Not even mangoes, please…

Gurudas dasgupta, CPI MP, West bengal

It was around 1986. A prominent company was evading taxes for long. CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta garnered all the evidence and sent it to the concerned authority. Later, a huge amount of tax was recovered. As per government rules, Dasgupta was rewarded with a percentage of that recovered taxes: he got Rs nine lakh! And bought his first luxury car… no way: he gave away a large amount from this to help the hundreds of children of people who were dying in the Khalistan movement in Punjab! The rest was divided between Punjab Kesri newspaper group and Kolkata-based Punjab Festival Committee, both of which were fighting for the cause of these orphans!

Dasgupta was born in Borishal (now in Bangladesh), but migrated to Kolkata, completed his education and started working as a school teacher. Already popular as a leader of the Communist Party of India’s students wing, he finally opted for whole-time activism. Dasgupta was most vocal against the Stock Market Scam during Narsimha Rao government and his revelations forced the government to set up the first Joint Parliamentary Committee, where as a member he exposed the Harshad Mehta-led scam.

It was during this period that one of the top industrialist families of India sent him baskets full of the costliest variety of mangoes, but he returned them without so much as allowing the carriers inside his house. Later, his house was ransacked thrice to recover the incriminating documents, but still he did not budge from his position.....Continue

Despite talk about American decline, the world is not prepared for a post-American era

The point was driven home at the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing this autumn, where European and Asian leaders explored ideas for a new global financial structure. For much of the past 60 years, it would have been impossible to hold such a fundamental dialogue without US participation. Today, it is almost becoming a new global norm that neither the international committee nor the US is prepared for.

Despite talk about American decline, the world is not prepared for a post-American era. As irksome as some of its actions have been, particularly over the past eight years, the US remains the world’s most critical champion of the progressive values that have lifted hundreds of millions of people out of abject poverty and political repression. If the US were to play a relatively smaller role in world affairs, and no other system was created to pick up the slack, these values could be at risk.


Although many states now hide behind an alleged universal principle of inviolable state sovereignty, for example, would the international community go back to the old model where states did whatever they wanted to their citizens within their own borders? Do countries around the world believe that they will be better off if the global trade system breaks down or international shipping lanes become less secure? Are countries like China willing to step up and pay their fair share of dues to keep the UN running (China currently pays 2.1 per cent of UN dues, compared to more than 25 per cent for the US), or to capitalise revised international financial institutions or the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria? Unless other countries step forward for the common good, a post-American world could quickly become a far more frightening environment than what it would replace.....Continue

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The Sunday Indian

“I am just a party worker”

Who do you think was responsible for the party's success in Rajasthan?

I attribute the party's victory to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Congress workers and the good work done by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre. It is also the victory of the people of Rajasthan. A befitting reply to the grave mistakes committed by BJP.

Will the Congress, which is short of a majority, be able to form a government in Rajasthan?

Yes, Congress will form the government here. We are not short of a majority…some of the independents are in touch with us and as it is, we are much above the required figure needed to form a government.

What do you think were the reasons behind BJP's debacle?

I am not the one to comment on other parties. All I know is that the people have given their verdict. The voters have voted against poor governance. All-round failure and corruption had become the hallmark of the Vasundhara Raje government during its five-year regime. There was a difference between what the BJP said and what it did in the state. In almost 27 incidents of police firing, 91 farmers were killed, the Meenas and the Gujjars felt agitated and cheated.

Who would be the next chief minister of the Congress in the state?

In Congress, a leader is chosen democratically and the party would announce the name at an appropriate time....Continue

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The Sunday Indian

Has national security gone to the dogs? If not, then it must…

Training is imparted in obedience, action, refusal of food given by strangers, scent discrimination, tracking, explosive detection, property guarding, spotting and attacking. The first phase of the 9-month training gives stress on basic skills, obedience drill and agility exercises. The second phase is tougher with explosives and narcotics detection, anti-smuggling operation, guarding and searching and causality detection. Every dog is assessed at the end of the training. Three retired BSF personnel impart training to the dogs at the Academy. Training for the first batch, consisting of high pedigree dogs including five German Shepherds and seven Labradors, and their 24 handlers, began in January 23, 2008. The next batch of 18 dogs is ready for training. “The selection of high pedigree dogs is done with meticulous care. Usually, the price of dog varies from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000, depending on its pedigree. The price for Labradors with six pure generations may go up to around Rs 80,000,’’ says Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Academy In-Charge, Alexander Jacob.

It is in fact the cost factor that is one of the main deterrents in the optimum deployment of dogs, apart from their own physical limitations. Says J A Khan, IG, Operations, Border Security Force, “The contribution of a dog to the detection of bombs and IEDs is 60%, and that of machines and equipments is 25%, while human success at it can be only quantified at 8%. But there’s a huge cost factor involved. The right pedigree had got to be usually imported, then trained for a year. If not properly used, the dog could die in 2-3 years. In fact, the life of a dog is reduced as much as we use her/him to sniff. Then there is required a personnel solely dedicated to the handling of dogs. There thus results a serious mismatch in requirement and availability. But that is not to deny that if used in a judicious manner, they can be a huge support. Loyalty, as you know, is an unquestionable trait with them.”....Continue

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The Sunday Indian

People hate the dirty face of partisan politics, says Priyanka Rai

The muck started flying from the time the first bullet sang. The Sangh Parivar went into a celebratory mood, as it felt sure that now the Congress had had it… clean sweep for the saffron, they partied. Congress leaders were going through the last motions of the Delhi polls, and pundits in both 24 Akbar Road as well as 9 Ashoka Road went into huddles, working out intangible election mathematics. And in the end, Congress felt that the solid, uncompromising hit back by the country got it the edge and Sheila Dikshit could, just could, win.

After his Mumbai visit, Advani said in his Rajasthan campaign, “Despite the Supreme Court verdict, Afzal has not been hanged. I often feel if Afzal were named Anand Mohan or Anand Singh, he would have been hanged a long time ago." Incumbent Vasundhara Raje, in a tight battle, said: "Though the terrorists got into Taj and Oberois hotels in Mumbai, we have seen how this government has failed to check terrorism." Interestingly, Narendra Modi had described Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare as antinational a week back. But today, Karkare is a martyr for whom Modi has offered a crore of rupees in compensation. It is precisely this kind of filth that got the public’s goat.

And there seems to be a reason for this sort of politics. What the public is saying – though may be not in so many words – is that none of the national parties have a national agenda: they just stick top their partisan interests. That's the real tragedy of democratic India. Each party seems so insecure that for them national security is a non-issue. By hook or by crook, they want the votes, come to the power and stick to it.

The people today do not believe Shivraj Patil’s ‘owning moral responsibility’ and resigning. Sonia Gandhi’s ubiquitous hands were obviously turning the strings that ran the puppets to stem a Congress slide during the coming polls. Media coverage of Patil changing three suits in a span of a few hours of the serial blasts in Delhi had enraged the masses, but there was no expression. BJP points out to the more than 200 blasts during the UPA regime. Home Ministry’s official statistic says it has come down quite a bit from the blasts during the BJP-led NDA regime. Then why resign now? ....Continue

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The Sunday Indian