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Stop the flights of fancy

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There are better uses for money govt plans to spend on UDAN Alok Tiwari There is little doubt that India’s aviation sector is booming. FY 2025 saw nearly four crore people taking to the skies. The market is growing at over 8% each year, more than double the global average of about 3.5%. India’s airlines have about 1500 airliners on order. The sector contributes 1.5% to India’s GDP and employs more than 75 lakh people. It would, then, seem odd to trash a scheme designed to boost this sector. The reference here is to Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) scheme, now in its fifth iteration, that has just got an allocation of Rs 28,800 crore from the central government, albeit to be spent over the next ten years. The scheme specifically aims to open newer routes for aviation sector by subsidising the tickets to an extent. These routes must link to smaller towns and cities or relatively remote and underserved areas like the northeast. In its latest avatar, it also aims to provide funding for...
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Wanted: a few good men

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US example shows countries need good leaders more than the strong ones Alok Tiwari “…however good a constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it happen to be a bad lot. However bad a constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it happen to be a good lot,” said Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in his final speech to the Indian Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949. In the over seven decades since then his words have turned out to be prophetic, not just for India but for many countries around the world. The architect of Indian Constitution was emphasising the importance of human spirit in everything that we do. Dr Ambedkar’s words ring truer than ever today for the birthplace of modern democracy, the United States. This column already noted how Donald Trump managed to degrade the American democracy in an astonishingly short time since his assumption of office. Today, as his actions bring unprecedented turmoil i...
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Don’t burn down the judiciary

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Justice Varma case shouldn’t be used to erode judicial independence Alok Tiwari The alleged discovery of cash, reportedly worth over Rs 15 crore, by firefighters at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma of Delhi High Court last month has left the judiciary singed. The entire institutional set up of judiciary has appeared slow, almost reluctant, to pursue the matter. Initially, Delhi fire service chief denied his men had come across any cash pile and Justice Varma was quietly shunted to Allahabad HC. The SC collegium at first called the transfer routine. The wheels began moving only when a video of the incident became public. Justice Varma denied that he or his family members had anything to do with the money and that it was found in a part of the property not used by the family. SC then confirmed the transfer and set up an enquiry panel. Hopefully it will unearth the facts, and the case will reach its logical end. It better do so, because prima facie it looks bad. Like they say...
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Clear the fog over HDFC Bank

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Lack of transparency around goings on in largest private lender is worrying Alok Tiwari Lost in the recent market mayhem caused by the US-Israel attack on Iran was an event that was enough to cause a cataclysm by itself. It was the cryptic resignation of Atanu Chakraborty, the non-executive chairman of country’s largest private sector lender HDFC Bank. His exit caught everybody by surprise. But what caused the country’s financial tectonic plates to start sliding was the reason he gave for it. Chakraborty wrote in his resignation letter that there were things happening at HDFC Bank that were at variance with his personal values. He did not give any details. Not to the public, not to regulators like RBI or SEBI, not even to his own board. The board seemed just as perplexed as the customers. What further muddied the water was exit of three senior executives over what was called misselling of Credit Suisse AT-I bonds in Dubai a few years ago. Financial commenters are coming up with sev...
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A diabolical diversion

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The Aurangzeb tomb issue is just to prevent us from raising tough questions that matter Alok Tiwari In the 11 years of Modi regime, the country is used to occasional stirring of communal cauldron. This usually happens just before major elections are due either nationally or in big states. So, it is a bit surprising to see the ruling party leaders raise the Aurangzeb bogey now. Modi government is safely ensconced at the Centre. His party has won major states too. No significant elections are due in next few months. Lighting communal fires now defy the usual experience. But make no mistake the fires are as deliberate as they are diabolical. There is no earthly reason why a Mughal emperor who ruled centuries ago should become an issue now. Such issues are systematically planted in popular mind. Movies like Chhava create the ground and then seemingly casual remarks by politician throw the seeds. The minds already conditioned and consumed by prejudices are enough fertilizers for them ...
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A regressive march

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State’s curbing of uncomfortable opinions diminishes Shivaji’s legacy and vision Alok Tiwari Time was when Maharashtra prided itself on its progressive ethos. Those lie in the dust today, trampled by a revanchist and revisionist regime. Just last week a legislator was suspended from the state’s legislature for what the powers that be thought was praise of late Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It did not stop there. There were calls for demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb that lies in what used to be Aurangabad. This was supported by none other than state’s CM Devendra Fadnavis raising the possibility of the government actually going through with the move. If it does happen it would bring the state closest to the regime of Taliban in Afghanistan that blew up the magnificent Buddhas of Bamiyan. It did not erase the history of Buddhism in Afghanistan, it merely underlined the brutes that the Taliban were. At that time we thought, foolishly it turns out, that such things will never come to pass ...
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Another harassment law

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Maharashtra’s anti-conversion bill furthers erosion of civil liberties Alok Tiwari As far as anti-conversion laws are concerned, Maharashtra has been a bit late to the party. This is understandable as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was preoccupied with things of far more importance. But the state has made up for the delay by bringing a law that is far more stringent. It will no doubt help the chief minister gain some distance in the race for being next Hindutva icon. One suspects another law on uniform civil code must be in the pipeline. Like many laws pushed under the Modi regime, this one too seeks to kill two birds with one stone. One, it keeps the communal pot boiling. And second, it gives another tool to the government to curb freedoms. Make no mistake, it may be named Freedom of Religion bill, but its real purpose is exactly the opposite. It aims at appeasing the Hindutva base by empowering the state to poke its nose into what should be completely private affairs—religion...
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