Frauds' Own Country

Frauds' Own Country

Do you ever spare a moment to think about the people below the poverty line Kerala?

Have you ever thought of the problems caused by garbage or a simple solution for it? Do you know that a tribal child has to walk an average of 17kms daily to school and back? Well, the chances are you will say 'no ' to these, and I guess that's because most of us, including me, are caught up in the scandals, scams and bedroom stories of politicians today.

We are so much engrossed in the much- glorified; media- hyped controversial lives of the people in power that we fail to understand the day- to- day struggle of the common man. All of us know the corruption and the dirty games played by the politicians but still a majority of us spend time and money to cater them. It might not be surprising that even the judiciary can be bought. Do you really think that they deserve so much of your attention? I wouldn't say that we should spend our vacations trying to construct elementary schools for the economically backward or to clean every street in our area, but wouldn't it do well if we help to eradicate the minor problems around us?

A study conducted by 'The Week' says that in India around 55000 kids below 15 try a smoke each day; or take the recent example of the porn photos circulated amongst students on their camera phones. Do you seriously think that the authorities would do something constructive about it? They have better things like crores of property deals or their daughter-in-law's uncle's tea estate to take care of. It is up to us if we want to make our country God's own.

Article by: Shana Ninan,St Teresa's College

Differences are Fine, Discrimination is Not

Differences are Fine, Discrimination is Not

Mrs. Narayana Murthi, Infosys, Bangalore was the only female engineering student in her class in her time. When placements started in her college she found a notice from the Tata group, asking students interested in working for them in the shop floor to apply. The notice explicitly stated that female students need not apply. Angered by the discrimination, she sent a letter to Mr. J.R.D. Tata, criticizing him and his company for the bias against women. A few days later she received an interview call from the company. During the interview, she was told that girl’s weren’t preferred only because once married, they would leave the job to go and live with their husbands. Mrs. Murthi replied that, that was a 100 year old tradition which would take time to change, but however, she assured them that she wouldn’t leave her job just because another company offered her more money. She joined the job and thereafter so did many other women.
The Tata’s changed their attitude and policy but that cannot be said for the rest of India. A woman’s place is still believed to be in the Kitchen. A woman should first learn to cook, before she goes in for any career oriented education. Yes, society is changing; women for going higher education, exploring areas and careers until now completely dominated by men. Yet there is a limit put to them. If you take just the case of funding, a woman entrepreneur would find it harder to get loan or venture capital, but a male entrepreneur foot the same business, might find it easier. Our society must broaden its thinking. Indian society tends to lack confidence in its women. This altitude must also change.

However, it is also important that gender differences do not completely disappear. After all, the difference between the sexes is not always a matter to be loathed. There are a few women who have broken all barriers, they have so broken the laws of nature and disturbed its delicate balance. These are women who choose not to get married until they are settled in their career. They reach the top of the corporate ladder and then in their 30’s, get married. However when they wish to conceive they sadly find that their fertility has become low and that they cannot conceive any more. These women then declare that they would give away all their success if only they could conceive.

Then there are women who decide to remain unmarried. They feel they don’t need a man or a partner to live their life with. As for children, well there’s artificial insemination. However when such kids go to school, they realize that a family will always be pictured as one with a dad and a mom.

Gender differences are alright as long as it is not gender discrimination. Women should move forward, but not so much that they lose their feminity. As pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said ‘When a woman moves forward, the family moves forward and so does the society’, In short, empowerment of women, develops the nation.

Article by: Nidha Nayeem, St Teresa’s College

The Feel Good Fiasco

The Feel Good Fiasco

The people in the Delhi Durbar combating the torrid climate of April- May had to bear the heat from one more quarter- the Elections 2004, the most stunning and decisive battle fought to appoint the raucously irreverent ones to the polyglot colossus (Lok Sabah ). The two big fighters (NDA and UPA) were neck-n- neck in this race to conquer the throne of India. After a lot of gambling when the curtain was slowly raised, shattering all the BJP dreams, it was clear that democracy had outlasted every-one and everything.

The election 2004 to the world’s largest democracy was the only other election akin to the one in 1977 that upset party leaders and poll predictions. The apocryphal stories of a ‘shining India’,- when the poor remained poor, the assurances to feel good-even while the rates of suicide skyrocketed, and an elusive picture (or otherwise) of a redeemed relation with our neighboring country were the specialties of the election. A star studded ambience along with the entry of a slew of affluent and educated GenX faces- with a name plate bearing their father’s name- was a treat to the tired eyes (ears, as well) which were accustomed to an army of indecorous politicians with pan stained clothes, and with sprigs of black hair sticking out of their ears. The personal vendettas waged by the NDA leaders also found their share of space in the media columns. The TV channels, the major ancillary to the BJP’s whims, found their TRP ratings shooting up, as each rivaled to get the major players to their studio. So what was the reason for such an ignominious defeat of the party even after a lot of micro level planning?

The verdict signified not only a fundamental change in the democracy but also a radical shift in the social basis of political power. The personal issues and not the prospects of a shinning India were paramount to the voters. The failure in providing basic education, sanitation, irrigation facilities and employment opportunities resulted in the failure of voting back the much touted protectors of democracy. The verdict was in fact a strong resentment against the local government’s inefficiency, which resulted in the termination of the power of the central government. In fact, there was a total disconnection between the ground reality and the houses of power. In this process of maneuvering votes, the outspoken BJP top guns made a foray into mobilizing the Indian minorities- disowning the Hindutva ideal- as a pre-text for showing that they are secularists. One also witnessed the Advanis and the other Hindu extremists shaking hands with Muslim clerics in the hope of removing discontent. That too did not work. Finally, along with the three a’s-Atal, Allure and Acceptability- they managed to add another towards the end: Arrogance. The arrogance factor placed them in an ivory tower from where they kept on regurgitating their old cacophony.

Now that everything is over, it’s time to do some homework and find out where they went wrong. In retrospect, their Hindutva ideology paid electoral dividends by propelling them to the centre stage. Not anymore! Instead of finding out scapegoats-already the RSS ideologues have begun their rant against BJP for departing from the Parivaar’s ideals- the post- Vajpayee, post-Advani leadership must begin attending to the task of revamping the party to a normal, conservative and right-wing political party. In future they should remember that a majority of voters in India is constituted by the rural section and not the middle class and strive to make an all pervasive feel good factor. For the time being, they have at least made one section of the people feel good-the Congress.

Article by : S. Gopika Gopakumar St Teresa's College