.

EDITORIAL

DEBASEMENT

There is total debasement even in matters concerning humanitarian succour. There was a time when our character was recognised with perfect synchronisation of ethos, cultural and other values. Both Ramayan and Mahabharata epics bear testimony to the very strong values for which father sacrificed the son and the son abdicated the throne that legitimately belonged to him. If Ram is revered by all devouts and that happens to be the last word on the lips of those leaving the good earth in this country of Gods, it is precisely because everything said or done by him reflected strong character rather than lust for power or other worldly comforts. If Lord Krishna sets the tone of Mahabharat epic, it conveys the message loud and clear for upholding values and fighting for one's rights and punishing those who grab others belongings. Mahatma Gandhi's dream was to have Ram Rajya in India once again after attainment of freedom but he must be quite disillusioned even in his heavenly abode about what India is today and...more

Kashmir Underground – V
An Afghan mercenary
raped 82 Kashmiri women

From B L Kak
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelli gence (ISI) has successfully..more

Today Orissa, it could be Kashmir tomorrow!
Tales of Travesty

By Dr. Jitendra Singh
The contribution of Rs One crore by the Jammu and Kashmir...more

Development
The Health of Women

By the year 2000, US$17 billion would be needed to cover .....more

The Eternal youthful Dev

By Zeenat Zafar
It is said that Rajesh Khanna got his first break the year.....more

Academic Pulse
Death of conscience

By Prof S K Bhalla
The criminal silence of the Professor of a Degree .......more

EDITORIAL

DEBASEMENT

There is total debasement even in matters concerning humanitarian succour. There was a time when our character was recognised with perfect synchronisation of ethos, cultural and other values. Both Ramayan and Mahabharata epics bear testimony to the very strong values for which father sacrificed the son and the son abdicated the throne that legitimately belonged to him. If Ram is revered by all devouts and that happens to be the last word on the lips of those leaving the good earth in this country of Gods, it is precisely because everything said or done by him reflected strong character rather than lust for power or other worldly comforts. If Lord Krishna sets the tone of Mahabharat epic, it conveys the message loud and clear for upholding values and fighting for one's rights and punishing those who grab others belongings. Mahatma Gandhi's dream was to have Ram Rajya in India once again after attainment of freedom but he must be quite disillusioned even in his heavenly abode about what India is today and how rapidly debasement has overtaken cherished values and national character. Instead of rendering humanitarian succour vultures and leeches rule the roost.

There is the news item that American humanitarian aid for super cyclone victims of Orissa contained thousands of blankets besides other items. In the normal course these blankets should have been immediately distributed to the affected sufferers of nature's wrath. Instead these blankets have landed in Cosmopolitan Calcutta market because of its very good quality that fetches handsome price. Instead, these stand swapped with low quality blankets that must have been purchased from the Kabadi Market. The million dollar question is even these poor quality blankets at all reached the victims. Some of these blankets have also found their way to high-ups in Orissa's bureaucratic and ruling hierarchy. After all it is American stuff. There are also reports many truck-loads of humanitarian aid that arrived from different states failed to be unloaded and most of the consumables perished. Orissa Minister does not feel ashamed when he informs that rescue and relief parties have not reached more than 90 to 100 villages in one affected district even after 10 days of cyclone. Why say 90 to 100? Why not the exact number. This is because minister himself does not know what is what and which is where. You can't say 90 to 100 people were killed. It has got to be exact number or else the statement should say till the last reports came in so many villages remained inaccessible. Was any attempt made to airdrop packets to such of the villages? The answer is no because the number of villages itself is not known.

Kargil relief story has no less significance in terms of debasement. Many committees, organisations and even individuals cropped up for collections to help the families of the victims. In Jammu itself orders had to be issued by the district administration to give donations only to those duly authorised to collect. One really wonders how much was collected and who are the end beneficiaries of such donations. There are others who were supposedly anxious to remit the same but did not know to whom. We have the latest, though belated, on Kargil relief collections from Madhya Pradesh. Power department employees of the State claim having collected and remitted nearly 2.25 crore to the State Government but only 1.75 crore stand credited. If this is the rate of siphoning off from a single department one shudders to think of the total loot not only in Madhya Pradesh but almost all the States which has never reached the legitimate victims. The debasement becomes total because Government becomes privy to it rather than checking the same. Yet the nation lives on, of course demoratically.

Kashmir Underground – V
An Afghan mercenary raped 82 Kashmiri women

From B L Kak

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelli gence (ISI) has successfully ar ranged more sophisticated and latest weaponry for imported mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir. Right from 1992 when the mercenaries were inducted into Kashmir, the ISI kept changing its techniques of motivating the mercenaries. First it was the Islamic card. Then there is the thrill of handling a gun and killing a kafir (infidel).

These and other details of the modus operandi of Pakistan-sponsored mercenaries are contained in Mr Sati Sahni’s book titled ‘Kashmir Underground’. The ISI is reported to be spending Rs 5 crores a month only on maintenance of foreign militants though the annual budget for the ISI’s Kashmir operation is around Rs 300 crores.

According to the book, while the foreign militants were given special training on orientation for operations in Kashmir by ISI at the training camps in Pakistan, the training included learning rudimentary Kashmiri language and being familiarised with topography of the area of infiltation so that they were able to operate without many problems or without raising suspicions. In January 1994, at many of the 90-odd training camps being run in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, the small batches of foreign militants were specially trained. These camps were manned by Afghan Mujahideen, veterans of Afghan war.

Again, in 1994, the ISI, the book stated, decided to raise special groups for different districts of Kashmir. This was done to train them specially for operation in specific districts. They were familiarised with its topography and important aspects of lives of people living there. One of their aims was to spread terror. Some of them turned barbaric. Ome Afghans and Sudanese among them broke off their victims and then slit their throats till they bled to death. They also indulged in beheading some of their victims.

The book has highlighted yet another horror-filled tactics of foreign militants in Kashmir: Rape of women was almost a regular practice with most of them. Many were subsequently killed because the militants did not want to leave any trace of their crime. According to the book, an Afghan mercenary in custody told Director-General of Border Security Force (BSF) in February 1994 that he had raped 82 Kashmiri women since his arrival from Pakistan.

Mr Sati Sahni’s equally interesting finding: Money is used to lure youth to join jehad and this is a big attraction for unemployed youth. In training camps they are put through branwash sessions. They are told of opportunities in Kashmir of extortion of money, forced marriages, local hospitality and entertainment by Kashmiri girls. Some of the arrested foreign militants have confessed that they had gone to Pakistan for seeking employment and were lured with attractive promises by ISI agents to "doing duty for Islam by joining jehad in Kashmir". Some of them turned out to be paid serial killers with no personal or emotional involvement with jehad.

The book says that while the foreign militant is sent to Kashmir on contract for two years, he is paid Rs 2 lakhs on deputation, and on return after successful sojourn he is paid another Rs 2 lakhs. Against this, an Indian security person, the book has calculated, is paid less than Rs 8,000 per month. A Kashmiri militant is paid Rs 1500 to Rs 2,000 per month. A foreign militant who motivates a Kashmiri youth for training in Pakistan gets Rs 5,000 for each recruit who is promised Rs 15,000 as an initial payment. Unemployment and poverty are fully exploited.

In the first two or three years of open insurgency in Kashmir, Mr Sati Sahni has recorded, there was no evidence of any marked presence of foreigners except as a few fraternal Pakistanis and Afghans assisting and guiding the local outfits. "It is now clear", Mr Sahni says, "that ISI of Pakistan had changed its strategy a number of times during this period when the tempo of the Kashmiri secessionist movement was rising". After the ground had been prepared in the Valley in the second half of the ’80s, ISI decided to give full and unequivocal support to the JKLF but soon realised that it was neither sound policy nor would suit Pakistan’s long term objective.

The ISI started promoting parallel groups. Some of them were dissatisfied elements of the JKLF and others were from the larger number of Kashmiri youths who had crossed over from the Valley in the first few months of 1990 with the first flush of success. The book says that for a few months ISI watched this experiment carefully and evaluated it rather closely. The Kashmiri militant leadership did not measure up to ISI standards like the Afghan mujahideen had done earlier. According to them the Kashmiris were not able to stand up to the Indian security forces and needed backup and direction in action.

Subsequently, the ISI decided to kill two birds with one stone. The book says that ISI devised a plan under which large number of Afghan refugees were to be located in semi-permanent settlements in sparsely populated areas of PoK. A few thousand selected out of them were to be sent across the LoC, into Kashmir to virtually take charge of the different outfits. These were the one who, according to the book, had been trained in the Markaz-e- Dawaar Al Irshaad. Its headquarters is near Lahore and controls and directs three main training centres, one each in Pakistan, PoK and Afghanistan.

The ISI, the book pointed out, had been studying and assessing the end results of the actions and exploits of the Kashmiri militants operating under different outfits. They seemed to be "thoroughly dissatisfied" with the casualties they were able to inflict. The number of personnel of Indian security forces killed or injured seriously was not commensurate with ISI’s "investment" in number of trained militants who had been provided with unlimited supply of latest and sophisticated arms.

The ISI felt that in contrast the casualties suffered by militants were proportionately higher than should be. The ISI, the book divulged, then decided that militants should be inducted from outside – they would be inbred with a sense of purpose, steeped in spirit of jehad, bolder and not afraid either to kill or be killed. They were highly motivated fanatics bred on verses of Koran and fired by the concept of Ummah – an Islamic world that does not recognise borders and frontiers.

The book has also divulged: Another reason for Pakistan to push more foreigners was distrust of Kashmiri militants. Some sections had started showing fatigue, some had started surrendering and others were lapsing into inactivity. Pakistan wanted better control over the activities of Kashmiri militants and hence needed to induct foreign militants. By sending them across to Kashmir, Pakistan loses nothing except some money. Some of the mercenaries had much knowledge about the political motivations of Pakistan and its designs.
(Concluded)

Today Orissa, it could be Kashmir tomorrow!
Tales of Travesty

By Dr. Jitendra Singh

The contribution of Rs One crore by the Jammu and Kashmir Government for the relief of the Orissa cyclone victims is a good symbolic gesture even though it drastically falls short of the actual requirements of the devastated region. And, while the financial aid pouring in from different quarters within the country and from abroad might succeed in making up to an extent the monetary needs of the relief work in Orissa, there are questions unanswered about the lack of perspective and initiative on the part of the human resources and administrative hands who were expected to respond to the needs of the crisis management. To that extent, infact, the Orissa tragedy is a reflection of how the state of affairs is being managed not only in Orissa but as much also in every other State of the country. That Orissa happens to be the first victim is only incidental. For, if today it is Orissa, tomorrow it could be some other State --- it could be Tamil Nadu, West Bengal or even Jammu and Kashmir!

Way back in the early 1940s, when a similar catastrophe took place on the eastern shores leading to massive famine conditions in the regions of Bengal and Orissa, an ailing Rabindranath Tagore, who lay dying, watched this with remorse and spared no words in castigating the then administration as he wrote, "The British will certainly leave India --- but what will they leave when they have to go?" Today, after 50 years of self-rule, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for the administrative lapses in managing a disaster like Orissa.

In "Discovery of India" written by Jawaharlal Nehru soon after the Bengal famine, Nehru had forewarned "The famine in India brought realisation of the terrible urgency of India's problems, of the overwhelming disaster that hangs over the country. Lack of food, lack of sanitation and medical supplies, lack of transport, lack of everything except human beings. --- Excessive population growing without notice or warning and upsetting the plans or planlessness of the Government ---". This is how half a century ago Nehru sought to define the priorities of sovereign Indian Government during the years to come and yet, at the turn of century after 17 years of Nehru regime, after nearly 20 years of Indira - Rajiv regime and after 50 years of independent rule, the same priorities stare at us --- unaddressed and unattended.

The Orissa sequence of events stand out as a glaring instance of this paradox. An announcement is made on the All India Radio and the Doordarshan about an impending cyclone of unprecedented proportions. But nobody takes it seriously because the Indian populace has learnt to dismiss the routinely faulty AIR announcements with the contempt they deserve. Immediately after the news of the cyclone breaks out, there is a general tendency to dismiss it as a sensationalised media version of one of the routine sea-storms that frequently sweep across the Bay of Bengal. Within next two days, however, when the gravity of devastation begins to dawn on the outside world, the revelation comes that the Chief Minister of the State was caught unprepared as he remained shut at his residence for almost four days before he called the first meeting to mobilise his administration. The relief money that arrived from the Centre took about three days to get converted into relief material and when the relief material finally arrived, there were no vehicles to carry it to its different destinations. The rest is history of monumental erosion of a system helplessly drained out by corruption, adhocism and lack of propriety.

Orissa has inadvertantly unveiled the ugly face of India masked by a thin veneer of prosperity and technological advancement benefitting a handful few. A nation incapable of rescuing itself from disasters is equally incapable of thriving in its progress. That is the ominous warning held out by Orissa.

Be that as it may, what is most atrocious is the nation's collective indifference towards the plight of its fellow-beings caught in a crisis. It is up to the common man now to shake himself out of this morbid complacence. It is up to Umapathy now to stir out of incessant inertia and declare loud and clear "Zindagi Jehad Mein Hai Sabr Ke Kaabu Mein Nahin ---"

Development
The Health of Women

By the year 2000, US$17 billion would be needed to cover the core costs of family planning and reproductive health programmes. This estimate, of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in 1994, also stipulated that of this amount, the international donor community's share was US $5.7 billion (US $6.5 billion after inflation). But so far, only US $2 billion have been received.

Donor countries have not met the ICPD goal of four percent ODA (overseas development assistance) to family planning and reproductive health. While developing countries have met more than two-thirds of their commitment in spending, poorer countries spent meager amounts on reproductive health due to debt re-payments.

These are some of the findings of a recent report 'Risks, Rights and Reforms', produced by the US-based Women's Environment and Development Organisation (WEDO). The report looks at the progress made by governments to carry out their commitments at UN global conferences, particularly the ICPD, and the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995.

WEDO collected the information through a survey, focusing on the impact of economic policies on women's health and services, and the impact of environmental conditions on health.

Questionnairs were sent to nearly 100 NGOs (non-government organisations) and governments. Eighteen governments responded, and as government and NGO reports were at variance, WEDO referred to UN documents and NGO policy analyses and academic research to check the information.

Of those surveyed, 28 countries confirmed that reproductive health was an explicit part of their national policy and a change of approach in policy and implementation was needed.

While some practices have changed, there are contradictions as well. For example, development cooperation agencies are under great pressure from their parliaments to show measurable achievements for funds allocated. This quantification places emphasis on numbers in acceptors of family planning, than on reproductive health.

The report found there have been drastic cuts in social sector spending, especially in areas hit by the global economic crisis--South East Asia, Russia, Brazil and other parts of Latin America, as well as those experimenting with economic reform policies. Devaluation of national currencies and increase in unemployment have thrown millions of families into distress.

In the health care sector, high user fees and insurance have been cited by 70 percent of the countries responding. Fee collection led to a drop in out-patient attendance by 18 percent, and a 12 percent rise among in-patients suggesting that people were delaying health care till absolutely necessary.

Half the countries reported that privatisation had made medical services more inaccessible especially for the poor, and women, elderly and immigrant and minority populations.

And, removal of price controls on pharmaceuticals and opening domestic markets to MNCs (multinational corporations), have prices of medicines soaring. In India, the increased cost of medical care is the second most common cause of rural indebtedness.

Half the countries mentioned drastic cuts in the budget allocation for public health services, resulting in specialist treatment only to the rich. In India, household spending in private health care accounts for five percent in rural areas and two percent in urban areas.

Half the countries reported costs of HIV treatment as a burden on over-stretched health systems. Countries have slashed their health budgets despite an increase in HIV cases.

Religious and cultural resistance to reproductive rights is greatest-countries during ICPD who entered reservations to abortion, adolescent sex education and services, and sexual and reproductive rights, continue to oppose these at home. The Roman Catholic Church and its Rome based affiliate, Opus Dei have used various techniques to discourage countries with Catholic majorities to proceed with commitments made in Cairo.

In parts of West Africa, Islamic conservatism has been flexing its muscles, says the report, to counter women's voices for rights and reproductive services.

Negative male attitude and discrimination against women also are a part of the persistent social and cultural constraint. Men's refusal to use condoms is a main reason for failure to use contraception and spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Besides health care and social cultural constraints, environmental factors also contributed to women's failing health.

Ninety percent of the countries report water pollution as a serious threat to women and health. Inadequate sewage systems continue to lead to untreated runoff in many developing countries. Problems in young children, says the report, are compounded by health effects due to contaminated water, resulting in typhoid.

The drive for increased productivity, says the report, has resulted in more women seeking jobs in the industrial sector. Many are effected by chemicals and other toxins in the environment.

Eighty-two percent countries report of occupational health hazards to women in the workplace, while 44 percent report reproductive health disorders as a result of chemical exposures.

Half the countries link rising rates of breast and other cancers to environmental problems, the highest rates being in industrialised countries.

More alarming, 32 percent of the countries report breast milk contamination from environmentally derived chemicals in their bodies. Producing half the world's food, women in developing countries are exposed to pesticides, and 78 percent of the countries report pesticide contamination as a threat to health.

Women at home are not that safe either. Sixty-six percent of the countries report chemical and industrial exposures to women while they are at home. New chemical and pharmaceutical products continue to enter the market without adequate control or warning.

In urban areas there is exposure to pollutants from vehicular traffic, industries, and indoor air pollution. While 62 percent countries report air pollution as a health hazard, 50 percent report an increase in respiratory ailments. In the developed world, there is a rise in asthma.

The report suggests that countries must try to achieve sustainable consumption patterns and effective waste management. 32 percent countries report that water-borne diseases are major environmental health problems. And, 62 percent countries confirm that inadequate sewage disposal causes serious health problems.

For pregnant women, lead poisoning is a cause of concern as it can lead to birth deformities. 48 percent countries report high levels of lead exposure. More than a quarter of the countries confirmed that hazardous waste and radiation were growing health concerns.

Half the countries, including India, have confirmed that decentralisation has taken the form of government shedding responsibilities to districts without allocation of resources.

The picture of women's health is grim. The WEDO report stresses the fact that the connection between economic development and reproductive health is high. One without the other is not sustainable, at least not in the long term. (WFS)

The Eternal youthful Dev
By Zeenat Zafar

It is said that Rajesh Khanna got his first break the year he was born! But today the "phenomenon of the seventies" has long packed up, while the "tornado of the forties" _ Dev Anand continues to storm ahead _ writing, directing, producing and acting at breakneck speed. The timeless loverboy who has romanced them all _ from Suraiya, Madhubala and Geeta Ball in the fifties to Nutan, Waheeda Rehman, Sadhana and Asha Parekh in the sixties to Zeenat Aman, Rekha, Hema Malini, Mumtaz and Zaheeda in the seventies to Tina Munim and a host of lissome lasses in the eighties and nineties. This seventy-plus Miracle Man, even today, has the kind of charged enthusiasm, stamina and desire to go for it that would make people half his age reach for pep pills, but then, that's the mystique of Bollywood's oldest teenager.

Dev has an amazing career-graph. Along with the fabled Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar he ruled the fifties and sixties with his inimitable brand of Romeo-Giri comprising mainly his "puffed" hairstyle, angular walk and stylised talk. Baazi, CID, Jaal, Paying Guest, Manzil, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Kala Bazar, Kala Paani, Guide, Hum Dono, Jab Pyar Kissi Se Hota Hai, Baat Ek Raat Ki, Mahal _ each one of them drove his fans crazy. All style and savvy, flash and flamboyance, he provided a fascinating counter-point to Dilip's heavy-duty introspective style of histrionics and Raj's Chaplinesque model of acting.

In the seventies he started writing and directing, and launched his first film Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It was a hit for three simple reasons : searing topically of subject, inspired casting of Zeenat Aman and an unforgettable signature song Dum Maro Dum _ hugely popular even today. The song composed by the late R. D. Burman evocatively and hauntingly captured the essence of the film's core message. Flushed with success, Dev plunged into a series of big-budget movies _ Heera Panna, Prem Pujari etc _ none of which, unfortunately, attained the heights of Hare Rama...... It took a full decade for him to strike gold again and this he did with grand style.

Not only was Des Pardes a hit, but a new star was born in the shape of Tina Munim. But that was the last time director Dev Anand had a proper date with success. Over the last decade and a half, a string of releases came and went without creating the slightest waves _ Loot Maar, Swami Dada, Awal Number, Anand Aur Anand, Sacchki Ka Bol Bala and even the latest Main Solah Baras Ki _ but Dev carries on. The original "Mr Tomorrow", perpetually hitting the fast tracks of the future, with no time or inclination to look back. A man obsessed with the business of movie-making in all its facets, dictated by his personal vision of themes that will connect with the life and times of his audience _ today, tomorrow and forever.

Dressed in his typical outfit _ cord trousers, buttoned-up at the collar shirt, sweater draped lazily across the shoulders, Dev was at his evergreen best at his Pali Hill office when we settled for another of those chats. He smiled that charming toothless smile which had woken the dead for generations. The face, that was an icon for so long to so many, reflected the experiences of life of the ageless man.

Not everyone is blessed to have been working for over 50 years, in the same industry, with the distinction and respect he has enjoyed. Looking back, how does he feel? "Great ! Fantastic! Super!" came the answer in a lightning speed. "I have sometimes wondered what I would have done had I not got into the movie business. In all truth, I have not ever been able to rustle up a convincing answer. Its been exciting, rewarding and eventful with each day bringing its own agenda."

Dev was nostalgic when asked about his first big hit.

"How can I ever forget? It was Baazi and the year was 1947. After the show I was mobbed. The car we were travelling in was surrounded by crowds, chanting my name. I remember I was wearing a cap which I flung into the crowd," He paused, caught momentarily in a magical time-warp. "Maybe some lucky guy has kept that cap, even today," he added. When asked about the major difference of Bollywood, then and now he said, "basically, it is money. Today much more money is involved in film-making. A film that could have been mad in Rs. 50-60 lakhs two decades ago translates to a minimum cost of Rs. 3 crore. To recover basic investment has become a nightmare and the advent of cable TV has not helped the industry either."

"I guess the only solution" says the experienced Dev, "is quality fare. Make good films that audience would flock the theatres to see. I am sure things will improve. I am an incorrigible optimist. The good times will return".

Despite going great guns as a major star be switched to direction. "The reason," explained Dev, "was boredom. I was slowly getting sick and tired of playing the same roles, over and over again."

Despite his personal charisma, huge star status and multi-starrer projects, most of his directorial ventures flopped at the box-office. But, in typical Dev Anand style, he refuses to admit it. "Let's get one thing straight. To me, they were all hits, all successes in their attempt to offer new ideas, new concepts, provide fresh thinking, throw up new faces. I dared to experiment, break the rules, change the equations, work outside and beyond the corny gheesa-peeta formulae." To him it is the audience who have flopped with their closed minds, conditioned thinking and one-dimensional expectations of the predictable masala fare, seldom daring to take that magical leap towards the new, the undiscovered. "While I am perfectly willing to admit that something must have gone wrong from my end, I am disappointed at the attitude of the new generation audience who just refuse to go beyond the stereotype. That's really unfortunate."

However, he sees quite a few stars in the new generation of actors. "Aamir and Shah Rukh are excellent. The earlier lot _ Naseer, Jackie, Mithun and Anil were very good too," he says. But then how does he explain the lack of quality actors? "Its not talent that's absent. Its magic. That's because of the times. Insane pressure, maddening competition, the crazy need to succeed at all costs, media hype, spiralling costs, a promiscuous audience _ all these have taken the magic and wonder away from movies. Its all very professional, technical and mechanical with speed and success as the watchword. The talent is there but in this crazy environment survival on a long-term scale is tough." He pauses to strike at the core of the problem. "There's more motion and less emotion in the business." Does he miss those golden fifties and sixties? "Not really. As you know, I am not a great one for looking back and gloating over my successes or whining over my failures. I believe life is for the living and to live is to move forward. My best friend has always been the future. I am crazy about my tomorrows."

Here today, what is the next stop for Mr. Tomorrow? "Into high activity. I have already completed two scripts. One is entitled Beauty Queen and deals with the life and times of girls in the beauty business. Of happenings beyond the glamour and limelight that soft-focuses their perfumed world. The other is Censor, a hard close-up at the concept of a handful of people who self-appoint themselves to be the moral police of a nation and dictating what to watch and what not to." Won't it be an irony if the film runs into censor trouble? Dev laughs, "Why should it? We are a democracy. India is a free country where freedom of expression is a fundamental right. Uske baad jo hoga, dekha jayega....." INAV

Academic Pulse
Death of conscience

By Prof S K Bhalla

The criminal silence of the Professor of a Degree College witness to any attempt at murder of a student by another student on flimsy ground in the course of none too remote past, the loud cries of a law-abiding citizen on the lawns of the college in the presence of a strong crowd of 1000 students for identifying the culprit, the arrival on the scene of the Principal of the Degree College witness to the horrendous drama in broad daylight, further confirmation of facts by the Head of the institution on the very same day, attempts at pacifying the truthful so that the name of the college is not sullied, the submission of a detailed report in the light of an order having an inextricable bearing with this murky episode and last but not the least pushing everything under the carpet by the Head of the institution stand a glaring testimony to the academic rot that has set in our Degree Colleges.

Year by year we have been inviting our VVIPs and VIPs in our institutions to grace our functions and cultural bonanzas and extravaganzas, light the ceremonial traditional lamp, witness the tamasha and ultimately write elaborate and juicy press releases to be published by our esteemed local dailies but most this is an eyewash in a majority of cases. A neck and neck competition is going on among the Heads of institutions to impress the Jammuites with the tally of functions organised during the course of a session and money is being squandard. But all of us including myself reluctantly are party to this nefarious academic and cultural corruption which is eating into the vitals of Higher Education Sector. Harass and intimidate that officer who speaks the truth, severe links with the fellow who has a modicum of values with him unluckly and if possible create hurdles in the path of all those who mean business.

We have reached a stage when sufficient wrong practices are being practized in the name of glorious traditions of our rich culture and heritage. People are vying for publicity and hogging the limelight as also struggling for an occasional snap in the media without having contributed a little and there is a race to reach the top of the ladder without touching the rungs in between. Selfish, flatterers, back biters, inefficient, laggard and corruption are bent upon stealing the show while the thinking and straight must be shown the door and pushed to the wall in consonance with Darwin's theory of evolution wherein the struggle for existence the weak and meek must go to the wall.

Detailed reports of academic successes, in the University examinations fortified by dosed of open choice and inflated internal assessment system are flaunted and read with gusto while a majority of students don't know the art of scribbling an application. Degrees are being conferred, convocations being organised and elaborate functions are being arranged to show the ignorant and none too intellectually smart masses that our Universities and colleges are the genuine temples of learning and wisdom of yore. Pseudo-intellectualism the border of the day and cross materialism the catchhord.

There was a time when parents guiltily admitted their transgressions but now more the violations of conduct the greater is the clout. We have reached a stage from where retrieval is nowhere in the sight. Punish the innocent and reward the cunning. Academic chichery and not academic auditing/accountability is the order of the day. We have not the like of Bapu to guide and inspire us. Do not have role model messiahs to pull us up. On the contrary we watch day in and day out in the idiot box those who cannot instruct and guide us at all. Ultimately we resign to our fate think of strengthening the rule of unruly to exist for the couple of years and ultimately to part from this planet. Let us seriously ponder over for a while.



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