Who is a threat to India, China?

Read Shekhar Gupta’s article “Opportunity, Made in China” on the Indian Express today.  He argues that we as a nation are senselessly worried about China’s so called aggression alongside the border. He says the Indian army is capable of safe guarding our borders.

“So what is different now? You can analyse the Chinese motivations for ever. In fact, analysing “why is China behaving this way” is a flourishing global industry and we can further swell its ranks while, probably, coming to the same conclusion after our exertions that everybody does, about the inscrutability of the Chinese. Why don’t we, therefore, examine for a change “why are we behaving this way”. Or rather, reacting/responding this way?”

“Yet, some of the talk on our side is curious: upgradation of airbases along the borders, stationing of Sukhois, raising two more mountain divisions, sanction of funds and, lo and behold, quick environmental clearance of road-building projects in the border region. What do we expect? That, if the Chinese really intend to invade us, will they give us five years to get ready? Or, for heaven’s sake, if they did indeed invade us, will they just walk in, and annex Tawang or whatever else? Neither of the two is an inevitability or even likely. Our armed forces are good enough today to defend their territory and, while capability upgradations are needed, the flurry of activity today is not much preparation of some future invasion, but to make up for lost years in our military modernisation.”

Shekhar says in the articel…

“An analysis of our own minds may show that the answer to our fears does not just lie in modernising more air bases or checking out the fortification of our forward defences and the quality of our bunkers. That we should do — and should have been doing — anyway. Good fences, as they say, make for good neighbours. The answer lies in getting our act together as a nation, a system of governance and society to be at least a worthy near-equal to China. We have to defeat internal threats like the Naxals with a sense of purpose, rather than lose time in vacuous debate; multiply, three times over, the pace of infrastructure-building — not just in Arunachal and Ladakh, but all over India; liberate ourselves from the fear of double-digit growth; and show much greater national focus than we do.”

Read the complete article here.

I think the fear and media frenzy in India is more because we like to cry when problems come and refuse to find a solution. The problem is, we have always felt we have been a great nation, a land of gods, from the beginning, hence we have nothing to do and a miracle will happen to give us our due in the world. Our home minister is hesitant in accepting that there is an Operation to be carried out against Naxals, our Prime Mnister took 5.5 years in his two consecutive years just to only signal a disinvestment policy, we are a big failure in the preparations for commonwealth games. Whatever progress we have made is due to the sheer hard work of our entrepreneurs and young talented workforce. We can start doing a 100 times better if only we realize the lesson of karma that we preach to the world but do not practice ourselves.

-Hitendra.

K.P.S. Gill on Operation Green Hunt

Mr. K.P.S. Gill who could successfully  bring peace to the state of Punjab during his tenure as the  D.G.P. of Punjab Police, and who was appointed Chief Minister’s adviser on Naxal problem has expressed his displeasure on the whole idea of operation green hunt, an operation by the central government along with Naxal violence hit states aimed at wiping out the Naxal menace. Follow the link to read the full text:

http://www.tehelka.comstory_main43.asp?filename=Ne241009coverstory.asp

In his interview, Mr. Gill has made some interesting remarks on the willingness and the ability of the leadership in Chhattisgarh to tackle the Naxal problem. Here are some excerpts:

Question: Instead, you have Operation Green Hunt. Can you elaborate why you think its ridiculous?

Gill: You see, there are different responses to Naxalism. One of them is the Andhra response. The Andhra response has been a mix of development and law and order. Although their development model is not what it should be, the law and order response has been very good and has continued for a number of years. They built up a force and did not have troops parachuted in. The Andhra DGP used to visit us in Punjab to understand what we were doing – our tactics and strategy. In contrast, Chhattisgarh has no response whatsoever. I was there for one year as an advisor and after three or four days, Chief Minister Raman Singh told me to relax and enjoy my stay…………

………….I wanted to strengthen the police station. The first responder is always the police station. Now, if the first respondent is weak and doesn’t have the manpower or the equipment, how is he going to respond? I remember calling for a meeting in Chhattisgarh — not in the HQ but in the interiors — and many officers came in civvies and in unmarked vehicles. They were trying to pass off as civilians. This is not a response that is going to raise the confidence of the people. Policemen can only die in such a situation…..

…… I have always maintained that corruption and operations against organisations of this nature cannot go together. An honest response is critical. I know what the police officer in charge of Bastar was doing. He was taking Rs 35,000 per man to transfer them out of Bastar. This was in the knowledge of everyone. And do you know who transfers constables? The state secretariat does. The chief minister would say he was taking the advice of the sub-inspectors on how to tackle the Naxalites. I am sorry, but the state and its leadership do not have the required mental calibre or an intellectual grasp of the ground situation. Everyone is telling lies from the ground level up. It is for the commander responsible to assess the situation on a daily basis.

Question: Why did Chief Minister Raman Singh ask you to relax after a few days, having invited you to be his advisor?
Gill: Violence doesn’t touch Raipur. It touches the tribals and the security forces. I think the state government lacked the political will.

What did Mr. Gill and the government of Chhattisgarh achieve during his one year period as adviser, is still a mystery to a common man in Chhattisgarh.

कैटल क्लास के मुसाफ़िर

विदेश राज्यमंत्री शशि थरूर इन दिनों समस्याग्रस्त हैं। अपने एक बयान में विमानों की इकॉनॉमी क्लास को उन्होंने कैटल क्लास (भेड़-बकरियों की श्रेणी) की संज्ञा दे डाली है। इस पर काँग्रेस पार्टी उनसे ख़फ़ा है। और इकॉनॉमी क्लास के यात्री भी। चूँकि इस चिट्ठाकार को अब तक विमान से यात्रा का अनुभव नहीं है, इसलिये यह बताना मुश्किल है कि क्या सचमुच विमानों की इकॉनॉमी क्लास में यात्री भेड़ बकरियों की तरह सफ़र करते हैं? यह तो आप ही बताएँ। किंतु ‘आम आदमी’ (और आम औरत भी) कहीं-कहीं कैटल क्लास यानी मवेशियों की तरह सफ़र करता है , वह है भारतीय रेल की ट्रेनों का सामान्य दर्जे डिब्बा, और मुंबई सहित अनेक शहरों की लोकल ट्रेनें। सोनिया गाँधी एक किस्म की कैटल क्लास मेंतो सफ़र कर चुकी हैं किंतु शायद ही कभी वे ट्रेनों के साधारण दर्जे में सफ़र कर ‘सादगी’ का प्रदर्शन करें। क्या हम यह कल्पना कर सकते हैं कि महाराष्ट्र के काँग्रेसी मुख्यमंत्री अपनी पार्टी की सादगी की विचारधारा को ध्यान में रखते हुए, मुंबई में लोकल ट्रेनों से यात्रा करेंगे? इन ट्रेनों इंसान की गति मुर्गी के दड़बे से भी गयी-बीती होती है। बैठना या खड़े होना तो दूर पैर रख पाना भी अपने आप में एक संतुष्ट सफ़र की यादगार बन जाता है। मुझे अच्छी तरह याद है जब अंधेरी से दादर जाने वाली मुंबई लोकल में मेरे एक मित्र को उतरने के लिये पैरों का उपयोग नहीं करना पड़ा, भीड़ इतनी ज़्यादा थी कि वे भीड़ में दबकर लटक गये और भीड़ ने हवा में लटके हुए ही रेल्वे प्लैटफार्म पर ‘लैंड’ करवा दिया। तो मंत्री महोदय की बात पर हम नाहक ही नाराज़ हो रहे हैं। कैटल क्लास तो है, और हम सचमुच भेड़-बकरियों की तरह रोज़ाना सफ़र कर रहे हैं। ऐसे में बुरा मानने की बात ही क्या है?

कवि रहीम ने उचित ही कहा है, “सांई इतना दीजिए,  जा में कुटुंब समाए, मैं भी भूखा ना रहूँ, साधु ना भूखा जाए”

सादगी का चाहे जितना भी नाटक कर लें, हमारे नेता, कवि रहीम के इस दोहे का मर्म कभी नहीं समझ पाएँगें।

-हितेन्द्र।

उद्यमिता पर नया चिट्ठा “The Entrepreneur” और तीस हज़ार पाठक

तिरछी नजरिया पिछले एक वर्ष से रूकी हुई सी थी। यद्यपि पाठकों का आना नहीं रूका। अब पुनः तिरछी नजरिया एक नये उद्देश्य के साथ सक्रिय होने जा रही है। प्रसंग यह कि मैंने आंग्लभाषा में उद्यमिता यानी  EntrePreneurship पर नया चिट्ठा  The Entrepreneur प्रारंभ किया है। नयी सदी में भारत को आर्थिक महाशक्ति बनाना है तो एक प्रमुख आवश्यक्ता यह है कि हमारे यहाँ अधिक से अधिक लोग स्वयं की राह चुनें। नौकरी पर निर्भर न होकर साहस के साथ अपने विचार को, अपनी कल्पनाओं को सच्चा बनाएँ। ऐसा क्यों है कि दुनिया के ज़्यादातर ब्रांड पश्चिमी हैं? मैक्डॉनल्ड्स, जनरल मोटर्स, फोर्ड, जनरल इलेक्ट्रिक, सिटी बैंक, कॆलॉग्स, माइक्रोसॉफ्ट, एप्प्ल, डेल, ये सब भारत में क्यों नहीं हुए? भारत के उत्पाद और भारत के ब्रांड जब दुनिया भर में अपना नाम करेंगे, तो हमारी अर्थव्यवस्था को नयी गति मिलेगी। और हमारे समाज की नौकरी पर निर्भरता की मानसिकता भी दूर होगी। हमारा सकल घरेलू उत्पाद तब और अधिक गति से आगे बढ़ेगा जब हमारे लोग उत्पादन करेंगे ना कि नौकरी। उद्यमिता व्यवसाय से भिन्न है। उद्यमी वह होता है जो पैसे बनाने कि बजाय एक विचार को सफल बनाना चाहता है और एक सफ़ल संस्थान को खड़ा करता है। वह रोज़गार नहीं ढूंढता बल्कि रोज़गार के अवसर निर्मित करता है। ये रास्ता कठिन होता है। और इसमें आने वाली मुश्किलें पीछे की ओर खींचतीं हैं। लेकिन कुछ लोग हैं जो पीछे मुड़कर नहीं देखते, जैसे धीरू भाई अंबानी, सुनील भारती मित्तल, नारायन मूर्ती, या जैसे लक्ष्मी निवास मित्तल। ये ऐसे लोगों की कथाएँ हैं जो प्रेरक हैं और प्रसिद्ध हैं। किंतु उन कथाओं का क्या जो अख़बारों में छपा नहीं करतीं? उन लोगों का क्या जिन्हें ऐसे रास्ते पर जाने के लिये, या ऐसे रास्ते के बीच सहायता की या मार्गदर्शन की जरूरत है? इन्हीं सब उद्देश्यों को ध्यान में रखते हुए मैंने अपने मित्र कपिल विधानी के साथ इस नये चिट्ठे “The Entrepreneur” की शुरुआत की है। चिट्ठा अंग्रेजी मैं है, किंतु समस्त चर्चा हिन्दी में तिरछी नजरिया पर अनूदित की जायेगी। खुशी की खबर यह है कि अपने प्रारंभ होने के दो वर्ष और कुछ महीनों के भीतर ही तिरछी नजरिया को तीस हज़ार से अधिक पाठकों का प्यार हासिल हुआ है। एक अच्छी शुरुआत के पहले ये एक अच्छी ख़बर है। 

आप सभी इस नये चिट्ठे को पढ़ेंगे ऐसी अपेक्षा है। यूं हिन्दी में तिरछी नजरिया पर सब कुछ उपलब्ध रहेगा। 

-हितेन्द्र.

Indian Needs Azadi From Arundhati Roy As Much As Arundhati Roy Needs From India

What more can be said to these remarks of Ms. Roy “India needs azadi from Kashmir as much as Kashmir needs azadi from India.”

Read: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3378687.cms

Hope Ms Roy Reads this:

Indian Needs Azadi From Arundhati Roy As Much As Arundhati Roy Needs From India

Pune Conservancy Staff Die of Igorance

Pune is one of the most modern cities in India, also called ‘Oxford of the East’. In this city, was exposed how human values were ignored by its municipal council, how those who work for a better living conditions for others were sacrificing their own lives.

 

“In just two years 227 Pune conservancy staff died cleaning city’s filth.” This was a shocking story in the Indian Express of Pune on October 12^th. A conservancy staffer’s duty is to clean the city’s garbage, toilets and sewage they also dispose unclaimed dead bodies.  The story, says that 40 have died in the first six month of 2007-08 itself; 107 died in the previous year and 80 in 2005-06. Majority of cases have been registered as merely “sickness” in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) records. The most shocking part is the average age of those who lost their lives, 45. Of the 107 who died in 2006-07, 70 were under the age of 50 and of those, 32 were under 40. The deaths have also been attributed to cancer, tuberculosis jaundice and heart diseases. The deaths include both men and women. PMC employs over 6000 such staff but the number of deaths can not be just ignored seeing the early age deaths and the reasons.

 Working Conditions:  

‘Kachra Kondi’ (Garbage Jam) is a 55 minute documentary made by Pune based theatre director Atul Pethe. The film is produced by PMC worker’s union. The movies shoes that although the PMC officials claim that workers are provided with gumboots, gloves and rain suits etc, workers hardly get any of these. This is also common to see a conservancy staff working bare handed inside a gutter. There are also workers who are hired by contractors. No records are available for them but one can imagine what they must be getting from their employers. While cleaning humane waste, working inside gutters, the workers are exposed to methane gas, and harmful viruses.

  Life Insurance: 

The family members of those PMC workers who died are no struggling for compensation. It shatters the family when a key bread earner dies at the age of 30 to 45.

The Life Insurance Corporation of India, which was earlier offering a group insurance of Rs, 30000 to the class IV employees recently closed the scheme saying that this was nit viable to them due to the increased number of deaths. Now the only compensation possible to the family members of dead workers is a meager amount Rs. 15,000 under the “Kamgar Kalyan Yojna”. Now the PMC is talking to SBI to provide an insurance coverage of Rs. 50,000 to its workers. So, not even a satisfactory compensation package is available.

 The Employee Care Factor: 

The government jobs in India are most sought after ones on the society for it provides job security and retirement benefits. Also, there is not much accountability fixed with many of the jobs, neither there are targets unlike the private sector. Often these reasons are cited to explain the in efficient and slow functioning of government departments. But does the government departments and civic bodies like PMC, really care for the lives of their people? Not only in the conservancy staff, proper uniform, which is according to one’s working conditions, is hardly seen in any of the government departments. Tools and equipments are ignored upon. Medical checkups are not regular or are there only in papers.

 

There is another issue of the civic body employees. In case of sub-governmental agencies like municipalities and panchayati raj institutions, employee benefits do not match with that in the government. In states like Chhattisgarh, Shiksha-karmis (teachers employed by local governing bodies) have long been demanding equal treatment for equal responsibilities. It is funny on part of the governments to shrug such issues by disowning these teachers, saying that they are not employed by the government.  So, for these employees, there is no fifth or sixth pay commission.

 

Awareness is another front. Not only in case of conservancy staff but even in small scale industries one hardly sees safety precautions being taken or proper tools and safety equipment used.

 The Un-Organized Sector: 

There are around 5000 people working as conservancy staff in Pune who are employed by small private contractors. These workers do not have a union of themselves. As the jobs for these contractors are not stable, workers can not fight for their rights, or one does not know whether they are aware of their rights! While the unions for PMC employees fight for the rights of their members, who will carry the voices of the contract conservancy workers.

  The Role of the Society: 

The urban society is also responsible for these kinds of problems. If citizens keep their surroundings clean and do not let others loiter around, this will be a good contribution, unfortunately we as citizens forget that we have other duties after paying taxes. No one cares about the people who clean the places we live in.

 About Other Cities: 

Pune is not alone; the situation of conservancy staff in other cities can not be different. And hence this is time when there is a national attention to this problem. There are reports that the central government has taken note of the news in Pune and is planning some action over it.

 What can be done? Modernization of Sewage Systems:

Indian cities still depend on age old drainage systems. Some cities even do not even have a citywide underground sewage system, Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh is one example. The drainage system should be modern and should meet international standards.

 Safety and Social Security for Workers: 

Workers should be provided with modern safety tools and equipment without a compromise on cost. There shall be government intervention if public sector insurance agencies are denying a security cover to the conservancy workers. Regular health checkups and free medical facilities should be provided.

  

Why is UNPA Wrong?

The United National Progressive Alliance, also known as third front, has taken a decision to abstain form the presidential election’s votings. This is wrong for the following reasons:-1. In presidential elections, the electoral college consists of the members of the parliament and the state legislatures. There is no whip system. So morally, it should be left to the voter to decide whether to vote or for him or her.2. The electoral college members affiliated to the UNPA(which consists of some prominent political parties), are supposed to vote in place of the people they represent. What in case a majority of those who have elected these MP’s and MLA’s may actualy want them to vote for a particular candidate?3. The reason behind the decision to abstain are political. But UNPA’s political compulsions (Practically, failing to have their own candidate) should not deter the presidential election’s voters(who are also part of the UNPA) to neglect the larger will of the real voters of this country.4. Political leaders in India should not set such examples like abstaining form an election. In this case one of the most important elections for the Republic of India.5. This blogger has earlier argued for a more transparent and apolitical system of presidential elections. The political compulsions of a handful of party bosses should not decide the fate of the highest office in this country.

प्रतिभाताई, अब आपकी बारी है

आदरणीया श्रीमती प्रतिभा पाटिल जी,

राष्ट्रपति पद के रा.ज.ग. समर्थित निर्दलीय उम्मीदवार श्री भैरों सिंह शेखावत ने कल संपत्ति की घोषणा कर दी है। देखें यहाँ। और यहाँ। तो अब संप्रग उम्मीदवार होने के नाते आपसे भारतवासियों की अपेक्षा है कि आप भी अपनी संपत्ति की घोषणा करें ताकि हमें मालूम हो कि हमारी संभावित राष्ट्रपति महोदया की कुल संपत्ति कितनी है। ऐसा इसलिये भी ज़रूरी है क्योंकि हमें आपके बारे में बहुत कुछ सुनने को मिल रहा है। पढ़ें  यहाँ।  और यहाँ

चूँकि चुनाव में अब अधिक दिन शेष नहीं हैं, अतः अच्छा होगा यदि आप शीघ्र ही यह घोषणा करें। हम यह जानते हैं कि विधिवत आप ऐसा करने को बाध्य नहीं हैं। किंतु आपसे इतना निवेदन तो देशवासी कर ही सकते हैं!

धन्यवाद।

Who is Pratibha Patil?

 That should be the question on every Indian’s mind. To know more worth is you visit these link. First of which is a website launched by Bhartiya Janata Party. This blogger is no su[pporter of BJP, but the the candidate of the UPA, Mrs. Patil is facing some serious allegations. The nation has all rigths to know about its presidential candidates.

http://www.knowpratibhapatil.com/

Indian Express: Delhi HC admits plea on Pratibha

The Wall Street Journal: Decline in Delhi

Hindustan Times: Chandra Shekhar?s last statement

The Pioneer: Left, Congress lose credibility

Indian Muslims: NDA demands probe into Patil's 'misuse' of MPLAD funds

Nagaland Post: NPF to cast conscience vote

The Pioneer: Left, Congress lose credibility

News item published in The Times of India of 14 Jan 2007: 'A year on, slain Congman's wife awaits justice'.

CNBC: India Tonight    Karan Thapar interviews Arun Shourie on the latter's three articles on
    Pratibha Patil.
    [Video]

Aaj Tak: Hatyara Kaun    See the investigative report by India’s leading television channel that
    clearly damns a family member of Ms Pratibha Patil in a murder case.
    [Part 1]  |  [Part 2]

CNN-IBN: Pratibha Patil on speaking to a ghost    The Presidential candidate talks of spiritually communicating with a
    godman who died 38 years ago.
    [Video]

   

Intra-party Denocracy and Presidential Elections

The Ongoing presidential elections are very different from the previous ones. And whatever has happened so far, be it ’mudsliding, handpicked third or fourth choice’ , ‘attempts to cross-voting’ all has been unfortunate. There is no point in reproducing everything in this blog. But politics apart, the mood of the nation is that the two candidates we are having aren’t the best we could have. There are many who could not become part of the race. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Dr. Karn Singh, Mr. Shivraj patil, or even Mr. Narayan Murthy, have a much higher status among the people of the country. The the will or say compulsions of few Political leaders have made it sure that we are not going to have the best. But, what have been the case had we have had some different set of rules for election process for the president? Like, we could have done away with this mandatory support of a minimum number of MPs for candidates to file nominations. And, most importantly, if our distinguished voters, the members of the parliament and the state legislatures, would have enjoyed a greater freedom in voting? 

Most of the readers would agree that Mr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the first choice of the common people of India. Or at least, Mrs. Pratibha Patil and Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat were not. There is little doubt that our political leaders were aware of this fact. Still, they preferred to carry on with their own politically correct choices. So can the politicians afford to neglect the will of the people? Well, if it is presidential election, then yes. But even if the party bosses do not select popular candidates, why can’t the members of parliament our legislative assemblies support a people’s choice as president? After all, there are no whips in the presidential elections so a party MP or MLA is free to vote on the call of their conscience. May be we would see that happening if Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is really lucky to have some cross voting. But that will be more due to the political networking than due to the MPs and MLAs falling to people’s choice.

 

The question is, when in presidential elections, MPs and MLAs are free to vote as per their choice, why don’t they do it? Why don’t they question and challenge their party boss’s decisions?

 

We have hardly seen inner party democracy in all the leading political parties in India. Unlike the mature democracies, like US, where Member of Parliament is free to agree or disagree on policy decisions of his on party, we hardly see that happening in India. Even inside party headquarters where the party presidents are surrounded by sycophants, not many challenge a party decision. This is especially true because political parties are increasingly taking shape of private limited companies in India; most of them even have family ownerships. In such a scenario, one can not hope that our representatives whom we elect and send to the capitals will actually take our cause there. So be it a candidate against whom the list of charges of corruption, favoritism and superstition do not seem to end, the MPs will blindly follow what the party asks them to. In the process, they even forget that there is no legal binding and the polling is confidential. The anti-defection-law helps the party heads to force their will on the elected member. This law and the lack of intra-party democracy have allowed the political parties to neglect the will of the people.

 

So had we enjoyed a better level of transparency in the functioning of political parties (a corporate governance equivalent in politics), we would have found these presidential elections even more interesting. And we would have seen that the highest office of the country is not occupied by someone who is tainted or a third or fourth choice handpicked by her or his political messiahs.

 

P.S: This would be a very interesting subject to discuss that whether in any case we need a post of president or a governor!

Who should be next CM of Chhattisgarh? छत्तीसगढ़ का अगला मुख्यमंत्री कौन?

Who should be the next CM for Chhattisgarh? 

 Let me not make any introductory paragraph with beautiful lines. All in Chhattisgarh are thinking who next? I would first say a big NO to Dr. Raman Singh. He has simply failed in proving himself to be a visionary and a candidate worth considering for a second term. We have seen only two Chief Ministers in Chhattisgarh and the later has failed in fulfilling all hopes at all fronts, simply because he fails to have the first prerequisite to become a CM, the vision. I will, hence not analyze his 2.5 years tenure but simply discuss what was done by his predecessor in his tenure of 3 years. The point I want to make is, ours is a new state with great expectations and huge potential, and it thus requires to be ruled by someone with a great vision, excellent executioner’s skills, and an ability to think rationally and innovatively. To put it simply, we want a CEO for our state and not a politician. Unfortunately we did not get one yet. And we haven’t found one yet. In this post, I will discuss why I would like the developmental policies of Mr. Ajit Jogi to be continued by the next chief minister, and why I would not like Mr. Jogi to become the chief minister of the state for the second term.

Ajit Jogi the CEO: 

Following reasons make me to conclude that he is an excellent visionary and a good manager:

1. His decision to establish CSEB (State electricity Board) soon after the state formation. This was a decision which made Chhattisgarh a power surplus state. And he took this decision at the discomfort of his counterpart in Madhya Pradesh without whose support he would not have become the first CM of the state. It is he who envisioned Chhattisgarh as the power hub of the country.
2. His decision to close operations of State Road Transport Corporation and many other public sector companies. It was a courageous decision. While several states in India suffer from this burden called SRTC; they do not have that courage.
3. Merger of RDA (Raipur Development Authority) with RMC (The Municipal Corporation of
   Raipur). His decision to shut down the Housing Board. Abolishing Commissioner System (Three Divisions Raipur, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur ceased to exist, there was only one Revenue division in Bilaspur, this decision was repelled by the new government). These examples are sufficient to infer that he had started something like a Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) in the state.
4. Introduction of a three years medical degree course. I guess he thought of this course because he wanted doctors in villages. It takes 7-10 years for an MCI certified course to produce a medical graduate. Though the arrogant MCI did not approve of the course, enough to conclude that he had innovative ideas and the guts to implement them.
5. Opening of private universities. We know what happened later. Though there were some policy flaws on the part of conditions or entry barriers to ensure that only quality institutes would open, this had the potential not only to revolutionize the education system in
   India but also to make Chhattisgarh the hub of higher education in the country.
6. Fast progress on infrastructure (Roads, Dams, Bridges etc.).
7. Conversion of many government schools in to CBSE pattern.
8. Abolishment of PET and PMT examinations. It was a good decision. Not all parents can send there children to
   Kota or even Bhilai and pay high fees of coaching institutes. Also, this would have saved students from the pressure of two examinations.
9. The Industrial policy which resulted in Chhattisgarh becoming Sponge-Iron manufacturing hub in the country. There were some other MOU’s in steel and power. (Though we did not get something like POSCO or Mittal’s investment as in the case of Orisa and Jharkhand)
10. Crack down of notorious anti social elements
11. His efforts to change the crop cycle of the state.

Ajit Jogi the politician:

It is not bad to be a politician; we have seen the likes of Prime Minister Nehru who were a CEO as well as a politician. But today’s politics is different and in that politics Mr. Jogi is no different:

1. His less democratic values:

(a)    “हमारी काँग्रेस पार्टी के विधायक, श्री बलिराम कश्यप के नेतृत्व में बनने वाली सरकार का समर्थन करते हैं” (The Legislators of our Congress Party Support the government to be established under the leadership of Mr. Baliram Kashyap). This was his letter to the governor of the state, just after the election results were out. That was simply an act to destabilize the state government which was yet to be established. This raises questions about his respect to democratic traditions. Although he regrets writing a letter without being elected as the leader of the new CLP (Congress Legislator’s Party), if I am not incorrect, he still thinks what he did was right as he supported the efforts to establish a government with a leadership of an Adivasi. Even if the tapes produced by the BJP of his talks with Mr. Virendra Pandey, an aid of Mr. Baliram Kashyap, are not real, he at least tried to do away with the verdict of people who replaced him and elected BJP as the party with a majority in the state assembly.

(b)   His successful effort to break 12 BJP MLA’s and induct them into congress. The Tarun Chatterjee Episode. When the Congress party had full majority in the state assembly, what was the need?

(c)    The infamous April 2001 lathi charge on BJP leaders protesting against the government in
Raipur. Many opposition leaders including the leader of opposition Mr. Nand Kuamr Sai were injured seriously.

    2.   His cast based politics:

Again refereeing to the previous point, he supports the idea that there should be a tribal as the chief minister of this state as majority of the people in the state are tribesman. I do not believe that problems of a community can be solved only when someone from a particular cast will become a chief minister. If he supports this, he is not my candidate for the post of the chief minister of the state. There are few more instances, an effort under the leadership of ex DGP Mr. RLS Yadav to convene a big congregation of backward casts (probably to do a
Bihar in Chhattisgarh), and the ‘cast based’ dinner parties at ‘Karuna’ his official residence. It was probably unique of its kind that a chief minister invites people to dinner on the basis of which cast they belong to. If these dinner parties were funded from the exchequer’, then no words to condemn it.

 

I welcome comments

Hitendra