(this is a post in reply to Mr Markanday Katju's article today in the Indian Express)
“Hui muddat ki Ghalib mar gaya par yaad aata hai.......wo har ik baat par kehna,ki yun hota to kya hota”
One can associate , quite dramatically though, this couplet to be one of Ghalib's last. But instead ,these lines convey intense speculation, and experimentation, that Ghalib applied in cross examining this world.
Mr Katju, today, in his article in The Indian Express expressed his strong will for Ghalib to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. And in his strong(rather rude) critique ,lashed out his anger at sportsmen(read Sachin) and film stars(read Amitabh), for whom there is a popular support for conferring the Bharat Ratna.
His point of view, sadly, reflects the rigid attitude that he possesses. He, through his statement, is in stark contrast with the views of Ghalib and Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay whom he so avidly supports to confer the accolade , posthumously. Ghalib, other than his poetic expertise , is known for his flexibility of thoughts,and his open defiance to type caste customs. Mr katju, sadly, offers , none of such views to the readers.
To keep it simple, he opposes the support that Sachin Tendulkar and Amitabh Bachchan have for receiving the award, calling it a mockery of the award itself. He, however, failed to keep the following points in mind during his rhetoric.:-
1. Cricket is the pulse of India, and Sachin Tendulkar, for the past 20 years , has relentlessly worked to keep this pulse running. He came to the cricketing world at the age of 16, and his battling in this area still , at 38. So for more than half of his life time, he has been represented as the face of India, and he still strives enough to keep that face untainted. One of his greatest contributions has been the self belief that he has imparted to the nation's youth. Coming from humble backgrounds, and working his way out with enormous labor, he has proved to the nation that anything can be achieved provided there is perseverance and determination. One has to observe his demeanor to know how saintly he is, and a look at his statistic will prove his sheer artistry in the cricketing field.
2. Cinema is an interface through which people, irrespective of class , color, ethnicity , interact with each other. Amitabh Bachchan , it will be apt to say, has been the face of this platform from our country. A person ,or rather a combination of sheer artistry, pure gentleness, and unwavering dignity. He has been there at the helm of the film industry for the past 40 years, have been doing diverse kind of roles, and more importantly, at the age of 70, excelling in them. On seeing him act, cinema does not seem to be some blitzkrieg action, but an art form , in which you need talent to perform, and values to succeed. It is a well known fact that through his life, he has been portraying the common Indian citizen, be it the angry young man of the 70’s or a truthful principal of a college in 2011, with sheer perfection
India ,in 2011-2012, is an evolving country. Its not that Ghalib, or Sharat Chandra, are forgotten heroes, , they deserve an honorable place in the archival aisles of our history, but to rule out sportsmen and film stars, when it come to performing artistic, national and scientific service, is totally wrong. Tendulkar and Bachcan , collectively ,for the past 4 decades, have tirelessly labored to keep the baton of India at the top.When the country is at its lowest ebb in the context of corruption and terrorism ,they are the faces that have kept the head of our nation high. Today, sports, and performing arts are an important indicator of our national prosperity. And the two great persons , criticized so vehemently by Katju, have excelled in these fields , thus doing a commendable national service
In the end I cannot sum it up better than by admitting that yes, Ghalib and Sharat Chandra have a right to get the nation's highest Accolade, but awarding it to sporting legends, and cine-artists, will not be a mockery, but a celebration of , the modern and resurrected India and its heroes .
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
We the people
“Time is the biggest healer”, and in the present paradigm, this statement glows in perhaps its most glittering sheen. What great age are we living in, when a website in the US is contemplating a presidential nominee , when one of the most autocratic rulers this world has ever seen has been put to one of the most hideous deaths that, again, the world has ever seen. And last but not the least ,when some facebook posts have triggered a country wide revolution, a movement that gave them the flavor they desperately sought for- a taste of democracy.
Democracy- a word with Greek origins that generally has been put into practice when all the other ways of ruling a state have failed. As it is often quoted – the worst form of governance but the best one available. Leftist often argue that a human, naturally, is a communist. But one cannot hide away from the fact that social nature is what overrides any of the inherent tendencies of man.
A normal human being needs social interaction for his hygienic survival. An environment where he can communicate , criticize, laugh, cry thus developing different traits of a personality. A democratic set up is where one gets such an environment with the highest degree of freedom. And what happens when things go the other way round? Imagine a guy in a wooden box with no ventilation, what is the most probable end result?...a destroyed box with an injured but satisfied guy out of it. Today’s Tehrir and yesterday’s Tiananmen were such incidents.
So when democracy helps us to avoid such coups , then why it is termed as the worst form of governance? When every person has got an equal voice, an equal status, there is bound to be a clash, but , in the midst of such heat and fire, we do get the best shaped idea that run a long race but, its the slowness that frustrates. India can be termed as one such frustrated country. The reason is that after more than 65 years of independence and being led by some of the best statesmen , the country still rots in the filth of corruption and poverty. But for a country that was judged to Balkanized within years of its independence , a fairly united stand tells about the magic that the democratic scepter has created. And one cannot help but admit that it was our freedom, our popular stand that helped us to make a transition from a socialist environment to a more open one, in a peaceful way.
Lastly, it will be a gross misjudgment to judge democracy as a form of governance. Its a way of living life in a pleasant oxymoron. Here we have conflicts when we care for a common cause , we fight but we value the hard earned peace, and we often find ourselves plunged in a dark abyss but we know with freedom and ample opportunities we will , someday, see sunshine.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Mahatma v/s Anna
The words written below are some random thoughts that often clung to my mind when I saw an iron willed Anna adamant and hell bent on fasting at Ramlila Grounds, when a larger than life poster of Gandhi jii glowed from the background.
Let us concentrate on the villains first. In Gandhi’s time, there were the British. Anna today fiddles with indigenous men, who are born out of this country’s very soil and act as its protectors. The British were imperialists, they did not rule our country, they ran it, for them India was a business, and they , for most part of their tenure proved to be good businessmen. Our netas come down from a different genre. Unlike the British, they regard serving the nation as their duty , pledge for upholding the constitution, but when it comes to deeds, they keep it simple, rape the nation .
So when it came to waking the country, Gandhi had a tough job, because he was fighting shrewd tacticians, who, incidentally at that time were best at their jobs, and secondly Gandhi had to arouse a nation which after years of incessant harassment laid numb. Adding to the worries , was the neo rich class, which was largely divided , and too possessive about its stand. Anna got, what Gandhi would have strongly wished for- a healthy environment. He got a vibrant and educated middle class which at Gandhi’s time was extinct.
The populace during Gandhi’s time, albeit ultimately supporting him, were habitual of seeing their nation chained. They never had IITs,IIMs,a booming economy, and a self belief that Anna saw in today’s generation, thus compelling Gandhi for intense introspection and spiritual thesis before arriving at a doctrine. So Gandhi with an impoverished India by his side went on to fight some shrewd strategists, and , it is alleged that on similar lines, Anna with a resurgent youth, raised the baton against the Khadi clad men, who mostly are devoid of formal education, let alone being strategists.
The aforementioned allegation is what I stoutly refrain from accepting. Gandhi, in all his movements simply broke the law. He did this to expose the autocratic environment the people lived under. His unlawfulness was symbolic of the fact that ‘ enough is enough’ and that the tide had risen to unmanageable levels. Along side he told Indians , not to accept the fear, but to face it with all the gusto one could muster. He attempted all this non-violently because he was pragmatic enough to understand that any other path in this poverty struck and diverse nation can never lead to a united and a free nation. His hunger strikes, interestingly, were for his own purpose,. Those were his spiritual takes, his introspective journey, to solve the dilemma , if ever, he was in.
Hunger strike is an arch weaponary in the kitty of Team Anna. But in the midst of all the chaos, we tend to overlook a gift that Gandhi, in due course of time has given to Anna, and which has he3lped in making these hunger strikes what they are-heroic.That gift is a democratic and free India. The freedom of speech, an independent media, a self dependent block of the population, and a good education has made this hunger strike a battle of good over the ugly.
When Gandhi faught and broke the laws, there were no rights, no constitution, no democratic institutions that upheld the sovereignty of the Indians., so Gandhi had no other choice. But today when we have achieved what Gandhi had dreamt of , then a hunger strike , though may seem fascinating by analyzing the corruption levels, ultimately ends up keeping the country’s republican structure at ransom.
Anna’s methodology tends to undermine the governance and politics of the country when the real problem lies in the aforementioned politicians who harass and rape our motherland. It should be kept in mind that the real victory is not achieved by proving a point at Jantar Mantar, but by respecting the constitution, following the ethos of democratic process,thus strengthening the institutions of this country, institutions, due to which for the past 60+ years we have boasted to be the largest electorate in the world.
Having said that the people’s anger is totally justified. But then we should remember that the the anger which has made us responsible citizens would easily have been an illegal action in any undemocratic environment. It’s the freedom given to us that has made us think so vocally about our country. Of course these are beautiful times when so much young blood is there for the country, but then trying to make things work on the grounds of a strike which is becoming synonymous with “my way or the highway” is pushing things too far.
Instead we should try to bring change in ways some people thought we would when they framed our constitution, when they conferred it a republic. It should be remembered that by-passing is no solution but strengthening our nation is one. We should try to analyze our democratic set up, participate in governance, reform various sectors ,and try to make parliamentary institutions citizen-friendly and transparent, which from times immemorial have been used against us, and these can be achieved when we shed the robe of observers and become participants. That way we might be similar to what Gandhi would have been today , otherwise in his very own words, “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”.
Let us concentrate on the villains first. In Gandhi’s time, there were the British. Anna today fiddles with indigenous men, who are born out of this country’s very soil and act as its protectors. The British were imperialists, they did not rule our country, they ran it, for them India was a business, and they , for most part of their tenure proved to be good businessmen. Our netas come down from a different genre. Unlike the British, they regard serving the nation as their duty , pledge for upholding the constitution, but when it comes to deeds, they keep it simple, rape the nation .
So when it came to waking the country, Gandhi had a tough job, because he was fighting shrewd tacticians, who, incidentally at that time were best at their jobs, and secondly Gandhi had to arouse a nation which after years of incessant harassment laid numb. Adding to the worries , was the neo rich class, which was largely divided , and too possessive about its stand. Anna got, what Gandhi would have strongly wished for- a healthy environment. He got a vibrant and educated middle class which at Gandhi’s time was extinct.
The populace during Gandhi’s time, albeit ultimately supporting him, were habitual of seeing their nation chained. They never had IITs,IIMs,a booming economy, and a self belief that Anna saw in today’s generation, thus compelling Gandhi for intense introspection and spiritual thesis before arriving at a doctrine. So Gandhi with an impoverished India by his side went on to fight some shrewd strategists, and , it is alleged that on similar lines, Anna with a resurgent youth, raised the baton against the Khadi clad men, who mostly are devoid of formal education, let alone being strategists.
The aforementioned allegation is what I stoutly refrain from accepting. Gandhi, in all his movements simply broke the law. He did this to expose the autocratic environment the people lived under. His unlawfulness was symbolic of the fact that ‘ enough is enough’ and that the tide had risen to unmanageable levels. Along side he told Indians , not to accept the fear, but to face it with all the gusto one could muster. He attempted all this non-violently because he was pragmatic enough to understand that any other path in this poverty struck and diverse nation can never lead to a united and a free nation. His hunger strikes, interestingly, were for his own purpose,. Those were his spiritual takes, his introspective journey, to solve the dilemma , if ever, he was in.
Hunger strike is an arch weaponary in the kitty of Team Anna. But in the midst of all the chaos, we tend to overlook a gift that Gandhi, in due course of time has given to Anna, and which has he3lped in making these hunger strikes what they are-heroic.That gift is a democratic and free India. The freedom of speech, an independent media, a self dependent block of the population, and a good education has made this hunger strike a battle of good over the ugly.
When Gandhi faught and broke the laws, there were no rights, no constitution, no democratic institutions that upheld the sovereignty of the Indians., so Gandhi had no other choice. But today when we have achieved what Gandhi had dreamt of , then a hunger strike , though may seem fascinating by analyzing the corruption levels, ultimately ends up keeping the country’s republican structure at ransom.
Anna’s methodology tends to undermine the governance and politics of the country when the real problem lies in the aforementioned politicians who harass and rape our motherland. It should be kept in mind that the real victory is not achieved by proving a point at Jantar Mantar, but by respecting the constitution, following the ethos of democratic process,thus strengthening the institutions of this country, institutions, due to which for the past 60+ years we have boasted to be the largest electorate in the world.
Having said that the people’s anger is totally justified. But then we should remember that the the anger which has made us responsible citizens would easily have been an illegal action in any undemocratic environment. It’s the freedom given to us that has made us think so vocally about our country. Of course these are beautiful times when so much young blood is there for the country, but then trying to make things work on the grounds of a strike which is becoming synonymous with “my way or the highway” is pushing things too far.
Instead we should try to bring change in ways some people thought we would when they framed our constitution, when they conferred it a republic. It should be remembered that by-passing is no solution but strengthening our nation is one. We should try to analyze our democratic set up, participate in governance, reform various sectors ,and try to make parliamentary institutions citizen-friendly and transparent, which from times immemorial have been used against us, and these can be achieved when we shed the robe of observers and become participants. That way we might be similar to what Gandhi would have been today , otherwise in his very own words, “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”.
Friday, December 2, 2011
BEING ANNA -Reloaded
Anna* is back again....with a bang or not, only time will tell,but his presence can be felt. Words like parliament,resolution and most importantly hunger strike are bubbling again in the atmosphere. A revolution is being sensed, smelled and expected soon.
If we go by the general consensus, which means views of people which altogether lead a normal life(for some. it’s boring) life, then it’s the rebuilding of the nation that is taking place, times are great, its India shining...or is it?. If it is, then where will we put( in the scale of shine), our constitution that grants us the freedom that has made Anna's act a heroic stance? An act that , 60 years ago, could easily have been another Jallianwaala Bagh episode.
There's no doubt about Anna's integrity towards the issue, but the incessant use of hunger strikes and boycotts are taking the subject to rather unfriendly shores. In a country where each of us have been given equal rights, and most importantly equal opportunities , the path of hunger strikes is a kind of a short cut that contradicts our republican structure. The direct effect that it has on the citizens is that they have started to undermine democracy, thereby developing a scorn towards everything political.
When ,on one side Anna has succeeded in driving the youth to a just cause , on the other hand his philosophy has drifted the young guns from politics and politicians. The hunger strike methodology can, in near future lead to a domino effect , when no matter what the cause is , a similar movement may rock the stage.
Anna , by distancing himself from politics, has become a mere symbolic reality, at times when we desperately need a leader like him. It must be remembered that to uphold the nation's democratic fervour, we have to follow the path that upholds the countries democratic power. And when there is people's control, the only way changes can be made are through elections. We need to understand that common good can be achieved by participating and winning in the elections, by coming to power, and replacing the bad ones by the good and more sincere ones.
Corruption, for which the Gandhian is fighting , is not an issue. It is a disease that everyone is suffering from, and strikes are no way of curing it, rather it makes it more fatal, because of the growing mistrust it creates among the people for the institutions, the pillars of this country. Secondly, Corruption is basically an effect , rather that a cause, as it has been projected. The inept policies against a booming economic growth is a catalyst for increasing this filth. It should be noted that a common man resorts to corruption as a need, not as a habit. Therefore, a mere check may backfire, by that check becoming tainted too. In the long run , only robust policies can paint the picture in desired colors. That is possible when a bravado like Anna plunges into the political battlefield, thus making the whole structure solid.
Anna is no 'second Gandhi', he is the follower of country's father who's dream it was to see the nation being led by its heroes. Today, when we almost hate the khadi clad men that govern us, its time for Annaq to get rid of the hunger strike way, become representative of the people, lead the nation as people's hero , and built an India, Gandhi once dreamt of, and Anna himself, still dreams of.
* = Anna here is synonymous with Team Anna
If we go by the general consensus, which means views of people which altogether lead a normal life(for some. it’s boring) life, then it’s the rebuilding of the nation that is taking place, times are great, its India shining...or is it?. If it is, then where will we put( in the scale of shine), our constitution that grants us the freedom that has made Anna's act a heroic stance? An act that , 60 years ago, could easily have been another Jallianwaala Bagh episode.
There's no doubt about Anna's integrity towards the issue, but the incessant use of hunger strikes and boycotts are taking the subject to rather unfriendly shores. In a country where each of us have been given equal rights, and most importantly equal opportunities , the path of hunger strikes is a kind of a short cut that contradicts our republican structure. The direct effect that it has on the citizens is that they have started to undermine democracy, thereby developing a scorn towards everything political.
When ,on one side Anna has succeeded in driving the youth to a just cause , on the other hand his philosophy has drifted the young guns from politics and politicians. The hunger strike methodology can, in near future lead to a domino effect , when no matter what the cause is , a similar movement may rock the stage.
Anna , by distancing himself from politics, has become a mere symbolic reality, at times when we desperately need a leader like him. It must be remembered that to uphold the nation's democratic fervour, we have to follow the path that upholds the countries democratic power. And when there is people's control, the only way changes can be made are through elections. We need to understand that common good can be achieved by participating and winning in the elections, by coming to power, and replacing the bad ones by the good and more sincere ones.
Corruption, for which the Gandhian is fighting , is not an issue. It is a disease that everyone is suffering from, and strikes are no way of curing it, rather it makes it more fatal, because of the growing mistrust it creates among the people for the institutions, the pillars of this country. Secondly, Corruption is basically an effect , rather that a cause, as it has been projected. The inept policies against a booming economic growth is a catalyst for increasing this filth. It should be noted that a common man resorts to corruption as a need, not as a habit. Therefore, a mere check may backfire, by that check becoming tainted too. In the long run , only robust policies can paint the picture in desired colors. That is possible when a bravado like Anna plunges into the political battlefield, thus making the whole structure solid.
Anna is no 'second Gandhi', he is the follower of country's father who's dream it was to see the nation being led by its heroes. Today, when we almost hate the khadi clad men that govern us, its time for Annaq to get rid of the hunger strike way, become representative of the people, lead the nation as people's hero , and built an India, Gandhi once dreamt of, and Anna himself, still dreams of.
* = Anna here is synonymous with Team Anna
RELIGION- THROUGH MODERN LENSES
Religion is a complex term. It will be an understatement to call it just a word in the lexicon. It is basically a subjective reality that appears to be a vast entity, often transcending realism. Religion- on hearing the word ,one is filled with respect,awe and revernece,towards a certain set of rules that we dare not question ,let alone break.
That respect towards religion is anachronistic in modern times because it certainly inhibits our ability ro reason and question. If we have a look at all the modern democracies we will see that there is always a growing tussle between the free spirited thought and the rigid norms of religion. For those nations, which are on their way towards a democratic set up,this friction is more pronounced.
The aforementioned conditions are effects of a wrong perception of religion and religious thoughts, that we have been garnering for centuries. We , round the globe,in almost every case,project religion as unquestionable. It seem to be word handed over by God and mere asking for its validity is gravest of sins. It is easy to analyze and tough to admit that this is a wrong perception of religion.
The correct answer to the question “What is religion?” would be that it is a set of thought processes embedded with principles that helps make people's life smooth and ethically strong. The concepts of religion are never accountable to the wishes of a particular 'great one' as that will make it synonymous with autocracy. Viewing the situation historically and socially, the main reason for religion to come into existence is to render the society a peaceful ethical and to the as much a possible, a life on their own terms, thus making flexibility , the charm of any religion.
Flexibility brings religion as a topic of heated debate. The problem with the society is that we need to look religion as a set of principles that must remain unchanged , unbridled. This creates a collision with the modern social life which is adaptable to changes.
The main motive of religion is to take human life to a better level, but our rigid take on this institution is making things difficult. We often concentrate on the petty do's and dont's and project ourselves as true followers. Any particular principle of religion depends on the historical ang geographical condition when it was enunciated. We should pay attention to only those theories and try to bring to action only those practices which are correct and ethical irrespective of caste , society and time frame.Such a treatment of religion will bring it not only closer to modern democratic principles but will try to fill the rift between various theologies.
What we need is a critical analysis and filtering only those practices which serve for the betterment of humanity as a whole. In simple words it would be catering to what any religion and its practices and philosophies actually asks for.
That respect towards religion is anachronistic in modern times because it certainly inhibits our ability ro reason and question. If we have a look at all the modern democracies we will see that there is always a growing tussle between the free spirited thought and the rigid norms of religion. For those nations, which are on their way towards a democratic set up,this friction is more pronounced.
The aforementioned conditions are effects of a wrong perception of religion and religious thoughts, that we have been garnering for centuries. We , round the globe,in almost every case,project religion as unquestionable. It seem to be word handed over by God and mere asking for its validity is gravest of sins. It is easy to analyze and tough to admit that this is a wrong perception of religion.
The correct answer to the question “What is religion?” would be that it is a set of thought processes embedded with principles that helps make people's life smooth and ethically strong. The concepts of religion are never accountable to the wishes of a particular 'great one' as that will make it synonymous with autocracy. Viewing the situation historically and socially, the main reason for religion to come into existence is to render the society a peaceful ethical and to the as much a possible, a life on their own terms, thus making flexibility , the charm of any religion.
Flexibility brings religion as a topic of heated debate. The problem with the society is that we need to look religion as a set of principles that must remain unchanged , unbridled. This creates a collision with the modern social life which is adaptable to changes.
The main motive of religion is to take human life to a better level, but our rigid take on this institution is making things difficult. We often concentrate on the petty do's and dont's and project ourselves as true followers. Any particular principle of religion depends on the historical ang geographical condition when it was enunciated. We should pay attention to only those theories and try to bring to action only those practices which are correct and ethical irrespective of caste , society and time frame.Such a treatment of religion will bring it not only closer to modern democratic principles but will try to fill the rift between various theologies.
What we need is a critical analysis and filtering only those practices which serve for the betterment of humanity as a whole. In simple words it would be catering to what any religion and its practices and philosophies actually asks for.
POLITICIAN'S BANK
For all those who felt proud to belong to a region that boasted both of Taj Mahal and Sangam, it must have been heartbreaking ,when in Lucknow, the resolution to divide the state into four parts was passed.
The main facets that have bubbled out of this division storm are the emotional outbursts of a simple UPite, who, irrespective of the dilapidated condition of the state ,has fond memories of the state’s cultural supremacy. But in the midst of all this emotion, we regularly ignore the real politik of the leaders of the state ,the beloved Vote Bank policy-an antecedent to divide and rule.
“A vote bank is a loyal bloc of a single community backing a certain candidate” is a rather innocent definition of the term. In the context of UP, it is a strategy of getting votes on the caste lines ,that ultimately lead to the negligence of the development of the region.
The main attraction of the politics of Uttar Pradesh is its casteist flavor. The reason behind the subsequent division is termed as the large size of the state that leads to its inefficient administration. This reason , as per now, is just a mirage to seek political goals. Three out of four regions which are projected as different states are self sufficient as far as the resources and manpower is concerned. The problem is the lack of effective policies of governance, as political spectrum makes it mandatory for every politician to woo a certain caste/group, ultimately overshadowing the state as a whole.
If we look at the state more closely, we will find cotton mills at Kanpur ,once known for their huge output- all closed, the artistic cottage industry of Purvanchal- all dumped up. These are some of the many ‘already’ present resources that made UP, a once prosperous state and an ignorant back towards them has resulted in the present plight of the state. And no prizes for guessing the simple reason – lack of sustainable policies ,because the idea is to stay in power rather than to strive for the development of key zones which have both man power and resources.
The largely unseen result of excessive vote banking is the continuing malice between various caste groups. The malice has always been there, but when the baton of leadership is carried forward by educated leaders, and when the the common man, too is decently aware, then, the persistence of such attitude is an alarming sign. It can be gathered from history that any pogrom is a result of a hybrid mixture of class hatred with education among the youth. The ill-effect growing vote bank policies , which will aggravate with the division, might very well bring the relation among the people esp. educates youth of the region to such a situation.
To conclude, I guess, it would be sensible to relate the state’s development with an effective administration rather than division, which may lead to a lesser say of the regions at the center. Sound policy making and impartial judgment of the issue can only make Uttar Pradesh an Uttam Pradesh, the title it has long been striving to get.
The main facets that have bubbled out of this division storm are the emotional outbursts of a simple UPite, who, irrespective of the dilapidated condition of the state ,has fond memories of the state’s cultural supremacy. But in the midst of all this emotion, we regularly ignore the real politik of the leaders of the state ,the beloved Vote Bank policy-an antecedent to divide and rule.
“A vote bank is a loyal bloc of a single community backing a certain candidate” is a rather innocent definition of the term. In the context of UP, it is a strategy of getting votes on the caste lines ,that ultimately lead to the negligence of the development of the region.
The main attraction of the politics of Uttar Pradesh is its casteist flavor. The reason behind the subsequent division is termed as the large size of the state that leads to its inefficient administration. This reason , as per now, is just a mirage to seek political goals. Three out of four regions which are projected as different states are self sufficient as far as the resources and manpower is concerned. The problem is the lack of effective policies of governance, as political spectrum makes it mandatory for every politician to woo a certain caste/group, ultimately overshadowing the state as a whole.
If we look at the state more closely, we will find cotton mills at Kanpur ,once known for their huge output- all closed, the artistic cottage industry of Purvanchal- all dumped up. These are some of the many ‘already’ present resources that made UP, a once prosperous state and an ignorant back towards them has resulted in the present plight of the state. And no prizes for guessing the simple reason – lack of sustainable policies ,because the idea is to stay in power rather than to strive for the development of key zones which have both man power and resources.
The largely unseen result of excessive vote banking is the continuing malice between various caste groups. The malice has always been there, but when the baton of leadership is carried forward by educated leaders, and when the the common man, too is decently aware, then, the persistence of such attitude is an alarming sign. It can be gathered from history that any pogrom is a result of a hybrid mixture of class hatred with education among the youth. The ill-effect growing vote bank policies , which will aggravate with the division, might very well bring the relation among the people esp. educates youth of the region to such a situation.
To conclude, I guess, it would be sensible to relate the state’s development with an effective administration rather than division, which may lead to a lesser say of the regions at the center. Sound policy making and impartial judgment of the issue can only make Uttar Pradesh an Uttam Pradesh, the title it has long been striving to get.
NEW TIMES...GOOD TIMES..
Ramrajya- a sound that is more perfect than the batting of Bradman,more picturesque than the valleys of Kashmir. It’s a word that is often referred to when we see atrocities happening or seeing something unjust in the present time frame. And we complement it with a word as immortal and as great as the former – Kalyug. Without Kalyug, Ramrajya is null and void, as we admire Ramrajya because we hate Kalyug. But then Ramrajya brings a music to our ears, the sound of which represents order,justice,and peace for all.
Having said that, I am of the view that we have crossed the deserts of the devilish Kalyug. We no longer reside in that separatist culture,. We are in a new phase that is a counterpart, and not a complement of the great era of King Rama- if I may call it CyberRajya- the digital boom. Computers started as a sophisticated helping hand in our complex research work,grew as a technology to assist us in our academic and industrial domain and as per now, have invaded our social,personal and every type of life to an extent of haunting us.
So are we in good times or bad ones? Are we celebrating the fest of technology or ignoring the beauties of nature in a bid to get ‘silicon’ized. Let’s just compare the present day society with the most sought after period of India- the Ramrajya.
The most fascinating thing about Ramrajya was its openness. Openness is a rather vague term that can be further broken into equality, freedom of expression, and that every person from top to bottom was connected to each other- not to forget that Seeta was abandoned due to a comment of a mere commoner. These days when I log on to my twitter account and tweet something to Mr Bachchan, I don’t do it as a fan writing some fan males, but it’s just a flow of a distinct point of view from one person to another, and all the time ,being fully aware that he is going to answer me. Similarly when an American logs on to AmericansElect.com. he does not do it to gather knowledge about the political spectrum of his country, he does it to elect a presidential nominee, thus to change the political spectrum of his country, and all this for free, because as members of this society we deserve it- a bell rings, a behavior analogous to the Ramrajya .
Various cyber tools that strive to keep us connected have broken amongst us various class,caste and status barriers and help built us in individuals who believe in an unbiased flow of ideas to build valid and various thought processes. The commoner, thus has started thinking of himself as an important part of the social machinery, His voice is being heard, his thoughts are being acted upon, he is feeling responsible, thus powerful and hence , conscious for the development of society, country and the world. Looking from the context of India- in a land where there are various languages and cultures , no single person can lead the nation , and inputs from each and every individual is needed, and Cyberrajya is definitely making this need into a reality.
Our mythology tells us that there will be great destruction after Kalyug and the good times will start again. It is all true and the destruction is happening, not in the form of bloodshed, but by destroying customs, old roots, and fighting our way out to keep the current line of thought in place that is the hybrid thinking of the society. And once it is all over, we’ll be living in a golden age,with values we have long sought for.
Having said that, I am of the view that we have crossed the deserts of the devilish Kalyug. We no longer reside in that separatist culture,. We are in a new phase that is a counterpart, and not a complement of the great era of King Rama- if I may call it CyberRajya- the digital boom. Computers started as a sophisticated helping hand in our complex research work,grew as a technology to assist us in our academic and industrial domain and as per now, have invaded our social,personal and every type of life to an extent of haunting us.
So are we in good times or bad ones? Are we celebrating the fest of technology or ignoring the beauties of nature in a bid to get ‘silicon’ized. Let’s just compare the present day society with the most sought after period of India- the Ramrajya.
The most fascinating thing about Ramrajya was its openness. Openness is a rather vague term that can be further broken into equality, freedom of expression, and that every person from top to bottom was connected to each other- not to forget that Seeta was abandoned due to a comment of a mere commoner. These days when I log on to my twitter account and tweet something to Mr Bachchan, I don’t do it as a fan writing some fan males, but it’s just a flow of a distinct point of view from one person to another, and all the time ,being fully aware that he is going to answer me. Similarly when an American logs on to AmericansElect.com. he does not do it to gather knowledge about the political spectrum of his country, he does it to elect a presidential nominee, thus to change the political spectrum of his country, and all this for free, because as members of this society we deserve it- a bell rings, a behavior analogous to the Ramrajya .
Various cyber tools that strive to keep us connected have broken amongst us various class,caste and status barriers and help built us in individuals who believe in an unbiased flow of ideas to build valid and various thought processes. The commoner, thus has started thinking of himself as an important part of the social machinery, His voice is being heard, his thoughts are being acted upon, he is feeling responsible, thus powerful and hence , conscious for the development of society, country and the world. Looking from the context of India- in a land where there are various languages and cultures , no single person can lead the nation , and inputs from each and every individual is needed, and Cyberrajya is definitely making this need into a reality.
Our mythology tells us that there will be great destruction after Kalyug and the good times will start again. It is all true and the destruction is happening, not in the form of bloodshed, but by destroying customs, old roots, and fighting our way out to keep the current line of thought in place that is the hybrid thinking of the society. And once it is all over, we’ll be living in a golden age,with values we have long sought for.
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