Digital technologies like Internet, mobile phone and computers banged the world with a claim to work freely. Suddenly there was an air of borderless world. Its popularity and power stunned the world nations. Governments lost track of digital power. Their radar of censorship got blocked by Internet. Information was flowing freely from anywhere to everywhere.

At one point of time there was a global movement try to control the world affairs. What was started in Brazil under the banner of World Social Forum threatened to break the iron cages of Governments. Independent people’s power of the world was half visible. Awaken by such critical realities; some countries tightened their information control. The axe fell on the Internet. Simply certain websites which are anti-national and provoking people to react were blocked.

Technologies which were part of younger generation were slowly impacting the elder sections too. Lagging behind in techno knowledge, Governments constituted cyber cells both to spread its information and to track its rebels and anti-establishments messages in the cyberspace.

China qualifies to the number one spot in censoring and blocking websites. No other country has so powerfully dealt with the Internet power than China. Jonathan Zittrain and Ben Edelman in their study found that collected two hundred thousand website samples and found that about fifty thousand were unavailable at least one and nineteen thousand were unavailable twice. BBC, CNN, US Court System were blocked. Some websites were clever enough to copy past the information from the blocked sites were available. It is a matter of popularity of the free expression of China sites that matter most to the Government. Tibet and Taiwan searches in the Google yielded no information or pro China news. Such was the strength of Government control over internet in China.

The Amnesty International says that the Chinese users were cleverer than their government by using proxy servers. It is the same case in information controlling Iran. The network system got popular from the university campuses. Slowly the anti-establishment students started spreading their message through Internet. Having successfully crushed down the print medium which was spreading anti-government messages, the Internet power came as a great shock.

Despite several tortures and control mechanisms Internet seems to be penetrating right to the end of the Government and hitting hard with antagonistic messages. Naturally the state control seems to be partial rather than totally ruthless. Off late the Chinese authorities are sending proxy pictures with anti-China message and infecting it with virus deliberately. This comes on the top of the searches and threatens the surfers not to download it. This exercise is repeated to fill many search results with virus attached messages and images.

One never knows the time of total takeover of Internet by the Government. Its power can be enhanced and upgraded any time. If a techno person takes over the Government then he/she will apply own mind to control the information. Rarely one can see a liberal implementing his prophecies. With the increasing terror threats anyone in the government will be compelled to give it as an excuse while ordering information control.
It is crucial to separate information freedom and information menace. Naturally every government should allow the free flow of information. Keeping track of the terrorists and troublemakers is a must. Indeed internet should be used proactively by the Government to track terror operators and help public to live peacefully.

Star Wars: An Islamic perspective



The way "jedis" are taught to respect a greater power, fight for the defense of the
innocent and bring peace and justice to their society, is also what Islam teaches
all Muslims to strive for.



By Irfan Rydhan, June 17, 2005










Luke bin Anakin?
As most "Star Wars" fans know, director George Lucas took spiritual elements, which
are common in most major world religions to create his epic saga of good vs. evil.
As a Muslim, I always thought of the "Jedi" as what a true follower of Islam should
be like. Never mind the fact Jedi masters with their North African style cloaks and
scruffy beards look like Sufi Sheikhs, but they way they are taught to respect a
greater power, fight for the defense of the innocent and honor a code of morals and
ethics in order to bring about peace and justice to their society, is basically what
Islam teaches all Muslims to strive for. So what really is the connection between
these similar Islamic principles and the fictional "Jedi Order" of the Star Wars
saga?I decided to look into this question more deeply. What I came across from my
research off the internet and talking to other Muslim "Star Wars" fans was not only
surprising, but also a bit scary. For example it was reported in a National
Australian magazine that more than 70,000 Australians identified their religion as
Jedi, Jedi-Knight, or Jedi-related in the country's 2001 national census! Don't
these people realize that the "Jedi" are make-believe? There may be some truth in
fiction, but instead of looking for the truth, people get caught up with the
fiction. In this paper I hope to reveal where some of the truth of the "Jedi" and
"Star Wars" comes from: Islam.Back when "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" first came
out, "The Muslim Magazine" had some interesting pieces on the connections between
Islam and the content of the Star Wars films. One was an interview with Dhul-Nun
Owen who talks about how George Lucas had contacted members of the "Habibiyyah Sufi
Order" in Berkeley, CA in order to do research for "Star Wars." There was also a
piece by Mahmoud Shelton about how Sufi ideas of spiritual chivalry ("futuwwat")
have parallels in the Jedi teachings.Surfing the internet, I came across an
interesting article entitled "Eternal Jihad: The Way of the Mystic-Warrior" from a
Sufi website:"We are at the core a Movement of Jeddi; masters of Futuwwat ("the Way
of the mystic-warrior"). We encourage adherents to train both physically AND
spiritually, for their own personal edification and to enhance their knowledge and
abilities in the STRUGGLE. The Real does not lie alone in contemplation, prayer and
meditation; nor does it lie alone in action and revolution. Both of these are
notions of "one or the other" and Allah is not "one or the other." "Allah" literally
means "the One[ness] which manifests from Nothing." As we have stressed before, this
"Nothing" is not the "lack" of all, but rather, it is Nothing in the sense of
Totality of Being, which is symbolized by the numeral zero � this number itself
originated with Sufis. Allah is neither the positive alone, nor the negative. Allah
is the perfect balance between the two. The direct center of two polarities is
always zero, Pure Nothing, from which the Totality, the Tawhid (Unity), the Oneness
of ALL becomes manifest. For it is out of zero that all subsequent positive and
negative numbers reel. That is Allah."Notice the Arabic term "al-Jeddi" (master of
the mystic-warrior way) along with another Islamic term not mentioned, "Palawan"
(similar to Lucas' "Padwan" for Jedi apprentice) which were actual titles used by
Muslim Knights!The Force"The Force" is the common thread between all six movies and
is defined as an energy field, which binds all living things together (i.e. Allah,
God, a Supreme Being or Power that most religion's adherents worship, follow and/or
yearn to become a part of). According to Star Wars mythology, the Jedi "are a noble
order of protectors unified by their belief and observance of the Force." The "Jedi"
study and train under the apprentice-master relationship similar to how many
religious students study under a priest or religious scholar until they have learned
enough to teach and train the next generation of students.From a Muslim perspective,
the similarities between the Jedi and the Islamic traditions of instruction are
strikingly similar. For example a Muslim scholar usually trains under a Sheikh for a
number of years before they are given the right or permission ("Ijazah" in Arabic)
to teach others about Islam. "In Islamic Sufism Sheikhs will have "silsilas" that
list the chain of teachers going back to the Prophet Muhammad (S). A "silisia"
indicates a Sheikh's lineage of mystical learning from which he draws his spiritual
authority."Similarly in the "Jedi" tradition of Star Wars, each "Padwan"
(apprentice) is taught the same tradition and skills their Jedi masters were taught
by their previous masters. "Star Wars" fans know the lineage of Jedi instruction
starting from "Yoda" to "Count Dooku" to "Qui-Gon Jinn" to "Obi Wan Kenobi" to
"Anankin Skywalker."In the first Star Wars movie, "Episode IV: A New Hope," Luke
Skywalker, like his father, Anakin, live in the desert (The desert planet of
"Tatooine" was actually filmed near the real desert town of "Tataouine" in Tunisia).
From among this remote desert area with no roots of a civilized urban society, a
"Chosen One" (i.e. a Prophet) arises who brings a hope of peace and justice to their
society. Anakin is the "chosen one" in the latest Star Wars films, and Luke can be
considered the "chosen one" from the original Star Wars trilogy.Similarly, the
Prophet of Islam, lived in the desert where there was no true rule of law or justice
and people followed the tribal system of blood vengeance. Prophet Muhammad (S)
brought Islam to the Arabs, which completely changed their way of thinking and the
way they lived their lives. Instead of living for the present and for themselves, as
Muslims they live for the hereafter and are taught to take care of the poor,
orphans, those less fortunate than themselves and to fight for social justice and
well being for the whole community.Thus the Jedi too is taught to be selfless and
not selfish like the "Sith" (An ancient order of Force-practitioners devoted to the
dark side and determined to destroy the Jedi). Just as "Yoda" taught young "padwans"
not to give into fear and be tempted by the "Dark Side" (i.e. temptations of the
devil or "Shaytaan" in Arabic), Muslims are taught not to be attached to the "Dunya"
(life in this world) nor to fall prey to the diseases of the heart (jealousy, envy,
fear, hatred, etc.) as they lead to evil and sin.The Green OneThere is an
interesting connection between the Jedi master "Yoda" (a short, green skinned
creature first seen in "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back") and Islamic traditions.
"Al-Khidr" means "the Green One" in Arabic. Qur'�nic commentators say that al-Khidr
is one of the prophets; others refer to him simply as an angel who functions as a
guide to those who seek God. And there are yet others who argue for his being a
perfect wali meaning the one whom God has taken as a friend.So in other words "Yoda"
(which means "Wise One" in Hebrew) is like an angel or spiritual mentor who guides
the young Jedi in the ways of the force and to be strong enough to resist the
temptations and evil inclinations of the Sith and other Dark Forces.In "Episode VI:
Return of the Jedi", the Emperor tries to influence Luke Skywalker to give into his
feelings of Anger and Hatred (As we all know Luke's father Anakin, did fall prey to
the Emperor's whispers and joined the Dark Side). Because the Jedi (as Muslim
warriors) are taught that one's intentions in battle must be pure and that it's
wrong to kill out of anger, even when is outwardly justified.'Ali (RA) the nephew of
the Prophet Muhammad (S), was faced with this situation at the Battle of the Ditch,
the noble Imam 'Ali had knocked an enemy soldier to the ground and was raising his
sword to kill him, when the unbeliever spat in the his face. Imam 'Ali at once stood
still and refrained from killing his enemy. Hardly able to believe his own eyes, the
unbeliever asked: "Why have you spared me, O gracious one?"To this, the noble 'Ali
replied: "Your property and your life have become sacrosanct to me. I am not
authorized to slay you. I can receive permission to kill only in holy combat, in
fighting commanded by Allah. Just a few moments ago, I had overcome you in battle,
knocked you to the ground and was on the point of slaying you. But when you spat in
my face, my selfish anger was aroused against you. If I had killed you, I would have
slain you not for Allah's sake but for my own selfish reason; they would then have
called me not a champion warrior, but a murderer. When you spat in my face, my
selfish passion threatened to overwhelm me, so instead of striking you with the
sword for my own sake I struck my passion for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He.
There you have the reason for your escape." The unbeliever was of course in awe by
Ali's noble character, and immediately accepted Islam and became
Muslim.Muh-Jedi-DeenThe Jedi could be considered "Holy Warriors" (or "Muhajideen" in
Arabic) as they fight for truth, justice and peace. They meditate (i.e. "Dhikr" �
remembrance of Allah) as much as they can, to become "one with the force", even in
the midst of battle. Just as in "Episode I: The Phantom Menace", the Jedi master,
Qui-Gon Jinn (The term "Jinn" in Islam is one of the forces of the "unseen") begins
to meditate in the middle of his battle with "Darth Maul", while he waits for a
force field to go down.Islamic History is filled with stories of Muslim Warriors who
also stop in the heat of the moment of battle to give their prayers to Allah.
Hussein (RA) the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (S) stopped to do his Asr (mid-day
prayers) at Karbala. There is even an account of 'Ali (RA), known as the "Sword of
Light" (light-saber?), who completed his "Salat" (Arabic for prayers) while he had
an arrow stuck in his leg or foot!The lack of fear for death exhibited by Jedi
Knights Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke Skywalker (particularly in Episode
VI: "Return of the Jedi") resembles the Muslim warrior's creed that states that the
Muslim loves death more than the un-believer loves life.There is another saying in
Islam, which is "Life in this world is Paradise for the Un-believer and a Prison for
the Believer." Some reasoning behind this saying is that if one puts all their faith
in this world (the "Dunya"), then it is very easy to fall off the straight path and
be tempted by Satan (i.e. fall prey to the "Dark Side").This is shown very clearly
in "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," which is all about the Chosen One's (Anakin)
fall into the dark side. Lucas, himself stated in an interview that the he chose the
final battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan to be on a planet with flowing molten lava
and fire, which represents the fires of Hell. The ultimate showdown between good and
evil.Anakin falls victim to the dark side because he loves power and the Dunya (as
he wanted to have the power to live forever and save his loved ones from death �
i.e. his wife from dying during childbirth). He has excessive anger and arrogance
(as he felt he was the most powerful Jedi and no other Jedi was better or stronger
than him) and distrust for those who are his righteous guides (as he felt Obi-Wan
was jealous of him and thought the Jedi Council was against him, which lead him to
follow other sinister forces for guidance). Lastly he had hatred in his heart (he
admitted to hating the "sand people")! Everything that Islam teaches the Muslim to
avoid!The Sand PeopleThe "sand people" or the "Tusken Raiders" could be considered a
metaphor of the Arabs and other people of the Middle East, since they live similarly
to nomadic Arabs in the desert. In "Episode II: Attack of the Clones", the Tusken
Raiders kidnap and torture Anakin's mother, Shimi, which eventually leads to her
death. Anakin then proceeds to kill all the "sand people" in vengeance, and as he
told "Padme," that he "killed all of them [sand people], including the women and
children." But this did not relieve him of his anger and hatred.I believe Lucas was
trying to make a point about the continuous spewing of hate and evil against the
Arab and Muslim people, specifically after September 11 th. Even though the
countries of Iraq and Afghanistan were bombed and destroyed relentlessly (it hasn't
stopped yet), as punishment for the attacks of September 11 th (without any proof or
legitimate legalities of course), many Americans still have a lot of hatred against
anyone that even looks like an Arab or Middle Eastern. Many innocent people,
specifically women and children, have been harassed, attacked and sometimes even
killed, because of this hate.This wasn't the only example of Lucas getting
political, since after Episode III debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, many
Europeans were saying that Anakin represents Bush and his Neo-Con cohorts currently
in power. One couldn't help but notice the very overt examples in the last and final
installment of the "Star Wars" series.An example that sticks in my mind is when the
Emperor was taking control of the Senate. Senate Palpatine (aka the Emperor) was
calling for war against the "separatists" (i.e. read as "insurgents", "terrorists",
etc.) and the Jedi, all the while the whole Senate erupted in agreement. Padme (aka
Queen Amadala) then says "..So this is how Liberty ends, with thunderous
applause"!Of course the most obvious example was when Anakin tells Obi-Wan before
their final duel, "Either you're with me, or against me", which is basically
straight out of Bush's mouth when he said "Either you're with us [i.e. America], or
you're with the terrorists" immediately after the attacks of September 11 th.Which
reminds me of a very funny take on the whole Bush Inspired U.S. "War on Terror"
transposed into "Star Wars" mythology I came across on the web. Here is an
excerpt:It's believed that Skywalker [Luke] was specifically trained by infamous
terrorist O bin Wankanobi. Wankanobi, occasionally called "Ben" and easily
recognized by his bearded visage and long, flowing robes, achieved near-martyr
status among the Rebels after his death last year during a spy mission. His more
fervent followers believe that Wankanobi lives on within them today, some even
claiming to hear his voice during times of duress.The attack on the Death Star came
shortly after the Empire's destruction of Alderstaan, a planet whose government was
known to harbor terrorists. Responding to criticism over the total annihilation of
the planet, [Darth] Vader stated, "There is no middle ground in the War on Terror.
Those who harbor terrorists are terrorists themselves. Alderaan was issued ample
warning. The fight for continuing Freedom is often burdened by terrible cost."In
other words, the Emperor, Darth Vader and the Empire are equivalent to Bush and
Company and Luke Skywalker, the Jedis and the Rebel Alliance are referred to as
"terrorists" (or "separatists", "insurgents", etc.).The Jedi ArtsOne of the most
popular aspects of the "Star Wars" films are the exciting light-saber duels and
swordsmanship (Lucas is an admitted fan of old Samurai films) and martial arts style
fighting (which of course originates from the East). As a former student of "Eskrima
Serrada" (Stick and Blade fighting developed by Muslims of the Philippines) myself,
I see a lot of similarities in the fast-moving and short-range fighting I studied
for about a year and a half, and the "invented" art of the Jedi masters.When Anakin
fights Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) at the beginning of the last "Star Wars" film,
at end of the fight, Anakin applies a disarm and cut that is a technique from
Eskrima to Count Dooku's arm. Going back into history, the technical differences
between the Japanese/Chinese arts and the Muslim arts of Southeast Asia regions of
Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia: The Muslim arts of "Pentjak Silat" and Eskrima
are based on paying attention to the Limb of the attacker and not an immediate
strike to the attacker's head or torso.Ray Park, who plays "Darth Maul" in "Episode
I: The Phantom Menace", studied Kung Fu (very similar to the empty hand techniques
of Serrada) and Wushu and frequently traveled to Malaysia (a Muslim country) to
refine and develop his skills.The spiritual basis of the Muslim arts of Southeast
Asia is very immense. This is the local Sufi expression of Islam, through martial
arts practice, rather than through poetry or music as otherwise done in India and
Turkey, etc. Traditional Indonesian/Malay folklore attributes initial design of
these arts to Muslim saints in the region of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
in the 7th Century. The Silat system is attributed to nine main Wali or saints, also
called the Wali Songo in Indonesian language.Here another example of the Sufi and
Jedi connection. As Jedis study the force and train in the "Jedi Arts" under the
apprentice-master relationship, so do the Sufis."What I term the more Sufi exercises
include breathing exercises, means of meditative contemplation, and physical
exercises. This last activity is practiced within the Qadiri-Rifai Sufi order
through the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat Gerakan Suci. Here is a prime
example of the Order's growth. Extending beyond its originally Turkish character,
the Order has adopted a Muslim practice from a far corner of the Islamic world."From
my brief amount of research and study into the "Star Wars" saga, I found many
examples connecting the ideals and principles of Islam to that of the fictional Jedi
Order. Some of the similarities were clearly visible (as with the relations between
the Jedi master, apprentice and the Force to that of the Sufi Sheikhs, students and
worshipping of Allah), while others were a bit more hidden and surprising finds
(such as the term "Jeddi" and "Palawan" for Muslim knights and the story of
"al-Khidr" � the green spiritual guru which has an uncanny resemblance to the Jedi
Spiritual master "Yoda")!Even though Lucas himself is not a follower of any specific
religion, he has used elements of Islam (as well as other world religions) to convey
the universal understandings of good and evil. Combining that common thread of
humanity with a futuristic space-age setting and exciting martial arts
swordsmanship, came a creation that has inspired many, no matter their race,
religion or culture. There is something about the "Star Wars" saga that everyone can
relate to and enjoy. And I hope that those people who are searching for a "truth"
within the mythology of "Star Wars", will look a little deeper behind the fiction
and find Al-Islam: A true way of life which emphasizes peace, justice and
brotherhood for all humanity.

Irfan Rydhan is an architectural designer (and Star Wars fan). He lives in San Jose,
California.

In the fast moving career world who got time for formal relationships? This question seems to be answered on the ground and evidences are ample to witness. If a man and woman are living together and enjoying sexual relationship without marriage then it can be termed as ‘live in relationship’. India is totally strange to this model of human relationship few decades back. The Western societies which are accustomed to live in relationships infected traditional nations with this social model. Although this is few in numbers live in relationships will grow in big strength in the future.

There are various reasons for the escalating live in relationships. One, both man and woman are working and earning. In the past women used to be at home managing family. Men worked and brought resources to sustain livelihood. Whatever tensions he had at work are soothed at home by wife and children. Family life gave calmness and guided him at times of crisis. Entry of women in professional and higher education fields compelled them to take employment. Most importantly the high cost consumer economy necessitates women to work. Although work emancipated from ignorance and boredom it has taken their peace of mind. With eight hours of tedious work at office, concentrating on family matters is extremely difficult. But most of the Indian women have managed to strike a balance between work and home.

Few can handle occupational hazards. Either they have to sacrifice work or family. Working in private firms can be challenging for family people. I know some my women staff gets censored every day for coming late. Either they cut sorry figure or inhale frustrations. One of the programme coordinators keep saying “my days are numbered”. For the past two years she continues to come late due to her engagement with her son’s education. Despite giving her Saturday off, she comes late at forty five minutes late everyday to office. With this disadvantage she keeps fighting with everyone. Rarely does she go home with a peace of mind. Naturally one can expect the consequences of her family life.

According to a national survey, 99 percent of the Indian women are married. The remaining one percent enters either live in relationship or remain spinsters. But the number of increasing live in relationships is increasing from the surface view. A study conducted by Public Action in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata says that two percent of the sample of 3000 young age people below 35 identified themselves as live in partners. The respondents mainly pointed out that there is no time for them to think about formal marriage system. They are afraid of registering marriage and filling divorce cases. Basically they are aware of the fragility of their marriage. Why to invite legal trouble by going for the marriage?

The high visibility of live in relationships has attracted the attention of courts. The Maharastra Government has extended the meaning of wife to one who is also living with a man for a long period of time. Justice. Mallimath Committee has recommended in 2003 that a woman who lived with a man for a reasonable period of time enjoys the legal rights of a wife. Is India getting ready for a large-scale live in relationships?

An international organization working in the tsunami affected area gave a CD to give opinion about their research. It was about the miseries of affected children. In one of the moving episodes a dalit child of 11 years said ‘We elected our own community man to improve our lives. But he is improving his own wealth without concern for his community people. One or two poor among dalits who were elected to the public office on reserved ticket are enjoying their power rather doing positive things for the community”. This moved me to explore the correlation between power and change.

Who benefits from the change? This is a very trivial question to answer. It is also difficult to provide an absolute evidence for the change brought in by people who were given mandate. Is it just enough to elect a black as the President of USA to ensure total justice for all blacks? Whether the ascendancy of woman to the top executive position of a country necessarily empowers women in that country? These are few fundamental questions keep cropping up in the minds during the high voltage talk about empowerment of underprivileged communities by electing one among them to represent in the highest power drivers.

One there is change at the structural and functional levels. But the increasing power of information reached to all sections through 24x7 media makes change invisible. All the negative aspects are projected. Rarely positive aspects of society are highlighted. Result of this is the circulation of frustration.

Political and personal benefits occupy the centre stage of change advocacy. There is no genuineness in advocating change. The gap between the lip and heart is very vast. When it comes to lip talk there is a free flow of rhetoric. In heart beats there are more personal desires than community development thoughts.

In India we had a dalit as the deputy prime minister. Babu Jagjeevan Ram occupied prime positions from ministership to deputy prime ministership. Yet he was not able to bring out revolutionary changes in the perception of dalits and also the others perception of dalits. We had Indira Gandhi the omnipotent woman Prime Minister for nearly two decades. Yet women occupy the down bottom position in the social strata. We had K.R. Narayanan the first dalit President. Today we have dalit chief justice.

It is incorrect to raise this correlation of community person at the helm of affairs and their community development. Firstly they are limited by various permutations and combinations of the socio-political setup. Secondly, whether a dalit or woman or black or any underprivileged category person gets carried by the aura of power. He or she loses sight of community feelings and dons the mantle of power person. In this situation the focus of community development is lost.

For instance, for the past two decades railway ministers of the union come from Bihar. They favour their home state by increasing the number of trains and rail related factories. This burns the hearts of other state members of parliament. Kerala MPs always complain about the raw deal they get in the railway budget. They often accuse the monopoly of Bihar in railways concessions, opportunities and employment.

Both ways it is difficult for the community conscious power people to survive. If they work explicitly for community concerns they are branded as ‘community driven’ and if they don’t work their own people condemn them. A right balance that can bring true change in each one of the underprivileged person’s life can remove this dilemma.

Defeat is difficult to digest. But expressing explicitly in anguished form is not considered as sporty and public figure’s style. Elections in America always demonstrated the distinguished way of conceding defeat. John Mccain has lived up to the standard of defeated candidate in the USA’s presidential election. His cool, clam and assuring speech after the final ballot was counted tells the depth of American political culture. This one aspect of Western political culture mesmerizes both common man and politicians in the Indian subcontinent. I heard many people praising Mccain’s gesture of wishing Obama a bright political future and his support to strengthen America. Rarely political figures in India show such a courtesy to congratulate their opponents. Mudslinging is part of the political game played everyday in the Indian society.

A popular personality’s strength is tested during the time of defeat. In that sense Mccain’s stature has climbed few upper peaks after his defeat speech.
To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.
“In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.
I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.
But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.
America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.
Let there be no reason now ... Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.
Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.
These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
We fought — we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.
I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.
I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender.
We never hide from history. We make history.
Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.”
This concession speech should inspire the public figures across nations to conduct themselves in dignified manner after electoral defeat. American can be the leader of a decent political culture which equips every public figure to work for the common cause without vitiating the atmosphere and pushing the people towards frustration.

Sunday newspapers are heavy in weight. Multiple pages of matrimonial columns are the big reason for this heavy Sunday editions. Almost all the English dailies carry 8 page matrimonial advertisements every Sunday. The Times of India and The Hindustan Times are the two prominent newspapers which add weight to these columns. Apart from bride and bridegroom information different sociological factors are in an ample display. To decode these factors one has to spend a lot of time in reading these columns. Normally we do not even look at matrimonial columns if there is no need for us to find a partner for life.

To understand whether caste is still an issue in the wedlock, a cursory look at the matrimonial columns is sufficient. All the newspapers classify brides and bridegrooms according to their castes. Otherwise it is difficult for the reader to scan the whole a lot of advertisements. In addition to the newspapers several matrimonial websites have cropped up. Bharat Matrimony.com, simplymarry.com, shadi.com, jeevansaathi.com, and many others. Everyday there is some innovations in these sites and good improvements have been made. In a fraction of seconds one can find a suitable partner according to his or her desires. The search engines have made it very easy. Type Bride, age 23-26, Height 160 cms, complexion, fair, Caste, Kayastha, City, Patna, you will get 210 matches. With these wide ranges of brides with photos one can choose the finest one. If you are premium member of the site which will cost you Rs.3000 you can directly access the bride’s contact number and strike a conversation in the chat rooms.

The advantage of the matrimonial sites over newspaper advertisements is that there are quick search results with multiple photos. Chatting is possible with the girl and a comfort level can be established prior to striking the final deal. In the fast paced life, finding a life partner is both easy and difficult. Easy because of the several technological aids and difficult due to the persistence of socio-religious factors in finalizing the marriage.

Caste and class should match the desires of the partner searching families. In India it is not the choice of the individual over life partner. But the entire family gets into the process. One of my friends told me that he had no choice than to accept what his parents and sister selected. In more than 45 bride search visits he was never allowed to open mouth by his enthusiastic family members. If mother likes, father dislikes the bride. If three of them agree then his sister disapproves the girl for very strong voice and overweight. For the past 6 years he is searching for suitable soulmate but in vain. The consolation his sister got the right groom during bride hunts for her brother.

Despite high progress in education and heavy urbanization, social factors matter most in selection of life partners. It may be not be the choice of the bride or groom but their family members insists on the suitable social matches. A Rajput boy will demand the same caste, higher income, convent educated girl with postgraduate degree who can stay at home and look after the family. These qualifications are mostly thrust by family members. One of the important reasons for such stagnation in attitudes of parents in selecting life partner for their children is the soap operas telecasted. “Kabhi Saas bhi bahu thi” serial showcases the conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and the consequence of home politics. Most of the mother-in-laws are popular patrons of these types of serials. Obviously the teleserials have impacted them and made them extremely cautious while choosing their bahus.

Most of the matrimonial columns are difficult to decode. To meet the stipulated space and spent less on the advertisement, people adopt strategies and abbreviations. It is difficult for new readers to understand these code languages. It took months of brain racking to find out what BHP, S.M, etc are. Nevertheless matrimonial columns are interesting sociological reservoirs.

Recession is a reality in the current economic crisis. Corporate sector is clueless in managing the trouble. Job cuts, slashing of salary, reduction in allowances, shutting down units which do not give huge profits, and other ways are followed to ward off the sudden death situation. Common people too face the music with the shooting inflation. How Indians are coping up with this gloomy economic condition? Any scale down in celebrations? The initial results show no reduction in the size of the festivities. With diwali nearing most people are continuing their usual fireworks and gifts exchange. One has to wait and see whether the economic crisis has altered the spending. Last year Rs.500 crores worth of gifts was exchanged.

Shops are making all out efforts to woo the customers. The gold price is coming down from Rs.14,000 to Rs.12,000 per 24 karat 10 gms. Dhanteras – an occasion to buy gold is celebrated with fanfare by the jewelers. The purpose of flashy advertisements about Dhanetras is to tempt the customers to buy gold. Non stop louder advertisements in television channels pull the people towards gold buying. Slowly and steadily they are coming to buy. Investment in gold is attractive due to the slump in stock market and banking sector.

Generally festivals are ought to be celebrated even with borrowed money. Lay-offs and economic crisis are temporary phenomenon which does not tamper with the spirit of the people. One of the important reasons for such undeterred festive mood is that it is suppose to dump the worries and look for bright future. For instance diwali is a festival which welcomes Goddess of money – Lakshmi to home. If one does not have money due to the economic crisis, he or she borrows money and do the grand puja to worship Lakshmi. So that the Goddess becomes happy and showers all the prosperity to the worshipped home.

India has too many festivals. There is no stopping of any celebrations. Durga puja, vijayadashmi and diwali come in a month’s time. After two months, New Year and harvest festivals. In north India, Holi comes in March which is a gala event. Apart from these major festivals there are region specific ones which are equally attractive.

Added to the misery of economic crisis, terrorist attacks during festival seasons have slowed down the spirit of shoppers. Diwali season has been the prime target time for terrorists to plant bombs. The dense packed markets provide chance for terrorists to strike at their will. Continuous terrorist strikes have compelled police to erect more security barriers. The fallout is also on the shopkeepers. This year only 35 whole salers were given license to sell crackers in comparison to 250 last year in Delhi. Breaking all these barriers most of the people are shopping and inspiring others to face the grave situation with confidence.

What does the recession mean for Indians? It is not the one stop shock for all. Recession affects different people differently. Those who have good stock of savings and assets need to worry about this situation. Nearly 35% of the Indian population belongs to this category. Another 30% struggle for everyday living and festivals do not matter for them. The final 35% of the middle category may feel little difficult but not completely out. They are salary class people who get into the routine mode of get credit, enjoy now and pay later trend. Who is finally affected by the recession? Those who lost heavily in the stock market crash and lost jobs in the financial tsunami are ones who faces heat in the diwali season this year.

Still diamond –encrusted watches costing more than a million Euros, Armani scarves, Louis Vutton bags, Mont Blanc playing cards, Vertu phones, golf sets and many more exotic gifts are all doing rounds in the wish list of gift givers.

Recession will come and go. Festive spirit is permanent. It should not be bartered for temporary troubles. Live king size life and enjoy every bit of the festival. Pray to Goddess Lakshmi to crush the crisis and continue to pour wealth. Who knows will there be any gloom tomorrow?

The Supreme Court has thrown spanners at the only gala annual event of New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University - student union elections. The stay order issued yesterday instantly outrages all those who have been part of the radical university. Cutting across ideological lines members of the university community feel deprived of an intellectual entertainment during the union elections. Debates, dharnas, campaigns, posters, pamphlets, public meetings and many more unique events are part of the election process. It is the only university where elections are conducted by students. For the past thirty and above years this process has been a quite smooth affair bearing few odd incidents.

J.M. Lyndgoh Committee appointed by the Supreme Court in its report last year proposed few sweeping changes in the conduct of student union elections all over the country. Violence, uncontrolled flow of money, muscle power, political influence and loss of academic character of the institutions during student union elections have influenced the committee to propose stringent measures. Restricting the age limit to 28, amount spent per candidate to Rs.5000, first class pass in all subjects with 80 percent attendance and no second term contest are some of the recommendations of the committee as criteria for students to contest their union elections.

All other universities in the country have either following these guidelines or not conducting student union elections. JNU which is known for questioning the questioner was trying to convince the Court about its unique nature of the elections. The university does not have attendance system. Students are encouraged to do self study and attending lectures are made optional. It is a successful experiment where self struggle breeds all round development. Students from extremely backward families without any basic advantage used the university and reached top positions in life later. Those who have observed such a successful social transformations engineered by JNU supports the university’s unique culture, tradition and ethos. But law and rule of the country cannot be JNU specific.

Knowing well the impact of the Lyndgoh committee report, enlightened student union members of JNU were lackadaisical when the report was accepted and put for implementation by the Supreme Court. I find this as the biggest mistake of JNU student union. Last year when the Supreme Court threatened to stay elections, JNUSU pleaded for course correction this year due to lack of time. After a year the circle is repeated. In the absence of strong record, Supreme Court will not vacate the stay. At best there can be few agreements to the Court order and few amendments can be made to the Lyndgoh’s committee report. There should be segregation between college and university union elections. The age limit can hiked to 35 instead of 28. Two terms can be allowed per candidate due to his/her long term stay in the campus (9 years). Without a give and take policy the stalemate will continue.

Controlling violence, protecting the campus from defacements, excess usage of money and restricting outsiders influence during student union elections are to be taken care by the student leaders. They need to be trained to follow rules and regulations. If students fail to follow law of the land there is no future for legal mechanisms. Instead of stopping the whole process, educating and improving responsibilities of students need to be carried out. Knowing the pros and cons of student life, Supreme Court’s magnanimity in handling student union elections will be highly productive. Not too much. Not too far can be the role play of the legal authority in campus matters.

For many millennia, inequality has been a part and parcel of the social structure. Philosophers and economists have debated non-stop about it. In every civilizational turn there is a new form of inequality taking birth. It seems that inequality cannot be totally eliminated. Only it can be reduced. Different ideologies popped up to destroy inequalities and create egalitarian society. Alas! None survived except inequality.

International, intra-national, class, gender, language, race, caste, religious inequalities are some of the old forms. Technological inequality is one of the latest. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were formulated by United Nations and signed by the world nations to stop the fast pace of inequality. Statistics show the stagnation in the goals. Many of the underdeveloped countries especially in Sub Sahara are going down further. An observation of the living standards of common people reveals the inevitable nature of inequality.

A family was dreaming to chase their neighbhours in social status. Few years back they were without television set, camera, telephone and other consumer durables. After a long struggle somehow they managed to procure a 21 inch colour television set worth of Rs. 10, 000, Kodak camera costing Rs.1000, a cell phone costing thousand rupees and a fridge in the range of Rs.8000. But the consumer products are innovated and marketed in new form every day. His neighbhour now got LCD television which costs Rs.1.2 lakh, digital camera worth Rs.15,000, apple iphone costing Rs.35,000 and latest fridge costing Rs.60,000. The day dream of chasing the neighbhour’s status got crushed by the fasting moving consumer world.

A man walking on the street was envious of the one who was raiding a cycle and he was envied by another man who cannot walk. The cyclist was grumbling against the motorist who fumbled against the car owner. Maruti 800 possessor was biting his teeth against the Honda City owner who in turn was grudging against the BMW owner. The Gandhian saying “World has got for everyone’s need not for greed” is relevant now than ever before. Unmindful racing of consumer products is damaging not only mental but also environmental spaces.

Karl Marx is one of the revolutionary thinkers who thundered against inequality. For him the society is a constant clash between property owners and labour class. To eliminate inequality Marx advocated the transformation from capitalism to socialism to communism. Russia was the first nation to embrace Marxian philosophy and became a communist country in 1917. In eight decades time the first communist country was torn into pieces. It was followed by east European nations.

India is a mixed economy where political socialism and economic capitalism are in a symbiotic relationship. Communism refused to take off beyond Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. After the Indian public refused to accepted communists for a larger role, they have embraced capitalism in practice. Buddadeb Bhattacharya the hardcore Marxist is the torchbearer of capitalism in Bengal. In the final analysis communism in theory and capitalism in practice is followed. For the past two decades India has been swept by capitalism of neo liberal kind. In this transformation there is an equal mix of rich and poor. One shining and the other suffering.

There is a growing list of millionaires in India. Mukesh and Anil Ambanis wealth is more than few states annual expenditure. Naked display of wealth breeds hatredness against them. Wealth creation is not bad but concentration in few hands is determinant to the long-term social interests. Some enlightened big earners allocate a share of their wealth for public cause. In the recent times, Warren Buffet has become a role model for corporate philanthropy.

In India, Tatas and Birlas have earned everyone’s blessings for their social responsibility. Their time tested giving is an inspiration for the generations of corporations. To bring down inequalities corporate sector devise systematic methods. Any adhoc programmes and policies will not be able to make any visible changes on the ground. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme ought to imbibe a time bound resulted oriented mechanism. Otherwise it becomes just a flavour of the month talk.

Inequality cannot be removed. It can only be reduced. The first step to minimize inequality is to take away greed mentality of the consumers. Today excess consumerism is the root cause of all evils. The society needs slow-down of ultra pace consumer culture. It cannot be controlled through mere pep talks and advertisements. A consolidated attempt is required to constantly influence people to buy for their needs rather than to equalize their status with others. Corporate companies are hyper active to induce consumer interests. Social leaders should work harder than corporate brains to control greedy consumerism.

Violence has a unique branding in India. Different people see killings of innocent lives differently. According to their political nature interpretations differ. One group can defend dreaded terrorists who maimed many people by blasting bombs. The other group can justify their attack against fellow Indians in the name of region and religion. Even a police enquiry creates uproar. 48 bomb blasts and 180 incidents of communal clashes in the last six months. Can we separate these two?


Violent activities carried out by Hindu groups are fancifully termed as “Communal” whereas by Muslims are protected as innocent minorities which I refer here as “Secular violence”. The minority syndrome started during the partition days to reassure the Muslims for an equal treatment is misused by political leaders to play vote bank politics. This segregated politics is the true divider between communities and destroy the secular ethos of the nation. India will lose its secular sheen if the law breakers are allowed to have field days. From the day of Babri Masjid demolition this divided politics of communal vs secular is getting louder.

Law is not allowed to function as per the written script. Police are handicapped. A senior IPS officer told me that everyday his official life is getting complicated. Trial by political figures, media, court and common people are disturbing his peace of mind and normal working ability. Despite their powerful positions, power breathing people are feeling helpless. This is amply clear from the statement of Shivraj Patill, Union Home Minister in the Times of India on 19 October 2008 (p.1), “If I am distracted by unfounded criticism, I’d not be able to discharge my duties. The terrorists are to terrify people, demoralize and defame the police and the government. If we succumb they’d succeed. That’s true of not just me but of my predecessors and those who might follow”. According to Patil, the number of violent incidents (communal, J& K terror strikes, Naxal killings) has come down from 36,000 to 24,000 during the tenure of UPA in comparison to NDA record. He puts the decrease in casualities from 11,000 to 6,000.

Politicians invoke “human rights”, “Innocent before final judgment”, “Hindu bias against minority community” and many other forms of rhetoric to protect the accused for petty political dividends. Another group goes on rampaging railway board exam writing students in the name of safeguarding their regional rights. There is a divisive method employed to trigger violent passions in the name of promoting the cause of community, caste, language, religion and region. It is easily understandable all these causes are not the real ones but political motives are the real motivator. Internal troubles by political groups and external terror by anti-national forces are testing the strength of the nation.

A democratic nation which believes in unity in diversity cannot afford to be a mute spectator towards this segregated violence. All forms of violence should be dealt severely and no one should be allowed to rise above the law of the land Whether SIMI or Bajrang Dal or Maharastra Nava Nirman Sena or Bodos all trouble makers should be delivered instant punishments. Any prolongation in punishment sends wrong signals and encourages more challenges to the law enforcing agencies. .

The simple solution advocated to end all these menaces is “ban them”. The past experience shows that a mere banning is not the solution. The groups can resurface under new names. The cross border terrorists have specialized in creating more fanciful names and structures if they are banned. What the nation needs today is a unified command with one vision to put an end to all root causes of violence. This team will not be controlled by any political motives or diktats. Total freedom and time bound action plan are required for such a force which will have only people with fire in their bellies to end violence without any distinction. No more debate or speculation about communal vs secular violence.

Freedoms are different types. Generally the world is loud about territorial freedom and sovereignty of nations. Rarely one talks about personal freedom, institutional freedom and other varieties of freedom. From an observation of day to day events around oneself, it is clear that freedom of a nation does not mean freedom of its citizens. Hunger, illiteracy, safety, security, traffic, crime, political vendetta, diseases and many other ills are ailing the society. Freedom from all these miseries is the complete freedom for both individuals and nations. Is it possible for such a freedom? None can vouchsafe for total freedom and that is not realistic. Unhappiness will persists and freedom will always be troubled and questioned. Nobody can be totally free as long the world system breeds self-centeredness. To breath better air of freedom one has to sacrifice and self-disciplined. To make this another world possible action should start from every individual.

From national to personal freedoms there is a change. The difference is those who control the people. Even today some of the senior citizens in India would like to have the British Raj. They regret sending the colonial rulers out. The common complaint is that the Indian sub-continent has relieved from British rule which was highly judicious. Is justice is more than freedom? Which one is a priority? It depends on the situation. Indians may desire for justice and good governance. Chinese are eager for freedom. The age-old story of the pasture looks greener from this side is the apt description for the current situation.

The fact of the matter is that every individual wants personal rule in the world. Common living needs rules, regulations, control and punishments. If human beings are self-governing and self-disciplined there is no need for laws. Practically that was not possible. Hence the social systems have evolved certain mechanisms which can direct its people for better living. Emile Durkheim the French sociologist studied the ways in which traditional and modern industrial societies differed in treating people for violating rules. Through mechanical and organic solidarities, Durkheim demonstrated that the community in the past acted swiftly and punished the culprits. In the industrial society, elaborate legal procedures were evolved to tackle crime. But that centralized the legal deliveries and prolonged the justice period. In between people lost faith and also lives.

While trying to deliver justice through proper channel, modern industrial societies have installed highly bureaucratic processes. In a hundred year experience this process is found less effective. Across the world cities crime rates are increasing. Policing seems to be futile in controlling crime. The truth is that few khaki clad police forces are not sufficient. A nation cannot afford to deploy police every nook and corner. Community policing is the feasible alternative. Once upon time community policing was the common system. It was replaced by the bureaucratic method. Are we erroneous in the replacement?

The increasing choice for community policing shows that there no one size fits all solution to the nations. General. Pervez Mushraff has written that dictatorship is the best democratic method in Pakistan. It may be true. What the world considers dictatorship is democracy for Pakistan. Whatever suits the local interests should be followed in practice. Any replication of foreign methods will prove detrimental for people. This age-old truth is still not accepted. The governing people lose focus without following the traditional roots.

Some nations are wise enough to avoid ‘dance floor mentality’ and continue to follow their own steps. Bhutan is a fine example for maintaining the traditional systems with adequate dosage of modern methods. Its growth is slow, steady and happy. No wonder this small Himalayan Kingdom which got transformed into a democratic nation few months back is on the top of the World Happiness Index (WHI). Here too individual freedom is controlled to a large extent but people are extremely happy. The minute Bhutan opens its floodgates of global influences it will lose its distinct flavour of happiness and become one among the other unhappy nations.

To be free one needs to sacrifice and lead from the front. Accepting defeat and not accusing others are the crucial lessons to be learnt before embarking on the freedom flight. It is duties not rights, it is respect not fear, it is discipline not compulsion which can keep the world going without much troubles. Any amount of research and talk will be less helpful if we don’t allow others freedom and promote our freedom.

Invariably every company has got a customer care cell. 24x7 one-stop solutions are promised by them. These are basically computer –telecommunications linked systems which are supposed to solve the customer problems immediately. To increase the work efficiency and output generation, latest technologies are used. In the first step towards better management, customer care is insisted.

But practically there is a least care for customer’s complaints and suggestions. In sheer desperation to market products customer care is assured through wide advertisements. When the time comes for problems with products, consumer feels the heat. Cell phones, cable connections, Internet, and other electronic product related issues warrant immediate solutions.

As a free market lobbyist Nitisha (23) was loud mouthing about the best returns offered by the private sector for the customers. She always earned happiness in downgrading public sector companies. To score brownie points in casual debates she poured her heart and vehemently argued for the cause of private sector. Her boss a hard votary of liberal economy recruited her and paid peanut salary. She was assured of better pay after few months. Unfortunately months and years passed, she only worked harder and gave better results. No sign of boss talking about increment in her salary. Meanwhile she has to buy a phone. Naturally the multi national Nokia was her choice. With in days, Nokia phone started creating trouble.

She called the customer care for 20 continuous days. Most of the time she was put on hold or transferred to someone who cannot understand her problem. Frustrated with this problem she went straight to the service centre. There was a huge rush. Amidst burning summer heat the big crowd in the service centre increased her frustration. On top of it there was no air-conditioning. Not even water was served. After three hours her turn came and the executive in the desk rudely told her that it is not place where she can bring small issues. Anger soared to top of her brain and she lambasted him. Few heated exchanges wasted her precious time.

Coming back home she found her Internet not working. A call to the customer care centre was not possible due to the continous engagement of the given number. After 4 hours she got through the line and the executive was not able to communicate properly. Leave alone understanding her problem.

Not only Nitisha experiences these kinds’ of customer unfriendly behaviours, millions of people face such problems. Despite consumer cells and courts these problems persist. One of the prime reasons for pouring complaints against costumer care units is adhoc solutions stitched by private companies. Public Sector companies are known for casual customer attitudes because of the people working in it don’t have private stakes. With the increasing competition from private sector, Government companies are also forced to pull up their socks.

In the end one can sense that the present customer care centres are totally inadequate and ill-equipped to handle the problems. One, the scale of the problem and number of customers pouring is above the limit of the employees. Two, companies recruit without adequate training for customer care. Three, low salary and high level exploitation brings most crude work force. Four, top level management is not seriously monitoring the performance of the team. Five all solutions are provided to solve the crisis for the time.

Whether private or public companies should improve their services. Otherwise business will not improve. Consumer courts should take tough measures to punish the defaulters and deliver justice to the common people. Not only technology companies are creating problems, almost all service providers test the patience level of the costumers. Education providers and health services are the next worst areas. A timely support is required to pull out the problem facing consumers.

Gloom and doom surrounds the economy. Aviation sector is not an exception. In the first sign of nervousness, Jet Airways issued pink slips to its 1900 employees. Without any prior notice, Jet had taken this shocking decision. Cabin crew in fresh and clean attire waiting for company vehicle to pickup was devastated. Did anyone apart from the sacked workers thought about the consequences in their lives? What the sudden layoff means to thousands of young recruits? Their dreams crash landed and shows no sign of first aid. Nothing can be crueler than this kind of ill-treatment to the young employees. Of course they are taught dirty tricks which will dent the industry in the long run.

It is understandable that the airline industry is facing severe financial crisis. Increasing oil prices and decreasing passengers are pressurizing the industry to go for dire measures. In a scenario like this a company should marshal all its resources and act maturely. The common question asked is “will the belt tightening is only for employees or for the employer also?” From the initial investigations it is clear that the employers have not scaled down their lavish lifestyles. For a saving of Rs.5 crore a month Jet Airways has shown the door to 1900 employees. Is that Rs.5 crore bigger than 1900 young people’s lives?

One wonders whether Vijay Mallya, the flamboyant figure of the aviation sector is going to reduce his partying or the intake in the number of scotch peks? His emphasize on cost cutting to make his company “mean, lean and efficient” sounds ironical. It is high time that he and his peers graduate to a higher level of corporate leadership and become compassionate capitalists.

Capitalism can never shed its cruel nature. When it comes to counting currencies and profit it can be ruthless. Compassion and employee welfare is not even remotely found. In desperate situations only corporate leadership is tested. In this time of crisis, few pass and most of them fail to withstand. Naresh Goyal and Vijay Malayas are not an exception. They have proved that alternative thinking and solution finding to the mega crisis is not their style. When they fail to speak to their employees about the situation and take hasty decision which impacts the lives of thousands of workers, danger script for the industry is written.

In such a sad situation the corporate leaders should have called for a meeting of employees and explained to them about the crisis. An open heart session could have conditioned the young employees and might have contributed for the mutual understanding. All of a sudden issuing pink slips to thousands of employees is wrong western model of corporate governance. Citing the probation time for no notice sacking is ridiculous and inhuman. The clause for no notice termination is to make the learning a disciplined process not to use it for employer’s fancy.

Failure of the aviation czars to lead the workforce at the crisis will push the employees to seek the guidance of vested political interests. No wonder they first went to Raj Thackeray. Now the aviation corporate honchos will have to face the heat. Even a course correction at this hour can redeem their prestige and put them back on the right sky

Click the lInk for details

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/90_25.php

Moderate quake hits northeastern Bangladesh
2 hours ago

A shallow, 4.9-magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Bangladesh early Sunday, meteorologists said.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was centred 115 kilometres (70 miles) north of the capital Dhaka at a depth of 5.2 kilometres and struck at 12:51 am (1851 GMT Saturday).

There were no reports of any damage or casualties, but the tremor was felt in Dhaka and a police spokesman in Mymensingh, the district nearest the epicentre, told AFP it sparked panic there.

A meteorologist at Bangladesh's Storm Warning Centre said it had measured the quake at 5.6 on the Richter scale, according to local media reports.

Bangladesh last month announced plans to step up its earthquake response contingency plans.

The South Asian nation sits on active tectonic plates and is frequently jolted by tremors. The last major earthquake struck in 1896.


AFP- Report

Collected by
M.S.A. Shobuz