Lokpal: Another View

First there was a single ruler (monarchy). Then we split the governance into the executive, parliament, and judiciary. Now we are adding Lokpal. What is the guarantee that Lokpal will be adequate? Frankly, we don't need more government and pay more taxes for it. We need a real government - one which is for the people. We have laws and the infrastructure to make those laws work to ensure checks and balances. Just that they need to work as conceived.

As many luminaries would agree, RTI is one of finest pieces of legislation passed by the Indian  Parliament. The CIC was expected to bring great amount of accountability on part of the government. But has that happened? People are scared to file RTIs for fear of retaliation and petitions are simply piling up in the CIC's office. I personally know of an RTI application made to the Chief Secretary of the State Government requesting to know what action was taken on a letter from the Prime Minister's Office to them, where even the enclosed demand draft was not cashed, speed post receipt confirmation not withstanding. I heard that it is a serious lapse if the fee paid is not cashed, but who would dare to complain against the Chief Secretary? These RTI applicants are already vulnerable and typically apply in despair, so wouldn't even dare to file an appeal. What is the guarantee that Lokpal will not go this route?

 Judiciary was envisaged to punish the corrupt and check the misuse of power. But look at what happened in the cases of S.P.S. Rathore and J Jayalalithaa! How about N Chandrababu Naidu and Nandamuri Balakrishna's cases? Or even the case of the former CJI, Sri KG Balakrishnan? I may not have chosen the most compelling cases, but you get the picture. So, do we really need a Lokpal funded with tax-payers' money in addition to the Honorable Judiciary?

To look at it more positively, we have seen quite many instances in the recent past where even Union Ministers, who were involved in scams were sent to jail by the Judiciary. So, judiciary can be powerful enough to contain corruption, but it seems to need certain circumstances to do so. What were these circumstances in the recent past? Public outcry, wary eyes of the citizens, and an awakened nation.

If we think these circumstances cannot stay for ever, we should capture them in form of stronger laws to stay: Bring better accountability to all wings of the government; Empower the people to get answers from the Honorable Judiciary even with a hand-written letter (currently there is a rule which can force public to come only through a lawyer); Strengthen the RTI law; Remove retaliatory provisions (contempt is an example) of the statute; Remove protectionist laws and procedures that the corrupt are taking cover under; Legislate attaching properties of the corrupt and make them repay illegal assets with a 25% interest penality; Provide protection to the questioning public. These are some of the things that the current activism should bargain for, rather than ask for another governing monster called Lokpal to deal with.

Righteousness vs Integrity

It is never late to change for the good. Righteousness takes precedence over consistency, self-esteem and even integrity.


is what i posted in the social media and here's a comment Dr. Subrahmanyam made in response:

How is it righteousness outside of integrity. Any examples? I believe, righteousness includes integrity. The example I think is Bheeshma in Bharatam. 

So, i thought i'll explain it here in more than the 140 characters that social media allows :). Divine embodiments such Bheeshma and Srirama are born righteous and can never be wrong. But what about ordinary mortals like Valmiki and us? We are born as fallible human. So, when we commit mistakes, do we let internal consistency, which is same as integrity, take precedence and allow the mistake to persist? You may be surprised, but some do and they do it in the name of integrity. Some of them may not even be aware that they are making this decision. It happens automatically. It could be ego, self-pride, or just the way the system is designed to function that may be causing the mistake to persist. But the cover taken is that of integrity.

For instance, take the government, including the judiciary. What is the percentage of orders that are reversed even when it comes out glaringly in error? In this case, the system is designed to favor "integrity" to correctness. Once a government process kicks-in, it is designed to remain consistent and push forward, quite often, sacrificing the righteousness aspect. The effects can be long lasting - for decades, but things do not change and that is partly by design. Why is it designed like that? It is mostly to preserve the integral nature of the government. Government should by and large look unified. No one believes in a divided, fractured, inconsistent rule. There must be some finality in government decisions - the whole idea behind integrity. In Dr. Subrahmanyam's example, Bheeshma's decisions lasted all his life, in spite of immense hardship. That is the essence of integrity, which cannot take precedence over righteousness, in my opinion.

Fortunately for Bheeshma, integrity and righteousness were one and the same. He did not have to decide one over the other. But ordinary mortals have to, and they often prefer "integrity" of their decisions, knowingly or unknowingly. Hence my call to choose righteousness over integrity, when the context calls for it.

Satyam Sivam Sundaram, Sai Nidhanam

सत्यम  (Truth) is ज्ञानं  (Knowledge), which is अनंतम  (unending), that is नित्यं  (eternal). As demonstrated by his words and deeds, Sathya Sai Baba truly transformed himself into unending, eternal knowledge that is imperishable. As said in the Gita, God is the प्रभावः (creation), प्रलयः (destruction) स्थानं (basis) निधनं (resting place) बीजं (seed) and अव्ययम (imperishable). IMHO, Baba has more than lived and will continue to live in this world through his good deeds and teachings. Today's sad news is just another page in His divine book. As Kabir said, "मोल  करो  तलवार  का , पड़ी  रहने  दो  म्यान ". I'm concerned only with the noble words and deeds of the Baba. All the rest of the talk about him is just trash to me. विष्णु Pendyala

Live for Others and you are Automatically Taken care-of

 We all get into situations where we have to do things, which conflict with our self-respect. For instance, apologizing to a slick, dishonest manipulator who is clearly on the wrong side. In such cases, i completely set aside my self and think that i'm doing it only for sake of my dependents. I remind myself that it is the people who depend on me who will be at a greater loss, if i don't. My grandmother used to tell me that my grandfather also used to get into similar situations but used to take the loss instead of doing what he thought was incorrect. My grandmother used take pains to explain to him that what matters is whether we get what we want out of it and not how we are treated. But my grandfather always followed his heart. At least in this respect, i have a similar chemistry as my grandfather. But i overcome that chemistry by this thought of living for others. In the process it saves me too.

This is an example of how living for others will intrinsically take care of the self. People living only for themselves hardly have any motivation to do anything. It is always the thought of doing something for others - impressing them or otherwise that propels action. Others are always the underlying force of motivation.

Selfless living is more enriching and soul-satisfying than selfish living. Vishnu Pendyala

Being the Unrecognized Force

Wish you all a very Happy and Holy Khara Nama Samvatsara Ugadi.

Here's a little something that I wanted to share on the occasion.

Appended is a mail that I sent in 2005 to the Temple Committee
member that was not even acknowledged. But a few weeks
after sending the mail, Telugu priests were recruited in an
otherwise mostly North Indian temple and we have been since
reciting almost the same stotras / chants I mentioned in the mail,
happily ever after, for years now. I never heard those stotras
in the temple before I sent that mail. The daily count of visitors
has been increasing ever since as well.

My Reading: Being the unrecognized force behind a positive
change unites us with the invisible God, who is often not
recognized as well.

Efforts need not be recognized as long as
result is what matters, hopefully for you too, for a
happy new year and happiness always.

Vishnu

From: Vishnu S. Pendyala
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 11:10 AM
To: XXXXXXXX
Subject: _____________ temple: stotra recitals


Hi ___,

I'm a PreetiBhoj volunteer at the temple and am
quite interested in its growth and activities. It
struck me that one other service that I can offer
to the temple is to lead stotra recitals in the
temple, particularly in the holy month of Sravana
which is starting this Friday. I can recite the
following on the respective days at 7pm:

Monday: Rudra Namakam-Chamakam, Purusha Suktam, Sri Suktam
Tuesday: Hanuman Chalisa (5-times)
Wednesday: Vishnu Sahasranama - Lakshmi Stotra
Friday: Lalita Sahasranama Stotra
Sunday: Aditya Hrudayam - navagraha stotra

Please let me know if the temple would be interested
in inviting participants to the acitivity and organize the
event. The participants can recite the stotras in chorus
or just listen. I can provide the transcripts of the stotras
in Telugu and Hindi, for the participants to read from.
The activity should last between 30mins to 1hour.

Thanks and regards,
Vishnu

Life is a Markov Process

Getting stuck in a stereotypical pattern in the brain when dealing with situations is fraught with danger. Every incident is different and deserves independent analysis. Past information is to be used only as data devoid of all impressions and biases. For most part, an ideal life should be a Markov Process – only present matters, past or future impressions shouldn’t. Vishnu Pendyala

Path of Least Resistance

My observation that i posted on social networking sites: "Choosing a path of least resistance is critical to leading a peaceful life," seems to have caught quite some attention. First, a friend pointed out that someone already wrote a book on the topic. So, i checked and found this:
http://www.amazon.com/Path-Least-Resistance-Learning-Creative/dp/0449903370/
It's got some positive reviews. Good, my thought process was quite along the lines.

Then another friend actually called me and quite correctly pointed out that to many, particularly youngsters, the path of least resistance is where their mind takes them - often to the weakest moments. So, i thought i should clarify here. The easy route that the mind often takes is by no means the path of least resistance. In fact, it is the path of most resistance in the long run. Short term pleasures and shortcuts certainly lead to a lot of resistance from everyone and everything, including the nature, the body, the conscience.

The path of least resistance is like the KISS (Keep it Simple, S...) concept: Do not unnecessarily complicate matters. Be contented. Live within one's means. Shed the unnecessary baggage called ego. Talk in simple terms. Stay unattached, and so on.