The Loss of Intellectual Autonomy

© 2006-2018 Kasturi & Sons Ltd. -vijay kumar [email protected] - EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU CHENNAI TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019 OPED 11 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The loss of intellectual autonomy Solar powerhouse For residential consumers to see rooftop solar as a viable To define one’s identity or community in terms of an exclusive religion is a vexed European notion electricity option, building awareness is crucial some form in the past. But these through various avenues, so that it is accessi were not thought to be part of one ble to all segments of the population and in single entity called Hinduism, so that local languages. Such awareness drives will those who owed allegiance to any reach larger audiences. Information kiosks one of these sets of practices did not can be set up in public institutions like banks think of themselves as belonging to a to offer information on the technology, as Rajeev Bhargava single system of belief and doctrine Uttara Narayan & Amala Devi well as on practical issues such as guidance in competition with and opposition on selecting vendors. A robust feedback me to all others. Indeed, mobility across chanism can be put in place for consumers No person in today’s world likes to be communities and multiple allegianc In February, the Cabinet Committee on Eco to share their experiences with others. told what to do or what to think. The es were common. As a result, most nomic Affairs approved phase 2 of the grid Consumer rights groups, rooftop solar young are particularly keen to have people refused to be slotted into ri connected rooftop solar programme, with a system vendors, and resident welfare asso the freedom to decide which beliefs gid, compartmentalised entities. focus on the residential sector. India has set ciations (RWAs) in larger cities are beginning to form. Intellectual autonomy is They were religious but did not be an ambitious target of achieving 40 GW of to organise campaigns and workshops to widely considered to be an impor long to a religion. This has virtually rooftop solar capacity by 2022. However, generate awareness and create a dialogue tant value. This was probably not ceased to be the case. while there has been progress on rooftop so with consumers. In November 2018, for in true in the past when large numbers Second, religious belief or prac lar installations among industries and com stance, the Bangalore Apartments’ Federa of people were illiterate, knowledge tice, or adherence to a doctrine, was mercial consumers, the uptake among resi tion held a workshop on residential rooftop was produced and stored by a few, never viewed as a condition of mem dential consumers has been slow. solar to sensitise their members. Several and there was wider social legitima bership in a wider national commun Urban residential electricity consumers RWAs have initiated discussions with resi cy for submission to those with pow ity. One’s religious or linguistic iden are still hesitant to consider rooftop solar dents to explore collective installation of er and authority. GETTY IMAGES/ ISTOCK PHOTO tity made little difference to one’s power for their homes. This is because they rooftop solar, starting with common facili However, even then, poets and belonging to the nation. Alas, now, don’t have enough information about it, ac ties like lifts and water pumps. philosophers routinely felt that intel English culture — if culture it can be sentiments is superseded without for many inhabitants of our territory, cording to a 2018 study by the World Re lectual autonomy is smothered by called — has increased tenfold the comparison or competition by a new a nation cannot but be defined in sin sources Institute in five cities — Bengaluru, Lessons to learn temptations of power. Asked by his evil of our dependence instead of re cast representing an alien culture gle religious or linguistic terms. An Chandigarh, Chennai, Jaipur and Nagpur. Since the market for residential rooftop solar pupils on how to relate to rulers, the medying it.” which possesses one like a ghost.” To exclusivist conception of the ethnic power is nascent, there are opportunities to medieval philosophersaint Al Gha A more catastrophic malady re be sure, when two cultures come in nation — entirely against the spirit of Limited access to information learn from more mature consumer durable zali said, “It would be disastrous to sulting from this “well meaning bon to sustained contact with one anoth local Indian religions or conceptions For residential urban consumers, one of the markets. For example, RWAs can tie up with go to a ruler to offer unsolicited ad dage” was the loss of intellectual au er, there is bound to be give and take. of nationhood — devised first in key barriers to installing rooftop solar sys vendors to organise demonstration pro vice. It is acceptable to offer your opi tonomy. The watchword of Indians, One culture might even give to the Spain in 1492, developed further dur tems is that they do not know who to contact grammes, so that consumers can observe, nion if the ruler sought you. But it is he argued, has become “authority”, other more than it takes from it. Ho ing the European wars of religion, to understand the processes to be followed operate and understand how the system best if he goes his way and you go blind acceptance of ideas coming wever, all creative assimilation in and perfected in the 18th or 19th cen and permissions required. There is no single works. yours.” either from outside, from Europe, as volves a real conflict of ideas, and tury has seized the Indian mind. source to access information, evaluate bene It is important to also acknowledge that was the case of the then Englishedu elements of an alien culture can be Thanks to narrowminded education fits and disadvantages, and examine if any enthusiasm for rooftop solar energy largely Strategy of intellectual control cated Indians, or from inside, from accepted only after “full and open institutions and now the electronic government support (such as a financial sub comes from those with higher disposable in Since the end of the 18th century, as fossilised traditions, as was the case eyed struggle has been allowed to de media, the idea was first disseminat sidy) is available. Most of the technical infor comes and who live in their own houses. technologies of knowledge produc of traditional pundits. It was as if the velop” between the two encounter ed and then unquestioningly accept mation provided by various sources, includ This is one of the several reasons that elec tion became increasingly available to only choice before Indian intellec ing cultures. ed by Indians as if it were a longheld ing the government, tends to be tricity utilities are not very supportive of larger sections of society, intellectual tual elites was a hyperwesternised indigenous Indian idea. In accepting Internetbased. The study shows that less consumers generating their own power, as autonomy has been threatened not modernism or ultratraditionalism. Two alien ideas in India today this alien idea of religion and nation than 20% of respondents rely on the Internet this would impact their revenues. Rooftop only by state power, but in other invi Some elites would have every detail I am afraid we have allowed two without proper comparison or com to make a decision concerning rooftop solar solar is a promising energy source for eve dious ways. Colonialism is a case in of their life determined exclusively deeply problematic alien ideas to pe petition with Indian ideas of faith systems. A significant majority of consumers ryone, including socioeconomically weaker point. The British strategy of intellec by Western ideas. Others would have netrate our collective consciousness and community, we have sacrificed seek facetoface discussions and recommen consumers. However, awareness building tual control was implemented by them fixed only by shastra, custom without thorough questioning or intellectual autonomy and gone dations from friends and family. sessions need to be socially inclusive and crafting a system of education rather and scripture. Each wanted to re proper comparison with ideas ema down the road to hell from which Eu Devising simple, welldesigned and crea should take place during periods when con than brute coercion. Although the form the other, which was nothing nating from our intellectual tradi rope has itself yet to recover. tive ways to disseminate information is im sumers are likely to be at home. best of our thinkers outmanoeuvred but a call to substitute the authority tions. One is the idea of religion, and To define one’s identity or com portant to help consumers make informed The uptake of rooftop solar across eco this system — after all our most origi of “Guru Sayana with the authority the second, a particular conception munity in terms of a single, exclusive decisions. Information must be made easily nomic categories is also contingent on poli nal thinker of this period, Gandhi, of Max Mueller” or the “dogmatism of the nation. Religion, as a demar religion — Hindu, Muslim or any oth available to the consumers on the amount of cies that make it more accessible and affor was a product of this very education of European scientists and scholars” cated system of practices, beliefs and er — is a perverse European notion, a shadowfree roof area needed for generating dable. Consumer groups and development — it created acute anxiety among self with the “dogmatism of Brahmin doctrines, is largely an early modern mark of our cultural subjugation, a a unit of electricity and pricing; operating organisations have a significant role in syste reflexive thinkers. For example, Sri Pandits”. The absence of real choice European invention and begins its symptom of the loss of our intellec the system, aftersales maintenance and sup matically following key policies and institu Aurobindo lamented the “increasing was a symptom of an undermined existence in and through the theolog tual autonomy. To have done so is to port; and reliable rooftop solar vendors. tional procedures and ensuring that con impoverishment of the Indian intel capacity to think on one’s own, the ical disputes of the 16th and 17th cen have uncritically abandoned our The local electricity linesmen, electricity sumers’ concerns in accessing reliable lect” in the face of new knowledge power of humans to accept or reject turies. Under the impact of colonial own collective genius for something inspectors, and other nodal officials in the information are addressed. Raising aware imposed by European contact. nothing without proper questioning. ism, this category came to India and illsuited to our conditions. Can this electricity department also have key roles to ness and building consumer capacity to en “Nothing is our own, nothing native Much the same conclusion was obliged Indians to think of them be reversed? Is it too late to heed Sri play. Building their capacities to disseminate gage with the sector are crucial for ensuring to our intelligence, all is derived,” he reached, a decade later, by the In selves as members of one exclusive Aurobindo’s warning or follow Gand such information and handle consumer qu access to affordable, reliable, sustainable complained. “As little have we under dian philosopher, K.C. Bhattacharya. religious community, not just diffe hi’s example? Can we recover our eries and concerns, and providing basic and modern energy for all and for India to #21659 stood the new knowledge; we have In ‘Swaraj in Ideas’, Bhattacharya rent from but opposed to others. It is collective intellectual autonomy? training in billing and metering for solar achieve its rooftop solar targets. only understood what the Europeans feared that Indians might suffer from of course true that gods and goddess power can go a long way in improving con want us to think about themselves a subtler form of domination “when es, ethical norms and prescriptions, Rajeev Bhargava is Professor, Centre for the sumers’ experience. Uttara Narayan and Amala Devi work with the energy and their modern civilisation. Our one’s traditional cast of ideas and rituals and practices did exist in Study of Developing Societies, Delhi Objective information must be put out programme at the World Resources Institute India

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC SINGLE FILE FROM ARCHIVES Kashmir conundrum FIFTY YEARS AGO MARCH 5, 1969 Curfew in East Pakistan Indian Muslims must not pay the price Life in East Pakistan was paralysed today [March 4, Dacca] fol for Kashmiri transgressions lowing a general strike and hartal in response to the call by the allparty Students’ Action Committee to press its demands for Mohammed Ayoob better educational facilities. In West Pakistan doct ors are on strike and large parts of Pakistan are in the grip o f a postal Terrorism in the Kashmir Valley pos strike. An 18hour curfew was imposed at noon today in Bogra es a significant internal security after clashes between police and antiGovernment demonstra threat to the Indian state and has tre tors as East Pakistan observed hartal. Men of the East Pakistan mendous potential to trigger a mili Rifles were called in to help the civil authorities in Bogra after tary confrontation between India crowds had attacked a kotwali, set fire to the municipal office and Pakistan. However, the adverse and local Muslim League office and cut telephone wires. Police AP impact of separatism and terrorism used teargas to disperse violent crowds without much effect. in Kashmir on Indian Muslims’ posi Eight policemen including two officers were injured when de tion in Indian society has not been adequately examined. monstrators attacked the kotwali. Official circles sai d at Faiz Kashmir has become an albatross around the neck of In pur in Rangpur district, two rival groups of student s clashed dian Muslims. Terrorist activities and calls for “az adi” by a this morning. minority of Kashmiri Muslims are increasingly complicating Indian Muslims’ efforts to find a place of trust and digni ty A HUNDRED YEARS AGO MARCH 5, 1919. within the larger society. Kashmiri separatism accompanied by Pakistansupported terrorism revives memories of Parti Bombay Mint Strike. tion and raises questions about the loyalty of all Indian Mus CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC lims. It also immeasurably weakens the underpinnings of a NOTEBOOK The strike of the employees of the Mint at Bombay still conti plural society and secular state, which are already under nues. Major Willis, Mint Master, posted a notice on the Mi nt threat from majoritarian nationalism. gate on Saturday [March 1] informing the men that the special The trajectory of Kashmiri politics has been distorted Another pilot, another release bonus which he had recommended had not been sanction ed from the very beginning. New Delhi is responsible for a fair by the Government and that in lieu of the bonus he had sanc share of the problems it faces in Kashmir today beca use of The events that unfolded 20 years ago, when Pakistan captured Flt. Lt. Nachiketa tioned a permanent increase in the wages at the rate of one an its wrongheaded policies — from the removal of Sheikh Ab na to those who were in receipt of 10 annas and less per day Amit Baruah dullah in 1953 to the rigged elections of 1987 that provided have been shot dead by Pa the Pakistanis that he around 11 p.m . I was also and 2 annas to those who were in receipt of more than 10 an the immediate stimulus for the armed separatist uprising. kistani forces after being would not go the Foreign waiting — to confirm his re nas a day. The notice was read by the strikers who appeared to But all this does not detract from the fact that the accession It’s a vignette known only captured. Ministry and would not lease and then file the re be satisfied and it was expected they would resume work with of Kashmir to India is an irreversible reality. to family and a few friends. On June 3, then Pakistani take custody of Flt. Lt. Na port for the newspaper. out any further trouble. Instead of doing so the strikers yester Unfortunately, a significant number of Kashmiri Muslims But now, with the country Prime Minister Nawaz Sha chiketa in the full glare of Flt. Lt. Nachiketa slept day made a representation to the Mint Master through a plead refuse to accept this reality unambiguously. While they may gripped by events sur rif announced at a press the media. that night at the residence er reiterating their original demand of increase of 4 a nnas a not be involved in violent actions against the Indian state, rounding the dramatic cap conference that Flt. Lt. Na Things moved swiftly af of the Indian Air Adviser day all round and further they asked a bonus of two months they are either unwilling or unable to forcefully oppose the ture and release of Wing chiketa would be freed as a ter that. Since it had been “Jack” Jaiswal and when I wages and strike pay. twin forces of secessionism and terrorism. Furthermore, re Commander Abhinandan “goodwill gesture” (Prime announced by Mr. Sharif, met him the next day at the Varthaman, maybe it’s time Minister Imran Khan used the Pakistani side got in High Commission, he was ported attempts by some Kashmiri youth to thwart counter CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC terrorism operations when they are under way provide evi to tell it to a wider the words “peace gesture” touch with the Internation full of questions. “How is it dence of their support for terrorists. These actions add to audience. in the case of Wg. Cdr. Var al Committee of the Red to report from Pakistan?” CONCEPTUAL the feeling in the rest of the country that Kashmiri Muslims As The Hindu’s corres thaman) and would be Cross (ICRC), which had set he asked me. “How were are antiIndian, and some of this sentiment affects the ma pondent in Pakistan (1997 handed over to then Indian procedures in place. Three you treated?” I asked him. Modern monetary theory jority community’s perceptions of Indian Muslims in th eir 2000), and living in Islama High Commissioner G. Par hours after being brought He only said, “It’s the first Economics entirety. Such illconceived actions also provide justification bad, I was caught smack in thasarathy inside the Pakis to the Foreign Ministry on night I managed some This refers to an economic theory which argues that a govern for the antiKashmiri feelings in the rest of the country that the middle of the 1999 Kar tani Foreign Ministry at Constitution Avenue, the sleep in all these days.” ment that borrows in its own currency can technically never surface in times of crisis such as the Pulwama terror attack. gil war. With Pakistan in 7.30 p.m. (IST) with the me ICRC allowed photographs Nothing more, the rest was default on any of its liabilities. This is because t hese govern It is incumbent on Kashmiri Muslims to make it clear that itially projecting it as a dia contingent in atten of Flt. Lt. Nachiketa to be just polite chatter. He did ments can simply print fresh money to pay off their debt. Ma they will have no truck with separatists and terrorists among “mujahideen” versus In dance. taken, but he did not speak not appear to have suffered ny supporters of modern monetary theory believe that go them no matter what their own grouse may be against the dian Army conflict, my re Coming out of the press to the waiting press. The any physical injuries. Later, vernments should simply stop worrying about fiscal de ficits. Indian state. It is also obligatory for Indian Musli ms to dis porting from Islamabad re conference, I phoned Mr. smiling Flt. Lt., dressed in he was driven across the Instead, they argue, governments should increase their social own and denounce those among the Kashmiris who har mained unaffected. Parthasarathy and said he trousers and shirt and dig Wagah border in a High spending through programmes like universal basic incom e bour secessionist tendencies. Indian Muslims paid a heavy On May 27, 1999, Pakis would receive a call from nity intact, was pictured Commission vehicle. Only and other forms of social welfare. Critics of modern monetary price for Partition, which was based on the false notion, dis tan claimed to have shot the Pakistanis asking him with Tariq Altaf, an Addi four months before that, I theory, however, say that such a policy will lead to high er credited by the separation of Bangladesh from West P akis down two aircraft — a MiG to reach the Foreign Office tional Secretary in the Pa had stood watching the price inflation, which is simply an indirect tax on citizens. tan, that nations can be defined on the basis of religion. Mus 21 and a MiG 27 — as India and take custody of Flt. Lt. kistani Foreign Ministry. DelhiLahore bus roll in lim opinion leaders must communicate clearly that Indian moved to clear the Kargil Nachiketa. “Please don’t go A white Land Cruiser from Attari to Wagah with CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Muslims do not intend to pay the price for the transgres heights of Pakistani intrud there. The intention is to vehicle of the ICRC finally Prime Minister Atal Bihari sions of some Kashmiri Muslims against the Indian state. ers. Flight Lieutenant K. embarrass you and India,” I drove him to the Indian Vajpayee on board. MORE ON THE WEB 3 Nachiketa, piloting the MiG told him and cut the call. High Commission, where Twenty years on, India The writer is University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International 21, was taken prisoner, Alerted, the High Com the High Commissioner Pakistan relations continue What is the Homeless World Cup? Relations, Michigan State University and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, while Squadron Leader missioner sought instruc and other senior officials to be on a rollercoaster Center for Global Policy, Washington, DC Ajay Ahuja appeared to tions from Delhi and told were waiting for him, ride. http://bit.ly/homelesswc CM A CH-CHE YK