Premarital Sex- Court Judgement invokes Debate

It is often held that there is no absolute truth just perspective, but there is something called reason. But there are certain recent judgments of Indian judiciary that defy reason as well as absolute knowledge. Being captivated by absolute power which scorns any accountability is innate human tendency. This tendency seems to pervade the mind of our honorable judges while delivering these judgments nowadays.  One can see a pattern of everyday injunctions based on baseless assumptions.

A recent pronouncement by Delhi High Court judge on premarital sex invokes discussion. The judgment held that premarital sex is “immoral” and against “tenets of every religion”.

We have seen khaap panchayats or a group of self appointed god men declaring acts as moral or immoral or against tenets of religion but never before a court since courts are invited to declare an act legal or illegal based on the strict adherence to law. And in those cases where law is silent, judges are required to restrain themselves and not to practice judicial promulgation, as they may not be well aware of the ground reality, for which every democracy has a proper channel called legislature. If someone has to decide what collective consciousness can be it has to be the legislature which represents and is accountable to people not judges who are not elected and can be removed only by a tedious process.

Judgment has raised a question, which is to decide what is moral or immoral. And is a collective morality on all issues even possible in a country that encompasses huge diversity in its every nook and corner. It is lack of knowledge and understanding about Indian on the part of learned and honorable judge and the above said case, as there are tribal and non-tribal communities in India where premarital sex is not at all immoral. Muria and Gond tribes of Central India have special homes called Gotul or Ghotul where girls introduce younger boys to sexual life and its fundamentals and where unmarried couples are supposed to enter into and test their sexual relationships. Verrier Elvin, anthropologist and ethnologist and tribal activist indicated the same in his book The Muria and their Ghotul. It can be said with convenience that premarital sex plays in Muria play a definite role in selection of future life partner.

India is a diverse country, people of all major religion of the world reside here, hundreds of tribes carry out their distinct cultural and traditional practices, thousands of dialects are spoken, and regional variations in traditions are immense in people of same religion. This diversity was precisely the reason why Article 44 of the Constitution i.e. to enforce a uniform civil code was made a Directive Principle of State Policy, rather than being placed in Part III of the Constitution that could have coerced state to go for homogenization thus wiping out immense cultural capital imbued in social moorings in India and which could have endangered the unity of the nation.

The judge has relied on religion to make his point while forgetting that there are people who do not profess any religion, there are communities who cannot be called to be under ambit of any religion. Although there are enough examples to show that premarital sex was prevalent in ancient India but even if religion prohibits something would it be reasonable or rational to proscribe the same things now, more than thousand years of the period when all the major religion of the world have establish themselves. If religion is to prevail we should bring monarchy back and abrogate hard earned democracy and all other modern institutions and principles too.

Indian judiciary is always commended to bring justice closer to poor by bringing right to food, right to sleep, right to work etc under Fundamental right to life with dignity, thus hailing itself the guardian of their protection. Sex, like food and sleep, is a biological need thus should be considered as a part of right to life with dignity, at least to the extent that when two consenting adults are willing to engage in it, state shall not intervene. Then there is sexual activity among those who are in live-in relationships which our judiciary has not rendered illegal or even immoral and right so. Further speaking sex is part of expressing a person’s feeling to other and thus an inherent part of freedom of expression yet another Fundamental right. The judge should have remembered that consensual sex above age of consent is not forbidden by any law in India. Logic of age of consent itself gives credence to premarital sex.

In recent times many judgments seem to decide what two consenting adults can do in their bedroom. State should rescue itself from private domains and acquiesce itself strictly to sacred contract, focusing on governance and developmental issues, violating which it could engender chaos and tyranny.

January 23, 2014

Is Love Marriage a Sin?

Couples continue to be killed for marrying against the will of their families, mostly because these marriages, as are vaguely declared, do not conform to the socially sanctioned moral procedures. Most of the time these marriages are either love marriages and have no consideration of caste or religion; this is why they have become major bone of contention, as they are not prescribed by fossilized caste based society.

It is hard to fathom any logical reason behind the widespread resistance even while many medical researches indicate better future prospects of the children born out of intimacy brought out by love marriages. Even the reading of religious texts, mythology, ancient inscriptions tow the similar line. If religious texts and mythology is supposed to be highly reflective of the contemporary society, then certainly we have a very mature tradition of love marriages for at least last 3000 years. We even have historical element at our disposal to support our line of thought.

If epics like Mahabharta are to be  believed as representing historical happenings, then I dare say, that many of the marriages that solemnized were not only love marriages but again there was no consideration of caste. To name a few, King Shantnu and Ganga, King Shantnu and Satyavati, Arjuna and Subhadra, Bhima and Hidimba, Abhimanyu and Uttara and there are many more not so well documented like that of Rishi Parasara and Matsyagandha (Satyavati). While Shantnu and Bhima belonged to Kshatriya clan, Satyavati and Hidimba were either tribal or belonged to what was called lower rung of society.

If ancient secular literature is to be read in this light then both of the major texts of the Gupta period concur with my presumption that love marriage would have been common phenomenon then. For example Abhigyanshakuntalam composed by Kalidasa brings out the love story of King Dushyant and Shakuntla, who gave birth to Bharat on whose name the tribe Bharatha name to be recognized and later the name of our nation was christened. Mrichchhakatika by Shudraka deals with the love affair of a poor Brahmana trader with a beautiful courtesan.

Many convincing arguments can be presented in favour of presence of practice of love marriages among common masses like presence of twelve type of marriage (many of which are rather irrational) in religious texts, large number of instances of love marriages in fictional literature and mythology. While lack of phenomenal number of such example in chronological history of common man can be attributed to the lack of the interest of nobility in his life and absence of record keeping behaviour of common man.

But still there are many examples in history such as Yami, sister of Yam insisting on love marriage while her brother protesting. Prabhavati, (daughter of Chandragupta 2, a Gupta period Vaishya ruler) marrying Yakataka prince, a Brahman. Medieval history too has specific instances, the most exemplary being the young Jahangir marrying 35 years old, widowed, but vivacious Nur Jahan. Inter-religion marriages were quite common too. Presence of large number of sub-castes also indicate inter-caste marriages that might have taken place while commingling of dominant clans with tribes was a very common phenomenon.

So if one is to consider the historical aspect than it can be said with certainty that love, inter-caste or inter-religion marriages are not sin. Love marriage can also be seen from socio-philosophical angle as they ensue gender equity, put a brake on retrograde practices like dowry and helps in breaking fossilized social structures that obstruct development of healthy society.

June 14, 2012

Irony of a girl in India: Sex object, Second Gender, Equal Partner?

“Girl” what comes to mind when one got to hear or read this word? There are two prominent versions that represent the forefront of mind’s horizon. In the first version, what human mind characterizes is the appearance whose most likely adjectives connotes an ultra modern figure, dressed in skimpy clothes, tight jeans and clothing whose appearance gives the glimpse of promiscuous entity. While the second version being strictly conservative in nature depicts a portrait where woman has been reduced to degraded wretch, shrouded in the veil of male hegemony, wrapped in the so called societal moralities, carrying on what ‘wise man’ euphemistically called household or motherly responsibilities.

Ever though both these versions plague our psyche, why do ‘men’, even in this ‘satellite age’ still cling to old, irrational and decrepit system of thought? There are no easy answers to it, only conjectures, and the one which suits the ordeal and which satisfies the maximum quest is conditioning and commissioning of human mind.

An unfortunate legacy that is passed on to future generations has survived is the onslaught of Western Modernism. A legacy has silently taught us that we ‘males’ are superior than our female counterparts since our physical built is far stronger. Similar arguments are common with regards to intellect and spirituality. Some people will use this line of argument while forgetting the pain enduring prowess of a woman which is far stronger. If to tow an egalitarian line then we can refer to, Gandhiji who once remarked “woman is companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity…..if by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man’s superior, if nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with woman”.

Reverting back to the original visualization how both of these descriptions are instrumental in culmination and perpetration of the worst crime against woman’s dignity and her modesty, namely “rape”.

First visualization is the handiwork of the neoliberal media advertently propagating sexually explicit content. We visualize whatever we see. Major newspapers that boost of being most widely distributed dailies have turned into soft porn magazines often carrying “superfluous and unsuitable content” and have terribly misused the freedom of expression and ethical limits that comes with this noble profession. Television advertisements are replete with fairness and freshness agendas often intruding into very private domains. This commoditization coupled with ‘item culture’ of our cinema has portrayed woman merely as “sex object” and has done an irreparable damage to woman’s dignity and further aggravated the modesty concerns. Robbing woman of her individuality it has perpetrated a notion that woman is a promiscuous entity whose modesty can be outraged at whims and pleasures and she is nothing more than the integrated package for relishing carnal desires and a subsidized “keep”.

The second visualization is outcome of traditional practice well entrenched through centuries. Arising out of discriminations, prejudices and social antagonism directed to keep her backward it prevents her from developing into a individual. This continued devaluation and disempowerment of woman that starts at her birth and from that tender age continues till her death infuses in her psyche in a rather subtle manner that she must not transgress the societal boundaries. This whole phenomenon also contributes its bit in making woman meek and timid eventually making her vulnerable to criminal tendencies including rape.

Had the society endorsed the principle of gender-equity espousing man and woman as equal creatures and forwarded that woman too commands respect in equal measure as man, it would have been tougher for criminal tendencies to act against her. It would not have been easier to invade her body without her consent and then woman too being psychologically strong would have resisted any such attempt tooth and nail.

Some of my “so called learned friends” will argue that the woman’s attire or what she wears is also in some way responsible for rapes thus making her culprit and shifting on her all the blame. This is very simplistic view of the deeper malaise. Indeed it is an attempt to save ourselves (males) from the blame for the ill fate we have brought to our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends and to absolve us of all the responsibility that we should bear towards bringing to her respect, equality and dignity. It is my humble opinion that man’s manliness is not in running away from this blame but in correcting the previous wrongs and in respecting her dignity, providing her space for equality.

June 1, 2012

How women are treated during their periods

Since ages woman have always been subjected to sanctions and dictums from more privileged male counterparts in every feudalistic society like ours and even the most optimistic prophet will stumble to foretell when it will come to an end. Her freedom had been curtailed accusing her of licentious and promiscuous behavior, prerogative to don what she wishes had forcefully been snatched voice & even in her own matters, has been muzzled.

Society is replete with prejudices that stink of anathema towards her socio-economic development and obstructs her progress as an equal human being. These prejudices manifest themselves in practices like female foeticides, denial of basic rights, partiality in providing education, good food or clothing and other accessories. Eve-teasing, harassment (physical, mental and sexual), rapes, marital rapes, women trafficking, prostitution are only few names out of horribly lengthy list of ignominious acts perpetrated against woman.

People like me who belong to middle or lower class, are witness to despicable act of wife beating in our neighborhoods. Women even sometimes fall victim to institutionalized apathy. The methods of sexual torture adopted, or the Finger Test conducted on rape victims are the most abominable acts that need to be condemned in harshest words.

The painstaking efforts of activists, reformers, rational and progressive thinkers, Government, NGO’s has met with some considerable success for the emancipation of women. But this success is restricted predominantly to metropolitans where woman are holding managerial, intellectual, political or other respectable positions. The goals are still elusive as far as rural landscape is concerned and only combined concerted effort of all the aforementioned will extend the contours of the bright daylight up to those women that still reel under the shadows of male dominance.  

A cruel practice

Sorry, as I apprehend my social or anthropological incompetence to question or scorn the “millennium” old traditional practices, deeply entrenched and ossified by accumulating fears of indigenous culture being subjugated by western culture, however, horrendous or inhumane these practices might be. I enunciate the practice that offended me when I heard it from one of my friends. And then I launched my so called “investigation”. I elucidate what I found out as I heard, witnessed, discussed and deliberated with my friends, teachers, people and clerics belonging to divergent communities or strata of life. I wish to narrate two correspondences.

Women or young girls are still barred from entering kitchen, religious structures, or from touching utensils or anything that is considered holy or from reading sacred texts during their natural periods. Their access is restricted to a single room where they are rendered shabby treatment flagrantly abusing their sense of dignity and liberty. The practice is entrenched uniformly across the spectrum of society, only the modern societies have liberated themselves from this blot.

Out of the people that I “cross examined”, an educated female friend of mine was very critical of this traditional tract “We are degraded and treated like wretches, we are held in disdain as we might have committed some serious felony and are scorned as sinners”. Then commenting on rural and urban divide in the context of this practice she commented, “Belonging to metropolitan culture is boon to us while our rural sisters’ reel under scruffy treatment meted out to them by elderly women who sometimes connive with their male counterparts. You see how the girls in villages use dirty cotton clothes which sometimes cause serious bacterial and fungal infections that give rise to STDs (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and sometimes even cancer”. “Girls feel humiliated when they had to rush to toilets during their periods because of absence of proper stuff required and lack of knowledge. Non availability of toilets is one of the major reasons of high girl dropouts from school and consequently low women literacy”. When I entreated her to remonstrate and demur she lamented, “Pranay, we have accepted it as our preordained destiny. We are victims not only of amorous desires of man but also of religious and traditional structures”.

In another instance I landed a young cleric into an unusual discomfiture when I enquired, “Is it true”. Initially baffled at my question he calmed down and reluctantly replied in affirmative. “These practices have continued from million years, now we can’t change them”. When I further pressed him, he bulged, to my dismay “Don’t you see, during this time women are full of dirt and filth, aren’t they unholy”? I remained tightlipped, only reflected that how can a process in which lies the source of continuity of human life be unholy. I couldn’t get the answer. Do you have any answer for it????

March 20, 2012

Muslim Youth can bring the change in Community

“The status of Indian Muslims are below the conditions of Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes” was the summary of grave indictment of not only the economic conditions of community that failed to unite as a formidable political force but also of the farcical notion of minimal secularism endorsed by majority community which repeatedly failed to disburse justice, social and economic; liberty of thought and expression; and freedom of faith and worship to minority communities.

Sachar Committee report in a stark revelation pointed out “the overall percentage of Muslims in bureaucracy in India is just 2.5% while Muslim constitute above 14% of Indian population”. It is not only disturbing but also unfathomable that the community, which endowed nation with its first Education minister, lies at the lowest pedestal of this platform. What went wrong? What was the glitch?

Political “use” of the community in the name of Muslim vote has done more harm than good to it. The absence of a credible leader who can enforce a vision for the development concerns has squandered the communities’ unity into the cruel playful hands of proxies who had consistently used the community for their political aggrandizement and backtracked on the promise while being in power.  

The political fragmentation has rendered muslims powerless in demanding their justifiable rights often enjoyed by classes that are higher in economic status and consequently not unworthy of these benefits. It’s high time to put a brave front before 2014 elections, Muslims should start uniting themselves and press for reservations in jobs, educational institutions etc and demand better dividends in exchange for their valuable votes.

Communal and majoritarian politics has imbued a sense of alienation that has further entrenched and ossified its problems. The Hindutva movement inculcating itself in horrendous demolition of Babri Masjid and in carnage of Muslims in Gujarat has pushed the community to ghettos. Instead of fighting for justice the community segregated itself from mass politics, belittling itself to be a hapless child, while its protector turned its back onto it. This segregation has manifested itself in real and perceived discrimination in jobs education development cultural promotion. This lack of amalgamation with society has backfired, consequently resulting in poverty, lack of education, awareness, and problems of mistrust and misunderstanding with other communities. Its time to learn from past experiences and thrive to build a solid foundation of amity and peace with others. It’s time to clear all misjudgments of understandings and to press harder for justice.

Lack of Muslims at higher designations in government set up can be stated as one of the reason of its systemic and systematic neglect and discrimination. Firstly the serious lack of educational institutions particularly devoted for the welfare of the community and secondly the alleged proclivity towards religious education over modern education can be behind these lacunae. Biased or prejudiced media sections propagate their own agendas that further vilify the community and had added to its woes.

Young Muslims holds the key for the desired change of attitude for upliftment from the present conditions, for betterment and for overall development of community in particular and nation in general. Young Muslims who are taking part in societal development aggressively will bring back volley of justice. They are the ones who will rise above petty considerations and cut the strings of consistent injustices perpetrated systematically upon the community for decades. It’s not easy; it will be a huge task, indeed a challenge. If they fail, it’s not the community only that will fall, but a whole world will fall. Do you accept the challenge??????

February 29, 2012

Who will reform the criminals?

This gruesome incident, although common occurred when I had boarded bus No 429 from vicinity of Old Delhi railway incident and finding all seats preoccupied, adjusted me in gallery, supported by elevated platform. Near me stood Kyamuddin, a frail man with squeezed face, and a girl dressed in yellow tops but to be honest I didn’t’ noticed color of her jeans.

While I was relishing (with my eyes closed) Gazals sung  by Gulam Ali, a boy about 18 appeared from nowhere and inserted himself forcibly between me and Kyamuddin. I opened my eyes to ascertain his intentions. His personality wandered miles away from that a decent boy. Ruffled hairs, wandering eyes, embarrassed face, and mutilated clothes gave me an impression of him being a pickpocket. Instantly I signaled to him that I was ‘consciously’ awake. Apprehending my judgment he displaced far from me .He then unsuccessfully attempted to steal contents of another young man’s pocket standing beside him. Realizing what was going on, this young man clubbed both his hands and slapped and abused him incessantly. Two three other boys waged past through me and hurled upon him a volley of punches, kicks and slaps. He turned black and blue and blood started to ooze out of his mouth. Sensing trouble he was evicted from bus.

After restoration of calm I asked Kyamuddin whether this punishment will teach him a lesson not to repeat his dastardly act again. Kyamudddin out rightly rejected my assertion and further added that tortured at the hand of humiliation, guilt of failure will prompt him to prove himself good at this profession again. Two questions instantly raided faculties of my mind. One, if this treatment will not deter him, what was the use of it and what should be prescribed then? Another, why so many people jumped into foray to test their strength on this pitiful creature?

Reasons

It has been proved time and again that all crimes are committed under the state of “psychological imbalance” caused by different factors. Dostoyevsky astutely conveyed the point through “Crime and Punishment”. In the light of this knowledge search for reasons becomes imperative. Why and in what situation crime was committed, what were justifications suggested, if any by the perpetrator?  Pondering over these questions prepares a background to understand the cause of tragedies. Lack of education, moral and ethical degradation, economic hardships and easy way to earn money lie at the root of small crimes such as loot, pick-pocketing and chain snatching etc. Disparity in wealth distribution, attraction to lavish and exuberant life style prompts teenagers to adopt unethical ways to earn easy money.

The second aspect of problem is an insidious frustration coupled with anger that is brewing up in common masses, reason being the flaws in justice delivery system. People now believe that no purpose will be solved by approaching the ‘over archaic’ police administration or ‘tortoise paced’ justice system. Rather than wasting time and money in due processes they find it better to disburse the “justice” at their own even if it leads to deplorable human right violations.

If steps are not taken to reinvigorate justice delivery system, ramifications can be unimaginably harsh. Nation might be plunged in a dismal state of spontaneous violence that might put our democracy in peril.

What shall we do?

All of us witness similar incidents in our daily lives but we tend to ignore suspecting moral bankruptcy of people involved. What we need is introspection, a soul searching for the reasons that lead to the culmination of such problems. We ought to take a rather sympathetic view and tread reformative path as Gandhiji said “Hate the crime not the criminal” as there is always a possibility of reform of the person involved. Even Shaheed Bhagat Singh espoused Reformative theory of jurisprudence “Reformative theory is now widely accepted and necessary for human progress. It aims at reforming the culprit and converting into a peace loving citizen”.

So it is a humble request to all fellow rational people to adhere to reformative practices rather than venting their ‘justified’ anger on less fortunate creatures. Many a crime can be averted and it will be a huge step forward for civilization, away from barbarism professed now in name of retributive and deterrent principles. 

February 6, 2012

Read Rushdie befor you protest against him

“I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the last your right to say it” remarked Voltaire one of the greatest philosophers the world has ever seen, stretching the defining boundaries of the democracy to its widest possible. Lately the democratic rights and liberty of individuals had been trampled upon by state, “cultural, religious” and political organizations. In some cases state had even intruded in private domains of individuals, flagrantly abusing the fundamental rights of human being, envisioned in our constitution.

In past films had been banned, citing presumptive disruption of law and order. Aarakhshan was released in UP only when Supreme Court strike down the state order banning the film. Essays has been expunged from syllabus, books had been banned in universities and states. A gory incident came into light from Kerala, where hands of a Professor were chopped by some religious fundamentalists upon appearances of some “uncomfortable questions” in question paper.

Self-aggrandizement and cheap publicity are the only motive that play role in the background of opposition emanating from so called cultural organization. The need of scoring political points and sympathy seems to be the hidden agenda behind overt endorsement of undemocratic, sometimes irrational lines by the political parties. The rising intolerance ensue the refusal to accept the differing opinion and robs the protagonist of an opportunity to stand corrected if wrong. And if the opinion is correct it opens new avenues of thinking and suggests new paradigms for research and development of the niche.

Recently certain Muslim organizations have opposed the participation of novelist Salman Rushdie in Jaipur Literature Festival starting this Friday. These organizations had warned of protest all over Rajasthan if government failed to stop his participation in the event. In another instance an essay by Ramanujan was expunged from the syllabus by reputed Delhi University, apparently bulging under the threat from so called “cultural groups”.

Now the question is how many of those who protested, vandalized or threatened have actually read the book or the essay. If they haven’t read it, then their opposition can be perceived as a despicable agenda to denigrate the author and his artistic work or an attempt to earn cheap publicity for themselves. And if the claim is that they have read it, than it is unreasonable to debar others from reading it. To think that others are less educated to understand or interpret the author is actually the poverty of mind and intellect. Even, it is unwise to claim the moral leadership of a community, advising the community what to read and what not to, whom to interact with and whom not with, whom to listen and whom not to. Portraying oneself as a self-appointed messiah is not always appreciated. Organizations that have opposed Rushdie’s participation are attempting to snatch the right of liberated readers to interact with the author. These organizations have seriously undermined the capability of Indian readers to question the controversial author, or to rebut his claims if not agreed upon.

Being against criticism only ossifies religious set up, makes it stagnant and fundamentalises it. Criticism if seen constructively can modernize not only religious set up but other parameters of social structure too. So need is to, at least hear other perspectives too, even if we don’t agree.

We already have a shameful blot on our conscience, when the nation refused permission to its 95 year old, most respected and honored painter, who wanted to breathe his last air in the soil in which he was born. But he died in an exotic country, aren’t we ashamed enough? Do we want more???

January 19, 2012

Let us talk about Sunny Leone!

Sunny Leone, a Canada based Indian origin porn star grabbed the attention of young male community of our nation from the day the news of her induction in “ Big Boss“ broke, she has been the topic of debate among male community, be it office goers or college students. She fulfilled the prime objective of the daily SOAP, for which she was inducted. The SOAP was watched anxiously by thousands of TV viewer to get a glimpse of celebrated porn star. Popularity as well as viewership of TV channel soared. She also received constant media attention. Media channels too tried to reap the fruit, introducing her to the real civilized world. Her media popularity reached all time high. She becomes one of the most searched celebrities at Google and the demand of the websites, especially devoted to her, raised as expected. Newspapers printed her photo on their front page as it was, as they say on “public demand “.

What everyone missed was a subtle experiment that was unfolding not much conspicuously. An experiment that is engrained in ethics of human morals and dignity, even though its roots were deeply buried in narrow consideration of raising TRP of the channel itself.

It will be better to interpret it this way, a porn star (who is supposed to be representative of the porn world) brought to the “civilized and dignified world” through the medium of a commonly watched household program “Big Boss”, where she is eagerly watched for her activities. And the conclusion drawn from her mischievous acts is that she is not different from all of us. She talks, acts, behave like all of us, what then hinders her progress in our "dignified and civilized world". Now the bitter questions arise, when she is a common prototype of a woman, are not we humane enough to accommodate her in our so called “Civilized Society”, so that the chances of her falling back to flesh trade can be minimized if she wishes so. Are not there million others, who are well behaved too, but had fallen prey to the hands of compulsion and carnal desires of humans? Why then this abject apathy toward these hapless creatures, don’t they deserve a better dignified life? Why people like her fall apart from us just because of her work or job?

It is our moral bankruptcy that we dodge these troubling questions, that see us in our faces and utters a loud, why?

Even in the past efforts had been made to bring back people. But these efforts were too small and too localized at personal level and failed grievously. This is the opportunity that the civilized world (we) need to snatch and make a big reset in its efforts to make this world a real civilized one.

Porn industry is a billion dolor industry and its proponents will thwart any attempt made to reform their world. But the world won’t find a better opportunity to make a start somewhere and Sunny could well play the role of brand ambassador, guiding million other unfortunate girls that had to sell their bodies to fill their bellies. She could play a role model for them who want to follow suit and seek refuge in arms of civilianization.

Even though it will be quite difficult to hold her back in this side as her demand in porn industry has increased manifold and there is danger of impinging upon her personal wishes and desire too. To contain, control or disband the thriving porn industry is beyond the capability of institutionalized set up. A concerted proactive support of civilized society is needed to uproot the sordid degradation of human life. Morality is complaining, the civilized world needs to adopt her, or the experiment will fail, shaking the very foundation of the civilized world that itself eulogize moral principles.

RADICAL REFORMS REQUIRED IN UNITED NATIONS

A recent event that was supposed to raise many eyebrows and to stir up a boiling conundrum for a debate pertaining reforms in structure of UN (United Nations) failed to meet the eye of expectation. Although the event was not drastic in itself but it symbolizes the hegemonic attitude of unipolar world and its refusal to acknowledge the changing realities of power dynamics.

Recently U.S, angered upon the admission of Palestine in UNESCO as its 195^th member, stopped funding to the UN agency. This freeze upon donation left the agency grasping for breath and forced it to slash the spending on schemes committed to welfare of educationally deprived section of the society.

Although the UNESCO inclusion of Palestine will have no impact on its bid for full membership of UN that will result in its formal recognition as an independent and newest nation, even then the incident indicate the lack of commitment on the part of major powers to liberate the world from the corridors of “manufactured and imposed” peace .

Eroding of traditional economic structures coupled with emergence of new world and shifting of economic centre towards Asia shall entail sharing of political clout leading to stable multipolar world based upon the principle of “mutual understanding” and “healthy competition” in long run. The present approach of hegemonic domination combined with an urge to control more and more resources will only result in unabated friction and unnecessary confrontation.

Emergence of regional structures like ASEAN, BRICS, SCO, IBSA and others on one part and emergence of individual aspirations of economically rising powers such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa vying for greater political participation and deeper involvement in decision making that will shape the face of humanity in future, will have a bearing on every future political discourse.

In the backdrop of some other related incidents eq. imposition of unilateral sanctions on Iran, misuse of liberty of sanctions in Libya to overthrow an established regime in disguise of providing protection to civilians etc, a need is to create new world order that will be transparent, accountable and determined to prevent rampant human right violations either by governments or by external agencies, and to put a check on whimsical actions of major powers.

Light of this argument presses for the radical structural reforms in world agency UN in general and Security Council in particular. The need is to bring on the same pedestal those victims of the colonialisation or inadequately represented ones that were left out in unjustified race of unequal partners. Even if the dominant powers concede to the demand of reforms, the question arises, who can be accommodated and what shall be the criteria for inclusion? Shall the population, economic prowess, diversity of cultures and lack of proper representation be made the factor for consideration or something innovated need to be worked out? These determinants can be solved once the conceived goal of reform comes in sight.

Now, it will be interesting to see that how much time the West takes to shed its hegemonic approach and yield to the demand of greater political participation of other powers. The welfare of world lies in the notion of “liberty, equality and fraternity”. Why this seems so monumental when the “third world” asks for it.  

December 30, 2011

Mixed emotions over Mahatma Gandhi

An original thinker, with his own solutions for uplifting India, he is now remembered once a year confined as he is to dust-covered statues at roundabouts, taken care of only by rains.

I' m not going to talk about a panoply of saffron-clad, large-bearded saints who roam the sacred river ghats. Neither is the article about the so-called “godmen” who have perpetuated atrocities on humankind by radicalising a large section of the population, infusing in it a false pride of belonging to one religion or another. I intend to speak in favour of the Mahatma, who lived for a cause and died for the same — a Mahatma who followed and preached the message of peace, non-violence, communal harmony and tolerance. The growing radicalisation, fundamentalism and extremism among youth necessitate a re-emphasis of his ideals, both spiritual and political, more than ever before.

Extremism has permeated society in a major way exhibiting itself in terrorism, racism, radicalisation and naxalism. A solution to all these problems lies in and around the Gandhian philosophy of economic decentralisation and village economy, voluntary reduction of wants, trusteeship, sarvodaya, and ethical principles.

But unfortunately the Mahatma has been abandoned or “made to be abandoned.” Various “religious” and “cultural” organisations are so weary of his legacy that even after six decades of his sacrifice they often castigate him through pamphlets and booklets. The course charted by the Indian political system and academics is responsible for segregating Gandhian philosophy from the masses. My personal interaction with friends, teachers, relatives, and the common people on various fora, at social networking sites and in trains and buses is a testimony. To be honest, a large section of people of this nation has a strong disregard for him, often blaming him for its state of survival.

Hindus, especially those who call themselves “upper caste,” despise him for being “pro-Muslim” and often condemn him for showing laxity and compassion towards our colonial rulers. When it comes to Dalits, they argue that he was the one who stood in their way of progress and characterise him as anti-Dalit. Many Muslims project him as the one who let them down after Partition and argue that he is the “culprit” of their neglect. Some of them even accuse him of bias against Jinnah. Radical youth with a psychic allegiance to violence and extremism admonish him for the sacrifice of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose. They argue that he could have saved both of them. Many laypeople, and several educated persons too, think that he was responsible for Partition. They say that had he favoured Jinnah for prime ministership, Partition wouldn't have taken place.

With my meagre knowledge of history, I find myself gasping at these complex but crucial questions. But I feel that a person who inspired the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to fight against injustice and discrimination and for equality would surely have had something extraordinary in him that made him the most respected, almost revered leader of the masses. An original thinker, with his own solutions for uplifting India, he is now remembered once a year confined as he is to dust-covered statues at roundabouts, taken care only by rains.

I regret that the Mahatma, revered by the likes of Albert Einstein, has been rendered “untouchable” by his own compatriots. 

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/mixed-emotions-over-mahatma-gandhi/article2521196.ece