Thought for the day
”People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're
happy.”
-
Anton Chekhov (Russian, 1860-1904)
Word for the day
Cat's-paw (n)
Person used to serve the purposes of another; tool.
(Source:
Dictionary.com)
Teaser for the day
Does Congress realizes that if it losses Haryana, J&K,
Kerala, Assam, and Maharashtra in next couple of years, by 2017 it may be a
small minority in Rajya Sabha too?
Wonder, what's plan!
Declare 15th August 2014 as Swaraj Day
I have been highlighting since ever that one of the best things
India has got in past 150years is Mahatma Gandhi. And the most
unfortunate thing to occur since independence from British rule in 1947 is
brazen desertion of Mahatma Gandhi by Indian politicians. To my mind
hanging his pictures in government offices or currency notes and naming roads
after him is even more contemptuous given the complete ignominy for his
principles and ideas.
I would like PM Narendra Modi to undo this blunder on this
independence day. I could dare hope so because PM has shown strong commitment
to many Gandhian ideals, e.g., Swaraj, Antodaya (elevation of the poorest
amongst poor), self-reliance, cleanliness, etc.
Mahatma Gandhi had once said “Independence begins at the bottom.
A society must be built in which every village has to be self sustained and
capable of managing its own affairs. It will be trained and prepared to perish
in the attempt to defend itself against any onslaught from without. This does
not exclude dependence on and willing help from neighbours or from the world. It
will be a free and voluntary play of mutual forces. In this structure composed
of innumerable villages, there will be ever widening, never ascending circles.
Growth will not be a pyramid with the apex sustained by the
bottom. But it will be an oceanic circle whose center will be the individual.
Therefore the outermost circumference will not wield power to crush the inner
circle but will give strength to all within and derive its own strength from
it.”
Thus, the individual is the sole basis of Swaraj. Swaraj is
unfathomable without dispassionate self-assessment, ceaseless self-purification
and growing self-reliance at individual level; and sovereignty of moral
authority, as against the political authority.
Swaraj encompasses fiercely competitive free market, moral duty
to be free, fearless, truthful, fair, just, self reliant, nationalist, and
religious.
In my view, religious fundamentalism, usually referred to as “communalism”
in Indian context, is mostly a political problem in India. A secular
political system, as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi and incorporated in the soul
of our Constitution, would automatically weaken these miniscule elements
leading to their eventual extinction.
To end this political farce that has indubitably harmed Indian
economy and society more than anything else, Narendra Modi should declare, in
as many words without any ambiguity, from the ramparts of Red Fort, his
allegiance to the idea of secularism as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Despite several movements and legislations, women in India
continue to suffer serious injustice and disparities. The feudal mindset
towards women need to transform, if we want India to become a world power. This
would require a mass movement. Mere legislations would not do.
...to continue tomorrow
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