Central Govt Not Enacted Law To Prohibit Candidates

It is most refreshing, most reassuring and most remarkable that the Madras High Court has just recently on 13 August 2020 in a well-reasoned, well-articulated, well-worded, well-analyzed and well-balanced judgment titled Jamuna Vs 1. The Secretary to Government, Government of India, 2. The Lieutenant Governor, Puducherry, 3. The District Magistrate-cum-Authorised Officer, Puducherry in H.C.P. No. 90 of 2020 has very rightly demanded from the Centre as to why it does not enact a law to prohibit candidates with criminal background from contesting elections to the Parliament as well as State legislatures as suggested by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on September 25, 2018 in Public Interest Foundation v. Union of India? The Madras High Court also noted alarmingly that persons with criminal background are becoming policy makers in many parts of the country. Time and again eminent persons have raised their extreme concern on this but Centre from 1947 till now in 2020 has shamelessly turned a deaf ear to it just like it has done in the case of setting up of more benches in big states like UP which has just one high court bench set up in 1948 in Lucknow that is just 200 km away from Allahabad where high court is located leaving the rest of UP especially West UP high and dry. People are compelled to travel whole night to Allahabad shamelessly by our shameless lawmakers who have decided just not to listen to even the recommendations of Justice Jaswant Singh Commission which recommended 3 benches for undivided UP in late 1970s at Agra, Dehradun and Nainital by not approving even a single even while approving benches for other smaller states like Aurangabad in Mahrashtra, Madurai in Tamil Nadu and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal nor to the 230^th report of Law Commission of India which recommended setting up of more high court benches! Should we be all as good citizens of our country feel really very proud of this?

Bluntly put: Why for getting a government job even as small as a police constable, we see that there is a proper police verification and even if one false case is registered, the candidate is promptly barred from getting any government job? Why if that very same candidate commits thousands of crimes like rape, murder, gangrape, dacoity, robbery etc in different cases, still he/she would be eligible to fight in elections for becoming an MP or an MLA even from jails on the pretext that the case is “politically motivated” or it is still pending in one court or the other which is yet to be decided? Not just this there is no need to have any educational qualification to become and MP or an MLA! Can there be a bigger mockery of our democratic system and of Article 14 which talks about equality in our Constitution? Even God cannot help the country where criminals themselves become law makers!

To start with, this latest, landmark and laudable judgment authored by Justice N Kirubakaran for himself and Justice Ms. VM Velumani of Madras High Court sets the ball rolling by first and foremost pointing out in para 2 after noting in para 1 that the matter was heard through “Video Conference” that, “This Petition has been filed by the Wife of the Detenu against the detention order passed against her husband on 05.11.2019 in No.7/DM/RO/D2/PPASAA/2019 as he has got about 19 cases pending registered against him for various offences. Out of the 19 cases, one case was registered for the Offence under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code, one case was registered for the Offence under Section 307 of Indian Penal Code, three cases for the offence of dacoity and one case registered under NDPS Act and so on. Taking note of the above facts, this Court questioned the respondent as to why investigation has not been properly done and charge sheets are not filed even for the case pending from the year 2009 and directed, by Order dated 29.07.2020, to file a report regarding the stages of investigation in the cases registered against the detenu as well as the details of pending trial cases.”

Going ahead, it is then disclosed in para 3 that, “Counter affidavit and a report has been filed on behalf of respondents 2 & 3 giving the details of the stages of the cases pending against the detenu. Out of the 19 cases, in one case alone in S.C. No. 43 of 2016, the detenu has been acquitted and the other cases are pending.”

Alarmingly, it is then disclosed in para 4 that, “It is evident from media reports that criminal elements in Puducherry have close connection and support of political parties. Political parties are having criminals as their members and also office bearers. It is brought to the notice of this Court that many cases are relating to inter-gang rivalries and country made bombs are used to murder the opposite gang members. Totally in 5 cases, country made bombs were hurled by the detenu and his associates. Only in two cases, charge sheets have been filed in Crime No. 95/2015 dated 15.06.2015 on the file of Odiansulai Police Station and in Crime No. 98/2019 on the file of Thirubuvanai Police Station in which offences under the Explosives Substances Act, 1908 have been invoked. So far, no charge sheet has been filed in Crime No. 98/2019 wherein double barrel country made gun was used. The detenu and his associates are said to have used country made bombs for murdering one Velazhagan S/o Iyyavu on 19.04.2017 and a case has been registered in Crime No. 40 of 2017 under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code and 3 of Explosive Substances Act, 1908 and thereafter, the case was transferred to CBCID, Puducherry. Though the case has been registered in the year 2017, the sanction for prosecution under Explosives Substances Act has not been granted by the Government. Only after this Court questioned the attitude of the Respondents by virtue of the order dated 29.07.2020, sanction has been granted last week and chargesheet has also been filed in the said case, Mr. Bharatha Chakravarthy, learned Public Prosecutor would submit. This Court is justified to observe that three years delay in granting sanction for the case registered in the year 2017 is only due to political support enjoyed by the accused. In 2015 case, not even investigation is over for the past 5 years. This would speak about his clout with political parties, especially ruling parties and Police. But for political interference, Police would have filed charge sheets.”

More alarmingly, it is then also conceded in para 5 that, “This would only go to show the lethargic attitude of the police even in the cases involving heinous criminals that too murders by using country made bombs. Many murders are committed cruelly by throwing country made bombs. In three cases registered against the detenu, the detenu and other accused had used country made bombs for committing murders. In 2018, Former Speaker of Puducherry, Sivakumar was murdered by a gang in the same fashion, by hurling country bombs. It is reported in media that even some of the Ministers and Legislators are being given security by rowdy gangs.”

Furthermore, it is then brought out in para 6 that, “It is submitted by Mr. Bharathy Chakravarthy that in most of the cases, accused would be more than ten persons and they will not co-operate with trial and cases are pending because of the Non-Bailable Warrant issued against the accused. Since the cases are pending for a long time, the Courts are compelled to split up the matters and thereafter, conduct trials. This has to be taken into consideration by the lower Courts while granting bail, as the accused violate the bail conditions.”

Honestly speaking, it is then candidly conceded in para 7 that, “It is appearing in the Media that rowdy gangs are operated by many politicians, communal and religious leaders throughout the Country. There seems to be a syndicate between the police force, political leaders and rowdy gangs and hence, the safety and security of the people are jeopardised.”

How can all this be allowed to go on with impunity? But Centre has allowed this to happen right under its nose and even Supreme Court has been a silent spectator to it! This is exactly what is damaging most our image of being a truly democratic country!

While giving a piece of sensible advice to our political parties, the Bench then observes in para 8 that, “Further, it is reported that persons with criminal background are becoming policy makers in many parts of the country and the same has to be prevented and the system has to be cleansed. This is possible, only if the top leaders of our political parties are firm in not admitting the criminals in their political parties. The leaders should have a vision for decriminalization of politics. If criminals are accommodated in political parties and given tickets to contest elections and elected as M.L.A.s, M.P.s, and made as Ministers, wrong message would be sent to the people.”

With due respect to Madras High Court, it must be pointed out here that it is an unpalatable truth that criminals facing serious criminal charges like rape, murder, dacoity are becoming MLAs, MPs and Ministers because our judiciary has given them the long rope even while simultaneously ensuring that for small jobs there is so much strict checking that even one case filed wrongly by someone in enmity can end the chances of getting a small government job! Wrong message is being sent to the people since 1947 yet no law made till 2020 to bar criminals from contesting elections! Here lies the real rub!

Needless to say, the Bench then very correctly and commendably points out in para 9 that, “Persons with criminal background should not become policy makers. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released a report “Lok Sabha Elections 2019 – Analysis of Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of the winners” and it revealed that 43% (233 out of 539) elected MPs have serious criminal cases pending against them. Therefore, the Central Government has to come out with a comprehensive legislation to prohibit persons with criminal background from contesting elections to Parliament, State Legislatures and local bodies as observed by the Constitution Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Public Interest Foundation and others vs. Union of India and another on 25^th September 2018. Para 119 of the above Judgment is extracted as follows:-

“119. We are sure, the law making wing of the democracy of this country will take it upon itself to cure the malignancy. We say so as such a malignancy is not incurable. It only depends upon the time and stage when one starts treating it; the sooner the better, before it becomes fatal to democracy. Thus, we part.”

Indian Democracy should not be tainted by criminals. Further, it is seen that some of the criminal elements are floating political parties on their own with the support of their religion or communities and the same is required to be prohibited.”

Finally and far most significantly, it is then held in para 10 that, “In view of the above, this Court, Suo Motu, impleads, “The Director General of Police, Puducherry”, as party respondents to the proceedings and Mr. Bharatha Chakravarthy, learned Public Prosecutor (Puducherry) takes notice on behalf of the newly impleaded 4^th respondent, Mr. G. Kathikeyan, learned Assistant Solicitor General, assisted by Mr. S.S. Pajaniradja, Central Government Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the first respondent shall answer the following queries:

(i) How many rowdy gangs are active in Puducherry as well as in other States?

(ii) How many persons with criminal background are accommodated by various political parties as top office bearers and District Secretaries and the details of the criminal cases registered against those persons and their position in the respective political party?

(iii) How many History sheets have been opened for the past ten years in Puducherry?

(iv) How many murders have been committed by Rowdy Gangs in Puducherry as well as in other states?

(v) How many cases have been registered so far against the rowdies and what are all the stages of the said cases in Puducherry?

(vi) Whether witnesses in the said cases are threatened to turn hostile so as to get acquittal in Puducherry?

(vii) How many years it takes for a criminal case, especially a murder case to get disposed of in Puducherry?

(viii) How many persons have been so far detained under the Goondas Act for the past ten years in Puducherry? (Each year detail to be given)

(ix) Whether Rowdy gangs are using illegal arms like Pistols etc., apart from using Explosive Substances?

(x) If so, in how many cases, the illegal weapons have been used?

(xi) Why not the Central Government enact a law to prohibit candidates with criminal background contesting the elections to the Parliament as well as State legislatures as suggested by the Constitution Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 25.09.2018 in Public Interest Foundation and others vs. Union of India and another reported in 2019 (3) SCC 224?

(xii) Why not the Puducherry Government enact a law like Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 to control the criminal activities in Puducherry?

In essence, it would be perfectly in order for Centre to pause, ponder and plan on the volley of queries that have been posed in this noteworthy case by the Madras High Court and answer them to the fullest satisfaction of the court which has posted the matter to be listed after two weeks! Just strong political will is needed to do this to ban criminals from entering politics and if Centre is able to do this, it will only enhance its own credibility in the eyes of not only the courts but also the common man! The earlier this is done, the better it shall be for our national interests!

No doubt, if criminals are barred permanently from anyhow entering politics then our democratic system will slowly start coming back to shape which is the crying need of the hour also! Why can’t this present dispensation led by PM Narendra Damodardas Modi do within its own territory when it can carry out surgical strikes deep inside the territory of a hostile country like Pakistan and also suitably amend Article 370 of the Constitution and repeal Article 35A much to the chagrin of China and Pakistan?

Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,

s/o Col BPS Sirohi,

A 82, Defence Enclave,

Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.

A break from social media

How often do you use social media? Are you spending too much time on Facebook and losing out time for doing something worthwhile? If yes, then you are not alone in this case. According to reports, an average user spends 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social media in 2020.
Social media has become an inseparable part of our everyday life. It is always there with us right from the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep. Social media has both it’s share of advantages and disadvantages. Facebook at one hand helps bring the community closer and let’s one find new friends and connect instantly while on the other side social media at times affect one’s mental health easily when people start comparing their lives with others and land up being depressed.
A break from social media at times, therefore, becomes a necessity to get back your sanity and most importantly to break free from its spell. Some of the ways to snooze social media can be the following.
1) Put down your phone- when you are with your friends you should make it a point to not check your phone every now and then and enjoy being with them at the present. Living in the present and enjoying the moments should be more important for you than being there just for the sake of posting stories on social media. While being with your friends keep your phone upside down so that you won’t check it often.
2) Schedule “social media free days” –
Take a day off or two from social media. Decide on a day or maybe choose the weekends to not waste your time scrolling Facebook or Instagram but instead try to invest your time on learning new skills or doing something productive. Get back to your long lost hobbies. Enjoy your weekend by spending quality time with your family or meet new people offline.
3) Turn off notification – you can turn off notifications of the apps where you know you waste excessive time than required without even knowing. Set alarms or download any app that would restrict your screen time and limit your access to social media, ultimately helping you get rid of its addiction.
4) Respond offline- try staying in touch with your friends offline. If you get any birthday notifications on Facebook, or if you see your friends getting married than instead of writing congratulations on their posts, better make a phone call and congratulate them. This would have a greater impact on your friendship.
5) Deactivate social media altogether- well, this could look like an impossible task for many, but you can at least give it a try for a week. Challenge yourself to take a break from social media for a week and see the amount of time you have saved from getting wasted on scrolling the screen looking at memes, viewing people’s stories and feeling miserable about not having such an adventurous or romantic life like most people try to show on their social media platforms of living a perfectly happy life.
So readers, try doing the above-mentioned steps, if you truly value your time and if you think you can utilise it on doing certain other productive activities. We all have to live in the real world in the end, so socialising with people in reality than socialising more online would help you grow better in life. Go ahead and try taking a break from social media, today. You won’t regret it, for sure!

Black Man Shot by Police in Wisconsin, Protests Follow

Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man was shot in the back by the Wisconsin police in the city of Kenosha. The incident happened on Sunday, while he was walking towards his car and was shot several times in the back. His three young sons witnessed the shooting from the car and were screaming after seeing their father being shot. Video footage of the shooting was shared on social media, which was taken from across the street, it shows the father-of-three leaning into the car. An officer is seen grabbing his shirt after which seven shots were heard. It is unclear what had happened before the video recording begun. He survived the shooting and had a surgery. His father had told the newspapers that his son is paralyzed but the doctors do not know whether its permanent.

At night, groups of protesters defying a dusk-to-dawn curfew gathered outside the courthouse. They confronted law enforcement officers in riot gear outside the county courthouse which was blocks away from where Jacob Blake was shot. They were shouting and tossing water bottles after which they were responded with tear gas and pepper balls.

Despite the curfew, demonstrations erupted on Sunday night, which lead the authorities to close public buildings. Governor Tony Evers have ordered National Guard troops to be deployed in the city to maintain order. He has condemned the incident and “the excessive use of force” and called for a special legislative session next week in order to reconsider police reforms. Protestors marched on the streets from Monday night into Tuesday morning. Many commercial and government buildings and vehicles were set ablaze. The disturbances and protests had slowed down by early morning. According to a protestor, the police used tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. Protestors were marching peacefully but a small group suddenly got violent and started setting fires and breaking glass. The instigators who were seen were reported to be white. After the demonstrations ended, the police and demonstrators had worked together to clean the debris.

The incident occurred three months after the death of George Floyd on May 25. The Black man was pinned to the street under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis. The incident sparked protests, against police brutality and racism within the U.S. criminal justice system, across the country and abroad.

Black Lives Matter activists have demanded the arrest of the officers involved in it. Attorney Crump, who also has also represented Floyd’s family, said in a statement, “Blake had been trying to de-escalate a domestic incident when the officers first shot him with a stun gun. As he was walking away to check on his children, police fired their weapons several times into his back at point-blank range.”

Sunday’s shooting had been termed a “domestic incident’ which the police responded to. According to a police statement, they had immediately taken him to the hospital. Authorities have given no further explanation of the details of the incident or what had led to the shooting. The officers who were involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. The Wisconsin Department of Justice said on Monday that the investigation is underway.

IS BOLLYWOOD INDUSTRY SAFE?

The happenings this year had made everyone realize that life is not as easy as it seems. Whether we talk about physical or mental health or the patience required to deal with certain stuff.

One such issue which had gained importance these days is the life of persons connected to the film industry. It had gained a name of just a glamour industry and nothing else. The death of Sushant Singh Rajput had left everyone speechless, people are questioning the cause, talking about curing depression, ill effects of having money and being popular, and much more. The CBI is coming with whole new shreds of evidence that had made the matter more grave. Now the suicide is being claimed into murder, the question which each parent and youngster planning to come into this industry is facing is that Is this industry safe for their child or for them? Is the motive of life is just earning money? Is there is something more than nepotism and jealously? Is this industry a career-oriented one? Is it just the good side which we see and there are secrets hidden from everyone?

This lead to deeper thinking in terms of people choosing passion in form of their career, did this industry do justice to them? There are many more questions which we ask ourselves every day. The reason we do not know the real struggle of some celebs is because it is never made public.

The incident rose many insecurities among people related to this industry, it has somehow exposed the reality of their life which is dark. To be popular and get into the eyes of the public they are doing every effort without realizing the fact that they had gone far and is wrong. Nobody nowadays is clean, you never get to know when your success and achievements become a stone in other paths and this is proved by this industry. But not everyone supports the negative cause, people have the right to raise their voice which in this case is beautifully portraited.

Climate Change

The phenomenon of rising temperatures of the Earth resulting in change of climate, seasons, rainfall patterns etc. Is called global warming. Global warming and its effects are together referred to as Climate Change. While these changes have been seen before but the rate of change has increased rapidly from the middle of the 20th century. Findings from different recognized scientific organizations support these claims. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “human influence on climate has been the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20th century”. The emission of greenhouse gases as a result of human activities have been one of the largest causes for this. Fossil fuels, Chloro-fluro carbons (CFCs), deforestation, rise in different forms of pollution are all behind this.

Temperature change is also accompanied by loss of snow cover, melting permafrost, frequent natural disasters like cyclones. Land surfaces heat more quickly which have resulted in heat waves, forest fires, increase in desert area. These temperature changes are the highest in the Arctic region. Changes in environmental conditions have led to extinction of several wildlife species in forests, coral reefs etc. Rising carbon dioxide emissions lead to rising sea levels, ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. These changes bring in frequent droughts, extreme weather conditions affecting the equilibrium and natural balance.

Almost all countries have come together for climate change under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The convention aims to “prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. It has instructed policy makers that there is much greater risk to human and natural systems if the warming goes above 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. Under the Paris Agreement, nations have made climate pledges to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but even after following those, global warming would still reach about 2.8 °C by 2100. To prevent this from happening and limit the warming to 1.5 °C, methane emissions need to decrease to near-zero levels and carbon dioxide emissions should reach net-zero by the year 2050.

Governments should act immediately and policies should be constructed to reduce fossil fuel emissions, increase reforestation, forest prevention, use of low carbon energy technologies, food preservation. All societies should work together towards dealing with future global warming problems in a scientific way. Development of more resistant crops, better disaster management should also be considered.

Several international movements have taken place like Fridays For Future where school students take time off from school to aware people and demand climate change action from governments. They demand action from political leaders of the world for the fossil fuel industry to convert to renewable energy and take immediate measures for climate change. This movement was publicised after Greta Thunberg started a protest outside the Swedish parliament with a poster saying “School strike for climate”. She is an environmental activist who has spoken at several internationally recognised platforms. She started her journey as an activist from the time when she had convinced her parents to change their lifestyle for reducing their carbon footprint. She is known for her straight forward manner of speaking at public platforms and criticizing world leaders for their failure to address climate change. She has participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (2018) and UN Climate Action Summit (2019). She has also got several awards and made it into the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2019). Though her popularity at such a young age has made her a target of critics, but she continues to work and struggle towards her goal with indomitable spirit.

“Disabled”, “Physically Handicapped” & Mentally Retarded Offend Human Dignity

It has to be conceded with considerable generosity that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has just recently on July 14, 2020 has very rightly and remarkably in a latest, landmark and laudable judgment titled Malik Ubaidullah vs Government of Punjab etc in Civil Petition No. 140-L of 2015 (on appeal from the order of Lahore High Court dated 02.12.2014, passed in ICA No. 336/2013) directed the Government of Pakistan and its agencies to desist forthwith from using the words like “disabled”, “physically handicapped” and “mentally retarded” for persons with different abilities. The more socially acceptable term is persons with disabilities or persons with different abilities. Thus we see that even in Pakistan there is a paradigm shift in the way the Pakistan Supreme Court has went on to rule in this particular case! This is certainly welcome as the whole world has now started to recognize that the use of such words like “disabled”, “physically handicapped” and “mentally retarded” constitute an affront to them and they must be avoided always!

To start with, we see that in this noteworthy judgment authored by Syed Mansoor Ali Shah for himself, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed of Pakistan’s Supreme Court sets the ball rolling by first and foremost observing in para 1 that, “The Petitioner applied for the post of Senior Elementary School Educator Arabic (“SESE[Arabic]”) on the disability quota (“Disability Quota”) in pursuance to the advertisement put out by the Education Department, Local Government, Multan. According to the advertisement, in addition to the other posts, a total of 81 posts of SESE [Arabic] were advertised with 42 posts in female category and 39 posts in the male category at the Girls and Boys schools, respectively. Thereafter, only one Mst. Asma Qasim was appointed against the said post under the Disability Quota and the petitioner failed to secure a position. Admittedly, Mst. Asma Qasim with 62.78 Marks topped the merit list for the post of SESE [Arabic] under the Disability Quota and the petitioner with 43.53 Marks could not be offered a post. Aggrieved of not being offered a place, the petitioner challenged the selection process under Disability Quota before the High Court by invoking its constitutional jurisdiction. His writ petition was dismissed vide order dated 28.10.2013 and so did his appeal before the High Court (ICA) vide impugned order dated 01.12.2014.”

While proceeding ahead, it is then stated in para 2 that, “After hearing the parties and having gone through the record, the legal question that arises in this case is the manner of allocation of 2% Disability Quota for employment under the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981 (“Ordinance”). (The Federal Law is now a Provincial Law after the Disabled Persons (Employment & Rehabilitation (Amendment) Act, 2012, however, as this case pertains to a period before 2012, therefore, the Federal Law would apply in the present case). The Ordinance requires that 2% of the total number of persons employed by an establishment at any time shall be “disabled persons”. (As described in the statute. The more socially acceptable term is persons with disabilities or persons with different abilities.).” In order to fully understand the allocation mechanism of the Disability Quota under the Ordinance, it would be useful to first understand and the concept of Disability and the importance of role of employment in the lives of persons with disabilities (“PWDs”) as compared to persons without disabilities.”

While dwelling on the concept of disability, it is then expounded in para 3 that, “Disability means lacking one or more physical powers, such as the ability to walk or to coordinate one’s movements, as from the effects of a disease or accident, or through mental impairment. (Collins Dictionary – complete and unabridged, 12^th edition 2014). According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (“CRPD” or “Convention”) ratified by Pakistan in 2011, persons with disabilities include those who have long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

To put things in perspective, it is then brought out in para 7 that, “According to International Labour Organization (ILO) an estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age are PWDs. The unemployment among the PWDs is as high as 80 percent in some countries. Often employers assume that persons with disabilities are unable to work. In Pakistan, estimates of the number of persons living with disabilities vary between 3.3 million and 27 million. (Moving from the margin – Mainstreaming persons with disabilities in Pakistan. British Council & The Economist Intelligence Unit – 2014).”

While underscoring the pivotal role of employment in people’s lives, it is then envisaged in para 8 that, “Employment is equally important to all people, without it, social inclusion and economic independence are unlikely to be achieved. Among the crucial social functions that employment can facilitate are financial independence and social inclusion. It has also been found to improve social status, provide social support and enable workers to make a contribution, thereby leading to an increase in self-worth. Employment has the potential to improve a person’s financial situation, open up opportunities for social contact, build (new) friendships and increase people’s self-esteem. By contrast, unemployment can cause not only poverty and social exclusion but also result in a lower sense of self-worth. The effects of unemployment on physical health like symptoms of somatization disorder, depression and anxiety were significantly greater in unemployed than employed individuals. The situation for people with disabilities may have consequences of a greater extent as they tend to be looked upon as dependents of their families and relatives and are not expected to be gainfully employed or independent. Work has been, and will undoubtedly continue to be, central to all human societies.”

Honestly speaking, the Bench then graciously concedes in para 9 that, “One of the major difficulties faced by persons with disabilities is that employers have the erroneous assumption that these people will probably underperform in most areas of their duties – something which is actually not the case. Another plausible issue is that when the majority of workplaces are not made accessible to people with disabilities, employers will feel that they will have to make an unwarranted investment to provide facilities for people with disabilities, and some do not believe in the employment potential of such people.”

Significantly, it is then held in para 17 that, “In the present case the posts advertised for SESE (Arabic) were 81 which allows for one post in the Disability Quota, while if the Disability Quota is worked out on the total sanctioned strength of the posts of SESE [Arabic] it comes to 5 posts (see chart above) and 4 more PWDs could have been appointed against the said posts against the advertisement in question. Filling the Disability Quota on the basis of advertised posts is, therefore, detrimental to the interest and welfare of the persons with disabilities; is against the letter of the law and offends their fundamental right to life and livelihood and their right to dignity.”

More significantly, it is then stated in para 18 that, “Summarizing the above, we hold that: (i) the 2% (and now 3%) [After the Disabled Persons (Employment & Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act, 2012] Disability Quota is to be calculated on the basis of the total sanctioned posts of the establishment. (ii) In order to ensure fair and equitable representation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in every tier of the establishment, the total Disability Quota is to be further apportioned and allocated amongst different categories of posts in the establishment. The determination of different categories is on the basis of their distinct qualifications, selection criteria and separate merit list. (iii) In case the sanctioned strength of a post is less than 50, it will be for the establishment to allocate seat(s) from the overall Disability Quota against such a post. (iv) if a particular post is not fit for a PWD, the establishment may shift the Disability Quota and adjust it against another post in the establishment so that the overall Disability Quota is not disturbed and maintained at all times. (v) The advertisement for any category of post must clearly provide the total Disability Quota for that category of posts and the number of seats vacant under the said Disability Quota at the time of the advertisement.”

Most significantly, it is then held in para 19 without mincing any words that, “It is also observed that words like “disabled”, “physically handicapped” and “mentally retarded” deeply bruise and offend human dignity of persons with different abilities. The Federal Government and the Provincial Governments are directed to discontinue the use of these words in official correspondence, directives, notifications and circulars and shift to “persons with disabilities” or “persons with different abilities”. The view taken by the Lahore High Court in Barrister Asfandayar Khan case [Barrister Asfandayar Khan Tareen, etc. v. Govt of the Punjab, etc. (PLD 2018 Lahore 300)] is approved and must be given effect to.”

In essence, this recent, remarkable and righteous judgment by the Supreme Court of Pakistan vociferously coming out in open for the rights of persons with disabilities and persons with different abilities is quite refreshing and revolutionary in the sense that it directed the Government of Pakistan and its agencies to desist forthwith from using the words like “disabled”, “physically handicapped” and “mentally retarded” for persons with different abilities and instead use the more socially acceptable term that is persons with disabilities or persons with different abilities. There is no reason as to why this should not be complied with not just in Pakistan but also in each and every corner of the world! Persons with disabilities or persons with different abilities must be encouraged and admired so that they are motivated to further do better and there has to be zero tolerance for any sort of discrimination against them on any ground whatsoever! Only then can we call ourselves “civilized”! There can be no denying it!

Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,

s/o Col BPS Sirohi,

A 82, Defence Enclave,

Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.

The Joys of Volunteering

Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual of doing some work for the society as community service. It may include different forms of work. Some volunteers are specially trained in a particular field while some offer to help and join hands for a good cause freely. Volunteering has different sectors like medical, disaster management, education and upliftment of community. There are several NGOs and organisations which offer volunteering opportunities.

Photo by Abel Tan Jun Yang on Pexels.com

It can help you to make new friends, advance your career, and feel better. Taking some time out of our busy schedules and finding time for volunteering can be difficult for some of us. But you can start small for the sake of trying it out. Volunteering lets you help and reach out to people from different backgrounds and create social change in your own little way. It provides vital help to individuals and gives you a chance to make lives better. Surely it makes people’s lives better but it gives you greater benefits. Give a little time to volunteering and you will get a lot in return!

It helps you feel happier and healthier. Once you start volunteering, you will meet a lot of new people from different communities. Working with underprivileged communities makes us more aware of our surroundings and feel grateful about our own lives. Also, when you start doing something new it gives you a fresh start and brightens your mood. Most of us love doing new things. Volunteering will also help you spend some quality time outside of work. It will bring both fun and fulfillment to your life. It will help you combat better with issues of mental health like depression and anxiety. It will also improve your mood and give you immense joy. Seeing the smile on the face of a child will surely brighten your day.

You will meet a lot of new people. Your fellow volunteers will either be from similar fields as yours, which will definitely be a positive side or they will be from completely different walks of life giving you a chance to know about a lot of new things. If you are a person who struggles with making new friends, it is a great opportunity for you to start new friendships. Once you start working as a team with others, you will share your ideas and share responsibilities for carrying out a task. While working and planning together it is most likely that you will become great friends. This will also make you a more social person and increase your communication skills. Volunteering helps you to network with a lot of people. Especially if your career path values societal issues, it will be really helpful for you to meet important people and make connections.

Lastly it will help you enhance your career prospects. Almost all companies or educational institutions value a volunteering experience. They will be glad to know that you have been a part of something so meaningful. Volunteering increases your chances of getting selected and helps you improve your resume. It will also give you experience of working with a team and make you a more empathetic and responsible person.

The Enlightenment Age

The Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason was an intellectual revolution which dominated Europe during the 17th and 18th century. Enlightenment was the emergence and creation of ideas which challenged the existing notions of the world. It questioned the existing set of ideas and conceptions about religion, society and politics. Before this period, Europe was essentially a land dominated by religion. This intellectual movement was carried out by the Enlightenment philosophers like Baron de Montesquieu, Voltaire, David Hume and Adam Ferguson.

According to some, the beginning of the Enlightenment was after the publication of René Descartes’ philosophy of ‘Cogito, ergo sum’ (“I think, therefore I Am”) in 1637, while others belief the publication of Isaac Newton’s ‘Principia Mathematica’ (1687) began the Scientific Revolution and the beginning of the Enlightenment.

The philosophers and intellectuals challenged the clergy men who supported the traditional view of society. These new ideas influenced cultural practices like writing, painting, printing, music, sculpture and architecture. There was also significant progress in technology and medical science.

The key ideas of the Enlightenment were Reason, Empiricism, Science, Universalism, Individualism, Secularism, Freedom and similar others. The thinkers stressed on the primacy of reason to establish rationalist ideas based on fact. The key to expanding human knowledge was shifted upon empirical facts and scientific experiments. This concept of scientific reason was considered universal and could be applied to all situations. Philosophers opposed all traditional religious authority and stressed on the importance of knowledge free from all religious biases. They pointed out the creation of a form of knowledge which was not influenced by any religious ideas or superstitions. A secular idea was born and this spread quickly throughout Europe. This led to the belief that all individuals are same and equal despite their religious and philosophical views.

It was the idea of Individualism which was the starting point of all scientific knowledge. Science was the supreme form of knowledge as scientific facts were based on observation and experiments. This led to an increase in objective ideas and decrease in belief of superstitions. The philosophers wrote in a very direct way and took clear positions. They wrote about important changes and transitions going on in the society. A traditional social order was replaced by a modern State. The formation of a political State took place and the powers shifted from the hands of the Church to the State. Society was no longer dependent on the traditional religious institutions. It was believed that the application of reason and scientific knowledge could remove the cruelty and injustice from social institutions. The works of Voltaire instilled a desire for new ideas and belief in progress among the Europeans.

Thinkers like Saint Simon greatly influenced the societal processes. According to him modern society was threatened by anarchy and disorder. To bring back social order a Science of Society would be necessary. He constructed a ‘Social Physiology’ to bring order and stability in the society. He believed that modern society would flourish if science and industry were used for the service of humans. A major social re-organisation would be necessary to bring about order and proceed towards a successful social change which would bring about societal progress. Although his ideas were neglected at first, as Europe became engulfed with disorder and war, these ideas started influencing people. Eventually Saint Simon became a key figure in the liberal political movements of Europe.

Motivation:Cause of all actions

Why have i written this blog?why are you reading this blog?Why do you eat?Why do you love?

The answer to all of these actions is MOTIVATION!Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. It is what causes you to act, whether it is reading this article, getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge.So this blog will critically analyse the concept of motivation and help all of you to understand the reasons behind your actions.So lets get started!

Motivation describes the wants or needs that direct behavior toward a goal. It is an urge to behave or act in a way that will satisfy certain conditions, such as wishes, desires, or goals. Older theories of motivation stated that rational thought and reason were the guiding factors in human motivation; however, psychologists now believe that motivation may be rooted in basic impulses to optimize well-being, minimize physical pain, and maximize pleasure.

Motivation involves the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate behavior. In everyday usage, the term “motivation” is frequently used to describe why a person does something. It is the driving force behind human actions.

So lets analyse the mechanism of motivation

Drives and motives

Motivations are commonly separated into drives and motives.

Drives are primarily biological, like thirst, hunger, sleepiness, and the need to reproduce—all of which lead us to seek out and take part in certain activities. Drives are believed to originate within a person and may not require external stimuli to encourage behavior.

Motives, on the other hand, are primarily driven by social and psychological mechanisms, such as work, family, and relationships. They include factors like praise and approval.

INtrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Motivation can be intrinsic (arising from internal factors) or extrinsic (arising from external factors).

Intrinsic:arise from within the individual, such as doing a complicated crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem.

Extrinsic:arise from outside of the individual and often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.

In reality, our motivations are often a mix of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and the nature of the mix can change over time.Sometimes, intrinsic motivation can diminish when extrinsic motivation is given—a process known as the overjustification effect. This can lead to extinguishing the intrinsic motivation and creating a dependence on extrinsic rewards for continued performance.

Motivation v/s emotion

While motivation and emotion can be intricately linked, they are two fundamentally different things. Motivation describes the wants or needs that direct behavior toward a goal; in contrast, an emotion is a subjective state of being that we often describe as a feeling. Emotion and motivation are linked in several ways: both influence behavior and can lead us to take action, and emotion itself can act as a motivator.

The need to understand motivation

So at the end of this article,lets see what is the use of understanding the concept of motivation.Understanding motivation can:

Help improve the efficiency of people as they work toward goals
Help people take action
Encourage people to engage in health-oriented behaviors
Help people avoid unhealthy or maladaptive behaviors such as risk-taking and addiction
Help people feel more in control of their lives
Improve overall well-being and happiness

If you all liked this article,please do like it!

Thankyou!

Psychological impact of Covid-19

As a result of the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the Chinese city of Wuhan, a situation of socio-economic crisis and profound psychological distress rapidly occurred worldwide.

So this blog will look into various forms of psychological distress bought in by this pandemic due to educate and sensitize the readers about these issues.

Many psychological problems and important consequences in terms of mental health including stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, uncertainty during COVID-19 outbreak emerged progressively.Common psychological reactions related to the mass quarantine which was imposed in order to attenuate the COVID-19 spread are generalized fear and pervasive community anxiety which are typically associated with disease outbreaks, and increased with the escalation of new cases together with inadequate, anxiety-provoking information which was provided by media.The psychological reactions to COVID-19 pandemic may vary from a panic behavior or collective hysteria to pervasive feelings of hopelessness and desperation which are associated with negative outcomes including suicidal behavior.Importantly, other health measures may be compromised by abnormally elevated anxiety.

As the general population became increasingly exposed, anxiety-provoking topics related to this emergence of the health and socio-economic crisis need to be rapidly identified to early detect dysfunctional processes and maladaptive lifestyle changes potentially leading to the onset of psychiatric conditions.

So let us discuss the most important psychological impacts of COVID which are the root cause of other mental disorders :

-uncontrolled fears related to infection

This is commonly one of the most frequent psychological reaction to pandemics. Several existing studies demonstrated that those who have been exposed to the risk of infection may develop pervasive fears about their health, worries to infect others and fear infecting family members.

-Pervasive anxiety

Social isolation related to restrictions and lockdown measures are linked to feelings of uncertainty for the future, fear of new and unknown infective agents resulting in abnormally increased anxiety.Anxiety may be directly related to sensorial deprivation and pervasive loneliness.

-Frustration and boredom

Distress, boredom, social isolation and frustration are directly related to confinement, abnormally reduced social/physical contact with others, and loss of usual habits.

-LONELINESS

The final effect of social isolation is pervasive loneliness and boredom, which have potential dramatic effects on both physical and mental individual well-being. Pervasive loneliness may be significantly associated with increased depression and suicidal behavior.Unfortunately, the isolation is progressively enhanced by anxiety, panic or collective hysteria. Cognitive functions and decision making are firstly impaired by hyperarousal and anxiety and later by disabling feelings of loneliness.

After looking at these gruesome psychological impacts,it is crystal clear so as to how psychologically damaging this pandemic has been!The protective factors against these impacts include social support and psychological support.

Implementing community-based strategies to support resilience and psychologically vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 crisis is fundamental for any community.The psychological impact of fear and anxiety due to the horrible spread of pandemic needs to be clearly recognized as a public health priority for both authorities and policy makers who should adopt clear behavioral and interventional strategies to reduce the burden of disease and the dramatic mental health consequences of this outbreak.

ONLINE EDUCATION PROS V/S CONS

The Majestic year 2020 is marked by two major events.One is the Onset of the worst pandemic that the entire world is reeling under and the other as the title suggests is Online learning!

The Use of Online Learning or E Learning has skyrocketed in the recent times as the only mode of education in a social distancing setup.Indeed it is a necessity as education cannot be put to rest halting the progress of millions of students.As a coin has two sides,similarly online form of education has it’s own perks and drawbacks.So lets find out more!READ MORE

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is online-learning.png

Online schooling is a popular alternative to attending a brick-and-mortar college or university. Though online students don’t get the face-to-face experiences of a typical on-campus student, there are many benefits and advantages to online learning, also known as distance learning or e-learning.

While not every program or school imaginable has an online option, a large number of them do, and many programs are nationally or regionally accredited. Students can learn through online lectures, projects and discussions. Online degree programs are available at every level, from certificates to doctorates.

Owing to the Covid situation,organisations that used to vouch for traditional methods of education are now radically shifting towards online education because there is no other alternative.Earlier online education used to be an alternative, now it is the only choice for those who want to desperately continue their education.

When Online Education is the new reality,it is very essential to keep in mind it’s advantages and disadvantages to take maximum benefits out of it and also minimize stress levels.

ADVANTAGES

-Convenient Learning:It can be undertaken anywhere ranging from a tiny corner in the living room to a study table in the bedroom and without a particular dress code(still modest dressing is expected).

-No Infrastructure:No physical infrastructure such as building,classrooms and benches are required for online education.

-Less Travelling: In Online classes there is no need to undertake strenuous travelling routines as students can attend the classes from the comfort of their homes.

-Recordings:Unlike the Traditional Systems,Online Education system provides an option of class recording and hence students can re watch the class recordings to make concepts clear.

-Virtual Reality(VR):Teachers in the online mode can make use of Virtual Reality Techniques to make students understand complex topics in an interesting way.

DISADVANTAGES

-Motivation:The laid back nature of the online classes do not provide much motivation to the students.Students do not take online classes to be as serious as classroom and thus do not pay attention.

-Lack of Concrete Assessments:Online mode of education has so far not been promising for people with theoretical subjects as it is difficult to conduct heavy exams here.

-No practicals:People Who study medicine,chemistry and physics an understand how bad this can be!There are certain subjects which cannot be simply taught,practicals and experiments have to be performed to further the understanding.Online education does not support this.

-Stress on health:The negative impacts of online mode of education on the health of the students is indisputable!Several students have complained of migraines,back aches,eye pain and so forth.Students psychologically too have not been able to cope up with the sudden shift and are suffering.

Thus,Online mode of education is a tricky one and should be suitable for certain conditions,Since it is the only alternative now, educationists and policy makers should study the pros and cons to make amends in the present online education structure to suit the demands of students.We have to always remember that Education is fruitful only when it reaches learners effectively!

If you liked the article,do give it a like.

Thankyou!

Stay Knowledgeable!

B. R. Ambedkar

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian economist, politician and social reformer. He was also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar. He campaigned against social discrimination against the lower castes or Dalits of the country. Completing his doctorate from Columbia University and The London School of Economics, he gained reputation as a scholar for his research in economics, law and political science.

In the early phases of his career, he was an economist, professor and lawyer. Towards the later phases, he was actively involved in campaigns for India’s independence. He published journals and advocated for political and social rights for Dalits. He made a significant contribution to the establishment of the state of India. He was the first Minister of Law and Justice of India and the chief architect of the Constitution of India.

He had a Marathi family background and was from the town of Ambadawe in Ratnagiri district of modern-day Maharashtra. Ambedkar was born into a poor Mahar (Dalit caste), who were treated as untouchables and faced a lot of socio-economic discrimination. Although he attended school, Ambedkar and other untouchable children were segregated from the rest of the children and given little attention by teachers. They were not even allowed to sit inside the class. He had to sit on a gunny sack which he took home after school. When they needed to drink water, someone from a higher caste had to pour that water from a height as they were not allowed to touch the water vessel. It was usually the peon who did this for him and on days when the peon was not available, he had to go without water. He had later described this as “No peon, No water” in one of his writings.

During British rule, Ambedkar’s effort for the political representation of the oppressed untouchables of India bore fruit in the 1920s. The colonial state was forced to include two members from among the Dalits in the Round Table Conference in 1930. This eventually led to the framing of the Government of India Act, 1935.

From 1927, Ambedkar launched active movements against untouchability. He began public movements and marches to open up public drinking water resources for all. He led a satyagraha in Mahad to fight for the right of the untouchable community to draw water from the main water tank of the town. He also began a struggle for the right of Dalits to enter Hindu temples. In a conference in1927, Ambedkar publicly condemned the Hindu text Manusmriti (Laws of Manu), for ideologically justifying caste discrimination and “untouchability”. He ceremonially burned copies of the ancient text. On 25th December 1927, he led thousands of followers to burn copies of Manusmrti. Since then 25 December is celebrated as Manusmriti Dahan Din (Manusmriti Burning Day) by Ambedkarites and Dalits.

In 1956, he converted to Buddhism, initiating mass conversions of Dalits which eventually led to the Dalit-Buddhist movement.

A few days after completing his final manuscript ‘The Buddha and His Dhamma’, he died in his sleep on 6 December 1956 at his home in Delhi.

The Casteless Collective

The Casteless Collective is a Chennai based Tamil indie band.

The band currently consists of 19 members including Tenma (leader and music producer), singers Muthu, Bala Chandar, Isaivani, Arivu and Chellamuthu, Dharani (Dholak), Sarath (Satti), Gautham (Katta molam), Nandan (Parai and Tavil), Manu Krishnan (drums) and Sahib Singh (guitar).

Formed in the year 2017, the band was started by Pa. Ranjith and Tamil Indie Musician and Composer, Tenma, founder of Madras Records. The band’s name originated from the phrase ‘Jaathi Illadha Tamizhargal’ which was coined by the 19^th century anti caste activist C. Iyothee Thass. He was a social activist who urged Dalits across Tamil Nadu to register themselves as Tamils without caste in the first census in 1871. The band makes music to protest and rebel against the age-old caste-based discrimination and violence. Their songs are political which speaks against the inequalities of the caste system and oppression of women and minorities in Tamil Nadu.

The leader and music producer of the band, Tenma was preparing to put together a group of indie musical artists for the Madras Indie Collective in 2017 when he got the idea from Pa. Ranjith, of training Gaana musicians for it. They prepared auditions for over 150 applicants and looked for artists who had a socio-political motivation in their lives as well as musical strengths. A mixture of Gaana, hip hop, rap and folk musicians were brought together. About 19 singers were selected for the initial ensemble.

Jai Bhim Anthem (2018), Quota (2018), Magizhchi (2018), Vada Chennai (2018), Thalaiva (2019), Dabba Dabba (2019) are popular singles of the band.

It has broken caste boundaries by engaging with the current social and political issue in the state. Instead of making music for entertainment alone the band has tried to eradicate discrimination through its music. Their main intention is “to create political awareness through music and art” because “art which makes us question discomfort is beautiful”. The band is a collective without caste which aims to eradicate caste based and religious discrimination through music.

The Casteless Collective had their very first concert on January 2018 in Chennai. It was their first performance in front of more than 4000 people. The 19 members including one female artist, all dressed in identical grey suits gave a wonderful performance. Their cries of “Jai Bhim!” would be greeted with thunderous applause. They did not expect such a big entusiastic crowd and it was a very emotional experience for all of them. This was also because most of the artists came from small backgrounds and they had mostly performed in one or two funeral processions. The instumentalists who played katte and chatti were really overwhelmed as these instuments were restricted to only funeral events.

It was not a concert that had people head-banging or jumping to the beat of drums. Instead, the audience listened to the songs with rapt attention. They broke into applause and shouts of agreement whenever the lyrics hit home. The Bhim Rap, a song on BR Ambedkar’s life and work, was met with a very enthusiastic reception. So was the rap song that condemned honour killings in the name of caste pride which was a major social evil in Tamil Nadu. Another popular track, Madrasin Magizhchi, spoke about the small joys of living in Madras, despite being poor.

They say that people often ask them about the song lyrics and the stories about their experiences, so a discussion has begun. The band believes that social problems cannot be solved unless it is spoken about. Without discussions around caste-based discrimination one cannot attempt to eradicate the social evil. Their songs have already fulfilled their aim and created a stir among people. We hope that the band achieves greater heights and reaches out to everyone out there who has been a victim of caste discrimination and that it becomes successful in eradicating the malpractices of the system.

6 Amazing Indian Model Villages

These Indian villages are more liveable and happier than any other Indian cities, villages and towns. They are model villages of India resulting from individual initiatives and NPO initiatives often using the Indian government schemes.

Piplantri

Piplantri village of Rajasthan is a hope for Indian development and prosperity as many families still mourn the birth of a female in the community. Whenever a girl is born in the village, her family and all villagers come together to celebrate this occasion by planting 111 trees. Both are raised with equal respect. To provide financial security, a sum of Rs. 21,000 is contributed by the villagers and Rs. 10,000 is given by the family for every girl and kept as a fixed deposit which can be liquidated once she turns 20. In return, the parents are asked to sign a legal affidavit, which makes it mandatory for them to educate her, and prohibits them to make her marry before the age of 18. This move also tries to demolish the notion of girls being a burden on their parents. To save the plants from termite, villagers plant aloe vera around them. More than 3 million trees and aloe vera plants have been planted till now which is generating livelihood for many families. The trees planted include Neem, Sheesham, Mango, and Amla. This unique initiative was started by former village sarpanch Shyam Sundar Paliwal as ‘The Kiran Nidhi Yojana’ after he lost his daughter named Kiran in 2006. On Raksha Bandhan, girls tie Rakhi to tress. The villagers claim that this tradition has brought immense harmony in the village, and not a single police case has been registered in the last 7-8 years. Several villages nearby have started to adopt similar practice. The village today has eco-friendly gas stoves, toilets, solar lights, anganwaadi, healthcare centres, air-conditioned panchayat hall and modern schools.

Punsari village

Punsari village of Gujarat is regarded as India’s smartest village. It is rurban village. The word ‘rurban’ (rural+urban) refers to an area which has the economic characteristics and lifestyles of an urban area while retaining its essential rural area features. The village has clean and proper roads, schools and education system, 24-hour electricity supply in every household, school bus and public transport system, proper water supply and RO treated drinking water with minimum charges. The classrooms are air-conditioned. There is a good communication system between the panchayat office and the whole village to keep people well-informed and be available for help anytime they need. A public address system which covers the entire population with the help of about 140 loudspeakers installed all over the village. The village has good healthcare services and employment opportunities. It is a model village of India where there is WIFI, all chowk monitoring by CCTV cameras, solar street lights, with literacy rate of 100%. There is a bio metric system for Gram Panchayat Employees. The transformation of this village is achieved by the efforts of the village sarpanch (headman) Himanshu Patel through effective planning and utilization of central and state government funds. Mr Patel leads an 11-member committee which runs the village affairs including five are female members. Mr Patel says the village council has spent 140m rupees ($2.28m; £1.43m) on development schemes between 2006 and 2012. The state chief minister at that time was Narendra Modi, current Prime minister of India who envisioned to stop migration out of the village. It has been a partial success , as 15-20 families have returned to the village from the cities like Mumbai in recent years.

Punsari village documented

Mendha Lekha village

To enter this Maharashtrian village, we have to walk through a bamboo entrance, which points to the rich growth of bamboo in this village. The villagers living here are mostly the Gond tribe of Madhya Pradesh. There is a notice board at the entrance which says “At the centre, there is Delhi government. At the state, there is Mumbai government, but here we are our own government.” This shows the pride the 450 people take in the way they have used an unexpected opportunity that came their way to reap a fortune. Mendha Lekha became the first village in India to secure community forest rights (CFR). The village is famous for the bio-diversity of its deciduous forest and the struggle of its tribal community towards self-rule. Nearly 80% of the village area is forested and under the legally-recognised control of the villagers represented by the village general assembly (gram sabha). This whole land can be inherited and used but cannot be not sold. Mendha Lekha has proved that legal security of their rights to control, use, manage and protect their own resources and lives, through processes of self-powering, can make people end poverty, maintain food and water supply, and protect local biodiversity. And all this takes place much more effectively than capitalism and development programs created by central government.

Mendhe Lekha village and its story

Dharnai village

This village in Bihar has never seen electricity until 2014. The village is now fully solar powered. With the help of Greenpeace, the village installed a solar-powered micro-grid, which provides 24×7 electricity to more than 450 households and 50 commercial establishments. The entire project cost them 3 crores. Earlier, were forced to struggle with kerosene lamps and expensive diesel generators. This changed the lives of the villagers in many socio-economic and personal aspects. It created opportunities for female residents to access the public and personal spaces and move after sunset. Children can now study after sunset. People no longer needed to finish cooking before the sunset.

Dharnai village documented

Mawlynnong

This north-eastern village of India is considered as Asia’s cleanest village. Located in Meghalaya, the village has many beautiful and interesting places which include a strange sight of a big rock balancing on another rock. The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture and also offer community based eco-tourism opportunities. A dustbin made from bamboo plant is found throughout the village. All the waste from the dustbins is collected and stored in a pit, which is later used as manure. The villagers plant trees to ensure that the virgin forest is kept intact and also replenished and are currently working towards plastic ban. The village has a literacy rate of 90%.

picture source: http://www.northeasttourism.gov.in

Kedia village

This Bihari village is an ecological village which practices organic farming and have prospered since then. Apart from that, the village has proper water conservation systems and cleanliness is maintained throughout the village. No one in the village is suffering from any kind of serious illness. Every house in the village has electricity supply and uses biogas to save electricity and fuel. All the farmers of Kedia village, followed the ‘Living Soils’ approach under ‘Food for life’ campaign’ run by Greenpeace. This approach is targeted to restore the ruined agricultural practices, by reducing chemical dependency and improve soil health through nourishment of the soil with biomass-based organic practices and materials. By applying scientific methods, existing knowledge and experiences the farmers successfully restored the soil of their village by coordination and collaboration with government for machinery. The villagers till date use only groundwater and lake water for irrigation. The unique toilets of the village households have no underground tanks so that the human waste can be used as a natural manure later on. The results have brought prosperity and happiness to the villagers by ending the dependence on commercial chemical-based materials and enjoying healthier yields with a up to 80% reduce in cost of inputs. The village organizes and celebrates a festival of organic farming called ‘Jashn-e-jaivik’. Greenpeace mentioned that they were able to make organic farming easier and successful in this village “With the help of many governmental schemes like ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and ‘Jaivik Krishi Yojana’ besides MNGREGA. Inspired by this, other villages around Kedia have also started adopting similar methods.

Picture sources: 1. India times, 2. Gaon connection and 3. Greenpeace.

The Author

FEMINISM

Understanding the difference between biological determinism and social constructionism:

Gender differs in culture and personal circumstances, they shape the way men and women behave according to society’s norms and values, stereotypes bound to them.

Freud and parson theorized the biological determination of humans based on certain DNA, proteins, chromosomes, hereditary genes, etc. The BRUCE REIMER CASE ruled that social factors do not always override biological factors in determining gender.

Social constructionism means how gender roles are created by us in everyday lives. Margaret mead shows a distinction between men and women based on three societies:

Both are cooperative
Women were dominant, men were obedient
Both were aggressive and ruthless.

Masculine and feminine roles are learnt and shaped in cultural socialization and not inborn; biological specific. Many factors such as education, social norms and values, images identification and traditions influence our thoughts.

Concept of women and men are subject to change over time. The society in which we live is more anatomy rather than destiny, the roles segregated for males and females in past are started to get fade. Society and culture can no doubt shape the beliefs and standards for a certain society however we can not ignore our fundamental biological nature.

Strong social constructionism tends to suggest that the natural world has a small role in the construction of scientific knowledge.

Patriarchy refers to a society dominated by men i.e. society, state and economy are characterised by systematic, institutionalised and pervasive gender oppression. The term means rule by the father, which means that the patriarchal society is based upon male domination.

Women lack knowledge of their history of struggle and achievement has been one of the major means of keeping them subordinate. The denial to women of their history has reinforced their acceptance of the ideology of patriarchy and has undermined the individual women’s sense of self-worth.

There is a need to adopt political ideas which have proved helpful to strengthen the position of women in society.

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Drives and motives

INtrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Motivation v/s emotion

The need to understand motivation

Rate this:

-uncontrolled fears related to infection

-Pervasive anxiety

-Frustration and boredom

-LONELINESS

Rate this:

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this: