A Semester of Conquest

A most difficult semester it has been, with challenges on all sides. One thing stood apart as the characteristic of this semester: an acute shortage of time for anything, as work after work came onto my desk.

This semester saw an unbridled expansion of my extracurricular activities all with the aim of fulfilling the promise I had made to myself in July last:

Third year will be lived as a third year.

At the same time, my strict discipline seems to have begun to loosen, with more time going into pointless sleep and facebook - things I look towards correcting next year, the year that finally counts. A lot of changes will have to be met, but for that, a review of the year gone by is necessary.

This summer from Munich, Germany, OTFS looks back to a year full of constant battles for power and success; a year of victories and ultimate losses; a year when I cut my teeth and faced the politics of the Cultural Council; a year when I gave back to those who have given me so much more. This summer, we review the Semester of Conquest.

Still the Better Option

One year back, the history of Bengal in India took a decisive turn when a 34 year Communist regime that had turned itself into a political machine was decimated by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, thus ending a regime that had bought Bengal to its knees.

Now, Mamata Banerjee is not the best of Chief Ministers that the state has ever had. She is high-handed and rather undemocratic in her working; even as a CM, she behaves a leader of opposition and it extremely unpopular in other states as she constantly blackmails the Central Government, of which her own party is a part.

Yet, what is important is to notice the change she represents: a street-fighter brought up in an extremely dangerous environment as a fascist Communist party crushed all dissent and turned the Land of Tagore into the uncultured Land of Marx. Her victory at the hustings show that Bengalis, as Indians, demand democracy, not ask for it. OTFS celebrates one year of the Trinamool Congress Government, brickbats and all.

I Take Your Leave

It's been a long journey -
A thousand miles and more.
At every step, a new beginning -
Challenges and hardships; trials galore.
So glad it's finally over -
I can now rest in peace.
It's been a long journey -
And now I take your leave.

Looking back at the journey -
There's so much I could've done more.
So many mistakes, so many misgivings -
So many times when I was hurt and sore.
So glad it's finally over -
I hope to move on and forgive.
Oh yes, it's been a long journey -
And now I take your leave.

Thinking of life afterwards  -
There's so much I could share.
'Cos life's not a bed of roses -
Now don't you pretend not to care!
But let me leave it to you -
Life will teach you better, you'll see.
For me, it's been a long journey -
And now I take your leave.
And now I take your leave...

An Attack on Democracy

The uproar in Parliament over the 1948 cartoon, re-published in an NCERT Class XI textbook, and subsequent events including the resignation of key advisers of NCERT all point to one dire thing - our democracy is weakening, we are becoming a nation of votebanks and sycophants and the space for freedom is diminishing as we speak.

The move to 'order' NCERT to stop circulation and printing of the textbooks shows the arrogance with which academic bodies are looked down upon in the country. There are many such instances of this, such as the deletion of Ramanujam's essay from the DU curriculum. But this one is of a very grave and serious nature because MPs are directly responsible for this.

Ever since NCERT reworked its history curriculum, history has been refreshingly re-focused on understanding its evolution rather than the rote learning that most of us are used to. Students are encouraged to think and wonder about history rather than accept as someone tells them. Political cartoons are an integral part of our democratic history - who can ever forget RK Laxman's famous cartoons? Cartoons help people understand the mindset, the overarching narrative of the times, which is vital to understandings history.

Now that MPs have successfully managed to pressure NCERT, many dangerous fallouts are certain - parts of our history will be blanked out, politically inconvenient facts will be distorted and we could end up like Pakistan, which has created a completely different history of its own, divorced from reality.

OTFS prays that on the 60th anniversary of the Lok Sabha's first sitting, democracy does not become a figurative image in our country.

The Secret: The Right Team

Now that the decision to organize IITR MUN 2012 was made, the next question was who would do it with me? The initial idea was to keep this as a Literary Section affair - and to that effect, I shot off a number of e-mails and FB posts. Most replies were short and sweet - no. And some never even got back to me!

Then, it hit me. There was a co-coordinator last year - would he be interested? It took no more than one post on his wall and Harshit and I were set! Of course, getting a team and an idea is a big deal - but getting it through the Cognizance bureaucracy is quite another. Fortunately, destiny was on my side - more than half the Cognizance OC was from my class and the Finance Convener was a Lit guy too.

It took almost no time for me to prepare an event proposal and it was passed pretty easily too. We had a big advantage that IITR MUN 2011 was a grand success and it is seen as a pretty sophisticated event, meant for the really smart kind of people Cogni wants to bring (or so the faculty advisers were told!) Getting the financial proposal through took more time though - I was subject to discussions about the International Financial Crisis, the slowdown in manufacturing and finally negotiations for that last Rs. 500!

So, with Harshit and me as coordinators (took sometime to convince them that we needed two), we set about hunting for co-coordinators... the people who would do the beast-of-burden work! Harshit was of the opinion that we should call for interviews. But then, having done the Kshitij interviews already, I knew that was unfeasible. It wasn't hard to convince him - we had little time! - so we decided to take our volunteers from last year. And so joined Mrigaunk Pillai and Aditya Gokhale - our co-coordinators. Extremely good people to work with... they do have a set of work ethics different from my own, but that's never a bad thing.

And finally, just before the event, we needed our volunteers. I got Piyush from Kshitij and the co-coordinators got Anisha and Jyotika from Watch Out. And then we got our IP - Dhanush, Mannat and Shashank. Harshit and I co-chaired out one and only full meeting at the Library Steps - first time (and only time) we felt really important!

Well, with a great team in place, the next thing to handle was publicity. We had to get an EB and decide the agendas. And that's when we faced some real hurdles and setbacks.

Next: The EB Story

Restroactive Amendments are Dangerous

The Finance Bill 2012, as passed by Parliament, is an interesting piece of legislation as it includes an amendment to the Income Tax Act. And not just any amendment - a retroactive amendment; one whose effect applies for all transactions since 1967. The instant reason for this exceptional amendment is the Vodafone tax case, in which an overseas transaction by Vodafone was deemed to be non-taxable by the Supreme Court. The amount, of course, is to the tune of Rs. 20,000 cr.

Retroactive or retrospective amendments are nothing new - they do happen, and they are almost always exceptions. Even in this case, it is well-known that this amendment is an exception. However, it is, undoubtedly, unfair. Changing the goalposts after the goal to deny victory is blatantly unfair. However, in this case, we have to look at who gains the most - all unfair laws are not necessarily bad laws.

This retrospective amendment is necessary because India cannot be seen to be a tax haven. In fact, even the DTAA with Mauritius needs to be revisited. A country like India, with huge developmental needs, cannot afford to lose tax revenue through such shady transactions in International tax havens (which themselves are under scrutiny by the FATF). And a significant loss, now made clear by the Vodafone tax case, would be a major blow. The net gain from this retroactive amendment thus, validates it.

Of course, we must accept that such amendments must be very few - exceptions, always. Businesses do not like an uncertain investment climate, and an uncertain tax structure would cause capital flight. The Finance Ministry must take pains to assuage fears. A balance must be sought - but tax money that is due must be paid up. India, after all, is no tax haven.

Accept it - it's Racism

The recent spate of killings of students from Northeast India in various parts of the 'mainland' have sent waves anger and resentment through the streets of Northeast India, with students coming out against what they call racist attitudes against them. So much so that even the Union Home Minister came out to say that there is no racial profiling. Not officially, at least.

The truth is that, for all the loud noises we Indians make against racist attacks on other Indian living abroad, racism is an inherent feature of how dominant Punjabi-ethnocentric power balances itself in a fragile Indian Union. Most people in this region, dominated by Punjabi culture, have a rather stereotyped view of what the term 'Indian' should mean - Aryan (fair and tall), Hindi-speaking, adhering to social mores related to morality, food preferences etc.

When this Punjabi ethnocentric view clashes with the 'other civilizations' of modern India - the southern Dravidians or the Northeastern Mongoloids - there is a clash. But the sad result of this clash in this one nation is racism aimed and directed against those who look, eat or dress differently. One result of this racism is the term 'chinki,' which is so loaded with racism that it should make anyone blood boil if they actually examined its connotation carefully. For the word is not a mere comment on physical appearance - it is dismissive, it is meant to poke fun at, to dominate, to humiliate. It is the Indian equivalent of the term used for centuries in America to ridicule blacks - nigger.

Students from the Northeast are not treated as equals in this nation of 'unity in diversity' - no matter how many times any minister rejects that claim, there are a hundred more voices and stories that reinforce it. Northeast India, in total, is meted out step-motherly treatment, with the Central Government merely throwing money at it, as though money can solve all problems. This is a much deeper issue, one that goes into the fundamental question as to what is really 'Indian'. And it cannot be solved by official statements that carry little currency on ground.

Opinions 24x7 stands for the rights of students and people from Northeast India to live a life of dignity and safety and believes that if India cannot ensure that to its people, it is time to give up false claims of 'unity in diversity' and end this tragic experiment. We fervently oppose the Punjabi ethnocentric view of what is Indian and what is not.

Fix it, don't ignore it

Mamata Banerjee has been hankering for a financial bailout package from the Central Government for quite some time now, pulling all sorts of threats and tantrums to get it. Her argument is simple - the absolute financial mess that her government in West Bengal finds itself in is due to the previous government and therefore, the Central Government should not ask for taxes etc. since none of those loans were taken by her (government).

The problem is that this entirely distorts the idea of continuity in Government. The reason that the political executive is aided by a much larger permanent executive is to ensure that previous and incumbent government policies transition properly. In the US, where a new President appoints the entire bureaucracy again, this transition is much harder.

When Mamata Banerjee's party stood for elections, she knew very well that West Bengal was in dire financial straits. Therefore, her first task was to fix the problem. Instead of making use of her highly experienced Finance Minister, she has chosen to shift the blame to the Central Government. The hallmark of the Mamata Banerjee Government has been shifting blame to everybody - her government is cast in gold and everybody else is out to destroy her, that seems to be the mantra emanating from Writers' Building.

The proper and responsible thing to do for any self-respecting Government would be to accept that the State is in a bad shape and then make the hard choices needed to fix it. This Government was elected to fix the problems of the state, not to shift the blame. It is blatantly unconstitutional to waive off the loans of any State Government. Even morally, there is no logic in providing such a breather to West Bengal alone - all twenty eight states would be equally justified in asking for that. And the fact that the TMC is a constituent of the UPA does not mean that it can do whatever it wants - that would set an abominable precedent.

If Mamata Banerjee cannot make the hard choices needed to save Bengal, she should quit. There are many in her party who are more competent than her in administrative matters, such as Dinesh Trivedi. Mamatadi, for all her grand talks, is best suited to remain in Opposition in perpetuity. She just does not know how to run a Government.

Choosing a President

On July 27, President Pratibha Patil will demit office and the electoral college must elect a replacement before that. With a little over two months left, consultations are in a preliminary phase with all sorts of names coming up. While the BJP appears to have put its weight behind former President Abdul Kalam, that seems highly unlikely since the first UPA Government did not allow him to have another term last time around.

The two frontrunners, so far, are Vice President Hamid Ansari and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Ansari is a respected citizen, known for his statesman-like stature. Unfortunately, the controversial adjournment of the Rajya Sabha in the middle of the Lokpal Debate wiped some of the sheen off his stature, which is why the main opposition BJP has rejected his candidature. While the UPA could still field him, it would open the floodgates for a contest, something best avoided in a Presidential Election.

Pranab Mukherjee remains the ever-favourite candidate. Being Bengali, he can even placate the firebrand Mamata Banerjee. However, he remains indispensable for the ruling alliance, the Congress' ace trouble-shooter, second only to the Gandhi Family in the pecking order. His elevation to the highest office of the republic would be a welcome move and it is possible for the UPA to convince the NDA as well, since it is known that Sushma Swaraj and Mr. Mukherjee share a could rapport.

One interesting idea that is making the rounds is that an apolitical person should be President. This is unnecessary - for one, the President must have some knowledge of constitutional law and must also know about all parts of the country. A politician fits the bill perfectly. True, a polarizing political figure must not be allowed to ascend Raisina Hill, but a consensus politician is very much possible.

Sadly, disturbingly even, the RJD seems determined to communalize this issue by asking for a Muslim President. The President of the Republic of India should not be determined on the basis of religion, since we are a secular nation. The attempt to communalize this august office by desperate political forces, already rejected by the electorate, must be shunned at all costs.

One December Night

'So do we have an IITR MUN 2012?'

That was the question I posed to Prateek, Sec-Gen of IITR MUN 2011. It was a casual question with simple intentions - Cogni was coming in three months and I had chosen not to apply for any of the departmental posts because I had (wrongly) assumed that it would be politics all over again. So now, jobless, I wanted something to do.

Deja vu Cogni'11, when, thanks to an earth-shattering branch change, I was left high and dry with absolutely nothing to do. I applied to IITR MUN 2011 - seemed like my kind of event - and was asked to take up the job of Editor-in-Chief of the IP. How I landed up being the delegate of India in my first ever MUN is a story for another day, though.

So, faced with a similar situation, although with a vastly expanded reputation and influence in the Lit circle, I posed this innocent question, wondering if I could get USA this time. The answer -

'No idea. You tell me!'

Now, that was an unexpected response. So the old warhorses are tired and are ready to pass on the torch. But do we need another MUN? Was the last one good enough. Simple enough - HELL YEAH! IITR MUN 2011 was one of the most successful events ever at Cogni. We definitely needed another one. In fact, we needed two (something that I now see as a mistake, though one with several benefits included).

And so came the idea - IITR MUN 2.0. 2.0 times the committees. 2.0 times the fun! As a marketing gimmick, it was priceless. But then, 2.0 times the fun needed 2.0 times the work. Who would join me? There was also the question of trying to do another Vox Populi - by then, I was already the first among equals in the Literary Section (3rd year) - so that was another option for me. Finally, in consultation with the LitSecy (who I would eventually succeed), Vox was cancelled and MUN was put under Litsec.

And so we had an event. But what about the team?

Up next: Finding another coordinator

Looking Back at RKB: Part 2

In the summer of 2011, what is called the Spring Semester, some semblance of normalcy came to RKB. We now had dedicated water coolers and washing machines were on their way. After some hiccups, the bathrooms were being cleaned regularly.

And then came the Bhawan CC. It was RKB's first tryst with Internet and it spawned whole new cultures. The CC not only had some 15 computers, there was also (rather slow) WiFi, meaning that upto 30 people could use the Internet at a time. Add to that was the fact that rooms nearby could also use the WiFi. People (including yours truly) would line up a good half and hour before opening time to use the CC. There would be a scramble for the best computers - mainly the ones with IDM and those near the fans. The caretaker would go to great pains to ensure people penned down their names in the register - before indulging in some online fun himself!

The Bhawan CC was a breath of fresh air but it got crowded very quickly, which is why we still had to make use of the ICC. Using the ICC after 6:00 PM is nothing new, addicts in the City use it all the time. But to go from the Gaon to the City is a big deal - and in the beginning of 3-1, when my intern apping was on full-steam, I did just that. Everyday after dinner. 8:00 PM, sharp, out of RKB. Work till 10:00 PM.

We had our first Bhawan's Day - whose name nobody can recall - which was described, very succinctly, as a flop show for more reasons than just the food. But no matter, RKB had already gained notoriety as the worst place to live in. It deserved the worse Bhawan's Day too!

The summer break came and went - still no LAN/WiFi. In came the politicians and the threat by the electorate to boycott the polls in the absence of Internet. And then, four days before MTE-1, it happened. Facebook suddenly exploded with status updates about RKB's LAN. Friend lists exploded; online friends expanded. Sharing statuses and pictures became passe; Youtube and Facebook were seamlessly integrated! Yes: RKB finally had LAN. And the hitherto worst place to live in became the to-rated Bhawan in the institute.

We had a successful Bhawan's Day, praised by all. The lifts were working, pots and plants added some greenery to the place. The Mess Roof became the centre of recreation. Yes, we were a Bhawan, we were THE BHAWAN!

Of course, all good things face what Indian mothers call the nazar... the devilish eyes of the very envious. The history and the politics aside, the time came for us to leave. Civil was allotted Jawahar Bhawan, the former #1 Bhawan, which is still as good as it gets if you disregard the LAN (which is almost impossible to do). IIT Roorkee tried to create a modern hostel to display its industrious administration; it ended up creating the forbidden fruit that nearly tore the entire UG students group into pieces and threatened the peace that the student institutions are build upon.

And it all came down to three letters - L-A-N. To quote a junior:

Give me a tent in the middle of a broken road with no food and water. But put a LAN port in it. I'll take it!

A Milestone in the Arabian Sea

The inauguration of the Indian Navy's latest naval base - INS Dweeprakshak - in the Lakshadweep Islands under the Southern Naval Command (Kochi) is a matter of pride for the Indian Navy - the largest local navy in the Indian Ocean Region. Not only does INS Dweeprakshak allow India to protect its western Island territories more effectively and in coordination with the Lakshadweep Islands Coast Guard, it also lends a footing to our maritime dream of becoming a blue water navy with interests ranging from the Straits of Hormuz to the Straits of Malacca.

Although the Navy has had a presence in the Union Territory since the eighties, the recent spike in piracy off the Somali coast and its further reach to as close as 200 nautical miles off Minicoy Island seems to be the short-term event that pushed the Navy to finally commission a full-fledged base.

But INS Dweeprakshak is not meant only to fight piracy. In the face of a Chinese 'string of pearls' strategy to cut-off India from the other nations of the Indian Ocean - despite China itself being nothing more than a Pacific power, a weak one at that - this move will serve as an important means to listen and observe to what the Chinese are upto in this region. Recently, there were some rumours that Seychelles had offered a refueling-station to the Chinese for their Somali mission. Now, India has such a station in Oman, but then, India is a regional power and the Chinese are the invaders in the Indian Ocean.

India must use this base as a strategic push into the region, eventually converting it into another Tri-Services Command akin to the one in Nicobar. The safety of out maritime community and our own maritime security depend on such a vision.

Looking Back at RKB: Part 1

One by one, each of the city-side Bhawans are on their way to allot rooms to the Batch of 2013 who, after three years of sticking together, are to be separated branch-wise. It feels strange, leaving the Bhawan that has been my home for the last two years, whose iconic view of the campus from the top floor I have savoured, but whose terrace I have never been able to go to.

RKB started out as the monstrous new Bhawan of IITR - a giant among the older Bhawans, one that people were fighting over, even in the City. But very soon, the ugly truth came out. There was no Internet - forget the prophesied LAN, there wasn't even any WiFi or a Computer Centre. But that was a small part of the problem - there was no electricity in many of the plug points either; there were no water coolers anywhere but two in the mess; there was no lawn to play and relax on; the lifts kept breaking down; no newspaper agent was allotted; there were no washing machines in the Bhawan... the list just went on.

And then there was the mess. RKB mess is legendary because of its size, which is why in its first year, it was the RKB-Cautley Mess - a mess designed for 1100 people, larger than any other. It was also the first privately-outsources mess in the institute. And it was pure hell. Unimaginably long lines, a severe shortage of utensils and even a shortage of place to sit during peak hours were the hallmark of this mess. And of course, the bad food. The lowest point was probably when the same bad food was served during Bhawans Day - a very embarrassing moment!

The Internet problem got much worse as frustration began to set in. RKB has become synonymous with stone-age communication, with online activity at a low in the campus. Most importantly, Cautley Bhawan had a fun time poking fun at their poor cousins next door. RKB hit another low with a suicide in 2-2, something that shocked the Bhawan and the institute. One thing had become clear - RKB was not the promised land; it was crass punishment.

And one day, all that changed.

(Continued...)

Of Cold Politics and Heartbreak

SONGS OF BLOOD AND SWORD
By Fatima Bhutto

The journey of Pakistan since the death of Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah can be traced through a series of assassinations and coups that have rocked the country and ensured that the military and intelligence establishment held on to power no matter what. In Songs of Blood and Sword, Fatima Bhutto aims at looking at that history through the story of her family - the Bhuttos. The family that has now become Pakistan's first political family.

The Bhutto family had a long history that spread across Sindh - and before partition, Sindh was a part of the Bombay Presidency. And then came partition and the family of feudal landlords found itself in a new country, the 'land of the Pure.' Very soon however, the promised land turns rotten as Ayub Khan rescinds the 1956 Constitution. And then one man stands up to the military - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB).

The book's most poignant narrative however, is not about ZAB. It's about his children. Apart from the gut-wrenching chapter on the judicial murder of ZAB, it actually goes into Pakistan after his end. And then we reach two main characters - Murtaza and Benazir. Both destined to succeed ZAB. But only one can. In the end, Benazir proves to be the cold-hearted politician, who curries up to each and every person who was involved in killing her father, and Fatima's father Murtaza fades away into the wilderness, confused over his love life, defeated by his sister.

Or so Fatima tells us. There are other narratives, of course, but the fact that Benazir failed to repeal the Hudood Ordinances makes for a compelling case that she was indeed a politician sans principles. Whatever, may be the case, Songs of Blood and Sword is a well-researched story of a family, a country and the people around either.

A Last Ceremony

The Cultural Council 2011-12 was officially dissolved yesterday at the annual Valedictory Function that saw the entire Council come out in diminishing numbers and also chanced upon seeing the two magazines together for the first time under the Council. It was a pretty good event, with some good performance by MusicSec, which were, as always, modulated to suit the needs of the distinguished and very old faculty advisers in attendance.

It was a strange feeling - on one side, I went up to the stage to collect my memento for being a member of Kshitij. And co-terminus with that is my tenure. So, officially, I am out of this magazine. Juniors might invite me for meetings just for the fun of it, and there will be two senior-sponsored chapos, and Ed might ask me to write something to fill space, but in the end, there will be no more regular meetings.; there will be no more editing; there will be no more trips to the CulSoc office or the FacAd's offic; there will be more telling people that I'm in Kshitij. In short, the defining part of my extracurriculars in IITR has just ended for good.

On the other hand, I officially became Additional Literary Secretary. Although, for reasons best known to the current Secretary, I was unable to participate in the very silly exchange-of-chairs ceremony, it's just symbolic. Now I have to do all the administrative work for the Debating Club - anything new? Hardly! For the last two semester, Debating has been as much a part of my week as has Kshitij, maybe even more, but that does not make it anymore special. So while I shall of course ensure the smooth running of the Club, it does not make up for the loss of my membership with the magazine.

As a sort of concession, we were given probably the best food yet at IITR - although we should've eaten the sweets first! A good function, good food, a huge loss, some gains. Life goes on.

The Last Hurdle

As this semester - the Semester of Conquest - comes to an end, the time has come for the ETE exams, this one being the most crucial of all. This semester has been all about cultural activities for me, but as always, studies are the prime focus. Having witnessed my seniors struggling over higher studies, a good CGPA is a definite requirement for me.

Now, this semester, we've had six subjects and the proficiency. In the proficiency, not only am I guaranteed an A+ but I've also ascended to Addl. Literary Secretary. In CE-300, I see an A or an A+ for sure. Now, there ends the good part. All the subjects have had varying degrees of toughness but coupled with an expanded cultural portfolio, this semester has been tough. Therefore, I don't see my SGPA going anywhere above 8.5.

In CE-332, I am confident, mainly because both my MTEs went well and my tutor and practical instructor (the same person) has been dishing out high marks throughout the semester. So, just a decent ETE is good enough. A closely similar story with CE-354, where my MTE marks have been good - though they could've been better - while the sessional marks should be good too.

Now come the big question marks: CE-352 is a subject where I am in seriously big trouble. Although MTE-1 was good, MTE-2 was a huge flop, with my mark hovering around the average. The tutorials are a big question mark because, presumably, they will not even be evaluated (which is a good thing, if you know what I mean!) And the practicals are another question mark, although there is a quiz for that.

CE-362 is a problem of another kind: the professor has gives such high marks that I'm actually just above the average again! The practicals and tutorials are on the negative side here, which is exceptionally bad since I wanted to take up Transportation Engineering for my MS.

So, here's to the final week of ghissing and mugging before I leave for Munich!