Sunday, December 10, 2006

The Mistreated Silvers.




“Life is like a dogsled team…. Unless you are the lead dog, the scenery never changes”. Someone has rightly said this. As long as a person in physically and financially fit to lead himself and his folks, he has respect and dignity. However, as soon as he becomes useless in doing so, the scene changes completely and he becomes the worthless part of the family.
89-year-old Ram Pradhan sits in a corner of his flat and silently, slowly chops vegetables under the observant eye of his daughter in law. What has become his daily routine now; he takes an agonizing 30 minutes to do so and another 15 minutes to walk back to the kitchen. He suffers from elephantiasis, while his wife is partially blind.
Hardly does any one know about such harassment done to the elderly within the four walls of the house on a regular basis. At present this exploitation is been done on a huge scale which is termed as Elder Abuse. Elder abuse is defined as a single or a repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within a relationship where there is an expectation of trust. This may result in physical harm and mental distress leading to harmful conditions of living and endangering the elder persons safety. Physical harm can be slapping, beating, pushing, burning, pulling hair or forced confinement. Mental torture can be humiliation, insult and black mail.
There are severe cases of elder abuse where children harass their sick and old parents to give them their property or savings. Moreover, we often get to hear cases about daughter-in-law’s getting tortured by her in-laws. There is a law intended to protect daughter-in-law against such torture, which on one side is good. However, people fail to look at the other side of the coin i.e., the misuse of this law by the daughter-in-law against her in-laws. Often the daughter-in-law files wrong complaints against her in-laws to get rid of their illness and burden. There are many cases where the aged commit suicide after being sued and jailed wrongly. This phenomenon is on a rise due to increase in nuclear family culture. Children want to live alone, on which the aged disagree and hence the children find such ways to kick them away from their houses.
Elder abuse has been going on since a long time but barely anyone considers it or takes action against it. Sometimes even the aged or the children themselves are unaware of such things happening around them. Senior citizens do not report such crimes, because they feel humiliated, ashamed or feel that they might be put in some old age home far away from their children. Sometimes under the pretext of loving their children and not being able to register case against them, the aged become victims of such abuse.

Another dilemma faced by the senior citizens in urban area is of the insurance policies. Some of the public sector health insurers announced hiked premium for senior citizens this year. 70+ citizens (who want to buy a policy) will have to pay over Rs. 13,000/- per year for a cover of Rs.2 lakhs against the earlier of Rs. 7000/-.
“How we are supposed to pay such a huge amount when we have retired in modest pensions, says Mrs. Ahluwalia”.
At present, the companies are also reducing the commission paid to the agents for insuring the elders. Only 10% is paid to the agents for insuring people between the ages of 45-55 years. Moreover, they have stopped paying agents their charge for insuring people above the age of 55. Earlier, the agents used to get 15% of the commission for the same. This makes the agent disinterested in helping the aged.
Moreover, according to the rules and regulations of many organizations, purchasing a policy after the age of 50 is the most difficult. Generally, the companies do not entertain people beyond 50 years of age because of the less profits they get by doing so. Moreover because of stringent procedures and red tapism renewal of the policies also becomes a tiresome job.

Another major issue the aged living in urban areas have to tackle is lack of security and protection. With children migrating to cities and abroad, the elderly are forced to stay alone. The concept of joint family has declined slowly making the elders to stay by themselves. Moreover, in today’s fast moving world where people are busy 24/7, they hardly get time to talk to neighbors or talk to people staying nearby. “I am staying in this apartment for the last 5 years but hardly do I know the names of people staying in the same floor where I stay. I work in the night and in the day time am busy finishing off other pending works, which gives me no time to talk to my neighbors, says Mr. Majumdar, a call-center employee staying in Thane.”
Elders staying unaccompanied now depend on electrical gadgets like video door phones, alarms and intrusion detectors. Moreover, being all by themselves they crave for attention, love and care. Sometimes the servants and house cleaners show this care, which might prove to be risky. Even if they do not allow strangers to come inside their house, they tend to forget that they are risking their life at the hands of their house cleaners whom they trust so much. Out of the eight cases of murder of senior citizens in Mumbai in 2005, five were committed by servants or people known to them. Even after repeated request by the police officers to register the identity of the servants’, people forget to do the same and then land into dilemma.
The number of 60+ people in 1947 was 19 million and at present, it is 80 million.
In the next two decades, it is expected to touch 137 million, due to rising life expectancy. With such rapid increase in the population, the problems are also anticipated to increase. Hence, proper steps and precautions taken now can lead to better and secure environment for the old people to live. Moreover, the children should think twice before mistreating their elders because they themselves are going to be old one day. As it is rightly said by an English writer- Compton Burnett-Dame Ivy, “Don’t be too hard on your parents, you may find yourself in their place.”

Saturday, December 02, 2006



Whole of Maharashtra was taken aback in the last 2 days. The reason being the desecration of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue in Kanpur. Dalits angered by such a behavior towards their beloved Neta could not control their anger and destroyed everything that came in their way. Be it private cars, public transport, or shops, everything was burnt or broken.
A few months back another famous politician’s wife’s statue was vandalized in Mumbai. Protests and agitations started and the whole city saw violent eruptions against the act for a few days.
Was this amount of destruction really necessary? Every time there is a caste or a political party or a celebrity involved in such an issue the common man is the one who suffers the most.
Indians are thought to be emotional. However, this negative outcome of emotions is immoral. Why is it that, when something wrong is done to the ones who are dead, do the people wake up from their sleep and agitate or display such immature acts of respect towards their deceased leaders? Hardly any of those departed are remembered by those activists in their everyday life. Barely do these politicians follow the philosophy or teaching of the ones whom they idolize. Moreover the statues once built are never cleaned.
Moreover, why is that the common man has to suffer in this whole issue. Vehicles are burnt, shops are broken. The recent issue almost charged the government with 12 crores. In addition, those 12 crores was the loss estimated only by the railways. Public transport like buses, rickshaws etc may increase the amount to some more crores.
Moreover, this amount is expected to be paid from our pockets only. Imagine, we paying money for the crime that we have not done.
Moreover, such threatening and violent acts can further lead to a sense of panic in the citizens. Such riots have caused a terror in the localities. Rumors and gossips further worsen the whole situation. Attacking people is such a childish act which is least expected from the people who are elected to protect them and not to harass them.
Statues should be removed. If you have respect for a person, better remember him and respect him. Building statues in their memory is fine, but the organization or the members who build those should take the authority to take care of them. Why has the government to be blamed for such issues? Government has a lot to look after, may be it is not doing its job efficiently, but they should not be blamed for such matters. Moreover in the recent case the governmental organization in the area where the statue was vandalized immediately replaced the severed one with another for a temporary basis. The government did so to avoid the violent reaction of the people. What else is the government expected to do in such a small period.
The government should of course take steps by making the persons who build these statues sign on a written document stating that they would take care of the statues. Due to this the people will come under a law and would surely take care of the statues. Alternatively, a law can be passed on the same. Moreover using technology the statues can be built in such a way that if any one touches them they get a diminutive amount of shock. The shock wont cause any injury but would certainly avoid a person from misbehaving with it.

Friday, November 03, 2006



I had always dreamt of myself visiting a foreign country. It was always amazing to see how people outside our country live, their culture, the different types of food they eat, their dressing style, their looks and personality. I always used to watch them on TV and was amazed by their way of living.
Looking at my family units’ circumstance, I knew I would hardly get a chance to go abroad, unless and until I become independent. My elder brother was the first person in our family to go the United Kingdom for further studies. I was so excited about him going abroad, that I used to call him everyday and ask him inane questions on the way of life there. I used to ask him to send me pictures of places where he traveled there and preserved them as something very valuable.
Startlingly, at my 21st birthday, I got the most precious gift from my parents, an air ticket to London. Moreover, my best friend was to travel with me. I was to stay for a month in London. The feeling that I underwent then could not be expressed in words. It was, as one feels when ones most desired dream turns out to be true, excitement, happiness, ecstasy and what not.
I had to fly the next morning. My friend and I, going to London to visit my brother was the biggest surprise to me. I packed my bags and went to sleep, as I had to get up early in the morning to set off for the airport. I put on the alarm, but I knew, it would be of no use and it would be inane of me expecting sleep tonight. The whole night I kept thinking about how my vacation would go, the places I would visit etc. The whole night went shifting from one position to another, dreaming and waiting for my eyes to shut down and get some good sleep. Usually, I lazy down on my bed even if the alarm goes off and curse the alarm for ringing so early. However, today, I was cursing the alarm for not ringing, as I was growing impatient with every tick of the clock. At last losing out my patience, I got up one hour before the alarm was set. Where it usually takes me more than an hour to get ready, today, astonishingly I was ready in less than 30 minutes.
I had my breakfast, listening to my parents’ instructions on the airport rules and regulations I need to follow and how to behave in the foreign land. I do not remember how many instructions were registered in my brain as I was busy daydreaming about my forth-coming vacation. I hurriedly finished off my breakfast and got ready. After an half an hour eager wait I and my family got into the car and set off for our journey towards the airport. We were supposed to go along with my friend’s family. We stopped at her place, waiting for them to come along with us. All of us then set off for the airport.
The drive towards the airport was spent checking and rechecking the passports and other necessary things. We got down at the airport, loaded our baggage on the trolleys. There was still an hour left for our security check. My friend and I were busy discussing the things we would do there. Our parents were busy expressing their worries to each other, as it was the first time we were going on a trip outside the country and that to on our own. After an hour, our security check was announced. We proceeded for the check bidding our families goodbye. Done with our security and immigration we went to the waiting room. We eagerly waited for the authorities to call out for boarding the flight. Every announcement made sent gusto in our body. We were very happy for our first tour abroad. In addition, for me it was more exciting as I was going to experience the fun with one of the closest person in my life next to my family. At last, our boarding was announced and we headed towards the gate. We were greeted by the crewmembers and were directed to our respective seats. We took in our seat, fastened our seat belts and the next moment resumed our discussions. I could feel my heart beating fast in excitement. I was just 8 hours far from the most memorable moment of my life.
I was confused about what I was feeling at that moment. I felt like shouting aloud about the unforgettable moment I was going to experience. I felt like telling about my dream coming true to every person on the flight.
However, my friend and I indulged ourselves into a movie, which was being played on the monitor in front of out seats. I was hardly listening to the dialogues as I was busy making an imaginary lists in my brain computer about the things I would do so that I could not miss anything important.
After a few hours, my friend and I went to sleep. We got up on listening to the announcement made by the flight crew about the plane, which was going to land within 30 minutes. As soon as I heard the announcement, I almost got up from my seat in thrill. My friend pulled me down and I again fastened my seat belts and opened my window cover up to take a glimpse of the aerial view of my dream destination. I looked at every thing I could from the small window of the flight, so that I do not miss anything.
Our flight landed in Heathrow airport. I got out of the flight, and here I was seeing the dream, which I used to see with closed eyes turn into a reality. This was the most exciting experience of my life. Of course, the whole vacation was exciting and memorable, but the moment when I landed on the airport and took the first glance of a foreign country was the best moment of my life.

Monday, October 30, 2006



We Indians are so familiar with corruption that, nowadays, it does not surprise us even if any huge amount of corruption case is exposed. Every Indian is now habituated to it and very well knows that any work to be done needs a fair amount of money.
Eleven MPs were caught on camera for the ‘cash on question’ scandal. Another half a dozen were exposed while asking commission for the MP Local Area Development Scheme. We are quite used to bureaucrats demanding bribe but this madness has not even spared the judiciary. A former Chief Justice of India recently admitted that at least 20% of the higher judiciary is corrupt. This has proved that, be it judiciary, executive, legislative, every section of our constitution is addicted to this iniquity.
We cannot term that India alone or other developing/underdeveloped countries, which lag behind economically, are corrupt. The truth is corruption is a global phenomenon. Corruption has laid its hands on developed countries too. The major cause of corruption is ‘Greed’, the greed of humans to be rich and successful by easy ways avoiding hard work. In addition, when it is coupled up with poor conviction rate in any nation the fear of punishment vanishes and corruption flourishes. Developed countries like USA, UK etc are very well corrupt.
However, what makes India different from the other countries? In India, even official and routine work, which is very well within the limits of the judiciary, requires extra money. Employees working in any government based organizations, be it from a ‘D’ class employee to an ‘A’ class officer has to be bribed for the completion of work. Hardly any one in India fears the law. However, in the Western world, for getting a work done that is well within the framework of law does not require bribe. The work is done routinely. However, illegal work does require that extra money in western world too.
This points the major difference and that is, be it legal or illegal; in India no work is done without bribing the authority. For instance, the cash on question scandal, the MP’s were caught on camera for taking money to ask questions in the parliament. To ask questions in the parliament is very well the duty of an MP, which is to be done in the Question Hour. Moreover, requesting an MP to ask questions is a legal thing. However, by taking bribe, these politicians have proved the extent to which our government has descended.
However, the ministers alone cannot be blamed in this whole matter. Indian citizens, themselves, have accepted the fact that no work can be done without bribe. They have accepted corruption on a day-to-day basis. However, if the citizens become aware of the particular laws, a lot of difference can be made. Knowing the necessary details, as to the numbers or other details of the anti corruption bureau, at least a few corrupt officers can be put behind bars. Moreover, elections can also be the best weapon to fight against corruption. Citizens should stop electing corrupt politicians. Many times, we overlook the character of the politician to the work he has done. However, that should be prevented because; whatever work the politician must have done, a corrupt politician is always a criminal.
Moreover, the political head of our country should also take some initiative in putting an end to this practice. India has such taught politicians, which lead the country and represent it globally. These people should make strict laws, while appointing senior level officers, which in turn appoint the other lower level officers. Following stern rules and regulations from the senior levels will automatically bring about discipline and orderliness in the subordinate levels.
India has brought the Right to Information Act into action. This can also prove to be a tool to minimize corruption. However, barring a few thousands of the population, hardly any one knows about the Act and its advantages. Hence, it is the responsibility of the governments and NGOs to educate people about it. Moreover, the citizens should also come forward, get themselves educated about the Act and their rights, and bring them into application wherever necessary.
Technology also has a lot of potential. Modern technologies and information can also reduce the evil and end this long run practice. After all, it is the secret cameras that helped in bringing into light the corrupt practices of the MPs in the cash on question case.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Changing Attitude.



As usual, I was waiting at the station to catch a CST local to reach to my college. I missed my regular train and so with a aggravated look on my face, I was waiting for the next train to arrive. I went to the wheeler, bought a newspaper and started going through the headlines. After a 5 minutes wait, my train finally arrived at the station. I boarded it and sat near the window seat, and went back to my half-read newspaper.
Suddenly I heard a feeble voice calling me didi. I turned around in amazement to see a 5-6 year old boy, shabbily dressed, with his right palm stretching towards me, asking me to give him a penny. I looked at him for a few seconds and something about him fascinated me that I started conversing with him. I asked him the reason why he was begging. He said, ‘He was the only son in his family with four sisters and his father used to drink every night and beat his mother. His mother was a laborer in a construction site where she used to work on a temporary basis. So, he had to provide some financial help to his mother and that could be done only by begging.’ I gave him a penny and got up to get down at my station. I got down with a grave feeling in my heart, thinking about the poor kid, who at this tender age of joining school and playing around with kids of his age, had to beg and support his family financially.
The next day I had to catch the same train and I met the same kid again. We started conversing. This time the talk lasted for a long time. I found a smile on his face while he was talking hence I curiously asked him the reason why he was happy. He told me that a person was going to lend him some money and from that money, he was going to start selling litchi in the train. He was happy with the work he was going to do as he had to stop begging after he starts selling litchi. I encouraged him to do so but also advised him to study.
For a few days, I did not meet the boy as I could not board the same train.
After a few days, I saw the same kid on the platform with a basket full of litchi. I walked up to him and bought some litchis from him. Along with the litchi, he gave me a packet of bindis. I was stunned and asked him the reason for giving me a bindi packet. He said, girls look good in bindis and that he addresses me as didi so he would love to see me wearing a bindi. I was astonished and touched by the boy’s gesture. Such a small kid showing such maturity flabbergasted me.
I told some of my friends about the whole incident but they kind of ridiculed me and advised me not to talk to beggars as according to them they are wicked and awful people. And, that higher-class people like us should not talk to such people and lower our standards.
However, for me, such a small incident changed my whole perspective of looking towards people. A shabby looking kid, who had never attained school, had so much respect for his elders. In a society like ours, we discriminate people according to their financial status and their way of living. People are respected on the basis of the bank balance they have and their way of dressing. Nevertheless, we often tend to forget that a person is not judged by the way he dresses or the way he looks. In today’s world a person is evaluated by taking the exteriors of the person into consideration rather than his interior i.e., his heart and his nature. Now a days, even children going to school, where they learn morals and discipline hardly show so much respect towards their elders. However, a small illiterate kid had by his everyday experience of life had learnt to respect elders and talk politely with them.

Monday, September 25, 2006

YELLOW JOURNALISM



Sabse tez”- latest news from India,24 ghante 24 reporter,24/7 India news- this is what every news channels claim to broadcast.
Around n numbers of news channels watching every patch of area in the world round the clock. Any news creating sensation anywhere in the world is brought to us by these news channels in less than 30 minutes of the incident taken place.
Now a day we are connected to people living at any latitude or longitude on this earth just by a click of our television remote. Earlier people had to constrain themselves to watching a single news channel of a national level and that to for limited hours of the day. But at present, people can switch on to almost a dozen or more news channels, be it national,international,domestic. Local news channels with news reporters presenting news in the local language has become a very common thing now.
24 hours news channel is turning out to be a full fledged business. Every year almost 2-3 new news channels are launched claiming themselves to be the best and advanced than the others.
But due to this growing competition between so many news channels, the quality of news is slowly deteriorating. Earlier, events such as political speeches,meetings,international agendas, events creating social awareness, government policies etc. where conveyed through news channels. But now a days, events taking part in any remotest area which happen to influence only a few individuals of the society and which are far too irrelevant and unimportant become hard core breaking news.
India being a democratic country has constitutionally given every citizen or organization of Indian origin the right to express their feelings on a large platform using media. But these so called awareness creating news channel are misusing their biggest asset running behind competition and greed to be the best or the No.1.
For instance, news channel showing news on ban of A movies on television, highlighting their bad impact on children themselves tend to forget that while broadcasting such special issues, they themselves show vulgar or offensive clippings. Moreover such 1 hour special programmes are repeated the other day too.
Every news channel has a 1 hour special programme dedicated to Crime.
But while broadcasting such episodes they show rape,murder,theft,slaughter scenes. They forget to take into consideration the threatening impact on the citizens caused by televising such unnerving scenes. They might create awareness among the citizens, but showing such unhealthy scenes might also trigger the minds of the individuals causing psychological disorders, mental trauma etc.
People attempting suicides are captured ‘Live’ on TV by the channels, but no news channel reporter or cameramen present at that place takes the initiative to save him from committing such a blunder. They watch heartlessly every single move of the person till he looses his last breath in order to not to miss any single bit of the so called Breaking News of the day. And at the end of such an adventurous day they blame the Police or Government for not preventing him from doing so. They themselves forget their duties of being responsible citizens, running behind capturing such so called ‘epoch making’ news so that the TRPs of their channels increase.
An 80 year old villager getting married to a 17 year old girl becomes the NEWS OF THE DAY which is telecasted for almost 4-5 hours of the day. The repeat telecast taking another 3 hours of the left 19 hours. A prominent politician’s son or daughter’s marriage is broadcasted live from sangeet to mehndi to the D day showing every minutest details as to what dinner is served, the guest list, which colour dress the bride and the bridegroom would wear, where would they go for honey moon etc. Such irrational news sidelines the political or international issues.
This irrelevant and apathetic information should be stopped from being screened. A code of conduct or a rule book should be brought into action where rules and regulations of the form of news, duration of the news to be presented, depth upto which the reporter should go to get the necessary information can be decided.
Moreover, the news channel should be active just for 14-15 hours a day, so that they give maximum importance and exposure to social,political,economic issues.
The modi operandi of the news channels should be changed completely giving them a new touch, so that more weight is given to the people, their feelings and their development.
The problems faced by the people living in the remotest areas should be brought out in public so that the concerned authorities take the essential steps in solving the problems. Moreover the channels should keep a track of the progress taking place in that direction. Career counseling programmes should also be given more magnitude for the betterment of the future generation.
Documentaries or programmes showing success stories of prominent personalities or great leaders should be aired so that the future generation gets educated and cognizant of our past. As news channels are watched by every family member such 1 hour programmes can turn out to be a hit. Such contents should be shown which all family members could be able to see without feeling tongue-tied. News channel if take appropriate steps in the interests of the society can create a lot of awareness in the society making the future as well as the present generation responsible, indirectly leading India to a developed country. News channels having a lot of potential in them if used in a proper and responsible manner can change the position of India on the global chart. As per the old saying “PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN SWORD”, these news channels can go on the same path and bring about a better and mightier India.