The Week That Was

the week that was September 8-14 2009 Page 6

Distance Education Council recognises SOL degree

AlterEgo

By Charu Chandra Pathak

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jkgqy lkaÑR;k;u us fdlh txg ij dgk Fkk fd vxj fdlh Finally, students of DU School of dkSe dks mldh tM+ksa ls dkV nsuk Open Learning (SOL) have a reason to gks ] vxj fdlh eqYd dks xqyke rejoice as the Distance Education Council has recognised the BA cukuk gks] rks mls mldh Hkk"kk vkSj degree of SOL run by Delhi laLÑfr ls dkV nksA University. Hkk"kk vkSj laLÑfr dk vVwV The information regarding the fj'rk gSA nksuksa ,d&nwljs ls recognition has been conveyed to xqaFkh&cquh gksrh gSaA ;gh dkj.k gS the Delhi High Court by the Counsel fd Hkk"kk vkSj laLÑfr ij gksus okyk for SOL during the hearing of a geyk balku dks ekufld :i ls petition filed by an SOL student. It can be recalled that Deepak Kumar, xqyke cukrk gSA gkyk¡fd] fgUnh had approached the court when the nqfu;k dh rhljh lcls T;knk S t a f f S e l e c t i o n C o m m i s s i o n cksyh tkus okyh Hkk"kk gS] ysfdu disqualified his recruitment as Tax gekjs ns'k esa vaxzsth esa ckr djuk Assistant even after he cleared the vkSj vaxzsthnka fn[kuk fdlh balku SSC test and interview because of his ds dn dks Å¡pk djrk gSA ;g SOL degree. He was asked to possess gkyr flQZ fgUnh dh ugha gS] cfYd the certificate of the degree from the yxHkx lHkh Hkkjrh; Hkk"kkvksa dh Distance Education Council. The Council and the SOL held a fLFkfr nks;e ntsZ dh cuk nh xbZ r i g o r o u s d i s c u s s i o n a m o n g gSA themselves. Eventually, the Council Hkk"kk] njvly] lekt ds lHkh decided to give recognition to the oxks± ds izfr rVLFk gksrh gS] ysfdu degree from the academic year 1995 lekt ds lHkh oxZ Hkk"kk ds izfr to 2009. Consequently, the Delhi rVLFk ugha gksrs gSaA lRrklhu oxZ High Court after disposing of the petition has directed the SSC to Hkk"kk esa vius fglkc ls cnyko consider Deepak's case within eight djrs gSa vkSj ;s Hkk"kkbZ cnyko weeks. Mehnaz yksxksa dh ekufldrk ij vlj

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dYpj* dk /otokgd detksj&fNNyk dSfj;joknh gksrk tk jgk gSA Hkk"kk ij geyk] njvly] gekjs fopkjksa vkSj laLÑfr ij geyk gSA Le`fr] LoIu vkSj dYiuk dk ek/;e flQZ viuh ekr`Hkk"kk gh gks ldrh gSA blfy,] viuh Hkk"kk dh eqfDr dk iz'u okLro esa vius LoIuksa vkSj dYiukyksd dh eqfDr dk iz'u gSA fgUnh fnol eukus ;k fgUnh viukus dk ;g vFkZ ugha gS fd gesa vU; Hkk"kk,¡ ugha lh[kuh pkfg,A fgUnh lkfgR; vkSj Hkk"kk ds fodkl esa vHkwriwoZ ;ksxnku nsus okys egkiafMr jkgqy lkaÑR;k;u NCchl Hkk"kkvksa ds /kqja/kj Kkrk FksA viuh Hkk"kk ls tqM+us dk vFkZ gS mlds izfr ghu Hkkouk dk ugha gksuk] mls tkuuk] mlds lkfgR; ls ifjfpr gksukA vkSj tSls gh ge viuh Hkk"kk ls tqM+rs gSa] njvly ge vius lekt ls tqM+us yxrs gSaA viuh laLÑfr] vius lekt vkSj viuh Hkk"kk vkSj mlds lkfgR; ls esy&tksy c<+kuk gh fgUnh fnol eukus dk lPpk rjhdk gks ldrk gSA

the week that was September 8-14 2009

insidestory Special Coverage: Northeast India Page 3-4 Sino-Indian Relation Page 3 Battleground Tawang Page 5 Alter Ego:

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Changing face of DUSU politics

Layout Supervisor:Pawan Koundal

The DUSU election witnessed a fresh wave of change as an independent candidate backed by ABVP; Manoj Choudhary got elected as the President of the Students' Union. Manoj defeated his nearest rival, Bajinder Singh of the All- India Student's Federation by 11 votes. Both t h e c a n d i d a t es a r e f r o m t h e University's Department of Buddhist Studies. Last time when an independent candidate won the DUSU president's post was way back in 1991. This all happened due to Election Commission’s implementation of Lyndoh Committee guidelines. As a result, seven candidates were disqualified by the DU election officials for flauting the guidelines. Interestingly, it is after four years that a male candidate has become the president of DUSU. The lone candidate from ABVP, Kriti Wadhera won the VicePresident's post securing 6543 votes. While Arshdeep Kaur of NSUI won Secretary's post with 8032 votes. Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, student wing of Samajwadi Party, was able to make its place for the first time in DUSU election with Anupriya Tyagi bagging the post of joint secretary.

Student Editors: Ajeet, Pawan, Garima, Mamta, Dipika, Mehnaz, Ruchi, Upmanyu, Ritika

Pawan Kr. Singh

100 days in office On Aug 29 the UPA government completed its 100 days in office with a mixed bag of good work on certain fronts while stumbling on several issues. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's second stint may be bristling with plans to mitigate poverty, disease and illiteracy, but most Indians still remain unimpressed. As the United P r o g r e s s i v e A l l i a n c e ( U PA ) government completes 100 days in office, the brunt is being felt across India and across all sections of s o c i e t y. T h e r e h a s b e e n unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities like sugar, pulses etc. Due to high prices it is getting difficult for people to sustain their family. It is because of

this situation that now people have decided to buy less vegetables. So now even simple dal-roti has become a luxury. The country is also facing the swine flu pandemic. The government's handling of swine flu has also drawn flak. At the international level, we can say that India has become meek. There were continued attacks on Indian students in Australia and the government was unable to do anything. If we look at the positive aspect, we can say that UPA-II has tried to consolidate and expand the inclusive growth agenda by passing the Right to Education Act and promising a national law for food security. Even the economy grew at

Editorial Supervisor: Prof. Ambrish Saxena

As Congress led UPA completes hundred days in office, the article assesses the policies and outcomes

more than 8 percent annually during the first tenure of UPA Government. Now in the second innings the targets groups of UPA government includes women and dalits. The new education law and 50 percent reservation for women in local bodies are the steps in this direction. Even the Congress-led UPA government can be termed as a hope of a revival for the Indian stock markets. The country has witnessed an inflow of nearly Rs 23,700 crore from overseas investors since the beginning of the new term of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. An analysis of the foreign institutional investors (FIIs) activity shows that since the day PM Manmohan Singh took oath for a second term to lead the United Progressive Alliance

Editorial Advisor: SD Tripathi

government, FIIs have made a net investment of Rs 23,688.8 crore in the domestic stock markets. The Union Budget 2009-10, presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee sought to double the outlays for rural development at a time of sluggish growth, which is expected to be 6 per cent this year. The Prime Minister and the Congress should grab this second opportunity to make some lasting changes in the country. It can be said that getting a second term is a measure of people's confidence that they enjoy. So they must respect the mandate and deliver for the betterment of the people and the society.

Ruchi Dua

VOL 1

ISSUE 4

A weekly production by Journalism students of CMS

YSR: YS Rajashekhara Reddy or YSR, hugely popular in Andhra Pradesh, believed to be an able administrator and common man's Chief Minister, died in a chopper crash last week. He was a successful politician who had a larger than life image while he was alive and the image only grew after his tragic death. The entire state of Andhra submerged in grief when the CM's death was announced; the outpouring of grief was not unexpected. However, soon the grief catapulted into mass hysteria. The frenzied behaviour of the masses and the mourning in the state could be attributed to the fact that YSR had almost attained the stature of God for the masses, especially the farmers. Hence, YSR's death was a personal loss and grief for many. More than 400,000 people gathered at the Idupulapaya village to bid farewell to their b e l o v ed C M . S o m e e v e n expressed that no political leader could ever attain the stature or equal the achievements of YSR. YSR had emerged as the regional satrap and commanded such power and appeal because

Man and His Legacy

he amalgamated erstwhile CM Chnadrababu Naidu's plans on industrialization and modernization with development of the agrarian sector. So, if his government passionately advocated information technology, it gave due attention to agriculture. Healthcare insurance, Jalayagnam- a massive project aimed at irrigating more than 10 million hectares of land, housing for the poor; such schemes were personally launched by the CM. It was his populist policies which connected him to his voters. It is believed that YSR was among those few politicians who derived his authority directly from the people of the state and not necessarily the Congress party High Command in New Delhi. He was someone who could win the trust of the electorate on the merit of his own service and work. It was for no reason that the biggest search operation was initiated to recover the CM and the prominent leadership of the Congress party, including the Prime Minister attended the funeral of YSR. He was the man who had brought the Congress to

power in AP after a hiatus of almost a decade and was a promising politician. It appears that almost a vacuum has been created in the state politics by YSR's sudden death. Soon after his death, the sentiment of the public and the pa r t y m e m b e rs t h at was reflected in the form of massive demand to annoint, Jagan Mohan Reddy, YSR's son as the next CM. Although K Rosaiah has been appointed as the interim Andhra Pradesh CM, lobbying for Jagan Mohan continues. In fact, State Congress workers even voiced their support for Jagan Mohan at the condolence meeting. As the legacy of YSR will prevail, it will be interesting to observe which way the succession game veers and will the Congress Central leadership honour the public and popular sentiment or take a different course. While electing YSR's successor, the interest of the state and the people of Andhra Pradesh should be the determining yardstick instead of any other emotions, sentiments or the policy of dynasty politics. Dipika Dasgupta

YSR: AS CHIEF MINISTER YSR was elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh by the Legislature party of the Indian National Congress after the party won 185 and 156 seats of the Legislative Assembly in the May 2004 and May 2009 elections respectively. He initiated a variety of programs that influence the Economy of Andhra Pradesh and for the benefit of the common people and farming community. Prominent among them are:

70 pending irrigation projects in the state to improve irrigation faci lities, with a targeted irrigation to 1.2 Crore acres of land. 2) Rajiv Arogya Shree: A health i n s u ra n c e a n d e m e rg e n c y services scheme for rural masses where the government pays the entire cost of any surgery up to Rs. 200,000 and does not require people to pay any premium. 3) Pavala Vaddi: A program that provides loans to people at 3% per 1) JalaYagnam: A large-scale year so as to encourage them to program to complete more than take up small scale businesses and

entrepreneurship primarily targeted at rural women. 4) Indiramma illu: A program for construction of houses for the rural masses by charging a small amount while the government pays the remaining amount. 5) Free power supply for farmers for 7 hours a day. 6) Rs 2/KG of rice scheme 7) Reimbursement of full college fees for backward sections and reservations for minorities. Source: Government of Andhra Pradesh

international

the week that was September 8-14 2009 Page 2

Sino-Indian diplomatic relation

What is China trying to show with 21 incursions in July 2009 and 26 in August 2009 along with recent ‘rock-writing’ on the Indian rocks? The Chinese incursions into Indian territory have increased manifold in the past few years. According to news agency reports from Leh, Chinese patrols entered 26 times inside Indian territory August this year and walked away with petrol and kerosene meant for Indian soldiers guarding the border. Recently two Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) helicopters reportedly entered into airspace in June and dropped canned food. Every year there are several intrusions by PLA into Indian territory both in the Northeast and the Ladakh region because of the border dispute. On the strategic front, China is extending its influence over Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal. It has also provided military resources to Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. China is heavily spending to take control over the natural resources in Myanmar and Pakistan. It has got the contract of various projects in Pakistan (Gavadar Port in Mkaran) and Sri Lanka (a commercial port). It has provided commercial, military and diplomatic co-operation and support to Sri Lanka. Apart from this, it also helped Sri Lanka to tackle the resistance emerging from the West during the final

assault on LTTE. China didn't allow Sri Lanka's crisis situation becoming a UN agenda so that no untoward resolution is passed against it. China has strategically acquired an important shipping lane in the Indian Ocean which brings oil from the Middle Asia. It also supported Myanmar when the whole world criticised the Junta government on the issue of Aung San Suu Kyi urging them not to interfere in the internal matters of the country. Recently, Pentagon released annual report 2009 which warned against the increasing military power of China. The report says that, apart from spending heavily in military power, China is also progressing very fast in acquiring the latest weapons. A warning has been given in the report that China is developing new techniques for nuclear, space and cyber warfare.

Historical Facts The border dispute between India and China is very old. The crucial questions in this context are: What is the boundary that India inherited on its Independence in 1947? And what was China's boundary, on the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949?

The origin of this dispute can be traced back as early as 1842 when Ladakh and Tibet signed a nonag gression treaty. The Si kh Confederacy of Punjab region annexed Ladakh into the state of Jammu in 1834. In 1841, they invaded Tibet and Chinese forces defeated the Sikh army and in turn entered Ladakh and besieged Leh. After being checked by the Sikh forces, the Chinese and the Sikhs signed a treaty in September 1842, which stipulated no transgressions or interference in the other country's frontiers. In 1846 the British defeated the Sikhs and the transfer of the sovereignty over Ladakh took place. The British ceded to Maharaja Gulab Singh the lands they had thus acquired in the territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh "for the sum of seventy-five lakhs of rupees". He "acknowledged the supremacy of the British government". Article 4 of the agreement said: "The limits of the territories of Maharaja Gulab Singh shall not be at any time changed without concurrence of the British government." All map-making was to be done thereafter by the British alone and they went about it obsessed by the fear of Russia appearing on the frontier. The British even encouraged China to

take over some areas in the north. (From A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads relating to India and Neighbouring Countries compiled by C.U. Aitchison, the then Under-Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department) Later on W.H. Johnson, a civil servant with the Survey of India proposed the “Johnson Line” in 1865 which was never presented to the Chinese. In 1913-14, Henry Mac Mahon, British diplomat, proposed the Mac Mohan Line but the Britishers had some reservations about it so they did not put the Mac Mahon Line on their maps until 1937. Further, the British appointed two Boundary Commissions in 1846 and 1847 and sought China's acceptence. They also offered the Aksai Chin to China in the Macartney-MacDonald note of March 14, 1899. However, the British once again changed their stand on the boundary issue (particularly on Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh) during the World War II in the wake of threat from the Japanese troops. This created more confusion for the future and neither China nor India exactly knew what they actually had inherited on their Independence. And this is the reason why both the nations are not recognising each other's claims on the Line of Actual Control. Mamta

Sudanese Scribe wins against arbitrary laws Associated with UN mission in Sudan, the Journalist comes out after being imprisoned for wearing indecent clothes in public In what is being seen as a major victory of the freedom of choice and rights of an individual over arbitrary rule of the state, Lubna Hussein, a journalist associated with the UN Mission in Sudan was released from prison on September 8. The Sudanese Union of Journalists has reportedly said that Lubna Ahmed Hussein was imprisoned for having refused to pay a fine for wearing 'indecent' trousers; and was freed after spending a day in prison. The President of the Union, Moheddine Titawi has said, “She came out of prison. We paid the fine of 500 pound (200 dollar).” The courageous journalist had decided to contest the diktat of the

government after she was H u s s e i n , s h e q u i t t h e sentenced to 40 lashes as a orga n i s at i o n ( U n i ted N at i o n s punishment for for wearing trousers Organisation) and went ahead with in public and having violated the t h e t r i a l . S h e h a d b o l d l y accepted Islamic dress code for commented, “I can tell you, as far as I women. know as a Muslim, the Article 152 During a raid on a café on July 3, (under which Hussein has been Hussein was c h a rged ) i s i n among 13 Lubna Ahmed Hussein contradiction of women who had was imprisoned for having I s l a m i c S h e r i a been arrested for law.” refused to pay a fine for wearing trousers Hussein had in public. While w e a r i n g ' i n d e c e n t ' b e e n a r r e s t e d t e n o f t h e trousers after she had arrested women refused to pay the were flogged on September 8 and fine imposed on her by a court in charged 250 Sudanese pounds as Khartoum. She could have faced a fine, Hussein and two others month in jail for going against the decided to undergo trial in a court of Sudanese law. law. Her imprisonment and the Though UN offered to stand by unreasonable judgement by the

court of law led to huge public outcry and protests globally. In the wake of current precarious political and economic situations in Sudan, it is inexplicable how the government has time to enforce such arbitrary law. In fact, Human rights and political groups in Sudan as well as across the world had stated that the ruling was against the Constitution drafted in 2005 after a peace deal ended two decades of war. Due to her upright protest, the Amnesty International has also asked the Sudanese government to repeal these strict laws. Such dissent from the society might go a long way in the annulment of arbitrary laws and betterment of the society.

Dipika Dasgupta

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nationa

Battleground Tawang

First quarter growth rate at 6.1percent

The disputed border area of Arunachal Pradesh is in the news due to numerous incursions by Chinese military personnel

I n d i a ' s e c o n o m i c g ro w t h accelerated for the first time in six quarters to 6.1per cent in the first three months of the current financial year, signaling that the worst of the global downturn may have passed for Asia's third-largest economy. The GDP growth rate of 6.1 per cent for the first quarter 2009-10 marginally exceeds the estimate of 5.8-6 per cent. India's economic growth can be attributed to government stimulus measures which helped spur demand, but a poor monsoon threatens to crimp growth later in the year driving the prices higher. Weakness in private consumption combined with looming inflation complicates the Reserve Bank of India's exit from its expansionary monetary policy. Many experts feel that India still ranks among the most attractive investment destinations in the world. But a week trend in global markets could impact absolute returns, though India may outperform most markets in relative terms. Going by the stock markets, sellers are targeting shares from the After Godhara riots and Shohrabuddin’s fake encounter metal and IT sectors, while reality shares are gaining hopes that the cases, Modi’s trouble in not settling down as Magistrate demand of property would pick up SP Tamang’s report states Ishrat’s encounter was with the advent of the festive season. However, the investors are still nervous fake as well about which way the stock market Producing another setback Minister. Those accused, dead bodies to show the killing would turn. The key to sustained growth must lie in the revival of to Modi government in Gujarat include Mr. Vanzara's then as an encounter. The weapons agriculture and manufacturing.

Standing tall in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is a beautiful Buddhist enclave called Tawang. It is a safe abode for Tibetan monasteries but also is a space for the Indian military force. Tawang remains the main point of conflict between India and China regarding the question of its sovereignty. The roots of conflict go back to the time when China claimed its territorial rights over Tibet. Since then, it believes that Tawang historically had been a part of T ibet, so now it must be considered as a territory of China only. The Chinese army even laid its hands on Tawang briefly in 1962 during the Indo- China War making Tawang region a sort of proxy battleground for India and

China. Tawang remains a shelter for Monpa people who practice Tibetan Buddhism. Also, the sixth Dalai Lama was born here. It became an integral part of India when Tibetan leaders signed a treaty with British officials in 1914 establishing a border called McMahon Line. But the whole situation became more critical when Dalai Lama announced recently that Tawang is part of India. However interestingly, China does not recognize the treaty as yet. The exiled Prime Minister of the T ibetan government, Samdhong Rinpoche said that “we recognize it because we agreed to it.” He further said that it would be a victory for the Indian government

if China also recognizes the treaty. Of late, both the nations have taken various measures to secure their rights over this area. “The Chinese army has a big deployment at the border, in Bumla,” said Madan Singh, a junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army. More recently China tried hard to raise a stumbling block when India was getting loan from ADB for water projects in Arunachal Pradesh. However the issue remains unsolved despite 13 rounds of bilateral negotiations between the two nations since 2005. A patch of land has soured the relations between two towering nations, perhaps turning it into a matter of mere power play affecting the peaceful life of innocent Monpa people. Ritika Handoo

Modi Courting Trouble

one more fake encounter case has surfaced. According to an Ahmedabad metropolitan magistrate, SP Tamang, June 2004 killing of Ishrat Jahan and three others is also a case of 'fake encounter'. The then 'encounter specialist' of Gujarat police D.G. Vanzara is one of the accused in the case among others. They are already in jail i n co n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e Sohrabuddin Sheikh's killing (which the government confessed before the Supreme Court was a case of fake encounter.) According to the report the 'encounters' were done to pursue personal interest and to get promotions and earn appreciation from the Chief

deputy in the Crime Branch, NK Amin, the then Ahmedabad Po l i c e C o m m i s s i o n e r K R Kaushik, the then chief of the Crime Branch PP Pandey, and another alleged encounter specialist Tarun Barot. Mr. NK Amin is also one of the accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh's killing. Tamang's report states that the police 'kidnapped' the teenage girl Israt Jahan and three others from Mumbai on June 12th and brought them to Gujarat where they were killed in police custody on June 14th. The police earlier claimed that i n t h e n ex t m o r n i n g a n encounter took place in the outskirts of Ahemdabad. The report also alleges that the accused shot bullets into the

and explosives found with the victims were also planted by the police for the same purpose. The police claimed that the four had links with Laskar-eTaiyeba. However no evidence to prove this is found according to the Tamang's report. These encounters in Gujarat and the state government's defensive attitude points out to a greater problem of the state and its government. It is about the communal and hate politics that is being tendered in the state since the last decade especially after the riots of 2002. This is evident by the fact (as in the Tamang's report) that these 'encounters' were carried out to please Mr. Modi. Upmanyu Trivedi

Neha Sabbharwal

Stop construction, SC to Mayawati The Supreme Court asked the Mayawati Government to stop further constructions of Dalit leaders' memorials in and around Uttar Pradesh. The Court said that building of such statues involved public money and it means misuse of taxpayers' money. According to a bench of judges of the Supreme Court, “We may ask the government as to how such a colossal expenditure can be incurred. It cannot be arbitrary because it involves taxpayers' money.” It is to be noted that the UP Government has been on a statue construction spree of several Dalit leaders including CM of UP, Mayawati, spending Rs. 2500 crore from the state exchequer. Mehnaz

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specia

Militancy and Economy The Northeast has always been a cause of concern for independent India. From a few of the radical militant groups in the late 1980s to as many as 50-80 at present, the situation is worsening day by day. While these bigger organisations plan 'big' attacks, the smaller ones keep 'playing' every now and then. These grenade attacks, blowing up tracks, killing police and military personnel, frequent bandhs etc. e ve r yd ay h ave fo rc ed t h e government to classify these groups as terrorists. If one looks at the bandhs only, which stops all kinds of economic transactions along with other movement, a project report** reveals that 73 bandhs were called by these organisations (as well as political parties) between June 1997 and May 1998

in Assam only. These bandhs range from 12 to 48 hours (most common is 12 hours bandh called 36 times) and cost as much as Rs. 447.9 million per day. The total loss during the mentioned period was Rs. 12.55 billion. Another errant in the region is the cases of kidnapping, extortion and killings of businessmen for whom it has been a default phenomenon. They have to give 'tax' or contributions to different militant groups for their survival and 'protection'. If one is to believe the locals, even the state government and other PSU employees have to pay this ransom or protection money. One of the reputed weekly magazine*** have reported about the tea industry funding militant organisations. These incidents work as deterrent for future investors. Even the

assurance from government is not enough for them to invest. If Tatas could not operate without giving 'protection' money, how come others will! The central and state governments have been giving several tax subsidies and incentives yet the 'insurgency tax' is the biggest disincentive to investment. This problem is affecting the law and order, social fabric as well as economic aspirations of individuals and investors. It is not a single problem but father of many siblings.

NorthEastIndia

India's Northeast, also known as the seven sisters, includes the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. They cover about 8 per cent of the geographical area and approximately 4 per cent of the total population of the country. The region is known for its linguistic, **North Eastern Development Finance cultural, religious, ethnic and Corporation, A Project Report on Bandhs in physiographical diversity. Assam. Guwahati: NEDF, 1999. Many legal and administrative ***For details about allegations of Tata Tea funding ULFA militants see cover decisions taken between 1874 and stories of India Today, New Delhi, October 20, 1935 gave the areas in the Northeast 1997 and Business India, New Delhi, October their distinct identity. Initially, the 20, 1997. Ajeet Bharti British administration treated this region as 'Non-Regulated Areas', then declared it to be a 'Backward Tract' and further categorized it as 'Excluded Areas' and 'Partially Excluded Areas'.

Militant groups of Northeast States

Assam

Manipur

Nagaland

Militant organisations (year of formation) ULFA : United Liberation Front of Asom (April 1979) NDFB: National Democratic Front of Bodoland (1989) PLA: Peoples Liberation Army(1978) UNLF: United National Liberation Front (1964) PREPAK: People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak NSCN-IM: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah (1980) NSCN-K: The National Socialist Council of NagalandKhaplang (1988) ANVC: Achik National Volunteer Council (1995) HNLC: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (1992) NLFT: National Liberation Front of Tripura (March 1989) ATFF: All Tripura Tiger Force (1990)

Objective

To establish a sovereign state of Assam through an armed struggle. Aims to set up an autonomous region Bodoland Liberating Manipur from India An independent socialist state of Manipur A separate and independent homeland To establish a Greater Nagaland

Power: Status and Need

The power infrastructure is one of the biggest problems of the Northeast. Every study conducted have marked Formation of an Achik Land in the Garo the power infrastructure as a serious Hills problem. The S.P. Shukla Commission Aims to free the state from Garo Meghalaya (1997), set up to assess the domination infrastructural gaps in the Northeast, stated the infrastructural Tripura requirements needed for the region Expulsion of all Bengali speaking are to the tune of Rs. 936 billion. More immigrants than Rs. 600 billion is needed for the To create an independent Hmar State Hmar People's Conventionpowaer sector alone. Mizoram HPC(D): Democracy (1995) All the States in the region except BNLF: Bru National Liberation Front (1997 ) To protect the rights and dignity of the Meghalaya face a shortage of power. A Reangs region with many natural reservoirs Apart from the above mentioned organisations, there are several other smaller groups as well. In Manipur and huge hydro-electric potential alone there are as many as 32 active militant groups. The Indian Home ministry has taken a tough stance against estimated to be around 30-40000 MW these and termed various radical organisations as terrorist outfits. Some of the active and operating terrorist remains ironically dark. Arunachal groups in the Northeast are: Pradesh claims that it alone has a National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), Naga National Council-Federal potential of about 30,000 MW, of which only 25 MW has been harnessed (NNCF), National Council of Nagaland-Khaplang. United Liberation Front of Asom, People's so far! Liberation Army, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Zomi Revolutionary Front Greater Nagaland

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Special

September 8-14 2009 Page 4

New roads in Arunachal: politics of routes in India Coming out of the post 1962 m e n t a l i t y, f i n a l l y, I n d i a n government has chalked out a massive transport network for Arunachal Pradesh. In 2006, the UPA government proposed to build seven new strategic roads in the region. It is indeed a welcome and practical move. They have come a long way since then. This policy reflects the confidence of the government which reversed its earlier policy of not having any road in that area because it could be used by China in case of future hostilities. These transport facilities will not only help India solve the developmental issues in the area but also connect it to the rest parts for smooth economic transactions. This policy makes a great economic sense as well. The transport network is one of the essential points for developmental purposes. The diplomatic and

political interests will be looked after. Inter-state trade will get a boost. It will also open gates for the interested investors. The routes will influence the economic activity and improve the productivity India has always been occupied in various cross border terrorism. The area of north east has always been facing militancy problems. Whereas China has been busy making strategic routes for cross-border economic ties with Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka into India's backyard. China has always been trying to expand its influence in the South Asian markets. Access to raw materials, commodities, natural resources and export of Chinese goods have been the prime motif of Beijing. This expanded influence may limit India's power in the area. Gaining access to the South Asian region has always played a crucial role in political and economic development, cultural

connectivity and military affairs of the region. The two facets of state policy- security and development are also dependent on these multidimensional routes. A road is a geographical as well as political instrument for interaction. The gains from these types of routes are multidimensional as it can have both- strategic as well as developmental consequences. The need now is to shift the focus from treating China as hostile to upgrading Northeast region’s infrastructure and creating ability to i n f l u e n c e t h e t ra n s - b o r d e r economics. China is going to be one of the biggest problem in coming decades. Seeing China as a trade partner instead of a potential rival is the intelligent idea. These roads and airstrips in Arunachal Pradesh are some of the milestones that India had to construct on the road to a long journey.

* Assam is the key to the development of the Northeast; within Assam, priority should be given to modernize its agriculture. Given the rich natural resource base there is considerable scope for increasing agricultural growth. This could be done by improving the cropping intensity, extending dry season farming through irrigation and diversifying into other areas like horticulture, fisheries, and dairy production.

Manipur is one of the leading educational hubs in north-east India. With some top schools, colleges, central university, medical Institute, technical Institutes and the like, the people of Manipur are getting more educated. Manipur University, DM College, Regional Institute of Medical S c i e n c e s , M a n i p u r Te c h n i c a l University, and Little Flowers High School are some of the top educational set-ups in Manipur. Manipur comes under the states of high literacy rate; its literacy rate is at 65 per cent. However, education gets disturbed at times due to insurgency. Due to frequent bandhs and other problems whether by the militants or political parties students suffer as the syllabi are not covered on time. Insurgency is not only the hindrance in education but also the youngsters of the region want the correct kind of exposure for making a better career. It is because of the above mentioned problem that students come out of the state for their further studies. Young students, after completing their 12th grade, go to various parts of the nation in search of good education. Unemployment, and the fear of it, has led to a huge dissatisfaction among students. Their sole argument of migrating is the job insecurity. Government has been giving scholarships and grants in various ways to attract students. HRD ministry has announced to establish some premier institutes including an IIM and medical colleges in the Northeast region. These efforts are welcome but at the same time government must take steps to revive the school education mainly in the tribal areas and minorities.

*** Excerpts taken from article originally published on www.satp.org.

Mehnaz

Ajeet Bharti

Economics of Northeast The present economic policy framework for the Northeast region is based on its political economy and a cultural approach, adjusted with a regional planning model. Centre as well as state government have taken various steps to protect tribal interests. Policies of minimal interference with the cultural traditions and customs of the tribal people are being followed and additional political and administrative mechanisms have been provided for the region. Under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the concept of Autonomous District Councils has been applied which looks after the social, economic and minor criminal and civil matters of the tribal people. It is implemented mainly through the Planning Commission and the Northeast Council. Despite huge financial investments, this has failed to produce desired results. Further, this is an inappropriate structure to deal with the challenges created by the p r o c e s s o f liberalization/globalization of the

economy. A new policy framework for the region will have to be based on the market approach (although certain political and cultural factors cannot be ignored altogether). If the correct policies are pursued, the region will be able to improve its economy. Under a new e c o n o m i c s t ra t e g y, p r i v a t e investment should be viewed as the critical component. But, first of all, the region has to become investorfriendly. To encourage private investment, policy makers have to focus on infrastructure (both hard and soft), land and labor policies and substantial improvements in the law and order situation. S e c o n d l y, t h e g e o g ra p h i c a l proximity of the region to the dynamic Southeast Asian economies can be utilized if bold policies are initiated both by the Centre as well as by the State governments. These policies can include: * converting unauthorized trade activities into authorized trade, both at the policy level and at the ground level. * declaring certain areas of the Northeast Region as Free Trade

NorthEastIndia Education in Manipur

Areas officially; and an aggressive strategy for creating a growth quadrangle involving India's Northeast, Myanmar, south west China, northern Thailand and Bangladesh. * Removal of Restricted Area Permit and Inner Line Regulations would also help in the integration of the Northeast with the Indian and global economy. With Myanmar becoming a member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a common market of 500 million consumers is at the doorstep of the Northeast.