A great subcontinent with a glorious culture dating eons back, which at one time was the richest country of the world, to which the nations from across the world found way to reach so as to trade with her and learn from her ancient institutions, which welcomed both visitors and conquerors with the same hospitality - only to be plundered, looted and left squeezed-out by them, finally split into two countries (later three) based on religious grounds (though the leaders at that time said, political grounds!); saw birth of a new nation within by name Pakistan. The word Pakistan meant ‘Clean Land’ (‘Pak’ in Urdu is Clean and ‘Stan’ in Farsi meant place). However, as per Choudhry Rehmat Ali, the founder of Pakistan National movement who coined the word Pakistan; PAK is an abbreviation of Punjab, Afghan (not Afghanistan, but the erstwhile North Western Frontier Province called Afghania) and Kashmir. It is another matter that subsequent to the formation of Pakistan, the coiner of the word was truly disillusioned with the very nation that he helped form.
Close to six and half decades later, Pakistan today stands as a withered dream.
While Pakistanis would never accept their angst toward India, from their communications and body language, the feeling is quiet evident. Over the last two decades, India had moved completely away from all its comparisons with Pakistan, it is on its way now to joining China in economic status. Pakistan is left way behind. Whenever I read books written by Pakistani authors or hear interviews with them, I see the angst showing up in tongue in cheek form. All said and done, India is there in every Pakistani’s subconscious mind. Having begun the journey together, it is but natural that we get to see them very disappointed.
What is Pakistan today? With all that happening around, it looks more like a banana republic. Left to rule by inefficient, clannish politicians who really do not know whether they are coming or going, with no assistance coming from corrupt establishment and bureaucracy. A completely porous border with Afghanistan continues to give the country mighty migraine! The country side is full of primitive Jihadis who are fighting sectarian wars against each other, when they are not scheming against India. The Pakistan army continues to have it its thumb well on the government and the rulers. To top it all, the country is continuously affected by natural calamities one way or the other. When it is not earth quake, it is the flood! The country and its people are totally ravaged!
The rich and famous are fleeing the country. Or at least they are forced to send their children study outside the nation, either in Middle East or Europe. They live a secluded but exclusive lifestyle, completely cut off from the masses. Education has taken a back seat within Pakistan with madrasas teaching hatred against the kafir and indoctrinating youngsters to plan jihads. Where went the fashionable Karachi, the cultural Lahore and the Swat valley – formerly called the Switzerland of Pakistan?
Majority of Indians initially had lived with a Pakistan complex while the Pakistanis always had shown a persecution complex. The feeling against each other is the highest when the two neighbours played Cricket of Hockey. Win and loss are quiet metaphorical for both, with the winner enjoying true revenge!
Slowly we see that the southern part of India has started forgetting Pakistan. The resultant amnesia of Pakistan in the mind of south Indian is giving them other thoughts, thoughts about progressing and doing well in life. Soon you will see the same with other Indians too. Times are changing. In this nanosecond decade, there is no time to sit down and brood over a dream that had soured. Pakistan is becoming a thing of the past and past is passé. All are busy, with their life and vocation. Pakistan is slowly becoming alienated, even from the Indians!
How can Pakistan ever forget India forgetting it?
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
കടം വരുമ്പോള്‍ ധനം വരുന്നു
അച്ചന്‍ പറഞ്ഞു, എന്നച്ചന്‍ പറഞ്ഞു
മിച്ചം സൂക്ഷിക്ക ഭാവിയില്‍ ഗുണം ചെയ്യും
ഇല്ലാലത് ഇല്ലാത്തവന് കൊടുത്താല്‍ കിട്ടും
പുന്ണ്യമ്തുപകരിക്കും ഉണ്ണി നിന്‍ പരമ്പരക്ക്
ശ്രേഷ്ടന്‍ അച്ഛനത് ചെയ്തു കുറെ വച്ചു മിച്ചം
പിന്നെക്കുറെ മാറ്റി പാവങ്ങള്‍ അഗതികള്‍കായ്‌
കിട്ടിയ പുന്ണ്യത്തോടെ കൂടാതെ മിച്ച്ചങ്ങളും
കൂട്ടി അന്തസ്സോടെ ജിവിപ്പു ഭൂവില്‍ മക്കള്‍
നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള്‍ മാറി തത്വങ്ങള്‍ കാറ്റായി മാറി
ഗ്ലോബലൈസേഷന്‍ പടിപ്പുര കടന്നുള്ളിലെത്തി
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം വന്നുറച്ചുല്സവം
എം എന്‍ എന്സികള്‍ ആടി താള ലയങ്ങളോടെ
ഉള്ളവനില്‍ നിന്നന്തരം ഇല്ലത്തവനുയരവേ
പിന്നെയവന്‍ അന്തര്‍ധാനം ചെയ്യവേ, കെട്ടുപിണഞ്ഞ
തത്വങ്ങളില്‍ മധ്യവര്‍ഗം നില്പൂ കിതപ്പോടെ
അന്ഗുമില്ല്ല്ലിങ്ങുമില്ല മിച്ചങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നുമില്ല
നാടോടുമ്പോള്‍ നടുവേ ഓടണമെന്ന ചൊല്ല്
വാണിജ്യ സഖാക്കള്‍ ഓതിടുമ്പോള്‍
മിച്ചങ്ങള്‍ ഇല്ലാതെ പിടിച്ചു നില്പാനിവന്‍
താങ്ങല്‍ അന്വേഷിപ്പൂ ആര് സഹായിപ്പോന്‍
വരൂ വരൂ മൂന്നു മിനിട്ടിനകം പണം
പണ്ടങ്ങള്‍ വേണമില്ലേല്‍ പ്രമാണങ്ങള്‍
വീട്ടില്‍ വച്ചിട്ട് എന്തിനു കേഴുന്നു നാട്ടില്‍
ചൊന്നൂ ബാങ്കുകള്‍ പണയ ഗൃഹങ്ങളും ഒന്നൊന്നായ്
പണ്ടത്തിന് ജാമ്യത്തില്‍ ചുമല ഗാന്ധിക്കെട്ടുകള്
കീശക്കുള്ളില്‍ തള്ളി തത്വങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്അവധിയും നല്‍കി
ഞാന്‍ ചിന്തിച്ചു ജീവിതം നൈമിഷികം
ആഘോഷമാണ് കാതല്‍ സന്തോഷിക്കണം എന്നും
സത്യങ്ങള്‍ മാറിടുന്നു തത്വങ്ങള്‍ മാറിടുന്നു
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം അമ്മാനം ആടിടുന്നു
നൂതന ധന തത്വങ്ങള്‍ ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു പുതു
സത്യം വരുന്നു ' കടം വരുമ്പോള്‍ ധനം വരുന്നു '
മിച്ചം സൂക്ഷിക്ക ഭാവിയില്‍ ഗുണം ചെയ്യും
ഇല്ലാലത് ഇല്ലാത്തവന് കൊടുത്താല്‍ കിട്ടും
പുന്ണ്യമ്തുപകരിക്കും ഉണ്ണി നിന്‍ പരമ്പരക്ക്
ശ്രേഷ്ടന്‍ അച്ഛനത് ചെയ്തു കുറെ വച്ചു മിച്ചം
പിന്നെക്കുറെ മാറ്റി പാവങ്ങള്‍ അഗതികള്‍കായ്‌
കിട്ടിയ പുന്ണ്യത്തോടെ കൂടാതെ മിച്ച്ചങ്ങളും
കൂട്ടി അന്തസ്സോടെ ജിവിപ്പു ഭൂവില്‍ മക്കള്‍
നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള്‍ മാറി തത്വങ്ങള്‍ കാറ്റായി മാറി
ഗ്ലോബലൈസേഷന്‍ പടിപ്പുര കടന്നുള്ളിലെത്തി
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം വന്നുറച്ചുല്സവം
എം എന്‍ എന്സികള്‍ ആടി താള ലയങ്ങളോടെ
ഉള്ളവനില്‍ നിന്നന്തരം ഇല്ലത്തവനുയരവേ
പിന്നെയവന്‍ അന്തര്‍ധാനം ചെയ്യവേ, കെട്ടുപിണഞ്ഞ
തത്വങ്ങളില്‍ മധ്യവര്‍ഗം നില്പൂ കിതപ്പോടെ
അന്ഗുമില്ല്ല്ലിങ്ങുമില്ല മിച്ചങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നുമില്ല
നാടോടുമ്പോള്‍ നടുവേ ഓടണമെന്ന ചൊല്ല്
വാണിജ്യ സഖാക്കള്‍ ഓതിടുമ്പോള്‍
മിച്ചങ്ങള്‍ ഇല്ലാതെ പിടിച്ചു നില്പാനിവന്‍
താങ്ങല്‍ അന്വേഷിപ്പൂ ആര് സഹായിപ്പോന്‍
വരൂ വരൂ മൂന്നു മിനിട്ടിനകം പണം
പണ്ടങ്ങള്‍ വേണമില്ലേല്‍ പ്രമാണങ്ങള്‍
വീട്ടില്‍ വച്ചിട്ട് എന്തിനു കേഴുന്നു നാട്ടില്‍
ചൊന്നൂ ബാങ്കുകള്‍ പണയ ഗൃഹങ്ങളും ഒന്നൊന്നായ്
പണ്ടത്തിന് ജാമ്യത്തില്‍ ചുമല ഗാന്ധിക്കെട്ടുകള്
കീശക്കുള്ളില്‍ തള്ളി തത്വങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്അവധിയും നല്‍കി
ഞാന്‍ ചിന്തിച്ചു ജീവിതം നൈമിഷികം
ആഘോഷമാണ് കാതല്‍ സന്തോഷിക്കണം എന്നും
സത്യങ്ങള്‍ മാറിടുന്നു തത്വങ്ങള്‍ മാറിടുന്നു
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം അമ്മാനം ആടിടുന്നു
നൂതന ധന തത്വങ്ങള്‍ ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു പുതു
സത്യം വരുന്നു ' കടം വരുമ്പോള്‍ ധനം വരുന്നു '
INDIA WHEN THE WORLD POPULATION HITS SEVEN BILLION
The population of Planet Earth had crossed Seven billion as of yesterday, the 31st of October 2011. After reaching 4 billion in the year 1975, the population has been growing by a billion every 12 year or so.
7 billion People! Of this, 2.5 billion stays in China & India. China currently leads the world with the population figures of about 1.34 billion and India is following suit at 1.21 billion. As China’s population growth rate has come down, it is expected that India would overtake China by 2025 to be the most populous nation of the word.
India’s case is a curious one. The overflowing population of the country could be a demographic dividend or a demographic disaster. Planners call it an opportunity and a challenge at the same time. If the 1.2 plus billion people are going to stay, work and live in India, I would foresee this more as a disaster than a dividend, unless the country prepares at a breakneck speed to accommodate its growing millions, which is very unlikely.
Statistics says that India now has more than 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35 years. This would be 50 per cent if one looks at Indians under 25 years of age. This is what is highlighted as demographic dividend by the ‘India zindabad’ apostles. That the working population availability is highest in India could be a dividend if so many of men and women are able to find out decent employment to pursue their lives. Therein lay the irony!
The Europe had aged and North America is ageing fast. India’s demographic dividend, if allowed to channelize and distribute well across these geographies, could really form a major dividend. Whereas products and services move freely across the continents and countries of the world, people movement is still very restricted. That could result in a huge mass of employable population rotting in the country for want of gainful jobs to make a good living. If the jobs do not come by, which one doubts, the present level of economic maladies that affect the world and the country is an indication, could lead to a disaster than dividend.
China had strictly enforced population control measures some four decade back. One child per family was made a norm and if anyone exceeded it, penalties and holding of the benefit to the family resulted in citizen complying with the law. India, during Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s emergency reign (with the help of her son Sanjay Gandhi), tried to enforce population control measures on its people. But it failed and the numbers went on increasing, though the population growth rate had come down to 17.64 per cent now from 24 per cent in the 1970s. Though the rate had come down, I find the 17.64 per cent figure still very high. The state of Kerala, which had been a model for the country in demographic matters, the growth rate is only 4.86 per cent.
Another major concern that India is going to face is the inequitable sex ratio. As per the last census (2011), there are only 914 girls available to every 100 boys. Female foeticide due to the cultural preference for families to have boys more than girls had played a major role for this to happen and this would add to the demographic disaster of India, in time to come.
Coming to the state of Kerala; as per country’s census 2011, the population is at 33.3 million persons. This forms close to 3 percent of the national population and it dwells in only 1 per cent of the total area of the country! Kerala has the highest population density of 859 people per square kilometers and it is three times the national average. The most wonderful aspect of Kerala demography is that the sex-ratio of the state (females per 1000 males) of 1084. Kerala is the only state in India with a female positive figure. In addition to all these figures, the Human development Indices (HDI) of the State are at par with that of the developed nations in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality etc. No wonder, all these figures made Kerala the model state of the country, on demography statistics.
7 billion People! Of this, 2.5 billion stays in China & India. China currently leads the world with the population figures of about 1.34 billion and India is following suit at 1.21 billion. As China’s population growth rate has come down, it is expected that India would overtake China by 2025 to be the most populous nation of the word.
India’s case is a curious one. The overflowing population of the country could be a demographic dividend or a demographic disaster. Planners call it an opportunity and a challenge at the same time. If the 1.2 plus billion people are going to stay, work and live in India, I would foresee this more as a disaster than a dividend, unless the country prepares at a breakneck speed to accommodate its growing millions, which is very unlikely.
Statistics says that India now has more than 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35 years. This would be 50 per cent if one looks at Indians under 25 years of age. This is what is highlighted as demographic dividend by the ‘India zindabad’ apostles. That the working population availability is highest in India could be a dividend if so many of men and women are able to find out decent employment to pursue their lives. Therein lay the irony!
The Europe had aged and North America is ageing fast. India’s demographic dividend, if allowed to channelize and distribute well across these geographies, could really form a major dividend. Whereas products and services move freely across the continents and countries of the world, people movement is still very restricted. That could result in a huge mass of employable population rotting in the country for want of gainful jobs to make a good living. If the jobs do not come by, which one doubts, the present level of economic maladies that affect the world and the country is an indication, could lead to a disaster than dividend.
China had strictly enforced population control measures some four decade back. One child per family was made a norm and if anyone exceeded it, penalties and holding of the benefit to the family resulted in citizen complying with the law. India, during Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s emergency reign (with the help of her son Sanjay Gandhi), tried to enforce population control measures on its people. But it failed and the numbers went on increasing, though the population growth rate had come down to 17.64 per cent now from 24 per cent in the 1970s. Though the rate had come down, I find the 17.64 per cent figure still very high. The state of Kerala, which had been a model for the country in demographic matters, the growth rate is only 4.86 per cent.
Another major concern that India is going to face is the inequitable sex ratio. As per the last census (2011), there are only 914 girls available to every 100 boys. Female foeticide due to the cultural preference for families to have boys more than girls had played a major role for this to happen and this would add to the demographic disaster of India, in time to come.
Coming to the state of Kerala; as per country’s census 2011, the population is at 33.3 million persons. This forms close to 3 percent of the national population and it dwells in only 1 per cent of the total area of the country! Kerala has the highest population density of 859 people per square kilometers and it is three times the national average. The most wonderful aspect of Kerala demography is that the sex-ratio of the state (females per 1000 males) of 1084. Kerala is the only state in India with a female positive figure. In addition to all these figures, the Human development Indices (HDI) of the State are at par with that of the developed nations in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality etc. No wonder, all these figures made Kerala the model state of the country, on demography statistics.
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