How right is the Right to Vote?

On the 18th birthday, government enfranchises you with a right to vote. A right to vote, based entirely on the basis of age. Practical? Logical?

Imagine a revolution and re-engineering of the voting system in India. How would it be if the voting rights are not granted to those who turn 18, but are granted to those who pass a certain examination or a test after he/she is 18? This examination or a test could be designed to gather the intellect of the person, his moral ethics and responsibility of his/her character. For example, imagine a man who indulges in wicked activities to an extent that he will waste his family money over it and keep his children's education at bay. Assume that he exercises strict violence at his house, and is incapable of keeping his own house robust on his shoulders. How valid it is to allow him the right to decide about the country's future when he can't even decide about his own family's fate?

There might be very high odds of having such people in a locality as compared to those who are highly literate and are well-aware of the political leaders, who are representing a certain party in the election process. These few, but very important votes will be overwhelmed by the huge number of votes by those who vote for a particular party based on caste, creed or an inspirational speech that that leader few days pre-election.

Voting for a leader today in India is more or less like voting for your favourite singer or a chef in today's TV "reality" shows. Except that in voting for a leader, you wake up in the morning, stand in a queue and punch a button for a party you "think" is good for India. Given the literacy rate of our country, a huge percentage of people still cannot sign. I repeat, how valid is it to grant such an individual to decide about a leader who is right for us? Democracy is the reason why they can vote. But, if another barrier is added in the eligibility list to make the national citizens eligible to vote, there will be an erudite population with satisfactory knowledge about Indian politics. Democracy will still be served, as every 18 year old will be eligible for this test. This does not demand discrimination, but it is only an attempt to make every vote weigh significantly.

Most people tend to mimic their political views from their parents, or friends or maybe an inspirational speech they heard on TV. Many people have limited views about Indian politics, and much lesser knowledge about the number of scams and scandals that come up in the newspapers, which include the politicians, which we vote for. Thus, in light of such infelicitous events, voting system if changed, might actually bring better leaders in power.

Follow @PryingThoughts

India immobilized by the Chinese daring

There have been several occasions when China has been in the disrespectful light in the eyes of the international diplomats. China intermittently replays its degraded game of crossing the borders, masking its offense as defense, negotiating with nothing to yield and bringing the weak political system of the counterpart to heel.

The Ladakh Incursion

The most recent incursion in India at Ladakh, was another replay of its classic game. This incursion bore all the hallmarks of the Chinese game - taking the opponent by surprise, seizing an opportunistic timing and striking when the Indian political system is at its weakest.

China impudently violated the border-peace agreements with India by forcefully breaking into the Indian territory. Then to add to their impudence, they set out military demands for India to meet.

Thus, it left India with two choices - either withstand the Chinese incursion into the region controlling main access routes or to meet the Chinese demands, at the cost of irreversibly damaging the Indian military interest in a wider belt from Karakoram Pass and the Siachen Glacier. After 3 weeks of the drama, the Chinese went back but only after the powerless Government yielded some ground.

Basically, what happened was that India made a concession to the stand-off, while China, who stirred up this violation ceded nothing at all. Instead of taking some military and political action against the Chinese encroachment and attempting to avoid any such violations of the border-peace agreements, India rewarded their encroachment by breaking down its defensive structures at Chumar. All it took China was a mere 50 troops to get things done their way.

The intruded troops could not have survived the icy winter in the Himalayas for more than a couple of weeks more in the temporary shelters that they erected. Plus, if the incursion had been there for another few weeks, the Chinese greed for the territorial prowess would have shone in an unpleasant international light.

India had nothing to lose if it stood firm on its decision to yield nothing to the Chinese resurgence. Yet, India put itself under the pressure of the Chinese force over the visit of the Chinese premier Li Keqiang, who had actually stopped by at New Delhi on his way to Pakistan to congratulate the newly elected government there.

Post this ungodly event, the Chinese took advantage of India's apparent lack of self-respect by insisting that India dismantle its bunkers, destroy its defensive fortifications like live-in bunkers and cutting off the infrastructural developments at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). China seeks to encroach the Indian land in East Ladakh bit by bit and is playing small games like these to achieve its bigger goal.

By forcing India to destroy its bunkers and other fortifications in the LAC area, India has been made more vulnerable to the Chinese maneuvers and raids in the area. Razing up the bunkers has made India lose troops from the Chumar region, an event that has opened a space for Chinese to enable them to expand their sovereignty claims.

China apropos Arunachal Pradesh and J&K

While under the British rule, they demarcated the border between India and China at Arunachal Pradesh, naming it the McMohan line. This border runs a 1030 km unfenced boundary. However, Beijing never recognized this boundary and claims India of having taken away 90,000 sq. km of their land. But, China shows loss of memory when it comes to North India where they have encroached over 43,000 sq km of the Jammu & Kashmir. India has been firm, stating Arunachal Pradesh to be a part of Indian Union of States.

In May 2007, China denied a visa to Ganesh Koyu, an IAS officer from Arunachal Pradesh for a visit to Beijing and Shanghai. China pointed out that Koyu is a Chinese citizen since he belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, and hence he could visit China without a visa.

In 2009, China called the visit of Indian PM to Arunachal Pradesh as an 'audacious and reckless move'. China successfully blocked India's demand of $60 million loan from the Asian Development Bank, to be used for the development of Arunachal Pradesh. India kept mum.

To harass India, China started issuing passports on separate sheets for the residents of Jammu & Kashmir stating the territory as a disputed one. Also the e-passports of China had a watermark of China's map, which had Arunachal Pradesh in it. India showed resentment, and the Chinese stopped doing so.

In another event in 2012, when the Chinese were in Gujarat for signing a huge deal, the Chinese distributed pamphlets that showed a Chinese map with Arunachal Pradesh in it.

Completely neglecting the McMohan line, China called Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet.

Dam Diplomacy

With another recent incident involving the Brahmaputra river in North-East India, China has replayed its nefarious card by violating the rules related to International water-sharing.
In 2012, China commenced building up dams that are believed to cease the effluence of the Brahmaputra, the source of life for the entire North-East India. Ceasing the water flow from this river to North-East India, will bring the economy of the region to the heels. To bring the worst in front, the Chinese did not bother to inform about the plans of building these three dams to India, and started to build the first dam already. Experts said that if the projects were carried out, they would have devastating consequences on the lives of millions of people in India and Bangladesh.

Agriculture forms the backbone of the economy in both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh with nearly 80 percent of the 27 million people in the two states eking out a living through farming, an agriculture scientist said.

Asked about the plans to build the dams, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here that "China has always taken a responsible attitude towards the development of cross border rivers".Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia had expressed similar concerns over eight dams being built on the Mekong river. Chinese responsibility about cross-border waters is now debatable

Spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, expressed his advice to India to treat this issue with higher degree of seriousness. China claims that the dams are being built only with an intention to draw water, but, keeping the past endeavours in mind, China has lost a hard-earned virtue of trustworthiness.

An important concern is if India will wake up on time. China lately responded positively to India's concerns about the dams, and has agreed to improve the present mechanism on sharing the data on the water flow. India believes that the dams would have an adverse effect on the flow of water in India, while China imperiously waves off this allegation. The fate of North-East Indian agrarian economy hopes to see a brighter tomorrow.

Follow @PryingThoughts

Why football should be our most-loved sport?

Cricket came to India in the British ships. Today, Indian cricket team has gained a lot of potential and stands a chance to imbibe fear in any other cricket team on a global level. However, when it comes to football, Indian team puts the country to shame.

FIFA ranks 206 countries i.e. almost every nation on this planet for their ability to prove themselves on the field. India ranks behind countries like Afghanistan and Nepal with a rank of 169, but still is ahead of its territorial rival, Pakistan, which stands at 177.

Football is a very easy game to understand, as compared to cricket. Football also does not demand so many equipment and paraphernalia like cricket does. All it requires is a ball, a decent pair of shoes and any shaped ground to practice it. This is why football was adapted even by the poorest of countries like Brazil, Chile etc., and still they have marked their name in golden letter in the world of football.

Although cricket was the game of the British in India, their way of passing time apart from cricket was to play football. They did not allow Indians to play this game. The first ever recorded game in India was played between 'Calcutta Club of Civilians' and 'Gentlemen of Barrackpore'.

Between the founding of 'Calcutta Football Club' (CFC), 1872 and the first game played was a famed revolutionary activity by the Indians, which extirpated sections of the British empire- the uprising of 1857. This revolution was majorly led by Bengali officers.

After gathering their wits post uprising, the British came up with a new initiative: to make British games mandatory along with English education. By 1870, Calcutta had become a hub of Indian football, which even today is the home for most of the enthused footballers of the country. Calcutta is also home to the world's largest football arena with a capacity of whooping 1,20,000 enthusiasts.

By 1889, the natives had formed their first team: Mohun Bagan. In 1911, this team won the IFA Shield beating a regimental squad, the first victory of any Asian team against the British.

In 1953, the defender Sailen Manna of Mohun Bagan and the Indian team, was among the top 10 skippers of world football according to the English Football Association. This was a miniscule feat as compared to what came next. Manna had led his barefoot India team to the 1948 Olympics, losing by a whisker to France and to gold at the 1951 Asian Games.

Till the 1980s it was unclear if cricket was more popular than football, but this is when the caste system crept in the sporting industry. Cricket was believed to be a gentleman's sport, while football was taken as a sport was the grass-roots.

Economically, this made it easier for cricket foundations to raise funds for cricket tournaments, while football struggled way too much in vain. Cricket was thus encouraged by the parents for their kids and football always got cornered. This ancient perception of football is today affecting the football associations and foundations in no good way.

Then two events that took place in the history of Indian sporting industry, kicked the struggling football off the ladder of fame.
1. 1978 World Cup in Argentina qualified India for football. But, the cleft between the standards of play, power and tactics of Indian football team as compared to others made football lesser appealing to the mass.

2. India's commendable victory in the 1983 World Cup in cricket made India a world champion at some sport. Never mind the less than a dozen of countries that comprised this "world", India was still a world-best in cricket for the Indian mass.

These events made it clear for the money-makers about the source that will bring them more money: cricket.

Yet, this has a potential to change. Today's youth are drawn largely towards the leading football clubs and teams in Europe. But, they have a negligible chance of watching Mohun Bagan play. Today's crowd is not just following football with a passion that they lack for cricket, but they are also playing it well. It is a proud achievement by the Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri who is selected to play with the club that gave shape to Cristiano Ronaldo's success, Sporting CP B.

It is time for football to be the most-loved sport for the Indians.

Follow @PryingThoughts

If gambling were legal in India

To start with this, it must be known that few forms of gambling like lottery and horse racing are legal in India. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits one to run a public gambling house.

Despite the existing prohibitive legislation, illegal gambling in rampant in India. The Indian gambling market is estimated to be worth US$60 billion per year, of which about half is illegally bet. Only two states of Goa and Sikkim allow casino gambling. Rest other states are thoroughly against the casino setup.

Not legalizing gambling does not stop gambling. Banning betting drives all these activities underground and infuses with the criminal elements. Legalizing betting will at the least limit or eliminate the criminal element from betting, as betting will be done in the open, not underground. Also, if gambling is legalized,the Indian money flowing to the international platforms and gambling houses where gambling is legal only makes India poorer.

The countries where gambling is legal, like in the USA or in the UK, the revenues earned in the gambling sector makes up to about 1% of their GDP. In India, 1% of the GDP will mean $1.85 billion.

However, just to imagine that the our government alters its laws and legalizes gambling in India, we might see a richer country. Las Vegas, considered to be a legal gambling area, people are not worrisome about being caught, as they are not involved in anything illegal. This way, they spend a lot over gambling. Las Vegas is a proof of the powerful ability of gambling to nurture economic development. It has opened doors for job seekers, and developed into a city with a low tax burden that many other states and cities look at and envy.

Understanding how casinos are a money-minting business, you don't need a sharp brain. What are the odds of winning Russian Roulette or Craps or Blackjack? Meek odds, its certain. The money a customer loses, is earned by the gambling house. Government could legalize gambling with taxing the earnings by either the gambler or the gambling house. This will reduce the government deficits, as legalizing gambling will attract many gamblers to come out of the den, and play freely with delusions of winning every next time he/she loses. Maybe the Indian Government would also find it possible to reduce other tax rates that are only an onus on the population.

Quite shocking as it may sound, that our government does not  have any laws against online betting. Betting companies attempt to lure the Indians to bet on practically everything, taking full advantage of this loophole. Therefore, every year seasons like the IPL seasons are sought by habitual betters to gain large sums. Sikkim has outlined the rules and regulations for online gambling licensing within that state since 2009.

Dark side of legalizing gambling in our country will be mainly social. Have we not heard of stories where habitual gamblers crumble down the family wealth to rags over frequent gambles? A social tension occurs over money that is wasted by a gambler against his family who would be reluctant to offer any more money. This is a concern almost impossible to be gotten rid of, as gambling legally or illegally will never stop.

It would be foolish to suggest that match-fixing will be an impossible activity if gambling were legalized, but it will be equally rash not to recognize that it would reduce the chances of these notorious activities. When making money from running a bet itself is illegal, the temptation to take an extra step into it will, but of course have higher returns. Temptation is always money. Higher the difficulty of a task, higher the prize one demands.


Conclusively, if the sector of gambling is legalized, it must be regulated. Prohibition of alcohol, does not stop the people from consuming it, but it will only make it lesser convenient for them as they will have law to hide from. Similarly, it hardly makes sense to label gambling as illegal, as it is Indians would, like they already do, lose money to internationally located gambling houses. Indian government might think of considering gambling as a tax-run business for India and Indians, for multiple benefits.

Follow @PryingThoughts