TNEB Reforms 2023

TNEB Reforms 2023 

[Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR). Honble Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu liked your Tweet as below

Based on my experiences with several Electric Utilities in India & abroad, I’ve evolved a set of suggestions to restore TNEB to the top position in the country as the most advanced & innovative Utility in India, as in 60s. https://lvnaga.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/tneb-reforms-2023/…]

Electricity generation in Tamil Nadu until about 1908 was confined to a few tiny plants in Tea Estates run on waterpower and to a small hydroelectric station at Kattery near Coonoor. The Government Electricity department was created in 1927, with the commissioning of The Basin Bridge thermal power station. A Briton Mr. Greenwood headed it. My friend Mr. Mitter’s father (Mr. Vedachalam) joined him in 1930. The Municipal Corporation was in charge of distribution.

The Pykara Hydroelectric Power Station was constructed by Sir John G. Henry Howard, a British Engineer and the first Chief Electrical Engineer of the then Composite Madras State Electricity Department and commissioned in 1933 with an original installed capacity of 70 MW. 

Papanasam Huydroelectric Power station 28MW was commissioned in 1944 

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board was constituted with effect from 1st July 1957 under the Electricity Supply Act 1948 and came to be known as “The Madras State Electricity Board” with Padmashri V.P. Appadurai appointed as Chief Engineer (Electricity).  

The first Power Grid (for parallel operation) was commissioned at about the same time, when the two hydro stations at Pykara and Papanasam was connected thru a100 kv overhead tie line. In those days there used to be a comic folk song which goes like ‘’குற்றாலத்தில் இடி இடித்தால் கோயம்புத்தூரில் விளக்கு அணையும்”, meaning “for a thunderstorm in Kutralam there will be lights-out at Coimbatore”  

The first thermal power plant was commissioned during 1971 at Ennore, Chennai with its first unit of 60 MW capacity. The present installed capacity of TNEB as on1/4/20 was 16000 MW to supply a peak load pf about 15000 MW and daily energy of    xx GWH.   

The following are a few suggestions for further reforms in TNEB:   

1. Corruption is proportionate with the size of the organisation. TNEB has so far been a very unwieldy organisation. (As one of the former CE of TNEB told me, the army of TNEB workers can easily invade Sri Lanka and win over them). Even after splitting of TNEB into two organisations, TANGEDCO that takes care of Generation and Distribution will still be very large and unwieldy and hence could still be a minefield for corruption. The way to go will be a further split of TANGEDCO into TANGENCO & TANDISTCO. 

2. Generation department cannot gel well with Distribution problems unless it happens to be small local generation with diesel sets, gas turbine, wind/water mills and small solar plants. Better TANGENCO, (after it is split from Tangedco) takes care of only Hydro and Thermal generation plants. They have their hands-full scheduling Generation, outages maintenance, fuel availability and hydro resources etc. especially because Hydro resources are literally under the control of irrigation dept of TN 

3. TANDISTCO, when newly formed, will take care of power supply all consumers from 33kV HT to 400/230V LV consumers. Even here maintaining long 6.6kV & 400 v overhead lines between villages will be a big headache for them. Hence it could be better to leave villages’ electric distribution to local panchayats who can act as value added reseller of power to village households and small cottage industries and manage their own power distribution network. Lightly loaded 400V-Overhead lines between villages, will not be easy to handle.  

(This may result in Ease of energy billing and collection This will also give enough impetus ttota India efforts. We may restrict the franchisee to the panchayats and panchayat unions. Even if they want to outsource the same, it will be restricted to the natives of those Unions.) 

In TN, there are 1097 towns and 15979 villages as per Census-2011. The corresponding population are 3.5 Cr and 3.7 cr, respectively, totalling to TN population of 7.2 Cr. Average population of Towns works out to 32k. Same for villages is 2.3k. I have made a rough estimate of total domestic consumption of these towns and villagers as 32000 kwh/day and 1000 kwh/day. 

4. If you leave these villages to manage themselves their electrical distribution network, it will be a win-win situation for both TNEB and these village communities. The village panchayats may become “Licentiates of TNEB’ to supply power. (The advantages – Firming of village power supply which will vastly improve village economy, ease of Oper & Maint  and will also lead to Retention of technical talent within the villages) 

5. I am not sure whether the TNEB engineers have drafted any standard operating procedures (SOP) for various Equipements like Transformers and different switching devices. If not, they can as well prepare some model operating instruction for different equipment and switching devices.  Based on this, the operation engineers at different power stations and substations may be asked to draft operation manuals for all the substations under their jurisdiction. Importantly these mannuals should include instructions for the safety of isolation of equipment released for Maintenance. They should also have Safety Manual as which will ensure the safety of operation and maintenance. 

6. Likewise, I am not sure whether TNEB maintains any record of any record of all major trippings and such occurrences. This report should be prepared later than the occurrence itself. Such reports should be circulated internally to all the operation and maintenance Engineers  

7. Solar Power: Instead of going in for big Solar Park which may require large amount of space and the subsequent problems of land acquirement and compensation, we may as well encourage these village communities to crowd-source the fund and establish their own smaller solar power devices. For 1000kwhrs/day it will be a very compact device easily manageable by village technicians. They may even combine this, with public toilets and bath facilities for the villagers. 

8. At one point of time, in late 50s and 60s, TNEB was a Model Electrical Utility for whole of India if not for whole of Asia, Their T & D Handbook, for transmission and distribution, which was first published in 1957 was used by all power engineers of India. It was an excellent effort of TNEB engineers to record their knowledge and experiences in the Power Utility field. Its first edition was published by TNEB Engineers Association in 1957, with the active help from TNEB Management; 5^th Edition in 1976 within 19 years; 6^th and last Edition in 2002, after 26 years.  “The Power Engineers Handbook published by TNEB Engineers Association is well recognized among the practising Electrical Engineers of the country. The Handbook has its origin in the year 1947. The sixth enlarged version was released in 2002.” Already the edition is 19 years old. This means all 21^st century development is given a miss in the Handbook. This itself shows the low enthusiasm level of TNEB engineers.  

   Even now it is not too late. They can start on a new Handbook. This may include chapters on: 

• Numerical Relays and Digital Protection 
• Substation Control system 
• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) 
• Principles of Interconnected Grid operation 

• Principles of Overall System protection  
• Load despatching and System Control Centres 

9. The trend nowadays is for the tech companies to train the new recruits in their technology and systems for almost a period of one year. Here there is a dilemma. Naturally the company does not want to lose an employee after training. Hence to retain the newly trained they have incentives like Loyalty Bonus and disincentives like suspended increase in salary and promotion, which will be confirmed only if the employee continues in the organisation for one or 2 additional years. All this can be worked out easily, if we make our major recruitments from polytechnics. These technicians, after an year service and after first assessment may be offered to join their own Power Utility Training Institute for a one/two year training programme and at the successful completion of which they may be offered certificate as Graduate-Power-Utility-Training, or Diploma-Power-Utility-Training (GPUT or DPUT), for which TNEB may easily obtain recognition as equivalent to BE degree. 

10. Hence TNEB should go for a establishing an “Institute of Power Utility Enginering” with the help and involvement TNEB Engineers Association. The teachers and lecturers at this institute should be from the field and not from any academics. The academics may be involved in teaching only as guest lecturers. The institute can start with a basic course as below: 

 “Diploma course in Power System Operation” 

offering One Year Diploma,  

for fresh Diploma and Degree holders in Power Engineering 

11. After the successful implementation of the above course, the Institute can gradually offer the following courses also 

           “Graduate Course in Power Utility Engineering and Operation” 

  A graded two-year course 

               (2 years) for Diploma holders In Power Engineering with 3-years of  work Experience 

              (0ne year) for Degree Holders in Power Engineering with one year of work Experience 

 offering B. Tech degree in Power Utility Engineering and Operation 

          Management Diploma Course in “Power Utility Operation and Management” 

                 For Degree Holders in Power Engineering plus 4 years work Experience  

                   For Postgraduates in Power Engineering with One year of work Experience 

offering PG Diploma in Power System Management. 

(When IETE, Institute of Electronics and Tele-Com Engineers can offer diploma Grad I.E.T.E since last more than 50 years and the Institute of Charted Accountants can conduct exams and offer ACA diploma, why not an Instt of Electrical Utility Engineers Offer similar courses)  

I am working on course material and syllabus for these courses. 

 ——–o—0—O—0—o——- 

Podhayanaar (or Baudhayana?)

Podhayanar was a Tamil Siddar, who has done some good work in ancient times in the areas of mathematics, Astronomy and Astrology and generally in Astro sciences. As Samskrit, in those days was the link language among the intelligentsia of Indian subcontinent, most of his work has been translated by him or some later disciples to be in Samskrit. His name also has been spelt as Baudayana.

Herein I have to mention that there are some doubts expressed among the enthusiasts of Ancient Indian Mathematics, whether this Podhayanar is same as Sage Baudayana credited to be the author of ‘Sulva Sutras’

While I have no proof to affirm or deny either way, from the way he has stated his theorem on right angled  triangle (an approximation of Baudayana’s or Pythagoras theorem), It looks to be  like a logical follow-up of Baudayana’s work. I feel Podhayanar should be either the same person or should have been Baudayana’s close associate. As can be seen from his simplified Pythagoras theorem given below, his thought process seems very similar to that of Baudayana.. (However I have one lingering doubt: if Podhayanar is a different person, why we don’t know or see any of his other works in either Tamil or Sanskrit ?)

Modified Baudayana’s Theorem.

The original version of the theorem is in Tamil as below:

“ஓடும் நீளம் தனை-        – ஒரெட்டுக் கூறு ஆக்கி

கூறிலே ஒன்றைத்தள்ள –  குன்றத்தில் பாதியாய்ச் சேர்த்தால்

வருவது கர்ணம் தானே”

The length of the run       – made into eight parts,

Of these one neglected,              – and added half the hill,

Karnam is what comes out.

Run – the horizontal distance, Hill – the height & Karnam – the hypotenuse

Let ‘x’ be the length of the run and ‘y ’ be  height of the hill as shown. As per the theorem, the hypotenuse R is given by:

         R = X – (X/8) + (Y/2) = (7/8) X + (1/2) Y

Of course this is an approximation. The advantages is that there is no need to find squares and square-root. Now we can have a look at the accuracy of approximation:

	Angle At Pt.‘O’	X	Y	R =100	Remarks
	/Complement	100*Cos  α	100 *Sin α	(⅞)X + (½)Y	% Error
1	45/ 45	70.71	70.71	97.23/ 100.17	within 3%/  1%
2	42.5 / 47.5	73.73	67.56	98.29	within 2%
3	40 / 50	76.60	64.28	99.17	within 1%
4	37.5 / 52.5	79.34	60.88	99.86	within 1%
P1	36.8 / 53.2	80.00	60.00	100.00	TRIPLE (3, 4, 5)
5	35 / 55	81.92	57.36	100.35	within 1%
6	32.5  / 57.5	84.34	53.73	100.66	within 1%
7	30 / 60	86.60	50.00	100.78	within 1%
8	27.5 / 62.5	88.70	46.17	100.70	within 1%
9	25 / 65	90.63	42.26	100.43	within 1%
P2	22.61 / 67.39	92.31	38.46	100.00	Triple (5, 12,13)
10	22.5 / 67.5	92.39	38.27	99.97	within 1%
11	20 / 70	93.97	34.20	99.32	within 1%
12	17.5 / 72.5	95.37	30.07	98.49	within 2%
13	15 / 75	96.59	25.88	97.46	within 3%
P3	14.25/75.75	96.92	24.62	97.12	Triple (16,63,65)
14	12.5 / 77.5	97.63	21.64	96.25/ 97.63	-3.75 /2.37 %
15	10 / 80	98.48	17.36	94.85/ 98.48	-5.15 /1.52%
16	7.5 / 82.5	99.14	13.05	93.28/  99.14	-6.72 /0.86%
17	5 / 85	99.62	8.72	91.52/  99.62	-8.48 /0.38%
18	2.5 / 87.5	99.90	4.36	89.60/ 99.90	-10.40/ 0.10
19	0 / 90	100	0	87.5/ 100	-12.5/ 0.0%

Table-1 – Evaluation of Podhayanar’s formula

Anyone who says this works only for well-known triples (3, 4, 5) and (5, 12, 13), would be surprised to see the accuracy of 1% for the angles right from 20^o up to 40^o. The expanded range of 17.5^o 42.5 ^o shows errors within 2%. At 45 ^o we know X = Y and R =   (√2) X (= 17/12 *70.71 = 100.713).

Yes 17/12 is the approximate value generally used by ancient scientists for √2, just as present day 22/7 for value of ‘Pi’ or ‘π’.

I heard someone saying “what about Angles > 45^o?” It is fairly easy to see if the longer side of the right angled triangle is considered as ‘X’ and shorter side as ‘Y’, the above formula still works. (Eg) let the angle be 50^o; then the other angles of the ∆ will be 40^o and 90^o. Hence the shortest angle will be 40^o and hence shorter side y= 100 Sin 40, & the other side x = 100 Cos 40.  And they are the same as item 3 of the above table. Thus any angle (45 + Ω) will be same like (45 – Ω). Hence this formula works for angle 17.5^o to 72.5^o.  These other angles are marked as subscripts in the table above.

This means, Podayanaar’s formula works well from 17.5 ^o to 72.5 ^o. In cases of very acute angle (outside the range 17.5^o – 72.5^o), as can be seen in the above table, we can observe that as marked in subscripts the ‘Karnam‘≅ the longer side of right-angled triangle,

There are some people who think that this formula is empirical. No Sir, This is not empirical, there is a strong logic behind this. 

In an x-y plot, as shown blow, we can mark a point 4, 3 as dots and extend the line O● to 100 units up to ●. Then mark a point 12, 5 as arrow marks and extend O↑ to 100 units up to the ↑. Now we know the points ↑ and ●  will fall on an arc of a circle with 100 units as radius. The arc is shown below as a quarter circle.

Now the straight line drawn through the Dot and Arrow can be considered as a linearization of the arc representing 1/8-th of a circle with 100 units as the radius.

Now the straight line drawn through the Dot and Arrow can be considered as a linearization of the arc representing 1/8-th of a circle with 100 units as the radius. The equation of the Dot- arrow line will be:     let it be Y = mX+ C.

Piece-wise Linearization of a quarter circle

(Dot) 60= 80*m1+c;    (Arrow) 38.46 = 92.31*m1+C ;

Subtracting one eqn from the other to eliminate C

-21.54 = 12.31*m1,    

Hence, m1 = – (21.54/12.31) = – 1.750 = – (7/4)    —————①

Substituting this value of m1 in the first eqn., we get

            60 = – 80 *(7/4) + C

                        C = 60+80*(7/4) = 200

Then, Dot-arrow eqn become

Y = – (7/4) X + 200

Hence we get,

            (½)Y + (⁷/₈) X = 100;   is the st. line Dot-Arrow, shown as ‘mm’.

This line will intersect Y axis at X = 0, y= 200.

This line will intersect x axis at X = 114.3, y= 0.

All points on this line will satisfy the Equation

(½)Y + (⁷/₈) X = 100.

However, it can represent the hypotenuse or karnam only in a limited interval 17.5^o to 42.5^o of the angle of the right-angled triangle. This statement is true for angles between 45^o to 90^o also, as shown earlier, since any angle (45 + Ω) will be same like (45 – Ω). Hence this formula works for angle 17.5^o to 72.5^o also.

How did the Tamil Sidda Podhayanar get this brilliant idea of linearization of the arc of a circle?  He must have seen the work of his mentor (?) Saint Baudayana, on ’the ratio of the circumference of circles to their diameters’, which is now known in modern science by a Greek letter ‘PI’ or ( ). You may go through: https://lvnaga.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/baudhayanas-circles/  for details.

By drawing in-circles and circum-circles of different polygons, and by the time he came up to the Octagon, he had established the value of Pi within a narrow bounds 40/12 and 40/13. He must have known he could get still narrow band for the value of Pi had he gone to higher order polygons. But for his applications the accuracy as obtained above was sufficient.

Baudayana drew the in-circle and the circum-circle around a regular octagon and he proved that their radii will be in the ratio 12:13. Looking at the general case of 13a, 12a, 5a, we can observe that the circumference of pentagon will be 8 x 10a = 80a. This circumference will be in between the circumferences of circles. Since Pi is defined as the RATIO of circumference to the diameter of the circle, we may write

(80a + €) / (2x13a) = pi = (80a-∂) / (2x12a)

i.e        (⁴⁰/₁₃) + € = Pi = (⁴⁰/₁₂) – ∂

i.e.       40/13 < Pi < 40/12

 This is how Baudayana proved PI value to be between 40/12 and 40/13

Now let us go back to the octagon. The chord AB is typically one side of the regular octagon, one of pair of sides in the positive quadrant. The triangle OAB is isosceles with the angle AOB = 45⁰ Then angle OAB = Angle OBA = 135/2 =67.5⁰. Hence the slope of AB,

m = – tan 67.5⁰ = – 2.414

The slope of Podhayana’s Arrow-Dot line as seen in diagram -1 and Eqn-1 above,

                                    m1 = – tan 60.22 = 1.75

Now you can look at the diagram and understand how, Podhayana’s genius, the piece wise linearization has worked. This idea can be understood better, if the conjugate ‘nn’ of the Dot-Arrow line ‘mm’ is also drawn to cover the upper part of the arc and the upper chord of the octagon. Podhayana had used the two dotted lines (‘mm’) and (‘nn’) as above to piece-wise linearize this arc of quarter circle, and that too at the places most needed, at around 45^o.

The funny part is that the equation (7/8)*x + (1/2)*Y= R was found even before Pythagoras found his theorem, but most probably after Baudayana found his theorem, centuries before Pythagoras. 

Coclusion:

As can be seen above Podhayana has achieved fair accuracy of approximation within the region he has aimed at. I am sure he knew that any linearization over a smaller region will always be more accurate.

There are basically 3 objection to Podayanar’s formula:

• This formula is empirical & works only for triplets (3, 4, 5) and (5, 12, 13).

It is not true. The formula works reasonably well for any angle from 17.5 ^o to 72.5^o _.

Formula has not been properly understood. Odum Neelam means running length and kundram means a smaller hill. This means the formula should be understood as below

For all y > x, R = SQRT (y*y + x*x)   = (7/8) y + (1/2) x

• Podayanar cannot be same as Baudayana of Sulva Sutras, since the sutras are all in Sanskrit.

As Samskrit, in those days was the link language among the intelligentsia of Indian subcontinent, most of his work could have been translated by him, or some later disciples, to be in Samskrit.

• Podhayana means somebody In Podhai. I.e. all the time in drugs and drinks.

I do not want to analyze his name and what it means.

With those remarks, I am signing off. But I am sure to come back with one more episode, Meendum Meendum Baudayana. Oh not yet, not before the interesting annexure.

———————————o0OO0o——————————–

Annexure

One may ask whether it is possible to take any other set of (Pythagoras) triplets and derive a formula in a closed form, like Podhyana’s formula. I am sure it is possible.

Just for fun let us try it.

Let us take the well-known smallest set (3, 4, 5)for the angles 36.87^o/53.13^o and another set [16, 63, 65] for an angle of 14.25^o/75.75^o. If these vectors were projected to a common base of 65 units we rewrite the triples as: (39, 52, 65) and (16, 63, 65).

We will have a different point on the arc for the dot, say y=16, x= 63   out of the triple [(16, 63, 65)]. The equation for the line (m’m’) may be derived as below

Let it be y= m2x + c

                16 = 63m2 +c;     39=52m2+C

23 = 11m2;

                 Hence m2= – 23/11

39 = 52*(-23/11)+ C1

     =-1196/11 + C

C = 39+1196/11 = (1625/11)

The Eqn for line will become

Y                = (-23/11)*X + 1625/11

Multiplying by 11/25

(11/25) = – (23/25)*X + 1625/25                           

(11/25) Y + (23/25)*X = 1625/25 = 65

Like Podhayana’s Eqn we have here

(11/25) Y  +  (23/25)  X = 65

As you can see above we have developed a second equations for approximating Pythagoras theorem. The funny part is that the first equation (7/8)X + (1/2)Y= R was found even before Pythagoras found his theorem. The second equation is just now found by me after more than 2000 years, to demonstrate the genius of Podhayanar.  Let us call the first equation as Podhayana’s equation, because he stated thus clearly.

“ஓடும் நீளம் தனை- ஒரெட்டுக் கூறு ஆக்கி

கூறிலே ஒன்றைத்தள்ள – குன்றத்தில் பாதியாய்ச் சேர்த்தால்

வருவது கர்ணம் தானே”

“The length of the run                                  – made into eight parts,

Of these one neglected,                               – and added half the hill,

karnam is what comes out.

The second equation, we will call it Nagayana’s equation just for fun, can also be associated with a poem as below.

நீளத்தையும்  குன்றந்தனையும் –  கூறு இருபத் தை ந்தாக்கி

குன்றத்தில் பதினொன்றும் – நீளத்தில் இருபத்திமூன்றுமாய்

கூறுகளைச் சேர்த்தால் – வருவதும் கர்ணம் தானே.

.In the following table you may observe the accuracy distributed in a different areas.

		Angle		x=	y=	podhayana’s	nagayana’s
		α	y/x	65 cos α	65 sin α	(7/8)*x+(1/2)*y	(23/25)*y +(11/25)*x
	1	45.00	1.000	45.96	45.96	63.20	62.51
	2	42.50	0.916	47.92	43.91	63.89	63.41
	3	40.00	0.839	49.79	41.78	64.46	64.19
	4	37.50	0.767	51.57	39.57	64.91	64.85
	P1	36.87		52.00	39.00	65.00	65.00
	5	35.00	0.700	53.24	37.28	65.23	65.39
	6	30.00	0.577	56.29	32.50	65.51	66.09
	7	25.00	0.466	58.91	27.47	65.28	66.28
	P2	22.62		60.00	25.00	65.00	66.20
	8	22.50	0.414	60.05	24.87	64.98	66.19
	9	17.50	0.315	61.99	19.55	64.02	65.63
	10	15.00	0.268	62.79	16.82	63.35	65.16
	P3	14.25	0.254	63.00	16.00	63.13	65.00
	11	12.50	0.222	63.46	14.07	62.56	64.57
	12	10.00	0.176	64.01	11.29	61.65	63.86
	13	7.50	0.132	64.44	8.48	60.63	63.02
	14	5.00	0.087	64.75	5.67	59.49	62.07
	15	0.000	0.00	65.00	0.00	56.8

————————–o0O *END* O0o———————–

Open Offer to Sri Rajinikanth

This what I wrote in my blog on Candidate’s Manifesto:

Quote from my blog –

– https://lvnaga.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/candidates-manifesto/

“The following should become a part of election manifestos of all political parties. If the parties do not agree, at least all the candidates with conscience may adopt these as their manifestos in addition to their party’s. No party will object to these. I wish Congress and BJP will take lead in this during the next elections to any State assembly or any bi-election. Or any activity groups like AGNI may insist an undertaking on this basis from the candidates. Or, better still, Election commission may insist on all candidates to accept such an undertaking in writing.

During the election process:

1. I will abide by the election norms in all respects
2. I will not spend more money than stipulated by the election commission.
3. I will spend only legal and accountable money in the elections.
4. I will not bribe voters to vote for me, nether I will bribe election officers for any special favours.
5. All my election speeches will be decent. I will not make any personal attacks on my opponents.
6. I will totally avoid violence during the whole election process.

After I am elected

1. I will spend at least 100 days in a year in the constituency
2. I will maintain an attendance of at least 90% when the elected body is in session
3. As an elected representative, I will conduct myself with decency and decorum during the above sessions and in my private and public life
4. I will always place my constituency above my party; and my party above myself
5. I will not engage in corrupt practices; neither will I encourage them in others.
6. I will respect the principles of democracy and will not in any way encourage hero worship of myself or others.
7. I will endeavour to be free of any bias based on caste, creed or religio

Extra Initiatives

1. I will not ever demand or support any demand for increased remuneration for the elected members.
2.  I will forego some of the existing privileges which is costing heavily the tax-payers
3.  I will not demand or accept any pension for my membership, as I realize it is not a job, it is a service.

Even if half of the contestants are convinced to adopt such a manifeso and even half of them implement the same sincerely, it will make a great difference to the body politic in India.“

Quote Ends

The above was not just empty words of an idealistic journalist. The above words were from the heart of a true citizen of India, who has been watching every election of our democracy since 1950. it is obvious from my open offer to Rajinikanth that it is well thought out plan to cleanse our democracy and not just an emotional outburst.

Open Offer to Sri Rajinikanth

Dear Sir,
I am happy to know that you are very close to starting your own political party to contest Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. I would have liked it to be a party for whole of South India, a true Dravidian party. Now I only hope it grows into one such in future.
Now Sir, here is my offer. I offer myself to contest the TN assembly election. I give below my credentials:

Name: ​​L V Nagarajan
Age:​​75
Qualifiction: ​B.Sc., B.E., M.Tech
Experience: ​40 Years in Electrical Utility and Utility based applications
Nativity: ​Tamil Nadu, Dindugal Dist. Sholavandan, Spent first 18 years of my life there.

My strategy:

1. When I contest, I do not plan to spend any of my personal funds for election. I will establish an “Election Fund” for my constituency with my own contribution of Rs. One Lac. I will solicit donations from Ex-MPs, Ex-MLAs, Rich people, Business men, Traders and other citizens of the constituency.
2. My team will make a budget for Election Expenses. I propose to publish weekly accounts of my expenses while I keep asking for donations. I will try to spend as much as I need to and will not spend more than the allowed amount.
3. I will establish a “Constituency Improvement Fund” with my own contribution of Rs. One Crore. This will be merged with MLA’s Constituency Fund only if and when I win the elections
4. If and when I win, I will donate all my salary and benefits as an MLA, to this fund and will draw only my expenses for my duties as MLA from this fund. This fund will be managed by the eminent citizens of my constituency.

This way, I hope to achieve real democracy at least in my constituency. Here is an attempt to reduce the expenses to a minimum and also to reduce candidate’s contribution towards these expenses. Here is a chance for even normal citizens to think of contesting the elections. Those who cannot afford to spare Rs.1 crore as above, may also be accepted as a candidate, with the party taking up this as a special grant per constituency.

Sir, you may or may not agree with my offer. But at least, can you find and encourage people such like me to contest TN elections. Without the support of a political party, such people cannot contest or win elections. As a new political party you can be a trendsetter in this respect.

Yours Truly,
L V Nagarajan
01 July 2019

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AGAIN IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR SOME OF THE CANDIDATES AS ABOVE BECOME POLITICALLY CONSCIOUS AS ABOVE. THIS MOVE BY THE CANDIDATES WILL NOT SUCCEED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMON MAN AND THE POLITICAL BIG BOSSES. OF COURSE IT ALSO NEEDS THE BUROCRATS SUCH AS ELECTION COMISSIONERS TO TAKE OUR SUGGESTIONS SERIOUSLY AND ACT ON THE SAME.

This kind of suggestions for improvement rarely reaches the voting pubic especially the masses because they think that the corruption and malpractices affect only the tax paying citizens. the political activists rarely remind them about indirect taxes paid by them throu GST and that they also pay the increasing prices due to corruption.

And finally I remember a lyric by Poet Pattukottai Kalyana Sundaram which says\

“Thittam pottu thirudura koottam
Thirudi kondae irukkudhu

Adhai sattam pottu thadukkura koottam
Thaduthu kondae irukkudhu

Thirudaraai paarthu thirundhaa vittaal
Thiruttai ozhikka mudiyaadhu”

(The theives will always be scheming to steal,

The police will always be passing and using laws to prevent the same.

However unless theieves gives up stealing on their own

There is no way to abolish the crime of theft)

But luckily there is one more way we can stop these political theives from stealing our resources and that is to defeat them in the elections repeatedly so that their stolen wealth will be back with the voting public.

—————o0O0o————–

Religious Polarization in India

L V Nagarajan

When I was a school boy, I was in small town near Madurai in South India. I was living with my parents, uncles, cousins and grandparents, in a joint family, for about 18 years. I graduated at the age of 18 and came to Mumbai for a Job in BARC in 1962. In my small native town, I was living in a Brahmin street (Agraharam). In those days it was common to have such areas in small towns, like, Mudaliyar Kottai, Pillaimar Theru, Saibu Pettai, Rowthar Street, based on castes, religion and culture. Some of my friends and classmates from these areas come to our street to play with us. There had never been any cast-clashes, way back in 1950s and 60s.

1. In my town, in the local Mariamman Temple, one day’s festival is sponsored by Rowthar community of Muslims. The procession, dressing and decoration will all be in a typical Muslim style.
2. In the Ratha Utsav, the chariot pulling right is given to SC/ST people and they would not lose this right to anybody, come-what-may.
3. My grandfather was one of the sponsors for the Ashura festival of Muslims in our town.
4. Christmas Carols visit a few prominent Brahmin houses and spread the blessings of Jesus Christ on the whole Brahmin community.
5. The sandal pastes, agar batthis and perfumes for religious and social festivals are always supplied by a Muslim shop keeper.

Things had drastically changed by 1980s. Earlier the reservation policy covered only SC (18%) and STs (1%). As we all understood, this is a good initiative and we all supported this affirmation policy. Later in late 1970 onwards, Tamil Nadu govt. introduced 23.5% reservation for other backward classes (BCs). This was not accepted by many communities, as most of them wanted reservation after SC/ST, to be based only on economic backwardness. This dislike for the policy took another dimension when many castes and sub-castes fought for inclusion in the above BC category. The Mandal Commission, or the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), was established in India on 1 January 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to “identify the socially or educationally backward classes” of India. However in the meantime, pressure groups started developing among various castes and sub-castes claiming quota of reservations for them also. This led the progressive state of Tami Nadu, to have many caste based political parties and associations. Thus instead of just removing caste barriers in human development, the expanded reservation policy has also brought up many more caste barriers in other social areas

Tamil Nadu did not wait for the Mandal Commission report. TN Govt implemented further 26.5% reservation for what they called it as Other Backward Classes (OBC), thus raising the total reservations to 67%. But this move by Govt had only widened the competition by people of many castes demanding to be included in this MBC or OBC. Those who are not included in any of these categories were called as Forward Caste (FC), irrespective of their social and financial status. This naturally angered them and they filed a petition in the High Court and Supreme Court. The courts ruled that at least 50% of Government jobs and Education admissions should be based on merit and not to be under any quota system. But this did not stop TN Govt under Jayalalitha to pass a  Tamil Nadu Act of 1994. After a demand for the scheme to have constitutional Protection, the act was adopted in 1993 by the Assembly and got the same included in the 9^th Schedule of the constitution. This included reservation of seats in education and employment for backward classes, and scheduled castes and tribes.  

At about the same period, another injustice was brought to light. The social backwardness arising out of caste system is considered as a typical nature of Hindu community. Muslim community was considered as a casteless one (!). Hence they were not eligible for any reservation, however socially and economically backward they were. Indian constitution also is against any reservation based on religion. However most of the Indian Muslims were earlier belonging to one of the oppressed classes of Hindu community. They converted to be Muslims either in the hope that they can escape caste discrimination or because of some other socio-political and economic incentives.

Hence the Muslims of India knowing or unknowingly became a vote bank of Islamic Political parties right from late 1970s. This is the beginning of religious polarisation in India. At about the same time the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi’ movement was spearheaded by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and gathered momentum in the late 1980s. This along with minority appeasement policy of ruling Congress helped Muslims to stick together and vote en-block for Congress.

Since then at every election, be it for state assemblies or the Parliament, the poles of religion  started diverging, to start with, in the North, and gradually to the South also. Of late, majority of the Muslims have realised that they have been exploited by all political parties including the Congress. However their reactions are varied. Those who suffered because of Partition have unwisely started supporting Pakistan and the cross border terrorism. Those who were disturbed because of Babri Masjid demolition became more ardent supporters of Mughal invaders and their atrocities. Those who did not like the resultant Hindu resurgence became sacrificial goats for Islamic movements like ISIS etc. Luckily majority of the Muslims applied their mind instead of heart and started taking the path of education and enlightenment and retained their innate Indianness or Bharatiya. It is this majority of Muslims who is going to contribute restoring India’s true secular society that existed before Mughal invasion.    

We can already see the sign of such moderation among Indian Muslims, talking some sense into others. Zakia Soman is a women’s rights activist and a founding member of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, which played a major role in abolition of ‘triple talaq’ rule among the Muslims. She writes in an article in Times of India, in October 2020 on polarization in India, ‘Muslims should have conceded the birth place of Lord Ram’.

Yes, I was also a remote witness to the demolition of Babri Masjid thru TV screens. Though you cannot blame any specific leaders of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement for this incident, some of them did talk in an inciting manner, but nothing more than what Owaisi brothers are doing now. But to conclude that to be the reason for the demolition is rather childish. Yes, it was a criminal act by a few; but we had the TV footage; could have identified exactly the individuals involved in the act and could have punished them severely. There is absolutely no point in filing a case on all the people who led the Ram Janma Bhoomi movement. This is the reason why people suspect the intention of the so-called seculars.

India is a land where people of different faiths co-existed for many centuries even before the occupation by Mughals. When Mughal thugs forced the conversion on Hindus, Indian Muslims did not support them. In my younger days I have never heard the word Jihad or Kafir.  But I have heard some Hindu preachers mention ‘Mlechcha’ when they refer to Muslims, but many of them added a foot note saying that they mean people like Aurangazib and Malik Kafur, and not the Indian Muslims.

When Muslim intellectuals chose the list of visionaries from freedom struggle, who laid the foundation of plural democracy in India, they were very careful in avoiding some people like Jinnah Saheb, who helped trisecting this nation on religious basis. They were also very careful to avoid one person, Mr. Sirdar Vallab Bhai Patel, who prevented one more dissection of our country on religious basis in the Deccan area.

There was a time when Indian Muslims were different from other Muslims of the world.   Those were times when the Indian Muslim respected the Christian teacher who taught English to his son equally with the tutor from local Mosque who taught him Quran. Those were the times when a child who was later to become the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt stood first in his Bible class in a local school. Those were the times Christmus Carols used to visit prominent Hindu houses spreading the blessings of Jesus. In those days cross religious faiths need not result in conversion.

Compare the situation now: Indian Muslims have more affection towards Rohingyas and Tablighis than towards the real Indian Muslims like Abdul Kalam. If the Kerala Governor, who is a Muslim, visits a temple they issue a fatwa against him. If Kasab is hanged, he is being celebrated as a hero by Indian Muslims. I can keep on quoting several such misconducts by Indian Muslims which are basically designed to polarize this country on religious basis, to whose benefit I wonder!

“Appeasement of Muslims” is often referred to, as though it is non-existent, like many treat the term “Love-Jihad” as though it is piece of fiction. The biggest minority appeasement was the fraudulent Sachar Committee report. The report says Muslims are the poorest and least resourceful in India. All of us know “the poorest and least resourceful” Hindus were the target of forced and incentivised conversion in to Islam, since a very long time. They were already “the poorest and least resourceful” before they became Muslims and not because they were Muslims. However I am always for affirmative action, and reservations in jobs and education, for socially and economically backward citizens of India. 

Now as far as polarization is concerned, tell me which community vote en-block in any election on the advice given usually during mass prayers, by a local leader? It is very easy to prove me wrong. Please let me have the statistics: How many Muslims are elected from Hindu Majority Constituencies and how many non-Muslims are elected from Muslim Majority constituencies?

Many of the nationalist Muslim intellectuals come out with one advice for Muslims which is now useless, i.e, ‘Muslims should have conceded the birth place of Lord Ram’. Instead of such useless advice, can they take up with Bharatiya Muslim community and advice them promptly in the following matters also:

1. It is an accepted historical fact that several Hindu Temples were destroyed to build Mosques not by Indian Muslims but by Mughals. The Muslim community may setup committees to historically check the facts, and wherever they can establish truth of demolition of Hindu Temples, they can offer the site to Hindus to rebuild their Temples.
2. The Hindus, on their part, should not insist on complete rewriting of religious history that could endanger the beautiful diversity of India.
3. The Muslim Community should desists from annexing even the existing disused temple sites and instead help Hindu to rebuild the same.
4. Muslim community should disengage themselves from forced and incentivised conversion. On the contrary, they should propagate the values of Islam which people can follow without the need of converting to Islam. (like in olden times)
5. As a community they should discourage the use of religious gatherings such as in Mosques or Idgas for political propaganda
6. Last but the most important, they should maintain their identity of Indian Muslims, instead of subjugating themselves to ISIS, Rohingyas or Tablighis.

Indian Muslim community is the second largest in the world, even larger than in Pakistan, the first largest being Muslims of Indonesia. I feel Indian Muslims should have a greater say among international Muslim community. They should influence the Muslims of the world to follow the path of secularism, which just does not mean, just tolerance alone, it means acceptance of other religions also.   

Before you call me names as BIGOTS or Rightists, like all other pseudo seculars, let me state below my religious orientation.

1. I was in Dubai with family for about 15 years. Whenever I am invited by my colleagues and friends for Iftar opening during the holy month of Ramzan, I also used to fast on that day.
2. My technician was one Abid Hussain from Pakistan. Whenever I need some maintenance on any of my appliances, he will finish his Friday Prayers, come home, attend to the appliance, have lunch with me, see an Indian movie along with me and my family and then go home late in the afternoon, with dinner from my house packed.
3. My driver was one Eid Wali Khan, a Pathan from Pakistan. Any guests or visitors come to my house, he volunteers as a guide cum driver to take them around Dubai and UAE.
4. One of my lady cousins has married an Indian Muslim and both have migrated to US. We visit them whenever we are in the US. It is a pleasure to see them live happily with a healthy mixture of Indian Hindu/Muslim culture, which of course would not have been possible in India.

So I am secular in a Hindu way of acceptance (and tolerance).

Long Live India’s Social Secularism

Luni-Solar Calendars of India

Solar calendars are followed by Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odissa, West Bengal, Punjab and Sri Lanka. It is also followed in a few Eastern States and by some countries in far-east. This calendar follows the sidereal year (of 365.2564 days), while the Western or Gregorian calendar directly measures the tropical year (of 365.2422 days). The difference is about 20 minutes per year, which is quite significant. In 72 years the difference could go upto a day. For more on this: (https://lvnaga.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/tamilindian-solar-calendar/)

The Tamil panchangams always mention not only Tamil/Solar New year, but also Telugu New year known as ‘Yugadi’.  Yugadi, this year 2020, was very early on 25^th March ‘20 itself, (i.e.) 20 days ahead of Tamil New year. However the next Yugadi in 2021 will be on…(let me see, wow) it will be only on 13^th April 2021, so close to Tamil New year day. Have you ever wondered why the Telugu/Luni-solar calendars have so much variation? How come the present Luni-solar year is so long from 25^th March 2020 to 13^th April 2021, (i.e.) 20 days longer to 385 days? But how do they manage 12 months in a year with 385 days. Oh yes, this year there are 13 months in their Luni Solar Calendar.

We have just completed that particular (extra or double) month of the Hindu luni-solar calendar. Now we are in the 9th lunar month, known as Karthika of this current Hindu Luni-Solar calendar. after completing the months of  Chaitra, Vaisaka, Jyeshta, Ashada, Sravana, Bhadrapada and Adik-Aasvija, Nija Aaswija and there are still 5 more months to go before the end of this Luni-solar year on 13^th April 2021, namely, Karthika, Margasira, Pausha, Magha, Phalguna, (hence totalling 13 Lunar months)

The Sidereal and Synodic Lunar Months

The Sidereal month is the time the Moon takes to complete one full revolution around the Earth with respect to the background stars. However, because the Earth is constantly moving along its orbit about the Sun, the Moon must travel slightly more than 360° to get from one new moon to the next. Thus, the Synodic month, or lunar monthbetween two new Moons, is longer than the sidereal month. A sidereal month lasts 27.322 days, while a synodic month lasts 29.531 days. Lunar calendar considers 12 (synodic) lunar months in a year. i.e. 12 x 29.531 days, or 354.372 days. Let us say at a point of time, Solar calendar year and Lunar calendar year starts on the same day, say 14^th April. The next lunar year will start 11 days earlier, i.e on 3^rd April. The third lunar year will start still 11 days earlier, i.e on 23^rd March. The 4^th lunar year will start still 11 days earlier, i.e on 12^th March. Herein, the Luni-solar followers do not allow this lag to continue. They recognise there were 13 New moons in the last solar year, and hence they introduce a 13^th Month known as Adik Mas in the third lunar year, so that the 4^th lunar year starts around 9^th april. On an average, Adik Maas (or extra month) comes once in 2 years and 8.5 months.

In the whole world only one religious group follows the pure Lunar calendar. Islam follows even today the Lunar years which falls short of the Gregorian year of Common Era, by 11 days every year. Hence their major festivals like Ramzan, Bakrid etc will keep on advancing by 11days every year, compared to international calendar. The international Gregorian calendar being basically Solar, follows the seasons very closely, while Islamic years do not.

Many earlier followers of Lunar calendars, quickly switched over to Luni-Solar calendar, with a periodic correction, to be in phase with solar calendar. There are two systems of Luni-solar Calendar. The most common system is known as Amantha (Ama-antha), this has the months ending with each New moon or Amavasya. This is the system in all purely Lunar calendars also. The other one followed in many of the northern regions of India is known as Purnimantha (Purnima-antha), where the month ends on Full moon day.

Last time  we  had  Adik  maas  in  2018 May,(from 16^th May 2018 to 13^th June 2018), in the solar year Vilambi. You may see more on this in my blog – https://lvnaga.wordpress.com/2018/06/10/adik-maas-extra-month/. In about 2 years 6 months, in 2020, (from 18^th Sept to 16^th Oct), in the present solar year of Sarvari, we had another adik maas of Luni-solar year.

There are two problems here. Telugu Luni-Solar Calendar has the names of the years same as in Tamil (i.e) Prabava, Vibava etc. But for some reason they are 13 years ahead of us at least in the names. For example this year is Sarvari for Tamils but for Telugus it is Pramadicha.

The 2^nd problem is: Our solar months have the same name as Telugu lunar months. As many of us know the 12 months of solar calendar are called by the names of Rasis or Zodiacs. Most solar festivals go by the stars and zodiacs, whereas most of the Lunar festivals go by Thithis, or phases of the moon. The 27 stars, as Hindus classify them, are spread around the 12-Zodiacs of the Sun. Each of the 27 stars has 4 sub-periods, known as Paadhas. 9 paadhas come under one Zodiac to complete all the 27 stars. Hence the names of the month is also given the prominent star in the above 9 Padhas, starting from star Chitra for the first Zodiac Mesham. Now we know from where we get the table, we learnt as children, “Chitra – Mesham, Vaikasi – Rishabam, etc”. These stars Chitra, Visaka etc falls on or about the pournami or Full moon day of the solar month.

As told earlier, most solar festivals go by the stars and zodiacs, whereas most of the Lunar festivals go by Thithis, or phases of the moon. This gives major problems in fixing some of the lunar festival dates. This year, because of Adik-Aasvija month, the problem was more.

We Tamils are singing “ஆவணி மாசம் ரோஹிணியில் அவதரித்தானே”, for Gokulashtami. But this year we had it in the Tamil month of Aadi itself. Muthuswami Dikshitar sings “Bhadrapada Masa chaturthyam” about Ganapathi, but this time we had Ganesh Chaturthi as early as 6^th of Tamil month Avani. This confusion lead to Tamil Vaishnavites observing Sri Jayanthi after Ganesh Chaturthi. The funniest thing is, the Tamil year of Sarvari does not have Rama-Navami at all. In the next Tamil year of Bilava, we will have two Rama-Navamis, once early in the new year, another one before the end of the year. Our worst experience was regarding Mahalaya Paksham. Normally it will start after the pournami of Purattasi and end with the subsequent Amavasya. Then we will immediately start with Navarathri. Since there were Two Aasvijaas this year, Navaratri was delayed up to Nija Aasvijaa, though Mahalaya Paksham was rendered in Adik Aasvijaa.

The table below gives the different New Years being celebrated by various communities across India. Here also there are a few changes. Gujaratis though they follow Amantha Lunar Calendar, their new year falls on the beginning of lunar month Kartik, which this year coincides with Solar Calendar 1^st of Vrischika mass or Tamil-kartikai month. Punjabi Sikhs follow Solar Calendar. However their first month from 14^th April to 13^th May is called Vaisakha and not Chitra.  

Keralites are more consistent on the use of solar Calendar. They do not have any names for the years only numbers, (eg) Sarvari =1195. In addition they do not name their months based on the exalted stars, like Chiatra, Visaka etc. They purely go on the solar principle of Rasi’s or Zodiacs, like Mesha, Rishaba etc. All the solar festivals are based on the prominent star of the respective zodiac. For example, irrespective of when Tamils observes Avani Avittam, Keralites always have ONAM on the month of Chingam or Aavani, when Thiruvonam star and Purnima are close together. Historically and traditionally, Tamils are also celebrating their solar festivals in the same manner – Vaikasi Visakam, Adi Krithigai, Karthikai Deepam, Tiruvadirai, Thai Poosam, Masi Maham and Panguni Utthiram, etc.

To Know more on Luni-Solar calendar and Adik Mass please read my earlier blog:

Adik Maas in Luni-Solar Calendars of India

New Year Days of different Communities in India

Date	Festival name	Religion / Regions (Hindu)
varies, Mar/Apr	Ugadi	Karnataka,  Andhra Pradesh,  Telangana
varies, Mar/Apr	Bighu	Jharkhand
varies, Mar/Apr	Holi (Phalgun Pratipada)	North India (U P, H P, Haryana, Bihar,  Madhya Pradesh)
varies, Mar/Apr	Bikhu	Uttarakhand
fixed, Apr 14/15	Buisu	Tripura
varies, Mar/Apr	Gudhi Padwa	Maharashtra, Goa,  Konkan
varies, Mar/Apr	Cheiraoba[5]	Manipur
varies, Mar/Apr	Navreh	Kashmir
varies, Mar/Apr	Navratra	Jammu
–	Navratra	Rajasthan
varies, Mar/Apr	Cheti Chand	Sindh
fixed, April 13/14/15	Vaisakhi	Punjab
fixed, April 13/14/15	Bohag Bihu	Assam
fixed, April 13/14/15	Puthandu	Tamil Nadu
fixed, April 13/14/15	Vishu	Kerala
fixed, August 15/16/17	First day of Chingam    (Kollam Era)	Kerala
fixed, April 13/14/15	Pana Sankranti	Odisha
fixed, April 14/15	Poila Boishakh	Bengal
fixed, April 13/14/15	Jud Sheetal	Bihar(Mithila)
varies, Oct/Nov	Nav Varas	Gujarat
varies, Aug 17,18,19	Pateti	Parsis
Fixed, March 21	Nowruz	Zoroastrians

Avoiding Frequent Elections in India

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Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi is right when he expresses concerns about the country being perpetually on Election mode. There are many dis-advantages under this situation. The political parties, especially in the opposition go for competitive popular government schemes without any consideration for its feasibility and condition of the state economy. Secondly the ruling parties either go for big schemes in a hurry before the elections and at the same time, are forced to stop any reasonable developmental activities, by the poll code of conduct. All these things costs the tax payer heavily in addition to the wasted expenditure on frequent elections. Another important factor has come into play in the last decade during these frequent elections. it is the religious and ideological polarization that happens during these elections and the same persisting through to the next (and the next) elections. We are not here to discuss who is to blame for this. We are more interested in finding a leader who will stop this trend or at least reduce its bad effects of such polarization on Indian body-politics.

The PM’s solution, of having ‘One Nation/One Election’, has been shown to create more problems than it solves. Perhaps, there could be a solution in going half-way.

Lok Sabha elections generally produce stable results & any government, in general, lasts a full term of 5 years. This period of 5 years, or 60 months, can be split into 3 periods 20 months, each period consisting of 18 election-free months plus 2 months. These 2 months in each of the above three periods can be ear marked as windows for 3 sets of assembly elections lasting 2 months each. Those state assemblies which are to complete their terms within this 18-months-long election-free period, can be given an option either to dissolve early or to have a president rule till the next window of two-months-election period.

If any state legislature is dissolved out of turn, the midterm poll also should follow this regime. Once this schedule is accepted and achieved, this should really mean that all elections, local body elections, bye-elections and if possible, even elections to Rajya Sabha and legislative councils, should be conducted in one of these windows only, leaving out the three 18-month election-free-periods. It might also be better for elections to Rajya Sabha from a state, to wait for the elections to that state legislature to be completed to ensure that it represents the will of the people.

State Governments & Central Government get these 18-months election-free-periods for concentrating on developmental work without bothering for any impending elections & the consequent code of conduct. The transition into this mode of scheduling elections is also easy as shown in the following table. Once this transition is completed, it is very easy to maintain the same.

Table -1: Three windows for state elections

Once this schedule is accepted and achieved, this should really mean that all elections, local body elections, bye-elections and  even elections to legislative councils, should be conducted in one of these windows only, leaving out the three 18-month election-free periods. If any state legislature is dissolved out of turn, the midterm poll also should follow this regime. It would be better for the central govt should also think of not upsetting this regime, whenever the govt thinks of going for a midterm poll for the Lok Sabha.

In Table-2 a typical schedule of elections henceforth is evolved, assuming that Lok Sabha elections take place in April 2024.

3-Language Formula under School Education

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We appreciate the TN Govt stand to go in for 3-Language formula as suggested in National Education Policy 2020. However, it is not yet very clear how the 3-rd language option will be implemented.

Most of the other states are implementing this 3-Language Formula, albeit, some of them doing it unwillingly. Even in Tamil Nadu, all the CBSE schools and many of the private schools are offering a choice of a third language, which always include HINDI. This unequal language learning at school level causes some concern among the students of State Board and Govt. schools. Even their parents feel that their wards receive less education, than their counterparts in other private and better schools. They end-up supporting the people in the opposition parties who blindly want Hindi as the 3^rd Language, mainly for political purposes. Again, to help us to be a part of national mainstream, it may not be practicable to follow strictly the 2-Language Formula for State board schools in Tamil Nadu.

Hence, sir, I suggest a slight change, which may appear as a compromise on Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’s policy. But you will realise it is not. The policy may be stated and evolved in the following way:

1. We should take steps to convince the general public in TN and the rest of India, that there is no hatred, per-se, on any language, including Hindi or Sanskrit.

2. We should also convince the students, that there is no need to learn Hindi to be able to travel north, and that, definitely learning Hindi in schools does not give any advantage over those who learn spoken Hindi later on in life, (should the need arise).

3. TN Govt. SHOULD organize short term courses in conversational Hindi (like Hindi in 30 days), in association with Tamil Nadu Hindi Prachar Sabha, (Very much like NEET coaching centres), for those who may need.

4. We should inform the people about our concern for Tamil, since –“If Hindi is fluently spoken by more than 50% of Indians, there is a very high chance that it will become the sole Union official language.”

5. For this reason DMK govt should insist more on all 14 languages to become Union official languages. India’s First PM, Jawahar Lal Nehru proposed this in the AICC session in1950. (He actually said it ‘may be inconvenient but definitely possible’. Now we know with present day technology, it is ‘more possible and less inconvenient.’)

6. At least till, all these languages are developed and accepted as Union official languages., English should continue as associate official language, with a constitutional guarantee. (TN Govt should insist on this constitutional guarantee as a compromise deal for accepting the 3-language formula.

7. Proficiency in a 3^rd language should be made compulsory for appearing in 12th std school final exams. This 3rd language will not necessarily be taught in schools, since all the schools may not be able offer all language options, as listed in 8th Schedule of the constitution. Instead, students in Tamil Nadu should be encouraged to study privately any Indian language of their choice as 3rd language, apart from Tamil and English, which they will learn in the school. For non–Tamils, It could be their mother tongue and for Tamils it could be any of the 22 recognised Indian languages including Sanskrit and Hindi.

8) The TN govt should encourage private language learning schools for all 22 languages of India (like the Hindi Prachar Sabha) in all major towns and Taluk headquarters. They may also encourage setting up of digital language labs all over TN. 

8. TN Govt. should convene an all-party convention, to take everyone on board and to pass resolutions as below:

This seem to be the only way for we the Indians, to retain our cultural link thru’ our native languages, to prevent them from being subsumed by the use of Hindi, all over India and to save the use of English as a universal link language within and outside india.

L V Nagarajan / 07 Sept 2020

BSc,BE(IISc), MTech(IIT/K)

A Case for Proportional Representation in Indian Democratic System

In any democratic institution, decisions taken by majority will be meaningless & usually will turnout to be wrong, unless adequate forums & opportunities are given for the expression of minority views. In this respect, we know very well that, a two-party system is not as great a solution, and at the same time any multi party system is not as bad, as both of them are made out to be. The fault is in the electoral system. While it will be too drastic a change for any large country like India to adopt any of the existing PR (Proportional Representation) systems, some kind of proportional representation will have to be adopted early to avoid such problems as non-representation, misrepresentation and under-representation of political minorities, racial minorities, and women. As an Indian voter I suggest, the following simple changes in the electoral system initially for Legislative Councils at the state level and for Council of States (Rajya Sabha) at the centre.

Extensive debate took place in the Constituent Assembly regarding the utility or otherwise of a Second Chamber of Rajya Sabha, in Independent India and ultimately, it was decided to have a bicameral legislature for independent India mainly because many felt it was important to stress on a federal system of Government for such a vast country with immense diversities. A second chamber known as the ‘Council of States’, therefore, was created with altogether different composition and method of elections. An element of dignity and prestige was added to the Council of State House by making the Vice-President of India ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha who presides over its sittings.

The representatives of each State and two Union territories are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies, in accordance with the system of ‘proportional representation‘ by means of the single transferable vote. However the body of elected representatives of legislatures themselves are elected by a miss-represented majority vote of the citizens. The Rajya Sabha consists of 233 elected members. The quota of members for each state is determined based on population of each state. This in itself is again a misrepresentation.

The elected members of the respective state legislative assemblies elect their quotas of Rajya Sabha members on the basis of first transferable vote. Most of the time the political parties know exactly how many of their own nominees can be elected by them and they nominate as many and get them elected by issuing a whip to their legislators. Occasionally they nominate one or two extra persons, to garner the possibility of obtaining the splinter votes of smaller parties who have no sufficient strength to get there own quota of men elected.  Hence it will be fair to say that even these 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha, (RS), are mostly nominated by political parties and their election process is a mere formality.

In the present system where a third of the members of RS retire every two years, the RS elections could happen twice or thrice during the tenure of a state assembly. Some times it may occur at a point when a state assembly tenure is about to be completed before a new general elections. It is possible that after the new elections the composition of parties in the new assembly could be vastly different, though the comparative percentage votes polled by them may not be as vastly different. This situation is particularly true in a multi party democracy.

Here is where my suggestion comes in. As per an earlier paragraph, the idea of consembly was to get some kind of a porportional representataion for the Rajyasabha, to get even minority opinion shared in the national forum. It was working very well as intended for about 40 years till 1990. But once the coalition politics strated taking root, since then, Rajyasabha rarely represents any minority opinions of either far-left, or any new emrging political forum. This could be one of the reasons for political violence in India

As I was about to publish this post the assembly election results of two major states were out. they were as below:

West Bengal: TMC – 213 seats, BJP – 77, Others – 2 / — / TMC – 47.9%, BJP – 38.1%, CPI(M) – 4.7, INC – 2.9

Tamil Nadu: DMK – 133, INC – 18, VCK -4, CPI – 2, CPM – 2 Total DMK+ = 159

ADMK – 66, PMK – 5, BJP – 4 Total ADMK+ = 75

DMK -37.7, INC – 4.28, VCK – 0.99 ADMK – 33.3, PMK – 3.82, BJP – 2.61, NTK – 6.7, MNM – 2.84, AMMK – 2.35

West Bengal is eligible to haveu UT 16 Rajya Sabha Members. As of now there are 2 seats are vacant and the remaining 14 seats are disributed as: TMC -11, INC -2, CPM -1. As of now after the elections, there are only two parties actually their share of Rajya sabha memebership should really be – TMC -12, BJP – 4, Others = 0. If the elections were held today both seats can be won by TMC. Since already TMC has 11 seats, they may share as TMC-1 and BJP- 1. It is a pity that INC will lose both their members by Apr 2024, CPM, their only seat by 2026, even though jointly they have polled 7.6% of the votes.

Condition in Tamil Nadu is also not very different. As of now there are 5 seats are vacant and the remaining 13 seats are disributed as: DMK+ – 8, ADMK+ – 5. DMK+ consists DMK 4 + MDMK 1. And ADMK+ consists (ADMK 3 + PMK 1 + TMC 1). As of now after the elections, there are only two coalitons actually, and their share of Rajya sabha memebership should really be – DMK+ -12, ADMK+ – 6, Others = 0. For the vacant 5 seats, If the elections were held today 3 seats can be won by DMK+ and 2 by ADMK+. SInce the two seats became vacant because of reiganation of ADMK memebers, the 5 seats could be shared as 2 for DMK+ and 3 for ADMK+. It is a pity that Nam Tamizhar Katchi, contesting in all constituency became the third biggest political party in TN after DMK and ADMk will not get a single seat in Rajaysabha. neither in the Assembly having polled 6.7% of the votes.

To get a fair proportional representationof all recognised political parties, at least in the Rajya Sabha, we may decide on the quota of members for each political party based on amount of popular votes polled by them in the most recent assembly elections. When we do it the Rajya Sabha representation could be as below:

West Bengal

Party	TMC	BJP	CPM	INC
%age Votes	47.9	38.1	4.7	2.9	93.6
	8.1880342	6.512821	0.803419	0.495726	16
RS quota	8	6	1	1	16

Tamil Nadu

Party	DMK	ADMK	NTK	INC	PMK	MNM	BJP	AMMK	VCK
%age Votes	37.7	33.3	6.7	4.28	3.82	2.84	2.61	2.35	0.99	94.59
	7.17412	6.336822	1.2749762	0.814462	0.726927	0.540438	0.49667	0.447193	0.188392	18
RS quota	7	6	1	1	1	1	1			18

To find a similar way of proportional representation at the state level, we should make it a constitutionally obligation for all the states to have legislative councils. As of now only six states have legislative councils (J&K, UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh). The upper house or the legislative council has limited legislative powers, and was primarily intended for consultations and can not hold up legislation passed by the legislative assembly for more than a few months.

The Legislative Assembly is composed of members directly elected from individual constituencies through adult franchise. Whereas the Legislative Council consists of members indirectly elected: by members of the Lower House, by nomination of the State government, and by elections from specially designated teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies. Alternately, for obtaining representation for even minority political outfits, member-ship to the legislative council may be based on the percentage of popular votes polled by the parties in the most recent assembly elections. Exact mechanism of allocating these seats and the process of election/selection can be decided upon after obtaining some experience with the similar process for the Rajya Sabha as suggested earlier.

Apart from obtaining an equitable representation for all political parties and minorities, this system will have many long term advantages, such as:

All parties will try to have a broad based support instead of a localised support, because even in regions where they lose the elections, the votes obtained by them has still some value in boosting their percentage of popular votes.

Voters also will be encouraged to vote for a party, even when they are aware that their candidate is likely to lose in a particular constituency.

Here is a nice way to get exprienced professional (like Metro Sridhar, Mafoi Pandiarajan and Sridhar Vembu for having a stint at political party in a lateral system of democracy. This a win-win situation for our politics and for the individual.

To be considered for proportional representation, we may stipulate, a party should contest a minimum number of seats and in them it should obtain a minimum percentage of votes. Those who do not qualify for proportional representation could be dercognized as a political party in any subsequent elections.

Written by Ajay Jadhav , Edited by Explained Desk , with input from Explained Desk | Pune |
Updated: December 10, 2020 12:15:11 pm to TV https://creatives.contextads.live/2020/India/Dec20/CT_Impulse_Dec20/Web/index.html?impTrk=bm90QWxsb3dlZA%3D%3D&isTp=dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D&clkSt=aHR0cHM6Ly9jdXJseXRhbGVzLmNvbS8%2FdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1JRSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPUltcHVsc2UmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPUJyYW5kaW5n&clkEx=aHR0cHM6Ly9jdXJseXRhbGVzLmNvbS8%2FdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1JRSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPUltcHVsc2UmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPUJyYW5kaW5n&zoneid=919&bannerid=930&type=NAE&CN=CT_Impulse_Dec20&clickTrack=trueIn this file photo, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray (centre) is seen along with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat at a joint meeting with MLAs, in Mumbai. (Express photo)

Maharashtra’s ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress, has won four of the six Maharashtra Legislative Council seats for which voting took place on December 1.

Elections were held for three graduate seats of Nagpur, Pune, and Aurangabad; two teachers’ seats of Pune and Amravati; and one local body seat from Dhule-Nandurbar.

This was the first state-level election after the MVA formed the government, keeping the BJP, the single largest party in the Legislative Assembly, out of power. The MVA’s victories are important also because each of these Council seats represents electors in a large geographical area of the state.

Seats and electorshttps://2be34f3ddbf96462a55ee3eb3e2cca6a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

The Upper House of Maharashtra legislature has 78 members, 66 of whom are elected, and the rest nominated. Members are elected for a six-year term.

Of the 66 elected members in the Council, 30 are elected by members of the Legislative Assembly; 22 are elected by local bodies from 21 divisions; and seven members each are elected from among graduates and teachers of the seven revenue divisions of the state – Mumbai, Amravati, Nashik, Aurangabad, Konkan, Nagpur, and Pune.

Graduate constituencies

Only those who have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university are eligible to participate in the elections for the graduate seats.

Voters are enrolled afresh before each election, and applicants have to submit proof of education with a Bachelor’s degree for enrolment as an elector.

The elected member is expected to raise the issues of the educated class in the Upper House.

Of the seven graduate constituencies in the Council, the BJP, NCP, and Congress now have two members each, and the Shiv Sena has one.

Teachers constituencies

For teachers constituencies, professional teachers, employed either in the government or the private sector, are eligible to register themselves as voters. The teacher electors choose one among themselves to raise their issues in the Legislative Council.

The Sena, NCP, Congress, BJP, Lok Bharati (LB), Peasants and Workers’ Party (PWP) of India and an Independent candidate now have a seat each in the teachers constituencies in the Council.

BJP 32, Cong 29, JDU 12, Others- 1

Bjp 101 /36.2% : Cong 78/38% : JDU 37/18.4% : BSP 1 : KPJP 1 : IND :1 Total 224

MAHARASHTRA[288 / 288]
PARTY	WON
BJP	105
SHS	56
INC	44
NCP	54
OTH	29

Let us take an example of Maharashtra. The legislative assembly is eligible to elect 19 members to the Rajaya Sabha in total, but 6 or 7 members at a time every two years, for a 6 year term.

There are 18 seats for TN on Rajyasabha. As of now DMK – 8, ADMK – 7, Vacant-3. as per the recent elections %age votes polled by diff parties, DMK -37.7, ADMK – 33.3, NTK – 6.7, INC – 4.28, PMK – 3.82, MNM – 2.84, BJP – 2.61, AMMK – 2.35.

National TV Channels in Regional Languages

OPEN MIND

National TV Channels in Regional Languages

Talking about ‘National’ English News channels, at least 30 % of the time, the anchor and the participants, have their discussions only in Hindi. As one of the majorities of TV viewers from Non Hindi states, we do not follow Hindi, not because any extra love for English or any special hatred of Hindi.  Though it is difficult for Northerners to understand this; we are not fluent and comfortable with Hindi, as some of the Northerners are not comfortable with Telugu or English. But these English channels do not care, in as much as, even those who can talk English prefer Hindi. This attitude of National Channels, not caring for a majority of people (60%) who do not know Hindi well enough, has driven the Non Hindi people to go for Regional News channels, which give importance to the local populace. Their biased and…

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Holistic Healing

Extracts from first chapter of the book “Biology of Belief”

San Francisco State University| HOLISTIC HEALTH [THE BIOLOGY OF BELIEF] Bruce Lipton| Fall 2009

First understanding of this though, is the concept of a mind-body duality, because Descartes came up and said there’s a mind and a body and they are two different things.

The body is physical, the mind is an energy, it’s an invisible thing. You can’t measure it, you can’t put it in a box, it’s invisible And yet they are connected together. However, Newtonian physics took over to say that the world is based on a physical reality. “That this vital force, this thing called a mind and energy of the body cannot, and in fact, did not affect the material body. The invisible stuff, should be left to religion. We can understand the body by just taking the chemistry part and understanding the mechanics reductionism and determinism.” So they threw the mind out.

They threw the mind out hundreds of years ago. Why? It’s an energy, it doesn’t affect the material realm. So that’s the concept of Newtonian physics based on matter only. So that’s why medicine doesn’t really like talking about the mind. But it does like talking about the body and looks at the body as a machine. And they say that it’s basically a machine. Because you can take it apart and understand how it works. Then you can take that knowledge and then repair anybody’s body using the mechanism once we understand how it works. So science starts taking the body apart. And here’s the first thing they find. The body is principally a structure made out of protein. The word protein means “first element”.

The first element of your body is protein. The protein molecules, maybe over a 150,000 of them, are like building blocks that build your body. If you want to build a kitchen, you go to Home Depot and they have all these different parts and faucets and sinks and pipes valves and all that. Well the proteins are the parts. Your body is made out of protein. So when you look in a mirror, you’re looking at a protein machine, but also here’s the catch. Proteins move. They’re the molecules that can change shape.

And if you say ‘No’, a protein doesn’t change shape and the body is made out of that protein. Then I say, If they do not move, that’s called a cadaver. A cadaver is a protein body, but it doesn’t move! There’s no life! Life comes from changing shape, why? Because movement comes from changing shape. Proteins move, and because they move, they create the functions called life. So you’re a physical protein in a functional protein mechanism. Where do proteins come from? Well, the blueprints come from the DNA. Your physical characteristics are your proteins! Your behavioral characteristics are also your proteins! They come from your proteins, but yeah, but who makes the proteins? It’s a very complex molecule.

The answer is: DNA is the blueprint for the protein. “Doesn’t it mean that my DNA is the code for my physical body and my behavior?” Yes it is, however we were brought into a belief, by Watson and Crick, into their Central Dogma, in science, that says “Information goes from DNA to RNA for protein to Remember.”

It was a hypothesis! “What does that mean?” I say “Yes, It was a suggestion!” when the suggestion came out everybody went “Well, that sounds right.” “And it comes from a book!” Then it was 1968, then 1978, then 1988 Then it was 2, 3 generations, 4 generations Year 2000! Still it is in the book. But over 40 years, we let go of the fact that it was only a hypothesis and never tested and made it into a truth. So we accepted something that wasn’t true. It has actually become a religious belief that you are programmed by your DNA.

We always heard the phrase, “A gene turned on.” Even heard of the phrase, “A gene turned off.” Well, let me tell you a simple truth. Genes neither have an ‘on’ or an ‘off’. Genes are blueprints, so that   they could make proteins.

After you’ve been programmed and your family before you has also been programmed to believe that genes can turn on and off and regulate your life, you’re a victim of your gene.  It is sure, it should be interesting, now for you to find out that genes don’t have an on or off and don’t regulate anything.

Genes do not control who you are. But the problem is that we bought into it. And we made a model that’s called a medical model of health. And what is it? “You are a biochemical machine, and you’re controlled by genes. a) there’s nothing spiritual about you, b) you’re a mechanism made out of chemistry and c) you’re controlled by your genes.”

That makes you a victim! Of heredity! It’s already running in your family Cancer, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s…

Genes do not control biology. They have no action. There’s no ON, there’s no OFF, but there’s a blueprint. Well, if genes don’t control biology then where’s the control coming from? The contractor. The contractor who reads the blueprint. The contractor is the one who can read the blueprints and rewrite the damn blueprints! Well, but who’s the contractor?

Since ’1953, More than half the people will seek an alternative medical doctor over conventional allopathic medical doctors. Well, what do they do differently? They work with energy, they work with spirit, work with invisible, and guess what? It seems to work well enough that enough people will tell their families and community about it. And that’s why 50% of the people will still go and see an energy healer before they go see a conventional medical doctor Which means what? We’re moving back up into the invisible realm. As for the beliefs that this current civilization has programmed you, these beliefs may be inaccurate or outright wrong. When you correct these beliefs, You change the nature of civilization Because they impact the three primary questions.

First belief: Biological processes employ Newtonian physics – that’s what conventional medicine has to say. Newtonian physics is the mechanical, physical world physics. But the mind is not physical. In earlier days, only the Newtonian Physics was known. Hence even after Quantum Physics it is really not good to talk about only Newtonian Physics . Quantum Physics doesn’t replace Newtonian physics. Quantum physics is a bigger science that subsumes Newtonian physics; meaning, quantum physics is bigger, Newtonian physics is a subdivision.   

What is quantum physics? Quantum physics says universe is made out of energy, it’s not made out of matter, except for a very very small part. So if you’re not understanding the energy and you’re focusing only on the matter then you are in the wrong universe to make that study.

Second belief – Genes control biology – that’s the fundamental belief and that’s what has everybody so concerned about Oh you know – make sure you get all your check-ups and manage your genes. Don’t even go there, don’t do it. Why? If ever genes do control biology, – that makes you a victim, and therefore everybody who believes in it has a victim mentality. they believe that they are taken over by forces that they can’t control – genes.

Number three: Survival of the fittest! That this process of evolution that we’ve have come through is called survival of the fittest. Survival is the driving force.” And this belief turns out, absolutely, totally, incorrect, wrong, destructive and primary cause of the problem that we face today. Evolution is based on community and cooperation. The biosphere is a tightly integrated, holistic harmonizing community except for the HUMANS

Theses beliefs have programmed you to be victims. You have been programmed to recognize that there are forces outside of you that control everything. And I’m going to show you; that it’s not true, that you are masters of your creation. But then there’s a problem because if I tell you that you’re creating this world, you would probably say to me “Bruce, if I was creating this world, I wouldn’t have created this one”. And the reality is “Yeah you probably wouldn’t have, but you’re still creating it”

First of all, I’m going to talk about cells.

You are not a single person. You never have been. You are actually made out of about 50 trillion living cells – it is these cells that are the living entity! So when you look at yourself, you’re looking at 50 trillion cells working in a community. You are not a one thing except a community, a community of these cells. All the functions that you have in your body are present in virtually every one of your cells. Every cell has got a respiratory, digestive, excretory system.  Every cell has got an endocrine system, reproductive system, musculoskeletal system. Virtually every cell’s got an immune system! Cells are miniature people, they have a life – cells have jobs, some cells are bone cells, some cells are muscle cells, some cells are brain cells. They all start out the same, but they made a community that partitioned out the work! And here’s what’s relevant about this! Cells get paid! Yeah, so inside your body there’s a molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate : a compound consisting of an adenosine molecule bonded to three phosphate groups, present in all living tissue. The breakage of one phosphate linkage (to form adenosine diphosphate, ADP) provides energy for physiological processes such as muscular contraction.) . You get paid in ATP, that’s the equivalent of money. But guess what? Not all cells get equally paid. You get your pay commensurate with your work. A skin cell does not make as much money, as a neuron. As a matter of fact, a neuron has an entourage, that’s they have other cells helping it. Okay? So here the point is; every cell has a job. Every cell gets paid and every cell gets healthcare. Every cell gets protection. A true environment where no cell is left behind.

Cells are miniature people and that is an absolute truth. If you want to talk to your body and get it to heal, then talk to them as people, yes, talk to these cells. They understand what’s going on, and  your brain is the government of 50 trillion cells.

So you’re having a continuous communication with your cells. Some people think stem cells are new kinds of things. I was cloning stem cells, way back in 1967 before your grandparents were born. And back then they were fundamentally the most important pieces of information. All of you have stem cells. If you didn’t, you’d be dead right now, because you are losing billions of cells each day. Billions of your cells are dying of old age and being replaced. Who is doing the replacing? The answer is stem cells

I started with one stem cell and put it in a petri dish by itself. It divides every ten hours So in ten hours 2 cells, in twenty hours 4 cells, it goes on and on. After 2 weeks or so I got thousands of cells in the petri dish. Yeah, but what’s important? All cells are genetically identical. That is a start. They all came from the same parent! (Hence the whole of us have come from the same parent cell.)

I changed some of the chemistry of the environment.  Then, these cells become muscle cells. Under different environment, some became fat cells. Some of them became neurons under yet different environment. The genes were responding to the environment. That’s the nature of the secret. Genes respond to what’s going on in the environment.

Just drugs don’t help you in a bad environment. What you really want to do is get them into a harmonious  and healthy environment. The cells will automatically and spontaneously heal themselves Well how does all this work?

This new science, and if you don’t know this, that completely changes the whole understanding of biology is called epigenetic control. Epi means above. I say epidermis What’s that mean? The layer above the dermis; the skin! So if epi means above, epigenetic control means control above the genes! Ah! After 50 years of telling you that genes control your life, the new sciences called epigenetic control says that the control is not at the genes but above the genes.

Well guess what? You, have 50 trillion cells inside of you and you are all skin covered petri dishes. This is absolutely true You’re skin covered petri dishes. And I say you have culture medium! it’s called blood (and Skin)

So as you feel and interact with the world, if you feel angry, you release different chemistry in your blood. If you feel happy, you release different chemistry in your blood. If you feel fear, you got yet different chemistry in your blood. The chemistry shifts the fate of the cell. So it’s up to you, your blood and it’s chemistry.

There’s the guy, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company had a very famous phrase which summed all this up if you just want to hear the one phrase and go home, here’s the phrase: He said,

“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.”

San Francisco State University |

HOLISTIC HEALTH 28 [THE BIOLOGY OF BELIEF]

Bruce Lipton | Fall 2009

Finally

MY COMMENT (i.e) L V Nagarajan.’s comment:

Holistic treatment is nothing but giving the cells of the body the right environment for healthy growth:

1. By means of producing the right chemicals in the body, by drugs, by giving the right emotions of love, confidence and faith.
2. By giving the right stimulus to the brain by Physiotherapy, Yoga and meditation.
3. By giving relief through body massage with special oils and herbs, which will work through the skin and tries to obtain epigenetic control of the body cells.
4. By giving the missing stimulus (external, if needed) through brain and nerve stimulators.

Wishing you all a good health to yourself and your 50 trillion cells and, the yet to be, Stem cells

——————————-o0O0o————————————

LVN/24 Feb 22.

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 [Ma1]

Interaction with Tamil Nadu Youngsters (1)

I was particularly lucky to get into contact with a youngster of Tamil Nadu who is out of the bad influences of the false ‘Dravidian Stock’. He is one Mr. Sivakumar Mahalingam. His twitter profile ID itself is self revealing as it is ‘@TN2point0’, which means the young man is interested in restoring TN to its past glory. True to this intention he recently conducted through his Youtube channel an essay and video competition for the high school kids to write a script about what do they understand by Indian Independence day and its 75-th Anniversary. He has given away liberal prizes for the best presentations.

During our interactions he requested me for a video interview, to know what the Tamils of earlier generations think about the political situation in TN. I agreed for the same with a condition that, he should agree for an interview by me to know the minds of TN youngsters. The following is the gist of such an interview, along with my later responses for the same. My sincere thanks to Mr. Sivakumar and his friend Vignesh Selvaraj (@thiruppam_Vikky)

Here are my questions and answers:    

1.         Why in TN, there is a general hatred towards:

a) Sanskrit, b) Brahmins c) Our PM Sri Modi

The general feelings among TN youngsters are:

Sanskrit is considered Aryan.

It is considered predominantly Hindu.

Tamil is an older language and it need not play second fiddle to Sanskrit.

Tamil faces threat from Sanskrit in cultural and religious areas.

It is dead language.

We don’t lose anything by not knowing it and by not using it.

My Response:

Aryan Dravidian theory has been proved wrong by many scholars

Sanskrit is totally Indian, as we do not find any language similar to Sanskrit outside India.

It was developed as a link language to value, enjoy and unite all the diverse cultures of India.

Sanskrit was never spoken, as a mother tongue or even otherwise, by any specific community either in north or south or in East of India. That is the reason why it appears dead for non-scholars.

It slowly evolved as a language of the elite and continued to be so until 18^th Century, and just like English from then on. And just like, presently, Hindi is being forced to be by northerners.

in the ancient times, all Indian thoughts were commonly expressed in Sanskrit to reach all of India. that is how Sanskrit became a treasure house of ancient Indian Knowledge.If you refuse to learn, basically you are refusing to know about native knowledge base. (Translations are no good and often biased). For example, Pythogoras/Baudayana theorem was evolved by Tamil Siddar Bodhayanar, centuries before Ptythogoras and it was included in Sanskrit Scientific works as a work of Saint Baudayana. You may google on Baudayana and Bodayanar and see for yourself.There is a general problem with extreme Tamil Nationalist. Whatever is theirs, they sadly disown it, when any other community adopts the same. Like Murugan was a Tamil deity and it was adopted all over India as Karthik or Subramania, and immediately we disown the same. Carnatic music has basically evolved from Tamil Pannisai, but since Telugu Brahmins like St Thyagaraja, adopted it to their lyrics, we disown it. Same thing will happen to our Odhuvar tradition also, very soon.

Tamil language and culture never lost to Sanskrit, in the last 2000 years of their co-existance. But I am afraid Tamil will eventually lose to this fake Dravidian theory, unless we wake up now.

b) Brahmins:

This theory of Khyber Pass is totally false.

Even if it were true it must have been several thousands of years back. There were so many other recent Vandheri’s (வந்தேறிகள்) like Naiks, Marathas, Telugus and Kannadigas, whom the so called Tamil Nationalists have accepted. They even accept yesterday’s Vandheris like Tablighis and Rohingyas!

Brahmins were always accepted as a respectable Tamil community throughout the Tamil history right from Tholkappiar and Silappadikaram times. These Brahmins, in more recent times, allowed themselves to be misused by British regime (and more, by its Indian supporters like other upper caste Hindus). Brahmin’s contributions to even the contemporary Tamil culture and literature are immense. (eg, Tamil thatha U. Ve. Sa, Kalki, Ki,Va, Ja.) Many of the Aazhwar &  Nayanmars are Brahmins and they sang the praise of the Hindu deities, Vishnu perumal and Siva peruman and contributed greatly to the ocean of Bhakti literature in Tamil.

One thing that is being unjustly held against Brahmins, is the Manu Script, which talks of four varnas or types of people and puts Brahmins on top. Manu was not a Brahmin, and has written so many other things, these Tamil Nationalists do not want to see or acknowledge. If we take the 4 varnas as an universal classification, then in fact, we can see these 4 kinds of people everywhere even today. Manu has equated the top category to Brahmins, only because of his deep respect for Brahmins of his times. Tirukkural has also accepted the three classes of people, in Perarivaalan, Nayanudaiyan and Perunthakaiyaan, and their interests and capablities, as below:

(அதிகாரம்:ஒப்புரவறிதல் குறள் எண்:215, 216, 217)

ஊருணி நீர்நிறைந் தற்றே உலகவாம்
பேரறி வாளன் திரு

பயன்மரம் உள்ளூர்ப் பழுத்தற்றால் செல்வம்
நயனுடை யான்கண் படின்.

மருந்தாகித் தப்பா மரத்தற்றால் செல்வம்
பெருந்தகை யான்கண் படின்.

Perarivaalan – Men with immense learning and knowledge. How a common village reservoir, when filled with water, will feed the entire neighbourhood with food, water and nutrition, same way the Men with immense learning and knowledge, will share their knowledge with all others in the neighbourhood. Is this not what will be expected from all learned people?

Nayanudaiyaan – Wise Men with a heart full of concerns about the welfare of others around him. When such people are prosperous, they would share the fruits of their prosperity with the whole neighbourhood.

Perunthakaiyan –   Men of Valour. When there is a misfortune affecting the whole village, like decease, dacoity or any miss-rule, men of valour would stand to fight against it. In this they will be like herbal drugs grown on a tree in the town’s courtyard, helping all the villagers equally.

General hatred towards Brahmins has now evolved into hatreds, towards anything a Brahmin supports and towards anything that supports Brahmins. And hence we see other hatreds, like, towards Sanskrit, towards Carnatic Music, towards Hindus and now towards our PM Sri Modi also.  Is this not called the caste-bias that leads to caste-violence against them, like, ‘Garland of chappals for Lord Rama’, ‘Cutting off tufts of Brahmins and their Sacred threads’ and ‘putting on the Holy thread on the Pigs etc’?

It is true that many Tamil Brahmins are deeply disturbed and disgusted by this. Many of them are reluctant to return to Tamil Nadu after their career in other states – even after retirement.

Two of my close friends sold the house they had bought in Chennai, to live after retirement and bought a house in Bangalore. For the past 25/30 years, many Brahmin families have given up their traditional home and their vedic profession and left the villages for urban areas to live an anonymous life there.  In Chennai, they live somewhat the same quality of life to some extent because of their strength in numbers. Many of them have migrated to foreign states and even foreign countries. Is this also the reason why the population of Brahmins in Tamil Nadu has declined from 8% to 2% now?  Because of this, the temples and other Hindu socio-religious institutions in villages and smaller towns have been affected and the temples have been reduced to shambles leading to people of other religions to have taken taken them over (!?!). It will be nice to let someone look into this and report the facts.

Even if a few brahmins lament in despair as follows,

—————

Mahesh 

@Mahesh10816

I strongly advocate that Brahmins all over world should come together purchase an island in some part of the world ( not in India) & create a separate country for Brahmins where they can follow their culture & rituals with their heads held high. Another Israel has to be created

3:25 PM · Aug 17, 2021:

——————————————

In social media he was literally trolled for the above comment

c) Modi

Now let us deal with TN’s ahtred towards Modi

Modi is not a Brahmin. He is an OBC, but with lot of respects for Hindu Religion and culture and of course for Brahmins also, who, he thinks, are the custodians of Hindu Religion and culture. This is the reason why he has got great respects for Tamils as the best custodian of the oldest religion of Sanatana Dharma and the oldest language, Tamil.

Now in 2024, even if wins elections he may not continue as a PM. Hope they find somebody like him to lead BJP and India. But we are sure the new PM cannot be as efficient and as sincere, as Sri Modi. Hence if at all we want something done for TN, this is the right time. Hope the people of TN, the Tamil Nationalists and Dravidian Stock politicians realize this. Whatever are the serious short coming of central government, I think, they are not, because of Mr Modi, but in spite of him.

2) Why there is so much of drinking habit in TN, especially among youngsters?

I am not vehemently against drinking. In fact, I feel it is less harmful than smoking.

However I am not a habitual drinker. When I am in a good company of social drinkers, I also enjoy drinking. But I drink only as much as I enjoy it, not any bit more.

I distinguish between drinkers and drunkard. I will never go to a bar for drinking. It will only be some good restaurants or some private premises.

Even now, I drink, but hardly 2 or 3 times in a year. Because of Pandemic I did not drink even once during the last 18 months.

Now coming to people in TN:

Definitely it is not social drinking and neither do they all enjoy drinking. Actually they do not bother at all, about the company in which they are drinking. In such a case how can it be social drinking?

Perhaps, I may call them as non-social drinkers. For such drinkers, it is only a question of time, (or the number of pegs) before they become Anti-social.

Some drink because of habit, some because they think it is MANLY and some others because they are afraid and unwilling to take any responsibility.

And sadly, TN govt is exploiting these people and naturally they end up encouraging such attitudes of fear and lack of responsibility in them. Is it fair for a Govt to do this?

Now I will come to youngsters:

When you are living off your parents’ earnings, you are not supposed to splurge on expenses which your parents don’t approve. It is downright lack of respect and highly irresponsible. Nowadays I hear school boys are also into the habit of drinking.

Even after you start earning, your first responsibility is for your parents who might have spent a considerable sum of money in educating you. They might have taken a few loans for buying your house, vehicles etc. They may also have the responsibility of marrying off their daughter and not missing, they may be taking care of their old parents (your grandparents), of their medical and other expenses. After helping your parents in all the above aspects, then you can think of your own enjoyment. And in the list of things you enjoy, (really enjoy!), drinking should be the last. Again, you should always be watchful of your company. If you are in the wrong company then you are in for trouble. You should also go to a decent bar or restaurants. Never drink outside the liquor shops, as it is a breeding place for antisocial elements. 

Even in many advanced countries selling liquor to youngsters is a punishable offence. It is so in India also! But like all other laws in India this law is also blind. It has to remain blind when govt itself is committing this offence. Liquor shops and bars should never be close together. The liquor shops should not have a neither a bar can sell liquor to any outsider. This is also illegal in all countries.  

In all religions the following thing are considered sins:

கொலை, களவு, பொய், பிறன்மனை-காமம், குரு-நிந்தனை இவை ஐந்தும் பஞ்சமா பாதகம் எனப்படும். Murder, theft, lying, lust, guru-reproach – are all called pancha padakas- the five Great Sins.

But as you become a habitual drinker, at some point of time you may commit all these sins.

Please take care, TN youngsters.

3.         Are the people of Tamil Nadu really against Indian nationalism (தேசியம்)?

It is true that we were all different nations at different points of time in history. That way, even what we call as Tamil Nadu was never a single Unit at any time in history. It was also divided into Pandyas, Cholas and Pallavas. Even in the recent history Chera Nadu became a different state. And Yazhpanam and North Srilanka was a part of Pandyas and Cholas. Vijayanagar dynasty ruled many southern part of Taminadu. Palayakkaras and Naiks ruled Madurai and Southernmost parts of Tamil Nadu. Maratthas ruled from Tanjore and Nawabs ruled from Arcot. Tamil Nadu very rarely remained under one ruler and nether with a well defined border.  With all these we remained a Tamil country mainly due to our language and culture. With all the various above rulers we developed a composite culture but without losing our own language and basic religion and culture. When we live in a composite culture there would always be many gives & takes. We can be proud that we have always given more than what we have taken, except may be in the period of British rule in the last 200 years or so. (eg) Tamil Music of PANNS, Bhakti Culture of Azhwars and Nayanmars, our deities Sivan, Sakthi and Murugan are some of our contribution to the composite Indian cuture. India’s dominating preachers like Adi Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva were all from Tamil culture but had evolved as religious icons of whole of India, (i,e,) throughout Bharat . (not to speak of Curry, Sambhaar and Saree, which have become international symbols of South India). We also allowed Tamil Language to evolve into several southern languages like Malayalam , Kannada, and several other dialects. We Tamils, under the false Dravidian influence, have started disowning our own values, just because somebody whom we think are ‘OUTSIDERS’, are practicing them.

Examples:

Carnatic Music – It has evolved from our Tamil Panns. Just because Brahmins and Telugus have started practicing the same, it has become Aryan. How can it be, when such kind of music is practiced and followed only in South India?

The deities Murugan and Sivan: Just because these deities have been included among the Hindu Pantheon, why should we call them Aryan? There are hardly any temples for Murugan in the north. Again we have a saying “தென்னாடுடைய சிவனே போற்றி”, how can we call him an Aryan deity.

We call India as Hindustan, not because of our religion. Some invaders and foreigners called all the area around River Sindhu (Indus valley) and beyond in the South, as Hindi or Indi. Later the people who live there were called Hindus or Indus or Indians. The religion itself was always known as Sanatana Dharma and it does not depend on any single God or any single scripture.

It believes in limitless time and space; the whole space/time is known as “super-consciousness” or Para Brahmam. Our Dharma also believes that nobody can know and get a full measure of this consciousness. But it is our duty to try and perceive the same. That is why all our saints and yogis are called Seekers or Seers (or in Tamil as Parpanar or Paarpan). All our people, including Native Muslims and Christians believe in rebirth. We believe that every life in this world has undergone several rebirths earlier and will continue to take more births, till it finds a way to stop this cycle and go back and merge again with Para Brahmam. Even though people had their own Gods, they still believe they are all images of the same Para Brahmam.

There were many religious heads who wanted to unify all gods in the Hindu County. While many of them failed, it was left for Adi Sankara to find some significant success in this area. He founded the Shanmatha Stapana, (ஆறு மத ஒன்றியம்),    in which he merged the worshippers of Siva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganapathi, Kumaran and Surya and called the sect as Smarthas or followers of Smrithis or Vedhas. All the worshippers of Siva and the folk gods like Madurai veeran, Virumandi were merged with the same Linga Idols. Same way all the folk female deities like Mari, Durga, Kotravai, Angalamman, Paraasakthi were merged as Shakti Swarupa, Kumran is obviously our Murugan. In him were merged the Subramanya image of the north and all the local nadukal, (நடுகல்) folk heroes. Surya was worshipped as such all over the country as a god of light and heat and perhaps only god of the south merged into him was Lord of rain the Indra. Vishnu was mainly from the North and Ganapathi was mainly from Maharashtra and the western regions of India.

(https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/our%20heritage%202.html)

Just like Tamil Nadu remains united as of now, due to unity of language and culture. Same way India was always remaining united on the basis of religion and culture. There were always other minorities in India from very long time. They had also accepted this Indian culture. They never found this to be against their religion at all.  (eg) Most of the Indian Christians and Muslims, believe in law of Karma and in re-births.

When such is our cultural history, where is the need to become allergic to the concepts of ‘National’are ‘All India’.

Vande Mataram, தாய் மண்ணே வணக்கம், Jai Hind

_________________________o0OXO0o_________________________

Democracy Delayed?

Rajya Sabha, Council of States

L V Nagarajan (May 2021)

In any democratic institution, decisions taken by the majority will generally be meaningless & usually will turn out to be wrong, unless adequate forums & opportunities are given for the expression of minority views. In this respect, we know very well that, a two-party system is not as great a solution, and at the same time any multi party system is not as bad, as both of them are made out to be. The fault is in the electoral system. While it will be too drastic a change for any large country like India to adopt any of the existing PR (Proportional Representation) systems, some kind of proportional representation will have to be adopted early to avoid such problems as non-representation, misrepresentation and under-representation of political minorities, racial minorities, and women.

Extensive debate took place in the Constituent Assembly regarding the utility or otherwise of a Second Chamber, such as Rajya Sabha, in independent India and ultimately, it was decided to have a bicameral legislature for India mainly because:

• Many felt it was required to stress on the importance of a federal system of Government for such a vast country with immense diversities.
• A second chamber known as the ‘Council of States’, or ‘Rajya Sabha’, therefore, should be created with altogether different composition and method of elections. 
• The election of members to this Council should ensure proportional representation. For this reason election of members as a group will be required, by means of single transferable voting system.
• An element of dignity and prestige should be added to the Council of States.  The Vice-President of India will be the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to ensure the dignity of the House.

(https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/voting-systems/types-of-voting-system/single-transferable-vote/)

How does the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system work? What are the advantages of this STV system?Instead of electing a single person at a time, a group of representatives are elected to reflect the diversity of opinions in the area.

1. For example to get one person of a party to be elected, the party needs only 51% majority vote. Whereas if two persons of a party to be elected at the same time, the party needs 67% majority. For three persons of a party to be elected at the same time, the party needs more than 75% majority. This situation facilitates election of representatives from other parties also. 
2. Suppose a party has 60% majority. While they can easily elect a single representative with 51% votes, which means the remaining 9% vote will be wasted. This could lead to indifference from qualified voters.  Where as in a STV system where multiple candidates are present, this 9% also will be valuable in getting elected the most favoured person in the opposition party, as these excess votes get automatically shifted to the next party in the order of preference as indicated in the ballot.  .

The representatives of each State and two Union territories are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies, in accordance with the above STV system to get a ‘somewhat proportional representation‘.

However the body of elected representatives of legislatures themselves are elected by a (mis-represented) majority vote of the citizens. The Rajya Sabha consists of 233 elected members. The quota of members for each state is determined based on population of each state. This in itself is again ‘a misrepresentation’. For a true federal government, it is not correct to get representatives based strictly on population.

As an example, the Senate constituted under the US constitution has equal representation of two senators for each state, big or small.

Alaska	63,267.26 Sq Miles	Largest State area wise
Hawai	6423 Sq miles	smallest State
California	39,370,000	Most Populous State
Wyoming	581,075	least Populous State

All the above states have equal representation of two senators each.

We may not be able to do the same in India. But however there is a need to free both LOK SABHA and Rajya Sabha state-wise membership strength from strict population criteria.

Already states like TN are Kerala are complaining to CEC about the constitutional requirement to reduce their membership in LS, based on their reduced relative population as compared to UP and Bihar. They are objecting to being punished for successful population control from day-1. Hence a proposal to re-adjust both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats is made as shown Table-1, below, It is roughly based on present population, which will not be changed as per any future drop or increase in population of the state.

Professor Sridhar Narayanan of Stanford University Management School, USA makes the following observations:

The original purpose of “upper houses” was to

1. Allow for a more mature, deliberative body that is not subject to the passions of the time.  This was the rationale behind the Senate in the US constitution.

2. To allow members who might otherwise not be electable but still valuable to be part of the legislative process (i.e.) Older members who cannot stand up to the rigors of electoral politics, professionals and other people of wisdom. The name “elder house” points to this function of the upper house.

3. Provide some degree of continuity – in a Parliamentary system without a fixed tenure. This was seen as providing institutional continuity and not allowing the immediate, rapidly varying political climate to dictate long-term policy formation.

But these original aims have been distorted by the party system.  This write-up describes them in detail and provides some food for thought.  The big question is how to bring about changes in the system, when those responsible for changing it are beneficiaries of the current system and have vested interests in keeping it this way.”

The elected members of the respective state legislative assemblies elect their quotas of Rajya Sabha members on the basis of first transferable vote. Most of the time the political parties know exactly how many of their own nominees can be elected by them and they nominate as many and get them elected by issuing a whip to their legislators. Occasionally they nominate one or two extra persons, to garner the possibility of obtaining the splinter votes of smaller parties who have no sufficient strength to get their own quota of men elected.  Hence it will be fair to say that even these 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha, (RS), are mostly nominated by political parties and their election process is a mere formality.

In their noble wisdom, the Consembly members have made the Rajya Sabha, once constituted, never ceasing to exist. Instead, in the present system, a third of the members ofRajya Sabha retire every two years, necessitating re-election only for those seats. TheRajya Sabha elections could happen twice or thrice during the 5-year tenure of a state assembly. Sometimes it may occur at a point when a state assembly tenure is about to be completed before a new general elections. It is possible that after the new elections the composition of parties in the new assembly could be vastly different, though the comparative percentage votes polled by them may not be as much different. This situation is particularly true in a multi party democracy.

The stated objective of the formation of Rajya Sabha and electing members was to be in accordance with the system of ‘proportional representation‘ by means of the single transferable vote. But under the present system does this really work this way?

In the Annexure, a sample case has been taken to demonstrate the election process for Rajya Sabha from a fictitious state (call it as, Venkiah Nadu). In this sample case, a Legislative Assembly of 100 members has been shown, how it elects its 12 Rajya Sabha Members. The detailed election process is described, assuming that it elects 6 members (i.e., half of its total of 12 Members) at the same time.

Similarly we can work out for other options,  (i.e.), all 12 Rajya Sabha members to be elected at one go, or, 4 Rajya Sabha members to be elected every 2 years, as per the existing practice. The voting process is described in detail in the annexure. However, the final tally for all the three options will be as tabulated below:

It is very clear from the above table that the ruling party or the leader of the ruling alliance (The Greens Party with 42 Seats in the Assemby)) has the complete dominance in the Rajya Sabha election process. Having election for 1/3 of themembers every 2 years helps the ruling party in this respect.

As per an earlier paragraph, the idea of Consembly was to get some kind of a proportional representation for the Rajya Sabha, to get even minority opinion shared in the national forum. It was working well somewhat as intended for about 40 years till 1990. But once the coalition politics started taking root, since then, Rajya Sabha rarely represents any minority opinions of either far-left, or any new emerging political forum. This could be one of the reasons for increasing political violence in India.

• You may see that the scheme of retiring 1/3 of members every 2 years is also working against this intention. Since the number of members elected is so small that the major parties get much more than their proportionate share of members.
• SinceRajya Sabha elections take place once in two years for 1/3 rd of the seats, if one Legislative assembly gets to elect members 3 time in their tenure of 5 years, then the next assembly will get the chance to electRajya Sabha members only twice during their tenure which is not a fair democracy.
• RS memberships rarely represent the party strengths in the Legislative assemblies. It never represents the proportional strengths of different parties till the very end of its tenure.
• The parties in legislative assembly know exactly how many member they can get elected. By careful calculation and planning they can get their nominees elected.
• They also issue a whip to their party members about 1^st and 2^nd choice of their voting. In addition the secrecy of voting is only nominal as the ballot papers are supposed to be shown to the whip before voting.
• It is so easy to get elected to the Rajya Sabha that this becomes a part of party’s electoral alliance.
• The 6-year tenure of Rajya Sabha is too long, that many times its members lose interest in parliamentary affairs. Some of them resign and some of them expire also.
• There is no strict restriction for the candidate to be a voter in the respective state to contest and represent the state in Rajya Sabha. P Chidambaram can get elected to Rajya Sabha by Maharashtra Assembly. Nirmala Sitaraman can represent Gujarat.
• Rajya Sabha tenure and membership rules are so biased, that even though BJP/NDA have absolute majority in Lok sabha for the last 8 years, BJP still does not command majority in Rajya Sabha.

Conclusion:                                                                        

It is felt that the Rajya Sabha election process, somehow, delays the democracy. While it is a good idea to ensure smooth transition between regimes after a massive Lok Sabha election, by making the Rajya Sabha as a continuously living entity, we need to take a relook at the election process to avoid this extended delay in democracy.

A few suggestions:

1. Since the Rajya Sabha, has been constituted for the first time on 3^rd April 1952, and it never ceased to exist. Every 2 years, only 1/3 of members retire after 6 years tenure by rotation. And elections are held every two years for these vacancies. As argued earlier this leads uneven number ofRajya Sabha elections between successive tenures of the same Legislative Assembly. This is considered less of democracy. To avoid this
   • We may consider reducing the tenure of membership of the Rajya Sabha also to 5 years. Then the election for 1/3 of the members will become due every 20 months.  
   • Or, we may reduce the tenure to 4 years and make elections every 16 months.
2. We may also consider electing all the Members of theRajya Sabha at one go at the beginning of the regime change after Assembly elections. This pool of elected candidates will take office at their due time when any 1/3 of Rajya Sabha members retire.
3. Or, at least we can make ½ of Rajya Sabha members retire every three years, so Assembly had to elect larger members at one time so that smaller parties have a better chance to get elected.
4. It should be ensured the first election to theRajya Sabha takes place during the first year of any newly elected Assembly. Similarly, TheRajya Sabha election should not take place during the last year of tenure of any Assembly.
5. A major problem is growing, in allocation of LS/RS seats among the different states based on population. It will be better to take care of this early. The seats for all the states roughly based on the current population can be discussed and decided and fixed ever for the future.  
6. Finally I am coming to an important suggestion which will not require any amendment but only an agreement among all major political parties.

• We can implement 33% quota for women very easily in Rajya Sabha.  From 15^th Aug 2021, on the occasion of 75^th year of our Independence, let all political parties agree for any Rajya Sabha elections for the first 1/3 rd of the seats being vacated, will be filled up only by women candidates.
• The next 1/3rd of the seats whenever they are due for election will be filled up only by professionals (of both genders) with at least 20 years of proven experience in their field of expertise. We may also stipulate that such a candidate should not have contested elections to any Legislative Assembly or Parliament in the last 5 years.
• The last 1/3rd of the seats whenever they are due for election will be filled up only by seniors of more than 60 years of age (of both genders). Herein we may stipulate that such candidates should not have contested elections to any Legislative Assembly or Parliament in the last 10 years.
• The President may take suo-moto action on this proposal by going ahead and announcing his intention to abide by this proposal in nomination

The above four provisions will definitely ensure that our Rajya Sabha will become a respectable body of ‘elders’ as intended by Consembly members.

Hope all the political parties will agree to these proposals.

Comments:

1. Professor Sridhar Narayanan, School of Management Stanford University:

“Nice detailed write-up – enjoyed reading it. But the original aims Rajya Sabha have been distorted by the party system.  Your write-up describes them in detail and provides some food for thought.  The big question is how to bring about changes in the system, when those charged with changing it are beneficiaries of the current system and have vested interests in keeping it this way.

• Sri. S Ravi, senior project manager, TCS:

“The suggestion to reduce the “tenure” of elected members is in line with “batch reduction” or agile concept in the industry. The idea is that the ongoing rapid changes in the environment, exploding technological capabilities and creative innovations have forced almost all industries to reduce lead times of their services and products. Citizens have started demanding results from their elected bodies in months instead of years. Hence breaking down long-term goals into smaller than usual batches for small-tenured legislators and executives to handle may serve citizens more agilely. Making and correcting mistakes early is also enabled by this approach: the elected representatives’ more frequent “show-and-tell” may enable quicker course-corrections.

• Sri. Shiva Giri, Senio Executive (Retd), Reliance Industries, Mumbai:

Nice. You have taken lot of efforts to come out with such detailed analysis and suggestions.

In point no. 6 of conclusion, you have made suggestions on reservation for women, experts etc. This will never be accepted. The parties use RS to accommodate their party-men as a reward for the party work they had done.

Personally I feel the reservation for women is a farce. Just like reservation for SC/ST have not benefitted most of the people from SC / ST category, same would be the case for women’s reservation.

————————————————————-

Annexure

A sample of Rajya Sabha Polling Procedure

Sample State: (Fictitious)                    Venkiah Nadu

Strength of Legislative Assembly:                      100

Allocated Rajya Sabha Seats:                               12

Election to be held for:                          6 – RS seats

Comparative Parties’ strengths in the Assembly:

Ruling Coalition:  61 / Greens  (42) + Congress (17

                                                                         +Leftists  (2) 

Opposition:          39 /  BJP (29) + Saffron (10)

To elect N people by using the existing system Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, as per the recommended formula, the minimum Votes required by each candidate L, is to be between  M/N  ≥  L  > M/(N+1)

Applying the above formula for the Assembly 100 members, we get

No. (N) of Electees	100/N =	Max	Votes Needed	Minimum	= 100(N+1)
1	100/1  =	100.00	≥   L   >	50.00	= 100/2
2	100/2 =	50.00	≥   L   >	33.33.	= 100/3
3	100/3 =	33.33.	≥   L   >	25.00	= 100/4
4	100/4 =	25.00	≥   L   >	20.00	= 100/5
5	100/5 =	20.00	≥   L   >	16.66.	= 100/6
6	100/6 =	16.66.	≥   L   >	14.29	= 100/7
7	100/7 =	14.29	≥   L   >	12.50	= 100/8
8	100/8 =	12.50	≥   L   >	11.11	= 100/9
9	100/9 =	11.11	≥   L   >	10.00	= 100/10
10	100/10 =	10.00	≥   L   >	9.09	= 100/11
11	100/11 =	9.09	≥   L   >	8.33	= 100/12
12	100/12 =	8.33	≥   L   >	7.69	= 100/13

AS per the above  Table For M= 100 and N = 6, we get

L =   minimum Votes required by each candidate will be  [ 16 2/3    ≥   L   > 14 2/7  ] which means minimum number of votes required to get elected will be 15. When the Electoral Officer (EO) opens the ballots he is very likely to see the following:

Now the EO considers first the Voting pattern as their First Choice. He can easily declare, out of the11 candidates contesting for 6 positions, candidates A1, A2, B1 and the candidate X1 wins this first round of counting as their votes are > 15 votes, the minimum required, thus consuming a total of 60 Votes The other 2 remaining seats will have to wait for the next round of 40 votes. This is simple.

Voting pattern as their First Choice

	A1	A2	A3	A4	B1	B2	C1
Greens 1st group (16 of 42)	16
Greens 2nd group (16 of 42)		16
Balance (10 of 42)			10
Congress-1 (16 of 17)					16
Balance     (1 of 17)						1
Left (All 2 of 2)							2
				X1	X2	X3	Y1
BJP -1   (16 of 29)				16
Balance 13 of 29					13
Saffron (all10 of 10)							10

However a nice change happens here. The 16^th vote obtained by these candidates in the first round is really not needed. But we cannot afford to waste their voting preferences. Though the16th vote in the group of 1st votes, in each case, is for the candidates A1, A2, B1 and X1, now there are good reasons to find out their second preferences. Now let us see what EO gets, when he checks what the voters have indicated as their 2nd choice in their ballot.

Voting pattern as their Second Choice

	A1	A2	A3	A4	B1	B2	C1
Greens 1st group (16 of 42)	*OK		1(16)
Greens 2nd group (16 of 42)		*OK	1(16)
Balance (10 of 42)			*10
Congress (16 of 17)			1(16)		*ok
Balance     (1 of 17)			1(1)			*1
Left (All 2 of 2)			1(1)	1(1)			*2

			X1	X2	X3	Y1
BJP -1      (16 of 29)			*ok	1(16)
Balance 13 of 29				*13
Saffron (all10 of 10)				1(10)	9(10)	*10

Orange OK indicates “elected in the 1^st round”.

Star indicates voting in the 1st round

Normal figures indicate voting the 2^nd round

j(k) indicates out of (k) Votes in the first round (j) votes as second preference

Now EO considers the  Voting pattern as their Second Choice. He notices the candidate A3 has already obtained 10 first choice votes. He needs 5 more second choice vote to be elected to RS as 5^th candidate. Same way, the candidate X2 has already obtained 13 first choice votes. The16th extra vote in the group of 1st votes for the already winners,  A1, A2, B1, have all indicated A3 as their second Choice that brings A3 tally to 13. The lone Congress man who voted for B2 in the first round, has also indicated A3 as his second Choice. Hence B2 and similarly C1 becomes the first two candidates to get eliminated, as there is no way they can secure 15 votes. Hence we may also consider the 2^nd round votes of C1, which has gone one each to A3 ad A4. With these two additional 2^nd round votes, A3 secures 15 votes and gets elected to RS.

At the end of 2^nd round the position will be as below

	A1	A2	A3	A4	B1	B2	C1
	ok	ok	ok	X	ok	X	X
Greens	15	15	15
Balance
Congress					15
Balance
Left				1

                    Figures with Pink Highlighting indicates election in the 2^nd Round

			X1	X2	X3	Y1
			ok	ok	X	X
BJP			15	15
Saffron					9

Normal figures indicate unelected candidates & their votes.

Now Looking at X2 who has already secured 13 votes in the first round, get his extra 2 votes, one from the 16^th vote of X1 who has already won, and another one from Saffron’s 2^nd round vote.

Hence as per the above:-

A1, A2, B1 and X1 are elected in 1^st round

A3 and X2  are elected in the 2^nd  round

A4 (1), B2(0), C1(0), X3(9) and Y1(0) were all not elected. The votes obtained by them are within brackets, which sums up to 10 unused votes.

It can be observed how cumbersome the process is. However in the actual case experts can calculate and tell different parties how their members should vote and achieve optimized output. They exactly vote as per that scheme and get their choice candidates elected.

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