Disclaimer: The events used in this story may have been historical but the persons referred to are purely imaginary and are used to put across a point of view. Any resemblance to any person living or dead maybe purely coincidental.
10-November-1984
"When an large tree is felled, the earth feels the shivers". The city of Delhi was still coming to terms about the assassination of the Prime Minister. There was a deathly silence about the state mourning observed and it was as if a lull before a storm. It is said, a lot about politics could be learned from the 'pan-wala' in Delhi and on one such occasion I overheard a guy warning his Sikh friend to shift out of Delhi to avoid any sort of back lash to the assassination. The Sikh guy was pretty cool about it and told his friend that he believes in the Government and they will be safe in Delhi. I smiled at this guy and said, "Am sorry to say, but I am impressed by your belief in the Government.. I would not risk my life, if I were you". I still remember his words "Hi.. you don't know me. I am Mr. Goldie Brar, I have lived my entire life in Delhi. This is my home. I would not leave my home just because some eccentric person assassinated the PM. I believe in India and will not leave Delhi" . I just smiled and left. I heard a few days later that Goldie was in the hospital nursing injuries. I thought I would pay a visit. I could not recognize the guy, it was clean shaven trim haired version of Goldie (Sikhs wear a turban and sport a beard). I said "kya hua?". He looked at me with stone cold eyes. After a few tense moments he spoke "Mohalle waale sagey nahi rahe.. unhone madat nahi ki. Meri biwi ka balatkaar hua and saalon ne usse kaat diya... koi aage nahi aaya bachane....saare chup chaap khade dekh rahe the..."
15-June-1990
"Kashmir void of pandits". The ethnic cleansing of the Kashmir valley has been complete. After series of violent deaths in the valley and eternal threat of militants, seeing no response by the state to protect them, the Kashmiri pandits have left the valley in millions and have settled in numerous refugee camps in Jammu and near the national capital. The pandits are so shattered by the experience that they do not intend to return. It is a sad narrative for our diverse country which was proud of its mixed heritage.
7- December -1992
I was traveling with a group of people from Lucknow to Delhi using the state transport bus. I remember I boarded the bus in a tense atmosphere. Almost everyone in the bus was secretly talking about what happened the evening before when a huge army of kar-sevaks demolished a 450 year old Babri masjid stoking fuel into the communal fire. Lucknow had been tense all day. The chief minister had resigned owing moral responsibility and the entire state was tense. Unable to continue my trip, I planned to return to Delhi. It was a quiet and chilly December night and almost everyone on the bus was awake and talking under their breath. After we crossed the city limits, the bus took a detour for a break for the drivers to have some tea. I remember it was 1:00 am and I was out of the bus to buy some cigarettes. All of a sudden, a police jeep arrived and 2 men wearing saffron head gear got off the jeep. They inquired about the people in the bus and picked out the 3 Muslim gentlemen sitting at the back of the bus. They literally dragged them out and put them in the jeep and drove away. None of us spoke or asked the men about their behavior. We just let a few of us be picked up based on religious profile and we moved on with our journey as if nothing happened. I remember the looks on the faces of these men. There was fear and surrender. As if they knew that they would not be alive and were the city fleeing to save their lives, but fate had caught up. I remember one guy was tugging onto my shirt as if to say "please save me...".. I stood there cold to the fact that I let it happen before my eyes and did not stop or protest. I read in the newspapers a few days later that "3 Muslim youth, Rizwan, Shafi and Noora were severely beaten up and left for dead on Lucknow - Delhi Highway. Police suspects hate crime"
10-January-1993
Today was just another day at work, yet it was very different. Everyone was talking in whispers and even though no one said it, it was very evident that entire city of Bombay was saying a silent prayer. It was almost a month ago that this city had seen a communal riot and today some politicians were planning to revive the communal sentiments by sharp and crude editorials in their political mouth piece. Everyone was worried about how the administration was going to stop violence this time. It was a theme in Bombay that was hard to miss. Every political party turned a blind eye and let the city burn the last time around; will it be repeated. The trains were running empty in the evening. I saw a mob chase a woman and her two young girls with sticks and swords. I shuddered but stayed quiet, it was not a moment for bravado but for survival instinct to kick in. Sometimes you need to be oblivious to your surroundings so that you can survive. The next morning several people were gathered around our building and were discussing something animatedly. Turns out, Dr. Khalid Ahmed of our locality was brutally thrashed and his wife and girls were massacred near the railway crossing. The mob had burned down his house and his clinic. We were all sad about the event that a very learned doctor and a philanthropist had to face this eventuality. He and his family (being well off) had always helped people in our locality and Dr. Ahmed was known for his free medical help to poor and needy. It was a cruel joke that at his hour of need, no one helped him out.
14-March-1993
"Blasts rock the financial capital Bombay". As many as 13 blasts occurred at various locations killing at least 200 people and injuring scores of them. So far no one seems to know who could have targeted the city in such a big way. Police sources say (anonymously) the blasts were an act of revenge for the communal riots that had gripped the city few months ago.
28-February-2002
News spread in Ahmadabad that a train carrying kar-sewaks was burned down at Godhra (few hundred kilometers from Ahmadabad) and several people had died in the tragedy. The news spread like wildfire in Gujarat and there was simultaneous out pour of agony and sympathy. Some right wing groups vowed revenge for the massacre. Two days later, I was travelling to Delhi from Ahmadabad on a train. The station was packed to the limit and many people were travelling without luggage. Most of them had a look of fear. Last night, a mob of right wing activists had burned down a large township near Ahmadabad and killed around 400 people. The mob was looking to kill minorities and assaulted to kill anyone who tried to protect them. I met several people whose near and dear ones were killed /maimed/ burned in front of them just because they were from minority community or had sought to aid them. Most people I met, vowed never to return to Ahmadabad........
26-May-2005
"Mumbai shook by twin blasts". Gateway of India and Zaveri bazaar rocked!! Police suspect communal harted to be the motive. So far 6 people have died and 20 injured.
12-July-2006
Serial blasts in the suburban train network killing almost 150 people with several hundreds injured. First class compartments were the target of the conspirators. Tiffin containers and office bags were used to plant the bombs in the trains. Police receive anonymous e-mail suggesting that the blasts were in retaliation of the Gujarat massacre few years ago.
Year 2008
Blasts have been a norm this year. The Union minister for home affairs faced a volley of tough questions today. First it was Samjautha express, then Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad); then Ajmer Sharif; then Bangalore (twin blasts) and lastly Ahmadabad (28 blasts). In all the cases several youths of minority community have been arrested and have been in the jail for almost six months. There has been no progress on any of these cases and the media reports suggest that most arrests made by the authorities have been eye wash to show some action has been taken. The minister facing flak for inaction has blamed fundamentalism for the latest surge in violent attacks.
For most of us, these are the news items over the past 25 years collected and chronicled, but for scores of us, these were life changing events. These were events during which we as a country have failed our citizen. We allowed the use of religion to stoke passions. We allowed the use of state force to torture and kill some of us. In some cases by active participation and in most cases by passive support, we have reduced a united India to look more and more divided with every passing day. Some political parties allowed the massacre to allow their foot soldiers vent their anger and the rest of us don't want to look like appeasing the minorities so we turned a blind eye and do not take up their cause. Event after event it has been more and more clear that lack of closure for the communal riots of the past have motivated the youths of this country to indulge in terrorism. Indians are not new to attacks by terrorists from the neighbourhood, but now Indians were attacking each other using terror as a platform. Instead of applying a soothing balm to old wounds by giving them legal recourse, political game of one upmanship and strong religious identity groups don't allow the normal course of justice. In most cases the investigation is stifled as it begins to lead to the doors of some high flying minister. Instead, we use these events to fester old wounds and create the atmosphere for the next terrorist attack. It is a vicious cycle and all of us are to blame for it. We use politics to shield the people who indulge in communalising the society and this in-turn allows fringe groups to attack our cities in the name of avenging the wrong doings. We are unknowingly doing this and every time there is a blast or an attack on our cities we wonder, "Why do these people not let us live in peace"... Instead, we must hang our head in shame that we have always failed our fellow citizen in the hour of need. Someone has to stop this cycle of violence and start the cycle of re-conciliation. We need a statesman.. now more than ever.
So long.......
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
If the Lord could speak.....
In the midst of all the politicking about black, white and grey monies, comes bolt out of the blue. A relatively unheard of temple in Kerala is coughing up $20 billion in gold coins and ornaments. The valuation does not include the antique pricing which might go upto 4 times this value. All of sudden, Sree Ananthapadhbanabha Swamy temple is the richest in India (maybe in the entire world). This had brought a sharp focus on the ways in which we donate to our temples and the way these funds are utilized.
I am taking into account the fact that any money saved by me for a rainy day comes under the wide ambit of tax laws. If I pledge that I have stashed away the funds for investment under various sections of tax laws that govern our country, I am allowed only after providing the tax authority of ample proof that I am indeed complying to my pledge. Even then, the proceeds of my investment (interest earned / capital gains ) are taxed as they are "income" generated from my funds. In short, if we are honest in declaring what we own, we end up paying more rather than being incentivised for honest compliance. In this context, if I choose not to earn any money; instead I invest in building say a temple / church / masjid / gurudwara etc. or become a patron of one, I have access to unending wealth and no tax :) A win - win situation to be in. I would like to state at the very beginning that I have high respect for the priests / pastors /maulavis / granthi who have make a meagre living in some place of worship in a remote area, I have a bone to pick with the very famous temples and other places of worship which are tourist attractions and have yearly turnovers which could shame many business houses around the world. I feel they live a life of plenty where they are expected to use the proceeds for charitable causes.
Add to this the presence of godmen in our country is more a bane than a boon. Anyone who is anyone makes a business of "belief in the Almighty" and mints money. Worse, they earn always in cash and its next to impossible to audit the proceeds that they generate. Refer to the Ramdev saga where an almost good for nothing person is making billions selling dreams to millions of people. Today this guy has the balls to give sermons to all of us on black money without considering the sham of yoga and ayurvedic medicine, under which he mints billions every year. Consider the press stories (which are being hushed up) of crores of rupees and almost 100 kg gold recovered from the chambers of the late Baba of Puttaparthi. In the case of baba, to be fair to him, he had built many hospitals and educational institutions in which education and health care was provided at low cost for everyone (irrespective of religion). So in a way, what he earned by being a Godman, he returned to society in his own ways. I only question the extent of mismanagement of funds now that he is no more. Is it fair to allow these men run amuck with looting the money people donated for charity and not even paying taxes on them. Why should certain good for nothing people become rich from the proceeds of charity and the poor man is still on the streets starving due to lack of food and dying because of lack of shelter and access to health care. How different are these godmen and religious trusts different from the politicians who loot the taxes that we contribute towards the expenses to be made for us.
Why should not there be an audit of funds by private firms ordered by the Government on the utilization of funds for the purpose of charity by these religious trusts Why should we let them have a free hand "in the name of God" so that they continue making money in his name and add on the black money generated in India. If the Lord Almighty could speak, am sure he would say "take care of my people and don't let any person die because of lack of means.. rather than build grand places of worship in gold and precious stones in my name" . I am sure honoring the life that he created would be better than studding his image with precious ornaments. In the end, bringing a smile on the faces of the have-nots should be termed higher than donating to these godmen because you maybe feeding a system that creates huge amount of black money. In the end...... the Travencore King can't wash his hands off the trust he heads by saying "It is God's money", as chief patrons its also his job to see that its being used for God's work.
So long.....
I am taking into account the fact that any money saved by me for a rainy day comes under the wide ambit of tax laws. If I pledge that I have stashed away the funds for investment under various sections of tax laws that govern our country, I am allowed only after providing the tax authority of ample proof that I am indeed complying to my pledge. Even then, the proceeds of my investment (interest earned / capital gains ) are taxed as they are "income" generated from my funds. In short, if we are honest in declaring what we own, we end up paying more rather than being incentivised for honest compliance. In this context, if I choose not to earn any money; instead I invest in building say a temple / church / masjid / gurudwara etc. or become a patron of one, I have access to unending wealth and no tax :) A win - win situation to be in. I would like to state at the very beginning that I have high respect for the priests / pastors /maulavis / granthi who have make a meagre living in some place of worship in a remote area, I have a bone to pick with the very famous temples and other places of worship which are tourist attractions and have yearly turnovers which could shame many business houses around the world. I feel they live a life of plenty where they are expected to use the proceeds for charitable causes.
Add to this the presence of godmen in our country is more a bane than a boon. Anyone who is anyone makes a business of "belief in the Almighty" and mints money. Worse, they earn always in cash and its next to impossible to audit the proceeds that they generate. Refer to the Ramdev saga where an almost good for nothing person is making billions selling dreams to millions of people. Today this guy has the balls to give sermons to all of us on black money without considering the sham of yoga and ayurvedic medicine, under which he mints billions every year. Consider the press stories (which are being hushed up) of crores of rupees and almost 100 kg gold recovered from the chambers of the late Baba of Puttaparthi. In the case of baba, to be fair to him, he had built many hospitals and educational institutions in which education and health care was provided at low cost for everyone (irrespective of religion). So in a way, what he earned by being a Godman, he returned to society in his own ways. I only question the extent of mismanagement of funds now that he is no more. Is it fair to allow these men run amuck with looting the money people donated for charity and not even paying taxes on them. Why should certain good for nothing people become rich from the proceeds of charity and the poor man is still on the streets starving due to lack of food and dying because of lack of shelter and access to health care. How different are these godmen and religious trusts different from the politicians who loot the taxes that we contribute towards the expenses to be made for us.
Why should not there be an audit of funds by private firms ordered by the Government on the utilization of funds for the purpose of charity by these religious trusts Why should we let them have a free hand "in the name of God" so that they continue making money in his name and add on the black money generated in India. If the Lord Almighty could speak, am sure he would say "take care of my people and don't let any person die because of lack of means.. rather than build grand places of worship in gold and precious stones in my name" . I am sure honoring the life that he created would be better than studding his image with precious ornaments. In the end, bringing a smile on the faces of the have-nots should be termed higher than donating to these godmen because you maybe feeding a system that creates huge amount of black money. In the end...... the Travencore King can't wash his hands off the trust he heads by saying "It is God's money", as chief patrons its also his job to see that its being used for God's work.
So long.....
Monday, May 16, 2011
Is His Excellency the Governor crazy ???
Hans Raj Bharadwaj, His Excellency the Governor of Karnataka is in the news again. News report suggest that the Governor has taken into account the recent events and recommended the Karnataka Assembly to be kept in "suspended animation". The BJP is up in arms against the Governor and the Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is planning a dharna outside Raj Bhavan. Soli Sorabjee (former attorney general of India) has called this move by the Governor as arbitrary and accused him of acting partisan and behaviour not worthy of the head of state. All this furore has brought sharp focus on the role of Governor and a basic question, should the head of state be a mute spectator if the executive is running a poor show? If the CM is running the government at the pleasure of the Governor, should the CM be allowed to foul mouth the Governor. If the same thing happens at the Centre, will we all abuse the President of India? These are all valid questions and needs introspection. In the end, if the Governor cannot act as a checks and balance to the working of Chief Minister then probably we do not need a head of state. Let the CM be supreme authority. Else, lets respect the chair of the Governor and not foul mouth it in public.
Let me come to the particular problem. Soli Sorabjee (with no due respect) is losing it. He is called upon by the news channels as a constitutional expert but arrives always on behalf of his client, B.S. Yeddyurappa. People should know that he appeared on behalf of the Government of Karnataka in the High court to justify arbitrary disqualification of 16 BJP members of legislative assembly by the Speaker of Karnataka Assembly. The Government (i.e CM and the Speaker) received strictures from the Supreme court for not following procedures and not following path of natural justice. Even then, Soli Sorabjee had a blinkered view that everything Yeddy does is the right way forward. Even now, he stands by his client. Moving on, let me take you through the 3 years of BJP rule in Karnataka and at the end of it I would like to ask, was the Governor arbitrary?
In May 2008, the BJP got its first government in south Indian state of Karnataka. B.S. Yeddy rode on the sympathy wave caused by "breach of trust" by ex-CM Kumarswamy which led to mid-term polls. Since then, in the last 3 years, Karnataka has hardly seen the CM in control. For first 3 months, Anant Kumar (BJP MP, Bangalore South) was breathing down his neck as he wanted to be the CM of first BJP Government of Karnataka. Somehow, Yeddy convinced the Delhi leadership that if the BJP wanted to get Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, they must let him be the CM for at least a year. He got a breather. In 2009, Nort-east Karnataka saw the worst floods which affected 5 districts and completely destroyed several villages. People were living in camps and roadsides with no food or water. Yeddy decided on "padyatra" to ask for donations for flood relief and the people of Karnataka donated generously. The CM raised 500 crores in 10 days and got a relief package of 1500 crores from centre. Midway through the padyatra, Reddy brothers began the strangle hold on Yeddy and the CM cancelled his plans to bring on flood relief. Yeddy was in Delhi for next 45 days trying to save his Government. Imagine, the state without a CM for 45days when it is facing worst floods. On 46th day, Yeddy appeared on TV weeping that he had to sacrifice Shobha Karandlaje (minister in his cabinet) in order to save his Government. He could not find tears for people who lost their life, property, near/dear ones in the floods but he sure cried for his friend and colleague.
The Government was saved. No one knows what happened to the 500 crore that he raised from public donations. In the next 3 months, the office of the CM, several of his ministers were dragged into illegal mining controversy and the CM agreed that he was arm twisted by Reddy brothers into allowing it. The Supreme Court brought a ban on mining in Karnataka because the CM was helpless in stopping it. There were several allegations of illegal land denotification by the CM to favour his family and relatives. Interestingly, he agreed to doing it and said he was following his predecessor (isn't A.Raja in Tihar Jail for same reasons :P ). Again he was seen weeping on TV citing his limitations and asking people to indulge him. Meanwhile, Yeddy has been buying loyalties of Reddy brothers by giving them plump ministerial portfolios. Reddy brothers are bankrolling elections in Karnataka by "operation Lotus" where-in they make legislators from JD-S and Congress resign their seats in-lieu of 30 crores cash and surety of getting them re-elected on a BJP ticket. This has helped BJP increase its tally from 108 /224 in May 2008 to 121/224 in May 2011. Awesome operation indeed. Again in October 2010, Yeddy faced fresh rebellion from 16 MLAs and was asked to prove his majority on the floor by H.E. the Governor. Yeddy won the vote but not without a little help from the Speaker who randomly disqualified the 16 MLAs and did not allow them to vote. For last 6 months, the Lokayukta of Karnataka is building a case to prosecute Yeddy and Reddys for illegal mining and illegal denotification.
The last nail in the coffin was the Supreme court strictures and reversal of disqualification of the 16 MLAs by the Speaker. Now, if the Governor fires Yeddy, it cannot be called arbitrary. If I were Yeddy, I would thank His Excellency profusely for putting me out of my misery and allow President's rule. When next elections are announced, go to the people and ask for a bigger mandate and rub salts on the wounds of Congress. The BJP as usual is trying to resuscitate a Government in coma. If they save it today, in 6 months there will be fresh rebellion. Who are the losers?? the people of Karnataka. They deserve a Government who serves them but they have a CM who is forever trying to save his chair and fight the Governor. Please pull the plug and end this charade. Seek a fresh mandate without the money power of Reddys if you really want to govern. Else continue this path of perpetual confrontation and lose the next election miserably as you will not have any achievement to show for.
So long.....
Let me come to the particular problem. Soli Sorabjee (with no due respect) is losing it. He is called upon by the news channels as a constitutional expert but arrives always on behalf of his client, B.S. Yeddyurappa. People should know that he appeared on behalf of the Government of Karnataka in the High court to justify arbitrary disqualification of 16 BJP members of legislative assembly by the Speaker of Karnataka Assembly. The Government (i.e CM and the Speaker) received strictures from the Supreme court for not following procedures and not following path of natural justice. Even then, Soli Sorabjee had a blinkered view that everything Yeddy does is the right way forward. Even now, he stands by his client. Moving on, let me take you through the 3 years of BJP rule in Karnataka and at the end of it I would like to ask, was the Governor arbitrary?
In May 2008, the BJP got its first government in south Indian state of Karnataka. B.S. Yeddy rode on the sympathy wave caused by "breach of trust" by ex-CM Kumarswamy which led to mid-term polls. Since then, in the last 3 years, Karnataka has hardly seen the CM in control. For first 3 months, Anant Kumar (BJP MP, Bangalore South) was breathing down his neck as he wanted to be the CM of first BJP Government of Karnataka. Somehow, Yeddy convinced the Delhi leadership that if the BJP wanted to get Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, they must let him be the CM for at least a year. He got a breather. In 2009, Nort-east Karnataka saw the worst floods which affected 5 districts and completely destroyed several villages. People were living in camps and roadsides with no food or water. Yeddy decided on "padyatra" to ask for donations for flood relief and the people of Karnataka donated generously. The CM raised 500 crores in 10 days and got a relief package of 1500 crores from centre. Midway through the padyatra, Reddy brothers began the strangle hold on Yeddy and the CM cancelled his plans to bring on flood relief. Yeddy was in Delhi for next 45 days trying to save his Government. Imagine, the state without a CM for 45days when it is facing worst floods. On 46th day, Yeddy appeared on TV weeping that he had to sacrifice Shobha Karandlaje (minister in his cabinet) in order to save his Government. He could not find tears for people who lost their life, property, near/dear ones in the floods but he sure cried for his friend and colleague.
The Government was saved. No one knows what happened to the 500 crore that he raised from public donations. In the next 3 months, the office of the CM, several of his ministers were dragged into illegal mining controversy and the CM agreed that he was arm twisted by Reddy brothers into allowing it. The Supreme Court brought a ban on mining in Karnataka because the CM was helpless in stopping it. There were several allegations of illegal land denotification by the CM to favour his family and relatives. Interestingly, he agreed to doing it and said he was following his predecessor (isn't A.Raja in Tihar Jail for same reasons :P ). Again he was seen weeping on TV citing his limitations and asking people to indulge him. Meanwhile, Yeddy has been buying loyalties of Reddy brothers by giving them plump ministerial portfolios. Reddy brothers are bankrolling elections in Karnataka by "operation Lotus" where-in they make legislators from JD-S and Congress resign their seats in-lieu of 30 crores cash and surety of getting them re-elected on a BJP ticket. This has helped BJP increase its tally from 108 /224 in May 2008 to 121/224 in May 2011. Awesome operation indeed. Again in October 2010, Yeddy faced fresh rebellion from 16 MLAs and was asked to prove his majority on the floor by H.E. the Governor. Yeddy won the vote but not without a little help from the Speaker who randomly disqualified the 16 MLAs and did not allow them to vote. For last 6 months, the Lokayukta of Karnataka is building a case to prosecute Yeddy and Reddys for illegal mining and illegal denotification.
The last nail in the coffin was the Supreme court strictures and reversal of disqualification of the 16 MLAs by the Speaker. Now, if the Governor fires Yeddy, it cannot be called arbitrary. If I were Yeddy, I would thank His Excellency profusely for putting me out of my misery and allow President's rule. When next elections are announced, go to the people and ask for a bigger mandate and rub salts on the wounds of Congress. The BJP as usual is trying to resuscitate a Government in coma. If they save it today, in 6 months there will be fresh rebellion. Who are the losers?? the people of Karnataka. They deserve a Government who serves them but they have a CM who is forever trying to save his chair and fight the Governor. Please pull the plug and end this charade. Seek a fresh mandate without the money power of Reddys if you really want to govern. Else continue this path of perpetual confrontation and lose the next election miserably as you will not have any achievement to show for.
So long.....
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Isn't it pure justice.. ?
Remember the scene from the Godfather wherein the Godfather (Marlon Brando) is sitting on a chair listening to Bonasera (the undertaker) who is narrating the woeful tale of how these bunch of young boys molested his young, beautiful daughter and when faced with resistance, disfigured her face. Bonasera is seen pleading with the Godfather to kill these boys so that his daughter gets justice and the Godfather says "its not justice, your daughter is still alive"; to which Bonasera replies "let them suffer then, as she suffers".
Tom Hanks says to Meg Ryan in the movie "You've got mail", "The Godfather is the answer to all the problems we face in our life. Every line is so powerful and so practical". In fact, he is true to a large extent. Today, Indian judiciary is faced with this peculiar problem of how to deal with serial rapists and what quantum of punishment would act as necessary deterrent for such crimes. The jury is still out on this but the initial response we get from women's right activists is not very encouraging. The Delhi high court observed, "We should seriously think of medical castration as suitable punitive action for people convicted of serial rapes and child molestation. The crime is serious and warrants for harsher punishments than the ones prescribed currently by law". Within the next few days, everyone who is anyone had an opinion on this and 90% of the opinions were against "Talibanism" and felt that civil society could not be cruel and could not maim or kill a convict in rape cases (even child rapes). People strongly felt that current punishment was harsh enough and we must raise the conviction rates rather than plea for harsher punishments.
I am willing to concede a partial point, that being, we must increase the conviction rates. The point I cannot accept is, our current quantum of punishments are sufficient to act as a deterrent and serve as "justice done". Let us apply the "Godfather rule" to this to verify. Consider a situation wherein a little girl 5-6 years of age is sitting at her home playing wither her barbie doll. Her neighbour "uncle" whom she has seen for so long day in and day out or say her father with whom she lives or say her uncle or say cousin brother (someone from her circle of trust) comes into the house. Taking notice that the girl is alone at home, proceeds to sexually molest her (with/without amounting to rape). This can be more than one persons too (gang rape). If the girl dies, its a simple case for the judge to award the death sentence /life imprisonment to the accused and the little girl is also out of the trauma once and for all. In the sad eventuality that the girl survives, the trauma lives with her for her entire life. Besides the physical pain that is endured by grown men sexually exploiting a child; since these were from her "circle of trust", the trauma increases manifold. She will never trust another person in her life. She will grow up into this un trusting individual who can never enjoy physical intimacy with any man she loves because of her traumatic past. In short, her entire life is affected by the lusty and criminal acts of few irresponsible men. In return, what punishment does the society prescribe for these men (if they are convicted eventually), a maximum of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Many cases, the conviction doesn't happen as our current laws have many loopholes and the victim breaks down in the court of law as her trauma is being used against her. The accused are set free to repeat this with another little girl and yet another life is destroyed. How can this be "justice done"??? The payoff for crimes against women and children is so high that more and more people find it a safe crime and indulge in it.
The sad part is, the moment someone suggests to make the payoff so less that people are scared to commit crimes against women, the women rights activists term them barbaric and Talibanism. Well sometimes, we have to put the fear of permanent damage into the minds of rapists. Why should our mothers, sisters and daughters stay home and not be able to travel independently because of the fear of being attacked and sexually assaulted by these 'beasts' and in turn these 'beasts' should not have a fear of permanent damage to their life in case they try indulging in crime against women. We are okay with our women folk and children living in perpetual fear but are not ready to put the fear of "justice" into the minds of these assaulters. I know death sentence would not be justice but like the Godfather says "let them suffer as she suffers". At some point of time, we have to look for options like medical castration and social disgrace and boycott as viable options for people indulging in heinous crimes against women and children. Lets make the society free from fear of being assaulted, pursued and attacked just because you happen to be a woman or a defenseless child. We as a society owe it to them more than trying to be fair to people indulging in crimes against them. Lets take the Delhi high court's observations seriously and come up with harsher punitive actions against serial rapists.
So long....
Tom Hanks says to Meg Ryan in the movie "You've got mail", "The Godfather is the answer to all the problems we face in our life. Every line is so powerful and so practical". In fact, he is true to a large extent. Today, Indian judiciary is faced with this peculiar problem of how to deal with serial rapists and what quantum of punishment would act as necessary deterrent for such crimes. The jury is still out on this but the initial response we get from women's right activists is not very encouraging. The Delhi high court observed, "We should seriously think of medical castration as suitable punitive action for people convicted of serial rapes and child molestation. The crime is serious and warrants for harsher punishments than the ones prescribed currently by law". Within the next few days, everyone who is anyone had an opinion on this and 90% of the opinions were against "Talibanism" and felt that civil society could not be cruel and could not maim or kill a convict in rape cases (even child rapes). People strongly felt that current punishment was harsh enough and we must raise the conviction rates rather than plea for harsher punishments.
I am willing to concede a partial point, that being, we must increase the conviction rates. The point I cannot accept is, our current quantum of punishments are sufficient to act as a deterrent and serve as "justice done". Let us apply the "Godfather rule" to this to verify. Consider a situation wherein a little girl 5-6 years of age is sitting at her home playing wither her barbie doll. Her neighbour "uncle" whom she has seen for so long day in and day out or say her father with whom she lives or say her uncle or say cousin brother (someone from her circle of trust) comes into the house. Taking notice that the girl is alone at home, proceeds to sexually molest her (with/without amounting to rape). This can be more than one persons too (gang rape). If the girl dies, its a simple case for the judge to award the death sentence /life imprisonment to the accused and the little girl is also out of the trauma once and for all. In the sad eventuality that the girl survives, the trauma lives with her for her entire life. Besides the physical pain that is endured by grown men sexually exploiting a child; since these were from her "circle of trust", the trauma increases manifold. She will never trust another person in her life. She will grow up into this un trusting individual who can never enjoy physical intimacy with any man she loves because of her traumatic past. In short, her entire life is affected by the lusty and criminal acts of few irresponsible men. In return, what punishment does the society prescribe for these men (if they are convicted eventually), a maximum of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Many cases, the conviction doesn't happen as our current laws have many loopholes and the victim breaks down in the court of law as her trauma is being used against her. The accused are set free to repeat this with another little girl and yet another life is destroyed. How can this be "justice done"??? The payoff for crimes against women and children is so high that more and more people find it a safe crime and indulge in it.
The sad part is, the moment someone suggests to make the payoff so less that people are scared to commit crimes against women, the women rights activists term them barbaric and Talibanism. Well sometimes, we have to put the fear of permanent damage into the minds of rapists. Why should our mothers, sisters and daughters stay home and not be able to travel independently because of the fear of being attacked and sexually assaulted by these 'beasts' and in turn these 'beasts' should not have a fear of permanent damage to their life in case they try indulging in crime against women. We are okay with our women folk and children living in perpetual fear but are not ready to put the fear of "justice" into the minds of these assaulters. I know death sentence would not be justice but like the Godfather says "let them suffer as she suffers". At some point of time, we have to look for options like medical castration and social disgrace and boycott as viable options for people indulging in heinous crimes against women and children. Lets make the society free from fear of being assaulted, pursued and attacked just because you happen to be a woman or a defenseless child. We as a society owe it to them more than trying to be fair to people indulging in crimes against them. Lets take the Delhi high court's observations seriously and come up with harsher punitive actions against serial rapists.
So long....
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Machismo?? Why can't I fly like Superman !!!
I just happened to watch "the Dark Knight" and it gave this sudden adrenalin rush about being a arbiter of justice and putting my "physical strength" to better use. It usually happens to me when I watch superhero movies, I tend to oversimplify things and get into an imaginary world where no logic resides. Things happen as I want them to be and I solve many a problems that plague our society, "single handedly". I behave for a while like Superman without a cape and am filled with this new found machismo. Soon enough, the effect of the movie wears-off, and I return to a world with realities and hard facts. This happens to all of us and the trick is, to always remind yourself that the effect of the movie will wear off soon, meanwhile not to do "stupid things" that we might have to regret for the rest of our lives.
We Indians suffer from this syndrome more than anyone else. Maybe, its because we have never felt "power" in reality and hence we continue in this imaginary world where we have power to change anything and everything. Every time we find ourselves in a bad place, we, as a nation, look to our certain neighbour and say out aloud "At least we are better off than them. Look at that mess". There are times however even this "being better off" syndrome doesn't help and that is the time we look for ways and means to be called a "WORLD POWER". Our media begins to pick out small news items from various parts of the world where someone, somehow and in some context said the following... "India is a global power". Then this news item will be broadcast with supporting theories that we are actually a world power. The reality is far from that, the moment "India- the world power" tries to flex its muscles to try and control an errant neighbour, we as a nation realise that we are a power as long as we don't actually exercises the power. Cos if we do, we will realise that our voice doesn't resonate enough in this world. We have to come out of that glamour effect and realise the reality that we do not have the clout to pull off adventures.
The latest adventure of Uncle Sam in our neighbourhood aka "Operation Geronimo" where-in the President of the USA authorised a small team to hunt down the dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden caught the imagination of Indians and sure enough we were caught in the "superhero" effect. People in India started suggesting the Government Of India start authorising such raids on India's most wanted living in our neighbourhood. We again started to hear comparisons saying they killed Bin Laden and yet we continue to feed Kasab in our prisons. India should emulate American way of hot pursuit on terrorists. Then as usual the BJP started with why is Afzal guru not hanged yet?? and the Congress responded saying why did we surrender terrorists in Kandhahar?? Sure enough the superhero effect will wear off and we will realise that we do not have the money / political / military clout to breach the airspace of a sovereign state and make them feel stupid rather than retaliate. Should we be expecting India to behave in a way Uncle Sam pursued Osama Bin laden?? I think its not the way we operate and every single time we equate India to America, remember one single thing. The US spent $1.3 trillion over 10 years to neutralise one person and marginally disrupt his network. The day India can spare that much money after its usual expenses on education, health care, upliftment of poor, social schemes, writing off farmer loans, upgrading infrastructure etc. we can surely bankroll our neighbour into allowing us the liberty of making them feel stupid. Until such a time, we need to stick to conventional means of pleading with others to talk sense to them. Our neighbour will not change, so maybe in 10 years time we will actually get this chance to embarass them. Until then, lets just watch the Americans pull off such daredevil acts and lets applaud the effort.
So long...
We Indians suffer from this syndrome more than anyone else. Maybe, its because we have never felt "power" in reality and hence we continue in this imaginary world where we have power to change anything and everything. Every time we find ourselves in a bad place, we, as a nation, look to our certain neighbour and say out aloud "At least we are better off than them. Look at that mess". There are times however even this "being better off" syndrome doesn't help and that is the time we look for ways and means to be called a "WORLD POWER". Our media begins to pick out small news items from various parts of the world where someone, somehow and in some context said the following... "India is a global power". Then this news item will be broadcast with supporting theories that we are actually a world power. The reality is far from that, the moment "India- the world power" tries to flex its muscles to try and control an errant neighbour, we as a nation realise that we are a power as long as we don't actually exercises the power. Cos if we do, we will realise that our voice doesn't resonate enough in this world. We have to come out of that glamour effect and realise the reality that we do not have the clout to pull off adventures.
The latest adventure of Uncle Sam in our neighbourhood aka "Operation Geronimo" where-in the President of the USA authorised a small team to hunt down the dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden caught the imagination of Indians and sure enough we were caught in the "superhero" effect. People in India started suggesting the Government Of India start authorising such raids on India's most wanted living in our neighbourhood. We again started to hear comparisons saying they killed Bin Laden and yet we continue to feed Kasab in our prisons. India should emulate American way of hot pursuit on terrorists. Then as usual the BJP started with why is Afzal guru not hanged yet?? and the Congress responded saying why did we surrender terrorists in Kandhahar?? Sure enough the superhero effect will wear off and we will realise that we do not have the money / political / military clout to breach the airspace of a sovereign state and make them feel stupid rather than retaliate. Should we be expecting India to behave in a way Uncle Sam pursued Osama Bin laden?? I think its not the way we operate and every single time we equate India to America, remember one single thing. The US spent $1.3 trillion over 10 years to neutralise one person and marginally disrupt his network. The day India can spare that much money after its usual expenses on education, health care, upliftment of poor, social schemes, writing off farmer loans, upgrading infrastructure etc. we can surely bankroll our neighbour into allowing us the liberty of making them feel stupid. Until such a time, we need to stick to conventional means of pleading with others to talk sense to them. Our neighbour will not change, so maybe in 10 years time we will actually get this chance to embarass them. Until then, lets just watch the Americans pull off such daredevil acts and lets applaud the effort.
So long...
Monday, May 2, 2011
Osama must die... but should we celebrate?
May 02 2011, the dawn that saw the end of most wanted terrorist on the face of the earth, i.e. Osama bin Laden. In the wee hours of 02 May, a small contingent of US forces conducted a raid using two army choppers and engaged the residents of a palatial house at Abbotabad. Couple of hours later, all the five residents were found dead and one among them was Osama bin Laden. The US forces took custody of the his remains and broke the news to their boss who was more than happy and congratulated them for a job well done. At 23:00 hours EDT, the world heard of the news from the US President Barack Obama about "justice done" after 9 1/2 years. The President was cautious and told his fellow Americans that the war on terror was not won as yet. This news brought large crowds of Americans into the streets of New York city and many other cities all around the US. People were seen celebrating the death of a terrorist who had inflicted a major damage to the US in recent history. Most politicians extended warm greetings to fellow Americans on this day of victory and joined in their celebration. This forced me to think, should we be so happy about this event? Have we, as a society become so vengeful that we celebrate the killing of people who have wronged the society. I can understand the families of people who died in the 9/11 carnage feeling a sense of justice, but celebrations were way over the top. It was a solemn event and I expected the President (whom I admire) to advice his countrymen that this was not an event to rejoice but an event to stand solidly behind the US Marines who are working so far away from home to bring those people to justice who wronged the Americans. It was an event to feel sorrow for the loss of another life and the irony that it was necessary in the larger interest of society. Rejoicing the event of death does not speak well of a civil society.
Ever seen a judge rejoice the event of awarding a death sentence to a convict? Even if the accused has committed a heinous crime that owes no leniency, the judge awards the death sentence only in "the rarest of the rare" case. It shows the sacredness that we attach to life, like the old adage "when ever blood is spilled, humanity dies". In a society, where justice that takes away the life of a convict is treated as a solemn event, public rejoicing of the killing of one's wrongdoers, seems a little barbaric. In any case, the fight against the scourge of terrorism did not start with Bin Laden nor will it end with him. It is a continuous process and has to carried out always. There are several layers to that fight and each one of us can contribute in a major way. The security forces should have to interfere only in extreme cases and we should be aware that lives will be lost in that eventuality; so it should never be the first response to terrorism. Terrorism breeds with the insecurity and one person's terrorist is another person's hero. This can be known from the facts that there was a huge following for the likes of Hitler, Bin Laden even though they authorised mass murders. So the problem are not these individuals, its their ideology. If we as a society have to defeat terrorism then its time we stop hunting down Bin Ladens and Al Zahawaris or radical religious groups. Pointed killings take a racial/ethnic/religious overtone and creates a mistrust among the society. If we have to defeat these groups, we have to defeat their ideology and to defeat an ideology, one has to bend a little to pick up the people around you. If we are too stubborn to bend or are not accommodating to other people's views, then this war on terrorism will be a perpetual one. I hope the better sense prevails among the leaders of the world after the demise of one of the most wanted terrorist and they use the event to reach out rather than to celebrate.
So long....
Ever seen a judge rejoice the event of awarding a death sentence to a convict? Even if the accused has committed a heinous crime that owes no leniency, the judge awards the death sentence only in "the rarest of the rare" case. It shows the sacredness that we attach to life, like the old adage "when ever blood is spilled, humanity dies". In a society, where justice that takes away the life of a convict is treated as a solemn event, public rejoicing of the killing of one's wrongdoers, seems a little barbaric. In any case, the fight against the scourge of terrorism did not start with Bin Laden nor will it end with him. It is a continuous process and has to carried out always. There are several layers to that fight and each one of us can contribute in a major way. The security forces should have to interfere only in extreme cases and we should be aware that lives will be lost in that eventuality; so it should never be the first response to terrorism. Terrorism breeds with the insecurity and one person's terrorist is another person's hero. This can be known from the facts that there was a huge following for the likes of Hitler, Bin Laden even though they authorised mass murders. So the problem are not these individuals, its their ideology. If we as a society have to defeat terrorism then its time we stop hunting down Bin Ladens and Al Zahawaris or radical religious groups. Pointed killings take a racial/ethnic/religious overtone and creates a mistrust among the society. If we have to defeat these groups, we have to defeat their ideology and to defeat an ideology, one has to bend a little to pick up the people around you. If we are too stubborn to bend or are not accommodating to other people's views, then this war on terrorism will be a perpetual one. I hope the better sense prevails among the leaders of the world after the demise of one of the most wanted terrorist and they use the event to reach out rather than to celebrate.
So long....
Monday, April 25, 2011
Hum to aise hi hain bhaiyya...
In Indian English we say, "We are like this only". This one line summarises all that is wrong with Indian mentality. It could be a culture shock for any person from an European or North American or even Asian background that Indians justify all their fault lines with one classic line "Hum to aise hi hain bhaiyya". This does not have to be inane habits like free loading, hard bargaining or even curious food habits, we Indians justify even many illegal activities (some criminal too) with this classic line. Apparently, this "sab chalta hain" attitude is not just unique to common citizens, it runs all through the power corridors; all through to grass root levels. Its shocking that sometimes we come across as very callous and inhuman because of this attitude, yet we happily harp on this "carefree" nature.
There are several examples I could state here to hammer in my point but I would stick to 4-5 points that affect us on a day to day basis. Firstly, we Indians suffer from a superiority complex that is very strange. Strange because at one end we pride ourselves calling our country among the poor countries and pass off all our failings with the following, ".... after all we are a poor country"; but at the same time we want the world to salute our cultural richness and we want to show that we are the only country rich with customs and traditions that go back 3000 years from today. We feel that this one argument (our cultural richness) should win us the crown of being the best country in the world. The fact being, most of the cultural richness has been lost in the past few centuries and we are left with being just brash prudes. We Indians, just want to be holier than thou and just do not see our own failings. Our Khap panchayats, caste system, untouchability, religious fanaticism, racism are legendary; but we pass them off as "..this is our custom for thousands of years". Fact being we are one of the most intolerant class of people to people different from us. We, in 2011 still live in ghettos and do not have a community system. We, still believe in killing our children and young adults who refuse to follow the archaic tradition of caste system and call it "honor killing". Even though we want to pass off as a modern society, we still treat our women as commodity and property. With so many failings, we still want to brag about our cultural richness.
Indians, along with Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are a select group of people who have very low respect for the rule of law. Everyone living in the subcontinent thinks he or she should be exempt from the rule of law. Most of us want to cut lines and processes put in place to expedite our work. To get this done, we are ready to pay off the authorities and/or politicians. We subvert the rules so often and in such high frequency that subversion of rules becomes a rule and compliance starts to look an exception.
Ex1: We are so used to eve-teasing and groping females on our transport system that if some woman stands up to the offender, she is asked not to make a "big fuss". Even her family asks her to change her routine or dress habits or to avoid taking public transport. We seem to have accepted eve teasing as a way of life rather than an offense.
Ex2: We are so used to corruption that if we find a police officer/ bureaucrat /politician who is upright, he stands out among the lot when in reality, it should be the other way around. We should have so many honest people in government service that the corrupt should stand out like a nail waiting to be hammered.
We like to spit on our roads; piss on our walls; be disrespectful to women; misuse public properties and if stopped we have the guts to ask "tere baap ka kya jata hain"... in other words, we have no sense of ownership of our country and are okay with our country going to the dogs as long as we are doing fine, making money and living a peaceful life.
We Indians, have never got out of the feudal mindset. We were ruled by kings and foreigners for so long that even with the advent of democracy, each authority has a feudal touch and every government organization is run like a personal fief. Very few regard that they are simply discharging the constitutional obligations of the chair or post they are holding and the authority they command is due to the chair and not to them personally. Long after demitting office, people continue to exert influence and want to remain drunk in power. This creates a VVIP culture that is unique to India, we continue to use official perks even after retirement, we hate to relinquish powers and always hang around the power corridors for bragging rights and influence. We have so many exceptions to the rules that it becomes impossible to implement any kind of security establishment without loop holes. Indians are unique in a way where a person breaking laws continuously is a sought after person for "jugaad" or his range of influence rather than being treated as a felon who should be behind bars.
Freeloading is another bad habit I hate in us Indians, we simply do not want to pay for the facilities we use. We want free goodies on the stuff we buy, we want tax benefits on the loans we take, we want cheap power, we want cheap fuels and the worst, we want a share in the social schemes meant for the poor and downtrodden. People wonder how after 64 years of independence we have so many poor in India. The reason is very simple. We have no qualms in using up the resources meant for the poor to become richer when they are dying by the hundreds everyday. Government of India provides for subsidized fuel, food grains, loans and even college education for the poor and downtrodden. In fact, no other country spends as much on upliftment of poor and on social schemes as the Government of India, and yet we are a poor country. That is because most of the subsidized fuel is used to drive the gas guzzling SUVs or is used by mafia to pilfering. The middle class, uses the food grains meant for use of the poor to cut their household costs; restaurant owners use the subsidized fuels and grains to cut operating costs, people use fake income certificates to usurp the rights of poor students to a decent college education. The result, the Government budget for social schemes keep inscreasing and the poor don't get an ounce of the proceeds. Its a viscious cycle and everyone is onto it. The lack of moral fibre in our society appals me. I feel sorry that we as a society have grown to be a bunch of free loaders who would rather use up some one else's resources for a better tomorrow than provide it to a poor and needy person who needs it today. We do all these things and then have the guts to be self righteous and preach morals and ethics to others.
Actually, Indians are one of the most industrious and smart people. We are good with numbers, we are agile to changes in the world and very very adaptive. We have so many qualities that help us win and most of these qualities come naturally to us. We just have to be little more civilized and little more in-tune to needs of others as compared to ourselves. We should stop using our rich culture as a shield to cover our failings as its amply clear, there are many aspects of our culture and tradition that would shame many a societies. We must be grounded with the thought that like most civilizations we have our pluses and minuses and with an eye to improve on our minuses, we have to keep making best use of our plus points. We should be Indians first and religion must take a back-seat always on your identity. Lets stop being proud of "hum to aise hi hain" and try and improve our society.
So long...
There are several examples I could state here to hammer in my point but I would stick to 4-5 points that affect us on a day to day basis. Firstly, we Indians suffer from a superiority complex that is very strange. Strange because at one end we pride ourselves calling our country among the poor countries and pass off all our failings with the following, ".... after all we are a poor country"; but at the same time we want the world to salute our cultural richness and we want to show that we are the only country rich with customs and traditions that go back 3000 years from today. We feel that this one argument (our cultural richness) should win us the crown of being the best country in the world. The fact being, most of the cultural richness has been lost in the past few centuries and we are left with being just brash prudes. We Indians, just want to be holier than thou and just do not see our own failings. Our Khap panchayats, caste system, untouchability, religious fanaticism, racism are legendary; but we pass them off as "..this is our custom for thousands of years". Fact being we are one of the most intolerant class of people to people different from us. We, in 2011 still live in ghettos and do not have a community system. We, still believe in killing our children and young adults who refuse to follow the archaic tradition of caste system and call it "honor killing". Even though we want to pass off as a modern society, we still treat our women as commodity and property. With so many failings, we still want to brag about our cultural richness.
Indians, along with Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are a select group of people who have very low respect for the rule of law. Everyone living in the subcontinent thinks he or she should be exempt from the rule of law. Most of us want to cut lines and processes put in place to expedite our work. To get this done, we are ready to pay off the authorities and/or politicians. We subvert the rules so often and in such high frequency that subversion of rules becomes a rule and compliance starts to look an exception.
Ex1: We are so used to eve-teasing and groping females on our transport system that if some woman stands up to the offender, she is asked not to make a "big fuss". Even her family asks her to change her routine or dress habits or to avoid taking public transport. We seem to have accepted eve teasing as a way of life rather than an offense.
Ex2: We are so used to corruption that if we find a police officer/ bureaucrat /politician who is upright, he stands out among the lot when in reality, it should be the other way around. We should have so many honest people in government service that the corrupt should stand out like a nail waiting to be hammered.
We like to spit on our roads; piss on our walls; be disrespectful to women; misuse public properties and if stopped we have the guts to ask "tere baap ka kya jata hain"... in other words, we have no sense of ownership of our country and are okay with our country going to the dogs as long as we are doing fine, making money and living a peaceful life.
We Indians, have never got out of the feudal mindset. We were ruled by kings and foreigners for so long that even with the advent of democracy, each authority has a feudal touch and every government organization is run like a personal fief. Very few regard that they are simply discharging the constitutional obligations of the chair or post they are holding and the authority they command is due to the chair and not to them personally. Long after demitting office, people continue to exert influence and want to remain drunk in power. This creates a VVIP culture that is unique to India, we continue to use official perks even after retirement, we hate to relinquish powers and always hang around the power corridors for bragging rights and influence. We have so many exceptions to the rules that it becomes impossible to implement any kind of security establishment without loop holes. Indians are unique in a way where a person breaking laws continuously is a sought after person for "jugaad" or his range of influence rather than being treated as a felon who should be behind bars.
Freeloading is another bad habit I hate in us Indians, we simply do not want to pay for the facilities we use. We want free goodies on the stuff we buy, we want tax benefits on the loans we take, we want cheap power, we want cheap fuels and the worst, we want a share in the social schemes meant for the poor and downtrodden. People wonder how after 64 years of independence we have so many poor in India. The reason is very simple. We have no qualms in using up the resources meant for the poor to become richer when they are dying by the hundreds everyday. Government of India provides for subsidized fuel, food grains, loans and even college education for the poor and downtrodden. In fact, no other country spends as much on upliftment of poor and on social schemes as the Government of India, and yet we are a poor country. That is because most of the subsidized fuel is used to drive the gas guzzling SUVs or is used by mafia to pilfering. The middle class, uses the food grains meant for use of the poor to cut their household costs; restaurant owners use the subsidized fuels and grains to cut operating costs, people use fake income certificates to usurp the rights of poor students to a decent college education. The result, the Government budget for social schemes keep inscreasing and the poor don't get an ounce of the proceeds. Its a viscious cycle and everyone is onto it. The lack of moral fibre in our society appals me. I feel sorry that we as a society have grown to be a bunch of free loaders who would rather use up some one else's resources for a better tomorrow than provide it to a poor and needy person who needs it today. We do all these things and then have the guts to be self righteous and preach morals and ethics to others.
Actually, Indians are one of the most industrious and smart people. We are good with numbers, we are agile to changes in the world and very very adaptive. We have so many qualities that help us win and most of these qualities come naturally to us. We just have to be little more civilized and little more in-tune to needs of others as compared to ourselves. We should stop using our rich culture as a shield to cover our failings as its amply clear, there are many aspects of our culture and tradition that would shame many a societies. We must be grounded with the thought that like most civilizations we have our pluses and minuses and with an eye to improve on our minuses, we have to keep making best use of our plus points. We should be Indians first and religion must take a back-seat always on your identity. Lets stop being proud of "hum to aise hi hain" and try and improve our society.
So long...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Not thus.. not thus..
I had promised myself to tone down the political rhetoric in my blog posts and take neutral subjects up for discussion but last night events pissed me off big time. Seriously, I have never been more angry than I was last night. It was just a news item I was watching and all of a sudden I began to unravel a pattern and (maybe it was overdue) I felt disgusted about all events surrounding us. Let me take names and shame some people today. Frankly, they deserve it and deserve it thoroughly. A few days ago, there was a major "uprising" of sorts with thousands of people "voluntarily" taking to the streets to rid India of corruption. Media called it "India's jasmine revolution" and went hammering on the points that modern India's most corrupt government was ruling at the centre (the United Progressive Alliance) and it was time to force the government to act against corruption and introduce stringent legislation to that effect. It was all over the news channels with TIMES NOW dedicating 90 minutes of its prime time to telecast LIVE from Jantar-Mantar where the people gathered to agitate against the government. In the days to follow many senior editors (print and electronic) criticized the kind of coverage the media gave to the agitators and did not provide any platform to the government to give a point of view. I vividly remember mention of Tahrir square and Gadaffi in a agitation of people against a "democratically" elected government. I was not sure what was the point Mr. Arnab Goswami (editor, TIMES NOW) was trying to hit at, after all India is not governed by a dictator and the present Government had received a fresh mandate not 18 months ago. So how is this a Tahrir square or Gadaffi's Libya ?
Before the advent of Anna Hazare and his crusade, TIMES NOW was after the CWG scam nailing Mr. Suresh Kalmadi (Congress leader), before that Adarsh society scam nailing Mr. Ashok Chavan (Congress CM), before that 2G spectrum scam nailing A. Raja (union minister for telecom). Yesterday, TIMES NOW ran an exclusive 1 hour program on how Pondicherry L-G Iqbal Singh (a nominated head of Union territory) used his office to get benefits for trusts run by his son and relatives when the rest of the channels were capturing a watershed moment in West Bengal politics (Mamata Banerjee crushing the Left front) Let me point out, Iqbal Singh was a Congress MP before he became the L-G of Pondicherry. In the Hasan Ali case (stashing crores of rupees in foreign banks), only the names of ex- congress CM and MPs are doing the rounds in the media. If we go by the views of Mr. Arnab Goswami, Congress is the single largest threat to India and most corrupt organization (political or otherwise). Maybe, Mr. Goswami, just like me was highly irritated of how blatantly politicians indulge in corruption today. Even more, they get away scot free most of the times and the money they launder is almost never recovered. Today, there is hardly any important politician who is not involved in corruption of one form or the other. If I may say, this scourge is so grave that people should not trivialise this and more importantly, not politicise it. However, the reality is far from this. Over past 4 months, I have seen TIMES NOW selectively pick out scams involving Congress ruled states. So there was CWG, 2G, Adarsh scam, Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan CM), Shiela Dixit (Delhi CM) and Iqbal Singh (L-G, Pondicherry) and more might come in the near future. However, the mining scam in Karnataka, de-notification of prime land by the CM of Karnataka, Operation LOTUS which involved in the Bellary Reddy bothers paying 20 non BJP elected representative a sum of Rs 30 crores to resign as MLAs and get re-elected on a BJP ticket, Madhya Pradesh Government giving away land at throw away prices or the Gujarat government's complicity in so many encounter killings failed to make the glorious list. Perhaps, these "little" scams were not honorable enough to be mentioned or maybe like Arun Jaitley says "they were not mother of all scams". My humble request to Mr. Arnab Goswami, the BJP politicians are trying their best and working overtime to get a honorable mention in your channel's so called crusade against political corruption. Don't let their entire effort go waste by covering up these scams and never mentioning them in your shows. They are sad because you and your channel never acknowledge their presence and have been talking only about Congress and the Congress-centric crusade. I do agree that Congress politicians have been most involved in scams, maybe because they have ruled the longest. That does not mean, we have to make this anti-corruption crusade an anti-congress crusade. Anna Hazare quotes the Mahatma and says "paap se grunha karo; paapi se nahi"; yet Arnab Goswami, Kejriwal, Bhushan(s) and even Anna Saheb seems to hate Kapil Sibal, Sonia Gandhi, Digvajay Singh and even Dr. Manmohan Singh more than the scourge called corruption. This is so noticeable that one cant help but see a political scheme behind this entire exercise which is threatening to take down the entire anti-corruption crusade. If it does, no one will ever trust any crusade and will be cynical of the fact that the most honorable intents in this country are politically motivated. Time to think right people. Chuck the media frenzy and put on your thinking hats.
This week started with the Bhushan(s) father-son duo being caught in malicious campaign for not being morally-fit to be in the panel drafting the Lokpal legislation. All of a sudden, we had everyone saying this is attempt to discredit them and their campaign, it is politically motivated and the Congress is behind this. Maybe they are, but can you blame them,? Over past 18 months, the opposition parties have realised that Dr. Manmohan Singh's non corruptable image is an asset for the Congress and they will be re-elected time and again on this plank. As a result, the opposition parties have gotten together with media houses and started this malicious campaign against Dr. Manmohan Singh. Time and again they have mentioned that he heads the most corrupt government of all times. Even his personal integrity was brought into question. Now I ask, does he deserve this? The PM has spent an entire life time building this image of honesty in politics and it took mere 6 months of malicious campaign to discredit him forever. Likewise Sonia Gandhi is targeted every time as a remote control or the real beneficiary of the corruption in 2G, CWG scams etc. These are honorable people who have never been personally involved in any wrong doing and have always taken action against anyone caught on the wrong foot. Political compulsions may delay the action by a bit, but it has happened always. Is it wise to discredit the PM and fight for the honor of Bhushan(s).
My submission, on the lines of most right thinking people in India, spreading a slander is easy, targeting politicians is very easy but building a reputation within politics is very difficult and Anna Hazare and rest of them must have realised that living a life of full public probity is very difficult. Anything and everything that you have done in this life will be used as a tool to defame you. In times like these, there are very few leaders who have a reputation of being incorruptible and our honorable PM, Dr Manmohan Singh is one of them. Let us use same amount of restraint while defaming politicians (no matter how cynical we are) as we might show in defaming any other person. Just because one is in politics, let him/her not be a fair game for all criticism and slander. Today, Mr. Shanti Bhushan and Mr. Prashant Bhushan realise, its easy to target individuals and give out sermons about impeccable integrity, its very difficult to be in public life and maintain sanity when you are the receiving end of politically motivated rumours and slanders. So if the same yardstick apply, I don't see the reason why the Bhushan(s) should continue in the draft panel. After all like Sharad Pawar, they are tainted too. Wat say Anna Saheb??
So long.....
Before the advent of Anna Hazare and his crusade, TIMES NOW was after the CWG scam nailing Mr. Suresh Kalmadi (Congress leader), before that Adarsh society scam nailing Mr. Ashok Chavan (Congress CM), before that 2G spectrum scam nailing A. Raja (union minister for telecom). Yesterday, TIMES NOW ran an exclusive 1 hour program on how Pondicherry L-G Iqbal Singh (a nominated head of Union territory) used his office to get benefits for trusts run by his son and relatives when the rest of the channels were capturing a watershed moment in West Bengal politics (Mamata Banerjee crushing the Left front) Let me point out, Iqbal Singh was a Congress MP before he became the L-G of Pondicherry. In the Hasan Ali case (stashing crores of rupees in foreign banks), only the names of ex- congress CM and MPs are doing the rounds in the media. If we go by the views of Mr. Arnab Goswami, Congress is the single largest threat to India and most corrupt organization (political or otherwise). Maybe, Mr. Goswami, just like me was highly irritated of how blatantly politicians indulge in corruption today. Even more, they get away scot free most of the times and the money they launder is almost never recovered. Today, there is hardly any important politician who is not involved in corruption of one form or the other. If I may say, this scourge is so grave that people should not trivialise this and more importantly, not politicise it. However, the reality is far from this. Over past 4 months, I have seen TIMES NOW selectively pick out scams involving Congress ruled states. So there was CWG, 2G, Adarsh scam, Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan CM), Shiela Dixit (Delhi CM) and Iqbal Singh (L-G, Pondicherry) and more might come in the near future. However, the mining scam in Karnataka, de-notification of prime land by the CM of Karnataka, Operation LOTUS which involved in the Bellary Reddy bothers paying 20 non BJP elected representative a sum of Rs 30 crores to resign as MLAs and get re-elected on a BJP ticket, Madhya Pradesh Government giving away land at throw away prices or the Gujarat government's complicity in so many encounter killings failed to make the glorious list. Perhaps, these "little" scams were not honorable enough to be mentioned or maybe like Arun Jaitley says "they were not mother of all scams". My humble request to Mr. Arnab Goswami, the BJP politicians are trying their best and working overtime to get a honorable mention in your channel's so called crusade against political corruption. Don't let their entire effort go waste by covering up these scams and never mentioning them in your shows. They are sad because you and your channel never acknowledge their presence and have been talking only about Congress and the Congress-centric crusade. I do agree that Congress politicians have been most involved in scams, maybe because they have ruled the longest. That does not mean, we have to make this anti-corruption crusade an anti-congress crusade. Anna Hazare quotes the Mahatma and says "paap se grunha karo; paapi se nahi"; yet Arnab Goswami, Kejriwal, Bhushan(s) and even Anna Saheb seems to hate Kapil Sibal, Sonia Gandhi, Digvajay Singh and even Dr. Manmohan Singh more than the scourge called corruption. This is so noticeable that one cant help but see a political scheme behind this entire exercise which is threatening to take down the entire anti-corruption crusade. If it does, no one will ever trust any crusade and will be cynical of the fact that the most honorable intents in this country are politically motivated. Time to think right people. Chuck the media frenzy and put on your thinking hats.
This week started with the Bhushan(s) father-son duo being caught in malicious campaign for not being morally-fit to be in the panel drafting the Lokpal legislation. All of a sudden, we had everyone saying this is attempt to discredit them and their campaign, it is politically motivated and the Congress is behind this. Maybe they are, but can you blame them,? Over past 18 months, the opposition parties have realised that Dr. Manmohan Singh's non corruptable image is an asset for the Congress and they will be re-elected time and again on this plank. As a result, the opposition parties have gotten together with media houses and started this malicious campaign against Dr. Manmohan Singh. Time and again they have mentioned that he heads the most corrupt government of all times. Even his personal integrity was brought into question. Now I ask, does he deserve this? The PM has spent an entire life time building this image of honesty in politics and it took mere 6 months of malicious campaign to discredit him forever. Likewise Sonia Gandhi is targeted every time as a remote control or the real beneficiary of the corruption in 2G, CWG scams etc. These are honorable people who have never been personally involved in any wrong doing and have always taken action against anyone caught on the wrong foot. Political compulsions may delay the action by a bit, but it has happened always. Is it wise to discredit the PM and fight for the honor of Bhushan(s).
My submission, on the lines of most right thinking people in India, spreading a slander is easy, targeting politicians is very easy but building a reputation within politics is very difficult and Anna Hazare and rest of them must have realised that living a life of full public probity is very difficult. Anything and everything that you have done in this life will be used as a tool to defame you. In times like these, there are very few leaders who have a reputation of being incorruptible and our honorable PM, Dr Manmohan Singh is one of them. Let us use same amount of restraint while defaming politicians (no matter how cynical we are) as we might show in defaming any other person. Just because one is in politics, let him/her not be a fair game for all criticism and slander. Today, Mr. Shanti Bhushan and Mr. Prashant Bhushan realise, its easy to target individuals and give out sermons about impeccable integrity, its very difficult to be in public life and maintain sanity when you are the receiving end of politically motivated rumours and slanders. So if the same yardstick apply, I don't see the reason why the Bhushan(s) should continue in the draft panel. After all like Sharad Pawar, they are tainted too. Wat say Anna Saheb??
So long.....
Monday, April 18, 2011
To kick a hornet's nest - story about rookie mistakes
Friends, this is my third post dedicated to Anna Hazare (how I wish, it was Anna Kournikova :P ) . Every where you see, the man is present, giving his 2 cents of wisdom about anything and everything. The Sunday Times had him as a guest editor on 04/17/2011 and for once, he splurged all his wisdom in that one edition of newspaper. People call him a "naive villager" who is being "used" by the wily urban crusaders into fighting their battles. I call him plain stupid. I hear Anna Hazare was in the Indian Army, maybe he was better served remembering a thing or two about how the army operates - less talking; more walking.
When some wise man said "Silence is Golden", he was surely thinking about the likes of Anna Hazare and his cronies. Honorable intentions and plans will burn up in the political cross fire and before we know what happened, the entire "Jan-Lokpal andolan" will be derailed and the politicians will have the last laugh. Common man will again be short-changed; anti-corruption crusade will go into a limbo; people will say "man, I trusted this Anna dude, he too was one of them". Rest will be history. It has been like this and will continue to remain like this until people understand the importance of silence. Mr. Shashi Tharoor might coach Anna Hazare on the importance of silence, for it was the only difference between him getting out of the cabinet and Mr. Sharad Pawar still being inside, despite having serious corruption allegations against him. My only advice to Anna saheb and his chelas, if you want to do any good for the country, please shut up and do the work you are appointed for. I want to say there is still a chance for them to succeed, but I cant be hopeful. So many rookie mistakes in the last few days...
1. Holier than thou: If the aim is to fight corruption and bring in a strong legislation to that effect, then the people involved should focus on the task and work on it. Until the objective is achieved, they must shut out the rest of the world and have single point focus. The 5 musketeers, in this case have been babbling their mouths ever since the gazetted notification has been out nominating them to the draft committee of Lokpal bill. First, giving sermons on how government should work, then, singling out ministers and targeting them for alleged corruption charges, finally, giving out advice on whom should resign as ministers and who should remain. Snide remarks are not welcome, especially an elected government will not tolerate this for long. They might not trade charges publicly, but be rest assured that they will dig out some embarrassing information from the past that will ruin the credibility of the 5 musketeers as crusaders for corruption free India. It will happen for sure and its a question of "when will it happen", rather than "if". I wouldn't blame the government if it turns the heat on these people as no government will take a punch on the chin if someone is running them down day-in, day out. So, if I were Anna Hazare, I would stop my daily sermons on governance and giving smart-ass interviews. After all, the Lokpal bill is more important than gloating about personal achievements. "Benefit of many over benefit of few", Anna saheb.
2. Stick to the agenda: "If the aim is to get a hot girl to bed, then a man should succeed more often than not. The problem is the moment he sees her cute friend, he plans an impromptu three-way. Then on everything goes south". Like wise with our crusaders. If they stick to the demand of legislation and work only on that agenda, they will achieve their objective. In meantime, if they go picking more subjects for future crusades or try and overreach by trying to enforce too many conditionality on the government, they are bound to fail. Just because the government agreed to include non-MPs in the draft panel for an important legislation, it does not mean that the government has fallen to their knees and its okay to take a cheap shot. Every such attempt will fail and will end up showing the crusaders in bad light. In the end, government will say "Look, we tried to reach out to them, they were not serious about the legislation and only wanted to be at loggerheads with the elected government of the day".
3. Don't praise Narendra Modi: Personally, I have nothing against the Gujarat Chief minister. I don't grudge the fact that he has been an able administrator but there are other aspects of his personality and political career which are not so glowing and are awaiting reconciliation. Mr. Modi is the only leader who instantly divides the polity on communal lines. The mere mention of his name creates a political war of words. So it is wise to leave out such controversial people and not to mention them (in good or bad sense). The last thing we want is to get into a political war where the cross fire will drown the main agenda.
4. Illusions of grandeur: The fact that people came out to support Anna Hazare voluntarily does not mean that he will get the same response always. There were several "fast onto death" escapades taken up by Anna saheb and most of the people don't even remember what the causes were. The CWG scam, 2G spectrum scam etc brought the political misappropriation to the forefront and in this season of scams, people found a messiah in him and his cause of fighting corruption was supported it voluntarily. So in short, the timing was perfect. Now, Anna saheb is saying that his fasts can dislodge elected governments. He is also saying that he will continue to "blackmail" the government, if need be. This attitude will not help Anna saheb or his cause. Perfect timing is a rarity in politics and will not be always available. So its time he lets go of the illusions of grandeur. He is no Mahatma Gandhi that people will support all his causes. He should know his limitations and not overreach himself.
PS: I have no personal hatred or animosity towards Anna Hazare or any of his followers. Its just that every time someone with a capacity of change comes on the horizon, they brew a recipe of disaster by getting too involved into politicking and losing focus of the tasks at hand. It would be a shame if history repeats itself with Anna saheb.
So long....
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The root cause analysis
Bhagwaan Buddha said "desire was the root cause of unhappiness; so let go of your desires to attain nirvana (eternal bliss)". In today's politics, he would also add "election funding is the root cause of all political scams; solve this issue to attain true win over corruption". If you think of it, he would be absolutely right. If we carefully trace back the root cause of all the major scams, only about 0.01% of the total funds embezzled are used for adding to personal wealth; 99.99% is used to fund one election or another. In India, we are truly democratic, as in at any given occasion we have one election or the other. There are Village panchayats, Zilla parishads, Taluk Panchayats, municipality, state elections and general elections. So many elected bodies and each with different lifespan, politicians find it hard to afford the continuous electioneering and tend to take up the easy route of entering into "quid-pro-quo" arrangements with corporates for generating large sums of money as party funds or embezzle the exchequer to create a large portion of grey wealth (unaccounted) which is used by political parties to bribe the voters into voting one way or the other. Today, the extent of rampant corruption is so much that having a "clean image" is more of a bane than a boon for a candidate because it hampers his ability to generate funds for fighting elections. Every political party (howsoever clean they may be) has to overlook some acts of corruption within its ranks as they need the money to fight elections and more so because the Indian electorate who knows the ill-effects of corruption do not vote (urban lot) and the ones which vote are so poor that all they care for the bribe they receive in-lieu of their vote and not the ill-effects of their voting pattern. Lack of education amongst the voting public also hampers the "informed choice" criteria of successful elections and we end up churning out wrong kinds of elected representatives. It’s a vicious circle and we need major electoral reforms to break this cycle some time in the near future.
I would like to suggest some out of the box solutions that could be tried by the Election commission of India to choke the use of illegal wealth in elections and make sure that over a period of time, the society churns out meritorious politicians. Some of the solutions are very basic and obvious ones so if you feel "Duh!!!!”, kindly bear it in mind that I have to mention these because some of the best solutions are often the simplest.
1. One ring to rule them all: Have all levels of elections (local bodies thru national assembly) at the same time or around the same time to have consistent voting patterns and effective utilization of the election funds. It is great to have the executive and legislators free of electioneering activities for at least 80% of the stipulated 5 years term. It will force them to spend the time participating in important debates in the assemblies and meeting with their electorates; planning the development of their constituencies rather than perpetually canvassing for elections. Also having consistent voting patterns will ensure homogenous governments being elected and better usage of funds allocated with governments not being at logger heads. Nations wealth will trickle down faster to the grass roots and the GDP will be a more inclusive in representation. Also, having fixed term for elected executive will let the executive to perform for a full term without fear of being dislodged midway through the term.
2. None of the above: It’s been a long time coming; we need the right to vote with a right to reject. If political parties come up with bad candidates, corrupt / criminal record candidates, inefficient / uneducated candidates; it forces the voters to choose among the lesser evil. This is not exercising the right to vote in its entirety. The voter must be able to let it known to the political parties to raise the bar for eligibility criteria for our public representatives. Every ballot must have a "none of the above" option; if the number of votes for "none of the above" goes beyond 30% of the total votes cast, then the election in that constituency will be countermanded with fresh polls ordered at a later date. The rules for this second round of polling would be that all the political parties contesting from that constituency would fund the second poll from their pockets, fresh candidates have to be picked, fresh deposits have to be made and all the candidates of the countermanded poll will lose their deposits. This would stop the political parties from dumping unelectable candidates upon us and also get more people to the voting booths as they would know they actually have a right to elect rather than choose the lesser evil. The electorate have to use this effectively and not reject candidates for flimsy or non political reasons.
3. Raise you own funds / make sure you use them: In the western democracies, there are intellectuals / celebrities who are associated with various political outfits who help raise funds for the elections. We have these eminent people giving guest lectures, sermons, doing door-to door campaign explaining the election manifesto to the general public and letting them know that if they find some substance in their plans, they need to contribute to help the candidates run for the elections. It would ensure that each and everyone (mostly) know what their candidates stands for and what are his plans for the term that he serves as the elected representatives. Corporates know if the regime is going to be industry friendly or otherwise. Working class would know if their taxes are going to rise or fall, how well the government will use the tax money it generates. Empowered with all this information, they make an informed decision to help fund a particular candidate. Collection of funds should be transparent and mostly in cheques with limits set for individual and corporate contributors so that political outfits do not use coercive means to generate funds. It also helps the electorate to identify a particular celebrity /intellectual with a particular political outfit and attracts smarter/ better people to politics which is considered a dirty game presently. Over a period of time, this cleans our polity. Since it takes a lot of effort to generate funds, political outfits will be thrifty in spending them and will budget their expenditure judiciously (since its a finite sum of money). Excess splashing of wealth or vulgar display should be stopped by the election commission. It will make the elections a victory of merit rather than a victory of money power.
4. Have registered supporters: In India, getting a ticket to run for a public post is also a source of generating party funds for all the political outfits. This method of party nominating a particular candidate is against the democratic sensibilities. Not all people planning to run for elections have that kind of money to buy out nominations. Instead, political parties should be mandated to elect suitable leader amongst them by holding impromptu election among registered party supporters (youth wing/ student wing etc.) It helps bringing up well qualified candidates who have the backing of the organization and its cadres. With this kind of backing, the candidate can generate more funds for the party to fight elections and most importantly win elections. Nominated candidates fail to enthuse the party cadres and fizz out the elections mood as the cadres think of it as a victory of money rather than victory of merit. This has to be mandated by the election commission so that better grass root candidates are thrown up and party tickets are not bought for huge sums fuelling large scale corruption.
These are a few ideas that are obvious to me which should be incorporated by our election commission if we have to stomp out corruption some time soon. Rest, I leave to the better sense of the government to add many more clauses. Maybe Anna Hazare and company can plan another crusade after they install a Lokpal. As long as my country gets the best of the politicians, I don’t care who fasts to achieve it. Petition the government, people!! Let’s force our political parties to have some suitable eligibility criteria for our representatives so that the shrill Ms. Mayawati and the rustic Lalu Prasad Yadav don’t epitomise the Indian Politician. Let a suave Dr. Manmohan Singh or an enigmatic Pranab Mukherji or a brilliant Shashi Tharoor or a calm Shivraj Chauhan or the earthly Nitish Kumar or a smart Rahul Gandhi represent the face of politics in India.
So long....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
