Sunday, October 25, 2015

Why is Judicial System Required to be Revamped Early?

स्वस्थ न्याय प्रणाली का होना सामाजिक उन्नति के लिए उतना ही आवश्यक है जितना कि शरीर के रखरखाव के लिए उचित भोज्य सामग्री। लोकतंत्र में देश की जनता का विश्वास बनाये रखने के लिए यह अनिवार्य है कि संपूर्ण न्याय प्रक्रिया में शीघ्रता ही नहीं वरन् पारदर्शिता भी जरुरी है और पारदर्शिता बनाये रखने के लिए न्याय-अधिकारियों का चयन भी पारदर्शी होना चाहिए। आपसी जवाबदेही और जिम्मेदारी को न्यायपालिका ने समय-समय पर बखूबी निभाया है। इसकी निष्ठा संदेह से परे है लेकिन अगर कभी उसकी मंशा और पारदर्शिता पर सवाल खड़े होते हैं तो उसे दूर करने की जिम्मेदारी भी न्यायपालिका की ही है। यह देश की 125 करोड़ आबादी की आस्था और भरोसे का केन्द्र है, इसलिए न्यायपालिका में नियुक्तियों के मसले को न्यायपालिका का आंतरिक मामला बता देना पारदर्शिता से मुंह मोड़ना है।
 
माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय ने राष्ट्रीय न्यायिक आयोग अधिनियम को असंवैधानिक घोषित कर ​िदया है जिसमें न्याय-अधिकारियों के चयन मे पारदर्शिता परिलक्षित न होने के कारण पिछले साल संसद ने जजों द्वारा जजों की नियुक्ति करने वाली कोलेजियम प्रणाली की जगह न्यायिक नियुक्ति आयोग (एनजेएसी) पारित किया गया था। अधिनियम की मंशा यह थी कि न्यायपालिका में नियुक्ति प्रणाली को और पारदर्शी किया जाये। लिहाजा सरकार और समाज को भी इस नियुक्ति प्रक्रिया में शामिल करते हुए न्यायिक नियुक्ति आयोग का प्रावधान किया गया। कार्यपालिका के इस कदम को न्यायपालिका ने अपनी स्वतंत्रता और संप्रभुता पर अतिक्रमण मानते हुए हाल ही में एनजेएसी अधिनियम अंसवैधानिक करार ​िदया है और जजों द्वारा ही जजों की नियुक्ति वाली कॉलेजियम प्रणाली के फिर से लागू होते ही नियुक्तियों में पारदर्शिता का प्रश्न फिर खड़ा हो गया है।
 
यहां यह उल्लेखनीय है कि खुद न्यायपालिका को भी कॉलेजियम प्रणाली के पुख्ता होने पर पूरा भरोसा नहीं ​ है। इसकी खामियों का कहीं न कहीं न्यायपालिका को भी आभास है। न्यायपालिका के इतिहास में यह पहली बार हुआ है और इसीलिए इसने अपनी इस कमी को दूर करने के लिए कार्यपालिका से सुझाव मांगे हैं। इस के तहत आगामी 3 नवम्बर को कॉलेजियम प्रणाली को संशोधित करने के लिए सरकार अपने सुझाव प्रस्तुत करेगी। 

देश का हर नागरिक जानता है कि सिर्फ स्वतंत्र और सक्षम न्यायिक व्यवस्था ही समाज में भरोसा कायम कर सकती है। और  स्वतंत्र और सक्षम न्यायिक व्यवस्था एक न्यायपालिका तब ही सुनिश्चित कर सकती है जब वह स्वयं पारदर्शी हो। पारदर्शिता के लिए न्यायपालिका को न्यायधीशों की नियुक्ति प्रणाली में कार्यपालिका और समाज की सहभागिता को अतिक्रमण न मानकर खुले ​िदल से स्वीकार करना चाहिए। ट्रांसपेरेंसी इंटरनेशनल इंडिया के वैश्विक भ्रष्टाचार सूचकांक 2013 के अनुसार भारत में 45 प्रतिशत राय देने वालों की नज़र में भारतीय न्यायपालिका भ्रष्ट है।
 
मौजूदा कॉलेजियम प्रणाली में सबसे बड़ा दोष है कि यह गोपनीयता के अंधेरे में काम करती है। ऐसे देश में पारदर्शिता के लिए जहां न्यायपालिका स्वयं सक्रिय हो वहां न्यायधीशों की नियुक्ति में पारदर्शिता के स्थान पर गोपनीयता बनाये रखने के लिए आग्रही होना समझ से परे ही नहीं लगता बल्कि संशय पैदा करता है।
 
हमारे देश में न्यायपालिका को बहुत बड़ी जिम्मेदारी दी गयी है। भारतीय न्यायपालिका जनअधिकारों की पहरेदार बनाया गया है। इसलिए जनहित के खिलाफ जनप्रतिनिधियों के बनाए किसी भी कानून पर वह अविलम्ब लगाए रोक लगाने में भी सक्षम है। न्याय की आस लगाये देश के आम नागरिक को जब अन्य स्थानों से दुत्कार ​िदया जाता है तो न्याय हेतु वह अदालत की ओर ही रुख करता है। जनहित के पहरेदार के रुप में कार्य करने वाले न्यायाधीशों को न्यायपालिका के सीमित दायरे में ही बंधे रह कर कार्य करना न्याय की निश्पक्षता के लिए अनुचित प्रतीत होता है।
 
1993 में उच्चतम न्यायालय ने न्यायाधीशों की नियुक्ति और स्थानानंरण का अधिकार यह मानते हुए अपने हाथ में ले लिया था कि न्यायाधीश न्यायिक परिवार के सदस्य होते हैं। ऐसा हो जाने के बावजूद न तो न्यायपालिका में भ्रष्टाचार कम हुआ और न ही न्यायिक प्रक्रिया में शीघ्र निस्तारण के प्रति कोई ललक ही उत्पन्न हुयी। अब देश इस स्थिति को और ज्यादा देर तक मानने के लिए उत्सुक नहीं है। इसलिए कॉलेजियम प्रणाली में पारदर्शिता लानी होगी। अमरीका में न्यायाधीश नामित करने के साथ ही उसका नाम प्रकाशित कर ​िदया जाता है और सीनेट की न्यायिक समिति देश के हर आम और खास व्यक्ति से उस व्यक्ति के बारे में जानकारी एवं राय मांगती है और तय समय पर विचार करके उसकी नियुक्ति पर अंतिम फैसला करती है।
 
माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय ने यह विशेष तौर पर उल्लिखित किया है कि न्यायपालिका की स्वतंत्रता भारतीय संविधान के बुनियादी ढांचे में निहित है। लेकिन क्या यह स्वतंत्रता न्यायधीशों की नियुक्ति की रहस्यमयी प्रणाली  तक ही सीमित है? कॉलेजियम प्रणाली मेंन्यायधीशों की नियुक्ति के लिए कोई भी नियमावली घोषित नहीं की गयी है तो न्यायिक नियुक्ति आयोग (एनजेएसी) के गठन से स्वतंत्रता कैसे भंग हो जाती! यह प्रयास तो स्वछंदता को नियमित करने के लिए था जो न्यायपालिका को स्वीकार नहीं है और इस प्रकार न्यायपालिका का अपने पर जनमत का भरोसा कम करने का प्रयास है। संविधान के अनुच्छेद 124 (2) में यह स्पष्ट किया गया है कि जजों की नियुक्ति य​िद राष्ट्रपति जरुरी समझे ंतो उच्चतम न्यायालय के जजों और राज्यों के हाईकोर्ट के जजों की सलाह पर की जायेगी। संविधान में कहीं भी कॉलेजियम प्रणाली का जिक्र नहीं किया गया है। कॉलेजियम का गठन उच्चतम न्यायालय ने क्या अपने हितों का को साधने के लिए संविधान की व्यवस्थाओं से इतर नहीं किया गया?
 
कॉलेजियम प्रणाली में सुधारों के लिये सबसे बड़ी चुनौती यह होगी कि यह न्यायधीशों की जवाबदेही कैसे स्थापित हो। न्यायधीशों की छोटी-मोटी गल्तियों का कोई संज्ञान ही नहीं लिया जाता और न ही दंडित किया जाता है। दूसरी तरफ, महाभियोग की प्रक्रिया इतनी जटिल है कि अभी तक किसी न्यायाधीश पर संभव ही नहीं हो पाया है। य​िद कोई आवाज उठाने की कोशिश करता है उस पर अवमानना का ईस्तेमाल किया जाता है। आम आदमी इस बात से हतप्रभ है कि जिस अपराध के आरोप पर एक सामान्य व्यक्ति को जेल में एक लम्बे अर्से के लिए रहना पड़ जाता है उसे जमानत भी आसानी से नहीं मिलती है, उसी तरह के मामले में न्यायमूर्ति सौमित्रसेन जैसे लोग केवल इस्तीफा देकर कैसे बरी हो जाते हैं। किसी न्यायाधीश को सजा क्यों नहीं हो पाती?
 
स्वस्थ भारत के लिए न्यायपालिका को अपने सुधार के लिए आत्मचिंतन करना होगा और कार्यपालिका के साथ आमजन को उसके द्वार पर शीघ्र न्याय प्रदान करने के लिए पूर्ण पारदर्शिता के साथ कार्य करना होगा, देश के विभिन्न स्थानों पर हाईकोर्टस् एवं सुप्रीम कोर्ट की बैन्चस् की स्थापना करनी होगी अन्यथा संभावित अराजकता के लिए न्यायपालिका ही मुख्य जिम्मेदार ही मानी जायेगी।  (इस लेख के मुख्यांश दैनिक जागरण से उदृत हैं।)



Thursday, October 22, 2015

Love Your Job, You Will Get Success.

Love your job or love what you do. We must love our job like children love any job they undertake. When they play, they play with all the love at their command. Whatever we may do, if we do the same with love, we will get success definitely. We need to work hard and if we fix up our goals before embarking upon any task, success is bound to follow. Goals are our dreams with deadlines. If you choose a goal and stick to that, that would change everything and you will achieve the success you dream for. If you want to reach a distant goal, you must take small steps instead of sitting idle.
We all understand well that focus and determination play significant roles in success. If we look at any top athlete or businessman, painter, politician, any successful individual – a movie star, musician or any other celebrity, we will find that they succeed because they focus on their task, they love their job, they love what they do. For our success, we need to identify our goals and then let nothing distract us from achieving it. Any distraction can lead to dissipate our energy and attention.
Here, we must ignore “Luck” factor in our psychological manoeuvrability while working for our goals fixed. What is luck? It is only as relevant or irrelevant as we make it. Whenever a gamble plans to gamble, he swears by the same. But we are not gambler. We need to achieve our task, the task defined by our goals. Luck is nothing but a convenient excuse, an alibi or a crutch for those who fail or who do not love to work sincerely but await for the results without putting in the hard labour the task warrants for. What we make of our life is entirely in our own hands. Luck is what happens to others. It is just a consolation for the losers.
It is true that you can not win all the time. Somebody in your opposition may have put in better efforts. We can learn from our failures and try to do better next time. If we compete fairly, it shall be our greatest challenge and we need to accept it even if somebody criticises our efforts/steps. Criticism must be considered as a part and parcel of our success. We need to live with it and learn about our wrongs. It is also true that an average human being does not accept criticism of any kind very easily. We need to work above what an average human being does. We must take seriously every criticism and examine the same just to improve ourselves. Dealing with criticism in a mature way makes one a stronger person.
Appreciation is the oxygen that nurtures the creative instinct. You must apply it with your team members as and when required but we must not take it as narcotic for ourselves as if we do not get appreciation, we may get nervous. Instead, we must remain attuned to our work and in course of time, we too will get appreciation. It is possible only when we love our job.


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Communalism be eliminated for true Secularism



In 1947 Hindustan was divided on two nations for two religions theory by the outgoing Britishers into two parts. India and Pakistan emerged – the former adopted Secularism whereas the latter adopted Islam as its official religion.

What do we mean when we use the term “Religion” and  “Secularism”?

Religion
After the advent of civilization, the human beings started to live in some groups. To facilitate smooth living, some code of conduct based on some beliefs and experiences came into form and that code of conduct became religion in due course of time. We can thus say that a religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. As the number of the groups increased, the number of religions also grew up as per the geographical circumstances in which  the individual groups lived.
Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people may derive morality, ethics, religious laws, or a preferred lifestyle. The development of various religions has taken different forms in different cultures. Some religions place an emphasis on belief, while others emphasize practice. Some religions focus on the subjective experience of the religious individual, while others consider the activities of the religious community to be most important. Some religions claim to be universal, believing their laws  to be binding for everyone, while others are intended to be practiced only by a closely defined or localized group. In many places religion has been associated with public institutions such as education, hospitals, the family, government, and political hierarchies.
Curiosity, acceptance, family, honour, idealism, independence, order, physical activity, power, romance, saving, social contact, status, tranquility, eating and vengeance  etc. are some factors which appeal to the man towards approaching to some religion. Professor Reiss said: 'It doesn't matter whether God exists or not as religious belief is aimed at fulfilling our basic human desires. New theory claims religions are an attempt to satisfy basic human desires. Psychologists say that it helps to explain the many contradictions in religion. Atheists also tend to be people seeking to fulfil a desire for independence
The five largest religious groups by world population, were estimated in the  year 2010 to account for 5.8 billion people and 84% of the population, are Christianity sharing 32%, Islam 23%, Hinduism 15%  Buddhism 7% and folk religion to the extent of 6%.
In India, the most dominant religion today is Hinduism. About 79% of Indians are Hindus. Around 500 BC two other religions developed in India, namely, Buddhism and Jainism. Today only about 0.5% of Indians are Jains and about 0.7% are Buddhist. One comparatively new religion in India is Sikhism and it was established in the 15th century. About 2% of Indians are Sikhs. Along with the religions that developed in India, there are followers of non- Indian religions. The largest non-Indian religion is Islam. They are about 17% of India's population. Christians are more then 2% of India's population. There are also Zoroastrians who even though make less then 0.01% of India's population, are known around India. There are also a few thousand Jews in India. Judaism and Christianity might have arrived in India before they arrived in Europe.
Secularism                                                                                                                               
Secularism what we understand generally is the principle of the separation of the state and government institutions from the religions being practised by the citizens, religious institutions and religious dignitaries. Secularism is asserting the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, or, in a state declared to be neutral on matters of religion, from the imposition by government of religion or religious practices upon its people. Another manifestation of secularism is the view that public activities and decisions, especially political ones, should remain uninfluenced by religious beliefs and/or practices being followed by one or more groups.
The purposes and arguments in support of secularism vary widely. It is a movement toward modernization, and away from traditional religious values. This type of secularism, on a social or philosophical level, has often occurred while giving subsidy to the persons going on Haj, granting financial assistance to the Madarsa or controlling the shrines/temples through government machinery. Some argue that state secularism has served to a greater extent to protect religion and the religious from governmental interference, while secularism on a social level is less prevalent. 
Maharaja Ranjeet Singh of the Sikh empire of the first half 19th century successfully established a secular rule in the Punjab. This secular rule allowed members of all races and religions to be respected and to participate without discrimination in Ranjeet Singh darbar and he had Sikh, a Muslim and a Hindu representatives heading the darbar. Ranjit Singh also extensively funded education, religion, and arts of various different religions and languages.
Now,  we understand that a secular State prefers a society which
  1. Is not homogeneous, but is pluralistic.
  2. Is tolerant. It widens the sphere of private decision-making.
  3. ensures deep respect for individuals and the small groups of which they are a part, equality of all people breaking down of the barriers of class and caste.
  4. While every society must have some common aims, which implies there must be agreed on methods of problem-solving, and a common framework of law; in a secular society these are as limited as possible.
  5. Each person should be helped to realize their particular excellence.
Secularism is a code of duty pertaining to our life, founded on considerations purely human and intended mainly for those who find theology indefinite or inadequate, unreliable or unbelievable. Its essential principles are three: (1) The improvement of this life by material means. (2) That science is the available Providence of man. (3) That it is good to do good. Whether there be other good or not, the good of the present life is good, and it is good to seek that good.
Secularism is so important to the social life of today that a Republican lawmaker in Tennessee has proposed a bill that would ban public schools from teaching "religious doctrine" earlier than 10th grade after parents complained that middle school world history lessons on Islam were inappropriate.
The bill by state Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) would delay teaching of "religious doctrine," as determined by the state board of education, until grades 10, 11 and 12. “I think that probably the teaching that is going on right now in seventh, eighth grade is not age-appropriate,” Butt told the Tennessean. Tennessee middle school students currently read from religious texts and learn about world religions, including the Five Pillars of Islam. Butt's legislation doesn't specifically mention Islam, but said students aren't ready to learn about religion before a certain age. “They are not able to discern a lot of times whether it's indoctrination or whether they’re learning about what a religion teaches,” Butt said. Parents had made similar complaints, saying the curriculum focused more on Islam than on other religions and bordered on "indoctrination."Other Tennessee lawmakers also have weighed in with concerns about supposed religious indoctrination in schools -- at least when the curriculum involves Islam.
Immediate after partition, India adopted secularism as the basic of its governance and later on it was adopted in the Constitution too. But unfortunately, the political leaders did not honour the spirits of secularism strictly and gradually, opposition of Hinduism and appeasement of the minorities started to take place. Even in the democratic set-up, some communities were preferred on the ground of reservation for scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, backward classes, other backward classes and minorities. In the process of appeasement, the merits had been ignored and corruption took place at the large scale with the nepotism. The other organs of democracy have been jeopardised and at one time, state emergency was declared in name of protecting democracy. In this process, development for better environment in education, infrastructure for better life, employment opportunities and medical facilities was largely overlooked. The principle of Divide and Rule adopted by the Britishers was taken up by the political leaders of modern India by provoking the various communities on linguistic/religious grounds. Many provinces have been split as such. Secularism has been misconstrued to appease some communities while ignoring the basic needs of the majority.  The successive governments in the State and Centre followed the same policy obliging their friends in different walks of life by providing good positions in the government organizations and/or honours, exceeding the tolerance limit of the majority.
In 2014, there was a change in the formation of the government at Centre and the voters supported BJP who was so far considered as the party of the major constituent of  Indian Society, ie, Hindus although Mr.Narendra Modi had started the campaign with the slogan of “Sabka Vikas Sabkey Sath (Development of All with All at par)”.
The tremendous success and support given to him could not meet good taste of those who lost the chairs, resulting into the fact that the opposition is trying its tooth and nail to disrupt his working  through all the means they could adopt. Puzzled with his growing popularity, the opposition leaders have raised a spate of many controversial issues so that the nation be put to public unrest. On the ground of increasing public unrest, some writers declared to return the honours which they were given by the previous governments as if they were in support of the nefarious activities of the opposition leaders/politics. 
While we can sympathize with them for feeling suffocated in the prevailing intellectual atmosphere generated. But it is also true that these writers have not so far been able to create literature which was required for ensuring a secular India. These writers have no match with  Sarat Chandra, Premchand, Subramania Bharati and Faiz of India or  Dickens, Bernard Shaw,  Victor Hugo, Maxim Gorki, Balzac, Maupassant, Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Upton Sinclair, Erich Maria Remarque, and Pablo Neruda. They do write mainly to make money, and have no genuine social commitment. They have become largely commercialized, like the rest of society.
As we understand that the literature is the back-bone for any country to reflect its conscience,  there are broadly two theories of art and literature. The first is called art for art's sake, and the second is called art for social purpose. Those who belong to the first school believe that the purpose of art and literature is only to create a work of beauty for pleasure, or for entertainment. If art is created for a social purpose, it ceases to be art and becomes propaganda. Followers of this school are Keats in English literature, Alexander Dumas in French, Edgar Allan Poe in American, Agyeya and the chayavadi poets in Hindi, and Tagore in Bengali literature. On the other hand those who belong to the school of art for social purpose believe that art should help society, by attacking oppressive institutions, customs and ideas, and by inspiring people to fight against them and secure a better life. In a poor country like India only the second school is acceptable. Art and literature in India should attack inhuman and outdated feudal and backward practises like the caste system, and inspire people to fight for better lives as Sarat Chandra, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Subramania Bharati, Faiz etc did. 
Unfortunately our writers have not done so. All they care for is making money. History shows that for centuries Hindu has been suffering atrocities inflicted upon by the aggressors of other communities. Tolerance has a limit. How far can it be endured? Why not other communities behave like Hindus?
That difference then does it make whether our writers retain their awards or return them?
Now, what we need to be done about for eliminating communalism in the society can be enumerated as below:
1.      We may inspire inter-caste/religion marriages with incentives. Those who undertake inter-caste/religion marriages must be preferred in Government Services.
2.      We may introduce family planning for all the citizens at par.. We may allow each couple to have only two children with a gap of 3 years without any gender preference. In case any child expires in infancy stage, the couple may adopt one child from the recognized orphanage. Those who abide by this condition must be given incentives.
3.      In case any couple procreates more than two children, that couple must be deprived of all the incentives.
4.      Uniform marriage and succession laws be adopted for all the citizens at par without consideration under any particular religion or traditions of the communities.
5.      There be one national language to be adopted by all the States and the Centre including Judiciary and other organs. If anyone needs the translation of a document in his/her native language, that must be provided on nominal cost.
6.      Every candidate aspiring to be elected to any law making body like Gram Panchayat, Nagar Palika, Town Area, Nagar Nigam/Municipal Board, State Assembly, Legislative Council and Parliament  etc. must have minimum education qualification with minimum and maximum age. These candidates must  have no previous conviction by any court of law, no special privileges, no secret foreign bank accounts with the highest integrity, not to indulge in empty talk about helping the poor but instead amass fortunes for themselves or their families.
7.      Similarly, every voter must have minimum education qualification with minimum and maximum age. We must have political leaders who are genuinely patriotic and who work for the welfare of the people.
8.      We must set up a 4 year or 5 year national scientific plan for reconstructing the economy, raising the standard of living of the masses and reducing the imports of those articles which can be produced within the country. This must of course be done with the help of top level scientists, engineers and managers. The plan will include setting up thousands of industries, high standard educational institutions, technical institutes and healthcare centres free of cost for the masses all over India.
9.      We must reform our education system to make it employment oriented. Once we are able to employ our citizens appropriately, they would not be able to think over their communal interests.
10.  We must have a re-look upon the working of our judiciary and the laws to provide smooth and speedy adjudication upon the disputes and crimes.
11.   We should fix the prices of most commodities, and then steadily reduce their prices, say by 5-10% every 2 years or so. In this way a common man will be able to steadily buy more goods with the same wage because prices are falling, and so his real wage is going up ( wages are relative to the price index ). In this way the market will keep steadily expanding, and simultaneously industrial and agricultural production can be stepped up, and the increased goods produced will be absorbed in the indigenous market, instead of there being overproduction and a glut.
12.  All religious temples, mosques, churches, shrines and other set-ups be managed with the government interference so that no communal hatred be permitted to flow out and no funds be misappropriated in other than communities’ development.
13.  We must launch a powerful cultural drive to combat present feudal and backward ideas and practices such as casteism, communalism and superstitions, to spread scientific and rational ideas to every nook and corner of the country as at present most of our people are steeped in casteism, communalism and superstitions which they have inherited over the centuries. To change their minds and habits of thinking is an enormous task.
14.  33% seats must be reserved for females in all the statutory bodies and for their grooming up to enable them to work independently in functioning, special drive be carried  out.
15.  We must withdraw all the public offs granted on the religious grounds. Only national days like Independence Day and Republic Day be declared as public off days.
16.  No political leader/official/officer who holds some office in administration must take part in any religious activity organized by any community for any reason/ground.
17.  There must be no official function involving any religious act for inauguration or laying any stone etc.
The above suggestions can be broad general ideas and can not be said to be perfect.  They be considered if someone likes to attempt upon.