What’s wrong with the nuclear deal?
There has been considerable confusion about the now-infamous 123 Agreement, with the Left parties threatening to bring down the government if it goes ahead with the deal. For long, I wondered what was so wrong with the deal that it threatened the longevity of the government. Finally, I lost patience with all this politicking and decided to check out the agreement myself. The full text of the agreement is available on the site of The Hindu (link above). To me, it appears that the two governments have thought out every possible problem and addressed them all in the text of the agreement. Personally, I believe that a deepening strategic and political relationship with the United States can only be beneficial to India in the long run. The 123 Agreement only cements that growing relationship with what is arguably the world’s most powerful state.
Having failed to detect anything objectionable in the agreement itself, I decided to check out the site of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is leading the protest. What does the Party say against the deal? A whole lot of things, some of them, factually incorrect. In an open letter to Members of Parliament, the Party states that, “Under the terms set out by the Hyde Act, it is clear that the Indo-US nuclear cooperation would not cover the entire nuclear fuel cycle. It denies cooperation or access in any form whatsoever to fuel enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production technologies.” However, the terms of the 123 are quite clear. In Article 2(2), there is a guarantee of “full civil nuclear cooperation”. The Communists’ fears of the US dictating terms in India’s foreign policy are entirely unfounded. The principal objection of the Left is to the Hyde Act of 2006 that requires that US foreign policy be directed to securing India’s cooperation to actions against Iran and in securing its participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative. However, a detailed examination of the said law reveals that the Hyde Act merely requires that the US Government “encourage” India to take the above steps and cannot, in any way, force India’s hand in the matter. I fail to see how the US can pressurise India into taking a foreign policy stand inconsistent with its existing policies, or detrimental to its national security.
That said, I must observe that India’s Left seems to be stuck in the Cold War-era of anti-Americanism. Blind opposition to the US is neither sensible nor desirable in today’s situation. India will only stand to gain with an enriching and deepening strategic partnership with the US. Proponents of non alignment must realise that there is an increasing interdependence in today’s world and that the world cannot work around India. The inverse is also true. In an increasingly unipolar world, it is impossible for India to continue avoiding any serious strategic partnership with the US. It is better for both the countries if we rid ourselves of the Cold War-era scepticism and approach the new dynamic with a positive attitude.
Journalism…or is it simply business?
A few days ago, we were told, by television news channels, that one Delhi schoolteacher was selling her students off for prostitution. We were all suitably shocked and outraged at the news. Teachers are supposed to be seconds parents. We were justifiably furious at this teacher whose actions went against all norms of humanity. Then, we were told that the entire expose conducted by Live India TV was fake and that the said school teacher was blackmailed by a Delhi businessman into posing for the “sting” video. Not just that, the schoolgirl who was reportedly propositioned by the teacher turned out to be an aspiring journalist keen to make it big in the business. She posed as a school girl for Prakash Singh, a friend who promised to help her establish herself as a journalist.
All this leaves me wondering what journalism means in today’s world? Am I a fool to expect some ethics out of the Fourth Estate? The media is supposed to be the fourth pillar of democracy. Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned ethical journalism? In the TRP-driven world of broadcast journalism, anything is acceptable. The poor school teacher, Uma Khurana was charged with immoral trafficking by an over-zealous Delhi police inspector, the parents of the affected girls beat up Khurana in public. Even worse, nearly two-thirds of the girls attending the school have been forced to drop out by parents who fear their daughters’ lives and honour. Is the media, like the judiciary, being deified and sanctified so that any criticism of media practices is seen as an insult to democracy? Is the media above the law? Why do we not hear news channels question the role of journalists and news channels in shaping public opinion? Enough is enough. The media is answerable to the law and to the public for its commissions and omissions, just like any of the other pillars of democracy. A responsible and ethical media is indispensable for the functioning of a good democracy.
Teachers’ Day
Yesterday was Teachers’ Day in India. For those of my readers who don’t know, it is the birthday of India’s former President Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. The man was better known as a fantastic teacher that as a President. I remember looking forward to Teacher’s Day every year when I was in school. To me, it meant a day off from studies. It meant students of Class 12 taking over the role of the teachers for one day in the year. It also meant a rare opportunity to socialise with my teachers the way we had never done during the rest of the year. We could see our teachers take a well-deserved break from teaching, participate in a game of Antakshari, dance to the sound of a popular Bollywood song and try their luck at quizzes. On the whole, it was a fun day, both for the students and for the teachers. I wonder if Chinmaya Vidyalaya retains that tradition today. The purpose behind such a celebration was not just to give the teachers a day off, but also to teach those poor students of Class 12 just how difficult a teacher’s job can be. These celebrations were a way of giving them the responsibility of running the school for a day even if the gesture was simply symbolic. It helped in cultivating a sense of involvement in school life.
That is why I was rather surprised to learn that Teachers’ Day was a holiday for the SBOA School near my house. Apparently, the school administration decided that the best way to give the teachers a break was to give them a holiday and force them to sweep and mop and cook special meals at home instead. Or maybe use the day to catch up on pending work at the bank or a government office. When I asked the kids why they had a holiday on Teachers’ Day, they seemed genuinely surprised to learn that the day was supposed to be Teachers’ Day. Then, with a look of dawning comprehension, one of them told me that it was a holiday for teachers to enjoy. That is the sad state in which many of our schools find themselves. To my neighbours’ kids, the teacher is simply someone who is paid to repeat what is printed in the text book. There is a clear absence of personal rapport and respect for the teacher. In fact, the situation is so bad that I heard an irate parent tell her daughter that she would only end up as school teacher if she continued to do badly in studies. It is a sign of our decadent times that the last profession a parent would want her child to take up is teaching. Is it so bad to be a teacher? I am a teacher myself, or rather, was a teacher until August 2005. Some of the best experiences I have had as a human being are as a teacher.
I remember very little of my kindergarten days. That is normal given that I was barely four then. But, it is impossible for me to forget the wonderful “Sulochana Miss”, without whom I would have refused to attend even my second day at school. She made my life school a joy. I looked forward to seeing her every morning. She made my innocent, four-year-old life worth living. I wonder where she is now. I wonder if she knows that I have come this far in life. And, I wonder how she will feel about it. Along the way, other teachers have made their impact. Mrs. Kanti Ramakrishnan at the age of 15, Mrs. Titty Phillips at 18, Mme Brigitte Maury at 21 and Mr. Eric Chevallier at 24: each of them has been a positive influence in what would have been an uneventful and mediocre life without them. Each of them has had a lasting influence on my career choices and made me what I am today. I have not had the opportunity to tell them this ever. I wish to say thanks to each of them through this post. Thank you for making me what I am today.
I am not an engineer…
I am not an engineer…and no, I am not a doctor either. Nor am I in the IT industry. In fact, I have nothing to do with computers, except when I blog, browse or check my mail. “Then what the hell do you do in life?”, I hear many of you asking. This question has been hurled at me a million times over the last seven years, when I chose to do a BA in History after managing to secure 84% on my Class 12 CBSE Board Exam. I can almost hear my readers exclaiming, “History? Why? Did you not get admission anywhere else?” Don’t worry. I won’t take offence. I am used to that question by now. This is why I could relate to this article on Rediff. I was checking out my friend, Nita’s blog, after a long time. And I found a link to this. I could relate to it so well that I could not resist posting on it.
To be truthful, even my parents had no idea I was going to do so well in life. I am pretty sure my mother let me do what I wanted to because she knew there was no point in forcing me to do engineering. I have never been a great fan of the hard sciences. Small wonder then, that just Class 12 was a nightmare I never want to relive again. In fact, my nemesis has always been mathematics. As the author of the article mentioned above recounts, many mothers have asked me what I intend to do with my life with my dislike for the subject. In fact, one of them even went to the extent of offering to coach me for free so that I could try and catch up with her daughter’s marks in the subject. It was depressing. At one point, I was convinced that my dislike for mathematics would only ruin my life. Only my parents’ reassurances and my own self-confidence stopped me from becoming a manic depressive. Today, when I read that article, it reminded me of Dad’s words after a particularly nasty meeting with my teachers. The meeting took place a few days after the school’s annual day celebration during which I had got a prize for attending school without a day’s absence. My school decided that such regularity in attendance was commendable. I got off the dais feeling extremely happy about the event, when my Math teacher stopped me and said, “Enjoy this occasion while you can. It is not as if you are ever going to get prizes for anything else in your life.” I came home and cried. Then followed the meeting where the said teacher told my mother that she should think of getting me married off at the age of 18 as I was not going to get admission into any college anyway. I came home shattered. I remember what Dad told me then. He said, “Every person has some talent that remains hidden. I would rather my daughter be an excellent lawyer than a mediocre engineer. Do what interests you most. And you will do well.” I have not forgotten that lesson to this day. I have always done what interests me most.
To some, it may sound like sheer madness to do a Bachelor’s degree in History, a Masters in French literature and a second one on International Affairs. But, I have not regretted any of those choices to this day. I love my work. I enjoy what I do. That is all that matters today. As the author of the Rediff article says, I am happy and can sleep peacefully at night. Money, fame and everything else will come with time. I will say just this to any parent who is reading this post. Let your children do what they like best. Don’t force your children into becoming mediocre doctors and engineers just because your neighbour’s son is doing so. Trust me, you won’t regret the decision.