Innholdsfortegnelse for April 25, 2016 i India Today

For the last 70 years, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the fountainhead of the Sangh Parivar, has been treated with some degree of wariness by most Indian governments for being a hardline Hindutva outfit out of touch with the modern world. The RSS, on the other hand, has seen itself as a kind of moral force. Its goal has been to create a Hindu Rashtra and a new spiritual order that will rejuvenate the “reservoir of knowledge” that went dry due to the creation of an “artificial culture” over 400 years of Mughal and British rule. In 2000, while covering the RSS’s 75th year celebrations at a time when its own affiliate BJP was in power, INDIA TODAY had famously described the RSS’s policies as “a mix of cowdung capitalism…

With liberalisation in 1991, foreign direct investment was opened up and so were the restrictions on the exit of dollars from India. In the early days after independence, India led a handto-mouth, or rather a ship-to-mouth existence. Chronic food shortages in the pre-Green Revolution days meant substantial import dependence on foodgrain that arrived by sea. This, in turn, meant we needed to have adequate foreign exchange to pay for food imports, and also for the oil. In those early days of Soviet-style planning, which combined export pessimism and import substitution, foreign exchange was extremely scarce. Inward foreign investment was mostly barred. The country had to conserve every dollar, like water in a drought. Dollars could come in, but could not go out. This explains the rather harsh provisions of the…

RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale is often seen as the friendly public face of a changing RSS—though he’d probably disagree with that description. He spoke to Senior Editor Uday Mahurkar on what he prefers to call the evolution unfolding in the organisation. Does the new inclusive approach signal a significant transformation of the RSS? I don’t agree. The RSS has always been evolving with time without compromising on its core ideology. That’s how it was envisioned by its founder Dr K.B. Hedgewarji. I would call the process a ‘progressive unfoldment’, because the movement is in constant evolution. Earlier, our social work had limited dimensions. Now its repertoire has grown into a vision for the social transformation of Hindu society. Now it has five sections: Gram Vikas or rural development, Samajik…

POTASSIUM CHLORATE A banned compound used by the firecracker industry to add colour and sound to crackers has played a key role in several recent tragedies, including Paravoor. Highly volatile compound containing potassium, chlorine and oxygen. Key ingredient in old firearm percussion caps. Ignites spontaneously or explodes when mixed with combustible material. BANNED BY GOI IN 1992 Fireworks in India declared restricted item by Director General of Foreign Trade. Manufacture, possession, use, sale of explosive containing sulphur, sulphurate, mixed with chlorate, banned by GoI, vide Notification GSR No. 64(E) dated 27.1.1992. No licence for fireworks import granted under the Explosives Rules, 2008, by Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation. USED BY Afghan Taliban to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). In 2013, 60 per cent of IEDs in Afghanistan used KCLO3. HOW…

Uma Bharti, Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga Rejuvenation, tells Executive Editor Sandeep Unnithan that the government’s ambitious Rs 11 lakh crore project for interlinking rivers (ILR) will transform the country’s irrigation and electricity. Excerpts: Why is your government so keen on pushing the ILR projects? We are creating 31 new rivers, irrigating 34 million hectares and generation over 34 gigawatts of power. After the Ken-Betwa project, there will be Damanganga-Partapi. This will solve Mumbai’s water problems until the year 2060. When the interlinking of rivers came up before the cabinet, the PM told me only one thing, “Uma, only do those projects where you have the consent of the state government… don’t force it on state governments.” We then instituted the Navalawala task force for people’s participation. We…

1 Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan FUNDS SPENT Rs 1,400 crore in 2015-16 on 6,000 water conservation works STATUS Results will begin to show only after the monsoon 2 Farm ponds FUNDS ALLOCATED Rs 2,50 crore for 50,000 farm ponds. To be launched in April. STATUS Much-delayed move; getting water to fill these ponds will be a challenge 3 Cattle camps FUNDS ALLOCATED Rs 530 crore STATUS: Funds yet to be released as revenue o€-cials smell a scam 4 Loan restructuring FUNDS ALLOCATED Rs 3,500 crore to restructure loans 1.16 lakh farmers have taken from banks STATUS: Banks are now refusing to disburse more money on account of repayment capacity 5 Water tankers ALLOCATION Rs 150 crore STATUS: Tankers just unable to meet demand 6 Employment guarantee scheme FUNDS ALLOCATED Rs 300…

With the last of the sequence of four biennial Nuclear Security Summits (NSS) having just concluded in Washington, it is time to assess their implications for India. While the summits have traditionally discussed nuclear weapons and disarmament, the NSS were organised with a different focus, to address the dangers of unsecured fissile materials around the world. These materials, plutonium and highly-enriched uranium (HEU), are the explosive ingredients of nuclear weapons. There is nearly 2,000 tonnes of these materials dispersed around the globe, whereas it takes only 5-25 kg to make a nuclear bomb. Therefore, when US President Barack Obama hosted the first summit in Washington in 2010, it helped draw attention at the highest levels to the importance of securing all nuclear materials, so that they don’t fall into the…

In a dimly-lit study on the second level of his home ‘Mannat’, Shah Rukh Khan makes for a thin and tad tired figure. An air purifier is as much a showpiece in the setting as the wooden shelves showcasing books, DVDs and award trophies. His day has begun pleasantly enough, catching up with his three children— Aryan, 18; Suhana, 15; and AbRam, 2—before descending into the chaos of meeting film distributors and the unending promotions of Fan, his first release of 2016. Produced by Yash Raj Films, it will be a one-song movie, an anomaly in Bollywood, featuring a lanky Shah Rukh lookalike dancing fervently, with no sari-clad heroine or scenic foreign landscape as backdrop for a dapper Shah Rukh. “You may ask ‘Why is he doing this?’ and I…

Talented Pakistan TV actress Saba Qamar is the latest to cross borders into Bollywood. Best known for her shows on Zindagi channel such as Maat, Thakan and Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi (better known as Aaj Rang Hai to Indian audiences), the 32-year-old Qamar, like her compatriot Mahira, will be seen opposite a Khan. Only it will be the Hollywoodfriendly Irrfan, not Shah Rukh, Aamir or Salman. GO FIGURE 16.59 crore Day 3 collections for The Jungle Book are the biggest single-day earnings for a Hollywood film WINNING HAND Last time Tamannah was in a Hindi film, it was in the unfunny Entertainment. Then came the blockbuster Baahubali and Telugu hit Oopiri. She is back in contention, bagging a role in Rohit Shetty’s next with Ranveer Singh. GEORGIA ON HIS MIND…

Tee Off Time Gulmohar Greens Golf and Country Club WANT TO PICK UP A new skill while holidaying? Learn golf this summer, a game that’s fast becoming a favourite with Amdavadis. Just when the city is still waking up, the 75 acre expanse of green at the Gulmohar Greens Golf and Country Club is already bustling with golfers. The nine-hole golf course is a onestop-shop for all things associated with golf—an academy, professional coaches and even a golfing shop. But if you’re not looking for a game and only a quiet place to unwind, Gulmohar Greens doubles up as a fun getaway destination as well. “We offer something for the entire family,” says Trilok Parikh, Chairman, Gulmohar Greens Golf and Country Club. They have a play park, an activity centre,…

IF YOUR HOLIDAY PLAN, THIS YEAR, is to break away from the conventional tourist spots, get out into the wilderness and explore the Blackbuck Lodge near the Velavadar National Park, home to the Indian antelope or the blackbuck. The resort stands amidst the grasslands of western Gujarat and is a place where you can spot the blackbuck or rare birds, especially if you perch on their canopied sit-outs by the lake. If you’re lucky, you might even see a blackbuck walk past your cottage. LIVING WITH THE WILD Luxury meets wilderness here, so a must-do while you're at the resort is the wildlife safari to spot blackbucks and the endangered Indian grey wolf. A highlight of the layout is the lake-like water body that’s rich in aquatic vegetation and an…

TEE OFF IN STYLE Oxford Golf and Country Club While golf may no longer be the exclusive sport of the elite, a trip to the Oxford Golf and Country club is an experience in luxury. Be it a game of golf, squash or a leisurely holiday in the chalets, the sprawling expanse makes for a luxurious getaway. On weekends, the club bustles with activity—professional and amateur golfers, sports enthusiasts coming in for a game of squash or snooker and families lounging by the poolside. The hour-long drive from the city centre to Bavdhan makes it a popular getaway even for Pune’s sizeable expat population. The views of the lush green Sahyadri mountains are picturesque and make the game a pleasurable experience. TEE-OFF Oxford has a complete package for golfers. The…

Designer threads and high street brands have wowed Pune’s well travelled, fashion aware shoppers for the past few years now. So, with American, urbaninspired fashion brand Kenneth Cole making an entry, the city’s style conscious have yet another destination for luxury shopping. Known for its signature clean and utilitarian aesthetic, the brand’s current Spring 2016 collection in apparel and accessories has an impressive collection for both, men and women. SMART STYLE Aimed at outdoor stylish dressing, the Uniform is all about mesh, neoprene, perforation, translucent fabrics, and neutral leathers with raw edges, utilitarian details, clean pockets, laser-cut details and edge painting on accessories. FEMALE FASHION Kenneth Cole is known for its accessories and the Pune store collection does justice to that. The footwear range and handbags collections are extensive and…

APRIL 11, 2016 Whatever their electoral performance, Amma and Didi are doing the cause of gender equality in India proud “It is amazing that, in a democratic set-up, two women, who are known for their autocratic and dictatorial styles of functioning, have found such favour with the masses. For me, that makes them the iron(y) maidens.” AVINASH GODBOLEY, Dewas The Virtues of Inconsistency Modern Chinese leaders like Mao and Deng always saw “flexibility, rather than consistency, as a positive virtue and the ability to respond to the logic of a particular situation as a sign of wisdom and an indication of power”. This seeming inconsistency is a function of the sheer size of the country and the contradictions that abound within its borders. It’s what explains the question you ask…

BIG BASH The Simhasth Kumbh, the religious congregation held in Ujjain every 12 years, will be no ordinary event this year, courtesy BJP leader Ram Madhav. Celebrated between April 22 and May 21 on the banks of the Shipra river, the showpiece of this edition will be a three-day extravaganza organised by Madhya Pradesh’s culture ministry. Beginning May 12 at village Ninaura, it will be inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and end with a speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over 300 intellectuals, the Sri Lankan and Bhutanese heads of state as well as two Nepal dignitaries are also expected to attend. POLITICS BEFORE PRAYER Growing support for the Aam Aadmi Party has led Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal to ask party functionaries to bus crowds directly to…

1. NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister 2. RAJNATH SINGH, Home Minister 3. NITIN GADKARI, Minister of Road Transport, Highways, Shipping 4. VENKAIAH NAIDU, Minister of Urban Development 5. BANDARU DATTATREYA, Minister of Labour and Employment CHIEF MINISTERS WITH RSS BACKGROUND 6. SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN, Madhya Pradesh 7. DEVENDRA FADNAVIS, Maharashtra 8. MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR, Haryana RSS MEMBERS AS BJP FUNCTIONARIES 9. KRISHNA GOPAL, Coordinates with BJP and Union government 10. RAM MADHAV, BJP National General Secretary, Assam election in-charge 11. P. MURALIDHAR RAO, BJP National General Secretary, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka election in-charge 12. KESHAV CHANDRA MAURYA, Uttar Pradesh BJP president 13. DILIP GHOSH, West Bengal BJP president 14. VIJAY SAMPLA, Punjab BJP president 15. K. LAXMAN, Telangana BJP president 16. B.S. YEDDIYURAPPA, Karnataka BJP president 17. TAPIR GAO, Arunachal Pradesh…

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), contrary to conventional wisdom, was established to transform Indian society and not the state. In fact, in its early days, the RSS leadership believed that politics was unsavoury and that participation in political activity would detract from its goal of organising Hindu society. As such, the RSS almost exclusively focused on what it called ‘character building’—a system of training mostly young men in daily meetings at its shakhas. While the focus of the RSS evolved over time, 2013 marked a radical shift for the organisation. At a meeting in Amravati, it decided to use its extensive network of shakhas and swayamsevaks to proactively help the BJP attain political power. The RSS, in effect, decided that it would achieve social transformation through a top-down— that is,…

Two recent presentations made by defence minister Manohar Parrikar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi have had one focus: the crisis within the Indian Air Force. This escalation of the IAF’s troubles to the highest political authority highlight the fact that worry has now turned into consternation. The IAF is nine squadrons short of its sanctioned strength—it has just 31 fighter aircraft squadrons (there are 18 fighter jets in a squadron) against a requirement of at least 40 squadrons. Over the next decade, all its 230, 1980s vintage MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighter jets will be retired. Sluggish domestic production rates mean their replacements, 120 indigenous light combat ‘Tejas’ aircraft, which the government ordered from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited last year, will take over a decade to fly in. Serviceability of the IAF’s…

Even as the sun, hidden behind a curtain of trees, dips into the horizon, trucks and tractors, whirring in and out from dawn to dusk, still raise a sand storm on the vast banks of the river Ajay. Once the lifeline of towns, villages and farms in the laterite belt of Birbhum and Burdwan, two adjacent districts of West Bengal, the river has now been reduced to a network of barely knee-deep streams. “Chhappanno (fifty-six), satanno (fifty-seven), atanno (fifty-eight),” an armed guard keeps count of the vehicles trundling down to scoop sand. Loaded trucks and tractors can only exit the trenches after paying him the ‘gate-pass’ money. For one truckload, or around 400 cubic feet of sand, the price is Rs 100. Once the sand reaches the market, a truckload…

Fun Fabrics Rumors Fine Furnishing has launched the Coral collection that showcases blends of light weight viscose and polyester. The colour palette ranges from lime, tangerine and ruby red to the subtle yet classic neutrals like beige and sand. PRICE ₹1,500 onwards; AT #44/2, Third Floor, Beratena Agrahara, Begur Hobli, Hosur Road, Bangalore In Touch Under its luxury brand Artize, Jaquar has launched Showertronics iV6, an intelligent water mixer system, which maintains the water temperature and flow rate during showering. With the touch of a fingertip on the waterproof touchpad, one can choose the shower mode, control the temperature and manage water flow. It has six electronic valves and multiple sensors. PRICE on request; AT www.jaquar.com The Silver Lining You may not be born with a silver spoon, but now…

LIVING OUT LOUD It’s not without reason that this living room looks picture perfect. Inspired by pichwai paintings from Rajasthan, the very tropical looking furnishings (part of the Aam Bagh Collection) bring the outside inside without compromising on style. CREATE A DRAMATIC CORNER How can one generate a rich feel without using heavy materials like silks and brocades? Just take a tip or two from this almost theatrical set-up. Lots of artefacts in silver, elaborate art and linen fabric in blue for the sofa, placed in close proximity make this nook look spectacular. CELEBRATING MAXIMALISM IN THE BEDROOM A reaction against minimalism, maximalism is an aesthetic of excess; and this bedroom serves as a great example. The red bedspread and wallpaper go well with the large chandelier and various bric-a-brac…

ZOOMING DOWN 50-FEET high slides and splashing around in the large pools at Shanku’s Water Park has been Gujarat’s favourite heat buster for over two decades now. "But if you want to beat the heat with some internal cooling and cleansing this summer, try our naturopathy centre next door—the Shanku’s Natural Health Centre," says Dilip Chaudhary, Managing Director, Shanku's Group. Nestled amidst long stretches of gardens and manicured lawns, it’s a haven for those who want to break away from the hustle of city life. MIND AND BODY Unlike a regular spa, they recommend specific therapies such as spinal water sprays to ease back pain, foot and arm baths as a treatment for asthma and mud baths on the abdomen to facilitate better digestion. While the therapies work on the…

IF YOU’VE SCOURED EVERY corner of Mount Abu and Saputara and are looking for another holiday in the hills without travelling much, drive up to Aalloa Hills Resort, thirty minutes from Ahmedabad in Pinadara village. Tucked away amidst green woods, it’s fast becoming a popular destination for Gujarati film shoots, television programmes and pre-wedding parties. As soon as you turn o­ the smooth concrete roads of Gandhinagar, the landscape changes instantly and a hilly stretch takes you to this housing project-cum-resort. We spotted the nilgai on our way up and as co-owner Hemang Patel says, the property has “over 50,000 neem trees and numerous other trees”. RIDES AND GAMES Aalloa has various outdoor activities for those who want a slice of adventure and activity as well. The ATV rides are…

Watch 1 A MYSTERY UNFOLDS Launched a few months ago, the Piramal Museum of Art has been planning a mystery show it’s going to reveal soon. We don’t know who the artists are or what the performance is going to be. If you’re a film, history, photography or theatre bu, you’re likely to want to know more about the secret performance of “unknown journeys”. WHEN Saturday, April 16, 7 p.m. AT Piramal Museum of Art, Piramal Tower, Peninsula Corporate Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel (W) WEBSITE piramalartfoundation.com 2 NATURAL INSTINCTS MUDRA DANCE FESTIVAL The annual Mudra dance festival at the National Centre of performing Arts (NCPA) is back with its seventh edition. Featuring various dance forms including Kuchipudi, Chhau, Kathakali, Odissi, Manipuri and Kathak, the performances this year take…

From the British Raj elite to the brand savvy generation of today, the House of Pundole has seen trends in luxury watches evolve over the past century. The 107 year-old brand, now helmed by the fifth generation of the family, is where Pune goes shopping for its Rado, Longines, Hublot and Omegas. The century-old journey of this luxury multi-brand watch store is a legend in the city—it started out as a small store in the erstwhile quiet Camp area and CT Pundole and Sons was famously appointed as the first Authorised Service Centre by HMT for the repair of electronic watches. Today, the world’s best watch brands, from Tag Heure to Raymond Weil, are all here at this horologist. They've recently added French luxury watch company Bell and Ross, Swissmade…

Militant Revivalism The new militancy is menacing, and growing in intensity. And the message being hammered home is the same: for too long, the minorities have been appeased and pampered while the majority has been restrained from asserting what it holds to be the only basis for unifying the country—Hindu nationalism The new mood and the forces taking shape manifest themselves in dozens of ways: in the sharply increased attendance at temples, the growing strength of the once discredited Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which has seen a sudden and unprecedented increase in attendance at its drills and enjoyed the growing popularity of its numerous front organisations, the drive to reconvert people from Islam and Christianity to Hinduism and the effort to end Christian or Muslim proselytisation, the palpable increase in…

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh emerged out of its first Sarsanghchalak Keshav Baliram Hedgewar’s frustration with the Indian National Congress. The pressing questions for a nation coming into being were those of identity, history, common values, and the ways in which national consciousness could be forged. For Hedgewar, ‘nation’ was inextricable from ‘Hindu’. And so at the core of the RSS, the organisation he founded on September 27, 1925 (Vijayadashami, as it happened), is a strong, united, self-confident Hindu community. Hedgewar’s organisation, with its cadre made up of Maharashtrian Brahmins and its emphasis on discipline and quasi-paramilitary training, had an authoritarian tendency that appeared to align it with European fascists. An impression enhanced by Hedgewar’s close friendship with Balakrishna Shivaram Moonje, an admirer of Italian fascism and the first Hindu nationalist…

WHY THE GOVERNMENT WANTS IT WATER Will raise irrigation potential from 140 mn hectares to 175 mn hectares by 2050 POWER Will double India’s hydropower generation by adding 34 GW power BUT BIG DAMS account for only 1/4th of the total irrigated area in India WILL DISPLACE 1.5 MILLION people from their homes SUBMERGE 104,000 HECTARES currently under natural forest cover, including reserves and sanctuaries Deep inside India’s most celebrated big cat haven—the Panna Tiger Reserve—a red line, freshly painted over the khaki outcrops of ancient Vindhyan sandstone, marks the alignment of the proposed 77-metrehigh, 2.03 km-long Dhaudan dam on Madhya Pradesh’s Ken river. It will be the first of some 3,000 big dams and storage structures that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wants to build as part of a…

India’s War: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1939-1945 By Srinath Raghavan Allen Lane (Penguin Random House) Pages: 550; Price: Rs 699 Volumes have been written about the Second World War. Indeed, shelves in military libraries and bookshops groan under the weight of hefty tomes propounding upon various aspects of that global conflict, ranging from the tactical to the strategic and from the economic to the esoteric. Yet, in the midst of this mass of literature, a reader would be hard-pressed to find much that dealt with the part played by India in this war, or the effect that the war, in turn, had on India. The few books that deal with India’s role tend to be purely ‘military’ histories and provide the reader with a fragmented account at best.…

Old Mother Hubbard will be very proud of this cupboard. Titled PA Home Office, designed by furniture studio, Knock on Wood, when shut it looks like a closet, however, when open, it turns into a home office. Though its compact in suze, it comes with ample storage. The pull-out work top slides out to reveal a place to stash stationery while the shutters have provision for holding essentials such as pens and pencils. It even has space to place a fax machine, copier or printer. That's not all, a knob on one side of the cupboard holds a flat piece of wood that opens up to form a chair. PRICE on request; AT L-1/18, Hauz Khas Enclave, Basement, New Delhi…