tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81110348425028693792024-03-13T20:29:10.507-07:00HUMARA PYAARA HINDUSTANmanoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-41514541478961852972012-10-29T03:59:00.001-07:002012-10-29T03:59:16.960-07:00On the occasion of Vijayaa Dashmi, the celebration of victory of Lord Ram over Raavan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is the
2012-10-24, the culminating day of Durga Pujaa which is celebrated all
over the world by the devotees. This day is celebrated as Vijayaa Dashmi, the
day when Lord Ram slew the demoniac king of Lanka Raavan, who was the
embodiment of tyranny and oppression. On this auspicious occasion, I wish health and happiness to the readers of
my blog, Humaaraa Pyaaraa Hindustan. Due
to health and other mundane reasons I could not connect with you people who
might have been expecting something special. Anyway, I take this holy occasion
to share some of my thoughts pertaining to the situation all over the world and
particularly India i.e our lovely country. Every year we celebrate this Vijayaadashmi
with great fanfare but seldom we ponder over the deeper meanings of this
festival and the relevance it has to the modern situation. The relevance is
especially meaningful in the political context when every day the corruption
and nepotism of the Indian polity is coming to light and still no light of
remedy is seen to this deep rooted malaise which is eating into the vitality of
the Indian economy and the society. Moral values has totally lost its place in
the Indian politics as it is seen by the rigid and selfish attitude shown by
our rulers and politicians of higher calibre. At a time when the ruling
dispensation is caught in dozens of scams the accusations are no longer limited
to the ruling party but has encompassed the main opposition party as well. Regarding
the accusations at BJP President Nitin
Gadkari the RSS leadership has thrown the responsibility to the BJP leadership
saying that the matter is internal for the party to decide. But it is well
known that RSS was the main force behind the selection of Nitin Gadkari for the
top post. This shows that the BJP too is not hundred percent clean as far as
the integrity and honesty of its core leadership is concerned. May be that its
NDA led government had not been immersed in deep rooted corruption as the
ruling party, but it still has to prove its moral ground to become a viable
alternative to the ruling combine. Actually,
the fact is that democracy has not failed but the politicians have
failed to live upto the expectation of the people. This is proved by the anti
corruption movements being launched by various civil society groups. The
political parties should instead of shirking their moral responsibilities come
clean in the various accusations of scam. If they fail to do so, then they
should resign taking moral responsibility for the fingers pointing towards
them. Corruption and nepotism has been institutionalised and hence the fight
against it is going to be a long term one in which the civil society has to
play a bigger role in days to come. The politicians have failed to evolve a
system free of corruption and nepotism and hence the responsibility comes on
the civil society as a natural corollary. Let all the conscious citizens of the
country come forward to wage a non violent battle against the system which has
become outdated. The time has arrived when we as the residents of India have to
answer to certain questions of national importance. Foremost of is, has our
constitution lost its relevance in the present context or whether the
parliamentary democratic system which had been adapted from a country far more
educated and conscious in terms of political terms proved its
unsuitability till date? Can we not
learn from a small state of Sikkim or our small neighbour Bhutan which has been
able to develop a political climate most conducive for their socio-economic growth? Why even
after six decades of freedom we have not been able to solve the secessionist
problems of the North east and Kashmir? Why we have not been able to produce a
single politician of the calibre and integrity of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel,
Lal Bahadur Shastri and Gulzarilal Nanda who were symbols of value based
politics? I humbly agree with the Chairman of Press Council of India Justice
Markandey Katju that the people of this country are also to be partially blamed
for the problems we are facing today. The parents of this country have lost the
appeal of the ideal leaders and they have not encouraged their children to be
inspired by them. They have been only encouraged to earn money and properties
so that their children and grand children could enjoy the royal life whereas
the common people are compelled to live in abject poverty and ignorance. The
root of the present times has to be
sought in our educational system as well
which does not have scope of moral education. In the name of so called secular
credibility we have deprived our students of studying the great moral
scriptures Ramaayan, Mahaabhaarata and Srimad Bhagwatgeeta. The Christians and
Muslims are in a better state as far as moral education is concerned, thanks to the minority status provided to
them. But what sin the Hindus. Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs have done to deprive
them of their moral fibre? The burning of Raavan, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna would
be meaningless if we fail to answer the above questions. </div>
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manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-81975119838249266812012-09-17T07:31:00.001-07:002012-09-17T07:31:07.179-07:00Indian polity exposed : the renaming of Motihari Central University<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The change of the Mahatma Gandhi Central University to North
Bihar Central University has come as
shocking to the nationalist and
people oriented intelligentsia. Champaran district which has been bifurcated
into Motihari and West Champaran districts of Bihar had been the first
successful experimental lab for Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent movement for the
liberation of India from the British yoke. It was quite appropriate to name the
central university after the great Father of Nation whose struggles had
provided us this national democracy. But the change as it comes from the Union
Human resource Ministry of the Congress led UPA govt. is rather bewildering. Of
course the Indian National Congress is just carrying on lip service to the
father of nation, but this lip service too has given place to worshipping
everything western or American. It is not at all surprising that this
exposition has come just after the central govt. has decided to open its door
to multi brand retail sector along with aviation and media to FDI. Now as the
very legacy of Nehru-Gandhi has been given a good-bye, with the public sector taking a back seat in the Indian
economy, the question arises that which ideology the Congress is going to
profess in order to survive in the Indian polity? Our honourable P.M has
professed that ultimately he has found a way out of the current financial mess
he has landed the country into. But how
far and at what cost are some of the basic questions that have to been
answered to the voters when the Congress with its doubting allies go to the
general election not so far away. Actually, the crisis of the present economy
is the crisis of capitalist path of economy which is deeply bound with the International capital with its
center in USA. The economists who have studied in universities of the west have
only the European model in their mind who seldom gave thought to the Asian
model and their typical characterstics which have their own concerns and
philosophy. Actually, there is basic difference between the philosophy of the
Europe and Asia. Asia has been the harbinger of peace, tolerance and balance
with stress on the basics of life. Whereas Europe’s philosophy has been
basically enjoyment of life with whatever is earned with individual contentment
with little or less regard for the community’s well being. European life has
been individualistic whereas Asian life
has been socialistic. It has to be reminded once again that Mahatma Gandhi had
the basic Asian or rather Indian philosophy of life while he drew up Hind
Swaraj for the future development of the Indian economy. Opposite to the naive
thinkers who thought Gandhiji’s Gram Swaraj as feudal and alien to the modern
trend do not realize that the Mahatma had the four cardinal principals of the Hindu
religion in his mind when he sat to write Hind Swaraj the bible of the Gandhian
workers. Material prosperity has not been the goal of Asian life as it is
construed in the western way of life. There must be balance between the human
life and the nature around us. This is where our economy has failed. We have
encouraged big and huge factories which are catering to the needs of the market
and not the common people of the famished and under nourished countryside. Our
system of governance is still dependent on the civil servants of the British
legacy and a poor or common person from the villager is still today looked upon
in the govt. offices as somebody alien. Mr. P.M here is the point, where your
govt. has failed to deliver by not providing efficient and people oriented
administration. The present crisis can never be surmounted by opening the doors
of the economy to foreign investors but would complicate it with wider
political implications in the future which the present govt. fails to foresee. But
the coming days shall bluntly prove the fallacity of this system. History is
going to repeat the past. </div>
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manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-58733045588351302362012-02-06T13:56:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:56:10.224-08:00Ramayana, the way of Indian life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story of Ramayana is popular all over the world. Besides India and the countries having population of Indian origin like Mauritius and Surinam the story of Ramayana is also popular in South east Asian countries. Even in the Muslim country of Malaysia the epic story of Ramayana is enacted through local theatres every year with cultural fanfare. It may be found that the place which Gautama Buddha has today among the intellectuals of western countries was once occupied by the great personality of Lord Ram Chandra, the ideal king ruling from his capital city of Ayodhya on the banks of river Saryu. May be due to lack of archeological evidences the historicity of the Ramayana period has not found its proper place in history. But the deep reverence this great epical story draws among millions of people around the world itself speaks volumes about the truth hidden behind the ashes of rolling times. Actually, proper focus has not been given to some of the periods of Indian history basically due to bias of a section of historians who were chiseled along western logics especially Marxist ideology which had from its very inception in India a bias towards the Indian culture. For them religion was opium and culture only existed as a superstructure of the ruling class. But in recent times due to decline of the Marxist influence the nationalist urge to look to the past through inquisitiveness and exploratory vision the intellectual class is able to see the truth in its face value. Slowly through private initiative explorations are bringing to fore some physical evidences to prove the historicity of the epic periods in India. Even if we stop believing that Lord Ram and his family existed in the real terms, one has to find ample assumptions that there must be some deeper and core reasons so that the Indian way of life has survived through long periods of foreign aggressions and domination. The impression of the epic Ramayana is evident in the family system which is battling till this day the concept of the philosophy of eat, drink and be merry. No doubt, the materialistic philosophy of Chaarvaac did exist in ancient India but it did not find many followers. India and her people have found a perfect balance between material wealth and spiritual bliss. Something is definitely there why most of the religions were either born in India or got immense scope for flourishing. The aggressiveness of Islam got diluted with the Vedantic teaching of Live and let live. The all embracing Sufi cult flourished in India as nowhere in the world. Christianity reached the shores of Kerala when India was not dominated by any foreign power. Even Buddhist cults from neighboring Tibet got ample scope of survival in India when the infighting in Tibet got unbearable and violent. Ramayan teaches us the ideal way of life which Indian people have been trying to follow notwithstanding the onslaught of the wave of liberal invasion coming from the west. Lord Ram Chandra was an ideal ruler, an ideal husband, an ideal son and an ideal brother and friend too. His life and works were perfect balance seeing it from the historical situation he was born into. For the first time, he showed that the welfare of the subjects or the citizens were of utmost importance for him rather than the throne for which a conspiracy was hatched by his step mother, Keikeyi. He fought the battle with Ravan the ruler of Lanka without taking any help from his empire. He had deep conviction for his truth and righteousness. His war against the Lankan army was not for territorial possessions but for the honor of his beloved and queen Sita who was taken captive by sheer wickedness of Ravan. In this he was helped by Sri Hanuman the great devotee of Sri Ram who was a great saint-warrior of his times. The immense love and devotion the Hindus have for him stems from this simple fact. He slew Baali only because he found that he had unjustly treated his younger brother Sugreev. Lord Ram would have taken the help of Baali in defeating Ravan easily as Baali had in the past defeated Ravan. But the cause of righteousness propelled Lord Ram to side with Sugreev in his fight for his right that was his due. It should be born in mind that in India Ram’s temples are rarely to be found whereas the temple of Sri Hanuman abounds in number. This should be an eye opener to many of our politicians who are trying to make themselves into legend by dint of their power of administration. Before abdicating his throne for penance in the forest for the rest of his life, Lord Ram had divided his Kingdom among his two sons Lav and Kush. Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh and Lahore in Pakistan are probable modern names of the erstwhile Lord Ram’s kingdom. Swami Vivekananda is right when he says that India may be poor in terms of material wealth comparing to other countries but the she excels others in the spiritual wealth which is the real wealth which is missing in several of the so called advanced countries. The real future of the human civilization lies in the Indian way of life which is based on Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava which encompasses with it all the religions and creed. The Indian way of life is so liberal that even an atheist is allowed to practice his way of life without any hindrance. India not only believes in love towards the motherland but also has been looking since ancient times the world as her family.</div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-49990665976428468292011-11-28T11:22:00.000-08:002011-11-28T11:25:36.759-08:00Congress ought to be reborn to meet newer challenges<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">History is going to repeat itself. The situation in India is if not similar but closer to the political scenario of the seventies when anti Congressism was the trend of that turbulent period. The only difference is in the seventies unemployment and corruption were the main issues whereas today the main issues are price rise and corruption. Corruption has been a common issue from the day we got our freedom from the British rule. And sadly, Congress has been seen synonymous to corruption. The present crisis of the central govt. stems from the very fact that the year 2011 has been the year of major expose on corruption in which the judiciary has played a pro-active role without which it would have been difficult to expose the high level of corruption in the govt. machinery. An average citizen feels bewildered at the magnitude of corruption levels at the top level but fails to see the strong link between corruption and the price rise which is hitting the common man the hardest. If we analyze the cause for this state of affairs we may find the root cause in the basic structure of the Indian National Congress which has ruled the country for at least forty five years or more. So, quite naturally the people put the major blame on the Congress for the corruption which has been institutionalized in the country. Anti Congressism stems from this very fact although my Congress people may not agree. So, there should be a basic rethinking in the party if it has to play a positive role in the development of the country. The challenges before the country is enormous and our capacity lacking in most of the directions. The coming millennium is going to be that of Asia no doubt, but are we prepared to face the challenges which this new opportunity offers us? China is fast ahead of us and has been able to surpass us in economic as well as defense preparedness. Billions of rupees are being swindled by the wily politicians and the common people are deprived of the bare necessities of life. Elections are fought on the basis of caste and religious feelings with the might of money and muscle power. The Congress governments at the center and the states have done little to mitigate the suffering of the common people. Hence the need of the hour is for the Indian National Congress to go in for a deeper and objective introspection as to what went wrong with the governance which has led to this state of things. Actually, the ruling party at the center should muster the courage to accept the truth without any bias and then come with a concrete plan to face the challenges lest it be too late. In fact the main malaise in the Congress and its other offshoots like the NCP is that the parties are filled with sycophants who are using the party’s platform to garner rich harvest. They have little faith in the ideology which the party professed even during Late Sm. Indira Gandhi’s time. Although she too was surrounded by sycophants like late Dev Kant Barooah and so on but her vision and strong determination prevented her from being used by her sycophants. Internal democracy have to be established in the party and more younger generation of youth leaders with clean image ushered in to bring a new face of the party. The gen next is eagerly looking at the dynamic leadership of Rahul Gandhi who inspires the average citizens. He should by bringing the younger elements in the party fold also focus on a section of matured and conscious intellectuals who are not inclined towards a particular ideology but whose personal integrity are impeccable. At the same time the Congress at present should not depend on personality cult as this cult may have helped to garner votes but is not going to do good to the nation in the end. People are becoming aware very fast and they know what is good for them and they are not going to be fooled for all the time. Hero worship may be gainful immediately but in the long term it is going to do more harm than good as the current political situation warrants us to see. Truth however bitter should be faced and that will no doubt give dividend in the end. The Congress and even its offshoots like the NCP and the TMC should give a call of let a hundred flowers blo</span></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-945112418589135522011-09-20T11:27:00.001-07:002011-09-20T11:27:31.695-07:00The great earthquake and its future fallout<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">According to several elderly persons the terrifying earthquake of Monday the 18<sup>th</sup> September<span> </span>2011 was the not felt during the last fifty years. According my father in law and an eminent scholar Shri K.N.Ojha the natural calamity was reminiscent of the earthquake of 1934 which had ripped through especially Bihar. The quake was felt from the north east right upto Delhi. Though its devastation was limited to the northeast, West Bengal and Sikkim, <span> </span>its future fallout is a warning to most of the Indians. As per the studies of the Seismologists North India falls in the highly sensitive zone. The plate of the Indian mainland is constantly colliding with that of the plate of Eurasia and thus both India and China including Tibet remain under severe threat from such outbursts of the Mother Earth. I call her the Mother Earth because we human beings do not consider the Earth as a living being and we are constantly exploiting her to satisfy our greed and ambition only to make the Earth<span> </span>more unsafe place to live. This earthquake is a mere warning to the homo sapiens of this only living planet to put check on the endless mining and quarrying as well as deforestation, <span> </span>otherwise the worse is waiting for us. It is amply clear to an average citizens of this planet that the natural calamity is mostly manmade and we must do earnestly to avoid these kinds of happenings in the future. Let us stop eying the earth as an endless treasure house and try to conserve it as we take care of our old parents when they grow old. One should not conclude that we should not go for industrial development but one thing is <span> </span>equally true that mere economic<span> </span>well being is not going to make our life safe and secure. Today, human lives needs more social peace, security and well being than ever before. This can be achieved by synthesizing the modern science with our traditional living and thinking which also has <span> </span>potential for the future human growth. The only path is that <span> </span>we should go for all out introspection and keep the history in our mind. Examples are abundant when <span> </span>we have discarded the history and our past mistake. Thus <span> </span>we have undergone huge loss of life and property. I shudder to think of the thoughtlessness of our so called modern builders who are planning to exploit the soil of Moon and other planets. We must remember these planets including our earth are not mere planets and heavenly bodies but they are the very source of life on earth. Thinking about their exploitation as something lifeless is fraught with danger for the future. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-2537881294684180532011-08-29T11:00:00.001-07:002011-08-29T11:00:43.314-07:00The Second Independence Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The victory of Jan Lokpal Bill courtesy Anna Hazare</div><div class="MsoNormal">27 August<span> </span>2011 will be known in the history in making as a red letter day and may be it shall be known as the Second Independence Day because on this day the people of India rather Hindustan asserted their <span> </span>supremacy over the Parliament which had failed to read the popular feelings against the institutionalised corruption in the country. The politicians of our country failed to see the aspirations of the citizens who clearly saw corruption as the fountainhead of most of the ills facing us. From the election process which also needs so much to be cleansed to the soldiers fighting to safeguard our hard won freedom corruption rules the roost. The spiralling price rise minus increase in our real income showed the common people that it is the corruption which needs to be addressed if our lot has to be improved. But the question was who shall bell<span> </span>the cat?<span> </span>People had lost faith in the political leadership and hence they were in search of a leader who had no ambition except the good and well being of the country. They ultimately found the true mass leader who reflected their dissatisfaction against the corrupt establishment.<span> </span>And once the people found their right leader, they followed him like obedient sons and daughters. Especially, the youth proved that if the situation demands they would not be left behind to sacrifice for the motherland. The whole affair of Jan lokpal Bill’s movement exposed the true character of our politicians including our so called nationalist parties who were seen compromising with the ruling party in chanting the mantra of Parliament’s supremacy. May be these politicians have not understood the true spirit of our Constitution which speaks of not the supremacy of any one organ of the government but the ample check and balance so as to protect the democratic rights of the people. This movement reminded us of the days of the emergency when the ruling party under the leadership of the Late Sm. Indira Gandhi clamped emergency for eighteen months. It was her party which has time and again asserted the supremacy of the Parliament. But actually in a democratic setup it is the people who are supreme and not the institution which are merely representative bodies expressing the popular mandate. But this mandate should not be taken for granted. Today the people of India are far more conscious than ten years back when there was no internet and Television. The mobile phone too has brought the people into new awareness ready in hand. Anyway it was heartening to note that our political leaders realized their mistake and ultimately justice and sensibility prevailed. Anna Hazare and his team has thus created a history in which there was not a single violence. This shows that the non-violent movement of Mahatma Gandhi has matured into a creed of life in the present day.<span> </span>The Father of Nation must be patting the people especially the youth which is surely going to play a bigger role in the coming days. The present movement spearheaded by the India Against Corruption needs to be well organized to face any kind of situation which may confront them in the future. The workers of this movement must be initiated in the creed of non-violence which will make them the law abiding, fearless and forceful soldiers of the Second Freedom movement. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-28905347833536502112011-08-27T09:14:00.000-07:002011-08-27T09:14:12.353-07:00People’s mood up against the so called people’s representative Reminder of the J.P Movement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The people’s mood in support of the Anna Hazara’s campaign against the rampant corruption and in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill is once again up against the so called people’s representative. This incident reminds us of the yesteryears when Lok Nayak Jayprakash Narayan began the Sampurna Kranti Movement <span> </span>against the corrupt establishment in 1974. In those days too students and youth gheraoed the M.L.A ‘s and M.P’s<span> </span>and put pressure on them to resign as protest against the rampant corruption. Actually, the country is witnessing a tremendous upsurge of popular emotion against the stagnant and totally corrupt establishment. Today’s youth is capable to see through the hypocricy of the politicians who have turned themselves into power and self seeking professionals. They have forgotten their sense of duty to the people who have voted them to power. It is not surprising that these leaders are speaking the language of pre-emergency days. The young generation may not have witnessed the upheavals of the seventies but the popular vein in their blood still flows which persistently inspires them to speak against the injustice and undemocratic actions. May be the government has of late woken to realize their serious mistake in underestimating the strength of Anna Hazare’s movement. Let us hope that sense prevails among the members of the central government and it accepts the popular demand of seriously tackling the issue of corruption as a whole and not as a piecemeal affair. Anna Hazare has given the final call for the campaign saying rightly that the government should either accept the draft on Jan Lokpal Bill or resign. The B.J.P stalwart L.K.Advani also has given voice to the conscience and hence the only option before the central<span> </span>government is to accept the popular mood. The life of an<span> </span>honest and patriotic person is in peril and hence every effort must be put to end the present impasse. Hats off to the people and especially to the youth of the country, Arvind Kejriwal, <span> </span>Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhusan, Shanti Bhushan. Swami Agnivesh and Santosh Hegde who have stood with the movement led by Anna Hazare. The sacrifice of the freedom fighters of India is not going to be in vain. Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose are showing the way. Jai Bharat, Jai Bharat Mata, Jai Humara Pyara Hindustan! </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-43797624417602313232011-08-21T07:46:00.001-07:002011-08-21T07:46:23.724-07:00The movement for Jan Lokpal Bill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The social movement for Jan Lokpal Bill which aims at checking corruption from top to the bottom of administration reached an all time high on 19<sup>th</sup> August<span> </span>2011 when Anna Hajare came out of the Tihar Central Jail on his own terms. The extraordinary response from the mass especially the youth heralds a new beginning in the socio-political life of the people of India. To me it seems that a new India is emerging out of the globalization which has equipped the youth with the mass communication facilities and also the political and social consciousness which was needed for a national awakening. The economic background of this movement is not far to seek. The spiralling price rise and inflation has put <span> </span>enormous pressure on the lower middle class as well as the rising middle class whose <span> </span>aspirations are chocked due to the rampant corruption. Rather <span> </span>corruption has been institutionalized and hence the effect on our day to day lives. The youth particularly has realized that the root cause of our economic problems is the corruption which is eating at the root of the vitality of our productive forces . Hence, Anna Hajare in not only the symbol of the emerging India of future he is also the symbol of the aspirations of the youth and the peasants who are the most deprived lot. Anna is hundred percent correct when he gives the call for a second Independence struggle. After 64 years of freedom what we the common people have gained.<span> </span>It is corruption,<span> </span>widespread unemployment,<span> </span>moral deprivation and <span> </span>social insecurity. The only people who have gained are the<span> </span>so called politicians giving lip service to the people who have voted them to power, the big capitalists like Ambanis, Tatas, Birlas, Singhanias and others. Even our national Anthem smacks of British imperialist nostalgia.<span> </span><span> </span>We have not been able to pass a fresh Police Act on our own till date. The old police act enacted by the British rulers is still in use which in itself tells about the mind set of our ruling elite. The forceful assertion time and again that<span> </span>the Parliament is supreme reminds us the authoritarian attitude of a particular political party. Even the opposition too is quiet <span> </span>on the Jan Lokpal Bill issue and it speaks a lot about the give and take policy of the <span> </span>opposition which is equally guilty of putting the Lokpal Bill in the dustbin during their tenure. So, the people should beware of the opposition which may try to fish in the troubled waters<span> </span>for its own political gains. The country badly needed a second Gandhi and Anna Hajare is the Gandhi who<span> </span>has the capacity of pulling the country from the quagmire of corrupt and despotic<span> </span>rule of the ruling elite which is trying to usurp the harvest of the freedom fighters of India.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jai Hind. Jai Bharat. Jai humara pyara Hindustan. <span> </span></div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-14259054713254306542011-07-26T02:38:00.001-07:002011-07-26T02:38:14.339-07:00Development versus Gorkha identity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The recent signing of the peace agreement for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration GTA has evoked strong and moderate reactions from the various quarters. The issue of Gorkha and Bengali identity has once again surfaced which needs to be dealt in a constructive and democratic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The liberal approach of the new government of West Bengal has not gone well<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with some of the regional outfits of North Bengal who are also feeling much insecure about their Bengali identity whereas in the hills too several<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>political parties of regional nature have questioned the approach of GJM whom they believe to have sold out the issue of the Gorkha identity. What I have felt in most of the identity questions is the socio-economic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>factors are responsible for the identity questions. Actually the question of identity of any particular region or community is proportionately related to the economic and political empowerment which is the basic factor. If the people of hills are given development facilities and employment opportunities that in itself is going to solve the identity problem. Political identity bereft of economic and social upliftment is meaningless in the same<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>way that the right to vote is meaningless if somebody is not provided with bare sustenance of life. The central legislation by which the Darjeeling Gorkha Hills Council was established in 1988 has clearly spelt identity of the Indian Gorkhas as distinct from the Nepali Gorkhas. This distinction is sufficient to establish the Gorkha identity. Merely establishment of a separate state is not a guarantee for the socio-economic growth as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>seen from our experience of Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh. If the Gorkhas are provided with full development potential and political autonomy to run the administration of the hills which is the motto of the recent agreement for GTA then there will not be any grouse for further separation. In the same manner, the cry of the Bengali sentiment against the autonomy for the hills is nothing but a regional chauvinistic approach <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which looks more to the past sentiments <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>than to the future of the state. Being the citizens of India and permanent residents of Bengal the Gorkhas and the hill people have full right to get their due share of development. The Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee has rightly pointed out on 18the July<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2011 at Pintail village that the lives of hills and the plain are intertwined and the separation is of any type is not a progressive attitude. I think both the communities should see the problem in the broader perspective and look forward to prosperity and all round happiness. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-8496077704939533752011-07-16T06:52:00.000-07:002011-07-16T06:52:51.283-07:00The India of Mahatma Gandhi's dream<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the world of today’s socio-political mess it is quite natural that we remember our Father of nation Mahatma Gandhi who dedicated his whole life and family for the liberation of our motherland. A question to be asked by ourselves is, did the Mahatma fight for the country and its present mess we are in? The question can be juxtaposed in another way, is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this country as it is now country of the Mahatma’s dream of a new India or Hindustan as we may call it. The answer would be absolutely No. As far as I know about the Mahatma from articles, his books, My experiments with truth and Hind Swaraj, I have come to realize that besides taking the positive aspects of the western science and technology the Mahatma did not see the western nations as his model of development. Development and progress does not mean running madly after material wealth just like the European nations but it also means all round development <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and moral peace <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which is presently absent from our country. Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a modern and resurgent India whose real pillars would be the villages and not the skyscrapers of Mumbai or Delhi. That is the reason that scholars have been again and again stressing on the growing divide between India which lives in the metropolis and the Hindustan which lives in our remote villages bereft of the basic amenities like education and health. Actually, what has led to this sort of mess is the big question mark which should be answered by the intellectual as a whole and the politicians in particular on whom the onus of country’s progress depends irrespective of party affiliations. The Mahatma dreamt of a country whose base would be the village which should be self sufficient in terms of basic needs. That would be the ideal form of Gram Swaraaj, the village republic. The village panchayat would settle most of the petty matters thus unloading the civil and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>criminal courts. Actually, the root cause of the poverty of Indians are our legal system and health sector which squeeze the maximum resources of the common people. But alas, our successive governments failed to see this basic fault and did little to ameliorate the conditions of we Indians. It is rather an irony of fact that the Panchayat system which should have been strengthened by the Indian National Congress was for the first time in the Indian history democratically established by the Left Front government of West Bengal. This fact was accepted even by the Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It is a different matter that the Left Front government used the Panchayats for furthering their political ambitions and did not see the overall interests <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the people as a whole. For them it was, party is the people and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the people party. Thanks, Mamta Bannerjee is rectifying the mistakes of our comrades. The late Rajiv Gandhi had tried to strengthen the Panchayat system but his party did not share the same zeal of their leader. For them Rajiv Gandhi was at best vote catcher and a means to climb up the ladder of power. The majority of his party leaders were power seekers and till today they are as is evident from the smouldering scams coming out one by one. So, I would say that the time has arrived that the top leadership of every political party ponder over the party affairs and begin to restructure the organistion on a strong and solid ideological base. The new India demands a new Congress with a thorough change which can face the ever growing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>challenges of the country. Rahul Gandhi has begun well by interacting with the mass of the people but this should not be limited to bolstering his personal image only but should be the cornerstone of the whole party. I remember that the Mahatma after independence had once told that the role of the Congress is over and it<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>should be dissolved. Instead. In its place Lok Sevak Sangh be set up which shall work for strengthening the democratic institutions of the country. Moreover. he had realized the the ambitions of the power hungry politicians in the party and so he wanted to put check on it. But his advice went unheeded and for the next nearly forty years the Congress ruled a monolithic polity without a strong opposition party till the formation of Janata Party in 1977. We should not forget the history otherwise the history will forget us. Today, not only the Congress but almost<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all political parties are reserved for the rich and affluent. They seldom bring in educated and enlightened people in their fold. Neither the top leadership demands such things. Just remember that the Indian National Congress led by Mahatma Gandhi opened its organization <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to the common folk who could at least afford 25 paise. See the vast<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>difference and hence is the mess. The country cannot be changed by sitting in the capital cities but the politicians should go to the villages where the actual rot lies. The real change can be ushered from there, the Gram Swaraaj of the great Mahatma. </span></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-72057218460596977272011-07-16T06:50:00.000-07:002011-07-16T06:54:37.469-07:00Is life worth five lakhs only? The Malwan train tragedy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Train accidents and loss of life has become a way of Indian life. The giant public sector industry has in the past 64 years failed utterly to ensure minimum life security to its passengers which should have been the primary duty of the Railway Ministry. The recent Kalka Mail’s Malwan <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>train tragedy is case in point in which on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>July 11, 2011 thirty five passengers lost<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their precious life the number of which may increase with the passage of time. Like <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>every train mishap the central government came with a dole of five lakhs for the kith and kin of the deceased. Alongwith it has also sanctioned various amounts for the injured. Now, the point which every sensible citizen of our country is asking at the moment that is a life lost worth merely five lakhs? I think and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>perhaps <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>most of the citizens think that paying compensation is not at all remedy to the ill managed Railway ministry which has failed to deliver goods irrespective of the various Union <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ministers. The loss of the families cannot be measured in terms of money. The emotional loss is unrepairable irrespective of the quantum of money. The main question is to look into the permanent solution of the safety and security of the passengers which see the Railways as the easiest and reasonable medium of transport. Apart from train tragedies and mishaps dacoities and molestations are a common <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>occurance in the Railways <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which needed to be addressed seriously. For this proper accountability should be fixed for this kind of mishaps and due punishment be given which can act as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a suitable deterrent. It is unfortunate that Mamta Bannerjee the Chief Minister of Bengal could not give due stress on this aspect due to her political compulsions. Had it been otherwise then the situation would have been much better. So now the onus lies on the new Railway Minister who should try to find out permanent solution to this chronic problem. The citizens of this country then only can be satisfied and be proud to be Indians. I sincerely doubt that with this kind of mess in our country we are not going to be considered to be in the circle of the developed nations which is the thrust of the present government at the center. </span></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-42278934665210110082011-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:002011-06-25T10:53:04.992-07:00Adding fuel to already spiraling price rise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The present central government is beset with financial crisis and it hell bent on solving its mess by increasing the burden of common people by increasing the price of LPG, diesel and kerosene. This extreme step shall not only increase the already nine percent inflation but also make the life of lower middle class which has the largest number of population miserable. The government of Manmohan Singh has once again proved that he does not represent the mass of the people but the handful of capitalists and industrialists sections. Perhaps he has forgotten like his predecessors the stark reality that India is India and it is not America and Europe where the population is less comparing to the national wealth. Our country is still divided into a handful of capitalists and Landlords and the vast millions of people<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>barely meet their two ends. They hardly get sufficient two meals not to talk of basic requirements. Education and health care are still a distant cry for the masses which has been left to rot without the basic amenities of life. A person like Manmohan Singh may not feel the pinch on his pocket due to this increase of LPG and other fuel but we the common people feel. It is high time that the honorable Prime Minister see the other side of the country which is the real Bharat and not remain to be satisfied by the wealth and luxury of his class to which most of the present politicians belong. I think if the government fails to listen to the pulse of the nation as a whole then the troubles of this country shall remain as it is. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-41465847738026322142011-06-25T10:50:00.003-07:002011-06-25T10:50:52.198-07:00The relevance of Vidhaan Parishad visavis the Upper House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
The decision of Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamta Bannerjee to revive the Vidhaan Parishad the upper house of the state legislature has created flutter in the media as well as the political circles of the country. Many of them have opposed the idea of reviving the upper house on one pretext or the other. The first and foremost argument against it is that it is an extra burden on the state finance. The second is that it has been misused by the ruling parties to aggrandize their political segments to further their political ambitions. But both arguments seem to be based on preconceived notion that the system is bound to be misused whoever handles it. First of all the very institution of the upper house is not an evil in itself. It is the misuse of power which is at the core of the logic. But the possibility of misuse cannot be the sole criteria to oppose the system. It is the motive of the persons at the helm of affairs which should be at the core of argument. If the government’s intentions are honest and sincere then there cannot be misuse of a system. If we take it another way, the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies too are misused in favour of a particular politician or party. Directly elected body is no guarantee against abuse of power as argued by a section of the print media. Besides the upper house can serve as an effective tool to arrive at a mature judgment which is so essential for a fledgling democracy like ours. Fledgling in the sense that ours is a society where only little more than half of our population is literate. The abject poverty and moral deprivation hardly allows it to foster democratic ethos which is so essential for running of a parliamentary system of democracy. Besides. the clout of money and muscle force in our country makes the democratic functioning too difficult as is proved by a recent happening in U.P where loot of government money led to the killing of three seniormost doctors. Therefore, our constitution makers had the vision to provide ample checks on the parallel centers of power which is clearly visible in our polity. In this case, the upper houses are suitable instruments of change with a conscience. According to the opponents of the proposal if there are flaws in the constitution of the Rajya Sabha that does not preclude that it should be abolished. If the patient has cancer it does not mean that he be killed if there is no immediate cure. To my view, if a party or combine has been voted to power then it should be construed that the promises which were made during the mandate should also be fulfilled. The second argument about the financial burden is also not based on sound judgment because then the best solution can be, let there be no elections then we can save billions of rupees every five years. Democracy and freedom comes with a cost which we have to bear if we want to run the system. Let the intellectual class of the country come forward with their opinion about this ongoing argument about the feasibility of the upper house. Then only the air around the issue can be cleared and I hope that the conscious strata of the society shall not stand mute to the happenings around us. </div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-35679754659987714532011-06-24T11:09:00.002-07:002011-06-24T11:09:55.560-07:00Inhuman administration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is a well known fact that the government departments including the Railways runs on the public money paid via taxes. But at present the public as a whole is deprived of the public services which is why the people at large are utterly dissatisfied with the government at the helm of affairs. Take for example the incident which happened on 22<sup>nd</sup> June<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2011 at the Falakata Railway station under Jalpaiguri District of West Bengal. A tribal passenger named Enalus Kharia 25 years old fell from a train and his two legs were severed. He was taken to the Railway platform by the co-passengers. The patient passenger remained groaning under <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>unbearable pain for at least half an hour but the then Assistant Station Master did not take pains to take him to the nearby Hospital for first aid. Somehow, the matter came to the notice of the local M.L.A<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anil Adhikary and he with his followers immediately rushed the patient to Falakata Primary Health Center where the patient was declared brought dead. When the matter was brought to the notice of the then Assistant Station Master of Falakata Station he explained that no vehicle was available to take the seriously injured patient to the Hospital. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The above incident is one of thousands and lakhs taking place daily <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in our country when the people are carelessly handled or left at the mercy of God to feel the pangs of sufferings. The Railways N.F. Division should take notice of this and take suitable action against the erring Station Master who was in charge at the time of the accident. He should be held fully responsible for the untimely death of the passenger whose safety is the sole responsibility of the department. Actually, this kind of callousness<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cannot be allowed when our government claims to represent the people and not a handful of self seeking government employees who have little <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>regard for the common men’s life. Truly speaking the above incident is merely a reflection of the gross abuse of power in the government and administration which should undergo basic change. But the question remains. Who shall bring the desired change. The political leadership of our country has lost the moral strength to rule a democratically elected government and hence is the present mess. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-20814326867042474742011-06-24T11:09:00.000-07:002011-06-24T11:09:09.517-07:00State Anthem versus National Anthem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Madya Pradesh government is going to introduce singing of the State Anthem along with the Naional Anthem compulsory in all the educational and government institutions from the First of July 2011. This has come as a surprising step from a state ruled by the BJP which professes to work for the National Unity and integrity of the country. The party which advocated strongly in favour of single citizenship throughout has knowingly or unknowingly fostered the cry for dual citizenship which shall be fatal for the national unity and integrity of this <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>country. The other states might follow in the footsteps of the far reaching decision of the Madhya Pradesh government. This would pave the way for dual citizenship in the country which is why the proposal should be stopped by the Central government and the President in the nation’s interest. The question <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at present before the millions of citizens of this country is the maintenance of national unity which we have been able to after a long interval of foreign aggression and domination. The problems of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and the North east as well the various regional movements being carried will further deteriorate if this national convention is broken. I would also appeal through my blog to the national leadership of BJP to reconsider this dangerous step which may cost the party which is known for its nationalist penchant. The people too have regard to this party and they see it as a national alternative to the present ruling combine. But if it sticks to its vote catching device like this it may lose the respectability which it still commands among millions of non partisan citizens of the Hindusthan. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-11718677299397985692011-06-21T10:29:00.001-07:002011-06-21T10:29:39.699-07:00Terai region of Darjeeing district : Everyman’s Land<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Darjeeling the queen of Hill stations is famous all over the world for her majestic beauty and charm. Tourists from various countries flow to her to view the serene natural beauty and aura reflected in the Hills and dales of this town. This town and the adjoining Terai belt and Dooars had been the bone of contentions between the surrounding kingdoms and empires like the then Nepal. Bhutan, Sikkim and also the state of Coochbehar. Especially, the Terai region adjoining Siliguri had been known as a no man’s land by the surrounding ruling clans. The historicity of this region had been always a matter of national importance as well. Little is<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>known outside that this small strip of Terai and Dooars had been the hotbed of nationalist revolutionaries led by the Sannyasis who had thrown challenge to the mighty British imperialists. If you have read the novel, Devi Choudhurani, the famous novel penned by the great writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, you could know that it was based on the real happenings <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>centered round the two great personalities, Devi Choudhurani the leader of the rebels as they used to call themselves and Bhavaani Pathak who was the Commander in Chief and the principal guide to the rebels. Legends and stories are rife about these two great leaders whom the then British rulers called them simply bandits and robbers. In the Dooars near Naagraakaataa there is a Kaali temple dedicated to them. Devi Choudhurani had also got a Kaali temple built near the Haldibari Road leading to Jalpaiguri, not very far from Siliguri. Historical evidences exists regarding the period like a Dingy boat possibly used by Devi Choudhurani and her followers, which can be seen in the museum of the North Bengal University . Vedic literatures have references about the Panch Paandavas who are said to have ferried <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>across the river Mahaanandaa, one of the two<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>principal rivers of this region, the other being the Teestaa. It is also referred in the Vedas that the name Mahaanandaa had been given by the Paandavas. Before them it was Known by the name Nandaa. The mighty and torrential river in those days when small ships used to sail might have prompted the Paandavas to christen it so. But the same river is drying up so fast that a time might come when there would be no trace of this historical river. According to S.O. Mayli In 1901 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the population of Siliguri a mere village was barely 784. Now it is a ever expanding metropolitan city, flourishing with trade and commerce mainly that of Tea,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tourism and Timber. In those days of yore. Sililguri village was surrounded by deep and evergreen forests inhabited by tigers. Leopards, elephants<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and bisons. It was rampant with the killer malaria and kaalaajaar, the deadly fever. The region was best suited for the criminals, rebels of all sorts who were thrown here to die their painful <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>death by disease or the wild animals. For the welfare of the local people some of the Sanyaasis and Fakirs too opted for this place. These Sanyaasis and Fakirs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>aroused among the local people patriotic sentiments against the foreign rule and so this wild place turned into hotbed of rebellious activities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the time of the Great uprising of 1857 this regions acquired a fame hitherto unknown outside. Thousands of rebels including Sanyaasis and Fakirs were executed after summary trial. To the east of the city in the Baikunthapur Forest there is a place called Sanyaasikaataa. It is supposed to be the place where hundreds of rebels were put to death. It is not that the revolt was a spontaneous one as some claimed to be, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but was the result of proper planning and co-ordination between the various stakeholders. In history there is the reference of one Gangaram Thapa, the Jaagirdaar of Nepal who along with the Chhogyaal of Sikkim had donated some land to the leader of the rebels Majnu Saahu and Birbal. The main plank of the rebels was that the British were hell bent on destroying the cottage industries of textile to foster their own textile industry. This had led to rampant unemployment and famine. The high handedness in collecting taxes was also one of the igniting points for the great revolt. Today, the Terai and Dooars is being inhabited by various communities and races making it into an ideal Bharat. So it is now everyman’s land. Whereas in the 18<sup>th</sup> century it <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was known as No man’s land which had been so many times harped upon by a political leader in the hills who now lives in self exile. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-26112547589056277592011-06-21T10:27:00.001-07:002011-06-21T10:27:31.975-07:00The Introduction of Hindu law in Modern India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">That was the beginning of the British empire in India. The East India Company was slowly but steadily consolidating their colonial possessions in India at the beginning of the 18<sup>th</sup> century. So when Warren Hastings took over as Governor of Bengal in 1772, the British Parliament passed the Regulating Act under which Warren Hastings was appointed the Governor General of the provinces of Bengal, Bombay and Madras<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as well in 1774. In the same year, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Supreme Court of British India was set up in Calcutta with Mr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impey as the Chief Justice. By that time, Warren Hastings had learnt Persian and Bengali. In the same year, in 1775 Nand Kumar was tried of an offence of forgery and was given capital punishment as per the English law. The trial moved the Chief Justice Impey so much that he became curious to know the traditional Hindu law The ten well known Pundits of Calcutta were asked to prepare a legal compendium to facilitate justice. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These pundits who were under the influence of very much conservative <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>social system followed the traditional Smritis or the ancient Hindu Code of laws. This included besides the Manu Smriti, Yaagya Balkya Smriti and in some cases Manu Smriti and they culled quotations from ancient law books. They in this process totally ignored the progressive portions of the same and Smritis like Paraashar as regards institutions of marriage or remarriage are concerned. This compendium was titled, Vivaadaarnava Setu i.e crossing over the legal disputes. In the meantime another difficulty cropped up. The renowned lexicographer of Anglo-Sanskrit group of language Sir William Jones was only learning Sanskrit. So the book could not be translated into English directly. So this book was first translated into Persian and then into English by William Wilkins, who had also translated Shrimad Bhagwadgeetaa. This retranslated version was known as Hindu law. Actually, Yaagyabalkya Smriti had two commentaries, one is Mitaakshara and the other is Daaybhaag. In fact, Mitaakshara supports joint families and male children whereas Daaybhaag supports small family and all children. Since then, several amendments have been made without disturbing the old system. It was in this context that the great social reformer Keshav Chandra Sen’s Brahma Samaaj and others had to struggle hard for widow remarriage etc. Even the then Hindu society had ignored these vital points. In fact, the Paraashar Smriti is very clear on marriage problems, which generally arise after marriage. So, it has laid down an injunction : Naste, Mrite, Prabrajite, Klibe cha Patite Patau. Panchswaapatsu naarinam, pati anyo vidhiyate. This means that after marriage if the groom disappears. dies. becomes an ascetic or he is declared impotent <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then in one of these cases the bride is permitted to go for a second marriage. It is high time that we Hindus should have a Personal Law Board like that of the Muslims which can guide the governments on such matters. May be the conservative sections in the Hindu society which is still powerful enough may not accept this kind of progressive ideas and so a national debate be initiated. This may augur well for our Hindu society and the country as a whole. </div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <b> </b></span><b>Shree S.P.Pandeya, M.A., B.T Kaavya Tirtha</b></span></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-2789409423326062362011-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:002011-06-17T10:42:05.375-07:00Jan Lokpal Bill : the public mood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by the social activist Anna Hajare has raised some basic questions about the corruption in high places of administrative nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has stirred in a way, the hornest nest in the institutionalized corruption which is eating into the vital health of our economy. The first thing which comes to our mind is that what has been the reason that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the proposal<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of Lokpal Bill first came up for discussion when the first non-Congress Janata Party government at the center brought it for preliminary discussion in 1978. But after the party was voted out of power in 1979 the chapter was closed forever. Does this mean that the successive Congress governments thought it prudent to bury the proposal without explaining it to the people who were the basic stake holders in matters of a clean administration. May be the government thought that it was not needed as the proposed Bill was meant to undermine the Congress regime under which corruption level had risen to a staggering level. The people in general fail to understand that why the present Congress led central government is bent on maligning the leaders of anti corruption drive on one pretext or the other. This does not auger well for the ruling party as well <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which has to go to the people for a popular mandate. There the party shall have to explain the logic behind the rough and tough <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>attitude the government has adopted towards the social activists ranging from Anna Hajare to Baba Ramdeo. The recent statements by the chairman of the Drafting Committee Union Finance Minister <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pranab Mukherjee that the government cannot be pressurized into accepting whatever a handful of self styled social crusaders presses for. Ridiculously the seniormost Minister had also challenged Anna Hajare and others to fight election to prove that they have mass support. Actually, the minister has put a silly suggestion. People who are aware about the electoral system of our country know it very well that what are the formulas of winning elections. Even a rickshaw puller need not be explained about it. By ridiculing the crusaders of anti corruption drive the government has ridiculed itself. Democracy, as we understand does not mean only winning elections but also the public opinion counts quiet sufficiently if we really believe in democracy. But the question remains,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how much the Indian National Congress sincerely believe in democratic ethos. The same senior central minister has said in the media that the situation today reminds of the days of emergency. Well. Pranab Babu has rightly said but unknowingly that it was the popular discontent in the country towards the rampant corruption, price rise and the autocratic style of functioning<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the then central government. So, should we choose to think that Pranab Babu is threatening the social activists and the people in general that if the movement against the black money and corruption at the top echelons continues unabated <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then we have to once again resort to Emergency. But Pranab Babu should also bear in mind that after the misadventure of emergency the Congress was swept away from the power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The provisions of Lokpal Bill may be issues to be discussed in and outside Parliament but the way the government people are handling the issue is not civil towards the civil society. I think that the central Ministers and the party spokespersons are biased at the respectability which the non-political people command for their crusade for the just cause of the people. It is time that the members of the central and state governments see reason behind the social movements and try to feel the pulse of the popular mood. The image of the central government has already got an irreparable damage by coming heavily on Baba Ramdeo and his supporters at the Ramlila ground. Coming to sense shall be good for the ruling party, country and her people of whom the leaders claim to represent so humbly during the elections but forget once they occupy the high chairs given to them by the voters of the country. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-2483735342679954062011-06-14T12:12:00.001-07:002011-06-14T12:18:15.888-07:00Women Empowerment : the women era has begun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The subjugation of women in India and their empowerment has been a raging issue which has kept the debate alive in and outside the Pariament. The central government’s effort to provide the women folk 33 percent reservation in the legislative Assemblies and the Parliament had gone through rough weather due to protest from certain quarters on one pretext or the other. But the basic attitude towards the proposal was to scuttle the Bill because that is seen by the male dominated Indian society as a ploy to cut into their traditional fiefdom. But inspite of the game plan. women folk in the Indian polity have been successful in securing for it the place hitherto thought to be the domain of the male folk only. Today, we see the post of the President has been occupied by a woman whose simplicity and silently active nature has earned a rightful place for the womenfolk hitherto unknown. Besides, the post of the Speaker of Lok Sabha and several sates having woman as its Chief Minister foretells the future polity of our country. If we analyse the period preceding these events it would be clear that women leaders cutting across the party llines have been successful in co-ordinating their effort in getting themselves assertive in the political hierarchy through their sheer leadership qualities like patience. sensitivity and pragmatic approach. Till yesterday, the male dominated political psyche had been harping on the point that politics and administration is best suited for the male nature and it is not suitable for the female. But the Indian women folk in surprising contrast to their European counterparts have asserted themselves right from the sixties when the late Prime Minister Sm. Indira Gandhi had achieved something concrete for the country. The credit for this process should go to the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi also who gave reservation to the women at the Panchayat level. This had strengthened the women empowerment at the grassroot level. Partly, the success of the Indian women derives from the inherent weakness of the male dominated polity which is not adapted to the democratic style of functioning and the male ego kept them divided them most of the time. In contrast, the female quality of adaptability and tolerance had enabled them to lead their team unitedly under adverse conditions. If we see this aspect from the historical aspect then we come to know that the woman had been rightly honoured in our society. The male dominance is not traditionally Indian but is the influence of a foreign culture which views women as a commodity rather than an independent entity. This influence lasted for a long period which helped in shaping the attitude of the Indian males. If we go further than the Turk-Afghan period then we can see that women were seen as a part and parcel of the the family. Women scholars like Gargi, Gayatri have been mentioned in the Vedic scriptures. No Hindu ritual is complete without his spouse which shows the importance of the women folk in our tradition. Lord Ram is incomplete without Sita. Shiva is not complete without his Shakti. Lord Krishna is not meaningful without Radha, his consort. It is time that the male dominating society sees the truth written in history, which repeats itself. </div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8111034842502869379.post-77466695310261801742011-06-14T11:58:00.000-07:002011-06-22T10:44:25.180-07:00The roots of Indian democracy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
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<span class="apple-style-span">Friends,</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> At present democracy and the concept of Aam Aadmi i.e the common folk of our country has come to the center stage of our polity. But to plainspeak the concept of these two terms is not very clear among the vast majority of the educated Indians, not to speak of the common folk. In our educational system, it is taught that the concept of Indian democracy has been borrowed from the west through the British and American system of democracy. But we have not been able to relate the concept of democracy to our history and civilization. If we ponder through the pages of Indian history we shall find that during the times of Gautama Buddha in the sixth century B.C there existed the Ganas i.e Republics similar to the city states of Athens. The principal Ganas were the Vaishalis and Licchhivis of North India. But due to the limitations of the ancient Republics they could not withstand the monolithic might of the monarchy like that of the Magadha kingdom. Actually. the monarchy of Magadha was a completely totalitarian state where serfdom prevailed as a social system. In my view. Chanakya the guide and Prime Minister of the founder of Maurya empire Chandra Gupta Maurya was the pioneer of the Indian democracy in its typical monarcical form. Chanakya was the first person in ancient India besides Sri Ramchandra and Sri Krishna who framed the rules by which a King was supposed to be guided. That was the first check on the totalitarian nature of the Indian monarchy. In that sense, the Maurya and Gupta empires were democratic in nature as per the limitations of the historical period. It means that democracy does not necessarily mean a system but the attitude of the ruler who weilds a particular system of government. In that sense, the Ram Rajya concept of Sri Ram and the Dharma Rajya concept of Sri Krishna was also democratic in essence. Actually, the willingness of Sri Ram to forsake the throne which was his legally due to him asserts the democratic spirit of his personality. That is why, our Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi declared Ram Rajya as his ideal. It was said that during his rule, the tiger and the goat drank from the same stream or ghaat. This depiction actually shows the peaceful co-existence of opposing interest groups with the government playing the role of the noble hearted guardian. If we compare the scenario with that of the present administration we shall find that a particular political group which had been at the helm of affairs of the government for the major period of the pre-independence period has applied the British policy of divide and rule which has cost the Indian nation too much. Now, if we want to trace the roots of Indian democracy then we have to delve into the pre-independence period of the modern history of our country. Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of India was not the one which was persued by his successors. The Father of nation wanted to make India into a Gram Swaraj, where every village would be socially. economically and politically self reliant. He wanted to rejuvenate the village and cottage industries which the British rulers had mercilessly destroyed for their colonial interests. The greatest contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to the Freedom movement was that he hit at the basic weapon of the imperialists which was the big industries of England which had vested interest in the Indian market. He wanted to give more emphasis on the labour intensive industries than on the capital intensive industries which creates wealth for the few and unemployment and poverty for the millions of people. My basic point is that the successors of Mahatma Gandhi who do not waste a single moment in showering verbal homage to the Mahatma, actually destroyed the very ideal of a self reliant India free from exploitation and deprivation. History shows the government of India headed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was very close to the British empire. Pt. Nehru had completely ruled out pulling out of the Commonwealth which was the call of the nationalists in that period. Plainspeaking, Pandit Nehru was more impressed by the development of science and technology in the west but was not much aware about the History and the typical cultural heritage of India. He was not farsighted like that of Mahatma Gandhi or Sardar Patel who had warned Pt. Nehru about the dubious policies of China. Sardar Patel’s fear about the Chinese intentions came true in 1962 war of aggression. The Indian National Congress formed under the Great Grand old man Dada Bhai Naoroji, nursed by the saintly politician Gopal Krishna Gokhale and invigorated by the mass participation by Mahatma Gandhi was in due course of time transformed into the family property of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Sm. Indira Gandhi. It is irony of history that the pary Indian National Congress which ruled our Pyaara Hindustan for more than forty years never looked beyond the dynastic rule of the Nehru-Gandhi family. This doest not necessarily mean that the Congress under the Nehru-Gandhi dynastic rule did not do some good to the country. It did help to build the Indian capitalist economy on a firm footing. But then it has also created two countries in India. One that is the affluent and rich upper middle class which looks on itself as a new edition of westerners and less like an Indian. This is India, the shining one and the other Bharat or Hindustan of the millions of poor peasants, half starved, illiterate barely meeting two ends meet and always in debt. I remember an Indian economist who had said about the peasants of India that he is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt. Things have not changed much from that till now. We almost regularly read news about the farmers and peasants committing suicide because of ever burdening debt. So, the potiticians of India irrespective of political affiliation have to answer the Yaksha Prasna of today’s polity that where is the mass or the Aam Aadmi about whom the fire brand youth leader of Congress Rahul Gandhi talks in his plan of action. Today. The basic question is not doing patch work here and there but overhauling the total system in the broader interest of the country and her people as a whole. </span></span></span></div></div>manoranjan maitreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18220483683260689273noreply@blogger.com0