With liberalization and globalization, modern management principles and practices are being implemented across India’s corporate sector. Business schools are mushrooming all over and prospective managers are being churned out in thousands. Fresh graduates from leading institutions including Indian Institutes of Management are being offered unprecedented salaries. Yet, after the initial euphoria, there is a crisis of confidence at the middle management level. Burnouts, disillusionment leading to frustration and high rate of attrition have become common features.
Businesses, particularly start ups and first generation entrepreneur driven firms, are finding it difficult to grow without the vision of management and abilities of its people. The manager of today has to enable the creation, acceptance and implementation of this vision. The consumer needs, competition, technology and environment are changing at a fast pace. The business leaders have to be observant, creative and proactive in their search for quick responses to the changes.
‘Management by Walking’ by Dr A K Agarwal, a first generation entrepreneur, focuses on the qualities and process that need be imbibed by practicing managers, especially middle level and above, to keep ahead in the race for excellence. The book gives practical insights and tips to enable management professionals to introspect and realize their growth potential.
Desirable leadership qualities such as power of observation; ability to analyze and interpret; being creative and innovative; being proactive etc. have been discussed in detail in the book. ‘Management by Walking’ facilitates the practicing of these qualities in a non-obtrusive manner.
As instances of corporate malpractices and manipulations surface, the book offers a strong message that war cannot be won from the boardroom. It can only be won on the battlefield. The battlefield for the management is the marketplace or production area or technology development area or customer support area; depending upon the task assigned.
According to the author, an integral role of the management professionals is to encourage and facilitate the contribution and collection of inputs from all the team members through collaboration. Motivation and loyalty are the other byproducts of collaboration.
With a rich industry experience of over three decades behind him, the Engineer turned CEO emphasizes that motivational leadership goes a long way in inspiring and achieving high levels of productivity and loyalty from not only one’s teams, but from business partners as well. Time spent in understanding the motivational criteria are like a fixed deposit that continues to give you returns for a long period, says the book.
As the country emerges as a leading economy of the world, the book initiates the reader into a journey of learning and adapting to the dynamically changing needs of the businesses.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Monday, November 8, 2010
Media and Dispute Resolution-The Indian Experience
26
Since time immemorial, mankind has been confronted with conflicts and disputes and history is replete with instances of efforts to resolve them through dialogue and mediation. The practice of sending ‘Dootas’ or emissaries to resolve outstanding issue between warring princely states were in vogue in India for ages. One remembers how Lord Hanuman, Prince Angad and even Vibhishana were sent as envoys to Demon King Ravana to prevent a war with Lord Rama and how the Divine Cowherd Lord Krishna made a serious bid to broker peace between the Pandava and Kaurava cousins.
If Buddhism was Emperor Asoka’s way to atone for the sins of the Kalinga war, in modern times, it was the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations, which sought to lend the healing touch to a wounded humanity in the aftermath of the First and Second World Wars.
In today’s information and communication era, when both children and adults alike spent more time with the internet, television, mobile phone and other interactive gizmos, than with their loved ones, the messenger, whether be of peace or conflict, is the media.
It was CNN International which brought war to drawing rooms across the world during the Gulf War. In India, it was the Kargil Conflict. Never before was the man on the street so intimately involved with the war. The live telecast from the war zone motivated an entire nation, with all its ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversities, into united action. Of course, there were aberrations too, such as the one where a celebrated woman reporter with a prominent English news channel (whose name also figures prominently in the recent Spectrum Scam) caused casualties among the armed forces personnel by her irresponsible actions. But from the overall perspective, the media played a constructive role and stirred up patriotic sentiments, which enabled the nation to overcome all the odds.
Another Litmus Test for the media was the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Undoubtedly, media shook everyone including the security and intelligence apparatus out of their deep slumber but in their zest for doing so, virtually created death traps for our brave hearts who were fighting it out against the Jehadi terrorists. The live coverage of the operations not only helped in achieving the objectives of the perpetrators of the act – to instil a sense of terror among the Indians – but also enabled the terrorists to get real time information on the activities of the security personnel. Even the then Navy Chief was unsparing in his criticism of the media’s role in the entire episode. Instead of squarely and unequivocally condemning the terror strike, words such as ‘daring’ were used ad nauseum to describe the despicable act of the Pakistani mercenaries. Suggestions were also made to the effect that it could be a retaliation to the post-Godhra violence in Gujarat and the activities of the so-called ‘Saffron Terrorists’. It was even suggested (and endorsed by a Union Minister A R Antulay) that some ‘Hindu’ groups could be behind the killing of police officer Hemant Karkare, who happened to investigate the Malegaon blast case.
There could not have been anything more shameful and irresponsible in such a scenario.
Despite all round condemnation and umpteen debates on the role of media, most of the media players don’t seem to have learnt any lesson, if recent experiences in coverage of conflict situations, specifically Kashmir and Ayodhya, are taken into account.
As unruly mobs went on the rampage pelting stones at security forces personnel and seriously injuring them in the process, a sizeable section of the electronic media, went overboard, shouting from the rooftops as to how ‘innocent’ youth were being ‘killed’ by ‘trigger-happy’ police and para-military personnel. It did not matter to them that the police men at the receiving end of the stage-managed, Pakistan-backed protests were also youth, who too had parents, sibling, spouses and children back home and they were fighting the nation’s war.
But then, what one saw were channels competing with one another to show how a few stone-pelting protested could cause ‘Kashmir in turmoil’, ‘Kashmir on the Edge’, ‘Kashmir on the Boil’ and ‘Kashmir on Fire’, scenarios which even Pakistan’s own state-run channels would think twice before going on air. But then we show nothing but the truth (Kyonki Sach Dikhate Hain Hum), even if it means not going deep into the matter, not asking stone-pelters how much they were paid and who paid them and what were they protesting against, answers to which would have exposed the hollowness of the entire separatist movement. In the process, we handed out fodder to Islamabad to whip us with in the international fora.
As the separatist leadership ranted on the television channels about the human rights violations, nobody questioned them about the human rights of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits who were forced out of their home and hearth.
Again, when the all party parliamentary delegation visited the state and made efforts to reach out to all sections of the society, including the separatists, some leading news channels lamented how the delegation confined itself to hotel rooms and did not interact with the ‘man on the street’, the ‘injured in the hospitals’, the women who were leading the protests etc. Pray, in which political peace process do you have delegations meeting the ‘aam aadmi’ during their short stay, rather than focusing on the leadership or people claiming to represent the voice of dissidence. Would meeting a woman protester in downtown Srinagar solve the vexed issue?. It was the height of the naivety of this section of the media.
As for learning lessons, the outcome was disappointing. As Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani spewed venom on the nation in the presence of known anti-Establishment voices such as novelist Arundhati Roy in the national capital and scores of Kashmiri Pandit youths stormed the venue and protested, the latter stood condemned on these channels and invoked were freedom of speech and expression and India’s democratic system, values never cherished by the likes of Geelani & Co. No channel talked about the ‘anger’ of the Kashmiri Pandit youth, no channel recalled their role in defending the freedom of speech and expression of Salman Rushdie, Taslima Nasreen or Prof Thomas of Kerala fame.
The stand of a section of English media on the Ayodhya dispute was yet another manifestation of their rank double-standards. To be honest, most were expecting a verdict from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on the title suit in favour of the Waqf Board and all the appeals for peace were aimed at preventing any communal backlash against the minorities in the wake of a judgement against the status quo.
Not that the verdict does not suffer from flaws but it was apparent from the wordings of the judges including those whose views were divided, that their overriding concern was peace and a peaceful resolution of the issue not a water tight technical judgement, which would have far serious ramifications for the society and the polity.
Having fallen into their trap of creating a peaceful atmosphere, this ‘progressive’ section of the media found it hard to wriggle out on the first day but focused on the how the judges differed on whether the Mosque was built after destroying the temple or on its ruins centuries later.
But once the Left-leaning intelligentsia slept over it and introspected on the alleged political benefits the verdict might accrue to the right-wing, the entire perspective changed. The day after witnessed a barrage of questions ranging from the authority of courts to adjudicate on the basis of faith to the hurt sentiments of the minority community.
But what was childish and outrageous to the sentiments of both the communities were the suggestions to build toilets, hospitals, community centres and educational institutions at the disputed site. I wish to see the day when American Press would suggest construction of a huge toilet at Ground Zero as it would help people from all communities to ease themselves in complete unanimity and thus establish global harmony.
The response of a section of the media to the Ayodhya verdict was thus irresponsible at best and reprehensible at worst.
As they harangued on how India has “moved beyond” and how only bread and butter issues are relevant to the burgeoning population of young Indians, this section of the media forgot or ignored hard hitting facts including the ever growing number of pilgrims, the ever increasing following of spiritual Gurus, the massive expansion of spiritual and faith channels, the super success of children’s films based on mythological themes such as Ganesha, Hanuman and Luv-Kush et al.
It is apparent that this section of media has come to a misconstrued conclusion that an acknowledgement of India’s religiosity, which is integral to the existence of a sizeable chunk of its populace, tantamount to an endorsement of right-wing ideology and its advocates. While these ideological proponents may derive some benefits from this resurgence of religious sentiments, the fact remains that these beliefs and sentiments have a history dating centuries before the creation of these ideological platforms and as such are eternal and life sustaining.
Again, the comparison between the recent verdict and the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992 was meaningless. In the past too, there have been rare instances of violent reactions to court verdicts, including the one on Shah Bano.
As the fourth estate, the conscience keepers of the nation, the media ought to have played a far more conciliatory role to bring about the much-needed rapproachment between the two estranged communities. The media would have played a commendable role if it had projected the views of a Maulana Wahiduddin Khan as against a Salauddin Owaisi, an Arif Mohd Khan instead of a Syed Shahabuddin, a Maulana Mahmood Madani vis a vis a Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jumma Masjid – voices of peace, reason and reconciliation.
The media is the modern day messenger and its message should bring about peace and harmony and not aggravate disputes and conflicts.
(*K G Suresh is a Delhi-based Senior Journalist and Editor of Media Critique)
Since time immemorial, mankind has been confronted with conflicts and disputes and history is replete with instances of efforts to resolve them through dialogue and mediation. The practice of sending ‘Dootas’ or emissaries to resolve outstanding issue between warring princely states were in vogue in India for ages. One remembers how Lord Hanuman, Prince Angad and even Vibhishana were sent as envoys to Demon King Ravana to prevent a war with Lord Rama and how the Divine Cowherd Lord Krishna made a serious bid to broker peace between the Pandava and Kaurava cousins.
If Buddhism was Emperor Asoka’s way to atone for the sins of the Kalinga war, in modern times, it was the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations, which sought to lend the healing touch to a wounded humanity in the aftermath of the First and Second World Wars.
In today’s information and communication era, when both children and adults alike spent more time with the internet, television, mobile phone and other interactive gizmos, than with their loved ones, the messenger, whether be of peace or conflict, is the media.
It was CNN International which brought war to drawing rooms across the world during the Gulf War. In India, it was the Kargil Conflict. Never before was the man on the street so intimately involved with the war. The live telecast from the war zone motivated an entire nation, with all its ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversities, into united action. Of course, there were aberrations too, such as the one where a celebrated woman reporter with a prominent English news channel (whose name also figures prominently in the recent Spectrum Scam) caused casualties among the armed forces personnel by her irresponsible actions. But from the overall perspective, the media played a constructive role and stirred up patriotic sentiments, which enabled the nation to overcome all the odds.
Another Litmus Test for the media was the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Undoubtedly, media shook everyone including the security and intelligence apparatus out of their deep slumber but in their zest for doing so, virtually created death traps for our brave hearts who were fighting it out against the Jehadi terrorists. The live coverage of the operations not only helped in achieving the objectives of the perpetrators of the act – to instil a sense of terror among the Indians – but also enabled the terrorists to get real time information on the activities of the security personnel. Even the then Navy Chief was unsparing in his criticism of the media’s role in the entire episode. Instead of squarely and unequivocally condemning the terror strike, words such as ‘daring’ were used ad nauseum to describe the despicable act of the Pakistani mercenaries. Suggestions were also made to the effect that it could be a retaliation to the post-Godhra violence in Gujarat and the activities of the so-called ‘Saffron Terrorists’. It was even suggested (and endorsed by a Union Minister A R Antulay) that some ‘Hindu’ groups could be behind the killing of police officer Hemant Karkare, who happened to investigate the Malegaon blast case.
There could not have been anything more shameful and irresponsible in such a scenario.
Despite all round condemnation and umpteen debates on the role of media, most of the media players don’t seem to have learnt any lesson, if recent experiences in coverage of conflict situations, specifically Kashmir and Ayodhya, are taken into account.
As unruly mobs went on the rampage pelting stones at security forces personnel and seriously injuring them in the process, a sizeable section of the electronic media, went overboard, shouting from the rooftops as to how ‘innocent’ youth were being ‘killed’ by ‘trigger-happy’ police and para-military personnel. It did not matter to them that the police men at the receiving end of the stage-managed, Pakistan-backed protests were also youth, who too had parents, sibling, spouses and children back home and they were fighting the nation’s war.
But then, what one saw were channels competing with one another to show how a few stone-pelting protested could cause ‘Kashmir in turmoil’, ‘Kashmir on the Edge’, ‘Kashmir on the Boil’ and ‘Kashmir on Fire’, scenarios which even Pakistan’s own state-run channels would think twice before going on air. But then we show nothing but the truth (Kyonki Sach Dikhate Hain Hum), even if it means not going deep into the matter, not asking stone-pelters how much they were paid and who paid them and what were they protesting against, answers to which would have exposed the hollowness of the entire separatist movement. In the process, we handed out fodder to Islamabad to whip us with in the international fora.
As the separatist leadership ranted on the television channels about the human rights violations, nobody questioned them about the human rights of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits who were forced out of their home and hearth.
Again, when the all party parliamentary delegation visited the state and made efforts to reach out to all sections of the society, including the separatists, some leading news channels lamented how the delegation confined itself to hotel rooms and did not interact with the ‘man on the street’, the ‘injured in the hospitals’, the women who were leading the protests etc. Pray, in which political peace process do you have delegations meeting the ‘aam aadmi’ during their short stay, rather than focusing on the leadership or people claiming to represent the voice of dissidence. Would meeting a woman protester in downtown Srinagar solve the vexed issue?. It was the height of the naivety of this section of the media.
As for learning lessons, the outcome was disappointing. As Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani spewed venom on the nation in the presence of known anti-Establishment voices such as novelist Arundhati Roy in the national capital and scores of Kashmiri Pandit youths stormed the venue and protested, the latter stood condemned on these channels and invoked were freedom of speech and expression and India’s democratic system, values never cherished by the likes of Geelani & Co. No channel talked about the ‘anger’ of the Kashmiri Pandit youth, no channel recalled their role in defending the freedom of speech and expression of Salman Rushdie, Taslima Nasreen or Prof Thomas of Kerala fame.
The stand of a section of English media on the Ayodhya dispute was yet another manifestation of their rank double-standards. To be honest, most were expecting a verdict from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on the title suit in favour of the Waqf Board and all the appeals for peace were aimed at preventing any communal backlash against the minorities in the wake of a judgement against the status quo.
Not that the verdict does not suffer from flaws but it was apparent from the wordings of the judges including those whose views were divided, that their overriding concern was peace and a peaceful resolution of the issue not a water tight technical judgement, which would have far serious ramifications for the society and the polity.
Having fallen into their trap of creating a peaceful atmosphere, this ‘progressive’ section of the media found it hard to wriggle out on the first day but focused on the how the judges differed on whether the Mosque was built after destroying the temple or on its ruins centuries later.
But once the Left-leaning intelligentsia slept over it and introspected on the alleged political benefits the verdict might accrue to the right-wing, the entire perspective changed. The day after witnessed a barrage of questions ranging from the authority of courts to adjudicate on the basis of faith to the hurt sentiments of the minority community.
But what was childish and outrageous to the sentiments of both the communities were the suggestions to build toilets, hospitals, community centres and educational institutions at the disputed site. I wish to see the day when American Press would suggest construction of a huge toilet at Ground Zero as it would help people from all communities to ease themselves in complete unanimity and thus establish global harmony.
The response of a section of the media to the Ayodhya verdict was thus irresponsible at best and reprehensible at worst.
As they harangued on how India has “moved beyond” and how only bread and butter issues are relevant to the burgeoning population of young Indians, this section of the media forgot or ignored hard hitting facts including the ever growing number of pilgrims, the ever increasing following of spiritual Gurus, the massive expansion of spiritual and faith channels, the super success of children’s films based on mythological themes such as Ganesha, Hanuman and Luv-Kush et al.
It is apparent that this section of media has come to a misconstrued conclusion that an acknowledgement of India’s religiosity, which is integral to the existence of a sizeable chunk of its populace, tantamount to an endorsement of right-wing ideology and its advocates. While these ideological proponents may derive some benefits from this resurgence of religious sentiments, the fact remains that these beliefs and sentiments have a history dating centuries before the creation of these ideological platforms and as such are eternal and life sustaining.
Again, the comparison between the recent verdict and the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992 was meaningless. In the past too, there have been rare instances of violent reactions to court verdicts, including the one on Shah Bano.
As the fourth estate, the conscience keepers of the nation, the media ought to have played a far more conciliatory role to bring about the much-needed rapproachment between the two estranged communities. The media would have played a commendable role if it had projected the views of a Maulana Wahiduddin Khan as against a Salauddin Owaisi, an Arif Mohd Khan instead of a Syed Shahabuddin, a Maulana Mahmood Madani vis a vis a Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jumma Masjid – voices of peace, reason and reconciliation.
The media is the modern day messenger and its message should bring about peace and harmony and not aggravate disputes and conflicts.
(*K G Suresh is a Delhi-based Senior Journalist and Editor of Media Critique)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Cash or Kind, I don't Mind
A brilliant product of a prestigious media school in the capital who got his first job with a leading English daily was asked to put in his papers within days of his joining the media house. His crime was neither indiscipline nor insubordination but a keenness to expose a prominent builder who had defaulted on delivery to hundreds of middle class investors. The boy belonging to an academic family background and possessing a dash of idealism returned to his hometown promising never to look back. Such instances galore in our media circles. From freebies such as watches and home appliances to complimentary foreign junkets, business journalism has come a long way. With the advent of paid news, media houses themselves have institutionalized the incentive or bribe and the poor journo’s gift voucher has been replaced with demands for advertisement support and even stock options for promoting a particular company or its products.
This is not to say that the journalist has become irrelevant. While the ‘hafta’ of the ordinary journo remains unchanged, the high profile ones have graduated to lobbying, with the names of some figuring prominently in the recent Spectrum Scam. It is an open secret that mega corporates such as the Ambanis, who institutionalized corruption, have journalists across the board on their payroll. So what if the petrol prices go up? One can always blame the Government or the international prices. No need to mention who benefits the most. The ‘A’ word is taboo, nay a blasphemy.
If politics dominated the news arena till the late 80s, it is business that continues to dominate since the early 90s when India opened up to globalization and liberalization. The significance is borne out of the very fact that the man credited with ushering in those twin processes in his capacity as the Finance Minister in the early 90s is now heading the nation for a second term.
This is not to brush the entire profession with the same brush or to say that only the business journalists are into business and the political or even crime beat correspondents are holy cows. Many among the latter category too make big bucks as middlemen for politicos and through transfers and postings.
There are many business journalists who refuse to accept gifts even on festive occasions such as Diwali or New Year. They are contented with their take home salaries. There are also some who gladly accept gifts (Cash or Kind, I don’t mind) since it would be a ‘discourtesy’ not to do so but write what they want, yet the fact remains that gifts have come to be accepted as an integral part and parcel of business journalism (there are also reports of journos putting a minimum price on their head, or is it their soul, say not less than Rs 1,000/- gift voucher).
However, what is more disconcerting is the institutionalization of the process with business channels and pink newspapers vying with each other to recommend investment options to the readers and viewers, of course for a price.
Gone are the days when Gurumurthys and Arun Shouries exposed the misdeeds of the big corporates and were lionized and idolized by journos. The ‘Guru’ of the Abhishek Bachchan variety has arrived.
Yet, we do see a flicker of hope when a P Sainath bats for the poor farmers in their battle against marauding mining, land and retail mafia. May the tribe of such socially conscious journalists increase and may the enlightened readers of our mature democracy reject such biased and superfluous reportage.
This is not to say that the journalist has become irrelevant. While the ‘hafta’ of the ordinary journo remains unchanged, the high profile ones have graduated to lobbying, with the names of some figuring prominently in the recent Spectrum Scam. It is an open secret that mega corporates such as the Ambanis, who institutionalized corruption, have journalists across the board on their payroll. So what if the petrol prices go up? One can always blame the Government or the international prices. No need to mention who benefits the most. The ‘A’ word is taboo, nay a blasphemy.
If politics dominated the news arena till the late 80s, it is business that continues to dominate since the early 90s when India opened up to globalization and liberalization. The significance is borne out of the very fact that the man credited with ushering in those twin processes in his capacity as the Finance Minister in the early 90s is now heading the nation for a second term.
This is not to brush the entire profession with the same brush or to say that only the business journalists are into business and the political or even crime beat correspondents are holy cows. Many among the latter category too make big bucks as middlemen for politicos and through transfers and postings.
There are many business journalists who refuse to accept gifts even on festive occasions such as Diwali or New Year. They are contented with their take home salaries. There are also some who gladly accept gifts (Cash or Kind, I don’t mind) since it would be a ‘discourtesy’ not to do so but write what they want, yet the fact remains that gifts have come to be accepted as an integral part and parcel of business journalism (there are also reports of journos putting a minimum price on their head, or is it their soul, say not less than Rs 1,000/- gift voucher).
However, what is more disconcerting is the institutionalization of the process with business channels and pink newspapers vying with each other to recommend investment options to the readers and viewers, of course for a price.
Gone are the days when Gurumurthys and Arun Shouries exposed the misdeeds of the big corporates and were lionized and idolized by journos. The ‘Guru’ of the Abhishek Bachchan variety has arrived.
Yet, we do see a flicker of hope when a P Sainath bats for the poor farmers in their battle against marauding mining, land and retail mafia. May the tribe of such socially conscious journalists increase and may the enlightened readers of our mature democracy reject such biased and superfluous reportage.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My Presentation on Paid News at Bhopal IMC Seminar
The issue of Paid news has been dwelt at length across the length and breadth of the country ad nauseum. So, I do not wish to get into the history, incidents or methods of the phenomemon or how it is a threat to democracy itself as several organizations such as Editors’ Guild, journalist unions and eminent individuals have spoken volumes about it. I would like to focus on certain aspects hitherto unaddressed or less attended to.
To simply put it, Paid news is publishing/broadcasting advertisements masquerading as news.
Though Lifafa journalism wherein reporters were paid cash or gift vouchers along with the press release by politicians and business houses has been in vogue for a long time now, feeble voices against publication of news in return for money were heard during the General elections of 2004.
While taking gift vouchers from corporates and some obligations from politicians such as telephone, gas connections, school and college admissions and even jobs were widely prevalent, what has now grabbed the attention is its being institutionalized not by poverty stricken reporters but the publishers themselves, for whom media has increasingly become a commodity like the toilet soap. At this juncture, I do not wish to extend this analogy to another thing used in the toilet.
Now the deception and fraud that such paid news entails is not confined to the reader of the publication or the viewer of the television programme who is deceived into believing that what is essentially an advertisement is in fact an independently produced news content.
Secondly, the candidate concerned violates the Conduct of election rules, which are expected to be enforced by the Election Commission under the Representation of People Act, by not declaring officially the expenditure involved in planting “paid news”.
And last but not the least, the publishing house or television channel violates the provisions of the Companies Act as also the Income Tax Act by not accounting for the money received from the candidates. Thus, all the three are guilty.
But if you have noticed, apart from the right thinking people in the media who are genuinely concerned about the fate of media and the consequence of such trends, a lot of noise is being made by politicians, who have touched the Nadir in corruption.
Yet, they seem to be most concerned about it. Always at the receiving end of the media outburst, they have found a golden opportunity to hit back and put the media in the dock.
So, they have now started shouting from the rooftops at every seminar and workshop and even raised the issue on the floor of the Parliament, demanding that the media be reined in. They have suddenly found the Press Council to be an old toothless tiger having all along ignored the pleas of trade unions and other media organizations to grant more powers to it.
Their concern is understandable. So far, they had cultivated a loyal group of media persons or one or two news papers, who were obliged with often small change, some foreign trips, some committee membership, some transfer postings, some costly Diwali gifts, some awards and once in a blue moon, a Rajya Sabha nomination. But with the institutionalization of lifafa journalism, things have changed. The new media management does not want either Rajya Sabha membership or any award or transfers. They want hard cash, and that too not in thousands or lakhs but in crores and if you don’t pay, they will dig the coffin of your political fortunes.
Politicians fear that they will be edged out of the race if paid news becomes a trend. Since richer candidates have a greater spending power, they can be lavish with their budgets and hence dominate news. They do not even have to account for this expense to the Election Commission, since this transaction is always in cash.
Politicians also feel that they come under pressure from media houses, because if they don’t pay a particular publication, forget the prospects of black out, there is every possibility of them being run down by a negative campaign.
Money has become a great leveler. Ideologies have taken a back seat so have personal loyalties. Coverage goes to the highest bidder.
Hence, this outcry from politicians. The louder their voice, identify them as the worst victims of the phenomenon. For once, the politician is finding himself cornered by a Frankenstein, a Bhasmasur, he himself gave birth to.
Now, coming to the role of the Election Commission which has expressed righteous indignation over the phenomemon and is now being projected by the political class as the saviour who can rescue them from the clutches of paid news.
I firmly believe that the so-called Electoral Reforms which banished cheaper modes of election communication between the candidates and the voters such as pamphlets, posters, handbills, wall writings, badges and even loud speakers on auto rickshaws have forced many a politician to resort to such methods to reach out to the people. Elections earlier were a festival of sorts, a festival of democracy where party and independent candidates would jostle for space on street corners, walls with their posters and pamphlets.
Yes, the walls would get defaced and would have to be painted or whitewashed again. We can always bill it to the candidate concerned and even if the civic agency pays for it, it would be much cheaper than the price we now have to pay to save our democracy from this phenomenon.
We have read reports of how independent candidates shelled out their life’s savings not to campaign but to at least let the world know that they too were in the fray. They had to pay upwards of Rs 50,000/- for a single mention in a newspaper whereas with Rs 5,000, they could have painted the town red with their posters. Even a couple of bill boards in small towns would have been much cheaper. There is a popular book in Kerala ‘Ningalenne Communist aaki” (You made me a Communist). I would tell the EC ‘You created Paid News’.
Not that the media is a holy cow. More than anything else, it is the introduction of the contract system in the newspaper industry that has undermined the independence of the journalist and the primacy of the editor. We have credible reports of how selected journalists were targeted by media managements for not implementing such malpractices.
I am not getting into the details of private treaties and other obnoxious practices such as Medianet being practiced by certain media houses. They deserve condemnation of the highest order.
But a very interesting trend in paid news is the domination of the regional media vis-à-vis their English counterparts. Not that the English wallahs are a morally superior lot.
The English papers are far ahead of their regional counterparts when it comes to corporate clout as they cater more to the English speaking investor.
So we have dime a dozen advisors and experts on business channels who give free advice to viewers on which share to buy and which to sell. Even media critics on these channels rubbish films that do not pay. I have heard Editors Guild member, CNN-IBN’s Rajdeep Sardesai admitting on record that they promote films for money.
Thus, a great film like ‘A Wednesday’ is dismissed without much of a mention and a mediocre movie like ‘My Name is Khan’ is projected in Oscar proportions.
But the Hindi or other regional publications beat their English counterparts hollow when it comes to political clout due to their wide circulation in the rural areas and among the voting public and certainly this matters most in our number game democracy. The regional media perceives elections as a God-send opportunity to get even with their English counterparts in terms of revenue generation.
Not that English media does not play the political game. A recent discussion on youth in politics on CNN-IBN showed only endless footages of Rahul Gandhi as if no other young politicians are around in a nation of one billion plus.
I can go on and on. Problems galore and we have discussed them at length. But what are the solutions. I dare to suggest a few.
1. Put an end to contract system in newspapers and television so that the journalists can work fearlessly and say no to unethical practices of the management.
2. We can give a pay hike to crorepati MPs but not strictly enforce Wage Board recommendations in all newspapers. Why? Give the journalist a decent salary to lead a comfortable life and I can assure you he will make other’s life miserable.
3. Bring back the festival atmosphere in elections. Let there be hoardings, pamphlets, posters and handbills all over. Let even the poorest candidate have the means to reach out to his electorate. Don’t force him to look for surreptitious methods to make his presence felt.
4. Give real powers to an expanded Media Council and bring the Registrar of Newspapers/Licencing authority of television channels and the DAVP under its legal jurisdiction and equip it with the power to cancel the title/license of erring newspapers and withhold Government advertisements to erring publications and channels. The decisions of the Council can be challenged only in the Supreme Court.
5. Clear cut rules and guidelines should be laid down to ensure that media, both print and electronic, draws clear distinction between advertisement and independent editorial content. As in the case with adult content, warnings in regional languages mentioning the paid nature of the content should be aired before the telecast of the programme.
6. The politicians have united to oppose the ‘Paid News’ phenomenon. Let them show the same solidarity in saying a firm ‘no’ when such publishers or broadcasters approach them in future and let them inform each other, inform the election commission and even hold a press conference to state that they have been approached with a coverage package. May I also suggest that they too conduct a sting operation on such journalists and expose them. Let a handful of politician do it and it will serve as a deterrent on such unscrupulous media persons and organizations.
7. Even among hardened criminals, the rapists and paedophiles are looked down upon with contempt. Let our media organizations and institutions shame such unscrupulous fellows through our websites and show their worth to the world. For how many rupees they were bought. The IAS officers in UP have done that. We too can. Let us ostracise and if possible boycott such journalists.
Let us not forget that media is an integral part of the society. The conscientious among the lot will have to take the initiative and rid the profession of this disease, which is now taking epidemic proportions. If we don’t eliminate and exterminate this menace, it will finish us, our credibility as the voice of the voiceless at a critical juncture in the nation’s life when all other institutions have fallen apart.
To simply put it, Paid news is publishing/broadcasting advertisements masquerading as news.
Though Lifafa journalism wherein reporters were paid cash or gift vouchers along with the press release by politicians and business houses has been in vogue for a long time now, feeble voices against publication of news in return for money were heard during the General elections of 2004.
While taking gift vouchers from corporates and some obligations from politicians such as telephone, gas connections, school and college admissions and even jobs were widely prevalent, what has now grabbed the attention is its being institutionalized not by poverty stricken reporters but the publishers themselves, for whom media has increasingly become a commodity like the toilet soap. At this juncture, I do not wish to extend this analogy to another thing used in the toilet.
Now the deception and fraud that such paid news entails is not confined to the reader of the publication or the viewer of the television programme who is deceived into believing that what is essentially an advertisement is in fact an independently produced news content.
Secondly, the candidate concerned violates the Conduct of election rules, which are expected to be enforced by the Election Commission under the Representation of People Act, by not declaring officially the expenditure involved in planting “paid news”.
And last but not the least, the publishing house or television channel violates the provisions of the Companies Act as also the Income Tax Act by not accounting for the money received from the candidates. Thus, all the three are guilty.
But if you have noticed, apart from the right thinking people in the media who are genuinely concerned about the fate of media and the consequence of such trends, a lot of noise is being made by politicians, who have touched the Nadir in corruption.
Yet, they seem to be most concerned about it. Always at the receiving end of the media outburst, they have found a golden opportunity to hit back and put the media in the dock.
So, they have now started shouting from the rooftops at every seminar and workshop and even raised the issue on the floor of the Parliament, demanding that the media be reined in. They have suddenly found the Press Council to be an old toothless tiger having all along ignored the pleas of trade unions and other media organizations to grant more powers to it.
Their concern is understandable. So far, they had cultivated a loyal group of media persons or one or two news papers, who were obliged with often small change, some foreign trips, some committee membership, some transfer postings, some costly Diwali gifts, some awards and once in a blue moon, a Rajya Sabha nomination. But with the institutionalization of lifafa journalism, things have changed. The new media management does not want either Rajya Sabha membership or any award or transfers. They want hard cash, and that too not in thousands or lakhs but in crores and if you don’t pay, they will dig the coffin of your political fortunes.
Politicians fear that they will be edged out of the race if paid news becomes a trend. Since richer candidates have a greater spending power, they can be lavish with their budgets and hence dominate news. They do not even have to account for this expense to the Election Commission, since this transaction is always in cash.
Politicians also feel that they come under pressure from media houses, because if they don’t pay a particular publication, forget the prospects of black out, there is every possibility of them being run down by a negative campaign.
Money has become a great leveler. Ideologies have taken a back seat so have personal loyalties. Coverage goes to the highest bidder.
Hence, this outcry from politicians. The louder their voice, identify them as the worst victims of the phenomenon. For once, the politician is finding himself cornered by a Frankenstein, a Bhasmasur, he himself gave birth to.
Now, coming to the role of the Election Commission which has expressed righteous indignation over the phenomemon and is now being projected by the political class as the saviour who can rescue them from the clutches of paid news.
I firmly believe that the so-called Electoral Reforms which banished cheaper modes of election communication between the candidates and the voters such as pamphlets, posters, handbills, wall writings, badges and even loud speakers on auto rickshaws have forced many a politician to resort to such methods to reach out to the people. Elections earlier were a festival of sorts, a festival of democracy where party and independent candidates would jostle for space on street corners, walls with their posters and pamphlets.
Yes, the walls would get defaced and would have to be painted or whitewashed again. We can always bill it to the candidate concerned and even if the civic agency pays for it, it would be much cheaper than the price we now have to pay to save our democracy from this phenomenon.
We have read reports of how independent candidates shelled out their life’s savings not to campaign but to at least let the world know that they too were in the fray. They had to pay upwards of Rs 50,000/- for a single mention in a newspaper whereas with Rs 5,000, they could have painted the town red with their posters. Even a couple of bill boards in small towns would have been much cheaper. There is a popular book in Kerala ‘Ningalenne Communist aaki” (You made me a Communist). I would tell the EC ‘You created Paid News’.
Not that the media is a holy cow. More than anything else, it is the introduction of the contract system in the newspaper industry that has undermined the independence of the journalist and the primacy of the editor. We have credible reports of how selected journalists were targeted by media managements for not implementing such malpractices.
I am not getting into the details of private treaties and other obnoxious practices such as Medianet being practiced by certain media houses. They deserve condemnation of the highest order.
But a very interesting trend in paid news is the domination of the regional media vis-à-vis their English counterparts. Not that the English wallahs are a morally superior lot.
The English papers are far ahead of their regional counterparts when it comes to corporate clout as they cater more to the English speaking investor.
So we have dime a dozen advisors and experts on business channels who give free advice to viewers on which share to buy and which to sell. Even media critics on these channels rubbish films that do not pay. I have heard Editors Guild member, CNN-IBN’s Rajdeep Sardesai admitting on record that they promote films for money.
Thus, a great film like ‘A Wednesday’ is dismissed without much of a mention and a mediocre movie like ‘My Name is Khan’ is projected in Oscar proportions.
But the Hindi or other regional publications beat their English counterparts hollow when it comes to political clout due to their wide circulation in the rural areas and among the voting public and certainly this matters most in our number game democracy. The regional media perceives elections as a God-send opportunity to get even with their English counterparts in terms of revenue generation.
Not that English media does not play the political game. A recent discussion on youth in politics on CNN-IBN showed only endless footages of Rahul Gandhi as if no other young politicians are around in a nation of one billion plus.
I can go on and on. Problems galore and we have discussed them at length. But what are the solutions. I dare to suggest a few.
1. Put an end to contract system in newspapers and television so that the journalists can work fearlessly and say no to unethical practices of the management.
2. We can give a pay hike to crorepati MPs but not strictly enforce Wage Board recommendations in all newspapers. Why? Give the journalist a decent salary to lead a comfortable life and I can assure you he will make other’s life miserable.
3. Bring back the festival atmosphere in elections. Let there be hoardings, pamphlets, posters and handbills all over. Let even the poorest candidate have the means to reach out to his electorate. Don’t force him to look for surreptitious methods to make his presence felt.
4. Give real powers to an expanded Media Council and bring the Registrar of Newspapers/Licencing authority of television channels and the DAVP under its legal jurisdiction and equip it with the power to cancel the title/license of erring newspapers and withhold Government advertisements to erring publications and channels. The decisions of the Council can be challenged only in the Supreme Court.
5. Clear cut rules and guidelines should be laid down to ensure that media, both print and electronic, draws clear distinction between advertisement and independent editorial content. As in the case with adult content, warnings in regional languages mentioning the paid nature of the content should be aired before the telecast of the programme.
6. The politicians have united to oppose the ‘Paid News’ phenomenon. Let them show the same solidarity in saying a firm ‘no’ when such publishers or broadcasters approach them in future and let them inform each other, inform the election commission and even hold a press conference to state that they have been approached with a coverage package. May I also suggest that they too conduct a sting operation on such journalists and expose them. Let a handful of politician do it and it will serve as a deterrent on such unscrupulous media persons and organizations.
7. Even among hardened criminals, the rapists and paedophiles are looked down upon with contempt. Let our media organizations and institutions shame such unscrupulous fellows through our websites and show their worth to the world. For how many rupees they were bought. The IAS officers in UP have done that. We too can. Let us ostracise and if possible boycott such journalists.
Let us not forget that media is an integral part of the society. The conscientious among the lot will have to take the initiative and rid the profession of this disease, which is now taking epidemic proportions. If we don’t eliminate and exterminate this menace, it will finish us, our credibility as the voice of the voiceless at a critical juncture in the nation’s life when all other institutions have fallen apart.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Low of the Land
A wave of unrest is sweeping across Western Uttar Pradesh over the land acquired for the Yamuna Expressway project. Two people were killed in police action and the protests have found an echo in Parliament, whose proceedings were disrupted by agitated Members. The developments could lead to a new phase of political mobilisation in the state against the Mayawati-led BSP government and could eventually stall the controversial infrastructure project.
The state government tried to silence the protests by hiking the compensation but it found only a few takers for the sop. What has complicated the issue is that land was being acquired not just for the road project but also for townships to be built by the private party in charge of constructing the expressway.
This leads one to the larger question of land acquisitions and the scope of the government in developing infrastructure projects. While there is a logic for the government to acquire land to construct roads, the million dollar question is whether it should also facilitate development of townships alongside by private builders.
As a commentator rightly put it, “a skewed understanding of what constitutes public purpose and private interests is at the heart of the problem. Clearly, the state government ought to have focussed on building the road and allowed market forces to transform villages alongside the road into urban centres in an organic manner.”
Recently, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and B.S. Chauhan, in a judgment said: “the whole issue of development appears to be so simple, logical and commonsensical. And yet, to millions of Indians, development is a dreadful and hateful word that is aimed at denying them even the source of their sustenance.”
The Bench said “the resistance with which the state's well meaning efforts at development and economic growth are met makes one to think about the reasons for such opposition to the state's endeavours for development. Why is the state's perception and vision of development at such great odds with the people it purports to develop? And why are their rights so dispensable?
Justice Alam said the fears expressed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly had been confirmed. “A blinkered vision of development, complete apathy towards those who are highly adversely affected by the development process and a cynical unconcern for the enforcement of the laws lead to a situation where the rights and benefits promised and guaranteed under the Constitution hardly ever reach the most marginalised citizens.”
“This is not to say that the relevant laws are perfect and very sympathetic towards the dispossessed. There are various studies that detail the impact of dispossession from their lands on tribal people. On many occasions laws are implemented only partially. The scheme of land acquisition often comes with assurances of schools, hospitals, roads, and employment. The initial promises, however, mostly remain illusory”, the apex court observed.
Way back in April 2007, the Karnataka High Court had stated that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board was “indiscriminately” acquiring agricultural land in and around Bangalore and Bangalore urban and rural districts and Board officials had thrown all norms to the winds and in some cases, acquired entire villages.
Indeed, according to credible report, the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project has become an instrument of land grab in collusion with Government officials, who have even allegedly misled the Supreme Court, suppressed vital records and documents to favour the developer and reportedly submitted forged records to the Supreme Court.
Instead of 20,000 acres as originally conceived, 30,000 acres were notified and the project company Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd (NICEL) has allegedly registered several hundred acres of notified land around Bangalore through benami transactions in the name of its employees and business associates and the Board has permitted the same.
Instead of about 70% of land coming back to Government under BOOT (Build, own, operate, transfer), records have allegedly been forged to sell more than half the land. Whereas only a fraction of land was required in and around Bangalore for road construction alone, now half the acquisition is in Bangalore itself and the company has been permitted by forged records to sell land it was supposed to return to Government. This includes patta lands given to Dalits and weaker sections and burial grounds of minority communities.
While the courts approved acquisition of only dry and waste land for the project, records were allegedly forged to acquire even agricultural and forest lands.
When the affected farmers protested against the injustice meted out to them, the police brutally caned them. The muscle men of the company also allegedly tortured them.
In its factsheet on SEZs and land acquisitions, the Delhi-based Citizens’ Research Collective makes a comparative study of the Indian and Chinese experiences vis-a-vis SEZs and points out that while mostly coastal wasteland has been given for SEZs in China, in India, it has been mostly fertile cultivated land.
Unlike in China, where the ownership of such zones rests with the state, in India, it lies with the private corporations and yes, despite the highly successful experience of Shenzhen, the Chinese have gone only for seven SEZs so far whereas in India, where SEZs have been largely unsuccessful and faced bloody, bitter resistance, we are going for 400-500 zones, more than the total number in the world.
There are enough reasons to believe that the skewed land acquisition policy has contributed to the growth of the Naxalite movement in the country, which the Forbes magazine recently described as India’s Dirty War.
I wish to conclude by quoting from a document prepared by Mr Vidya Bhushan Rawat, Convenor of the National Land Alliance. He asks, “one does not understand why the Government wants to give thousands of hectares of land which is agricultural land, for non-agricultural purposes. Where are farmers in the entire structure? Where are the Dalits and tribals in the entire structure of SEZ? In fact, shamelessly, the Government documents do not talk of their participation. It talks of job growth but it does not talk of how many thousands of people are uprooted from their homes and culture. If these were easy questions to answer, there would not have been any problems.”
The experiences in Singur, Nandigram, Chhatisgarh,Orissa and Bangalore highlight the need for a progressive land acquisition law that clarifies the role and responsibility of the state, the private sector and the stakeholders, in the matter of land acquisitions. We can afford to ignore this festering wound only at our peril.
The state government tried to silence the protests by hiking the compensation but it found only a few takers for the sop. What has complicated the issue is that land was being acquired not just for the road project but also for townships to be built by the private party in charge of constructing the expressway.
This leads one to the larger question of land acquisitions and the scope of the government in developing infrastructure projects. While there is a logic for the government to acquire land to construct roads, the million dollar question is whether it should also facilitate development of townships alongside by private builders.
As a commentator rightly put it, “a skewed understanding of what constitutes public purpose and private interests is at the heart of the problem. Clearly, the state government ought to have focussed on building the road and allowed market forces to transform villages alongside the road into urban centres in an organic manner.”
Recently, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and B.S. Chauhan, in a judgment said: “the whole issue of development appears to be so simple, logical and commonsensical. And yet, to millions of Indians, development is a dreadful and hateful word that is aimed at denying them even the source of their sustenance.”
The Bench said “the resistance with which the state's well meaning efforts at development and economic growth are met makes one to think about the reasons for such opposition to the state's endeavours for development. Why is the state's perception and vision of development at such great odds with the people it purports to develop? And why are their rights so dispensable?
Justice Alam said the fears expressed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly had been confirmed. “A blinkered vision of development, complete apathy towards those who are highly adversely affected by the development process and a cynical unconcern for the enforcement of the laws lead to a situation where the rights and benefits promised and guaranteed under the Constitution hardly ever reach the most marginalised citizens.”
“This is not to say that the relevant laws are perfect and very sympathetic towards the dispossessed. There are various studies that detail the impact of dispossession from their lands on tribal people. On many occasions laws are implemented only partially. The scheme of land acquisition often comes with assurances of schools, hospitals, roads, and employment. The initial promises, however, mostly remain illusory”, the apex court observed.
Way back in April 2007, the Karnataka High Court had stated that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board was “indiscriminately” acquiring agricultural land in and around Bangalore and Bangalore urban and rural districts and Board officials had thrown all norms to the winds and in some cases, acquired entire villages.
Indeed, according to credible report, the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project has become an instrument of land grab in collusion with Government officials, who have even allegedly misled the Supreme Court, suppressed vital records and documents to favour the developer and reportedly submitted forged records to the Supreme Court.
Instead of 20,000 acres as originally conceived, 30,000 acres were notified and the project company Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd (NICEL) has allegedly registered several hundred acres of notified land around Bangalore through benami transactions in the name of its employees and business associates and the Board has permitted the same.
Instead of about 70% of land coming back to Government under BOOT (Build, own, operate, transfer), records have allegedly been forged to sell more than half the land. Whereas only a fraction of land was required in and around Bangalore for road construction alone, now half the acquisition is in Bangalore itself and the company has been permitted by forged records to sell land it was supposed to return to Government. This includes patta lands given to Dalits and weaker sections and burial grounds of minority communities.
While the courts approved acquisition of only dry and waste land for the project, records were allegedly forged to acquire even agricultural and forest lands.
When the affected farmers protested against the injustice meted out to them, the police brutally caned them. The muscle men of the company also allegedly tortured them.
In its factsheet on SEZs and land acquisitions, the Delhi-based Citizens’ Research Collective makes a comparative study of the Indian and Chinese experiences vis-a-vis SEZs and points out that while mostly coastal wasteland has been given for SEZs in China, in India, it has been mostly fertile cultivated land.
Unlike in China, where the ownership of such zones rests with the state, in India, it lies with the private corporations and yes, despite the highly successful experience of Shenzhen, the Chinese have gone only for seven SEZs so far whereas in India, where SEZs have been largely unsuccessful and faced bloody, bitter resistance, we are going for 400-500 zones, more than the total number in the world.
There are enough reasons to believe that the skewed land acquisition policy has contributed to the growth of the Naxalite movement in the country, which the Forbes magazine recently described as India’s Dirty War.
I wish to conclude by quoting from a document prepared by Mr Vidya Bhushan Rawat, Convenor of the National Land Alliance. He asks, “one does not understand why the Government wants to give thousands of hectares of land which is agricultural land, for non-agricultural purposes. Where are farmers in the entire structure? Where are the Dalits and tribals in the entire structure of SEZ? In fact, shamelessly, the Government documents do not talk of their participation. It talks of job growth but it does not talk of how many thousands of people are uprooted from their homes and culture. If these were easy questions to answer, there would not have been any problems.”
The experiences in Singur, Nandigram, Chhatisgarh,Orissa and Bangalore highlight the need for a progressive land acquisition law that clarifies the role and responsibility of the state, the private sector and the stakeholders, in the matter of land acquisitions. We can afford to ignore this festering wound only at our peril.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Independence Day Musings
After decades of humiliating existence as a tenant (often treated worse than animals), I finally bought a house of my own. To call it a house would be an overstatement as it only had three box like rooms surrounded by four halls, a small courtyard, a dirty toilet and a dilapidated bathroom and of course, a small chamber where the earlier owners used to cook food, which they lovingly called kitchen. The plaster had come out at most places. There were no cupboards, no proper electric wiring and even the sewerage system was in a mess.
Though I paid a premium to even buy this ‘hot’ property in East Delhi, I knew right from day one that I had to spend a good fortune renovating it. Well, renovation would be an understatement as the house in question virtually required to be rebuilt except that the basic structure would not be pulled down as there were three other similarly fragile flats resting on its tender shoulders.
Thus began a long journey, which not only taught me the nitty-gritties of building a house but also of building a nation and life itself. To begin with the local contractor promised me everything under the sun much like our khadi-clad politicians and with every passing day, he made a sharp u-turn on all of those promises.
Then came the architect and engineer to supervise the work as it progressed much like our Vigilance officials or Chief Election Commissioners and much of the guidelines laid down by them were flouted with impunity the way the model code is violated and yes, there were excuses galore with the maximum blame falling at the doorstep of the ‘mistry’ or the mason under whom the labourers work, much akin to the manner in which the bureaucrats are blamed for the acts of commission and omission on the part of the politicians.
But the labourers too were not the poor and innocent ones like those projected in movies such as ‘Do Bigha Zameen’. They have become worldly wise. Like Sarkari babus, they take an hour or more for lunch followed by a light nap. Prod them as much but they have already made up their mind on the quantum of work they had planned for the day. What’s more, they also want their pound of ‘chai-paani’, not to bestow any favour on us but to do their work properly. “Hamara Khyal rakhiye to hum aapka khyal rakhenge” – this after paying whatever the contractor had asked for.
But once you loosen your purse strings, don’t think the job has become easier. Go for a second visit to the site and one will find them not doing the work they were told to do and there is a stock answer, “thekedaar ne bataya nahin” (the contractor has not instructed us). Then, there is a flurry of calls between the Engineer and the contractor and the ‘mistry’ (or is it mystery?). One feels like a pensioner running from pillar to post for his monthly sustenance. But no hearts melt here. You are the milch cow, the Kamadhenu, on whom depends the prosperity of one and all.
Yes, the officials of the Municipal Corporation, the Development Authority, the local police station who have no time to attend to water logged roads, unauthorised constructions and incidents of rampant chain snatching and eve-teasing in your neighbourhood, have all the time at their disposal to get their ‘baksheesh’ for the new home, much like the fixers who try to cut corners in every Government project.
We also have the Pakistans and Chinas in our neighbourhood, who are less concerned about the unrest in their provinces, such as the leaky taps and broken walls but are more bothered about how many windows the new house has, how deep is the column and how would my children play if the courtyard is covered. They are so concerned that they even threaten to call the police.
Again, you are mistaken if you think you have given the money (vote) to the contractor (ruling class) and your worries are over. On the contrary, you have to face the whims and fancies of multiple agencies including plumber, electrician, carpenter, grill maker et al (panchayat, municipality, PWD, state Government).
What’s more, they don’t have qualms even in attempting to grease the palms of the Election Commission or the Vigilance Commission. The architect and engineer are promised a handsome cut for passing the substandard material, much in the manner the Anti Corruption department or the CBI officials are taken care of. Sometimes, even your own employee whom you had entrusted to supervise takes the bait and tries to strike when the iron is hot. Eternal vigilance, indeed, is the price of liberty, as the fence itself is lured to eat the crop. If this ruse fails, then the work on your dream house is delayed endlessly, much like the bridge in your village, the dispensary in your locality. He keeps promising, you keep waiting and mind you, this is private enterprise.
What we lack as a nation is character, honesty and integrity. Let us face it. Ignoring this and indulging in self adulation as an upcoming super power would only be at our own peril. Let us not have delusions and illusions. We have all become the worshippers of mammon. We have become a nation of shirkers who want to make a fast buck somehow, by hook or crook. Let us not hoodwink ourselves by blaming the politicians alone. We all need to introspect.
I am not sure when my house, my dream home, would finally see the light of the day, but I am sure, my dream nation would take a long time to take shape, if we continue on the same path.
Happy Independence Day!
Though I paid a premium to even buy this ‘hot’ property in East Delhi, I knew right from day one that I had to spend a good fortune renovating it. Well, renovation would be an understatement as the house in question virtually required to be rebuilt except that the basic structure would not be pulled down as there were three other similarly fragile flats resting on its tender shoulders.
Thus began a long journey, which not only taught me the nitty-gritties of building a house but also of building a nation and life itself. To begin with the local contractor promised me everything under the sun much like our khadi-clad politicians and with every passing day, he made a sharp u-turn on all of those promises.
Then came the architect and engineer to supervise the work as it progressed much like our Vigilance officials or Chief Election Commissioners and much of the guidelines laid down by them were flouted with impunity the way the model code is violated and yes, there were excuses galore with the maximum blame falling at the doorstep of the ‘mistry’ or the mason under whom the labourers work, much akin to the manner in which the bureaucrats are blamed for the acts of commission and omission on the part of the politicians.
But the labourers too were not the poor and innocent ones like those projected in movies such as ‘Do Bigha Zameen’. They have become worldly wise. Like Sarkari babus, they take an hour or more for lunch followed by a light nap. Prod them as much but they have already made up their mind on the quantum of work they had planned for the day. What’s more, they also want their pound of ‘chai-paani’, not to bestow any favour on us but to do their work properly. “Hamara Khyal rakhiye to hum aapka khyal rakhenge” – this after paying whatever the contractor had asked for.
But once you loosen your purse strings, don’t think the job has become easier. Go for a second visit to the site and one will find them not doing the work they were told to do and there is a stock answer, “thekedaar ne bataya nahin” (the contractor has not instructed us). Then, there is a flurry of calls between the Engineer and the contractor and the ‘mistry’ (or is it mystery?). One feels like a pensioner running from pillar to post for his monthly sustenance. But no hearts melt here. You are the milch cow, the Kamadhenu, on whom depends the prosperity of one and all.
Yes, the officials of the Municipal Corporation, the Development Authority, the local police station who have no time to attend to water logged roads, unauthorised constructions and incidents of rampant chain snatching and eve-teasing in your neighbourhood, have all the time at their disposal to get their ‘baksheesh’ for the new home, much like the fixers who try to cut corners in every Government project.
We also have the Pakistans and Chinas in our neighbourhood, who are less concerned about the unrest in their provinces, such as the leaky taps and broken walls but are more bothered about how many windows the new house has, how deep is the column and how would my children play if the courtyard is covered. They are so concerned that they even threaten to call the police.
Again, you are mistaken if you think you have given the money (vote) to the contractor (ruling class) and your worries are over. On the contrary, you have to face the whims and fancies of multiple agencies including plumber, electrician, carpenter, grill maker et al (panchayat, municipality, PWD, state Government).
What’s more, they don’t have qualms even in attempting to grease the palms of the Election Commission or the Vigilance Commission. The architect and engineer are promised a handsome cut for passing the substandard material, much in the manner the Anti Corruption department or the CBI officials are taken care of. Sometimes, even your own employee whom you had entrusted to supervise takes the bait and tries to strike when the iron is hot. Eternal vigilance, indeed, is the price of liberty, as the fence itself is lured to eat the crop. If this ruse fails, then the work on your dream house is delayed endlessly, much like the bridge in your village, the dispensary in your locality. He keeps promising, you keep waiting and mind you, this is private enterprise.
What we lack as a nation is character, honesty and integrity. Let us face it. Ignoring this and indulging in self adulation as an upcoming super power would only be at our own peril. Let us not have delusions and illusions. We have all become the worshippers of mammon. We have become a nation of shirkers who want to make a fast buck somehow, by hook or crook. Let us not hoodwink ourselves by blaming the politicians alone. We all need to introspect.
I am not sure when my house, my dream home, would finally see the light of the day, but I am sure, my dream nation would take a long time to take shape, if we continue on the same path.
Happy Independence Day!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wizard of Needles
Imagine a visually challenged person perfecting the art and science of inserting needles to heal others! Unbelievable but Anil Kumar has proved the skeptics wrong and established his credentials as a wizard of needles – a story which has been beautifully brought before the world by journalist Deepak Parvatiyar in his debut documentary, which was released at the India International Centre recently before a discerning and distinguished audience and the saving grace was that there were no politicians around.
The Wizard of Needles is an inspiring story of how physical disabilities cannot be a deterrent to one's achievements and ambition to serve mankind. “This is a story that can motivate others. Here all characters are real,” said Parvatiyar.
Anil was a five-year-old child when he lost his eyesight due to meningitis. He was hospitalized for two years and his optical nerves had to be removed to save his life. He braved all odds to become an acupuncturist. In 2003, the President of India presented Anil the National Award for his achievements. The Wizard of Needles documents the true story of this indomitable human spirit to achieve the impossible.
“I was inspired to make this documentary as I was swayed by Anil’s zest for life. His life story is very inspiring and I am sure the documentary will inspire people never to lose hope and faith,” Parvatiyar, a journalist with an experience of over 20 years in print and electronic media, said. The Wizard of Needles is Parvatiyar’s maiden directorial venture. In the documentary, he has used his narrative skills blended with excellent Indian classical music that conjures up morning freshness and invokes hope and eternal optimism. His novel use of quotations to underline the importance of a scene is quite innovative. Anil's deep faith in God adds a new dimension to the film that is all about hope and faith. The film has been shot over a period of about two years in Delhi, Kolkata and Bijnor.
May Anil’s life and struggles inspire not only the differently abled but also the so-called normal individuals who are too scared to face the challenges of life and resorts to short cuts including drugs and suicides.
May the tribe of journalists like Deepak Parvatiyar, who are moved by such human interest stories and not craving for sensationalism and instant fame, increase.
Both the Government and the private sector should encourage such noble and innovative endeavours.
The Wizard of Needles is an inspiring story of how physical disabilities cannot be a deterrent to one's achievements and ambition to serve mankind. “This is a story that can motivate others. Here all characters are real,” said Parvatiyar.
Anil was a five-year-old child when he lost his eyesight due to meningitis. He was hospitalized for two years and his optical nerves had to be removed to save his life. He braved all odds to become an acupuncturist. In 2003, the President of India presented Anil the National Award for his achievements. The Wizard of Needles documents the true story of this indomitable human spirit to achieve the impossible.
“I was inspired to make this documentary as I was swayed by Anil’s zest for life. His life story is very inspiring and I am sure the documentary will inspire people never to lose hope and faith,” Parvatiyar, a journalist with an experience of over 20 years in print and electronic media, said. The Wizard of Needles is Parvatiyar’s maiden directorial venture. In the documentary, he has used his narrative skills blended with excellent Indian classical music that conjures up morning freshness and invokes hope and eternal optimism. His novel use of quotations to underline the importance of a scene is quite innovative. Anil's deep faith in God adds a new dimension to the film that is all about hope and faith. The film has been shot over a period of about two years in Delhi, Kolkata and Bijnor.
May Anil’s life and struggles inspire not only the differently abled but also the so-called normal individuals who are too scared to face the challenges of life and resorts to short cuts including drugs and suicides.
May the tribe of journalists like Deepak Parvatiyar, who are moved by such human interest stories and not craving for sensationalism and instant fame, increase.
Both the Government and the private sector should encourage such noble and innovative endeavours.
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