The importance of communication must be understood by everyone, irrespective of the age. We need to communicate effectively at work place, at home, to our distant friends or relatives. Internet has made the world smaller and opened new channels of communication. Some people believe that internet friendship or relationship is meaningless, as it can be ‘deleted’ just by pressing a ‘button’. I don’t believe. Cheaters don’t require internet to cheat on the relationship. Remember the story of Raja Harishchandra? He kept the promise made in the dream. So it all depends on how much we remain ‘committed’ to our relationship, whether internet or otherwise. I find commitment is a personality trait.
I am not an expert but experience tells me that for any meaningful communication or dialogue between two individuals, two essential conditions must be fulfilled.
Firstly, a good healthy relationship based on understanding and mutual trust. That will create a climate and desire to communicate with each other.
Secondly, once the communication begins, for its sustenance, a minimum level of response must be maintained by both sides.
If any one of these conditions is not met, the communication is likely to diminish, vitiate or terminate.
The celebration of ‘Days’ appears to be western style, but Indian tradition is not far behind. The mechanical way in which we celebrate our festivals like ‘Padva’ and ‘Bhaubij’, they could be as well called as Husband’s Day of Brother’s Day, respectively. Barring the commercials like ‘Chocolate Day’ etc., the Days generally symbolize different relationships that all of us cherish. In my opinion, celebrating a Day offers us an opportunity to take a stock of the relationship it symbolizes.
Take the example of ‘Women’s Day’! On this day, all of us must ponder over our relationships with women playing different roles in our life: mother, sister, daughter, wife, colleague or boss. Are we thankful and gratuitous to all these individuals for their services or guidance? We Indians are hypocritic on this score.
Whilst we never get tired singing songs praising these relationships, but in practice our record is very poor. The rising graph of crime against women illustrates that aspect. Today’s news tells me that on average three women are molested in the National Capital, every day. Disgusting, sub-animal behavior !!
The fact remains that the status of women in India, where we are taught to worship Goddess, has not changed from the ancient times of Sita Mai, Draupadi, till date.
Let us take a bird’s eye view of some of the events of last week
If former Haryana police chief SPS Rathore has got away with a six-month sentence for molesting a 14-year-old girl, Ruchika Girhotra, who killed herself three years later, while desperately searching for justice, it is mainly due to a glaring lacuna in the 150-year-old Indian Penal Code (IPC), which does not have any provisions for child victims of sexual molestation.
While there are special provisions for child victims of rape, where the minimum punishment is 10 years jail as against the norm of seven years, the law on sexual abuse, under which come all abuses apart from rape, has been left untouched.
This anomaly has not been redressed even after the Law Commission, in its 172nd report in 2000, recommended a provision recognizing and penalizing child sexual abuse. Besides expanding the definition of rape to include all forms of penetration, the commission suggested the introduction of an offense called "unlawful sexual contact" to impose a maximum sentence of seven years on the likes of Rathore.
Ruchika case is a glaring example of how the law and order machinery can be misused for personal gains by those in authority- politicians and officials. It also underlines the fact that necessary amendments to IPC must be made, giving due consideration to such crimes. Rathore misused his authority in every possible way. He got Ruchika expelled from the school and framed false cases against her brother. If such a person is left scot free, it will be a very bad example of Indian system of justice.
Spirituality is not a search for the God. It begins when you get connected with HIM from within. That connecting interaction with the surrounding, that relationship, is a spiritual experience. Read my new blog post on the subject.
Compulsory voting:
The Gujarat government has enacted a law which makes voting compulsory in all elections, save the legislative and parliamentary elections. It has drawn mixed reactions. They range from acceptance of the norm, lauding it even with caveats that it is impractical.
Some objections:
One: it is not practical.
Two: that it is anti-democratic to force people to vote.
Three: It has a punitive element in it so it is bad.
Four: it amounts to authoritarian move and makes elections something akin to what happens in the people's democracies of Communist regimes, not a liberal regime.
Some supportive arguments:
Poor turnouts:Poor turnouts give room for poor representation.
60 years, no change:If for six decades and more, the country's citizens have not taken the responsibility seriously enough and where on an average, the voter turnout is just about 60 per cent, then serious steps are called for.
Not anti-democracy: It is not anti-democratic. It deepens democracy because the law makes it voter-centric. The option "none-of-the-above" (NOTA) on the ballot serves two purposes. One, it lets the voter say that he is disgusted with the list of candidates. He can express his disgust instead of lamenting about poor options and not voting.
Test it: One needs to give it a fair try and if required, make suitable alterations so that the law is made to work. If elections could be managed near-perfectly in India, this too can be managed quite well.
Quid pro quo:If we do not realise that we have a duty in return for the rights and privileges conferred on us because we are citizens of a democratic country, then the rights and privileges are not ours. One has to acknowledge that quid pro quo.
That quid pro quo has never been enforced because in a free democratic country, it is assumed, the rights include the choice not to participate in the due process, which makes the country truly democratic. If I do not want to vote, the arguer says, it is my right not to. To me, that is not acceptable.
The year that has gone by:
No, I am not going to talk about global warming or the recession. I bring your attention to an event that sent shivers down Pune city and blackened the face of humanity like the Ruchika’s case mentioned in the beginning: Molestation and Murder of Nayana Pujari
Spirituality is not a search for the God. It begins when you get connected with HIMfrom within.
Thatconnecting interaction with the surrounding, that relationship, is a spiritual experience.
We are in relationship with our parents, brothers, sisters, offspring, spouse, friends. Our commitment towardsrelationships initiates, develops and sustains on mutual love and trust and ceases when these values are lost. Healthy relationships enrich our life.
Relationship becomes fragile when .. ..
it is based on falsehood
intentions are doubted,
mutual respect is lost,
suspicion replaces trust,
a promise is not kept, repeatedly,
partners do not care for each other.
Never you do it to your partner !
But if someone does it on you ?
Well, use your wisdom ! Refresh !!
Try your best to get reconnected !!!
Snapping ties is the last recourse, when every attempt fails.
