Sunday, April 25, 2010

Increment in Hoax

Increment in Hoax

The age that we are fortunate, as well as unfortunate, to live in, is resplendent with increment(s)—in various fields and are thus of various varieties. And since we accept the good without much ado and very less gratitude—taking it for granted, we have no option but to gulp the bad ones that come our way—like it or not. Life is a paradox to me—in fact the biggest of them all; presenting its ambi faces and leaving the ball entirely in our court—as to how we view the situation(s). Same it is with the ‘increments’—in type(s) as well as magnitude(s).

With the introduction of the sixth pay commission for the central government employees and graces thankfully embracing the pensioners as well; there has been a manifold increment in the pay packet(s) of the beneficiaries. As a consequence, life has improved for them drastically. This is the positive side. But on the flip side, the market rate—taking into cognizance only the increased ‘spend-ability’ of a select category comprising a minor proportion of the population, has touched sky-high. All the talk about lessening in supply causing an increased demand pushing the market rate up is less than accurate. Market rates are not solely decided by ‘supply & demand’ theory. Rather it is decided by the ‘Economics of Economy’—as I have mentioned in an earlier blog.
So what actually this increment has done is that it has brought about an increment in the problems of the people who have not benefited from the pay hike. Thus now they are being forced to spend more, as compared to earlier, and they get to save less—that is, if at all, given the extortionist policy to put up a façade of a growing Indian economy.

This is only one of the increments in the milieu of innumerable. Others are increments in--the number of mobile service providers, number of schools sprouting up everyday irrespective of the quality of education they dole out. Evil forces all around that cause an increment in the malfunctioning of the society—in a way increment in the malignancy that has encroached its all areas making the situation irreversible, almost, has seen an unprecedented increment. Maybe my words might seem a bit pessimistic but what I state is the fact and fact is a bitter pill.
There are various other increments, that are causing us more harm and if they are affecting any good at all, then it is yet to be reported and felt. One such increment is in the global warming. Conventions, summits and what not, are being held globally to discuss and search for any possible mean(s) to somehow curb this Frankenstein called Global Warming. Yes, it is a Frankenstein sort of a thing, being the creation of ‘We, the humans’ to suit our life-style. Everyday we get to read about the work being done or ideas mulled towards this cause. So herein I shall not delve into it further. My job being to look upon it as another area undergoing ‘increment’ to cause an ‘increment’ in the output of an outcome which is anything but positive or beneficial.

Given the galore of increments all round us, how could the field of ‘hoax’ be left behind? After all ours is a country, where ‘We, the people’ are ruled and governed by the ‘hoaxes’. And these hoaxes are served on a platter by the people whom we send—directly or indirectly, as our representative(s) to sustain the ‘legacy of democracy’. Yes, you have correctly assessed—these people are the professionals called politicians. True, all politicians are not bad and all are not in the profession of politics to meet their own ulterior agenda. But this also is true that coming across a politician who has jumped into the ‘ring of politics’ considering politics as a way to be of service to ‘We, the people’ and not as profession, are very few and far in between. They are, were they are, because they want to be of service to themselves—self-servers, through their parties.

And there is an increment, everyday of such politician(s) and correspondingly in their hoaxes.

One such glaring hoax was served by the Hon’ble Finance Minister of the West Bengal Government. He announced in his budget speech for 2010-11 that “an increment of 35% in the salary of Part-time teachers in Colleges is being brought about”. Good to hear but impossible to be true! At least, the teachers shan’t be getting those! If at all the money is allocated for the purpose, where it would go is anybody’s guess.
This I state because, as of today the part-time teachers in the Govt. Colleges of West Bengal—irrespective of the duration of their services—have been laid off. And mind it, this is not a view from the sidelines. This is an ‘on-field’ reporting. I myself am sailing in that boat with the teachers, after serving the college with utmost sincerity and to the best of my abilities for the past six and half years. We were not even shown the courtesy of an official termination letter.

So to whom the Hon’ble minister and the Govt. would give the incremented salary—to non-existent teachers?

And sadly enough, neither the print media nor the electronic media consider it an issue worth taking up. Maybe highlighting the issue won’t bring an increment in their circulation and TRP. After all teachers (several thousands have been affected) and their issues don’t fall in that ‘glamorous zone’. This is not about myself but about the entire community and that is why it is saddening and appalling. This is how teachers, considered the builders of the society are meant to be treated in the era of increments. I could no longer do nothing and wait for somebody else to report this injustice, subsequently followed shamelessly by this ‘announced hoax’.
It would be interesting now to see what other promises—actually hoaxes—the Govt. has in store!

The nation is full of gullible people and they consider the words of politicians as etchings on stone. I myself have been congratulated for an increment in my salary—though the job is non-existent. These well-meaning people were not aware of the true scenario and were smitten by the commitments of all persons, the ‘politicians’. I don’t know what to call them. Well-wishers they are but naïve.

So keep an eye on my blog space. Maybe next time I might be reporting yet another increment in our salary—India has become so rich that jobless people too are getting paid—in the form of HRA, medical allowances. And why stop here, maybe quarters might be constructed and allotted to us—on paper. More increment they can bring to their repertoire of imagination more would be the increment in the hoaxes!
But not always ‘More is Merrier’.

We deserve an increment but not in ‘hoax’, rather in sincerity, transparency and concern for ‘We, the people’, of which we teachers too are an indispensable part. Otherwise, this politics of ‘increments in hoax’ would cause ‘increment in the degeneracy’ of the society and the country as a whole.
Did we fight for our Independence for this day? Under the circumstances the term Independence has become a BIG HOAX.

Sushmita Mukherjee,
April 24th 2010.