Dear Editor,
On 11th January, 2016, Jand K Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu released Final Publication of Electoral Roll totaling 73,75,063 out of which Male Electors are 38,64,996; Female Electors 35,10,009; and Third Gender Electors 58. This final Electors Roll carry additional 173611 new voters added to the previous list of voters.
Issuing latest notification of voters is all right. But what about the agenda before the voters to make choice to cast the votes in favour or disfavour, it is a big issue.
Going by the latest happenings, what happened few month back? There was beef controversy amounting lynching/killing, Court cases, strikes, Tipu Sultan issue, Hindu-Muslim, communal clashes, concrete religious structure and caste-creed controversies. Malda Bengal is burning as the elections are in store. All these happenings have become an integral part of the Indian culture as and when election process begins anywhere.
Country is governed by the Constitution. Constitutional activities determine the health of nation. Discussion on these issues is must as part of various activities among commoners by the political parties and in educational institutes as well through the medium of various activities/cultural programs.
In fact, NSS (National Service Scheme) on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi is an ideal tool to promote constitutional activities all around the country. No doubt, NSS activities are there to the extent of issuing certificates for claiming category and remuneration by the Programme Officers concerned.
The goal of Gandhi involving people living in the vicinity of respective institutes in NSS activities is missing. The aims behind this collaboration is to impart leadership qualities to students by understanding the people problems and efforts to mitigate those problems and in turn educate the people to get involved in all round activities such as promoting social, cultural, environmental, constitutional activities as well as fight out the enemies of humanity.
In what way the NSS is performed in other states, it is not known, but as regard J and K NSS is in shamble. Author pleaded before J and K Government in 2010 urging to “Raise NSS Cell, appoint SLO as per norms”. This move got cabinet approval in 2011. But still functioning of the cell is missing, despite the number of officers managed the highest chairs, got superannuation and some presently are sitting in higher education.
Society SHEER (Society Health Environment Education Research) is founded by the author having served as NSS PO GGM Science College Jammu (2000 to 2005) and has continued working on the principles of Gandhi the vision quoted in book “Message to Youth” published by Yak Book Channel Jammu.
The vision highlights the feeling of God every moment while performing/promoting Holistic health in terms of Social-Environmental-Constitutional Health; freedom from enemies of Humanity; and healthy heritage. On the basis of the latest greeting 2016, a memorandum stands submitted to United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to declare “DNA the universal God energy and Impose Ecological/ Planetary Emergency.
The State Government is urged to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in collaboration with Society SHEER headed by author going to attain superannuation from Higher Education in March 2017, with the aim to promote constitutional activities not only in Educational Institutes but among Public as well, that what presently is missing in the State.
Dr. Kuldeep Singh
Jammu