Innholdsfortegnelse for February 25, 2019 i India Today

Presenting the interim budget earlier this month, finance minister Piyush Goyal referred to women five times, including two mentions of ‘sisters and mothers’. Finance minister Arun Jaitley referred to women-specific schemes eight times when he presented this government’s last full budget in 2018. The prime minister, in his inimitable style, has said, “A daughter is equivalent to 10 sons. The punya you earn through 10 sons is equalled by one daughter. This underscores the importance given to women in our society. That is why, in our society, women have the status of Shakti.” No wonder Nari Shakti or woman power is the new political mantra. Women voters are clearly in every politician’s thoughts for one very important reason—more women are turning out to vote. There has been a dramatic narrowing…

EVERY VOTE COUNTS The Story of India’s Elections byNavin Chawla HarperCollins India ₹524; 376 pages From the tale of India’s first elections to a review of the major issues and controversies marking the conduct of elections today, Navin Chawla gives an account of the history of the Election Commission. The talent lies in the assemblage of interesting anecdotes and themes rather than the novelty of chronicling the role and impact of India’s most trusted institution. Besides carving his place in the EC’s exalted history and settling a few old scores in passing, Chawla writes a personal version of an already told story. DEMOCRACY ON THE ROAD A 25 Year Journey through India by Ruchir Sharma Penguin Allen Lane ₹699; 352 pages Among the flurry of books that will be written…

When Yudhishthira lost his kingdom to Duryodhana, in a loaded game of dice, he did not call him a ‘chor’ and nor did Duryodhana charge Yudhishthira with being a ‘shahzad’ for demanding his kingdom back. Maybe such offensive language was not used because the epic was written in Sanskrit where such epithets are not available. Or perhaps they were not used because the language of offending and insulting, belittling and mocking one’s adversaries is alien to our Indic culture. The epic stresses the courtesies that Dhritarashtra received, even on the battlefield, despite the fact that he could have avoided the war if he had been less indulgent of his eldest son. So why have we strayed so far in the language that is in use in our politics today? Is…

The possible entry of two high-profile names from the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha election has leaders within and outside the party abuzz. While Nakul Nath, chief minister Kamal Nath’s son, is tipped to take over from his father at Chhindwara, the parliamentary constituency he has held since 1980, it is being speculated that Priyadarshini Raje, wife of former Union minister and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, will contest the Lok Sabha poll this time. Appointed general secretary in charge of western Uttar Pradesh, Scindia faces the tough challenge of reviving the Congress in at least 46 Lok Sabha constituencies in the neighbouring state. The situation may prompt Priyadarshini Raje to take up a bigger role in Guna. In the past, she has campaigned for her husband. In October 2017,…

The Narrowing Gender Gap In half the states and Union territories, the turnout of women voters surpassed that of men, 2012-18 By and large, the gender skew is in favour of women more in assembly polls than in parliamentary elections, which could also be an indicator of their greater willingness to engage with local issues that tend to shape their lives. Also, they tend to be more involved in backward states than prosperous ones, where men seem to turn up in greater numbers Proactive on Election Day Figures from Lok Sabha elections, 1980–2014, show the relative increase in female voter participation is driven not by higher registrations but their desire to turn up on voting day Women for Women A post-poll survey in 2014 shows that parties led by women…

“Women have reservation, but government jobs are few” Name: Mamta Namdeo Age: 35 Address: Itwara, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Education: B.Ed Status: Single, takes care of niece Occupation: Receptionist at private hospital Income: Rs 7,000 a month Benefits received: Niece entitled to Rs 1 lakh at age 21, if she studies up to Class XII and is unmarried, under Laadli Laxmi scheme of state government; will receive Rs 18,000 in Class XII Hopes for: Greater share of women in employment…

In the first setback to the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls, five-term party MP and ex-agriculture minister Ramkrishna Kusmaria joined the Congress in Bhopal on February 8. The party is now targeting more BJP leaders, especially those who had switched in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in 2014. The names of Hoshangabad MP Rao Uday Pratap Singh and Bhind MP Bhagirath Prasad are doing the rounds. Prasad, in fact, joined the BJP after securing the Congress nomination from Bhind in 2014. He returned it and then accepted a BJP ticket. n…

Along-awaited audit report tabled in Parliament rang the curtains down on the last day of the 16th Lok Sabha. The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audited the Modi government’s 2016 purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft at an estimated Rs 60,000 crore. The report exonerates the government on the charge that it had bought overpriced jets from France, a key allegation by the opposition ahead of the May 2019 general election. The deal, the CAG noted, was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the one negotiated by the UPA for seven years, between 2007 and 2014. While this assessment suggests that recent claims by government ministers of a 9 per cent saving in the 2016 negotiation were exaggerated, Congress president Rahul Gandhi dismissed the report as a ‘cover-up’.…

It is freezing weather, below zero, here in Berlin. But one is always excited to return to the Berlin International Film Festival. There are many highly anticipated films at the 69th edition of the festival, on from February 7 to 17. The international films include Vice by Adam McKay, starring Christian Bale and Amy Adams, a satire on Dick Cheney, vice-president to George W. Bush, with eight Oscar nominations to its name. Fatih Akin’s The Golden Glove, a horrific, misogynist film based on a real-life German serial killer who murdered and dismembered sex workers, makes Korean horror films look like children’s films. Wang Quan’an’s acclaimed Öndög is about a tough woman herder on the Mongolian steppe; Varda by Agnes, by Agnès Varda, is on the life and work of the…

Neel Patel acknowledges (sort of) his debt to Jhumpa Lahiri by quoting from The Namesake for the epigraph of If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi, his debut collection of short stories, published in the US last year to some acclaim and now available in Indian bookshops. But, there is a point at which the homage becomes merely derivative, and the stories blurbed as undermining stereotypes become their own kind of stereotype. The stories, meant to subvert stereotypes, become their own stereotypes Perhaps Indian-Americans are still so new to the general American reader that they are surprised when a writer argues, as the cover illustrates, that there is more than just one shade of brown. That Indian-Americans too are defeated and confounded by love and its demands, the same as…

SIP IN STYLE Drink the way royals did with Frazer and Haws’ rice hammered silver glasses. They also make great gifts. PRICE ₹16,500 (per glass) AT www.frazerandhaws.com SKY HIGH Rustomjee Crown is set to bring luxurious living to Mumbai’s Prabhadevi area with three skyscrapers spread over 5.75 acres and a 2.52 acre open-to-the-sky podium, swimming pools, cinema halls and recreation facilities. PRICE ₹5.65 crore to ₹12.25 crore (approx) AT www.rustomjeecrownmumbai.com WASH WARE Kaff has launched a new range of stylish sinks. Functional, durable and hygienic, they are made of high grade stainless steel. What’s more? The underside of the sink has sound deadening pads along with anti-condensation coating. PRICE ₹4,990 to ₹31,990 AT www.kaff.in Plate Up As far as collaborations go, master chef Gary Mehigan and his wife Mandy’s association…

NEW LOOK An old flooring material gets a new lease of life in Bharat Flooring & Tiles’ latest project. Here, cast in situ terrazzo floor makes a statement. Price on request At www.bharatfloorings.com TILE STYLE To create the Ultima range of body tiles, Kajaria Ceramics uses high technology. The result? The large-size glazed vitrified tiles are available is six different sizes. They look like real marble and come in an array of attractive finishes with easy and quick installation. Price on request At www.kajariaceramics.com ITALIAN JOB Orient Bell Limited has launched a range of Italian marble tiles. These polished glazed vitrified tiles are stain-resistant, strong and have low water porosity, making them perfect for the home. Price ₹45 per sq ft (for 600 x 60 mm)…

CREATING BESPOKE furniture has been Theodore Alexander’s forte since 1996, when Paul Maitland Smith founded it. The brand recently launched the Althorp Living History collection, designed in partnership with Charles Spencer (9th Earl Spencer) in India. The collection, inspired by the Althorp Estate showcases reproductions and pieces from there. We caught up with Lord Spencer at the launch. WHAT LED TO THE COLLABORATION? I was approached by agents. They introduced me to various people but I wasn’t convinced. Then they introduced me to Paul Maintland Smith. He was nearing retirement and wanted to go out on an absolute high. He wanted a premium product, the Rolls Royce of furniture. I was right to trust him. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE? My favourite piece is the Washington Chest. It is an oak…

Even as the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) work towards finalising the seat-sharing arrangements for the Lok Sabha election, Sumalatha Ambarish, veteran actress and wife of late Congress leader and actor Ambarish, has thrown her hat into the ring. Sumalatha, who lacks a political background, will contest from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, currently held by the JD(S). Leaders of both parties are miffed with chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and have questioned her motive. Sumalatha claims that Ambarish’s fans want her to continue his legacy and will not withdraw. She may emerge as a spoilsport if the Congress rejects her candidature. That would be quite a cinematic twist.…

A probe launched by the Karnataka government into an audio tape of BJP leader and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa allegedly attempting to lure Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs with money has become an embarrassment for the party. The tape allegedly also implicates legislative assembly speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar as part of the conspiracy to bring down the JD(S)-Congress government. Kumar strongly denied the allegations on February 8, the day the tape was released by chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. “I am extremely pained to hear this allegation, considering the image I have maintained in public life. I request the government to order a thorough probe and submit the report in 15 days,” Kumar said in the assembly three days later. Kumaraswamy wasted no time in ordering the probe by a special…

BOOK OF LIFE West Bengal, 2014: Rs 1,000/ year and Rs 25,000 one-time conditional cash transfer for schooling to deter early marriage Rajasthan, 2016: Rs 15,000 for BPL school toppers; Rs 25,000 for BA and MA; education scholarships for all girls born after June 1 Bihar, 2018: Rs 54,100 from birth of a girl child till graduation Rajasthan, 2018: Free basic computer training for 200,000 women UP, 2019: Grants for education and marriage for girls Assam, 2019: Nine new women’s colleges; e-bikes for girl students securing first division in class XII exams CENTRAL SCHEMES 2016: Online platform for over 2,000 courses, covers 30 million students 2018: To improve quality of school education; funding for library, digitisation and skill development; scholarship scheme for girl students who want to pursue higher education;…

Most of the Shiv Sena’s 18 MPs have PDF copies of their poll campaign material all ready. The only spot left blank is near the top, for a picture of PM Narendra Modi, to be pasted alongside Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s. The photo goes up if there’s a pre-poll deal with the BJP. The MPs have urged Thackeray to hurry it up, but he seems to be in no rush. A Sena source says a final decision will be taken only after consultations with influential wife Rashmi, who has made other strategic inteventions in the past. Such as at the time of the wedding of Raj Thackeray’s son Amit on January 27, when “it was “Vahini (sister-in-law, as Rashmi is known in party circles) who finally decided that Uddhav and…

Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy elevates the Bollywood musical. Co-written by Reema Kagti and Akhtar, it has many elements, relatively rare, in mainstream Bollywood: intelligence, gritty realism, exploration of class and minority issues, and radical feminism—all driven by a pulsating rap score. Its song Apna Time Ayega is bound to become a youth anthem. It is also thrilling to see how well Bollywood’s women directors have done at the Berlin film festival. Zoya Akhtar confidently takes the baton passed by Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om which had a full house dancing in 2008. Gully Boy is one of the most exhilarating Bollywood films made in a long time. Starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, it is a rap musical set in Dharavi, in which Singh’s character aspires to be a rap…

For a show focusing on the activity of cleaning up, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo is surprisingly watchable. Kondo’s YouTube channel advocating the KonMari method of organising has had a large following for a few years. The Netflix show sells decluttered serenity, bolstered by Kondo’s reputation and her Japanese nationality, that lends credence to the minimalism she encourages. She flits in and out of American homes stuffed with things in various degrees of disorder. The Akiyama house, with its piles of clutter, hoarded over generations, will make many Indians smile. The idea is to keep only the things that ‘spark joy’. You may wince at that phrase, but it works. She categorises items into clothing, books, papers, komono (ranging from bathroom to kitchen and other miscellany) and sentimental items. To…

Having translated the Valmiki Ramayana, I know of the itch to make the text what you want it to be—Sita should have said this, Rama should have done that. While a translator, bound to the imagination of the original composer, can’t scratch the itch, a reteller of the story can. Author Amit Majmudar grabs the opportunity by the proverbial horns and lets his imagination soar in his version of the Rama story, which he names ‘Sitayana’. In this glorious mish-mash of many Ramayanas and multiple commentaries, we are treated to new motivations for action, revised etymologies, puns and poetry. Hanuman meets Surasa on his journey to fetch the sanjivani (rather than on his leap to Lanka) and offers to ‘come in her mouth’; Rama has brought Sanskrit to the monkeys…

Most days, the interior stylist-cum-lecturer-cum-visual merchandiser Manuu Mansheet can be found moving his furniture, changing the position of his many antiques, rotating the dizzying array of art on his walls or pottering in the kitchen. Located in Mehrauli, Delhi, the yellow bungalow is in stark contrast to its dusty surroundings. However, even the colourful exteriors and the artwork in the verandah does not prepare you for the kaleidoscope of art, craft and hues indoors. But then, nothing less would be expected of Mansheet, who is known for his ability to style any space, even something as functional as the kitchen. So, we started our home tour with the cook room. “My mother and I knew that we did not want a very fancy kitchen. I work with Alsorg (an international…

HOW TO WIN AN INDIAN ELECTION What Political Parties Don’t Want You to Know byShivam Shankar Singh Penguin Random House ₹299; 240 pages HOW TO RIG AN ELECTION Tricks Despots Play by Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas HarperCollins ₹599; 320 pages The greater reliance on data and new forms of communication in India’s electoral campaigns has created a cottage industry of political consultants and data experts who lend their services to political parties and candidates, mapping constituencies and helping them target voters through these new tools. Shivam Shankar Singh, a data analyst and former BJP campaign analyst, provides an insider’s account of digital campaigning in India. In seven chapters, Singh chronicles his journey serving various parties, detailing the part of political consultants, the role of technology and data in micro-targeting…

“Ayodhya is well known in India and across the world due to Lord Ram and not due to a foreign invader like Babur. The beliefs of people should be respected. I have said several times that the court should respect the sentiments of the people... it should not take more than 24 hours to find a solution” Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh assembly, chief minister YOGI ADITYANATH once again called on the Supreme Court to hurry its processes and deliver a verdict on the building of a Ram temple on disputed land that will appease Hindutva sentiments. Last month, the prime minister insisted his government would wait until a verdict was delivered before taking the next steps, including an ordinance. But a verdict is unlikely to happen before the general…

Priyanka Gandhi’s new private secretary is being watched with interest. Dhiraj Srivastava was Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s officer on special duty during his first tenure, which ended in 2003. After Gehlot lost power, Srivastava, who has worked with the National Advisory Council and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, was sought on deputation by Sonia Gandhi. Always known as Gehlot’s man to the Gandhi family, Srivastava has quit his government job and moved on to the next generation.…

The BJP-led alliance losing six of the seven assembly bypolls in Jharkhand since December 2015 seems to be an encouraging scenario for the Congress, with party president Rahul Gandhi striking a quick deal for the Lok Sabha election with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren last week in Delhi. As per the pact, the Congress will contest seven seats in Jharkhand, leaving four for the JMM, two for the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (JVM) and one for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The Congress and the JMM have also agreed to the idea of letting the former lead the alliance during the Lok Sabha poll. In the assembly poll, the JMM will contest most of the seats with Hemant Soren leading it. Soren, a former chief minister, reportedly accepted…

A farm loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000—announced by the previous BJP government and rolled out in all the 33 districts of the state in early February—has put the Ashok Gehlot government in a bind, when it was hoping instead to win some goodwill from the move in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election. The matter came to light after protests broke out over the list of loan waiver beneficiaries in the Large Multipurpose Agricultural Societies (LAMPs) of three villages—Govadi, Gamda Bamniya and Jethana—of Dungarpur district. The list of beneficiaries allegedly included names of people who had not received loans in the first place. These ‘beneficiaries’ staged a protest outside the district administration, claiming they hadn’t taken any loan and demanded police action against those who had misappropriated…

“These days even Ph.D students are sitting idle at home. These things will be in my thoughts when I go to vote” Name: Rupsha Mitra Age: 21 Address: Barrackpore, West Bengal Education: MSc. Geography Status: First-time voter; mother is an employee on contract with the West Bengal government; father deceased Occupation: Student Income: Nil Benefits received: Rs 25,000 one-time grant under the Kanyashree Prakalpa after graduation Hopes for: Job security to support her mother…

Actor-turned-neta Pawan Kalyan’s (PK) Jana Sena will be fielding candidates in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It hopes to fight all 25 Lok Sabha seats as well as the 175 assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, in league with the Communist parties, CPI and CPI(M). PK is also determined to play spoiler in Telangana, where the rivalry is between the TRS and the Congress. He has some heavyweight advisors by his side, notably controversial ex-Tamil Nadu chief secretary P. Ramamohan Rao. “Kalyan has come to politics to realise the people’s dreams,” says Rao.…

From an ice-cream seller in Mumbai to producer of the Rs 100 crore film Mary Kom, SANDIP SSINGH has come a long way. “I didn’t study in an English medium school,” he says. “I had no money to go to film school. While doing film journalism, I’d watch shootings and try to understand the process of filmmaking. I know the struggle and pain.” It’s why the Narendra Modi story resonated with him so much, he says. Ssingh talks to INDIA TODAY about why he believes his latest biopic is a story that had to be told. Q. Why a biopic on Narendra Modi now? Why not? When other biopics are made, why aren’t such questions raised? As filmmakers, it is our responsibility to tell good stories that connect with the…

1 2007: Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fails to meet nine of the IAF’s Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs). Other four contenders—Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, F-16 and F-18—register four deviations 2 2009: The ministry of defence (MoD) waives Rafale’s deviations from ASQRs and request for proposal (RFP) conditions. Violation of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), which permits only ‘minor deviations’ and not ‘enhancements of 14 parameters’, is allowed for Rafale 3 2010: Rafale fails to meet 14 ASQR parameters. DG Acquisitions says three of these parameters should be negotiated by the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) 4 2011: Both Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon bids do not mention firm and fixed costs as mandated by the RFP and become technically open to disqualification. However, the process continues 5 2012: Rafale is the lowest bidder (L1)…

Q. How does the Pro Wrestling League help? We get to compete with the European and Olympic medallists and build on our experience. Earlier, people used to recognise us only when we won medals, but now people who watch Pro Wrestling League know wrestlers by their name. Q. Many see you as our best bet to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics. I feel great that I am worthy of such great expectations. I will work hard to ensure that I live up to the hope that has been invested in me for 2020. I feel motivated to do better. Q. What are your targets for 2019? The Asian Championships in April and then World Championships in August are the two big tournaments where I have to do well to…

PRECIOUS METAL Architect Hiloni S is redefining the way one perceives the kitchen. She has given the cook room in a outhouse in Makarba, Ahmedabad a unique spin. For starters the space is curved, and has a beautiful metallic finish. “The kitchen is designed for entertaining with the pantry built to anthropometrically fit this purpose in the least amount of square footage. To save space the storage in the kitchen and all the appliances are placed in the curves of the cabinet. In fact, this whole amorphous cabinet encompasses all the functional necessities of the room,” says Hiloni. But that’s not all. “The kitchen is designed to not only discreetly turn into a formal entertainment area but also open into a bar for a more informal gathering,” adds Hiloni. TOP…

Hearty Meals That Mallu Joint We are often told that the best Malayali food comes from the small old eateries in town that are packed with people. Other than that, it's available at fine dining restaurants with skillful presentation. However, now there's a new place in town that gives you something in between—a fine dining ambience and delicious homely food. Called That Mallu Joint, this Kerala eatery espouses simplicity in all other aspects including an airy dine-in space with contemporary décor and none of the cringe-worthy touristy boats and elephants. The lunch-time sadya is quick, affordable and mildly spiced. The a-la-carte menu is short but doesn’t miss out on quintessential Kerala delicacies. The crispy fried prawn varrattiyathu is fresh, delicate and a great way to start your meal. The meen…