कश्मीरी शाल वाला

आज सुबह, एक लम्बे अरसे के बाद, एक चाय की दुकान पर एक कश्मीरी शाल वाले से मुलाकात हो गयी. उसे देख कर बचपन की ढेर सारी यादें ताज़ा हो गयीं. कश्मीरी शाल वालों से मेरा काफी पुराना नाता रहा है. बचपन से, इन कश्मीरी शाल वालों को गली मुहल्लों में घूम-घूम कर शाल बेचते देखता आया हूँ. उन्हें पहचानना काफी आसान होता है. लम्बा चहरा, गोरा वर्ण, लगभग चौथाई इंच की तराशी हुई दाढ़ी, अच्छी कद-काठी और पास में एक बड़ा सा सफ़ेद गट्ठर. वो हमेशा से मेरे लिए काफी दिलचस्प रहें हैं. 

बचपन से कश्मीर में फैले आतंकवाद के बारे में रूचि के साथ सुनता-पढता रहा, और उन दिनों जब भी माँ या आस पास की आंटिया, उन्हें बुलाती थीं तो मैं काफी सहम सा जाता था. मैं डरता था के कहीं ये भी कोई आतंकवादी तो नहीं. जब वो अपना गट्ठर खोलते, मेरी धड़कने  बढ़ने लगतीं, ऐसा लगता मानो ये अभी अन्दर से AK - 47 निकलेगा और हम पर अन्धाधुन गोलिया बरसा देगा. कई बार तो एतियात के तौर पर मैं अपनी जेब में एक रसोई वाली छुरी भी छुपा लेता, पर जब पूरे गट्ठर से कोई भी मशीनगन या कार्बाइन नहीं निकलती, तो मैं निराश हो कर घर में वापिस लौट जाता. 

ना जाने कितनी बार मैंने उनसे कश्मीर के बारें में पूछा होगा. पर हर, बार चाहे जिस भी तरीके या जितना भी घुमा फिरा के पूछा हो, मेरे प्रश्न हमेशा एक ही रहें हैं, " कश्मीर के लोग भारत के साथ रहना चाहते हैं या पाकिस्तान के साथ" और " वहां की समस्याओं के लिए कौन जिम्मेदार है". प्रश्न पूछने से पहले ही मेरे  मन में, आदर्श उत्तर तैयार होते थे, मैं सुनना चाहता था के वो कहें कि, वो भारत के साथ रहना चाहते हैं और कश्मीर की सारी समस्याओं के लिए पाकिस्तान जिम्मेदार है. पर बदकिस्मती से हमेशा ही उन्होंने मुझे निराश किया और हर बार प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष शब्दों मैं उनका उत्तर एक ही रहा है  क्रमशः " स्वायत्तता" तथा " फौजी". मैं निराश हो जाता, और आपने मन में उन्हें गुमराह, अनपढ़ तथा बेवक़ूफ़ मान कर क्षमा कर देता.  

आज तक़रीबन सात या आठ साल के बाद एक बार फिर मौका मिला उनसे रूबरू होने का. सड़क के किनारे की एक चाय की दुकान पर एक कश्मीरी शाल वाला बैठा दिखा, उसे देख कर एक अजीब सी खुशी महसूस हुई, मैंने सोचा की एक बार फिर देखता हूँ की इनकी सोच मैं कुछ बदलाव आया है या नहीं, लेकिन पहले से पृथक अंतर इतना था कि, आज मेरे मन में कोई आदर्श उत्तर नहीं थे. मैं भी वहां पहुंचा और चाय वाले को एक स्पेशल चाय बनाने को कहा, चाय वाले को शायद 'स्पेशल' शब्द पसंद नहीं आया, और उसने मुझें खरी खोटी सुना दी. खैर बर्दास्त का घूंट पी कर मैंने मामले को जाने दिया और अपने मुख्य मिशन पर जुट गया. 

मेरी शाल वाले के साथ हुई बातचीत के अंश : 

मैं : और कश्मीर मैं तो बहुत ठंढ होगी अभी तो ! 

शाल वाला : हाँ जी बहुत ज़्यादा, यहाँ तो कुछ भी ठंढी नहीं हैं. 

मैं : और कश्मीर मैं कहाँ से हैं आप ?

शाल वाला : जी अनंतनाग, आप गएँ हैं क्या कश्मीर कभी ? 

मैं : नहीं , कश्मीर तो नहीं गया लेकिन जम्मू गया हूँ ऎक बार.

शाल वाला : कहाँ वैष्णोदेवी ? 

मैं : हूँ.

मैं : अनंतनाग कितनी दूर है, श्रीनगर से ? 

शाल वाला : श्रीनगर जाने के रस्ते में आता है, पहले है उससे.

मैं : ओं, और अब तो घाटी में शांति है काफी, टूरिस्ट वेगेरह भी जाने लगें हैं अब तो, सुना है 

शाल वाला : हाँ 2010  बाद से सब लगभग सही है, टूरिस्ट तो हमेशा से ही आते रहें हैं. 

मैं : नहीं मेरा मतलब थोडा कम गया था ना टूरिस्ट का आना, आतंकवाद वगेरह के वजह से. 

शाल वाला : (चेहरे पर असहमति के भाव परन्तु फिर भी सहमति में सर हिलाते हुए)

मैं : और आपके घर में कौन कौन है उधर ?

शाल वाला : जी एक भाई है, माँ और बाप. 

मैं : भाई क्या करता है आपका ? 

शाल वाला : जी वो भी शाल बेचता है.

चाय बन चुकी थी ... और चाय वाला हमें चाय का गिलास पकड़ते हुए (उसकी आँखों मैं अभी भी स्पेशल चाय की खुन्नस साफ दिख रही थी, और मैंने निर्णय लिया अब जिन्दगी में कभी भी स्पेशल चाय बनाने नहीं बोलूँगा किसी को)

एकाधा चुस्की लेने और थोड़ा इधर-उधर देखने के बाद मुझसे नहीं रहा गया और संकोच के साथ मैंने पूछ ही लिए अपने दो पेटेंटेड सवाल. 

मैं : अच्छा एक चीज बताइए, ये जो इतना सुनते हैं कश्मीर के बारे में, टीवी में, पेपर में, एक्चुअल प्रॉब्लम क्या है वहां की ? कौन जिम्मेदार है इन सब प्रोब्लेम्स के लिए ? 

शाल वाला : "फौजी लोग" 

मैं : हूँ.... ओके....

शाल वाला : ये लोग 2010  मैं पब्लिक पर फायरिंग कर दिया,140 आदमी लोग मारा गया, जवान 

लड़का लोग था सब. 

मैं : वो 2010 में...

(मुझे बीच मैं रोकते हुए... ) 

शाल वाला : मनमानी करता है ये लोग, जैसे चाहता है वैसे करता है....

मैं : ओह.. लेकिन आतंकवादी भी तो बहुत हैं वहां, आर्मी नहीं होगी तो कैसे कम चलेगा ? 

शाल वाला : मिलिट्री वाला लोग सब बॉर्डर पर रहे, हर जगह क्यों भरा हुआ है, सब पैसा का बात है, पहले पैसा ले कर उनको अन्दर आने देता है फिर सबको ढूंढ के गोली मारता है.

आर्मी पर रिश्वत ले कर आतंकवादियो को बॉर्डर पार कराने का आरोप मैं तो पहली बार सुन रहा था, और इस चीज से काफी अचंभित हुआ, पता नहीं उसकी बात में कितनी सच्चाई थी, या उसे खुद कितनी जानकारी थी इस बारे में, मगर ये मेरे लिए निश्चित ही बिलकुल हैरान करने वाली बात थी.

मैं : ओह !!  तो कश्मीर के लोग किसके साथ रहना चाहते हैं, इंडिया, पाकिस्तान या आजाद? 

शाल वाला : कोई फड़क नहीं पड़ता है अब तो, जो रखे बस अमन से जीने दे.

मैं : ओ.... वैसे, फारूख अब्दुल्ला, उमर अब्दुल्ला लोग कैसे हैं ? 

शाल वाला : सब एक जैसा ही है, सबको पैसा चाहए बस, सब आपस में लड़ता  रहता है और बीच में पब्लिक पिस्ता है बस. 

मैं : ओह और ये हुरियत वाले लोग ?

शाल वाला : हा हा (उसके चेहरे पर एक एक ठगे जाने के बाद वाली मुस्कराहट) वो लोग तो इन सब से बुरा है, बोलता है आजादी दिलाएंगे तुम लोगों को, हमारे साथ चलो, फिर फ़ौज के सामने पब्लिक को आगे कर देता है और खुद पीछे चला जाता है, और जब गोली चलता है तो (अपने सीने को बंद मुठी से ठोकते हुए) हम लोग मरता है हमलोग !! वो लोग सब भाग जाता है. 

कोई देखने वाला नहीं है, कुछ नहीं हो सकता, दोनों में से कोई मुल्क पीछे नहीं हटेगा कभी और ऐसे ही जीना पड़ेगा सबको हमेशा. 

मैं : (उसे झूठी सान्तवना देने के लिए मैंने कहा ) अरे नहीं चिंता मत कीजिये, AFSPA  को वापिस लेने को लेकर बात चल रही है सब ठीक हो जायेगा धीरे-धीरे.

शाल वाला, स्तंभित मुद्रा में सर हिलाते हुए और मुझे एहसास हुआ की शाल वाले को AFSPA  के बारे मैं नहीं पता, मैंने अन्तः मन मैं खुद को फटकार लगायी की वो शाल वाला ही है, उसे इन कानूनों के बारे मैं नहीं पता होगा और शायद पता होने की जरुरत भी नहीं है. 

चाय वाले को पैसे दिए, बात को समाप्त करते हुए मैंने शाल वाले से विदा मांगी, उसने भी मुकुराते हुए हामी भरी और (कुछ शाल बेचने के मकसद से जैसा कि मुझे लगा) मेरे घर का पता पूछा, मैंने भी मुस्कुराते हुए उसे अपने घर का पता बताया और कभी आने का निमंत्रण दिया और उसने आने का वादा किया.

कश्मीरी शाल वाले के साथ ये मेरी कोई पहली मुलाकात नहीं थी और ना ही इन विगत वर्षों में कश्मीर को ले कर मेरे दृष्टिकोण में कोई खास बदलाव आया है. मैं हमेशा से इसे भारत का एक अभिन्न्य अंग मानता रहा हूँ परन्तु आज सोचने पर विवश हूँ, कि कश्मीर की परिभाषा आखिर क्या है ? क्या हमारे लिए कश्मीर का मतलब  सिर्फ हिमालय कि गोद में बसा वो खुबसूरत सा भौगोलिक क्षेत्र है, जो कि हमें किसी भी कीमत पर चाहए, चाहे इसके लिए इसके वाशिंदों कि क़ुरबानी ही क्यों ना देनी पड़े, या कश्मीर का मतलब वहां के लोगों से है, जिनका साथ हम कभी नहीं छोड़ेंगे चाहे वो खुबसूरत सा भौगोलिक क्षेत्र  नष्ट ही कियों ना हो जाये? 

दुर्भाग्य से  इस प्रश्न का सही उत्तर किसी को नहीं पता, ना ही भारत-पाकिस्तान के लोगों को और ना ही वहां की सरकारों को. सभी बस हठ (ज़िद्द) के बीज बोते हैं, उसे खून से सींचते हैं और अंत मैं नफरत की फसल कटते हैं. सियासत की जंग मैं हार हमेशा इंसानियत की ही होती है. 1947 से आज तक अगर बंदूकें कोई फैसला नहीं कर सकीं तो एक बार बंदूकों को नीचें कर के तो देखो, क्या पता कुछ अच्छा हो जाये. अगर भारत की ही बात करें तो इसने कश्मीर को अपने साथ मिला कर ही आजतक क्या कर लिया, कौन सा रोजगार दे पाए आजतक हम लोग उन्हें, और कौन सी शिक्षा. लोग अपने घरो में सुरक्षित नहीं, सेना पब्लिक पर गोलियां चलती है, मानव अधिकार का सड़कों पर खुला उल्लंघन हो रहा है और जनता का सीधा शोषण, क्या यही भविष्य देनें के लिए चाहए कश्मीर हमें. 

दुर्भाग्य से कश्मीरऔर हमारे देश के भाग्य विधाता वो लोग हैं जिन्हें जलती चिताओं पर रोटीयां  सेंकने की आदत पड़ चुकी है. राजनीतिक एवं आर्थिक हितों को सर्वोपरि मानने वाले इस समाज मैं इंसानियत के लिए कोई जगह शेष नहीं है. कश्मीर आज एक चुनावी मुद्दा हैं, कोई दल धर्मनिरपेक्षता  की तोपें चला रहा है तो किसी को लाल चौक पर तिरंगा लहराकर शांति बहाल करना है. कुछ भी हो पर कश्मीर की जनता इन सब मैं कहीं नहीं हैं, उनके हितों की रक्षा करने वाला कोई नहीं है. कोई सरकार आये या जाये कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता हैं, सभी पड़े रहेंगे बेसुध सत्ता और शक्ति के नशे मैं. बॉर्डर के उस पार का भी क्या कहा जाये, अपने देश वालों को, दो वक़्त की रोटी तो दिला नहीं पाए, वे आजतक, चले हैं कश्मीर को आजाद कराने. जो टुकरा मिला कश्मीर का वहां तो दूसरा नरक पैदा कर दिया और पूरा कश्मीर लेकर क्या तीसरा नरक बनायेंगे ? 

समय आ गया है कि हम आत्ममंथन करें, वर्षों पुराने मिथकों को तोड़ें, एक नयी शुरुआत करें, अपनी गलतियों से सीखें, उन्हें सुधारें, राजनेतिक लाभ या क्षति के विगणन से ऊपर उठ कर मानवीय परिपेक्ष मैं विषय वास्तु को देखें और सही निर्णय लें, इंसानियत के लिए एक नयी मिसाल कायम करें और एक उज्वल भविष्य का निर्माण करें. 

कश्मीर या इसके जैसे अन्य जटिल समस्याओ का समाधान हमारे अन्दर ही छुपा है बस इसे पहचानने कि जरुरत है. 

Caste System

Caste System

It is a very famous and old saying “Garib Ko paise de do par Buddhi mat do” (Give poor money but never wisdom). The question is why? What will happen if poor gets the wisdom? The answer is: If they have the wisdom, they will become rational, will develop the sense of just and unjust, understand their rights, duties and a strong sense to protest wrongs and finally a sudden decrease in their tolerance level and they will no more serve you.

Followers, may be of any kind or nature like Social, political or religious in nature but they all share the same psychological state of mind.

Simple Psychological theory works here is “The Domination of superior”.

  

We only respect and or obey people who are superior to us may be in terms of wealth, knowledge, experience, expertise or potential. We generally don’t follow people who are equivalent or below our level. For instance : If we attain some superior or equivalent position to any of our school time senior in the same organization, we would abstain from showing some seniority regard to them but try to treat them more as  friend and a companion.

Logic behind all this is, anything flows from higher potential to the lower potential and when the potential difference is matched there is no absolutely flow.

This strategy was followed by the architects of our society. A huge potential difference was artificially created and maintained through rigor structure of the caste system.

Formal education (the kind of education we get today) was denied to the masses, they were only entitled for the vocational education and work training relative to their respective case cadres and formal education with wide range of subjects were made available only to the ruling class for bringing superiority in them.

The design!!

Imagine yourself studying only History from the class 1st to PhD level and no other subject, having all historians and archeologist as family member, friends and relatives. Will there be any match for your expertise (and expertise of other people similar to you) in the subject of history anywhere in the world? The simple answer is no! But on the other hand you would be a dumb in all other subjects and aspects. You wouldn’t have any idea about Maths, science, commerce, and arts subjects other than history. 

Imagine similar condition for all other people like scientists, mathematicians, geologist, metallurgist, ceramist, Economist etc. What we will get is a section of world class experts in each and every field. This was something how our society was designed. Cast system acted as a very tough and rigid system to set the boundary between the different professions almost free from mutual interactions and interference. There were several advantages and disadvantages at the same time. People were 100% professional and expert in their area but a blunt fool in all other respects. A very skillful person had no idea about the politics, administration and all other things; he was just a follower and an order receiver. People seldom protested against the exploitation by the Elite and their Kings, because they were not aware of anything, living under umbrella of exploitation was just a way of life and considered choice of god, they named it fate.

There was a very small section of generalist, people having a formal education of almost all important subjects; they were great scholars and experts. All kinds of educational and teaching activities were confined to them and they were having the respect and prestige above everything else. Religion was intermixed with education to make a distinction and create a separate class. Educational texts were coded in religious thoughts and very few having the access to it. Mostly the Brahmins and Kshatriya were eligible to receive a formal education. In other words, we can assume a 100% reservation for upper caste in whole education and administration system in our historic past. They were either the ruling Kings/princes and other officers in King’s office or Ministers and advisers of the King.

So there were two main distinctions:

1) The Elite

 2) The commons

The Elite or the ruling class has the power of Education, Knowledge, Wisdom and Wealth while the Commons were happily living with their small set of skills in their respective profession or work.

There was no conflict in society as the range of roles, responsibilities and the wealth proportions were predefined. Religious teachings asked for satisfaction and sacrifice to yield a better life after death i.e., concept of heaven and hell. Rulers and the Holy men taught people to yield a life of peace and simplicity while they themselves enjoying the comfort and luxury of Palaces. Kings were having hundreds of wives, thousands of slaves and enormous wealth with all other kinds of facilities and the Holy men having thousands of followers, he was a trusty of property of temples, advisor of the king and agent of the God. Meanwhile the common man was being taught “Hari Ka Nam Lo, Hari Ka Nam Lo” when they use to complain for no follow up from their 'Hari’ the were further educated concepts of Karma, the Bhagwat Geeta lessons,  the concept of life and death, the heaven hypothesis and ultimately concepts of Moksha.

So, we already discussed how our society was designed and developed based on the caste system hypothesis and now we will now discuss why it was evolved and what benefits and drawback were there and finally how things are working out today and what are future prospects.

Why caste system evolved?

The caste system served a number of social and economical functions and once was most important reason behind the huge success of our country before 17the Century. Once we were economic super power, a status what even the United States do not enjoys today. We had 31.5% share of Global Domestic Production, the balance of payment completely in our favor with very high exports and marginal imports, 100% employment and very high social index. While this system gave us an extra edge over the world for centuries, the arrival of British in India and the new concept of industrialized world changed each and every equation of our society completely.

We will try to understand the evolution of caste system in our society, the need and purpose in past and prospects for present and future.

Past

Economic Reasons

Caste system evolved to divide the society into different segments based on the economic and production function. If people were given choices to opt for their favorite profession there would have been a huge chaos as most opting for professions associated either with high social status or economic values. To mitigate these problem founding fathers of our society discovered caste system. Religious function and customs were associated to act as a strong bound between sections of society and professions. For example : Different castes like Luhars, Kumhars, Chamars, Baniyas, Yadavs, Brahamins etc. represents different works and professions.

Biological Reasons

The genes codes billions of genetic information and transfers it from one generation to another.  We can easily feel this thing in our day to day life, a child resembling the facial look of his/her parents, dependency of high built and personality over family heredity. Scientific researches has proved that our activities, intellect level, particular skills, accuracy, and all other individual traits also gets coded in our genes and this information is passed on to our coming generations. For instance, a tunnel vision in men due to hunting and peripheral vision among females due to domestic works which has evolved over hundreds of years of heredity and continuous evolution. Therefore a customized system of same caste marriage evolved in our society may be intentionally or unintentionally, to protect a particular set of skills within a limited section of society and or within a community and a complete avoidance of alien skills or traits which may have diluting effects. For example if a Kumhar marries within a Kumhar community, he is more likely to have offspring having better abilities and better prospects in his career as a Kumhar, than if he marries within a  Luhar community.

Social Reasons

The social, cultural, economic and occupational patterns in a particular caste community are very similar. There is very less to be done to accommodate with one another and interlinking of families through institution such as marriage. The community can take care of its social, economic and occupational interests as a whole (for example: the role played by factory workers union in present industrialized society). As, initially these communities were very small and most likely were decedents of same people or closely linked people, most families were distant relatives of one another in some way or the other. Such system prevents the property transfer outside the family through marriages and kinship and property remains within the family system.

Educational Reasons

Yet education is also a social function and doesn’t need a separate classification under a new head, but the need of the discussion ask for classification under a separate head. In our Past there was almost no choice to opt for a profession other than what ancestors have been doing. Home was the first and in most cases last institution where one has to graduate, from primary level to the PhD. Education was more related to Skill and Application rather than the theoretical knowledge we impart today. There were almost no theory classes; one has to learn things by doing itself. The techniques of hit and trial under close supervision of seniors and experts, the practices of apprentice, job training etc. were prevalent. There was enough room for innovation and newness and was much recognized and much appreciated. Additionally a child was considered a helping hand of his father from very childhood and another earning member for the family.

Things changed!

During late 18^th century we started following western educational, social and economic system. After independence we had no alternative but to adopt the prevalent system of the present world. All the constraints over education and choice of economic activities were removed. Jobs involving theoretical, scientific and industrial knowledge were more suitable for rapidly industrializing society. Accordingly the education system evolved and begun training individuals through institutions like Schools, Colleges, and Universities etc. with more inclination towards imparting theoretical and scientific knowledge. Earlier, maximum people were entrepreneurs and self employed, today we have large factories and industries with some capitalists at top and rest as skilled and unskilled workforce. Job market do not makes distinction between people, based on caste and religion but on the basis of knowledge, skill and suitability of person for the particular function. So, presently there is absolutely no requirement of caste system to exist and is going to extinct in coming decades.

Present:

The things have changed drastically, today we don’t need a caste system, same factors are responsible for the new circumstances as were earlier i.e., Economic, biological, social, and educational reasons.

Economic, Biological, social and educational needs of present day:

The present era is called economic era, today the main division between the people and society is not on the basis of caste but economic condition or wealth. We have upper class, middle class and lower or poor class. The income of people determines which class it belongs. The division between the classes is not very restrictive type, like earlier under caste system, one’s class or level in an economic society can easily be interchanged by increasing or decreasing one’s state of income. Education is most important instrument for mitigating this division, as income in some aspect or another is proportional to education level. The caste system has lost its grounds under urban environment. Earlier same or similar castes accommodated in closely held colonies and settlements, today colonies are based on economic state, like we see city’s flat nomenclature like Luxury, ‘HIG (high income group)’, ‘MIG(mid income group)’, Economic Apartments  etc.

Modern world do not demands particular genes and skills to be preserved or secured but some more generalization of qualities. Today people go for better looks, better education background, family’s economic strength etc. A beautiful and more educated and successful person today is perceived to have better genes to produce better offspring’s and provide the family a happy, prosperous and stable environment. Equal educational and employment opportunities have took women out from their domestic environments into an open atmosphere full with opportunities for them. This lead to more interaction between both sexes and substantially increased the chances of close, intimate and love relations. The kinship equation is getting favorable for love marriages which generally do not look for caste match. Matching of genes of different caste segments produces better and diversified traits in the offspring. Continuous process of this inter-caste mating over generations will result in a more evolved, generalized and optimized version of traits among children which will be most suited for the prevalent environment.

As there is no relevance of Caste System in our present day, and is losing its relevance day by day, this continuous decay of this system will make it extinct very soon. 

  

A fool's opinion on Justice Katju's 90% fool theory !!

First of all I would like inform that I am one among those 90% fool class (passed 1st test : neither communal nor having faith in cast system, passed 2nd test : don't like cricket (the freak show) very much, but oops !! failed 3rd test :  I check regular astrology updates !! so a 3^rd degree fool).

I am a huge-huge fan of this gentleman Justice Markandey Katju and seriously adore the way of his thinking, writing, actions and further follow-ups. First of all came to know about him in Asim Trivedi case, afterwards regularly following his updates from Twitter, His blog (Satyam Bruyat ), and media stories. If you search and read his judgments, you will find the excellence, scientific methodology and very frequent references from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavada-Gita and other epics. If you came across Chanakya updesh, Sanskrit Sloks, or Galib sayaries in any Supreme Court judgment, be sure it’s none other than respected Justice Katju.

I will take reference of the Justice Katju’s blog posts to present my views in a point wise manner.

When I said that 90% Indians are fools I said an unpleasant truth. The truth is that the minds of 90% Indians are full of casteism, communalism, and superstitions. Consider the following:

When our people go to vote in elections, 90% vote on the basis of caste or community, not the merits of the candidate. That is why Phulan Devi, a known dacoit-cum-murderer was elected to Parliament merely because she belonged to a backward caste which had a large number of voters in that constituency. Vote banks in India are on caste and community basis, which are manipulated by some unscrupulous politicians and others.

Agree but not completely, would like to add another factor ‘sympathy’, it is another big vote puller, remember Rajiv Gandhi’s landslide victory in general elections, 1984, congress securing 404 out of 506 Loksabha seats (around 80% of total seats), factor being sympathetic votes created by the assassination of Mrs. Gandhi. Public in our country irrespective of social, economical, political, age  group or sexual class, is soft hearted and emotional. Caste system plays important role in fetching votes but castes system gets votes only out of sympathy.

Justice Katju, as per your illustration of Phulan Devi, which u claims to have won elections just because of caste politics, had actually played an emotional politics wrapped in a caste canister.

Phulan Devi was herself a victim of circumstances; she was ravished, tormented, tortured and finally turned into a dacoit and not to forget the superficial roles played by Police, Law and Judiciary. She was even brutally gang raped by police men in a police station. Such continuous victimization can turn any one into a hardcore criminal. Whether it is Pan Singh Tomar or Naxals, all share the same story.

She was not an exception or the only one being tormented, there was, and there is, an endless queue of millions, likes her or in a worse state. Difference being, their dead silence. One in a million of suppressed, raises Rifle as “Phulan Devi” rightly did. After she planned to return the main stream, there was no other choice but the Politics, to resist her old foes, mainly Jamindars, sahukars etc.

Now, she was not an individual but a class herself, a hero of poor and deprived. The symbol of backward class, which elevates her up to the chair anticipating and in disguise that she will improve their state and will provide them protection and security. This fear and insecurity in people’s mind coupled with the positive presentation and campaign (Mala Sen's 1993 book India’s Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi, Shekhar Kapur made a movie Bandit Queen (1994)) of her to present her like a victim and a hero at the same time, which fights the evil, was enough to win her sympathy votes in 1996 Lok Sabha elections on Samajwadi Party Ticket.

Cast system indeed plays decisive role under selfish Indian political catastrophe but along with several other local and circumstantial factors. Change is taking place in the educational landscape and is likely to replace the present system somewhere in coming decades but the process is slow and will remain like that, unless the top 10% intelligentsia of our country forget their selfishness and act as a catalyst in the process of change and the rest 90% see the day light with eyes open.  

 90% Indians believe in astrology, which is pure superstition and humbug. Even a little commonsense tells us that the movements of stars and planets has nothing to do with our lives. Yet T.V. channels showing astrology have high T.R.P. ratings.

At one time India was leading the whole world in science and technology (see my article ‘Sanskrit as a language of Science’ on the website kgfindia.com). That was because our scientific ancestors like Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Sushrut, Charak, etc questioned everything. I read the above lines in your blog. The way you adore Indian Epics, the teachings, the messages, and the way you criticize astrology is itself a paradox. Astrology was and is a science of India, the mother of mathematics and has mentions in all major epics. Agree up to extent, that “planets has nothing to do with our lives” but “Karma does” but calling someone fool just because he has faith on astrology is something difficult to digest.

Cricket has been made into a religion by our corporatized media, and most people lap it up like opium. The real problems facing 80% people are socio-economic ---- poverty, massive unemployment, malnourishment, price rise, health care, education, housing etc. But the media sidelines or minimizes these real issues, and gives the impression that the real issues are lives of film stars, fashion, cricket, etc. When Rahul Dravid retired the media depicted it as a great misfortune for the country, whereas when Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100^th century it was depicted as a great achievement for India. Day after day the media kept harping on this, whereas the issues of a quarter million farmers suicides, and 47% Indian children being malnourished, was sidelined.

100% agree and loved this line, The Roman emperors used to say that if you cannot give people bread, give them circuses in one of your articles.

Dear Justice Katju, I agree and make a conscience with you on all other relevant points mentioned by you and heart fully thank you for sharing the good works with us and carrying out the kind of campaign of awareness as you are doing.

Thanks a lot Sir and hats off to this great gentleman.

God bless you sir.

Abhishek @918abhi - Twitter