The great Indian language quagmire!

The great Indian language quagmire!

The following e-mail “samvaada” took place just after a symbol was chosen for the Indian Rupee in II week of July 2010. Being fanatically pro-kannada, I was not amused that the symbol was not a symbol (like that of US dollar or Pound Sterling) but a hybridization of Devanagari and English scripts – the two languages which have had a demeaning effect on other indigenous Indian languages. The mail exchange took place between 16th July and 20th July 2010.
Peruse and enjoy the jovial-serious sharing of ideas, thoughts and information on the issue of language :

NDTV Correspondent, 15 July, 2010
Finally, the Rupee will have a symbol like the Dollar ($) or the Euro (€) or the Pound (£). The Cabinet today finalised the design for the Rupee.

IIT post-graduate Uday kumar's entry has been selected out of five shortlisted designs as the new symbol for the Indian Rupee.

The government had organised a symbol design competition with a prize money of Rs 2.5 lakh. Five designs were shortlisted from a competition and all new notes will bear the design finally approved.
The growing influence of the Indian economy in the global space is said to have prompted this move that will result in the Indian rupee joining the select club of global currencies like the US dollar, the British Pound, European Euro and Japanese Yen that have unique symbols.

The abbreviation for the Indian Rupee, 'Re' or 'Rs' is also used by India's neighbours Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.


On Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 7:12 AM, A. Bhanu wrote :

Don’t you all see the Hindi letter in it?
When India is a land of diversity with so many ingenious cultures, languages, arts etc... it is difficult to believe that English and Hindi get undue prominence in all spheres.....
Bhanu


My friend wrote back in response :

With all due respect Sir, Hindi does remain the national language because it is spoken, written and understood by a majority of the country. In my opinion the sole purpose of any language is communication. We as Indians have a unique ability to divide ourselves over totally ´faltu´ i.e. useless issues. We have in the past divided ourselves over religion, state and cast (and this continues even till date) and now we find another great opportunity to unite ourselves in hating Hindi!! This is fabulous indeed!!
We find all the time in this world to criticize the national anthem which some wise people believe was written for the king of England but fail to realize the amount of pride and values attached to it. We gather up at Chai (tea) time to criticize Mahatma Gandhi and his policy of non-violence and blame all the ills of modern India on the governance of Pandit Nehru. Aren’t we are a population of very wish-full people who live and die in fantasies!
I hope we don’t give this concept of unity in hatred as inheritance to our young ones. Can’t we just be Indians without any cast or religion or creed or language? I am glad and immensely proud to see the Indian symbol for the rupee and I would have felt the same pride even if the symbol was in Chinese!
cheers and jai hind!!
deepak

On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 7:14 AM, A. Bhanu wrote:

Let me clarify that there is no National Language in India. We have a national anthem, flag, bird, symbol, animal, tree, river etc., but no national language. You can verify this by perusing the Indian Constitution. There are 22 official languages listed in the Eigth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Hindi is not our national language.All Indian languages are rich in history and literature. They all are to be given due respect and credit. Demanding equal respect to all Indian languages is not spreading hatred nor is it causing disunity. This is a paranoia spread by Hindi fanatics.
If the Rupee identity was to be symbolic, then there should not have been any linguistic connotations to it. If you see the American Dollar or Sterling Pound -they are mere symbols.
If we are to respect the diversity in language and cultures in India we need to be aware of and fulfill the representative character of the diversity and richness of our culture. Not by aping the west by glamorizing English or by using (indicatively) any one indigenous language.

Regards,
Bhanu


My friend’s response was based on Wikipedia referenced literature and ran thus :
(Saturday, July 17th 2010 – 16:03)

Wopsi do!! that was a good reaction!!
Thanks for enlightening us but please check this out:

The principal official language of the Republic of India is Hindi while English is the secondary official language.[2] The constitution of India states that "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script."[3] Neither the Constitution of India nor Indian law specifies a National language, a position supported by a High Court ruling.[4] However, languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian constitution are sometimes referred to, without legal standing, as the national languages of India.[5][6]

This isn't from any rocket science source!! this is from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_India#cite_note-2) and this is what you would get when you google for three simple key words national+language+india. Well then technically the constitution does not state that this is the 'national language' but it the 'official language'. But then we can always argue with the parrot philosophy that these two are different.

I really don't mind being a 'hindi' fanatic specially if it amounts to be a 'hindustani' fanatic!! viva india!! Jai Hind!!
Let me be specific about this issue. Having toured almost the whole of South India, i found a huge amount of problem in communication only in parts of Tamilnadu. To be more specific, i could not even get a decent glass of water to drink in a village because the people would not understand either of the 3 Indian languages that i speak fluently. i felt like i was not in the same country. I don't know how many of you have experienced this but i have. Now we could always argue about our rich history and past and culture (which incidentally also includes suppression of women and more recently female fetus abortion, our terrific cast system which brands a person not because of his ability but because of who his parents were and then we have the all time great regional/ religious divide). And then we can always continue to bang on our historic and cultural drums without moving an inch forward. Cant we ever get to look at one world (not even country) and only one religion - humanity.

sorry if i hurt any sentiments, but we certainly need to let the past be past and move on. Time never stops. The world is a global village now and if we like it or not we are the third world. Globalization is going to stay no matter how much we resist it by calling it aping the west but the truth is that the west is better off financially as well as socially. We definitely have a unique identity and that is because the rich culture gives us values that are very humane and immensely lovable for the rest of the world. In my opinion we must retain this identity (like the Japanese and Chinese have retained there's) and still move forward.
cheers
Deepak


On Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 7:41 AM, A. Bhanu wrote:

I shall respond this mail in detail as soon as I can get sometime since its going to be an elaborate and emphatic counter to all the misinformation and half truths spread by the arrogant and audacious hindiwallahs who have tried to usurp the non-existent title of national language!
Let me just add..... If a Hindi zealot says 'jai Hindi' then I will also vociferously proclaim ''JAI KANNADA''
BHANU


Deepak wrote back as follows :
(Sunday, 18 July, 2010 12:02)

By-god!! boss please don't get so emotional about this!
Jai Kannada
Jai Tamilnadu
Jai Kerela
Jai Maharashtra (I guess the Thakre gang is right in harassing non- maharashtrians living in Maharashtra)

Jai to the whole country and all the states and union territories individually jai Hindustan Oops sorry Jai Bharat!!

well Jai is also a hindi word so lets use neutral words ..............Viva todo el pais mas grande!!

Do we have a Kannada or Tamil or Telegu or Malayali or any other regional name for India (since India comes from the Raj)? if yes, please do let me know.

I don't wish to infuriate you any further but a small thought crossed my mind. Sometime ego there were news reports of leaking of a Chinese secret service document that stated that India's so called sovereignty
hangs by a very delicate thread which is very easy to snap. Well lets face the truth, i guess they are right since we are all either arrogant and audacious Hindiwallas or vociferous rest of the non-hindi speaking people.
cheers
d
BTW: i also speak Spanish so that should disqualify me from being Indian i guess!


My reply was : (Monday, 19 July, 2010 21:49)

You may do a lot of semantic circus. But technically, legally and etymologically "official" is different from "national". I re-emphasize that "official language" does not mean "national language".
Language is a tool for communication - to share ideas, exchange information, swapping data and spreading knowledge. If it was just that we would all be happy!
But, language binds people. It creates art and culture. Therefore, every language has historical, literary, social and emotional significance and importance. People speaking a particular language naturally will love and respect their language. Not that they hate another language.
It is not the language per-se that is damaging the society. It is the haughtiness of people one language having a superiority complex and acting in a manner that is demeaning other languages.
If analyze the facts, the south Indian languages (Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Tulu) are of non-sanskrit origin. They have been there in written form at least since about 500BC, if not earlier.
(Tamilians say their language is older than the Earth. One of their hypothesis is that God created Tamil first, then Tamilians and then a place for them all to live in! You may call it "self indulgence". That is the extent of Tamilians' love for their language.)
All other Indian languages (except Sanskrit) are of recent origin.
I once again reiterate that Hindi is not the national language of India. It is just one among the 22 official languages (including English) notified in Schedule 8 of Constitution of India. Hindi is in no way superior to other languages of India. Indians need not be ashamed for not knowing Hindi.
It is the sheepish attitude of non-Hindi speaking Indians that encourages Hindi zealots to wrongly proclaim Hindi as a national language, a status that does not find place in Constitution of India.
We have a national anthem, flag, emblem, animal, flower, tree, river and bird but no national language.
The framers of Indian Constitution were men of wisdom and vision who could foresee the disintegrating havoc that the imposition of Hindi would cause and therefore settled for ‘official languages’. nfortunately, next to religion, language has the troublesome potential of dividing people. The creation of linguistic states in the Indian Union has not helped matters either.
Can anybody say what credible purpose was served when Sri.Vajpayee spoke in the United Nations in Hindi? What brownie points did he score by playing to the cow-belt gallery in India from the podium at the UN? More importantly, what tangible benefits did India and Indians gain by this grand-standing? This deliberate action appears more illogical when juxtaposed with the fact that Sri.Vajpayee is very fluent in English.
The Hindiwallahs will point to the French, Chinese, Japanese and even the inconsequential Spanish speaking in their own tongue. By the same logic, what is wrong if a Kannadiga or a Tamilian or an Assamese seeks primacy for his language? Do the Hindi fanatics realize that a language is to be used to convey ideas and convince others? No, they are more interested in boosting their bloated egos unmindful of trampling on the sensitivities of others!
Hindi is known to just about 35% of Indians. Majority of the populace is ignorant of this language. One will elicit a blank stare if Hindi is used in interiors of Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, just to name a few states and not to mention the North-Eastern states. And this after Sixty years of rigorous imposition of an unwanted language through the backdoor! That is why Hindi is still alien to Indians. And, pushing Hindi as the sole (unifying) Indian language is doing a great disservice to the diversity of languages and culture in India.
Let us be proud of our diversity and aim at consolidating our strengths by integrating our rich history and culture rather than dividing the nation in the name of language. And the snobbish Hindiwallahs are not channelising their efforts towards this objective! Hindi can never integrate Indians as long as Hindiwallahs entertain a superiority complex!

Regards,
Bhanu

Deepak’s reply was laced with irony and satire!
Date: Monday, 19 July, 2010, 22:34

Alright boss i agree and seek seize fire!!

The lessons from this conversation are: (any of you receiving this mail can add in if i missed out on anything)

- HINDI IS NOT THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND IT SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT FORCEFULLY or WILLINGLY ANYWHERE!

- ALL HINDIWALAS ARE SNOBS AND BIG TIME FOOLS

- WE SHOULD ALL RESPECT THE RICH CULTURE AND DIVERSITY OF OUR COUNTRY AND STRIVE TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN AND IF POSSIBLE ENHANCE OUR RICH DIVERSITY

- THE NEW SYMBOL FOR THE RUPEE IS HIGHLY DEROGATORY TO THE NON-HINDI SPEAKING PEOPLE. THEREFORE THERE SHOULD BE A NATIONAL LEVEL DEBATE ON THIS

- AND LAST OF ALL WE SHOULD NEVER EVER MENTION HINDI IN A NON-HINDI SPEAKING STATE. THE REGIONAL LAWS SHOULD STATE THAT IF YOU DON'T SPEAK THE REGIONAL LANGUAGE THEN YOU CAN NOT SETTLE DOWN IN THE PARTICULAR STATE

Cheers to all
deepak
the circus man!! ;)
btw the people of gujrat and rajesthan speak good Hindi even in the interior parts. i have lived in both these states but that is inconsequential!


My response was subdued (Tuesday, 20 July, 2010 9:14)

I also have learnt Hindi. I can read write and speak good Hindi. I don't carry any grudge against any language. I also speak Telugu, Tamil, English and Kannada. For me language is a means of communication.
Just like I speak to people in Hindi when I am in Delhi, I would also be happy when the northies speak (or at least try to) in the local languages when they are here. But, the Hindiwallahs have a ghetto mentality and would not like to merge with the mainstream!
My only wish is that people up above the Vindhyas realise, appreciate and recognise that there are civilised human beings with a rich culture, language and social life down below the Vindhyas also.
It is the frog-in-the-well mindset where the Hindiwallahs seem to think that their Hindi is the only panacea to all ills dogging India (that is Bharat) and the domineering way that they try to change others' way of life is condemnable!
I rest my case.
Bhanu

ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರೆ, ನೀವು ಬೆಳ್ಳಂಬಿಳುಪಿಗಿಂತಲೂ ಶುಭ್ರ ಎಂದು ಪೋಸು ಕೊಡಬೇಡ್ರಿ!

ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷ "ನೆರೆ ಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತರ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ"ಯ ದುರುಪಯೋಗ ಮಾಡಿದೆಯೆಂಬ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಓದಿದಾಗ ಮೂಡಿಬಂದ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬರೆಯಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ ಫಲ ಈ ಕೆಳಗಿನ ಬರಹ :

ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರ (ವಿ.ಕ - ತಾ||07/06/2010) ಬರಹ ಓದಿದಾಗ ನಗಬೇಕೊ ಅಳಬೇಕೊ ತಿಳಿಯಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವರ ಮೂರು ದಶಕಗಳ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿ ಕ್ಲಿಷ್ಟಕರವಾದ ಈ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಯನ್ನು ತಾವೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇರಿಕೊಂಡದ್ದು ಎಂದರೆ ತಪ್ಪಾಗಲಾರದು.
ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಸಂವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರ ಹುದ್ದೆಗೆ ಅವಕಾಶವಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ನೀಡಿದಾಗಲೇ ಅವರು ಡೀಕೇಶಿಯವರಿಗೆ ಸವಾಲು ಹಾಕಿದಂತಾಯಿತು. ಜೊತೆಗೆ

ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಹೈಕಮಾಂಡಿಗೂ ಸವಾಲೊಡ್ಡಿದ್ದರು. ಏಕೆಂದರೆ,

ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರನ್ನು ಪ್ರದೇಶ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತು ಡೀಕೇಶಿಯವರನ್ನು ಕಾರ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಸ್ಥಾನಕ್ಕೆ ನೇಮಕಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಹೈಕಮಾಂಡ್! ಡೀಕೇಶಿಯವರು ನೇರವಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ ಪರೋಕ್ಷವಾಗಿಯಾದರೂ ತಿರುಗೇಟು ನೀಡುವರೆಂಬುದು ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರಿಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯದೆ ಹೋದದ್ದು ವಿಪರ್ಯಾಸ. ಡೀಕೇಶಿ ಸಿಡಿಸಿದ ಬಾಂಬ್ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರನ್ನು ಹತಾಶರನ್ನಾಗಿಸಿ ತತ್ತರಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಇವರಿಬ್ಬರ ಕಿತ್ತಾಟ, ಕೆಸರೆರೆಚಾಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆ (?) ನೀರುಪಾಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದಲ್ಲಿನ ಆಂತರಿಕ ಬಿರುಕು-ಬಿಕ್ಕಟ್ಟುಗಳು ಬೀದಿಗೆ ಬಂದು ನಿಂತಿವೆ. ಜನರಿಗೆ ಪುಕ್ಕಟ್ಟೆ ಮನರಂಜನೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದೆ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ, ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕರಿಂದ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ "ನೆರೆ ಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತರ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ" ಹೇಗೆ ದುರ್ಬಳಕೆಯಾಗಿದೆಯೆಂದು ದೇಣಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಕೊಡುಗೈದಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಮನವರಿಕೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಇನ್ನು ಮುಂದೆ ಇಂತಹ "ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ ಮೆರವಣಿಗೆ"ಗಳನ್ನು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕರು ಸಂಶಯದಿಂದ ನೋಡುವಂತಾಗಿದೆ. ಈ ಹಣ ದುರುಪಯೋಗದ ವಿವರಗಳು ಬೆಳಕು ಕಾಣಲು ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆ-ಡೀಕೇಶಿಯವರ ಕಲಹವೇ ಕಾರಣವಾಯಿತು. ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ, ಈ ವಿಷಯ ಸಾರ್ವಜಿಕರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಲೇ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಮುಚ್ಚಿಹೋಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು!
ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಸ್ಥಾನ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು "ಅನ್ಯಬಳಕೆ - ದುರ್ಬಳಕೆ"ಗಳ ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿದ್ದು ಹೊರಳಾಡಬಹುದು. ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸಿಗರ ವಿಮಾನಯಾನಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿನಪತ್ರಿಕೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾಹೀರಾತುಗಳಿಗೆ, ವರದಿ ತಯಾರಿಕೆಗೆ, ಕಚೇರಿ ವೆಚ್ಚಕ್ಕೆ, ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರಿಗೆ ಹಂಚಲು ಟಿ-ಶರ್ಟ್ ಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಅಥವ ಬಡ್ಡಿಗಳಿಸಲು ಬ್ಯಾಂಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಠೇವಣಿ ಇಡಲು, ಜನ ಹಣ ನೀಡಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಕಷ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ನೆರೆಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತರ ತತ್ ಕ್ಷಣದ ನೆರವಿಗಾಗಿ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು ಉದಾರಮನಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ವಂತಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದರು. ಈ ಸತ್ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ ವಿನಿಯೋಗವಾಗದಿದ್ದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಲ ಸದುದ್ದೇಶ ಸತ್ತುಹೋದಂತೆಯೇ. ಇದು ನಿರ್ವಿವಾದಿತ ಸತ್ಯ. ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಹೊಲಸು ರಾಜಕಾರಣದಿಂದಲಾದರೂ ಜನರಿಗೆ "ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ"ದ ನಾಟಕ ಸದೃಶವಾಗಿ ಮನವರಿಕೆಯಾಗಿದೆ.
ಇಷ್ಟೆಲ್ಲ ತಮ್ಮ ಪಾರದರ್ಶಕತೆ-ಪ್ರಾಮಾಣಿಕತೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಉದ್ದುದ್ದ ಬರೆದಿರುವ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರು ೧೯೯೬ರ ಮುಂಚಿನ ತಮ್ಮ ಆಸ್ತಿ ವಿವರ ಬಹಿರಂಗಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಹಿಂಜರಿಯುತ್ತಿರುವುದೇಕೆ? ೧೯೯೬ರಿಂದ ೨೦೦೬ರವರೆಗಿನ ಆಸ್ತಿ ವಿವರ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಿದೆ. ಅದೂ ಚುನಾವಣಾ ಆಯೋಗದ ಕೃಪೆಯಿಂದ. ಆದರೆ, ೧೯೯೬ರ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಆಸ್ತಿಯ ವಿವರ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗದಂತೆ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯದಿಂದ ತೆಡೆಯಾಜ್ಞೆಯನ್ನು ತಂದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರು ಮುಚ್ಚಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಹುದು ಏನಿರಬಹುದು ? ಎರಡು ದಶಕಗಳ ಆಸ್ತಿವಿವರ ಹೋಲಿಸಿದರೆ ತಮ್ಮ (ಆಸ್ತಿಗಳಿಕೆಯ) ನಿಜವಾದ ಬಣ್ಣ ಹೊರಬೀಳುವುದೆಂದೆ?
ಸ್ವತ: ಶ್ರೀಮಂತರಾದ, ಅಪಾರವಾದ ಆಸ್ತಿ-ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನೊಡೆಯರಾದ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆ, ಡೀಕೇಶಿ, ರಾಮಲಿಂಗಾರೆಡ್ಡಿ ಮತ್ತಿತರ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನಾಯಕರು ತಮ್ಮ ಸ್ವಂತ ಹಣ ನೀಡದೆ ಭಿಕ್ಷಾಪಾತ್ರೆ ಹಿಡಿದು ಜನರ ಮುಂದೆ ಕೈಚಾಚಿದ್ದೇಕೆ? ಪಕ್ಷದ ಖರ್ಚಿಗೆ ಇವರಿಗೆ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕರಿಂದ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ "ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ"ಯೇ ಬೇಕಿತ್ತೆ?
ಈ ನಾಯಕರು ತಮ್ಮ ಹಣ-ಕಾಸಿನ ವ್ಯವಹಾರವನ್ನು ಒಬ್ಬ ಕೆಳದರ್ಜೆಯ ಕಾರಕೂನನಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ಅವನು ಮುಂದಿಟ್ಟ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಕಾಗದ ಪತ್ರಗಳಿಗೂ ಹಿಂದೆ ಮುಂದೆ ನೋಡದೆ ಸಹಿ ಹಾಕುವರೆ? ಜನರ ಕಿವಿಮೇಲೆ ಹೂವಿಡುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಮಾಡಲು ಇವರಿಗೆ ನಾಚಿಕೆಯಾಗುವುದಲ್ಲವೆ?
ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರು ತಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಸಮರ್ಥಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿರುವುದು, ಪ್ರಕರಣವನ್ನು ಮುಚ್ಚಿಹಾಕಲು ಪಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ, ನೀಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸವಕಲು ಕಾರಣಗಳು ಈ ನಾರುತ್ತಿರುವ "ಪರಿಹಾರ ನಿಧಿ ದುರ್ಬಳಕೆ" ಪ್ರಕರಣದ ಗಬ್ಬುನಾತ ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಹರಡುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿವೆ. ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆಯವರು ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ ತಪ್ಪೊಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡು ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗುವುದು ಒಳಿತು. ಇರುವ ಅಲ್ಪ-ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆಯಾದರೂ ಉಳಿದೀತು.
- ಅ. ಭಾನು

Indian Communists and their treachery

Blood-red Communists and their stooges!
In late 2004, the AP government led by YSR Reddy asked the police to step back when they had surrounded the top naxal leadership in the deep Telangana forests & had them on the cross-hairs of their guns! If the police had been given a free hand then, things would not have come to such a pass today. Naxalism, like LTTE would have been crushed. But, Congress, under pressure from Communist allies, let the naxal leaders escape. Both the UPA government & Communists must share the blame for allowing the naxalism to become an unmanageable monster & for the loss of so many precious lives of our brave policemen. At least now the government should make amends & wipe out the naxals who are challenging the authority & power of the mighty Indian state.
If the tiny Sri Lanka could achieve military victory by vanquishing the seemingly powerful LTTE, surely, the mighty Indian government also can eliminate naxalism. Only resolute leadership is required!
Manmohan Singh realised the anti-national character of the Indian Communists late; after four years of enjoying power with their support. It is a pity that our PM failed to understand their game-plan and surrendered to them meekly just to remain in power during UPA - I. And, he mentioned only the Communists siding with the British during the freedom struggle! But, the Communist zombies had also supported the Chinese during the Sino-Indian war in 1962. They arranged strikes so that supplies did not reach the Indian army men fighting near the border. The loyalty of the Indian Communists is always suspect since they never attempt to hide their trans-border affiliations. They now openly support China although that country gave up Communist ideology and pretensions long back. Our Commies are blind and deaf when it suits them. They enjoy holidays in Europe and send their children to study in England and Switzerland. But they want India and Indians to remain backward.
Read George Orwell's "Animal Farm" to understand the real Communist.
At no time in the history of contemporary Indian politics had a party extending outside support to the government so brazenly tried to influence the foreign policy as the Communists have sought to do in the recent past. Not surprisingly, the Communists' repeated deeds/actions only confirm their trans-national loyalties. Indians have not forgotten the treachery of the Communists during the freedom movement as well as their anti-Indian stance during the war with China. Their overt and covert support to the violence perpetrated by Maoists and Naxalites shows where their heart is. The comrades have also not concealed their intention to change the democratic character of the Indian Constitution if they were to capture power and do not deny the central theme of violent revolution to achieve this goal. The communist stooges continue to undermine Indian democracy from within little realizing that democracy alone has given them a chance to rule in some states and also enjoy power without accountability at the Centre. It is a tragedy that these ‘dinosaurs’ continue to survive in India and act against Indian interests while mouthing pious platitudes!
Trust our covert anti-national commie comrades to help China break India into pieces. The likes of Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat will not hesitate to encourage Maoists and other ultra leftist groups to fight a violent battle against federal Indian forces and destabilize the country just to please their communist bosses across the border in China! The Communists exhibited their true colors during Indian Independence movement and during the Indo-Chinese wars by supporting the British regime and the Chinese Red Army respectively. These blood-red Indian chameleons will not miss an opportunity to do so again even if it means destroying the great Indian nation. Because, in their hearts these Communists are disloyal and hate the spirit of Indianism and great cultural history of India which is the anti-thesis of communist ideologies.
They are like termites hallowing out the wood from within!
Indian public are more mature and intelligent to see through their wicked shenanigans. The Communists have got a befitting reply in the recent general elections. The communists, with their pseudo-secularism, dinosaur-age ideology based totalitarianism and fossilized mindsets will be wiped out from India soon.
Public memory is not short. We still remember that the central forces staged a farce and allowed the left terrorists to escape in Lalgarh! All the brave talk of "pincer attack" and "multi-pronged strategies" did not yield any Maoist leader in their net although the government forces had "surrounded" them and was "flushing" them - whatever that meant. In the end, nothing came of the hugely hyped up "attack" on the "cornered" Maoists in Lalgarh. Not one Naxal was captured or killed! How the Maoists could have escaped if they were indeed "surrounded" is a mystery. The same inefficient and non-serious government will also bury this issue of Naxals butchering civilians despite all the chest-beating now exhibited by the foxy Chidambaram and his commi-friendly gang. This "secular" UPA government is gutless and shameless, to put it modestly.
During the recent attacks and killing of CRPF jawans and the derailing of Gnaneshwari Express, the Communist worthies (Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat, Raja, Bardhan and the gang) who spare no opportunity to drop their pearls of wisdom before TV cameras went into hiding. These treacherous worms did not come out of their gutters to condemn the Maoists for killing innocents. Perhaps all their condemnations are reserved only for Gujarat, Modi & Hindutva!
The naxals are brothers-in-arms of the Communists with same ideologies, violence, hatred, vengeance, spreading anarchy, undermining the Constitution & democratic institutions in India. These zombies are front actors of China & will betray India whenever their Chinese masters order them to do so.
None of the Communists have condemned China for violating Indian space & disputing Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim being integral parts of India.
The other great “secularist” Lalu Prasad Yadav said that naxals do not attack common people but only police informers. As if “police informers” were some sort of criminals. Lalu's Z category security should be withdrawn. Or his body guards should desert him because he is justifying the killing of policemen by the naxals. Lalu is a "traitor" - a "wolf" in "wolf's" clothing. Such comments by anti-national politicians lead to disenchantment in the police forces. IF the Maoists capture power through the gun as is their aim, then where will Lalloo be? Neither will the Maoist-sympathisers and human rights bugles be alive under naxal rule! Common man or a police man - the life is precious. Naxals are inhuman thugs! They should be killed since they are enemy number one for India and Indians. Lalloo and his ilk can go to hell!

The UPA government should act with haste & resolve to wipe out the Maoist terrorism. The government should not hesitate to use the army, air force & whatever means are required to eliminate these traitors. Will MMS and PC wake from the slumber?

The army & air force should protect the country. If there is a rebellion within & innocent citizens are targeted & the naxals practice violence, then it is imperative for the police & armed forces to protect the country against destabilization by armed and violent naxals. The armed forces should not just shoot in self defense but should chase these communist stooges and kill them all because they pose a great danger to democratic government in India. The Indian army cannot exist in its present state if democracy ceases to exist in India. These naxals should be prepared to face the might of the Indian State which they are trying to overthrow through a bloody revolution & by undermining the state apparatus. It cannot be a one-way street where only naxals can kill people. Human Rights exist for all Indians and not only for communists or naxals.

The naxals should also be prepared to die if they are indeed not cowards! One who fights by the sword should be prepared to die by the sword.

ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT - PRESERVE OR PERISH

Although the destruction of nature brought about by human beings is a cause for deep concern, the fact that some meaningful steps are being initiated to reverse the damage, albeit in a very small way, is an encouraging sign - a beacon of hope in an otherwise desolate landscape. We need to introspect on what harm we have done and look at the future to see what we can do to prevent recurrence of such devastation. I hope the article contributes to the global efforts at protection and preservation of nature.
The following article of mine was published in Deccan Herald May 02 of 1999.

ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT - PRESERVE OR PERISH
“Man is nature’s sole mistake” - W.S.Gilbert
Mankind’s unconcealed intent and unequaled ability to manipulate, exploit and abuse natural surroundings to satisfy self-serving interests are well established and documented. The extensive environmental degradation due to man-made causes has wreaked havoc on Mother Earth and severely disrupted the delicate eco-balance. Materialistic temptations and addictive comforts have blinded us to the irreversible destruction we are causing. Rapid urbanization and unbridled industrialization have seriously undermined nature’s resilience to the extent that our very existence is under threat. We don’t seem to realise that we have only one Earth to live on and nowhere else to go!
Industrialization and urbanization by their very character affect ecology and environment. The remorseless culprits responsible for ruining the ecology and environment consist of power generation stations (hydro, nuclear, thermal or gas based), mining (especially coal mining), quarrying, timber-logging, cement plants, iron & steel plants, dyeing units, tanneries, paper mills, petroleum & chemical industries - the list can be endless. Fortunately, many Indian villages are yet to directly suffer the adverse consequences of industrialization and the resultant environmental pollution. They have not been exposed to deleterious levels of development. Rural areas in India have based their sustenance largely on agriculture and thus remained free of the unusual problems haunting their urban counterparts. Progress and development should necessarily focus on villages and development of our countryside should be high on our priorities. But, such actions should also take care to control or remove the ill-effects that harm natural eco-balance. Progress and development are meaningless if they are detrimental to our existence!
In many developed countries eco-preservation and environment protection have justifiably acquired the prime status they deserve in urban life. Environmental Engineering is recognized as a core subject of study and attracts cream of professional talent. Afforestation schemes generate as much enthusiasm as wildlife safety measures. Water conservation and recycling projects are offered substantial financial support by governments and NGOs. Environment protection groups and ‘green’ volunteers often function with public patronage and abundant support for their pro-nature activities; so much so that even governments consult them and seek their opinion and advice on nature-related issues in order to ensure that fragile natural surroundings remain undisturbed and unharmed. The ideas of co-existence and mutual respect are sought to be advanced through education and entertainment.
However, the green house effect, acid rains, unpredictable climate patterns and an upswing in pollution-related physical ailments due to environmental degeneration have forced the advanced countries to devise and adopt safer and nature-friendly technologies and practices. The people also consciously extend their support and participate in programs aimed at reducing the adverse effects of their lifestyles and practices on nature. Some do not hesitate to willingly sacrifice their conveniences and comforts for the greater benefit of all living beings.
Industries are legally compelled to adhere to strict pollution-control norms. Some industries proudly flaunt their enviro-friendly credentials and their products are favored by people. Vehicular emissions are mandatorily monitored and controlled regularly both at the vehicle manufacturing levels and on road. Eco-friendly materials have replaced hazardous and environment-damaging substances (chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, CFCs etc.). Bio-degradable plastics have found wide acceptance and are routinely substituted for harmful plastics; plastic carry-bags are not offered by retail outlets since customers insist on recycled paper bags. Manufacturers prominently display instructions on product packages for the post-use safe disposal of containers. Waste Management is an integral and essential part of sustainable infrastructure development. Remarkably, waste recycling has been transformed into lucrative business.
We in India are aware of these developments. In some areas tentative steps have been initiated to curtail the usage of natural products thus reducing the strain on natural resources and thereby indirectly minimizing the damage to environment -- the most notable such innovation being the use of precast concrete sleepers on railway tracks thus eliminating timber and steel. The Central Public Works Department has stopped using timber in public works and instead relies on wood substitutes. The usefulness of Neem as an organic-manure and its significance as an effective bio-pesticide are being rediscovered. Renewable non-polluting energy sources like Wind Power, Bio-gas, Solar Energy etc., are being tapped for power generation. Rain-water harvesting technology in urban areas, though in its infancy, is attracting attention. Waste recycling is also gaining prominence. Plastic carry-bags are proposed to be phased out of use. These are some stray cases but welcome developments which indicate that concern for eco-preservation and environmental protection is acquiring importance. Yet more needs to be done.
The responsibility of safeguarding our irreplaceable natural wealth and environment squarely rests on our shoulders. There is an urgent and compelling need to learn from the experiences of developed countries so that mistakes committed by them are not repeated in India. In this era of globalisation we need not hesitate to approach these countries and seek the benefits of their research & development and expertise in the field of environment protection. Subjects related to ecology and environment protection should compulsorily form part of curriculum in our schools and colleges. The imaginative and innovative concepts of paperless offices and home offices must be vigorously persued & implemented by adequate investments in Information Technology & Computerization and Communications. Voluntary organizations and citizens’ groups can and should play a decisive and dominating role in efforts to boost environmental protection measures. The media, with its wide and deep reach must be more effectively used to enlighten the people and create awareness about the importance of balanced ecology and protected natural habitat. Conservation against consumption should be the logical corollary to preservation against procrastination.
Eco-consciousness and living in harmony with nature are no more mere options, they are imperative for the survival of humanity. As Francis Bacon said “Nature cannot be ordered about except by obeying her”. A. BHANU