The Man Who Dreamt

 

Like Gandhi, King used his religious conviction and belief in non-violence to champion his cause. He transformed himself in to voice that appealed to the conscience of whites. He took a philosophical stand that “in the final analysis, the white man cannot ignore the Negro problem, because he is part of the Negro and the Negro is a part of him. The Negro’s agony diminishes the white man, and the Negro’s salvation enlarges the white man.”

On the occasion of Marti Luther King Day, my piece published in Bangladesh daily, ‘The Daily Star dated January 19, 2015 : The Man Who Dreamt

 

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To read the full article please click on the web link: http://epaper.thedailystar.net/index.php?opt=view&page=7&date=2015-01-19

 

TEACHING THE SCIENCE OF THE SOUL

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Building on Swami Vivekananda’s legacy, Paramahansa Yogananda was instrumental in popularising yoga in the West. So relevant are his teachings today that yoga studios are now as common as coffee shops in America

My piece in “The Pioneer” dated January 6, 2015 : Teaching the science of the soul. 

To read the full article, please visit :http://archive.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/teaching-the-science-of-the-soul.html

 

 

Is US media covering Obama’s India visit?

The Indian media is taking pains to describe at length- even with graphical details- about Air Force One looking no less than a Flying White House, official vehicle of President called ‘the Beast’, his dog soldiers, what is plan B for Agra and how sanitary work is in full progress in the cities that he will be visiting.

My report from Chicago published in The Times of India on January 27, 2015: Is US media covering Obama’s India visit?

To read the full report please click on the web link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/contributors/contributions/munish-kumar-raizada/Is-US-media-covering-Obamas-India-visit/articleshow/46027364.cms?

स्वास्थ्य सेवा की सुध लेने का समय

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सरकार को चाहिए कि खुद स्वास्थ्य केंद्रों के संचालन की बजाय वह स्वास्थ्य बीमा का दायरा विस्तृत करे। मजबूत कानून तथा मापदंडों के चलते यदि स्वास्थ्य बीमा का व्यापक विस्तार हो, तो जनता सरकारी या निजी क्षेत्र से चिकित्सा सुविधाएं प्राप्त करने में कहीं अधिक सक्षम हो सकेगी।

आज के हिन्दुस्तान दैनिक में प्रकाशित मेरा आलेख: स्वास्थ्य सेवा की सुध लेने का समय 

विस्तार में पढने के लिऐ: http://epaper.livehindustan.com/story.aspx?id=174553&boxid=29349096&ed_date=2015-03-18&ed_code=1&ed_page=10

Universal Health Insurance in India: A way to go forward

Time has come that India catches up with an alternative model of allocating resources and funding to its public health programs and provide health insurance to its citizens.

My take on how Government-sponsored health care schemes can provide health-for-all published in The Indian Express yesterday: Universal Health Insurance in India: A way to go forward

Resignation of Arvind Kejriwal: Nishkaam karma

Is AAP deeply worried about the quality of the Indian intellectuals who interpret Shri Kejriwal’s

resignation from Chief Minister ship as betrayal and/or escapism instead of seeing it as an

example of NISHKAM KARMA YOGA. This resignation is in sharp contrast to the behavior of

the present day politicians.

Its precedence in the contemporary history is that of Subhas Chandra Bose’s resignation from

ICS. In the antiquity it is comparable to Chandragupta Maurya’s ascetic life in present day

Srobon Belgola of Karnak. Emperor Ashok’s life as a saint. Prince Gutam Buddha’s Maha

Nishkraman. And Emperor Kharbels sainthood in Kalinga.

What happens or has happened to the inner fabric of a nation whose dominating intellectual class

– product of current education system – are either unable or unwilling to appreciate the real

significance of Kejriwal’s resignation? Does AAP feel alarmed of the quality of the education

system that breeds such elements? If yes- what educational reforms do they intend to introduce?

India- where roads take you nowhere!

Decent roads in India that let you drive with dignity: Am I asking for too much? The road network in a city is like circulatory system of the human body that brings vitality to the life. We must understand that good roads are a prerequisite for the ‘promised’ smart cities.
This is the theme this time of my weekly column “Musings from Chicago” published in the ‘Political & Business Daily’ on October 27,2014. 
Column 8 PBD Road network

Abolish Booth-wise vote count

During assembly and Parliamentary elections, you go to cast your secret ballot at a Pooling Booth. Typically, 1000-1200 voters are assigned to one booth. Each polling booth has one Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

When the results of elections are declared, people get to know which candidate got how many voters overall. That is for sure! But, election commission also declares the details to the tune of each EVM or Polling Booth. In other words, a candidate or party comes to know how many votes were polled in favor or against from that particular segment of voter population.

The Election Commission had recommended that the practice of declaring results at Booth level be abolished as it exposes the voters preferences to the political parties and candidates.

The Supreme Court asked the Central government yesterday while hearing a Public Interest Litigation: “Why are you sleeping over a 6 years old proposal of Election Commission to stop Booth-wise counting of votes”? The Center’s counsel replied: “The proposal has been sent to the Law Commission”. 

What a lethargy pace! Our tortoise of the rabbit-tortoise story will be put to shame by the Indian government!

Abolition of declaration of results at the EVM-level is a much needed reform in our electoral democracy. Politicians with vindictive attitude exploit this information to take vengeance if voters of a particular booth(s) did not vote for him/her. Remember the incidence of Maharastra Chief Minister  Ajit Pawar threatening voters in villages of Baramati Lok Sabha seat?  Mr. Pawar was campaigning for his cousin Ms . Supriya Sule – a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate in the last Lok Sabha elections held a few months back. 
Let us hope the wheels of Mr. Modi-led government would move faster as he won elections on the plank of ‘vikaas’!

संसद में हस्तियां: कितनी उपयोगिता ?

मेरा आलेख “संसद में हस्तियां: कितनी उपयोगिता?” वीर अर्जुन समाचार पत्र में अगस्त 30, 2014 को प्रकाशित हुआ.

आपकी प्रतिक्रिया का स्वागत है.

आलेख का लिंक

Sansad mein Khyatiyan Vir Arjun

 

Time to raise the bar for honest politics

August 27, 2014: The Supreme Court said today: “As a trustee of the Constitution, the Prime Minister is expected NOT to appoint unwarranted persons as ministers.” The constitution bench hearing a decade old plea on dismissal of some tainted ministers (at that time, Mr. Man Mohan Singh was the Prime Minister)) observed further: “It is expected that the PM will not appoint persons against whom charges have been framed and he is facing trial. We leave it to the PM and Chief Ministers.”

The Supreme Court has rightly refused to disqualify the ministers with criminal charges, saying it is up to the elected political leadership to take action on that. The apex court observed that it is primarily the duty of the head of states (Prime Minister and Chief Ministers) to practice politics with morality.

Getting 4 Ministers of UPA govt led by Man Mohan Singh of the year 2004 disqualified now is a moot point. However, the Supreme Court’s observations are very timely since the standards of our politics have hardly improved in the last 10 years!

It is a CLARION CALL for our politicians. The nation expects you to set a high bar of clean and honest politics. Will Prime Minister Shri Modi cleanse his house NOW? He has 14 Ministers with criminal records. Will he pause and reflect at what the constitution bench has just said?