India can brag about such book in the coming future and I think we are not far from it. And, only Indians can come out with newer ways of doing it.
There's this article on Rediff titled 'No one wants to hear us'. I must admit that it is one of the most disgusting articles I have read on the reservation issue. I am going to italicize the Rediff story (adapted to suit the post's need) and my consequent comments would be in normal font.
Mr. Tusha Jagtap, a doctor by profession and President, Dr Ambedkar Reservation Protection Front, a Dalit organisation, says, "My father was a railway employee and if I did not have the benefit of reservation I would not have become a doctor."
He secured 61 marks in the Science stream in his XII standard and got a medical seat just because he is a Dalit. But, nowhere in India you would find an upper caste student with 70 plus qualifying marks, getting a seat (No matter how poor he is). Why this discrimination? How can anyone trust such doctors?
When I (the Rediff personnel) pointed out that there are many Brahmins today who were cleaning toilets for a living because they didn't have better jobs, Dr Jagtap says: "When Dalits cleaned toilets for 2,000 years nobody thought of this. If Brahmins are cleaning toilets today what is wrong in it?"
Mr. Jagtap, the issue here is not about the work that the Brahmins are doing these days, but it's concerned with the fact that many of the upper caste people are living in economic distress just like the backward classes. And, the government should think of them too.
"After so many years of independence Dalit women are being raped in villages and no one takes this news seriously," he says angrily, "but have you ever read a Brahmin women being raped by a Dalit in this country? Never."
Why do you want to discuss an act as heinous as rape based on caste? Any woman, no matter what caste she belongs to, exploited to such an extent will experience the same trauma. Can't you leave at least a few things as sensitive as these untouched by caste?
There were two really good articles that followed this. I am providing the links to these articles below.
The first is Who are the real dalits of India? and the second is Are Brahmins the Dalits of today?. The second article is a must. It reveals some important statistics that we were not aware of. It shows the need to review the definition of economic backwardness in India and why even some upper castes require reservations to survive with the backward classes in India. I hate saying this. Require Reservations.
May 26, 2006
What's your speed?
I am addicted to this thing. This is an online software that calculates your typing speed. I have been using it for the past 30 minutes trying to improve upon my speed. One can select any topic of interest and a paragraph will be given related to the topic for typing. By the way, my typing speed is quite okay, but need to improve it further. I now stand at 60 WPM (Words per Minute), which is not bad. And, I think I should try to aim at the world record which is 232 WPM. :D
May 24, 2006
A firm duel
I felt I should change the title of my last post because in regard to this one, India is not progressing but it seems to be regressing to nowhere. This isn't 'real development for the future of the country' as quoted by the HR Minister, Mr. Arjun Singh. And, one can't stop but wonder looking at the immense support he has been getting from the prime Congress leaders, who were thought to be more sensible and rationale than few such politicians like him.
Most of us thought that the Prime Minister might dispense his power in taking a righful decision at this hour of need. But, he has let all of us down with his dull compromise with foul politics. Read this. Even a Harvard graduate, Mr. P. Chidambaram (Finance Minister of India) couldn't escape the pervasion of selfish politics.
It was a big let down listening to Dr. Manmohan Singh on the telivision. Can a person who is deemed as sensible and shrewd in every aspect not understand an issue that has swayed thousands of students? Sir, we expect more than this from you. We really do. And, why shouldn't we? We chose you to serve the country, to build a potent and secure India. Not to ruin it with your rotten political stead.
Increase in the number of seats in educational institutions is not a really good compensative for the increase in reservation quota as suggested by Mr. Singh. The solution given in the article that appeared in The Hindu, yesterday, is considerable. It divided the whole student community into sections and sub-sections based on their caste, economic status, educational background, household income, etc., and alloted points to each on scale. For example, a government school can be alloted 6/7 points on a scale of 10, whereas, an urban private school may be scaled to 0. And, a student whose household income is above a decent range is given 0 points and 5/6 otherwise. Same goes with the other factors in deciding the overall score and subsequently the importance of reservation for the particular student. This is always a better solution than the proposed one.
I hate saying this, but I have to in the wake of reality. Common man can't help but agonize few things in India and this is just one of them.
And, I would still love to say this. Go, India go. Please.
Most of us thought that the Prime Minister might dispense his power in taking a righful decision at this hour of need. But, he has let all of us down with his dull compromise with foul politics. Read this. Even a Harvard graduate, Mr. P. Chidambaram (Finance Minister of India) couldn't escape the pervasion of selfish politics.
It was a big let down listening to Dr. Manmohan Singh on the telivision. Can a person who is deemed as sensible and shrewd in every aspect not understand an issue that has swayed thousands of students? Sir, we expect more than this from you. We really do. And, why shouldn't we? We chose you to serve the country, to build a potent and secure India. Not to ruin it with your rotten political stead.
Increase in the number of seats in educational institutions is not a really good compensative for the increase in reservation quota as suggested by Mr. Singh. The solution given in the article that appeared in The Hindu, yesterday, is considerable. It divided the whole student community into sections and sub-sections based on their caste, economic status, educational background, household income, etc., and alloted points to each on scale. For example, a government school can be alloted 6/7 points on a scale of 10, whereas, an urban private school may be scaled to 0. And, a student whose household income is above a decent range is given 0 points and 5/6 otherwise. Same goes with the other factors in deciding the overall score and subsequently the importance of reservation for the particular student. This is always a better solution than the proposed one.
I hate saying this, but I have to in the wake of reality. Common man can't help but agonize few things in India and this is just one of them.
And, I would still love to say this. Go, India go. Please.
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Update: Why doesn't the government do the proper clean up at the primary education level itself? The only answer one can think of is that they won't get any voting from the minors (Citizens below 18 years of age) and hence are considered not worthy of attention. Disgusting.
There are so many pitfalls in our system. I am sick of talking about these. If the system isn't proper, then at least there should be someone who can tug it into the right direction. But, everything goes wrong here, the system and even the crusader who's chosen to correct it.
May 18, 2006
Go India, go
India has always been famous for its remarkable history and heritage. Now, it can again create history. The temple town of Tirumala is on the verge of being the wealthiest pilgrimage centre in the world. It is ready to take over the Vatican city in terms of the richest pilgrimage centre. The annual turnover of the Vatican city is a bit more than thousand crores and according to the latest statistics, Tirumala temple's turnover for the year 2005 was around 800 crores. And, the temple trust (TTD) has deposits of about 1500 crores.
Evidently, it's already the richest temple in India. Every week, nearly one lakh devotees come to Tirumala for the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, and it even surpasses that number during vacation time and festivals. So, there should be no uncertainities in presuming that this can be a reality. It's a bit too apparent. Isn't it?
Evidently, it's already the richest temple in India. Every week, nearly one lakh devotees come to Tirumala for the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, and it even surpasses that number during vacation time and festivals. So, there should be no uncertainities in presuming that this can be a reality. It's a bit too apparent. Isn't it?
May 10, 2006
Degrading politics
I was shocked to read about the new agenda of DMK and AIADMK (the ruling party in Tamil Nadu). The poll outcome, as suggested by many newspapers, is going to be in favour of the DMK party. Perhaps, the 'Colour Telivision' carried more value than 'Gold'. :D
Amma (Jayalalitha) promised to grant the scape goats (aam junta) ten Kg rice on every ration card. She also proclaimed that she would give one gold 'mangalsutra' each to every unmarried woman as a wedding gift (planning to waste resources in a new way this time). On the other hand, the DMK president, Mr. Karunanidhi is nowhere behind. He promised a new colour telivision and rice at Rs.2 a Kg for every household. Now, one has to wait and watch the combat between 'Colour TV and Gold'. Not Karunanidhi Vs. Jayalalitha as anyone would expect.
Now, one might wonder why there's so much animosity between the two party leaders. Let me enlighten the uninitiated. Nearly two decades aga, Ms. Jayalalitha was terribly insulted by Mr. M.Karunanidhi in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Her saree was pulled off by DMK party's members in front of hundreds of others in the Assembly. I do not know in detail about the pre-conflict that led to such an extreme step, but whatever it is, knowing this I can never vote for DMK.
Amma (Jayalalitha) promised to grant the scape goats (aam junta) ten Kg rice on every ration card. She also proclaimed that she would give one gold 'mangalsutra' each to every unmarried woman as a wedding gift (planning to waste resources in a new way this time). On the other hand, the DMK president, Mr. Karunanidhi is nowhere behind. He promised a new colour telivision and rice at Rs.2 a Kg for every household. Now, one has to wait and watch the combat between 'Colour TV and Gold'. Not Karunanidhi Vs. Jayalalitha as anyone would expect.
Now, one might wonder why there's so much animosity between the two party leaders. Let me enlighten the uninitiated. Nearly two decades aga, Ms. Jayalalitha was terribly insulted by Mr. M.Karunanidhi in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Her saree was pulled off by DMK party's members in front of hundreds of others in the Assembly. I do not know in detail about the pre-conflict that led to such an extreme step, but whatever it is, knowing this I can never vote for DMK.
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