India Today 20 jan

A CAA protester at TINGareshEJaRriwalarnino.28587/75 registeredno.dl(nd)-11/6068/2018-20;U(c)-88/2018-20;FAridABAd/05/2020-22 licensedtopostwithoUtprepAyment The Design Special Jantar Mantar, Delhi www.indiatoda who is (not) a citizen? the truth about Caa / NPr / NrC WhY JNu IS IN turMoIL ary 20, 2020 `60 oc

DIGITAL EDITION OC The Design Special WHY JNU IS IN TURMOIL www.indiatoday.in JANUARY 20, 2020 `60 RNITINaresGh JEariwRNO.28587/75aREGISTEREDNO.DL(ND)-11/6068/2018-20;laU(C)-88/2018-20;FARIDABAD/05/2020-22LICENSEDTOPOSTWITHOUTPREPAYMENT THE GOOD LIFE TRENDS 2020 The Future Beckons FASHION MARRIES SUSTAINABILITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP; TRIPPING ON BOURBON; PRE-OWNED LUXURY CARS RACE AHEAD; TOP TECH TRENDS FOR THE YEAR A CAA protester at Jantar Mantar, Delhi WHO IS (NOT) A CITIZEN? THE TRUTH ABOUT CAA / NPR / NRC EXCLUSIVE MULTIMEDIA CONTENT ONLY FOR IPAD THE BIG STORY CHIEF AGENDA COVER STORY WHO IS (NOT) A CITIZEN? COVER STORY WHY ARETHEY ANGRY? UPFRONT WHY JNU IS INTURMOIL STATES FAILING OUR CHILDREN, AGAIN LEISURE FIGHTERTOTHE FINISH #WHOISINDIANCITIZEN SUBSCRIBE NOW www.indiatoday.in/digitalmagazines

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF M igration has become a controversial and explo-NareshTIGEJariwalaR Our August 6, 2018 cover sive issue across the world. The entry of legal or illegal migrants in any significant number stokes situation. It is being seen as a repudiation of the fundamen- fear among the citizens of threats to their cul- tal tenets of the Constitution. Although Mrs Indira Gandhi tural identity or their economic well-being. Predictably, in introduced the word ‘secularism’ in the Preamble to the Con- this atmosphere of uncertainty and instability, there will be stitution through the 42nd Amendment in 1976, the Supreme politicians ready to exploit the situation for electoral gain. Court has on numerous occasions confirmed that secular- One of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises, for ism is a basic feature of the Indian Constitution. The whole example, was to build a wall along the border with Mexico to trouble, I believe, started with the exclusion of Muslims in the keep illegal immigrants out. In the United Kingdom, Brexit CAA and the BJP’s narrative on the NRC, followed by the an- was fuelled by fears of immigrants swamping the country, nouncement of the National Population Register (NPR). and Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a huge electoral mandate at the end of 2019 to ensure his country’s swift exit T his had been preceded by the abrogation of Article from the European Union. 370, the Ram Mandir verdict and the criminalisation of triple talaq, unleashing panic among the estimated So it was no surprise when the Narendra Modi govern- 200 million Muslims of India, no doubt fuelled by the BJP’s ment, in its second term, implemented a key promise in its opponents. However, this government has only exacerbated manifesto and introduced the Citizenship Amendment Bill such fears by using its brute majority with great alacrity (CAB) in Parliament, which would offer an opportunity in pushing through these measures in a sequence that was for illegal immigrants from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, bound to cause alarm. In their own interest at least, they Parsi and Christian communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan could have prepared the ground better, referencing the fact and Bangladesh to apply for Indian citizenship. It made no that previous governments too have extended similar provi- mention of illegal Muslim immigrants. Passed on December sions of citizenship. 12, the CAA, coupled with the government’s plan to create a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC)—a register The current fears are not entirely unanticipated. Our of citizens mandated by the Census Act of 1948 but never August 2018 cover story, ‘Assam’s Nowhere People’, spoke carried out—has sowed fear and confusion among Muslims of the fear and uncertainty among the people of the east and triggered nationwide protests, which have, over the past Indian state ahead of its NRC. What began as a campaign month, led to the deaths of 27 persons, destruction of public against illegal immigrants, we believed, could have a ripple property and thousands of arrests across the country. effect and spark communal conflict across India. Our cover story, ‘Who Is (Not) a Citizen’, put together by Senior Edi- Many of the protests have been led by the BJP’s politi- tor Kaushik Deka and Associate Editor Sonali Acharjee, cal opponents—the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the TMC in West demystifies the CAA, the NRC and the NPR and looks at the Bengal and the CPI(M) in Kerala. A majority of the protests wave of student protests across the country. are spontaneous expressions of dissent by ordinary citizens— a diverse mix of students, professionals, intellectuals and India has its fair share of Pandora’s boxes. Opening up a celebrities. Speaking straight from the heart, they are raising new one when there are more pressing issues, like fixing the genuine concerns about how the NRC proposes to include economy, to address is clearly not in our interest. Nothing legitimate poor and marginalised citizens who might either binds a country like equitable economic prosperity. India have not felt the necessity to acquire documents so far, or lost should see itself as a modern state whose purpose is to them, and who cannot afford a fresh set. Beyond this, the pro- improve the economic welfare of its citizens while protecting testers see a political motive in the BJP using CAA-NRC as the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship twin weapons to further their Hindutva agenda by legitimis- as enshrined in our Constitution. We are the most unique ing Hindu migrants while disenfranchising Muslims, with country in the world. Despite unmatched diversity in lan- an eye to the assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam in guage, culture and religions, we are still one country. Let us 2021. The problem of illegal migrants has been acute in east not lose this at any cost. India in the aftermath of the Bangladesh war of 1971. (Aroon Purie) That the government has spoken in different voices on the CAA and the NRC hasn’t helped matters either. Early in December, home minister Amit Shah had emphasised that a nationwide NRC was on the anvil. But soon after the protests, both he and Prime Minister Modi did a volte face on the issue. While an NRC is essential, it is how the government will implement it that is causing concern. Assam, for instance, has rejected the findings of its NRC. The register published in the state last August saw the exclusion of 1.9 million people, many of them believed to be Indian nationals. What will be the fate of a similar nationwide exercise, left to bu- reaucratic whims and fancies, is anybody’s guess. The whole issue has a tortuous history and is engulfed in misinformation. Political parties are blaming each other while fanning the fire for their political ends, worsening the JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 1

www.indiatoday.in UPFRONT LEISURE CHAIRMAN AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie THE ATTACK DEEPIKA: A SPIRIT VICE CHAIRPERSON: Kalli Purie AT JNU PG 4 OF GRIT PG 61 AN IDIOT’S Q&A WITH GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Raj Chengappa GUIDE TO FAIZ PG 10 INSIDE WAHEEDAREHMAN GROUP CREATIVE EDITOR: Nilanjan Das; GROUP PHOTO EDITOR: Bandeep Singh PG 68 MANAGING EDITORS: Kai Jabir Friese, Rajesh Jha CONSULTING EDITOR: Ajit Kumar Jha (Research)NareshTIGEJariwalaR EXECUTIVE EDITORS: S. Sahaya Ranjit, Sandeep Unnithan COVER STORY Why the country has erupted in Mumbai: M.G. Arun protests after the government SENIOR DEPUTY EDITORS: Uday Mahurkar, Manisha Saroop 22 WHO IS (NOT) brought in the new Citizenship Hyderabad: Amarnath K. Menon A CITIZEN? 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TIGERNaresh Jariwala

THE SOLEIMANI SLIPPING BLOWBACK ON OIL PG 8 PG 9 AN IDIOT’S TATA VS. MISTRY: GUIDE TO FAIZ PG 10 UPFRONT ATWISTIN THE TALE PG 11 PATIGNKAJNANGIA/MEAILTODAY R ENEMY LINES Naresh Jariwala Protesters at JNU on Jan. 6, a day after the attack on stu- dents on campus STUDENT UNREST WHY JNU IS IN TURMOIL By Sonali Acharjee On January 5, pepper spray saved at JNU,” says Patil, who has been at the who was among the 500-strong group Aditi Patil, 32, a PhD student university for eight years. “Students like protesting at the Gateway of India. at Jawaharlal Nehru University me who don’t belong to any political (JNU), from getting her face smashed outfit were never a target.” The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) in by a masked man with a rod. She and the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya then found refuge behind a water cooler. What happened at JNU has re- Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have been Others on campus were not as fortu- ceived wide attention. Messages of soli- blaming each other for the violence. nate, as dozens of armed thugs attacked darity with the students have poured in The JNUSU says that ABVP mem- students and teachers with bricks, beer from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Cape Town, bers are in league with the unpopular bottles and sticks, while the Delhi police Munich and New York. “I don’t know vice-chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh failed (or refused) to intervene. Some 34 which side is to be blamed. But I know Kumar. “They came to make a point: people were treated at AIIMS hospital the government has failed its students. that we can beat you up on campus for head injuries and abrasions. “Ex- The thugs walked away, while the vic- with the protection of the police and treme violence like this does not happen tims are being named in FIRs,” says Ab- administration and get away with it,” hay Singh, 21, an IIT Bombay graduate says Anagha Pradeep, a councillor with 4 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

TIGERNaresh Jariwala

HARDIK CHHABRA UPFRONT INDEX FEE HIKE ANGER There has been a transparent attempt to spin the at-HNarTIGARDIKeCHHABRshA JariwalaERSTANDING tack on JNU students and teachers by weapon-wield- TOGETHER ing thugs as a fight between left-wing and right-wing students that spilled out of hand. The university’s stu- Students dents’ union leader Aishe Ghosh, left bleeding from protesting the the head during the violence, has been the subject of attack on JNU at least two FIRs filed by the Delhi police for allegedly (top); and the vandalising university servers and attacking security damage at JNU’s guards. This, as the police have yet to arrest anyone Sabarmati hostel for attacking students despite video footage widely shared on social media of masked and armed men ca- sually walking out of the university after the beatings. There is circumstantial evidence linking right-wing student groups to the violence. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students’ wing of the RSS, has also put out videos it claims bolsters its case that its student members were victims of left-wing violence. But there has been no push from university au- thorities to hold anyone to account other than those largely left-leaning students and faculty who have been protesting against fee hikes for months. While the police investigation drags, and politicians, from both the ruling party and the opposition, fill the gap with mud-slinging, the violence in JNU has galvanised students across the country to continue with their protests against what they believe to be the divisive ethos and policies of the present government. `12,000 `1,700 `20 or less per month is Monthly charge introduced Rent for a single what families of some for hostels, taking the fee room per month, 40% of JNU students to Rs 2,000-2,300. The raised to Rs 600. earn, says the university refundable one-time security A double room students’ union deposit was raised from went up from Rs 5,500 to Rs 12,000 Rs 10 to Rs 300 before being rolled back `27,000 `55-61k 19 75% Annual household income Annual fees (hostel and Years without fee Subsidy for BPL students to qualify as BPL, says the mess) at JNU, up from increase. University and 50% for others, on some Digital India website of IT Rs 27,600-32,000. authorities claim a facilities. University estimated ministry. But there’s no This makes JNU the deficit of Rs 45 crore fees after hike as Rs 4,500 poverty line definition. The most expensive and that 89% of per month (Rs 54,000 university does not clarify central university hostel residents p.a.), and Rs 3,400 for BPL either who would qualify receive subsidies students (Rs 40,800 p.a.)

PULLQUOTES the JNUSU. The ABVP alleges that theNareshTIGEJariwalaR“I was surrounded by charges were to be borne by the UGC. JNUSU was hampering registrations 30 people who hit me However, before this could be imple- for the new semester by vandalising a with rods continuously. mented, higher education secretary computer and switching off the server. It R. Subrahmanyam, a key player in the also claims that it was JNUSU president Why would the negotiations, was transferred. “The VC Aishe Ghosh who led the masked thugs administration not file will obviously not honour that agree- onto campus. Ghosh, who received 16 an FIR against them?” ment. Before we hear what his plans stitches to her head apart from bruises in are, we will probably be evicted,” says the ensuing violence—her bleeding face Even after she had alerted Pradeep. “Over 40 per cent of JNU’s widely shown on television news—has the SHO of Vasant Kunj police students come from families with a had an FIR registered against her for the monthly income of Rs 12,000 or less. alleged damage to the server. The report station that there were The hike will change the nature of JNU, also states that she “indulged in physical armed outsiders on campus, which has always included people from violence”, “pushed lady guards” and all socio-economic backgrounds.” “threatened” guards. AISHE GHOSH, JNUSU president, received no help With the debate over the fee hike far “ABVP has never been involved in from over, the recent attacks have only any violence,” says Durgesh Kumar, “WE HAVE RESPONDED added to the distrust between the stu- president, JNU ABVP, presumably TO THE LAW-AND- dents and the VC. While the university arguing that the injuries to Ghosh ORDER SITUATION has issued circulars about exams, reg- and others were self-inflicted. “This PROFESSIONALLY” istrations and wi-fi services on campus campus is full of Naxals, Maoists, and after the attacks, it is yet to answer ques- nakli jihadists who have violence bred Delhi Police PRO M.S. tions about the organised violence on in them,” he adds, echoing the language RANDHAWA said the spot campus. “I was surrounded by 30 people used by senior BJP politicians, includ- of the “scuffle” between the who hit me with rods,” says Ghosh. “We ing home minister Amit Shah. Accord- students is an area where Delhi were punched. Why would the adminis- ing to Kumar, 25 ABVP members were police are not usually deployed tration not file an FIR against them?” injured and Manish Jangid, the group’s presidential candidate last year, had his “Vikas Patel is our Anima Sonkar, joint secretary, hand broken. But when asked if the in- ABVP Delhi, admitted to journalists jured had received treatment at any city activist. I am not dis- that members of her group were told hospital, he said most were “recovering owning. It’s self-defence, “in WhatsApp groups” to “step out with at home”. Jangid, meanwhile, refused to rods”, pepper spray and even acid. She answer any questions about his hand. complete self-defence…” claims the members were panicked and were carrying arms in “self-defence”. “Strikes at JNU, or indeed any Speaking as a panelist on WhatsApp screenshots circulated on campus, aren’t new,” says S.K. Sopory, a a television news channel, social media suggest JNU chief proctor former VC of the university, “but JNU ANIMA SONKAR, joint Dhananjay Singh was allegedly a mem- has never seen an attack of this nature. secretary, ABVP Delhi, admitted ber of a ‘Friends of RSS’ group, which There was a failure in security and co- that Patel, alleged to be one discussed inciting violence on campus. ordination.” Sopory, who taught at JNU of the men seen in images for 20 years, says “the tussle between from January 5, was an ABVP The VC, initially offering no insight administration and students is changing member, but that the group was into the security lapses, spoke to india the character of the campus. A dialogue today TV on January 8, saying “[On is needed between both sides”. After pro- acting in self-defence January 5], by about 5 pm, it was clear tests against proposed fee hikes began that there was a possibility of physical on October 28, attempts were made by violence. That is when we contacted the the ministry of human resource develop- police—who did arrive—with the help ment to arrive at a compromise between of the guards”. However, on being asked the administration and students. But, whether he believed it was the ABVP says Pradeep, “the present VC has never members or those from the Left organ- approached us for negotiations or talks. isations who were behind the violence, It is always through the HRD ministry.” he simply said: “All my students are the same. I don’t distribute them into any In one of the meetings held be- camps.” He has also said that students tween December 10 and 12, the hostel should “put the past behind”, but, as fee was to be revised with 50 per cent Abhinav Mitra, 30, a student of political concession for BPL (below poverty line) science, points out, “How do you forget students, while the service and utility being terrorised on your own campus?” n

UPFRONT K.C. SINGH GUEST COLUMN TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT T he US drone attack at Baghdad airport on January 3, US retaliated by killing three dozen Kataeb Hezbollah mili- killing Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, has desta- tia members, who responded by swarming the US embassy bilised the region. While recent tit-for-tat events led to in Baghdad. Finally, the US assassinated Soleimani. On the current impasse, the US-Iran animosity has a long history, Tuesday, Iran followed through on their Supreme Leader Ali interspersed with moments of tactical cooperation. Khamenei’s threat of “direct and proportional” retaliation In 1985-87, President Ronald Reagan sanctioned the Iran- with ballistic missile strikes on US military bases in Iraq that Contra operation in which Iran compelled its allies in Lebanon were perhaps deliberately symbolic rather than lethal. A mea- to release kidnapped Americans in exchange for arms needed sured tweet from President Trump was followed by his state- NareshTIGEJariwalaR for war with Iraq. Iranian payments funded the CIA’s anti- ment that Iran “appears to be standing down”, maintaining communist operations in Nicaragua. When revealed, it left an element of ambiguity and dissonance in the war of words. Reagan exposed to Congressional ire. In 2001, post the 9/11 The Trump administration appears to have three core terror attacks, as the US prepared priorities vis-à-vis Iran: a more stringent nuclear deal, a cap to dislodge the Taliban regime in on missile development and rolling back Iranian influence Afghanistan and capture Al Qaeda in the region. The first is perhaps doable, the second doubt- masterminds, Iran extended full coop- ful and the third impossible. Iran’s assertion of influence in eration in making its network with the the region has cultural and historical resonance, empowering Northern Alliance available. In fact, Gen. Shia populations fragmented after the collapse of Ottoman Soleimani shepherded it. But such cosiness power in the early 20th century. fell apart when President George W. Bush France, the UK and the EU want the nucle- dubbed Iran a part of the ‘Axis of Evil’ in his ar deal to survive. Japan and even China want 2002 State of the Union address. Finally, a peaceful Gulf for assured energy supplies. when ISIS captured large parts of northern India has belatedly jumped in with external Iraq and Syria in 2014, President Barack affairs minister S. Jaishankar speaking to his Obama, unwilling to enter another war, cal- Iranian counterpart. India has the security of culated that only Iran could counter ISIS. The six million citizens working in the Gulf states to 2015 nuclear deal between P-5 plus Germany consider, as well as the consequences of a dis- and Iran opened this gambit. Led by Maj. India has the security ruption of oil and gas supplies and trade. Gen. Soleimani, Iran created an alliance of of six million While India’s interest in stability in and Shia militias, with recruits from Afghanistan, Iran or even India, battle-hardened Hezbollah citizens in the Gulf to around the Gulf exceeds even that of China fighters from Lebanon, Iraqi Kurdish consider, as well as or Japan, its ability to shape events started Peshmerga and Syrian Kurds to eliminate the disruption of oil degrading from 2004, after Atal Bihari ISIS. The Saudis and Emiratis resented this Vajpayee’s government fell. His successor, and gas supplies Manmohan Singh, wagered tremendous politi- strategic about-turn by the US. cal capital on a nuclear deal with the US. As a President Donald Trump resurrected price, the US extracted a vote against Iran at the US-UAE-Saudi Arabia axis, abandoned the nuclear deal the IAEA. The joint secretary dealing with the US then was and imposed sanctions on Iran. The US expected Iran to sue the current external affairs minister Jaishankar. The Modi for peace or that economic privations would lead to the over- government has increased that tilt by wooing not only the US throw of the regime. Instead, Iran escalated the stand-off by but also rulers of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, who are driving sequestering ships carrying oil and even shooting down a US the current confrontation. This hampers India’s ability to play drone. The US suspects Iran also masterminded the attack honest broker. To hope that the US and its Gulf allies will aban- on a Saudi oil processing centre that crippled oil exports don Pakistan in return is fruitless, particularly as the Afghan for weeks. The current escalation began as a cycle of tit-for- endgame approaches. Thus, India needs to work with P-5 and tat attacks starting on December 27 when an Iran-trained Japan to urge the US to not exacerbate tensions while urging Iraqi militia, the Kataeb Hezbollah, fired rockets at an Iraqi Iran to contain its desire for revenge. n military camp near Kirkuk. Iran claimed ISIS leaders were being sheltered there. Russia has also accused the US of using K.C. SINGH is a former Indian ambassador to Iran and ISIS elements in Afghanistan to undercut the Taliban. The former secretary, Ministry of External Affairs 18 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020 Illustrations by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

NareshTIGEJariwalaR REUTERSECONOMY TURBULENT TIMES Professor N.R. Bhanumur- Soleimani’s funeral thy of the National Institute Slipping on Oil procession in Najaf, Iraq of Public Finance and Policy. T he escalation of ten- “In the past, the shock would sions between the US billion while imports—pri- has fiscal pressures, infla- have been absorbed fiscally. and Iran following the marily oil—were way higher tion is rising and growth is But now, the economy will assassination of Iran’s top at $13.5 billion. Indian weak. High oil prices will feel the impact directly.” military commander, Qas- equity markets were the add to the pressures,” says sem Soleimani, by the US, is first to react as the unfold- D.K. Joshi, chief economist High oil prices will stoke a body blow for the already ing geopolitical crisis sent at Crisil. “If it touches $100 inflation, further reducing struggling Indian economy. global crude oil prices above per barrel, it will be pretty the scope of lowering interest the $70 per barrel mark. damaging for the economy.” rates. The government will The US and Iran are The Sensex and Nifty fell by find the higher oil import both key trade partners of more than 1.5 per cent on Economic Survey est- bills restrictive. For instance, India. India’s exports to Iran January 6. imates suggest that a $10 if it had considered lowering in 2018-19 were worth $3.5 increase in oil prices brings income tax to spur demand, “The Indian economy down the GDP by 30 basis it might now be forced to cut points. While India has fuel prices instead to benefit kept its fiscal and current ac- a wider section of people. count deficits under check, high oil prices will put the The domestic demand macro-economic indicators crunch and the supply-side under stress. The impact shock in the form of rising will depend on how long the oil prices will come as a volatility lasts. The next few double whammy. “Macro months are crucial. “This is stability wasn’t a big issue, the first time since the end but now we’ll lose sleep over of the administered price current account and fiscal mechanism [for oil] that we deficits and the rupee,” says are facing such a shock,” says an economist. n —Shwweta Punj INDEX 10 52 The Iran including Soleimani, Iranian sites, some Imbroglio killed in US drone of cultural value, strike, says Iran. The will be attacked in The killing of Iranian major general Qa- US says Soleimani case of retaliation ssem Soleimani, as ordered by United and Iran-backed by Iran, warns States president Donald Trump, had a militias responsible Trump. Iran held knock-on effect on the price of crude for the death of 603 52 US hostages for oil and gold and shook markets across US troops in Iraq 444 days in 1979 the world. Mourners flooded onto the streets in Iran, but dozens of anti-war $70.7 55 paise $1,579.5 protests also took place across the US. Trump has been bullish in the face Price of a barrel of Brent Hike in petrol price Price of an ounce of of anger, threatening further attacks crude in the aftermath of per litre across gold after Soleimani’s on Iranian sites, including those of Soleimani’s death—highest India over five death. It briefly touched cultural importance, and warning Iraq, since September, when a Saudi consecutive days $1,588, the highest which has voted to remove US troops, oilfield was attacked, affecting (Jan. 1-5). Diesel since 2013. Gold has of retaliation through economic 5% of the global oil production rose by 72 paise/ been stronger of late, in sanction. Outright war, many politi- litre. Soleimani was part owing to US-China cal analysts say, is unlikely, though 233.9 killed on Jan. 3 trade tensions most also agree that the situation is unpredictable. This volatility has been points, or 0.6%, wiped 21 million 5,000 reflected in the price of gold and oil, off the value of Dow and in stock markets across the world. Stock Exchange in New Barrels of oil per US troops stationed And nuclear non-proliferation has York after Soleimani’s day estimated to in Iraq, said been postponed, with Iran abandon- death, the biggest single- pass through the secretary of state ing, at least temporarily, any restraints day loss in a month. Strait of Hormuz, Mike Pompeo in on uranium enrichment. While calling The Bombay Sensex which goes through January 2019; for restraint, the United Nations said fell 788 points Iranian and Omani 45,000-65,000 that geopolitical tensions were at their waters—over 20% troops across West highest this century. of the world’s oil Asia and Afghanistan

UPFRONT CONTROVERSY SHREEVATSA AN IDIOT’S GUIDE TO FAIZ NEVATIA W hen IIT-Kanpur professor Vashi Mant Sharma had once noted that the Revolution and the beloved are decided to complain against the recitation of often interchangeable in the poet’s work: “Waiting for the Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s Hum Dekhenge on December Revolution can be as agonising and intoxicating as wait- 17, he had little idea his tantrum would inadvertently give ing for one’s lover.” Faiz himself seemed to substantiate this the movement he loathed its anthem. Verses of the poem claim when he told an interviewer in 1972, “I have never dif- echoed in Kolkata’s Gariahat where protestors were march- ferentiated the personal and the impersonal.... Sometimes ing against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. After the you stress the social, sometimes the personal.” Faiz, the assault on JNU students and teachers on the night of humanist, speaks on our behalf. He alleviates the suffer- NareshTIGEJariwalaR Sunday, January 5, a group of Mumbai residents gathered ing of our broken hearts and our broken bones. Perhaps his near the Gateway of India to express solidarity. They too felt most popular couplet—“I haven’t lost hope but just a fight, the time was right to sing Hum Dekhenge. that’s all; the night of suffering lengthens Sharma’s umbrage would be laughable but it is just a night, that’s all”—can ease the if it wasn’t so twisted. He doesn’t like the wounds of either a defeated lover or activist. fact that students on his campus turned to a In Subh-e-Azadi, a poem he wrote about Pakistani poet when registering dissent. He India’s Partition in 1947, Faiz’s despair wants Faiz’s mention of “Allah” to be replaced gradually transforms into precarious hope. with “Ram”, but his intervention finally The opening lines—“This light, smeared and proves devilish in its detail. Even though spotted, this night-bitten dawn, this isn’t some stanzas of the Vedas and Upanishads surely the dawn we waited for so eagerly”— too are dismissive of idol worship—“There seem somewhat at odds with the optimism is no image of Him” (Yajurveda, Chapter with which he chooses to close. “Let’s go on, 32, verse 3)—Sharma claims that Faiz was we have not reached the destination yet.” being anti-Hindu when he wrote, “Jab Faiz was 36 in August 1947. Like many arz-e-Khuda ke Kaabe se, sab but uthwae Pakistanis who were born in a pre-indepen- jaenge... (When idols of falsehood would be dent India, Faiz’s history dotted each side of cast aside from Kaaba, the abode of God...).” the Indo-Pak border. He married in Srinagar. On his blog, Sharma writes, “If call for idols’ destruction is challenging authorities and Faiz believed his His first job took him to Amritsar. He served poetry could speak in the British Indian Army during WWII. His norm of such gathering [sic], this gather- to Indians, but he’d daughters, Salima and Moneeza, were born ing must be a terrorist gathering.” Sharma here. Despite his affection for India, though, must, of course, be tutored in history. In 630 never pretend to Faiz remained a realist. His poetry could A.D., when Muhammad entered Mecca, speak for them speak to Indians, he felt, but he would never he removed the statue of Hubal and idols pretend to speak for them. of other gods Islam considered pagan. Faiz During Pakistan’s wars with India, Faiz wasn’t anti-Hindu. He was Muslim, not Hindu. refused to write patriotic songs that would goad his country’s Vashi Sharma’s specious arguments are easy to disre- troops, but his verse does invent a new patriotism—one that gard, but they have served a purpose. They have put Faiz in insists on enlightenment, not allegiance. Unlike poets such as our headlines. Faiz’s iconoclasm can sometimes make us for- Tagore who dreamt of a world where the head was held high, get his romantic predilections. The true subject of poetry, he Faiz’s years in prison (he was jailed multiple times by different held, “is the loss of the beloved”. Yet, even in the midst of his Pakistani regimes) had perhaps taught him a valued lesson— private anguish, Faiz includes a plural ‘we’. In Mujhse pehli there may come freedom, but there is no escape. In Nisaar si mohabbat, mere mehboob na maang, a lover implores his Main Teri Galiyon Ke, he writes, “I bow to your streets, O beloved to not ask of him a love he once felt. He has seen my country, where common law decrees none may raise their too much—“Human bodies numbed by filth, deformed by head.” If Faiz speaks to those protesting for greater equality injuries, cheap merchandise on sale in every street.” If the today, it is possibly because he always said it like it was. n personal becomes the political in Faiz’s poetry, its reverse is then a reminder for those in power. SHREEVATSA NEVATIA is a journalist and Having translated some of Faiz, Agha Shahid Ali author most recently of How to Travel Light 10 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020 Illustration by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

VINDICATED Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry NareshTIGEJariwalaR REUTERSTATA VS. MISTRY Articles of Association were amended to curtail the powers and independence A Twist in the Tale of the chairman. He alleged that during board meetings, Tata Sons directors By Rajeev Dubey would take instructions from Ratan Tata (chairman emeritus then). He ar- E ven as the corporate world his right to return to the post he was re- gued that he had had to deal with costly debates the implications of moved from. “I will, however, vigorously acquisitions from Ratan Tata’s time the National Company Law pursue all options to protect our rights as chairman, which bogged down the Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) as a minority shareholder, including that group’s performance. Still, Tata Sons’ net worth—despite impairments—rose judgment, reinstating Cyrus Mistry as of resuming the 30-year history of a seat from Rs 26,000 crore to Rs 42,000 crore during his time period. chairman of Tata Group holding com- on the board of Tata Sons and the incor- The Tata Group, however, main- pany Tata Sons, several legal experts poration of [the] highest standards of tained that Mistry had no strategy or vision and, during his tenure, the are of the opinion that the order would corporate governance and transparency group’s revenues, in fact, fell from $108 billion (Rs 7.7 trillion) to $103 billion. be put to judicial test on various para- at Tata Sons,” he said in a statement. It also charged Mistry with acting unilaterally on key strategic decisions. meters. Corporate lawyer Cyril Shroff All along, Mistry’s pursuit of the For instance, it said, Tata Steel’s UK business was put on the block without cites three. First, the rule of major- legal route was misconstrued as his keeping Tata Sons in the loop or with- out making an attempt to revive it. The ity: can a person removed by majority burning desire to return as Tata Sons group alleged that Mistry entered into a bitter legal battle with Docomo despite shareholders be reinstated? Second, an chairman. However, it never was about the group’s commitment to protect its India investment, and acquired the order against entities not parties to the regaining the top job. With the Tata Welspun group’s renewable assets with- out informing the board of Tata Sons. case shakes the fundamental principle Group and family owning over 80 per So where does all this leave the $110 of natural justice. And third, the prin- cent of the group holding company, it billion group with a 150-year history? Mistry’s statement would have brought ciple of proportionate representation— would be naive to expect Mistry could the Tata camp much relief. For, if he’s not planning to pursue the NCLAT under which such representation can stay chairman against the wishes of the judgment to be reinstated, the Tatas will surely get a stay on the order, if not an be claimed if mentioned in the Articles Tata Trusts and the family. Even if the immediate rejection. For the Tatas, the arguments will then shift to other less of Association. “It [the verdict] has highest court reinstates Mistry to the urgent questions, such as whether the group will need to review its corpo- blown away a lot of beliefs of company chairman’s post, the Tata Group, as ma- rate governance norms, as Mistry was insisting; whether the Mistry family can law,” says Shroff. jority owners, would rightfully claim proportional represen- tation on the Tata Sons board for their The Tata Group has FOR MISTRY, HIS be able to remove him 18.4 per cent equity; whether the Tata panicked and filed mul- CASE WAS NEVER yet again, using fresh Group has the right to convert the hold- tiple appeals against the resolutions. ing company into a private company against the Mistry family’s wishes. NCLAT judgment in the ABOUT HIS Mistry’s fight was Supreme Court—by Tata REINSTATEMENT about insisting on the Victory or defeat in any of these Sons, Tata Consultancy family’s rights in Tata would be far more palatable for the Tata Services (TCS) and AS TATA SONS Sons, family honour Group than having to reinstate a chair- man it had sacked three years ago. n Ratan Tata himself. But CHAIRMAN. IT and the humiliation of Mistry appears to have WAS ABOUT being sacked. Mistry’s sought a higher moral contention has been ground by renouncing HIS HONOUR that the Tata Sons’ JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 11

UPFRONT BOOKS THE ECONOMISTS’ COOKBOOK By Ashok V. Desai T he present government got rid people, but costly: for instance, clean of two excellent economists— water. The State may provide them, or Raghuram Rajan and Arvind subsidise firms that do. Subramanian. It has presided That is what a good State should over the worst economic downturn in do. But the Indian governments are NareshTIGEJariwalaR a quarter century. Its ministers keep pretty bad. First, they are inefficient: saying the crisis will be over soon, that to spend a rupee on something good for good times are coming. The latter is a the people, they spend two rupees on slogan used by the prime minister in themselves. Second, they are ignorant: the election five years ago that he won; they do not have and do not collect the and though the times got worse and information necessary to be effective. worse, he won once again. He is cer- Third, they know too little about how tainly having a good time; he can give policies work and how they affect the the economy as bad a time as he likes people. Fourth, rulers elected to pursue and the electorate will still vote him people’s interest often pursue their own in. Magical oratory wins over sensible IN SERVICE OF THE interest, such as making money or ap- economic policy today. REPUBLIC: The Art and pointing cronies. Finally, people are not Science of Economic Policy great thinkers: they sometimes make It seems hardly the time to write by Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah rulers implement the wrong policies. about how to make economic policy. Economics is supposed to be a dismal Penguin Random House To make good policy, the govern- science, but some economists are incur- `699; 425 pages ment should begin by asking a series able optimists. Ajay Shah and Vijay of questions. What problem are we Kelkar have written 400 pages to broad- looking for a policy to solve? What cast the secrets of good economic policy The book strays policies are available to solve it? Does to those who have no ears for them. beyond economic the State have the capacity to execute policy into health, the policy? If it intervened, would it do Shah and Kelkar are liberals. They financial innovation more good than harm, in the long run? believe that if people have the freedom to and anti-cyclical poli- Such forward calculation is subject to do what they like, they will pursue their cies—curious readers uncertainty; the government should self-interest and make themselves as will find much to amuse keep doing reviews of past policies and happy as possible. The government has learn from them where it is likely to go a big stick: it can coerce anyone. Is there any coercion it can practise for people’s and educate them wrong in forward calculations. benefit? They identify four types. First, These are instances of how Shah some private actions may harm others. and Kelkar go about analysing policy- For example, a boy who drives off in making in this book. It is not compact; his father’s car but does not know how to drive may hurt or it wanders into remote corners and comes up with unusual kill innocent people. The State can ensure that only people ideas. It strays beyond economic policy, into health, finan- who know how to drive get out on the roads. Second, some cial innovation and anti-cyclical policies, what a State can things should not be sold without informing buyers about learn from other States, and so on. It is too heavy to read in their consequences: for instance, whether medicines might bed; but it is just right for dozing in an armchair and being have bad side-effects. The State can prohibit potentially woken up by a provocative thought once in a while. Omni- harmful drugs and make firms disclose risks on the packag- scient politicians may prefer porn; but curious readers will ing. Third, some sectors may have too few producers; they find much to amuse and educate them in this book. n may combine forces to exploit buyers. The State can ban or punish such extortion. Finally, some things may be good for The writer is a former chief economic advisor 12 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

NareshGEJariwalaR Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE GLASSHOUSE FORCE FOUR In Delhi, the BJP has a fight on its hands against incumbent chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s well-entrenched Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). An early lesson the BJP has taken from its recent electoral debacle in Jharkhand is to be wary of factionalism—the party might choose not to declare a chief ministerial candidate before the upcoming assembly election for fear of upsetting rival factions. Four known MPs—Vijay Goel, Harsh Vardhan, Parvesh Verma and Manoj Tiwari—will be fielded in the February 8 polls, while the BJP is also planning to field over 40 new candidates in the 70-seat house. MANDARDEODHAR TIDUBIOUS Flag of DISTINCTION Convenience W hat do J. Jayalalithaa, Lalu Maharashtra Navnirman Prasad Yadav and Y.S. Jagan Sena chief Raj Thackeray Mohan Reddy have in common? All reportedly plans to replace his three figured in disproportionate party’s blue, white, saffron and assets cases as chief ministers. green flag with a single saffron Seeking exemptions from appearing band, possibly bearing an image of in the special CBI court presided Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. over by judge B.R. Madhusudhan However, previous attempts to Rao, Reddy seems keen to make rebrand—such as by tweaking the the distinction that elections and his MNS’s railway engine symbol— responsibilities as CM keep him too have had no effect, with the party busy. Rao isn’t impressed and has winning only o refused to allow further exemptions, 2014 and 2019 directing Reddy to be present at the assembly polls. next hearing on January 10. —Sandeep Unnithan with Anilesh S. Mahajan, Kiran D. Tare and Amarnath K. Menon

ANDHRA PRADESH: MAHARASHTRA: CAPITAL CONFLICT PORTFOLIO GAMES PG 16 KARNATAKA: PG 17 UNHOLY ROW DELHI: GEARING FOR PG 18 STATES ELECTION PG 20 HEALTH SCARE A patient is wheeled into Kota’s Jay Kay Lon Hospital NareshTIGEJariwalaR PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR RAJASTHAN FAILING OUR CHILDREN, AGAIN The spate of neonatal deaths at Kota’s Jay Kay Lon Hospital is an KOTA all-too-familiar tale of shoddy infrastructure, staff shortage, poor hygiene... By Rohit Parihar

T he deaths of 112 babies (December 1 to January AN UNFOLDING TRAGEDY 6) at Kota’s Jay Kay Lon Mother & Child Hospital have turned the spotlight on the deplorable state 963 80 of neonatal healthcare in Rajasthan and sent the DEATHS PER CENT Ashok Gehlot government scrambling to mobilise resources. While questions are being raised about the crum- of children of senior doctor bling infrastructure, staff shortage and poor hygiene at Jay reported at Kota’s positions in Kay Lon—pigs were found roaming inside the premises—by all accounts, this had been a tragedy waiting to happen. Jay Kay Lon paediatrics are Hospital in 2019 lying vacant The death toll of 100 in December—the hospital’s worst NareshTIGEJariwalaRfor the month in the past five years—consists of mostly un-100+ 38 derweight newborns, many of whom were referred here from DEATHS IMR other maternity and non-specialised medical centres. In 2019, the average mortality rate at Jay Kay Lon was 5.6 per cent of at Jay Kay Lon in (or infant mortality the total admissions and 19 per cent of the admissions in the 25 months in the rate) in Rajasthan in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). For the record, infant past five years; 2019 (national avg. 33), fatalities at the hospital have been the lowest in 2019, if figures 154 in Aug. 2015 down from 41 in 2017 for the past five years are taken into account. THE GEHLOT GOVERNMENT SAYS Paediatricians at Jay Kay Lon often say “ jugaad (stop-gap)” A 12-BED NEONATAL ICU WILL BE is the order of the day. They say, so poor is the hospital’s layout it offers little sunlight—so essential for newborns. The NICU, READY IN THREE MONTHS set up in 2011-12, does not follow prescribed norms, such as an oxygen pipeline and air-conditioning to maintain temperatures Gehlot has called the deaths unfortunate, but not unusual. at 27-30 degrees Celsius. In winters, newborns are kept com- On his request, the Union health ministry has sent a team of fortable with warmers and room heaters. experts to Rajasthan to study how the neonatal care infrastruc- ture at Jay Kay Lon can be revamped, including the speedy In 2012, the Gehlot government had sanctioned 60 beds transportation of critical babies to big hospitals. for children and 60 for gynaecology, but the subsequent BJP government allowed only 45 in gynaecology. Both govern- Gehlot says his government’s plan to add 18 government ments have failed to build a new wing here under the Mother medical colleges and upgrade district hospitals for the pur- and Child Hospital scheme of the central government. Little pose will vastly improve access to medicare in the next few surprise then that the hospital’s NICU and emergency neo- years. Gehlot described the chorus of condemnation from natal ward, which have sanctioned bed strengths of 42 and the BJP, including from Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, who 21 respectively, pack in two, three and even four babies per represents the Kota constituency, as a tactic to divert attention bed, and nurses cater to many more babies than the standard from the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protocol recommends. and the economic slowdown. Following the hue and cry after the current spate of deaths, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, however, has called the Gehlot government on January 2 ordered the setting up his government’s response insensitive and demanded ac- of a 12-bed NICU which is expected to be ready within three countability. “People elected us because the BJP governed the months. Much of the medical equipment that had broken state poorly. After being a year in power, we cannot blame the down, including warmers, infusion pumps and ventilators, BJP,” he said, inviting a rebuke from health minister Raghu has been repaired or replaced. Eighty per cent of the senior Sharma. “I take the blame for every hospital death, but what doctor posts in paediatrics are vacant. While there is no word about Pilot’s public works department—which is entrusted on when this shortfall will be bridged, the government has now with the maintenance of hospitals—taking months to repair appointed a senior professor, four assistant professors and 27 leaking ceilings and broken windows there?” he asked. Clearly, nurses. They are expected to join duty within six months. Gehlot is not only battling a healthcare emergency in Kota but malcontent in his own cabinet. n “While these measures will improve the quality of treat- ment by reducing the stress on doctors, any significant im- provement in the mortality rate in the NICU or the hospital overall is unlikely,” says Vijay Kumar Sardana, principal, Government Medical College, Kota, to which Jay Kay Lon is attached. Sardana says he is confident that every baby that died here had been given the required care. A significant improvement in mortality rate here is only possible if the Gehlot government quickly approves the proposal for a new wing with air-conditioned NICUs. JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 15

STATES ANDHRA PRADESH A M A R AVAT I CAPITAL CONFLICT VISAKHAPATNAM Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy looks to abandon KURNOOL Amaravati, plugging instead for decentralised development “waste paper for the Bhogi bonfire ritu- By Amarnath K. Menon als ahead of Sankranti”. A lot is at stake for Naidu, who spent much political TRI-JUNCTIONVIKRNareshTIGEAMJSHARMAariwalaR capital selling the idea of Amaravati as a dream city. Not everyone agreed with CM Jagan Reddy that vision, with many suspecting the new city would also serve as a mega real A ndhra Pradesh chief minis- across the globe—the BCG report also estate venture to benefit the Kamma ter Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy noted that aside from Shenzhen and caste, the dominant group in Naidu’s appears determined to dash Navi Mumbai, all others had failed to Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Extensive the development plans of his achieve their development targets. As land purchases in and around Ama- predecessor, N. Chandrababu Naidu. a next step, Chief Minister Reddy has ravati by the Kamma community and Reddy is preparing to disperse the state tasked a 16-member committee headed other TDP leaders have reinforced this capital to three locations—Amaravati, by state finance minister Buggana Ra- impression and led to allegations of ‘in- Visakhapatnam and Kurnool. jendranath to study the two reports and sider trading’. While nothing has been present the findings to the legislative proved, a cabinet sub-committee look- In a report submitted to the chief assembly before the end of January. ing into the matter alleged large land minister on December 20, 2019, an purchases by elected representatives, expert committee headed by retired However, ex-CM Naidu has rub- people close to Naidu and by companies bureaucrat G. Nageswara Rao had bished the plan, calling the reports in which he owned shares in the period recommended that the state adminis- leading up to Amaravati being declared tration be shifted to Visakhapatnam, THE G.N. RAO the capital in December 2014. Though while the state legislature remains in PANEL’S THREE- Naidu has dismissed these as baseless, Amaravati and the high court shifts to CITY PLAN HAS CM Reddy is likely to order a probe. Kurnool. Soon after, on January 3, the state government-appointed Boston THE BACKING However, the TDP is not alone in its Consulting Group (BCG) presented its OF THE BOSTON opposition. Investors in Amaravati are report, which largely agreed with the reportedly apprehensive of poorer-than- Rao committee report, recommend- CONSULTING expected returns, and farmers who had ing decentralised development for the GROUP TOO consented to the land-pooling agree- state. Highlighting the economic risk ment by which Amaravati’s lands were of developing a new capital—through acquired are restive. Even the BJP is an analysis of 30 greenfield capitals against the plan: “The central govern- ment, farmers and bond-holders are also stakeholders [in this matter],” says state BJP president Kanna Lakshmi Narayana. “Farmers gave 33,000 acres [under the land-pooling agreement] and the Centre has spent Rs 2,500 crore for the development of Amaravati.” But CM Reddy appears confident of his three-city plan. Arguing for decentralised development, he says, “We believe that [development] will be just only if water, funds and administration are equally available to all.” n 16 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

DIV YAKANT SOLANKI/EPA THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAHARASHTRA HEAVY HAND KERALA Games on the Field Thackeray (left) LOO AND with Pawar BEHOLD With his allies taking the cream, can new CM CM Pinarayi Vijayan Uddhav Thackeray make something of his lot? launches his own toilet By Kiran D. Tare NareshTIGEJariwalaR revolution N ew chief minister Uddhav than done. His two big announce­ Thackeray’s inexperience ments—loan waivers to farmers By Jeemon Jacob on the big stage was poss­ and the Shiv Bhojan Rs 10 meal for K erala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan ibly showing as his party’s allies the poor scheme—will most likely has put out his governance wishlist for 2020, and building public toilets tops NCP and Congress gained the plum see the allies stealing his thunder. it. “We are building 13,000 public toilets with the support of local self-government portfolios in his cabinet. Thackeray The loan waiver scheme will be (LSG) bodies across the state. This will make the state more traveller-friendly,” he says. has lost direct control over 70 per implemented jointly by the finance The government is also in discussions with petrol pump owners across the state to open cent of the state budget and con­ and cooperatives departments toilets at the pumps to all travellers. It’s also a bid to boost tourism numbers as the state ceded most big­ticket portfolios headed by the NCP’s Ajit Pawar hopes clean, hygienic public toilets will give it “better branding”. The state estimates the (including home and finance) in the and Balasaheb Patil, respectively. total cost at Rs 40 crore, with an additional Rs 4 crore a year to maintain the facilities. first expansion of the cabinet on With most co­op banks under NCP ‘God’s own country’ attracts over 15 mil- January 5. Only two big depart­ control, the party is likely to use the lion domestic tourists and one million for- eign ones a year with the industry recording ments, urban development and loan waiver amount to strengthen around 7 per cent growth in the state year on year despite two consecutive floods and the agriculture, are with the Shiv Sena. the finances of the banks. ‘Shiv Nipah virus scare. “It’s a welcome sign, and long overdue. I feel Kerala should design a Political analyst Hemant Desai Bhojan’ falls under the food and unique eco-sanitation model, public wash- rooms with minimum running costs,” says says NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s civil supplies department, again renowned architect Prof. Eugene Pandala. stamp is all over the government. headed by NCP’s Chhagan Bhujbal. Predictably, CM Vijayan’s critics have accused him of riding on the coat-tails of “It’s obvious that Thackeray has Thackeray managed to hold the Swachh Bharat Mission. Government sources agree that “one component” of the had to compromise,” he says. on to the agriculture department funds will come from the unused Swachh funds, but insist the new project is unique. Thackeray’s close The Sena is left despite pressure Not everyone is convinced, state Congress confidant Anil with just two big from the Congress. chief Mullappally Ramachandran feels this Parab, the minis­ Political observers “Modi-style governance” isn’t the right way ter for legislative departments, believe this could forward. “Before building all these toilets, the CM should perhaps ensure quality ration affairs, admits that urban result in a bigger food material for the poor,” he says. n “you can’t always development mess as agriculture FLUSHED CM Vijayan have an advantage and agriculture minister Dadaji in a coalition” but Bhuse is a rela­ maintains their “tuning is fine”. tive newbie to the field. Farmer A Sena strategist says the leaders Vijay Jawandhiya and Ajit party is looking to broaden its base Navale have already upped the JAISON G in rural areas, especially in Vi­ ante accusing the new govern­ darbha and western Maharashtra. ment of apathy over the plight of The agriculture department is with flood­affected farmers. At least the Sena and a good run for the 300 farmers have committed rural economy could give the party suicide since November 28, when a boost. But that’s easier said Thackeray assumed office. n

STATES JHARKHAND Q&A: SARYU ROY “I’ll continue my battle against corruption” By Amitabh Srivastava Q You are a giant-slayer who SOMNATH SEN proved to be the nemesis Jharkhand MLA SARYU ROYNareshTIGEJariwalaRof Raghubar Das and three Das was in power? made headlines in the state previous chief ministers. Besides registering my dissent during assembly election by defeating Whatever I have done is for a cause. I have cabinet meetings, I raised corruption former chief minister Raghubar no personal animosity towards any leader issues within the BJP and even spoke to Das from Jamshedpur East by I’ve exposed. Individuals, irrespective of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017. The over 15,000 votes. Roy’s ministe- their positions, do not matter. I believe PM advised me to share my concerns with rial stint in the Das government that the cause, the enormity of the issue, the party. I met BJP chief Amit Shah, who was marked by controversy as he should be the driver. promised to improve things in Jharkhand. raked up alleged corruption and Things improved temporarily. With 16 questioned decisions. Denied a Q. Did you alert the BJP central lead- departments under his control, Das oper­ ticket by the BJP, he contested the ership about the alleged irregularities ated in a highly centralised manner. The BJP poll as an Independent. Excerpts happening during the time Raghubar leadership erred in trusting him too much. from an interview: Q. Why do you think Raghubar Das lost SANDESH RAVIKUMAR K A R NATA K A BENGALURU Unholy Row A proposed statue of Jesus gives the BJP a stick to stir up the communal cauldron By Aravind Gowda A 114 feet tall statue of Jesus, pro­ attended an event on December 25 to posed to be built atop Kapala mark the commencement of work on Betta in Congress strongman the statue. “I have visited the site several D.K. Shivakumar’s constituency, times,” he says. “All necessary due dili­ Kanakapura, has triggered a row in gence was done before handing over the Karnataka. The 10 acres allotted to the land to the trust. Christians have been Harobele Kapala Betta Development praying on the hilltop for decades. They Trust in 2016 ‘for religious purposes’, refer to Kapala Betta as Jesus Cross Hill. have become the site of a controversy These developments are unfortunate.” between the leaders of the Christian and Hindu communities. Originally earma­ Revenue minister R. Ashoka has rked as a gomala (grasslands for cattle flayed the ‘illegal’ construction of the grazing), the BJP now says it cannot statue. “They (the trust) have laid a road be transferred to any trust for religious to the site without approvals. Electric­ purposes. The party’s government in the ity to the site has been supplied without state has ordered a probe. permission. A probe has been ordered into the matter. We will initiate action It all began when Shivakumar based on the findings,” he says. CROWN OF THORNS The Kapala Betta hill in Kanakapura where the Jesus statue is proposed to be erected

NareshTIGEJariwalaRthe election to you? Not only were people disillusioned by him, even BJP workers were demoralised because of Das’s arr­ ogance. The voters of Jamshedpur East backed me as I inspired trust. Q. What is your opinion about Chief Minister Hemant Soren? I have known him since childhood; I shared a warm personal relation­ ship with his father Shibu Soren. We struck a rapport when Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar chief minister for a brief span in 2000 and Shibu Soren agreed to back him. Hemant is a young politician with a kind heart and commitment to improve things in Jharkhand. He has the opportunity to do so now. Q. As an independent MLA, what’s your agenda? I will not join any party or govern­ ment. I will be a watchdog, keeping a close eye on the new govern­ ment’s work. I will continue to work against corruption. I’ll also continue to expose the irregularities during Das’s regime. n The BJP has received support from various Hindu organisations and seers. Rishikumara Swami, the pontiff of Kali Mutt, says the name Kapala Betta refers to Lord Shiva and that the hill was used by Hindu saints for meditation. “We will launch a massive protest if the government allows the trust to build the statue,” he warns. Political analysts says the issue is more political than religious. “This is typical of the BJP—try­ ing to find a foothold by raking up sensitive issues,” says political historian A. Veerappa. “Both the Idgah Maidan row in Hubballi and the Datta Peeta controversy in Ba­ babudangiri Hills helped the BJP expand its base in Karnataka. Now they are trying to make inroads into south Karnataka.” The BJP has often considered south Karna­ taka their last frontier in the state. “Kapala Betta is their opportunity,” says Veerappa. n

STATES CATCH ’EM YOUNG CM Arvind Kejriwal at a mega PTA event in a government school in Delhi, January 4 SONU MEHTA/GETTY IMAGES Kumar, director, Centre for the Study of Developing DELHI Societies (CSDS). THE BATTLE FOR DELHI Unlike 2015, Kejri- wal is also assisted in the With the election dates out, AAP and the BJP are set for campaign this time around another showdown. Who will be left standing on February 11? by poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his Indian By Gulam Jeelani Political Action Committee NareshTIGEJariwalaR (IPAC). AAP leaders says On December 24, Congress, which had ruled jriwal is not indulging in any Kejriwal’s makeover was one while releasing a Delhi for 15 years before Modi- or Centre-bashing in of Kishor’s big tasks. ‘report card’ of the AAP, is hoping for a resur- this campaign. Analysts say work done by his gence, especially after the he doesn’t want to be pigeon- For the BJP, winning Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) results in Maharashtra and holed as just a Modi-baiter, Delhi is more than just a government in the past five Jharkhand. more so because studies prestige issue (given its years, Delhi chief minister seem to indicate that Delhi recent sub-par perfor- Arvind Kejriwal said his was After the drubbing in voters too vote differently in mances). The party has not the “most honest” govern- the 2019 general election national and local elections. been in power here for over ment in the country. “I can (the BJP won all seven Lok two decades. Also, the polls say with assurance that post- Sabha seats in the capital), A Lokniti-CSDS post- will serve as feedback on the Independence, this has been AAP started work on the poll survey after the May contentious CAA and NRC. the most honest government assembly poll with a massive 2019 Lok Sabha election No wonder the party is pull- in the country. There were all propaganda outreach on the revealed that 24 per cent ing out all the stops with its sorts of agencies probing us, work it has done. Kejriwal of those who voted for the president and Union home but we got a clean chit from also announced sops, includ- BJP said they might switch minister Amit Shah going all of them,” says Kejriwal. ing free rides for women in to AAP in the assembly door-to-door in the capital. DTC buses, free electricity election. “I see it as a direct Delhi goes to polls on up to 200 units, free WiFi, to contest between the AAP “PM Modi’s leadership is February 8; counting of votes name a few. “National issues and BJP, with the former well known in the country. for the 70-member assembly are important in Lok Sabha having an edge,” says Sanjay We will fight the election will be done on February elections, but assembly polls with full strength,” Union 11. The Kejriwal-led AAP are won on local issues. We Kejriwal has minister Prakash Javadekar, is seeking re-election after will repeat 2015 in 2020,” had an image the BJP’s Delhi in-charge, securing a thumping major- says Sanjay Singh, Rajya Sab- told reporters on January 6. ity in 2015, winning 67 of the ha MP and AAP in-charge makeover; 70 seats. As the polls draw for the Delhi polls. no Modi- The party’s Delhi unit near, AAP is relying on its baiting in the chief Manoj Tiwari is also “work” and the BJP on PM There has been a big campaign confident. “The people of Narendra Modi’s “popular- change in Kejriwal’s public Delhi are fed up with AAP’s ity” to see them through. The posture too. Once a vocifer- blame-game politics,” says ous critic of PM Modi, Ke- Tiwari, now the North East Delhi MP. The Congress faces an uphill task, especially after the demise of three-time CM, Sheila Dikshit. The party failed to win a seat in the two previous parlia- mentary polls and drew a blank in the 2015 assembly election too. n 20 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

TIGERNaresh Jariwala

TIGERNaresh Jariwala COVER STORY CAA / NRC

NareshTIGEJariwalaRWHO IS (NOT) A CITIZEN? The newly minted Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the government double-speak on an impending National Register of Citizens have lent a bleeding edge to the question. What is the threat and why have citizens across the country erupted in protest? BY KAUSHIK DEKA Photograph by YASIR IQBAL

COVER STORY CAA / NRC NareshTIGEJariwalaRNOVEMBER ETER SAIF Soon, even some allies, uncomfortable Hasan was at the Kolkata airport, waiting to fly back home after a Test over the CAA, were cautioning the Modi series in India, when he realised to his horror that his visa had expired government against the NRC. A brutal two days back. He had to pay a fine of Rs 21,600 to get exit clearance. crackdown on protests took 21 lives in Now here’s the rub. If Hasan had not been a Muslim, he could have got BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh—politically away with a fine of just Rs 100. There is no coherent official explana- India’s most significant state—prompt- tion for this, but the Union government in January 2019 announced ing PM Modi to belatedly distance his a huge cut in fines for minority community travellers—Hindu, Bud- government from the NRC. dhist, Christian, Sikh, Jain and Parsi from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan—who had overstayed. But it was a short-lived retreat as within days another ill-timed announ- This curious tweak in regulations involving all stakeholders—the public, cement came—preparation of the Na- wasn’t just an indirect encouragement Opposition parties and neighbour- tional Population Register (NPR) which, to minorities from these three Muslim- ing countries—he declared that CAA according to law, is the first step towards majority countries to migrate to India, reflected India’s moral obligation to creation of an NRC. So, how are these but also a precursor to the Citizenship provide shelter to “crores of minori- three provisions going to affect the man (Amendment) Act, or CAA, 2019. The ties persecuted in Islamic countries”, on the street and what is the purpose contentious act has raised questions an assertion that has angered friendly of the multiple process of enumerating about violations of the Constitution and neighbours like Bangladesh and Afgh- residents of the country? India’s secular ethos while also creating anistan. The discontent was further a deep schism on religious and ethnic fuelled by Shah’s provocative references Is CAA a discriminatory law? lines. More importantly, the national to a nationwide National Register of outrage against the act—primarily Citizen (NRC). “Understand the chro- According to the CAA, migrants from expressed in protests led by students nology, first we will bring the CAA and communities other than Muslims and and the common people—has emerged after that the NRC,” he declared. from the aforementioned countries who as the most challenging crisis Prime have entered India illegally on or before Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led Taking the home minister at his December 31, 2014, and have stayed in government has faced since it first word, critics of the government say India for five years, can apply for citizen- came to power in 2014. the CAA will legalise all non-Muslim ship. This idea of giving citizenship to immigrants in the country. It also persecuted minorities from countries And it was an avoidable, self-infl- says the NRC, when rolled out, will be that were part of undivided India was icted wound. Bolstered by the feeble used to isolate and harass Muslims, earlier backed by Opposition leaders as opposition to other controversial legi- to further the greater project of the well. Yet, in the current context, the CAA slative decisions such as the criminali- BJP government and its ideologue has been criticised on various grounds. sation of triple talaq and abrogation of RSS to make India a Hindu rashtra. By excluding Muslim migrants, it alleg- Article 370, Union home minister Amit The timing of the CAA, too, couldn’t edly violates Article 14 of the Constitu- Shah used the party’s brute majority in have been worse—within six months tion, which talks of equal rights before Parliament to ram through the CAA. of Assam’s NRC, which left 1.9 million the law for everyone residing within the Instead of building consensus and people looking at a stateless future. political boundary of India. The Centre, in its defence, says the CAA passes the test of ‘reasonable classification’ appli- cable to Article 14. The Supreme Court has maintai- ned that Article 14 permits ‘reason- able classification’ of persons, objects, transactions by the state for the purpose of achieving specific ends that help in society’s development. “Persecuted groups based on the faith of six com- munities in these three declared Islamic countries form that reasonable classi- fication,” says Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The Centre’s view has 24 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

BEYOND THE JARGON Deconstructing the CAA, the Census, the NPR and the NRC, and the linkages between them CITIZENSHIP (AMENDMENT) NATIONAL POPULATION REGISTER (NPR) ACT (CAA), 2019 What: It is a register of The NPR is based on rules What: Proposes that all Hindu, Sikh, all usual residents of India, established via a 2003 Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian refugees including those who are not amendment to the Citizen- from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Paki- citizens. Legally, it has been ship Act, 1955. These rules stan, who entered India on or before the envisaged as the first step to call for a register of all ‘usual 31st of December, 2014, and have stayed preparing a National Regis- residents’ of India. First in the country for five years, can apply for ter of Citizens (NRC) conducted in 2010, the NPR citizenship through naturalisation was updated in 2015, with Frequency: Has been the next update scheduled Authority: A central agency will conduct conducted in 2010 and to be carried out between physical verification. The ministry of home then in 2015. Next in 2020. April and September 2020. affairs is examining the types of docu- No documents or biometric ments persons from these minorities Authority: Registrar data will be collected during from the three countries will require while General of India the 2020 update exercise, applying for Indian citizenship under the though information may new law Collects: Particulars about be sought about Aadhaar, usual residents of India PAN, voter ID, passport and Collects: Applicant will be required to mobile numbers. declare the country of origin and commu- Documents required: nity at the time of applying for citizenship None Documents required: Have not as yet been specified NareshTIGEJariwalaR NATIONAL REGISTER OF CITIZENS (NRC) The CAA is not directly linked to the NRC What: As enshrined in the Authority: Though the or NPR. It has nothing to do with Indian Citizenship Rules issued rules say the verification citizens or with what faith they belong to. in 2003, the particulars will be done by sub-district provided in the NPR will be or taluk registrar, no rule or CENSUS verified by the government framework for verification to determine citizenship has been finalised yet What: The process of collecting, compil- status. All those who are ing, analysing and disseminating demo- verified as citizens will Collects: Particulars graphic, social, cultural and economic data have their names included of citizens of India relating to all persons in the country in the NRC and will be Frequency: Every 10 years issued identity cards Documents required: Authority: Registrar General of India A decision is yet to be Collects: Socio-economic data in two Frequency: Not decided taken on acceptable phases—house listing and house census documents and population enumeration The National Register of Documents required: None Citizens (NRC) draws its legal ment has yet to finalise the framework from the same framework for verification. Citizenship Rules the NPR The NRC exercise carried out is based on. The govern- in Assam, however, followed a different procedure. The house listing survey for Census fuel, as well as information on being gathered will likely include 2021, to be conducted between April and the vehicles owned by members name, relationship to the head September 2020, will gather informa- of the household, among others. of the household, gender, date tion under 34 heads. These will include While the questionnaire for the of birth and marital status, as house type, ownership status, head of the population enumeration survey well as information on literacy, resident household, number of residents, has not been published yet, it education levels, occupation sources of water, electricity and cooking is likely to have 29 heads. Data and employment status.

WHO IS A COVER STORY CITIZEN OF INDIA? CAA / NRC According to the Ministry of HomeNareshTIGEJariwalaRTHE FLIP-FLOP ON NRC Affairs, there are four ways in which Indian citizenship can be acquired The Modi government has frequently changed its position on the National Register of Citizens [ BY BIRTH ] n Every person born in India on or after “First, we will pass the “I want to tell the 130 crore January 26, 1950, and before July 1, 1987, Citizenship Amendment people of India that ever is an Indian citizen irrespective of the Bill and ensure that all nationality of their parents the refugees from the since my government came n Every person born in India between neighbouring nations get to power in 2014... from then July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004, is an citizenship. After that until now... there has been no Indian citizen if either of their parents is a NRC will be made and we discussion on NRC anywhere... citizen of India at the time of their birth will detect and deport we only had to implement it in n Every person born in India on or after every infiltrator from our Assam to follow the Supreme December 3, 2004, is an Indian citizen if motherland” both their parents are Indians, or at least Court’s directives” one parent is a citizen and the other is not HOME MINISTER an illegal migrant at the time of birth AMIT SHAH on May 1, 2019 PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI in Delhi, [ BY REGISTRATION ] n A person of Indian origin who has been a on December 22, 2019 resident of India for seven years can apply n A person of Indian origin who is a resident WHAT PROVES MY CITIZENSHIP? of any country outside undivided India can apply for citizenship Ironically, there is no single Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and n A person who is married to an Indian document that can conclusively driving licences are no indicator citizen and is ordinarily resident for seven support a claim to citizenship. or proof of citizenship either. years may apply Only Indian citizens can have That’s one reason the govern- n Minor children of persons who are citizens passports and voter IDs, but the ment suggested providing of India may also apply government can seek verifica- national ID card, based on the tion of these documents too. National Register of Citizens. [ BY DESCENT ] n A person born outside India on or after January 26, 1950, is a citizen of India if their father was a citizen of India by birth n A person born outside India on or after December 10, 1992, but before December 3, 2004, if either of their parents was a citizen of India by birth n If a person born outside India on or after December 3, 2004, is to acquire citizenship through descent, their parents must declare that the minor does not hold a passport issued by another country and must ensure that the birth is registered at an Indian consulate within one year [ BY NATURALISATION ] A person can acquire Indian citizenship through naturalisation if they are ordinarily resident in India for 12 years (through the 12 months preceding the date of application with 11 years in aggregate) and fulfil all the qualifications in the third schedule of the Citizenship Act, 1955

SONU MEHTA/ GETTY IMAGESNareshTIGEJariwalaRconcerned that the CAA will be mis-2008, for instance, 461,000 Tamils used by infiltrators, particularly in bor- from Sri Lanka were given citizenship. been endorsed by ex-solicitor general der states like Punjab. It’s a potential Harish Salve who says the classifica- threat to national security,” says Punjab Do we really need CAA? tion by CAA is reasonable enough as it chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh. is based on “intelligible differentia”. The country’s foreign spy agency, the Experts dealing with refugees and mi- Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), gration claim that, instead of the CAA, Critics, however, disagree. Sixty- has also cautioned on this. what the country needs is a comprehen- five petitions have been filed in the sive policy to handle refugees. Though Supreme Court seeking a repeal of the In the Northeast, people are op- India is home to 195,867 refugees act. Constitutional expert Subhash posed to the CAA because they feel from 15 countries—according to 2018 Kashyap says there are arguments illegal immigrants of any faith pose a UNHCR estimates—it is among the few both for and against the legislation. threat to the language, culture and de- nations that do not have a national refu- “All fundamental rights are subject to mography of the indigenous population. gee protection policy and framework. reasonable classification. The future of The act already excludes Arunachal It is also not a signatory to the 1951 UN CAA will depend on whether the court Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Refugee Convention, or its 1967 Proto- accepts the classification within this almost all parts of Tripura and Megha- col. What complicates matters is that act as reasonable enough,” he says. In laya and the tribal belts of Assam. “The there is no specific law or mechanism to his suggestion to the parliamentary CAA angers people here because many distinguish an illegal immigrant from committee before the passage of this ‘illegal migrants’ are economic ones and a refugee. “Without a transparent legal amendment, Kashyap had said that not necessarily those persecuted on the determination procedure, petty official- instead of mentioning specific religious basis of religion. In the current form, all dom will be making bland declarations groups, the term ‘persecuted minori- illegal immigrants of the specified reli- about the motivations of each person ties’ would serve the same purpose and gions and countries will get amnesty,” crossing the border. It’s completely un- give the act stronger legal and consti- says Chinmay Tumbe, author of India fair,” says Ravi Nair, executive director tutional backing. The government’s Moving: A History of Migration. of South Asia Human Rights Documen- logic was that it would be difficult for a tation Centre in Delhi. migrant fleeing his/ her country to pro- The government is invoking memo- vide documentary evidence of persecu- ries of an undivided India and moral Over the years, diverse groups of tion. Critics also point to the security obligations to justify itself. For instance, refugees have made different parts of risks for the country. “I am seriously more than 80,000 refugees from West the country their primary settlement Pakistan, largely Hindus, have been zones. From Hindu and Sikh migrants living in Kashmir since Independence settling in Delhi, Rajasthan and J&K without citizenship rights. The CAA after Partition, to Bangladeshis forming will legalise them. Opponents of CAA the largest immigrant group from a question why the government has not particular country in West Bengal and extended the same opportunity to Assam perhaps, Buddhist Chakmas Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and and Hindu Hajongs from Bangladesh Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka. Ac- concentrating in Arunachal Pradesh, cording to Ruhee Neog, director of the Tamil Nadu hosting Sri Lankan Tamil Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies refugees and Buddhist Tibetan settle- in Delhi, CAA’s preferential mechanism ments in Dharamshala, Delhi and creates distinctions between minorities Odisha, India has welcomed them all. of the same faiths from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and their The home ministry has created counterparts in other neighbouring ‘standard operating procedures’ for countries. “There is no evidence of various refugee groups. The rights this being driven by compassion or a and facilities afforded to them remain rights-based discourse on refugees. erratic, decided on a case-to-case For a secular, pluralist and democratic basis. Refugees from some groups, like republic, CAA is piecemeal at best and a the Tibetans, have been given land, dangerous slide into religious citizenry granted Aadhaar and PAN cards, been at worst,” says Dibyesh Anand, profes- allowed to open bank accounts and sor of international relations and head work in the country. Their children of the School of Social Sciences at the can claim citizenship if they were University of Westminster. born between 1950 and 1987. Since 2015, Pakistani and Afghan nationals To be fair to the government, past belonging to the six minority commu- dispensations, too, have offered citizen- nities, living here on a “long-term visa” ship to select groups coming from a can have driving licences, access to particular country. Between 1964 and education and healthcare facilities and JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 27

COVER STORY WHERE THE NRC COUNTRY CAA / NRC STANDS buy “small dwelling units for self-occupation The CAA and NRC have or self-employment”. Other groups like the been deeply divisive, Rohingya from Myanmar—who are now seen with many state as a security threat to the country—remain governments opposed huddled in miserable camps, relying on the to these legislations charity of the UNHCR. CAA It’s still not clear how many immigrants are likely to get covered by the act. As per a Punjab Himachal Arunachal joint parliamentary committee report from Haryana Pradesh Pradesh January 2019, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Uttarakhand Meghalaya estimates that 31,313 individuals—25,447 Rajasthan Hindus, 5,807 Sikhs, 55 Christians, two Delhi Assam Buddhists and two Parsis—living in India on Uttar Sikkim long-term visas would be the immediate ben- Pradesh Nagaland eficiaries of the CAA. Home minister Shah Manipur claims the number could run into “lakhs or Bihar Mizoram crores”. An actual count should be available byNareshTIGEJariwalaR the end of the year, depending on the number Gujarat Madhya of applications. Pradesh The politics behind CAA Maharashtra Odisha Tripura Telangana The short-term objective of the act seems to West be winning over the Hindu “immigrant vot- Bengal ers” in West Bengal and Assam, those with the potential to swing elections. Both states Jharkhand go to the polls in 2021. While it will be crucial for the government to hold on to power in Goa Tamil Chhattisgarh Against Assam—a state with the highest share of Mus- Karnataka Nadu Andhra lim population (35 per cent) in the country—it Pradesh For is West Bengal that the saffron party consid- Kerala ers its final frontier. Puducherry No position/ Unknown The CAA certainly fulfils a longstanding demand ofHindu Bangladeshi immigrants in Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal—mostly from the Matua com- Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram munity who entered India after 1971. As per and Meghalaya and parts the 2011 Census, Matuas comprise 17 per cent of Assam and Tripura are of the state’s population of 100 million. They effectively out of the CAA are a force to reckon with in as many as 70 assembly constituencies, out of the total 294 sion of Muslim immigrants (28 special status for people of Indian in Bengal. They have voting rights, but are yet per cent of the 69 million minority origin including doing away with to get citizenship certificates. With CAA, the votes), can cause havoc for parties visas for them). The next year, when BJP seeks to consolidate the support of Mat- dependent on this vote bank. the Congress-led UPA government uas, who helped the party secure 9-10 seats in came to power, Section 14A, pre- the general election in May 2019. Why an NRC? scribing compulsory registration for every citizen of India—creating Simple arithmetic can also explain the The idea of a countrywide NRC a National Register of Citizens— BJP’s insistence on NRC and preceding it emerged in 2003 under the BJP- was inserted in the Citizenship Act. with the CAA. The 1.4 million Hindus exclud- led NDA government of Atal Bihari This is not an idea unique to India. ed from Assam’s NRC will get citizenship and Vajpayee. On the recommendation Several world democracies issue voting rights, immediately putting at a disad- of a Group of Ministers, consti- national IDs based on compulsory vantage parties banking on Muslim votes. The tuted to review national security registration of all their citizens. 500,000 Muslims excluded from the NRC after the Kargil War, the Citizen- still have voting rights but will be stripped ship Act, 1955, was amended and But the NRC, unlike the of it if they lose the appeal in the Foreigners’ it was decided that every citizen, Census and the NPR, will require Tribunal and courts. In Bengal, too, exclu- particularly in border areas, would an individual to provide proof of be provided with an identity card. his citizenship through a set of (The 2003 act also facilitated documents, though they are yet 28 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

“I am seriously concerned that NRC—forced PM Modi to contradict the CAA can be easily misused Shah in public, saying his government for infiltrating into the country, has never had any discussion on an particularly in border states like NRC. “If the government is serious Punjab. It’s a potential threat to about stopping illegal immigration, it national security” must enforce better policing along the border. What have successive govern- CAPTAIN AMARINDER SINGH ments, including this one, done on Chief Minister, Punjab this?” asks Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Colin Gonsalves. “If the BJP has guts, it should go for a United Why NRC in Assam? Nations-monitored In 1951, owing to unabated illegal referendum on the issue immigration from Bangladesh (then of the CAA and the NRC” East Pakistan), the NRC was prepared in Assam as a non-statutory process. MAMATA BANERJEE Recording the particulars of all persons Chief Minister, West Bengal enumerated during the 1951 Census, the 1951 NRC identified nearly 1.5 mil- “People should have no doubt lion illegal immigrants, one-sixth of As- or confusion in their minds sam’s population at the time. However, regarding the CAA. We have many there is no account of what happened to plans regarding protection of the those illegal immigrants. interests of the people of Assam” Three decades later, at the end of a SARBANANDA SONOWAL six-year-long agitation against illegal Chief Minister, Assam immigrants from Bangladesh, the NareshTIGEJariwalaR Centre and student leaders signed the to be finalised. The fear is that despite when and where they were born,” says Assam Accord in 1985. The accord ac- multiple checks and technological Prof. Joya Chatterji of Trinity College, cepted any illegal migrant entering the interventions, documentation in India Cambridge. “India has one of the high- state before March 25, 1971, as a legal has been plagued by corruption. Forg- est rates of maternal mortality at birth; Indian. The apex court-monitored exer- ery has been detected in all identifica- children are stillborn in fields. No sys- cise in 2019, which cost the exchequer tion documents. “What is the guarantee tematic records are kept of their births Rs 1,220 crore, excluded 1.9 million that so-called ‘illegal immigrants’ will and deaths. The government must people out of the total 32 million who not be enrolled in the NRC? The best address these pressing issues before it had applied in Assam (of these, 80 per analogy is demonetisation. One of its can even hope to construct a meaning- cent are estimated to be Hindus). The objectives was to weed out fake notes. ful register of citizens,” she says. Perhaps Assam NRC has faced criticism from all But fake notes are now back in the that’s why no government has even stakeholders, including the BJP, on the system,” remarks Tumbe. attempted to carry out an NRC exercise grounds that it excluded many genuine across the country in the past 15 years. Indians while including a large number In villages and slums, areas prone of illegal immigrants. However, unlike to natural calamities and, among The flip-flops on the NRC by BJP in Assam, for a nationwide NRC, people migratory communities, lack or loss ministers have now made the process will not need to submit documents of documents often creates hurdles for look increasingly suspicious. The proving connection to ancestors and people to access welfare schemes. “In a growing protests against the CAA— their documents, as it will be a fresh country like India, few people can prove arising from apprehensions about the process, not an update of a previous one, clarifies a home ministry official. Is NRC connected to CAA? While the home minister has linked them politically, there is technically no connection between the two. Critics claim that the CAA will make all non- Muslims in the country immune to exclusion from the NRC while Muslims JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 29

COVER STORY CAA / NRC INTERVIEW ‘LET’SDEFERTHE NRC TILL 2024’ In an exclusive interview with Senior Editor Kaushik Deka, former Union home and finance minister P. Chidambaram explains NareshTIGEJariwalaRwhy the UPA government initiated the National Population Register (NPR) and Qwhy the Congress is now opposed to it VIKRAM SHARMA What’s the logic behind the its pros and cons. The reasons behind citizens to locate so many records? Even NPR? Why did you start it the NPR now are doubtful too since it for the NPR exercise, why do you want in 2010? is clearly linked to the NRC. The Assam to know my last place of residence? The Citizenship Act, passed NRC exposed the current government’s Why on earth do you want to know in 1955 and amended by Atal Bihari intent. We now fear that NPR can lead what the place of birth of my parents is? Vajpayee’s government in 2003, con- to an NRC. Because there is stiff oppo- templates an NPR. Inherently, there sition to the NRC, the government Q. The Assam NRC is not flawless, but is nothing wrong with it. One needs wants to appear to step back and do an should we discount the need for an to know the population of the country NPR quoting the 2010 precedent. But NRC altogether because of bureaucrat- and who the usual residents are. It is an in terms of text and context, the two are ic flaws afflicting most official exercises aid to the census. It so happened that very different. in India? in 2010, when we were ready to do the We are not criticising the bureaucratic NPR and the Census was due the year Q. Why do you oppose the NRC? Don’t flaws. If it had been a simple admin- after, the Registrar General of India you think the country needs to have a istrative exercise like the Census, it and Census Commissioner decided count of its citizens? would have gone through without any they would do the NPR first and then Not after the Assam experience. Not protest. The NRC in Assam revealed the Census. It was the logical thing to after the motives of the BJP govern- the hidden motive of the government do because there was no division on the ment have become clear. Whatever Why should I believe the motive will be issue in the country at the time. It was framework the government applies for any different in the all-India NRC? done in 12 or 13 states in India. an NRC—whether it is house-to-house enumeration or through application, Q. But does India, as a country, need Q. If we have a census, why do we need as was done in Assam—it will make no an NRC or not? an NPR? difference. Ultimately, the enumerator Let’s defer the whole exercise for anoth- The Census captures far more informa- and the enumerated will have to come er four years and five months—till the tion than the NPR, which is confined face to face with each other either in next general election results are out only to the usual residents in the coun- the house of the enumerated or in the and there is stability in the country. The try. There is no point doing an NPR office of the enumerator. What is sin- elephant in the room is the 1,906,657 after the Census. It was felt there was ister is the objective of that encounter. persons identified as illegal immigrants no need to separate the two exercises What will be asked and what will be the in Assam. What do you intend to do since whatever we wanted through answers? Seeking multiple documents with them? Unless you address that NPR would be captured by the Census. will only result in harassment. You can- problem, you must not even whisper The context of the NPR is very different not find the graduation degree of the the word NRC. today. We did not contemplate an NRC prime minister or of the former HRD because we had not thought through minister. How do you expect ordinary Q. Is it possible to filter out people and

discriminate or create certain pre-NareshTIGEJariwalaRwill be harassed and stripped of citizen-What is NPR? conditions or situations through ship if they fail to produce documents. the NRC process by which the “The CAA is using a constitutional The NPR is a register of all ‘usual government can actually exclude amendment to cast one entire commu- residents’ of India, not just its citizens. people of a particular religion? nity as potentially illegal, since many A person who has resided in an area The government can. It can tell a Indian Muslims—the poorest commu- for the past six months or more, or who person of a certain religion ‘you nity in India, according to the Sachar intends to reside there for the next six are a usual resident but you have Committee report—cannot prove their months is defined as a usual resident. not proved your citizenship’ and birth in India. The CAA has turned In- The 2003 amendment to the Citizen- exclude him. dia into an ethno-religious state,” says ship Act, 1955, states that the particu- Prof. Chatterji. lars of every family and individual in Q. But what about those, irrespec- the population register shall be verified tive of religion, who have passports Union minister and BJP spokes- for preparing the NRC. The 2018 an- or voter ID cards? person Prakash Javadekar claims no nual report of the home ministry also These are not indicators of citizen- Muslim citizen need be apprehensive notes that the NPR is the first step ship. For instance, a voter is deemed of his/ her citizenship rights. “The CAA towards the creation of an NRC. to be a citizen because no attempt and NRC are not linked. Both issues are has been made to identify him as being conflated to create an environ- Since the NPR requires visiting a non-citizen, but will the govern- ment of fear among the minority com- people to gather particulars, it was as- ment accept the voter ID as proof munity. A false notion has been created signed to the same agency that carries of citizenship? They would want that a series of steps being undertaken out the Census—the Registrar General to know whether you are a citizen of India. The first NPR was conducted by birth in India or by descent of THE BJP’S CAA BOOKLET in 2010 across all states, and was upd- Indian parents. They will apply the IN BENGALI EXPOSES THE ated in 2015 across India, except in As- classical tests of citizenship. BIAS AGAINST MUSLIMS. IT sam and Meghalaya. It has covered 1.19 SAYS NRC IS THE NEXT STEP billion people so far. The government Q. There is also an argument that AFTER CAA AND NO HINDU has allocated Rs 3,941 crore for NPR NPR could end multiple identifi- WILL BE PUT IN DETENTION 2020. To optimise resources, it is being cation processes—passport, PAN, CENTRES DUE TO THE NRC updated again across India, except in driving licences, Aadhaar, voter ID. Assam, between April and September Rightly or wrongly—even if it would end the protections available to during the first phase of Census 2021. meant bending some laws—the Muslims, and they would be declared “In 2020, the existing NPR data of BJP government succeeded in ‘outsiders’. No bigger lie has ever been 2015 will be updated by incorporating issuing Aadhaar cards to 125 crore crafted in politics,” he says. changes and adding new persons not people. What more do you need? appearing in the existing database,” But the Bengali version of the BJP’s says a home ministry official. Q. Union law minister Ravi booklet on the CAA, launched in Kolk- Shankar Prasad has said that ata on January 6 as part of a nationwide NPR collects the basic details about the CAA doesn’t violate the campaign to create awareness on the a person, such as name, age, occupation, Constitution, as claimed by the CAA, exposes the bias against Muslims. gender, place of birth, parents’ names opposition, because Article 14 of The booklet claims NRC is the next step and their places of birth, name of spouse the Constitution is subject to “rea- after CAA and no Hindu will have to go if any, relationship to head of family, sonable classification”. to a detention centre due to the NRC. nationality, educational qualifications, The only way you can justify a clas- present and permanent address. The sification is that it must be rational “The elephant in the room now is first NPR exercise collected biometric and bear a nexus to the objects the 1,906,657 persons identified as ille- data, too, a requirement that has since sought to be achieved. It must be gal immigrants in Assam. What do you been dropped. In 2015, NPR data was backed by data. The CAA is not intend to do with these people? Unless seeded with the biometric details in based on data. There is an a priori, you address that problem, you must not Aadhaar. The number of questions premeditated, deliberate exclusion whisper the word NRC,” says former asked in the NPR form has increased of one religious group. Union home minister P. Chidambaram from 14 in 2010 to 21 now. (see interview: ‘Let’s defer the NRC...’). Q. But don’t you think India needs Without a policy for stateless people, The pilot project for NPR 2020 to show compassion to those per- the Modi government has no answer has enumerated 1,200 villages and secuted in these countries? except detention centres. 43 towns, collecting additional data For that, we don’t need a CAA. We like mobile numbers, driving licence only need a Law on Refugees. n numbers, PAN, voter ID, among other things. Questions have been raised about the need for another identification exercise when 1.25 billion people have JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 31

COVER STORY AMEND THE AMENDMENT CAA / NRC A protest march against the CAA in New Delhi NareshTIGEJariwalaRVIKRAM SHARMA already been issued Aadhaar cards. are automatically recorded if they are through NPR are also part of the Cen- “It’s unheard of in a country to have an living in the same household. If they are sus exercise, which has 34 questions for Aadhaar type exercise followed by an staying at some other place, they will be ‘house listing’ and 29 eliciting personal NPR with a clear prospect of an NRC. enumerated at that location and their particulars. However, the data for The government had sold Aadhaar as a dates and places of birth will also be re- NPR and Census are collected under one-stop solution for identification for corded,” says the home ministry official. different acts—NPR under the Citi- security and welfare. So, has Aadhaar zenship Act, 1955, and Census under failed and made other exercises essen- Experts also have doubts about the the Census Act, 1948. The individual tial?” Anand asks. success of NPR in a country like India. particulars provided by the residents to “Household-based NPR is laden with the census enumerator have to remain Government officials, however, many challenges of inclusion of mobile confidential, says the Census Act, 1948, claim that the two cannot be compared. communities such as nomadic tribes, and even government agencies and “Aadhaar collects individual data migrant population, slum population courts cannot access them. That’s why whereas NPR contains family-wise and the houseless population who Census data are always made anony- data,” says a home ministry official. live out in the open,” says Prof. R.B. mous before processing and used at an “It is not possible to construct family- Bhagat, head of the Department of aggregate level. Data collected under based data from Aadhaar. NPR also Migration and Urban Studies at the NPR can be used in individual- and contains individual and family demo- International Institute for Population household-oriented welfare schemes. graphic particulars.” Sciences in Mumbai. Whether or not the government uses Critics also point to two new ques- NPR versus Census NPR as the base for an NRC—legally tions that have been added to the NPR it is supposed to—it must conduct an 2020 questionnaire—date and place of Conducted every 10 years, Census is exercise at the earliest to cut the clutter birth of parents. They claim it’s a clever the process of collecting, compiling, around citizenship and speak in one ploy to gather information on the an- analysing and disseminating demo- voice. The BJP has begun a massive out- cestry of individuals and subject people graphic, economic and social data of all reach programme, but it must be about of a particular faith to more harass- those living within the geographic and educating and informing the common ment in the guise of rigorous scrutiny political boundary of India. The data man, not wooing a prospective voter for citizenship. P.D.T. Achary, former are used for administration, planning with a convenient narrative. As Tumbe secretary-general of the Lok Sabha, and policy-making as well as for the says, a holistic asylum policy, with a says this information can only serve the evaluation of various government pro- special consideration for the Northeast, purpose of determining citizenship. grammes. India has been conducting and superior border controls, would be a Census since 1872. The next Census a smarter strategy to welcome the per- Government officials, however, dis- will be done in two phases—between secuted and detect illegal immigrants miss these apprehensions and say these April and September 2020 and in Feb- than the current CAA-NRC strategy. n particulars can any way be sourced ruary 2021—at a cost of Rs 8,754 crore. without asking these two questions. —with Romita Datta “The date and place of birth of parents Almost all the details collected 32 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

COVER STORY BY FAIZAN MUSTAFA NPR / NRIC The author is an expert in constitutional law GUEST COLUMN THE CITIZENSHIP big-ticket allocations for the Census and QUESTION NPR are also proof that the government treats them as distinct processes. The NPR is, in fact, linked to the NRIC, though NPR finds no mention even in the CAA, 2003. The reference appears in the Citizenship (Registra- THE CENTRE’S CLAIM THAT THE NPR AND NRIC tion of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Rule 3(4) PROCESSES ARE NOT LINKED IS FALSE of the Act says the government may decide the date by which a population NareshTIGEJariwalaR register will be prepared. Rule 4(3) says the local registrar will scrutinise and C ITIZENSHIP WAS versal, egalitarian and liberating ideals verify particulars of each family in the ORIGINALLY CON- of citizenship; it is towards a realisation population register, and enter remarks CEIVED as member- of those ideals that the community’s as- in the Register in doubtful cases. ship of a political pirations must be directed. The framers of India’s Constitution and the original The Union home ministry’s Annual community. It was Citizenship Act, 1955 were in tune Report for 2018-19 (p.273) also states with this ideal—the original law of the that the NPR is the first step towards not just a territorial NRIC. NPR 2020 will seek informa- idea but signified a political commu- land gave citizenship to everyone born tion on parents’ date and place of birth, nity’s commitment to certain values. on our soil. It was in the The Union home which will be considered ministry’s Annual Citizenship is not just the vertical 1986 and 2003 amend- Report for 2018-19 in determining citizen- relationship between the State and the ments to the Act that the also states that ship. In fact, compared people, it is also a horizontal relation- requirement of proving the NPR is the first with NPR 2010, NPR ship between people. That is why people a blood relationship was step towards NRIC 2020 has eight additional of all faiths are opposing the exclusion of tacked on to the eligibility questions, and once the a particular faith-community from the norms for citizenship. No new data set is in, NRIC ambit of the Citizenship (Amendment) one protested at the time will practically be just Act, 2019; they are worried that the new against the amendments a click away. The NRIC NPR (National Population Register) because no one realised rules are already in place and the NRIC (National Register of how the changes might take effect. The and it is disingenuous of the govern- Indian Citizens) will exclude those who penny dropped when the Assam NRC ment to now claim that it has not even either do not have documents to prove process—completed on August 31, 2019 been discussed. their citizenship on the new parameters at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore—excluded 1.9 The 2003 Rules were introduced by or have discrepant documents. million people. the Vajpayee government, which in the Threats to citizenship do unite The NPR was also notified in 2003 amendment to the Citizenship people and have been the focal point August 2019. To be conducted between Act also inserted a new Section 14A, of struggles in many countries. The April and September this year, the which lays down that the government common thread is an assertion by the Union cabinet has allocated Rs 3,941 may compulsorily register every citizen people, issuing a reminder to the State: crore for the NPR exercise; it has also and maintain an NRIC. However, since ‘nothing about us, without us’ or con- earmarked Rs 8,754 crore for the 2021 the parent Act does not even mention it, trary to our values. The ongoing citizen Census. While protests rage against NPR should be withdrawn and the ref- protests against the newly minted CAA the CAA and NPR, seen by many as a erence to a population register deleted and the impending NRIC are also such precursor to an exclusionary NRIC, the from these Rules. an assertion. They are a reminder of the government has taken the line that the Contrary to Census data, which is core values of a political community. NPR is a part of the census process with anonymised when published, the draft The public readings of the Preamble to no relation to the NRIC. Is that true? NRIC will be published to invite objec- our Constitution are iterations of this India’s Census Act was passed in tions—anyone can object to anyone’s commitment to the values of equality, 1948 and the 2021 census will be its 16th inclusion. The potential risk of profiling justice, liberty and, above all, fraternity. iteration. The Census Act and the rules should be enough to dissuade an en- The achievements of a political com- framed under it in 1990 have no men- lightened government from going down munity are measured against the uni- tion of NPR. That aside, the separate, that path. n

COVER STORY CAA / NRC GROUND ZERO ANATOMY OF A PROTEST THE CITIZEN PROTESTS IN DELHI AGAINST THE CAA/ NRC WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A LONG TIME FOR THE UNIQUELY CREATIVE SOLIDARITIES THEY BUILT CUTTING ACROSS ALL SORTS OF DIVIDES BY SONALI ACHARJEE NareshTIGEJariwalaR AT friends had been a part of the Amanat The protest in Shaheen Bagh began rape protests in Delhi, but she had on December 15 when residents blocked THE STROKE OF THE MIDNIGHT stayed behind. Yet, something about the road to mark their opposition to HOUR, as the world welcomed the ar­ the ongoing movement against the the CAA and police violence against rival of a new decade, Inshah Hussain, Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA students at the Jamia Millia University. 16, stood shivering alongside a group and the National Register of Citizens Three weeks later, women and students of strangers in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, (NRC) touched a nerve and brought here continue to hold vigil. A stand that holding a placard that read: ‘Fight for her out onto the streets. the cold, the law, the lack of a leader the Idea of India: Democracy, Equality and the online trolls haven’t been able and Freedom’. The school student had “People have called me a terrorist, to break down. “Shaheen Bagh has never attended a public demonstra­ a cheat in the past few years. I tolera­ become the face of the Delhi protest tion before. Only a few weeks ago, her ted that. But when the law starts to because of the nature of the groups discriminate against my religion, then that have come together as a coalition I cannot stay indoors. I do not want here to support one another,” explains that section of India to feel empowered Sanjeer Alam, sociologist and assistant which has no respect for minorities. professor at the Centre for the Study Today they call me names, tomorrow of Developing Societies. “In the past, they’ll throw stones at me if they feel the whenever a minority movement has sarkar is favouring them,” she says. 34 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

25NareshTIGEJariwalaRTHE DURATION CHANDRADEEP KUMAR OF THE als in their fur beanies and high heels DAYS PROTEST IN instagramming their first protest— lacks. “The senior women are resilient, SHAHEEN bear elements from three such protests the urban groups are media­savvy BAGH UP TO in the recent past. These are the 2019 and the students provide the numbers JANUARY 8 #MeToo movement, led largely by the needed for this movement to gain mo­ affluent upper­middle class, the 2018 mentum. Over 70 organisations have happened, it has usually been led by Sabarimala protests, which saw elderly come together online to lend support to men. Now it is being led by women and women come out in numbers, and the protesters as well,” says Khan, who had the young. They are not just the ‘com­ 2015 FTII student agitation. On their previously been detained by the police mon man’, they are the ‘invisible citizen’. own, these groups could not have put at the protest in Daryaganj on De­ When the most vulnerable sections of together a movement that stood the cember 19. “I was hesitant to come out society come out, their durability and test of time. It is their coming together again after witnessing the violence and their commitment never fail to inspire.” that has given the anti­CAA protests in police action in Daryaganj. But when I Delhi their longevity and creativity. saw the women in Shaheen Bagh sitting The many images from across the all night out in the cold, I found the capital—of elderly women warming As Arshad Ahmad Khan, 19, a pho­ courage to return.” their hands on cups of chai, students tographer and BBA student at Ham­ texting their friends to come join and dard University, explains, each group Likewise, Vaibhav Yadav, 27, a film­ the odd group of urban profession­ has provided the spark that the other maker and street photographer, had been at the Jamia protest on December JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 35

YASIRNareTIGIQBALsh JariwalaERCOVER STORY FACES OF SHALMOLI HALDER, 26 THE PROTEST CAA / NRC Development consultant GROUND ZERO CHARITARTH BHARTI, 27 The current movement holds more meaning for people her 15. “The police broke my camera and Singapore-based lawyer age because, unlike the issue- beat me. Since then, I have realised the He is protesting because the based protests of the past, it importance of approaching this protest current government has taken questions the very idea of India. as a community. If one falls, another a slew of measures since 2014 “It will redefine our value sys- is there to support. That is the secret that change the idea of India he tems,” says Halder. She wants of how Shaheen Bagh has lasted for grew up with. “They are trying the government to do away with this long,” he says. He has now set up a to make India their own, in line the politics of fear and laws medical camp in the area in partnership with their ideologies,” he says. that clearly discriminate on the with Medicaid. The camp hands out The current protest for him is basis of religion. Citizenship, medicines and first-aid to those who not just about one act but about she thinks, should be granted need it as they brave the winter winds. the kind of country we want on the basis of legitimacy. to be. He is encouraged by the More thought, sensitivity and I N A CITY WHERE THEIR SAFETY fact that people are willing to structure is necessary when is a constant concern, women have set their differences aside and attempting to record been coming out in large numbers, come together to protect the citizens, keeping in mind across all divides, across the city secular and democratic fabric income, socio-economic and and not just at Shaheen Bagh, and at of the nation. religious variations. all times of the day, even midnight. At Jamia, young girls with bruised faces ARSHAD AHMAD KHAN, 19 YASIR IQBAL continue to show their defiance to the lone police officer who passes the line Photographer, BBA student, they’ve formed outside the campus. On Hamdard University December 17, a Twitter call went out Arshad joined the protests after to the women of Delhi to assemble at a seeing police violence in Jamia Mil- park near ITO. Over 350 women turned lia University and the government’s up. From offices, from colleges, from refusal to either acknowledge the schools, from their homes. “Women issue or apologise. “They clearly understand oppression. We know how don’t consider protection of the oppression begins—CAA and NRC Muslim community important,” he will set the scene for the oppression of says. It would help if the govern- minorities,” says Rituparna Bora, 38, a ment directly spoke to the stu- member of Nirantar, Centre for Gender dents and the Muslim community and Education. Bora had been a part of and did not discriminate on the NRC process in Assam and knows the basis of religion. He does not what it entails. “Citizenship is being want the BJP to empower those used as a tool of oppressing groups the who want to spread hatred on government doesn’t care for. This is the communal lines. birth of fascism.” Another factor uniting the various groups is the unspoken attempt to stop politicians and social activists from hijacking the movement. You would rather trust the person standing next to you holding a placard. The presence of individuals such as Arundhati Roy, Pri- yanka Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury irked many. “When your future as a citizen is being questioned, you depend on like- minded people. We don’t trust politi- cians or activist leaders, we don’t want their agendas,” says Rehanna Hussain, a 58-year-old homemaker and a gradu- ate of Aligarh Muslim University. With no one leader to make speech- es and no one party to dictate slogan- 36 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

have also witnessed poetry reading, ka- ins that the act says nothing about raoke sessions, theatre shows, rangolis keeping out Muslims, the protesters say and innovative banners. This collective it provides a backdoor entry to everyone sharing of emotion and words has kept but Muslims should they fail to find a the fire of dissent burning, especially place in the proposed NRC. With the among the young. “Art and a common government now planning to introduce cause connect while politics divides,” door-to-door campaigning in support says Neha Bhasin, 28, a freelance edi- of the act, the CAA protesters are also tor. Her placard reads: ‘The CAA has realising the need to collate and convey managed to bring even introverts out.’ their objections and to amplify the le- gitimate worries of the ordinary citizen. Creativity is also evident in the way technology is being leveraged to subvert L IKE THE CONCERNS OF Mussan potential disruption. For example, the Khan, a 62-year-old tailor from administrator at Signal, a closed-group Old Delhi. Khan says she knows messaging platform, has been including of several adults who were aban- only those accounts that are verified doned or orphaned as children. She also as being committed to the anti-CAA has relatives who have lost their docu- cause. The verification usually takes mentation in fires or while shifting to YANaresh JariwalaTIGER SIRIQBAL Delhi from their villages. These people, AYUSHA SINGH, 18 she explains, are low-wage workers and will not be able to afford new docu- BA (Hons) English student, DU mentation. “The NRC will be a burden Her family is right-leaning but any for the poor and the marginalised,” she kind of extremist ideology is anath- says, adding that the approximate cost ema to Ayusha. When told that she for fresh birth and ancestral docu- is a student and should therefore mentation being floated in her colony be in a classroom and not protest- is around Rs 50,000. “In the event we ing, she responds with a simple cannot prove our citizenship or they answer: “I am here because I am find an arbitrary reason to reject us, educated.” The protest she is a other communities can use the CAA to part of is not only about one act, stay on, not Muslims,” she says. one law. For her, it is about what extremism represents, what the The future is what also endlessly BJP represents. “We have not troubles Faizan Alam, 26, a student of reached here overnight,” she says. media studies at Jamia. “All the vio- “They have been sowing the seeds lence has largely happened in Muslim of hatred for a while. But now neighbourhoods. Isn’t this a sign of people see through it.” what the CAA will mean for minori- ties? And what plans does the sarkar HARDIK CHHABRA have for those it rejects? We have seen images of children locked up in deten- eering, the anti-CAA protests have wit- place at one of the offline protests. tion centres in Assam. And [Prime nessed an extraordinary outpouring of “Technology is being used to orga- Minister] Modi says we have nothing to creativity. On December 19, girls at the worry about,” he says. Jantar Mantar protest handed out roses nise protests. Taking inspiration from as a peace offering to the police. On the Hong Kong protests, we are also But the protesters in Delhi are December 20, a group of sexagenarian using it to capture footage that we hope determined they will not be silenced by women at India Gate designed henna to archive with the help of the Uni- what they call a dictatorial leadership. tattoos for free, and on December 22, versity of Toronto. The stance we take Ayusha Singh, 18, a student of English students from Delhi University set up today should not be forgotten,” says literature at Delhi University, is one a ‘hug station’, offering ‘free hugs’ to Shalmoli Halder, 26, a consultant in such voice. “I have faith in this move- promote togetherness and compassion. the development sector. Attending the ment,” she says. “People united will The most recent protest, on January 5 Jamia protest on December 15, she says, always prevail.” As she rejoins the crowd at Rajiv Chowk, had artists inscri- changed something fundamentally in at Jantar Mantar, waves of protesters bing pavements with passages from the her. She is now one of the coordinators start arriving with the fog. Old and Constitution in chalk. Aside from this, of a 200 member-strong international young, rich and poor, united by social the numerous one-off protests in Delhi solidarity group against the CAA. media, ideology and faith. n While the pro-CAA camp mainta- JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 37

COVER STORY WHY ARE THEY CAA / NRC PROTESTS ANGRY? STUDENTS AND CIVILIANS TAKE OVER THE STREETS IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY IN DEFENCE OF BY IT BUREAU WHAT THEY SEE AS THE FREEDOM TO BELONG TO THEIR COUNTRY FAHAD AHMAD, 26NareshTIGEJariwalaR PhD student, Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai For the TISS scholar, the CAA and NRC exemplify the gov- ernment’s misplaced priori- ties. “NRC is anti-poor, anti- women and anti-humanity. If at all India needs a register, it should be on the unemployed or the number of women subjected to sexual assault,” says Ahmad, who has co- ordinated over 50 protests and meetings across India to educate people on the CAA, NRC and NPR. He feels the protests also reflect the students’ anger over the “government systematically targeting government-fund- ed institutes”. MAHARASHTRA MANDAR DEODHAR Thousands gathered at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan 1,200 to protest against CAA and NRC on December 19, 2019 PEOPLE BOOKED DURING “Their ego is bigger than India. ANTI-CAA PROTESTS IN Egoistical leaders are harmful for democracy” BEED, PARBHANI, HINGOLI -Fahad Ahmad DISTRICTS IN MAHARASHTRA

ON DECEMBER 16, FIVE MARCHES—three organised by political parties and two by groups of civilians from all walks of life—took over Kolkata. Close to 50,000 people, armed with posters, banners and some incred- ible lung power, came out on the streets to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Since the CAA came into being on December 12, similar marches and protests have been held across the country. In Bengaluru, about 50,000 people gathered at the Eidgah-e-Jadeed mosque on January 3 to hear H.S. Doreswamy, a 102-year-old freedom-fighter, speak on secularism. Similarly, Marine Drive in Kochi was brought to a standstill as thousands occupied the area on January 2, while Hyderabad conducted a ‘million march’ on January 5 in a collective display of dissent. Maharashtra, too, witnessed huge marches in almost each of its 37 districts in the last two weeks of December. Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, continues to seethe with over 800 people arrested, 135 cases registered and 5,000 persons detained. From Balasore in Odisha to Jaipur in Rajasthan, the anti-CAA protests have been widespread in their reach. NareshTIGEJariwalaR DEBSMITA CHOWDHURY, 24 SUMIT SANYAL/GETT Y IMAGES WEST BENGAL Post-graduate student of In- A peaceful candle-light march carried out against the ternational Relations, Jadavpur NRC, CAA and NPR in Kolkata on December 28, 2019 University KOLKATA The gutsy Chowdhury literally took the anti-CAA protests in West Bengal to the centrestage when she tore a copy of the act on the dais, during her convoca- tion ceremony on December 24, and raised the slogan: “Hum kagaz nahin dikhayenge (We will not show documents).” Calling CAA “anti-democracy, anti-sec- ular and against the spirit of the Constitution”, she says: “Instead of utilising the passion of the youth in building the economy, the government has sent them out on the streets to protest.” 45 km DISTANCE COVERED BY WEST BENGAL CM MAMATA BANERJEE ON FOOT DURING HER ANTI-CAA PROTEST MARCHES

COVER STORY KERALA Citizens at a massive rally CAA / NRC organised by various Muslim groups PROTESTS against the CAA in Kochi on January 1 NareshTIGEJariwalaR678DETAINED AFTER A “The government is trying to silence protests with FLASH HARTAL BY goons... I wish our PM would read the Constitution MUSLIM GROUPS ON and understand its true spirit” -Emmanuel J. DEC. 17 TURNED VIOLENT In several states, the movement has RACHITA GOROWALA, 32 43 OF 52 DISTRICTS IN MADHYA received political backing. If it is Muslim PRADESH CAME UNDER THE organisations and the CPI(M) who have Filmmaker BHOPAL PROHIBITORY ORDERS OF initiated the protests in Kochi, in Ma- She was among those who took to CRPC SECTION 144 harashtra, the Shiv Sena and Congress the streets on December 16 and 19 have seen it as an opportunity to take on along with hundreds of others to the BJP. Similarly, the protests in Kar- protest against the NRC and CAA in nataka have been led by the Congress; Bhopal. According to Gorowala, the in Tamil Nadu, by the DMK; and in CAA is being used by the govern- West Bengal by Chief Minister Mamata ment as a way to distract citizens Banerjee, who has said that if the Centre from the failing economy. “They are dares to execute CAA or NRC in her creating the Hindu-Muslim divide state, it would be over her dead body. for political gains,” says Gorowala, who has never seen eye to eye Amid all the political posturing— with the BJP’s discourse. She with the BJP promising a citizenship wants the CAA to be repealed. “I life-jacket to non-Muslim refugees and feel angry that I might have to show the opposition assuring protection to papers to prove I am an Indian.” Muslims, who, they say, would eventu- ally be targeted—in many cities, it is the ordinary people who have emerged as the voices of legitimate dissent. A diverse mix of young college and university students, professionals, intellectuals, members of the LGBTQ community, 4 0 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

A.STIGE SATHEESHREMMANUEL J., 23 Naresh Jariwala B.Tech student, Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Emmanuel took a huge risk by boycotting the Enterprise Resource Planning exam with his friends to join protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 17. Like him, around 10,000 students in the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University in Kerala risked their careers and joined the protests in solidarity with their compatriots in Aligarh Muslim University, victims of brutal police action on campus. The student protests in front of Raj Bhavan, the governor’s residence, continue. PANKAJ TIWARI MADHYA PRADESH CM Kamal Nath leading a Congress march against the CAA in Bhopal on December 25, 2019

NareshTIGEJariwalaRSALEELA KAPPAN, 45 SANTOSH KUMAR/GETTY IMAGES PR professional BENGALURU SANKESH KUMAR, 25 Kappan has attended three anti-CAA Job aspirant PATNA protests so far and says she will be Sankesh Kumar voted for the BJP in part of the protests until the Centre both 2014 and 2019, but says he is “getting disillusioned now”. He took withdraws the CAA or removes part in one protest against the CAA its religious bias. She believes the and NRC, but may not participate in government has failed to earn the more because it takes a lot of time, people’s trust by not acknowledg- and his priority is to get a good job. “Religious discrimination and the rise ing the failure of its policies like of ultra-right thinking will damage demonetisation. “In that context, it is India’s [secular] reputation,” he says, hard to believe what the government adding that the country needs an NRC, but that the government needs says. Amit Shah has clearly stated to be careful that the “nation’s image in several speeches that the CAA, does not become anti-Muslim”. NPR and NRC will be implemented. I am told that the NPR process has 1,550 DETAINEDINBIHAR FOR ALLEGED already begun in some states.” VIOLENCE DURING ANTI-CAA PROTESTS, 80,000 ATBENGALURU’S ACCORDING TO STATE ANTI-CAA MARCH POLICE RECORDS ON DEC. 23 LED BY HUMANITY FOUNDATION BIHAR Protesters at the Dak Bun- glow Crossing in Patna on December 21 after RJD presi- dent Tejashwi Yadav called for a Bihar bandh in protest against the CAA & NRC “The poor and the marginalised, especially those with no land or official documents, will find it difficult to defend their citizenship” -Sankesh Kumar

NareshTIGEJariwalaR COVER STORY CAA / NRC PROTESTS KARNATAKA Protesters at the Quddus Saheb Eidgah grounds in Bengaluru on December 23, 2019 MANJUNATH KIRAN/GETTY IMAGES artists and celebrities have taken it upon themselves to remind Indians of the principles of inclusion and secular- ism set by the Constitution. Whether at gatherings organised by political parties, WhatsApp groups, or within neighbourhoods, these protesters—sans political colour and banners, speak- ing straight from the heart and raising genuine concerns—have left a forceful impression on the public. They want to know whether the NRC will take into account the poor and the margin- alised—legitimate citizens who have lost their documents. They have questioned the intention behind CAA and whether, given the current state of the economy, education and healthcare in the country, this was the right time for it. They fear a leader who has not addressed these issues directly or taken into account the worries of minority groups. They fear living in an India moulded by one single religion. Their anger and their question- ing have kept the nationwide momen- tum going for over a month now. n —Sonali Acharjee with Romita Datta, Suhani Singh, Jeemon Jacob, Rahul Noronha, Aravind Gowda and Amitabh Srivastava

THE BIG STORY NEW COAS CHIEF AGENDA GENERAL MANOJ MUKUND NARAVANE TAKES OVER AT A TIME THE ARMY IS GOING THROUGH A BUDGET SQUEEZE, A RIGHT- SIZING DRIVE AND EXPLORING NEW BATTLE STRATEGIES By Sandeep Unnithan NareshTIGEJariwalaR G dia’s 28th Chief of Army Staff. “Future CHANDRADEEP KUMAR wars are likely to be more technology- GENERAL M.M. NARAVANE has oriented, in the cyber domain, [involv- emony: “It is needed only on important taken over as army chief at a significant ing] robotics and artificial intelli- occasions like Army Day or investiture juncture in India’s defence history. In gence… that is what we are looking at.” ceremonies—you don’t need to roll out appointing his predecessor, General red carpets during field firings,” he says. Bipin Rawat, as India’s first Chief of With General Rawat’s entry into Defence Staff (CDS) on December 30, the defence ministry as a full-fledged “While [General Naravane’s] the government signalled it was ready Secretary in the to-be-created Depart- larger responsibilities of ensuring the to begin restructuring the defence min- ment of Military Affairs, the armed training, welfare and morale of the istry and integrating the three armed forces now have a hotline to political army continue, a major part of his forces into a single command structure. leaders. (Until now, the armed forces remit will be to work closely with the These recommendations were made functioned only as attached offices to CDS to see how the army fits into the nearly two decades ago by the Kargil the defence ministry.) There is now larger role,” says former army chief Review Committee, but remained un- hope that the military’s reform propos- General V.P. Malik. General Nara- implemented for reasons ranging from als will have swift passage through vane has affirmed he will continue the political lethargy to a status quo-ist, civilian bureaucracy and political lead- army’s reform process, begun nearly change-resistant system. ership. However, bringing change to an two years ago by General Rawat. These institution that has remained almost include the restructuring of the army Seen from the standpoint of unaltered since Independence will be reform, General Naravane is now a tough job. For instance, the Indian best placed to execute what he impli- army remains one of the world’s largest citly believes in—preparing the world’s users of mules and bayonets, an indica- second-largest army to fight the wars of tor of how much it needs to upgrade its the future. “We aren’t modernising to resources and methods. fight past wars, we will be modernising to fight the next war,” he told a small Commissioned in 1982, Gen- group of media personnel in South eral Naravane is seen as an austere, Block two days after taking over as In- low-profile officer with an impeccable reputation and impressive track record of command and staff appointments— General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command and the Kolkata-based Eastern Command. He has voiced distaste for excessive cer- 44 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

NareshTIGEJariwalaR TAKING CHARGE General Naravane at South Block on January 1 headquarters in Delhi, creating lighter the government in maintaining law der incidents don’t spiral out of control. fighting formations called Integrated and order—have changed little since At the same time, it also has to continue Battle Groups (IBGs) and speeding up Independence. In recent years how- its modernisation drive, procuring promotions for officers and soldiers. ever, the army’s tasks have increased everything, from rifles and artillery to manifold. For instance, nearly a quarter tanks and missiles. This array of tasks The reforms are also mean to tack- of its forces are deployed in Jammu and has given successive army chiefs—with le the army’s budget crisis. At Rs 1.71 Kashmir. This is to keep a lid on insur- limited tenures of three years or less— lakh crore, the army accounts for 56 gency and to stem the flow of terror- little time to focus on each of them. per cent of the overall defence budget. ists from across the border, while also However, over 87 per cent of the army’s guarding contested boundaries. The That said, the military equation budget is spent on revenue expenditure army has to keep its conventional edge at the border has changed, somewhat (running costs), including salaries. over Pakistan and deter it from carry- dramatically in India’s favour, in the This year, for instance, the army could ing out Kargil-type ‘misadventures’, past three years. The border with China commit only 13 per cent of its budget while ‘dissuading’ China militarily remains largely peaceful as the govern- toward buying new equipment. along the 4,000-km-long disputed Line ment engages the People’s Republic of Actual Control and making sure bor- diplomatically, giving the army time to The army’s basic responsibili- prepare defences, build up infrastruc- ties—defending India and assisting JA N UA RY 20, 2020 INDIA TODAY 45

THE BIG STORYNareshTIGEJariwalaR THE deter General Naravane. “There are NEW COAS GENERAL’S always a finite amount of resources GOALS available,” he says. “These have to be ture and continue its policy of being apportioned to various ministries— firm in its resolve along the border. THE NEW CHIEF WILL HAVE [and while] we might say the defence “You have to be assertive and not ag- HIS HANDS FULL DURING HIS ministry hasn’t got its allocation, I’m gressive,” says General Naravane. TENURE, TILL APRIL 2022 sure the railways and roadways will say the same thing.” Clearly, his tenure W OPERATIONALISE will see no public breast-beating over INTEGRATED unfulfilled wish lists. “Everyone has a With two cross-border strikes—the BATTLE GROUPS wish list, but it’s not [likely] that one commando raid following the 2016 Study the findings of the first gets everything. It is about what you Uri attacks and the air strikes follow- IBG exercise, Him Vijay, and can do within the budget. We need to ing the 2019 Pulwama attacks—the implement takeaways across the become more efficient, to synergise the government has also signalled to dozen or so IBGs being created requirements within the three services, Pakistan that it will not be deterred by pool our resources and thereby make that country’s nuclear weapons when CONTINUE our money work for us better.” responding to terrorism. “We have seen REFORMS that we can carry out the kind of opera- Including a restructuring It will be on Naravane’s watch tions we need to without nuclear con- of Army HQ, reducing wastage, that the army will formally begin the siderations coming into play,” the army synergising with the other ‘IBG-isation’ of its Corps. IBGs will chief says. Currently, violent incidents services and the CDS replace the army’s basic unit—infantry and unrest in Jammu and Kashmir are divisions—with lighter, more manoeu- at an all-time low. Since the August 5 KEEP THE LID ON vrable brigades equipped with tanks, dissolution of Article 370 and the im- INSURGENCY IN J&K artillery and air power. However, this position of an unprecedented internet Ensure that the levels of will take time, as it requires changes in ban, the Union territory has seen few violence remain low and that the army’s war establishment—equip- violent incidents. Terrorist networks the LoC remains sealed against ment and manpower levels laid down in the Valley have been paralysed, with infiltration from PoK— especially by the government—as well as field recruitment down to its lowest level after internet curbs are lifted tests. These IBGs would also fit into since the 2016 upsurge in violence after the planned theatre commands—as the killing of Burhan Wani. AIR DEFENCE part of the modernisation drive, three SYSTEMS joint commands have been planned to The threat of cross-border ter- Steer acquisition replace the 17 single-service commands rorism from Pakistan remains—army cases for medium- that currently exist. The chief expects sources say there are between 200 and range, quick-reaction and the first IBGs to be ready sometime in 250 terrorists at nearly 20 launch pads shoulder-fired surface-to-air the next two or three years, carved out across the border, waiting to cross over. missiles for the army’s air of the army’s Panagarh-based 17 Corps But with the government signalling defence corps and the Yol-based 9 Corps. its willingness to respond with force, the army believes it now has the upper Operation Parakram. Nonetheless, in The first IBG was field-tested hand. “Terrorist camps, infrastructure recent years, the army has augmented in Arunachal Pradesh during exer- and launch pads can be taken down,” its firepower by inducting three dif- cise Him Vijay (Mountain Victory) the general says. “They cannot operate ferent types of howitzers, bridged its last November. Though the exercise with impunity.” This zero-tolerance shortfalls of ammunition and procured revealed some deficiencies in commu- policy, he hopes, will result in Pakistan combat rifles for its infantry. Financial nications—the Corps HQ was clearly restraining its actions. authority devolved to the vice-chiefs of not equipped to control formations (a the three forces means they can pro- task earlier done by division HQs)—the This respite at the border—how- cure items off the shelf without waiting army says it is happy with the concept ever temporary—means that the army for files to grind through the bureau- and is awaiting a detailed debrief of chief has, for the first time in years, the cracy. That being said, the continuing the exercise. “The initial reports from mind space to focus on reform. modernisation will have to proceed those who participated in the exercise under a largely stagnant defence bud- are very encouraging. Having done it, Modernisation is a chimera the get. Defence expenditure is unlikely they are all for it now,” says General army has chased for over two decades, to rise—at 15 per cent, it is the central Naravane. This, one hopes, could well ever since the 1999 Kargil War and the government’s second-largest item of be a metaphor for the armed forces, 10-month-long mobilisation in 2001, expenditure after debt servicing. With themselves in the throes of change. n military pensions included, defence ac- counts for 2.2 per cent of the GDP. The spending cap is unlikely to 46 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020

SMART EDUCATION WIRED TO CREATE Design is about experimentation and thinking out of the box STITCH BY STITCH Students of World University of Design, Sonipat NareshGEJariwalaR CHANDRADEEPKUMAR TI

S M A R T E D U C A T I O N STUDY DESIGNED TO IMPRESS From fashion and interiors to accessories and automobiles, no modern product can be conceived without smart tech marrying sharp aesthetic. Here are the top nine trending specialisations in design NareshTIGEJariwalaR ACCESSORY DESIGN Pearl Academy, Delhi www.pearlacademy.com N o longer limited to shoes and handbags, today, acces- sories include jewellery, leather goods, eyewear, watches and home décor products. A career in this field demands creativity and experimentation. Students at Pearl Academy are taught to integrate their knowledge of fabrication with aesthetics to develop a variety of products. Smita Singh, course leader and associate professor of accessory design, says, “Gradu- ates can work as accessory designers; as full-time employees in a design-based organisation, as freelance design consultants, or can start their own enterprises.” Graduates could also find employment as product development managers or merchandisers with export- ers, manufacturers or start-ups. They could also choose to pursue design strategy and research or become part of design think-tanks. CREATIVE STREAK LEARNING THE CRAFT Though students are taught essential skills such as sketching, Students of accessory design design software and material manipulation over this four-year at Pearl Academy undergraduate programme, basic requirements include curiosity, empathy and creativity. “Students need to be aware of traditional and modern design philosophies, production techniques and the latest technology and software. They must have the ability to ex- ecute an idea, to communicate with different stakeholders and to be agile problem-solvers,” says Singh. ENTRY SALARY Rs 4-7 lakh per annum. n —by Shelly Anand 48 INDIA TODAY JA N UA RY 20, 2020