Food on Its Own Terms Trolled Into Silence

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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 8 EDITORIAL THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Food on its own terms Kerala needs a new politics if its economy is to adjust to rising food prices and a shrinking Gulf economy

tion of agricultural land to other legal architecture discouraging the purposes. Actually, there is legisla- leasing of land that works against tion meant to address this but its agricultural prosperity. This is the Resilience reairmed implementation is hostage to party natural environment, which in Ker- politics at the village level, and the ala today is less hospitable to agri- CSO data suggest that the demonetisation alienation of Kerala’s precious agriculture of any kind, let alone paddy cultural land continues. cultivation. This has come about Pulapre Balakrishnan efect on GDP is less than feared It is quite extraordinary that due to the depletion of groundwa- he resilience of India’s economy has been reaf- public policy in Kerala has not ad- ter and sand mining of the river- picture, they say, is worth a dressed the problem of a declining beds to provide material for luxury irmed by the latest data, with both the third- hundred words. Two pic- production of its staple food, a house construction. There has also Tquarter and full-year growth estimates belying Atures related to Kerala, trend in evidence for nearly half a been the alienation of agricultural widespread concerns that the November 8 decision to though separated by decades and century by now. At the time of Mr. land already referred to. Land withdraw high-value currency notes would signiic- difering in content, speak to us Vijayan’s trip to Delhi, an editorial need not be turned into real estate antly dampen momentum. While the Central Statistics strongly of how we may secure its in another leading Malayalam daily to lose its fertility. Using fallow Oice stuck with its January advance estimate for gross future. Thus, a photo in a leading reported that the State produced paddy ields as ‘exhibition’ Malayalam newspaper shows the only one-eighth of its consumption grounds or for shopping festivals, domestic product in the 12 months ending March 2017 Chief Minister of the State meeting requirement. This igure needs to even when the structures made are to post a healthy 7.1% growth, it projected GDP to have the Prime Minister of India. An be vetted, but surely the situation temporary, could degrade the land expanded 7% in the iscal third quarter, relecting only a amiable Pinarayi Vijayan is seen ex- may be judged to be critical if a re- permanently. Kerala needs a land marginal slowdown from the 7.3% registered in the pre- tending lowers to Narendra Modi, gion were unable to produce even use policy that conserves every bit ceding three-month period. Notably, this expansion oc- who accepts it betraying no emo- half of it? of its natural capital. As part of this, curred in the October-December quarter, when about tion. The power equation is as- the State could consider acquiring 86% of the currency in circulation in the form of ₹500 tutely conveyed by the caption “Ar- A leaf out of Delhi’s book all unused paddy land and making

iyetra…” meaning “How much GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO An obvious question emerging it available to the Adivasis on long- and ₹1,000 notes was abruptly sucked out of the sys- rice…” in Malayalam. The Chief from the Chief Minister’s much- term lease. This would ensure its tem, potentially resulting in what the Economic Survey Minister was in the national capital holds socially, and the women too where agricultural production ac- publicised visit to Delhi is why Ker- preservation, saving Kerala from termed an “aggregate demand shock” and the Reserve in January seeking a greater alloca- withdrew from the labour market. tually declined after land reforms. ala cannot jettison its dependent the hardship that is assured if the Bank of India referred to as “demand compression asso- tion of rice to the State. Then there This hit paddy cultivation most as, Land reforms in China after Mao status. At least here Kerala’s polit- present situation of more plastic ciated with adverse wealth efects”. Undergirding this is a painting by Anjolie Ela Menon. in an age-old sexual division of la- led to a surge in food production, ical leadership may take a leaf out than grain clogging the rice pad- better-than-expected performance were the agricul- Titled ‘Malabar’, it is a canvas bour, women were disproportion- which in turn led to its rise to global of the record of the Central govern- dies continues. ture, mining and manufacturing sectors and, interest- smeared with green paint bearing ately represented in the planting prominence. In theory, one form ment. In the mid-sixties, smarting Kerala needs a new politics if its no detail. Presumably it was the and harvesting of paddy. The sec- of reorganisation possible even at under Lyndon Johnson’s directive economy is to adjust to the emer- ingly, government expenditure. While the overall gross artist’s impression of the paddy- tor began to face severe labour this stage in Kerala is for those in that food be sent to India “by the ging scenario of rising food prices value added (GVA) in the third quarter is estimated to illed landscape of Kerala when she shortage. Naturally, the wage rose ownership of land but not wishing shipload” so that she may be “kept and a shrinking Gulf economy have increased by 6.6%, agricultural GVA in the period irst encountered it decades ago. and the cultivation of paddy was no to cultivate to lease it out. But leas- on a short leash”, Indira Gandhi which is sure to impact livelihoods. is projected to have surged 6%, a sharp quickening from How is it possible that a State once longer viable as cheaper rice came ing was made unlawful by the land moved frenetically to increase food Public policy is likely to adapt only the second quarter’s 3.8% pace and in stark contrast identiied by the wealth of its agri- in from the rest of India. reform Act. production in India. The Green Re- if political parties are pressurised with the 2.2% contraction in the earlier year, as the culture has been brought to the The rise in the wage may not At the time of its legislation, ten- volution followed and, despite its by a citizenry alerted to the limits near-normal monsoon in 2016 helped lift kharif crop sorry state whereby its Chief Minis- have had the impact it did if the ancy had been a symbol of the ex- negative ecological fallout, India to distributivism. An instance of ter must travel to Delhi to ensure ownership of land was vested with ploitation of the peasantry who has never looked back. Earlier how this can work is the return of output substantially. Mining and manufacturing GVA that his people are properly fed? It the tiller. The temptations of mi- were held down by the possibility Nehru had cautioned his fellow cit- paddy cultivation to vast tracts of too appear to have done far better than in the preceding can only relect the failure of public gration overseas may have been of eviction at will. But now, close to izens how India could not live per- the Aranmula Puncha, an iconic quarter, bucking the so-called ‘demonetisation drag’ to policy. held at bay had the tiller also half a century later, when the eco- manently on “handouts” from the agricultural landscape in central post 7.5% and 8.3% growth, respectively. Public admin- owned the land. But the latter was nomic position of owners of small rich countries and needed to grow Kerala, after citizen action preven- istration, defence and other services clocked double-di- Changed agrarian scenario not the case despite the much- parcels of land pales beside the her own food. There is a lesson in ted its diversion to build an airport. git GVA growth: at 11.9%, a robust acceleration from the In the early seventies, following vaunted land reforms of the State. owners of urban property in the this for those in charge of public The regeneration has been made 7.5% in the third quarter of 2015-16. the boom in the Arabian Gulf re- In abolishing tenancy the land re- State, to hold on to an archaic law policy in Kerala. possible by active support from the gion, the State saw a new form of forms had extinguished the tradi- for its symbolic value is mere senti- If the State is to remain an government machinery. When It is only the inancial, real estate and professional emigration. While Kerala had long tional landlords but did not inevit- mentality. It is unimaginative of a autonomous entity, it must reduce such synergy is replicated across services segment, which is linked to consumption, that witnessed the migration of the ably transfer land to those who public policy to not remove all bar- all forms of one-way dependence, the State, its future Chief Ministers lagged, with the pace of expansion more than halving educated for want of opportunities actually laboured on the ield. This riers to the leasing of land so that even vis-à-vis the Indian Union. A need not travel to Delhi seeking from the July-September quarter to a modest 3.1% in- domestically, for the irst time is relected in the current agitation smaller portions can be pooled to far irmer base of food production food. crease. Chief Statistician T.C.A. Anant has said the gov- there was a signiicant outlow of for land by the Adivasi community. form larger operational holdings would be one aspect of this. In a manual labour, some of it from ag- and paddy production becomes vi- world of creeping climate change, ernment will continue to keep evaluating the numbers Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor of riculture. While it was only the Stunted land reforms able again. It is interesting that the the global supply of food is set to in relation to the impact of demonetisation, even as the Economics, Ashoka University, Sonipat men who migrated, the higher in- Kerala is rare among the world’s law discourages tenancy as unlaw- shrink. CSO trimmed its full-year GVA growth estimate to 6.7% and Senior Fellow, Indian Institute of comes transformed the house- economies, barring Zimbabwe, ful but is sanguine about the aliena- There is a factor other than the Management, Kozhikode from the 7% projected in January. This 30 basis points cut in the GVA growth estimate is more in sync with the projection of one quarter of a percentage point to half a percentage point slowing in its baseline real GDP growth assumption of 7% that the Economic Survey had Trolled into silence posited. The Survey had also made a cautionary assertion that recorded GDP growth would “understate” the Gurmehar Kaur’s is a textbook case of victimisation through heightened levels of gender-based violence overall impact of demonetisation as “the most afected itarian attitude. Rohith Vemula of The fact that sections of the Army facing, providing the cue for hun- Kumari and Yogeshwar Dutt, all be- parts of the economy — informal and cash based — are the University of Hyderabad could veterans and relatives of those who dreds of trolls to move in swiftly with longing to Haryana, reacting with either not captured in the national income accounts or, be demeaned for being a Dalit. died on the battleield in Kargil have a barrage of abuse and threats. Their hostility. The space of social media to the extent they are, their measurement is based on Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid of come out in her support relects that cavalier intervention, as also tweets is admittedly a free-for-all. But pro- formal sector indicators.” When dealing with statistics, Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU), there is some discomfort within the and subsequent comments by Kiren gressive-minded people using ste- with their Muslim identity, could be Army too over its facile Rijiju, the Union Minister of State for reotypes constitutes a weak defence it is safer to keep all the caveats in mind. slotted as traitorous, and their fel- politicisation. Home, show that the reality that a and poor strategy. By that logic, the Sucharita Sengupta low comrade Anirban Bhattacharya young woman could possibly have harassment of Ms. Kaur would also could be projected as a menace for Patterns of abuse agency and think independently, end up constituting ‘free speech’, urmehar Kaur, the 20-year- being a follower of left-wing ideo- Ms. Kaur’s abusers used two distinct without any assistance whatsoever which it is not. Withering highs old student from Delhi Uni- logy. reactions. The irst was what has be- from male members of society, has It took a while for apologies to be The forecast of a hotter summer must nudge Gversity who started a social It was harder to slot Ms. Kaur with come a standard issue response to entirely bypassed our leaders and tendered to Ms. Kaur by some of the media campaign in opposition to such ease. She is a student at one of the articulation of progressive views icons of sport and entertainment. personalities who contributed to us into preparing to mitigate public distress the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Par- the most elite colleges of Delhi Uni- by women — sexual harassment. Other types of politics have also her painful experience. Nonethe- ishad, has been trolled into silence, versity, Lady Shri Ram College (as Rape threats and death threats lew played out wherein representatives less, she has been viliied for lacking he forecast from the India Meteorological Depart- and has reportedly left Delhi due to opposed to JNU, much reviled in the thick and wild. within the government used the courage for withdrawing herself ment of above-normal temperatures over much rape and death threats. She is not popular imagination as the hub of The second was to shame her for Delhi University brouhaha and stu- from the campaign, regardless of Tof India in the summer months is bound to bring the irst youngster to be at the re- ‘anti-national’ activity). She belongs using her father, the soldier’s death dent violence to push further the the actual grit she has displayed till back memories of last year’s withering weeks. Global ceiving end of the binary of the to one of India’s most celebrated as a plank for contrived morality. agenda of curbs on freedom of this point. The Union Home Minis- nationalist/anti-national. and prosperous minority com- The strategies were used in combin- speech and expression. ter’s attempt at defusing the situ- weather in recent times has come under pressure from munities, the Sikhs. Most signiic- ation, becoming a textbook case of ation — by referring to her as a the El Nino warming that began in 2015 and exerted its Progressive politics antly, her father, Capt. Mandeep the militarised society with Identity politics daughter who requires protection — inluence into the irst quarter of 2016. What is signiic- Ms. Kaur’s politics, similar to vast Singh of the Indian Army, lost his life heightened levels of gender-based The incident has also stoked re- continues to infantilise and patron- ant is that the Australian international weather bureau sections of the student community battling militants in Jammu and violence. gional identity politics, with some ise, in keeping with the attitude of a says there is a 50% prospect of a similar phenomenon across the country, is aimed at ques- Kashmir in 1999. When celebrities such as crick- prominent voices supporting Ms. nanny state. this year as well, making it a signiicant alert on hotter tioning the narrowing of freedom of Ms. Kaur has disrupted the nar- eter Virender Sehwag and actor Kaur remarking with condescension rative of the dying soldier that is Randeep Hooda jumped into the temperatures, and possibly a debilitated monsoon and speech and expression, aided by the on the brawny, sexist Haryanvi in Sucharita Sengupta is Assistant Professor state in conjunction with a society brought out by the right wing at the fray, they did so in the face of a very at the Department of Political Science, weaker agricultural prospects. The early IMD forecast the context of Sehwag and Hooda, that harbours an increasingly major- drop of a hat to shut down dissent. real intimidation that Ms. Kaur was and wrestlers Geeta Phogat, Babita Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi should help the oicial machinery to adequately pre- pare for public distress. A carefully planned school examination schedule could spare students the worst of LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. the torrid season, and this should be among the top pri- o orities. As the temperature edged past 40 C last year, Tasteless knowledge. It serves our ■ Rapid urbanisation, instead of difusing it. How at the mercy of leviathans made India fall. Headed by a schools in some States decided to extend their summer “All”, says a literary lourish, country ill to ridicule skewed development, an could they turn a blind eye that may emerge after spinner coach Anil Kumble, vacations by a week or two, something that may be- “is fair in love and war” — a intellectual energy, no less insensitive attitude towards to threats being issued to the consolidation. Going by the team is over conident come necessary again. Urban water distress poses an- proposition which than it would to dismiss the environment and even girl? At the same time, Ms. what has happened in the that India can undo any other challenge, because big cities in several States have civilisational advance would physical labour. For population explosion are all Kaur could have been past, regulators shut their team. It erred in preparing contest. But our Prime someone to ridicule the factors contributing to restrained. eyes when powerful itself for the dust bowl at not received adequate rainfall to replenish their reser- Minister has added to the services of an intellect that global warming. There K.R. Srinivasan, interests are involved. How Pune and paid the price. voirs and are using up groundwater at unsustainable dubious exemptions from has brought issues needs to be a behavioural Secunderabad TRAI remained a passive Like Lala Amarnath who, rates. For farmers, another harsh period would add to civilised transactions, a pertaining to poverty, change among people that onlooker when Reliance Jio knowing that Australia their diiculties, requiring a sensitive approach to their third: elections. His veiled labour, health and focusses on judicious use of ■ I look at the episode from played havoc in the market could not play of-spin, needs. Administrative decisions for summer manage- but barely concealed jibe malnutrition to world resources. India must step the point of view of Indian through indiscriminate included the of-spinner Jasu ment will need to be reined on the basis of coming IMD made during the course of attention is to mock his own up eforts to switch to using women and their security. undercutting is a case in Patel in the team and then updates, although the overall trend appears to be clear. an election rally in Uttar intellect. More has been green and clean energy That a 20-something point. Are we trying to shut won the Kanpur Test in the Pradesh, at Professor done by this “Harvard resources. student has received death the stable door after the late 1960s, the Australians Temperatures in diferent parts of the world may Amartya Sen, is tasteless Professor” to highlight and Venika Singhal, and rape threats online horse has bolted? too have included spinners have variations due to local weather phenomena, but as beyond belief. To pun on alleviate the condition of Noida while expressing her Manohar Alembath, who can take advantage if the U.S. space agency NASA has pointed out, there has “Harvard” and set up a false India’s peasantry than opinion about the ABVP Kannur the pitch responds. Steve been a record three-year warming trend, with 2016 the and facetious dichotomy mocking and manipulative Slugfest makes your hair stand on Smith’s smart captaincy and hottest; 16 of 17 warmest years based on globally-aver- between that world- politics can ever hope to. The way the free speech end. One can sum up the Put in its place courage in batting in diicult aged temperatures occurred since 2001. The efect of El renowned seat of higher Gopalkrishna Gandhi, episode involving Delhi whole situation by the sad In his article, “There’s no situations was what added Chennai Nino on the global temperature average is only a small learning and “hard work” is University student fact that women are still need to panic; India knows to India’s woes. The not to be expected irom a Gurmehar Kaur has treated as “property”. We the formula” (Sport — ignorance about judicious part of the overall rise, indicating that the trend could Prime Minister. Hard-selling Surging heat index progressed is disturbing need to speak up against ‘Between Wickets’, March handling of DRS is be correlated with the rise in greenhouse gases. India, a politics may justify political Come summer, we start (“Senior Ministers come out unjust ways in which a 1), Suresh Menon puts down inexcusable. major emitter of GHGs, has classiied 2016 as the cen- barbs at political opponents talking about a shortage of in support of Kaur”, March woman is bullied on social the Pune defeat to Krishna R. Deshpande, tury’s warmest year, with an increase of 0.91oC over the but they cannot explain water, deforestation, global 1). What was unwarranted media platforms while in complacency. One can go a Bengaluru long-term average; NASA’s corresponding global igure away rudeness and warming and other was political parties taking real life, we should aim to step further and say more letters online: is 0.99oC. These are clear signs that the world must shift discourtesy towards a environmental issues, sides to score brownie create safer spaces for overconidence is what www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/ away from further high-emission pathways in the eco- teacher of all-time class, forgetting about all this the points instead of devising women. who has not only been moment the heat subsides concrete steps to prevent Ananya Shirgurkar, corrections & clarifications: nomy and adopt leapfrogging technologies. It is also a awarded a Nobel Prize and and the monsoon sets in such an unsavoury incident Bengaluru A sentence in “Studies on India’s air quality lawed: CPCB” (Feb.28, call for policy initiatives to build resilience by improv- the Bharat Ratna but which (“Even hill stations will be happening on campus in the 2017) read: “... air quality standards require that the daily PM2.5 aver- ing water harvesting and expanding tree cover, includ- the University — Visva- hotter this year, warns name of freedom of Game of tones ages not exceed 60 mg/cubic metre and 40 mg/cubic metre annually.”It ing in cities. For rural India, building surface irrigation Bharati — of which our IMD”, March 1). The IMD’ s expression. When every The time, no doubt, is ripe should have been 60 microgram/cubic metre and 40 microgram/cubic metre. facilities such as ponds through the employment guar- Prime Minister himself is forecast is a warning that we citizen is proud of our for consolidation in the Chancellor, has conferred its must put our heart and soul martyrs who sacriice their telecommunications It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signiicant errors as soon as possible. Please antee scheme and climate funds would seem a natural specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office choice, while urban water supply augmentation needs highest tribute: the into taking continuous steps lives to safeguard the industry (Editorial — “Game can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday Desikottama. Hard work, to preserve the country from external of tones”, March 1). to Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:[email protected]; Mail: Readers’ more reservoirs to be built. If this year’s forecast comes intensely hard work, goes environment. aggression, it is sad that However, unless the Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. true, though, there is no escape route. The only hope All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No into learning, researching, Kshirasagara Balaji Rao, political parties are keen to regulator is efective, personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on would be an early date with the monsoon. teaching and disseminating Hyderabad ignite the sensitive issue customers are bound to be www.thehindu.com

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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 OPED 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The more things change… Operation Replay? With the dust settling on the tumult in Tamil Nadu, the resilience of the politics of patronage is evident As Pakistan launches the Raddul Fasaad counter-terror ofensive, a comparison with the previous crackdown threw in their lot with Mr. Pan- neerselvam were former Bharatiya failed miserably. Though the operations tar- Janata Party hands such as Rajya geted militants in the tribal agencies and a Sabha MP V. Maitreyan or the Educa- few districts of the KP, it remained selective. tion Minister “Mafoi” K. Pandiarajan. The Pakistani establishment continues to The mood was upbeat for the ex- consider the Taliban-Haqqani network as an Srinivasan Ramani Chief Minister’s camp in the run-up asset and a source of leverage. to the judgment, but there was also a D. Suba Chandran Will Raddul Fasaad succeed if Pakistan silent consolidation of support in Ms. goes ahead with the same strategy? After months of political turmoil, Sasikala’s faction. Clearly, an impres- After a spate of terror attacks in Punjab, Pakistan’s present terrorism problem is not what really has changed in Tamil sion was created that Mr. Pan- Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), “residual terrorism” and “border related”, Nadu? With the nomination of Edap- neerselvam was being led on by the Pakistan has launched a new counter-terror- but a result of selective targeting of terror padi K. Palaniswami as the Chief Min- Centre, keen on a rupture in the ism offensive, Raddul Fasaad. Will it succeed groups by the Zarb-e-Azb. ister and a coterie of leaders loyal to AIADMK. where Zarb-e-Azb, the previous operation, V.K. Sasikala, including her nephew Merely eight months since As- failed? Or, could the new operation create The difference this time T.T.V. Dinakaran taking over as the sembly elections, most of the ruling more problems and have unintended The big difference between Zarb-e-Azb and new deputy general secretary of the MLAs had little incentive to play a fallouts? Raddul Fasaad will be the nature of opera- party, the structure that held the All high stakes game of rebellion, pos- According to the Inter Services Public Re- tions and its geographic spread. The Zarb-e- India Anna Dravida Munnetra sibly inviting disqualification, a loss lations (ISPR), the media wing of the Azb concentrated primarily on the tribal Kazhagam (AIADMK) is now largely of power and perhaps even fresh Pakistan Army, Raddul Fasaad aims at “indis- agencies and select parts of KP, mainly North intact. This was despite the loss of its elections. criminately eliminating residual/ latent and South Waziristan, Swat valley and Khy- former Chief Minister O. Pan- Mr. Panneerselvam’s hopes that threat of terrorism, consolidating the gains ber Agency. neerselvam along with 10 MLAs and a Ms. Sasikala’s conviction would result made in other military operations… and fur- Raddul Fasaad has an expanded scope; few MPs. in a shift of support were also belied ther ensuring security of the borders”. perhaps this will be Pakistan’s first urban How did all the recent tumult — as the dominant faction came up counter-terror offensive, and that too in Pun- the street protests against the estab- with a gambit: nominating Mr. Palan- Borderlines jab. Yet another challenge for the new opera- lishment that masqueraded as agita- iswami as its new Chief Minister-des- The ISPR statement highlights the predomin- tion would be the target groups, the sections for jallikattu, the internal ignate. Mr. Palaniswami belongs to ant Pakistani perception of the problem and tarian militants. Led by the shenanigans of the AIADMK and the the Kongu Vellalar Gounder com- its potential solutions. The security estab- Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and its factions, the conviction of Ms. Sasikala in the dis- munity and is a powerful party lieu- lishment sees the problem as a “residual/lat- sectarian militants are stronger in Punjab proportionate assets case — result in tenant from western Tamil Nadu, ent threat of terrorism” and linked with an and Sindh (especially Karachi). These this situation? helping the AIADMK register a clean ineffective border. Is the border and what groups, unlike the TTP and al-Qaeda in The answer is in the nature of sweep of seats here in May 2016. happens across the Durand Line the real Pakistan, ideologically have the support of Dravidian politics featuring contesta- problem of terror attacks in Pakistan? Ironic- some mosques and their madrasas. Besides, tion that is devoid of ideological dif- The new order ally, Kabul also seems to believe that ineffect- there have also been reports on the presence ference, the emphasis on culture as a With Gounders under-represented in ive border management, but by Pakistan, is a of the Islamic State (IS); it has in fact claimed means of securing legitimacy and the In the saddle: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami at the the Cabinet as compared to strong requirement for Afghan stability. the suicide attack on the Sufi shrine in Se- need for a centralised leadership to Secretariat in Chennai. S.R. RAGHUNATHAN Mukkalathors relative to their MLA Here lies the problem. Immediately after hwan, Sindh. Raddul Fasaad will be treading run a patronage system. strengths, Mr. Palaniswami’s eleva- the February attacks, the Pakistan Chief of into sectarian groups, which Zarb-e-Azb — he had performed the role of a later a Bill to overturn the jallikattu tion now assures support from party Army Staff, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, ex- didn’t. Also, the support and patronage for Filling the void chair warmer with aplomb before. ban allowed the government to quell leaders from the community. The re- pressed “concerns over continued acts of some of these sectarian groups come from Following the death of Jayalalithaa, it Two things worked against Ms. the agitations besides providing Mr. turn of Mr. Dinakaran meanwhile al- terrorism in Pakistan with impunity from political parties that have been ruling Punjab made sense for the AIADMK leader- Sasikala. First, unlike Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam a sense of achieve- lows Ms. Sasikala’s family to retain a Afghanistan” to Gen. John Nicholson, Com- and Sindh. ship to throw its lot with Ms. Sasikala. Ms. Sasikala had never been a “pub- ment. But when Ms. Sasikala sought degree of control despite her being in mander of the Resolution Support Mission The larger problem and the likely fallout The party’s power has always been lic figure” beyond a role in backroom to get the Chief Minister’s post there- jail. (RSM) in Afghanistan, and asked him to “play of the Raddul Fasaad will be political. The concentrated in one leader. It also es- politics. Second, the frustration with after, he offered no resistance and Mr. Panneerselvam now has no his role in disconnecting this planning, dir- “National Action Plan” to counter terrorism chewed a second-rung leadership the state of affairs in the ruling estab- resigned. Why did the former CM option but to build a mass base using ection, coordination and financial support” so far has been primarily led by the military beyond loyal lieutenants from dom- lishment was evident during the subsequently change tack and take his rebellion. This is going to be diffi- from Afghanistan. The terrorism problem in rather than by the Parliament. Raddul Fas- inant OBC groups, chosen on the jallikattu protests. For long a “paci- recourse to rebellion? The announce- cult, as the opposition Dravida Mun- Pakistan could well have a cross-Durand aad is likely to expand this gap even further. basis of their ability to deliver elect- fied public sphere” during the years ment around this time that the judg- netra Kazhagam did not miss a trick link; some of the terrorist groups such as the Raddul Fasaad is also likely to strengthen oral support and patronage. Jayala- of Dravidian rule since the 1990s, ment in the disproportionate assets by creating enough optics during the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the the debate on reviving the military courts lithaa as the mass leader who tran- Tamil Nadu saw spontaneous case was “due in a week” helps us trust vote to revert the political equa- Jamaat-ul-Ahrar ( JuA), that had claimed the that expired in January 2017. The Pakistan scended narrow caste identities protests for jallikattu. In the with some pointers. tion into an AIADMK-DMK contest. Lahore attack may be operating out of Afgh- Muslim League favours its revival and is helped it retain mass support. Dravidian era, culture — linguistic ex- For those in the Centre seeking to anistan. But this is only part of the larger likely to get a resolution passed soon, per- Following Jayalalithaa’s death, all clusionary politics or, in this case, Split wide open take advantage of the crisis, this bout problem. Gen. Nicholson, in his testimony haps this month itself. Ms. Sasikala had to do was to take the agrarian tradition — have always been With the outcome of a major case was lost. The resilience of Dravidian on February 9, just before the terrorist at- Finally, an important fallout may be on former’s role in order to retain the the subjects for rallying public sup- pending against her, Governor C. politics based on patronage, back- tacks in Lahore and later in Sehwan, told the ethnic relations within the country. Already, party structure and the way the AI- port rather than economic or civic is- Vidyasagar Rao was in no hurry to in- ward community assertion and its U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee: the Pashtun community has started com- ADMK conducted its politics of pat- sues. The protesters voiced their an- vite Ms. Sasikala to form the new gov- long-running structure of two-party “The Taliban and Haqqani network are the plaining of “racial profiling”; the Khyber ronage in government. ger on the ban on jallikattu, blaming ernment. Mr. Panneerselvam’s be- contestation is evident. greatest threats to security in Afghanistan. Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly has just Initially, it was much easier for Ms. the Central and State governments as lated revolt allowed the Governor Instead of taking shortcuts to Their senior leaders remain insulated from passed a resolution against the selective tar- Sasikala to appropriate the role of much as animal rights organisations. more leeway. It is quite clear that power by seizing on the weaknesses pressure and enjoy freedom of actions geting of Pashtuns in Sindh, Punjab and general secretary than to take up the With protesters raging against her on both the Governor — acting as a rep- of the AIADMK, the opposition within Pakistan safe havens.” Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. post of Chief Minister which needed the streets, it was surely difficult for resentative of the Centre — and Mr. should seek popular support by act- Clearly, Pakistan’s terror problems will re- a steady hand in the transition of Ms. Sasikala to stake claim to the Panneerselvam had doubts about Ms. ing responsibly out of power. main complicated as long as the terror D. Suba Chandran is Professor, National Institute of power. The choice of Mr. Pan- Chief Minister’s post. Sasikala’s exoneration in the case. groups with safe havens in Af-Pak have con- Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, neerselvam was to ensure continuity The passing of an ordinance and Among those who prominently [email protected] vergence. Perhaps, this is where Zarb-e-Azb Bangalore

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FIFTY YEARS AGO MARCH 2, 1967 Yesterday once more Opposition gains two more Lok Sabha seats A new report compares the global rights The Congress strength in the new Lok Sabha continued to stand at 278 to-day [March 1]. One of the two results an- scenario today to the 1930s nounced to-day [March 1] went in favour of the All-Party Hill Leaders Conference of Assam. The other seat was annexed by GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM the C.P.I. So far the results for 511 seats have been announced. The results of elections to nine more seats remain to be an- The opening observation in nounced and one member will be nominated to represent Amnesty International’s latest NEFA. Prof. G.G. Swell, sitting member, was declared elected annual report, that “2016 saw to-day [March 1] from the Autonomous District (S.T.) Parlia- the idea of human dignity and mentary constituency as APHLC nominee, defeating his Con- equality, the very notion of a gress rival, Mr. B.G. Nomomin by nearly 42,000 votes. Mr. human family, coming under Dhireswar Kalita (C.P.I.) was to-day [March 1] declared elected

GETTY /ISTOCKPHOTO vigorous and relentless assault to the Gauhati Lok Sabha seat defeating five opponents in- from powerful narratives of cluding the sitting Congress member. This is the first time the blame, fear and scapegoating, propagated by those who sought Communist Party won a Lok Sabha seat in Assam. to take or cling on to power almost at any cost”, could not have captured in starker terms the current worldwide repudiation of A HUNDRED YEARS AGO MARCH 2, 1917 the core ideals enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The compilation could contribute signiicantly Examination paper leaked out to alter a general perception about the concerns traditionally It is understood that the English paper of the Matriculation championed by the organisation — state repression, torture and Examination which is now going on [in Calcutta] has leaked extrajudicial executions of guerrilla insurgents in parts of Latin CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC out. This was found out during the examination in English on America, Africa and Asia. But the shift in focus points to the Thursday morning. How the paper was abstracted has not yet more fundamental and universal challenges confronting the CONCEPTUAL FAQ been ascertained. There was an informal conference of some post-World War II liberal international order. of the University authorities yesterday evening to consider The report identiies three most troubling manifestations of Dualism/ Earthly matters situation but with no definite result. An urgent meeting of the the erosion of human rights values. These are the systematic Syndicate has been called for today (Friday) when the situ- suppression of dissenting voices, a rise in xenophobic and divis- Psychology ation will be fully considered. In the meantime the examina- ive means of political mobilisation and the substitution of an ‘us A single species, man, is deciding the fate of all others tion in other subjects will go on as usual. It is expected that Studying the cognitive de- versus them’ nationalist narrative for multilateralism. The per- G. Ananthakrishnan the candidates will be examined in English again. It is repor- velopment of college stu- appear permanently by past extinctions? There vasive and often cross-cutting nature of these inluences is self- ted that Mathematics paper has also leaked out but the Uni- dents, educational psycho- How is biodiversity — the the turn of the century have been five mass ex- evident in all the deining economic and political challenges of versity authorities have no information on the matter up till logist William G. Perry set vast variety of plants and worries scientists, who say tinctions so far in Earth’s the day. now. out the concept of dual- animals on earth — useful? human beings have not geological history, with a istic thinking in his model taken into account the ir- more than 75% loss of es- CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC ‘Us versus them’ rhetoric of intellectual develop- At a recent, unique confer- replaceable services like timated species. The earli- But the report places a large responsibility for the deplorable ment involving nine levels, ence organised by the Pon- water, food, medicines, est, the Ordovician, about DATA POINT global human rights scenario, which in its view is comparable to published in 1970. Dualism tifical Academy of Sci- flood control and pollu- 440 million years ago, was the 1930s, on the U.S. and Europe. Most notable has been their refers to the first level of ences at the Vatican tion abatement that nature followed by the Devonian reckless resort to what it calls a toxic and cynical “us versus intellectual capacity, to involving nature and social provides them. This is in (365 million years), Per- them” rhetoric in dealing with the unprecedented challenge of understand good and evil scientists, the focus was on contrast to other types of mian (245 million), Trias- mass immigration. The hate-mongering that leaders have un- in black and white, sans in- the slender thread by accepted accounting, such sic (210 million), Creta- leashed has poisoned their societies and pushed governments tervening shades. In dual- which 90% of humanity’s as determining poverty ceous (65 million). What to lout the very norms they helped establish. istic thinking, students food security hangs — lines, direct environ- differentiates the current Amnesty further cautions on the potential domino efect of typically tend to depend which is, just 103 varieties mental losses and climate fate of plants and animals this stance; not misplaced given the impunity elected repres- on figures of authority as of plants that are regularly change impact. As the from those is the relentless entatives continue to enjoy for the mass atrocities and the con- benchmarks on what is cultivated. At the same planet’s population contin- human pressure on sequent curtailment of civil liberties. It points to 36 countries right or wrong rather than time, there is detailed ues to grow, and resource nature. that illegally deported refugees to states where their rights analysing facts. An under- knowledge of only a fifth consumption rises, the would be at risk. Another is the decision last year by three standing and realisation of of all estimated plant spe- rate of species loss is accel- What can be done? Conser- African states to pull out of the International Criminal Court. A this model could enable cies that exist. Yet, vast erating. vationists like Prof. Ehr- blatant attempt to escape judicial accountability, the move is students to develop intel- areas of earth are being Major threats to biod- lich, who view a surging not without important precedents. lectually beyond the level. deforested before the rest iversity are clearing of population coupled with The erosion of human rights leadership, the report says, re- Perry’s model today re- can even be studied. A land for agriculture and consumption as the verberates across the multilateral stage, where mature demo- mains part of college similar lack of full under- urbanisation, spread of primary threat, advocate cracies in pursuit of a narrow nationalist agenda have no locus teaching systems in many standing of how plants, an- alien species, pests, and more women’s education standi to promote global cooperation. Amnesty has, against this western contexts. imals and the environment disease-causing organ- to reduce the birth rate. backdrop, called upon people around the world to resist at- interact, with con- isms, unsustainable hunt- Sustainable practices like tempts to undermine hard-won human rights in return for the CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC sequences for humans, un- ing and gathering of anim- cutting fossil fuel use, ac- promise of immediate material prosperity and security. derscores the need for re- als, and climate change. As counting for the value of Whatever the relevance of such an appeal in concrete and prac- MORE ON straint, scientists say. scientist Paul R. Ehrlich ecological systems, spar- tical terms, its moral resonance is unmistakable. It is a return to THE WEB describes it, a single spe- ing wild areas from re- the report’s opening theme. Where basic human dignity and thehindu.com/opinion What is the threat to the cies is determining the fate source extraction, expand- equality are bartered away, that would be the end of individual world’s biodiversity? of all others. ing urban agriculture, and and collective rights as the world has known them for a little Inside Manipur The real possibility that preserving species in sanc- bit.ly/2lyiC9O over seven decades. half of all wildlife will dis- But have there not been tuaries are ways forward.

CM ND-ND YK