaneswar MP Apar ajita Sarangi secretary B.L. Santhosh, who is now in the outgoing team, Vijaya Rahatkar, and economist Sanju Verma. Former the party’s new pivot after Nadda. His who has been appointed secretary. minister Rajyavardhan Rath ore joins grassroots-level experience and abil- Significantly, Amit Malviya, head the list of party spokespersons while the ity to deliver have impressed Modi and of the IT and social media cell, has been veteran lot of , Sambit Shah in the past. Santhosh is known retained for his good work in enhancing Patra and Nalin Kohli will become more to be tough and efficient. His integrity, the party’s digital reach. “We have tried to prominent public faces now. working style and vision have earned address every section of society as well as him respect in the parent body, the RSS, region. There is a generational shift and THE ORGANISATION MEN from where he has come to the BJP. A talent has been recognised. This is a most National general secretary Bhupendra man of simple tastes, he used to travel by balanced team,” says Nadda. Yadav is of course the most important ordinary public transport in his parent leader. Then comes Kailash Vijayvargiya, state Karnataka till a few years ago. But THE PUBLIC FACES who has played a vital, if polarising, it will take more than normal efficiency All eyes now are on who among the new role in West Bengal. With elections and vision on his part if the party is to entrants will emerge as the public faces coming up in the state, Mukul Roy, succeed in the future. „

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 31 ANI

ASSEMBLY POLL n September 25, the Election Commission announced a three­ phase assembly election for Bihar starting October 28. The same day, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also met the press where he reiter­ ated that the NDA’s poll strategy TEJASHWI’S Orested on 15 years of his rule against the 15 preceding years when Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were CROSS TO in power. “Hamara pandrah saal ka kaam dekh lijiye (see our work of the last 15 years). The new generation has not seen the miseries of the past (read: the RJD’s tenure). Shaam BEAR hone ke baad koi ghar se bahar nahin nikal The RJD scion is trying to set a new political narrative sakta tha (You couldn’t step out of your house for his party and the state, but the JD(U)-BJP alliance after evening),” said the chief minister. will not let him live down memories of Lalu raj From the thriving kidnapping industry to the bad roads and electricity supply to the By Amitabh Srivastava dominance of a single caste, the Nitish­led NDA has been going on about the ‘failures’ of the RJD government. The idea, of course, is not just to discredit the opposition but also to the restrictions placed by the pandem­ one side, with the LJP still undecided. ic, including fewer phases to minimise On the other hand, the RJD­led alli­ the risk to election officials and the ance has the Congress and will possibly security forces, the state comes with its include the three Left parties. own set of unique problems—with over 72.9 million voters across 243 con­ THE CHALLENGER’S STRATEGY stituencies, it has a history of elections He has already apologised for the bhool where personalities overshadow issues. (mistake) during the 15­year Lalu­Rabri This assembly election, too, is regime, from 1990 to 2005, but their essentially a direct fight between the younger son Tejashwi is also trying sev­ Nitish­led NDA (National Democratic eral other things that are quite new to Alliance) and the Grand Alliance led by the RJD this election. To begin with, Lalu’s son, Tejashwi Yadav. But with less there is the ‘Nayee Soch, Naya Bihar’ than a month to go, there is still plenty posters with only Tejashwi’s face. Even of uncertainty about the status of NDA a few weeks ago, any RJD poster with­ ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), led by out Lalu or Rabri Devi would have been the Paswans. Estranged Grand Alliance unthinkable. But if this was driven by a constituent Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP necessity to distance the RJD from the (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party) has party’s inglorious past, the strategy to ended speculation that he was joining keep away siblings Tej Pratap Yadav and POLL RIDE the NDA and tied up with the BSP. Misa Bharti was perhaps to dilute the RJD leader There are other smaller players nepotism allegations. Tejashwi Yadav drives too, such as Pappu Yadav’s Janadhikar The target audience here is the a tractor Party and Asaduddin Owaisi’s almost 24 per cent of Bihar’s registered during a AIMIM (All India Majlis­e­Ittehadul electorate who are below 29 years of protest in Muslimeen), who may influence the age—the segment that perhaps has no Patna against results in a few seats. lasting memories of the last time the the new farm laws RJD was in power and for whom issues WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE 2015 like jungle raj and nepotism would be The 2020 assembly election will be massive turn­offs. The new narrative completely different from the last one is also about projecting Tejashwi as a in 2015. Then, Nitish was in alliance youth icon (he’s just 30) and pushing with Lalu’s RJD and the Congress and the unemployment issue to the fore­ bolster Bihar’s very own TINA (there is they had put the breakers on the Modi­ front to gain traction among the youth. no alternative) narrative. Shah­led BJP juggernaut. The BJP Bihar’s unemployment rate, at 46.6 per But how true are sushasan babu’s (a had then contested 157 seats but won cent, is the third highest in the country, popular moniker appended to Nitish in only 53, though it had a vote share of and hence Tejashwi’s promise of creat­ the state) claims on his own 15 years in 24.4 per cent. It lost miserably because ing 1 million jobs at his first cabinet office? Well, the state is still rock bottom its three alliance partners then—Ram meeting, if voted to power. as far as industry and jobs are concer­ Vilas Paswan’s LJP, Kushwaha’s RLSP This is also the first time Tejashwi ned, but the crime rate has dropped. and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani and the RJD are not talking about This year’s budget statement says the Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAM(S)— their core issues, such as empowerment state’s per capita income is up from could manage just five seats from the of the backward classes or aggressive Rs 30,617 in 2018­19 to Rs 43,000 in 86 the BJP had left for them. social justice. Prior to the 2019 Lok 2019­20. But, it is still less than half the Nitish’s Janata Dal (United) or Sabha election, the RJD leader had national average. As for crime, Nitish JD(U) had won 71 seats (vote share: been vociferous in his demand for an himself picked out data from the NCRB 16.8 per cent), and with the RJD (80 increase in OBC reservation after the (National Crime Records Bureau) seats) and Congress (27 seats), the so­ Centre allowed 10 per cent reservation report for 2018 earlier this month to called mahagathbandhan won Bihar. for the economically backward among claim that with “a crime rate of 222 per Nitish broke away in July 2017 to join the upper castes. Now, in 2020, it’s all lakh population, Bihar ranks 23rd in the the NDA. In 2019, the BJP­JD(U), about projecting the RJD as a party of country in incidents of crime”. along with ally LJP, won 39 of the 40 “A to Z” (read all castes and classes). Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Nitish is now The 2020 assembly election is per­ THE GAME ON THE GROUND eyeing a fourth term as chief minister. haps the first time the RJD is break­ Bihar will be the first state to go to polls In the run­up to the forthcoming ing free of its traditional moorings, after Covid­19 hit the country. Besides polls, Nitish, BJP and Manjhi are on making a serious attempt at an image

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 33 ANI ASSEMBLY POLL

makeover. “It is perhaps an oversim- plification on our part to hope that sections inimical to us would vote for the RJD, but the strategy essentially is to attract fence-sitters and those disill- usioned with the NDA,” says an RJD leader who didn’t want to be named.

ADVANTAGE, DISADVANTAGE Lalu Prasad still remains a huge advan- tage for Tejashwi. “Like a first innings score for a team following on”, Lalu’s committed voters—the Muslims and Yadavs—are a support base Tejashwi can take for granted. His father’s name gives him a cushion of a minimum 18 per cent of the vote. But that is also his biggest irony. For, many sections of Bihar society are unlikely to vote for Tejashwi just for the same reason— because he is Lalu’s son. Underplaying Lalu to minimise polarisation and attract new voters while simultaneously hoping that the committed voters stay with the party looks like a smart idea for the RJD. But POLL POSITION it can be a double-edged sword; less Assembly seats 243 focus on the caste identity can put off 2 fence-sitters among the core voters. The biggest challenge for the RJD is 115 71 27 4 3 that the more Tejashwi tries to distance 91 80 himself from the party’s past, the more 16% % 27% 53 % 24 the BJP and JD(U) put the focus back 22 29 8 10 on the misrule during the Lalu-Rabri 2010 23% 2015 17% Devi regime. The story being pushed is Seats 19% Seats % % 18 that if the Lalu-Rabri reign was disas- Votes 7% 8 Votes 5% 7% trous for certain sections of society, how will it be different under Tejashwi? BJP JD(U) INC LJP RJD Others

A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB Tejashwi has been leading the party since December 2017 when Lalu was Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY taken into judicial custody. Since then, Lalu has been behind bars, barring six weeks of provisional bail in May Mahadalit leader Manjhi to switch sides delayed realisation on his part that it 2018. The RJD leader led the party to and join the NDA. Kushwaha’s RLSP, is difficult to merge the votes of the its worst electoral showing in the 2019 too, has left the RJD camp and created Yadavs and the Kushwaha community. Lok Sabha election when the party a new front, raising a question mark The two caste groups are rarely on drew a blank for the first time since its over Tejashwi’s ability to carry the alli- the same page in Bihar’s rural society. inception in 1997. Though Tejashwi has ance along. Many of those who have When Nitish was in alliance with the been more assertive with alliance part- worked with the RJD scion in the past RJD, the Kushwahas had voted for the ners, his less than tactful handl ing of have no kind words for him. RJD’s Yadav candidates, because they the Grand Alliance has already forced Kushwaha’s departure is also a thought it was to elect Nitish as the

34 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 ANI

ALLIED FORCES (Left) Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi; former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey joins the JD(U) in the presence of Nitish Kumar in Patna

This election is perhaps the first time the RJD is breaking free of its traditional moorings and attempting an image makeover chief minister. When the alliance broke the CPI(M-L) has three MLAs in the Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. The in 2017, Kushwaha tried to achieve in outgoing House. The RJD expects the events till now seem to sugg est that the 2019 Lok Sabha poll what Nitish three Left parties to transfer 3.5 per cent Nitish is in the driver’s seat. His newest had in 2015. He failed, which reveals of the vote (which they polled in 2015) recruit is former state DGP Gupteshwar a bigger challenge for Tejashwi. With to the RJD and Congress. Pandey who, five days after taking vol- Kushwaha gone from the Grand Meanwhile, the BJP is doing a untary retirement, joined the JD(U) Alliance, the 6 per cent Kushwaha vot- tightrope walk of its own. If they allow after his notice period was waived. ers may not back the RJD. LJP chief Chirag Paswan to continue Pandey has been a loyal officer of the Living up to Lalu’s legend has also within the NDA and field candidates chief minister, but is also prone to the- not been easy. Critics blame Tejashwi’s against the JD(U), it will create a mas- atrics, be it jumping in a river to look for “lack of connect” with senior leaders sive trust deficit between the two larger evidence and then putting the video out for the desertions in the run-up to the parties. If the BJP forces the party’s on YouTube, projecting himself as the poll—12 MLAs and five MLCs have left exit, it may lose the committed LJP Robinhood of Bihar in a video song, or the RJD for the JD(U). The resignation voters, who constitute some 4.5 per creating a hullabaloo over the Sushant of Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Lalu’s cent of the vote. Singh Rajput case. closest confidant, just three days before Chirag, it seems, is ready to walk Meanwhile, the NDA’s challenge is his death on September 13, has also the middle path, but it is clear the not just to neutralise the anti-incum- dented Tejashwi’s credibility. JD(U) has no love lost for Ram Vilas bency after 15 years of uninterrupted Paswan’s son; the latter had threatened JD(U) rule; this election is also a test COALITION BLUES to put up 143 candidates, basically of its welfare efforts in the wake of the With Manjhi and Kushwaha gone, wherever the JD(U) contests. In 2015, pandemic. An NDA win will also be things are not looking good for the the LJP was in alliance with the BJP. It to some extent an endorsement of the Grand Alliance. The RJD’s third part- contested 42 seats, won only two. And Centre’s policies and programmes. The ner, Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Chirag wants to contest the same num- alliance clearly draws strength from Party (VIP), is still with the alliance, and ber of seats this time too. Nitish’s stature in Bihar. From October it is likely to be bolstered by the three 2005 to 2019, Bihar has witnessed three Left parties, the CPI(M-L), CPI and HIGH STAKES FOR THE NDA assembly and three Lok Sabha polls. CPI(M) joining the camp. A formal seat- The Bihar assembly election will And in each of these elections—barring sharing deal, however, is still to mate- be a massive test for the National the 2014 Lok Sabha—the winner always rialise. Of the three communist parties, Democratic Alliance and its two icons, had Nitish Kumar on his side. n

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 35 DEFENCE | ORDNANCE FACTORIES CORPORATE CONUNDRUM THE CENTRE SAYS THE ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD’S 41 FACTORIES ARE DENS OF INEFFICIENCY AND NEED TO BE CORPORATISED. BUT THE REMEDY COULD PROVE WORSE THAN THE DISEASE

BY SANDEEP UNNITHAN

ANIL TIWARI HOMEMADE HOWITZER The Dhanush towed artillery gun (indigenised Bofors FH-77), developed by the OFB EEN PURELY THROUGH the lens of national security, the 80,000+ employ- ees of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) couldn’t have chosen a worse time to announce a strike. The Indian Army, the OFB’s main customer, is currently deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. A strike means the army will have trouble getting urgently-needed equipment, like snow-proof tents, boots, high-altitude clothing and ammunition. This is the very reason the OFB’s 41 factories were set up over the past two centuries—to provide the force with urgently needed materiel in times of conflict, or in this case, a mas- sive standoff with China that looks set to continue as the winter sets in. The OFB’s unions have announced an indefinite strike beginning October 12 because the Centre is adamant about corporatising the 219-year-old organisa- tion. On May 16, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that the government would be doing so to improve the “autonomy, accountability S and efficiency [of] ordnance suppliers”. The government plans to break up the monolithic OFB from a single department attached to the defence ministry into several corporations, like the nine existing defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs). On this, matters have proceeded at a breakneck pace over the past four months, with the government appointing a consulting agency, KPMG, to oversee the corporatisation. On September 11, it announced that an empowered group of ministers, headed by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, would oversee the process. The buzz is that the government plans to announce a decision on the corporatisation before the end of the current financial year.

In the past, OFB unions have often successfully used year, has over 80,000 employees and holds over 60,000 strikes to keep corporatisation at bay. In August last acres of land. More than 80 per cent of the OFB’s current year, three unions representing over 80 per cent of OFB Rs 58,165 crore worth of orders have been placed by the workers had launched an indefinite strike. A month army, though its factories meet barely 50 per cent of the later, union leaders met with the secretary of defence defence force’s requirements. The last major reform was production, who convinced them to call off the strike, in 1979, when the disparate ordnance factories were with corporatisation seemingly put on the backburner. brought under a board headquartered in Calcutta. The That was before the pandemic. OFB officials say that the board is headed by a chairman and has nine members, new announcement by finance minister Sitharaman in with five in charge of one cluster of factories making var- May seems to have come from the Prime Minister’s Of- ious defence items. The chairman, selected from among fice—this time around, they worry that corporatisation the seniormost board members, has an extremely short will go ahead regardless of protests. tenure, of a year or less. The last three chairmen had tenures of six months, 12 months and nine months each. AN UNCONQUERED PEAK The factories function as attached offices of the -de Many government-appointed committees have sug- partment of defence production (DoDP), itself part of gested reforming the OFB over the past two decades. the Union ministry of defence (MoD). Over the years, a “Corporatising the OFB is an unconquered peak,” says deep dissatisfaction has grown within the army over OFB Colonel D.P.K. Pillay (retired), a research scholar at the products, an issue Institute for Defence Studies and central agencies Analyses. “There is unionisation and vested interests— In the past, have also highlight- their order books are full and their overtime registers are OFB unions ed. A 2015 report also full, but deliveries to the army are delayed.” have often by the Comptroller The OFB’s first ordnance factory was the gun and and Auditor Gener- shell factory set up by the East India Company in Cossi- successfully al noted that 74 per pore, near Calcutta, in 1801. Its 41st factory is an ordnance used strikes cent of the 170 types factory in Amethi, where a joint venture to produce over to prevent of ammunition 600,000 AK-203 rifles with Russia’s Kalashnikov Con- corporatisation produced by OFB cern is being negotiated. Today, the OFB is given about factories failed to Rs 1,443 crore of support from the defence budget every meet the ‘minimum

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 37 DEFENCE | ORDNANCE FACTORIES

acceptable risk level’, and only 10 per cent met the ‘war wast- issues of low productivity, further compounded by the fact age requirements’. Another audit, for 2017-18, presented that there is no penalty for delayed delivery to customers. in Parliament in December 2019, noted that ‘the factories Lt General P. Ravi Shankar, former Director General had achieved their production targets for only 49 per cent of Artillery, narrates a story of how faulty mechanical fuses items. A significant quantity of the army’s demand for some produced by the OFB were resulting in artillery barrels principal ammunition items remained outstanding as on bursting. The issue was identified as one resulting from March 31, 2018, thus adversely affecting their operational faulty fuses through an elaborate process lasting several preparedness.’ The report also noted that OFB exports de- years, he says. The army could potentially have lost 800 creased by 39 per cent in 2017-18 over 2016-17. guns—nearly a third of its artillery. “The issue of ammu- “The OFB has a monopoly over several products nition accidents is a matter of record. Such cases are not required by the armed forces,” says Lt General Sanjay limited to one kind of ammunition—it extends to all kinds Kulkarni, former Director General Infantry and a former of OFB ammo—air defence, tank and artillery. We have member of the Lt General Shekatkar committee (which not had as many losses due to enemy action as we have had was set up to recommend reforms in the armed forces). due to negligence and poor quality of OFB products,” says “[It undertakes] minimal innovation, has no incentive to Lt General Shankar. An internal army report to the MoD, improve quality and cost-efficiency and has no account- excerpts of which have been accessed by india today, cal- ability for its products. Corporatisation will put the OFB culates a loss of Rs 960 crore to the exchequer due to poor on par with other DPSUs, managed by its own board of quality OFB ammunition. This figure, the report notes, directors with broad guidelines from the government.” could have bought 100 155-medium artillery guns. What is alarming, though, are the 403 accidents related to faulty VER THE PAST 20 YEARS, four government ammunition since 2014. committees have made the same recommen- The OFB’s monopoly Worryingly, the report dation—that the OFB be corporatised to make notes that 27 troops and its factories more efficient. This would mean on supplying others have been killed O equipment to the converting the Ordnance Factory Board into in faulty ammunition ac- something akin to an Ordnance Factory Corporation, as armed forces means cidents since 2014, with suggested by the T.K.A. Nair committee in 2000. In 2006, there is no incentive 159 suffering serious in- the Vijay Kelkar committee recommended the same, sug- for it to improve juries, including perma- gesting the corporation be accorded the status of a Nav quality, develop nent disabilities and loss Ratna, along the lines of BSNL. In 2015, the Vice Admiral technology or of limbs. Responding to Raman Puri committee also recommended corporatising operate efficiently the report, a senior OFB the OFB, as well as splitting it into segments specialising in official termed accidents distinct areas, like weapons, ammunition and combat ve- a ‘complex phenomenon’ hicles. In 2016, these recommendations were reiterated by involving gun drills and the Lt General Shekatkar committee. design changes, not only ammunition. “There have been The trouble, MoD officials say, is a result of the peculiar more than 100 accidents between 2011 and 2018 involving organisational structure of the OFB. First, since these facto- ammunition that is not ours,” he said. ries function as attached offices of the DoDP, every decision However, there is reason to believe that the cure may be relating to them—from modernising plant and machinery worse than the disease. Government-owned corporations to entering into joint ventures with other companies—is have historically not had good operational records. “The subject to government regulations and instructions. This government’s history of corporatisation is bleak and in fact reduces their leverage and flexibility. Second, being govern- has only made matters worse,” says Rahul Chaudhry, chair ment departments, they cannot retain profits and, therefore, of the FICCI Homeland Security Committee. He uses the have no incentive operate cost-effectively. Third, in its pres- example of BSNL, which was spun out of the department of ent form, the OFB lacks technical and managerial flexibility telecommunications as a public sector undertaking, and is and hence is incapable of competing with the private sector. currently saddled with losses of over Rs 39,000 crore. How- The MoD also says that the OFB monopoly—where it ever, in sharp contrast are two major success stories—the supplies products to a captive customer, the armed forces— Atomic Energy Commission and ISRO—both commissions brings its own set of problems. The main consequence of that are wholly run by the government, and hence closer in this monopoly is that there is no incentive for the OFB to character to a government department like the OFB. improve quality. This also results in high overhead charges OFB officials blame the structure of their organisation being loaded onto OFB products, with minimal innovation for the inefficiency. They say the factories were created only and technology development taking place. There are also to execute production orders given to them by the MoD on

38 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 THE CORPORATISATION MANTRA THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE PLANS TO SPLIT THE ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD INTO MULTIPLE CORPORATIONS, GIVING THE 41 FACTORIES UNDER IT FAR GREATER AUTONOMY

CURRENT AFTER STRUCTURE CORPORATISATION Order book as of December 31, 2019 DEFENCE MINISTER DEFENCE MINISTER ` 58,165 CRORE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE for supply of PRODUCTION PRODUCTION ammunition, weapons, troop- Head: Secretary, Head: Secretary, comfort items and Defence Production Defence Production armoured vehicles The apex-level administrative head of the Will have less control over the organisation that takes major decisions with Ordnance Factory Corporations Expenditure on regard to ordnance factories—vendor modernisation development, product improvement, The Ordnance Factory Board will be (2014-19) development and commercial interests dissolved, factories divested under various corporations** ` 2,100 CRORE CORPORATION 1 CORPORATION 2 Ammunition and Weapons, vehicles Employees ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD explosives and equipment (OFB), KOLKATA corporation corporation 80,524 11 factories 11 factories Head: Director General Land-holding (chairman) OFB CORPORATION 3 66,000 Ammunition Weapons, Materials and Materials and ACRES and explosives vehicles and components components 11 factories equipment 9 factories corporation Budget 11 factories 9 factories `

Armoured Ordnance 1,443* CORPORATION 4 CORPORATION 5 CRORE Vehicles equipment group Ordnance of factories Armoured 5 factories vehicles equipment group Share of defence 5 factories corporation of factories budget corporation 5 factories 5 factories 0.3%

* Gross allocation, including revenue and capital Sources: ‘The Functioning of the Ordnance Factory Board’ by Col D.P.K. Pillay; MoD statement on **The MoD is yet to decide if the OFB will be corporatisation on Sept 11; Eighth report of the standing committee on defence, March 13 converted into a single or multiple corporations

a ‘nomination basis’—that is, without any competition. The tence is ‘surge capacity’, wherein idle factories can ramp up organisation also incurs a huge salary bill of Rs 7,000 crore production to cater for emergency requirements, whether in each year to pay over 80,000 employees. “A government ammunition or clothing. OFB officials offer the example of department can survive on low margins, but a corporate the Covid-19 crisis, where 19 factories worked through the cannot. Even if we get the freedom to hire and fire, we will lockdown to produce PPE kits and sanitiser liquid. still have to deal with unions and we will still be under the “The OFB is a war reserve and not a commercial enter- MoD”, says the general manager of one of the ordnance fac- prise,” says C. Srikumar, general secretary of the All India tories. The challenge, OFB officials say, is to first make the Defence Employees’ Federation, one of the three employees’ ordnance factories ‘budget neutral’ (self-sufficient) before federations planning to go on strike. “If we are turned into they are corporatised. “Otherwise the corporation will be a corporation, we will become a sick enterprise like BSNL bankrupt on day one,” says a former OFB chairperson who and will be put up for sale.” With the government squarely did not want to be named. focused on breaking up the giant that is OFB and increas- While the government debates the commercial consid- ing the number of state-owned PSUs, that seems to be a erations, one of the compelling reasons for the OFB’s exis- business risk it is willing to take. n

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 39 SPECIAL REPORT HEALTH CARD

FOR THE RECORD A national health ID, with portable patient data, seems a big milestone in public healthcare, but challenges such as full integration, the lack of privacy safeguards and the risk of data misuse remain

BY AMARNATH K. MENON AND SONALI ACHARJEE

n August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the ambitious Nation- al Digital Health Mission (NDHM), under which every Indian will be When the NDHM is in place, it entitled to a national health identity will improve health services delivery, card to acc ess medical services. “This lend itself to swifter medical res po n- will work as a health account for ev- ses, especially in tracking epidemics O ery Indian. It will bring a revolution and seasonal illnesses and their spread, in India’s health sector and it will help clinical research, economic research on costs and improved insurance cover. It reduce problems in getting treatment with the help will potentially reduce the challenges in of technology,” he declared. The health account will medical treatment across the country contain details of every test, disease, doctor visits, by leveraging IT platforms to digitally medicines prescribed and diagnosis. In the long term, connect every citizen with affordable all health-related data, including medical records of and accessible medical care. every individual, will be stored in a digital reservoir The genesis of NDHM lies in a paper drafted by the NITI Aayog last that can be accessed when a person checks in for treat- year. Titled ‘National Health Stack: ment. Doctors will have the patient’s medical history Strategy and Approach’, it lays the on record to take the best possible decision. foundation for merging a digital

40 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE

national health registry with the personal health records the services of the National Health Mission. It will enable of all citizens. “The National Health Policy, 2017, envis- the patient and the healthcare provider to check previous ages the creation of a digital health technology ecosystem history and also go for fresh prognosis of health issues. which is future-ready. With the benefits of technology, For a start, it is being rolled out in six Union territories. the National Health Stack will take it forward, help make The mission proposes national health electronic reg- public health management more efficient,” explains istries “to create a single source of health information and NITI Aayog member Dr V.K. Paul. He adds that through manage the master health data of the nation” and person- Ayushman Bharat, public health under the current al health records to allow “consent-based flow of citizens’ government is more holistic and cost-effective, not simply health records to stakeholders who require this data to illness-focused. “A digital health card will ensure all deliver value-added services to the user”. A 14-digit serial your records are in one place and easy to access and will number will be generated for each individual. The card support the national electronic health registry, insurance will store details of immunisation, surgeries, laboratory claims, national health analytics and promote public well- tests, hospit visits, pharmacies and medical purchases, ness,” Dr Paul elaborates. among other things. It will also help provide digital con- Initially, NDHM is intended to serve as an IT plat- sultations to patients. form that integrates government health schemes, notably A card, akin to the Aadhaar, to avail health services is a Ayushman Bharat, for secondary and tertiary care and paradigm shift, and the medical community has received it

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 41 IAL REPORT HEALTH CARD

well. “World-class technology is the integral backbone for a strong public health system. Having a strong digital infra- structure for basic consultations and wellness advice will A LONG HAUL make healthcare much more accessible,” says Dr Naresh Software integration, digital illiteracy, a healthcare Trehan, director of Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon. resource crunch—some hurdles that await NDHM The focus on telemedicine and digital health services comes amid a coronavirus pandemic that has infected 6.1 million people, with 96,318 deaths (as on September 29) in the country. “Digital consultations have become more popular this year after Covid. What has also become more obvious is that healthcare cannot be taken for granted; it has to be systematically nurtured and grown,” says Dr V.K Bahl, head of the department of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. A digital health card will have the added advantage of improving healthcare affordability as costs and claims will be easier to manage for patients. It would also potentially place India at the forefront of global medical research if the health records of 1.32 billion people are made avail- able in one central system. “We are one-sixth of the global population and in this big a database lies huge A huge challenge untapped potential;

we can utilise this data CHAKRABORTY TANMOY will be to link the for the benefit of better HIS systems of health outcomes in the world,” says Sunil hospitals, which by Illustration Khurana, CEO, BPL now use various Medical Technologies, Digital health records are burnout in the United technologies, Bengal uru. Some areas only a small fraction of a States. US doctors have to port patient of application are clinical larger digital stack--usually to spend as much time on research for the pharma called Hospital Information data entry as they do with records smoothly industry and big data Management Systems. For their patients. “Though analytics to understand the past 20 years, pub- EHRs have been widely disease pattern by lic and private hospitals implemented over the past dem o graphy and geography. The latter could be critical in across the country have two decades and more situations like the current pandemic where state-level data been implementing dispa- so in the past decade at analyses spread of disease. But all this is still a long way off. rate digitisation solutions. a huge cost, it has not Meanwhile, there are many challenges/ complications Most of these have been resulted in the desired in implementing a digital health card scheme. “The major failures for various rea- effect. Multiple vendors challenge is to link the hospital information system (HIS) sons. It takes a long time to have developed products of hospitals across India so that when a patient goes from train staff in a new hospital that do not necessarily one hospital to another, the data can be ported easily,” information system and integrate with each other, says Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, chairman, Asian Institute there is a steep learning and data portability is a of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad. For this to be effective, curve for doctors to adopt big challenge. They are he suggests integrating health records with the Aadhaar a new electronic health not all necessarily linked card. “The Aadhaar number can double as a unique health record (EHR). together due to propri- ID. It already has biometrics and other parameters and Electronic medical etary software issues,” enhancing its role with a digital health key with access to record (EMR) fatigue is the says Dr Nalini M. Guda, electronic medical records (EMR) for doctors and person- leading cause of physician professor of medicine at al health records (PHR) for patients instead of having two

42 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 numbers needs a relook,” says Dr Karthik Ananthara- man, director, e-Pharmacy, at Medlife.com, Bengaluru. the School of Medicine and introduced a Gold Care “The volume of data EMR and PHR can hold and the Public Health, University Health Card in much the clinical insights, sequential medical records and trends of Wisconsin. Pointing out same way as the government can give doctors to make data-driven clinical decisions that developing an inte- wants in India. Something is immense.” Going forward, artificial intelligence (AI)- grated system can be very similar will have to be done and machine learning (ML)-led, data-backed clinical expensive for a country by treating one to five million decision-making shall be of great assistance to doctors, like India, she says that people as a module, perhaps reducing medical errors and improving clinical out- “where they have cards, by making a district rather comes across therapeutic areas. “The NDHM will create it is usually a nationalised than a state as a unit, for an open digital ecosystem similar to what UPI created healthcare system and a digital platform to work.” in financial services. It will serve as a backbone for nowhere has it worked Moreover, he explains, going integrated digital health infrastructure and provide a flawlessly”. by the Thailand model, it will platform for private innovations,” says Apollo Hospitals “NDHM needs to under- be meaningful if the district joint managing director Sangita Reddy. stand the limitations that HQ is the final point of care. exist in the healthcare For this, tertiary services ut there is also scepticism about the utilisation landscape—lack of doctors will have to be made avail- of collated data even though NDHM, imple- and nurses, digital illitera- able at the district headquar- mented scrupulously, can deliver tremendous cy—and slowly evolve tools ters itself so that the patient benefits. Digital health records of many that take into practical travels to the state HQ patients enrolled in health insurance schemes consideration the ground only in case of rare issues. runB by state and central governments and private reality of doctors treating Currently, different health insurance companies already exist. Leading hospitals patients in a resource- ministry departments over- and diagnostic chains store them, too. But they all work poor setting,” says Viren see primary healthcare and in silos and lack inter-operability. The government and Shetty, COO, Narayana secondary and tertiary care. industry already have health-related data in four large Hospitals, Bengaluru. “The All three should be on the dig- systems: Aarogyasri health cover, the flag-bearer for true purpose of NDHM is ital platform within a district Ayushman Bharat in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; to improve the state of so that case load and other the ECHS (Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme), healthcare delivery in this issues can be assessed. ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation) and country, not to force for- In both Thailand and CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) for the eign software on Indian Japan, which has had a armed forces’ personnel, industrial workers and central hospitals.” A truly useful digital platform for some 50 government employees and pensioners, respectively, and software would reduce years now, there is seamless the huge sets of data in the mission mode programmes for the time taken for patient integration with the private maternal and child health, tuberculosis control, malaria interaction, and that health services system. Both eradication, blindness control and the cancer registry. means embedding Clinical have a co-payment model “Though pervasive, each is regimented in approach Decision Support Systems that ensures those who can and in the absence of synergy or intelligence in any of (CDSS) within the EMR so afford it go to a private facil- these systems, they have been reduced to mere payment that doctors don’t waste ity while others turn to public platforms,” says R. Guru Moorthy, an HIS consultant, time typing redundant health services. “To be of and co-founder, Immertive Private Limited, an aug- data. Unfortunately, an meaningful use, the health mented reality company working in healthcare skills. He accurate and reliable CDSS card should have real-time points out that other than understanding the spread of a hasn’t been invented yet. authentication and operate communicable disease (to a limited extent), little can be “The Thai and Japanese in a module of not more than deduced from each of these systems. Deducing actuarial experience are object less- five million people to deliver information is impossible and, to an individual, it is ons for our country,” says dependable, efficient servic- worthless for either preventive or post-episodic care. Dr Suresh Munuswamy, es. Also, remember nothing Public Health Foundation happens overnight in health- PRIVACY ISSUES of India. “Thailand has care,” says Munuswamy. An underlying reason for the reluctance and low utilisa- tion of available health-related data is the apprehension

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 43 IAL REPORT HEALTH CARD THREAT OF DATA MISUSE It can play out in three ways—theft, unlawful data sharing and tracking gap between of it being misused (see Threat of Data Misuse). The issue of paper-based and digital systems privacy and potential misuse of data is perhaps the biggest block in making NDHM work. “Data confidentiality and iiData theft occurs A blockchain-enabled data security is the single most important driving factor that when records are sto- transaction ledger, shall increase adoption of the NDHM initiative by citizens len and sold unlawfully. where every step of the and the medical fraternity,” says Dr Anantha raman. The To safeguard against transaction is document- absence of a law that grants citizens explicit ownership of data theft, data must be ed and missing gaps can their personal data can compromise privacy and lexploita- stored in parts across be precisely identified, tion. Even if safeguards are put in place, it would still leave different locations and is one way of preventing personal histories of ailments available to the state. brought together as and it. But blockchains work when necessary. This better in a digital-only ensures no data is lost environment. A rogue o pre-empt the privacy challenge, the NDHM and any data breach can employee selling data blueprint hopes to ensure patient confidentiality be contained. The hack- to a pharma or health as well as give patients the ability to control ing could be at the behest research company is one access to their records through a combination of a T of a competing service such dreadful prospect few building blocks like Consent Manager, provider or country or of illegal data-sharing Anonymiser and a Privacy Operations Centre. Despite sundry unscrupulous these checks and balances, questions of privacy and data malicious agents iiA third challenge is leakages remain, which can only be answered once more when physical records details of the privacy safeguards included in the digital iiUnlawful data-sharing and digital systems health mission are made available. But it may still be occurs when people interact. This creates a inadequate. To overcome this, Dr Suresh Munuswamy, who have access misuse ‘tracking gap’, which again head, Health Informatics and Technology Innovations at it. This is hard to trace. could lead to data misuse the Public Health Foundation of India, suggests the 01 creation of a distributed and decentralised architecture. “Absolute data security is a myth. Keeping data secure is 1 $ best done by storing data in parts across different locations and bringing them together as and when necessary. With 0 this decentralised approach, any data breach can be 01 quickly contained,” he says, wondering whether the government will provide such autonomy. 0 Another institutional challenge is integrating to a com- mon IT platform. Considering that joining the NDHM is voluntary, it is anybody’s guess how many private hospitals will be eager to go fully digital and integrate with the com- mon platform. Further, if outpatient care is not within the ambit of the NDHM (about 80 per cent of all outpatient care ency and harmonisation between processes,” says Bhushan. is at private hospitals), getting them on board on a voluntary He says NDHM will provide the much-needed impetus basis will be difficult. Similarly, given an option, pharmacies to scale up Ayushman Bharat to cover a larger section of and diagnostic labs are unlikely to join the NDHM network society. In the long run, this would lead to greater health unless there are business opportunities. insurance penetration and reduced premiums. As of now, the health card is only for availing Ayush- A health ID, under the NDHM framework, will essen- man Bharat insurance claims, admits Dr Indu Bhushan, tially ensure much more transparency in terms of insurance CEO, Ayushman Bharat and National Health Author- coverage—what health insurance policies cover—and reduce ity. For those who go to private insurers/ hospitals, it has out-of-pocket expenses. As the entire process will be online very few benefits in its current form because many private and insurance companies will be able to access the necessary hospitals already keep patient health records. “To ensure health records of clients through their digital health IDs, that the health insurance ecosystem takes a leap towards disbursement of claims will also be quicker. achieving Universal Health Coverage, it is important that But unless the digital push can find answers to the insurance claims cover not only in-patient but also out- challenges posed in portability of medical records, privacy patient treatment. This will remain a distant dream until and other issues, the larger goal of advancing medicine and there is far more digitisation to ensure efficiency, transpar- healthcare for all will remain elusive. „

44 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 WIN-WIN DEALS ‘Home loans get more attractive ‘Protect your house with insurance

Illustration by NILANJAN DAS SMART MONEY HOME LOANS

here are few things duces the overall repayment more pleasing to a amount. The EMI (equated T borrower than low in- AN OFFER YOU monthly instalments) bur- terest rates. This is especially den gets less over the years. true for those who have taken [This is especially beneficial home loans—for a major- CAN’T REFUSE as the] interest rate may rise ity of such borrowers, this Home loans never looked later due to policy/ regula- is the largest liability they more attractive tion changes.” In short, if will take on in their lives, one takes a home loan when and any fall in interest rates interest rates are low, there brings substantial savings. is a chance of paying off a Owing to the pandemic and good chunk of the principal subsequent economic restric- amount by the time the rate tions, the interest rate in rises once more. India has touched a historic low. The Reserve Bank of BANKS OR NBFCs? India’s (RBI’s) repo rate—the Most borrowers prefer tak- benchmark used to fix other ing a ‘floating rate’ home interest rates—touched 4 per loan. These loans see interest cent in May 2020, the lowest rates changing over time, level since 2001. This has led based on market conditions. to home loan rates falling as The RBI has instructed well, with the lowest rates on banks to link their floating offer at around 6.7 per cent. rate loans to an external Besides helping in creat- benchmark, so that borrow- ing an appreciating asset at ers can get an idea of what a lower cost, home loans also their interest rates will be by offer tax savings. For a per- Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE keeping tabs on the change son in the 30 per cent income in the benchmark. Those tax bracket, the effective whether rates are low).” ADVANTAGE who take home loans from interest rate on a loan could HOME LOAN banks, therefore, get the ben- fall below 5 per cent when tax LOW INITIAL RATES • Interest rates are at a efit of this transparency. benefits are factored in. Borrowers pay the largest historic low—banks are This doesn’t always mean The recent slump in the chunk of the interest on offering loans at 6.7% that those taking home loans residential property market home loans in the first 4-5 • With tax savings, the from NBFCs (non-banking has brought prices within years, when the outstanding effective rate could fall financial companies) or below 5% for those in the reach of many who were principal is at its highest. HFCs (housing finance com- higher tax brackets earlier unable to afford Therefore, a low interest rate panies) are at a disadvantage. The best rates are of- their dream homes. How- early on can be quite benefi- “Currently, home loan inter- • fered to those with the ever, given how long-term a cial. “A low interest rate at highest credit scores— est rates offered by HFCs commitment a home loan the beginning of the home check your score before are linked to their PLR is, and the size of the debt, loan helps borrowers make taking a loan to make (prime lending rate), which it is important to be care- aggressive prepayments. sure you get a good deal is an internal benchmark,” ful. “Buying a house is a This is also often when they • Businessmen with high explains Ratan Chaudhary, very specific need and also are in the prime of their lives fund turnover benefit head of home loans at Pai- the most important and and careers, when they have from smart saver loans sabazaar.com. “HFC loans expensive financial decision more disposable income,” Existing borrowers are not linked to external • could transfer their that one makes,” says Aarti says Ankur Maheshwari, benchmarks like the repo loans to a new lender if Khanna, founder and CEO chief financial officer at paying high interest rate, T-bill (treasury bill), etc. of AskCred. “I would say the MoneyTap. “In addition to However, market competi- If you need a personal best time to take a home loan the lower interest burden due • loan for home improve- tion leads well-established is when one can comfort- to accelerated prepayment ment, get a home loan HFCs to offer competitive ably afford it (irrespective of in the early years, this also re- top-up instead—this interest rates to fresh home offers a cheaper rate

46 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 EXISTING LOANS loan borrowers as well.” term loans, so only those employers’ profile and other Those with existing When one compares the borrowers who see a regular loan eligibility criteria.” home loans should not be best bank and HFC rates churning of large balances in Another point to note complacent—there is a for home loans, there is not their bank account can make is that the interest rate one chance that they are paying much of a difference. “The the best of it. This is most gets depends on one’s credit a higher interest rate than home loan interest rates useful for businessmen, as it score—the best interest rates what their lenders are offered by some of the big facilitates funding at lowest are given to those with the offering new borrowers. HFCs like HDFC and LIC rate whenever needed, with highest credit scores. There- “If the loan has been taken Housing Finance are among the surplus in the account fore, it also makes sense for from a bank, the [interest the lowest in the industry, reducing the interest outflow. borrowers to check their rate] is based on the bank’s beating the home loan inter- credit scores before applying MCLR (marginal cost of est rates offered by many POINTS TO NOTE for a home loan, as that will funds-based lending rate). banks,” says Chaudhary. The interest rates, charges put one in a better position to It is possible that the bank The small difference that and eligibility conditions bargain when making a deal may be willing to offer a rate a borrower pays is mostly of home loans vary across with a lender. reduction with a decrease in compensated by customer lenders, so it makes sense for Shorter loan tenures help EMI option or a reduction service. “NBFC/ HFC bor- would-be borrowers to take minimise interest costs, but in tenure. One should assess rowers have the benefit of time over picking the best they also mean higher EMIs this and negotiate with their getting quick approvals for option for them. “Applicants and can also lower total loan bank,” says Khanna. their home loans, even if their should compare the home eligibility. It is necessary Borrowers should com- credit score is not very high,” loans offered by as many to strike a good balance. pare the interest rate they are says Maheshwari. “Minimal lenders as possible for the “Choosing an aggressive paying with the current mar- documentation is an added best deal,” says Chaudhary. repayment schedule to make ket rates—if it is higher, then advantage. In addition, a “The best way to do so is to faster repayments may leave it makes sense to ask your borrower with a high credit visit online financial market- very little financial room for lender to reduce the rate. If score can negotiate to get a places, which allow custom- borrowers to invest in other the lender does not allow this higher amount sanctioned ers to compare various loan financial goals, and may or does not offer a good rate, at a lower rate of interest as offers available to them on thereby adversely impact borrowers might be well ad- per the lender’s discretion. Or the basis of their credit score, their long-term financial vised to transfer their loan to they can opt to transfer their monthly income, job profile, health,” says Chaudhary. a new lender. However, this existing home loan to banks decision should be carefully at a lower interest rate later.” thought through. “Ideally, CURRENT HOME LOAN INTEREST one should get their home THE SMART SAVER loan transferred only if they Smart saver home loans RATES WITH TOP LENDERS are in the initial 4-5 years of are basically home loans in LENDER INTEREST RATES (% p.a.) the loan, when the interest overdraft form, from which Union Bank of India 6.7-7.65 rate or outstanding principal borrowers can withdraw is high,” advises Maheshwari. Bank of India 6.85-7.75 funds as needed. “When cal- Finally, for existing home culating the interest charges, Central Bank of India 6.85-7.3 loan borrowers, if you need banks compute the figure LIC Housing 6.9-8.05 money for home upgradation by deducting the balance in Punjab & Sind Bank 6.9-7.25 or renovation, then rather the current account from the Canara Bank 6.9-8.9 than going for personal loan, outstanding principal,” says they could consider a top-up ICICI Bank 6.9-8.05 Khanna. “The money thus loan at the lowest rate with left in the home loan account HDFC Ltd. 6.9-8.7* tax benefit. Top-up loans are reduces the total interest Bank of Baroda 7-8.6 also available for other uses, outflow on the loan and gives Indian Overseas Bank 7.05-7.3 though the interest rate is the borrower the flexibility to generally higher and without Punjab National Bank 7.1-7.9 maintain liquidity.” any tax advantage. However, The interest rate of smart Rates as on Sept. 30, 2020; *Effective till Sept. 30, 2020 it will still be cheaper than a Source: Paisabazaar.com saver options are slightly personal loan. n higher than those in typical —Naveen Kumar

OCTOBER 12, 2020 INDIA TODAY 47 SMART MONEY HOME INSURANCE

SECURING YOUR HOME A home insurance policy will prove to be a blessing if your house suffers damage in a natural disaster or you lose precious belongings to theft

LESSER-KNOWN COVERS If there is any seepage in the roof or walls due to heavy rains and hailstorm or damage due to winds or storms, one can claim the repair cost from the insurance company. “Home insurance policies also cover pet veterinary costs. The terms and conditions of the same vary among companies. Many households have expensive appliances and gadgets. With home insurance plans, one can get all of these insured. Portable equipment, such as a laptop and audio-visual systems, are also protected,” Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE says Naval Goel, CEO and founder of PolicyX.com. atural calamities are as belongings—for a low (fixed). Jewellery kept in the bank on the rise. This year premium. One can even take Section 5: Breakdown of locker or at home or even Nhas witnessed floods insurance cover just for the domestic appliances. when worn is covered under in Bihar, torrential rains in structure or belongings in Section 6: Television sets (all home insurance. Maharashtra, Gujarat and the house. For example, ten- risks) cover. One can buy add-ons Karnataka and Cyclone Am- ants may only want insur- Section 7: Pedal cycle (all as well, such as including phan sweeping West Bengal ance for their valuables. risks) cover. escalation of property and parts of Odisha. Delhi, Section 8: Baggage. value, act of terrorism, which falls in earthquake SCOPE OF Section 9: Personal accident third-party liability and loss of rent. “The escalation seismic zone 4, has experi- COVERAGE insurance. clause allows an automatic enced a series of tremors. A typical householder policy Section 10: Public liability regular increase in the sum The devastation from such consists of 10 sections, cov- and workman compensation insured throughout the calamities may not only be ering various risks: risks. policy period,” says Sanjay in terms of loss of lives but Section 1: Fire and allied As per norms, it is man- Singh Chauhan, business damage to one’s home and perils, for house building datory to include at least head, SME, and home belongings. While life insur- and household contents. three to four sections in the insurance, PolicyBazaar. ance will protect a family in Section 2: Burglary and policy, with the Section 1 com. He elaborates: “If the case of a member’s demise, housebreak, including (fire and allied perils) cover sum insured for a building is what about your home and larceny or theft (belongings against household belong- Rs 1 crore and a client opts its precious belongings? Not only). ings compulsory. The more for 10 per cent escalation many people know that they Section 3: All risk against the sections chosen, the cover, the escalation sum can insure their homes—the valuable items. more comprehensive the insured comes to be Rs 10 physical structure as well Section 4: Plate glass cover insurance cover becomes. lakh. This will increase

48 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020

SMART MONEY HOME INSURANCE

on a per day basis. So, in maid or driver, is not covered lakh, that is, Rs 3.24 lakh. offer agreed value basis case of a claim after, say, as such individuals would be There are three ways to cover,” says Adarsh Agarwal, six months, the escalation having access to the house. calculate the value of the appointed actuary at Digit sum insured would be “Under the Indian Penal structure of the house: General Insurance. calculated as Rs 493,151 Code, burglary, theft and 1) Market value: The Bajaj Allianz does have (180/ 365*10,00,000). The larceny are defined sepa- insurer will pay the amount the agreed value option. final sum insured under the rately. Larceny is when the the policyholder would have “Usually insurers pay the policy at the time of claim person who has committed it received on selling the house construction cost after the (six months) will be Rs has permission to enter your at that point in time. It fac- house has been built. How- 10,493,151.” house otherwise. So you can tors in depreciation. ever, in agreed value basis, we Since the cost of the include it in your policy as an 2) Reinstatement value: pay the full amount upfront structure may rise as the add-on,” says Ramalingam. The house will be valued on after you have handed over years go by, the escalation the basis of the total cost the property papers, so that clause protects against HOW MUCH underinsurance at the time required to reconstruct it. we become the owner of that INSURANCE TO BUY of claim. On third-party The land value of the house property,” says Ramalingam. liability, Chauhan says: Although the policy tenure is not included. “It covers the amount the for most home insurance 3) Agreed value: A HOW TO BUY A HOME insured becomes legally policies is one year, you few insurance companies INSURANCE POLICY liable to pay, including can buy a long-term plan provide cover on the basis Buying a home insur- litigation expenses. Any to cover the structure. It is of agreed value. It factors in ance policy is complex as loss or damage due to critical to calculate an ad- both the land value and cost people get confused with terrorism will be covered equate sum insured to avoid of construction. In the event the calculations of assets only as an add-on.” One underinsurance at the time of a loss, the insurer pays and contents of their homes. can also buy ‘loss of rent’ of claim. For example, if the the ‘agreed value’ and takes But now, one can buy the cover, under which the value of your house is Rs ownership of the house. policy online since valua- insurance company pays 10 lakh and you have taken “A policy on reinstate- tion is not a prerequisite. “At rent for the policyholder an insurance of Rs 6 lakh, ment value basis would Digit Insurance, we ask the to live elsewhere while the which is 60 per cent of the provide better compensa- customer only two primary damaged house is being actual cost, the insurer will tion than one on market questions—total square area reconstructed. pay you 60 per cent of Rs 6 value. Not all companies of the house and location. Based on this, we suggest EXCLUSIONS a sum insured. This eases The most important confusion for the customer,” exclusion is natural wear A COVER AGAINST CALAMITIES says Agarwal. and tear. “All household Premium rates for home insurance policies (in Rs) At Bajaj Allianz, if the appliances and furniture aggregate amount for losses Insurer Structure Content Structure&Content come with limited life. For to belongings crosses Rs example, your old AC will HDFC ERGO 2,374 13,423 15,905 5 lakh, one will not need ( Home Shield ) eventually stop working, and to provide any individual you cannot make a claim Bajaj Allianz 4,484 24,780 29,264 break-up of items. However, for it because it has lived its Bharti AXA 2,650 5,000 11,000 at the time of filing a claim, life,” says T.A. Ramalingam, Digit Insurance* 3,283 5,200 8,223 the insurer will conduct an chief technical officer, Bajaj ICICI Lombard 3,128 11,800 20,600 evaluation and ask for all Allianz General Insurance. relevant documents. TATA AIG 6,195 8,186 11,961 Deliberate damage to Insurance penetration is insured belongings is also low in India and home insur- Oriental* 3,000 10,000 15,340 not covered. “Identifying a ance is hardly on anyone’s genuine claim in this case Reliance 3,127 N/A N/A agenda. While a home insur- would be hard, but a smart *electronic items ance policy cannot prevent surveyor will ask all the not covered unwarranted damage to right questions to figure it One-year policy from top eight insurers, offering home cover your house or its belongings, out,” says Ramalingam. of ~ Rs 1 crore for ‘Structure’ and Rs 25 lakh for ‘Content’. it will certainly protect your Source: PolicyBazaar.com Theft/ burglary by regu- pocket if that happens. n lars to the house, such as a —Aprajita Sharma

50 INDIA TODAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 ERTUGRUL: A SEDUCTIVE Q&A WITH TURKISH MYTHOLOGY CARRY MINATI PG 54 PG 56

M GAAMING P n In tion g in in m conversat ga l r, ve e e nationa tim the st of fir he part r t Fo become LEVELLINGhhas LEISURE

Ludo Kingg (top) emerged as one of the most popular mobile games in India during the lockdown; a screenshot of Raji—An Ancient Epic

bringing Indian stories and aesthet- ics to the world through the univer- sal medium of gaming, and its recep- tion took the small team at Nodding Heads by surprise. “We had Indian gamers telling us how much they enjoyed playing Raji with their par- ents. WhdIdiWe had Indians iin the hUSllUS tell- ing us how this game reminded them of India. The western media also highlighted the importance of rep- resenting Indian themes and brown protagonists in games,” says Avichal Singh, founder and game designer at Nodding Heads, which had almost shut shop during the development of the game after struggling to land funding and a publisher. Larger gaming companies are also looking at Indian development talent more seriously. The Indian studios of French game developer- publisher Ubisoft had, until now, been resigned to support work for or all the talk around how the gaming industry the company’s other games. Now, however, it is leading has been booming in India as others crumbled the development of a game for the first time —the lat- during the Covid pandemic, some of the biggest est release from the iconic Prince of Persia franchise. developments in the Indian gaming industry ac- While Raji’s success was mostly overseas, the do- tually occurred in August, just as the lockdown mestic gaming market has also grown by leaps and F began to ease. The biggest of these was no doubt bounds, particularly since the lockdown confined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s the entire country to their homes. public endorsement of game development While Raji has been developed for in India. Even though it came as part of a Bigger gaming PC and game consoles, it is mobile larger focus on growing India’s toy indus- companies are games that see the most traction in try, it was the first time that gaming had beginning to India thanks to lower device and become part of the national conversation. looking at Indian data cost. Few success stories can Then there was the news that sent shock- development match that of Ludo King. Devel- waves through India’s fledgling gaming talent more oped by Mumbai-based Game- scene—the banning of PUBG Mobile as part seriously tion, the interactive board game of a large wave of bans affecting Chinese- became an overnight sensation developed games and apps. in India, drawing casual gam- But amid these headline-grabbing ers, families and celebrities. events was another significant bit of news that slipped Games like Ludo King have also drawn under the mainstream media radar. Nodding Heads more women to the gaming scene, which, Games, a small Pune-based indie studio, became the like the gaming industry, remains an first-ever Indian game studio to launch a game on a Nin- overwhelmingly male preserve. A recent tendo platform. Its significance lies not only in the fact FICCI report states that, on average, that Nintendo is a revered gaming institution and home women now spend as much time on to some of gaming’s most iconic franchises, but also in that gaming apps as men do. With 50 mil- the game itself—Raji: An Ancient Epic—is deeply rooted lion daily active users, Ludo King con- in Indian mythology, a theme rarely explored in games. sistently ranks among the top games Raji was widely praised in the international press for on the Android and iOS app stores. omegrown companies wit t eir own teams. A rom oog e s ay tore or inc u ing gam ing this came to a screeching halt with the ban. elements through its Paytm First Games titles. PUBG Corp, owner of the franchise, has begun to dis- Companies within this space position their games tance itself from the mobile game’s Chinese roots, and is as games of skill or as esports titles to distance actively looking for Indian partners to relaunch the game, themselves from gambling or games of chance. but the game’s absence has left a gaping hole in the Indian It’s a grey area and has introduced an element gaming industry. Rivals Free Fire and Call of Duty Mobile of confusion in a space that is often misunder- offer alternatives, and Bengaluru-based nCore was quick to stood. But there’s no question that gaming is announce Fau-G soon after the ban on PUBG Mobile, riding going to keep on growing. n the wave of nationalism with a celebrity endorsement from —Sameer Desai

Apart from gaming studios, even big technology companies are looking to enter the gaming market

GAMING  Sony and Microsoft are launch- the reliance on expensive hard- ing new gaming consoles—the ware. Much like OTT platforms, PS5 and Xbox Series X respec- Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud THE tively—in India later this year and Amazon Luna all promise  Graphics technology pioneers high-end gaming on any display, FUTURE Nvidia and AMD are both bringing from PCs to smartphones their latest PC gaming technolo-  Microsoft has taken the lead in IS HERE f STREAMING Oh! Those Turks

Ertugrul is a shock to the modern, liberal Hollywood- and Bollywood- acclimatised viewer

L

Lockdown has been good to courageous—is the third son problems. Their epic romance up mountains, hide in the TV, especially mythological of Suleyman Shah, chief of propels the rustic Kayis into bushes, and sneak up on shows. India is neck-deep in the preeminent Kayi tribe in palace intrigues, politics and each other in the forest. It’s Ramayana and Mahabharata. 13th century Anatolia. The wars that lay the foundation wildly refreshing. But it is I had read of Dirilis: Ertugrul tribe migrates constantly to for the Ottoman empire. also an utterly patriarchal (Resurrection on Netflix) as a fresh pasturelands, fighting A cast of striking charac- and violent world dominated wildly popular ‘Muslim Game off Mongols and dreaming of ters, reasonable-to-hammy by male honour, in which of Thrones’ and was only idly a permanent homeland. Ertu- acting, and a nail-biting plot survival depends on physical curious, but the evening I grul is a rocker of boats and helped by lots of deus ex prowess, sword skills, wits, clicked on season 1, episode prefers hunting to politics, machina moments make for and pack mentality. 1, life as I knew it ended. I but he is his father’s natural gripping viewing. The good This world springs en- surfaced a few months later, heir, destined to lead the guys almost always come tirely from the word of God. It feeling like a pigeon that got Oghuz tribes to greatness. On up trumps; the villains are is Muslims against Templars away from the snake. a hunt unexpectedly turned super villain-y. There is an and Byzantines, and the Mon- The show is ludicrously, rescue mission, Ertugrul eye-popping array of spies, gols versus everyone else. bewitchingly long. On Netflix, brings home the beautiful snitches, traitors, evil viziers, Into beheadings, kafir-hunt- it racks up 448 episodes over Seljuk princess Halime—and no information, too much ing, and the kind of bloodlet- five seasons, a huge middle with her, a host of very large information, misinformation, ting that makes Tarantino look finger to modern busy-ness. and betrayal. It’s a delicious like a little old peacenik, is If you edited out all the gra- potboiler, though peak sex baked unremitting religious tuitous slow-motion shots, is a passionate peck on the orthodoxy and nationalism. the round robin of welcome forehead. (Clumsy subtitles There’s the rub. Every Er- home hugs, and every time also make for highly enjoyable tugrul viewer is an individual someone says ‘Inshallah’ or sub-viewing, eg: “You look lab sample for the perils of ‘Amin’, you would probably like a rotor, fell in a bougie” seductive myth-making. end up with three 10-episode and “Young people these That far-right Turkish leader seasons, but it would also be days are all airheads”.) Recep Erdogan visited the set no fun. Fast forward, and you Ertugrul is a shock to the of Ertugrul more than once risk missing some crucial, modern, liberal Hollywood- tells you all you need to know plot-turning sentences. and Bollywood-acclimatised about its political underpin- Ertugrul (pronounced viewer. It is almost entirely nings. Almost 250 million Air-thu-rool)—handsome, set in nature. People trek Pakistanis watched Ertugrul

(Top) Engin Altan Düzyatan as Ertugrul (centre); and a scene from the series showing saint Ibn Al Arabi standing over Ertugrul UN-REALITY TV Umbrella Cargo Tales from the Academy 2 Netflix Loop Netflix Cargo, which debuted on Amazon Prime In 1989, 43 women across Netflix on September 9, An eight-part collection the globe spontaneously is an Indian indie-drama of interwoven short sto- give birth despite not about dying in the modern ries, this is a slow look at being pregnant. The chil- era. Vikrant Massey plays one of the central sci-fi dren all have superpow- a rakshas (demon) named tropes—that technology ers—time travelling, super Prahastha serving as an always means a better strength, ability to talk to “immigration officer in life. The ‘Loop’ is a scien- the dead—and seven wind outer space”, preparing tific facility built under- up being adopted by ‘eccen- the souls of the recently neath fictional Ohio that tric billionaire’ Reginald departed for reincarnation churns out one wonder Hargreeves, who sets up aboard the Pushpak 634A, after another—anti-grav- a superhero school—the a spacecraft orbiting the ity tractors and walking Umbrella Academy—where Earth. Made on a tight robots, robotic arms and all but one are trained to budget, the film is sweet distortions in space-time become crime-fighters. At in parts and cringey in included. At its heart, the beginning of season one, others, a mashup of feel- though, the show isn’t Hargreeves has been dead good storytelling with a about science—it’s about for some days and his seven tight skim of sci-fi to hold the people who make it. wards find themselves bat- it all together. tling to save the world

In Ertugrul’s world, it is Muslims versus Templars and Byzantines, and the Mongols versus all else

The Expanse Amazon Prime Ghazi on PTV (dubbed Centuries in the future, in Urdu, you can watch humanity has spread it on YouTube); Lahoris into the solar system, have erected statues of having colonised the Ertugrul; a recent Kash- Moon and Mars, as well miri newborn was named as some of the moons of Ertugrul. That’s a tribute to Jupiter and Saturn. The the power of well-crafted universe is, nonethe- mythology: come for the The Mandalorian less, very familiar, with sexy cool warriors, stay Disney+Hotstar a cold war between for the fanatical religious- Season one of the the Earth and Mars nationalist project. Hook Mandalorian set a pretty threatening to break people’s emotions into a high bar with excellent visu- into outright battle. rattling good yarn about als and a baby Yoda. Season Amid all this, a detective hot, charismatic charac- two releases on October 30 searching for a missing ters, and they won’t notice and Mando is now search- woman stumbles onto that they’re rooting for ing for a way to “unite [baby a conspiracy that could a religious fanatic with Yoda] with his own kind”, lead to war. Four sea- control issues. n which involves first finding sons are out, with a fifth —Mitali Saran the Jedi. Lots of lasers, jet- greenlighted in late July. packs, interplanetary travel —Aditya Wig and fighting, some lore and myth also included. QA ‘Expletives are not my trademark’ CarryMinati on trolls, being the most subscribed YouTuber in Asia and his thoughts on giving acting a shot

Q. There were rumours that you would be on Bigg Boss, which invited a lot of trolling. Were you considering it? No, not right now. I don’t follow the show regularly, but do binge-watch it if I have to make a video on it. Also, let’s be honest, everyone is a self-proclaimed troll today and everyone seems to have an opinion.

Q. As the most subscribed individual YouTuber in Asia, is there pressure to deliver? It’s a huge accomplishment and sometimes it hurts when people are critical without knowing my back story. And while what I do appears to be the most fun job on the planet, there are a lot of shortcomings. It’s not enough to simply generate great content. The audience expects consistency if you want to stand out in a crowd. Without it, it’s incredibly easy to slip off the radar.

Q. Any plans to cut down on the expletives? Or is that now a CarryMinati trademark? Expletives are not my trademark; they are part of my content and the character I play. They are contextual to the narrative. Disruptive content is the king of online media today and the algorithm loves you the most when the content riles the audience up. Aren’t expletives used by many in their daily lives? Then why do we get so critical when it’s used on a public platform?

Q. A few YouTubers have taken to acting. Is that something that interests you? I was interested in it two years ago and I do still get many offers. I won’t say that I’ll never do it but right now my priorities are clear. I would probably consider a one-off cameo, but to be a full-fledged actor, you need experience and skill. I’m not the half-hearted kind, I like to dedicate enough time and energy to what I do and excel at it.

—with Suhani Singh

56 Volume XLV Number 41; For the week October 6-12, 2020, published on every Friday Total number of pages 58 (including cover pages)