And lo! The Second defeat of RSS / BJP in the Mighty Hills! The BJP got played out and found a double political omelette upon its face. The Supreme Court has again proved that it is the REAL Institution that can protect DMOCRACY, a Guardian of Indian Constitution against fanatic communal manipulators who had played a day-light political heist in Arunachal and earlier in Uttrakhand. The august House of Justice has delivered a major blow to the RSS / BJP government at the Centre and restored Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh after quashing the President’s Rule.

A five-judge Constitution Bench, in an unanimous and unprecedented verdict, quashed all the decisions of the Governor that had led to imposition of the President’s Rule in the state, calling his actions as “illegal” and violative of the Constitutional provisions. The bench held that status quo ante as prevailing on December 15, 2015 — when Nabam Tuki headed the Congress government in the state — shall be restored.

“All steps and decisions taken by Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly pursuant to the Governor’s decisions are unsustainable and the same are therefore set aside,” held the bench.

Following the decisions by Governor J P Rajkhowa, the Assembly session was preponed, a new speaker was elected and later based on his report, the President’s Rule was imposed. Even as the top court was hearing the matter, the proclamation was lifted and rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the new government.

This is the first order by the Supreme Court reinstating a government in a state even after it had been replaced by a new government.

The Ex and now Restored Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Nabam Tuki said reacting to the decision: “the court has saved the country and constitution. We have got justice.”

The decision of the court once again ensures the country that Cowards, manipulators, and backstabbers who encourage to destabilise the democracy, still have someone to fear about. The BJP leadership claims that it was the internal matter of Congress. However, BJP had openly encouraged and supported the Congress rebellion. The opportunistic MLA’s of Congress took the risks that they could have done without – they don’t have to.

The BJP acted as posture in shadows. It was an Old BJP trick, a strategy that let others get dirty. We step into the light when it’s safe. Players and manipulators always drive toward self-interest, secretly. Even when making others look bad.

The BJP’s Ruse: Let at the moment, the weaker Congress, make a further divide in its ranks and their elected ones do the dirty work?

The Supreme Court got the smell of the stench of manipulation and created a high standard of safety for times to come.

Let the RSS beware ! The Democracy is still alert and throbbing !

Naim Naqvi

Did his graduation in Science discipline from AMU in 1972-73. He was Secretary of University Ali Society in 1970 and M.M. Hall Literary Society in early 70 's and member of Tayyabji Literary Society. Did his Diploma in Bakery Administration from HTT College Oxford Street London in 1987. Worked with National Herald - Delhi, Blitz - Bombay as Trainee Journalist and in Production Department with 'Naya Sansar Pictures' of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas at Bombay in early 70's. Traveled for study and training purposes to Germany, U.K., Switzerland, France, Dubai, Oman, AbuDhabi, Bahrain and Philepines.

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I do often come across the kids whose parents present them as the victors, the prodigal genius and high or highest in mark sheet. Having put them through paces in their own domain I found them as inflated balloons that satisfy the ego of their families. Nothing more.

It is pathetic that so many real genius and hard working kids lag behind in marks before these artificial achievers in a nascent stage.

The topper kids of Bihar are the worse example that Vanity Fair of Education in India produces.

In Bihar, it was a situation pregnant with curiosity, shame, fear and fall. In the video, the Bihar state arts topper Ruby Rai was seen mispronouncing ‘political science’ and calling it prodigal science. The 17-year-old managed an impressive 88.8% despite the fact that she described political science a subject which deals with food. Similarly, another video showed state science topper Saurabh Rai having no knowledge of the periodic table.

Rai, who had scored 485 out of 500 marks, failed to answer questions related to electron and proton. An embarrassed Bihar government has also asked the 10 top scorers among the nearly 15 lakh students in Bihar to take another exam within the next week. Education Minister Ashok Choudhary conceded that it appears that either proxies took the exam for the students or the answer sheets submitted by the students were replaced later. I admit there has been some lapses somewhere,” he said.

As per the earlier documents of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) report revealed the status of education in India, enrolment in elementary education is almost 100 percent. However, when it comes to education outcomes, abilities in reading, writing and other comprehensive skills have deteriorated among children between the ages of six and 14.

Even with the increasing primary enrolment rates, India has the largest number of out-of-school children in the world which is more than the out of school children in whole of sub-Saharan Africa. There is a huge disparity between the urban and rural education; rich and poor children have radically different schooling experience.

The reality is that most of the educational policies of States and Centre are half-baked. Each segment in the educational hierarchy is facing some kind of problems which governments have no solutions or failing to address. The teachers in primary schools in rural areas face an uphill task are dealing with an outdated curriculum combined with the disinterest of principals and boards or commercialization of education.

Poor teaching facilities result in poor quality of education and students with lower standards. There is the chronic shortage of teachers. To make the matters worse, the situation is further deteriorated by high level of teacher absenteeism. It has been found out that often teachers do not come to school which clearly states that there is no mechanism to punish or fine such absent teachers. Consequently, low learning and falling quality of education imparted to kids entail grave implications for the future of country and country’s economy.

Apart from some hi-fi convent schools and similar elite city schools, country has not been able to improve the learning skills of majority of its primary school children. Contrarily, it has fallen to alarming lows.

In the Primary schools, teachers often make students read the lessons without explaining the meaning of the text. The kids never get the basic feel of the subject, be it history, arts or Science A fifth grader cannot do basic multiplication and division and cannot properly read or explain the text. However, most of them are masters of ‘copy it down’ effortlessly. Only a modicum of physical work without any brain work takes them nowhere. There are no opportunities to use the faculties of critical thinking, analytical reasoning, problem-solving and collaborative working.

From a weak base and a shaky pad the rocket or the symbol of India’s Future – the ordinary kid, is launched to explore the mysterious and difficult world. He can’t write a proper application for a job. Parental pressures and expectations dump them in Coaching Centers where they often commit suicide as they reach a dead end. You can’t blame Smirithi Irani alone or her degree or absence of it for all ills which beset today’s education. It goes deeper and higher.

If we look back, after the solid and sound foundations laid by learned scholar and first Education Minister Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, this crucial sector of nation building had lost its importance. The Cheap politics, prejudices and corruption had seeped into the system and real problems were intentionally ignored.

A look at the trail the Vyapam scam that has left since 2007 would reveal the pathetic situation of education in India. The scam involves massive irregularities and corruption in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) or MP Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal, abbreviated in Hindi as Vyapam. No count of deaths would speak the complete darkness that prevailed or still prevailing.

The height of tragedy unmasked whenthe Supreme Court had transferred all criminal and death cases linked to the Vyapam scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a “fair and impartial” probe. The Supreme Court has ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore cash-for-jobs scam in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board that has resulted in unexplained deaths of key accused and witnesses.

We need a smart and updated education system with no bias against or for the religions, cultures, history and ethics. It should be free of corruption of every possible hue and shape. It should be purpose based on facts and realities and not jaundiced.

An education system is only as good as its teachers. However, when it comes to improvement of academic quality, teachers cannot do it alone. They will be able to give their best only when well-designed atmosphere, facilities, curriculum and assessment strategies are put in place, to improve teaching and learning.

I’ve yet to understand the TRP culture that compelled to quick judgment about these poor toppers of Bihar without full investigations. I pray that kids were lost their bearing in focus of media éclat and they are not as bad as appeared before camera. If the truth is as it appeared on TV, then the nation has to do some soul search and correction without delay.

Naim Naqvi

Did his graduation in Science discipline from AMU in 1972-73. He was Secretary of University Ali Society in 1970 and M.M. Hall Literary Society in early 70 's and member of Tayyabji Literary Society. Did his Diploma in Bakery Administration from HTT College Oxford Street London in 1987. Worked with National Herald - Delhi, Blitz - Bombay as Trainee Journalist and in Production Department with 'Naya Sansar Pictures' of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas at Bombay in early 70's. Traveled for study and training purposes to Germany, U.K., Switzerland, France, Dubai, Oman, AbuDhabi, Bahrain and Philepines.

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It was around fifteen years when I got to know about Facebook. Since then Facebook has been changing its profiles in several interesting patterns. Friends who had once appeared as the most sincere one have either disappeared or lost in the run of times. Fortunately, some old friends go back into real from the realm of memories and some new friends made their pleasant presence felt. But sad that with the passage of time, Facebook is becoming a medium of deception where we began to behave more formal than real. Often I thought of leaving this field but presence of few friends had proved to be the magnet that kept the relationships alive. However, I feel this friendship is losing the verve and sincerity. I may take a sabbatical from social media and for those of my friends who want to know what does this word means – “In recent times, “sabbatical” has come to mean any extended absence in the career of an individual in order to achieve something. In the modern sense, one takes sabbatical typically to fulfill some goal, e.g., writing a book, need time to look into retrospect or travel extensively for research. Some universities and other institutional employers of scientists, physicians, and academics offer the opportunity to qualify for paid sabbatical as an employee benefit, called sabbatical leave. The concept of sabbatical originates in the Holy Bible.

An article of my colleague Sneha Pathak is forcing to go in that direction. Here are some excerpts of her thought provoking column:

Gone are the days when people write elaborate letters and wait for replies, or spend evening in a park or a coffee house talking to friends.

People are becoming increasingly more reserved for fear of being judged by a society where appearing happy on social media is more important than actually being happy. So ironically, the more some people share, less they share their real selves. Sometimes one needs to listen to people, understand their situations without judgment.

What a world we live in where we would rather post messages to random strangers than communicate about what is bothering us with our close friends.

It is easy to mask your emotions behind the bunch of fake ones.

What is the point of observing on social media if we don’t know what is going on in their life.

For a change, let’s try to be social in our real lives instead of the virtual world.

Naim Naqvi

Did his graduation in Science discipline from AMU in 1972-73. He was Secretary of University Ali Society in 1970 and M.M. Hall Literary Society in early 70 's and member of Tayyabji Literary Society. Did his Diploma in Bakery Administration from HTT College Oxford Street London in 1987. Worked with National Herald - Delhi, Blitz - Bombay as Trainee Journalist and in Production Department with 'Naya Sansar Pictures' of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas at Bombay in early 70's. Traveled for study and training purposes to Germany, U.K., Switzerland, France, Dubai, Oman, AbuDhabi, Bahrain and Philepines.

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There is an authentic tradition (Hadees) of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that says: “As shuf fe bahar ebadah.” It is a benediction even to look at sea.

Having lived the best part of my life near the sea shores in Bombay and Middle East I am familiar with the sweet sounds of waves as they wash and splash the beaches and shores. It reminds the immense beauty and strengths of mother-nature. Just close your eyes and think of a river or a sea. The scenery that emerges at the mind screen removes half of your worries, puts you at ease and for a moment you forget all that is bothering you. Ask your relatives or friends what associations arise in their mind when they think the word “sea”? Never a negative response I’m sure! The water bodies cool the mind, inspire, placate and palliate. The shores and riparian tracts remind the words like freedom, serenity, relaxation, fun and beauty. These are the words which waft like music in this strained life. Even those who had never seen the sea always picture somewhere deep inside the special feelings about it.

Let me quote here a dialogue from the Hollywood movie “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” …. “You stand on the beach and taste the salty smell of the wind that comes from the ocean, and inside you feel the warmth of never ending freedom, and on your lips the bitter, tear-soaked kiss of you lover.”

There was a time when I would walk miles and miles along the Juhu Beach, Bombay as a bachelor and feel pity about my loneliness. I felt envy for the couples and families enjoying the brightness of the day at sea. To observe the high tide and majestic waves, standing at Mamallipuram sea coast at the outskirts of Madras, was a real delight. We all dream to lie on the beach at least for a while and listen to the sound of splashing waves and screams of sea-gulls. Did you ever notice that the sounds of waves come from afar, but the sounds of splashing water are close, near the stones, pebbles and golden sands.

Apart from the sea, rivers have always played an important role in human life. In religions around the globe, rivers are deified. Human race has made best to derive huge economic profits from exploiting the rivers and often devastating their natural riches. Water is the source of life. Flowing rivers are source and core element of many beautiful landscapes and natural sceneries, because they have unique ability to vivify the motionless pictures of nature. Furthermore, rivers form such natural phenomena, as waterfalls with their unrestrained power and unique beauty.

I’m blessed that my son has got a place near the river where I often walk down along its banks. It is so soothing to body and soul as the gentle wind caresses the face and scents of earth refresh like no other perfume. I hope and pray that our successors will, hopefully, make more efforts to save ponds, rivers and sea and help them regain their natural beauty, richness, and purity that our generation has so inadvertently destroyed. Let us remember that the calmness and tranquility of quiet rivers are divine.

Here is what an African poet Langston Hughes describes the river:

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

Naim Naqvi

Did his graduation in Science discipline from AMU in 1972-73. He was Secretary of University Ali Society in 1970 and M.M. Hall Literary Society in early 70 's and member of Tayyabji Literary Society. Did his Diploma in Bakery Administration from HTT College Oxford Street London in 1987. Worked with National Herald - Delhi, Blitz - Bombay as Trainee Journalist and in Production Department with 'Naya Sansar Pictures' of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas at Bombay in early 70's. Traveled for study and training purposes to Germany, U.K., Switzerland, France, Dubai, Oman, AbuDhabi, Bahrain and Philepines.

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