Whispers Forum

President grab the opportunity of having meaningful dialogue with President Xi Jin Ping, on the issues of " de-escalation and dis-engagement of troops" between the two hostile neighbours? This is considered absolutely necessary in the context of recent cartographic aggression committed against India by including Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh as parts of China in their official website. Going by the wisdom of the hindsight, India should never commit the thoughtless blunder of taking China at its face value. Never, ever. China is treacherous and totally untrustworthy. India has all along been fooled by China through its time-tested doctrine of ' Salami Slicing '. Following transparency is important for India. The outcome of Sino-Indian discussion on border issues should be shared with the world in the light of the changing Geo-political position. No purpose would be served by keeping it under the wrap. Several rounds of negotiation have been held in the past between officers of Indian army and the PLA, but no headway has ever been made. The interlocutors merely fix the date of the next meeting. We Indians are eagerly awaiting the fulfilment of the Union Home minister's promise made in Parliament ,post Art 370 abrogation. This was about taking back PoK. What is India waiting for ,one wonders? The POK will surely not be surrendered by Pakistan to us on a platter. Its forcible annexation is the only option. It will be foolhardy for India to wait for the peoples' movements in Baluchistan, Sindh and POK to grow against Pakistan's regime. This approach is being repeated by Indian ministers without analysing the implications. The Pakistani army will crush these movements in the absence of active intervention by India. Another connected issue. A part of Gilgit-Baltistan, was gifted by Pakistan to China in connection with the infrastructure constructions, as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ( C-PEC). This issue has also to be discussed by India with China's President. The gifted territory belongs to India. Indian Armed forces are capable and ready to strike. We have full faith in their professional competence. Political go-ahead signals are awaited. Can our Indian compatriots expect something spectacular from the ruling dispensation after G-20 Summit?
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

How much would it have cost ISRO had CH3 been lifted/placed on moon the way it has been done smoothly? Would the owners of technology have agreed to give us technology? Would they have palmed off outdated technology to us as was the case in all CG imports till 2014? There is no dearth of hate mongers trying to demolish, discourage and dishearten indigenous creators of “capital”. They pride in thinking themselves elite or leftists or liberal. This obsession with words, jargon and hollow rhetoric has done India great damage in the pre-2014 era. Many of us have witnessed it all for more than 70 years at least and possess better idea of such wasteful endeavour. You can’t justify a strike at a production facility before it is even commissioned. But that only was all communism of India. Is India a borrower only in accomplishing mission CH3? As the ISRO Chief rightly hinted, our traditional knowledge gives us enough material. Can India not claim the credit for the First Ever Space Flight? It is no laughing matter: who has not heard of TRISHANKU? The flight failed, but it was undertaken. Such gems of knowledge are neither researched well nor shared. Still, the hate mongering class considers itself “elite” and a right to discredit our indigenous genius? If they have achieved for a fraction what would have cost 100x more, it deserves to be appreciated. Let us shift to positive thinking now at least.
M L Gupta

Walk into any North Indian city to notice the castes and communities as the most dominant factors. The Bimaru States are considered more notorious in such abnormalities with UP, Haryana and NCR Delhi, topping the list. Let me come straight to the point.
The motor vehicles' owners have a false sense of pride in painting their castes and communities on cars, trucks, tractors, bikes etc, little realising the ill effects these practices have in promoting castes and communalism (hindu-muslim divide). It merely satisfies their inflated egos.
All these perversities have the unfettered blessings of the political class and their goons.
Sample some specifics.
Phrases like Jats, Gurjars, Rajputs, Brahmins, Yadavs, Thakurs and religious symbols like " 786" and " Om " along with provocative slogans , are boldly painted with impunity on the body of vehicles, especially those plying in rural areas. The menace is silently jeopardizing the fabric of our society.
Have we ever thought about the dangerous impacts these practices have on our children- growing in a caste-ridden, communally-charged society ?
Whom to blame?
The Police are the worst offenders. It fails to arrest the law breakers for violating Section 179 (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Is the police corrupt and casteist too, one wonders?
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

In an era when the media is at its lowest point, an online portal like ‘whispersinthecorridors’, which publishes news mainly on the government sector, needs a standing ovation for bringing scams against certain departments like NHAI. Not only CAG, but even the Parliamentary Committee on Transport has tabled several reports in Parliament on NHAI running through a certain handful of officials, with officials mainly in deputation, leading to huge corruption. It doesn't seem to affect the ill morale of the management of the NHAI with such continuous reports being published, so the PMO and Cabinet Secretary have to interfere.
Manoj Kumar Sinha

The bill introduced in Rajya Sabha envisages (a) removing CJI from the selection panel of CEC and CEs; (b) replacing CJI by a union cabinet minister; (c) downgrading their status from SC judge to Cabinet secy. In the nutshell, make the election commission, a political body. This retrograde step would rob the EC's selection process of its transparency while hitting its credibility and political neutrality. Strangely, the bill was referred to the Standing committee without discussion. Politicians are the elected representatives having vested interests in elections. Their participation in locating CEC&ECs, would involve "Conflict of interests" negating free and fair elections. This may not stand the scrutiny in the court of law. The political bias could be eliminated only when the Judiciary is associated with the selection. A panel headed by PM with LOP and CJI as members, could alone meet the ends of justice. The CEC and ECs , as at present, must continue to be selected from out of several candidates on the criteria of personal honesty, integrity, probity in public life and most importantly ,the political neutrality besides the ability to take firm stand before the political class. These essential attributes are rare commodities. The civil servants, more often than not, are found to be pliable, malleable, willing to be manipulated. What a pity? Some believe that the job of CEC/ECs would be best handled by IAS officers by virtue of their experience in conducting elections. This is a misplaced perception. Political neutrality is non negotiable. Citizens are not interested in selecting ‘Yesmen’. The moot point is: Why select CECs and ECs from out of retired bureaucrats, alone. The civil servants believe in taking instructions from the political class. In such circumstances, how could they ensure free and fair elections? Getting a CEC like the late T N Sheshan, is an impossibility. He refused to be browbeaten by political masters. Few suggestion for law-makers. In order to have a wider choice, it would be appropriate to expand the catchment area by including eminent persons, other than retired bureaucrats. Several non-IAS persons with legal and legislative backgrounds had, successfully handled the sensitive portfolios of CEC/ECs. Recall prominent CECs like Dr Nagendra Singh (former Judge, International court of Justice), R V S Perisastri, S L Shakdhar, Ms V S Ramadevi and so on. Let us think beyond this and learn from the wisdom of the hindsight. Why can't we consider retired Chief Justices of High courts for appointment as CEC/ECs along with others? Instead of downgrading the status of CEC and ECs, the constitutional body should have a judicious mix of a retired chief justice of a high court as CEC with an eminent civil servant and LOP as members. All enjoying the status of Supreme court judge.CEC should be the primus inter pares, as, at present. The search committee procedure under the Cabinet Secretary, is irrelevant. He is an appointee of PM. Let this be the thumb rule for all constitutional bodies including the C&AG and UPSC. These should also have chairpersons and Members, selected by the same methodology. These suggestions merit close consideration by the law makers. If implemented, these would demonstrate the fair-minded approach of the Prime Minister besides enhancing the feel-good factor of Indian citizenry.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The frequent disasters in Himalayan states particularly in Himachal Pradesh like cloud bursts, landslides, flash floods have broken the back of the tourism industry. Thousands of people depend on tourism as their means of sustenance in the states. Tourists are afraid to come to the mountains due to the devastation caused by the heavy rains during monsoon months. The occupancy in the hotels of the HP has reduced to two to three percent, which used to be 30 to 40 percent during the rainy season. Tourism industry needs immediate support. Even more important is to restore ecological balance in the Himalayas and ensure safety of local people as they have been residing in unsafe houses that crumble down like a pack of cards during heavy rains.
Aditya Pandey