Indan National Congress THE CSR OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT

Indan National Congress THE CSR OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT


Indian National Congress was formed by a British Civil Servant Mr A O Hume in 1885. The stated objectives were greater participation of educated Indians in Government.
It never envisaged anything rebellious. It was merely a hollow Corporate Social Responsibility activity of the British Government. We have been hearing about workers participation in Corporate Managemnent since time ad nauseam. Indian National Congress was something similar.
The muzzling of press through Vernacular Press Act in 1878 and the discriminatory Judicial process related Ilbert Bill of 1882 and its aftermath , as well as the reduction of the age limit for the Civil Services Exams in 1876 resulted in a wave of opposition from the middle class Indians. Consequently some of them came together and formed a number of small political parties that came out in the streets for protests and rallies. The British foresaw the situation resulting in another rebellion on the pattern of the War of Independence of 1857. To avoid such a situation, the British decided to provide an outlet to the local people where they could discuss their political problems. In order to achieve this goal, Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, had a series of meetings with Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy. He also visited England and met people like John Bright, Sir James Caird, Lord Ripon and some members of the British Parliament. Formation of Indian National Congress was an outcome of this CSR process.
Corporate social responsibility is the continuing commitment by corporate to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.
In a similar but weaker vein on suggestion of the British civil servant Mr Humes an organization principally a debating society under the name and style of Indian National Congress was set up in 1885. It was supposed to provide a vent to the NATIVES to let out their feeling to the Viceroy to help him to Govern India more effectively.
However Britishers cunningly got Muslims against it under their divide and rule policy. The Muslims boycotted it. Sir Syed Ahmed was in the forefront opposing Congress. The Tragedy was that the muslims and the rich Hindus were not comfortable with any other perception of rulers. They were comfortable with feudal system of governance. The British system of governance was comfortable to most of them. Muslims were made to believe that Indian National Congress was a Hindu party and would not take care of their interests.
To counter congress British Government promoted Muslim League another debating drawing room organization.
Yet the CSR efforts went astray with the arrival of nationalist leaders like, Lal-Bal-Pal, Mahatma Gandhi etc., They realized it too late that the education being provided under the CSR efforts had opened the vistas of the world to these persons.A British officer remarked that “we were trying to build administrators , by teaching revolutionary literature.” Once the elite Hindus had had English education the Vista of the whole world was opened to them. That included revolutionary literature of Roussau Voltaire and the likes.

Godhara

गोधरा हिरोशिमा की नाईं
हठात् विश्व के नक्शे पे आ गया
एक गुमनाम सा कस्बा
इन्सानियत की कब्रगाह बन
सुर्खियों में था
यह बात और थी कि
उन सुर्खियों को सुर्ख रंग
इन्सानों के लहू से ही मिला था

अब मुझ जैसे समर्थ लोगों को
प्रतिशोध में कुछ और शहरों के नाम
सुर्खियों में लाने थे
फिर से हुई इन्सानियत की हत्या
फिर कुछ और लहू बहा
अब कुछ और शहरों के नाम
सुर्खियों में थे
मैने लूटा दुकानों को
इस बात से बेखबर
कि अपनी पांच हज़ार साल की धरोहर
उसी दहलीज़ पर मैं खुद
लूटा कर आया हूं
हां वही सम्पदा जो मुझे
राम बुद्ध औ गांधी से
विरासत में मिलि थी
एक छण में गवां कर आया हूं।
हां मैं अब अपना सब कुछ लूटा
भेड़िये में तबदील हो गया था
समर्थ को नहीं दोष गुनगुनाता
कुछ और शिकार तलाश रहा था
इन्सानियत अब जर्द औ रक्तविहीन हो
हाशिये पे पंहुच चुकी थी

वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम का मन्त्र
अब बासी हो चला था
राम का वर्गीकरण कर
उसका धनुष अपने हाथों में ले
मैं, हाँ अब मैं ही
राम की रक्षा कर रहा था


Godhra like Hiroshima
All of a sudden Got Identified on the World Map
An Unknown town was in headlines
By turning into a graveyard of humanity
Although the vermillion hue of the headline
Was obtained from human blood alone
Now it was the turn of certain other
Strong men such as me
To bring names of certain other towns in headlines
Once Again Humanity was murdered
Some more blood was shed
And Few more towns
Hit the headlines

I Robbed shops
Unaware of The Fact
That I had Lost My Five Thousand Years
Estate In The bargain
Yes the Same Estate that I had got as inheritance
From Ram ,Buddha and Gandhi
I lost at the same doorstep in a second

Now Bereft Of everything

I had Metamorphosised into A Wolf
And Pleading Might is Right
I was Looking For a Fresh Prey
The Humanity had become Anemic and Pale
And had become marginalized
The Concept of universal Brotherhood
Had Become Stale
Now I Had segmented Ram
Taken his bow in my hand
And me , yes little me
Had Become the protector of Ram

Gandhi

गांधी

गांधी तेरे चर्खे पर
खद्दरधारी आज कात रहें हैं सोने के धागे
पहन जन सेवा का मुखौटा
रहते लूट खसोट मे सबसे आगे

राष्ट्र के तीनों स्तम्भ
गाँधी तेरे तीन बन्दरों की नाईं
आंख कान मुंह बन्द कर लाचार
रक्षक नेता कान बन्द कर तक्षक बन गये
करते राष्ट्रसेवा के नाम पर व्याभिचार।

राजघाट पर हर साल मगरमcछी आंसू बहाते
दो अक्टुबार को माला पहनाते
बाकी 363 दिन
तेरा नाम बेच बेच कर अर्थ कमाते
स्विस बैंकों में उसे जमा करा
मेरा भारत महान का नारा लगाते
तेरी गांधी टोपी तो आज ऊछल रही है बीच बाजार ।

परिवार वाद के साये में
पहन तेरे नाम का मुखौटा
भूमन्डलीकरण के नाम पर
रामराज्य के बदले, रोमराज्य का करते प्रचार ।

अधिकारी गण अहं से अन्धे हो गये
आंखें मीच फरमान सुनाते
गणतन्त्र की होली जलाते
मन्त्रियों के तलवे सहलाते
अपनी प्रोन्नति और कुर्सी की जद्दोजहद में
क्यों सुने वे जनता की पुकार।

न्यायपालिका भी मुंह बन्द कर बैठी
अपने Ivory Tower में खुद ही बन्द
संविधान के अनुcछेद, ज्यों बन गये हों कारागार।

आज जब सिर्फ तम है चतुर्दिक
इस तमस से हमें उबारने
हे युगावतार एकबार तुम फिर से आओ
तेरी खादी का द्रौपदी सा
आज हो रहा है चीर हरण
कृष्ण सम परित्राणाम साधुनाम एकबार तुम फिर से आओ
भारत को बांटा दो टुकड़ों में अंग्रेजों ने
भारतीयों के सौ टुकड़े कर दिये
इन खद्दरधारी जांतपांत के रंगरेजोंने
तुम्हारे उत्तराधिकारियों
के हांलाकि कुल अनेक हो गये
इन सब खल कुलों के चिन्ह भले ही हों अलग अलग
लेकिन हैं ये सारे दुष्कृताम
इन सब के विनाशाय
एकबार तुम फिर से आओ
गांधी तेरा ईश सत्य था
और सत्याग्रह तेरी थाती
आज सत्य रह गया किताबों में
और ईश दुबके बैठे मन्दिर माही
अनाचार अब धर्म हो गया
अपने सत्य के धर्म संस्थापनार्थ
एक बार तुम फिर से आओ
हे कलियुग के युगावतार
एक बार तुम फिर से आओ।

Sun and Me

मैं क्यों नहीं मान पाता हूं
कि सूर्योदय के बाद सूर्यास्त होता है
सोम के बाद मंगल होता
और आज के बाद कल होता
क्योंकि मैं जानता हूँ कि
सूर्य का न उदय होता है न अस्त
वो तो सिर्फ टंगा खड़ा है, एक खूंटे से ।
यह तो है पृथ्वी है का घूमना,
और मेरी पृथ्वी बद्धता ।
जिससे सूरज कभी होता है
मेरी आँखों के सामने
और कभी मेरी पीठ के पीछे।
और बस इसीलिये मुझे कभी
सूर्योदय एवं सूर्यास्त का छलावा
रास ही नहीं आया।
कभी सोचता हूं कि
अगर मैं अपनी ही धूरी पर घूम जाउं
तो सूर्योदय और सूर्यास्त की श्रृंखला
निश्चित ही गड़बड़ा जायेगी
और अगर मैं चलना शुरु कर दूं
पृथ्वी की दिशा के विपरीत
तो सूर्योदय एवं सूर्यास्त की परंपरा ही शेष हो जयेगी
फिर न आज के बाद के कल होगा
न सोम के बाद मंगल
रह जायेगी निरन्तर मध्यान्ह की धूप
और चिरन्तन आज में जीता हुआ मैं


Why can’t I accept,
That as per tradition every sunset follows a sunrise
That every Tomorrow follows a today
That every Tuesday follows a Monday
Its because I know
That the tradition of Sunset and Sunrise is a hoax
That the Sun is stuck fixed in its groove
It’s the earth’s rotation
And my bondage with the earth
That makes me face Sun at times
And put it behind my back on others
And that’s the reason that I could never enjoy this illusion
Of sunset and sunrise
Sometimes I hear a voice from my inner self
That if I turn on my axis
The tradition of sunset and sunrise shall get badly disturbed
And again if I started walking
In the direction opposite to the Earth’s spin
It would put an end to all the traditions
Viz.,a Sunset following a Sunrise
And a Tuesday following a Monday
And that of a tomorrow following a today
And we shall have a perennial mid day Sun
And a ME living perennially in TODAY

Intellectual

बुद्धिजीवी तुम हो
गमले में उगे हुए व्यक्ति
तुम्हारा आस्तित्व
Bonsai सा निहयत बौना

तुम्हारा लेखन
महज एक intellectual diorrhea सा
ज्यों दसियों अलग अलग पार्टियों का खाया भोजन
मारे बदहजमी के कागज़ पर
कै की तरह बिखर जाये
इनमें एक भी शब्द ऐसा नहीं
जो भोगे हुए यथार्थ का परिचय पाये।

तुम बिल्कुल Bonsai के मानिन्द
खड़े हो
एक नकली ऊम्र का लबादा ओढे
एक कृत्रिम गाम्भीर्य की सलवटें लिये माथे पर

तुम्हारी जडे भी मिट्टी के अन्दर कम
मिट्टी के बाहर ही अधिक दृष्टिगोचर

तुम्हारी उम्र छ्द्म ,
जन्मपत्री से किसी की उम्र का आंकलन नहीं है सम्भव,
बिना झेले तुफानों को
बिना डालों पर झूला बधंवाए,
बिना दिये कभी पक्षियों को आसरा
इस अभिनित उम्र की नहीं होती कोई हकीकत

एक ही दिन को हर रोज जीने वाले
विगत इतने वर्षों में तुम,
ऊम्र एक ही दिन की तय कर पाये

ऊम्र को वज़ूद पाने को चहिये होता है
एक अभिनित नहीं
वरन जीया हुआ इतिहास

आज अनुभव रहित तुम्हारा ज्ञान
Bonsai पर लगे फल सा
आकर्षक लेकिन स्वाद व गुण से सर्वथा अनजान

तुम्हारे ज्ञान का परचम
बिना कार्यान्वन के मेरुदन्ड के
मेज़ पर सजे तिरंगे सा
प्रतीक लेकिन निःपन्द एवम प्रभावहीन ।

तुम जब गमले से निकल
मिट्टी से जुड पाओगे
तब जड़ें बाहर नहीं
अन्दर समायेंगी मिट्टी में दूर तक
Greenhouse के वातनूकूलित वातावरण से निकल
जब झेलोगे मार्तन्ड का पूरा ताप
तब ही पाओगे अपने पौरुष का एहसास
औ अपने आप में एक पूर्णता का आभास
तब तुम्हारे शब्दों में भी होगा जीवन दर्शन
औ तुम्हारे आस्तित्व में एक तारीख़ी सत्य का मचन
हाँ और अब वामन नहीं
पाकर अपना पूरा आकार
अपनी अस्मिता के लिये
तुम्हें नहीं रहेगा किसी कला समीक्षक
का इन्तज़ार

INTELLECTUALS

Intellectuals
You are a Flower Pot Born Person
You Have a Dwarfish Identity
Like That of A Bonsai

Your Musings Are Like Intellectual Diorrhea’
As If Food Consumed In Ten Parties
Because Of Indigestion
Gets Thrown Up Like Vomit And Spreads On Paper
Not A Word In It
That may qualify For Empirical Truth

You Exactly Like A Bonsai
Are Standing
With A Fake Aged and Experienced Look
You Have Artificial Wrinkles On Your Forehead
Your Roots Too Are Visible and More Exposed Above Ground
Then In the Soil

Your Fake Age,
Birth Certificates Can Not Give any Ones Age
Without Facing Storms
Without Swings Adorning Your Branches
Without Birds Making Nests On Your Branches
This Mimed age has No Sanctity
You Who Has Lived One Day over and Over Again
In all These Years
Has Aged By Merely ONE DAY Alone
To Give Reality To Ones Age
You Have To Live the Years
Not merely mime the living

Today Your non empirical Intelligence
Is Like Fruits on A Bonsai Plant
Beautiful But Devoid of Taste and Vitamins

Your Flag Of Intellect
Is Like Tricolour On the Table
Symbol yet Non Inspiring

When You shall Leave the pot and get Rooted in the Earth
Then Your Roots Shall Go
Inside the Ground
Very Deep

When You get Out Of The Controlled Enviornment Of The Greenhouse
And Face The Sun’s Wrath
Then Alone
You Shall have the perception of Your Manhood
And a Feeling of Completeness

Then Your Words would Have Philosophy of Life
Your Identity shall unravel Historic Facts
You After Getting Your Full Dimensions
You shall not look for
An Art Critics Review for your Self Respect

Impact of Islam on Hinduism

Impact of Islam on Hinduism
Muslims and Islam started reaching India in 7th Century alone. They first reached Malabar as traders. This was during the life time of the prophet.The local Moplas converted themselves and adopted Islam religion. It was a peaceful conversion.
Muslim reached Sindh as invaders in early eighth century. They established their reign in Sindh and could not proceed beyond that for next four hundred years.

There has been certain perception that Adi Shankaracharya started preaching “Advaitwad” and “Ekeshwarwad” under the influence of Islam. This perception has been created by authors viz., Humayun Kabir, Dr Abid Hussain and certain others of their ilk. This is as naïve or misleading as it could be.It takes birth in a premise that “Advaitwad” and “Ekeshwarwad” were unknown to Hinduism before Shankar. Whereas the tradition of “Adwaitwad” is as old as Rig Veda. It is found in the Nasadiya treaty in Rigveda.
This is true that Adi Shankaracharya was born in 8th Century and at that time Hinduism was being practiced as a polytheist religion.Alongwith this is also a fact that Shankars immediate Gurus and neighbourhood were Buddhist. If anything than it was the Buddhist Voidism or Shunyavad the guiding or influencing factor in the concept of Shankarachary’s propounding the theory of “Advaitwad”.
It is an absolutely misconceived perception that Islam had anything to do with the “Advaitwad” of Shankar. The “Advaitwad” of Shankar and the monism of Islam are very different. The “Advaitwad” says there is absence of a SECOND where as Islam believes in Monism.
Yes the Varna Bhed in India did get diluted because of Islamic influence. All our preachers viz.,Tulasi Das had accepted the “ Cast distinction”. The Buddhist and Jain influence had certainly caused dilution in the Varna bhed. Islam also added its own weight behind it. First time Preachers viz., Saint Ramanujam took low cast Hindus and Muslims in their fold and accepted them as their desciples.
There is another aspect to the deliberation. Islam unlike other religions does not have any philosophy behind it. It is a religion of simple do's and donts. It is a religion for ordinary ribal folks and not thinkers or philosophers. It does not allow any research or analytical study. Certainly it is very difficult for a religion without philosophy to influence others.
Yes the Muslim sufi sect could had been influenced by Hinduism. The slogan “Anal Haq”is very similar to “Aham Brhmashmi”.But then it may be an incorrect analysis.. Mysticism is always a part of all religious movements. Maybe it surfaced amongst Sufis naturally.
The continued interaction of Sufis and Hindus did bring a fresh approach in Hinduism. The casteism received a big blow. Idol worship became less important.
Yes Islam did effect Hindus in a big way though not Hinduism (in a big way).
Widespread conversions, rise of Sikhism, accepting subjugation to violence were the perceptible and exceedingly visible impact of Muslims on Hindus. As common amongst all defeated nationals Hindus started miming their rulers behavior.Muslims are comfortable in their behaviour but extremely fundamentalists in thier percept.They would never accept that any other religion can even come close to Islam,.Hindus are opposite. They are very open and amenable at their thought level.A Muslim would not have any qualms in breaking bread with a Hindu, whereas HIndus are extremelu liberal at thought level. They are eager to accept Sarva Dharma Sambhav. Yet would be extremely hesistant to break bread with a non hindu.
Aur fir kabhi.

Corporate Social Responsiblity

Recently I had attended the AGM of CII Orissa in Bhubaneswar. A prominent speaker a senior level office bearer of CII spoke eloquently about Corporate Social Responsibility with obvious references to Nandigram and Singur.
Even in the previous year another senior level office bearer spoke in similar vein.
A well intended subject has become a politically correct cliché. Every year or even otherwise in all such august gatherings very pleasing statements are made. Sadly most of the CSR efforts of the Corporate sector in India have become reduced to photo-ops with TV crew milling around. They lack sincerity and commitment.
The general perception about CSR amongst the Indian Corporate sector is that of Charity,doling out crumbs. CSR is not about charity. It is about improving your relationship, having a better neighbourhood, working with the society and that of sustained development. A good starting point would be “OM SAHANVAVATU…..SAHANAU BHUNAKTU…………..”.
Inspite of all the CSR efforts in Nandigram the image that lingers is of Industry vs Farmers. Such perceptions cause large scale damage.
I suggested to the august gathering that it is high time there was a wedding of well intended low cost NGO’s and the Corporate sector. Though the CSR should mean an ethical and responsible behavior towards one’s employees, customers , peripherals and society in general. In the current aspect I am talking about one’s neighbourhood and society. These are the days of specialisation and outsourcing. These (low cost) NGO employees dress and speak the language of the target group. The suave and citybred executives would never be able to inspire confidence amongst the villagers. The villagers by and large perceive all these well groomed, well dressed persons as insincere and out for a photop-op. They believe and very often rightly that these people collect funds in the names of these villagers, do a high profile camera shoot and disappear.
Corporate sector with their management expertise can effectively participate in the top level management of these NGO’s yet leave the ground work to the executives of the NGO’s. The Big NGO’s are top heavy and the overhead cost is more than what goes in the fields.
Today when the Corporate sector has become as big as the state they should be a bit more responsive towards the society.
Yes there are a few sound CSR efforts by the corporate sector in India. Its still a long way when the acronym would become a common phrase in the society.

HINDUISM

Hinduism
Guess I have been reading a lot of stuff on Islam and Hiduism. Both in terms of history and philosophy. In India we who call ourselves Hindus must understand the term Hindu. Its become a misnomer for a ritualistic, paganish, religion. First and foremost Hindus must understand Hinduism is not a religion as defined by Cicero.The word religion : re =again and legre = lecture It would mean to go through again.Even the common usage of the word religiously means, to do some thing again and again as a matter of routine.The word Dharma does not have an equivalent english word. It comes close to words like "Nature", "conduct" etc.,.Hinduism is the Dharma of people who lived in the cradle of Indus valley. It was their way of living life consciously.The icon they worshipped were irrelevant. It got converted into a ritualistic polytheist paganish religion, after the invasion of Arabs and turks.People to shroud their cowardice starting looking for Gods. What was achievable only through courage and conviction they tried to achieve through Gods mercy or miracle.That started the long series of ritualistic worshipping. Worshipping and temples have been there since vedic period.That time it was in different percept. It was an altar to defuse all negativity and draw strength.It became a common refuge and escapist after the invasion and abject surrender by the weak hindu rulers during and post 12th century. Hinduism word is not to be found in any of the scriptures. But if we go beyond the word, this Dharma as defined in the Upanishads (the most relevant scriptures) is all inclusive.It is for all living being.Unlike Islam or Christianity it does not lay a pre condition that unless you convert and start worshipping a particular God or obey any particular book you can not achieve salvation.It repeatedly insists on spiritualism alone.Spiritualism is beyond any common percept of God.The Four Mahaakyas do give a glimpse of the Dharma (commonly known as hinduism). Let us pick up the most common one i.e., TAT TWAM ASI. In this statement there is no God. It only says Thou art that. That would mean we must shed our EGO alone to and understand that we are a subset of Him.This would hold true for all concerned, irtrespective of the Icons he or she is anchored to.A simple word like "Namashkar" used by all of us millions of times by all of us. How many have understood the message behind it. It is as follows : Namashkar= Namah+Akar. That is I bow (namah) to the God in your shape and physic(Akar).Such beautiful sublime eruditeness in everyday salutation. It woud be difficult to find a parallel in any other religion.Yet Hinduism today has become a symbol of derision. It has become a synonym for all that is fundamentalist,obscurantist,conservative and ancient.The so called English speaking chatterati masquerading as media has done immense harm to the percept of Hinduism. No doubt the Brahmins of India too have caused major damage over the centuries to a wonderful Dharma.These days largely the Brahmins have become irrelevant though. What is visible is lot more perceptible then what is written in the Books. The rituals have become the face of Hinduism. A whole Yuppy class has grown up in this country. The so called tomorrows leaders, passing out of the Business Management and such other colleges lately have become the visible face of India.I have interacted with a quite a lot of them. They are ashamed of being branded as Hindus.To them Hinduism is all about worshipping cows,celebrating strange festivals,being out of sync with the modern world's dog eats dog concept.Materialism and consumerism is the modern DIVA.The system is so corrupt that it also supports these percepts.A Manu Sharma or Vikas Yadav are not isolated examples. Power is all that matters.In such a world ofcourse Hinduism is orthodox, philistine and obscurantist.Regarding Islam and its effect on Hinduism in next post.