My Columns: Without Fear and Favour

Amendment to the Juvenile Law in India – Its Implications By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 8, 2014 There are some serious issues involved with the latest Union cabinet decision to approve the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014 that proposes treating minors older than 16 years as adults if charged with serious crimes such as rape. A Real Step Back? The United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has termed the decision as a “real step back” – apprehending that the new JJ Bill could be a significant deviation from the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, which was promulgated in compliance with the Child Rights Convention of 1989 (CRC). The CRC provided in Article 40.1 that the children accused of offences should be tried separately from adults ‘in a manner consistent with the child’s sense of dignity and worth. (In 1992, India was a signatory to the Child Rights Convention 1989). “The rece...

The idea was to provoke you a bit By Deepak Parvatiyar (This report was published in The Free Press Journal on 6th May 1994) Bombay:   The fashion show was outrageous; and the mannequins, delicate. Pierre Cardin, designer par excellence, was hellbent on turning Bombay into another Paris. The audience held their breath and the mandarins gasped, as a whole range of exotic designs on bouncy sirens bewitched their fantasies. As Madhu Sapre, Aishwarya Rai and others ramped to reveal, Anjali Mendes, Director of Pierre Cardin Fashion Private Limited, smiled: "The idea is to provoke you a bit." Thus thought the models too. "I enjoyed it a lot,"Mark Robinson of Kamasutra fame was overheard telling a friend. And the setting at the spacious Regal Room of Hotel Oberoi provided the required elixir to the fun-loving elite of the megapolis. The conservatives, as always, grumbled over this yet another foreign invasion on our socio-cultural fabric. "Yes,...

Ban on E-rickshaws : Will the Government Find the Way Out? By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 6, 2014 http://www.elections.in/blog/ban-on-e-rickshaws-will-the-government-find-the-way-out/ Isn’t it amazing that in the last two years since the e-rickshaws were introduced on Delhi roads, the government failed to introduce any guideline to regulate them? Why did it turn a blind eye to all the traffic rules these e-rickshaws flouted? True that these vehicles are eco-friendly, don’t pollute and provide the much needed last mile connectivity to commuters from their residential colonies to the nearest metro or bus stations. But the way they have mushroomed in absence of any regulation is, indeed, a cause of concern. On one hand the untrained drivers drive recklessly, congest the roads and slow down the traffic. On the other hand, there are reports of these drivers stealing electricity from poles to recharge the batteries of these rickshaws. Naturally, accidents by these u...

How Hit is Modi’s HIT Formula? By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 5, 2014 HIT in Kathmandu! Can Narendra Modi ask for any better? In the last few weeks, the Indian prime minister has shown his fondness for wordplay and slogans. The latest in the line is his prescription of a HIT formula to boost Indo-Nepal ties. “I have abbreviated the priorities as HIT — highways, information-ways and the third, transmission-ways,” he said during his visit last Sunday. Obviously, HIT struck a chord with international media too. A New York Times headlines screamed: ‘Nepal Enthralled by Visit of India Premier, Who Hits ‘the Right Notes’. The official Chinese media too has acknowledged that the Indian prime minister has done a lot to win hearts! Competing with China You may also like to read 100 days of Modi Government Biography of Narendra Modi Yet, there is more to the HIT formula than meets the eye. In recent times even China has stepped up its engagement with Nepal, wi...

AAP Not Contesting Haryana Polls: Will it backfire? By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 4, 2014 http://www.elections.in/blog/aap-not-contesting-haryana-polls-will-it-backfire/ What a fall it has been for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which had only recently marched aggressively to ‘capture’ Delhi by fielding 432 candidates in the Lok Sabha elections! The move of the political greenhorns came up cropper as the party could win only four seats and its candidate could save their deposit in barely 19 seats. Obviously, the disappointment at the general elections has proved to be rather disastrous for the AAP, which now has withdrawn from contesting even the state elections in Haryana – the native state of at least two of the AAP stalwarts – part chief Arvind Kejriwal and ideologue Yogendra Yadav. Fortunes have drastically dwindled for the Broom. Isn’t it true that Kejriwal was even projected to be the next prime minister of the country? That the suave Yadav was considered the ...

Politics in India and role of Media By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 2, 2014 Media plays an important role in politics as it influences public opinion and helps define and take up the issues. It can keep the powerful in check by seeking transparency in their actions. Suppose if a government were to control all the information regarding its own actions, then won’t it escape all accountability? Thus, an independent media is an effective check on government’s power and influence over its citizens. In fact, with the emergence of TV and Radio networks, many governments in the Europe and America brought about legislations so that the broadcast media did not deviate from a neutral position. Yet before we dig the issue more, it would be apt to refer to the media’s role in defining the political future of our country during the recent elections. You may also like to read Role of Social Media in 2014 Lok Sabha Election Names of states with upcoming assembly elections...

How fair is the Indian Election process ? By  Deepak Parvatiyar August 1, 2014 To its credit, the Election Commission (EC) has, indeed, played a significant role in keeping Indian democracy alive. Yet, can it claim of consistency vis-à-vis ensuring a free and fair democratic process? It certainly demands a close scrutiny. Seshan’s Path-breaking Contribution in cleansing the Elections Process All will agree that whenever we talk of fair and free elections, we think of a gentleman named Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan. As the 10th chief election commissioner (CEC) of India from 1990-1996, he was literally a one-man crusading army, loved by the masses but feared by the political establishments. Ironically, the efforts that he made to cleanse the election process in the country, earned him a rather degrading sobriquet, ‘maverick’. Obviously the political class never liked his style of functioning and even made attempts to derail his efforts. In October 1993, P...

Why do Politicians switch Political Parties By  Deepak Parvatiyar July 31, 2014 Consider these facts: In Uttar Pradesh, as many as 19 defectors joined the BJP just before the Lok Sabha elections. In Bihar, five of the nine outsiders who were given party ticket by the BJP, won the seats. In Haryana, defectors to the BJP won four of the seven seats in the state. This election, Narendra Modi was right in his judgment of getting absolute majority. But wasn’t the numbers of defections to the BJP a good indicator to boost his confidence? Just look at the names of some of the big defectors — Jagdambika Pal, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Ashok Kumar Dohare (Uttar Pradesh), Rao Indrajit Singh, Dharamvir Singh (Haryana), Col Sonaram Choudhary (Rajasthan), Ram Kripal Yadav, Ajay Nishad, Om Prakash Yadav, Sushil Kumar Singh (Bihar), Vidyut Baran Mahato (Jharkhand), Heena Gavit (Maharashtra). And the list goes on… It could be the question of political survival for these de...