Euro Trip -II (19.12.09): Journey begins.. from Interlaken

We reached Gare de Toulouse – Matabiau in the shuttle bus. The environment was a bit gloomy, like never before. Being a student city, normally people went away to their homes during vacations.There were not many to be seen around. I personally never find winters great to be outdoors. Actually the cold weather discourages me, depresses me. Also there was a lack of merry that normally used to be on our faces, we were too tired perhaps, or there was some discontent amongst few of us for not being able to travel with others they with whom they wanted to. But I was still hopeful that journey will bridge the gaps and it’s all going to end on a happy note.

We still had a few hours before our train left. Like always, we waited at the station’s waiting lounge itself. I decided to take a stroll around, knowing well that it could be the last one of the station as we were going to leave for India very soon after we came back. We had spent quite a part of our time here, waiting for trains, booking our tickets, for various journeys around in France during previous months. All the memories were flashing through my mind.

“Tan tan taaaarant”, rang the SNCF jingle, and the speakers announced the arrival of our train. We picked the bags to go to our platform. The train was going to take us to Geneva. We settled ourselves inside the train and went to sleep soon, to wake up into a dreamy morning.As soon as we got off at Geneva Cornavin Railway station, all felt so fresh. We were in Switzerland, the paradise on Earth. The city is famous worldwide, as a symbol of peace, centre to UN’s many agencies, HQ to Red Cross Organization, the famous scientific wonder- the Large Hadron Collider of CERN. But we had not planned a stop here and very soon we took our train to the city of Interlaken, a small city surrounded all over with lakes.


We knew that Switzerland was a place that bloomed in months of September and October. December conceals its beauty in a white sheet of snow, taking away all its colors. But still we couldn’t have lost this chance, whatsoever. Surely it was well decided. We were in total awe during the whole journey up to Interlaken. The Swiss Alps, the snow covered meadows, the calm glistening lakes and a foggy sun in the sky, the experience was otherworldly.After lodging into our beautiful rooms and throwing away our bags, we set off to wander out, forgetting everything for a while. The temperature was below zero, but we were free souls, and nothing could now stop us from living the moment.

We had planned to go to Jungfraujoch-top of the Europe, a tourist resort near Interlaken. It’s one of the highest peaks of Bernese Alps at a height of 4158 m above sea. But the temperature was as low as -29 C up there. We were not used to such low temperatures, and decided better not to venture to this danger. We rather chose to go to Beaten berg, a local municipality and a tourist sight. The mercury read -12 C there; we could hardly bear it, so we were forced to take the first bus back. I shudder to imagine what would have happened had it been to Jungfrau.It was getting colder, so we decided to retire to our room. Late night I heard some voices. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, found Swetabh, Avinash and Telang pouncing around. I could see Isha smiling, our group had grown bigger. :)

Euro Trip -I (18.12.09): The Sense of an Ending

INSA-Toulouse campus from my room

It has already been quite some time since I returned from the European lands and I have already started forgetting the fine details of the amazing moments I spent there. But the fun of the voyage is still etched deep. The four months were truly an experience, totally unvisited and fresh. It was not only about fun and travelling, but also about ups and downs in the relations; anxiety of coping up with academics in a place of different work ethics, different study culture, and foremost a different language; the subtle emptiness of being far away from home and natives; and nostalgia of being scheduled to fly back soon. It was not easy to stay there for too long, but was also equally difficult to leave. But then it had to be so, then why not in an unforgettable manner.

Though it was already decided that we were to travel extensively for the last ten days of our exchange program, during the long awaited Vacance de Noël, we still had to chart out itinerary. Though earlier it was proposed that all 18 of us were going to travel together, but due to some differences in the priorities of where all to go, and realizing logistic problems in dix-huit musketeers travelling together, we started in groups with cris-crossed trajectories, making sure that we meet on Christmas eve in Roma, Vaticano.

 After a detailed planning by Rohit and me, we (Isha, Pinak, Rohit and Manish) were to set off on 18^th day of the month of December, 2009. The journey was surely well designed, but was going to test the limits of our bodies, with extensive sightseeing and travelling in the Euro Railways. I still remember the excitement I felt after giving my last exam in the course of Solid State Physics on 17^th noon. We had a train next night, but before that, a long list of To Do’s so as to sign off from l’INSA campus. It included completing all the formalities in academic section, international affairs section, our Residence 1, pcking and a final good bye to a few friends we had made in the small duration.

Excitements and unexpected situations never missed us even during this part. The hostel caretaker was to be handed over our rooms, but she was a tough lady, not easy to be made happy. She wanted us to clean each corner of our rooms like shining new, and we spent hours rubbing floors and tables cursing the old lady for all the fuss she always created. But, we were still happy, for what waited in soon for us.

The morning of 18^th was in itself most ecstatic, heavenly and kind of unbelievable. I had asked Rohit to wake me up early as we had a lot to do for the day. Knock-Knock!! He banged at 6 am. It was still dark outside, and I was in no mood to leave my cosy quilt. Knock knock!! “Bansi!! Open the door and look outside.” I peeked from my window. It felt as if I was still in a dream. The lawns were covered with rusty grey colour and were reflecting light from the street lamps, as if someone had sprinkled gold powder all over. I took some time to realize what was it, and then I spontaneously smiled. “It’s snowing.”

I opened the door and both me and Rohit ran downstairs to take a closer look. I was the first live snowfall I ever witnessed. It was still thin. But very soon it grew thicker and the dawn had also broken. It was the beginning of a lovely day indeed.

Rest of the day was tiring one. Our earlier attempt of room cleansing was rejected by the old caretaker lady and we were made to rub the floors again, with soap and water (we were not even sure if she could make us clean it as it was her duty not ours), we had to run around to the bank for closing our account, to the Administration block to clear our arrears, to return the stuff we had hired from the “BEE” etc. Also three of us were supposed to hand over our rooms back to the authorities and we all had to shift our stuff to Pinak’s room. After we got over with all stuff, it was already dusk. Snow outside had started melting, falling the temperature, sun had set and a strange anxiety was starting to grip us. We had a train late at night, so we had planned to take a metro to the station. I don’t remember the details but somehow one of us realized that metro was not possible due to some reason, and we will have to take a bus from about a mile away from our hostel, the last one of which was to leave in about half an hour. We were already experienced in this Run on heels situations, and immediately stuffed our half packed bags, wore thick layers of clothes all over our bodies, locked the room and took off.

It was slippery due to snow outside making it difficult to run. Cold gusty wind was blowing. We scuttled towards the bus-stop and found the bus already on stop from some distance. We screamed and ran, slipping and skidding in between, managing our baggage and caps and mufflers from falling off.

We just made it in time, panting, boarded the bus, to begin the journey, the true Euro-Trip.

Gham-e-Zindagi Teri Raah Mein

(Found it somewhere)

Teri rehmaton ke diyar mein
Tere baadalon ka pata nahin

Abhi aag sard hui nahin
Abhi alao koi bujha nahin

Meri bazm-e-dil toh ujar chuki
Mera khush jahan toh simat chuka

Sabhi jaa chuke mere ham nasheen
Magar ik shaks gaya nahin

Gham-E-Zindagi Teri Raah Men
Shab-E-Arzu Teri Chah Men

Jo Ujar Gaya Wo Basa Nahi
Jo Bichar Gaya Wo Mila Nahi

Jo Dil-O-Nazar Ka Saroor Tha
Mere Pas Reh Kar Bhi Dour Tha

Woh Ik Gulaab Umeed Ka
Meri Shakh-E-Jaa'n Pe Khila Nahi

Mera Hum Safar Jo Ajeeb Hai
To Ajeeb Tar Hoon Main Bhi

Mujhe Manzilon Ki Khabar Nahi
Usy Raaston Ka Pata Nahi

Bus Ik Kaarwaa'n Sar-E-Raah Guzar Hai
Main Haara Hoon To Is Liye

K Qadam To Sab Se Mila Liya
Mera Dil Kisi Se Mila Nahi

Internet and Economy

 <Entry for Deutsche Bank White Paper Challenge- IDEATRICS>

Imagine that the Internet and computers were available in 17th Century, before the industrial revolution. Explain how it would have changed the face of business and economy today.

Computers and internet, better called the Information Technology (IT) have had a profound effect on all walks of our life. Whether it is education, entertainment, governance, policing, transportation, IT is there in all of them. There is a saying- ‘We earn to live and live to earn’. With its colossal capacity of data processing and lightening speed of information exchange, computers have an unparalleled existence in today’s business and economy. Though for many of us, especially in the agrarian land of India, business and trade is still nothing more than exchange of goods, cash, cheques and loans, growth of use of IT in stock markets, exchange, international financial forums deeply impacts the global commodity prices and fiscal policies, and hence affects the lives of even the least concerned.

Things evolve out of need. Although it was the extra-ordinary impetus to the industries, trade, knowledge sharing and quest for higher living comforts, given by the great industrial and scientific revolution of 18^th century, that led to the eventual evolution of Computers and Internet; the importance of Information Technology in economy and trade can still be appropriately emphasized by imagining its presence as soon as in 17^th century.

Industrial revolution of 1800s marks a major turning point in human history with almost everything influenced in some way or other. The growth of textile industry, Iron making and steam engine then started a chain process which is continuing even today, a process of sustained growth. Within two centuries of 1800s, there was a 10 fold increase in the global GDP and 6 fold increase in the population. Apart from this, what really was significant was the mental revolution that accompanied in that period, which changed the thought process of people towards more democratic, independent, constructive, and innovative one. Though IT was actually a consequence of this change and has organically adapted to sustain this trend of growth, had IT been there earlier, it would certainly have been precursor to even more dynamism. It has been less than 50 years since the invention of computers and internet, but still what mankind has achieved with its help today was unimaginable even a generation ago. Had IT been there 300 years ago, the face of society, business, trade and economy as previewed by the visionaries and fictionists would have been true today.

 The biggest boon of IT is the speedy dissemination of information. With advent of computers we have entered into a new era of globalisation, in which the whole world has become a village. People have become well aware of so many macro and micro economic events occurring round the globe that affect them and their family. However the so called mental revolution is still constantly lagging behind the other growths. There are still so many people who do not have an access to computers or internet. Countries like Somalia, Algeria, Afghanistan etc are still living in age of fundamentalism under the mercy of the elitist bourgeois class of rulers. People have certainly benefited a lot from the IT revolution, however still very small ratio of people have actually got benefits from all these developments. The abundance of natural and human capital of more than half of world is still untapped. Had there been access to computers to all right from the very beginning of the revolution era, the fruits of such growth could have percolated to the deepest corners and I am sure the increase in world economy (GDP) would have been enormous and sufficient feed all and still save.

There is an undeniable link between good education, good health and good economy in a country. If industrial revolution brought with it higher living standards, more employment, easier production of goods and services, some menaces like population explosion, increasing disparity between people, increasing health hazards like pollution, radioactivity and most importantly mental stress  also crept in. Today we find solution to these in better technological infrastructure to cope up with the rising demands. However still caught in a vicious cycle, it’s becoming more and more difficult to achieve inclusivity as further innovations are leading to more growth of the already benefitted group and the others stay lagging far behind. However if IT had been present right in the beginning, a more planned and inclusive growth could have been achieved. Today, being unable to provide classroom teaching to all, we have started resorting to e-schools, e-hospitals. The fruits of this instalment are expected to reap in next few decades. If the same innovation had begun 3 centuries earlier, it could be very much possible that today every single person had access to education. And thus the skilled human capital would not only have had employment but would have generated employment for many others. With better health and medical facilities, the vast ocean of talent which now perishes or goes unnoticed would have added to the global productivity in enormous quantities.

The next important area where IT is continuously establishing itself is governance. Considering a developing country like India, most of the upcoming policies are centred around the usage of Computers and internet. This especially has a great significance for the poor. Various programs like unique identity program, e-chaupals, RTI, agricultural education via internet etc. are being implemented, and for all these the pre-requisite is computer literacy. The entire class of ‘Computer illiterates’ is bound to be at loss. However the emergence of computer technology in 17^th century would have made computer an accessory to each and everyone today, with no one being practically aloof from benefits of computers. This would have rendered not only stability and robustness to governance and hence the economy, but also have included one and all. Moreover an increased transparency by use of IT in the governance would have led to decreased corruption and have saved trillions of illicit money that remains hidden from countries’ active economy.

Till now, what we saw was the indirect though highly important effect of IT would have had on economy and business. However it is imperative to analyse the hardcore sectors like banking, finance, investment capitalists, stock markets, futures markets etc. in preview of early advent of IT and computers.

With banking industry, it has become so easy today to manage money. One can invest his savings judiciously; borrow money for new ventures at most competitive interest rates. Introduction of plastic money, ATMs, phone and internet banking has ushered a new sense of independence in one and all. The already exponential growth of banking industry would have reached a tendency to touch infinite capabilities by now if the computers and internet were there 3 centuries ago. Every home computer would have been a bank; every smart phone would have been a super market. Trading would have become extremely easier. This would have multiplied the income of one and all manifolds. The various schemes and benefits of investment banking, financial derivatives etc. could have become a child’s play.

This new method of delivering information has had an enormous effect on business activities in general and on the financial sector and stock investors in particular. What used to be a matter of a few days has today become a matter of just a few hours in trading stocks. There used to be a whole ritual of formalities, filling up of forms, signing affidavits etc. for even small transactions. But IT changed it all and is still changing. However had there been computers right from the very beginning, online trading would have become a matter of few seconds or even less. And it is a well known fact, that ‘Time is money’. With lightening fast access to changing rates, and trends in the market, and with more user-friendly trading interfaces on everything with a computer chip, traders could have made even more informed financial decisions regarding buying and selling stocks. Financial derivatives which are meaningful to large scale investors only, could have become meaningful to even a small farmer trading seeds and fertilisers for his farm. Also so much of the money leakage in commissions and brokerages could have been saved towards higher profits, and would also have allowed checking various types of misleading frauds. By now internet would have mitigated three of the proposed causes for low stock market participation: transaction costs, information costs, and limited access.

The use of computers is not just limited to information sharing but also includes high efficiency in data processing and calculations which was not possible ever before. Presence of Computers during 18^th century would have given unprecedented boost to science and mathematics. This could help our economists and policy makers make much better choices regarding future. Currently our financial markets, investment banks and industries are based on speculating the future trends. Having right mathematical and probabilistic models and capacity to process huge amount of data for them helps us to take curative steps right in the beginning to avoid any substantial economic crisis. It is not improper to think that a sustained and calculated growth using computers in the past few centuries and careful assessment of future could have saved us from the ill effects of the financial crunches like Great Depression of 1929 and the recent crisis of 2008. After all, these were nothing but issues of unexpected rise in demands and unemployment crisis. Use of IT from the beginning would certainly have opened up many avenues to meet the needs of 7 billion people today. Researches in various fields of science would have turned time into an odyssey. The concept of flying cars, virtual computers, humanoid robots, high speed transportation would have been true. Where today we are facing extreme space crunch on earth, computers 300 years ago would have made space homes and inter-planetary travels possible, therefore opening lots of avenues of new business today.

On one hand when something has benefits, on the other there are some inherent disadvantages too. Security would certainly have become a potential threat. With every iota of information flowing around through wires, it would have become highly vulnerable to cyber thefts and hacking. Though such threats are coming up today also, but introduction of IT 300 years ago would have immensified our needs and dependence on it. There would have been confidentiality issues, identity thefts, and copyright violations like never before. Secondly, it could have robbed us of our creativity. It is already being felt that whenever we are to take up a new work, we rely too much on Google. People waste a lot of time online on social networking websites. There are reports on worldwide decrease in the level of innovation in school going kids. This would have had really adverse effect on present economy. Also it is argued that since the need of computers was not even felt as early as 17^th century, the potential of computers’ processing power would just have gone unused until today without really having much economic impact.

I would conclude by saying that a decade ago such skepticism about the long-run economic implications of our data processing and data communications technologies was the conventional wisdom. But the past five years have converted many skeptics. Today the idea of computers and internet is totally invincible. There is no denying the fact that had there been computers in 17^th century, we would have been living in a fast forward mode, and present would have been far beyond our imagination.

Moon from my room

 

Right to live for a death convict?

Recent article in THE HINDU, or rather the essay by George Orwell, ‘The Hanging’ gave me goose bumps. For a few minutes I was myself witnessing the terror of facing gallows. Immediately arose in me the feeling that the three convicts in Rajeev Gandhi Assassination case indeed must be allowed to live. But soon, the feeling subsided, when I tried to juxtapose the various contexts involved. Perhaps my sympathy for the prisoner in ‘The Hanging’ was more because of sense of patriotism that swelled up on imagining the wrongs afflicted upon, yet bravely taken by, the freedom fighters of Indian struggle of Independence. (The essay was about a situation in the imperialist regime of British in Burma, and though the prisoner has been termed as a criminal, yet it involuntarily takes my imagination to the like hangings of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and so many more). It is a well known fact that during imperialist regimes, death sentences were more often used as instrument to perpetuate the interests of the rulers and to put off any opposition that dared to rise against them, rather than for ajustice.

Today, India is a free sovereign with a written Constitution, the supreme law of the land, guaranteeing justice to one and all. And it is by the sanctions of this law that capital punishments are allowed in rarest of the rare cases. These are the heinous crimes like rape, murder for robbery, abetment of child suicide or mass genocide, which would stir the soul of any normal and sane person. Recently the agitation by few human right activities and groups to commute the death sentence of three convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on humane grounds has gained momentum. Tamil Nadu Assembly has even passed a resolution recommending mercy. The case put up invokes Article 21 of Constitution, Right to live, advocating that since there has been exceptional long delay in deciding the fate of convicts, the right to live with dignity is violated in such cases if the death sentence is executed even after so many years of imprisonment. I find this very disturbing. Because the Article 21 itself says that no person shall be deprived of his/her life except by the procedures laid down by law. Then how can mercy be expected on grounds of right to live for a death convict!!

Law stipulates no time limit on the government or the President to reply to the mercy petition under Article 72. So everything in case of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan and that of Bhullar, has been carried out in accordance with law. It seems that some so called social groups can find an agenda out of anything, and they just politicise the issues to satisfy their hidden interests. In fact I feel that the reasoning capacity of Indian mob is very dismal and it is very easy to control the opinion of a common man. At one hand, we feel repugnant at the very idea of Indian government keeping terrorists like Kasab and Afzal Guru alive, on the other hand we bootstrap to come on streets as and when such terrorists are sentenced to death. This is a completely oxymoronic behaviour from which we must refrain. In fact such agitations are agonising and breach of justice for the kith and kin of the victims of such convicts. I fail to understand how we can forget about the hundreds of victims of 28/11 episode, LTTE terrorist activities, Mumbai train blasts, or the soldiers sacrificed during attack on Parliament, the list is endless. In fact these agitations portrait India as a soft state and make way for incidents like IC814 Hijack.

The issue of ban on capital punishment is a long standing debate in India. So is the issue of method of execution. It is argues that other lesser painful methods like lethal injection and gunshot can be used instead of hanging. However these should not at all be related to the issues of granting mercy to the death convicts and must be decided upon on separate justifications. I myself am against the practice of capital punishment, as it is irrevocable and may lead to grave injustice in case of erroneous judgements. But there are many constitutional ways to resolve the debate via a valid legislation in the forum of democracy – Parliament. However any extra constitutional resolution or agitation does nothing but disturbs the functioning of the executive. Also, there must be a self imposed rule that all the pending mercy petitions must be decided upon in shortest possible time with high priority. But we must learn to respect and have faith in our constitutional machinery and should not disrupt the administration everyday on one issue or another.

A different perspective

The article ‘Messianism versus Democracy’ in today’s The Hindu was really a food for thought. It has made me to ponder a lot on the current state of affairs going on in our country and on reaching the edge I am even forced to compare it to the ongoing Jasmine revolution in Western Asia and African nations.

The term used and defined by the author is indeed a picturesque presentation of Anna’s agitation and his demands. There is no doubt in the proposition that the thousands of people gathering in Ramlila ground and elsewhere are mere spectators of this unprecedented happening, certainly exasperated by the unleashed corruption rampant in almost every office of Indian administration. The author has also alleged Anna’s methods to be undemocratic. Though since day one, Anna’s team endeavour has been of high integrity to clean up India of the clutter created by corrupt officers and politicians, and this is the cause that is being shared by all the enthusiastic supporters of Anna, but there is no denial to fact that cause can never justify the means. And so is the methodology of stubbornness and holding indefinite fast unjustified. It is because such methods simply hold the authorities hostage to the huge threat of a disorder, unrest amongst public which can lead to national security crisis and eventually a coup d’état. But what is worth a thought here is that why did we ever come to such a critical situation?

The author has suggested that Anna’s agitation is devoid of informed public debates, and has juxtaposed it with the public rallies and election campaigns of our legislators which create public opinion by rightly or wrongly defending their agendas against opposition’s. And then the final verdict rests in the hands of people, who are held supreme by the socio-political contract called Constitution of India. However I am not very convinced on this point, as Team Anna has sufficiently circulated their idea by using printed material, electronic media, and organised public seminars to let people know as to what is the basic difference between their Jan Lokpal and the government’s version. In fact here it is the social responsibility of media to spread awareness among people by broadcasting good talk shows and publishing articles, instead of just holding referendums or public polls. Still it is unfortunate that many of the Anna supporters are ignorant of what Anna is demanding and are just following him because they have lost faith in government and are overwhelmed by a 74 year old ready to sacrifice his life for a common cause.

Now coming back to the debate of whether Anna’s methods are undemocratic or not, I personally feel, that yes they are. It is because Anna is not ready to budge from his version of the bill and wants the Parliament to pass it unconditionally and that too in a very short time period, lest he shall fast. He has shook the govt. by showing support of people, who are supporting him by public protests, and may call it the choice of people and hence the democracy. But this is a kind of parallel government, as we do have constitutional methods to win support of people and make laws. What he should do instead is to put his views forward and let the legislators, Parliament, Standing Committees and expert, chosen by We the people of India, to decide the best. Or he should himself fight the elections.

Now this again raises the question of credibility in the present government. The flip flops of our political leadership clearly exhibit a lack of political will to effectively fight against corruption. Under these circumstances, does it mean that We the people of India have no way to correct a mistake that we made in the General Elections for five long years!! And who guarantees that the next party to come in power will not murder the aspirations and emotions of people. So does it boil down to the fact that Anna must himself contest elections? But he alone can’t even make a change as an MP. To pass a bill, he needs support of majority in both houses of Parliament. We may be ready to have blind faith in Anna and his small group. But will we believe so easily in others who will be contesting elections for the same purpose as Anna and let us assume even at behest of Anna, but may always turn hostile later, even out of Anna’s control. Can we hand over the right to write our destiny for five years to anyone so easily? My answer is No.

So what’s the alternative to this apparently irresolvable logjam? We adopted representative democracy at the time of independence because it was felt that it would not be feasible to have a general referendum on every issue that arises in a country of 300 million (now  1.2 billion). Moreover having freshly won independence after a long and united struggle, it was believed that the political leadership could be trusted to make laws that would be good for all. But today the situation is different. We need a representative democracy in true terms, and there must be methods to register the voice of nation on issues of such colossal importance apart from the five yearly elections. It is high time that we adopt the right measures and constitutional and electoral reforms in the present scenario where capitalist tendencies are growing, and everyone is too busy to be considerate but for himself. And it may not be wrong to say that for such reforms, such Annas will have to come forward even if it leads to a second Independence struggle.

Who is our true representative?

With Anna Hazare and Team continuing its protest against Government pushing forward its demand for a strong Lokpal Bill, Government seems ever unrelenting trying to concoct all kinds of stories to reject the proposals of Anna Hazare. Turning 180 degrees from its earlier act of constituting a joint drafting committee for the Bill to hold healthy discussions with the Civil Society in order to come up with the Lokpal Bill before Monsoon session of Parliament this year, the politicians have proved their unwillingness to create an all powerful ombudsman to curb corruption. After being rejected whopping 10 times since its first conceptualisation 42 years ago, the current version by UPA led government seems very close to see the light of the day. However this would be just a illusion, a make-believe step to quieten the comman man, nothing but a fangless watchdog on the bare mercy of its master. The institution, if established, would neither be able to investigate the high profile corruption scandals like Cash-for-votes scam, 2G scam, Adarsh Society scam, CWG scam, Land-grabbing scandal, Karnataka mining scam for its inability to bite into States’ affairs, MPs acts in parliament, higher judiciary or the PM; nor would it bring any relief to common man from petty bribe system in Indian bureaucracy, as this Lokpal will be able to check no-one but the grade A officers. Although it may seem quite obvious to us that the political parties or the higher government officials would never like to tie a knot on the same hose that is watering their gardens, but the dirty games played by the politicians like Kapil Sibal, and none the less our very own honest and man of high integrity – PM Manmohan Singh, calling the civil society activists unrepresentative, and daring them to stand in General elections is highly uncalled for.

The daily dialogic tactics resorted to by the spokespersons of the GOI force me to ponder, that is the current government really voice of the nation? In this grand nation of 121 crores people, almost 84 crore are in the age group of 15 and above. I find it highly illogical to believe that in a country where 5 crore (2 crore according to Govt. Sources) children are victims of Child labour, how can a decision made by just those who are 18 and above can be called the decision of nation. Still respecting the principle of Universal Adult Franchise enshrined in our Constitution, the electorate strength for 2009 General elections was 72 crore. Out of this, only 44 crore voted. Now I am sure that many of us just consider it too comical to vote, but still with all the red-tapism existing in Indian Administration, and innumerous issues of Domicile and identity to procure a Voter Card, how can we expect all of the 41 % people living below poverty line (Rs 14 a day in rural and Rs 21 a day in urban India) to put that extra effort to get voter’s card and then go to the polling booths to choose their representative!! (And that too when 30% population was registered as migrant from last place of residence in 2001 census). Even looking into this further, India is divided into 543 constituencies and 272 seats are required by a party to win the elections. Each candidate is declared winner if he has mustered highest number of votes in his constituency. Considering case when there are just two candidates and dividing the total number of people who vote by 543, we have 13 lakh voters and winner needs just 6.5 lakhs+ votes. A party can win the elections if it has the support of 272 x 6.5 lakhs, i.e.  just 18 crore people. Now actually in 2009, only 44 crore voted and UPA could get only 262 seats, this brings the calculation to just 11 crores. However UPA still got a popular vote from 15.3 crore people (including the seats it lost) and was able to form the government after coalition with some other parties. Now here we can ponder upon another important question, that how can a coalition with no party getting absolute majority and eaching having very different ideology, be handed power enough to decide about what we get, how we get and when we get??

Now this is the statistical fact about UPA (the United Progressive Alliance) govt. which was voted in power by only 15.3 out of 44 crores who voted in a nation of 72 crore adult population, with a total population of 113 crore in 2009 (now 121 crore); and led by a PM who was not even elected by General Elections (Manmohan Singh is a Member of Rajya Sabha from Assam, which is 1500 km away from Punjab where he was born and brought up)

And still they call Civil Society activist Anna Hazare and his team unrepresentative, which has been supported by one and all, the youth, the old, the rich the poor. Whether it be a public forum, a Talk show on TV, or social networking websites, Anna has his support . People came in swarms to see him showing solidarity, when he went on fast on 4^th April at Jantar Mantar, and later for Baba Ramdev too, who fasted for the same cause. Even the elitists have justified his actions and supported Jan Lokpal Bill, to whom our government apparently gives special favours. Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan who have fan following in crores, throughout the world have voiced their suport for Jan Lokpal Bill. Aren’t these the voices of India? A recent census says that 85% of people in Kapil Sibal’s constituency- Chandini Chowk in Delhi, support Anna’s movement. Now what has govt. to say about this. I am sure they would certainly have some or the other rhetoric on everything, but this is certainly not sufficient to quench India now. We demand a strong Lokpal and must raise our voices in unison. The upcoming fast from 15^th August by Anna is the time when we must come forward and contribute as much as we can towards this third freedom struggle of India, Freedom from Corruption, Freedom to get what is rightly ours.

(Disclaimer: All the facts are correct to best of my knowledge, any corrections can be pointed out)

Aarakshan

I have never felt strong enough to comment on this sensitive issue of Reservation. Where on some arguments reservation seems completely exploitation of people by the polititcians, on the others it seems a very important step in order to bring unequals at par with equals.

The following comments collected from a video trailer of upcoming movie Aarakshan reallly makes one to think about his/her prejudices. You too think and opine


- Sabhi Logo Ke Hakk Ka Rakshan "Aarakshan" Karta Hai.. Aarshan to 50-60 sal se lagu kia gaya hai par "Jatiyvad" to Sadio se Chal raha hai.."Aarakshan" ka Hisab hai aap ke pas par "Jatiwad" ka hai hisab hai kya ? Jati Vaad Band Karne Ke liye Koi Nahi Bolata "Aarakshan" band karne ke liye sabhi HARAMI ak hote hai jinhone Jatiwad kiya..... Agar Aap Ko "Aarakshan" Band karwana hai to "Jatiwad " ko band karna hoga..Nahi to AAP KE BETE KA BETA AUR USKA POTA BHAI AARAKSHAN BAND NAHI KAR SAKTA.

- main reserevd community se hoon lakin maine kabhi iska sahara nahi liya apna carreer banane ke liye.. fir bhi maine jaativaad ko face kiya apne kuch so called high caste friends ke vajah se..thikh hai hume resevation nahi chaaiya lakin pehle aap jativaad ko khatm karo..kya tum higher caste mein itni himmet hai ki ek sc/st jiske pass tumse kahi jyada knowledge hai kisi mandir ka pujari bana do..ya usse shadiyan karwao..?jis din itni himmet aa jaaye tab aake resevation hatane ki baat karna....

- There are so many of you fighting among yourselves because of this topic reservation. Do you guys really know what has this reservation system has been implemented? Do you really think that changes can only be brought through economical elevation? Is, it fair that you keep sucking lives of whom you call SC ST and BC, as if they are some animals. They are made up of flesh and blood. Do the inequality is just a money issue that can be done away with by giving away money. It's in the minds and soul

- WHY THE F ...IS THESE PARASITES NAMED SC/ST/BCs CAN NOT TAKE LEGAL ACTION ON ANYONE WHO HAS DONE INJUSTICE TO THEM AND GO TO THE PLACE WHERE THE INJUSTIC EIS DONE ? WHY THE F. DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMEONE HAS DONE SOMETHING SOMEWHERE ...WHY THE F...IS THAT MY CHILDREN HAVE TO GIVE A FREE SEAT OF EDUCATION AND JOB JUST BECAUSEOF SOM EEFFING CASTE ? WHY THE F...IS THAT I HAD STRUGGLE TO GET IN TO ENGINEERING COLLEGE JUST BECAUSEOF SC/STs GOT FREE SEATS ?

- Reservation was provided to the so called lower class so that they can come up and live a life equal to the "higher class". It was meant as a cure for caste system but it only boosted it.Thus it became another lame reason for a political game.First abolish caste system.lets work hard...the lower classes have suffered a lot we admit it..but lets not make it a reason for the current situation. LET CAST BE JUST A SUBTITLE OF OUR NAME...NOT DEFINE OUR INDIVIDUALITY OR OUR PERSONALITY

- THERE SHOULD BE RESERVATION FOR BPL(BELOW POVERTY LINE) AND NOT FOR THOSE WHO LIVES IN BUNGLOWES AND FLATS AND TAKING ADMISSION IN THE NAME OBC, SC , ST, etc.
THESE RULES WHERE MADE MANY YEARS AGO, AND SOME CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE MADE. THERE WHERE CASTISM IN MANY COUNTRIES IN THIS WORLD, BUT NOW THEY HAVE CHANGED RULES AS PER CURRENT SITUATION. TODAY A 97 PERCENTILE STUDENT DOESNT GET EVEN A CALL FROM IIM BUT 70-80 PERCENTILE STUDENT EASILY GETS THROUGH IIM-A OR IIM-B.

- Reservation could be done on the basis of yearly income and regardless of caste. This promotes education among poor people. If we still have reservation on the basis of caste, we can never truly proclaim that we are a secular country. Not all backward caste people are poor nor all forward caste people are rich. Let's give equal opportunity to everyone and pave way for India's development. Let's be united. Jai Hind!!

- even i was a victim of reservation !! but thinking deeply about it , a thought provoked my insight , instead of vainly blaming reservation for my loss i put myself in the dock for not performing up to the mark!! and from that day i worked even harder to achieve what i want and that determination has got a new rejuvenating flavor into my life!!

life gives you a bit of everything,be brave enough take the positives from the bitter experiences !! god bless you all !!!!

-  hi mai ek so called uchi jaati ka banda hun par mai sochta hu aarakshan must hai q ki bohat dabaya hai humne in choti jaati k logo ko kaam k naam par agar hum unhe mauka nai dete to we shd not be called even human .... haan ab aarakshan bill mai sudhar hone chahiye taaki jo log iska galat fayada le rahe hai wo dur ho har aadmi apne liye sochta hai sirf to hi faisle nai kar pata kya sahi hai or kya galat saari history pado india ki ...ki kya kya kia humne inke saath aur wo haamre sath ho to kyaho

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