Diary

 

Shashi Tharoor

So he went away with his cattle class remarks. His detractors must have been disappointed to see that he was spared the rod by the headmistress or in other words high command. Most of people may not agree with his comments of cattle class but many would agree with Tharoor that there shouldn’t be holiday on the great leaders’ birth anniversaries or death anniversaries. Instead, there should be more and more work on the days to push the nation to the path of speedy development. Has there been any legendary figure who we swear by ever exhorted people to enjoy leisure time and not work hard. And do the really people recall the leaders the entire day?

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Saif and Kareena

I don’t know why our media is so much obsessed with Saif and Kareena affairs trying to get as much juicy details as it could do from anywhere the media persons could lay their hands on and peep into. I often wonder if our country has ceased to be free of serious problems that we want to devote much time to reading of Saif and Kareena’s chemistry, talks and what not. But that sells media grab it for raise in TRP.

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Pipe

It was a fall of water pipe on a train which claimed two lives in a train recently. Does anybody need to hear what would follow? But I would still tell- inquiry, compensation, blame game, demand etc. My curiosity rather question is where was the ‘system’ sleeping? Certainly it was not any terrorist attack or fall of any heavy object on the pipe that it fell down. Regular and strict could have averted such mishaps. But who cares?

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Raj Thackrey and Bal Thackrey

I am mentioning Raj Thackrey’s name first, not in family’s hierarchical order, because it is the former who put the scanner in the Shiv Sena’s works as analysts suggest. Who formed the government and who couldn’t is not my concern. My concern rather fear is if Shiv Sena would aggressively adopt MNS’s policy to target the North Indians in Mumbai or it would continue to stick to the middle part which, I think, is in the interest of the state and the nation.

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Aggressive stance

The piece just above was written when Raj Thackeray’s MLAs had not slapped Samajvadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in the State Assembly. My fear that Raj Thackeray brigade would step up its aggressive tone came true but did not realize that this would be extended to violent means by the new right wing group. My belief is if Thackeray brigade continues to target North Indians and Hindi or indulge in any extreme activities they would alienate themselves from people. For in our country, people en mass don’t support such kind of dogmatic view and violent pages in the political book. May God grant wisdom to all for prosperity of nation.

an experience that was not

I was excited to get the information that a youth admitted to Narmada Hospital (Bhopal) spent some time in the martuary of government Hamidia Hospital, thanks to the government hospital staff's 'criminal negligence' in declaring the youth dead while he was alive.

Narmada Hospital administrator S Sunil couldn't believe his ears when the youth's parents told him the youth's horrifying experiences. His parents told him that when the hospital staff at the mortuary was about to put a label on the dead body he noticed some movement in the body. Alarmed as he was he immediately informed the doctors about the same and the youth was brought back to the hospital emergency ward. His parents later shifted their son to the abovementioned private hospital.

Though a political beat reporter I could not resist the urge from within to grab the scoop and go ahead filing the report for my newspaper when I came to know about the incident.

I had a talk with S Sunil, the youth Anand, a resident of 11-LIG Colony near Vivekanand School, Bidar, Karnataka. The all he could remember he was travelling in a train going from Bidar to Samastipur (Bihar) to see his friend. He was sitting on the gate of a general compartment. He did not remember what happened to him but when he regained his consciousness he found himself in the (Narmada) hospital.

Of course, it seemed the 26-year-old youth had fallen off the train either due to impact of the train movement or Perhaps he dozed off and fell from the train. Anand did not remember anything about the mortuary incident but his parents told that they were told by the government hospital staff about their son being put in the mortuary and then being revived. With God's grace the mortuary staff noticed movement in his body and he could survive. Still, they said, their son was so traumatised by the experinece that he often saw himself in his dream lying among the dead bodies and would wake up frightened.

Since the parents (father Dashrath is a clerk in the district court, Bidar and mother Renuka is housewife) who could not afford costly treatment at the private hospital wanted to take their son home for further treatment immediately (subject to availability of train reservation), I lost no time in talking to them and get them photographed. 

Sticking to journalistic basics pays you. My belief in the same got further strengthened after I proceeded to work on the story.

A tendency of some journalists these days is to file stories based on allegations coming from somebody and balance the story with versions from the other side.

Since, there was no first person account of harrowing tale of the youth I decided to verify the facts by talking to the police personnel and hospital staff and seeing the hospital records. Even otherwise, the youth's experience (even if he would have told me about his being in mortuary) could not have been believed blindly, for his mother told me that her son was not mentally sound for quite some time due to some unknown reasons and that this was the reason why they put in an ashram where he spent two months time.

Coming back to the basics, when I contacted the police constable who was sent to the hospital by his seniors on coming to know about the incident told me that the youth was in his senses when he reached the hospital. He got the cellnumber of his father from the youth only and informed him on phone.

On visiting the hospital it took about half an hour after looking into hospital records that he was brought to the hospital by 108 ambulance service at 4 am on October 20, not on 18th/19th night. He was shifted to surgery ward-5. I met the doctors and the nurses in surgery ward-5 and some other surgery wards too. There was hardly any evidence to corroborate the information (as was reportedly given by the same hospital staff to the youth's parents) that he was considered dead during the treatment and was sent to the mortuary.

About the youth's so called nightmare that he saw himself among the dead bodies a doctor told me after accident a person might undergo such unusual experiences due to impact of the accident. In this case, the youth had sustained injuries in his head also.

There was a possibility that when the youth was brought to emergency ward he might have mistaken the other patients lying as dead, as he was not fully conscious at that time.

The youngh doctor said it was he who received the patient and treated him. He was in the ward till 6 am. There was hardly any possibility of any goof-up in the daytime. Even otherwise it was not possible. And the very next day his parents came and took him to any private hospital. 

Still deciding not to leave any stone unturned I looked into the register bearing the information about the dead being taken to the mortuary from the ward. There was no mention at all.

In a nutshell, it turned out to be a youth's experience in a mortuary where it was not.

I was sad that I missed a scoop but satisfied also that a thorough investigation and my decision not to file a 'balanced story' saved me from a situation in which I would not have been able to give answers to my own questions coming from the inner self.

However, I admit that I didn't to a great job by trying to verify the facts with some legwork and tie the loose ends. I did what a journalist should have done.

Respected or tainted

If a leader from your party deserts the party what do you call him? A dalbadaloo (party hopper) But if any leader from your rival party joins your party? It’s change of heart- comes reply from the leader. I read this joke in my school days but I find that this joke is practiced in real life in political arena day in and day out. You might be wondering which context I am referring to? Only yesterday some tainted ex-ministers were inducted in the State Cabinet of the BJP government. The ministers had been dropped or in other words were not considered for the ministerial berths when the BJP retained its government. The message was simple- Chief Minister doesn’t like such ministers in his cabinet in his second stint. But in a span of ten months they managed to secure their place in the cabinet. What resulted in the turnaround is baffling all including me.

Not reel but real role models

Ajay Maheshwari and Pankaj Rathore don't belong to an elite class of society. They are not moneyed persons too. But they possess such virtues what most of us lack.

This must have happened several times in our lives when we see persons lying injured and in a pool of blood but instead of stopping at the site we choose to go ahead. The crowd of people who gather around are also of any help. They watch the scene for some moments and move away. As we are being modern and globe is shrinking as a global village the humanitarian feelings in us are fast evaporating.

When Coordinating Editor of Hindustan Times, Ranchi edition Akshay Kumar met with an accident near Khajuri village, about 20 kilometers from Bhopal he could not survive and so did his wife Aneeta and his friend Umesh Singh. Umesh Singh's wife Abhilasha, son Shubhankit, daughter Riya and Akshay Kumar's 11-month-old daughter Akshita were rushed to the Government Hamidia Hospital.

The two youths Ajay and Pankaj saw Riya holding in her arms the 11-month-old baby in a speechless condition and greatly shocked. She was in an ambulance. Near her was her brother Subhankit bleeding and with broken thighs. Her mother Abhilasha was also profusely bleeding. The scene moved the youths. They couldn't turn their eyes and decided to help them.

They made arrangements for initial treatment to the injured. Spent money from their own pocket on bandage and some medicines purchased from a private chemist shop. They contacted the injured relatives in Ranchi through the cell phone and at the relatives request took the injured to a private hospital by hiring a private ambulance.

They did not only admit the injured to the hospital but also took care of them. They arranged blood also in the afternoon after contacting several blood banks in the city. They continue to remain at the hospital even after arrival of the injured relatives from Ranchi and other places.

Mostly people turn away from the scene of accidents or on seeing people in distress for two reasons- first, they would get involved in hassles like wasting money, facing police query etc and second, they would have to meet the expenses on the treatment, at least initially, on being demanded by the hospital and also they might not get the money back.

Ajay and Pankaj say, "Our request to people is if they don't want to get involved in any hassles and don't want to help out of fear of spending some money from their own pocket they should at least do one thing- taking the injured persons to some good hospital nearby and just hand over them to the hospital staff so that the injured could get the treatment on time. The first hour after the accident is much crucial for people's lives."

 

Caste, creed, colour and community

Some of my colleagues and friends have advised me not to get involved in talking the caste issue, for this might stir a hornet’s nest and I might be inviting troubles.

There was also a point that Brahmin journalists gathering was not the first of its kind. Earlier, journalists belonging to Jain community were gathered at Bhopal itself.

There was some misunderstanding too. One of my friends (not a journalist but a government officer) belonging to Sindhi community appreciated my writing but wanted to know if I was against his social gathering also which was based on Sindhi language.

My submission is I am never against gathering of any community members and I have clearly explained in my piece in the very beginning that social gathering of a particular caste members is not a new phenomenon. I was only pained to know about gathering of journalists in the name of a caste.

I am sure none of journalists would disagree with me that whenever he or she meets another journalist he or she doesn’t have the caste feeling in his/her mind.

Even otherwise, a journalist is simply a journalist and doesn’t belong to a caste and creed in the same manner as a Judge is a judge and he or she doesn’t belong to any caste. A judge doesn’t entertain a case or delivers a judgment in any case on the ground of caste and creed of the complainant/petitioner.

A journalist in a true sense a judge who has to deals with all the sections of society at the same time. If he nurture the feeling of his particular caste in his mind there is a danger of his decision on the news event being influenced by his thinking.

A journalist certainly comes from a caste and community but the moment he holds pen his hand to discharge his duties as a journalist and serve the society he ceases to be a member of a particular caste and community especially when he is discharging his journalistic duties.

However, this doesn’t mean that he is debarred from carrying on his social/domestic rituals/practices at home or in his community.

Now coming to senior journalist Prabhash Joshi’s comments. The controversy arose over his words in an interview he gave to a web portal raviwar.com.

In the interview, he speaks on “Kaushal wali kaum” (community with skills). He says there have been and are great cricketers from Muslim community in Indian Cricket team. They include Azharuddin, Pathan brothers, Mohd Kaif. He also speaks highly of Mushtaq Ali.

In Joshi’s view Muslims are a community which is known for its skills of hands which it uses in weaving, pottery etc. Since they have developed their skills of hands traditionally they are best suited to play cricket which also requires skill and flexibility of hands.

As per Joshi Silicon Valley in America has direct links with reservation in South India. Due to reservation in South ‘The Brahmins, of higher caste, went to America. Today, every IT company in Silicon Valley has an Indian as its president or chairman or vice-chairman or secretary. Why? Because Brahmins know well with his training how to handle the essential things…….Brahmins have the training right from the childhood how to make real the unexplained, non-material and unreal things. That’s why IT becomes successful in America and they become successful over there.

“In our society there are different people with different skills. Rajput rules well because they have been ruling traditionally.”

Prabhash Joshi explains further. “Suppose Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli are playing. If Sachin gets out nobody would believe that Kambli could save the match because Kambli’s character and his attitude is not of arranging the things and taking it to a logical conclusion. For a win you need a man who has the power of gathering (dharan shakti wala).”

“Look who are the best leaders in our society- Jawaharlal Nehru a Brahmin, Indira Gandhi a Brahmin, Atal Bihari Vajpayee a Brahmin, Narasimha Rao a Brahmin, Rajiv Gandhi a Brahmin.” Why? Because everything has to be handled well, hence they can make compromises also.

Understandably, if a section of people have praised Prabhash Joshi’s thoughts there is a lot of criticism also. The comments are there on the same site below the interview piece.

There are several comments and questions “Prabhashji ye sawal mangte hain” on blog.deshkaal.com.

Following are some comments and questions against Mr Joshi's statements I found on blog.deshkaal.com

ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, मीडिया मंडी »
वर्चुअल गांधी का पत्र, प्रभाष जोशी के नाम
[23 Aug 2009 | 4 Comments | ]

(वर्चुअल) गांधी जी ♦ माफ करना मित्रो, ब्राह्मण नहीं हूं, फिर भी वक्तव्य देने चला आया। दरअसल एक ज़रुरी सच्चाई बताने आया हूं कि इस देश को मैंने नहीं, नाथूराम ने आज़ाद कराया था। आपको तो मालूम है कि नाथूराम ब्राहमण था और उसकी धारण-क्षमता की गोली मेरे सीने में मलाई की तरह घुल गयी थी। गुरुदेव प्रभाष जोशी जी से कहना आपका चेला गांधी आया था। कमज़ोर धारण-क्षमता की वजह से ज्यादा देर रुक नहीं पाया। अच्छा मित्रो, चलता हूं। पाचक-क्षमता भी जवाब दे रही है। अभी रास्ते में गुरु गौडसे की समाघि पर मत्था भी टेकना है। सी यू बेटा, हां।
ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, मीडिया मंडी »
प्रभाष जी की मति भ्रष्‍ट हो गयी है, आप सब रहम करें
[23 Aug 2009 | 53 Comments | ]

strong>विभा रानी ♦ सरकार भी साठ साल की उम्र के बाद लोगों को सेवा से निवृत्त कर देती है। मगर हम हैं कि प्रभाष जोशी जैसे लोगों की उम्र पर रहम ही नहीं करना चाहते हैं। क्या हिंदी साहित्य और पत्रकारिता में नये लोग आज के आइकन बनने की कूवत नहीं रखते या हमारे भीतर इतनी भी अक्ल नहीं है कि ऐसे लोगों की बातों को एक बूढ़े का प्रलाप मान कर उसे या तो उपेक्षित कर दें या उसे भूल जाएं। याद रखें कि ये सब सेलेब्रेटी हैं और इन्हें अपने को ख़बर में बनाये रखना आता है और इसके लिए ये हर चाल चलेंगे ही चलेंगे। हम क्यों ऐसे शिकारियों के जाल में फंसते हैं, यह रटते हुए कि “शिकारी आएगा, जाल बिछाएगा, दाना डालेगा, लोभ से उसमें फंसना नहीं।”
ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, मीडिया मंडी »
ओह, इतना बड़ा पत्रकार और इतनी मूर्खतापूर्ण बातें?
[22 Aug 2009 | 15 Comments | ]

जगदीश्‍वर चतुर्वेदी ♦सूचना तकनीक के कि‍सी भी बुनि‍यादी अनुसंधान के क्षेत्र में भारत से लेकर अमेरि‍का तक कि‍सी भी ब्राह्मण का कोई पेटेंट नहीं है। आज तक कि‍सी भी भारतीय को सूचना तकनीक के कि‍सी भी बुनि‍यादी अनुसंधान का मुखि‍या पद अमेरि‍का की सि‍लीकॉन वैली में नहीं दि‍या गया है, सि‍लीकॉन वैली में बुनि‍यादी अनुसंधान में आज भी गोरों और अमेरि‍की मूल के गोरों का पेटेंट है। आज इस संबंध में सारे आंकड़े आसानी से वेब पर उपलब्‍ध हैं। प्रभाष जी को चुनौती है कि‍ वे ऐसे पांच ब्राह्मणों के नाम बताएं जि‍न्‍होंने सूचना तकनीक के क्षेत्र में बुनि‍यादी अनुसंधान का काम कि‍या हो
ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, बात मुलाक़ात, मीडिया मंडी »
उनको क्रिकेट के मैदान में अधूरा भारत क्यों दिखता है?
[21 Aug 2009 | 18 Comments | ]

दिलीप मंडल ♦ विनोद कांबली का टीम से बाहर होना क्या किसी नस्लभेदी या जातिवादी साज़‍िश की वजह से हुआ था? एक टीवी कार्यक्रम में इस ओर संकेत कर विनोद कांबली ने बेहद संवेदनशील मुद्दा छेड़ दिया। लेकिन एक व्यक्ति के टीम में होने या न होने या निकाले जाने से बड़ा एक मुद्दा है, जिस पर बात होनी चाहिए। वो है क्रिकेट के मैदान में पूरे देश की इमेज नज़र न आना। आखिर ये शायद अकेला टीम स्पोर्ट है, जिसकी भारतीय टीम में नॉर्थ ईस्ट से कोई नहीं होता, कोई आदिवासी नहीं होता, कोई दलित नहीं होता, पिछड़े जाति समूहों के खिलाड़ी आम तौर पर नदारद होते हैं। यानी तीन चौथाई से ज्यादा हिंदुस्तान भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम में नज़र ही नहीं आता।
ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, बात मुलाक़ात, मीडिया मंडी »
प्रभाषजी के विचार मानवताविरोधी हैं
[20 Aug 2009 | 30 Comments | ]

प्रभाष जोशी ♦ प्रभाष जोशी ब्राह्मणवादी हैं, ये आप लोगों को आज पता चल रहा है? आपके इस भोलेपन के क्या कहने? अस्सी के दशक के अंत में जनसत्ता में जब लगभग 400 संपादकीयकर्मी थे, तो उनमें सिर्फ एक दलित और मुसलमान एक भी नहीं था। ये संयोग था या साज़‍िश। प्रभाष जोशी के नायकों को देखें – विष्णु चिंचालकर, कुमार गंधर्व, तेंडुलकर, नरसिंह राव, अनुपम मिश्र, राहुल बारपुते… इन्हीं सब की तारीफ में तो वो कागद कारे करते हैं। पूरी लिस्ट पढ़ जाइए। प्रभाष जोशी के चेले बताएं कि उनके कितने हीरो अब्राह्मण, अवर्ण, मुसलमान और महिलाएं हैं?
ख़बर भी नज़र भी, नज़रिया, बात मुलाक़ात, मीडिया मंडी »
क्‍यों आ रही है हमारे हीरो की आत्‍मा से ब्राह्मण की बू?
[20 Aug 2009 | 13 Comments | ]

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blog.deshkaal.com
In a controvarcial interview senior Journalist Prabhash Joshi has praised Brahmins and Brahminism and also justified Sati pratha on the grounds of Hindu traditions. www.deshkaal.com has asked 15 questions to mr. joshi in this regard.

वरिष्ठ पत्रकार प्रभाष जोशी ने रविवार.कॉम को दिए इंटरव्यू में जाति और परंपराओं के संबंध में कई ऐसी बातें कही हैं जिनसे उनके प्रशंसक स्तब्ध, नाराज़ और दुखी हैं। वेबसाइट में प्रकाशित इस इंटरव्यू से ऐसा ध्वनित होता है मानो प्रभाष जोशी घोर ब्राम्हणवादी और दकियानूस किस्म के व्यक्ति हैं। वे जाति के आधार पर प्रतिभा और कौशल का विश्लेषण करते हैं और ब्राम्हणों और ब्राम्हणवाद को महिमामंडित करते नज़र आते हैं। यहाँ तक कि सती-प्रथा के पक्ष में दिए तर्कों को दोहराकर उन्होंने बरसों पहले के विवाद को भी पुनर्जीवित कर दिया है। प्रभाषजी ने ये सब क्यों कहा? उनसे चूक हो गई या वास्तव में उनकी मानसिक बनावट ही ऐसी है जिसमें श्रेष्ठताबोध से ग्रस्त एक परंपरावादी ब्राम्हण बैठा हुआ है? वजह चाहे जो भी हो, मगर इस साक्षात्कार ने उनकी विचारधारा, व्यक्तित्व और कथनी-करनी को लेकर बहुत सारे सवाल खड़े कर दिए हैं और जो स्पष्टीकरण की माँग करते हैं। हम देशकाल की तरफ से कुछ सवाल यहां दे रहे हैं और चाहते हैं कि इस प्रश्नावली में आप भी अपने सवाल जोड़ें। इसके बाद एक पूरा प्रश्नपत्र प्रभाषजी को सौंपा जाए और उनसे जवाब माँगें जाएं।

सवाल-1-रक्त और बीज के आधार पर व्यक्ति या समाज की श्रेष्ठता का निर्धारण करना नस्लवाद है, सांप्रदायिकता है। इसके लिए आधार चाहे धर्म को बनाया जाए या जाति को, कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता क्योंकि दोनों एक ही सिक्के के दो पहलू हैं। फिर ऐसा क्यों है कि एक तरफ तो आप हिंदू सांप्रदायिकता के ख़िलाफ़ झंडा लेकर खड़े दिखाई पड़ते हैं मगर दूसरी तरफ ब्राम्हणवादी नस्लवाद को सही ठहराते दिखते हैं?

सवाल-2-आप गाँधीवादी हैं। गाँधीजी बनिए थे। वे न जन्म से ब्राम्हण थे न कर्म से। जब आप सफलता और कौशलता को ब्राम्हणों की बपौती बताते हैं और नेहरू, इंदिरा, राजीव, नरसिंहराव, वाजपेयी आदि के उदाहरण देते हैं तो गाँधी को क्यों भूल जाते हैं? आपका ब्राम्हणवाद गाँधी तक को क्यों खारिज़ कर देता है? राजीव गाँधी तो फिरोज़ अली के बेटे थे। उनका रक्त ब्राम्हण का नहीं था और इस लिहाज़ से राहुल-प्रियंका भी ब्राम्हण नहीं हैं?

सवाल-3-आपने जातीय श्रेष्ठता साबित करने के लिए क्रिकेट और तेंदुलकर को चुना है। क्या वजह है कि आप तेंदुलकर की तुलना अपेक्षाकृत कम सफल खिलाड़ी विनोद कांबली से( हालाँकि विनोद काँबली के आँकड़े उतने बुरे भी नहीं हैं। बहुत सारे ब्राम्हण खिलाड़ियों के मुकाबले उनका प्रदर्शन कहीं बेहतर रहा है और अगर उन्हें पर्याप्त मौके मिलते तो पता नहीं वे क्या करते) करते हैं मगर क्यों नहीं आपको कपिलदेव, महेंद्र सिंह धोनी या दूसरे ग़ैर ब्राम्हण सफल खिलाड़ी दिखाई पड़ते? दूसरे देशों में तो ब्राम्हण नहीं होते, तब आप डॉन ब्रेडमैन, गैरी सोबर्स जैसे महान खिलाड़ियों की श्रेष्ठता का विश्लेषण किस आधार पर करेंगे? उनके जातीय मूल में जाकर कैसे उनके बीज की महिमा सिद्ध करेंगे?

सवाल न4-तेंदुलकर अपने पिता की अकेली संतान नहीं हैं। बाक़ी संततियों के बीज़ों में क्या कमी थी जो वे ब्राम्हण होते हुए भी तेंदुलकर की तरह सक्षम और सफल नहीं हुए? इसी तर्क को आगे बढ़ाते हुए सवाल बनता है कि सारे ब्राम्हणों की संतान तेंदुलकर की तरह तेजस्वी, प्रतिभावान वगैरा क्यों नहीं है?

सवाल-5-आपका ध्यान दूसरे खेलों की तरफ क्यों नहीं जाता? आप ज़रा बताएंगे कि हॉकी में कितने ब्राम्हण सफल हुए हैं। ध्यानचंद ब्राम्हण नहीं थे और न ही बाबू के़.डी.सिंह। भारत और भी खेल खेलता है जिनमें दिमाग और कलात्मकता की ज़रूरत पड़ती है। ज़रा उनका भी हिसाब लें कि वहाँ ब्राम्हणों की स्थिति क्या है?

सवाल 6-क्या परिवेश और साधन-सुविधाओं से भी शक्तिशाली फैक्टर रक्त एवं बीज होते हैं? आपको लगता है कि सिलिकान वैली दक्षिण के ब्राम्हणों की वजह से चल रही है? आरक्षण की वजह से ब्राम्हणों को दूसरे रास्ते ढूँढ़ने पड़े और उन्होंने वहाँ की राह पकड़ ली। आपने ऐसा सुना है या फिर आपने तथ्यों की जाँच करके ऐसा कहा है? तथ्य ये है कि सिलिकान वैली में मौजूद कुल भारतीय आबादी का एक छोटा सा ही हिस्सा दक्षिण के ब्राम्हणों का है।

सवाल 7-आपने ये भी तर्क दिया है कि ब्राम्हणों में ही ऐसे काम करने की योग्यता होती है इसलिए दक्षिण के ब्राम्हण सिलिकान वैली में छा गए। क्या ये सच नहीं है कि विज्ञान से जुड़ी ज़्यादातर परियोजनाएं दक्षिण भारत में लगाई गईं और वहाँ इसके लिए एक वातावरण बना? चूँकि शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में पीढ़ियों से ब्राम्हण हावी थे इसलिए उन्होंने इसका लाभ भी उठाया। उनके विज्ञान के क्षेत्र में और सिलिकान वैली में सफल होने की मूल वजह ये है कि उनका ब्राम्हण होना?

सवाल-8-अगर ब्राम्हण में ऐसी कोई जन्मजात योग्यता होती है तो उत्तर भारत के ब्राम्हणों को क्या हुआ? उनकी ये योग्यता क्यों कुंद हो गई? क्या उन्हें भी आरक्षण का कोड़ा लगेगा तभी उनकी मेधा जागेगी?

सवाल-9-ब्राम्हणों ने संस्कार में कुछ दुर्गुण भी प्राप्त किए होंगे? आप उनका ज़िक्र क्यों नहीं करते? उनकी दलित और स्त्री विरोधी भूमिका के बारे में आप खामोश क्यों हैं? सांमतवाद को पालने-पोसने में पुरोहित वर्ग ने आम जनता के ख़िलाफ़ धर्म और वर्ण व्यवस्था के नाम पर कितने अत्याचार और षड़यंत्र किए क्या आप जानते नहीं हैं?

सवाल-10-आपने कहा है कि परंपरा और अभ्यास से हुनर मिलते हैं और विभिन्न जातियां इसीलिए कुछ ख़ास चीज़ों में निपुण होती हैं। क्या इस तर्क के आधार पर माना जाए कि तमाम जातियों को अपने पारंपरिक पेशों में सीमित रहना चाहिए(ताकि ब्राम्हणों और सवर्णों का वर्चस्व बना रहे)? कहीं परंपरा और संस्कार से हासिल कौशल को रेखांकित करन के पीछे आपकी ये धारणा तो नहीं है कि विभिन्न वर्णों के लिए जो कर्म निर्धारित किए गए हैं उन्हें वही करने चाहिए? ब्राम्हण ज्ञान बाँटता रहे और निचली जातियाँ उनका मैला ढोती रहें, क्योंकि इनको इसी की ट्रेनिंग मिली है?

सवाल-11-ये सही है कि आनुवांशिकी के सिद्धांत के हिसाब से परंपरा और संस्कार से वंशजों को बहुत कुछ मिलता है। मगर क्या इसे एक जाति विशेष पर समान रूप से लागू कर देना ठीक है? न तो सभी ब्राम्हण एक जैसे होते हैं और न ही ग़ैर ब्राम्हण, फिर एक ही लाठी से सबको हाँकना क्या ठीक है?

सवाल-12-इंटरव्यू में आपने जिस तरह से ब्राम्हणों का महिमामंडन किया है उससे लोगों को ये संदेह होना स्वाभाविक है कि आप लोगों को चुनते वक्त जाति के भी कुछ अंक रखते होंगे। कुछ ने तो अपनी प्रतिक्रियाओं में इस बारे में सीधे आरोप भी लगाए हैं। इस बारे में आप क्या कहेंगे?

सवाल-13-अगर राजेंद्र यादव या उदयप्रकाश या और भी बहुत से लेखक और दूसरे बहुत से लोग कहते हैं कि ब्राम्हणों ने तमाम साहित्य, संस्कृति, कला, शिक्षा आदि के संस्थानों पर कब्ज़ा कर रखा है और वे जातीय आधार पर काम करते हैं तो क्या ग़लत कहते हैं?

सवाल-14-सती प्रथा को आपने अपनी परंपरा के आधार पर सही ठहराने की कोशिश की है। इसे पूरब-पश्चिम के प्रचलित विमर्श से हटकर मानवीय आधार पर सोचने पर आप किस निष्कर्ष पर पहुँचते हैं (वैसे ये परंपरा मुगलों के आने के बाद ही नहीं शुरू हुई, जैसा कि आपने कहा है)? महाभारत में पांडु की मृत्यु के बाद उनकी एक पत्नी माद्री के सती होने का ज़िक्र है)।

सवाल-15-अगर परंपरा के नाम पर हम चीज़ों को सही-गलत मानने लगे तो बहुत सारी अमानवीय,समाज-विरोधी और नृशंस चीज़ें हमें स्वीकारनी होंगी? वैसे भी ये परंपरा बनाने वाले कौन थे? ब्राम्हण और ऊँची जातियाँ और उसमें भी सबके सब मर्द। क्या इन्होंने अपने हितों को ध्यान में रखकर ही परंपराएं नहीं बनाई होंगी
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Call for caste rising on INDEPENDENCE DAY

Any particular caste’s members’ congregation for their common cause is nothing new in our society. It does take place at regular intervals. But this congregation was something different. It was meant for Brahmin journalists only. I was really surprised to know about this and curious also to know what was the agenda. In my journalistic career of 20 years I never heard of such a gathering of journalists on a caste line, even in Uttar Pradesh the state which I belong to and which is often blamed for promoting casteism in the society and politics in particular. After this gathering, some media persons in their blogs have come heavily on such events. A particular blog (To say truly, I did not like the language used for the organizers and participants) states that this was done at the instance of an influential person from commercial capital Indore in a bid to drive a wedge between Brahmin ministers in the government namely Anoop Mishra, Gopal Bhargava, Archna Chitnis, Laxmikant Sharma and the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The blog also states that this was done to benefit a particular minister from Indore in the race to the chief minister post. I don’t want to discuss the merit or demerit of the charges levelled against the organisers and participants. The objective behind the gathering as mentioned in the blog (Another blog has also posted the same piece) may be a far-fetched theory. Several journalists who attended the programme are known as journalists of repute and they are professional to the core. I am also sure many of the journalists must have turned up at the venue at the insistence of their friends or just out of curiosity to get to know what was the agenda of the meet. But what sounds terrible to me is sowing of the seed of division among journalists on the caste lines. “Will this serve the society or the fourth pillar of democracy if there is a Brahmin journalist, a Rajput journalist, a Kayastha journalist, a backward class journalist, a dalit journalist” continues to strike me. If what has been written in the blogs is not true I don’t know what the agenda of the congregation was. The invite suggests it was just a gathering with no agenda at all. One of my journalist friends who accepted the invite also confirmed that there was no agenda. He had simply lunch with others and came back. But it cannot be as simple as that. Those who organised the event must have got some agenda in their minds. I have no problem with that. Let the people have their different agenda and work on that. But I am concerned what if it leads to a chain reaction in media and society. Are we going to witness congregations of journalists of different castes and communities in the coming days? Look at another aspect of the gathering- It was held on August 15, the Independence Day. Could we not have used the pious occasion for some meaningful discussions or welfare activities or something else productive and constructive. Notably, there is another debate related to caste triggered off by interview of noted journalist Prabhash Joshi who reportedly talked of great work done by leaders in different fields who happen to be Brahmins.