Prof. Dhesi on India-Pakistan Talks: HAVE INDIA-PAKISTAN PEACE TALKS COLLAPSED?

BBC News
At 12:07pm on 26 Jul 2010, Autar Dhesi wrote:
The talks have to really get going before they can collapse. There have been numerous get to-gethers for one reason or the other but no serious dialogues. The basic problem is lack of trust in one another's intentions.
Hope the two sister states would be able to remove the hidden roadblocks one day for the good of poor people on both sides
The road blockers to peace have been flourishing on both sides under the cover of ever thickening, mysterious, misty clouds hovering on the horizon of the subcontinent since the dawn of independence days. The common,desperate objective of twice born elites has been to snatch power and perpetuate their autocratic, vice like grip over its levers by fair or not so fair means, meticulously camouflagedas sacred pursuit of respective national interests (read nation building projects). As a consequence, hapless, gullible 'common man' has been on a costly, bumpy, endless ride.The emaciated invisible or not so invisible agencies, handy tools of dirty tricks, often more successful against fellow citizens than others, are always dutifully there to accept any blame silently. Such mindless, misdemeanour of civilians or non-civilians is nothing short of heinous crime against humanity.
High time for some respite
Alas! no deliverance in sight
Gamesters ever shine bright
Facetious pride , citizen’s plight
While they merrily bray
Wait in silent pray

On an optimistic note, demeaning, farcical, political dramatists are likely to go into obilivian with a worst of floodlights of knowledge. They would find themselves out of place in a knowledge society. The wise and noble are likely to prevail (a pious hope) bymarginalising modern day Neros and charlatans. This should give relief to ever suffering common man and some consolation for lost souls of lesser beings. What a democracy! But it is only for the chosen ones.
Some cynical citizens may lament that invisible (cross border) norms of reciprocity seem to havebeen internalised by elites to come to each other’s rescue at critical moments. The collusive game play, however, should come to an end sooner or later as the play field is becoming visibly open by the day. Till that time, one act plays on ‘peace’ would be considered smoke screens for some hidden,unethical aims by many on both sides. Somehow, by quirk of fatethe progeny of manylong forgotten selfless liberators stands besmirched due to doingsofpolitical knaves.

It is certainly a self-righteous, kinky approach tolay downfoundations forbuilding modernnations. Equality is a normative ideal goal that is difficult to achieve under the best of circumstances. But in a democratic society, none should be perceived excessively more equal than others. A society characterised by dissonance between stated principles of governance and social practices sin ever need of security threats (real or orchestrated ones, even at the cost of some fellow citizens) to maintain some functional national unity.
History teaches us that a blinkered social vision based on selective amnesia about honest contributions of beings of lesser gods often proves self-defeating in the long run.
An ungrateful society is hardly sustainable. Yet, a mature, confident, caring, civilised society is ever ready to recognise such aberrations and make necessary amends. It considers no time bar for positive actions.
Side Notes on Contemporary Political History
Sometimes poetic graffiti is more meaningful than long winded essays.
It gives readers freedom to interpret simple verses through their respective prisms. There is no offence if verses get torn apart. That is the essence of democratic living.

Supple conscience in game
Delivers a kinky dame
Flexible morals capricious mind
Modern to anthropological kind
Vain mistrust begets guile
Mirthed in narcissistic bile
Make debased scamps knight
Maligning valiant considered right
Once on self-willed trail
System sure gets derailed
Disgrace for mighty tall
Self-willed future actuated fall
Pliant underlings sans name
Fossilised ideas yield shame
Honourable norms should prevail
Making none to wail
New times reticent dame
Secret exchanges nuanced game
Foxy call anointed wise
Creating suspense for ‘sunrise’

Pretensions not-withstanding, there is no such thing as honesty or integrity in public affairs.
They constitute the most debased currency for the naive and uninitiated to lap up so that the twice born may carry on, regardless. Those who know the value of honesty or priceless soul shun barter exchange..

Posted on July 27, 2010

Studies Week (19-25 July, 2010)
Programme Schedule:
Monday: 19 July 2010
10—11.00 Inaugural Session
Welcome: Ghanshyam Shah
Introduction: Raj Kumar Hans
11.00 Tea Break
11.30-13.30 Chair: Ghansyham Shah
Joel Lee: A Critical Review of the Anthropology of Caste
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair: Anand Teltumbde
P. Sanal Mohan: Social Science Practice and Cultures of Resistance: Situating Dalit Studies
======================================================================================================
Tuesday: 20 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: Sanal Mohan
Priyadarshini Vijaisri: Beyond the History of Pathos
11.00 Tea Break
11.30-13.30 Chair: Priyadarshini Vijaisri
Masood Alam Falahi: Dalit Oppression: an Analysis of Islamic Literary and Historiographical Practice
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair: Joel Lee
Suresh Babu: Dalit Rationality and Post-colonial Trajectory of Modernity in India
======================================================================================================
Wednesday: 21 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: P. G. Jogdand
Anand Teltumbde: Dalit, Modernity and Metamorphosis of Castes 11.00
Tea Break 11.30-13.30 Chair: Ravikumar Neerav Patel: Who Speaks for Dalits?
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair: Shura Darapuri
S Anand: Presentation of a Documentary Bhagwan Das: In Pursuit of Ambedkar
=====================================================================================================
Thursday: 22 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: S Anand
Ravikumar: The Untouched Sacrifice: Dalits and Third Mozhipor
11.00 Tea Break
11.30-13.30 Chair: Neerav Patel
Om Prakash Valmiki: Hindi Sahitya ke Antravirodh: Vishisath Sandarbh aur Dalit Chetna
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair:
Manmohan: Dalit Questions in Contemporary Punjabi Literature
======================================================================================================
Friday: 23 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: Ronki Ram
Nandu Ram: ‘Exclusion’ and ‘Inclusion’ in the Context of Dalits
11.00 Tea Break
11.30-13.30 Chair: Raj Kumar Hans
Ronki Ram: Cultures of Social Protest in the Periphery: Guru Ravidass, Bhakti and the Rise of Dalit Deras in Punjab
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair: Om Prakash Valmiki
Vijaya Singh: To Eat or Not to Eat: Hunger and Humiliation in Dalit Stories
======================================================================================================
Saturday: 24 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: Gopal Guru
Raj Kumar Hans: Dalit Saint Poets of Punjab and their Exclusion from Histories
11.00 Tea Break
11.30-13.30 Chair: Nandu Ram
Jasvir Singh: Dalits, Constitutional Promises of Socio-Economic Justice and the State in India with special reference to Agricultural Wage Workers
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Chair: Gopal Guru: Challenges in Theorizing Dalit Questions
======================================================================================================
Sunday: 25 July 2010
9.00—11.00 Chair: Jasvir Singh
Shura Darapuri: Caste-based Exclusion and its Impact on Health: A Study with specific reference to Dalit Women
11.00 Tea Break
11.30—13.30 Chair: P. G. Jogdand: Dalit Studies in Maharashtra: Emerging Trends and Needed Research
13.30-14.30 Lunch
15.00-17.00 Reflections as chaired by Gopal Guru

Posted on July 16, 2010

Ever since the Centre announced that it would collect data on various castes during the ongoing Census, the media has created a hue and cry saying that this would harm the nation and open a Pandora’s Box of caste conflicts. On the other hand, those who seek caste enumeration are of the view that this would clear the cobwebs and deliver proper data on other backward classes (OBCs) that will help implement reservation policies and welfare schemes better.

The collection of caste data was not a decision taken by the government on its own. The OBC leadership across the country has demanded it and the Supreme Court advised the Centre to go for such a Census to ensure that an accurate population database was made available.

Let us not forget the fact that even at the time of the 2001 Census there was a strong demand for caste census. The then deputy Prime Minister L.K Advani, in fact, went on record to say that caste data would be collected. But Right-wing academic forces — particularly a group of sociologists and anthropologists — advised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government not to go for such an enumeration as it would go against the interests of the ruling upper castes and communities.

It should be noted that the opposition to caste data has been coming from upper castes that still control the levers of power. The lower castes have never opposed such a proposal.

It is fallacious to argue that society would get further divided if the population of each caste is known to the policymakers and to the public.

Caste culture is all around us. In the dalit-bahujan discourse, the upper castes are being shown as constituting less than 15 per cent. This could be totally wrong. Even within the lower castes there are several false claims about numbers. Every caste claims that it is numerically the strongest and keeps asking for its “rightful” share.

How to tell them that their claims are wrong? When caste has become such an important category of day-to-day reckoning it is important to have proper data at hand to tell communities that they constitute this much and cannot ask for more than their share.

It is true that we cannot distribute everything based on caste. But caste census is the right basis for statistics such as literacy rate and issues like the proportion of representation. Once we cite the Census data there cannot be any authentic opposition to that evidence.

The upper caste intelligentsia is afraid that once detailed data on number of people in lower castes is available it would become a major ground for asking for accurate proportional representation in certain sectors, such as education and employment.

For example, once the caste data is available, the 50 per cent limit on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court could be questioned on the basis of numbers. This would in turn help in sustaining the overall system of liberal democracy. The system of democracy would only get deeper with the discourse of numbers.

Democracy is in effect a system of numbers unlike communism, which does not deal with numbers while institutionalising a government. In a democracy, the governing system is institutionalised through an electoral process and in such a system the people must be counted from all angles — sex, race, religion, caste and so on. In a democracy based on numbers, any section of society can come to power.

Based on the counting on the basis of religion, Hindus have realised that they are the majority. And because of that understanding they have claimed power. When Mahatma Gandhi suggested that Muhammed Ali Jinnah should be made the first Prime Minister in order to avoid Partition, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel put forth the argument that India was a Hindu-majority nation and would not accept a Muslim as its first Prime Minister. Where did the notion of Hindu majoritarianism come from? It came from numbers.

With the same logic what is wrong if women, cutting across religious divides, count themselves, and organise themselves to come to power? They constitute about 50 per cent of the population and if they want to fight for gender democracy, they too can come to power. So should there be a demand for abolition of gender enumeration, too?

If caste census is done, the India democracy would thrive on the firm support of the lower castes who keep hoping of getting their share based on their numbers. The upper castes may feel desolate with the system of democracy itself, if this shift begins to take place. They might call such a shift “castocracy”. But would they call a state or a nation being ruled by women “womenocracy”?

Cognitive social psychology says all such theories are constructed on a convenience known as “comfort zone”. If brown upper castes live in white societies they see brown bashing but black bashing remains hidden in their blind spots. In white societies the browns are not in their comfort zone but in India they are and do not want to see the other’s “discomfort zone”.

Many upper caste intellectuals say that caste was a construction of the colonial census system. They talk as if caste never existed before the British started an enumerative process. By their logic we should come to the conclusion that before the British enumerated people based on religion, there were no religions in India. There are many such blind spots in India and that is why we still remain backward in theories of knowledge.

Let all castes — not just OBCs — be counted for strengthening our democratic system. I know that even mine is a blind-spot theory but it may have the effect of an antidote.

Published in Deccan Chronicle Forwarded by: PARAMJIT SAROY Posted on July 09, 2010

Caste Census: Opening a Pandora’s Box? BBC News London At 07:25am on 25 May 2010, Autar Dhesi wrote: PROF. AUTAR DHESI ON CASTE IN INDIA

Post-script

Man sans learning tends to submerge in the animal kingdom(see Dhesi,1979).It is educational processes, formal a swell formal, that facilitate His becoming human. The idea has been expressed in verse (Dhesi, 1997, op.cit) as below.
Animal inert albeit nothing
Is a person without learning
The educational process is transformative that enhances human capability in its different dimensions. Education is a potent instrument of achieving equality and liberation from man-made shackles. Therefore, a doctrine or policy that impinges on equality of access to educational processes can be considered inhuman. The sources of inequities are distorted social processes ,especially the educational one. The crusted remanants of ‘varnashram’ ideology deeply embedded in the Indian social psyche still militates against members of certain groups trying to break the invisible roadblocks. Only the victims can feel the illeffects of invidious caste-based game play. Worse still, the insidious design ,inspired by ancient Indian anthropological precepts, of modern Indian leaders is to stop the aspiring ‘lesser beings’ in their tracks well before the stage of blooming. The carefully fine tuned modus operandi is to discredit them by deploying all ways and means. The thoroughly emasculated administrative set up is there not to protect victims of illconceived design but to serve the purposes of self-centred leaders without commitment to social goals. For them, people are just numbers put into different categories. Nevertheless, Indians enjoy the accolade of being the biggest democracy of some sort. Some consolation for the hapless who should remain happy, regardless. After all, everyone cannot be in the special category.
It is simply a question of controlling access to society’s stock of honey. Therefore, a just and correct policy approach should attack inequities at the source rather than taking an insidious recourse later on to a highly questionable policy of reservations, caste-based or otherwise.
For details see:
Dhesi Autar S.(1979),Human Capital Formation and its Utilisation
New Delhi:Sterling.
----------------(1998),”Caste,Caste Synergies and Discrimination in India,”
International Journal of Social Economics,
Vol.28(8):1030-48. ----------------(2006),”Unequal Opportunities in Education and Employment”,
In Samuel L Myers,Jr. and Bruce P. Corrie (eds.), Racial and Ethnic Economic Inequality: An International Perspective, chapter 10.
New York:Peter Lain

(Revised) Posted on July 03, 2010

Forwarded byDushyant Kumar LET US JOIN THE JULY 4 AND VETERANS’ DAY PARADES

Dr. Onkar Singh Bindra

America is the country of birth of a lot of Sikh children and even many adults. For those of us who were born in India, or another country, America is the country of our choice. Having a Green Card or Citizenship is a great privilege. With this privilege, go some duties, namely, hoisting the American Flag and participating in the Independence Day parades and other programs organized by the City governments and Communities. Most cities in Greater Sacramento have a day-long celebration on 4th of July, culminating in a fireworks display. In Sacramento this year, these will include: Cal Expo State Fair fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; Carmichael parade at 10 a.m.; Fireworks at La Sierra Community Center at 9 p.m.; Citrus Heights fireworks at Sunrise Mall at 9:40 pm. Elk Grove, Salute to the flag at Elk Grove Regional Park at 9:45 pm.; Folsom, fireworks at Pro Rodeo City. Rancho Cordova will celebrate at Hagan Park, 3 days of fun & fireworks. We Sikhs have been in California since 1890s, but we have lived in our small cultural islands. We have made little effort to mix with the local Americans. They do not know who Sikhs are. They mistake us for who we are not. Many Sikhs have been called Osama. We have been called “rag-heads” and our turban has been called a “Diaper”. Despite a lot of legal and educational activity by national Sikh organizations (SALDEF, United Sikhs, The Sikh Coalition) most Americans lack correct information about the Sikhs. This has led to increased stereotyping, bullying, oral and physical attacks, discrimination, and hate crimes including arson and murders, in the wake of 9/11. Our mixing with the local population in the Independence Day parades and Veterans Day Parades will have a very positive effect. They will learn about us. Their prejudice, fear and hatred for us will get replaced with understanding, friendship and respect. Participation of the Sunday school of the West Sacramento Gurdwara in the annual Neighborhood Parade is very much appreciated by the West - Sacramentans. I urge the leaders of various social, cultural, literary, political and religious organizations of the Sikhs in Greater Sacramento toseriously consider organizing Sikh participation in the July 4 and Veterans’ Day parades. Please remember, non-participation in these national events is likely to be considered un-American.

Posted on July 01, 2010

ON MULTICULTURALISM & CULTURAL FREEDOM Professor Autar Dhesi

The cultural traditions and symbols need to adjust to a changed situation otherwise they become a source of misunderstanding and lose utility to their adherents. In any case, they can continue to persist for long time at the place of origin but not necessarily elsewhere.

I understand fully that British are very tolerant to other cultures. But it should not imply that people of other cultures, who plan to settle in Britain permanently, can do whatever they like, regardless of sensibilities of indigenous population. However, there is need for defining multiculturalism before taking any legislative measure.

The relevance of cultural traditions and its symbols is context specific. With change in context, they lose their significance and may rather become source of misunderstanding. The origin of face-veil is traced to the Christian-ruled Byzantine Empire. It was considered a device to protect women in the absence of their male protectors engaged in battles away from home. Later,the veil became part of Muslim culture during conquest of Byzantine empire by Arabs. At present it is prevalent among Muslim women only. However, there are more than half a dozen different forms of veil that are popular across the world. Some of them look quite graceful. In liberal Muslim countries, Hijab, Al-mira, Shalya and Chador are the most popular forms of veil. The western countries find only Burqua and probably Niqab quite out of place.

It is suggested that the Muslim communities in these countries should debate this issue among themselves objectively and suggest an acceptable solution in their long term interest.

Postscript
Before 1947, it was a common practice among married women across castes, and religions, especially in rural North India to cover their faces in the presence of male elders as a mark of modesty. With mass migration of Muslims to Pakistan at the time of independence, this outdated cultural symbol soon disappeared in the changed social context, at least, in Punjab. It signaled emancipation of women and not any disrespect to elders. In any case, the vitality of a culture is contingent on its capacity to adjust to evolving socio-economic conditions. The Punjabi culture is rich because of its inherent flexibility..

Posted on May 19, 2010

INDO-AUSTRALIAN FRIENDSHIP Some Reminiscences

Autar Dhesi

My interaction with Australians has been very limited but meaningful I found them to be very friendly, direct and agreeable persons. The recent bad press Aussies got due to a few unfortunate incidents in their country has no effect on my view of them. Such incidents occur occasionally almost in all societies.

One of my class fellows at University of Surrey was Daniel Breen. He was already a senior lecturer in economics at one of the Australian institutions. He came to London to do an M.Sc in international economics in September, 1967. Breen and I opted for a course in Diplomacy of International Economic Relations. Dr. Otto Pick, course in charge, gave topics to each of us to prepare seminar essays for discussion. We decided to exchange the essays prepared by us. One of us would present the essay and the other was expected to put critical questions. Dr. Otto Pick would act as a moderator and sum up the discussion at the end of the seminar that often exceeded the allotted time. Then we would go for coffee and continue informal exchange of ideas. We soon became good friends. Dr. Otto considered Breen a hard working, serious student and dismissed me as a casual, easy going person but quite original (his words). He often said a student like me either gets first or fails.

A minor incident in the department brought out the fine qualities of Daniel Breen to the fore. Some undergraduate students had complained to the head of the department against a teacher regarding her teaching. Some of her colleagues planned to manipulate support of graduate students by insulating that someone from our class might have complained. We were quick to see through the game and unanimously decided to depute Daniel Breen and another person of his choice to meet the head of department, Mr. Lord. We felt relieved when Breen came back and informed us that graduate students had nothing to do with the complaint. Chance Meeting with Sir Robert Gordon Menzies
(Former Prime Minister of Australia)

After getting my degree from University of Surrey, one of the oldest University of London College upgraded in 1960’s, I decided to take a year off academic life for free lance writing. I had been writing bits and pieces as a member of Indian Journalists’ Association, London since early 1960s. I also had been a founder executive member of Campaign against Racial Discrimination since its inception in 1964. All this made it easy to interact with the right kind of persons. Some writing assignments came my way, especially to write on socio-economic issue relating to immigrants for Race-Today, a monthly of Institute of Race Relations, London and some other publications. After handing over my article to Peter Watson, editor of Race–Today, I decided to walk on a pleasant, sunny day to London School of Economics. When I was near BBC House, I saw a tall, well-built gentleman coming out of Australia House, next to the BBC building. I instantly recognized him as his pictures were everywhere in the morning papers. He was Sir Robert Gorden Menzies. He was enjoying sun while waiting for someone. I decided to greet him and try to get an appointment with a view to write a story. He responded to my greetings warmly and wanted to know about me. After listening to me for a few minutes, he said I could go to Australia to study or to settle. Even he suggested that I would do well in public life there. I was simply bowled over when he said that. I should contact him if ever I decided to settle there. I thanked him for his kindness. How can one forget such a wonderful informal meeting with a great man?

I still remember, with nostalgia, those wonderful days of relaxed social environment in London. Please permit me a little digression to make my point clear. Just a few days earlier, I had gone to London airport with a friend, who was doing his Ph.D. at School of Oriental and African Studies, to receive his wife. As we entered the area for incoming passengers, I noticed Reginald Maudling, former Chancellor of Exchequer under P.M. Harold Macmillan. I had met him at an Indian Journalists Association Republic day dinner. My friend could not believe that a person of Maudling’s stature should be standing among the commoners. So, I walked up to Reginald Maudling and reminded him where we had met. Then I told him about my friend’s dilemma. He told me that he was there to receive his son. The gentleman politician gestured in his inimitable style, “Your friend better believe you”.

An Australian in the World Bank

I was invited to work as a consultant in the Department of Economic Analysis and Projection of the World Bank, Washington, D.C. during summer months in 1982. Professor Hollis .Chenery was Vice-President, Development Economics Research, and the above said department was headed by an Australian, Dr. Helen Hughes. I made a courtesy call on her on the first day of my joining the bank. After exchanging pleasantries, she gave me friendly advice to publish only in international journals if I wanted to reach somewhere. After a brief pause, she said that she considered herself an Asian. At a social, she had no hesitation in telling me that she worked as a bartender at some stage of her life.

The Bank had rented an apartment for me in Watergate Towers near Potomic River. I thought it was a bit away from the bank. So, I found another apartment of similar quality in a hotel near the Bank at half the rent. But I wanted to inform Helen before shifting there. She was more than pleased by my proposed move as this would reduce department’s expenses on my stay by half. Without wasting a moment, she picked up the phone and told the person at the other end to put her future consultants in this hotel near the Bank. At the end, she thanked me.

I found her as a friendly, direct person with no-nonsense, practical approach.
Later, I learned that the only person among her permanent staff, she got along well, was an Indian, Dr Shamsher Singh, Advisor (Project)

Professor Clem Tisdell Proessor Clem Tisdell, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, is an acknowledged academician of international standing. We have been friends, more accurately pen pals since 1984, when I took over as Chairman, Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. At the time it was a small department with good potential. My objective was to make it one of the best in the country. There was no shortage of funds. But I had to overcome locational disadvantage due to its close proximity to sensitive international border with Pakistan.

There was no problem in getting additional academic positions sanctioned. But the problem was to find well qualified candidates with good potential. So, I decided to recruit young persons with potential to grow and send them to advanced centres within the country and abroad for training.

Professor Tisdell was one of the persons I contacted for this; His response was positive and enthusiastic. However, I decided to put this programme at the back burner due to serious social turmoil, Punjab was going through at the time.

So I decided to work on the next item on my agenda. This was to bring out a journal of international standing. I had full support of senior professors at major centers of economics in the country. Similarly, there was no problem in persuading a few well known economists in North America and Europe to extend support. I invited Professor Tisdell to become regional editor of the journal for Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. His response was very prompt and positive. His contribution to the Indian Journal of Quantitative Economics in its initial years will always be remembered with gratitude by Punjab School of Economics. As an acknowledgement of his contribution, journal’s first issue of 1996 was dedicated to him.

He is always prompt and courteous whenever I write to him. I still regret my inability to avail his offer to spend a year in his department as a visiting professor.

A Brief Encounter with an Australian in Minneapolis.

I was invited to speak at a plenary session of First World Conference on Racial and Ethnic Economic Inequality, organized by Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota in May, 1996. At the end of the session in which I presented my paper, “Unequal opportunities in Education and labour Market in India”, a gentleman walked up to me, addressing me by first name, invited me to present a paper at next year’s World Conference on the topic, to be organized by him in Australia. He was Colin Bourke, heading an upcoming university for the indigenous people of Australia, as I was winding up my work at Amritsar, I could not avail his kind offer. Nevertheless, his gesture confirmed my earlier opinion about Australians as people with direct, friendly and no-nonsense approach to life.
Proverbial Icing on the Cake

In Jane Stevenson’s well received novel, London Bridges, Dilip Dhesi, an Indian lawyer and his Australian sweet heart Jeanene Malone, a student of classical Greek in London, are depicted as honest, rational and forthright characters. Many among the Asians living in Britain, who remember me from my days (17 years or so) in London, consider the protagonist, Dilip Dhesi as more or less Autar Dhesi’s alter ego. The only missing link is that Autar never got an opportunity to befriend an Australian lady in real life.

Posted on April 27, 2010

PASH MARTYRDOM DAY REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY (Top left) Dr. Amolak Singh speaking , (Top right) Dr. Ronki Ram speaking , (Middle) Prof T.C. Ghai's Book Release Cermony, standing: (left to right): Dr. Ronki Ram, Prof. K.K. Pathak, Prof. T.C. Ghai, Dr. Amolak Singh and Prof Tarsem Sagar, (Bottom left) Dr. Ronki Ram with Prof. T.C Ghai author of Pash's poems translation into English at Talwandi Salem village (Bottom right) Prof. T.C. Ghai with Sant Sandhu, a friend of Pash at their native village on March 23, 2010

Report & Images Ambedkartimes.com Bureau

(Talwandi Salem):- Ambedkartimes.com congratulates Prof. T.C. Ghai for his great efforts in translating entire poetry of Avtar Pash, one of the pioneer revolutionary Punjabi poets who in his very young age became a house-hold name not only in his home state but also in the entire India. In addition, he is equally popular among the wide Punjabi Diasporas. Prof. Ghai’s translation (Pash: A Poet of Impossible Dreams) was released at the Martyrdom day remembrance ceremony at Pash’s native village (Talwandi Salem). At the ceremony, Prof. Ghai dedicated his book to Bha Ji Gursharn, a noted revolutionary activist in the domain of theatre art in the region. Among other recipients of the book at the ceremony were Prof. K.K. Pathak, Dr. Ronki Ram, Prof Tarsem Sagar, Sh. Sant Sandhu and Dr. Amolak Singh. The book is published by Pash Memorial International Trust. Prof. T.C. Ghai (Born 1937) retired from Delhi University as an Associate Professor of English in 2002. He has published two short novels and a Hindi translation of his short stories, Adamboo, originally written in English. He has translated a Punjabi poet, late Dr. Puran Singh Kanwar’s collection of poems, Rattan Di Rut (1984), into Hindi in 2000 and English in 2006.

While speaking at Martyrdom day remembrance ceremony at Pash’ village, Prof Ghai said that “in the premature violent death of Pash the Punjabi poetry has perhaps missed its own Pablo Neruda, or may be someone even greater”. Dr. Ronki Ram said that in contemporary times, the poetry of Pash has become rather more relevant and crucial in dealing with general myopia of free market economy led consumerism, and electronic media’s persistent campaign for festivities and glamour! Dr. Amolak reiterated on the need for pro-people policies which he lamented are nowhere to be seen in the present regime at the state and centre level. On the occasion different theater groups staged revolutionary plays including the famous play Aeh Lahoo Kis da Hai by Bha Ji Gursharn theater group.

Posted on March 24, 2010

THINKING PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA Prof . Autar Dhesi

Prof. Autar Dhesi’s Comments On Recent US Peace Initiatives
Published by BBC News London
Iran
Friday,2 April,2010
In an increasingly interdependent world President Barack Obama's effort to take China on board to restrain Iran is a rational, workable approach. The other major countries in the region like Russia, Pakistan and India should also be involved. In case the situation becomes very serious all of them would be adversely affected. The US has already set a precedent in collective diplomatic approach to handle volatile Israel-Palestine issue. The US, Russia, EEC and UN joined hands for the first time to restrain Israel's unacceptable attitude in the changed situation. I am sure collective approach would also have the desired impact on Iranian public.
Afghinstan
Tuesday,12 January,2010
Tuesday, 12 January, 2010, 13:39 GMT 13:39 UK
The long suffering Afghan people deserve co-operation and sustained support of all well meaning people to have an enduring, open, democratic dispensation. It is not surprising to find that they are becoming confident by the day This should also contribute to securing peace in the region. My only fear is that President Obama may not leave the task unfinished due to domestic pressure just before the next presidential elections.
The valiant Afghans can take care of their problems with experience.
Wednesday, 17 February, 2010, 13:34 GMT 13:34 UK
The situation in Afganistan is certainly very complex.The military action can be expected to lead to meaningful ,sustainable results only if it is accompanied by actions to ensure social and economic development in cooperation with major countries of the region. However,successful military action is a necessary condtion for other policies to succeed. In the final analysis it is only the capacity of Afgans to manage their affairs in an open democratic set up would ensure peace.and prosperity. .
Monday, 29 Mar 2010
President Obama's surprise visit to Afghanistan is indication of his firm commitment to secure enduring peace in the region. What is more interesting is his forthright message to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to root out corruption in the system and break the nexus between drug trade and militancy. His visit should also boost the morale of forces fighting against militants.
His initiative to get the stalled negotiations between Israel and Palestine going also shows his earnestness to secure permanent peace in entire region. His heart and head are at the right place. All the well meaning people of the world should support his efforts.
Postscript
I am sure President Hamid Karzai fully understands the gravity of the situation .Sooner he gets on with very difficult task of cleansing the system better it is for him personally as well as the society. No diversionary rhetoric would serve any purpose. I wish him good luck that he needs most at present.
Israel
Tuesday,09March,2010
Given the will, nothing is impossible . Many historical complex situations have been sorted out over the years. The most recent example is the case of Northern Ireland. However, it requires a lot of patience to sort out the intricate issues. The US is the only country that can steer negotiations for some acceptable solution . This would help in securing peace not only in the Middle East but also in Afghanistan.
The US initiative would have explicit or implicit support of world’s all well meaning people including those in Israel and Palestine. Let us not forget that they have a lot of things in common. A lasting solution will benefit both. Good luck

Thurday,18 March,2010
Israeli provocation could have been avoided in the interest of reaching a lasting agreement on the vexed historical issue. Now it is time for other countries, especially European Union, to back the US initiative. Israel is too closely allied with the US to overlook the latter's concerns for peace in the region. As I wrote in my previous comments, US is the only country that can steer negotiations to some acceptable lasting solution. I am sure Israel fully understands it.
Postscript
I was in Israel during summer of 1966 for six weeks as a member of Student Group from Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, London and Leeds. The study tour was partially financed by an educational trust in London, headed by Labour leader Anthony Greenwood. I joined University of Surrey later in the year. We were taken around all over the country in two coaches and were given ample opportunities to interact with different sections of the society. The driver of the coach, I was in, was an air force pilot. He gave us informally a good briefing about the security environment. It was not difficult for us to anticipate some sort of conflict between Israel and the neighboring Arab countries except Lebanon in the near future. At Surrey, I shared my assessment of the situation and of the likely outcome of conflict if it took place with others. To my utter surprise, my assessment turned out to be more accurate than I expected, when conflict actually took place in 1967. After that our teacher of international relations, Dr Otto Pick, encouraged me to share my assessment of some other similar situations in the class. A lot of water has flowed since then. The field for interplay of nations has changed, so have rules of the game. Israel's earlier approach in the changed circumstances is untenable. The world Jewish fraternity is too sophisticated and intelligent to overlook implications of emerging multipolar world. However, a lot of water has flowed under the London Bridge since then. The field for interplay of nations has undergone drastic changes.
Consequently, rules of the game have also changed. For the first time, the US, Russia, EEC and the United Nations collectively tried restrain Israel's cavalier approach to Palestine issue on The world Jewish fraternity is far too intelligent and sophisticated to ignore its implications.

Posted on April 4, 2010

There is a crisis of governance. This crisis is not because debts are mounting especially when the states have abdicated most of their development functions? It is also not that one-third of the world poor are surviving in India. It is also not that corruption has become institutionalized. It is also not that the prices are skyrocketing. It is all this, but above all, what is really worrisome is the manner in which these crises are being resolved.

These are liberating times – after a struggle of 60 years, the governance models have been unleashed, the states have abdicated their responsibility to provide the citizens a dignified living. Under the banner of Private-Public Partnership (PPP), public resources are leveraged in favour of private profit. People are asked to mind their own health and subsidies are given to private hospitals. And, they are asked to pay for life-saving services even if they do not have the opportunities to earn a livelihood. The message is that the people should mind their own health as the task of nation-building is being outsourced to the private initiatives.

There is also a strong desire in the government to liberate itself from the burden of providing social security and subsidies to the people. However, doles have become a currency to buy votes of the misery-stricken electorates. Number of dole-oriented programmes are being implemented to integrate poverty-stricken people into economic development which is euphemistically called inclusive growth. This inclusive growth, may have drawn its inspiration from the well-known economist Joan Robinson’s incisive observation that ‘There is only one thing that is worse than being exploited by capitalists. And that is not being exploited by capitalists.’ Here comes the flagship programme NREGA providing employment to the rural poor for 100 days in a year. Is it not this kind of integration of the poor into the capitalist development has has legitimised ‘dole giving and dole receiving mindset’ thereby reinforcing the existing non-performing system of justice delivery. These policies no doubt, have ensured safe passage for “plundering rotating governments”.

And, the civil society has also liberated itself from the burden of launching protest movements to transform or reform the system. That is notwithstanding their media-driven ad-hoc noises to bring to justice the individual violators.

2
There is a need is to rejuvenate governance. Because some of the rules have become either redundant or inappropriate or violative of the rights of the common people. Or, there may be asymmetry of information, perverse incentives and high transaction costs.

The governments do not seek participation of the citizens in decision-making, but claim to provide for the welfare of population. This made governance less a matter of politics and more of administrative policy. The main element of this has been mistrust in the common person. It can be exemplified in a number of ways, but the most visible is the filing of affidavits for almost every interaction with the government.

These affidavits are required in support of the facts given by the applicants for availing various services provided by the government. In other words, these are affirmations by the applicants supported by third parties in some cases. These affidavits in most of the cases are given on legal papers sworn before a Magistrate or the public notary. For instance, affidavits are even required for public utilities such as new connections for electricity, sewerage and water supply. This has added to the citizen’s harassment and corruption.

It is, therefore, urgent to discontinue the practice and replace it with self-declaration, a step towards bestowing full citizenship on the colonial subjects. And, similar approach needs to be adopted by discontinuing verification from the public officials. There is a need to bring about a change in the processes, procedures, rules, regulations and policies relating to affidavits, residence, birth and death, marriage, SC and BC income certificates and urban civic services such as construction, water and sewerage connections, revenue etc.

A major casualty of this is the citizen-centric democratic governance. Recently, a system of tracking the pregnant women for prohibiting them from seeking sex selection tests to abort a female foetus has been introduced. As this is violative of the privacy of the citizen, can provide license to those who treat women as commodities. It will be more prudent to enforce law on the supply side i.e. on private and public sector medical practitioners and, on the demand side, attempts be made to enhance the value of the girl child, launch awareness campaigns, activise civil society organisations and ensure tracking of the girl child through her life cycle from birth to death and interweave incentive-oriented schemes with a view to checking not only female foeticide, but also emphasise the cultural neglect.

Interestingly, governance having become a prisoner of the administrative structure, any political statement is seen as interference. This political interference which has become an accepted part of the political culture (not only in Punjab, but in many other states also) has produced glaring distortions in the practice of governance, particularly, in administrative recruitments, postings, transfers, allocation and allotment of works, service delivery etc., leading to the dilution of hierarchy, dysfunctional internal accountability mechanisms and patronage-centric governance. To illustrate, the average tenure in 2009 of SHO is around six months, which was about seven months in 2004. In the case of Deputy Superintendent, the same is ten months and one year for the District Police Chief. The tenure of the police personnel have to be fixed as per the Police Act and a performance audit report may be considered as the basis for effecting transfers and postings. This alongwith other institutionalised changes in the police practices like registration of crime, fair investigation, transparent performance audit, complaint system against the police functionaries for
3 ensuring accountable policing, shall help to mitigate harassment and corruption in the police delivery system. The bigger challenge is to break the nexus between the police and politics as both have risen above law.

GOVERNANCE REFORMS: GOVERNANCE FIX AND NOT FISCAL FIX

The governance crisis is holistic. A fragmented diagnosis produces a tunnel vision. Consequently, remedies to social problems are provided in a segmented and ad-hoc manner. Since administration is compartmentalized in the departments and each department has its own priority, if a particular department’s priorities take precedence over the other that is likely to lead to dissonance within the system. There is no dearth of examples to drive home this point. In 2004-05, the then Punjab Department of Finance in its overactive commitment to impose fiscal management came out with a scheme to contract untrained ‘teachers’ from the same village to cut government expenditure. As a result, the quality of teaching further deteriorated and, later, all the contractual ‘teachers’ launched protest and demanded to be trained as teachers and their services regularised. This scheme was spearheaded by fiscal management framework rather than providing access to equity concern in quality education.

No doubt, most of the states including the central government are facing a fiscal crisis. In other words, the expenditure of the governments is more than the revenue generated. Within increased deficit, public expenditure on social development, needed most by the poor, has been declining in the last 25 years in Punjab. A perusal of the state expenditure pattern on social development makes this point crystal clear. The expenditure on social development in Punjab including health declined from 66 per cent in the early eighties to 40 per cent. And, livelihood needs do not find any reference in the public finance management drive. Why is it then that the expenditure is multiplying while the governments have abdicated their function to provide employment, public education and health facilities to the people. The need is to reprioritise the expenditure pattern to respond to the requirements of the people who do not have the means. Further, the trends in the last 25 years have shown that the expenditure on the salaries of the public sector employees has declined. At least it would not be fair to blame the government staff for the state’s bad fiscal health. They can, however, be charged for inefficiency and corruption, but for that you do not require fiscal fix, but governance fix. Similarly, to improve tax collection in Punjab which is perhaps the lowest amongst the other developed states, the need is to rejuvenate governance. There is also an urgent need to rationalise subsidies. Most of the subsidies to the poor are given as doles. To illustrate, the social security programmes like Pensions and Shagun are given as doles to a large section of the ineligible population. This has become a practice with successive governments. Consequently, it leads to wastage. Not only this, the doles given to protect profits (industrial interests) are presented as rescue packages.

In fact, there is an emergent need to evolve disaggregate deprivation-based schemes for groups and individual beneficiaries. There are groups or individuals who may be high on education, but low on health and income, or, alternatively, high on income but low on education and health etc. No doubt, subsidies are essential for enhancing productivity as
4 also equity being an integral component of the capitalist development. But subsidies must not be given as doles.

Another distortion in governance is that each institution, be it civil administration, police or judiciary, is overactive in correcting the manifest distortions in other institutions rather than performing its own assigned role. (To illustrate, in Punjab, in the eighties, when the political process produced crisis, an overactive administration armed itself with TADA. In view of the failure of administration , the police was unleashed). When the police produced a bigger crisis, the judiciary was unleashed. These overactive institutions produced distortions similar or even worse and also prevented the forces and factors behind these distortions from coming to surface. As such, it should be understood that if the civil administration becomes non-functional, the remedy is not to unleash the police. The remedy must be sought to make the same functional. For example, if there is a leakage in the revenue collection, the chemists are trading in illegal drugs and the functionaries are indulging in corruption, the remedy should not be seen in resorting to policing. It is possible that the revenues may increase, and so will the extortions. But the damage caused to the system shall be irreparable. The tendency to empower the institutions with ad hoc license has a clear message i.e. killing poison with poison and letting the patient die. This has made governance less a matter of politics, more of an administrative policy and the discretionary political interference.

It is high time that the civil society was closely engaged in governance and the people on the margins were granted a dignified livelihood, harassment-free and non-discriminatory services by enhancing the role of the public sector in social development.

Posted on Febuary 08, 2010

When a senior Indian embassy official in Hungary is invited in a programme celebrating one of the historic national event of 20th century India, he speaks on every thing under the sun except on the event and fails to utter a single word on the most important figure involved with that particular event and his life and struggles.

“I tell you, religion is for man and not man for religion. If you want to organize, consolidate and successful in this world, change this (Hindu) religion” – Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Dhamma Chakka Parivartan means ’setting in motion the wheel of Dhamma’ andDiwas means ‘Day’. This is the day to refresh our memories of the very first sermon given by Buddha to his five disciples at Sarnath. Also on 14th October, 1956, Babasaheb Ambedkar took diksha in Buddhism along with more than half a million people leaving behind the caste-virus of Hinduism.

Traces of Buddhism in Hungary can be found since 15th century (it’s around the same time when gypsies/romas migrated from Balkan regions of India, so it can be possible Buddhism here in Hungary may have been brought by these gypsies/romas). There are few scholars in Hungary who believe that name of the capital Budapest is derived from the word Buddha. As in 19th century there were two cities Buda and Pest, on both sides (east and west) of River Duna. The city of Buda being somewhat hilly, scholars believe there may have stood a lama monastery, Stupa or Buddha statue from which the name “Buda” is derived. “Past or “Pest” is a Persian word meaning “low”. It expresses the topographical relation between Buda and Pest. “Lower-of-Buda, Lower-of-Gompa1” = Budapest. 2

In Hungary, contemporary Buddhism is new to Romas. Total Buddhist population of Hungary is about 15,000. Romas of village Sajokaza (population around 3300) came to know about Babasaheb Ambedkar and Buddha due to the efforts of Jai Bhim Network, that is working here from last 3 years. It was decided by Derdak Tibor, Janos and others of the Network that this time they’ll celebrate “Dhamma Chakka Parivartan Diwas” on 14th October to commemorate Dr. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism. Earlier, the Network had also organised an event on Poona Pact on 24 September, 2007.
The preparations for the celebration of Dhamma Chakka Parivartan Diwas started from 1st October, 2009 onwards and there was lot of excitement in local Roma community, especially among the students about the event. So as to fulfill the curiosity of students of school I visited “Ozd School” twice and talked with the students about Buddhism, Dr Ambedkar, what all five colors of Buddhist flag means (Blue- Faith, Yellow- Holiness, Red- Wisdom, White- Purity and Orange- No Desire) and Diskhabhoomi, Nagpur etc.

Together with Janos, Tibor, Benu, Bharat, Katlin, we prepared the schedule of the events to take place during the celebration to be held on 14th October. We then decided to invite people from Indian Embassy as well as from Hungarian Education Ministry for the programme. In this regard on 5th October, Bharat and Janos went and met Mr. V. V. Mohan, Second Secretary of Indian Embassy and personally hand over the invitation.
Apart from various speeches by the network activists on Buddhism, we also planned for Buddha Vandana, a Buddhist play by Lazi Monika, Benu and Anna. I was also asked to deliver a lecture on ‘Buddhism and Dr Ambedkar in India’. We decided to end the celebration by a cultural programme followed by the movie on Babasaheb Ambedkar. For this whole event, we booked the ‘cultural house’ of Sajókaza.

Finally the much awaited day came, Mr. V.V. Mohan along with one of his colleague arrived at around 11am. At that time, all of us were busy in cooking food for 150 people. However, some of us welcomed Mr. Mohan and discussed about Jai Bhim Network’s activities and later took him to various Roma settlements of nearby areas. In the afternoon, around 2 pm, we started our program with around 150 people in attendance. The other dignitaries that graced the function were Soltesz Lojosne (vice-mayor of Sajókaza) and Belik Istvan (member, local governing council). Five of us inaugurated the function by reciting Buddha Vandana on the stage followed by the welcome speech delivered by the senior activist Janos.

Then Mr V.V. Mohan was invited to speak and share his views, which he did by talking about India and the activities of Jai Bhim Network. However, what surprised me the most in his speech was that Mr. Mohan, speaking in the event on Dr. Ambedkar’s historic conversion to Buddhism, failed to utter a single word about Buddhism and Babasaheb Ambedkar. I am amazed at the audacity and stubbornness of caste-Indian psyche on maintaining a silence at all cost on Babasaheb Ambedkar and Buddhism. After that Derdak Tibor spoke about the importance of Buddhism and Dr Ambedkar, how he converted to Buddhism, necessity of Buddhism in present life etc. Then, women congregation took place and they sang Roma songs. Then came my turn to speak on importance of Buddhism and Babasaheb in Indian context.

Initially, I was bit nervous due to my stage fear as this was only the second such opportunity for me, to speak before the gathering, the first being in Nagpur last year. But then, Derdak Tibor being my interpreter brought me some relief and I was able to talk about the life and struggle of Babasaheb, about untouchability in India, importance of Buddhism and the role of Buddhism in empowering the whole Dalit community in the country. I also told the audience about a study that found out that people embracing Buddhism doing much better than those Dalits who have not yet converted.
At the end of the programme one of the Network activists Benu thanked everyone and distributed gifts to children among the audience. We also handed over Babasaheb Ambedkar’s pictures, Jai Bhim bands, Buddhist bracelets, books etc to Jai Bhim Network that we brought from India. It was around 5pm and the programme was concluded after serving delicious food to all participants.

After two hours we again gathered at the same venue for showing the movie on Dr Ambedkar but before that we gave a brief introduction to the movie, being translated by another Roma activist Katlin. We also featured a short movie ‘Pay Back to Society’ directed by our friend Saurav Arya and ended the programme by reciting 22 vows of Dr Ambedkar, being translated in Hungarian language and suited to Hungarian context by Derdak Tibor. The response to the event was very warm and welcoming by the whole Roma community.

Posted on December 18, 2009

MESSAGE FOR DR. HARMESH KUMAR SOUTH ASIAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (SABH) Dr. Ronki Ram, Chairperson, Dept. of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India)

I convey my felicitations to South Asian Behavioral Health and Training (SABH) Foundation for the occasion of organizing Khushboo Punjab Di, Mehfil-A-Sartaj, Saturday, April 3, 2010, and express my immense pleasure for its efforts to bring out a Souvenir on this very day.

I sincerely appreciate the spirit behind this exciting event. SABHF would be remembered for its noble initiative toward raising a Seniors” Home for South Asians. We should not forget out civilizational moral duty towards our seniors in the family as well as our society. Any civilization which ignores its senior citizens can neither grow nor survive. Seniors are not merely elderly persons they are, in fact, the custodian of wisdom and store-house of immense experiences of numerous ups and downs they have passed through their daily struggle in lives.

In today’s highly fragmented social and consumerized world, it is high time that we inculcate in ourselves the noble duty of looking after the well-being of our seniors. The efforts being made by SABHF are laudable. I congratulate the organizers of the SABHF and wish them all success

Posted on March 20, 2010

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