A Perspective on Peace

The sounds of war are perennial. But the yearning for peace never ends. This week we shall celebrate the days of two great men of peace: Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd and St. Francis of Assisi on 4th October. Soon we shall also know the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace.

The sounds of war are not necessarily only those that emanate from the guns and the bombs, the tanks and the warplanes, and the beating of the drums. All these may be silent. There may be no combat. But words are sufficient. The yearning for peace also remains only a yearning till it is expressed in words. Words are powerful in war and peace as they are in all things big and small.

Last week we were shaken up by the pronouncement of a top Iranian official that World War III could take place if Iran were to be attacked by Israel. He went on to say that Iran considers the US bases in the region as part of “American soil”, which could be targeted if war were to break out. Elaborating further it was said that Israel would not “initiate a war without US support” to arrest Tehran’s nuclear programme. Words have been uttered. President Obama has also been talking hostile language to boost his campaign. May be the verbal hostilities will become less after the results of the November 6 US presidential elections. Let’s hope so.

Over two months back, President Pranab Mukherjee had said in his acceptance speech that we are in the midst of World War IV, referring to the war of and against terrorism which was engulfing almost the entire world. He had described the cold war in the second half of the twentieth century as the third world war.

In the midst of all the talk of war, we must not lose sight of the signs of peace. The media focuses more on fights, murders, terror, battles and wars. The silent work of the peace makers goes without notice. It is the duty of all peace lovers and peace workers to highlight the efforts for peace, especially by persons who are inspiring. This can enhance the movement for peace.

Pope Benedict XVI was on a three-day visit to Lebanon, a country that has seen much violence, in the second week of September. He gave a clarion call for peace when he said: “I will appeal to all of you to be peacemakers, wherever you find yourselves… in a world where violence constantly leaves behind its grim trail of death and destruction.”  “May God grant to your country, to Syria and the Middle East, the gift of peaceful hearts, the silencing of weapons and the cessation of all violence.”

Aung San Suu Kyi recently described Mahatma Gandhi as one of her greatest sources of influence while addressing the students of Columbia University last week.  The Nobel Peace Prize Winner said: “Gandhi is somebody really phenomenal… You must remember the change through non-violent means was not ever thought of before Gandhi.  He was the one who started it, he was the one who decided that it is possible to bring about revolutionary change without violence.” Suu Kyi is one of the great leaders of our times, an icon for peaceful struggle for democracy. Nelson Mandela, another icon, has also attributed his ideology for peace to the inspiring father figure of Gandhi.

When the leaders of other countries are paying tributes to the Father of our Nation, we must work all the more to emulate him, especially his non-violent method of struggle. We take the easier route by organising cleanliness drives on his birthday. Not that cleanliness is less important, but the path to peace is more difficult and very urgent in our times. Our long term struggles can succeed in the long run only by following the path of non-violence. Violence begets violence. It can only produce short term results for a short time only. As Gandhiji said, the whole world would be blind if we were to follow the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth policy. The chain of violence must stop somewhere. It takes a great person with great courage to stop the chain by offering the other cheek.

I shall end this piece with the opening words of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. 

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 30.09.2012

Volatile and Hot, but Stay Cool

The last week has been politically crucial at the national level. The UPA-2 has once again found itself hanging on a cliff. To do or to undo is the question. To stick its neck out for chopping or to withdraw in a protective shell is the impending decision. The government finally took the call to go ahead with reforms and the decision was hailed by the industry. But the political parties have taken the decision to halt the reforms. One must remember that the parties are usually closer to the people than the government is. The cadres of the parties live among the people while the governing persons are seen as the ruling class, and bureaucrats as hurdles. This is the common perception. So when the parties oppose reforms using language that people understand as against the terminology of long term benefits used by the government, the people instantly connect with the former.

As I write this column, the political situation at the centre is fluctuating and unpredictable. But it is not new, as we have seen these dramas unfold any number of times in the immediate as well as distant past. We should have learnt by now the likely short term and long term outcome of this type of political dramas which sometimes turn into mere farce. However, having the benefit of history, we the people should be wiser. Everything that glitters is not gold. Political masks are in vogue. Not just during elections when campaigners wear masks of their leaders. Some leaders themselves are masks. We realize this too late many times. Therefore, there is need for vigilance by the people. And more so by the people who make the difference!

I believe that one person can make the difference, and many people can make a big difference. There are life members and floating members in any political party. Every political party has also its committed vote bank. These voters do not change their political options easily. Change in government comes because of the free voters who are not committed to any party but make their decisions based on past performance and current issues. They add the value of their votes to the committed base of a given party and thus determine results in a big way. This is the tribe that must increase and multiply if our country is to progress in a democratic way. This is the segment that must exercise vigilance as top priority. These are the people who must articulate their views and be open to debate and exchange of ideas. These are the citizens who must discern the mask from the true face of a leader or any political aspirant. These are the voters who must activate others to determine results. You and I can be one of these, provided we have an open mind and no political attachments.

The more the political situation gets volatile and hot, the more is the need to remain cool. Watch. Keep watching. As Jefferson said it, the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. And remain cool lest the rising political temperature and emotions diminish your rational quotient. There is still time for elections. The present scenario is definitely not the final act of the drama. Even the Elections 2014 or earlier will not be the final chapter. History is always in the making. We have to play our part to the end and then hand over the baton. But we have to keep the flame burning. That is our destiny. It can also be our joy even when there is no instant success.

Vigilance alone is not sufficient. We have to be active. Activity does not necessarily mean getting into immediate action. It can also mean resistance. A call for Bandh, whether Bharat or state specific, should be the last resort in extreme cases. A hunger strike every now and then over any issue should not evoke quick response. But these types of activities get the mob going. When the mob takes over, thinking goes into a comma. The tyranny of the oppressor is replaced by the tyranny of the mob. The informed and active citizen has no place in this state of affairs. Destruction does no good to anyone. It takes years to build what it takes minutes to destroy.

Action alone can lead us nowhere if we don’t have a vision. Action must be vision-driven. And now the most relevant question. What will be the outcome of the present national political imbroglio?  Will it lead to a better alternative? Which is the alternative? I feel there is no clear, practical alternative right now. We need to analyze the situation, weigh carefully the alternatives, remove the masks that are increasing by the day, and decide along with our fellow citizens which next practical step to take in keeping with our vision. A step that will one day lead us to the fulfillment of our vision. Shall return to this topic another day.

One cool step, one day at a time!

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 23.09.2012

Knowledge and Values

This is the time of the year when inspiring thoughts on education, teachers and students are expressed on the occasion of Teacher’s Day and at presentation of awards to educationists as well as students who have excelled in education and exams. This year the focus of many eminent speakers has been on the importance of imparting values through the education system.

While presenting the National Awards for 2011 to teachers on Teacher’s Day this year, President Pranab Mukherjee said, “our motto should be: all for knowledge, and knowledge for all.” In fact he was repeating what he had said in his eve of Independence Day speech. Words worth repeating in the context of the Right to Education Act. Spreading education to every nook and corner of the country is itself a value that we need to take very seriously on our national agenda. Not only literacy but true education. The President went on to say, “to build the India of our dreams, the first and foremost task before us is to improve the quality of education… providing education which is rich in values and modern in content.” Our problem has been that we have concentrated much, and rightly so, on improving content but failed to match it with emphasis on the inculcation of right values. In fact, our moral and ethics classes are treated as the least important. These should be given as much attention, if not more, as physical education and sports.

Our former President, Dr Abdul Kalam also spoke about knowledge combined with purity of life. It is reported that he even called for “a new crop of teachers who need to teach responsibly and impart a value system to students”, and emphasized “the importance of purity of life and knowledge”. This is a timely call by a former president who is an eminent scientist. Dr Kalam is definitely modern and technology driven. He knows too well that one can scale the heights of achievement only with dedication and sacrifice. Technology is a tool for enhancement when used properly but can also be a tool for distraction. It can also be the vehicle that leads our young astray with quick and vast exposure to violence and pornography. Our children need guidance, proper orientation and ability to discern the pure and the impure.  Our influence counts. In the words of Henry Adams, “teachers affect eternity; one can never tell where their influence stops”. And when we talk of teachers, we must not forget that parents are the first teachers.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, while speaking recently as chief guest at the Award Presentation to top rankers by the V M Salgaocar Foundation, made it a point to stress on the importance of character formation. He said that he did not consider his qualification in Metallurgy from the IIT in Mumbai as important as his acquisition of character. He spoke at length on character building as a very important asset in the process of education. Speaking of Gandhiji’s seven blunders of the world, he stated that he had personally adopted two of them as his guiding principles for avoidance: knowledge without character and politics without principle. To these two, he added his own as the third: vision without execution.  However much we may receive as knowledge, we can put it to good and proper use only if we have character and values. Knowledge can be harmful when used wrongly and for wrong purposes, be it nuclear energy or information technology.

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value” - Albert Einstein

 The Chief Minister also dwelt on the need to give back to society and stated that his way of giving back to society was by being in politics. He told the audience how much the government invests in the education of each child, and more so in those students who are studying special courses like medicine. He asked the students to give a thought to giving back to society and not just make money at any cost.

We need to ponder over the thoughts expressed by the above mentioned personalities. They have spoken of the importance of knowledge through modern means and the necessity of values. Both are important. Both need to be imparted to our upcoming generation.

I conclude with the opening words of the School Anthem of my Alma Mater:

“Fruits of Virtue and of Knowledge

Here we gather Peace and power.”

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 16.09.2012

Our Way of Life

The debate and discussions on issues pertaining to Goa have been going on over the years, more vigorously in recent times. The issues cover a wide range: territorial identity, language, land use, real estate, culture, education, industry, tourism, environment, pollution, immigration and emigration, violence and crime, etc. Each of these separately and all of them combined do affect our way of life in Goa.

The time has now come to take up seriously and vigorously the spreading of the undesirable activities specially related to the unofficial promotion of tourism. Alcohol, drugs and prostitution have been in Goa for a long time. But there is absolutely no doubt that these evils have increased beyond measure with the growth of unhealthy tourism. There was a time when Baina beach was famous for prostitution. But today almost all our beaches, cities and towns have become hubs for prostitution. And the activity is making its way in the villages too. A few years back the people of some villages in Bardez made news as they protested in a big way against undesirable activities in their areas. Presently we hear of raids by police now and then, but there is no protest from the people. Have we resigned ourselves to our fate?

Last Sunday morning we read in all our newspapers about the raids on two spas in Panaji, our capital city. Both reportedly owned by a Goan. While busting the sex racket, seven Thai girls were rescued.  International connections suspected. No, no, the girls are not from Goa. They may be from other states or from other countries. But yes, yes, the operations are here in our own  Goa. The unofficial destination of undesirable activities. The  official destination of tourists seeking sun, sea and sand, not sex and paedophilia. And the official residence of all of us for whom these dark activities don’t matter since we are not involved. But it does matter, and the sooner we realize this, the better.

However, I must admit that since these rackets also have the backing of muscle power the people are afraid to interfere or intervene. Each one is busy with his or her own job or business or family matters. There is no time to stick one’s neck out. And of course our moral laxity is increasing by the day in spite of our temples, churches and mosques. We have so many centers of religious pilgrimage. And so many feasts and religious observances. But we are usually reluctant to take a public moral stand. Our moral outrage, if any, is mostly confined to gossip in the balcony, the bazaar or the bar. And if someone denounces a moral evil, then she or he is accused of moral policing.

As expressed earlier, when the sex racket reaches your neighboring area, it does matter. Your children or your neighbor’s grandchildren are bound to get affected. And so you can’t just keep quiet. Denouncing is a must. But it has to be done in groups or through associations. The government will have to act then. As the protests reach a crescendo government action will follow. Those running the rackets will abscond. The media will take notice. Other people will also become bolder and follow suit. The sex racketeers will run for cover or close shop. This is optimism until experience proves otherwise.

It takes courage to answer a call.

Drugs have been the bane of our society. Many a promising youth have lost their future due to this particular addiction. Once again this is also an international racket on the red soil of Goa. Tourism connected and political connections. Once in a blue moon someone may be arrested by the anti-narcotic cell like it happened last week when a DJ from Chennai was caught in Anjuna. The tentacles of this cancer are so deeply widespread that only a very powerful political surgeon with the backing of a committed police force can handle this problem. Social leaders and organizations, religious platforms and media can play a supporting role.

Alcohol has killed tens of thousands of people over the years and devastated families in Goa. Yet the number of bars and tavernas have multiplied in every town and village. It is not just the tourists who indulge in alcohol on a holiday. Our own people of Goa and specially the youth, traditionally the males but now also the females, indulge in this destructive vice. The migrant workers and daily wage laborers are also the obvious victims after a hard day’s work. I have seen so many from neighboring states falling quick victims to alcohol. They come to Goa to earn but go back burned. This problem of alcohol is perennial in Goa. It also affects our productivity. A collective social effort is required to turn the tide. More humane and social approach than political solutions. The politicians are also responsible for increasing alcoholism with their pre-electoral donations in liquid form to entice voters, including the youth.

The three problems that I have specified need our attention and time. Individual and collective. It is the future that is calling. And the answer, this time, is not blowing in the wind. The answer is deep in your heart.

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 09.09.2012 

Paralysis from Policy to Parliament

Policy paralysis. Parliament paralysed by disruption. This is the order, rather disorder, of the day. We could call it the crisis of parliamentary democracy. But no, I don’t agree. It is artificial chaos manufactured in the political factories by petty politicians of all hues whose only concern is power. Power at any cost. Once the power equation changes, it is the same old story. Change? Yes, but only for big beneficiaries. The plight of the common citizen does not change. We’ve seen it over the years. Those who shout loud from the top of their political roofs repeat what their predecessors did when seated under the roof of power.

What I wrote above may seem like the cry of a cynic. Make no mistake about it, I am an eternal optimist. I believe in change, and that change can come only from the people. But I dislike short-change.  And I despise politicians who take the people for a ride. The paralysis that our nation is now witnessing is a politician-made-paralysis. Only when we understand this political cynicism will we be inspired by true optimism. Eternal optimism that springs from the heart and lifts up the mind. You are not weighed down by physical or monetary considerations, or possibilities within a horizon limited by a time frame. You are not merely fighting a battle but  participating in a  war. You study the situation and find that some of those in the forefront of the battle are merely masks. Not true leaders. True leaders do come, may be they are already among us. When we encounter them, we will actually understand the meaning of the Mahatma: Buddha. Gandhi. Mandela. Suu Kyi.

The last great leaders who inspired change were Jayaprakash Narayan in 1979 and Vishwanath Pratap Singh in 1989. Both were clean. Therefore they could stand up to the regime. People recognized the moment and voted for change. But they did not measure up to the Mahatma’s level. The change that they brought about was only in political dispensation. And it was only temporary because many political operators who assumed power were no different from those whom they had replaced. Many were opportunists  who climbed the popular bandwagon either because they had no scope on the ruling side or because they guessed rightly that the opposition side would win.

The third change came about at the turn of the century because there was a tall personality leading the National Democratic Front: Atal Bihari Vajpayee. People trusted him and wanted to see him as their Prime Minister.

Today it is a different scenario altogether. For all the sound and fury, who among the opposition leaders has the standing to inspire change? I have expressed my reservations in the past about Dr Manmohan Singh continuing as our Prime Minister after completing eight years. But after observing the obstruction in the Parliament for a week, I am beginning to revise my opinion. Dr Singh still has dignity and personal integrity. I liked what he said on 27^th August: “My general practice is not to respond to motivated criticism directed at me. My philosophy has been ‘hazaaron jawaabon se achchi  hai meri khamoshi’ ( my silence is better than a thousand answers). But in this case, I wanted to respond and was not allowed to.” It was an aberration not to allow the Prime Minister to speak for so many days. Not to allow a debate to take place. What is the Parliament for, if not to debate, clarify, propose and legislate? If the BJP wanted the Prime Minister to resign, why did they not go for a no-confidence motion? That would have been the right thing to do. In any case, when the Prime Minister resigns, a new government has to be formed. The new Prime Minister has to form a new cabinet. The Prime Minister’s resignation is not like that of any other minister. No short cuts.

But a no-confidence motion is a serious matter on the agenda. Members from both sides have to speak. In a debate the best arguments can be put forth by both sides and misdeeds exposed and recorded. The citizens of the country get a chance to judge irrespective of the outcome of the debate. That’s parliamentary democracy. What we witnessed was not just absence of dialogue and debate. It was the tyranny of the opposition party: no matter what your numbers, you must do what we demand.

I have not gone into the issue, the bone of contention. Too many have commented on it, both in  print and electronic media. I will only say that this issue is also an example of paralysis of policy. When the UPA government wanted to go for coal blocks allocation through auction in 2004, the states then ruled by the opposition parties stiffly disagreed. Now the same parties are fighting the government on the policy which was also followed by them when they were ruling. This is political expediency par excellence.

Can any significant change be expected if those now in opposition win the 2014 elections? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 02.09.2012