Recollections of Childhood.

The above two paintings are painted by Frantz Charlet 1862-1928.  These paintings remind me of my childhood.

1) I started smoking at an early age of around 11. I was accompanied by a friend who saw someone throw a burning cigarette butt which he rushed to pick up and hid under the pheran (smock). He had a few puffs and next he gave it to me. I was reluctant but he convinced me that it is soothing. So I too smoked a few puffs and coughed instantly. We headed to our home hiding the cigarette under our pheran. Shockingly, I found my mother coming from opposite side in a lane and she saw me throwing out the smoke from my mouth. And you can imagine what must have happened at home. She was angry and furious and beat me with a stick. 

Later on we got used to smoking and used to lit the cigarettes from each other's as in the painting.

2) The second painting reminds me of a game called LAGORI which we used to play in childhood. We placed seven earthen tablets one over the other and a player of one team was supposed to hit it. If he succeeded the team had to run away till caught or else they must rebuild the earthen tablets to be declared a winner.

                                    ππππππ

 

Fortune telling experience

I was watching Indian Idol on Sony TV today. Nana Patekar had been invited as a guest. Since the beginning of this series of Indian Idol, a participant claimed that she was a Numerologist. She was asked by Nana Patekar to tell what was his age? Nana Patekar obviously showed that he doesn't believe in such things as fortune telling and numerology. She was in a fix and out of confusion blurted out 43. Nana smiled and in his own style said, "You are right, but just add 31 to it. That makes it 74". This was indirectly a dig on her numerology.

I recalled a similar incident that had happened with me in 1971. I was working as Branch Manager, Kashmir Govt Arts Emporium, Sector 17, Chandigarh. A bearded astrologer came into the showroom and entered my cabin. He claimed that he is a fortune teller and can tell me about my future. Of course he expected to be paid for the job. I asked him to sit in the chair in front of me and comforted him. 

At the very outset, I asked him a question, "Can you tell me what is my age?" 

He got flabbergasted. 

He looked at my face intently. My look told him that I may be around 20-25 years old but the atmosphere of the Emporium and the chair I was occupying told him that it cannot be less than 30-35. He got totally confused and out of despair blurted out that your age is around 32. 

I laughed and told him that you cannot tell my age though I am sitting in your front, how can you tell my future which is very distant and not yet born. So I requested him to leave without wasting my time. However, while leaving I told him that I was born in 1950 and therefore am 21 years old. He left my cabin hurriedly and didn't look back even once. 

A Remarkable Journey from Kashmir to Literary Fame: Deepak Kumar Budki : Copied from Giltoor

 

A Remarkable Journey from Kashmir to Literary Fame: Deepak Kumar Budki

(Copied from Giltoor FB page)

Deepak Kumar Budki, also known by his pen name "Deepak Budki," has made lasting contributions across multiple fields, from civil service to Urdu literature and the arts. His life is a story of rich, varied experiences rooted in a deep commitment to service and creativity.

Born on February 15, 1950, in Srinagar, Kashmir, Deepak Kumar Budki’s journey has spanned the serene landscapes of his birthplace to various parts of India and beyond, marking his footprints in the fields of administration, literature, and art.

Budki’s educational background reflects his lifelong pursuit of knowledge:

M.Sc in Botany

B.Ed. from Kashmir University

Adib-e-Mahir from Jamia Urdu Aligarh

Graduate of the National Defence College, New Delhi

Associate of the Insurance Institute of India, Mumbai

In 1992, Budki authored a significant thesis titled Genesis of Kashmir Problem and Article 370 at the National Defence College, New Delhi. This work provided valuable insights into complex socio-political issues, contributing to understanding the Kashmir region.

With a career spanning over four decades, Budki began his professional journey with the J&K Handicrafts Corporation, where he served as a Manager at the Kashmir Govt Arts Emporium. In 1976, he joined the Indian Postal Services, a step that shaped his lifelong commitment to public service. During his career, he also served in the Army Postal Service on deputation, ultimately reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His career culminated in his retirement in February 2010.

Budki’s leadership was most visible in Jammu & Kashmir, where he served in challenging roles such as Senior Superintendent of Post, Director, Postmaster General, and Chief Postmaster General. In 1990, he secured pioneering rehabilitation orders for migrant staff, setting an example for other government sectors. His contributions also include expanding Postal Life Insurance to rural India, significantly enhancing insurance access and coverage.

In addition to his public service, Budki has made a notable impact in Urdu literature. He is known for his work as an author of short stories, novels, critical essays, and autobiographies, bringing him recognition across India, Pakistan, and Europe. His major works include:

Short Story Collections: Adhoore Chehre, Chinar ke Panje, Zebra Crossing par Khada Aadmi, Ruh Ka Karb, and Muthi Bhar Rait

Novels: Apna Apna Such, Azadi

Essays and Critiques: Asri Tehreerein, Asri Shaoor, and Asri Takhleequat

Research-Based Books: Urdu Ke Ghair Muslim Afsana Nigar and Krishan Chander-Meri Nazar Mein

Autobiography: Lauhe Hayat

Budki’s works, translated into multiple languages, have reached a wide audience. His writings explore themes of identity, culture, and resilience, resonating with readers from diverse backgrounds.

Throughout his journey, Budki has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Postal Life Insurance Gold Medal and the Rashtriya Gaurav Samman. He has been honoured by the Andhra Urdu Academy, the Kalidas Samman, and the Dr Manzar Kazmi National Award for fiction. His literary contributions have been the subject of research and analysis, with studies exploring his impact on Urdu literature.

Budki’s creativity extends beyond writing; he is an avid artist, engaged in drawing, painting, and cartooning. His love for exploration has taken him to cities like Bangkok, Dubai, Rome, Cairo, and Paris, enriching his life experiences and perspectives.

Deepak Kumar Budki’s life epitomizes the blend of service and creative expression. From Kashmir’s landscapes to the complexities of Indian postal services, and from Urdu literature to the visual arts, his journey showcases a life devoted to learning, innovation, and connecting with others. His story is one of inspiration, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge and beauty.

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Copied from the FB page of GILTOOR which promotes art, culture, and the rich heritage of forgotten traditions among the younger generation of Kashmir. Giltoor encourages young people to engage with and appreciate the artistic expressions and cultural narratives of the past.

Deepak Budki Ke Afsane "Qarze Ki Duniya" Ka Tajaziyati Mutala'a: Writer: Parvez Manoos

 دیپک بُدکی کے افسانے "قرضے کی دنیا" کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

تجزیہ نگار: پرویز مانوس 

دیپک بُدکی کا تعلق وادئ کشمیر سے ہے اور وہ افسانوی ادب کی کافی خدمت کر چُکے ہیں _ محکمہ انڈیا پوسٹ سے پوسٹ ماسٹر جنرل کے عہدے سے سُبکدوش ہونے کے بعد آج کل غازی آباد میں رہائش پزیر ہیں اور وہاں بھی اردو ادب کی مُسلسل بھر پور خدمت کرنے میں سرگرم عمل ہیں _ اُن کے کئی افسانوی مجموعے جن میں "چنار کے پنجے"ادھورے چہرے، مٹھی بھر ریت، یہ کیسا رشتہ، روح کا کرب، زیبرا کرسنگ پر کھڑا آدمی، اس کے علاوہ دو عدد ناول "آزادی اور اپنا اپنا سچ شائع ہو کر مقبولیت حاصل کرچکے ہیں، آج ہم اُن کے ایک افسانے "قرضے کی دُنیا" کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ پیش کریں گے_ دیپک بُدکی کا افسانہ "قرضے کی دنیا" جدید اور روایتی معاشرتی تصورات کے درمیان گہرے تضاد کو اجاگر کرتا ہے۔ یہ کہانی قرض کے تصور اور اس کے اثرات کے گرد گھومتی ہے، جس میں بھوشن لال اور اس کے خاندان کی کہانی کے ذریعے پرانے اور نئے زمانے کے قرضے کی روایات کو پیش کیا گیا ہے_ مرکزی خیال:- افسانہ "قرضے کی دُنیا" کا مرکزی خیال قرض کے سماجی، نفسیاتی، اور معاشی اثرات کو اجاگر کرنا ہے۔ افسانہ اس بات پر روشنی ڈالتا ہے کہ کس طرح قرض نہ صرف فرد کی مالی حالت بلکہ اس کی ذہنی سکون، خاندانی تعلقات، اور معاشرتی زندگی کو بھی متاثر کرتا ہے۔ اس کا مرکزی پیغام یہ ہے کہ قرض کی دنیا ایک ایسا جال ہے جس میں داخل ہونے کے بعد ابھیمنیو کی طرح نکلنا مشکل ہو جاتا ہے، اور یہ جال نہ صرف معاشی طور پر بلکہ اخلاقی اور نفسیاتی سطح پر بھی انسان کو جکڑ لیتا ہے_

مجموعی طور پر، "قرضے کی دنیا" کا مرکزی خیال یہ ہے کہ قرض ایک ایسی دنیا ہے جہاں انسان آزادی اور خودمختاری کھو بیٹھتا ہے، اور اس جال میں پھنس کر وہ نہ صرف مالی طور پر بلکہ اخلاقی اور نفسیاتی طور پر بھی متاثر ہوتا ہے۔ قرضے کا تاریخی اور روایتی تصور کہانی کا آغاز قرضے کے روایتی تصور سے ہوتا ہے جب قرض کو ایک بوجھ سمجھا جاتا تھا جس سے بچنا ہی بہتر تھا۔ دیہاتی معاشروں میں قرض لینے سے کسان اپنی زمینیں کھو دیتے تھے اور غلامی کی زندگی گزارنے پر مجبور ہو جاتے تھے۔ یہ بات بھوشن لال کے والد کے کردار کے ذریعے سامنے آتی ہے، جو ایک تاجر ہونے کے باوجود قرض لے کر اپنی زندگی برباد کر بیٹھتا ہے۔ یہ حصہ قرض کی اخلاقی پیچیدگیوں اور اس کے معاشرتی اثرات کو نمایاں کرتا ہے۔ قرض اور جدید دور وقت کے ساتھ قرض کا تصور بدل جاتا ہے، اور اب قرض زندگی کا ایک لازمی جزو بن چکا ہے۔ افسانے میں یہ تبدیلی بھوشن لال کے بیٹوں کی زندگی میں نظر آتی ہے۔ وہ مختلف مقاصد کے لیے بڑے قرضے لیتے ہیں: شیام سندر اپنی اعلیٰ تعلیم کے لیے امریکہ جاتا ہے اور سریندر اپنی کمپنی کھولنے کے لیے بھاری سرمایہ حاصل کرتا ہے۔ یہ حصہ موجودہ زمانے میں قرضے کی نئی حقیقت کو بیان کرتا ہے، جہاں تعلیم، تجارت، اور زندگی کے دوسرے شعبوں میں ترقی کے لیے قرض لینا معمول بن چکا ہے۔ نسلی فرق اور مڈل کلاس کی جدوجہد افسانے میں پرانی اور نئی نسل کے درمیان ایک واضح فرق نظر آتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال اپنے والد کی مثال دیکھ کر قرض سے بچنے کی کوشش کرتا ہے، لیکن اس کے بیٹے نئی دنیا کے تقاضوں کے تحت قرض لے کر کامیاب ہوتے ہیں۔ یہاں مڈل کلاس کی جدوجہد اور اس کی بدلتی ہوئی ضروریات کو اجاگر کیا گیا ہے، جس میں ترقی کے حصول کے لیے قرض کا استعمال ایک اہم ضرورت بن چکا ہے۔ قرضے کے نفسیاتی اثرات کہانی میں قرض کے نفسیاتی اثرات کو بھی بیان کیا گیا ہے، خاص طور پر بھوشن لال کے کردار میں۔ وہ اپنے والد کے قرض کی مشکلات کو دیکھ کر خوفزدہ ہے، اور جب اس کے بیٹے کروڑوں کا قرض لیتے ہیں، تو وہ حیرت اور پریشانی میں مبتلا ہو جاتا ہے۔ یہ اس بات کا عکاس ہے کہ قرض نہ صرف مالیاتی بوجھ ہوتا ہے بلکہ نفسیاتی دباؤ بھی پیدا کرتا ہے، جو نسل در نسل منتقل ہو سکتا ہے۔  معاشرتی اور معاشی تضاد افسانے کا ایک اہم پہلو معاشرتی اور معاشی تضاد ہے۔ پرانا نظام قرض کو ایک لعنت سمجھتا تھا، جبکہ جدید دور میں قرض کو ترقی کا ذریعہ سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال کے بیٹوں کی کامیابی اور بھوشن لال کے والد کی ناکامی کے ذریعے اس تضاد کو عمدگی سے پیش کیا گیا ہے۔ کرداروں کے حرکات و سکنات: افسانہ "قرضے کی دنیا" میں کرداروں کے حرکات و سکنات ان کی سوچ، معاشرتی مقام، اور حالات کے مطابق ہیں۔ یہ کردار اپنی اپنی زندگیوں میں قرض کے اثرات کے گرد گھومتے ہیں، اور ان کے رویے، عمل، اور فیصلے ان کے تجربات کی عکاسی کرتے ہیں۔ بھوشن لال بھوشن لال کہانی کا مرکزی کردار ہے، جس کے حرکات و سکنات ایک مڈل کلاس شخص کی مالی جدوجہد کو ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔ قرض سے نفرت: بھوشن لال اپنے والد کی طرح قرض کے نتائج سے ڈر کر زندگی گزارتا ہے۔ اس کے والد کی جانب سے قرض لینے اور اس کے باعث معاشی مشکلات کا سامنا کرنے کے بعد بھوشن لال نے یہ قسم کھا رکھی ہے کہ وہ کبھی قرض نہیں لے گا۔ اس کا یہ فیصلہ ماضی کے تجربات پر مبنی ہے۔ بیٹوں کی ترقی پر بے چینی: بھوشن لال اپنے بیٹوں کے فیصلوں پر بے چینی محسوس کرتا ہے، خاص طور پر جب وہ تعلیم اور کاروبار کے لیے بھاری قرضے لیتے ہیں۔ وہ ماضی کے تجربات کی روشنی میں قرض کو خطرناک سمجھتا ہے، جبکہ اس کے بیٹے نئے دور کے تقاضوں کو اپناتے ہیں۔ عدم سمجھداری: بھوشن لال جدید دور کے قرضے کے نظام کو نہیں سمجھ پاتا۔ جب اس کے بیٹے کروڑوں کا قرض لیتے ہیں، تو وہ حیران اور پریشان ہو جاتا ہے۔ یہ اس کی مڈل کلاس پس منظر اور پرانے خیالات کی عکاسی کرتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال کے والد بھوشن لال کے والد کہانی کے ماضی میں موجود ایک اہم کردار ہیں، جن کے اعمال کہانی کا اہم موڑ فراہم کرتے ہیں۔ غلط فیصلہ: بھوشن لال کے والد نے اپنی تجارت کو بڑھانے کے لیے قرض لیا، لیکن اسے غلط جگہ خرچ کیا (مکان کی تجدید پر)۔ ان کا یہ فیصلہ ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ وہ قرض کو سمجھنے میں ناکام رہے اور ان کے اس عمل نے ان کی زندگی کو تباہ کر دیا۔ پریشانی اور جدوجہد: والد کی قرض چکانے کی جدوجہد ان کی پریشانی اور زندگی بھر کی ناکامی کا مظہر ہے۔ ان کی حرکات میں ایک بے بسی اور ناکامی کا عنصر ہے، جو کہانی میں قرض کے منفی اثرات کو اجاگر کرتا ہے۔ شیام سندر (بڑا بیٹا) شیام سندر بھوشن لال کا بڑا بیٹا ہے، اور اس کے عمل جدید تعلیم اور ترقی کے لیے قرض کے استعمال کی عکاسی کرتے ہیں۔ تعلیمی قرض: شیام سندر اعلیٰ تعلیم کے لیے امریکہ جانے کا ارادہ کرتا ہے، اور اس کے لیے بیس لاکھ روپے کا قرض لیتا ہے۔ اس کا یہ عمل ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ وہ تعلیم کو ترقی کا ذریعہ سمجھتا ہے اور قرض کو اس کے حصول کا ایک وسیلہ۔ عملیت پسندی: شیام سندر قرض کو ایک مالیاتی ضرورت کے طور پر قبول کرتا ہے، جو اس کے والد کے خیالات کے برخلاف ہے۔ وہ قرض لیتا ہے اور اسے چکانے کے لیے ملازمت بھی کرتا ہے، جو اس کی عملی اور جدید سوچ کو ظاہر کرتا ہے۔ (منجری (بیٹی) منجری بھوشن لال کی بیٹی ہے، اور اس کی حرکات و سکنات سماجی ترقی اور آزاد خیالی کی نمائندگی کرتی ہیں۔ شادی اور فلیٹ خریدنا: منجری اور اس کے شوہر نے دہلی میں فلیٹ خریدنے کے لیے ایک کروڑ کا قرض لیا۔ ان کا یہ عمل ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ وہ اپنے والد کے برعکس قرض کو ترقی کا حصہ سمجھتے ہیں اور ایک بہتر زندگی کے لیے اس کا استعمال ضروری سمجھتے ہیں۔ سریندر (چھوٹا بیٹا) سریندر کا کردار ایک نوجوان اور باصلاحیت انسان کا ہے، جو جدید دور کے تقاضوں کو سمجھتا ہے اور قرض کو بزنس میں کامیابی کے لیے اہم سمجھتا ہے۔ کاروباری قرض: سریندر نے آئی آئی ٹی سے انجینئرنگ کرنے کے بعد اپنی سافٹ ویئر کمپنی شروع کرنے کا ارادہ کیا اور اس کے لیے پچاس لاکھ کا سرمایہ اور پھر ایک کروڑ کا قرض لیا۔ اس کا یہ عمل جدید کاروباری دنیا میں قرض کے کردار کو ظاہر کرتا ہے، جہاں سرمایہ کاری اور قرض لینا ترقی کا لازمی حصہ ہے۔ پراعتماد اور خود مختار: سریندر اپنے والد کے خیالات کو نظر انداز کرتے ہوئے اپنا راستہ چنتا ہے۔ اس کی حرکات میں خود اعتمادی اور آزاد خیالی نمایاں ہی_ مکالموں کی ادائیگی:-

افسانہ "قرضے کی دنیا" میں مکالموں کی ادائیگی کرداروں کے جذبات اور ان کے معاشرتی پس منظر کو گہرائی سے ظاہر کرتی ہے۔ ہر کردار کے مکالمے ان کے تجربات، خیالات، اور وقت کے ساتھ ان کے رویے کی نمائندگی کرتے ہیں۔ بھوشن لال کے مکالمے بھوشن لال کے مکالموں میں قرض کے بارے میں اس کی نفرت اور خوف صاف ظاہر ہوتا ہے۔ وہ اپنے والد کے تجربے کی وجہ سے قرض سے نفرت کرتا ہے اور یہ بات مکالموں میں نمایاں ہوتی ہے۔ جیسے: "میں کبھی قرض نہیں لوں گا، یہ تو تباہی کا راستہ ہے!" اس جملے میں اس کے ماضی کے تجربات اور مستقبل کے خوف کی جھلک ملتی ہے۔ شیام سندر کے مکالمے شیام سندر، بھوشن لال کا بیٹا، قرض کے بارے میں ایک جدید اور عملی سوچ رکھتا ہے۔ اس کے مکالمے سے اس کی عملی ذہنیت اور نئے زمانے کے تقاضے سمجھ میں آتے ہیں: "تعلیم کے بغیر ترقی ممکن نہیں ہے، اور تعلیم کے لیے قرض لینا کوئی برائی نہیں!" یہ مکالمہ ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ شیام سندر کے نزدیک قرض ایک وسیلہ ہے، نہ کہ مصیبت۔ سریندر کے مکالمے سریندر کا مکالمہ بھی جدیدیت اور خود اعتمادی کی عکاسی کرتا ہے۔ اس کا اندازہ ان جملوں سے ہوتا ہے: "بزنس کے لیے سرمایہ چاہیے، اور سرمایہ بغیر قرض کے کہاں سے آئے گا؟" یہ مکالمہ اس کی خود اعتمادی اور کاروباری ذہنیت کو ظاہر کرتا ہے۔ منجری کے مکالمے منجری کے مکالمے ایک آزاد خیالی اور اپنی زندگی کی خود مختاری کو ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔ جیسے: "ہم نے فلیٹ خریدنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے، قرض سے کیا ڈرنا؟ یہ تو ہماری ضرورت ہے!" یہ جملہ ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ وہ قرض کو زندگی کے فیصلوں میں ایک ضروری عنصر سمجھتی ہے۔ مجموعی تجزیہ مکالموں کی ادائیگی میں کرداروں کی انفرادی سوچ اور ان کے ماضی و حال کے تجربات کا عکس دکھائی دیتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال کے مکالمے روایت پسندی اور ماضی کے خوف پر مبنی ہیں، جبکہ نئی نسل کے کرداروں کے مکالمے جدیدیت، عملی سوچ اور مستقبل کی طرف اعتماد کو ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔ افسانہ "قرضے کی دنیا" میں ماضی اور حال کا موازنہ مرکزی موضوع کے طور پر سامنے آتا ہے، جو کرداروں کی زندگیوں اور ان کے خیالات میں واضح تضاد کو اجاگر کرتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال کے کردار کے ذریعے ماضی کی تلخ یادوں اور روایتی سوچ کو پیش کیا گیا ہے، جبکہ اس کے بیٹوں اور بیٹی کی زندگیوں میں حال کی جدیدیت اور عملی سوچ کو دکھایا گیا ہے۔ یہ موازنہ کئی پہلوؤں میں نمایاں ہے: قرض کا تصور: ماضی میں لعنت، حال میں ضرورت ماضی کا نظریہ: بھوشن لال کے ماضی میں قرض ایک لعنت کے طور پر دیکھا جاتا تھا۔ اس نے اپنی زندگی کے تجربات سے سیکھا تھا کہ قرض انسان کو تباہ کر دیتا ہے۔ حال کا نظریہ: دوسری طرف، شیام سندر، منجری، اور سریندر کی نئی نسل قرض کو ایک ضرورت اور ترقی کا ذریعہ سمجھتی ہے۔ آج کی دنیا میں قرض کو کاروبار، تعلیم، اور ذاتی ترقی کے لیے لازمی سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ ان کے لیے قرض ایک موقع فراہم کرتا ہے جس کے ذریعے وہ اپنے خواب پورے کر سکتے ہیں۔ یہ موازنہ بتاتا ہے کہ ماضی میں قرض کا تصور منفی تھا جبکہ آج کے دور میں اسے ایک مثبت ذریعہ سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ روایات اور جدیدیت: قدیم روایات بمقابلہ جدید خیالات ماضی میں روایات: بھوشن لال ماضی کی قدیم روایات اور اصولوں کا پیروکار ہے۔ وہ زندگی میں سادگی، محنت، اور قرض سے بچنے کو اہمیت دیتا ہے۔ اس کی زندگی کا تجربہ اسے سکھاتا ہے کہ اپنی چادر کے مطابق پاؤں پھیلانے چاہئیں۔ وہ روایتی طور پر پیسے کا استعمال محدود رکھنے اور قرض سے بچنے کا حامی ہے۔ حال میں جدیدیت: حال میں، منجری اور شیام سندر جدید تعلیم اور ترقی کی سوچ رکھتے ہیں۔ وہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ کامیابی کے لیے قرض لینا ضروری ہے اور نئی سوچ کے مطابق زندگی کو بہتر بنانے کے لیے نئے وسائل استعمال کرنا لازمی ہے۔ ان کی زندگی میں فلیٹ خریدنا یا کاروبار کرنا اسی جدیدیت کا حصہ ہے، جو ماضی کے برعکس ہے۔ خاندانی سوچ: بزرگوں کی فکر بمقابلہ نئی نسل کی سوچ ماضی میں خاندانی سوچ: ماضی میں خاندانوں میں بزرگوں کی بات کو زیادہ اہمیت دی جاتی تھی اور ان کے تجربات سے سبق لیا جاتا تھا۔ بھوشن لال اپنی زندگی کے تجربات کو اپنی اولاد کے ساتھ بانٹنے کی کوشش کرتا ہے اور چاہتا ہے کہ وہ بھی انہی اصولوں پر عمل کریں جو اس نے اپنی زندگی میں اپنائے۔ حال میں خاندانی سوچ: حال کی نسل اپنے فیصلوں میں خود مختار ہے اور بزرگوں کی روایتی سوچ سے آگے بڑھنے کی کوشش کرتی ہے۔ شیام سندر اور منجری اپنے والد کی فکر اور تجربات کو نظر انداز کرتے ہوئے جدید زندگی کے تقاضوں کے مطابق فیصلے کرتے ہیں۔ وہ والد کی سوچ کو پرانی سمجھتے ہیں اور نئی دنیا کے حساب سے آگے بڑھنا چاہتے ہیں۔ معاشرتی تبدیلی: پرانی اور نئی اقدار ماضی کی اقدار: بھوشن لال کے زمانے میں لوگ سادگی اور محدود وسائل میں جینے کو اہمیت دیتے تھے۔ قرض لینے کو نہ صرف مالیاتی خطرہ سمجھا جاتا تھا بلکہ اسے سماجی طور پر بھی ناپسند کیا جاتا تھا۔ لوگ اپنی حیثیت میں رہنے کو فوقیت دیتے تھے۔ حال کی اقدار: حال کی نسل معاشرتی طور پر زیادہ آزاد ہے اور قرض لینے کو ایک معمول کا حصہ سمجھتی ہے۔ معاشرتی ترقی اور مالی آزادی کو اہمیت دی جاتی ہے اور لوگ زندگی کے بڑے فیصلوں میں قرض کو ایک مددگار ذریعہ سمجھتے ہیں۔ مجموعی تاثر "قرضے کی دنیا" میں ماضی اور حال کا موازنہ افسانے کا اہم ترین عنصر ہے جو کرداروں کے رویوں، سوچ، اور فیصلوں میں واضح طور پر دکھائی دیتا ہے۔ بھوشن لال کے ذریعے ماضی کی زندگی کی مشکلات اور قرض کے منفی اثرات کو دکھایا گیا ہے، جبکہ نئی نسل کے کردار جدید دنیا میں قرض کو ایک ذریعہ ترقی کے طور پر دیکھتے ہیں۔ افسانہ اس بات کو نمایاں کرتا ہے کہ کیسے وقت کے ساتھ خیالات اور اقدار بدل جاتی ہیں اور نئی نسل پرانے اصولوں کو چھوڑ کر اپنی راہیں خود بنانے کی کوشش کرتی ہے۔ افسانہ "قرضے کی دنیا" ایک دلچسپ اور گہرے معاشرتی مسئلے کی طرف اشارہ کرتا ہے: قرض اور اس کے انسانی زندگی پر اثرات۔ دیپک بُدکی نے اس افسانے کے ذریعے نہ صرف معاشرتی مسائل کو بیان کیا ہے بلکہ قرضے کے سماجی اور نفسیاتی پہلوؤں کو بھی اجاگر کیا ہے_،،

********

آزاد بستی بٹی پورہ ویسٹ سرینگر رابطہ:9419463487

Deepak Budki: The Storyteller of Pain And Perseverance (Author: Dr Basharat Khan)

Deepak Budki: The Storyteller of 

Pain And Perseverance 

                                                         --Dr Basharat Khan

"Deepak Budki's  stories  serve  as  a comprehensive  reflection

 of fifty years,  capturing  the  diverse  changes  in life  and  the

 social, cultural, and environmental events that have  transpired

 during this time. His work adeptly portrays these transformations

 through various creative means, making this ability a prominent

 aspect of his storytelling."

                                                                  (Dr Reyaz Tawheedi) 

Deepak Budki, born on February 15, 1950, in Srinagar, Kashmir, stands as a distinguished figure in contemporary Urdu literature and a notable career in the Indian Postal Service. His life and work reflect an impressive blend of literary artistry, public service, and academic scholarship, showcasing his deep commitment to both literature and societal development.

Deepak Budki's academic journey is marked by a rigorous pursuit of knowledge. He earned an M.Sc. in Botany and a B.Ed. from Kashmir University, an Adib-e-Mahir from Jamia Urdu Aligarh, and is a graduate of the National Defence College, New Delhi. His scholarly dissertation on "Genesis of Kashmir Problem and Article 370," submitted to the National Defence College in 1992, underscores his engagement with critical socio-political issues.

His professional career, spanning over four decades, began with the J&K Handicrafts (S&E) Corporation, where he managed the Kashmir Government Arts Emporium and later served as a Statistical & Review Officer. His tenure with the Indian Postal Service commenced in 1976, including a notable nine-year stint with the Army Postal Service as Lt. Colonel. Deepak Budki retired on February 28, 2010, as Member (Planning) of the Postal Services Board, New Delhi. During his tenure as Director PLI his greatest contribution was to extend Postal Life Insurance to rural areas in India۔ His role in J&K was characterized by resilience, particularly during periods of intense conflict, where he managed the rehabilitation of migrant staff, pension arrangements, and account transfers amidst challenging conditions besides maintaining the Postal Services during the turbulent times۔

His literary career is both prolific and diverse. His contributions encompass over 160 short stories and 10 research-based books published in India, Pakistan, and Europe. Notable collections of his short stories include:

Adhoore Chehre (1999, 2005, 2014; Hindi edition 2005), Chinar ke Panje (2005, 2014; Hindi edition 2010), Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi (2007, 2018), Reza Reza Hayat (2010), Ruh Ka Karb (2015), Muthi Bhar Rait (2015), Ab Main Wahan Nahi Rehta (2017), Jadon Ki Talash (2019), Yeh Kaisa Rishta (2022), Patton Par Likhi Tehreerein (2023).

His novels, Apna Apna Such (2022) and Azadi (2022), and his critical essays and research-based books, such as Urdu Ke Ghair Muslim Afsana Nigar (2017, 2020), a research-based book in which the lives and literary contributions of non-Muslim fiction writers are beautifully and thoroughly highlighted, Krishan Chander-Meri Nazar Mein (2022), further enrich Urdu literature.

The English translation of the story 'Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi' has been featured in the anthology 'The Pigeons of the Domes', curated by Rakshanda Jalil. This story, along with others, has been translated into various languages. For instance, 'Ghonsla' was translated into Kashmiri and published in the January-March 2012 issue of Wakh, while its English version, 'The Nest', was brought out by Shahul Taph in New Delhi in 2018. Moreover, 'Mukhbir' (The Informer) has been translated and published in Kashmir Central Weekly in Jammu, as well as on online platforms like KNN Online, Shehjar Online, and KAW Online. The Telugu translation of 'Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi,' titled 'Zebra Crossing Dagara O Kamani', was released on the Emana Web Zone on January 1, 2013, and the English translation appeared in Journalism Today in Cuttack, Odisha, from October to December 2013.

His short stories have garnered exceptional acclaim from eminent literary figures like Shamsur Rahman Farooqi, renowned for his critical acumen, alongside Waris Alvi, Sultana Meher, and Anwar Sadeed, have all offered glowing reviews. Their praise underscores the profound narrative depth and innovative approach of his work, highlighting its significant contribution to modern literature۔

Sultana Mehar a well-known writer, poet and journalist, comments that "while the literary world was once dominated by symbolic fiction; sometimes sacrificing narrative clarity, Deepak Budki offers a refreshing change. His stories are firmly rooted in the authentic experiences of his own society, rather than relying on external themes. In works such as Chinar ke Panje and Adhoore Chehre, Budki skillfully blends subtlety with stark realities, crafting engaging narratives that deeply resonate with readers through their nuanced exploration of relationships and social issues." (Translated from Urdu)

Noor Shah, a veteran fiction writer and literary luminary, commends Deepak Budki as a distinguished and internationally acclaimed short story writer. Budki’s work captures India's rich social and cultural landscape, further enriched by his extensive government experience. His collections like Adhoore Chehre, Chinar ke Panje, and Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi demonstrate his expert use of symbolism and a nuanced exploration of human experiences. Budki’s innovative narrative style and profound insights firmly establish him as a prominent figure in contemporary literature.

Renowned Urdu fiction writer and critic Dr Reyaz Tawheedi Kashmiri offers high praise for Deepak Budki's storytelling, highlighting its profound ability to capture and reflect the socio-cultural and political changes of the past fifty years. Dr Reyaz Tawheedi particularly commends Budki’s exploration of the migration and experiences of Kashmiri Pandits.

"In works such as Zebra Crossing Par Khada Aadmi, Budki’s portrayal stands out for its emotional depth and authenticity. He presents the trials of migration with remarkable realism, steering clear of embellishment. His adept handling of intricate themes, coupled with his sophisticated and nuanced narrative techniques, reveals a masterful approach to storytelling. Budki’s work is marked by a genuine engagement with his subjects, creating a vivid and compelling portrayal of human experience and societal evolution."

His work has been translated into multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Kashmiri, Pahari (Gojri), Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali. His stories have appeared in various anthologies, showcasing their broad appeal and impact.

Beyond his notable literary achievements, Deepak Budki has made a considerable impact as a cartoonist, contributing to newspapers such as Jahan-e-Nav, Navjeewan, Hamara Kashmir, and Uqab. His editorial role as Joint Editor at Uqab Weekly and his participation in debates and quiz programs on All India Radio and Doordarshan further showcase his diverse talents.

Budki has been actively involved in academic discourse, presenting at seminars and conferences including the three-day event on "Baresaghir mein Urdu Zabaan wa Adab" at Kashmir University, the two-day seminar on the "Secular Character of Urdu Language" at Jammu University, and the Tawi Kinare-The Jammu Lit Fest.

His contributions have been recognized through several prestigious awards such as the Postal Life Insurance Gold Medal in 1979, the Rashtriya Gaurav Samman, and the 5th Dr Manzar Kazmi National Award for Fiction in 2019. He has also received honours from the Andhra Urdu Academy and Sadbhavna Manch, Sironj.

Budki’s work has been featured in various special supplements and scholarly journals, and his life and contributions have been the subject of academic dissertations and research, highlighting his significant role in Urdu literature.

In addition to his professional and literary pursuits, Budki is an avid artist with interests in drawing, painting, cartooning, and gardening. His travels to international destinations such as Bangkok, Dubai, Rome, Cairo, and Paris have broadened his cultural perspectives.

Deepak Kumar Budki’s multifaceted career exemplifies a deep commitment to both public service and the arts. His extensive contributions in administrative roles, literary fields, and academic research underscore his prominence in Urdu literature and the Indian Postal Service, marking him as a distinguished figure whose legacy continues to inspire and influence.

*****

(Dr Basharat Khan is a writer, columnist, critic and author of the book "Literary Beats". He can be reached at chogalwriter76@gmail.com/Devnalwhispers.in  Mob:7006616946)

My Role in introducing Rural Postal Life Insurance in India

 My Role in introducing Rural Postal Life Insurance in India

Great and thought-provoking cartoon. I experienced this situation when I was Director Postal Life Insurance at Postal Directorate, New Delhi in 1993-95. I read in a magazine, Business India, about the Malhotra Committee of Reforms in the Insurance Sector. Contacted them and apprised them that the Department of Posts is the second largest player in the insurance field. However, it has been restricted in its activities within the government and PSU sector. They asked me to prepare a paper on it which I did in a day and submitted to higher authorities. Shamsur Rahman Faruqi happened to be the Member in charge. He appreciated it and asked me to send to the Committee. Later he asked me to put it up for the perusal of the then Secretary, S K Parthasarathy. He resented and wrote on the file that in oral evidence, no such matters needed to be discussed. I asked for guidance from Faruqi Sahab who smiled and said go ahead and don't worry. 

I attended the Committee deliberations twice for oral evidence, once along with my immediate boss, B K Mohanty DDG (PLI) and second time alone since he was on tour. On the second occasion, Mr Malhotra literally noted down all the points I made along with the roadmap I had put forward. He reproduced it in para 7 of the Committee report and the said report was out within a fortnight. 

When I heard the announcement in the evening on Doordarshan, I was afraid of what the Secretary might say. The next morning I reached earlier than my usual time and lo, got a call from PS to the Secretary to come down and meet him. With my legs shaking I rushed down the stairs instead of waiting for the lift. As I was ushered in, the Secretary got up from his seat, greeted and congratulated me. He had received a copy of the said report from the Secretary Telecom, who had congratulated him. I was totally surprised.

Anyway, I had worked day and night to get the scheme of RURAL POSTAL LIFE INSURANCE approved, first from the Malhotra Committee of Insurance, then from the Actuary and later from Government authorities. After some time I learnt that the PM wanted to launch the scheme himself on a particular occasion to encash it being a great and popular step and thus we had to wait. Incidentally, the scheme opened a 50,000 crore market (sum assured) for our department. 

Meanwhile, my boss, B K Mohanaty had announced through all Heads of the Circle that he was coming up with a great scheme in Rural PLI. A very cunning and scheming Officer, he wanted to take credit for this achievement himself and in the meantime got me transferred from PLI Directorate to Postal Staff College, Ghaziabad. We had kept the cyclostyled orders ready for issue which bore my signatures waiting for orders from PMO any moment. But that was not to be. It was thus left to my successor to sign the orders. All that was the contribution of my boss, who did not know even the ABC of insurance, was to talk to everyone who mattered in the department to inform them about the scheme and to remove my signatures as if I didn't exist in the scheme of things. Worse still was that Mr Mohanty, gave adverse remarks on my annual confidential report that year. I was, however, saved by the appreciation letter received earlier from Mr S C Mahalik, the then Secretary of the Department and the review of my ACR by the Counter-signing authority, the then Member, P K Bagchi. However, I must confess that such adverse remarks had no effect on me as I had got used to receiving them in the past and continued to receive them in the future as well. I am still not able to comprehend how I managed to rise to the level of Member Postal Services Board (Additional Secretary, Govt of India) before I finally retired in 2010. 

I firmly believe that BUREAUCRACY HAS ITS FUNNY SIDE TOO. 

 Lok Sabha Elections 2024-A Post mortem

The results of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, are out and have surprised many of us. The BJP party which has been ruling for the last ten years with a comfortable majority of its own was facing this election with an inherent anti-incumbency factor. However, the party put up a brave face and announced a target of 370 seats to be achieved this time (400+ for the NDA) out of 543 which was far above its achievement in the 2019 elections. Not only the party but the country was surprised at this tall order. Looking back at what its charismatic leader, Narendra Modi, had been able to achieve in the past, everyone believed that it may be a possibility. As the slogan goes, 'Modi hai to mumkin hai'. But the results proved the BJP brass wrong as they not only missed the target of 370 but also missed the majority on their own i.e. 272. 

Simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, the elections to Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa assemblies were also held. BJP has won a majority in Arunachal and Orissa on its own while in Andhra, its NDA partner TDP has registered a comfortable win. Sikkim was wrested by the local Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. The forming of the BJP government in two of the above states and the NDA government in another state more than compensate for the losses in parliamentary elections. 

An analysis of the gains and losses has been attempted hereunder to understand what went wrong with the strategy of the NDA this time, particularly the BJP. Out of 543 seats, NDA has been able to garner 291 (BJP:240, TDP:16, SS:7, JDU:12 & LJP:5), INDI Alliance bagged 234 seats (Cong:99, SP:37, TMC:29, DMK:22 & SS(UBT):9 while Others have got 18 seats (YSRC:4 & SAD:1 etc). NDA has a clear majority and can form government but no individual party has crossed the majority mark on its own. 

1) Total Dependence on Modi's Charisma: The BJP has been totally dependent on the charisma of Modi and most of the MPs have contributed practically nothing to popularise the schemes of the government and establish a rapport with the people in their constituency. My personal experience is that the MP ( Even the MLA) of our area was not seen even once visiting our colony. On the other hand, Modi has himself shown exemplary energy and dedication to his work and his campaigning in the election was to be seen to be believed. This time he was even interviewed by many journalists. His continuous talking to the people in 'Man Ki Baat' on AIR has been one of his great strengths where people send him their questions and he tries to answer them. 

2) Selection of Candidates: It is noticed that the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls was done by the High Command centrally ignoring the ground realities and the feedback from the State CMs. Before elections, many a CM were changed fearing incumbency factor and their non-performance but some of them recorded victory on the hustings subsequently. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won the Lok Sabha election with a record margin of over 8 lakhs. Firstly, while choosing the CMs initially proper caste, integrity and popularity factors must be taken into account so that they do not have to be replaced midway. They should be given a free hand to manage their states without rushing to the Centre for guidance.

3) The Unresolved Farmer's Agitation:  The farmer's agitation kept engaging the Central Government for more than a year and even thereafter their demands were not properly addressed. It is emphasised that farmers form a large block of voters who can make or break the governments. The fact remains that the present government passed bills in parliament without consulting them which ignited the fire and consequently the government had to withdraw the bills. However, the incident allowed the farmers in north India to press for MSP and other demands to which the government did not agree. Everybody has seen what followed besides the insult to the National flag on the Red Fort. Disagreement on the issue has been simmering in the minds of farmers in Punjab and Haryana where BJP has recorded dismal performance. The farmers of UP led by Rakesh Tikait, though comparatively less pugnacious, have shown their resentment at the Lok Sabha polls. To make things worse the present government has developed an image to be pro-capitalists rather than pro-farmers. The narrative strengthened when the opposition called Modi a friend and benefactor of Adani and Ambani. 

4) Justice Delayed: Several cases happened during the last five years where justice was not done promptly. The reason was that some kith and kin of BJP leaders were involved. Nabbing of culprits should have been done immediately on the occurrence of the incident and action taken not only to file FIRs against the accused but also to ensure the cases were taken to their logical end. The delayed action and that too under pressure from the public or social platforms has made people believe that influential people can get scot-free even if they commit heinous crimes. A fine example of such a case was the complaint of the female athletes who alleged that they were abused by their coach. This case was initially shelved and ultimately had to be followed up and is presently in the concerned court. 

5) Uttar Pradesh Dilemma: The biggest surprise was thrown by the results of UP. The matter needs to be investigated properly as to what were the factors for such a dismal performance. I have already pointed out two factors; one, disagreement between Yogi Adityanath and the Centre in the choice of candidates, and the second, the after-effects of farmer's agitation. Probably the style of functioning of Yogi Adityanath may not have gone down well with the common public as it may have installed a sense of fear in their hearts though his actions are lauded by the intellectual and honest citizens. The marginalisation of Mayawati too has played a significant role in the outcome of polls. She totally withdrew from the election scene and did not actively participate as in the past and consequently, her vote bank got transferred to the SP-Congress combine. 

6) Nonachievement of Primary Goals: It goes without doubt that the Modi government has failed to achieve some major goals like the implementation of UCC in the country. It wasted its time in sidelining the objective by passing legislation on CAA, NRC and Triple Talaq. It was possible that the government would have faced a lot of opposition on this account but it would have given confidence to the majority of Indians that the government means business rather than appeasement. Now with present dispensation, the UCC will have to go into the cold storage. 

7) The Activities of ED/CBI: It is said that one should not only be honest but he should be seen to be honest. The present government has as per them allowed these agencies to be independent which has resulted in the unearthing of so much hoarded cash and so many corruption cases. But frankly speaking what happened to the people who left the country like Mallya, Modi, Choksi etc? We hear about them from election to election and now it is ages since they have absconded. Besides, how many cases of corruption and nepotism have been registered by these institutions during the last ten years and how many people out of them have been convicted? Does the National Herald case take so much time? What happened to the cases of the Saradha Chit fund? So many politicians are behind bars without chargesheets having been finalised. Imagine when the FIRs will be filed and when the courts will decide. Why hasn't legislation been passed to dedicate some courts to such cases only and get the cases investigated and decided promptly? No, the government does not want that but uses such cases only for adverse publicity of the opposition leaders. The present government is a firm believer in attrition and not punishment.  In case the institutions are overburdened, they should only pick up cases which may have the lowest mortality rate and can be finalised soon. Unless the government shows its intent to really take to task the corrupt and dishonest, its clean image will gradually get eroded notwithstanding its claims to transparency and good governance.

Worse still is that the BJP has been crying all the time about many politicians involved in scams. The same politicians have been subsequently inducted into the party and offered lucrative posts. As a result, it is hard to believe that the government is sincere about cleaning the administrative set-up of corrupt people. The argument of the government spokesmen that the cases have not been withdrawn against such people and the law will take its own course is hard to digest by the common people. After so many years the biggest symbol of corruption, The Adarsh Building, still stands tall in Mumbai and no action has been taken against the culprits.  

8) Breaking up Opposition Parties: Of late the BJP was possessed by an evil spirit which led it to bring down opposition governments in states. In some cases, they were successful and replaced them with a better and efficient government but in most cases, such acts only brought a bad name to the party especially where the alternative government indulged in corruption and nepotism. The BJP central command could not replace their own government for fear of revolt by the CM concerned who held influence among the major castes in the state. Naturally therefore a bad precedence was created. The best example is Karnataka, the only state in the South where BJP had been ruling for a long time. In respect of Maharashtra splitting of both Shiv Sena and NCP was yet another mistake committed by the high command of BJP. Split, of course, happened but at what cost? In the recent elections, the BJP could not register as many wins as it had done in 2019. This is beside what will be in store for forthcoming assembly elections. A similar attempt was made in HP which, however, failed.

9) Price rise and Unemployment: There is no doubt that the present government has had to face severe times. Conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine have been there for more than a year. The coronavirus pandemic created havoc all across the world and affected the economies. India has been able to survive all these and maintain its growth. But people do not go by the reasons they only accept what they perceive. On the other hand, the government has emphasised avoiding overburdening of exchequer through unproductive employment and laid stress on skill development and self-employment besides expanding private employment opportunities. The people in India under the influence of socialist regimes in the past have got used to believing that employment means only regular government employment with pensionary benefits as in the olden days. Accordingly, the Opposition parties exploited the situation and created a false narrative that there is rampant unemployment and price rise in India. They even went hammer and tongs against the Indian Army Agniveer Scheme since it is a short-term engagement only. So despite the creation of private-sector employment, the people were made to believe that the government was not interested in these areas to help the poor.  

On the other hand, there is, however, a positive side of the coin too which is discussed in brief as follows:

1) Expansion of Network: The present government has not focussed on the vote-catching areas only but expanded the reach of the party to every nook and corner of the country. The party was born after the emergency, though it already had a base in the form of erstwhile Jana Sangh which had amalgamated with other parties to form the Janta Party. In the first attempt, it got only 2 seats in the Lok Sabha. The concerted efforts made initially by L K Advani and Vajpayee, the Rath Yatra and the Ram Temple episode helped it not only revive its image as a Hindutava Party but also gain an immense voter base so much so that the party was able to form a government under the able leadership of Vajpayee. Later the ten-year interregnum of Manmohan Singh as Congress PM allowed it to introspect and it bounced back under the unmatched leadership of Narendra Modi in 2014. He has been very industrious and focused on ensuring that the BJP flag is hoisted in all the states in the country. He concentrated his efforts on developing infrastructure in hitherto neglected areas of the Northeast, which yielded good results. Today the party not only rules in Assam but Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh as well. It has also made deep inroads in West Bengal and replaced CPI(M) and Congress as the main opposition party in the state. In the elections recently held for Odisha assembly the party is likely to form its own government for the first time. Gujarat, UP, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Goa and Maharashtra have also welcomed the growth of BJP at the grassroots level. The resistance is seen in J&K and Punjab besides the southern states like AP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala etc. Some hiccups have of late been experienced in Maharashtra. However, it is a matter of immense joy for the party to have made inroads in Andhra, Telangana and Kerala in the recently concluded elections.

2) Integration of the Country: While efforts have been made to settle differences with extremist groups in the Northeast and many of these have already joined the mainstream, even the Naxals have been either exterminated or reined in and many of them have surrendered to the army. Peace has prevailed in the region except in Manipur which saw a rise in ethnic clashes recently abetted by internal and external forces. The greatest achievement in this regard has been a reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir State into two Union territories i.e. UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh. Article 370 of the Constitution which granted special status to the State has been removed once and for all. 

3) Infrastructural and Industrial Development: There is no doubt about the rapid strides taken by the country in infrastructural development and industrial growth. Today India has attained fifth position in the developed countries in the world. Road networks, Airports, and Railways have shown a marked improvement. Many  AIIMS, hospitals and medical colleges have been added to the existing ones. During the Covid epidemic, the country made its own vaccination and even supplied it to needy countries rather than depending on Western MNCs. Besides the government provided houses, toilets and gas connections to millions in the vast country. 

4) Harnessing of Terror activities: The present government was able to curb the terror activities within the country besides stopping the neighbouring countries from encroaching on our lands or helping the terror outfits. Incidents of terror since 2014 have been minimal as compared to previous periods.

5) International Relations: Ever since the present government has come into existence relations with foreign countries barring a few inimical neighbouring countries have improved a lot. The world listens to India now. Even during the Ukraine and Palestinian conflicts, the country has stood its ground and not come under the influence of either the USA or Russia. Many international meets were organised in the country during the period. 

The present government has done tremendous work in many areas, but I need more time to dwell upon them. Suffice it to say that now that Narendra Modi is going to be the PM of India for the third time but with a slender majority that too depending upon the NDA partners, rapid and risky steps may not be taken this time and he will have to move with caution and care. I wish him the best in his future endeavours.  

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THE TIMING OF VOTING: Deepak Budki (IPoS-Retd)

THE TIMING OF VOTING

Everybody is complaining about the timing of voting in the 2024 elections in India. On the one hand, the Election Commission of India wants maximum voter turnout while on the other hand, the temperature has been soaring beyond 45 degrees Celsius (feels like 55 degrees). 

A question arises whether this election could have been held a month or two earlier. A peep into the past shows that Narendra Modi took over the charge as PM of India on 26 May 2014 for the first time while the elections were held from 07 April to 12 May 2014, and on 30 May 2019 as 16th PM of India for the second time while the elections were held from 01 April to 19 May 2019 and the results declared on 23 May 2019. This necessitates that the next duly elected government must be ready to take over charge before 30 May 2024.

India is a vast country with approximately 140 crore population having about 70% population eligible for voting and comprises different topographic regions. The climate varies widely in these regions. The areas in the foothills of the Himalayas such as Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Darjeeling etc remain cool during the summers and become hotspots for tourists to visit and ward off the heat of the plains. The temperature on average remains between 25-30 degrees. Even Bengaluru in Karnataka remains cooler than adjoining areas. On the contrary, the mercury in the Indo-Gangetic plains and the Deccan plateau touches more than 40 degrees. The temperature in these areas starts rising in March end. Hence it would be better that elections in the latter areas should be held first and that in the former areas could be held later and preferably the process should be completed by April at the most. 

Now coming to the schedule of the elections held in 2024. The election was held in 7 phases spread over 3 months as follows: 19 April, 26 April, 07 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May and 01 June and the result is expected to be announced on 14 June 2024. Simultaneously the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim have been held. The people whosoever voted braved the scorching sun overhead besides those who had to man the voting booths and the security personnel who were required to perform duties in the open and directly under the sun. While mass media have shown some enthusiastic people, old and young, coming out of their homes to cast their vote, the fact remains that the voting percentage remained around 60 per cent and 40 per cent of people did not come out to vote. Was it due to the general apathy towards the existing parliamentary system or due to the forbidding temperatures which did not permit them to come out of their cosy homes, no one can say with certainty. This is even though the Central Election Commission left no stone unturned to woo the voters to come out and vote besides providing extra facilities for old and handicapped personnel. Even the mass media and some private sector companies helped in this regard by regularly advertising on the TV and in newspapers enticing voters not to miss their right to vote.

In the background of what has been said I feel that the Election Commission and the Government were not sincere enough to mitigate the troubles of the people. There were two options for the aforesaid agencies. One was that the Government could have resigned a month earlier and continued holding charge till the next government was elected. One month would not have made the heavens fall. The other option was that the Election Commission could have spread the election schedule between March and April (say 04 Mar, 11 Mar, 18 Mar, 01 April, 12 April, 18 April, and 26 Apr with results on 30 April 2024). This would allow the next government to take over on 30 May 2024 as required or earlier if they so wished. The elections in the plains and Southern peninsula could have been held on earlier dates while those of the cooler areas as discussed earlier could have been conducted in later phases. As a result, the dependence on the climate would have been reduced if not eliminated. 

Anyway, I hope the Election Commission takes cognisance of the above suggestions for the future and keeps in mind the lives of the voters and the supplementary staff assisting in the polls.

 

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Encounters with Ayurveda: Deepak Budki

 

Encounters with Ayurveda

My first encounter with Ayurveda was about five decades ago. I was suffering from piles and my uncle in Jammu suggested I consult an Ayurvedic practitioner at Kalyan Pharmacy, Parade, Jammu. I did so and the practitioner, an old man, gave me some medicines. While leaving the pharmacy I remembered I had a fungal infection in the groin area which had bothered me for a long time. There was an itchy rash, redness all over, often blood used to ooze out and a lot of discomfort. I had consulted many allopathic doctors but there was no cure. So I asked him if he had any medicine for the infection in my groin. The old man gave me a handful of seeds almost resembling mustard seeds and asked me to mix them with mustard oil and apply it on the affected parts. I used the medicine at home but after applying felt as if some acid had been poured on the area. I almost ran helter-skelter in the room not knowing what to do especially because the area was sensitive. Immediately I cleaned it with a dry hand towel and found the pain subsiding. The next day I tried it again and this time the pain was much less than experienced the day before. That encouraged me to apply it for 2-3 days more and the rashes vanished thereafter. Suffice it to say that ever since I have not had such a fungal infection again. 

As regards my piles, one of my subordinates knew a famous Ayurvedic practitioner, Mr Ved Vishnu Datt in Jammu and took me to him. While he asked me about the problem he also enquired about my habits. I frankly told him that I smoke a lot, drink occasionally, am a non-vegetarian and am addicted to tea. My daily consumption of cigarettes is around 2-3 packets and that of tea is around 20-30 cups. He told me to stop smoking and drinking tea forthwith. I replied that I could stop smoking but could not give up tea, that was next to impossible. He asked his helper to put all the medicines back on the shelf and quietly told my subordinate who was accompanying me that I had no intention of getting cured therefore it was no use taking the medicine. His coaxing worked wonders. I gave up smoking and drinking for a long time and was cured of my piles which had reached a stage where a Surgeon would have advised me to get them operated upon. 

That reinforced my faith in the Ayurvedic way of medicine.

There were many more occasions when I had to consult Ayurved practitioners. As CPMG, J&K, I had gone to Ladakh for a visit during the Kargil war and my blood pressure went up suddenly, Since that day the problem of high blood pressure has continued. Gradually some heart functioning and vascular functioning also got impaired. Since then I have been under regular treatment of Cardiologists. Later during my posting at Vadodara, I came across an old Ayurvedic practitioner, aged around 82, who prescribed some costly medicines and assured me that things would be alright in about 3-4 months. And he was right. Afterwards, I was posted in Goa where I consulted a Cardiologist who said there are no anomalies noticed in the Heart or arteries as such but I must continue with medicine for high blood pressure without fail. So it firstly confirmed the assurance of the Ayurvedic practitioner at Vadodara and reassured me of the recovery made. That was not all. The same practitioner cured my son of the acute partial headache he had been experiencing for a long time for which a CAT scan had also been done and Cluster Migraine was confirmed. That was a miracle. He gave three packets of powdered medicines and advised us to give them to the son before sunrise besides ensuring that he did not sleep till sunset. I was astonished as to what had headache medicine to do with sunrise and sunset? But then beggars can't be choosers, so we administered the medicine to him for three days as per instructions. Can you believe that the ailment evaporated forever? No more headaches. A few more ailing relatives were also referred to him and got cured.  Unfortunately, I lost contact with the practitioner after some time due to postings to different corners of India and my cardiac problem resurfaced due to anxiety and problems which I faced subsequently. Could not find another Ayurvedic practitioner of similar repute. So now totally dependent upon the Cardio-vascular surgeons in this regard. Yet I do at times take Arjunarisht and Prabhakar Bati of Baidyanath in addition to normal allopathic medicines and at times consult the doctors of Baidyanath online. 

Recently due to the age factor, I have been inflicted with Prostate enlargement for which I have been consulting the Urologist for more than three years. Suddenly I found several Ayurvedic medicines for prostatitis on Facebook. I have a strong faith in Baidyanath and therefore preferred to take their medicine Prostaid for almost three months. The problem has been cured to a large extent and polyurination and profuse urine passing have been largely controlled. It has given me a lot of relief. 

However, here I want to add a few words of caution: 

• Firstly, there is no system of standardisation of medical practitioners in Ayurveda or Unani medicines. The system has been operating on a hereditary basis for ages. We must consult a practitioner who has developed goodwill over time and is reputed for his professional acumen. Now even Ayurveda and Tibia Colleges have come up but I found that the standard of such doctors carrying their degrees is not of desirable quality.
• Secondly, Ayurvedic practitioners make medicines locally that they give to patients without revealing their content and constituents except when they additionally prescribe some branded medicines of companies available in the market. Therefore the patient does not know about the medicine given to him which the doctor keeps strictly secret and passes on to his heirs. 
• Thirdly, many manufacturers have started publicising herbal medicines because they found a great demand for them. The advertisements are often exaggerated and misleading. Here I may refer to the case of Patanjali. I had a lot of respect for Baba Ramdev till such time he remained confined to popularising Yoga within and without India. His diversification into manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines may have been inspired by the demand favouring herbal treatment but I never imagined an illiterate unqualified person claiming himself to be a business magnate who was keen on showing his acumen for amassing wealth. His goodwill as a Yogi helped him. Besides the Governments, both the State and Central extended all types of concessions to him. As per Peter's principle, every person rises to a level of incompetence and he was no exception. Imagine Ramdev and his disciple, Acharya Balkrishna with no qualifications whatsoever diversifying from herbal medicines to Consumer goods of daily use like Noodles, flours, biscuits, oils, Masalas, Nutrients, cosmetics etc and trying to outsmart MNCs. Since the market in FMCG is huge, it accommodated his company, Patanjali too and the Company progressed day in and day out mainly banking on the goodwill created by him in the Yogic field. In so doing Baba Ramdev came out with tall and incredible claims about his products esp during the time of the COVID-19 epidemic when he introduced products claiming to cure infection due to Coronavirus and that too without any research. Ultimately he got caught. I wish our Judiciary (not to speak of the Executive (which is in hand and gloves with such fake peddlers) would take more punitive action against not only Baba Ramdev but other multinationals as well which claim their products work wonders. I wish to add here that such attempts by fake peddlers will damage the faith people have in age-old Ayurveda. which is a time-tested system of healthcare.
• Fourthly, as the demand for herbal medicines has outgrown supply and the resources are limited i.e. the vegetation having medicinal qualities is restricted, therefore some companies are adulterating their products to cater to the demand. I would recommend that products of only reputed companies should be relied upon.
• Fifthly, Ayurveda medicines try to cure the organs and their functioning over some time and not instantly as is done by Allopathic medicines. It aims at total cure, therefore, it is advisable to continue your allopathic medicines in case you are having serious ailments and take ayurvedic medicines as supplementary till some marked improvement is achieved. 
• Lastly, it is better to consult good Ayurvedic practitioners after enquiring about their reputation. In the case of Companies, some reputed ones only should be relied upon and their doctors can be contacted online if need be. 

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THE CHARISMA OF MODI - Deepak Budki, IPoS (R)

The Charisma of Modi 

Narendra Modi carries a halo around him. His achievements need to be evaluated against the background of India's progress during the seven decades before he acceded to power at the centre as Prime Minister of India. Earlier, it was the Indian National Congress (Congress) which ruled at the centre most of the time except for brief interregnums of coalition governments. Unfortunately, he carried with him the stigma of communal propensity during his reign as Chief Minister of Gujarat which had been thrust on him and publicized widely not only by the Congress Party but also by other parties banking on the Muslim vote bank.

At the outset, I would like to throw light on the developments of the Bhartiya Janta Party before Modi took over its command. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) was born after the constituents of the Janta Government fell apart like a house of cards with the return of Indira Gandhi who had earlier lost power due to the imposition of Emergency. Its precursor, the Jana Sangh was an avowed Hindu party which since its inception stood for the rights of Hindus as opposed to other parties which stood for non-Hindu religions or pseudo-secularism. Since all the big leaders of opposition parties had been jailed during the emergency they decided to put up a common front against the Congress once the emergency was lifted. It must be noted that while all parties joined the Janta Party including the only Hindu party i.e. Jana Sangh, none of the Muslim parties joined the bandwagon and did not amalgamate with the Janta Party, thus keeping their identity intact. Consequently, the amalgamation of Jana Sangh was a betrayal of Hindus who had pinned all their hopes on it since its inception, especially in the background of what happened during partition and how the party along with RSS had helped them for resettlement and resurgence. It was obvious that right and left-wing parties could never pull together as their objectives were diametrically opposite. So, the Janata experiment failed and all parties reverted to their original names and banners. Jana Sangh, instead rechristened itself as Bhartiya Janta Party. 

In the first election, the BJP fought on its own, it could only win two Lok Sabha seats in the entire country. Nevertheless, Vajpayee and Advani made special efforts to go back to the original agenda based on Hindutava and popularise their goals among old followers. Advani, in particular, took a rath-yatra across the length and breadth of the country and made Ram Mandir a pivotal issue. Then came the Babri Masjid demolition and a long legal battle for the Ram Mandir reconstruction at Lord Rama's birthplace. BJP slowly gained ground and was able to outwit other parties like Congress, Communists and the regional parties but had to seek support from some other like-minded parties. In this coalition politics, they had to experience some jolts during the rule of Vajpayee, a soft and accommodating Prime Minister. He could not, however, continue for long and was replaced by the Man Mohan Singh government for ten long years. Possibly the leaders of the BJP had lost steam and could not convince the public that theirs was a better alternative. Here the RSS and BJP consciously took a turn and changed the leadership. They handed over the reins of leadership to Narendra Damodardas Modi who had already proven his capabilities as a tough, unyielding and non-compromising leader during his tenure as CM of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.

Upon taking charge as PM of India, Modi undertook a reorganisation of the party and infused new blood in the organisation while saying adieu to the old. Some were offered respectable posts while others insisted on remaining active in politics but got eliminated with time. Since 2014 Narendra Modi assisted by his man-friday Amit Shah has worked day and night to establish BJP as a national party. Modi achieved many goals though some important ones could not be achieved because the time for implementing them was not ripe and he feared backlash from a section of the people besides international reaction. The achievements of Narendra Modi are summed up hereunder:

1. Leadership Qualities: Narendra Modi is charismatic and has adopted leading by example as his style of leadership. He continuously talks to the people through Man Ki Baat every Sunday on Akashvani besides talking to students before the examination season starts. He is seen everywhere encouraging soldiers, sportsmen, aerospace scientists, innovative entrepreneurs and hard-toiling farmers. During the recent coronavirus epidemic, he was personally able to monitor and control it in record time with minimum damages in the shape of loss of life. He would continuously cheer the poor public so that they would not feel helpless and forlorn. He mobilised support from the public during the period by regularly communicating with them and asking them to adhere to the required conduct individually and in public. It is well known that he is an enthusiast of Yoga which has now been accepted the world over and the 'Yoga Day' is now celebrated all over the world every year. Consequently, his own health is fit and he works 18 hours a day. He has shown immense energy in campaigning during elections besides successfully organising global events in India. 
2. Hindu Awakening and Unity:  The  BJP prides itself on being a party which looks after the interests of the majority community i.e Hindus though it has a strong belief in Secularism which has been part and parcel of Indian ethos. Before partition, the Colonialists have been engaged in emphasising that Hindus are a socially stratified community and the upper castes have been exploiting the lower castes. This canard was not only exploited to rule the country by divide-and-rule policy but also to effect mass conversions of Hindus to their faith. After the partition, the Congress continued with the policy and kept drawing wedges between different castes. Reservations for lower classes, though a progressive step to mitigate the problems of the lower castes, have over the years become a hurdle in integrating the Hindus and making them forget about the caste differences. RSS and BJP took it upon themselves to ensure that the Hindu fabric does not get further disintegrated and the widening of the gap between castes is stopped henceforth. Their efforts have given them opportunities to establish themselves as self-respecting Hindus with a proper identity. On the contrary, the vested interests are all the time busy questioning the concept of Hindu, or Sanatan to be exact, and claiming that this is not acceptable. Yet BJP aided by RSS is all the time busy making known the concept of Sanatan Dharma to the Hindus in India and thwarting the efforts of dissenters abetted by other religious forces. Those who question the existence of the BJP as a Hindu party are however not able to explain why there exist parties representing other religions exclusively and how Congress has been taking support of a Muslim Party in Kerala that was responsible for the partition of the country and still carries the religious propaganda against Hindus. The BjP government understands that India is the only Hindu country in the world and therefore, must save Hindus all over the world if they are persecuted in any other country. In this connection, CAA and NRC were enacted and relief was given to the Hindus and Sikhs who had taken refuge in the country. This was a major step towards rescuing the Hindus of the world as they had no other country to look out for help. 
3. Reconstruction of Ram Mandir: The greatest achievement of the Modi government is the reconstruction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya Dham and the holding of the Pran Pratishta ceremony on 22 January 2024. This is one of the promises fulfilled at last by the BJP Government after having faced a lot of opposition from Opposition parties and after fighting many legal battles, besides the successful culmination of 500 years of struggle of the Hindu community to reclaim the birthplace of Shree Ram. It has also erased the feeling of betrayal nursed by Hindus earlier due to the amalgamation of Jana Sangh into the Janta Party losing its own identity. BJP has reiterated its commitment to rediscover the greatness of ancient Hindu civilization and culture. The wrongs done by the invaders have been corrected. It has also paved the way for the reclaiming of other sites which originally belonged to Hindus and were razed to the ground by the iconoclast invaders. Suffice it to say that thousands of temples were destroyed by the invaders in the name of iconoclasm which included the birthplaces of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. A concerted effort is being made to rewrite the history of India which was distorted by left-leaning historians and the colonialists.
4. Expansion of Party: The first and foremost goal of BJP was to establish itself as the largest party in India spread from North to South and East to West. Earlier it was confined to the Hindi belt mostly among upper castes and urban centres. In his first and second tenures, Modi concentrated on northern states where BJP was not popular. His focus was also on northeastern states which remained neglected by previous governments. In the north-east, there were no roads, no air connectivity, no infrastructure and no industries worth the name. The rapid strides in these states not only made the public responsive to the BJP but also halted the ongoing proselytising efforts of missionaries. All the seven sisters as also Sikkim were brought into the national fold. These developments influenced the neighbouring eastern states like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa where BJP has been making appreciable inroads. Only WB has been resisting because the state was under the rule of Congress, Communists and Trinamool Congress all of whom banked on militant attitude, vote bank politics and appeasement and had indoctrinated the public since independence which had forced Rajiv Gandhi to call Kolkatta a "Dead City". Down south BJP has been able to only penetrate Karnataka where, however, due to internal bickerings within the party and caste politics, the opposition has bounced back. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra and Telangana are still out of bounds for the party though of late it is making all-out efforts to make inroads in these states with the personal efforts of Modi. Today the Party has the highest number of members across the country viz. 20 crores. 
5. Economic Development: The Narendra Modi Government has concentrated on the economic development of the country and has attained fifth place in the world's best economies. Known for its right-wing approach it has abstained from appeasement politics and so-called socialist sloganeering. The focus has been on increasing supply against existing and future demand and consequently alleviating poverty through rapid industrialisation, infrastructural development and making India self-reliant or Atmnirbhar. Emphasis is laid on skill development so that self-employment is generated and white-collar unemployment is reduced to the minimum. Industrial production has increased by leaps and bounds and the entire country has embraced digitalisation and is attracting foreign investments. Even defence production has increased beyond imagination as much as the country that used to import defence equipment and armaments is now exporting it. Missiles have recently been exported and a defence equipment deal has been done with Russia worth $4 billion. The network of roads, metro railways and airports has increased multifold. The number of IITs, hospitals, medical, engineering and other professional colleges have also increased. The Congress had built one AIIMS during their six decades of rule while 4 more were constructed during Vajpayee's time. The number has now increased to 26. The goal of the present government is set to be one medical college per district. 
6. Scientific Development: With the resurgence of ancient culture and religious thought the country has not abandoned scientific thinking and development. Our progress has been substantial in the field of different scientific fields and the country has supplied scientific and technological manpower to developed countries. In the area of space exploration, we have recently been successful in landing on the Moon by Chandrayan. Further exploration of other planets and the Sun is on the anvil.
7. Welfare Schemes: Irrespective of caste creed or region, Modi has announced several welfare schemes for the uplift of the downtrodden especially peasants, women and tribals. To ensure that the money reaches the beneficiary, the transfer of money is done through banks only and middlemen have been eliminated. More than 50 crore Indians have opened bank accounts under Jan Dhan Yojna 2014. Schemes like Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Kissan Samman Yojana, Ujala Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana, Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Vishwa Karma Yojana for artisans and craftsmen and Ujwala Plan are just a few schemes mentioned. Besides these Skill India Mission, Make in India, Smart City and Start Up India yojanas have worked wonders. In addition, Jan Arogya Yojana, Health and Wellness Centres, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure aim at better health of Indians across the country. A special mention needs to be made here that the present government came to the rescue of the poor persecuted Muslim women who were treated badly after marriages. The Muslim Women(Protection of Rights on Marriage)Act 2019 known as the Triple Talaq Act in common parlance has been enacted in the country to ensure that nobody resorts to such practices and in case of divorce takes proper permission from the court and abides by its directions regarding maintenance and alimony.
8. Integration of the Country: Since independence, we have witnessed the growth of disintegrating forces in several parts of the country, some of them agitating peacefully while most of them taking up arms against the State. Their designs were further facilitated by the Central and State governments lacking willpower or unable to control them due to coalition politics. Such forces raised their ugly heads in Tamil Nadu, Assam, North Eastern States, Punjab and Kashmir. Terrorism in these states has caused much damage to the country. In Punjab and later Kashmir, Pakistan got directly involved in abetting terrorism and infiltrating trained terrorists and arms and ammunition. While the Khalistan movement died after Operation Blue Star, many vested interests including a few anarchist political parties have been trying to revive it. Canada in particular has become a hotbed of Khalistani activity but the Indian government has given the Government of Canada a rebuff on this account. As regards Jammu and Kashmir State, the Modi Government took a drastic step to marginalise the extremists and their political well-wishers by bifurcating the State into two Union Territories i.e J&K and Ladakh besides abrogating Article 370. Abrogation of Article 370 was on the agenda of Jana Sangh and later BJP since independence as they never accepted the concept of One Nation, Two Constitutions and Flags. Thus it has become a great step towards integration of the country.  
9. Internation Relations: The Modi government, while following the national policy of maintaining good relations with all the countries in the world has deviated in approach by not being a passive member of the United Nations. India now calls a spade a spade and does not come under pressure from any country howsoever mighty it might be.  We have very good relations with US and European countries besides Russia and Iran. India imported oil from Russia recently despite sanctions by the USA. Our relations with the Middle Eastern countries have reached a zenith so much so that a Hindu temple was allowed to be constructed in Abu Dhabi recently. However, friendly ties with Pakistan and China could not be established despite efforts by Narendra Modi initially. Pakistani Governments continued to support Terrorism against India while China made efforts to occupy our land in Leh and Arunachal which was thwarted by our brave soldiers. The establishment of good relations with other countries has not only helped in boosting trade with such countries but also favourable balance of trade with them. Our foreign exchange reserves have increased multifold and Rupee has been introduced for bilateral trade with many countries. 

To sum it up, the last ten years of the Modi Government have been a watershed in the political history of India which has stressed on development of India sans appeasement. Achievements are there for everyone to see but you cannot help if anybody wants to put on the blinkers and see it with a jaundiced eye. 

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