Privileges for exemption from security at airports  must go

Recently government has taken a sloppy and bungled decision after one and half year  to remove Robert  Vadra from the list of people who are exempted from frisking check up at airports. This has raised the debate on why should such privileges be granted to any one if security is top priority for the Government. India is a land of privileges and display VIP- status- on- the sleeve culture. Everyone who has some position wants to display that he is above others. There is virtually a scramble for Red lights on the vehicle so that he is not checked anywhere. Even Panchayat pradhan have put up boards on the cars to display their status. This is a new caste system and the guarantee in the constitution that all citizens are equal is flouted every day in one or the other manner. Still we are a democratic country with a constitution that is egalitarian and guarantees all rights of freedom and equality to us. We witness everyday on roads caravans of cars rushing in at top speed following a VVIP. Roads are jammed with such people as citizens are stranded and see them in awe. Why should there be any discrimination between ordinary citizens and some specially decorated people? Is it not a new caste system?

When I was Chairman of the Airports Authority there was a short list but even then  I know one civil aviation minister, who was in z security status, insisted that he should be checked as security is for everyone and security must do its duty. Now we have 33 categories of people who are exempted from the check. No where in the world such situation exists. It could be surprise for many in India to know that in Britain except royalty no one is exempted from check. Even the Prime Minister goes through pre embarkation check. India US aviation security group has already suggested for curtailing Indian list and it could be under consideration but the present scenario is unprecedented in a country where security is top priority due to strong possibility of air sabotage.

Once I asked my son who was an NSG commando and later raised a company in Kargil war, who can we trust for security. His answer was crisp ‘No man can be fully trusted. ‘Then?’ I asked him. He said ‘we can only fully trust a dog or amachine’. It set me thinking and I found that a lot of progress has been made on cyber security and different techniques like biometrics that can ensure security. This can obviate whole rigmarole of rough and shoddy hand frisking by the security jawans. In Gatwick airport when biometric was introduced 3000 passengers could go secured without even boarding pass in  minutes. Dublin introduced secure gates biometrics and 1000 passengers were cleared in 7.5 minutes. San Francesco could catch a woman with fake documents also. We should, therefore. Go in for mechanized checking with cyber means. But our primitive thinking does not want to give up hand frisking and rough shaking the person and are not prone to acceptance of high tech security.

Till we bring in cyber security we should make the present system more benign and civilized by discrete body scanning. Security that does its duty at airports should be specially trained for courtesy and discretion. At the same time these 33 categories should be reduced to three. First it should have President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice. These are heads of Republic, Executive and judiciary. Second Category should be Head of Governments and Chief Justices of state in their own state airports only. Third should be Foreigner diplomats or Foreign eminent guests as cleared by External Affairs and internationally awarded persons like Nobel eg  Dalai Lama or others as cleared by Home Ministry. No more exemptions should be allowed and all Ministers and officials including governors should go through the checks except in the own states.

Similarly there should be executive lounges for which all should pay except special room for the Heads of central/state Government. Airports should become business like and efficient without leaving the trace of aristocracy for status display privileges.

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

Teachers must introspect and lead a change in society

Recently we have celebrated Teacher’s day with great fan fare and gaiety. I got a few dozen greetings from the students who remembered me but was it the only spirit of the day? To celebrate a day once a year is the western tradition but it certainly is reminder of people who we tend to forget. Once my boss in Montreal where I was working with UN agency said while laughing that “these people celebrate mother’s day once in a year but when I go to Punjab and I do not meet my mother even for a day she gets angry and when I meet her next time she says in Panjabi” main kya mar gayen hain’. For Indians everyday is mother’s day. It is truer for a teacher as his teaching is constant and not merely when he gives lecture.

Teacher imparts guidance to the students not simply by class room sermons but by actual living to his credo and transmitting his values to the pupils. India had great tradition of learning and teaching. Our five thousand years old scriptures speak for it as Upanishad and Gita are dialogues between teachers and taught. When I wrote my  book ‘Dialogues with Yeti’ I chose to adopt dialogues as the essence of imparting the core of my thinking and learning in that form. Book starts with the story of Nachiketa who when asked by father to go to Yama waits on the great teacher death. After fasting for long that pleases God of death who asks him what does he want? Nachiketa says he wants to learn the secret of life and death. Yama offers him pleasures and wealth of the world but the young man rejects all to choose knowledge of Brahamn. Yama is made to teach him. It is in the form of his dialogues with Nachitketa. I was invited two years back by Hindu University to deliver a key note address in one of the international seminars. On the dais I realized that speakers from different countries of the world had power point presentations but I was as usual, going to deliver extempore presentation. I began my presentation with a brief observation that I have not brought any power point presentation but I have some power full point. The house burst into spontaneous applause. I adopted dialogues and extempore presentation to delineate my thinking. Next day it was prominently covered in Press. I always maintain and also tell other teaching community that a teacher must speak from heart and not only mind. You can speak from heart only when you have abundantly learnt the lessons of life and absorbed your research within you. Buddha and Shankerachaya did not carry notes and power point with them yet they could change the world. I still remember my Professor of Philosophy who made great impact on us sometime by dramatically presenting ideas.

A teacher must know what his approach to teaching and care for the participants by ensuring good transfer of knowledge and attitudes. I asked my granddaughter Diva in Delhi,to tell me what she considers as most important quality of a teacher. She promptly said’’ A teacher must understand the students”. A ninth class student enlightened me and I found this the key element. Understanding involves empathy which makes a teacher to place himself in the place students and go deep in knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the taught .It  is not  sympathy that is simple feeling for someone. The child felt that teachers do not give adequate time to listen to the students and their problems. A good teacher knows himself and the students. I, therefore, advocate and practice participative teaching and not simply reading and assigning home work as I was told many teachers do .A Teacher must build the students as creative makers of future India. Narendra Modi is one PM who is a great teacher and on teaching day he displayed his acumen. What he says is worth remembering that a teacher never retires as he continues to learn and teach. Teacher must take deep interest in acquiring and imparting knowledge and to understand a student he must know his aptitude and capacity to guide him for reaching his optimum achievement. A good teacher inspires his students and makes impact on their psyche as early age is best to acquire positive attitude.

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

Book Review of Jagdish Prakash poetry

Book Review

Poet of love and pathos

A Tempest in Silence By Jagdish Prakash translated by Prof Muhammad Sanker

Publisher Nale e dil publications Lahore, Pakistan

Bazgasht (Return of a wanderer)

When two countries are beset with terrorism and border strife Jagdish Parkash has written these poems that seem to emit a message of love and peace to those who are fighting for political gains.These two books depict the silence of tempest as reflected  by the caption but also these two books are tribute to the sensitive poetry of an Indian poet in Urdu that challenge many established notions of writing ghazals of sharab and saqi only. His achievement in raising a flag of love in Pakistan  and message of friendship and common heritage between two countries are epic of harmony. Though tormented within in separation love or turbulence of romantic vibrations in his heart, he follows his path of ekla chcalo re. He bemoans passing phase of turmoil , Aaj ka daur nahin kal ke zamane ka hisab/ AArzi waqt se sadion ko na tolo logo. I think there is no better message of love for two countries who have become oblivious to  weigh the common culture of two countries .

To me he looks alien in the land of existentialism.in  vain search of  Picasso or when he runs after Bulleh Shah’s Ki jana main kaun. He is at his best at  home turf when he depicts the lyrical beauty of nature or a damsel ‘larazte reshmi hathon ka mausam/ kahan hai un mulakaton ka mausam ‘. Another Yeh hawa pee ke chali hai teri khashboo ki shrab/ Id hawa ko meri sanson main bhataak jane do ;.His feelings and sense of loneliness have pathos that are missing in contemporary Indian urdu poetry. ‘Kisi daman ki panahon main simatne ke liye/ kin mahazon se main lota hoon use kaya maloom’. Or kisi ne yaad kiya tab bhi ham bahut roye/ Jo usne tham liya tab bhi ham bahut roye’.

Winner of three Urdu Academy Awards he is one Urdu poet in India who has made a  mark in Pakistan and other countries where Urdu is read. 

Self glorification of leaders when public pays

Much before commercialization began with the reforms of Narsimah-Manmohan time Indian culture placed value on humility and moderation in advertising one’s own credentials and achievements at the expanse of the public exchequer. I have no quarrel with Political parties who spend a lot of money to promote their leaders as the money is not from public exchequer but private donations. Government that collects funds from public by taxation has no right to spend it on its own leader’s self promotion. The money is meant for expenses of development and services to citizens who have been taxed. Lately this race for self aggrandizement by PM CMs and even minor functionaries like local bodies, have crossed all limits. The latest addition to this is Kejriwal’s unabashed publicity and even telling distortions to the public at the Government expenditure. He has budgeted 550 crores whereas previous government spent 24 crores. Delhi is bombarded with his self praise and casting aspersions at the other leaders or central government.

How this ruthless ‘pehle main’ sloganeering has caught the imagination of leaders and how they have disaster of blitzkrieg hitting the walls, roads and media with hoardings of their own praise? Before commercialization which began with opening of economy and rat race, there was competition but decent publicity of what the leaders is and what he claims he will do. But there was no such blatant ‘Main hi main’ .We were taught in homes that we should not thrust ourselves forward and we should respect others and we should not claim we are best that others may say. When I topped the examination in graduation and post graduation I was overjoyed but did not hit the streets with ‘Hi I am the top. My colleagues came rushing to me when I topped in Indian Institute of Public administration with a question how I did it. I merely smiled and told them ‘yar aise hi’. I did not say that I deserved as I am best. There was a degree of modesty that went with the culture of ‘Pehle aap’. I got a jolt when I started hearing children talking of ‘I am the best ‘.I soon learnt that actors and actresses in Movies or outside claiming ‘I am the best’. Political leaders beat them with pushing miles forward by splashing the roads with their claims to immortality.

Thousands of crores are being spent on inaugurations and functions of Government where CMs just appear for a short time and they receive applause.

UPA government spent 143 crores for only remembering their dead leaders. Last three years central government spent 30 crores in remembering Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar. Also at the same time it spent 22crores on Nehru-Gandhi family. Commemorating dead is also for political gain. Fortunately Supreme Court is putting some restrictions but not adequate enough to ban it. But it clearly said that public funds cannot be used for creating personality cult of leaders.

I travelled thousands of miles in China on roads last year but came across not a single hoarding showing their leaders except there were road signage. In our country some time inside the states there are no signs or are hidden behind hoardings of CMs. Travelers need signage but that is no one’s concern, rather    futile thanks giving or inconvenience regretted boards are put up on raods which are full of pits. No hoardings of leaders have been seen by me in Europe. It is sign of our primitive development and poor work culture which need to be redirected to more work rather than sycophancy. Leaders themselves should stop it but they see themselves everywhere and feel pleased with it.

Bashir badar rightly reminded such self obsessed politicians

’ Ae khuda mujhko na aisi khudai de

/ Jab apne siva koi na dikhai de.

Bus Stand (contributed by Ram Lubhaiya)

First Passenger: State government passed in Budget session that contract employees of five years service will be regularized but six months have passed and they are not paid. Ministers/MLAs raise their own salaries by 60% but they don’t pay poor employees.

Second Passenger: This how Government is recovering the loss.  They want to squeeze out teachers, clerks.

---Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India