Why mothers queue up to end their lives?

"Mother dies with two kids" - the headline in today's New Indian Express datelined Mandya makes an uneasy reading followed by a haunting day. In fact, this sort of news stories hits the headlines almost every day in newspapers and therefore, such news items hardly find place in the prominent area of the newspaper.

The kids are aged 10 and 6 years and mother is 35 years. She found the lake near her matrimonial home to end her life forever. As soon as she jumped into it with her kids, the lake has swallowed them as it was longing for it. Their lifeless bodies floated in the water and settled on the sidewalls when villagers procured them from there. Everyone gathered around became uncontrolled and burst into tears. Obviously! 

After coming to her matrimonial home 16 years back, she had certain dreams like any girl of that age had. She was naturally attracted to the lush green shores of the nearby lake. As days went by, she took bathe in the lake water, swam, fished sometimes with neighbors. She took her kids there to give them bathe. Kids always enjoyed swimming and fishing in the lake. She would have never imagined of their end in the same lake!

Of course, she is the victim of domestic violence. Arrest of her husband and parents-in-law follows. Law takes its own course and there ends the matter. The agony, anxiety and horror created by their death do continue ticking in the heart. Who is in the line for the next attempt? I am really worried.

What was the responsibility and burden of those who cried on their dead bodies? How many times they would have had heard of her cries, screaming, shouting for help from her matrimonial home? How many attempts would have had been made to console her and save her from threat to life? Probably, the community members would have known everything and consoled her. There is an equal probability of non cooperation from the villagers during her strife. She grew in the middle of violence-torn domestic environment from a bride to the multiple roles of wife, daughter in law and mother of two kids. She took the extreme step when it was unbearable.

A mother never takes such daring step even if she suffers from extreme hunger. She would have definitely had a past wherein she had consoled herself in each stage of sufferings resulted from domestic violence. Suicide or killing oneself is the last resort one could depend on. Till then, all efforts would have been tried and failed. She would have had approached her closest people for a solution to continue her life for the sake of kids. All have failed miserably! As a result, her lifeless body floated in the lake water. Within her exposed world, it was the only way out for her to release her soul.

What is the use of the legislations, schemes and programs with funds and salaried people that aimed at delivering justice to vulnerable women? It all looks like a mockery of justice. Unless they are accessed by the needy in time, what great status are we going to achieve by just boasting of them?

The appalling number of such wives, daughter-in-laws and mothers ending lives is on a constant rise; it is much more than the number of farmers who committed suicide. The difference is that farmers' suicide gets a hype while mothers' death toll does not create an outcry.

Right to Education Act - A betrayal

In the backdrop of Karnataka Government's steps to implement Right to Education Act 2009, a series of discussions have been initiated in the state. Though the government has made its commitment to implement it from this academic year, the Karnataka Right to Education rules 2010 has not yet been notified. Without rules, how can it be implemented?

The private schools have come to the streets to protest against the provision of 25% seats for the children belonging to backward and vulnerable sections of society in the neighbourhood. Government has fixed the fees of such child as Rs.11750. Each private school will be given the amount for admission of each child. However, private schools are up in arms against the Act. Organisations like Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) have started campaigning for implementation of the Act. There are some groups which have raised speculations and reservations about the Act.

My principal opposition is that the Act has not complied with the provisions of Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC),1989, to which India is one of the signatories. When a new legislation is made, such compliance has to be adhered to. However, the Act has not recognised any provisions of the UNCRC. As per CRC provisions, a child is a person below 18 years. RTE Act has covered only children in the age group of 6-14 years. In fact, its derivation is from Article 45 of the Constitution where it was mentioned as 'free and compulsory education for all the children below 14 years'. However, when the law was made, the coverage of children has further been cut short, and thereby children who are in need of early childhood care and education were left out. By non complying to the CRC provisions, adolescent group also has been left out from the purview of RTEA. 

Early childhood care, known as anganwadi education, is the base and preparation of primary education. It is known as fundamental course of a child. During this period, the child gets exposed to a different world of learning, new sounds, shapes and colors. The aptitude for education is formulated in this stage. Unless properly guided at this stage, the child may not be able to land up in primary school. Parents of the child also needs guidance and counseling at this stage. Anganwadi education encompasses not only the child, but the whole family as well for its coverage in terms of nutrition, health, education, adolescent health etc. Anganwadi education should be considered to be part of elemetary education. However, RTE Act has left it out.

Similarly, the age group of 15-18 years is out of the Act's purview. A child would be completing his elementary education in 8th standard at the age of 14 years. The minimum qualification for a job nowadays is SSLC or Plus two. In such situation, what would be the use of this Act for a child who belong to OBC, Muslim, Tribal or Dalit? This Act will obviously create large number of school drop outs in the 8th standard. Massive enrollment for first standard and massive drop out in 8th standard!! 

Another problem with this Act is the non-compliance with the most progressive children's Act implemented in the country. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2000 has not been mentioned anywhere in the Act though JJA is linked with all children below 18 years. The special judicial bodies under JJA such as Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee have been in place in every district in the country. JJA deals with corporal punishment under Section 23: cruelty against child. However, the law makers seem to be unaware of JJA. Really it is very unfortunate! Several cases of school children have already been reported to CWCs. Hence, in future too, plenty of cases will be reported to CWC or JJB. Without recognising the existence of these children's courts, RTE Act has been made in heaven.

State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) has been  entrusted with monitoring of implementation and made appellate authority in the state. In Karnataka, when KCPCR still reels under so many problems including lack of status, insufficient staff and infrastructure thanks to the apathy of the government, how can it take care of this new responsibility? Local Authority as per the Act is the BEO. This would definitely pave a way to the BEO to take advantage of the situations, in a larger way than earlier.

There are lot of confusions and vested interests in RTE Act. It has been made in hurry, definitely not in the best interests of the children of this country. It seems to showcase to the international community that we have an Act to ensure universal primary education as promised in the constitution and commitment made in UNCRC. 

The children of this country are betrayed further!

Cycle, our future vehicle

An uncared for news item attracted my attention: The story reads: A cyclist knocked down by a car in city. This story, for a newspaper and for us, is not a big story at all. It is obvious that such story would get only that much space and attention. It is police beat news and invariably has appeared as part of its routine crime coverage.

I was pained by the news. Beacuse, the car, the polluting vehicle has hit a cyclist, a non polluting vehicle user. In fact, bicycle is our future vehicle. A car which runs on the exhausted fossil fuel produced elsewhere moves on the road with the space of 6 to 10 cycles and emits carbon monoxide and other fumes to the public hub of oxygen, hits a cyclist who is the weaker symbol of our safe future.

Each fuel-centric vehicle on the road is a burden on our children. How much is the emission of these vehicles to our precious air every minute? Leave alone the cities and towns, the villages too have unaffordable number of private vehicles now. Indian cities and towns suffocate with the day-by-day increasing number of fossil fuel-fed vehicles. There is no regulation in the number of vehicles that hit the roads everyday. Anyone can own a vehicle and drive it onto the public road at anytime and leave the dangerous fumes to the lung space of the public. None will question. Such action in fact is looked at with respect and adoration. A person who owns a car or any other private vehicle is highly respected. (Some hotels/ institutions do not allow visitors who come in bicycles or motorcycles inside their campus. Their vehicles have to be parked outside the compund. However, if you come by car, you are allowed to enter straightaway.)

The recent additions of Honda, Wolksvagan, Hyundai and other companies are pretty long and spacious ones which too hit the roads almost everyday. Such cars take space on the public road equivalent to that of 10 cyclists. Is it justifiable to have such a car in such crowded traffic, encroaching others' space? Is this justifiable to allow such companies to produce such spacious cars in cities like ours? When I see these cars in small, congested and shabby roads, I realise the lacuna of pro people policies in our system. Why should the city administration allow such cars within its limits? Why can't the city corporation enforce a rule like the University of Mangalore has done in its campus? Only cycles are allowed inside the campus. Whoever comes inside can take a bicycle parked near the gate and reach the offices and class rooms.

In a city or town where there are only underdeveloped and narrow roads, huge vehicles cannot be allowed on a regular basis. It will definitely create a havoc. It is in simple sense, undemocratic. Like European countries have switched over to bicycles, Indian cities and towns too can take such action. In order to save our remaining oxygen chunk, even this would be a late decision. But, better late than never!

European countries like Holland have developed bicycle paths to ensure safe cycling for the cyclists. There are no case of vehicles hitting cyclists over there. We need such bicycle paths. But, I am sure, it is too much an expecation one can have from the government. It will take action only when it realises and faces tremondous pressure from public that there is an oxygen shortage.

I am fond of bicycle. In my childhood and youth, I had a bicycle. Even after marriage and settled in Mysore in the ninetees, my vehicle was bicycle. I had regularly dropped Usha to her office and picked her up in the evenings. I used to go to a number of places on bicycle only. Later I switched over to a two wheeler. But I always feel that I should switch over to bicycle.

Cyclists should be given high respect, not for the car wallahs. Why should respect go to someone who harms our environment and hijacks public space? Let us start thinking in favour of bicycle and procure one to use it for at least short distances. The rights of cyclists are long due. No cyclist should die on the street from now onwards. Let us write to the concerned to implement the rights of cyclists and bicycle policy for future.

Anomaly in Juvenile Justice System

Juvenile Justice system in Karnataka, though functioning regularly, has been criticised for various reasons. One of the criticisms is the selection of functionaries in CWC and JJB, in contravention of JJ Rules. According to Karnataka JJ Rules 2010, there shall not be any functionary who is in the management of any children's home. However, on the contrary, there are a number of undeserved persons who managed to get into CWC and JJB. CWC and JJB are the magisterial bodies which have powers to inspect, monitor and assess the children's homes run by NGOs. In such situation, how is it practical for the CWC/JJB functionaries to look into the functioning of their own Children's Homes? Is it not a mockery of the system?

The Selection Board has not properly looked into the antecedents of the persons who had applied for the post of Member Magistrate in CWC or JJB. The Board should have conducted a home enquiry / police verification of the persons to ascertain the background of the applicants. I personally know some members/ chairpersons who run children's homes in the same district. If there is discripancy or violation in their institutions, who will take congnisance of it? Who will inspect the institution?

First of all, on ethical ground, the funcitonaries who run such institutions should voluntarily resign from the post immediately before someone files a complaint with the department or high court. Or the Selection Board should review the selection process and initiate action against such functionaries. Compliance of law is very important for a member magistrate to discharge his / her duties. Under the heading of disqualifications, Karnataka Rules 2010 has very clearly put the relevant provision. There are directors of  NGOs that run children's home in the state, with or without the assistance of the government. Now, if they are part of CWC or JJB, how will they be able to deliver justice in the spirit of law?

The Selection Board, of which Director of Dept of Women and Child Development (DWCD) is the member secretary, has to immediately look into this anomaly and initiate the corrective measures to make the system in the district proper. This step will generate a trust on the juvenile justice systems among the commons.   

Manthalpatty, abode of natural beauty

Manthalpatty is the culmination of mountains. A series of mountains with shola forests. 25 kilometers away from Madikeri, headquarters of Coorg district. I came to know about the name from Lovie, my niece. The place became famous after Galipata, a Ganesh starrer Kannada movie was made over there. Emily, my daughter wanted to play in water and therefore, she was not very interested to go to the hills. 

After borrowing Mumtaz's car, we set off towards Manthalpatty by noon. Usha on the front seat and Emi and Miggie on the back seat. I loved driving on hilly, zigzag tract. Sameer said it was not more than 8 kilometers while Mumtaz said about 15 kms. As we were going, at one particular point, the road became suddenly steep and small. There were no vehicles in front or behind us. The green branches grown to the road touched our car and said good bye. While I was enjoying the drive, kids started screaming as no human activity was around. Then came the dry, shaven hills. The cracked road made us go slow. As a solace for our tense drive, we found a small tea shop on the road side. After having black tea, we moved on. A jeep which came from the opposite side stopped and told us: 'Its a must see place. You have to drive another six kms. But the road is not good'.

The petrol display started blinking when we had left Abbey falls itself. It meant the petrol had gone to reserve. I was tense only about that. I called up Sameer who said that it would go another 50 kms in reserve. Though his words encouraged, the problem continuously bothered me. Still, we took the risk. Kids were telling: let's go back, pappa.

When we reached the arch of Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, it was 3.00 pm. We saw vehicles parked down the valley. The road continued uptill the valley. The car moved forward. Suddenly I realised the road was full of boulders as the mud had disappeared in rains. I was in such a situation wherein I was not able to take a reverse. Since there was no option, I continued going but slowly. When I reached the valley, all the visitors were looking at our car with wonder in their eyes. A jeep driver said: 'sir, how did you manage to bring this car here? No car comes here. All come in jeep only'. I really got scared. On one side, there is no petrol stock, and steep road with big boulders on the other side. What should we do?

There is a small office set up by the Forest department to collect fees from people. Rs.60 is charged for a vehicle. Except toilet facility, nothing is available. We should have taken food with us. Now, the snacks and bananas that we had brought are over. I asked some drivers for petrol. But they use only diesel.

With all these tensions, we looked around. Beautiful hills around! People have already trekked to the top. We also moved to the top. Miggie and myself reached the top first. It looked like top of the world. The lush green shola down the valley was really fascinating. I closed Usha's eyes and brought her towards valley. She opened her eyes to see the magnificent scene. Emily was so excited. She clicked photographs.

The hills would have been more beautifule in green cover. Now during summer, no green cover remained on the hills. Moreover, the grazing cattle were eating all the fresh shoots. Cool breeze patted us continuously and made everything cool. For a few minutes, we forgot everything, all tensions and worries.

I found the joy and excitement of kids were out of boundaries. Children like travelling to places, seeing new things, and meeting new people. Parents should be able to take them periodically to break their monotonous schooling.

I drove back with some courage. The boulders were really a challenge. However, somehow, I managed to reach the top near the arch. I found some cars like Swift, Indigo etc were parked there. They never dared to take the risk.

While coming back, it was really enjoyable. I put the car in neutral mode in the zigzag sloppy road. We reached near the rivulet flowing from the Abbey falls. Three of us, except Usha, had a bath. There was no much water to dive or swim. Usha took the photographs.