Democracy provides a big opportunity for encouraging the poor to break the laws and oppress the tax-paying residents in collaboration of resporceful law nreakers capable of making law enforcement agencies inactive.. And this is done with the active support of the Law Makers and Protectors of Law. There is no need for the poor to unite and participate in bloody revolution. The Police and the Civic Administration ensures that the poor can oppress the tax paying residents at their will.
One such taxpayer lady recently posted her helplessness against such oppression from immigrant labor occupying the public space for their residence at www.karmayog.org - a platform for social and civic issues:
"100 yards from the Anti Corruption Bureau office on P B Marg, right in front of the sprawling Kamala Mills Compound, diagonally opposite the Hard Rock Cafe, a large group of migrant labourers have taken up residence... with plastic sheets, tiles uprooted from the pavement, railings and bamboos pilfered from a nearby work site, and bits and pieces salvaged from trash heaps. They have even built a makeshift temple very recently out of these scraps where elaborate puja is conducted by the women. The pavement is completely blocked. So they have spilled out on the road. They have set up cooking fires on the road itself and defecateand bathe openly on the road itself. They also use the road itself to make their wares ... garlands and baskets and trinkets and food items which they sell. The children, specially the very young, crawl directly on the road. This road has become a very busy thoroughfare recently, due to all the offices in the neighbourhood. But half the road is taken up by the squatters. Pedestrians inch their way down the middle of the road, trying to dodge buses and cars. Young girls working at the BPOs in adjacent offices, run the gamut of walking through crowds of young men lolling around in their underwear, squatting on the road. At times, violent fights break out between the inmates, spilling out into the opposite lane. At peak hours, huge traffic jams start as the traffic moves forward in a single lane, barely inches away from the cooking fires burning awayon the road. And at night, buses and trucks roaring down the ill lit road are ingrave danger of running down the barely seen huddles of people sleeping directly on the road.
Apart from being filthy, insanitary, a breeding ground for disease, apart from being a traffic hazard and a safety hazard, apart from being a complete transgression of all BMC and RTO rules, it is unthinkable that human beings are being given permission to live like this on such a busy thoroughfare - and they must be given permission by SOMEONE, because they can't just live like that in open sight, breaking all the rules without someone in authority turning a blind eye.
So who is this someone we need to speak to? Who is there in BMC who can help? Or the police? The local police have obviously been looking the other way and it obviously is worth their inattention. So nothing to be gained by complaining.
Any ideas? "
It is fortunate that she was born in India, even as she must be proud of India and Indian democracy. She however has failed to understand that how fortunate we are that the politicians who makes the laws and administer them also enjoy the powers to break the laws and allow others whom they like to break the laws. That is the fundamental principle of democracy. The politicians want the rich and the not-so-poor to give all sorts of taxes for the benefit of the politicians, their employees on the rolls of the Government and the poor at large. They also want that the rich and the not-so-poor share the poverty and poverty-related style of living along with the poor in the neighborhood. That is what the taxpaying residents of PB Marg in Mumbai must willing accept to do and endure. This is a cheaper and safer alternative that the politicians and their administrative employees and policy army offer to the residents. If sharing the neighborhood with immigrant labor wass not accepted, the costs of construction of buildings and projects would go up and there could be revolutions organised by the politicians to force the residents to share their residences with the immigrant labor. The residents must therefore accept what is happening.
Clearly there is no point in complaining to police, municipality or the government or the politicians. Democracy still provides a solution that have a chance of success. The residents must form civil society groups to agitate on the roads and government offices, provided they can mobilize the active support of the electronic and print media along with the active support of a few socially-responsive High Court Lawyers who could file and pursue public interest litigation cases free of cost and fees against such gross negligence of responsibility and obligations of the police, municipal officials and the State Government. There are judges who still like that laws are enforced and not broken with the support of the civic authorities, police, administrators and politicians.
Enjoy also the various interesting responses to the Lady citizens cry for help:
1. "u can complain to the encroachment dept of bmc in vt with a copy to worli police station."
I wish immediate redressal of the problem on complaining as above. It is very surprising, encrachment of public property by illegally by immigrants in a city observed by residents are not known to the Encroachment department and Police Station. The Indian Constitution provides for only right to complaint of law breaking in broad daylight at the same place for days together and no obligations on the Govt. and the Police to act suo motto against continuous, uninterrupted unauthorised misuse of public property.
2."It is definately the job of BMC to remove the encroachments as the pavements and road maintenance comes under the jurisdiction of BMC. For getting the right information you may fill in the Application form for The Right to Information Act 2005 addressed to Asst. Engineer (Bldg. & Factories) Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika whereby you can put in your queries and the queries are addressed withing a period of say 45 days. I would also like to inform you that Government officials are very slow in taking action, but keep writing, you may also visit the BMC, Asst. Municipal Commissioner at your Ward, there is a timing for meeting the AMC, which you may find out at the BMC office pertaining to your ward."
3. "It is sad but true that only monetary loss spurs many public servants into action. Therefore, it is suggested that the salaries of the ward officer and workers be held up for as long as it takes to clear out the enchrachers and a proportion of each higher-up's salary (right up to the Commissioner) be withheld till such time. Maybe this is all wishful thinking since surely, such action will require suitable legislation."
4."The least we can do is to spread this message to as many Mumbaikars as a possible. Some of us will know BMC officials, Maharashtra Govt officials etc. A repetitive and persistent sending of this message will move the right people to act some time at least."
5."Keep Media out, What they do is mere Business, Similarly, Also Keep Legal Help out, At times what one needs is simple help And if Namita cannot write directly to BMC, I can do it,"
6"Even under the existing municipal laws and Police Acts there are ample provisions to deal with such situations. The pavement dwellers have to be mercilessly evacuated but they have to be kept in specially prepared shelters in public spaces. It should not be difficult for the government to provide such shelters which can be taken as modern versions of free Dharamshalas (inns). Encroachments by humans themselves for residence or for trade (like keeping pushcarts for sale of goods, etc. or extending shops on to the pavements or keeping chairs, tables on the pavements as also goods and clothes for display either by shop owners or other sellers, etc.) should not be tolerated and dealt with as expeditiously as possible so that they will have no accrued rights of possession and hence sympathy."
7. "This is the case in almost all cosmopolitan cities and towns. Poor farmers and sgriculture labourers migrate to cities in search of livelyhood or brought to cities with false promises by the labour contractors. These labour contractors are in league with local politicians or their henchmen. No local police dare to look at such problems in right earnest. On the otherside of the facts where else they can live when once they are forced to leave their homes due to accute poverty? Has any government formulated schemes for their welfare? It is better some local NGOs take up the issue with the local authorities and find ways to overcome the problem and at the same time provide shelter to such orphoned people."
8. "Dont complaint to the police constable, Instead meet ACP of that area &Asst Municipal commissioner who is supposed to look after the area. Dont go alone take some members socially committed like you. Go to the officials with photos &writeups. If they dont cooperate politely tell them that you approaching higherofficials Senior officers . I think this may solve this problem."
9. I can understand your frustration at the lack of information as to who is responsible for dereliction of their duty. I would suggest the following: File a written complaint, possible with names and addresses of a few other concerned individuals like yourself, to both the BMC and the traffic police. - Written complaints DO work File an RTI request enquiring who in the BMC is responsible for encroachments for that particular ward.
In this way the authorities cannot claim that they were unaware of the problem and would have acted if they would have known. Once you have the name of the officer, who gets paid by public funds and has decided not to do his job, or look the other way, file a complaint against them requesting departmental action. Involve the local press."
10."...unless the government and civil society breaks the nexus between builders, underworld and politicians, we can never have affordable housing in this city and would continue to see such encroachments growing. You think anyone would want to stay like this on a pavement, with families and kids? I am sorry but I found this comment elitist by this citizen who seem to be insensitive to the core issues faced by this city,....Am sure this sight is nothing uncommon about many areas of Mumbai. Most of these pavement dwellers work in unorganised sectors as labourers. Majority are employed by some mega infrastrcuture projects (metro or flyover or towers) in this city whom all our citizens, like Ms. Namita want to get finished soon, yet they would get so offended by such sights. These pavement dwellers can hardly afford a basic roof over their heads...even in slums, where the rentals are unimaginably high. So what choices do they have? Please find that 'someone' who do not displace them but rehabilitate them in a decent housing!"
11. "Ask the authority to force them to move out. Arrange an alternative place for the residents and suggest them. This may help to prevent agitation and protest."
These are very interesting. Everyone is of the view that complain, complain and complain even if in vain! We have a Democracy by Complaints and of Complaints and for Complaints.
Another respose is:" The real problem is not that your sensibilities are offended and that the middle class would rather that these poor people labor "out of sight", but that the builders/contractors have not provided transit camps, basic sanitation and classrooms for the people which is required under the law. The reaction of people to this issue is really disgusting. Find out which projects they work on, who the builder/contractor is and then find out why they have not provided them with facilities? Or else just use another road."
But the question remains: how did the authorities concerned gave parmission or clearance to construction projects or other projects of private parties or public sector or government department without their showing how they will ensure that the temporary immigrant labor does not affect the civic life of the residents. So, there is a clear connivance of convenience to all - the sposors of the project, the project contractors, the police, the temporary workers to force the tax paying residents to endure the hurt and bear the risk of damage.
Feb 19, 2011
Response is in the Perception of the Brainholder
From poets to pedestrians, politicians of different hues and social scientists of different colors, intellectuals to high government officials, representatives of civil society to the faithful if particular ideologies, and, of course, from ministers to the scared girls, their parents and the common people have shown different reactions to the single horribly sad and distressing incident. Everyone is aghast and angry that such a disgraceful incident can take place.
It was few minutes before midnight on February 15 when three drunk young goons insulted and molested a 21 year lady returning home from her work and murdered her 15 year old brother who tried to plead and protest against the goons' outrageously uncivilized behavior while the brother was riding home in his bicycle along with his elder sister from the Rail station along a road that is flanked by the policemen-guarded residences of high-ranking government administrator, police official and judge in the populous town of Barasat, about 45 kms from the City of Kolkata. The girl had sought help from the armed policemen guarding the government official residence in vain while her brother was being beaten to death. The boy was taken to hospital by some passing rickshaw van puller while the murders fled. The boy soon thereafter died in the hospital. This is not the first incident of its kind in West Bengal cities and towns in many years: such incidents are regularly reported with high frequency in the Calcutta dailies and TV channels. Even as one of the murders of February 15 was arrested by the Police, reports of further similar incidents that led only to injuries inflicted by goons but not death have been reported in the next two days.
It is an interesting study of varying perceptions and the poor quality of Bengali intellect that gets revealed from the reactions. First are the Chief Minister’s actions: he visited the bereaved family to console them the very next morning, offered them all help and two lakh rupees as assistance.He did just the right thing as he must have perceived that as the chief of the political administration in the State he needed to be beside thethe family affected by a gruesome incident. He also had perceived something more. After returning to office, he issued fresh instructions to the police that they need to be more vigilant in patrolling and should be responsive to demand for quick action while the goons are busy committing crimes, etc. This was indeed the just reaction from his perceptive perspective as the minister in charge of the police department. How wide-angled had his perception been that the Chief Minister did not see that he as the minister of the police department needed to own the moral responsibility for the incident resulting from allowing the Police to function so incompetently that they were not guarding/ patrolling roads known to be the roaming place of goons and criminals at night, causing danger to common people who needed to use the road. He was probably very nervous about his failure to discharge the responsibility of protecting citizens traveling on a major road from known, operative local goons. The danger was known to even the common residents but his policemen did not bother beyond guarding the security of the residences of the government officials. His perception might have been that this was a rare incident and the police department should wake up to its basic responsibility only now. So, he forgot to appeal to the citizens’ at large seeking their pardon for his failure to keep the police department in proper shape to serve the basic cause for which a police department is supposed to exist. He must have done right as he never perceived that he has done any wrong or mistake and that he has no accountability for the acts of the goons freely roaming along the main road to commit crimes at their will.
What did the politicians do? The same thing they do in case of murders: claim that the victim was their supporter. Each political party's perception was that the incident, though very sad, is one over which they could draw sympathy from the public towards them in the current environment of continuing political murders throughout the State of West Bengal. Each party's perception was that this would be also yet another opportunity to blame the other party for being the home of the murders. The political parties reacted as per the common political party's perceptive perspective in these days. What they did must have been appropriate.
This time however the bereaved family and the neighbors objected to political party association and did not allow any political party to capture the opportunity to carry the dead body in a procession towards the cremation site. Whole of West Bengal knows that all most all goons and criminals in the State either enjoy the patronage and support of one political party or the other (and some enjoy a close friendship of the Police), or, patronize one politician or another (some patronize one policeman or other). So, the political parties' calls for a local bandh (strike) against the incident fizzled out. The next day the residents of the town made a silent condolence and protest signature campaign and lit candles and disallowed any political party activists/ members to come near. The common people had their own perception about the incident: they did not want any one responsible for creating conditions that have given rise to these kinds of incidents any where around during the expressions of protests and grief. They wanted the politicians to leave them alone in their moments of silent grief and tearful eyes enduring suffering under the oppressively idiotic political regime in the State. They must have been right in what they did: for a while they breathed air unpolluted by politicians and their armies.
Having failed to exploit a sad incident to their advantage before the forthcoming elections, they rushed to the TV studios to participate in debates over the sad incident. All f them expressed sadness over the incident. They did what they perceived their role to be: as leaders of people, each one of them expressed their sadness and grief over the murder and the incident (the chief minister did the same along with the Governor; the intellectuals and commentators did the same). As if without their expressions of sadness the public at large would be less sad! As if the people were waiting to see them expressing their sadness on the TV screen! They must have done the right thing.
But what do the politicians and intellectuals do during the debate other than expressing sadness. The opposition parties blamed the 34-year misrule of the CPM-dominated communist/leftist coalition government: this communist government, according to them, had patronized criminals and goons, had made the police force work according to the needs of the ruling party rather than in accordance with the responsibilities of the police force in a civilized, democratic State, and had encouraged the proliferation of liquor shops in every corner of the streets / roads of the State to get the youth turn into goons of the type capable of crimes witnessed in the incident of the 15th February night. No common apolitical citizen of the State would doubt the thesis of the opposition parties. The opposition parties did what was right: they gave us a brilliant analysis of the situation that gives birth to the incidents of this type.
The ruling party also did what they considered right. According to their perception such incidents are few and far between in the State and reported much less in terms of their occurring as compared to other states in India, that it is not possible to guarantee such-incident-free conditions to the 85 million citizens of the State with a 0.5 million strong police force, that the cause of youth taking to drinking at heart's content to become potential girl-molesters and murders on public roads is the consumption-oriented (capitalism) that has gained ground in the last two decades because of the Govt. of India's economic policies. Their response must be right because the whole world witnesses such incidents, because countries with capitalistic consumerism witness such crimes and because perceptions do not require to be justified by scientific and empirically tested/testable arguments. The only strength of their analysis is that they seemed helpless in not concealing their apprehension that given the consumption-oriented societal life, such incidents have to be experienced and endured even in leftist rule. They did right in stating the Truth at least on this occasion: people must be prepared to accept incidents like the one of February 15th night as part of life so long as the society remains consumption oriented and pursues the path of capitalism, globalization and liberalization. People must think what they want to do: the Maoist extremists are calling everyone to join them to destroy the current socio-economic set up of capitalism and consumerism! Or, do they want to endure crime against women.
What did the social scientists have to say? They perceived that all these kinds of criminal behavior of youth are essentially due to their upbringing in the family: today's murders and women-molesters are born out of neglect from parent's love, training and lack of education and extreme deprivation as well as the progressive disintegration of society into dispersed units without bondage of affection and cooperation. That is again a master piece of analysis: as if not widely known by most of the TV viewers. The social scientists are right. People have to wait. There is no magic wand available. Each parent must provide adequate love, affection, time, education and training as also facilities at childhood so that the children have difficulty of growing up with goons of the February 15th fame as their role models!
What about other intellectuals? They used their intellect to blame one or more of the following: the incompetence of the police force, the criminalization of politics, the turning of police from being the servant of the State to one of the ruling party politicians, the politicization of education and educational institutions, the inadequate generation of employment activities in the state, the degradation of societal value systems, and the like. They demanded immediate apprehension of the culprits and exemplary punishment to them (as if the common citizens were waiting for their considered opinion to demand the same).
The considerate commentators were worried that the criminals were drunk, as if crime committed in drunken state constituted a lesser crime than the one committed in a non-drunk state. They must be right as they perceive drinks are the villiain of piece and known goons have the right to commit crimes in drunken state on the roads. There seems to be a law prohibiting driving cars in drunk state, but committing crime in drunk state on the road is not prohibited! Some others are sympathetic to one of the three goons apprehended so far comes from a poor family and hence must have been exposed at early childhood to regular incidents of torturing of women by men at home and in the neighborhood. These are real beauty gems of expert opinions: the child became adult and did not know what he was doing was a criminal act. God and the society forgive them who does not know what they are doing! God and society forgive them those responsible for preventing crime from allowing those ignorant of what constitutes a crime to commit crimes.
One government official however was a bit cautious: he seemed to have said something like 'nothing can be said about the incident as the investigations have just started and that the murdered boy's elder sister was probably a divorcee'. He was right in his perception: the risk of a divorce attracting attempt of molestation was higher. Maybe women will try henceforth not to get divorce, once married! A lady poet did write a column praising the bravery (as did all others praise the bravery in the face of beating and weapons with the criminals) of the 15-year old who protested at the time of the crime being committed but expressed her apprehension that in future such bravery would receive a great jolt because the brave people would be cowed down by the fear of getting murdered. Most interesting however was her perception that such incidence are the result of the age-old basic trait and instinct of Men perceiving women as a commodity of consumption. She is right: men are like that, it is immaterial that the man-dominated societies made laws to categorise certain behavior against women as punishable crimes and the 15 year old who tried to save the honor of his sister was not a man but a mere boy. Maybe she had not heard of a policeMan, Bapi Sen, who was killed by goons when he tried to stop them from committing crimes against some women a few years ago in her own city.
The different elite sections of the Bengali society have done extremely well in throwing lot of light of knowledge, wisdom and prompt response after the incident. However, one is not sure if the roads will be illuminated enough or the girls and boys enlightened enough not to become victims of infamous incidents of the 15th February disgracing the entire Bengali society!
It was few minutes before midnight on February 15 when three drunk young goons insulted and molested a 21 year lady returning home from her work and murdered her 15 year old brother who tried to plead and protest against the goons' outrageously uncivilized behavior while the brother was riding home in his bicycle along with his elder sister from the Rail station along a road that is flanked by the policemen-guarded residences of high-ranking government administrator, police official and judge in the populous town of Barasat, about 45 kms from the City of Kolkata. The girl had sought help from the armed policemen guarding the government official residence in vain while her brother was being beaten to death. The boy was taken to hospital by some passing rickshaw van puller while the murders fled. The boy soon thereafter died in the hospital. This is not the first incident of its kind in West Bengal cities and towns in many years: such incidents are regularly reported with high frequency in the Calcutta dailies and TV channels. Even as one of the murders of February 15 was arrested by the Police, reports of further similar incidents that led only to injuries inflicted by goons but not death have been reported in the next two days.
It is an interesting study of varying perceptions and the poor quality of Bengali intellect that gets revealed from the reactions. First are the Chief Minister’s actions: he visited the bereaved family to console them the very next morning, offered them all help and two lakh rupees as assistance.He did just the right thing as he must have perceived that as the chief of the political administration in the State he needed to be beside thethe family affected by a gruesome incident. He also had perceived something more. After returning to office, he issued fresh instructions to the police that they need to be more vigilant in patrolling and should be responsive to demand for quick action while the goons are busy committing crimes, etc. This was indeed the just reaction from his perceptive perspective as the minister in charge of the police department. How wide-angled had his perception been that the Chief Minister did not see that he as the minister of the police department needed to own the moral responsibility for the incident resulting from allowing the Police to function so incompetently that they were not guarding/ patrolling roads known to be the roaming place of goons and criminals at night, causing danger to common people who needed to use the road. He was probably very nervous about his failure to discharge the responsibility of protecting citizens traveling on a major road from known, operative local goons. The danger was known to even the common residents but his policemen did not bother beyond guarding the security of the residences of the government officials. His perception might have been that this was a rare incident and the police department should wake up to its basic responsibility only now. So, he forgot to appeal to the citizens’ at large seeking their pardon for his failure to keep the police department in proper shape to serve the basic cause for which a police department is supposed to exist. He must have done right as he never perceived that he has done any wrong or mistake and that he has no accountability for the acts of the goons freely roaming along the main road to commit crimes at their will.
What did the politicians do? The same thing they do in case of murders: claim that the victim was their supporter. Each political party's perception was that the incident, though very sad, is one over which they could draw sympathy from the public towards them in the current environment of continuing political murders throughout the State of West Bengal. Each party's perception was that this would be also yet another opportunity to blame the other party for being the home of the murders. The political parties reacted as per the common political party's perceptive perspective in these days. What they did must have been appropriate.
This time however the bereaved family and the neighbors objected to political party association and did not allow any political party to capture the opportunity to carry the dead body in a procession towards the cremation site. Whole of West Bengal knows that all most all goons and criminals in the State either enjoy the patronage and support of one political party or the other (and some enjoy a close friendship of the Police), or, patronize one politician or another (some patronize one policeman or other). So, the political parties' calls for a local bandh (strike) against the incident fizzled out. The next day the residents of the town made a silent condolence and protest signature campaign and lit candles and disallowed any political party activists/ members to come near. The common people had their own perception about the incident: they did not want any one responsible for creating conditions that have given rise to these kinds of incidents any where around during the expressions of protests and grief. They wanted the politicians to leave them alone in their moments of silent grief and tearful eyes enduring suffering under the oppressively idiotic political regime in the State. They must have been right in what they did: for a while they breathed air unpolluted by politicians and their armies.
Having failed to exploit a sad incident to their advantage before the forthcoming elections, they rushed to the TV studios to participate in debates over the sad incident. All f them expressed sadness over the incident. They did what they perceived their role to be: as leaders of people, each one of them expressed their sadness and grief over the murder and the incident (the chief minister did the same along with the Governor; the intellectuals and commentators did the same). As if without their expressions of sadness the public at large would be less sad! As if the people were waiting to see them expressing their sadness on the TV screen! They must have done the right thing.
But what do the politicians and intellectuals do during the debate other than expressing sadness. The opposition parties blamed the 34-year misrule of the CPM-dominated communist/leftist coalition government: this communist government, according to them, had patronized criminals and goons, had made the police force work according to the needs of the ruling party rather than in accordance with the responsibilities of the police force in a civilized, democratic State, and had encouraged the proliferation of liquor shops in every corner of the streets / roads of the State to get the youth turn into goons of the type capable of crimes witnessed in the incident of the 15th February night. No common apolitical citizen of the State would doubt the thesis of the opposition parties. The opposition parties did what was right: they gave us a brilliant analysis of the situation that gives birth to the incidents of this type.
The ruling party also did what they considered right. According to their perception such incidents are few and far between in the State and reported much less in terms of their occurring as compared to other states in India, that it is not possible to guarantee such-incident-free conditions to the 85 million citizens of the State with a 0.5 million strong police force, that the cause of youth taking to drinking at heart's content to become potential girl-molesters and murders on public roads is the consumption-oriented (capitalism) that has gained ground in the last two decades because of the Govt. of India's economic policies. Their response must be right because the whole world witnesses such incidents, because countries with capitalistic consumerism witness such crimes and because perceptions do not require to be justified by scientific and empirically tested/testable arguments. The only strength of their analysis is that they seemed helpless in not concealing their apprehension that given the consumption-oriented societal life, such incidents have to be experienced and endured even in leftist rule. They did right in stating the Truth at least on this occasion: people must be prepared to accept incidents like the one of February 15th night as part of life so long as the society remains consumption oriented and pursues the path of capitalism, globalization and liberalization. People must think what they want to do: the Maoist extremists are calling everyone to join them to destroy the current socio-economic set up of capitalism and consumerism! Or, do they want to endure crime against women.
What did the social scientists have to say? They perceived that all these kinds of criminal behavior of youth are essentially due to their upbringing in the family: today's murders and women-molesters are born out of neglect from parent's love, training and lack of education and extreme deprivation as well as the progressive disintegration of society into dispersed units without bondage of affection and cooperation. That is again a master piece of analysis: as if not widely known by most of the TV viewers. The social scientists are right. People have to wait. There is no magic wand available. Each parent must provide adequate love, affection, time, education and training as also facilities at childhood so that the children have difficulty of growing up with goons of the February 15th fame as their role models!
What about other intellectuals? They used their intellect to blame one or more of the following: the incompetence of the police force, the criminalization of politics, the turning of police from being the servant of the State to one of the ruling party politicians, the politicization of education and educational institutions, the inadequate generation of employment activities in the state, the degradation of societal value systems, and the like. They demanded immediate apprehension of the culprits and exemplary punishment to them (as if the common citizens were waiting for their considered opinion to demand the same).
The considerate commentators were worried that the criminals were drunk, as if crime committed in drunken state constituted a lesser crime than the one committed in a non-drunk state. They must be right as they perceive drinks are the villiain of piece and known goons have the right to commit crimes in drunken state on the roads. There seems to be a law prohibiting driving cars in drunk state, but committing crime in drunk state on the road is not prohibited! Some others are sympathetic to one of the three goons apprehended so far comes from a poor family and hence must have been exposed at early childhood to regular incidents of torturing of women by men at home and in the neighborhood. These are real beauty gems of expert opinions: the child became adult and did not know what he was doing was a criminal act. God and the society forgive them who does not know what they are doing! God and society forgive them those responsible for preventing crime from allowing those ignorant of what constitutes a crime to commit crimes.
One government official however was a bit cautious: he seemed to have said something like 'nothing can be said about the incident as the investigations have just started and that the murdered boy's elder sister was probably a divorcee'. He was right in his perception: the risk of a divorce attracting attempt of molestation was higher. Maybe women will try henceforth not to get divorce, once married! A lady poet did write a column praising the bravery (as did all others praise the bravery in the face of beating and weapons with the criminals) of the 15-year old who protested at the time of the crime being committed but expressed her apprehension that in future such bravery would receive a great jolt because the brave people would be cowed down by the fear of getting murdered. Most interesting however was her perception that such incidence are the result of the age-old basic trait and instinct of Men perceiving women as a commodity of consumption. She is right: men are like that, it is immaterial that the man-dominated societies made laws to categorise certain behavior against women as punishable crimes and the 15 year old who tried to save the honor of his sister was not a man but a mere boy. Maybe she had not heard of a policeMan, Bapi Sen, who was killed by goons when he tried to stop them from committing crimes against some women a few years ago in her own city.
The different elite sections of the Bengali society have done extremely well in throwing lot of light of knowledge, wisdom and prompt response after the incident. However, one is not sure if the roads will be illuminated enough or the girls and boys enlightened enough not to become victims of infamous incidents of the 15th February disgracing the entire Bengali society!
Feb 11, 2011
Excellence Through Corruption
In the previous post, I had referred to my young friend's e-mail on a new School. He has now sent me the mail.. I should reproduce it here as the source of inspiration to the immediately precceding post.
National Corruption Institute Of India (NCII)
[Affiliated To Indian Parliament]
Listed on the World Corruption Index as the World’s Best C-School
Invites Applications for 3 Years Undergraduate Bachelors Degree in Corruption (BC).
Earn your BC from the World’s Most Reputed Institute for Corruption Studies
OUR COMPREHENSIVE SYLLABUS INCLUDES:-
Financial Theory and Practice
Transfer of funds through HAWALA for creation of MASS GHOTALA
FINANCIAL NETWORKING -Movement of money through well engineered networks between State Party Units and Central Party Unit.
Solicitation methods to increase donations towards Party Fund.
Theory and application of Popular BRIBE concepts and methods like ‘Chai Pani’, ‘Parcel’, ‘Change’, ‘Gift Box’ , ‘Color TV’, ‘Foreign Trip’ and the ever popular ‘Children’s School Fees’
Public Relations (PR) and Media Management
Learn how to be MISQUOTED BY THE MEDIA.
Learn to say the right things to be QUOTED OUT OF CONTEXT.
Excellent training in PARTY SPOKESMANOLOGY .Learn how to argue on TV with other Party people on TV like Professor Tewari and Professor Prasad.
Develop public gestures like NAMASTE and HAND WAVING.
Learn the art of proving all allegations as “BASELESS AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED”
Advanced course in proving that VIDEO FOOTAGE IS FALSE AND MANIPULATED.
Law and Order Module:
Efficient MURDER and RAPE
Keeping POLICE under control
Get BAIL super fast if you are ever arrested.
Apply and get speedy ANTICIPATORY BAIL so you don’t get arrested in the first place!
FIGHT ELECTIONS FROM JAIL! Special lectures by visiting Professors Shabudin and Pappu!
Advanced Riotology
Methods to build your own storage houses for HOCKEY STICKS AND WEAPONS to engineer riots.
Identify and develop your own fuel depots for easy and widespread dispersal of RIOT FRIENDLY PETROL TANKERS
Full study in CONTEMPORARY BUS BURNING. New age exciting methods for INSTANTANEOUS BUS COMBUSTION.
‘2G SPECTRUM – A Telecommunications Perspective’ By Professor Raja
‘Flat Taking From Army Jawan’ By Professor A Chavan
‘Sports Medal or No Medal, In Corruption Always Get Gold Medal’ By Professor Kalmadi
‘Application of Corruption on Non Human Species – Stealing Money for Cattle Fodder’ By Professor Laloo Prasad Yadav
‘Building A Corridor For The Taj Mahal Can Cost More Money That Building The Taj Mahal Itself’ By Professor Mayawati Kumari.
SO FORGET B-SCHOOL! BE COOL JOIN C-SCHOOL.
National Corruption Institute Of India (NCII)
[Affiliated To Indian Parliament]
Listed on the World Corruption Index as the World’s Best C-School
Invites Applications for 3 Years Undergraduate Bachelors Degree in Corruption (BC).
Earn your BC from the World’s Most Reputed Institute for Corruption Studies
OUR COMPREHENSIVE SYLLABUS INCLUDES:-
Financial Theory and Practice
Transfer of funds through HAWALA for creation of MASS GHOTALA
FINANCIAL NETWORKING -Movement of money through well engineered networks between State Party Units and Central Party Unit.
Solicitation methods to increase donations towards Party Fund.
Theory and application of Popular BRIBE concepts and methods like ‘Chai Pani’, ‘Parcel’, ‘Change’, ‘Gift Box’ , ‘Color TV’, ‘Foreign Trip’ and the ever popular ‘Children’s School Fees’
Public Relations (PR) and Media Management
Learn how to be MISQUOTED BY THE MEDIA.
Learn to say the right things to be QUOTED OUT OF CONTEXT.
Excellent training in PARTY SPOKESMANOLOGY .Learn how to argue on TV with other Party people on TV like Professor Tewari and Professor Prasad.
Develop public gestures like NAMASTE and HAND WAVING.
Learn the art of proving all allegations as “BASELESS AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED”
Advanced course in proving that VIDEO FOOTAGE IS FALSE AND MANIPULATED.
Law and Order Module:
Efficient MURDER and RAPE
Keeping POLICE under control
Get BAIL super fast if you are ever arrested.
Apply and get speedy ANTICIPATORY BAIL so you don’t get arrested in the first place!
FIGHT ELECTIONS FROM JAIL! Special lectures by visiting Professors Shabudin and Pappu!
Advanced Riotology
Methods to build your own storage houses for HOCKEY STICKS AND WEAPONS to engineer riots.
Identify and develop your own fuel depots for easy and widespread dispersal of RIOT FRIENDLY PETROL TANKERS
Full study in CONTEMPORARY BUS BURNING. New age exciting methods for INSTANTANEOUS BUS COMBUSTION.
‘2G SPECTRUM – A Telecommunications Perspective’ By Professor Raja
‘Flat Taking From Army Jawan’ By Professor A Chavan
‘Sports Medal or No Medal, In Corruption Always Get Gold Medal’ By Professor Kalmadi
‘Application of Corruption on Non Human Species – Stealing Money for Cattle Fodder’ By Professor Laloo Prasad Yadav
‘Building A Corridor For The Taj Mahal Can Cost More Money That Building The Taj Mahal Itself’ By Professor Mayawati Kumari.
SO FORGET B-SCHOOL! BE COOL JOIN C-SCHOOL.
Feb 9, 2011
What does C stand for?
A young friend was reading out from an email forward. It was so entertaining that I had requested him to forward the mail to me. Probably, he forgot or by chance deleted the mail. I cannot recollect the contents of the mail but I can recollect the subject matter. So, I thought of making up one piece that would give a sense of the subject. It was about a new University degree that is being launched in some country. The admission brochure runs something like this:
University of Emerging Technologies
In replacement of the MBA Degree, the University has launched the MCM Degree in view of the huge potential of self-employment, employment and wealth generation potential of C- Technology and C- Culture.
Details of the Two-Year Master of C-Management (MCM) Degree Program are given below:
Program Objective:
(a) Provide Advanced Education to the Aspiring Wealth & Power based on state of the art Knowledge in the area of C- Philosophy
(b)To impart effective and competitive C-skills needed to succeed in life in fast growing C-based economies.
Eligibility for Admission:
(a) Age - Between 18 and 30; for meritorious students of up to 45 years may be considered.
(b) Qualification – A graduate degree in any subject: those with demonstrated aptitude in application of C-skills may not require more than high school exposure.
Fees: Negotiable with a minimum Amount equivalent to US $ 100000 payable in 4 equal installments.
Other Requirements: Students have to make their own arrangements for accommodation, boarding and lodging.
Target Students: Those already active or desire to join democratic business institutions and firms in the area of administration, investigative journalism, auditing, political leadership, liaisons and public relations, event organization, etc.
Loan Facilities: Easily Available from C-skilled financing firms
Faculty: Internationally well recognized leaders of C-Philosophy and C-Skills with successful track record in practice like Professors Dr. SP Ower Dr. La Loo, Dr. May Awatee, Dr. R Aja, Dr. L M Ody, Dr. Kalm Adie, Dr. Achau Han, Dr. Y D’apa, Dr. R Eddee, Dr. NR Adea and Dr. SS Wamy. Special lectures will be delivered by icons from Prime Time TV anchors, Political Commentary lobbies, political parties and retired C-professionals.
Program Details:Semester 1: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
1.Basic C- Concepts, terminology/ language
2. Simulated Simple C-Games,
3. Introduction to C- Philosophy,
4. History of C- Development from ancient times to 2050AD.
5. Use of C-oriented Statistical Methods
6. C-Communication & Presentation
Semester II: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
7. Fundamental of C-Economy and C-Economics
8. C- Accounting & Finance
9. Principles of C-Marketing
10. Organization and Methods of C-Operations
11. Design, Evaluation/ Appraisal of C-Projects
12. Analysis of 6 Major Reported C-Cases
Semester III: 3 weeks of internship in C-flourishing and C-constrained Organizations
Semester IV: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
13. IT-oriented C-skills and C-applications
14. Ethics and Values in C-Applications
15. C- Team work Principles and practices
16. C-Leadership
17. Legal Framework for C-Operations
15. Humane Relationships in C-Environment
Semester V: : 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the 6 specialization papers of 100 marks each in any one of the specialization areas:
1. C-oriented Media and Public Relations
2. C-based Politics and National/ State/ Local Policy Design and Implementation
3. C-Infiltrated Administration and Regulation
4. C-induced Non-profit Activity
5. Spiritual Living in C-Environment
Semister V will provide indepth exposure to frontiers of String Operations, Stealth Planning, Collusive Strategies, Communications Tapping, Audit Proofing, Investigation Jamming, Record and Trail Erasing, Probe Insurance including JPC gaming, Threat Annhilation, Disaster Blusting, Trial Disintegration, PIL Foiling and Effective Spoil Distribution Strategies.
Campus Recruitment: Assured employment on completion of degree in political and economic firms and government consultancy / service assignments. Earnings Prospect -sky is the limit but guaranteed minimum of US $ 250000 pm to pa.
What does C stand for?
University of Emerging Technologies
In replacement of the MBA Degree, the University has launched the MCM Degree in view of the huge potential of self-employment, employment and wealth generation potential of C- Technology and C- Culture.
Details of the Two-Year Master of C-Management (MCM) Degree Program are given below:
Program Objective:
(a) Provide Advanced Education to the Aspiring Wealth & Power based on state of the art Knowledge in the area of C- Philosophy
(b)To impart effective and competitive C-skills needed to succeed in life in fast growing C-based economies.
Eligibility for Admission:
(a) Age - Between 18 and 30; for meritorious students of up to 45 years may be considered.
(b) Qualification – A graduate degree in any subject: those with demonstrated aptitude in application of C-skills may not require more than high school exposure.
Fees: Negotiable with a minimum Amount equivalent to US $ 100000 payable in 4 equal installments.
Other Requirements: Students have to make their own arrangements for accommodation, boarding and lodging.
Target Students: Those already active or desire to join democratic business institutions and firms in the area of administration, investigative journalism, auditing, political leadership, liaisons and public relations, event organization, etc.
Loan Facilities: Easily Available from C-skilled financing firms
Faculty: Internationally well recognized leaders of C-Philosophy and C-Skills with successful track record in practice like Professors Dr. SP Ower Dr. La Loo, Dr. May Awatee, Dr. R Aja, Dr. L M Ody, Dr. Kalm Adie, Dr. Achau Han, Dr. Y D’apa, Dr. R Eddee, Dr. NR Adea and Dr. SS Wamy. Special lectures will be delivered by icons from Prime Time TV anchors, Political Commentary lobbies, political parties and retired C-professionals.
Program Details:Semester 1: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
1.Basic C- Concepts, terminology/ language
2. Simulated Simple C-Games,
3. Introduction to C- Philosophy,
4. History of C- Development from ancient times to 2050AD.
5. Use of C-oriented Statistical Methods
6. C-Communication & Presentation
Semester II: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
7. Fundamental of C-Economy and C-Economics
8. C- Accounting & Finance
9. Principles of C-Marketing
10. Organization and Methods of C-Operations
11. Design, Evaluation/ Appraisal of C-Projects
12. Analysis of 6 Major Reported C-Cases
Semester III: 3 weeks of internship in C-flourishing and C-constrained Organizations
Semester IV: 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the following 6 Papers of 100 marks each:
13. IT-oriented C-skills and C-applications
14. Ethics and Values in C-Applications
15. C- Team work Principles and practices
16. C-Leadership
17. Legal Framework for C-Operations
15. Humane Relationships in C-Environment
Semester V: : 30 hours of lecturers, group discussions, project work in each of the 6 specialization papers of 100 marks each in any one of the specialization areas:
1. C-oriented Media and Public Relations
2. C-based Politics and National/ State/ Local Policy Design and Implementation
3. C-Infiltrated Administration and Regulation
4. C-induced Non-profit Activity
5. Spiritual Living in C-Environment
Semister V will provide indepth exposure to frontiers of String Operations, Stealth Planning, Collusive Strategies, Communications Tapping, Audit Proofing, Investigation Jamming, Record and Trail Erasing, Probe Insurance including JPC gaming, Threat Annhilation, Disaster Blusting, Trial Disintegration, PIL Foiling and Effective Spoil Distribution Strategies.
Campus Recruitment: Assured employment on completion of degree in political and economic firms and government consultancy / service assignments. Earnings Prospect -sky is the limit but guaranteed minimum of US $ 250000 pm to pa.
What does C stand for?
Feb 8, 2011
Democratic Accountability: Does Vikramaditya's Principle Apply?
A friend, Sunil, recently forwarded an e-mail story. It's about King Vikramaditya's Ruling on the Liabilty of the Honest. The story goes like this:
Once there lived an old and pious man, renowned for his honesty. One day his neighbor, a rich merchant comes to him with a request. The merchant was leaving on a voyage and wants the old man to safeguard his wealth, until his return. The old man agrees and with God as witness promises to protect and safeguard the merchant's wealth.
The old man then entrusts the safe keep of the merchant's wealth to his son, from whom he takes an oath of proprietyand honesty. Slowly the son starts dipping into the merchants wealth, people notice this and warn the old man of the son's misdeeds. The old man calls his son asks him to explain, he also reminds him of his oath on followingthe right path. The son rubbishes the accusations as rumors and the idle gossip of jealous people, who could not bear to see his prosperity. The old man accepts the son's explanation and things go on as before.
The merchant returns and demands his wealth. The old man calls his son, who hands over a quarter of the merchant's wealth saying that is all there was. The merchant realizing that he has been cheated approaches the King. The King listens to the merchant's complaint and summons the old man. The old man comes to the court with his son and handing him over to the King says "your majesty, the merchant is right. My son has confessed to the crime.Please punish him." The king has the son flogged and imprisoned. He then praises the old mans honesty and dismisses the case.
But the merchant demands punishment for the old man saying, "I have still not received justice. I had entrusted my wealth to the old man which he swore by God to safeguard. The old man'sintegrity is intact, but what of me, I have been robbed of my life'ssavings, and made a pauper. It was the old man's decision to entrust my wealth the son for safe keeping. As far as I am concerned the old man is the culprit, and should be punished." The king is astounded by this demand. The old man, was neither a party to the theft nor did he benefit from it. In fact, he had sent his son to jail. Yet, the merchant was asking for the old man's punishment.
The Betal asks Vikramaditya, "What should be the King's decision." Vikramaditya's replies, "Though the old man is innocent of the actual theft, he is guilty of dereliction of duty. The son's crime was a straight forward one, the old man's was a graver crime. He did nothing to protect the merchant's wealth. Far from being vigilant he failed to take action even when he was warned of his son's misdeeds. Because of his laxity the merchant is condemned to a life of penury. He should be punished." End of STORY.
The forwarded email now asks why this Priciple be applicable ti India in 2010. Dr. Manmohan Singh, esteemed economist, former Governor of RBI, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, former Finance Minister, a man whose personal ethics and integrity are unblemished, takes oath to protect and safeguard the Nation and its assets. He appoints Raja, as his Cabinet Minister for IT Telecom. Unlike the story, this heist of a precious national asset is carried out in full view of Dr. Manmohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues. Newspapers across the country cry out at this outrage in front page headlines. The Indian Constitution grants the Prime Minister absolute power in running the country. He is the head of the Government and the Union Cabinet functions at his pleasure. As per the Transaction of Business Rules the Prime Minister has the unrestricted right to demand and get any file, any record from any Ministry. Dr. ManMohan Singh could have at any time stopped this heist of a National asset, yet he chose to remain silent. The Minister's failure to exercise his constitutional rights has caused irreparable loss to the Nation.
But I am not sure that the lesson of the story is learnt. The story's principle would apply to an honest man who failed to keep up his promise taken in the name of the God. The principle may not apply to the King. just because he happens to be honest and has taken oath under the Constitution. Although I would like the principle to apply in all cases. That would have been fair and democratic also. But application of Vikramaditya's Principle is not really much meaningful or effective.
My objection is not against the principle of Vikramaditya. My worry is that the principle by itself does not help us solve the basic problem. Even if Dr. Manmohan Singh accepts the responsibility of failure to stop a cabinet colleague from doing an alleged activity in complete disregard to the protection of the Nation's Wealth/ Assets, this action on his part would have no impact on the problem of corruption: it may merely help comfort the hearts of those of us who agree with the story's lesson on the principle of Vikarmaditya. What we would really achieve is merely embarrassing an honest person and prove that we are not willing to accept that there exist honest persons.
For, there is no dearth of politicians in India who would be willing to be PM for a few months and resign/ get punished for not being careful enough to discharge the responsibility of protecting National Wealth through a system that encourages corruption: he/ she would just have to wait till a scam by his cabinet colleagues/ officials gets unearthed.
But, our national macro position with regard to corruption would remain unaltered. Vikramaditya's Principle does not ensure that ministers or bureaucrats or lowly government clerks or the policemen have no access to viable opportunity for becoming corrupt and therefore ensures that the corrupt has no incentive to be in politics or government. It would be foolish to expect that punishing the old man's son as well the old honest man, as was done by the King, would become a great deterrant for the corrupt to become honest in general. The system may not even allow the old man and his son to endure the consequences of an exemplary punishment. Because, it takes a long route to establish that the alleged corrupt really acted corruptly and the someone really had abated the alleged corrupt activity that resulted in a great loss to the Nation.
On a micro-plane, the question still remains as to what should honest people like Manmohan Singh do? The age old saying is " Do not keep company with evil doers". Did Mr. Singh follow this wise dictum even after the age when most people retired. Maybe, he had to be in the company of corrupt people when he was the Economic Advisor or Finance Secretary or accepted the post of Deputy Governor to make a living. But a honest person have to decide whether to be in the company of known evil and the corrupt. It is another matter if the given societal system really allows an honest person to keep himself/ herself miles away from the corrupt.
When Mr. Singh became PM he had expressed the hope that and extoled honest and good people to join politics in large numbers to drive out the evil, the corrupt and the criminals. But, is that way to make the politics honest and corruption-free? Are the Constitution and the laws are so designed to nip any attempt to promote falsehood, incompetency, dishonesty, corruption and crime in politics? Just look at the details of the design of the Socialist democratic republics and the legislative actions during the last 60 years to find out if there has been any provision that specifically deals with making corruption economically unviable in India. Yes, there are number of laws to penalise the corrupt and enforcement agencies to detect corruption and investigate after the incidence of corruption. But there is nothing that is designed to make opportunities of corruption economically unviable or inaccessible to the corrupt. Rather, there are more components in the system designed to make available opportunities to profit from corruption. The laws, rules and regulations are so designed that opportunities for corruption are many and provisions that can easily make honest persons getting entangled in corruption even without their knowledge.
Only a social movement of the people, by the people and for the people can possibly change the design of the system. People are unreasonable if they expect a few honest guys here and there in politics will stop corruption. There is no point in merely fighting against corruption after they take place unless you design a system that makes profitable opportunities of corruption inaccessible to the politicians, bureaucrats, government employees, the industrialists and others.
We need a separate Betal story and ruling of Vikramadity more appropriate to our problem..
Once there lived an old and pious man, renowned for his honesty. One day his neighbor, a rich merchant comes to him with a request. The merchant was leaving on a voyage and wants the old man to safeguard his wealth, until his return. The old man agrees and with God as witness promises to protect and safeguard the merchant's wealth.
The old man then entrusts the safe keep of the merchant's wealth to his son, from whom he takes an oath of proprietyand honesty. Slowly the son starts dipping into the merchants wealth, people notice this and warn the old man of the son's misdeeds. The old man calls his son asks him to explain, he also reminds him of his oath on followingthe right path. The son rubbishes the accusations as rumors and the idle gossip of jealous people, who could not bear to see his prosperity. The old man accepts the son's explanation and things go on as before.
The merchant returns and demands his wealth. The old man calls his son, who hands over a quarter of the merchant's wealth saying that is all there was. The merchant realizing that he has been cheated approaches the King. The King listens to the merchant's complaint and summons the old man. The old man comes to the court with his son and handing him over to the King says "your majesty, the merchant is right. My son has confessed to the crime.Please punish him." The king has the son flogged and imprisoned. He then praises the old mans honesty and dismisses the case.
But the merchant demands punishment for the old man saying, "I have still not received justice. I had entrusted my wealth to the old man which he swore by God to safeguard. The old man'sintegrity is intact, but what of me, I have been robbed of my life'ssavings, and made a pauper. It was the old man's decision to entrust my wealth the son for safe keeping. As far as I am concerned the old man is the culprit, and should be punished." The king is astounded by this demand. The old man, was neither a party to the theft nor did he benefit from it. In fact, he had sent his son to jail. Yet, the merchant was asking for the old man's punishment.
The Betal asks Vikramaditya, "What should be the King's decision." Vikramaditya's replies, "Though the old man is innocent of the actual theft, he is guilty of dereliction of duty. The son's crime was a straight forward one, the old man's was a graver crime. He did nothing to protect the merchant's wealth. Far from being vigilant he failed to take action even when he was warned of his son's misdeeds. Because of his laxity the merchant is condemned to a life of penury. He should be punished." End of STORY.
The forwarded email now asks why this Priciple be applicable ti India in 2010. Dr. Manmohan Singh, esteemed economist, former Governor of RBI, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, former Finance Minister, a man whose personal ethics and integrity are unblemished, takes oath to protect and safeguard the Nation and its assets. He appoints Raja, as his Cabinet Minister for IT Telecom. Unlike the story, this heist of a precious national asset is carried out in full view of Dr. Manmohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues. Newspapers across the country cry out at this outrage in front page headlines. The Indian Constitution grants the Prime Minister absolute power in running the country. He is the head of the Government and the Union Cabinet functions at his pleasure. As per the Transaction of Business Rules the Prime Minister has the unrestricted right to demand and get any file, any record from any Ministry. Dr. ManMohan Singh could have at any time stopped this heist of a National asset, yet he chose to remain silent. The Minister's failure to exercise his constitutional rights has caused irreparable loss to the Nation.
But I am not sure that the lesson of the story is learnt. The story's principle would apply to an honest man who failed to keep up his promise taken in the name of the God. The principle may not apply to the King. just because he happens to be honest and has taken oath under the Constitution. Although I would like the principle to apply in all cases. That would have been fair and democratic also. But application of Vikramaditya's Principle is not really much meaningful or effective.
My objection is not against the principle of Vikramaditya. My worry is that the principle by itself does not help us solve the basic problem. Even if Dr. Manmohan Singh accepts the responsibility of failure to stop a cabinet colleague from doing an alleged activity in complete disregard to the protection of the Nation's Wealth/ Assets, this action on his part would have no impact on the problem of corruption: it may merely help comfort the hearts of those of us who agree with the story's lesson on the principle of Vikarmaditya. What we would really achieve is merely embarrassing an honest person and prove that we are not willing to accept that there exist honest persons.
For, there is no dearth of politicians in India who would be willing to be PM for a few months and resign/ get punished for not being careful enough to discharge the responsibility of protecting National Wealth through a system that encourages corruption: he/ she would just have to wait till a scam by his cabinet colleagues/ officials gets unearthed.
But, our national macro position with regard to corruption would remain unaltered. Vikramaditya's Principle does not ensure that ministers or bureaucrats or lowly government clerks or the policemen have no access to viable opportunity for becoming corrupt and therefore ensures that the corrupt has no incentive to be in politics or government. It would be foolish to expect that punishing the old man's son as well the old honest man, as was done by the King, would become a great deterrant for the corrupt to become honest in general. The system may not even allow the old man and his son to endure the consequences of an exemplary punishment. Because, it takes a long route to establish that the alleged corrupt really acted corruptly and the someone really had abated the alleged corrupt activity that resulted in a great loss to the Nation.
On a micro-plane, the question still remains as to what should honest people like Manmohan Singh do? The age old saying is " Do not keep company with evil doers". Did Mr. Singh follow this wise dictum even after the age when most people retired. Maybe, he had to be in the company of corrupt people when he was the Economic Advisor or Finance Secretary or accepted the post of Deputy Governor to make a living. But a honest person have to decide whether to be in the company of known evil and the corrupt. It is another matter if the given societal system really allows an honest person to keep himself/ herself miles away from the corrupt.
When Mr. Singh became PM he had expressed the hope that and extoled honest and good people to join politics in large numbers to drive out the evil, the corrupt and the criminals. But, is that way to make the politics honest and corruption-free? Are the Constitution and the laws are so designed to nip any attempt to promote falsehood, incompetency, dishonesty, corruption and crime in politics? Just look at the details of the design of the Socialist democratic republics and the legislative actions during the last 60 years to find out if there has been any provision that specifically deals with making corruption economically unviable in India. Yes, there are number of laws to penalise the corrupt and enforcement agencies to detect corruption and investigate after the incidence of corruption. But there is nothing that is designed to make opportunities of corruption economically unviable or inaccessible to the corrupt. Rather, there are more components in the system designed to make available opportunities to profit from corruption. The laws, rules and regulations are so designed that opportunities for corruption are many and provisions that can easily make honest persons getting entangled in corruption even without their knowledge.
Only a social movement of the people, by the people and for the people can possibly change the design of the system. People are unreasonable if they expect a few honest guys here and there in politics will stop corruption. There is no point in merely fighting against corruption after they take place unless you design a system that makes profitable opportunities of corruption inaccessible to the politicians, bureaucrats, government employees, the industrialists and others.
We need a separate Betal story and ruling of Vikramadity more appropriate to our problem..
Feb 6, 2011
Remarkable Quotes for Law-based Democracies & Republics
Quotes from Collection of Amazing Quotes. How did these people sensed what would happen all over the World including India. We know why there is so much corruption and yet we have blind faith in Government and Legislators to act as God the Almighty when in fact the institution of Government is inherently oppressive and corrupt.
"Laws are like spiders' webs which, if anything small falls into them they ensnare it, but large things break through and escape." -Solon
"Useless laws weaken necessary laws." -Charles De Montesquieu
"The more laws are enacted and taxes assessed, the greater the number of lawbreakers and tax evaders." -Lao Tzu
"Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced." -Albert Einstein
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." -Ayn Rand
"There are laws to protect the freedom of the press' speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press." -Mark Twain
"Policemen so cherish their status as keepers of the peace and protectors of the public that they have occasionally been known to beat to death those citizens or groups who question that status." -David Mamet
"Laws are like spiders' webs which, if anything small falls into them they ensnare it, but large things break through and escape." -Solon
"Useless laws weaken necessary laws." -Charles De Montesquieu
"The more laws are enacted and taxes assessed, the greater the number of lawbreakers and tax evaders." -Lao Tzu
"Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced." -Albert Einstein
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." -Ayn Rand
"There are laws to protect the freedom of the press' speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press." -Mark Twain
"Policemen so cherish their status as keepers of the peace and protectors of the public that they have occasionally been known to beat to death those citizens or groups who question that status." -David Mamet
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