Wednesday, 18 December 2019

Modern definitions and narratives in Contemporary India

Modern definitions and narratives in Contemporary India
1. Secularism....
When a party appeases every religion separately and retain them as vote bank, it is secularism.
When a party treats everybody as equal citizens, it's communalism.
2. Freedom of Expression.
‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ became “communal” while ‘Bharat TereTukde Honge’ was called "Freedom of Expression."
3. Refugees
Muslims became Kashmiris and Kashmiri Pandits became refugees.
4. Democracy.....
When a party is entirely controlled by a family and the people have no choice in the election of the nation’s leader, it is called democracy.
When the party chief is elected by democratic process, by which the chief’s chair is rotated among the common workers it's called undemocratic.
5. Fascism......
When nobody apart from the dynasty is allowed to become the head of the party they call is progressive democracy.
When each worker has a right to contest for the topmost position in the party, it is called fascism.
6. Environmental Concern
The wood used for Asthi became an environmental concern while the land used for burials became secular birth rights.
7. Nationalism And Peace
RSS org. became terrorists but Hafiz Saheb and Hurriyatnetas became pinnacles of nationalism and peace.
8. Judicial Independence.
When the seniority was devastated to settle revenges in the appointment of Chief Justice of India and the Law minister openly advocates for “Committed judiciary”, it's the promotion of independence of judiciary.
When the Independent Judicial Appointment Commission is established, it is against independence of judiciary.
9. National integrity.
When the nation is divided in the name of religion, it's the national integration. When the nation has two different constitution, two different flags and two different identities, it's in furtherance of national integration.
When the nation is united with one constitution, one flag and one identity, it's antithesis to national integrity,.
10. Bangladeshis & Bengalis
Bangladeshis became Bengalis and Bengalis couldn't celebrate Durga Puja in soon to become West Bangladesh
11. Modern...
When the students are taught with materialistic philosophy, it is called progressive, when the curriculum framed with the Indian spirituality, it is communalism and fundamentalism
12. Scientific.
When the corporates are allowed to loot the people, it is called scientific, when it is challenged with ecosophy, it is fundamentalism and archaic.
13. Sanghi Terrorists
Those who are intolerant of Hindus became Secular and the real secular people became Sanghi terrorists.
14. Independent election...
If the people vote for anybody, selected dynasties only attain power, then it's called independent election.
If people vote for different parties and different people come to power, it is called voting machine manipulation.
15. Liberal
When the anarchists destabilize the nation, it is called liberal. When the national leaders act for the security of the nation, it is called right wing religious nationalism
16. Intellectuals and the Bakhts
The Maoists and Urban Naxals became Intellectuals and the Intellectuals became Bakhts.
17. Gandhis
Nehru-Maino became Gandhis to acquire and retain power and Indians became fools while the real descendants of Gandhiji remained in oblivion.
18. Threat perception
When the leader can roam around in India with own fraternity, the threat perception is abnormally high and when going abroad into other countries among the people of foreign nationals, the perception is absolutely nil.
19. Division In The Name Of Religion
When the inter-religious issues are inflated and kept alive for centuries together to milk vote out of it, it's called unity in diversity and when the issues are settled for ever for a better tomorrow, it's called division in the name of religion.
20. Human Rights Violators
Terrorists who killed/beheaded army men became 'sons-of-poor-headmasters' and the army men who used guns on these peaceful terrorists became human rights violators.
21. Religious Freedom
The wool used in Rakhi during Rakshabandan hurt sheep but thousands of goats slaughtered in the most cruel manner during Bakri Eid became religious freedom.
22. Organized Plunder
When my hard earned money was erased and evaporated to thin air by 21% in the name of devaluation, it was development and GDP growth and when money was made worth competing by eliminating black money through demonitisation, it is called organised plunder.
23. Unity &Division
Those who advocate for common civil law became divisive and those who advocate for separate civil law in the name of religion became unifying.
24. Secular & Communal
Appeasement became secular while Equality became Communal.
25. Kafirs.
Moghuls became Indians and Indians became Kafirs.
26. Accepting Dissenting Voice
When the political adversaries are made senior ministers in the cabinet and were given opportunity to grow as universal leaders, it is scuttling the dissenting voice.
When the able minster gets international acceptance and applause and for that just reason, asking him to resign is the classic example of accepting dissenting voice.
27. inclusive and divisive
Divide and Rule became inclusive and Sabka SaathSabka Vikas became divisive.
28. GDP growth and price rise
When the prices of industrial products are increased, it's progressive GDP growth, so to be promoted and when the price of agricultural products are increased, it's price rise, so to be contained.
29. Separate law
Those who made separate civil law for separate communities and religions became secular and those who advocated for uniform law for all citizens became communal
30. Equality before law
Those who sought separate law for foreigners are anti nationals and those who seek equal right for aliens at par with citizens are protectors of idea of India.
31. Liberal Leadership
Those who select candidates and leaders based upon their caste support in the region are liberals and secular and those who selected their leaders purely based upon the merits, irrespective of caste formulae are communal and fundamentalists. (Eg; Maharashtra-Punjab-Jharkhand)
32. It's like the casteism was pagan and inhuman, when the parallel in time slavery was divine.


Thursday, 12 December 2019

RIGHT TO EQUALITY


There were indiscriminate killing of deer and rabbits in the jungle. The peace in the jungle was disturbed and the animals started complaining. The Jackals were the main accused. They were the principal predators, who hunted indiscriminately upon the weak and feeble deer and rabbits.

The Council of jungle was summoned and the resolution was moved to condemn the indiscriminate hunting of deer and rabbits. Special secured accommodations were mooted for the deer and rabbits, so that they cannot be preyed upon by the Jackals.

The Hyena became furious in this issue. They raised the objection against the resolution, claiming that this will violate the principles of equality, which is a natural right of all animals, and hence Jackals shall also be treated with equality. The principle of equality is universal and hence the Jackals shall also be accommodated in the same shelter, which is proposed for the security of the deer and rabbits. Hyena threatened that, otherwise, they will incite violence and put the jungle on fire. The rights of Jackals are most crucial for the jungle to prove that this jungle is a place of equality and peace, they claimed!!!

The council got dispersed because of the violent objections of the Hyena for the protection of the rights of the Jackals. The Rabbits and Deer are still continued to be hunted indiscriminately by the Jackals and the Hyena get their share in daily basis, without hunting.  

(This has nothing to do with the contemporary controversies)

Friday, 18 October 2019

SLUM DEVELOPMENT


SLUM DEVELOPMENT[1]

-Adv.A.C.PHILIP

          “I don’t feel to travel this way. What a dirty slum is this!” The feeling of hate was visible on the face of Preethi.
“Yea,- why don’t they live in some more civilized manner?” Anoop also joined her along the whistling sound of the suburban train.
“Government shall bull douse all these” Devika also supported.
“Howzzat possible? They only want votes. Within the vote-bank politics where is time for development?”
New and fresh sounds were joining the discussion, even though they all knew that this is only a part of useless time pass.
“My daughter – did you vote this time?” a simple old face asked to Preethi.
“No”
“What happened?”
“Getting a holiday, I went for a movie.”
“Among those sitting here how many have voted this time?”  Old man’s voice was becoming some more strong and bold.
Only one middle aged lady raised her hand.
“We all are the reasons for these slums” The old man proclaimed while fixing his spectacles with the left hand and struggling to balance himself with the right hand on the moving train.
The annoyance was visible on the faces of all those were sitting there. Somebody looked outside with frustration. After a minute’s silence Anoop came up with a counter question: “ For that none of us are residing onthis slum?”
“None of them have ever been brought here by us also!”
“We all are living in a very decent way”
The justifications started pouring in.
“As we all are living under the so called veil of decency does this slum exist here? That force them to live under this utter penury.” The old man continued.
“Howzat?”
“You are wearing a nice sari?”
“What is the relation of this with this slum? I purchased it with my money.”
“Who washed and pressed it?”
“One laundry.”
“How much did you pay him?”
 “Ten Rupees.”
“tomorrow onwards you shall give him hundred rupees and tell all your neighbours also to do the same.”
“For what?”
“With that money he will purchase a flat and move out of the place where he live now in the slum.”
“I cant give that much.”
“If  that’s not possible you shall do it for yourself.”
“I couldn’t get you.”
“You don’t have the capacity to maintain your own so called decency and it’s manifestations.  But is not ready to pay those who support you to maintain the same and uplift their lifestyles also.  The slums are built upon those two contradictions.”  The old man continued while moving his fingers on the grey beard.
“Will the slums will be eradicated by uplifting one washer man?” Devaki also started thinking now loudly.
“It won’t be, even if we uplift all the slum dwellers with posh flats and plum accommodations. As long as the aforesaid contradictions exist in our lifestyles and attitudes, a new one will emerge. No Governments, however mighty or dedicated it be, can eradicate the slums from our sub-urbs,until unless our mind set is changed.”
“You only push, some weak among you to newly created slums for serving you!  May be your friend, neighbour or even brother or sisters! That is the social order built up by you and me and supported by institutions, banks, and Governments. If at all that is also stopped the migrations from rural to the urban slums will be encouraged and protected. Then how can those slums disappear?”

“Where did you have today’s lunch?”
“I had a packed one from home.”
“By the time you reach back to home all those plates and utensils will be cleaned, won’t be?
“Yea, by the servant”
“Have you ever enquired from where is she coming, where does she goes, how does she live or where does she take rest?”
“Just know that she is from the nearby slum.”
“Either you shall send her back and start doing all the domestic work of yourself. Otherwise give her decent salary so that she can live at the same living standard with you.”
“How come a servant lives at the same standards of me, that also being paid by me?”
“That means the life standard which you have designated for her is that of a slum dweller only.Then why do you blame the Government for slums?”
“If I start doing all the domestic works of myself, she will lose the job and that will be a cruelty to her.”
“Not at all.  Trying to keep her like that and inviting others also to join the same life is the cruelty. If she loses the job here she will go back and settle at the village and live with decency. None of the villagers do have a slum. It is the by-product of our urban life. The village people know to do their works without the help of outsiders.“
“I had my lunch from a hotel.” A teasing tone was imbibed in the voice of Anoop.
“Who mopped the floor there? Who washed the plates there? Who cleaned the tables for you? Who all worked on the meat and fish you ate before it reached to the cook? Have anybody ever checked?”
“All these are staying at the public places.” Dinesh quipped. “Within a night all these shall be destructed by putting on fire and evacuate them.” The words were becoming furious with the fire of development desires.
“The tea shop from where you had tea today, the vegetable shop, cloth shop and why not, the dwelling houses of many of the so called decent people are not within the development plan.  All such constructions are hence illegal. But with the might of power and the created loopholes of law all of us protect our interest over there.  Then demands to kick out the poor who used a square for their dwelling. This can’t be called as development but as exploitation.”
“They are all doing illegal works.”
“Madam, Where from did you purchase those mangoes?”
“That’s from the footpath, while coming from the office.” She said casually.
“Why not from the shop?”
“It must be costly there. It is a matter of convenience.”
“Then you are only promoting the illegal sales at the footpath?”
“That’s when everybody doing the same….”
“Like that, everybody together only brought out the matters to this end.  The ultimate beneficiaries of all the illegal works done by the slum dwellers are the so called decent people of urban life.  Let it be prostitution, smuggling, gundaism, drug abuse or kidnapping and killing. When you doth e illegality, it is your convenience or adjustments with life and when the poor does, it is criminal activity.”
“None of them know how to save money and that’s the problem.  Whatever they get is squandered by consuming alcohol overnight.”
“Do you mean that the decent people do not consume alcohol? They are put to  the lowest ebb of the social hierarchy and they find the happiness in spending their life in that way. If life has no much promise to make, any human is likely to become like that until unless he is a saint or having strong will power.”
“If any foreigner comes here what a shame is this slum for us? I have seen the photos of their beautiful cities. Here this dirty smelling slums.” The contest was continuing.
“We call our thoughts developed, which do not give the value to the lives of our commons equivalent even to the opinions of the whites!!! Still every year we celebrate the Independence Day with fanfare. Even though the nation got independence our minds are yet to come out of that slavery to the white.  This opinion is the proof of that. That photo doesn’t have the smell of that city, neither has the depth of background truths. They have built it up and maintain it by exploiting how many nations is not written on that photo.  That’s not the purpose for which we attained freedom from bondage. We shall be careful not to yield to the same yoke of bondage again with our slavery mind set.  Do you know, how much they pay for their laundry service? They are paid better than our first class jobs here! Betraying the life of our own people for the sake of white man’s one opinion in not at all a decoration for a living Indian having any pride left with.”
“These all are vote bank politics.”
“It is true that they cast their votes. In the nation building they know what their contribution is. And they commit it by building it physically and emotionally. But those who criticize them do not commit that and not even bothered to know what is their contribution. The main reason why democracy is still vibrant in India is because of the contributions by these commons. Even when these decent people are given the paid leave by the government and the institutions, they are reluctant to cast their votes.  They take that payment and enjoy their life in the air-conditioned leisure of their homes. Or else enjoy in the public places meant for them.  Still reduce the payment to the servant for being one hour late due to casting her vote!!!  Because of being holiday declared there is no requirement of pressing the dress, but still got the payment for the day. Will he give the money to the laundry?  Is he also not entitled for a day’s paid holiday for casting his vote?  The millions who sustains on the daily wages leave their daily wage for casting their vote, walks miles to the booth in the hot sun, tired worn out, exhausted and drained out. The so called decent people after getting the paid leave consume by sitting in their homely comforts.
“Do you mean that there is no requirement of development here?”
“I didn’t mean that at all.  What I mean is that there shall not be exploitation in the name of so called development.  In your view the development means the sustenance of your comforts and enhancements of its amenities. But for the millions the development means their own sustenance and liberation from their daily hunger.  The development shall not be executed by kicking them out, but by taking them ahead along with others. That’s what I meant.”
Train was entering on to the next platform. The old man slowly moved out. Somebody remarked from behind: “How the development can go forward when such types of useless aged men are alive?”
Still the old man was chanting: “Development is not the lavishness of squanderers; but the livelihood of commons.”
Who cares!!!!!!!!!!!??










[1]An outcome of many conversations overheard over a period of time during my journeys across the length and breadth of the nation.

Saturday, 7 September 2019

BEST WAY TO RECOVER FROM THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CRISIS

 BEST WAY TO RECOVER FROM THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CRISIS

In the Manmohan school of economics

Before MODI came to power,  a stent for angioplasy cost around 10 Lakhs. It was a time of free market.  Now it has been dropped drastically to around ten thousand,  due to government regularised prices. 
The cost of almost all life saving medicines are also on the same trajectory. 

The result was the drastic drop in the GDP index.  The growth in the domestic market has shown a negative trend. 

So let us together make a claim to the government to increase the cost of  these life saving medicines and equipment,  so that the GDP growth is sustained to the higher levels.  It will  also  save Indian economy from crisis. Let us take the advice of economist Manmohan Singh.

The best way is to leave the pricing to the market competition, by way of deregulation of pricing by government. 

That shall be hailed as bold step in the direction of economic reforms. You can purchase enough reporters and writers by paying 10% of the profit generated out of such increase in revenue to glorify it. 


People will believe that they are wise men and the economy is in great shape.

Every family in the evening will boil the GDP data and Sensex along with the other growth indexes and feed their hungry children.

Those are enough for the poor heart patients also.

Manmohan and his economics will declare that Indian economy is in a great shape. 

But unfortunately,  you and me are not existing in the 'India of his definition'..... The economy of 'his India' will certainly be in good shape...



Date: 06 /09/2019
Place: New Delhi
Adv.A.C. PHILIP
Supreme Court of India,
New Delhi
(9769110823)
adv-a-c-philip.blogspot.in

INCREASE IN TRAFFIC FINES, A CRITICAL ANALYSIS


INCREASE IN TRAFFIC FINES, A CRITICAL ANALYSIS
....Adv.A.C.Philip

On comparing the traffic fines with the other responsible democracies in the world, one of my close friend, Shri.Venkat raised two valid questions.
1.       Are we on par with any of these countries to be comparing in the first place?
2.      Why not compare pothole ridden roads with these countries for a change?

So,  Dear Venkat,

Your questions are very valid and I do respect it. While pondering the issues I do have some areas of different opinion.
There is a wide range of criticism for higher rate of fines imposed upon the traffic rules violations. Many people correlate it with the potholes in the roads. But I do not have a reason to correlate both. The increase in fine is not meant for the construction or maintenance of the roads. A welfare state cannot wish that, let there be more traffic violations, so that, we can find enough resource for constructing roads. Government needs to find other resources, including taxes for that purpose. A responsible government shall be happy, if no violations happen and the revenue addition in that respect is zero (at least hypothetically). Hence the increase in traffic fines is not linked to the poor conditions of road, but with the accidents and losses of lives happening due to such violations.
As you know, record levels of National Highways are built up during the last five years, which has been acknowledged by the Parliament, cutting across the party lines. That certainly increases the opportunity for fast moving vehicles; as most of those roads have international standards. (Please do not come to me with the pothole of a local road and start arguing that the roads are like lunar walk. India is a vast country and Union Government does not construct each every local road!)
So, along with the responsible governance, what we need is equally responsible citizens, who abide law and value the life and limbs of others. I do agree that many of my friends love to take two pegs in the evening and go for a joy ride, back home. But how much risk that poses to an ordinary citizen, who goes home after responsible work to tender their families?  Can you imagine the plight of a family of aged parents and small children, solely dependent upon a young man or a lady for their survival receiving a telephone call close to midnight that their loved one has been killed by a drunken driver or a traffic violator? There are many who are perennially paralysed or immobilised. Who will take care of them?  The responsible Government shall sympathise with the violator or with the victim? Can you say that, just because the political formation which is in power is a party to whom you have inherent objections, you sympathise with the traffic rule violators?  Or can we say that, let every inch of road in India including local pathways be of the international standards and then only we will sympathise with the victims of traffic violations?
 When the polity, media and lawmakers together with law enforcers are controlled by the persons who love to violate traffic rules for their personal benefits, including drunken driving, the entire system will sympathise with the law breakers, not with the victims. Each traffic rule violation poses a direct threat to the lives of innocent traffic abiding citizens. It's an attempt to murder of an unknown person.
 Hence, what a responsible Government need to do is to sympathise with the victim and act with an iron first towards violators, not vice versa. If your think in the reverse order, that is only perpetuating crime. Please remember, you can’t every day be on the shoes of a predator, but every moment you are also prone to be a victim of another person’s traffic violation.
Further, you raised a question, can we compare ourselves with the developed nations! Certainly can, what I feel. The value of lives of poor is equitant to the value of lives of rich. When the question of protecting lives comes, we cannot claim that, we are not as developed as the other countries to protect our innocent citizens.  In that context I feel, the fine for drunken driving is grossly inadequate. Al least that shall be equal to the average cost of a family’s survival.  Because every drunken driving places that much on risk. A person who can afford alcoholic drinks can afford a driver or auto/cab to go back home safely.  That will save himself, his family and that of many others apart from giving some additional opportunity for the auto/ cab drivers.
 Beyond that, many claimed that they do not have means to pay fines and hence fines shall be reduced. The claim is very strange! Why don’t they claim that, hence they will abide the rules? Or, are they taking the traffic rule violation as their birth right? Where are we heading? To a law abiding community of civilization, or lawless community of hooligans? Even jungle has it's own law.  So, let us together abide law and save fines.
Two state governments, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan claimed that it will increase corruption and hence the law will not be implemented. I do salute them for such a bold statement. They admit that their governments are thoroughly corrupt to the bottom level. Further they agree that, they have no means and tools to control the corruption of their government from top to bottom.  Beyond that, they have shown boldness to sympathise with the predators, and seek the votes of the victims. When the elections are lost, they are emboldened to blame the EVMs.
Another question came up is, can we stop traffic violations by increasing fines?!  That is only a deterrence and not elimination.  We cannot stop rape of minors by giving death penalty. But the majority felt so, and that is the law. So every punitive law needs to be evaluated, standing on the shoes of victim.
 Compare the potholes with the road taxes and compare the traffic fines with the vale of lives of innocent citizens. Not vice versa.

Thank you Venket for giving me an opportunity to pen it down......
                       


Date: 06 /09/2019
Place: New Delhi
Adv.A.C. PHILIP
Supreme Court of India,
New Delhi
(9769110823)
adv-a-c-philip.blogspot.in