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MEDIA
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ON MORALITY
THE WAY OF CULTIVATION
“Seeing the world’s
ills, comfort oneself according to
The Dhamma” (Five Part Vinaya)
COMPREHENSIVE PALI COURSE
LESSON 6
Exercise 2
Translate
into Pāli
1.
I shall voluntarily undertake the precepts of abstaining
from killing, from stealing, from sexual misconduct,
from lying and from wine, fermented and intoxicating
drinks which becloud the mind.
Ahām pāṇātipāta, adinnādānā, kamesumicchācārā,
musavadā, surā-meraya-pamādaṭṭhā vera-
maṇī veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṁ Samādiyāmi.
2.
From ignorance arises craving and craving brings
misery.
Avijjāya jāyati taṇhā, taṇhā ca dukkhaṁ āharati.
3.
He will develop the meditation on universal love.
So mettā bhāvanaṁ bhāvessati
4.
Our teacher will teach the meditation on
compassion
and altruistic joy.
Amhākam ācario karuṇāya ceva muditāys ca
bhāvanaṁ
desissati.
5.
Through insight one will destroy delusion
and will
Assend on the path to spiritual
liberation.
Vipassanāya moham banissati nibbānassan
maggaṁ
ca āruhissati.
6.
One gains wisdom through faith and through
Meditation on equanimity.
Sahhhāya paññāṁ
labbhati, bhāvanāya
ca upekkhaṁ
7.
Monks train themselves in wisdom and
compassion.
Samaṇā paññāya ceva karuṇāya ca sikkhanti.
8.
Wise ones go to the cave in the forest and develop
Meditation.
Paṇḍitā araññamhi guhāyam gacchanti ceva bhāva-
naṁ ca bhāventi.
9.
There is no sadness in the cessation of
evil.
Pāpassa nirodhena domanassaṁ
natthi.
10.
There is happiness in the arising of good.
Puññassa samudaye sukhaṁ atthi.
FREE ONLINE TRAINING ON BUDDHISM FOR CHILDREN -9
Are There Different Types of Buddhism?
There are many different types of Buddhism, because the
emphasis changes from country to country due to customs and culture. What does
not vary is the essence of the teaching — the Dhamma or truth.
Theravada Buddhism,
the school of Buddhism found in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia,
Myanmar & in part, Indonesia, Vietnam & Malaysia.
Mahayana Buddhism, the
of
Vajrayana Buddhism, the
of
Jodo Shin Buddhism or Pure Land Buddhism mainly from
Zen Buddhism
A Permanent Online
International Seminar on Buddhism and Buddhist Heritage of Jambudvipa,
that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath -3
Uttar Pradesh Assembly Session to Begin Amid Tight Security ArrangementsJul 31, 2009: The Uttar Pradesh assembly session would get underway As part of the foolproof security measures, 100 policemen would be deployed in the House. It would be the first time that security personnel would be deployed inside the House. Besides, Anti-Terrorist Squad teams would be posted on the premises of the assembly. A separate corridor would be kept for Governor B L Joshi and Chief Minister Mayawati. Political The Opposition parties are likely to target Number of drought affected districts increases to 47 C.M. relaxes parameters for declaring
Cops were slack: minorities panel
|
measures to prevent such incidents.
Commission chairman Mohammed
Shafi Qureshi said the police and administration response in handling the Mysore
communal violence was slack. “An alert police and proper intelligence gathering
could have averted the situation,'’ he added.
Mysore witnessed
communal violence after the carcass of a pig was found in the premises of an
under-construction mosque. Three persons died in the clash.
The
commission members met chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to discuss their
observations. The government has been asked to give jobs to relatives of those
who died. The commission has also suggested that the compensation to victims be
increased.
Buddhists ask for burial ground
The
commission received petitions from various communities, including Buddhists, for
separate burial grounds. “A delegation comprising Buddhists monks and All-India
Buddhist Youth Organization president Milind Dharmasen met us,” commission
members Spalzes Angmo said. “The delegation wanted separate burial grounds and
land for viharas and monasteries.”
The following suggestion was read by Jagatheesan Chjandrasekharan:
Suggestions to National Commission for Minorities
Buddhism and Business
www.buddhismandbusiness.web.com
Email: tradesandprecepts@gmail.com
#668 5th
8th Cross
HAL 3rd Stage
Bangalore-560075
Ph.No. 08042053483
To,
The Honorable Chairman
Honorable sir,
First of all our society is grateful
for the excellent website of National and Karnataka State Minorities Commission which is
very educative and informative.
It is hoped
practiced in the larger interest of all the minority communities and the poorer
among the Sarvajan Samaj.
Main object of the www.buddhismandbusiness.web.com
Website is to provide online information for Entrepreneurial development and
promotion to practice trade and business. Guiding, Motivating and Assisting
budding Entrepreneurs
The National Commission for
Minorities is requested to recommend
the following:
1.
Distribute the National and State
Government wealth proportionately among all sections of the society including
the minorities.
2.
Distribute Government agricultural
lands proportionately
to all sections of the
society including the minorities and arrange for distributing healthy seeds to
the farmers enabling to produce
healthy seeds.
3.
Distribute loans to all those who
wish to trade and do business.
4.
Increase creamy layer ceiling to
Rs.4 lakhs as recommended by
5.
Removal of all hurdles in issuance
of Scheduled Caste certificates to all SC/STs
(Aboriginal Inhabitants) who have returned back to Buddhism as enshrined
in the Constitution.
6.
Provide assistance to start Sila and
Bhavana (Precepts and Meditation) samitis in all the important localities for
promoting peace harmony, self-discipline in the larger interest happiness and
welfare of the society.
With kind regards
Yours faithfully
Jagatheesan
Chandrasekharan (Co-coordinator)
Press Information Bureau
(Chief Minister Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.
Formation of Central Council/Authority on Bundelkhand will hurt
basis of Centre-State relationship and constitutional provisions
—C.M.
Party politics on backward area like Bundelkhand will do no good
—Mayawati
Special packages sanctioned for Uttarakhand, Himanchal Pradesh,
Vidarbha were not under direct control of Government of India
— Chief Minister
C.M. again emphasises need for
Special Area Incentive Package for Bundelkhand
C.M. writes letter to Prime Minister
Lucknow : July 30, 2009
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati said that party
politics on backward area like Bundelkhand would do no good, therefore
the parties should not indulge in petty politics regarding the development
of a backward area like Bundelkhand. In her letter written to the Prime
Minister today, the CM said that the proposal to set up a centrallycontrolled
Council/Authority for Bundelkhand would hit at the very basis
of centre-state relations and also the provisions of the Constitution. She
requested again to the Prime Minister to sanction Special Area Incentive
Package for Bundelkhand.
The Chief Minister said that she had come to know from media that
the Government of India, on one hand, was considering the request of
the U.P. Government, while on the other it was also mulling to set up an
inter-state Bundelkhand Development Authority/Council under it. She
said that the administrative mechanism of Uttar Pradesh could effectively
tackle with the problems related to local development. She further said its
comparison with North-Eastern Council was neither required nor correct.
Ms. Mayawati said that the media reports indicated that the
objective of the formation of aforesaid Council/Authority was to limit the
role of State Government on the grounds that it was a contiguous
physical area which required integrated development. She said that such
packages had been sanctioned in the past also for different parts of the
country like Uttarakhand, Himanchal Pradesh, Vidarbha etc., but they
were never under the direct control of Government of India.
Assuring full cooperation for the development of Bundelkhand, the
C.M. said that while it may be less difficult to sanction funds, but there
were difficulties in the implementation of central projects. She pointed
large scale time and cost overruns in the last five years.
Ms. Mayawati said that the diesel cess being collected from the
consumers, could be directly allotted to the State for funding such
projects, so that they could be completed without loss to the public
exchequer and less loss of life in accidents during construction.
Drawing P.M.’s attention to her letter written on 26 July 2009, in
which she had mentioned the serious problems plaguing Bundelkhand
region, the C.M. said that Special Area Incentive Package should be
sanctioned for this area, besides, according top priority to this region
while allotting central projects. Moreover, additional central assistance
should also be provided for this region, she demanded.
Referring to the implementation of the recommendations of the
Samra Committee, Ms. Mayawati said that Rs. 80,000 crore package
focusing on Bundelkhand region should also be sanctioned. She said that
this region should be given priority in central sector projects like railway
coach factory, etc. She further said that a more efficient way of
developing backward regions was through income tax and excise
exemptions where no local monitoring was required.
The Chief Minister expressed the hope that the Prime Minister would
not only give the people of Bundelkhand their due, but would also ensure
that the development of this region was de-linked from narrow political
interests and that the provisions of the Constitution were upheld both in
letter and spirit.
*******
LUCKNOW:
The battle for drought prone Bundelkhand region between Mayawati and Rahul
Gandhi is set for some more acrimony, with Mayawati calling
set up a centrally controlled Bundelkhand Development Authority as against the
federal structure and constitutional provisions and with the motive to impose
some kind of an indirect central administration in the
state.
Shooting of another letter to the Prime Minister on the second
consecutive day, Chief Minister Mayawati said that some media reports suggest
that the inter-state Bundelkhand Development Authority/Council has already been
constituted despite seeking any approval from the state and which was against
constitutional provisions which defined center-state
relationship.
Mayawati in her letter to the Prime Minister said that
indulging in politics over the condition of people in Bundelkhand was
unfortunate and setting up the Authority was aimed at curtailing the role of the
state government in the region. She pointed out that special packages have been
sanctioned in the past for areas like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Vidharbha
etc but they were never under the direct control of the central government, as
is being said about the Bundelkhand Development Authority.
She said
that the administrative mechanism of Uttar Pradesh could effectively tackle with
the problems related to the regions development and any comparison with
North-Eastern Council was not warranted. The Chief Minister in the letter
demanded the Prime Minister to sanction a Special Area Incentive Package for
Bundelkhand and also a Rs 80,000 crore package which was presented earlier to
the central government.
Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh
while detailing the contents of the letter written by the Chief Minister said
that they have not yet received any communication regarding the constitution of
the Authority/Council.
He said that the Chief Minister had stated in
the letter to the PM that the motive of setting up the Bundelkhand Development
Authority seemed aimed at imposing some kind of a central administration in the
state through indirect means.
The proposal to set up an Authority
first came up after a delegation of MPs, from the Bundelkhand region falling in
both UP and MP, led by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi met the Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh demanding a comprehensive package for the region’s
development, which saw Mayawati shooting of letters to the Prime
Minister.
Besides the tussle over cornering the credit for any
special funds that may come for the region both the Congress and BSP are locked
in a fierce battle to capture the region electoraly. The Bundelkhand region,
particularly the large part falling in UP has traditionally been a BSP
stronghold which started showing signs of breach during the recent Lok Sabha
elections. Rahul Gandhi who had started touring the area intensively in 2008
highlighting the lack of development in the region as well as the drought
conditions which had raised the hackles of Chief Minister
Mayawati.
With Congress managing to managing to make some inroads
into the region during the recent parliamentary elections, the stakes for both
Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi have increased which is likely to intensify
exponentially for the battle for Bundelkhand in the coming days.
Take legal action against organised criminals, mafias, stouts and fugitives
— Kunwar Fateh Bahadur
Additional Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary Home visit Badaun
Lucknow : July 29, 2009
The Additional Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey, while holding a
marathon meeting at the Vikas Bhawan in Badaun district today, asked the officers of the
police, administration and development department to resolve the problems of people in a
time bound manner. He said that the problems of the people should be solved without the
interference of middlemen.
Addressing the officers of police and administration in the first session, Mr. Pandey
said that one could not hide corruption and after sometime it was known to one and all.
He said that the officers should serve the people in an honest manner and help should be
provided to the needy without any delay. He warned that the people’s representatives
should be accorded proper respect, irrespective of their political parties. Their woes should
be seriously listened to, he added. Besides, if any people’s representative pressurises the
officers for some illegal favour, the senior officers of district administration or the
government could be informed about it.
The Additional Cabinet Secretary said that the officers of the development
department should remain in direct touch with the villages and ensure that the
beneficiaries of all the schemes were benefited in an honest manner. Mr. Pandey said that
if the quality of construction works was found wanting then the concerning officer would
have to face action at department and government level. He asked the officers to
regularly visit villages and inform the villagers about the government schemes. He said
that those indulging in any type of malpractice would be punished without any warning.
Talking to the media persons after the meeting, Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey said that
the officers had already been directed to visit districts and behave properly with the
people’s representatives and now the government would take legal action against those
not following these instructions.
Mr. Pandey said that the district administration had been directed to make the
Tehsils and Thanas more sensitive and effective for the people. He said that the presence
of the subordinate staff at village, block, thana and tehsil level would be crosschecked and
action would be taken against the guilty.
Earlier, the Principal Secretary Home Mr. Kunwar Fateh Bahadur, while talking to
the officers of the administration and police department, said that the C.M. wanted that
the people should not need any recommendation for mobilising the thana machinery for
getting their work done. He reminded that the C.M. wants that the police should serve the
people effectively. He said that the image of the police department would be improved at
all costs. The fake cases of dalit harassment should be thoroughly investigated,
thereafter, the F.I.R. should be lodged, he said. He asked the officers to take legal action
against organised criminals, mafias, stouts and fugitives.
During his meeting with the officers of the development department, he warned
them to perform their duties in an effective manner; else stringent action would be
initiated against them.
The D.M. Mr. M.Devraj, SSP Mr. Tarun Gawa and other officers of the police and
administration were present on the occasion.
******
27 more districts declared drought affected
Number of drought affected districts increases to 47
C.M. relaxes parameters for declaring
districts drought affected in the interest of farmers
Carry out relief and development
works in all drought hit districts on war-footing
—Chief Minister
Lucknow : July 26, 2009
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati, while
reviewing the latest situation of drought in the State, directed
the officers to relax the parameters adopted for declaring
districts drought hit in the interest of the farmers, so that more
and more districts could be provided relief.
Considering the condition of deficient rains, the Chief
Minister directed the officers to declare 27 more districts
drought affected. So far, 47 districts have been declared
drought affected. She has directed the officers to carry out
relief and development works in all the drought hit districts on
war-footing. This information was given by the Chief Secretary
Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta at a press conference here today.
The Chief Secretary said that on the directives of the Chief
Minister it has been decided to declare those districts, which
had less than 40 per cent of rains during 01 June to 23 July
2009 and where the sowing of kharif was less than 75 per cent,
drought affected. Moreover, the districts, where the rainfall
during the aforesaid duration is between 40 to 60 per cent and
where the sowing was less than 50 per cent, should also be
declared drought hit.
CM demands special area incentive package
and allocation of large central projects for Bundelkhand
Centre did not provide any help for Bundelkhand
despite recommendations of Planning Commission
and Samra Committee
Ms. Mayawati writes letter to Prime Minister
Lucknow : July 26, 2009
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has
requested again to the Central Government to provide assistance
for better future of the people of Bundelkhand region. In a letter
written to the Prime Minister, the CM said that the State
Government wanted to make Bundelkhand a prosperous,
developed and self-sufficient region. She requested that the
Bundelkhand region should be given priority in projects of the
Central Government, so that the future generations could get
employment through projects like — Rail Coach Factory,
branches of NIFT, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education
and Research, National Automobile Testing and Research
Infrastructure Project (NATRIP), etc. She also requested to
provide additional central assistance for the development of
Bundelkhand region.
Referring to the letter written on 20 July 2007, the Chief
Minister said that she had drawn attention of the Prime Minister
towards the problems faced by the people of Bundelkhand
region. She said that owing to very little earning of the people of
Bundelkhand, they were facing penury. Owing to the
geographical and drought conditions and other practical
difficulties, the poverty level of this area continues to changes
and the people were dependent of the weather to a great extent.
The Bundelkhand region, which had a very low level of literacy
and urbanisation, had no industrial development. The irrigation
and health services were not according to the standard and the
area’s economy lacked diversification. She said that keeping
these facts in view, the State Government had sent its proposals
to the Centre for providing Special Area Incentive Package to the
Bundelkhad region.
Ms. Mayawati, in her letter, mentioned that a study group
headed by Mr. B.K. Chaturvedi, Member Planning Commission
had been formed to study the proposals sent by the State
Government to the Centre for the development of the
Bundelkhand region. She said that two years had passed ever
since the study team submitted its recommendations, but the
Centre had neither informed the State Government about any
initiative it was taking in this regard, nor it had provided any
special assistance, so far. Likewise, the Centre had not provided
any help on the recommendations of the Dr. Samra Committee.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government had
requested the Centre to provide package for Bundelkhand region
as an additional central assistance. She said that despite its
limited resources, the State Government was carrying out
development of infrastructure like roads, irrigation, afforestation,
etc., but the required investment was not being made. Therefore,
the State Government had requested the Centre to give
exemption from central excise and income tax and a capital
subsidy on investment of the region on the pattern of that
accorded to certain better developed states of the country. But,
the hopes of the people of Bundelkhand could never be fulfilled
even though people of this area had high expectations from the
Union Budget. She said that this region was grossly ignored while
allocating major central sector projects. The State’s efforts to set
up a joint venture with the NTPC for generation of power could
not materialise, she pointed out.
The Chief Minister, in her letter, said that the dependence
on employment guarantee schemes and drought relief works
were not sufficient for the all round development of Bundelkhand
region. She said that the feelings of the people of the
Bundelkhand had been hurt to a great deal as this region had
been grossly ignored since independence. She requested the
Prime Minister to take initiative in this regard, so that the
challenges of Bundelkhand region could be jointly dealt with and
the future of the people of this region could be secured.
*****
CM reiterates her demand of special area incentive
package for Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal
Demands development of 14 most
under developed districts of eastern U.P.
Economic progress of State affected by
non-cooperation of central agencies
— Chief Minister
Lucknow : July 26, 2009
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati reiterated
her demand of Special Area Incentive Package from the Centre
for Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal regions. In her letter written to
the Prime Minister today, the CM said that the per capita income
of eastern U.P. and Bundelkhand regions was low. She said that
the poverty ratio in eastern U.P. stood at 35.6 per cent in 1999-
2000 as against the State average of 31 per cent. The 21 per
cent of the population of these regions belonged to SC, which
was much higher than that of the rest of the State. The lack of
infrastructure had resulted in low development, poor economic
growth and uneven urbanisation. According to a study conducted
by the State Planning Department 11 out of the 14 most under
developed districts of Uttar Pradesh belonged to eastern U.P.,
while two districts belonged to Bundelkhand.
Referring to her discussions held on 26 May 2007 and 20
July 2007 with the Prime Minister and letters written to the
Centre from time to time, the Chief Minister said that she had
demanded Special Area Incentive Package from the Centre, but
no progress could be made in this direction, so far. The Special
Package was being demanded from the Centre for the
development of these areas as the State was unable to remove
the backwardness of these areas from its own resources, she
pointed out. The Centre advises U.P. to work within the ambit of
11th Five Year Plan and Annual Plan, but it is worth mentioning
that owing to the lack of central investment in the power sector
and inadequate allocation of electricity for the State by Centre,
the growth of industry is hampered. The neighbouring States
were being provided subsidies in the form of excise and income
tax relief, which in turn had attracted investment from U.P., she
pointed out.
The C.M. said that the economic progress of our state was
affected by the non-cooperation of central agencies. Referring to
the slow progress of the construction of roads by National
Highways Authority and poor condition of National Highways, she
said that these agencies cite lack of funds as the reason. She
said that though the State Government had promised to pay its
share, the construction of railway over bridges had not taken off.
She also requested the P.M. to ensure that the central projects
were completed immediately. She said that these projects should
not be confined to some particular areas only. Instead, these
projects should be extended to backward areas, so that regional
imbalances could be ended.
The Chief Minister said that the Centre should play its role
in the rapid development of Uttar Pradesh. For that, it was
necessary that the Centre should accept U.P.’s proposal of Rs.
80,000 crore for the rapid development of Bundelkhand and
Poorvanchal, besides other backward areas of the State.
The Chief Minister, in her letter, said that her dream for
Uttar Pradesh was that the State becomes a prosperous place of
the country, where the people were not confined to employment
guarantee schemes; instead the State offers diversified economy
for growth. She said that to achieve this target the Centre should
make heavy investment in the field of industries, institutions and
infrastructures. She requested the P.M. to extend constructive
cooperation to Uttar Pradesh.
*****
districts state declared drought affected
C.M.’s directives to launch massive
relief operations in drought affected districts
Recovery of outstanding revenue dues in districts stayed
No harassment of farmers for realisation of miscellaneous dues
Lucknow : July 25, 2009
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati at a high level
meeting held yesterday reviewed the situation in districts having less
than 40 per cent rainfall and less than 50 per cent sowing of kharif
crops, and took the decision to declare 20 districts as drought
affected. She directed that massive relief operations be launched in
20 drought affected districts—Mainpuri, Kanpur-Dehat, Bareilly,
Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Rae-Bareli, Fatehpur,
Sultanpur, Hardoi, Basti, Kanshiram Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ballia,
Unnao, Deoria, Mau, Ambedkar Nagar and Mahamaya Nagar
(Hathras). She also directed that the realisation of the outstanding
dues in these districts be stayed till March 31, 2010. She said that
the farmers should not be harassed for realisation of dues during this
period.
Giving this information here today, the Chief Secretary said
that the Chief Minister had directed to keep a close watch on the
situation of rainfall in other districts also and take decision
immediately regarding those districts which fulfil the norms for being
declared drought affected or where there was information about loss
of Kharif crops due to failure of rainfall occurs.
The Chief Secretary said that the Chief Minister had directed
the officers that people of drought affected areas should not face any
difficulty. She also directed for special attention towards farmers,
labourers, destitute poor, women and weaker sections of society. She
directed to set-up relief camps in drought affected districts and
arrangement of food and food-grains through community kitchen and
free of cost medical facility for helpless persons. She also directed to
run cattle camps where arrangements of water and fodder should be
made, besides immunisation work.
Mr. Gupta said that directives had also been given for proper
drinking water arrangements for rural and urban areas from water
tanks according to need and making the hand-pumps functional
within three days, otherwise stern action would be taken against the
http://blog.insightyv.com/?p=488#more-488
“We the (Upper Caste) People”
In continuation with the debate on media representation of caste
issues, I am posting a small piece that was written by some of us
together and published in our magazine INSIGHT third issue (November
2004). The TV channel, NDTV, under the programme ‘We the People’,
organized a debate on the issue of ‘Reservation in Private Sector’.
[Yes you are reading it correctly. There was a time, in recent past,
when the Congress government did ‘talk’ about reservation in private
sector but it seems no more on the government’s agenda. Stung by
‘upper’ caste/class reactions on Mandal-II, Congress government is too
scared to even mention about it now. ]
Anyways, this article talks about our experience in the programme ‘We
the People’. We were lured to participate in the programme by
statements like, ‘We need pro-reservation voices in our programme. We
need to have balance in our programme’ etc etc. So around 15 of us
from JNU went to participate in this debate but came back to the
campus completely numb with humiliation.
This small piece was written at a time when all of us were just
learning to articulate and write and hence was not able to capture
what all happened before the programme, in between the programme and
after the programme. Perhaps, there is a strong need for some of us
to refresh our memories and write a fresh piece on what happened in
‘We the People’.
Non Democratic TV Experience
It began with a call. Students soon heard that a national debate on
‘Reservations in the Private Sectors’ was going to be televised and
they had been invited. We started researching, reading and discussing
among our selves to prime ourselves for the debate. On D-day, we were
herded into a bus. The studio was empty and we were made to wait for
over an hour for the galaxy of stars.
During this time many urban, upper middle class people in the audience
were airing private views. Statements like. “The Indian cricket team
is already doing so badly: anyone can play this badly, there should be
reservations in the cricket team as well,” abounded. Accompanying this
were disdainful comments on the unruly nature and appearance of us
students, who had come very obviously to defend the implementation of
reservation in the private sector.
The Stars finally appeared. Kancha Ilaiah, SK Thorat, D. Raja, Vivek
Kumar, in favour of the motion, and Gurucharan Das against
reservations and Dipankar Gupta doing the balancing act. We were a bit
surprised that a private sector enterprise like NDTV had only one
person against reservation.
The arrival of Barkha Dutt changed the surprise to anticipation. And
we were rewarded with a sympathetic opening. “Dalits have been denied
space in the private sector since independence. Is it not our moral
duty to implement reservation in the private sector?”
To this all those in favour nodded in agreement into the cameras. The
mike, of course, went to Gurucharan Das (GD). “Reservation in the
private sector is not only foolish, it is unethical and immoral.” An
uproar lifted out of the audience. The statement was meant to provoke
and it had its effect. Hands went up everywhere and all the
pro-reservation panelists were vying to respond.
What GD’s statement did was to vitiate the atmosphere. What followed
was not a debate. The CPI leader D. Raja responded with an attack on
Indian industry. Prof Thorat and Prof Ilaiah tried to make some
constructive suggestions but these were drowned out in the battle-like
situation that had resulted. This was not entirely, because of GD’s
statement.
When to a claim by GD that reservation would weaken an already weak
Indian industry, Ilaiah responded saying that Indian industry was weak
because industrialists (like GD) employed their upper-caste relatives;
Barkha Dutt chastised him asking him not to get personal.
What we were observing was not a debate. It was a meticulously planned
spectacle. A spectacle which was enacted with our unknowing
participation.
The four pro-reservation panelists were being portrayed as holding
different positions that contradicted each other. They were
‘castiest’, ‘vulgar’ and did not know how to function with ‘decorum’
in civil society. Against this the sane and pragmatic voice of
Gurucharan Das comes out.
The middle position is that of Dipankar Gupta who manages to please
both parties.
Providing the background for this is an unruly audience trying to
raise their voice, trying to grab space which is not theirs only
because of their numbers as opposed to the serene clearly upper-caste
middle class audiences, who were smirking benevolently at the tamasha
that was being played out in front or them.
Then came the part we should have known was coming but forgot to
anticipate - the audience questions.
At the end of the programme, three strategically placed people were
approached by Barkha D.
Audience 1: “I could not get admission into college because my father
could not get me a ‘caste certificate’ because he was born as brahmin.
Is it my fault? Now they want to take away my job also.” asked a
well-dressed 20-something woman.
Audience 2: “Let us look at ourselves. Educate the poor boys that work
in our houses. If we cannot do this then what is the scope for
reservation.”
Audience 3: “Academicians and politicians should not be called here.
Everyone knows that reservations will ruin the industry. First let
them get 50% marks, fir aake bat kare.”
As if this was not enough, as we were leaving, the suspicion in the
eyes of the employees of NDTV was reflective of the entire event -
that the national public space and the media are hostile, castiest and
undemocratic.
The only solution is that all of us
should become media and go and talk to the voters as suggested by
Manyavar Kanshi Ramji to see that BSP rules at the centre. Till such
time we should not participate in such debates that humiliate.In the
mean time we can start doing business and do trading which will make us
rich.Money should be in the hands of the humiliated lot. We can discus
ways and means to become rich so that we can become powerful media.
JC
Sakya Foundation Dhamma Workshop
Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu
Conducted by Bikku Nagabodhi & Bikkuni Suniti
On
August 2, 2009 at 10.00 am To 4.00pm
At
Arrivukkalam
Solai Nagar, Korumpallam
Tuticorin - 628101
Tamil Nadu, India
For further information :
E. Pa. Jeevankumar (09442641416)
Chandran (09443699360)
M. Baskaran (09380060090)
Rama Venkatesh (09380898018)
All are cordially invited!
May all beings be happy!!
Namo Buddha!
Sakya Group
is purely for Sakyans, the so called Untouchables. For long time we did
not included any non-Sakyans. It was a big debate. many people accused
us as racists and fundamentalists. But we never bothered and did open for anyone else than Sakyans.
Later on we decided to include our well wishers and allowed
few persons consciously. We allowed people like Prof. Ellionar Zelliot,
a American born Historian. Even though she was born as a non-Sakyan,
she became a Sakyan by doing a great service to our people. Even now
she thinks and speaks for our people. Her works are so much beneficial
for the Sakyan struggle. Moreover even at this old age, she regularly
reads about Sakyans and documents it. Similarly we also included
Buddhists from other countries especially Bikkus and Bikkunis, Because
they may help us to get the pariyati and patipatti (the theoretical and
practical) aspects of Buddha Vachana.
We have also
allowed some Brahmin Born Buddhists, Shudras and some fools among
Dalits by mistakenly. But they get irritated by reading our mails and
run away. Since it is too difficult to track every member, we too may
have some spy. But we no need to bother about them since we have the
control. Some time back a Brahmin Buddhist became a member, he used to
send some mails which may be relevant for the converted Brahmins but
irrelevant for our cause. We did not approve his mails. He was very
irritated, go angry and asked to stop the mails and un-subscribe him.
Similarly some people get irritated when we included them by mistake or
not approve their mails (such as Bahujan walas and Mulnivasis, who try
to influence us with Shudra / neo-Brahmanical ideologies). I remember
once a very renowned scholar called me MAD. Because Sakya Group
strongly believes and propagates that the present day Dalits (so-called
untouchables) are Sakyans, the original Buddhists, and not converted
neo-Buddhists.
The Vision and Mission of Sakya Group lies on the following words of Bodhisatta:
“I have
never claimed to be a universal leader of suffering humanity. The
problem of the untouchables is quite enough for my slender strength. I
do not say that other causes are not equally noble. But knowing that
life is short, one can only serve one cause and I have never aspired to
do more than serve the Untouchables. “ Bodhisatta Babasaheb B.R.Ambedkar
Similarly
our ideals are Buddha, Pandit Iyothi Thass, Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar and
many Sakyan Saints and leaders. We may have respect to Non-Sakyans
saints and leaders who work for our cause but would not take them as
ideals.
The Sakya
Group is for the Sakyans. The Sakyans are the prime members. At any
cost we would not give up our prime concern and mission. If the prime
members think that we should exclude all non-Sakyans and keep only
Sakyans we may again go back to our old policy and exclude all
non-Dalits. We expect all non-Sakyan members to understand our issues
and be with us in our struggle without being any hindrances. We have
excluded many non-Sakyans who try to suppress, influence and dominate
us in the past.
We welcome
all your suggestions, advice and criticism to make our group more
active and useful. We are living in the era of IT. Let us work together
to bring a Dhamma revolution by using internet. Only Dhamma would
liberate us.
Metta
Sakya