LUCKNOW - Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep off “the internal affairs of the state” after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a central authority for development of Bundelkhand region.
“Any move to set up a central authority for special development of an area in a state would tantamount to direct interference in the internal affairs of the state,” Mayawati wrote in a letter to the prime minister, according to an official statement.
“Such a step could seriously affect centre-state relations,” she added.
The letter comes after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi led a delegation of party leaders from this state and met the prime minister, demanding the creation of an independent central authority for comprehensive development of the economically backward Bundelkhand region.
Drawing the prime minister’s attention to the need for a special economic package for Bundelkhand, Mayawati also pointed out that her demand for a Rs.80,000 crore package for the region had been ignored by the central government.
She also argued that Uttar Pradesh cannot be compared to the northeastern states for which an independent central authority was created. “Unlike those states, we in Uttar Pradesh have an efficient and fully functional administrative set-up which can take care of its affairs,” she wrote in the letter.
“It would therefore be in the fitness of things for the centre to rise above party lines and release a special package for the development of Bundelkhand, so that the state government could undertake the desired development of the region,” she said.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Dalai Lama says capitalism can learn from Buddhism
NEW YORK - The Dalai Lama may not be the first person who comes to mind for business advice but, as the Buddhist monk wrote in his new book, capitalism can profit from Buddhism's principles and values.
In "The Leader's Way," published this month by Broadway Books, the spiritual leader of Tibet wrote that both business and Buddhism attach importance to happiness and making the right decisions, and a company without "happy employees, customers and shareholders will ultimately fail."
Citing Buddhist basics such as good intentions, a calm mind free of negative thoughts and a realization that nothing is permanent, the Dalai Lama and co-author Laurens van den Muyzenberg tackle timely issues such as corporate compensation, malfeasance and the collapse of the subprime mortgage market.
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since fleeing a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.
Inclined toward socialism, the Dalai Lama wrote that his understanding of communism came through meetings with the late Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung. His admiration of Mao ended, he said, when Mao compared religion to "a poison."
"I have come to put my faith in the free-market system.... The fact that it allows for freedom and diversity of thought and religion has convinced me that it is the one we should be working from," he wrote.
The Dalai Lama is a well-known advocate for religious freedom and autonomy for Tibet, putting him at odds with China, which accuses him of seeking independence for Tibetans and stoking unrest.
courtsy - Reuters
In "The Leader's Way," published this month by Broadway Books, the spiritual leader of Tibet wrote that both business and Buddhism attach importance to happiness and making the right decisions, and a company without "happy employees, customers and shareholders will ultimately fail."
Citing Buddhist basics such as good intentions, a calm mind free of negative thoughts and a realization that nothing is permanent, the Dalai Lama and co-author Laurens van den Muyzenberg tackle timely issues such as corporate compensation, malfeasance and the collapse of the subprime mortgage market.
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since fleeing a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.
Inclined toward socialism, the Dalai Lama wrote that his understanding of communism came through meetings with the late Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung. His admiration of Mao ended, he said, when Mao compared religion to "a poison."
"I have come to put my faith in the free-market system.... The fact that it allows for freedom and diversity of thought and religion has convinced me that it is the one we should be working from," he wrote.
The Dalai Lama is a well-known advocate for religious freedom and autonomy for Tibet, putting him at odds with China, which accuses him of seeking independence for Tibetans and stoking unrest.
courtsy - Reuters
Car runs over Dalit women
PATNA, 28 JULY: Just days after a woman was stripped in public, an influential upper caste landlord ran a car over seven Dalit women for refusing to work in ...
Cong-NCP denies RS seat to Athavale
Mumbai: The Congress-NCP has denied the Rajya Sabha (RS) ticket to Republican Party of India (RPI-A) leader Ramdas Athavale, thus giving the opposition a chance to woo him to their side ahead of the October assembly polls. Athavale who is closely identified with Sharad Pawar was expecting the RS ticket from NCP
Shiv Sena is already trying to mend fences with Athavale expecting to exploit the dalit vote bank. The RPI(A) is the main dalit party in the state. Of the total 10.5% dalits, the RPI(A) enjoys the support of 6%. The Congress which has always banked on dalit support is now trying to figure out ways to mollify Athavale.
A disappointed Athavale tried to underplay the developments. "I had set conditions that Rajya Sabha (MP) should be followed with my induction as a union cabinet minister in the UPA government. Just giving me a RS ticket was meaningless. In 2004, I was promised a ministerial berth at the Centre which remains unfulfilled till date," he said.
Union minister for heavy industries Vilasrao Deshmukh filed the nomination for the RS as Congress candidate. The NCP candidates are general secretary Govindrao Adhik and Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil. Ranjitsinh is the son of senior NCP minister for rural development Vijaysinh Mohite Patil.
The bye-elections for three Rajya Sabha seats will take place on August 10. The elections were necessitated following the vacancies by union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, union civil aviation minister Praful Patel and Supriya Sule (MP). As per the existing vacancies, one seat belongs to the Congress and two to NCP. The state Congress expected the NCP to accommodate Athavale from its quota. The NCP decision has irked the Congress.
Shiv Sena is already trying to mend fences with Athavale expecting to exploit the dalit vote bank. The RPI(A) is the main dalit party in the state. Of the total 10.5% dalits, the RPI(A) enjoys the support of 6%. The Congress which has always banked on dalit support is now trying to figure out ways to mollify Athavale.
A disappointed Athavale tried to underplay the developments. "I had set conditions that Rajya Sabha (MP) should be followed with my induction as a union cabinet minister in the UPA government. Just giving me a RS ticket was meaningless. In 2004, I was promised a ministerial berth at the Centre which remains unfulfilled till date," he said.
Union minister for heavy industries Vilasrao Deshmukh filed the nomination for the RS as Congress candidate. The NCP candidates are general secretary Govindrao Adhik and Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil. Ranjitsinh is the son of senior NCP minister for rural development Vijaysinh Mohite Patil.
The bye-elections for three Rajya Sabha seats will take place on August 10. The elections were necessitated following the vacancies by union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, union civil aviation minister Praful Patel and Supriya Sule (MP). As per the existing vacancies, one seat belongs to the Congress and two to NCP. The state Congress expected the NCP to accommodate Athavale from its quota. The NCP decision has irked the Congress.
Dalit organisations demand evoking of NSA against Sarna
Jalandhar, Jul 28 : Protesting against the reported announcement of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna to provide legal assistance to accused of attack on Dera Ballan Sants Niranjan Dass and Ramanand in Vienna, several organisations of dalits today submitted a memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister to demand arrest of Sarna under National Security Act."Statement of Sarna was an attempt to disturb the hard earned peace of the state, which witnessed large scale violence after the firing incident in Vienna", Rajesh Bagha, National Secretary of BJP's SC Morcha said demanding that Sarna should be immediately arrested under National Security Act for his attempt to divide the society to create tension.Earlier yesterday, Sarna's statement ignited protest in the district and at several places effigies of Sarna were burnt by the Dalits.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Subhash Bharni, IPS joins BSP in Karnataka, get ticket
MYSORE: Politics has come a full circle for the retired IPS official, Subash Bharni, who is now contesting the Kollegal by-election on the BSP ticket.Few days prior to the 2008 assembly elections, he joined the Congress and proclaimed his aim to make dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge the chief minister.
But when he realized he would not get the Congress ticket from T Narsipur reserved constituency-- his native taluk-- Bharni quit the Congress to join BJP. Then he bagan heaping praises on chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. Though he succeeded in getting the BJP ticket, he lost the elections, finishing third in the race behind the JD(S) candidate. Even then, to keep the dalit leader in good humour, Yeddyurappa provided him a post in the government with a cabinet minister's rank. But Bharni seems to nurturing his own ambitions and wants to make a career in electoral politics. So now, he has joined BSP and filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. However, Bharni has learnt the tricks of seasoned politicians. Immediately after filing nomination papers, Bharni told reporters he is a relieved man today as he joined the BSP, a party nurtured by leaders like Kansiram, an ardent follower of Dr B R Ambedker. "When I joined BJP I was in two minds on the issue and I was feeling that something was lacking in BJP for the people who abide by Dr Ambedker's principles," he said. "Now my goal in politics is to organize the poor, dalits and exploited masses as clamored by Babashaheb," he said. When asked about his next destination, Bharni said BSP will be his last stay in politics. "As long as I am alive I will be with BSP."
Winning margin less than 35,000 in 34 constituencies
LUCKNOW: The battle for UP was prestigious at every single seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but 34 of total 80 constitunecies saw a close fight with margins less than 35,000 votes. While in six seats the margin was under 10,000, vote difference in four was below 15,000, in seven just 20,000, in seven it was 25,000 and in five around 30,000. There were five other seats where tie was decided with 30-35,000 votes, which in Lok Sabha polls is not a convincing margin, considering that every constituency has over 15 lakh voters. The closest fight was witnessed in Chandauli where BSP candidate Kailash Nath Singh Yadav lost to SP's Ramkishun by a margin of just 459 votes. While Yadav polled 1,79,655 votes, Kishun walked to glory with 1,80,114 votes. The drift of Muslim votes towards the Congress candidate Shailendra Kumar, who polled, 97,377 votes, apart from smaller parties with Dalit base like the Republican Party of India (2,699) and the Indian Justice Party (1,934), spoiled party for sitting MP Yadav. Interestingly, in an equally close fight in 2004, Yadav had polled over 2 lakh votes and defeated his nearest rival by a margin of 1,669 votes. Region-wise, the 30 seats of west UP and Bundelkhand saw the closest fight with 11 constituencies seeing the winning margins less than 30,000 votes. In Aonla, BJP's Maneka Gandhi registered a win with a margin of just 7,681 votes, despite communal polarisation of votes in neighbouring Pilibhit, the seat left by Maneka for her son Varun, BJP's new hindutava mascot. Aonla saw a three way contest as Congress was not in fray. Three time MP Sarvraj Singh, contesting on BSP ticket slipped to third place this time. However, spilt of Muslim votes between SP and the BSP lead to defeat of SP candidate Dharmendra Kumar. Varun factor spoiled BJP's equation in Bareilly where six time MP Santosh Gangwar lost to Congress's Pravin Singh Aron by 9,338 votes. Gangwar's winning combination used to be upper castes and backward votes with Muslim votes splitting between SP and other Muslim candidates. In 2004, BSP's Akbar Ahmad Dumpy secured 2.10 lakh votes, Aron 1.91 lakh and SP's Islam Sabir 1.20 lakh votes in comparison to Gangawar's 2.69 lakh. But this time Aron got a chunk of Muslim votes increasing his count to 2.20 lakh. At the same time SP's Bhagwat Saran Gangwar cut into BJP's Kurmi-Lodh votes by polling 73,549 votes. In Agra, what went against BSP was a strong anti-incumbency factor which led to poor turnout of Dalit voters. Upper castes played a decisive role. BJP's Baliram won by polling 2.03 lakh votes defeating BSP's Kunwar Chand by 9,715 votes. Raj Babbar, sitting MP from Agra, shifted to Fatehpur Sikri after Agra became a reserved seat but lost by a margin of 9,936 votes to BSP's Seema Upadhyaya, wife of energy minister Ramveer Upadhyaya, who in last one year had started several development projects in this area keeping in mind his wife's candidature. Babbar's glamour also did not work in this rural seat. In Kheri, Congress's Zafar Ali Naqvi pulled up a major victory by defeating two sitting MPs Iliaz Azmi and Ravi Prakash Verma, although the victory margin was only 8,777 votes. Azmi had won from Shahabad last time and Verma from Kheri. Azmi shifted to Kheri after delimitation dissolved Shahabad and merged some of its parts in Kheri. But there was strong anti-incumbent both against Azmi and Verma. Because of his clean image, Naqvi got support of all the classes, which included Muslim, Dalits and upper castes. Loan waiver and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme by UPA government also helped the Congress. In Farrukhabad, which witnessed the war of titans, Congress's Salman Khurshid defeated BSP's Naresh Agarwal by 27,199 votes. In Badaun, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's nephew Dharmendra Yadav could win by only 32,542 by defeating BSP's DP Yadav. Other bigwigs who won by small margins included Shafiqur Rehman Barq from Sambhal (13,464); Raj Kumari Chauhan, wife of minister Thakur Jaiveer Singh from Aligarh (16,557); Congress's Sri Prakash Jaiswal, union minister of state for home, from Kanpur (18,906); Beni Prasad Verma of Congress from Gonda (23,675) and BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi from Varanasi (17,211).
Courtesy - TOI 19 may
Courtesy - TOI 19 may
International Buddhist Institute Set up at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh
Dear Friends
Namo Buddhay and Jai Bhim!
It is a great news and and I take this opportunity to share with you all. Our Dalit Queen Honourable Ms. Mayawati has set up an International Buddhist Institute (Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan) at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). The U.P Government led by our Honourable leader has set this Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan to spread Buddhist culture and ideology.
The newly set up Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan is headed by Venerable Bhante Nand Ratan, the head monk at Kushinagar. He has also been accorded the status of a Minister of State in Uttar Pradesh. The name of other honourable member of this Sansthan are as follows:
1. Venerable Bhante Sheel Ratan
2. Venerable Bhante Gyan Vansh
3. Venerable Bhante Sheel Prakash Khairo
4. Venerable Bhante Deepankar
5. Venerable Bhante Dhamma Priya
6. Venerable Bhante Sharan Pal
7. Venerable Bhante Gyan Aditya
8. Venerable Bhante Gyan Sagar
Mr. Y.P. Singh would be the Director of this Sansthan. The construction work of the new building for this newly set up Baudh Sansthan has already started at Gomati Nagar, near Reserve Bank of India, in Lucknow.
(News Courtesy: Amar Ujala (A Hindi Newspaper), Allahabad, 03.06.2009).
Freinds, this is perhaps for the first time that a democratically elected Government in India has taken such an important initiative to spread Buddhist culture and ideology, though we do not know much if any such kind of initiative has been taken up in Sikkim.
But in the heartland of India and Buddhism after the great Buddhist Kings Asoka, Kaniska and Harsa, a state patronage has been provided by our honourable leader Ms. Mayawati to propagate Buddhism.
Please circulate this news as widely as possible in all your circles/networks.
With Regards & In Solidarity
Aman Kamble
Namo Buddhay and Jai Bhim!
It is a great news and and I take this opportunity to share with you all. Our Dalit Queen Honourable Ms. Mayawati has set up an International Buddhist Institute (Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan) at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). The U.P Government led by our Honourable leader has set this Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan to spread Buddhist culture and ideology.
The newly set up Antarrashtriya Baudh Sansthan is headed by Venerable Bhante Nand Ratan, the head monk at Kushinagar. He has also been accorded the status of a Minister of State in Uttar Pradesh. The name of other honourable member of this Sansthan are as follows:
1. Venerable Bhante Sheel Ratan
2. Venerable Bhante Gyan Vansh
3. Venerable Bhante Sheel Prakash Khairo
4. Venerable Bhante Deepankar
5. Venerable Bhante Dhamma Priya
6. Venerable Bhante Sharan Pal
7. Venerable Bhante Gyan Aditya
8. Venerable Bhante Gyan Sagar
Mr. Y.P. Singh would be the Director of this Sansthan. The construction work of the new building for this newly set up Baudh Sansthan has already started at Gomati Nagar, near Reserve Bank of India, in Lucknow.
(News Courtesy: Amar Ujala (A Hindi Newspaper), Allahabad, 03.06.2009).
Freinds, this is perhaps for the first time that a democratically elected Government in India has taken such an important initiative to spread Buddhist culture and ideology, though we do not know much if any such kind of initiative has been taken up in Sikkim.
But in the heartland of India and Buddhism after the great Buddhist Kings Asoka, Kaniska and Harsa, a state patronage has been provided by our honourable leader Ms. Mayawati to propagate Buddhism.
Please circulate this news as widely as possible in all your circles/networks.
With Regards & In Solidarity
Aman Kamble
UPA failed to use Rs 72,500 crore for Dalits: Study
NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) may wax eloquent about empowering the downtrodden, but in last 5 years it has denied the Scheduled Castes (SCs) a whopping Rs.72,500 crore ($15.16 billion) that should have been earmarked for them under a special scheme.
This has been underlined by voluntary organisation National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) after a study of India's budget documents. Called the special component plan (SCP), the scheme was a strategy evolved way back in April 1975, envisaging that every central ministry must allocate funds from its annual plan for Dalits according to their population. SCs today form 16.2 percent of India's 1.1 billion population. Therefore, between 2005 and 2009, the Congress-led government should have set aside Rs.129,000 crore for Dalits. But as much as Rs.72,500 crore was not earmarked, the NCDHR has pointed out. "The figures of allocation are a mute witness to the history of denial of exclusion. It is not only for the last five years; this trend is observed for the last 28 years since the inception of the special component plan in 1979-80," states the NCDHR. It points to the allocations in the interim budget of the UPA government in February. "Out of 75 ministries and their departments, only 16 have allocated funds under the SCP. Out of these, nine ministries have allocated token amounts below five percent. Labour and employment, science & technology, bio-technology, panchayati raj and textiles are some of the examples," says the study. But the NCDHR concedes that human resource development, social justice and empowerment, rural development, women and child development and health ministries did make allocations according to the Dalit population. The SCP came into being in 1979-80 and only Rs.433 crore had been spent on SCs and Scheduled Tribes (STs) together in the 30 years before that. According to the Planning Commission guidelines, these funds cannot be diverted for any other purpose. The ruling Congress and its UPA allies that spoke of the common man in the run up to elections allocated Rs.15,280 crore for SCs in its interim budget in February while it should have set aside Rs.34,413 crore for this fiscal, says NCDHR. "This is even lower than last year's allocation," points out the study. "While the total increase in the plan outlay is 15.74 percent, it is unacceptable that at this critical time of financial crisis, the amount for the socially and economically vulnerable sections is drastically reduced. The amount denied is 55 percent this year!" As envisaged by the Planning Commission of India, the major objectives of the SCP are: * Substantial reduction in poverty; * Creation of productive assets in favour of SCs to sustain the growth likely to accrue through development efforts; * Human resource development of the SCs by providing adequate educational and health service; and * Provision of physical and financial security against all types of exploitation and oppression.
Cortsy _ Tmes of India, July 5
This has been underlined by voluntary organisation National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) after a study of India's budget documents. Called the special component plan (SCP), the scheme was a strategy evolved way back in April 1975, envisaging that every central ministry must allocate funds from its annual plan for Dalits according to their population. SCs today form 16.2 percent of India's 1.1 billion population. Therefore, between 2005 and 2009, the Congress-led government should have set aside Rs.129,000 crore for Dalits. But as much as Rs.72,500 crore was not earmarked, the NCDHR has pointed out. "The figures of allocation are a mute witness to the history of denial of exclusion. It is not only for the last five years; this trend is observed for the last 28 years since the inception of the special component plan in 1979-80," states the NCDHR. It points to the allocations in the interim budget of the UPA government in February. "Out of 75 ministries and their departments, only 16 have allocated funds under the SCP. Out of these, nine ministries have allocated token amounts below five percent. Labour and employment, science & technology, bio-technology, panchayati raj and textiles are some of the examples," says the study. But the NCDHR concedes that human resource development, social justice and empowerment, rural development, women and child development and health ministries did make allocations according to the Dalit population. The SCP came into being in 1979-80 and only Rs.433 crore had been spent on SCs and Scheduled Tribes (STs) together in the 30 years before that. According to the Planning Commission guidelines, these funds cannot be diverted for any other purpose. The ruling Congress and its UPA allies that spoke of the common man in the run up to elections allocated Rs.15,280 crore for SCs in its interim budget in February while it should have set aside Rs.34,413 crore for this fiscal, says NCDHR. "This is even lower than last year's allocation," points out the study. "While the total increase in the plan outlay is 15.74 percent, it is unacceptable that at this critical time of financial crisis, the amount for the socially and economically vulnerable sections is drastically reduced. The amount denied is 55 percent this year!" As envisaged by the Planning Commission of India, the major objectives of the SCP are: * Substantial reduction in poverty; * Creation of productive assets in favour of SCs to sustain the growth likely to accrue through development efforts; * Human resource development of the SCs by providing adequate educational and health service; and * Provision of physical and financial security against all types of exploitation and oppression.
Cortsy _ Tmes of India, July 5
Cong uses Dalit leaders: Mayavati
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has declared war on the Congress. Her latest missile is a 112-page booklet that accuses the grand old party for being anti-Dalit. The booklet will be distributed throughout the state on July 22 when BSP holds demonstrations against the Congress-led government at the Centre
TitledDalit ki beti desh ki pradhan mantri kyun nahin ban payee? Zara sochiye. (Think why a Dalit woman could not become PM.) the booklet attacks the Congress for "using" Sushil Kumar Shinde, Meira Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan to grab votes."The Congress never installs SC/ST leaders in any crucial positions from where they could do something to better the lot of these people," reads the booklet, written by Mayawati herself.
It says that soon after the last Maharashtra state polls, Shinde was removed as CM and made Andhra Pradesh governor. "Meira Kumar has also been made LS Speaker only to keep her away from the people," states the booklet, alleging a Congress conspiracy to keep Dalit leaders away from active public life. She states that Dalit leaders in other parties are no more than "bandhua mazdoor" (bonded labour). She dubs the Congress as "extremely casteist" and mocks at party leaders (read: Rahul Gandhi) doing "natakbaazi" (drama) of mingling and breaking bread with Dalits to get their votes. "Gandhiji also did this throughout his life," the booklet states.
At one point, Mayawati compares herself with Barack Obama. "The elevation of a black as US President is a ray of hope for us," she writes. Congress leaders are livid at the charges. "She talks of Dalit leaders in other parties. But what about Dalits in the BSP? She has never given any key post to any Dalit leader," says UP Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi. "This is mindless and comes from a frustrated person."
Courtsy - DNA, July 6
TitledDalit ki beti desh ki pradhan mantri kyun nahin ban payee? Zara sochiye. (Think why a Dalit woman could not become PM.) the booklet attacks the Congress for "using" Sushil Kumar Shinde, Meira Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan to grab votes."The Congress never installs SC/ST leaders in any crucial positions from where they could do something to better the lot of these people," reads the booklet, written by Mayawati herself.
It says that soon after the last Maharashtra state polls, Shinde was removed as CM and made Andhra Pradesh governor. "Meira Kumar has also been made LS Speaker only to keep her away from the people," states the booklet, alleging a Congress conspiracy to keep Dalit leaders away from active public life. She states that Dalit leaders in other parties are no more than "bandhua mazdoor" (bonded labour). She dubs the Congress as "extremely casteist" and mocks at party leaders (read: Rahul Gandhi) doing "natakbaazi" (drama) of mingling and breaking bread with Dalits to get their votes. "Gandhiji also did this throughout his life," the booklet states.
At one point, Mayawati compares herself with Barack Obama. "The elevation of a black as US President is a ray of hope for us," she writes. Congress leaders are livid at the charges. "She talks of Dalit leaders in other parties. But what about Dalits in the BSP? She has never given any key post to any Dalit leader," says UP Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi. "This is mindless and comes from a frustrated person."
Courtsy - DNA, July 6
The World's Happiest Man?
The World's Happiest Man?
Friday July 17, 2009
At the New York Times, Daniel Goleman writes about Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama dubbed "the happiest man in the world." Mingyur Rinpoche is among a group of "Olympic-level meditators" whose brain waves have been studied by neuroscientists.
The neuroscientists compared champs like Mingyur Rinpoche, who have put in at least 10,000 lifetime hours of meditation, and people who were new to meditation, and looked in at the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The left prefrontal cortex in particular is associated with "happiness," or feelings of being “positively engaged, goal-directed, enthusiastic, and energetic.”
During meditation, the brains of practiced meditators showed on average a 100 percent increase in activity in the left prefrontal cortex. The newbies, on the other hand, showed about a 10 percent increase. As with most endeavors, practice matters, Goleman says.
Friday July 17, 2009
At the New York Times, Daniel Goleman writes about Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama dubbed "the happiest man in the world." Mingyur Rinpoche is among a group of "Olympic-level meditators" whose brain waves have been studied by neuroscientists.
The neuroscientists compared champs like Mingyur Rinpoche, who have put in at least 10,000 lifetime hours of meditation, and people who were new to meditation, and looked in at the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The left prefrontal cortex in particular is associated with "happiness," or feelings of being “positively engaged, goal-directed, enthusiastic, and energetic.”
During meditation, the brains of practiced meditators showed on average a 100 percent increase in activity in the left prefrontal cortex. The newbies, on the other hand, showed about a 10 percent increase. As with most endeavors, practice matters, Goleman says.
Untouchability alive in rural areas: Study
NEW DELHI: Untouchability is alive in the countryside though fear of law and rising Dalit assertion seem to have curbed its crude manifestations
These are findings of a survey by National Law School, Bangalore, to study the impact of Protection of Civil Rights Act on untouchability commissioned by Union social justice ministry. Villages, the den of this decadent practice, are far from being zero-untouchability zones as found in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, MP, UP, Rajasthan and West Bengal. As many as 516 of the total 648 Dalits questioned said they were not allowed to enter temples while 151 said they were not allowed to take out processions of their deities. The survey said 581 were allowed drumbeats during marriage processions. Around 16% of non-Dalits questioned conceded that SCs were barred from temple activities. Importantly, 13% refused to comment, showing the bias continued to be strong. The non-SCs confirmed what 516 of a sample of 648 Dalits said ^they were denied entry to temples. Dalit participation in social activities has improved, with 591 invited for wedding feasts. But the improvement stops there. Around 29% said they wait for others to finish eating before they can eat while 20% non-SCs said they expected SCs to wash their plates after eating. The primitive manifestations of untouchability still exist, even if they are on the wane. In the survey, 7% respondents said they were barred from entering main streets of villages while 7% said they could not wear sandals and walk in front of a dominant caste member. In fact, 9% revealed they had to talk with folded hands and 29% said they had to stand up in respect. A sore point of old caste segregation was bar on entry of SCs in non-Dalit houses. While 82% revealed they were allowed in, around 18% were still not. A big section of non-SCs said they would not allow SCs into their houses while an equal number refused to comment, showing the sensitivity was not easy to overcome. SC women work as maids in other caste homes but a majority said they were not allowed inside. Many in Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan named Brahmins and Konkani castes as barring their entry while in Bengal, 34 different OBCs were identified. As many as 20% said they were not served food and water in non-Dalit homes while 24% claimed being served in separate vessels. At least 25% non-SCs concurred with the claim. Dalit children are still growing with the stigma of being from inferior class. While seating arrangements are common in schools, SC kids in many cases are asked to take the back benches. Also, many are served midday meals separately from other children. The bias showed when over 40% non-SC respondents agreed there were no SC teachers in their village schools. Vestiges of mediaeval society became apparent when upper castes and OBCs, if only a handful, revealed they served SCs in towels or their upper garments; while some poured water directly into the cupped Dalit hands for drinking instead of giving a tumbler. A few cases showed that barbers used separate instruments for haircut of Dalits. The survey was carried out in six states and 24 villages, a mix of those with highest and lowest crimes under PCR Act. S Japhet, director, Centre of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, said, "No study can claim to be totally representative because of social and regional diversity. But this is as comprehensive as it can be as an empirical study. The methodology is scientific." For all the empowerment, Dalits in the countryside are still forced into services seen as "menial" - 154 of 553 Dalits performed drumbeating, 42 grave digging while 97 were into making chappals. As many as 78 said they were asked to carry out animal sacrifice and 57 said they were sweepers. Not surprisingly, the biggest improvement in Dalit rights is in politics - SCs are active in politics, are invited to functions and get elected too. The negative is that their elections are limited to seats reserved for them. "It shows that political empowerment of Dalits through affirmative action is confined to the reserved seats," says the report.
Courtesy- Times of India
These are findings of a survey by National Law School, Bangalore, to study the impact of Protection of Civil Rights Act on untouchability commissioned by Union social justice ministry. Villages, the den of this decadent practice, are far from being zero-untouchability zones as found in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, MP, UP, Rajasthan and West Bengal. As many as 516 of the total 648 Dalits questioned said they were not allowed to enter temples while 151 said they were not allowed to take out processions of their deities. The survey said 581 were allowed drumbeats during marriage processions. Around 16% of non-Dalits questioned conceded that SCs were barred from temple activities. Importantly, 13% refused to comment, showing the bias continued to be strong. The non-SCs confirmed what 516 of a sample of 648 Dalits said ^they were denied entry to temples. Dalit participation in social activities has improved, with 591 invited for wedding feasts. But the improvement stops there. Around 29% said they wait for others to finish eating before they can eat while 20% non-SCs said they expected SCs to wash their plates after eating. The primitive manifestations of untouchability still exist, even if they are on the wane. In the survey, 7% respondents said they were barred from entering main streets of villages while 7% said they could not wear sandals and walk in front of a dominant caste member. In fact, 9% revealed they had to talk with folded hands and 29% said they had to stand up in respect. A sore point of old caste segregation was bar on entry of SCs in non-Dalit houses. While 82% revealed they were allowed in, around 18% were still not. A big section of non-SCs said they would not allow SCs into their houses while an equal number refused to comment, showing the sensitivity was not easy to overcome. SC women work as maids in other caste homes but a majority said they were not allowed inside. Many in Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan named Brahmins and Konkani castes as barring their entry while in Bengal, 34 different OBCs were identified. As many as 20% said they were not served food and water in non-Dalit homes while 24% claimed being served in separate vessels. At least 25% non-SCs concurred with the claim. Dalit children are still growing with the stigma of being from inferior class. While seating arrangements are common in schools, SC kids in many cases are asked to take the back benches. Also, many are served midday meals separately from other children. The bias showed when over 40% non-SC respondents agreed there were no SC teachers in their village schools. Vestiges of mediaeval society became apparent when upper castes and OBCs, if only a handful, revealed they served SCs in towels or their upper garments; while some poured water directly into the cupped Dalit hands for drinking instead of giving a tumbler. A few cases showed that barbers used separate instruments for haircut of Dalits. The survey was carried out in six states and 24 villages, a mix of those with highest and lowest crimes under PCR Act. S Japhet, director, Centre of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, said, "No study can claim to be totally representative because of social and regional diversity. But this is as comprehensive as it can be as an empirical study. The methodology is scientific." For all the empowerment, Dalits in the countryside are still forced into services seen as "menial" - 154 of 553 Dalits performed drumbeating, 42 grave digging while 97 were into making chappals. As many as 78 said they were asked to carry out animal sacrifice and 57 said they were sweepers. Not surprisingly, the biggest improvement in Dalit rights is in politics - SCs are active in politics, are invited to functions and get elected too. The negative is that their elections are limited to seats reserved for them. "It shows that political empowerment of Dalits through affirmative action is confined to the reserved seats," says the report.
Courtesy- Times of India
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