EDITORIAL
Human
rights are for all
Somehow the human
rights have come to connote the rights of men and
women against the State alone. As it is State is
the strongest power and hence there is a need for
a mechanism to safeguard the people against abuse
of their rights by the State. That definitely was
the State of thought till terrorism broke up on
the world scene, more than a year ago. Though the
terror machines and their mechanizations had been
known for a long time before 9/11, there were few
among the people whose opinion and concerns
matter, ready to see terrorism as an issue
confronting man. Terrorism was remote for them it
being something that happened in the third world.
And, much happened there. It, the mighty mused.
must have ‘reasons’ in the polity and
system. The third-world terrorism, accordingly,
was ‘freedom struggles’,
‘aspirations’, even 'suppressions',
speaking out!
Human rights
therefore had to be ensured only against the
State, as the nineteenth and twentieth century
political pundits had taught. Half a dozen
countries then reeled under terrorism, more than
a billion people lived under its threat, but the
mainstream thought remained oblivious to it. Thus
during the past two decades, the terrorists have
directly or indirectly, killed 60 thousand people
in two of Indian States, but none has noted the
depredations. The political scientists here,
coached in the pre- WTC thought-frames, are not
able to see what great change occurred on that
fateful Tuesday in America to turn their pet
concepts topsy turvey. In a way they are correct;
nothing, that had not been happening here before
happened then or after that. But they are only
partly right; humans were being roundly abused by
terrorists though they did not see it. Men were
being killed, women misused and children thrown
to misery by these marauders even as they , in
conformity with what they had been taught-namely,
to look only at the state and point to its abuses
of rights-did not see these things as abuse of
human rights.
On 9/11 that
construct capsized. People began to have rights
against the terrorists too. Whatever the morality
of how the ‘perception’ changed, it is
a fact that today we recognize that people can
have, rather must have, rights against the
unofficial despoilers too. But as always, the new
currents are slow in coming over the monsoon
land. So there are people still around who are
not comfortable questioning their darling
‘activists’ about their rights record.
They can take a questionable claim about the two
terrorists having been ‘stage-killed’
in a Delhi plaza to the national human rights
commission as a rights abuse but see no abuse in
Lakhs of people from Kashmir valley having thrown
out of their homes. They can agitate no end about
an alleged custodial death in the same valley,
pointing fingers at everybody for abuse of rights
but see no violation in 6-10 people who are daily
killed there by the terrorists. An ex-militant
attempts immolation against the same slanted
rights abuses, without introspecting how may
rights of how may people he abused. It would have
been better if he made a clean breast of all the
killings he and his cohorts undertoot and stood
trial as an example that rights abuse applies all
across the board. That is the greatest thing
about the whole issue. Not only rights, but whole
lives are trampled underfoot by the terrorists,
yet no activist points a finger there.
It is
nobody’s case that the State does not need
to be watched for abuse of human rights. Nor does
one hold that there are no abuses there. In fact,
there are state abuses all over. But they are
definitely of a lesser degree. And in much -yes,
much-smaller numbers. Then, there is a
mechanism-a well founded legal mechanism-to call
those abuses to account. And, of course, there
are Human Rights Commissions, both at the Central
and State levels to look to them. They may not be
sufficient, may need strengthening, but it needs
also be remembered that the nation is confronted
with high terrorism. There is an infinitely
greater number of killings and abuses, committed
by terrorists that needs be accounted. For,
terror acts over large areas. Thus during the
recent elections the terrorists physically, at
the pain of death, bore down upon half a Crore
people in the valley over their most basic right
of voting. Those who still did vote literally
braved bullets to do so. It is on the strength of
this terror that the Hurriyat people claim there
was only thirty percent voting in the valley,
refusing to see that the other sixty or seventy
percent was closeted in their homes with terror.
This here is high
abuse that is rarely seen and never cited as an
abuse of rights. Today America and much of the
rest of developed world is subjecting races and
religions to careful monitoring to prevent any
terror attacks on their soil, without bothering
what ‘rights’ they are trampling upon
there, it is hard to blame them. When terror goes
abroad, nations would of necessary close their
borders, install cheeks and gear up the State
machinery to fight the menace out. Whatever
abuses take place in such situation would
logically be laid at the door of the terror
mongers and their sympathizers. But that thinking
has not yet permeated here. Far from calling
suspects in, the activists here, are still caught
in the old wrap of the State-versus-individual.
They are ready to corner the State but refuse to
see the terror as the highest abuser of rights.
While the vigilance against the State is okay,
the high violation of right and lives by the
terrorists has also to be accounted. The
terrorists may not be amenable to action by these
activists but at least their depredations cannot
be allowed to go unspotted. One searched in vain
for a balanced perspective on rights abuses on
the rights day. But that is what the society
cannot do without. Not any more.
|
 |
Ambedkar's
contribution as an economist
By R. C.
Rajamani
The name
of Babasaheb Ambedkar normally brings one
the image of a legal stalwart who has
been credited with the framing of free
India's Constitution.
Dr.
Ambedkar's seminal work does belong to
the area of Constitution. But he was much
more than a mere framer of the Statute
Book. A social reformer, a rebel against
all forms of social and economic
discrimination, a champion of the
downtrodden, Dr. Ambedkar had excelled in
History, Economics, Politics, Law and
Constitution.
Perhaps it
is not widely known that Dr Ambedkar had
a special liking for Economics and had
obtained doctorate in the field. His
doctoral thesis includes "The
Evolution of Provincial Finance in
British India" and "The Problem
of the Rupee."
He was a
voracious reader and knew seven
languages. He described his obsession
with books thus: "For a man like me
who was socially boycotted, these books
took me to their hearts." His love
for the printed word naturally led Dr.
Ambedkar to extensive writing on a
variety of subjects with depth and
vision.
Dr
Ambedkar's book "Pakistan" drew
the attention of many thinkers and
politicians. Historians agree that in
that book Ambedkar first clearly spelt
out the difference between Community and
Nation. Mohammed Ali Jinnah read the book
and had recommended it for reading to
Mahatma Gandhi.
"It
is ably written, "Gandhiji admitted,
but remarked, "it carries no
conviction with me."
Many
differed from his views and conclusions
but none could deny the candour and
competence with which Ambedkar had
discussed the difficult and intriguing
topic of Pakistan, said a newspaper
review in 1945.
A brief
recap on this illustrious son of India
would be in order before an evaluation of
Dr Ambedkar as an Economist.
Dr.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known
as 'Babasaheb', was born on 14, April,
1891 in a poor, exploited, suppressed and
tyrannised Mahar community of
Maharashtra. His father Ramji was an
industrious, religious and generous man
and his mother, Bhimbai, a self-reliant
and deeply devoted lady. In 1907, Bhimrao
passed his Matriculation. Considering
this to be a splendid feat, his community
organised a function where a copy of
"The Life of Gautama Buddha"
was presented to him. The Maharaja of
Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad, sent Ambedkar
to Columbia University as a Gaekwad
scholar.
Dr
Ambedkar's ambition was to become a
professor and lead a life of a student.
He was Professor of Economics at Sydenham
College, Bombay. On June 1, 1935, he
became the Principal of the Government
Law College, Bombay and remained in that
position till resignation in 1938.
Columbia
University, at its Special Convocation on
June 13, 1952 conferred on him the degree
LL.D (Honoris Causa). The citation said:
"The Degree is being conferred in
recognition of the work done by him in
connection with the drafting of India's
Constitution." The University hailed
Ambedkar as "one of India's leading
citizens, a great social reformer and a
valiant upholder of human rights."
A keen
student of Economics, Ambedkar got his
M.A.for his thesis on "Ancient
Indian Commerce" and M.Sc. (London)
for his work on "The Evolution of
Provincial Finance in British India. He
got his D.Sc. for his another seminal
work, "The Problem of the Rupee -
Its Origin and Solution" from the
University of Bonn in Germany. The book
had won Ambedkar much critical acclaim.
His
evidence before the Hilton-Young
Commission was his important contribution
to the discussion of currency problems in
India, say historians. He gave expression
to his thoughts on the current Indian
problems such as landless labourers,
small holdings, "khoti" system,
mahar-watan, collective farming, land
revenue and abolition of landlordism. The
work covered nearly four important
decades - 1917 to 1956. He touched all
major political and economic events.
Dr.
Ambedkar, a staunch nationalist, took
part in the Freedom Struggle but differed
with leaders like Gandhi on many aspects
of the movement. In 1942, he formed the
All India Scheduled Castes Federation as
an all India political party to fight for
the interests of the depressed classes.
In 1946, when the Interim Government was
formed, Prime Minister Pandit Nehru
handpicked Ambedkar for the choice of Law
Minister. He did colossal work in framing
the Constitution of free India and
painstakingly drafted the Hindu Code Bill
and introduced it in Parliament on
February 4, 1951.
Repeatedly
frustrated by the inequities of the caste
system, Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at a
massive congregation in Nagpur on October
14, 1956. He died barely two months
later, on December 6, 1956. The country's
highest civilian honour, the Bharat
Ratna, was conferred on him posthumously
in his birth centenary year 1991 - known
also as the Year of Social Justice in
India.
Ambedkar
realised that the solution to the problem
of the untouchable landless labourers was
dependent upon the solution of the Indian
agricultural problem or more broadly the
Indian economic problems.
Ambedkar
strongly believed that the fundamental
cause of India's backward economy was the
delay in changing the land system. The
real remedy was democratic collectivism
in which economic efficiency,
productivity and overhauling village
economy were materialised, he wrote.
This, he said, aimed to wipe out
completely elements of economic
exploitation and social injustice. He
wanted that there should be no landlord,
no tenant, and no landless labour. He
wanted both freedom and welfare, which
were possible in his idea of economic
realism.
His book,
"The Problem of the Rupee" was
considered as an instructive treatise on
a controversial subject. He wrote that
closing of the Mints would prevent
inflation and disturbances in the
internal price level. He advocated that
the standard of value should be gold and
the elasticity of the currency should
come from this source. He believed and
strongly stressed that with a gold basis,
both expansion and contraction should be
easy.
Obviously,
Ambedkar had shown great scholarship and
tremendous amount of hard work in his
book. This is evident from some of the
raving reviews he received the from
British Press.
- The
Times (London) described the book as
"an excellent piece of work. English
style is easy; and his knowledge of the
subject obviously very full."
- The
Economist (London): "It is a clear
and ably written book. Certainly none of
the other numerous works on one or the
other aspect of the monetary problem have
anything like the readability of this
tract."
-
Scotsman: "His work throughout shows
the utmost care and is clearly the fruit
of painstaking research. The book is, on
account of the originality of its
treatment, to be commended to all
students of the Finances of India."
-
Financier: "Ambedkar deals with the
problem in a very lucid and praiseworthy
manner and puts forward not merely its
origin but also valuable proposals for a
solution, which should be studied by
bankers and those merchants whose
business depends upon the Exchange."
Noted
economist, Edwin Cannan, Ambedkar's guide
who wrote the Foreword to the book,
admitted, "Even when I have thought
him quite wrong, I have found a
stimulating freshness in his views and
reasons.
The
essential features of Ambedkar's approach
to economic problems were his
condemnation of extreme views like
laiseezfaire and scientific socialism.
Mixed economy was the cornerstone of his
economic ideas.
Ambedkar
stood for the progressive transformation
of society, removing glaring social and
economic inequalities.
|
Dangers
of creating synthetic viruses
By G V
Joshi
A team of
scientists led by Dr Eckard Wimmer from
the University of New York at Stony
Brook, USA has created the first
synthetic virus, a laboratory-built
version of the poliovirus. This is the
first step towards creating artificial
life in the laboratory.
According
to Dr C J Peters, director for
bio-defence in the US, scientists had
known for years that it was theoretically
possible to assemble a virus in the
laboratory. Having created the virus,
which appears to be identical to its
natural counterpart, they injected it
into mice to prove that it was active.
The animals were paralysed and then died.
According
to Dr Wimmer, they did it to demonstrate
that viruses can be created synthetically
and it now is a reality. The Stony Brook
experiment is a beginning that could
eventually lead to creation of many more
synthetic viruses, partially or wholly,
by the scientists. The technique used to
create the first synthetic polio virus
could be also used to recreate Ebola or
the 1918 flu strain that killed upto 40
million people.
Virus is a
microscopic organism that lives in the
cell of another living thing. The name
comes from a Latin word meaning ''Slimy
liquid'' or ''poison''. Although viruses
are extremely small and simple, they are
a major cause of disease in humans,
animals and even plants.
Some
viruses infect human beings with such
diseases as polio, measles, influenza,
HIV/AIDS and the common cold. Viruses
produce disease by damaging the cells in
the human body. However, viruses
sometimes live in cells without harming
them.
The
earliest indications of the biological
nature of viruses came from studies in
1892 by the Russian scientist, Dr Dmitry
I. Ivanovsky, and in 1898 by the Dutch
scientist Dr Martinus W. Beijerinck.
Dr
Beijerinck first thought that the virus
under study was a new kind of infectious
agent, which he designated contagium
vivum fluidum, meaning that it was a
live, organism, which could reproduce
itself. Nevertheless, it differed from
other organisms.
The
viruses would not grow on an artificial
medium and were not visible under the
microscope available then.
In the
1910s, the British scientist Dr Frederick
W Twort and the French Canadian scientist
Dr Felix H d'Herelle, found injuries in
cultures of bacteria and they attributed
them to an agent called bacteriophage
(''eater of bacteria''), now known to be
viruses that specifically infect
bacteria.
The study
of viruses was confined exclusively to
humans as they could not find a
susceptible animal host. in 1933, the
British researchers Dr Wilson Smith, Dr
Christopher H Andrews and Dr Patrick P
Laidlaw were able to transmit influenza
to ferrets, and the influenza virus was
subsequently adapted to mice.
In 1941,
the American scientist George K Hirst
found that influenza virus grown in
tissues of the chicken embryo could be
detected by its capacity to draw together
red blood cells. A significant advance
was made by the American scientists, Dr
John Enders, Dr Thomas Weller, and Dr
Frederick Robbins, who in 1949 developed
the technique of culturing cells on glass
surfaces.
Cells
could then be infected with the viruses
that cause poliomyelitis (poliovirus) and
other diseases. Culturing cells on glass
surfaces opened the way for the diagnosis
of diseases caused by viruses, identified
by their effects on cells and by the
presence of antibodies in the blood.
Cell
culture then led to the development and
production of vaccines such as the
poliovirus vaccine and the like.
The
development of the electron microscope in
the 1940s enabled scientists to see
individual virus particles for the first
time, leading to the classification of
viruses and giving insight into their
structure.
However,
viruses play an important role in
biotechnology. Modified versions of
viruses, in which the disease-causing
elements have been ''switched off'', can
be used to carry useful genes into an
organism. Viruses could be important
tools in future gene therapy, carrying
genes into the cells of sick people to
correct or replace the ones that have
gone wrong. A synthetic virus might make
this task easier by providing greater
flexibility of design.
Where will
this research go in the future?
Scientists would like to develop the
technology to synthesise bacteria in the
laboratory. These microbes would be used
to make useful medicines, such as new
antibiotics. These new organisms would be
more efficient at this task than the
modified microbes currently in use. They
would also have novel uses, such as
breaking down the chemicals at the site
of a toxic spill, for example.
What is
the significance of synthetic viruses?
Creating the poliovirus showed that
eradicating a virus does not mean it was
gone forever from the world, because
scientists could now recreate it.
According
to Dr Wimmer, the world had better be
prepared for the more dangerous smallpox
virus, which is far more complex and
difficult to assemble, but it would
probably be possible in the future.
The World
Health Organisation is planning to stock
vaccines against a return of polio and
smallpox and that should be done by all
countries.
Following
last year's anthrax-by mail attacks. US
officials became concerned about the
threat of smallpox and arranged for the
production of enough vaccine to protect
the population.
According
to Dr Peters, wide publicity about a
synthesized virus might lead some people
to believe, ''that there is nothing that
can be done about bio-terrorism which is
not the case.''
It was
possible that viruses like Ebola could be
assembled in laboratories, but there were
only few people in the world with that
skill. Polio is on the brink of being
eradicated worldwide and there are plans
to stop inoculations against the disease
after it disappears from nature.However,
this policy should be reconsidered.
Stopping vaccination could lead to a
generation of people highly susceptible
to polio, enhancing its appeal as a
weapon.
There is a
danger that a good bio-terrorist could
use this technology to create a
''bio-bomb''? However, the technology is
in its infancy and very few people have
the expertise to do what the American
researchers have done.
American
health officials have planned a massive
inoculation programme to ward off threats
from a bio-terrorism attack by using
smallpox virus. They plan to vaccinate
500,000 health care and emergency workers
against smallpox immediately. Plans to
vaccinate the public too are on the
anvil. It is time our government should
think on the same lines, as terrorists
are active in India too.
|
Reorganisation
of dyss
By
Rajesh Dhar
The
decision that the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed
led coalition Government of Jammu and
Kashmir will be taking initiatives to
reorganise the Department of Youth
Services and Sports (DYSS) in the State,
has brought ecstasy to the minds of the
officers/officials of the Department, as
the reorganisation of the DYSS has been a
long pending problem with the department.
It is observed that the employees of the
Department will have no words to express
their gratitude if there is immediate
implementation of this decision as the
Govts/Administrations in the past after
giving tall promises have failed to
fulfill the aspirations of these
employees. Otherwise, the officers of
Department in the past have left no stone
unturned in making the higher
Administration understand the need and
scope of reorganisation of the DYSS.
Anyway,
the blissful feeling of the Departmental
officials was quite evidently seen on
their faces in the function organised by
the Department at Youth Hostel, Nagrota
on 29th of Nov. 2002 prior to the
departure of State Contingent of
different teams for participation in 48th
National School Games 2002-03 in the
disciplines of Valley Ball, Kabaddi,
Kho-Kho, Football and Soft Ball w.e.f.
05.12.2002 to 12.12.2002 at different
places in Madhya Pradesh (MP). The
Minister for Education, Mr Harshdev Singh
who was the Chief Guest in the said
function received a lavished praise from
the Director Youth Services and Sports, M
S S Bhalla and his team for being a man
behind the aforementioned initiative
which simply was justified.
It may be
recalled here, that the meeting where the
decision of the initiative of
reorganisation of DYSS was taken was also
presided over by the Minister for
Education on 28th of November, 2002, a
day before the said function, where-in
the Director Youth Services and Sports
was also present.
The
Minister has asked the Department to
formulate a comprehensive plain for
construction of Indoor Sports complexes
and Youth Hostels for the promotion of
Sports activities in the State. The
Minister has also assured the Department
that the matter would be taken up with
the Central Government for financial
assistance.
While
addressing the officers of the
Department, the Minister has said that
all the Chief Education Officers may be
asked to submit the proposals alongwith
the financial implications for the
development of play fields in the areas
where land is available so that proposals
may be send to Union Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports for approval and
funding.
It has
also been learnt from the meeting that a
sports complex at Gandhi Nagar and a
Japanese type open Sports Stadium would
be constructed at the cost of Rs. 2.27
crore at Ram Nagar in Udhampur district
besides a Sports Complex in Budgam,
Udhampur and skatting rink at Kothi Bagh
in Srinagar.
Now, what
is this reorganisation of the DYSS all
about? And what should be the mode of
reorganisation?
There are
three main aspects of reorganisation of
DYSS:
*Reorganisation
of Administration or Administrative
System of the Department.
*Reorganisation
of Sports activities in the State.
*Organisation
of the Academic Arrangement or the
Academic System in the Department.
a.
Administration is the power house of
every Department. So, strong the
administration, strong is the
organisation. Hence, before reorganising
sports activities of the Department and
organising the academic set-up in the
Department, the efforts should be made to
reorganise the administrative block of
the Department. The administrative system
of the Department needs somewhat
modification. You know, in the
Administrative block of DYSS besides
establishment, accounts and activities
sections the posts of Deputy Director,
Divisional Officers, Assist. Directors
and District Officers are all fine but
creating a post of Zonal Sports Officer,
to make the Department more functional,
needs a serious consideration. Creation
of this post will ease the pressure of
work load from the District Youth
Services and Sports Officers.
Moreover,
50 percent of the selection or the
promotion to the districts officers ought
to be made through Public Service
Commission (PSC) as this mode of
selection has not remained the custom in
the Department now. This mode of the
selection would make the officers more
competitive and knowledgeable which in
turn would help in making the
administration stronger and smoother. And
further it would help the cause of higher
qualification holders of physical
education to serve the Department in a
better way.
Moreover,
the demand of the situation is that a
proposal for the Board-based Structure of
the Department ought to be furnished by
the administrative block of the
Department to the Govt. of Jammu and
Kashmir. What do you mean by the
Broad-based structure of the Department?
See.
For such a
big and vast Department to have total
strength of the officers/officials
approximately about 5000 only in the
entire State is not justified. Otherwise,
in the State of J&K you have
approximately about 300 Higher Secondary
Schools, about 175 Zonal Education
Offices, about 2000 High Schools, about
3500 middle schools and approximately
about 6000 primary schools wherein the
services of the officials from the
Department of Youth Services and Sports
must be utilized not to talk of the
Departmental offices like the
Directorate, Divisional Offices, District
Youth Services and Sports Offices besides
coaching centres, Youth Hostels, Yoga
Centres and other available
infrastructure with the Department.
From the
above fact, it is obvious that to make
the Department broad-based the strength
of the officers/officials should be twice
the present number. The trend of making
the number of Officials double will open
an option for you to employ approximately
about 5000 more employees instead of
launching a special recruitment drive for
Rehber-e-Khel employees which is not a
healthy step.
For
reorganisation of the sports, activities
of the Department, to explore the talent
of the players upto the maximum level,
the development of play fields and other
sports infrastructure is a must. For such
a a vast Department which is responsible
for sponsoring different teams in almost
about 30 sports disciplines in different
categories and under different age
groups, not to have the ownership of even
a single stadium or a play field in the
entire State, is shell shocking. So, the
administrative block of the Department
must be expecting a lot from the State
Government which has already proposed to
take initiatives for the development of
Sports Infrastructure in the State to
hone the talent and develop the
temperament of the budding youth. How
hurting is it that the highest sports
agency of the Government (the DYSS) has
to take services of the Sports
infrastructure available with the Private
rather autonomous sports body of the
state (The State Sports Council).
No doubt,
the Department is having some
infrastructure available with it -
running from the front is youth Hostel
Nagrota, which has the capacity to
accommodate about 20 teams at a time but
what needs to be done is to provide a
sufficient staff to look after it. Apart
from this Hostel which is simply an asset
to the Department, the Department has
Youth Hostel at Patnitop, Ramnagar,
Gulmarg, Srinagar etc. all of which need
to be renovated and decorated. Yoga
centres ought to be developed at
different places in the State to impart
training of yoga to the youth community
as it has become imperative to teach yoga
to the students for their physical,
mental, emotional, moral and spiritual
development through Kriyas. Asans,
Meditation and Concentration. The
Department has the option of utilising
the services of some yoga experts who can
be yoga teachers almost to a perfection
and have all that a teacher should have
to take the orientation courses of other
teachers as well. There is also a need to
develop coaching centres of different
sports diciplines at different places in
the State especially in different schools
so as to explore the talent at grass-root
level. Here also, the Department has the
services of lots of coaches at hand who
can not only prove their usefulness but
can be Dravnacharayas in their respective
subjects.
Moreover,
to groom the talent of the players to
participate in the National School Games,
the pre-national coaches camps should be
held of longer duration to make the
system result oriented. Further the
refreshment charges and daily allowances
of the players should be enhanced to
expect better results. Otherwise, the
budding players of the State prefer to
participate in the sports disciplines
sponsored by private agencies like
different associations etc. because money
is the highest motivation for these
youngesters. The medical tests of the
players should be held through the
Departmental screening committed which
should be well versed with the knowledge
of sports medicine and should have the
proper training of these tests.
Otherwise, the department at present has
to invite special Doctors to have a
medical checkup of the players.
The
efforts should be made for the
organisation of Academic arrangement or
Academic System in the Department like in
the other States which produce
outstanding sports persons at the higher
levels. This academic arrangement comes
into play only when physical education
(the integral part of school education)
is introduced in the schools from primary
to college level and adopt the already
made syllabus for physical education
lying with the department. This scheme of
things will open an option for the
Government to create the post of
lecturers in physical education in the
department. The services of these
lecturers can be utilized to teach
physical education including health
education, personal hygiene and sports
medicine to higher classes. The above
trend will make an end to the
unemployment by adjusting/accommodating
number of physical education trained
youths in the department to teach the
subject in lower classed.
The
department hopes that the Government
implements the decision of reorganising
the Department as soon as possible. Let
us hope for the best!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
