To be or not to be

Old, undated article found while cleaning google drive.

To be or not to be:

Indian Homosexuals fight for their rights

A landmark judgement from the Delhi high court and the nation is thrown in the ambit of a fresh debate over morals and ethics. Whether it is right to be homosexual or not, or… do the homosexuals have the right to be or not. The Delhi High Court in a recent decision ruled out the section 377 of Indian penal code stating it to be a violation of Human rights. The part of the nation welcomed the judgement, some refused to comment, but mostly a feeling of disgust and apprehension flowed; how can this happen in India. The upwardly mobile urban middle class could not accept that our courts also house forwardly mobile brains which dare to take logical decisions. While political reaction has been tightly restrained, the public opinion was expressed loud and clear. While the homosexuals, from both sexes, with their partners, obviously of the same sex, came out in the open… cheered, hugged, celebrated…. the nation watched with confusion and contradictions. While the older generations simply rejected the decision as being anti-Indian culture, the youth are mostly welcoming the step.

              Section 377 states "whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature, with any man, woman or animal shall be punishable with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine." The court held it against human rights. mass opinion, however goes on the other way. Do we live in an insensitive society which fails to understand the needs of its members and simply imposes its so called ideals?

         43 year old housewife from a posh locality in South Delhi, Poonam Hooda termed the ruling as disgusting. “Are they going to make this country a brothel? Do we not have enough social corruption already?” says Hooda. Countering the judgment on the same lines, a government servant, Mr Rajiv Singh called it the end of Indian value system. “What are we going to tell our children? They watch it on the TV and ask question.” Some from the older age group however were a little soft.  50 year old Shyam Shastri agreed it depended on personal choice. So, will he be comfortable if his children go the same way? To this he had no answer.

         “Homosexuality has been there since age, it is not a scientific invention like the computer or mobiles which has been imported from America or somewhere else,” says Sarika*, software professional. Sarika comes across as another girl next door, she, however is different. Sarika has a girlfriend. “Do I look any different? Do I have horns growing out of my head? I am as much a normal human being as anyone else,” she says. With a clear smile, Sarika is confident about her choice. “A girl above 18 has the right to marry a man of her choice, what if she likes another woman? Does that make her less eligible to make a choice?” she asks.

         Will it be too much to say that it is the double standard of Indian society that we still can not accept what has been around for ages. Contrary to the beliefs of homosexuality being anti-Indian, it is reflected in the statues of numerous medieval ad ancient temples, the most prominent name being of Khajuraho. The concept of Ardhnarishwar form of Shiva, half man half woman represents oneness of sexes. But instead of being considered unnatural, it is worshiped as the representative on complete humanity.

              In contrast to the present claims of demeaning Indian values, the fact remains that at least the ancient Indian culture has never shied away in accepting its sexuality. Unlike the Abrahmic religions, what we define as Hinduism does not consider it a crime. The question however is not of religion, it is about humanity. Is it just to pronounce some one’s sexual preference as a crime?

              More over, drafted in 1860 by the British rulers, section 377 was adopted by the Indian constitution after independence. It therefore represents not our culture but a legacy which is obsolete and not at all indigenous. Our civil society today is debating the legitimacy of capital punishment. The same society can not accept that it is gross violation of human rights criminalising what is happening by will and consent.

         “Though brothels are illegal, prostitution flourishes in the country. It is against human rights and we have flourishing red light areas. How can consensual sex between two adults, whether of same sex or not, be a crime?” questions Sarika. She adds that the situation is worse for lesbians. Being already suppressed, the fairer sex fears to come out in the open to accept what is seen as a blot. “Girls cannot accept socially about their boyfriends, who will say she has a girlfriend,” says Sarika.

         Amresh*, a homosexual man, on the other hand is not so excited about the verdict. “The battle has not even begun yet. We want rights and acceptance from the society. We are normal human beings, fighting for the right to dignity. We are no Che Guevara, we want to live a socially accepted life, with our sexual preference. Can you believe it, we can not even donate blood. I hope they do not say some day that homosexuals can not vote because they are mentally ill.”

         A social activist says that living in disguise expose homosexuals to a huge scale of physical and mental problems. They are among the high risk category for HIV and many other sexually transmitted diseases. The mental torture faced stands apart.

          The High Court ruling has brought the issue to the fore, but has not really provided complete solution. The biggest obstruction for homosexuality to be decriminalised lies within the hands of the reluctant political force. Breaking the political silence on the issue for the first time, Union Law Minister Mr Veerappa Moily, in an interview to a private news channel stated that if the apex court upholds the high court ruling, then the government might only amend section 377 of the Indian Penal Code to make it a law. Praising the Delhi High Court judgment decriminalising gay sex, Moily said that the government might not ask for a reversal if the Supreme Court upheld the ruling. However, the issue remains on the back burner for the government for now. Without any time frame or direction, or even a clear will, it will be ultimately lost in the political galleries. Moreover, in India social laws are guided neither legal framework nor personal ethics. Social course is decided by religion and a collective moral system based on it. With leaders from all religion opposing even the removal of section 377, social acceptance is next to impossible for now. Strangely enough, these very religions overlook incidents of dowry killings, polygamy, female infanticide and foeticide. In the name of God, will some one tell me what makes a set of so called values more important than human life and human rights? Should not the religion and religious set up be equally vocal and responsible in taking up social issues like health and education? Question, questions, and questions are what the homosexuals are living with. 

         The urban middle class has accepted pizzas, malls and multiplexes though they do not stand a part of our ‘culture’. What can be the problem with accepting yet another novel concept? Are we not using elevators and metro, though our great grand parents and for many, our grand parents did not use them. It is perhaps high time for India to take a firm step in the direction. India lives with contradiction, what we define as a plural society. For a country which is marching ahead on the way of industrial and economic development, is it not the time to move ahead in human rights as well. The government which claims inclusive development to be its main focus can not leave a community in dark with living a high risk and right less life. While removing the social stigma is still a long battle, it is for the government to take the first step toward removing the criminal tag from homosexuality.

*Names changed on request.

Anjali Ojha

This battle's already won by Javed Anand

From Indian Express, 16 March, 2010

Opponents of women's representation in Parliament are on the wrong side of history A Muslim woman's place is in her home, not the House of the People, the maulanas say. Our seekers of the `Muslim vote bank' haven't figured it out yet, but a little reflection will show that when it comes to the vote, Indian Muslims couldn't care less about what the maulana sahebs say.

MERCY, Oh Allah! Forgive us all our sins! Indian Muslims must be guilty of committing the gravest of them for why else would You, the Most Benevolent and the Most Merciful, punish us so: saddling us with such Ulema-e-Karaam (Respected Scholars) who embarrass, bring disgrace upon the entire ummah and subject Islam to ridicule every time they open their mouth? They are at it again.
What do I tell my 14-year-old t son, Jibran, who asks, “Dad, why t are your beardos such weirdos?“ My beardos, my weirdos! He leaves me speechless since both reason and logic are on his side. t “How can these maulanas applaud my mom as a mujahid (jihadi) fighting for justice and yet insist that Muslim women must stay locked up in their home? Isn't this hypocrisy, double-standard?“ What can one say in defence of our Respected Ulema for whom the President of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the leader of the Congress (the party is in power thanks to her) could not belong to sharif gharana (respectable families) as they don't stay quietly at home?

Since remaining silent is no option, I start by telling my son to look east and west in our immediate neighbourhood. In the national elections held in Bangladesh and Pakistan around two years ago, the ulema parties received a resounding “no“ from an overwhelmingly Muslim electorate. For years, in election after election, the only two contenders for the top political job in Bangladesh have both been women: Sheikh Hasina Wajed and t Begum Khaleda Zia. Had she not been assassinated just before the polls, Benazir Bhutto would most likely have been at the helm, for the third time, in Pakistan. t A Muslim woman's place is in t her home, not the House of the People, the maulanas say. We'll i rather send you home, seems to be the repeated response of Muslim women and men from both Bangladesh and Pakistan. Our own seekers of the “Muslim vote bank“ haven't figured it out yet, but a little reflection will show that when it comes to the vote, Indian Muslims oo couldn't care less about what he maulana sahebs say.

Not just South Asia and Indonesia (Remember President Megawati Sukarnoputri?). The imes, they are a changin' in the Arab world too. By regional standards it's happening fast, and guess what, even some prominent clerics are beginning to chant, “Hello change!“ Do I hear you growling, Respected Ulema, protesting that you are concerned with the “true message of Islam“, not with what wretched Muslims do? Let's talk Islamthen.Intheveryfirstmoment of Islam's birth was the Divine Injunction, “Iqra“ (read). Though I have a long way to go, I have read up a bit. So perhaps we can begin with a simple question.

Muslims believe that in case of Prophet Mohammed the proposiion should read: “My life is His (Allah's) message“. Right?

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the daughter of a very successful businessman, not only inherited he father's vast fortune but proved o be a very successful businesswoman herself. A person of mpeccable character she also earned for herself the titles, Ameerat-Quraish (Princess of Quraish), al-Tahira (the Pure One), Khadija Al-Kubra (Khadija the great). Which man would not dream of marrying such a woman?
But for Bibi Khadijah (then 40 years old) none but the best man would do. So she waited. Right?

Enter Muhammad ibn Abdullah in her life. Prophethood would come to him 15 years later. But at age25hetoohadearnedhonorifics for himself: Al-Sadiq (the truthful) and Al-Amin (the trustworthy).
What began as an employeremployee relationship soon developed into a relationship of mutual respect and love. The one to propose was the very confident, eminent, woman achiever. By all accounts it was a very happy, longlasting, monogamous relationship that lasted till the death of Hazrat Khadijah 24 years later. Right? Fifteen years into the marriage, when the Messenger received the first Divine Message in a cave, he was badly shaken, deeply disturbed, not knowing what was happening to him. He reached home trembling and in turmoil, to find Hazrat Khadija stand by him like a rock, greeting him with comforting words, “Joyful tidings dost thou bring! Allah will not suffer thee to fall to shame. Hast thou not been loving to thy kinsfolk, kind to thy neighbours, charitable to the poor, hospitable to the stranger, faithful to thy word, and ever a defender of the truth?“ The world's first Muslim to declare faith in Prophet Mohammed even as he himself struggled to decipher the meaning of his first encounter with Archangel Gabriel was a woman. Right?

Years later, the Prophet's third wife, Hazrat Aisha, once asked him if Khadijah had been the only woman worthy of his love. His reply: “She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand.“ (Ibn Kathir). No referencetohercooking,sweeping, stitching. Right?

In short, the Prophet's first and only wife for 24 years was not some woman who stayed home and looked after her husband and children. The highly accomplished Hazrat Khadija was his sole soulmate, intellectual partner and emotional sheet anchor during the most turbulent years of his life.

The Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith)alsoreportinstancesfrom his later life when at critical moments he sought and acted on thegoodadviceofhisotherwives.If in the life and example of the Prophet, Allah's Message is embedded, from where did you get the idea that Islam wants women to stay locked up in their homes, Respected Ulema?

While you grapple with this one, hereissomemorefoodforthought.
Do you know that Mumbai's Urdu Inquilab (third highest circulation among Urdu dailies in the country) had a front page editorial by its owner Tariq Ansari on March 11, whole-heartedly supporting the Women's Reservation Bill passed bytheRajyaSabha?Orthat,allfour editions of the Urdu daily Sahafat on March 13 had a front page edit by its editor, Hasan Kamaal, ridiculingallyourobjections?

Why is it that it's mostly Muslim men like you and the Yadav trio who are unhappy with the bill?
Why is it that some Muslim women and men I know are even thinking of an all-India delegation to meet Sonia Gandhi, Brinda Karat and Sushma Swaraj with garlands?
Gender solidarity, maybe?

The writer is general secretary, Muslims for Secular Democracy express@expressindia.com

Inflation en-route recovery

‘Spending is rewarding,’ says the advertisement of a bank debit card. The common man has more money in his pocket now. It is the day after budget and this is what Pranab Da said a day earlier in Lok Sabha without putting it in exact words. In his speech dada said that the economy is back on track, but our careful and seasoned Minister did not rush to take back the stimulus. Fiscal reconsolidation is clearly need of the hour, yet the biggest concern for the aam admi is inflation, something that the budget misses at it talks about inclusive growth. The rise petroleum prices were perhaps the least expected announcement. The excise hike hijacked the whole attention and it was protest echoing inside and out side Parliament ignoring the other aspects of the Budget. Though the FM conservatively announced that the hike will add only 0.41 per cent to the wholesale price index based inflation, the overall effect was selectively ignored. The fear is that this hike will seep into other sectors as energy costs raise. The Budget assumes inflation to average close to 4.5 per cent for 2010-11. This is as per the Reserve banks guidelines which says that in ideal conditions inflation should remain at 4.5 per cent in short term (one to two years) and 3 per cent in long term. The roadmap towards achieving this end is uncertain. Inflation is above 8.5 per cent. The food inflation on the other hand is already sky rocketing touching 18 per cent mark. A person who spent 1000 rupees on food last year, spends 1,170 rupees on the same items at present. This hidden tax is costing heavily the lower and lower middle class. Though the budget has given major exemptions in income tax, the benefit is only for the higher income groups. The real sufferers of the hour are those who already had their income below taxable limits. Shashi Ranjan Kumar, a migrant from Uttar Pradesh working at a showroom in Delhi is one of those worst effected by the price rise. With an annual income of 96,000 per year and a family of five to support, Shashi has nothing to cheer for. “Our condition remains the same, the government is talking about aam admi, but tell me what has a common person like me benefited from the budget. We can not even eat properly, leave alone savings,” says a disappointed Shashi. Speaking on price rise a day before, the FM blamed the crisis on “huge cost of intermediation between farm and kitchen” seeking discussion and suggestions from the MPs. The demand and supply gap has been called as the major factor repeatedly by the government; however, the policy gap is clear. It is disheartening for the spirit of a socialist economy to announce its failure in maintaining its distribution system.
In such scenario, the Budget has filled the pockets of the class that can spend. 25 million tax payers earning over 8 lakh rupees a year will save 4,500 rupees per month. This will without any doubt go to the consumer market further raising the demand. The fears that were there before the budget was announced seem to be coming true with some spurt evident on inflation front. On the other hand, increasing the coverage of indirect taxes, government has secured its income as well. Money will also be pumped into banks to encourage lending. The government is on its path of fiscal reconsolidation after giving much relief last year. Relieved from adverse political pressures, this Budget paves a forward way for further liberalization. Yet, any major reformist decision has been restrained from. Noted Economist Swaminathan Ankleshwar Aiyar notes “The aam admi will get more rhetoric than cash.” Huge expenditure on social sector may generate some benefits for the common man, however, with price rise and a failed distribution system, as the government itself accepted, the common man has been left dry.

To speak or not to speak....

Democracy gives freedom of speech. But the largest democracy of the world has created not only free speakers but also free stoppers. Free stoppers are a special category of self proclaimed keepers of culture and tradition. Their definition of culture, irrespective of sociological or even logical realities, is based on their own theories. It is Goondaraj, a dictatorship which is not even challenged by the government. The Shiv Sena, and its younger competitor Maharashtra Navnirmaan Sena, are two parties that need no introduction. They are Mumbai and Maharashtra’s moral, ethical and even social police. They are the ones who decide who should step on the soil of Maharashtra, they decide who is supposed to work their, who can play and also who can speak and what can be said. The recent episode of Sena vs Shahrukh Khan was nothing new. Shahrukh got a chance to play a real life hero, and he did it candidly. The man who calls himself ‘proud son of Delhi’ went open against Sena and MNS war against North Indians. And as if this was not enough for a controversy, Mr Khan went on to support Pakistani cricketers playing for the IPL. Why were not the Pakistani players taken in his IPL team this time is however a question which confuses. Similar comment came from Amir Khan when he supported Pakistani players as well. The Sena called the two Khans ‘two idiots’, but soon Amir was sidelined and Shahrukh took over the whole controversy. It was nothing short of a real life movie which saw comments and counter-comments. India was meanwhile glued to its TV screen for the drama preceding their favourite stars new flick. No doubt both parties came out winners with this controversy. While Shahrukh got a good promotion for his upcoming movie, the Sena got back its lime light which was stolen by the MNS in recent past.
But this is not the only dictat from these free stoppers. The Sena had said that it wont allow either Pakistani or Australian cricketers to play in Mumbai. Any democratic government is supposed to take concrete steps in such situation, so did the Centre. No, it did not take disciplinary or legal action against the Sena, instead, a Union Minister Mr Sharad Pawar along with BCCI President Shashank Manohar went all the way to Sena Supremo Bal Saheb Thackrey to ‘request’ them for allowing Australian Players in the up coming IPL match in Mumbai. The meeting was of coarse successful because the Sena is now cool on the issue. It is an irony but a fact that in India governments and authorities take permission from other political parties before organising a tournament. No doubt the meeting was purely political in nature as Mr Pawar’s growing distances with the Congress is evident. Yet, it is not a healthy sign to have parties with lathi armed goondas ruling the roost in any state.
While the Sena has got most of the blame for spreading differences, the Congress itself is not much behind. The recent Cabinet decision announcing that only ‘Marathi Speaking’ people can drive taxis in the state shocked the whole nation, specially the central government. Though a U Turn came fast and the very next day Gujrati and Hindi were added to the list, the intentions were already clear. Going the ‘Marathi Manoos’ way is the easy route to the vote bank in the state.
But the story isn’t all about wooing locals. The charisma prince of India Rahul Gandhi went on to impress the whole country hitting right when the iron was hot. Rahul condemned MNS and Shiv Sena in Bihar and then came all the way to Mumbai despite the Shiv Sena’s threat that Mumbai does not belong to his Italian mother. This was not all, Rahul went the Gandhi way and travelled in a local train with the commoners. Now, that is one positive propaganda and perhaps a lesson for those who think politics can not be healthy. Moreover, unlike artists and sports stars, politicians are not a soft target; it would have cost the Sena dearly to stir much action against the Gandhi junior.
At the end, Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Gandhi seem to emerge the real heroes braving what even the administration shies from facing. ‘My Name is Khan’ is running through the country despite some small incidents of protest from the Sainiks. It is too early to say if the Sena is getting weak, as it has re-launched its comment and condemn policy. Meanwhile, the biggest threat to Thackrey senior for now remains his estranged nephew Raj. The ultimate result of the war between the two Senas and the Congress is far for now. It is now for us to answer how long we are going to allow regionalism; cast and religion rule our political decisions.

Farewell to arms? Not yet… by Barack Obama

Nobel peace prize going to Barack Obama attracted much criticism, but it was his speech at the award function which came as a blow on the face for all those who expected some kind of peace miracle from him. “We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: we will not eradicate violent conflicts in our lifetimes,” Mr. Obama said addressing the paradox of receiving an award for peace as commander in chief of a nation that is escalating the war in Afghanistan as it continues to fight in Iraq. “There will be times when nations — acting individually or in concert — will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.” A mix of realism and idealism is what his speech has been called by the press.
His speech simply reiterated the stand carried out by his predecessors of US being out for charity trying to save the world. “Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this,” Mr. Obama said. “The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms.” It is out of question if American help is needed in Afghanistan for restoring the democracy it has been hugely responsible in removing. Mr. Obama called for more robust international sanctions against nations like Iran and North Korea that defy demands for them to curtail their nuclear programs. However, he did not say a word on how US money is helping Pakistan build up terror infrastructure, of the help Taliban received from the country in post Soviet attack days.
Quoting Kennedy, Mr Obama stressed upon “not a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions.” It is arguable though how armed offensives, evading sovereignty of other countries help in the evolution of “human institutions.” The democratic heaven US claims to be has been presented as the ideal of democracy, however it is yet to see how much idealism this Nobel laurel can seed in the values of his own countries foreign policies. His speech to some extent made it clear that US will be what it has been over decades, the self proclaimed custodian of democracy. The way forward or the difference in approach is however clouded by much of idealism only to be washed out gradually with the realities. For now, the message is clear, the war is to continue, and the songs of peace will be sung only at safe havens like the Oslo stage where he gave his speech, or in his home land, the democratic ideal.

“The road not taken” by BJP

Two roads diverged in the yellow woods…. This time we’ll try to take both. This was the message by the new BJP President Nitin Gadkari as he hailed the secular ethos while reiterating the party stand on Hindutva. Upliftment for those standing at the end of the queue, this is the ideal he said the party will follow. Employment generation, poverty alleviation, and financial inclusion of rural areas are the focus of the party according to the new president. “Nation first, party next, self last”, quotes read on the backdrop where a brand new poster with the images of the two mentors, Mr Atal Bihar Vajpayee and Mr L K Advani smiled on to the public along with Mr Gadkari. “I have no personal political goals, I believe in socialisation of politics.” He made it clear that the affiliation with RSS is only an ideological one and it has no control on the functioning of BJP, including his election as the national president. “It is only in BJP where a field worker is elevated to the party president,” Mr Gadkari. With the new line of leadership ready, the way ahead for BJP seems different this time as it is trying to focus on development and secularism, at the same time upholding its old line of Hindutva. How far the party sticks to this approach and how deep the message penetrates into the psyche of the voters is yet to be seen. For now, it the road not taken on which the party is set to venture. The results are awaited.

DIVIDED INDIA: The politics of opportunism and division

Shortsightedness or political maneuvering, UPA’s just before midnight announcement on initiation for the process of creation of a separate Telangana state from Andhra has left deep scars on the face of the state. The issue, though not new, resurfaced strongly at a time when the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh was going through a political turmoil. Not much time has passed after the death of YCR and the party is facing an acute crisis again. Separation movement leader Telangana Rashtriya Samiti Chief K Chandrashekhar Rao declared a fast unto death causing a surge in the movement. Members of Parliament expressed concern over his health on the floor of the House; BJP went on record rendering its support. Confusion remained on the Left parties stand as the CPIM subtly denounced division of states in general. Interestingly, the BJP openly admitted that it could not support Telangana earlier due to the pressure from ally Telgu Desam Party. The ruling party meanwhile maintained that any decision can be taken only with political consensus. With tension raging high in both New Delhi and the state, Andhra CM K Roshaiah flew to Delhi. It was the 10th day on KCR’s fast and the Congress feared a strong backlash from the Telangana districts in case of any untoward incident. The Home Minister, under pressure, or with will, announced the decision of a calculated ‘initiation of the process’ for the creation of Telangana. Mr Roshaiah, who was flying back to Andhra after meeting top leadership in Delhi got the information about the decision in the flight and by the time he landed, KCR was offered juice by his party workers. The real crisis however was yet to begin. Uproars of protest echoed from the other regions and a parallel movement was started for stopping the bifurcation. Over next three days, more that 40 Congress MLAs offered their resignation along with TDP and other parties taking the protesting number within the Assembly to over 130. Rifts in the party became more visible as the party got divided in pro and anti Telangana members. The issue got a perfect stage with Parliament being in session. While the two sections of MPs kept meeting top leadership from Congress and the government, the BJP went on reiterating its demand for a roadmap. A sense of urgency and excitement gripped the media as reporters kept busy following the endless meetings. Fallout in the party looked clear even in the House, the pro and anti Telangana MPs stalked the proceedings during the last week of the winter session. While pro Telangana MPs kept thanking Congress President for the decision, MPs from Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra raised pitch against the bifurcation. Crossing all limits, YCR’s son Jaganmohan Reddy went ahead to join TDP members in Lok Sabha protesting the bifurcation. Later, clarifying his move, he told reporters that he did not want to let TDP take the credit for opposing the demand. Getting a chance to score a point, the BJP accused Congress for taking a decision in haste, while SP expressed confidence that the issue will be put on the backburner. The most unprecedented twist in the story was however brought by the TDP which changed its course standing against Telangana at the last moment after supporting the bifurcation earlier. However, despite of the whole political confusion, the Congress maintained that there is no rift in the party. The sentiment were expressed by the MPs in the same breath as they spoke pro or anti bifurcation. At the end of the day, the Andhra Assembly was adjourned sine die without passing any resolution while the Lok Sabha remained disturbed missing critical debates and bills being passed without discussion.
Though Andhra is worst affected by the crisis, it is not the only state which is disturbed by the development. At least half a dozen state movements have been rejuvenated after the announcement. Lone MP from Bodoland’s People’s Party Mr K Bwiswmuthiary joined the chaos with his demand for Bodoland carve out of Assam. RLD leader Ajit Singh forwarded his demand for Harit Pradesh from Uttar Pradesh and the Chief Minister of the state Ms Mayawati went ahead demanding trifurcation of UP. The strongest reaction came from the Gorkhaland agitators as the movement gained back its momentum demanding a new state from West Bengal comprising of Darjeeling district alone.
Whether or not Telangana is created, the episode has opened a whole new chapter of opportunistic politics in the country. BJP says it supports smaller states in principal, yet it refuses to support Vidarbh (Maharashtra) openly admitting opposition from ally Shiv Sena. Similarly, despite of its poll time promises in Gorkhaland, the BJP has so far kept quite on the issue. Dismissed party leader and Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh extended full support to the Gorkhaland agitators. For Singh, it is that one chance which can make him a political hero again, the BJP does not want to risk missing an opportunity, nor does it wants to let its estranged member take the credit. Fallouts are evident yet not admitted. At the same time the sanctity of the TRS chief’s Gandhian revolt is shadowed when we look back at the reason behind the formation of the party. The TRS was formed only after KCR was refused a ministerial berth in the Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP government seven years back. With political opportunism and separatist feelings overflowing, Andhra is once again witnessing turmoil and upheaval on an issue which has been kept alive ever since independence. The question remains whether creation of smaller states really answer the development needs for the rural and backward areas. So far, even after creation of new states, development has been witnessed restrictively in the major urban centers and the state capital owing to surge in property value and creation of new government posts. However, problems solving in India have always been shortsighted and political in nature. Whether a solution can be found to creation of close to half dozen states remains a question, however Telangana is presently set on the back-burner for sure.

Need for SRC?
With demands from all quarters arising for further division of states, the need for a second States Reorganization Committee is evident, however all major political parties have refused to acknowledge the need of the hour. While Congress spokesperson hesitantly said that the SRC can only be constituted after political consensus, BJP leader Venkaiyah Naidu rejected the idea emphasizing on case to case basis consideration. However, way back in 2001, a sub-committee of the Congress Working Committee, comprising Arjun Singh, the late Madhavrao Scindia, Ambika Soni, Oscar Fernandes and even then headed by Pranab Mukherjee, concluded that there were “valid reasons” for the formation of separate states of Vidarbha and Telangana, but that a new States Reorganisation Commission was needed to consider the whole issue. It recommended that the Congress ask the Government of India to set up such a commission.
While the CWC accepted the recommendation, says Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, then home minister L K Advani rejected the suggestion. Singh adds that the Congress stand has been consistent, though the BJP now backs the demand for a separate Telangana state.


History:
In December 1953, the States Reorganization Commission was appointed to prepare for the creation of states on linguistic lines. The States Reorganization Commission (SRC) was not in favour of an immediate merger of Telangana region with Andhra state, despite the common language between the two.
Prime Minister Mr Jawaharlal Nehru initially ridiculed the idea of merging Telangana with the Andhra State, fearing a “tint of expansionist imperialism” in it. Later, he compared the merger to a matrimonial alliance having “provisions for divorce” if the partners in the alliance cannot get on well.
The separation movement gained momentum in 1969 as student agitation for the continuation of the agreement began at Osmania University in Hyderabad and spread to other parts of the region. This movement, also known as Telangana movement, led to widespread violence and deaths of hundreds of people including 360 students.

Deception point: India tests the truth of the 100 day action plan

In its second term the UPA government is faced with bigger challenges than last time. The Congress led alliance has to perform up to its ideology of inclusive social growth. As soon as it came in power, the UPA government announced its 100 days programme, a set of goals for each ministry. Moreover, the real stir was created with PMs letter directing all ministers to step up their work. The 100 day programme, as presented, showed the eagerness of the government to respond to the global economic and security scenario. The government does not want to seem to be doing nothing when the whole world seems to be collapsing. The directives from the high command is echoing through all ministers as they promptly present their 100 days agenda to the press as it is their strategy for the battle ahead. The real issue remains whether the 100 days agenda can bring some sort of solution or is just a gimmick for creating confidence in the common man. In its second term, the government faces the critical challenge of the global economic crisis along with risk of delayed or poor monsoons. Lifting up Asia's third-largest economy from the global slump remains the eye of the storm. India's consolidated fiscal deficit is estimated at 9 percent of gross domestic product for 2009-10, and fresh stimulus measures would mean widening the deficit and higher borrowing. Growth could be as low as 6 percent this year compared with nearly double digits in earlier years. Economists believe the economy may now have bottomed, with a return to vigorous likely towards the end of this year. A stimulus through higher government spending will increase already-heavy borrowing, which is also crowding out private investment needed to expand factory capacities. Delayed monsoons on the other hand have disturbed the growth estimates. Essential food items like pulses and cereals have registered double-digit inflation rates. Normal rainfall in the central regions of the country was the hope for bringing down the prices. However with the delay in monsoon, the nation is left with clouds of uncertainty over the fate of agricultural production and the government has no option but to look up to the sky to find a solution. Amidst such tight fiscal constraints, funds have to be created for the welfare schemes which played a large role in UPAs second time victory. While the government has announced loud its claim for balanced and inclusive growth, regional and social disparities seem to be growing despite of tall claims. While UPA has highlighted new issues in its 100 day agenda, many critical issues have been left aside. The conflict with neighboring countries has not really come up in the agenda, nor has important issues like the problem in Kashmir and North-East. Though the government has big claims of dealing with the issue of terrorism internationally, however at local domestic level, the real issues of those who have suffered its brunt has been ignored. The Kashmiri Diaspora is still waiting for government’s response to their demand of social and political rights in the valley. This ignorance is even more disturbing with two senior leaders from the state holding important ministries. North-East on the other hand, with its small representation is still struggling to get proper attention. 100 days are not enough to deal with the volume of problems faced by the government. However it is a fresh retreat from the system where the term five year plan became synonymous to the meaning that the work will never be done. In the red-tapism torn administration, fast track solutions are always welcome. Short term goals are easier to achieve, but it depends on the scale of the problem as well. For most of the issues taken up by the government, 100 days is not enough to plan the proper framework for its solution. However, it provided a good platform for the government to put forward its work plan before its target aam admi well before the general budgets. Managing the common though is no doubt critical for government while uncertainty prevails from every direction. UPA has always been a good media manager. Perhaps the most efficient strategy on its part was distributing media attention equally on all its programmes. The 100 day agenda has been much in news, mostly for the plans as it is too short a period for any real action. It has however been successful in conveying the message that there is no honeymoon period for the government this time. While the real picture will not be clear till the general budget, a broad figure is already appearing on the course of action to be taken by government. So, is the 100 day agenda a real action plan or a word game to divert attention from the critical issues lying around? Can we expect some real performance in a period as short as 100 days? The questions have almost been answered by officials themselves as they say that the 100 day agenda will prepare the road map for future and never talk about what has actually be done. Let us take it this way, the 100 day agenda calls for focus to the real issues, to prepare planed course of action for future. Despite of all shortcomings it reflects the commitment of the UPA to perform better than last term. The situation is no doubt critical. Many critical fiscal and monetary reforms wait to see the daylight to provide a solution for economic crisis. We face the challenge of cross border terrorism as well as domestic threat from Naxalism. Numerous social and structural reforms also await their turn for ensuring inclusive growth. Climate change presents another challenge as India is the fourth largest carbon emitter. No real solution can be found in 100 days for even one of these problems. However, it can be taken as a time frame for identifying the problems and formulating strategies. With its new style of working the UPA has clearly expressed its eagerness and commitment. Its efficiency is on test for providing solution to perhaps the largest set of problems faced by a government at a single time. Even if these 100 days produce no concrete result, it must provide solid outline to both the problems and the solution.

GenNext on litmus test

They are young and talented. Energetic, dedicated, visionaries and leaders… these adjectives may sound out of a corporate resume, however this is what the young crowd in the 15th Lok Sabha looks like. The LS has a different flavor this time. Unpredictable, surprising, positive and optimistic… the trends reflected in these elections denote an era of change. The speculations have ended and Congress is the largest party. A watershed in the Indian politics, these elections have marked the comeback of the Indian National Congress as the most popular political party. With nearly 80 MPs below 40 years of age, the 15th Lok Sabha reflects the true essence of Indian demography. Congress’ victory has been attributed to the youth power that has sprung a new life in the party. Not just the political pundits but the party members themselves are admitting that the Rahul factor has done it for Congress. While 81 MPs are below 40 years of age, as many as 36 are in there 70s. However the average age of the House has gone up to 53.03 years, the third oldest Lok Sabha so far. While the statistics are confusing, the fact remains the LS has highest number of below 40 MPs ever with majority of them having previous experience of either being in the Rajya Sabha or State Assemblies. Challenging the typical picture of Indian politics, where an MLA had to grey his hairs before coming to the Parliament, the Gen Next MPs are on the fast track. In a country with a broad base age pyramid, the emergence of youth have sprung new life-blood in the political system. With 59 women MPs, this House, to some extent, has also achieved the goal of gender equality which was ignored with the women’s reservation bill. The number reflects that reservation is not the only solution, equal and equitable opportunities can be provided well through means of education and empowerment. The voting trends showed that the common masses voted for individual candidates, crossing party and leadership lines. Choice of candidates was perhaps the most crucial issue for the parties this time. The young blood has been given a chance to prove its capability. It can be said that it’s an entirely new generation of leaders. The question that arises here is that would this youth preference be set as a trend, or is it just a refreshment of the old system where a set of leaders, rather followers were handpicked by the party leadership. Congress alone has over 23 below 40 MPs, mostly chosen by the young Gandhi himself. Well qualified in every sense, they are expected to be on a litmus test before the right time arrives for Gandhi junior to take the lead. Despite of strong speculations, Rahul himself showed no eagerness to take a Cabinet post. The Core functionary body is in the hands of age and experience. So, is it really the uprising of young force or just second generation continuation of family tradition? Most of the below 40 MPs belong to influential political families. Is it democratic watershed, or seeping in of dynastic rule in democracy? The questions may seem hard to answer and unimportant at the time as the answer depends on the performance these youngsters give on the floor of the House and outside as well. However, these young, educated and clean image politicians are any day better suited for the House chair than the tainted ones (though this Lok Sabha has higher number of tainted ministers than previous one). A developing economy, India has the uprising, educated, urban class as well as backward and downtrodden economically and socially backward population both in its cities and villages. The last few decades saw coming up of the politics of cast, religion and regionalism, disguised in socialist agenda. The backward masses were made to realize there exploitation, only to be exploited again by the same leaders who rose from the same class. Much like George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, the masses now seem to be on the road of disillusionment from this type of politics. The common man does not need leaders to teach them self pity, what the masses need is hope and confidence on there ability to perform. The verdict is clear, India has voted for development and nothing else. Divided in urban and rural worlds, the Indian youth has multifaceted expectations from the chosen lot. Spurring up regional disparities has given way to large scale migration. The Lok Sabha represents each region of the subcontinent to balance the Parliamentary decisions on regional and socio-cultural scale. The LS is the voice of masses in decision making process. People expect a new vision from the new entrants. The Midsummer election dreams are now to be realized on the ground of reality. Now its time for the Young Turks to prove the iron of their elaborate degrees and experience. The poll results express hope, but this comes with immense pressure of performance. The educated class already feels it is disillusioned with the political process. Almost everyone who had an e-mail account received a mail informing about the ’49-O’, the ‘right not to vote’ option for the electorate. In the posh area of South Delhi as many as 50 voters even practiced the option. Though too little a number for a 100 crore plus country, yet it shows the desire to do something responsible. Instead of spending a relaxed afternoon in the disguise of lack of belief in the political system, these people decided to abstain. This shows the discontent and the lack of opportunity to something despite of having a wish, enthusiasm and ability. The educated youth as well as the rural and backward sections stand equally claiming dissatisfaction with the political system. In fact, dissatisfaction seems to be the only phenomena equally spread allover the country. It is yet to see what the youth will actually contribute to the democratic process. India has taken a stand, now it is for the MPs to perform. Anjali Ojha

India goes to polls:

As India is set to vote again a new twist can be seen in the campaigning. Leaving behind the age old tradition of addressing rallies and gatherings, the top notch politicians are busy clicking the mouse and keyboards. A step inside the 21st century and the computer revolution is now speaking for our leaders as they prefer blogs and text messages for their campaign. India the second most populous nation also has the world’s youngest population. With nearly 100 million voters in the age group of 18 to 24, the young India is no doubt where the political giants are focusing. For Indian democracy, political parties and our leaders, these are youth centric polls. Blogs and websites are perhaps the best way to reach the tech savvy generation that spends almost half of its day in the cyber world. But do these e-campaigns really motivate the young population to vote. Does our political system encourage or even tries to utilize the energy of the youth. Well, in a country with nearly 60 per cent of its population between 15 to 50 years of age, the average age of a Parliamentarian in India is 52 years. Since independence, the average age of our Prime Ministers has been 65 years, the youngest and exceptional being Rajiv Gandhi at 40. While the average age of an American President is 57 years while in UK it is 58. Our youngest minister in the 14th Lok Sabha was Mr Anbumani Ramadoss aged 40. The only other Minister below 50 was Mr A Raja. The difference is clear. While the US has 47 year old Barack Obama as its new President, we are looking forward for someone above 80 for the post. Our Parliament has come to age. While all government services have a retirement age, there is no age cap in politics. It is true that in democracy age limit can not be prioritized to popularity. However it should be ensured that the system does not crush the ability of the youth. Enthusiasm of youth is being crushed in the hierarchical structure which is as bad as following dynasty rule. So, is the Indian youth hopeless about its political system? Is the generation Y disapprovingly distanced from the whole process because it believes you have to be either a criminal or from a political family to survive in the field… Is it so that the youth think that we can not change anything so lets get aloof. Dreams are not manifested until we wake up and put thoughts in action. The youth wants development, education and employment. But we have no right to blame the system until we get included in it. While 30 percent of the voting base of India is constituted by its youth (aged 18-30) only 25 percent are registered to vote of which only 50 percent actually voted in the last Lok Sabha elections. Altogether hardly 12 per cent of Indian Youth actually voted in the last Lok Sabha elections. The recent Assembly elections took place in the shadow of Mumbai terror attacks. There was lot of protest against the ‘political system’ which could not ensure the safety of its citizens. Yet the polls in six states recorded an average 50 to 60 percent voting. How can we blame the system or the politicians when half of the citizens do not vote? On the d-day of assembly elections in Delhi, crowd could be seen at India Gate and Connaught Place while the polling booths were nearly empty. More over the lowest percentage of polling was recorded in the posh localities. It shows the urban educated class has little interest in political system. Even when we vote we are not really sure what we are voting for. Cast, religion or just a party our parents voted for. The problem is of quantity and quality as well. Or is it just the problem of lack of awareness. In a country with an independent media and over 250 news channels, availability of information is not the problem. The problem is lack of interest and responsibility. We do not understand how much each vote matters. Our voter i-cards have become just an identity card. If we need a bank account, or a pan card or a passport… we use it to prove we are Indian citizen. How do we call ourselves citizens without participating in the democratic process? How can we light candles at Jantar Mantar when we did not vote the day before? We are responsible, aren’t we? The youth today may not wear Khadi or spin the charkha. We love pizzas, adore nike sports gears and don’t mind being called ‘Mall mice’. At the same time we want to spin the wheel of development. We shout slogans protest and we also write blogs to show what we think. But what happens when the time comes to show the power of the masses. If we do not vote how can we complain about an overage Parliament? Perhaps the problem lies with the polling process as well. If you are out of our town on voting day, you can not vote. Seeing the present trends of migration, it is so obvious that the youth is mobile. We are in Delhi today, doing engineering in Bangalore next year, working in Mysore or Pune after four years. How does a person vote with the complicated and time taking process for getting your name in the electorate list? Change is needed, lets start it from ourselves. Let the polls for the 15th Lok Sabha be the true realization of the midsummer Indian dream of a nation waking up to manifest its dreams. Young blood matters, from every nook and corner of the nation, our votes will make us one setting an example for the continent and rest of the world.

Phoenix’s flight: Raising dreams from the ashes of the slums

India bagged another award, perhaps the biggest in the world of the art of film making, but is it the victory of art itself. Slumdog Millionaire was not just victory of Indian art; it is a reflection of the reality. Lauded abroad, criticized at home, we were disturbed because the movie depicted a truth, the reality of the lesser privileged. At the dawn of 21st century India stands holding within its boundaries contrasts and clashes. This is the clash of identity. The modern rising India wants to see itself as a developing nation. The young India is rich, ambitious and willing to work hard for its dreams. The young vibrant India loves its malls, pizza parlors, cool hangouts and ‘take it easy’ life style. This is the class of neo-rich Indians, the 21st century middle class. They can not see India as the land of snake charmers and elephant riders (though Delhi still has good elephant population and as per the traffic rules, if you ride an elephant, ride it with a tail light). This India was raged, is India a country of hungry and downtrodden people, why is the boy living in slums being called a dog, it was taken as gross insult and prejudice from the West. The truth however remains that more than one third of Indians live below poverty line, many even below rupees 20 a day. In a developing nation, in a country where we patronize Big Mac, a part of population survives on garbage. The dwellers of these lanes are migrants, economically weak, without any viable alternative. The problem has not just sociological and economical but psychological impact as well. The intensity of the problem increases when the displaced population is from a conflict torn zone. The best example in Indian context can be the Kashmiri migrants displaced because of the over decade long conflict. While those with sound economic background were able to provide good education to their children, many still dwell in the displacement colonies. The problem here is not just of means but of identity. The youngsters do not know what the life in the vales was, they do not belong to the plains, but they are not in the valley either. There is a divide, not just of the less and more privileged. The life build out of ashes of displacement and loss has given rise to a new generation with aspiration to touch the sky and perhaps to return to their roots as well. This is the struggle for identity and justice. The struggle is no different from their counterparts any where else in the country or even in the valley. Those left behind are also struggling with the same aspirations. The youth in Kashmir is interested in the future, a hope which was reflected in the assembly elections where development won the ballot. This is the struggle for dreams. Poor housing or low wages, dreams have no limitation. I remember during my masters’ degree I was given a project to study nutrition. I went to a slum in east Delhi with an elaborate questionnaire. It was a hair raising experience, I went to a woman washing clothes, asked her name, I don’t remember what it was, and then I put forward this silly question, “What do you usually eat for lunch.” That angry young woman looked at me very coolly and said “chicken feathers… we get them from the garbage in the nearby mandi.” A young boy came to me thinking I am from an NGO complaining about some health problems. Young girls surrounded me asking “Didi, are you going to open a school here.” I had no words and no wish but to run away. I wanted to close my eyes to this truth, or was it that I was too uncertain as what should be done. These were the future of India, the young India we boast. The population we are building hopes on. In the heart of the Nation and the national capital, people without food and shelter, children without schools, and a whole chunk of society left far behind in the rat race of development. But the silver lining on was the dream I saw in those eyes. This is the real flight of dreams, a flight after rising from ashes. As an ancient story goes…where the Phoenix raised from the ashes… India’s aspirations rise from every nook and corner even without the most basic facilities. The young India lives in its slums as in its apartments and buildings. So why do we want to turn a blind eye to it, are we in a self denial mode and fooling ourselves. We are not; we are dreaming better, we are aiming higher. But let’s not forget the dream of inclusive and equitable growth our leaders saw at the time of Independence. To be equitable, we’ll have to accept the other side of the story. It is not just for the politicians or policy makers to chant the mantra of equality, it is for every citizen like me and you to realise the strength you can get by empowering others. The young India has to grow and one strong limb can’t make you run. Slumdog Millionaire is not about the bias of the West, which bias does not matter; it reflects the bias we have. The bias that stops us from accepting the truth. A look at the youth which is wasted in dirty lanes; they have lesser facilities but no less hope. The young girls I met in East Delhi slum wanted to study. In there eyes you can see the hope, it may not be there after few years. This is the contrast which translates into a conflict when we see our counterparts on the other side of the car’s window. We are taught and made to believe they are not equally good, lesser humans, no just bad ones. We take our lesson to carry forward the legacy of a verbally dismantled feudalistic society. Let’s lean a bit more toward the socialist structure, they are Indians, equal in rights as a citizen but less privileged. Lets stand for them, accept it we have slums and poverty, change it. Let’s not run away, we are young and able, with the youngest population in the world.

Refelctions

As the new year walks in… parties and celebrations to mark the new beginning lighten up your surroundings. Lets make new resolutions, to make our life better.. what is yours? Kicking out bad habits, a bit of discipline in the haphazard lifestyle…. Are you planning to quit smoking or drinking? Or sticking to a new diet plans? Working hard to bring up your grades? Putting in that little extra effort to become your boss’ pet in office? Small resolutions can make big difference. Its new year, a reason to celebrate. But why are we celebrating. A year torn by financial crisis, terror attacks, hatred and sepration… gloomy but past now. It is gone so let us celebrate. Yes it is gone but is it past? 24.3% of the population earned less than $1 a day in 2005. According to the latest (as of December 2008) World Bank estimates on poverty, based on 2005 data, 256 million Indians, or 41.6% of the country's population, survive below the updated international poverty line of $1.25 (PPP) per day. Moreover, in India 828 million people, or 75.6% of the population, live on less than $2 a day, compared to 72.2% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty is just one of the truths… we have witnessed worst. The multi cultural, multi lingual, versatile India we have been taught to be proud of is tearing apart. Every time a blast or an incident of terror takes place we start pointing fingers. We have classified our population in categories, there is a majority and then ther are minorities who fear partiality and oppression. Orissa was torn apart with riots, communal or ethical, they were riots killing the innocent. The majority claimed their leader was killed, they said the tribals were lured into changing their religion… can a civilized society justify killing innocents for blind revenge.
The nation was shook again and again; serial blasts tore apart the sense of security. Each time a bomb exploded, fingers were pointed. Delhi was shaken again and we were reminded that we are not safe any where, in markets, on the streets, are we facing some kind of civil war, what is this. Blasts were followed by encounters. Encounters do happen every now and then, but this one was more of a political issue than a issue of security. Some parties tried to cash on the majority and some tried to secure their vote banks among the minorities. The tagged electorate was divided. For in politics we are not humans but numbers. But we don’t understand this, or do we. Perhaps we do, Assembaly elections in 6 states showed that development, sadak, bijli and pani are bigger issues.
We then had, what was called a big revelation, the threads of investigation in the Malegaon case pointed toward the majority. Now, the tagged divided population is pointing fingers toward each other. We don’t trust police, we don’t trust our laws. The only truth for us today is our insecurity. Yes we are tagged and divided. Religion is just one of the things. Language, culture, cast are we one?
The Mumbai attacks made us realize that we can not stand if we are not one. We came together, but why is it so that until there is a threat from outside we can not unite? Aren’t we Indians above all? We are a secular nation; no one can stop any one from following a religion and in this tagged demography, the majority always came forward and said yes we want to be secular.
It’s New Year; lets add to our resolutions, a promise to live up to the nations pride. Question your self, what is my identity, a hindu, a muslim, a Christian, sikh, jew, parsi… majority, minority…. Backward, forward, dalit, SC- ST … or an Indian. Are we progressive, do we want to be progressive, can we be objective, can we move forward with 100 years old idea. Can we allow ourselves to be divided further…. Lets ask and ourselves and try to think beyond the lines. As Tagore said,
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Have a Happy New Year

AAWARAGI

Rehguzar ka hai pata na manzilon ki hai khabar

Chal rahe hain chalna hai kismat yehi bas soch kar...

Hum nahi hain jaante kya hai smajhdaari magar

Ye safar hai is safar mein chalna hai kismat meri.

Log kehte hain theher hai rasta mushkil magar

Hum hain kuch aise theherna jinki fitrat mein nahi,

Hann magar waadein hain jinko saath le kar hoon chala.

Bas unhi waadon mein hai meri chupi manzil kahin

Saath koi ho na ho apna safar rukta nahi.

Aur main kehta hoon isko hain yeh meri AAWARAGI

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN BY ROBERT FROST

We look for a way in life.... a path to walk on...
he question is where we want it to lead us???
Frost chose the one less travelled, what about you?
Think where you want to go and how you want to go about it, chosing the less trveled path may make a difference, but chosing the one you like will change your life.

Here comes the poem:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

All for a drop

Rivers lie at the centre of life in India. Econnomy, culture or religion, no aspect of lfe in India is left untouched by our rivers. Our rivers flood in monsoon and are dried up in summers, and we yell.. is the government doing anything. Officially, yes, the 11th plan has Rs. 8000 crore for flood management and 1500 crore for river management. Apart from this around ten billion have been spend on Ganga action plan and there is no account where the money has been spent. Ganga is not clean… it has rather become a dying stream with much of its lower course dried up already. Similarly more than 20 billion has flown into the sewage canal river Yamuna has become.
The first phase of Yamuna action plan started with an estimated fund of Rs. 715 crores which completed in February 2004 without any satidfactory result. The second phase has been formulated with an estimated cost of 625 crore.
Delhi alone contributes around 3,296 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage by virtue of drains outfalling in Yamuna . This is more than that of all the Class two cities of India put together. The low perennial flow in Yamuna and the huge quantity of waste it receives have given it the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluted rivers of the country. Ten to fifteen years ago, a large quantity of Delhi's sewage was used for irrigating agricultural lands. Today agricultural lands have been converted into residential colonies and hence drainage of waste water is difficult in the capital. Some 3.5 lakh people live in the 62,000 jhuggis that have come up on the Yamuna river bed and its embankments. The Govt. of India over the next five years has prepared plans to rebuild and repair the sewerage system and the drains that empty into the river. However, there are no plans at present to shift the jhuggis.
Rapid urbanization in Delhi has further compounded the pressure on the sewerage system With the population of Delhi increasing from 0.4 million in 1911 to 9.4 million in 1991 and with a population of 13.9 million in 2001, (source: Delhi Jal Board) there is an ever-increasing pressure on the water resources .
Sewerage Problems : Poor condition of trunk sewers, shortage of sewage treatment capacity and lack of sanitation facilities in unsewered areas of Delhi which account for nearly 50% of population are responsible for continued pollution of yamuna in Delhi. The problem is compounded by lack of minimum perennial fresh water flow in the river along the 22 km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla.
The water treatment capacities have increased from 159 MLD (million letters per day) in 1951 to the current production level of 2951MLD (DJB 2002). Despite this, the average current shortfall is about 681 MLD (as calculated using the DJB’s supply norms and average losses estimated at 15%). However, the percentage of UFW (unaccounted-for-water) calculated from the difference between water produced and pumped is a high 35%–40% (GHK International Ltd 2000), reflecting problems in management of available resources.
While cleaning of Yamuna, and other rivers remains a critical issue for the government, the policy makers don’t recognise the ecological sphere of the rivers are not limite to its banks. It involves the flood plains as well.
While on one hand the Central Government and the Government of Delhi is pumping money to make our rivers pollution free, on the other hand the dried up river course is being used for development (read construction) without thinking twice.
Standing tall on the banks of Yamuna, the Akshardham temple is stretched on over 100 acres on Yamuna’s bed and to spring to life is another ambitious plan, the Commonwealth Games Village aiming to transform the urban outlook of Delhi.
The much debated construcition work of the CWG games village is going on despite of much protest from activists across Delhi.
Cleaning of streams is just one aspect of our management plans. Ever since India gained independence we have been putting time, effort and investment in the multi level river projects bulding dams and canals without stopping to take a breath. Phew… that sounds ambitious. But are the result equally satisfying is the question.
The government keeps pumping funds and the civilisation keeps pumping pollutants in the rivers. Water Resource Management is the cry of the decade, rather the century. But is it realy an environmental concern or just another use for the term made popular by the corporate influenced urbanites. The term management no doubt adds weight to any other word attached giving it the status of a serious activity. Are we actually managing our rivers or mismanaging them.
The basic problem of the plan lies in the outlook which treats rivers as water pipes. If the line gets choked, clean it up. Put some chemicles, add some chlorine, as far as our needs are answered it hardly matters for how long the solution would be effective. We are still working on the idea that came up in the fifties; “never let a drop go waste to sea.”
Our dams, our multi purpose river valley plans, the cleaning plans, the interlinking of river plan, all focus on how to use the water to its maximum capacity and fail to address how to help the rivers survive the pressure put on by the industrial society.
Rivers have a delicate ecological balance which gets disturbed due to human interference. Though the natural system of rivers rejuvenates itself the rate of disturbance created has surpassed the rate of correction.
Rivers carry along with them more than just water. They carry life, history and culture. Imagine the history of India, rather the history of humanity without these rivers that have supported humans since the dawn of civilisation.

In the Land of Thunder Dragon

I got my first chance to witness the Great ranges of Himalayas as I went to our tiny neighbouring country Bhutan, the land of thunder dragon. Having spent all my life amidst the endlessly monotonous Ganga plains, I wondered how majestic the ranges could be.
Crossing the familiar plain topography by train, I reached Jalpaigudi, our last destination by train. This was the town that would lead us to an onward journey to a world where slopes defined the limits. As our bus moved on, I saw Emerald green forests drenched in September rain, crystal clear streams vanishing under stone beds and a chill in the air told us we were close to our destination.
By night we arrived at Jaigaon, a small town I West Bengal sharing its border with Phuntsholing in Bhutan. The landscape was submerged in the darkness of night and half of our belongings were wet as it had been raining continuously. I went to my Hotel room to have a peaceful slumber, without knowing what morning would unfold.
Next day as I opened my eyes, not expecting too much as for me my destination Bhutan was beyond the artistically painted gate of Phuntsholing. As I looked out of my window, the scene took my breath away. Bright greenhills, bathing in the morning sun, welcomed us as tourists from a distant land.
Entering the territory of our neighbour, I realized how similar it was to the landscape on the other side of the gate and totally different from the land I came from. In a few hours, we were literally walking above the clouds.
Thin string like streams came down the slopes and disappeared in foggy clouds. Bare rocks looked as if nature’s chisels had worked on them, to create a masterpiece.
I was taken aback by nature’s beauty, but what surprised me even more was the serenity such rough landscape held within. Monestries and Dzongs made in traditional Bhutanese style showed the Bhutanese sense of harmony and culture. Prayer wheels and prayer flags dominated the scene all over the country. Religion was everywhere yet there was no politics involved with it.
The peaceful attitude reflected everywhere specially on the clean pitch roads on which people drove without blowing horns, and in the same context it’s quote worthy that Thimpu is world’s only capital without traffic lights.
I witnessed a change in myself as I realized how calm were the people in such tough terrain and how rough and dry our lives were in the smooth plains that provided everything. The calmness I experienced made me see the spiritual side of the Himalayas and the people residing there.

Travelling in a Delhi bus???

Transport in Delhi is an expensive business, especially if you are new in the city. Coming from town that starts and ends in a radius of some 25 kilometres, travelling kilometres each day seems to be a Herculean task; at least in the beginning. In the national capital moving without a personal vehicle was nothing short of a challenge for me.
After sticking to auto-rickshaws for a while, I decided it wasn’t good for my pocket. Metro was for selected routes, unfortunately not in route I was travelling on. As all the Delhites do, I decided to make buses my friend for travelling.
I consulted some of my relatives to get an idea about the bus routes and fare. I was told about the blue lines, DTC and white line buses. That was the time before blue lines became killer lines. It was a hard job to remember all those data like bus numbers and almost every day I had to ask someone or other, which bus to take. But remembering the bus number was not the worst part of my journey to start.
Travelling in a bus in the busy morning and evening hours was the toughest thing I could have ever imagined. As I stepped inside a blue line bus in the busy morning hour, I thought my first concern would be to find a seat or rather a place to stand. It was not the only thing to worry about however. I found a man sitting on the seat reserved for women and expected him to stand up. But it seemed he did not realise he was on the wrong seat so I asked him politely to get up. What followed was an angry look and an excuse I now realise is customary. “I have hurt my leg I cannot stand madam” he said. Taking it as a part of everyday life in Delhi, I prepared myself to stand for the rest of the journey which was supposed to last for an hour or so. But the thing that troubled me more than the physical exertion was the mental torture I experienced in the crowd standing between so called honourable citizens looking for an excuse to come close to girls.
I thought this might the scene in the private buses and decided to travel only by DTC, but the harsh reality remained the same. It was rather disturbing to realise that our national capital has no transport system which could ensure safe and peaceful journey for women. My first impression of travelling in a bus was definitely not a pleasant one but it was a learning experience.