Time To Look Within

In India, it is almost a fashion to abuse Hinduism on the name of secularism while on the other hand, protect Muslims and other religions on the name of minority. This might have been good philosophy in the last century when people were happy to get their basic rights. But this is not the case in 21st century. Are you satisfied with your basic rights? I say no, no way. Basic rights are the thing of past. People want their basic amenities and basic privileges to grow and prosper and be happy.
Last week when Muslims protested and wasted their time to protest against Taslima, one of them who dared to write things for Muslims, I felt the miseries of deprived communities. Even leaders make use of the weak emotions to fulfill their own aspirations at the cost of growth. But it must be understood by all educated and informed people that you can never be rich by keeping even deprived and fools poor. (This is my researched statement.) West Bengal and Indian governments have to realize this. They can not keep deprived poor for long just because they are not well informed and emotional. Indian government has lost its credibility when keep focusing on trivial issues.

Similar was the case in Sudan, just over a week ago it was hard to imagine how the international reputation of the Sudanese government could sink any lower.

Accused of sponsoring the killing and rape of hundreds of thousands of its own people in Darfur and then of blocking the peacekeepers who might protect them - barely a week passed without a threat of sanctions or a new UN resolution.
But thanks to the Gillian Gibbons saga, Sudan has managed to transform its public image from pariah state to something approaching a laughing stock. Wisdom prevailed at last. But the sequence of events must be of interest to all educated Indians.

Sept: Gillian Gibbons's class votes to name a teddy bear Muhammad
25 Nov: She is arrested for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet
27 Nov: Gordon Brown says efforts are being made to release her
28 Nov: Mrs Gibbons is charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred
29 Nov: A Sudanese court finds her guilty of insulting Islam and sentences her to 15 days in prison and deportation
30 Nov: Angry protesters in Khartoum demand a harsher sentence
1 Dec: Two British Muslim peers press Sudanese officials to pardon her
3 Dec: Mrs Gibbons is pardoned by Sudan's president and freed from prison

Gillian should never have been arrested in the first place, let alone held in jail - she had done nothing wrong says Inayat Bunglawala Muslim Council of Britain

In the name of people and their emotions, shrewd leaders are making their way to the top like 19th and even 20th century but in this era of pure democracy as Imran Khan of Pakistan said once, people need better and sensible leaders to take futuristic decisions.

The mob demanding the execution of Gillian Gibbons — for allowing her seven-year-old pupils to name a teddy bear Mohammed — may have been government prompted. In any case, it represents the latest example of one type of Islamist aggression. Most Muslim-majority countries have rules against insulting the Islamic prophet — most notoriously, clauses 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Islamists capriciously use such laws as a weapon to hound free-thinking Muslims and non-Muslims. And I feel that Muslims leaders are doing this at the cost of the growth of Muslim communities.

In 2002, for example, 105 people were killed in riots in Kaduna, Nigeria, following the publication of an article suggesting Mohammed would have approved of a beauty contest. These incidences across the world, including what happened in West Bengal, are the shame for civilized society. Mobs are howling for the death of Taslima Nasreen, the Bangladeshi author critical of Islam. If India has to developed, it has to learn to respect intelligence. It may be true that India can be ruled by not so intelligent people but can not be run without it. Statements coming out of the West, from the Salman Rushdie affair in 1989, to the Danish cartoons, to Pope Benedict's speech in 2006, have inspired multiple violent eruptions.

These Incidents point to two of the deepest problems in modernizing Islam. One is permitting freedom of speech concerning Mohammed, the Koran, and other aspects of religion. The other concerns the right of Muslims to leave Islam. These twin transitions must be accomplished for Islam to leave its current backward and oppressive situations.

The way Hinuds have been marginalized in their own nation, it is not good for anyone who respects democracy. But thanks to the broad heart and social brought up of Hindus, the country like India, China and others are growing astronomically. We all need to take a lesson or two from emerging events. This is the time of consolidation. This is the time to look within.

Can this informed world be made fool like this at the cost of their basic amenities? Why do not we move from our basic right to basic amenities? Indians need to look within. All deprived people across the world need to look within. All those people who feel emotional about growth of deprived and poor should look within. This is the time to act not just react.

Take Hard Decision in Lighter Moment!

Taslima - A India Prestige

Why should Taslima stays in Rajasthan house? Why Modi should invite her to Gujarat? Why an industrialist and reformist like Buddhadeb fears Muslim fundamentalist to oust Taslima? There are many such questions in this country which disturb me where secular fundamentalists reside and rule.



Society has its own way of evolution. I do not have doubt about the evolutionary processes of human beings. Every human being wants time to grow. Every human being wants time to get educated. That's why even learning took 1900 centuries to be made as basic human rights. Education was not prevalent just three generations back. Today when even educated Muslims and secular Hindus talk and discuss about right and wrong of Taslima, I feel pity on the evolution process of human being.



Can human beings learn things faster? In this 21st century and a more clearly global world, why should we take so much time to learn good things? Why we are still continuing with so many bad and fatal thinking and actions? We have some serious problems of fatal thinking. That's why an author like Taslima is insulted. The only known female author in 21st century who had courage in poor, illiterate and deprived Muslims are being treated badly. Why poor do not learn more than doing fatal worship at the cost of their own life?



Taslima has become 'Harijan' of Muslims. What an irony of an educated society? Every body wants to study, get educated and learn but no one wants to unlearn conservativeness and ugliness of society. How can you insult educated author in a civilized society? After such incidence, can Muslim society ever think of producing a vocal and outspoken author for generations and decades?

Is it surprise when Muslims are struggling to get democracy in Bangladesh or even Pakistan? Why should anyone? In a society where you force educated and learned to run away from pillar to post, you will have to die of bomb attacks. You can dream of democracy and good governance but you can never get. You have to be controlled and manipulated by Western power or developed powers. A conscious Muslims and secular Indians must awaken to face the challenges of growth and wisdom.

It is shame on the part of West Bengal and Indian government who call themselves on one hand secular and on the other hand work for terrorists. Can not we respect law and order? Are law and order in India for majority only?

On the other hand what is happening in Malaysia or even Burma? They are the result of brutal ness. All educated and claimed secular people must speak against fundamentalists. The people who believe in human rights and democracy must come out and fight these fundamentalisms at the core of their heart. Why do not Shahrukh or Shabana speak in favour of Taslima? Why we have so much distinction between M F Hussain and Taslima Nasreen?



It is a golden opportunity for India to respect the democracy and individual freedom of people across the world. Taslima is the symbol of liberty, knowledge and humanity. Taslima must be preserved for dying terror world. If MF Hussain can live in UK, Taslima can stay here in India?.



I am surprised why Mayawati or Jayalalita have not offered Taslima a place in her state especially when center is in doldrums. But sooner or later Indians irrespective of caste, creed or religion will welcome such dignified scholar on this land which is going to be developed shortly. India will develop by welcoming such intelligence at their soil. India will become developed at the cost of conservativeness of its neighbours.



How can India hide its boldness? India must have courage to face fundamentalists. This is an opportunity for India to provide full protection to Taslima and make her a symbol of its secular philosophy.

Take Hard Decision in Lighter Moment!

Exposition of Indian Lady

Dear Kamekish sir,

So it is quite clear in my mind that I am contradicting you at two places:

1. Mallika Sherawat's decisions are appreciated in the book.

But it could have been some other example who had done something good to the society. This is what I felt. How can a girl who has contacts with many men can set an example for the society? If the society grows in that direction, can we call it a healthy society? Or is there any peace of mind and good health possible, if the society takes the path of such lewd examples? How about Kiran Bedi? Definitely, she can set a wonderful example in all facets of her personality! She has revolutionized the concept of disciplining the criminals in Tihar jail through Vipassana meditation.( For your kind information I am also a vipassana meditator but not regular in my practice !) She could have become a good testimony for all your good words. This is what I feel.

2. Parents should not be heeded at all.

What I felt was that they need not be heeded in the matters they are not at all familiar with. Like the example you had given about a pilot who took the advice of his mother for his career in flight and about which the mother knew nothing! That is why I appreciated that the examples you have given "are very strong" and really valid. (Personally speaking, when I was not allowed to go to college to pursue my higher studies and faced storm, all the relatives "kindly" adviced me to stop my higher education. Discouraged me as much as they could. Otherwise I was known as the only child who heeded the words of elders so well. So they wondered that my rebellion in this regard (higher education) was quite contrary to my good nature. But I never listened to any of their "advices.")

Good, it really paves way not to listen to the parents or elders in certain things. But is it adviseable to come out of their house? Even here I could reallly agree with you. Because, if I had settled there with my parents and relatives I could not have been what I am today. So my own examples were too strong to support your views. That is why I called you a real saviour of women in my earlier comment sometime ago. This may not sound good for gents. Because they enjoy good amount of freedom from their parents and their small sense to underscore the thirst of women to achieve and grow may not allow them to agree with you or me at all! I have no concern for such words at all! I don't even waste my time in listening to such empty and hypocritical advices given by such narrow minded gentle men.

Where I contradict with you? Leaving them behind and forgetting them to settle in a developed environment! Of course that is shocking to me. We may do it in order to change their mind for sometime. But is it good to keep ourselves completely forgetting them? How far we are thankful to these good human beings who had sweat for us till we got our wings to fly?

To tell you something very frankly, after this contradiction, when I pondered for sometime, I did not fail to see the weaker side of my argument. That is, if the parents are so egoistic to deny settlling in a better environment where their children are ready to embrace them without any objection, why don't they change their mind to go and settle with them? If they bring damnation to themselves because of their own negative and narrow thinking who is responsible? Good. Let's all go ahead.

But definitely, the children also should not take any chance of neglecting their parents even when they are ready to settle with them. Here I am strong. Children,(ie. young generation) in the name becoming developed, should not discard their parents as if they are the objects of "use and throw"! Certainly, if they do such negative unlearning they are bound to be condemned. Your book should have insisted on this point, I researched and felt.

Your book is a wonderful and daring attempt to put your index finger on the nose of the conservative ignorant and even educated but hypocritical society! You really deserve a big accolade for your daredevilry. Go ahead wing commander! Command the world to UNLEARN! Here is one such spirit by your side! Thank you.

With loadz of thanks and regards,

Dawn and Dew.

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My Reply to this daring response from an Indian lady,
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Dear Dawn and Dew

I think you are correct. We contradict at two places.

1. Mallika Sherawat’s decisions are appreciated in the book. As far ‘unlearning’ is concerned, this is correct. However, I have mentioned about the contributions of Kiran Bedi in generating wisdom else where in the book which you must have noticed. But then as far as unlearning is to be discussed, I could not get any better example than Mallika at that moment of time when I wrote these lines in 2005 middle. If I had to write these lines in 2007, I could have thought of another Mallika who grew on Mallika and now competing with her and she is Rakhi Sawant. In recent Hot Times of The Times of India, she declares she has better brain than Mallika. Keeping it short, I had no other daring example than Mallika as far as unlearning is to be communicated.

2. Parents should not be heeded at all. This may be correct in most of the cases but certainly I have never said that it is to be done in every case. I have own logic to put across this point. But if parents are ready to unlearn and follow the path of growth and prosperity, there are no contradictions. So I think you have explained with many of your daring examples which many of Indian ladies feel shy in narrating. But you have done it and I hope your messages are going across many Indians ladies for a more conscious and prosper society where parents have a choice of better life. This is the responsibility of all educated children to provide developed life to their parents.

I have commented few of these in Matheikal blog too. I hope you may have seen them.

http://matheikal.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/11/unlearn-before-you-learn/comments.htm

I do not know whether I am savior of women but thanks for calling me so.

I agree that the book should have been researched further. I hope to do it if I get time and money.

Contradictions are part of learning. It could be the part of unlearning too. So feel free to contradict if you feel so. I respect the emotions of human being. I understand and appreciate individual choices. But then I only say one has to be aware of own potential.

And that is what is unlearning!!

kamekish


Take Hard Decision in Lighter Moment!

How To Innovate?

To be innovative is the biggest craze of the people of 21st century. Everybody wants to be innovative. The educated, well placed and good earning individuals are searching and devoting valuable time for innovation. But very few have knowledge of its internal ingredients. But the secret lies somewhere else. I firmly believe that there is an urgent need to unlearn past to become innovative.

I get surprise when people enter in domain of innovation through historically irrelevant characters and stories. The things which have been researched heavily, written extensively and propagated mercilessly have no innovation left in it. We need to look into more dynamic domain for innovation.

Unlearning past is tricky like learning must been just three generations back. Today we might feel comfortable to decide about learning needs but remain puzzled to find unlearning needs. But without framing unlearning needs, you can never dream to be creative or innovative.

Deepak Chopra rightly says that to create something new, the old has to die. When we are constantly recreating ourselves at material, intellectual and personal levels, what stops us to unlearn those irrelevant characters of history?

To create is to bring into being or existence. And to create something new, we have to die to what is. Something has to dies for something new to emerge.

“Every death is an opportunity for a quantum leap of creativity. Through death, we recreate ourselves at every level; the material level of the body-mind, the intellect, the personality. All of these have to die in order to recreate ourselves.” says Deepak Chopra.

Deepak says that with every death we store the wisdom of our experiences since the beginning of time and take quantum leaps of creativity so that we can look at ourselves again as if for the first time. I disagree with him. The things which are available today in 21st century were never there in the history of human kind. How can we store wisdom? Which wisdom is he talking about? The old wisdom which are stored have to be unlearned to be creative. And that is the challenge of innovation.

Deepak says many beautiful stances for unlearning needs but he remains quite away from reality. In biology there is a term called apoptosis, which means programmed cellular death, in the absence of apoptosis, cells forget to die and this condition is called cancer. Cancer cells don’t know how to die and in their quest for immortality, they kill the host body upon which they are dependent for their life.

Lack of unlearning is like developing cancers. Individuals, societies or nation which do not unlearn basically develop cancer and will die in the time to come. UPA governments under Sonia with phobia of Gandhi, Karat with socialism or BJP with nobleness are like a cancer for India. The cancer is going to kill India. Gandhi and communism are like cancer to the growing society. These cancerous ideas have to die from Indian minds to be innovative. These cancerous elements have to die for India to survive and grow.

Instead of focusing our mind, time and energy on irrelevant histories and characters, we need to let them die for recreating a new India. Innovation will emerge then. A new India with confident outlook will appear then.

Take Hard Decision in Lighter Moment!