Government attitude towards Lawyers

This letter was written by me to Editor of TOI ( never published by TOI) sometime in early 2005 on the atrocious handling of Lawyers by Lucknow Police.

Police Vs Lawyers

 

 

I had just finished my daily Prayer and was about to take first sip of my morning tea, I switched on my TV set. One of the TV channel was showing breaking News: Advocates & Police clashes in Lucknow- the city of Nawabs. The news appeared more curious & concerned to me as I myself belong to a family of Lawyers.

 

TV screen was showing the fight going on between Advocates of Avadh Bar and the Lucknow Police. Stones & bricks were being used as missiles by both sides. The way Policemen were chasing & beating the Advocates was atrocious and a blot on democracy. It also raises a question of the discipline of our police. At the same time Advocates should give a thought on their deteriorating status in the Society.

 

All said & done, Policemen’s appeared that they were behaving like criminals & hooligans in Police uniform. Charging Lathis on Professionals is not part of any civilized society and Police need to be reminded of this.

 

City District Magistrate and SSP were like silent spectators and were helpless to control the fury of the mob. Police officers were seen telling Constables not to hit the Advocates but all in vain. Constables were seen defying orders of their bosses.

 

Advocates later wanted to meet the Chief Minister but were again Lathi charged. Just now another breaking news has come that Mulayam Singh Yadav has given directions for enquiry into the whole matter, another political gimmick to keep the issue at bay. He is more busy with issues like Madarsa & dinners for MPs!

 

The humiliation that has come to the Judicial family needs nothing less than suspension of each & every Police personnel upto the lowest rank involved in the incident, an apology by the District Magistrate to all the Advocate fraternity.

 

This will convey the message to each & every Police personnel that they need to act as per the instructions of their superiors and not by their emotional charge. It appears from the video clippings that police personnel are taking their personal revenge with the Advocates.

 

At the same time it is high time that Advocates also clearly define their discipline code of conduct. Civilized behaviour is needed from all parties to avoid such future incident. Else, the whole world will continue to get a chance to see such ignominious incidents happening on the land of the world largest democracy.

My Poetry, Our Kashmir

Aaj bahot dino ke baad Gagan ne Indradhanush ko apna saathi banaya hai

Rakt dhara ki jagah ab nirmal jharno ne payi hai

Jin hathon me kal taq thi bandooken, aaj woh seech rahe hai anna ke paudhe

Bachchon ki cheekh pukar ab badal gayi hai kilkari mey

Agni prajavalit ho gayi hai un ghar ke chulho mey jo pahle rahte thay bandookon ke saye mey

Insaniyat ke saath suraj ki kirnay aaj phir wapis ghar aayi hain

Pushpo ne phir se khilne ki yojana banayi hai

Titliyon aur bhoron ko parag ki phir se yaad aayi hai

Aaj bahot dino ke baad Gagan ne Indradhanush ki shobha pai hai

Aamra pallavon ke beech  panchi phir se chahchaha rahen hain,

Pahadon ki vadiyon se jharno ki kalkal sunai de rahi hai dur dur taq

Raqt ki lalima se dhaki sarahadon per shwet panchiyon ne apna gharaunda banaya hai

Ghayal jeevan ney phir se ek naya jeewan paya hai

Aaj bahot dino ke baad Gagan ne Indradhanush ko apna saathi banaya hai

My Mind, My Poetry

Raajniti ki Bisaat per

Unhone chali thi ek chaal

Aam jaanta ko machhli samajh kar

Desh per bichhaya tha ek jaal

 

Roti, bijli aur Paani ko vishay banakar,

                   Jeet liya tha maidaan

Phir bhrasht ta ki seema laanghkar,

          Gareebon ka jeena kar diya haraam

 

Paanch Varsh taq shashan karke, kisaano ko banaya ateet

Roti kapde ko bhoolkar ,

Dharm aur Jaati ko banaya rajneeti ka prateek

 

Satta ke galiyaron mey ab nahi dikhte insaan,

Raaj netaon ki khaal mey ab tow baste hain sirf haivan

 

Khaadi ke mol ko mati mey mila diya

Swayam swarth ki khatir apradhiyon ko dul mey mila liya

 

Janta ke sapno ko har bar tod dete hain

Lekin bholi Janta se kore vade karke

Chunav dar chunav jeet lete hain

 

Mandiron aur masjidon se bhashan dekar,

Kaumi ekta ko khandit karte rahte hain

Aur swayam ko dharm nirpekshta ke masihe ki misaal batate hain

 

Bahot ho gaye ye kore vade aur bahot ho gaye ye bhashan,

Ab Jaanta hi karegi khud ke kashton ka nivaran

Hoga desh ki nayi rajniti ka sheeghra anavaran

 

Aur hoga khet khalihan, baag bagichon mey

Tabhi khushali ka vatavaran

 

Sachet ho jao raajnetaon,

Janta ki bhavnaon ko mat kuchlo bar bar

Apne adhikaron ke gyan ko arjit karke,

Ab aur nahi Janta hai lachaar

 

Nayi subah ab huwi hai aur naye rakt ka sanchaar

 

Sachet ho jao ab

Bhrashta rajniti ke thekedar

My Opinion about Ms. Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister of India

 

25^th day of June 1975 will always be remembered as a black day in the history of this vast democratic Nation with a billion plus population belonging to different cast, creed & culture. With the proclamation of emergency in 1975, the then leader of the Indian National Congress, Mrs Indira Gandhi,  not only showed her party’s lust for Power but also brought a blot on Indian democracy which can never be erased even by sands of time. It is interesting to note that this nefarious action was taken by Indian National Congress 28 years after the Nation got freedom from the fetters of British. Now after another 28 years INC is once again poised to bring another ignominy to this vast Nation by supporting Mrs. Sonia Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister of India. The only difference this time is that it was only INC which was responsible for the proclamation of emergency whereas now it is with the collusion of other pseudo Secular political houses. They have placed their personal gains and lust for power above the Nation.  They have no love for Congress but are looking for short-term political gains without realizing the damage they are doing to the nation in this process.

When the members of the Constituent assembly drafted the Constitution, they believed that the Nation which has struggled to come out of the colonialism will produce prudent, able & patriotic political leaders who will never allow the Nation to go in the hands of foreigners and hence the Constitution is silent about this sensitive issue. However, the irony is that the INC which was on the fore front of Indian freedom struggle could not find one person from over a billion Indians to lead India? The entire political class save BJP and its allies is silent. The recent launch of National movement on the issue of foreign origin is a well measured step taken in this direction to protect the honor & national pride of India.

As we know history repeats itself, one may find after another 28 years from now (or may be less) Rahul Gandhi’s foreigner wife staking claim to India’s top political post. Needless to say, there will still be many Indians with no national pride & actually illiterate to support her as well. Precedence has lot of influence to support the future!

Letter to Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh

This is one of my letters written to Mr. Manmohan Singh when he had just formed his Government. Unfortunately he did not live upto my ( rather Nation’s) expectations.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

 

Firstly, please accept my congratulations. Citizens of this vast Nation have expressed confidence in you & your colleagues and therefore it is expected that your Government will sincerely try to solve the problems of a Common man & Society. You are now leading a Nation of a billion plus people and not just UPA. This is a big responsibility and we trust you will shoulder it effectively. I hereby like to suggest as below:

 

Rise above Politics: Please do not discontinue or reverse the good actions of the previous regime just because they were taken up by your political adversaries.

 

Center – State relationship: Please do not be biased in giving aid and carrying out development work in the States where your party’s Government is not installed.

 

Child Labor: Though many Laws exist against Child Labour but due to loop holes in the Law or lack of Government’s will, Child Labour continues to deprive the Children from going to School & experiencing child hood. Today’s children are our future; please bring smile on the face of unprivileged children.

 

Implementation of Government Schemes: It is often seen that the schemes of Government for the welfare of society not reach the intended level. Please appoint a fair, unbiased committee to look after implementation of such schemes. Regular monitoring (not just on Computers, but on ground) is essentially required to ensure that common man is benefited.

 

Police Reforms: Though it is a State matter, however, consensus among States, co-coordinated by Central Government is needed to solve the problems of Police personnel. Many issues ranging from their uniform to salaries & perks, their attitude towards society needs to be reviewed. It is imperative that Government must take care of children of Police personnel by introducing exclusive schools for them across country and providing financial support to them. This will have a positive effect on our Police force and will help in developing a better society. Please do not underestimate this issue. It is a key to many other problems in Society.

 

Judicial reforms: Some mechanism to be devised to reduce the settlement time of cases in Courts. Special group to be formed to ensure that our Courts from lower to top tier remains clean, fair & Just.

 

Provide basic facilities to people: Please ensure that facilities like clean drinking water, funds for owning home at low interest, employment, proper road connectivity, hospitals, schools etc are made available to all with special emphasis to our rural population.

 

Corruption: This is the most gravity problem of this Nation. Though moral conscious against this social problem has to be inculcated in the citizens however, examples are to be set by the Leaders first. The appropriate & effective law has to be made to tackle this issue.

 

NRI’s: Please institute an independent Portfolio for NRI’s which can provide support, investment guidance and entrepreneurial opportunities to NRI’s. Please treat all NRI’s equal and not on basis of geographical location & glamour.

 

With best wishes

 

Ashish Sinha

 

Deteriorating Lower courts functioning in India

Recently I had an opportunity to visit one of the Civil court in Bahraich, a small district in Uttar Pradesh. What I saw during my 4 hours stay in the court room reflects the poor management & monitoring of lower courts functioning.

Hon’ble Judge hardly occupied his designated chair and instead spent most of his time in his back ( rest?) room. The Government advocates spent their time sitting inside the courtroom but only chatting and having tea and snacks. The Peshkaar ( Clerical Asst to the Judge) was recording the witness points and the arguments being done by Advocates. It is surprising that the arguement with witness was being done by Advocates in absence of Judge. The Peshkar was chewing the tobacco and Betel Masal and was frequently spitting next to his chair only.

 It appears there is a clear cut nexus of Judges – Advocates – Peshkars – Police due to which corruption in lower courts in India is thriving & flourishing at the cost of sufferings of a common man.

There was no uniform discipline for the Advocates ( most of them not using neck bands and no shoes but wearing chappals). No cleanliness in the court complex. Broken table inside the court room and no discipline for listing & hearing of cases. People coming from far off had to suffer due to approach being used by the Peshkaars and Advocates.

It is time to link all Lower courts in India through Videao camera and all proceeding should be done under the vigil of Cameras which People sitting in Control rooms can watch and monitor and appropriate action can be taken against the Judges, Advocates and the Peshkaars.

Before the trust and faith in Judiciary is wiped out from the mind of a common man, Higher courts must take quick action to arrest the present situation from deteriorating further.

Airlines and passenger safety in India

Majority of airlines registered in India are either using old planes which have completed their designed life. WIth increase in number of passsengers and locations, the aircrafts are further subjected to load beyond their left capacity. This is resulting in so many near miss happening in India aviation industry.

It is high time that all airlines operating in India must submit the details like the type of aircraft, country of produce, year of produce, designed life & expiry date to the Civil Aviation Ministry so that action can be taken threby preventing accidents/incidents/near misses.

Is Indian Civil Aviation Ministry interested in Passenger safety?

Letter to Lalu Yadav, Railway Minister, India

Dear Lalu ji, Firstly I want to point out some correction in your statement that “Every Indian has the right to settle anywhere, travel anywhere and own property anywhere in the country” This is not true because in J & K…… Now pls don’t say that J & K is not part of India. Second, who stopped the current Govt ( you are part of it) from booking Mr. Raj Thakre with charge of acting against National integration? A man is clear cut talking about National disintegration in open forum and the Govt has not shown any courage, save drama of arresting him for few hours, to act against Mr. Raj. This also proves that Congress & Left alongwith you have no interest in protecting the Law and order in this country. Thirdly, You have also resorted to similar strategy,now adopted by Mr. Raj, few years back when you played the caste based politics.I think less people were killed in Mumbai during the riots between Marathis and North Indian compared to young students who died ( rather killed by politicians) during Mandal commission protests in the past. Lalu ji, As you said, common man in India does not approve any thing which is against the nation but unfortunately the same common man forgets this while electing the Law makers. However, I must give full marks to you for improving Indian Railways ( still far away from International standards) and also to congratulate you for carving out your place in Indian Politics. We Indians do start liking people emotionally and not necessarily due to Performance, sincerity and honesty. Please focus on Railways. Have you seen the last month delay report of all Trains running in India? Do you know that the people sitting in your call centers ( 139) are giving false info to the customers? I think Railways has really gone into shambles ever since your started devoting too much time to media.I think your interest in Indian Railways has reduced these days ( coming events cast their shadown before – May be you have started thinking that General elections are ahead and Railway may be ruled by someone else soon, so there is natural lack of interest on your part). But one should do justice with his or her job as long as he/she is paid for the same. Best regards Smiling Tree.

Maa Vindhyavasini, Vindhyachal

Maa Vindhyavasini temple ( one of 52 shaktipeeths) is located in Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh, India.

One can reach Vindhyachal from Allahabad or Varanasi.  It takes 3 hous to reach from Allahabad. There is also direct train service from Lucknow, Varanasi & Allahabad.

The holy place is famous for Maa’ s kindess towards her devotees. People say that all wishes come true after her Darshan.

Jai Mata Di.

Maa Kaila Devi , Karauli, Rajasthan

I recently visited Maa Kaila Devi temple in Karauli, Rajasthan and I was lucky to have Darshan during Mangala Aarti at 4 am in the morning. The trip was very good and rains made it further good. One can see peacock dancing  enroute and the route from Karauli to Kaila Devi temple is full of scenic beauty. The distance from Agra to Karauli is around 225 km and the distance from Karauli to Bhavan is around 25 km. But the last patch of 25 km road is very bad and it is better to take own vehcile rather than going by bus.

The trips becomes tiring due to bad roads but one feels inner happiness and contentment after Darshan of Maa Kaila Devi.  Jai Mata Di.