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Check out Big B's blog on Big Adda
Here is what he writes about a journalist :
Quote:
It is a book authored by an award -winning journalist who decided to break Fleet Street’s (the Wall Street of the print media) unwritten rule by investigating his own colleagues and found that the business of reporting the truth had been slowly subverted by the mass production of ignorance.
‘Finally’, says the author, ‘I was forced to admit that I work in a corrupted profession.’
His Prologue in the book was even more revealing.
‘Dog doesn’t eat dog’, he says. ’That’s always been the rule in Fleet Street. We dig into the world of politics and finance and sport and policing and entertainment. We dig wherever we like - but not in our own back garden. In the last fifteen years we have started running media pages, but the truth is they are primarily to attract advertisements; they don’t really put the spade in too deep.’
He then goes on to describe, how when working with a prominent paper, a fellow colleague was caught out badly when he filed a speculative description of a prominent and sensational execution, six hours before it actually happened. All would have been well with this imaginary story and its details would probably have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the unfortunate leaking of a video of the hanging. The journalist, with some courage, however, confessed all this on his blog. His openness, much to his dismay, did not go down well with his bosses. His entry in the blog was rapidly deleted and a message was sent out to all staff warning them to ‘think carefully before blogging about journalistic tricks of the trade’ !
So.. there !! ‘Imaginary material is nothing worse than a “trick of the trade”; and we’ll have no real reporting about reporting’ says the author.
He goes on to say that -
‘Over the years which I then spent running around with a note-book in my pocket, of course I came to see that frequently we fail to tell the truth. The unavoidable reality of journalism is that all of our work is tethered by a deadline and we can never be free to roam as far we want in search of the evidence we need. On the best of days, everything we write is compromised by error. And, of course, I knew, too, that from time to time there was some seriously dodgy behavior going on behind the headlines.’
And more -
‘…I had no idea of just how weakened we had become, just how prone we now are to fail to tell the truth. I’m not talking about journalists making mistakes. Mistakes can be honest. (And it is a very safe bet that there are mistakes in this book). I’m talking about the individual dishonest, hack scumbags who bring our whole profession into disrepute. There are still good, brave, honest people working in this industry. I’m talking about the fact that almost all journalists across the whole developed world now work within a kind of professional cage which distorts their work and crushes their spirit. I’m talking about the fact that finally I was forced to admit that I work in a corrupted profession.’
In conclusion he says -
‘I should add that a great many working journalists helped me on this project. They did so willingly, because like me they can see no good reason why journalism should be exempt from the kind of scrutiny which we bring to bear on the rest of the world. For reasons of professional survival, most of them did so on the understanding that I would not name them. But they are there and, to the extent that this book may attract the hostility of some in Fleet Street, I am proud of the fact that numerous colleagues are better than that.’
‘So. Let dog eat dog.’
Endquote
Wonderful! Anybody read this book? Who is this Journalist who authored the book? We must all thank him for the truth about the profession and maybe can tell him what the Indian Media did.
Showing posts with label Debate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Debate. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
TRAITOR, TRAITOR, EVERYWHERE, NOR ANY PATRIOT TO SEE
MAHENDRA GAUR
B.E., P.G.D.M, LL.B.
B-90, Saraswati Marg,
Bajaj Nagar, Jaipur-302015
Fax 0141-2705901
Phone: 09829059018
January 18, 2009
Shri Raghav Sharan Pandey
Secretary to the Government of India
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas,
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi –110001
Tel: 011-23383501, 23383562
Fax:011-23383100,23070723
sec.png@nic.in
SUB: STRIKE BY THE OFFICERS OF OIL PSU-YOUR CALLING THEM TRAITORS
Dear Sir,
1. You seemed to epitomise the patriotic fervour when you echoed the sentiments of the Nation by calling the striking oilmen as traitors. It was possibly for the first time someone showed the courage to call ‘a spade a spade’. What I did not like is your taking shelter under fudged salary figures to justify your remarks. However, if you add the cost of perks and hidden benefits enjoyed by OIL PSU officers then salary figures might inch towards the figures quoted by you and ZEE TV. At times it appeared that you and ZEE TV were acting in tandem.
2. I am coming across hundreds of mails from agitated officers of oil companies who feel hurt because of your calling them traitors. But in a way they deserved it.
3. I wish you show similar courage in calling ‘a spade a spade’ when it comes to people like Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mr. Mulayam Singh, Ms. Mayawati, Mr. Sharad Pawar, Mr. Murli Deora etc. You know the salaries of a few of them run into hundreds of Crores, if you add those hidden incomes on the same formulae. I wonder whether we should call them traitors when they boycott (strike work) Parliament. I think we should. But I have no guts. You have. So call them traitors when they strike work next. Tell ZEE TV also to do the same. You two can work beautifully in tandem.
4. I have read in some news magazines that IAS officers get up to 10 Crores in dowry. Though we have Anti-Dowry laws but these are not applicable to the IAS fraternity. Some people (may be mad caps) have re-christened IAS as Indian Avtar Service. Likewise IAS learn less of Administration in .…. Mussoorie but learn more about the tricks of moneymaking. I am not speaking of your times, but the modern era.
5. I am from Rajasthan. Once upon a time Barmer and Jaisalmer districts were dreaded postings as District Collector. Not these days. I understand a District Collector makes tens of crores from the smugglers in these two districts. Now these are considered prized postings. You know making hay while the sun shines. But I tell you these oil company officers may call such District Magistrates as Traitors. But you need not worry the Media is not going to give credence to their views.
6. This reminds me of one of your own departments ‘Anti-Adulteration Cell’. All the top bosses viz. from Director General to Regional Directors came from IAS. One of them Mr. Sandeep Garg was caught with Rs.3.0 Crores. CBI filed a DA case against him. I tell you this CBI also acts like a traitor. The whole department had to be scraped. While Mr. Garg was actually serving the nation, these traitors (oilmen) lost one of them by the name Mr. Manjunath fighting against Adulteration Mafia. What a fool Manjunath proved to be. If he had accepted bribes like Mr. Sandeep Garg, he could have kept the money as well as the job. What do you think; we should call these oilmen, traitors or fools. May be both.
7. In 1994, in Kota Kerosene Tragedy, about 30-35 people died. One Mr. Devi Dayal, I think from Indian Avtar Service came to liase with the State Government. Being a busy man Mr. Devi Dayal was on dawn-to-dusk visit to Jaipur. His wife duly accompanied him on such a serious and short trip. Two rooms were booked in Hotel Ram Bagh Palace. You know circuit house are below standard. And we have these traitors always eager to pay for National Heroes form IAS. I was posted at Jaipur then. One Mr. V. V. Jain from Delhi escorted Mr. Dayal. Mr. Jain was a senior traitor then but came separately in a pilot car. A few small traitors were running helter-skelter on NH 8 for the whole day to look after small needs of the AVTAR like ….you know to make his journey smooth and SULABH. The hotel, travel, and snacks bill ran in excess of tens of thousand for a few hours stay. Mr. Dayal could not wait for Mr. Bhairo Singh Shekhawat, the then CM who was to return from Kota in the evening and Mr. Dayal left for Delhi avoiding Bhairo Baba, but meeting a few patriots like him. May be in the estimation of Mr. Dayal Bhairo Baba could also be a traitor. But the oil company fellows certainly proved themselves to be fools by paying thousands of rupees on Mr. Dayal who did not deserve a penny.
8. Likewise one of your lady officers went to Shirdi on a pilgrimage. These fools-cum-traitors put her in a five star hotel gave taxi an escort traitor to take her to Shirdi and back. These fools thought that she was on pilgrimage, but actually she was on pricing mission. Your officers enjoy the luxuries provided by these fools-cum-traitors. If I write about all, it would be an endless saga.
9. You know this ZEE TV forgot about Masur Dal Scam and Bofors, and Coffin gate and one Late ….Mr. S….K…Bha....again from Indian Avtar Service. Such a great national hero’s name was unnecessarily dragged with the then PM etc. This reminds me of the story … but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone. (Pdf file enclosed) Kindly search your own heart, are you or your brother officers, also traitors? Are you not helping your political masters, who are/could be traitors? The fact remains that there are traitors on both sides. TRAITOR, TRAITOR, EVERYWHERE, NOR ANY PATRIOT TO SEE. Question is who is bigger traitor. You proved to be a smart traitor and oilmen turned out to be fools-cum-traitors.
10. If the oilmen are really hurt, I call upon them to stop all kinds of appeasements to Indian Avtar Service, and the Parliamentary Committees. Let all adulteration and black marketing stop. After all it is the money from oil industry that fuels the Patriots to call oilmen as traitors. Mr. Pandey you too were equally responsible for the strike as every single officer from oil industry. When upset, it is easier to pick up a stone, then to lay one down. The One who had the right to cast a stone in judgment refused and offered Himself up on a cross instead. Mr. Pandey, you should have opted for the cross rather than throwing stones. It now calls for reinstatement of dismissed officers gracefully, settlement of their grievances, removing wage anomalies and public apology for unnecessarily calling them traitors. My sincere apologies for being harsh on the entire IAS fraternity, many of whom are honest to the core and personal friends too.
With regards,
Mahendra Gaur
Monday, January 19, 2009
Let Him without SIN cast the First Stone
Somebody has called us Traitors. The stone has been cast at us. A relevant article. More to follow.
Adulteress
Adulteress
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Aam Admi -- Are we not too- I ask the Media!!
A billion in UK, a Billion is a Million million meaning 12 zeros after 1. But Americans known to shorten english words have also shortened this number. For them it is Thousand Million or 9 zeros after 1. Now I am not sure which we Indian Scientists and Economists use and this becomes all the more confusing when we insert our own unit The Crore, which is 10 million or 7 zeros after 1. So let us just keep to the full number.
As per the last Census (2004-- if anybody has later one pls tell me) says Indian Population total was 1,065,070,607 or 106 crores. In 2004, an estimated 250 million (300 in 2006) people are below the poverty line (BPL) and approximately 75 per cent of them were in the rural areas. Allow for increase till date. This makes it 25% of the total population.
[The BPL is defined as an earning of Rs. 300/- per month. Even here the Govt tried to play recently by changing the definition.. i.e. reducing the amount so that no. of people BPL get reduced! IMAGINE!!)
I do not think they are the "Aam Admi" the media is referring too. Because in any case these poor people are "dying" every day strike or no strike, terrorist attack or no terrist attack, Congress or BJP or Mayavati or Amar Singh, INDO-US ties or Indo-Pak war, China occupying parts of Arunachal Pradesh or Karunanidhi asking PM Monmohan Singh to intervene in Sri Lanka on behalf of the Tamilians.. These people are in any case never looked after and are only worried every day when the sun is yet to rise, that they have to wake up before sunrise and the women folk will trudge miles to get pails of drinking water and men will go to the fields to till to farm and have only one worry in their daily life. whether they will get their two rotis. Certainly these are not Aam Admis!!!! Are they?
Then take out the Utterly Dirty Rich people. the Sharukhs, the Amitabhs, The Sanjay Dutts, the Mayavatis, the Mallyas, the Amabanis, whose lives are in anyway never affected come flood or Tsunami or Stikes or Terrorists (till recently). If the trucks are not running and their kitchens go dry (which they do not, because they have kitchens the size of halls of our own houses) they can just go to London and have breakfast, then do a bit of sight seeing and just drop by at Paris to have dinner.. and come back the next day.. No no I am sure Media do not call them the AAM ADMI.. If they do then their TRPs will drop.
Then who are the AAM Admis? The Ministers? noo.how can they be.. they are having power, they have money, they have the goondas, they have the police, they have the gullible public also with them to vote them every time back to power.. So when they have all this how can their lives be affected? Nahh. they too are not Aam Admis!!
Then the Babus? Haha! Have you ever seen how they flaunt their red lights and we have to give them way in traffic jams? Have you ever entered one of those hallowed IAS Officers' Messes built on Taxpayers' money during a Cricket Match? pls do .. you will find a huge Plasma TV Screen in the restaurant or whatever it is called and the babus relaxing away on a working day with subsidised Pina Coladas..I heard even the IPS officers are not allwed membeership to these clubs and they have to maintain separate ones. Ministers may come and go but the Babus remain forever.. after all they need time to retire.. . They are the ones who run the show in this Huge Country.. so how can they be AAM Admi? Can king be a subject too?
Friends what remains then? Guess? Why do you think all the western business groups are coming to India? To sell their products and services. But why? Because we have a huge middle class. Our Middle Class is so large in numbers that we are an attractive proposition for those who are in dried out markets out in the Western World. Here in India we have a large market because of the huge Middle class segment. I will talk on what Middle Class means as per the Economists and Statisticians at a different post (will be linked here too). But for my argument wrt "Who is Aam Admi" I say the middle class are the Aam Admis.. those who are affected by everything that happens around us, from strikes to terrorist attacks, from VIP Traffic through the Delhi Roads making them stop their cars and bikes wasting their valuable time, to paying high taxes through their noses, from dying in the hands of Ajmals of this world at a Mumbai Railway Station to dying in heat strokes in the Hot Delhi roads, from waiting in queues in crowded Hospitals (Govt and Private alike) to jostling among themselves on roads, buses, queues, airport terminals, railway platforms, markets, malls.
This is the Middle Class. The Middle class who they need to make the rich richer by buying their products and watching them dance (in Films) to voting them to Power to just being there. These are the MIDDLE class. These are the subjects of the Rulers. If the Middle Class was not there then who will the Rulers rule? THESE are the AAM ADMIs that the Media was portraying..
But in their eagerness to get TRP ratings, when they were shrieking their voices out they forgot that we 55,000 too make up a part of the same Middle Class-the same "Aam Admi"- because we too face the same problems day in day out all over India. They forgot that the fight is not between Oil Sector Officers and the Aam Admi but between Aam Admis and the Rulers!!
Media talked of "Aam Admi" Suffering due to Our Oil Sector Srike. But little did they realise that we are "Aam Admi" too. And we too have suffered for 12 years of crying at the wooden chunks, who sit in the Parliament and the Secretariats. Wooden because there was no response at all. Media forgot that after we suffered for 12 years, they have now inflicted further pain on our familes too by their Hitlerian Style of handling the Situation. What harm would it have made if Respected Prime Minsiter had just met the leaders for 10 mts? I am sure that OSOA would have called off the Strike.. I know they were breaking down.. things would have settled down and we would have gone back waiting for the GOM report and another Strike would not have come.
But what is the lesson that needed to be taught to us? I will talk on this aspect later. You cannot break the morale of 55,000 officers and more (considering all PSUs) like this and expect Efficiency, Quality, Service at the same time. This will be discussed in subsequent posts.
Here I will now Thank TNN, for showing India that we too are the Aam Admis and we too are suffering and not just we but our families.
So I thank Sri Sanjay Dutta of Times News Nework (TNN)for bringing out the human angle of our struggle too in the following news item of his on 14th January 2009 in Times of India, Delhi Edition as below and also for giving correct facts of oil sector salaries. When you have sent so many mails asking media to apologise I suggest you all at least send Thank you mails to him (and also Lok Sabha TV) for their balanced reporting Styles.
Shantanu Das
Oil Sector Families Suffer- TOI 14th Jan 2009
As per the last Census (2004-- if anybody has later one pls tell me) says Indian Population total was 1,065,070,607 or 106 crores. In 2004, an estimated 250 million (300 in 2006) people are below the poverty line (BPL) and approximately 75 per cent of them were in the rural areas. Allow for increase till date. This makes it 25% of the total population.
[The BPL is defined as an earning of Rs. 300/- per month. Even here the Govt tried to play recently by changing the definition.. i.e. reducing the amount so that no. of people BPL get reduced! IMAGINE!!)
I do not think they are the "Aam Admi" the media is referring too. Because in any case these poor people are "dying" every day strike or no strike, terrorist attack or no terrist attack, Congress or BJP or Mayavati or Amar Singh, INDO-US ties or Indo-Pak war, China occupying parts of Arunachal Pradesh or Karunanidhi asking PM Monmohan Singh to intervene in Sri Lanka on behalf of the Tamilians.. These people are in any case never looked after and are only worried every day when the sun is yet to rise, that they have to wake up before sunrise and the women folk will trudge miles to get pails of drinking water and men will go to the fields to till to farm and have only one worry in their daily life. whether they will get their two rotis. Certainly these are not Aam Admis!!!! Are they?
Then take out the Utterly Dirty Rich people. the Sharukhs, the Amitabhs, The Sanjay Dutts, the Mayavatis, the Mallyas, the Amabanis, whose lives are in anyway never affected come flood or Tsunami or Stikes or Terrorists (till recently). If the trucks are not running and their kitchens go dry (which they do not, because they have kitchens the size of halls of our own houses) they can just go to London and have breakfast, then do a bit of sight seeing and just drop by at Paris to have dinner.. and come back the next day.. No no I am sure Media do not call them the AAM ADMI.. If they do then their TRPs will drop.
Then who are the AAM Admis? The Ministers? noo.how can they be.. they are having power, they have money, they have the goondas, they have the police, they have the gullible public also with them to vote them every time back to power.. So when they have all this how can their lives be affected? Nahh. they too are not Aam Admis!!
Then the Babus? Haha! Have you ever seen how they flaunt their red lights and we have to give them way in traffic jams? Have you ever entered one of those hallowed IAS Officers' Messes built on Taxpayers' money during a Cricket Match? pls do .. you will find a huge Plasma TV Screen in the restaurant or whatever it is called and the babus relaxing away on a working day with subsidised Pina Coladas..I heard even the IPS officers are not allwed membeership to these clubs and they have to maintain separate ones. Ministers may come and go but the Babus remain forever.. after all they need time to retire.. . They are the ones who run the show in this Huge Country.. so how can they be AAM Admi? Can king be a subject too?
Friends what remains then? Guess? Why do you think all the western business groups are coming to India? To sell their products and services. But why? Because we have a huge middle class. Our Middle Class is so large in numbers that we are an attractive proposition for those who are in dried out markets out in the Western World. Here in India we have a large market because of the huge Middle class segment. I will talk on what Middle Class means as per the Economists and Statisticians at a different post (will be linked here too). But for my argument wrt "Who is Aam Admi" I say the middle class are the Aam Admis.. those who are affected by everything that happens around us, from strikes to terrorist attacks, from VIP Traffic through the Delhi Roads making them stop their cars and bikes wasting their valuable time, to paying high taxes through their noses, from dying in the hands of Ajmals of this world at a Mumbai Railway Station to dying in heat strokes in the Hot Delhi roads, from waiting in queues in crowded Hospitals (Govt and Private alike) to jostling among themselves on roads, buses, queues, airport terminals, railway platforms, markets, malls.
This is the Middle Class. The Middle class who they need to make the rich richer by buying their products and watching them dance (in Films) to voting them to Power to just being there. These are the MIDDLE class. These are the subjects of the Rulers. If the Middle Class was not there then who will the Rulers rule? THESE are the AAM ADMIs that the Media was portraying..
But in their eagerness to get TRP ratings, when they were shrieking their voices out they forgot that we 55,000 too make up a part of the same Middle Class-the same "Aam Admi"- because we too face the same problems day in day out all over India. They forgot that the fight is not between Oil Sector Officers and the Aam Admi but between Aam Admis and the Rulers!!
Media talked of "Aam Admi" Suffering due to Our Oil Sector Srike. But little did they realise that we are "Aam Admi" too. And we too have suffered for 12 years of crying at the wooden chunks, who sit in the Parliament and the Secretariats. Wooden because there was no response at all. Media forgot that after we suffered for 12 years, they have now inflicted further pain on our familes too by their Hitlerian Style of handling the Situation. What harm would it have made if Respected Prime Minsiter had just met the leaders for 10 mts? I am sure that OSOA would have called off the Strike.. I know they were breaking down.. things would have settled down and we would have gone back waiting for the GOM report and another Strike would not have come.
But what is the lesson that needed to be taught to us? I will talk on this aspect later. You cannot break the morale of 55,000 officers and more (considering all PSUs) like this and expect Efficiency, Quality, Service at the same time. This will be discussed in subsequent posts.
Here I will now Thank TNN, for showing India that we too are the Aam Admis and we too are suffering and not just we but our families.
So I thank Sri Sanjay Dutta of Times News Nework (TNN)for bringing out the human angle of our struggle too in the following news item of his on 14th January 2009 in Times of India, Delhi Edition as below and also for giving correct facts of oil sector salaries. When you have sent so many mails asking media to apologise I suggest you all at least send Thank you mails to him (and also Lok Sabha TV) for their balanced reporting Styles.
Shantanu Das
Oil Sector Families Suffer- TOI 14th Jan 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Time to Introspect
It will be wrong on my part if I do not allow this message from being uploaded here. Friends this is a blog -on the web -public are watching.. not the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem that we will come and cry. Already Public Sympathy is lost due to Media - let us not do further damage. This mail from an ex-officer of IOCL should help us introspect and what we are doing now wrong? Pls think and then use this blog in the manner it was originally meant to be. We must learn to hear the opposite view, then only we can get respect and from respect comes power. With the power that arises from respect a leader can do much more rather than with the power that arises from the gun. Because in the case of the gun the opponent can always take out a bigger gun.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:-
I have been following the oil industry developments with great interest. I was happy for once that you personally did not get the opportunity to participate in the mess, quite the way you wanted! The whole thing was so systematically mismanaged. The after effects, and the manner of attempting to correct wrong notions in public mind, is also ridiculous.
While striking work is a conventional bargaining technique, there are laws and circumstances which limits its usage. There is an economic recession on; people world over are affected by job cuts and in many places, voluntary surrender of emoluments, so that the company stays afloat. As for what was reflected in the media, was it not the duty of the strikers to ensure proper communication and building up public opinion prior to launching of the agitation? People generally view oil industry executives in this country as very well paid, very corrupt; just about floating in oil and alcohol. We have never done much to change this perception. Hence, it seems only natural that various sections of society do not bleed for our woes.
Regarding the blog in question, most of it is rubbish and parts irrelevant to the issue. One guy writes "mother India..." etc, as if it is a political speech. The need of the hour is a balanced soul-searching. The oil industry is huge in terms of revenue earned and also geographical spread. The revenue earned is a direct political decision, as the prices of petroleum products continue to be "administered" and not determined by supply demand factors alone. Do oil men expect to be saluted for this? As for the geographical spread, that too is a consequence of political and bureaucratic decision. What is the great contribution of the striking oil men in this? As for hours of work, compensation for hardship location, Leh, Ladhak et al, isn't there a differential compensation package in place? People do often live away from families for work exigencies, but to counter this, there is hugely subsidised facilities available for these officers; their families are also able to continue getting housing facilities at the place of their choice. Not many industries are half as generous in this regard. So where is the great patriotism of oil men in this?
There is a lot of comparison with private sector, private oil companies etc. Do you really believe that all, or even many, of these oil men have refused much higher paying jobs in the private sector for patriotic reasons? If and when such a rare thing does happen, the issues that tilt the balance are more likely to be job security, largely assured career progression, glamorous "other oilmen" with their ostentatious lifestyle sustained by a cleptocratic ethos.
Some guys have written in the blog with an "I have done this great job" attitude. Do they ever stop to think, was it not your duty to do this job, weren't you paid for it? I have come across people coming together to clean-up dirty parks or polluted streams on sundays to protect the environment and "mother nature". There is no compulsion or remuneration for such work; it is purely voluntary. Have you ever heard oil men doing such "kar seva" for mother India! So where is the great sacrifice?
Many guys who thought they were better than their colleagues, and who were also largely assessed as such by their superiors, left public sector for the private. Does anyone think that those who did not make it, or want it for reasons of comfort and security, were a holier lot? So what is all this about private sector poaching? A free market necessarily means that one is free to sell one's labour and intellect as one deems fit. Most oil men in India were "nurtured by the public sector". But that is because, for some decades private players were not allowed in the sector. Before that, when the public sector was first set up, most oil men came from erstwhile private sectors. This is entirely a function of political whims, rationalized and intellectualized by the bureaucracy. There never was any great sacrifice by any oil man in this.
Some guys have boasted in the blog that they are not a part of the "Association" as they are too senior; yet they have stood up for the striking officers . I see that Deputy General Managers now fall in this category. Well, one must decide once and for all, whether one wants to be a mouth-piece of a unionized group, or an ar-- hole of the management. Why should the "management" support and incite the unionized juniors, especially when their own jobs are secure. It seems highly unfair that some should try to get benefit out of the risks, sufferings and blunders of others. The DGMs who worked during the strike should either have joined the Association and strikers, or else whole-heartedly supported the "Management" and they government. I get a feeling that such people have caused more harm than good to the cause of the strikers. The union leaders at the ground level have been listening too closely to these bosses who had nothing to lose and everything to gain in either case of success or failure of the strikers. Hence, they failed to be receptive to the moods of the government and the nation. Unionized agitators necessarily have to be smart enough to negotiate, which means to get at least a perceived win-win situation for both sides.
On the whole, the whole thing was badly organized, and hence doomed. Was it because the concerned agitators were used to a protected environment and didn't know how to find their bearing in a real situation? Even now, I find that oilmen are cursing the free press for misinformation, when they should only blame themselves for failing to come across with even objective facts such as current emoluments. Coming back to the blog in question, I find almost everything there factually wrong. The only exception is the statement that salaries were wrongly reflected in the media. But the oilmen only have themselves to thank for this mismanagement of information.
Having said so much, I wonder if you will read all this.
Endquote
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well I have read the mail fully and used it too quite in contrast to what the sender thought about me. But I wonder will you read the message and start introspecting?
In fact has anybody of you reading this blog understood whom I really directed my own message to - the media or ourselves? [ I do have this habit of bi-directional shooting]
Shantanu Das
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:-
I have been following the oil industry developments with great interest. I was happy for once that you personally did not get the opportunity to participate in the mess, quite the way you wanted! The whole thing was so systematically mismanaged. The after effects, and the manner of attempting to correct wrong notions in public mind, is also ridiculous.
While striking work is a conventional bargaining technique, there are laws and circumstances which limits its usage. There is an economic recession on; people world over are affected by job cuts and in many places, voluntary surrender of emoluments, so that the company stays afloat. As for what was reflected in the media, was it not the duty of the strikers to ensure proper communication and building up public opinion prior to launching of the agitation? People generally view oil industry executives in this country as very well paid, very corrupt; just about floating in oil and alcohol. We have never done much to change this perception. Hence, it seems only natural that various sections of society do not bleed for our woes.
Regarding the blog in question, most of it is rubbish and parts irrelevant to the issue. One guy writes "mother India..." etc, as if it is a political speech. The need of the hour is a balanced soul-searching. The oil industry is huge in terms of revenue earned and also geographical spread. The revenue earned is a direct political decision, as the prices of petroleum products continue to be "administered" and not determined by supply demand factors alone. Do oil men expect to be saluted for this? As for the geographical spread, that too is a consequence of political and bureaucratic decision. What is the great contribution of the striking oil men in this? As for hours of work, compensation for hardship location, Leh, Ladhak et al, isn't there a differential compensation package in place? People do often live away from families for work exigencies, but to counter this, there is hugely subsidised facilities available for these officers; their families are also able to continue getting housing facilities at the place of their choice. Not many industries are half as generous in this regard. So where is the great patriotism of oil men in this?
There is a lot of comparison with private sector, private oil companies etc. Do you really believe that all, or even many, of these oil men have refused much higher paying jobs in the private sector for patriotic reasons? If and when such a rare thing does happen, the issues that tilt the balance are more likely to be job security, largely assured career progression, glamorous "other oilmen" with their ostentatious lifestyle sustained by a cleptocratic ethos.
Some guys have written in the blog with an "I have done this great job" attitude. Do they ever stop to think, was it not your duty to do this job, weren't you paid for it? I have come across people coming together to clean-up dirty parks or polluted streams on sundays to protect the environment and "mother nature". There is no compulsion or remuneration for such work; it is purely voluntary. Have you ever heard oil men doing such "kar seva" for mother India! So where is the great sacrifice?
Many guys who thought they were better than their colleagues, and who were also largely assessed as such by their superiors, left public sector for the private. Does anyone think that those who did not make it, or want it for reasons of comfort and security, were a holier lot? So what is all this about private sector poaching? A free market necessarily means that one is free to sell one's labour and intellect as one deems fit. Most oil men in India were "nurtured by the public sector". But that is because, for some decades private players were not allowed in the sector. Before that, when the public sector was first set up, most oil men came from erstwhile private sectors. This is entirely a function of political whims, rationalized and intellectualized by the bureaucracy. There never was any great sacrifice by any oil man in this.
Some guys have boasted in the blog that they are not a part of the "Association" as they are too senior; yet they have stood up for the striking officers . I see that Deputy General Managers now fall in this category. Well, one must decide once and for all, whether one wants to be a mouth-piece of a unionized group, or an ar-- hole of the management. Why should the "management" support and incite the unionized juniors, especially when their own jobs are secure. It seems highly unfair that some should try to get benefit out of the risks, sufferings and blunders of others. The DGMs who worked during the strike should either have joined the Association and strikers, or else whole-heartedly supported the "Management" and they government. I get a feeling that such people have caused more harm than good to the cause of the strikers. The union leaders at the ground level have been listening too closely to these bosses who had nothing to lose and everything to gain in either case of success or failure of the strikers. Hence, they failed to be receptive to the moods of the government and the nation. Unionized agitators necessarily have to be smart enough to negotiate, which means to get at least a perceived win-win situation for both sides.
On the whole, the whole thing was badly organized, and hence doomed. Was it because the concerned agitators were used to a protected environment and didn't know how to find their bearing in a real situation? Even now, I find that oilmen are cursing the free press for misinformation, when they should only blame themselves for failing to come across with even objective facts such as current emoluments. Coming back to the blog in question, I find almost everything there factually wrong. The only exception is the statement that salaries were wrongly reflected in the media. But the oilmen only have themselves to thank for this mismanagement of information.
Having said so much, I wonder if you will read all this.
Endquote
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Well I have read the mail fully and used it too quite in contrast to what the sender thought about me. But I wonder will you read the message and start introspecting?
In fact has anybody of you reading this blog understood whom I really directed my own message to - the media or ourselves? [ I do have this habit of bi-directional shooting]
Shantanu Das
Thursday, January 15, 2009
भारत:-एक प्रजातांत्रिक राष्ट्र ?
लेखक:-पवन कुमारअब तक के सारे समाज का इतिहास वर्ग-संघर्षों का इतिहास है।स्वतंत्रजन औरदास,कुलीन और सामान्य जन,जमींदार और किसान,ठेकेदार और मिस्त्री-संक्षेपमें,जालिम और मजलूम-निरंतर एक दूसरे के दुश्मन रहे हैं।वे कभी चोरी छिपेतो कभी खुले-आम लगातार आपस में लड़्ते रहें हैं,और इस ळडाई का अंत हर बारया तो सारे समाज के क्रांतिकारी पुनर्निमार्ण में हुआ ,या फिर दोनोंसंघर्षरत वर्गों के विनाश के रूप में सामने आया। सामजिक इतिहास काप्रत्येक अध्याय साक्षी है कि राजनीतिक सत्ता सदैव प्रभुत्वशाली वर्ग केहाथों मे रही है जिसने दूसरे वर्ग को पराधीन बनाकर उस पर निरंतर अत्याचारकिए।इस तरह राज्य उत्पीड़्न का साधन मात्र रहा है ।जब समाज में राजनीति के प्रजातात्रिक दृष्टिकोंण का उदभव हुआ होगा तबइसकी कल्पना करने वालों ने नैतिक मूल्यों और सभी विरोधाभाषी सैद्दांतिकदृष्टिकोण के मूल्यों को समझने की कोशिश की होगी ।इस प्रकार एक ऐसेसंविधान की रचना की गई जिसमें मनुष्य (प्रजा) को अधिकार प्रदान किएगये।भारत के संविधान का अवलोकन करने पर हम पाते है कि मूल अधिकारों मेंवाक्य और अभिव्यक्ति स्वतंत्रता (अनु-19(1)-क) को मुख्य स्थान दिया गयाहै साथ ही इस बात को प्रमुखता के साथ रखा गया है कि किसी भी परिस्थितिमें राज्य (सरकार) का यह दायित्व है कि संविधान के इन विचारों का पालनकराया जाये और स्वयं भी किया जाये।विगत वर्षों में भारत सरकार का हर दृश्टिक़ोण; किसी भी प्रजातांत्रिक समझरखने वालों की समझ के परे है।प्रजातंत्र का चौथा स्तंभ अर्थात प्रेस TRPऔर अंधी भौतिकवादी दौडों मे शामिल हो चुका है।यथार्थ कोजायकेदार,मशालेदार बनाकर जनता के सामने बिना सच या झूठ को सामनेरखे,सिर्फ जनता के मनोविज्ञान को ध्यान में रखकर परोसा जा रहा है ।पिछ्ले कुछ समय में भारत में हुई कुछ मुख्य घटनायें इस प्रकार हैØ सरकारी कर्मचारियों (IAS) के लिए छ्ठे वेतन आयोग की सिफारिशे बिनाकिसी शर्त के मान्य।Ø IPS,सैनिकों द्वारा वेतन आयोग का विरोध ,विरोध का कारण रक्षा कोकार्मिक क्षेत्र से कम वरीयता।Ø 26/11 मुम्बई पर आतंकियो का हमला ।अदम्य साहस के साथ रक्षाकर्मियों ने देश की सुरक्षा की ।Ø मीडिया का सरकार द्वारा उपयोग।Ø हमले के बाद आम भारतीयों का देश के प्रति समर्पित होना ।Ø अचानक सैनिकों की मह्त्ता सरकार द्वारा समझना, सैनिकों की वेतनसंवधी मांगे पूरी ।Ø कुछ भारतीय कम्पनियों द्वारा 2 वर्षों से प्रस्तावित हड्ताल आदिका वापस लेना ।Ø सरकार के कुछ मंत्रियो का गैर-जिम्मेदार बयान--अंतुले प्रकरण ।Ø नववर्ष का प्रारंभ, प्रधानमंत्री का हर प्रकार से 7% विकास दरकायम रखने का वादा ।Ø IAS,IPS और ARMY के बाद सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के उपक्रमों की मागें।Ø 12 वर्षो के बाद वेतन आयोग को लेकर 7-जनवरी को प्रस्तावित तेलउपक्रमों की हड्ताल का प्रारम्भ ।Ø सरकार का 2 दिनों तक कोई विशेष ध्यान न देना।Ø अचानक मीडिया का सरकार द्वारा भरपूर प्रयोग ।Ø जनता के सामने सरकारी उपक्र्मों की अलग प्रकार की छवि को रखना ।Ø दमनकारी नीति द्वारा मांगो को समाप्त कराना ।Ø Transporters द्वारा हडताल पर जाना। 7-10 दिनो तक सरकार विफल,किसीभी प्रकार का Alternate Solution न होना ।Ø सत्यम-Private Firm द्वारा के लाखों लोगो के पैसे के साथ खिलवाड।ऊपर की समस्त घटनायें के विफल सरकार की कहानी प्रस्तुत करने के लिए काफीहैं।लेकिन मै विशेष रूप से Oil sector की हड़्ताल,प्रजा और राजनीतिक रूपसे प्रजात्तंत्रिक रूप की सरकार पर आप लोगों का ध्यान आकृष्ट करनाचाहूंगा ।विचारो को सामने रखने से पहले मै बता देना चाहता हूँ कि यह शासन4 पीढी के गांधी-नेहरू परिवार का ही है ।26 वर्ष की अवस्था में मुझे नहीपता कि प्रजातंत्र और परिवारवादी शासन तंत्र में कितना अंतर है।मैनेविश्वशनीय किताबों मे पढा है कि भारत एक प्र्जातांत्रिक देश है इसीलिए मैऐसा मानता भी हूँ।इसी प्रजातांत्रिक देश ने नेहरू के सपनों के आधार पर कुछ सार्वजनिकक्षेत्र के उपक्रम खोले । यह उपक्रम सर्वजन के लिए है और इन्ही में सेकुछ को इनकी कार्य गुणवत्ता के आधार पर नवरत्न घोषित किया गया । मै आपकोबताना चाहूंगा कि ये सरकारी बाबू लोगों की संस्थायें नही है ।इनमेONGC,NTPC,GAIL,IOCL ,BPCL जैसी कम्पनियां है जिनको कार्य गुणवत्ता केआधार पर Fotune -500 में भी रखा गया है ।इनमें वो कम्पनियां है जिनकेअधिकांश कर्मचारी IIM,IIT या REC की शिक्षा प्राप्त करकेबीना,भटिंडा,बडौत,उंचाहार जैसी जगहों पर रहकर नये भारत को बुलंदियो तकपहुंचाने का न केवल स्पप्न देख रहे हैं बल्कि उसका वास्तविक क्रियान्वयनभी कर रहे हैं। इनमें वो कम्पनियां भी है जिनकेकर्मचारी सिर्फ सरकारीनीतियों के कारण न तो Profit कर सकती है न ही Profit sharing ,इनमें वोलोग भी है जिनमें मंजूनाथ जैसे लोग आतेहै और तथाकथित प्रजातांत्रिक सरकारके द्वारा अपना जीवन शहीद कर देते हैं ।कुल मिलाकर वर्तमान में इन IIM,IIT,REC स्तर के कर्मचारी इनमें आते हीइनको छोड देने का विचार रखते हैं । इनके वास्तविक कारण इस प्रकार हैजिनसे बहुत भिन्न कारण मीडिया या सरकारी तंत्र द्वारा आप तक पहूंचे होंगेo प्रारंभिक स्तर पर सबसे उच्च Basic salary 12000 प्रति माह है ।o प्रारंभिक स्तर सबसे अछ्छा Gross CTC -26000 है झूठे सरकारी/स्व्प्नलुप्त मीडिया आंकडो के हिसाब से यह 1 लाख है।o CMD /Director स्तर पर Gross CTC -60000 है झूठे सरकारी/स्व्प्नलुप्त मीडिया आंकडो के हिसाब से यह 3 लाख है।o पिछ्ले 12 वर्षो में किसी भी प्रकार की कोई वेतन बढोत्तरी नहीं ।o 1997 वेतन आयोग के बाद आयोग को 10 वर्षो के स्थान पर 5 वर्ष करनेकी सिफारिश।o 10 वर्ष बीत जाने पर भी सरकार द्वारा कोई Action नहीं।o मंत्री,कैविनेट,सचिव स्तर की वेतन बढोत्तरी समय से पूर्व परंतुकर्मचारी वर्ग उपेक्षित।o हड्ताल से पूर्व कई बार Union द्वारा चेतावनी परंतु सरकार द्वाराजानबूझकर उपेक्षित करना।o सरकार द्वारा ह्ड्ताल की जिम्मेदारी न लेना।o कर्मचारियों के बीच भ्रम की स्थति पैदा करनाo Transparent तरीके द्वारा भावी वेतनमान को न प्रकट करना।o आतंरिक राजनीति में Negotiaons के स्थान पर Authoritative.o बाह्य राजनीति में Authoritative के स्थान पर Negotiative.o मीडेया का हर प्रकार से सामंतवादी प्रयोगभविष्य:-सरकारी दमन नीति से भारतीय नवरत्न कंपनियों मे रोष व्याप्त है । निश्चितरूप से इस हड्ताल को बिना शर्त समाप्त कराने के कई और प्रकार हो सकते थेपरंतु राजनीतिक सुप्तता और इछ्छाशक्ति के अभाव से दमनकारी नीति को सबसेऊपर का स्थान दिया ।जनता के बीच तेल कम्पनियों के अधिकारियों औररिफाइनिरी कर्मचारियो को मीडिया के माध्यम से देशद्रोही बताया गया।इनपरिस्थितियों मे "नवरत्न" जैसे शब्द बेमानी हैं। मीडिया के एक तबके नेइनके निजीकरण (Privatization) पर जोर देना शुरू कर दिया है।यहाँ यह बतानाआवश्यक है कि पैसे का यही ध्रुवीकरण "सत्यम-Scam" जैसी घटनाओं को जन्मदेता है । कांग्रेस का यह Globalization phenomenon सामाजिक स्तर परआत्मघाती ही सिद्द होगा।एक अपील भारतीय जन मानस से:-हड्ताल का कोई भी स्वरूप गलत है परंतु इस बात को ध्यान में रख्नना चाहिये कि· किन कारणों से एक अत्यंत शिक्षित वर्ग उस ओर गया ?· स्वायत्त नवरत्न कंपनियो के वेतन संवधी निर्णय सरकार द्वाराक्यों लिए जाते हैं?· वेतन संवधी निर्णय हमेशा सरकार के अतिंम वर्ष में क्यों लिए जाते हैं?· जिस प्रकार से सरकार ने जनता की सूचना हेतु तेल क्षेत्र केकर्मचारियों का वेतन विज्ञापनों द्वारा बताया है उसी आधार पर सर्वजनसूचना हेतु संसदीय मंत्रियो और सरकारी बाबुओं का वेतन प्रसारित करे?· किन कारणों से सरकार आतंरिक राजनीति में Authoritative है जबकिपाकिस्तान जैसे देशो के साथ Negotiation राजनीति कर रही है ?· क्या भारत जैसे देश में Options की कमी के कारण लोग वोट न देनेपर बाध्य नहीं है ?अतिंम विचार:-प्रजातंत्र पर सिर्फ आतंक ही एक मात्र हमला नहीं है। एक विशेष प्रकार कातंत्र जो की पूर्णतया निरंकुश हो गया है और सत्ता जिसके हाथ में चली गईहै राष्ट्र को पंगु बनाने में लगा है। भारत के सरकारी या गैर सरकारीउपक्रमों को उनके कर्मचारियों के माध्यम से मजबूत बनाना ही होगा । जब तकसमाज परस्पर विरोधी वर्गों में बंटा रहेगा ,तब तक राज्य और राजनीतिप्रभुत्वशाली हाथों मे रहेंगे और इनका प्रयोग पराधीन वर्ग के दमन के रूपमें किया जाता रहेगा।जो भी सरकार पूंजीवादियों के साथ मिलकर कार्य करती है वह इसी प्रकार काशोषण करती है और जनता के सम्मुख उसे नैतिक सिद्द करने का षणयंत्र रचाजाता है । भावुक और परेशान जनता भी ऐसे समय में सरकारी उपक्रमों को बिनाजाने पूंजीवादी हाथों मे जाने का समर्थन करते हैं। डा गावा के विचारों मेयह एक सतत चलने वाला चक्रीय प्रक्रम है।बस देर इस बात की है कि देश कायुवा वर्ग इसे कितने समय में समझ पाता है।दमन हमेशा होने बाला प्रक्रम है । डार्विन के सिद्दांन मे भी बताया गयाहै कि Fittest will be the ultimate survival. पूंजीवादी व्यवस्था मेंपूंजीवादी कामगारों का शोषण करते हैं । सांमतवादी व्यवस्था में सरकारीतंत्र सभी का (वर्तमान भारतीय व्यवस्था सही रूप में इन्ही 2 का मिलन है)जबकि समाजवाद में कामगार मिलकर पूंजीपतियों का दमन करते हैं। परंतु जहाँपूंजीवाद में निहित स्वार्थ के कारण वर्ग व्यवस्था ,राज्य और ओछी राजनीतिकायम रहती है वहीं कामगारों ,कर्मचारियों की समाजवादी व्यवस्था में ऐसाकोई लालच नहीं होता है ।भारतीय जनता को अब यह साफ करना ही होगा कि राष्ट्र का कौन सा स्वरूप सर्वोत्तम है।अंत मे कहना चाहूंगा ....."युवा दिल हूँ ,जवाँ दिलो को यह अभिमंत्रण देता हूँ ,अन्यायों पर मुखर क्रांति का खुला निमंत्रण देता हूँ ।"
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