fading languages

A recent study established that the Dravidian language family of 80 varieties, spoken by 220 million people across south and central India, began about 4,500 years ago.

Experts fear many will fade away.

Preservation of tribal languages 
Times of India, April 2, 2018.  

Violation of constitution?

The secretaries of various ministries have been asked to write articles.

A sector-wise compilation of the number of jobs created in the past four years.

These are expected to be widely quoted by the Hindu People Party in the campaign for the upcoming State elections and the 2019 Federal election.

Civil servants who are on the payroll of the tax-payers will act as public relations officers, of the party presently in power.

This is a gross violation of the constitution.

It violates the integrity of the civil service, and the fundamentals of its role in a democracy, governed by the rule of law.

The civil service must be politically neutral - and not propaganda machine of a party.

Undermining the civil services - A G Noorani  
Deccan Chronicle Sunday August 5, 2018

favors for work

"It is not just in the film industry.

It happens everywhere - and is the bitter reality.

Don't imagine that the parliament or other work spaces are immune," said Renuka Chowdhary whose term in the upper house, ended last month.

She was responding to choreographer Saroj Khan's shocker, that appeared to justify the 'casting couch'.

Parliament not immune - NDTV.

April 13 - Sun drowns at Rewathi

The Federal Film Awards, announced in New Delhi today, posthumously awarded Sridewi, her first Federal Film Award  for Best Actress.
It was for her performance in the film, Mom.
She was cast as a mother, bent on avenging the rape of her daughter.

It was her third film after she came back to  acting, with English Winglish and Puli.
She drowned in a Dubai hotel bathroom, in February 2018.

- New Delhi Television,  April 13, 2018

Sultan of Mysore

There are 30 reverential letters written in Kannada by Tipu Sultan, to the then Sancaracharya of Shringagiri.

 Today, Maratha rulers are icons of Hindu nationalism.
In 1791, Maratha ruler Parashuram Bhau, ravaged Mysore and damaged the Dakshinamnaya pita, the Sancaracharya temple at Shringagiri. The Maratha looted it's property.

And Tipu Sultan renovated the Shringagiri temple.

Same Tipu was unable to capture the pradhans of Rani Lakshmi Ammanni, who negotiated for the Rani with the British. And the Sultan ordered a public hanging of around 700 members of the pradhan community, the Mandyam Iyengars.
Men, women and children killed in broad daylight, that too on Diwali day.
Some Mandyam Iyengars observe Diwali as a day of mourning, even to this day.

- Why we love to hate Tipu Sultan, live mint. 

Gurjara domain

List of smart Gujarati men - Harshad Mehta, Hiten Dalal, Jatin Mehta, Ketan Parekh and . . . Nirav Modi.

All have taken thousands of crores from taxpayers in the last few years.

As a federation and culture, we seem to have no immunity at all against the smooth-talking Gujaratis, who easily take the system for a ride.

- Dakshin Chronicle,  February 2018  -  Aakar Patel. 

Engaging with foreign governments

Article 253 of the Constitution enables the Federal administration to rides roughshod over States' rights, when it implements a treaty and a decision at an international conference.

If the Federal government concludes an international convention on say, health - the Parliament will have the power to make any law to implement it, although it falls in the State list.

In the last 70 years the number of such bodies has grown much.

It is not necessary to amend the constitution to confer on States, a consultative status on foreign affairs - when their interests are involved. Procedures can be devised in consultation with the States and the document endorsed by both Houses of Parliament.

A Parliamentary resolution can give States a greater say on foreign affairs, when their interests are involved. And can recognise the right of their Chief Ministers to engage with foreign governments, provided the Federation is kept in the picture.

- States should have a say in foreign affairs  
A G Noorani,  Deccan Chronicle