CAN YOU ADVISE ME?

There have been a lot of happenings in the past month which raised  questions in my mind. I am going to share those with you.

Starting with Delhi University fiasco. To me it seemed that those having differences about length of Graduation course had inflated EGO with no concern about sufferings of young students. Going back to my time in school, Matric or 10^th standard was the final examination of school education and it was conducted by Punjab University. Thereafter a student joined college to do 2 years Intermediate and then 2 years Graduation. Thus one could be a Graduate in total of 14 years in school and college. When I reached 9^th standard, school tenure was increased by 1 year making it Higher Secondary. Examinations of both 10^th and 11^th were conducted by the university. There was corresponding reduction in college education. One joined college for 1 year Prep after Higher Secondary and continued to 2 year course of graduation. Thus to be a Graduate it still was 14 years of school and college education.  Then schooling was increased to 10+ 2 ie making it 12 years of school education and in college it was made 3 years to graduate. So now one took 15 years of school and college to be a Graduate. Latest increase of graduation to 4 years after schooling seems a little more than needed. Also how can an ordinary college cater for B Tech or BMS education which are specialized in engineering or administrative institutes?

There used to be only 1 university covering whole of Punjab which included Haryana at that time as well as Himachal. Now I think there are half a dozen universities covering the same area. And similarly universities have mushroomed nationally also. It may be due to large number of students but still it seems that there are too many universities without any concern about education standards or co-ordination. I do strongly feel that though a university may retain freedom in day to day functioning but there is positive need to have an agency to ensure that all universities maintain same overall standard and norms of education.

The stand off between BMC and residents of Campa Cola area buildings is rather very intriguing. I am surprised that when these buildings were under construction many years ago, BMC had found the builder was indulging in unauthorized construction. He or the company was fined for that but what about after that? How did he manage to continue with construction without having approved plans? Not only that but the flats were sold out which could not have happened overnight. How did the owners get water and electricity connections if the buildings were unauthorized? Is it not mandatory to give details of building approval for obtaining these connections?  My heart goes out to those occupying those flats for so many years but it seems that most of them were aware at the time of purchasing that there was dispute about sanction of building these. If we regularize these now, it will encourage others to indulge in same practice. In my opinion the only way out is to penalize the builder or his heirs by attaching all their assets to pay off occupants and then demolish these buildings. Heir of that builder may include his close relatives also, like siblings, nephews / nieces etc. That should set an example for other unscrupulous builders.

There have been many building collapses resulting in loss of many lives as well as injuring many more apart from loss of belonging and property. In most cases it was due to construction of basements undertaken in the plots next to those. Is it not common sense that if you expose foundation of any building it definitely makes it prone to collapse? Are the persons who undertake construction work not aware of this as they are supposed to be specialists?  Why should those responsible to undertake such constructions in the next plot not be tried for murder or attempt to murder?   

WHY ?

I have been contemplating to write for some time but could not make myself brace up to sit down for longish time to do so. Today I decided to do it as there are too many issues raising questions in my mind.

I am so aghast at statements made by some of our so called learned and popular political leaders about rape. One says that rape is not done intentionally but happens by mistake. Another says that boys will be boys while yet another one says that no one goes out to rape but it happens by default. I would love to know if they would make same statements if the victim is their daughter or granddaughter or daughter in law? Why don’t they put their mind to find how could we inculcate respect for girls in the minds of everyone instead of opening their mouth making such statements?

I strongly condemn brutal killing of young man in Pune by persons who took an offence to his posting caricature of their leader on his Facebook page which they took as degrading. Not that I condone their action but does anyone have right to make fun or degrade persons of prominence without any restriction?  Now why politicians and media are trying to give it communal colour instead of sticking to the facts of the case? Those who took this unwanted step of killing should be penalized by ensuring a speedy trial but at the same time should we not educate people to respect other’s feelings also?

I always respected lawyers as they represent system to ensure law is abided by society but do they have right to take law into their hands? Some time ago a lawyer who got into argument with guard at an educational institute and he called up his colleagues. Together they not only beat that guard up but ransacked the institute also. Another lawyer who is facing case of eve-teasing made his colleagues threaten and beat up not only the complainant but her lawyer also in the court complex where case was being heard. Should such persons not be debarred from practice or even take up any job needing legal qualifications?

In my opinion as a common man, Mr Modi did a right thing by inviting leaders of SAARC on his swearing in ceremony as it would open doors for further talks in congenial way to resolve irksome issues between two countries but then why some persons lead by leaders with blinkers on protested this gesture? Is it not behaving like small children that you did wrong to me or my friends so I am KUTTI ( not on talking terms ) with you?

Talking about this also reminds me that why did one of the ministers from an ally party refuse to take oath as he or his party leader was not happy with the portfolio allotted? Is it that they wanted some portfolio which can have opportunity of making some easy money? Or the allotted portfolio involved hard work?

It seems that people who were defeated in elections have nothing better to do than to point fingers at those in power now, otherwise what is the reason of raising issues of educational qualification of any minister instead of watching his or her performance? I think there are numerous examples of those with very little education having excelled not only in politics but at business also.

Last but not the least, last month I saw a lot of food thrown on footpaths around places of worship. It seemed that some persons wanting to feed the poor had set up stalls to distribute food there. Many persons including small children collected the food so given but consumed only what they wanted and threw away the rest. It is a shame to see such wastage which could have fed at least hundreds needy hungry ones. In this respect I appreciate LANGAR held at GURUDWARAs as people to be fed are made to sit in lines and volunteers serve food to each one as per his or her need ensuring minimum wastage.

May I have your views on what I have rambled on?