( Magna Charta: Great Charter of English personal and political liberty obtained from King John in 1215. Any similar document establishing rights )
This Charter falls in the second category.
Acknowledging the truism that male specie is physically stronger, taller and fitter than female specie
Accepting as a corollary higher mental faculty of male specie in comparison to female specie
Appreciating the incontrovertible truth that human beings would not have survived but for the brawn of the male specie in the evolution process from that of ape.
According due recognition to the fact of male specie being the bread winner of the family
Abandonment of the superiority of male specie as cited would be against God’s Order
Abdication from the dutiful place assigned to male specie in the family would tantamount to disregarding God’s assigned role to male specie
Now, therefore, male specie collectively set forth the following Magna Charta
1. Equality with male specie demanded by female specie, being
contrary to the commandment of God, cannot be an issue to be agitated upon.
2. As bread winner of the family, exceptions of some among the female specie adorning this role, only reaffirm the universally accepted and God intended role of male specie, i.e., male specie would continue to be master of the house, both in letter and spirit.
3. The norm of male specie being the bread winner of the family and female specie being the home manager, existing from time immemorial and working reasonably well, has to be accepted as a commandment of God and the propensity being shown in the recent past by female specie to adorn the role of male specie cannot be viewed with equanimity. It should be presumed that this allocation of work by God was done taking into account the disposition of both species. The tendency to deviate from this needs to be curbed, especially in the interests of children and harmony in the home.
4. Better ability, understanding and intelligence shown by female specie in certain matters, such as, management of the home, children, servants, shopping, gossiping, dressing, etc., which fall in the realm of trivia, cannot be sufficient ground for female specie to demand equality with male specie.
5. Certain God given traits of male specie, such as, forgetting, drinking, smoking, ogling at girls, non-proficiency in cooking, sewing, ironing, inability to teach children, etc., should be unequivocally accepted by the female specie.
6. That all members of male specie without exception like more mothers in law of their wives rather than their own mothers in law is part of the male psyche and hence both de jure and de facto acceptance to the same has to be given my female specie.
7. Since God intended female specie to give birth to children, no scientific research should be carried on to find out feasibility of men giving birth to children.
8. Male specie has no objection to female specie copying the former in dress, manners, drinking, smoking, etc., so long as the same gives an illusion of equality to the latter specie.
9. Unsaid collective thoughts of male specie is listed below to educate female specie on the ‘ Do,s’ and ‘Don’ts’ so that the family life would be more happier, as intended by our Maker.
· Don’t ask us questions to which we don’t know what answers would make you happy.
· We don’t have a hidden agenda in being nice to your friends
· In our reckoning chaperoning you on your shopping trips is indeed a great sacrifice on our part.
· Even unsaid if you think that we think that you have too many clothes and shoes you are right.
· If you think you are fat, you probably are. Don’t ask us. We refuse to answer. If we say YES, we are in trouble. If we say NO, you can read from our faces that we are lying.
· Sometimes, we are not thinking about you. Live with it.
· That in whatever dress you look like an angel is a lie you are extracting from us quite often.
· You have to realize that for us office gossip is divine just as you indulge in gossip on your best friends all the time..
· It is no great thing that we get drunk. All your favourite heroes in films do.
· Crying is blackmail.
· Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one. Subtle hints won’t work. Strong hints won’t work. Really obvious hints won’t work. Just say it.
· When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything we wear is fine.
· Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
· Come to us with a problem only if you want help in solving it.
· A head ache that lasts for more than 24 hours is a physical problem. See doctor.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Charter of demands of women - spoof
( As the demands essentially relate to ‘women’ as ‘wives,’ in this document the word ‘women’ has been substituted by ‘wives’)
Preamble:
This is the first attempt to codify the stated and unstated collective demands of wives from their husbands from time immemorial. It is the fundamental right of each wife to amend, add and subtract the Charter so far as her affairs are concerned. Neither Governments nor the judiciary will have any right to interpret, add and nullify the Charter. Equally, religions and NGOs will have no say in the mater. It is the collective hope of wives in this planet that, instead of taking a macho or logical/rational position, all husbands will appreciate the genuine demands and aspirations and stated position of wives and make all out efforts to ensure that the provisions in the Charter are adhered to in letter and spirit for harmony in the homes.
1. Wardrobe:
There is nothing in our dictionary of enough dress material. Just because men are satisfied with having a dozen suits or thirty pants / shirts, it is not a relatable point to assess how many dresses wives should have. No wife had enough dress items from the time wives had started draping themselves with clothes. It is mortifying for us to be seen by other ladies at any place including in our house with the same dress which had been seen by the ladies earlier. Men have a habit of wearing the same dress, which they consider as their best one, on all occasions. This difference has to be appreciated by all husbands without any value judgment.
To visit ‘ Sale’ is our inalienable right. It has nothing to do with our need for a new dress. We may also not purchase anything. If the bargain is good, then we may pick up something, because it is in our nature not to let go a good bargain.
Going alongwith the change in fashion is part of feminine culture and the same has nothing to do with logic or rational approach. It is mortifying for us to be seen with an old fashioned dress. That change in the fashion in respect of male dress takes place at a lower pace than in the case of women is no fault of women folk.
It is an unsaid code among we women-folk that none of my best friends should have a dress better than what I have.
It is prohibited for husbands to make calculation of the value, i.e., return for the expenditure incurred, of a dress by looking into the number of times the same was used.
It is the inalienable right of women not to give away free a dress which we would not use in the future.
If a husband praises the dress of any other lady, immediately he shall shell out enough money to the wife to purchase a better dress.
2. Attending parties / visits to other families and vice versa:
In our reckoning being punctual is to be half an hour late and hence husbands should not make a fuss on the matter.
On such occasions it is to be expected that we would reduce our ages by five years, increase the ages of our best friends by three years and double the salaries of husbands. All of us do it and hence it is no sin.
Any wife can always see through the effort of the husband to masquerade as casual look his ogling at an attractive woman, which the woman never misses. And the elation that the husband feels at this is something which no wife can exonerate.
No wife ever misses her husband’s repeated uni-directional visits to the bar. Even if the wife pretends to have not noticed the same, the glazy look of the husband when the party is over is the give away.
Husbands say that they talk while the wives gossip - what is the difference. Husbands cannot take a holier than thou approach to the matter.
By nature, men are a poor judge of people. Hence leave it to the wives to decide who should be invited to their parties or return visit to others’ homes or own home.
3. Home expenditure:
Just as in the case of Government, funds allocated to the wives for monthly expenses should keep pace with the ever increasing the expenditure. Do not quote level of inflation, be it up or down. Inflation has nothing to do with market prices. To whet our desire for spending, need for more money has to be reckoned as a fact of life. Husbands should realize the basic logic that more shopping malls mean more expenditure. Same is the position in respect of newer and newer house hold goods. The existing vacuum cleaner is quite O.K. is no argument against purchase of the latest one, especially when some of the neighbours have purchased the same. No detailed account should be sought about the house-hold expenditure. On this count husbands should learn to be more trusting of their wives.
4. Work-place of husbands
Instinctively we wives can gauge the level of proximity of female species to our husbands in the work places. This is a God given sixth sense. Added to that is our ferreting out tits and bits from the driver and also from the wives of colleagues of husbands. And lastly our occasional spying of the bodies and dresses worn by husbands for any tell tale marks, such as, lipstick. nail marks etc., followed by intensive questioning. Since this is done for marital harmony, husbands cannot take a stand of our being too intrusive in their personal matters. Vice versa is not a relevant issue. Husbands also need to dispel the joint suspicion of wives that the husbands spend late hours in office not doing any work but indulging in gossip. Since we have nothing to hide from our husbands about running the house, husbands should also be open to us on all matters relating to office and our questioning should not be viewed as Gestapo tactics.
5. Behaviour code for husbands while they are in the home:
No ogling or smiling at maid servants. Direct engagement of maid servants by the husbands for any errands is prohibited. The same should be routed through proper channel, i.e., wives. Husbands should be properly attired in the house and especially not walk around half naked. Tired and hence resting is no excuse to do any errands the wife will entrust him. Giving a helping hand to the wife on the daily chores should be done with equanimity and not with an expression of self sacrifice. Interface with neighbours would be limited to male species only. Conversation with any visiting lady neighbour should be limited to ‘ Hi.’ The excuse of tomorrow is a holiday is not acceptable for the heightened worship of Bacchus. Any adverse comment on the food cooked in the house should be limited to maximum once in six
months. The right of wife to invade the privacy of the husband should not be taken as having similar rights for the husband. Home is not a democratic institution. Husbands have the right to be informed and not the right to question the decisions taken by the wives in running the home.
6. Children:
In the beginning, stock answer of the father to the questions of progenies, excepting in respect of home work and tying the shoe, should be ‘ ask mummy.’ After some time the children would be attuned to the power play in the home and learn to live with it. Molly coddling children and thus spoiling them has been universally found to be the work of fathers. Fathers should resist the temptation to do the same. While in home it is the bounden duty of the father to ensure that children give some breathing time to mothers.
7. In-laws:
It is a universal phenomenon, known to all but seldom brought out in the open, that wives like their husbands’ mothers-in-law more than their own mothers-in-law and hence both de jure and de facto acceptance to the same has to be given my male specie. Accepting this truism, wives will have the right to bring any time to the home their husbands’ mothers-in-laws and make them stay for long periods. During that time husbands should maximize their efforts to follow the sanely advice on various matters freely given by their mothers-in-laws. Criticism and chiding by their mothers-in-law should be taken in the stride by the husbands.
8. Decision making powers:
Wives of the world collectively recognize the fact that husbands, being male, have higher intelligence quotient than wives and hence on important matters, such as, who will win Democratic Election in USA, what is the stand of the family on reservation of seats for women in Parliament, whether Taslima should be allowed to stay in India, whom to vote in the next election, etc., the decisions will entirely rest on husbands. On minor matters, such as, which school their children should study, where to go on holidays, where to build their house, etc., it would be the prerogative of the wives to take decisions, with husbands being informed at the appropriate time.
--------------
Preamble:
This is the first attempt to codify the stated and unstated collective demands of wives from their husbands from time immemorial. It is the fundamental right of each wife to amend, add and subtract the Charter so far as her affairs are concerned. Neither Governments nor the judiciary will have any right to interpret, add and nullify the Charter. Equally, religions and NGOs will have no say in the mater. It is the collective hope of wives in this planet that, instead of taking a macho or logical/rational position, all husbands will appreciate the genuine demands and aspirations and stated position of wives and make all out efforts to ensure that the provisions in the Charter are adhered to in letter and spirit for harmony in the homes.
1. Wardrobe:
There is nothing in our dictionary of enough dress material. Just because men are satisfied with having a dozen suits or thirty pants / shirts, it is not a relatable point to assess how many dresses wives should have. No wife had enough dress items from the time wives had started draping themselves with clothes. It is mortifying for us to be seen by other ladies at any place including in our house with the same dress which had been seen by the ladies earlier. Men have a habit of wearing the same dress, which they consider as their best one, on all occasions. This difference has to be appreciated by all husbands without any value judgment.
To visit ‘ Sale’ is our inalienable right. It has nothing to do with our need for a new dress. We may also not purchase anything. If the bargain is good, then we may pick up something, because it is in our nature not to let go a good bargain.
Going alongwith the change in fashion is part of feminine culture and the same has nothing to do with logic or rational approach. It is mortifying for us to be seen with an old fashioned dress. That change in the fashion in respect of male dress takes place at a lower pace than in the case of women is no fault of women folk.
It is an unsaid code among we women-folk that none of my best friends should have a dress better than what I have.
It is prohibited for husbands to make calculation of the value, i.e., return for the expenditure incurred, of a dress by looking into the number of times the same was used.
It is the inalienable right of women not to give away free a dress which we would not use in the future.
If a husband praises the dress of any other lady, immediately he shall shell out enough money to the wife to purchase a better dress.
2. Attending parties / visits to other families and vice versa:
In our reckoning being punctual is to be half an hour late and hence husbands should not make a fuss on the matter.
On such occasions it is to be expected that we would reduce our ages by five years, increase the ages of our best friends by three years and double the salaries of husbands. All of us do it and hence it is no sin.
Any wife can always see through the effort of the husband to masquerade as casual look his ogling at an attractive woman, which the woman never misses. And the elation that the husband feels at this is something which no wife can exonerate.
No wife ever misses her husband’s repeated uni-directional visits to the bar. Even if the wife pretends to have not noticed the same, the glazy look of the husband when the party is over is the give away.
Husbands say that they talk while the wives gossip - what is the difference. Husbands cannot take a holier than thou approach to the matter.
By nature, men are a poor judge of people. Hence leave it to the wives to decide who should be invited to their parties or return visit to others’ homes or own home.
3. Home expenditure:
Just as in the case of Government, funds allocated to the wives for monthly expenses should keep pace with the ever increasing the expenditure. Do not quote level of inflation, be it up or down. Inflation has nothing to do with market prices. To whet our desire for spending, need for more money has to be reckoned as a fact of life. Husbands should realize the basic logic that more shopping malls mean more expenditure. Same is the position in respect of newer and newer house hold goods. The existing vacuum cleaner is quite O.K. is no argument against purchase of the latest one, especially when some of the neighbours have purchased the same. No detailed account should be sought about the house-hold expenditure. On this count husbands should learn to be more trusting of their wives.
4. Work-place of husbands
Instinctively we wives can gauge the level of proximity of female species to our husbands in the work places. This is a God given sixth sense. Added to that is our ferreting out tits and bits from the driver and also from the wives of colleagues of husbands. And lastly our occasional spying of the bodies and dresses worn by husbands for any tell tale marks, such as, lipstick. nail marks etc., followed by intensive questioning. Since this is done for marital harmony, husbands cannot take a stand of our being too intrusive in their personal matters. Vice versa is not a relevant issue. Husbands also need to dispel the joint suspicion of wives that the husbands spend late hours in office not doing any work but indulging in gossip. Since we have nothing to hide from our husbands about running the house, husbands should also be open to us on all matters relating to office and our questioning should not be viewed as Gestapo tactics.
5. Behaviour code for husbands while they are in the home:
No ogling or smiling at maid servants. Direct engagement of maid servants by the husbands for any errands is prohibited. The same should be routed through proper channel, i.e., wives. Husbands should be properly attired in the house and especially not walk around half naked. Tired and hence resting is no excuse to do any errands the wife will entrust him. Giving a helping hand to the wife on the daily chores should be done with equanimity and not with an expression of self sacrifice. Interface with neighbours would be limited to male species only. Conversation with any visiting lady neighbour should be limited to ‘ Hi.’ The excuse of tomorrow is a holiday is not acceptable for the heightened worship of Bacchus. Any adverse comment on the food cooked in the house should be limited to maximum once in six
months. The right of wife to invade the privacy of the husband should not be taken as having similar rights for the husband. Home is not a democratic institution. Husbands have the right to be informed and not the right to question the decisions taken by the wives in running the home.
6. Children:
In the beginning, stock answer of the father to the questions of progenies, excepting in respect of home work and tying the shoe, should be ‘ ask mummy.’ After some time the children would be attuned to the power play in the home and learn to live with it. Molly coddling children and thus spoiling them has been universally found to be the work of fathers. Fathers should resist the temptation to do the same. While in home it is the bounden duty of the father to ensure that children give some breathing time to mothers.
7. In-laws:
It is a universal phenomenon, known to all but seldom brought out in the open, that wives like their husbands’ mothers-in-law more than their own mothers-in-law and hence both de jure and de facto acceptance to the same has to be given my male specie. Accepting this truism, wives will have the right to bring any time to the home their husbands’ mothers-in-laws and make them stay for long periods. During that time husbands should maximize their efforts to follow the sanely advice on various matters freely given by their mothers-in-laws. Criticism and chiding by their mothers-in-law should be taken in the stride by the husbands.
8. Decision making powers:
Wives of the world collectively recognize the fact that husbands, being male, have higher intelligence quotient than wives and hence on important matters, such as, who will win Democratic Election in USA, what is the stand of the family on reservation of seats for women in Parliament, whether Taslima should be allowed to stay in India, whom to vote in the next election, etc., the decisions will entirely rest on husbands. On minor matters, such as, which school their children should study, where to go on holidays, where to build their house, etc., it would be the prerogative of the wives to take decisions, with husbands being informed at the appropriate time.
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Monday, May 26, 2008
Forecasting future
This is about astrology, predicting future on the basis of horoscope and palmistry. Most often the predictions have been off the mark. All of us know this. It is only rarely that predictions have come true. But that is bound to be so based on mathematical equations. Hardly ever bus, rail or plane accidents have been predicted and happened. Long marital life is predicted but then divorce happens or one of the spouses die much earlier than predicted.
Yet there is always temptation to show the hand the moment somebody says that he is a palmist. Similarly rarely do we look into our horoscopes or that of written for the children. Yes, the horoscopes of children are dusted when the time comes for their marriages, for, then the other parties would ask for horoscopes.
The belief on predicting future has been passed on from generation to generation that it has become part of the psyche of many people. But it is only a nebulous belief like the Hindu belief that one will be punished in the next birth for the sins committed in this life. Had the belief been strong then fewer sins would be committed by those who believe in this thesis in their current birth. This nebulous belief extends to other matters, such as, auspicious time and day for marriage, launching a business venture, etc., But the fact is that even those who strongly believe in astrology seldom purchase air or rail tickets based on astrological predictions. Otherwise, considering the large number of believers, the train or plane which meets with an accident should have only very few passengers. Or people would have fled from areas which have been affected by earth quakes much before the happening of the same.
Many a person would say that on this or that matter, the predictions have come true in his case. But he is not going say how many predictions in his case have gone wrong.
There are a number of systems predicting future: Horoscope reading, palmistry, face reading, numerology, crystal gazing, tarot cards, etc., Belief on this front is much less in western countries. India tops the list with having a very large number of believers. And that is why the interest in TV shows where predictions are trotted out by those who claim to be knowledgeable on the subject. And newspaper predictions are avidly read by many.
But things are changing. Most of the youngsters of today have no belief in these sciences. Let me end this by pointing out that it has never been reported that any of the experts in reading the future have been able to predict correctly his time of death.
Yet there is always temptation to show the hand the moment somebody says that he is a palmist. Similarly rarely do we look into our horoscopes or that of written for the children. Yes, the horoscopes of children are dusted when the time comes for their marriages, for, then the other parties would ask for horoscopes.
The belief on predicting future has been passed on from generation to generation that it has become part of the psyche of many people. But it is only a nebulous belief like the Hindu belief that one will be punished in the next birth for the sins committed in this life. Had the belief been strong then fewer sins would be committed by those who believe in this thesis in their current birth. This nebulous belief extends to other matters, such as, auspicious time and day for marriage, launching a business venture, etc., But the fact is that even those who strongly believe in astrology seldom purchase air or rail tickets based on astrological predictions. Otherwise, considering the large number of believers, the train or plane which meets with an accident should have only very few passengers. Or people would have fled from areas which have been affected by earth quakes much before the happening of the same.
Many a person would say that on this or that matter, the predictions have come true in his case. But he is not going say how many predictions in his case have gone wrong.
There are a number of systems predicting future: Horoscope reading, palmistry, face reading, numerology, crystal gazing, tarot cards, etc., Belief on this front is much less in western countries. India tops the list with having a very large number of believers. And that is why the interest in TV shows where predictions are trotted out by those who claim to be knowledgeable on the subject. And newspaper predictions are avidly read by many.
But things are changing. Most of the youngsters of today have no belief in these sciences. Let me end this by pointing out that it has never been reported that any of the experts in reading the future have been able to predict correctly his time of death.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Media: The downward march:
In the Times of India of 20th May 07 in the top of the front page nearly quarter space has been allocated for a write up ‘ woman hurt as pavement caves in on Hailey road.’ It was not a serious injury. The photo of the woman was published alongwith the write up. What a quixotic way of determining the importance of news.
As a regular reader and that too extensively of more than two papers a day, I find that of late pandering to base instincts has become the main preoccupation with newspapers/magazines. Less dress on the lass, larger the photo. Men ogle at the same. Many a man would say that it is better than reading what is going on in politics. To satisfy women, there are more write ups on fashion, latest Bollywood gossips and details of ‘ sale.’ Gossip is slowly getting converted as stories. Cross checking is at the nadir. Rejoinders / recriminations of those who have been unjustly targeted are either not published or done in small print and that too an abbreviated version. ‘ Quotes ‘ have become news. Murder, mayhem and sex occupy disproportionate space in the newspapers. Or news pandering to the middle / upper class of Delhi population. Since all newspapers have adopted the same strategy as enumerated above, lest their sales go down, there is no choice available to reader. Editorials are also often lacking in depth and incisive analysis of an issue. The earlier practice of looking at both sides and then giving appropriate emphasis has been replaced by uni-dimensional approach. The only redeeming feature is the lead articles, many of which are top rate. Visual media, which started with a lot of promise, has also degenerated in its presentation. Mayhem is the focus. And visual images of same incident is repeated ad nauseum. Anchors bully, take a combative posture, address all by their first names ( not an Indian culture ) and never lack in expressing opinionated views. Anchors have slowly altered group discussions to debate which have of late become fight between the participants. And then the views of a couple of hundreds or thousands are declared as ‘ peoples’ verdict. As in the case of newspapers, here also all popular channels have adopted the same style, that there is choice at all for viewers.
Investigative journalism is being replaced by intuitive journalism. After the event, all focus is on the event, as happened in the arrest a fraud Swami in Kerala a few days back. The Swami has been indulging in misdemeanors for a long time. Many people were in the know of the same. But why did not the fourth estate zero in on this murky affair.Free press is the keeper of the conscious of any democratic country. Hence I lament at the above mentioned development.
As a regular reader and that too extensively of more than two papers a day, I find that of late pandering to base instincts has become the main preoccupation with newspapers/magazines. Less dress on the lass, larger the photo. Men ogle at the same. Many a man would say that it is better than reading what is going on in politics. To satisfy women, there are more write ups on fashion, latest Bollywood gossips and details of ‘ sale.’ Gossip is slowly getting converted as stories. Cross checking is at the nadir. Rejoinders / recriminations of those who have been unjustly targeted are either not published or done in small print and that too an abbreviated version. ‘ Quotes ‘ have become news. Murder, mayhem and sex occupy disproportionate space in the newspapers. Or news pandering to the middle / upper class of Delhi population. Since all newspapers have adopted the same strategy as enumerated above, lest their sales go down, there is no choice available to reader. Editorials are also often lacking in depth and incisive analysis of an issue. The earlier practice of looking at both sides and then giving appropriate emphasis has been replaced by uni-dimensional approach. The only redeeming feature is the lead articles, many of which are top rate. Visual media, which started with a lot of promise, has also degenerated in its presentation. Mayhem is the focus. And visual images of same incident is repeated ad nauseum. Anchors bully, take a combative posture, address all by their first names ( not an Indian culture ) and never lack in expressing opinionated views. Anchors have slowly altered group discussions to debate which have of late become fight between the participants. And then the views of a couple of hundreds or thousands are declared as ‘ peoples’ verdict. As in the case of newspapers, here also all popular channels have adopted the same style, that there is choice at all for viewers.
Investigative journalism is being replaced by intuitive journalism. After the event, all focus is on the event, as happened in the arrest a fraud Swami in Kerala a few days back. The Swami has been indulging in misdemeanors for a long time. Many people were in the know of the same. But why did not the fourth estate zero in on this murky affair.Free press is the keeper of the conscious of any democratic country. Hence I lament at the above mentioned development.
Inclusive growth:
One gets apprehensive at the above term also degenerating to the slogan ‘ Garibi hatao ‘which has been used ad nauseam during the last few decades. Because it would appear that it has become more or less mandatory for politicians, bureaucrats, economists, social scientists, fourth estate, NGOs, etc., to emphasise in their speeches and articles on the need to have inclusive growth. It is turning out to be a cliché. Over used term tends to lose its significance. What does inclusive growth mean. The benefit of high economic growth should reach the poor also. Actually it is bypassing many of the dirt poor people. And they are large in number. Hence vote bank also. And many genuinely feel that economic development is incomplete unless the poor are lifted from their desperate situation. Further, such down trodden people need to be empowered so that they can gainfully partake in the significant growth the economy is witnessing.
All the economic development achieved so far had to a large extent not benefited millions of people, whose lot has been more or less as it was fifty years back Our economic structure is such that by far even any future growth would bye pass them. Hence deliberate action is needed to take them out of the rut.
An analogy can be cited. A father having two sons, one brilliant and successful and another crippled. Will not the father and the successful son look after the crippled. Similarly, the state, in the role of the father and those who had made it in the role of the brother have an obligation to look after the down trodden in the country.
Three meals a day, a roof over their head, minimum health services, electricity, water, educational facilities, gainful occupation - in a nutshell the poor must have these for the country to achieve inclusive growth. But what is the actual position. It is a miserable existence for millions of people. This has been graphically brought out by Magsasay Price winning author Sainath in his book ‘ Everybody loves a drought.’
There is also another angle to the issue. Naxalites are able to woo many of these people to join their cadres. The influx to cities is largely on account of the extreme poverty in some of the villages and far flung areas, adding to the problems of cities. With poor medical facilities health of many is permanently impaired. With no education, children grow up doing only manual labour which becomes the only occupation they can have. The list goes on.
With ‘ trickle down theory’ not working, all now agree that Governments would have to take affirmative action to achieve the goal of inclusive growth.
But then the question is which is the body which should take effective affirmative action. The answer simply is ‘the Government.’ There are severe limitations for the private sector or NGOs to become change managers. Money is not the limiting factor. Governments have been allocating larger and larger funds for achieving the objective. But most of it is siphoned off in the pipeline.
There is increasing awareness in the private sector that it must augment the efforts of Government in this direction. Hopefully this would gather momentum. Many NGOs are doing excellent work. But the fact remains that the ball is squarely in the court of the Government.
Huge funds are earmarked for various development projects by the Central and State Governments. Apart from the same, Governments have initiated various schemes, such as, minimum gainful employment, more schools, etc., Theft of the money in the pipeline is the major problem. Obviously this can be tacked by Governments only.
Why not Governments set up committees at the Panchayat, and District levels with the MPs & MLAs of the area, Collector, Panchayat Presidents, Municipalities and NGOs to monitor the functioning of various schemes. The deliberations of such groups should be open and fourth estate should take a lead in giving publicity to deliberations of such groups and pin point areas of lapses and concern. Execution of projects through Rs. 2 crore per MP allocated should also be in the agenda of such meetings. Somewhere along the line participation of people with these discussions should be ensured. College and school teachers also need to be involved.
What is important is to ensure exposure of the misdeeds of those who are siphoning off funds and taking up fanciful projects.
Unless some such initiative as mentioned above is initiated, Governments would continue to bemoan at the siphoning of funds and poor would remain poor and inclusive growth will be a mirage to the down trodden. Those who benefit from the growth will go on shouting at India overtaking USA in GDP growth. But unless all of us hear the wail of the poor, we can only be termed as hypocrites.
I would like to sign off this write up with a note of pessimism. Are people concerned with this state of affairs. Only a few. That is the tragedy. In this country for ages poverty has been there. The rich and middle class took poverty of the lower classes as their fate. That is in the psyche of the middle class and affluent. That makes the issue all the more poignant.
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All the economic development achieved so far had to a large extent not benefited millions of people, whose lot has been more or less as it was fifty years back Our economic structure is such that by far even any future growth would bye pass them. Hence deliberate action is needed to take them out of the rut.
An analogy can be cited. A father having two sons, one brilliant and successful and another crippled. Will not the father and the successful son look after the crippled. Similarly, the state, in the role of the father and those who had made it in the role of the brother have an obligation to look after the down trodden in the country.
Three meals a day, a roof over their head, minimum health services, electricity, water, educational facilities, gainful occupation - in a nutshell the poor must have these for the country to achieve inclusive growth. But what is the actual position. It is a miserable existence for millions of people. This has been graphically brought out by Magsasay Price winning author Sainath in his book ‘ Everybody loves a drought.’
There is also another angle to the issue. Naxalites are able to woo many of these people to join their cadres. The influx to cities is largely on account of the extreme poverty in some of the villages and far flung areas, adding to the problems of cities. With poor medical facilities health of many is permanently impaired. With no education, children grow up doing only manual labour which becomes the only occupation they can have. The list goes on.
With ‘ trickle down theory’ not working, all now agree that Governments would have to take affirmative action to achieve the goal of inclusive growth.
But then the question is which is the body which should take effective affirmative action. The answer simply is ‘the Government.’ There are severe limitations for the private sector or NGOs to become change managers. Money is not the limiting factor. Governments have been allocating larger and larger funds for achieving the objective. But most of it is siphoned off in the pipeline.
There is increasing awareness in the private sector that it must augment the efforts of Government in this direction. Hopefully this would gather momentum. Many NGOs are doing excellent work. But the fact remains that the ball is squarely in the court of the Government.
Huge funds are earmarked for various development projects by the Central and State Governments. Apart from the same, Governments have initiated various schemes, such as, minimum gainful employment, more schools, etc., Theft of the money in the pipeline is the major problem. Obviously this can be tacked by Governments only.
Why not Governments set up committees at the Panchayat, and District levels with the MPs & MLAs of the area, Collector, Panchayat Presidents, Municipalities and NGOs to monitor the functioning of various schemes. The deliberations of such groups should be open and fourth estate should take a lead in giving publicity to deliberations of such groups and pin point areas of lapses and concern. Execution of projects through Rs. 2 crore per MP allocated should also be in the agenda of such meetings. Somewhere along the line participation of people with these discussions should be ensured. College and school teachers also need to be involved.
What is important is to ensure exposure of the misdeeds of those who are siphoning off funds and taking up fanciful projects.
Unless some such initiative as mentioned above is initiated, Governments would continue to bemoan at the siphoning of funds and poor would remain poor and inclusive growth will be a mirage to the down trodden. Those who benefit from the growth will go on shouting at India overtaking USA in GDP growth. But unless all of us hear the wail of the poor, we can only be termed as hypocrites.
I would like to sign off this write up with a note of pessimism. Are people concerned with this state of affairs. Only a few. That is the tragedy. In this country for ages poverty has been there. The rich and middle class took poverty of the lower classes as their fate. That is in the psyche of the middle class and affluent. That makes the issue all the more poignant.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Generation gap
‘Good old days’ - Looking at the ways of the youngsters of today, bemoans the older generation.
‘ Oldies are real birds, yaar,’ rejoinder of the youth of today.
Generation gap is now evident in all classes of people. A businessman’s son takes the stand that he would have nothing to do with business and he wants to be a singer. An MBA topper declines a remunerative job and joins an NGO. A youngster tells parents that he does not want to do a regular job and will be only a guitarist. A young girl from a village wants to become a cine star. Even yester years film heroines are unable to adjust with the body exposure their daughters are willing to go through for publicity.
Both parents and their wards have valid reasons for taking these polemic stands. Generation gap was part of human history. As a philosopher said ‘ even though the younger generation may not be committing patricide, they do definitely indulge in patricide of the ideas of older generation.’ The gap was in tolerable limits for a long time and hence digestible. Not any more. During the last one or two decades the gap has widened to such an extent that oldies are finding it difficult to accept and adjust to the change. And many a youngster wonder what is wrong with the old people.
Let us analyse the perspectives of both on various matters
· ‘ What is wrong with tight jeans and shirts, high heel shoes, having boy friends, incessantly talking to friends over the phones, spending evenings, occasionally to late nights with both girl and boy friends, spending considerable part of income to their dress, make up and outing.’ asks the girls of today. Parents frown.
· The youngsters of today go in for different hair shades, i.e., particularly girls, they want more say about their marriages, attitude of friends are friends ( not influenced by caste or region ), exposure of midriff, sleeveless shirts, tight fitting dresses in the case of girls, own car in instalment payment, occasional smoking and drinking, going abroad for jobs, working with NGOs at a pittance, girl is 27 and not yet interested in marriage ( because of chasing career ), ignoring extended families, absolute resistance to dowry, paying Rs. 1000 / Rs. 2000 for a shoe or purse, quick change of jobs sometimes even for a lower salary, why read newspapers, music and mobiles are the life - Many a parent find it difficult to adjust and accept these and other traits of upwardly mobile youngsters of today .
· Parents slogged all their lives holding on to the lowly jobs and earning small sums of money. Necessarily they have adopted to a life of economical living. But the youngster today often starts with a salary which could be higher than the salary his / her father was earning after 30 years of service. It is inevitable that the approach of both generation on money and spending would be different. Saving was a matter of faith to earlier generation whereas to the current generation it has no meaning. Switching jobs was not done thing in the case of parents whereas today’s youngsters take such change of jobs in their stride.
· Parents are afraid of love affairs of their wards, not to talk of sex before marriage. They are mortally afraid of unwanted pregnancy.
· Savings and sticking to the job are for birds – parents throw their hands at this approach of youngsters.
· ‘ I will tell you when I want to get married ‘ so say many a girl today to the exasperation of the parents.
· ‘ Becoming a house-wife. Silly concept. If the boy and his parents are not agreeable at my continuing to work, let us forget the proposal for marriage.’ Statement of girls to which parents have hardly any answer.
· “ Yes I am married more than four years back. But that does not mean I should get pregnant. I may decide not to have children at all’ So says many a girl. Obviously parents are bewildered.
· Just because your father was a disciplinarian, don’t try to be the same with me.
· ‘Yes austerity was your credo. You did not have much money to spend in your younger days. But the situation has changed. So don’t impose the situation which prevailed in your time’ so says the youngster of today.
· ‘ I have no time for your relatives or friends. I love you. That is all. Let us not make the same an issue.’ Parents are bewildered.
· And more. The list is endless.
Yesterday’s world in which parents lived is beyond the comprehension of the youngsters of today.
1. That their parents / grand parents lived in a world without electricity, not to talk of TV and cricket. But that was so in the 40s and 50s in respect of those lived in villages, with cities witnessing the first dawn of changes.
2. Electricity: The day we got electricity in our house in the 50s and fan and radio all the members of the house-hold were in the grip of ecstasy for a number of days. Switching on the fan brought everybody in the house-hold near the fan to enjoy the unimaginable luxury of waves of air swirling around us. Added to that was voice emanating from the radio. Except for the music, English and Hindi announcements in the radio were not comprehensible to us. It did not matter. It was magic to us. Light, fan and radio were put on only for short duration in each day either because of power cuts or because our elders thought that otherwise we would be spoiled and addicted to these equipments. We felt we have arrived. We held our head high. In all our conversation with others who did not have the exquisite luxury of having these items, we brought the subject often to impress them with our advancement. After a year or so, we started dreading power cuts which were often, because by then we were hooked on to electric light, fan and radio. Then for a few decades the situation was status quo. Then came transistor followed by TV, with only a few hours programme initially. By today’s standards, Black and white TV programmes were absolutely dull and yet those who had TV never missed the programmes. And those who had transistor carried it everywhere with them, because the same was a prestigious symbol of luxury.
3. Traveling: Except for distances more than 10 or 15 kilometers, traveling was done by walking and occasionally by bullock/horse cart. Travel by bus was considered as a luxurious experience. Even owning a cycle was a matter of prestige and that of motor cycle a symbol of being rich. The few who owned cars only used the same rarely, because largely it was a symbol of affluence.
4. Luxury items: At the time of schooling, luxury items consisted of sandals, more than four shirts or half pants and a ball point pen. An ice cream or seeing a movie once a while – the ultimate bliss started and ended in these. Concept of pocket money was alien to the culture then prevailing.
5. Marriages & festivals : Both were community affairs in which all participated. Talking points were related to these activities before and after the events.
6. Home front: The only person who had a say in all matters in the house was the family head. Children or youngsters never dared to give their opinions. Even grown ups had minimal say, with the voice of female folk being muted. We know and you don’t know was the attitude of elders towards youngsters. Venturing to argue with elders often ended with caning of the youngsters. Education in respect of girls in most cases ended during the time of high schooling. Girls, once they cross puberty, were not supposed to be visible or laugh loudly and only talk with low voice. Once a girl reaches the age of 16 or 17 elders start looking for alliances, with the girls having no say. Marriage was essentially between two families and not so much of the girl and boy. And in a year or two after the marriage the girl was expected to give birth to a child.
Widows were considered as bad omen. Some of the castes insisted on widows shaving their heads, being almost invisible in the house, walking bare foot, never expected to laugh and even talk with low decibel.
1. Race for jobs: Excepting a few who could join a collage, in the case of most, passing matriculation meant search for jobs meaning clerical jobs, which were very few even in the nearby towns and cities, forcing most to migrate to large cities in the country ( some to foreign countries ) or joining the army. Government job was the prized one and the norm was that a person who was lucky to get a Government job retired with one or two promotions. Even in the case of private sector, change of job was a rare phenomenon. And once a person got the job, he had to support financially life long his family back home.
2. Austerity: With low income levels, frugal living in those times was inevitable. Since one had to financially support the family back home, after getting a job, there was hardly surplus money. This led to people having jobs in cities continuing to live frugally. And then this type of living got into their psyche. This is the main reason for the elders in the cities in these days not being able to accept somewhat spend thrift life of today’s youngsters. From the beginning children were conditioned not to have wants. That conditioning did not change in the case of many even in later years when earning had gone up enabling spending a bit lavishly on occasion.
- Yes, there is the generation gap.
‘ Oldies are real birds, yaar,’ rejoinder of the youth of today.
Generation gap is now evident in all classes of people. A businessman’s son takes the stand that he would have nothing to do with business and he wants to be a singer. An MBA topper declines a remunerative job and joins an NGO. A youngster tells parents that he does not want to do a regular job and will be only a guitarist. A young girl from a village wants to become a cine star. Even yester years film heroines are unable to adjust with the body exposure their daughters are willing to go through for publicity.
Both parents and their wards have valid reasons for taking these polemic stands. Generation gap was part of human history. As a philosopher said ‘ even though the younger generation may not be committing patricide, they do definitely indulge in patricide of the ideas of older generation.’ The gap was in tolerable limits for a long time and hence digestible. Not any more. During the last one or two decades the gap has widened to such an extent that oldies are finding it difficult to accept and adjust to the change. And many a youngster wonder what is wrong with the old people.
Let us analyse the perspectives of both on various matters
· ‘ What is wrong with tight jeans and shirts, high heel shoes, having boy friends, incessantly talking to friends over the phones, spending evenings, occasionally to late nights with both girl and boy friends, spending considerable part of income to their dress, make up and outing.’ asks the girls of today. Parents frown.
· The youngsters of today go in for different hair shades, i.e., particularly girls, they want more say about their marriages, attitude of friends are friends ( not influenced by caste or region ), exposure of midriff, sleeveless shirts, tight fitting dresses in the case of girls, own car in instalment payment, occasional smoking and drinking, going abroad for jobs, working with NGOs at a pittance, girl is 27 and not yet interested in marriage ( because of chasing career ), ignoring extended families, absolute resistance to dowry, paying Rs. 1000 / Rs. 2000 for a shoe or purse, quick change of jobs sometimes even for a lower salary, why read newspapers, music and mobiles are the life - Many a parent find it difficult to adjust and accept these and other traits of upwardly mobile youngsters of today .
· Parents slogged all their lives holding on to the lowly jobs and earning small sums of money. Necessarily they have adopted to a life of economical living. But the youngster today often starts with a salary which could be higher than the salary his / her father was earning after 30 years of service. It is inevitable that the approach of both generation on money and spending would be different. Saving was a matter of faith to earlier generation whereas to the current generation it has no meaning. Switching jobs was not done thing in the case of parents whereas today’s youngsters take such change of jobs in their stride.
· Parents are afraid of love affairs of their wards, not to talk of sex before marriage. They are mortally afraid of unwanted pregnancy.
· Savings and sticking to the job are for birds – parents throw their hands at this approach of youngsters.
· ‘ I will tell you when I want to get married ‘ so say many a girl today to the exasperation of the parents.
· ‘ Becoming a house-wife. Silly concept. If the boy and his parents are not agreeable at my continuing to work, let us forget the proposal for marriage.’ Statement of girls to which parents have hardly any answer.
· “ Yes I am married more than four years back. But that does not mean I should get pregnant. I may decide not to have children at all’ So says many a girl. Obviously parents are bewildered.
· Just because your father was a disciplinarian, don’t try to be the same with me.
· ‘Yes austerity was your credo. You did not have much money to spend in your younger days. But the situation has changed. So don’t impose the situation which prevailed in your time’ so says the youngster of today.
· ‘ I have no time for your relatives or friends. I love you. That is all. Let us not make the same an issue.’ Parents are bewildered.
· And more. The list is endless.
Yesterday’s world in which parents lived is beyond the comprehension of the youngsters of today.
1. That their parents / grand parents lived in a world without electricity, not to talk of TV and cricket. But that was so in the 40s and 50s in respect of those lived in villages, with cities witnessing the first dawn of changes.
2. Electricity: The day we got electricity in our house in the 50s and fan and radio all the members of the house-hold were in the grip of ecstasy for a number of days. Switching on the fan brought everybody in the house-hold near the fan to enjoy the unimaginable luxury of waves of air swirling around us. Added to that was voice emanating from the radio. Except for the music, English and Hindi announcements in the radio were not comprehensible to us. It did not matter. It was magic to us. Light, fan and radio were put on only for short duration in each day either because of power cuts or because our elders thought that otherwise we would be spoiled and addicted to these equipments. We felt we have arrived. We held our head high. In all our conversation with others who did not have the exquisite luxury of having these items, we brought the subject often to impress them with our advancement. After a year or so, we started dreading power cuts which were often, because by then we were hooked on to electric light, fan and radio. Then for a few decades the situation was status quo. Then came transistor followed by TV, with only a few hours programme initially. By today’s standards, Black and white TV programmes were absolutely dull and yet those who had TV never missed the programmes. And those who had transistor carried it everywhere with them, because the same was a prestigious symbol of luxury.
3. Traveling: Except for distances more than 10 or 15 kilometers, traveling was done by walking and occasionally by bullock/horse cart. Travel by bus was considered as a luxurious experience. Even owning a cycle was a matter of prestige and that of motor cycle a symbol of being rich. The few who owned cars only used the same rarely, because largely it was a symbol of affluence.
4. Luxury items: At the time of schooling, luxury items consisted of sandals, more than four shirts or half pants and a ball point pen. An ice cream or seeing a movie once a while – the ultimate bliss started and ended in these. Concept of pocket money was alien to the culture then prevailing.
5. Marriages & festivals : Both were community affairs in which all participated. Talking points were related to these activities before and after the events.
6. Home front: The only person who had a say in all matters in the house was the family head. Children or youngsters never dared to give their opinions. Even grown ups had minimal say, with the voice of female folk being muted. We know and you don’t know was the attitude of elders towards youngsters. Venturing to argue with elders often ended with caning of the youngsters. Education in respect of girls in most cases ended during the time of high schooling. Girls, once they cross puberty, were not supposed to be visible or laugh loudly and only talk with low voice. Once a girl reaches the age of 16 or 17 elders start looking for alliances, with the girls having no say. Marriage was essentially between two families and not so much of the girl and boy. And in a year or two after the marriage the girl was expected to give birth to a child.
Widows were considered as bad omen. Some of the castes insisted on widows shaving their heads, being almost invisible in the house, walking bare foot, never expected to laugh and even talk with low decibel.
1. Race for jobs: Excepting a few who could join a collage, in the case of most, passing matriculation meant search for jobs meaning clerical jobs, which were very few even in the nearby towns and cities, forcing most to migrate to large cities in the country ( some to foreign countries ) or joining the army. Government job was the prized one and the norm was that a person who was lucky to get a Government job retired with one or two promotions. Even in the case of private sector, change of job was a rare phenomenon. And once a person got the job, he had to support financially life long his family back home.
2. Austerity: With low income levels, frugal living in those times was inevitable. Since one had to financially support the family back home, after getting a job, there was hardly surplus money. This led to people having jobs in cities continuing to live frugally. And then this type of living got into their psyche. This is the main reason for the elders in the cities in these days not being able to accept somewhat spend thrift life of today’s youngsters. From the beginning children were conditioned not to have wants. That conditioning did not change in the case of many even in later years when earning had gone up enabling spending a bit lavishly on occasion.
- Yes, there is the generation gap.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The bickering babus
Most of the Services of Government ( IAS, IPS, IFS, etc., ) are unhappy with the recommendations of the Pay Commission, not because largesse proposed is meagre but because all the services want parity with IAS which the latter is in no mood to accept. Unsaid, what are the supporting arguments of each Service.
IAS: We have to spend all the time Ministers which is extremely taxing. With ignorant Ministers we have to marvel at their knowledge, with pompous ones we have to openly admire their humility, with the ones having proclivity to travel the world ( particularly to exotic destinations ) we have to commend in laudatory terms their penchant for more knowledge of countries, we have to close our eyes and keep silence at their insatiable desire to amass wealth, we have to often help louts who are relatives or sychopants of the Minister, we have to over-night change our approaches to issues when there is a change of horses, i.e., Ministers ( say, one who only drinks Tulasi jal to one who is ardent follower of Bacchus ), we have to all the time ensure that we only have peripheral understanding of the nuances of various segments and don’t get too involved with the problems of industry or the oldest profession, lest our actions would be partisan. We have to cleverly stonewall demands for information by the public (it is best for the country that public remains gullible ), we have to be adroit, spend considerable time and play a few games in ensuring that we are not shunted back to the State cadre ( a problem which other Services do not face ), we have to ensure that offialase, i.e., notes written on files could be interpreted in more than one way to ensure that we come unscatherd in any witch-hunt later on, etc., . Inevitably we deserve a better treatment than other services.
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IFS (Indian Foreign Service): All the time we have to market our country / government to other countries / governments. This is easily said than done, considering what a mess our Governments have made in governing the country, with de jure power being with IAS. Yes, in our duty we often have to imbibe day after day, with receptions of the host government and embassies on every other day. What we are doing is duty to mother land and not due to any proclivity for being in dazed state most of the time. We have to perfect diplomatic lies and deliver them adroitly. That is why we hardly get any time to look after our people in the countries to which we are posted or to attend to the problems of visisting Indians, unless they are VIPs. That we are not able to do this is nagging us all the time. But then we have to carry on with a heavy heart. So our Service deserves better treatment in terms of emoluments compared to IASwallas.
IFS ( Indian Forest Service ) : Members of all other services live and function in the comfort in cities/towns. But we have to go to forests, on one or two occasions during the service. Yet there is big risk to personal lives even in these one or two trips. Who knows when a lion will get through all the forest guards surrounding us during these visits. Yes, the guards have guns and they can shoot the lion. But then lion is a lion. The fact that no senior officer of our Service has been killed by wild animals during the last 60 years is no guarantee that the same will not happen in future. Then there are poachers of animals, contractors cutting illegally trees, NGOs all the time alleging that we are in cahoots with poachers and contractors, etc., With all these immense risks, it is only natural that we demand pay higher than that of IASwallas or atleast equal to what has been recommended for them.
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IRS ( Indian Revenue Service ): There is a fool-proof case for our service people getting salaries higher than IASwallas. We bring revenue to Government and all other services spend money of the Government. All the time we have to resist temptations to take bribe from business people. It is easily said than done. In fact this calls for Temptation Resisting Allowance for members of our Service. We have to reign our desire for wealth and pelf. So what if once a while we take this or that present or avail of the vehicles or guest houses offered by the business people. Our people have to be motivated to bring in more revenue to Government and that can happen only when we are paid higher than other services.
IES ( Indian Economic Service ): What is the use of our asking for a better treatment. It is clout that matters. We don’t have that. So are reconciled to the position that we have.
Military : Our men and officers are more patriotic than members of any other service. Every minute ( not to talk of every hour and day ) we have to be alert, whether our men are at the border or interiors of the country, because any time the enemy can attack and that attack could be any place. Our men can die any moment due to attakcs of enemy. That no General has died in any war is hardly an argument to deny us our due, which has to be higher than that of the different other services. Yes, we get various goodies at concessional rate, yes, we get longer duration leave, yes, only a small percentage of our people serve in the border areas, yes, police stationed in border areas have also to face immense risks. But then strength of a nation flows from its Military strength. And military strength can be augmented not only by recruiting more people but also by making them contented, which means more pay.
In conclusion, not only the aam admi but even intellctuals like me want only one thing. Remove the suffix of ‘ Service ‘ in respect of the clans of babus because they have all the time difficulty in understanding the meaning of Service. – 67 –
IAS: We have to spend all the time Ministers which is extremely taxing. With ignorant Ministers we have to marvel at their knowledge, with pompous ones we have to openly admire their humility, with the ones having proclivity to travel the world ( particularly to exotic destinations ) we have to commend in laudatory terms their penchant for more knowledge of countries, we have to close our eyes and keep silence at their insatiable desire to amass wealth, we have to often help louts who are relatives or sychopants of the Minister, we have to over-night change our approaches to issues when there is a change of horses, i.e., Ministers ( say, one who only drinks Tulasi jal to one who is ardent follower of Bacchus ), we have to all the time ensure that we only have peripheral understanding of the nuances of various segments and don’t get too involved with the problems of industry or the oldest profession, lest our actions would be partisan. We have to cleverly stonewall demands for information by the public (it is best for the country that public remains gullible ), we have to be adroit, spend considerable time and play a few games in ensuring that we are not shunted back to the State cadre ( a problem which other Services do not face ), we have to ensure that offialase, i.e., notes written on files could be interpreted in more than one way to ensure that we come unscatherd in any witch-hunt later on, etc., . Inevitably we deserve a better treatment than other services.
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IFS (Indian Foreign Service): All the time we have to market our country / government to other countries / governments. This is easily said than done, considering what a mess our Governments have made in governing the country, with de jure power being with IAS. Yes, in our duty we often have to imbibe day after day, with receptions of the host government and embassies on every other day. What we are doing is duty to mother land and not due to any proclivity for being in dazed state most of the time. We have to perfect diplomatic lies and deliver them adroitly. That is why we hardly get any time to look after our people in the countries to which we are posted or to attend to the problems of visisting Indians, unless they are VIPs. That we are not able to do this is nagging us all the time. But then we have to carry on with a heavy heart. So our Service deserves better treatment in terms of emoluments compared to IASwallas.
IFS ( Indian Forest Service ) : Members of all other services live and function in the comfort in cities/towns. But we have to go to forests, on one or two occasions during the service. Yet there is big risk to personal lives even in these one or two trips. Who knows when a lion will get through all the forest guards surrounding us during these visits. Yes, the guards have guns and they can shoot the lion. But then lion is a lion. The fact that no senior officer of our Service has been killed by wild animals during the last 60 years is no guarantee that the same will not happen in future. Then there are poachers of animals, contractors cutting illegally trees, NGOs all the time alleging that we are in cahoots with poachers and contractors, etc., With all these immense risks, it is only natural that we demand pay higher than that of IASwallas or atleast equal to what has been recommended for them.
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IRS ( Indian Revenue Service ): There is a fool-proof case for our service people getting salaries higher than IASwallas. We bring revenue to Government and all other services spend money of the Government. All the time we have to resist temptations to take bribe from business people. It is easily said than done. In fact this calls for Temptation Resisting Allowance for members of our Service. We have to reign our desire for wealth and pelf. So what if once a while we take this or that present or avail of the vehicles or guest houses offered by the business people. Our people have to be motivated to bring in more revenue to Government and that can happen only when we are paid higher than other services.
IES ( Indian Economic Service ): What is the use of our asking for a better treatment. It is clout that matters. We don’t have that. So are reconciled to the position that we have.
Military : Our men and officers are more patriotic than members of any other service. Every minute ( not to talk of every hour and day ) we have to be alert, whether our men are at the border or interiors of the country, because any time the enemy can attack and that attack could be any place. Our men can die any moment due to attakcs of enemy. That no General has died in any war is hardly an argument to deny us our due, which has to be higher than that of the different other services. Yes, we get various goodies at concessional rate, yes, we get longer duration leave, yes, only a small percentage of our people serve in the border areas, yes, police stationed in border areas have also to face immense risks. But then strength of a nation flows from its Military strength. And military strength can be augmented not only by recruiting more people but also by making them contented, which means more pay.
In conclusion, not only the aam admi but even intellctuals like me want only one thing. Remove the suffix of ‘ Service ‘ in respect of the clans of babus because they have all the time difficulty in understanding the meaning of Service. – 67 –
Saturday, May 17, 2008
. Age factor politicians
According to a newspaper report, after induction some young MPs in the Union Cabinet, the average age of the Council of Ministers of Union Government has come down only by a fraction, i.e., from 60.37 to 59.3. More or less the report laments at old people running the country. There have been other reports in the past expressing disillusion at the position obtaining in India by comparing the ages of India’s Prime Minister to that of President and Prime Minister of US and UK. Since it is the main occupation of the intellegentisa in this courty to ape at US of A and our masters over a century back, there is a collective sigh on their part at the country being ruled by old people. One would think they have mixed up politicians/Ministers with that of athlets because in the latter case age is an important factor. The second point they have missed is that in this globe many countries are having politicians / Ministers in the same age group as that of
India. But then for the intellegentsia, USA and UK are the Mecca where everything is done corectly. I would like to ask un uncomfortable question to this motly crowd. Are not many among them over seventy. So is the case of businessmen, professionals, doctors, advocates. Then why make an exception in the case of politicians.
1 ) Unveiling of my photo
I went today to my earlier office to unweil my photo in tune with the unweiling of the statue of the ( lady ) satrap of the largest State in India by herself. Though I thought that it is a fitting gesture to my services in the organisation, when I suggested this action, in my successor and friend’s face the expression was one of consternation. Was it my appearance ( baldy, oldy, wrinkled face and permanent suspicious demeanour ) which made my friend wary of the proposal, though in my photo all these negative aspects could have camouflaged by a smart photographer. Or is it because, as some friends had remarked at various times, my face has an uncanny resemblance to some of the ‘ wanted ‘ photos
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published in papers at the instance of Police. Probably my successor wanted to avoid the embarassment to me of explaining to Police that ‘ I am actually I am,’ which, knowing the culture of Indian police, would be less than a satisfactory answer.
But the lady cited above had no such problem. She has ensured that her wish is the command. She also probably knows that unless she acts ( as she did ) no successor of her is going to do it. And by doing it she created world history, if one confines history to the current century because earlier during the times of the kings and dictators, this was not an uncommon act. Plebians like me and you may smirk at this incident, but clairvoyant that I am, it is on the cards that some other politician may emulate this self perpetuating example and many a businessmen may be musing whether they should follow suit.
But the lady was unease on one count. Only unweiling her statue by herself would be considered as wanton exhibition of self. This is the classic situation that Emporer Haile Selece of Ethiopia faced decades back. He was the King of Ethiopia. He wanted to be crowned as an Emporer. But how to go about without ridicule of the people was his worry. He had a Chanakya or Ras Putin like adviser, who gave the following solution. “ Promote all the chieftians under you of various areas as kings of those areas. Then logically the person holding position higher than the kings of the country has to be an Emporer.” The King did so. And so also the Lady by unweiling a larger statue of her mentor.
May I remind those who scoff off or look down at this act that their adorning the marriage photo ( taken some twenty or thirty years back ) on the wall of the sitting room, in many respects, is akin to the nonchalant action of the lady we hate to admire.
According to a newspaper report, after induction some young MPs in the Union Cabinet, the average age of the Council of Ministers of Union Government has come down only by a fraction, i.e., from 60.37 to 59.3. More or less the report laments at old people running the country. There have been other reports in the past expressing disillusion at the position obtaining in India by comparing the ages of India’s Prime Minister to that of President and Prime Minister of US and UK. Since it is the main occupation of the intellegentisa in this courty to ape at US of A and our masters over a century back, there is a collective sigh on their part at the country being ruled by old people. One would think they have mixed up politicians/Ministers with that of athlets because in the latter case age is an important factor. The second point they have missed is that in this globe many countries are having politicians / Ministers in the same age group as that of
India. But then for the intellegentsia, USA and UK are the Mecca where everything is done corectly. I would like to ask un uncomfortable question to this motly crowd. Are not many among them over seventy. So is the case of businessmen, professionals, doctors, advocates. Then why make an exception in the case of politicians.
1 ) Unveiling of my photo
I went today to my earlier office to unweil my photo in tune with the unweiling of the statue of the ( lady ) satrap of the largest State in India by herself. Though I thought that it is a fitting gesture to my services in the organisation, when I suggested this action, in my successor and friend’s face the expression was one of consternation. Was it my appearance ( baldy, oldy, wrinkled face and permanent suspicious demeanour ) which made my friend wary of the proposal, though in my photo all these negative aspects could have camouflaged by a smart photographer. Or is it because, as some friends had remarked at various times, my face has an uncanny resemblance to some of the ‘ wanted ‘ photos
- 62 -
published in papers at the instance of Police. Probably my successor wanted to avoid the embarassment to me of explaining to Police that ‘ I am actually I am,’ which, knowing the culture of Indian police, would be less than a satisfactory answer.
But the lady cited above had no such problem. She has ensured that her wish is the command. She also probably knows that unless she acts ( as she did ) no successor of her is going to do it. And by doing it she created world history, if one confines history to the current century because earlier during the times of the kings and dictators, this was not an uncommon act. Plebians like me and you may smirk at this incident, but clairvoyant that I am, it is on the cards that some other politician may emulate this self perpetuating example and many a businessmen may be musing whether they should follow suit.
But the lady was unease on one count. Only unweiling her statue by herself would be considered as wanton exhibition of self. This is the classic situation that Emporer Haile Selece of Ethiopia faced decades back. He was the King of Ethiopia. He wanted to be crowned as an Emporer. But how to go about without ridicule of the people was his worry. He had a Chanakya or Ras Putin like adviser, who gave the following solution. “ Promote all the chieftians under you of various areas as kings of those areas. Then logically the person holding position higher than the kings of the country has to be an Emporer.” The King did so. And so also the Lady by unweiling a larger statue of her mentor.
May I remind those who scoff off or look down at this act that their adorning the marriage photo ( taken some twenty or thirty years back ) on the wall of the sitting room, in many respects, is akin to the nonchalant action of the lady we hate to admire.
Friday, May 16, 2008
. Supreme Court and PIL
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna. But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna. But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Supreme Court and PIL
.
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna.
But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country.
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna.
But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
NEWS & COMMENTS
1. Sonia’s faux paux
Addressing a meeting of Tribals in Rjasthan Sonia Gandhi has attacked the recent memoirs written by Advani, especially about the Kandahar hijacking event. Note that the audience was essentially Tribals. How naïve Sonia could be or those who prompted her to talk on this subject. Few Tribals may know that there is a worthy in the political field by the name of Advani and still less number of Tribals may have heard of Kandahar incident. Even those who have some knowledge on both matters would wonder why the worthy Madam is making the allegation that Advani, who was then Home Minister, was unaware of what was happening. But, yes, press reported the allegation. If Sonia’s intention was to create dissention within BJP, then the least she should have done is to chose a more appropriate occasion or settings rather than a meeting with Tribals.
A few decades back I had seen a Cartoon by the inimitable R.K. Laxman wherein a visiting neta was addressing school children, emphasising the importance of patriotism, nationalism, etc., The School children were from the fifth standard and they were looking
- 55 -
bewildered. The cartoon has been given life by Sonia.
Have the politicians have become so naïve. Congress is making Advani’s book an election issue. Now how many have read the same. A few. And they would be from the educated class, who hardly vote. It is a hot issue in the TV programmes of debates. That is all. Advani may think that his book is a memorable one. But hardly the public. Yes, those who adore him may go through the book or those who want to pierce holes in his ‘self-adulation process’ will go through the book with that motive. What else. Zero.
2. Dilemma of cine stars
A dispute has arisen between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on Tamil Nadu’s Hogenakkal water project. Cine stars of both States have come to the forefront of the agitation and with that media focus has been shifted from the subject matter to the antics of cine stars. Media knows that public are more interested in the film star fight rather than water dispute.
Most of the Cine stars are aware that their taking sides would result in audiences of the other disputing state in boycotting their films. Yet they cannot also resist politicians of the state when the services of the stars are ‘sought’ which is an euphemistic term for ‘ being commandered.’ Furtunately this is largely confined so far as a South Indian phenomenon.
Earlier related to Raj Thackeray’s antics some of the film stars beautifully got mud on their faces. In a way that happening was good for the cine stars, because in future they will be reluctant to jump into such melting pots which should be left to spineless wonders in this country ( read ‘ politicians’).
- 56 -
3. Panchayat elections
According to law related to Panchayats enacted by Rajasthan Government a person having more than two children is debarred from contesting in Panchayat elections. Earlier Supreme Court had upheld this proviso in the Panchayat election criteria. A Member of Parliament belonging to the Muslim community has moved a writ before the Supreme Court aginst this stipulation on the ground that it violated Islamic dictat that no Muslim would restrict birth of children. “ Profess and practice of religion includes following the essential and integral dictats of the Holy Book of Quaran, which is the only soul of Islam and Islamic law………….Not to kill any unborn child or resrict its birth either before or post conceiving is the essential and integral part of Islam..” I am unable to fathom the grounds on which Supreme Court had approved the condition of no more than two children for contesting Panchayat elections. Yes the country requires Family Planning. But it cannot be thrust on the throat of people. It cannot be a condition for, say, job in Government or for getting Radion Card or Driving License.
1. Pay Commission – More dissentions
Army top brass made a presentation before the Defence Minister asking for hiking further the increases proposed in the Pay Commission for members of Defence personnel. Not to be outdone, top cops have made a presentation before Sonia Gandhi for similar treatment to their folk. Other services had expressed their grievances. In all such maters, where babus make sugestions, they are clever enough to see that they get a better deal than others. Each of the Services had sought a better deal on the plank of the good and arduous services their members ‘ for the benefit of the public.’ These statements are received with derision
- 57-
by the public. An Army Colonel in a TV debate has said ‘ our soldiers are 24 hours on Duty! They have fought six wars after Independence. They have to work in difficult climates. They have made enormous sacrifices in defending the country. They are often called to quell civil disturbances.” Balony. 24 hours Duty? I have not heard a more laughable tongue in cheek statement. Yes, people join Armed Forces knowing fully well that they have to fight wars. So what. It is like a night keeper making a special claim because he cannot sleep in the night. The wars were of short duration. The casualities were not high. Participation level was also not high. In fact a large percentage of Army personnel retire without participating in any war. Army is called only in exceptional cituations to assist civil authorities.
In one of the TV Channel debate on the subject, to the query about corruption in the Civil Service, a retired Cabinet Secretary came up with a convoluted explanation. It was due to the non accountability of politicians that corruption in bureaucracy is increasing! So far as the demands of Services other than IAS is concerned, it is more directed at questioning the primacy of IAS. Otherwise, the difference in the pay hikes recommended is not significant.
But none of the worthies of these organisations have uttered a single word on how they propose to improve their ‘ service ‘ to the people, who are utterly disenchanted with the ‘service ‘ they get from these worthies.
2. Cinemas on living politicians
Three film projects on the life of Mayawati, curent UP Chief Minister, are registered with the film producers Association. BSP has objected to making films on its chief without the approval of
- 58 -
BSP. There were protests in Bihar against the picture Gangajal because the rowdy elements in the picture were from Yadav community. Joda Bai picture had to face controversy. Further, if clearance of the concerned organisation or group has to be obtained before going ahead with the film what happens. Consent will be given only if the picture projects God / Goddess type image to the chief of the party which has given the consent. Any number of good themes are available for making cinemas. Then why should the running be after a chimera.
3. Mediocrity to be punished
A US School has barred mediocre students from after hours games, crafts and ice cream because of poor grades and attitudes. They are excluded from all aspects of extracurricular life, including athletic contests, academic clubs, dances and plays, unless they demonstrate improvement in their learning.
This is a stupid way to improve the performance of youngsters. Suppose I have a low IQ. Will not my performance be poor. Suppose I am coming from a family full of strife. Suppose my drunkard father beats me every day. There could be any number of reasons for a boy to perform poorly. To punish him for that would in all likelihood result in the boy continuing to perform poorly or developing some other negative atitudes. Counselling? Yes. There could be other ways to help him. But not an open punishmnent as barring from participation in such events.
8. Supreme Court and PIL
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
- 59 -
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
- 60 -
rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna.
But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country.
9. Age factor politicians
According to a newspaper report, after induction some young MPs in the Union Cabinet, the average age of the Council of Ministers of Union Government has come down only by a fraction, i.e., from 60.37 to 59.3. More or less the report laments at old people running the country. There have been other reports in the past expressing disillusion at the position obtaining in India by comparing the ages of India’s Prime Minister to that of President and Prime Minister of US and UK. Since it is the main occupation of the intellegentisa in this courty to ape at US of A and our masters over a century back, there is a collective sigh on their part at the country being ruled by old people. One would think they have mixed up politicians/Ministers with that of athlets because in the latter case age is an important factor. The second point they have missed is that in this globe many countries are having politicians / Ministers in the same age group as that of
- 61 -
India. But then for the intellegentsia, USA and UK are the Mecca where everything is done corectly. I would like to ask un uncomfortable question to this motly crowd. Are not many among them over seventy. So is the case of businessmen, professionals, doctors, advocates. Then why make an exception in the case of politicians.
-----------
1. Sonia’s faux paux
Addressing a meeting of Tribals in Rjasthan Sonia Gandhi has attacked the recent memoirs written by Advani, especially about the Kandahar hijacking event. Note that the audience was essentially Tribals. How naïve Sonia could be or those who prompted her to talk on this subject. Few Tribals may know that there is a worthy in the political field by the name of Advani and still less number of Tribals may have heard of Kandahar incident. Even those who have some knowledge on both matters would wonder why the worthy Madam is making the allegation that Advani, who was then Home Minister, was unaware of what was happening. But, yes, press reported the allegation. If Sonia’s intention was to create dissention within BJP, then the least she should have done is to chose a more appropriate occasion or settings rather than a meeting with Tribals.
A few decades back I had seen a Cartoon by the inimitable R.K. Laxman wherein a visiting neta was addressing school children, emphasising the importance of patriotism, nationalism, etc., The School children were from the fifth standard and they were looking
- 55 -
bewildered. The cartoon has been given life by Sonia.
Have the politicians have become so naïve. Congress is making Advani’s book an election issue. Now how many have read the same. A few. And they would be from the educated class, who hardly vote. It is a hot issue in the TV programmes of debates. That is all. Advani may think that his book is a memorable one. But hardly the public. Yes, those who adore him may go through the book or those who want to pierce holes in his ‘self-adulation process’ will go through the book with that motive. What else. Zero.
2. Dilemma of cine stars
A dispute has arisen between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on Tamil Nadu’s Hogenakkal water project. Cine stars of both States have come to the forefront of the agitation and with that media focus has been shifted from the subject matter to the antics of cine stars. Media knows that public are more interested in the film star fight rather than water dispute.
Most of the Cine stars are aware that their taking sides would result in audiences of the other disputing state in boycotting their films. Yet they cannot also resist politicians of the state when the services of the stars are ‘sought’ which is an euphemistic term for ‘ being commandered.’ Furtunately this is largely confined so far as a South Indian phenomenon.
Earlier related to Raj Thackeray’s antics some of the film stars beautifully got mud on their faces. In a way that happening was good for the cine stars, because in future they will be reluctant to jump into such melting pots which should be left to spineless wonders in this country ( read ‘ politicians’).
- 56 -
3. Panchayat elections
According to law related to Panchayats enacted by Rajasthan Government a person having more than two children is debarred from contesting in Panchayat elections. Earlier Supreme Court had upheld this proviso in the Panchayat election criteria. A Member of Parliament belonging to the Muslim community has moved a writ before the Supreme Court aginst this stipulation on the ground that it violated Islamic dictat that no Muslim would restrict birth of children. “ Profess and practice of religion includes following the essential and integral dictats of the Holy Book of Quaran, which is the only soul of Islam and Islamic law………….Not to kill any unborn child or resrict its birth either before or post conceiving is the essential and integral part of Islam..” I am unable to fathom the grounds on which Supreme Court had approved the condition of no more than two children for contesting Panchayat elections. Yes the country requires Family Planning. But it cannot be thrust on the throat of people. It cannot be a condition for, say, job in Government or for getting Radion Card or Driving License.
1. Pay Commission – More dissentions
Army top brass made a presentation before the Defence Minister asking for hiking further the increases proposed in the Pay Commission for members of Defence personnel. Not to be outdone, top cops have made a presentation before Sonia Gandhi for similar treatment to their folk. Other services had expressed their grievances. In all such maters, where babus make sugestions, they are clever enough to see that they get a better deal than others. Each of the Services had sought a better deal on the plank of the good and arduous services their members ‘ for the benefit of the public.’ These statements are received with derision
- 57-
by the public. An Army Colonel in a TV debate has said ‘ our soldiers are 24 hours on Duty! They have fought six wars after Independence. They have to work in difficult climates. They have made enormous sacrifices in defending the country. They are often called to quell civil disturbances.” Balony. 24 hours Duty? I have not heard a more laughable tongue in cheek statement. Yes, people join Armed Forces knowing fully well that they have to fight wars. So what. It is like a night keeper making a special claim because he cannot sleep in the night. The wars were of short duration. The casualities were not high. Participation level was also not high. In fact a large percentage of Army personnel retire without participating in any war. Army is called only in exceptional cituations to assist civil authorities.
In one of the TV Channel debate on the subject, to the query about corruption in the Civil Service, a retired Cabinet Secretary came up with a convoluted explanation. It was due to the non accountability of politicians that corruption in bureaucracy is increasing! So far as the demands of Services other than IAS is concerned, it is more directed at questioning the primacy of IAS. Otherwise, the difference in the pay hikes recommended is not significant.
But none of the worthies of these organisations have uttered a single word on how they propose to improve their ‘ service ‘ to the people, who are utterly disenchanted with the ‘service ‘ they get from these worthies.
2. Cinemas on living politicians
Three film projects on the life of Mayawati, curent UP Chief Minister, are registered with the film producers Association. BSP has objected to making films on its chief without the approval of
- 58 -
BSP. There were protests in Bihar against the picture Gangajal because the rowdy elements in the picture were from Yadav community. Joda Bai picture had to face controversy. Further, if clearance of the concerned organisation or group has to be obtained before going ahead with the film what happens. Consent will be given only if the picture projects God / Goddess type image to the chief of the party which has given the consent. Any number of good themes are available for making cinemas. Then why should the running be after a chimera.
3. Mediocrity to be punished
A US School has barred mediocre students from after hours games, crafts and ice cream because of poor grades and attitudes. They are excluded from all aspects of extracurricular life, including athletic contests, academic clubs, dances and plays, unless they demonstrate improvement in their learning.
This is a stupid way to improve the performance of youngsters. Suppose I have a low IQ. Will not my performance be poor. Suppose I am coming from a family full of strife. Suppose my drunkard father beats me every day. There could be any number of reasons for a boy to perform poorly. To punish him for that would in all likelihood result in the boy continuing to perform poorly or developing some other negative atitudes. Counselling? Yes. There could be other ways to help him. But not an open punishmnent as barring from participation in such events.
8. Supreme Court and PIL
A two member Bench of Supreme Court had some time back expressed the view that the tendency of courts including Supreme Court to entertain all types of PIL is not the right thing to do. The Bench felt that since the Constitution had earmarked the roles of
- 59 -
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, it is not proper for Judiciary to encroach on the areas earmarked for the other two wings. The court went on to say that despite clear cut judgement of the Supreme Court in some of the PIL cases, the subsequent actions of Government had not remedied the situation ( clearning up Jamuna river ). The Bench was of the view that Supreme Court and to some extent High Courts should show discretion in taking up PILs. On the other hand very recently a three member Bench of Supreme Court, with Chief Justice presiding, has expressed the view that Supreme Court ( and hence implicitely High Courts ) also should entertain PIL applications.
Apart from the contradiction involved in the stands taken by the two Benches, there are other related areas which need consideration. The area of operation of the three wings of Government is clear. Yet when it comes to the precise space of each wing, there is bound to be vagueness because it is not possible to define precisely the powers or areas of operation of the three wings of Government. Opinions would differ. From this perspective PIL could lead to clear cut enunciation of the boundaries.
People are on the whole fed up with the way bureaucracy and legislatures are functioning, often without direction. Then how could matters affecting the country to be sorted out. Go to courts. On the face of it this line of argument appears to be on the right direction.
But then there are the other aspects. As time goes by the number of PILs filed in courts has been on the increase. Unless this is somewhat resricted, increasingly the time of the High courts and Supreme Court would have to be earmarked for dealing with PILs,
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rather than other weighty issues. Then again many would question whether it is for the Supreme Court to get involved in matters such as demolition of unauthorised construction of houses or cleaning of Yamuna.
But the real danger in courts pursuing ‘welcome path ‘ for PIL is in alianation of legislature and executive from the judicial system. This path of the judiciary may result in legislature and executive starting to take confrontation mode with judiciary. And that is not good. It should be noted that the combined force of legislature and executive is quite strong and these two could try to put shackles on judiciary, and they may succeed. Give the matter to a clever and astute bureaucrat and he will come up with suggestions ( sweetly coated ) to curtail the powers of the judiciary. That is not in the interest of the country.
9. Age factor politicians
According to a newspaper report, after induction some young MPs in the Union Cabinet, the average age of the Council of Ministers of Union Government has come down only by a fraction, i.e., from 60.37 to 59.3. More or less the report laments at old people running the country. There have been other reports in the past expressing disillusion at the position obtaining in India by comparing the ages of India’s Prime Minister to that of President and Prime Minister of US and UK. Since it is the main occupation of the intellegentisa in this courty to ape at US of A and our masters over a century back, there is a collective sigh on their part at the country being ruled by old people. One would think they have mixed up politicians/Ministers with that of athlets because in the latter case age is an important factor. The second point they have missed is that in this globe many countries are having politicians / Ministers in the same age group as that of
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India. But then for the intellegentsia, USA and UK are the Mecca where everything is done corectly. I would like to ask un uncomfortable question to this motly crowd. Are not many among them over seventy. So is the case of businessmen, professionals, doctors, advocates. Then why make an exception in the case of politicians.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tiger in lamb clothing – that is what Indian MCPs ( Male Chauvenist Pigs ) are - and they are in plenty in this blessed country
Many of my male friends and male relatives are MCPs of varying degrees. These include those who are henpecked. Only in their case they make all out efforts to conceal from their better haves their attitude on the matter. But as the saying goes ‘scratch a skin and there is the jew.’ If questioned most of them would vehemently deny their chauvenistic attitude saying ‘ I am not. For instance, I love and respect my mother and wife.’ That itself gives away what is underneath. If your look is indicating scepticism, then they will add ‘ I even worship goddesses.’ On the other hand I am not only for equality of men and women on all matters, but I plainly worship / love woman-folk, irrespective of their ages, colour, status, size, looks, girth, irrationality,etc., These thoughts ocurred to me when I read the news item, as below:
“The Government of India, after review, decided not to give permanent commission to women in the Armed forces.”
Facts:
· In India presently women can serve as officers in the Army only for 14 years, the exception being those who are working as doctors and nurses who could work till the reirement age for all army personnel and they are eligible for promotion as male officers. A few of the women officers have reached the ranks of Colonel / Brigedier and one of Major General
· In 1990 Iundia started recruiting women officers to the army.
· However, women officers are not allowed to join ‘ combat arms’ like infantry and armoured corps in the army. In the
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Air Force women officers cannot fly fighter jets and in Navy they cannot serve in warships and submarines.
· According to a study conducted by the army, permanent commission could not be granted to women officers since they have neither been trained for command nor given the responsibility so far. Further they have to be excluded from induction in close combat arms, where chances of physical contact with enemy are high.
Historical / world position
· For over 4000 years women have fought alongwith men in wars, though quite often the number of women soldiers was negligible.
· 8 lakh women soldiers served USSR Army during World War II and many served on the front lines.
· Although women are recruited to serve in the military in most countries, only a few countries permit women to fill active combat roles. Countries that allow this include Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. Other nations allow female soldiers to serve in certain Combat Arms positions, such as, Israel and Great Britain, which allow women to serve in Artillery roles, while still excluding them from units with a dedicated Infantry role. The US allows women in most combat flying positions.
Pros & Cons
Several points of argument have been put forward by those in favor of women serving in combat conditions as well as those against the idea. Many of these arguments are focused on the physical differences between men and women, but also on
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differing mentalities, and the effects upon one sex by the presence of the other on the battlefield. Since very few countries employ a fully integrated military, there are few references able to prove or disprove the arguments below.
Physical Concerns
One of the most obvious concerns regarding women in combat situations is the fact that, on average, female soldiers do not possess as much physical strength as their male counterparts and this may put them at a disadvantage when fighting males. The female skeletal system is also less dense, and more prone to breakages. There is also concern that, in aviation, the female body is not as adept at handling the increased g-forces experienced by combat pilots. Furthermore, health issues regarding women currently prevent the vast majority of submarine services from accepting women, as is explained in more depth below. The Center for Military Readiness stated that “Female soldiers who are, on average, shorter and smaller than men, with 45-50% less upper body strength and 25-30% less aerobic capacity, which is essential for endurance”
Psychological Concerns
The disruption of a combat units esprit de corps is cited as another reason for women to be banned from front-line combat situations. Indeed, many soldiers have stated that they could not trust a woman to perform her duties in a place where trusting your fellow soldier would be exceedingly critical, although the example demonstrated women were quite effective in direct combat. There is a secondary concern that romantic relationships between men and women on the front lines could disrupt a unit's fighting capability and a fear that a high number of women would
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deliberately become pregnant in order to escape combat duties. Another argument against the inclusion of women in combat units is that placing women in combat where they are at risk of being captured and tortured (and possibly sexually assaulted) is unacceptable. In report prepared in USA it was found that male POWs, while being subject to physical abuse, were never subject to sexual abuse, and women were almost always subject to sexual abuse.. In general, it can be stated that volunteer soldiers are expected to have accepted the risk of such treatment when enlisting regardless of gender.
Many also argue that by not incorporating women into combat, we are not tapping into another source of soldiers for military combat operations. These sources claim that we are creating a military that treats our women as second-class citizens and not equals of men. Other sources expound on the extra recourses fact, and state that without women, the military would have numerous manpower shortfalls they would not be able to fill.
Sex Discrimination and Tradition
Many view the exclusion of women from military combat jobs as the last bastion of sex discrimination. Some believe that women are forbidden to serve in these roles only as a result of the traditionalist view of soldiering as a profession for men and that the equal opportunity laws should apply to the military. Many point out that there are many historical examples of women achieving much on the battlefield in combat roles.
Tactical Concerns
In On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman briefly mentions that female
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soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces have been officially prohibited from serving in close combat military operations since 1948 (in 2001, subsequent to publication, women began serving in IDF combat units on an experimental basis). The reason for removing female soldiers from the front lines is no reflection of the performance of female soldiers, but that of the enraged male infantryman after witnessing a woman wounded. The IDF saw a complete loss of control over soldiers who apparently experienced an uncontrollable, protective, instinctual aggression which could have resulted in a massacre.
Many of my male friends and male relatives are MCPs of varying degrees. These include those who are henpecked. Only in their case they make all out efforts to conceal from their better haves their attitude on the matter. But as the saying goes ‘scratch a skin and there is the jew.’ If questioned most of them would vehemently deny their chauvenistic attitude saying ‘ I am not. For instance, I love and respect my mother and wife.’ That itself gives away what is underneath. If your look is indicating scepticism, then they will add ‘ I even worship goddesses.’ On the other hand I am not only for equality of men and women on all matters, but I plainly worship / love woman-folk, irrespective of their ages, colour, status, size, looks, girth, irrationality,etc., These thoughts ocurred to me when I read the news item, as below:
“The Government of India, after review, decided not to give permanent commission to women in the Armed forces.”
Facts:
· In India presently women can serve as officers in the Army only for 14 years, the exception being those who are working as doctors and nurses who could work till the reirement age for all army personnel and they are eligible for promotion as male officers. A few of the women officers have reached the ranks of Colonel / Brigedier and one of Major General
· In 1990 Iundia started recruiting women officers to the army.
· However, women officers are not allowed to join ‘ combat arms’ like infantry and armoured corps in the army. In the
- 51 -
Air Force women officers cannot fly fighter jets and in Navy they cannot serve in warships and submarines.
· According to a study conducted by the army, permanent commission could not be granted to women officers since they have neither been trained for command nor given the responsibility so far. Further they have to be excluded from induction in close combat arms, where chances of physical contact with enemy are high.
Historical / world position
· For over 4000 years women have fought alongwith men in wars, though quite often the number of women soldiers was negligible.
· 8 lakh women soldiers served USSR Army during World War II and many served on the front lines.
· Although women are recruited to serve in the military in most countries, only a few countries permit women to fill active combat roles. Countries that allow this include Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. Other nations allow female soldiers to serve in certain Combat Arms positions, such as, Israel and Great Britain, which allow women to serve in Artillery roles, while still excluding them from units with a dedicated Infantry role. The US allows women in most combat flying positions.
Pros & Cons
Several points of argument have been put forward by those in favor of women serving in combat conditions as well as those against the idea. Many of these arguments are focused on the physical differences between men and women, but also on
- 52 -
differing mentalities, and the effects upon one sex by the presence of the other on the battlefield. Since very few countries employ a fully integrated military, there are few references able to prove or disprove the arguments below.
Physical Concerns
One of the most obvious concerns regarding women in combat situations is the fact that, on average, female soldiers do not possess as much physical strength as their male counterparts and this may put them at a disadvantage when fighting males. The female skeletal system is also less dense, and more prone to breakages. There is also concern that, in aviation, the female body is not as adept at handling the increased g-forces experienced by combat pilots. Furthermore, health issues regarding women currently prevent the vast majority of submarine services from accepting women, as is explained in more depth below. The Center for Military Readiness stated that “Female soldiers who are, on average, shorter and smaller than men, with 45-50% less upper body strength and 25-30% less aerobic capacity, which is essential for endurance”
Psychological Concerns
The disruption of a combat units esprit de corps is cited as another reason for women to be banned from front-line combat situations. Indeed, many soldiers have stated that they could not trust a woman to perform her duties in a place where trusting your fellow soldier would be exceedingly critical, although the example demonstrated women were quite effective in direct combat. There is a secondary concern that romantic relationships between men and women on the front lines could disrupt a unit's fighting capability and a fear that a high number of women would
- 53 -
deliberately become pregnant in order to escape combat duties. Another argument against the inclusion of women in combat units is that placing women in combat where they are at risk of being captured and tortured (and possibly sexually assaulted) is unacceptable. In report prepared in USA it was found that male POWs, while being subject to physical abuse, were never subject to sexual abuse, and women were almost always subject to sexual abuse.. In general, it can be stated that volunteer soldiers are expected to have accepted the risk of such treatment when enlisting regardless of gender.
Many also argue that by not incorporating women into combat, we are not tapping into another source of soldiers for military combat operations. These sources claim that we are creating a military that treats our women as second-class citizens and not equals of men. Other sources expound on the extra recourses fact, and state that without women, the military would have numerous manpower shortfalls they would not be able to fill.
Sex Discrimination and Tradition
Many view the exclusion of women from military combat jobs as the last bastion of sex discrimination. Some believe that women are forbidden to serve in these roles only as a result of the traditionalist view of soldiering as a profession for men and that the equal opportunity laws should apply to the military. Many point out that there are many historical examples of women achieving much on the battlefield in combat roles.
Tactical Concerns
In On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman briefly mentions that female
- 54 -
soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces have been officially prohibited from serving in close combat military operations since 1948 (in 2001, subsequent to publication, women began serving in IDF combat units on an experimental basis). The reason for removing female soldiers from the front lines is no reflection of the performance of female soldiers, but that of the enraged male infantryman after witnessing a woman wounded. The IDF saw a complete loss of control over soldiers who apparently experienced an uncontrollable, protective, instinctual aggression which could have resulted in a massacre.
Monday, May 12, 2008
THE LUMBERING JUDICIAL SYSTEM - Throw the ball to the other court
1.In all the analysis that I have read on the reform required in the Indian judicial system, some of the vital points have not been covered, presumably because the analysis were from legal profession and hence they looked only at the legal process, i.e., the process that was in force even much before Independence of the country, overlooking the ground level changes that had happed during the last over fifty years and faster changes in the years ahead.
2..In the times to come, the number of disputes seeking legal redress would go on increasing. Consider the following:
· New instruments, such as, SEZ, IT, patents, delicensing of various economic sectors, such as, internet, mobile, Insurance, Banking, acquisitions of business entities, would result in the number of disputes going up. Government is increasingly becoming a bystander in such disputes. Government used to be the arbitrator in the licensing era. Not any more. Many of such disputes are between business entities and hence the cost of pursing the matter legally would be less of an issue, as against largely Government being the arbiter on such issues during licensing era.
· Each year Parliament and Assemblies bring in a number of new legislations and many of the provisos of existing legislations are amended. Both these would also result in more and more cases being filed before the judiciary.
· In earlier times, in the hierarchical social system we had, a lower caste person would be hesitant to launch a case against
an upper caste man. Police and other Government institutions more often tend to side with the upper caste man. Classic example of this syndrome was land disputes between lower and upper castes. With the progressive empowerment of people of lower strata, the syndrome of fear and respect of lower classes for upper classes is on the wane and timidity is slowly being replaced by confidence, indirectly being prodded by visual media through actual incidents of David-vs-Goliath. The same syndrome is applicable in the case of poor-vs-rich.
· The number of NGOs are going up and so also the number of cases launched by NGOs. It is on cards that both these would go on increasing with passage of time.
· One would not err in envisaging that disputes related to marriages / families, on issues, such as, dowry, property, custody of children, divorce, etc., would increase. Reluctance to make such issues public is on the wane.
3. In brief, unless urgent measures are taken to reduce drastically the arrears of cases in courts, the legal process is made less complicated than the position at present, the number of judges / courts are increased and reform process of judiciary is taken up on an urgent basis, the situation would worsen.
4.A point to be noted in this connection is that legal profession, though has the grey matter to suggest reform measures, because of vested interested involved, they are the ones who will come as a stumbling block to reforms. It is not similar to the case of babudom, wherein despite decontrol of various activities leading to less work for them, their salaries, perks promotions and pensions
would not be affected. On the other hand judicial reform would lead to less number of hearings, shorter period frame for disposal of cases than hitherto for, etc., which would definitely impinge on the income of the legal profession.
5. There are 26.3 million cases pending before the subordinate courts, 3 million cases pending before High courts and a large number of cases pending before the Supreme Court. Many of these cases are a few years old, some even more than ten years old. The fact that we have one of the most antiquated and painfully slow judicial systems in the world is not news. ‘Fast track’ courts set up to speed up the cases also have been caught up in the inertia that pervades the judicial system.
6.Hence, metaphorically, when the house is burning, three of the highest luminaries, i.e., President of India, Chief Justice of India and Lok Sabha Speaker had thought of throwing the ball into the other’s court for finding redress to this depressing scenario.
The President stated:
“Congestion in courts has become a daunting challenge. Case disposals are excruciatingly time consuming. This agonizing delay has rendered the common man’s knock on the doors of justice a frustrating experience. This has ominous portents. We cannot allow where the common man is tempted to take law into his own hand and subscribe to the deviant culture of lynch mob. The Bar and Bench must address themselves also to the problem of prohibitive cost of legal consultation.”
The Chief Justice stated:
“ These litigations are on account of lack of proper governmental administration. If the decision making authorities take firm, independent and impartial decisions, the citizens would not normally be driven to litigation. Government is litigant in more than 50% of the cases. The lethargic and outmoded investigation carried out by the police….coupled with the weak prosecution are hugely responsible for slowing down and protracting criminal trial.”
The Lok Sabha Speaker stated:
“ The more the judges, the more the arrears. I prefer quality to quantity and a greater display of determination rather than showmanship. The arrears could instead be reduced if judges exercised ‘ greater scrutiny’ at the admission stage. It is lamentable that there is growing trend of judges admitting petitions ‘ in galore ‘ and the ‘competitive liberalism ‘ among them to entertain petitions just to pass interim orders.”
7. As these were not enough, a group of retired judges, jurists and intellectuals had stated:
“The judiciary is working in the interest of wealthy corporate interests which control the entire ruling establishment. The increasingly elitist and anti poor attitude of the majority of judges, particularly of the Supreme Court, as reflected in their judgments was dangerous. A poor person accused of an offence has no hope in the present judicial system.”
8. Taking the last remarks first, this busybody is just off the mark. Nobody in his right sense would accuse judiciary of
working in the interest of wealthy corporate interests. Business entities can afford to engage top lawyers which improves their chances of success in the courts. However, when the dispute is between two business entities, both of which have the wherewithal to engage the best advocates, then the same cancels each other’s edge. Further, their cases are generally against Government, wherein the Government advocates are no match to the astute private legal luminaries and hence often the judgment is in favour the business entity. Poor drafting of laws by Government is another reason for quite often courts giving verdicts in favour of business entities.
9.The poor is in a disadvantageous position because he cannot afford to pay the fees of even middle level layers. Further, even a middle class person is also in the same position when he fights a corporate which had engaged a senior advocate. Coupled with this is corruption in the lower levels of judiciary, which, it is said, is rampant. But then the same is the plight of poor in all matters concerned where some Government body is involved. Hence it is a larger issue and not be tagged with the present matter.
10.The speech of the President is drafted by the Government and what was said was Government views. But then how could Government squarely place the blame on judiciary. Government has not initiated proposals to increase the number of judges in the courts or looking into the reasons for the slow process of fast tract courts or simplifying the court procedure. Government could ask Law Commission to come up with proposals to remove the ills besetting the judiciary. Based on the recommendations Government and Supreme Court could decide the course of action.
.A law is drafted by the Government. When the same is struck down by a High Court, more often than not the Government would appeal to the Supreme Court. If that is not done, then the motive of Government could be questioned.
12.Both the Chief Justice and the Speaker are somewhat off the mark.. Citizens go to the court not always for getting justice but also because of the hope of getting a favourable verdict, though may not be justified. Definitely more judges have to be inducted to reduce the mountain of arrears.
14.Why the enormous delay in courts. It is the frequent adjournments. This suits the legal profession since they charge fee based on appearance before courts. Secondly, the enormous paper work. Each case would have over 1000 pages of documents ( no exaggeration ). Inevitably the judges would have to spend a lot of time in reading the same, though much of the same would be trivia and repetition.
15.Second is the appeal provisions. Government / Supreme Court must decide that most of the cases should be settled finally at the level of High Courts. But here there is a problem. Most of the existing laws are drafted with a proviso of appeal provision to Supreme Court. But this could be overcome by an omnibus amendment to all such laws limiting High Court as the final destination.
16.Next is PIL. Why should Supreme Court get involved at all, except in rarest of rare cases. But in the last few years Supreme Court has shown its penchant to admit such cases. These could be disposed off at the level of High courts
17.Yes, the number of judges and even the number of courts have to be increased.
18.In brief, solutions can be found to the problem afflicting the judicial system in India, provided there is out of box thinking on the part of Government and judiciary. Objections to any simplification would be primarily raised by advocates / Bar Councils, since simplification is not in their interest. Some of the retired judges may also express reservations to the proposals, because their belief of superiority of legal system inherited from UK.
18.An action plan:
· Co-opt retired judges for a specified period for disposing of cases pending for more than an year.
· Revitalise fast track courts
· Only in rarest of rare cases PIL should be heard by Supreme Court. The same should be disposed off at the level of High Court. Supreme Court should involve only if more than one High Court gives conflicting judgments of PIL on same matter.
· Amend the provision in various laws to the effect that appeal provision shall rest with High Court instead of Supreme Court.
· Simplify court procedures. The length of any petition /appeal should not be more than, say, 20 pages.
· Reduce drastically adjournments.
A collegiums should be formed consisting of retired Justices of Supreme Court to scrutinize proposed amendments to existing provisions so that the body could give its view to Government. The views will be only recommendatory.
· Government / Law commission should invite comments from public on the proposed amendments and also suggestions to further improve the system.
******
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QUOTA FOR WOMEN MEMBERS IN PARLIAMENT - Charade and self-deception to the core
Facts
· %age of women in Parliament: World average: 16%
· Highest in Scandinavian countries: 25% to 40%
(Not the result of any Act but through the route of different parties earmarking more seats for women.)
· India: 6.5% ( 39 out of 549 members )
· Proposal of Election Commission: 33% seats be reserved for women ( Is this within the scope of Election Commission?)
· Government of India proposes to reserve 30% of seats in Parliament through an Act. Congress, BJP and Communists are in Agreement. But many other parties have not been enthusiastic about this reservation of seats for women. Partly this is an election gimmick but with the two main parties agreeing to the proposal, neither of these parties will be able to garner more votes ( from women especially ) on this plank.
· There is no such reservation of seats for women in State Assemblies
· In Panchayats 30% of seats are reserved for women
· In 2004 Parliament election only 10% were women candidates
· 22% of Lok Sabha seats are already reserved for scheduled castes and tribes. Hence if seats are reserved for women as proposed, nearly 50% of seats in Parliament would be reserved, since some of those elected may be both women and members of Scheduled castes and tribes. .
Quotas: Pros and Cons according to pundits
Quotas are invariably a controversial measure. Various arguments have been set forth for and against the introduction of quotas as a means to increase the political presence of women. Some of the pros and cons are:
Pros
Quotas for women do not discriminate, but compensate for actual barriers that prevent women from their fair share of the political seats.
Quotas imply that there are several women together in a committee or assembly, thus minimizing the stress often experienced by the token women.
Women have the right as citizens to equal representation.
Women's experiences are needed in political life.
Election is about representation, not educational qualifications.
Women are just as qualified as men, but women's qualifications are downgraded and minimized in a male-dominated political system.
It is in fact the political parties that control the nominations, not primarily the voters who decide who gets elected, therefore quotas are not violations of voters' rights.
Introducing quotas may cause conflicts, but may be only temporarily.
Cons
Quotas are against the principle of equal opportunity for all, since women are given preference over men.
Quotas are undemocratic, because voters should be able to decide who is elected.
Quotas imply that politicians are elected because of their gender, not because of their qualifications and that more qualified candidates are pushed aside.
Many women do not want to get elected just because they are women.
Introducing quotas creates significant conflicts within the party organization.
This is such an emotive subject, especially for women, that pointing out flaws in the proposal is likely to be taken amiss. Yet one cannot ignore the following:
· Achieving an objective of the State through reservation should be the last resort. All other options should be tried first. Why not go by what has been done in most countries, i.e., parties voluntarily earmarking more seats for women. It could be argued that when some of the parties are not inclined to allocate a specified number of seats for women, without the legal reservation, they may not allot many seats for women. Be that as it may. The three largest parties, i.e., Congress, BJP and Communists, who are in agreement with the proposal may go ahead and implement the same voluntarily. If this is done, in the times to come women members/voters of other parties would also urge those parties to give more seats to women.
· Reservation for women in Panchayat is there already. It is proposed to do the same in Parliament. But then why leave out State Assemblies. Logically from Panchayat the scheme should be extended to State Assemblies and then to Parliament.
· Parties would find it extremely difficult to identify enough number of women candidates to fulfill the quota.
· Should not first the political parties introspect why the number of women is a miniscule percentage in various services and professions even now, when they are not discriminated at the entry level. I am talking of various services, such as, IAS/IFS/IPS/IES/IRS, etc., and in professions,suchas,banking/legal/Accountancy/Advertisemet/Journalism/Professors/Lecturers, etc., The position in Medical services is slightly better. Women can sit in for the examinations of various services and study for various professions. Yet the fact is that the number is small. Even at the lower level of services, be it in Government or private sector, it is only in recent times that the number of women has started increasing.
· When it comes to membership of political parties, the number of women is small. Will the parties be able to get the required number of women for contesting the elections.
· Without making any value judgment for this impasse or state of affairs, the fact is that this country, and so also many other countries, had patriarchal society for millennia. The dictum is that women’s place is in the home. Emancipation of women and women movements in some of the developed countries had made a dent to this concept during the last few decades. Otherwise, the position in those countries were also the same as in India. We have only made tentative progress in this respect in the recent years. We have to go far. Hence is not the proposal similar putting the bull behind the cart.
· The rough and tumble of Indian politics ( same is the case in many other countries ) is not an inviting place for women, especially those in villages. Initiation in politics start with organizing people to attend the meetings of the netas, organizing processions, agitations, rowdyism against the activities of rival parties, coercing people to donate, participating in processions and agitating against other parties, etc., By far Indian women are less suited for these roles.
· How many educated women would jump into politics in India, given the present state of ground level reality of activities of political parties.
· Hence, if reservation is implemented, willy nilly many a woman would be cajoled to adorn the politician’s cap. Would not the same affect the quality of political activity including participation in Parliament, which has become already at the nadir.
· Those advocate for reservation of seats in Parliament for women, would quote similar reservation for scheduled castes to improve their lot. But the position or situation is not comparable. With the strong hold of caste in the thinking of Indian people, there was (and still is) unspoken yet tacit understanding among the upper echelons or higher caste people, irrespective their occupations, to discriminate against members of scheduled castes. In the case of women, while many Indians would like to continue women’s role to that of being in the home and kitchen, yet on the whole the position of women in the society or the perception of men-folk of women is not as inferior to that of males. For example, a woman holding the position of a Collector or Doctor. She is not viewed inferior to that of male. But that is not the position when it comes to scheduled castes.
· Societal changes take place because of the shift in thinking and approaches of a large mass of people to such matters or by diktat of the State, the latter option not working when society is not prepared for such change. Take the case of Family Planning. The thrust given by Government on the matter during the last few decades had only a supporting role to the attitudinal changes of people. Middle and upper classes are now wedded to the concept of not more than two children. Slowly this concept is being embraced by the poor also. In respect of the current issue also, State should give a supporting hand only when the society is prepared for such a change instead of the State taking the lead.
· To quote another example, in which the State had not played fortuitously any role, is the increasing number of women entering the white collar work force. Increasingly girls and their parents are not opting to early marriage, as was the position earlier, and instead they are joining the work force. Also after marriage and in many cases even after child/children are born, woman continue to work, and that too often not because the income from the husband/father is insufficient to make both ends meet. These are societal changes.
· The number of women in politics even from the States/ cities with higher level of education of women has not increased during the last few decades, though in such States/cities a woman standing for election does hardly face any gender inequality in the matter of voting. What this means is that the society is yet to reach that stage of increasing empowerment of women in the political arena.
· The Parliament, by all reckoning, is not doing a decent job with what it has in its hands. Let the Parliament turn its attention to this area instead of making moves which society has not yet reached the stage of accepting wholeheartedly.
Post-script
That politicians in India have alienated themselves from the people is amply evident from the fact that the above mentioned landmark political move has hardly evoked interest among the people of India. Even media has only cursorily dealt with the subject. Yes, there are women busy-bodies to whom this may be a do or die issue. Same was the scenario when a woman was elected as the President of India for the first time. Politicians went wild. Women movements hailed. But most of the people just took note of the fact and went on with their jobs. Yes, such a reservation will add strength to our interlocutors with foreign countries to hold their head high and enable them to do some thumping of the chest. The point is people don’t care whether their legislators are white, black, yellow, purple, green, short, baldy, man, woman, transvestite, etc., People want them to do a reasonably good job to which they are assigned to. With both Congress and BJP backing the move, discernible voters know that the same would cancel any advantage which either party can gain from taking the stand.
The speaker of Lok Sabha has been continuously bemoaning at the hours lost in the Parliament due to disruptions of discussions by MPs and the free for all approach increasingly being resorted to by those worthies. Hopefully more women members means less noisy scenes. But on the other side, in the past excepting a few, most of women MPs have been silent spectators in the Houses of Parliament. Higher numbers would not change the scene because many of the elected under the new dispensation ( if it is passed ) would be novices to the scene and hence may adopt the dictum of ‘ silence is golden.’
1.In all the analysis that I have read on the reform required in the Indian judicial system, some of the vital points have not been covered, presumably because the analysis were from legal profession and hence they looked only at the legal process, i.e., the process that was in force even much before Independence of the country, overlooking the ground level changes that had happed during the last over fifty years and faster changes in the years ahead.
2..In the times to come, the number of disputes seeking legal redress would go on increasing. Consider the following:
· New instruments, such as, SEZ, IT, patents, delicensing of various economic sectors, such as, internet, mobile, Insurance, Banking, acquisitions of business entities, would result in the number of disputes going up. Government is increasingly becoming a bystander in such disputes. Government used to be the arbitrator in the licensing era. Not any more. Many of such disputes are between business entities and hence the cost of pursing the matter legally would be less of an issue, as against largely Government being the arbiter on such issues during licensing era.
· Each year Parliament and Assemblies bring in a number of new legislations and many of the provisos of existing legislations are amended. Both these would also result in more and more cases being filed before the judiciary.
· In earlier times, in the hierarchical social system we had, a lower caste person would be hesitant to launch a case against
an upper caste man. Police and other Government institutions more often tend to side with the upper caste man. Classic example of this syndrome was land disputes between lower and upper castes. With the progressive empowerment of people of lower strata, the syndrome of fear and respect of lower classes for upper classes is on the wane and timidity is slowly being replaced by confidence, indirectly being prodded by visual media through actual incidents of David-vs-Goliath. The same syndrome is applicable in the case of poor-vs-rich.
· The number of NGOs are going up and so also the number of cases launched by NGOs. It is on cards that both these would go on increasing with passage of time.
· One would not err in envisaging that disputes related to marriages / families, on issues, such as, dowry, property, custody of children, divorce, etc., would increase. Reluctance to make such issues public is on the wane.
3. In brief, unless urgent measures are taken to reduce drastically the arrears of cases in courts, the legal process is made less complicated than the position at present, the number of judges / courts are increased and reform process of judiciary is taken up on an urgent basis, the situation would worsen.
4.A point to be noted in this connection is that legal profession, though has the grey matter to suggest reform measures, because of vested interested involved, they are the ones who will come as a stumbling block to reforms. It is not similar to the case of babudom, wherein despite decontrol of various activities leading to less work for them, their salaries, perks promotions and pensions
would not be affected. On the other hand judicial reform would lead to less number of hearings, shorter period frame for disposal of cases than hitherto for, etc., which would definitely impinge on the income of the legal profession.
5. There are 26.3 million cases pending before the subordinate courts, 3 million cases pending before High courts and a large number of cases pending before the Supreme Court. Many of these cases are a few years old, some even more than ten years old. The fact that we have one of the most antiquated and painfully slow judicial systems in the world is not news. ‘Fast track’ courts set up to speed up the cases also have been caught up in the inertia that pervades the judicial system.
6.Hence, metaphorically, when the house is burning, three of the highest luminaries, i.e., President of India, Chief Justice of India and Lok Sabha Speaker had thought of throwing the ball into the other’s court for finding redress to this depressing scenario.
The President stated:
“Congestion in courts has become a daunting challenge. Case disposals are excruciatingly time consuming. This agonizing delay has rendered the common man’s knock on the doors of justice a frustrating experience. This has ominous portents. We cannot allow where the common man is tempted to take law into his own hand and subscribe to the deviant culture of lynch mob. The Bar and Bench must address themselves also to the problem of prohibitive cost of legal consultation.”
The Chief Justice stated:
“ These litigations are on account of lack of proper governmental administration. If the decision making authorities take firm, independent and impartial decisions, the citizens would not normally be driven to litigation. Government is litigant in more than 50% of the cases. The lethargic and outmoded investigation carried out by the police….coupled with the weak prosecution are hugely responsible for slowing down and protracting criminal trial.”
The Lok Sabha Speaker stated:
“ The more the judges, the more the arrears. I prefer quality to quantity and a greater display of determination rather than showmanship. The arrears could instead be reduced if judges exercised ‘ greater scrutiny’ at the admission stage. It is lamentable that there is growing trend of judges admitting petitions ‘ in galore ‘ and the ‘competitive liberalism ‘ among them to entertain petitions just to pass interim orders.”
7. As these were not enough, a group of retired judges, jurists and intellectuals had stated:
“The judiciary is working in the interest of wealthy corporate interests which control the entire ruling establishment. The increasingly elitist and anti poor attitude of the majority of judges, particularly of the Supreme Court, as reflected in their judgments was dangerous. A poor person accused of an offence has no hope in the present judicial system.”
8. Taking the last remarks first, this busybody is just off the mark. Nobody in his right sense would accuse judiciary of
working in the interest of wealthy corporate interests. Business entities can afford to engage top lawyers which improves their chances of success in the courts. However, when the dispute is between two business entities, both of which have the wherewithal to engage the best advocates, then the same cancels each other’s edge. Further, their cases are generally against Government, wherein the Government advocates are no match to the astute private legal luminaries and hence often the judgment is in favour the business entity. Poor drafting of laws by Government is another reason for quite often courts giving verdicts in favour of business entities.
9.The poor is in a disadvantageous position because he cannot afford to pay the fees of even middle level layers. Further, even a middle class person is also in the same position when he fights a corporate which had engaged a senior advocate. Coupled with this is corruption in the lower levels of judiciary, which, it is said, is rampant. But then the same is the plight of poor in all matters concerned where some Government body is involved. Hence it is a larger issue and not be tagged with the present matter.
10.The speech of the President is drafted by the Government and what was said was Government views. But then how could Government squarely place the blame on judiciary. Government has not initiated proposals to increase the number of judges in the courts or looking into the reasons for the slow process of fast tract courts or simplifying the court procedure. Government could ask Law Commission to come up with proposals to remove the ills besetting the judiciary. Based on the recommendations Government and Supreme Court could decide the course of action.
.A law is drafted by the Government. When the same is struck down by a High Court, more often than not the Government would appeal to the Supreme Court. If that is not done, then the motive of Government could be questioned.
12.Both the Chief Justice and the Speaker are somewhat off the mark.. Citizens go to the court not always for getting justice but also because of the hope of getting a favourable verdict, though may not be justified. Definitely more judges have to be inducted to reduce the mountain of arrears.
14.Why the enormous delay in courts. It is the frequent adjournments. This suits the legal profession since they charge fee based on appearance before courts. Secondly, the enormous paper work. Each case would have over 1000 pages of documents ( no exaggeration ). Inevitably the judges would have to spend a lot of time in reading the same, though much of the same would be trivia and repetition.
15.Second is the appeal provisions. Government / Supreme Court must decide that most of the cases should be settled finally at the level of High Courts. But here there is a problem. Most of the existing laws are drafted with a proviso of appeal provision to Supreme Court. But this could be overcome by an omnibus amendment to all such laws limiting High Court as the final destination.
16.Next is PIL. Why should Supreme Court get involved at all, except in rarest of rare cases. But in the last few years Supreme Court has shown its penchant to admit such cases. These could be disposed off at the level of High courts
17.Yes, the number of judges and even the number of courts have to be increased.
18.In brief, solutions can be found to the problem afflicting the judicial system in India, provided there is out of box thinking on the part of Government and judiciary. Objections to any simplification would be primarily raised by advocates / Bar Councils, since simplification is not in their interest. Some of the retired judges may also express reservations to the proposals, because their belief of superiority of legal system inherited from UK.
18.An action plan:
· Co-opt retired judges for a specified period for disposing of cases pending for more than an year.
· Revitalise fast track courts
· Only in rarest of rare cases PIL should be heard by Supreme Court. The same should be disposed off at the level of High Court. Supreme Court should involve only if more than one High Court gives conflicting judgments of PIL on same matter.
· Amend the provision in various laws to the effect that appeal provision shall rest with High Court instead of Supreme Court.
· Simplify court procedures. The length of any petition /appeal should not be more than, say, 20 pages.
· Reduce drastically adjournments.
A collegiums should be formed consisting of retired Justices of Supreme Court to scrutinize proposed amendments to existing provisions so that the body could give its view to Government. The views will be only recommendatory.
· Government / Law commission should invite comments from public on the proposed amendments and also suggestions to further improve the system.
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QUOTA FOR WOMEN MEMBERS IN PARLIAMENT - Charade and self-deception to the core
Facts
· %age of women in Parliament: World average: 16%
· Highest in Scandinavian countries: 25% to 40%
(Not the result of any Act but through the route of different parties earmarking more seats for women.)
· India: 6.5% ( 39 out of 549 members )
· Proposal of Election Commission: 33% seats be reserved for women ( Is this within the scope of Election Commission?)
· Government of India proposes to reserve 30% of seats in Parliament through an Act. Congress, BJP and Communists are in Agreement. But many other parties have not been enthusiastic about this reservation of seats for women. Partly this is an election gimmick but with the two main parties agreeing to the proposal, neither of these parties will be able to garner more votes ( from women especially ) on this plank.
· There is no such reservation of seats for women in State Assemblies
· In Panchayats 30% of seats are reserved for women
· In 2004 Parliament election only 10% were women candidates
· 22% of Lok Sabha seats are already reserved for scheduled castes and tribes. Hence if seats are reserved for women as proposed, nearly 50% of seats in Parliament would be reserved, since some of those elected may be both women and members of Scheduled castes and tribes. .
Quotas: Pros and Cons according to pundits
Quotas are invariably a controversial measure. Various arguments have been set forth for and against the introduction of quotas as a means to increase the political presence of women. Some of the pros and cons are:
Pros
Quotas for women do not discriminate, but compensate for actual barriers that prevent women from their fair share of the political seats.
Quotas imply that there are several women together in a committee or assembly, thus minimizing the stress often experienced by the token women.
Women have the right as citizens to equal representation.
Women's experiences are needed in political life.
Election is about representation, not educational qualifications.
Women are just as qualified as men, but women's qualifications are downgraded and minimized in a male-dominated political system.
It is in fact the political parties that control the nominations, not primarily the voters who decide who gets elected, therefore quotas are not violations of voters' rights.
Introducing quotas may cause conflicts, but may be only temporarily.
Cons
Quotas are against the principle of equal opportunity for all, since women are given preference over men.
Quotas are undemocratic, because voters should be able to decide who is elected.
Quotas imply that politicians are elected because of their gender, not because of their qualifications and that more qualified candidates are pushed aside.
Many women do not want to get elected just because they are women.
Introducing quotas creates significant conflicts within the party organization.
This is such an emotive subject, especially for women, that pointing out flaws in the proposal is likely to be taken amiss. Yet one cannot ignore the following:
· Achieving an objective of the State through reservation should be the last resort. All other options should be tried first. Why not go by what has been done in most countries, i.e., parties voluntarily earmarking more seats for women. It could be argued that when some of the parties are not inclined to allocate a specified number of seats for women, without the legal reservation, they may not allot many seats for women. Be that as it may. The three largest parties, i.e., Congress, BJP and Communists, who are in agreement with the proposal may go ahead and implement the same voluntarily. If this is done, in the times to come women members/voters of other parties would also urge those parties to give more seats to women.
· Reservation for women in Panchayat is there already. It is proposed to do the same in Parliament. But then why leave out State Assemblies. Logically from Panchayat the scheme should be extended to State Assemblies and then to Parliament.
· Parties would find it extremely difficult to identify enough number of women candidates to fulfill the quota.
· Should not first the political parties introspect why the number of women is a miniscule percentage in various services and professions even now, when they are not discriminated at the entry level. I am talking of various services, such as, IAS/IFS/IPS/IES/IRS, etc., and in professions,suchas,banking/legal/Accountancy/Advertisemet/Journalism/Professors/Lecturers, etc., The position in Medical services is slightly better. Women can sit in for the examinations of various services and study for various professions. Yet the fact is that the number is small. Even at the lower level of services, be it in Government or private sector, it is only in recent times that the number of women has started increasing.
· When it comes to membership of political parties, the number of women is small. Will the parties be able to get the required number of women for contesting the elections.
· Without making any value judgment for this impasse or state of affairs, the fact is that this country, and so also many other countries, had patriarchal society for millennia. The dictum is that women’s place is in the home. Emancipation of women and women movements in some of the developed countries had made a dent to this concept during the last few decades. Otherwise, the position in those countries were also the same as in India. We have only made tentative progress in this respect in the recent years. We have to go far. Hence is not the proposal similar putting the bull behind the cart.
· The rough and tumble of Indian politics ( same is the case in many other countries ) is not an inviting place for women, especially those in villages. Initiation in politics start with organizing people to attend the meetings of the netas, organizing processions, agitations, rowdyism against the activities of rival parties, coercing people to donate, participating in processions and agitating against other parties, etc., By far Indian women are less suited for these roles.
· How many educated women would jump into politics in India, given the present state of ground level reality of activities of political parties.
· Hence, if reservation is implemented, willy nilly many a woman would be cajoled to adorn the politician’s cap. Would not the same affect the quality of political activity including participation in Parliament, which has become already at the nadir.
· Those advocate for reservation of seats in Parliament for women, would quote similar reservation for scheduled castes to improve their lot. But the position or situation is not comparable. With the strong hold of caste in the thinking of Indian people, there was (and still is) unspoken yet tacit understanding among the upper echelons or higher caste people, irrespective their occupations, to discriminate against members of scheduled castes. In the case of women, while many Indians would like to continue women’s role to that of being in the home and kitchen, yet on the whole the position of women in the society or the perception of men-folk of women is not as inferior to that of males. For example, a woman holding the position of a Collector or Doctor. She is not viewed inferior to that of male. But that is not the position when it comes to scheduled castes.
· Societal changes take place because of the shift in thinking and approaches of a large mass of people to such matters or by diktat of the State, the latter option not working when society is not prepared for such change. Take the case of Family Planning. The thrust given by Government on the matter during the last few decades had only a supporting role to the attitudinal changes of people. Middle and upper classes are now wedded to the concept of not more than two children. Slowly this concept is being embraced by the poor also. In respect of the current issue also, State should give a supporting hand only when the society is prepared for such a change instead of the State taking the lead.
· To quote another example, in which the State had not played fortuitously any role, is the increasing number of women entering the white collar work force. Increasingly girls and their parents are not opting to early marriage, as was the position earlier, and instead they are joining the work force. Also after marriage and in many cases even after child/children are born, woman continue to work, and that too often not because the income from the husband/father is insufficient to make both ends meet. These are societal changes.
· The number of women in politics even from the States/ cities with higher level of education of women has not increased during the last few decades, though in such States/cities a woman standing for election does hardly face any gender inequality in the matter of voting. What this means is that the society is yet to reach that stage of increasing empowerment of women in the political arena.
· The Parliament, by all reckoning, is not doing a decent job with what it has in its hands. Let the Parliament turn its attention to this area instead of making moves which society has not yet reached the stage of accepting wholeheartedly.
Post-script
That politicians in India have alienated themselves from the people is amply evident from the fact that the above mentioned landmark political move has hardly evoked interest among the people of India. Even media has only cursorily dealt with the subject. Yes, there are women busy-bodies to whom this may be a do or die issue. Same was the scenario when a woman was elected as the President of India for the first time. Politicians went wild. Women movements hailed. But most of the people just took note of the fact and went on with their jobs. Yes, such a reservation will add strength to our interlocutors with foreign countries to hold their head high and enable them to do some thumping of the chest. The point is people don’t care whether their legislators are white, black, yellow, purple, green, short, baldy, man, woman, transvestite, etc., People want them to do a reasonably good job to which they are assigned to. With both Congress and BJP backing the move, discernible voters know that the same would cancel any advantage which either party can gain from taking the stand.
The speaker of Lok Sabha has been continuously bemoaning at the hours lost in the Parliament due to disruptions of discussions by MPs and the free for all approach increasingly being resorted to by those worthies. Hopefully more women members means less noisy scenes. But on the other side, in the past excepting a few, most of women MPs have been silent spectators in the Houses of Parliament. Higher numbers would not change the scene because many of the elected under the new dispensation ( if it is passed ) would be novices to the scene and hence may adopt the dictum of ‘ silence is golden.’
Sunday, May 11, 2008
B. ANGLES THAT WERE OVER LOOKED IN THE CONTROVERSY OF PREFERENCE IN THE JOBS FOR MAHARASHTRIANS IN MAHARASHTRA
1. A Maharashtrian unemployed youth with not much education, finds it difficult to get a job, because the jobs are taken / given to people who hail from other States ( particularly Biharis and UPites and followed by Tamils ) because it is perceived that they are better workers than those from Maharashtra. These outsiders are prepared to work for lower wages, which Maharashtrians are not prepared to accept. Further, it is also believed by many that the outsiders are more submissive and less of trouble makers. A widow from Maharashtra with two children to take care of is not able to get the job of house maid because again these have been taken by outsiders at wages which the Maharashtrian widow is not prepared to accept.. In such a situation it was only to be expected that the local unemployed would feel, and being told repeatedly by other local people, that he/she is not able to earn or get employment because of the outsiders. Multiply this syndrome to thousands and you have a picture of disgruntled local mass. And a spark is lit on that mass. The violence may not get jobs for the locals but they feel that there is somebody to speak and act for him. In the next election, one does not have to guess, in whose favour his vote will be.
2. On the other hand, X is a non Maharashtrian. He is hard working even with lower wages ( than what a local would demand), effusive, honest and has no backing of any Party or Union. In the matter of employment, be it in the house or construction or any other lowly job, he is preferred to a local, who may not be hard working, may no be effusive and is a
member of Union. X having come from another State where there are no opportunities for any job, is prepared to work as a taxi driver even though the earnings may be a pittance.
3. In the above back ground, it is on cards that this agitation would continue and may spread to other cities in Maharashtra. It could be emulated in other States also. For example, during the last few years, hordes of Tamails have come to Kerala for doing menial and manual jobs. Increasingly Kerlites are declining to accept such jobs with low wages. Tomorrow some politician in Kerala could make this an issue and evoke the sentiments of Keralites to garner votes.
4. A few decades back, when the confrontation between LTTE and Sri Lankan Government was fierce, a large number of Tamils from Sri Lanka, who were largely progenies of Tamils who had gone to Sri Lank centuries / decades back, came to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu welcomed them and gave all help, including employment. Would Tamil Nadu Government take the same approach if the migrants were not Tamils?
5. A few years back ‘ sons of the soil ‘ was a major issue in various parts of the country with politicians demanding that they should be given preference in jobs created in the local area.. In Assam, an agitation was launched with the slogan “ Assam for Assamese.’ The ire was directed against Marwaris there.
6. Somebody could also argue that when job reservations are legally enforced so far as Scheduled Tribes and Castes are concerned, what is wrong with some such reservation for the local people.
A factory is being built in an under developed region of a State. A large number of people in that region would have hope of getting jobs for themselves or their wards in that factory. The Chief Minister to local politicians all would implore (often with veiled threats ) on the management of factory to give as many jobs as possible to the local people. In such a situation if the factory management hires people from outside the State, the same would lead to a lot of heart burning for the locals. Would they keep quiet.
7. What is curious is that many of the educated Maharashtrians holding senior positions in various walks of life, have part of their sympathy with the Maharashtrians. Here there is the dichotomy of head and heart. Their heads would be appalled at the turn of events. But their heart would be for the biradiris, i.e., Maharashtrians. They will say, “ Yes, India is one. But one cannot close eyes on non Maharashtrians usurping jobs which primarily Maharashtrians are entitled to, their being born and brought up in Mumbai.
8. Most of the analysts on the incident missed a vital point. And that is in regard to patriotism and nationalism. These are evocative words. Almost everybody would say that he is patriotic and nationalist. But when it comes to practical issues, the approach would be different, i.e., these evocative slogans come only after self interest. ‘ Sons of the soil ‘ is a very emotive issue which cannot be argued against with logical or rational views. After all in the initial stage, this was the plank of Shiv Sena. At that time the ire was directed mainly against Tamils.
9. ‘ India is one country – let Raj and his mob remember that ‘ so wrote an oaf, who happens to be a senior journalist. Arguing further, he has stated that “ if embers of
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exclusionary, xenophobic, sub-nationalistic demands are not stamped out as soon as they are sported, any resulting fire can cremate India.” As an ideal nobody would dispute with this thesis. But consider the following. There is no other country in the world which has a dozen languages, different customs, different rituals, as is the case of India. Hence in India we are first Punjabis or Tamils or Assamese and then only Indians. It is only when Indians go abroad they become truly Indians. Be it USA, UK, France or any other country by far there is one language and one or two religions. We are heterogenic in many vital aspects. This cannot be wished away. So the above type of incidents would happen, one would wish only occasionally. Because this is such a strong emotive issue that this or that politician or busybody would always try to take advantage of. Though politicians are the mischief makers, it is necessary to understand the core of the matter and that is that this is a social issue.
10. All those involved in the issue, i.e., call of Raj Thackeray to oust Biharis and UPites from Maharashtra, have come out badly:
· First is the idiot box. It magnified the rampage and mislead the viewers by repeatedly showing one taxi being stoned, giving the impression of large scale violence. Actually there were only stray incidents. There was a lot of hyperbole in the TV programmes on what was happening. Even the commentators / hosts of the programmes were totally partisan in as much as sometimes they were more vocal in condemning Raj and the incidents than even those were critical of the same. Even the interviews / talks were insipient and peripheral. Essence of these shows were that Biharis
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and UPites were on siege. 10,000 Biharis and UPites go
back to their States, so announced grandly by the TV media. Considering the huge number of these people in Maharashtra is this a large number. Many may come back later. There was in brief a lot of hyperbole in the visual media magnifying the issue, which was very unfortunate. Print media was to a large extent moderate. I did not see any sane comment in the TV programmes. The only writer who dealt with the issue sensibly and in the larger context was Santosh Desai, as would be evident from extracts of his article, given below:
“ Do we, out of an intense desire to see the world the way it should be, deliberately misread the way it is? In a poll conducted as much as 41% of the locals agreed with Thackeray! For two out of five Maharashtrians to feel this way is a fact that needs to be taken note of and not brushed under the carpet………….Because something is incomprehensible and offensive to one section, because it militates against a particular worldview, it is deemed to be an aberration. We then deny the significance to that occurrence, hiding behind all possible ways of interpreting information that justifies our worldview. This willful blindness is an effort to keep the illusion of stability and order intact……………Conditioned as we are to blindly trumpet the power of democracy, we get stumped when we see it turn upon ideals we hold dear. We try and deal with this by denying what we see. We argue with reality, we try and browbeat it into some kind of submission. But reality festers in the shadow of neglect and it is only a mater of time till we are forced to acknowledge it. ….The real question is, do we really want to know the truth?”
· Afraid of the cousin ( Raj ) hijacking Shiv Sena’s original plank of Maharashtra for Maharashtrians,
Uddhav joined Raj’s clarion call and made some loud
statements. He said that there should be preferential treatment to Maharashtrians in the matter of jobs in Mumbai.
· The old man was caught in a dilemma. Having anointed Uddhav, he cannot support Raj’s actions. But speaking against Raj’s actions would be going against his own original theme of Maharashtra for Maharashtrians. Hence, instead of commenting on the main demand of Raj, he cleverly exonerated Amitabh Bhachan, who had been castigated by Raj as not doing much for Maharashtra.
· The State had a Hobson’s choice. It had to take some action. But arresting Raj would make him a hero and hence divert votes of a large number of Maharashtrians from Congress to Raj’s party but not taking action would also be suicidal because the Government would then be accused of indirectly supporting Raj’s theme. With no direction from the Government, the police merely watched what was going on.
· The Congress High command also dithered with mere condemnation of the incident. Apparently, immediately after the hooliganism, the Central Government did not advice the State Government to take firm action. Aware of alienation of its voters in the two States, BJP after waiting for some time came out with some sort statement condemning what was happening. One wonders whether BJP would have said even that much had Bal Thackeray was the instigator because Shiv Sena is
aligned to BJP. The shrewd politician that he is, the supreme of NCP kept mum. Surprisingly even the reaction of Communists was also somewhat muted.
· Many logical arguments can be advanced against the vandalism in Mumbai. But from the perspective of the Thackerays they are right on the dot. This would bring them more votes ( from Maharashtrians )
C - CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG
French lawyers have threatened to go on strike if the Government proposal to simplify divorce laws is implemented, openly stating that such an action would reduce drastically incomes of those lawyers who are practicing divorce cases. In other words, the lawyers are explicitly admitting the fact that their main concern is their income and not inexpensive and fast dispensation of justice or implementation of laws. Yet it is said by all worthies that the duty of legal profession is to assist courts in dispensation of justice and resolving disputes.
Millions of cases are pending before various courts in India. The appeal system has virtually ensured that many cases go on for years and some decades. Lawyers are happy. But what about the clients. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ has become a pompous cliché. All, except lawyers lament at this state of affairs. There have been well thought out proposals for reducing this state of affairs. But the apex court, law commission and Government are dithering. This should have been a matter of deep concern to elected representatives. But no. They are more concerned with mundane maters, the main focus being how to oppose the proposals or stand points of the other side. Fourth estate occasionally laments at this state of affairs but had not taken up the matter with gusto.
D- THE KING IS DEAD – LONG LIVE THE KING
Benazir Bhutto two days before her death informed her party that her husband Zardari would be her successor as the head of the party. Two days after her death, her husband anoints their son as the chief of the party. The son is 16 years old and can only vote
after six years.
Indira Gandhi anointed ( not publicly but her intention was known to all ) her youngest son Sanjay Gandhi and then Rajiv Gandhi as her successor, first as party chief and then as Prime Minister. So does Karunadhi, Karunakaran, Sheik Abdullah, Patnaik, Bal Thackery and many others.
While one cannot appreciate the actions of the above people in creating dynasties or adorning themselves the mantle of kings / queens, going out of the way to look after the interests of progenies being a human trait, one can understand what compelled them to do what they did.
Of course Mahatma Gandhi choosing Jawharlal Nehru as his successor or as the leader of the Congress Party need to be considered in a slightly different footing. Firstly, Gandhi did not anoint his sons for that position and the sons would not have been accepted by Congress party for the position.. But in a way it is a puzzle as to why did not Gandhi leave the mater to the party to decide, when he had not the bent of mind to be a dictator. Probably at that crucial time he did not want the party taking two sides, one for Nehru and another for Patel or he genuinely believed that Nehru was a better choice and that unity of the party was paramount. Whatever his reasons may be, it is definitely on a different footing and cannot be compared with the crass way politicians in this country and a few other countries elect the leader. Even the term elect is wrong as the leader is rather thrust on the party.
How does the leader is chosen, in instances where there was no anointment. The coterie of the erstwhile leader does it. It is not done by discussion or voting. The coterie assesses the moods and opinions and then go ahead with the matter. Of course once a while the coterie could have a bloody face, as when they opposed Indira Gandhi
When this country was ruled by kings, the same was the position. But then in the era gone by that was the custom. The king was the king of the subjects. He owned the country. Their courtiers invested them with divinity. Subjects never thought otherwise, i.e., of selecting or electing another ruler. But then this is not the custom envisaged in Parliamentary democracy and political party functioning.
In business also this trend still continues. Son succeeds father as the chief of the business, even though the family may not be holding majority share holding. This has been happening all the time even when the progenies had hardly any qualification or experience to assume the mantle of the position of chief of the company.. But with the help of financial institutions having substantial share holding, this custom continues, even when the son may not be capable of managing the business and the fact is known to financial institutions. ( If the financial institutions demur there is the neta to fix the mater ).
E. EXPLOSION OF TELEVISION
It would be no exaggeration to say that apart from the invention of combustion engine and electricity, the invention which has given maximum comfort and ease of life to humans is television. Though mobile phone is becoming integral part of one’s life, yet it is no match to TV when it comes to an invention metamorphasising human life. TV was boredom inducing instrument so long as it was under Government control. But within a few years of privatization of the same, the face of TV changed significantly and alongwith the lives or way of living of TV viewers. And TV has reached nook and corner of the country. It is no more an instrument owned by the rich.
Yes, positive aspects of TV outweigh negative factors by six to eight notches in a scale of ten.
Let us first look into the negative factors:
· Those who watch long hours daily are becoming lazy
· There is wide-spread TV addiction ( and like drink and cigarette addiction it is difficult to get out of the addiction )
· Viewing TV for long hours could affect eye sight
· TV viewing has slowly taken the place of reading books, particularly good books
· There is shrinkage of time for family, friends and community citizens.
· Because of too much time spent before TV, children tend to spend less time than needed for education and other activities which children should engage in their period of life, such as, games, exercise, reading books and spending time with the friends.
· TV has made in-roads to the normal way of living, i.e., a time for everything.
· Viewing TV means viewing a number of ads. Indirectly this leads to purchasing more than necessary or would have happened had TV not been there, particularly in the case of women.
· Where tastes of family members differ, selection of the programme would lead to quarrels among the family members, if there is only one TV set in the house.
· TV programmes with violence / sex have negative effect on the minds of children and even adults.
The above list could probably be expanded.
Yet consider the positive aspects of TV
· TV is the greatest invention to remove boredom. This aspect has not received enough attention of those who advocate on behalf of TVs. Boredom is universal. It is applicable not merely to the rich but to all. Consider the peasant in the village or the business tycoon or politician. The degree of boredom may vary from person to person. Yet very few could claim honestly that they are not bored at times in each of the day. And TV is there to kill the boredom. This is particularly relevant in the case of retired people, house-wives, widows/ widowers, unemployed people, etc., i.e., those who have time in their hands but nothing much to do or willingness to do or to interact with others.
· We are all interested to know what important things are happening immediately after its happening. The newspaper brings the news only next day, but TV not only communicates instantaneously what has happened but also angles related to the happening.
· Because of the extensive coverage of TV in all parts of the country, there is better awareness of Indians among Indians ( of various States ).
· SMS - Millions of those who use this tool to vote Yes and No to the questions put by TV channels have a sense of participating in national events.
· Proliferation of TV channels has given opportunity to millions of people gainful employment.
· More importantly, TV media has given an unimaginable opportunity for youngsters with talent to exhibit their capabilities. Artists have been nurtured through the programmes. Even middle aged people are finding an
opportunity to exhibit their talents, apart from enabling them to have gainful avocation. Many house wives have virtually part time jobs in TV serials. Timid youngsters have overnight become confident. Many of these talented youngsters are picked up the cinema medium. This development has encouraged parents to give support to youngsters in improving their talents, which was not the case earlier. Ten years back nobody would have thought that a boy will later make a living with mimicry and will go abroad to do stage performances. But it is happening now, thanks to TV.
· Yes, the down-side cannot be ignored. Opportunity to exhibit talents through the media results in hype and expectations of future grandeur that may not be fulfilled with the attendant disappointment. Yet more important is the moment of glory to the talented youngsters.
· I hope that in the days ahead the talented youngsters who have caught the attention of the public would be invited to perform in marriage ceremonies. It is nothing new. For centuries, the wealthy have been organizing music programmes along with marriage ceremonies. I realize that the performers especially singers who were asked to perform were those who have achieved names in their respective fields, whereas those who participate in the TV programmes are somewhat novices. Yet the trend could start and all those participating in marriage ceremonies would welcome the innovation, because for most of the participants marriage ceremonies have become boring
affairs, more so when many of the participants are strangers to each other, unlike in yester years when mainly relatives and friends ( and that too mainly from the same village ) participated in the functions.
· The above development, if happens, it will provide the young talented with some income, apart from getting the deserving pat from the viewers which would go a long way in imbuing with the hope and confidence to improve their talents.
F. PANCHAYATI RAJ
Not much talked about or written – but it is quietly bringing radical change in the village life.
Not an esoteric subject. Hence not much coverage in the media. Not a subject for intellectuals or businessmen. Yet slowly it is bringing momentous changes ( for the better ) in the villages.
Women are elected as members and Presidents of Panchayat and many of them from lower castes. Upper caste members of the Panchayat may ridicule, speak rudely, non co-operate with such Presidents and manipulate the affairs initially or for some time but then in the long run they would have to put up with the change. There is no way for them to ignore the women members and Presidents of Panchayat.
Envisage the scenario of untouchable woman presiding the Panchayat with some Brahmins/kshatrias as members of the Panchayat. The members may adopt all the tricks in the trade to denigrate the President and non co-operate with her.
But they cannot continue the same approach for long because the power is with the President. And the Chair gives confidence to the President to slowly assert. Willy nilly it is going to improve the status of woman of yester year untouchable. The social apartheid that was practiced for ages, and which could not be changed in any meaningful way by preaching for ages, is under attack through this system. The numbers are with the lower castes and particularly women-folk. And increasingly they would get elected. And once elected the powers would be with them. It was very hard for the upper caste men to accept this position. But there is no way. They are reconciling to the ground reality.
In the case of election of MLAs and MPs, the elected representatives were distant from the voters, in asmuchas voters cast their votes and MPs and MLAs did what they wished to do. . But not in the case of Panchayat. Voters are all the time in contact with the members of the Panchayat and there is no way for Panchayat members to ignore the demands of voters. And, projects taken up by Panchyats will necessarily have to have the backing of a large number of village people and hence the village would be benefited. Yes, there would be corruption. There would be partisan approach in spending the funds allocated for various projects. Yet nobody can dispute that the projects would be for the benefit of villagers.
Many countries had adopted this system of local Government long back. And to a large extent these have been working very well. Locals have a sense of participation in decisions which have serious bearing on their lives.
But more importantly, Panchayat system would go a long way in reducing the evil of caste system and treating women below men. The system would also bring closer the ruled and the ruler and the ruler will find it difficult to evade accountability. Even partial achievement of the above two objectives are extremely important.
The only flaw in the present system is that the power of approval of the projects proposed by Panchayats and allocation of funds have to be done by Collectors, which means bureaucratic intervention. In turn this would be leading to political influence pedaling. Some way has to be found of allocating funds by Government directly to the Panchayats, with only monitoring of project expenditure done by Accountants of Government.
G. SOUR PEOPLE
Each family or extended family would have one or more sour people who always crib, criticize, see the wrong side ( often imaginary ), cannot but see the downside of something happening, who are personification of pessimism.
The above thoughts occurred to me when I watched the TV interview of Medha Patkar, Sunita Narain and Pacuchari on Nano car launched by Tata. Whole of India was rejoicing when Nano was unveiled. These three worthies were the exception. Medha Patkar’s plank was on people ousted from Singur village where the car is manufactured. The other two had air pollution and congestion in city roads as the arrows in their armoury, despite the fact that Nano meets Euro III standards, which is the current legal norm in India, and would be ready to meet Euro IV norm when the same is
introduced in India by 2010 or 2012. The car is less
polluting than three wheelers and buses. The fact all other cars being produced pollute equally or more, is not a point of their argument.
That the car is affordable to millions of Indians, that it will fulfill the ambitions of many a person to own a car, that it gives more mileage per litre of petrol than the existing small cars and most importantly village and town folk, for whom public transport is patchy, will have better mobility with comfort, etc., are lost on these three ‘knights of environment.’ Yes, their opposition would be a happy news to other car manufacturers and particularly for two wheeler manufacturers because public would opt for this car instead of two wheelers and also many other comparatively higher priced four wheelers.
Yes, public transport is a mess. But then that is a problem to be tackled by State and not by car manufacturers. But these worthies have cleverly related both the matters to condemn this car.
Medha Patkar does not get involved in the despicable situation of dumb millions mentioned by Sainath in his
extremely readable book ‘ everybody loves a drought.’ She opts for big ticket ( in terms of publicity ) issues, such as Narmada project. Sunita Narain is not far behind. Coke/Pepsi is her target. Now that makes headlines, i.e., a frail woman single handedly taking on the might of Goliaths. Pachuri’s concern for environment is well known and appreciated by most. Incidentally, it is not on Pachuri Nobel award was bestowed but to his Institute, TERI, alongwith Al Gore. But then Pachuri never contradicted reports of his
winning Nobel prize. More cars and less public transport
means more air pollution. Nobody disputes with that statement. But why take it on Nano, when other car makers have been producing large number of small and medium cars and propose to increase the same.
The attitude of these three warriors, who have no compunction in themselves using cars ( may be even large ones which guzzle more oil and pollute more ), is like that of most of the politicians who will in public decry all that would enhance the lives of middle and upper classes, because the same may not have touched ‘ aam admi ‘ conveniently forgetting that nobody has stood in their way except themselves in improving the lot of ‘ aam admi.’
For millions of middle class people Nano is an affordable car. They may not run it much. But even if it is parked
most of the time in their houses, they will have all the time
the pleasant feeling of ownership of a car. In villages and small townships this is a powerful symbol of the owner having ‘arrived.’ Many college boys and girls would go for it with the attendant pleasure / satisfaction. In villages and small towns, travel is always a problematic matter. Public
transport cannot reach all the places, particularly villages. This car can. In the times to come, I predict, this car will become the main dowry in marriages ( If any such news gets published, the trio would say ‘ we told you about the evils of this car.’)
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VIII. .Tamils in Malaysia continue to agitate against the Government’s attitude of favouring Malaysians on jobs, etc.,
Mahathir Mohammed, who was Malaysian Prime Minister for a long time in an interview, lamented at Malays not seizing the opportunity to improve their lot, for which the Government of the country had come out with various schemes. Chinese in large numbers in Malaysia essentially are into business. They do a far better job than Malays in that area. Indians ( mainly Tamilians ) are not mainly in business. They are professionals and service class oriented. Malays were not able to compete with both the above groups. Hence Government there wants to give some additional sops to Malays, mainly in Government jobs. It is because of this position that Chinese have not agitated at the favouritism of Malaysian Government towards the local people.
It is not as if Indians are hounded in Malaysia. There is very little negative discrimination on the part of the Government in the treatment of the three communities. Yes, it could be said that there is positive discrimination in favour of Malays. It could be argued that many Indians there are third or second generation people, i.e., progenies of Indians migrated to that country long time back and hence they should have equal chances as the Malays in Government jobs. On a matter like this both points could be argued at length because both are valid. Yet every Government has the compulsion of showing positive discrimination towards its original inhabitants.
IX. UK Minister warns of inbreeding in Muslims resulting in defects in children on birth because of in breeding, i.e., cousins marrying each other. .
Even assuming that the back up data that the Minister claims he
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has is on the dot, yet it is an extremely sensitive issue. In effect
the Minister is asking Muslims in UK to change their marital mores, which means changing what the Muslim religion preaches. The Minister ought to have been aware that this is a touchy aspect, more so in the recent years when to a large extent Muslims will they are under siege in which ever country they are. They feel they are treated as pariah. It would have been alright if the thesis is propounded by a Muslim. Muslims would have thought to the point or dismissed the same. But coming from a member of another race makes it a religious issue, which could have been avoided.
X. A member of UK clergy suggests that UK may adopt certain aspects of Sharia ( Muslim ) law.
The argument advanced is that “ the United Kingdom has to ‘ face upto the fact ‘ that some of its citizens do not relate to the legal system and adopting part of the sharia law would help maintain social cohesion because British Muslims would no longer have to make the choice between the ‘ stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty. There have been wholesale condemnation of this statement.
XI. Anti Muslim views are gathering force in Netherlands.
Netherlands is one of the most tolerant countries in the world so far religious freedom is concerned. In the matter of individual choice on most matters, the Government stand is neutral. But then an Anti Muslim Party with nine seats in the Parliament, has questioned the innocuous statement of the Queen to show tolerance and respect for minorities. This statement has been blown out of proportion by the Anti Muslim party. This is a la VHP syndrome.
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Common thread:
Yes, the above mentioned incidents or approaches are isolated ones. Yet there is a common thread while considering these trends, as below:
· Politics is getting increasingly inter-twined with religion.
· What is considered to be the right approach could be detrimental to political advancement
· Belief related to religion is on the ascendancy everywhere and hence there is intolerance at questioning of religious practices of one religion by members of another religion.
· Governments cannot afford to be neutral between its citizens of ethnic origin and citizens who are of springs of people migrated from other countries.
· Intellectuals are all the time opt for the ‘ right ‘ and ‘ truth ‘ whereas the ordinary people function with their ‘ hearts ‘ and not ‘ head.’
· There are not any more easy solutions to various problems.
XII. INDIA SHINING ?
I am not a spoil sport. India is on the trajectory of fast growth. Hardly any of the pundits ( be it local / imported / foreign ) predict annual growth rate of less than 8 to 9% in the coming years. All round the growth is visible.
More and more large industries are being set up. There is boom in the IT sector. Millions are getting jobs in the IT sector with good pay packet and comfortable ( and long ) working conditions.
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Infra-structure development is not any more inching forward but
progressing vigorously. Retail malls are proliferating. More IITs and it is are being set up. Mobile phones have become accessible to the common man and he is going for it with vengeance.
One could go on, but suffice it to say that we are on the right track. Unfortunately the euphoria caused by these developments tend to overshadow the position of ‘ that India ‘ which has not only remained unchanged but there are no visible signs of any change forthcoming.
Consider the following:
1. World hunger Index has ranked India 94th out of 118 countries, just above Ethiopia and worse than any country in the sub-continent save Bangladesh.
2. In the Human Development Index of the UN, India ranks 126th.
3. India has the highest rates of child mal-nutrition and maternal mortality in the world.
4. The corruption Perception Index of Transparency International ranks India at 72, below many African countries.
5. According to Media studies 80% of all Indians pay petty bribes totaling annually a whopping $4.8 billion for services they are entitled to, a quarter of which are for admission to schools and hospitals.
6. India ranks 104th in the Index of Economic Freedom, published by Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal.
7. India ranks 120th in the world on Doing Business according to World Bank report.
8. In respect of ease in opening business India ranks 111th and in closing business it ranks 137th.
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9. India is at the 177th position in the Index of enforcement of contracts.
10. In multiple Taxes Index India ranks 165th.
11. India’s fiscal deficit remains over 6% of GDP, which is a crisis level in most countries.
12. Subsidies are still 14% of GDP, of which half are non merit subsidies without redeeming social virtues.
Those who marvel at the development syndrome mentioned in the beginning would say, ‘ why be a spoil sport. Look around and you see progress. And once development at the current rate continues the ills mentioned will reduce or will be attended to. Let us first make the pie larger. Tickle down will happen, etc., etc., “
Without in any way belittling what is being achieved and undermining the trickle down theory, look at those who have not been touched with progress during the last six decades.
Sainath in his thought provoking book “ Everybody loves a drought “ ( for which this year he won Magsasay Award ) details the pitiful plight of those living in the fringes, in far off places.
1. No electricity
2. No drinking water and hence has to trek ten to twenty miles for water each day.
3. No schools ( teacher absenteeism and children being needed for work to eke out a living )
4. No hospitals ( and where it is available one has to pay for doctors who attend to only in their private clinics and seek payment for medicines )
5. In most cases per day income of a person is less than Rs. 10
6. Permanently in debt to the money lender with usurious rate of interest often leading to land being taken away by money lenders. – 33 -
7. There is nothing like ration card.
8. Money earmarked for ousting people for projects not reaching the ousted people.
The above list is only illustrative and not exhaustive.
No political party has done hardly anything to improve their plight. Even NGOs find it difficult to improve their lot, since NGOs have to take on the mighty establishment. Yet very few migrate to towns and cities in search of jobs, since for most of them towns are unknown places where they would be lost. What is then their hope. Will anything SHINE form the in the future also?
XIII. ZANIA’S TRAVAILS
1. It is not an easy decision for an acclaimed sports person, who is quite young and at the zenith of the career to take a decision not to participate in a match, which is both prestigious and with hefty reward for the winner.
2. From he above one could gauge the tremendous anguish of Sania at the insults hurled at her and a case filed before the court alleging that she has insulted the national flag. Her short dress has become an issue, when it is the norm in the games, her inadvertent showing of legs at the back of national flag has been made out of proportion as an insult to the national honour and some of her other innocuous statements on sex has been twisted, some of her statements have been twisted and some attributed to her were not factual.
3. Factors, such as, that she is quite young and her actions / statements should be evaluated from the point of view of her youth and that she achieved tremendous fame at the young
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age and within a short period time which would have made her heady, etc., were overlooked while considering even her mild demeanors. That her achievements in tennis has made the nation proud is yet another overlooked fact.
4. There have been some protests at the somewhat frivolous allegations made against her and making a mountain of a molehill, even assuming that her actions and statements could have been avoided. But the deafening silence of many, sports-persons, politicians, Ministers, feminists and other prominent persons at the above development, i.e., the young girl abandoning the game being piqued at her being made a target by some, is another fact to be noted. One wonders whether this would have been the stance in case the episode related a prominent cricket player or a male or a non Muslim.
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1. A Maharashtrian unemployed youth with not much education, finds it difficult to get a job, because the jobs are taken / given to people who hail from other States ( particularly Biharis and UPites and followed by Tamils ) because it is perceived that they are better workers than those from Maharashtra. These outsiders are prepared to work for lower wages, which Maharashtrians are not prepared to accept. Further, it is also believed by many that the outsiders are more submissive and less of trouble makers. A widow from Maharashtra with two children to take care of is not able to get the job of house maid because again these have been taken by outsiders at wages which the Maharashtrian widow is not prepared to accept.. In such a situation it was only to be expected that the local unemployed would feel, and being told repeatedly by other local people, that he/she is not able to earn or get employment because of the outsiders. Multiply this syndrome to thousands and you have a picture of disgruntled local mass. And a spark is lit on that mass. The violence may not get jobs for the locals but they feel that there is somebody to speak and act for him. In the next election, one does not have to guess, in whose favour his vote will be.
2. On the other hand, X is a non Maharashtrian. He is hard working even with lower wages ( than what a local would demand), effusive, honest and has no backing of any Party or Union. In the matter of employment, be it in the house or construction or any other lowly job, he is preferred to a local, who may not be hard working, may no be effusive and is a
member of Union. X having come from another State where there are no opportunities for any job, is prepared to work as a taxi driver even though the earnings may be a pittance.
3. In the above back ground, it is on cards that this agitation would continue and may spread to other cities in Maharashtra. It could be emulated in other States also. For example, during the last few years, hordes of Tamails have come to Kerala for doing menial and manual jobs. Increasingly Kerlites are declining to accept such jobs with low wages. Tomorrow some politician in Kerala could make this an issue and evoke the sentiments of Keralites to garner votes.
4. A few decades back, when the confrontation between LTTE and Sri Lankan Government was fierce, a large number of Tamils from Sri Lanka, who were largely progenies of Tamils who had gone to Sri Lank centuries / decades back, came to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu welcomed them and gave all help, including employment. Would Tamil Nadu Government take the same approach if the migrants were not Tamils?
5. A few years back ‘ sons of the soil ‘ was a major issue in various parts of the country with politicians demanding that they should be given preference in jobs created in the local area.. In Assam, an agitation was launched with the slogan “ Assam for Assamese.’ The ire was directed against Marwaris there.
6. Somebody could also argue that when job reservations are legally enforced so far as Scheduled Tribes and Castes are concerned, what is wrong with some such reservation for the local people.
A factory is being built in an under developed region of a State. A large number of people in that region would have hope of getting jobs for themselves or their wards in that factory. The Chief Minister to local politicians all would implore (often with veiled threats ) on the management of factory to give as many jobs as possible to the local people. In such a situation if the factory management hires people from outside the State, the same would lead to a lot of heart burning for the locals. Would they keep quiet.
7. What is curious is that many of the educated Maharashtrians holding senior positions in various walks of life, have part of their sympathy with the Maharashtrians. Here there is the dichotomy of head and heart. Their heads would be appalled at the turn of events. But their heart would be for the biradiris, i.e., Maharashtrians. They will say, “ Yes, India is one. But one cannot close eyes on non Maharashtrians usurping jobs which primarily Maharashtrians are entitled to, their being born and brought up in Mumbai.
8. Most of the analysts on the incident missed a vital point. And that is in regard to patriotism and nationalism. These are evocative words. Almost everybody would say that he is patriotic and nationalist. But when it comes to practical issues, the approach would be different, i.e., these evocative slogans come only after self interest. ‘ Sons of the soil ‘ is a very emotive issue which cannot be argued against with logical or rational views. After all in the initial stage, this was the plank of Shiv Sena. At that time the ire was directed mainly against Tamils.
9. ‘ India is one country – let Raj and his mob remember that ‘ so wrote an oaf, who happens to be a senior journalist. Arguing further, he has stated that “ if embers of
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exclusionary, xenophobic, sub-nationalistic demands are not stamped out as soon as they are sported, any resulting fire can cremate India.” As an ideal nobody would dispute with this thesis. But consider the following. There is no other country in the world which has a dozen languages, different customs, different rituals, as is the case of India. Hence in India we are first Punjabis or Tamils or Assamese and then only Indians. It is only when Indians go abroad they become truly Indians. Be it USA, UK, France or any other country by far there is one language and one or two religions. We are heterogenic in many vital aspects. This cannot be wished away. So the above type of incidents would happen, one would wish only occasionally. Because this is such a strong emotive issue that this or that politician or busybody would always try to take advantage of. Though politicians are the mischief makers, it is necessary to understand the core of the matter and that is that this is a social issue.
10. All those involved in the issue, i.e., call of Raj Thackeray to oust Biharis and UPites from Maharashtra, have come out badly:
· First is the idiot box. It magnified the rampage and mislead the viewers by repeatedly showing one taxi being stoned, giving the impression of large scale violence. Actually there were only stray incidents. There was a lot of hyperbole in the TV programmes on what was happening. Even the commentators / hosts of the programmes were totally partisan in as much as sometimes they were more vocal in condemning Raj and the incidents than even those were critical of the same. Even the interviews / talks were insipient and peripheral. Essence of these shows were that Biharis
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and UPites were on siege. 10,000 Biharis and UPites go
back to their States, so announced grandly by the TV media. Considering the huge number of these people in Maharashtra is this a large number. Many may come back later. There was in brief a lot of hyperbole in the visual media magnifying the issue, which was very unfortunate. Print media was to a large extent moderate. I did not see any sane comment in the TV programmes. The only writer who dealt with the issue sensibly and in the larger context was Santosh Desai, as would be evident from extracts of his article, given below:
“ Do we, out of an intense desire to see the world the way it should be, deliberately misread the way it is? In a poll conducted as much as 41% of the locals agreed with Thackeray! For two out of five Maharashtrians to feel this way is a fact that needs to be taken note of and not brushed under the carpet………….Because something is incomprehensible and offensive to one section, because it militates against a particular worldview, it is deemed to be an aberration. We then deny the significance to that occurrence, hiding behind all possible ways of interpreting information that justifies our worldview. This willful blindness is an effort to keep the illusion of stability and order intact……………Conditioned as we are to blindly trumpet the power of democracy, we get stumped when we see it turn upon ideals we hold dear. We try and deal with this by denying what we see. We argue with reality, we try and browbeat it into some kind of submission. But reality festers in the shadow of neglect and it is only a mater of time till we are forced to acknowledge it. ….The real question is, do we really want to know the truth?”
· Afraid of the cousin ( Raj ) hijacking Shiv Sena’s original plank of Maharashtra for Maharashtrians,
Uddhav joined Raj’s clarion call and made some loud
statements. He said that there should be preferential treatment to Maharashtrians in the matter of jobs in Mumbai.
· The old man was caught in a dilemma. Having anointed Uddhav, he cannot support Raj’s actions. But speaking against Raj’s actions would be going against his own original theme of Maharashtra for Maharashtrians. Hence, instead of commenting on the main demand of Raj, he cleverly exonerated Amitabh Bhachan, who had been castigated by Raj as not doing much for Maharashtra.
· The State had a Hobson’s choice. It had to take some action. But arresting Raj would make him a hero and hence divert votes of a large number of Maharashtrians from Congress to Raj’s party but not taking action would also be suicidal because the Government would then be accused of indirectly supporting Raj’s theme. With no direction from the Government, the police merely watched what was going on.
· The Congress High command also dithered with mere condemnation of the incident. Apparently, immediately after the hooliganism, the Central Government did not advice the State Government to take firm action. Aware of alienation of its voters in the two States, BJP after waiting for some time came out with some sort statement condemning what was happening. One wonders whether BJP would have said even that much had Bal Thackeray was the instigator because Shiv Sena is
aligned to BJP. The shrewd politician that he is, the supreme of NCP kept mum. Surprisingly even the reaction of Communists was also somewhat muted.
· Many logical arguments can be advanced against the vandalism in Mumbai. But from the perspective of the Thackerays they are right on the dot. This would bring them more votes ( from Maharashtrians )
C - CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG
French lawyers have threatened to go on strike if the Government proposal to simplify divorce laws is implemented, openly stating that such an action would reduce drastically incomes of those lawyers who are practicing divorce cases. In other words, the lawyers are explicitly admitting the fact that their main concern is their income and not inexpensive and fast dispensation of justice or implementation of laws. Yet it is said by all worthies that the duty of legal profession is to assist courts in dispensation of justice and resolving disputes.
Millions of cases are pending before various courts in India. The appeal system has virtually ensured that many cases go on for years and some decades. Lawyers are happy. But what about the clients. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ has become a pompous cliché. All, except lawyers lament at this state of affairs. There have been well thought out proposals for reducing this state of affairs. But the apex court, law commission and Government are dithering. This should have been a matter of deep concern to elected representatives. But no. They are more concerned with mundane maters, the main focus being how to oppose the proposals or stand points of the other side. Fourth estate occasionally laments at this state of affairs but had not taken up the matter with gusto.
D- THE KING IS DEAD – LONG LIVE THE KING
Benazir Bhutto two days before her death informed her party that her husband Zardari would be her successor as the head of the party. Two days after her death, her husband anoints their son as the chief of the party. The son is 16 years old and can only vote
after six years.
Indira Gandhi anointed ( not publicly but her intention was known to all ) her youngest son Sanjay Gandhi and then Rajiv Gandhi as her successor, first as party chief and then as Prime Minister. So does Karunadhi, Karunakaran, Sheik Abdullah, Patnaik, Bal Thackery and many others.
While one cannot appreciate the actions of the above people in creating dynasties or adorning themselves the mantle of kings / queens, going out of the way to look after the interests of progenies being a human trait, one can understand what compelled them to do what they did.
Of course Mahatma Gandhi choosing Jawharlal Nehru as his successor or as the leader of the Congress Party need to be considered in a slightly different footing. Firstly, Gandhi did not anoint his sons for that position and the sons would not have been accepted by Congress party for the position.. But in a way it is a puzzle as to why did not Gandhi leave the mater to the party to decide, when he had not the bent of mind to be a dictator. Probably at that crucial time he did not want the party taking two sides, one for Nehru and another for Patel or he genuinely believed that Nehru was a better choice and that unity of the party was paramount. Whatever his reasons may be, it is definitely on a different footing and cannot be compared with the crass way politicians in this country and a few other countries elect the leader. Even the term elect is wrong as the leader is rather thrust on the party.
How does the leader is chosen, in instances where there was no anointment. The coterie of the erstwhile leader does it. It is not done by discussion or voting. The coterie assesses the moods and opinions and then go ahead with the matter. Of course once a while the coterie could have a bloody face, as when they opposed Indira Gandhi
When this country was ruled by kings, the same was the position. But then in the era gone by that was the custom. The king was the king of the subjects. He owned the country. Their courtiers invested them with divinity. Subjects never thought otherwise, i.e., of selecting or electing another ruler. But then this is not the custom envisaged in Parliamentary democracy and political party functioning.
In business also this trend still continues. Son succeeds father as the chief of the business, even though the family may not be holding majority share holding. This has been happening all the time even when the progenies had hardly any qualification or experience to assume the mantle of the position of chief of the company.. But with the help of financial institutions having substantial share holding, this custom continues, even when the son may not be capable of managing the business and the fact is known to financial institutions. ( If the financial institutions demur there is the neta to fix the mater ).
E. EXPLOSION OF TELEVISION
It would be no exaggeration to say that apart from the invention of combustion engine and electricity, the invention which has given maximum comfort and ease of life to humans is television. Though mobile phone is becoming integral part of one’s life, yet it is no match to TV when it comes to an invention metamorphasising human life. TV was boredom inducing instrument so long as it was under Government control. But within a few years of privatization of the same, the face of TV changed significantly and alongwith the lives or way of living of TV viewers. And TV has reached nook and corner of the country. It is no more an instrument owned by the rich.
Yes, positive aspects of TV outweigh negative factors by six to eight notches in a scale of ten.
Let us first look into the negative factors:
· Those who watch long hours daily are becoming lazy
· There is wide-spread TV addiction ( and like drink and cigarette addiction it is difficult to get out of the addiction )
· Viewing TV for long hours could affect eye sight
· TV viewing has slowly taken the place of reading books, particularly good books
· There is shrinkage of time for family, friends and community citizens.
· Because of too much time spent before TV, children tend to spend less time than needed for education and other activities which children should engage in their period of life, such as, games, exercise, reading books and spending time with the friends.
· TV has made in-roads to the normal way of living, i.e., a time for everything.
· Viewing TV means viewing a number of ads. Indirectly this leads to purchasing more than necessary or would have happened had TV not been there, particularly in the case of women.
· Where tastes of family members differ, selection of the programme would lead to quarrels among the family members, if there is only one TV set in the house.
· TV programmes with violence / sex have negative effect on the minds of children and even adults.
The above list could probably be expanded.
Yet consider the positive aspects of TV
· TV is the greatest invention to remove boredom. This aspect has not received enough attention of those who advocate on behalf of TVs. Boredom is universal. It is applicable not merely to the rich but to all. Consider the peasant in the village or the business tycoon or politician. The degree of boredom may vary from person to person. Yet very few could claim honestly that they are not bored at times in each of the day. And TV is there to kill the boredom. This is particularly relevant in the case of retired people, house-wives, widows/ widowers, unemployed people, etc., i.e., those who have time in their hands but nothing much to do or willingness to do or to interact with others.
· We are all interested to know what important things are happening immediately after its happening. The newspaper brings the news only next day, but TV not only communicates instantaneously what has happened but also angles related to the happening.
· Because of the extensive coverage of TV in all parts of the country, there is better awareness of Indians among Indians ( of various States ).
· SMS - Millions of those who use this tool to vote Yes and No to the questions put by TV channels have a sense of participating in national events.
· Proliferation of TV channels has given opportunity to millions of people gainful employment.
· More importantly, TV media has given an unimaginable opportunity for youngsters with talent to exhibit their capabilities. Artists have been nurtured through the programmes. Even middle aged people are finding an
opportunity to exhibit their talents, apart from enabling them to have gainful avocation. Many house wives have virtually part time jobs in TV serials. Timid youngsters have overnight become confident. Many of these talented youngsters are picked up the cinema medium. This development has encouraged parents to give support to youngsters in improving their talents, which was not the case earlier. Ten years back nobody would have thought that a boy will later make a living with mimicry and will go abroad to do stage performances. But it is happening now, thanks to TV.
· Yes, the down-side cannot be ignored. Opportunity to exhibit talents through the media results in hype and expectations of future grandeur that may not be fulfilled with the attendant disappointment. Yet more important is the moment of glory to the talented youngsters.
· I hope that in the days ahead the talented youngsters who have caught the attention of the public would be invited to perform in marriage ceremonies. It is nothing new. For centuries, the wealthy have been organizing music programmes along with marriage ceremonies. I realize that the performers especially singers who were asked to perform were those who have achieved names in their respective fields, whereas those who participate in the TV programmes are somewhat novices. Yet the trend could start and all those participating in marriage ceremonies would welcome the innovation, because for most of the participants marriage ceremonies have become boring
affairs, more so when many of the participants are strangers to each other, unlike in yester years when mainly relatives and friends ( and that too mainly from the same village ) participated in the functions.
· The above development, if happens, it will provide the young talented with some income, apart from getting the deserving pat from the viewers which would go a long way in imbuing with the hope and confidence to improve their talents.
F. PANCHAYATI RAJ
Not much talked about or written – but it is quietly bringing radical change in the village life.
Not an esoteric subject. Hence not much coverage in the media. Not a subject for intellectuals or businessmen. Yet slowly it is bringing momentous changes ( for the better ) in the villages.
Women are elected as members and Presidents of Panchayat and many of them from lower castes. Upper caste members of the Panchayat may ridicule, speak rudely, non co-operate with such Presidents and manipulate the affairs initially or for some time but then in the long run they would have to put up with the change. There is no way for them to ignore the women members and Presidents of Panchayat.
Envisage the scenario of untouchable woman presiding the Panchayat with some Brahmins/kshatrias as members of the Panchayat. The members may adopt all the tricks in the trade to denigrate the President and non co-operate with her.
But they cannot continue the same approach for long because the power is with the President. And the Chair gives confidence to the President to slowly assert. Willy nilly it is going to improve the status of woman of yester year untouchable. The social apartheid that was practiced for ages, and which could not be changed in any meaningful way by preaching for ages, is under attack through this system. The numbers are with the lower castes and particularly women-folk. And increasingly they would get elected. And once elected the powers would be with them. It was very hard for the upper caste men to accept this position. But there is no way. They are reconciling to the ground reality.
In the case of election of MLAs and MPs, the elected representatives were distant from the voters, in asmuchas voters cast their votes and MPs and MLAs did what they wished to do. . But not in the case of Panchayat. Voters are all the time in contact with the members of the Panchayat and there is no way for Panchayat members to ignore the demands of voters. And, projects taken up by Panchyats will necessarily have to have the backing of a large number of village people and hence the village would be benefited. Yes, there would be corruption. There would be partisan approach in spending the funds allocated for various projects. Yet nobody can dispute that the projects would be for the benefit of villagers.
Many countries had adopted this system of local Government long back. And to a large extent these have been working very well. Locals have a sense of participation in decisions which have serious bearing on their lives.
But more importantly, Panchayat system would go a long way in reducing the evil of caste system and treating women below men. The system would also bring closer the ruled and the ruler and the ruler will find it difficult to evade accountability. Even partial achievement of the above two objectives are extremely important.
The only flaw in the present system is that the power of approval of the projects proposed by Panchayats and allocation of funds have to be done by Collectors, which means bureaucratic intervention. In turn this would be leading to political influence pedaling. Some way has to be found of allocating funds by Government directly to the Panchayats, with only monitoring of project expenditure done by Accountants of Government.
G. SOUR PEOPLE
Each family or extended family would have one or more sour people who always crib, criticize, see the wrong side ( often imaginary ), cannot but see the downside of something happening, who are personification of pessimism.
The above thoughts occurred to me when I watched the TV interview of Medha Patkar, Sunita Narain and Pacuchari on Nano car launched by Tata. Whole of India was rejoicing when Nano was unveiled. These three worthies were the exception. Medha Patkar’s plank was on people ousted from Singur village where the car is manufactured. The other two had air pollution and congestion in city roads as the arrows in their armoury, despite the fact that Nano meets Euro III standards, which is the current legal norm in India, and would be ready to meet Euro IV norm when the same is
introduced in India by 2010 or 2012. The car is less
polluting than three wheelers and buses. The fact all other cars being produced pollute equally or more, is not a point of their argument.
That the car is affordable to millions of Indians, that it will fulfill the ambitions of many a person to own a car, that it gives more mileage per litre of petrol than the existing small cars and most importantly village and town folk, for whom public transport is patchy, will have better mobility with comfort, etc., are lost on these three ‘knights of environment.’ Yes, their opposition would be a happy news to other car manufacturers and particularly for two wheeler manufacturers because public would opt for this car instead of two wheelers and also many other comparatively higher priced four wheelers.
Yes, public transport is a mess. But then that is a problem to be tackled by State and not by car manufacturers. But these worthies have cleverly related both the matters to condemn this car.
Medha Patkar does not get involved in the despicable situation of dumb millions mentioned by Sainath in his
extremely readable book ‘ everybody loves a drought.’ She opts for big ticket ( in terms of publicity ) issues, such as Narmada project. Sunita Narain is not far behind. Coke/Pepsi is her target. Now that makes headlines, i.e., a frail woman single handedly taking on the might of Goliaths. Pachuri’s concern for environment is well known and appreciated by most. Incidentally, it is not on Pachuri Nobel award was bestowed but to his Institute, TERI, alongwith Al Gore. But then Pachuri never contradicted reports of his
winning Nobel prize. More cars and less public transport
means more air pollution. Nobody disputes with that statement. But why take it on Nano, when other car makers have been producing large number of small and medium cars and propose to increase the same.
The attitude of these three warriors, who have no compunction in themselves using cars ( may be even large ones which guzzle more oil and pollute more ), is like that of most of the politicians who will in public decry all that would enhance the lives of middle and upper classes, because the same may not have touched ‘ aam admi ‘ conveniently forgetting that nobody has stood in their way except themselves in improving the lot of ‘ aam admi.’
For millions of middle class people Nano is an affordable car. They may not run it much. But even if it is parked
most of the time in their houses, they will have all the time
the pleasant feeling of ownership of a car. In villages and small townships this is a powerful symbol of the owner having ‘arrived.’ Many college boys and girls would go for it with the attendant pleasure / satisfaction. In villages and small towns, travel is always a problematic matter. Public
transport cannot reach all the places, particularly villages. This car can. In the times to come, I predict, this car will become the main dowry in marriages ( If any such news gets published, the trio would say ‘ we told you about the evils of this car.’)
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VIII. .Tamils in Malaysia continue to agitate against the Government’s attitude of favouring Malaysians on jobs, etc.,
Mahathir Mohammed, who was Malaysian Prime Minister for a long time in an interview, lamented at Malays not seizing the opportunity to improve their lot, for which the Government of the country had come out with various schemes. Chinese in large numbers in Malaysia essentially are into business. They do a far better job than Malays in that area. Indians ( mainly Tamilians ) are not mainly in business. They are professionals and service class oriented. Malays were not able to compete with both the above groups. Hence Government there wants to give some additional sops to Malays, mainly in Government jobs. It is because of this position that Chinese have not agitated at the favouritism of Malaysian Government towards the local people.
It is not as if Indians are hounded in Malaysia. There is very little negative discrimination on the part of the Government in the treatment of the three communities. Yes, it could be said that there is positive discrimination in favour of Malays. It could be argued that many Indians there are third or second generation people, i.e., progenies of Indians migrated to that country long time back and hence they should have equal chances as the Malays in Government jobs. On a matter like this both points could be argued at length because both are valid. Yet every Government has the compulsion of showing positive discrimination towards its original inhabitants.
IX. UK Minister warns of inbreeding in Muslims resulting in defects in children on birth because of in breeding, i.e., cousins marrying each other. .
Even assuming that the back up data that the Minister claims he
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has is on the dot, yet it is an extremely sensitive issue. In effect
the Minister is asking Muslims in UK to change their marital mores, which means changing what the Muslim religion preaches. The Minister ought to have been aware that this is a touchy aspect, more so in the recent years when to a large extent Muslims will they are under siege in which ever country they are. They feel they are treated as pariah. It would have been alright if the thesis is propounded by a Muslim. Muslims would have thought to the point or dismissed the same. But coming from a member of another race makes it a religious issue, which could have been avoided.
X. A member of UK clergy suggests that UK may adopt certain aspects of Sharia ( Muslim ) law.
The argument advanced is that “ the United Kingdom has to ‘ face upto the fact ‘ that some of its citizens do not relate to the legal system and adopting part of the sharia law would help maintain social cohesion because British Muslims would no longer have to make the choice between the ‘ stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty. There have been wholesale condemnation of this statement.
XI. Anti Muslim views are gathering force in Netherlands.
Netherlands is one of the most tolerant countries in the world so far religious freedom is concerned. In the matter of individual choice on most matters, the Government stand is neutral. But then an Anti Muslim Party with nine seats in the Parliament, has questioned the innocuous statement of the Queen to show tolerance and respect for minorities. This statement has been blown out of proportion by the Anti Muslim party. This is a la VHP syndrome.
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Common thread:
Yes, the above mentioned incidents or approaches are isolated ones. Yet there is a common thread while considering these trends, as below:
· Politics is getting increasingly inter-twined with religion.
· What is considered to be the right approach could be detrimental to political advancement
· Belief related to religion is on the ascendancy everywhere and hence there is intolerance at questioning of religious practices of one religion by members of another religion.
· Governments cannot afford to be neutral between its citizens of ethnic origin and citizens who are of springs of people migrated from other countries.
· Intellectuals are all the time opt for the ‘ right ‘ and ‘ truth ‘ whereas the ordinary people function with their ‘ hearts ‘ and not ‘ head.’
· There are not any more easy solutions to various problems.
XII. INDIA SHINING ?
I am not a spoil sport. India is on the trajectory of fast growth. Hardly any of the pundits ( be it local / imported / foreign ) predict annual growth rate of less than 8 to 9% in the coming years. All round the growth is visible.
More and more large industries are being set up. There is boom in the IT sector. Millions are getting jobs in the IT sector with good pay packet and comfortable ( and long ) working conditions.
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Infra-structure development is not any more inching forward but
progressing vigorously. Retail malls are proliferating. More IITs and it is are being set up. Mobile phones have become accessible to the common man and he is going for it with vengeance.
One could go on, but suffice it to say that we are on the right track. Unfortunately the euphoria caused by these developments tend to overshadow the position of ‘ that India ‘ which has not only remained unchanged but there are no visible signs of any change forthcoming.
Consider the following:
1. World hunger Index has ranked India 94th out of 118 countries, just above Ethiopia and worse than any country in the sub-continent save Bangladesh.
2. In the Human Development Index of the UN, India ranks 126th.
3. India has the highest rates of child mal-nutrition and maternal mortality in the world.
4. The corruption Perception Index of Transparency International ranks India at 72, below many African countries.
5. According to Media studies 80% of all Indians pay petty bribes totaling annually a whopping $4.8 billion for services they are entitled to, a quarter of which are for admission to schools and hospitals.
6. India ranks 104th in the Index of Economic Freedom, published by Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal.
7. India ranks 120th in the world on Doing Business according to World Bank report.
8. In respect of ease in opening business India ranks 111th and in closing business it ranks 137th.
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9. India is at the 177th position in the Index of enforcement of contracts.
10. In multiple Taxes Index India ranks 165th.
11. India’s fiscal deficit remains over 6% of GDP, which is a crisis level in most countries.
12. Subsidies are still 14% of GDP, of which half are non merit subsidies without redeeming social virtues.
Those who marvel at the development syndrome mentioned in the beginning would say, ‘ why be a spoil sport. Look around and you see progress. And once development at the current rate continues the ills mentioned will reduce or will be attended to. Let us first make the pie larger. Tickle down will happen, etc., etc., “
Without in any way belittling what is being achieved and undermining the trickle down theory, look at those who have not been touched with progress during the last six decades.
Sainath in his thought provoking book “ Everybody loves a drought “ ( for which this year he won Magsasay Award ) details the pitiful plight of those living in the fringes, in far off places.
1. No electricity
2. No drinking water and hence has to trek ten to twenty miles for water each day.
3. No schools ( teacher absenteeism and children being needed for work to eke out a living )
4. No hospitals ( and where it is available one has to pay for doctors who attend to only in their private clinics and seek payment for medicines )
5. In most cases per day income of a person is less than Rs. 10
6. Permanently in debt to the money lender with usurious rate of interest often leading to land being taken away by money lenders. – 33 -
7. There is nothing like ration card.
8. Money earmarked for ousting people for projects not reaching the ousted people.
The above list is only illustrative and not exhaustive.
No political party has done hardly anything to improve their plight. Even NGOs find it difficult to improve their lot, since NGOs have to take on the mighty establishment. Yet very few migrate to towns and cities in search of jobs, since for most of them towns are unknown places where they would be lost. What is then their hope. Will anything SHINE form the in the future also?
XIII. ZANIA’S TRAVAILS
1. It is not an easy decision for an acclaimed sports person, who is quite young and at the zenith of the career to take a decision not to participate in a match, which is both prestigious and with hefty reward for the winner.
2. From he above one could gauge the tremendous anguish of Sania at the insults hurled at her and a case filed before the court alleging that she has insulted the national flag. Her short dress has become an issue, when it is the norm in the games, her inadvertent showing of legs at the back of national flag has been made out of proportion as an insult to the national honour and some of her other innocuous statements on sex has been twisted, some of her statements have been twisted and some attributed to her were not factual.
3. Factors, such as, that she is quite young and her actions / statements should be evaluated from the point of view of her youth and that she achieved tremendous fame at the young
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age and within a short period time which would have made her heady, etc., were overlooked while considering even her mild demeanors. That her achievements in tennis has made the nation proud is yet another overlooked fact.
4. There have been some protests at the somewhat frivolous allegations made against her and making a mountain of a molehill, even assuming that her actions and statements could have been avoided. But the deafening silence of many, sports-persons, politicians, Ministers, feminists and other prominent persons at the above development, i.e., the young girl abandoning the game being piqued at her being made a target by some, is another fact to be noted. One wonders whether this would have been the stance in case the episode related a prominent cricket player or a male or a non Muslim.
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