Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Are we getting to the top of the pyramid every time something goes wrong?

Rather than focusing on practical and most needed grass-root solutions, we are going higher and higher, each time we are posed with a problem. Certainly this is not the correct approach.

Whilst it is true that the one at the top should be responsible for what his/her subordinates do, it does not mean that the former should be made to bear the brunt for the mistakes committed by the latter.

We as a society are vexed by a faulty system within which we have to work and live. We witness social, economic and political problems everywhere around us. Over the years, we have crossed the state of equilibrium and have been saturated with these ills, so much so that we often tend to give knee-jerk reactions. These overflow with grief, anger and vendetta, which often come as a sudden explosion and at the same time subside in the same rate.

A slow release of these mixed feelings (read pressure), for a prolonged period, may turn out to be meaningful and fruitful. The longer we prolong, the better are we able to device strategies to release the pressure in ways which are sure of making the desired changes. What ensues is a win-win situation. For the ones who react - a slower release allows their stressed mind to come to a state of well being in a phased manner. For the ones who were the causal factor for these ills - it is a better experience, to learn and reform.

Anything which is done at a faster pace than what it is intended to, faces a premature death. More so, it is forgotten by all at the same faster rate with which it unfolded.

Besides the rate of the reaction, equally important are our demands. A sudden inertia does not give us enough time to think and make legitimate demands.

Putting things in perspective, I would like to draw the reader's attention to the recent wide spread demonstrations and a myriad reactions that broke out in the aftermath of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape case and the rape of a 5 year old girl, that happened last week.

As soon as the news of the gang rape case broke, the capital city witnessed some days of intense reaction and people from all sections of the society screamed blue murder. The government reacted to the pressure, initially with force, which was highly regrettable, but later, by appointing a committee to suggest reforms in the prevailing laws related to sexual assault. The committee showed utmost commitment and submitted a comprehensive report to the government, and there ended the saga. The demonstrations, the pointing of fingers, the media debates, the anger amongst the public, all subsided, almost instantaneously. To expect rapes to completely come to an end with this sort of a soap opera was by all means preposterous.

Soon the national capital woke up with the news of the rape of a 5 year old girl. The same outrage, the same reactions, the same blame game, all occupied centre stage. The fact that the victim's parents was bribed to hush up the case and that a lady protester was slapped by a police officer exacerbated the intensity of reactions.

Rather than focusing their energies, and limiting their demands to result oriented ones, people put forth a long list, akin to an election manifesto of a political party, which had more decorated words than content that could be put to practice. Demands by some were that the accused be left in the hands of people (as if no laws existed), others reiterated capital punishment. Some even went to extent of putting forth a demand for the resignation of the Delhi police commissioner.

It is this what happens when our reactions are knee-jerk. Little thought to this will make us understand how we tend to demand the extremes.

Rather than small, but effective demands like community policing, better police training for a people sensitive police force, more interaction between the political class and the people (read voters), need for more people to people interaction and debates, we put forth massive demands.

Instead of trying to clear up the problems at the bottom of the pyramid we go directly to it's summit. For most problems, especially the ones involving the society as a whole, a bottom-up approach is what will work. This is the rule of the game and any attempts to change this will lead to nothing but anarchy.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

My mail to the Chief of National Commission for Women


To The Chairperson,
National Commission for Women,
New Delhi.

Cc - To The Minister,
Ministry of Women and Child Development,
New Delhi.

Dear Mamtaji,

This mail is in reference to your justification given to the media, and through them, to the rape victim, her family and the country that you could not meet the victim in the hospital on the 19th of April, 2013 as it was a 'holiday'. 

I wish a statutory body set up for protecting the rights of women in the country had chairpersons who were, to the least, concern about women. 

I may take this opportunity to remind you that in your message, upon taking charge as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women on the 2nd of August, 2011, you had mentioned that the 'focus should not only be on women empowerment but also on growth and development'. In fact you went a step further. You added that you believed 'that empowerment will also bring down atrocities against women as they will have the strength and knowledge to stand up for their rights'. You even mentioned the need for 'attitudinal changes' to bring down crime against women.

I wish you had not forgotten all these statements you had made and had worked towards achieving these. I wonder how your conscience permits you to say such preposterous things! 

You have set the nation thinking as to how the women of this country can be empowered by the State when people like you chair the very Commission whose mandate is to, inter alia, review the constitutional and legal safeguards of women, facilitate redressal of grievances and advice the government on all policy matters affecting women.

I am deeply distressed by the fact that people like you have made a mockery of such Commissions. By doing so you are not just disrespecting the Constitution of India and the Parliament, but also to the people of the nation.

*****

Following is the link of NCW Chief's address to CNN IBN 


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Why vegetarianism?


Anatomical evidence available tells us that man is made to be vegetarian. We have a smaller mouth opening, short and blunted canines, lesser acidic strength in our stomach enzymes, a liver with no detoxifying agents, longer intestines, so on and so forth.

Meat brings with them the defects of the animal from which they are derived. The unhygienic conditions that prevail in the animal farms and at the butcher’s place are well imaginable. And if you think processed meat is the solution, read further.

Food processing has become a gigantic industry and processed foods in the market are increasing exponentially. The hormones injected into the animals to grow at a faster rate than natural, the diethylstilbestrol (DES) for instance, enhances the growth of cancer and tumor cells. All the more it affects females, right from attaining puberty at younger ages to pregnancy related problems to increased probability of breast cancer.

Behavioral Toxicology scientists’ research tells that high meat protein intake reduces tryptophan (one of the 8 amino acids) levels in the brain, which leads to sleeplessness, anger and aggression. Study of the electrical activity in the brain shows that a vegetarian diet induces alpha waves, indicating muscular relaxation thus promoting wellbeing.

Nature lovers too have a reason to turn vegetarian. Meat contributes to global warming and climate change hence. The livestock sector accounts for 18% of the gas emissions which warms the earth. The animals are fed with huge quantities of corn and soya for faster growth. Studies show that this is responsible for the consumption of up to seven times as much grain as human population.

Lastly, there is a moral basis too. Man has no right to kill and prey on the lower animals. Man is a man because he thinks. Let’s eat for our body as a whole and not just for our tongue.