On Wednesday the Lok Sabha was to discuss the recent rise in prices. After all, whatever the official index may show, everyone who has to go out and shop knows that prices of essentials have been growing through the roof. But the Lok Sabha had to be adjourned twice. This was because the concerns of Anil Ambani were given priority by a party which calls itself Samajwadi. If it was not tragic, it would be farcical. But this, after all, is the sense of priority that Indian democracy has now got to. So no discussion on price rise.

In the meantime I hope you noticed the Naval Chief saying that Gorshkov may be a piece of junk but that you could not buy even such junk for less than two billion. Indeed he offered to write a cheque for that amount (from his private bank account?) to anyone who could buy him a cheaper vessel.

India has launched its own super duper nuclear submarine the Arihant. Well done. But then along comes Vandana Shiva to spoil the party. She has just released her report saying that one in four Indians is starving. We of course are no longer shockable by the news that 46 per cent of children are malnourished. I welcome her concern and share it. What I do not share is her diagnosis or the cure she suggests. She blames the starvation on increasing corporate-driven production model, emphasis on exports of cash crops. I agree that India has harmed her water ecology. She wants public distribution of food and much greater state control.

... contd.