శ్రీ కౌముది మే 2011

The real greatness of Indians is that we are consensual

........ Indian journalism is presently facing a crisis of both credibility and competence. In the past few years we have witnessed increased public scrutiny of the executive, the legislature and even the judiciary. More recently we have witnessed some early signs of a similar scrutiny of the media.

The cynicism and anger that have come to characterise public criticism of the other three 'estates' will sooner rather than later be seen in the criticism of the media. Each of the 'four estates' have from time to time drawn public attention to the shortcomings of others. Sometimes three of the four have combined to bring the fourth to heel.

So far we have not seen in India a coming together of the executive, legislature and the judiciary in a joint bid to discipline or rein in the media. During the emergency, when media was under attack, the judiciary was in fact an ally of the media. When the Rajiv Gandhi government proposed an anti-defamation law, the entire media stood as one and with support from other political parties resisted the move.

Today, the media will find it more difficult to defend itself against such scrutiny and regulation. The day may not be far when public opinion will demand more accountability and transparency on the part of media organisations. With public opinion on its side, the executive and/ or the judiciary may well begin to demand such accountability from the business and editorial heads of media organisations, and from prominent television anchors and columnists, not to mention the regular reporters.

What is worrying, however, is that in response to such public anger and cynicism the media may be turning populist -- a standard response of a politician -- in an attempt to ingratiate itself to its critics. This too is a dangerous trend. Media populism is in part a response to public anger and, paradoxically, a response to public disdain and indifference.

To an extent this is the logical culmination of the phenomenon of qualitative development not keeping pace with quantitative growth. The 'dumbing down' of the media brings in its train disregard for it, disrespect for it, disenchantment with it. This makes the media ripe for greater regulation.

If Indian media wish to avert this threat, then it must look within, introspect and rediscover professional values. This is easier said than done. It is not because of a lack of will that this has not happened. There is often no incentive for such introspection and no reward for mending ways.

The good thing, however, is that we live in a society and a nation in which we have the freedom to debate these issues. In paying tribute to the memory of Sharada Prasad, my generation must pay tribute to his for the freedom they secured for us and for posterity.

Shouri was a freedom-fighter, like Kamalamma [Sharada Prasad's wife], like my father and my grandfather and grandmother. Their generation was the architect of a unique experiment in human history -- building a vibrant and liberal democracy in a diverse and stratified society, a backward and poor economy. Shouri epitomised by the best instincts of that generation, symbolising the liberalism and pluralism of a generation that was inspired by Gandhiji to value High Thinking and Simple Living.

These values are under threat and the media is not doing enough to protect them. By encouraging those with contending view points to argue with each other, we are not doing enough to create greater consensus between conflicting views.

The greatness of the Indian people is not that we are argumentative, as Amartya Sen has celebrated with an eye to a global audience. The real greatness of the Indian people is that we are in fact consensual. Merely because we invented the 'Zero' and made possible the binary 1:0 system, the foundation of the current information era, does not mean that the Indian mind sees the world in black and white. Thinkers like Sharada Prasad have always reminded us of the range of gray possibilities in comprehending the reality around us.

The day the Indian media moves away from its binary world view, its argumentative 'me and you' divides, and moves closer to the consensual frameworks of reference of a people who have always valued the idea of Sarva Dharma Sambhava -- of Unity in Diversity -- it will have created a new paradigm, a very Indian paradigm, in the world of communication.

That would be the best tribute we can pay to a great Indian, a truly renaissance man, a liberal scholar, a non-argumentative Indian like Sharada Prasad!

Dr Sanjaya Baru is the editor of the Business Standard

Read full article

శ్రీ కౌముది ఏప్రిల్ 2011

శ్రీ కౌముది మార్చ్ 2011

శ్రి కౌముది ఫిబ్రవరి 2011

Telangana report is in, jury still out

Telangana should not be the first option, and a separate state must be created only if it is unavoidable, the Justice Srikrishna report has said. 

A united Andhra Pradesh — with a proviso for empowering the region, excluding Hyderabad, through a statutory Telangana Regional Council — may be the best way forward, says the two-volume, 700-page report, which the government made public today. 

The Indian Express had reported on January 5 that the Srikrishna panel had weighed in on the side of arguments in favour of a united Andhra. 

The report has offered four other options, including one that proposes a new Union Territory of greater Hyderabad with borders that are contiguous with all three regions of the state: Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. 

This proposal is yet to be tested with political parties. But pro-Telangana parties opposed to the ‘two states, one capital’ theory have until now rejected this argument on the ground that Hyderabad is about 200 km away from the nearest border district of coastal Andhra. 

...contd.

Plight of ‘kind Muslim man’ wrongly held for Mecca Masjid led Swami to confess: Police

Investigators claimed that a curious change of heart led Swami Aseemanand, 58, arrested for his involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast, to reveal details of the conspiracy behind five major blasts, including the February 2007 attack on the Samjhauta Express. 

Key to this, senior officials said, was Aseemanand’s interaction with a 21-year-old he met in Chanchalaguda Jail, Hyderabad, during his judicial custody in November-December last year. 

... contd.

శ్రి కౌముది జనవరి 2010

 

శ్రీ కౌముది డిసెంబర్ 2010

Want to win an MP’s seat? Caste, religion the key

Nov. 10: Caste and religion still reign supreme on the political scene in the country, a full 63 years after Independence. This proves beyond doubt that politics in India has systemic issues that need to be addressed, says Ajit Phadnis, a former alumnus of IIM-Bangalore. Mr Phadnis should know what he is saying, after completing his one year internship at the Lok Sabha recently when he had the opportunity to observe the functioning of this August institution from close quarters. 

As the modu operandi of political parties has a significant influence on the functioning of Parliament, the preponderence of caste and religion is threatening the very survival of India's democracy, he said in a research paper titled, ‘Democratic quotient of the Indian Parliament.’ 

Factors connected to caste and religion inevitably determine the direction in which a political party heads. Another important factor is the excessive influence of money power during elections, which means that the majority of MPs representing India, are those from the extremely affluent sections. This means that it is difficult for a person of average income to be elected to Parliament, said Mr Phadnis.

“The objective of this study was to secure the views of those in Parliament about the institution itself and the opinions of the majority of MPs on various issues. The most glaring of the concerns or weaknesses are the working of political parties which includes money and muscle power, curbing the views of party people and the increasing disruptions in Parliament sessions,” said Mr Phadnis while speaking to Deccan Chronicle.

Of the 100 MPs chosen for the study, as many as 75 per cent are current members of Parliament. Of them, 84 per cent were from the Lok Sabha and 16 per cent from the Rajya Sabha while the male-female ratio was 94 and 6 per cent respectively, explained the researcher.

He added, “A systemic problem with our democracy is that MPs feel that their work does not significantly influence their chances of getting re-elected. Caste, religion and money appear to be playing bigger roles. The disruptions in Parliament are only giving negative inspiration to our MLAs and corporators, who are taking it to new lows in the state legislatures and in the corporation and municipal councils. Almost a 2/3rd majority expressed the opinion that political parties do not permit them to express views which are divergent from the party stance leading them to believe that it is a few party leaders who are deciding the course of this country’s future”

Mr Phadnis in his report, that has now evoked the interest of political leaders in Karnataka too, suggests guidelines for the reform of political parties.

Deccan Chronicle, Thursday November 11, 2010

శ్రీ కౌముది: నవంబర్ 2010

... our national sin

We Indians cannot give up jealousy and rally together.
That is our national sin.

Letter to Swami Ramakrishnananda. Written in Bengali from Chicago in January 1894. Complete Works, 6.256.

Finding of Unity

The finding of unity in variety is really what we call knowledge.

From Swamiji's article in the February 1895 issue of the New York Medical Times. Complete Works, 9.285.

శ్రీ కౌముది సెప్టెంబర్ 2010

... a nation is not to be judged by its weaklings

There is good and bad everywhere--but a nation is not to be judged by its weaklings called the wicked, as they are only the weeds which lag behind, but by the good, the noble, and the pure who indicate the national life-current to be flowing clear and vigorous.

Letter to the Maharaja of Khetri. Written from America in 1894. Complete Works, 6.249.