Vendor Politics - All Professions Are Respectable

Ridiculing a person for his profession in a classist manner using cheap invective is unbecoming of National level parties. This is not surprising at all since the citizens are very much aware of the degraded level of vote politics being played in the country. The people look forward to a strong opposition in the parliament as a means to strengthen democracy and not a grouping of people indulging in populism and unruly behaviour. 

This is also suggestive of the kind of people that come forward to manage the affairs in India. Well this certainly does not apply to one and all since there are many politicians of unquestionable repute in this country. But it is the proportion that matters, the participants with despicable thoughts, inclined towards corruption and are bound to be inefficient, roost the rule. This augurs bad for the country which is the largest democracy with a highly stable structure.    

Resorting to personal jibes in a manner not befitting of seasoned politicians has been a norm lately. The issue based approach does not apply to the politicians in this country. In their overzealous attempt to usurp political power all civilities are kept asunder much to the horror of the common man who is certainly not impressed.    

Opprobrium of lowest level are the highlights of the political campaigns. Insidious remarks, lowly vilification and slander marks the election campaign.

Nowhere is there an effort to bring forth issues that relate to the country neither is there an effort to highlight winning policies that the Nation desperately needs to come out of the quagmire of extreme poverty, illiteracy and phenomenal number of social anomalies that prevail. 

The meme deriding the "chaiwala" trade of our Prime Minister is nothing but a display of absolute arrogance. People in professions pertaining to small scale economy should not be an object of ridicule. To survive not all citizens of this country would be involved in professions pertaining to economy of high end scales. The instance is nothing but a National disgrace and people behind the episode should be taken to a severe task so that there is no repeat.

The apology does not mitigate the insult that has arisen out of this episode towards a person at an utmost respectable post. And if the instance has emerged from right under the nose of top figures in the party, it certainly would prove to be a negative impact on the outcome of the recent elections to be held.   

The ruling polity defines the meme as classist and anti poor and why not. Deriding a profession which appears lowly to some speaks only of an attitude not befitting politicians who could be managing the country in the future or are already doing it.

I think this embarrassing episode should remind politicians where they are heading. Citizens look desperately towards the country managers for solutions that would mitigate tremendous problems and difficulties that the common man is experiencing even after seventy years of independence.    

Padmavati - A Case of Surpassing Artistic License?

Well the title does not tells the truth, as the film has not been screened to the public. I have not seen it. May not see it, since I do not see films..often. 

Only a handful of people probably journalists and politicians have seen the film. A journo article I was reading in the local Hindi daily was nothing but praise for it. He was privileged enough to have attended the closeted premier. 

No one it seems has been able to gauge  the reason behind the eruption of massive protests in Rajasthan as well as all over the country. This keeping political opportunism aside. 

The one primary reason that I seem to understand is that the eruption of protests against the film as the Queen - adored by all of us - is being projected on the screen, perhaps relegating her to a commoner status. No one in his right mind would like the personae to be seen dancing or frolicking about like a commoner. This may sound chauvinistic but the sentence bespeaks true emotions of the masses of which I am one. But of what I have heard so far such sequences have been presented in a sanctified manner in the film?   

Another reason for the protests could be apprehension that the artistic license could have been crossed over surpassing the limit. Rumours always acerbate issues which is in the case of the film Padmavati.      

The media makes matter worse in spite of playing the constructive role of an eye opener and an educator. The puerile debates like questioning the very existence of the honourable queen is itself provoking.  

Sometimes Hindu Nationalist or Right bashing appears that Hindus in general are being subjected in guise for a gleeful ridicule. This is the work of pseudo secularist and opportunists with communal bend of mind.    

In democracy the right to protest is very much apparent, but violence and threats have no place in a civilised society.  People of this country should adopt a very broad and rationalistic outlook shunning aside old ideologues and dogmas impractical in the contemporary world.

But then there is an audience limit as is the artistic or expressive limit of the authors and creators. If you err by hurting sentiments of people by going recklessly overboard it could result in chaos, loss of life and property and what not.

I hope great director that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is has not erred, and has been circumspect enough in projection on the screen truth nothing but the truth.       

Tiger in India: A Species Invasion?

Tiger Pic Mukul Yadav

Species Invasion 

Or is it an invasive species? The tiger I mean!

From the cold confines of Siberia in the Palearctic region the tiger migrated into India about ten thousand year back. This happened much after the tectonic plate movement and the submergence into the Asian mainland.

A lot has changed by the tiger migration which have taken place all over Asia. The predator became tertiary carnivore and occupied the top of food chain in many ecosystems. In many cases it has become an indicator species as well. The prevalence in a region of this big cat does augur preservation and protection by the virtue of its indomitable presence. Even the Project Tiger for the conservation of this species in India benefits the whole ecosystem and its elements. Hence all seems to go well by this natural time bound invasion. Moreover it has not displaced the Asiatic Lion which was its precursor having arrived from the Ethiopian Region. The two big cats subscribe to two extremely diverse habitats in India.    

Cultural Invasions

Well is this not akin to an invasion similar to that of the Mongols, Moguls and or that by the British? This question deems pertinent as after all we too belonged to the same ecosytem aeons back. But this is not anymore since we have completely alienated ourselves from the natural World and created our own colony on Earth.

The demographic and cultural changes in India brought about by invasions are a major challenge to the country faced with an internecine battle between inherited cultural ethos and the adapted foreign practices and beliefs which will take a long time to naturalise. The division of the country is an example of the effects of disruptive invasions. But this phenomenon will continue to prevail in some form or other, it is our capacity to absorb and integrate that will result in existence in harmony. This virtue will eventually sustain a diverse but unified system which we call our country.    

Humans

More than the invasive animal and plant species, humans have managed to colonise the Earth in disastrous proportions, and multiplied to such extent that our survival is slowly being threatened by limitation of natural resources and our own irresponsible usage. This is nowhere more evident elsewhere than in a heavily populated country like ours. Another threats arises from our lifestyle which aggravates the consumption, and not to forget chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The rapidly evolving strains of deadly microbes is another invasion that is threatening our survival.      

A species invasion is understood as that which invades and then rapidly populates in an ecosystem that is not native to it. But this does not necessarily mean the specie is not compatible with  complex web of life and abiotic factors that prevail in the area under conquest. On the contrary the invasive species often propagates unchecked eventually damaging the habitat, disrupting the ecosystem and over powering native species to the detriment of environment. Many species have become by unnatural species invasion triggered by humans. The Dodo is a living example besides rabbits and dogs in Australia.    

The Tiger

Invasions are disruptive? Well not always, those which are time bound natural spread of species manage to settle down with ease learn to coexist and eventually become part of the ecosystem - ineradicable and indelible. In case of the tiger this has proven to be the case. The slow spread can be attributed to adaptive changes the animal had to undergo in order to survive under changing weather conditions and the new habitats containing unfamiliar elements. 

The tiger conservation in India is not a sentimental or elitist approach as it appears to some. It is downright sensible and practical  approach, keeping in tandem with our Vedic cultural inheritance that makes us realise the value of the environment and those of the elements contained within.       

The Battle      

After a successful habitation of the subcontinent, the survival of the tiger was insured in India. Hunting as sport was prevalent way back but it did not take a toll of the species. But with the development of modern  weapons hunting turned from sport into an elitist addiction and egotist fascination this proved to be destructive on wide scale. Another factor detrimental to the tiger's survival in India was the vermin concept that the British brought along with them. This resulted in mass destruction of not only the big cats but many other carnivores. 

The invasion of agricultural practices became more destructive to the habitats with population explosion in India. Unable to produce food for a rapidly growing populations habitats including the forests all over the country where cleared with fervour and converted into farm land. This also resulted in unchecked settlements into deep recess of remote confines which had been left untouched since aeons. There was no recourse, the country had been checkmated by the population explosion beyond redemption. This is what rabid industrial developments is auguring in the country resulting negative climate change, global warming and pollution of uncontrollable magnitude.               

The rapid conversion of habitats, hunting beyond  proportion and urbanisation of settlement sounds like a death knell for the tiger. During or post 19th century the animal's population began to dwindle unchecked. But it was in much later era that realisation dawned upon us of the species imminent extinction.   

Battle Continues 

The decline in the status of the tiger continued unabated post independence. It was in the sixties that the extreme threat level was acknowledged. The wildlife protection act and the initiation of Project Tiger Conservation Program by the Government of India has augured hope for the hopelessly embattled species on Earth.