Net 2.0 :: Nitesh Gautam » Injustice

Umpires looked like bribed in India Australia Cricket match

Nitesh Gautam — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:31:09 +0000

India lost second Border / Gavaskar trophy match against Australia after losing its last 3 wickets in 6 remaining balls of match – thanks to one-sided decisions of Umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson during whole match.

When you find that two of the players which were NOT OUT but were declared OUT in first innings and in the same way, during second innings of same team, four key players which were clearly NOT OUT but given OUT by the match umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson, you know that somewhere something is going wrong.

Also, when opposition team is favored by umpires for their batting, you start feeling hatred towards them which is natural.

And in such situation when our poor team loses match, more than being sorry for them, if someone abuses umpires feeling frustrated for them, you feel better to support him.

The second test match was total blunder full of umpiring mistakes. Umpires which are taken with utmost request in a match, the Gods of match, looked too small in this test. Steve Bucknor is well known for his sick behavior towards Indian team and he was atop in this game when India lost a well-expected Draw match. Then a good sport lover of game is supposed to be angry for these two pranksters of match who thought that they can even prove the match cameras wrong.

Throughout the match, Australians were appealing and umpires were raising their fingers for players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly etc. Some of batsmen tried to show disapproval to umpires’ decision but of no output. And this all was for making Australia achieve their 16^th consecutive win. Not even single Australian felt sorry for wrong umpiring decisions (I was expecting it from Australian Captain Ricky Ponting at least).

Result…I am no more going to believe that umpires are always right – something my dad taught me during my childhood while making me understand this game!

Here are the videos of umpires clearly favoring Australian team -

IND vs AUS 2nd Test,Sydney-Day1- 4 Poor decisions by Umpires

Nonsense Umpiring Ganguly Out 2nd Test Ind v Aus @ Sydney

Poor Umpiring Day 1 2nd Test Ind v Aus @ Sydney 2008

Lucky Ponting Day 1 2nd Test Ind v Aus @ Sydney 2008

Poor Umpiring – Indian vs Australia 2nd Test 2008

Indian Agony

Nitesh Gautam — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:24:38 +0000

A situation which can appear to be hard to believe.

I received a mail from Anish in morning with the subject an appeal for help. It was about his colleague from previous firm – Aricent (formerly known as Flextronics and Hughes). The text of email went as follows -

Hi all

A dear friend of mine, Shantanu Goel(from Chandigarh) has met with a very unfortunate personal tragedy.
your help could not be more welcome for him and his family at this time of crisis.
please don't hesitate to forward this to anyone you think can help.
Blog link: http://iamhuman.blogspot.com/2007/03/desperate-call-for-help.html
you can mail him (shantanu goel) at shantanu.goel [at] gmail.com

He is working in Aricent, Gurgaon.

And then went the Blog post CAP (Copy And Paste).

I visited the blog myself and happened to read the post titled with the same subject line – A DESPERATE CALL FOR HELP.

The post describes a story which has happened to guy named Shantanu and his family. Shantanu is a Software Engineer presently working at Aricent, Gurgaon. He belongs to Chandigarh and his family resides there. He writes that his brother, who is working at Bangalore, was married to a girl in November 2005 (no mention of love or arrange…so don’t think about that perspective). Soon after the marriage of his brother, their family started receiving different un-expected demands (which ranged from money to control over his brother) from the in-laws of his brother. After fulfilling them for sometime, when they started refusing the unacceptable demands like signatures of his brother on blank papers and demand for lakhs of rupees, the family was threatened for life, from the in-laws. And very soon, they were attacked by in-laws family at their home. There is very pitiful description of the situation when the family members of victim were physically assaulted at their own home. How can the role of police (Indian Police to be specific) be ignored in such cases. Police arrived after sometime of the attack but it kept standing outside and watching the drama. It was only after members of community tried to interfere in the matter that police intercepted into the situation. And at police station, instead of taking any action against louts and filing any FIR, the victims were accused for causing this traumatic situation. There was no consideration of hundreds of witnesses.

It happens only in IN where police, instead of taking it as their duty to protect people, takes it as their right to harass, threaten and loot their own people (who pay salary to police through their own pockets in form of taxes) – truly said that in IN, Police Raj is equivalent to Gunda Raj. It is only because of few honest police officers that Indian Police still has managed to maintain its image at some level.

Shantanu writes that FIR was not filed until they visited SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police) and DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) – now the question is how a common man can manage to file an FIR in our country.

I request fellow bloggers to spread the word and also put their own version of this story on their own blogs because we as blogger happen to be a powerful source of information to media sources.

About Reservation scenario

Nitesh Gautam — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:31:05 +0000

About India

The following paragraph from news on Rediff summarized the whole reservation issue. No one is going to be in benefit or loss be it the reserved class or the creamy layer but political parties will get the benefit in elections -

My opinion is, between the media and the rest, everybody is making too much noise about reservation. Political personalities use reservation as one more plank to catch votes. Their heart is not bleeding for the poor. Their heart is bleeding for the next election and votes.

The people who oppose reservation are doing so without understanding what it is. Please tell me, if the number of seats is adequate for everybody, where is the question of reservation hurting anybody? You say, the value of an IIT degree will come down.

Listen, the man who employs can find out whether you are recruited on merit or reservation in five minutes. So, why are you making so much noise about reservation?

You mean it is unnecessary?

Yes, it is unnecessary. I need an answer to the question, is reservation necessary? They have had 15 per cent reservation for scheduled castes, and 7.5 (per cent) for Scheduled Tribes for the last 45 years. Have all the Scheduled Castes and Tribes come up?

That is because the creamy layer is grabbing all the benefits.

So, the creamy layer has come up. The same thing is going to happen to this 27 per cent too. In the case of OBCs too, all the benefits will be cornered by a small number of people only. The other large number of people will not get any benefits.

But nobody is bothered about it because taking away the creamy layer is something even Veerappa Moily (the Congress leader heading the committee studying reservations) is not willing to do.

He said, ‘We have left that to the government.’ I don’t understand this. How can he leave it to the government? If he is asked to look into it, he must say, either there is a creamy layer problem and this is the way to tackle it, or he must say, there is no creamy layer problem.

A write-up analyzing the reservation trauma in India

Nitesh Gautam — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:37:41 +0000

I came across this wonderful post which analyzes the reservation in this country posted originally by Ajay Kumar from BHEL, Haridwar. Just pay some attention if you are really serious about reservation being introduced by Congress -

Let us analyse the merit in arguments in favour of reservations one by one.

It is to undo the generations of injustice done by forward classes.
It will remove caste bias.
It provides equality of opportunity.
How can you assume that 80% of population does not have merit?
It is not politically motivated.

Now the pointwise analysis:

If the injustice done by previous generations is to be undone by punishing the next one, then we may hang the son for murder done by his father. By sticking to past, only hatred can be perpetuated, not justice.
How can it do that (remove caste bias) when, we are certifying the individual as backward based on his caste. Rather than removing caste bias it institutionalize & perpetuates it. It introduces branding in humans!!
How can that be true (equality of opportunity), when OBC although can apply in general category seats, while general category can’t do so in reserved seats.
If they do have merit, then quota is not required!! In fact is is really not required for talented ones, whatever may be there caste. I personally know many of the so called OBCs, who made it to IITs despite being from ordinary families. It made them proud of their achievements, got respect, motivated them to excel, which now quota system is going to deprive them off.
Was there any agitation for it? Was this the top priority, over and above population, illiteracy, law & order, Kashmir issue etc? If it is not politically motivated then why not start the reservation system with parliamentary seats. In fact if at all reservation is going to benefit, it is in representation in policy making bodies like parliament, where this may help in ensuring that law does not discriminate against castes & rules are framed keeping in mind the humans & not brand of humans.

Innovation, talent, creativity does not thrive on spoon feeding, it strive on recognition, stimulation & encouragement given by system, least of all discrimination based on caste. But first these traits have to be there in an individual. System must provide for better infrastructural support and aids for underprivileged, which solely depends on their economic conditions. The caste based bias is going to be removed only by upliftment of intellectual ability and not spoon feeding. It will only corrupt the intellect, won’t get respect, perpetuate the discrimination.

Drop in frequency of posts

Nitesh Gautam — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:58:26 +0000

Yes, I accept it that there has been significant drop in the number of posts being posted by me in regular intervals – thanks to all those dear irregular reader who still want me to keep posting the stuff .

I wanted to share few good reasons for drop…

One, I am a tech freak and want to share latest in tech than sharing already existing apps or all just to increase the number of posts. I like to discuss the apps which are promising. And there hasn’t been much movement that I have been noticing in this space for last couple of days and it is obvious drop in a space of geek like me when there isn’t much motion in tech-space.

Another major category of my personal interest is Personal and I like things which pertain to me, liked by me et al. Well, there has been tremendous changes happening in my personal life (which of course include my work life) that I haven’t been getting much time to discuss all that…yes that is true…your obligations, duties and work makes you get busier than anything else…sometimes and I am not any exception. OK, I accept that finally I am busy…be it the work (I am still learning GIANT stuff, to add GIANT qualification/talent, believe me it is true, in my portfolio…a proof of learning is that although I am learning and at the same time, I am interviewing people on the same domain – I know it is overwhelming:oops:). So i am in great learning/working phase. On personal front, I am enjoying a lottt cas I can’t live without that…Enjoying life is my motto. Then if you want to get out time out of such busy phase, it is justtttttttt. So apologies on writing front but I love writing.
Well, I have been roaming a lot with friends, enjoying as always, laughing at home – be it getting deep thinking lessons from our playboy/casinova – Rajinder, 2 great engaged roomies trying, helping & encouraging me all the time to get in with someone or my on-site buddy’s memories which makes me feel that I am not only of its kind in this world .

I am not going to quit but going to slower down for a couple of months…I know how does it feel but them, I get reminded of a poster in Kansal’s (Anand Mohan Kansal from Sangrur, Punjab – my batch mate) room from which I used get inspired-

I know I am running late, but still I am running

I am never going to say die…I am hard enough.

And yes, still I am listening to latest muzic. Just today, I downloaded muzic of Aap Ki Khatir and Wo Lamhe.

Today, when more than 50% people of CE were busy in interview, Sid & I were busy to review next sensation of of CE – as referred to by people on the way! Raji you got the choice . I want to discuss sometime about my unique colleagues cum friends…
Injustice wave is back…and students are locked in jails – The India!

Tri-series was cancelled…disappointingly .

Mr. NRN is retired, officially – the brightest face of the org called Infosys and his farewell statement was so simple – it is feeling like…

Mood: & waiting Music: Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai :roll:

Are we sure this is the India we want?

Nitesh Gautam — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:39:56 +0000

From Barkha Dutt’s article on NDTV – Mandal Revisited

The romance of rebellion can blur ideology. I was 18 when I marched down the streets of Delhi against Mandal; wide-eyed at the war cries of young men who were all IAS aspirants, but seemed at the time to be icons of radicalism.

So, every morning, we would huddle together in the protective shelter of an ageing tree at St. Stephen’s College, listen to long and fiery speeches on the murder of merit, and then, armed with the ammunition of youth, take to the roads.

A few years later when real life brought me face to face with the complexity of caste, I was embarrassed that the milestone from those years would read ‘anti-Mandalite’. Perhaps, I wondered, we had just been a bunch of kids desperate to have something to get angry about; a generation in search of a cause.

Either way, looking back, it all felt hopelessly elitist and nah. Not anymore. Life has turned full circle, and I’m finally stepping out from the shadow of political correctness, to think, maybe we weren’t so wrong back then; our reasons may have been uninformed and uneducated, our motives questionable, but we had batted on the right side, even if by accident.

Reservations have become a joke. We all know the statistics. More than 80 per cent of Dalit students never make it past Class X; more than 80 per cent of the reserved seats in vocational institutes remain unused; and in engineering colleges it’s even worse ‘ More than 90 per cent of seats in the reserved category just lie empty.

What does this say’ Two things. First, what’s the point of all these reservations if there aren’t enough qualified people to make use of them’

But second, and more importantly, who should take responsibility for this gap between promise and possibility’ Surely, this is the failure of governance, the failure of the State’ This is my objection to the reservation policy as it has come to be. It has become an excuse for the inaction of our political establishment; a cloak for its failure to deliver development or create equity; the refuge of the lazy.

No wonder then that there is complete agreement among political parties across the spectrum over the ever-expanding reservation pool; just competitive one-upmanship over who should get to swim in it. Every couple of years a new quota is created; a new group granted admission to the reserved category; but there are always others pushing the door down for entry.

The more the quota regime multiplies, the more it is beginning to look like a hundred-headed hydra. The problem is those who oppose the quotas are often pretty monstrous themselves. Usually urban, often rich, always upper-caste, their pedigree only seems to worsen their prejudice.

Some of the comments I have heard in our television studios make me want to throw up. A professional socialite declared that it was best her kids studied outside India because the ’social environment’ in educational institutes here would decline now that quotas had opened the gates for ‘all kinds’.

Another pointed me to a stunningly beautiful and articulate young woman in the studio audience and whispered “she doesn’t look like an OBC”. It’s never said out aloud, or in so many words, but all the remarks suggest only thing: for India’s elite, the ‘backwards’ are imagined as dark, ugly, dirty, a stain on their perfectly starched canvas.

There’s also the innate dishonesty in their arguments. If we debate reservations in the private sector, they will say if you must block off seats, do it in schools and colleges, so you can create qualified people who can compete for jobs. If you talk about quotas in education, they will be just as indignant about the ‘decline of quality’.

They will declare that cash is more of a barrier than caste, but try suggesting quotas for poor students in public schools, and watch them run. But their prejudice can’t be the reason for a reservation policy that is increasingly unsustainable and directionless. It’s a tough nut to crack but my own view is that quotas would probably be most effective at the school level, but here too there should be an economic benchmark.

Lalu Prasad Yadav and Meira Kumar’s kids, for example, should be able to compete like everybody else. In the end, I still think it all boils down to an apathetic, under-performing State. If we had created an efficient and equal government school model, like the neighborhood schools in the West, this entire debate may well have been irrelevant.

Sure, the super-rich kids would have still gone to snotty private schools, but at least everyone else would have studied with some sense of parity and quality. Right now more than 60 students compete for a single IIT seat. Isn’t it our right to demand more premier engineering institutes rather than this mad scramble for a handful of seats, made yet more acrimonious by the politics of reservation?

Maybe you agree, maybe you don’t; no one in India ever has the same view on reservations. Perhaps that’s the point. I got an ominous glimpse of what may lie ahead on. We the People this Sunday while debating the new quotas for the IIMs and IITs.

The battle-lines were drawn not just between the two obvious camps, but also between the Dalits and the OBCs in the audience. Outraged by Dalit writer Chandra Bhan Prasad’s declaration that “Mandal had killed the spirit of reservation”, a group of 15 young OBC students sprang to their feet, close to violence and stormed off the set.

Left behind in the audience were mostly those who had opposed the quotas to begin with. It seemed to me that those who had walked out had displayed a siege mentality, a heightened sense of victim-hood and bias, a feeling of not being heard even when everyone was listening to them on a ready-made platform.

But to listen to those who had stayed back was as terrifying. There was a gloating, we-told-you-so atmosphere in the studio; mostly everyone said the same thing; the boys who had walked out hadn’t deserved to be part of the programme, and were apparently proof of why “such people” should be best kept at a distance.

It was, I thought, an index of how deeply this issue has come to divide us as a people, in ways that are ugly, primal and unresolved. It was a scary preview of a fractious future. Are we sure this is the India we want?

About Dropping lessons on Nehru from school books, Congress and Nehru

Nitesh Gautam — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 12:12:30 +0000

MP govt. dropped a poem on former Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru. And congress has started protesting against it.

This is the same congress which dint think about its former leaders while going for reservation for OBCs. Nehru was the person, who once said that -

Help should be given on economic considerations and not on caste… I dislike any kind of reservation, more particularly in service. I react strongly against anything which leads to inefficiency and second-rate standards. I want my country to be a first class country in everything.

So when Congress dint care about his concerns, does it possess any right to do agitation for him?

Here is the news -

After removing nursery rhymes from the school syllabus, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has dropped a poem on Jawaharlal Nehru and his memoirs on his wife Kamla Nehru from the textbooks.
The move has evoked a strong protest from Congress, which has threatened statewide agitation against it.

Though the poem ‘Chacha Nehru mujhe bana do’ was dropped from Standard I book, Nehru’s memoirs were replaced by another of his writings Vaseeyat in Standard VII textbook, state school Education Minister Narottam Mishra told PTI.

Similarly, a portion of letters written by Nehru to Indira Gandhi ‘Pita ki chitthi beti ke naam“, were included in the course material of Standard IV, he said.

Punjab Asks

Nitesh Gautam — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 10:53:57 +0000

I was wandering over Jalandhar Railway Station at 2130 in night as there was stop of train for about an hour at that place.

While I was eating Lays India Magic Masala, one thing attracted my attention – bright hanging boards with the caption going something like – Punjab Asks and with few questions like -

Why there is no IIT/IIM in Punjab
60 years of independence and still there is no High Court
Why there is no capital within state
46 years and only 1 Milkha Singh…

I was impressed with the thoughts and observations but at that time, one question was scratching me from inside, why not someone asked -

60 years of Independence but why still demand for more reservation?

An open Question from my side to those great thinkers!

Mood: chipper Music: Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

A Message

Nitesh Gautam — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:48:08 +0000

Here was a banner holded by a protester in Bangalore -

WE DREAM

WE WORK

THEY GET IT

Politicians against reservation

Nitesh Gautam — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 17:00:49 +0000

When I was reading this news, got attracted by this line -

The counsel said similar rally was also held at Pune in Maharashtra where it got support of some political parties.

I dunno if it is true or just another journ prop as it is first of its kinda news for me !

SC seeks Centre’s response on pro-quota rally

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre on the allegation that people supporting the government move to extend reservation in the institutions of higher education held rallies in the Capital and elsewhere in the country in violation of its order.

The advocate, appearing for the doctors, who had called off their protest and strike on the apex court directions, alleged before a Vacation Bench comprising JusArijitArijitPasayatPasayatsAltamasAltamasKabir Kabirman chain as a part of their agitation.

The counsel said similar rally was also held at Pune in Maharashtra where it got support of some political parties.

Meanwhile, Solicitor General GE Vahanvati placed before the Bench the status report in compliance with the May 31 and June 1 orders of the apex cVahanvati

report said strikes and protest were called off across the country and doctors have resumed their work.

Mood: surprised

BJP going to hold protests against price hike

Nitesh Gautam — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:46:47 +0000

So at last BJP has decided to come on roads but not against Reservation issue (although one of its leaders – Mr. Navjot Siddhu had) but against price hike of petrol and diesel.

Name of the stir is – Rasta Roko.

I dont think that they have any solid reason to stand against it when it was long awaited & very much expected decision to be taken as was published in Business world of 1st/2nd week of December last year where all the losses of Petroleum sector players were listed in row – not even single firm is going into profit. Same is the case with public sector banking in India and it is another hard challenege against UPA govt., to take an appropriate action for reforming banking sector.

And BJP want other allies to stand up with it stating that this hike is in turn, going to rise prices of other essential goods – long livethe politics…ha
BJP to hold nationwide stir, trains gun at Left

BJP will hold a two-hour ‘rasta roko’ across the country on Wednesday to protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices and the UPA government’s “failure” to hold the price line.

The ‘rasta roko’ would be held between 11 am and 1 pm on Wednesday and party workers have been asked to organise the protests everywhere, said party chief Rajnath Singh.

BJP also would like to have its NDA allies to join the protest as the steep hike was bound to push up the prices of all other essential commodities.

But care should be taken to ensure that school children, ambulances and people carrying dead bodies for cremation were not inconvenienced during the protest, he said.

Mood: predatory

MAY BE THE FUTURE IS LIKE THIS:-RESERVATION

Nitesh Gautam — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:57:45 +0000

Just puttin a forwarded mail but such a day is not so far, if we didnt think about it now. Posting after correcting grammatical mistakes -

If u r scared then plz read last para atleast

Sun is rising as usual in the east. I m standing here outside the school, waiting for my 10 yr kid. He studies in class 2. Only this year he could get admission into the school. For the last5 yrs, admissions were closed for the general category students.

School bell rings. I can see a lot of happy children coming out of the gate, I waited for half an hour and my kid came at last after other children. Genaral students are not allowed to cross the gate unless other OBC/SC/ST students have crossed the gates.

OBC/SC/ST fathers drive away their children in classy cars. But I hv to walk back home with my kid a 5km stretch. I lost my car some years back when Govt. came with a rule that general people have to deposit a tax equal to cost of their cars. Failing which I had to sell the car. As far as buses are concerned, the seats in buses are reserved for OBC/SC/ST. So no place there also.

After walking some 5km in scorching heat I finally reached home. It was wednesday … shit , no electricity. Every mon, wed, thu, sat is power cut in the houses of General category population . So that SC/ST/OBC can be uplifted by providing them with every opportunity and in that consideration electricity is an important factor.

Its 10:00 pm in night no electricity at home. Its very hot inside the four walls of home .So I dare to step out in park with my wife and kid. I seated myself with my family on a secluded bench in garden. It was hardly 5 min … a guard came to us strolling in the park. He asked me what caste you belong to. I said with some hesitation .. G..General. He asked me to pay a fine of Rs.200 and get out of the park.

My Fault…
The bench I was sitting on was meant for again the SC/ST/OBC. For their upliftment, peace of mind is an essential things. So govt came with this decision to reserve benches for them. Kudos to them…

Its early in the morning …the newspaper wala just knocked the door. I took the newspaper and started reading ..,its independence day . I never used to forget this days some 20 yrs back. My kid hardly knows wat 15th august is, because I never told him any stories of greatness of our country or anything related to country. I don’t feel like telling him the failures after freedom.

On front page of newspaper, in a corner their is a news about a OBC member getting 6 months imprisonment in “BAL SUDHAR GRAHA” from a juvenile court for murdering a six year old girl. Yes the rules have been amended, since the last 5 years. The Culprit was a 25 year old OBC so age relaxation was provided for trial of crime. So he was taken to juvenile court, since there is an age relaxation for OBC/SC/ST.

About 11 am some one gave me the BAD news about demise of one of my neighbour and friend Mr.Mehta. I went to his house for condolence next day, his body was lying there still rotting in the heat. I asked his son about the Cremation. His son told me ” Many reserved category have died yesterday so we are not getting entry to cremation ground “. This rule is the latest from Govt. where the seats in cremation ground will be
reserved for SC/ST/OBC for their upliftment. Finally next day Mehta ji was creamted. I could see the sun setting through the Flames burning a liberated body, liberated from caste n creed. I was surprised sun still sets in the west.?

It was about 9 pm , I was about to sleep in my bed my son came to me with innocence in his eyes, inquisitively he asked me the question: “what is reservation?” I asked him where u listened that .

He suddenly burst in tears .. I asked him to keep..quiet.But I could listen through his sobs “mujhe bhi reservation chahiye“

How can I convince him its no other toy in the market I can get for him? He kept cryin that night, claiming many of “his classmates have got reservation”.

To make him quiet I said ok, I’ll buy you reservation at your next B’day.

HOPE he understands the bloody concept soon.

Mood: blank

Chetan Bhagat helping Agitator against Reservation

Nitesh Gautam — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:06:14 +0000

Reference – http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/30chetan.htm

Here goes the article -

May 30, 2006

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article against reservations and sent it to a trusted journalist friend (TJF). The article was in the form of an open letter to the prime minister. TJF replied that even though the article sounded heartfelt and the arguments were valid, she could not use it. The reason, she said, was simple. She told me a lot of what I was saying had already been said. The case for merit, equality, Indian competitiveness was already out in the open. Her newspaper would not repeat the same argument again.

‘What more do the upper castes want?’

I took her point and withdrew the article. However, it struck me that in many situations, the media will not cover something relevant just because well, it is not entertaining enough.

I had a call with another senior journalist friend (yes, I have journalists as friends — I have no life, I know). We discussed the reservation issue — on how it was practically more relevant to middle class Indians than any other issue. While the issue does get coverage, it has not ignited minds and galvanised the middle class. Somehow the issue is not getting as forceful a treatment. Fanaa’s ban in Gujarat attracted far more media space for instance.

“The reason quite simply is the lack of a dramatic event. Ten years back, kids were burning themselves. Nothing of that sort is happening now. And the media is so immune now, to get them interested young people need to do more”, was what she told me.

I am not here to do moral posturing. And I do respect her opinion. So I will not go into the “Media these days” rant. I will only take some lessons from a senior person in the media and try to give some tips to the activists to make sure their protests are more effective. After all, the point of making a noise is to be heard. And to be heard, one doesn’t have to burn himself — that is foolish and a one-time flash in the pan. If you want to do an effective protest, learn from the past masters — and who better than Mahatma Gandhi.

A lot of rage, a little Rang De

In photographs, Mahatma Gandhi is a frail, saintly figure. However, what is often ignored is his magical ability to make a point and attract attention. He had no advertising budgets or PR managers. There were very few media outlets then. And he had only one, constant — freedom. Yet, he dominated media space for decades and ultimately won. There is no reason why we cannot learn a few tips from him, some of which I list below. And you can get these checked by any media professional; they would tend to agree that this is a way to get yourself heard.

1. Keep a visual — This is vital in today’s multimedia world. Newspapers need to be colourful to compete with television, and a television is not a television without a visual. Gandhi kept a visual — salt march (everyone remembers the scooping of salt), burning British made clothes, operating the charkha and more. Placards are boring. Do something else — a huge bonfire, human chains — be creative, make it easier for NDTV. They will come, I promise.

2. Emotions more than Reason — Whenever activists talk to the media, always keep emotions in the forefront. Brooding anger, tears, banging fists is far more interesting than statistics on caste based demographics. Tell people what you think about the issue — you are on the editorial page. Tell people what you feel about the issue — you are on the front page.

3. Intentions more than Action — This is a trick most used by our politicians even today. In reality, actions alone matter. However, our politicians keep saying ‘our intention is to lift the backward castes’, and they almost sound reasonable. Of course, the actions only divide the country and kill merit — but they hide in the garb of purported good intentions. Protestors can do the same. They may be blocking traffic — but harp on the intentions: ‘But this is for Saraswati mata — knowledge should decide’. (Think about it — the politicians will be scared to take on Saraswati mata or if you mix any religious sentiment in your favour). Alongside, attack the other party’s intentions — ‘they are only doing reservations for selfish political gain’ (which is probably true).

The next partition of India

4. Don’t hurt yourself — Burning yourself or even hunger strikes are very dangerous tools. There is no guarantee they will be effective. If they don’t work, you will be seen as weak. Gandhi used a hunger strike rarely, and only after he had decades of experience.

5. Find a simple, interesting slogan — Gandhi always had a simple slogan. It gives two benefits — one it makes it easier to pass through word of mouth with minimal distortion. Secondly, it fits into the limited headline space in newspapers. In media terms, this is called ‘the hook’. The reservation movement has no slogan yet. Find one. My suggestions: “No suck-up politics” OR “India on Merit only”

The above points are important to make your cause heard. Ignore them and the world will ignore you. Play them right and the media is on your side. Trust me; the reservation issue has bothered a lot of people in the media too.

I personally feel very strongly against reservations, and I wish the agitators all the best. I give the above tips as my small contribution towards tackling this monumental issue that will take effort from all of us. I am writing this article for an online site so that you can forward it to all friends who feel the same about reservations.

You are standing up for fairness, God will be with you. Stay strong, stay inspired.

Chetan Bhagat is the author of the bestselling One Night@the Call Center and Five Point Someone. The views expressed here are his own and rediff.com does not endorse it.

Mood: cranky

Anti-reservation protest goes online

Nitesh Gautam — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 05:32:42 +0000

I came to know about ProjectCoffee through Amandeep. About this project -

We are a group of self-motivated, not financed individuals who take out time from work and studies to tackle issues plaguing the country. Disillusioned with the Indian political climate and regressive moves like increased reservations, we thirst for National betterment. But our active minds and willing spirits are distributed all over. Hence the need of the hour is to get organized and evolve common objectives and action plans on a shared platform. We are working steadily to create that platform and attract participation of the educated Indians. This is going to be a long fight and we must enable ourselves with co-operation, networking and information. At the same time we are committed to support ground protests and campaign online for them voluntarily.

So the Anti-reservation protest has come into its online form and you can visit this website for more information – http://antireservation.org/
A blog is also maintained for this project at – http://projectcoffee.blogspot.com/

Aman is actively participating in this project and also briefed me about the project, initially. There have been multiple identities created on net for this project like Mega-Blog, Groups, website, forums, wiki, newsletters etc. Anyone concerned about this issue can join them and ponder his idea into their think tank. They are maintaining a yahoo group at – http://groups.yahoo.com/group/protestcentral

You can find their media-center at – http://groups.yahoo.com/group/projectcoffee-media

Mood: devious

SC at rescue of Students?

Nitesh Gautam — Wed, 31 May 2006 12:34:02 +0000

As the headline goes of this newspaper, i appears that SC is going to provide its support to striking students.

It has asked students to end their strike and wait for the decision that will be announced on Thursday. Is this order going to mark the end of strike and poiniting towards positive results or is there any new conspiracy of ruling government? – No one will like to comment bcoz SC is the highest authority in this country.

Court has asked center’s reply on three questions by Thursday -

1) The basis of the norms of fixing the OBC

2) The rationality behind the step

3) The modalities of implementation

These are in connection to constitutional amendments of Article (15) 5 paving the way for the law providing 27 pc reservation OBCs, SC/ST n other backward classes (reservation of seats) in educational institutions. The PILs have been filed by SC advocate Ashoka Kumar Thakur and motivator Shiv Khera in court.

In a heated exchange of arguments between the bench and the bar, the judges made sharp observation both about the policy of reservation and agitation. The judges made it clear after adjudication the court has powers even to shut down a policy. “We have ample powers to nullify a policy,” presiding judge Pasayat said.

Here goes the news -

SC orders medicos to end strike, assures full support to students

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the striking doctors and all other protestors to resume work forthwith.

“We direct that all protests strikes or any form of dissent shall be called off immediately,” ordered the vacation bench of Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta.

The court also directed the government “to restore medical services forthwith” and asked the Additional solicitor general Gopal Subramanium to file an a status report by Thursday.

“If strikes are permitted to continue, it would serve no result. Patients right to get treated is inseparable from the right under Article 21 of constitution. Damage done to a patient is sometimes is irretrievable,” said the bench. The court also directed the government to withdraw all termination notices served on striking docs if the medicos joined duty within 3 days from Wednesday. The bench said if the strike is called off, the government should appropriately consider the feelings of students and not take any punitive action.

One line worth reading

Nitesh Gautam — Wed, 31 May 2006 06:34:00 +0000

“India must be the only country in the world, where people fight to get called backward”

– Narayan Murthy (Chief Mentor, Infosys)

Rallies against reservation

Nitesh Gautam — Fri, 26 May 2006 12:31:29 +0000

It seems that Indians have decided to fight for their rights and to make right out of wrong decisions of present govt.

I am talking about the new reservation ammendment to the Indian constitution by present bunch of ministers. Lot of mails are poundering into my mailbox since morning about rallies being organized against it.
There have been organization created against this amendment. Although the decision is take but still ppl seems to be determined to make govt go against this decision. On this weekend, rallies are being organized at different locations – all over in India.

Looks like Indian junta has decided not to bear this govt anymore, the head (PM) of which never speaks at all for his ppl, whose head doesnt care about his children who are sitting on hunger strikes and dying (yes one student died in AIIMS but matter was not disclosed saying that he died bcoz of other reasons). The main party having max share in this govt – Congrss, has lost its goodwill, reputation and faith of Indian ppl which it had urged from the efforts of its great leaders. Although its previous leaders always remained against reservation but it is for first time, that Congress has supported the reservation cause.

Here are the statements of previous leaders of congress -

“Help should be given on economic considerations and not caste”

- Jawaharlal Nehru, 1961

“Na jaat par na paat par mohar lagegi haath par”

–Indira Gandhi, 1980

“Our goal today must be a casteless society. Let us be very clear about that”

–Rajiv Gandhi, 1990

Today Arjun Singh, member of the same government goes against their own ideology. I wud like to ask congress partymen, weather their previous leaders were wrong or these new leaders like AS* are?

But why AS* did it?

One of my friends said, perhaps, bcoz he didnt get chance to become PM and Manmohan Singh was preferred over him. So now he is taking his revenge – sonded very strong point

Here are the rally details -

Delhi

As one of the last ditch effort, the YFE(Youth For Equality, http://www.youth4equality.org) has decided to organize a ‘Maha Rally’ (at the ‘Ramlila Maidan’) on Saturday (May 27, 2006, 4:30 p.m.). They have appealed for our support (PUKAR – The Corporate group, and the Engineers – Students and corporate citizens alike). They expect around 10 lacs Indians to gather there. [Yes, we can meet this up. Last rally was aimed at getting around 5K+ together, but we ended up with a staggering 10K Indians!]

Date: 27th May 2006 (Saturday)

Time: 4:30 pm

Venue: Ram Leela Ground, New Delhi

Bangalore

Maha Rally on 28th May (sunday)
Time: 9:30 AM
Venue: starts at Chiklalbagh (near Majestic), concludes at Banappa Park
http://www.savebrandindia.org/

All the best guys!

Now this is what I call – a generation awakens.

Rasta banta hai apne jor-e-bajuon se, Warna kaun deta hai kisi ko rasta yahaan

Yesterday, I got call from my ju nior at UCOE – Amandeep Singh who is preparing paper on this OBC reservation and wanted me to suggest some ideas. I just stated him that nobody like to go against reservation, provided, it is for genuine cause and there are enuf reasons behind it. The HRD minister who doesnt even know that OBC % in Indian population hasnt any right to play with us and our future. And where will it take our country to? Not only general cast but the reserved categories wont get helped out from this reservation policy. All will remain under-skilled. Think about its effect on our GDP and economy. Reservation is like a disease in our country and instead of curing it, our leaders are spreadling it more and more.

Lets talk about other political parties. Although Navjot Singh Siddhu of BJP has come against it openly, the rest of BJP is still silent and their leaders are protesting against Fanaa in Gujrat – now that seems to be more important issue for them.

Today, hundreds of medicos of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Bihar ploughed a field in the college campus to protest the Centre’s decision to reserve seats for OBC in higher educational institutions.

Mood: :evil:

UPA decided to implement 27% OBC quota from June 2007

Nitesh Gautam — Wed, 24 May 2006 05:15:11 +0000

At last, the news is out. It will be in effect from June 2007.

Here goes the news -
Despite the sound and the fury outside, all UPA members and Left parties today decided that the Bill to introduce 27 per cent OBC quotas in Central institutions will be brought in the monsoon session of Parliament to allow its implementation from the academic year 2007.

Simultaneously, the number of seats will also be increased in these institutions to ensure the interest of “all sections” and an “Oversight Committee” will be set up to fix deadlines for its implementation.

The decision, announced after a UPA-Left coordination committee meeting, backed by across-the-board political consensus brushes aside the National Knowledge Commission’s objections.

Apart from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the meeting was attended by Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Arjun Singh, Shivraj Patil, Ram Vilas Paswan and Jaipal Reddy. The Left leaders who attended included the CPM’s Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s A B Bardhan and D Raja, RSP’s Abani Roy and Forward Bloc’s Debabrata Biswas.

Mood: Those... Music: Why does this happen...

Devil’s Advocate

Nitesh Gautam — Wed, 24 May 2006 04:42:10 +0000

Here is a mail that I got yesterday about the HR minister of India who doesnt know even HR stats of his country but a strong supporter of giving reservation -

It’s a shame on the part of our HUMAN RESOURCE DESTRUCTION minister Arjun
singh, that he even does not know the % of OBC’s in the entire population.
Clearly, no one will benefit out of the proposal except the politicians.
Read the interview with Karan Thapar, and see how uncomfortable he was. He
was not able to give answer to a single question. He is trying to divide
India on the basis of caste.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/decision-on-quota-is-final-the-chapter-is-closed/11063-4-single.html

Here is the text -

Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to the Devil’s Advocate. As the debate over the reservations for the OBCs divides the country, we ask: What are the government’s real intentions? That is the critical questions that I shall put today in an exclusive interview to the Minister for Human Resource Development Arjun Singh.

Karan Thapar:Most of the people would accept that steps are necessary to help the OBCs gain greater access to higher education. The real question is: Why do you believe that reservations is the best way of doing this?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn’t like to say much more on this because these are decisions that are taken not by individuals alone. And in this case, the entire Parliament of this country – almost with rare unanimity – has decided to take this decision.

Karan Thapar: Except that Parliament is not infallible. In the Emergency, when it amended the Constitution, it was clearly wrong, it had to reverse its own amendments. So, the question arises: Why does Parliament believe that the reservation is the right way of helping the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Nobody is infallible. But Parliament is Supreme and at least I, as a Member of Parliament, cannot but accept the supremacy of Parliament.

Karan Thapar: No doubt Parliament is supreme, but the Constitutional amendment that gives you your authorities actually enabling amendment, it is not a compulsory requirement. Secondly, the language of the amendment does not talk about reservations, the language talks about any provision by law for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes. So, you could have chosen anything other than reservations, why reservations?

Arjun Singh: Because as I said, that was the ‘will and desire of the Parliament’.

Karan Thapar: Do you personally also, as Minister of Human Resource Development, believe that reservations is the right and proper way to help the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Certainly, that is one of the most important ways to do it.

Karan Thapar: The right way?

Arjun Singh: Also the right way.

Karan Thapar: In which case, lets ask a few basic questions. We are talking about the reservations for the OBCs in particular. Do you know what percentage of the Indian population is OBC? Mandal puts it at 52 per cent, the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) at 32 per cent, the National Family and Health Survey at 29.8 per cent, which is the correct figure?

Arjun Singh: I think that should be decided by people who are more knowledgeable. But the point is that the OBCs form a fairly sizeable percentage of our population.

Karan Thapar: No doubt, but the reason why it is important to know ‘what percentage’ they form is that if you are going to have reservations for them, then you must know what percentage of the population they are, otherwise you don’t know whether they are already adequately catered to in higher educational institutions or not.

Arjun Singh: That is obvious – they are not.

Karan Thapar: Why is it obvious?

Arjun Singh: Obvious because it is something which we all see.

Karan Thapar: Except for the fact that the NSSO, which is a government appointed body, has actually in its research in 1999 – which is the most latest research shown – that 23.5 per cent of all university seats are already with the OBCs. And that is just 8.5 per cent less than what the NSSO believes is the OBC share of the population. So, for a difference of 8 per cent, would reservations be the right way of making up the difference?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn’t like to go behind all this because, as I said, Parliament has taken a view and it has taken a decision, I am a servant of Parliament and I will only implement.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely, Parliament has taken a view, I grant it. But what people question is the simple fact – Is there a need for reservations? If you don’t know what percentage of the country is OBC and if, furthermore, the NSSO is correct in pointing out that already 23.5 per cent of the college seats are with the OBC, then you don’t have a case in terms of need.

Arjun Singh: College seats, I don’t know.

Karan Thapar: According to the NSSO – which is a government appointed body – 23.5 per cent of the college seats are already with the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: What do you mean by college seats?

Karan Thapar: University seats, seats of higher education.

Arjun Singh: Well, I don’t know I have not come across that so far.

Karan Thapar: So, when critics say to you that you don’t have a case for reservation in terms of need, what do you say to them?

Arjun Singh: I have said what I had to say and the point is that that is not an issue for us to now debate.

Karan Thapar: You mean the chapter is now closed?

Arjun Singh: The decision has been taken.

Karan Thapar: Regardless of whether there is a need or not, the decision is taken and it is a closed chapter.

Arjun Singh: So far as I can see, it is a closed chapter and that is why I have to implement what all Parliament has said.

Karan Thapar: Minister, it is not just in terms of ‘need’ that your critics question the decision to have reservation for OBCs in higher education. More importantly, they question whether reservations themselves are efficacious and can work.

For example, a study done by the IITs themselves shows that 50 per cent of the IIT seats for the SCs and STs remain vacant, and for the remaining 50 per cent, 25 per cent are the candidates who even after six years fail to get their degrees. So, clearly, in their case, reservations are not working.

Arjun Singh: I would only say that on this issue, it would not be correct to go by all these figures that have been paraded.

Karan Thapar: You mean the IIT figures themselves could be dubious?

Arjun Singh: Not dubious, but I think that is not the last word.

Karan Thapar: All right, maybe the IIT may not be the last word, let me then quote to you the report of the Parliamentary Committee on the welfare for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes – that is a Parliamentary body.

It says, that looking at the Delhi University, between 1995 and 2000, just half the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Castes level and just one-third of the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Tribes level were filled. All the others went empty, unfilled. So, again, even in Delhi University, reservations are not working.

Arjun Singh: If they are not working, it does not mean that for that reason we don’t need them. There must be some other reason why they are not working and that can be certainly probed and examined. But to say that for this reason, ‘no reservations need to be done’ is not correct.

Karan Thapar: Fifty years after the reservations were made, statistics show, according to The Hindustan Times, that overall in India, only 16 per cent of the places in higher education are occupied by SCs and STs. The quota is 22.5 per cent, which means that only two-thirds of the quota is occupied. One-third is going waste, it is being denied to other people.

Arjun Singh: As I said, the kind of figures that have been brought out, in my perception, do not reflect the realities. Realities are something much more and, of course, there is an element of prejudice also.

Karan Thapar: But these are figures that come from a Parliamentary Committee. It can’t be prejudiced; they are your own colleagues.

Arjun Singh: Parliamentary Committee has given the figures, but as to why this has not happened, that is a different matter.

Karan Thapar: I put it to you that you don’t have a case for reservations in terms of need, you don’t have a case for reservations in terms of their efficacy, why then, are you insisting on extending them to the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: I don’t want to use that word, but I think that your argument is basically fallacious.

Karan Thapar: But it is based on all the facts available in the public domain.

Arjun Singh: Those are facts that need to be gone into with more care. What lies behind those facts, why this has not happened, that is also a fact.

Karan Thapar: Let’s approach the issue of reservations differently in that case. Reservations mean that a lesser-qualified candidate gets preference over a more qualified candidate, solely because in this case, he or she happens to be an OBC. In other words, the upper castes are being penalised for being upper caste.

Arjun Singh: Nobody is being penalised and that is a factor that we are trying to address. I think that the Prime Minister will be talking to all the political parties and will be putting forward a formula, which will see that nobody is being penalised.

Karan Thapar: I want very much to talk about that formula, but before we come to talk about how you are going to address concerns, let me point one other corollary: Reservations also gives preference and favour to caste over merit. Is that acceptable in a modern society?

Arjun Singh: I don’t think the perceptions of modern society fit India entirely.

Karan Thapar: You mean India is not a modern society and therefore can’t claim to be treated as one?

Arjun Singh: It is emerging as a modern society, but the parameters of a modern society do not apply to large sections of the people in this country.

Karan Thapar: Let me quote to you Jawaharlal Nehru, a man whom you personally admire enormously. On the 27th of June 1961 wrote to the Chief Ministers of the day as follows: I dislike any kind of reservations. If we go in for any kind of reservations on communal and caste basis, we will swamp the bright and able people and remain second-rate or third-rate. The moment we encourage the second-rate, we are lost. And then he adds pointedly: This way lies not only folly, but also disaster. What do you say to Jawaharlal Nehru today?

Arjun Singh: Jawaharlal Nehru was a great man in his own right and not only me, but everyone in India accept his view.

Karan Thapar: But you are just about to ignore his advice.

Arjun Singh: No. Are you aware that it was Jawaharlal Nehru who introduced the first amendment regarding OBCs?

Karan Thapar: Yes, and I am talking about Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, when clearly he had changed his position, he said, “I dislike any kind of reservations”.

Arjun Singh: I don’t think one could take Panditji’s position at any point of time and then overlook what he had himself initiated.

Karan Thapar: Am I then to understand that regardless of the case that is made against reservations in terms of need, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of efficacy, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of Jawaharlal Nehru, you remain committed to extending reservations to the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: I said because that is the will of Parliament. And I think that common decisions that are taken by Parliament have to be honoured.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you a few basic questions. If reservations are going to happen for the OBCs in higher education, what percentage of reservations are we talking about?

Arjun Singh: No, that I can’t say because that has yet to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Could it be less than 27 per cent?

Arjun Singh: I can’t say anything on that, I have told you in the very beginning that at this point of time it is not possible for me to.

Karan Thapar: Quite right. If you can’t say, then that also means that the figure has not been decided.

Arjun Singh: The figure will be decided, it has not been decided yet.

Karan Thapar: The figure has not been decided. So, therefore the figure could be 27, but it could be less than 27, too?

Arjun Singh: I don’t want to speculate on that because as I said, that is a decision which will be taken by Parliament.

Karan Thapar: Whatever the figure, one thing is certain that when the reservations for OBCs happen, the total quantum of reservations will go up in percentage terms. Will you compensate by increasing the total number of seats in colleges, universities, IITs and IIMs so that the other students don’t feel deprived.

Arjun Singh: That is one of the suggestions that has been made and is being seriously considered.

Karan Thapar: Does it find favour with you as a Minister for Human Resource Development?

Arjun Singh: Whatever suggestion comes, we are committed to examine it.

Karan Thapar: You may be committed to examine it, but do you as minister believe that that is the right way forward?

Arjun Singh: That could be one of the ways, but not the only way.

Karan Thapar: What are the other ways?

Arjun Singh: I don’t know. That is for the Prime Minister and the other ministers to decide.

Karan Thapar: One way forward would be to increase the total number of seats.

Arjun Singh: Yes, definitely.

Karan Thapar: But the problem is that, as the Times of India points out, we are talking of an increase of perhaps as much as 53 per cent. Given the constraints you have in terms of faculty and infrastructure, won’t that order of increase dilute the quality of education?

Arjun Singh: I would only make one humble request, don’t go by The Times of India and The Hindustan Times about faculty and infrastructure, because they are trying to focus on an argument which they have made.

Karan Thapar: All right, I will not go by The Times of India, let me instead go by Sukhdev Thorat, the Chairman of the UGC. He points out that today, at higher education levels – that is all universities, IITs and IIMs – there is already a 1.2 lakh vacancy number. Forty per cent of these are in teaching staff, which the IIT faculty themselves point out that they have shortages of up to 30 per cent. Given those two constraint, can you increase the number of seats?

Arjun Singh: That can be addressed and that shortage can be taken care of.

Karan Thapar: But it can’t be taken care of in one swoop, it will take several years to do it.

Arjun Singh: I don’t know whether it can be taken care of straightway or in stages, that is a subject to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you bluntly, if you were to agree to compensate for reservations for OBCs by increasing the number of seats, would that increase happen at one go, or would it be staggered over a period of two-three or four year old process.

Arjun Singh: As I told you, it is an issue that I cannot comment upon at this moment because that is under examination.

Karan Thapar: So, it may happen in one go and it may happen in a series of several years.

Arjun Singh: I can’t speculate on that because that is not something on which I am free to speak on today.

Karan Thapar: Will the reservation for OBCs, whatever figure your Committee decides on, will it happen in one go, or will it slowly be introduced in stages?

Arjun Singh: That also I cannot say because, as I told you, all these issues are under consideration.

Karan Thapar: Which means that everything that is of germane interest to the people concerned is at the moment ‘under consideration’ and the government is not able to give any satisfaction to the students who are deeply concerned.

Arjun Singh: That is not the point. The government knows what to do and it will do what is needed.

Karan Thapar: But if the government knows what to do, why won’t you tell me what the government wants to do?

Arjun Singh: Because unless the decision is taken, I cannot tell you.

Karan Thapar: But you can share with me as the minister what you are thinking.

Arjun Singh: No.

Karan Thapar: So, in other words, we are manitaining a veil of secrecy and the very people who are concerned…

Arjun Singh: I am not maintaining a veil of secrecy. I am only telling you what propriety allows me to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Propriety does not allow you to share with the people who are protesting on the streets what you are thinking of?

Arjun Singh: I don’t think that that can happen all the time.

Karan Thapar: But there are people who feel that their lives and their futures are at stake and they are undertaking fasts until death.

Arjun Singh: It is being hyped up, I don’t want to go into that.

Karan Thapar: Do you have no sympathy for them?

Arjun Singh: I have every sympathy.

Karan Thapar: But you say it is being hyped up.

Arjun Singh: Yes, it is hyped up.

Karan Thapar: So, then, what sympathy are you showing?

Arjun Singh: I am showing sympathy to them and not to those who are hyping it up.

Karan Thapar: The CPM says that if the reservations for the OBCs are to happen, then what is called the ‘creamy layer’ should be excluded. How do you react to that?

Arjun Singh: The ‘creamy layer’ issue has already been taken care of by the Supreme Court.

Karan Thapar: That was vis-a-vis jobs in employment, what about at the university level, should they be excluded there as well because you are suggesting that the answer is yes?

Arjun Singh: That could be possible.

Karan Thapar: It could be possible that the ‘creamy layer’ is excluded from reservations for OBCs in higher education?

Arjun Singh: It could be, but I don’t know whether it would happen actually.

Karan Thapar: Many people say that if reservations for OBCs in higher education happen, then the children of beneficiaries should not be entitled to claim the same benefit.

Arjun Singh: Why?

Karan Thapar: So that there is always a shrinking base and the rate doesn’t proliferate.

Arjun Singh: I don’t think that that is a very logical way of looking at it.

Karan Thapar: Is that not acceptable to you?

Arjun Singh: No, it is not the logical way of looking at it.

Karan Thapar: So, with the possible exception of the creamy layer exclusion, reservation for OBCs in higher education will be almost identical to the existing reservations for SC/STs?

Arjun Singh: Except for the percentage.

Karan Thapar: Except for the percentage.

Arjun Singh: Yes.

Karan Thapar: So, in every other way, they will be identical.

Arjun Singh: Yes, in every other way.

Karan Thapar: Mr Arjun Singh, on the 5th of April when you first indicated that the Government was considering reservation for OBCs in higher education, was the Prime Minister in agreement that this was the right thing to do?

Arjun Singh: I think, there is a very motivated propaganda on this issue. Providing reservation to OBCs was in the public domain right from December 2005, when Parliament passed the enabling resolution.

Karan Thapar: Quite true. But had the Prime Minister specifically agreed on or before 5th of April to the idea?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am telling you it was already there. A whole Act was made, the Constitution was amended and the Prime Minister was fully aware of what this is going to mean. Actually, he had a meeting in which OBC leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired advantage. And they should, therefore, support this resolution. And at that meeting, he himself talked to them. Now, how do you say that he was unaware?

Karan Thapar: But were you at all aware that the Prime Minister might be in agreement with what was about to happen but might not wish it disclosed publicly at that point of time? Were you aware of that?

Arjun Singh: It was already there in public domain, that’s what I am trying to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Then answer this to me. Why are members of the PMO telling journalists that Prime Minister was not consulted and that you jumped the gun?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don’t know which member of the PMO you are talking about unless you name him.

Karan Thapar: Is there a conspiracy to make you the Fall Guy?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don’t know whether there is one or there is not. But Fall Guys are not made in this way. And I am only doing what was manifestly clear to every one, was cleared by the party and the Prime Minister. There is no question of any personal agenda.

Karan Thapar: They say that, in fact, you brought up this issue to embarrass the Prime Minister.

Arjun Singh: Why should I embarrass the Prime Minister? I am with him. I am part of his team.

Karan Thapar: They say that you have a lingering, forgive the word, jealousy because Sonia Gandhi chose Manmohan Singh and not you as Prime Minister.

Arjun Singh: Well, that is canard which is below contempt. Only that person can say this who doesn’t know what kind of respect and regard I hold for Sonia Gandhi. She is the leader. Whatever she decides is acceptable to me.

Karan Thapar: They also say that you brought this issue up because you felt that the Prime Minister had been eating into your portfolio. Part of it had gone to Renuka Chaudhury and, in fact, your new deputy minister Purandar Sridevi had taken over certain parts. This was your way of getting back.

Arjun Singh: No one was taking over any part. This is a decision which the Prime Minister makes as to who has to have what portfolio. And he asked Mrs Renuka Devi to take it and he cleared it with me first.

Karan Thapar: So there is no animus on your part?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely not.

Karan Thapar: They say that you did this because you resented the Prime Minister’s popular image in the country, that this was your way of embroiling him in a dispute that will make him look not like a modern reformer but like an old-fashioned, family-hold politician instead.

Arjun Singh: Well, the Tammany Hall political stage is over. He is our Prime Minister and every decision he has taken is in the full consent with his Cabinet and I don’t think there can be any blame on him.

Karan Thapar: One, then, last quick question. Do you think this is an issue, which is a sensitive issue, where everyone knew there would have been passions and emotions that would have been aroused has been handled as effectively as it should have been?

Arjun Singh: Well, I have not done anything on it. I have not, sort of what you call, jumped the gun. If this is an issue, which is sensitive, everyone has to treat it that way.

Karan Thapar: But your conscience as HRD Minister is clear?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely clear.

Karan Thapar: There is nothing that you could have done to make it easier for the young students?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am prepared to do anything that can be done. And it is being attempted.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks, they have been protesting in the hot sun. No minister has gone there to appease them, to allay their concerns, to express sympathy for them. Have politicians let the young people of India down?

Arjun Singh: Well, I myself called them. They all came in this very room.

Karan Thapar: But you are the only one.

Arjun Singh: You are accusing me only. No one else is being accused.

Karan Thapar: What about the Government of India? Has the Government of India failed to respond adequately?

Arjun Singh: From the Government of India also, the Defence Minister met them.

Karan Thapar: Only recently.

Arjun Singh: That is something because everyone was busy with the elections.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks no one met them.

Arjun Singh: No, but we are very concerned. Certainly, all of us resent the kind of force that was used. I condemned it the very first day it happened.

Karan Thapar: All right, Mr Arjun Singh. We have reached the end of this interview. Thank you very much for speaking on the subject.

It was Saturday

Nitesh Gautam — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 08:27:00 +0000

Saturday – the first day of this weekend was one of the most eventful days of my life when I felt almost all states of emotions be it happy, exciting, sad and what not.

The day began with opening my eyes while Ab Tak Chhappan – the cop movie, being played on TV. At that time, I had no idea that I was going to meet number of cops on that day. Anuj had gone to office as he is leaving for China on Monday and he had to complete few formalities. He came late in night. So it was I and Pankaj who spent rest of the day together. After brunch, we had plan to get our bikes serviced and so we both took our bikes. First Pankaj gave his bike on TVS service station. Then we went to Hero Honda service station where we found that still a month or so was pending for service of my bike. Then we came back to home. On the way, we drank sugarcane juice – it is after about 1 and a half year when I tasted it here in GGN. In eve., we took Pankaj’s bike, then went to market. We were enjoying our time out there when Pankaj got call from Aneesh aka Bond asking if we are interested in going for live concert of Strings at IIPM, Chhatarpur and we both got ready. I was excited that I was going for live concert after long time. Last time, it was of Malkit Singh at university. Pankaj was going for first time to any live concert. We were there at Kanav’s home after half an hour and then we headed for IIPM at 1900. Once we thought of getting helmets from our home but then idea was dropped considering the time limit although we knew that police is standing at GGN-DLI border but we thought of taking risk. We were total ten number riding on 5 bikes – I, Pankaj, Kanav, Bond, Dhami, Rajat, Gulati, Dharamveer – Dhami’s brother, Gurpreet – all s/w engineers working at CE, Siemens, TCS, flextronics and Rahul Sabbharwal – IIMA passout of this year & Kanav’s classmate (he is going to join Lehman Brothers, New York next month). It was about 25 km ride and we were not stopped at border. Just after we entered in IIPM campus, gates were closed because of shortage of parking. There was a dance competition already going on. We had some food and then started the concert. Starting songs were slow, then they were bit faster but you know, Strings are notorious for not singing peppy numbers. So it wasn’t that good vicinity to dance to the fullest. They sang few fast Punjabi numbers and some disco songs too and those guys were interactin a lot with students. It was lotta fun out there.

Show ended at about 2330 and then when we were about to get out of gate, there was no space to move. Vehicles were standing in heavy traffic because of parking outside IIPM. We managed to get out of that crowd anyhow by displacing cars, making way in small distances etc. etc. and on the way, we saw that people had brought stuck cars on wrong side because of traffic on the other side, jamming all the way – O darling, ye hai India! It took us about half an hour to get out of that herd.

But problems had just started. We were stopped at border to show our bike docs etc. I had put helmet but other 2 bikers were not having them and hence, they were stopped and were asked to hand over the Registration etc. After imploring for some time, and handling Rs. 100 to those corrupt ppl, we were allowed to pass. That was big day for those cops.

Then we planned to have dinner at Alcatel food court and there we bunch of guys entered into Ladies toilet by mistake – it was big embarrassing moment when we were asked by supervisor of there to come out – actually the water cooler was just near to Ladies rest room and all of us, went into there after having water to fresh up. And the most annoyed guy was Rahul when he was called up and he thought that we had played prank with him.

Alcatel food court was closing, so we headed for Convergys call center at 01.00 and had dinner out there. Then we came back to Kanav’s home. Just after we left their place, we were stopped by cops standing at gate but I got remembered the borde incident, so I asked Pankaj to run from there and I speeded up. But Pankaj stopped and because he was threatned to take to police station, I had to come back when I was about 3-4 kms away from that place. And what I had thought, we had to get away by giving Rs. 200 to that constable because Pankaj was having all the docs except pollution certificate and I had run away – although they weren’t from traffic police but it was their right to check vehicles for all docs – isn’t that funny? This is the other face of India where you are charged on spot for your protection. Then you understand, why do people don’t want to pay taxes in India!

Protest in friendly way

Nitesh Gautam — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 06:35:00 +0000

Here I got a mail in which an ET debate is mentioned on the topic – “Is Premji right to go against job quotas in Wipro?” and I liked the way a person went against it except as expected most of the posts agree with him.

Here goes that different one -

Is Premji right to go against job quotas in Wipro?

I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let’s start the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for Muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that. Cricket rules should be modified accordingly. The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by a OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.

We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player. Any delivery above this speed should be made illegal.

Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters.

There can be reservation in Government jobs also. Let’s recruit SC/ST and OBC pilots for aircrafts which are carrying the ministers and politicians (that can really help the country…)

Ensure that only SC/ST and OBC doctors do the operations for the ministers and other politicians. (Another way of saving the country…)

Let’s be creative and think of ways and means to guide INDIA forward… Let’s show the world that INDIA is a GREAT country. Let’s be proud of being an INDIAN..

May the good breed of politicians like ARJUN SINGH(BS) long live…

Some more about reservation

Nitesh Gautam — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:09:00 +0000

I went thro’ this excellent article written by a graduate from IIM Bangalore and now currently working with HSBC, Investment Banking in London.

He is discussing about those who will gain and loss from this thing. Writer has clearly pointed out the loosers will include candidates of particular castes and our society. The ultimate winner will be the UPA govt. but that too for some time.

You can read complete article here – http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=65834#compstory

I am listing the conclusions and suggestions of this article.

Reservation quota: Who gains? Who loses?

Conclusion: A policy which has adverse impact on all the major stakeholders, being forced through to gain some votes by the our central government. On this auspicious occasion of Ram navmi, I just hope that Ishwar provides some intelligence to our political leaders!

Alternative suggestion: If the development of the backward class is the real agenda of the government, which in my view is a legitimate concern, I suggest starting a new program for them. It can be say, 1 year pre program training for them or, may be a different program of longer length than the normal one. But all of these will be short term measures, the real need is to tackle the problem from where it originates, right at the primary educational level, i.e. ensuring that all the children of this nation irrespective of caste or religion getting high quality education from their childhood!

Proposal for OBC Quota For IITs, IIMs and other national educational institutes

Nitesh Gautam — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 15:04:00 +0000

I dont know where will this reservation thing will bring India to. After more than 50 years of independence, we are fighting for more and more reservation to so called backward casts –

arent those shameful who dont dare to call themself backward and this nation as a developed country?

Or is there any controversy in these 2 statements?

What is the face of our nation that we are representing to rest of the world when we demand for 50% reservation (and most possible it will happen because of many of our b***** ministers) in each and every sector of this country?

On one stand, we and our ministers proudly declare this nation as one of the fastest developing nations which are going to rule this world within next decade. We are going to become world power, supreme power, blah, blah! Our nation is the best, this thing and that thing.

And on the other stand, we ask for the reservation to our minorities because they dont get much chance to grow. They dont get much resources to rise up. Then what the hell, you talk about development? Which development if our own ppl strive for their rights?

Either first statement or the second one is false.

Please, please, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee, give up dual mentality and realize that our nation is actually developing. Evone is getting enough chances to represent oneself, to get opportuinities and to show up. No one is facing partiality in any sector. Rather minorities are getting more chances than general sector to access resources to the max.

Reservation is not going to take our nation to anywhere but towards uncivilization, backwardness and anarchy.

Dont u think that this is also the one of the reasons responsible for brain-drain?

If you are interested in signing petition against it, go here -
http://www.petitiononline.com/No_Quota/petition.html

And what about demanding reservation for general casts after few years if UPA govt. kept taking decision like this one (another one was about introducing reservation in private sector)…courtesy few dumb ministers like A.S.*

I know that I have spoken more than limit, but thats because I m concerned about the evolution and growth of India.

Here goes the news -

New OBC Quota Proposal For IITs, IIMs, DU, JNU

Seats in Delhi University for the general category could shrink by 13,716 seats — down from 35,306 seats to 21,590 seats — and make admissions a cut-throat affair. In IITs, where the fight for entry is still more fierce, the general quota could be down by 1,330. And top IIMs (Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Bangalore), could face a seat cut of 210 in the general category.

This is if the Manmohan Singh cabinet passes a notification to introduce 27% reservation for OBCs in 20 central universities, the IITs and IIMs. The proposal, readied by HRD minister Arjun Singh, is already before the cabinet, but the current round of state polls is holding it up. The Constitution has already been amended for the purpose and no political party is objecting. If what appears impending is put off, it will be because of a popular uproar. In case of a rethink, admission to the central universities won’t be affected in the 2006-07. In IITs and IIMs the admission process is already underway and so there’s no change in the rules this session.

The discrimination in India

Nitesh Gautam — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 12:16:00 +0000

On Wed., Ashish Jha, who sits diagonally opposite to my seat in cubicle was missing till afternoon. Shikha told the reason that lands are being auctioned – only to IITians and she was asking others if someone from IIT, he can go for that.

This was first time for me that I was evidencing educational level discrimination and I was shocked. Till now, I was thinking that only caste and area based secernment is sucking this country’s life and making it lifeless but now here is another form of it and it is going to prove the most dangerous, if it continues. I can feel this as I have started feeling jealous of IITians…have I committed a mistake by not doing engg. from IIT.

Why, these discriminations????????????? Why then we boast of this country as self dependent and developed one????????? Caste based reservation was there for first 10 years according to our constitution, which never ended even when there are many from that category which have risen more than other general category ppl and they are enjoying the lustful life. Then why such discrimination. A son of a poor pundit (who worships in a temple at Varanasi) has to struggle harder than anyone else in order to soar high in life whereas a son of a reserved category or minority officer (who himself is already employed in a govt. firm) easily steps up in life on the basis of reservation provided to his caste. You can find millions of such examples in this country and I am afraid that one day this country will burst into the valcano of revenge and hate.

I am not criticizing the reservation or reserved classes but my concern is about the development of this country. Arent minorities having loss while stepping up easily on govt. corporate ladders. And isnt country having loss of having reservation in govt. sector? Day by day, govt. sectors are going into more and more loss and ultimately ending up in getting privatized.

May God, this country and its government realize the loss incured because of reservations as soon as it can happen.

Veer Bhogye Vasundhra