Chaitanyananda Saraswati: The Predator

His position within a venerable institution facilitated years of sexual abuse

 THE SCALE OF Chaitanyananda Saraswati’s preda­tion took its time coming to the public sphere. The director of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research (SRISIIM) is accused of sexually abusing vulnerable girls who took admission there under the Economically Weaker Section quota. After the police opened investigations, as many as 17 have reportedly come forward to share their accounts of being harassed.

That godmen come in all colours is public knowledge, but many of the criminal bent are self-made and have their own organisations. Chaitanyananda Saraswati is somewhat unusual in having slipped himself into a venerable religious order, Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham Sringeri, that owns SRISIIM, and then used his authority to commit the alleged crimes. Sexual harassment wasn’t the only charge on the list.

In July itself, the Peetham, suspecting financial shenanigans, had registered an FIR against Chaitanyananda. In August, they received a letter from an Indian Air Force Directorate of Education's group captain about complaints received from SRISIIM students against Chaitanyananda that included “sending WhatsApp messages to girl students at odd hours.” He has, by media accounts, made unwanted physical advances, obscene comments, threatened and blackmailed victims, and more.

Even the arrest was dramatic, with the godman absconding and finally being traced to a hotel in Agra where he was arrested early morning on September 28. Fake IDs and multiple passports are reported to have been with him. It has also now been found that he had molestation cases against him in 2009 and 2016. If suitable action had been taken then, it could have saved all future victims from their trauma, and that says something about the state of the system. (By Madhavankutty Pillai)

Noisemaker

Asim Munir: Mineral Munir

 Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir’s picture with US President Donald Trump at the White House was one for the books. There was Trump peering at some lumps of rock, purportedly rare earth from Pakistan, that Munir offered to America. Given the general’s record, he could beat a snake oil seller at his game. And as for Trump, if he thinks the bits of rock are actually evidence of a treasure, he might as well believe in Snow White.

 Ideas

Ravichandran Ashwin: Protectionism

Ravichandran Ashwin created a buzz recently when he announced that he will be playing the Big Bash League, Australia’s T20 league, for Sydney Thunder. He’s listed himself in the auction and may be snatched up by one of the teams.

Ashwin won’t be the first Indian to play in overseas leagues. But he will arguably be the most high-profile of the lot. And this points to an anomaly. Indian cricketers could have been the most in demand overseas—as much for their skill set as the eyeballs they would bring—but, despite all the best cricketers in the world playing in multiple leagues, there are just not that many Indians in them.

That’s because BCCI only allows those who have retired from playing in overseas cricket. It does this because it fears allowing Indians to play in other franchises might diminish the value of its IPL. It could also wreak havoc on its domestic cricket structure. Most cricketers may spend the time outside IPL playing for the many lucrative overseas tournaments instead of domestic matches.

All cricket boards have had to contend with this, with most boards now giving their cricketers the flexibility to choose what they wish to play. BCCI has so far managed to exert control. But for how long? Franchise cricket is getting only more lucrative, and as it increasingly becomes the element around which all of cricket revolves, the most talented cricketers are no doubt itching to play in more of them.

Money Mantra

Steady Climb

The staircase of India’s growth story

INDIA IS PROBABLY one the countries in the world where there is a structural change taking place—for good. Think of the country’s growth story as not a straight line, but a rising staircase. Every few steps there may be a pause, sometimes a stumble. Yet, the next landing is always higher than the last.

Over the past decade, India has been tested by a demonetisation shock, a massive tax overhaul, a global trade war, a once-in-a-century pandemic, supply-chain chaos, and inflation spikes. And still, the economy emerged larger, more formal, more digital, and more investable. That arc, not the noise, is what investors should follow.

Then there is formalisation. And productivity. The GST stitched together many fragmented markets into one national marketplace. Yes, there were teething troubles, but input-credit chains, e-invoicing, and e-way bills have nudged businesses into the formal net, broadened the tax base, and streamlined logistics.

Pair that with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which, despite imperfections, raised the cost of default and improved capital discipline. Over time, capital flows to more efficient hands, lifting economy-wide returns and investor confidence. Capex is the next leg. A deliberate public-capex push in roads, railways, ports, and urban infrastructure has multiplied order books across sectors. As the asset quality improved and balance sheets were deleveraged, private sector capex has begun to follow into select pockets like renewables, data centres, semiconductors, specialty chemicals, and electronics assem­bly. The Production-Linked Incentive framework is again imperfect, but directionally right: It provides incentives that help companies make more in India, moving the economy up the value chain.

None of this immunises India from cycles, but it lowers the odds of deep, lasting damage when shocks arrive. So, think in decades, not days. And remember: Returns ultimately compound where earnings compound. Over 10 years, India has proven that earnings power survives shocks and strengthens with reform. That is why it pays to stay structurally bullish on India. Because the staircase just keeps climbing. (By Ramesh Singh)

Cyclist Trolls US Border Patrol Agents

For several weeks now, images and videos of authorities in the US conducting raids and detaining individuals who allegedly crossed into the country illegally have been going viral online. Yet another video, this one from Chicago, emerged and spread rapidly across social media, but for very different reasons. Here, a cyclist can be seen approaching a group of US Border Patrol agents in the heart of the city, taunting them to catch him. “I’m not a US citizen,” he can be heard repeatedly telling them. At one point, his phone slips from his pocket, prompting one agent to remark, “You dropped your phone.” As the man pauses to retrieve it, the agents rush, but the cyclist hops on the bike, and somehow manages to speed away, leaving a trail of disappointed agents.