Edits In Short: February 13
Didn’t get time to read the edit pages in today’s papers? Don’t worry. We’ve read them for you!
The Hindu, February 13, 2013
Awaiting the white smoke – Editorial
The edit comments on Pope Benedicts XVI’s resignation from “popedom”. Although it doesn’t go into the reason for his stepping down (only the official “I don’t have the strength of mind and body”), it goes on to highlight how his legacy has been controversial – No contraception, no abortions, no in-vitro fertilisation. He also “moved against liberal elements on the church”, and “put the brakes on ecumenism”. (Which just fyi means – A movement promoting unity among Christian churches or denominations.) The stunned cardinals who were not expecting a resignation, will now have to once again choose a Pope, who the edit feels should be Latin American or African, considering that the bulk of the one billion Catholics live in those countries. The edit hopes the successor is someone who’s younger, a better communicator and able to handle the moral and – the new word of the day – ecumenical challenges of globalisation.
Sharing the blame – Editorial
Commenting on the 36 deaths at the railway station in Allahabad where the Kumbh is underway, the edit strongly states that both the government and the Railways are squarely responsible. The “shabby blame game” between the two needs to stop. Whether or not the tragedy took place at the site of the Kumbh is irrelevant. With three crore people in town, the government and railways should have expected that there would be huge crowds at all entry and exit points of the cities, and should have taken proper precautions – law & order, more trains, adequate medical help at hand and a disaster response system in place.
The Hindustan Times, February 13, 2013
Don’t work at cross-purposes – Editorial
The HT edit states that there must be a robust and cohesive political culture to combat terrorism, and political parties must work together to devise a proper response on Kashmir. Enforcing curfew and depriving Kashmiris of information in the aftermath of the hanging is not the right response. Kashmiris need to hear all sides of the story and political parties need to set their differences aside to “dominate the discourse in the trouble state” and “devise special opportunities for Kashmiri youth to give them a stake in the survival and prosperity of the country.”
Knowing your limits – Editorial
The edit is all praise for Pope Benedict XVI for resigning when he felt that with his depleting strength of mind and body, he could no longer carry out his duties. It expressed admiration for someone who gave up so much power and points out with the example of Frost/Nixon interviews, that this is never easy. It does mention that the Pope is not leaving behind a satisfied family of believers, but “by deciding to retreat to the cloistered monastery, the Pope has ensured that his shoes are filled by someone with more nimble feet”.
Closing the mind – Main Article
CNN-IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose comments on the various instances of “hurt sentiments” together contributing to what Salman Rushdie calls a “cultural emergency” in India. She is of the view that a “class war accompanies the culture war” (lal-salaam?). She gives her other usual reasons – the right-wing revolution is moving ahead aided by TV and there is the cursory blame on vote bank politics. Her solution is an “alternative narrative” away from the hyper-nationalistic one where leaders speak the language of “change and reform” but she doesn’t exactly elaborate what that change and reform would be.
The Indian Express, February 13, 2013
Third strike – Editorial
North Korea conducted its third nuclear test in a month, defying international pressure, including that of the UN. Even its closest ally China’s warnings did not deter the military dictatorship. The edit is of the view that this move changes the equation in East Asia and shows that the traditional approaches to dealing with North Korea do not work. What is needed is a realisation that the country is now a nuclear power, and a more comprehensive strategy for the whole East Asian region addressing concerns of Japan and South Korea – the countries most affected by North Korea’s move.
Full Article: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/third-strike/1073189/
Deficit disorder – Editorial
The Express keeps up its economic admonishment and predictably says that low economic growth is a call to give up populist measures. It states that the poor have a stake in “reducing, rather than expanding, public expenditure financed through borrowed money. This could mean that keeping in abeyance high expenditure plans, like the food security bill, would actually work in favour of its intended beneficiaries”.
Smothered in Beijing – Main Article
Minxin Pei, a professor of government and non-resident senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US, writes that the thick smog over Beijing is proof of the country’s failed environmental policies. A call for a cleaner environment could become a political rallying cry both against pollution and the autocracy. He somehow links a cleaner environment to a more open society and says that, “the greatest political obstacle to sound environmental stewardship is the country’s autocratic political system, which restricts press freedom, civil society and free flow of information”.
The Times of India, February 13, 2013
CBI In Dock – Editorial
The 2G scam continues to spit out more corruption scandals. An audio file of now-sacked CBI prosecutor A K Singh, who was heard coaching Sanjay Chandra, (director, Unitech, who is out on bail in the 2G case) on how to dilute the prosecution’s case, was found. The edit states that although Chandra’s team claims that the recording has been fabricated, it has enough credibility for the CBI to initiate a preliminary inquiry. This incident, the edit feels, has put in question the CBI’s integrity and independence.
Faces of Terror – Editorial
Afzal Guru’s long delayed execution throws up several questions for the Indian democracy. One of these was whether the hanging of the conspirator of the 2001 (the edit states that the incident took place in 2002! Tch tch.) attack on the Parliament was a political trick directed at projecting a strong anti-terror image of the government keeping in mind the 2014 elections. Also, when the Supreme Court pronounced the death sentence of Guru eight years ago, it described the crime as “heinous”. Keeping in mind that Guru did not take part in the attack, the implication of this judgment is that the enormity of Guru’s crime was the symbolic importance attached to the target. The edit questions whether this crime was more heinous than the one that the torturers of Nirbhaya committed. The edit does not argue that all rapists be hanged, but merely asks whether those who celebrated Guru’s execution would also equally publicly grieve every reported case of rape.
Don’t Punish High Earners – Main Article
Lubna Kably argues against the Finance Minister’s insinuation of the possibility of a higher tax burden on high net worth individuals (HNIs). She states that the government does not need to resort to such populist measures and that the solution lies in the judicious allocation and utilisation of resources.
