B'Cognizance » Vibes

Race now matters in the modern society

utkarsh — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 03:34:02 +0000

The assertions about the existence of racism in India is not been taken seriously. Most Indians think racism exists only in the West and see themselves as victims. They do not see themselves having racist attitudes and behaviour towards others whom they see as inferior. They will either remain silent and refuse to acknowledge racism or violently discard it. It’s time they assessed their own attitudes towards people from the country’s North-Eastern states. Many people from the north-east have experienced different forms of racial discrimination time and again, and have thrown light upon the practice of racism in India.

The murder of Ramchanphy Hongray in New Delhi, mysterious death of Loitam Richard in Bangalore, suicide by Dana Sangma, the recent suspicious death of Nido Taniam and other such incidents show the insecure conditions under which people from the north-east India have to live in the metro cities. Things that are common in all these deaths are that all the victims were from the north-eastern states, had that specific appearance, and were considered outsiders in the places they died.

The north-easterners are also being confused with refugee Tibetans due to their quite similar physical features. Thus, another problem arose for the north-easterners when the security personnel had to identity Tibetans on the streets of Delhi. Since Delhi now has a substantial migrant population from the north-east, the forces went about raiding different areas of Delhi, questioning and holding up people from the north-east region and making them suspects. Many were asked for their passports or other identity proofs to prove that they were Indians and not refugee Tibetans. “Authentic” Indians had to mediate in some cases in order to support and become guarantors of the genuineness of the nationality of these north-easterners. Racism is difficult to prove and it is not surprising if racism cannot be clearly established because that’s how racism works.

A strong proof of racism in India is produced by the death of Nido Taniam, a 20-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh, after he was assaulted in New Delhi. It is these vigilant forms of racism that makes the headlines, but they originate from the more concealed forms of racism. They originate from the attitudes of people who believe that the North Eastern community in metropolitans is different from the rest of the people. They are often discriminated on the basis of their Mongoloid traits. Racial comments are a popular form of discrimination just as how Nido Taniam’s blonde hair and red jeans were made fun of. Northeastern girls have to face a double fold discrimination; gender discrimination as well as racial discrimination. The most puzzling fact is that we in India don’t at all believe that we do racism. We think that only the Westerners are guilty of it. But the way the north-easterners get treated is not given the due concern.

Every once in a while, there will be an incident of tremendous, disgraceful violence that would be transparently racial and we will rally around and voice our anger but it is these pernicious, everyday forms of racial discrimination that damage our mind and create anger and aggravation. Fighting these everyday embarrassment exhausts our fury and determination to struggle.

To acknowledge that racism exists in this country and that many non deliberate actions might originate from racism can be a good start for fighting the problem. To be ignorant of these issues or to deny its existence means to be a culprit of the biased system. Also, the reason for fighting against racism is not because it is practised against our own citizens but because it is wrong despite of whether the victims of racism are citizens of the country or not. One way to be stern against racism is to recognise and make visible the presence of racism rather than merely adopting legal means to control this discrimination.

Aru Deep
IMB2012034

The Uprising

utkarsh — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 03:33:46 +0000

There are more than a few reasons for me to believe that the general elections of 2014 are going to be historic.

The youth of this country never voted in such large numbers. The media was never this hyperactive before and the psyche of the masses was never this hotbed of national feelings which when played with, break out too frequently, always on a social networking platform and now-a-days often on the streets.

Whether the media manipulates opinions or it does not, whether the opinions are genuine or paid, meant for the good of the masses to direct their thought process to finally decide whom to choose as their representative or simply to run a parallel court outside, none may disagree to the fact that the media has played its part well as the information provider.

India’s multiparty system is problematic at times. Too many voices speaking at the same time not only make things difficult, but given the fact that the voices have an equal weight-age of a single vote, only make things more complex to resolve. Democracy then has to be a number game before anarchy knocks. Numbers decide the future of the country. Not just the bills in the parliament, but also every other activity now-a-days is being done by asking the masses. I believe there is a little tyranny in every democracy. The tyranny that stands for good, helps the democracy, retains its democratic features and restricts it from becoming an autocracy. The little democracy in autocracy always helps the ruler extend his span into territories and retain his hold on the already existing ones. If the autocracy goes completely autocratic, a revolution or an uprising is never far.

We, the 90s kids have grown up listening stories about the China war of 62 and the black-outs in the nights. The 71 war and Indira Gandhi’s initiative of liberating Bangladesh, defeating Pakistan in a humiliating turn of events, which catapulted her popularity to great heights, has always been a thrilling story to listen. JP movement, the Emergency, the assassination of 84 and the riots there after never lost their importance in India’s history. Rajiv Gandhi and his charismatic personality are still discussed. Netaji’s last days as a wanderer monk in disguise has always evoked interest.

We grew up a little and gained consciousnesses to find Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government take the reins and then the nuclear tests followed. Although little, but we understood that bans have been put in place by another democracy miles away offshore. We fought a war with our neighbors and then there happened a regime change. The map showed Delhi- Lahore-Kargil-Agra and finally Kashmir for an infinitely long period of time that followed.

These stories have always had an impact on us. May be, because of the sheer fineness and sometimes complexity with which they were executed. More so because these events have lead us to the state in which we presently live. They have a considerable effect on the evolution of what our society stands as today. Ours has always been a mixed society of faiths, beliefs, cultures, languages, statuses and what not. We have evolved in the past 6 decades to be the land of 121 billion people. Changes occurred; some expected, the others unexpected, sometimes brought in force with the slightest of the majority in the parliament and sometimes with huge support.

What preceded the elections set the grounds for it; scripts were written by political parties and made a part of their manifesto. A second term for the government and the start of India’s annual wealth generating games (read IPL) in 2009. The Common Wealth Games in Delhi brought many controversies with it and a scam of a proportion that India had not seen before. The following year (2010) more scams fell in line and no sector was spared-coal, telecom, housing, sports and even the official documents were burned to hide the wrong doings in the state of Maharashtra. The masses were brimming with anger, but there was no initiate what-so-ever to vent it out properly. “Poora system hi kharab hai”-was always the cry. Nobody ever wondered “System kyu kharab hai aur kaise badlega?” (Why is the system wrong and how will it change?)

The people were sick-and-tired and had taken the everyday state of affairs to be the unwritten and accepted law of the land. Nobody knew how to take it out and on whom to take it out. The politicians who abuse the system and treat it like it’s own personal vehicle for deriving selfish vested interests or the businessmen who work for them or the police who protect them and work hand in hand against the interests of the common masses or any other government employee who doesn’t work unless paid a bribe.

An ombudsman came up with the answer- “its corruption we need to fight”, and the frustrated, angered, agitated masses who had almost no hope of living in an India where things can possibly change rallied behind him in large numbers. All roads then lead to ANNAPOLIS.

The very figures of corruption taking place in diabolical proportions all around took everyone by awe and the struggle to get rid of them by implementing the decentralization of power through Jan-Lokpal caught the fancy of the masses.

The second in command then formed a party later on, and the people made him the apple of their eyes. They flocked to him, benchmarked his efforts and the hardships that his party faced and looked upto him with great expectations. They started to ridicule him one he resigned.

The December of 2012 saw Delhi burn and the cold chill couldn’t help douse the flames. Women’s security was an overlooked issue for long, and this incident brought it to the very fore front of our conscious state of being. She isn’t just a sex object but a human being too. Too many protests and a series of arrest was all it took to prove that. And yes, the candles at the India Gate weren’t burnt in smoke this time. When righteousness is crushed and evil passes all dimensions of wrong doings, dharma has to play its part. Kali had to assassinate Mahishasur. Legal reforms came along and were welcomed.

Social networking entered our lives and we welcomed it with open arms. The likes, dislikes, trending, comments, updates and opinions all became a part of our lives. This vitual world had a reality of its own, not very different from our real lives and the best part is that it makes every single one of the stake holders a participant. Jasmine revolution was fought with Facebook and Twitter as the indispensable weapons of conquest. They not only connected them but also played a pivotal role in bringing the uprising to a success.

In 2030 when I start telling kids, the story of the social events that took place in our times, I think I will start off with something like this-
“Kids, it was the summer of 2014 and the political parties ensured that it becomes an eventful one. Everyone had a fair idea that so as to what May 16 has in store for the India’s parliament and its future.

The corruption crusader party left no stone unturned in bringing to light what has always been wrong with the Indian political scenario. The opposition party lead by the charismatic leader with an impeccable track record of development in his state ensured that each of their efforts get ridiculed to the highest degree, branding them obsolete and the activists as anarchists.

Abuses followed regularly from both sides on facebook which made me think that the ground can’t be riper for censorship reforms to come in place.

As an eligible franchise exerciser myself, I saw that all the parties had some real good motives to stand for and had lost their screws on some other. Disfranchising Muslims for not accepting a Hindu lineage and referendum demands in Kashmir, being some of them. The ruling party was an exception. It failed on all fronts.”

I don’t know how the story will end but I am sure that it won’t be a disappointing one. It will be a good one and so will be the future of this vast, huge and great country.

Afterall, I aint the overage pessimist to not believe that the ruling party is always there to negate opposition and the opposition party always to oppose the ruling party. Being from the opposition party AB Vajpayee represented India many a times in the UN. The parliament then used to be patient enough to listen to the leader’s charismatic, well toned, well thought of and researched and more than attractive words that he graced his listeners with. The poet always kept India first and it did shine, for he lead us into an era where giving up in the path of pursuing isn’t an option for a progressive India which is ever ready to die-hard for its goals.

“haar nahi manunga…
raah nayi thanunga…
kaal ke kapaal par likhta mitata hun…
geet naya gaata hun …geet naya gata hun !!! ”

(I will write, erase and rewrite my destiny everytime with a new song everytime I fail!! )

I accept, the parliament isn’t the same anymore. Currency notes now come up, brawls happen, pepper sprays are used and question hour hardly answers any question.

Here is an underage optimist wishing Mr. Modi a very happy Prime Ministership and Mr. Kejriwal a happy innings in the opposition for the coming term.

May god give our representatives the strength to discriminate between right and wrong, and guide their actions with righteousness on every step. May they come out from the shackles of prejudices and petty party politics and think as Indians first and something else later on.

Divyanshu Ojha
IMB2012022

Roadmap for educating underprivileged people

utkarsh — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 10:59:42 +0000

In recent times, our country has made a lot of progress in many fields such as science& technology, health, education, food security etc. Progress is encouraging in some fields, but education sector is not getting the attention it deserves. Especially the underprivileged members of the society are far behind in reaping the benefits of modern education. Some may ask is it important to educate these people, when basic amenities of life food, water and shelter are also out of reach for them. Is it not necessary that the primary focus should be on providing these basic things? The answer is that education can solve most of the problems very easily which otherwise need a lot of effort. For example, if a poor is educated, he can get a job. This employment opportunity will help him to feed his family members, provide them health care, shelter and education. Thus education will help in a cyclic manner. There is no denying in the fact that education is indispensable for downtrodden people. It is the only medium through which poverty can be defeated. More than 60 years have passed since independence yet the poverty is present in our country. The political parties have not shown enough will to solve this problem. So instead of being dependent on government subsidies and freebies, the poor people should be educated so that they can make a decent living.

Now the question arises how to educate these people. There are numerous challenges present in achieving this goal. Some of the key challenges are-

1)      The government run schools are unable to provide the quality education.
2)      The private schools are too costly to be afforded by these people.
3)      There is lack of awareness among these people.
4)      Our education policy is not favorable to these people.

The above challenges can be tackled but we need a sound framework with honest implementation and monitoring mechanism. Firstly we need to understand that the requirements of downtrodden people are entirely different from the middle class or higher class people. In most of the cases the economic condition is too weak as a result all the family members including child are forced in labor work. There is lack of encouragement for these people to educate their children.

Now what is the solution? This problem has to be solved at two levels. On way is through government efforts. The other way is through public private and society partnership. The government has enacted some legislation such as The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE). However the implementation of such legislation is not very effective. We need to ensure that act serve the purpose for which it has been enacted. The civil society need to pressurize the government to implement this act strictly. We need a special act for the marginalized society, which ensures that every child of such society gets free education up to graduation level. There should be job oriented course structure, which ensures that they get a job after completing their study. If this happens it will be big encouragement for poor people to send their child to school. The private sector has an active presence in the education field. However they are costly, the government can give subsidies to the private schools to educate the poor’s children. At the panchayat level, a monitoring committee should be formed which will be entrusted to ensure that the government schools are functioning properly. The committee should also organize awareness camps, where parents should be told about the benefits of education. The NGOs and private bodies which are working in this field need to increase their efforts. They should encourage the educated youth to join their efforts. The focus should be on the needy people. Learning method employed should not be of rote type. It should be more of a practical approach. Some short term courses need to introduced, which provide the basic skills to be employable in industry. In past our country needed “Green revolution” to solve the problem of food, now we need an “Education revolution” to solve many problems. This “Education revolution” should focus on the marginalized society. Each and everyone the government, private bodies and society have a role to play in this revolution. There are some states in our country which have already achieved a lot in this field. The experience of such states need to used to solve the problem of other states.

So the need of the hour is to make understand everyone that, quality education should be within the reach of poor people. It is their right, we need to work together so that underprivileged have access to their right.

Vivek Singh
IWC2012013