The Front Page, a periodically updated feature of this blog, is a look at who is saying what, how and when in the Indian national print media. Short takes, only. Enjoy.
HERDING THE CATTLE
“Systematic exploitation and social and economic abuse of our tribal communities can no longer be tolerated. But the fact is that no sustained activity is possible under the shadow of the gun. Nor have those who claim to speak for the tribals offered an alternate economic or social path that is viable….. While violence cannot be tolerated, tribals must be primary beneficiaries of the development process. We have to win the battle for their hearts and mouths,” Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh while speaking on Maoist-Naxal menace at a conference of Chief Ministers and state ministers for tribal affairs as reported in the Indian Express, 5 November 2009
IN WORLD’S INTEREST
“That is in Israel’s interest, Palestine’s interest, America’s interest and the world’s interest.” American President, Mr Barack Obama in his speech in Cairo, in which he affirmed his commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. As quoted in The Hindustan Times, 5 June 2009.
STUNTED FUTURE
“Our stunting rates (the fraction of our children who are two standard deviations shorter than the norm) and our wasting rates (the fraction of our children who are two standard deviations more underweight compared to norm for someone of their height) are twice as high as the average for sub-Saharan Africa. 59 % of children in Class 4 and 44% in Class 5 in India read below the Class 2 level and 76% of Class 4 children and 63% of Class 5 children cannot do simple two-digit by one-digit divisions.” From the report prepared by the National Family Health Survey, as quoted in the Indian Express on 22 May 2009.
THE GOOD SOLDIER
“It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us freedom of press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the politician, that ensures our rights to life and liberty.” Quotation displayed at the army spokesman’s office, Colombo, Sri Lanka (as reported in the Indian Express on 4 May, 2009).
PRIVATE PROFITS, SOCIALISED LOSSES
Every successful economy is a market economy. The problem lies in the way it has evolved in the US which privatised profits and socialised losses.
Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz at the 10th D.T. Lakdawala Memorial Lecture on “Crises today and the Future of Capitalism” held in the New Delhi and as reported in The Hindu, 21 Dec, 2008.
THE TRUE MEANING OF “AFFORDABLE”
Where are the homes for the ‘real middle class’ when realtors aim for those who earn more than Rs 10 lakh per year as their market for affordable flats?
Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh on the housing sector’s demand for government sops in wake of global economic slowdown, The Hindustan Times, 19 Dec, 2008
DON”T MENTION KASHMIR, MR OBAMA
Your recent assertion that the US should try to help resolve the Kashmir issue so that Pakistan can focus on reining in militancy in its Afghan border is misguided.
Political analysts, Lisa Curtis and Walter Lohman in a piece titled “Stiffening Pakistan’s Resolve Against Terrorism: A Memo to the President-elect Obama” quoted in The Indian Express, 18 Dec, 2008. Presdient-elect had called for resolution of Kashmir issue day after the terrorist attack on Bombay on 26 Nov, 2008.
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