Pope Francis had qualities that made me – made us – want to identify with him

I am a Catholic and go to church every Sunday. On most weekdays, it’s the online service at home from 7 to 7.30 in the morning. Six popes have passed away in my lifetime. While I have no recollection of the first — the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963, when I was two years old — I remember each of the other moments vividly. Those were times of prayer, mourning and remembrance — and of a shared sense of community.

The departure of Pope Francis is similar and yet different. It feels personal. He was not just the Pope; he was my kind of Pope — a reformist Pope, an inclusive Pope, a compassionate Pope, a football-loving Pope, a Pope from the Global South, a Pope who spoke common sense, including on Gaza and the fires raging in the Holy Land. These were qualities that made me — made us — want to identify with him. He was also the first Jesuit Pope, and I can’t fail to mention that I went to a Jesuit school.

One of the world’s largest religious communities has lost its leader. No, this is not an obituary. This is not an analysis of the significant contribution Pope Francis made to the world or the windows he opened in the Catholic Church. This is not about how he “led with mercy” or advocated for social reforms. This is not about his progressive outlook towards women and the LGBTQ community. This is about what Vatican City’s most famous resident meant to me — an Indian, born and raised in Kolkata.

The former archbishop of Buenos Aires belonged to the Jesuit order, a congregation of 15,000 members worldwide who run some of the most reputed educational institutions in India. They lead over 220 high schools and 52 university colleges throughout the country. Countless leaders have emerged from the Jesuits. When the Constitution of India was being framed, Father Jerome D’Souza was a member of the Constituent Assembly from 1946 to 1950, speaking up for the rights of the underprivileged, the minorities, the economically challenged. Earlier this year, this columnist had the good fortune of meeting the “Black Pope” (a term derived from the black cassocks or robes worn by the leader of the Jesuits, the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church). Reverend Dr Arturo Sosa, the global head of the Jesuits, addressed a programme commemorating the centenary of Loyola College, Chennai. Father Stan Swamy, who languished in state custody while being denied even a straw to drink water with, was also a Jesuit.

The last time a Pope visited India was in 1999, when Pope John Paul II landed in New Delhi. He had also visited Kolkata in February 1986. I was 25 then. His Holiness was met at the airport by Cardinal Lawrence Picachy. I remember the jostle and the hustle while trying to get a pavement view of the holy man, resplendent in white, standing ethereal-like in the glass-covered popemobile. His first official visit was to Mother Teresa’s Nirmal Hriday. Mother rushed to his popemobile and greeted him. Holding his hand, she led him into the home for the sick and dying, situated next to the Kalighat temple in south Kolkata. The first thing he would have seen when he entered the facility was a blackboard with the message written in chalk, “We do this for Jesus.” The Pope stayed there for an hour. Later that evening, he met with members of other Christian denominations and leaders of different faiths. He spent the night at Archbishop’s House on Park Street (now renamed Mother Teresa Sarani) and had breakfast in the refectory. Forty years on, even today, whenever we have breakfast in that room, we savour the moment, saying, “This is where a Pope ate breakfast!”

The next evening, following a whirlwind trip to Shillong, his Holiness Pope John Paul II said mass at a venue best known for massive political rallies — Brigade Parade Ground. The soft-spoken pontiff’s sermon ended on a note of hope: “Let those who have no voice finally speak. Let India speak. Let Mother Teresa’s poor and all the poor of the world speak. Their voice is the voice of Christ. Amen.” Exactly 30 years later, in 2016, it was Pope Francis who led the celebration at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City where Mother Teresa was declared a saint — St Teresa of Kolkata. I remember every moment of that September morning in Europe, frame by frame.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who had worked closely with the Pope since 2013, paid him a tribute earlier this week: “He began many projects even now for the Church to give priority… to allow all lay persons (non-clergy) also to have a role in the running and conducting of the church. What was particularly dear to him in recent times was the importance of giving women their rightful place in the church and in society.”

The Church leadership in India today, most significantly the bishops, must find inspiration and be guided by the blunt words of Pope Francis, who would always speak up: “The Church, while respecting the autonomy of political life, does not restrict her mission to the private sphere. The Church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines.” His mortal remains will be buried tomorrow. His words must give the Church strength across India and the world.

[This article was also published in The Indian Express | Friday, April 25, 2025]

The Waqf Amendment Bill is not just about land or law. It is about dignity.

Many of us have never had to ask ourselves this question. And maybe that’s the privilege we need to confront first. Because for millions of Indians, especially those from our minority and marginalised communities, this is not a rhetorical question. It’s a lived reality. It is a quiet burden. It is a deep suspicion cast on their belonging. Their being. Every legislation. Every  policy.

And now, with the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, ironically  named “Umeed”. Is hope being turned into hopelessness?  Are we making legislation for greater good or for cynical pigeon holing? All this is not just about land or law. It is about dignity. About whether our Constitution still holds meaning for all of us or only for some of us.

Five-Year Criteria

The Bill introduces a five-year requirement of practicing Islam before someone can create a Waqf. This is not only arbitrary but also deeply discriminatory. No such restriction exists for other religious endowments (Violation of Right to Equality). A Hindu, Christian, or Sikh can donate property to their religious institutions at any time. Why and how should Muslims alone prove the longevity of their faith before making a charitable endowment?

Removal of ‘Waqf by User’

Another serious issue with the Bill is the removal of “Waqf by user”, a concept that allows property that has been used for religious or charitable purposes for a long time to be considered Waqf even without formal documentation. Similar concepts exist and are protected under laws governing Hindu temples and Christian institutions. For example, the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 recognises temples that have functioned for long periods, even in the absence of formal deeds.

By stripping Muslim institutions of this same recognition, the government is creating a legal hierarchy among religious communities. This is a clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.

Waqf-alal-aulad

Waqf-alal-aulad, created through a written deed, permanently dedicates property for charitable purposes while initially benefiting family members. It is not inheritable. The government’s move to let descendants claim ownership contradicts the core principle of Waqf and creates confusion in inheritance law, especially affecting women’s rights already protected under Muslim law. Such interference undermines both legal clarity and religious tradition.

Composition of Waqf Boards

The Bill changes the composition of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards to allow a majority of non-Muslim members. For instance, up to 12 of 22 members of the Central Waqf Council can now be non-Muslims. This is unprecedented. Waqf Boards are meant to administer Islamic charitable endowments. Placing control of these institutions in the hands of individuals who do not belong to the faith defeats the purpose of Articles 25 and 26, which ensure that religious denominations manage their own institutions.

Moreover, the Bill shifts the selection process from election to nomination, giving the government undue power to appoint board members. This transformation of Waqf Boards into government-controlled bodies undermines their autonomy and invites majoritarian influence over minority religious affairs.

Centralisation of Power

By assigning power to a Designated Officer (a government employee) to declare whether a property is Waqf or not, the Bill empowers the state to act as judge, jury, and plaintiff. This violates the principle of natural justice: no one should be a judge in their own cause.

Further, by removing the finality of Waqf Tribunal decisions, it opens up endless litigation, weakening Waqf Boards and creating bureaucratic hurdles. It undermines Article 25-26: Freedom to manage religious affairs.

Application of Limitation Act 

A particularly alarming change is the application of the Limitation Act, 1963, to Waqf properties. Previously, Waqf land had certain protections, recognising that religious endowments are perpetual and cannot be claimed through adverse possession. The new amendment removes these protections, allowing those who have illegally occupied Waqf land to potentially gain legal ownership if they hold it long enough.

This provision also reduces the penalty for encroachment from imprisonment to a mere fine and makes the offence bailable, making it easier for powerful entities to grab Waqf land without serious consequences. This erodes the very idea of a Waqf being a “permanent” charitable dedication.

Attack on Federalism

Land is a State Subject under List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Tomorrow, what stops the Union Government from taking over Hindu temple boards? Or church-managed lands? This isn’t about reform. This is about control. And such overreach is a direct assault on Indian federalism.

Why Must Some Prove They Belong?

The Waqf Act, 2025, is currently under scrutiny in the Supreme Court due to multiple petitions challenging its constitutional validity. In yesterday’s hearing, the Union government was granted seven days to file its response. The Waqf Amendment Bill is not merely a legislative proposal. It is a mirror. And what we see in it should disturb all of us – whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, any religion or none. Because if rights can be rewritten for one, they can be rewritten for all.

This Bill violates equality. It violates personal autonomy. It violates federalism. And, more than anything, it violates the idea that our great nation is built on.

Who gets to decide how much is enough? Enough to practice our faith without suspicion? Enough to exist without having to prove our belonging every single day?

The Constitution does not ask how much we belong. It guarantees that we do.

Ten questions by MPs during Question Hour in Parliament, what government’s responses reveal

Question Hour. The 60 minutes every day when Parliament is in session and MPs ask questions that ministers have to answer on the floor of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. An MP has to put in her question/s in writing weeks in advance. A ballot is held to select the questions. Some that are selected are answered orally on the floor of Parliament (starred questions) and some are balloted to be answered only in writing (unstarred questions). Question Hour serves as a crucial tool to hold the government accountable. Answers to questions asked in Parliament are a veritable goldmine. It’s a pity this wealth of information is often overlooked in parliamentary reportage.

After the 26-day Budget Session, here is a selection of 10 questions raised by MPs in this session:

Convictions by the ED

CPI (M) MP A A Rahim inquired about convictions secured by the Enforcement Directorate. The government’s response admitted that between 2015 and 2025, only two convictions had been obtained out of a total of 193 cases against MPs, MLAs, and political leaders. A conviction rate of just one per cent.

Cess and surcharges

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee and BJP MP Rao Rajendra Singh raised a question regarding the collection of cesses and surcharges. The government admitted that between FY2014 and FY2025, the revenue from cesses currently being levied has increased by a whopping 462 per cent. During the same period, surcharges have seen an even sharper rise of 999 per cent. When combined, the overall increase in collections from all cesses and surcharges stands at 304 per cent.

Sickle cell anaemia

BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari asked about the progress made in the effort to tackle sickle cell anaemia. The government’s reply showed that the funds allocated to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research under its sickle cell anaemia mission were reduced by 60 per cent between FY 2020 and FY 2024.

Eklavya schools

Congress MPs Bachhav Shobha Dinesh, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka and Anto Antony, CPI (M) MP S Venkatesan and BJP MP Vishnu Dayal Ram all asked the same question regarding the operational status of Eklavya residential schools. These institutions had been established to provide quality education to children belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. The government admitted that one out of every three Eklavya model residential schools is non-functional. Odisha reported the highest number of non-operational schools (61 of 108), followed by Jharkhand (39 of 90), Meghalaya (all 37), Nagaland (19 of 22), and Manipur (18 of 21).

PM CARES for Children

CPI (M) MP V Sivadasan asked about the status of beneficiaries under the PM CARES for Children scheme. The government’s reply noted a steep decline in beneficiaries, from 3,694 in 2021 to just 12 in 2024. This represents a drastic drop to only 0.32 per cent of the beneficiaries compared to 2021.

Railways vacancies

Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauria raised a question regarding vacancies in the Railways, specifically in the category of safety. In response, the government stated that 92,116 vacancies were notified in 2024, with the majority of the posts related to safety. However, the government also admitted that the first stage of recruitment had been completed for less than half of these vacancies. Entrance tests were taking place even when the Budget Session of Parliament was in progress. This indicates that none of the vacancies had been filled, and for more than half, the recruitment process had not even been initiated.

Dues under MGNREGS

Trinamool Congress MP Bapi Haldar asked for information on pending dues under MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme). In its response, the government admitted that more than Rs 25,000 crore was owed to various states and Union Territories. It also acknowledged that funds to West Bengal had been suspended since March 9, 2022. In FY2023, West Bengal, Manipur, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands received no funds under the scheme.

Aadhaar-based payments

Congress MP Prashant Yadaorao Padole raised a question regarding the eligibility of MGNREGS workers under the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS). The APBS uses Aadhaar numbers to directly transfer the wages of MGNREGS workers into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. In its response, the government admitted that nearly 30 per cent of all MGNREGS workers were not eligible for payments through the APBS.

Cyber crime prevention

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi raised a question regarding the Union government’s Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children scheme. Under this scheme, the Union provides financial assistance to states and UTs for capacity building, such as setting up cyber forensic-cum-training laboratories, hiring junior cyber consultants, and training law enforcement personnel, public prosecutors, and judicial officers. In its response, the government admitted that although the scheme was initiated in 2017, no funds were disbursed to any state in FY 2018. In FY 2023, 20 states and UTs received zero financial assistance under the scheme.

Jan Dhan accounts

Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi raised a question about zero-balance and non-operational Jan Dhan accounts. In response, the government disclosed that over one in five Jan Dhan accounts are inactive, and eight per cent of all accounts have no funds at all.

For two days during this recently concluded Budget session, MPs were in Parliament from 11 am to 4 am the next morning. Seventeen hours on the trot. Surely, parliamentary democracy is all energised and in top form. Right ? No. Completely wrong. Don’t let the contrived all-night-long sessions deceive you. To borrow a sentence first used by columnist Vir Sanghvi, “Parliament is being turned into a deep, dark chamber”.

The Statutory Resolution to the Proclamation of President’s Rule in Manipur was notified on February 13, 2025. Parliament recommenced on March 10. Why then was this discussion on Manipur held at the fag end of the session?  Why was the Government avoiding the subject for almost three weeks? Worse still, why in the dead of night? Just 44 minutes in the Lok Sabha.

What happened in the Rajya Sabha was even more jarring. Three hours had been allotted for the discussion. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used just two minutes of the 75 minutes they were allotted. In fact, when the opening speaker from the BJP was just two minutes into his speech, floor leaders from his party shut him down. Indifference infinity. 

Some more notes from the diary. 

1. Voting On The Waqf Bill 

While voting on the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition ended up with 95 votes. If it wasn’t for medical emergencies, a century might well have been scored. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) Shibu Soren and Mahua Majhi were advised by doctors not to travel. Sharad Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party(SP) and Subrata Bakshi from the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) were also absent for the same reason. We wish them all a speedy and full recovery. Also, one vote from the Opposition was declared invalid due to a technicality.

2. No Deputy Speaker In Lok Sabha

Another session has ended and there is still no Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha. It has now been almost 300 days since the current Lok Sabha commenced. Article 93 of the Constitution mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker “as soon as may be”. Yet, a constitutional post continues to remain vacant. 

3. No Notice From Opposition Accepted 

Not a single notice raised by the Opposition was accepted for a discussion. The last time a notice from an Opposition MP was admitted in the Rajya Sabha was 16 months ago, in December 2023, when this columnist raised the discussion on ‘The Economic Situation In The Country’. 

Another important parliamentary device used by MPs in the Opposition to hold the government accountable is a Calling Attention Motion, which “allows an MP to draw a Minister’s attention to a matter of urgent public importance”. The last Calling Attention was accepted in July 2024, on the floods in Kerala. Opposition parties pushed for discussion on issues like duplication of voter IDs, youth unemployment, amongst others. The government looked the other way. 

4. The Opposition’s New Tactic 

When being deprived of time to speak or when not being allowed to raise issues, the Opposition resorted to a new tactic. Prolonged protests were replaced with short walkouts – these invariably lasted for about 10 to 30 minutes. The point was made and the MPs trooped back into the House to participate. Walk out and walk back. This columnist remembers this tactic from the late Sitaram Yechury’s playbook. 

5. The PM’s Vote

PM Modi was abroad when voting took place on the Waqf Bill. History will record that he did not support the Bill. Or oppose it. Or abstain. 

6.  The LAMP Convocation

Forty-eight MPs, across 17 parties, gathered at the India International Centre, Lodhi Road. The occasion: the 15th annual convocation ceremony of young legislative assistants (interns) who had each spent one year with an MP they had been assigned to. Parliamentarians showered generous praise on the outgoing Legislative Assistants to Member of Parliament (LAMPs), many of whom were accompanied by their proud parents. 

7. Book Launches 

How can there be a Parliament session without a book launch! Two DMK MPs launched their books. Tiruchi Siva published a collection of his WhatsApp good morning messages. His colleague, Dr T. Sumathy, launched her book Beatrice Webb: A Portrait of a Reformist. Both books were launched at different locations on the same day at the same time. 

8. Who Captained The BJP?

The Home Minister was the Government’s headliner this session. He piloted three bills from his Ministry and also spoke for 45 minutes on Waqf, which he did not pilot. Amit Shah was BJP’s batsman, bowler and fielder. For a change, he  was also seen more than once in the cafeteria, interacting with MPs across parties. Interesting times. As a colleague observed, is it the 240 effect? Or could it be a 52 year-old bachelor captaining a very large state. Keen contest. Watch this space. 

[This article was also published in NDTV | Monday, April 7, 2025]

A look at some of the interventions by MPs, across party lines, on issues that affect the lives of citizens

Parliament session after Parliament session, a few things change. The coffee spoons have moved from Central Hall to the seemingly swank, yet soulless, corridors of a modern-day cafeteria. Heritage can’t be traded in for the Hyatt-like. In the about-to-be-concluded Budget session, a few Members of Parliament were spotted wearing white kicks. Kangana Ranaut is the photo journalist’s top shot.

In all this hubbub, it is the MPs who are seated in the first two rows of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – from the five biggest parties – who tend to dominate news output. Almost by way of some unspoken rule, issues picked up for coverage by the channels and newspapers are centred mainly around the political. What this often means is that the lesser an issue scores on the “political quotient”, the fewer its chances of dominating a narrative. Here are seven such issues recently raised by MPs across political parties. The subjects may have not made multi-column stories or news tickers, but are serious interventions on citizen welfare.

Road Accidents on Highways, Ghanshyam Tiwari, BJP

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In the last five years, about 8 lakh people have died in highway accidents in India. About half of unnatural and untimely deaths in India happen due to road accidents. Per the government’s own admission in Parliament, we have failed to achieve the target of reducing road accidents by 50 per cent.

Rehabilitation for Acid Attack Victims, Sanjay Singh, AAP

In the last 11 years, 200 women have been survivors of acid attack cases. One-third of the victims are girls below 18 years of age. Survivors have often struggled to secure justice for themselves in a timely manner, with some cases going up to 20 years. In 2015, the Supreme Court ordered completely free medical treatment for acid attack victims. What’s the compensation that victims get? Just 5 lakh rupees.

Blood Transfusion for Thalassemia Patients, Sagarika Ghose, AITC

India faces serious shortages in the supply of healthy uninfected blood for transfusions. We require 14.6 million units of blood each year and fall short by 7 million units. Around 1,50,000 Thalassemia patients depend on such transfusions for survival. Shortages in supply interrupt the transfusion cycles for these patients. Life-saving drugs for thalassemia patients are also reported to be in short supply. Lack of awareness about blood transfusion and associated health benefits often leads to preconceived notions and reluctance about blood donations. There is an urgent need to strengthen screening protocols to ensure a sufficient supply of healthy uninfected blood.

Safety of School Transport, Fauzia Khan, NCP-SP

As of 2021, one out of two vehicles used as school transport do not have seat belts, speed governors, or transport managers. Three out of four parents surveyed were not able to verify if GPS and CCTVs were active in school buses. Vehicles used for school transport in India excessively lack safety equipment and first aid kits. These vehicles also often lack emergency contact information, enabling reckless driving. Despite one of the highest number of road accidents, India doesn’t have a comprehensive policy on school transport safety.

Drug Addiction Amongst Children, Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade, BJP

Drug addiction among children, especially poor children is a rising cause for concern. What drugs are children accessing? Pain relief balms on bread, fevicol, paint, petrol, diesel, turpentine, nail polish remover, multiple kinds of cough syrup and many more easily available substances. These substances cannot be and are not prohibited for sale, making legal remedies close to impossible. As of 2022, 1.5 crore children between 10-17 were addicted to such substances.

Low-cost Gene Therapy for SMA, Haris Beeran, IUML

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is an incurable and rare genetic disorder affecting 8,000 to 25,000 Indians annually. SMA affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and is fatal if untreated. Gene therapy medicine, used to treat the disease in infants below two years of age, costs 17 crore rupees. Molecule therapy, requiring 30 bottles of medicine annually, costs 6.2 lakh rupees per bottle. The National Policy for Rare Diseases (2021), stipulating local manufacture of drugs for rare diseases, must be pushed into action to save precious lives battling SMA.

Crisis of Plastic Pollution, Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla, YSRCP

The Central Pollution Control Board estimates that India generates 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. About half of that waste is collected, of which 50 per cent is recycled. Where does the rest of the plastic waste go? Landfills, rivers, oceans. What doesn’t end up here is burnt, contributing to air pollution. Plastic ends up in the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the food that we eat. Failure to recycle plastic is also an economic problem. India imports more than 80 per cent of crude that is also used to make plastics. Recycling plastics effectively can save at least Rs 50,000 crore annually.

The Prime Minister’s podcast to a friendly interviewer was a master class in how to attempt to set a narrative. Soft questions. No follow-ups. A popcorn Q&A, then coated with caramel and served up by news platforms falling over each other to please the Masterchef. The key words from the podcast were then plated, garnished and impeccably presented as headlines, tweets and tickers across the media smorgasbord.

Let’s take up some of these keywords (the eight crossheads in this column) from that sugary podcast, and present an alternate view.

1. ⁠Himalayas (embracing the solitude of the mountains)

• The Prime Minister gave a ten minute answer on the podcast where he explained how he sought the higher purpose of living – testing his bodily strength in that pursuit. All very noble.

Now the reality: between 2014 and 2023, 736 people died cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Sixty-seven lakh children go without food every day. Thirty farmers commit suicide every day.

• The Prime Minister shared that, as a child, he chose to skip a family wedding to take care of a Swamiji who was on fast. Very thoughtful.

Today. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for over 100 days demanding MSP and other rights for farmers. Yet, the Prime Minister has not met him. For over a year, protesting farmers sat on the borders of Delhi; 750 lost their lives.

2. RSS (shaped my life)

• While banning RSS, Sardar Patel had famously said, “Undesirable and even dangerous activities have been carried out by members of the Sangh. It has been found that in several parts of the country, individual members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have indulged in acts of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity, and murder and have collected illicit arms and ammunition.”
• When Mahatma Gandhi initiated the Dandi March and Quit India Movement, RSS founder K. B. Hedgewar declared that the organisation would not take part.
• Savarkar justified rape as a political weapon. He apologised no less than four times to the British.

3. Criticism (is the soul of democracy)

• Since PM Modi came to power in 2014, how many press conferences has he addressed?
• Since 2014, the Prime Minister has not answered even a single parliamentary question under his name. No question has been balloted for the Prime Minister since 2016 in Rajya Sabha and since 2019 in Lok Sabha.
• Under his watch, critics and activists have been arrested under laws like UAPA. Conviction rate, though, of only 2.54% between 2014 and 2022.
• Siddique Kappan. Father Stan Swamy. Umar Khalid.

4. Heritage (I grasped the depth of our heritage)

• “Rationalization” of textbooks erases Muslims from India’s history. Mughal history in grades 7 to 12 is now severely limited, with minimal coverage of its emperors and historical texts.
• The 11th-grade History textbook included the sentence, “Mahatma Gandhi was convinced that any attempt to make India into a country only for Hindus would destroy India,” but it was subsequently removed. The explanation offered: “The contents of textbooks have been modified to help students build a positive mindset to develop an innate understanding of the drivers of social changes…”
• In 2022, when activists protested against communal remarks made by BJP leaders, the Uttar Pradesh government responded by demolishing homes. The Chief Minister’s media adviser shared an image of a home being demolished and tweeted: “Unruly elements remember, every Friday is followed by a Saturday.”

5. Education (children are not trophies)

• Half of Class VIII students in rural areas across the country struggle with basic division, a skill typically taught in Classes III-IV.
• The Union government’s expenditure on education in this budget has been 0.37% of GDP. This is way below the target of 6% set in the much touted New Education Policy.

6. Youth (our greatest asset)

• 80% of those unemployed are youth.
• 75 lakh youth enter the labour force every year. However, only four out of ten possess formal skills. Half of all graduates are not immediately employable.

7. Gujarat Riots (the perception that these were the biggest riots ever is actually misinformation)

• Fact 1: In April 2004, the Supreme Court said, “Modi was like a modern day Nero who looks the other side when helpless children and innocent women are burned.”
• Fact 2: 1,000 were killed, 223 more people reported missing and another 2,500 injured.
• Fact 3: Bilkis Bano’s rapists were even released by the Gujarat Government.

8. Trump connect (both put nation first)

Enough said. 

Human animal conflict also a serious issue

On World Wildlife Day this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre – also called a private zoo. (To give you context, the Delhi Zoo is spread over 200 acres. Vantara is 3000 acres!). As Sagarika Ghose, a colleague of mine in Parliament put it brilliantly: “there was something so creepily performative and comically fake about pretending to stroke animals who are behind a glass wall.” On cue, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan and other high achiever celebrity friends of Anant Ambani tweeted pictures and praise.

The newly inaugurated facility claims to host the world’s largest cheetah conservation project. Outside its perfectly manicured precincts, however, the reality is starkly jarring. In the government’s recent Rs 100 crore cheetah relocation exercise, eight cheetahs and three cubs died. This, per the government’s own admission in Parliament in 2023. The exercise was undertaken despite the government’s awareness of studies that indicate relocation efforts such as these only have a 50 per cent rate of success. This again, per their own admission in Parliament.

The challenges surrounding cheetah conservation are just one aspect of a broader attitude of complete abdication of commitment to wildlife. As per the latest estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, there are currently 73 ‘critically endangered’ species of animals in the country. A sharp rise from 47 in 2011.

The critically endangered Great Indian Bustard has only about 100 individuals left in the wild, as per 2022 government data. In 2021, the Supreme Court of India ordered the government to take concrete measures to save and conserve the GIB. However, in its reply, the government stated that orders of the Supreme Court were “practically impossible to implement.”

The government’s priorities also reflect in their budgetary allocations. Project Tiger and Elephant, which were given separate funding earlier, have now been clubbed together. Funding for these projects declined by 23 per cent between 2019 and 2023, with seven out of ten states receiving no funds in FY 2022. Another centrally sponsored scheme, Development of Wildlife Habitats, saw a 20 per cent reduction in funding during the same period.

Human-animal conflict is another problem that has caused harm to both humans and animals across the country. Between 2019 and 2023, elephant attacks caused nearly 2800 deaths. In Kerala alone, between 2021 and 2024, conflicts with wildlife claimed 316 lives and injured 3700 people. During the same period, human-tiger conflicts resulted in nearly 300 deaths, while 75 tigers died due to poaching, seizures, and other unnatural causes.

Despite the rising toll of human-animal conflicts, the government’s wildlife management approach has often been reactive and extreme, evident in the continued shoot-at-sight orders issued across states. In 2016, the Union government assured Parliament that no such orders were being issued, only permissions to ‘drive the animals away with a stick’ in certain cases. However, states have continued with the practice. Citing the threat posed to human life, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan ordered the elimination of wolves and leopards in 2024. Likewise, Karnataka took similar action against a tiger in 2021 due to repeated attacks, while Maharashtra’s 2018 decided to kill a tigress based on a court directive. Exotic pet trade in India is another issue of concern and a complicated subject that I don’t want to just gloss over in this column.

Recently, the government passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023. The Bill allowed for sweeping exemptions from forest conservation rules for land located within 100 kilometres of international borders, the Line of Control, or the Line of Actual Control. Despite such critical amendments, it was rushed through Lok Sabha with only four speakers debating for a little over 30 minutes. The allotted time for discussion? Three hours.

The Prime Minister’s home state has seen the deaths of 286 lions (58 unnatural deaths) and 456 leopards (153 unnatural deaths) in the last two years, as admitted by the Gujarat government itself. In 2023-24 alone, an average of 45 animals died in the state’s zoos, according to data published in the annual reports published by the Central Zoo Authority. The CZA’s rankings further highlight the poor state of Gujarat’s animal care. Ahmedabad Zoo received the lowest score among large zoos, and only two out of six zoos in Gujarat were rated ‘good’ or better. One even scored so low that the report highlighted ‘requires substantial improvement’.

The one good aspect about philanthropists working on animal welfare is that it will encourage many more to step up. Animals are not a vote bank, which makes them a non-priority for governments. But when high net worth individuals step in with funds, it will help governments scale up the very important work of conservation of wildlife. The other benefit of philanthropists stepping in is the boost it gives to veterinary research. Private funds coming in for animal welfare will encourage greater research in veterinary sciences and encourage more students to take up veterinary medicine as a career.

It is clear we need a public-private partnership to strengthen conservation, but then it should truly be that: public-private partnership. Private philanthropy shall conserve, support research, and create examples with the ultimate goal of strengthening state institutions and not just creating a private enterprise with little or no public accountability.

Seventy years ago, George Orwell wrote in his book Animal Farm: “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.”

In its first three sessions of 18th Lok Sabha, both Houses combined have passed just four bills – the worst in 75 year history.

The second part of the Budget Session of Parliament begins in a few days (March 10). The first part of the Session, last month, faced significant setbacks, marked by legislative inertia, procedural neglect, and a weakening of institutional norms – trends that should concern every citizen. The upcoming phase of the Session is set to have deliberations on ‘Demands for Grants’. Simply explained, these are formal requests from various government ministries of the Union, seeking funds from the Consolidated Fund of India. This apart, the parliamentary bulletin published by the Rajya Sabha confirms that discussions will be held on four ministries: Home Affairs, Education, Railways, Health, and Family Welfare. This columnist will be pleasantly surprised if all four ministries are discussed. Many parties in opposition have conveyed their preference to take up the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the Home Ministry before any other.

Another issue that is bound to play out on the floor of Parliament is the Election Commission of India’s (EC) alleged involvement in voter ID duplication. This is not a minor clerical error, it is a serious matter having a bearing on free and fair elections. Since Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number is linked to voter details, a duplicate EPIC number will lead to denial of voting rights. The EC handbook clearly states that EPIC numbers are supposed to be unique and consist of an alphanumeric sequence, with the first three letters being specific to an assembly constituency. It is impossible for voters in two different assembly constituencies (even in the same state) to have the same first three letters on their EPIC. Voters in different states have been found to have the same EPIC numbers. The EC needs to start by disclosing how many duplicate EPICs exist within the system and how they got assigned. Why is the EC still unable to ensure unique EPIC numbers for every voter?

Worst In 75 Years

The essence of Parliament lies in its ability to legislate effectively. Yet, the 18th Lok Sabha has set a dubious record. In its first three sessions, both Houses combined have passed just four bills – the lowest in history. The only non-budgetary bill that passed was the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, which repealed the Aircraft Act of 1934 (incidentally, your columnist had advocated for this earlier).

When compared to the first three Sessions of Parliament since 1950, this has been the lowest number of bills passed by both Houses in the history of Parliament. Unbelievable.

The Lok Sabha also passed the Supplementary Demand for Grants (SDGs), for which a discussion was not held in the Rajya Sabha even though five hours had been allocated for the debate. Thus, ₹45,000 crore of additional public money was spent without even seeking suggestions from the Council of States.

Misses Of The Budget

When the Session resumes in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, here are some questions that are bound to be asked of the Union government:

i. Why did the Ministry of Minority Affairs utilise just 5% of its budget estimate in 2023-24?

ii. Why were funds for LPG connections to economically challenged households slashed by 30%?

iii. Why did the PM-Kisan scheme receive no funding over Revised Estimates (RE)? This, despite the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommending an increase of support to farmers from Rs 6000 to Rs 12,000 per annum.

iv. Why did the PM Internship Scheme utilise only 20% of its funds, even after the scheme received 500% more than what was allocated over RE? Why have only less than 5% of candidates been placed under this scheme?

v. 2024 has come and gone. When would India achieve the target of $5 trillion? 2035? 2036? 2037? Time for a reality check.

Suppression Of Dissent

The blatant disregard for parliamentary norms and procedures was on full (sic) display when the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf was laid this Session. Portions of dissent notes from opposition MPs had whitener, yes, whitener, slathered over sentences to delete them. When will this government understand that Parliamentary Committees are set up to listen to alternate views, foster bipartisan deliberation, improve legislative content and finally, present a document with views from across the board.

Who Cares About Parliament

The absence of a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha is another example of procedural neglect and a contempt for parliamentary precedents. Article 93 of the Constitution mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker “as soon as may be”. This constitutional position remained vacant the entire tenure (2019-2024) of the 17th Lok Sabha. Two hundred and fifty days into the 18th Lok Sabha, there is still no Deputy Speaker. New Session, same old habits. Mr. Narendra Modi, Sir: Who Cares About Parliament?

[This article was also published in NDTV | Friday, March 6, 2025]

After being a cric-maniac for several years, I am now suffering from a condition we could call cric-apathy. This simply means that one has completely tuned out the sport. The cric-apathy is so acute that one hasn’t watched a single ball on television of the ICC Champions Trophy.

Just too much cricket. This isn’t an exhaustive (pun intended) list. IPL, Big Bash in Australia, CPL in the West Indies, T20 Blast in England, SA20 in South Africa, Pakistan Super League (PSL), International League T20 in UAE, Lankan Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League. A World Cup every 100 weeks, country versus country — you can add another paragraph about all the other cricket tournaments and matches I have not mentioned.

But rather than brood over the current situation, let me relive the nostalgia of my days as a cric-maniac.

Street cricket: Playing tennis-ball cricket in the narrow by-lane in south Calcutta where one grew up, was the beginning of cric-mania. Street cricket in the para (Bengali for locality) had its own rules. A bat. A cambis ball — local name for canvas/tennis ball. No stumps. Instead, eight bricks, carefully placed one on top of the other, always served as “the wickets” in Jamir Lane. And, of course, you could never be given out LBW when your teammate was the umpire.

Then, the real thing. Deuce-ball cricket in the high-school team. That’s a story for another column.

World Cup 1983: What were you doing on June 25, 1983?

My two brothers, four friends and I — all in our early 20s — watched the Prudential World Cup final together at the O’Brien family home. My ma always preferred football.

India: 183 in 60 overs. Surely the West Indies would cruise to their third World Cup win in a row. In the innings break my dad announced: “If we win I will open a bottle of Johnny Walker.” I made an announcement as well: “If India wins, I promise to streak on the main road!”

Kapil Dev stood on the balcony at Lord’s.

Dad, the legendary quiz master, opened his new bottle to celebrate. A 22-year-old kept his word and became, perhaps, the city’s first sporting streaker.

Aussie connection: My brother Andy was a sports journalist in India for over a decade before he moved to Australia 30 years ago. He has a bagful of stories about cricket and cricketers — all fun, many unprintable. Here are two printable anecdotes.

Sunil Gavaskar, Harsha Bhogle and a few journalists visited his home in Perth. They were craving for ghar ka cooked curry. “Would you like some more of this Mr Gavaskar?” Andy’s wife asked the legend. “Please. Please call me Sunil.” The Little Master’s charm found him a new fan.

Or, when Andy introduced his Australian-born seven-year-old son to Sourav Ganguly at the WACA. Sourav asked Aidan: “Would you want to play for Australia or India, because I know which team your dad supports!”

Trainee journalist: My first job, as a trainee journalist, was in Sportsworld, a now-defunct magazine, edited by Mansoor Ali Khan “Tiger” Pataudi. The cricket legend-turned-editor was based in Delhi. During my short stint, I only met him twice. David McMahon, the magazine’s associate editor, encouraged a rookie.

Not an IPL fan: IPL is a major reason for my cric-apathy. However, in 2014, my daughter was keen to watch the 2014 IPL final in Bengaluru. KKR versus Kings XI Punjab. It was the only time I have watched a cricket match in a stadium outside Calcutta. KKR won comfortably. Who would have guessed that Yusuf Pathan, who made a quickfire 36 off 22 balls that evening, would, a decade down the line, be my colleague in Parliament?

Azhar at first slip: In 2013, a team of Parliamentarians played an exhibition match at Dharamshala against a team of celebrities. As in school, I donned the wicket-keeping gloves for the MPs. Guess who was at first slip? A Lok Sabha MP at the time: Mohammad Azharuddin. Mid-way through the innings, my boot-lace opened. The fielder at first slip knelt down to tie it. Precious.

My champion neighbour: He is my neighbour. His home and my office share a boundary wall. He feeds the birds in the compound every day. He nurtures the plants. He opened the batting for India in Test cricket and ODIs. He transformed into a successful commentator. More than all this, he has inspired many and proved that “life after cancer is worth living”. A champion. My friend, Arun Lal.

MPs versus MPs: An old quiz question. Which two teams compete for the Raghuramaiah Trophy? Answer: Members of the Lok Sabha and members of the Rajya Sabha. A factoid that is only a quiz question today. In my 15 years in Parliament, I have not heard a whisper about the contest. Maybe it is time to revive this great tradition. After all, there are three sitting MPs who are World Cup winners: Kirti Azad (1983), Harbhajan Singh (2011) and Yusuf Pathan (2011). Maybe this is the antidote to my cric-apathy.

[This article was also published in The Indian Express | Friday, February 28, 2025]

Three reactions after the stampede and deaths at Kumbh Mela.

1. Multiple news platforms: A stampede-like situation occurred at Kumbh…
2. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Between 1 am to 2 am, at the akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the akharas, some devotees crossed over the barricades and were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital where treatment was promptly ensured.
3. BJP MP and former Union Minister in Parliament: There was a tragedy at the Maha Kumbh. An investigation is underway. We do smell a conspiracy there. When the entire investigation is complete, those behind the incident will have to hang their heads in shame.

Three reactions after the stampede and deaths at New Delhi Railway Station. 

1. Government’s ‘favourite’ news agency, quoting Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways: There is no stampede (at New Delhi Railway Station). It is only a rumour. Northern Railways was running two planned special trains (for Prayagraj).
2. BJP Party Spokesperson post on X: New Delhi railway station as of now (along with a 10 second video clip showing people walking normally in a station).
3. Railways Minister posts on X: Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS) Delhi Police and RPF reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush. 4 special trains to evacuate this unprecedented sudden rush at NDLS. The rush has now reduced.

The Union government’s standard operating procedure is to first underplay the tragedy. Next, subtly spread misinformation through friendly sections of the media. Then, try to deflect the blame. This pattern is visible even for rail accidents. Recall the Balasore tragedy in 2023, one of India’s deadliest train accidents, which led to 296 deaths. While on the subject of railways, here are ten points to ponder: 

1. Nine out of ten non-suburban rail passengers travel in either second class or sleeper class. Only ONE out of ten non-suburban passengers travel in upper classes, including all air-conditioned classes. 

2. Over the past decade, air-conditioned passenger capacity has grown by 190%, while second-class capacity has increased by only 15%.

3. Overcrowding in both trains and railway stations is a pitiful sight. Visuals shared on social media invariably show passengers sitting on the floor, squatting outside toilets or even hanging precariously from doors and windows.  

4. The Union government’s pet vanity project is the Bullet Train. Consider this. Each kilometre of the Bullet Train costs approximately Rs 200 crore to construct. Compare that with a Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). A DFC transports commodities like sabzi, chawal. Cost of construction: Rs 25 crore per kilometre. What should be the priority? 

5. No one is making this up! The Union government actually installed selfie booths in railway stations with Prime Minister Modi’s life-size models, at a cost of Rs 6 lakh each. 

6. In the last ten years there have been 678 consequential train accidents, resulting in 748 deaths. Out of the 217 consequential accidents between 2017-21, 75% (163) accidents were due to derailments.

7. The KAVACH safety system has been deployed on just 1500 route kilometre, accounting for only 2% of Indian Railways’ total 68,000 route kilometre. 

8. 58,000 Group C vacancies were notified last year. Of these vacancies, three fourths were classified under the category – ‘safety’.

9. From 2017, the BJP government stopped the practice of a separate Railway Budget and subsumed it into the General Budget. In the Finance Minister’s hour-long Budget speech this year, the word Railways was mentioned just thrice, that too in relation to foreign goods. Not a word about railway safety. 

10. The capital expenditure outlay for Railways in this year’s Budget has been pegged at Rs 2.6 lakh crore, the same as the Budget estimates of the earlier year. Funds should have been increased to bolster the safety and security of passengers.  

The Indian Railways must strike a balance between commercial viability and social responsibility. As your columnist said in Parliament: “Railways constitute the infrastructure for the fundamental right of every Indian citizen to move safely from point A to point B.”

Securing the lives of 650 crore passengers is a full-time job. A part timer will never be able to keep track. 

[This article was also published in NDTV | Friday, February 21, 2025]