WEEKEND LIGHTER: 2017, THE YEAR OF THE VICTIMS

WEEKEND LIGHTER*: 2017, THE YEAR OF THE VICTIMS

 (March 25/26, 2017, No.12/2017)

Feel free to mail your views on this edition of WL to mgwarrier@gmail.com

*Weekend Lighter is posted every Saturday @mgwarrier.blogspot.in

Section III: Analysing the human mind

I

Cover Story

Make 2017 the year of the victims*: CJI

In his inaugural address at the 15th All India meet of State Legal Service Authorities, Chief Justice Khehar, who is also the patron-in-chief of the authority, said he often wondered what had befallen the victims of rape, sexual assault and acid attacks, many of whom were breadwinners for their family.

“Ours is a strange country. The bigger the criminal, the bigger is the outrage. As we have seen before that the convict in a terrorist crime who has failed up to the Supreme Court and also in his review, can get access to justice in a manner that we extend,” he said.

“I have wondered over the years, what about the victims. I have wondered over the years what about the families which have lost their bread earner. I have wondered over the years what about that acid attack victim who has been defaced and cannot survive the society. I think about rape victims and their lives and I wonder why we don’t reach out to them.”

“I wish to make an appeal to you today as a patron of the organisation. Let us reach out to the victims. Make 2017 a year of the victims,” the CJI said.

*The Hindu, March 19, 2017

Link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lets-reach-out-to-victims-says-cji/article17530233.ece

II

Recent responses

Mainstream farm sector

This refers to the report “Centre rules out farm loan waivers” (Business Standard, March 24). After the assets with religious and non-government institutions, farm sector resources are the worst managed national assets awaiting mainstreaming in India. Agriculture not being in the central list, the funds in the farm sector largely being managed by cooperatives which are in the ‘concurrent list’ and farm workers managed by big affluent farmers being a strong constituent of ‘Vote Bank’ and fund-raisers for political parties have contributed to perennial neglect of the sector for being brought under normal regulatory/legislative controls of government.

The above situation has made regulatory and supervisory bodies like Reserve Bank of India and NABARD to remain mere spectators when governments and financial institutions fall in line with the wishes of political leadership at various levels.

The advisories like the one from Centre against farm loan waivers and taking a lenient view of such waivers by state governments or going slow on providing support to financial sector in recovery of farm loans need to be seen in this broader context. Election Manifestoes are not vetted for the legal enforceability or resources linkages relating to the promises included. But when a party comes to power, the popular promises are taken up for implementation without weighing the pros and cons or allowing the legislatures to deliberate on the basic issue ‘who will foot the bill?”

At this stage, Centre should consider consultations with states on measures to professionalize and mainstream farm sector to make the sector participate in the economic development of the country effectively. Changes in approach may be necessary on issues like:

(a)  Tax on agricultural income

(b) Modernizing methods of cultivation

(c)  Linking farming to a national ‘food budget’ export potential and cheaper imports.

(d) Re-skilling of workforce in farm sector and

(e)  Optimum utilization of farm lands.

(f)   Substitution of ‘waivers’ by subsidies which will incentivize further involvement of farmers in increasing production. Multiple subsidies like ‘interest subsidy’ for prompt repayment from various sources, which may not result in increased farm productivity, but will transfer the burden to the taxpayer should be avoided.

In all the above efforts financial institutions and banks should be given their rightful role.

M G Warrier, Mumbai

Relevance of history*

This refers to Pulapre Balakrishnan’s  well-researched article “A brief history of the past 70 years”(The Hindu, March 22). To comprehend the happenings in India during the last seven years which will rewrite the hitherto projected future of this country for the next seventy years, a clear understanding of the content of this article is essential. The developments from the India Against Corruption(IAC) movement led by Arvind Kejriwal to installation of Yogi Adityanath a mahant as Chief Minister of the largest state have their roots in the continuous neglect of the spirit of Indian Constitution.

The deep-rooted communal divide has a history as old as independent India.

The British handed over India to Indian National Congress and that party’s pre-independence clout made it difficult for any opposition party think in terms of coming to power until there was a  real crisis of leadership in Congress. Congress also failed to earn the confidence and respect of Muslims who opted to remain in India and allowed separate organisations to grow to safeguard minority interests and even went ahead allowing separate Muslim-majority districts like Malappuram (in Kerala).

The era of the coalition-politics that followed left the electorate wondering whether there was any difference in ideologies of different political parties other than sharing power!  

Political parties like Muslim League prospered taking advantage of the neglect of minorities within other political parties. This is not to justify the present ‘aggressive’ stance of BJP on political issues, but to emphasize the point that the heavy price we are in the process of paying can be attributed to the neglect of the Preamble and Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution by those who were in charge of governance during the last seven decades.

Rampant corruption was a byproduct similar to the venom spit out by Kaliya during Palaazhimanthan, of the political system we allowed to flourish along with the democratic system of governance we accepted as Amrut. Let us watch the remaining story unfold.

M G Warrier, Mumbai

*Online comments published at:

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-brief-history-of-the-past-70-years/article17566058.ece

Message from UP

Apropos “With Yogi as CM, Muslims Happiest” (Economic Times, March 21), though it might be just the perception of the leader of a party which has reason to rejoice, the professional management of post-election scenario by BJP leadership deserve appreciation. Trying out a non-corrupt young outsider (Yogi is not is to be elected as MLA) who is yet to be ‘tested’ for his obedience to higher levels of power in party and government to head the government of the largest state is in itself an experiment with several unknowns.

The balancing act with two Deputy CMs and a Muslim minister in the ministry should be seen in the right perspective. BJP is trying to shape its image consistent with the growing popularity and acceptability.

Earlier the other players in the political arena readjust their looking glasses, the better for them as they will get more time to prepare for the 2019 elections on real issues of governance rather than using the religion against BJP. Other than Muslim League, all political parties will naturally have majority Hindu membership in India. Wiser counsel should prevail in non-BJP political parties to focus on the neglect of the Preamble and Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution by those who are in charge of governance rather than blindly playing the communal card.

M G WARRIER, Mumbai

Fine diagnosis, but…

This refers to Gopalakrishna Gandhi’s well-researched article “The Yogi and the magic numbers” (The Hindu, March 20). Though Gandhi has used a language only ‘The Hindu’ readers will understand, the essay clearly diagnoses the present ailment of India’s democratic system of governance, though it falls short of suggesting any remedial measures.

The deep-rooted communal divide has a history as old as independent India.

The British handed over India to Indian National Congress and that party’s pre-independence clout made it difficult for any opposition party think in terms of coming to power until there was a  real crisis of leadership in Congress. Congress also failed to earn the confidence and respect of Muslims who opted to remain in India and allowed separate organisations to grow to safeguard minority interests and even went ahead allowing separate Muslim-majority districts like Malappuram (in Kerala).

The era of the coalition-politics that followed left the electorate wondering whether there was any difference in ideologies of different political parties other than sharing power!

Political parties like Muslim League prospered taking advantage of the neglect of minorities within other political parties. This is not to justify the present ‘aggressive’ stance of BJP on political issues, but to emphasize the point that the heavy price we are in the process of paying can be attributed to the neglect of the Preamble and Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution by those who were in charge of governance during the last seven decades.

M G Warrier, Mumbai

Source: The Hindu, March 20, 2017. Use the link below to read the article

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-yogi-and-the-magic-of-numbers/article17532562.ece

The Yogi and the magic of numbers*

By

Gopalakrishna Gandhi

Excerpts:

“Of the many forms of government — old, new, and still in the making — electoral democracy, the system which enables people to choose their law-makers, their leaders and lodestars in freedom and without fear, is only the least imperfect. It is far from, very far from, being perfect. Worse, it can and does recoil to shapes and forms that are in their nature and impact, un-democratic, anti-democracy. This process can be called counter-democracy. India holds a doctorate in democracy; it is doing a post-doc in counter-democracy.

Ours is, of course, a global classroom.”

III

Leisure, spirituality

ANALYSING HUMAN MIND*

The real purpose of scriptural teachings is to establish that Truth cannot be beyond reason or experience. Vidyaranya adopts this rational stance in Panchadasi, his famous text on Advaita Vedanta, pointed out Sri Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal in a discourse. There is a clear analysis of the human mind and its workings and the acharya shows the role of the mind in spiritual realisation.

The mind is something very strange and at the same time very powerful. It depends on the organs of sense, the jnanendriyas and those of action, the karmendriyas, for its functions in relation to external objects. If the senses are the external organs, the mind is the internal organ and is known as antakarana. It controls and directs these ten senses of knowledge and the organs of action.

But where is it located within the body? It is held that it is present in the whole body, but its seat is in the heart and brain perhaps. The analogy of the lamp, the source that spreads light all over the room from the place where it is situated, is often quoted to illustrate this.

The mind modifies itself continuously and hence is considered fickle as it is constituted of the three gunas: satva, rajas and tamas. These modes of nature are difficult to define, but can be recognised according to their effects. The mind is invested with a fourfold ability to think, understand with the help of buddhi or intellect, decide the pros and cons on the basis of ahankara or ego, and also remember with the aid of memory.

If the senses give the knowledge of the objects, the mind enquires into the merits and demerits of whatever the senses perceive.

A keen spiritual aspirant can utilise the extraordinary powers of the mind and strive to know the Truth and discard the unnecessary in his quest.

*********************

*Source: Faith, The Hindu, March 24, 2017