SYED ALI AKHTAR

Sunday, 25 March 2012

सैयद अली अख्तर

भारत दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा लोकतांत्रिक देश है और यहां लोकतंत्र की जड़ें काफी गहरी हैं। लेकिन कई बार कुछ घटनाओं के चलते यहां व्यवस्था कठघरे में खड़ी दिखती है। सभी जानते हैं कि हमारा देश आतंकवाद की समस्या से जूझ रहा है। हम सबको इस लड़ाई में सहयोग करना चाहिए। लेकिन कई ऐसी घटनाएं सामने आ चुकी हैं जिसमें केवल शक की बुनियाद पर कुछ लोगों को आतंकवादी घोषित कर दिया गया और उन्हें तब तक कैद और प्रताड़ना के बीच अपना वक्त काटना पड़ा, जब तक कुछ अदालतों ने उन्हें निर्दोष नहीं घोषित कर दिया। पिछले दिनों दिल्ली की एक आतंकी वारदात के बाद जिस तरह वरिष्ठ पत्रकार मोहम्मद अहमद काजमी पर आरोप लगे, उससे एक बार फिर यह आशंका जाहिर की जा रही है कि क्या हमारी व्यवस्था केवल शक के आधार पर काम करती है। मामले को आतंकवाद से जुड़ा देख कर इंसानियत की लड़ाई लड़ने का दावा करने वाले लोग भी चुप रह गए।
इसमें कोई शक नहीं कि आतंकी घटनाओं को अंजाम देने वाले वास्तविक दोषियों को सजा मिलनी चाहिए, लेकिन आखिर ऐसा क्यों है कि हमारी जांच एजेंसियां किसी भी घटना को रोक पाने के बजाय विदेशी जांच एजेंसियों के दबाव में आकर इधर-उधर हाथ-पैर मारने लगती हैं। हर बार जब कोई आतंकवादी घटना घटती है तो किसी न किसी आतंकवादी संगठन का नाम जरूर आता है। इजराइली राजनयिक की गाड़ी पर हुए हमले के तार ईरान से जोड़ कर जरूर देखे जा रहे हैं, लेकिन इस बार किसी आतंकवादी संगठन का नाम सामने नहीं आया। सवाल है कि इजराइल द्वारा ईरान पर बनाया जा रहा यह दबाव कहीं अमेरिकी-इजराइल नीति का हिस्सा तो नहीं! एक मामला सुलझ भी नहीं पाता कि दूसरी घटना घट जाती है और हमारी जांच एजेंसियां उसके तार जोड़ने में लग जाती हैं। क्या काजमी भी उसी व्यवस्था के शिकार हुए जिसमें किसी भी आतंकी घटना के बाद शक के घेरे में कोई मुसलमान ही आता है?

जांच एजेंसियां जांच करें, इसमें किसी को एतराज नहीं होना चाहिए। लेकिन जांच को भटका कर किसी को कसूरवार बताने का रिवाज जम्हूरी हिंदुस्तान के लिए अच्छा नहीं है। काजमी एक स्वतंत्र पत्रकार रहे हैं, इसके बावजूद उनकी रिपोर्टिंग में वह धार देखी गई जो अमूमन दुनिया के बड़े मीडिया समूहों में भी नहीं देखा जाता है। तो क्या आज उन्हें अमेरिका और इजराइल की नीतियों के खिलाफ आवाज उठाने की कीमत चुकानी पड़ रही है? मुझे नहीं मालूम कि मोहम्मद अहमद काजमी के साथ क्या होगा, लेकिन इतना जरूर पता है कि ऐसे लोग बेगुनाह साबित हो जाने के बाद भी संदेह की नजर से देखे जाते हैं। अपने पर लगे दाग को यह मिटाने की कोशिश भी करें, तो वे साफ नहीं होते। पूरी जिंदगी समाज के ताने को सहना एक अलग यातना है।
एक पत्रकार जो भारतीय लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तंभ का प्रतिनिधित्व करता आया हो, जो पत्रकार की हैसियत से दूसरों से प्रश्न करता आया हो, आज वह खुद सवालों के घेरे में है। जब जांच एजेंसियां उनसे जवाब-तलब कर रही होंगी तो उस वक्त हमारा लोकतंत्र चुपचाप खड़ा अपने कुछ सवालों के बारे में सोच रहा होगा। इस सबके बीच भारत और ईरान के रिश्तों में अगर दरार पड़ती तो उसे एक स्वाभाविक घटना विकास के रूप में देखा जाना चाहिए। कुछ बाहरी ताकतें हैं जो चाहती हैं कि विकासशील राष्ट्रों के बीच फूट डाल कर उन्हें विकसित होने से रोकें। जरूरत इस बात की है कि उनकी मंशा को समझते हुए भारत और ईरान के बीच पुराना विश्वास बहाल रखा जाए।

Friday, 4 November 2011

Need of Right to Employment Bill

Syed. Ali Akhtar

India has more than sixty five per cent youth population. But question arises, whether India is really looking young? Is India really shining? How to keep India Shining? Many questions come into my mind regarding the future of Indian youth who are facing lot of problems. A large number of educated people in the country are unemployed. Young people are a major human resource for development of any country, key agents for social change, driving force for economic development and technological innovation also.

After taking Professional education, when they are not getting job they commit suicide. Employment is behind the surge in number of students committing suicide. After taking admission in Professional Courses their real expectations regarding job has become high.

National Crime Records Bureau, recently released the data which shows that how suicide cases increased by 26% from 2006 to 2010, in metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai having most victims in that order. While 5,857 students suicidals were reported in 2006, the figure rosed to 7,379 in 2010. It means, 20 students killed themselves everyday in year 2010.

Today, there is a greater link between employability and higher education. We are living in a democratic country and still we are facing such problems. Why we are not raising voice. If our government is able to implement, Right to Education, Right to Information, Why not introducing, Right to Employment Bill. Why Is it not be our fundamental right ?

The Education System in India as already pointed out is not very sound. Our Human Resource & Development Minister, Mr.Kapil Sibbal is trying to change the education system in it’s own way. He has taken several decisions in changing the system, but he has failed . The expansion of higher education has been completely unplanned and chaotic. Educated unemployment on this scale has made investment in human resources unproductive. Here is a need of reforms in the policies regarding Education and Employment.

It is a big irony that the best qualified among the educated people migrate to developed western countries for employment. Question arises why they migrate ? Answer is simple , they are not getting good opportunities in India. Their behavior, though justified from their own angle, results in a heavy loss to the society.

Now the time has come that the government should seriously think about Right to Employment Bill, which can ensure hundred percent employment guarantee and eradicate poverty which will make India really a problem free and prosperous Country.

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Documentary

Rising From The Ashes

Every political party and religious group has laid claim to Ayodhya. The conflict arising from these claims seems to have sucked the energy out of the city. As if the two decade old conflict between extreme hindu and muslim groups, and their politics, has left Ayodhya and its citizens bereft of its beauty. It seems as if all progress in this historic city - an epitome of grace and splendour - has come to a halt. Once the center of leather shoes, violence has disrupted this industry to an extent that there seems no hope for re-establishment of this sector in Ayodhya. Yet, amongst all this, there continues to be hope and courage that leads the citizens of this city.
Ayodhya and Faizabad - often referred to the twin cities of the cultures of Ganga and Yamuna - has continued to conserve the values of humanity despite the political violence over these decades. It is unfortunate that politics and media have chosen to consistently show the dark and divisive values when they talk about Ayodhya. Thus, this city has begun to be viewed through a filter of violence and fear. It is in this context that the documentary "Rising from the Ashes" focuses on an individual whose activities have shown hope like that of the Sun rising from the horizon, dispelling the darkness of the night.
The documentary is about Mohammed Sharif - locals refer to him as Sharif Chacha (Uncle). He earns his livelihood as a cycle mechanic - but that is only his livelihood. It does not define him. This resident of Faizabad's Khidki Alibag neighborhood is the caretaker of unclaimed dead bodies. Sharif Chacha finds dead bodies who no one claims and then leads the last rites for those bodies consistent with the apparent religion of these individuals. He must have taken care of over 1600 dead bodies in 18 years.
There is a story behind this effort, a story that was the result of an uncaring system. Sharif Chacha's son, Mohammed Rais, had gone to Sultanpur where he was murdered and his body disposed off. At this point in his life, Sharif Chacha decided that he would provide the last rights to all unclaimed dead bodies that he would find in a humane way. He says that "the blood of all humans is the same - and hence there is a relationship between all humans. As long as I am alive, I will ensure that dead bodies are not thrown to dogs or rot in a hospital, that they are treated with respect". Sharif Chacha's personal story would have pushed most people to hate the world; Sharif Chacha took the path of hope and humanity. Providing the last rites humanely to unclaimed bodies became his goal. Writer and journalist Krishna Pratap Singh says that his focus and work continued through the dark days of violence and terror that shook Ayodhya.
After his morning Namaaz, Sharif Chacha sets out to look for unclaimed bodies. He visits morgues and railway stations. Local people support his efforts. Jyoti says that whenever local people see him with a body, they often provide him transportation in their own vehicles. Maulana Fayaaz, who performs the last rites for Muslim bodies, says that Sharif Chacha treats the bodies as if they were of his own kin. He helps bury those bodies that were of Muslims and provides the holy fire to those of Hindus.
This documentary focuses on the hope that is the result of the work of someone like Sharif Chacha. It shows an episode of an African native in Ayodhya who has been playing the role of Hanuman in the local Ramlila for years. During one such event, he was badly burned. No one was willing to take care of him after this accident, but Sharif Chacha did. The primary priest of Shri Ram Janm Bhoomi, Acharya Satyendra Das says that Mohammed Sharif was felicitated at the Tulsidas Memorial Hall for his efforts that bring glory to humanity. All citizens of Ayodhya have respect for him.

Sharif Chacha continues to bring light to this city which has been the home to many spiritual thinkers of all traditions. Yet, many are worried about his failing health. Buddhist teacher Dr. Karunasheel points out that Sharif Chacha is 75 years old and his kidney has failed. He wonders where such ideals will find expression, and wherefrom they will sprout when Sharif Chacha is no more.

Irrespective of what people think about Ayodhya, it is people like Sharif Chacha who continue to hold the human nature of the city. This is the focus of the documentary Directed by Syed.Ali Akhtar and Produced By-Mohd.Gufran Khan,Shah Alam ,Shariq Haider Naqvi & Syed.Ali Akhtar itself. The film also points out that it is easy to deal with the darkness of hate and violence. Sharif Chacha - a veritable university for such learning - is an example.