The Recent Sugar Price Issue – Some Thoughts

The extreme hike in sugar price (almost Rs. 50 per kg) had become a hot topic of discussion for the Indian mass for the last few days. Everybody was shocked, upset, and (understandably) angry. Thank god that at last the price of this widely consumed food item is showing some downward trend.


I feel instead of focusing on exchange of criticisms and blame game, we should now focus on how we can prevent the emergence of such situations in the future. Taking preventive measures to prevent future crisis is more important than identifying the “culprits” of present crisis and criticizing them for their failure. Right?

So do I have any suggestion? Yes, I do, though I am not sure about its practicability. And I also do not know whether any decision to this effect has already been taken or being considered. All I can say is that I have a suggestion, and I will love to share it with everybody.

Other day in TV I found they were saying that a particular strategy of the Agriculture Ministry has largely contributed to this sugar price crisis. And that strategy is – Export when there is surplus quantity, Import when there is scarcity. (Well, I do not remember the language ad verbatim, but it was something like that).

Now, when there is a surplus quantity of a food item, then exporting a part of it is not a bad idea. After all, it is always a great idea to tap an opportunity to draw foreign exchange.

However, at the same time the Government should remember that there can anytime be an emergency situation in the country, which will result in a sudden and emergency demand for that surplus quantity in India itself. For example, there can be a drought-generated famine in a certain region of India, resulting in an overnight creation of a sea of hungry people in an acute need of food items, including that particular food item. Similarly, there can be flood in one region, with the Government facing the task of sending relief to that place. Needless to say that the relief items must include food items, including that particular food item.


Now my humble suggestion -

Therefore, I feel that whenever there is a surplus production of a particular food item, the Government must store a certain percentage of it as the Buffer Stock. And this must be made a regular practice, irrespective of how strong or faint the possibility of an emergency situation is.

Now, if there is any situation like drought-generated famine, then the Government can use the buffer stock to address the acute need of food items in the affected region.

In case there is a flood in a region, the Government can send adequate food items by using that buffer stock.

And when a food item will suffer from constant price rise due to the scarcity of that item in the market, the Government can check that price rise by reducing that scarcity. Yes, by supplying that food item into the market from its buffer stock.


So, what do you people think of my plan?

Effective Implementation of Plastic Bag Ban

Despite a ban on its use in India, plastic bag is very much in use in India. One of my colleagues from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh is claiming that the ban is very much successful in that state. May be. But that the ban has been not that effective at least in Delhi that is very much established.

Fine. But why are people, mainly the shopkeepers, so unwilling to follow the ban? Is it merely a callous attitude towards the cause of environment? No! We all know that the actual reason is something different.

Actually, all the alternatives for plastic bag, such as jute bag, cotton bag and paper bag are more costly than plastic bag. Using any of such bags in the place of plastic bag will be quite a costly affair for shopkeepers. And it is this factor that is keeping them away from saying good-bye to plastic bag.

So what is the way out? Well, I have a suggestion, if nobody finds it audacious and over-smart. And I also tell in advance that my suggestion may be based on completely faulty and/or impractical logic. In that case I apologize in advance.


Is it very difficult for the Government to subsidize the production of jute and cotton bags? Subsidization will understandably bring down their production costs, eventually reducing their market price as well. And in that case it will be easier for shopkeepers to replace plastic bags with these bags.

Yes, this act of subsidization will result in a financial pressure on the Government. And I also have a suggestion about how to address it (and again I must say that my suggestion can be wrong).


If shopkeepers gradually stop purchasing plastic bags, then the manufacturers of plastic bags will automatically stop or reduce production of such bags, right? And that will eventually result in a significant reduction of CO2 emission, as plastic bag manufacturing results in a huge CO2 emission.

Now, can the Indian Government use this achievement of causing emission reduction to earn some Carbon Credits (the economic allowance that a country earns for reducing greenhouse gas emissions)? And can that economic allowance be used to address the financial pressure that the Government will face while subsidizing the jute and cotton bag manufacturing?

I have just sought to share an idea that came in my mind. I will love everybody to share his views on it.

The Ruchika Girhotra Case – Something So Enjoyable And Enchanting For Me

The Ruchika Girhotra case has been one of the most enjoyable and enchanting incidents that I have seen in my life so far. And I am really so happy that the incident has happened in my country, India.

No, please do not get me wrong. I do not mean that I have found it to be enchanting what happened to unfortunate Ruchika, who was prevented by destiny from growing up into a successful lady (apart from being an asset for the Indian tennis fraternity). I also do not mean that I have relished the harrowing and nightmarish experiences that Ruchika’s family had to go through.

Then why the hell did I term the Ruchika Girhotra case “enjoyable” and “enchanting”? Because the case proved, for the umpteenth time, the tremendous power that the common people of India have, which itself stems from the deep-rooted culture of democracy that India takes pride in.

The nasty SPS Rathore had long eluded his due punishment by virtue of his clout, and managed to get away with a minor punishment even when law finally managed to get him within its grip. It was not only going to be a grave injustice for the departed soul of Ruchika, but also a shameful travesty of justice, eventually resulting into an extremely disgraceful event in the history of Indian legal system.

But ultimately that did not happen, with the Indian legal system being forced to take a fresh look at the entire case. And this impossible was made possible by only one force – the Indian mass power (the civil society, the media, et al). It is this mass power, through its strong reactions and protests, ensured that Rathore does not have the last laugh. And what is the result? Well, just few days back I had seen Rathore’s picture in the newspaper, with his face beaming with smile. And today when I find him in the TV channels, I never fail to notice the traces of nervousness and fear on his face, something that instantly brings a broad smile on my face.

Today, after so many years Ruchika’s hapless family is going to have justice. And the entire credit for that goes to the common people of India, who actually made that happen.

I never claim that my country is perfect. Rather, I am always conscious of the fact that my country is plagued with a plethora of problems – ranging from corruption, poverty, caste problem, and so on.

But I am also proud of some of the genuinely appreciable qualities that my motherland boasts of. And one of them is the immense power that is enjoyed by the Indian mass, a fact was so conspicuously reflected in the Ruchika Girhotra Case. The proceedings in this case have further strengthened my faith and confidence on the Indian mass power. And this explains why I find this case to be so enjoyable and enchanting.

Today let the entire Indian mass make a New Year Resolution. And that Resolution is – We will always unitedly fight for the right cause, thus compelling the Government/Judiciary/Legislature to take only those steps that are truly in the interest of the entire citizenry. Let us recognize our power, and make a good use of it. Let us make the right and intelligent use of the democratic rights that we are so fortunate to have.

NB – I will like to end my write up by expressing my heart felt respect and regards for Ruchika’s friend Aradhana Prakash. Aradhana’s ceaseless fight for getting justice for her late friend is …….well, I do not have the right words to appreciate the commendability of her act. All I can say is – “Hats Off To You, Aradhana! You are one of those people who epitomize genuine friendship.”

At Last I Am Married

So at last I am married, after trying for the same for almost 7 years. There were so many negotiations with the families of so many “prospective brides”, so many “rays of hope”, and finally “unsuccessful endings” for all of those negotiations. Finally, on 29th November 2009, I at last tied the knot with Debyani Dey, a marketing professional working for a Delhi-based newspaper. The wedding ceremony took place at Konnogar, a small town near Kolkata where Debyani’s parents live. The wedding ceremony was followed by a Reception Party in Kolkata, on 1st December.

Needless to say that the marriage has marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life, though it is certainly not that the post-marriage life is drastically changed from my pre-marriage life. I find my life to be more-or-less the same, except the fact that now I have somebody very special in my life.

Now we two are enjoying our married life in Delhi, trying to make the life colourful through small and simple funs. But our marriage has not made us take shelter inside a cocoon, where we are deliberately cut off from the rest of the world. We both are social persons, and are maintaining (rather retaining) close touch with all relatives and friends. We do not believe in the concept of “getting lost in the private world of our own”. Rather we find it much more enjoyable to share our fun and pleasure with our near and dear ones, while also maintaining our privacy and enjoying our own private moments.

We sincerely appeal for everybody’s love and wishes, so that we can have a simple, happy and peaceful married life.

India Is "PHAK-PAI-YUL" For Tibetans

It has been just few days that I have got a Tibetan colleague. This handsome, smart and intelligent man in his 20s - whom I will like to refer to as X - fled Tibet 17 years back (when he was a little boy), and since then has been settled in India. Some of his relatives also stay here, though his parents are still in Lhasa.

Apart from being a good colleague, X has also been a nice "discussion partner" for me. During lunch break or coffee breaks we discuss various interesting issues, like China's occupation of Tibet, Dalai Lama, China's hypocrisy about Communism, Indo-China relationship, sporadic freedom movements by some Tibetan groups in Tibet, Tibetan advocacy and campaign groups in India, etc.

Anyways, just yesterday (21st November, 2009) X told me an interesting thing, which I want to share with my readers.

I had just casually asked him how the Tibetans perceive India.

And what did he say?

He said that since ancient times Tibetans refer to India as - PHAK-PAI-YUL.

So what does that mean?

It means - The Country of Everything That Is Noble.

Darjeeling Is In West Bengal

Well, this is a message meant precisely for all those Indians who DO NOT know that Darjeeling is in the state of West Bengal, and feel that it is in the beautiful state of Sikkim.

Since I shifted to Delhi from Kolkata in 2001, I have come across a huge number of people who do not know that Darjeeling is in my home state of West Bengal, with most of them having this perception that Darjeeling is in Sikkim.

It is only after my latest such experience on 13th November 2009, where one colleague expressed surprise to know that Darjeeling is in West Bengal, that I decided to make this posting to inform everybody that Darjeeling is in West Bengal.

And yes, I will also like to dispel this misconception of a number of people that Siliguri is in North-East India. In reality, Siliguri is in West Bengal, and is in fact my place of birth.

The Harassments Of N-E Youths In Delhi – A Long Term Effort Is What We Need

The continuous harassments of the North-East youths in Delhi, which range from verbal taunting to sexual molestation, have understandably resulted into a widespread hue and cry. And indeed the government should take a well-planned and carefully chalked out step to address the issue.

Personally I feel that the government should go for a two-pronged plan, with both a short term as well as a long term approach. First it should immediately take some steps to curb or at least lessen the problem. At the same time it should go for a long term approach aimed at complete uprooting of the problem.

As far as the short term approach focused on immediate result is concerned, the Delhi Police should set up a special cell exclusively meant for the North-East youths. There is no need to have a huge manpower or high level infrastructure for the same, as that is not required. It is only that the police force needs a dedicated arm for handling the problem. And it must be very strong in the execution of its duty, showing a stern and ruthless face while countering and handling the offenders. And every strong step that the team will take against an offender must be highly publicized in the media, with the names, pictures and family details of the offenders being highlighted. This will generate strong fear in the mind of the scoundrels who are indulging into these nasty activities.

Now let’s focus on the long term plan. This should entail an honest effort to understand the root cause of the problem, and addressing the same.

The government (not only the Delhi or Central government, but all relevant government entities) must start educating the so-called mainstream Indians that the North-East people are not aliens from the Mars, but are our own brothers and sisters from a certain part of our motherland which is geographically just a little isolated from the rest of India (Or is it really isolated? I have been to so many places in North-East, and I do not think so). There should be an all round and continuous effort to allay misconceptions about the North-East region and its inhabitants. And such efforts should not be confined merely within holding occasional exhibitions of North-East handicrafts or dishes. Rather there should be dissemination of information, through various channels of communication, about the rich culture of the region (like colourful folk dances of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh), interesting events (like elephant race in Assam during Brahmaputra Beach Festival at the time of Bhogali Bihu), fascinating folklore of Nagaland, literary legacy of Tripura, the rich Buddhist heritage of Arunachal Pradesh, the interesting practice of Jhoom cultivation in Mizoram, and so on.

And while educating people about North-East, government should have a special focus on highlighting this issue that North-East is not a primitive land dominated by age-old tribal customs, but a perfectly modern place inhabited by people with modern outlook. (In fact, it is thanks to this modern outlook that some North-East women wear so-called revealing dresses, which actually make some Delhi scoundrels to perceive them as “cheap”). While the tourism ministries of the Central as well North-East governments always highlight the jungles, mountains and rich and colourful tribal life of this region, there should also be efforts to highlight the modern urban life that is present here. The “mainstream Indians” must know that in North-East there lie both beautiful and modern towns like Shillong, Guwahati, Imphal, etc. People should be told about things like the oil refinery in Assam’s Digboi (Asia’s first oil refinery). This will make people realize about the economic significance of this region.

In fact, the idea about North-East is so poor in Delhi that a huge number of people here feel that the North-East people eat cockroach and snake in their lunch and dinner. But these people do not even know that the three North-East states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram are the only three Indian states where English is an official language. These people also do not know that Arunachal Pradesh is the only non-North Indian state where Hindi serves as the lingua franca among the various tribes speaking different languages.

My paternal aunt (obviously a Bengali) married a gentleman (my dear Paban Uncle) from the Karbi tribe of Assam. A well-educated, intelligent and cultured bureaucrat (IAS), Paban Uncle was one of my childhood heroes. It was he who taught me to realize, appreciate and love the rich culture of North-East, a region that India is so fortunate to have within its boundary. Today both of his daughters (my dear cousin sisters) are well-educated and well-established (one of them is a bureaucrat like her father). And they have given me a nephew and a niece who are the apples of my eyes. (Though I have not met my niece yet, but of course I love her).

I am grateful to the picturesque North-East for having such a beautiful uncle and cousins, who have had such a strong influence on my life.


Apart from the family, I have also come across a number of North-East people in my professional and social life, and I must say that I have found all of them to be genuinely intelligent, well-read and hardworking. Yes, I mean it.


Grow up, “mainstream India”. Learn to respect your own brothers and sisters. Stop nurturing wrong perceptions about them, and stop harassing them for what they are. If we keep harassing the North-East youths in Delhi simply for the “offence” of being a bit culturally different, then how are we different from the scoundrels of Australia who are unabashedly harassing the Indian youths settled there? What the North-East friends are facing in Delhi is “domestic racism”, and it is the responsibility of us, the responsible Delhites, to prove that we are not that bad.