Once Upon A Beehive

What happened when honey levels dipped, and some bees came to be more equal than others
Chetan Bhagat

Once upon a time there was a giant beehive. It was located on an ancient tree, situated amidst meadows and gardens filled with bright and colourful flowers. The beehive had a queen bee, who along with some senior bees, had been chosen to run the hive. Collectively, the elected were called the Government. Worker bees entrusted the Government bees to store their honey and keep them safe. The Government also had to discover new gardens, to provide new sources of flowers and nectar for the new generation of baby bees. To ensure stability and avoid chaos, the Government bees made rules and passed laws. The worker bees had to follow them, else they could be punished. This was particularly important because the beehive had different kinds of bees, who could end up fighting with each other. The black bees and the brown bees for instance, were the two main kinds. They essentially did the same work. However, they had slightly different looks and practiced their own prayer habits. In good times, it was the perfect beehive. Over time, however, things changed. Government bees had their own kids, relatives and friends. Most could not join the Government. They had to become worker bees like everyone else. However, one day, a senior Government bees son told his father being a worker bee was too much work. Why not let me take a bit of honey from our reserves? he said to his father. But that would be wrong, the father bee said. Nobody would find out. What happens in the Government, stays in the Government, replied the Government bees son. He was right. Worker bees trusted the Government more than they did themselves. A bit of honey lost would not be noticed at all. And then it started. Slowly, all Government bees children, cousins, relatives, friends and well-wishers started stealing a bit of honey everyday from the reserves. They didnt have to slave in the gardens all day anymore. The worker bees did notice the honey levels were not going up as expected. When some worker bees pointed this out, the Government just ordered everyone to work harder and not be lazy. The worker bees worked harder to make more honey. However, honey levels refused to rise. In fact, they started to fall. Soon, Government bees started another practice. Whenever they found a new garden, they gave it to their children, friends and relatives first. What the worker bees dont know, the worker bees dont miss, was the hushed conversation in Government circles. Over time, not only did honey levels fall, the discovery of new gardens stopped for the kids of worker bees. They remained idle and hungry. Sometimes, the queen bee tossed some scraps at the worker bees, and everyone praised the queen. However, the scraps were not enough.

Who is stealing the honey? one day, an influential worker bee finally said. The Government noticed the influential protesting bee was black. So, the Government said, The brown bees are doing it. Then, the Government called the brown bees, and told them, We think the black bees are stealing all your hard work. Hungry and tired, the black and brown bees were filled with anger. They fought with each other. The Government bees enjoyed the distraction and continued to steal. As brown and black bees died and suffered, the Government tossed some more honey scraps. Worker bees praised the queen again. Soon, there was a drought. The flowers became few, and it was time to turn to the honey reserved over all these years. However, to everyones shock, there was no honey in the reserves at all. Worker bees, normally trusting of the Government, went to check in the Government bees and their relatives homes. They found everyone fat and sitting on their own private reserves of honey. Whats more, they also found maps of hundreds of new gardens that were discovered but never shared with the worker bees. Dismayed and shocked, the worker bees came back to their poor homes. The brown and black bees looked into each others eyes. They realised they had been fooled. They hugged each other and apologised for all the hurt they had caused each other. We will teach them a lesson, the black and brown bees said in unison. The worker bees realised the time had come to use their sting, not against each other, but against those who had cheated them. Meanwhile, the queen bee sensed the tension. She presented her beautiful young son, He will save you now. Like i did all these years. However, the brown and black bees were too smart this time. They gathered together in a swarm and unleashed their stings on the Government and their fat cronies. The Government bees barely had any time to collect their belongings. They simply had to run away from the hive. Soon, they were all gone. The brown and black bees decided to select their best people to be in charge. Also, they decided to never blindly trust, but monitor everyone. The hive recovered, and the new generation worked hard to restore the honey stores. New gardens led to new prosperity, and the beehive became the most successful beehive in the world. A few years later, an old bee, talking to her grandson at night, said Did you know we had a queen bee at one time? Yes. But we dont anymore. Because deep down, theres a little king in all of us, replied the baby bee. The writer is a best-selling novelist.

Theres a little queen in every worker bee

THE SPEAKING TREE

A Self-Realised Leader Works Wonders

Dhruva Bhargava

We all are leaders in a way as people around constantly emulate us, seek our inspiration, guidance and support and crave for our attention, love and compassion. Therefore, leaders in any sphere face the dual challenge of connecting with Self and others. Knowing ones true nature, the Self, becomes crucial. While doing so, at times, ones deep-rooted beliefs, thoughts, fixations constituting mindset become obstacles. In fact, all through our lives we have been indoctrinating ourselves with these only. Once rigidly established, they become our outlook; we simply live them out. We are so deeply influenced and intensely identified that we seldom change or let go. This inflexibility impedes realising our true nature and connecting with others. The true Self though self-revelation yet appears elusive. Therefore, to uncover the Self becomes an unwieldy task, due to ego. Amazingly, connecting within and with others go simultaneously as we let go our own dogmas, judgments and evaluations. With evolving flexibility, gradually emerges a perspective of looking out from within. Once this perspective takes hold, the person becomes Selfdriven. His perception broadens from limited to that of wholeness. There is a paradigm shift; theres no falling back. While looking and acting from Self, one then persistently demonstrates and projects the true nature which is of oneness, harmony and love towards one and all. This is discernible in ones thoughts, words and action. As the Self becomes apparent, the influence of ego diminishes. This is the God-experience within us. Kabir said, When I am, God is not; When God is, I am not. Therefore, a Self-realised leader views things in oneness and desists separation in any form. He doesnt feel others as separate from him. From him flow love, humility and compassion towards all without discrimination for he cognizes the divinity within and in others. His knowing of the absolute and relative truths enables him to absorb the extreme dualities of pleasure and pain emanating from happenings, events, relationships and dynamic business situations. For him success and failures are but two sides of the same coin. He doesnt get elated with success, nor dejected by failures. He can maintain equanimity; equipoised in all circumstances.

The Self-realised leader values differences and considers them unique. For him differences in capabilities, capacities and competencies are like individual details of scenery, that when put together, make the scenery beautiful. He can effectively integrate differences and utilise their synergy for achieving results. He can enjoy the company of people and his aloneness, too, which he uses to reflect, contemplate and meditate. The leader who serves rather than expects to be served is intrinsically an authentic person as his actions follow his words. He is able to demonstrate total transparency in character and behaviour, being the same inside-out. Since his view is impartial and whole, his decisions are rooted in fairness, enabling him to dispense justice unequivocally. Such a leaders charisma is such that his very presence is inspiring; people around can feel serenity, compassion and love. He is capable of transforming others by simply being a role model. He can lead effortlessly without dominating and is often felt, seldom seen. His holistic perspective enables him to sacrifice his comforts and gains for higher goals. Inspired by Self, he abstains from selfish motives and remains humble and humane. A leader inspired by his true nature, the Self, becomes truly authentic, Self-actualised and complete in all respects. Ask your vendor for your copy of The Speaking Tree on Sunday @ 3, special Earth Day issue.

Nation Shocked By Rape & Brutalization Of 5-Year-Old In Delhi

Age No Bar In Sick Society

Cops Offered Us 2,000 To Keep Quiet: Parents
Dwaipayan Ghosh TNN

New Delhi: The plight of a five-yearold girl, who was brutally raped and tortured in east Delhi and rescued only three days later because of police callousness and insensitivity, led to widespread public outrage on Friday. The child is now battling for life at AIIMS where she was shifted from Swami Dayanand Hospital in Dilshad Garden when public anger boiled over, leading to heckling of Delhi health minister A K Walia and the slapping of a 17-year-old girl protester by a senior cop. A series of protests has been scheduled for Saturday. Reading the mood early, a government that had faced flak over the Nirbhaya incident barely four months ago, moved into damage-control mode with a string of high-level meetings, culminating in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing deep regret over the incident. Within hours, the SHO of Gandhi Nagar police station, the first probe officer in the case and the ACP who slapped the girl had been suspended. What fuelled public anger were two allegations made by the victims family: one, cops delayed in filing the FIR and failed to search their house, wasting

precious time; two, cops tried to fend them off with Rs 2,000 after the child was rescued. They were told to be happy that she was alive, the family alleged. A vigilance inquiry has been ordered, and the report is to be submitted within 24 hours. The brutality, bordering on bestial, has shocked the conscience of the entire nation. We found a 200ml bottle and two-three pieces of candle inserted into her private parts. This is the first time I have seen such barbarism, said R K Bansal, medical superintendent of Swami Dayanand Hospital. There were injuries on her lips, cheeks, arms and the anus. Bruises on her neck suggested attempts to strangle her. Her blood pressure was way below normal. Police said there were efforts to slit her throat. The accused has been identified as Manoj, 22, and the police are on his trail in Muzaffarpur in Bihar. He belongs to Orai village in the district. Late at night the police said the arrest could happen anytime. Eight days ago, the accused rented the ground floor of the house where the victim stays. Police said he had probably lured the child into the room on the evening of April 14. After brutalizing her and leaving her locked up, he escaped some time on April 15 even as her family was looking for her desperately.On the morning of April 17, the mother and their neighbours heard someone crying in the room and called the cops, only to find their child. NIRBHAYA ALL OVER AGAIN Five-year-old girl raped & brutalized by neighbour, locked up in ground-floor room of building where she lived Girl endured pain, went without food for 3 days before being discovered on Wednesday Doctors find severe infection in genitals & injuries elsewhere, including strangulation marks on neck. A candle and 200ml hair oil bottle surgically removed from inside her Condition critical but stable. Shifted to AIIMS on Friday evening. Doctors say girls external genitals may be irreparably damaged INSULT ON INJURY 1 Cops made victims family wait for 6hrs at police station before registering case 2 Police didnt bother to visit girls home, where she was locked up, or question neighbours 3 Cops allegedly told family to settle case for 2,000, not involve activists and media4

Family claims it was told by police to be content that girl was alive 5 ACP slapped a woman protester, suspended. As were area SHO, SI Furore as cop slaps two women Five-Year-Olds Rape Protest: Officer Caught On Camera, Suspended New Delhi: In scenes reminiscent of the outrage over Nirbhayas gang rape in December, more than 300 protesters laid siege to the hospital in northeast Delhi where the raped child was being treated. Visiting politicians, like Delhi health minister AK Walia and MP Sandeep Dikshit, were heckled and in the ensuing commotion an ACP slapped women protesters. By night, the child was shifted to AIIMS and her condition was said to be improving. Meanwhile, ACP Bani Singh Ahlawat, whose slaps led to a furore, was suspended. Protests started in front of Swami Dayanand Hospital on Friday afternoon with Aam Aadmi Party members alleging that police had tried to bribe the childs parents to hush up the case. They demanded that the girl be moved to a well-equipped hospital. However, the drama became intense after Walia and Dikshit reached the hospital around 3.40pm. Although both leaders used a separate entrance, women protesters from AAPprotesting at the main gate spotted and immediately surrounded them. ACP Bani Singh Ahlawat from Khajoori Khas was trying to stop women protesters from attacking his uniform. In the process, he slapped protesters four times. One of them, Beenu Rawat, started to bleed from her ear. As footage of the victim was being aired on TV, police commissioner Neeraj Kumar immediately suspended him, said a senior source at the police headquarters. Some AAP party protesters were roughed up by police at Swami Dayanand Hospital. Two women protesters were slapped and beaten by ACP Ahlawat. PM is deeply disturbed New Delhi: Prime minister Manmohan Singh is deeply disturbed by the rape of a five-year-old girl and has directed Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna to take strictest possible action against the police officials who slapped women protesters. Khanna briefed the PM about the law-and-order situation amid indications th-at Delhi Police is zeroing in on the suspect. The PMO was swift to react to the outrage on Friday unlike in the Nirbhaya case, where the government was accused of failing to grasp the enormity of the crime and the depth of public reaction that spilled onto the streets. Singhs response came immediately after home minister Sushilkumar Shinde briefed him and Congress president Sonia Gandhi about the incident. TNN

The victim being shifted to AIIMS. Well-wishers gave her toys, hoping for the best

Dated: 16 Apr. 13 terest rates may fall as inflation slows to 3-yr low Will Offer Relief To Govt, Home Loan Borrowers TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The inflation rate slowed to a more than three year low of 5.96% in March on the back of softening vegetable, fruits and milk prices, brightening the prospect of an interest rate cut while bringing relief for the politically beleaguered government. Lower interest rates would provide relief to thousands of borrowers

reeling under the burden of high equated monthly installments (EMIs) on their home loans. Official data released on Monday showed that the widely watched wholesale price index rose 5.96%, slower than the previous months 6.84% and in line with RBIs expectations. A sub-6% inflation level, a 40-month-low, instantly triggered celebrations in the government, among industry and on bourses. Politically, the deceleration in price rise augurs well for a government as it deals with popular sullenness over inflation, corruption and the perception of inaction. POSITIVES Easing prices of fruits, vegetables and milk mean more money in the housewifes kitty Global crude oil price has moderated in recent weeks, reducing pressure on subsidy The fall in gold and oil prices also augurs well for foreign exchange management PRESSURE POINTS Prospects of higher crude prices remain, especially if global economy revives Fiscal deficit remains high, reducing RBIs elbow room in cutting rates Prospect of data revision remains, as experience shows upward bias Petrol now costs 72.63/l in Blore Fuel retailers have decided to slash petrol price by Rs 1.31 per litre

from Monday midnight. A litre of petrol costs Rs 72.63 in Bangalore. The earlier petrol price was Rs 73.94. Diesel price was marginally reduced to Rs 53.02 from Rs 53.10 per litre. Gold at 15-month low of 27,600 Gold on Monday tumbled by Rs 750 to Rs 27,600 per 10 gm, hitting a 15-month low in New Delhi, due to persistent selling triggered by a heavy sell-off in global markets. RBI has asked gold loan firms to furnish details of their LTV ratios to avoid a crisis. P 13 Sensex recovers on rate cut hope The sense of relief in government was evident from Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalias reaction to the data. Inflation behaviour is consistent with what government has been saying that it is slowly coming under control, Ahluwalia said. A clamour was already building up for a reduction in rates, with India Inc calling for aggressive cuts against the backdrop of easing price pressures saying that it was crucial for the revival of economic growth expected to slow to a decades low of 5% in the just-ended financial year. The BSE Sensex, which remained choppy in the face of some disappointing company earnings and sluggish economic data last week, joined in the celebrations. The bellwether index bounced back 115 points to close at 18,357.80 points on hopes of an interest rate cut when the RBI meets to review policy on May 3. But the data showed that pressure points still existed in some segments such as cereals and pulses while food inflation still remains

in double digits at the retail level. The government also revised upwards the January number to 7.31% from the previously reported 6.62% largely due to the impact of the diesel price increase. Slowing global crude and gold prices have also brought some relief for the government battling a widening current account deficit and fiscal deficit. While the softening in inflation provides some leeway for the central bank to ease rates to boost growth, it would be guided by the high current account and fiscal deficit. The moderation in inflationary pressures was led by vegetables which declined an annual 0.95% in March. Prices of fruit, milk, eggs, meat and fish also softened. Given elevated levels of CPI (10.4%) and the CAD, we are maintaining our view of a 25 basis points cut in the RBI's May 3 policy, followed by a long pause, said Rohini Malkani, Citigroup India economist in a note. What could change this is lower commodity prices both oil and gold which will not only have a positiveimpactoninflation but also on the fisc and current account, Malkani said. Growth is estimated to have slowed to a decades low of 5% in the 2012-13 fiscal year and both the RBI and the government have taken steps to revive sentiment and boost growth.

Inflation behaviour is consistent with what govt has been saying that it is slowly coming under control MS Ahluwalia, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, PLANNING COMMISSION

632 PU colleges must implead, says court TIMES NEWS NETWORK Bangalore: The high court on Monday asked the state government to instruct all the 632 pre-university colleges across the state which have less than 25,000 sqft of land to get themselves impleaded in the PIL before it. A division bench headed by Justice KL Manjunath gave this direction after a statement was filed before the court on behalf of the pre-university education department stating that 632 PU colleges don't have this space as required under Rule 4(2)(a) of the Karnataka PreUniversity Education (Academic, Registration, Administration and Grant-inaid, etc) Rules, 2006. According to the statement, Bangalore North has 33 such schools, Bangalore South 91, Bangalore Rural 13, Bellary 88, Mysore 56, Tumkur 36, Dharwad 34, Gulbarga 46, Chitradurga 35 and Raichur 31 with less than 25,000 sqft. As per the rules, colleges are required to acquire 25,000 sqft land intending to construct a college building with principal's chambers, classrooms and libraries, etc within a year of the receipt of letter of intent. The high court is hearing a 2009 PIL complaining that the sanction was wrongly accorded to Vidyaniketan PU college run by Chougule Education Society at Deshpande Nagar in Hubli.

THE SPEAKING TREE Jadugarni Devi Had Three Choices Bejan Daruwalla

She was beautiful beyond belief. Those who saw her skittled like a row of ninepins. Your Ganesha devotee saw her momentarily in a village pool surrounded by hedges and trees. She was languorously bathing, singing softly to herself. I was bewitched. She took no notice of me and Ganesha was there for support. Swan-like neck, a sheen and shine which made her skin glow, shimmering copper to glittering gold. Her hands and fingers were certainly made to do filigree work with exquisite delicacy. She was sensually sublime if that be possible. A village lad robust, rustic and smelling of the good earth passed by and saw her. He was felled as if by a thunderbolt. The bathing lady glanced at him and smiled. It flashed in my mind that she was the original jadugarni, that my great, great forefathers had talked about. The jadugarni went near the lad and touched him on the forehead. He awoke. Big, black, bright eyes. Aquiline nose. Broad forehead. Fine eyebrows. Tousled, unruly hair and bowshaped lips. She touched him again and he stood before her. He asked her as only a rustic can, Please, devi, may i know who you are? She replied, I have come from the heavens. They call me jadugarni. Why have you come, he asked. I get bored. I want to see joy and sorrow. See life as it is, not

as it should be. The lad took her to his house. She came to know that his name was Ramu and he lived with his parents, a sister, a brother, goats and cattle. She was invisible to all the others. Being a jadugarni she could take any form man, woman, child, animal and thus be completely unnoticed, anonymous. Soon she was a regular visitor at Ramus place unnoticed and unknown. Ramu talked to her about fruits, flowers, grass, plants, seeds, labour, rest, the seasons, the land, crop, sky, rain and the sizzling slices of summer. She took it all in. She talked to him of paradise and palaces and princess and nymphs, saints, angels and fairies. He did not understand all this but somehow he felt happiness in his heart, smiled like a seas expanse and accepted that there could be a real place like it. The jadugarni recognised all this from his smile and the sparkle in his eyes. She sighed in understanding. Seventy years passed as in a dream. Ramu never married. The villagers accepted simply and naturally that he was with the jadugarni. No questions asked. One day he was delirious with fever. The village doctor and the vaid could not do much. The jadugarni was by his side all the while. She cried. She knew he was dying but she could not bear to see it. She flew to the heavens, met an archangel and said, My Ramu is dying. Help me. The archangel replied. I recognise your love for him. He certainly deserves it. But my dear, human beings are mortal and they do die. The jadugarni asked, Is there any way i can save him?

The archangel replied, You have three choices: First, you can allow him to die and go the way of all flesh. Second, you can take him to your abode in heaven and love him forever. Last, you can go back to the world, be with him and die with him. Thats it. The jadugarni chose to die with him, saying: There is no substitute for simplicity and sincerity. I will die with him. Post your comments atspeakingtree.in

BJP will not dump Modi for Nitish, NDA headed for split Ignores Bihar CMs Threat To Walk Out TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The NDA on Sunday looked set to split in a few months after the BJP virtually rejected Nitish Kumars demand to rule out by the year-end Narendra Modi as the partys prime ministerial candidate and ignored the Bihar CMs warning that he would walk out of the opposition grouping if his wishes were not complied with. Kumars warning came in a hard-hitting speech aimed at Modi in which he without taking names rejected the BJP leaders candidature for the powerful political office on the ground of lack of secular credentials and for pursuing a growth model which was exclusive and not humane. We have worked well under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and our coalition has run smoothly in Bihar, but we cannot compromise with our fundamental principles like secularism, Kumar said in his muchawaited address to the JD(U) national council.Other allies must take cue: Cong As the BJP-JD(U) relations appeared to hit a rough patch, the Congress quickly moved in, saying NDA constituents must insist on a PM nominee with secular credibility beyond doubt. I&B minister Manish Tewari said, I think other partners of NDA need to take cue from what JD(U) has said and step up to the plate and make the vision of India clear. Congress leader Rajiv Shukla sought to join cause

with Nitish Kumar, saying, Modi has been beating his own drum. While other CMs have been doing better than him, they are not going around beating their drums. Wont accept Narendra Modi as NDAs PM nominee: NitishMakes Stand Clear In Meet With Rajnath New Delhi: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar made plain his veto on Narendra Modis projection as PM to BJP chief Rajnath Singh, pointing out that a perception was swiftly gaining ground that the Gujarat strongmans candidature was a done deal. During his meeting with Singh on Saturday, Kumar is understood to have made the point that even if BJPs formal position was that no decision had been taken on a PM nominee, the impression about Modi being the saffron choice was getting sanctified. Kumar conveyed to Singh that he had no complaints about the functioning of the JD(U)-BJP alliance but was not amenable to amending his view that Modi as PM was unacceptable. Singh is understood to have accepted that the point of contention was not easy to resolve but urged the Bihar CM to wait it out so that both sides could give a thought to possible solutions. Sources said that although the JD (U)s relaxed deadline to the BJP that it should declare its PM nominee by the year-end gives both parties some breathing space, tensions can rise after the Karnataka polls in May when Modi could be made in-charge of the campaign committee. BJP will have to give careful thought to any decision that is seen as another step towards naming Modi as PM-in-waiting.

Kumars notice to BJP may be somewhat relaxed, but the CM is firm on opposing Modi even if this leads to a split with his ally. Kumars message is intended to test the saffron outfits resilience and so far, BJP has not risen to the bait. The view in BJP seems to be that since there is no obvious solution, it might be better to wait and see if one suggests itself. Clarify stand on secular PM candidate: Congress New Delhi: With the JD(U) almost vetoing Narendra Modi as BJPs prime ministerial nominee, Congress on Sunday tried to drive a wedge between the two NDA constituents by advising other partners to take cue and clarify their stand on a secular PM candidate. With dissenting voices coming from within NDA, Congress raked up the secular versus communal debate in an attempt to corner Modi who is emerging as the frontrunner as the BJPs PM nominee for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Today, these voices have started emanating from within the NDA. So I think the other partners of NDA need to take cue from what JD(U) has said and step up to the plate and make the vision of the idea of India clear, I&B minister Manish Tewari told reporters. TNN

ADDING SOME SENSE If Advani is Available to be PM, it Should End Debate It is not a given that a successful chief minister will automatically become a successful prime minister, says former finance minister YASHWANT SINHA SENIOR BJP LEADER

JD(U) wants BJP to declare its prime ministerial candidate by the

year-end. You had said in January that the time has come to declare Narendra Modi as BJPs PM candidate. What would you say now, especially considering JD(U)s reservations about him? There are two facts which we should keep in mind. One, the confusion in Congress has become more confounded because the present prime minister has thrown his hat in the ring for a third term. Earlier, I also believed that Rahul Gandhi was their unquestionable candidate. In the light of this development and also in view of the fact that JD(U) feels BJP should declare its PM candidate by the end of the year, perhaps we should wait and BJP parliamentary board should take a view in this matter. A JD(U) spokesperson has said that NDA fought 2009 polls under LK Advani, which suggests that the party may not be adverse to him. What do you have to say? Advaniji is the senior-most, most respected leader and if he is available to lead the party and government, then that should end all discussion. Everyone should fall in line and work together for the party under his leadership. But the call will have to be taken first by Advaniji himself, secondly by the party and finally by NDA. But you had only said that Modi was the best candidate to lead the party. Why this change now? The cadres still want Modi and most people want him. But that was always being discussed in context of leaders who belong to a generation below Advani. As far as Advaniji is concerned, he is in a

different league. In 2009, the party had fought the Lok Sabha elections under Advanis leadership. The experiment failed and after that BJP had decided against projecting a PM candidate before elections. There are many instances in our political history, including that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when we failed to muster a majority under his or somebody elses leadership. There were instances when they may have lost their own election also. But that did not prevent Atalji from
becoming the most successful PM when he got the chance. So the loss of one election, in our system, is not held against anyone. Would there be unanimity in BJP on Advanis candidature? In BJP, once a decision is taken, everyone falls in line. If Modi is announced as BJPs PM candidate and the JD(U) snaps ties with NDA, what do you think would be the repercussions? This is a hypothetical question. If you go back in history I am the father of this alliance. I forged the alliance with the Samata Party, when George Fernandes was the president and Nitish Kumar was a senior leader. I will be the last person to wish it to break. We are two different parties and both have the right to take their political decision in their own best interest. Would JD(U)s parting ways with NDA weaken the anti-Congress campaign? Its not just our anti-Congressism campaign. It is as much JD(U)s campaign. I will find it difficult to believe they will do anything which will give an advantage to Congress. As far as Bihar is concerned, Congress has been dead. Will JD(U)-BJP break-up effect Bihars politics? Its difficult to answer because people of Bihar want neither Congress nor RJD, and, thats why I feel we should not confront them with a difficult choice.

Several chief ministers Modi, Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Nitish Kumar have been projecting states development models. Which in your view would be best suited for the Centre? A development model, howsoever successful at the state level, cannot become the development model for the country as a whole. In formulating the fiscal and development policies for the country, one has to keep in mind issues like interest rates, money supply, the current account deficit, FTAs and promotion of trade, all India direct and indirect taxation issues, apart from international developments, which impact the countrys programmes. These are not issues with which the state governments are concerned. It is therefore not a given that a successful chief minister will automatically become a successful prime minister. How would you compare Modi and Rahul Gandhi? Its a comparison unfair to Rahul. Here is a mature, chiseled leader and administrator who has proved himself over a decade, and, on the other hand, you have a struggling politician whose only asset so far has been his pedigree. The second part of the budget session is beginning next week. Is BJP ready to cooperate with UPA in passage of financial sector reform bills? UPA needs BJPs cooperation on several issues, including land acquisition, Bangladesh boundary settlement, Lokpal and therefore I have always felt that apart from issues on which cooperation is sought, it is the spirit of the cooperation displayed by the ruling side that is more important. Interviewed by Amita Shah

ON RAHUL Vs MODI Its a comparison unfair to Rahul. Here is a leader who has proved himself over a decade, and, on the other hand, you have a struggling politician whose only asset is his pedigree

On JD U ALLIANCE We are two different parties & both have the right to take their political decision in their own best interest

APPLE SALES TO REACH A MILESTONE With $1B This Fiscal, i Now Stands for India Revenues to jump from . 2,000 cr in FY12 to over . 5,400 cr on back of surging iPhone sales WRITANKAR MUKHERJEE & SAGAR MALVIYA KOLKATA | MUMBAI

Apple Indias revenues rose three times to cross . 2,000 crore for the year ended March 2012, and analysts expect surging iPhone sales in

the country to propel the companys topline to over $1 billion (. 5,400 crore) in the current fiscal. The maker of iPhones and iPads does not disclose the financial results for the Indian unit, but as per the latest filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Apple India Private Ltds revenues rose 223% to . 2,003.9 crore in FY12 from . 620 crore, a year ago. During the same period, the Indian units net profit shot up 431% to . 311.5 crore from . 58.6 crore. These figures predate the aggressive marketing strategies adopted by Apple in the last six months and experts say it is possible that Apple Indias strong showing in 2011-12 woke the company up to the countrys huge potential. The companys huge jump in revenues has made it realise the potential of the Indian market. Apple is chasing volumes and looking at the number game, said Manasi Yadav of IDC, a firm that tracks sales of consumer technology products. iPhone shipments to India have risen three times in the last six months and according to Singapore-based market researcher Canalys, its robust sales growth will continue this year, enabling the company to clock $1 billion in 2013-14. According to Canalys, Apple would have grossed $500 million from iPhone sales in India alone in 2012-13. Apples iPhone shipments to India will be in the range of 6-7 lakh units during 2012-13 as compared to some 4 lakh units during 201112, said a Canalys analyst.

LEARN OR EARN DEBATE: Should students opt for a traditional degree (Bachelors) or a professional course at the undergraduate level?

FOR SWATI SALUNKHE Career Counsellor Professional/specialised courses should be ones choice at the undergraduate level. Once students decide on their profession,

which they usually do at the UG level, it is important to specialise from the beginning. For example, today, there are several specialised courses like BMM, BBI and BAF offered at the UG level. These courses are pursued by students who have a clear idea of their career path. A detailed knowledge of their field of interest helps them build a strong foundation. Todays generation is clear on what they want to do. Hence, pursuing a general graduation degree that covers a wide range of topics is not beneficial to students since they wont need it. Students usually decide on a career option after much research, after they have had a taste of what they are getting into. In line with this, it is beneficial for students to complete a specialised course at the UG level. This is because, once they graduate, they have a fair idea of what the industry expects. A combination of both, UG and PG specialised qualifications, produce fairly experienced, market-valued fresh. However, students who pursue certificate/diploma programmes along with a specialised UG course, have an edge when applying for PG courses. Some of the certificate/diploma programmes that can be pursued along with graduation are design, computer, travel and tourism, language, education, fitness training, photography, event management, etc. But, students need to consider their long-term goals, interest, potential, time factor and financial resources before committing to any course or profession.

- As told to Anishaa Sahijwala, Mumbai AGAINST PARTHA PRATIM GHOSH HoD, Department of Economics, St Xaviers College, Kolkata Professional courses should not be taken up at the undergraduate level and should be opted for only after graduation or higher studies. For a student who has just entered college, it would be beneficial for him or her to have a broadbased education, often not provided by professional courses. On the other hand, in general studies, a wide range of topics are taught under a single subject. This helps a student to build a strong foundation, even though s/he may later venture into professional fields or choose to stay on in academics. In this age of competition, higher education is necessary as a certain level of maturity develops over the years and a student is in a better position to choose a fruitful career. On a personal note, when I was pursuing my MBA, I realised that I was able to grasp the concepts of economics better than my classmates. This clarity of sense and thought can only be attributed to my graduation and post graduation in economics. Young students today are in a hurry to start earning at an early age. It is true that the job market is competitive, but the early bird does not necessarily fare well. This is because there is a difference between quick earning and good earning. Professional courses may provide easy placements but the nature and stability of the job is questionable. It is of no use to get any odd job that does not pay well. Rather, one

can pursue higher studies and gain experience by doing well-paid apprenticeships and internships. Work experience is highly valued by employers and it gives a certain edge during recruitment. - As told to Aditi Guha, Kolkata

THE SPEAKING TREE

Discovering God In The Gaps

Kishor Kulkarni

Consider three common scenarios: 1. A lady is sick for a long time with a chronic disease. Despite unsparing efforts by her family and best medical expertise, there is no improvement in her condition. 2. A man toils very hard at his work. But his income is meagre and not enough to support his family. Despite his best efforts at finding additional source of income or another job, his financial situation does not improve. 3. Scientists have been struggling to figure out how matter came into existence. Two scientists propose a theoretical particle that gives mass to matter which is named as Higgs boson particle after the theorists who proposed it. Now the scientists are carrying out experiments at Cern laboratory in Geneva to actually verify the existence of such a particle. The common thread in the above three scenarios is the existence of a certain gap in each of them that is not being breached despite best efforts by the concerned people. In scene 1, there is a gap between the efforts of the patients family and doctors on the one hand and the desired well-being of the lady on the other. In scene 2, there is a gap between the mans financial needs and his efforts. In scene 3, scientists are stumped by the gap between matter and its origin.

We are commonly faced with various kinds of gaps. When we find that we cannot breach the gap despite our best efforts, we tend to take recourse to a concept of God that covers that particular gap. For example, in scene 1, the sick lady and her family members pray to God in the belief that He is the only one now who can cure her. In scene 2, the man starts thinking that it is probably Gods wish that his financial situation be what it is. Yet, he may pray to God whom he regards as Almighty. In scene 3, scientists end up naming that mysterious particle, of all things, God particle, though their rational and scientific minds may not accept the concept of God! People taking recourse to the concept of God are classified into four categories as per the Bhagwad Gita. The lady in scene 1 is an aart, a sufferer who is desirous of relief from her suffering. The man in scene 2 is an artharthi who is desiring some worldly benefit. Most believers may fall into these two categories. They believe God to be someone who is omnipotent and kind enough to respond to prayers. There are two other categories of God-believing people described in the Gita. Jidnyasu are those who have quest for knowledge. They believe there is something more than the perceptible world. They are curious to know about it. So, they say God is the Creator. Cern scientists in Geneva say God particle gives matter its mass. Thus, for most people who fall in one of the three categories described above, the realm of the unknown and unattained belongs to God of the gaps.

But there is the fourth category of people. It is called jnani, the Self-realised. They are those who have understood the real nature of existence and have ceased to see any duality. Hence they perceive no gap any longer. They are in the state of Aham Brahmasmi. There is no God apart from them. In other words, they themselves have become God! Post your comments on our website, www.speakingtree.in

The Big Boxing Bout Begins GUESS WHOS PUNCHING WHOM

Harish Bijoor

As Karnataka wakes up to another summer of election discontent, the decibel level in our lives is slated to go up in the weeks ahead of May 5. This is not just aural noise. Instead, its all about the clutter of the visual, the confused tonality of touch, the sense of mixed election smell, and indeed, the delicious taste of an election as well. Not to talk of the after-taste bitter or otherwise! Elections, after all, are very sensorial processes. Sensorial processes that affect our sense of sight, the sense of smell, the sense of touch, the sense of sound, the sense of taste, and indeed, the sixth sense. This is a lovely time to assess what each party has in store for itself in terms of imagery. Imagery cues that each party has accrued over the last five years, and in the case of one party, cues that have accrued over the last three months. The brand position of a political party is the exact pinpointed position a political party occupies in a voters mind at a point in time, in relation to all other parties. Lets explore the brand positions and high ground occupied by the parties now. Lets remember, every political party is a brand and its leaders are sub-brands that either embellish or rob the party of its deserving image. So, here goes a quick

paintbrush imagery of the four prominent formations assembled to face the electorate. BJP THE STORY SO FAR Heres a party in tumult. But, then, which party is not? The nataka of Karnataka politics has bitten every one of them. The BJP, however, has many bites to show though. It had a clear mandate to rule. BS Yeddyurappa, the grass-roots leader, became CM. It had a good start. What followed was the politics of appeasement, rebellion of the Bellary Brothers, scams, and finally imprisonment(s). A new CM took charge. Again, we saw resort politics, brinkmanship, and another CM. Old issues cropped up again. BSY got all set to split the Lingayat vote. Brinkmanship followed. The leader quit the party he built. The KJP was born. BRAND IMAGERY Corruption is a non-issue; performance is. Voters strangely forgive corruption but not lack of performance. The BJP is seen as a party that squandered the popular and solid mandate given to it; its an unforgivable image the party now has to contend with. Significantly, this is the key explanation the partys communication strategy needs to address. Congress THE STORY SO FAR A party broken in form. While the party ruled the roost in the UPA coalition at the Centre, Karnataka remained a muddled dream of fishing in troubled waters. The efforts kept moving in a straight-line trajectory as any opposition party worth its salt would indulge in. Despite so many opportunities provided by the ruling party in the state, the party could never seize them really. A divided state leadership ensured the partys biggest competition was from within. Sadly, this continues to date, with the latest bickering on ticket allocation catalyzing it even more. Who is the real leader of the Congress party in the state, then? BRAND IMAGERY The Congress is fighting with itself. It has a near sure-shot chance at governance.

The party has, however, not got its act together. The party is seen to be secular. Its leaders seem to exhibit ability, but the missing element is a common weal and a common driver who all will respect, before, during and after elections. This is the key communication that the party needs to address. Manifesto apart, the party leadership needs to be defined. JD(S) THE STORY SO FAR A party that is intermittently awake and intermittently asleep. Are there two parties really, or one? Is there a party in North Karnataka and one in Bangalore-Mysore? HD Kumaraswamys work has been appreciated in the past at the ground level. But has Kumaranna lost out being centre-stage for long? Public memory is proverbially short. The partys stand on Cauvery and Krishna waters has been appreciated by farmers. Thats a plus. Is JD(S) a party that is family-led and family-managed? And has this put off a lot of leaders who have deserted it over the last five years? BRAND IMAGERY Confused as of now. The party needs to address key issues in the eye and move much beyond its trajectory of talking about farmers at large. Rapid urbanization is a reality and the party needs to address issues related to infrastructure and education clearly and purposefully. Just water politics may not do. KJP THE STORY SO FAR A newborn led by an old warhorse. Yeddyurappa is possibly the only leader in the pantheon of leaders around who can be seen to be a real grass-roots leader capable of rousing the troops into action. The pity, however, is that the troops are just being assembled, and some of his key confidants still sit in the BJP. This delay might prove to be just too costly. BRAND IMAGERY The party needs to assemble its troops together fast. The key communication piece it needs to address is the fact that many a voter will think voting for the KJP is a waste of a vote. The typical hurdle the best of independent candidates faces in

elections voters want to vote for you but dont as they want a winner and not a loser to be the beneficiary of their valuable vote faces the KJP as well. This is a big communication task. The author is a brand expert & CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc

JD(U) set to put BJP on notice over Modi-for-PM

Ally Likely To Bite Bullet At Weekend Meet
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The unity of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) looks set to be tested this weekend, with the Janata Dal (United) likely to ask the saffron outfit to shortly declare its candidate for prime minister while making it clear that it would not accept a person lacking in secular image: political shorthand for Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. Sources in the party said the JD(U) executive and national meetings set for the weekend would make it plain to the BJP that it would not indefinitely put up with ambiguity on the leadership. Such a reminder could strain to breaking point the ties between the NDA allies who already seem to be drifting apart over the likelihoodof Modis projection as the main oppositions candidate for the top political job. The BJP has been putting off a formal announcement on its candidate for the PMO for fear of offending allies like Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Kumar has told the BJP leadership on several occasions since last year that he would walk out of the opposition grouping should Modi be named the opposition candidate. The BJP leadership assuaged him by saying that they had not decided on anyone and by promising that they would consult all NDA partners before taking a call. But with all signs suggesting that the Gujarat CM is set to lead the party into the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the JD (U) is keen that the BJP reveal its hand without delay.

TURBULENT ALLIANCE Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes ally with BJP in 1996 when they were part of Samata Party which won 6 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Both were part of NDA govt in 1999 Janata Dal (United) formed in 2003 after merger with Sharad Yadav faction of Janata Dal JD(U)-BJP tie-up rests on shared objective of opposing RJD leader Lalu Prasad. Alliance elected in Bihar in 2005 & 2010 Relations jolted in 2010 when Nitish cancels dinner for BJP leaders over a picture showing him and Modi together In June 2012, Nitish targets Modi, says in an interview that NDA must project a PM with secular credentials NDA has 151 MPs in the Lok Sabha; JD(U) is the BJPs largest ally with 20 seatsDeclare PM candidate: JD(U) to BJP New Delhi: Janata Dal (United) is likely to ask the BJP to declare its prime ministerial candidate soon. We don't want to be caught unawares, said a JD(U) leader who pointed out that for the 2009 elections, NDA had declared L K Advani as its candidate by 2007-end. We are merely asking them to follow what they did the last time, the JD(U) leader said. The ratification of Kumars line by the JD(U)s national council and national executive is expected to eliminate the room for what the party source called a lastminute nasty surprise. When asked, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav refused to discuss the details, and limited himself to saying that members of the national executive and national council will discuss the political scenario in detail and with an open mind, stressing that nothing was decided yet. It all depends on what all the delegates may decide to discuss and the decisions they take, stressed the veteran leader who is to be elected president of the party for a record third term.

Kumar also refused to be drawn out on the issue, though he indicated that the deliberations will cover NDAs candidate for prime ministership and chart out the way forward. We will discuss the current political situation in its entirety and all its complexity, he said. When specifically asked whether the leadership issue was also on the table, Kumar said, When I say the entire political situation, that includes everything. However, sources in the party confirmed that the issue of prime ministerial candidate figures high on the agenda of the national executive and national council. They asserted that the party would not countenance any prevarication. BJP sources refused to comment on the likelihood of JD(U) upping its ante, but appeared resigned to the possibility of a split with one of its oldest allies. The rupture, ironically, may work to Modi's advantage by eliminating displeasure of allies as the consideration in the leadership sweepstakes. JD(U)'s secular rivals have taunted it for persisting with BJP despite the growing indications that Modi was headed to bag the prime ministerial nomination. The pressure from JD(U) may force the BJP to confront a decision it has dodged for the sake of preserving the NDA and not to rebuff aspirations within its fold. With Modi having surged ahead in the race for prime ministerial nomination on the strength of his appeal among the cadre, the party may find it difficult to submit to Kumar's demand to rule him out, and that too immediately. The meetings of JD(U)'s national executive and national council, on Saturday and Sunday respectively, will highlight the Bihar model and its social equity emphasis as a more viable formulation in comparison to Modi's pro-free enterprise. The Gujarat model cannot be applicable in other states, senior JD(U) leader Bashisht Narain Singh said.

Re-open 84 riots case against Tytler: Court Smriti Singh TNN

New Delhi: The ghost of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has returned yet again to haunt Congress leader Jagdish Tytler. A sessions court on Wednesday ordered reopening of the case against him despite the CBI giving him the clean chit twice. The former Union minister is accused of instigating a mob on November 1, 1984, whose actions led to the death of three persons taking shelter in a gurdwara. Setting aside the order of a magisterial court, which had accepted the CBIs closure report in 2010, the court directed the agency to record the statements of purported witnesses. CBI is directed to conduct further investigationand to record statements of witnesses, who it had come to know during the investigation itself, are claiming to be eyewitnesses of the incident, additional sessions judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj said. Let the law take its own course, Tytler told TOI, putting up a brave front. CBI has nothing on me and I will come out clean. Today, the court has asked CBI to further investigate and has said nothing against me. This matter is purely

between CBI and Lakhwinder Kaur (complainant). I am not in the picture, the veteran Congress leader said. BACK IN THE DOCK NOV 1984 | Anti-Sikh riots claim around 3,000 lives in Delhi. Jagdish Tytler is MP from Delhi Sadar at the time JAN 1985 | Tytler becomes Union minister in Rajiv government after elections AUG 10, 2005 | Resigns as minister in UPA govt after Nanavati panel on 84 riots recommends registration of case against him. Tytler accused of instigating a mob that killed three men hiding in a gurdwara on Nov 1 SEPT 2007 | CBI files closure report, gives him clean chit DEC 2007 |Court rejects closure report APR 2, 2009 | CBI again files closure report. Accepted by court APR 10, 2013 | Sessions court orders reopening of case, on plea of the widow of one of the victims Statements of 4 witnesses not recorded The courts order came on a plea challenging the magisterial courts order that accepted CBIs closure report. Appearing for the riot victims and Lakhwinder Kaur, whose husband was one of the victims, senior advocate H S Phoolka had sought the courts direction for further investigations. Phoolka had alleged that the agency disregarded the statement of material witnesses. Kaur in her plea had claimed there are four persons, Resham Singh, Chanchal Singh, Alam Singh and Santosh Singh, who witnessed the incident. The CBI had sought dismissal of the Kaurs plea saying the probe had made it clear that Tytler was not present on November 1, 1984 at Gurudwara Pulbangash in north Delhi, where three people were killed during the riots. While the CBI has given a clean chit to Tytler twice in the past citing the witnesses as non reliable, Wednesdays order left the agency red-faced as the court found fault with the probe for not examining all available witnesses. The CBI had contended that the statements of eyewitness Surinder Singh, who had died, were contradictory and could not be relied upon. The court, however, cited a Supreme Court judgment in another 1984 riots case against

Sajjan Kumar, in which it was held that contradictions in the statements of witnesses were a matter to decided during the trial and could not be considered earlier. Going by the law laid down by the Supreme Court, the contradictions in the statements of witness Surinder Singh given at different points of time could not be analysed and read for or against any party at the stage of summoning, it said. The sessions court also pulled up the trial court which had accepted the CBIs plea that Surinder Singh was not reliable and, as he had died, the contradictions in his statements could not be explained. Citing the apex courts judgment, the ASJ said the death of a witness could not be a ground to conclude that no evidence would come to corroborate the statements made by him.

Rahuls jibes make Modi sting like a bee

A Gladiatorial Duel In The Offing In 2014?
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Saturday joined issue with Rahul Gandhi for equating India with a beehive, heightening the prospect of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections turning into a gladiatorial duel between the two political arch-rivals. It is unfortunate that a senior Congress leader equated India with a beehive. For us India is our motherland. For us, India comes first, Modi said reacting to Gandhis recent speech at a CII function without naming him. The Gujarat CM, the leading claimant for being the BJPs prime ministerial nominee, who was addressing a huge meeting of BJP workers did not mention Rahul, but rubbed it in by suggesting that the Congress scion was not familiar with Indian ethos. If you cannot understand the language and culture of the country, avoid saying anything that insults the motherland by equating it with a beehive, he said. Goel puts Advani back in race for PM The next central government would be formed under BJP stalwart L K Advanis leadership and nobody else, Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel said on Saturday. His comments, pitching the veterans name in the race for PM, in the presence of BJP chief Rajnath Singh and Advani set off afresh round of speculation.P 9 Insult heaped on BJP will work in its favour: Modi Rahul Gandhi had on Thursday likened India to a beehive, saying that it reflected the countrys energy and complexity. He also appeared to have taken a veiled swipe at Modi that the CMs allegedly exclusivist agenda and individualistic style was not suited for Indias needs. A riposte from Modi was expected and it came Saturdays party function, though in an interview to Times Now he had parried a question based on Rahuls beehive metaphor. In the interview, he also avoided a direct reply on whether the battle for 2014 is shaping up as a Modi versus Rahul match up. Modi also took on Congress for terming him a Yamraj (God of death), saying that every such insult heaped on the BJP will only work to partys advantage. The more dirt you throw on us, the more the lotus (BJPs poll symbol) will bloom. In 2007, they called me Maut ke saudagar and you people gave a befitting answer to them in the elections. Now, they are calling me Yamraj. I am sure you will give them a 0similar answer in 2014, Modi said.

Delhi BJP chief stirs leadership debate

Goel Asserts Next Govt Will Be Under Advani
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel raised more than a few eyebrows on Saturday by asserting that the next government will be formed under party veteran L K Advanis leadership, although he offered a retraction soon after. The next government at the Centre will be formed under the leadership of L K Advani and nobody else, Goel said, stirring the leadership debate at a time when the clamour to project Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is growing. Although Goel soon amended his remarks, saying the prime ministerial nominee will be decided by the BJP parliamentary board, his comments in the presence of party chief Rajnath Singh and Advani set off a fresh round of speculation. Goel soon qualified his comments. As Advanij i is the tallest leader, the party will fight the next election under his leadership (n e t r i t w a), he told TOI. However, he added that the PM debate will be settled by the parliamentary board. There is no debatethe party president has already said that the PM issue will be addressed by the BJP parliamentary board, he said. This is the second time in recent weeks that Goel has been at the centre of a controversy over his observations on the leadership issue.

AMBITIOUS TO-DO LIST FM rules out early polls Says Govt Will Fulfil Agenda TIMES NEWS NETWORK New Delhi: Finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday emphatically ruled out early general elections, saying the government will fulfil its agenda and then go for polls in May 2014, even as he unveiled an ambitious todo list for the government in the run up to the contest. There will be no early elections. Elections will take place on time in May 2014, Chidambaram said at the end of an hour-long news conference where he also expressed the resolve to make the Direct Benefits of Transfer scheme a success. He said the scheme, which the Congress expects to be the 2014 clincher, will soon cover cooking gas subsidy. Chidambaram made it clear the government wants to accumulate an impressive core card to run on. Why should the government expect an early election? All that I said in the last 50 minutes, does that point towards early elections? It points to completing our agenda for 2013-14 and then going for elections in May, Chidambaram said when asked about a report saying the government wants to bring forward elections. Government has planned to get food security and land acquisition bills part of the political ammunition it wants to stack up for 2014 when Parliament resumes on April 22 after the recess: the chief reason it has dodged Mulayam Singh Yadavs increasing aggression against Congress.

TROUBLED TIMES Mallya under govt scanner MP Kadam, Too, Faces Heat For Tax Evasion TIMES NEWS NETWORK NewDelhi:The government is probing Rajya Sabha member and chief of ailing Kingfisher Airline Vijay Mallya, top industrialists and Lok Sabha member Vivekananda Kadam, and those who figure in the list of names exposed by a global media investigative operation are being probed for alleged tax evasion. Finance minister P Chidambaram confirmed on Saturday that a probe has been ordered based on the names unveiled by the investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and its partner media houses. Yes. We have taken note of the names and inquiries have been put in motion in respect of the names that have been exposed, Chidambaram told a news conference when asked whether the government had ordered any investigation on the ICIJ expose. He did not elaborate on the nature of the probe or which agencies were involved. A global journalistic investigation had exposed secret financial dealings of several politicians, industrialists and professionals in tax havens. Names of 612 Indians, including at least two members of parliament and several industrialists, figured in the list. Among the Indians with accounts in the tax havens exposed by the ICIJ investigation also include industrialists such as Ravikant Ruia, Teja Raju, Samir Modi, Chetan Burman, Abhey Kumar Oswal, Rahul Mammen Mappillai, Saurabh Mittal, Sonu Lalchand Mirchandani, Vinod Doshi etc. Some of the Indians are NRIs, and therefore could legitimately use tax havens, while many of them whose names figured in the list have denied ever opening accounts in British Virgin Islands or other tax havens. The investigation by ICIJ and its partner media houses had exposed 120,000 companies registered in secretive tax havens and nearly 130,000 individuals. Replying to another question on the sting operation conducted by Cobrapost which has alleged money laundering by three top private banks ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank, the finance minister said stern action would be taken if there is any violation of laws. My officers have told me that have taken a look at the CDs of the earlier

sting that were telecast. My officers have not yet had a chance to look at this CD but in the earlier sting they have taken a look at it. They have drawn some tentative conclusions, the finance minister said. We are waiting for the internal enquiries promised by the three banks, the private sector banks and the report of the RBI. RBI is seriously looking into the matter. So if there are any tax related violations certainly we will take action. But as I said if there is any violation of tax law stern action will be taken, Chidambaram said while replying to a question on the sting operation conducted by online portal Cobrapost. He said his officers who have reviewed the initial CDs of the sting have said that the tentative conclusion is that in not one of the cases was there a real intention to open a bank account in the name of a real person or offer real money to the banker to open the account. So if there is no real money was exchanged, no real intention to open a bank account there does not seem to be any violation of the Income Tax Act. But they could be violating some other laws which are being looked into, he added. Govt meets 2012-13 tax target New Delhi: Finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the fiscal deficit for 2012-13 is expected to be better than the 5.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) announced earlier on the back of robust revenues and some savings. Addressing a news conference, Chidambaram also allayed fears over the widening current account deficit (CAD) saying the annual number for the 201213 fiscal would be more tolerable. As always there will be some savings (on expenditure). So what does it mean ... if we reach the revenue target and if there are some savings, the fiscal deficit will be better than 5.2% that I have projected, Chidambaram said but declined to guess the actual number. The finance minister said that revenue receipts in 2012-13 fiscal year the government had been able to meet the overall target of Rs 10.38 lakh crore despite a tough economic environment. He said there was a slippage on direct taxes front but on the indirect tax front the target had exceeded the revised estimates. In the indirect taxes there was excess over the target. In the direct taxes, there was a shortfall over target. But overall we have achieved the target of over Rs 10.38 lakh crore, he said and added that revenue growth in 2012-13 was 16.7%.

The government had been struggling to meet its revenue target for 2012-13 against the backdrop of slowing growth and a challenging economic environment but the last minute push by the government has enabled it to meet the target and help trim the fiscal deficit. TNN

RIGHT & WRONG To win, Modi has to sell a dream SWAPAN DAS GUPTA Leafing through a bundle of yellowed newspaper clippings of the 1984 general election, I was struck by the remarkable extent to which the editorial class failed to read the clear writing on the wall. Those were the days before the public was inundated with opinion polls and, consequently, were overdependant on journalistic assessments. But in fixing their gaze on caste equations, factional rivalries and local grievances, they failed to gauge a simple fact: that a people traumatized by Indira Gandhis assassination had chosen to vote as a nation. The next general election is unlikely to be held under such fearful circumstances. But whatever is the mental state of India on voting day either later this year or in 2014, one thing is certain: the editorial classes are unlikely to capture the big picture. The media as a whole has shown a marked disinclination to distinguish between noise and music. A recent event will illustrate the point vividly. Last week, the BJP president nominated Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to the partys parliamentary board, its highest decision-making body. The appointment was the clearest signal that Modi had been assigned a national role and had been raised to the status of first among equals. For all practical purposes, he is likely to be the face of the BJP campaign in the general election. Regardless of whether he is formally anointed the shadow PM, in the public perception he will be viewed as such. Ever since Modi won the Gujarat Assembly election for the third consecutive occasion in December, there was a certain inevitability about the elevation. Anyone with an ear to the ground would have detected the growing clamour for Modi, not merely among the committed BJP activists and voters but among a larger section of the electorate. There was a fierce groundswell from below which forced the hands of the BJP leadership. And yet, despite the sheer logic of the unstructured democratic process, there was a disproportionate media focus on those who tried to wage a losing battle. The details of this futile rearguard action are well known to those who are tuned to the political grapevine. First, it was suggested that a Patel revolt

would put an end to Modis re-election bid in Gujarat. Secondly, it was authoritatively stated that the RSS would veto any attempt to project an individual over the cause. Thirdly, it was suggested that the BJP couldnt afford to disregard Nitish Kumars public disavowal of Modi. And, finally, it was put out that LK Advanis opposition to Project Modi would eventually prevail. The hurdles in the path of Modis journey into national politics werent all concocted. In normal times, these would have been formidable obstacles. In an election year, however, their importance was nominal, particularly since Modi was being propelled by an outburst of sentiment. In a democracy, the biggest attribute of a politician is popularity, and in the primary rounds Modi had that going for him. This is not to suggest that the road to Modis entry into the house on Race Course Road is pre-determined. Although an outsider enjoys a natural advantage at a time when the Delhi Establishment stands exposed as inept and venal, he still faces many real challenges. The foremost of these is his ability to reconcile his personal popularity with the increasingly jaded reputation of his party. Trends since 1996 suggest that Lok Sabha elections are an aggregate of local, national and leadership contests. If Modi is unable to break this mould, he will find himself in a position similar to that of Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1996: the leader of the largest party in a hung Parliament but unable to cross the 272-seat hump. Since the BJPs footprint doesnt extend throughout India, the only realistic course for Modi is to emulate what Indira Gandhi did in 1980: convert a parliamentary poll into a presidential election. The electorate has to be convinced that it is electing a Modi sarkar. Political messaging holds the key to a Modi campaign. There has to be a dominant theme that touches voters in every corner of India and overrides regional and sectional considerations. Modi has to both sell a dream and simultaneously invoke the fear of India turning into a land of shrinking opportunities. A nuanced campaign that appeals in part to aspirational India, in part to Hindu nationalism and in part to caste will be a disastrous cocktail. The personality of Modi and the national yearning for a strong leader demands an in-your-face approach with a strong positive message. A goodygoody Modi wont sell. He is not a Vajpayee.

Of course, it will be a gamble and will offend those who believe that Indias future lies in muddling through. But no wars are won without audacity and determination.

MODI-FY: The Gujarat CM has to reconcile his personal popularity with the increasingly jaded reputation of his party Our inconsistent ethical instincts We like to believe that our principles are rooted in conviction. But research shows that they are little more than fickle, inconsistent intuitions Matthew Hutson

Moral quandaries often pit concerns about principles against concerns about practical consequences. Should we ban assault rifles and large sodas, restricting peoples liberties for the sake of physical health and safety? Should we allow drone killings or torture, if violating one persons rights could save a thousand lives? We like to believe that the principled side of the equation is rooted in deep, reasoned conviction. But a growing wealth of research shows that those values often prove to be finicky, inconsistent intuitions, swayed by ethically irrelevant factors. What you say now you might disagree with in five minutes. And such wavering has implications for both public policy and our personal lives. Philosophers and psychologists often distinguish between two ethical

frameworks. A utilitarian perspective evaluates an action purely by its consequences. If it does good, its good. A deontological approach, meanwhile, also takes into account aspects of the action itself, like if it adheres to certain rules. Do not kill, even if killing does good. No one adheres strictly to either philosophy, and it turns out we can be nudged one way or the other for illogical reasons. For a recent paper to be published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, subjects were made to think either abstractly or concretely say, by writing about the distant or near future. Those who were primed to think abstractly were more accepting of a hypothetical surgery that would kill a man so that one of his glands could be used to save thousands of others from a deadly disease. In other words, a very simple manipulation of mindset that did not change the specifics of the case led to very different responses. Class can also play a role. Another paper, in the March issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, shows that upper-income people tend to have less empathy than those from lower-income strata, and so are more willing to sacrifice individuals for the greater good. Upper-income subjects took more money from another subject to multiply it and give to others, and found it more acceptable to push a fat man in front of a trolley to save five others on the track both outcome-oriented responses. But asking subjects to focus on the feelings of the person losing the money made wealthier respondents less likely to accept such a trade-off. Other recent research shows similar results: stressing subjects, rushing them or reminding them of their mortality all reduce utilitarian responses, most likely by preventing them from controlling their emotions. Even the way a scenario is worded can influence our judgments, as lawyers and politicians well know. In one study, subjects read a number of variations of the classic trolley dilemma: should you turn a runaway trolley away from five people and onto a track with only one? When flipping the switch was described as saving the people on the first track, subjects tended to support it. When it was described as killing someone on the second, they did not. Same situation, different answers. And other published studies have shown that our moods can make misdeeds seem more or less sinful. Ethical violations become less offensive after people watch a humour programme like Saturday Night Live. But they become more offensive after reading Chicken Soup for the Soul, which triggers emotional elevation, or after smelling a mock-flatulence spray, which triggers disgust. The scenarios in these papers are somewhat contrived (trolleys and such), but they have real-world analogues: deciding whether to fire a loyal employee for the good of the company, or whether to donate to a single sick child rather

than to an aid organisation that could save several. Regardless of whether you endorse following the rules or calculating benefits, knowing that our instincts are so sensitive to outside factors can prevent us from settling on our first response. Objective moral truth doesnt exist, and these studies show that even if it did, our grasp of it would be tenuous. But we can encourage consistency in moral reasoning by viewing issues from many angles, discussing them with other people and monitoring our emotions closely. In recognizing our psychological quirks, we just might find answers we can live with. NYT NEWS SERVICE