CLERICS CRUSHED THE FAITHFUL

In a democracy, people’s vote is sacrosanct. If anyone tinkers with it, then chaos is the result. Present day Iran is a classic paradigm for this. In 1970, clergy along with the people waged a revolution and overthrew an American backed corrupt Shah. After the revolution, clerics never ceded power. They indirectly controlled power over parliament through an unelected Guardian Council. From monarchical dictatorship, Iran plunged into religious absolutism.

In the name of faith, rulers enjoyed absolute freedom at the expense of citizens. Rampant unemployment and high inflation rates affected Iran’s society like a cancer. Clergy detested the liberals. They backed religious radical’s election after elections.

Mr. Ahmadinejad, the incumbent president of Iran is considered a favorite to the ruling elite. He is a demagogue who spits violence and hatred. He is against imperialism, but supports the despotic clergy. If recent reports are to be believed the ruling elite rigged national elections and crushed the electorate’s choice. Last week world witnessed incessant public protests against this injustice. Scores of youth thronged streets and engaged in street fights with the revolutionary guards (a military force labeled as terrorist organization by US). Future is at stake for them. Atleast 10 people lost life in the fray.

Rhetoric never satisfies people. Food, job, shelter, security, peace will satisfy common man. War is a boon for ruling class and a bane to the public. With mindless rhetoric, Iran’s clergy pushed their country into the brink of an impending economic collapse.

Iran continues to finance rogue organizations across Middle East to wage war against Israel but hardly did anything to improve the living conditions of impoverished Iranians. Economic collapse will prompt people to take law into their hands. This is a lesson to all governments across world.

This is an opportunity smell out by the Iranians to overthrow religious radicals backed by unelected clergy from the governance. It’s a now or never moment for them. Mistakes are not meant to be repeated. Clergy must realize this.

Images of dying Neda will blossom in the minds of people of Iran. It gave renewed confidence to Iranians to fight for justice. Outside world may never know the circumstances behind her death, but she gave hope to the millions who fight against injustice.

In1979, through a revolution, religious clerics changed the course of Iran’s history. Now it’s the turn of layman to rewrite the history again. Hindsight, we realize that, at both instances malady is same and also the remedy. Only doctor’s changed. And the moral of this whole episode is that, in long term, people will not tolerate totalitarian instincts in any form from anyone.

A GLIMPSE INTO KERALA CAMPUS POLITICS

Campus confrontations among various political student organizations are regular in Kerala. Unlike the politics at DU (Delhi University) or JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University), here, at college and university levels rarely do altercations crop up based on ideologies or values. The unique facet of campus politics in Kerala is that, confrontations are more physical than ideological. Campus politics are often based on local party foot soldier’s whims and fancies rather than a beginning to the ideological growth of a student who desires to go into the coveted political life. Every year, a handful of students belonging to some political organizations die in such struggles. The recent death of an ASI (Assistant Sub Inspector) of the Kerala Police at NSS Hindu College, Changanasherry during a campus showdown between the ABVP (Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishadh) and SFI (Student Federation of India) protesters is very unfortunate.

Asking campuses to ban politics due to this is gibberish. Infact, healthy political practices in a college campus will help a student to take part in the nation building process. The objective of a political process in college campuses should end there. Often it crosses that sacrosanct line. But why? Reasons are many and old. Criminals among students, impartiality of law enforcing agencies in providing a just inquiry into cases relating to campus politics, corruption in the police force, outside goons entering college campuses, lack of good student leaders with vision who can really channalize the resources of youth towards right direction and on goes the list.

In Kerala, clergy supported managements run most colleges. Managements are responsible for the peaceful atmosphere in a campus. They should not meddle with student politics and must take timely corrective measures as and when these political outbreaks breach the harmony in a college campus. A strict and impartial action from managements can very well stop this lawlessness in our college campuses, which they often fail to do. Now why do they fail to stop such activities? Are they ready to think and act impartially on these matter or atleast help police forces to take correct action? In reality, managements are quite happy with the way politics are being carried out in our campuses. It helps them to groom political slaves with no clear ideological reputation. By this, they ensure that these slaves will help to save their political interests in the future.

Due to the pressure from vote bank politics, a political party becomes a hock to various castes and communities. The group representing managements are often seen as puppets in the hands of clergies who inturn control these colleges and institutions. Various political parties are depended on them to get votes in elections, thereby becoming an outside supporter to this drama played out on the life of numerous students who are involved in the campus politics.

The general public are either ignorant or often forget this truth. Parent Teacher Associations at colleges can play an active role in putting pressure on these managements to desist from such dangerous practices. Biggest fall out of our college educations system is the presence of the so-called managements who see colleges with a biased and business mind. They simply fail to understand the pulse of students and there by, invite more trouble that leads to many unfortunate events.

How can a college management be regulated in this matter effectively? Since politician – management nexus has always played a crucial role in campus politics; regulating management through a political process will not fetch the desired result.

Clergy backed managements should be given a strict warning from interfering with campus politics. Action must be taken immediately for erring students. Security in college campus should be strengthened, especially during election days, strike, important college gatherings and student’s entry should strictly on the basis of identification. It is to be ensured that on such days students are checked for possession of arms. Campuses also should be kept under strict security surveillance. Students with criminal background should be monitored. Civic society and courts need to ponder on this subject in detail to find out workable solutions.

Death of a police officer during a fight in a campus is unfortunate and dangerous. It points out to two aspects. How nasty students can be and how ill prepared our police force are? Now, it can be argued that the whole thing was an accident. It might be correct and mostly it will be. In such a campus fight it is very rare that students actually want to kill a police officer. That answers the first part. But the second part needs deep reflection within the think-tank of the police. Here too it can be argued that the whole thing was an accident. But will this argument help them from facing the reality? In future, police forces in action will think twice before hitting an angry crowd.

Our police forces are not trained according to the demands of 21st century governance. It is sad to see, many a times, in electronic media, how badly at many places rioters beat and attack police men. Sending an ageing force to face a young and angry mob can at times be stupid. In this case, the policeman who died was 47 year old. Another official, 51 years of age, had a heart failure seeing his fellow officer die after getting hit on his forehead. It is ridiculous, even though this statement is harsh on the said policeman. This is the state of many police officers at different part of our country. How often are they able to stop the protestors from destroying public property?

How many of our police officers are actually physically fit to face a protesting mob? The answer will be, shockingly, a very few. A fresh police officer out from a police academy looks excellently fit. Over the years, why is it that the same officer is not able to maintain this fitness level? A modern day physique of a police officer at the age of 45 + will give a strong competition to a pregnant woman expecting her kid the next week. While facing an angry mob of agitators, sometimes with weapons, a policeman often needs the fitness to atleast protect him. Even at times he may have to run behind an agitator to arrest him. How many police officers have the physical fitness to really do that? In movies it’s very common that stars with huge figures run behind villain through difficult terrain for a long distance. Unfortunately, many of our high-tech policemen who travel in AC Qualis, Innovas and Accents may find this very difficult to achieve. The up gradation of our police force often stops with the brand of new vehicles the department buys for their day-to-day use.

It is the responsibility of the home department to give security to those police officers that are facing these agitators. In this recent case, the home department clearly failed in giving them the required protection. The department must ensure the safety of police officers that are in the field. Otherwise it will demoralize the forces. . State Intelligence should be strengthened to identify the possible threats.

Police training system should be overhauled immediately and effectively to meet the requirement of modern days. Strict fitness rules should be adopted. Present police officers should be given a time frame to regain their fitness. Training systems should match the crime profile of that era. Annual drilling camps should be conducted, so that the present force will receive proper training yearly.

Police forces should be encouraged to develop leadership among their cadres. A good leader can motivate police forces to a very great extent. A well-trained police officer should be properly maintained emotionally, physically and economically. Else it will fire back at the time of an emergency.

Also it is the responsibility of a civil society to respect and treat a police officer well. An underutilized or an over worked police force can become a liability to the society.

Regulation of student politics by passing a law is not a workable solution. It needs action and thought beyond the law book. Healthy campus politics projects the maturity of various interest groups like college managements, student organization, parent-teacher associations etc. Unbiased politics will ensure a serene and healthy atmosphere within a campus.

THE LIGHT OF THE FUTURE

Who must lead our country? The ‘am aadmi’ of the world’s biggest democracy faces this fascinating question at the time of every election. Do we have genuine alternatives in our country to choose from? The answer is an incredible "No”.

India as a country is abundant with politicians. We, the Indian citizens, must take pride in the fact that ours will be the only country in the world where a very large number of people are taking up politics as a profession for a living. We can call this group ‘political consultants’. They are thorough professionals who perform a wide range of activities from assisting a layman in getting help from police stations to broker deals in defense purchases, from settling local disputes to negotiating for ministerial berths in the dark rooms of various coalition boardrooms, from controlling and manipulating the funds of local co-operative banks to causing mayhem in the securities market, from doing petty politics at the Panchayat level to toppling the Governments in New- Delhi. Some such consultants are so universal as to mortgage our nation to various multilateral financial institutions. They work from anywhere and from any part of the Earth. Now these consultants have diversified their business portfolio to include tour programmes for various legislators who are interested in bringing down the incumbent governments as was witnessed a few months back in Karnataka. In addition to such tour programmes these dissident legislators will be adequately rewarded. If such incidents continue to occur one can say with surety that the future is bright for the Indian Tourism industry-Incredible India!!!

As of late the Raj Bhavans are the favorite place for these consultants to plan and execute their job. Our Raj Bhavan gives shelter to aged socialist era politicians. Pathetic is the condition, where in this era of globalization, two generations come together and implement scientific ways to ouster opposition Chief Ministers. In some states, fractional politics has reached such a stage that leaders of the ruling party abet with the Governors and try toppling the Government.

The integrity of persons holding key constitutional positions like the Governor and the Speaker is questionable. Instead of safeguarding the constitution, they are more concerned with pleasing the political masters in Delhi. The Supreme Court is helpless in this regard. The President is in an even worse spot. Instead of keeping quiet and silently agreeing to what the Union cabinet is proposing, as is being done presently, he must assess the crisis precisely and approve it with prudence. The Electorate is ready to follow the crowd. Lack of definite ideology and vision restricts a commoner from thinking out of the box. Infact, they are indifferent towards politics.

Who is secular in this country? The answer to this question is that every political party in India has played communal politics at different stages depending upon the mood of the electorate. Politics is an emotional issue in India and over the years all the elections have been fought with communal sentiments. India will be the only country in the world where the issue of constructing a Ram Temple at Ayodhya gets more significance than any other developmental activity. Even now there is a political party that is making it an issue to pacify its cadres.

A good political leader must be an Ideologist, a visionary, a technocrat, and above all, must have a clear and strong mass support. Twenty first century Indian politicians do not show any promise in this regard. In fact, there is a clear dearth of leaders who can actually steer our motherland towards growth and prosperity.

Why does India fail to magnetize youth towards the mainstream polity? Which force restricts the youth from entering into politics? Is it the fear about future, total disdain towards politics and governance, lack of clarity in thought or is it sheer irresponsibility and a trouble-free outlook of the modern day ‘dudes’?

How well India channelises the hidden power of the youth will decide its future. Educated altruists must contribute to the social order by accepting responsibilities at their own Panchayats, Municipalities or Corporations. Apart from giving training in a wide range of subjects from dawn to dusk, spiritual institutions, schools and universities must include lessons in their core course curriculum to inculcate values and discipline in their scholars. Citizens must be encouraged to take up various societal responsibilities at an early age.

The moment has come for India to come out from the shackles of indolence to the glory of hard work. To quote George Bernard Shaw “Life is no brief candle for me. It is a sort of splendid torch, which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” The Indian youth must appreciate the true meaning and value behind this great man’s words and should make life in India indeed an incredible one.