Q. Should there be caste based census among other things ?

Q. Should there be caste based census among other things ?

As far as Indian diverse culture, traditions and modes are concerned there is a desirable need the census ought to be caste based. The backwards areas which need to be improved, should also be identified and taken care of. This is due to the following:-

(a)     Uplifting the Conditions of SCs/STs. The SC/ST communities are required to be given fillip. Their economical and social conditions still need improvement. The Below Poverty Line (BPL) amongst them require to be given protection. Though creamy layer in these communities should be identified and kept out of the purview of giving special concessions. Also, there is a requirement of identifying the BPL amongst the general castes and seen that their interests are also taken care of.

(b)    Planned Expenditure for Different Heads in the Economy. While conducting census, care must be exercised that economic condition of different layers of society should be meaningfully identified and given special privileges for their upliftment. This could be in the form of giving them free education, free uniforms, free food in the schools, etc. Weaker section in the society should, therefore, be identified in this census and given fillip.

Backward areas should also be categorised and concerted effort made to improve the living standards of the people there. Rail, road and other infrastructure improvement should also be taken care of, especially in the villages.

 

Anna Sahib & his crusade against corruption

Anna Sahib & his crusade against corruption

Anna Sahib fast unto death has amply proved that if satyagrah is done with oneness of purpose and non-violently, it has to have results. After 12 days of fast, though Annaji looked a little frail in his bearings yet his spirits were undaunting. His points of contention have been discussed by our Parliament a resolution passed. This too speaks volumes about the parliamentarians. This is not only the victory of Aannaji but also our parliamentary system of Government. Here is the country which listens to the sagacious voice of the people. Corruption, which is eating the very vitals of our society, is like a hydra headed cobra and should be tackled as such.

How the common people behaved is really laudable. They acted in peaceful manner. No provocation for a violence, no bad blood, no hard feelings. The law enforcement agencies, particularly the Delhi police role in this all is worth emulating. A word of praise for them too- that they act sagaciously when need for the same is there. Then our media, the less said the better. They acted in a most responsible manner.

This, in fact, is my personal view that this sort of a thing can happen only in India. When there are internal strife and violent agitations in different parts of the world, our people have shown that they are matured enough to act in peaceful manner. The wave of common people from nook and corner of the country showed that they are one when there is a crying for the same. Our leaders and representatives acted in a most respectful manner and discussed everything about the contentious bill. What a great thing it is.

How beautiful it is to see young people with national flag? What a sight it is and soothing to our agitating mind! It is laudable and a signal that we are one with slight differences notwithstanding. No caste, no creed or other considerations can stop us when required.

Now it is the job of our parliamentarians to sit together and delve at the nitty gritty of the  effective Lokpal bill; in fact taking in account the three points on which Annaji fasted.

It has also shown that when an agitation is on a noble cause it can attract people in large number, that is again a strength of India. Doubtlessly, corruption is a huge malaise in our society. If all are brought under the purview of the Lokpal bill then everybody will act with discretion. Nobody will break the law because of its deterrence. Exemplary punishment is called for if anybody breaks this law. I am of the firm pinion that crusade of Anna Sahib will fructify only when all show sense of purpose and implement the law which would legislated.

What a happy end to Aanna Sahib’s fast. Now we all have to exert that the legislated law becomes a tool to tackle corruption in a big way and not become a paper tiger only, remaining confined to book shelf. This, though, is a gigantic task. Let’s all hope and pray that Annaji’s and all Indians dream of corruption free society becomes a reality. Amen.

Why our respect for our older members of the society / elders in the family is dwindling?

Why our respect for our older members of the society / elders in the family is dwindling?

Ans. Old age is so called ‘a golden age’. It is the age when our thinking power, our reflexes and propensity to work lessens. Our body cannot take much stress and strains that it has taken in youth. Nobody wants to be shunned, not care for, not looked after when there is a crying need for the same.

 

In olden times people used to pay more reverence to the old members of the society. Add to it, it is an age in which a person power for earning a decent living is reduced, it is time when a person has retired from an active life. Some people take them as discords and of less utility to them. Thus think them worth not taking care of. These hapless people do not find place in the family scheme of things / strategies etc.  Less or no sensitivities are shown for their daily needs. Sure enough, they are the victims of circumstances, as they have aged at which there is no option for them but to submit to the circumstances.

     There are the cases  where their own sons and daughters have thrown those non-contributing parents and other members in the care of old aged homes, after even forcibly taking away every penny the old people had earned in their life time. Not that those insensitive off-springs are poor in any sense of terms. Actually they want to enjoy the comforts of today; in many instances earned by their own older / elder members. This seems heart rending, but it is true.

     Why all this is happening. The society has to introspect. The younger generation has to answer this question. They are the children of the same old people to whom you are discarding as if they were like worn out clothes. Why, for heaven’s sake why? If you think there is the God above then think, will He pardon you for this Himalayan blunder. Never, I think. Have mercy on them. They require your attention and not your scorn. 

    

Annaji’s Crusade against Corruption

Corruption is the core of everything that has generated oneness in the right thinking people. They are one against fighting corruption. The torch light held by Annaji was surely bear fruits and the contentious bill will hopefully be come into frution. Sure enough, we have to be united in our fight against corrupt and corruption. We should speak in one voice ‘Jai Hind, Jai Bharat’. These should spur us to lurch forward and see that right thinking people should come forward and realise the dream of civil society. Let there be oneness of purpose. Every political party including the ruling one want corruption to be eliminated from our amongst. Let there be a law which may deter the power that be to protect the rights of others and bring the people who are corrupt face music.

Care ought to be exercised that the fight should remain non-violent. If ‘Satyagraha’ is resorted to with violence, then it will engender bad blood and divide the society. Let it be with peace and cooperation. No solution can be far reaching if it is based on self centered thinking and its conclusion will also not be of any value. Against, it is my earnest appeal to all that we want a strong bill for oblitrating corruption from our soceity, but oguht not be on the pirel of otherbody else. We should get together, introspect, and act logically. Care ought to be taken that we should not lose man hours, create more ill will in the society and solve our problems with cohesive thinking – with an attitude of give and take. Govt on its part should also agree to adopt this attitude. The civil society members too should come forward for seeking a meeting ground. Corruption is the main enemy to be  fought that should not be lost sight of not our own people. Parliament is also our own, its members are also our chosen ones. Let us trust them and in turn they should also not over react but act judiciously and devise ways and means and do not stand on ceremony.

It should also not be forgotten that the Delhi police is also stretched to its maximum. If they are over utilised for controlling the masses on the move then the criminals will have a field day. Let this not happen. God help us solve this pestering problem.

Q. Describe your first experience with death. Was it with your family member? Pet etc?

Q. Describe your first experience with death. Was it with your family member? Pet etc?

Ans: Death keeps no calendar. The one who is here born has to leave this body one day – now or any time. If this reality is dawned to every one of us the better for us all.

I had the first experience of death when my father died. My father was down with flue. That persisted for one week for about a week’s time.  There was no other debilitating disease.  He took everything to his stride. He used to      follow equanimity both in bad and good times.

Then one day in the evening hours, he mentioned that he was not feeling well. As  he himself practiced Ayurvedic in his life time, he was knowing that his end was near But we were not very sure of it all because he was talking, walking, behaving as anybody does in hale and hearty health conditions. We Hindus has the custom of breathing our last laying on the surface of earth. He told us to spread a piece of cloth on the surface  on the ground near his cot on which he was lying. Without taking any assistance from anybody, he outstretched on the ghis body on the ground, and told us to bring some Gangajal (sacred water) and put some in his opened mouth. The same was done, as told by my father, in full senses. After this ritual, he shed some tears from his eyes and uttered ‘Ram, Ram) and breathed his last.

Now, more than twenty years have elapsed since the death of my father’s death. But this experience is ineffaceable from my mind. It seems as though it was yesterday that it had happened.

 

Q. What is your favourite month?

Q. What is your favourite month?

Every month is a special one in its own way. But sometimes, you feel with quirk of luck, it seems a particular month brings you luck and good tidings. It may be due to coincidence yet fact remains, in everybody’s life there is time or a particular month which brings lot better luck than at other times.

In my case, the month of September has been comparatively better for me. It is the month when I got my initial employment. The date of birth of my wife is also in the month of September.  I constructed my home in the month of September. It can better of inferred that all good things in my life started in this particular month. Amen.

Q. What is the perfect age to retire?

Q. What is the perfect age to retire?

A. For Governmental employees there is laid down age for superannuation. It is between 58 – 60 years of age. But now, due to progress of medical science, people are hale and hearty after even 60 years of age. They can perform as effectively as anybody else in the organisation. Their experience and expertise can be rightly exploited for optimum benefit of the organisation concerned.

An opinion that now a days, new technologies have been introduced, people opine that younger generations are required for implementation of new concepts for optimal utility. But the old people can also change according to the time. They can outdo anything which the younger generation can transact. Their acquired expertise and experience could be meaningfully utilised for making them realise that they are not out casts but still contributing for the society. They are part and parcel of the society.

Retirees can pool their fund and start their own ventures. Their rich experience can stand them in good stead for chair born jobs, where their counselling can work wonders.

As far as I am concerned, I still transact my job as if I were in my 40^th year. It will not be out of place to say that I am still capable of doing or learning new things as a boy of 20 – 25 years can. Learning new things is unending. It starts from birth and ends with the end of our body. So, in my view, retirement from a service does hardly means retirement from active life. If one organisation retires you, have sufficient zeal and enthusiasm somebody else will have you. They are not doing any favouritism to you. You are required because you are still contributor.

So never say retirement from life, retire only from a particular service.

Q. If you could get away with committing one crime, what would you do?

A. With the grace of Almighty God, I have not transgressed any boundary which could be harmful for other members of the society. I have lived within the confines of laws while transacting my work, interacting with others. I have tried to live a life within my own means although sometimes I felt stringent yet I put up with everything that came to me.

Hypothetically, if I had committed any crime, I shall make sure that I take full responsibility of the same. Repent for the breaking the particular code of conduct and make good the loss of the other party to whom I have harmed. God will then forgive my misdeed. I will then make concerted effort not to commit such a thing again. Repetition of the same bad thing means deliberating and knowingly doing such things and liable to be punished by the law enforcing agencies and the God in particular.

Sure enough, I will not stoop so low and repeat something which is bad at law.

Have you ever participated in protest? If not, would you?

  Have you ever participated in protest? If not, would you?

     Protest means exhibiting dissidence or dissent or disapproval. This could be done whenever somebody is not agreeing to ones viewpoint.  When you know you are right but your right may not stand the test of time. Or ‘your correctness’ may not be the correctness of / for others. In this sort of scenario, protest results. This sort of difference has resulted whilst transacting my duties as an elder member in my household and the contentious matter(s) are resolved amicably.

     As far as the question of taking part in public protest, though, I too have my own opinion on different topics, yet I have, till date, not participated in any protests. I may air my opinion in friends’ circle but not participated in protests.

     If need be, in future, I shall take part. But, first of all, I shall take into cognizance the debatable topic(s) (it should not be against somebody’s interests), and should be for general good.  I shall air my views but non-violently.

 

What are the people surprised to learn about you?

 

What are the people surprised to learn about you?

     Everyone who is born here on this beautiful earth is endowed with certain traits particular to that person. No other person can transact that particular act so succinctly as that person.  It is because our Creator has created everybody and everything to function differently, and their behaviour patterns are also different from each other.

     I too try to use that trait sometimes. And this is between me and you, may I tell you one thing, I too am surprised when I see my own written things many a times, though may be these are not of good standard yet these surprise me –  at least at times.

     Whenever I commune with my Creator, there is a different sort of feeling. It is not merely touching me internally; the same can be read in its entirety on my expression outwardly. I get totally submerged in Him. People, who witness and observe the change really get a feel of it and are surprised as to what has transpired to me. I too experience a change, as if I were traversing in some unknown world of my Lord, in His presence and care and protection.  I cannot explain in words the change that is brought about when I sit or stand transfixed in Him.

     I get surprised about this transformation, may be people around me also have the same feeling. Or, they may be thinking. I am overacting or something.  But honestly, it is not so. At that particular time, I totally am in His control.