The Nascent Observer

Democracy needs to fight back

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:50:00 +0530

The Jan Lok Pal Bill has copious support but what intrigues the unbiased observer is the inconvenience caused to the common man that these protagonists claim to be a part of. Despite regular claims by Anna Hazare and his kin, day to day life in parts where protests took place was heavily disrupted.

Source - http://www.primelookindia.com

Traffic jams, mass bunks and shut down of educational institutions were the most visible effects of the Jan Lok Pal movement. India Gate the epicenter of New Delhi was marred by heavy blockages in traffic kinesis, Ishan Raina, resident of Patparganj was stuck in hours long traffic jams whilst returning from Chanakyapuri.

Similar situations arose at Civil Lines, Ekta Handa, a student at IP College for women had to rush back home via the metro due to the oncoming crowds in the locality. Areas where the peaceful march was to take place resulted in disrupted chores and traffic jams.

Source - http://www.moneylife.in

In Lucknow, groups of students from KKC, National College and activists from Vyapar Mandal and India against Corruption Lucknow chapter amongst others carried out a protest march from Old city to Jhule lal Park.

According to a Press release issued by India Against Corruption, Lucknow University colleges faced mass shutdown due to teachers opting for a mass leave to support Anna Hazare's movement.

Students in Arunachal Pradesh stalled traffic movement on the vital NH 52-A in the North East. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Patna, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar and Ranchi faced similar crisis.

This was just a whiff of civilians disturbed by the ‘Peaceful Protest’ by team Hazare. Further universities and colleges faced mass bunks or forced shut downs with students in large numbers refusing to attend any educational institutions due to the mass SMS and social networking campaign promulgated by Team Hazare.

It was interesting to find that a majority of the protesters were in support of eliminating corruption. But it was hard to find an individual who had ideally studied the Jan Lok Pal Bill. Slogans demanding immediate release of Anna Hazare and elimination of corruption roared across the streets but it was hard to find an individual who would elucidate the intricacies of the bill.

Intriguing was the fact that a majority of college going students were unaware of the bill they were adamantly vouching for.

They were unable to answer simple questions pertaining to the selection process of the Lok Pal. Amusingly, a slight discussion on any chances of the Lok Pal or members of the committee failing due to corruption resulted in sentiments flaring and claims of someone doing something for us being used as excuses.

Interestingly the Lok Pal and Lok Aayukts will be elected by a Lok Pal Committee, which in turn will be a group comprised of members appointed by judges, Indian Administrative Service officers with a clean record, private citizens and constitutional authorities through a transparent and participatory process.

But who would decide the eligibility of these individuals is an enigma. The Jan Lok Pal Bill in its’ current form would ridicule the constitution. Residing in a democratic state has given us the liberty to choose our legislators and legal education to create bright and efficient lawyers and judges. Giving an unelected individual supreme authority over an elected candidate seems indigestible from a rational overview.

Source - http://rajyasabha.nic.in

Putting the Prime Minister and Supreme Court Judges under the ambit of the Lok Pal can result in an autocratic state. Further, it would result in a form of government that would be at the whims of individuals who won’t be answerable to the populace and hence would defeat the purpose of democracy itself. The government cannot be blackmailed into submitting to specious demands.

Capital Punishment to hypocrisy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:46:00 +0530

Post-independence, the number of death penalties bailed out has drastically contracted. Strangely, the past two decades have witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of individuals that have been awarded this controversial entity of the Indian Judicial system but the number executed is a staggering antonym.

Indian flag and the State Emblem atop Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru
Source - Mellisa Anthony Jones at en.wikipedia

64 years of freedom from the British raj has observed numerous highs and lows for the criminal justice system in our country. The past decade specifically has had unexpected interest being bailed out to judicial proceedings with Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo and Arushi Talwar being glorified victims and Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru being similarly publicized criminals. What interests an unbiased individual is how the politicization and over promotion of a crime results in its’ importance.

Those who recently escaped the gallows were Jagtar Singh Hawara, assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, cab driver Shiv Kumar for rape and murder of BPO employee Pratibha Srikantamurthy, six convicts of the 2006 Dalit family murder case and contract killer Mani Gopal for murder of the witness, a eunuch, inside the Tis Hazari court premises in 2003.

Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar
Source - http://www.indianexpress.com/

But hardly any media organization or the internet savvy self-styled intellectual protagonist took up these cases.

During May 2011, President Pratibha Patil rejected the mercy petitions of death row prisoners Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar and Mahendra Nath Das. While Das was on death row ever since 1997 for committing a murder in Assam, Bhullar was sentenced to death in 2001 for plotting a series of terror attacks in Delhi in 1993 that left nine people dead.

Striking irregularities are being observed to this move. Whereas the rejection of Bhullar’s plea received opposition from various Sikh organizations affiliated to the Khalistan Liberation Front, the hunt for a hangman to execute Das is in progress.

Nata Mullick paying homage to his hangman father
Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Similar reactions were observed while hanging Auto Shankar in 1995 and Dhananjoy Chatterjee in August 2004. No prominent political organization came to the fore to oppose these hangings hence they were effortlessly executed by none other than India’s most famous hangman, Nata Mullick.

Mullick’s death in 2009 has been a blessing in disguise for Das. Though the authorities are keen to carry out their duties specifically in this case and Mullick’s son Mahadeb, too is being approached for this nefarious activity.

Since Das, the murderer of one individual does not have the support of a religious or political establishment; his punishment is a priority for the state.

The government is conveniently overlooking the chastisements of Afzal Guru convicted for the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament killing 14 people and Ajmal Kasab who killed 166 individuals in the 2008 Mumbai attack due to the international glare and support of religious as well as terror establishments.

What appalls the common man are 64 years of hypocrisy that we Indians lived in. We claim to be a sovereign nation yet fail to punish criminals for waging war against our country and are confident of hanging someone who murdered a single individual.

This independence day let’s take a pledge to eliminate pretense from our country. It’s high time we admit our flaws and look forward to nullifying them rather than overlooking and further multiplying them.

The Hyped Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Aug 2011 02:21:00 +0530

What was poised to be a walk symbolizing the liberation of women and their opposition to the stereotypical mindset of society resulted into a symposium of amateur photographers, hushed perverts, journalists, police officers and volunteers.

The slut walk arthat besharmi morcha 2011 fizzled under excessive media publicity and police cover. An event expecting over 1000 attendees had hardly one tenth the anticipated turnover.

A majority of the participants were either of non-Indian ethnicity who were driven by the hype of successful slutwalks in other parts of the world or were menfolk on the lookout for a public display of skin.

Conversations of men attending the march were overheard and none seemed to be impressed by the motive of the walk. Media personnel were seen hounding the most provocative individuals hoping to capitalize on the most attractive visuals.

The slutwalk conceded after a brief march chanting slogans for gender equality and condemning oppression of women. The highlights of the event were a street play by Asmita theatre group and a performance by Delhi drum circle.

Amid all the fanfare and excess media pressure, the purpose of the walk was diminished to the extent of negligence. The hosts preferred to let the street play convey their message.

A majority of individuals eager to hit the ‘I’m Attending’ button on facebook events cited laziness or irrelevant explanations for not being present to stand up for their rights. The attitude of the very menfolk who this movement wished to suppress dominated the whole affair.

A parallel unheard of dharna which comprised of 81 individuals of the greater cooch behar people association sitting on hunger strike for the past 14 days too received unprecedented media attention. Journalists on the lookout for any saleable matter were surveying the possibility of comparing these two events and judging the feasibility of the preference laid to the slutwalk.

The slutwalk 2011 maybe a success for those associated with the cause or with the promotional ventures. But for the common populace of Delhi-NCR, not much has changed and the same perverts prowl the city streets.

The message of gender equality and anti-stereotype rational needs years before it trickles into the mindset of the masses.

Such events are generating awareness, but not among those who need them. As of now, Delhi does not need slutwalks, but strict administrative measures to check crimes against women.

Oppression of women will not be prevented by scanty claddings but by vigilant administrative forces and by spreading the message that crimes against women will not be dealt with lightly.

The Admission Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:22:00 +0530

Another season of adrenaline rush and dwindling emotions has culminated leaving behind scores satisfied and a greater number on the contrary.

The admission season is over and the tradition of advice and guidance coupled with self-styled career counselors has not left any untouched. The counseling phase is the most nerve wrecking chapter of student life yet. Fresh out of matriculation, young minds are blitzed with options and opinions that seem to shape their career paths.

The neighboring aunt, the relatives, the media houses or rather any individual who walks in the house attains astuteness. In depth analysis of conditions prevailing within the coming 5 years is bailed out on these fledgling minds within minutes.

For a majority of the students, confusion mars these months; the respite of surpassing the board exams vaporizes the moment results are declared. Anxious parents are seen rushing from pillar to post hoping to capitalize on the best course, the best college, the best package, the best city, the best accommodation or rather the best of the best. What results post this mad rush for excellence are middling achievements despite innumerable potential in most of these sectors.

After a simple majority where any two members of a household achieve a consensus on the course to pursue, the real hunt for the most suitable college initiates.

Paradigms for this decision are the most ranged, for the homely families, a college in the vicinity of their residence is the superior choice.

For those who rank lower in the homely scale, colleges in cities resided by a relative are a priority. Completely irrelevant are occasions when communication may have occurred with those relatives but their availability is of precedence; the sense of security that prevails heralds all other requirements.

Another favorite parameter is the presence of relatives or family friends in the college administration. The Indian tendency to secure and analyze almost all future outcomes is the most dominant trait while this decision is made but standards pertaining to the quality of education imparted in the institute take a back seat when these prerequisites are considered.

What is customarily overlooked is the will of the student who is poised to pursue the career path that others are more than happy to carve. Those ranking high in the merit lists are in the dilemma of obtaining the top colleges; those ranking lowly are in the hurry to join any college. The ones in the worst quandary are with mediocre scores.

They desire the stars but are trapped at the moon. The seemingly better colleges refuse to accept students at their score and colleges which do admit such marks are heavily criticized as being substandard institutes.

Tormented by the pressure of competing with the neighborhood nerd or settling with the bullying of the locality muscle man, the mediocre is longing for any signs of relief.

Such is the counseling phase for a majority of our country. The elite, be it economically or intellectually are on the fore, inferiors are the content and the middling comprise the furrowed faces of the troop.

What most of the matric pass students realize once college life initiates is what shapes their future is not what the self-styled education gurus preached, it is rather how one utilizes college life to develop the path to a brighter prospects.

College life is fuel to the future.

A Sketchy Impression

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 09:17:00 +0530

Patna, once Patliputra has been marred by acuity as an improperly administered and perhaps the most under-privileged capital of North India. This article attempts to provide an insight and verify if the stereotypes pertaining to this city hold their ground.

Patna has a history of being one of the most prosperous cities ever to exist; Delhi has been the capital of our country during the British raj. Both Delhi and Patna are established on the banks of major rivers, yet there are glaring differences in the socio-economic-political conditions of the two cities.

There may be multiple reasons for variations between Patna and major Indian cities, what strikes most is the dependence on agrarian goods as a means of livelihood for a majority of the populace of Patna. This dependence has resulted in much lower cash at hand value for all who are involved in this means.

A second glaring variance is the absence of major commercial houses. Due to low income groups which constitute the dominant bulk of consumers, major commercial houses have abstained from spreading their wings into the city.

A third striking feature is the rat race for the civil services, aspirations of the youth are not as ranged as those hailing from the capital of the country. While students in Delhi are looking to alternate career options, a fetish for science courses is evident in almost all hailing from this state.

Close second preferences are arts courses which are considered as more favourable options for cracking the civil services. Commerce is not a preferred subject for the majority. The urge for quick money is evident but establishing a business is seldom on the cards. The service class rules the mindset of the youth.

Major development in Patna has transpired around Gandhi Maidan, single screen movie theatres such as Mona and Regent have evolved into multiplexes. Roads are spacious and police presence is aplenty. Wearing helmets in Patna, like in most developing cities seems to be a voluntary exercise. Some multi-national companies have marked their presence here, at Khaitan Market and at Maurya Lok.

Still, de-boarding at Patna Junction at the stipulated time seems to be a far fetched thought for any passenger travelling to Patna due to the incessant chain-pulling in all trains plying on this route. The psyche of the masses is to attain the maximum convenience in the least resources possible, be so by hook or by crook.

Though a large number of individuals are being affected adversely by the forced luxury of a few, seldom do any of the oppressed wish to raise their voices. A general laxity persists and the attitude does not differ when on the streets.

Patna has not been blessed with many architectural attractions, but it has progressed tremendously where infrastructure is the yardstick, the Chiraiyatand flyover and the Gandhi Setu Bridge are marvels in their own categories. The Patna Junction railway station presented a picture of utmost sanitation much better than the

New Delhi Railway station, women volunteers who assisted passengers are also a sign of progress.

Politics in Patna and its’ vicinity is still on grounds of caste and religion. The past 20 years have witnessed minor changes in the mindset of the electorate. A major shift has been observed in the voting patterns, the Rashtriya Janta Dal had been shunned by the very dalits that raised the party for a 15 year reign. The coining of the term Maha-dalit has resulted in an upsurge in the weight age bailed out to caste based divisions. Caste bias seems to have mellowed down over the years, but is far from culmination from this state.

Public transport is a plenty but the streets become sparsely crowded by 8 P.M. Patna falls in the Magadha region of Bihar, languages spoken are Hindi, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili. English is still the luxury of the elites.

Due to the absence of a proper tourism industry, Patna is devoid of opulence where the hospitality industry is concerned. Hotel Chanakya on Beer Chand Patel Path and eastern India’s first revolving restaurant Pind Baluchi atop the Biscomaun Bhawan are noteworthy.

On the whole Patna would not fail to impress an intrigued traveller who is on the lookout for a glimpse of a city poised to be a metro city by 2021.

When studied over the past 20 years, Patna has shown tremendous development in the previous 5 years; the growth is of the magnitude that the World Bank has ranked this city as the second best place in India, after

Delhi, in terms of the ease of starting a business.

Patna is in the transition phase, it is slowly and surely relieving itself from the clutches of under development, poverty, illiteracy and backwardness. If the administration of Patna continues at the current pace then it won’t be long before Patna overtakes many Indian cities by many folds.

An Elephantine Encounter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 May 2011 12:08:00 +0530

Speeding on the Noida Link road, one is seldom expecting the most primitive means of mass transport. With the metro rail on one side and an ultra-modern flyover to the other, a docile yet prominent soul accompanied by two of its handlers is a delight for the young and elderly alike.

This article attempts to provide an account into the lives of the handlers and their beasts.

Vikas Marg, ITO Bridge, is witness to a queer spectacle in this urban divide. Dark skinned men with a smile on their faces are wading in knee deep murky waters; laying on its side a forty year old female Indian elephant Ajanta is relishing the luxury of a bath. It’s a tedious task under the unforgiving sun which mahouts gladly undertake.

In a casual interaction the mahouts reveal that most of them hail from Bihar and Assam. Some like Shamboo have inherited this trade from their forefathers others like Zakir and Ahmed are employed by the proprietors of the elephants.

There are no placement cells for their jobs, nor are there any specialized courses. When asked about the qualities that one needs to be an elephant handler, they replied that it comes with time, there are no books that one can memorize to step into their trade, it’s an art that develops with experience.

Though technology has caught up with their lives, it cannot coexist with the rugged conditions that the mahouts undergo each day. The day begins pre-sunrise with the mahouts checking on their elephants, followed by a prayer to Lord Ganesh. If an elephant is engaged for a task, it is headed to the desired location keeping a time gap of around an hour. Else these splendid beasts are left to feed and loiter under the watchful eyes of their caretakers in the vegetation rich Yamuna bed.

When the sun is at its’ peak, all in this part of the city take a well-deserved break, the elephants are chained in their shelters and mahouts nearby. Come evening, the Yamuna bed comes to life again, the murky waters are utilized to bathe the elephants. By the time the bathing ceremony concludes, dusk sets in and if there are no appointments, the elephants are chained to their shelters under their custodians.

The cost of an elephant calf starts at Rs 25 lakh and goes up to Rs 60 lakh, the price varies upon the tusk size, the health and the gender of the animal. Males are more versatile and hence cost more. It can take anything from 6 to 18 months to train the beast to obey human orders.

Those elephants which are not bought are caught from the jungles of Bihar and Assam, transporting an elephant is a mammoth task in itself.

The cost of transporting an elephant from the jungles to the urban jungle initiates at Rs 50,000 and that too upon the condition that the beast agrees to adopt the means of transport. Else no matter how much the distance the elephant travels to it's destination on foot.

Ajanta, a healthy 40 year old female elephant calls for an expenditure of Rs 20,000 in a month. Her diet comprises of sugarcane and other vegetation, most of which is easily available of the river bank. For those animals which are registered, medical facilities are provided for by the government authorities.

Shambo referred to his grandparents and boasted of their relations with Jawaharlal Nehru. Politics has not left any untouched, and even these individuals have political inclinations. A fan following of Rajiv Gandhi and his idea of empowering the masses is still driving their political dispositions.

The displacement of these individuals due to the rising flood levels in the Yamuna River was a matter of great displeasure. The miscommunication of welfare schemes run by the government authorities is evident in their lives.

Those involved in this profession are in a realm of their own, they have not much regard for the 21^st century and its needs for livelihood. The young belonging to families who wish to carry on the family trade are least interested in contemporary education.

Zakir wishes that his offspring don’t step into the trade that he is in; he believes that the income is not apt when considering the input that the mahout puts in.

The proprietors of the elephants have evolved into established business houses with the passage of time; the transfiguration is to such an extent that these houses would readily have discarded with this trade.

It is undying will of the mahouts that causes these houses to continue sustaining these beasts in this ruthless city.

The Excursion

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 May 2011 20:33:00 +0530

The transition from the centre of power to arguably one of the most underdeveloped capitals of the country is not as appalling as it seems. To be honest, it was a little hard to explain the reason for this journey to the circles I am accustomed to.

Our journey commences well before we board the train, a whiff of the condition of the state is experienced while looking for means to commute to any part of it. All trains are reserved months in advance; the 90 day advance reservation facility allows ample black-marketing of train tickets. The emergency train ticket service (tatkal) initiates operating 2 days prior to the departure of the train. Seldom are individuals able to enjoy the luxury of booking train tickets during this time period, and those who do are bound to follow the set broker culture. Travelling to this part of the country is preferred either through brokers or through bribing the ticket collector. The trains travelling are almost always catering to many times their permissible numbers.

The Northern Railway is not solely to be blamed for this mismanagement; it is intriguing that such a condition arises in all trains travelling to specifically this state of the country.

Hailing from Lucknow and residing in Delhi I felt obliged to purchase tickets prior to travelling. Since this trip was unscheduled, I was made to experience the tatkal dilemma. My colleague reached Anand Vihar railway station at 6 A.M. hoping to make it early to the tatkal ticketing booth that opens at 8 A.M. To his surprise, there was a queue already present at the booth, a queue long enough to ensure that he was unable to get a confirmed train ticket of the Samporna Kranti Express.

The day of the journey arrived, in our hands were two tickets of unconfirmed sleeper class berths which bore the wait-list numbers 112 and 113 respectively. We boarded the train in coach number S10 hoping to be able to convince the ticket collector to ‘provide’ us with adequate seating facilities. The condition of the train was deplorable; stench of human sweat was predominant, fellow passengers were trying by crook and by crook alone to cater to their need to travel.

Those who were blessed with confirmed train tickets were vary of those without them. They had the liberty to cherry-pick their seat-less counterparts. Conversation was the key to survival once in the coach. Though initially apprehensive of strangers, the passengers were quick and open to dialogue. Behaviour, class, supposed net annual income, language, dialect, accent, political inclination, religion, opinion on national and international issues were some of the yardsticks on which fellow passengers were judged. But most of all the ability to present views and the first impression as a decent yet dynamic individual were preferred.

The first characteristic that strikes the mind of any observant being is the enthusiasm with which those hailing from this state present their opinions. No subject, be it the United States foreign policy or the incompetence of the Manmohan Singh government is left untouched.

A pet favourite was the changing scenario of their beloved state. Opinions both for and against are presented and defended with utmost preciseness. None are willing to back down on their points, parliamentary language and etiquette are predominant. A keen effort is made so as not to offend a fellow passenger and to abstain from making personal comments.

Pride in hailing from the land of ancient wisdom is evident in all; the ability to converse in the regional dialect conveniently brings down barriers.

The arrival of the ticket collector was the moment of truth for most on the train; he appeared distraught, exhausted and saturated by the heat, the stench, the arguing, the convincing, the scolding, the bullying and the compromising.

He was followed by a horde of commuters who were still hoping to be ‘adjusted in’. He glanced at the coach that we occupied, expressed disgust though his eyes and then asked for the ticket by calling out the berth number. Those in possession of a confirmed ticket produced them, those without were simply overlooked.

He directed the occupants of berth no. 8 to vacate it as it was meant for the railway police personnel on board. As we delved deeper into the night the paucity of space to sleep was evident and those affected by it were frantically on the prowl. We were lucky to have been able to muster the support of our fellow passengers and they offered us the space sandwiched between two berths for the night.

The space was cramped for the heavier than average Indian male, and was near to a blast furnace for two of the same. We realized that it was impossible for both of us to sleep at the same time, the first reason for this being out inability to contain ourselves in the chasm and the second being the need to look after our luggage.

As the night proceeded, all present in the coach settled down, the passage leading to the exit of the train was utilized to satiate the essential of sleep. Most berths were doubly occupied, some were occupied in quadruples, and those who could not find a place despite the occupied passages were clinging on to the door of the train. A couple of them dozed off while on the doorway only to bounce back astonished at their fluke, the doors were closed and finally all dozed off to a much needed repose.

A ruffle woke me up, the berth meant for the Railway police was occupied by three strangers to this coach, I sat up to inform them of their miscalculated catch only to sight a GRP constable settled at the floor below the berth. The final berth was sold; three lucky passengers would be enjoying the luxury of a seemingly comfortable journey.

Dawn came knocking earlier than ever before and brought along with it a wave of buoyancy among the occupants, Samporna Kranti had crossed Buxar and they were within the jurisdiction of Bihar.

The occupants seemed changed; their tone of voice had coarsened up many times since they boarded at Delhi, a sense of superiority gripped all.

There is something about the territory of Bihar that fuels these individuals, the assurance that they are within the very land that brought them up revives them. The sense of security coupled with the proximity of their destination resulted in the paradigm shift in their tone of voice.

The train slowed down and halted yet the joy of inching towards their destination was unobserved. We looked out of the window to see passengers rushing towards dilapidated settlements. Our fellow passengers confirmed that the train had been halted not by the will of the train driver but by the convenience of the travellers. Chain-pulling was rampant as the train proceeded; on an estimate one forced halt resulted in a 15 minute delay from the ideal time of arrival.

As the train entered Patna, on every forced halt passengers de-boarded and new passengers boarded. Those who boarded were on the lookout for any form of seating arrangement. I inquired my fellow passengers about them; these were local travelers who preferred to commute within Patna through the train. They generally resided in localities through which the railway line passed and would board any train that halted and de-board at a convenient location.

Our train had crossed Buxar at 4 A.M. and if it were not for the forced halts we would have reached Patna Junction at 8 A.M. It was 11:30 A.M. and our train was still inching into the boundary of Patna.

Tempers were flaring across the coach and a wave of resentment particularly for the local travellers was running lose. My colleague and I were to reside in Alka puri, we decided that it would be best if we de-boarded at the next halt as it seemed way more convenient than hoping for the train to escort us to the railway station within the next one hour.

The train halted, this was our chance, we hastily stuffed our belongings and lurched to the doorway. My colleague de-boarded, my bag followed. The train was in motion; I leaped onto the railway track dodging the human faeces and held my ground.

The excursion culminated and I was in the capital of Bihar.