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Punjab’s
industrial sickness All in
honour’s name |
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Drones
on target
Warming
up to China
The
veteran community
The
missing galleries of art
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All in honour’s name
The
‘honour’ of certain communities has become a very fragile commodity. It gets violated by every little action of its women. If girls from their community marry men from outside, the honour gets violated; if they marry men from their own community, the honour is infringed. It also gets breached if two women become friendly, as happened on April 18 in Ranila village of Charkhi Dadri area of Haryana when two widows were beaten to death ruthlessly before hundreds of ‘spectators’ for ‘having an affair’, as was alleged by a rapist on parole. And now, women are barred from work by a ‘fatwa’ issued by panchayats of Gadowali and Sarai villages of Haridwar district. Violators were told to pay Rs 5,100 and also face humiliation. This fatwa was issued across boundaries of caste and religion. In a democratic country governed by a Constitution which guarantees equal rights and opportunity to work regardless of gender, caste and creed, could a panchayat’s dictate restrict women from work? The answer is, yes. While the Constitution may have empowered women with equal rights, the implementation of these rights by the administrative machinery has been dismal, giving teeth to such bodies like the khap panchayats. The fragile ‘izzat’ of the said community was ‘abused’ by one of the girls working in an industrial unit who eloped with a boy! So, the entire women force of the area had to face the wrath. Fortunately, after the district police took stern action and offered police protection to working girls, the panchayats took a u-turn by declaring the fatwa to be meant only for minor girls. This proves how an active administrative machinery can weaken these self-styled socially regressive forces. In an India of 9 per cent growth rate and many well- meaning legislations to bring in more equality among all sections all of the society, violence against women is the fastest-growing crime, thanks to institutions like these. Every 26 minutes a woman is molested, every 34 minutes a rape takes place, and every 43 minutes a woman is kidnapped, according to the Home Ministry’s National Crime Records Bureau. There is more to these crimes than the apparent issue of honour. In the land of few opportunities and many contenders, elimination of girls paves way for the socially preferred and favoured male employment.
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Drones on target
It
is tough to be double agent, whether as an individual or as a nation. Pakistan is in throes of such an identity crisis. On paper, it is a valued ally of the US in its war against terrorism. But in reality it has also to mentor the numerous terrorist outfits that it has started and nurtured over the decades. Initially, the Americans overlooked such activities, for two reasons. One, its support was essential for carrying out missions in Afghanistan. And, two, the unofficially sponsored militant outfits mostly targeted countries like India. But the situation underwent a sea change when American citizens and establishments also became prime targets. Ever since, the US has stopped hiding its exasperation and has responded by deadly drone attacks, in which many militants have been killed, along with some civilians. Such “collateral damage” is minor matter for the US but causes a furore in Pakistan. Pakistani officials have been trying to reason with their American counterparts, but with limited results. What has to be remembered is that there is a fairly large section in the Army itself which chafes at any kind of arrangements with the Americans, except getting mega bucks from them. So, it is pragmatic to orchestrate protests in the country against the American “excesses”. The Tehrik-e-Insaf of Imran Khan, which is spearheading the protests, is in any case a strong critic of US action. Naturally, the NATO supplies to troops in Afghanistan would be affected, considering that nearly 70 per cent of supply truckers and oil tankers pass through Pakistan. But the effect of arm-twisting will be less pronounced this time because the US has opened alternative routes through Russia. The dangerous part is that if at all it yields on the demand to stop backing the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Haqqani group, it might like to extract a heavy price, including a central role in Afghanistan at the cost of India and more aid.
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A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. — George Bernard Shaw
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Warming up to China
India’s security relations with China took yet another turn when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Sanya (Hainan province, China) this month. Both countries agreed to set up “a mechanism on coordination on border affairs” and resume defence and military exchanges given up nine months ago when China refused a visa to India’s Northern Army Commander. After the meeting, the Prime Minister stated that defence ties with China would be continued and indicated that the new mechanism on maintaining peace on the border is “work in progress”. Military exchanges between India and China have been going on ever since Rajiv Gandhi visited China in 1988 to bring about a thaw after the Wangdung skirmishes in 1986-87 and highly tense relations thereafter. Besides the exchange of visits by senior military officers, the military has been part of the Joint Working Group formed over the boundary question. These exchanges have contributed to military-level confidence-building measures, reducing tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and to supplement diplomatic efforts to improve the overall relations between the two countries. Recently, there has also been a joint exercise on counter terrorism. India and China signed the “Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the LAC Agreement” in 1993. This agreement called for (a) not to pose military threats to each other but to respect and observe the LAC (b) reduce the level of military exercises near the LAC (c) reduce military forces to the minimum level and (d) implement measures given in the agreement by holding meetings and friendly consultations between border personnel and military experts. In November 1996 India and China signed another agreement on “Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field along the LAC”. This agreement reaffirmed that neither side will use or threaten to use forces against the other or seek unilateral military superiority. The two sides agreed that along the LAC (a) the number of forces and heavy weapons will be reduced or limited (b) data on the reduction of military forces will be exchanged (c) Military exercise involving more than a division will not be conducted and information about lower-level exercises will be exchanged (d) combat aircraft will not fly within 10 km of the LAC without information to each other (e) troops will exercise self-restraint and avoid escalation if they come into a face-to-face situation, and (f) the regime of scheduled and flag meetings will be expanded and medium and high level contacts between the border authorities will be established step by step. Two developments created hurdles in the implementation of the above-mentioned agreements. First, despite several meetings at the official and political levels, India and China could not clarify or exchange data on the alignment of the LAC as perceived by respective countries on the maps. As a result, many of the forward-looking steps mentioned in the 1996 agreement could not be implemented. Secondly, the PLA Divisional Commander opposite Ladakh, after accepting the invitation for a meeting with his Indian counterpart, declined to visit Leh and instead asked that the meeting be held in New Delhi. As that would not have served the desired purpose, the meeting was called off. In the following years, despite policy level flips-flops, ever increasing ground level transgressions into areas claimed by each other and several face-to-face patrol confrontations, military personnel on both sides have exercised self-restraint and have managed to avoid escalation of the situation while guarding the disputed LAC. There have been no firing incidents. It has been possible to maintain peace, if not tranquility, along the LAC. While the credit for this goes to the military on both sides, I would give more credit to our troops who have to remain conscious of the alarming impact of a Chinese intrusion or a skirmish on Indian public opinion. While the above state in the field can give satisfaction at the tactical level, at the strategic level, however, India is being pushed more and more into a corner. Negotiations between special representatives on the border issue have failed to achieve any breakthrough so far. China has backed out on the agreed principle not to disturb “interests of the settled populations” of the two countries in the border settlement. In November 2006, in complete disregard of diplomatic norms, the Chinese Ambassador in India publicly voiced China’s claims to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. China has started protesting Indian leaders’ visits to Arunachal Pradesh; denying visas to officials of Arunachal and issuing stapled visas to Indian citizens from J & K. It has made considerable logistical improvements and improved its capability to rapidly induct, deploy and sustain large military forces into Tibet. The number of Chinese transgressions in the “disputed areas” has increased. With the deployment of Chinese engineers and soldiers in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, its “all-weather” relations with Pakistan, which in Hu Jintao’s words, are “higher than the mountains and deeper than oceans”, have firmly placed India in a two-front bind in the Western sector. China has also refused to discuss nuclear confidence measures and nuclear risk reduction measures with India on the ground that India is not a NPT recognised nuclear weapon state. Strategically, China’s competitive relationship with India far outweighs the cooperative one, which allows it to wage a war of nerves from time to time. It continues to exploit our appeasement to its advantage. The Government of India has not been able to counter or reverse this trend. With the economic interdependence of the two countries rising steadily (trade expected to touch $100 bn in 2015) and the economic agenda being of vital interest, there are many who suggest softening of security relations. But that is not possible so long as the boundary question remains unsettled. An active engagement will indeed be detrimental to both countries either now or in future. In the current geo-political environment, with nuclear symmetry in place, neither China nor India can think of a war; not even a 1962-like limited war. But the unsettled boundary issue and lack of clarity and transparency on the LAC can lead to intrusions or skirmishes in disputed areas which may escalate into a war. India’s armed forces, therefore, have to remain alert and plan for such contingencies till India and China are able to settle the border or find principled ways of living with an unsettled
border. The writer is a former Chief of Army Staff
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The veteran community One
of the valuable members of my skeleton headquarters team when I was commanding the unit in Siachen was Naik Sheel Chand. Always cheerful, with a reserved demeanour, he was forthright enough never to mince words. Besides his skills as an adept infantry man, he was also a qualified paramedic. Given that we were operating at heights ranging from 5000 to 6000 metres with mercury hovering around minus 40 degrees C, he would religiously monitor our basic parameters. Once, in a bid to skip his rigorous regime, I happened to tell him that being fully acclimatised, I didn’t require any checkup. He firmly reprimanded me stating that many commanding officers got into health problems not on account of lack of physical fitness but due to the commitment and concern for the thousand-odd men under their command. Thereafter, I never dared to confront him on that issue. Years later, when I was on another operational assignment, Sheel Chand again volunteered to be part of my personal staff team. He had not changed. He always looked forward to action. His only request would be some leave after two to three months so that he could replenish his ghee stock to spice up his daily daal. One day I was caught off guard when he expressed his desire to quit the service. On enquiring, he explained to me that he has been passed over for promotion and his pride did not allow him to serve under the juniors. I was indeed overwhelmed at this soldier’s uprighteousness and self-esteem. He accepted his supersession with grace and chose to bow out with élan. The only assistance he sought from me was to facilitate his early exit. With modest post-retirement plans he was hopeful to make his ends meet with dignity. Recently, Sheel Chand paid me a surprise visit. He looked younger, contented and prosperous. His hard work on a small piece of land combined with small-scale entrepreneur initiatives enabled him to enlarge the scope of his farming activities. His children attend a private English medium school. He now owns a tractor and a pre-owned car (for family outings). Simultaneously, he also plays a prominent leadership role in the affairs of his village. As an honest ex-soldier, he continues to contribute to society in humble yet meaningful ways. As I went to see off Sheel Chand, I felt honoured to be a part of the veteran community. I also feel blessed that retired Havildar Anna Hazare has dug in his heels to wage a historic war against the ‘cancer of corruption’ that has deeply afflicted our society. With deep sense of reverence, my hand rises to salute him as he represents millions of unknown soldiers who made supreme sacrifices without seeking any reward in a bid to make this land a better
place.
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The missing galleries of art
Punjab
has given one of the most celebrated artists to the world of visual art- from Amrita Sher-Gil, Manjit Bawa, Arpana Caur, Paramjit Singh, to T&T ( Thukral and Tagra) and Vibha Galhotra. The artistic journey of these artists has made an impact in shaping new trends in the art world, which resulted in receiving global appreciation for their works. Unfortunately, in their own state, they hardly ever had a chance to showcase their talent, receiving laurels is a far- fetched proposition. Reason, the state does not have galleries and other infrastructure that can cater to dynamic needs of art world, which is evolving and growing beyond the bounds of available resources. As a result, artists migrate from the state to other places to grow. “The state continues to provide great artistic talent to the country and the world but it fails to grow appreciation for art for lack of infrastructure,” says Rahi Mahinder Singh, secretary, Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi. The continued migration of artists comes as a greater surprise, since, one of the first ever galleries that opened in the country, was, Indian Academy of Fine Arts at Amritsar. The state body of art, Punjab Arts Council, does not have a budget allocation worth mention. NZCC ( North Zone Cultural Centre) , another body that is supposed to cater to needs of art, flip flops, depending upon the efforts of the head of the organisation, especially when it comes to promotion of visual art. At Kalagram, Mani Majra, the ambitious project of NZCC, a corridor was converted into an art gallery, which was in fact, an apology of a gallery, where upcoming artists could exhibit their works. Even this facility was closed, further reducing availability of space for exhibitions. Virsa Vihars was another effort initiated by the state government for the purpose, but, there too exhibitions are held only with collaborations. At Jalandhar, Apeejay College of Art has turned Virsa Vihar, Jalandhar, into Satya Paul Virsa Vihar Art Gallery. At Bhatinda, Kapurthala, and Patiala, Virsa Vihars are still waiting to take off. After closure of NZCC gallery at Sheesh Mahal, Patiala, one more option to showcase works for budding artists is closed, in the almost non- existent private gallery scenario in Punjab. Punjabi University, Patiala, which runs a successful master’s programme in Fine Arts, had a gallery and museum attached to the department to promote talent of its students. Due to some bureaucratic decision, the gallery and museum were separated three years back. Now, the gallery in- charge has to take permission from the vice chancellor, instead of a panel of artists- as is the norm, if an artist wants to hold a show. Artists need exhibitions, without a critique, their art cannot grow. If one excludes Chandigarh, which has a sizeable number of good galleries, barring just two galleries worth mention, there is no other place in Punjab where adequate facilities are provided at a good location to showcase works in a professional manner. Many senior artists, who hail from different towns of Punjab, and have shown works across the country, lament the lack of facilities, which, newly emerging towns like Gurgaon have aplenty in places like EPI Centre and Art Mart. The state is untouched by the way markets and styles have undergone transformation in the absence of professionally managed art activity. There is hardly any interaction with evolved viewers for the artist. It is a catch- 22 situation, artists do not grow for the same reasons that fail to provide discerning viewers of art. Admitting apathy of the government bodies, Rahi Mohinder Singh adds that it is primarily work of the Akademis to organise seminars, shows, talks etc to support growth of art in the state. Unfortunately, Punjab Arts Council depends on office bearers to extract money from the government, which, till date has no fixed budget allocation for arts. Another problem is attached to practising artists who have decided not to grow beyond realism and copy work in the name of art. People open galleries in Ludhiana and Jalandhar with fanfare, galleries last till the space is rented out to a more lucrative offer. The kind of commitment art requires has somehow failed to grow, as a result those who wish to pursue art, migrate to Delhi or Mumbai. In the past Ludhiana has seen opening and closing of Tag gallery, Artmosphere and few others. If you compare the scenario with Jahangeer Art Gallery, Mumbai, where waiting list runs into years, galleries don’t even hold shows on a regular basis, which explains apathy to art in the state. Usually artists migrate from small towns in Punjab to Chandigarh, where their journey begins, then, they move on to bigger cities to grow. Art cannot grow without a journey, true, but like MNCs art must not grow in metros alone. And, this can happen with facilities made available, as has happened in smaller towns like Jaipur, Pune and Bhopal.
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The Art of Controversy
— Neeta Mahindra,
artist — M K Raina,
thespian — Ram Rahman,
artist — Madan Gopal Singh,
Sufi singer — Arpana Caur,
artist — Diwan Manna,
Chairperson, Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi
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“ In the new statutes passed in the last general house meeting on March 31, they tried to manipulate the facts. Constitution is turned autocratic and they are telling half truths to sideline the facts. The real issue is, this space is meant for art activity and hence it should be managed by artists. We have involved the administration to sort it out for the benefit of art.”
“ Simply put, this organisation is meant for artists, it cannot be allowed to be usurped by strange people who have nothing to do with art. We have signed a letter and sent it to the administration asking them to intervene. I do not know how it happened, but, it is appalling. How can I become a member of chamber of commerce, will they accept me? So, why is it that when it comes to art, anyone can attempt to not only walk in but try to take over an organisation built over years of dedicated work of artist community. We need connoisseurs of art, not some brick kiln owner to destroy a legacy created by the likes of M S Randhawa sahib. All artists are supporting this cause- from theatre, films and other art forms. ”
“ Few cities of the size of Amritsar have such a facility. The state government has put in a lot of money to support it, so, artists should be managing it. Most artists do not understand finance so they get pushed out. What happened to AIFACS ( All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society), Delhi, should not be allowed to happen here. They rented out 50 per cent of the space to General Electicals, which closed one of the exit doors of the auditorium. Because one of the exits was closed the police and fire department of Delhi refused permission for the auditorium to operate, so Delhi lost one of its best auditoriums to public. Artists should not allow this space meant for art to be wasted by commercial activity. Money can be raised, there are so many cultural funds that can help. Samhat Foundation has sent a letter of support to this cause, signed by the artist community.”
“ This is becoming symptomatic of how cultural activities are under a threat of appropriation of larger cultural spaces by the community of realtors and such people. Why this particular space is important is, because Amritsar is a place of connectivity and creative vibrancy. Unless artists, as a community, are not constantly vigilant, their cultural space will be under threat. Artists must resist and question such undemocratic norms. I am really delighted by what they are doing to resist it, though, I am also concerned about it. The constitution they have passed will not stand even half a minute of scrutiny, if a PIL is filed against these undemocratic means in a court of law.”
“ I visited the gallery last year in winter for the first time and was impressed that a place like Amritsar has such a facility for art. So, I offered to donate a painting of Bhai Mardana with footprints of Guru Nanak. Since Punjab Government never has the money to buy art, and Amritsar is a holy city so the impulse came to me to donate the work, despite the fact that a Hong Kong based buyer wanted it. I initiated the process. Then, I learnt about this controversy. How can an artist entrust a work of art in the hands of people she is not sure of, whether they will be able to look after, or, even display it properly. I have sent my appeal to them, such places should be managed by artists to earn confidence of artist community.”
“ Management of art is best left to artists, art connoisseurs, art historians or art critics. Those who do not understand art, or, have never bought art for their home, howsoever well intended they may claim to be, they do not understand the intricacies of organising art. They should be politely told to leave, or, administration should be asked to intervene.”