Lutyens Media-Time for Introspection

      Media & Credibility, these two words are seldom used together. Historically, media has always been dominated by left-wing pseudo intellectuals. Their only claim to fame is their proximity to power circles in lutyens Delhi & over-usage of oxford dictionary. Conventional media has become a propaganda tool for left-wing ideology.
      The media space required for an alternate ideology in a true bipolar democracy has never been provided by the mainstream Indian media. This is the reason why political events in India have always flummoxed the arm-chair media in lutyens Delhi. Going by the political discourse dictated by lutyens media, the scale & spectacular success of Ram Janmabhoomi movement cannot be explained. Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi government in 1975 exposed all the pseudo liberalism of Indian media, when it was asked to bend by the then government, it began to crawl. With the exception of media giants like Ramnath Goenka, media proved itself to be a government stooge. Lutyens media must realize that they don't have proprietorship over what they define as 'Idea of India'.
     What has now hurt lutyens media is not the clampdown on freedom of speech but their loss of undeclared monopoly over political discourse in India. In this digital social media age, it's the voice of the previously silent Indian majority which is making noise. Lutyens media is unable to digest the fact that previously silent Indian middle-class has become politically opinionated. Previously, political discourse in India was unilateral. The agenda was set  by the media & right to express your opinion was a privilege exercised by lutyens media intellectuals. But today, social media has provided a platform where the intellectual caste divide doesn't exist anymore. Today, India is more opinionated than ever before. 2014 elections demonstrated the rise of the silent Indian majority. Going by the media debates from 2012 to 2014, the rise of Modi just cannot be explained. But social media discourse perfectly captured the mood of Indian masses.
     NDTV's cry over one day ban is not about freedom of speech. It's their cry over being held accountable & being questioned by the government. Lutyens media has never been scrutinized. Accountability is fundamental in any democracy. Mainstream media must use this as an opportunity to re-establish itself as what they should be-The 4th pillar of democracy. Frankly, today lutyens media is heading towards irrelevancy. If they still believe that majority in India can be dictated by their debates then it's the time for them to pack their boots. Practically, it's the social media which is actually the voice of the people today because the agenda & discourse is decided by 'We, the people of India' and not 'We, the people of Lutyens Delhi'. 

AAP claims Modi masterminded chikungunya in Delhi

                In a video addressed to AAP followers, Delhi Chief Minister & AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal claimed that dengue & chikungunya outbreak was a well thought out plan by PM Modi to defame the Delhi government.
               Kejriwal said that PM was terribly disturbed by the pace & scale at which AAP government was working in Delhi. He said that the mohalla clinics in Delhi were creating a revolution & soon WHO was all set to declare Delhi as the world's first disease free city. Referring to his sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, Kejriwal said that Modi government refused to grant visa to a WHO delegation which was going to come to Delhi to study the working of Mohalla clinics. He said that WHO Director had personally called him & said that he was keen to apply the concept of Mohalla clinics in New York & Washington. So in a bid to sabotage the working of the Delhi government, PM Modi in consultation with LG Najeeb Jung made extensive plans to wreck the health care system of the Delhi Government.
              Citing his sources in Health Ministry Kejriwal claimed that 5 months back the National Centre Disease Control(NCDC) received special instructions from the highest echelons in Modi government to breed highly infectious & potent mosquitoes which are

 lethal.
             Also sources close to Kejriwal confirmed that throat surgery was just a reason given by him to save his life from Modi made mosquitoes. Earlier in a video Delhi CM had claimed that PM was hatching a conspiracy to kill him & that this Chikungunya outbreak was a part of that well orchestrated conspiracy by the Modi Government. Deputy CM Sisodia's visit to Finland was also intended to save his life. Dy. CM Sisodia also addressed the video jointly with Kejriwal & said that his flight to Finland was also infested with Modi made mosquitoes & only after application of Patanjali made mosquito net he could save himself.
           Both CM & Dy. CM citing an internal AAP survey claimed that this episode had exposed the Modi Government & that in the next assembly elections AAP would win all the 70 seats in Delhi & all the opposition candidates were all set to lose their deposits.
            Meanwhile BJP Spokesperson Dr.  Sambit Patra mimicked Kejriwal coughing heavily & advised him to visit Patanjali Mansikrog Upchar Kendra for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD).

(The above article is intended as a piece of humour)
Bhaumik J. Kamdar
3rd MBBS
K. J. Somaiya Medical College & Research Centre, Mumbai

Bikhre Sapne

Sunhere safar ki aash na thi
Andhere dino ki khweish liye
Sansar ki ulat sajish liye
Humne sapno ka jaal bichaya
Kuch sapne savarte gaye
Kuch sapne sapno me hi bikharte gaye

Tute hue sapno ki doli ka bojh
Chintit mann ki uljhi soch
Kuch khwab chand ummed ka khel hai
Sansar ka virrodh aur swayem ka mel hai
Unki bikhare sapno ki gaatha hai
Humari ummedo bhari radha hai

Sapne aur hakikat ki ye spardha hai
Kuch hum jeete kuch hum haare
Kuch woh muskuraye kuch woh roye
Isse zalim ko kuch zindagi kehte hai
Kuch bekhauf hoke to kuch sharimdagi se....

NEET – THE NEED OF THE HOUR

                 On 18th July, 2013, a bench headed by the then Chief Justice Altamas Kabir quashed 2 MCI notifications & held National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) to be unconstitutional . In a split 2:1 verdict, the said judgement deemed that conducting a common entrance test for admission into medical college was not within the ambit of Medical Council of India (MCI). On reading the parts of the judgement authored by Justice Kabir & Justice Sen, we see that the mention about various malpractices in entrance examination is almost insignificant. In contrast, Justice Kabir mentions about the need for ‘barefoot doctors’. The following is an extract from Justice Kabir’s judgement:-
              “The desire to give due recognition to merit is laudable, but the pragmatic realities on the ground relating to health care, especially in the rural and tribal areas where a large section of the Indian population resides, have also to be kept in mind when policy decisions are taken in matters such as this. While the country certainly needs brilliant doctors and surgeons and specialists and other connected with health care, who are equal to any in other parts of the world, considering ground realities, the country also has need for "barefoot doctors", who are committed and are available to provide medical services and health care facilities in different areas as part of their mission in becoming doctors.”               
             As a student, I fail to understand as to how introduction of NEET would’ve compromised with ‘committed doctors’. In fact, such an exam would’ve raised the standard of students who enter this noble profession. It is painful to see how medical education has undergone commodification. On 30th January, 2016, Times of India (TOI) reported about how an undercover 12K crore industry thrives in India which guarantees you a ‘confirm seat in MBBS’. For anyone related to medical profession, it shouldn’t come as a surprise because it is an open secret that MBBS, as well as PG seats are sold in certain medical colleges. According to MCI website, total MBBS seats in India are 52,715 & around 10 lakh students appeared for the only NEET examination held in the year 2013. This 52,715 figure also includes the private medical colleges, whose fees, only blessed souls can afford. I am sure that in a nation with 125 crore population, the number of doctors produced per year are anything but adequate. Lack of medical infrastructure in the country is leading to commercialisation & commodification of the existing medical education. A lot can be said to justify this commercialization because ultimately it’s the lack of resources which forces someone to indulge into such practices & not an inherent ulterior motive. Ultimately, as students, the only motive is to become a doctor & not to corrupt the system.           
              But I sincerely believe that NEET was a step in right direction. It would’ve curtailed the arbitrariness in admissions. The quality of students entering this profession would’ve certainly been raised. And above all, it would’ve ensured that only merit remains the sole objective criteria in admissions.                    
               Finally, the good news is that on 11th April, 2016, the Hon. Supreme Court has recalled its 2013 NEET decision. It is again going to hear all the petitions afresh. The 5-judge constitutional bench is headed by Justice Dave (the only dissenting judge in 2013 judgement). This certainly raises our hope that finally NEET will see the light of the day. As students, our only wish is that meritocracy should prevail. A noble profession like medicine can’t & should not become a purchasable commodity.

Indian Constitution: Vindicated OR Outdated?

       100, that's the precise number of time we have amended our constitution. Ever since we adopted our constitution on 26th January 1950, significant changes have been made in our constitution, including the preamble. Our Constitution is the reflection of the collective spirit of the people of India. Changes in the constitution reflect the changing thoughts & mindset of people of India. Our 1st constitutional amendment was introduced in the year 1951, that too about our treasured fundamental right, article 19, freedom of speech. So just within 15 months of adoption of our constitution, it was amended & that too a fundamental right. I can certainly say that societal mindset doesn't change within a span of 15 months. So what was it that mandated this amendment?
       Our present preamble reads out "....to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.." The two words 'SOCIALIST' and 'SECULAR' were introduced in our preamble by the notorious 42nd amendment brought by Indira Gandhi government during emergency. Now anyone with even preliminary knowledge of our economy will realize that India is no longer a socialist nation. So is our constitution still living in the hangover of Nehruvian era? Or did Dr. Manmohan Singh violate our constitution when he presented his historic 1991 budget? Well, this proposition is laughable.
       No constitution, howsoever better articulated, is immune from systemic faults within its specific provisions. And finally any system or any constitution is as good as persons operating it. A law is as good as people who interpret it or people who legislate it. The ongoing judicial appointments case has proved the fact that constitution can be interpreted even contrary to what it means in spirit. And a liberal constitution falling in wrong hands can constitutionally subvert democracy & can create dictatorship. Weimar constitution of Germany was considered one of the most finely drafted liberal constitution but using its liberal provisions Hitler could introduce dictatorship constitutionally. Forget Germany, emergency in 1975 also documents the fact that constitution can be easily misused. So finally it is the people of India who are the true guardians & upholders of the constitution. Liberty & Rights come with its own baggage & responsibilities.
      No one can deny the fact that those who framed our constitution were people of great wisdom & foresight. And I don't use these adjectives very loosely. The fact that out of all fundamental rights only 1 fundamental right i.e. right to property has been repealed till date. Rest all of them have stood the test of time & strengthened our democracy. The directive principles of state policy have broadly laid down the governance agenda for the government of the day. But it is very sad to note that people entrusted to fulfill this agenda have only worked upon those which fit into their political calculations. Article 44 about common civil code has become victim of vote bank politics. Why can't a woman of a particular religion not get compensation in a case of divorce? Isn't that a violation of her fundamental rights? Hon. Supreme Court has time & again urged the government to enact law for establishing common civil code but then the moment you talk about common civil code it becomes a secular vs communal issue. It is very unfortunate that a sacred constitutional principle has become a vote bank issue.
     I can discuss many such issues but I have highlighted only some aberrations in our constitution. But we can't deny the fact that we are a vibrant democracy in contrast to those nations who got independence along with us, this is in itself a big tribute to our constitution. The fact that courts in India still have the courage to strike down laws is a tribute to our constitution. The fact that now influential & powerful people in lutyens' Delhi were once ordinary citizens like you & me vindicates our constitution. It is my firm conviction that ultimately it is not the constitution but we, the people of India who will decide our future & our destiny. Rights guaranteed by the constitution cease to function the moment we take it for granted. No constitution in my opinion can be so great that we can take our destiny & our future for granted. And no constitution is so ill framed that we can't defend our rights.
    I have written all this not to discuss or critique our constitution. I am not a lawyer or some constitutional expert. But I have written all this in my capacity as, an ordinary Indian, a qualification more than required to comment on our constitution. It is we, the people of India, who will decide whether we want a glorious future or sit back & abuse our constitution & our laws.
    Decision is ours!!