Words From Print Media

When Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal came together 17 months ago, the air throbbed with magic and hope, the response was sensational, and India seemed on the brink of heady, inspirational change.

But like all transient curiosities, the pair that promised to banish corruption from public life has faded from memory even as the scams and scandals it fought against have attained a size and scale unimaginable in an earlier time.

But like all transient curiosities, the pair that promised to banish corruption from public life has faded from memory even as the scams and scandals it fought against have attained a size and scale unimaginable in an earlier time.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

In an ironic imitation of the politics that Team Anna relentlessly lampooned, it has split vertically, with one faction led by Mr. Kejriwal deciding to enter the electoral arena while Anna himself continues to be implacably opposed to politics, seeing it as a cesspool that only the irredeemably venal would plunge into.

Team Anna’s maximalist position on the Jan Lokpal Bill, which it projected as a one-stop cure for all problems, scared away even those committed to probity in public life.

Over the following months, as Anna’s repetitive rallies and fasts began to attract fewer and fewer crowds, the veteran and his team found themselves hard pressed to answer a hostile counter question: If politics was so dirty, why not assume responsibility and clean it from inside instead of grandstanding from a safe distance?

Anna’s estranged lieutenant has taken courage in his hand and floated a party with idealistic goals in an environment heavily contaminated by sleaze money and big corporate interests.

He will also find the going tough in the absence of the charismatic Anna who drew his legitimacy from being seen as a selfless, modern-day savant.

He will also find the going tough in the absence of the charismatic Anna who drew his legitimacy from being seen as a selfless, modern-day savant.

And yet Anna often failed to distinguish between sincere supporters who wanted a systemic overhaul and right-wing elements who infiltrated his campaign to further their divisive agenda.

If he makes even a small difference to the popular perception of politics, he will have done a lot

As Tamil, Telugu and Kannada received the status of a ‘Classical Language’ over the past few years, Malayalam’s claim to that imprimatur has remained unmet — although it essentially belongs to the same Dravidian linguistic family.

There are worrying trends of corruption in spoken and written use, and a certain lack of rigour in terms of grammar and script is creeping in, the process often aided by lackadaisical use in the visual media.

There are worrying trends of corruption in spoken and written use, and a certain lack of rigour in terms of grammar and script is creeping in, the process often aided by lackadaisical use in the visual media.

Malayalam thus needs to be enriched and energised — even as it co-exists in a pragmatic manner with major languages such as English and Hindi in order that its horizons remain wide and open.

The rapturous surge witnessed on the stock market tells us the investing classes are happy, while the somewhat muted reaction of Opposition parties suggests the insurance and pension sector initiatives cannot easily be painted as “anti-people.”

The rapturous surge witnessed on the stock market tells us the investing classes are happy, while the somewhat muted reaction of Opposition parties suggests the insurance and pension sector initiatives cannot easily be painted as “anti-people.”

If the entry of multinational retail behemoths raises fears about the potential loss of jobs and livelihoods, insurance and pension reforms hold out the prospect of better social security for the middle class without the immediate danger of a “employment displacement” effect.

In insurance, at least, the reform being contemplated is also quite modest: foreign insurance companies will be allowed to hold 49 per cent equity in their Indian operations but this still does not make for majority control.

The private insurance sector is starved for capital and the increase in foreign equity cap will enable foreign partners to pump in money.

Pirated downloads are also popular to get past squeamish censors.

Obama rolled out the canard about tax breaks for “companies that ship jobs overseas.” Forbes (Oct 4, 2012)

The Finance Ministry proposal to create a National Investment Board with extraordinary authority to supersede individual ministries and decide the fate of expensive infrastructure projects is a retrograde measure that strikes at the root of democratic governance.

The basic tenets of all law-making include public participation, equity and justice, more so when it comes to the environment and welfare.

India’s laws on protection of the environment, forests, wildlife and tribal welfare enshrine these principles, and the country has been centre-staging them when negotiating international treaties and protocols.

But a brazen attempt is being made using the fig leaf of ‘delays’ in grant of regulatory approvals and clearances to negate all this and strip individual ministries of their lawful role, and to transfer their decision-making powers to an NIB.

The Nobel peace prize awarded to the European Union is recognition of the historic triumph of democratic solidarity over ideologies based on narrow nationalism, jingoism and militarism.

The Nobel peace prize awarded to the European Union is recognition of the historic triumph of democratic solidarity over ideologies based on narrow nationalism, jingoism and militarism.

Small wonder that Friday’s announcement has been received with derision and scorn by Eurosceptic and far-right forces that have stoked popular fears over the bloc’s enlargement into Eastern Europe.

Small wonder that Friday’s announcement has been received with derision and scorn by Eurosceptic and far-right forces that have stoked popular fears over the bloc’s enlargement into Eastern Europe.

Small wonder that Friday’s announcement has been received with derision and scorn by Eurosceptic and far-right forces that have stoked popular fears over the bloc’s enlargement into Eastern Europe.

In the face of record unemployment and crippling austerity, the honour must be read no less as an appeal to the EU’s current leadership to live up to the original promise of promoting peace and prosperity among its people.

Europe’s visionaries were also shrewd enough to recognise that solidarity among countries could not be sustained without material prosperity for their people.

These visionary steps were precursors to the single market, the Schengen borderless area and the single currency.

A more scrupulous adherence to norms would be no less in the bloc’s own interest considering its enlargement into the Balkans where democratic institution-building remains a challenge.

In the hubbub of sharp disagreement and the welter of allegation and counter-allegation relating to Law Minister Salman Khurshid’s charitable trust, there is a small but significant matter on which there is broad agreement.

In the hubbub of sharp disagreement and the welter of allegation and counter-allegation relating to Law Minister Salman Khurshid’s charitable trust, there is a small but significant matter on which there is broad agreement.

It has, for instance, been clouded by corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal’s strident campaign for Mr. Khurshid’s arrest and dismissal as minister — demands that are extreme at this juncture.

There are two broad charges against the trust, relating to the acquisition of funds and their disbursement.

There are two broad charges against the trust, relating to the acquisition of funds and their disbursement.

The second and more contentious charge relates to whether forged documents were used to show that the trust had distributed tricycles and hearing aids to the differently abled.

The truth, however, is anything but that, as Mantel has, through a combination of sheer erudition and talent for imaginative interpretation, recast the game of historical fiction.

The truth, however, is anything but that, as Mantel has, through a combination of sheer erudition and talent for imaginative interpretation, recast the game of historical fiction.

Told through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith’s son who rose to power on the back of Henry VIII’s royal favour, the two books take place against the tumultuous backdrop of the English Reformation.

The humorous quip could well be an allusion to how late recognition has been in coming.

This time round, a relieved BJP pantheon dismissed the disclosures by India Against Corruption which showed the NCP’s Ajit Pawar had granted Mr. Gadkari’s NGO favours while allotting land plots acquired from farmers in Vidarbha.

At a time when a clean image could help, the Damanias and Kejriwals have come along with a sheaf of documents.

The old cliché — in politics there are no permanent enemies — is operative here and the rightwing parties and the Congress-NCP have been rather chummy by all accounts in Maharashtra.

It may be difficult to prove a nexus between political parties in a court of law but the insinuation is enough to a weary public that has long suspected it.

The question is whether these sporadic allegations and exposures can sustain themselves in the public mind till the next general elections.

In any case, no party can afford to ignore them, especially in the age of the Right to Information when documentary evidence of impropriety and wrongdoing abounds.

Consequently, banks and corporate entities have to reckon with a far higher degree of exchange risk than ever before.

At the root of many irregularities and frauds related to land is the blatant abuse of discretionary powers vested in State governments, particularly those relating to allotment and change of land use.

At the root of many irregularities and frauds related to land is the blatant abuse of discretionary powers vested in State governments, particularly those relating to allotment and change of land use.

But whether it was questionable allotments in Haryana, the impunity with which a select group of people obtained exemption from the rules in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing case in Mumbai, or the manipulation of legal provisions in cities such as Bhopal and Kolkata to offer land as largesse to a few, State governments have always manipulated discretionary powers to help the powerful and the favoured.

But whether it was questionable allotments in Haryana, the impunity with which a select group of people obtained exemption from the rules in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing case in Mumbai, or the manipulation of legal provisions in cities such as Bhopal and Kolkata to offer land as largesse to a few, State governments have always manipulated discretionary powers to help the powerful and the favoured.

In their defence, policymakers say no legislation can exhaustively provide for all contingencies and that frequent amendments to the statute are impractical.

For example, it is expected that larger businesses will recruit more staff who have worked in Asia and will routinely include “cultural competency training” for all.

Cynics say the White Paper may remain declaratory policy, never to be implemented.

There is a small but significant Indian diaspora in Australia and trade and investment are on the upswing as Indian companies eye Australian coal.

Whether Aussie uranium is eventually exported to India is not clear but given the decline in global demand and prices for the nuclear fuel, this can hardly be considered a major obstacle in the bilateral relationship.The recent sharp fall of the rupee in relation to the dollar must be viewed as yet another manifestation of the extreme volatility that has gripped financial markets, especially foreign exchange markets.

The supply of dollars to the domestic market has been encouraged by relaxing relevant rules on inward remittances.

The greater leeway given to companies, for instance, to fund their long-gestation projects in India through short-period external commercial borrowings smacks of myopia.

The greater leeway given to companies, for instance, to fund their long-gestation projects in India through short-period external commercial borrowings smacks of myopia.

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