NOBAMA: Bengal Dies for BRANDS Buddha and SURABH as Bengalies Live with British Colonial Psyche! Globalisation has Created Killing Fields on Every Pie

NOBAMA: Bengal Dies for BRANDS Buddha and SURABH as Bengalies Live with British Colonial Psyche! Globalisation has Created Killing Fields on Every Piece of Land Available in this Galaxy!


Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams: Chapter 105

Palash Biswas



Canada.com
From Bush to Obama, anatomy of White House change
The Associated Press - 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly 8000 jobs waiting to be filled. Empty file drawers. Missing computer hard drives. Even furniture piled in the hallways.
Bush-Obama Meeting: Hard Feelings and Hand Sanitizer FOXNews
Obama, in His New Role as President-Elect, Calls for Stimulus Package New York Times
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Hindu
India’s Moon mission a big success
Hindu - 19 hours ago
CHENNAI: Chandrayaan-1 has kept its rendezvous with the Moon. In a meticulously planned operation, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday accomplished the most crucial and critical manoeuvre of safely inserting Chandrayaan-1 into the ...
Indian satellite captured by Moon BBC News
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulates ISRO team for moon ... MyNews.in
Express Buzz - Hindu Business Line - Times of India - Economic Times
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Glimpse into a new global financial system

9 Nov 2008, 2202 hrs IST, REUTERS



Investors get a glimpse of likely shape of the new financial system as finance chiefs prepare for a summit. BSE Weekly: Gainers, Losers | NSE Weekly: Losers, Gainers


China okays $586 billion stimulus to boost economy
US-listed Indian stocks lose $3 bn in one week
Right time now to invest in gold, say experts

Market Updates
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WDM trades worth Rs 1,126.10 cr at NSE
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Bond prices decline, Call rate rule steady
Export target will fall short by $40 bn, warns industry
9 Nov 2008, 2130 hrs IST, IANS


Exports are likely to fall short of the targeted $200 bn in 2008-09 by about 20%, says a report by Assocham. World's competitive economies | 2008: Year of financial crisis


Top 10 firms gain over Rs 20,000 cr in market cap
Obama and India: Where is the relationship headed?
9 Nov 2008, 2207 hrs IST, ECONOMICTIMES.COM


India is hopeful that its multi-faceted ties with US, revolutionised by a landmark nuclear deal during the Bush tenure, will acquire new force. Special: All about visa


Will Obama's win change the external face of US?
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/


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Buddhadeb Bhattacharya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya (Bengali: বুদ্ধদেব ভট্টাচার্য) (born March 1, 1944) is an Indian Communist politician, who has served as the Chief ...
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The Hindu : National : Buddhadeb voices concern over Darjeeling ...
22 Oct 2008 ... KOLKATA:West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, expressed deep concern here on Tuesday over the recent developments in the ...
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The Hindu : National : New project at Singur soon, says Buddhadeb
Salboni (WEST BENGAL): The State government will soon announce a new project at Singur, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said at a press conference ...
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Buddhadeb, Paswan escape landmine blast - Sify.com
Latest India News: Covers updated India news, top Indian news headlines, latest breaking news on India, Indian politics, election results, political news ...
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Offstumped » Buddhadeb - The post modern day Nero
8 Nov 2007 ... So how is it that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has been allowed to get away with such abject delinquency ? ...
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What Buddhadeb says on Nandigram violence
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya on Thursday spoke in the West Bengal Assembly about the incident in Nandigram, in which several people ...
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Singur residents ask Buddhadeb to bring back Nano - Automobiles ...
"We met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee today (Friday) evening and requested him to convey the message of the local people of Singur to the auto ...
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Landmine blast on Buddhadeb, Paswan's route; 6 injured
Explosion targets convoy in West Midnapore district in Bengal.
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The Hindu : National : Buddhadeb’s security to be tightened
KOLKATA:The West Bengal government is working on upgrading security for Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and other VIPs, particularly during visits ...
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The Hindu : National : Hand-pulled rickshaws inhuman: Buddhadeb
23 Aug 2006 ... Kolkata: Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Tuesday that his Government was keen on removing hand-pulled rickshaws from ...
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NOBAMA: Bengal Dies for BRANDS Buddha and SURABH as Bengalies Live with British Colonial Psyche! Globalisation has Created Killing Fields on Every Piece of Land Available in this galaxy!
November 9, 2008

Farewell Ganguly

Posted by Allan Llewellyn, 12 hours, 40 minutes ago in Australia in India 2008-09







In Australia and England, Ganguly is seen as a man of privilege, someone who clicks his fingers and an army of servants arrives to clip his nails or fan his face © AFP


Unlike most Australians, I like Sourav Ganguly. If he was Australian he’d have been my favourite player at stages over the past decade. Even though I preferred Steve Waugh, I was still amused by Ganguly’s ability to irritate Australia’s on-field Mr Unflustered. Ganguly could melt The Iceman just by turning up late for the toss.

Ganguly is a great tease. If he was Australian he’d be celebrated as a rascal and a larrikin, but as an opponent he’s rude, elitist, prickly, a time waster and serial pest who couldn’t play the short ball. I don’t know why, but I admire him for these weaknesses.

Continue reading "Farewell Ganguly"

_LOOP NAME="AUTHOR_LOOP">_VAR NAME="AUTHOR_NAME">
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/tourdiaries/



The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance

During the bygone days of the British, as the capital of undivided India Calcutta was regarded as the second city of the British Empire (after London) and was aptly renamed "City of Palaces" and the Great Eastern Hotel was regarded as the "Jewel of the East". During that bygone era, Calcutta was famous for its "Baboo Culture" --- incidentally a cross -fertilization of English Liberalism, European fin de siecle decadence, Mughal conservatism and indigenous revivalism inculcating aspects of socio-moral and political change. This culture was fostered in its wake by the Zamindari System, the Daebhaga System the Hindu Joint Family System, the Mitakshara System, the Muslim Zenana System , the Protestant spirit of free capitalist enterprise, the Mughal inspired feudal system and the Nautch. This also fostered the Bengal Renaissance, literally an awakening of modern liberal thinking in 19th century Bengal, and which gradually percolated to the rest of India. Like the Italian Renaissance, it challenged orthodox social convention to usher in an era of humanistic idealism.
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~santa/blogger/2004/11/babu-culture-and-bengal.html
Sourav Ganguly Shirtless Celebration
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=cZye5ZppS1o

Ganguly Sings Indias National Anthemn
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=UD37qkPqFjs

Awesome catch by Sourav Ganguly
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=nTcFL_BEtrg

Sourav Sixes
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=JRFMax5XHMs

Ganguly 183

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=zXJXIala4lU3


Ganguly's explosive innings against SA in 2001-02
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=jTtl3w68gdE

Sehwag and Saurav vs England in 2002 champions trophy
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=C1i8EiT3H8w


Team India: Cricket World Cup 2007
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=9IuG9knbaQw


Indian Cricket Spirit
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgHcT9gXYz8


Funny Movements With Sourav Ganguly
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=EcWNe3Fv9RM


Very rare to watch - Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Shewag...
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=KFXJJhI7884

Sourav Ganguly argues with Mohammad Yousuf ( Yousuf Youhana)
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=PfU_RjujVBI


Shane Warne Makes Sourav Ganguly Look Foolish
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZ8FS6Qk1Q


SOURAV GANGULY DANCING WITH HRITHIK ROSHAN
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=4aOeEpp6ayE



NOBAMA
There is an indescribable joy in witnessing a historic occasion, even from a great distance. Thus most educated Indians have rejoiced at the election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States of America. The entry of the first coloured president into the White House is a reversal of many years of oppression and discrimination against the blacks in the US. It is also a triumph of democracy in the US since Mr Obama’s rise from the situation of being a poor black boy to the presidency demonstrates the opportunities that exist in that country. Mr Obama’s election not only fulfils the dreams of people who believe in racial equality in the US, but is also a step in the direction of making the world free of prejudices. All these made Guy Fawke’s Day 2008 a memorable day for most people across the world, including those in India.

As life returns to normal — from the historic to the quotidian — there is cause to ponder the implications of Mr Obama’s victory for India. Indians cannot ignore the fact that the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, was not among the first nine world leaders that Mr Obama called immediately after being elected. To make matters worse, Mr Obama’s spokesperson said that those that Mr Obama spoke to were US allies. This raises the fear that the much-flaunted phrase — India and the US are natural allies — may have disappeared from the pages of the US diplomatic lexicon. Another aspect of concern for the Indian political establishment is Mr Obama’s promise to attempt to ratify the comprehensive test ban treaty. There are good reasons to fear that considerable pressure will, in the near future, be brought to bear on the government of India to sign the CTBT. It is also worth remembering that Mr Obama, if his recent public pronouncements are anything to go by, is not averse to the idea of diplomatic intervention in Kashmir. All these are positions, if adhered to and carried out into policy, that run counter to India’s foreign policy positions and priorities. These are early days to read and interpret Indo-US diplomatic tea leaves, but there exist enough grounds not to harbour any kind of unqualified optimism at Mr Obama’s accession to the US presidency.

The saving grace is that Mr Obama has identified Pakistan and Afghanistan as the focal points of global terror. The practical implications of this may make it difficult, if not impossible, for Mr Obama to take steps to alienate India and to drive a wedge in the new friendship between India and the US. From the perspective of Indian realpolitik, Mr Obama’s great victory with all its historical associations should be irrelevant. India should stand firm on its own interests and the priorities of foreign policy that have been worked out over the years. If that means a quick dispelling of the aura enveloping Mr Obama, so be it.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081109/jsp/opinion/story_10082568.jsp

Barack Obama Spam, Trojan attack the world

New Delhi, Nov 8, 2008: Barack Obama Spam, Trojan have attacked the world. The Barack Obama win has given a golden opportunity to spammers across the world to tap the popularity of the President elect of United States.
Shortly after having known the results of the US presidencial elections, the cyber-crooks have used this topic to distribute malware in spam messages.

One of these malicious emails seems to be sent from an online newspaper from Peru. Its content is in Spanish and talks about the results of the US elections and invites users to view a video addressed to the Latin community.

The video is actually the file "BarackObama.exe" which has been detected as Banker.LLN. This malicious code modifies the file HOSTS of the infected computer, redirecting the http connections of some websites belonging to one of the biggest banking entities from Peru to the local IP address local 127.0.0.1, in which a fake page of the bank is displayed in order to obtain our access data.

Another example of this kind of spam is the one informing that Barack has become the 44th US president and the first Afro-American president. This email contains a link to a fake website that seems to have the America.gov domain. Besides the mentioned piece of news, we can view a video but an adobe flash update (adobe_flash9.exe) is required to view it. However, this file is not an update but the malicious code.

This malware consists of Trj/Spyforms.BQ and the rootkit detected as Rootkit/Spyforms.BR in order to hide the worm component. It is designed to capture the network traffic and harvest information related to ftp, icq, pop3, imap connections, etc…
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18435&Itemid=88

Bengali Heart was Bleeding all over the world as Saurabh Ganguly, who missed the distinction of joining the handful of batsmen who had made a century in his first and last Tests when he was out for 85 in the first innings, fell first ball when he tried to turn the sharp break of Krejza to the leg and got a leading edge which was caught brilliantly by the bowler diving forward!

The 36-year-old, left-handed batsman, Ganguly had announced at the start of the India-Australia series that it would be his last.

He was named in the squad for the first two tests despite being dropped for a premier domestic game, seen as a selection match, following a poor series in Sri Lanka in August.

Ganguly’’s fans, who otherwise used to celebrate cricketer’’s achievements were sad and gloomy as their ”hero” is playing his last match in Nagpur against Australia .
Saurav will retire after Nagpur test it is a sad thing for me as well for all his supporters in Bengal . When Saurav used score big in his innings we used to celebrate here at this place only and today he is playing his last game so we are feeling very sad. And the saddest part is that no Bengali in India can play such excellent cricket in 50-100 years and become the captain of the team. We believe that whatever Saurav did is unforgettable for entire country, said Sunil Halder, Ganguly’’s fan.

Holding posters of their icon they said Sourav should not call quits as still a lot of cricket was left in him and can continue his game for the next 2-3 years.

Saurav is a kind of person who never says anything through words to prove himself but always gives a fitting answer by his bat. He used to score good runs in his team but still he was sent out of the team. And his day will end now but we feel that he still has a lot of cricket alive within him and has a lot to give to us and to the country. He himself has accepted this as well, said Biplab Paul, another fan.

Meanwhile West Bengal Government also feels that Ganguly is like a brand ambassador of the state and can definitely help in the development and industrialization of the state.

I don”t have any plan but I will be very much pleased if he gets involved into developmental work or in any other work. That will be very much useful to us for the industrialization and development. He is an idol and icon of Bengal not only for sports but for other purposes also. His services can be utilized. He can advice us on sports development and he can advise us on industrial development, Ashok Bhattacharya, Minister for Urban Development, West Bengal .

Ganguly, a veteran of 109 test and 311 one-day internationals, faced turbulence several times in his career including his first outing in international cricket in 1992, which followed an interregnum of four years.

In 1996, he made a comeback to national team during India ‘’s tour to England where he along with Rahul Dravid made their test debut.

Ganguly, known mainly for his silken off-side drives has so far amassed 6,888 runs with 15 centuries and 34 half centuries in test matches. However, he has been more prolific in the one-day internationals with more than 11, 363 runs with 22 three-figure scores.

India ‘’s four senior batsmen are under increasing pressure ahead of the four-test series against top-ranked Australia starting in Bangalore on October 9.

A debate on their advancing ages began after India ‘’s test series defeat in Sri Lanka in August where the ”fab four” Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Vangipurappu Laxman fared poorly.


Sourav Ganguly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly (Bengali: ???? ????????) (pronunciation (help·info)) (born 8 July 1972) is an Indian cricketer, and former captain of the Indian national team. As of October 2008, he is India's most successful Test captain to date, winning 21 tests out of 49 tests he captained[1] and leading India into the 2003 World Cup finals.[2] An aggressive captain, Ganguly is credited with having nurtured the careers of many young players who played under him.[3][4]

The left-handed Ganguly is a prolific One Day International batsman, with over 11,000 ODI runs to his credit.[5] Despite ODI success, his Test place was often lost to younger players towards the later stages of his career. On October 7 2008, Ganguly announced that the Test series against Australia starting that month would be his last.[6][7]. He was dismissed for a golden duck by Jason Krejza in his last Test innings.[citation needed]
Mira Nair has provided a very lopsided view of the Bengali Psyche in Jhumpa Lahiri's Namesake. Namesake is the story of the tribulations, the conflicts and the dilemma of Ashoke & Ashima Ganguli, uprooted from their familiar Kolkata and displaced in an alien world. Nair has failed to see through Ashima and Ashoke's sentiments and emotions and in the process made a caricature of the Bengali trying hard to establish his identity in a world totally different, in adept at understanding traditional values. Irfan Khan as Ashoke Ganguli has done an excellent job and seems to be a perfect choice. He has very successfully portrayed the Bengali inflections while speaking English. Kal Penn as Gogol could not have been better. But Tabbu's Ashima was an absolute failure especially in the first half of the film. She lacked the softness, combined with the forthright, quintessential quality of the middle class Bengali intellectual. Nevertheless Tabbu proved her skill as a powerful actress in the 2nd half of the film. Probably it was Nair's obsession in presenting Kolkata her squalor, her crowds her multifaceted milieu and the essentially Bengali wit in the common man could not do justice to Lahiri's novel which stands in a class apart. The nitty gritties of a matured man -woman relationship could have been explored in a more subtle manner and this is where the film lacks in finesse.
Thus the film failed to project how the immigrant Bengali has adjusted with the American and carved a niche for himself in the Intellectual world. It seemed as if the Bengalis are only concerned about establishing their Bengali culture and that they have no other concern as conscientious individuals committed to society.

Sharmistha Chaudhuri
39 Southend Park
Calcutta 700029
West Bengal, India
http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:1Zt3i3uGzM4J:content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/250+Bengali+Psyche&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=in


Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said no country could afford to turn its back on globalisation, eliciting a nuanced response from his party aimed at discounting suggestions of differences of opinion.

The exit of the Tatas from West Bengal is a huge blow for Brand Buddha. It is a setback to efforts of Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to promote his state as an investment destination.

With the Tatas forced to leave Singur, there is a big question mark on whether there can ever be sustained economic development in the state.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya met Tata Motors chief Ratan Tata on May 18, 2006, the day when he was sworn in as chief minister.

Those were the hay days of Brand Buddha with investors beating a path to his door. But Tata's exit is threatening to change all that.

"West Bengal government did not make any serious attempt to industrialise the state. The government did not do proper homework," said Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Union Minister, Information and Broadcasting.

Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi's comment may be pure politics. But others are questioning Buddhadeb's handling of the Singur crisis too.

Even after singur and nandigram Insurrection, even during Global Meltdown and socialism making inroads in americas and europe, Brand BUDDHADEB dares to plead for LPG!

Semi-feudal culture in general and semi-feudal aesthetics in particular are symptoms of this diseased growth. West Bengal has seen this phenomenon never before!

Budhadeb means BRAND Buddha. We may evaluate Buddha only if we Understand Bengali Brahaminical Psyche Colonial. Bengalies want to Dominate. bengalies want to esatablish colonies as they used to do in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Assam during Britis Empire. any bengali ICON or BRAND is all about 19th century Anglo Saxon colonialism best expressed in Permanent land settlement and into its demise, as Styajit ray and Tarashankar ray have expressed in their cllassics in cellulide as well as literature. We find the same element with som socially realistic in Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyaya!

Why do we so Paasionate about Cricket ICON Saurabh Ganguli?

Saurav Ganguly has emerged as one of the key components of both the one day and test sides for India. He is an aggressive left-handed middle order batsman who opens in One-Dayers and also bowls right-handed military medium pace. He had a disastrous start to his international career as a 19 year old, touring Australia in 1991-92 where both his ability and attitude was questioned. He was recalled for the 1996 tour of England. He answered in style to those who questioned his game playing and attitude by scoring centuries in his first two test matches as well as capturing vital wickets to bag the Man of the series award. Still he was considered fit for only test matches, his inability to play onside strokes being exploited by bowlers to slow down his scoring and was constantly criticized . He soon worked on the problem and since then has given India several dynamic starts while opening the innings. He became a household name in India after the Sahara Cup in Toronto where he won several matches for India vs Pakistan. Besides several superlative batting performance (including 75* in 75 balls), he exploited the conditions to return some excellent bowling figures (including 5-16). He also became the fourth all-rounder to score a century (130*) and take 4 wickets (4/22). Ganguly was brought in as an opener for the limited over games. He compiled some useful opening partnerships in the company of Sachin Tendulkar, including a world record stand of 252 vs. Sri Lanka. He put on a stand on 318 with Rahul Dravid against the same opposition , a record for any wicket, at Taunton in a preliminary match in the last World Cup . In the same tournament, Ganguly was in great touch with a highest individual score of 183 vs. Sri Lanka , a national record and a 97 vs. the South Africans. His innings of 138 against Zimbabwe in the LG Cup at Nairobi was the highest score of the whole tournament against instrumental in India beating Zimbabwe by a very big Margin adding another line to the Resume of this stylish & classy Left Hander Batsman. His performance both in the one day and test arena has tightlipped his hardened critics but still they find ways to bring him down. As expected these guys fail over and again.

Why the Bengali Civil society was so shocked when CPIM pulled back Jyoti Basu to become the First Bengali prime Minisiter? Why Bengalies rally behind Somnath Chatterjee?

Vivekanand, Tagore, BC Roy, SN Bannerjee, Netajee, Deshbandhu CR Das, Utpal Dutta, Ritwik, Stayajit Ray, Sharat and so on.. the bengali Icons were always in vogue satisfying Bengali superiority Complex. Neither of them linked to market!Even comrade jyoti Basu had to do nothing with Market.

But latest Bengali Icons, very specifically Buddha and Saurabh are directly linked and hyped by Market Forces only! They happen to be the Iconical bengali brand to hoist the Flag of Brahamincal Bengali Nationality!dr amartya sen, somnath chatterjee and Pranab Mukherjee did everything to follow them. They miserably failed.

As Sourav Ganguly's glorious international cricket career camed to an end on Sunday with a duck in Nagpur, his retirement drove a Kolkata-based musical band to come up with songs as a tribute to him.

Orchid, the musical Bangla band, has composed several songs to glorify Ganguly's 13-year cricket career during which he put up a scintillating display and led India with aplomb.

The band members have given an everlasting salute to him through their music.

Their verses have eulogised his fighting spirit, his mental toughness and leadership quality.

"The Jaago India Jaago song, which we did for Sourav got an overwhelming response for it. The current song 'Sourav Aamaader Gaurav', which we are composing, is for his farewell. We hope Bengal is going to love this song," said Tanvi Dutta, a member of the Orchid Band.

Just see the Mood!

Farewell Ganguly

Posted by Allan Llewellyn 9 hours, 34 minutes ago in Australia in India 2008-09


Unlike most Australians, I like Sourav Ganguly. If he was Australian he’d have been my favourite player at stages over the past decade. Even though I preferred Steve Waugh, I was still amused by Ganguly’s ability to irritate Australia’s on-field Mr Unflustered. Ganguly could melt The Iceman just by turning up late for the toss.

Ganguly is a great tease. If he was Australian he’d be celebrated as a rascal and a larrikin, but as an opponent he’s rude, elitist, prickly, a time waster and serial pest who couldn’t play the short ball. I don’t know why, but I admire him for these weaknesses.

To have appeared in 113 Tests while dealing with short balls as uncomfortably as if he was being shot at by arrows is astounding. The game is hard enough without having to cope with a serious deficiency as well, but Ganguly did it. I didn’t really like his replacing of gloves or protective gear every couple of overs, or his calls for socks, blister pads, face wipes and grapes. Bowling 90 in a day is hard enough without the batsmen joining the turtles with the ball, although it added to Ganguly's character and ate at his opponents.

In Australia and England, Ganguly is seen as a man of privilege, someone who clicks his fingers and an army of servants arrives to clip his nails or fan his face. Maybe his life is like that, but after being dropped as captain and batsman by Greg Chappell, I liked him even more when he had to sweat to come back. Not everything in life was laid out for him.

At a presentation during the week to celebrate his playing achievements, Ganguly spoke about the need to make enemies for the good of India. He talked gently and softly, but with purpose. Of the players I’ve seen, only Shane Warne and Graeme Smith have been as magnetic. When Ganguly enters a room I’m drawn to him and even when he’s said nothing of real interest, I’ve been entertained. During the times when he’s sniped and picked and teased it’s been even better.

Before the start of this series he was defending his form and was reported by a Bengali newspaper to have complained “every Tom, Dick and Harry is playing for India”. For two days he let the story run before issuing a denial. Off the field he was equally good at playing games and scoring points. I will miss Ganguly for his entertainment and his spice. With each year more characters leave the game and as public life becomes increasingly sanitised, I wonder if they can be replaced by the next generation of media-managed clones.
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/tourdiaries/archives/2008/11/farewell_gangul.php#more

Team dinner in Anil, Sourav honour
LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI

Sourav Ganguly in Nagpur on Saturday. (AP)
Nagpur: For a change, the end of a home series, on Monday, won’t see the Team India players rushing to take the first flight to the city where they reside.

Reason: A team dinner to honour former captains Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly. Kumble retired at the end of the last Test against Australia, Sourav is doing so here.

“It’s going to be for the players only (no special invitees, in other words)... As you know, team dinners are a pretty regular feature, but this one will be special, in honour of Kumble and Sourav,” a member of the support staff told The Telegraph on Saturday.

He added: “At this moment, it’s not clear whether presentations will also be made to both on behalf of the team.”

Unless the Australians pull off what will have to be a remarkable win, and draw the series, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is going to be India’s.

Monday’s dinner, therefore, could be even more special.

Kumble, who returned to Bangalore (for a family function) after Thursday’s felicitation by the Board, is coming back on Sunday.

The in-form Gautam Gambhir, who had to miss the ongoing Test because of the one-match ban, will also be returning for the dinner.

After receiving the Board’s permission to go home, Gambhir went to New Delhi on Friday.

Meanwhile, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is staying in a room and not a suite (at the Pride Hotel) as he gave it up in Sourav’s favour, to allow the Ganguly family some space.

Dona and Sana have been in Nagpur from Wednesday.

The three other suites on that floor have been occupied by the coaches (Gary Kirsten, Tim Nielsen) and the Team India physio, Nitin Patel.

Incidentally, Dhoni’s counterpart, Ricky Ponting, has been given the hotel’s best room — the presidential suite.

Hospitality at its best.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081109/jsp/sports/story_10085038.jsp

Sunil bats for Sourav

Statesman News Service
NAGPUR, Nov 8: When Sunil Gavaskar expresses his views, one cannot just ignore them. The man who is known as the 'Little Master' for his prowess with the bat, on Saturady said that Sourav Ganguly (in photo, AFP) still had a lot of cricket left in him. Taking a dig at the critics he said: "Some people always criticise Sourav's difficulty with the short ball. But tell me, who doesn't have a problem with short balls?" His advice for them was simple: "Look at his runs. He has scored more than 7000 runs in Test cricket."
Terming the loss of Sourav Ganguly as a mighty one, he said: "It's a big loss and more so beacuse we don't have proper replacements. There's no alternative to such great cricketers. "Ganguly's service to the nation was appreciated by him as he said that he has brought many laurels to the country, thus making us proud. Talking on Sourav's form he said: "He is in terrific form and there's no stopping him. His greatness on the off-side has only been re-affirmed in this series." He showered lavish praises on the left-hander's talent and capabilities, terming him a 'special player'.
He refused though to pick the better one out between captain Sourav and player Sourav, saying he excelled as both. "He is an example for many. His handling of the Indian side under immense pressures proves his grit." Gavaskar added, "If India go on to win the series, Sourav's contributions will have to be hailed."
However, Ganguly is not among those who believe that senior Indian cricketers are not respected enough and he says that all top performers have been accorded respectful farewells.
“People like Sunil Gavaskar have gone with respect. Look at the respect Anil Kumble got on his retirement. For me, it has to be the stature of the player. The stature of the cricketer has to match Sachin Tendulkar's to evoke that respect.”
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=5&theme=&usrsess=1&id=230213

Will Sourav be face of Brand Bengal?
7 Nov 2008, 0341 hrs IST, TNN

KOLKATA: The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government is keen on involving Sourav Ganguly "as a brand ambassador" of West Bengal. The former India
captain, too, is interested in doing something for the state, Bengal urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya said on Wednesday.

According to the minister, who is close to Sourav, the cricket icon recently expressed his desire to do something for Bengal after his retirement. "He is extremely worried about Tata Motors pullout. Even the Salboni blast on the chief minister's convoy has worried him. He has repeatedly conveyed that to me. As a citizen, he is concerned about the state and wants the best for Bengal," Bhattacharya said.

Given Sourav's country-wide popularity, Bhattacharya feels he is best-suited to showcase projects of the state. "This is the reason why he can well be a brand ambassador for the state," he said.

Asked if Sourav plans to enter politics, Bhattacharya said: "I don't think so. I have never asked him about politics. Nor would I even suggest that to him. However, if he represents Bengal it would be good for the state."

Sourav has already set up his own cricket academy and is in the process of developing a sports complex in Behala.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will_Sourav_be_face_of_Brand_Bengal/articleshow/3683325.cms

“The financial crisis has reached our country. It is a serious development. But we can’t come to the conclusion that globalisation will take a back seat. We can’t afford to do it. It’s a must,” the chief minister told an industry meet.

Globalisation is the objective law of the world economy independent of any country’s decision, he said. If “some country wants to avert globalisation, its future is sealed,” Bhattacharjee warned.

In Delhi, the CPM leadership has been arguing that India was spared the brunt of the global financial crisis because the Left parties did not allow the government to liberate the financial sector.

Asked about Bhattacharjee’s comments, CPM chief Prakash Karat said: “There is a difference between globalisation and finance-driven imperialist globalisation. The former is an objective process. The latter is unsustainable.”

In September, Karat had written in party mouthpiece People’s Democracy: “Events over the decade of the 1990s have borne out the fact that financial liberalisation does not contribute positively to investment and economic growth. Countries which enthusiastically opened up their financial sectors in order to attract capital inflows often experienced enhanced volatility in their financial markets and speculative attacks on their currency.”

When Bhattacharjee spoke, Congress minister Pranab Mukherjee was also on the dais. A Congress government had opened up the Indian economy in 1991 and has been pushing for reforms in its current term too.

Bhattacharjee today sought greater co-operation among countries. “In the backdrop of this financial crisis, developing countries should come close,” he said at a curtain-raiser to the Bimstec Summit 2008 organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

But the CPM did not see a contradiction between the chief minister’s support for globalisation and the party line against opening up the economy. The Left had vetoed liberalisation in the banking, insurance and pension sectors.

Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the question was not whether there should be globalisation, but “on what terms” the “integration with the global economy” would come.

Bimstec is an organisation for technical and economic co-operation and has Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal as its members.

People's Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vol. XXX
No. 41

October 08, 2006


Left Front Govt And Bengal's Industrialisation
Benoy Konar


IT is in the background of the onslaught of imperialist globalisation and liberalisation – with India's ruling classes succumbing to imperialist pressures resulting in the endemic closure of traditional industries – that some possibility of industrial development seems to have opened up in West Bengal. The industrial revolution in advanced capitalist countries had taken place on the basis of plunder of the colonies and control over the market mechanism. Cottage industry of India was, for instance, destroyed to meet the demands of industrial revolution. In 1840, Charles Trivlen arrogantly declared in the House of Commons in England, “We had swept away manufacturing from India.”


Industrial revolution also accelerated capitalist development in agriculture. The laws of capitalist competition replaced small cultivation by giant capitalist farms utilising modern science and technology. But the peasants uprooted from land were absorbed by the rapidly developing industry and they could, through their struggles, make their lives somewhat better than their life as a peasant.


In US, which has an abundance of agricultural land, only 1.5 per cent of population is engaged in agriculture and only 1.5 per cent of the national income comes from agriculture. Agricultural farms equipped with most modern technologies absorb very few persons. Even the workers employed in agriculture are vastly different from our agricultural workers. They do not toil bare-foot, bare-body in water and dirt. They work on the farms well dressed and depending upon their skills, they earn between $7.5 to $9 an hour. That is, if they work eight hours daily for 26 days in a month, their monthly income would be in terms of rupees between 55,000 to 70,000. Even though the cost of living in US is more expensive, there cannot be any comparison between them and our agricultural labour. Because of high productivity of labour due to advanced science and technology and partly with subsidies from the State, the farm owners in US are able to realise the wages they pay their workers, while the latter are still exploited. As for the gap between the highest and the lowest income groups in that country, which is much more than here, the solution is not in the division of big farms into small holdings but, as Marx said, in their socialisation.


We in our country had no such industrial revolution, because this was not possible without mobilising large masses into a struggle against imperialism, feudalism and monopoly capital. Industry has developed here in a fragmented way. Capitalist relations have grown on the foundation of feudalism in agriculture. Even though small cultivation is still pre-eminent in our country, competition is displacing it. Imperialist globalisation process is further accelerating this process. The Central Agriculture Commission says that in the last ten years over 30,000 peasants, who were ruined due to unequal competition, committed suicide. The sluggish industry is not able to accommodate the growing labour power due to larger population as also the displaced labour power from agriculture. The traditional industry is unable to cope up and many of the units are closing down. The pressure of the population on agriculture is on the rise. A significant 21 per cent of the national income is coming from agriculture whereas almost 60 per cent of the population is depending on agriculture. Agricultural labourers do not get job for more than 130 days on an average in a year and the wage paid is quite meagre. The working conditions are also inhuman.


BENGAL SCENARIO


This is the all India perspective in which the Left Front government in West Bengal is working. Here, by way of peasants’ uprising, land reforms have been achieved as far as possible in a capitalist-landlord State. Feudal concentration of land is gone. Enthusiastic participation of peasants in panchayats has resulted in the expansion of irrigation and intensity of cropping. West Bengal is in the forefront so far as the rate of increase in agricultural production is concerned. Purchasing power in the rural areas has increased. Communication has improved a lot, and trade and commerce and non-agricultural sectors have also developed. During the period 1991-2001, people engaged in non-agricultural works have increased by 12.3 per cent and in the same ratio, the number of those engaged in agriculture has decreased. Still, the pressure of population is the highest here. Whereas the average population in the rest of India is just about 223 people per square kilometre, West Bengal averages a whopping 948 people per square kilometre. Hence, unemployment is acute. The children of the agricultural labourers, who have acquired some degree of education, now do not want to go through the often inhuman toil and hardship of an agricultural labourer. It does not take an expert in economics to know and understand this. Anyone knowing elementary economics would also agree that technological advances would slowly and gradually reduce the employment in agriculture; and that the advance of any society depends upon the growth of its industries. Even the growth of agriculture depends upon the growth of modern industries.


Building on this very thread of understanding, the Left Front government had tried to initiate the process of industrialisation in the 1980s, but due to the then central government’s policies of licensing and freight equalisation, it could not proceed. The obstacles created and the struggle waged for setting up Bakreshwar electricity project and Haldia petrochemicals project is known to all. After these hurdles were removed, the Left Front government once again initiated the process under the leadership of chief minister, Jyoti Basu, who announced the industrial policy in 1994. The current Left Front government is carrying forward that very legacy. The market has expanded in the agricultural sector. Infrastructure and electrification has improved considerably. We have a conscious, disciplined, able, intellectual and general labour force, political stability, an honest cabinet of ministers etc. Also, West Bengal is the door to entire East Asia. The inflow of capital has started. Industries cannot be set up without land. But today those very people who were once the sworn enemies of the peasants, the close confidants of the landlords – the very people who had tried to drown the land movement in streams of blood, and had unleashed a semi-fascist regime of terror on the farmers who had participated in the movement – have suddenly become peasant-lovers and are today crying themselves hoarse to protect the land of the peasants! Actually, they have no alternative. Just as in the case of the land reforms, any advance in industrialisation is a threat to their very existence.


MISPLACED OPPOSITION


What is most saddening is the fact that a section of people who are known to be Marxists are opposed to the Left Front government’s industrial policy. Yes, we are opposed to the market economy controlled by imperialist globalisation. What we mean by “market economy” is an economy over which the government does not have any control in any form; where no subsidies are provided to control prices or safeguard the interests of the weaker sections; where the government does not hold itself responsible to fulfil the basic needs of its people like food, education health, drinking water, housing etc; where everything is left to the mercy of the market. This section of Marxists question as to why there should be market friendly production in West Bengal, which is ruled by the Left Front government, when Marxists are fighting against imperialist globalisation. They accuse that it is hypocrisy. They wishfully hope that the capitalists would come to West Bengal to produce products that cannot be sold in the market! Communists fight for socialism, but under capitalism they undertake collective bargaining through trade union struggles. Communists want the abolition of private property but when it comes to land reforms, they want the farmers to own the land. Then would that also be hypocrisy? Do these people suggest that even Marx, Engels and Lenin were also hypocrites? Had they been alive, they would have suffered from remorse after witnessing this consequence of their teachings.


Marxism is not a dogma or mantra. It is a system of dialectical reasoning, a science of universal as well as social motion. While the basic strategy and aim remain the same, the essence of Marxism is to chalk out concrete decisions and tactics taking into consideration the stage of development and the correlation of class forces in a given situation. Lenin had said, “It is not enough to be revolutionary and an adherent of socialism or communism in general. You must be able, at each particular moment, to find the particular link in the chain which you must grasp with all your might in order to hold the whole chain and to prepare firmly for the transition to the next link; the order of the links, their form, the manner in which they are linked together, their difference from each other in the historical chain of events are not as simple as those in an ordinary chain made by a smith.” (Lenin, Collected Works, Vol. 33, pages 112-113)


These critics say they could somehow accept the establishment of market friendly industries, but they cannot accept the invitation to private capitalists like Tatas to set-up industries in the state as it is promotion of pure capitalism. They are shocked to see that the Left Front government, the Communists are building capitalism! According to them, after the debacle of socialism, we are destroying the fundamental tenets of socialism. Marx, in the chapter, ‘Historical tendency of capitalist accumulation’ in his book, Capital, has defined the theoretical basis of socialism. He stated – ‘when the small producers will be displaced from agriculture and industry when the big capitalists with their giant production capacity, acquired due to advances in science and technology, would displace innumerable small producers and concentrate the entire wealth in the hands of a handful people when the whole of production would turn into social production, the means of production would develop to the extent that unless used collectively, they cannot be used, when the productive forces would tear off the production relations, then the expropriators would be expropriated. And to achieve this, bourgeois state has to be replaced by a working class state’. It means, in the developed capitalist countries, the working class would take the State power by revolution and establish socialism by bringing the privately-owned giant social production under social ownership. Does the situation in West Bengal resemble in any way, the above? Then how are we deviating from Marxism?


ILLUSIONS ABOUT LF GOVT


Actually, they have created this illusion about the West Bengal Left Front government and this suits them to confuse people. West Bengal is not a sovereign country. It is a province within a capitalist-feudal State. There has been no revolution in West Bengal. West Bengal does not have a socialist or a people's democratic government. The West Bengal government is a democratic government which has to work within the socio-economic framework of the capitalist-feudal State. Its main responsibilities are to realise the fullest potential of growth for its agriculture and its industries, to safeguard the interests of its working people, to provide some relief, to extend democracy and to make the people aware of the existing anti-people socio-economic system through their practical experiences and to project an alternative policy. Leave alone the LF government; let us recount the experience of the November revolution about capitalist development. In spite of being called the socialist revolution, Lenin had to say that in reality it was a working class-peasantry revolution, which means in real sense it was a democratic revolution under the leadership of the working class, whose task was to reach socialism after completing the task of bourgeois-democratic revolution. In China, similar revolution was called new democratic revolution. We have called it the people’s democratic revolution in our program. While writing on materialistic outlook on history, Engels had written, “From this point of view the final causes of all social changes and political revolutions are to be sought, not in men's brains, not in man's better insight into eternal truth and justice, but in changes in the modes of production and exchange. They are to be sought not in philosophy, but in the economics of each particular epoch.” (Utopian and Scientific Socialism, emphasis by Engels)


Echoing the same, Lenin had also written, “Born along on the crest of the wave of enthusiasm, rousing first the political enthusiasm and then the military enthusiasm of the people, we expected to accomplish economic tasks just as great as the political and military tasks we had accomplished by relying directly on this enthusiasm. We expected – or perhaps it would be truer to say that we presumed without having given it adequate consideration – to be able to organise the state production and the state distribution of products on communist lines in a small peasant country directly as ordered by the proletarian state. Experience has proved that we were wrong.” (Lenin, Collected Works, Vol 33, page 58)


Further, basing upon the experience, he said, “Socialism is inconceivable without large scale capitalist engineering based on the latest discoveries of modern science. It is inconceivable without planned state organisation which keeps tens of millions of people to the strictest observance of a unified standard in production and distribution. We Marxists have always spoken of this, and it is not worthwhile wasting two seconds talking to people who do not understand even this (anarchists and a good half of the left Socialist-Revolutionaries).” (Lenin, Collected Works, Vol 32, page 334) Unfortunately, even after 85 years of Lenin saying so, we still have to contend with such forces. While adopting the New Economic Policy, the so-called “true” Marxists, in Lenin's word, had alleged that Lenin was compromising with capitalism. Lenin had replied, yes we are compromising. And he cited the example of one of the world’s greatest generals of those days: Japan’s Nogi, who was defeated again and again by a more powerful enemy, when he was directly attacking them to free Pearl Harbor. He ultimately won the cause by adopting the tactics of a long drawn blockade. Similarly, he said we have committed mistake by directly attacking forces of capitalism, which are stronger than us; we have to compromise, keep patience, gather strength to achieve victory; we have no other alternative. Talking about the people's song ‘this is the final struggle’, he said, although we sing it, it is not true. We need to fight at many stages. Can we say that Lenin was not a Marxist?


“PURITY” OF MARXISM?


To ensure the industrial development of the state, the Left Front government is giving various proposals to the big industrial houses of the country, and bargaining hard to strike various deals. On this, the Left critics are very prompt to ridicule: why are we so appeasing and trying so hard to get them here? Such critics perhaps would have been happy, if Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee did remain sitting in the throne with an indifferent mood and the capitalists – in their own bourgeois-landlord state – crawl towards him, as the devotees do before their gods to gain his blessings! Maybe, therein lies their “purity” of Marxism! It is worth noting what Lenin had said after the revolution, “Concessions to foreign capitalists (true, only very few have been accepted, especially when compared with the number we have offered) and leasing out enterprises to private capitalists definitely mean restoring capitalism, and this is part and parcel of the New Economic Policy” (Vol 33, page-64) “You will have capitalists beside you, including foreign capitalists, concessionaires and leaseholders. They will squeeze profits out of you amounting to hundred per cent; they will enrich themselves, operating along side you. Let them. Meanwhile you will learn from them the business of running the economy, and only when you do that will you be able to build up a communist republic. Since we must necessarily learn quickly, any slackness in this respect is a serious crime. And we must undergo this training, this severe, stern and some times even cruel training, because we have no other way out.” (Vol 33, page 72) He further said, “We communists shall be able to direct our economy if we succeed in utilising the hands of the bourgeoisie in building up the economy of ours and in the meantime learn from the bourgeoisie and guide them along the road we want them to travel.”


Therefore there is no genuine reason for these so-called Marxists to be so upset.


Questions are also being raised: well Tata is OK but why Salim group? Its Indonesian origin and friendly relations with Suharto, whose hands are soaked with the blood of communists, is their concern. But Marx was always concerned about the character of capital, not the character of the capitalist. Capital is a relation. Marx in his work, Capital said, “Capital is dead labour, that vampire-like, only lives by sucking living labour, and lives the more, the more labour it sucks.” Marx had quoted T J Dunning in his work to describe how the capital behaves with the percentage of profit, “…with 300 per cent profit, there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged.” Didn’t Chiang Kai Shek slaughter millions of communists? In spite of that, wasn’t he forced to join hands with the communists in the anti-Japan movement? And what about the Congressmen? Aren’t their hands too stained with the blood of our comrades? In that case, should we bring down their government at the centre, and let the BJP come to power? So, if by joining hands with a local enemy for a greater cause in politics is Marxism, then why is it not so, in the case of economic policies? America is responsible for the cold-blooded murder of millions of innocent Chinese and Vietnamese. Do they now reject American capital? Did not Cuba desire for American investment? In this context, let us go back to Lenin. While talking about British capitalist and most counter-revolutionary, Urquhart, Lenin had said, “And it is for the sake of relearning, I think, that we must again firmly promise one another that under the name of the New Economic Policy we have turned back in such a way as to surrender nothing of the new, and yet to give the capitalists such advantages as will compel any state, however hostile to us, to establish contacts and deal with us. Comrade Krasin, who has had many talks with Urquhart, the head and backbone of the whole intervention” (Speech at the plenary session of Moscow Soviet, November 20, 1922 -- emphasis by author)


He had said all this after the end of the bloody revolution, when the working class state was established. West Bengal is a federal state in a capitalist feudal country. What its government has done is just a miniscule step compared to what Lenin was forced to do, even after the revolution. If this is what upsets these “true” Marxists so much, we request them to stop living in their imaginations and step into the real world.
http://pd.cpim.org/2006/1008/10082006_benoy%20konar.htm

History of Kolkata
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Main article: Kolkata
Kolkata (Bangla: ['kolkat?a] (help·info) ??????; formerly named Calcutta (help·info)) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly. The city is a colonial city developed by the British East India Company and then the British Empire. The city was the capital of the British Indian empire till 1911 when the capital was relocated to Delhi. Kolkata witnessed a fast rise as the second city of the British Empire in the 1800s accompanied by the development of a culture that was a coalescence of European philosophy with Indian tradition. The city is also noted for its revolutionary history, ranging from Indian struggle for independence to the leftist Naxalite and trade union movements. Labelled the "Cultural Capital of India", "The City of Processions", "The City of Palaces", and the "City of Joy", Kolkata has also been home to luminaries such as Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Mother Teresa and Satyajit Ray. Problems related to rapid urbanisation started to plague the city from 1930s and still the city is an example of an urban hotbed of the developing nations.

Contents [hide]
1 Name and origins
2 Journey from British rule to independence
3 The fall of Calcutta to Siraj ud-Daula
4 Capital of British India
5 18th century Scandals
6 Opium trade
7 Social and intellectual life in the 18th century
8 The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance
9 Growth
10 Contribution to the independence movement of India
11 After the Independence
12 Notes
13 References
14 See also



[edit] Name and origins
Main article: Etymology of Kolkata
The rent-roll of Akbar, a sixteenth-century Mughal emperor, and the work of a Bengali poet, Bipradas Pipilai, of the late fifteenth century, both make mention of the city's early name being Kolikata, from which Kolkata/Calcutta are said to derive.[1].

There is lot of discussion on how the city got its name. There are different views on the issue. The more popular one is that the city got its name from the Hindu goddess Kali and the original name was Kalikshetra, meaning the place of Kali. Other theories abound like:

The name derived from the location of the original settlement beside a khal ( which means canal in Bengali)
According to another theory, the place was known for the manufacture of shell-lime.And the name derived from lime (kali) and burnt shell (kata).
Another opinion is that the name is derived from the Bengali term kilkila (meaning, "flat area"), which is mentioned in the old literature.[2]
The area where the city is now located was originally inhabited by the people of three villages— Kalikata, Sutanuti and Gobindapur. However, the boundaries of the three villages gradually became less distinct, and before the battle of Plassey, the city could be divided into four different sub-areas – European Kolkata (Dihi Kolkata), a residential village with some sacred spots (Gobindapur), a traditional Indian market (Bazar Kalikata or Burrabazar) and a riverine mart concentrating on cloth trade (Sutanati).[3] After the battle of Plassey in 1757, the British started rebuilding the city with the notions of making it the capital for their Empire.

The Calcutta High Court recently ruled (May 16, 2003) [4] that Job Charnock, the Englishman generally believed to be the founder of the Calcutta is not the founder of the city and that hence Calcutta has no birthday. According to the Court, the city owes its genesis in the Maurya and Gupta period and it was an established trading post long before the Slave Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Portuguese, the French or the British established a modern township there. References to the existence of an ancient riverine port (named Kalikata) exist in the travel journals of Chinese scholars and Persian merchants dating from centuries BCE[citation needed]. The Hindu epic Mahabharata, lists the King of “Vanga”, as having fought alongside the Kauravas in the great war.

The English East India Company chose the place for a trade settlement. In 1698, the East India Company bought three villages (Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gobindapur) from a local landlord family of Sabarna Roy Choudhury. The next year, the company began developing the city as a Presidency City. In 1727, as per the order of King George I, a civil court was set up in the city. The Calcutta Municipal corporation (recently renamed as Kolkata Municipal Corporation) was formed and the city had its first mayor.


[edit] Journey from British rule to independence
The three villages, in particular Kalikata, where Calcutta is located, came into the possession of the British East India Company in 1690 and some scholars like to date its beginnings as a major city from the construction of Fort William by the British in 1698, though this is debated (see the court ruling in "Name and origins" above). From 1858 to 1912, Calcutta was the capital of British India. From 1912 to India's Independence in 1947, it was the capital of all of Bengal. After Independence, Calcutta remained the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.


[edit] The fall of Calcutta to Siraj ud-Daula
See also: Robert Clive and Bengal Presidency
When the Seven Years' War broke out, owing to their constant rivalry with the French, and the fall of Madras to the forces of Dupleix, early in 1756 the British authorities in Calcutta began repairs to the fortifications of old Fort William, which were extremely decayed. This irritated the new Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daulah, who viewed it as a threat to his sovereignty. Enraged still further when the British granted asylum to one Krishnaballav, who had embezzled money from the dewani of Dhaka, Siraj ud-Daula first attacked and captured Cossimbazar, and then Calcutta, which fell after a short siege on 20th June, 1756), during which the Governor and many other officials escaped down the Hooghly River, leaving the remainder of the garrison and the Eurasian population of Calcutta to their fate. This is now known as the Siege of Calcutta. It is said that 123 Britons later died in the Black Hole of Calcutta after his victory, but recent evidence calls into question the numbers involved, and suggests that the Nawab himself was probably unaware of what transpired. He renamed Calcutta Alinagar after the previous Nawab, and his maternal grandfather, Alivardi Khan. Having installed Manikchand as the ruler of Alinagar, Siraj returned to Murshidabad. Soon (on 2nd January 1757) Watson and Robert Clive retook Calcutta with a force of Company sepoys and the assistance of the Royal Navy. Hearing the news, Siraj ud-Daula moved to attack Calcutta, but fearing an attack from Ahmad Shah Abdali, after a few days of war he signed the Treaty of Alinagar with the East India Company, giving them permission to build the fort.
Alhough Siraj ud-Daula conceded temporary defeat in the Pact of Alinagar, he once again began scheming with the French against the British. Meanwhile, the Third Carnatic War was starting in the south. Also at this time, nobles such as Jagat Seth, Mir Jafar, Rai Durlav, Omichand and Rajballav were plotting against Siraj ud-Daula (a principal reason being the Nawab's arrogance, well attested to in contemporary sources [5]) and they invited Clive to take part in their plans. Clive seized on this plan to get rid of two enemies at once. Citing non-existent reasons, he attacked Murshidabad, having previously reached an agreement with Mir Jafar to install him on the musnud of Bengal. On the fateful day of 23 June 1757, 23 miles away from Murshidabad in the mango groves of Palashi, the armies met at the Battle of Plassey. The British army consisted of 800 European soldiers and 2,200 Indian soldiers, while the Nawab's army was made up of 18,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry. At the start of this seemingly impossible battle, generals Rai Durlav and Iar Latif held their armies together, but in an act of treachery Mir Jafar led his troops away from the battlefield, and the remaining army led by Mirmadan and Mohanlal was defeated. Siraj ud-Daula escaped but was later caught and killed by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar. Mir Jafar was made the new Nawab, and the British had effectively seized control of Bengal. In 1765, after defeating the next Nawab, Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Oudh and the Mughal Emperor at the Battle of Buxar, there was no one to stand in the way of the British and their dominance in North India. Thus, British imperialism began in India with the conquest of Bengal, a game in which a main pawn was the great city of Calcutta.
Calcutta also had an indirect but important influence on the battles of the Carnatic Wars. When Madras fell to Dupleix, the British were still able to direct the war from another of their strongholds, Calcutta. They also used the wealth of Bengal to defeat the French. As Dr. R. C. Majumdar stated in An Advanced History of India, "The Battle of Plassey may be truly said to have decided the fate of the French in India."

[edit] Capital of British India
Kolkata was named the capital of British India in 1772. A contemporary description refers to the splendid sloth and languid debauchery of European society, when great men rode about in State coaches, with a dozen servants running before and behind them to bawl out their titles.[6] It was during this period that the marshes surrounding the city were drained and the government area was laid out along the banks of the Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley, the Governor General between 1797-1805, was largely responsible for the growth of the city and its public architecture which led to the description of Kolkata as 'the City of Palaces'. Miss Emily Eden (the sister of the Governor General, who gave her name to Eden Gardens), in 1836 wrote of Calcutta: "Depend upon it, Calcutta is the finest place in the world. I know there are towns with far larger and grander buildings; but then they are not half so clean, and new, and beautiful, as this bride-like city. I have been standing on the roof of the house the last half-hour for air, and, as it was midnight, had an opportunity of seeing all the gay company - returning from an entertainment at the government-house; and I assure you I never witnessed any thing that could compare with the splendour exhibited." [7] By the early 19th century, Kolkata was split into two distinct areas — one British, one Indian, known as 'Black Town'. Even at the time, the poverty of the 'Black Town' shanties was considered shocking. The city underwent rapid industrial growth from the 1850s, especially in the textile and jute sectors; this caused a massive investment in infrastructure projects like rail roads and telegraph by British government.

[edit] 18th century Scandals
One of the most notorious incidents of the latter part of the century was the trial and execution of “Nuncomar” or, more correctly, Nanda Kumar (d. 1775), who had been the governor of Hughli in 1756. in 1764 he had been appointed collector of Burdwan in place of Warren Hastings, which resulted in a long-standing enmity between the two men. In 1775, when Hastings was Governor-General, Nanda Kumar brought accusations of corruption against him, accusing him of accepting bribes and other abuses of power. These were taken up with enthusiasm by Hastings’ rivals on the Governor General’s Council, led by Philip Francis. Whilst this matter was still awaiting investigation Nanda Kumar was indicted for forgery of a deed, condemned and executed. There was a strong suspicion that the charges had been invented by Hastings, and that he had put pressure on the judges to pass sentence of death. At this date it was far from clear whether or not English law applied in Calcutta, and it was extremely rare for the death penalty to be applied for forgery even in England. Furthermore, Nanda Kumar was a Brahmin, and his hanging caused widespread dismay and outrage in Calcutta [8]. Warren Hastings and Sir Elijah Impey, the Chief Justice, were both impeached, and were accused by Edmund Burke and afterwards by Thomas Babington Macaulay of committing a judicial murder [9].
Five years after this incident, in 1780, relations between Warren Hastings and Philip Francis deteriorated to such an extent that the two fought a duel in the grounds of Belvedere (now the National Library) on the road to the suburb of Alipore. Francis was severely wounded, but Hastings escaped unscathed [10].

[edit] Opium trade
After territorial conquest of Bengal in 1757, the British East India Company pursued a monopoly on production and export of opium in India. The company bought opium from local traders and later directly from farmers, and sold it at auction in Calcutta. From there much of it was smuggled to Canton in China, eventually leading to the Opium Wars.

[edit] Social and intellectual life in the 18th century
In 1772, Calcutta became the capital of British India, a decision made by Governor General Warren Hastings. In 1779, Hickey's Bengal Gazette or the Calcutta General Advertiser became the first newspaper to be printed in India, and is an invaluable chronicle of the social life of Anglo-Indian society in Calcutta. Contemporary memoirs such as those of William Hickey record the consumption of enormous meals, washed down by copious quantities of claret, port, madeira and other wines, followed by the smoking of Hookahs [11]. After the death of his English wife, Charlotte, (who is buried in Park Street Cemetery) Hickey married a Bengali girl called Jemdanee, who died in childbirth in 1796, prompting him to write in his journal that "Thus did I lose as gentle and affectionately attached a girl as ever man was blessed with" [12]. Such unions between Europeans, English, French and Portuguese, and local women, both Hindu and Muslim, were common throughout the 18th century in Calcutta, and are the origin of the city's substantial Anglo-Indian (or Eurasian) community today: by the early 19th century, however, increasing racial intolerance made marriages of this kind much rarer.
Calcutta's intellectual life received a great boost in 1784 with the foundation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal by Sir William Jones, with the encouragement of Warren Hastings, himself no mean Oriental scholar. Jones worked closely with the pandits of the Kalighat Temple, together with the local ulema, in translating and producing new editions of rare and forgotten texts. His study of Sanskrit with Pandit Ramlochan at Nadiya led him to posit the existence of the Indo-European family of languages. Many distinguished scholars, English and Bengali,such as Henry Thomas Colebrooke, James Prinsep and Pandit Radhakanta Sarman would grace the Society's meetings and publications over the following century, vastly enriching knowledge of India's culture and past [13].

[edit] The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance

1888 German map of Calcutta (now Kolkata)See also: Bengal Renaissance
During the bygone days of the British, as the capital of undivided India Calcutta was regarded as the second city of the British Empire (after London) and was aptly renamed "City of Palaces" and the Great Eastern Hotel was regarded as the "Jewel of the East". During that bygone era, Calcutta was famous for its "Baboo Culture" --- incidentally a cross-fertilization of English Liberalism, European fin de siecle decadence, Mughal conservatism and indigenous revivalism inculcating aspects of socio-moral and political change. This culture was fostered in its wake by the Zamindari system, the Daebhaga System the Hindu Joint Family System, the Mitakshara System, the Muslim Zenana System, the Protestant spirit of free capitalist enterprise, the Mughal-inspired feudal system and the Nautch. This also fostered the Bengal Renaissance, an awakening of modern liberal thinking in 19th century Bengal, and which gradually percolated to the rest of India. Like the Italian Renaissance, it challenged orthodox social convention to usher in an era of humanistic idealism.

[edit] Growth
The centre of Company control over the whole of Bengal from 1757, Calcutta underwent rapid industrial growth from the 1850s, especially in the textile sector, despite the poverty of the surrounding region. Trade with other nations also grew. For example, the first U.S. merchant ship arrived in Kolkata in 1787. In fact, the U.S Consulate in Calcutta is the U.S. Department of State’s second oldest Consulate and dates from November 19, 1792.[14]
Despite being almost totally destroyed by a cyclone, in which 60,000 died, on 5 October 1864, Calcutta grew, mostly in an unplanned way, in the next 150 years from 117,000 to 1,098,000 inhabitants (including suburbs), and now has a metropolitan population of approximately 13.2 million.

[edit] Contribution to the independence movement of India

The Victoria Memorial in downtown Calcutta.Historically, Calcutta was the centre of activity in the early stages of the national movement of independence. Exactly a hundred years after the fall of Bengal in the Battle of Plassey, Calcutta saw the beginning of what is often called the First Independence Movement of India. It should be noted here that it is also just as often not referred to as a War Of Independence, and as one historian put it, "The so called First National War of Independence was neither First, nor National, nor a War of Independence". In the suburbs of Calcutta, at the Barrackpore military barracks, sepoy Mangal Pandey sparked off a huge revolt that shook the foundations of the British Empire. This movement is sometimes also called the Indian Mutiny, although recent evidence goes against using this name and suggests the Revolt of 1857 as better and less controversial choice.
In 1883, Surendranath Banerjea organised a national conference — the first of its kind in nineteenth century India. This conference heralded the birth of The Indian National Congress. The first native president of the Indian National Congress Sir Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee and the first Congress president to advocate self rule by Indians, Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea (referred to by the British as "Surrender Not") were early eminent Calcuttans, who provoked and influenced nationalist thinking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Other societies based on nationalist or religious thoughts were started, like the Hindu Mela.Revolutionary organisations like the Jugantar and the Anushilan Samiti were formed with a goal to use force against the British rulers. Among early nationalist leaders, the most prominent were Sri Aurobindo, Indira devi Chaudhurani, Bipin Chandra Pal. The early nationalists were inspired by Swami Vivekananda, the foremost disciple of the Hindu mystic Sri Ramakrishna and helped by Sister Nivedita, disciple of the former. The rousing cry that awakened India's soul was penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, now the national song of the nation, an ode to the land of Bharat (India) as the Divine Mother, Vande Mataram.
The Elgin Road residence of Subhash Chandra Bose in Calcutta was the place from where he escaped the British to reach Germany during the Second World War. He was the co-founder of the Indian National Army and the Head of State of the Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind, formed to counter and combat the British Raj in India and was renamed Netaji by poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore. He is regarded by many as perhaps the most prominent and influential freedom fighter in Indian history and is venerated in many Bengali households even today.
Muslims were also involved in the nationalist movement, most notably Fazl Huq who from Calcutta in the 1930s attempted to organise a non-communal peasant party to agitiate against the British and the wealthy Indian landowning class. The fact that many of the Hindus in this latter group were linked to the local Congress organisation and dominated the mainstream nationalist movement in Bengal from Calcutta led to attempts to thwart Huq's activities and fed into the tragic decline in communal relations that savaged Calcutta in 1946 and 1947 (see Kenneth McPherson, "The Muslim Microcosm: the Muslims of Calcutta 1918-1935", Steiner, Wiesbaden, 1973).

[edit] After the Independence

Kolkata port in 1945. It was an important military port during the WW2.The partition of India also created intense violence and a shift in demographics - large numbers of Muslims left for East Pakistan, while hundreds of thousands of Hindus would flee into the city.[15] Kolkata had received millions of refugees from what became East Pakistan without receiving substantial assistance from the central government. [16]
Over the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist-Maoist movement — the Naxalites — damaged much of the city's infrastructure, leading to an economic stagnation. In 1971, war between India and Pakistan led to the mass influx of thousands of refugees from what became Bangladesh into Kolkata resulting in a massive strain on its infrastructure.[17][18]
In the mid-1980s, Mumbai overtook Kolkata as India's most populous city. Kolkata has been a strong base of Indian communism as West Bengal has been ruled by the CPI(M) dominated Left Front for nearly three decades — the world's longest-running democratically-elected Communist government.[19][20]
Kolkata became plagued by power outages, labor unrest, disappearing industry, and violence from the Naxalite movement. In 1985 Rajiv Gandhi referred to Kolkata as a "dying city" because of the social and political traumas.[18][21]
The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the mid-1990s. Since 2000, Information Technology (IT) services revitalized the city's stagnant economy. The city has also experienced a growth in the manufacturing sector. Following similar moves elsewhere in the country, the state government changed the city’s official name from Calcutta to Kolkata in 2001; this act was seen largely as a political ploy.[22]
[edit] Notes
^ Britannica entry
^ Calcuttaweb article
^ Mukerji, Dr.S.C. 1991. The Changing Face of Calcutta: An Architectural Approach. Government of West Bengal
^ Gupta, Subhrangshu (May 17, 2003). "[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030518/nation.htm#3 Job Charnock not Kolkata founder: HC Says city has no foundation day]" (HTML) (in English), The Tribune online edition. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
^ Ghulam Husain Salim Riyazu-s-Salatin. A History of Bengal Ed. & Trans. Maulavi Abdus Salam (Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press) 1902 Fasc. IV
^ Dash, M. (2005). Thug: The True Story of India's Murderous Cult. Granta Books, 108. ISBN 1-86207-604-9.
^ Eden, Emily: Letters from India (Richard Bentley, London 1872).
^ The Memoirs of William Hickey (London: Hurst & Blackett) Vol.II (1918) pp154-5
^ H.E. Busteed Echoes of Old Calcutta (Calcutta) 1908 pp73-106; H. Beveridge The Trial of Nanda Kumar (Calcutta) 1886
^ Busteed Old Calcutta pp107-117
^ The Memoirs of William Hickey (London: Hurst & Blackett) Vol.II (1918) pp136-7 Vol. III (1923) pp205-6, 234-5; Percival Spear the Nabobs (Delhi: OUP) 1998 p36
^ Memoirs of William Hickey (London: Hurst & Blackett) Vol. IV (1925) p141
^ O.P. Kejariwal The Asiatic Society of Bengal and the Discovery of India's past (Delhi: OUP) 1988 pp29-75
^ "Remarks by U.S. Consul General Henry V. Jardine for the Bharat Chamber Of Commerce". Speeches and Articles, Consulate General of the United States, Kolkata, India. U.S. Department of State (15 September 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-26.
^ (Gandhi 1992, pp. 497)
^ Trillin, Calvin. "Last Days of the Rickshaw." National Geographic. Volume 213, Number 4. April 2008. 95-97.
^ (Bennett & Hindle 1996, pp. 63-70)
^ a b Trillin, Calvin. "Last Days of the Rickshaw." National Geographic. Volume 213, Number 4. April 2008. 97.
^ Biswas S. "Calcutta's colourless campaign". BBC. Retrieved on 2006-04-26.
^ (Roy & Alsayyad 2004)
^ "From Poorhouse to Powerhouse." Spiegel Online.
^ Easwaran K. "Politics of name change". Retrieved on 2006-04-26.
[edit] References
Bennett, A & J Hindle (1996), London Review of Books: An Anthology, Verso, 63-70, ISBN 185984121X
Gandhi, R (1992), Patel: A Life, Navajivan, ISBN ASIN B0006EYQ0A
Roy, A & Alsayyad (2004), Urban Informality: Transnational Perspectives from the Middle East, Latin America and South Asia, Lexington Books, ISBN 0739107410
[edit] See also
British India
French India
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kolkata"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kolkata
Industrial Policy of West Bengal
Wed, 2007-06-27 00:00
The Industrial Policy of West Bengal was introduced in 1994. It was framed in a context when the neo-liberal policies were already introduced in 1991. It was felt that although the neo-liberal policies are anti-people and is bringing in tremendous hardships to the common citizens of this country, yet these are also providing certain opportunities for the state governments of this country in terms of chartering a course of industrialization. It would be worthwhile in this context to mention that the discriminatory Licensing Policies of the Central Government actually neglected West Bengal in terms of setting up of new industries. Industrialists interested in setting up industries in West Bengal were not allowed. The considerations were primarily political. The abrogation of the Licensing Policy during the early nineties brought an end to all these discriminations. The government of West Bengal took this opportunity to usher in a new phase in the industrial scenario of the state. The termination of the Licensing Policy meant that private industrialists did not require prior permission from the government to set up industries.
West Bengal government took this opportunity to invite private capital, both domestic and Foreign Direct Investment (henceforth FDI). The chief consideration was to create more employment opportunities. In case of FDI, the following conditions were imposed:
(i) Which will lead to technological upgradation.
(ii) Which will create more employment opportunities.
(iii) Which will not lead to displacement of indigenous industries.
The industrialisation process gathered momentum with the coming of the Seventh Left Front government in power. Before going into details regarding the alternatives to neo-liberalism that the West Bengal government is providing, in terms of its industrialisation strategy, it is essential to look into the challenges posed by the skewed centre-state financial relations in this era of neo-liberalism.

CENTRE-STATE FINANCIAL RELATIONS
West Bengal is a constituent state of the Indian Union. The Constitution of India does not provide widespread powers to the state governments. In terms of Industrial Policy, no state government of this country can take a radically alternative path from the policies framed at the all-India level. It is within the ambit of these limited powers that the West Bengal government is functioning. So while talking in terms of alternatives it is essential that these limitations are taken into account.
At the all-India level the Left parties have always taken a firm position for more government investment in the economy. It has always argued against the disinvestment policies and the setting up of more Public Sector Units (PSU). So there has been an expectation that in those states where the Left Front is in power industrialisation policy will entail setting up of more Public Sector industrial units. In other words, the private sector will have a minimal role to play in the industrialisation drive. But, the situations confronting the state and the central governments are vastly different. It is necessary, in this context, to take a proper grasp at the Centre-State financial relations. This has been mentioned below.
There is a common argument that the state governments can take recourse to market borrowings to carry forward with the industrialisation drive. The point is, if the private capitalists can borrow from the market and set up industries then why can’t the state governments do the same? The answers are given below.
(i) The rules and regulations of the RBI states that the proportion of market borrowing vis-à-vis total borrowing of a state government would be inversely proportional to the revenue deficit (excess of its current expenditure over its receipts) as a proportion to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). This implies that higher the revenue deficit of a state government as a proportion to its GSDP, lower the latter can borrow from the market, as a proportion to its total borrowing. However, the revenue deficits of different state governments and particularly that of West Bengal have been high particularly due to high interest payments and other committed expenditures (as a proportion to GSDP). These are essentially the logical corollary of Central government’s own policies like that of setting interest rates high and implementation of Fifth Pay Commission recommendations. Thus the RBI sets an upper bound on market borrowing as a proportion to the total borrowing for all the state governments. This is likely to affect West Bengal the most as it bears one of the higher revenue deficits as a proportion to the GSDP.
There is another reason for the revenue deficit of West Bengal to be higher than other states-a reason which ironically follows from one of the greatest achievements of the Left Front government of West Bengal. Agricultural sector was the main stay of the economy of West Bengal. It has been the major stimulus for growth of the West Bengal economy. At the same time it is a sector which has remained outside the tax net. As a result the growth in the agricultural sector was not matched by any rise in the tax receipts of the state government. On the other hand, the GSDP has grown with the growth in the agricultural sector. The combined effect of the above two developments has resulted in a situation whereby the tax-GSDP ratio has declined. This decline in the tax-GSDP ratio is one of the main factors for the increasing revenue deficit of the state.
(ii) Even within the permitted level of market borrowing (which itself would be lower for West Bengal as compared to other states, for reasons already discussed) there is no guarantee that West Bengal government can avail market borrowing to the fullest extent for the following reasons: the loans provided by the commercial banks to the state governments has varied inversely with the debt-GSDP ratio of the latter (RBI Report on Currency and Finance, 2002-03). This affects West Bengal the most, as it bears one of the highest debt-GSDP ratios in comparison to the other states. This is not only due to its compulsion to pay higher interest rates but also due to the recommendations of the Twelfth Finance Commission (TFC). The TFC has introduced a debt relief scheme for only those states which had enacted the Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Management (FRBM) Act . West Bengal is the only state in this country which has not implemented the FRBM Act-it bears one of the highest debt-GSDP ratios in comparison to other states. Thus even within the permitted level of market borrowing, the proportion of borrowing within that permitted level is likely to lower for West Bengal.
(iii) The RBI has undermined the state government guarantees by stating that these should not be a key consideration for loans to the public sector.
Thus the financial crunch of West Bengal is primarily due to its growing inability to access market borrowing and finance, per se. This, particularly in the wake of TFC recommendations of reducing Central loans to the states, makes the issue of financing of an altogether alternative trajectory of development, practically impossible, within the given neo-liberal paradigm, even for a state like West Bengal.
Let us now come to another aspect of the Centre-State financial relations. This is with respect to the interest rate of the National Small Savings Fund (NSSF). The interest rate charged by the Centre, on the NSSF, to the states has got two features:
(a) It is higher than the interest rates prevailing in the market.
(b) The rate is higher than that paid by the Centre to the small savers.

While (a) ensures that the average interest rates paid by the states is higher than that prevailing in the market, (b) ensures that the Centre lends high to raise its capital receipts, which allows the Centre can abide by its own FRBM Act. Now, fixing the interest rate for the state governments, over and above the market rate, leads to the following developments.
(1) Either the growth rate of income is lower than the interest rate or
(2) The growth rate of income is higher or equal to the rate of interest.

In the first case, interest rates being higher than the growth rate of income the debt of a state government, as a proportion of the GSDP, rises and along with it the revenue deficit as well (as a proportion of the GSDP). This again, as has already been mentioned earlier implies lower market borrowing according to the RBI rules. Thus, it becomes clear, that any shortfall of market borrowing with respect to revenue deficit has to be financed from somewhere. In the absence of Central loans this implies borrowing from external sources like the ADB and the World Bank with typical IMF conditionalities and hence acceptance of a neo-liberal framework.
On the other hand, any such situation can only be avoided if case (2) holds; i.e. the growth rate of the GSDP of a state is high enough to match the high interest rate that is being fixed by the Centre. In the absence of resources and access to finance, the state governments are being increasingly forced to go for private capital based corporate industrialisation.

ALTERNATIVES TO NEO-LIBERALISM
It is very evident from the above section that not only the Left Front government, but all other state governments are facing tremendous problems, at present. In fact, most of the state governments are being forced to adopt the neo-liberal policies. The acceptance of the FRBM Act by all the state governments, except the West Bengal government, was a manifestation of that.
Inspite of all these problems and challenges the Left Front government has been trying to provide alternatives, albeit in a much limited extent.
As has already been mentioned earlier that one of the essential features of neo-liberalism is the withdrawal of the state from major economic activities. Several critics have pointed out that the Left Front government has failed to provide any radical alternatives to the present industrialisation. In other words, the industrialisation programmes of the Left Front government are not much different as compared to other states. These critics, more often than not, do not take into the fact that the industrialisation programme of the Left Front government is based on the agricultural sector of the state. The implementation of the land reforms programmes coupled with de-centralisation of power has led to empowerment of the rural poor in the West Bengal countryside. According to the NSS figures, 84% of the beneficiaries of the land reforms programme are small and marginal farmers, which is highest among the states in India. The average growth rate of agriculture in West Bengal (3.6%), over the period 1993-94 to 2003-04, has been higher than the all-India average (1.53%). This has lead to a situation whereby the purchasing power of the rural people have increased manifold. According to the NSS data, the rural people of West Bengal are spending more than 20,000 crores of Rupees on industrial goods per year and the internal market has been growing at a rate of more than 8% per annum. It is in this context that the industrialisation programme is being carried out and this is where the strategy differs markedly from the other states of this country. This is due to the fact that apart from West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura no other state has undertaken land reforms programme in such a massive scale. Thus their industrialisation programme is not based on a solid agricultural sector. This is manifested by the large number of farmers’ suicides in all other states. The industrialisation programme of other states also does not take into consideration the creation of any internal market in the rural areas.
It is very much clear, from the previous section, that industrialisation programme cannot be carried out solely through government initiatives. In other words, private capital cannot be ignored while undertaking these programmes. The point is whether the public sector will be totally ignored or not. This is an area where the Left Front government stands apart from other state governments. Those governments have actually accepted the inevitability of private capital based industrialisation programme. It seems, from their attitude and policy statements that everything will be lost if private capital does not invest in their state. On the other hand, the understanding of the Left Front government is that the sick and closed down Public Sector Units (PSU) need to be revived to make the industrialisation programme a successful one. This, in other words, is a refusal of the inevitability of private capital based industrialisation. It is also a departure from neo-liberalism since that essentially entails withdrawal of the state. It is on the basis of this perspective that the Left parties and the West Bengal government had consistently pressurized the Union government for the rejuvenation and reopening of the IISCO factory in Burnpur. It is due to these pressures that the Union government has agreed to invest about 9,500 crores of Rupees for its modernization. A similar policy was adopted for other state government undertakings. Recently, two profitable PSUs, Coal India Ltd. and the DVC have reached an understanding for the rejuvenation of the MAMC factory in Durgapur. The state government is also trying to rejuvenate the Bengal Chemicals and Bengal Immunity factories located in the state. This type of orientation in the policy level is totally absent from the industrialisation programmes followed b other state governments.
Thus, the Left Front government is certainly providing some alternatives to the neo-liberal policies in following a path of industrialisation, albeit in a much limited extent. The limitation arising primarily due to the limited powers conferred on the state governments in the Constitution of India.
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1 According to this Act the government of a state will be mandated to reduce the revenue deficit by at least 0.5% and the fiscal deficit by 0.3% annually, as a proportion of the GSDP. Since the income earning capacity of the state governments are very limited, this Act, in effect, implies expenditure reducing policies and more often than not the axe falls on the developmental expenditures and social sector expenditures like health and education. This Act possesses a distinct neo-liberal feature in terms of withdrawal of the state from economic activities.
http://www.pragoti.org/node/8
Policies & Approvals

INDUSTRIAL POLICY – INDIA

The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 and the Statement on Industrial Policy of 1991 provide the basic framework for the overall industrial policy of the Government of India The industrial policy announced on 24th July, 1991 substantially dispensed with licensing, announced measures facilitating foreign investment and technology transfers, and threw open the areas earlier reserved for the public sector.

WEST BENGAL

Keeping in mind the new Economic Policy, West Bengal formulated its Industrial Policy Resolution in 1994 with a view to secure faster and balanced economic development with the active cooperation of the private sector. The key features of West Bengal's present industrial policy are as follows:
Appropriate foreign technology and investment are welcomed on mutually advantageous terms.
The Government recognizes the importance and key role of Private, Public & Joint sectors in providing accelerated growth and in improvement and upgradation of industrial as well as social infrastructure.
Based upon the available opportunities and the potential of this region, the State Govt, has identified certain segments of industries as thrust areas for special attention viz.


Petro-chemicals & Downstream Industries
Electronics & Information Technology
Iron & Steel, Metallurgical and Engineering
Textiles
Leather and Leather Products
Food Processing, Edible Oil, Vegetable
Processing and Aquaculture
Development of Medicinal plants, Rubber, Palm oil and Tea
Manufacture of basic drugs, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Optimal utilization of minerals and development of mine based industries
Gems and Jewellery
Promotion of Tourism and Tourism related activities


Keeping in mind the recent surge in entrepreneurs interest to set up industry in the State, the government is drawing up a comprehensive document on its approach to industrialization considering matters such as location policy for industries, areas of development and focus, needs for remote connectivity and meeting the challenges of industrialization without harming farm growth.
http://www.wbidc.com/about_wb/policies_approvals.htm
West Bengal: The Neo-Liberal Offensive in Industry and the Workers’ Resistance
Kushal Debnath
The New Economic Policy was adopted by the Narasimha Rao government in 1991 in consonance with the principle of imperialist globalization. This principle propounded by Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh has aggravated the imperialist aggression on our country. Different ‘leftist’ parties including the CPI(M) have cried hoarse against this, but the Left Front government in West Bengal has adopted a new industrial policy in almost full pursuance of the new economic policy of the central government. As a result we find even in this state the working class has been subjected to the most severe attacks as it has been in the rest of the country. The closures or sickness of the industries one after another, appropriation of Provident Fund and E.S.I funds of the workers by industrialists and the stoppage of new employment have become the order of the day. The state government in West Bengal has openly surrendered to the multinational corporations and big capitalists. To this government MNCs like Pepsi, Hindustan Lever, Mitsubishi etc., and monopoly capitalists like Tata, Premji Azimji, Goenka and Ambani have become the fountainhead of industrialization. In addition this very government has acquired special skills in destroying the workers’ movement by its ideological and political weapons as well as by the application of state repression, since a very organized party and its trade union front are instrumental in implementing the anti-worker policies of the government and they execute this task in a most political fashion and since no powerful political campaign of the workers’ movement have been organized to oppose it, the real character of the government is not yet exposed to the workers.
Given below are four tables that will show how fast the aggression of the industrialists against the workers and that of the closure of factories has increased in this state.
This is just one side of the picture. As for the other side, what is the state of industry itself in West Bengal? Each industrial zone of this state is gasping for life. The factories by they in Hyde Road, Garden Reach, Barrackpore, or in Hoogly, Howrah, Durgapur and Asansol, are being closed or becoming sick in quick succession. Of the old and traditional industries in West Bengal, the tea and jute industries are surviving by some means or other, but the engineering industries and cotton mills are in a grave crisis. The leftists in power and the government conducted by them are least concerned with the question of the roots of the problems and the ways and means of solving them. Instead, they are looking to the MNCs or big industrialists as their saviours. The chief minister of this state has been clamouring for the development of Information Technology. But unless the industries based on production develop and unless the closure of industries one after another stops, what is the use of I.T.? In any country of the world, the development of industry is deeply connected with the socio-economic conditions of that very country. The real import of industrial development lies in the increase of employment along with this development, for it is for the well-being of man that the industries are needed, not the other way around. The leftists in power in West Bengal have been scrupulously avoiding this question and instead upholding the programme of industrialization only to safeguard the interest of the MNCs. In this respect there is hardly any difference between Narasimha Rao and Vajpayee on the one hand and between Chandra Babu Naidu and Buddhadev Bhattacharya on the other, who have to work within the constraints of ‘limited powers.’ When the media is all praise for Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu as being the high-tech chief minister of Andhra Pradesh the cotton growers commit suicide in a large number. The chief minister of West Bengal, too, talks tall of information technology and brands the jute mills as an obsolete industry while the jute workers fall victim to the limitless anarchy let loose by the owners of the mills. The jute industry which declined in the eighties of the last century, has shown signs of a fresh revival in the nineties. Jute is grown in the very state, i.e. the raw material necessary for this industry is conveniently at hand. Almost two lakhs of workers work in the industry and almost 50 lakhs of peasants in the cultivation of jute. This means that 1.5 crore of people of this state are dependent on jute directly or indirectly. The yearly turnover of this industry is nearly 4000 crore rupees. In the last few years production has shot up. In 1971 the number of workers was 2 lakhs 30 thousand and the yearly production reached 16 lakh tons. The above statistics clearly demonstrate that during the last three decades jute production steadily kept increasing while the number of workers kept falling.
In the jute industry the workers are being forced to work at the rate of Rs. 40 to Rs. 100 per day. This is done by various skilful manoeuvrings by the owners, categorising the workers as ‘bhaga’, ‘voucher’, ‘zero number’ ‘temporary’, ‘apprentices’ etc. The normal wage of a jute worker is, at present, above Rs. 200 per day. The owners of this industry are thus amassing unbelievable profits by underpaying the workers. But this anti-worker practice of the barons of the industry has been legalized by the left front government of West Bengal. On 5th January 2002 a tripartite agreement has been reached where among the signatories were trade unions like CITU, AITUC, INTUC and the government of West Bengal. Apart from imparting legality to all the illegal acts of the mill owners, this agreement has destroyed the wage structure of the jute mills in totality. What we want to say will be clear if we quote sections iii and iv of the agreement:
(iii) ‘that the question of productivity-linked wages has been discussed with the parties in details. After discussion it is however agreed that for this purpose 33.33% of the total wages payable in a month will be linked to production which may be adjusted proportionally for non-fulfilment of the prevailing agreed norms of production in each mill.
(iv) That the wages at new entrants such as workmen who are paid through vouchers engaged popularly known as zero number other than retired person or who are paid less wages than the rate payable as per industry wise wage settlement etc., and whose names are not borne on the master rolls of workers of mill who are paid wages as per industry wise settlement will get a sum of Rs. 100/- per day as wages plus usual fringe benefit thereon.’
These two sections prove in very clear terms that through this agreement the state government has introduced the production linked wage system and legalized the long practiced illegal acts of the mill owners through the clever twist of compelling the jute workers to accept Rs. 100 as a wage by branding them with new names and categories. Today as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been prescribing the abolition of the system of permanent workers, reduction of wages and making the system of employing contract labour almost universal, the West Bengal government, too, has been pursuing the same path by legalizing the same practice of the jute mill owners. Not only in the jute mills or in other industries alone, in various other sectors, too, like the teachers, physicians, technologists etc. the same system of ‘contract’ has been introduced. Carlos Giuliani laid down his life in the anti-globalisation movement. In Bengal several jute workers also have been martyred to the same cause like Rajeshwar Rai of Gourishankar jute mill, Someswar Rao of Ganges jute mill and Bhikari Paswar of Victoria jute mill who disappeared from police custody in West Bengal during the rule of the left front government. Very recently two workers at the Chandmoni tea garden were shot dead by the police. Besides, whenever any workers’ movement grows in intensity, the state government openly sides with the industrialists. The most glaring examples of this surrender of the government in the last decade are Kanoria jute mill, Paharpur Cooling Towers and Titagarh jute mill II.
In the name of globalization and structural re-adjustment, the imperialist forces and multinational corporations have raised the demand of reforms of labour laws. In our country too, the central government led by the BJP has taken the decision to ‘reform’ labour laws. Already in this direction the report of Ravindra Varma Commission has been submitted. This report recommended various reforms of the existing labour laws. Most importantly it had advocated the imperialist hire and fire policy. In West Bengal also the same policy of hire and fire is being implemented. Government officials, too, are advocating the reforms of labour laws very vigorously. Is it not surprising that even after 25 years of ‘left’ rule, the workers in the private sector cannot directly go to court when they face the onslaughts of the industrialists.
In a nutshell, the West Bengal left front government is opposing the imperialist globalization in theory, while in practice it has been following the policies of the imperialists in respect of the industries and the workers.
Workers’ Movements: in Search of an Alternative
In reality, a clear trend of an anti-globalisation workers’ movement is latent in the movements of the workers that have been taking place during the last few years. Although those movements are confined to single factories till date, in essence they are pointing to the development of a comprehensive alternative movement. We are giving a brief sketch of it.
In the eighties of the last century the workers of different factories defied the central trade union leaders and started organizing themselves independently. Thus they kept the flag of struggle flying. The most important event of this decade is the unwavering struggles of the Hindustan Lever, an M..N.C. The workers held out against the severest onslaughts of the management and are still holding out. This trend kept on increasing in the nineties. Although small numerically this trend appeared in the society as a principal one in the working class movement. Two main tendencies were discernible.
(a) Sudden outbursts of the workers as retaliation to the prolonged oppression perpetrated by the industrialists. This sparked off a wide ranging reaction in society. But in the absence of systematic and organized thought the initial rebellion gradually subsided. The workers’ struggles of the Victoria jute mill in 1993, or the events of Baranagar jute mill and Ganges jute mill in 2001 represent this tendency.
(b) Waging an organised and protracted struggle against the onslaughts of the industrialists. The main feature of this tendency was organizing the majority of workers and advancing the movement step by step. The workers’ movement of Kanoria jute mill, Hindustan Lever, Garden Reach Ship Builders, Bauria Cotton and Hindustan Motors etc. represents this tendency. The most important among them was the movement of the Kanoria jute mill which attracted wide attention. Though a trade union struggle in essence, this movement rocked the entire society. This movement left its marks on the minds of people for various reasons.
i) This movement did not confine itself to a mere struggle of the workers against the mill owner. Instead, against the attacks of the owner the workers could successfully organise their own families and the people in general along with themselves. This movement could spread the T.U. Movement in the large arena of the society.
ii) It was able to convert a workers’ movement to a movement for life by the introduction of common kitchens, free coaching camps, free medical centres etc.
iii) A very conscious attempt was made to practise democracy in a scientific manner. The movement here was conducted on the basis of the opinion of a large section of the workers. As a result this struggle could carry on for a long time against various odds.
iv) The programmes of this movement were set on the basis of the objective conditions of the movement obtaining at a particular point of time. The movement which started in 1993 with the demand of getting dearness allowance and house rents turned into a struggle for the survival of the factory itself by building a workers co-operative. This means the entire movement developed with an alternative scheme for the survival of the mill. The workers put forward four proposals in the course of the movement:
a) The promoter himself can run the mill legally by paying the workers their dues.
b) Any other individual owner can run the mill abiding by the legal rules.
c) The government itself can run the mill.
d) All the above-mentioned proposals failing, the workers will run the mill by forming a co-operative of their own.

Whereas any closure of factory in this state brings in its trail ‘black’ agreements, despondency, surrender of the workers to the wishes of the mill owners, death or suicide, this positive formulation of the Kanoria workers created ripples among the entire workers’ community. The Kanoria workers never said that the co-operatives are the only solution in case of closures. But they consider the formation of co-operatives as one of the weapons to fight against the onslaughts of the industrialists. They are still pursuing this policy.
In the bargaining agent elections during the last decade, the workers have shown their solidarity with this struggling trend of the workers’ movement, be it in Garden Reach Ship Builders or H.D.C. or Hindustan Lever and Hindustan Motors.
During the last few years these alternative T.U. Movements are unfolding a new course of development of the working class movement. It is only the working class and other toiling masses that can really translate the concept of ‘another world is possible’ into reality. In the world of today the workers of Europe and Latin America are upholding the banner of struggle by rallying in their millions by demonstrations and strikes. In West Bengal these alternative movements are in essence an integral part of the anti-globalisation movement. At times, these movements have burst asunder the confines of the factory and played a role in the larger areas of politics and society. The development of the struggles against the imperialist globalization are largely dependent now on the development of this new trend of the workers’ movement.
Table 1
Lockouts in Industries in West Bengal: The last decade
Strikes
Lockouts
Both Strike and Lockouts

Year
Total no. of Strikes
No. of people dependent on the factory (in thousands)
Work days lost (in 10 lakhs)
Total no. of lockouts
No. of people dependent on the factory
Work days (in 10 lakhs)
Total no.
No. of people dependent on the factory (in thousands
Work days lost (in 10 lakhs)

1990
16
(8.2%)
2.30
(1.9%)
0.32
(1.5%)
179
(91.8%)
120.75
(98.1%)
20.69
98.5%)
195
(100%)
123.05
(100%)
121.01
(100%)

1991
21
(9.85%)
3.05
(2.1%)
0.80
(0.4%)
192
(90.15%)
144.42
(97.9%)
19.97
99.6%)
213
(100%)
147.47
(100%)
20.77
(100%)

1993
23
(10.9%)
27.69
(16.1%)
0.32
(1.6%)
187
(89.1%)
144.18
(83.9%)
19.18
98.4%)
210
(100%)
172.26
(100%)
19.50
(100%)

1995
33
(19.9%)
234.40
(76.0%)
1.25
(12.2%)
136
(80.1%)
74.14
(24.0%)
5.25
(80.8%)
169
(100%)
308.54
(100%)
5.50
(100%)

1998
25
(10.5%)
2.73
(2.53%)
0.12
(1.90%)
213
(89.50%)
104.98
(97.47%)
11.35
(98.10%)
238
(100%)
107.71
(100%)
11.57
(100%)

Table 2
No. of industries having P.F. facilities
No. of workers/staff who deposit money in P.F. (in lakhs)
Total dues (in crores)
No. of industries that have dues in P.F.

1989
22,797 19.47 113.89 1,215
1990
23,128 19.69 116.30 1,206
1991
23,928 20.03 120.00 1,206
1993
12,175 20.29 162.68 ----
1995
26,360 20.98 166.98 ----
1998
16,953 23.02 232.00 ----
1999
17,461 24.42 284.57 ----
Table 3
Insurance holders in the purview of
No. of members getting privileges ESI
No. industries having dues (in lakhs)
Amount of dues (in crores

1990
925,000
41.50
2,641
40.75

1991
910,000
40.60
3,146
45.50

1993
1,024,000
39.00
3,332
61.09

1995
1,029,000
39.00
3,286
85.09

1999
819,615
37.00
4,700
107.45

Table 4
Closed and Sick industries of West Bengal under B.I.F.R. (1991-2000)
Year
No. of Industries

1991
127

1992
150

1993
160

1996
188

2000
(up to March)
243

Source: Labour in West Bengal
Click here to return to the April 2003 index.
http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv9n1/westbengal1.htm
India: Defend Left Front Government Of West Bengal
By Prakash Karat

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click here for related stories: democracy matters 6-25-07, 9:44 am


June 21, 2007 marks a historic anniversary. This date marks the completion of thirty years in office of the Left Front government of West Bengal. This is a record not only in India but the world. There is no precedent for this remarkable record of a Left formation having won seven successive elections to a state legislature and that too with not less than a two-thirds majority each time. In fact, in the last elections held in May 2006, the Left Front won a three-fourths majority and polled 50.18 per cent of the vote.
It is this sustained popular base and electoral support that has surprised and perplexed many. After the first successive victories, the propaganda began that these are the result of a unique form of “scientific rigging” refusing to recognise the substance of the policies pursued by the Left Front government. The opponents and the rightwing took recourse to the charge of “scientific rigging” by the CPI(M) to account for their failure to democratically defeat the Left Front.
The May 2006 assembly elections saw the stringent supervision and at times unwarranted intervention of the Election Commission. This put paid to the propaganda of rigging. After having praised the free and fair polls organised by the Election Commission, the ruling class parties and the big bourgeois owned media were in for a shock. The Left Front increased its votes and seats compared to the previous election.
There is another way of trying to deal with this phenomenon of durable Left Front rule. That is to cite certain peculiarities of West Bengal and to argue that the CPI(M) has become a natural party of Bengal. This is also an attempt to deny the real significance of the political base of the CPI(M) and Left Front rule in the state.
PRODUCT OF CLASS STRUGGLES
What accounts for the strength of the CPI(M) and the political base of the Left in West Bengal? Firstly, the base of the Party and the Left has been built through decades of class struggle. In the rural areas, the struggle for land against jotedars, the rights of the bargadars and the struggle of the agricultural workers were the basis for the CPI(M)’s development. In the cities and towns, the organisation of the workers, employees and the other sections of the working people has been the instrument for political mobilisation. The CPI(M) conducted a long and arduous political struggle for the creation of a united Left Front which formed the basis for a stable Left Front government. For doing so, it drew upon the experience of the first communist government of 1957-59 in Kerala and set out a tactical direction in its Party programme adopted in 1964 about how the Party should utilise the opportunities to enter state governments where it is a leading force.
The Left Front government elected in 1977 was preceded by the United Front government of West Bengal in 1967 and 1969. These governments were formed in the background of the rising struggles of the working class, peasantry and the rural poor. Given the all India political situation in the 1960s and the hostility to the communists among the whole ruling class political spectrum, it was not possible to sustain these governments beyond short spells. However, these governments helped in advancing the struggles of the working class and the peasantry and strengthening the political base of the CPI(M) and the Left. The CPI(M) had to undergo six years of semi-fascist terror in which it lost 1100 of its cadres and activists.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Looking back it can be seen how the Left Front governments worked within the constraints of the existing constitutional and socio-economic system to implement land reforms, decentralise powers, institute the panchayat raj system, accomplish growth in agricultural production, protect democratic rights, ensure communal harmony and nurture secular values. It is these set of policies and measures implemented by the Left Front government backed by a powerful democratic movement and the political mobilisation of the masses that made the Left Front government distinctive. The people could see and experience the difference between a Left-led government and the state governments run by the bourgeois parties.
The CPI(M) programme advocates the abolition of landlordism and the implementation of land reforms as the basis for accomplishing the democratic revolution. Every Left-led government in India whether it be in Kerala, West Bengal or Tripura have striven to accomplish land reforms in a limited way within the constraints of the Constitution and the legal set up. The Left Front government of West Bengal has been in the forefront of implementation of such land reforms. The government acquired over 11 lakh acres of land and distributed the same among 25 lakh landless and small peasant households. Under Operation Barga, 14 lakh sharecroppers were registered bringing another 11 lakh acres of land under the control of the bargadars.
Alongside, the Left Front governments revitalised the three-tier panchayati raj system. A big majority of the elected representatives in the panchayati raj system came from the small and marginal peasants, adivasis and dalits. More than one-third of the seats are occupied by women. This democratic system was institutionalised 17 years before the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments became enforceable in all the states. It is the land reform programme and the institutionalisation of the panchayati raj system which provided the backbone for the rural base of the CPI(M) and the Left Front.
TWO PHASES
The 30 years of the Left Front government can be more or less equally divided into two phases. In the first phase – 1977 to 1991 – the Left Front government was working under a regime where State regulation of the economy under a capitalist path of development existed. The role of the central government and the nature of centre-state relations were different in this period. The centre had licensing powers for industry and allocated resources for public investment and development. During this period, West Bengal suffered from discrimination. The successive central governments would discourage industries being set-up in West Bengal and utilised the licensing power to the detriment of the state. The centre also wielded its financial powers in a manner to deprive the state of public investment. In this period, the Left Front had to wage continuous struggles to oppose discrimination.
Due to this iniquitous centre-state relations and due to an inadequate appreciation in the earlier years, that the Left Front government is in for a long stint in office, industrial development languished. In fact, West Bengal which was the front-ranking industrial state at the time of independence slipped behind and in 1985, it was only contributing 8 per cent of the total industrial output in the country.
The second phase in which the Left Front government is now working began in 1992 and continues upto now. This is the phase of liberalisation and the deregulation of the State control and intervention in the economy. It is also marked by the push for neo-liberal policies and the drastic cutbacks on State investments. The centre’s withdrawal from welfare and social sector responsibilities have also had a serious impact on the state.
THRUST FOR INDUSTRIALISATION
After the significant success achieved in increasing agricultural production in the state based on the policy of “walking on two legs”, land reforms and panchayat raj institutions, it was necessary to give priority for industrialisation in the next phase of development. The fifth Left Front government adopted an industrial policy in 1994. While maintaining and upgrading the existing public sector enterprises in the state, particularly big centrally run PSUs, the Left Front government began to take the initiative to attract private investment so that the state could have a strong industrial base and acquire high technology. While promoting private investment, the government is committed to defending the interests of the working class and their trade union rights. The state government has supported small-scale industries as a matter of policy. The number of small-scale industries working in the state increased from 19.1 lakh in 1994-95 to 27.7 lakh in 2000-01. West Bengal already ranks first amongst all states in respect to both number of working units and employment generation in the small-scale sector. The Rs 10,000 crore modernisation of the IISCO factory under the auspices of the SAIL, the Tata motors plant in Singur and the new steel plants proposed to be set up are part of this drive for industrialisation.
With agriculture as the basis, building industry is the perspective. In this process there has to be some conversion of agricultural land since fallow land accounts for only one per cent of the total land area of the state in contrast to 17 per cent at the all India level. The CPI(M) and the Left Front are clear that industrialisation will not and should not undermine the gains made by the peasantry through land reforms and achievement of food security.
ATTACKS ON LF GOVERNMENT
Based on the land acquisition in Singur for the automobile plant and the proposed chemical hub at Nandigram, a big campaign was unleashed against the CPI(M) and the Left Front government. The CPI(M) is being accused of reversing its stand and going against the interests of the peasantry. The attack which has mainly come from a “Left” position condemns the CPI(M) and the Left Front government for betraying the interests of the peasantry and taking over land to hand over to the big capitalists. The setting up of a major automobile plant in Singur will provide a fillip to industrialisation. The compensation package for the landowners and the bargadars, the creation of new jobs and linkages in industries will provide lasting benefits to the people in that area.
In Nandigram, the picture has become clear on what has been happening there in the past few months. The violent struggle launched by a motley combination of the Trinamul-Jamaat-SUCI-Maoists has nothing to do with land. The state government had categorically declared that no land acquisition is going to take place for a chemical hub in Nandigram. It is a political struggle to oust the CPI(M) and finish off the Left’s presence in the area. The reality of class struggle in rural Bengal where the forces of reaction seek time and again to push back the Left and democratic forces is being seen in a microcosm in Nandigram just as it was seen in the Garbeta-Keshpur belt eight years ago. The CPI(M) and the Left Front will meet this challenge too and come out successful.
DEFEND LF GOVERNMENT
The concerted attack on the Left Front government using Singur and Nandigram is aimed at weakening and isolating the CPI(M) and the Left not only in West Bengal but all over the country. It is the existence of the Left Front government for the past three decades which has provided the ballast for the Left movement in the country. If the country has withstood the onslaught of communalism in the last two decades, a major contribution has been due to the existence of the Left Front government of West Bengal which has a sterling record in defence of secularism. West Bengal witnessed the horrors of partition. Communal forces both Hindu and Muslim were active at the time of independence. But the dominance of the Left and the existence of a government staunchly committed to preserving communal harmony saw the state of eighty million people being free of communal violence for three decades. This has been a beacon for all the anti-communal and secular forces.
If divisive caste politics has not entered West Bengal, it is due to the class-consciousness developed by the Left Front and its government.
If the struggle for a federal system and the rights of states vis a vis an over-centralised system exists today, it is also because of the endeavours of the Left Front government. Finally, in the struggle against the neo-liberal policies and for pro-people measures, it is the strength of the Left in West Bengal that gives the weight to the all India struggle. In every movement in the interests of the working people, in every general strike and all India protests, it is the democratic movement in West Bengal that has lent its strength to the all India movement.
The Left Front government as it enters its fourth decade in office requires the support and solidarity of all democratic and progressive forces in the country. The three decades of Left Front rule is an outstanding testimony to the vital role of the Left and its indispensable relevance for building an alternative to bourgeois-landlord rule. Defending the Left Front government is imperative for all those who cherish democratic values and wish to see a Left and democratic alternative in the country.
From People's Democracy

Globalisation and the Cultural Politics of Educational Change: The Controversy over Teaching of English in West Bengal
Author: Scrase T.J.1
Source: International Review of Education / Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft / Revue internationale de l'éducation, Volume 48, Number 5, September 2002 , pp. 361-375(15)
Publisher: Springer
Abstract:
(Globalisation and the Cultural Politics of Educational Change: The Controversy over the Teaching of English in West Bengal) – This article deals with the articulation of educational policy, cultural politics, and social class in the era of globalization. It analyses the policy of the Government of West Bengal to remove the teaching of English from the primary school syllabus in the state in the early 1980s and its subsequent reintroduction from the beginning of the school year in 2000. The author argues that English is a crucial component of the middle classes' cultural capital and is essential to their future employment success, especially in a globalising work environment. This is supported by interviews conducted during 1998/1999 with middle-class Bengalis. For governments of postcolonial, developing societies, this dispute highlights an essential dichotomy between, on the one hand, the ideal of broad-based educational policies and, on the other hand, the need to prepare children for employment at home and abroad in the context of globalisation.
Language: English
Document Type: Research article
Affiliations: 1: Sociology Program, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. E-mail: tims@vow.edu.au
Links for this article
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/klu/revi/2002/00000048/00000005/05099089
http://openurl.ingenta.com/content?genre=article&issn=0020-8566&volume=48&issue=5&spage=361&epage=375
Bengal mulls pro-farmer industrial policy
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata August 04, 2008, 0:54 IST
Taking lessons from Singur and Nandigram, the West Bengal government is trying to minimise use of agricultural land for setting up industry and is in the process of formulating an appropriate compensation and rehabilitation policy in case of land acquisition.
The government has circulated a discussion paper to the ministers belonging to Left Front partners like CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP seeking their opinion for formulating a pro-farmer industrial policy.
The ministers have been asked to give their comment on the draft policy as early as possible, Front sources said.
State Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta had on Wednesday informed the state Assembly that the government was considering a change in its land acquisition policy for industrialisation purpose to protect farmers’ interest.
Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee had already discussed this with his cabinet colleagues, he said adding it would be the government’s endeavour to see that farmers’ interest was well protected in case of land acquisition.
The paper said, “To minimise usage of agricultural land for industrial use and to achieve a balanced and sustainable industrial growth, the state government was seeking to implement a policy for location of industries in a manner so as to maximise the use of uncultivable land, locate industries in backward areas and develop industrial clusters.”
The state government is conducting a field survey on the vested land available as per records and assessing its viability for industrial usage.
The government is also trying to use the land locked up in closed and sick industries while keeping in view the legal issues and other complications.
CPI state council secretary Manju Kumar Majumder said the paper circulated to the ministers was more or less alright and his party would give its response shortly.
Forward Bloc state general secretary Ashok Ghose, however, said that he could not say anything at this stage. “Whatever our party has to say, we will first give our views to the Left Front.”
In order to create a balanced and sustainable industrial growth and maximise the use of uncultivable land in the state, the government has planned to identify some parts of the state as industrial growth zones for setting up large manufacturing industries. The state government has proposed to create six growth zones, which included greater Kolkata, Damodar-Ajay industrial growth zone, East Midnapore, Haldia, Siligur-Japlaiguri and Kalyani, according to the paper.
In districts like Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, South and North Dinajpur and Cooch Behar, the paper proposes to develop industrial parks for small-scale industries, especially for food processing and agro-based industries and light engineering industries.
The assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Industries recently said that in selection of industrial sites emphasis and priority should be given to non-agricultural, barren, non-fertile continuous lands excluding the portion of village and locality.
People's Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
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Vol. XXIX
No. 14
April 03, 2005

Left Front Government In West Bengal
Jyoti Basu
ON the occasion of the 18th Party Congress of the CPI(M), I would like to highlight some of the important activities of the Left Front government in West Bengal.
Let us have a look at the past. The Congress party ruled West Bengal for 27 years. Our Party and some other Left and democratic parties were in opposition. Before 1952, the Communist Party had only two representatives in the West Bengal legislative assembly. Gradually, the strength of our Party grew as the communist movement gained momentum. We stood by the people when they agitated against the government on several issues. The Communist Party championed the rights of peasants, workers, employees of both government and non-government sectors, women, students, teachers, refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan, SC, ST and other economically backward people, the poor and the oppressed. The Congress government pursued anti-people policies and resorted to lathicharge and firing to suppress mass movements. The political opponents of the Congress government were subjected to oppression in various ways. Time and again, we suffered imprisonment without trial. The conscious people of West Bengal appreciated the role of the Communist Party in strengthening democratic movements.
After the split of the former party, the CPI(M) addressed itself to the task of intensifying mass movements. In 1967 and 1969, the Congress party was defeated in state assembly elections and two United Front governments with the CPI(M) as the major partner were formed. In those two elections, our Party won the largest number of seats among non-Congress parties, yet we conceded the post of chief minister to the Bangla Congress leader, Ajoy Mukherjee. But those two UF governments could not function for more than 22 months because of internal dissensions and conspiracies hatched against them by some reactionary political forces and vested interests. In the elections to the state assembly in 1971, the CPI(M) became the single largest party. In 1972, the Congress party formed the government in West Bengal through the rigged elections to the state assembly. After the elections, West Bengal passed through a dark phase of its history. Democratic rights of the people were severely curtailed and anarchy prevailed in all vital sectors of activity. Thousands of our comrades and supporters were injured and killed. Many others were put in jail without trial or on concocted charges. Our supporters and workers were evicted from their houses and driven out of their areas. Our offices were ransacked and destroyed. In fact, a one-party semi-fascist regime was forced on the people of West Bengal. In 1975, Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in India. During that period the agony of the people became intense.
The significant change in the political scenario came with the defeat of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha elections in 1977. Subsequently, the elections to the West Bengal assembly were held. The unity among most of the Left parties became a reality. The CPI, however, joined the Left Front later.
In the state assembly elections in 1977, the Left Front won a massive victory and the Congress party was routed. The first Left Front government was formed on June 21, 1977. After taking the oath of office as chief minister, I said that our government would not be run from the Writers’ Buildings alone; it would maintain a close touch with the representative organisations of the people. We laid emphasis on alleviating the hardship of the people by implementing public welfare schemes and programmes. We asserted that better governance and adequate relief would be provided to the people. Our government took prompt steps to ensure democratic rights and civil liberty to all sections of the community.
Since 1977 the Left Front government has been elected for six consecutive terms and has been endeavouring earnestly to accelerate the pace of development in West Bengal. Through the implementation of land reform measures and the introduction of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system the Left Front government has been able to achieve a major breakthrough in agriculture and allied sectors. West Bengal has created a new record in the vesting and distribution of surplus land. So far 15 lakh bargadars (sharecroppers) have been recorded. The rights of agricultural workers have been ensured. The administration has been decentralised down to the village level. Till March, 2004, the production of foodgrains reached 159.54 lakh tonnes from 89.77 lakh tonnes in 1977. The significant rise in the agricultural production and the growing purchasing power of the people living in villages indicate the progress of West Bengal in the rural sector. The requisite social base has been created for the rapid industrialisation of the state.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the state’s industrial sector had been plagued by serious difficulties because of the central government’s licensing policy and the freight equalisation scheme for coal, iron and steel. We strongly protested against those two polices. The government of India ultimately made policy changes on those two issues under both external and internal pressures. In September 1994, the state government issued a statement reiterating its industrial policy. The statement emphasised, “we are all for new technology and investment in selective spheres where they help our economy and which are of mutual interest. The goal of self-reliance, however, is as needed today as earlier. We have the state sector, the private sector and also the joint sector. All these have a role to play”.
After the reiteration, the industrial investment in the state started increasing. Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd. (HPL) was commissioned in April 2000. It may be recalled that the state government had to wait for 11 years to obtain the letter of intent from the government of India. HPL and its downstream industries have been effectively functioning for the last five years. At present, the number of downstream units of Haldia is 684. These units employ about 31,770 persons. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation PTA Plant at Haldia and other important industrial units have been operating with considerable success. It is worth mentioning that iron and steel, chemicals, leather and cement industries have been growing steadily in West Bengal. The recent spurt of industrial investment has raised new hopes among our people. I am sure that more modern industries will be set up in the state in the near future.
West Bengal has been making steady progress in sectors such as cottage and small-scale industries, fisheries, social forestry, education and culture. The percentage of literacy in the state increased from 57.70 in 1991 to 69.22 in 2001. New schools, colleges and universities have been set up. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences and the West Bengal University of Technology are recent additions to the field of higher education in the state. The number of engineering colleges in West Bengal has now increased to 52 from 10 in 1997. The state government run hospitals cater to the healthcare needs of more than 70 per cent of patients.
Steps are being taken to develop the infrastructure sector. Power situation in the state is now comfortable with the addition of installed capacity. So far as the rural electrification is concerned, the state government intends to bring all villages under electrification by 2006-2007. A number of bridges and flyovers have been built in the state. Efforts are going on to strengthen and expand the road network. New townships are coming up while facilities in the social sector are being augmented.
The construction of flyovers in Kolkata with Japanese cooperation in some of these projects, and the provision of other amenities have brought about a distinct improvement in the metropolis. Many other urban areas are also being provided with new facilities.

In West Bengal, the percentage of people living below the poverty line has now come down to 26 from 52 in 1978. Unemployment, which is very acute all over the country, is also a matter of major concern for us in West Bengal. For several years the Left Front government, despite its constraints, has been trying to tackle this problem by encouraging self-employment schemes and facilitating activities in the labour intensive medium and small-scale industries.


The sixth Left Front government has been placing emphasis on the rapid growth of information technology. At present, 210 IT units operate and employ about 24,000 IT professionals in the state. Many leading foreign and domestic companies such as IBM, Computer Associates, Wipro, TCS, Cognizant Technology and PWC have set up units in the state. The new town in Kolkata will be next IT hub after Bidhannagar (Salt Lake).


The expansion of the agri-business sector is a significant development. Five Agri Export Zones for five important crops have been set up. New food processing units are being established. Appropriate infrastructure is being developed.


It is a matter of comfort that some misgivings about the state government in certain quarters are being dispelled. So there are distinct possibilities of opening up further avenues of development. The state government is conscious that there is no room for complacence. It is constantly engaged in identifying its weakness and adopting corrective measures.


The people’s verdict went overwhelmingly in favour of the Left Front candidates in the successive elections to the urban local bodies and panchayats in the state. In the Lok Sabha elections, too, the front performed creditably in West Bengal.


West Bengal has been maintaining political stability and peace for the last 27 years. The democratic-minded people of the state with their strong commitment to national integration are determined to preserve communal harmony. I am confident that the Left Front government will continue to act according to its well-defined objectives and priorities.

Economic liberalisation, globalisation create hardship for farmers: study

ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted: Jul 07, 2008 at 2106 hrs IST
Updated: Jul 07, 2008 at 2106 hrs IST


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Economic liberalisation impacted by globalisation and the WTO has damaged the system of subsidies, price guarantees and food-aid that much of the population depended upon for their livelihood according to a study conducted by CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics and Environment (CITEE).

CUTS and CITEE, which conducted a study on globalisation and livelihood concerns in Rajasthan and West Bengal, particularly in relation to agriculture and textiles and clothing sectors noted that the economic growth promise of globalisation was not released. “Caught in a new situation about which they are not even aware, people do not know how to navigate their way around and whom to negotiate with to secure their livelihoods. It is therefore important to redesign the policies and institutions to address the genuine concerns of the people in a new reality,” it said.

It called for active state intervention for unlocking the benefits of globalisation. Adequate steps should also be taken to facilitate modernisation and development of better infrastructure, quality control, R&D, training and skill generation, innovation and marketing strategies, it said.

“The condition of the workers, in terms of basic labour standards like regularity of jobs, right to strike, minimum wages is being undermined. Therefore, enforcement of labour laws should be made effective,” said the CUTS-CITEE field survey, supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in India and Oxfam Novib-the Netherlands.

It also noted that women's participation in the decision-making was abysmally low and wherever present was usually for namesake only. The study criticised poor implementation of the Foreign Trade Policy at the grassroots level.

Liberalisation of the farm sector has caused significant changes in agricultural patterns across various districts of West Bengal and the factor primarily responsible was the competition not only from neighbouring countries but also from other regions of the country. In the Uttara Dinajpur district imported paddy resulted in lower prices for even high quality local paddy such as Tulaipanji. Farmers shifted to plantation of tea. Similarly in North, 24-paraganas district high quality paddy brought from outside West Bengal at cheaper prices affected the paddy cultivation in the district and farmers began switching over to mango plantation.

“Even in sectors such as tea and oranges in Darjeeling is getting affected due to competition from Sri Lanka and China as also from elsewhere in the country. Packaging and marketing of tea have greatly improved in South India and Assam and is posing a great challenge. The state support provided...

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/economic-liberalisation-globalisation-create-hardship-for-farmers-study/332130/
Human Development Report in West Bengal Raises Questions

Partha Ghosh

On 18 th May 2004 the West Bengal Chief Minister Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya released the First State Human Development Report, prepared by the UNDP along with the Union Planning Commission and the State Government. This report is eloquent about the impact of land reform and decentralization, while pointing out various “constraints” on human development. After 26 years of Left-Front rule, what is the Human Development picture in the State? The “successes” and “inadequacies” identified by this Report merit a closer look.

The Report claims to be an “impartial” one, but since it does not make clear its methodology of collecting data, nor its sources, it can be assumed that it relies largely on the data provided by the governmental institutions themselves – whether ministries or panchayats.

The report begins with a focus on the “two major public initiatives, which have characterised the state in the past 26 years: land reform and decentralisation”. The report hails both these initiatives for having unleashed productive forces in the rural economy and promoted equity in consumption. However, it fails to question whether this ‘land reform’ has really broken the semi-feudal remnants in rural Bengal, or whether this ‘radical’ reform has, instead, tightened the semi-feudal bondages (for example, ownership-less barga registration) in a new form? Or why 1.5 lacs acres of ceiling surplus land is still not distributed? But the report does identify increased landlessness in rural households as a disturbing phenomenon. It incorporates an NSS data that shows landless rural households in the State as having increased from 39.6% in 1987-88 to 49.8% in 2000.

The reasons for such an emerging trend is attributed to rising input costs for agriculture and stagnant crop prices. The HDR referred to a study sponsored by the State Institute of Panchayats and Rural Development that found on an average 13 per cent pattadars who had received land but had lost it by 2001. The Report also notes the trend of eviction of bargadars. These observations question the rosy claims of democratization of land relations in rural West Bengal.

On the question of ‘decentralisation’, i.e. Panchayat system, it is worth recalling the findings of other studies. One article published in 2002 notes that lower tiers of the panchayats have no say in the allocation of funds or implementation of projects, which are controlled mostly by the state government bureaucracy. Also that state government functionaries handle much more money than the amount that is directly handle by the panchayats.(Ghatak and Ghatak, EPW, January 5, 2002)

Admissions By The Report

After 26 years rule of a ‘Marxist’ government in the state of West Bengal, “gender discrimination has been an important feature of economic & social processes in West Bengal. It is most evident in economic variables and in literacy, and less evident in health”. And secondly, “the very low Income index” component of the GDI essentially reflects the “low work force participation of women in West Bengal”(below the national average). The Report says, “This in turn suggests a combination of greater restrictions on women’s economic agency as well as social lack of recognition of women’s unpaid work. Both of these suggest a major undercurrent of gender discrimination in society”. This gender discrimination is also confirmed by the fact that while joint pattas (land holding rights by husbands & wives) were distributed from the mid 1990s, it is only 10% of the total pattas distributed and when pattas in the name of women as single holders were given it is only 6% of the total.

The most pressing problem West Bengal is witnessing is the question of unemployment. Despite the ‘radical land reform’ and the wonderful ‘democratic’ decentralization, there is only 52.7% employment for males and only 11 to 34.8% for females. The Report notes a sharp decline (more than 5 %) in male main work force. Despite the Government’s boasts of large investments in West Bengal, it has failed to create any substantial increase in the regular employment, rather there is a substantial increase in male marginal work force. The report admits, “In urban West Bengal there is a substantial gender gap in wages … that most female employment in the urban areas is in low income occupations”. In Kolkata in 1996-97, 49.4% of the women workers earned less than Rs. 1000 per month, while the corresponding portion for male workers was only 11.4 percent. The sharp increase in marginal female workers (7.5 percentage points) may be a solace to the toiling women, but the monthly income they got and the hours they have to work to earn this income should be a shame to a ‘Marxist” government. More than 75% of female population and 50% of the male population are still unemployed. And the lion share of female employment is through “self-help groups” or through “non agricultural activities, such as dairy, livestock rearing & food processing”. The report thus admits, “nearly two-third of all women work is through self-employment”.

The report highlighted the achievements of the government in bringing down the birth rates and death rates in West Bengal. But the report failed to grasped the importance of counting the mortality and morbidity phenomena in correctly assessing the real stage of the public health delivery system. In these two accounts West Bengal’s performance is very dismal. Similarly there are still important differences in access to literacy and education, determined by gender, rural-urban residence, social category and income group. Children who have never been enrolled tend to be more concentrated among the lower income groups and the scheduled tribe and minority population.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has assured that he will act to correct the imbalances pointed out by the Report. The problem is, he intends to do this using the time-honoured Naidu-tactics of aid from World Bank, DFID and Asia Development Bank!
http://www.cpiml.org/liberation/year_2004/july/HDReportWestBengal.htm
Financial Bankruptcies Rock the US : Bombs and Communal Violence Rock India

even years after 9/11, fear of a different kind seems to have gripped the US. Riding on a spate of mega bankruptcies, a huge dark shadow has resurfaced in the US, reminding the whole world of the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s. When flagship American financial giants tumble like ninepins and the state has to bail out companies that claimed to ‘insure’ people against risks of every kind, it is not difficult to see why the fear of 1929 should once again spread like a contagion.
If the fear that pervades the American system appears familiar, no less so are the ways the system tries to overcome the fear and ‘reassure’ itself. Mega bankruptcies have triggered massive bailout packages, forcing the state to shelve its ‘free market’ doctrine and nationalise the huge losses left in its wake by the deflating financial bubble. The bankruptcies have exposed the bluff daily dished out by the proponents of privatisation who equate privatisation with efficiency, and the bailout packages have once again made it clear how capitalism cannot survive without heavy periodic doses of state intervention. Globalisation has made no difference to the classic capitalist principle of privatisation of profit and nationalisation of loss.
We must also remember the other classic fact about US imperialism. Every time the vulnerability of the American system gets exposed, the system responds with its tested and trusted policy of systematic economic and military aggression to export its crisis to other parts of the world. The excuses have ranged from ‘free trade’ and ‘development’ to ‘democracy’ and a ‘terror-free world’; but the pattern has been the same – a combination of war, hot and cold, and relentless economic expansion. Even as financial chaos spreads like wildfire in the US market, Venezuela and Bolivia are having to cope with renewed US-inspired coup attempts, the ‘war on terror’ has spilled over from Afghanistan into Pakistan and in Georgia the US is seeking a new base to encircle Russia and target Iran.
Any crisis faced by the US these days has a louder resonance in India too, for the Indian ruling classes have pushed the country into a tight strategic embrace with the crisis-ridden superpower. Every time Wall Street sneezes, Dalal Street in ‘aamchi Mumbai’ promptly catches the contagious cold. The Sensex takes a nosedive, wiping out billions of rupees in a few seconds even as prices of almost all essential commodities soar through the roof. The powers that be ask us to celebrate the crisis imported straight from America and promise redemption through an ever more comprehensive strategic partnership between New Delhi and Washington. And even as the US continually twists our arms over the nuclear deal, bombs explode at regular intervals all over urban India to warn us that we are fast turning into a typical outpost of the US ‘empire of terror’.
If the neo-liberal economic policies exposed the entire Indian economy to systematic American penetration, the nuclear deal and the ‘war on terror’ now threaten to invite increasing American ‘involvement’ in India’s domestic affairs. Meanwhile, in the wake of the recent blasts in Delhi, the BJP has renewed its clamour for re-enactment of POTA and the Congress, while ruling out the return of POTA, has promised tougher anti-terror laws. Beyond the domain of legislation, the competitive anti-terrorist rhetoric of the Congress and the BJP continues to fuel anti-Muslim prejudices across the country. The Sangh brigade is using this environment to the hilt to refuel its communal fascist agenda and anti-minority campaign. The Sangh’s campaign of anti-Chirstian violence has already spread from Orissa to Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, and in UP, Sangh outfits are working overtime to whip up anti-Muslim communal frenzy. They are even physically preventing lawyers in UP from taking up cases of Muslims who have been charged with perpetrating or abetting any terrorist activity.

In the name of tackling terrorism, the US has imposed a global war on the world. Similarly, in India, the Sangh brigade has been using anti-terrorist rhetoric to intensify its campaign of communal fascist violence. Nothing could pose a bigger threat to India than a combination or convergence of these two ominous trends under the patronage of the state and the ruling classes.
http://www.cpiml.org/liberation/year_2008/october/editorial.html
Religion and Revolt: Bengal under the Raj
Magazine article by Peter Heehs; History Today, Vol. 43, January 1993

Magazine Article Excerpt
Religion and revolt: Bengal under the Raj


by Peter Heehs


Peter Heehs describes how Hindu revivalism stiffened resistance to colonial rule in British India.

Since the Enlightenment the role played by religion in the political and military life of Europe has been comparatively minor. Even where religious labels are used, as in Ulster, the issues remain basically secular. But in Asia religion is still the major actuating force it has been for centuries, defining conflicts and movements in the Middle East, Iran, and parts of the Indian subcontinent.

The Republic of India is officially secular, its founding fathers having been careful to preserve this part of its British heritage. But even during the Raj, religion was recognised as an inevitable part of the Indian political landscape, and so it remains today. It is not surprising therefore that when Indians revolted against British rule at the turn of the century, religious issues became involved in a movement that was essentially nationalistic in character.

Active opposition to British rule in India may best be dated from the Partition of Bengal in 1905. It was at this time that tepid political protest first changed to aggressive boycott and, within two...
http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=JXLFw1svDjhgGP1yVPqYHnJ25jP2FPG23Wyz1s1rBz8rtpVkzPcR!-1401668839?docId=5000152388

History of Kolkata - The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance: Encyclopedia II - History of Kolkata - Growth
The centre of Company control over the whole of Bengal from 1757, Calcutta underwent rapid industrial growth from the 1850s, especially in the textile sector, despite the poverty of the surrounding region. Despite being almost totally destroyed by a cyclone, in which 60,000 died, on 5 October 1864, Calcutta grew, mostly in an unplanned way, in the next 150 years from 117,000 to 1,098,000 inhabitants (including suburbs), and now has a metropoli ...

History of Kolkata - The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance: Encyclopedia II - History of Kolkata - Contribution to the independence movement of India
Historically, Calcutta was the epicentre of activity in the early stages of the national movement of independence. Exactly a hundred years after the fall of Bengal in the Battle of Palashi, Calcutta saw the beginning of what is often called the First Independence Movement of India. It should be noted here that it is also just as often not referred to as a War Of Independence, and as one historian put it, "The so called First National War of Independence was neither First, nor National, nor a War of Independence". In the suburbs of Calcutta, ...

History of Kolkata - The Baboo/Babu Culture and the Bengal Renaissance: Encyclopedia II - History of Kolkata - Name and origins
The rent-roll of Akbar, a sixteenth-century Mughal emperor, and the work of a Bengali poet, Bipradaas, of the late fifteenth century, both make mention of the city's early name being Kolikata, from which Kolkata/Calcutta are said to derive (1). There is lot of discussion on how the city got its name. There are different views on the issue. The more popular one is that the city got its name from the Hindu goddess ...
http://www.experiencefestival.com/history_of_kolkata_-_the_baboobabu_culture_and_the_bengal_renaissance

1 year ago
Nandigram - a bridge too far
Nandigram -, Feb 9 - Roads dug up like trenches and strewn with logs. Militant villagers belching a war cry for every inch of their land. A new anti-communist lexicon of choicest invectives. Welcome to the 'police-free republic of Nandigram'.Nandigram is neither Kashmir nor the insurgency-haunted northeast. The situation is worse in Nandigram today because the Indian police cannot even cross the L ... read more

Kolkata | 1 year ago
Brand Buddha up against farmers, allies in Bengal
Kolkata, Jan 4 - If the violence sparked by a mere rumour of land acquisition at Nandigram is any sign, this could well be the start of a farmers' movement in West Bengal against a reformist chief minister whose communist coalition won successive elections on the plank of agrarian reforms.If at Singur the Left Front was fighting the Trinamool Congress, at Nandigram in East Midnapore, about 150 km ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Brand Buddha faces stiff challenge from communist hawks
Kolkata, May 29 - Buddhadeb proposes, a dinosaur called communist party disposes.That was the week that was, with Brand Buddha challenged by party doctrines and their hardline proponents, despite a great beginning by Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in his second innings as West Bengal chief minister.First came the bounty and then the brickbats, and the process of reining in a Buddha unbound.Bhattacharya be ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Brand Buddha faces stiff challenge from CPI-M hawks
Kolkata, May 29 - Buddhadeb proposes, a dinosaur called communist party disposes.That was the week that was, with Brand Buddha challenged by party doctrines and their hardline proponents, despite a great beginning by Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in his second innings as the West Bengal chief minister. First came the bounty and then the brickbats, and the process of reining in a Buddha unbound. Bhattacha ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Buddhadeb gets flak from colleagues over Tata deal
Kolkata, May 26 - West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya faced flak from his colleagues, including his predecessor Jyoti Basu, for not educating the party cadre over the deal with Tata Motors to build a small car here.There was more trouble for the reformist chief minister as state Communist Party of India-Marxist - secretary Biman Bose blasted the media for projecting Bhattacharya as a ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Basu raps Buddhadeb over Tata land fiasco
Kolkata, May 26 - West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya came in for bitter criticism Friday from his predecessor Jyoti Basu who rapped the government over the Tata Motors land recee fiasco.There was also more trouble for the reformist chief minister as state Communist Party of India-Marxist - secretary Biman Bose blasted the media for projecting Bhattacharya as a brand. 'What has happe ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Buddhadeb takes over in West Bengal again, Basu shadow on cabinet
Kolkata, May 18 - Modern communism's poster boy Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was Thursday sworn in as head of the seventh Left Front government in West Bengal even as his predecessor cast a distinct shadow on the reformist chief minister's new cabinet.Brand Buddha may have been the buzzword for young voters and investors, leading to a landslide mandate for the Communist Party of India-Marxist --led coal ... read more

Kolkata | 2 years ago
Tata, Salim group promise more investment in Bengal
Kolkata, May 17 - It has been barely a week since he got the thumping mandate for his investor-friendly posturing, and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has reasons to smile again as he rides all the way on a Tata payloader to the Salim food park.Two days before his high-profile swearing-in ceremony in the presence of corporate bigwigs, Tata Motors has offered more than what perhap ... read more

Buddhadeb takes oath again as chief minister of West Bengal
IANS
Published: May 19, 2006, 00:00


Kolkata: Modern communism's poster boy Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was yesterday sworn in as head of the seventh Left Front government in West Bengal even as his predecessor cast a distinct shadow on the reformist chief minister's new Cabinet.

"Brand Buddha" may have been the buzzword for young voters and investors, leading to a landslide mandate for the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM)-led coalition, but in choosing the council of ministers it was former chief minister Jyoti Basu who seems to have prevailed.

Despite his desire for a slim and efficient government with mostly new blood, Bhattacharya was burdened with a 44-member team in which the portfolios of finance, transport and health were retained by the previous ministers despite their mediocre performance.

The new government has 33 Cabinet ministers and 11 ministers of state. Hashim Abdul Halim will again preside over the new assembly as speaker.

Basu, who sat through the swearing in ceremony at Raj Bhavan yesterday, evidently had the last laugh with the induction of names like Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty who does not have a good rapport with Bhattacharya.

But Bhattacharya did manage to bring in 16 new faces and change his IT and higher education ministers.

Among them, the most prominent is Jadavpur University teacher and electronics engineer Debesh Das, a first time legislator, who has been given the charge of IT, a key department for the industry-friendly chief minister.

The chief minister has kept with himself portfolios like home, information and cultural affairs, hill affairs, science and technology, development and planning, minorities development and welfare, horticulture, and personnel and administrative reforms.

Industry Minister Nirupam Sen, who is the second in command in the government and a trusted lieutenant of Bhattacharya in implementing his industrial policies, has retained his portfolio.

The prominent CPM ministers whose portfolios have been changed include Manab Mukherjee and Jogesh Burman who lost the IT and forest departments respectively. Some of the other new faces are Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury (higher education), Partha De (school education), Tapan Roy (mass education and library), Rekha Goswami (self-help) and Rabilal Maitra (law).

Bhattacharya had long been planning a change in the ministry of education, a sector where he admits to a mediocre performance by previous Left Front governments. However, two other important ministries health and finance have remained with the previous ministers, Surya Kanta Mishra and Asim Dasgupta respectively, belying speculation that the axe would fall on them.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/indiaelection/bengal/10040932.html


Globalisation plays havoc and it has created Killingfields on every piece of land available on this Galaxy.
What is the scenerio in India, you may feel. just read Deepa Jainanee, one of our dear friends in Indian express:

UP lures farmers with market-driven farming
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Deepa Jainani
Posted: Nov 09, 2008 at 0319 hrs IST

At a time when chief ministers of various states are busy wooing corporates, Uttar Pradesh has identified a very different community to lure. For a state whose economy is predominantly agrarian and performance of agriculture and allied activities have always been critical in determining the growth rate of the state, the Uttar Pradesh State Agricultural Marketing Board (Mandi Parishad) is going all out to change the mindset of farmers from ‘sustenance farming’ to ‘market-driven farming’ so that returns are maximised and farming becomes a more remunerative and attractive occupation.
To implement this seemingly difficult task, the Mandi Parishad will be signing an MoU with premeier B-school Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and its 2007 topper Kaushlendra Prasad, on Monday. According to the plan, which will kick-start in Lucknow on a pilot basis, consumer behaviour will first be studied and a daily survey to evaluate the demand of different leafy and non-leafy vegetables and fruits all over the city will be carried out.

Based on the findings, the IIM-A team will provide technical knowhow and other support system to establish backward linkages. A cluster of about 40 villages on the periphery of the city would be established and farmers would then be asked to grow specific vegetables and fruits as per the everyday demand of the city and would also fix the remunerative prices of the farmers.

These farm fresh veggies would then be perched on a 60 cubic feet hi-tech air-conditioned pushcart, made of fibre and replete with a digital weigh machine, and hawked all over the city by vendors. For this too, the team will rope in roadside vendors who are already selling vegetables and fruits, so that no one’s livelihood is put at stake. The end result that is being targetted is a win-win situation not only for the farmer, who will pluck out only that much perishables as is needed by the city everyday, but would also mean that consumers get fresh produce that would be digitally weighed and at the right price.

Kaushalendra, with the aid of his mentor PK Sinha, chairman of Centre of Retailing, IIM-A, has already started the venture in his hometown Nalanda and Patna in Bihar, under the brand name Samriddhi. He has established direct links with the 500-odd farmers as well as vendors to run his project successfully in less than a year. Moreover, the pushcart vendor would give buyers a cash-memo which no other vegetable seller does, as further authentication of the quality and quantity of the vegetables. Says Kaushalendra, “We would not only be selling vegetables, but also the name of the farmer and the village where it has been grown. The farmer should not remain an unsung hero any more.”.

The Mandi Parishad, on its part, will provide logistic support and forward linkages like branding and marketing. “We are trying to work out a partnership, wherein everyone will be in a win-win situation: the farmer, the vendor and even the customer,” says Rajesh Kumar Singh, director Mandi Parishad, adding, “We want the farmers to benefit, even if marginally.”

And then there are bigger plans too. “We want our vegetables to reach the highly competitive markets of Europe, US and UK, so that our farmers fetch good returns for their produce. In five years, we target to penetrate the vegetable markets in the US, Europe and Japan,’’ says an elated Kaushalendra.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/UP-lures-farmers-with-marketdriven-farming/383268/
Sourav Ganguly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourav_Ganguly
Early life
The youngest son of Chandidas and Nirupa Ganguly, Ganguly was born on 8 July 1972 in Kolkata.[7] His father ran a flourishing print business and was one of the richest men in Kolkata.[8] He had a luxurious childhood and was nicknamed the Maharaja.[9] Though he was asked to concentrate on his studies and not to play cricket, he was inspired to do so by his brother Snehasish Ganguly,[10] an accomplished left-handed batsman for Bengal.[8] Though he was acutally right-handed, he batted left-handed so that he could use his brother's equipment.[10] After he showed some promise as a batsman, he was enrolled in a cricket academy.[10] An indoor multi-gym and concrete wicket was built at home for him and his brother, and he would often watch cricket videos, especially those of David Gower, whom he admired.[8] After he scored a century against the Orissa U-15 side,[10] he was made captain of St Xavier's School's cricket team,[9] where several of his teammates complained against his arrogance.[11]


International career

An innings-by-innings breakdown of Ganguly's Test match batting career, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line).
Debut and early career
Following a prolific Ranji season in 1990-91,[12] Ganguly made his One Day International debut for India against West Indies in 1992,[7] and scored three runs.[13] He was dropped immediately since he was perceived to be "arrogant" and his attitude towards the game was openly questioned.[14] He toiled away in domestic cricket, scoring heavily in the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons[15][16] Following an innings of 171 in the 1995&ndas;96 Duleep Trophy,[17] he was recalled to the national side for the tour of England in 1996 amidst intense media scrutiny.[14] He played in one ODI,[18] but was omitted from the team for the first Test. However, after Navjot Sidhu left the touring party citing ill-treatment by the then captain Mohammed Azharuddin,[19] made his Test debut at Lord's alongside Rahul Dravid, in what was umpire Dickie Bird's last Test.[20] He scored a century, becoming only the third cricketer to score a century on debut at Lord's, after Harry Graham and John Hampshire. Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior have since accomplished this feat, but his 131 still remains the highest by any batsman on his debut at Lord's.[21] In the next Test match at Trent Bridge he made 136, thus becoming only the 3rd batsman to make a century in each of his first two innings (after Lawrence Rowe and Alvin Kallicharran). He shared a 255 run stand with Sachin Tendulkar, which became at that time the highest partnership for India against any country for any wicket outside India.[22]


Opening in ODIs
In 1997 Ganguly scored his maiden ODI century, opening the innings he scored 113, in his side's 238, against Sri Lanka. Later that year he won four consecutive man of the match awards in the Sahara Cup with Pakistan, the second of these was won after he took 5/16 off 10 overs, his best bowling in an ODI. After a barren run in Test cricket his form returned at the end of the year with three centuries in four Tests all against Sri Lanka two of these involved stands with Sachin Tendulkar of over 250.[citation needed]

In January 1998, in the final of the Independence Cup at Dhaka, against Pakistan, he scored 124 as India successfully chased down 315 off 48 overs, winning the Man of the match award. In March 1998 he was part of the India team that defeated Australia, his biggest impact came in Calcutta as he took three wickets having opened the bowling with his medium pace.[citation needed]

In the 1999 World Cup Ganguly scored 183 against Sri Lanka at Taunton, Somerset in England. The innings took 158 balls and included 17 fours and 7 sixes. It is the second highest in World Cup history and the highest by an Indian in the tournament. His partnership of 318 with Rahul Dravid is the highest ever in the World Cup and is the second highest in all ODI cricket.[citation needed]

In 1999/00 India lost Test series to both Australia and South Africa in the five Tests. Ganguly struggled scoring 224 runs at 22.40, however his ODI form was impressive, with five centuries over the season taking him to the top of the One Day Ratings for batsmen.[23]


Ascension to captaincy
In 2000, after the match fixing scandal, Ganguly was named the captain of the India team. In the Champions Trophy of that year he scored 2 centuries but his second in the final was in vain as New Zealand won by four wickets. In 2003 under his captaincy India reached the World Cup Final, where they lost to the Australians.

While he has achieved significant success as captain, his individual performance deteriorated during his captaincy, especially after successes in the World Cup, the tour of Australia in 2003 and the Pakistan series in 2004. Following indifferent form in 2004 and poor form in 2005, he was dropped from the team in October 2005. He remained active on the first-class cricket scene in hopes of a recall, but his performance was a mixed bag - he hit a couple of centuries in domestic cricket, but his English county stint in 2005 and subsequent appearances in the Challenger Trophy were failures.[citation needed]

Having been nominated and rejected in 2001 when the game suffered a tarnished reputation due to match fixing scadals,[24] Ganguly was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004, one of India's highest awards.[25]

In his tenure between 2000 and 2005, Ganguly became India's most successful Test captain. He led his team to victory on 21 occasions – 7 more times than Mohammad Azharuddin with the second most wins – and led them for a record 49 matches – twice more than both Azharuddin and Sunil Gavaskar.[26] Compared to his batting average of 45.47 when not captain,[27] Ganguly's Test batting aerage as captain was a lower 37.66.[28] The pressure of captaincy detracting from Ganguly's batting is also reflected in his ODI batting averages: 38.66 as captain compared to 43.16 when playing as a specialist batsman.[29][30] In ODIs, he captained India 146 , emerging victorious on 76 occasions, second only to Azhuraddin in both number of wins and number of matches as captain.


Comeback
Following India's poor batting display in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006[31] and the ODI series in South Africa, in which they were whitewashed 4-0,[32] Ganguly made his comeback to the Test team.[33] Wasim Jaffer, Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble had earlier been selected for the one-day squad,[34] in what was seen as an indictment of coach Greg Chappell's youth-first policy.[35] Coming in at 37/4, he scored 83 in a tour match against the Rest of South Africa, modifying his original batting style and taking a middle-stump guard,[36] an innings that set up a victory for India.[37] In his first Test innings since his comeback, against South Africa in Johannesburg, he scored 51 in a low scoring game, an innings that helped India win a Test match in South Africa for the first time.[38] Though India went on to lose the series, he topped the run scroing charts for his side.[39]

After his successful Test comeback he was recalled for the ODI team, as India played host to West Indies[40] and Sri Lanka[41] in back to back ODI tournaments. In his first ODI innings in almost 2 years,[42] he scored a matchwinning 98.[43] He performed creditably in both series, averaging almost 70[44] and won the Man of the Series Award against Sri Lanka.[45]


2007 World Cup and aftermath
Following his good performance, Ganguly was named in the squad for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. He was the leading scorer for India in their first round defeat against Bangladesh.[46] After India were knocked out of the tournament in the group stage, there were reports of a rift between certain members of the Indian team and their coach Greg Chappell. Ganguly, allegedly, ignored instructions from the team management to score quickly.[47] After Sachin Tendulkar issued a statement saying that what hurt the team most was that "the coach has questioned our attitude", Chappell decided not to renew his contract with the Indian team.[48]

On 12 December 2007, Ganguly scored his maiden double century of his career while playing against Pakistan in the first innings of the third and final Test match of the series. He was involved in a 300 run partnership for the 5th wicket along with Yuvraj Singh - a much needed partnership that saved India which was struggling at 61 for the fall of four wickets. He later went on to score 239 before being dismissed by Danish Kaneria.

On 18 April 2008, Ganguly led the Kolkata Knight Riders team owned by Shah Rukh Khan in the IPL Twenty20 cricket match to a 140 run victory over Bangalore Royal Challengers led by Rahul Dravid and owned by Vijay Mallya. Ganguly opened the innings with Brendan McCullum and scored 10 runs while his partner Brendan McCullum remained unbeaten blasting his way to a record 158* runs in 73 balls. On 1 May in a game between the Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals, Ganguly made his highest score of the season and his second T20 half century, scoring 51 runs off of 39 balls at a strike rate of 130.76. In his innings, Ganguly hit four 4s and two sixes, topping the scorers list for the Knight Riders.

Ganguly has been prolific in both Test and ODI cricket in the year 2007. He scored 1106 Test runs at an average of 61.44 (with three centuries and four fifties) in 2007 to become the second highest run-scorer in Test matches of that year[49] after Jacques Kallis. He is the fifth highest rungetter in 2007 in ODIs,[50] where he scored 1240 runs at 44.28.


Retirement from International Cricket
On October 7th 2008, Ganguly announced that the Test series against Australia starting in October 2008 would be his last[51] and stated "to be honest, I didn't expect to be picked for this series." In his last innings, he was dismissed for duck off just one ball.


Playing Style
Sourav Ganguly is a left-handed batsman whose runs come primarily from the off-side. Throughout his career, he has played off-side shots such as the square cut, square drive and cover drive with elegance and complete command. Early in his career he was not comfortable with the hook and pull, often giving his wicket away with mistiming such shots. He was also criticized for having difficulty in handling short pitched balls and bouncers, notoriously exploited by the Australians and South Africans. However, after his comeback in 2007, he has worked upon these weaknesses to a large extent. He can hit powerful shots to the off-side on front and back foot with equal ease.

In One Day Internationals, where he usually opens the innings, he tries to take the advantage of fielding restrictions by advancing down the pitch and hitting pace bowlers over extra cover and mid-off. He is also notorious for attacking left arm spin bowlers. Due to excellent hand-eye coordination, he picks the length of the ball early, comes down the pitch and hits the ball aerially over mid-on or midwicket, often for a six. However, he has a weakness in running between the wickets and judging quick singles. There have been many instances where Ganguly's batting partner has been run out due to Ganguly's calling for a run, and then sending him back while halfway down the pitch.

Ganguly is a right arm medium pace bowler. He can swing and seam the ball both ways and often chips in with useful wickets to break partnerships. Despite not being very athletic as a fielder, Ganguly has taken 100 catches in one-day Internationals.





Controversies

County Cricket
Ganguly's County cricket career in England was not a success. In "The Wisden Cricketer" [3] it was described as follows: "The imperious Indian - dubbed 'Lord Snooty' - deigned to represent Lancashire in 2000. At the crease it was sometimes uncertain whether his partner was a batsman or a batman being dispatched to take his discarded sweater to the pavilion or carry his kit bag. But mutiny was afoot among the lower orders. In one match Ganguly, after reaching his fifty, raised his bat to the home balcony, only to find it deserted. He did not inspire at Glamorgan or Northamptonshire either. At the latter in 2006 he averaged 4.80 from his four first-class appearances."


The Chappell - Ganguly controversy
Main article: Chappell Ganguly controversy
His dispute with then-coach Greg Chappell resulted in many headlines during 2005 and early 2006. Greg Chappell emailed the BCCI stating that Ganguly was unfit to lead India and that his "divide and rule" behaviour was damaging the team. This email was leaked to the media and resulted in huge backlash from Ganguly's fans. Eventually due to his poor form and differences with the coach he was stripped of his captaincy and dropped from the team. However, 10 months later, during India's tour to South Africa, Ganguly was recalled after his middle order replacements Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif suffered poor form.


Shirt take-off at Lords

The shirt that Ganguly took off during the celebrative mood after his team's extraordinary win in the Natwest Series FinalDuring the final match of the 2002 Natwest Trophy held in Lords after a stunning performance by team mates Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, Sourav Ganguly took off his shirt in public and brandished it in the air to celebrate India's winning of the match. He was later strongly condemned for tarnishing the gentleman's game image of cricket and disrespecting Lords protocol. Ganguly said that he was only mimicking an act performed by the English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff during a tour of India.


Other controversies
Ganguly is an aggressive player and has often attracted controversy. He has attracted the wrath of match referrees quite a few times, the most severe of which was a ban for 6 matches by ICC match referee Clive Lloyd for slow over rates against Pakistan and therefore his tour to Sri Lanka for the Indian Oil Cup 2005 was uncertain. These circumstances led to Rahul Dravid being made captain for the tour. Later, Justice Albey Sachs reduced the punishment from 6 matches to 4, and this permitted Ganguly to join the team, but as a player and not captain. In his opening match he made the highest score of the side (51 off 110 balls).[4] He was again named captain for the Zimbabwe tour of August-September 2005. With this, he has captained India in the highest number of Tests (49).

During the 2003 World Cup final against Australia, Ganguly won the toss and decided to field. This decision raised eyebrows but Sourav remained confident that there would be moisture on the pitch that would help his bowlers; however the bowlers flopped and Sourav performed poorly with the bat. India went on to lose by 125 runs, a staggering defeat.

Ganguly's performance in the last couple of seasons after that were extremely poor. This put his place in the Indian team under pressure. In the tour of Zimbabwe, in which he was newly reinstated as skipper, Ganguly ground out a painfully slow century, against what is regarded as one of the weakest bowling attacks in international cricket. During the match he told reporters that newly-appointed coach Greg Chappell had asked him to stand down as captain — a comment which Chappell later played down. However, forty-eight hours after saying that he respected the Indian captain and looked forward to working with him in the future, Chappell sent an email to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Both Ganguly and Chappell were summoned to a BCCI board meeting in which they agreed to work together for the good of the team. Rahul Dravid was appointed captain for the series against Sri Lanka and South Africa after Ganguly was not selected for the opening games due to injury. When the two series were over, Rahul Dravid was asked to continue as skipper.

On 22 November 2005, Ganguly stepped down as captain of Bengal cricket team after being replaced as captain of the India Test team. He played in the first two Test matches in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka. However, on 14 December he was controversially dropped for the third Test at Ahmedabad, to make way for Wasim Jaffer, an opening batsman for Mumbai. Jaffer was picked by the selectors as they wished to build up a player selection pool with sufficient experience to succeed at international level. Despite this, in December 2005 he retained his A-grade contract from the BCCI.

Following the drop, fans blocked roads and railway tracks in Kolkata, burning effigies of chief selector Kiran More and Indian coach Chappell, and the urban development minister of West Bengal, Asoke Bhattacharya, said Ganguly was a victim of the internal politics of the BCCI.[52] Cricinfo editor Sambit Bal wrote in a commentary that this was "in all probability ... the end of the road for him."[53] However, it was announced on 25 December 2005 that he was selected as part of the Indian team to tour Pakistan. Kiran More cited his experience as the key reason, with Mohammed Kaif being dropped.[54] He was in the playing XI in the Lahore and Karachi Tests, but was dropped for the Faisalabad match. He was unable to play in the England home series and the West Indies tour. He was also not selected for the following tri-series in Sri Lanka. However, he was chosen amongst 30 probables for the ICC Champions Trophy after being left out in the dark for almost close to a year. Ganguly failed in the Challenger Trophy, however, managing less than 30 runs in two games, and so the chances of recall to the ODI side look bleak.

Ganguly later sent an email hitting out at his one time mentor saying that Jagmohan Dalmiya did not deserve to become CAB president as he had played with his career and that Ganguly was a victim of internal politics within the BCCI. This was in the backdrop of the CAB elections which Jagmohan Dalmiya won.


Records
Ganguly is the seventh Indian cricketer to have played 100 Test matches.[55] He is currently the 4th highest overall run scorer for India in Tests.[56] He is the fourth Indian to have played in more than 300 One Day Internationals.[57] In terms of overall runs scored in ODIs, Ganguly is the second among Indians after Sachin Tendulkar (who has the highest ODI runs in the world) and the fourth in the world.[58] Ganguly has scored 16 centuries in Test matches and 22 in ODIs. He is one of only seven batsmen to score more than 10,000 runs in ODIs.[59] Ganguly has 22 centuries in ODIs, in terms of number of centuries in ODIs, he is only behind[60] Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya and Ricky Ponting. Sourav, along with Sachin Tendulkar, formed by far the most successful opening pair in One Day Cricket, having amassed the highest number of century partnerships (26) for the first wicket. Together, they have scored more than 7000 runs at an average of 48.98, now with Sachin he is a world record holder for creating most no. of 50 run partnership in the first wicket(44 fifties).[61]

Ganguly is the fourth player to cross 11,000 ODI runs and third player to cross 10,000 ODI runs and so far the fastest in ODI history, after Sachin Tendulkar. He also reached 6000, 7000, 8000 and 9000 ODI runs milestones in the fewest number of matches. Sourav can bowl medium-pacers as well, taking 31 wickets in 99 matches, at an average of 52.47. As of 2006, he is the only Indian captain to win a Test series in Pakistan (although two of the three Tests of that series was led by Rahul Dravid). He is also one of the 3 players in the world to achieve amazing treble of 10,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches in ODI cricket history, the others being Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.


Test
Captained India in a record 49 Test matches[62]
Led India to a record 21 Test wins[63]
His Test average has never been less than 40.[64]

ODIs
Hold the record of most 200+ ODI partnerships (6 times) along with Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.
Holds the record, shared with Sachin Tendulkar, for most 1st wicket ODI partnerships of 175+ runs (7 times).
Holds the record, shared with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for the second highest score by an Indian cricketer in an ODI — 183, against Sri Lanka in 1999.
Held the record, shared with Sachin Tendulkar, for the highest first wicket partnership for India in an ODI match, 258, against Kenya in 2001. This record was bettered by Sri Lankan opening pair of Jayasuriya and Tharanga in 2006 at Headingley.
Was involved in the first 300 run ODI partnership with Rahul Dravid.
Sixth on the all time list with 31 man of the match awards.
He is also the only player to win 4 consecutive man of the match awards in ODIs.
India's most successful ODI captain.
First Indian to score an ODI century against Australia in Australia.
Highest ODI runs scorer in the world (in a calendar year) in 1997,1999,2000.
Third in the list of hitting maximum number of sixes in ODIs.
Second in the list of highest number of centuries in a single calendar year ever. 7 centuries in 2000.

Man of the Series awards

3 Awards in Test cricket
# Series Season Series Performance
1 India in England Test series 1996 315 runs (2 matches, 3 innings, 2x100); 37.5-4-125-6
2 Sri Lanka in India Test series 1997/98 392 Runs (3 Matches, 4 Innings, 2x100, 1x50); 7-4-19-0
3 Pakistan in India Test series 2007 534 runs (3 matches, 6 innings, 1x200, 1x50); 37-10-77-4


7 Awards in ODI cricket
# Series (Opponents) Season Series performance
1 Sahara Friendship Series (Pakistan v/s India in Toronto) 1997 222 runs (5 matches & 5 innings, 2x50); 48.5-8-160-15 (1x5 wicket); 3 catches
2 Pepsi Cup (Pakistan, Sri Lanka) 1998/99 278 runs (5 innings, 1x100, 2x50); 20-0-101-6; 2 catches
3 DMC Cup (West Indies v/s India in Toronto) 1999 89 runs (3 innings, 1x50); 10-1-53-3; 1 catch
4 New Zealand in India ODI tour 1999/00 301 runs (5 innings, 1x100, 1x50); 18-3-95-2; 1 catch
5 Zimbabwe in India ODI tour 2000/01 264 Runs (4 innings, 1x100, 1x50); 12-1-51-5 (1x5 wicket)
6 India in West Indies ODI tour 2002 136 runs (3 innings, 1x50); 3-0-20-0; 2 catches
7 Sri Lanka in India ODI tour 2006/07 168 runs (3 innings, 2x50); 8-0-43-1; 2 catches


Man of the Match awards

6 awards in Test cricket
S No Opponent Venue Season Match Performance
1 England Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1996 1st innings: 136 (17x4, 2x6); 19.5-2.71-3
2nd innings: 48 (8x4)
2 Sri Lanka Wankhede, Mumbai 1997/98 1st innings: 173 (25x4, 2x6); 3-0-19-0
2nd innings: 11 (1x4)
3 Sri Lanka Asgiriya, Kandy 2001 1st innings: 18 (2x4); 17-5-69-2
2nd innings: 98* (15x4); 10-4-21-0
4 Australia Gabba, Brisbane 2003/04 1st innings: 144 (18x4); 1-0-8-0
5 Pakistan Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru 2007 1st innings: 239 (30x4); 10-2-20-1
2nd innings: 91 (12x4)
6 South Africa Green Park, Kanpur 2008 1st innings: 87 (9x4)
2nd innings: 13* (2x4)


31 Awards in ODI

References
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^ Performance of India's Test Captains
^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2870000/newsid_2870400/2870451.stm
^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031112/sports.htm
^ http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/04/stories/2005080411102100.htm
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^ a b "Factbox on Sourav Ganguly". im.rediff.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
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^ [2]
^ Protests follow Ganguly's axing
^ A poignant end
^ Ganguly gets India recall
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^ http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?class=1;id=6;type=team Indian Cricketers: Most Test Runs]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourav_Ganguly
Gordon Brown to work with Obama to create a new world order
LONDON: In a first real glimpse of how he plans to conduct the new special relationship with Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
today vowed to work with the US President-elect to create a new world order where 'markets need morals' and people come first.

Writing in The Observer, Brown said the path of history has been changed by an election in which American voters backed a progressive candidate offering more government intervention to protect families and businesses.

"It is up to us whether 2008 is remembered for a financial crash that engulfed the world or for a new resilience and optimism from a generation which faced the economic storm head-on and built the fair society in its wake," the UK Prime Minister wrote.

Venezuela, Russia create $4bn development bank
CARACAS: Venezuelan and Russian officials have agreed to create a $4 bn joint development bank to finance gas production, aluminum mining and other projects, Venezuela's information ministry said on Saturday.
It was not clear how much each energy-rich country would contribute as oil and gas prices continue to slide, but Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his country could tap its foreign currency reserves to bankroll the fund.
``Russia and Venezuela are establishing a strategic alliance,'' Chavez said as he and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin mingled Friday with workers from the nations' two state-run oil and gas companies on a drilling platform in the Gulf of Venezuela.
``We have freed ourselves from Yankee imperialism,'' Chavez said. The men inaugurated the first Venezuelan-Russian offshore natural gas project, with Chavez hailing his country's increasingly close ties to Russia as a counterweight to U.S. influence.
Venezuela has South America's largest natural gas reserves, including 27 trn cubic feet in the Gulf of Venezuela, but they've remained largely untapped while the country focused on oil. Russia's state gas company Gazprom won a contract to develop two Venezuelan natural gas blocks in 2005 and is expected to start producing there by 2013.
Russian oil companies have been invited to drill in the Orinoco River Basin, which is considered the world's largest-known single oil deposit with up to 1.2 trillion barrels. They may also build a $6.5 billion refinery to process Venezuela's extra-heavy crude, helping the South American country wean itself off the U.S. refineries it now relies on.
Ties between Caracas and Moscow have blossomed under Chavez, with Venezuela buying more than $4 bn in Russian weapons since 2005.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is scheduled to visit Venezuela later this month, when Venezuelan and Russian naval fleets hold joint exercises on the Caribbean Sea.

Rs 130,733 cr tax arrears mop-up doubtful


Shantanu Nandan Sharma, ET Bureau reports in economics times:

NEW DELHI: Call them vanishing bucks. Over 80% of India’s cumulative tax arrears may never be recovered. With the global meltdown beginning to hurt India Inc and its profitability, the tax arrears of a whopping Rs 1,30,733 cr would have been a major relief to the government during this election year.

A finance ministry analysis has, however, treated a mere Rs 12,516 cr as “collectible” as on August 1, 2008, sources in the ministry told SundayET. While a major chunk of the non-recoverable amount is related to the security scam of 1992, there are cases where defaulters have no assets left. Also, there have been several cases where tax payers have either vanished or got stay orders from court.

Had the total arrears been recovered, it would have been one thirds of this year’s revised target of Rs 3,95,000 cr, or 40% of the direct tax collection last financial year.

In fact, SundayET managed to get a glimpse of the numbers according to which there were tax demands of Rs 29,886 cr from notified persons, including big bull Harshad Mehta, under Special Court (Trial of Offenders relating to Securities) Act 1992.

“According to estimates, the total remaining assets of defaulters linked to the security scam of 1990s are a mere Rs 1200 cr now. But banks will have the first claim on that seized asset. So, we are unlikely to get any pie out of that huge arrear,” a source in the finance ministry said.

According to the analysis, the recovery of another big amount of Rs 15,567 cr may not be possible as these are related to cases where tax payers have virtually no assets at all. In cases relating to tax arrears of Rs 9,193 cr, the CBDT has lost court battles, but has appealed once more.

Significantly, the internal analysis of the ministry has shown another category of vanishing tax payers who had an outstanding of Rs 8,287 cr. “In most of these cases, partnership firms have just vanished without paying taxes. And they are non-traceable till date,” said an official.

Though the CBDT has recovered just Rs 3,843 cr between April 1, 2008, to August 31, 2008, from the outstanding tax arrears, the department may step up its activities to recover the collectible dues in the wake of a possible hit on tax collection for the rest of the fiscal.

“The current financial turmoil may have a toll on our tax collection from now on and hence we have to recover each pie from the collectable category,” a CBDT official said. During the last financial year, Rs 9,058 cr was recovered from outstanding arrears.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Personal_Finance/Tax_Savers/Tax_News/Rs_130733_cr_tax_arrears_mop-up_doubtful/articleshow/3690447.cms


Population of employed Asians in US falls

NEW YORK: As the global financial quagmire wiped off over two lakh jobs last month in the US, the number of employed Asians has shrunk by about 34,000, even as the employed population among the blacks and whites rose considerably during this period.
According to the latest employment status data of the civilian population by race, released by US government's Department of Labour, the number of "employed" whites rose by 95,000 during October to 119.4 mn.
In the same month, which incidentally saw the US moving toward electing its first African-American President Barack Hussein Obama, the number of "employed" blacks or African- Americans rose in the country by 80,000 to 15.8 mn.
However, the Hispanics or Latinos as an ethnic group seems to have suffered the biggest fall in the employment rate.
According to the data, the number of employed Hispanics or Latinos in the US fell by 1,43,000 in October to 20,327,000 persons.
The department classifies people as employed if they did functioned as employees during the reference period, pursued their own businesses, professions, or farm work, or operated without pay at least 15 hours in a family business or farm.
"People are also counted as employed if they were temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labour-management disputes, or personal reasons," the data say.
The monthly data further showed the unemployment rate increased during the month for the Asians as well as for the Hispanics or Latinos, while it fell for the blacks and remained unchanged for the whites.
The number of employed Asians fell to 68,70,000 in October from 69,04,000 in the previous month.
However, despite a fall in the number of employed people, those of Asian ethnicity have the lowest unemployment rate after whites among the four races.
The unemployment rate among Asians rose to 5.5 per cent in October, from 5.2 per cent in September, while the same for Hispanics or Latinos rose to 8.4 per cent from 7.6 per cent.
For blacks or African-Americans, the unemployment rate fell to 11 per cent from 11.2 per cent, while it remained unchanged at 3.8 per cent for the whites.
Bogged down by one of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of 1930s, the US saw 240,000 people lose their jobs in October alone with a 14-year high unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent, taking the total job loss figure for this year to 1.2 million.
On a year-on-year basis, however, the number of employed people rose among the Asians, while the same declined for the whites, blacks as well as Hispanics or Latinos.
Comparing on a year-on-year basis, the number of employed Asians in the US rose by 64,000 people, while for the whites it fell by 10,35,000, for blacks it went down by 238,000 and for Hispanics or Latinos by 329,000 from October 2007 to the levels seen at the end of October this year.
Number of overall job losses in the US is expected to rise even further in the months to come, as more companies are announcing plans to cut down their workforce. The last three months account for more than half of the year-to-date figure of 1.2 mn.
As part of their efforts to tackle the economic turmoil, a number of firms including big names like General Electric, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Merck, Ford, Pepsico, General Motors, American Express, and Bank of America have either cut jobs or are planning to slash their workforce.

Two more US banks collapse amid looming financial crisis
NEW YORK: Two more regional US banks - in California and Texas - have collapsed amidst the worst finance crisis since the Great Depression, bringing to 19 the total number of US banks that have gone under in this year alone.
More collapses are expected among the nation's 8,400 banks. The US mortgage crisis, which has seen more than three million homes foreclosed since the crisis began in late 2006, has crimped shut credit flow worldwide and prompted unprecedented global government interventions in the private sector.

The latest two victims were the Houston-based Franklin Bank and the smaller Los Angeles-based Security Pacific Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said.

Franklin Bank was closed by the FDIC and the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending. Its $3.7 bn in deposits were assumed Prosperity Bank, Bloomberg financial news service reported Saturday.

Security Pacific was closed by the California commissioner of financial institutions and the FDIC. Its $450.2-mn in assets were acquired by Pacific Western Bank, the FDIC said.

Obama goes head hunting on world wide web

President-elect Barack Obama is inviting online applications from across the world to fill various positions in the new regime,
reaffirming his tech-savvy nature.

Obama along with his deputy Joe Biden is looking for people for "non-career positions" in the White House or any Federal body.

"Applicants for any of these non-career positions -- whether in the White House or in any Federal Department Agency or Commission -- should use this website, as applying online is the fastest and most accurate way to get your information to us," reads a notification on the official website of the President-elect.

The call for applicants online is another affirmation of the 'tech-savvy' Obama, who has exploited electronic and new media like never before during his Presidential campaign.

The website 'www.change.gov', of the Office of the President-elect says Obama would make appointments throughout the federal government.

The site asserts that there would not be any discrimination in the selection process. "The Obama-Biden Transition Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law," it points out.

Once you make your application for a position now, there is no need to apply again after January 20, 2008 -- the day when Obama would assume the office of the President of America.

"Applications submitted now to the Obama-Biden Transition Project will be retained and considered by the Office of Presidential Personnel after President-Elect Obama takes office," the notification added.

The applicant has to first submit an 'Online Expression of Interest Form' and within a few days, the individual would receive an "e-mail with a link to a more complete online applications".

The final selection is subjected to reviews, including FBI background checks.

"Some positions will require Senate confirmation while others will not. Some appointments will be made during the transition process and others during the early part of the new administration," the site notes.

Soon, see full-length Hollywood films for free on YouTube
WASHINGTON: YouTube, the online video sharing website, will be showcasing full length movies produced by at least one of the biggest Hollywood movie
studios as early as next month, said an executive with a major entertainment company.

Since a long time now, YouTube's parent company, Google has been in talks with major film companies about launching an ad-supported, streaming movie service, revealed two executives who know about the negotiations.

"It's not imminent. But it's going to happen. I would say you can expect to see it, if all goes well, sometime within the next 30 to 90 days," CNET News quoted one of the executives as saying.

However, all the studios are not ready to give full-length movies to YouTube.

In July Canadian Film Company Lionsgate agreed to give YouTube access to only short movie clips.

A separate high-level industry insider said that one more studio is also trying to cut a similar deal for short-form content with Google.

There are some circles which are sceptical about whether enough ads can be placed into a streaming movie to make it profitable and that too without overloading viewers with commercials.

Some film companies, according to two studio sources, have another problem to deal with- Google's insistence on using a specific ad format for feature films.

The companies have not specified which ad unit Google prefers-whether it's prerolls or postrolls or something else.

However, some of the studios want the final say on how to advertise to viewers.

While Google refused to talk in detail about the specific details, a company spokeswoman issued this statement: "We are in negotiations with a variety of entertainment companies. Our goal is to offer maximum choice for our users, partners, and advertisers."

Export target will fall short by $40 bn, warns industry

NEW DELHI: Exports are likely to fall short of the targeted $200 billion in 2008-09 by about 20 per cent, says a report by an industry lobby.


According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), seven key export segments - textiles, apparel, gems and jewellery, diamonds, brassware, handicraft and leather - are reeling under recessionary trends, which will affect the overall exports figures.

These sectors put together constitute the highest volumes in India's total exports to economies such as the US, the European Union and ASEAN countries.

"Naturally, these sectors will not be able to generate their previous export momentum and Assocham anticipates a minimum of $40 billion exports shortfall for current fiscal," the report said.

India's foreign trade policy for the current fiscal has fixed export targets for 2008-09 at $200 billion.

As the exports are to high-value markets, Assocham has felt pessimistic about the export scenario.

Additionally, the report said, Indian exports will also be hit in 2008-09 by rising ocean freight rates, weakening rupee-dollar exchange rate, and deepening recession in the US and Europe.

Other factors that have eroded competitiveness of Indian exports are rising input costs and the poor power and infrastructure that has hit the manufacturing sector, the report says.

India lags behind in logistics, and as a result, the transaction cost of exports has risen by about 20 per cent, the report says quoting "latest estimates".

All these factors have also rendered Indian exports non-competitive as India is facing stiff competition not only from China, but also neighbours like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bhutan.

As a result, India's traditional exports have suffered and threatens to continue until exporters adopt modern technology, concludes the Assocham analysis.

The report, however, adds that exports that would have reasonably good in pharmaceutical and chemicals, heavy engineering, and metal and marine products, besides fast moving consumer goods.

These sectors continue to command demand not only in the domestic market but also in the Middle East, Sotuh-East Asia and Africa.

Slowdown to keep India's exports 20 pc below target: Study

NEW DELHI: Indian exports are likely to miss the target of $ 200 bn by 20 per cent this fiscal, as prevailing domestic and global economic
conditions have severely affected shipments, a study said.

Besides the slowdown syndrome, other reasons which would affect exports include rising ocean freight rates and certain export restrictions imposed by the government, industry body Assocham said in its study on "Realistic Exports Vs The Targeted One".

"Seven key export segments such as textiles, apparel, gems and jewellery, diamonds, brass-ware, handicrafts and leather are already reeling under recessionary trends," it said.

The chamber anticipates a shortfall of about USD 40 bn in exports this current fiscal.

"Indian exports are likely to witness a shortfall of about 20 per cent against their target as prevailing domestic economic conditions have caused a severe dampening effect on potential export segments of the Indian economy," it said.

In the first two months of this fiscal, merchandise exports do not bring in as much foreign exchange as those brought in by high-value added products such as ready-made garments, diamonds, jewellery, gems, carpets, handicrafts and brass-ware, an Assocham spokesman said.

In September, India's exports registered a growth of mere 10.4 per cent against 26.9 per cent in August.

Other factors that have eroded costs and competitiveness of Indian exports include rising input costs, which are not falling, and power and infrastructure remain a problem for the manufacturing sector.

As a result, India is still far behind on logistics and the transaction cost of exports have already risen around 20 per cent, Assocham said.

The country is facing stiff competition on the exports front from neighbouring China as well as from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bhutan.

As a result, its traditional exports have suffered in the past, which will continue to suffer even in the future until exporters make amends to their products by technology infusion.

Sovereign wealth funds turning cautious: analysts
SINGAPORE: Cash-rich sovereign wealth funds from Asia and the Middle East may be turning cautious after getting burnt by investments in Western
firms hit by the current financial turmoil, analysts said.

Despite fresh opportunities, prudence now prevails as countries that own the funds sit on massive paper losses from investments made just before problems in the US housing market erupted into a full-blown global crisis.

Their multi-billion-dollar forays into Western financial giants such as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch appeared to be good bargains but the banking shakeout has since sharply reduced the value of their holdings.

"I think they've been burnt... They are not sure this is the right time and they are more cautious," said Zanny Minton-Beddoes, a Washington-based editor with The Economist, the widely-respected current affairs weekly.

"They put a lot of capital into financial institutions earlier on and they lost a lot of money," Minton-Beddoes, a former economist with the International Monetary Fund, told media.

Since last year, financial institutions hit by the unfolding slump in the US housing market have sought and received billions of dollars in fresh capital from sovereign wealth funds created to invest national savings and surpluses fed by crude-oil windfalls in the Gulf and rapid industrialisation in Asia.

The funds have come under increasing scrutiny after making high-profile investments in distressed banks and companies.

They were also criticised as too opaque in their operations and, in some cases, stakes in strategic sectors like telecommunications were seen as potential threats to national security.

The IMF has estimated that sovereign wealth funds collectively hold total assets of between 1.9 trillion and 2.8 trillion dollars and could be worth 12 trillion dollars by 2012, while the UN Conference on Trade and Development puts their current holdings at about 5.0 trillion dollars.

Christopher Balding, a researcher with the University of California, said sovereign wealth funds are by nature risk-averse and the ongoing financial turmoil would further accentuate that position.

"The current turmoil will, in my estimation, only reinforce the inherent conservative investment outlook," Balding, who specialises in international economics and sovereign wealth funds, told media.

"Right now there is a lot of fear in the marketplace from all investors... Sovereign wealth funds are not interested in making more large investments because of how their previous investments have turned out."

Singapore was among the most prominent investors with its two main funds, Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC), emerging as sought-after sources of capital by ailing Western financial firms.

Temasek invested 8.3 bn US dollars into Merrill Lynch, which was later acquired by Bank of America in an all-stock deal worth 50 billion dollars, while GIC pumped billions into Citigroup and Swiss banking behemoth UBS.

In response to media queries, GIC and Temasek both said they would continue to explore all investment opportunities but declined to give further details.

Funds from the oil-rich Middle East were also courted in the West.

The state-owned Kuwait Investment Authority injected a total of 5.0 bn dollars in Citigroup and Merrill Lynch in January this year.

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, controlled by the largest member of the United Arab Emirates, poured 7.52 bn dollars into Citigroup late last year.

Analysts said sovereign wealth funds from Asia and the Middle East would continue to be major financiers, but any potential partnerships would be carefully weighed before the cheque book is taken out.

"Western financials need the capital and they (sovereign wealth funds) have the capital... I just think they will be carefully considered," said Minton-Beddoes.

Michael Backman, an author of several business books on Asia, said now is the time for the region's funds to look at long-term investments in Western firms.

"It's a good time to have a lot of cash. Assets are being over-sold and there will be plenty of bargains," Backman told media from London.

"It's an excellent opportunity for sovereign wealth funds to diversify to the developed economies and to do it at bargain basement prices."


IMF says G20 is right body to handle crisis

SAO PAULO: The G20 group of the biggest advanced and developing economies has shown in its Sao Paulo meetings that it is the right group to address
the global financial crisis, IMF Managing Director Dominque Strauss-Kahn said on Saturday.

"It shows that the G20 is the right body to try to handle the world's problems," Strauss-Kahn said on the sidelines of the meeting.
‘Land being forcibly acquired from Christians’

kolkata:Some Christian organisations in the state today alleged that the state land and land reforms department is forcibly acquiring land, which belongs to Church regulatory board in various districts.
The department has acquired a total of 202 acres of land, including 14 acres at Jiaganj, in Murshidabad, 17 acres at Sepoy Bazar in Midnapore, 21 acres at Bhatbandh in Purulia, 100 acres at Falakata in Jalpaiguri and 50 acres at Asansol in Burdwan.
The secretary of Bangiya Christiya Parishad (BCP), Mr Herod Mukherjee alleged that the land in Murshidabad, which belongs to Christya Seba Sadan Hospital, was acquired by the department a couple of years ago and the district's Christian organisation is now prevented from holding any programme on the premises.


Mayawati slammed for Dalit policies

With BSP chief Miss Mayawati looking to widen her vote base from Bahujan to Sarvajan, her opponents, who have been vying to make inroads in her Dalit bastion, have accused her of compromising on the interests of the community and ideals of her mentor Kanshi Ram.
President of Indian Justice Party Mr Udit Raj, a known critic of Miss Mayawati, accused the Uttar Pradesh chief minister of colluding with the "Manuvadi forces" by shifting her focus from Bahujan Hitaya to Sarvajan Hitaya. Mr Udit Raj, who is also the general secretary of the newly formed National Dalit Front headed by Union minister and the president of Lok Janshakti Party Ram Mr Vilas Paswan, said that the Front can no longer allow anybody to use Dalits as “political capital” and would “expose the BSP, which has cheated them”.
The NDF, which has also been joined by the Republican Party of India (A) led by Mr Ramdas Athawale, MP, would hold a series of rallies addressing Mr Khatik, Balmiki and Paswans beginning December at Allahabad, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh, said Mr Udit Raj. The Dalit voters are also being targeted by Mr RK Chowdhury-led Rashtriya Swabhimaan Party and Mr Sonelal Patel's Apna Dal. These leaders, who have been in BSP one time or the other, have now decided to join hands to against Miss Mayawati.

Meet to focus on Dalit alleviation

In MALDA,West Bengal, The Vice-Chancellor of University of Gour Banga (UGB), Prof. Surabhi Banerjee, inaugurated a UGC sponsored two day seminar on ‘Social inequality and Dalits in India:
The changing scenario’ organised by the department of political science of Malda women's college. Principal of the Malda women's college, Dr Chaitali Chattaraj, said that since 62 years of independence the Dalits have remained an ‘excluded’ group in the caste dominated Indian society. “We must nurture with care the growing aspirations among the educated Dalits as an effective means to assimilate them in the national mainstream,” he said.
The V-C of the UGB, Prof. Surabhi Banerjee elucidated how the Dalits were still being denied access to higher education. “We should develop an inclusive education policy in 11th five year plan keeping in mind the objective of Dalit empowerment,” she said. She disclosed that the running of the new university was far from being a smooth sailing.
“Yet in time to come the university would gain eminence,” she hoped.
Several research scholars, academicians, experts in political science from the universities of Jadavpur, Calcutta, Burdwan and North Bengal are expected to present their papers in course of the seminar.


Hill dispute: Intuc calls for Governor’s intervention

Statesman News Service
SILIGURI, Nov. 7: The Intuc Darjeeling district committee has demanded for the intervention of Governor, Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi, to resolve the ongoing crisis in the Darjeeling Hills.
Sending a memorandum to Mr Gandhi through the additional district magistrate (ADM) Siliguri this afternoon, the Congress’ trade union held the Left Front government of the state responsible for the Darjeeling imbroglio and urged the governor to intervene in the dispute, which is ‘taking a toll on the peace, harmony and prosperity of the region'.
“The LF government, particularly the CPI-M is responsible for the touble in Darjeeling. At a time when the state administration has proven to be a complete failure in handling the situation in Darjeeling, the governor during his last visit to Darjeeling was successful in mitigating the agitation, even if it is temporarily.
Hence, we urged the governor to actively intervene in the matter and help resolve the dispute amicably,” the Intuc district president, Mr Aloke Chakrovorty said after serving the memorandum to the ADM.
Earlier in the day, the Intuc brought out a rally in Siliguri stressing on a harmonious relation between the Hills and the plains in view of the ongoing ‘Gorkhaland’ agitation in the Darjeeling Hills.
The rally commenced from the Sukna railway station located in the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) area at a distance of about 12 km from Siliguri and congregated at Court More in the town.
The rally drew a sizeable number of participants putting aside a ‘boycott’ announced by the district Congress president, Mr Shanklar Malakar. Prominent Congress faces like Jalpaiguri Municipality chairman Mr Mohan Basu, Siliguri ward councilor Mr Sushil Roy, Mr Narayan Ghosh, Md Abbas (Seva Dal), Md Mumtaz Hussain (Minority Congress) and others took part in the rally.


Gulf airlines stall Calcutta take-off
SANJAY MANDAL

Grounded for now
Calcutta, Nov. 8: Two Gulf-based airlines that had thought of starting direct flights from the city sometime soon have shelved their plans, a day after British Airways said it was scrapping its Calcutta-London flight from March.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar Airways had both acquired rights to fly to and from Calcutta.

Today, a senior Etihad official said from Delhi: “There are no plans now to launch flights in the Calcutta-Abu Dhabi sector.”

Etihad had announced it would start Calcutta-Abu Dhabi direct flights but had not fixed the weekly frequency.

Qatar Airways had plans to start a Doha-Calcutta flight but didn’t sound too keen any more. “It does not seem to be happening now,” an airline official said.

Sources have cited global recession and increase in air turbine fuel surcharge as reasons that have compelled airlines to go for route rationalisation that has hit Calcutta the most.

British Airways, which flies Calcutta-London three times a week, will snap the direct link from March 28, 2009. Officials said the route was not making a profitable contribution to the airline.

In October, Air India had stopped services on this route.

German airline Lufthansa has cut its weekly flight frequency to the city from five to three from this winter.

Aviation industry sources said Calcutta was becoming a “non-viable” sector for international airline operators because of shrinking passenger load. Although 2007 saw 20 per cent more international passengers over the previous year, the rate slumped to 5 per cent this year.

“We apprehend a negative growth in 2009 if the trend continues,” said a senior official of an international airline that has flights from the city.

A survey by the Airports Authority of India also revealed a dip in passenger traffic over the past few months.

While the number of domestic and international travellers in the first four months of 2007 grew between 20 and 25 per cent over the corresponding period the year before, the growth was 8 to 10 per cent in the same period in 2008.

“Any long-haul flight needs nearly 80 per cent passenger load to stay viable. But the load factor now is much less than that,” said an official of a European airline.

Travel officials said they were worried. “The withdrawals and deferring of launch plans are sending ominous signals to the travel industry in eastern India,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman (east), Travel Agents Federation of India. “We are appealing to British Airways to reconsider its decision.”

Wrong runway

A Singapore Airlines flight tonight entered the wrong runway while taking off.

“The flight entered the secondary runway instead of the main one,” a Calcutta airport official said. No casualty was reported.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081109/jsp/bengal/story_10085113.jsp




Malaria death amid grim health forecast
A STAFF REPORTER

Calcutta, Nov. 8: The health minister today said a late winter could increase the chances of vector-borne diseases spreading in the city that recorded its 12th malaria death in two months this afternoon.

Rajesh Mallick, a CMC casual worker who stayed in quarters allotted to civic staff in Chetla, died in Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.

“He had fever for the past two days. We first took him to Bangur Hospital where blood tests confirmed malignant malaria,” said Rajesh’s friend Dhananjoy Singh.

The 28-year-old was taken to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital after his condition deteriorated last night.

The toll from vector-borne diseases has now reached 26 in the city, including three in ward number 81, where Rajesh stayed.

Health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra said the situation could deteriorate.

“We cannot afford to be complacent. Winter is late this year. If it rains in between and there is fresh accumulation of water, the situation will become worse,” he said.

“Everyone involved in vector control needs to work harder.”

Mishra laid stress on early diagnosis, vector control and personal hygiene if the spread of mosquito-borne diseases had to be checked.

“All the three points are equally important,” the minister added.

He said the health department was conducting a case-by-case audit where there were confusions over the cause of death.

“We are studying each case where there is doubt about the exact cause of death,” the minister said.

He said malaria had already killed more people in the state this year than last year.

While 76 people died in 2007, the toll is already 81 this year.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081109/jsp/bengal/story_10085111.jsp

France offers new missiles

Press Trust of India
Paris, Nov. 7: France has offered to upgrade India's 51 frontline Mirage 2000 fighters in a “compressed delivery time-frame”, which could prove a boon to New Delhi in the backdrop of Indian Air Forces' force levels depleting to an alarming all time low of 32 Squadrons.
As part of the up-gradation deal almost at the final stages of conclusion, the new Mirages would come armed with longer range Air to Air Missiles to enhance the fighters capability in beyond visual range combat.
The fighters would be armed with new MICA missiles with a range of taking on targets almost 40 kms away, almost double the range of present missiles on Indian fighters.
“The time scale of upgraded fighter deliveries can be compressed and worked out according to IAFs needs,” Mr Francois Quentin, senior vice-president of the European Aerospace, Electronics and services Major, Thales, told visiting Indian newsmen here.
The Paris-headquartered company is leading the consortium of four companies comprising Dassault, the manufacturer of the fighter, Snecma, the engine makers and European Missile leader MBDA, which would undertake the Mirage upgrade, estimated to cost over 1.5 billion Euros.
India and France have been in negotiations for the past two years on the Mirage upgrade and the deal almost now in final stages could be the last major defence contract to be concluded by the government before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Under the proposed deal, for which technical and weapon proposals have been finalised, 51 Mirages of the IAF will get a fresh lease of life for another 20-25 years, get an extended range of almost 800 km without re-fuelling and longer range detection capability to confront and take on four to five targets simultaneously both on ground and in air.

Top 10 firms gain over Rs 20,000 cr in market cap
9 Nov 2008, 1805 hrs IST, PTI

MUMBAI: Breaking its six-week long losing trend, country's top 10 club added over Rs 20,000 crore to the combined market valuation in the past week, even as Reliance Industries and Infosys suffered losses.

The top 10 companies together gained Rs 23,273 crore in market cap last week, while country's most valued firm Reliance Industries alone lost Rs 24,063 crore from its valuation.

Also IT bellwether Infosys' valuation declined to Rs 6,371 crore in the past week.

At the end of Friday's trade, the total market value of the 10 most valued firms, comprising six from public sector and four private sector entities, stood at Rs 10,15,150 crore, up from Rs 9,91,877 crore a week ago.

Mukesh Ambani-led RIL saw its market value plummeting by Rs 24,063 crore in the past week to Rs 1,91,664 crore.

During the week, the shares of RIL witnessed a slump of over 15 per cent, which brought its valuation down from the crucial Rs two-trillion mark. However, it retained its numero uno position.

Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel slipped one place to the fourth position in top 10 club, whose gain of Rs 189 crore in market cap was offset by state-run NTPC's gain of Rs 8,781 crore.

Country's largest lender SBI grabbed the fifth spot, overtaking Infosys which suffered a decline in its mcap. Also state-run ONGC showed the highest gain of Rs 15,357 crore, followed by SBI's (Rs 8,872 crore) and NTPC (Rs 8,781 crore).

As per the elite list of top 10 firms, RIL is followed by ONGC (Rs 1,58,619 crore), NTPC (Rs 1,24,671 crore), Bharti Airtel (Rs 1,23,379 crore), SBI (Rs 79,312 crore), Infosys (Rs 72,728 crore), BHEL (Rs 68,782 crore), MMTC (Rs 68,726 crore), ITC (Rs 65,908 crore) and NMDC (Rs 61,810 crore).

China okays $586 billion stimulus to boost economy
9 Nov 2008, 1918 hrs IST, REUTERS

BEIJING: China's cabinet has approved a massive stimulus package worth 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) through 2010 to boost domestic demand, the official Xinhua news agency said on Sunday.

Investments will be targeted at infrastructure, social welfare and other key sectors as part of an "active" fiscal policy, Xinhua said.

It did not say how the extra spending would be financed.

China ran a consolidated budget surplus in the first half of the year of more than $170 billion, but tax revenue growth is slowing sharply as the economy reels under the impact of the global credit crunch.

The cabinet also announced an explicit shift in monetary policy, which it now described as "moderately easy."

The People's Bank of China has already cut interest rates three times since mid-September and scrapped lending quotas in a bid to support the economy.

Lending to small and medium enterprises will be increased as part of the plan, Xinhua said.

Officials have been flagging measures to pump up demand since gross domestic product growth slowed unexpectedly sharply to 9.0 percent in the third quarter from 10.4 percent in the first half.

Indicators for October have been even weaker.


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Giving details of the package, Xinhua said China would invest an additional 100 billion yuan in national construction this quarter and would earmark an extra 20 billion yuan next year for reconstruction in areas hit by major natural disasters.

Sector that will benefit from the extra spending include affordable housing, rural infrastructure, transport networks, environmental protection and technical innovation, Xinhua said.

The cabinet also confirmed a long-awaited reform to the way value added tax is calculated. The result will be to reduce companies' tax bill by 120 billion yuan a year, the agency added.

Brown to introduce 15 billion pound package to end UK economic slump


9 Nov 2008, 1736 hrs IST, AGENCIES

LONDON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is planning urgent tax cuts in a 15-billion-pound package of measures to combat the economic slump in
the country.

According to The Mirror, Brown is considering extending tax credits to help more low-paid families as Britain teeters on the brink of recession. He is also looking at extending the stamp-duty "holiday" on more modestly-priced homes to help first-time buyers and revive the crisis-hit property market.

Other possible measures include a "significant" increase in winter fuel allowances and a further delay to rises in petrol duty.

According to The Mirror, Chancellor Alistair Darling is working on the rescue package which he will unveil in his Pre-Budget Report this month.

Brown will spell out his determination to build on Thursday's 1.5 per cent cut in interest rates in a major speech tomorrow.

And at the weekend he will meet President Bush in Washington to discuss the global crisis at the G20 world leaders' summit. Brown has already phoned Barack Obama to discuss the slump and the President-elect's plans for a "stimulus package" to boost the US economy.

Brown and Darling are keen to work with Obama and are looking at drawing up proposals which they hope will be copied across the globe.

Swiss economy could fall into recession-Econ Min


9 Nov 2008, 1601 hrs IST, REUTERS

ZURICH: The Swiss economy could enter a recession but the government is still confident jobless rates will not rocket, the country's economy
minister said in an interview published on Sunday.

"We could fall into a recession, with negative growth for two successive quarters," Economy Minister Doris Leuthard told SonntagsBlick. "But I am still confident about the labour market. We still do not think there will be a rapid increase in unemployment numbers, partly because immigration will fall off," Leuthard said.

The Swiss National Bank cut interest rates for the second time in a month last week and might have to lower credit costs further soon to fight an economic slowdown and to stem the Swiss franc's rise.

Leuthard had said two weeks ago the government would probably cut its growth forecast for 2009 to under 1 per cent due to the slowing European economy, but that there were no signs of a recession.

Global turmoil hits gambling industry


9 Nov 2008, 1359 hrs IST, PTI

NEW YORK: The ongoing economic downturn has hit the gambling industry, a media report says. For Las Vegas Sands casino operator, a full-blown financial hurricane may be brewing, Time magazine reported, pointing out that in a November 5 filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company had revealed its cash was drying up.
For the first six months of 2008, according to the filing, the casino's earnings were "insufficient to cover fixed charges" by USD 80.1 million.
This gaping shortfall, astonishing for a company that was throwing off more than USD 600 million in free cash flow annually just three years ago, could trigger defaults on its USD 8.8 billion in long-term loans.
Controlled by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, Las Vegas Sands is yet another high-flying company that has been caught out by the global credit crunch and crashing economy, Time said adding, with the US economy entering recession, gamblers in Las Vegas are growing more reluctant to part with their money.
Adelson, who is credited with helping to revitalise Las Vegas with his lavish Venetian and Palazzo resorts, has become a well known figure in Asia in recent years after he has spent billions building new casinos and hotels in the Chinese enclave of Macau.
The company, Las Vegas Sands was tapped to build an anchor casino and resort complex on Marina Bay in Singapore, when the country, several years ago, had decided to boost its economy by becoming a tourist destination.
The government of the conservative little city-state had then taken the controversial step of legalising gambling, the magazine said.
"In light of recent turmoil in the global markets," the 75-year-old Adelson, pledging to personally ensure the "success" of the Singapore casino, said in a statement released November 7, "I felt the need to personally reaffirm our commitment to the success of Marina Bay Sands."
Analysts were quoted as saying that the casino is too important for the economic diversification of Singapore, which is overwhelmingly dependent on electronics exports and trans-shipping, for it to collapse.
The Singapore Tourism Board may step in either with an infusion of cash or an agreement to assume a sizable chunk of the troubled casino operator's debt, the paper said.
"We are working closely and are in dialogue with Marina Bay Sands [Las Vegas Sands' Singapore subsidiary] to facilitate the completion of the project," says Margaret Teo, Assistant CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board.
She declined to provide further financial details. The statement from Adelson also did not specify what steps are being taken to bolster the finances of his company or its Marina Bay project, apart from announcing that executives from Las Vegas Sands had met with officials from the Singapore government over the last week, the paper said.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas Sands, the news magazine said, has also been grappling with an unexpected problem -- Chinese government, increasingly alarmed by the profligacy and gambling debt of its citizens, had recently imposed visa restrictions on mainland tourists to Macau, reducing the anticipated cash flow from the company's Asia operations.

Manipulators stock it up in volatile market


9 Nov 2008, 0344 hrs IST, Shantanu Nandan Sharma, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: We have been hearing about it for a while but it seems to be official now. The recent volatility in the stock markets appears to have made manipulators active.

A number of brokers, based in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad, have colluded with promoters of small companies to manoeuvre their stock prices, an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report analysing India’s financial and commodity markets has said.

The IB report in its sub-head “market activity in specific stocks” has mentioned the detailed plans of manoeuvring stock prices of a number of companies. These include a Kolkata-based financial company, an Ahmedabad-based chemicals company, a Bangalore-based technology company, a Hyderabad-based chemicals company, a Mumbai-based mid-sized steel company and a large metals conglomerate. It also mentions names of around a dozen brokers and market intermediaries who have played an active role in the manoeuvering.

In fact, finance minister P Chidambaram had earlier warned that strict action would be taken against market manipulators. Meanwhile, market regulator SEBI has also decided to strengthen scrutiny to weed out manipulators during this volatile period.

According to the report, which tracked manipulations in September 2008, the types of market manipulations included placement of shares in benami and front entity company names, granting contracts to brokers to play with their shares and entering into agreement to indulge in circular trading thereby leading to price manipulation.

Highlighting the alleged insider trading in a large corporate house, the report mentions how the company had announced its decision to restructure it into three vertical companies before the decision was revoked. The report has also mentioned how the share price of the company first declined and then rose dramatically despite negative views expressed by analysts.

The IB report said the stock prices had already risen by 25% on the day the company announced the revocation of its earlier restructuring plan. SundayET mailed a questionnaire to the company, but failed to get any response.
When contacted, the official spokesperson of the ministry of home affairs (MHA) refused to comment on the IB report.

“Intelligence Bureau may come under our ministry, but I am not authorised to speak anything on IB reports,” he said.
The IB report also tracked commodity trends during the period and analysed the rising prices of onion and pulses, which has a bearing both on inflation and coming elections.

It said that onion prices were rising in the period July-September, 2008, on account of more demand for exports, higher stocks in storage and expectations of delayed kharif arrivals because of late sowing. In fact, the report cautioned that prices of pulses were likely to strengthen on account of a sharp decline in acreage resulting in lower production.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Markets/Analysis/Manipulators_stock_it_up_in_volatile_market/articleshow/3690435.cms

Promoters go the right(s) way to hike stake in cos


9 Nov 2008, 0354 hrs IST, Aman Dhall, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Despite rights issues failing to woo investors, India Inc is looking at raising money via this route. Companies such as Religare Enterprises, Dish TV, Tayo Rolls and Jaiprakash Associates are all set to come out with rights offerings this calendar year.

Analysts says Indian promoters are trying to take advantage of the loopholes in Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) guidelines which exempts this route of stake enhancement. Indian companies are expected to raise around Rs 7,000 core through rights offerings during the rest of 2008 from 26 issues.

It must be noted that promoters usually hike their stake in a company via preferential allotment or creeping acquisition that is capped at 5% in a year by SEBI. However, for Indian promoters, subscribing to the unsubscribed portion of a rights issue is a relatively unrestrained route to increase stake. And this clearly is the flavour of the season among promoters who want to raise stake in a company dramatically.

Recently, promoters of companies such as Tata Motors and Hindalco Industries took advantage of investors shunning their rights issue to raise stake in their respective companies. Post-issue, while promoters stake in Tata Motors went up to 42% from 33%, Hindalco promoters’ stake went up to 35.1% from 31.9%. Both the rights offering (Tata: Rs 4,145 crore & Hindalco: Rs 5,000 crore, respectively) received tepid response from the retail and institutional investors.

Interestingly, two other major Tata Group companies, Tata Investment Corporation and Indian Hotels, also received a lukewarm response for their rights issue from retail and institutional investors recently, and eventually the promoters had to intervene to save the blushes. Despite the indifferent response, promoters are planning another rights issue for its group company, Tayo Rolls that is expected to hit the capital markets next month.

The merchant banking community doesn’t rule out the possibility of these companies intentionally timing their rights issue during the current volatile times. And now Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, promoters of Religare Enterprises, have set the ball rolling by deciding to underwrite their entire rights issue (Rs 1,802 crore), which means that they will subscribe to their issue in case of non-subscription. This can result in their stake going up from 54% to 73%.

Religare Enterprises, in fact, would be the major beneficiary of SEBI’s new guidelines that relaxes the creeping acquisition norms and allows promoters to raise their stake through the route to 75%. Analysts unanimously agree that for a rights issue to be fully subscribed, it should be offered at a discount of at least 25%, given the current market conditions.

Opportunity for cash-rich companies

A senior merchant banker told SundayET that unless a promoter wants to increase his stake in the company, that too without unruffling a few feathers, nobody will raise money in the current depressed market.

“The markets are still not out of the woods yet. And why will an investor subscribe to a rights issue when he can probably buy shares of these companies at discounted rate from the secondary market. For the promoters, on the other hand, it’s a win-win situation in the longer scheme of things (unless they are cash-starved ),” he said.

According to him, a rationale promoter will either postpone the rights issue or offer at an attractive price to finance his plans. “But nobody is willing to offer a rights issue at a big discounted rate, since they don’t want to drive down their valuations in the market. That leaves a promoter with no other option but to withdraw the rights issue, which happened in the case of Suzlon Energy,” he said.

Recently, wind turbine maker Suzlon suspended its Rs 1,800 crore rights issue after Tatas and Birlas rights issue in the market got devolved on the underwriters. He said Religare Enterprises, which has recently announced plans to come out with a rights issue, also fits in the same league.

“Even if their offering is partly subscribed by retail and institutional investors, the Singh brothers’ have enough cash pile-up (recently sold Ranbaxy Laboratories) to bail it out. They will be more than happy to own additional stake in the company. Probably, that’s the reason why they are offering their rights issue at Rs 355 per share, a premium of Rs 25 over the current price of Rs 330,” he said.

Rohit Kapur, head of corporate finance, KPMG India believes that investors still don’t have appetite to take risk in the capital markets. “Investors don’t see themselves making money in this market. And financing for India Inc is a big challenge right now. However, in case of Religare, the promoters’ by fixing the rights issue price at a premium have made their intent very clear, they are more than willing to up their stake in the company,” he said.

For starters, in a rights issue, a significant portion of the offering is supported or underwritten by the promoter. Further, there are no conditions to be satisfied in terms of subscription levels as compared to an initial public offer (IPO) where 90% subscription is necessary.

Interestingly, India ranks sixth in the world in terms of funds raised through rights issue this year. India Inc has raised $6,867 mn in proceeds till date this year, which is almost six times of the amount amassed in the same period last year.

In case of Tata Motors, the promoters had to bail out around Rs 3,000 crore of the total issue. JM Financial Consultants and Citigroup Global Markets India, the offering’s underwriters, also absorbed Rs 300 crore of the total offering. Similarly, Hindalco Industries, the flagship company of the AV Birla conglomerate, was only subscribed 17% of the Rs 5,000 crore issue.

Forget stock gains, you may lose dividends too


7 Nov 2008, 0708 hrs IST, Vijay Gurav, ET Bureau

MUMBAI: After job cuts and pay cuts, India Inc is now wielding the axe on dividends. Several companies are expressing inability to pay dividend at
the proposed rate, attributing it to factors like liquidity crunch, earnings slowdown and capex plans. They are either reducing the rate of dividend from the proposed level or even deciding not to pay any dividend, causing a double whammy for shareholders who have already suffered a huge capital loss since the start of this year.

The trend has so far been evident among small and medium-sized companies. However, analysts feel even shareholders of large-sized companies may have to be content with lower payouts, after having been pampered on fat dividend cheques in the last few years. The list of companies slashing dividends includes Atul Auto, Cambridge Technology, OM Metals and FCS Software Solutions. Another company Novopan Industries, in fact, has cancelled the dividend which was earlier recommended by the company’s board.

An increasing number of companies are expected to adopt a conservative dividend policy and plough back profits to maintain healthy cash position. “More and more corporates would now look to conserve cash in the wake of severe liquidity problem. Even shareholders may not be expecting higher dividend payouts, considering that it would be difficult to maintain profitability amid the ongoing economic slowdown,” said Karvy Stock Broking vice-president Ambareesh Baliga.


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Novopan Industries, a B-group company, recently informed the Bombay Stock Exchange about the cancellation of 18% dividend recommended by the board for 2007-08 in the meeting held on October 14, 2008. The company said the decision was taken with a view to conserve resources. Novopan posted lower net profit of Rs 5.5 crore on sales of Rs 83 crore in 2007-08, compared with Rs 6 crore and Rs 81 crore, respectively, in the previous year. The company’s profitability, in fact, took a hit in the quarter ended September 30, 2008 when it recorded a loss of Rs 5.9 crore on sales of Rs 22 crore. From its peak of Rs 85 on January 10, the stock has slipped 80% to close at Rs 18.6 on Thursday.

In another example, FCS Software slashed dividend from 25% to 11% for the year ended March 31, 2008. The company attributed the decision to its infrastructure expansion plans. It posted a net profit of Rs 32 crore on sales of Rs 204 crore during the last year, while figures stood at Rs 8.2 crore and Rs 52 crore, respectively, in the second quarter of the current year. The stock has fallen 77% from its high of Rs 145 touched on January 1, 2008.

Apart from FCS Software, companies like Atul Auto, Cambridge Technology and OM Metals have halved dividend to 5%, 5% and 10%, respectively. Justifying its move, Atul Auto, in the notice to BSE said, “By reducing the dividend outflow, the company will be able to maintain liquidity and will make necessary investment in R&D to give better results in future and, in turn, give better returns to its stakeholders.”

Despite a sharp fall in shares since January this year, many long-term investors are expected to have stayed invested in the market in anticipation of good dividend returns, according to analysts. If companies lower dividend because of earnings growth concerns, that may affect the sentiment, particularly towards such companies which had been offering good dividend yield in the past.

Indian companies climb on B-schools' wishlist


8 Nov 2008, 1240 hrs IST, Sujata Dutta Sachdeva, TNN

NEW DELHI: There may be a silver lining to the dark clouds of the meltdown for Indian corporates — top-notch talent is available, and willing to
settle for reasonable packages.

A survey conducted among final year students of India's best MBA schools — including the IIMs, XLRI Jamshedpur and Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management — shows that 71% would rather work in India than abroad, and don't expect a rise in average compensation packages from last year.

Besides, leading Indian groups like the Tatas and Reliance are among their most preferred employers, following the fall of top investment banks like Lehman Brothers and JP Morgan.

The study, ‘B-school Pulse' done by leading staffing company TeamLease, global research company Synovate and management portal MBA Universe throws up some interesting results. Traditional favourites like McKinsey, Hindustan Unilever, Boston Consulting Group and Proctor & Gamble make up the top four, while the MBA students shrugged off recent rumours about ICICI Bank to make it their fifth most preferred employer.

Tata Group moved up four places in the list of ‘Top 25 Most Coveted MBA Recruiters of 2008' to the sixth most coveted company to work for. A similar survey done in 25 B-schools last year ranked Tata Group at number 10.

The rise of Reliance Group is even more remarkable. It moved up a whopping 10 places and has become the seventh most attractive place to work for. Last year, the Reliance Group was ranked number 17. The Aditya Birla Group moved up two notches to No. 19 while Mahindra and Mahindra debuted on the list at No. 20.


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"The recent meltdown of the financial markets has made a significant impact on majority of the B-school graduates. They prefer to tread cautiously in making career choices,'' says Sampath Shetty, VP, Permanent Staffing, TeamLease Services.

The fall of big investment bank like nine pins has meant they have lost their sheen among MBAs. Lehman Brothers, ranked number four last year and JP Morgan ranked number 11 last year have fallen off the list. Other foreign banks like Deutsche Bank and Barclay's Bank, too are no longer part of this coveted list. The void created by them is being filled by strong Indian brands like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, HSBC and others.

In fact, MBA graduates feel that the sectors most likely to benefit and pull more quality talent due to the meltdown is: Management Consulting, FMCG, Telecom and Retailing. Diversified and Manufacturing is also likely to benefit. Interestingly, the meltdown has also meant compensation package which hovered between Rs 6 to Rs 15 lakh last year has not really changed. Their expectations have not risen at all this year.

MNCs hire private detectives to snoop on business partners


7 Nov 2008, 1330 hrs IST, Shreya Roy Chowdhury, TNN

NEW DELHI: They call it “due diligence.” An increasing number of corporate firms, especially multinationals, are hiring private detectives to check out the credentials of prospective business partners.

Top sleuths in the capital say the number of companies seeking such information has increased significantly over the last two years. Globe Detective Agency director Sachit Kumar says the number of “due diligence” cases has gone up by nearly 40-45 % in the last couple of years. Similarly, Ravi Kapur, director , Ace Detectives, says companies making enquiries for such work has almost doubled over the same period.

Detective Bhavna Paliwal cites the example of a design company that wanted its promoters ’ details probed. On enquiry, it was discovered that they had a reputation for blocking payments and had done it with other designers . Similarly, an MNC dealing in insurance hired sleuth Kunwar Vikram Singh’s Lancer’s Network to do a background check on its promoters . During investigations, they found one of them was a former smuggler. One of Singh’s more notable cases was of a Japanese manufacturing company that had bought land for a factory in south Rajasthan. The detectives found out that the plot was on the bed of a highly capricious river that changes course every few years making the region flood-prone . The Japanese moved their factory to Maharashtra.


Sleuths say a majority of the companies hiring them for due diligence are MNCs. “They don’t know the ground reality,” as Singh, also president of the Association of Private Detectives and Investigators, puts it. However, they refuse to divulge their names. According to Kapur, nearly 65% of the companies approaching them for such information are MNCs. Among his clients are a multi-national automotive giant and another entering into a joint venture in cosmetics. “The MNCs are dependent on their Indian partners. They want to know if they can trust their Indian partners and promoters,” he says.

Singh feels a company’s ‘character’ can be gauged from its attitude to money and the nature of its litigation. “Many companies prosper through the evasion of a variety of taxes and due to the blessings of political parties who facilitate the obtaining of permits. Financial accounts are available in the public domain but Indian businessmen have mastered the art of manipulating them. An MNC will not know this. They can’t possibly understand that the future of their venture may depend on which party is in power,” he says.

Community-building, rather than compensation, is the new corporate mantra


8 Nov 2008, 0000 hrs IST, Moinak Mitra, ET Bureau

The sweltering month of June often cradles conversations that can best be termed ‘heated’. While the mercury outside reflected its planetary
namesake, it was no different within Agilent Technologies’ well-manicured lawns, playground and bossa nova workstations in Gurgaon. That is, only when shrink Sanjay Chugh threw up the ‘Men-Are-From-Mars-And-Women-Are-From-Venus-Or-Are-They?’ dialectic to an open house. As the crowd gathered, clouds cleared. Suddenly, ‘alienation’ seemed a ten-lettered monster as the genders spewed out preconceived notions. And for the ever-Agilent HR, it was an opportunity to resolve the battle of the sexes. Once and for all, colleagues got to know each other better until it percolated down to the staffs’ personal lives.

That was a one-off from Agilent Technologies’ ‘Life Is Beautiful’ initiative that the company launched late last year to keep its 1,800-strong workforce visibly engaged. In a downturn, such creative solutions are required to stay the course, particularly in the case of Agilent, where 60% of the employees sport the Gen Y tag. “We also re-looked at the external environment and increased compensation mid-term by 5-15% since August,” says Jayanti Dave, director-HR of Agilent Technologies.

Employers are increasingly modeling their policies to suit their employee demographics. And community-building, rather than a drastic hike in compensation or whacko promises (read Google massage bars), seem to be the mantra of the times to tide over a slowdown. To that, adds Gangapriya Chakraverti, business leader at Mercer Consulting, “Good companies nowadays allow flexibility in work hours, location, the ability to design benefits (gym memberships, pension funds, etc.) and lots of learning.” Organisations are constantly benchmarking their people function against the best, to evaluate where they stand on the employee happiness index.


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During a slowdown, Chakraverti claims that organisations look at long-term prospects. “Good quality talent retention is important in times of low growth as it gives opportunity to groom talent,” says Anita Ramachandran, CEO of Cerebrus Consultants. Paying peanuts doesn’t help, buying peace does. A downturn is often a time of learning when the employee-employer engagement should be at its zenith, ensuring zero room for crib talk. “A slowdown is often the best of times to create leaders of the future,” observes Ramachandran. Some better workplaces across India are reflecting just that. In the face of modest growth, they seemed determined building on the employer brand and creating a sense of camaraderie within the ‘branded’ community—for the uninitiated, that’s retention.

Historically, IT has been at loggerheads with manufacturing and engineering. While the former attracted the newest of new-generation talent, the latter wallowed in blue-collar mechanics. For Santrupt Mishra, director-HR at AV Birla Group, a behemoth straddling both IT and manufacturing, the effects of a slowdown sink in “much later”. He contends that if there’s a sustained slowdown, companies become careful on discretionary costs. “Workplaces can only be buoyant, even in the most difficult of times, by continuous communication (employer-employee engagement).” India Inc’s people managers are busy doing everything to ensure that.

Slowdown casts gloom on natural resource buys by Indian companies


7 Nov 2008, 0959 hrs IST, Gargi Pareek, ECONOMICTIMES.COM

MUMBAI: Indian companies have rapidly acquired coal, iron ore, copper and other base metal assets in Indonesia, Africa and Latin America over the
last two years. The concerns of supply security and volatile prices have been the main reasons for these acquisitions. However, the current scenario of demand slowdown and production cuts world over, may spell trouble for these companies.

Global metal majors have announced production cuts in the range of 30-35 per cent in the past few months leading to a steep fall in raw material prices. This may prove to be disadvantageous for metal companies since they have bought these mining assets for higher valuations.

Tata Steel acquired 7.3 per cent stake in Riversdale Mining, Mozambique for $120.7 million, taking its total stake in the company to 42 per cent. Last year Tata Steel had bought 35 per cent stake for $100 million. JSW Steel acquired mining assets in North Chile for $52 million. Global metal major Vedanta bought 28.4 per cent stake in African Konkola Copper Mines for $213 million.

Tata Power also acquired 30 per cent in coal mining unit in Indonesia worth $1.3 billion. Interestingly, another firm which had acquired 35 per cent stake in the coal mining unit for $3.4 billion recently sold off their stake for about $1.3 billion, indicating that valuations for these mining companies have come down significantly since prices of coal and ore have fallen sharply over last few months.

Coal prices have fallen from their peak of $300 per tonne a few months back to about $200 per tonne, a fall of almost 50 per cent. Iron ore prices have also seen a sharp decrease from $130 per tonne to about $60-65 per tonne. Iron ore and coal prices are usually contracted for a year for the metal manufacturing companies. In FY09, prices of both iron ore and coal went up sharply by about 100 per cent and 200 per cent respectively.

This had driven metal companies to aggressively secure raw material sources in India and abroad to insulate themselves from such price volatilities. However, under the current scenario, these investments may turn out to be bets that have gone wrong.

(Blue) Chips Are Down: Brokerages turn bearish on salaries


7 Nov 2008, 0135 hrs IST, ET Bureau

MUMBAI: There is more gloom ahead for employees in the broking industry. With all cost-cutting measures yielding limited results and no improvement
in the business environment, broking firms are resorting to the most painful austerity measure: most of them are either reducing employee strength or salaries, or, in some cases, both.

Many broking outfits had deferred their decision to cut pay till Diwali. Now that the festive season is over and there are no signs of improvement in sentiment, broking firms have decided to go ahead with pay cuts. For instance, Motilal Oswal has cut salaries of its employees in the retail broking business by 10-20%. Those drawing over Rs 6 lakh as annual salary face a cut of 20% while those drawing below the figure see a reduction of 10%.

Confirming the move, Motilal Oswal Securities chairman and managing director Motilal Oswal said, “We have cut salaries of a few people in the retail broking business.” The company also plans to rationalise its branch network in certain cities to cut costs.

“However, branch rationalisation will not lead to job cuts,” says Mr Oswal. Last month, retail broking house Sharekhan cut salaries across the board by 5-15%.

Anand Rathi Securities group chairman Anand Rathi says the times are tough and cost-cutting is a continuous exercise. “At our end, we are restructuring business and combining two branches which are close by, but, at the same time, opening new branches as well. There has been no downsizing of an abnormal nature in our firm. If people are leaving on their own, we are not discouraging them,” Mr Rathi says.

Executives across several levels at B&K Securities, which is primarily into institutional broking, have seen their pay cheques shrink by 20-25%.

“A big part of the problem was broking outfits building fancy research teams, hiring for future, and paying higher-than-market salaries to retain talent,” a broker familiar with the developments says.

According to market sources, India Infoline is looking at restructuring the package of its sales staff to lower the burden of employee cost.

Market watchers say the scenario is quite grim across securities firms, be it domestic or foreign. The industry may witness a 5-10% reduction in workforce over two quarters if things do not improve from hereon, they say.

Till last year, broking firms had been on a reckless expansion spree, adding branches and manpower across cities. The move was partly driven by the lure of high valuations, as overseas players were keen to buy stakes in domestic broking outfits. With turnover having dropped sharply, the outfits are now struggling to sustain their branch networks, some of which were not profitable to begin with.

Quite a few of these players are said to be in the process of scaling back on their franchisee network and, in some cases, reducing manpower in some departments. ET had earlier reported how some broking houses had started converting branch offices into franchisee offices to tide over infrastructure costs.

Indian financial crisis may end in next 2 years:Bakul Dholakia


9 Nov 2008, 1723 hrs IST, PTI

AHMEDABAD: Former director, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad(IIM-A), Bakul Dholakia on Sunday said the Indian economy will be back on
normal tracks in two years time.

Outer limit for Indian economy to come out of the financial crisis is two years, it wont be surprising if its done in one years time, he said.

Dholakia was addressing the delegates at inaugural session of 46th All India Kharif Convention-Kharif Oilseeds, Oil Trade and Industry here.

"The economic scenario of India is not as gloomy as it appears today, buoyancy in 2010 will be back," he said.

"Governments all over the world such as that of France, Britain, China and India acted so swiftly this time that it has enhanced our capabilities to bounce back fast," Dholakia said.

Going forward, India and China will be the two fastest growing economies of the world, he added.

According to Dholakia, although the Foreign Institutional Investment (FII) in the country have declined, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows continue to be positive.

The country is poised to achieve 8 per cent GDP growth in next two years, and emerge as an economic superpower by 2020, he said.

Indian economy was in recession between 1991-94 with just one billion dollar forex reserve. But it quickly rebounded within three years, Dholakia added.

"So when the economy can rebound in such a crisis, the chances of bouncing back with mountain of 300 billion dollar forex reserves are far better," he said. 'IMF growth forecast for India is below its potential growth'


9 Nov 2008, 0824 hrs IST, PTI
WASHINGTON: Appreciating measures taken by India to deal with the global financial crisis, the IMF has said the 6.3 per cent growth forcast for the country is considerably below its potential growth.
"For India we have marked our forecast down to 6.3 per cent of 2009 calendar year. That is considerably below what we consider to be India's potential growth," IMF Deputy Director for Asia Pacific region, Kalpana Kochhar, told media.
"There is a specific meaning to "potential"-- it is the rate at which you can grow without causing inflation. And for India we estimate that to be 7.5 per cent to 8 per cent. Our forecast of 6.3 per cent would put it quite a bit below the potential," Kochhar added.
Kochhar was talking in the context of the latest update issued by the Fund on the Global Economic Outlook which spoke of a deep dive in the economic growth of several advanced countries as well as countries in the Asia Pacific taking a hit on account of the global financial tumult.
She said that measures taken by the Indian government and the RBI to tackle the financial crisis were in right direction.
"In terms of policy measures taken in India so far,I think they have all been in the right direction-- the easing of the cash reserve ratio and the statutory liquidity ratio combined with the lowering of interest rates have been in the right direction. It is the direction of providing the market with liquidity. The Reserve Bank of India has announced the facility to provide dollar liquidity and that is also in the right direction" she said.

PM confident India will grow between 7-7.5 pc next year


9 Nov 2008, 1351 hrs IST, PTI

MUSCAT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he expected India's economy to grow by a healthy 7 to 7.5 per cent in 2009, despite the global financial crisis eroding output across sectors.
"Due to the current financial crisis, growth rate may come down somewhat next year, but I am still confident that we will be able to achieve a rate of between 7-7.5 per cent," he said addressing the Indian community in Oman.
His forecast is a tad lower than the 7.7 projected in the Reserve Bank's survey of forecasters released earlier this month.
The International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook Update has pegged growth at a much lower 6.3 per cent for next year.
Already, the industrial production growth for August was a poor 1.3 per cent, followed by a modest 5.1 per cent growth in six core infrastructure industries in September. These are measures of how the industry has been expanding and tell us what to expect.
Besides, high cost of borrowings has made credit unattractive, thus hitting investments - key to robust economic growth. While the RBI has lowered key short-term lending rates, the government has goaded public and private sector banks to slash lending rates to increase money supply.

A crusader and a cavalier
07 Nov 2008
PETER ROEBUCK on India’s two departing heroes.

ANIL Kumble and Saurav Ganguly will be missed, but both retired at the right time. All good things come to an end. Now it is up to the younger fellows to take the next step. Within a few years, India should be the dominant force on the field as well as off it. Nothing else ought to be acceptable. The time for delirium has passed. As far as India are concerned, the era of hope has been replaced by a period of expectation.

Kumble was a cricketing colossus. A man of the highest integrity, yet also a fierce competitor, he did not so much surpass his supposed abilities as transcend them. In his youth he was a medium pace bowler and handy batsman, nothing out of the ordinary. One day he was called for throwing and asked the umpire about switching to spin. Permission was granted and thereafter, with unyielding spirit and unfailing determination, the Bangalorean made the most of his ability.

At first Kumble was a worn-pitch specialist, a relentless inquisitor on parched surfaces, a match-winner in his own backyard. Another man might have settled for the glory and acclamation that came his way as the crowd chanted his name. But Kumble was a perfectionist. He did not want to be a prince at home and a pauper overseas.

And so he reinvented himself, improving flight and change of pace, learning to take wickets on hard pitches. Often he was to be seen practising taking catches off his own bowling. The quest never ceased. Towards the end, he was working on a “carom” ball flicked from his fingers, but never did get to try it in Test cricket. Doubtless he will bring the same outlook to his photography, his main enthusiasm outside cricket and family.

Two memories linger from Kumble’s career. First comes the press conference at the SCG when after 15 questions the scribes finally managed to coax anger from the dignified, proud but sorely aggrieved competitor. Inwardly seething, Kumble said that “only one team was playing in the spirit of the game”. It was a devastating remark. Everyone knew he is not a grizzler.

Wherever he went, he commanded respect. The visiting press corps burst into applause. The only other time a Test captain had used such words was in the middle of the Bodyline series. At once his manager pressed his arm, lest his captain go further. Previously, they had agreed that Kumble must leave the fury to him. But he could not hold back that one remark. It was at that moment that Australia knew they were in the wrong.

Kumble’s last scalp typified his attitude. Already, he had taken 418 wickets in an astonishing career. Moreover, the match was petering out. Then Mitchell Johnson had a swipe. Kumble was sore of paw and hoof, but he smelt blood. At once he knew no fieldsman could reach the landing zone so he turned, ran full pelt and grabbed the ball. It was going to earth over his dead body.

Kumble had the power brought by absolute commitment, total focus, unquenched desire. And then, in his last rage, he feigned to hurl the ball at the stumps. He had wanted that wicket as much as his first one all those years ago.

Ganguly was funny and fearless. Every now and then, a fellow feels like tearing off his shirt and waving it around like Mick Jagger with a microphone. Of all places, Sourav Ganguly responded to the urge at Lord’s. He might as well have burped in St Paul’s. Every now and then a fellow feels an insult coming on. Ganguly was rude to Steve Waugh, captain of Australia, the mightiest foe of all.

It has been an astonishing career. Some men prefer to follow a predictable path and their stories tell of a slow rise to the top and an equally measured decline. To that end instinct is subdued, contention avoided and risk reduced. That has been altogether too dull for Ganguly.

Throughout he has toyed with his fate, tempting it to turn its back on him so that once again he could surprise the world with a stunning restoration. Something in him rebelled against the mundane and the sensible. He needed his life to be full of disasters and rescues, comebacks and mistakes, and memorable moments.

To hell with the prosaic. At heart he is a cavalier, albeit of mischievous persuasion.
Taken as a whole, his contribution has been a triumph. It is no small thing for a boy from Kolkata to make it in Indian cricket. Till then, local players were regarded as soft touches. Ganguly changed all that. Indeed, it was one of the many tasks he set himself. Always he pitted himself against presumption and always he prevailed. Along the way, he scored a brave captain’s hundred at the Gabba, led his team to victory over Australia, and took India to a World Cup final.

Best of all, he brought his country back from the brink and turned it into a formidable force. And he found in Kumble, in so many ways an opposite, a man prepared to accompany him all the way on that long and winding road.
•International writer Peter Roebuck, who is based in the KZN midlands, is currently in India for the Test series against Australia.
http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=15836

Ganguly stands tall in the middle of a relatively non-sporting race - Boria Majumdar column
by Boria Majumdar
Oct 22, 2008



"When I was sick I didn't want to die. When I race I don't want to lose. Dying and losing, it's the same thing."

Lance Armstrong
With 'sport' central to national lives and emerging into sustained symbols of national unities across the world, players are some of the most written about and sought after men and women.

And among these special men and women there are some who defy laws of science, make a joke of modern techniques and infrastructure, reduce critics to silly novices and in the process prove that raw talent and determination, more than anything else, still reigns. These icons are special for they continue to inspire, to amaze, to startle, to enthrall and to top it all continue to win laurels for their nation. Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly are such icons. And here, as in many other spheres, they are in real elite company with legends like Andre Agassi, Zinedine Zidane, Lance Armstrong and the like.

It is established that Saurav Ganguly is no Sachin Tendulkar. In fact, Sachin is unrivaled and chances are cricket will never see another Sachin within the next decade or more. Saurav, by contrast, wasn't born with greatness. For him India has never stood still. Unlike Sachin, he is dispensable on occasions and when he is indeed dispensed with only Bengal mourns for him. Andre Agassi, similarly, was never a Roger Federer or even a Pete Sampras. Yet when Agassi played Federer, entire stadiums were seen praying for a miracle. Agassi, unlike Federer, had the unique distinction of plummeting to 140 or so in the world rankings and then staging a miraculous comeback. It is the stories of these fairytale comebacks, full of romance and passion as they are, that make these men special. Zinedine Zidane is another such icon. He is no Pele and had to face serious flak when the French were knocked out in the preliminary stages of World Cup 2002. However, like Saurav and Agassi, he proved the entire soccer fraternity wrong when he guided France to the final of world cup 2006.

What is most significant in these stories of iconicity are the intriguing abilities of these men to uniquely combine talent and discipline, a mesh that inspire them to triumph over modern registers of science and technology considered central to modern sport. Ask anyone why India doesn't win more Olympic medals and prompt comes the answer, "We lack the infrastructure of the West." Yet when it comes to Saurav, who is 35+, is a rank bad fielder and has a weakness against the rising ball, top opposition like the Australians and the South Africans could exploit none of these between December 2006 and October 2008. Unparalleled determination coupled with grit and talent has seen him through, a rare combination that was once again on display at Mohali when he grafted his way to his 16th Test ton and in doing so led India to an unassailable position in the match.

The truth -- and sometimes statistics is not the ass we think it is -- will demonstrate that Saurav Ganguly had amassed 1000 runs in calendar year 2007. He was Man of the Series against the South Africans earlier this year and he is India's highest scorer thus far in this series. Yet, he has to retire for there isn't a soul in the BCCI who will step up to urge him to reconsider. The cardinal cricketing maxim that performance is the ultimate watchword has given way to a strange belief in India- it is age and not performance that matters. You need good fielders and fast runners. May well be Indian cricket will soon be a forum in which 100 m sprinters will take a real fancy.

As he waits his turn to play his last Test match, there's little doubt that he stands tall in the middle of a relatively non-sporting race. For icons like Agassi, Saurav and Zidane have proved time and again that infrastructure and cash rich facilities don't make champions. Rather, they make themselves.

And when Saurav finally retires, nothing, not even the frenzy associated with Sachin can take certain truths away from him. In fact, even at the cost of sounding a biased provincial, it can be suggested that he will continue to be one of the most awe inspiring Indian sporting icons of all time. Without being in the Sachin masterclass, he turned the tables on Australia in 2003-4 with that amazing 144 at Brisbane. Without being blessed with Rahul's technique, he saved India the blushes at Bangalore against Pakistan in November 2007 and once again against Australia at Mohali. A standout patriot in the Leander Paes league, he could confidently say before the 2003-4 tour of Australia, "Most people see an Australia tour as pressure. For me a tour down under lifts me up".

Finally, one of the accomplished of all cricketing comebacks in history helps mock the cardinal notion that modern sport is for the young and that the thirty plus generation are old discards. What it proves and proves once and for all is that part of modern gladiatorial sport continues to be played in the heart and in this real passionate sporting realm nothing is impossible. Not even an Indian series victory against Australia with men like Sachin, Saurav, Rahul, VVS and Kumble in the team. Here's wishing them all the best.
http://www.dreamcricket.com/dreamcricket/news.hspl?nid=10368&ntid=4