Articles
- R K Pachauri: Carrying 6 billion hopes
- Dr. RK Pachauri, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is leading the international campaign against Climate Change for his services to the environment he has recently been awa......read more
- India's Climate Change crusader: Mr. Jairam Ramesh
- India is a fast developing nation but this development comes at a price, the environment. Our interview with him made us aware that Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment and F......read more
- He does not deserve the nobel
- I have developed the art of using money in creative ways to a point where it has become scientific. The deeply unfortunate occupational hazard that accompanies this rather fulfilling pastime is that m......read more
- US & Co
- I have experienced three kinds of news. There is American news, which although accurate, skims past the destruction caused by their troops. There is PAkistani news, which tells us of their 'power' and......read more
- Jaswant Singh on people, politics and partition
- One of India's longest serving politicians, Jaswant Singh's controversial book on Jinnah and India's partition sparked both criticism and praise from people across India and Pakistan. His bold decisio......read more
- Statue-tory warning: Your narcissism is injurious to national health
- At a time when Maharashtra's notorious Vidarbha region witnesses one farmer suicide every 8 hours, when the entire state is frequented by power cuts as a result of the rains playing truant and the sta......read more
- Try
- I am 17 years old. I go to school. I come home. I eat, sleep, study.
I go out on the weekends, avoide my parents and am addicted to facebook.
By a broad standard, I am normal.
Can I c......read more - Theplas in Thailand & pickles in Paris: Say hello to the Indian tourist
- The Indian tourist seems to have earned himself a global reputation. He may don many avatars, but the stereotype he has earned for himself remains like an unsightly splotch on Indians' reputation aboa......read more
- Red tapism in India
- "The Common Man walks into the Passport office for the fifth time in ten days. He is sick of standing in the heat. He is sweaty. He is tired of the never ending trips to try and procure his passport. ......read more
- Naxalites - a burning problem
- The Maoists-Naxalites have been in the news lately. These little understood, much maligned groups, with a common leftist ideology, have been the cause of long-standing violence, arson and disruption. ......read more
- Unity in diversity?
- With hundreds of different ethnicities, myriad religions, thousands of languages, and an infinite set of values, (some of which are diametrically opposite) India could easily be considered the most di......read more
- Every One
- India is a country that is progressing at an astoundingly rapid rate. It has proved itself to be a country to watch out for. Its economy is booming, and its people are continuing to prove their abilit......read more
- The Indian Judiciary: Does the pillar of strength need to be strengthened?
- Do judges in India need to be policed and to what extent? There has recently been focus on the Indian judiciary system. The question has arisen on whether Indian judges need to be policed. The Union C......read more
- Defence, Development & the Indian Economy
- India today occupies a unique position on the world stage. We are perhaps the only country trying to juggle a rapidly advancing economy, an extraordinary array of infrastructural develoments, an inher......read more
- 26/11
- A year on, an overview of the city of Mumbai yields a result no different then what one would have expected. The city continues to be a bustling, shining beacon of India's ascent to global success, w......read more
- Wake up and smell the carbon
- Few years ago, there was only one problem the world had to deal with - the nuclear bomb. Today's youth are growing up in the shadows of three bombs any of which can go off any moment, leading to a rad......read more
- Apocalypse - impossible? Think again!
- 2050, India-a young boy stares at the barren landscape of his hometown, where rising tempartures and water scarcity have made living life a burden. The ganga river has dried up, the once snow capped p......read more
- Congress ka 'raj' Thackeray
- For anyone who doubts that politics is a dirty game, the recent Maharashtra State Assembly polls was an eye-opener. With cousins standing against each other in a family feud of epic proportions and th......read more
- Change after 26/11
- On 26th November, 2008 a catastrophe stuck the city of Mumbai. While the elite class of South Mumbai was dining at 5 star hotels, The Taj Mahal Hotel and the Trident, and the commuters were......read more
- The future of Mumbai
- Milind Deora's victory for the second term in a row has silenced all his critics. In a candid discussion, Mr. Deora spoke to us about the Maharashtra elections, the MNS, chqanges since 26/11 and of hi......read more
- VOTE INDIA
- Over the last few weeks, the nation has been keenly observing the movements of a new found political scion, Varun Gandhi of the BJP. Gandhi's radical views, to say the least, have "shocked" some and "......read more
- 26/11
- Are we so naive that we cannot see that some of the problems are from within our country? We don't see the greater good but act in our own selfish and devious ways......read more
- Arun Jaitley-a candid discussion
- An interview with the General Secretary of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Arun Jaitley gave us an insight into the mind of strategic planner and mast head of this election's opposition party. After years o......read more
- The Criminalisation of Indian Politics
- India boasts of being the largest democracy in the world; with an estimated 671 million eligible to vote for the 15th General elections to be held in April - May 2009. However, over the last 61 years ......read more
- Democracy: As we are made to see it
- What do you think about putting 1.147 billion puzzle pieces together? Indian democracy is just that. It is not as simple and sinless as a puzzle, but putting 1.147 billion thoughts together, fixing th......read more
- Goolam Vahanvati - the youth's role in India's future
- Mr. Goolam Vahanvati, one of the best lawyers in India, tells us we as the youth need to look beyond corruption, he tells us to a look at the larger picture. He says, "You must believe that this is a ......read more
- Indian National Congress: The way forward?
- We citizens of India are not in the mood to listen to comments like "Bade bade sheharo mein chotte chotte cheese hote rehte hain". The youth want to see some degree of accountability in the entire pol......read more
- Jyotiraditya Scindia-India's tomorrow
- We arrived at 27 Safdarjung Road, home to one of the most promising and visionary leaders in this country. Part of the Congress youth brigade Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, having studied at Harvard and St......read more
- Omar Abdullah - our hope for change
- Mr. Omar Abdullah one of the few leaders in this country who commands respect and does not demand respect, speaks to us about his vision for India. He is one of the most protected men in India with si......read more
- PAKISTAN: at the brink of destruction?
- Two twins, India and Pakistan separated at birth due to numerous complications, travelled through a long journey since partition. This difficult path took off in August 1947, when, after having surviv......read more
- Third Front - an illusion?
- We the youth of India desire change and to some the Third front is the only option to provide this change, which makes the Third Front seem as a serious contender. On the other side of the spectrum mo......read more
Article of the month
-
Jaswant Singh on people, politics and partition
One of India's longest serving politicians, Jaswant Singh's controversial book on Jinnah and India's partition sparked both criticism and praise from people across India and Pakistan. His bold decision to praise Jinnah and blame Nehru and Vallabhai Patel for partition earned him an unceremonious expulsion from the BJP. However, through this controversy, both Jaswant and Jinnah have received great respect from the liberal majority of our nation. Through his book he has exposed various hidden truths about partition contrary to the beliefs of both the RSS and the BJP.
Interview by Zahra Vakil, Harsh Shah and Angad Kapur.
Our interview with Mr.Jaswant Singh started off with a question from his side,
“Why do you want to interview me?” he asked. When we replied that our mission was to question the great Indian leaders of today, he humbly answered, “I’m not great”. The rest of the interview is as follows.
You have spent over 30 years in politics. What do you think are the major flaws in our political system?
I have actually spent 42 years. That’s a very long time. You ask me to catalog the major flaws in our political system. That will take me 42 years itself. In our ountry, There is a big gap between promise and delivery. All political parties have become oligarchic and are run by families. The parliament is no longer participatory. That is the principle difficulty. Corruption too plays its part. Corruption of government, corruption of money matters and corruption of spirit.
Would you recommend politics as a way of life for today’s youth?
Its not a way of life. It’s a calling. You don’t join politics because it is a job or a means of employment. You take to political activism because you cannot do without it. Of course the youth must take interest. They must make their choice. There cannot be uniform advice to all.
What do you think is the future of the Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP)? Do you think it should ever get the chance to form the government again?
I would not like to answer this question because I am out of the party now and I do not think it is correct for me to comment.
30% of our population lives in miserable poverty. What action do you think we need to take to change this?
It is actually 38%. That is the statistical figure and that is dependent on how you measure poverty. Urban poverty is degrading faster then rural poverty. 38% of 1.2 billion people is almost 420 million people. We should reexamine the priorities of our development and unless there is distribution, participation and equitable programmes we will not be able to solve this problem.
Do you think that the NREG programme is a good idea?
I am examining this programme in the Public Accounts Committee. Providing employment is a good idea. Providing employment just to dig holes and fill them up without producing anything constructive is not. It has resulted in considerable corruption. The report once ready will explain everything.
Coming to your book, Do you think personalities such as Nehru and Vallabhai Patel were responsible for the tragic partition?
It will be simplistic to blame only these too. There were other factors too. But it is wrong to blame only Jinnah for partition. If the Congress and its leaders like Nehru and Patel had not agreed for partition their would have been no partition.
Do you think that in a sense Gandhi and Jinnah were both failures? Jinnah created a land which was divided in 25 years and Gandhi made an India which is still ripped by communal tension.
Though we like to say that the transfer of power was a very peaceful transfer in reality it was a very violent transfer. Secondly, Gandhi’s mission of keeping the country united and Hindu-Muslim unity failed. Jinnah didn’t want what he himself called a moth eaten Pakistan. He didn’t want a Pakistan which is so extremist or so radicalized. The Pakistan which he created broke up into two and has gotten greatly radicalized. How did he succeed? He didn’t succeed.
Do you think that Muslims have paid the price of partition more then anyone else?
Yes I do. In India Muslims are looked at as being guilty along with Jinnah which is wrong. We accuse them of being Jinnah’s followers. They had nothing to do with partition. They have been made second class citizens.
In India it is drilled into our heads that Jinnah is solely responsible for partition. Don’t you think that such brainstorming by distorting historical facts is wrong and is just to suit the ideology or thought process of some?
If as a country we do not understand and articulate the integrity of history its like a human being not articulating his own name then you cannot have a country grow.
Did you ever think that your book would be seen in such negative light?
No I did not think so.
What is the definition of liberty and freedom of speech in our country if a man’s opinion is not respected?
We are an illiberal society. You see it everyday in Mumbai when there are people saying Marathi Manoos. They say speak only Marathi. Why? That to in a city like Mumbai.
Critics complain that your book is one-sided as you have left out the Pathan Invasion in Kashmir advocated by Jinnah himself.
That is because the book could not cover that point. The book had already run into seven hundred pages. If I went into the invasion of Jammu-Kashmir, being a former soldier myself, that would have required an entirely different book! It’s not being partial, it just wasn’t possible. This book was only about partition..
Do you have any plans of writing another book?
Yes , there are so many plans in my mind.
Coming to the Kandahar hijack, can you justify the release of the Kandahar terrorists?
Yes, governance is always a choice between two wrongs, it’s not between two rights. It’s wrong to release terrorists. It’s wrong to let 166 citizens die. The choice has to be made by the Government and if it is a choice between the life of 166 humans or releasing 3 terrorists, then I will always choose to save the lives.
But don’t you think we should adopt a strong policy not to negotiate with terrorists?
Honestly, I don’t think we as a nation possess that kind of spirit.
Sir, don’t you think it was unfair that Mr.Advani blatantly denied the fact that he was informed about you escorting the terrorists?
Better ask that of Mr.Advani himself.
If you had to choose between the two BJP leaders - Mr.Vajpayee or Mr.Advani?
That is an unfair question making me forcibly choose but Mr.Vajpayee is a statesman very tall and great.
Few days ago there was an RSS rally having barely 30% of the seats filled , do you think that’s a sign of the decline of the Hindutva ideology?
I would not like to comment on that but I’d like to ask you-What is Hindutva? This word has been turned into a kind of poltical slogan. I am a Hindu myself.
What is the future of Mr.Jaswant Singh? Will you be an independent candidate or will you join a party?
Yes, I will remain an independent member of parliament because my mental make-up does not fit in easily into political party formation.