The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, December 4, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I L B A G

Who cares for population control?

Surprisingly The Tribune, which highlights many important issues of national and international relevance, has not given due coverage to population explosion and its control, and poor standards of rural education (skill-oriented in particular) in Punjab/India. In fact the importance, which these problems received during the 1970s and 80s, has decreased rather sharply. At present no regional or national political party even talks about the burgeoning population and its control.

Deterioration in the standards of rural education and non-existent training in skills have broken all records. Perhaps efforts to tackle both these problems do not help the politicians in achieving their political gains. We should feel sorry for this neglect on the part of all political parties, planners, administrators and the people of our country.

In one of the seminars, which I attended at the lowa State University, USA, a few months ago, to a specific question about the most important problems of India, I replied that the problem number one is the burgeoning population, the problem number two is population explosion and the problem number three is ever-increasing percentage of ineffective population (poor-in-capability, unemployed) due to the declining standards of education and non-existent skill-oriented training, particularly in rural areas. Most of the other troubles (over exploitation of shrinking natural resources, hunger and malnutrition, increasing unemployment and socio-economic insecurity, rising human-resource exploitation, frustration/ indiscipline/disorders, inadequate infrastructure, etc) in our country have emerged (are increasing) mainly because of these problems.

If the growth of population is not checked drastically, it would not be possible to ensure the removal of food, nutrition and socio-economic insecurity in our country that is expected to have more than 160 crore persons by 2050. The rate of growth of population is already much higher than that of food production/availability. More than 60 per cent of our population is already suffering from capability-poverty i.e not capable of performing even the minimum expected human functions. The right to get educated without acquiring specific skills will further increase unemployment and hence socio-economic problems.

Why can't all political parties shed their ambitions to please their vote-banks by ignoring the most dreaded outcome of human reproduction and have a common agenda about population control and upgradation of rural education/training (on-farm and non-farm skills) in our country?

DR M.S. BAJWA, Ludhiana

Parity in pension

The Union Government on October 26 raised the pension of all Central employees who retired prior to January, 1996, to make it on a par with that of those who retired after that date. The government also decided that the old pensioners would then get the full benefits of the recommendations of the 5th Central Pay Commission. It is sad to find that the ministry concerned has not yet issued a regular notification to this effect.

RATTAN LAL BANSAL, Nabha

Chintpurni bus shelter

A large number of pilgrims visit the holy shrine of Mata Chintpurni every year and donations worth several lakhs of rupees are offered at the shrine in cash and kind. But there is no bus terminal worth its name. There is no shelter available. The basic amenities like drinking water, waiting room, booking office and lavatories are non-existent. Though the authorities had acquired land for the bus terminal a few years ago, but it has not been put to use. Rather it is being used by beggars, stray animals and by the public as an open lavatory.

V.K. KAPUR, Panchkula

Aryan invasion

In The Sunday Tribune (Nov 24) a statement of Prof B. B.Lal has been published proclaiming that the Aryan invasion is a myth. I do not agree with him. This statement is merely political.

The Aryan problem is not only Indian, but also Eurasian. According to archaeological evidence, grey wares and skeletal remains first appeared at Anau (Turkmenia) in about 3000 BC. From there, they began to move towards the South and the West in about 2000 BC. According to written records, a western branch of them invaded Babylonia in 1600 BC and ruled there for about 500 years.

Their another branch moved southward and reached the Swat Valley. Evidence of their presence (grey wares and skeletal remains) has been discovered from the Gandhara graves belonging to 1700 BC. Further evidence appears at Manda, 28 km west of Jammu, at Nagar, Dhaderi, Kotpalon and Bhagwanpura near Kurukshetra dating 1600 BC. I have calculated this route of their movement from Central Asia up to Kurukshetra on the basis of archeological report prepared by Mr J.P. Joshi, a former Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Aryan race has the highest frequency of A blood group, which took its birth in the Steppe region of Eurasia (where it is still the highest) . This is also the highest among the Aryan Brahmins in India. This proves that the Aryan Brahmins came from the Steppe region of Eurasia. Both types of evidence are scientific and cannot be challenged.

This invasion is further confirmed from the Rigvedic accounts that Aryan King Chayman attacked Harappa (Hariyupia) and killed the king named Varsikha and his 3,000 armed guards. Sudasa, son of Chayman, attacked the 10 kings’ confederacy at the bank of the Ravi near Harappa and defeated them all.

In fact, such political statements of historians are issued from time to time under the pressure of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Otherwise, both Mr B.B. Lal and Mr J.P. Joshi were earlier in favour of the theory of the Aryan invasion. They had helped me in completing my research work on this issue.

DR NAVAL VIYOGI,

Director, Indian National Historical Research Council, Ludhiana