Corruption in Indian democracy - Vishakha Naik

Corruption as we see today was not originally born in its massive form. It has existed since social structures came into place. Since then it has continued to spread its branches. Today it has penetrated into the very existence of  human beings. Though it existed in the ancient times, it did not harm the citizens as it does today. Unfortunately today it has penetrated into noble fields like education and defense which were once thought of as sacred or holy aspects of  humanity.

Talking about India, the roots of corruption are impossible to trace. We cannot say it begin on a particular date because no bottles of champagne were uncorked to mark its beginning. Even legends of political science since ancient ages like Kautilya and Manu failed to curb prevalent corruption in their works ‘Arthashastra’ and  ‘Manusmriti’ respectively. It spread widely in India when Mughal invaders came to India. They bribed Hindus to change their religion and embrace Islam (first kind of corruption on records). Emperors like Akbar tried to curb corruption by ending ‘TIRTHYATRA MAHSOOL’ which was to be paid by Hindus to attend places of pilgrimage. Corruption was later practiced by Britishers who came to India and bribed local kings and rulers to establish their trade in the name of  East India Company.

Initially the term ‘corruption’ was applied to exchange or acceptance of money or goods worth equivalent value at top level of social hierarchy. But today we have to face, tolerate, and do corruption in order to survive. Children go to government schools paying nominal sum of money which should actually be free: corruption. If you are ill and go to municipality hospitals you pay a nominal sum to avail treatment which again is free: corruption. You want to sell tea by the roadside you pay halfta: corruption. This is what a common man faces. Lets  talk about people who wish to really want to do something for the country. Want to stand in election and win? Bribe the local goons and your work is done: corruption. Want to distribute free books to the poor children?  Bribe the local corporator to ensure you leave unharmed: corruption. Want a verdict for a PIL in your favour? Bribe the magistrate: corruption.

Red tapism and bureaucracy are two major pillars on which corruption stands. But how do we stop all this? Legislations? Would that do? Again to pass a legislation you need to bribe fellow legislators otherwise it will stink and dust in files in the name of  ‘PROPOSED BILL’

Killing corruption or making an attempt to eliminate it completely is in vain and being hypothetical if it occurs even in one country the global economy will find itself in not only recession but in GREAT DEPRESSION. Shanmughan Manjuthan and IES Satyendra Dubey got their rewards for trying it.

So should we shut the topic here? The only solution out is a political revolution. Reforms, even radical reforms have failed to make an impact that would give a sigh of relief to a common man. We see malls around us but at the same moment we enter a mall, someone, in some part of our India commits suicide or dies of starvation.  Not that we stop entering malls but the time has come when we think what are we really achieving and at the cost of what?

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar while gifting India, the lengthiest constitution of the world have written it in the very introduction that ‘THIS CONSTITUTION SHALL BE AMENDED AS AND WHEN REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATORS’.  He even empowered the President to suspend the constitution when need is felf. Even he was aware that all rules, legislations, even constitutions are not universally applicable at all times and must change according to time and place. Its we who failed to interpret the constitution in the same spirit in which it was written. Democracy in India has failed long back. Yet, we are to realize it. We can find India in exactly a state which Plato asserted about democracy about 2500 years back. A bunch of people coming together collectively to loot their own country and people. The problem is that the very foundation of  democracy expects the leaders to be selfless and non-corrupt which can never be the case. And when a political system fails in a country, the country is left with only two option: 1. REFORM  AND  2.REVOLUTION

Reforms we have tried since 60 years but in vain. Here  I am not promoting Communism or wish to make India a communist country. But one thing is for sure a new theory which is applicable to India as we are not Indians, pardon my words, we are not Indians. We are Maharashtrians, Gujratis, Tamilians an so on. So its difficult can’t say impossible to invent a political theory that would consider, liberate and uplift all of us- Bengalis, Punjabis, Marvaris, etc. We can make our contribution if  not construct it ourself. 

Trust vote via voice voting instance in Maharshtra : Masterstroke or murder of democracy? - Rishap Vats

The gone by state elections in Maharashtra has been one of a kind, never had we seen the four big guns of Maharashtra politics backing their own arsenal and going all out not even sparing their traditional allies. The BJP and the Shiv Sena, though having the same Hindutva ideology and being the more stable of the political partnerships over the years, have been separated as the seat sharing issue shook the very base of this alliance. On the other side the Congress and the NCP, both had anticipated and to an extent accepted beforehand that their paths were no longer the same. It could be argued as to which party was weighing the other one down, was it the anti incumbency, “sparing” the ally’s leaders in major corruption cases, maladministration, inactive and weak leadership of the Congress party or whether the NCP whose top brass were accused of various corruption and intimidation charges? In the end, the verdict which resulted their reign coming to a dead end was not surprising and unforeseen by both the NCP and the Congress

After a series of dramatic developments and ahead of its first hurdle, the Fadnavis led 13 days old government was likely to overcome and win its vote of confidence in the Maharashtra Assembly. Even though the BJP with its 122 seats was 22 short of majority there was a broad consensus in the political class that with the 41 member strong NCP deciding to abstain from voting these whole procedure would be a mere formality. What followed was almost unexpected and very much unanticipated to say the least by specially the Shiv Sena who have decided to sit in the opposition and the Prithivi Raj Chavan led Congress party. The NCP who we all believe to have an unofficial channel of dialogue with the BJP for obvious reasons were also left bewildered on how the whole trust vote procedure unfolded.

Labeling what route did the BJP took on the floor of the house to prove its majority as unconventional would be a huge understatement, though calling it unconstitutional would be extremely incorrect. Normally when this type of a motion is moved it is followed by a division of votes which are officially registered for the public to see clearly what stand is taken by all the participating parties and their candidates. The BJP government won the trust motion through a voice vote, following this the opposition parties cried foul and demanded for ballot voting or counting of head which was refused by the Speaker and the BJP. The loud and animated protests by all these parties couldn't sway the mind of Hon. Speaker Haribhau Begde in their favor and went out to tag this action of his as partial as the speaker of the house is expected to rise above his allegiances to any party and uphold the spirit of the house as per the Constitution.

All this didn’t go well with the opposing parties and the house proceedings were disrupted which resulted in adjournment of the house. As soon as the doors of the house were opened they all hurriedly latched on to any mike of media channels present outside the house to make bold statements and convey their stand and vent out their angst. Personally some of the words used were very bitter and said in haste which could have been avoided, “murder” & “death” of democracy was over the top. The decision however immoral and unconventional was not the first time that something like this had transpired.  If they would be unconstitutional it wouldn’t have been allowed as Speaker had rightly pointed out that the laid down procedure had been followed and the claim of partiality was not valid.

Call it BJPs presence of mind or well planned strategy or the opposition absence of mind the event had taken place and the decision couldn't be overruled. When we refer to the rules we clearly see the case BJP and the speaker is trying to make, if any member had demanded the division of votes in between the trust vote or just after it the speaker has no choice but to do the needful. So, technically once the business or the particular activity is completed without any objections or hindrances it is officially done and it cannot be reverted. Having said that, it is also very much notable that this is really not the way to take a first step for a government who isn't in majority and have strained alliances or sworn enemies waiting for any slip up to take revenge. Certainly BJP could have achieved what it had set out to do without undermining their victory themselves, clearly they have not begun on the right foot and it looks a very tough road ahead when the winter session starts. The Congress has already clearly said that it won’t let the parliament function and knowing the Shiv Sena they won’t shy away from resorting to the same methods either. So, again in all these political battles and ego clashes clearly there is larger picture which goes unnoticed, this clearly was an opportunity missed for the new government to send out the right signals and being an example from the very beginning of the change the people of Maharashtra wish to see. The BJP’s “minority” government and its ambitious leader who is hell bent to bring great deal of changes/ reforms, aiming from the word go to improve or rectify the wrongdoings of the outgoing government have an uphill battle and even the most optimistic of men won’t give them a lot of chance to come out victorious.

In hindsight this should also be a lesson to the vociferous protesters of the opposition, they should also realize their own shortcoming of not being able to anticipate and not doing their homework. All possibilities should be evaluated and examined and cadres of the party must be instructed accordingly. The intricacies of these procedures should be well known to few if not by all members so they could act at the right moment and not just react later where there is no glimmer of hope.  This is one of the main area where BJP's new leadership is clearly light years ahead of everyone at the moment. In a very cheeky manner they acquired both the objectives they desired, to form the government alone and maintaining a stand of never asking for any support, not publicly and officially accepting the support from the NCP which would have obviously hurt the party’s image or future prospects. Knowing the NCP quite well and learning from one or two lesson from the history of voting instances in 1978 and 1998, BJP were fully correct to suspect and disguise the “support” of a party who has been a fierce rival and  who suddenly offered to “stabilize” their government in Maharashtra, especially when strong rumors of certain members turning against and for the BJP but not abstaining from voting started doing the rounds that early morning. Although it would be very interesting to see how would these two parties who left no stones unturned while attacking each other in the campaign prior to the elections. One thing is very clear though, the promises made by the BJP of bringing the leaders of the NCP especially in the open and investigating and indicting them would be a very hard thing to do as the switch button of the ventilator on which BJP government is “surviving” not living, lies with the party they claimed to be “National Corrupt Party”

Political reservations for women in India - Rishap Vats

Political reservations for women, the initiative regarding the same could be looked from various angles, dimensions and perspectives. Are they just a political gimmick to be seen just as a political reform on paper or are they implemented and also become a part of real life and ground practices. Same as the problem of democratic decentralization, devolution of powers, autonomy cannot be measured in term of numbers as in the case of fiscal decentralization. When it comes to women participation we can see the improvement by numerical standards by increasing of seats and chairperson post on rotational basis. By increasing the number of seats, that is the quantity of participation one does not necessarily increase the quality of participation of women.

Their status in the social order has been a matter of great concern and a matter which has broad consensus that it needs to be addressed. For any suppressed or subjugated group be it women or schedule caste, labor class, untouchable section etc in any sphere political emancipation is something which will empower them and this could only be achieved through only political participation. which doesn't limit itself to casting ones vote.Thinkers and philosophers have acknowledged this as a first step towards upliftment of any subjugated class, caste, sect, and group. Antonio Gramsci, the Italian thinkers saw the need for political participation as a way to bring about a change by proletariat (working class). Hence the policy of reservation in the democratic and constitutional bodies does provide a base and a starting point for women to build a permanent place which they shouldn't be  seen  as an act of ‘giving’ as it is their right.

Reservation for women has had been present various parts of the country before the 73^rd and 74^th Amendment Act of 1992-93. The office in Nimbut in Pune, Maharashtra in 1963 was among the first for women regarding local self government. Prior to the directions of this Act various sates had already provisions for the same. In fact the committees set up in 1957, 1977 of BR Mehta and Ashok Mehta respectively did mention ’critical amount’ of reservation which made the Rajiv Gandhi government to bring about 30% reservation was present in the 64^th Amendment Act too. Kerala government in fact took the initiative and reserved 25% in 1985. After the much talked about 33%, “not less than one-third” reservation of seats for women was granted through 73^rd and 74^th amendment act did a great job no doubt but there was a negative practice which went unnoticed in the euphoria which highlights the apprehensive approach towards political reservation for women. Initially no state even tried to give more than 33% representation to women or a significant part rightly demanded by a significant amount of the population. They literally considered the direction as “not less than one third” and this went on till a decade until it was improved for the better. Bihar, under Nitish Kumar in 2005 took the initiative and reserved 50%. States like Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh followed by Rajasthan and Maharashtra to do the needful. But the fundamental worry remained whether it was all symbolic gestures and as for now back seat driving is the harsh reality. 

In Rajasthan lot of women have complained that the patriarchal thirst of power and the system itself doesn’t give them actual power and political forces disturb their work and abuse authority.  The concept of ‘dedh sadasya’ (one and a half member) in Maharashtra is a n example where inspite of reservation status and political participation remains null. They are just used to keep the seat warm when they are made chairpersons or Sarpanch and due to no second term at same place they are moved. Same problem is present in Rajasthan where the political parties refused to give them second time ticket to contest elections. This whole rotational basis chairperson-ship is flawed, the intricacies of the PRI reforms where overlooked by the people. Let’s say a woman surpasses all the obstacles comes to the chairperson-ship designation, she is then via lottery system moved or not given a second term, this nullifies their previous works and gives them no chance to build up on their good work. Most of them do not get a chance due to lack of experience. So, the anyway existing, not so friendly mindset was not alone but now our so called constitutional reforms also have not helped to actually increase their status and to be viewed as equals and not as ‘other’.

There is no doubt that the status of women is better than before and has progressed significantly but there is still a mental blockade or a myth of fear of losing their importance in the political process and institution by males. Men think that they will lose their seats to women, the same women who they have dominated in the past will ‘rule’ them. This paranoia is visible in the attitude of the parties in passing the Women Reservation Bill which guarantees 33% reservation for women in the Union parliament and the State legislatures. Though no political party will not advocate the rightness of the initiative and pledge their support but as an act of cowardice they back out in voting.

From an optimistic point of view it is sure that things are taking a turn for the better, there is always room for better and right now there is a huge gap to be filled but steps like these have gradually started affecting the psyche of the male masses and this idea is settling that women in political arenas are governing, taking full part and maybe even leading at numerous fronts is the new reality and hence certain governments like Tamil Nadu which gives two consecutive chairperson ship to women have take small steps in the right direction. Having huge number of women participating in Gram Sabhas and Panchayats and not only participating but leading is a pleasant sight, also at the national and state front various powerhouses, stalwarts or iconic figures dominate their regions. Jayalalitha, Sonia Gandhi, Mamta Banerjee, Vasundhra Raje are the leaders who take total full control in their hands and it could be said that we finally have moved on from the using of women as figure heads, prime example being Rabri Devi of Bihar.

Sports and the silver screen - Tanzeem Ahmed

SPORTS AND THE SILVER SCREEN

“See that look in their eyes, Rock? You gotta get that look back, Rock. Eye of the tiger, man.”

-       Rocky III

The final goal propels into the nets and the spectators rush out in a state of barely-controlled euphoria. The barricades are broken, and the Allied prisoners of war, who make up the motley team playing against the Germans, find emancipation. This scene from the 1981 film “Escape to Victory” and many such others form a part of the interesting genre of films based on sports.

At the last moment, a miracle plays itself out and the down-trodden and the luckless are redeemed. Sitting in a darkened theatre we clutch out pop-corn cups closer as we wonder whether the feet of the runner will touch down upon the finishing line, and as the swirl of the white dust, magnified by the art of cinematography, spreads itself across the screen, our collective sighs and cheers fill the auditorium.

I suppose, playing a sport is man’s civilized way of fighting a battle. Instead of the saber and battery shells, it is racquets and balls. In an odd way, it expresses chauvinism, male or female, lest you accuse me of gender bias, and winning gives a rush of adrenaline that puts one on a ‘legitimate’ high. The spectators, of course, always enjoy being an inseparable part of it all. As they watch the game, they live it, riding the roller coaster of a hit or a miss.

Like all the other aspects of life, sports has been a very popular theme to explore on celluloid. It seems to be the magical formula which keeps the box-office jingling all the time. In a matter of two hours or more these films encapsulate hope and hopelessness; victory and surrender. They emulate what people fail to see or recognize in the real world – the discipline, the grit, the dedication and the thirst to excel. Almost every kind of sport has given the script-writer food for thought and has realized itself in a heart-wrenching story that may have been derived from a sport but moves beyond it to make a statement of human condition.

The Rocky series is the rags-to-riches story of the boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Silvestre Stallone), an unread but heart-of-gold debt collector for a loan shark in Philadelphia. Family values and the importance of support systems are also upheld through the series as it tells us where people draw their strength from. First released in 1976 and running into five sequels, this movie is still a popular re-run on television.

Another movie featuring sports is Goal that shows the journey of a young and struggling soccer player trying to break into the Newcastle Football Club.

These movies are not just mere entertainers. They are a major source of inspiration for all the people in this world who are aspiring to pursue their passions. They discern the importance of taking quick decisions and the merits of time management. Team spirit and sublimation of the ego are the other factors that come to mind when watches a film based on a sport. People see and learn how sheer commitment and a person’s passion for glory will ultimately pay off,  and hence everyone feels stirred through movies like Bend It Like Beckham, Basketball Diaries and The Longest Yard.

Films based on true stories always make for an interesting experience for the viewers who see real-life characters being portrayed by their favorite movie stars. The Greatest Game Ever Played is a movie based on golf, where Francis Ouimet displaces his own idol and 1900 U.S. Open champion, Harry Vardon, to win the 1913 U.S. Open. Another movie, The Gridiron Gang, tells the story of a man who makes up an American football team from a group of teenagers in a juvenile detention center. The 1981 Oscar winning movie, Chariots of Fire, is a story of two British track athletes who compete in the 1924 Olympics. They run not just to chest the finishing tape, but, as the tagline reads, ”to prove something to the world.”

Bollywood also hasn’t been too far in its endeavor to portray sport in cinema with movies like Lagaan and Chak De India and most recently Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, that show how strong the spirit can be.

Sport has not slipped into redundancy as a cinematic theme because every time a new aspect of humanity has been explored. From the time he has dwelt in caves, man has been struggling and fighting with the inexorable “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”. When he has won one battle he has found another one to fight. This is why, perhaps, sports holds such an important place in his life. Cinema is the canvas upon which man’s abiding hope is drawn. Such films teach us to give our best when we decide to turn our dreams into reality. It teaches us what team work can achieve without obliterating the self. That is why sports sell in cinema, on television and generally, in life.