NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR RIGHTS

Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousufzai are awarded  the 2014 Nobel Prize for Peace for their fight and work for the rights of children suffering in India, Pakistan and other countries in the world under bondage, sweat labour , and other conditions of deprivation.  Bachpan  Bachao Andolan ,the NGO founded by Kailash Satyaethi , has so far saved more than 83,000 children from  child labour, trafficking ,and bondage ,and arranged education for them. Malala after the fatal attack on her life by the Taliban has been popular not only in her state Pakistan, but all over the world for her campaign for education of girls. But Kailash Satyarthi  has been known only in limited regions in India.

Recognition for Satyarthi's  work was rewarded by US, Germany ,Italy and other countries . But in India he has been almost a persona non grata. Neither any state government nor the government of India considered his work any award. In other words, his work has not been to the liking of the power structure in India which pays lip service to abolition of child labour (which of course is legally prohibited ), but continues to exploit cheap child labour. Match industry,  textile mills, garment industry, small scale production units, etc do utilise  the labour of children without any feeling of guilt or  fear of accountability to gain competitive advantage in the market. The notorious Sumangali Scheme promoted by many textile mills in Tamilnadu as a dowry earning scheme is a cruel bonded labour practice with the government officials not bothering to take any action and the politicians extending their support .

The way the  corporate organizations and many politicians reacted to the prestigious Nobel Prize to Kailash Satyarthi has been MUTE or HOSTILE. One argument is that the award is to put a break on the Make  in India measure and the general manufacturing sector's progress. Equating Hindu with Muslim  as well as Indian with Pakistani by the Nobel Committee spokesperson while announcing the award has been interpreted as Award with Suspicios Motive. These reactions deserve to be thrown to the dustbin of human rights struggles.

Even the ubiquitous  Padma Shri award was not given to Kailash Satyarthi by the self-styled great champions of the underprivileged, while the leaders of the previous ruling dispensation hurriedly awarded the Bharat Ratna to a sports person  after amending the originally prescribed eligibility norms specified in the  Indian Constitution by rushing to the stadium where the awardee was playing  the farewell match. .

Whether the business sector likes it or not, and whether the political patrons of crony capitalism criticises it or not , the Nobel Prize has brought Child Rights before the media's essential attention for serious debates and also  as a key political issue.

A MESSAIAH AND HIS REGRESSIVE MESSAGE

K.J.Yesudas, 74,  legendary singer adored by millions across India .Known as Gana Gandharwan (celestial singer), and fondly called "Dasettan"(elder brother) by Malayalis. Yesudas has won many awards for film songs in many Indian languages  and for his rendering of carnatic music. The nation conferred on him the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. Always dressed in pristine white "kurta and Veshti  ", his face radiated a divine touch and his voice mesmerised millions. As an icon, his words have been listened to without any dissent. But on Gandhi Jayanthi day, the image of the musical colossus has been shattered . Condemned by millions through social media, electronic media and street protests , the pristine white attire of Yesudas is stained beyond restoration.Reason: a speech of Yesudas on October 2 and some advice to women.

    "   Do not create  trouble to others by wearing JEANS. Men think beyond that (the jeans)  and gets tempted with desire prompting them to undesirable actions .Wearing jeans is against Indian culture which values modesty as the greatest quality of women. WHAT SHOULD BE COVERED  MUST BE COVERED.  "( Not verbatim as he spoke in Malayalam).

       

What a regressive sexist  comment from Yesudas! By implication he justifies rape as UP leader Mulayam Sinngh Yadav said " Boys are boys" which was condemned even by the UN Secretary General. Innocent kids aged 3 , 4, etc are raped across India. These children do not wear jeans , Padma Bhushan Yesudas ! Asianet TV, the popular Malayalam Channel , did an investigative telecast on sexual abuse and rape of young girls and women by their fathers under the title Makalanu Marakkaruthu, meaning "Do not forget, they are your daughters". Are these rapes because of their wearing jeans ? Even between husband and wife, sex is in the mind and not in the anatomy of the wife. So also, RAPE IS IN THE MIND OF THE RAPIST AND  NOT ON THE JEANS.

The eminent singer spoke his mind at a Swatchh Baharat  (Clean India) function . Psychologists say that people reveal their real self in an unguarded moment. Yesudas definitely need cleaning of his mind as he is in public life in the midst of men and women of all age groups. Famous psychoanalyst Erik Erikson in his book Gandhi's Truth did a psychoanalytical study of the Mahatma . Gandhiji attempted to test his control over his mind on sex, but failed. The Mahatma confessed  his failure in the book My Experiments with  Truth. Yesudas will benefit from psychoanalysis to identify the disconnect between his social self and the real self.

CLEAN INDIA AND CLEANING THE INDIANS

Gandhi Jayanthi was observed this year with a never before mission Swatchh Bharat (Clean India Campaign) by PM Narendra Modi leading from the front on October 2. It was a moving experience. PM  exhorted the young Indians: Devote two hours every week for cleaning your surroundings :: Do not litter and do not allow others to litter,

If each citizen can stop throwing litter outside and spitting in public, then the battle against unclean environment can be won. Parents and other adults should inculcate socially re ractices and healthy personal habits as a gurantee for a future clean India. Go to a govt office and you  alls because of Pan stains and spit marks. There is a joke:: a tourist asked his host "Why do You Indians spit blood ? Why is your govt not doing any thing to give treatment to the people?".Most men, including the well educated, have no hesitation to urinate in public against the walls and trees as a matter of right. Open defecation by those without access to toilts is understandable. But many with private toilets throw the excreta of their children on to the roads. Purity inside is important, but pollution outside is immaterial.That is the attitude of many. A colleague of mine in a school  of social work never forgot to brush his teeth after lunch, but he never flushed the WC after use. So cleanliness is also an attitudinal problem.

Millions of workers who clean our roads, parks and lavatories across the country have been experiencing very undesirable working and living conditions. Manual scavenging of night soil continues which is an inhuman practice. Despite the Supreme Court order no action has been taken by the govt. Most of these workers are Dalits. Indian Railways is the worst offender in causing the worst form of unclean environment.

Swatchh Bharat Mission needs a carrot and stick approach as many  democracies have been doing successfuly.A purely voluntary approach has serious limitations.

ABUSE THE ELDERLY AND CELEBRATE ELDERS DAY

Today the whole world observes International Day of Older Persons with fanfare as Tokenism when millions of the elderly starve and are abused.

Angelina Mary ,87, all along had a life of misery. A chennai born girl, she was an orphan. She was brought up by the Sisters of St Mary's Church. They fondly caled her Lily. When she grew up as a young beauty, the Sisters arranged her marria a young man. He was working as a driver. The initial years were happy. She gave birth to a baby boy. Unexpectedly situation has changed in their life. Her husband took to drinking and became an alcoholic. Mary was tortured by her husband, day in and day out. After forty years of a dreadful married lif ary became a widow. A long legal battle soon followed for securing the legitimate pension of her deceased husband.

But living with her only son and daughter-in-law has become a nightmare. They used to scold her and also used to beat her. Switching off the fan whille she was asleep was a regular feature.Then the ceiling fan in her room ltself was removed by her son.Finally her son threw Mary out of the house. The main reason was her fiing a case  under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act. Mary appealed to the Chief Minister's Cell and the Commissioner of Police.She had to run from pillar to post for protection. Exasperated by the indifference of the bureaucracy and the police, Mary,with the help of a sympathetic lawyer, approached the Chennai Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Saidapet. The Court ordered the son and Daughter-in-law to "ALLOW MARY TO LIVE PEACEFULLY". The Court directed the police to give Mary protection to life and property FROM HER SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW

Mary is one of the millions of neglected and abused older persons in whos name funftions are organized, and empty speeches are made on October 1 everywhere !