Opinion Rich and poor

She argues that an easily verifiable exclusion category for the BPL census would be “unexceptionable” given the reality of social and economic inequalities in rural India,and the existence of the rural rich,big landlords and farmers,big traders and contractors. “The present criteria seem to be geared to stretching the exclusion category to a much higher percentage than is the actual case.” Karat notes two-wheeler owners are being bracketed with tractor owners and will be automatically excluded. Similarly with owners of landline phones,when it is known that many SC/ST families or disabled persons,or others from vulnerable social categories may have a landline phone booth allotted to them in the village. “The automatic exclusion list is unfair and should be rectified… Moreover an automatic exclusion criteria makes sense only when the rest of the population is automatically included as eligible for the social security guarantee,but this is not the case in the present census,” she says.

Leader Baba

An article in the same issue places Baba Ramdev’s agitation in the context of capitalism. It says capitalism is supposed to bring in modernity,which includes a secular polity where “babas,” and “swamis” have no role. Many have defended neo-liberal reforms,it says,saying they hasten capitalist development and the “march to modernity,” an argument which the Left has always rejected. “If the rapid GDP growth of the country,its new-found ‘prestige’ in the international arena,and the globalisation of its elite had created an impression that the Left position was wrong,the episode of Baba Ramdev’s fast-unto-death… should have dispelled it… The episode did not just underscore our lingering pre-modernity; it expressed something infinitely more disturbing… that neo-liberal India,far from countering pre-modernity,is actually strengthening it.

We have seen a revival of khap panchayats,and now we have had the spectre of a ‘Baba’ demanding constitutional amendments of his personal choice under the Damocles’ sword of a fast-unto-death,” it argues. It adds: “If a person commanding the loyalty of millions… uses that to mobilise them behind political demands,then we have a subversion of the secular polity… A government appeasing such a person is abetting that subversion… Baba Ramdev’s fast-unto-death may have been terminated,but other swamis,and babas,not to mention Ramdev himself,are likely to come forward… with their own demands.”

Show him the door

The editorial in CPI journal New Age says it is the turn of Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran to resign given allegations against him. “Maran stands accused of arm-twisting cellular company Aircel into selling out to the Malaysia-based Maxim group when he was telecom minister from 2004 to 2007,” it says. “In return,Maran’s family-run… Sun Network,is alleged to have received investment worth Rs 700 crore from the latter.”

It adds the allegations are buttressed by the statement of Aircel’s former owner before the CBI. It argues that charges of misconduct have been made against Maran before,and refers to some observations made by the Justice Shivraj Patil Committee. “In such a situation,”,it argues,“it is not enough for PM Manmohan Singh to say the matter ought to be investigated without ‘fear or favour’. Even for the sake of an impartial enquiry,it is imperative Maran is either forced to resign or he is kicked out immediately.”

Compiled by Manoj C.G.