Thursday, December 10, 2009

Dêmos –people Kratos- power

When I studied about democracy for the first time in my 8th Class, I read the literal meaning of the Greek word –demokratia- which means-"the power to the people"
And then we were taught that democracy means- ‘
For the people By the people & Of the people’ !

In Class 10, I read that features of democracy are ‘Rule of Law’ !!!
One of the factors that contribute to the growth of democracy are...’Public Opinion’ !
One of the factors that could prevent democracy from being successful is ‘Regionalism’.


And I taught the value of democracy with great passion to all my students in Grades 11 & 12 .

Dêmos –People

  • If I have to talk about democracy as –of the people, by the people and for the people-in the current scenario-it looks like people are a few hundred who-
    break the glasses of vehicles
    • stone the buildings
    • hurl abuses at anybody and everybody
    • come like goondas and threaten
    • attack houses and make sure that nothing called ‘rule of law’ will take place.
    Well the ‘power’ of people is certainly overpowering !
    .


    RULE OF LAW
    To talk about ‘rule of law’-lawyers from regions are busy shouting slogans for regionalism–so they have no time to make law rule.

    Public Opinion-
    Unlike earlier days we do not have to wait until the next day’s newspaper to know the public opinion.
    Television Channels and their Reporters do a great job in gathering ‘public opinion’ !
  • Arnav Goswami on Times Now–in the name of asking opinions –he actually creates further controversies!
  • Sagarika on CNN IBN –the panel may be talking but she gives her bottom line and concludes-very snootily.

This morning a (local channel) TV reporter is gathering ‘public opinion’ from the residents of Manikeshwar Nagar near OU- on the declaration of Telangana.

  • A vegetable vendor- she says with great enthusiasm ‘Jai Telangana’- because she can happily sell her vegetables now.
  • A lady buying vegetables-says jai telangana because she can safely come out of the house and buy vegetables.
  • An old man-says he is happy because he was scared of the policemen parading in their colony.
    Well-this is what Telangana means to people and we are to believe that this is ‘Public Opinion’.

    Wonder where ‘intelligentia’ of the society vanished to ! Guess they don’t qualify as people who can give ‘public opinion’ which is so important to safeguard democracy.

(Student) Kratos- Power

What to say of ‘students’ whose emotions were running high for God knows what because none of them will even get to run the state or make democracy happen because once their purpose is served politicians will not look back at them.


One thing that bothers me is why are students looking so old !!! Most of them looked no less than 30 and could not speak anything straight even in Telugu-I cant believe that Osmania University has such ‘Illustrious’ students.


Wonder where all professors and babus of the university disappeared to !

In the Indian universities which are temples of wisdom-neither students nor lecturers demand for better research facilities, better professionalism, better knowledge or better infrastructure. They demand for more reservations, more salaries or separate states.

Parliamentary Form of Government
The people’s representatives who are democratically elected gather in the parliament to discuss, deliberate and decide on the needs of the people.

However in our country, mundane matters are discussed for days together in the parliament but important and sensitive issues are decided in closed door meetings-in the Party Head’s residence.

Just like Lord Mountbatten announced Independence to India in the middle of the night-we hear Home Ministers announcing separation of states.
If Britishers heeded to public outcry from all Indians for freedom, our Indian rulers heed to the demands of –
A politician who never got any votes in the same state for which he starved for 11 days !
• So called Students who have no aims for their own lives but aim for a separate state!
• Power hungry small time politicians who can never rein in a big state
• Money hungry lobbyists who can milch a new state (if formed)

However one common thing between Britishers and our Indian rulers is that –both of them are manipulative politicians !

28 comments:

Unknown said...

All drama and it goes on. The sufferers are innocent people and they pullled that hardly 11 yr old girl into agitations who was singing pro telangana songs and abusing andhrites.
Selfish polititians create contraversies in their own talks.
I doubt actually how many students are invoved in the violence.
It didnt stop. now the agitations are rising in the andra and rayalseema regions.
As u said actual public opinion is not sought by the media. Inspite they aggrevate the situations by live shows. Thats what I have been watching on tv.Hope for the best

Anonymous said...

Mam,I too agree with what you say.I think people here really don't know what is right or wrong.They don't think just follow others.

Anonymous said...

Mam I too agree with you.

Jaya Lakshmi said...

Wow what an article, it made my inner sense satisfy. Why the so called media is not able to approach the real public. Does they really need telengana? Out of personal benefits, this is a high drama created, composed and staged by a group of politicians.It is surprising that a 10 days starved leader can get so much of energy with a glass of lemon water!It is even surprising that a 40kgs man can create lot of disturbance in the studies of so many students, loss in business for many business men, loss in public property, loss of lives. I think no cine director can create a movie with these many twists. There is an urgent necessity for a thinking, open-minded, prindipled leaders to emerge in our country.

SHIVRAJ ODHEL said...

It is certainly {OVER POWERED} by the people........
My great inspiration from my school days Mrs.Purnima Athre {Principal} & Social and english teacher, thought us the study of democracy....FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE leads to RULE OF LAW... but this is completely a reverse issue.
Here the true colours of politicians will resemble in our state for sure, blocking all the doors of "DEMOCRACY",leaving no way to politians and removing the mask of greedyness from the so called " ELECTED LEADERS"...
Indeed the ATTORNEY played a major part colloborating OU students instead protecting democracy.
I think "Here MEDIA is just a commercial doll".
Here I have soft corner as well as hard corner for the students of OU and the staff of OU. The worst scene I witnessed when I worked in OU for 8 yrs as swimming coach are indulging in various communities... Threatening lives... gunda giri and dada giri including professors... more importantly "REGISTRAR" and "VICE CHANCELLOR" so called next to governor...

sesanka said...

Dear Ma'm,

Well said!!!

You just wrote exactly what majority of the wiser set of population think today. Now look at today's development. Till last night we witnessed a hunger strike drama and now "Resignations Episode". Is this the way the so called leaders elected - by the people, for the people and of the people run the government? Did they ever fight for a good cause like this? Did any of these resigned leaders have put in their papers when price of Rice crossed Rs.40 or price of Dal crossed Rs.100 per kg?
I saw one unfortunate scene on TV the other day, one student is slapping Sri Potti Sriramulu's statue with his chappal :( What does he know about that great man. As you rightly quoted, aimless students tipped by our great politicians and goons had made ruckus all these days in the capital of our state. Did anyone bother about how many valuable days of students have gone useless?
Media is another nuisance factor that had much beyond the ethics of journalism.
They fight amongst themselves to reach the spot first to run a scroll like “Exclusive to OUR TV” but give least importance to deliver right message to the people.
These all are just possible only in a great democratic country like ours. I sincerely feel we need military rule for at least 2 years to set right many aspects of our daily routine. I may be wrong but its my personal opinion.
Your post should be an eye opener to the politicians, students and leaders. Please try to get this published in a regional and national news paper.

Regards
Sesanka

Yohith said...

first of all let me congratulate u for dis good write in the controversies of separate telangana.
I still don't understand wats wrong wid KCR.He being a senior politician shud solve the problems of pepople but he created a hell of problems for the people and the govt.
when i askd many people who were fighting for separate telangana...why do they need a separate state...the ans. which i found most is that dey can get seats easily in good univ. but why do they want evrything easily can't they wrk hard & earn a seat n prove dat they r capable of acheiving greater goals,instead of fighting & destructing & destroying.
The so called responsible politician has ruined many lives mainly those of students.
I just want to do 1 thing: i wanna find the best psychiatrist in the world n brain wash KCR & all TRS politicians.Students shud never be involved in such contraversies... once dey come into such things no 1can stop dem & the destruction continues.
the objective & purpose of democracy is nowhere 2 be seen.Pople & politicians r taking it for granted.
Let me warn all of dem who r taking democracy as granted-"u play wid democracy it is going to play double the game u played wid it"
My feelings of anger,sympathy,annoyance are limit less.
Hope people are going to uderstand wat dey lost some day.

anuswarajyasree said...

The present situation in hyderabad keeps me in dilemma as how to interpret 'democracy'.
I read sometime ago that in our neighbouring state karnataka when people demanded for a separate north karnataka region the government addressed the issue immediately by contstituting a committee to study reasons for the neglect, and later announced a special package in budget and a special attention was paid to mitigate the situation, not only the government even the intellectuals, poets etc played a vital role in unifying the state . Why the same thing was not done in our state?
Seeing the present situation, i wonder what is my role as a facilitator? should igroom my students as a global citizens or only sons of the soil with narrow-minded attitude? I do agree that students play a vital role in the development of a nation .
one common issue all over the world for which people fight is LAND whether it is between countries or states.[ india -Pak or Indo-China, Palestine-Israel or Telengana - Andhra ] Ofcourse the reasons may differ.
There are some who debate that smaller states develop better .
Whatever it may be i feel that we lack leaders who can guide people better.

I believe that a greater responsibility lies on the educational institutions to groom students with a vision mission and purpose in life.

Mam you have done a great thing by showing a vision , motto and developing leadership qualities in our students . Thank You mam

Rachna said...

These days it is no longer DEMOS KRATOS but it is 'power with limited people' and mind you that too just the power of might,their motto -Hook or crook get your way,hinder life for normal people if they do not wish to get involved become violent.If this is what the students in universities learn then an uneducated person is saner, he at least knows what is right for him.
God bless our reporters who believe in sensationalising the news, they are just being loyal to the TRP's after all that's what matters for them .. what role do morals play in a material world? I wonder when and why did the sons of the soil started fasting for diving the country..our history proudly boasts of people who fasted for uniting the country... today it seems our politicians are all set to rewrite our history and civics both maybe geography too ...all this for what cause is something we all 'the responsible citizens' need to ponder on.

mani said...

That's great. I really started thinking.... are we leading ourselves in a right path? And we are in a world where democracy has become a fancy word. Students are only learning the spelling of the word democracy. As you said atleast the concerned lecturers could have guided the students in a right path. I feel that everybody is looking after themselves ... ME, MINE, and MY FAMILY that's all. I also heard that many of the students were forcibly dragged in the agitation.The so called leaders just used the university campus as their stage to perform this drama. The ultimate victims are the students and the people of the state....But it is very clear that nobody is going to gain anything instead we are seeing the demolition of our own future. Mani

Manjula Bhasin said...

We say a united India and look at the irony of it ,in the name of uniting we are breaking India .This shows the fickle nature of today,s politicians who follow just one mantra of appeasement.Looking at the state of affairs today I feel the politicians of yesteryears were much mature and dealt with problems with an iron hand.Itis high time WE the people should take a stand and send oppotunist politicians running for cover instead of we shutting ourselves inside our houses during bandhs.These very students who are at the forefront of such agitation will soon realise the futility of such an exercise when the politicians will show their true colors IF a separate state is formed.Mr Munda is still fresh in our mind, a product of a newly formed small state
Manjula Bhasin

Aniruddha said...

Dear Madam,

Well described article based on the media information. You have maintained a good balance in language and the currently displayed information. You focused light-beam on the "the ease with which people can be fooled by media". People are like sheep. A bad leader leads them to a bad destination. I feel politics is bad because good people keep away from it or rather prefer to remain inactive.

History repeats. Students get mislead easily but no outcome will come in spite of their wasting their important year and study time. Blame it on politicians and call a bandh and demand mass promotion to the next grade and it will be given by the greedy and selfish politicians.

Then we get the bad quality products with engineering and medical degrees in their hands that need a calculator to check the change received after purchasing a perfume or paying a hotel bill and need the thermometer to check whether you have fever and an x-ray to tell you that you suffer from common cold.

We go to them to get the sick note backed by medical certificate or for the permission for the drawing of my building and pay huge amounts and again we vote 'honestly' to a person without knowing anything about him.

We discuss when somebody challenges the wrong and refuses to pay the bribe and give a pitiful look meaning, "what a simple guy! Don’t know the basic. He will suffer" and go ahead.

I remember lastly I stood by a person for not giving extra money to the Cloak Room clerk at Bombay Central 4 years back for about 30-35 minutes and then left him alone because I have to board my train.

You correctly said we behave similar to Britishors.

This is natural because we blindly adapted or we were forced to learn the education system of the Britishors led by Lord Macaulay.

Madam I would suggest please make a small correction here the word should be British politicians.

I have come across few British persons through their writings and carry a very high opinion about them Jim Corbett, Isaac Newton, Bertrand Russell.

I learned from seven habits 2 things.

Begin with the end in mind: I want to become the top student and then the top businessman and help people.

Rose bush will always have thorns. It is up to me to decide whether to look for the rose or thorn.

I think students should remember that they are the 0decision makers and no one; no one can deter them from their path to success because they are committed for it.

Aniruddha

Ranjita said...

Kudos to you again Sita! Well written and at the right moment!
The recent developments have given us confidence now Sita! We are not too far as compared to the United States of America! At the rate that we are growing I can tell you we will give them a complex. In no time we can also grow from 28 states to 50 (sic)!

We were fighting, wasting our energies first on castes, creeds, communities, religions and now - at the instigations of the shrewd , power hungry, opportunist, manipulative politicians - Regions!

We all are part of the history right now. As we are watching quietly the ugly turn of events are happening so rapidly.

Are we going to take things lying down watching helplessly in this situation? Now Let’s start a momentum in our own way! Give it a thought guys!

uma said...

Kudos to ur article ..... what an eye-opener! The word 'democracy' holds no good for these so-called politicians who in the name of democracy are only busy breaking the rule of law (I wonder even if these so-called politicians are even aware of the existing laws before breaking them) and creating havoc in the lives of the common man. These are the same politicians who go begging for votes from home to home before the elections. What an attitude!! Of what use is their 20 - 25 years of education--Only to break the rule of law…….
Gone are the days when politicians used to think about democracy in the right sense else we wouldn’t have had these 30+ students in the rallies and in the agitations. Wonder, where all these 30+ students are manufactured overnight.
Thanks to the TV channels for updating the public about the latest happenings and voicing their opinions – but for what purpose – only for their TRP’s and to trigger a sense of fear and anxiety in the minds of the people by telecasting the same clippings repeatedly.
An uneducated person is far better than these power & money hungry politicians. He may not make laws but has the minimum common sense that he should not break the law--- he knows what is right and what is wrong. Its high time that these politicians start pondering over the recent unpleasant happenings and try to bring a POSITIVE CHANGE in the society. I hope one day any of these TV channels would take up the challenge of telecasting public opinion about what was democracy then and what is democracy now in the true sense and wish these TV channels would focus more on the positive events or happenings than the negative ones.

Unknown said...

When I learnt about Democracy, it was just a definition at the age of 12. As I grew up wanted to understand and feel what real democracy means, India being a Democratic country. Now I see that Democracy is mislead "For the people, By the people and Of the people".
People are given rights to form a better Government which they are misusing by stating opinions (which are mislead).

shobha said...

shobha said,
mainly the students are responible for aggrevating the agitation. I learnt that those people are not students in real sense. A few goondas are arranged by each political party in universities to have a control over the students. These so called students continue their life in the canpus as they are fed by the political parties.It is the responsibility of the faculty of the university to track those people.( I wonder about their fate if they do it sincerely) Everyone knows where the fault is. Unless we shed our selfishness INDIA's future will be a big ? mark.

Sangeeta said...

Just a couple of days back I was talking to a friend about your blog and what would be the next topic other than the present chaos going on in the state of Andhra Pradesh. And lo its here. Should I call it Andhra Pradesh anymore? Or Telangana? or another Union Territory? Where am I now? In our school we aim at overall development of the students to create better citizens for the nation that struggled a lot to gain independence from foreigners.
Our leaders fought, fasted and did lot to achieve independence. Are we giving respect to their struggle? The universities are the facebooks of a country. Building the future of a country there. It is a shameful act on part of the students to react the way they r doing. Beware citizens, are we not indirectly calling for another struggle for independence.... this time from the narrow minded politicians, power and money greedy politicians! Where are we leading to?
Any idea do the students have, how much time has been lost, the value of property that has been destructed?
The media never reaches the actual public for their opinions. Did they come to me or to you to voice our opinions?
Well, to me now , democracy has lost all its meaning.
A great responsibility rests on our shoulders as we are in the education field, to show the right path to our students and develop leadership qualities in them to rebuild "India".

padma said...

I fully agree with you. All the political leaders for their personal benifit misleading the public. The public should not encourage them. Wonder where ‘intelligentia’ of the society vanished. There is an urgent necessity for a thinking, open-minded, principled leaders to emerge in our country and to say what is write and what is wrong.

R.Prasad said...

It is very much true that whether it is united Andhra Pradesh or Telangana separated finally the victims are the innocent people. Many of them donot know what they are doing and why they are doing. They are always with the mob.

Ramya Ravi said...

If Hunger strike was the answer to a state's problems, then in the days to come we will see a plethora of such strikes associated with equally weak causes. Central Government's decision is a clear exhibition of the immaturity that exists in Indian politics. That we still live in a country, where politicians behaving in un-statesman like manner triggers a decision that can suggest dividing a state is not only ludicrous but also stealing away the essence that exists in Democracy. Our Democracy was designed to liberate minds into thinking bigger and not be stuck in smaller thoughts resulting in smaller states. I am amazed and surprised, that we still live in a country where boundaries alone can decide who or what we are and lend us identity that we can be "proud" of. Boundaries were only meant to keep people out and us safe, it seems to have assumed a whole new definition, where Boundaries are caging us in. This decision has catapulted into focus the fact that Secularism only exists on paper now, and the so called "Democratic" means to acheiving "causes" is turning the equation entirely in mutiny's favour. Needless to say, the people championing this cause have a distorted sense of belonging and an even more distorted sense of the direction development and progress should take. In the larger wordly sense, "we the people", should mature beyond our myopic visions, and start thinking "for the people" and surge the political discrepancy "by the people". We have so many forums, where people can voice their opinions on this burning issue, but Ma, my question is why isnt this being considered as public opinion??!! Why and how can the educated and learned mind's opinion influence the scenario? How do we make our opinions count and how can we make a difference?

Anonymous said...

I liked the way the facts and the sentiments of the common man (if we qualify in that category)have been put together.
For the second time in the last 12 days someone made sense about this issue. What is required now is to define the word "democracy/ democratic republic" from the constitution and not the dictionary for the people's representatives & make them learn it by heart.
Politicians and their activists make use of the fuzzy boundary of the word democracy and happily replace it with anarchy. Thanks to the vote bank politics in the country our respected leaders and their followers always manage to get away with violence and anarchy.

I am afraid that if this continues then the wheel in the Ashok Chakra which also signifies "dynamism of a peaceful change" might soon lose its significance.

shyamala said...

Where's the Democracy? Its a least bothered word in the dictionary of the so called leaders and Govt. Its only " For the Leaders, By the Leaders and Rule of Leaders". You can even read the word"Leader" as "looter".These rogues play dirty games for their benefit and least bothered about people. KCR need not go on fast as he got his verdict in 2004 elections and the recent MC elections. The students who went on a rampant forgot that they didn't vote for their own "Telenganites". Any mission without aim will fall apart and bite the dust. History repeats and repeats; still people dont learn their lessons. Do we have to read the saying "United we stand, Divided we fall" in reverse order?

kongara.ushadevi said...

Demos--people and Kratos-- power
yes it is right--people are showing their power in strengthening regionalism. Our Telangana leaders are going to be the pioneers of Gurkha land, Maharashtra and U.P. The one who are asking to separate their states on the basis of REGIONALISM. High dramas are playing major role in the politics of any state. Politicians are just behind the screens, using students as their tools and helping them to ruin their lives. "Students are our future CITIZENS. instead of empowering students politicians are GUNPOWERING the students." we are following British Education system but not the way they have taken decisions in the midnight. As SRI SRI told"KONTHA MANDI KURRALLU PUTTUKATHO VRUDDHULU."--many students are leading their lives just like that (leading aimless life)instead of being strong pillars of the society they have become the white ants of the society. Do the students know the exact meaning of education? the issue which was happened to POTTI SRIEAMULU'S STATUE made every Andhrite (it's not telangana or andhra it is the citizen of Andhra Pradesh)to feel shame and guilt. This is the time that all the educators must intraspect about what they are teaching. Media is another neuisance. It has become more dangerous than the yellow journalism. we teaching students that media is the effective means of communication. but in reality they are only thinking about the TRP's. As teachers our duty is doubdloed now. students should be empowered by understanding the rights and responsiblities as a citizen.

ravali said...

hi ma'am, really a superb article. from past 1 week there is complete chaos and agitation among people. i wonder who taught students to start revolts, organise strikes, burn buses and behaving like gundas. i feel that this is the result of the media which always exaggerates and shows things. i heard a person commenting that, 'these andhrites are treating us so badly that if they do not give separate telangana then we would even like to be separated from India.' i felt so angry after listening to this ma'am.
we have a democratic system of government which means for the people, of the people and by the people. i wonder as to why our govt allows these fickle minded citizens to take a decision.

what do the students achieve by involving in these agitations?
i don't understand why they have to spare their life for telangana.

i don't understand what's wrong with our senior politician i.e. kcr. he is the main cause of all these agitations.
yes ma'am as u said few days ago that if telangana is given then there will be many more Madu Kodas all around, i agree with u.
even states like west bengal, tamil nadu etc, are taking cue from ous state to divide their state also.that's what i watched on tv ma'am....
ravali

jayaprada said...

Now a days democracy is interpreted as "For the politicians, by the elections,of their powers."
One of the factors that seems to contribute to the growth of democracy now days is public property distraction.
When we are putting farward ourselves by not giving any importance to castism, I really don't understand why these people are encouraging REGIONALISM>.
I strongly feel that media should regret for aggrevating the situations.
I feel pitty for the students leaving their individuality and becoming followers rather than the leaders.
I believe it would be better if we have intellectual and balanced people in to politics to preserve democracy and to prevent the poli"trics" being played by our politicians.
Finally people should understand whatever is happening causes "Disastrous Democracy".

Suma Athri said...

Hey Seetha
Your write up reminds me of the centre fresh advertisement-"baatein kam, kaam zyada. Zubaan pe lagaam!!"
If our country leaders and people follow this policy then we can see India improve by leaps and bounds.

Malyadri said...

the present scenario is surely making us brood on what the the so-called "freedom fighters " of telengana are upto.i personally feel what we studied in politics text books remained only as a theoretical knowledge and as percentage of marks we gained in the exams. otherwise if we have truly understood the principles and values of leaders like mahatma , today we wouldn't have had a politician who would emulate kcr as the gandhi of telengana. what we watch in the tv today is nothing but senseless verbal attacks( i suppose this is is what they have understood from the'freedom of speech') When it comes to the student unrest, the politicians and power hungry foxes are taking undue advantage of the easily gullible students who are,( for reasons whatsoever) simmering with agitating minds.This is not the first time that the students of andhra are instigated into 'sacrificing' their studies and lives for an unknown cause. Swami Vivekananda opined that the student power is the most powerful weapon and should be used wisely. hence i request the educationists to teach the subjects to embed values,shape the principles and mould the characters of the future leaders , citizens and policy makers.
all the best ..... in your voyage for a noble cause!
akhila

ajitha vinod said...

Knowing what is right and doing what is right are two different things.
We the people know what is our role and responsibility but conveniently we overlook to accomplish the immediate requirement fully knowing such move will cause serious damages in the future. So won’t it be right to say that there is lack of commitment among us and we are self centered.