Reviving the Fading Spirit

Patriotism is a pious sentiment that holds the structure of a nation and grounded on the sacrifice of valiant leaders. India is a land of martyrs where every drip of the freedom fighters’ blood has battled for the nation. Our country has been disposed to foreign powers for centuries and on every occasion, there have been true patriots who struggled selflessly to regain our motherland. Starting with the Rajput leaders Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap of Mewar, Marathi and Punjabi patriots Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh where the latter sacrificed all his four sons at the altar of the nation, the Sikh military commander Banda Bairagi to the battle against British regime, India has seen innumerable exemplary patriots and martyrs. The martyrdom of Baba Tilka Manjhi, the first Adivasi leader who took arms against the British in Bihar in 1747 created vibes in Karnataka where Rani Chennamma, Queen of Kittur and her comrades sacrificed their lives for the cause of the nation in 1829. The movement spread to Maharashtra and later to the North when the whole nation followed Nana Sahab, Mangal Pandey, Tantya Tope and Rani Lakshmibai in the first war of independence in 1857. India witnessed a torrent of patriotism based on violence until 1931 when Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were hanged in Lahore Jail. Then came an era of intellectual patriots such as Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, etc. leading the non-violence movement. Either by violence or non-violence methods, the patriots had only one goal - to have a free and peaceful motherland. It is because of their self-sacrificing struggle and devotion that India is still intact despite her diverse culture and heritage.

Sixty years have passed since we attained independence from the British and time has eroded our patriotic sentiments already. Many of us do not care about the freedom that we now enjoy and often take it for granted. Patriotism has confined to a formality – a gesture of saluting the national flag or a freeze stature of 52 seconds during the national anthem or maybe even with a cold heart with no gratitude to our brave leaders because of whom we live with dignity and freedom. Moral values such as honesty, integrity, bravery, nationalism, respect for each other, social responsibility, etc. has been surpassed by crime, corruption, terrorism, violence, religious intolerance, inequality, etc. Today, we lack true nationalists such as Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc. who once poured the fervour of patriotism among the teeming millions. We hardly see such inspiring personalities now and find any role models in our present leaders, regrettably. The country witnesses a new scandal every other day tarnishing our national character and looting the public money. The spirit of patriotism and respect for our freedom fighters is totally lost in the country.

Patriotism should not be limited to a feeling at the event of a cricket match or a terrorist attack. The thoughts of national pride and ‘desh bhakthi’ should be in our blood and mind always. We should revive patriotism when we cast our vote in the elections, when an underprivileged asks for a rupee, when we see garbage being thrown on the road, and at all social evils that deters the harmony of our countrymen. Inculcating patriotism in new generation is essential and should begin from schools. It is in these educational institutions where the young come together crossing the borders of religion, caste and culture. Children from a very young age should be taught to respect our National leaders, National Anthem, National Pledge, National Flag and the Constitution. They should be educated and set to appreciate our history, art, culture, and heritage. Parents should make sure that their kids do not miss a flag hoisting session on national days and explain to them the importance of the day. Kids should be steered to have a sense of belonging and contribution and respect other religions and their beliefs. They should be directed to watch national ceremonies telecasted on television that happen at the Indian capital. It is these little things that would make a difference in the long run in producing responsible and devoted citizens of the country.

“Bharat Mata”, painting by P. S. Ramachandran Rao, 1937

The picture of Bharat Mata, a symbol of national integrity, portrays our eminent past and beholds a sense of belonging to our glorious tradition. The personification of India as Bharat Mata was first conceived by Abanindranath Tagore in 1905. The robe of Bharat Mata represents the contours of India. The colours of her saree – saffron, white and green – signifies the colours of Indian National Flag. She cradles the national heroes of freedom struggle and shelters the fighters who led the people to independence. The heroes include Balgangadhar Tilak, Justice Ranade, A. O. Hume, etc. and the leaders of the masses include Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu, Chandrasekhar Azad, and others. One of the first and largest Bharat Mata temple was established in 1936 in Varanasi where a large map of ‘Akhanda Bharat’ is idolised. 

The backbone of India is her people; to serve the country means to care for each other. The strength of India lies in the ability to unite the varied masses to a common strong force. Patriotism is not a passive love for the country but lies in the active work for the progress of the country. Together with moving forward to improve the standard of living of our personal lives, let us also think about the society we live in and address social problems. Let ‘sharing’ be our strategy and let it bring us together irrespective of our different religions, caste, culture, languages, and regions. Let our dream be to see an India with responsible citizens with good leadership and nationalist passion. Let us revive the spirit of patriotism in us, love our country, rally behind the tricolour, respect her people and build a better India; it would be the biggest honour we could gift our freedom fighters.

Jai Hind.

Understanding Alcoholism and Knowing Your Limits

People have been brewing and fermenting alcohol since the beginning of civilization. Alcohol, in moderation, has been celebrated in Vedas, Buddhism, Shaivism, Tantra, Catholicism and many tribal traditions. The society has advanced considerably over the years resulting in an increased change in the quantity and patterns of use of alcohol. Alcoholism has become a serious public health problem that leads to social and domestic problems such as homicides, road accidents, suicides, women and child abuse, poverty, job absenteeism, etc. India has become one of the largest producers of alcohol producing 65% of alcoholic beverages in South East Asia and is the third largest market for distillers and international brewers. The number of people who have consumed alcohol has moved from 1 in 300 to 1 in 20 in the past two decades and more than half of those in this statistics fall into the group of ‘hazardous drinking’. It has been estimated that there could be 14 million people in India who are addicted to alcohol and in need of help. Adoption of western lifestyles by people in the urban India has paved way to an upsurge in the number of bars and nightclubs. Youngsters grow up in a ‘schizophrenic’ environment absorbing the worst of both the eastern and western cultures. Rural India is also witnessing an equally seismic effect as a result of collapsed joint family value system and people moving away from traditional livelihood.

India has a multi-layered society and drinking habits differ greatly between the states. The state of Kerala apparently have the heaviest drinkers where people drink an average of 8.3 litres per capita which is four times the amount when compared to the rest of India. Punjab and Haryana are the other two states where people have the habit of drinking comparatively heavily whereas in some parts of the country, alcohol is banned completely. Kerala is known for its highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the country with a market that has grown from 12% to 67% during the last three decades. The State Revenue from alcohol increased from Rs. 40.74 crores in 1988 to Rs. 7511 crores in 2014. The National Family Health Survey 2009 has found four common patterns of alcohol consumption in the state. They are a) lowering the age limit for alcohol consumption b) increase in the number of young alcohol users c) women started using alcohol and d) binge drinking. Both studies and real life incidents show that there is a strong correlation between alcoholism and crime. Surveys reveal that 25% of hospital casualties, 69% of crimes, 40% of road accidents, 80% of divorces and domestic violence that are reported are linked to alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is calming and can have positive health effects if consumed in moderate amounts. They include improved cardiac functioning, reduced stroke incidences, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, gall bladder diseases, type 2 diabetes, thyroid cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma among many other ailments. However, the story is totally different when it is consumed excessively and frenziedly. Indians prefer distilled spirits and hard liquors over beer which shows that the majority drink beverages with a high concentration of alcohol. There is a growing tendency among Indians to engage in ‘binge drinking’ and purposely get drunk. It is the most hazardous pattern of drinking where the person consumes an excessive amount of alcohol in a short span of time. The major health problems due to excessive alcohol intake are a) slows down digestion b) causes gastritis and ulcer c) increases chances of cancer d) fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis e) permanent damage of liver f) slows down brain functioning g) affects judgement and coordination h) causes depression, poor memory and concentration i) psychiatric disorders j) cardiovascular diseases k) pancreatic disorders l) malnutrition m) sexual problems n) degeneration of muscles, o) fetal alcohol syndrome in unborn children, etc. Alcoholism damages the entire organs of the body and completely destroys its very existence.

Men – young and old, educated and uneducated lined up in “military discipline”

in front of a Kerala State Beverages Corporation outlet.

Apart from causing severe health problems, heavy drinking makes people susceptible to crimes such as rapes, domestic violence, etc., struggle with profession, live in poverty, and experience relationship issues. The effects of alcoholism on families has long term consequences which are difficult to overcome. Partners go through a devastating situation and suffer from poor communication, stress, increased anger and distress, lack of intimacy, marital abuse, financial shortage, etc. Children who live with their father or mother who are alcohol addicts can have chronic depression, low self-esteem, high levels of anxiety, stress, fear of abandonment, and feelings of dejection. Once these children become adults, these effects continue to influence their lives which often end up in relationship issues. Women who drink during pregnancy can cause the babies to be born with irreversible physical and mental birth defects. Underage drinking (consumption of alcohol before the legal age limit) has become very common in India. Adolescent drinking can seriously affect the normal development of mind and body. The habit develops into alcoholism and can be related to teen suicide. It tempts them to use harder drugs, encourages sexual promiscuity, makes victims to perform badly in school or college, etc.

India is one among the rare countries where prohibition of alcohol is included in the national constitution as one of the directive principles of state policy. Article 47 of the Constitution of India states that, “the state shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medical purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.” The production and sale of alcoholic beverages in India is controlled by the respective Governments of the states. Some of the states such as Andhra Pradesh and Haryana, has implemented prohibition taking into consideration the harmful effects caused by alcoholism and the popular demand from women and the rural inhabitants. However, economic difficulties and political intervention had caused the Governments to annul their policies. The production of alcohol bring in huge amount of revenue to the Governments with some states benefiting more than 10% of their revenue from this source. Total prohibition of alcohol is not practical. It adversely affects revenue and tourism, may result in crime and corruption, and encourages binge drinking. People who are addicted to alcohol will depend on adulterated beverages and shoddy alcohol consumption in hiding. Adulteration of alcohol causes alcohol poisoning that leads to blindness and even death. History has shown us that making something a taboo is not a remedy; it only makes the forbidden fruit more tempting.

There should be effective regulatory policies to reduce the per capita consumption of alcohol and availability of alcoholic beverages in the country. The option of buying unlimited alcoholic beverages should be restricted and a rationing system should be introduced. The opening times of beverages outlets should also be minimised which would control alcohol access to youth. Drunken driving, drinking in public places, nuisance caused by drunkenness, etc. should be punished strictly and levied with a fine. Every medium of entertainment such as satellite channels, radio, movies, music, etc. should stop endorsing alcoholic beverages and selling brand names. The sale and consumption of adulterated alcohol should be checked regularly and penalised. We require more well-trained physicians who have knowledge on efficacy of de-addiction drugs, psychological and vocational therapies. Both Government and private stake holders should organise alcohol awareness programmes to educate the public on sensible drinking, alcohol consumption limits, legislation, and negative effects of alcohol on the mind and body.

Check for yourselves. You have a drinking problem if you a) regularly drink more than you used to b) resort to drinking in order to relax or feel better c) forget what you did while you were drunk d) feel guilty about your drinking habit e) hide your drinking habits, and f) have family or friends worried about your drinking.

Alcohol is a toxic substance. It affects you. Know your limits. 

The Rebels' General

Tatya Tope

(1814 – 1859)

The most competent general leading the rebels in The Revolt of 1857 or the First War of Indian Independence. A terrifying character who made the British officers shudder with fear hearing his name. Tatya Tope fought more than 150 battles and played a foremost role in initiating the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Tatya Tope was a Maratha Brahmin, born as Ram Chandra Pandurang in Yeswale, Maharashtra in 1814 to Pandurang Rao Tope who was a noble at the court of Peshwa Baji Rao II. The Maratha kingdom fell in 1818; the family moved to Bithur along with the hapless Peshwa where Ram Chandra Pandurang became a close acquaintance to Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa. Nana Saheb possessed a dynamic character unlike his father who chose to live suitably with the British pension. Lord Dalhousie was the then Governor of India and was far more repressive than his forerunners. He looted India’s wealth, robbed palaces and brought Christian missionaries with a solemn aim to disregard the culture of the country.

In 1851, Lord Dalhousie deprived Nana Sahib of his father’s pension turning both Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope into sworn foes of the British. Tatya Tope urged the already discontent people to drive the oppressive British out of India. He organised Indian ‘sepoys’ in various regiments across India to rise in revolt at once on 31 May 1857. However, two months before the date an unplanned revolt erupted in the lead of Mangal Pandey following the introduction of Enfield rifle with greased cartridges. The sepoys had been issued with a new rifle, the Pattern 1853 Enfield rifled musket, where the soldier had to bite off its end of a greased cartridge before loading the powder into its muzzle. The Indian sepoys were disturbed as the grease which was used to seal the cartridge was made from animal fat – cow which was sacred for Hindus and pork which was sacred for Muslims. The sepoys saw it as an intentional tactic by the British to undermine their religious beliefs and hurt their sacred sentiments. Mangal Pandey staged a one-man rebellion insisting his fellow sepoys to murder the first Britisher they saw. The British called the uprising The Sepoy Mutiny; however, for Indians it was the First War of Indian Independence or The Revolt of 1857.

In May 1857, Tatya Tope defeated the Indian troops of the East India Company posted at Kanpur and became the Commander in Chief of Nana Saheb’s revolutionary forces. He stormed the forces of General Havelock who were marching from Kanpur to Lucknow deploying his infamous ‘Guerrilla’ techniques. He then moved to Kalpi capturing the fortress which he turned to a garage to manufacture arms. He seized a number of forts before he won over the Scindhia regiment at Morar over his side of revolution. The next British official to fall prey to Taty’a defeat was Major Windham where he was defeated on the banks of Pandu. Tatya Tope’s name had by then reached Europe and became a terror in England. He became an invincible spirit of India vitalising people to breathe the air of freedom. The British retook Kanpur in July 1857 and Tatya Tope moved his military headquarters to Kalpi. He continued on his mission by winning over native kings and princes to his side of rebellion. He reached Gwalior enflaming another revolt; Tatya joined hands with Rani Lakshmi Bai leading a rebellion in Bundelkand where she attained martyrdom.

He was defeated by General Rose in a battle before he could consolidate his position in Gwalior. He launched ‘Guerrilla’ campaigns aligning and realigning with many Rajas in Khandesh and Rajasthan and defended the territories for about a year. He battled near Sanganir, Chotta Udaipur and other places quickly reforming after every war. The British launched a mammoth search for Tatya Tope for months and the lion was caged while asleep in his encampment in the Paron forest on 7 April 1859. He was betrayed by his comrade and Chief of Narwar, Man Singh. He was tried at the military court in Sipri where he jeered, “I am not your servant. I have obeyed the orders of my Peshwa, who is my master. I have shed no innocent blood. I do not ask for any mercy. Blow me to pieces on the mouth of a cannon or hang me to death from the gallows.” He was executed on 18 April 1859 at the camp of General Meadle in Shivpuri. He was not at all broken even at the time of his death that it was he himself who put the rope round his neck.

Tatya Tope was instrumental in reviving the spirit of freedom among millions by his resurgent campaign during the late 1850’s. He is indubitably a phenomenal persona in the Indian history of Independence Movement.

Jai Hind. 

Daughters are Priceless

On Female Foeticide 

Women are ill-treated all over the world; the most inhuman form happens when they are killed even before they are born. After around seven decades of attaining Independence and India’s progress in the fields of science, technology, nuclear power, etc. over the years, it is a sad truth that a large portion of the population is still inclined to orthodox beliefs and approaches. The illegal and dreadful practice of Female Foeticide is widespread in the country than ever before. Female Foeticide is the selective abortion or elimination of female foetuses after the detection of the baby’s gender by medical means.

Female Foeticide is usually done under familial pressure; provoked by the priority for sons as family sizes shrink and compelled by the fear of high wedding costs and dowry. Families have a fervent desire to have a boy child to continue the family line through the male born into it. A son is also seen as the main source of income even though women are equally educated and earn as much as men do now a days. The common misconception still remains that it is the males who look after his parents and support the family while daughters are often considered as “cargo” which are shipped off to another home upon marriage. The custom of dowry breaks parents’ spirits and they start calculating their daughter’s marriage expenses right from the child’s first breath. The thought of the lump sum that should be paid to the daughter after a couple of decades shatters them. The deteriorated status of women in the society is another reason for Female Foeticide to be very prevalent in the country. Years of repression has caused women to believe that they are inferior to men. They willingly take to the role of the timid, compliant and unassuming wife who works persistently for the family. Usually, Female Foeticide happens with the consent of the mother where they agree to this brutal crime considering it as their duty to the family. Illegal sex determination and termination of pregnancies has become common following the legalisation of abortion in India. Industrialisation of the health sector with the introduction of ultrasound, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, etc. has fortified the selective gender abortion quarter. The booming number of hospitals and clinics facilitates affordable and easy access to these diagnostic facilities.

The reported case of Female Foeticide in Orissa in 2007 shook the country and indicated the alarming magnitude of this social evil. The state police and medical authorities recovered hundreds of female foetuses dumped in a remote pit in the outskirts of Nayagarh district in Orissa. The practice came to light when a boy found seven female foetuses packed in blood-stained polythene bags while searching for waste bottles near the Duburi Hills. It drew the attention of people and media when the natives discovered a well which was a dumped with dead foetuses, skulls and skeletons in polythene bags. Skulls and skeletons were suspected to be of grown foetuses and babies that were just born. A special team from the National Commission for Women were sent to visit the place and investigate the case. The authorities found out that the clinics and nursing homes in Nayargah district did not possess a license for Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MPT) and conducted the atrocious practice of sex determination and female foeticide. It was even more appalling to find out that it was carried out with the unofficial consent of the officials working with the health service and administration.

The consequences of Female Foeticide are serious and far-reaching. The number of girls per 1000 boys is diminishing with each passing decade in India. Surveys show that the sex ratio has plunged to a record low of 914 girls for 1000 boys in 2011. The most affected states are shockingly the progressive states such as Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab. Sex ratio may appear to be simply a number of both genders but it is significant for the country’s political, economic and emotional development. The sharp drop in the number of girls makes them scarce for the growing number of eligible males for marriage. A report by Red Cross Society shows that there is a large proportion of bachelors who have crossed the marriageable age in the states of Haryana and Punjab as a result of the insufficient number of women. The decline in the gender ratio also causes illegal trafficking of women in many regions of the country. Cases of assault, rape and violence against women has become pervasive in the backdrop of fewer available females. Abortion or killing of foetuses increases maternal deaths and deteriorates the health of the women as they become prone to infections and other ailments. Female Foeticide is a threat to the demography of India that leads to a decline in the country’s population with fewer births and with no mothers to bear any child.

Ignorance is one of the major reasons for the rising number of Female Foeticide cases in India and spreading awareness can help in saving our future sisters, mothers and wives. Awareness and education should be given to the young generation on the role and importance of a girl child in our social milieu. Female Foeticide cannot be controlled until families start valuing their daughters as much as they value their sons. Sex determination tests violate the Constitutional rights such as the ‘right to equality’ under Article 14 and the ‘right to live with dignity’ under Article 21. The Government has also enacted laws such as the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act 1994, Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of sex selection) Act 2002, etc. to curb Female Foeticide and set up Stale Level Supervisor Bodies to monitor the implementation of the Acts. Female Foeticide has gained worldwide attention and it is promising to find that many international and national law making bodies have come forward to curb this misdeed. Some of their noticeable steps include cancellation of doctor’s license who plays a part in fulfilling a patient’s demand for Female Foeticide, high fines and legal action against parents who try to kill their unborn female child, legal penalties on companies that specialise in marketing medical equipment used for illegal sex determination and abortion in hospitals without licenses, organising awareness campaigns among young adults and prospective parents, etc.

It is an ironic fact that Female Foeticide happens widely in a country where people worship various forms of Goddesses in all its religions. Female Foeticide rips the social fabric of the country by ratifying the brutal form of violence against women and changing its demographic composition. It is high time to place gender equality a high priority in India’s development policies and give a chance for the girl children to blossom and shine. This is not about women becoming the dominant sex or surpassing men but the basic humanitarian concern to grant an innocent child the fundamental norm of her “right to life”. A consistent and firm effort by everyone in the society is essential to stop this murder of our own flesh and blood.

Daughters are angels. Save them. 

The Man behind the Revolution

Mangal Pandey

(1827 – 1857)

The name, ‘Mangal Pandey’ is engraved into the pages of the Indian history as an incisive revolutionary during the pre-independence era and one of the most popular characters in the country’s freedom struggle. He was a soldier of the sepoy force of the 34^th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) of the East India Company. He used to be an enthusiastic careerist and a loyal hand until he lost respect for his English masters following a number of events in the country which led him to revolt against them till his death. The events that steered to the revolt stemmed from decades of unrest but the spark of the rebellion was instigated by Mangal Pandey firing the first shots. He was the first sepoy (soldier) to rise up against the British and played a key role in escalating the Sepoy Mutiny by his fearless actions.

Mangal Pandey was born in Nagwa, Uttar Pradesh on 19 July 1827 to a Bhumihar Brahmin family. He was a devout Hindu, followed its beliefs and practiced the religion firmly. He joined the East India Company as a sepoy at the age of 22 in 1849. The sepoys had been issued with a new rifle, the Pattern 1853 Enfield rifled musket, where the soldier had to bite off its end of a greased cartridge before loading the powder into its muzzle. The Indian sepoys were disturbed as the grease which was used to seal the cartridge was made from animal fat – cow which was sacred for Hindus and pork which was sacred for Muslims. The sepoys saw it as an intentional strategy by the British to demoralise their religious beliefs and hurt their sacred sentiments. The first protest took place at Barrackpore, Calcutta in January 1857 by burning down a new telegraph office. Later, Mangal Pandey staged a one-man rebellion in Barrackpore on 29 March 1857 insisting his fellow sepoys to kill the first Britisher they saw. He shot a mounted British officer but only managed to fell the horse in the attempt. He slashed the officer and his adjutant with his sword and injured them. General Hearsay, an officer in charge, along with other junior officers appeared on the scene to restore order and arrest Mangal Pandey. Mangal Pandey pressed his musket against his chest and pulled the trigger using his toe wounding himself and setting his tunic afire. He failed to kill himself and was arrested. The British called the uprising The Sepoy Mutiny; however, for Indians it was the First War of Indian Independence or The Revolt of 1857.

He later involved in the Calcutta–Patna Conspiracy which spanned from Bengal to Northern India teaming up with men from Bihar and Patna together with exiled Maharajas of the princely states. Pandey’s rebelliousness was condemned by the British and put him on trial. The 34^th BNI regiment was dispersed by the British Government on 6 May 1857 as a punishment for failing to hold up a defiant soldier and protect their officer.   Mangal Pandey was court martialled on 6 April 1857 where he vowed that he rebelled alone for the sake of his homeland. The court ordered to hang him on 18 April 1857 but fearful of further unrest, the British rescheduled the date of execution and Pandey was hanged on 8 April 1857.

 A photograph where two Sepoys of the 31^st Native Infantry who participated

in The Revolt of 1857 were hanged. Albumen silver print by Felice Beato, 1857.

Shaheed Mangal Pandey was a brave son of Mother India and a torch bearer who woke up multitudes to fight for the nation. He was the first nationalist martyr who sow the seeds of freedom struggle in the minds of people and became an icon who denoted the beginning of the Indian War of Independence.

Jai Hind.

Land - Development - Democracy

On Land Acquisition Bill 2015

Tens of thousands in the country has been living a miserable life for decades because of forcible land acquisitions and remain helpless in finding an adequate means of livelihood. Official reports show that around 60 million people were displaced for development projects since Independence and less than third of whom have been compensated appropriately. The displaced people include the rural poor, fishermen, marginal farmers and quarry workers; around 40% of them are Adivasis and 20% are Dalits. They have been moved through ‘development induced displacement’ for large-scale projects such as thermal plants, mining, industrial facilities, canals, dams, etc. Such displacements were implemented by the British-era Land Acquisition Act 1894 till it was revoked by the passing of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act in 2013. The Act of 2013 incorporated provisions to get consent of 70% of the land owners to start developmental and Public Private Partnership projects on the acquired land, a Social Impact Assessment and a separate clause where the actions of the land acquisition would expire if either there was no physical possession of the land or if the compensation was not paid within 5 years and the land would be returned to the land owner. Additionally, the Lok Sabha, on 9 March 2015 passed the Land Acquisition Bill with nine Amendments (The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Amendment) as recommended by the Government.

The Amendment is a progressive step that combines compensation together with resettlement and rehabilitation of land owners. It offers adequate notice period for land acquisition and designs a proper procedure to provide compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement. The Government promises compensation to the affected monetarily and non-monetarily before setting up the development projects; monetary compensation is up to four times the market value of land in rural areas and two times in urban areas. A number of provisions has been added to resettle and rehabilitate those affected who will lose ownership or livelihood by the land acquisition. The Government also assures employment to one person of the family of whom the land is acquired. The Bill made it compulsory to obtain consent of land owners – 80% for private projects and 70% for Public Private Partnership projects – which could be raised to 100% by the respective State Governments. This is a significant improvement from the original Act; therefore if the majority of the landowners do not agree to the project, they can oppose the project by not giving their consent. The existing Act kept Central Government projects such as metro rail, national highways, atomic energy, etc. out of the purview whereas the Amendment brings all the exempted projects under the purview of the Act counting them for compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement. The Amendment in the Act allows a fast track process for defence production, rural infrastructure such as affordable housing, electrification, industrial corridors etc. and Public Private Partnership projects. The Ordinance has given a clearer definition for ‘public purposes’ unlike the existing Act which permitted Government to acquire any land on any pretext terming it as for ‘public purposes’. Overall, the proposed Amendment gives transparency to land acquisitions for development projects and assures rehabilitation of land owners.

Although the new Bill complements the Government’s stride towards ‘aim for development’, the proposal shows a number of visible hitches too. A major drawback of the Land Acquisition Bill is the loss of livelihoods of those who are reliant on agriculture other than the land owners. The Bill safeguards only the land owners with compensation and benefits, and not the innumerable number of farm labourers, artisans and other villagers who depend indirectly on farm produce. It is also a concern that the compensation amount would be insufficient to the affected who will be deprived of their livelihoods even if it is four times the market price. Activists claim that the market price would be too low, especially in rural areas prior to the setting up of a development project. Furthermore, there is no guaranteed employment for the land owners in the Resettlement and Rehabilitation clause. Decision making in development projects is a lengthy process which would adversely affect the short term and long term lives of the farmers. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) was compulsory before acquiring a land in the existing Law whereas the proposed Amendment waives the procedure. SIA is a worldwide accepted assessment method which help organisations to plan, implement and scale initiatives effectively. A recent study by Comptroller and Auditor General shows that 53% of 60,000 hectares of land acquired for Special Economic Zones from 2006 to 2013 remain unused. SIA checks these malpractices and restores faith in democracy. The removal of Social Impact Assessment is a downside as it restrains accountability to a large extent. Without this assessment, it is impossible to find out the actual number of citizens that get affected in the acquisition process.

The Bill hauls off consent of land owners if the land is being acquired for five purposes; they are defence, affordable housing, industrial corridors, rural infrastructure and Public Private Partnership projects. As per the new Ordinance, even multi-crop irrigated land could be acquired for these public purposes. The ‘urgency’ clause allows the Government to make land acquisitions without the consent of the land owners ignoring all pre-requisites. The respective State is the final decision maker which would eventually lead to ‘forcible’ land acquisitions. The existing Act allowed land to be returned to its original owner if it remained unused for five years but the Amendment states that the land will be returned only if the project on the land fails to the complete its deadline, hence the State decides the time frame of the project. Bureaucrats were to be punished if found guilty of violating any clause according to the existing Act but the proposed Bill makes Government sanctions mandatory to take legal action against civil servants. The current Government claims of shortage of land for industrial projects but official documents reveal that about 30-50% of the land acquired by the States through Industrial Development Corporations remain unused. As per the new Ordinance, it will be the private sector who will benefit the most in the process and the land owners will be the losers in the long run. Considering all these issues, it is questionable that the Land Acquisition Bill would considerably benefit the common man despite its assurances and may end up with a number of shortcomings sooner or later. The new provisions in the Amendment may encourage forcible, unjust and unfair evictions which is against democracy even though the Government defends that the Ordinance would balance the developmental needs of India and provide better compensation to the land owners.

The first step as a solution to all these issues is to grant rights to people over their land which would give them stability of ownership to advocate their needs and participate in the development process of the nation. It is recommended that the land is leased from land owners in which case they could maintain their rights over the property until the projects are completed. The projects deals should have a modest compensatory package where the private players offer continued payment of a percentage of profits for a certain period to the land owners. It would provide them with a steady income flow until they find a suitable livelihood to support themselves. Social Impact Assessment should be recalled at least for medium to large scale projects and directed effectively to ease grievance litigation. The Social Impact Assessment is a time consuming process because of its requirement for all projects and lack of a structured strategy. However, the accountability that it provides is unquestionable as it is a helpful tool to assess the positive and negative impacts of development projects. A new fast track Social Impact Assessment steered by experienced professionals following a well-thought-out policy should be considered to gauge the relevance of development projects and its effects on people.

The current debate on the Land Acquisition Law gives us a chance to reflect on India’s growth process and the experience of democracy for a majority of our citizens. Land acquisition has been a contentious issue in the country and it is essential that we need fast track reforms to tackle the dispute. At the same time, it is also necessary that the nation should move forward in growth and development but not at the cost of the livelihoods of the underprivileged. The proposed Amendment to the Act of 2013 fails to address the land acquisition issues in the country. It also gives no clarity of its purpose either to protect the interest of the public and growth of the country or uplift the political agenda of the Government. Before an Amendment is made a Law, the voices of the already displaced and the ones that are threatened to be displaced should be heard. The farmers should be given an opportunity to assess if the project will benefit them and the compensation offered to them is fair. The protests of farmers against land acquisition is not ‘anti-development’; they form models of democracy and actual development of the country is safeguarding the poor and nature along with indorsing urbanisation.

A Warrior Queen

Rani Chennamma

(1778 – 1829)

Rani Chennamma was the Queen of the princely state of Kittur in Karnataka. The first woman independence activist of India who stood alone fearlessly against the British to drive them off form our land. She urged both men and women masses to rise against the Western Imperialistic power in India.

Rani Chennamma was born in 1778 in Kakati, Karnataka near Belgaum. She undertook training in archery, horse riding and sword fighting even from a very young age. She was well-known for her bravery and audacity among the people of Kakati. She got married to the King of Kittur, Mallasarja Desai in 1793 at the age of 15. They had only one son but destiny took him away in 1824 after which she adopted Shivalingappa. The British East India Company challenged Shivalingappa as the heir of King Mallasarja Desai and ordered the King’s expulsion. The order was based on Doctrine of Lapse, a policy enforced on native states where the rulers were not allowed to adopt a child if they had no children. The British Empire took over authority in the territories which had no biological heirs. Henceforth, the state of Kittur came under the administration of Dharwad collectorate in charge of Mr. St. John Thackeray and Mr. Chaplin as the commissioner of the region.

Rani Chennamma and the Kannadiga people were outraged at this takeover of power by the British and sent a letter to the Governor in Bombay to appeal for justice. The request was turned down and the war broke out. The British seized valuables which included treasures and jewels valued around Rs. 15 lakhs from Kittur. They attacked Kittur with a force of 200 men and 4 guns from the Madras Native Horse Artillery. British forces were defeated by Rani Chennamma and her troops in the first round of war which took place in October 1824. Collector Mr. Thackeray and his political agent were killed by Amatur Balappa, a lieutenant of Rani Chennamma. Two British officials, Mr. Stevenson and Sir Walter Elliot were caught as captives and were later released with an understanding with Mr. Chaplin that the war would be dismissed. However, the British could not accept defeat at the hands of a native ruler which triggered them to continue the war with more militaries.

During the second war, Mr. Munor, the sub-collector of Sholapur and nephew of Sir Thomas Munro was killed. The Queen along with her lieutenant, Sangolli Rayanna fought with all their might in the battle guarding the fort of Kittur. The British deployed all crooked measures to defeat her and their tactics included mixing mud and dung in gunpowder in the cannons of Rani Chennamma’s force. She was finally captured and was imprisoned for life in Bailhongal Fort. She died on 21 February 1829. Sangolli Rayanna continued to fight against the British troops until he was captured in 1829 and was hanged. Shivalingappa, the adopted son of Rani Chennamma was also detained by the British.

Kittur Rani Chennamma was a legend with an exceptionally bold character. She was the first woman freedom fighter who came forward to fight for the freedom of our country. A number of plays and songs were written inspired by her courageous acts against the British which revived multitudes instilling patriotism. Chennamma who was born 56 years before the rebel Queen Rani Lakshmi Bai carved her life in the Indian history as an icon of bravery. Her legacy and triumph are still celebrated during the Kittur Utsava in Karnataka in the month of October every year. Hail, Rani Chennamma!

Jai Hind.  

The One-Man Band

R. SARATH KUMAR

An all-rounder who wears the caps of an Actor, Politician, Entrepreneur, MLA of Tenkasi Constituency, Founder and President of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, President of Nadigar Sangam, Director of Radaan Mediaworks and Journalist. A true nationalist with a vision toiling for the people and the prosperity of the society. A resolute leader with practical and progressive outlooks whose actions agree to his words at all times. He is a self-made man; started off his career in Journalism, then into Travel and Tourism business, entering Entertainment industry as an Actor and Producer and later into Politics. His life has been an expedition of hard work, rectitude and persistence which still keeps him move forward jubilantly. 

The formative period of his life was in Chennai which was instrumental in shaping his character to a man of discipline and principles. He studied at the Central School in the IIT Madras Campus and St. Patrick’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai. He passed pre-university degree from the Loyola College and undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the New College in Chennai. He developed a sense of social responsibility from a very young and was quite popular in college for his obliging nature. Upon graduation in Chennai, Sarath Kumar moved to Bangalore and started working for Dinakaran News Daily where he put on various roles from a newspaper boy to managing the circulation and later as a reporter. It was during this time that he got an opportunity through a friend to act in a Telugu movie, Samajamlo Sthree in 1986. After a while, he entered into Travel and Tourism business by setting up a travel agency in Chennai. His opening to mainstream cinema happened in 1988 when he acted and produced a Tamil movie, Kan Simittum Neram directed by Kalaivanan Kannadasan. He emerged as an anti-hero initially in the movie Pulan Visaranai by R. K. Selvamani before progressing to play supporting roles and later lead roles. He won the Best Villain Cinema Express Award for Pulan Visaranai in 1990 and subsequently played negative roles in a number of movies in Tamil and Telugu such as Pudhu Padagan, Velai Kidaichuduchu, Raja Kaiya Vacha, Engitte Modhathe, Balachandrudu, Vishnu, etc.

Palaivana Paravaigal by Senthilnathan was the first movie in which he played the lead role. He continued acting simultaneously in negative, supporting and lead roles in Tamil and Telugu such as Vetri Padigal, Pudhu Manithan, Captain Prabhakaran, Kaaval Nilayam, Cheran Pandiyan, Gang Leader, Ilavarasan, etc. before his first break in the movie Suriyan directed by Pavithran in 1992. He played the lead role in the blockbuster movie and bagged him the Cinema Express Award Best Actor Special Award. Since then he climbed up the career ladder being part of a number of movies such as Thai Mozhi, Aadhityan, Samundi, Dasarathan, Munarivippu, Moondravathu Kann, Kattabomman, etc. until mid-1990. His next blockbuster movie which made a 175-day run at the box office was Nattamai in 1994 by K. S. Ravikumar in which he played a dual role along with actresses Khushbu and Meena. His performance was highly appreciated and fetched him many distinguished awards such as the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor, Filmfare Award for Best Actor and Cinema Express Award for Best Actor. Nattamai was followed by movies such as Magudikkaran, Veluchamy, Coolie, Nadodi Mannan, Ragasiya Police, Mahaprabhu, Nethaji and Aravindhan. The year 1997 gave him another blockbuster, Suryavamsam directed by Vikaraman in which he played another dual role pairing with actresses R. Radikaa and Devayani. His characterisation was recognised far and wide with positive reviews and he won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in Tamil and Cinema Express Award for Best Actor for the second time. He acted in Moovendhar and Janakiraman before his next hit, Natpukkaga in 1998 directed by K. S. Ravikumar. Sarath Kumar won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for the second time and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the third time for this movie. In the interim, his roles in Telugu movies, Preminchanu Nenu and Simmarasi gathered appreciation and positive reviews. In the first half of 2000, Sarath Kumar made his mark in the movies, Maayi, Rishi, Ullam Kollai Poguthe, Vinnukkum Mannukkum, Samudhiram, Tenkasi Pattanam, Arasu, Paarai, Diwan, Chatrapathy, Gambheeram, Maanasthan and Aai. In 2005, he starred in the movie, Ayya directed by Hari pairing with Nayanthara followed by Chanakya, Bunny, Thalaimagan, Pachaikili Muthucharam, Nam Naadu, Maya Kannadi and Vaitheeswaran. In 2009, he acted in a movie, 1977 directed by G. N. Dinesh Kumar in which he appeared in six varied looks.

Sarath Kumar made debut in Malayalam in 2009 in the movie, Pazhassi Raja directed by Hariharan donning the role of a historical character. The movie was a massive hit; he established his footing in the Malayalam soil with a brilliant performance as Edachena Kunkan in the movie. He played the lead role in Jaggubhai in 2010 directed by K. S. Ravikumar and then in Kola Kolaya Mundhirika and in the Malayalam movies, Oridathoru Postman, The Metro, Veeraputhran and Christian Brothers. In 2011, he played one of the most distinguished characters in his career in the movie, Kanchana directed by Raghava Lawrence where he played the role of a transgender. His performance fetched him huge applause and the Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor. His first Kannada movie, Sarathi happened in 2012 followed by the movie, Myna and Telugu movies, Genius, Chandee, Nimirndhu Nil and Malayalam movie, Asha Black in the next two years. He played a cop in the movie, Chennaiyil Oru Naal in 2013 where his portrayal of the role and the movie was received positively by the viewers. He appeared in the 3D motion capture computer animated movie, Kochadaiiyaan with Rajnikanth directed by R. Soundarya Ashwin in 2014. In 2015, Sarath Kumar appeared in a cameo role in the movie, I directed by Shankar and also made a remarkable comeback playing a dual lead role in the movie, Sandamarutham directed by A. Vekatesh. His rendering of the villain character, Sarvesharan was excellent receiving positive reviews worldwide.

Sarath Kumar as Edachena Kunkan in Pazhassiraja (left) and Sarvesharan in Sandamarutham (right)

He aspired to become an actor as acting was a passion since his childhood days. He adored MGR and was greatly influenced by his positive outlook and career planning. Sarath Kumar’s hard work and dedication bestowed him an eminent acting career with more than 130 movies in various South Indian languages and many recognitions under his belt. His directors judge Sarath Kumar as an actor who gives utmost perfection and commitment to his characters. He goes the extra mile with different makeovers to make his characters notable and convincing. His appearance in the movies, Namma Annachi, Nattamai, Suryavamsam, Natppukaga, Diwan, Kanchana, Pazhassiraja, Sandramarutham, etc. were exceptional. He is also known for his depiction of dual and triple roles which shows his versatility as an actor and the hard work he is willing to commit to his work. He is a multi-lingual actor; he is fluent in Tamil, Hindi, English, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. He makes it a point to dub for his roles in other regional movies which makes him an indigenous actor for movie goers. He is widely accepted for his roles in Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada and is never categorised as an ‘imported actor’.  

Sarath Kumar embarked into Politics in 1996 with a vision of serving the people and uplifting the society. His initial political journey included short stints with DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and also served as a Rajyasabha member from 2001 to 2006. He founded AISMK (All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi) on 31 August 2007 with a solemn mission of service to the people along with instituting principles of democracy, building national unity, enlightening youth to be responsible citizens and creating respect for equality among people. He regards K. Kamaraj, one of India’s towering political leaders as his Political guru and is greatly influenced by his ideologies, integrity and transparency in public life. AISMK merged with AIADMK in the 2011 Assembly elections and won two seats in Tenkasi and Nanguneri. Sarath Kumar currently serves as the MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of Tenkasi Constituency.

Sarath Kumar is a reformist and development-oriented leader with a clear vision for a developed India. His inclination to work for people started from his college days where he represented students and led strikes fighting for justice. His strives on the conviction that his blessed life should be lived in service to others. He sees Politics as an extension of social service and a podium where he could address people. He is an Indian, out and out, with a true spirit of patriotism that is prevalent in both his actions and words. His principles revolves around education, empowerment, development and good governance. He believes that the burgeoning population of youth in the country has great potential to create a new nation by wiping out poverty, unemployment, corruption and promote education, equality and agriculture as a sustainable industry. He encourages youth to have a vision and involve in active work for the growth of the country alongside accomplishments to improve their personal lives. As a Politician, he works relentlessly for the progress of people, addressing social issues and working on results.

Sarath Kumar and R. Radhika Sarathkumar during AISMK Manila Maanadu meeting, 2014

  

Sarath Kumar comes across as a very positive person with a disciplined character who aims at success in whichever roles he takes up. He keeps an admirable approach to rise above reverses and believes that failures are temporary which accelerates the ride to victory. His background of education, the values he has been brought up with by his parents and life experiences makes him a man of audacity and integrity. He retains a cordial relationship with everyone being kind and considerate of others extending a helping hand in the hour of need. He is an excellent orator who exhibits confidence while speaking with clear views on subjects and solutions for problems. He is well-read and well-informed making him competent with good judgemental and decision making skills. His analysis and forecasts, be it a matter in Politics or Sports or Movies, materialises to be true all the time. He finds pride in the glorious heritage of India and endeavours to uphold the country’s culture and tradition unbroken to the coming generation.

Sarath Kumar is a one-man band who is extremely good at multitasking switching between several roles at the same time. He serves as the President of South Indian Film Artistes’ Association (Nadigar Sangam) working for the advancement and handling issues of Tamil movie industry. Sarath Kumar is one among the Producers of Magic Frames which is into producing commercial Tamil movies. He continues to act in movies as a means of living and balances time to work full time as a Politician working for the people. He functions as the Director of Operations of Radaan Mediaworks which is an Entertainment company headed by R. Radikaa Sarathkumar. He is also into a number of humanitarian activities; he is the goodwill ambassador of Santhi Medical Information Centre, a non-profit organization in Kerala who are into Organ Donation and helping the underprivileged with medical assistance. Sarath Kumar has also been very magnanimous to rise to the occasion and extend help during national crisis such as Kargil war, Cyclone Thane, Uttarakand flood, etc.

Sarath Kumar finds his role model in his father who was significant in moulding his personality, developing interests and guiding him with values which he upholds without fail until now. His father, Sri. M. Ramanathan, an athlete and boxer at Annamalai University encouraged both his sons in Sports making them keen sports enthusiasts. Sarath Kumar together with his brother Sudharshan played Cricket, Football, Pole Vault and Hockey representing their school and college teams. One of the proudest moment in his life was when he paraded at the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi as an NCC Air Wing Cadet. He is still an active follower of Sports mainly Cricket and Football and a promoter of Sports and Games envisioning a sporting culture in India. His passion for Sports complements his dynamic character and bold nature who continuously prepares to try something new. 

Sarath Kumar’s biking marathon in Chennai to create awareness on Health and Fitness

Sarath Kumar is synonymous to Health and Fitness and the credit again goes to his father who mentored him on the value of ‘Health is Wealth’ from a very young age. He gives utmost importance to maintaining his body by regular workouts and adhering to a strict diet plan. He is one of the rare persons who comments on working out as a habit. Sarath Kumar earned the title Mr. Madras in 1974 during his College days with his tenacity and hard work towards body building. He still retains the same spirit and perseverance in keeping his body and mind fresh and robust. Sarath Kumar is in association with a number of health organisations and actively takes part in awareness drives to promote health and wellness among children and adolescents.

Sarath Kumar is considered as quite an accessible person both as an Actor and a Politician. He has launched a new concept called the ‘Makkal Darshanam’ where he personally meets the people of his constituency addressing their grievances. He issues Press Releases through AISMK portal on national events and issues that happen in the country on a regular basis. He is active on Social Networking websites, particularly Twitter where he interacts with public acknowledging suggestions and criticisms. He has recently launched a website called the ‘Friends of Sarath Kumar’ where he writes as well as gives a platform to the public to voice on societal issues.  

He was born on 14 July 1954 to Late. Sri. M. Ramanathan and Late. Smt. Pushpa Leela in New Delhi. His father worked with the All India Radio and later joined the Press Information Bureau of India. He is the youngest child of his parents; his siblings are Late. Mr. R. Sudharshan and Mrs. Mallika Kandaswamy. Sarath Kumar studied at the Raja Muthiah High School, New Delhi before his family moved to Chennai. He is married to Actress - Entrepreneur Mrs. R. Radikaa Sarathkumar and blessed with four children, Varalaxmi, Rayane, Pooja and Rahhul. He is a complete family man being a pillar of strength to his wife and a great father to the children.

On a personal note, I have been researching on him for a while and am greatly impressed by his views, qualities and outlooks. I got the opportunity to meet him in January, 2015 in Chennai. I have never met someone who is as charismatic as him before. He was very kind, warm and friendly. An up-to-date man with the right attitude and persuasions. He is a man who earns respects with his words and deeds. I wish him the best in all his endeavours and I am sure he will live up to our expectations as an Actor and a Politician.

Suriya Gayathri