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Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 11:59:21 -0800 IN OUR OPINION, THE BASIC FACT AND GROUND REALITY OF INDIAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE, EDUCATION LEVEL, MENTALITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY ALONG WITH RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAN the USA. WHEN PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED AND HAVE NO INFLUENCE OF FAMILY, SOCIETY, RELATIVES, RELIGION, THEN IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A VOLUNTARY SYSTEM. EVEN IN the USA, THERE IS AN UNIFORM CUSTOM SYSTEM WHICH EVERYONE HAS TO FOLLOW, IRRESPECTIVE OF COLOUR, RELIGION AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND. INDIAN CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN the USA. VOLUNTARY SYSTEM OF FAMILY PLANNING HAS NOT BROUGHT THE DESIRED RESULTS IN INDIA, IN SPITE OF NEEDS AND INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS TO A PERSONAL LIFE. WE CANNOT EXPECT ANY SUCCESS FOR VOLUNTARY UNIFORM CIVIL CODE UNLESS IT IS A LAW. RAJ SODHIA EDISON, USA
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 10:17:47 -0600 I don't think Mr Ashwin Mahesh realises that Indians only want rights, privileges and freedom, and do not understand the word responsibility or duty towards the nation. The author is kidding himself when he talks of "signing for a voluntary civil code." First of all who will do this? People who don't have jobs, food, shelter? Do you think they can engage in such discussions. As it is, equality in society has been completely destroyed by one man -- Mr V P Singh. The implementation of the Mandal report has finished what ever hopes one may have of an undivided society. In years to come I wonder how many able and deserving people will go unwanted, and turn their energy towards unsocial activities (mind you these will be smart kids). Consider the scenario: We have ten different topics up for grabs varying from abortion or right of prayer to divorce etc etc. One individual from a community signs seven topics. Another individual from the same community picks the other three, and so on. What harmony are you achieving here? The time has come when things are imposed on Indians by an able administrator. We gained our Independence 50 years ago, but never learned to use it for us. Voluntary action never works in a narrow minded democracy like India. The time today is for realising the duties towards the nation. Also the article is extremely difficult to read. The author does not remain focused.
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 12:36:17 -0600 I do not believe that a Voluntary Civil Code would work. Isn't the purpose of its introduction that all people of one nation live under the same set of laws? If every person wants to choose the law that s/he wants to live under where is the need for laws? Agreed, it gives the freedom for people to choose the laws that best suit their faith and beliefs. But it detracts from the "equal treatment for all" that the UCC is proposed for. Providing the UCC as just another system of laws that one can opt to live under makes mockery of its purpose. It is easy to say that individuals would have the freedom to differ in their opinions from their communities with a provision of the voluntary UCC, but anyone who sees the current state of India can realise how untrue it is -- particularly in villages and small towns that account for bulk of the population. And the argument that people who retain their preference for religiously motivated civil standards would be seen as unworthy, convincing them to opt for UCC (if that is not the purpose, then I fail to see the line of argument here) is without material. I doubt whether they would care for the opinions of people who chose not to live under their 'god given' laws. I think the argument is made under the assumption that the "unworthy" would be few and the UCC-opters many, that would not be a reality. The people who suffer from the "mistakes" in religiously motivated laws rarely have the freedom to opt for UCC. Those who enjoy the "benefits" from such laws rule their domain and can hardly be expected to opt for UCC. Karthick
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 11:01:10 -0500 The idea that the author has put forward in the column certainly looks good for utopia, but our country is far from being an utopia. In a country where religious principles and corrupt politics take center stage, these kinds of voluntary stuff do not work. I certainly do not think certain religious groups would not let go of their so-called privileges and various so-called secular parties would make sure of that. When one can have their cake and it eat it too, why would they want to let go of it. The people in question here are not Gandhis by nature. Anything voluntary does not work for India. I also think that the Uniform Civil Code is nothing anti-Constitutional. So this should be made operable like all other legal laws in the country are made. Do we ask a murderer to turn himself in voluntarily? Then why a voluntary UCC? Govind
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 16:07:45 -0600 Your intentions are applaudable, but it seems to be a half baked idea. Consider the following cases: What if a parent chooses a religious code, while the daughter chooses the Uniform Code. The religious code denies inheritance to the daughter while the Uniform Code stipulates equal inheritance. What will the courts do then? Won't they have to determine which one to apply, and hence end up stating one over the other? Other contentions could be: A bigamous Hindu husband chooses to take shelter in the Muslim Shariat. What is the poor first wife who adheres to the Uniform Code to do? Are we making it voluntary or convenient? Laws are laws and they are always made with men/women with ideals and principles in the best interest of the society. Sometimes they are a bitter pill to swallow but one has to be uniform! Law by definition means, equality of all, and not convenience of the guilty! Of course, I will sign up for the Uniform law, but the real question is would my malefactor? BTW, I am a male. Sundeep
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 15:03:28 -0800 Here is what I feel. I would be glad if you could help me know if I am wrong anywhere. I would like to get my thinking straight. Everyone of us has traveled on city roads and highways. And all of us understand the pain of facing and daring the high-beam headlights of the on coming traffic. How many volunteer to turn off the high-beam? May be only the conservative ones. And then who is in trouble, the damn conservative guy -- right? I don't feel most of our leaders really understand what it means by being Indian (by which I mean Bharatiya). The big problems we are facing today probably is due to the so-called flexibility to adapt and calling ourselves moderate and conservative. I strongly feel these epithets are merely euphemisms to being cowardly, submissive and running away from reality. And, just as on these roads, where the conservatives VOLUNTARILY give way to aggressive others, we run away. This does not help at all. The aggressive others are aggressive only about pulling the ruling party into shambles or forming united administration just because they preach "secularism," so loud that no one doubts their insincerity. I don't need to remind you, that it is the similar conservative and voluntary attitude that separated parts of our country and has become a perennial issue of mockery against us in this world. That was probably the best decision of that time. Let's remember the past to learn, and not repeat it in any way. How long are we supposed to listen to the words "secular," etc? Why are our leaders only concerned about minorities? It sounds like they are some how nurturing those "minorities" and won't be too far in time that people will start buying certificates to claim themselves as "minorities." I am afraid but the equation will be very absurd, "minorities" count more that "majorities" and will yet exist in only one place on this globe. We have already witnessed such phenomenon with the faking of caste certificates. Well, people make their choices. The choose voluntarily to be "minor." I understand that these ethnic differences will exist. They come with the being. My country is no exception. We talk of the United States. This place is no exception as well. What we are probably looking at is the loudness of discrimination and the discriminating parameters. Today seems like the most talked parameter is "economy" and "leadership." It is very wrong to believe that their happens to be only one country that boasts as being best and greatest. And that country can decide ("mediate") in "peace" processes. The point is "voluntary." What is that most of the "conservatives" or for that matter majority of population wants? A simple way to lead life, with least trouble. Allow me to say this to the leaders -- "Please lead us to being proud of ourselves. Do not get into the big chat of secularism and what not...We all know it will not work any way other than what you want." The common man does not care about these differences. So the UCC is not required for the common man to exercise voluntarily. I feel the UCC is required for the administrators and these leaders. If many other leaders are opposing this, then it does mean that UCC as such makes a lot of sense. I am sure most of us, thinking objectively would have no problems with UCC. As the common man -- he probably has got used to the nonexistence of the UCC, and the atrocities due the discrimination. The UCC is required for the control of such atrocities and hence required in books. With the UCC in books, I am sure our parliamentary sessions will debate on development programmes rather that Doordarshan programmes. And other development what we all desperately need. But we need to break out of this stagnation. We have lost nearly two centuries under slavery, due to a similar stagnation -- internal conflicts. Let's not lose one more century (half of which is already gone!) We need voluntary participation of all, not in the acceptance or rejection of UCC or minorities or any such issues. We need voluntary participation of all in our own development. We can be self reliant. So, putting an end to some of the issues will help Indians a lot. I don't need to list those issues here. But the question is, when will we start ignoring such issues in our columns? When will we start discouraging any talks about discrimination. Making UCC voluntary - it is already voluntary! Making this a topic might make it an issue.. opps... it is already a political issue. Shreenivas G Kand
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 13:56:59 -0500 Just a thought on Mr Mahesh's ideas. His idea of a voluntary UCC would work well in an ideal society where everybody is educated and exercises his/her rights with rationality and thought. But in today's India, do you really expect anybody to sign on for a more stringent, constraining law than the one they already have? Indian women don't make their own choices. It's made for them by their fathers and husbands. Considering that, do you really think "voluntary" UCC will work? Sanjay
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 23:53:49 -0600 Make the uniform civil code(UCC) voluntary -- A simple solution? What is the author of this article thinking? Mr Mahesh, I do not care what argument you purport after you write that statement. The basic logic of 'voluntarily accepting a law' is flawed and I did not care to read what you wrote after that statement. There is no reason to 'try' this simple approach, as you have mentioned in your article. You go to extreme lengths talking about abortion, about Vajpayee, Advani and other hypothetical stuff. Voluntary participation of all faiths in UCC ! Doesn't the basic article of the Constitution that everyone is created equal mean anything ? The purpose of the UCC means it should be equally applicable to everyone and there is no option or choice to this UCC. Voluntary or not -- the UCC should be the law. What were you thinking when you said people should voluntarily accept a law? On top of it you try to rationalise it by giving all sorts of answers to your hypothetical questions arising out of the voluntary acceptance of the UCC. Your argument about voluntarily accepting a part of the Constitution (if UCC becomes one) can raise several questions regarding other parts of the Constitution. You might voluntarily accept the UCC, I might not even volunteer to accept that people like you have the right to freedom of expression. R Prasanna
Date sent: Wed, 07 Jan 1998 18:58:01 +0530 I think that in the voluntary case I can change the law governing me as it suits me. Take the case of a Muslim. He follows the UCC when he wants to get some UCC-related benefits, and then switches to Muslim personal law when that suits him. This will only create more loopholes in the existing laws. Deepak Jain
Date sent: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 23:07:49 +0000 QUITE A GOOD IDEA.
Date sent: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 16:32:35 -0500 Outrageously funny! Yet portrays the present state of Indian politics! S Prasad Chicago
Date sent: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 13:34:18 -0800 I have never read such nonsense as the one written by Ashwin Mahesh. It was as fun as a hole in the head and as relevant as a pig on the moon. Kamlesh Parekh
Date sent: Fri, 2 Jan 1998 18:53:01 -0600 Got to admit, it was 'kinda' funny. I see reading all the Zane Gray, Luke Short novels and watching too much "Opera,' is finally paying off. While dishing out all those 'Hot Air Awards,' Varsha Bhosle should have given one to herself, but I suspect her 'modesty' probably prevented her from doing so. Therefore may I suggest that Rediff come to our rescue and bestow one of the awards on her? Like you Northies often say, 'great job yaar,' keep it up. In all seriousness nice work Varsha and I am not kidding either. Mohan Marette
Date sent: Sat, 03 Jan 1998 10:26:11 -0600 Varsha Bhosle's Hot Air Awards 1997 was creative and humorous to read.
Date: Wednesday, January 07, 1998 1:59 AM It's high time intellectuals entered film making and gave us some quality stuff, instead of inconsequential presence of scantily clad women. My best wishes to Nagesh. Raktim Bhattacharya
Date sent: Fri, 02 Jan 1998 23:55:17 +0400 We have lot of time in India to waste over silly things. What is wrong in her novel? It is just her personal views of life.
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 23:26:24 -0800 I certainly want to congratulate Dilip on such a well written article on South Korea's financial turmoil. The points made are very succinct and the parallelism drawn with the Indian scene is very poignant. I have settled in the USA for the last 15 years, yet I still have deep roots/feelings for my country. It certainly hurts me (and I am sure thousands other fellow Indians) to see how the resources in India are being squandered under the name of 'socialism' -- nationalised banks, the government trying to run so many industries where it doesn't belong -- Air-India, the semiconductor complex in Chandigarh, etc etc. The feelings surface every time I visit India and discussions lead to the economy, India's progress etc. The average Indian it seems is blissfully unaware of most of these (wrong) things going happening on the Indian scene (now don't get me wrong, I am not saying the USA is perfect or anything, but I hope you get my point). More articles like these will certainly lead to awareness within the Indian public. Anil Godbole
Date sent: Fri, 2 Jan 1998 11:45:35 -0800 Nice job done and kudos to Rediff for this beautiful site that has attracted everybody's attention. However, sports other than cricket are being played and has no mention. I am not sure whether you guys have heard about a game called football/soccer of which the National League is currently underway. In case you have heard of this game and the present tourney, can you spare it some real estate on your site? I understand these are lesser known sports but some consideration could be allocated. After searching for quite some time, I found "Other Sports" under "Cricket" (don't worry about the hierarchy -- at least it is there), yet found no information. Siddhartha Sen Seattle
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