Thursday, July 29, 2010

Picking pocket of common man, a better option to pay the compensation to victims

How many of us know that DOW Chemical had paid a penalty of $ 325,000 to the US government? Interestingly, the company had paid a huge sum as a punishment for bribing Indian officials for the registration of its pesticides in India in the duration from the year 1996 to 2001. DOW is continuously denying its legacy received from the Union Carbide might be detrimental for itself.

This truth was revealed on February 13, 2007, when the US Secretary and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined DOW with a heavy amount, after the company provided the details of steps followed in the investigation of the incident exposing the corruption and clean-up action.

Consequently, while talking on the issue to a national newspaper, the then Secretary, Agriculture PK Mishra said, “This sounds very serious and we will investigate into the matter”. But, as per my perception, we don’t have any knowledge of any such investigation being carried out against some official or department.

Even then the ambit of investigation is not too large. Let’s see the process of issuing registration. The Central Insecticide Board (CIB) of India, which issues the registration to any pesticides manufacturing company, after which the company can launch and advertise its product in the market, has a total of six members, among which, one was bribed as per the information given by DOW to SEC. Among the others, bribed were mostly the licensing officers of each state.

But we know the result and we can not ignore it, stating it the apathy of the government.

Isn’t it an interesting fact that a company has paid fine to the US government for violating law and order of India and spreading vulgarities here. And even then our so called pro-human and high valued country has not even claimed of its part which is its right.

Government of India has announced Rs 1,500 crore of compensation for the victims of biggest chemical disaster ever occurred in 1984 at the heart place of the country. But the noticeable point here is that the Congress leading UPA government, announced a package of Rs 12,00 crore for the rehabilitation for the victims through the planning commission, at a time when two eminent leaders of the country were being proved guilty of helping the Union Carbide (UC) chief, Warren Anderson to flee from the country

The intention behind announcing the compensation doesn’t seem very fair it seems as if the government is trying to erase the pictures of accused from people’s mind. Unfortunately, the political party has succeeded in its clever intentions. No body is asking what compelled the then chief Minister Arjun Singh and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to work as a safeguard of Anderson. I think, barely apex body of the country has been exposed in such fashion in the democratic history, for working against the country. Normally this issue is worth changing the power scenario in the country but its effect is nil

The biggest tragedy here is that the compensation hasn’t been taken from the treasury of Union carbide or its successor DOW Chemical but from the picking pocket of common tax payers of the country. Even the government could not dare to demand money from these companies.

At this point, two things can be questioned. First one is that if DOW could be punished in America for spreading corruption in India they why not in India? Ultimately, that corruption has done a lot of harm to the country. Its pesticides posed threat to the lives of Indians and not that of any American. And how indifferent are these politicians or so called Indian liberals representing democracy that they have not even initiated against anyone.

(One thing I would like to mention here, which may seem out subject If any social worker or activist launches a protest against the company, these ghatiya propagators would try to convince common man as anti-development people. I would like to inform that there are many in Bhopal who has launched agitations against DOW that it should complete its responsibility received in the legacy of the Union Carbide. They argue that if DOW has no problem in enjoying the lucrative legacy of it’s a predecessor (UC) then how it can deny the negative one. Leaders here blame these activists as anti-development people.)

I only want to convey here that Indian government has ultimately announced substantial amount of compensation for the gas victims. And undoubtedly, this money has been picked from the poor pocket of taxpayers. I just want to ask, what the problems Indian government is facing for demanding the compensation from DOW. The company which is legally bond to pay, either as successor of Union Carbide or as the accused of violating law and orders of the country. As it is India and not the America who has borne the brunt of the disaster.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

MURDER OF RTI ACTIVIST

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

(Guinness Record Holder & RTI Activist based on New Delhi)


It refers to shocking murder of yet another whistle-blower RTI activist Amit Jethwa in Gujarat. Immediate concrete steps are needed at the highest level. Fortunately in a mud of politically corrupt system, we also have some ideals like Smt Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohansingh. A super-high level meeting between Chairperson of National Advisory Council, Prime Minister, Chief Information Commissioner Shri Wajahat Habibullah, RTI crusaders Smt Aruna Roy and Shri Arvind Kejriwal should be urgently summoned to trace practical ways for preventing murder of RTI activists and other whistle-blowers.

It is an irony that criminals and corrupt ones entered in our political system get security, while whistle-blowers have threat to life from such notorious politicians or those patronised by such politicians. If our governance system cannot provide security to those who have a crusade to expose corruption, then our elected representatives also should not have any right to burden exchequers heavily for their security which in most cases is nothing but status-symbol. Security-cover of all Parliamentarians, members of state-legislatures and ministers (both central and state) should be abolished till foolproof security may be provided to whistle-blowers. Those who are worried of their life due to being in public life need not contest elections.

Only President, Vice president, Prime Minister and Chief Ministers should be provided security-cover apart from some others like members of Nehru-Gandhi family who are under high-risk of militant-threats. Things can automatically improve when our system gets refined to an extent that people like Aruna Roy, Arvind Kejriwal etc may not have any hesitation to replace present breed of corrupt politicians running politics like money-minting business-shops.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

मत आओ तुम

तुम्हारा नहीं आना,

सालता रहा,

तुम्हारे आने की खबर से,

एक द्वन्द है,

आज आओगी,

तुमने नहीं बताया,

कोई बता रहा था,

आज सीढियां चढ़ते हुए,

मना रहा हूँ मैं,

काश! तुम न आओ,

क्यूंकि,

तुम्हारी कुर्सी के खालीपन में,

तुम्हारे न होने में,

लगता है की कुछ है,

कोई मेरा है,

जो यहाँ नहीं है,

तुम्हारे आने से,

मेरा भ्रम टूट जायेगा...



Amarjeet Singh is back with his new poem 'mat aao tum'.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Indian Baba's


This is a photograph of Muni Tarun, a renowned baba concerned for social welfare.


He can't walk on foot....being taken in a Palanquin. Being a baba, he doesn’t care about the pains that his followers would be facing while carrying him on a Palanquin for several kilometers. On the top of this, he also moves with around 10 security personnel as someone might attack him.




Ram Awtar Yadav has visited the blog in his special style. Ram, its my request to you please continue your kind support for the improvement of the blog.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

We said,

Dr Aparna Mishra ji,


I don’t know what you have seen in MP which formed an impression of development in the state to you! Its been a year, since I arrived Bhopal, and in this duration, I found children dying of starvation, women and dalits being the victim of the attrocities of the government and rampant gundagardi of leaders in the state.
All these things have been discussed openly in the national media (don’t know how you missed it?) and discussed repeatedly. Even on Tuesday, an international institution has published a report on National Human Development Index , in which you can see the actual condition. it says that the noumber of people leaving below poverty line in five states of India including MP,Orissa and few other states is greater than that of the 35 states of Africa. this government has been ruling MP for last years, which is I think a sufficient time to bring changes in a state.

Do you know friend there is a district Jhabua in the state, which was discussed a lot in national media galore because children were dying of malnutrition here. Many national and international committees have visited the district and the state in this regard, I think you missed this information also.

As you know I am a budding journalist and get official and unofficial chances to move here and there. I would like to share one of the incidents, here.

I met with a family in a press conference where I found that I was the only journalist, who had came to attend that conference. A man of the age between 25-30years was addressing me rather weeping in front of me and I tell you it was a very tough time for me. He lamented that his wife has been killed because she was not ready to sleep with an influential man of the particular village. And when the man approached police stations for lodging complaint, he was beaten up and charged with criminal act of killing his wife.

Media was the last hope for him because he had tried all the options before it, and his problem was increasing with every station of democratic institution. And unfortunately, I could not succeed to publish his grievance. This story depicts the situation of law and order in the state.

Dr Aparna, we see only those things what we want to see. It is said that human being is political by birth and due to extremely riped system, we have become a bit more political. Actually the prejudices don't offer us to see the negativity of the things which we have considered positive till. 
Dear, I request here please provide the detail of the evidences on this blog which encouraged you to think that the state has experienced significant development. Please, and that's my humble request.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

'Gaon ki beti kaha kisi se chhoti', says Madhya Pradesh government

A picture conveys more than 1,000 words, as said. But it also depends on the person watching it.If the smile on one's face depicts some thing energetic than two other gloomy faces present in the scene, it also have something for you to think over.

 Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the photograph is trying to show that the girls hailing from rural areas are not lagging behind anyone. The smile on his face is regarding, beneficing  more than 20,000 girls  under a plan of MP government, Aao Banaye Apna Madhya Pradesh

Contrary to his claim, both girls through their facial expression are saying something else. They are questioning CM’s extrovert, lump-sump powerful giggle like a villain of Hindi cinema, shows, especially when he knows well that counterpart has been trapped and can not do anything against him. Give a serious look; you would realize that these two girls are not feeling comfortable. If you are unable, I have another one for closer view. have a look:


We can direct our thought process like it might be a mistake of public relation department or the person who has clicked his camera with wrong intention, or that person would be responsible who picked these two girls from the society to be the two charecters of this drama. And second way to guide the thought process is nothing but these girls are unconsciously challenging the power fraud by their innocent expression.

I am not alleging anybody. I am not able to challenge the whole information system owned by the powerful people. It might be a mistake of mine that my perception regarding good governance in Madhya Pradesh diverted.
As you know, I am in state capital, nowadays and there are gigantic hoardings everywhere about the efficient government intended to improve the lifestyle of common man of the state. I took this photograph from a hoarding.

I saw this photograph, while riding my bike, at once I surpassed it, as i was thinking something else, but after covering a distance of almost 1 km an idea erupted in my mind that the particular picture on the hoarding was trying to say something different and I felt as if i have committed a crime, neglecting it.  I returned back and took a snap of the hoarding. Just see it and form your own perception and opinion. You are quite free to think.

And I have one more information for you people. On Saturday perhaps, a Hindi daily published a report in which it has claimed that a minimum  of four farmers in the state are committing suicide on daily basis.

But you are free to percieve as per your wish. The only thing, you have to do is, just  control all your sensory organs (eyes, ears and nose) then speak, ' Jai Ho Swarnim Madhya Pradesh'.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

वो बोल नहीं पाता


‘आज मैं बोलूँगा ’, सोचा उसने

पर,

जब राह चलते एक अदने से सिपाही ने ,

उसे गाली दी ,

जब रेलवे के टिकेट क्लर्क ने ,

घंटो लाइन में रहने के बाद ,

छुट्टे पैसों के लिए उसे ,

बिना टिकेट लौटा दिया ,

जब उसकी प्रेमिका ने उसे ,

अपने किसी ‘गहरे ’ दोस्त से मिलवाया ,

हमेशा की तरह ,

वो आज भी कुछ ,

बोल नहीं पाया ….
*************.



एक इ-मेल


पिछले दिनों तुम्हे एक मेल किया था,

आज फिर कर रहा हूँ,

पिछले मेल का जवाब नहीं आया,

रोज एक आस के साथ,

मेल देखता था,

की तुम्हारा जवाब होगा,

'इन्बोक्स' खुलते ही उम्मीद ढेह जाती थी,

एहसास वही होता जैसे प्रेम के

तूफान के शांत होने पर होता है,

पर शायद इस 'लॉग इन' से,

'इन्बोक्स' के खुलने के सफ़र में,

इस प्रेम के चरम तक पहुचने के पहले के, 'फॉर प्ले' में,

मजा आने लगा है,

इन दस दिनों में जवाब की उम्मीद जा रही थी,

इसलिए आज फिर कर रहा हूँ,

तुम्हारा जवाब नहीं जवाब की,

आश को पाने के लिए.................




This is the first writ-up Amarjeet has bestowed to "We" and with warm welcome I expect, he would continue his contribution to improve this blog.