Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The 'Untouchable' topic : Reservation



How India as a nation would have fared without the reservation system?



This question, in spite of its controversial nature needs to be asked. Some might argue that now that it is already prevalent why not simply go about things the way they are and see towards the future rather than pondering over the past but I tend to disagree. This logic might work in topics with a more modern origin so as to say. But when it comes to this Indian system its history needs to be looked into along with the current impact. The reason why it has withstood the test of time is a big question mark on the human mind-set. The reason being that to decide where we go from here with this system would require taking into account not just the present situation, but rather also the history behind it!

Let us get talking a little about human psyche, shall we? It’s a normal human trait to accept things the way they come towards you than trying to do things the hard way (which is more often than not the right way). Some people manage to get out of this mind-set and those select are the few who end up leaving an impact. We, as a society need to acknowledge this fact and accept that had anyone been in the place of a reserved category person, he/she might have accepted this system as a freebie and continue going about things as they are! If we are able to do so we might be able to slowly do away with the system.
But the problem arises when rather than delving deep into our souls we shamelessly start questioning a certain class of people. This debate and this system won’t be corrected by mere abashing of the reserved classes, rather we need to find the root cause of where the problem actually lies
and once we do, we might be able to correct a lot of things. Some of them being:


*** Indian education system (or rather the selection process) needs to be sorted out, and SOON!***


 


For many students it must be heart-breaking to see lesser individuals (and I am not talking only about IQ, rather passion too) get into elite institutions ahead of them.

Not only does it create a feeling of contempt rather also acts as big deterrent for the atmosphere of the institution. And trust me; the increasing competition isn’t helping the cause!


*** The already deteriorating political system isn’t helping the Dalit cause anymore in any case.***



When the great B.R. Ambedkar had agreed to create reservations for the oppressed classes, he had given it a ten-year life span; i.e. the system was supposed to be abolished in 1957. Now, many political analysts say that had it happened so it would have meant the near-extinction of the Dalit classes from the political map so it was good in a way that Dr.Ambedkar’s wish didn’t get fulfilled but it ended up getting stretched much longer than it should have had. The cause for the greater good got lost in the muddy ponds of Indian politics of vote-banks. The Dalit movement would have had continued in any case for the political advantage being offered to the ‘oppressed classes’ was misused by puppets in the hands of big parties like the BJP and Congress who were far from the Dalit movement. So even if the reservation were to end today it would not affect the larger picture of the Dalit cause.



Right now, straightaway removal of reservation might sound tempting and just to a large number of people. After all to an extent this system in legal terms is the equivalent of “punishing the children for the sins of their fathers.” But one needs to think of the overall stability of the system too. You can’t make such drastic changes overnight.

That being said, I think there needs to be a proper committee or think tank being set up for this very cause, for the cause of removal of reservation, partial or whole, and to correct the wrongs. The oppressed can’t stay the oppressed their entire life! We need to ensure than that we, as a nation see this through because no one can be sure about how the society would have been without it but I would love to see, personally, how it would be without it in the future.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Chetan Bhagat : Phenomenon or Farce ?



Chetan Bhagat, the very name evokes a range of complex reactions ranging from hero worship to admiration to apathy to outright disgust! No matter which side of the fence you stand in this case, but you can’t deny that Mr Bhagat has carved out a niche for himself in the world of writing, and more so in the Indian society at large.

From a neutral point of view, one does need to give him the credit where it is due. He has to a large extent transformed the English Writing landscape in India. He was the first to capture the essence of the modern Indian Youth, and more importantly present it before them (in a written form!). And it did work splendidly after all, opening the gates for the fresh wave of Desi English writers that has since followed. Most of you must have seen “Kai Po Che”, a beautiful movie, wasn’t it? What made it such an instant hit? The answer is pretty simple, the story. It captured so much of what surrounds us in such a simple manner. Be it the essence of friendship or the semi-taboo romance or the portrayal of religious fanaticism. That is exactly what makes the stories of this guy click. They are easy for the masses to relate with.

But there is the other side to all this too. During his journey from an investment banker to a celebrity writer, he has had his share of negative publicity and criticism. He crossed swords with the makers of “3 Idiots” resulting in a much publicised media battle. His books have been labelled as those with unimaginative stories written in bad grammar, an accusation which can’t exactly been denied completely! He has been accused of dumbing down the level of literature in the country. Honestly speaking, he branding himself as the “voice of youth” in various articles hasn’t helped his cause either! Well, let’s be honest. His stories are to an extent like run-of-the-mill bolly cinema and they aren’t exactly literary marvels either. But one big problem is that it has become almost a past-time for some to criticise him just because they heard some wise guy do it on TV. It is good to have an opinion but to brand someone’s work as dumb just because you heard so somewhere is indeed stupid.

It goes down to a personal level too you see and it has to do with the Indian mentality to an extent. I mean, here you have an IIT and IIM alumnus who has gone on to become a literary superstar! For some, isn’t that just mean and unfair in the big bad world? Well, his credentials have unfortunately been one of the reasons for him getting bombarded by some.

At the end of the day, he might well be an over-rated and over-hyped writer. But the fact is he is probably the most well-known writer in the country. And for most of the people who don’t have the patience or the skill needed to sit through a LOTR, he is someone who has transformed them from a non-reader to a reader. You can love him, or hate him but he is one damn hard guy to ignore! But my advice, in case you don’t like him much (like I used to myself till sometime back)  try to ignore him for good or find something positive about it because he is here to stay.
I finish with what a strictly non-reader type friend of mine had once said about Chetan Bhagat’s writing once, “I don’t like it much but they are light and easy going.. Ek do din mein khatam ho jaati hai kam se kam..”.

 That sums it up I guess!!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Darkest Hour



"I have worshiped woman as the living embodiment of the spirit of service and sacrifice."


-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi



Quite ironical it is to think that the above words were said by the “father of the nation” of a country which is being condemned worldwide right now for the way it treats its women, even more that this very country, since ancient times, has worshiped women as a divine being. But nothing is more ironical than the fact that it is this very 'Vedic' nation whose 'sons' rape their women and throw them in the middle of nowhere to die!

The recent incidents in our nation's capital involving the rape of a 23 year old, her subsequent traumatizing death and everything in between brought to popular attention the rather disturbing mindset prevalent in our society. The horrific details brought out an out pour of varying sentiments seen rarely before in contemporary Indian history. To top that, just when we thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, we saw some of the most irresponsible behavior by our political and intellectual class. Ranging from mind numbing silences by the top brass to outrageously idiotic statements, we had it all. This brought to fore once again that it’s not necessarily a lower strata problem; rather it is a much deeper crisis.

The problem lies with the very core patriarchal mindset of our society. Rape is not only a perverted and inhumane act of sexual gratification; rather for many it symbolizes an act of masochistic dominance. After all, the idea of male superiority is what most of the population grew up with. Why not then, just justify it!?

And that night there were not just 6 culprits. The passive stand-byers who wouldn’t dare to help the two ‘strangers’ were also a part. It was not just a 23 year old girl who was violated! We were all victims.

The world may not have ended but humanity will if we don’t do something. This may sound cliché but it’s time to correct the wrongs, time we became proud again. Time we not only change things, but became the change itself.

Welcome!


Hey there folks, welcome to my blog! I know, I know it does sound a little cliche but the best I was able to manage for now. :P

Never the less, a short introduction first.

Akash Tandon
First Year student from NIT, Surat
Writer by passion

More than enough for now, I think. You will get to know more with time my dear friends! I write out of sheer interest and nothing else. More than anything else, its the passion which drives me. Sharing my emotions and what I observe everyday gives me a kick which no bottle of liquor can!
And I have a lot to share, trust me! I am just a teen afterall and make no mistake, the ordinary teen of today has a lot to say, a hell lot ! I will atleast do my share here and hope for the best after that.

P.S. Thanks for your time!