Fitness & Women

All women around us grew up playing some kind of sport and enjoyed every minute of it. But once they enter their late twenties or early thirties their love for sports or vigorous physical activity becomes a challenge for them. Till 10 years back, most women had no time to play even those sports that they once enjoyed playing. For some, other reasons behind this reason of not having time were their kids, and physical challenges in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems. However, this thing has started to change in Jammu and suddenly thousands of women are rekindling their love for exercise after years to reach their athletic goals.  Supporting this fitness journey of women are air-conditioned fitness centers which Jammu has seen a sudden surge in the last 5 years. Some fitness centers are giving free trials so that you can try them before choosing to join them. Let me add that it is no longer a fad for urban Jammu women as fitness centers have mushroomed even in the rural areas of Jammu.

Women between the ages of 20s, 40s, 50s and 60s are now participating in physical activities in these fitness centers and are enjoying every minute of it. For these women exercisers, motivation to work in groups while exercising and listening to playlists to suit their mood makes them follow their fitness schedules religiously. "It's in the group that we make a difference", says Parm, who is working out these days in one of the gyms in the Guru Nanak Nagar area of Jammu. " Film music and rock tracks, go easy for this on-gym entertainment because getting up early in the morning to reach the gym initially was difficult for me as I used to feel tired during the day. But now music gives me positivity", she added. More and more women are taking up physical challenges by doing sit-ups, crunches, squats, and bench presses. Truly speaking, these places are not performing any miracles but only play a small part in their life. It's all because of enthusiasm and love to get back in shape which is making them work out at several fitness centers by spending money for fees and imported protein shakes. 

Fitness is no longer men's domain and we can find some young women participating in strength training exercises for the first time who are led by instructors.  Previously, women wanted to go to a women-only fitness center at the starting point of their fitness journey. For most women, an all-women workout space was considered safer than male-dominated fitness ecosystems. Earlier, these fitness centers used to conduct training for men and women in two different sessions. As of now, women aren’t inhibited by the presence of men, so they have started going freely for mixed workout sessions. It was because of conservative families and cultural unacceptability that prevented women from visiting a mixed group to exercise. Besides, privacy was an area of concern that forced women to enroll in women-only gyms. There could be other reasons also but these are the ones I have isolated in my personal experience.  However, women-only fitness spaces are almost gone now. This all has changed—due to the internet and a positive mindset.  Moreover, due to changed health priorities, women now visit unisex gyms. 

Due to growing demand, fitness centers have changed their style of functioning and have begun offering unisex time slots.  Also women-only fitness centers were not very well-equipped and had less equipment due to which no proper guidance was delivered to these aspiring young women who now want to do lots of cardio and weight training, tone up, and lose inches. While going to the gym for the last 15 years, I witnessed this change in Jammu. To understand more about this change I talked with Raj, a fitness center trainer who added, "Nowadays special training methods have been designed specifically for women who want to ensure that their bodies adjust to dynamic change without getting injured. So that such new gym lovers who are very particular and to make them overcome all these limitations easily, very supportive and comfortable environment is provided". He says, "They are ready to spend extra money for getting such specialized packages. Their preference is to appear fit and become healthy. In the past some years this trend has increased rapidly as more and more young women want to achieve their fitness goals". Women in Jammu are muscling in the physical revolution with workouts like strength, cardio, HIIT, and yoga in these fitness centers.  

The message of this new generation of fitness center-going women is clearly to get fit, fast, and stronger. It is not impossible because some women are achieving tremendous results from their consistent workout plans which are simple and without any type of competitive or vigorous physical activity. More so, every woman of different ages needs to exercise very differently. We need to acknowledge the changes that training can create to reach maximum potential. Especially middle-aged and older women have unique training needs in terms of strength as well as conditioning activities. It's always advisable that the internal potential should be used intelligently to reach health goals as power, muscle mass, and flexibility change as we reach our 30s. In addition, the risk of injury increases as tendons and ligaments also change over time. Interestingly, age-related changes are not specific to women only. Even the young male population which doesn't take care of all these factors while exercising suffers injuries. That said, for those who still don't prefer to join fitness centers please note that you can choose a fitness plan as per your needs. Because having a healthy life should never be an option at a time when fitness services are now available with a lot of convenience and flexibility.

IPC Placed In History

August 11, 2023, was the last day of the monsoon session in the parliament. That day, Home Minister Amit Shah again surprised many by introducing three bills to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC), the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). The central government later claimed that the move was done to overhaul India's criminal justice system and to end signs of slavery. The bills to replace the IPC, Indian Evidence Act, and the CrPC are called 'The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS)',  'The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023', 'The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS)' respectively.

164-year-old IPC served India for over 75 years. The architect of IPC was Thomas Babington Macaulay. Macaulay arrived in India in 1834 as a law member of the Governor-General's Council. There were 5 other law members but he shouldered the primary responsibility to codify criminal law in the territories under the control of the British in India. The sad reality is that the law Macaulay brought came with many imperfections due to which IPC underwent several amendments. For this reason, let's agree that many of the provisions in the 164-year-old IPC are outdated and till today in many situations don't give clear communication of the legal principle. Putting all this together, a more efficient law is required with the consensus of all stakeholders.

BNS has repealed 22 sections of the IPC and amended 175 out of the IPC’s 511 sections. There are, however, some objections raised after these complex changes were introduced. Voices are being raised that the IPC needs scrutiny, not a new name. To support this members of the Bar Association of Madras, Puducherry, Karnataka, and Kerala have started protests against these reforms. Under BNS, now for acts endangering sovereignty, organized crime, mob lynching, terrorism, and rape by a false promise to marry - the police have been given wide powers of arrest. The sedition provisions in the BNS also has been strengthened and Section 150 reads, “Whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.”

After all the targeting of these bills, the government has referred the bills to the Standing Committee of Parliament for suggestions and modifications. The BNS is a giant leap towards bringing another law reform. Therefore, it has become a proposal with both advantages and disadvantages. But IPC will be placed in history even though the new laws will give rise to some difficulties too. For instance, the court rulings given under IPC provisions and ongoing trials will be impacted by this change. Moreover, many jurists, advocates, law students, policemen, and others linked with the law fraternity will have to attend refresher courses on the amendments. Above all, an attempt should be made to make BNS desirable after careful consideration so that controversies can be avoided. Hopefully, after the suggestions and modifications, the social and practical impact of BNS will play a proactive role in the administration of criminal justice in India.

Toughest Time Awaits Congress

The no-confidence motion became an event where BJP got a chance to flex its muscles. And with this, the opposition party's attempt to add to the anti-incumbency against the central government also failed. The opposition needs to up its game to match the government's narrative. So let's look beyond the sloganeering and shouting opposition MPs in the parliament because several days of another session were lost to adjournments. The leadership question still troubles the opposition after 9 years of BJP in power. As of now, the Congress is the only alternative against BJP in the country but the road to the revival of the Congress party seems difficult. Apparently, Congress can do that sooner by moving over with older leaders and bringing together the young leadership. This is easier said than done. The new Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is 80 and has been given the charge of national revival of the party. This raises a question- What's changing in Congress on the national level? The faction-ridden Congress has a big roadblock in the shape of leaders who head several factions and stitching together the threads will be difficult for Kharge who was once seen as a factional leader in Karnataka. 

A few weeks back, the Congress cadre was in Catch- 22 situation after the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament. Now Rahul Gandhi is back in Parliament after Supreme Court's stay on his conviction and the party does not want to miss the opportunity to garner public sympathy for Rahul Gandhi across India. After Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul has been successful in shaking off the non-serious image that was plaguing him. And Congress is now projecting the conviction as a sign of Rahul Gandhi’s commitment to issues and priorities that the main opposition party should try to focus on. While Rahul was exploring all legal options for getting relief, the Congress party worked to push for the opposition's unity which took the shape of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance(INDIA). This new alliance has reduced the Congress party to just a 'partner' because  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is elevating other party leadership before its own leaders in the alliance reflecting the changing power balance in national politics. Rahul too is taking a backseat allowing other senior leaders from across the country to take centre stage. 

It's a win-win situation for BJP as the Gandhi family is losing the mark. At the same time, it is easier for BJP to handle opposition parties and stop their acceptance since Congress is not leading the opposition at the national level. It is pertinent to mention here that internal cracks in the Congress party's organization benefit BJP undoubtedly. Congress will have to put in place young leadership that is non-existent and struggling in states like Rajasthan. No one will see Congress with renewed interest unless steps are taken to build Congress party and not just the family. The stabilizing factors like bringing a Dalit leader as its president won't bring results because BJP is a cadre-based party with figures like PM Narendra Modi leading the government. If Rahul Gandhi & Narendra Modi are put on the same page in the run-up to the 2024 general elections, PM Modi will win the war of perception and again become a reason for BJP's victory. Congress is clearly mindful of the hold PM Narendra Modi has built in the last 9 years and people are accepting him more readily. 

The situation for the J&K Congress unit is no different. The local leadership lacks new faces and nothing has been done in the last 10 years to project young leaders in different areas. Old local leaders have again joined hands with 'party hoppers' to defend their interests and silence the young leadership which is struggling to defeat this attitude of local leadership. Congress office bearers make a systematic effort here to keep others out by misguiding the central leadership. The Congress party is not solving the internal problems which are faced by the young leadership in the J&K Congress.  The days ahead are crucial as the toughest stretch of the political journey awaits the Congress party. Before thinking of national revival, Congress has to yield results in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram to get a pretty conservative figure of nearly 100 seats in the Lok Sabha next year. It is important to remember that the no-confidence motion sounded the bugle for the upcoming assembly election and its results will reflect the political mood and possibilities of the contest or shrinking space for the opposition.

Social Media Impacting Mental Health

In the last decade, social media has become part of our lives. With this, many changes noticed in society suggest that the 'connection building' theory of social media platforms is bringing a lot of mental health issues. In fact, “how much” you use social media is a strong reason for rising health problems. The situation doesn't seem serious as we notice young people spending more than 5-7 hours every day on different social media platforms. Slowly, social media is becoming a risk for our youth who do not understand its negative impact on their lives. The continuous and consistent association with digital content has started demonstrating weak mental health in young people.

 The link between 'mental health' and 'social media usage' is challenging but it is very important to understand. First and foremost, social media has brought the promising role of connecting people online with others. But for many, it has also come as a challenge as they are feeling alone and coping with mental pressure when they don't receive emotional support from others in the shape of likes or comments. This has become a reason for conflict in the minds of youth who are using social media solely for receiving reactions to their activities posted on the platforms. It's a myth that has to be shelved by the youth that those with a lot of friends on social media are happy, famous, and successful. Adding to this problem is that young people are investing 'emotions' into social media platforms. This 'emotional investment' is a clear indication of mental health problems.

Silent mental health issues are rising and necessary steps should be taken to create the stopping point for this. Continuous online activities are developing depressive symptoms that later even take the shape of suicidal and criminal tendencies. Are you noticing your child staying up late each night and not getting enough sleep? Don't forget to notice irritability in the child's behavior which is a reflection of growing poorer mental health. It is also becoming challenging to interpret for families by simply observing their children. The entire generation of young people has entered a complex situation where they start hating others who stop them from getting involved on social media platforms. A simple example to judge the harmful effects of these online platforms comes when you examine the reaction of young people who are asked to stay away from any platform for some days. A strong pushback comes in these situations, which reflects the 'social media addiction'. Parents should monitor their child's behavior while they are away from such platforms. Moreover, sleep disruption caused during the night and before bedtime by mobile devices can also be the reason impacting the child, if not noticed.

Due to a lack of consensus on such topics, it isn't easy to make specific recommendations to youth. Still, we should remind young people that their 'virtual friends' are keeping them away from enjoying life with real friends and maintaining healthy relationships. Strong comparisons should be made to advise and involve youth in other activities so that they take more breaks and keep their focus away from digital content. It is because of loneliness that everyone feels connected online.  The intention should be to prevent the young generation getting swept away by the harmful effects — from wasting time to damaging mental well-being. Practically speaking, all such platforms are created for commercial reasons (showing advertisements and collecting data about you). The use and impact of such platforms differs from person to person but it is for sure that everyone needs a way to get out of it. And if done properly and timely can help in preventing mental health problems and understanding the way to stay connected with others in a mindful way.

                                                                        

Politics Outside New Parliament

On 28th May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building with grand Hindu traditions.  This day also witnessed Prime Minister Modi installing the royal Sengol at the Lok Sabha chamber of the new parliament. The inauguration date coincided with the birth anniversary of VD Savarkar and it was also on this same date, Jawahar Lal Nehru was cremated in 1964.  The Prime Minister wrote on his Twitter handle: "As the new building of India’s Parliament is inaugurated, our hearts and minds are filled with pride, hope, and promise. May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress". Similarly, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan supported this event on Twitter and wrote: " What a magnificent new home for the people who uphold our Constitution, represent every citizen of this great Nation, and protect the diversity of her one People @narendramodi ji. A new Parliament building for a New India but with the age-old dream of Glory for India. Jai Hind! #MyParliamentMyPride"

The new triangular building in the heart of the capital is part of the $2.8 billion Central Vista redevelopment project. When everyone was waiting for the inauguration, politics already started outside the new parliament before the inauguration. As crores of people watched the new parliament's inaugural ceremony, the 19 opposition parties boycotted the event, accusing the government of “constitutional impropriety" and for sidelining the President, Draupadi Murmu during the inauguration. Same day, the Delhi police detained protesters and several wrestlers marching towards the new Parliament building for the 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' called by protesting wrestlers against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges. From the beginning only this new parliament building project started facing criticism for its cost, damage to the environment, and loss of heritage buildings as part of the renovation which began in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The controversies haven't ended even after the inauguration of the new building. The Rashtriya Janata Dal compared the new parliament building with a 'coffin' on Twitter soon after the inauguration.

Amid all the backlash, BJP defended new parliament construction and went ahead to highlight its importance by recalling the history, spirit, and ethos of India because back in 1927, the old parliament building was opened as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council. And following the end of British rule it was taken over by the Constituent Assembly of India which later became the Indian Parliament after India becoming a Republic on 26th January 1950. On the path to the completion of his second term as PM and while advancing toward the next year's parliamentary elections, Narendra Modi frequently talked about steps taken by him to build a 'New India' and also to protect the heritage and cultural glory of India. Using the idea to reclaim and transform India, PM Narendra Modi has been able to boost his image. The connection created between history, architecture, culture, religion, and politics has served BJP very well.

Everyone seems to be too focused on the controversy around the new parliament, it's time to think of how dramatically the political power dynamics in India will change after 2026. The new Lok Sabha has the capacity of 888 seats and in the year 2026, more seats are likely to be added through delimitation. Soon after delimitation, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan will gain more seats in the new Parliament. Also, the Modi Government wants the Central and state elections to happen at the same time. So the year 2026 can bring a political storm after delimitation and simultaneous elections if BJP gets to power in 2024 again. Those supporting and those not supporting the new parliament will sit inside the new parliament but which side of the hall they will occupy in the future will be decided by the people.

Solve Unemployment Problem

People in Jammu and Kashmir have come a long way after the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, the scheduled G20 meeting in J&K also signals a great change. However, one factor which still reflects that a lot remains to be done is the prevailing unemployment in the youth of J&K. Some days back, LG Manoj Sinha applauded the work and efficiency of J&K Public Service Commission but it reminded many of the inefficient working styles of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). Although every state in this country has the right to enjoy power over its residents, the systematic effort to undermine the existence of residents reflects a crisis. The lathi-charge on a few job searchers by police in Jammu seeking a ban on a tainted private firm Aptech was a small example of it. Similar protests were held in Srinagar's Partap Park but that didn't come in the news for the wrong reasons. This gave a different signal to the youth of Jammu.

The overall conduct of the JKSSB reflects failure because since 2019 four major selection processes were marred by allegations of irregularities and even resulted in the cancellation of selection lists. While LG's choice to drop the selection process shows some positive commitment, will it offer back the valuable time lost by the scores of aspirants who rely on JKSSB to conduct recruitment exams? Those associated with a dishonest style of work within JKSSB should have been immediately exposed to the criminal justice system of this country to punish and discipline them and create a deterrence for others.

Over the past decades, Jammu and Kashmir have always faced the highest unemployment rate. The previous governments were totally responsible for it. The youth in J&K are worried about their future since they wanted to move in a new direction after the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu youth celebrated the shift of J&K state to Union Territory status but now they are protesting against broken promises. For job seekers, the festive mood post-Article 370 abrogation has changed to worry and concern. In Jammu, hundreds of aspirants have been regularly holding protests after 2019 as they failed to get jobs. To name a few, we have seen health workers protesting for their regularization and demonstrations by Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) job aspirants.

Supporting this situation are the recent figures of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on the current unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir which showed the newly formed Union Territory standing at the fourth spot of the unemployment graph among twenty-seven states of India. It has become so because of the government's inability to finish the enrollment processes on time. Back-to-back scams have blown up the belief of youth to get any job soon. Moreover, there is no assurance that such things won't happen in the future. Someone in the central government should take note of this. The failure to generate jobs and with no spark of hope, days ahead are crucial for the youth. Enforcing silence on youth with "lathi" won't work as their problems continue to exist. A struggle to end insecurity will continue within youth until the unemployment problem is solved.

Growing Popularity Of Coffee Cafes

The urban areas of Jammu have witnessed the fast growth of coffee cafes (coffee bars - hang out term) and nowadays bunch of youth is found socializing there. The atmosphere you find at these coffee cafes reminds us of those days when sitting in college canteens was famous for fun moments, meetings, and first-time dates. These days affordable coffee spaces have successfully replaced the college canteen culture for the present generation of youth. Such coffee-serving places are acting as youth centers and the beauty is that it has also created a new way to hang out for Jammuites of different age groups. Interestingly, what previously appeared as world-class cafe culture is now being served at many cafes in Jammu.

It all started somewhere with Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) which led to a surge in the popularity of coffee largely among the tea-drinking population of Jammu. People are found sitting at coffee shops and having discussions to solve social, political problems and answering questions, and planning to deal with issues that may arise soon. You may even find some people sitting alone and enjoying their cups of coffee. As the reasons are different for visiting the cafe, taking a break is a routine for many coffee lovers. And this is not something found on weekends but is an everyday scene. The love for coffee and for daylong socializing in cafes with family and friends has become part of the social ecosystem of Jammu.

The modern coffee culture has brought a love for ‘espresso’ with some coffee bars remaining open till late at night. In Jammu, some people have incorporated ‘coffee nights’ as part of their routine to enjoy nighttime with friends peacefully amid relaxing fun. From morning to night, the sentiment at these cafes remains high which can be measured by the number of empty cups on the tables. Jammuites have developed a desire among all to linger longer in cafes and coffee-drinking consumers are spending money at these neighborhood joints as a habit just like the people living in metros. Local youth is pairing croissants with espresso, latte, and filter coffees. Coffee culture is getting interwoven into daily life to get enjoyment at the highest level. 

With this cafe owners are also spending to build wide open spaces and beautiful interiors with facilities like free wifi-books to push consumers to spend extra time enjoying.  Competition is high amid new places opening continuously to add to the rising cafe culture. In a little over 5 years, Jammu has transformed itself into a coffee city. These coffee bars have become places to meet, think, talk, and drink coffee. Jammu’s new hang-out places have become fascinating and are giving clear expressions of changing culture. The best part is that such places offer people a chance just to be themselves away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. And with such leisure found greeting them on every visit it seems nothing would compel them to shift base to sip their drink.