Reservation

There has been a lot of talk about the reservation in the premier institutes-- IIT's and IIM's and AIIMS.

And, interestingly, it was not just a talk but a series of strikes all around the country that has consumed reels of newsprint, prime time of television and whole lot of our own personal time in argument. It's good and it's bad as well. It's good because it shows that people have started taking participation in the decisions that gives direction to country. And it’s bad because strike does not seem to be a correct and ethical means to put forth one’s opinion in a civilized society. Though, no one had any choice. As a nation we are yet not developed enough!

Coming to reservation, I guess all angles of the story have already been analyzed. But it would not be futile to get into that eternal discussion on efficacy of reservation for upliftment of deprived class once again. I believe that no one with sane mind ever opposes what reservation is supposed to achieve, but they have problem with the means to achieve this equality of opportunity. That is, they have problem with reservation, and rather to be precise they have problem with the implementation of reservation.

Though I know the generalization that most of economically unfortunate people are of backward class can not be flatly denied. But, I don't understand why it is easier to implement caste based reservation than economy based.

Now keeping aside the debatable caste based reservation policy. I have always been of opinion that reservation must be provided but only at lower level. The people who are not fortunate among us must be given opportunity to prove them, or do well in their life but it must not be for the cost of society. By that I mean it must not hinder or slow down the growth of society. Yes, here one can argue that it would be illogical to develop a nation without untapping the hidden talent in 80% (OBC and SC/ST) of its population. But it's also true that it's not more than top 1 percent of a nation that provide direction to a country.
And we must not implement any policy that will lessen the chances of getting the best out of the country in positions that matters to society.
So,
No reservation in IAS and related examination.
No reservation in IIT's, IIM's, AIIMS or top few institutes of any area.
In a century when science and technology are going to decide the future of a country, it won’t be advisable to play with the quality of these institutions. It's different matter that they are not properly serving the purpose they were established for. So there is a need for betterment not otherwise!

James Blunt

For past few days I am in love with a James Blunt Song: ' You are Beautiful'. The lyrics goes like this:

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Fucking high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

I like this song because of it's lyrics, or may be becuse of music. Anyway that is irrelevent here. Now, On the basis of the exposure that I have of music, I seriously doubt that if there is any other song with the same theme as this song. There are times when you start thinking that everything has been already explored--when it comes to lyrics writing, poetry writing, or writing. That is you won't find a single experience that has not been captured by somebody or the other. You won't find a single experience that has not been captured from all possible perspectives. But then there are James Blunt, who will make you realize that there are things that you are looking at daliy but yet not looking it.

M.J.Akbar

Whenever I read M.J.Akbar, I get a feeling that he considers himself of a different league. I mean he has superiority complex. Just have a look on first 3-4 sentences of few of his articles, and you will know what I mean.

Every lie must be denied; otherwise it becomes an attachment to the truth. I am not equally sure that rumours deserve similar attention, because a denial tends to live in the same haze as the rumour.

Delhi recognises the colour of money, but it has not yet quite begun to comprehend the culture of money. Delhi does not need any lessons in the colour, culture, nuances, excesses, limitations and even the curiosities of power.

Here we don’t get an idea of what he wants to write. First he philosophizes, and the then writes what has to write. First he generalizes a thing-not a specific thing- but a general thing. And then he will put forth his opinion on that particular situation. In the above example he has coined two terms, color of money and culture of money. I don’t think one is supposed to coin a new term in an article on a Daily. One should satisfy one's intellectual thirst- if one has to-of generalizing things, philosophizing or coining a new term in a work of fiction or an essay.

Why is he doing so? I believe he is writing the way he is writing because he has been writing for so many years that he has written almost over all the topics one might ever write; I mean, on topics he writes -politics. So whenever he has to write his opinion on some political situation he finds himself repeating himself- at least in terms of ideas, way of analysis and perspective. And he does not want to repeat himself. So he philosophizes.

By the way I just click a link to www.mjakbar.org on The Asian Age website, and I shuddered for a moment to hear my speaker shouting a M.J.Akbar favorite song.