UNIFICATION WITH OUTSIDERS/DIVISION WITH IN

In a news paper dated 27/7/13, it is reported that press council Of India (PCI) CHIEF Markandey Katju, while delivering lecture on the role of media In promoting Secularism called for the unification of India-Pakistan and Bangla Desh in to one secular state., while obliquely referring to Gujrat CM Narendra Modi’s Hindu Nationalist remark. To wish for UNITY at any levels is always to be treated as very positive. This Nation would rather wish Justice Katju to work for unification of the entire world as one single entity, working on his mentioned theme of Secularism. But Alas, this wish of PCI chief does not seem possible to be fulfilled, as such any wish on these lines even for three sovereign and well established countries to unite as one single entity can at best be treated only as UTOPIA and very pleasant DAY-DREAMS. Still, no harm in having such wishes. In stead of thinking of the impossible, Shri Katju as we know him is a good thinker/has been in the Judiciary and even after retirement hold position as PCI chief, may do still better to take up our own country for better UNIFICATION. This country has already been divided on many parameters and activities have been going on for its further divisions. We already have 28 states, most carved out on linguistic basis, though, there are others as well which have come into existence just to satisfy whims and fancies of some regional political leaders. Just now while writing these lines formation of an other new state( Telangna) after dividing an existing one has been decided in principle by the ruling party, all apparently is due to having no courage to say no to any demand being raised from any quarter and also for vote gains to the ruling dispensation . The bad luck of this Nation is that again giving considerations to VOTE BANK , no other party is taking courage to oppose this decision of the ruling party at the centre. With this the entire CAN OF WORMS has been left open and many similar demands have stated coming out, as if every Mohalla leader now wishes to have a separate country so as to enjoy the fruits that come with such decisions. When Bharat could get free from the foreign yoke, we had many states, so much so that the foreigners while leaving this country and wishing no good for its future, mandated that the kingdoms created by them to work as their recovery agents could work even as free sovereign countries ,with further options to merge with either Bharat or Pakistan as per their wish. Their GAME PLAN was well understood by our first/then Home Minister-Sardar Patel, who with tacts/strategy /guts and actions could merge many of these states with India and created a well knit Nation. Unfortunately in respect of the state of JK, the matter was taken to the UNO by the then PM, Shri Nehru. Since then this state remains a problem and we in this country are having to continuously feed that state from the taxes collected from other parts. It was there after when, the weak leaderships could get reign of Governments at the Centre that due to pressures from the divisive/self appointed leaders, that many more states have been created mostly on LINGUISTIC BASIS. As per the language policy framed by these successive weak Governments, all the states are made free to do all their official work in the language of that particular state, i.e. Bangla in Bengal/Gurmukhi in Punjab/Tamil in TN and so on. This language policy creates more and many problems for the persons of one linguistic state moving to the other one. Hindi as we know has been given the STATUS of NATIONAL LANGUAGE, but alas! as one moves from state to state , Hindi is no where to be seen while moving on the roads/wishes to find out the places/the railway stations/the buses and so on. All these places mention the indicators in their respective regional language, though some times the other language used along with is English only. Hindi the declared National language is no where. Bharat we say is one great Nation ,so many persons as individuals for their business move to other states .Government and other employees including in private sector as well as multinational companies ,too are supposed to move from one state to an other ,on change of business/job/transfer and even on pleasure trips. These persons are sure to be handicapped in many ways due to this distorted language policy. So is the case with their school going children. As such bad frame of language policy is like erecting CONCRETE WALLS to ensure DIVIDE on permanent basis. This is a big issue for all thinkers including PCI chief to take up on priority basis. In respect of this Nation, we may do good if implementation of language policy is ensured this way that for official work in offices in all states/union territories/as well as centre, all work in done either in HINDI OR ENGLISH and so with schooling. However in schools provision for learning in regional language as an optional subject too can be provided. For display boards and indicators, use of local language along with Hindi and English is to be treated as must, for help to lesser literates of the Region. I happened to visit Karnataka a few days back. A person told that though he has a car, but is not able to drive it as, according to rules of the state, he must have local registration, for which he is required to shell about fifty thousand. The man feels as if he has gone to an other country, otherwise why such problem & so big a demand for a car casting about three lacs only. Are these policies not sufficient to stop mobility with in the country it self and bad for Nation’s unification. So remedies are needed, which these dignitaries and position holder are expected to provide for better cohesion with in this country it self.

Besides the divides that have been created/are being created by thus creating new states, the other big dig is on finances ,that are needed to maintain separate states, plus the land having to be acquired for housing the Assemblies/the offices and other paraphernalia. Our land treasure is already getting depleted due to obnoxious increase in population and for creating more infrastructures to accommodate increased population.

The big divides have also been created in this Country on caste/community/region/gender basis in name of Reservations. In this process, besides over looking MERIT/CALIBRE/CAPACITY of the workers/position holders/elected persons directly affecting PRODUCTIVITY/GOVERNANCE and other positives, HATRED/ILL WILL/ACRIMONY is also created between those who are being favoured and the others , who are being discriminated against. Those in position like PCI chief may do a lot of positive service to this Nation ,if only they take up to put a stop to any type of discrimination or favour to any individual or society even in name of Reservations. After all, Nation can develop by recognizing/encouraging more MERIT/CALIBRE CAPACITY and reservations may prove otherwise only. Then this reservation policy goes on for more than six decades from now and need be put a stop to.

About Shri Katju’s concern for SECULARISM, dictionary meaning reads” one who believes that religion should have no place in civil affairs” In simple words it may be that in the eyes of the state, none has to be treated differently by the law of the land. As per our own constitution every citizen of this nation has the right to equality before the law. In practice however these provisions are not followed. Rather we follow the opposite, a good part being due to RESERVATION policy and added to this is policy of appeasements, all for vote bank considerations. All this, besides being DISCRIMINATORY, is also open disregard to the constitution. We also find still more divides and distinctions have been created between the communities of this country. We understand that there is Hindu Marriage Act for Hindus and there is a separate act for Muslims to be Governed by Muslim Personal Law. We don’t know but apprehend ,similar may be the case with other communities. If this country has to be treated as one unified great /developed /strong Nation ,then all laws have to be made equally applicable to each one living in this country ,without any distinction of caste/community/sex/region and so on . Thus only all the dividing concrete walls created so for could be demolished .Good to give recognition to all Indian permanent residents as INDIANS only ,not otherwise .As for secularism is concerned ,it is observed that through out the day most discussions on all the news channels on electronic media remain centered around caste/community of the victim , of any accident or crime and all sympathies are shown in case the victim is not Hindu from unreserved category. Then before elections/distribution of tickets/ winning prospective of the candidate/pre-pole assessments and post pole results ,it is the CASTE/SUB CASTE/ COMMUNITIES only that are at the centre stage. Do we expect these concerned citizens to fight out this issue to ensure that mention of communities this way is put a stop to, as this creates more and more divides .Best may be to have no figures of the persons from different caste/communities/sub caste and so on.

As per the news reporter’s comments as culled out of Katju’s remarks, PCI chief’s oblique reference is to Gujrat CM Modi’s Hindu Nationalist expression, while wishing unification of the mentioned three neighboring countries as one secular state, we wish that NAMO’S HINDU NATIONALIST REMARKS BE TAKEN IN RIGHT PERSPECTIVE. Hope fully Modi’s remarks have been appreciated by justice Katju as NAMO has rightfully expressed his love for his birth and birth place. We under stand that there are the persons/communities living in Bharat and enjoying all its fruits and shade ,wish not to speak “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”/ “Vandematram “ , claiming their religious beliefs do not permit to say so. Here of course some thinking and positive directives by the committed citizens of Bharat are needed from the persons like Justice Katju/Bharat Ratan Decorative Amartya Sen and their likes. The media a few days ago also reported that Shri Sen too has expressed negatively about NAMO’s Gujarat model of development seemingly just to please his audience. Mr Sen we know is recognized as a big economist, so his views on economy of this country would have been more beneficial and purposeful, had he suggested some curative measures for remedying the ills of this nation’s economy, specially when all see that this country’s economic health is totally shattered and is as good as in ICU.

As is known to many in this country ,Shri Katju is a retired Judge, so it might have been more useful to make use of his experiences in Judiciary in guiding as to how to reduce large number of suits remaining pending in the courts ,many for decades to gather. His views can also be a help to the plaintiffs/defendants ,who lose a good part of their lives moving round about the courts wishing reliefs. As PCI chief ,this Nation wishes him to guide ,so that the Newspapers become a medium of education and alert. The electronic Media as we see show many programs which only depict family quarrels and hatred. The advertising too depicts ,which the families all sitting to-gether may feel ashamed to see. Just as the family systems are, knowledge is passed on from mothers to daughters on time/ need basis. But here these are shown on the TVs. It may be better if TV programmes are directed in such a way that good part in the day besides being recreation, should be knowledge oriented as well. After say 10 pm ,only education /talking /discussing about the great people need be permitted. After 11pm TV must stop functioning. Same way Shri Amartya sen having been recognized as a great economist ,can help this country out of economic glut, instead of talking about so called secularism and individuals in politics.

Date:04-08-2013

RD Agarwal, A-86, Indira Nagar, LUCKNOW. Blog: www.rdagarwal.blogspot.com