Wake up Naveen Babu!

With Odisha High Court declaring land acquired for the Vedanta University, a Stanford-kind of university ‘illegal’, the Anil Agrawal Foundation’s mega project has virtually come to a standstill. The ruling has created mixed reactions both at the political and intellectual circles as future of the state is at stake.

The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government, which enjoys political hegemony in the state in the absence of a strong and well organized opposition party, has once again come under furious attack from all quarters for giving green signal to the UK-based group by passing the Vedanta University Bill in the assembly in July 2009 and subsequently helping them to acquire 4500 acres of proposed 6892 acres of land on Puri-Konark marine drive.

Tough-speaking Naveen known for his hyper dream of taking the state to industrial map in the country did a very good PR exercise when he faced media after the HC ruling. His reaction was normal as if the order has no ramifications! He just said his government would study the order before taking any decision. He must take prompt decision and right action, otherwise Odisha may face Nano-West Bengal like situation.

Vedanta, which is facing the public resents in Odisha in the wake of serious revelations by various ministries over its mining project in Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district hinted that the university project may go to States like either Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka. Karnataka has already sent feelers to Vedanta chief Anil Agarwal assuring him all support if he decided to relocate the project to the state.

For all good reasons, the Vedanta University project is vital for the development of the state. It is not because of the fact that it would be one of the largest universities in the world and glorify the state at the international level or attract foreign tourists, or provide job opportunities to the locals. It is question of foreign direct investment. It is the matter of rapid industrialization through private companies.

With much-need efforts, the state has managed to attract national and foreign companies such as POSCO, Vedanta, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), Pradhan Steel and Power Private Limited, Atha Mines Private Limited and Tecton Ispat Private Limited , Isagro Asia Agro Chemical Private Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Isagro SpA of Italy , Kolkata-based Shyam Group, Sahara Group, Aditya Birla Group , Jindal Stainless Ltd (JSL) and Arcelor Mittal. These companies are yet to start their operations in the eastern region - the region has its dubious distinction of poverty, malnutrition and starvation deaths. These projects are significant for the all-round development of the state. More than 40 percent of the state’s population is in BPL list, which is highest in India. The per capita income of the state is Rs. 5,747 against the national average of Rs 11,013. The average monthly per capita consumer expenditure is Rs 399 in rural areas and Rs 757 in urban areas, compared with Rs 558 and Rs 1,052 at the national level, respectively. Ironically, most of the projects, notably POSCO and Vedanta (mining project) are struggling to gain momentum, mainly due to political differences between state and centre.

Coming back to the Vedanta University project, the government should not overlook the concerns raised by the social and environmental stakeholders as it affects a larger section of the society. At the same time, it should not allow the project move out the state. What is urgently needed is to bring a striking balance between industrial development and environmental sustainability.

For that reasons, the Naveen government should wake up and find an alternative, maybe in form of reducing the size of land allotted to Vedanta or shifting the project to some other parts of the state for the benefit of all.

Image Source: The Hindu

Jai Berhampur

K Ravi Kumar from Berhampur town of Orissa scripted history in Delhi Commonwealth Games. He grabbed gold in the 69-kg category in the weightlifting competition.
Jai Berhampur.

Show ‘Empathy’, not Sympathy to the Marginalized: Message from the Joy of Giving Week

An aspirant doctor was disappeared two years ago, when 12-year old Ramesh left home shattering his dreams in Anugul to find a new family in the Maharshi Dayananda Balashram, near Dhenkanal-Cuttack National Highway, some 90 kilometers away from Bhubaneswar. Like other 100 children there, Ramesh is always seen cheerful, ambitious and curious. He has no regret for what he is today.

Ramesh has been made to realize the hard realities of life at the tender age. He is rebuilding his shattered dreams. He does not want to become a doctor. He aspires to become a police officer and work for the social distressed. Perhaps, he was anguished at his mother’s mental trauma after her husband; an auto driver left home and did not bother to return. The economic hardship compelled the mother to send Ramesh to the Orphanage.

“I want to become a police officer to put the anti-socials behind the bar”, says a determined Ramesh when asked about his aim in life. He reacts sharply at the words like orphan, deprived and oppressed.

He continued, “Here (in Orphanage), I have my family, brothers, sisters and teachers. I get everything needed for a basic life.” Why should I complain before God, he asks?

His sparkling eyes, wiry body, inquisitive mind and a unique sense of humor have motivated me to draw some inspirations from the God’s Child towards life.

Like Ramesh, there are millions of children in India, who are neglected or abandoned by their parents due to some reasons or others. For them, we as a part of the intellectual elite have a great responsibility. And that is pouring in our ‘Empathy’, not Sympathy. This is one of the greatest lessons I have learnt from the God’s special children when I spent the entire day with them in the Orphanage as part of the Joy of Giving Week celebration.

We can not help the marginalized by discouraging or disturbing the privileged. Neither we can empower them by just showing our sympathy through donations, nor we can bring them to the mainstream through government schemes (They are many, infact). What is urgently needed is our empathy, a sense of kinship and solidarity towards the marginalized.

Women’s reservation = Men’s deprivation

Let me start with a strong assertion that I am neither an anti-feminist writer, nor a campaigner of male chauvinism. I am among those ordinary people who admire achievement of our women folk and pitch for their empowerment.

So, the much-hyped Women’s quota Bill was passed in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament despite voracious protests by a section of our leaders. The Bill reserves 33 percent of the seats in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies for the women. In other words, women will now be constitutionally lured to contest in 181 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats and 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in the 28 State Assemblies. The massive numbers have led the mainstream media to join the bandwagon with so-called women activists and conclusively declare – a historic day in Indian politics, victory for Indian women and other buzzwords.

It is always fascinating to see our divas at the dais! After all, women symbolize beauty, compassion and tolerance. What about the men in the post-reservation era?

Indian Constitution provides its citizen a right to content an election and represent the people in the Parliament and Assemblies. The draconian Bill slaps this basic right from men and turns the sizable number of constituencies into no entry zones for them. Some millions of men will be denied to enter into these zones. Isn’t it a gross violation of Constitutional rights of men?

Democracy in India is already mired by the dirty reservation politics. Some 120 seats (41 for STs and 79 for SCs) are reserved in the Lok Sabha, while 25 percent seats are reserved for the backward classes in the state Assemblies. And also 33 percent of seats are reserved for women in the Panchayat levels. The government is now considering a proposal to raise it to 50 percent. Ironically, a general candidate cannot contest in these constituencies. However, the law of the land does not prohibit them (SC or ST) from contesting in any constituency marked general. Same case is with the Women’s quota Bill. Women can contest anywhere they like while men are not eligible to contest in as many as 181 seats.

The women activists claim that the reservation Bill will go a long way in uplifting the underprivileged women. The proposition seems to be a myth considering the performance of women leaders at the Panchayat levels. Are the men privileged enough to deprive them from active politics?

Undeniably, only 54 percent of women are literate, although they constitute half of India’s population. The male literacy rate is 76 percent. Around 4.5 million girls are not completing primary education. Also the maternal mortality rate is about 450 per 100,000 live births. Participation of women in the both government and private jobs are not encouraging in comparison to other developed countries. To say the least about the crime against the women! Considering these indicators, the Bill has got emphatic support from women activists. But, if you consider these indicators ten years back, one thing is apparent that the socio-economic status of women is improving over the years. Hence, it is not the reservation, but the better governance and progressive policies that changed the scenario.

History records achievement of our women leaders, whose credibility is unquestionable. Sarojini Naidu, Durgabai Desmukh and Sucheta Kripalani did not bank on reservation to move the masses with their political ideologies. Also the modern ruthless leaders Maya, Jaya, Uma or Mamta did not require reservation power to rise to the power. Hence, ensuring reservation to women indirectly questions their capabilities.

Democracy is ideally a form of government, where everybody has a share, constitutionally equally share . It essentially does not mean distribution or delegation of powers through reservation.

India is a role model for the rest of the Asian countries because of her vibrant democracy. The vibrant democracy is in the process of decay due to the dirty reservation politics. Indian democracy has produced a good number of great leaders, who played a pioneering role during the formative years of our country. It has also encouraged dynasty politics to encourage monarchical style of selection. Today, we have many political dynasties; dynasties within a party. If the Bill becomes law, it is not surprising to see a neo-dynasty politics, where wives, sisters and mothers will be crowded in the parliament on behalf of their husbands, brothers and sons.