Mr. Rahul Gandhi said that UP had all the place for statues but none for development and power. Mr. Gandhi is right. Only he somehow sees a difference between what Congress is doing in the whole country and what Mayawati is doing in UP. All new projects, roads, parks, colonies, airports, institutions etc. get only the Gandhi family names. I see no difference. Both Gandhi dynasty and Ms. Mayawati are busy sith self aggrandisement at the cost of the nation and the taxpayer. Mayaji has less time so she has to do it faster and more aggressively. The sycophancy and narcissism are two big gifts to the nation from Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. What is the wonder then if every neta wants something in his or her name at the cost of national exchequer?What Gandhi is missing is that Ms. Mayawati's expenditure is not on just 'Statues' She is building Bauddha Vihars and is promoting a particular religion with Government funds. Maybe he can't see that because his sister is a staunch Budhist as well. So much for secularism! How brazenly public funds are being channelised for promotion of Buddhism is appalling. And, where are the people? What about RSS, VHP, BJP and the so called Sangh parivar? And the Shankaracharyas?
No PILs? No comments in the papers. Nothing on the electronic media?
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Indian 'Pseudo Secularist's' Convenient Hindu Ambiguity
Comment sent to TOI (Unlikely to be printed being politically incorrect) on July 13, 2009 on news item that Salman Khurshid thinks in the absence of a legal framework to force the private sector to give jobs to minorities, they should come forward to do so on their own.
The Government should declare the real figures of the number of Muslim, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists, Agnostics, Parsis and Buddhists.
I estimate that the Buddhists are not less than 12% of the population. The illegal Bangladeshi immigrants that were estimated at 10,000,000 in 1975 should now be around 3 crores by way of natural growth and multiplication. Most unfortunately, lately the Jains have begun to claim that they are not 'Hindus' and this has been recognised by the law. The same applies to 'Sikhs'. So who are the Hindus that are claimed to be 80% of the population? The numbers just don't add up and the non-Muslims, non-Christians and non-Sikhs, Atheists and Agnostics are not the only non-Hindus. If Hindus mean 'Vedists' inclusive of all their sects, sub-sects and affiliations only, they may not be more than 40% of the population. That means they may at best be the largest single religious group but are certainly not a 'majority'. And in any country population groups of say 20 to 25% such as the Muslims and the Jains can't be construed as really a 'Minority'.
On the other hand, the truth is that 'Hindu' is a word that was coined by the people west of the Indus which was 'Sindhu' at that time. As many races from the Middle East pronounced 'Sa' as 'Ha', Sindhu became Hindu. So all people on this land mass were Hindus to the marauding Iranians, Afghans, Turks etc. Actually Hindu is a signifier of a culture that existed then in the northern part of the subcontinent. So it actually is a cultural Umbrella that covered all religious sects in the region. This is further borne out by the great cultural synthesis and consequent similarities amongst all communities from before the invaders, mostly Muslim began to visit here for plunder. It is therefore sad that all the religionists such as Jains, Sikhs etc. are distancing themselves from 'Hindu' whereas they probably only want to differentiate themselves religiously from the Vedists or Sanatan Dharmis or Arya Samajis, rather than to pretend to belong to some alien cultures. This chasm however is set only to grow wider in the future, given the leadership of various clergy and socio-political vested interests of different groups. So be it. But that is then an urgent reason to clarify that all these people are different and are definitely not Hindus. That is mainly because they do not any more wish to identify themselves in this wider cultural manner but in narrower religios groupings, even refusing to accept a common root.
I believe therefore that it is time we lift the shroud of convenient ambiguity from the definition of 'Hindu' before the nation discusses the Hindu and minority issues any further.
The Government should declare the real figures of the number of Muslim, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists, Agnostics, Parsis and Buddhists.
I estimate that the Buddhists are not less than 12% of the population. The illegal Bangladeshi immigrants that were estimated at 10,000,000 in 1975 should now be around 3 crores by way of natural growth and multiplication. Most unfortunately, lately the Jains have begun to claim that they are not 'Hindus' and this has been recognised by the law. The same applies to 'Sikhs'. So who are the Hindus that are claimed to be 80% of the population? The numbers just don't add up and the non-Muslims, non-Christians and non-Sikhs, Atheists and Agnostics are not the only non-Hindus. If Hindus mean 'Vedists' inclusive of all their sects, sub-sects and affiliations only, they may not be more than 40% of the population. That means they may at best be the largest single religious group but are certainly not a 'majority'. And in any country population groups of say 20 to 25% such as the Muslims and the Jains can't be construed as really a 'Minority'.
On the other hand, the truth is that 'Hindu' is a word that was coined by the people west of the Indus which was 'Sindhu' at that time. As many races from the Middle East pronounced 'Sa' as 'Ha', Sindhu became Hindu. So all people on this land mass were Hindus to the marauding Iranians, Afghans, Turks etc. Actually Hindu is a signifier of a culture that existed then in the northern part of the subcontinent. So it actually is a cultural Umbrella that covered all religious sects in the region. This is further borne out by the great cultural synthesis and consequent similarities amongst all communities from before the invaders, mostly Muslim began to visit here for plunder. It is therefore sad that all the religionists such as Jains, Sikhs etc. are distancing themselves from 'Hindu' whereas they probably only want to differentiate themselves religiously from the Vedists or Sanatan Dharmis or Arya Samajis, rather than to pretend to belong to some alien cultures. This chasm however is set only to grow wider in the future, given the leadership of various clergy and socio-political vested interests of different groups. So be it. But that is then an urgent reason to clarify that all these people are different and are definitely not Hindus. That is mainly because they do not any more wish to identify themselves in this wider cultural manner but in narrower religios groupings, even refusing to accept a common root.
I believe therefore that it is time we lift the shroud of convenient ambiguity from the definition of 'Hindu' before the nation discusses the Hindu and minority issues any further.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Legal Reforms the Country Needs Urgently
India has a pendency of 30 million cases. Everyone talks about it and everyone keeps mouthing the cliché 'Justice delayed is justice denied'. Hardly anyone goes beyond this remark accompanied by some noises that may sound appropriate. Almost no one suggests any remedy. I am not a legal expert. But I suppose the legal experts are the real reason why there can not be any reforms. I would like to touch upon only the concerns of people and what I think might benefit the country and the public, huge amount of national time that eats into our productivity and tons of money that are lost on the non-dispensation of justice.
The country gave up the system of Jury and speedy justice. At one time there were also Honorary Magistrates that no longer exist. I wonder whether the judiciary should think of re-introducing these systems at low cost. I am sure the legal experts have a huge number of reasons to argue against the system that may range from the inexperience in the art or the science of 'Judgement' to the clear possibility of corruption and partisan behaviour. The question is whether is it not an honest truth that these maladies afflict the jurisprudence in the form we practice it now as well. In the present system there is also a great deal of impunity implied in the appointments of theses civil servants which may make them less accountable. In the old system and the American model this impunity may be less. Removal of the honorary judges and Jury may be a lot easier. I am not sure Honour is a highly cherished value in our system.
In the appointment of judges we should institute greater transparency. There should be greater accountability. The performance of the Judges must be assessed by harshest of standards because these men of law wield huge power over the fates of the people. Their ability to take decisions, their analytical capability, honesty, value system etc. must be checked thoroughly before inducting them into judiciary. For this rigorous psychological tests including aptitude and personality tests must be instituted. Only the best of the men should be entrusted with people's fates and often, their careers and even lives. I doubt most judges will pass these tests. Correspondingly the punishments for the erring judges should also be harsher as no one can fathom the damage they may have caused to hundreds of people through their ineptness or sheer malpractice.
For crimes against the nation the legal process should be made faster and straight forward. What proof and evidence does the nation need against say, Afzal Guru or Ajmal Kasab? Hours of television feeds, openly conducted attacks and arrests from the scenes of commitment of these heinous crimes demand further proof? Are we not out of our minds to be wasting the nation's money and time on extended trials that may merely give greater publicity to the criminals and make the state seem soft. The criminals may even become, over time, heroes or role models for many youngsters. What are we hoping to achieve? What justice can we dispense through this waste of time? What will change? What is not known and public knowledge? And, if we must maintain the pretence of a just society is one single hearing and summary trial not enough? Will their repeated exposure not help feed religious fanaticism of weak minded amongst certain communities and create more of the Afzal Gurus and the Kasabs, even from within the country. This is one reform that we need yesterday!
Another reform we need very badly is the system of appeals. I think this would be the most important one and will be the only solution to the ever increasing queue of cases pending in India courts, now exceeding 30 million. My idea is that in the cases decided by the lower courts, conciliation courts etc. the right to appeal should be limited. It should not be that a party loses a case and loses or wins in the next court and loses again and so on and the feuding parties may go on fighting for the whole life and even into next generations.
Their should be fast track courts with the number of dates being given limited to say 5, so that the parties are forced to attend the hearings and not just keep sending their excuses or advocates to ask for fresh dates. The time within which these hearings would be held should also be limited to say six to nine months.
The judges prolonging the decisions and leaving the pendency during their tenure should be assessed for performance on the basis of these failures.
They should not be allowed to forward or recommend the cases to higher courts as far as possible. There should be admitted no representation in a higher court unless there is additional and substantive information or evidence and not just the twists and interpretations of laws. Let us say such a chance should be limited just to one court and the next higher, and then it should end. In the biggest cases where there may be question of life imprisonment, capital punishment or huge sums of money that may impact national interests only a third appeal should be allowed. But in all cases, and in all courts, there should be a limit on the number of hearings with also a limit on the time within which these hearings must be completed. The judges failing to perform should be demoted or punished in some way as the law may allow.
In order that these methods will be extremely effective the judiciary needs to tighten its own system starting from recruitment through to a judge’s rise to the highest position in the judiciary. The selection should, in addition to including personality and aptitude tests, investigate the persons’ background to ensure to the extent possible their being above board. And then, there should be stringent punishments for the erring judges. As stated earlier, in addition, there should be separate and tougher laws to judge the judges.
The lawyers should be investigated for their connections with judges and their methods as it is often suspected that many work as brokers. This may or may not be true so there should be a close watch on the entire legal system so as to ensure that no one misuses powers, connections, graft etc. to scuttle the process of justice and effectively have the justice denied to hapless seekers of it.
The country gave up the system of Jury and speedy justice. At one time there were also Honorary Magistrates that no longer exist. I wonder whether the judiciary should think of re-introducing these systems at low cost. I am sure the legal experts have a huge number of reasons to argue against the system that may range from the inexperience in the art or the science of 'Judgement' to the clear possibility of corruption and partisan behaviour. The question is whether is it not an honest truth that these maladies afflict the jurisprudence in the form we practice it now as well. In the present system there is also a great deal of impunity implied in the appointments of theses civil servants which may make them less accountable. In the old system and the American model this impunity may be less. Removal of the honorary judges and Jury may be a lot easier. I am not sure Honour is a highly cherished value in our system.
In the appointment of judges we should institute greater transparency. There should be greater accountability. The performance of the Judges must be assessed by harshest of standards because these men of law wield huge power over the fates of the people. Their ability to take decisions, their analytical capability, honesty, value system etc. must be checked thoroughly before inducting them into judiciary. For this rigorous psychological tests including aptitude and personality tests must be instituted. Only the best of the men should be entrusted with people's fates and often, their careers and even lives. I doubt most judges will pass these tests. Correspondingly the punishments for the erring judges should also be harsher as no one can fathom the damage they may have caused to hundreds of people through their ineptness or sheer malpractice.
For crimes against the nation the legal process should be made faster and straight forward. What proof and evidence does the nation need against say, Afzal Guru or Ajmal Kasab? Hours of television feeds, openly conducted attacks and arrests from the scenes of commitment of these heinous crimes demand further proof? Are we not out of our minds to be wasting the nation's money and time on extended trials that may merely give greater publicity to the criminals and make the state seem soft. The criminals may even become, over time, heroes or role models for many youngsters. What are we hoping to achieve? What justice can we dispense through this waste of time? What will change? What is not known and public knowledge? And, if we must maintain the pretence of a just society is one single hearing and summary trial not enough? Will their repeated exposure not help feed religious fanaticism of weak minded amongst certain communities and create more of the Afzal Gurus and the Kasabs, even from within the country. This is one reform that we need yesterday!
Another reform we need very badly is the system of appeals. I think this would be the most important one and will be the only solution to the ever increasing queue of cases pending in India courts, now exceeding 30 million. My idea is that in the cases decided by the lower courts, conciliation courts etc. the right to appeal should be limited. It should not be that a party loses a case and loses or wins in the next court and loses again and so on and the feuding parties may go on fighting for the whole life and even into next generations.
Their should be fast track courts with the number of dates being given limited to say 5, so that the parties are forced to attend the hearings and not just keep sending their excuses or advocates to ask for fresh dates. The time within which these hearings would be held should also be limited to say six to nine months.
The judges prolonging the decisions and leaving the pendency during their tenure should be assessed for performance on the basis of these failures.
They should not be allowed to forward or recommend the cases to higher courts as far as possible. There should be admitted no representation in a higher court unless there is additional and substantive information or evidence and not just the twists and interpretations of laws. Let us say such a chance should be limited just to one court and the next higher, and then it should end. In the biggest cases where there may be question of life imprisonment, capital punishment or huge sums of money that may impact national interests only a third appeal should be allowed. But in all cases, and in all courts, there should be a limit on the number of hearings with also a limit on the time within which these hearings must be completed. The judges failing to perform should be demoted or punished in some way as the law may allow.
In order that these methods will be extremely effective the judiciary needs to tighten its own system starting from recruitment through to a judge’s rise to the highest position in the judiciary. The selection should, in addition to including personality and aptitude tests, investigate the persons’ background to ensure to the extent possible their being above board. And then, there should be stringent punishments for the erring judges. As stated earlier, in addition, there should be separate and tougher laws to judge the judges.
The lawyers should be investigated for their connections with judges and their methods as it is often suspected that many work as brokers. This may or may not be true so there should be a close watch on the entire legal system so as to ensure that no one misuses powers, connections, graft etc. to scuttle the process of justice and effectively have the justice denied to hapless seekers of it.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Shape of Things, post Indian Election
Congress is back in power with a bang; if there can be such a thing in the highly fragmented polity of India. This has been widely welcomed. Interestingly no major opposition party has made any adverse comments on the election process, the winners, the electorate and the machinery that conducts the elections, conceding their defeat with a modicum of dignity. The major parties like the BJP and the Communists have chosen to introspect instead of slinging mud. All this augurs well for the floundering democracy of this country. Several good things happened and a lot of doomsayers were proved wrong, thanks to the electorate of India.
First, and probably the most important, is the fact that the regional parties lost heavily reducing their status from being King Makers, never mind if they acted more like Trouble Makers, to nothing. Lalu’s departure to oblivion is about the most desirable outcome of the election. While Rajdeeep Sardesai rated him the most saleable TV personality, and Shekhar Suman spent considerable time making a third rate video news report on Lalu’s daily chores (and poor mannerisms), lionising him for unknown virtues not long ago, today Lalu is singing songs saying ‘Badal gaya Insaan’.
The truth is that the regional satraps have been feudal in their approach with little dignity or respect for law, or even the electorate that made them what they were. Paswan with 3 MPs, Ramdoss, Lalu and many others hardly seemed like the right people in those places. Most of them are more interested in their selves and families and have scant love for their regions, state, the nation and the people. And like Sonia Gandhi said everybody wanted to be Prime Minister in this election. Lalu had actually said several times in one issue of Walk the Talk with Shekhar Gupta with raised finger “I will be Prime Minister one day”. Pawar’s ambitions were going through the sky. Communists who have long been suspected of dubious relationship with the Chinese and divided loyalties have also been put paid. Indeed, the Indian communists are hardly the socialists they claim to be as they are elitist, can be seen in designer clothes and need servants to carry even their cabin bags on domestic flights. Mulayam and Amar Singh have failed to persuade the peoples of the country of their sincerity and are probably seen just as regional satraps, power drunk, power hungry and opportunistic. People rejected them as well as Mayawati who despite being ‘Dalit ki Beti’ acts like a queen and seems to believe that she is above law in some way.
I however suspect that much of this thought process-the tendency to hallucinate as being bigger than the nation, lack of humility and power drunkenness has been inherited from Nehru and Indira Gandhi who was infamously branded as ‘India is Indira and Indira is India’. Nehru seemed to believe that he alone could take the right decisions for the country and bore an aura of arrogance of being indispensable for the nation. No wonder the latter day politicians, whose role models these leaders no doubt must have been at some time or another being so much younger, saw political power as the sole goal and eventual licence.
The second good thing is that we have a stable government at the centre. There is a great opportunity for the Congress to redeem itself of its huge failures in its over 50 years’ rule over the country. The defeat at the hands of China in 1962 is dwarfed by the abject failures at the home front. (Indian state has failed to stop their incursions into Arunachal and their repeated claims to it, and has also failed in delimiting boundaries with China and Pakistan after years off efforts indicating lack of both political élan and competence.) The society is deeply riven on religious and caste lines. Then, there are regional, linguistic and sectarian divisions in the society. This is a potentially explosive situation and can drive the country into a civil strife of unspeakable dimensions. The corruption is endemic and the political system is corrupt to the core. The judiciary, gubernatorial positions and bureaucracy are repeatedly seen as partisan and bureaucracy has been instrumental in giving the country the reputation of being one of the most corrupt on earth. 30 million pending cases in the courts are a mockery of our legal process. Failure to effectively counter and overcome the problems of Kashmir, separatism, Naxal rebellion and its greatly increased power as well as spread, fundamentalism etc are irritants that are not only threatening the nation’s security but also the credibility of the Indian nation, even the idea that is India. This can result in our failure as a nation and loss of our position, both economic and political, in the world. Our failure to get Pakistan out of our system and Kashmir are monumental failures that impinge upon our sovereignty and paint us as a lame duck state. We have failed to secure our borders. An estimated 10 million Chakma rebels and Bangladeshi refugees that entered India in the 70s, and who should now be around 30 million due to proliferation through normal birth rates, are in the country and are eating into our resources but we have failed to do anything about it. No other country in the world would allow that.
Congress has again a chance to show that they can make a difference and really work for the nation’s uplift.
The BJP is vanquished, crestfallen and without any clue how to pull itself together again. This may not be good augury as the democracy can only remain strong and working as long a there is a strong, nationalist and well meaning opposition. Absence of it would soon allow the Congress to degenerate to its old ways and the democratically elected representatives will soon turn into unbridled despots. The RSS has failed to stimulate the electorate and could not convince its constituency of its own honesty and progressiveness. For the first time in its existence, during the time of K. Sudarshan at its helm, its claim of an undivided, disciplined and honest organisation has come under serious doubts. Most people suspect treachery against Modi, Chauhan and many others. The good thing however is that BJP can take a lesson from it and finally understand that if it performs it does not need the crutch of RSS. And, it should be chastening for RSS too but we can still see their belligerence.
BJP can have another chance only if Congress squanders the gains of this election and betrays the trust the Indian electorate has placed in it after a long break. BJP therefore must reinvent itself.
The Communists need to be banished by law, and if that is not possible then by the electorate. They have no function in a democracy. Communism is a farcical system which claims to be by, of and for the proletariate and working classes, but actually is a system that suppresses all dissent and representation. Maoists-Leninists have gone further to propagate the idea of grabbing the political power through the barrel of the gun, taking the world back to barbaric times. Is a sovereign state, democratic or not, going to be held at a barbarian gun point and, maybe finally be defeated by it, as we saw in Nepal not long ago? They will pretend democratic values as long as they are not in power. And when they come to power they will banish all democratic processes without losing any time and will immediately create a dictatorial state. I think not understanding this would only be the worst political naïveté.
The new congress led governments has its task cut out. The priorities are infra-structure (Power, roads, communication in the same order), defence, education and water resources management. I believe everything comes later. By defence I mean the internal homeland defence as well.
True to its confused philosophy rooted in Nehru’s ideas obfuscated by his elite background and socialist leanings, the Congress believes in taxing anyone who can be made to pay somehow. It seems to believe that taking away food from some and distributing it to others is a solution. They do not seem to understand that to help people you need to teach hem fishing rather than give them a fish.
They are likely to increase taxes.
They are likely to hike interest rates making India less competitive.
They are unlikely to make sure that the educational schemes are made functional again right from the village level, where the schools exist but teachers don’t.
They are unlikely to curb corruption. Mrs. Gandhi had already accepted it as a way of life when she said that it was there everywhere in the world.
They are likely to continue policies of appeasement for certain sections of society rather than fair and just action.
They are unlikely to gather the will to take on terrorists in true earnest or to fight Naxals with kind of will recently displayed by Mahinda Rajapakse in Sri lanka.
They are likely to take moral high ground at every opportunity, employing the English media to its fullest without doing much at the ground level.
They are unlikely to work on labour law reforms to reach a just system which recognises inefficiency, incompetence and avoidance of work as criminal waste of national resources and establish the right to hire and fire with the employer.
They are unlikely to take radical steps for legal reforms so that the pendency of cases may be reduced and faster dispensation of justice may be promoted.
They are unlikely to ensure high moral values and transparency at ministerial levels.
They are not serious about water resource management.
They will remain embroiled in casteist politics and will let the country lose its social fabric and its progress. Imagine that in the canopy at India Gate in New Delhi we could not install the statue of Mahatma Gandhi after removal of George V statue due to such sectarian squabbles, what to talk about bigger things.
In the opinion of Congress there have never been any leaders of national stature except Congressmen, mainly Nehru-Gandhis. So they will go on usurping all opportunities of naming new resources such as roads, buildings, monuments, airports etc after only Indira Gandhi and her bloodline. This is an insult to the nation but it will continue.
The country is likely to lose its position in the world which was build by Vajpayee and Bill Clinton. The country may lose its position as a safe and attractive investment destination due to the possible social strife and unsafety in the future. The challenge is to ensure a safe and prosperous future for the one billion that live here and their progeny. Is the current Congress up to the task?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Holier than thou!
That is what congress party tries to be, if in vain. Its power lies in its freindship with and management of media. The media management of the Congress undoubtedly is outstanding. Could it be from the old Russian training? Media, particularly the English media blatantly promotes Congress even in the time of elections and I don't think that all the surrogate advertising through organised blitzkrieg against opponents in the name of debates, commentaries etc. is anything short of breach of law that prohibits canvassing in the constituencies 48 hours before the polling begins. The television keeps blaring and sending open as well as subliminal messages that are motivated. Many people including myself suspect that there is more to media management than meets the eye. The media's honesty and nationalism is always a big question mark. One wonders about the possible corruption in the media and the play of money power or money and power in its management. The 4th estate may well have been the biggest bane of this fledgling democracy. The method is quite well recognised. The TV journos try to put their words in the mouths of opponents and if they fail to do so, they show fragments of sentences spoken by them and then take over with their own cues.
Recently I was watching an interview of Narendra Modi by Rahul of Headlines Today taken in an aircraft. It was probably 27th or 28h of April. Rahul tried all the tricks in the book to get Modi to say what he wanted him to. Modi called his bluff and said that he was not going to get it. Modi also said the media and the interviewer were going to edit the answers and add their own ideas and project them as those of Modi. That is exactly what Rahul did within minutes after the interview was over. It was indeed shameful. I am not for or against BJP. I am for the country so I may not be misunderstood by this example which is fresh in my mind just because I happened to watch the interview and then Rahuls's presentation of the news and a brief debate that followed. (I had to switch off the TV when Manu Singhvi arrived on the scene in the debate to avoid a sick feeling.) Rahul wanted Modi to ask the nation pardon for Post- Godhra. Modi said repeatedly that creating the model of pardon was incorrect and there should be no asking or giving of pardon. Their should be punishment according to law if anyone including Modi himself was found guilty of a crime. Rahul presented it as something that sounded like 'Modi does not repent and is not willing to accept his guilt and ask the nation's pardon'. (This has been the refrain in the entire English media eversince. Is it to help the Congress after canvassing closes?) This was as far away from the truth as is possible. But the public would not know that if they had not seen the whole interview. It was simply appalling. It left me wondering about the irresponsibility and insensitivity with which media was manipulating public opinion and the nation. Rahul and the channel should have been sued by Modi for this gross misrepresentation. The entire English media, especially India Today, Outlook, Headlines Today, Channel 18 group and NDTV are blatantly involved with a party and spread canard with a view to misleading people with an aggressively pro-Congress propaganda. Is the power of media in irresponsible hands fair? Should there not be laws against it? But that brings us to the next problem. They are above law just like the Netas are. They are arrogant and powerful because of the power they wield in terms of their reach and thus their opinion building capability. They are the Gods of politicians and therefore they can get away with anything at all. Is it not diffferent from freedom of expession?
As a thinking person and one who would place the nation above all other considerations, I have developed a healthy respect for M.J. Akbar for his balanced views and incisive analyses. He is the one nationalist journalist I can think of.
I sometimes wonder if there could be Post-Godhra if there were no Godhra? Can there be post-mortem without 'mortem'. (Modi or anyone in the political dispensations can't say that for fear of being politically incorrect. But can't media do that?) This is not to say whether it was right or wrong. That is something the people have decide by voting Modi to power. This is the same as the Congress having been voted to power after 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were much worse than the Gujarat in Godhra. In Delhi alone 3000 people were killed, tortured, shaved, torched! And the Prime Minister of India shamelessly propounded the physics of impact of the fall of a big tree. By contrast, Modi is not known to have ever justified the riots in Godhra. But the media is completely insensitive to this fact. I am from Aligarh, and as aboy I was witness to several riots. In those days also there used to be hushed talks of possible Congress hand behind the riots. RSS had been banned and was not there to do all that. No one has ever asked for an apology.
Even if we do not talk about the policies of appeasement demonstrated in myriad ways, but even in the legal system wherein we have special status of a state, special law for a community, and benefits for pilgrims and many other benefits to a community. I am not against it. I am against discrimination which gives voice to the 'appeasement' theory.
I remember that the lock of the masjid-temple in Ayodhya was ordered open by Rajiv Gandhi. I also remember that the place for Ram Lala the Ram chabutra was built under the personal supervision of Buta Singh who was close to the then prime minister and was a minister himself. The press would surely find the pictures of that momentous time in their archives. What moral high ground can Congress take on the temple matter having, in a way, laid the foundation for it themselves? But people don't remember all that. And media makes sure they never find out nor jolt their memory. Whom does it not suit? What are the allegiances? Is their a meaning to the stoic silence of English media in particular and the media in general? Is their a matter of vested interests? Why the ghost of Godhra keeps haunting the media and all the terrorist attacks, riots in Congress ruled states ever since independence never seems to be a matter of debate? They are holier than thou by all accounts of Congrss spokesmen on the TV. Godhra is new and all else is forgotten? Is this non-partisan? And is it healthy for the democracy? Should the media continue to inflame minority pasions and keep them inflamed day after day, year after year? Do they have the right to divide the nation? When is enough Enough? Have they ever aired or projected the views of Godhra and Gujarat Muslims who want to put it behind and get on with the task of building peace and harmony? Is the media saying there are no such Muslims? Are all Muslims interested in some kind of 'revenge' with possible resultant mayhem? I believe it is a false and very uncharitable view of the community by the media. In fact I know that a great deal of Muslims want peace and progres and are feeling secure enough. These muslims don't find a voice in the media. On the other hand in the present security scnario, no one in the country feels safe any more. Blasts in Guwahati at frighteneing frequency are a sombre reminder of the dangers lurking in 'safe' places of India. Not to mention the blasts that happened in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Malegaon, Hyderabad and many other places where innocent people kept dying when the political Neros were fiddling secure in their Z classs security paid for by us hapless, insecure citizens. And the huge tracts of land under Naxal control - who is answerable for that? Media does not seem to have a problem with the nation's real issues and that lends credence to the idea that they are playing a malicious role to the detriment of the nation and the democracy. I wish to say again that I am not against anyone and owe no allegiance to any party. I am pleading for the 4th estate to play its role that it legitimately must own in a democratic system. Like the Congress, the media is holier than thou! No wonder they are such good freinds.
The political system in the country is no longer conducive to democracy. The politicians keep demonising their opponents. Are thye going to turn it into 'demonocracy' one day? The system itself has become a demon that is cannibalising the democracy and the nation.
Recently I was watching an interview of Narendra Modi by Rahul of Headlines Today taken in an aircraft. It was probably 27th or 28h of April. Rahul tried all the tricks in the book to get Modi to say what he wanted him to. Modi called his bluff and said that he was not going to get it. Modi also said the media and the interviewer were going to edit the answers and add their own ideas and project them as those of Modi. That is exactly what Rahul did within minutes after the interview was over. It was indeed shameful. I am not for or against BJP. I am for the country so I may not be misunderstood by this example which is fresh in my mind just because I happened to watch the interview and then Rahuls's presentation of the news and a brief debate that followed. (I had to switch off the TV when Manu Singhvi arrived on the scene in the debate to avoid a sick feeling.) Rahul wanted Modi to ask the nation pardon for Post- Godhra. Modi said repeatedly that creating the model of pardon was incorrect and there should be no asking or giving of pardon. Their should be punishment according to law if anyone including Modi himself was found guilty of a crime. Rahul presented it as something that sounded like 'Modi does not repent and is not willing to accept his guilt and ask the nation's pardon'. (This has been the refrain in the entire English media eversince. Is it to help the Congress after canvassing closes?) This was as far away from the truth as is possible. But the public would not know that if they had not seen the whole interview. It was simply appalling. It left me wondering about the irresponsibility and insensitivity with which media was manipulating public opinion and the nation. Rahul and the channel should have been sued by Modi for this gross misrepresentation. The entire English media, especially India Today, Outlook, Headlines Today, Channel 18 group and NDTV are blatantly involved with a party and spread canard with a view to misleading people with an aggressively pro-Congress propaganda. Is the power of media in irresponsible hands fair? Should there not be laws against it? But that brings us to the next problem. They are above law just like the Netas are. They are arrogant and powerful because of the power they wield in terms of their reach and thus their opinion building capability. They are the Gods of politicians and therefore they can get away with anything at all. Is it not diffferent from freedom of expession?
As a thinking person and one who would place the nation above all other considerations, I have developed a healthy respect for M.J. Akbar for his balanced views and incisive analyses. He is the one nationalist journalist I can think of.
I sometimes wonder if there could be Post-Godhra if there were no Godhra? Can there be post-mortem without 'mortem'. (Modi or anyone in the political dispensations can't say that for fear of being politically incorrect. But can't media do that?) This is not to say whether it was right or wrong. That is something the people have decide by voting Modi to power. This is the same as the Congress having been voted to power after 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were much worse than the Gujarat in Godhra. In Delhi alone 3000 people were killed, tortured, shaved, torched! And the Prime Minister of India shamelessly propounded the physics of impact of the fall of a big tree. By contrast, Modi is not known to have ever justified the riots in Godhra. But the media is completely insensitive to this fact. I am from Aligarh, and as aboy I was witness to several riots. In those days also there used to be hushed talks of possible Congress hand behind the riots. RSS had been banned and was not there to do all that. No one has ever asked for an apology.
Even if we do not talk about the policies of appeasement demonstrated in myriad ways, but even in the legal system wherein we have special status of a state, special law for a community, and benefits for pilgrims and many other benefits to a community. I am not against it. I am against discrimination which gives voice to the 'appeasement' theory.
I remember that the lock of the masjid-temple in Ayodhya was ordered open by Rajiv Gandhi. I also remember that the place for Ram Lala the Ram chabutra was built under the personal supervision of Buta Singh who was close to the then prime minister and was a minister himself. The press would surely find the pictures of that momentous time in their archives. What moral high ground can Congress take on the temple matter having, in a way, laid the foundation for it themselves? But people don't remember all that. And media makes sure they never find out nor jolt their memory. Whom does it not suit? What are the allegiances? Is their a meaning to the stoic silence of English media in particular and the media in general? Is their a matter of vested interests? Why the ghost of Godhra keeps haunting the media and all the terrorist attacks, riots in Congress ruled states ever since independence never seems to be a matter of debate? They are holier than thou by all accounts of Congrss spokesmen on the TV. Godhra is new and all else is forgotten? Is this non-partisan? And is it healthy for the democracy? Should the media continue to inflame minority pasions and keep them inflamed day after day, year after year? Do they have the right to divide the nation? When is enough Enough? Have they ever aired or projected the views of Godhra and Gujarat Muslims who want to put it behind and get on with the task of building peace and harmony? Is the media saying there are no such Muslims? Are all Muslims interested in some kind of 'revenge' with possible resultant mayhem? I believe it is a false and very uncharitable view of the community by the media. In fact I know that a great deal of Muslims want peace and progres and are feeling secure enough. These muslims don't find a voice in the media. On the other hand in the present security scnario, no one in the country feels safe any more. Blasts in Guwahati at frighteneing frequency are a sombre reminder of the dangers lurking in 'safe' places of India. Not to mention the blasts that happened in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Malegaon, Hyderabad and many other places where innocent people kept dying when the political Neros were fiddling secure in their Z classs security paid for by us hapless, insecure citizens. And the huge tracts of land under Naxal control - who is answerable for that? Media does not seem to have a problem with the nation's real issues and that lends credence to the idea that they are playing a malicious role to the detriment of the nation and the democracy. I wish to say again that I am not against anyone and owe no allegiance to any party. I am pleading for the 4th estate to play its role that it legitimately must own in a democratic system. Like the Congress, the media is holier than thou! No wonder they are such good freinds.
The political system in the country is no longer conducive to democracy. The politicians keep demonising their opponents. Are thye going to turn it into 'demonocracy' one day? The system itself has become a demon that is cannibalising the democracy and the nation.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Maintain your dignity
I have been amazed at the twist that has been given to the "Congress is a 125 years old woman" and all sorts of insinuations like disgracing womanhood and what not are being invented by the opposition. It is indeed the lowest level of destroying the normal linguistic idiom and is an assault on the language itself by the likes of Congress spokespersons. On the other hand Priyanka has made a fool of herself by asking if she looks old. thank God she did not ask whether she looks 180 years old! She was not at all in the question and there was no need to take the dialogue to that level even if the hint was at he age of some BJP leaders. Not that Congress doesn't have its share of oldies like Arjun Singh, Motilal Vora, Karunakaran to name a few. Sibal, Kamal Nath, Manmohan Singh, Digvijay Singh and many others are also not exactly our idea of youth.
However, the next counteroffensive from Narendra Modi of asking whether he should now call the Congress Guriya was indeed in bad taste and does not behove a leader of his status. He can and should ignore certain things. Also, if we rub something too hard, it loses its charm and effectiveness. I think repeated assertions by Advani regarding his offer to Manmohan for a public debate are also no longer making good hearing. The matter is over and something fresh is required. We can't keep flogging a dead horse. It won't go.
I think BJP brass has to learn to campaign in a better way. Needless to mention that they also need a pack of younger men and women in their teams. After Pramod mahajan's unfortunate and untimely demise BJP has no good propaganda manager. Sushma Swaraj must realise that she is a spent force. Arun Jaitley is the best and most well meaning second line politician but he needs to become more charismatic. But all that is BJP's problem and I am not a BJP person. Nor I belong to any party. I am just a nationalist an I am dismayed at the malfunctioning of our democracy. Nevertheless, on balance I believe that BJP leading NDA did much better than any Congress government ever but they failed to encash their achievements a they are not good at propaganda that the Congress mastered from the time of its close association with Soviets who were masters at the game. It is amazing that Congress could only produce two good prime ministers viz., Narsimha Rao and Rajiv Gandhi. It is more amazing that Vajpayee did more to realise Rajiv's dreams of IT revolution, expressway network, transparency in administration and government, reduction in red tape etc. than any Congress government did. What an interesting contradiction! But BJP couldn't make good capital of it too. They failed to show the behaviour of Congress and its basic lack of loyalty to anything except power (Kursi) to the public at large.
India may be good or bad but it never fails to surprise!
However, the next counteroffensive from Narendra Modi of asking whether he should now call the Congress Guriya was indeed in bad taste and does not behove a leader of his status. He can and should ignore certain things. Also, if we rub something too hard, it loses its charm and effectiveness. I think repeated assertions by Advani regarding his offer to Manmohan for a public debate are also no longer making good hearing. The matter is over and something fresh is required. We can't keep flogging a dead horse. It won't go.
I think BJP brass has to learn to campaign in a better way. Needless to mention that they also need a pack of younger men and women in their teams. After Pramod mahajan's unfortunate and untimely demise BJP has no good propaganda manager. Sushma Swaraj must realise that she is a spent force. Arun Jaitley is the best and most well meaning second line politician but he needs to become more charismatic. But all that is BJP's problem and I am not a BJP person. Nor I belong to any party. I am just a nationalist an I am dismayed at the malfunctioning of our democracy. Nevertheless, on balance I believe that BJP leading NDA did much better than any Congress government ever but they failed to encash their achievements a they are not good at propaganda that the Congress mastered from the time of its close association with Soviets who were masters at the game. It is amazing that Congress could only produce two good prime ministers viz., Narsimha Rao and Rajiv Gandhi. It is more amazing that Vajpayee did more to realise Rajiv's dreams of IT revolution, expressway network, transparency in administration and government, reduction in red tape etc. than any Congress government did. What an interesting contradiction! But BJP couldn't make good capital of it too. They failed to show the behaviour of Congress and its basic lack of loyalty to anything except power (Kursi) to the public at large.
India may be good or bad but it never fails to surprise!
Misleading Rhetoric.
I saw Sonia Gandhi on the television shouting at the top of her voice denouncing the NDA government for exchange of the three dreaded terrorists for 200 Indian and foreign passengers on board IC 814 in Kandahar and claiming Manmohan Singh government having cleared the Mumbai terrorist attack in a jiffy (बस यूँ!).
It is pathetic to what extent our leaders including the ones of foreign origin can stoop to conquer. It is a national shame that one is trying to equate the two conditions. First of all let us see the score card of UPA. In the recent January encounters in Kashmir, the public was given various figures of the number of terrorists involved. We were told that the area had been surrounded and no one would be able to escape. Then we were told that the circle is being tightened. After several days of fighting we failed to neutralise 10 terrorists, as at the end only 2 dead from their side were found whereas we suffered serious loss of life. Just imagine nine days of fighting by the army of the emerging world power with these shameful results! And the encounter was in forests, not in a city where they could have the excuse of caution to protect the life and limb of the innocent citizens.
And was the operation completed in Mumbai in a jiffy? the commandos took 14 hous to get there. Three days of fighting compared to, for example, the Entebbe rescue by the Israelis? And nobody has as yet answered the inconvenient questions. How could the terrorist come by the sea route. There are numerous agencies such as Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Intelligence Bureau, RAW and undoubtedly many others that would be covert and lesser known. What has been done to punish them for this serious lapse? What has the Government done to investigate the matter and fix the responsibility for such serious lapses. India is so helpless? What do we need such a big navy for? And how will it help if the threat is from terror groups instead of another navy? We have a major naval base there in Mumbai at a stone's throw from the place they are supposed to have entered Mumbai. Could they blow up some of our facilities instead?
The truth is that the armed forces are in a poor state of preparedness, notwithstanding the grandstanding by Sonia and Chidambaram. India is more and more seen as a lame duck target by terror groups. Mammohan Singh has himself admitted to continuing government failure on the terror fight front and he is the man that Sonia Gandhi does not tire of deifying.
What would UPA have done in the case of hijacking of the plane to Kandahar. Everyone knows that Roopan Katyal had been killed and the enemy was not a government. They were irresponsible terrorists who could blow up the plane with 200 passengers without batting an eyelid and without any moral qualms. Would the UPA have sent the air force there? or the commandos in an Entebbe style operation? The plane was surrounded by gun toting Taliban and armoured vehicles. Is the UPA saying that the lives of 200 passengers dispensable? Is Sonia Gandhi saying that the then government should have withdrawn from the negotiations and the exchange and let the people die? I think it was very brave of Jaswant Singh to go there personally as in any case their could be betrayal and he himself could have been killed or held hostage. There was good diplomacy that this did not happen. One must also reflect on the negative role of the section of media that is loyal to congress and was so at that time too.
Nehru created the Kashmir problem. His descendants should not stand on wrong issues and mislead the nation in these difficult and dangerous times. The whole comparison is atrocious and vulgar.
It is pathetic to what extent our leaders including the ones of foreign origin can stoop to conquer. It is a national shame that one is trying to equate the two conditions. First of all let us see the score card of UPA. In the recent January encounters in Kashmir, the public was given various figures of the number of terrorists involved. We were told that the area had been surrounded and no one would be able to escape. Then we were told that the circle is being tightened. After several days of fighting we failed to neutralise 10 terrorists, as at the end only 2 dead from their side were found whereas we suffered serious loss of life. Just imagine nine days of fighting by the army of the emerging world power with these shameful results! And the encounter was in forests, not in a city where they could have the excuse of caution to protect the life and limb of the innocent citizens.
And was the operation completed in Mumbai in a jiffy? the commandos took 14 hous to get there. Three days of fighting compared to, for example, the Entebbe rescue by the Israelis? And nobody has as yet answered the inconvenient questions. How could the terrorist come by the sea route. There are numerous agencies such as Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Intelligence Bureau, RAW and undoubtedly many others that would be covert and lesser known. What has been done to punish them for this serious lapse? What has the Government done to investigate the matter and fix the responsibility for such serious lapses. India is so helpless? What do we need such a big navy for? And how will it help if the threat is from terror groups instead of another navy? We have a major naval base there in Mumbai at a stone's throw from the place they are supposed to have entered Mumbai. Could they blow up some of our facilities instead?
The truth is that the armed forces are in a poor state of preparedness, notwithstanding the grandstanding by Sonia and Chidambaram. India is more and more seen as a lame duck target by terror groups. Mammohan Singh has himself admitted to continuing government failure on the terror fight front and he is the man that Sonia Gandhi does not tire of deifying.
What would UPA have done in the case of hijacking of the plane to Kandahar. Everyone knows that Roopan Katyal had been killed and the enemy was not a government. They were irresponsible terrorists who could blow up the plane with 200 passengers without batting an eyelid and without any moral qualms. Would the UPA have sent the air force there? or the commandos in an Entebbe style operation? The plane was surrounded by gun toting Taliban and armoured vehicles. Is the UPA saying that the lives of 200 passengers dispensable? Is Sonia Gandhi saying that the then government should have withdrawn from the negotiations and the exchange and let the people die? I think it was very brave of Jaswant Singh to go there personally as in any case their could be betrayal and he himself could have been killed or held hostage. There was good diplomacy that this did not happen. One must also reflect on the negative role of the section of media that is loyal to congress and was so at that time too.
Nehru created the Kashmir problem. His descendants should not stand on wrong issues and mislead the nation in these difficult and dangerous times. The whole comparison is atrocious and vulgar.
Who is Congress?
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has lately been in hyper active mode in the political arena. After she was placed on the sidelines in order to allow the Congress Yuvraj to move in, these elections have driven her to public contact again to bolster the flagging fortunes of Congress. Aptly so, as she is far more charismatic than Rahul Gandhi who would stand no chance at all should they ever be on the opposing sides. It is not something impossible. It has happened before in the ruling family of INC. Well known spats between Indira Priyadarshini and her aunt Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, the falling from grace of Maneka, the ongoing war of words launched by Priyanka against Varun are but some samples of what can happen. Nothing is permanent, especially in politics. Besides the utterances of the British foreign Secretary Milliband during his travels in Indian desitutes's homes and the entire circus at discovering by both Rahul and Milliband what everyone with his feet on the Indian soil anyhow knows, nay, grows up knowing, are proof that not only rahul wasted his time with the foreign emissary, he also showed him the soft underbelly of India instead of putting our best foot forward, and failed miserably to influence his anti - India viewpoints. He was so inept that not only he failed in all this, he failed even to restrain Milliband till he left Indian shores. Rahul couldn't muster the courage to even counter Milliband utterances during their travels together. Priyanka decidedly would have done better. interestingly, if India is as it actually is, the rulers must accept the blame for it. Let's not forget that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has ruled the nation for most of the period after independence, including the rule of Manmohan Sing who is widely understood to be a puppet prime minister with the real strings of power in the hands of Sonia Gandhi. Rahul certainly does not seem to be the material to run the nation. No doubt he may eventually be able to do so what with the number games and rampant horse trading that goes on in Indian Politics. One doesn't have to be popular or elected to Lok Sabha to become a prime minster. One doesn't have to have a mandate in his favour. We have had our share of Charan Singhs, Deve Gowdas et al. Mulayam Singh was once at a hair's breadth from becoming PM through the cunning machinations of the Late Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
These are merely some of the counterpoints that came to my mind while trying to look at what Priyanka is doing. Priyanka's overdrive is without much substance. She recently advised Varun to read Gita. Gita was propounded in the battle field. What does she want him to learn? Various Yogas like Bhakti, Jnana, Sankhya etc.? The sceintific theory of creation proposed by Lord Krishna? The need to destroy the 'adhrma' even if it meant to annihilate the 'adharmis' who could even be the next of kin? I think she has taken some lessons (but none on the underlying philosophy) from it and is out to annihilate Varun politically notwithstanding he is family like Duryodhan was to Yudhishthir. The stark difference however is that this time she is against Dharma and her only Dharma is power to Nehru-Gandhis. Perhaps she needs to also learn the message of love, the permanence of Karma, the true nature of spirit and spirituality from the holy book. But she is a Buddhist according to a recent issue of Outlook. It is not necessary for her to learn it all from Gita. But it is also not necessary for her to preach it to others.
More recently, she retorted Modi's "Congress is an 180 years old woman" by asking if she (Priyanka herself) looks like an old lady. She doesn't! Even when she will look like one she would get the same polite answer if she posed the same question to decent citizens - that she doesn't. But the question it raises is - Is she the Congress?
I am sadly reminded of the arrogance of the dynasty in always believing that they were above the organisation they belonged, and, in fact that they were as big as the nation. It is widely understood that Mr. Nehru felt that he alone could run the country - a very arrogant belief that only he could bask in. We all remember the infamous Congress slogan "Indira is India, India is Indira." This was extreme arrogance for any person of any stature to equate oneself with the Nation. Are we experiencing the same streak of arrogance? Is Priayanka Congress that she asked the question? Or, is the Congress just Priyanka?
These are merely some of the counterpoints that came to my mind while trying to look at what Priyanka is doing. Priyanka's overdrive is without much substance. She recently advised Varun to read Gita. Gita was propounded in the battle field. What does she want him to learn? Various Yogas like Bhakti, Jnana, Sankhya etc.? The sceintific theory of creation proposed by Lord Krishna? The need to destroy the 'adhrma' even if it meant to annihilate the 'adharmis' who could even be the next of kin? I think she has taken some lessons (but none on the underlying philosophy) from it and is out to annihilate Varun politically notwithstanding he is family like Duryodhan was to Yudhishthir. The stark difference however is that this time she is against Dharma and her only Dharma is power to Nehru-Gandhis. Perhaps she needs to also learn the message of love, the permanence of Karma, the true nature of spirit and spirituality from the holy book. But she is a Buddhist according to a recent issue of Outlook. It is not necessary for her to learn it all from Gita. But it is also not necessary for her to preach it to others.
More recently, she retorted Modi's "Congress is an 180 years old woman" by asking if she (Priyanka herself) looks like an old lady. She doesn't! Even when she will look like one she would get the same polite answer if she posed the same question to decent citizens - that she doesn't. But the question it raises is - Is she the Congress?
I am sadly reminded of the arrogance of the dynasty in always believing that they were above the organisation they belonged, and, in fact that they were as big as the nation. It is widely understood that Mr. Nehru felt that he alone could run the country - a very arrogant belief that only he could bask in. We all remember the infamous Congress slogan "Indira is India, India is Indira." This was extreme arrogance for any person of any stature to equate oneself with the Nation. Are we experiencing the same streak of arrogance? Is Priayanka Congress that she asked the question? Or, is the Congress just Priyanka?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Are we making a mockery of democracy?
Mr. Chidambaram heroically said yesterday that we must keep our powder dry. It is amazing that it needed to be stated. The home minister doesn't seem to think that heretofore it was not necessary and that it could be dried when needed, especially in this country which is threatened more from internal threats than external ones. The same newspaper carried the news of a successful assault by the Maoists inflicting heavy losses to security forces. Sometime ago Times of India published a map of India showing the areas under Naxal threat or control and that was covering well nigh 1/3rd of the landmass of this country. The successive governments have miserably failed to contain terrorism and insurgency in various parts of the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has admitted this in the same issue of Times of India today. Not that it needed to be said. All these news items make for some interesting reading for one day in the world's largest democracy. The moot question of course remains whether ours is actually any longer a truly functioning democracy at all. I don't think it is. Just because we go through the motions of elections at any odd time under the provisions of a constitution which itself seems outdated, craving large scale review, does not guarantee a popular government to rule the nation. In fact the unholy alliances that are cobbled together by an assortment of dishonest politicians just to grab power, with utter disregard to ideological platforms on which they sought the vote, got it and entered the parliament are an abuse of the constitution, the vote of the electorate and the sytem of democracy itself. It is destroying the very basis of and the ideology behind democracy. To say the least, it is betrayal of the nation. There are no untouchables and any and every dispensation is accepted after the representatives are elected whether or not the populace would have approved of it or not. There is no mechanism to find out the electorate's reaction or opinion, and approval or otherwise of the electors for such collaborations which are even so not stable and are standing on the shifting sands of self-interest of the leaders who are more aptly termed usurpers of power. We have often heard of 'Plum Postings' or plum portfolios. What does this euphemism stand for? A position that offers more power? Or more money? Or both? Does it smack of corruption with the approval of the ruling dispensations? Do they also benefit from all these favours? Why is there a clamour for grabbing certain ministries among the political class? What is on offer there? One can go on and on.
The whole country is facing unprecedented upheavals. Religious divide is deepening, fraying the sensibilities of people of different affiliations to a dangerous level. The mutual tolerance is at its nadir and every small remark, a light statement, anything at all becomes a cause of hurt to the 'feelings' of one or the other group. This was not so before. We have lost the ability to accommodate each other and religious fanaticism and chauvinism is now at its peak in all sections of the society. We are no longer able to laugh together or at each other, and worst of all - at ourselves. We can no more have fun as we have no idea what might become politically incorrect and lead to anything from demands for public apologies to full scale riots. Can anyone rightly believe that we are a nation as a nation should be or is understood to mean? We are probably unwilling to live with each other. This is a dangerous portent reflected in demands of many break away groups such as the Kashmiri Separatist Movements, JKLF, Khalistan Movement, Naxalite Movement, Assom Gana Parishad, in its original avatar, ULFA, Nagaland National Council, NSCN, Gorkhaland activists, Maoists... the list goes on. Even the state governments have demanded special rights from time to time, some of them tantamount to breaking away from the nation, even if they were rejected by public will. Many states are being subdivided not because of administrative reasons but by buckling of the governments under the pressure exerted by regional groups demanding separation on the basis of small populations and contiguity of the regions they inhabit. Is this not the way to eventual Balkanisation of the country?
The whole country is facing unprecedented upheavals. Religious divide is deepening, fraying the sensibilities of people of different affiliations to a dangerous level. The mutual tolerance is at its nadir and every small remark, a light statement, anything at all becomes a cause of hurt to the 'feelings' of one or the other group. This was not so before. We have lost the ability to accommodate each other and religious fanaticism and chauvinism is now at its peak in all sections of the society. We are no longer able to laugh together or at each other, and worst of all - at ourselves. We can no more have fun as we have no idea what might become politically incorrect and lead to anything from demands for public apologies to full scale riots. Can anyone rightly believe that we are a nation as a nation should be or is understood to mean? We are probably unwilling to live with each other. This is a dangerous portent reflected in demands of many break away groups such as the Kashmiri Separatist Movements, JKLF, Khalistan Movement, Naxalite Movement, Assom Gana Parishad, in its original avatar, ULFA, Nagaland National Council, NSCN, Gorkhaland activists, Maoists... the list goes on. Even the state governments have demanded special rights from time to time, some of them tantamount to breaking away from the nation, even if they were rejected by public will. Many states are being subdivided not because of administrative reasons but by buckling of the governments under the pressure exerted by regional groups demanding separation on the basis of small populations and contiguity of the regions they inhabit. Is this not the way to eventual Balkanisation of the country?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Where has the 'Idea' of India gone?
अभी कुछ दिनों पहले नेहरू-गाँधी परिवार के एक लड़के को गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया और उसे NSA (रासुका ) लगा कर जेल की सलाखों के पीछे धकेल दिया गया। कांग्रेस के कुछ लोगों ने यहाँ तक कह दिया कि बेटा अपने पिता के ही सामान है। यह वही लोग हैं जो संजयजी के सामने उनकी खुशामद करते नहीं अघाते थे। राजीव गाँधी की हत्या करने वाले संगठन लिट्टे की पैरवी में वाइको ने जो भी कल और इससे पहले कहा वह सब इस देश को स्वीकार्य है। पीराभाकरन (प्रभाकरन) एक अलगाववादी आतंकवादी है और यदि भारत की सरकार उसका समर्थन करती है तो वह किस सदाचार की दुहाई दे कर से काश्मीर के या दूसरे बहुत से अलगाववादी गुटों के विरुद्ध निर्णायक नीतियाँ ले कर कार्यवाही कर सकेगी और कैसे संसार के समक्ष अपना दुखड़ा रो सकेगी? पर वाइको रासुका के लिए सही अभ्यर्थी नहीं हैं। राष्ट्रपति बुश की भारत यात्रा के समय उनके सर पर इनाम की घोषणा करना भी शायद कांग्रेस को भारत के हितार्थ लगा होगा जिस से घोषणा करने वाले के लिए भी रासुका उचित नहीं बैठा और न ही किसी और कानून के तहत कोई कार्यवाही की गई। ऐसे लोग अब लोक सभा के लिए उम्मीदवार हैं। और जिस लड़के ने किसी जाति या धर्म विशेष के लोगों या किसी स्थान या प्रान्त विशेष के लोगों या किसी नागरिक विशेष के विरुद्ध टिप्पणी न करके कुछ कहा और जिसका केवल अपने धर्म की रक्षा ही विषय था तथा देश विरोध कहीं नहीं था, उसके लिया रासुका को ठीक समझा गया और देश में कोई भी प्रतिक्रिया नहीं दिखाई पड़ी। भारत का बुद्धिजीवी समाज अब विचारों और भाषण के स्वातंत्र्य का पक्षधर नहीं रह गया जो हुसैन द्वारा सनातन धर्म को अपमानित किए जाने पर उसकी ज़बरदस्त पैरवी करता नज़र आता था। अब अचानक बुद्धिजीवियों को सांप क्यों सूंघ गया? क्या दमन चक्र की राजनीति अब भारत के बुद्धिजीवियों को उद्वेलित नहीं करती? और क्या दमन से राज्य धर्म का सही निर्वाह हो सकेगा?
क्या हम सेकुलर नहीं हैं? क्या सर्व धर्म समभाव में इस देश की आस्था नहीं है? क्या सनातन धर्म पर आघात करना ग़लत नहीं हैं और बुद्धिजीवियों का केवल और एकमात्र प्रिय शगल है? क्या उसके बचाव की बात करना राष्ट्रीय संकट को बुलावा देना है?
मैं किसी समुदाय की भावनाओं को ठेस पहुंचाए जाने का हामी नहीं हूँ। इन समुदायों में सनातन धर्मानुयायी भी एक हैं। उनकी भावनाओं का भी सम्मान होना चाहिए। वरुण ने यदि किसी समुदाय के विरुद्ध कुछ कहा है तो वह अनुचित हो सकता है पर जो टीवी क्लिप्स दिखाए गए हैं उनमे ऐसा सामने नहीं आया। मैं न्याय का पक्षधर हूँ और ऐसा मानता हूँ की न्याय सभी के लिए एक सा होना चाहिए। ऐसा न होने से देश में अनचाही और विघटनकारी प्रतिक्रियाएं होती हैं और लोगों के बीच आपसी मनमुटाव को बढ़ावा मिलता है। हम क्यों सम भाव हो कर न्याय नहीं करते? हम क्यों समाज के किन्ही तबकों को इतना patronise करते हैं, चाहे उन्हें अल्पसंख्यक कहके ही क्यों न या उनके भले की दुहाईयाँ दे के ही क्यों न सही, कि उनमें हम हीन भावना ही भर दें? क्या उनके आत्मसम्मान का भी हमें विचार नहीं करना चाहिए? क्या अवसरवादिता की अंधी दौड़ में राष्ट्रीय हितों का कोई स्थान नहीं रहा गया है? क्या राजनेताओं ने राष्ट्र को अन्दर से खोखला करने का ही बीड़ा उठा रखा है? तो फिर वे राज किस पर करेंगे? राष्ट्रीय एकता तार - तार हुई जा रही है और हर छोटी बात का बवंडर बन जाता है जब की देश की असली समस्याओं को समझने और इनसे जूझने की इच्छा शक्ति पूरे राजनितिक प्रतिष्ठान और शासन तंत्र में कहीं नज़र नहीं आती। कुर्सी की अंधी दौड़ या उस पर आसीन होने की मदान्धता के कारन राजनीतिकों ने देशवासियों को इतना विभाजित कर दिया है कि कई बार मैं अपने उस भारत के लिए तरस जाता हूँ जिसका दर्शन कभी मुझे अपने अलीगढ में और मेरी मादर-ऐ-इल्म अलीगढ मुस्लिम यूनिवर्सिटी में ६० के दशक में होता था। असल में अब वहां भी सब कुछ बदल गया है। क्या हमारा भारत हमसे कहीं खो गया है?
मैं सोचता हूँ। सभी के लिए यह विचारणीयहै।
क्या हम सेकुलर नहीं हैं? क्या सर्व धर्म समभाव में इस देश की आस्था नहीं है? क्या सनातन धर्म पर आघात करना ग़लत नहीं हैं और बुद्धिजीवियों का केवल और एकमात्र प्रिय शगल है? क्या उसके बचाव की बात करना राष्ट्रीय संकट को बुलावा देना है?
मैं किसी समुदाय की भावनाओं को ठेस पहुंचाए जाने का हामी नहीं हूँ। इन समुदायों में सनातन धर्मानुयायी भी एक हैं। उनकी भावनाओं का भी सम्मान होना चाहिए। वरुण ने यदि किसी समुदाय के विरुद्ध कुछ कहा है तो वह अनुचित हो सकता है पर जो टीवी क्लिप्स दिखाए गए हैं उनमे ऐसा सामने नहीं आया। मैं न्याय का पक्षधर हूँ और ऐसा मानता हूँ की न्याय सभी के लिए एक सा होना चाहिए। ऐसा न होने से देश में अनचाही और विघटनकारी प्रतिक्रियाएं होती हैं और लोगों के बीच आपसी मनमुटाव को बढ़ावा मिलता है। हम क्यों सम भाव हो कर न्याय नहीं करते? हम क्यों समाज के किन्ही तबकों को इतना patronise करते हैं, चाहे उन्हें अल्पसंख्यक कहके ही क्यों न या उनके भले की दुहाईयाँ दे के ही क्यों न सही, कि उनमें हम हीन भावना ही भर दें? क्या उनके आत्मसम्मान का भी हमें विचार नहीं करना चाहिए? क्या अवसरवादिता की अंधी दौड़ में राष्ट्रीय हितों का कोई स्थान नहीं रहा गया है? क्या राजनेताओं ने राष्ट्र को अन्दर से खोखला करने का ही बीड़ा उठा रखा है? तो फिर वे राज किस पर करेंगे? राष्ट्रीय एकता तार - तार हुई जा रही है और हर छोटी बात का बवंडर बन जाता है जब की देश की असली समस्याओं को समझने और इनसे जूझने की इच्छा शक्ति पूरे राजनितिक प्रतिष्ठान और शासन तंत्र में कहीं नज़र नहीं आती। कुर्सी की अंधी दौड़ या उस पर आसीन होने की मदान्धता के कारन राजनीतिकों ने देशवासियों को इतना विभाजित कर दिया है कि कई बार मैं अपने उस भारत के लिए तरस जाता हूँ जिसका दर्शन कभी मुझे अपने अलीगढ में और मेरी मादर-ऐ-इल्म अलीगढ मुस्लिम यूनिवर्सिटी में ६० के दशक में होता था। असल में अब वहां भी सब कुछ बदल गया है। क्या हमारा भारत हमसे कहीं खो गया है?
मैं सोचता हूँ। सभी के लिए यह विचारणीयहै।
Monday, April 6, 2009
India in a drift?
India is a unique country which has begun to fragment on regional and caste lines even before it attained true nationhood. We have become a house and no longer home to our billion plus people, and that too-a house divided. This is a unique democracy where the true voice of the peoples is of no consequence any longer.
The representatives win their elections based on selling certain manifestos (dreams) and touting certain ideologies. After being elected they start political realignments, often involving practices that are often at the fringes of law, or even outside it. They throw all ideology and promises to the people to the winds and start blatant and ugly power games with no regard to the very basis of their being in the parliament or legislatures. And, the law lets them do so. The voters who are used only to legitimise the rotting political system have no influence and worse - they do not even seem to mind these dirty politics. This is the sad and bitter truth of our democracy.
I sometimes wonder whether we are at all a functioning democracy. Are we a monarchy as represented by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, now being populated by assorted fiefdoms of politicians of all hues across ideological divide and the whole gamut of professed principles. There are the emperors and there are the regional satraps, rulers, self styled kings who brazenly advance their sons and assorted next of kin to succeed them in the seats of power. Dangerously, we even have seat warmers or surrogate rulers like Manmohan Singh and Rabri. We are a special democracy where a Prime Minister has no political standing and has loyalty to a certain family as the only claim to fame and surrogate power. Are we ruled by an unholy alliance of seemingly opposed oligarchs who divide the spoils of power amongst themselves while pretending to be doing so in the interest of the 'people', and actually have a common agenda of plundering the nation and controlling its resources as well as people? Are we ruled by despots and power centres who divide the country and exploit the very people that send them to the parliament or legislatures? Are they dividing India like Russia and USA did Europe and the world after WW II?
Question, questions, questions!
After the ascendancy of Charan Singh the Prime Minister's position has become almost stripped of all its grace with the exceptions of Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After the presidency of VV Giri, the Presidency of India became graceless and shamelessly partisan. It lost its dignity. Abdul Kalam did redeem the past glory to a great extent but the ascendancy of Pratibha Devi - a non-entity with a criminal case behind to Presidency (which has been reduced to no more than a rubber stamp post) destroyed all that again. It is dismaying that she has no standing even within he country and even today Abdul Kalam is the favourite President of the people.
We are playing in the hands of people who have divided the society, have created caste and religious conflicts, probably stage managed strife and riots. And we are being sold the fallacious Mera Bharat Mahan idea self arrogated to us on the back of mere populist propaganda.
The representatives win their elections based on selling certain manifestos (dreams) and touting certain ideologies. After being elected they start political realignments, often involving practices that are often at the fringes of law, or even outside it. They throw all ideology and promises to the people to the winds and start blatant and ugly power games with no regard to the very basis of their being in the parliament or legislatures. And, the law lets them do so. The voters who are used only to legitimise the rotting political system have no influence and worse - they do not even seem to mind these dirty politics. This is the sad and bitter truth of our democracy.
I sometimes wonder whether we are at all a functioning democracy. Are we a monarchy as represented by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, now being populated by assorted fiefdoms of politicians of all hues across ideological divide and the whole gamut of professed principles. There are the emperors and there are the regional satraps, rulers, self styled kings who brazenly advance their sons and assorted next of kin to succeed them in the seats of power. Dangerously, we even have seat warmers or surrogate rulers like Manmohan Singh and Rabri. We are a special democracy where a Prime Minister has no political standing and has loyalty to a certain family as the only claim to fame and surrogate power. Are we ruled by an unholy alliance of seemingly opposed oligarchs who divide the spoils of power amongst themselves while pretending to be doing so in the interest of the 'people', and actually have a common agenda of plundering the nation and controlling its resources as well as people? Are we ruled by despots and power centres who divide the country and exploit the very people that send them to the parliament or legislatures? Are they dividing India like Russia and USA did Europe and the world after WW II?
Question, questions, questions!
After the ascendancy of Charan Singh the Prime Minister's position has become almost stripped of all its grace with the exceptions of Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After the presidency of VV Giri, the Presidency of India became graceless and shamelessly partisan. It lost its dignity. Abdul Kalam did redeem the past glory to a great extent but the ascendancy of Pratibha Devi - a non-entity with a criminal case behind to Presidency (which has been reduced to no more than a rubber stamp post) destroyed all that again. It is dismaying that she has no standing even within he country and even today Abdul Kalam is the favourite President of the people.
We are playing in the hands of people who have divided the society, have created caste and religious conflicts, probably stage managed strife and riots. And we are being sold the fallacious Mera Bharat Mahan idea self arrogated to us on the back of mere populist propaganda.
चुन्नू और मुन्नू पढ़ते नहीं थे। उनके लिए ट्यूशन रखा गया। कई ट्यूटर उनकी शैतानियों से हार कर मैदान छोड़ चुके थे। नए ट्यूटर समझदार थे और उन्होंने इन लोगों को खेलने में लगाया क्यूंकि यह पढ़ने को तो तैयार थे ही नहीं। वे उन्हें खेल के मैदान में ले गए। वहां कुछ कबूतर बैठे थे। गिनने पर वे आठ थे। मास्टरजी ने कंकड़ फेंका और दो उड़ गए। उन्होंने चुन्नू-मुन्नू से पूछा बताओ आठ में से दो कबूतर उड़ गए तो कितने बचे? चुन्नू ने फ़ौरन मुन्नू से कहा "बतइयो मत, यह हमें खेल - खेल में पढ़ा देंगे।"
ऐसे surrogate तरीकों से भी किनही धर्मों का प्रचार प्रसार हो रहा है। आप ध्यान या अन्तरावलोकन या अन्तः दर्शन को विपश्यना जानते हैं। योग की पुरानी और जानी मानी पद्धतियाँ नई पैकेजिंग में लुभावनी लगती हैं। सनातन धर्मियों को ऐसे भगवानों के कीर्तनों को fashionable बना कर प्रस्तुत किया जाता है जो वैदिक धर्म के विरुद्ध सदा से सक्रिय रहे हैं। साधारण योगिक प्रक्रियाओं को किसी धार्मिक पद्धति से जोड़ कर पढ़े लिखे लोगों को stress busters के रूप में बेचा जाता है। उसे stress buster होने से ज़्यादा निर्वाण का मार्ग मान लिया जाता है। और फिर धीरे से उनकी कच्ची और अधकचरी आस्थाओं को भंग करके उनको दूसरे धर्म में परिवर्तित करने की भूमि तैयार हो जाती है।
खेल में, फैशन में, साथी-संगियों की सःअनुभूति और उनके स्वीकार्य के लिए बहुत से लोगों ने बिना यह जाने की वे क्या छोड़ कर क्या अपनाने जा रहे हैं दूसरे धर्मों को स्वीकारा है। मुझे इससे आश्चर्य होता है कि हम चुन्नू-मुन्नू से भी भोले बन जाते हैं और खेल-खेल में कुछ भी सीख या मान लेते हैं। अपनी सभ्यता, अपने धर्म, अपनी विरासत, अपने मूल्यों, अपने मत के संचित ज्ञान और दर्शन की लेशमात्र भी जानकारी लिए बिना हम यह कैसे जान सकते हैं कि हमारा trade-off क्या है?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Vedic Dharma, Sanatan Dharma
मैं अक्सर यह चर्चा सुनता हूँ की हिंदू धर्म रुढिवादी है (Dogmatic) और कई नए धर्म वैसे नहीं हैं और यह हिंदू धर्म की कमजोरी है। लोगों को इस बारे में विचार करना चाहिए और विशेषकर हिन्दुओं को इन भ्रांतियों को दूर करने का प्रयत्न करना चाहिए। परन्तु प्रयत्न तो तभी किया जा सकता है जब कोई पहले उस विषय के बारे में थोड़ा जाने। कितने हिंदू घरों में धर्म या उस से सम्बंधित किसी विषय पर कोई रचनात्मक या विवेचनात्मक चर्चा होती है? यह एक चिंता का विषय है। केवल इसलिए नहीं की सनातन धर्म का ह्रास हो रहा है और यह अब जल्द ही शायद अपनी सनातन प्रकृति को त्याग दे। इसलिए कि इस के साथ ही धरा पर से एक विशाल, अत्यन्त सुंदर, विस्तृत और वैज्ञानिक संस्कृति का भी लोप हो जाएगा और लोग इसके सद्विचारों और विशाल विश्वरूप से सदा के लिए वंचित हो जायेंगे। हिन्दुओं का यह परम कर्तव्य है कि वे अपने धर्म को समझें, अपनी आस्थाओं को सुद्रढ़ करें और अपनी संस्कृति को तिलांजलि दे कर यहाँ - वहां नए धर्मों या मत-मतान्तरों के पीछे न भागते रहें।
यदि हम आज के भारत पर द्रष्टि डालें तो हम पाएंगे कि जो बड़े पैमाने पर धर्म परिवर्तन हो रहे हैं उनमें बौध सबसे अधिक प्रयत्नशील हैं। उसके बाद इसाई और फिर इस्लाम आते हैं। इन सभी धर्म प्रचारकों को यह पूरी फसल केवल हिंदू (सनातन धर्मी) समाज से ही प्राप्त होती है। इसमें उनकी कोई गलती नहीं है। यह हमारे धर्म की भी कमजोरी नहीं है। यह हमारे समाज में धर्म को तिलांजलि देने का नतीजा है। हिंदू प्रचारक, धर्मगुरु और शंकराचार्य सभी दर्शन और ज्ञान की आड़ ले कर धर्म प्रचार और धर्म रक्षा और प्रसार के बजाय कोरी भ्रांतियों को ही फैलाने में लगे रहते हैं। प्रवचनों में मैं कभी नहीं सुनता की लोगो को धर्म पालन और धर्म रक्षा का आह्वान होता हो। ऐसे आह्वान किसी के विरुद्ध न होकर केवल अपनी आस्थाओं को दृढ़ करने और अपने लोगों को अपने धर्म में रहने के लिए प्रेरित करने तथा बिछुडे हुए लोगों को वापस अपने साथ लाने के लिए हो सकते हैं और इसमें किसी को कोई ऐतराज़ नहीं होना चाहिए।
जहां तक वैदिक या सनातन धर्म की बात है तो यह कहा जा सकता है कि यदि कोई धर्म pragmatic है या रूढीवाद से ऊपर है तो वो यही धर्म है। हम यदि इसमें से राम, कृष्ण और अन्यान्य अवतार पुरुषों को हटा भी दें यह धर्म इतिहास के इस सन्दर्भ के बिना भी जीवंत है क्योंकि यह ज्ञान, दर्शन, सत्य की खोज और उसकी समझ पर आधारित है। इस धर्म का न तो कोई एक प्रवर्तक है और न ही यह किसी एक भगवद दूत पर निर्भर है। जो धर्म एक प्रवर्तक के चलाये हुए हैं उनका अस्तित्व इस सुबूत पर निर्भर है कि वह प्रवर्तक था और वह वही था जिसे उसका श्रेय दिया जा रहा है। वे बिना उस व्यक्ति के प्रमाण के आधारहीन हो जायेंगे। और प्रमाण तो माने हुए हैं। उन पर प्रश्न चिन्ह लग सकते हैं। ये तो वेदों पर आधारित है और वे किसी एक अवतार, स्वरुप या विग्रह के मोहताज नहीं है। इसीलिए इसमें लगातार लिखा जाता रहा, ऋचाएं जुड़ती रहीं और इसका विस्तार होता रहा। मैंने इस के वैज्ञानिक स्वरुप पर बहुत विचार किया है जो मैं आगे चल कर लिखता रहूँगा। इस धर्म में विचारों के स्वातंत्रय के पूरा स्थान है। अन्य धर्मों में ऐसा न के बराबर है या नहीं है। तो फिर dogmatic कौन है और क्या है?
यदि हम आज के भारत पर द्रष्टि डालें तो हम पाएंगे कि जो बड़े पैमाने पर धर्म परिवर्तन हो रहे हैं उनमें बौध सबसे अधिक प्रयत्नशील हैं। उसके बाद इसाई और फिर इस्लाम आते हैं। इन सभी धर्म प्रचारकों को यह पूरी फसल केवल हिंदू (सनातन धर्मी) समाज से ही प्राप्त होती है। इसमें उनकी कोई गलती नहीं है। यह हमारे धर्म की भी कमजोरी नहीं है। यह हमारे समाज में धर्म को तिलांजलि देने का नतीजा है। हिंदू प्रचारक, धर्मगुरु और शंकराचार्य सभी दर्शन और ज्ञान की आड़ ले कर धर्म प्रचार और धर्म रक्षा और प्रसार के बजाय कोरी भ्रांतियों को ही फैलाने में लगे रहते हैं। प्रवचनों में मैं कभी नहीं सुनता की लोगो को धर्म पालन और धर्म रक्षा का आह्वान होता हो। ऐसे आह्वान किसी के विरुद्ध न होकर केवल अपनी आस्थाओं को दृढ़ करने और अपने लोगों को अपने धर्म में रहने के लिए प्रेरित करने तथा बिछुडे हुए लोगों को वापस अपने साथ लाने के लिए हो सकते हैं और इसमें किसी को कोई ऐतराज़ नहीं होना चाहिए।
जहां तक वैदिक या सनातन धर्म की बात है तो यह कहा जा सकता है कि यदि कोई धर्म pragmatic है या रूढीवाद से ऊपर है तो वो यही धर्म है। हम यदि इसमें से राम, कृष्ण और अन्यान्य अवतार पुरुषों को हटा भी दें यह धर्म इतिहास के इस सन्दर्भ के बिना भी जीवंत है क्योंकि यह ज्ञान, दर्शन, सत्य की खोज और उसकी समझ पर आधारित है। इस धर्म का न तो कोई एक प्रवर्तक है और न ही यह किसी एक भगवद दूत पर निर्भर है। जो धर्म एक प्रवर्तक के चलाये हुए हैं उनका अस्तित्व इस सुबूत पर निर्भर है कि वह प्रवर्तक था और वह वही था जिसे उसका श्रेय दिया जा रहा है। वे बिना उस व्यक्ति के प्रमाण के आधारहीन हो जायेंगे। और प्रमाण तो माने हुए हैं। उन पर प्रश्न चिन्ह लग सकते हैं। ये तो वेदों पर आधारित है और वे किसी एक अवतार, स्वरुप या विग्रह के मोहताज नहीं है। इसीलिए इसमें लगातार लिखा जाता रहा, ऋचाएं जुड़ती रहीं और इसका विस्तार होता रहा। मैंने इस के वैज्ञानिक स्वरुप पर बहुत विचार किया है जो मैं आगे चल कर लिखता रहूँगा। इस धर्म में विचारों के स्वातंत्रय के पूरा स्थान है। अन्य धर्मों में ऐसा न के बराबर है या नहीं है। तो फिर dogmatic कौन है और क्या है?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The fourth estate has betrayed the nation!
The leadership has betrayed the nation!
Corruption is endemic in the society!
Most Indians "accept" corruption as "normal". We can't get worse than that!
In the name of eliminating "casteism" we have entrenched it deeper into our society. In the name of establishing a "secular" society we have divided the country more and more and today the religious bigotry is much more than we ever saw it!
We need to do things differently now!
The leadership has betrayed the nation!
Corruption is endemic in the society!
Most Indians "accept" corruption as "normal". We can't get worse than that!
In the name of eliminating "casteism" we have entrenched it deeper into our society. In the name of establishing a "secular" society we have divided the country more and more and today the religious bigotry is much more than we ever saw it!
We need to do things differently now!
मैं अक्सर सोचता हूँ कि क्या हमारे एक अरब लोगों के देश में ५४२ साफ़ सुथरे लोग नहीं मिल सकते सब राजनीतिक पार्टियों को मिला कर?
मैं सोचता हूँ कि इस देश में जहाँ सभी पार्टियाँ जाति और धर्म के लोगों कि गिनती के आधार पर प्रत्याशियों को टिकट देती हैं, चुनाव बिना धार्मिक भावनाओं के कैसे हो सकते हैं? क्या यह सभी कुछ झूठ का पुलंदा नहीं है? क्यों हम मुद्दों , प्रत्याशियों की काबिलियत और उनके चरित्र, सेवा भाव, देश की प्रति निष्ठा और जनसाधारण के लिए अच्छी भावना की बिन्हा पर टिकट नहीं देते? और फिर यह कैसे आशा करते हैं की जनता सही लोगों को अपना मत दे जब अच्छे लोगों को नहीं बल्कि 'जीत' सकने वाले लोगों को टिकट मिलते हैं, चाहे वो बाहुबली और जाने माने अपराधी या देशद्रोही ही क्यों न हों?
मैं सोचता हूँ की क्या समाचार पत्रों की मतदाताओं को अच्छे प्रत्याशियों को मत देने की नसीहतें ऐसे वातावरण में कामयाब हो सकेंगी जब ऐसे प्रत्याशी हैं ही नहीं?
मैं सोचता हूँ कि इस देश में जहाँ सभी पार्टियाँ जाति और धर्म के लोगों कि गिनती के आधार पर प्रत्याशियों को टिकट देती हैं, चुनाव बिना धार्मिक भावनाओं के कैसे हो सकते हैं? क्या यह सभी कुछ झूठ का पुलंदा नहीं है? क्यों हम मुद्दों , प्रत्याशियों की काबिलियत और उनके चरित्र, सेवा भाव, देश की प्रति निष्ठा और जनसाधारण के लिए अच्छी भावना की बिन्हा पर टिकट नहीं देते? और फिर यह कैसे आशा करते हैं की जनता सही लोगों को अपना मत दे जब अच्छे लोगों को नहीं बल्कि 'जीत' सकने वाले लोगों को टिकट मिलते हैं, चाहे वो बाहुबली और जाने माने अपराधी या देशद्रोही ही क्यों न हों?
मैं सोचता हूँ की क्या समाचार पत्रों की मतदाताओं को अच्छे प्रत्याशियों को मत देने की नसीहतें ऐसे वातावरण में कामयाब हो सकेंगी जब ऐसे प्रत्याशी हैं ही नहीं?
Introductory Blog
I am Rakesh Shah. I am not familiar with blogging and its environmet and would try to learn to use bloggs to good adavntage for the general good. I have travelled a lot and had the opportunity to work in trans-cutural seettings, reasonably well read and a creature of the old world with a healthy respect for decency, good values and relationships based on mutual respect.
My hobbies include photography (no calim to any proficiency), religion with reference to its social impact, history and sceintific understanding.
I am a nationalist and feel deepy pained at the state of the nation and social situation in India. The degeneration of the political and social discourse, destruction of democratic values, greatest degree of hypocrisy in the political system and demise of sense on nationhood amongst politicians and leaders is a constant source of discomfort and anguish for me.
In my opinion the media is our biggest failing now as it feeds unending footage of 'saleable' rather than 'acceptable' or 'beneficial' to peopel who are extremely susceptible to what they see or read and are unable to always separate grain from the chaff. The fourth estate has deceived the nation.
We'll talk about all that in the coming days.
My hobbies include photography (no calim to any proficiency), religion with reference to its social impact, history and sceintific understanding.
I am a nationalist and feel deepy pained at the state of the nation and social situation in India. The degeneration of the political and social discourse, destruction of democratic values, greatest degree of hypocrisy in the political system and demise of sense on nationhood amongst politicians and leaders is a constant source of discomfort and anguish for me.
In my opinion the media is our biggest failing now as it feeds unending footage of 'saleable' rather than 'acceptable' or 'beneficial' to peopel who are extremely susceptible to what they see or read and are unable to always separate grain from the chaff. The fourth estate has deceived the nation.
We'll talk about all that in the coming days.
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