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The problem with some of the universities in India.

raj23
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The problem with some of the universities in India.

In 2017, Betsy Devos (currently serving as the United States secretary of Education) accused the faculty members of indoctrinating students. She blamed that they force their views on students and tell them what to think. Though, the case mentioned is of USA but it has its relevance in India as well.

a poster used in the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

‘A teacher is never an ordinary person. Destruction and creation of nation, both is in his hands.’ This was rightly stated by Acharya Kautilya long ago. India has been historically a place where students are advised to see their teachers as an incarnation of God. A prevalent shloka even says that teachers are the only god for a student. But what if our god turns into a malicious personality? This is something which has happened with the majority of professors in our universities. It is only because of such professors that some universities have turned into a machine within which young and dynamic minds are indoctrinated and converted into left liberals by those at the operating seat. It has happened since decades because of the wrong ideals set by us.

Being a student of Delhi University, I have witnessed the different kind of politics played in the campuses. This one differs from the common politics because of its unique character of invisibility. The students are indoctrinated without their knowledge by the left scholars as they are the one who have strong hold over academia. Being the dominant one, they always show intolerance towards those having different mindset. Sanjeev Sanyal, an Indian economist, says, “Not only does Indian left enjoy state patronage, it has also a long history of being viciously intolerant towards contrary viewpoints.” He writes further, ” The left dominance over the intellectual establishment has its roots in the systematic ‘ethnic cleansing’ of all non left thinkers since the 1950s… The result of the systematic cleansing was that there was no non left academics remaining in the social sciences field in India by the early 1990s.”

These liberal scholars, sitting in universities, play a game of psychology in which they repeat same things to the students everyday about a person or ideology and instill in them the same thought process as theirs. For example, it is a common trend in such colleges to blame capitalism for the every wrong in the world and that socialism(not communism because they are unable to justify the atrocities committed in the name of communism) is panacea to every problem.

Doing so, they creat a common mindset of capitalism being the root cause of all problems among students. Students are made to do identity politics which is problematic in itself.

In such campuses, your level of intellectuality depends on how hard you abuse capitalism and sometimes even Hinduism with heavy English words. The students are lured to grab the tag of intellectuality which they get by paying some cost be it in the form of becoming sorry Hindus or criticising every policy of government (only if the government is of right wing party) or in the form of denunciation of everyone holding contrary viewpoints.

One more characteristic which these champagne socialists or left liberals hold is that they don’t find it polite to talk about Islamic invasions into India and the atrocities committed by them even in the contemporary world. As they have a hold over academics, they distorted history as much as they can. These people always try to depict the muslim invaders as either generous or art loving personality or too secular. The first prime minister of India, J L Nehru, in his book Discovery of India even went to the extent of describing Mahmood Ghazni, one who looted Somnath temple several times, as an art loving personality who praised the beautiful architecture of Mathura city. This incident is true but the same book, tarikh-i-yamini, from where Nehru cited the above incident, also says that Mahmood ordered his men to demolish and burn down the city of Mathura.

We all know what made him to deliberately cite one incident and leave another. The game of selective picking has become favourite of such left liberals due to which India has suffered a lot. JL Nehru in the same book of him wrote about Mahmood Ghazni that he came here only to loot wealth while a book rauzat-us-safa declares that it was an ardent desire of Mahmood to play a role of true Muslim monarch and convert non Muslims to his faith which means that he was not here only for wealth. The distortion of facts by the left scholars is not anything new to us. The ultimate goal of these historians is to not let the people know about the cruelty and inhumane tactics of Muslims in the past. These people should understand that there may be enough other way of healings but the one, through lies, will certainly not work for long. When people come to know about the facts and ill intentions of those who had hid these, it creates more hatred in them. Germans don’t hide the atrocities committed by Hitler rather they tell the stories to their citizens so that they can have a lesson for the future. Even Jews don’t let the world forget what had happened to them. The problem lies only with the scholars of India who, as Markand Panarjape (professor of JNU) says, are busy in painting a picture of inclusion which doesn’t exist.

There needs a change which can bring greater plurality in the establishment of academia. The hegemony of these left liberals over academic discourse is continuously causing harm to the nation as they don’t let the citizens know the real history of India. The another harm which they cause is to instil in the mind of students hatred towards one holding contrary view point at the first stage and the nation itself at the last stage. It is only the result of the hatred planted in them which make them to give slogans like ‘bharat tere tukde honge….‘

It is only because of instilled antipathy that the students chant, ‘Hindutva ki qabar khudegi…’at university gate. It is only the result of long flourished slow poison which causes them to ill treat anyone holding contrary viewpoint. If they went to the extent of creating obstacles to some eminent personalities like yog guru Ramdev, Vivek Agnihotri so that they could not enter the campus of university, it is only because of the instilled hatred among them. Yes, It is only because of hatred that they don’t let a Kashmiri hindu girl narrate story of their exodus from Kashmir in one of the campus of Delhi University.

There are several other unsaid stories of hatred and intolerance in such universities which don’t come to limelight because of the cherry picking attitude of lutyens media.

The right wing government, as it is in power, should focus more on the root of the problem rather than fruits which the tree has produced. Once we focus on the roots, the fruits will be automatically delicious. The urge is not to make the universities any epicenter of right wing movement but rather bring a change through which more intellectual plurality can be established which they lack today.

It is the responsibility of the state to provide liberty to the flourishing minds of the universities. It is the responsibility of the professors as well to put a balanced approach while teaching the students so that they can decide by their own which ideology they prefer and what personality they love. The world may be a better place if only we start taking our responsibilities seriously.

सेक्युलरिज्म का साँड़ अब लाल नहीं अपितु भगवा रंग देखकर खिसियाता है

ओम द्विवेदी
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सेक्युलरिज्म का साँड़ अब लाल नहीं अपितु भगवा रंग देखकर खिसियाता है

बचपन से सुनते आ रहे हैं कि लाल कपड़ा पहन के बैल के सामने न जाना नहीं तो दौड़ा के पटक देगा और खिसिया खिसिया के मारेगा। हम भी डरे हुए रहते कि वैसे भी 206 में 20-25 हड्डियां कम ही हैं और जो हैं भी कहीं वो भी काम लायक न रह जाएंगी इसलिए लाल कपड़ा न पहने तो ही अच्छा है। लेकिन किशोरावस्था की चुल्ल कहाँ अनुशासित होने देती है। एक दिन बढ़िया बाल बनाए मिकी माउस वाली लाल टीशर्ट डांटे चले जा रहे थे कि रास्ते में एक ठो साँड़ मिल ही गया। हमारे होश गड़बड़ हो गए। हमसे न भागा जा रहा था और न खड़ा हुआ जा रहा था। डर के मारे हमारे हाँथ-पैर भरतनाट्यम कर रहे थे। हमारी बहादुरी देखकर साँड़ अपनी खीसें निपोरने लगा और हमारे तनिक नजदीक आकर बोला, “काहे डेरा रहे हो? अब हम ये मारपीट, पटकना- सटकना बंद कर दिए हैं। अब हम अहिंसावादी हो गए हैं”।

हमनें कहा कि, “झूठ बोलते हो। हम मुड़ेंगे तो पीछे से धर दोगे”।

साँड़ बमक गया और जोर से बोला, “बाहुबली समझ रहे हो का अपने को कि कटप्पा की तरह हम पीछे से हमला करेंगे। सवा मन के हो, चाहें तो यहीं एक सींग में उठाकर पटक दें”। हमने ईमानदारी से विचार किया तो हमें उस साँड़ का कथन व्यवहारिक लगा किन्तु हमारे अंदर एक जिज्ञासा हिलोरे मारने लगी कि आखिर साँड़ अहिंसक कैसे हो गया? हमने हिम्मत का इंट्रोडक्शन दिया और उससे पूछ लिए,

“काहे भाई? तुम्हे कौन सा भाईचारा निभाना है जो अपनी प्रवृत्ति छोड़ दिए। विचारधारा बदलना तो हम इंसानों का काम है तुम काहे इतने सेंसियर हो रहे हो”?

साँड़ वही पास ही आम के पेड़ की छाया में बैठ गया और हमको भी बैठा लिया। फिर उसने सारा वृत्तांत कह सुनाया।

“2014 में जब से मोदी जी प्रधानमंत्री बने हैं तब से ही कुछ समस्या बढ़ी है। उनके आने से पहले वामी, कामी, पंजा, साइकिल, तराजू-मराजू सबकी दुकान चलती थी। उनके आने के बाद ये सब नल्ले बइठ गए हैं। अब का करें तो बिना सिर पैर तीर चलाए रहते हैं। एक दिन हम एक ठो लाल कुर्ताधारी को चहेट के धर दिए। तुम्हारे जइसन सिंगल हड्डी था तो हम ज्यादा नहीं कूटे लेकिन वो ससु डर के मारे बिछा गया। दूसरे दिन लाल सलाम वाले पोस्टर लिए रैली निकालने लगे।

“मोदी तेरे राज में, सहिष्णुता अब बची नहीं है”

“हिंदुत्व का ये अत्याचार, नहीं सहेंगे नहीं सहेंगे”

“तुम कितने बर्दा छोड़ोगे, हर घर से लाल पहनकर निकलेगा”

“हिंदुत्व की ये तानाशाही, नहीं चलेगी नहीं चलेगी”

पहले हमको समझ नहीं आया कि का हो रहा है और हम लालय लाल देखकर तमतमा उठे लेकिन हमारा एक ठो मित्र हमको समझाया कि इस समय अग्रेशन दिखाए तो पूरा आरोप मोदी जी पर लगेगा। अब तो ये हालात हैं कि किसी अपोजीशन वाले को कूकुर भी चाब दे तो पूरा आरोप मोदी पर लगा देते हैं। हम थोड़ा निराश हुए लेकिन फिर हम निर्णय लिए कि अब किसी को नहीं दौड़ाएंगे। हमारे कारण प्रधानमंत्री पर आरोप लगे, हिंदुत्व गरियाया जाए, ये हमसे सहन नहीं होगा। हमारी बर्दा संसद में यह निर्णय लिया गया कि अब हम सब हिंसा का त्याग कर देंगे। इसलिए हम तुमको नहीं दौड़ाए”।

हमें उस बर्दा, मतलब साँड़ की बात झकझोर गई। हमारे भीतर भयंकर प्रश्न उठने लगे। इन्ही प्रश्नों पर विचार करने के लिए हम अपने मित्र के गृह निवास की ओर जा रहे थे। उस दिन हम बढ़िया हनुमान जी वाली टीशर्ट पहने थे, भगवा रंग की और “मुझे चढ़ गया भगवा रंग रंग” गुनगुनाते चले जा रहे थे। रास्ते में एक ठो और साँड़ बैठा था। उतना हष्ट-पुष्ट नहीं था। सींग न होती तो दूर से गदहा लग रहा था, लेकिन था साँड़ ही। पहले बैठा रहा लेकिन जब हम उसके थोड़ा नजदीक पहुंचे तो खिसिया के दौड़ पड़ा। उस दिन पवनसुत सहाय हुए और हम उलटे पाँव भागकर उससे अपनी जान बचा पाए। हमको भागता देखकर वही अहिंसक साँड़ हमारे पास आया और बोला,

“अब कौन दौड़ा लिया तुमको? तुम्हारी कुंडली हमको सही नहीं लग रही है”।

हम झल्लाहट में बोले, “उस दिन तो तुम बताए कि बर्दा संसद में तय हुआ है कि तुम साँड़ लोग अब अहिंसा के मार्ग पर चलोगे। लेकिन अभी हमको एक साँड़ दौड़ा लिया।  आज न भागते तो तुम भी आज से तेरा दिन बाद हमारे घर भोज में पधार जाते”।

वो साँड़ हंसने लगा और बोला, “हम लोग तो अहिंसक हो गए हैं लेकिन जो तुमको दौड़ाया है वह सेकुलरिज्म का साँड़ है। वह कभी भी बमक सकता है लेकिन तुम तो भगवा पहने हो, ऐसे में उसका बमकना निश्चित है। उसे भगवा से भयंकर एलर्जी है”।

हमको भयानक आश्चर्य हुआ कि अब ये क्या नया रोग है? भगवा पहनने से भला किसको एलर्जी होगी? हमारे भीतर का सुधारक जाग गया। हमने कहा, “हम उस सेक्युलर साँड़ से कुछ बातचीत करना चाहते हैं।

“तुम बिना पीट जाए न मानोगे। क्या बात करनी है?” वह फुसकारकर बोला।

“हम उसको सत्य और धर्म के मार्ग पर वापस लाना चाहते हैं”।

हमारी तोते जैसी शकल देखकर वो साँड़ जोर से हंसने लगा और बोला, “ओ विवेकानंद ! अब उसके सामने गए तो वो तुमको बिना मारे नहीं छोड़ेगा। ये हमसे नोट करके ले लो और फिर वो तुमको भगवा टीशर्ट में भी देख लिया है तो तुमको किसी भी कपड़े में पहचान लेगा”।

लेकिन हम अपने संकल्प पर अडिग थे। हमने उसकी एक न सुनी। दो चार मोटिवेशनल बातें करके हमने उसको अपने साथ चलने के लिए भी मना लिया। वो कुछ देर सोचता रहा और बोला, “तुमको वो भगवा कपड़ों में देखा है तो तुम कोई भी कपड़ा पहन लो, वो तुमको दौड़ाएगा लेकिन अगर हरा पहन लिए तो कम से कम तुम उसके क्रोध से बच जाओगे। फिर जो बात करना चाहो वो कर लेना”।

 मको उस साँड़ की बात बहुत सही लगी। दूसरे दिन हम एकदम गाढ़ा हरा रंग का कुर्ता पहने। हमारे पास तो था नहीं लेकिन पिताजी अपने लिए बनवा लिए थे, तिरंगा से प्रेरित होकर। साइज में बहुत बड़ा था लेकिन उसको पहन के एकदम वामपंथियों वाला फीलिंग हुआ। हम उस अहिंसक साँड़ के पास गए तो वो हमको देखकर बोला, “बहुत सही काम किए हो। हरा रंग और ढीले ढाले कुर्ते का तगड़ा नेक्सस है। बहुत सही खेल गए। अब चलो”।

हम उसके साथ चल तो दिए लेकिन अन्दरय अंदर हमारी सांस फूल रही थी लेकिन हमको विश्वास था कि ये अहिंसक प्राणी हिंसक भी हो सकता है, आवश्यकता पड़ने पर। खैर हम पहुंचे उस सेक्युलर साँड़ के पास। वो अभी भी वहीँ पड़ा हुआ था।

हमारा पहला ही प्रश्न था,

“तुम मेहनत नहीं करते हो और यहीं पड़े रहते हो तो तुम्हारा पेट कैसे भरता है?”

उसने बड़ा ही खूबसूरत जवाब दिया,

“जब सब फ्री में मिल रहा है तो क्या जरुरत अपने शरीर को कष्ट देने की?”

हमने कहा, “सही है। हम तुमसे कुछ तर्क वितर्क करने आए हैं। तुम उस दिन हमको दौड़ा लिए थे इसलिए आज हम अपना बॉडीगार्ड साथ लाए हैं। चुपचाप हमारे प्रश्नों के उत्तर दे देना, लेकिन हमारी एक शर्त है”।

उसने गर्रा कर पूछा, “क्या?”

हमने उसे वाद विवाद के नियम समझाए।

“जिस तरह की तुम्हारी प्रवृत्ति है, तुम गाली गलौच नहीं करोगे। तुम पर्सनल छींटाकशी नहीं करोगे। हमको गोदी मीडिया का बताकर बहस से नहीं भागोगे। गप्प नहीं मारोगे। विक्टिम कार्ड नहीं खेलोगे”।

“तब तो ये कर चुका बहस”।

अहिंसक साँड़ अपनी पूँछ हिलाते हुए बोला।

हमारा इंटरव्यू चालू हुआ।

“तुम उस दिन हमको दौड़ा क्यों लिए थे? सिर्फ इसलिए कि हम भगवा पहने हुए थे? क्या समस्या है भगवा से?”

वह तिलमिला उठा और बोला, “भगवा इज ऐन इम्पोजीशन आफ हिंदुत्व आन अस। दिस इज द कांस्पीरेसी आफ हिन्दू राष्ट्र। वी विल नाट टालरेट इट। वी विल फाइट। आवाज़ दो कि हम आज़ाद हैं”।

हमने कहा, “खींच के रपेट देंगे यहीं, सारी अंग्रेजी धरी रह जाएगी। आवाज़ दो कि हम आज़ाद हैं। ये ससु जेएनयू नहीं है और तुमसे कौन बोला कि भगवा तुम्हारे ऊपर हिंदुत्व का इम्पोजीशन है?”

“हम जानते हैं, तुम सब हिन्दू राष्ट्र बनाना चाहते हो और संविधान हमें धर्मनिरपेक्षता की सुविधा देता है”। अंग्रेजी बोलने से उसकी हाँफी छूट गई जिससे वो हिंदी में बतियाने लगा।

“यही संविधान तो हमको भी छूट देता है कि हम चाहे भगवा पहने, ओढ़ें या अपने घर दुकानों में लगाएं लेकिन तुमको क्या समस्या होती है? इट्स माई च्वॉइस”। हम भी उस पर क्रॉस प्रश्न दाग दिए। 

“फिर भी तुम लोग फ़ासिस्ट हो। आरएसएस फ़ासिस्ट है। हिटलर की सरकार है। तुम सब मिलकर लोकतंत्र ख़त्म कर देना चाहते हो। मूडी मस्ट रिजाइन। तानाशाही नहीं चलेगी”। इससे पहले कि वो फिर गोहार मारता हम अपनी आँख दिखाए और वो सेकुलरिज्म का साँड़ चुप हो गया। हम भी साइज के हिसाब से ज्यादा टेलर दे रहे थे।

“ये जो फ़ासिस्ट फ़ासिस्ट करते रहते हो खुले आम, फ़ासिस्ट सरकार होती तो गोल हो गए होते अभी तक। लगता है फ़ासिस्ट सरकार देखे नहीं हो। आरएसएस से तुमको क्या समस्या है? दशकों से तो गरिया रहे हो और उधर से एक ठो आदमी तुमको पलट कर जवाब नहीं देता। कैसा फ़ासिस्ट है आरएसएस?”

“संविधान हम सब को बराबरी से रहने का अधिकार देता है। हम संविधान को बचाकर रहेंगे। आरएसएस को सफल नहीं होने देंगे”।

“ठीक है। हम तुमको 108 गुरिया की एक ठो माला दे देंगे, उसमे तुम संविधान संविधान जपते रहना लेकिन ये तो बताओ कि इस सरकार से तुमको क्या समस्या है?” हमने सोचा कि होगी कोई समस्या, अनाज या घरबार को लेकर। लेकिन जब वो मुँह खोला तो हम अपना सिर पीट लिए।

“इस सरकार में फ्रीडम आफ एक्सप्रेशन नहीं है। हमें बोलने नहीं दिया जा रहा है। हमारी आवाज़ को दबाया जा रहा है। बोल कि लब आज़ाद हैं तेरे”।

हमने इस बार उसे नारा लगाने दिया। जब दो चार नारा लगाने के बाद वो हांफ गया और उसके फेफड़ों से सीं सीं की आवाज़ आने लगी तब हमने कहा, “सांस ले लो भाई, नहीं तो कहीं तुम्हारे लब आज़ाद हो गए तो तुम्हारे कामरेड बोलने लगेंगे, मूडी मस्ट रिजाइन, मूडी मस्ट रिजाइन”।

“और कौन सा तुम्हारा फ्रीडम आफ स्पीच का हनन हो रहा है। तब से गरियाये पड़े हो, मोदी को, हिंदुत्व को और इनका समर्थक चुपचाप बैठा सुन रहा है। तुमसे 3 गुना बड़ा है, चाहे तो तुमको पटक दे, लेकिन ये सहिष्णु है”।

“ये भी बताओ कि हो तो तुम भी बर्दा, मतलब साँड़ ही न, लेकिन ये सेकुलरिज्म का कीड़ा तुमको कहाँ काट लिया। अपनी जात के साथ बढ़िया मिलजुल कर रहो। चारा खाओ, घूमो फिरो। याद रखना कि एक दिन इसी सेकुलरिज्म की भेंट चढ़ जाओगे और किसी बूचड़खाने में तुम्हारी हड्डियां मिलेंगी”।

हम उसको मोटीवेट कर ही रहे थे कि अचानक उसके दो चार कामरेड आ गए और वह उनके साथ तफरी करने चल दिया। जाते जाते हमारे अहिंसक मित्र ने सेक्युलर को सलाह दे डाली, “अगर दोबारा इस पर हमला किया तो हम तुम्हे आज़ाद ही कर देंगे। फिर चाहे ये भगवा पहने या पीला या जय श्री राम का पर्दा लपेट के घूमे”। 

उसके बाद से वो सेक्युलर साँड़ हमें देखकर अपना रास्ता बदल लेता और हम भी चिल्लाते हुए निकलते, “मुझे चढ़ गया भगवा रंग रंग”।       

No Mr. Tharoor, wearing an Arabic attire won’t make you Arabic; however it does show the insecurity complex of Indian Muslims

Nivan
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No Mr. Tharoor, wearing an Arabic attire won’t make you Arabic; however it does show the insecurity complex of Indian Muslims

On the morning of Eid, Shashi Tharoor posted a photo of him wearing an Arabic attire to flaunt his pseudo-secular and left-liberal nature on Twitter. Though it is quite regular for political leaders to greet various communities on their festivals, this was clearly over the top and a desperate attempt to appease Muslims was noted.

The scary tendency of Indian Muslims is that despite them claiming they’re “as Indian as Hindus”, they endorse Arabic culture and traditions during festivals. While claiming that the outdated Burkha and Hijab is a “part of their culture”, they confront Hindus by claiming that Sanskrit and Indian traditions is “your”; i.e Hindu culture while Arabic culture is theirs.

Congress probably noticed this attitude of the community and tried to solidify their vote bank by licking the boots of Arabs.

It is no secret that Muslims in India consider the Arabs as their godfathers, and try to blackmail the government by threatening to spill the beans to their Arab overlords on how “Islamophobic” the Indian government is (which is indeed laughable, to say the most!).

By showing how friendly they are to the Arab culture, Congress wants to protect their once faithful vote bank that has already begun to shift its loyalty to other parties. Congress is nervously following the trend of Muslims voting for AIMIM or TMC in legislative assembly elections, due to which they’ve lost ample amounts of seats to the NDA because of the division in vote share from that community.

At a time when Hindus are awakening day by day, it would be catastrophic for the Congress to lose its primary vote-bank. Tharoor’s tweet is just the beginning of new politics of Arab flattering that the Congress is going to play.

Maharashtra students unhappy with government’s silence on SSC and HSC syllabus cuts

Nivan
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Maharashtra students unhappy with government’s silence on SSC and HSC syllabus cuts

Maharashtra has been the hotspot for COVID 19 cases in India, with Mumbai holding more positive cases than any state in the country (at 20,000+ cases at the time of writing). With the on-going struggle of the government officials to curb the spread of SARS-COV-2 in containment areas, speculations have arisen that schools and colleges in the state may not open till August or September looking at the pace of the COVID cases rising.

This speculation has caused anxiety amongst parents and students alike, since it will put schools and colleges on a backfoot in the completion of their syllabus. Till this year, colleges, coaching institutes and schools used to complete their syllabus by October end, and then proceed to test students with multiple examination sets to make children more equipped in handling their boards; they had 10-12 months to complete the syllabus. However, this year the projection of schools and colleges opening in August/September has left parents scratching their heads, since it leaves students with only 8-9 months to study for their board examinations.

Schools and colleges in Maharashtra have been shut from March 17th, and many haven’t completed their 9th and 11th grade syllabus either. This means that students haven’t been able to get their base clear in crucial subjects like Maths and Accounts.

Those who’ve enrolled for private coaching classes are still better off than those who haven’t, since those from poor backgrounds are completely reliant on colleges and schools for understanding and completing the state board syllabus.

Nivan Sadh, a student of a South Mumbai college says, “There is absolutely no need to wait till June or July to announce reduction in syllabus. Coaching institutes and schools/colleges are already struggling with the charting of a schedule for completing the syllabus within such a short time. It is very obvious that Mumbai wouldn’t be in a state to re-open colleges and schools till August or September. Such delays in decision-making will only waste the time of students.”

Another student from Jai Hind College said, “it is very difficult for us to complete our syllabus in such little time. It’s very unfair that our syllabus is more than that of the previous batches yet we don’t get enough time to prepare”.

A student from the HR college of Commerce and Economics has also written to the Maharashtra School Education Board regarding the issue, and uploaded the letter on the microblogging website Twitter tagging Aaditya Thackeray and Varsha Gaikwad.

The Congress minister for School Education in Maharashtra, Varsha E. Gaikwad held a meeting with education experts on Sunday to discuss the academic issues that will be faced in this academic year, more clarity is expected on this issue for the same.

Nepotism and discrimination in legal practice

Jay Kholiya.
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Nepotism and discrimination in legal practice

When you mention a famous racehorse, they always ask you, ‘from which stable?’ The stable is important. It establishes the ancestry and the breed. When you name a lawyer who has done well, people ask you, ‘from which chamber?’ The chamber is important. It establishes the hierarchy and cultural tradition in which the lawyer has been reared.

– Before Memory Fades, Fali S. Nariman.

The stable or the chamber distinguishes the future and the career of a young jurist, as Fali Nariman stated. The legal profession is one of the noble practices all around the world, many scholars said that the legal studies and practice changed a man into an Englishmen as it happens mostly in the commonwealth nations where the law structures and sections have mostly been compiled by the then officers of the imperialistic powers. 

Just like Bollywood and politics, where nepotism plays a huge role; in the field of legal practice too. The profession is almost a bastion of the privileged and the powerful families. There is a practice where the grand-children and the children of notable jurists or judges have an upper hand in almost all the matters. The entry-level- or the first generation ones have to struggle from filing to pleading in the room. 

Imagine, you just completed your studies and the day after you got enrolled in the BAR you have a table in your Ancestral Chambers and you are preparing for your first case and the Judge which happens to receive the case is at one time your Grandfather’s junior and your Father’s childhood friend. Though the Indian judicial system still stands on the ideas of equality and unbias nature, still there is somewhere a sort of soft corner for someone who we know in front of us from a long period of time and now is pleading before, there have been many instances where the judges granting stays and positive orders even on occasions when they request adjournments. 

The financial background also is a problem for the newbies, as each states that the law profession is an earning one, but one has to invest his early years without any returns in the chambers of their seniors learning the original teachings which no law school taught ever. The seniors have a reputation of paying their juniors soo less, or sometimes not at all. Many students have to be their bread earners of their family as there is no one beside them sometimes, in that case they have to choose things like-inhouse counsel or settling in some unknown lawyer’s office as he is paying enough but there is no future scope in it.

The unwritten rules of Bombay high court have been always a famous one, but a more disturbing one for the newcomers. Like the Informal seating, some tables are booked for senior counsels. One side is for Tulzapurkar brother, another for Changla and some other side for some other notable member. One of the norms also includes that the junior would not sit when a senior arrives and forget to sit on another counsel’s table. The Ordering system in the Library is also different from most of the libraries, one has to snap the fingers and yell the name of the book you want. It sounds like the British system of ordering the fellow Indians. 

Kiruba Munuswami, an advocate practicing in the Supreme court has narrated many incidences in her practice of litigation. As a woman herself she tells that the clients sometimes hesitate to give their case to a woman because they think they could not fight the male lawyers in the court of law. The scales of justice are indeed tilted heavily against women in the profession.  Some also argue that women need to be taking care of the Family and then the professional lives, but as the profession demands one cannot take care of both. This has also made the Gender ratio of judges in the Respective courts unequal, though in recent times it is equalizing but now totally. Until Justice R. Banumathi was elevated from high court to supreme court there were very few females into it. Though she was just the 6th female judge since the chair has been assumed. 


If it is only the perspectives of the mainstream privileged majority that are considered, the interpretation of statutes and the legal position will obviously be discriminatory in nature — a sign that the justice system is broken.

Kiruba munuswami, the print.

Though India witnessed many notable jurists from Nani Palkhivala, who was one of the most fearless lawyers and without him many of our fundamental rights would have been gone. The famous case Keshavananda vs the State of Kerela has been still studied by many, almost all of the students and young bloods. It also made the judiciary stronger and rued that the Parliament cannot amend the basic structure and has to answer the judiciary and its citizens. 

Fali Nariman, another notable lawyer was a refugee while he arrived in India with his family from Burma. Then he studied law, and then was known for his practical and courage of straight talk. Just like him, another refugee of partition Ram Jethmalani also had come from Karachi and in his tender age of 17 he started his practice, during that time the minimum age was 21 but he fought and won his case and got enrolled into the practice.

The Independent Judiciary has always been a pillar of democracy along with the others, though there are some loopholes it is the best one can get served upon in a democracy where even the leader’s actions are questioned and his actions can be condemned without the fear of one’s life and his future inside bars. Many people fought for the judiciary we enjoy today, and the fight shall sustain even today if there are any discrimination and injustice. History also has been known as the Progressive and liberal Justices which understood and ruled equally in all the aspects and some also still fight for the cause of dissent, which still oppresses the one who practices it.

Free speech is not a one way street

Amit Dwivedi
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Free speech is not a one way street

In last one month or so, a lot of journalists and thinkers with right wing leanings have been booked under various Sections of India Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter “IPC”) including but not limited to accusations of spreading hatred and enmity in the society. These First Information Reports (hereinafter “FIRs”), a rule without exceptions, have been registered in non-BJP ruled states. These FIRs follow a fixed pattern. Worker of some opposite political camp gets ‘offended’ with some article or TV debate and files a complaint with the Police authorities and promptly an FIR is registered on the basis of the same.

Charges which are cognisable and non-bail able, like Section 153A and 295A of IPC, usually form part of these FIRs as these charges give discretionary power to Police to arrest the persons named in these FIRs without permission of the court as provided in Section 156 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Person named in these FIRs is, soon, called by Police authorities to present himself/herself in the Police station to cooperate in investigation. Persons named in these FIRs get compelled to seek protection of the court from arbitrary arrest and have to get prepared to eventually face a criminal trial which might prolong for years. As some say, procedure is the punishment in India and unfortunately these people are being made to undergo these procedural punishments for expressing views which might have ‘offended’ some.

There are two infamous examples of these procedural punishments, one in Maharashtra and another in West Bengal wherein Police chose to interrogate the persons named in the above mentioned FIRs for twelve hours in row. Such rigorous interrogations are rare in relation to non-heinous offences. But all this has been happening on a large scale and all vocal proponents of free speech are celebrating these FIRs and disproportionate interrogations. To understand this complex situation we need to visit idea of free speech in detail along with an emphasis on Indian context.

What is free speech and why it’s important

If expression is genus then speech is its spices. Expression is not exclusively limited to humans only. We all have seen cows affectionately licking the head of their young calves. This is an expression of love. Humans express themselves by multiple ways and speech is one of its forms. Ability to express, by spoken or written words, ones views is indeed a privilege to a person to convey and connect with the rest of the word. From everyday life to political mobilisation, this ability of humans helps them to connect and communicate with the rest. Due to this immense important role played by ability to express oneself by speech all societies believing in dignity of humans have accorded immense respect and protection to this ability.

John Sturat Mill, 19th century English philosopher, supported free speech and propounded the famous theory of ‘market place of ideas’. Marketplace of ideas refers to the belief that the test of the truth or acceptance of ideas depends on their competition with one another and not on the opinion of a censor, whether one provided by the government or by some other authority. This theory has become the basis of various judgements of Supreme Court of the United States of America in relation to First Amendment of the constitution which protects free speech. The phrase “marketplace of ideas” first appears in a concurring opinion by Justice William O. Douglas in the Supreme Court decision United States v. Rumely in 1953: “Like the publishers of newspapers, magazines, or books, this publisher bids for the minds of men in the market place of ideas”. Justice Douglas further emphasised: “First Amendment expresses the confidence that the safety of society depends on the tolerance of government for hostile as well as friendly criticism, that in a community where men’s minds are free, there must be room for the unorthodox as well as the orthodox views.”

In India, during the colonial rule freedom fighters were jailed for simply expressing their views on the exploitative nature of foreign rule for years. Our beloved Mahatma Gandhi was jailed for expressing uncomfortable views against the ruling dispensation of the day. Mahatma Gandhi was arrested by the British police on March 10 in 1922 for writing three ‘politically sensitive’ articles in his weekly journal Young India, which was published from 1919 to 1932. Gandhi was sentenced to a six-year jail term. He was released after two years as he was suffering from appendicitis. Similarly, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo Ghose were incarcerated for expressing their opinions.

Post independence, a consensus emerged in free India that one’s right to express his/her views shall be accorded strong protection and accordingly the right to express oneself was given protection as Fundamental Right under Article 19 (1) (a) of Constitution of India, 1950 violation of which gave right to the aggrieved to approach the hon’ble Supreme Court of India under Article 32 of Indian Constitution. On multiple occasions, individual’s right to free speech has been protected by courts and has been accorded very high value. In a judgement passed on 19.05.2020, in relation to one of the FIRs mentioned herein above, in Writ Petition (Crl) No. 130 of 2020 the hon’ble Supreme Court of India speaking through hon’ble justice Dr DY Chandrachud has held as following in relation to free speech:

“32. Article 32 of the Constitution constitutes a recognition of the constitutional duty entrusted to this Court to protect the fundamental rights of citizens. The exercise of journalistic freedom lies at the core of speech and expression protected by Article 19(1)(a). The petitioner is a media journalist. The airing of views on television shows which he hosts is in the exercise of his fundamental right to speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). India’s freedoms will rest safe as long as journalists can speak to power without being chilled by a threat of reprisal. The exercise of that fundamental right is not absolute and is answerable to the legal regime enacted with reference to the provisions of Article 19(2). But to allow a journalist to be subjected to multiple complaints and to the pursuit of remedies traversing multiple states and jurisdictions when faced with successive FIRs and complaints bearing the same foundation has a stifling effect on the exercise of that freedom. This will effectively destroy the freedom of the citizen to know of the affairs of governance in the nation and the right of the journalist to ensure an informed society. Our decisions hold that the right of a journalist under Article 19(1)(a) is no higher than the right of the citizen to speak and express. But we must as a society never forget that one cannot exist without the other. Free citizens cannot exist when the news media is chained to adhere to one position. Yuval Noah Harari has put it succinctly in his recent book titled “21 Lessons for the 21st Century”: “Questions you cannot answer are usually far better for you than answers you cannot question.” 

Tolerating unpleasant speech is vital for survival of democracy:

Allowing only pleasing and comforting speech can’t be sign of a democratic society. Even brute dictators need courtiers and propagandists to further their agenda. However, they don’t allow others and most peculiarly their opponents to do the same. Any unreasonable hindrance to free speech is dangerous for the health of democracy and survival of the rule of law. Democracy survives on heated discussions and differing narratives. Dissent is not only essence but also safety valve of the democracy. When law is used to muzzle free speech in order to silence the unpleasing views then the spirit of democracy dies and the very channel and faculty by which one brings about a change in the democratic set up is curtailed. Such gagging of media and of unpleasant thinkers through the instrument of law is utterly shameful and unwanted.

It’s highly desirable and expected in a democracy that the narrative created by one set of thinkers are challenged and countered by another set of thinkers. Reply of an article or report can always be a befitting article or report. Reply of a ‘distorted’ and ‘misleading’ TV debate can always be a ‘principled fact based’ TV debate. However, when one starts seeking help of favourable dispensations to muzzle and crush the unpleasant opposing views, as has been happening in the aforementioned cases, then one thing becomes obvious. And that is the fact that one has already lost the battle of thought. One has accepted the defeat of their pen and now they are seeking intervention of the cane of law to put fear in the heart of the people with whom they disagree.

At least, right wing intellectuals have something to celebrate in this underlying irony during their constant harassment by hostile dispensations! Such a course of action is disastrous and harms the spirit of democracy. If the opposite dispensation in other states and places starts to reciprocate ‘courtesy’ then further harm to free speech and democracy will happen. Whosoever might emerge victorious in this ‘fight’, the democracy will be the ultimate victim. We Indians need to remember that, as we always have, the pen is mightier than sword and reply to an ‘offending’ article is always an article which places the things in ‘right’ perspective and soothes the easily ‘offended sensibilities’ of the few in society. Trying to fill opponents with fear is not a good tactic, least of all in a constitutional democracy wherein free speech is a fundamental fight.

I will end my case by quoting few words of Congress leader Mr Shashi Tharoor from his piece published by NDTV on 20.04.2014 titled as ‘When Nehru was caricatured by RK Laxman’:

“I am reminded of the time when Jawaharlal Nehru was caricatured by the inimitable R.K. Laxman after the Sino-Indian war in 1962. Instead of being attacked by trolls or hired goons, R.K. Laxman was pleasantly surprised by a phone call from Mr. Nehru. The Prime Minister said to him, “Mr. Laxman, I so enjoyed your cartoon this morning. Can I have a signed enlarged copy to frame?” (https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/when-nehru-was-caricatured-by-rk-laxman-558107)

China can unleash limited military offensive on India’s eastern borders

Maj Sunil Shetty
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China can unleash limited military offensive on India’s eastern borders

The people’s republic is under a three-pronged attack, and to wade it off; it needs a limited border conflict with India. 

There is every possibility that China might engage in a localised limited military conflict, won India’s eastern borders, to achieve its three key goals. Yes, you heard, right! 

There are enough indicators and reasons why China picks India, as it did in 1962, to engage in a limited conflict. For China, a limited military engagement, that does not blow into a full-fledged war, will severe diplomatic and domestic purpose.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping finds himself in a precarious situation due to Covid19. A similar situation was faced by Chairman Mao during the early 60s, when he nearly lost control of The Communist Party of China (CCP), as his program the “Great Leap Forward” lead to millions of death across the country. 

Xi needs an external threat that will force his people to rally behind him and also pause, even though temporarily, the international pressure for accountability on the coronavirus. This is where a limited military conflict with an equal adversary comes into play. This might sound like a sweeping statement. However, there are enough indicators to back it. Lets lay out all the pieces of the table.

China is under a three-prong attack; two threats are from the domestic front and one international.

The first attack from the global community: Since the outbreak of “Chinese Virus,” as President Donald Trump likes to call it, the People’s Republic has been under tremendous pressure for accountability. As a lot has been said and written about it, let us deliberate upon other fast-moving pieces.

The second attack from domestic unrest: The CCP is facing internal challenges on two front. The primary threat is emerging from Hong Kong due to continued unrest and followed by the brewing trouble in the mainland.  

Honk Kong Crisis: There has been turbulence in Hong Kong even before the corona crisis hit the world. Between last year August and till early this year, the Chinese PLA tried to make its presence felt in Hong Kong. Yet, this did not deter the local residents from engaging in violent protests. The explosive situation got temporarily diffused due to the spread of the “Wuhan Virus.” However, the lockdown did not quell the unrest, and China knows it. Thus, it has introduced “a national security law in Hong Kong” that proposes to ends “one country, two systems policy,” and gives additional power to security forces. This move clearly demonstrates that the mainland communists are threatened by the autonomous region. 

Trouble Brewing in the Mainland: “Trump’s trade war was hurting china’s economy,” and then the Corona crisis exacerbated the crisis, especially for the people of Wuhan. They openly challenged the Chinese authorities. Such a public revolt was last heard or seen at the Tiananmen Square in 1989. Though, China has tried hard to prevent such incidents from leaking out. However, due to technology and social media, it failed to keep domestic unrest under wraps. 

The third attack, from the international business community: This is the most destructive attack that could impact China both in the short and long term. Martin Schwarzburg, a Finance Expert with over 25 years experience, writes in his article titled “Healing Broken Supply Chains: Manufacturing Outside China,” “the recent COVID-19 outbreak and its disruptive impact on the supply chains of companies with production facilities in China has led to considerable soul-searching in a number of boardrooms to recalibrate global sourcing and supply chain strategies.”

Martin further says that global manufacturers had started working on a “China +1 policy” before the Corona Crisis. Under the policy, the business community looked for alternate competitive manufacturing locations such as India. One of the biggest “long-term fallout of COVID-19 outbreak would be China+1 policy now gets rolled out fast and quick. 

In his article Martin, analyses various “countries and regions around the world in terms of suitability to replace manufacturing capabilities currently maintained in China.” When it comes to India, Martin writes, “India provides significant replacement opportunities for manufacturing capabilities and to repeat the success demonstrated by its outsourcing and IT sector over the past two decades.” He further adds, “I believe that, as opposed to China, the comparably lesser frictional potential between India and the western world will refocus the West’s attention toward the Indian economy and, as such, provide significant opportunities for investors.”

This new reality of losing future investments and losing part of the existing manufacturing business is troubling China. Furthermore, losing it to India, its primary challenger in the region is the last nail in China’s ambition of global domination.

This emerging reality makes China-India conflict a possibility. A limited military conflict between the two Asian giants is in favor of China, as it gets to kill three birds with one stone. 

“Who wishes to fight must first count the cost”- Sun Tzu, Chinese Military Strategist.  

COUNTING COST ON BEHALF OF CHINA

Quelling unrest in the mainland: China’s economy was already in trouble, due to trade war that Trump unleashed on to the Dargon. The Covid-19 crisis set fire to the Dragon’s tail. This year China has abandoned setting a target for GDP growth for the first time in decades, citing “great uncertainty.” The two setbacks can lead to millions of job losses and be a recipe for further unrest, in the mainland, that might not just ignite but also stick for a long time. Thus, the Chinese need to find ways to quell the unrest, especially in the mainland. 

Misha Ketchell is the Editor of ‘The Conversation,’ an independent online forum. According to Ketchell, Beijing used the standoff in Hong Kong to whip up nationalism among its citizens. If China can use a protect in Hong Kong to quell distent at home, think what would it do if the communist party can convince its people of a potential threat from its advisory- India. 

“The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” -Sun Tzu.

Force the international community Blink: The international community lead by Australia and the US have created pressure on China. It is was evident when Chinese President Xi, while addressing the World Health Assembly, committed to providing $2Billion to help countries around the world with vaccines. Imagine China offering money without being asked. That explains the stress the Chinese are under. Thus, China needs a diversion; it needs to create confusion. 

That will help it catch a breath, get its thoughts organized, and then take on the world. For this, it needs a diversion that looks not just real but something that can escalate fast into a full-fledged war. 

India and China have been involved in two conflicts; the Sino-Indian war of 1962 that the world knows and then in 1967 when India beat back Chinese aggression at Nathu La Pass pass. This conflict resulted in 340 death on the Chinese side as compared to 88 on the Indian side. 

There have been numerous skirmished between two forces, the recent one being in North Sikkim, where Lieutenant Birol Das’s punch left a PLA Major with a bloody nose. Thus, one can not completely rule out a conflict between the two nations. The recent visit by Indian army chief General MM Naravane to Ladakh to reviews operational preparedness is yet another indicator that things are hotting up on the eastern borders.  

A military conflict between two nuclear nations that are economic powerhouses will draw in the world community. The world would have blinked, allowing China to replace corona investigation with conflict resolution across various international forums and the UN. 

“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm” -Sun Tzu

Instill uncertainty among the investors & businesses:  China knows it might lose part of its manufacturing businesses and investments. However, if it has to lose, it should not be to India because that would establish it as the engine of the world, the statues China has enjoyed for many decades. 

If the business and investments are dispersed across the globe, it will help China retain dominance as the leading manufacture. Thus, military engagement with India will create uncertainty among investors and manufacturers. 

That explains why a limited conflict is in China’s interest.

However, the question remains why India?  

Equal Opponent: China needs an equal opponent to make its citizens, and the international community believes that the conflict is real. Thus, a conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations has the potential to destroy whatever is left of the global economy.  

The followup question would be – Why not Japan or South Korea. China will not start a conflict that will directly draw in the United States of America, especially with Trump in power. 

Both “Japan and South Korea are close neighbors, and they are the main allies of the United States in East Asia.” American has a bilateral Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security that will allow it to step in. 

President Xi knows too well; China can not take chances with Trump. The South China sea is hot, and Xi would not like to make it unstable at this moment when China is venerable.

That leaves India on the table. 

Now, I am not suggesting that China wants a full-fledged war with India. Given the current international isolation, China is facing it will not risk a global backlash. However, a limited conflict, where it can push the blame on India and play the victim, as it did after the 1962 Sino-India war, will serve its objectives. The dilemma in the dragon mind is when to strike. For China knows, the new India is different from that of the 60s. Neither its military nor the political leaders will blink come what may.

Then why does China need a conflict: in the Word of Sun Tzu, the military tactician- “But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.”

China has never faced such international isolation and open revolt by its people. Could this be a make or break moment for the CCP. As much as it wants the world not to see its underbelly – it stands exposed. Thus it knows if it falters here, it might leave too many dents to its military, political and economic stature. 

Source:

Why Mao attacked India in 1962
https://www.toptal.com/finance/business-research/manufacturing-outside-china?utm_campaign=Toptal%20Finance%20Blog&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=88287763&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8OAdDuPtZTeV-w5bzZ0-Up8_7UEMXskSK3YDMPgMCB4KQiGDMchtFuZlgOxRtWZtCZKonLABs9MkxaqfzmRa3dSKpB1w&_hsmi=88287763
https://theconversation.com/3-ways-china-benefits-from-the-hong-kong-protests-122113
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1771.Sun_Tzu?page=1

Online Education: How real are the fears and the hopes

Rakesh Kumar Pandey
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Online Education: How real are the fears and the hopes

Advent of Online Era

Amid the recent continuing Corona crisis, dependence on Online mode of Education has increased manifold in a very short duration of time. This phenomenon has raised many hopes and concerns simultaneously among different segments of the Indian society. An impression has started spreading its ground again that teachers fear that increasing influence of online mode in education will result in loss of teaching jobs. Teachers organizations, in my opinion, have not helped in setting aside these fears as either they are unable to critically analyse the effect or they are themselves part of those who genuinely share the conceived threat of loss of teaching jobs. They normally base their arguments on the existing digital divide in the country that differentiates students on the basis of connectivity and affordability of high-end equipment that are required to access online education.

Such arguments do expose the inadequate infrastructure that would eventually deny education to a large disadvantaged section of our society but are counterproductive. I consider such arguments to be weak as these arguments passively admit that once the infrastructure is made available, online education may make the services of teachers an avoidable luxury. Unfortunately, the policy makers in the education sector have shown immature optimism towards the conceived effectiveness and outcome of Online Education because they have been fed with the one-sided story of optimism by a bunch of self-serving strategists who are bureaucrats but consider themselves as educationists.

Let me start with a statement that Online mode of education is here to stay with us and for our own good, but thinking that this will help us in effectively serving a larger section of education seekers with lesser number of teachers is completely flawed understanding. Those who think that future would require a reduced strength of teachers is living in a completely unrealistic world and are set for a setback in due course of time. And I am sure that I have placed enough arguments below to carry my point home.

Past Experiences

Just imagine what would have had been teachers feeling when the oral tradition of teaching was probably getting shifted to written tradition of teaching in our country. Ancient India used oral tradition of teaching where teachers relied less on written materials and use to utilize their understanding of memorized ancient texts for teaching their students. They must have feared then that they would not be required in future. Teachers must have feared again when libraries were being built up to keep a collection of rare books written on tree-leaves, as it would have allowed anyone to read those books without the help from teachers. Even further, I am sure people would have thought that the dependence on teachers would become less when book-printing technology had arrived in the world.

Teachers must have had been fearing those days that they would not be required in future as books would be available for a cost to all who would need them. Teachers of that era must have had felt threatened the same way as they are now feeling on witnessing an ever increasing influence of online education mode in the education sector. At all the above mentioned stages of evolution, teachers must have had undeniably felt similar threats. But did they come true? And don’t we have Google search engine that can provide all kinds of answers to the students on click of their fingers? Truth is that teachers still exist in classrooms today along with the books, pens, papers, help-books, photocopying machines and chalks and black/green/white boards. Even distance learning and concept of Open schools and Open Universities must have had invoked similar threats that are yet to come true.

Analysing features of online education

There are in fact, three distinct aspects of online education

  1. Online Lecturing/teaching
  2. Online Studying/learning
  3. Online availability of materials

Online Lecturing/teaching: If online teaching is considered merely as a one sided lecturing it would indeed reduce the requirement of teachers. This idea of one-sided lecture can be utilized to reach out to as large an audience as possible using TV and other social media platforms. But if the teacher is required to interact LIVE with the students and vice versa, the effective strength of students that a teacher can engage with would remain the same. No change in workload would be there as meaningful interaction can be ensured only for the same number of students present otherwise in the classrooms. The benefit however would be that teachers and students would be able to conveniently engage from home and would not require a specific classroom. Infrastructure will be less burdened and it will lead to less traffic on the roads and therefore less pollution and will also help in keeping the new requirement of physical distancing due to Corona crisis.

Online Studying/learning: The effectiveness of the online studying/learning from the students’ point of view will be critical because it would require students to be highly self motivated. It would be entirely the responsibility of students to keep themselves alert, attentive and alive during the lecture. Further, if the lecture will be available to them at a press of their buttons again, there would be no exclusivity that is generally required to make a person attentive and alert. Students will have the confidence that they are not going to miss it because it will be available on the net too for viewing later. The peer pressure will also be absent. The feeling of being left behind others and therefore work hard to cover the lectures will not work as a compulsive factor as it does in a classroom environment. Students will be at the most disadvantageous position unless the teachers are asked to contact each one of their students to assess their progress and take personal care of them. This again will increase the involvement and requirement of teachers.

Online availability of materials: However it is the third aspect that has generated a flawed expectation among the policy makers and the bureaucrats working in the education sector. It is stupidly concluded by them that once a digitally interactive course will be developed and uploaded on the internet, teachers will not be required to run the courses. Their conviction is based on those interactive lectures that require the students to keep submitting regular assignments and are checked by the online software. This has generated a false hope in them that the future would see a reduction in the strength of teachers because availability can hardly ensure usability.

The reality

UK did a study on the performance of their MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) in around 2015. Despite the fact that they did not have the issue of connectivity and other infrastructural unavailability they found out that hardly 5 to 15 percent of those register for their well-developed interactive online courses complete them. This completion percentage was hopelessly low to establish any effectiveness of these promising courses. They then analysed it further and consequently adopted the following strategies to raise this figure successfully to 85% last year.

  1. They made the students to pay a huge amount at the time of registration so that not only the non-serious students are discouraged from joining but the serious ones get trapped under their commitment.
  2. They encouraged the students to join in groups so that they are able to consult and discuss the subject among themselves. Further this also helped in generating peer pressure required to drive some of the students to cover up their studies when they started lagging behind.
  3. Teachers were asked to respond to each assignment submitted by the students in as much detail as possible so that they get a feeling that they are being seen and are being personally taken care of. This was required to inspire and drive the students to learn with greater intensity and interest.

We may notice, the first step taken by them was to reduce the number of registration drastically. This helped in improving the percentage by reducing the denominator. The second two factors were attempts to improve the numerator and were targeted by involving the teacher more than what is normally required in a classroom teaching.

Self motivated students are generally matured students falling in the age of 25 to 35. These are the students that are generally not given the due attention in India as we normally discourage students from shifting their background that gets attached to them during primitive years of their education. There is no way that a commerce graduate can think of pursuing a medical degree despite the desired urge realized at a mature stage. In fact, this segment is witnessed to be the most serious section of students, mature enough and willing to pay to learn new skills, new ideas and new techniques.

In the age less than 20, hardly 10 percent of the students are able to realize their interest, potential and motivation. This is unfortunately also the time when their paying capacity gets determined by their parents and factors other than their own passion and interest. And so, online courses for the age of students, lying between 5 to 20 years, is destined to meet a disappointing 5 to 10 percent of completion rate. If the policy makers want to derive a satisfaction in the fact that they have made ‘education AVAILABLE for all’, then they may feel satisfied but in terms of reach, it is bound to compromise enormously on the OPEN and MASSIVE features of such attempts This will in effect defeat the very purpose of these courses meant to target this particular age group.

The education will boast of achieving 100 percent Gross Enrollment Ratio but sadly with less than 10 percent ‘useful’ completion rate. The National Education Policy that has envisaged of attaining a challenging Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 100% in schools and 50% in Higher Education would not of any worth due to hopeless completion rates. This will be either remain far less than the target or it will be ‘covered up’ by distributing degrees to non deserving students in the manner the Distance Education in India has been functioning. Distance Education through Open Schools and Open Universities are known to be producing degree holders with much less abilities and confidence as compared to the students of regular courses. This happens also because students of regular courses gain confidence and personality in the team work when they indulge into several group and organisational activities embedded into their school/college life. Such an opportunity is unfortunately missing in the curriculum based narrow attitude of all Distance Learning Programs.

The Future: hopes and promises

Make no mistakes as technologies would only help teachers in working more efficiently for the same set of students because the expectation from the teachers by the students will grow exponentially with the use of online modes. Teachers would be required to address to their individual problems and concerns as compared to what it used to be during the existing pre-online mode of education. The students may come up with problems and solutions both and would ask the teachers to explain the same in detail giving them individual attention. Teachers will have to respond to the queries of students even after the classes get over. Teachers will have to use new skills to help students learn with them. Teaching students to keep learning throughout their life is a new aspect of teaching that has emerge recently with very fast developments in the area of learning. To prepare their students for this challenge teachers might have to suggest their students an online course and see to it that they are able to complete them by almost learning and studying with them. The old idea of looking up to the teachers for ready answers will end and a new idea of asking help from teachers in understanding the online materials would become the new way of study. Conferences, public addresses, small meetings, teachers training programs and learning skills for career advancements are destined to shift to online modes because these are meant for matured and self motivated section of the society.

Recently it has been reported that Finland has sought to revolutionize the concept of teaching in this era of online mode of education. They have conceptualized ‘phenomena driven learning’ for the students. Teachers will be required to help their students in finding ways to deal with their understanding about different phenomenon that they observe in their real life. The era of tutoring, wherein a teacher was required to make the students understand the problems and then was also asked to provide their answers, may be over in due course of time.

Now teachers will be required to ask the students about their problems and then help them in finding their answers. Teachers would be required to provide more personalized attention and hence would be required more in numbers. Roles of teachers will change not their requirement. Teachers must get equipped with the online modes of teaching along with the existing teaching techniques to help their students in addressing their individual concerns. Role of teachers will be widened now and their requirement is set to increase like never before.

An open letter to India’s right wing!

Aman Sinha
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An open letter to India’s right wing!

The problem we are sitting on is much deeper than what we think it is. Just like misogyny, it has been ingrained into us that it is normal to hurt the majority sentiments. The left, over the years, has been spreading their propaganda and to their credit, they have been very successful in that.

People need to understand that a book which we refer as the constitution doesn’t make India. India makes the constitution. India has always been a very diverse country. So how do you control a country so diverse? You give them a common enemy. Make the minorities believe that the majority is ill-treating them and then make sure that the majority stands divided into a large number of groups. This ensures that you get just enough people to support your rise in power. This kind of politics is the reason India has always been stuck with laws and regulations which challenge the very building block of this country, Dharmic Pluralism.

We have been brain-washed over the years, through our education system, through the one-sided news that we have seen growing up that India doesn’t treat its people equally. To be honest, she doesn’t. India has always given, in forms of vague laws and reservations, its minority a preference over its majority. Not the other way around. The majority has always been subjugated to ensure that the people in power remain in power. The biggest example would be the addition of the word ‘secularism’ in the constitution. Although it was completely redundant, this political gimmick was done just to ensure that the minorities remain loyal. We have been seeing the negative effect that word has brought into society.

I have also come across a lot of people who believe that religion should not be associated with a country. These are the people who believe that India came into existence only when the British left after destroying the cultural heritage of this country. No, my friend, India goes way beyond the time Brits even thought of coming to her shore. And India was a rich and prosperous state because of its culture and religion. India is and will always be a religious state. If you take away religion from India, you take away her culture and her identity. No one will be allowed to do that.

Today, the historic mistakes are being rectified and the left and the people who have fallen into the trap and believe in their version of India are not able to tolerate that. They are not able to accept that the country has moved away from their version of India where they can easily penetrate into the minds of people and spread their propaganda. The majority have understood that in order to restore the cultural identity of this country, they have to unite against the well-oiled machinery. That is easily reflected through politics. People who believed in minority appeasement at the cost of majority are nowhere near to relevance today’s politics. They are still playing there part in states like Bengal and Kerela but the day is not far away when the people in these states throw them away.

In this term of the parliament, the government is doing its bit to correct the historic wrongdoings that this country has gone through. The movement has started and it is not going to stop. There is no way the left and its preachers are going to come back to power. Whether some people like it or not, we will restore India’s rich cultural and religious heritage that has been stolen away from her. Peace and Dharmic Pluralism(and not secularism), the two identifiers of this country, would return back to her. Inshallah.

हम सब हैं मजदूरों की इस दयनीय स्थिति के जिम्मेदार: हम, आप और सारा समाज जो आज उनकी स्थिति पर या तो आंसू बहा रहा है या उन्हें दोष दे रहा है

ओम द्विवेदी
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हम सब हैं मजदूरों की इस दयनीय स्थिति के जिम्मेदार: हम, आप और सारा समाज जो आज उनकी स्थिति पर या तो आंसू बहा रहा है या उन्हें दोष दे रहा है

डिसक्लेमर: इस लेख में न तो किसी सरकार पर आरोप लगाए गए हैं और न ही किसी सरकार या राजनैतिक दल की प्रशंसा के सेतु बांधे गए हैं। यह लेख पूर्ण रूपेण उन मजदूर भाइयों और बहनों को समर्पित है जो निरंतर चल रहे हैं, सड़कों पर। जिनके कंधे पर अनाज और कपड़ों का बोझ है और मन में अपने घर जीवित पहुंचने की आशाएं। यह लेख समर्पित है उन मांओं को जो तलवों में छालों की पीड़ा लिए अपनी संतान को ममता की छाँव में समेटे हुए सैकड़ों किमी की दूरी ऐसे ही नाप रही हैं जैसे हम भोजन करने के बाद अपने कमरे में टहल लेते हैं। यह लेख समर्पित है उन बच्चों को जिन्होंने अपने मजदूर माता-पिता के कंधे पर बैठकर, पैदल चलकर, भूख में बिलखकर पूरा भारत देख लिया। यह लेख समर्पित है हमारी निष्ठुरता को, मध्यम और उच्च वर्ग की उन आकाँक्षाओं को जिनकी आंधी में ये हमारे मजदूर और कामगार भाई-बहन अकेले रह गए। ये लेख पढ़िए और विचार करिए कि हमने ऐसा अपराध क्यों किया और इस अपराध का दंड क्या है?

पूरा भारत कोरोना वायरस के संकट से जूझ रहा है। लगभग दो महीने होने को आ रहे हैं और पूरा भारत बंद है। कार्यालय अपनी पूरी क्षमता से कार्य नहीं कर पा रहे हैं। उद्योग उत्पादन नहीं कर पा रहे हैं। हजारों किमी की दूरी को घंटों और मिनटों में नाप देने वाली रेल और वायु में अठखेलियां करने वाले विमान पार्किंग शेड्स में चुपचाप खड़े हुए हैं। लोग अपने घरों में कैद हैं। सिनेमा देखना बंद है, पार्टी करना बंद है, दोस्तों के साथ लॉन्ग ड्राइव पर जाना भी बंद है। बच्चों के पार्क बंद हैं, म्यूजियम बंद हैं, महिलाओं के फ्रेंड्स क्लब भी हैं। चालू है तो मात्र मजदूरों का पलायन। उन्ही मजदूरों का पलायन जो रोजगार की खोज में अपने गाँव छोड़कर शहर आ गए थे। इन सब ने एक ऐसे जीवन का स्वप्न देखा था जहाँ दो जून का भोजन मिल सके और परिवार को एक बेहतर जीवन। इसी स्वप्न को पूरा करने के लिए ये सब अपना गाँव, खेत और खलिहान छोड़कर कॉन्क्रीट के जंगल में आ बसे। हालाँकि यह कॉन्क्रीट का जंगल इन्ही मजदूरों ने बसाया है। शहरों की चमचमाती सड़कें, आसमान को मुँह चिढ़ाती इमारतें, बस अड्डे, हवाई अड्डे, रेलवे स्टेशन, आईटी पार्क्स, मल्टीप्लेक्स, स्टेडियम सब कुछ इन्ही मजदूरों के खून पसीने से बना है। प्रत्येक व्यक्ति चाहे वो पश्चिमी सभ्यता का समर्थक हो या पूर्वी संस्कृति का अनुयायी, दक्षिणपंथी विचारधारा का हो या वामपंथी भेड़चाल का, सबके दैनिक जीवन की वस्तुएं और विलासिता का साजो सामान इसी आधुनिक विश्वकर्मा का बनाया हुआ है। आधुनिकता की जिस मरीचिका का दम्भ हम निरंतर भरते रहते हैं, उस आधुनिकता की आधारशिला इन्ही कामगारों और मजदूरों के त्याग पर टिकी हुई है। लेकिन आज जब इन गरीबों पर सबसे बड़ा संकट आया तब शहर यह भी न कह सका कि चिंता मत करो, तुमने मुझे बनाया है और मैं तुम्हारा वर्तमान बिगड़ने नहीं दूंगा। सब अपने गाँवों की तरफ लौटने लगे और शहर चुपचाप खड़ा सब कुछ देखता रहा। महान अर्थव्यवस्था कहा जाने वाला शहर अपने अस्तित्व का निर्माण करने वालों का पेट न भर सका।

कोरोना वायरस का संकट बढ़ता गया और भारत ने ऐसा पलायन देखा जो स्वतंत्रता के बाद नहीं देखा गया। लाखों लाख मजदूर और कामगार निकल पड़े शहरों से अपनी जन्मभूमि की यात्रा के लिए। कोई हजारों रुपये खर्च करके आया तो कोई अपनी साईकल पर निकल पड़ा। लेकिन भारत माता तब रोई होगी जब उसकी संतानें सैकड़ों किमी की यात्रा करने पैदल ही निकल पड़ीं। लेकिन हमें समझना होगा कि इस पलायन की नौबत ही क्यों आई? इतनी भारी मात्रा में प्रवास हुआ ही क्यों? क्यों लोग अपने घर, गाँव राज्य छोड़कर शहरों की ओर चले गए? जैसा कि मैंने पहले ही कहा कि इस लेख में किसी भी प्रकार की राजनैतिक चर्चा नहीं होगी इसलिए मैं उन सामाजिक और व्यक्ति निर्मित परिस्थितियों की बात करता हूँ जिनके कारण लाखों की संख्या में लोग शहरों और राज्यों की ओर प्रवास कर गए।

इसका प्रारम्भ होता है उस समय से जब भारत वैश्वीकरण के दौर से गुजर रहा था। लोगों में आधुनिकता के बीज प्रस्फुटित हो रहे थे। ऐसे में सबसे पहले लोगों ने कृषि का त्याग किया। असल में आम जनों के बीच यह मानसिकता पनपने लगी कि कृषि गरीबों का कार्य है। जबकि कृषि ऐसा कार्य था जिसे सर्वश्रेष्ठ माना जाता था। सामंतवादी विचारधारा के लोग गाँवों को हीन दृष्टि से देखने लगे। शहर की चकाचौंध गाँवों तक पहुंचने लगी। गाँव का एक साधारण व्यक्ति जब यह देखता कि शहर से आने वालों का सम्मान उससे कहीं ज्यादा है तो वह भी शहर का रास्ता पकड़ लेता। आय और व्यय का अंतर सामाजिक व्यवस्था पर हावी होने लगा। आर्थिक क्षमताओं का अंतर गरीब और अमीर के रूप में परिभाषित होने लगा। अमीर बनने की लालसा लोगों को गाँव से शहर की ओर खींचने लगी। गरीबी को अभिशाप बना दिया गया। वास्तव में समाज की इस गलती के कारण गरीबी का कुचक्र आर्थिक न होकर सामाजिक रूप में बदल गया। फिर शुरू हुआ गाँवों से शहरों की ओर प्रवास। गाँव खाली होने लगे। शहरों पर भार बढ़ने लगा लेकिन जो प्रक्रिया कुछ लोगों द्वारा मजबूरी में शुरू हुई अब वह आम हो गई। इसमें गाँवों की आर्थिक गतिविधियां ठप हो जाना भी एक महत्वपूर्ण कारण है।  

आधुनिकीकरण की दौड़ में बने रहने के लिए हमने गाँवों के साथ आर्थिक अन्याय भी किया। स्थानीय उत्पादों का त्याग कर हम महंगे और विदेशी ब्रांड्स की ओर भागने लगे। हमने बांस और अन्य पौधों से बनने वाले साजो सामान को नकार दिया। घर को सजाने के लिए इन ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों की विशेष कलाओं का स्थान चीन के सस्ते सामान ने ले लिया। जब फ्रिज और रेफ्रिजरेटर बाजार में आए तो मटके गायब होने लगे। कितनी कीमत होती है एक मटके की? 100 से 200 रुपये या उससे भी कुछ कम। वो मटका हमसे न खरीदा गया। दस या पंद्रह हजार का फ्रिज खरीदना और उसका बिजली का बिल भरना हमें आसान लगता है लेकिन 150 रुपये का मटका खरीदना मुश्किल। फ्रिज खरीदना गलत नहीं है और वह भी इसी अर्थव्यवस्था का एक हिस्सा ही है लेकिन मटका खरीदना हमारा कर्तव्य है, भले ही हम उसे खरीदकर ऐसे ही रखे रहें या उपयोग करें। रेडीमेड कपड़ों के बाजार में घुसकर हमने गाँवों के हस्तशिल्प को भुला दिया। गाँवों में दिन रात चलने वाले चरखे बंद हो गए। सुन्दर कलाकृतियाँ बनाने वाली महिलाऐं गुमनामी के अँधेरे में खो गईं। गाँवों के चिप्स, पापड़, अचार, अमावट और मुरब्बे, फास्ट फूड के ब्लैक होल में लुप्त हो गए। शहर में रहने वाले हमारे बच्चे तो इन खाद्य पदार्थों के नाम भी नहीं जानते होंगे। गाँव के लोग आपस में मिल कर जो भी सामान बनाते थे, धीरे-धीरे उन सब का संस्थागत रूप से और व्यवहारिक रूप में भी बाजारीकरण हो गया। इन ग्रामीणों का रोजगार और आय के साधन इनसे दूर हो गए। ऐसे में शहरों में जाकर मजदूर बनने के अतिरिक्त कोई दूसरा विकल्प शेष नहीं रह गया। ऐसा नहीं है कि बाजारीकरण बुरा है लेकिन हम सब को यह ज्ञात है कि व्यावहारिक रूप से कृषकों या ग्रामीण उद्यमों को न्यूनतम लाभ ही हाथ आता है।

यह विचारणीय है कि हम अर्थात, मध्यम और उच्च वर्ग के लोगों ने ऐसे आर्थिक रूप से पिछड़े और ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में निवास करने वाले लोगों के लिए किया ही क्या है? हमें स्वयं जब अवसर मिला तो अपने गाँवों में काम करने के स्थान पर हम शहरों की ओर चले गए। हमनें बड़े स्टार्टअप और उद्यम शुरू किए। तकनीक के उपयोग से हम आधुनिकता की दौड़ में बहुत आगे निकल गए किन्तु जहाँ हमारे मूल्य, हमारी पुरातन पहचान किसी कच्चे मकान में आज भी सुरक्षित हैं, वो गाँव हम भूल गए। उस गाँव के विकास के लिए हमने कोई प्रयत्न नहीं किया। अच्छी शिक्षा प्राप्त करके हम बड़े पदों पर आसीन हो गए। नीति निर्माण में भी हमारा योगदान बढ़ने लगा किन्तु जिन गाँवों में हम रह चुके हैं और जहाँ की समस्याएं हमने देखी हैं वो गाँव हमें कैसे भूल गए। ऐसा तभी संभव है जब हमें इन समस्यायों का ही स्मरण न हो। इस लेख में मैंने पहले ही कहा कि सरकारों और संस्थाओं से ज्यादा हम जिम्मेदार हैं ग्रामीण भारत और वहां निवास करने वाले लोगों की दुर्दशा के। क्योंकि ये सरकार और संस्थाएं हमसे ही तो बनी हैं। आज जिस पलायन पर हम आंसू बहा रहे हैं या रोष प्रकट कर रहे हैं, हमारा कोई अधिकार नहीं है उस पलायन पर किसी भी प्रकार की टिप्पणी करने का। वोट वो मजदूर भी देते हैं और हमसे ज्यादा देते हैं। जिन सुविधाओं का हम भोग करते हैं उनके निर्माण के लिए भी यही मजदूर और कामगार जिम्मेदार हैं। 

लेकिन ऐसा भी नहीं है कि कोरोना वायरस के इस संकट में लोग हाथ पर हाथ धरे बैठे हैं और कोई किसी भी प्रकार के राहत कार्य में नहीं जुटा है। सक्षम व्यक्ति अपने सामर्थ्य के अनुसार मजदूरों और कामगारों की सहायता में जुटे हुए हैं। महीनों से लोग लॉक डाउन शुरू होने के बाद से ही जनसमर्थन या अपनी सक्षमता से रिक्शा चालकों, कामगारों और दूसरे दैनिक आय पर आश्रित व्यक्तियों के भोजन, सैनिटेशन और सुरक्षा से सम्बंधित सहायता कर रहे हैं। लेकिन हमें अब इस रणनीति पर काम करना चाहिए जिससे संकट के समय ऐसी नौबत ही न आए। प्रवासन तो होगा और प्रवासन भारतवर्ष के एकीकरण के लिए आवश्यक भी है किन्तु सीमा अधिक हो जाने के बाद प्रवासन पूरे राष्ट्र के लिए हानिकारक हो जाता है, जैसा अभी हो रहा है।

अभी भी कुछ समाप्त नहीं हुआ है। प्रत्येक बड़े संकट की भांति यह संकट भी समाप्त हो जाएगा लेकिन उसके पश्चात हमें यह सुनिश्चित करना है कि अब हमारे गाँव पीछे मुड़कर न देखें। अब तो भारतवर्ष के सम्मुख आत्मनिर्भरता का नया लक्ष्य आ चुका है। इसके लिए बड़ी बड़ी योजनाएं बन रही हैं लेकिन योजनाएं नागरिकों की सहायता से ही प्रभावशील होती हैं। इसलिए आत्मनिर्भर भारत बनाने से पहले यह स्मरण रहे कि आत्मनिर्भर गाँवों से ही आत्मनिर्भर भारत का स्वप्न साकार होगा।   

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