Today (20th March 2012) I had to visit a police station in Noida (U.P.). While I have nothing against the police personnel whom I had to interact with, what I found shockingly surprising was how every official work in a Noida police station is conducted in Hindi, with absolutely no option for English (even if a work entails a visitor who is not conversant in Hindi).
Despite being not very fluent in Hindi, I was forced to communicate with the officers in that language, as I was flatly told that I was not permitted to speak in English as "Noida comes in UP". Despite telling the officers that I cannot read Hindi, I was made to read a document written in that language, which I had to read with the help of an officer. Finally I had to write and submit a statement, and the officers told me that they could not permit me to write it in English, as they would then need somebody to translate it into Hindi (are those police personnel even unable to read English?) Ultimately I again had to take the help of a policeman who prepared my statement on the basis of what I said.
Do the Noida police people have any idea how terribly inconvenient the situation is for people with no or little command of Hindi? Even if it is OK to have verbal communication in Hindi, isn't it too much to expect a person from a non-Hindi speaking region to be able to read a document in Hindi, and then prepare his own statement in that language as well?
I just have one dream. One UP police officer needs to visit a Calcutta police station for some reason, and he is forced to read and write documents there in Bengali, while being told that neither English nor Hindi is permitted, as "Calcutta comes in West Bengal".
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Cancer Drug Priced Rs. 284,428 Is Now Available At Rs. 8880
Congrats to the Indian Patent Office for granting Compulsory License to Indian pharma company Natco, wherein the latter can now sell a generic version of anti-Cancer drug Nexavar, patented by German pharma major Bayer.
The most notable thing is that Natco will be selling the drug at a price which is very much within the reach of common people (Rs. 8880), in a stark contrast to the price of Nexavar sold by Bayer (Rs. 284,428 ) which is miles beyond the reach of ordinary people.
It is undoubtedly a historic step taken by India for the benefit of its citizens, and deserves warm applause from each and every Indian.
Contrary to what many people may feel, this step taken by India is 100 per cent valid, as it is backed by Trade- related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement of World Trade Organization.
The most notable thing is that Natco will be selling the drug at a price which is very much within the reach of common people (Rs. 8880), in a stark contrast to the price of Nexavar sold by Bayer (Rs. 284,428 ) which is miles beyond the reach of ordinary people.
It is undoubtedly a historic step taken by India for the benefit of its citizens, and deserves warm applause from each and every Indian.
Contrary to what many people may feel, this step taken by India is 100 per cent valid, as it is backed by Trade- related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement of World Trade Organization.
Friday, February 3, 2012
India Decides To Support UNSC’s Syria Resolution
India has finally decided to support United Nation Security Council’s resolution on Syria, after dillydallying over the issue for quite some time.
I personally feel it is a wise decision, in terms of diplomatic strategy as well as humanity. First, it is important for India to get its voice heard in an international issue, as it will help it further strengthen its status as a power to reckon with. Secondly, there is the question of humanity and ethical responsibility, which compels India to do something to address the Syrian bloodshed that is continuing without any sign of end.
It is not that through this act India will become a party to an act of any forced regime change. Nothing in the language of the resolution talks about any endorsement of regime change. It is only focused, at least apparently, on restraining the ongoing violence and facilitation of a negotiated settlement.
India has deep respect and appreciation for the sovereignty of every nation of this world, and no force can force our country to deviate from that principle. However, we cannot afford to overlook the government sponsored massacre of innocents in Syria in the name of crushing rebellion. The Bashar al-Assad government has every right to be strict with any form of mobocracy that is destabilizing that country. However, the world has the right to intervene if it finds the situation is getting increasingly scary with every passing day. In fact, it might even turn into a favourable development for Assad, by ushering in peace and stability that will enable him to focus on the development of his country.
Let’s hope that our Syrian friends soon find themselves in a peaceful Syria, and then work together to make their motherland as glorious as Mount Hermon.
I personally feel it is a wise decision, in terms of diplomatic strategy as well as humanity. First, it is important for India to get its voice heard in an international issue, as it will help it further strengthen its status as a power to reckon with. Secondly, there is the question of humanity and ethical responsibility, which compels India to do something to address the Syrian bloodshed that is continuing without any sign of end.
It is not that through this act India will become a party to an act of any forced regime change. Nothing in the language of the resolution talks about any endorsement of regime change. It is only focused, at least apparently, on restraining the ongoing violence and facilitation of a negotiated settlement.
India has deep respect and appreciation for the sovereignty of every nation of this world, and no force can force our country to deviate from that principle. However, we cannot afford to overlook the government sponsored massacre of innocents in Syria in the name of crushing rebellion. The Bashar al-Assad government has every right to be strict with any form of mobocracy that is destabilizing that country. However, the world has the right to intervene if it finds the situation is getting increasingly scary with every passing day. In fact, it might even turn into a favourable development for Assad, by ushering in peace and stability that will enable him to focus on the development of his country.
Let’s hope that our Syrian friends soon find themselves in a peaceful Syria, and then work together to make their motherland as glorious as Mount Hermon.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Photography – My New Passion
Of late I have been “captured” by a new passion – the passion of “capturing moments”. In plain speak, Photography.
It is not that my interest in photography is something completely new. Rather I always have had interest in it, since my childhood. Like many of you, I have always found it to be a thrilling idea to permanently capture various moments of my life, and also various incidents, etc. that I find to take place around me. However, till the other day this interest was “just an interest”. But now with every passing day I find it to be increasingly turning into a strong passion, which may even be called madness. Now I always keep thinking of “capturing” something in my cell phone camera, whether it is gorgeous high rise that I come across while driving through the street, or when I find my colleague buttering his sandwich during the lunch break at office. In fact, sometimes I take a snap of something while questioning myself whether it at all worths being photographed. Guess sometimes I “click” only for the sake of it, as I am actually in love with the “act of clicking”.
Anyways, I must admit that I am enjoying this new hobby like anything. At least as of now.
It is not that my interest in photography is something completely new. Rather I always have had interest in it, since my childhood. Like many of you, I have always found it to be a thrilling idea to permanently capture various moments of my life, and also various incidents, etc. that I find to take place around me. However, till the other day this interest was “just an interest”. But now with every passing day I find it to be increasingly turning into a strong passion, which may even be called madness. Now I always keep thinking of “capturing” something in my cell phone camera, whether it is gorgeous high rise that I come across while driving through the street, or when I find my colleague buttering his sandwich during the lunch break at office. In fact, sometimes I take a snap of something while questioning myself whether it at all worths being photographed. Guess sometimes I “click” only for the sake of it, as I am actually in love with the “act of clicking”.
Anyways, I must admit that I am enjoying this new hobby like anything. At least as of now.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas – The Pan-religious Festival Meant For The Entire World
Officially Christmas may be just a religious festival of a certain religious community. But in reality it is a pan-religious festival, widely popular with and enthusiastically celebrated by people of all religions across the world.
Why is it so? Well, the reason lies in the pan-religious appeal of Christmas. The festival represents the eternal virtues of the human society – Love, Friendship, Unity, Harmony and Bonding. These are the virtues which serve as the basic components of the lifeblood of the society, and have thus always held a special position in our heart. We find the reflections of these virtues in Christmas, and this in turn explains why people of all faiths identify themselves with this beautiful festival.
In fact, it will be an understatement to refer to Christmas as just a festival. It is rather the personification of a philosophy of life, which teaches us how to make our beautiful world more beautiful, by just turning ourselves into better human beings.
Within few days there will be New Year, which will witness us making colourful New Year Resolutions (most of which we will not follow). Let us make a resolution today, on this auspicious occasion of Christmas, that we will collectively try our best to reduce hatred, malice and hostility in this world, thus doing more justice to the “civilized” tag that we use to describe ourselves.
Why should we hope for a Heaven after death? Why don’t we try to convert this world itself into a Heaven?
A bagful of love and wishes from me and my family to every reader of this small piece.
Why is it so? Well, the reason lies in the pan-religious appeal of Christmas. The festival represents the eternal virtues of the human society – Love, Friendship, Unity, Harmony and Bonding. These are the virtues which serve as the basic components of the lifeblood of the society, and have thus always held a special position in our heart. We find the reflections of these virtues in Christmas, and this in turn explains why people of all faiths identify themselves with this beautiful festival.
In fact, it will be an understatement to refer to Christmas as just a festival. It is rather the personification of a philosophy of life, which teaches us how to make our beautiful world more beautiful, by just turning ourselves into better human beings.
Within few days there will be New Year, which will witness us making colourful New Year Resolutions (most of which we will not follow). Let us make a resolution today, on this auspicious occasion of Christmas, that we will collectively try our best to reduce hatred, malice and hostility in this world, thus doing more justice to the “civilized” tag that we use to describe ourselves.
Why should we hope for a Heaven after death? Why don’t we try to convert this world itself into a Heaven?
A bagful of love and wishes from me and my family to every reader of this small piece.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Lesson For India – UK Aims At Empowering Voters To Recall MPs With Questionable Activities
It is a development that offers a lesson and inspiration for all parliamentary democracies of the world, including India.
The UK Parliament (also called the British parliament) has moved a bill that aims at empowering the British voters with the right to recall an MP elected by them, if the latter is found to be engaged in questionable activities.
If the bill gets passed by the British Parliament, then it will give the voters from a constituency to force a by election if they feel that their elected representative has got engaged in serious wrongdoings. The only condition is that the petition moved to that effect must be signed by at least 10 per cent of the constituents.
I feel everybody will agree that it is a very significant step, likely to play a very effective role in purifying electoral system and curbing malpractices by elected representatives.
I eagerly wait for the day when the Indian parliament will show the courage to come up with one such bill. And I also appeal to the Election Commission of India to study the said bill, and check whether the same can be replicated in India (with necessary modifications, if any).
The UK Parliament (also called the British parliament) has moved a bill that aims at empowering the British voters with the right to recall an MP elected by them, if the latter is found to be engaged in questionable activities.
If the bill gets passed by the British Parliament, then it will give the voters from a constituency to force a by election if they feel that their elected representative has got engaged in serious wrongdoings. The only condition is that the petition moved to that effect must be signed by at least 10 per cent of the constituents.
I feel everybody will agree that it is a very significant step, likely to play a very effective role in purifying electoral system and curbing malpractices by elected representatives.
I eagerly wait for the day when the Indian parliament will show the courage to come up with one such bill. And I also appeal to the Election Commission of India to study the said bill, and check whether the same can be replicated in India (with necessary modifications, if any).
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Indian Govt. Mulling Institutionalization Of Community Policing
It was heartening to know that the Indian government is planning to institutionalize community policing, by setting up an exclusive wing for the same. The said wing, to be named 'Community Policing' or CoP, will be a part of the existing police department itself.
It is undoubtedly a very significant development. It is now an established fact that appropriate involvement of community always enhances the quality of the governance. This explains why it has now become such a popular practice for governments across the world to partner with local community members for carrying out various tasks and activities (one notable example is that of “Community Forestry”).
And moreover, community policing has been proved to be a very fruitful tool for curbing crime, with the practice being followed in a number of developed countries for quite some time. No matter how much strong network of informers a police force has, there is no parallel for a system where the common, grass roots level citizens act as the “eyes” and “ears” of the force. All of us are aware of at least a couple of incidents where the alertness of a common citizen has helped the police to smell a crime that is about to take place, and prevent it by taking necessary steps at the right time.
I was also happy to know that new courses and programmes were being developed for being taught in police academy, which aim at sensitizing police personnel on the role they have to play in community policing.
Let’s wish the government all the best for this smart move.
It is undoubtedly a very significant development. It is now an established fact that appropriate involvement of community always enhances the quality of the governance. This explains why it has now become such a popular practice for governments across the world to partner with local community members for carrying out various tasks and activities (one notable example is that of “Community Forestry”).
And moreover, community policing has been proved to be a very fruitful tool for curbing crime, with the practice being followed in a number of developed countries for quite some time. No matter how much strong network of informers a police force has, there is no parallel for a system where the common, grass roots level citizens act as the “eyes” and “ears” of the force. All of us are aware of at least a couple of incidents where the alertness of a common citizen has helped the police to smell a crime that is about to take place, and prevent it by taking necessary steps at the right time.
I was also happy to know that new courses and programmes were being developed for being taught in police academy, which aim at sensitizing police personnel on the role they have to play in community policing.
Let’s wish the government all the best for this smart move.
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