News Kashmir Magazine

Issue 18 January, 2021 Issue .

DRUG ABUSE AND  SOCIETY.By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Drug abuse is a patterned use of a drug in which the users consume the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others. Drug abuse corrodes the foundations of society and has the potential to lead to child abuse as well as sexual and domestic violence.      The problem is global and India is no exception to it. In our country, drug dependence is a major social issue in parts of Maharashtra, North East, Karnataka, Goa and Punjab. The fact that India is in close proximity to the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan) as well as the Golden Triangle ( Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) makes it vulnerable to drug trafficking. It means that there is no hardship in finding the harmful drugs. They are available at arm’s length.      What started off as casual use among a miniscule population of high income group youth in the metropolitan cities, the drug abuse has permeated all sections of the society. Cannabis, heroin, and Indian_ produced pharmaceutical drugs are the most frequently abused drugs in India. Alcohol and tobacco are the most prevalent addictive substances used across India. The pharmaceutical products containing narcotic drugs are also being increasingly being abused. The codeine_based cough syrups continue to be diverted from the domestic market for abuse.      To highlight the menace, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed annually on June 26. The decision to mark the Day was taken on December 7, 1987 through a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in order to strengthen global action and cooperation to achieve its aim of making the international society free of drug abuse. The year 2019 theme of the Day was ‘ Health for justice, Justice for Health’ which emphasized that justice and health are two sides of the same coin, when it comes to addressing the problems associated drugs.      One of the major reasons for drug abuse is its presence at the nook and corner of the country. Sometimes, it is romanticized in films and it becomes a thrilling and seductive affair for youngsters , who can be misguided easily because of their relative lack of experience in life. The other cause for this the lack of counseling. Our youngsters are left to fight with the changes happening in them and the changes taking place around them. They are not in a position to emerge out of the trauma which the newest things bring with them. Here the need of counsellors is of utmost importance. But we lack it completely. We are lacking the main stream of doctors. The presence of counsellors, say in a city or a village, is a distant dream. Moreover, the unyielding system of education is another cause for this. Thousands of students commit suicide due to this rigid system of education. No knowledge for the practical life is imparted in the institutions. The dreams of the students fall like a pack of cards and they take to drugs, in order to avoid the haunting present and the black future. What is the motive of education? The object of education is to produce the human beings, who can settle in a society, whatever the situations be. There is a big chasm between what is taught in the classrooms and what is going on in the society. This difference makes them incompatible and they find solace in the harmful drugs. Love affair is another cause. Recently, The Times of India came up with a report that made it clear that the cause of deaths and drug addiction is caused by the love affairs in most of the states of India. Romanticism at the earliest age and the taboos attached with it, forces a youth to take to drug addiction. The media also are forefront. The glorification of the drug addiction in the movies or in other dramas, create a destructive mark on the plastic minds of the students in general and the youth in particular. They get excited and try to make imitate this at their homes and pave way for the destruction of the society. Peer pressure is another cause. Like in the movie “3 Idiots” the main theme is that a student should be allowed to live his or her life. He or she should not be forced to act according to a particular trend of the society. All the students should be patently listened. Their grievances and views should be respected and the ways should be found to tackle them. But they are being rebuked and they feel isolated. It is this isolation that takes harmful form in the future and make the brilliant minds vulnerable to the menace of drug addiction.      The impacts of the drug addiction are manifold. The worst impact of drug abuse is on the brain, which consequentially affects every other aspect of life of the  person addicted to drugs. Drugs are primarily chemicals that affect the communication system of the human brain. They disturb the ways in which nerve cells send, process and receive information. Drugs such as heroin and marijuana are structured in the Same way as chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are produced naturally by the human brain. As a result of this similarity, the drugs can fool the receptors of human brain and activate the nerve cells in such a way that they send some abnormal messages. In case of drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine, the nerve cells get activated and they release extraordinarily large volumes of neurotransmitters. This disrupts the normal functioning of the human brain and can prove very disastrous at sometimes. The another devastating affect of drug addiction is on the generation. A lot of person’s die due to this menace. They not only destroy themselves but also their family members in particular and the relatives and the neighbors in general, for a long time. Apart from this, a lot of money is lost in drug addiction. To ease their nerves, the drug addicts become thieves and are burden on the society with the passage of time. It brings misery and gloom in the lives of the people of any country. The dreams of a bright future are shattered and it gives rise to other diseases and with this, slowly and steadily, the whole society is engulfed and the escape is totally blocked. We are facing the agony of the drug addiction. Our alleys, streets and roads are preoccupied by the drug addicts. They are own brothers and sisters, if I talk about the youth. They need our guidance. They are the part and parcel of our society. We are the organs of a single body. We can’t be so mean in allowing anyone to die in this fashion.      To curb this menace, prevention is one of the ways. In fact , it is one affliction that can be easily prevented according to medical experts and practitioners. Prevention programmes involving families, schools and the immediate communities are important in this regard. Media also should come forward in eradicating this menace, rather than romanticizing it. Movies should be based on the harmful effects of the drug addiction. From the beginning, the students should be taught to abhor these things. Adult education should be promoted so that our elders leave this harmful way. The best method to tackle this issue is to destroy the crops where the drugs are grown at the earliest. There should be strict punishment for those who are culprits. The suppliers of the drugs should be hanged in an open. They are the butchers. They should be sending to gallows. The Government should take initiatives to stop this menace. They can do a lot but they are not doing anything. They, in cooperation with the common people, can eradicate this menace from the society. The last but not the least thing is that cancel the license of the chemists, drug manufacturers, associations, etc.,. at the earliest. Ban the sale of medicines that can have the potential of being used as drugs. Lip service won’t do any miracles. Collective approach is the need of the hour. Parents and religious leaders have a lot to offer. We earnestly wait for it.

Social Concern by Syed Mustafa Ahmad .

11 January, 2021 Issue

DOWRY SYSTEM MenaceSyed Mustafa Ahmad

 Among the many evils in our society, the evil of dowry system has attained the harmful forms. It has proved to be a life-taking evil. The dowry system is as old as the institution of marriage. It is a social evil prevalent not only in India, but other parts of the world. Many of the traditional customs have been given up but the custom of dowry has not only continued but flourished over the years. It reflects and perpetuates man’s superiority over woman and hence marks a mockery on the very idea of the gender equality.       In general, dowry refers to the durable goods, cash and real or movable property that the bride’s family gives to the bridegroom, his parents or his relatives as a condition of the marriage. It is essentially in the nature of a payment in cash or some kind of gifts given to the bridegroom’s family along with the bride. It includes cash, jewellery, furniture, crockery and other household items that help the newly-weds to set up their home.      The system of dowry also prevailed during the ancient period. Parents of the bride provided gifts, money, property and other household items to the girl out of their own wish. It was known as the premortem right of the girl. She was the absolute owner and even her husband had no right over it. But with the passage of time, the definition and the dimensions of dowry changed. It became an important and a primary factor in marriage. It became necessary for the parents of the girl to give a good dowry to her irrespective of their ability.      The married life of a girl came to depend upon dowry. Several girls, whose parents could not afford good dowry had to commit suicide as their in-laws made their lives miserable. The worst part of this evil led to another evil i.e., female foeticide. It becomes important to understand what causes such an evil practice to prevail in the society when we are moving towards modernity.      There are multiple reasons of dowry. It is a feeling that practicing or practising customs generates and strengthens solidarity. It means that they sail in a single boat of demonstrating that we are one in this regard. A few people give more dowries just to exhibit or show their high social and economic status. It has become a trend in our society to feign. Without this evil, it has become difficult to live. Most of the people believe that their daughters should live happily with their husbands and hence provide dowry. Here, in my opinion, the parents are not to be blamed. For the happiness of their daughter, they readily follow this tradition. Illiteracy is an important cause of dowry. Most of the people are unaware about the harmful effects of dowry. They blindly follow the traditions that are going on in the society. They have no time to ponder over the negative effects of dowry. They, being the so-called rich, in their comfortable rooms, think that everyone is capable of doing this. However, the reality is something different. It has brought a lot of misery in our society. The society of ours has become more difficult to live, particularly for those who are poor and can’t afford to opt for dowry.      With the advent of science and technology, almost everything goes through a change, though in a limited manner. But it is our mindset that doesn’t accept good changes. Dowry has involved many characteristics when compared to the traditional practices of giving gifts. It is no more a voluntary exercise rather it is demanded diplomatically. The groom’s family may act modest or civilized but do not hesitate to accept precious articles offered by to the bride’s family on their own. I have come across many cases where the same situation came. They, being the champions of decency in talk, walk and behaviour, are devils when it comes to dowry. I was amazed at those times. I felt the urge to change the dynamics of learning. A system of learning can never be life-taking. But in our society, from the bottom to the top, the menace of materialism has taken strong roots. In the college, we were taught about the defects of materialism. Our English textbook had a poem which said that earning and spending had become our prime objective. In this process, we had lost touch with morality. The concept of morality had lost in thin air. Today, after completing the college course, I meditate and find that the laws are for fools. The lawbreakers are the real champions.     The predominant types of dowry crimes relate to creulty, domestic violence, abetment to suicide and dowry death which includes bride burning and murder. In India, approximately 247710 deaths have been reported in past three years. As per National Crime Records Bureau data, the country had recorded 3.48 lakh cases of creulty by husband or his relative. There is hardly a day when one does not read of dowry deaths in the national newspapers. Dowry is considered as a major contributor towards violence against women in India. Some of these violence include physical violence, emotional abuses and the murder of bride’s and young girls prior to marriage.      The Government has taken many steps to stop the abominable practice of dowry. A few of them are listed below: The Dowry Prohibition Act,1961 marked the beginning of a new legal framework of dowry harassment laws. It prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of dowry and provides penalty for the same.Section 304B was added to the Indian Penal Code(IPC) which made dowry death a specific punishable offence. Any one who commits offense under section 304B or 113B shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may be extended to imprisonment for life.Section 498A IPC was included in 1983 to protect women from creulty and harassment. Whoever being the husband or relative of the husband, subjects creulty under this section shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend  to three years and shall also be extended to three years and shall be liable to fine.In 2005, the Government of India passed the ‘Protection of Women from Domestic violence Act’ to provide a cover law remedy for the protection of women from domestic violence.      India is also a party to several international human rights instruments which provide theoretical remedies to the dowry problems. However, on the ground level, much is not happening against the evil. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.      It may be concluded that the abolition of the dowry system would be a landmark towards social reforms. With whatever intentions this custom may have been started, it cannot be denied that it has failed to give equal status to women in the society. The time has come to scrape the roots and branch of dowry system. Unless we become more progressive in our outlook, less orthodox in our ways and more revolutionary in our ideas, dowry will remain the same of our society. We can’t afford to lose more brides. In the present moment, the institution of marriage has already become complicated. Marriages often after a lot of bargain. We have thousands of girls who have passed their marriage ages and can never marry. Their redness of hands will never come true. They will die with the dream of going to husband’s home. In this context, all should come forward and try his or her best to fight against this crime. I think it will be a revolution for the superstitious society. 
Writer: Syed Mustafa Ahmad.Syedmustafaahmad9@gmail.com.

DDC Poll Results Prove PAGD real Representative of Masses : Dr.Harbakash Singh 
Spokesperson People’s Democratic Party and recent winning candidate of 
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in DDC polls Dr. Harbakash Singh is an eminent politician of Kashmir . He is  popularly known as Shanty and defeated his nearest rival Trilok Singh of Congress by a margin of over by 982 votes. A resident of Kavil village in Tral sub-district, Harbakash started his political career as a student and was provincial president of NSUI Kashmir for many years. He has also served as PRO to senior PDP leader and former cabinet minister Naeem Akhkter for four years during the PDP-BJP coalition government.
He is often seen in TV debates of national media representing the party views with full vigour .In an exclusive interview, he talks to Farzana Mumtaz and Rameez Makhdoomi .Excerpts:

How was it possible for you to win from Muslim majority area despite belonging to minority Sikh Community?
It is biggest honour for me to get elected from Muslim majority area . I am highly grateful to my party People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and especially Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti for reposing full faith on me .  I am highly thankful to people of Tral .I have been working here since long as RTI and Social activist . I have been doing diverse philanthropic activities here in Tral and was able to also in pandemic Covid provide many   Oxygen cylinders to patients in Tral and also hundreds of  food kits to the people of Tral . I have also been running many Food kitchens in Jammu and Kashmir .When I was with Nayeem Akthar Sahab in ministry I tried to do best for Tral and also on TV and other media raised issues and pain of Kashmiris especially about attack on our ethos and identity.
As a DDC member  I would via my efforts try to  make Tral a model area which others would replicate as great example . People should say via my work that they need me as Assembly representative as well.
How do you view success of PAGD Alliance in DDC polls ?This alliance of major political Parties National Conference, People’s Democratic Party and other parties had happened before the 5 August ,2019 developments when we had fears our rights would be robbed . The performance of our alliance PAGD was excellent in DDC and we this time did not leave field open for BJP as had happened in few polls like in Panch and Sarpanch . If we would not have fought this DDC election it would have been betrayal to hopes of people .No big leader of PAGD sought votes because just election is not our motive but Gupkar alliance seeks bringing back our stolen rights. 
Wouldn’t the post of Chairman in respective  DDCs create rift between PDP, NC and other PAGD parties ?
No not at all .We as PDP party  would  not create any issue on who among our alliance gets post of the Chairman . Be it NC, PDP ,PC , Communist party ,ANC, etc we are all in alliance and does not matter who among our parties gets post of DDC Chairman in the Districts .How many Districts realistically  speaking you feel would PAGD alliance get the prestigious  post of DDC hairman ?Going by the verdict,  I believe we would get DDC Chairman as PAGD in more than ten districts .Some districts in Kashmir like Srinagar have large number of Independent ,do you feel here BJP would get Chairman post ?It all depends on whether there would be horse trading of Independents or not . Also any Independent getting elected should remember what he or she got mandate from people for . This result shows mostly they got this mandate as vote against BJP and they need to remember it .DDC as an institution how much effective you see it as a neutral voice  leaving politics aside for a minute ?We still don’t know it’s effective as Institution yet as we are still to go through its by laws and powers  . Until we don’t know complete nomenclature we can’t comment on ins and outs of DDC as an institution .We would but not let people down who voted for us .
Would PAGD alliance last in Assembly elections as well?I have told you in beginning that more than for vote our alliance in PAGD is ideological and based on burning issues like restoring our identity back and getting our rights back . I on personnel level feel this alliance would continue in Assembly elections.BJP is making taller claims that for first time ever in DDC polls the lotus bloomed from places like Kakapora and Ballhama ,your take ?The 40 DDC seats we won from Jammu region and seats we won even from Nowshera the region which is home of BJP President what about that .The real victory is ours that despite having faced millions hardships we won dozens of seats from Jammu region and if BJP won few seats from Kashmir we respect the mandate as it is beauty of democracy .How will you try to raise issue of Kashmiri Sikh Community like getting minority status ?Whatever is in my powers I would try to solve issues of my community . Our community is neglected community and be it in terms of jobs or getting reservations, Punjabi language issues and minority status issues I would try to forcefully raise it and get it resolved .How is current mood in PDP like ?
PDP mood is buoyant and we have iron will that despite having faced so much threats and allegations people reposed faith on us . People also have us given message via DDC polls that PDP and PAGD are real representative of Jammu and Kashmir.Will you try to solve day to day issues of People of Jammu and Kashmir via DDC as people face huge issues ?We will have to solve issues of People as they are facing lot of issues with reference to basic facilities . The grasroot members of PAGD via DDC will try to solve and concentrate  on basic issues of masses and our higher ups are already involved in bigger mission .Since you are also among prominent media faces of PAGD , do you feel a Powerful BJP currently at Center would listen to your demands on restoration of article 370 ?Whatever was given to us was given to us by constitution of India and we would fight for our rights legally and politically . We would not fight for our rights through barrel of gun but via legal means .
Lastly , how much delighted was prominent leader of Your party Naeem Akthar on your success who has been real close to you ?All throughout my political Journey Naeem Akthar Sahab has been my mentor and guiding force . It was unfortunate that one day before verdict he was taken into detention . Here I condemn detentions of all PAGD leaders as BJP rather than fighting us politically is using power to fight us personally which is bad for democracy .

DDC election’s…The revival of electoral politics in Kashmir!!! Owais Ah Shah( The writer is rsuing PG in Pol.Science)
The election’s of DDC in Kashmir have marked a new beginning of electoral process in Kashmir.The abrogation of Article 370,35A & statehood in the year 2019 had left the erstwhile state of J&K  in a terrible climate.The political mainstream was pulled down & a new environment of Bearaucrcy possible was created by the central Govt in J&K.It has taken around a year for Kashmir to get fully politically conscious & the regional parties have forged an alliance known as PAGD which is voicing a  unanimous demand for restoration of Art 370,35A & statehood of J&K.The PAGD is at loggerheads with the central Govt as both parties are not agreeing with each other & central Govt is reluctant of the demands placed by the PAGD.The recent amendments to bolster Panchayti Raj act’s has included DDC & election’s for J&K have also been placed on the menu.The candidates placed by BJP are spread across Kashmir & in a bid to kick out it’s candidates,regional parties of Kashmir & alliance of PAGD have placed their candidates in the fray to fight BJP.
During the campaigning trails,the candidates of PAGD are vehemently addressing people to vote for PAGD & maintain dignity & honour of J&K.What’s fascinating in these election’s that young,educated youth are also in the fray fighting independently.People of Kashmir have never seen a febrile atmosphere of election’s as they are witnessing now.The poll record is also humongous & people are supporting candidates everywhere.The old & stodgy image of election’s fought by only politicians has shrugged off & a new image has sprouted up where the young generation find this platform a powerful vehicle to address public issue’s. These election’s are very important because the candidates who will emerge victorious will have a great role to play for the future politics in Kashmir.People are supporting this election to maintain dignity & honour of Kashmiri & also elect new faces who are supporting public cause & will carve out a space for political & public engagement.Kashmir is entering into a phase of new political stability where people will decide who to vote & why to vote.The politics of past is supplanted by the politics of present which will help Kashmir’s new growth of politics.