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India needs Anna. Alive.

India needs Anna. Alive. Shobhaa's Take

What we are witnessing is a display of collective wrath.

The sort of sup- pressed, accumu- lated rage that has finally found an outlet in Anna

At the time of writing (11th day of the fa mousfast), Anna Hazare is still alive.
That statement sounds crass... crude... shocking.
It is meant to. I think we have all lost the plot. And in the cacophony of all the noises and voices, we have conveniently overlooked the one person who is at the centre of it all -Mr Hazare. He has been reduced to a sideshow, a mascot, as his overzealous keepers continue to exploit his frail persona and use Mr Hazare as a bargaining chip. Mr Hazare's health is now the nation's obsession... its chief concern.
His physical health has become the barometer for the nation's emotional health. If anything happens to Mr Hazare... and let me put it bluntly... if he dies, it will lead to consequences that may be far more terrible than rejecting the Jan Lokpal Bill.
But, of course, in polite societies, we don't talk about the death of someone who is very much alive. As of now, the stand-off is on. There's no resolution in sight. But heaven help us, if the situation suddenly deteriorates and his health fails.
Hey bhagwan! Till then we shall have to put up with a parade of assorted personalities holding forth on TV channels.
Bristling belligerence getting the better of some.

While other lightweights opt for catchy hyperbole. An overenthusiastic ad man described the Ramlila gathering as a Kumbh Mela. Carried away by his own imagery, he went on to declare that the crowds could be still bigger than the pilgrims who gather for the holy dip during the Kumbh. His wild exaggerations were understandable -we have reduced the entire protest to a pathetic game of numbers (“Mine are bigger than yours...“).
Awestruck TV anchors urge their camera crew to sweep cameras over the surging crowds and then rhapsodise over the spectacle. A few hand-picked commentators (“especially flown in”) hold forth from the Ramlila Maidan and assure viewers they have never witnessed anything like this — the scale, the fervour, and of course, the numbers! It’s always about the numbers. An irate housewife from Noida rants about rising prices and how she has to pay bribes to get a gas connection.

The anchor turns to the camera with a triumphant look and thunders, “The entire nation stands solidly behind this lady… this is India’s second freedom struggle.” And then it’s back to this season’s biggest reality show… poor Rakhi Sawant will need to do something

more than flash her eyes and cleavage if she wants those TRPs.

While Salman Khan must be scratching his head to come up with a clever gimmick to promote Bodyguard. As of now, there is just one bona fide superstar in India, and that’s Mr Hazare.

But what of the screechy, shrill supporters who chant “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat mata ki jai” on cue the minute cameras cut to close-ups? Emotions are running dangerously high. When that happens… anything can happen. It’s like a flash flood or a bush fire.

Or open heart surgery.

Timing is everything.

As of now, the protests have been admirably non-violent. Those who have taken to the streets have done so only because they fervently

(perhaps, naively) believe it is a do-or-die moment — if they let this opportunity go, another one may be a long time coming.

There is hope in their hearts that the protest (more against the scourge of corruption than a thumbs up for the Jan Lokpal Bill), will lead to seminal change. Will it? So far, the country has been governed by a succession of elected representatives (irony!) who have ruled like history’s worst despots — no questions asked! What we are witnessing across India is a display of collective wrath. The sort of suppressed, accumulated rage that has finally found an outlet. For that alone one must thank Mr Hazare. If Mr Hazare’s patience has worn thin, it’s in perfect sync with the sentiments of the people. Perhaps for the first time in 64 years, the aam aadmi believes the time has come to aggressively challenge those who have trampled on and abused their trust for six decades. The ordinary citizen is experiencing a heady feeling of instant empowerment after years of being resigned to accepting powerlessness as their collective “fate”.

Armed with this new weapon, trusting citizens continue swarming different venues across India demanding to be heard. This has been the single biggest achievement of Mr Hazare. No wonder Manmohan Singh was gracious enough to honour and salute Mr Hazare during his uncharacteristically emotional address in Parliament. What we are witnessing is living, throbbing democracy in motion. It is an image that will endure long after the impasse ends, and everybody goes home to carry on with his or her life… the significant difference being, from this moment on, it will be a transformed life, an aware life, an entitled life. And most crucially, a life that comes with a built-in assurance that in a democracy, every voice counts, even the one that disagrees with you.

For all this to happen, India needs Anna. Alive.

The countdown has begun.

Kailash Kher For Anna Hazare- Ambar tak yahi naad goonjega

No proof of RSS link to Bapu killing: Jurist

No proof of RSS link to Bapu killing: Jurist

Aug. 7: The former Supreme Court judge, Justice K.T. Thomas, who came in for severe criticism for his remarks absolving RSS from Mahatma Gandhi assassination said he still stuck to his guns.

“Godse was part of RSS. But, he'd left the organization before he killed Gandhi since he found it too soft. So, you can't blame it on RSS“, Justice Thomas told this newspaper.

He said judiciary in the country, so far, couldn't find any evidence against RSS.

The case was first heard at Red Fort by Justice Atmacharan who didn't find any RSS link. Nor the bench headed by Justice Khosle.

“Later, Nehru even ordered a probe which drew a blank. After this, in 1966 Indira Gandhi ordered a judicial probe headed by Justice J.L. Kapoor who also couldn’t find any RSS connection”, he revealed.

When the whole judicial and democratic means had been expended, the country should put an end to the debate, he said. He said, the biography written by Robert Payne, author of The Life and Death of Mahatma Gandhi also couldn’t find any RSS link. “My comment on the subject should be treated as a judicial analysis”, he observed.

Stating that Congress leaders like Mr. Ramesh Chennithala wouldn’t know much about history, he said RSS was still being blamed for minority votes. “I don’t know whether Chennithala had read Robert’s work”, he teased.

He further said when Gandhi was assassinated, the then RSS president M.S. Golwarkar was in Madras. “The outfit went into an immediate mourning. Ideologically, we may differ. But, you can’t question their patriotism”, he said.

He recalled visiting the cell in Andamans in 1997 where Veer Savarkar was lodged for 27 years. “I could see many poems he’d written on the wall using stone, because, authorities never gave him anything to write”, he recalled.

Godse was part of RSS. But, he'd left the organization before he killed Gandhi since he found it too soft. So you can't blame it on RSS. “

K.T. Thomas ex-SC judge

Spare RSS, Respect Judicial Findings

Aug. 7: Even as Justice (retd.) K.T. Thomas’ remark on the Gandhi assassination makes waves, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Sreekrishna Kulkarni, asserted it was not right to link the RSS name.

“In 63 years’ time the Government of India has instituted many judicial commissions and committees to investigate the assassination. None could establish the RSS connection”, Sreekrishna told this newspaper.

“The children of Gandhiji have never tried to obstruct or influence the impartial investigation of this case”, he reminded.

Mr. Sreekrishna said it was time people learnt to respect the judicial findings in the matter and rested the issue.

As for RSS, he said it’s also an organization of national stature which had contributed immensely to the nation’s development.

“It’s incorrect to drag the RSS name again and again.

So, it’s my considered view that the matter shouldn’t be raked up again and again for petty political reasons”, he appealed.

Mr. Sreekrishna also revealed that after Bapu’s assassination his grandfather Ramdas Gandhi had written to Nehru requesting him not to hang Godse.

“But, his request was turned down by Nehru,” he revealed.

http://dc-epaper.com/PUBLICATIONS/DC/DCH/2011/08/08/index.shtml?ArtId=009_005&Search=Y

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Money and Muscle Power Cut the Roots of Democracy

Money and Muscle Power Cut the Roots of Democracy

K S VENKATARAMAN

Democracy, spoken of highly as a form of government in the modern era, can easily become corrupt and inefficient. It may become kleptocracy if the people do not understand the value of their freedom; if do not identify themselves with the nation as a whole; if cannot see through the chicaneries of the politicians; if buy the cock and bull stories of the politicians and are ready to get caught in emotional conflicts among themselves; if fail to elect right persons as their representatives and entrust the task of governance with them.

In a country like India, the politicians have a number of cunning schemes to keep the people divided; they use religion, caste, language, region and what not, to create divisions among the people; they tell them mischievous stories with historical distortions and make sure that different sections of the people hate one another. By this they try to develop captive vote banks.

Naturally they attract criminals to political parties and use them effectively against law-abiding majority during the umpteen conflicts shaped by themselves. This helps them to keep well-mannered majority at bay; and to control all political themselves in their control.

In India majority are poor. The politicians are controlling them by bribes and if it does not work, by threats.

For the corrupt politicians, money is not a problem. They are able to grab land, indulge in extortions and run any illegal business with the help of dishonest officials and criminals. With more money, they grow more powerful and vicious. Thus their atrocities spiral up and they make a mockery of democratic institutions, including elections.

For example, let us take Tamil Nadu. Elections have been scheduled on April 13, 2011. Hard cash in crisp notes, totaling Rs.5.11 crore kept in five travel bags on the roof a private bus has been seized in Tiruchirappalli. This is not an isolated case. The unaccounted cash seized during the last few days has touched Rs. 25 crore.¹

Even for a well-educated professional, rupees in crores mean quiet a lot. How can some of these politicians, just by making use of their arrogance and criminal way of life, accumulate enormous wealth within short periods?

The assets of Sai Baba, who has been serving the people for more than seven decades and has followers all over the world, are estimated to be only Rs. 40000 crores! Though for him donations have been flowing in from several countries in millions of dollars, it is only Rs. 40000 crores. By a single scam, a politician is able to swindle Rs.1,76,000 crores within a few years!

In India, full-fledged political reforms, supported by suitably revised constitutional support, are urgently called for. For this, corrupt politicians are not going to take any initiative. It is possible only if our youngsters enter politics in large numbers, drive away the corrupt politicians at all levels and tone up governance by educating and involving laws-abiding majority of Indian citizens.

1.   http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Rs-5-crore-seized-from-roof-of-a-bus-in-Trichy/articleshow/7874772.cms?intenttarget=no

Global Citizenship

Global Citizenship

K S VENKATARAMAN

The humankind has reached a critical crossroad.

There is a glorious path towards global peace and happy coexistence for all. But this path is hidden; remains blocked by a myriad of wrong aims and destructive tendencies.

The other path is attractive, inviting and open; with an impressive Welcome Arch, it keeps us blissfully ignorant of the dangerous pitfalls lying ahead! We have got to make a choice between the two alternatives. Making the correct choice depends on our answers to a few questions.

Are we going to examine our aims more closely and revise them for common good; or not?

Are we going to curb our destructive tendencies and work for human welfare; or not?

Are we going to transcend the man-made barriers like nationalism, regionalism, religious fanaticism, caste-ism, and so on; or not?

Are we going to get rid of the Machiavellian line of thinking that goals justify means, and establish our age-old values of having good goals and equally good means; or not?

Are we going to change our identity with the narrow and self-imposed limits and broaden our vision and sense of belonging to the whole universe; or not?

If the grave dangers of terrorism, drug evil, global warming, population explosion, nuclear arms race and so on should be removed, and if our Mother Earth should be available for our posterity as a planet supporting life, we have to do a lot of re-thinking.

We have to learn to think at global level and mentally embrace all the peoples of the world as our kith and kin. From the level of tribal warfare, we have to elevate ourselves to the level of Universal Oneness. We have to push our horizons of thinking and action beyond artificial borders, to make the emergence of global citizens possible.

All of us should become ready to jettison our evils and admire the good in others. When bad things are discarded and good things are absorbed by every one of us, a tremendous positive change can take place in the world. The glorious path towards Peace and Prosperity for the entire humankind would become visible and open.

Of course, we are not the first to think on these lines and work for global peace and prosperity. Many individuals and institutions, including the UNO have been working for these noble aims.

Let us join them and contribute our mite to the emergence of harmonious global village. Let us do what is possible for us to the shaping of Global Citizen, visualized by several great men of the world, like Adi Sankara who spoke of ‘Swadeso Bhuvanathrayam’. (I belong to the country, which includes all the three worlds.) Let us work for the realization of the wisdom expressed in the ancient Tamil adage, ‘Yaathum oore, Yaavarum kelir’. (All places are my native place; all are my relatives.)

Let us work to spread and strengthen the awareness of being global citizens among all the peoples of the world.