FIFTY ONE PEARLS (book)--timeless wisdom to enrich life

FIFTY ONE PEARLS--timeless wisdom to enrich life

Impact of globalization on average Indian

Impact of globalization on average Indian

Globalization as an interactive connection of global countries for mutual benefits has always been in existence through the course of history. In recent times, this term has acquired a restricted connotation – that pertaining to economic issues.

The last two decades have seen the emergence of revolutionary technologies in the area of communications.  The evolution of new techniques of communication like wireless telephones, internet and mobile telephone devices have heavily impacted global economic life.   India is no exception to this impact.

The effects of globalization on an average Indian have to be seen in the backdrop of its economic and cultural ramifications.

The average Indian has become more wealthy and productive during the above phase of globalization. It has effected a quantum jump in the living standards of the professional upper middle class. It has opened up opportunities to large business houses to diversify, expand, acquire offshore companies and enter into mergers and collaborations with international business entities.  It has enabled foreign investors to invest in Indian companies and Indian stocks through the Indian stock exchanges.  But has globalization resulted in a quantum jump in the per capita GDP or income of the country?  In early nineties, the per capita income of India was about USD 500. Today, as per records of NCAER (National Council of Applied Economic Research), the per-capita income stands at about USD 1000. This translates into an annual average growth rate of 3.5%.   The figure pales in significance when compared to the average gross economic growth rate of about 6.5% declared by our official and non-official agencies.  The average Indian’s earnings have grown by a measly 3.5% over a 20 years period of economic reforms of which globalization is a component.  It may be emphasized here that the above stated figures of per capita income do not account for decrease in purchasing power of the US Dollar, a trend witnessed from 2002 to 2010.

The middle class and the upper class of the Indian society have, as stated above, benefitted from globalization in a marked way. With the arrival of MNCs in automobile, telecommunications and information technology (hardware and software) sectors, employment opportunities have increased and so have salaries for professionals in the upper echelons of business organizations.  But the lower class and the BPL (below Poverty Line) people have not tangibly benefitted from globalization. 

The six years, from 2004 to 2010 witnessed a huge spurt in money supply in the country sending prices of real estate, bullion and stocks soaring.  The BSE sensex recorded a fivefold increase; bullion registered a four fold increase and average prices of real estate increased by 7 to 10 times.  In the absence of sizeable growth in income of Indians, this was preponderantly the result of entry of colossal amount of money in India through FDI route. 

The above entry of huge capital has not helped the common man because most of this money was absorbed in non productive investments like real estate and bullion thus pushing their prices into the non-affordable zone. 

Globalization has affected the average Indian in myriad ways.  It has increased crass commercialism and made the average population more materialistic.  Is it not evidenced by far more money spent on items of mass consumption, on comfort, luxury and entertainment and general attitudinal changes? Fast food chains and outlets have bred fast food habits; exposure to western culture has brought permissiveness, especially among youngsters. In the name of greater individual independence, traditional virtues of joint family system are being jettisoned. Life in general, has become more competitive and consumerist which has bred enormous stress. Technological implements, in many cases, have been used for wrongful ends.  An example is the ultra sound apparatus which has been brazenly misused for aborting female children in the womb. A highly skewed sex ratio of 940 females to 1000 males is a pointer at this.  Crime and corruption have, understandably,  gone up and the average population has palpably grown more individualistic, intolerant and selfish than before.

A commercial blend of Indian and western music with its loud notes and cacophony has replaced the lilting melodies of Bollywood composed in sixties, seventies and eighties.  And our youngsters relish such admixture – which shows the profound effect of globalization on the tastes of our youth.  It has diluted their taste of the classical, pure and has made the eclectic popular. Similar effects are observable in cine acting, theatre and dance. The worst effect of globalization has been on the intellect of our educated elite.  They are a confused lot today. The reason for this is heavy bombardment of ideas and information from all over and the inability of Indians to reconcile them with their traditional notions and concepts.

Globalization has brought positive effects too. The huge opportunities for education and employment --inland and overseas, thrown open by the process have been well exploited by our youth and professionals. And Indians have excelled everywhere.  A remarkable, salutary effect of globalization has been in reshaping our basic outlook to make it more rational. Like never before, the youth of today seems to reject caste system and even some religious rituals which it views as superstitions. Middle class professional youngsters are jumping caste and community barriers in marriage. This welcome change can only be credited to globalization. 

But whatever effects globalization may have produced – positive or negative, we Indians need to have better comprehension of our cultural moorings.  Our traditional culture of the days of the yore which was universalistic and broad based should remain our reference. Against this reference or criterion, we need to fine tune the present systems and ideologies.  Otherwise, there is a danger of losing focus and getting plunged into an identity crisis, which, if continued, can detriment our progress. 

भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस श्रावण कृष्ण चतुर्दशी

Democracy for India

Democracy for India

After attaining independence, India decided to adopt the parliamentary system of democracy based on adult franchise. The democratic system was modeled on the systems prevailing in some of the European countries. Without taking into account the socio-cultural milieu of our country and without considering the political history of ancient India with its sound systems of governance, the Indian constitution was drafted and enacted. It was a constitution body in which the head was taken from the British constitution, the belly from the constitution of France and the legs from the constitution of Finland. How could such admixture be suitable as a constitution for a very ancient country inhabiting one seventh of the world population characterized by great cultural diversity ? It was a sure recipe for disaster.

The constitution of India has many defects when considered in the context of its suitability for a country like India with its pluralistic culture. There are many political thinkers and intellectuals who feel that the present type of democracy is still the most suitable form of polity for India. They do not realize that this democracy has comprehensively failed us. Multi-party democracy has bred political corruption of the gravest kind. In recent years, this has given us unstable governments, weak prime ministers and chief ministers and made politics a vile game of money power. Elected governments and lawmakers have all the powers to change the order of things. They can provide us the kind of utopia that our founding fathers had dreamt of. But in the present dispensation, it would be far fetched to expect that. If our citizens continue to lack nationalistic feelings, if our people continue to be self centered and individualistic, it would be imprudent to expect that democracy, in this present form, can solve the problems of the country. This democracy needs reforms so that it can be in tune with the nation’s cultural ethos. Look at the democracies of the Western countries. The USA and the UK have a two-party system of democracy which has always ensured stability of elected governments. The presidential system   of government in the USA has facilitated strong and quick decision making and smooth resolution of national issues. India also needs to switch over to a two party system of democracy. It would be still better if presidential system of government is brought in at the same time. This would give greatly improved governance. It should be remembered that in ancient India, small kingdoms were very efficiently governed by Kings who were free to choose their council of ministers. The rule of the King of ancient time bears considerable similarity to the presidential system of government in a partyless democracy.

Literacy level is another very important factor in the success of democracy. Democracy in USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France or Japan has been successful because of the high literacy level in their population. The defects of the India’s constitution have already been elaborated upon earlier. It is interesting to note that some of our seasoned politicians have been votaries of the Presidential system of government. L.K. Advani of the BJP had strongly favoured a thorough overhaul of the constitution to make it in tune with our present requirement and the socio-cultural characteristics of our nation. But, unfortunately, on whatever occasions this issue was raised in the Parliament, a majority of the MPs scuttled it. The idea of national government consisting of proportional representation of ministers from various political parties mooted by Vasant Sathe and also by Atal Behari Vajpayee was also not supported by a majority number of MPs. This proposal had a good solution to the problem of instability of elected governments and the burden of frequent general elections.

In general, it has been observed that any proposals to amend or modify the constitution so as to change the present system of democratic polity have not been favoured or encouraged by those in command of the nation’s destiny – clearly for continued  serving of their vested interests.

In most of the elections, whether at the central or state level, the voter turnout in India is less than 55% or 60%. The average turnout rarely exceeds 50%. Further, the party which wins a majority and forms  the government usually gets 30% to 45% of the cast votes. Now, a government which has the expressed vote of 35% of the voters has the actual expressed vote of only 17.4% of the total electorate. What type of representation is it ? A government which has the vote of only 17.5% of the electorate cannot be a government truly of the people, for the people and by the people. Things get still worse when the people also do not cast their votes objectively. They vote often on the basis of extraneous factors like caste or religion of the contesting candidates. Also, we should not forget that there are millions of illiterate or semi-literate electorate who do not have an objective understanding of electoral machinery or of the factors that should decide their franchise. This kind of democracy is close to a sham.

Hard proponents of democracy extend counter argument that democracy in India is yet not mature because India is still only 65 years old as reckoned from the year of independence. They make a comparison with the USA which attained independence as early as in 1783 and where democracy has evolved over a period of two and a half centuries. This kind of comparison is too simplistic if not absurd. This is primarily because the present world with its international political machinations is far different from the world of 18^th, 19^th and 20th centuries.

The Indian constitution provides for an Election Commission at the central and state levels to conduct, oversee and regulate elections. As per the rules framed by the Election Commission, the maximum permissible expenditure for canvassing in the elections of an MP is Rs. 40 lakhs. But generally, the money spent by a canditate contesting  the General Election is several crores. It is the duty of the Election Commission to disquality any candidate who exceeds this prescribed expenditure limit. Also Election Commission must call for Balance Sheets of political parties and perform a professional auditing of the same. Right under the nose of the Election Commission, candidates spend 10 or 20 times the allowed sum of the money on their election campaigns. Has a single candidate been ever disqualified by the Election Commission for exceeding the election expenditure limit ?

When all the institutions or instruments of democracy fail in their designated duties, when candidates and parties win in elections on the basis of negative voting or default, what is the purpose of continuing  with the existing democratic system for the country ? If our democracy has, even after sufficient number of trials, failed to provide clean administration and effective governance, why persist with it ?

While talking of democracy and its alternatives, reference must be made to the system of government prevailing in our neighbouring countries viz. Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.

In Pakistan, for four decades and more, military dictators were in the saddle of power but the quality of governance provided by military dictatorship has been abjectly poor, worse than that in India. Illiteracy, poverty and corruption exist to a greater degree in that country. A dictatorship can provide good governance only if it is committed, patriotic and independent i.e. free from external influences. That Pakistan has been a virtual stooge of USA is well known. In recent years, democratically elected governments too have given no better governance in that country for essentially the same reasons.

In Bangladesh too, the failure of democratic governments is ascribed to the above reasons given for Pakistan and largely interference by foreign powers in the country’s governance. Remember that in both Pakistan and Bangladesh, the society is not as pluralistic and heterogeneous as in India. Still, strong external factors as indicated above have ensured that these countries do not progress.

The case of China is most interesting and important. Sixty years ago, China was not better but below India in terms of various indices of economic growth and prosperity and of human development.  Exploding population and rampant poverty were the greatest challenges to the communist regime. The transition of China of the 1940s to its present stature as a leading economic and military power speaks volumes about the effectiveness of governments run by committed, patriotic rulers even in totalitarian regimes. China has very successfully controlled population growth. Its economy has been recording a consistent growth rate of 8-12% over the last thirty years. It succeeded in attracting huge foreign investment for its infrastructure and other industry even before becoming a member of the WTO. Today, it is a gigantic industrial power.

In very general terms, in a democratic dispensation, success of governance depends on three factors – transparency, accountability and justice. If the democratic system and the people running the system are such as to ensure transparency in the government’s operation, accountability in the functioning of ministers and bureaucrats and an efficient judicial system, governance shall be successful.

In today’s scenario, the greatest stumbling block to the development of third world countries is the political interference in their affairs by some first world countries. This vile game of political intrigues includes inciting one nation against the other for war by supply of arms and ammunitions, installing pliant  individuals as rulers who will play stooge to the superpowers, and using political leverage to fix unfavourable international trade terms for the developing countries. The above interference in the internal politics of developing countries significantly undermines the quality and effectiveness of governance there. India is no exception to this. If the present type of democracy is unsuitable for India, some external powers have indeed played a role in the continuation of this political system for India.

This article has talked of suggested reforms in our constitution for providing a democratic system which shall give good governance. What prevents our lawmakers from effecting those important amendments in the Constitution ? Absence of national character – indeed ! Where will national character come from ?

An organization like RSS which is branded as communal by left wing politicians and like minded people has been trying to build national character of Hindus through social gathering and indoctrination. Products of the RSS endeavour like LK Advani and AB Vajpayee have strongly favoured constitutional reforms on the above lines but they were never supported by their political colleagues of the opposition camps in this matter.

Today the educated urbanites in India appear to have become tired and sick of the extant political system. The average urbanite is heard saying that democracy is a failure in India and this country needs a strong dictator who will rule with an iron hand. However there are many who also say that no political system is good or bad – the people make it so and people get the government they deserve. The important fact that emerges out of these opinions is that the character of the citizens has the greatest role to play in the whole matter. If the people have a strong national character – whether it comes from their moral sense or gets shaped under strict and fair governance by rulers who are altruistic and patriotic, nothing can hamper their nation’s progress.

The Kashmir imbroglio

I post below the my article 'The Kashmir imbroglio' published in Organiser weekly of Feb., 2011.

Atul Sehgal

 JAMMU and Kashmir has been culturally, geographically and historically an integral part of India. It has been home to sages and seers who chose to settle in the picturesque and serene surroundings of the Valley to meditate upon the Supreme Divinity and realise Him. These ancient ‘rishis’ are the people who populated the geographical territory called Kashmir. Our ancient social order divided human community into four categories or ‘varnas’ on the basis of avocation. The Brahmins form the category who indoctrinated people with the right knowledge drawn from the primordial scriptures-the Vedas. The present breed of Kashmiri Pandits comes from the community of above ‘rishis’. They are the progeny of sages and savants who through hard penance had realised the supreme Divinity and gave the unique aura to the region.

With the inception of Islam, the followers of Prophet Mohammad undertook missions for proselytization of people spread and settled in all directions. They were following the injunctions of their ‘holy book’ but in the process, a huge population of the State was detached or alienated from their cultural moorings. Many thousands of persons settled in the Valley were converted to Islam by the means of cajoling, coaxing, alluring or forcing. The result of this action is there for us to see even today. The culturally alienated people of the Valley are confused about their true roots and suffer from a crisis of identity.

The Indian Constitution at the present time is secular in character but it has to be recognised that the Indian nation is a historical, cultural entity and historical acts which diluted or obfuscated this culture are anti national. Promulgation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is one such act.

In the light of the above statements, it can be logically concluded that the people who want merger of Kashmir with the ‘Islamic’ state of Pakistan or those who advocate autonomy for Kashmir are inimical to the Indian nation as also the Indian state which is constitutionally secular.

Before proceeding further with our analysis, let us recount and concretise the mistakes or blunders committed by our founding fathers and subsequent political leaders through the course of history of Kashmir which has led to the present sorry plight.

Although an expressed, categorical statement of accession, the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K with Government of India in 1947 was still incomplete. This was a clear, unequivocal Instrument of Accession but its articles were incomplete because in this instrument only three subjects of the State were surrendered to the Indian union. There was no provision of accession with an instrument containing incomplete Articles in Indian Independence Act, 1947. Hence, the Instrument of Accession of J&K was not in accordance with the spirit of Indian Independence Act, 1947.

When Pakistani tribesmen and troops invading the Valley were successfully checked by the Indian Army, the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, instead of driving the intruders out of illegal occupation, took the matter to UN who declared a ceasefire on ‘as is where is basis’. How could the matter be taken to the UN when J&K had expressly consented to be a State of Indian union by signing the Instrument of Accession?

Lord Mountbatten, with consent of Nehru, decided that the Instrument of Accession would be ratified by the Constituent Assembly of J&K. This was also an irrational, unconstitutional decision. This decision resulted in promulgation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India. Thus were sown the seeds of disintegration of J&K from India.

The continuation of Article 370 as a provision of the Indian Constitution for more than 60 years, is another blunder.

The criminal acts of secessionists and the intruders in the Valley ought to have been severely punished but the mere presence of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution did not allow this to happen. Today, 85 per cent of the Central grant/allocation earmarked for J&K goes to Kashmir and only 15 per cent goes to Jammu region which is not commensurate with the population ratio of the two regions. In accordance with the 60:40 population ratio of the two regions, the allocation needs to be in the same proportion. Article 370 legally restrains Indian investment in the Valley, outsiders settlement in the Valley and even criminal investigation by CBI in the Valley.

Article 370 has ensured over the years that even in the Indian part of J&K, the atmosphere of secessionism fuelled and fanned by those across the border is maintained. The whole Indian state is paying for the exorbitant expenditure of deploying army in J&K and in fighting infiltrators and criminal-secessionists who indulge in violent acts of terrorism. It is a pity that China lays claim on Aksai Chin which forms 19 per cent of the J&K State and Pakistan has occupied 34 per cent of the J&K State thus leaving only 47 per cent of the territory in India’s control. China built-up roads, water barrages, railway tracks, bunkers and other infrastructure over the years in the above territory in its illegal control while India watched silently and helplessly. Pakistan runs an official state government in the portion under its control and India does not bat an eyelid.

India cannot leave it to the UN or the world community to decide the fate of J&K. The UN is dominated by the USA. Continuation of the Kashmir ‘dispute’ is in the larger interest of those world powers that thrive at the discord between India and Pakistan. Time has now come that India, a nuclear armed state, and a fast growing economic powerhouse asserts itself with reason and force that the entire J&K historically, culturally, politically and rightfully belongs to it and takes urgent steps to drive away illegal occupants of the State territory. Abrogation of Article 370 is the first and the foremost step in this direction.

Let us be very clear about the fact that abrogation of Article 370 is technically and constitutionally possible. This Article was incorporated into the Constitution as a temporary measure after Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K signed the Instrument of Accession by accepting India’s dominion in the areas of defense, external affairs and communications. For other areas, the Indian state could establish its dominion after consultation with the Constituent Assembly of J&K. This Article came into being in 1950 when the Muslim dominated areas of J&K had organised themselves into a political outfit---the National Conference headed by Sheikh Abdullah. The National Conference manipulated the process of democratic elections in J&K to come to power and thereafter Sheikh Abdullah for whom Pt. Nehru had a soft corner managed to extract as his prize Article 370 out of India after swearing upon his allegiance to the Indian Republic. This proved to be Nehru’s and India’s undoing. The Article sowed the seeds of secessionism in the Valley. It was a veritable blueprint of discord, sedition and separatism. The Constituent Assembly was disbanded in 1957 following the fulfillment of its purpose---the ratification of the Instrument of Accession. Thus after 1957, the Article 370 contained a defunct provision----that related to reference to Constituent Assembly for bringing other areas of state governance under India’s dominion.

Thus Article 370 became lame and partially invalid after 1957 when the basic framework on which its continuation depended was dismantled. Post 1957, the Republic of India through its President needed to invoke Article 368 and settle the fate of Article 370 after consultation with the Government of J&K State. This action is still pending on the part of Government of India and brooks no further delay.

Thus the Government of India should lose no time in scrapping Article 370 which will not even require a constitutional amendment. The Government needs to dissolve the present ineffective State government, install President’s rule by sending a Governor, as done in the past by sending Shri Jagmohan and, thereafter, go ahead in right earnest with the task of abrogating Article 370---a blot on the face of Independent India and a slur on the largest democracy of the world. Post scrapping of Article 370, people from the contiguous states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab may be encouraged to settle in J&K. Let the State be opened up for investment by private sector for establishing industry, especially tourism industry. Let the government also invest liberally in infrastructure and industrial development of the State. J&K will then become truly integral with India---socially, culturally and politically.

If Kerala is God’s own country, Kashmir is the heaven on earth. It is the land where the Supreme Creator expresses Himself through the beautiful valleys, serene lakes and multiple flora and fauna. This State is the crown of mother India and needs to be preserved as her dearest possession. Let nothing, the least politics, come in the way of this.

१५ अगस्त भारतीय परंपरा नहीं है

भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस मनाये, परन्तु भारतीय परंपरा के अनुसार, १५ अगस्त भारतीय परंपरा नहीं है, तो क्या है भारतीय परंपरा ?
सावन कृष्ण चतुर्दशी है वास्तविक भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस, और अधिक जानकारी हेतु यह विडियो देखें-वन्देमातरम