Sunday, December 19, 2010

Retreating State

                I wonder sometimes why Indian Government needs to struggle so much to enforce a good decision for the benefit of the larger public. See the helplessness of Aviation minister and the way Airlines are browbeating him. Mind you, these were the same airlines begging a few months back for 'Bailout' packages and permission for late payments of dues to AAI. Forget Airfares, even Private Bus operators are also making hay and taking the 'aam admi' literally for a 'ride'. On a busy weekend a typical Bangalore-Hyderabad , Bangalore-Vijayawada or a Hyderabad-Vijayaward Private bus will cost more than 3 times the normal price.
              In this article  in 'The Hindu' the writer clearly explains how this kind of "Corruption" in Neo-liberal regime is getting unnoticed. I guess this is also crony-capitalism (Tata's (talk of )Crony-Capitalism will be a different post altogether). The writer in above article is bang on when he talks about the 'retreating role of the state'. This is clearly outlined by Shri. Pranab Mukherjee himself in 2010 budget: The role of government more as an enabler and less of a provider. So as per this new policy the 'State' goes 'all out' in helping and enabling the Private Companies to garner profits. It colludes with them for land acquisitions in case of Public-Private Partnership projects. There are already enough reasons to worry about even retreating from PDS by using food-coupons and UID. I am not against these measures as long as they improve the 'Public Services Delivery', Transparency and Accountabiliyt.  But the problem seems to be 'Government is unable to rein in these corporations after 'liberating' them'. In true 'liberated' style they challenge the government and 'aam admi' is the loser again. Also i am against this 'blind belief' that 'liberalization' or Privatization is the ultimate panacea for all our problems and the 'not so cool' impression about Public Sector. [ I agree Public Sector should get leaner, younger, trendier and cooler soon to counter this]
                 Land acquisition seems to be the classic case that shows how 'retreating' state can be a bad thing. Recent agitations in UP and Haryan against forceful land acquisitions bought the debate of bringing back 'Right to Property' as a fundamental right. Its a pity and irony that a right which was removed from Fundamental Rights to help in 'distributing' more land from rich to poor and achieve Socialism needs to be resurrected back to protect the 'poor' from acquiring their land forcefully. Things come full circle and Strange things do happen in India.

Sari Woes

                     Lot of opinions and suggestions of even reciprocity and retaliation were expressed by many people in relat ion to the pat-down search conducted on our diplomat. But one thing that worries me is the alleged reason for the search. There was a certain tinge of pain when I read ‘Sari Clad’ woman being singled out. One more instance of ‘Sari’ getting wrong PR. Sari getting endangered is not a hallucination of a fundamentalist but a reality that a prospective groom is coming to terms with. Before I am branded as a male chauvinist who wants to control what women needs to wear, I would like to clarify that I am firm believer of give and take. In these days of aping the West in what we eat, drink, talk (swear), watch and wear I may sound anachronistic talking about the ‘beauty’ of a Sari. On an optimistic note I recollect the wide array of Saris and the diversity in their draping styles displayed during the Common Wealth Games in Delhi. Personally I think of confidence, elegance and empowerment only whenever I see a working woman draped in a Sari. If at all I can suggest anything to anybody after this incident, it’s to Ms. Meera Shankar only – to continue to be what she is and what she does and what she wears and I am very proud of her and happy to see her and many others like her in a Sari breaking all the 'glass ceilings'.