I have gathered some of the articles and essays written in the past. The following article was published in ‘Caravan’ magazine in July 1969, even before I joined the RBI in December 1969.
LOTTERIES AND RAFFLES
These days, lotteries and raffles have become the rage in our country. Many State Governments have entered into the field with a view to earn revenues. But it is not sufficiently realized that these lotteries and raffles are just forms of gambling and, therefore, they are vicious, dangerous and full of potentiality to harm the people and the country.
2. What do most of the gambling activities have in common? If we list a few of them, we can see that, first of all, luck is the basis of all of them and not talent. In pack games and horse racing, talent does not matter much, only luck matters. At one time, a participant wins a lot of wealth and at other times, he returns blank to his house to hear the outbursts of the members of his family. The latter thing happens most of the times. It makes the participants poor slowly and steadily. Similar to these are the advertisements to win costly articles by mere stroke of luck. Periodic loss is inherent even in these ventures.
3. The second common thing is the desire to win more or make good the loss suffered in previous participation and indulge in further participation. Participation in lottery means investing the meagre income earned by hard labour in the hope of earning a lot which can never be achieved in lottery. If a person wishes to live a simple, righteous and happy life, he should learn to live within his means ignoring the increasingly frequent lottery stunts. Thirst for money and luxury can never be quenched or satisfied by participating in lotteries and raffles.
4. As regards those who thrive on the money of the poor in so base a manner, they deserve nothing less than condemnation. And regarding most of the State Governments, which have taken to such lotteries, it is most unfortunate that the State, which is to work for the welfare of the people, should suck money out the already poor nation in this way. Taxation is more honourable than this. Should this be the manner employed to fill the treasuries of the State emptied by corrupt practices of the ministers, legislators and officials? It is most dishonourable. Mr.C.Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)’s warning to Mr.C.N.Annadurai in this respect is most appropriate and I quote “The need for funds for good causes does not justify this far reaching error. That you stood firm against re-opening of toddy and arrack shops in Tamilnadu in the face of great pressures was most praiseworthy, but this opening of a vast gambling house more than undoes the good achieved on the drink issue.’ Unquote.
5. Elaborate arrangements are made to sell as many tickets as possible. The expenditure on this account mostly goes unaccounted. Unauthorized agents and fake tickets thrive all over the land. The poor Indian is surrounded so much by these people that he is easily caught in the trap. There are persons, who have wasted money on lotteries and raffles for years together always expecting rewards, which never comes. There are persons, who even set apart a portion of their salaries for this purpose. In all cases, a lot of money is lost, money which could have otherwise been diverted to buy a few more nutritious articles to improve the health of the family and the nation.
6. We have seen how when a person does not win a prize, he becomes disappointed and depressed. If by chance, a person even wins lakhs of prize money, this sudden jerk from his simple life makes him imbalanced. He does not get rest or peace of mind. A time comes when he feels how happy he was in the past. Repentance comes too late.
7. People should dissociate themselves from lotteries and raffles and State Governments should desist from running State raffles.
January 1978
An article on ‘Indians are Hero worshippers’ was published in Himmat magazine issue of 6.1.1978. The material is as follows:
INDIANS ARE HERO WORSHIPPERS
The progress of the country or the community depends very much upon good leaders and the rapport that binds the leaders and led. If heroes can inspire their admirers to shake off the lethargy and involve them in constructive action for the betterment of the country and the community, hero-worship has definite value and gets respect. But if the heroes are merely objects of worship and there are no efforts among the followers to improve, it is sheer hypocrisy.
2. Viewed in this context, Indians generally and its elite in particular are hero-worshippers only by and large and do not bother much about getting out of their dull and uninteresting existence through constructive work and co-operation.
3. In the case of earlier generations, their undue emphasis on destiny and their belief in fate had been an impediment to resort to action and had kept them mostly stoic and philosophic in outlook, bent doubly by the burden of religion and customs. This apart, they could not shake off the inherited slavish outlook in political and social matters with the result they were not inspired enough to involve themselves in the progress of the country as partners with equal rights. There was, therefore, the widespread tendency to regard even the home rule as the role by some distant masters.
4. Although the younger generation has seen through the double standards of the previous generation, it has not been able to give a new and purposeful direction. The reason again, is hero-worship of a different type. The youth has no doubt become cynical about native achievements and greatness but has turned either to the materialistic west or socialist countries for enlightenment and leadership. They are blindly aping alien fashions and living conditions, which are not at all good. They are not even bothering about looking into the really positive traits of the foreigners. This new form of hero-worship has brought more miseries than comfort in its wake. Wrong values and attitudes have been imported into the nation’s body politic.
September 1981
An article sent to Himmat on 26.9.1981 did not get published. The article is as follows-
WOMEN ARE AS COMPETENT AS MEN
A noteworthy feature since the turn of the last century, more so, after the world war II, and in India’s case, after her independence, is that women are leaving the confines of their homes in more and more numbers to participate in public affairs. We find growing number of girls going in for higher education and of women working shoulder to shoulder with men in public institutions. The spread of democracy and education, the growth of technology and communications and an utilitarian value system have all combined in forcing women to assert themselves in public affairs. Undoubtedly, women are demonstrating with a vengeance that they are as competent as men in any field of human activity.
2. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the price paid by women in asserting their rights has been colossal, individually and collectively. It is not uncommon to encounter today much more privation, loneliness and disintegration of domestic life and harmony than hitherto. So, even if we move towards a plurastic society wherein both the males and females are breadwinners for families, we ought to ensure that the current battle of sexes ends up in a better balance and harmony of hearts, so that men and women are able to understand each other well. The time tested family institution is still relevant for this. We must give up false notions of sectarianism and licentious behavior and instead seek the responsibilities and pleasures of parenthood in a family set up. It is a challenge worth the competence of both men and women today
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