(GENERAL) ELECTIONS IN INDIA

No one is interested in the elections in India other than politicians and their supporters.  The rulers should know that Indians are losing faith in Democracy fast day by day.  After all our country got Independence only 64 years ago, not 300 or 400 years. 

Our rulers should try to impress the common man by his / her deeds and high thinking.   This is the way to lead the youngsters in a long run.  Otherwise you see today, when I have asked the students who were 17 and 18 in schools, no student showed interest to enter into politics, instead, everyone hated and blamed the politicians and political system. 

Without knowing much of benefits of freedom / Independence and the struggle how much our people had in 1930s and 1940s, today’s youngsters feel that India could have been under Britishers themselves.  What a pity !  Is it the one we taught to the younger generation ?   Just for this, did Mahatma Gandhi  work hard his best to get freedom for India ? 

Why we lost interest in elections, that should be analysed.    The younger generation feels that our politicians could behave little more decently in Parliament / Assemblies,  when they are in power or not.   They feel it is not the better way to set example for the upcoming youngsters.      

It is better to have elections only once in  5 years;   we must consider the following points: 

Elections are held when an MLA or MP dies; 

Elections are held when the Govt is toppled;  Govt is topped when the rules party MLAs / MPs are changing their colours/flags/parties/positions/policies/minds, etc. etc. 

Elections are held when Govt is dismissed;

Elections are held once in 5 years; 

Elections are held separately for Parliament and Assemblies.   

Elections are held  whenever the abovementioned situation arises.   

Almost every day in India, the elections are held;  it is very unfortunate that there is no rule that Parliament and Assembly elections should be held in India simultaneously.

Enough is enough.  Stop these elections every day in India.  See, to win in an election what gimmicks candidates indulge into.  With a great,  hope people vote for them, but after coming to power really are the people happy ?   It is a million dollar question.  Even the candidate can be purchased by others easily on some occasions.  Thus the people who voted for him become fools overnight.   In the same way the voters are also sold by hundreds to thousands of rupees. 

In most of the elections we see even 55% of the polling do not take place.    Candidates arrange autos  to take the voters to booths to vote.  May people prefer to stay at home without going to polling booth.     In some cases, either their names will not be there in the list or someone would have franchised their vote already.    There should be a mandatory that in every election,  at least 95%   of the eligible voters should have voted, otherwise, the Chief Election Commissioner should not announce the results and see maximum number of people should vote.    If the people have not voted, their names should be taken out from the Ration Card or some kind of punishment must be there. 

Reforms should take place in Indian Constitution in this regard.  It is the need of the hour.  Otherwise absolutely there is no meaning for the Elections, Freedom and Democracy.

                                                                                               

                                                                      *******

SWIMMING POOL TRAGEDY

It is very sad that a boy drowned in a school swimming pool in Chennai yesterday.  The School has given outsource for teaching Swimming for children.  Of course, a school cannot do everything, including horse riding, swimming, tree climbing, stitching uniform, guarding the gates and watering the plants, etc.

Long back, I understand that the children were taken to play grounds nearby their homes by their parents in the morning to train them physically;  I do  remember our Ace Tennis Player Vijay Amritraj's mother walked along her son 15 km a day;   in villages, there would be big and deep wells were for paddy fields.  In those wells, the children were pushed to learn swimming.  If anything happened, the matter would not be made into a big issue and surely there was no any blame game.  Children were sent to school to gain some knowledge from the teachers and books;  exams would be conducted, pass or fail would be the result.

Times are changed now drastically.

Schools start to teach everything, the above mentioned arts and all.  Lot of money is collected by the schools and parents also pay willingly.  Skating, Tennis, Basketball, Library, Swimming, Horse Riding, Trekking ..... all facilities are available in most of the schools today.  In the olden days, there was no conveyance, people had to walk to schools for 10 to 15 km with or without taking any food in the morning.  Even proper dress was not there for students, none had given importance also.

If a teacher punishes a student, the student would not tell his parents about the punishment, otherwise, the parents also would join in punishing their ward.  That much the parents would believe the teacher and respect was there for the teaching community.  Today, the Supreme Court has ordered not to punish any student in school.  No teacher punishes students.  There is no fear among students today in school classroom.  The competition among private schools is heavy.  Mushroom like, schools are opened today.   To lure the parents and students, schools do any gimmick.  To bring more strength to the school, the authorities go down to any level.   Schools have buses, vans, cars and autos, only thing, the schools have not purchased Planes and Trains to give maximum facilities to the children.  They send these vehicles to any corner even there is only one student.  Such a big bus goes to every doorstep to get a student.  Parents started to think the buses turned into autos.

Once there was a respect for Schools and Teachers.  Today, it is upside down.  Schools and Teachers are not respected, instead there is a huge respect for students.  I don't know whether it is a healthy sign and things are going in a right way.   Schools and Teachers have no control over the students today.  In most the homes, parents also don't have any control over their own children.  They convey the message to the children through their friends or teachers.  Teaching has become a thankless job.

School authorities should know their limits.  They should not go to any extent to lure the children to bring them to school just for the sake of strength.  Already many schools face a major problem, i.e. lack of better teachers.  In our country, the teachers are paid less thus, no one shows interest towards this profession.  Due to this, the direct sufferers are Schools and Students.  I see this problem from Kanyakumari to New Delhi and it has become a national issue.  That is why, the Digital Teaching System is fast enough to enter into every school even in villages.

In Schools, let us give good education, teach the values of Indian Culture, Women Empowerment, Importance for Agriculture, Leadership Qualities, Decision Making and so many to our students / children who come to schools.  Let us not take any risk towards the safety of children, who come to schools to shine in their lives.  Our duty is to see the children are safe in schools.

At the same time, an important one I wish to tell the parents very humbly.

Dear Parents, our children are precious to us; very special to us; they are our tomorrow;  they are our future.  This country is expecting a lot from our children.  We will give top priority to the Safety for our children;  secondly their Health and finally their Knowledge.   Take all these seriously and see their priorities.  Many parents want their children should achieve everything  what they could not achieve in their days.  Our children also have their own priorities and their own interests;   hear their views.  Everyone cannot become a Doctor or Engineer.  They may like to become Kalam, Mylswamy Annadurai, Saina Nehwal, Sachin, Chetan Bhagat, so on.

Just for education alone, don't send your children to a very far away school.  It is not a healthy one.  I see a 4 year old kid travels 20 km in the morning and 20 km in the evening for education, taking lunch box and water can in the bag along with the books, though there are some better KG Schools nearby.

Let us not play with the lives of children.

DEPRESSION AMONG INDIAN YOUNGSTERS

In a recent weekly I went through an article on “the unrest among youngsters”.  In a progressing country like India, our leaders / educationists should note it and handle it seriously.  Depression is a worst emotional status in one's life.  

How well we are able to balance our emotions in our life, does not surely depends on the situation / circumstances but depends on how well we are able to take the tough situations mentally.  

INDIAN JOURNALISM

JOURNALISM

I am very sad that in India the journalists / news makers believe that they are there only to give sensational news that too always.

They think such news items only will attract the readers.

What a pity this is !  Earning money alone should not be our criteria.

Instead of bringing into their hold, these news makers go into the shoes of the readers.

Almost in every monthly, weekly and daily you notice that main news covered on Rape / Gang Rape / Theft / Fraud / Arrest / Goondas Act / Accident / Death / Bribe  etc.  Most of the Tamil news papers I see they cover the news that a woman eloped with another man, her first husband chased and killed / poisoned / pushed her into the well / killed her and killed himself / a married man developed friendship with another married woman and her husband killed him with a gang and so on.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH UTMOST IMPORTANT ONE

You might have read that Dr. APJ Kalam's words saying that India will become a Super Power in 2020.  What a great news for all the Indians wherever they live.

Sametime, another medical bulletin says that Obesity will be killer disease in India in 2020 !

What a tragedy it is.

Today's children don't have time to play.  The schools concentrate only on education, memorized education, high marks and ranks.   It is very very unfortunate that parents also prefer such schools.  They don't allow students to play in school even once in a week.

RECENT SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS

RECENT SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS

The recent incidents of school buses, accidents and deaths of children make everyone very sad.  For this, all should think about the steps which we have to take.  It is not the time for blame game.  Everyone is involved in this crime.  Just you cannot single out anyone.

My humble view is, let the school administration concentrate only on imparting a good education.  Let us not give any transport facility for public and it is not our duty also.  See what Govt. schools do, are they plying buses and vans for their schools ?  No, still thousands of students go and study even today.  What is the real necessity for private school people to ply vehicles up to the student's doorsteps ?

My dear good school friends, please think it over.  Very few of us know about the vehicles and their drawbacks.