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Random Thoughts & Poetry of Praba
Random Thoughts & Poetry of Praba


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Supreme quota verdict
Related to country: India

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic


The first ever scheduled caste Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has done justice to his duty. Despite the caste and political emotions running high and strangulating his judicial work, Justice. K.G. Balkrishnan has safeguarded the supremacy of the guardian of the Indian constitution. In the 27 percent reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the central universities case, the bench has pronounced a very objective verdict. It is true that the caste factor is still operational in most parts of the country. It is also true that some of the Indian population has benefited from the reservation in the past 60 years. Those who got enough economic means and cultural capital using the backward caste card are considered as the creamy layer. Taking note of these trivial troubles, the bench has given the green signal to the quotas with certain conditions. One, the creamy layer should be excluded from the quotas. Two, the government should reexamine the backward classes list with better scientific methods. Three, the quota cannot be given to the graduates from the backward sections. Four, the reservation cannot go on for ever. Five, steps should be taken to empower the backward sections within an agreed time frame. Any sane person will consider this judgment as the landmark one.
Through ample education, political empowerment and employment opportunities certain OBCs have moved up in the social ladder. This kind of people cannot be called as “backward” and provided reservation in the government concessions. Unfortunately this is what the rich and mighty from the so called backward castes are claiming for. The political parties are singing the caste tunes to garner votes. This drama is going on from the first Independence Day in 1947. In the move to create an egalitarian society which is enshrined the constitution there is no symptom of reducing the caste discriminations. Instead of taking steps to dilute and eliminate caste, the governments have successfully perpetuated this social evil. After the dusted off and stage-managed Mandal commission report presentation by the V.P Singh, the caste crime has increased. One can verify this trend from the growth of caste based political parties after 1990s. Although most of these parties got rejected by the public and most importantly by their own caste people, these parties pose a grave blockade to the extinction of caste.
One can gather the knee-jerk reactions of the political parties. The Government’s quota raja, Arjun Singh directs all the central universities to implement the verdict from this academic session. With only two months in hand, it is impossible for the central institutions to double up the infrastructure and accommodate 27 percent more students. To add salt to the wound, the University Grants Commission has informed that it has only Rs. 565 crores to be distributed among the nineteen institutions. With less than Rs. 20 crores how can a central institution implement 27 percent increase in the intake of students? For instance, Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor, Prof. B. B Bhattacharya demands Rs. 250 crores to fulfill the OBC quota verdict. However the UGC says not more than Rs.15 crores. Who and what will suffer can be left to the guesses of the thinking human being.

Some cartoon characters who are masquerading as public representatives and policy makers cross all the limits and demand the OBC quota in the private sector. If the aim is to empower the backward sections and push them forward then the blank quota recommendation is of less use. An economic empowerment and education support from the basic school level is the best possible means to achieve the wider national goal of social equality.
As almost all political parties are in the same boat with the caste vote bank as the destination only the judiciary can save the country. In this sense, the quota verdict breaks the political hurdle and sets a new ray of hope for the people.

April 18, 2008 | 8:11 AM Comments  0 comments

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The rude boys of cricket
Related to country: Australia

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The arrogant Aussie cricket
Too many victories give arrogance. This is what the Australian cricket team has demonstrated to the world. Without exhibiting an inch of sportsmanship, Ricky Ponting’s men were atrocious on the field. They were keen to win by hook or crook. Just to break their own record of sixteen consecutive test match wins, the Aussies were pulling false victories. Collectively they have brought shame to their country and cricket. Unfortunately the umpires were aiding this uncharacteristic quality of cricketers.
The Sydney cricket test was a true testimony to the growing rudeness in the Australian team. Ponting and his teammates displayed a below standard aggressiveness on the field. They terrified the umpires to give out when it was not. If it was by accident fans and cricket lovers would have forgotten as an error. But it was reenacted often. This really triggered unrest among the game watchers. Surprisingly the Australian public and cricket commentators have out rightly condemned this dubious distinction.
In the last series in India, the Aussie team members led by the captain shoved BCCI president and the union cabinet minister, Sharad Pawar on stage. It was the magnanimity of Pawar which let off the arrogant Aussie team. Unfortunately this did not impact them positively. Without learning from the past mistakes, the team Australia continues to behave badly on and off the field.
The Wankhede episode in Mumbai where Andrew Symonds was mocked through monkey posturing by some indecent fans set the ball rolling for Aussie revenge. To stop this expected trouble, the Indian law enforcement swiftly initiated actions against the racist postures and comments of the few Indian fans. This had sent a strong message that the Indians are against racist remarks and actions.
On the contrary to the popular anticipations, the Australian cricket watchers conducted gently and watched the game in true spirit. It was the players who initiated the ugly turn of the much celebrated tour and series.
John Bertrand of the Sport Australian Hall of Fame wants his countrymen to give back the moral compass in the cricket. He thinks that they had gone too far in arrogance. According to the Reuters, Bertrand has slammed his own cricketers.
The Daily Telegraph says
Footy legend Ron Barassi said Australia should be the world leader in all aspects of the game.

"I'm very concerned the word unsportsmanlike is being thrown around in relation to the cricket, and there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence," he said.

"It concerns me that the Australians are regularly being referred to as being arrogant and because it is mentioned so often, you begin to wonder."

Kevin Bartlett, another AFL legend, said he defined bad sportsmanship as not showing respect to your opponents.

"You don't treat them with contempt, you treat them with respect -- and I didn't see that from the Aussies," he said.

Australia's national netball coach Jill McIntosh said the Aussies were a "little arrogant".

"It worries me that the Australian cricket teams of recent times have been called the worst sledgers in the game. Why don't they just rely on their skills?" she said.

"They don't need to sledge. They are an incredibly skilled team."
While exposing the Australian cricket team it is important to send few advices to the Indian side. The men in blue deserve accolades for maintaining decency and decorum despite the umpires wreaking injustice on the team. It is a happy scence to see the entire team standing behind Harbhajan Singh who is accused of racist remarks against Symonds. The BCCI continues to exhibit late responses to the players’ problems. It requires to put its house in order. Till then the team India suffers because of too much of politics and too less of professionalism in the board management.



January 12, 2008 | 12:21 AM Comments  0 comments



Elephant's march and hand's future
Related to country: India

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Mayawati, the BSP supremo is touring all corners of the country to expand her party’s base. The resounding success of her social engineering in Uttar Pradesh has emboldened the blue political elephants to try the same elsewhere. There is in an upward swing of votes in its favour. The recent elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have demonstrated that the time for third force at the all India level has come. The Congress party being a pan Indian one stands decimated today. Virtually wiped out in the largest state of Uttar Pradesh, no base on its own in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and West Bengal, the scope of single party governance has been pushed to a distant dream. The BJP is surviving with consolatory victories. After getting washed out in U.P, its house is in shambles. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan units of the saffron party seems to be heading towards total collapse in this year’s assembly elections. The Left parties are under shaky wicket. With Kerala and West Bengal exhibiting anti-incumbency wave there is a possibility of receiving serious setbacks in these states.


The alarm bells have started ringing for the Congress. With the balkanization of its vote bank and total dependence on the regional allies, the grand old party was never so shattered. Parties like BSP which is extending its reach are a clear worry for the Congress. In H.P, the BSP has increased its vote share from 0.3% to 7%. Although it won only one seat, it wreaked havoc on Congress candidates in nearly 12 constituencies which were crucial. In Gujarat, its share went up from 0.32 to 2.64 with no seats in its victory kitty.

Yesterday Mayawati announced separate Telagana if BSP is voted to power in the souther state of Andra Pradesh. Despite leaders expressing caution about the growth of BSP outside U.P, its methods have sent shockwaves to Congress. The traditional voters of the GoP like dalits, tribals and minorities are being pulled away. These will tilt the victory in favour of either non Congress parties or BJP. In the near future, BSP may not successful at the all India level but can devastate the so called secular vote banks. The signals are very clear for Congress and its allies in this connection.


Franchised vote catching
A careful look at the BSP model of success in U.P and Delhi’s Municipal elections show that the ground working was left to the cadres. It was like the Mc Donald’s model of franchising. The cadres and politically passionate people used her flag and images to win the disgruntled dalit votes. Mixed with backward class voters and minorities it proved to be a deadly combo. It was like the franchising model of success in politics. The chief travelled only few kilometers and addressed lesser public meetings. Without a party manifesto and paraphernalia, Mayawati was able to secure a mammoth victory due to her secret execution of strategies.

Silent think-tank
Mayawati has got a silent yet solid team of advisors who are efficient in apt strategy making. Her team is a mix of bureaucrats, journalists, academicians, businessmen and politicians. They use simple networking techniques to create an India wave in her favour. There would not be any surprise if they pull big victories in some states. Madhya Pradesh may prove to be a biggest chunk of vote catching in this year. It may not be good in terms of seats but the vote share will share be shocking for Congress. The BSP think-tank was successful in deflecting public attention from its strategies and successfully executed its victory formula.


Congress should take note of these alterations immediately. Without lending its mind to the growing reality, it supported her in its growth till last week. Violating the Supreme Court verdict, the UPA government went all out the way to allocate two bungalows in Lutyen’s Delhi for BSP. This was done as favour for BSP’s support for Prathiba Patill in the presidential elections. Now it boomerangs beyond the politically irrelevant presidential election and threatens to destroy Congress in its roots.

When Mayawati accused the conspiracies of Congressmen to eliminate her and BSP’s cut in Congress vote share in the recent assembly elections Congress got the red alert. Although it is late, practical thinking and execution can alter the political tide in favour of the oldest party in the country. Otherwise it will be doomed forever.