Vol. 75
No 4
NOVEMBER 2011
Rs. 20 / month
THE RADICAL HUMANIST (Since April 1949)
Formerly : Independent India (April 1937- March 1949)
500
Founder Editor: M.N. Roy
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Veteran Radical Humanist Prof. Chandmal Sharma from Jaipur, Rajasthan, is no more
“I am a lecturer in Economics. I thoroughly believe in Radical Humanist ideals which were introduced to me by my grandfather, Prof. Chand Mal Sharma and it will be an honor to get associated with the movement.” —Chhavi Sharma Ths is a befitting tribute to her grandfather. We welcome you Chhavi, whole heartedly into the movement. We will always miss Prof. Chandmal Sharma. Your active association with us will continue to remind us of him and of his contribution to the movement..—Editor (on behalf of the entire Radical Humanist Family)
1
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Obituary for Prof. Chand Mal Sharma Prof. Chand Mal is no more with us. Alas! After seven days hard struggle for life, he breathed his last on 5.10.2011. Just fourteen days before 19.10.2011 when he would have completed eighty six years of his well earned life. He had a brilliant career in his student days and was always first in his class. He passed his matriculation examination standing thirteenth in his High School Examination. Right from his college days in Jaswant College Jodhpur he had started taking keen interest in M.N. Roy’s political party, ‘Radical Democratic Party of India’ and began to play an active role as a Radical Democrat under the guidance of our local Radical Leader Mr. Hareesh Joshi at Jodhpur. During his student days, in college, he was very often engaged in critical arguments with fellow students and even with teachers tried to convince them that the thoughts and ideas of Radical Democracy of M.N. Roy as expressed in Independent India and various books written by M.N. Roy had to be followed if real democracy was to be brought about in India. He had the moral courage to take up cudgels with the Senior Professor of Philosophy to prove that Mr. M.K. Gandhi, the Mahatma, was wrong on various aspects of political and economic thought. Till June 1947 he had been working in close association with Mr. Hareesh Joshi, Dr. P.L. Vyas, Mr. Raj Narain Vyas etc. at Jodhpur and we had study circles, discussion groups, and large meetings of Labour Unions etc. in Jodhpur. Prof. Chand Mal did his M.A. in Philosophy and L.L.B. from Lucknow University during the period 1947-1949. In M.A. Philosophy he was first in the whole batch and in L.L.B. he obtained First Division. Soon after passing M.A. he joined as Philosophy Lecturer in a college at Amritsar, Punjab and after a
1
year or so, joined the Philosophy Department of Rajasthan University at Jodhpur and later he remained in the Philosophy Department at Jaipur in the same University. He retired as Professor in the year 1985. His approach to various problems of Philosophy was so clear and his depth of learning so great that even after retirement he continued to teach students at his residence in Bapu Nagar, Jaipur till 28.10.2011 when he accidentally fell on the floor and his hip bone was fractured. His is a unique case of dying in harness. Spread of Radical Humanism philosophy was the goal of his life since 1944-1945 when he came in contact with Radicals at Jodhpur. Throughout his life and in his student days he attended study camps at Dehradun till M.N. Roy and Ellen Roy were alive and he attended the Bombay conference in 1946, Calcutta conference in 1948 when decision was taken to dissolve the Radical Democratic Party and since then he had been sending articles for publication in The Radical Humanist and attending conferences at Jaipur, Jodhpur and at other places. During the last ten years or so, due to the bad effect of diabetes and weakness of health, he was not able to stir out of Jaipur very often. But at Jaipur he took active part in the Radical Humanist Movement and later on when Mr. Ugam Raj Mohnot started essay competition and publication of Hindi journal ‘Navmanav’ he was in the core group actively assisting Mr. Mohnot in all those activities. Even after the sad demise of Mr Mohnot Prof. Chandmal volunteered to regularly write for ‘Navmanav’, as our colleagues at Jaipur were giving serious thought to renew its publication which has taken a temporary break due to the sad demise of Mr. Mohnot. Prof. Chandmal had been a strong pillar for the Radical Humanist Movement in Rajasthan. In his death, we the Radical Humanists have really lost a friend, philosopher and guide. —by B.D. Sharma, Chairman IRI
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
The Radical Humanist
Download and read the journal at www.theradicalhumanist.com
Vol. 75 Number 8 November 2011
- Contents -
Obituary for Prof. Chandmal Sharma 1 Monthly journal of the Indian Renaissance —B.D. Sharma 1. From the Writnings of Ellen Roy: Institute Devoted to the development of the Renaissance Thoughts of the Radical Humanist Reunion Movement; and for promotion of human rights, —Ellen Roy 3 scientific-temper, rational thinking and a humanist 2. From the Writings of Laxmanshastri Joshi: view of life. Spiritual Materialism: A case for Atheism 4 Founder Editor: 3. Guests’ Section: M.N. Roy Democratic Transformation: An Impasse? Editor: —Prof. Ghanshyam Shah 10 Dr. Rekha Saraswat Contributory Editors: Prof. A.F. Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr. R.M. Pal, Professor Rama Kundu Publisher: Mr. N.D. Pancholi Printer: Mr. N.D. Pancholi Send articles to: Dr. Rekha Saraswat, C-8, Defence Colony, Meerut, 250001, U.P., India, Ph. 91-121-2620690, 09719333011, E-mail articles at: rheditor@gmail.com Send Subscription / Donation Cheques in favour of ‘The Radical Humanist’to: Mr. Narottam Vyas (Advocate), Chamber Number 111 (Near Post Office), Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, 110001, India n.vyas@snr.net.in Ph. 91-11-22712434, 91-11-23782836, 09811944600
Please Note: Authors will bear sole accountability for corroborating the facts that they give in their write-ups. Neither IRI / the Publisher nor the Editor of this journal will be responsible for testing the validity and authenticity of statements & information cited by the authors. Also, sometimes some articles published in this journal may carry opinions not similar to the Radical Humanist philosophy; but they would be entertained here if the need is felt to debate and discuss upon them. —Rekha Saraswat
On Education for Empowerment of
Adolescent Girls in J&K —Asha Kachru The Legacy of Steve Jobs —Uday Dandavate 4. Current Affairs: Truth of Gujarat – vis-à-vis Modi’s fast —Rajindar Sachar
14 18
20
Strong Political Action Needed to curb illegal Mining
— J.S. Chandra Rao 22 5. IRI / IRHA Members’ Section: Philosophy Is Dead: Long live Science —N. Innaiah 24 PUCL’s History of Struggle —Mahipal Singh 26 6. Teachers’ & Research Scholars’ Section: Education:Building The Individual —Tarun Patnaik 31 7. Book Review Section: A New Look at Darwin —Dipavali Sen 35 8. Humanist News Section: I. M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture 2011: A Report 38 II. IRI Seminar at Murshidabad, (W.B.): 39 III. Birth Anniversary of JP celebrated 40
2
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
and extensive spread of the ideas of Radical Humanism. Success will Thoughts of the Radical become noticeable in an increasing Humanist Reunion amenability of people to the spirit of reason and freedom. To be carriers of “The Radical Humanist Movement is a this spirit and to spread it is our work. movement of ideas. All landmarks of human Practice of Radical Humanism is progress have been preceded and caused by Ellen Roy when we live up to our ideas in our movements of ideas. The Radical Humanist own every day behaviour and any Movement also is bound to lead to new landmarks of human history. It has the advantage of activity and endeavour in pursuit of this having learned this lesson from history and can, perspective. And there is no field of individual and therefore, perform its function consciously and social life which would not offer scope for such purposefully…..Whatever we are doing for the activities and endeavours………We start from the spread of our ideas is as important as what the early individual. I do not think that we have ever so far Christians did, or the Humanists of the Renaissance said that the movement is to be archetypal of the of the sixteenth, or the Encyclopedists of the society we want. We have said that man is the eighteenth century, or the early Socialists and archetype of society. A movement of men and Marxists in the nineteenth century, because for over women, who will be recognized and appreciated for half a century the latter’s was also a movement of being rational and moral, will have to become very ideas…….The success of all these movements of widespread, before we can make people realize that ideas always came considerably later. And success, such men and women would make a good society, consisting in institutionalized manifestations of make them want to be like that and shape their their ideas, invariably denied the spirit and essence society in that image of men………The of those ideas. We should guard, to the extent we particularity of the Radical Humanist Movement is can, against the spirit and essence of Radical that it will not think out utopias and lay down blue Humanism being denied by any eventual prints for stable institutions to be set up here and institutionalized success of our movement.……We now, which was precisely the procedure which had hold that the best institutions, even if they make frustrated all previous revolutions. The Radical every provision to afford freedom to men in Humanist Movement will leave institutions to grow society, will fail unless they are manned by within and out of the existing society, as and when spiritually free men, that is men who realize that and where the mental outlook of people every man’s freedom and happiness ultimately on changes………..A mental atmosphere is nothing the freedom and happiness of every other man in abstract; it does not hang in the air. It is created by society, which is the reasonable foundation of human beings, their ideas, their behaviour and their morality. Because, this realization alone will do actions. If we can make our ideas appealing and away with the obsessions of power and prejudice, acceptable to the reason of our fellow citizens and if power for self and hatred, born of rivalry, for our action indicates rational solutions of personal others, which are the root cause of all failure of and social problems to be effected by the people around us themselves – then the mental atmosphere social institutions…. It follows that the increase in the number of free will have changed. A philosophical revolution will men is the precondition for a success of the Radical have started in the minds of people, and will be the Humanist Movement. The creation of this harbinger of social changes inspired by the ideas of [From: RH Vol.18, Nos. 25 precondition is the task of Radical Humanists. This Radical Humanism— th and 27dated 20 June and 4th July 1954] precondition will be created through the intensive
From the Writings of Ellen Roy:
3
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
From The Writings of Laxmanshastri Joshi: perpetuate the existing social structure rather than being reformist and that it benefits the upper classes. They perpetrate the illusions and are used for impressing the weaker sections of the society. Many taboos which might have had some beneficial effects are given a permanent sanction and these put a fetter on further progress. The argument that religion promotes social stability and social harmony is examined and rejected. Without the dubious benefit of religion various secular Laxman S. Joshi worldly values have been developed and they have benefited mankind more than the vaunted religious Spiritual Materialism – A case values. With no sops of religion men have laboured hard and the finest admirable qualities of men’s for Atheism Translated by —Arundhati Khandkar spirit have been developed inspite of religious influence – the scientists and the reformers are [The book Spiritual Materialism – A case for examples. The humility that should force itself in Atheism, A New Interpretation of the the presence of the infinite and the unknown is Philosophy of Materialism written by more to be seen with the scientist, the philosopher Tarkateertha Laxmanshastri Joshi has been than the religious leaders and often this drives them translated by his daughter, Arundhati to fathom the depths of thought in the quest for Khandkar, who was formerly Professor of truth. Rarely does religion explain the how and Philosophy at S.I.E.S. College, University of why. These have become the preoccupations of Mumbai, India. He passed away many decades people in secular fields. With a sense of ago but his contribution in building up the self-reliance and self-confidence guiding him, man philosophical base of Radical Humanism has has dropped the earlier props of religion. In India been no less. Roy acknowledged it in his life time too, the social order was seen as embodying moral and the followers of the philosophy continue to do values.” so. I had requested Ms. Khandkar to translate her father’s major works from to Marathi to English Contd. from the previous issue............ for the benefit of the contemporary readers of RH. And to our pleasant surprise she informed that Structure of Matter and multifarious regulatory there is already the above mentioned book in system: English done by her. It is being serialised in The A Scientific Query Radical Humanist June 2010 onwards. She has The laws of matter also change when the structure also promised to send us in English, gradually, of matter changes. Man has discovered the more of his Marathi literature. elements of water at the deepest fundamental level Laxmanshastri wrote this essay with the title such as electrons, protons and other still smaller Materialism or Atheism in 1941. How and stranger particles like quarks. Physics meaningful and necessary it is, even now, 70 discovers the properties of these particles. From the years later, can be understood by the following discovery of the structures of these particles, it is paragraph given on the cover page of the book. found that these structures constitute the 103 —Rekha Saraswat] elemental atoms such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, “That religion more often than not tends to radium, lawrencium, etc. The properties and the 4
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
laws of the molecules formed out of these atomic elements are different than those of the constituent atoms. The energy levels of the elementary particles and the atoms involve complex relations. The laws of the molecules are different from those of molecular compounds. Physics offers explanation for these laws. Chemistry is a different perspective for the analysis of these different laws. From this cumulative perspective it becomes feasible to unravel the query : why do the laws of the physical world appear different from those of the animate world? Physics versus Biology The laws of the biological world in some matters, are different from those of the physical world. Therefore, the assertion that the elemental principle of life, the Vital Force is totally separate from or independent of matter is quite unnecessary. When the structure of matter changes, matter assumes new qualities. The laws of nature belonging to this new creation are also new. Biological laws of the animal life are different from the botanical laws of the plant life. Even the laws of human life are different from those of animal life. There exists a new system of laws for the matter in each and every new state. Even in chemistry, there are two scientific branches, one for the compounds inorganic and the other for the compounds organic. For two different states of substance, there are two corresponding different systems of laws. Man: A New Phase of Matter In selection of the laws for human life, spiritual metaphysicians regard the object named immortal soul residing in a human body as independent of sentient objects. Man, however, is a specific material structure; therefore his attributes are specifically different. Attributes of the objects such as a living creature and a human being cannot be understood fully by comprehending only the laws of inanimate nature. This is because the structures of matter such as a live creature and a man are new phases of matter.
NOVEMBER 2011
As a result, there exists a different picture and a new biography for man who is a new phase of matter. For this purpose there is no need at all for assuming the existence of an independent spiritual entity. Because there is no separate spiritual entity in the human body, it proves by itself that there is no universal spiritual entity inside the core of the universe. That there exists a separate soul of the universe is a conclusion which is drawn only if a separate soul in a human body is proven. Paramatman, or God, the universal soul is unnecessary either for moving or positioning the universe. There is not a shred of evidence for the proposition that a spiritual entity resides in a human body as a separate entity. The presumption of the separate human spiritual entity is the only ground source from which emanates the independent universal spirit!
Atheism According to materialism, God is not needed for creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe. Natural laws of causality are adequate to explain the sequence of being, becoming or disappearing of each and every object in this universe. There is no need to postulate the divine principle such as God that would act from within or outside the universe. The concept of God is totally unnecessary either for understanding of any event in the universe or for the understanding of the complete universe. Definition of the Word God: Most people understand by the word God, a power miraculous and incomprehensible, and also as the fundamental principle of the universe. But, the meaning of the word God is not limited only to being the operational power or principle inside the universe. God is rather perceived as an omniscient entity who is also the cause of creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe. The primary distinctive attribute of that object is intelligence or knowledge. A theist believes that every event in the universe is an occurrence already present as part of His knowledge and no object
5
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
acquires reality without god’s will. Design of each and every object in the world is preplanned by God. All the religious texts are in agreement regarding the meaning of the word God. They differ in their opinion only about what kind of relation god has with the universe. Those who believe god to be the real cause, responsible for the entire universe, do not seem to have understood the meaning of theology. It is essential to add an important adjective to the noun ‘god’. That adjective is chinmaya which means pure knowledge. That reality is chinmaya meaning pure knowledge. Materialists will have no objection to this concept of god, if consciousness which is also an essential qualifier to the word chinmaya is excluded. Materialists may also not have much to complain about that causal object which is unconscious and purposeless and neither pure knowledge nor the knower. As such, it is not god at all. Such a true causal object will turn out to be only an inanimate substance which becomes the universe. Theists believe that god is perfection of thought and knowledge. All scriptures exhort man to worship only this god. Differences of Opinions among Theists The only issue upon which the theists differ with each other is the relation of god with the object called the universe. Many philosophers of the first kind of theism in India, such as the dualists, and the Vaishnava29 and also some others say that, god is fundamentally separate from the universe and is the mover of the universe. God is like the charioteer who is independent of the chariot, or like the driver of an engine, independent of the engine. He makes the universe from the elemental and permanent inanimate substance just like the pot is made from clay, cloth is woven from yarn, and the chariot is built from wood; he is the maker, the controller or the lord of the universe. He is called either the father or the mother, because, he is the maker of the universe! The second kind of theist philosophers in India which include the monotheists along with
6
Vallabhacharya30, and the Arabic prophets of Islam, maintain that god has created the universe out of his own volition like a magician. He has created it out of ‘zero’ meaning out of nothing. By the power of his volition, the kind of universe he willed is exactly the universe that has come into existence. Therefore, it is called the True Resolve. There are theists of the third kind in India, Shaiva, Upanishadist and also the Western pantheists such as Spinoza and others who say that god has created the universe out of himself.31 He himself has taken the form of the universe. God himself is a two fold universe viz. the actual uiverse and the potential universe. Even if god did not create the universe out of zero, he has surely created it out of his aatmaroopsatta, meaning self-like reality. Some other Indian theists of the fourth kind32 like Ramanuja, Neelakanthacharya and other monists belonging to the school of special-non dualism assert that the actual and the visible material universe is made up of only the substance, potential and causally fundamental, however, is the body of god and is not separate from him. It is all the time conjoined with him and is resident in god himself. God himself is the permanent haven of that fundamental inanimate substance. This visible and invisible universe, the body of god and the breath, the life and the soul of that body, is the same thing as god. His relationship with such a universe is as follows. The universe itself is the body and he is the owner of that body. We come across the fifth kind of theists in India, the monists and the spiritualists who like Shankaracharya and others propose the maya doctrine.33 They assert that the dominion of that principle of consciousness is the total reality and the universe is an illusion or only an exterior appearance. Imposition of erroneous perception such as silver on seashell, snake on rope, or mirage on the sunlit desert do occur. The universe is similarly a misperception imposed on the spiritual reality. The universe is but a dream! Western Philosophers There is also the sixth type of theists, the idealists like Plato, Hegel, Berkeley, James Jeans and others
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
who come from the West.34 They hold that the universe is the same thing as god’s thoughts. Just as the concepts of mathematics reside in the minds of mathematicians, so do the ideas residing in god, constitute the universe. These ideas when organised, and fully consistent and complete make the world. Some of these philosophers, the idealists as mentioned earlier maintain that this universe is composed of the volitional thoughts of god. The seventh type of theists like Gaurangaprabhu and other mystics and some others declare35 that the reality of the universe is dependent only on god as its first principle. The relation of the universe with god, however, is imponderable and esoteric. Among the theist philosophers, there appear differences of opinion regarding the type of relationship between god and the universe. It is true that each and every different opinion is true to a certain degree. It does not matter if one can show that there is not logical consistency among these various opinions. Logical inconsistency just evaporates in the divine experience! We have stated above the important theological doctrines formulated by the theistic metaphysicians. There exist many other miscellaneous theories of god. They, however, can be included in either of the above seven types. Among all these various doctrines there is one point on which all of them agree and that is perfect knowledge or perfect consciousness is one with God. This alone is the distinct feature of god. Question of God’s Existence God is not the subject matter of common experience of the human beings. Man experiences the sun, moon, stars, clouds, earth, water, light, wind, beauty, smell, touch, the word and so on. Man cannot experience god in the way he experiences inner states such as thirst and hunger, and the mental states such as joy, sorrow, anger, hate, resolution, equivocation, familiarity, memory, ego, thought. God is not experienced even that way. The way we meet mother, father, brother, son, daughter, wife, friend, enemy and so on, god is
NOVEMBER 2011
not met that way either. We acquire regularly experience of substances, qualities and actions. We do not experience god in a similar manner. We can know the objects inside and outside the mind continuously. But god is not perceived in the corresponding manner. That is why since antiquity, the human mind is engaged in the inquiry about god’s existence. And the query is if he does exist, what is he like? Inquiry in Veda: Hindu Scripture Observing the earth below his feet and the celestial dome above his head, a Rishi of Rigveda felt that the universe is a giant manor. His feeling is represented in the following question: To create this enormous mansion of the universe, which forest and which trees have been cut and planed? Another Rishi asks, “Does even he, who can observe the whole world residing high in the sky, know from where has this universe sprung and who has created it?” The question that occurred to that Rishi in ancient times, is faced by men of all cultures in the world. The reason for the doubt about the existence of god is that his experience is not like that of any other object. Therefore, the mankind has been conducting to date, an ongoing discussion about the pros and cons relating to god. Multifarious God Among the theists there exists a lot of diversity of opinions about the nature of god. God is different for the commoners and still quite different for the metaphysicians and very much different for the revelationists. Even among the commoners, god is not the same. For one, god is like an elephant; for another, he is a lion; for the third, he is like a chimpanzee; for yet another, he is like a human being; for some, god has a female form, while for others he has a male form and so on. Countless types of gods have been conceived by various human groups according to their imagination. God is fierce, while for others he is kind. Moreover, God is a bachelor for many and is also a family man for many others. Some of the gods are polygamists,
7
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
each having thousands of wives and some gods are monogamists. Some societies are monotheistic and some are polytheistic. Gods like human beings have all kinds of mental afflictions. Among gods, some are eccentric, vindictive, fond of praise, greedy, choleric, sensual, prayer-happy and benedictive to the yes-men. Like humans, these gods devour butter, meat, milk, eggs, chickens, deserts, fruits and other foods. They expect gifts such as clothes, pots and pans ornaments and beds from their devotees. The god of the common people, especially in the polytheistic world, is like an unruly king, sultan or emperor. Why talk about the common people? Even the god in scriptures is similar. He is pleased by prayers, hymns, worship, reiterative meditation and other offerings. He does not bless without seeking unconditional refuge in him. He is jealous to the extent that one must surrender to him and him alone. He cannot accept the faithful who may also have faith in someone else. His message is simple- you have salvation only and only if your devotion to me is absolute. Otherwise you will suffer in the fire of life forever! Scriptural God and Absolute Devotion Even absolute loyal devotion is not easy! God is responsible for the nature of our sensory organs which constantly seek objects of pleasure other than god. Like a rampant elephant, they are not under control. Well, as long as the human body exists, in spite of all efforts and in spite of heroic self-control, even the greatest of human beings will suffer and will have suffered due to betrayal by the senses. God has forced man to embark on a pilgrimage in this world, which amounts to forcing him on the Himalayan expeditionary pilgrimage with a he weight tied around his neck! This truly is the meaning of human condition. Good men, who are overcome with compassion, rush voluntarily to help others in distress. God acts quite in the reverse. He has to be called constantly. One has to pray to
8
him ceaselessly. Even then, he may not, as a rule, come to one’s aid. When he acquires a little more strength, even a simple weak human being is more than willing to help others; if he sees someone in trouble. When someone else’s house is on fire even a wicked one acts with a sense of kindness. There does not exist even that much goodness in the scriptural god as much as resides in the heart of a simple human being. Without offering absolute devotion, he cometh not! Revelationists We have already, described briefly the nature of god of the metaphysicians. We have mentioned that there are on the whole, seven typical categories among them. Even among the men of divine vision, the revelationists, there exist lots of differences. The concepts about god of the common folks, the philosophers, and the revelationists are very diverse. God of the ordinary people is shaped by their unlettered mind. They have no understanding of how the rain falls, wind blows, sunrise or moonrise, sunset or moonset occur, eclipses take place, diseases originate. They do not understand events such as storms, excess rain, famine, poverty, prosperity, business growth and losses. Ordinary human beings conceive of God as the root cause of these events. As a result of their failure to comprehend the true causality of the surrounding phenomena, an illiterate man, scared, confused and bewildered thinks of god as the source of all these events. Ignorance or lack of education is the cause of this mindset. The god of the philosophers is not born out of such simple naivete. Their god is seated resplendent on the highly commendable throne designed out of logically ingenious arguments. They have postulated god in order to answer the questions which arise out of the need for explaining the nature and the structure of the universe. There exist events in the universe, which are impossible to untangle and difficult to understand. Here the god of the philosophers makes his entry. They have conceived of god only, where the thoughtful and analytical
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
mind of human beings is at a loss. This means there need not be any objection for saying that overall ignorance is the ‘source’ of the idea of god. The divine principle finds fertile ground for subsistence only in the incomprehensible and mysterious psychic environment! They say that a mahatma, a
NOVEMBER 2011
great soul, with his transcendental vision perceives god. One who has no such vision has to accept on blind faith only, that the revelation of the divine does occur! From our discussion, it should be easy to imagine the complexity of the question of god. Critique of Logical Proofs for Existence of God ......................Contd. in the next issue
Useful information regarding the Indian Renaissance Institute All India Study Camp to be held on 31 December 2011 and 1 January 2012 Venue: Hotel Sagnik, Murshidabad, West Bengal, (Astabal more, Lalbagh, Near State Bank of India, Lalbagh Branch) How to reach there:Murshidabad, which is about 190 km from Kolkata, could be reached by a 4/5-30 hours journey by train. The schedules are: Trains from Sealdah to Murshidabad, a) 53175 Lalgola Passenger (departure 12-30, arrival 17-50 provides second class and non-ac first class), b) 13103 Bhagirathi Express (departure 18-25, arrival 22-05, provides second class and non-ac and ac chair car), c) 53181 Lalgola Passenger, (departure.23-05, arrival 3-55, provides non AC first class and non AC second class sleeper, no bed role). Trains from Kolkata to Murshidabad, 13113 Hazarduari Express (departure 6-50, arrival 11-20, provides AC and non AC chair cars). Trains from Murshidabad to Sealdah, a) 53178 Lalgola Passenger (departure 9-25, arrival 15-15), b) 13104 Bhagirathi Express (departure 6-20, arrival 10-25), c) 53172 Lalgola Passenger, (departure. 22-30, arrival 4-30). Trains from Murshidabad to Kolkata, 13114 Hazarduari Express (departure 15-40, arrival 21-25). Participants are advised to check the train schedules. Those who are willing to travel by road might consult the taxi services available at airport/railway station. Registration fee: Rs 300, Rs 150 (for students and whole-time social workers). Registration fee will provide meals and snacks from the night of 30 December 2011 to the morning of 2 January 2012 and conference materials. Accommodation: Charges to be paid by the participants according to the tariff of Hotel Sagnik. Accommodation preferably sharing basis should be booked by the participants through the organizing committee by sending the necessary charges, which are as follows (Rs / room/ day). Double bedded 450, three bedded 550, AC double bedded 700, AC three bedded. 950, eight bedded dormitory. 1200. Check in/out time 8 a.m. Participants are advised to come on 30 December 2010 and leave in the morning of 2 January 2011. Those who are willing to extend the stay are advised to intimate beforehand. The session of the study camp will start at 9-30 a.m. and terminate at 5 p.m. on both the days. There will be public seminars/cultural programmes on both the days. Advice regarding clothing etc: Murshidabad will be considerably cool during the period and participants are advised to bring woolen garments. Murshidabad, situated on the bank of the Ganges is the former capital of Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and is famous for silk and bell metal items. There are many historical places around. The district headquarter is Baharampur (8 km). Contact through e-mail 1) Najimuddin Sk rhnazim@gmail.com 2) Ajit Bhattacharyya bhattacharyyaajit@yahoo.com 3) Subhankar Ray subhankarr@gmail.com Participants, who want accommodation, are advised to bring their photo identity cards. 9
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Guests’ Section:
Ghanshyam Shah
[Summary of the M.N.ROY MEMORIAL LECTURE: 2011 delivered by Prof. Ghanshyam Shah, National fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, on 29th Sept. 2011 at Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. Full text will soon be published and circulated separately.]
Democratic Transformation: An Impasse? is the political system in Democracy which ‘people’ are the sovereign rulers. In India, during the anti-colonial movement the notion of democracy got articulated to original notion of democracy – the rule of all the people rather than of the Western liberal notion of rule of the propertied class or Marxist notion of rule by the proletariats. Democracy is not the rule of and by the people, but also for the people –their wellbeing and happiness. It is both ends and means to build society based on the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. After Independence, India accepted co-existence of democratic system with growing modern market economy. In the process the tension between the two has continued with incremental democratization of society. With the neo-liberal idea of ‘end of ideology’ further expansion of democratization has been vitiated. The ‘spirit’ in which the Constitution was drafted was to bring ‘social revolution’. Directive principles of the Constitution reflect these
principles. The architects of the Constitution hoped that adult franchise would empower people and they would assert their right for freedom, equality, justice and dignity. It was hoped that the social order envisaged in our Constitution could be built with trial and error, with struggles as well as by deliberations and negotiations among the citizens. For a common person, a notion of democracy is to realise equal rights and to get their basic necessities for one’s wellbeing. On the eve of Independence even industrialists did not advocate for laissez faire economic system. In the Bombay Plan they asked for regulated economy. Socialists and Gandhians were for some kind of socialism, emphasising need for state intervention in economic development. However the conservatives had not openly articulated their idea for nature of future Indian society. Some of them were for Hindu Rashtra based on India’s past/ancient imagined glorious culture and traditions. The Congress Party in its first election manifesto rejected laissez-faire policy in industry, advocated co-operative enterprise. It promised freedom of the masses from exploitation and want; and promised to provide as priority basic material needs of food, clothing and shelter to be followed by the provision for cultural growth. It declared that these objectives would be attained by peaceful and legitimate means. Later in 1956, the Party declared to follow the path of establishing Socialistic pattern of society. It also advocated ceiling on landownership, the formation of ‘cooperative joint farming’ and ‘service society’. Such objectives disarmed the socialists in electoral politics. As the Congress pronounced it objective to move towards building ‘socialistic pattern of society’ the business and industrial lobby and feudal interests went into speedy action to counter the move. A section of industrialists who were the authors of the Bombay Plan 1948 then pleaded for the control economy, formed the Forum of Free Enterprise in 1956, and kulkas organised All India Agriculturists Federations in 1958 opposing Congress policy for land reforms and increased priority to public sector.
10
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Swatantra Party pleading for laissez faire economic policy came into existence. Press, dominated by business houses gave wide currency to the charge that ‘Sino-socialist minded planners” were plotting for collective Indian agriculture. Feudal, business as well industrial sections rallied around the Swatantra party. Within the Congress the landed gentry that dominated most of the states was indifferent, opposed and sabotaged the government programmes. In this scenario, under USA advice and pressures from within the party, emphasis on technological change gained more importance over structural change in agriculture sector. China’s suppression of Tibet revolt and later Chinese offensive on NEFA and Ladakh boarder tarnished Nehru’s image. Food crisis added fuel to fire. Nehru with broken heart died in 1964. His successor Lal Bahdur Shastri ‘took exactly the opposite route than one charted by Nehru in the last years of his life’. Dominant landed classes gained control over the party. Later the party split in 1969. Mrs. Indira Gandhi followed populist politics with rhetoric ‘garibi hatao’. The government appropriated left platform. Despite her popularity and control over decision making power in the party and the state she had no skill and will to monitor landed and business-industrial interests who had hold over the local party and government machinery. And, she had neither capacity nor keenness to rebuild the party. Though she formulated various programmes to help poor, was unable to translate them in reality. Personalized regime was built by concentrating all power to her-self. This was the end of the internal democracy of the party. Her government could not meet the rising expectations. Food scarcity and inflation increased hitting hard to average citizens. Economic crisis deepened. Unrest among the people took the form of street protests. The students’ movement in Gujarat and JP movement in Bihar provided opportunities to all the non-Congress parties and the forces to rally around against her. She imposed
11
Emergency in 1975 and then lost power in the 1977 elections. The Janata government, though came in power with Jayprakash Narayan’s blessings, had no cohesive view for economic development. Ideas like abandoning planning, and apolitical development (divorce between politics and development) were floated. Economic growth stagnated further. With internal squabbles the party lost power. The net beneficiary was the Jan Sangh as it had clarity about its mission and organised committed cadre of RSS. With legitimacy in civil society and political power, the Sangh Patrivar could successfully spread its tentacles in civil society and state structure. In the process socialists disappeared altogether. Their place was taken by the host of caste-ethnicity based political parties. Gandhians were left to themselves as helpless self-styled conscience-keepers, rested with NGOs. Mrs Gandhi again came in power in 1980. This was her new avatar. She moved ‘rightward’ in her economic policy. She adopted the policy of de-control for industries. Her attitude towards IMF was changed. Moreover, communal themes and symbols of Hindu hegemony gained currency in her public speeches. Her successor, Rajiv Gandhi moved further in the policy for liberalisation. And in 1991 the country changed industrial policy and moved to structural changes in its economy without much hue and cry, as it was fait accompli. The rest is the history known to all. In the 1990s and thereafter, all the governments irrespective of the party in centre and the State have followed neo-liberal economic policy. Interestingly, till 1991 the Congress manifesto does not declare its changed economic policy. Only in 1996 and subsequently, the party indicates its changed position, though it continues to use rhetoric to build garib ka raj. Other parties also do not tell in their manifestoes that they would follow neo-liberal policy. The economic reforms have been carried out secretly through manipulative and obfuscatory tactics.
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Overwhelming people in 1971 supported Mrs. Gandhi because they had preference for radical values and goals such as the state’s control over economy, ceiling on land and property. Similarly the 2004 election study shows that overwhelming number of the voters was in favour of ‘ceiling on land and property’. Majority were also against privatisation of public sectors, down sized of government employees and unrestricted investment by the foreign companies. Contrary to general belief, proportion against the ‘reform’ policy is very high among the educated. In the 2009 NES study, nearly two-third voters opined that the government should run basic services: health, education, water, electricity and public transport. ‘Development’ has become a buzz word without contestation in the mainstream political discourse. What is now talked is about ‘management’, now euphemistically called ‘good governance’. The parties get engaged in abusing and finding fault with each other without confessing their own blunders and conscious deliberation to rejuvenate the system. People do not get hope that the parties would improve and become more responsible and moral bound than the past. Parties do not have internal democracy to deliberate on the critical issues. Manipulative politics loom large. To manage their organisations and fight elections they depend on corporate sectors, businessmen, builders, contractors and also underground world. The Election Commission estimated that on an average a candidate of the major parties had spent Rs. 10 cores in 2009 elections. This is beyond a reach of an average politically conscious citizen or an ideologically committed political group to contest and win any election. Family ties and/or one’s capability to be closer to muscle power has greater chance to rise in the political ladder. More often than not, political representatives at all levels function as fixers and brokers, rather than policy makers. The political parties and elected representatives enjoy the lowest trust of the people. The recent anti-corruption agitation by Anna Hazare bears out
this. However, the functioning of democratic system during the last six decade has brought certain positive transformation in our traditionally hierarchical society. Brahminical framework of social order has been de-legitimised. Rule of law, equal citizenship, social and economic equality have been codified in legal system and are accepted moral principles to be maintained and attained. In the process, political positions have no longer remained the sole prerogative of upper castes. A tiny segment from the lowest social strata, dalits and tribals has also emerged as political elite. Similarly women though in a microscopic minority in number have also begun to share political power and assert their rights. With this, a circle of political elite has been somewhat enlarged. But at the same time religious minority communities have been marginalised. One of the most striking positive contributions of the system is that have-nots have begun to assert for justice, rights and dignity. They participate in electoral processes in large number to express their needs and expectations. They frequently replace one set of political leaders and parties and elect the others with a hope that the alternative would be better to serve their interests. The system has provided a space for dissent and that space is a hope for further transformation. A few handful number of people and groups - do get some crumbs. Such mechanism perpetuates hopes among the deprived that one day all will get share in benefits and improve their lots. Nonetheless they still do see hope in the system for their betterment. Institutional mechanism has developed to maintain checks on each other’s power. Federal structure and Panchayati raj have moderated concentration of power with the Union government. With the spread of literacy and education, mass communication system in non-government spheres provides democratic space for deliberation and dissent. At the same time, institutional ethos and
12
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
mechanism are increasing getting eroded for personal power and interests. Democracy has become a game of few who have or could manipulate muscle and money power to perpetuate their personal interests. For their power they ignore and break all norms of democracy. Criminalisation has increased unabated in politics. The present Westminster model of democracy has been manipulated to perpetuate dominance of the propertied classes. The State has almost abdicated its responsibility towards building egalitarian society. With its blatant neoliberal policy with crony capitalists, it seems whatever changes that the present system could bring for social transformation have reached to plateau and now it moves towards diminishing return. As a result despite high economic growth unrest in society is mounting. Political leaders are now unable to handle contradictions of neo-liberal trajectory. The present economic growth is jobless. The workers, except less than six per cent are in unorganised sector with no social security. Despite high GDP, only 40 per cent of the population enjoys basic amenities. IMR as well as MMR have almost stagnated in the last decade. The nutrition level and calorie intake of the poor have declined. Despite a surplus of 65 million tons food grains, some 320 million people go to bed hungry every night. Literacy rate as well as school enrolment have improved but only a small number could get quality education to improve their life chances. In fact the education system reinforces inequality.
Discrimination based on caste, gender, religion and region continue to persist. Ironically democratic system has been used to perpetuate the power of few to decide the destiny of all. The system has been reduced to electoral engineering that works as a safety valve for vast majority of people to ventilate their grievances and reinforce their faith that something better would be done to them by replacing one set of representatives by another. Majority of the people feels helpless as they have no other way but to put faith in the system as a fait accompli. What we experience in the last five decades is the silent bourgeois revolution, to put it other way the propertied class has hijacked the system for their prosperity and power. Elsewhere and in India, the champions for neo-liberal policy have followed three strategies in carrying out their agenda – ‘obfuscation’, ‘compensation’, and ‘divide and rule’. The present day democratic system is at the best, degenerated liberal bourgeois democracy and at worse, a façade of democracy to perpetuate capitalist economy and dominance of the propertied classes. It is the system of the few and for the propertied class ironically in the name of the people. Despite genuine (?) concern for the inclusive growth, neo-liberal economy in its very logic-in which private profit is the guiding force – and the way it is functioning bound to exclude large sections of society. And it is more so when the world capitalism is under siege.
5th V.M. Tarkunde Memorial Lecture Topic: “An Independent Judiciary” Speaker: Justice Ruma Pal, Former Judge Supreme Court of India Venue: India International Centre Auditorium, 40-Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi-110003 Date & Time: 10th November 2011 at 6 p.m. It will be presided by: Mr. Soli Sorabjee, Former Attorney General of India Concluding Remarks by: Mr. Kuldeep Nayar Vote of Thanks by: Mr. Ashok Panda
13
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Now we must rediscover the fact that we - all together- are human beings And that we must strive to give to each other what moral capacity we have.”…….. ……..said Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate have chosen to speak on the issue Asha Kachru of sexual violence, sex-work and rape particularly because it affects the lives of girls and women in a very negative way and we just [Ms. Asha Kachru lives in a remote village in accept that as a way of life. I feel there is urgent Medak district of the South indian state Andhra need to understand the phenomenon of rape, the Pradesh since 1992. Her primary occupation, reason behind its existence and what it means for besides being a resource person for gender in the lives of millions of young girls and women, agriculture issues, she has been mediating more so in the context of the prevailing conflict in between the rural poor and the Indian this region. bureaucracy and promoting organic agricultural lifestyle. Before this she was in Germany for 22 I believe that the impacts of rape and violence on years as a scientific officer in the German adolescent girls and women can be different if Research Center now called Max Planck Institute young girls are made aware of why violence for Mathematics and Data-processing. She went towards women still exists, how to deal with it and to Germany as an exchange scholar after lastly how to contribute positively towards peace finishing post graduate studies in Pure for all in society, instead of succumbing to fear and Mathematics from Delhi University. She was the vulnerability mindset. I include in my analysis the first South Asian woman to become a City experience from the international scene (mass rape Councillor (for the GREEN faction) in a on minor girls in Serbia/ Bosnia, mass rape European city (Bonn, the then capital) from and murder in Liberia, rape on school girls in Germany etc.). I will mention the importance of 1984-1987. UNSCR 1325 which deals with the phenomenon of She delivered this lecture at the state conference rape in conflict zones and how women have and can on empowerment of adolescent girls, J&K State play a major role in bringing peace in such zones. Social Welfare Board, on the situation of girls and women as well as their role in the progress of We need to first understand that: the state. She also shared her experiences of her Rape is an instrument of power (political). Patriarchal dimensions of rape and sexual violence visit in the valley. She lives at Katakeri, Kohir village, Medak (personal) District, Andhra Pradesh 502210. Vulnerability of adolescent girls/women (social) ashakachru@gmail.com] The concept of virtue in relation to rape (socio-cultural) On Education for The phenomenon of fear amongst parents of all Empowerment of Adolescent communities in the region of rape of their Girls in J&K Girls/women by the “enemy” (psychological) “The awareness that we are all human beings The need for education of boys and men, their together has been lost in war and politics… gender sensitization
I
14
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
UNSCR1325 (international) The fact that the body of a woman is both an asset as well as a liability has special significance in the context of adolescent girls. She experiences change in her body for which she generally gets a burdensome label. She is made to realize that she has to be protected more than before. Nobody gives her a rationale for that. It is just taken for granted that she is the one who has to protect her body from some unknown, unexplained evil force. The boys the brothers and the sons are not given the education about their responsibility in their interaction with young girls. The girls “accept” the fact that they are vulnerable, also because they are physically weaker. This attitude has a great consequence later in life for them. Their mothers also do not have the self-confidence to give the girls a positive feeling towards their changing bodies unfortunately the male members of most societies have generally taken advantage of this sort of upbringing. The young girl is only made conscious of the fact that the virtue and character of an individual adolescent girl/woman is defined through the upkeep of her virginity. And they are even socialized to accept the phenomenon of marital rapes. Such socialization of women and men leads to rapes in conflict situations. It gives men the feeling of having overpowered the enemy and brings shame to those to whose community the girl or the young woman belonged. And due to this there exists fear in the minds of the parents and society and the adolescent girl remains discriminated all her life for no fault of hers. So it is necessary to change the mindsets of the parents and teachers as well as the whole society besides educating the adolescent girl about their special roles as future mothers and moral educators of children. First and foremost the adolescent girl as well as the boy has to be encouraged to develop a critical, explorative and inquisitive mindset. This may create more problems for the educators, but in the long run this is the only way to create healthy societies.
With changing times, globalization of economies and Internet accessibility, the traditions have to be updated too. The growth in drug addiction is a serious matter and it is present with boys and men mostly. Why is it taken for granted that men spend hard earned cash on smoking and women of course not? Why are addiction, cigarette smoking and aids happening at all in valley? When I was young and visited my matamaal (grandparents house) in school vacations I never saw such advertisements against drug addiction, aids etc. as today. It is now proven scientifically that smoking causes cancer and fortunately in India I observe a big change in the smoking habits of men. What is causing the young boys and men in the valley to take to drug addiction and cigarette smoking? Is it not worrisome? The mothers, fathers, teachers and religious leaders have to re-orient their minds and feed the boys with a friendly and informative approach. It is my firm belief that if the children are on the wrong path it is the parents, teachers and elders who have to do self introspection. The Sex Ratio (859/1000) in the state is one of the lowest in India and this is a reason to worry. Girl child is not wanted. Why? We have to undo this state of affairs. I am happy to see the various announcements in newspapers: 1. of the commissioner Secretary to Govt., Health and Medical Education Department on the Parental Sex Selection Act 2002 and 2. “the Minister of state for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Mr. Ali Mohd Sagar as well as Minister of state for Home Mr. Nasir Aslam Wani have stated that the Govt. is committed to the protection of the juvenile rights and a new law is being introduced in the assembly session that would further strengthen the already existing law” (Rising Kashmir, 22.9.201, page 5). However the Govt. cannot be expected to play the role that mothers, fathers, teachers and religious leaders have to play in this process. It is them, who have to work towards change of their mindset and removal of fear of disgrace to the family or community if a girl is born.
15
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
A discussion on the issue of prostitution and sex work is also needed in this context. This is an international phenomenon and has a historical background, which I cannot elaborate here. However the recent sex scandal in the valley points to its reality. Though some would not like to admit that this is an issue anymore (see editorial page, Zahir-ud-din in Rising Kashmir, 22.09.2011), one cannot ignore its negative impact on women and girls even today. It is not all nonsense if Dr. Faruq Abdullah, father of the present chief Minister, recently in an interview “on the couch with Koel” stated that prostitution be legalized in the state, because he felt so sad witnessing the ailing women. We may differ on the approach, but the problem exists. And the fact that many countries e.g. Germany of which I have some knowledge, but also other European countries, have legalized prostitution, needs being mentioned here. The problem exists on an international level! I feel concerned about this issue, because it involves the young girls too. Their bodies can get exploited. One young woman of the Association of Social Workers feels that women’s bodies are vulnerable; she takes it as a Goddess given fact and has given up the idea to question this. Another young woman of the group of young students from Kashmir University, Yakhjay, feels that she is harassed by the security forces when she walks on the streets. Later she admits that there is violence towards women by their male members even in valley homes. One young woman member of a Human Rights group of socially conscious young women and men, talks about the fact that when she goes to the homes of the rural women, she hears them say that yes their men beat them in the evening, after they return from work, but they say what can they do they have to admit it as a fact of life for being born of female sex. One can imagine what education mothers with such low self respect, must be giving to their daughters and more importantly to their sons. This has to change in the next generation. Young girls have to be made more self confident and self 16
respecting as well as furnished with information and with techniques so that they can face the male violence in an offensive manner. Karate and judo lessons for girls in schools are being introduced in many countries and time has come that we introduce such courses in our schools too. Every other day you read in the papers how even in Delhi the autorikshaw wallas or others gang rape the young, often even minor girls and/or women of all ages. Though I did not experience any eve teasing, neither by security forces nor by others in this region, but this may be due to my being an old woman with disability in walking. In any case there is urgent need in this state that young boys and men be taught non-violent and Gandhian values in place of praise for martyrdom. In our socio-cultural context we need to sensitize our youth, both girls and boys on the role and responsibility of each sex towards each other as well as towards the society. Women’s bodies are not for sale and/or to be exploited for selfish needs of some. The male members of every community, the boys particularly, need to learn to respect the differences Mother Goddess has created in human beings. We must never forget to keep our ancient culture of self-restraint and Minimalism in our minds! On 21st September at the Samad island of peace in Nageen lake I was thrilled to see young girls speak so vocatively on what peace means to them on a personal, political and international level and they not only quoted the peace that prophet Mohammed propagated, but also the importance of Gandhian ways of dealing with problems. I feel there has come a great change in the valley as regards the education of girls goes and I see a great potential in them , I am sure that these young girls will bring peace and justice to the society here in future. And contribute towards undoing the state of affairs today that not one recognized women’s NGO exists in the valley, which can take focused care of the immense problems of the young and old
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
widows and single parents in the manner. I have met many young men and women in the valley who support the non-violent anti corruption movement of Anna Hazare and his young audiences. Therein lies hope and it would be meaningful and important for the govt. here to take note of the fact that many young peoples, both male and female, are working on peace and reconciliation issues. The Youth Parliament is one such group besides the few I mentioned above and they feel strongly that their voices be heard by the govt. Last not least I want to draw attention to the fact that for the differently-able young children, male and female much more needs to be done. For the differently-able girl children in the adolescent age particular attention is required, as even their parents find them a burden more than anything else and want to put them in an institution, I have met one group called Humanity Welfare Organisation, an Ngo in Bijebhara, which is doing very good work for such children, but the Govt. too needs to look
after the various types of disabilities in the young generation, whatever be the reason, militancy or not. UNSCR1325: The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was unanimously adopted by the UNSCR on 31st October 2000. It was the first time that the UNSCR addressed the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women; recognized the under-valued and the under-utilized contributions women made to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace building. It also stressed the importance of women’s equal and full representation as active agents in peace and security. Liberia is an example country for this. I may lastly be allowed to suggest to the State Govt. a follow-up conference, in which youth (women and men) gets invited to voice their own experiences and suggestions as to what needs to be done more forcefully so that we can make the valley a peaceful place, where all regions, communities and men and women get equal representation and recognition.
17
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Uday Dandavate
[Mr. Uday Dandavate studies people, cultures and trends worldwide and uses the understanding gained from such studies to inspire people centered innovation strategies. Uday Dandavate heads up a design research consulting firm called SonicRim. He frequently writes and speaks on topics related to people centered design and innovation in international journals and conferences. uday@sonicrim.com]
The Legacy of Steve Jobs story of Apple is a modern day TheAmerican fairytale. While Steven Spielberg captivated the imagination of the world with his cinematic creations, and Walt Disney with his powerful stories, Steve Jobs inspired and engaged the world with his prolific innovations. Initially, he appealed to a very important early adapter audience - the creative community. While Bill Gates captured the mass market with his windows platform, Steve Jobs targeted a niche segment of the population and built the momentum of apple’s success to eventually reach a broader audience. A closer look at the history of product development at Apple reveals a trail of failed products, more notable amongst them, the Newton Personal Digital Assistant, PowerMac G4 Cube, the I Tune phone (Motorola Rokr), Apple Pippin and above all the Next Computer (conceived by Steve Jobs when he left Apple). In early days when Steve Jobs’ ideas were ahead of their time, and his audience was less 18
prepared to change their habits, some of his products failed in the market. Many of these products had a central idea that was characteristic of Steve Job’s passion for disruptive innovation. Some products failed because they were brought into the market ahead of their time or not positioned at the right price point. The core concept behind each of these failed products later influenced design of other products, which became successful when the market was ready for those ideas. For example, Newton failed in the market but much later when the market was ready for a personal digital assistant Palm Pilot became a huge success. The G4 Cube set the stage for fan-less cooling in PCs, and showed the world a future where computers would leave office desks and move to the living room, to become part of the entertainment center. The current OS X of apple computers is based on the operating system of the Next computer developed by Steve Jobs. Since the last two decades people are open and eager to learn new behaviors around disruptive innovations. They are gradually turning to new ideas and innovative role models as opposed to following old methods and dogmatic ideologues. Steve Jobs’ success in recent years cannot be separated from the distinct shift in the psychology of his target audience. This growing segment of population will continue to expect the pace of innovation to continue at Apple and at other technology companies, though Steve Job will not be there to lead the way with a continuous churn of endearing designs. New York Time columnist David Brooks describes this new segment in his book Bobos in the Paradise. He profiles a new class of people, “Bobos,” who he believes are becoming the most influential class in the American society, saying that, “I returned to an America in which the bohemian and the bourgeois were all mixed up. I was observing a cultural consequence of the information age. In this era ideas and knowledge are at least as vital to economic success as natural
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
resources and finance capital. The intangible world of information merges with the material world of money, and new phrases that combine the two, such as “intellectual capital” and “the culture industry,” come into vogue. So the people who thrive in this period are the ones who can turn ideas and emotions into products. These are highly educated folk who have one foot in the bohemian world of creativity and another foot in the bourgeois realm of ambition and worldly success. The members of the new information age elite are bourgeois bohemians. Or, to take the first two letters of each word, they are Bobos. These Bobos define our age. They are the new establishment. Their hybrid culture is the atmosphere we all breathe. Their status codes now govern social life. Their moral codes give structure to our personal lives.” Steve Jobs’s creativity, vision, and genius appealed to this influential population. Jobs understood the Bobos and harnessed their changing social mores with his own template for disruptive innovation. Jim Collins, author of popular books like Great by Choice and Good to Great, called Steve Jobs Beethoven of the business world. While this comparison is a great recognition of Job’s innate creativity, it fails to recognize his passion for and ability to change the world with the force of his imagination and the design of his products. I would instead call him a revolutionary. He raised people’s aspirations to another the level.
I was born in a family of social reformers, who were inspired by Marxian or Gandhian visions of changing the world. The visitors to our home came from a variety of backgrounds, from academia, from professional practices, from the field of arts, politics and social work. I remember many of them carried a simple cloth bag, popularly known as Shabnam bag. Later, I became aware that wearing a Shabnam bag and flip flops was considered a symbol of a social reformer and a bohemian. Reflecting over those memories, I realize that the apple has attained similar kind of symbolism amidst the BoBos. Like those who carried the Shabnam bag on their shoulders, users of apple products seem to emit an air of confidence and idealistic enthusiasm of a BoBo set on a mission to change the world with creative imagination. Many people are wondering whether Apple will be able to sustain the prolific flow of creative outputs that Steve Jobs set in motion. Wall Street wonders whether the company’s stock will remain on the upswing after its visionary leader’s passing. Regardless of what happens at Apple or in the stock market, Steve Jobs’ true legacy remains in the millions of people who expect technology companies to continually add delight through design. Will it be a hard act to follow? URL:www.scribd.com/doc/68028775/The-Legac y-of-Steve-Jobs Published online in scribd.com
Letter to the Editor: Respected Madam, All your editorials emit light and wisdom. Some I read twice, becasue of their appeal. The editorial of Sept.’11 vibrated a similar chord in my heart. If the system swallows the individual, it must be changed. The ultimate beneficiary must be the common man who is often crushed by man-made institutions. Let the fence not eat the crop instead of protecting it. With profound regards. Yours sincerely, Bhagwat Prasad bagwat_prashad@rediffmail.com
19
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Current Affairs’ Section:
Rajindar Sachar [Justice Rajindar Sachar is Retd. Chief Justice of
High Court of Delhi, New Delhi. He is UN Special Rapportuer on Housing, Ex. Member, U.N. Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and Ex-President, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) India.]
Truth of Gujarat – vis-à-vis Modi’s fast fast by Modi has got an excessive Thecoverage, which defies logic. The critics have rightly projected it as self image building by Modi to project himself as Prime Ministerial candidate and under the cover of slogan of Sadbhavna as an attempt to wash off his sinful conduct in post Godhra period. I am clear in my mind that in the matter of government’s complicity in gory happenings like 1984 genocide in Delhi and 2002 Godhra genocide in Gujarat, there can never be a question of forgiveness. There are certain crimes and human Right violations which can never be forgiven or forgotten though no doubt we must learn from them and so modulate our political and social programming, that such like events never shame us again. But that process can only be if the perpetrator of crime is seen as genuinely contrite which alone can create confidence in those who suffered untold miseries. That has not yet happened.
20
One is sad and amused at the carnival response of Congress in purporting to observe fast at the same time. I wish the congress instead had programmed and brought out the unspeakable condition in Gujarat camps where a large number of Muslims is still living in misery. Also Vaghela would have done well if he and his colleagues had chalked out a definite programme to create conducive atmosphere so that hundreds of Muslim families who are afraid to go back to their villages could go back with dignity and assured safety. The media though somewhat critical of Modi’s Sadbhavana/Secular pretensions have unfortunately swallowed the propaganda of development oriented programmers in Gujarat and ignoring its perversions which have in fact led to greater pauperization of masses, possibly because those policies coincide with the neo liberal and anti farmer policies of the corporate sector. All this information uncomplimentary to Modi was placed in a public hearing when Anna Hazare visited Gujarat in May 2011 (in a report prepared amongst others by PUCL (Gujarat), Socialist party and other concerned citizens of Gujarat.) Thus 30,000 farmers walked nearly 350 km to protest against the cement plant being set up at Mahuva, which if it happens will lead to a total loss of 25, 000 bigha land on which 1,25,000 people survive. The cement factory would provide direct employment to only 498 persons. One of the biggest scandal and human Right violation of Human Rights is taking place in the much touted boast of Narmada Dam. Even at present hundreds of families are still displaced though even the award postulated complete rehabilitation of the oustees. The boast of Modi that Narmada was to supply water to the farmers in belied by the established fact that only 29% of the Canal work has been done. As recently as 2009 Rs.260 crores scam came pertaining to National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. As for Right to Education, a fundamental Right, Gujarat government is ironically closing 3000
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
primary Schools on the alleged unacceptable plea of lack of attendance and the plan is in fact to lease it to private bodies. One of the biggest scandals highlighted was the land allotment at throwaway rate to private industrialists in capital Gandhi Nagar, without holding public auction. The beneficiaries are big Builders construction companies and other corporate houses with not so good public acceptability. This has resulted in a loss to Gujarat State as per market Rate allotment of Rs. 5197, 1622, 317/- i.e. (Rs. Five thousand One hundred Ninety-seven crores and Sixteen Lakhs and Twenty-two thousand Three Hundred and Seventeen.) The labor disputes has increased by 600% in last 5 years, but instead of 100% increase in the labor machinery staff the Government has reduced the staff by 40 -60%. Regarding expenditure for social sector by 18 large States of India, Gujarat embarrassingly stands at 17th (Monthly Bulletin of Reserve Bank of India February, 2007). Gujarat stands 14th in infant Mortality Rate (IMR) for 0-1 year and 13th for 0-5 years 47% malnourishment among 0-5 years old children. About 67% women are anemic and of them 80.1% of girls aged between 6 to 35 months are anemic. Global index on hunger reports India with 66th rank, Gujarat is ranking 69th, which is actually as low as Haiti in Africa (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2008. While I unreservedly accept some positive features of Gujarat, like it has 90 percent paved roads to villages, 98 percent electrified villages with 80 percent electrified homes and 18 hours of electricity everyday, 86 percent piped water supply compared to other states, but unfortunately it cannot be overlooked that amidst all this, poverty, hunger, lack of sense of security amongst Minority
thrive. To gave an instance: to overcome the Muslim deficit in different levels of education, the central government has launched a nationwide scholarship scheme with effect from April 1, 2008. All states have responded favorably, with the only exception of Gujarat which has not implemented even the pre-metric scholarships for minorities. There are 55,000 scholarships allocated to Gujarat of which 53,000 are to be given to the deserving Muslims, but Gujarat has not even cared to implement this program. Modi proudly proclaimed at his alleged Sadbhavana Jamboree that he did not recognize doing anything especially for the minorities but that they are to be treated only as Gujaratis. Modi apparently has not been properly coached about Indian Constitution. Of course all residents (6 crores) living in Gujarat are Gujaratis. That is their one identity. But the Minorities have also other identities – they are Indians and Muslims just like Majority – they are Gujarati’s, Hindus and Indians. As emphasized by Noble laureate Amartaya Sen, each one of us has multiple identities and each of it deserves equal recognition and protection. Somebody must tell Modi that our constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court has loudly proclaimed that: “The purpose of law in plural societies is not the progressive assimilation of the minorities in the majoritarian milieu. This would not solve the problem; but would vainly seek to dissolve it.” It is axiomatic that in any country the faith and the confidence of the minorities in the impartial and even functioning of the State is the acid test of being a civilized State – this is accepted wisdom, and was expressed succinctly by Lord Acton thus; “A state which is incompetent to satisfy Minorities condemns itself; a state which labours to neutralize, to absorb or to expel them is destitute of the chief basis of self-government”. Can one hope Modi to so modulate in his future policies in the light of these constitutional and wise pronouncements?
21
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
[Mr. J. Sharath Chandra Rao has been contributing articles to Newspaper like “Vaartha” and “Andhra Jyothi” and other periodicals on Environment, economics and other social issues. He may be contacted J.S. Chandra Rao at 1-2-593/40, Gaganmahal Colony, Hyderabad – 500 029, A.P. Phone: 040-27638039]
Strong Political Action Is Needed To Curb Illegal Mining of iron ore has led to mind Mining boggling corruption with everyone from politicians to bureaucrats, businessmen and criminals getting involved. In this process the mining barons have amassed huge wealth. Rampant mining both legally and illegally subverting laws and procedures has caused severe economic losses to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karantaka and Goa, in the process creating several environmental disturbances. Mining companies like AMC of Bellary, Obulapuram of A.P. have illegally mined encroaching even reserved forests for personal gains which ultimately led to the CBI raiding and questioning the mining barons recently. Such mining has also affected many local tribals being deprived of their livelihood. Iron ore being mined were legally and illegally transported within the country as well as for foreign exports. The mining barons with the support of the politicians and officials have amassed lakhs of crores mostly by dubious means violating several established norms. Recent raids by CBI of Gali Janardhan Reddy of Bellary revealed a huge haul of wealth. The quantum of wealth of several gold idols, a gold chair and other invaluable precious jewelry studded with huge quantities of precious stones and gold has baffled many. Other investigations also revealed the defrauding of railways to the tune of thousands of crores passing off as export consignment of iron ore meant for domestic 22
consumption paying only 1/6th of the fare as freight charges depriving railways of their legitimate share of income. This can happen only with the connivance of the politicians and officials. Such mining firms amassing huge enormous wealth in just a decade’s time both in India and in other countries reveals the sorry state of governance which our country is witnessing these days. This shows the governing political class of different political parties in poor light of their dismal failure to check such massive frauds. Such failures will only lead to large number of people getting affected with lawlessness becoming more paying and respectable than being law abiding. The iron ore mining barons possess enough political power often threatening the very stability of the elected governments casting a shadow on the very functioning of our democracy. The mining mafia is actually controlling political power in many states. Their vulgar display of flaunting wealth only reveals their shameless arrogance. It is unfortunate that such persons amassing huge wealth through unfair measures are regrettably being accorded the same status as persons of excellence. These do not have any respect for legal norms and also of the investigating agencies like the CBI and Income Tax. It is unfortunate that political leaders irrespective of party affiliations often oblige toeing to their demands. There have been many incidents where the mining firms possessing a legal permit have often trespassed their mining lease limits encroaching the forest lands making huge personal gains at the expense of the state. Regrettably our natural resources created by nature over centuries are now being raised to the ground in the name of industrial development by such commercial extracting agencies often paying a pittance as royalty to the Governments and passing all these resources as their own profits. Such a policy has affected many local tribals livelihood depriving the states their fair and legitimate revenue which if collected could have been better put to use for the benefit of the needy people.
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Further such an extraction policy benefiting a few not only caused extensive economic damage but also caused harmful damages to the environment such as creating severe air pollution, several ravages being brought on the land and water bodies, most often the damages being very high. The losses most often are far more than the few benefits. Often such unchecked extraction policy does not benefit the larger sections of the people. Instead limited extraction for domestic use is a better option. The high damaging costs of extraction of iron ore which is eventually returned to the environment as waste in air, water and land which often adversely affect human health are never taken into account at all. Too often decisions
are being taken without considering the damaging costs of these decisions. Often mining extraction, benefiting a few, reveals false prosperity appearing wealthier in economic terms but poorer in people’s quality of life. Reckless mining often result in damaging the planet undercutting national well being. It must also be remembered that adherence to the rule of law plays an indispensable role of shaping our policy determining the direction of the nation. A strong political will cracking down on such erring business firms and personalities, bureaucrats and corporates is needed. No one should abuse authority subverting laws and procedures for personal benefits.
Dear Friends, If you are planning to participate in the IRI All-India Study Camp to be held on 31 December 2011 and 1 January 2012 at Murshidabad you are requested to kindly fill the following blank Registration Form and send it to us along with your remittance in the form of a bank draft or A/C Payee Cheque so as to reach us within 30 November 2011. Registration fee and accommodation charges are given in the earlier announcement on page no. 8 of this Nov. 2011, issue. With best regards, Ajit Bhattacharyya, President, Organizing Committee, Najimuddin Sk, Secretary, Organizing Committee
Registration Format for Participants of the IRI All India Study Camp 1. Name (in block letters) 2. Full postal address and e-mail identity (if any) 3. Whether accommodation required yes/no 4. Amount remitted (cash/cheque/draft no.) A) Registration B) Accommodation charges C) Other charges (if any) Total Rs. Dated Signature Note Bank draft/ account payee cheque should be drawn in favour of ‘Indian Radical Humanist Association’. For outstation cheques add Rs 50 as service charge. Draft/cheque along with Registration form duly filled should be either hand delivered to Indian Radical Humanist Association, West Bengal Unit,15 Bankim Chatterjee Street (second floor), Kolkata 700 073 (see below) or by registered post/courier to Sri Subhankar Ray 13 Regent Estate, Kolkata 700 092. Participants might directly deposit the amount to the account of Indian Radical Humanist Association through any State Bank of India branch having core banking facility (the account numbered 10959204035 is at State Bank of India Park Street Branch, Kolkata). However participants are requested to confirm this in their respective bank branch and should send a copy of the deposit receipt. Money orders will not be accepted. Cash payment could be made only personally either to the treasurer Sri Sushil Chandra Kar or to the office secretary Sri Arun Bose at the office premises of Indian Radical Humanist Association, West Bengal Unit, Monday to Thursday, and Saturday (4.30-7.30 p.m.).
23
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
IRI/IRHA Members’ Section:
Innaiah Narisetti
[Dr. N. Innaiah, former Director, Centre for
Inquiry (CFI), India, did his Ph.D on Philosophy of Modern Science. He is a veteran Radical Humanist who has translated maximum books written by M.N Roy as well as other books on humanism in Telugu. This is his Review Article]
Philosophy Is Dead: Long live Science scientist Stephen Hawking Outstanding along with Leonard Mlodinow declared positively that philosophy is dead. Alarming to philosophy lovers, of course! During 1940s M.N. Roy, humanist philosopher warned that unless philosophy takes into consideration the philosophical consequences of modern science, it cannot survive. That is exactly the reason why Stephen Hawking emphatically said that philosophy is dead. The Grand Design is the latest book in which the authors proposed M-theory as unified development which Einstein dreamed of. The philosophy has to answer the questions faced by modern world but fail to do so. What are they? “Why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we exist? Why this particular set of laws and not some other?” Hitherto people thought that everything was created by god. They did this out of ignorance. For
24
every natural event like thunder, lightning, rain, fire, oceans, earth, planets, stars ancient people imagined gods behind them .Hence they worshiped them to get favors and to escape calamities. So many gods were created and several religions emerged out of people’s ignorance. For the first time Ionian Greek thinkers put systematic rational thinking which changed the minds of people. Thales, Miletus, Pythagoras, Anaximander, Empedocles, Democritus and few others are in the list. Their thought influenced generations but again religions camouflaged their causation. Ptolemy (85-165 AD) through his 13 volume treatise convinced the world that earth is the center of the universe and also earth is flat. Christians accepted that theory. It continued until Galileo and Copernicus, Kepler radically changed our concepts and thinking. Sun is the center of the universe and earth goes round the sun. The rational thinkers suffered in the hands of fanatic Christian authorities. They regretted much later and accepted their mistakes. As scientific thinking, innovation, discoveries progress, different theories emerged and some of them look diametrically opposed to each other. Now it is established that four forces are certain namely: Electro-magnetic force, Gravitation, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force. Einstein came out with theory of relativity which radicalized the world concepts. At micro and macro levels there are particle, light, wave theories and also different concepts of universe. There are several dimensions. New Quantum theory again totally changed the thinking process. Big Bang theory (originally named by Fred Hoyle), Expanding theory, steady state theory and others also came out. If so many realities and conflicts are there, which one is true and which one is not? Are there many universes and if so each universe must be having its own laws too?
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
These are mind boggling theories. Stephen Hawking came out with his M-theory wherein synthesis and reconciliation is possible. Positive energy of matter can be balanced by negative gravitational energy according to Stephen. The universe creates itself due to gravity. This spontaneous creation is the sufficient reason for the existence of universe, says Stephen and Leonard. Thus M-theory is not only miracle, mystery but real too. THERE IS NO NEED TO INVOKE GOD FOR SUCH DESIGN. This is a wonderful, excellent conclusion of Stephen Hawking.
What about intelligent design, then? It is only cunning way of introducing blind faith of religion in roundabout way. Is this end of all? No. There is no end in Science. Scientific method is ever growing and continuous process. All theories are tentative. If something better and provable theory emerges, people support it. One great virtue in scientific method is: Self correction .It is not there in holy books, religions and blind faiths. This self correction only leads humans ever progressive and forward looking. (Please see: The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow: Bantam books, New York pp 200; Also Science and philosophy by M.N Roy)
Important Announcement
Encyclopedia of the Radical Humanists To be loaded on the RH Website (http://www.theradicalhumanist.com) Dear Friends, This is to request you to send in your personal details, contact numbers etc. (along with your passport size photographs) as well as a brief account of how you got associated with M.N. Roy/Radical Democratic Party/Radical Humanist Movement directly or indirectly through the philosophy of New Humanism. This is also a request to all those friends, whose deceased parent/parents were involved in or were sympathetic with Radical Humanism and its Movement, to send in accounts of their parent’s/parents’ association (as much as they can recollect and recount). This will be a loving and emotional tribute to their memories from your side. All this effort is being made to form an encyclopedia of the Radical Humanists right from the days of the beginning of M.N. Roy’s social and political activities in India and abroad. All this information will be uploaded and permanently stored on the RH Website in the Profile section for everyone to read and come in contact with one another. This will be a historical check-list to connect with all the crusaders who worked or are still working for the human cause on the humanist lines. —Rekha Saraswat
25
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Mahi Pal Singh [Mr. Mahi Pal Singh is the President of Indian Radical Humanist Association (IRHA) of the Delhi Unit and National Secretary of Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), C-105, D.D.A. Flats, Sindhora kalan, Delhi-110 052. mahipalsinghrh@gmail.com]
PUCL: Its History of Struggle in Fighting the Structures Continued from the previous issue......... of New Economic Policy: The Onslaught economic policies based on the principles of globalization and privatization have, in their wake, brought to this country imported consumer goods from developed countries for which India has provided a market with a vast potential, even if at the cost of the closure of a very large number of local manufacturing units resulting in the unemployment of a still larger workforce. This has done tremendous harm to the conditions of physical survival of those for whom keeping together their body and soul was never an easy task. At the same time the increased inclination of the youth belonging to the middle class, (in any case, the elite sections have always shown a tendency to be consumerist going to the extent of a blatant and vulgar display of their wealth earned, nay, amassed through the exploitation of the working classes, corrupt means or speculation in the share-markets – those legally sanctioned, unproductive gambling houses of the rich meant to deprive the unsuspecting people belonging to the lower middle
class of their hard-earned and frugally saved money, if our experience of the last 19 years is any evidence), has taken away all his sense of honour, human dignity and the commitment to protect his civil liberties and human rights. His commitment towards his fellow human beings and their welfare has also received a serious jolt as a result of the mad pursuit of his self-centered motives. To cater to the needs of the elite sections of our society, including the neo-rich, who have reaped the fruits of the new economic order, and also the not-so-rich, who emulate the other two classes because people from these classes spending a lot of money on luxuries, (and also the trigger-happy film hero killing people with impunity), attract them to the extent of becoming their role models, are coming up the costly shopping malls and multiplexes in all metropolitan cities as a result of which the new culture of consumerism has drowned the culture of human rights discourse in the country. How else should one interpret the trend as reflected by the print as well as the electronic media where indecent photographs – so much so that, thanks to the efforts of the journalistic fraternity, some sections of the papers have come to be known as ‘porn pages’ – and stories from the film and fashion world and descriptions of marriages and parties of the rich invariably fill a large portion of the front pages of most of our national dailies and they also get a place of prominence on the news channels, and people’s struggles, protests and movements even for their basic rights and tales of their sufferings and deaths due to hunger, mal-nutrition and at the hands of various agencies of the state hardly find a mention even in an obscure corner of the newspapers? Otherwise, how does one explain the complete obliteration of everything related to the imposition of the Emergency in the country on 26th June, 1975, the greatest danger to democracy, civil liberties and human rights this country has faced ever since attaining independence in 1947, from the newspapers and the electronic media even on the anniversary of that black day, and of any reports of meetings held on that day to observe
26
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
anti-Emergency day to keep alive a continuous struggle for the protection of our civil and political rights from the next day’s newspapers, as if the Emergency had never been imposed in this country, or perhaps to remember such events is considered a useless exercise to be undertaken only by some intellectuals in their seminar rooms as a ritual having nothing to do with the present day life. Why to Remember the Emergency? It would be a happy turn of events if we were no more required to recall such events, if they really became a matter of the past, never to recur again. But as things stand today the danger to our civil and political rights has not diminished a bit even after the 44th Constitutional Amendment to Article 359 disabling the President from suspending Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India, thereby denying him the power to forfeit the fundamental right to life and liberty of any person even during a period of promulgation of Emergency in the country. Although promulgation of Emergency has been made more difficult, than it was in 1975, because the 44th Amendment has introduced ‘armed rebellion’ in place of ‘internal disturbance’ as the condition for such a promulgation, and such a promulgation has also to be endorsed by a special majority in Parliament, yet there have been lesser laws which have been depriving people of the country of their basic civil and political rights with impunity, and what is worse, they do not require any such sanction of ‘special majority’ in Parliament for their imposition. But for those who suffered the excesses of the Emergency, it will always remain a nightmarish experience never to be forgotten. But the young generation can hardly understand the importance of keeping its memories alive; we must not forget that those events took place thirty-five years ago. How can the youth of today know that “the darkest chapter in the history of independent India was written on the midnight of 25-26 June, 1975?” and that “With the imposition of the Emergency on that day, thousands of people including the opposition leaders were arrested and put in jail, and all the important fundamental rights
were suspended. There were violations of all standards of morality, justice, and freedom; acts of barbarism and violence were committed. With the promulgation of the Emergency, all rights and justice, civil liberties, law and order were trodden under feet. The Emergency waged war upon democracy. Excesses that were committed were not accidental, but the logical and deliberate acts of an authoritarian political philosophy. The object of this philosophy was the destruction of all freedoms, and triumph of the strong.” (Remembering the Emergency – Dr. R.M. Pal, PUCL Bulletin, June 1997). We have to remember that the Emergency was imposed in the country because on a petition filed by Late Sh. Raj Narayan who had been defeated in a parliamentary election by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, from Rai Bareily, in its judgment delivered on June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court had held Mrs. Gandhi guilty of corrupt practices in her election, and declared her election as null and void, and that at a meeting on June 25, all opposition leaders had declared that if she did not quit as the Prime Minister of the country, they would start a civil disobedience movement from June 29. Defying the court judgment and making a mockery of the rule of law, Mrs. Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in the country, usurping all authority into her own hands, suspending fundamental rights including the right to life and liberty only to perpetuate her illegal, immoral and authoritarian rule by ruthlessly silencing all opposition by putting all opposition leaders behind the bars, without warrants or charge-sheets and for periods nobody knew how long, and also gagging all the national press, first by ordering their electric supply to be cut and then through the introduction of very stringent censorship laws which did not allow anything to be published against the Prime Minister or her decisions, or any of the excesses perpetrated by her or her son Sanjay Gandhi, who enjoyed the status of an extra-constitutional authority and whose orders, as a member of the Nehru family wrote later, “sometimes verging on criminality were obeyed
27
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
without question.” Under his leadership the Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Congress (Indira), had acquired the notoriety as a band of goons and its leaders as the unelected executives of the areas under their command, and government officers including police SHOs thought it to be their most solemn duty to obey their word of mouth as if it had come from the Prime Minister herself. Such was the atmosphere during the Emergency regime of Mrs. Gandhi and her infamous son Sanjay Gandhi that one could not move freely, talk freely or breathe freely in this very democratic country of ours. What is even more disturbing is that “the fundamental lack of commitment to the values of freedom and democracy, tolerance of dissent, and the capacity to look beyond one’s immediate interests which had made the intellectuals, with a few honourable exceptions, accept the Emergency and abide by its soul destroying demands.” (Remembering the Emergency). What the imposition of the Emergency did to the right to life with the connivance of the judiciary, whose independence had already been compromised, is best described by M.A. Rane in his article Emergency, Lawyers, Judges quoted below: “The news of the declaration of the Emergency during the night of 25/26th June 1975 was not published in the morning papers of Delhi of June 26, as electric supply to the Feroze Shah Road, where most of the presses of the newspapers in the capital were located. Most of the people learnt of this declaration and of the midnight arrest of number of leaders, including ailing Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Vajpayee, Advani, Madhu Dandavate, and several others from the announcement by the BBC in the early morning of 26th. In the course of the day censorship was clamped on the newspapers all over India. Lawyers all over India protested and abstained from attending the court on 26th June 1975. They passed resolutions condemning the declaration of Emergency and arrest of leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai and others. Since then the lawyers carried on a relentless battle against the 28
Emergency and the consequent suspension of the fundamental rights. Eminent persons like Chief Justice Chagla, Chief Justice C.J. Shah, Justice V.M. Tarkunde, Jethmalani and others led the lawyers. A small section of lawyers like Rajani Patel, who were in Congress, supported the emergency rule. Some lawyers who were members of the RSS were detained under MISA on the very first day. Those who offered Satyagraha were also detained subsequently. More than a lakh of persons were illegally detained under MISA. Some of the earliest Habeas Corpus Petitions filed in the High Court on behalf of the detenus succeeded. The Delhi High Court released Kuldip Nayar and a group old Congressmen led by Bhimsen Sachar and six others who had just addressed a letter to Mrs. Gandhi protesting against the declaration of Emergency and arrest of Jayaprakash Narayan and other leaders. Soli Sorabjee argued their Habeas Corpus petitions. The Judges who released them were ultimately penalized. The senior Judge of the Bench was transferred to some other High Court and the junior Judge, Justice Agarwal, who was not confirmed and was reverted back to his office as District Judge. Chief Justice Chagla argued the Habeas Corpus petitions of Vajpayee and Madhu Dandavate in Karnataka High Court and got them released. However, fresh orders of detention were passed against them and they were rearrested. Morarji Desai and RSS detenus did not file Habeas Corpus petition as a matter of principle. However, petitions were filed on behalf of a large number of political detenus belonging to different political parties. In the Bombay High Court number of Habeas Corpus petitions were filed and the High Court directed the detenus to remain present on every occasion in the High Court. The result was the relatives of the detenus could meet them in the corridors of the High Court on such occasions. Other High Courts also released the detenus; taking a view that wherever it was found that the detaining authority had not applied their minds or that the orders were mala fide, the detention orders were quashed and the detenus were set at liberty. Such
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
decisions were given by all High Courts, except the Kerala High Court, notwithstanding the drastic amendment in the MISA prohibiting filing of petitions even on grounds of mala fides. The petitions were also filed on behalf of detenus for certain facilities. Mrinal Gore, who at the beginning was underground but later arrested, was detained in the prison at Akola where there was no separate cell for female detenus. She was lodged in the part of the prison meant for lunatic females. A petition was filed in the High Court challenging the same. More than 150 lawyers appeared for the detenus with the sole object of indicating their solidarity against deprivation of civil liberties by the Government under the emergency rule. The Bombay High Court directed the Government to transfer her from Akola prison to Dhule prison where there was arrangement for the detention of female political detenus. “The Government filed appeals in the Supreme Court against the judgments of the High Court’s releasing the detenus. The case is known as ADM Jabalpur or Habeas Corpus Case. All the appeals were heard by a bench of the senior-most five Judges of the Supreme Court presided over by the Chief Justice A.N. Ray. The other members of the Bench were Justices Khanna, Beg, Chandrachud and Bhagwati. A number of leading lawyers appeared for the detenus. Majority of the Judges, with the exception of Justice Khanna, upheld the constitutional validity of the Presidential order dated 25.6.1975 declaring Emergency and barring maintainability of the petitions for writs of Habeas Corpus as well as constitutional validity of the drastic provisions of MISA. Each one of the Judges gave his separate opinion. An inconvenient question was raised before the Judges as to whether the rule of law was abrogated and if an officer shot a person dead without authority of law whether the same could not be questioned in the court of law. The majority Judges fumbled in answering this query and it was held that article 21 was the sole repository of the right of personal liberty and as the article 21 was suspended during the Emergency by Presidential
order no Habeas Corpus petition could be filed. If the majority had accepted the dissenting view of Justice Khanna and upheld the contention of the citizens, the lawyers could have been able to get released 90 per cent of the detenus detained under the MISA during the Emergency. It was worth noting the Chief Justice Ray, presiding over the bench, was a Judge who had superseded three other Judges and the other four Judges of the bench were entitled to be promoted as Chief Justices if the convention of seniority was followed. Therefore, the prospect of the four Judges of the bench of being promoted as Chief Justices was hanging in the balance. If any of them decided against the Government he stood the risk of being superseded. This event actually took place as Justice Khanna was superseded in February 1977 and his junior Justice Beg was promoted as Chief Justice of India. There was every reason to believe that the judgement of the majority of Judges in the Habeas Corpus case was the direct fall out of supersession of the three Judges that took place in April 1973, and of the power arrogated by the Union Government to itself in appointing and promoting Judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court.” If democracy as a form of government, by and of the people, and its cardinal values like civil liberties and political rights, the freedom of the press, the right to profess any faith and the right to elect any government are to be preserved and protected, the people themselves have to exercise an eternal vigilance to ensure that those in power do not succeed in subverting the democratic system to satisfy their greed to stick to power through unconstitutional, corrupt or divisive means because all shades of politicians and political parties have adopted these means to come to power, and once in power, to stick to it. If Mrs. Gandhi’s Emergency regime was an example of the first kind, Narsimha Rao’s government was an example of the second and Narendra Modi’s present government in Gujarat is an example of the third kind. Atal Behari Vajpayee’s NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government also came to power riding the chariot
29
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
of Hindutva, moving on the wheels of the divisive agenda of building the Ram temple at the site where Babri Masjid stood earlier at Ayodhya, to consolidate the majority Hindu vote and garner its support for achieving its narrow political end of capturing power, and his government also made a frantic effort of sticking to power by adopting the corrupt means of spending something like Rs. Seven hundred and fifty crores from the public exchequer to boost his own image, and his party’s, through the ‘Feel-good’ and ‘India Shining’
campaigns. It is a different matter that these slogans invented by the think tanks of the BJP could not befool the uneducated and poor people of this country who thwarted their attempts to regain power at the Centre. To quote once again Dr. Pal from the article cited above, “We must take note of increasing corruption, manipulative politics, and other evils in the system which have been systematically eroding the values of democracy and destroying it.” Continued in the next issue...........
M.N. Roy Literature and M.N. Roy Centenary Memorial Lecture Video on RH Web portal: www.theradicalhumanist.com Dear friends, Kindly go through the following published material on the RH Web Portal in its ‘Literature’ section: New Orientation, New Humanism, M.N. Roy’s letters to Dr. Reddy, Roy’s Writings on Georgi Dmitrov, M.N. Roy’s write-up on Leon Trotsky and Ellen Roy’s letters to Warren Allen Smith (1, 2 3) We will be gradually uploading all the major works of M.N. Roy. At present we are in the process of uploading two books - Historical Role of Islam and The Russian Revolution and Tragedy of Communism. While in the beginning Mr. Rahul Jain sent me the scanned copies of New Orientation and New Humanism now Mr. N.D. Pancholi, Secretary, IRI is assisting me by getting the other books scanned for uploading on the web portal. The historic M.N. Roy Centenary Memorial Lecture delivered by Late Agehananda Bharati, (former Cultural Anthropology Professor in Syracuse University, USA) at Ambedkar Open University Hyderabad in 1987 has also been uploaded on the RH Web portal. This video was traced and sent to me by Dr. Innaiah Narisetti. It is in 4 parts. To hear it please type the following URL on your browser: http://www.theradicalhumanist.com/index.php?option=comradical&controller=article&Itemid =56&cid=416&task=single or click on the running announcement ticker at the top of the RH Web portal titled —‘M.N. Roy Centenary Memorial Lecture’. Do respond and comment upon its contents.
30
—Rekha Saraswat
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Research Scholar’s & Teacher’s Section:
Tarun Patnaik
Education:Building The Individual purpose of education is to prepare a Theperson for his future, i.e. to enable him to participate in the economy in the right and the best way. The right way being the moral way, the best way being one in which the person has interest and potential proficiency. While to earn his bread is the minimal necessity, to live a happy and fulfilling life is as much essential. For this the innate capacity of a person has to be fully developed and the way for self realization cleared. Every child is unique and so should he be treated by his parents and teachers. Some also say that education is not only a preparation for the future but is a process of learning which is in itself fulfilling. That is why some people devote their whole of life to learning. Purpose of education is not merely economic in nature, it is also to make him appreciate and lead a quality life. Education should not only make one capable of material acquisition but also through internal purification develop inner strength for being able to face life with ease and in one’s own terms. Bertrand Russel had said that freedom can be obtained by maximizing power or minimizing needs. Education must make a man capable. It must make him virtuous. And it must make him wise. It must build his personality. In capability comes intellectual, creative, physical and the social abilities. In intellectual comes the reasoning skills,
improving and sharpening the intelligence, and to develop the aptitude. In creative comes, the ability to imagine, articulate, to have an aesthetic sense, to be able to perceive beauty and to be able to perform. To be virtuous means to be on the right side, to make the right choice when we come across normative questions and to have good habits. To be wise means to know what is right and wrong and also to acquire knowledge. While building personality the likes and dislikes are shaped. Physical education must make a man take care of his hygiene, nurture a healthy body, keep himself fit and equip him with skills required of him. Building Character: There is no direct method of building character and virtue in the student, he is supposed to learn these from the language and literature lessons. Character building is considered non academic activity but in some schools there is a stipulation for about 10-15 minutes of “thought for the day” session where a noble thought is elaborated and this helps in shaping the normative attitude of the child. How do we teach character to a student, for this he must first know what is morality and virtue and second, he must be given enough reasons for pursuing these moral. Also a child subconsciously emulates a great person through his aspiration to greatness so social role models play a role in shaping character. Thus the student should be given examples of great personalities whose character we want to inculcate in the child. At the same time as the child grows he should through reason culture enough capacity for critical analysis so that he can find for himself, a sense of what is right and what is wrong. In addition to knowing what is wrong and what is right, one must have a tendency to follow the right path in face of adversities and this is called his strength of character. Strength of character and steadfastness of mind depends on the will power of the person and his adherence to his motto even when the circumstance and the self interest pull him in the other direction.
31
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
What is self interest? A person is inclined to seek comfort, pleasure and luxury but it is not always right that the person gets these there are situations of conflict, particularly conflicts of interest, when the person is required to sacrifice his interest in favor of another person’s interest because the other person is more deserving. In such cases, character helps the man to sacrifice self interest such person we call as one virtuous. Has the Indian education system produced individuals capable and right minded to steer the country out of the mess of moral degradation, corruption, and an attitude condoning anti-social values? Of late the burgeoning middle class which is the back bone of Indian social and cultural life has become self centered and apathetic to the suffering around him. When economy (creating wealth) takes precedence over culture (living in harmony), we see moral poverty amid material prosperity. Today there is talk of priority of physical infrastructure development when our rank in human development index in near some poor African countries. If we prefer building roads to feeding our children dying of malnutrition, we will be making a serious mistake. Faith and Secular Education: Materialistic or Secular education has been distinguished from spiritual or religious education. There are religions like Islam which through their wide spread institutions called Madrasas provide exclusively religious education with little emphasis on education of science, mathematics and literature, also social science even at the level of higher education. Children are exclusively taught Koran and the Shariat law. There was a time when Christianity included religious education of the Bible in the educational curriculum but there has been some time now since when in many countries the church and religious education has been separated from institutional formal education and the education system became secular. In modern India, the main opposition at the center
32
has tried to hijack culture by bringing into fore the Hindu fanatics and claiming that the Indian culture is same as what they term “Hindutva.” But popular sentiment has rejected their claim by voting them to the opposition. History of education in India: The history of education in India is very rich and interesting. One can trace the ancient India education to the 3rd century BC. Research shows that in the ancient days, sages and scholars imparted education orally, but after the development of letters, it took the form of writing. Palm leaves and barks of trees were used for education, and this in turn helped spread the written literature. Temples and community centers often took the role of . When Buddhism spread in India, education became available to everyone and this led to the establishment of some world famous educational institutions Nalanda, Vikramshila and Takshashila. These educational institutes in fact arose from the monasteries. History has taken special care to give Nalanda University, which flourished from the fifth to 13th century AD, full credit for its excellence. This university had around 10,000 resident students and teachers on its roll at one time. These students included Chinese, Sri Lankan, Korean and other international scholars. It was in the 11th century that the Muslims established elementary and secondary schools. This led to the forming of few universities too at cities like Delhi, Lucknow and Allahabad. Medieval period saw excellent interaction between Indian and Islamic traditions in all fields of knowledge like theology, religion, philosophy, fine arts, painting, architecture, mathematics, medicine and astronomy. Later, when the British arrived in India, English education came into being with the help of the European missionaries. Since then, Western education has made steady advances in the country. Modern Education System in India: The total education system of India can be classified as primary or elementary, secondary and higher education. A student learns the basic skills and
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
aptitude at early stage. Also his preferences and instincts get shaped during early childhood. The pedagogy is such that a teacher or lecturer instructs a number of students in a class room. Here some question-answer activity is also entertained. This system can be said to have originated in Greece by Plato in his Academy. This system of institutionalization on a mass base where each and every individual citizen has a opportunity of education originated and is a particular contribution of the West. [In Pedagogy, the only exception being activity doing at primary level introduced recently, and the laboratory classes during science and technical education.] In the olden days education catered to the individual, each student was given special attention for self development and mental, moral, and spiritual growth which we have to miss now because mass education can not cater to individuals by giving special attention to each. Role of teacher in school education: The role of teachers in imparting quality education cannot be over emphasized. Teaching the same curriculum repeatedly often makes the job of a teacher boring, but if the teacher connects with the student while teaching, he will find novelty with every new batch of students, here the focus of the teacher is not to deliver the lecture but to relish the enlightenment of his student. The teacher should find personal success in the success of his student. Also the teacher can be motivated through socialization with his peers and continually renewing and innovating his pedagogy. With the advent of the electronic media, the people are loosing the habit of reading books which can be gauged from the low sell of books in our country. A child has to be taught the merit of reading a book and gain the insight to the authors mind from the very beginning by encouraging him to read books on diverse subjects and develop interest in gathering information and to relish literature.
Private sector’s contribution to education in India: The enrollment in private schools right from primary to secondary level hovers around 32% of total enrollment in the country. Many researchers have found that there is great attraction for private schools because though they charge high fees, the quality of education is much better. Also the cost of education in the private sector is very low compared to public sector schools because the average salary of a teacher in the private sector approximates 20% that in government schools. Why is that, the government schools impart such low quality education? Teacher absenteeism, negligence and lack of work ethic in government schools are rampant. The reason is not difficult to guess, it is because government schools and teachers lack competition, accountability, and enjoy security provided by a government job, where as private schools have to compete for enrolling students in spite of the high fees they must charge to be able to run their institution profitably. Another factor is parents of government school children (mostly poor and from lower middle class) do not demand high quality education. The culture or established practice of low quality of students coming out of government schools is accepted as normal. We can change this only by creating awareness among parents about their right to get quality education from government teachers who are paid so handsomely by the government. While the public sector lags behind in quality in school education, in higher education, it has done quite well as can be judged from the high quality in IITs, NITs, IISc and the IIMs. The reason being expectation from these institutions is high. The role of private sector in higher education is increasing day by day. Of late, many private engineering colleges have been set up and produce large number of technical graduates. Career based education and the question of job creation: The modern individual seeks education particularly so that he can participate in the economy or to be straight forward, so that he can
33
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
get a good well paying job. And the higher education, particularly technical education is oriented for creating employable persons. But considering that the rate at which jobs are created is not sufficiently at pace with number of educated people coming out of the system, the necessity of creation of entrepreneurs or job creators and self employable persons becomes paramount. Our education system has space for imparting education to create job seekers and even the business education in the form of MBA, also creates job seekers. There is a clear dearth of entrepreneurs who will create jobs, our education system lacks this orientation. We cannot leave it totally to private initiative to develop entrepreneurs, the potential entrepreneurs has to be imparted impetus through some sort of formal education. Our policy makers need to make a note of it. Also as far as self employment is considered, government provides some financial assistance through its schemes for self employment, but it is still to be noted that, even persons for self employment need formal preparation. [More than 65% of Union budget on education in the 10th plan is spent on primary education. While secondary, higher and technical education each have a share of around 10%. The total expenditure on education hovers around 3% of GDP.] About 65% of the Indian population is engaged in agriculture. But the curriculum has no special mention of agriculture. The rural students usually do not complete high school. What the students gain from elementary education is the ability to learn further by themselves through language and mathematical skills. There should be special rural schools to cater to the special needs of a “would be” farmer. The farmer should be educated for his future role as the food maker and marketer of the country. But care also should be taken that this institutional intervention is not hijacked by Agro-MNC’s for spreading use of their products. We have a shortage of doctors, because number of seats in medical colleges is lagging behind the
34
requirement, the reason being neglected attention to this important policy requirement. Medical council of India has strict rules for opening of new medical colleges. So some private corporates are operating some medical colleges which charge exorbitant fees and cater to the extra rich, the doctors coming out of where, are to act as the money makers and exploit the patients for their pocket. Immediate steps should be taken to upgrade and better maintain the district government hospitals so that the exploitation of the people by the private sector medical institutions can be reduced. Each state should find nodal hospitals where high class facilities with an associated medical college can be opened. In our country, we severely fall behind in the field of knowledge creation and technology development. This is because there is not sufficient emphasis on Research and Development. Number of PhDs coming out of the system is very low. Knowledge creation and higher education: Professionals engaged in higher education have the extra responsibility of indulging in research and creating knowledge. Government has taken initiative and has sanctioned money to create the “KNOWLEDGE NETWORK” which will help in collaboration and avoid duplication in research. Indigenous technology development requires that we have state of the art laboratories. In the recent times we have seen a significant growth in private engineering colleges. But there is a big scarcity of quality faculty. Through immediate intervention the government needs to multiply the number of Phds and post-doctoral works by manifold. References: 1.http://www.indiaedu.com/history-education-indi a.html 2.http://www.gprg.org/pubs/workingpapers/pdfs/g prg-wps-071.pdf [Mr. Tarun Patnaik is an engineer from IIT, Kharagpur. Currently he is engaged in free lance research residing in Rayagada, Orissa.]
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Book Review Section:
Dipavali Sen
A New Look at Darwin [The Philosophy of Evolution Transcience Transactions Vol.1, Edited by U.V.S. Rana, K. Srinivas, N.C. Aery and A.K.Purohit, published by Yash Publishing House, Bikaner, 2010, hardbound, designing & printing by Kino Computer Graphics, pp 191, price Rs 1195] book should be of great interest to any This reader of The Radical Humanist because humanism has a direct relation to the philosophy of evolution. The human being is an evolved entity. We are all here today because we have evolved – and will be there in the far tomorrow only if we keep on evolving. More specifically, Darwin’s philosophy of ‘the survival of the fittest’ has lent support the laissez-faire ideas of Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries, providing a rationalization of Competition and Capitalism. How should we look at it now? Darwin was born in 1809 and The Origin of Species was published in 1859. This book, published in 2010, is a commemoration of both events. As the Preface says, Darwin’s theory is the main stay of the orthodox science today, but it has got “hardened” over time. To soften its stance and make it more lively, there is a need to bring together divergent views of
celebrated contemporary scientists, and that is exactly what the book does. Stanley K. Sessions in the opening article ‘What would Darwin think?’ (Chapter 1, pp 1-14) discusses the relationship between religion and science, the Darwinian perspective of consciousness, and the new Evade (evolutionary developmental biology). Ernest Rossi and others ask ‘What Makes Us Human?’(Chapter 2, pp 15-38). They discuss the co-evolution of brain, mind and consciousness from the neuro-scientist’s point of view. ‘Evolution: An Alternate View’ (3, 39-48, Shajan Mathew) says that nature is inherently creative and biological evolution is driven by this creativity. Knowledge again is a product of evolution. Looking inward is the only way to know. ‘Unified Evolution Theory’ (4, 49-61, John Patrick) argues that the origin and evolution of life is necessitated by the same natural laws that govern the universe. Did you know that there is a ‘Thermodynamic Philosophy of Evolution’ (5, 63-78, Libb Thims)? It argues that the human being is a 26-element molecule and any modern philosophy should be well-grounded in molecular perspective. The next is a very short paper with an intriguing title: ‘Panpsychism and Thermodynamics, Explored’ (6, 79-84, T.A. Erikson). Pan-psychism is the ancient theory that suggests that all things have awareness, sense and/or consciousness. This paper takes its cue from that and studies the concepts that may cxist between light and mass, life and gravity. An even shorter paper follows: ‘Gondwanaland ‘crescent’ as home to the Homo gene pool’ (7, 85-87, Arunachalam Kumar) with an exciting revelation. If we juxtapose the locales of homo fossil find of the past to the original sites of the pre-simian existence, we find an astounding overlap – a crescent or arc of land – which was cradle and crucible to the evolution of the hominins.
35
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
‘Human migration and formation of social groups of India’ (8, 89-98, Kaushlendra Tripathi) has a sociological message. DNA studies have revealed that modern humans are all descended from a single tribe that was residing in Africa. After coming out of the African content, the tribe spread across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. There were several waves of migration specifically into India. But somehow the caste system that came to prevail in India prevented genetic intermixing and created recessive diseases (single-gene disorders passed on by parents who may be healthy themselves). Promotion of inter-caste marriages can reduce such diseases, and this adds one more argument against the still-persistent caste system in India. ‘The Origin and Evolution of Agriculture’ (9, 99-112, N.C.Aery) describes various theories about the origin of agriculture in various parts of the world and emphasizes the role of biotechnology to improve crop production. So far as India is concerned, the ‘domestication’ of wheat and barley seems to have occurred in early Holocene times, i.e., around 10,000 BC. (It certainly took a long time to the Green Revolution.) Next comes ‘A Nonkilling Paradigm Shift: Toward Evolved Society’ (10, 113-128, Joam Evans).As the paper says, ‘Nonkilling’ is essentially the same thing as non-violent but perhaps more specific. Tracing Nonkilling ideals from Zoroastrianism and Buddhism, it affirms that there is occurring a major shift from lethality-accepting science to an ethically-oriented nonkilling paradigm empowering social and cultural transitions towards a killing-free society. It is certainly necessary for survival and evolution. We often use the word Consciousness. But what does it really mean? ‘The Central Enigma of Consciousness’( 11, 129-158, Chris King ) examines the nature and physical basis of consciousness, using EEG and brain scans, and finds that it has a biophysical basis for its existence. During decision-making, the chaotic sensitivity of global brain states drives the entangled states to a
36
form of quantum anticipation. The brain is sensitive and subjective consciousness helps man to survive by enabling him intuitively to jump out of the way when a tiger is about to strike(rather than calculating which way the tiger may spring). The brain and the body both are developed from a single cell embryo. So Consciousness should not be taken simply as an activity related to the brain but interpreted in terms of genomes (the entirety of an organism’s hereditary information encoded in its DNA/RNA). This is the overall purport of ‘Genomic Consciousness’ (12, 159-68, DMR Sekhar). ‘Complex Systems and Consciousness’ (13, 169-174, Ruggero Rapparini) states that the observer (the brain) is part of the physical world (the observed) whose representation (qualia), as generated by the brain, includes the representation of the brain itself.The mind, it says, is the ‘quale’ (subjective consciousness or raw feel) of the brain’s neural mechanisms, and this is how the perception and consciousness emerge. ‘Consciousness: A Buddhist View’ (14, 175-180, Sreenivasa Rao Subbanna) discusses the Buddhist view that the subtle consciousness is not uniquely human. Consciousness is present in all systems or energy patterns, not just human beings. It suggests that the Buddhists and the scientists should overcome dogmatism and work in collaboration. Science and spirituality should unite in a common cause. The last article ‘Flights of Finches: Exploring Trajectories of Evolutionary Biology’ (15, 181-191, A.K. Purohit) discusses the intricate relationship that evolution and philosophy have. Darwin had found from that the beak size of finches had changed over generations so as to adjust to differences in the size of seeds or insects available in the various islands of the Galapagos archipelago. His theory of evolution has elicited other theories, old and new, not only in biology but in sociology. It has inspired a tremendous spurt of information, expertise and even inter-disciplinary research. He
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
suggests the adoption of a ‘transcience approach’ to encompass and enrich biology and physics as well as philosophy. Darwin’s finches fly in several trajectories, and to bring them under one envelope, we must combine the tools of science with the understanding of humanities. The book has four editors, all dedicated and distinguished in related fields. (Two of them, Dr Rana and Dr Purohit, are contributors as well.) Dr U.V.S Rana is currently the Joint Director of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi, and has contributed richly to the investigation of public health. Dr K. Srinivas, the Superintendent (MILL) of the Uranium Corporation of India Limited in Andrha Pradesh, is an expert on mineral processing.
Prof. N.C. Aery of Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Rajasthan, has researched extensively on geo-botany and bio-chemistry. Dr A.K. Purohit has served as professor in several reputed academic institutions of Rajasthan, enhanced research on Plant Stress Biology, and is currently setting up the Manas Knowledge Solutions at Jodhpur. Their expertise and experience has made the edited volume a rich source of diverse thoughts on the philosophy of evolution. The numerous diagrams and figures enhancing the text are printed with clarity. The references at the end of the chapters are presented systematically However, a glossary of scientific terms would have been a help to the general reader in accessing the ideas of this unusual book that connects biology with philosophy, science with humanities.
Please register yourself on the RH Website http://www.theradicalhumanist.com ¨Please log in to it to give your comments on the articles and humanist news which are uploaded from the world over on the Website almost daily. ¨You may also send in news and write-ups from your part of the land for uploading on the Website. ¨Please send in your views and participate on the topics of debate given in the debate section. You yourself may also begin a debate on any topic of your choice in this section. ¨Please suggest themes for the coming issues of The Radical Humanist, discuss them in the Themes Section of the Website; the content of which may be later published in the RH journal. ¨It is your own inter-active portal formed with a purpose of social interaction amongst all Radical Humanists as well as Rationalists and Humanists from different forums also. ¨Do make it a practice to click on the RH Website http://www.theradicalhumanist.com URL daily, ceremoniously. ¨Please utilise the RH Website to come closer for the common cause of ushering in a renaissance in our country. —Rekha Saraswat, (Editor & Administrator, RH Website) 37
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Humanist News Section: I
M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture 2011: A Report guests, renowned Professor, TheDr.esteemed Ghan Shyam Shah, (National Fellow, at Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla) and distinguished journalist, Mr. Praful Bidwai, (a political columnist, a social science researcher, and an activist on issues of human rights, the environment, global justice and peace) were welcomed by Dr. Rekha Saraswat, Editor, The Radical Humanist on behalf of the Indian Renaissance Institute and the Indian Radical Humanist Association, in Indian Law Institute Hall, on 29th September 2011, on the occasion of M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture 2011. Bouquets of flowers were presented to them by Mr. Narottam Vyas, Treasurer, IRI and Mr. Vikramjeet, Member, Board of Trustees, IRI, while leading them to the stage. All the fellow humanists and legal experts from the Indian Law Institute, who had gathered there in large numbers, sparing their precious time to be part of this august gathering, were also welcomed. MR. B.D. Sharma, Chairman IRI, an eminent lawyer in Supreme Court, and the back bone of the Radical Humanist Movement, was also given a bunch of flowers by Mr. N.D. Pancholi and was led to the stage by him. Finally, she requested on stage Mr. N.D. Pancholi, again an illustrious lawyer who does not hesitate in standing up for the basic human rights of any individual without any discrimination in the law courts of our country. Mr. Pancholi started the formal session by speaking about M.N. Roy and the back ground, relevance and importance of the M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture series. Professor Ghan Shyam Shah then delivered The Memorial Lecture on the topic, ‘Democratic Transformation: An Impasse?’ The Lecture has been published in this issue in the 38
Guests’ Section. Mr. Praful Bidwai, who presided over the session, summed it up by adding that Democracy has been now degraded. We have parties, elections do take place, but the contents have faded out. Private profit and private gain have taken over. Resources are there but they do not filter down to the people. Employment is dropping. GDP growth is a sham as most are not getting benefitted. But our Prime Minister believes that within this inflation there is growth in the country. Now people are reacting. There is a fear that this reaction may not become more violent. Even this violence is more by right wings and less by the Naxalites. The latter’s needs should be fulfilled and nature should not be destroyed. We need reforms in terms of making governments more responsible. Governments need to be more responsible towards the poor. Limits should be placed upon the growth of the rich. Tax rebates to the rich need to be curtailed and proper universal public distribution system should be developed. In the discussion that followed Mr. Prakash Narain, one of the founder Members of IHU, and now in the IHEU Board, wanted Prof. Shah to comment upon Anna Hazare’s movement. Prof. Shah replied that Anna Hazare’s movement reminded him of the 1974/75 issues. Mr. Sansar Chandra (VPG) suggested that the Principle of Equal Opportunity should be implemented. He also proposed meritocracy as a way out to the present dilemma. Dr. Rekha Saraswat requested Prof. Shah to send a detailed article for the RH explaining his points of dissent with one of the basic concepts of Radical Humanism- ‘party-less democracy’. He was in favour of a political party system and felt that in a country like India democracy could not function without it. But he was also apprehensive in his lecture quoting from his displayed data that there was a vast gap and alienation between the masses and the party-men. He informed us that 40-37% of people had a great deal of faith in central and state
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
governments but surprisingly only 18% of them had a great deal of faith in the elected representatives as well as the political parties. She requested him to elaborate upon this anomaly and to suggest ways to come out of it in his article, if possible. The program came to an end with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. B.D. Sharma, Chairman, Indian Renaissance Institute. II
IRI Seminar and Board of Trustees Meeting on 31.12.11 &1.1.12 at Murshidabad, (W.B.): To,
All members of the Indian Renaissance Institute, Trustees & Special Invitees, Notice of IRI seminar and Board of Trustees Meeting to be held on 31st December, 2011 and 1st January, 2012 at Murshidabad, West Bengal. Dear friends, 1.Indian Renaissance Institute is organizing a seminar on the following subject at Murshidabad (West Bengal) on 1st January, 2012: “Status of Democratic Processes in India at present: Crisis and Humanist Approach.” The seminar will discuss following topics in the seminar: (i) Land Acquisition & Development, (ii) Spread of Education among the Muslim Youth, (iii) Democratic Processes, Political Parties and the Radical Humanism. Names of the participating speakers in the study camp are as follows: Prof. Sunanda Sanyal, Chairman, Advisory Council, Govt. of W. Bengal. Prof. Miratoon Nahar, Ex Member, W.B. Women’s Commission. Prof. Shamin Ahmed, R. K. Mission College Belur.
Md. Farook Ahmed, Editor of a Bengali journal, Domkal Engineering College, Murshidabad (run by the famous local IPS. Mr. Nurul Islam.) Two expected local participants are: Prof. Amzad Hussain & Prof. Sumsudjwaha. 2. Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the I.R.I. will be held on 31st December, 2011. The meeting, in addition to the usual agenda, will also discuss the following proposals sent by Shri Ajit Bhattacharya: (i) Amendment in the constitution of the IRI i.e. creation of post of two Vice Presidents and two Asst. Secretaries. (ii) Establishing a regular office of IRI at Delhi (iii) Proposal to print RH in news/white print (iv) Steps for People’s Plan. (v) Raising of funds by donations etc. for RH. Following proposals Prof. Jayanti Patel will also be discussed: (i) Appointment of a Director of IRI for academic and research purposes (ii) Appointment of Team of academicians to assist IRI for publishing humanist literature Detailed agenda will be sent soon. IRI is attempting to upload all the writings of M.N. Roy and other related literature on the website of RH. I hope this task is likely to be accomplished in due course. Members are requested to raise donations for IRI. Cheques/drafts may be issued in the name of ‘Indian Renaissance Institute’. Members are requested to participate in the seminar with other sympathizers and friends in large numbers. For booking of accommodation etc. please contact: Shri Ajit Bhattacharya, bhattacharyyaajit@yahoo.com Mobile No.09433224517. Address: Ajit Bhattacharya, J-13, Govt. Housing Estate, C.N. Roy Road, Kolkata- 700039.
39
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Notice sent by—N.D. Pancholi, Secretary, Indian forces shall have to work in concert or unison till the 2012 elections. Stalwart Gandhian Chunibhai Renaissance Institute Vaidya expressed the hope that “Sarvoday Samaj” III had played an onerous role during the Birth Anniversary of JP celebrated: which emergency in 1975 will certainly play similar role A Public Meeting held on the Birth Anniversary of in the coming years. Prof. Dineshbhai Shukla JP Emergency still prevails in Gujarat!! Let us fight stated that undeclared emergency is far more the efforts of threatening the voice of dissent. On dangerous than the declared emergency and added 11th October, on the occasion of 111th birth that C.M. is not listening to anyone. He is anniversary of Jay Prakash Narayan, a public misleading the public by hi-fi publicity and rabble meeting was held at Himavan, Paldi, by the JP Birth rousing public speeches. Against the MOUs said to Anniversary Committee, PUCL and MSD, have been entered into worth Rs. 40 lac crores, shall followed by programme of candle light any one inquire how much out of it has indeed been demonstration. actually implemented? Ilaben Pathak of AWAG While addressing the public meeting, former Chief informed that to-day the public has become victim Minister and Convener of Prabuddh Nagrik Shakti of CM’s elocution gimmicks. Condition of Manch, Shri Suresh Mehta stated that as the to-day’s already ruined people is not going to be opposition party has failed in its responsibility to any worse than what it is. People’s backbone is voice protest in the matter of various issues facing broken and they have lost the will or strength to the public it has given rise to responsibility of the fight back. In the outset of the meeting, in their activists such as us. There is a need to start agitation speeches, Gautam Thaker (PUCL), all over Gujarat by the protesters on the various Dwarikanath Rath (MSD) and Mahadev fronts like the agitation launched by Chunibhai Vidrohi recollected their past experiences with JP Vaidya and Kanubhai Kalsariya against Nirma, in and gave a call to protest against fascist tactics Mahuva. This task has to be accomplished together resorted by the Government to strangle the voices in a united way by the various forces active in the of dissent. Towards end of the meeting, detailed State. Only when people’s power is awakened, we programmes were deliberated upon. The tendency can say that “Leave the throne; we are coming”. of harassing the whistle blowers in the State was This Government has banned certain publications condemned and consent of the meeting was taken lest true information may reach to the public. to prepare a memorandum on the same. Thereafter, Details about the Five Year plans which should be candle light demonstration was staged at the Paldi made public will not now reach to them. During last junction and following slogans were ten years, publicity crazy C. M. has extravagantly raised:Confrontation is our call against highhanded spent Rs. 2 lac crores in different ways in the rush dictatorship; Immediately release Sanjiv Bhatt; or lust for projecting his image. Senior Reporter ·We want lawful regime, lawful regime; Down Prakash N. Shah stated that when we remember with undeclared emergency in Gujarat; Do not J.P., it reminds us of re-establishing democracy strangle the voices of dissent; We want fear-free which in turn reminds us of poem by the poet State; Strong Lokpal in the country and impartial Dinkar that „ “SAARA AKAASH…..the future Lokayukta in the State; Fight with undeclared but history is ours”. It is time for us to make efforts to prevalent emergency in the State & country; Long depict a new history for Gujarat and to arouse or live people’s movement for civic and democratic awaken people’s power. The opposition has to play rights throughout country and the State. its role by merging with the main stream of the News sent by— Gautam Thaker, General people’s power. Opposition as well as other various Secretary PUCL Gujarat 40
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
NOVEMBER 2011
Pictures taken during the M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture 2011
Mr. N.D. Pancholi gave the introductory remarks
Prof. Ghanshyam Shah delivered the M.N. Roy Memorial Lecture
Speakers on Stage at Indian Law
Mr. Praful Bidwai concluded the session
Institute Hall, New Delhi
Mr. B.D. Sharma thanked the guests and the audience
1
RNI No. 43049/85 Post Office Regd. No. Meerut-146-2009-2011 to be posted on 2nd. of every month at H.P.O. Meerut Cantt. RENAISSANCE PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED 15, Bankim Chatterjee Street (2nd floor), Kolkata: 700 073, Mobile: 9831261725 NEW FROM RENAISSANCE By SIBNARAYAN RAY Between Renaissance and Revolution-Selected Essays: Vol. I- H.C.350.00 In Freedom’s Quest: A Study of the Life and Works of M.N. Roy: Vol.Ill H.C.250.00 Against the Current - H.C.350.00 By M.N. ROY Science and Superstition - H.C.125.00 AWAITED OUTSTANDING PUBLICATIONS By RABINDRANATH TAGORE & M.N. ROY Nationalism - H.C.150.00 By M.N. ROY The Intellectual Roots of Modern Civilization - H.C.150.00 The Russian Revolution - P.B.140.00 The Tragedy of Communism - H.C.180.00 From the Communist Manifesto - P.B.100.00 To Radical Humanism - H.C.140.00 Humanism, Revivalism and the Indian Heritage - P.B. 140.00 By SIVANATH SASTRI A History of The Renaissance in Bengal —Ramtanu Lahiri: Brahman & Reformer H.C.180.00 By SIBNARAYAN RAY Gandhi, Gandhism and Our Times (Edited) - H.C.200.00 The Mask and The Face (Jointly Edited with Marian Maddern) - H.C.200.00 Sane Voices for a Disoriented Generation (Edited) - P.B. 140.00 From the Broken Nest to Visvabharati - P.B.120.00 The Spirit of the Renaissance - P.B.150.00 Ripeness is All - P.B. 125.00 By ELLEN ROY From the Absurdity to Creative Rationalism - P.B. 90.00 By V. M. TARKUNDE Voice of A Great Sentinel - H.C.175.00 By SWARAJ SENGUPTA Reflections - H.C 150.00 Science, Society and Secular Humanism - H.C. 125.00 By DEBALINA BANDOPADHYAY The Woman-Question and Victorian Novel - H.C. 150.00
Published and printed by Mr. N.D. Pancholi on behalf of Indian Renaissance Institute at 1183, Chatta Madan Gopal Maliwada, Chandni Chawk, Delhi, 110006 Printed by Nageen Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., W. K. Road, Meerut, 250002 Editor-Dr. Rekha Saraswat, C-8, Defence Colony, Meerut, 250001