When strikes cause strokes…

Kerala has doomed to a state when one day in a week is a strike. Are the organizers conduct strikes to safeguard the citizens’ rights or to deny them? Aren’t the leftists and rightists of this land equally deny the rights of people? A thought on the issue

Rather than calling my land as God’s own country, I would call it as a Land of strikes. Each day in Kerala dawns with a news of strike or with a possibility of a strike in the nearby days. The method of organizing strikes to get ones state-defined, judicial rights is definitely good and appreciative, as this attracts attention from the authorities and forces them to take a course of action at the earliest. But, Kerala degrades its value by calling for strikes every now and then. Currently, Kerala organizes strikes for things we cannot call rightful.

Today, private bus association had called for an indefinite strike, which means nobody knows when it will end. This was to protest against Motor Vehicle Department’s (MVD) direction to install speed governors on heavy vehicles (especially on private buses). When there are frequent accidents (two days before, an accident in Malappuram district in Kerala claimed the lives of 13 children) and complaints of over speeding, there is no harm or injustice in MVD’s direction to install speed governors. This is one possible solution to bring safety to the lives of citizens in Kerala, which include the lives of private bus employees too. MVD has launched extensive checking of buses and have cancelled the permits of 300 vehicles, which were illegally on road. Nobody can blame MVD for taking action against vehicles which did not oblige law.

The purpose of law is to bring stability in the society, by punishing the wrong doers and guiding them to the right path. Laws are meant for the well-being of human beings. Why do the people in Kerala or more precisely, the strike organizers in Kerala refuse to understand this simple fact? Perhaps, through organizing strikes, people think that they are executing their ‘right’. It is true, but your rights should not restrict or create hindrance to the lives of others. What is being forgotten here is that every person in this land has an equal right.

As a citizen, a person has the right to travel and voice his opinion on issues. He may not support the strike because that goes against his social policy. The strike organisers have no rights to hurt him by pelting stones or by stopping him from going to work. To say, the strike against MVDs on the issue of speed governor installation is a matter that was hardly supported by any person in Kerala. The people do not wanted to sit at home to support the strike and this was evident when the roads were busier than the usual days. A strike can be only called successful when it receives the support of the masses. It is a method of protest to raise the voice of all, not of one or two.

In fact, the matter what Kerala witness now is a form of ‘left approach’ that projects a rights-based approach. Rights-based approach is one of the best moves to the development. It can stop the bourgeois attitude of power and dominance, as well as stop the means-based approach. But, when this left approach becomes extreme, it harms the society by slowly stooping down to the power and dominance.

To elaborate, Kerala believes in the fad of union formations. This unions or associations are believed to give unlimited power to the people. It is true that the unions prevent the weak in the society from getting exploited. But, what if the strengths of unions are ever increasing? It definitely creates another hierarchy and affects the stability. Kerala is an example of this scenario. ‘Unity gives strength’, but too much of strength creates a greed of power. This greed generates the attitude of dominance over the weak. This dominance are regularly seen when a group of small people called “strike organisers” stops the vehicles from passing by or prevents the shops from opening on a strike day.

Hence, Kerala depicts an interesting picture where the leftists and rightists get narrowed to the same path at one point. The latter already supports a means based approach, by forgetting the rights of people. In turn, the former opposes the latter through union formation and various protests to safeguard the rights. Slowly and steadily, leftists too gain power and they began regulating people, denying the rights of the people. Overall, be it the rightists or the leftists, both deny the rights of the people living peacefully.

Kerala is an exemplification to every land who wishes they had a left approach of development. The land not just shows the benefits of the left approach, but it also shows what happens when the left approach crosses the extreme.

Telangana: Issues to ponder

More than four decades battle for a separate Telangana state is nearing to its closure. The recent political developments confirmed the formation of 29th state in India. On a positive note, the years of bloodshed happened for this reason is finally proving worthy. But for people like me, who look from outside, the situation raises few concerns.

Firstly, the success of Telangana could heavily promote other sectarians in the nation. There could be more wars demanding their own states (Already voices are being raised for a separate Rayalaseema state*). This purely questions our own Constitution that calls for unity. The political parties totally ignored the nation’s priority of ‘Fraternity’ and argued for a divided state. The ‘separate Telangana’ surely wouldn't have been a loud shibboleth if they did not support the movement.

The political gains parties get out the issue are the much hyped topic of today. Discussions are held on whether Congress made a right move by forming a separate Telangana. In fact, are these talks necessary? Citizens’ would soon declare their opinion in the 2014 general election.

Future of Telangana

Rather, it is crucial to talk about the betterment of the lives of people residing in Telangana. There are communities, especially the tribal sector in Telangana who are constantly neglected and deprived off their rights. Their exploitation of other classes of people is an often raised issue of the region. Will the formation of Telangana resolve this? Will the region sees a development in its education and healthcare aspects? An immediate emphasis should be given to such can of worms.

Telangana is a region that showed GDP growth rate better than Andhra Pradesh in yesteryears. Moneycontrol.com* says that during the years 2001 to 2008, Telangana excluding Hyderabad showed a GDP growth rate of 60% (including Hyderabad the growth rate was 63%). On contrary, Andhra Pradesh showed a growth rate of 58% during the same tenure.

The data highlights two things – a) Telangana is a region that can stand by its own and b) Economic backwardness is not the reason for the demand of separate state. Whatsoever, let us hope that the development may not be a problem in that sense.

Hyderabad as a joint capital
Hyderabad, the princely state of Andhra Pradesh is now destined to serve as a joint capital for Telangana for the next ten years. Hyderabad is a region of utmost importance for Andhra Pradesh. Most of the revenue outcomes of Andhra Pradesh owe to this place. Currently, Andhra Pradesh as well as Telangana equally needs Hyderabad for their development. Under this scenario, will there be another fight between them for sharing Hyderabad? Chances cannot be ignored. Minor issues on sharing taxes or transport can activate another scuffle.

In order to avoid further bloodshed, people must be cautious about their political positions. Through the time, energy and amount wasted on war, it is their lives that are becoming poignant. Political parties can play their regular scoop games in the region, but it may provide another social stagnation.

On an overall note, let us hope that the formation of a separate Telangana state is beneficial. New government can come up with strategies that can erase the alienation existing in the place. But for this to happen, the agendas designed should focus on the people residing in the region rather than for power and money gains. 

*Link to Moneycontrol.com article - http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/with-new-statehoodhyderabad-will-telangana-grow-faster_930052.html
* After Telangana, demands for Rayalaseema state get louder - http://www.firstpost.com/politics/after-telangana-demands-for-rayalaseema-state-get-louder-1004815.html

Free speech: Why Indian society unable to handle diverse and complex thoughts?

2013 seems to be a year of controversies involving ‘freedom of expression’. We have Ashis Nandy’s reference to Scheduled castes in context of corruption, Kamal Hasan’s Viswaroopam and Shah Rukh Khan’s take on being a Muslim in India becoming the hearsay. The three issues reveal the inability of media and citizens to handle complex thoughts.

For instance, the moment Ashis Nandy made his remark at Jaipur Literature festival, the news services across the country ran the headlines “SC/ST/OBCs most corrupt: Ashis Nandy.” The news was too simple to explain the context in which Nandy came up with such a remark. Also, it was misguiding enough to provoke the anger and offense across multitudes. Similar was the issue of Vishwaroopam. The media reported the movie as anti-Muslim. Without even a preview being shown, how the media analyzed the movie as anti-Muslim is not known. Whatsoever, diverse comments from functionaries and political leaders emerged. And finally, the movie was sacked. Shah Rukh Khan’s remark of being a Muslim in India in an article published by US based Outlook magazine too brought out a related, but not so huge uproar.

What lies behind this trend of being hyperactive? Is it the inability of the media to handle complex thoughts that led to this? Or is it the ‘murdochisation’ of news that makes the news less serious? If keenly observed, both the factors have contributed to this scenario. The ‘murdochisation’ has made the news too sensationalized and turned it into a form of entertainment. It has also encouraged the simplification of news, that any complex thoughts are disintegrated into meanings that contradict the original one. Besides misguiding the public, this has trained the citizens to think simple.

When the idea of complexity vanishes from the society, it becomes difficult for the people to present their opinions. Every divergent opinion is considered as an attack on some community. What is the need for a community to feel insecure when a movie is made or a comment is said? There is no definite answer for this.

In fact, it is only a matter of engaging with different viewpoints and being sensitive to each other. Also, the citizens need to comprehend an issue before they respond to it. Without these two being done, India will see more number of baseless attacks and arguments in the upcoming months.

Will Kerala emerge or submerge?

For the past three decades, Government of Kerala had nothing to flaunt in the sector of industry and agriculture. Most of the projects undertook ceased at the brink where they begun. The corporate companies were not ready for investment on a land where most of the days are strikes. 

A matter of joy

Here we see a new dawn. With the global connect event Emerging Kerala 2012 occurring from 12th September 2012 to 14th September 2012, hundreds of conglomerates are showing their interest to invest in God’s own country. This will surely execute many of the abandoned, yet aspired projects of the state. A few of them will be Kochi Metro Rail project, High Speed Rail Corridor, Vizhinjam International Deep Water Seaport, IIT Kottayam, Power plant projects and Electronic Parks. 

The fear 

However, the joy also raises a few concerns. When the state heads to a multinational investment hub, it shows an equal chance of being susceptible to few hazards. The major one is the environmental impact. 

Kerala, the land which is known for its scenic beauty can never take the risk of being a land of concrete masses. Hence, the projects that bring fortunes must be executed with care without harming the godly land, protecting every inch of greenery it possesses. A special care may be requested in the case of Cochin because it is a city with innumerable infrastructural developments every day and more are in the offing. It also faces the issue of improper waste management.  

Another foremost issue is about the land transaction. The state with a small area of 38, 863 km2 has to be careful from blindly selling its lands to investors. It is already reported that the land mafias have buckled their shoes. This has to be taken care before the issue gets worsened into a state of social exclusion.

As far as now, the Chief Minister Ummen Chandi has assured that no land will be sold and only providing land for leases are in consideration. Even if those are leases, they have to be clear cut on the papers according to the norms of the acts like the Land Reform Act and Forest Act of 1980. Transparency in the dealings is what is expected out of the Government in such cases. 

Beyond these lawful issues, the government needs to guarantee that no citizen gets affected in the whole process of implementation. With multinational projects coming up, millions have to be rehabilitated and sheltered. Many road side markets and make-shift businesses will get affected. Their right to live can never be ignored. Although no talks are sprung from the part of the Government about this, the issue has to be discussed and get accomplished rightly. 

Above all, the Government must be careful that the weakest sector in the state will not fall back in the race of development. Multinationals come up with products and lifestyles suitable for the middle classes and the upper classes of the state. The employment opportunities which they now highlight as a prime benefit for the state may only cater for a few sector of people. There are high possibilities for the farmers to get expropriated leaving them deprived. 

Beyond making currencies, the prime policy of a state is to ensure its citizens a quality life safeguarding their rights. Let us hope Government of Kerala will remember this while executing the projects through Emerging Kerala 2012, making the state emerging and not submerging. 

Anna Hazare Movement: A film that failed to impress

“The politicians are murderers, rapists, looters, liars, corrupt, cheaters, butchers... They are the worst creatures on earth...

Against them, I form a POLITICAL PARTY!!! Join me and fight for the cause...”

How naive this sounds?

After shouting everything possible against politicians, Anna wants to be one of them. Whose senses had lost? Frankly, nobody gives a damn about Anna’s party. Nobody wants it. Every politician confronting with his own party is coming up with another. Citizens are fed up!

We sensed a political entry when Anna first spoke in support of Narendra Modi. However, he corrected himself in a speech delivered at Gujarat later. Through strategically planned political gimmicks, Team Anna tried to gain a secular, anti-political visage. The support for Sanjay Bhatt, voices against ministers, constant speeches and interviews- all usual ploys were attempted. Yet, the collaboration with Baba Ramdev, the guy clad in saffron with strong Hindutva connections remained as a notable scar on their face.

Bluntly, Anna is just a face upfront and the brain behind is different. Hope it is that of Arvind Kejriwal’s. There could be multiple faces yet to be revealed. Whoever it is, let me tell you-The journey so far is fine. You raised a mass consciousness against corruption. Let us stop this here before heading into another cheap step of political option.

Overall, the Anna Hazare movement was like a film that failed to live up to the expectations of the audience. It was a beautifully shot flick, enriched with the colours of media support (the contrasts of the colors were heavy, actually it harmed the movie). But the climax was pathetic and Anna became a mass hero who betrayed his fans.