By K.C. NARANG
Chartered Accountant
Confrontation (conflict) will lead to losses on
both sides
—Xi Jinping, Chinese
President
How true. As a matter of fact, no one has ever won an
argument because in the end both winner and loser end up being miserable. Yet
the irony is that inherently an individual is always in conflict;
the issues are:
- a majority of us are in conflict; hence, is
conflict a gift from God or is it His curse?
- can we humans convert conflict into a gift
from God?!
I think we can if we accept the fact
that there is conflict. Most of us despite realising the existence of conflict
don’t accept, nay, don’t want to accept that there is conflict. The fact is
that when there is conflict in our mind and in our life we push it under the
carpet and pray that it will fade away rather than face the conflict and
attempt to solve it. This is the irony of being human.
Let us accept that conflict is a
part of human nature and exists everywhere, leading to stress, unhappiness and
a strained mind. Can we learn how to manage conflict? Let us examine a few
examples of how some have
managed conflict:
- Gandhi experienced conflict in his mind, body
and soul when he was discriminated against because of his colour, creed and
religion. He accepted the presence of discrimination in society and his
solution was non-violence. Even when he was hit, he bore the pain and
did not retaliate.
- President Kennedy accepted the presence of the
Russian armada in the Pacific as conflict and his response was retaliation – a
show of power. The result was that he won and the Russians retreated from the
Pacific – the famous Cuba affair.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. accepted the
discrimination that existed in American society despite the promise of equality
in the Constitution and the assassination of President Lincoln. His response
was Gandhian.
- Nelson Mandela accepted discrimination – he
suffered pain and was jailed for years and won independence by following
Gandhi.
- President Nixon created Watergate – he did not
accept it and had to resign as President.
- Prime Minister Nehru never anticipated
conflict with China (incursion or war) in 1962 or if he anticipated it, he
ignored it. The result was that he died in 1964 a disappointed and disheartened
man. His doctrine of panchsheel had failed.
- Me Too – The conflict is whether to
accept or not to accept. Those who accept, resign; those who don’t, will face
investigation and legal action.
- The patriarch and founder of the Birla Empire,
Mr. G.D. Birla, foresaw and accepted a looming conflict in his business empire;
his solution was division of the Birla assets between him and his brothers – a
far-sighted action. The result is continuation of businesses yielding respect,
prosperity and harmony in the Birla clan.
There are others who have avoided
conflict in the family by taking appropriate and timely action.
Firstly, to resolve or dissolve a
conflict we must accept that there is conflict; secondly, be at peace
with ourselves; thirdly, do not respond to conflict emotionally; and fourthly,
think clearly to seek a solution, a solution that brings harmony.
On the other hand, where conflict is
not accepted or after accepting it no attempt is made to resolve it, there is
disturbance and destruction resulting in loss of harmony, health and wealth.
Voltaire says “Conflict means that both parties are wrong”.
In society conflict results in
divorce, quarrels amongst siblings – even between parents and children and
amongst those who were once friends and colleagues. The legendary conflict
which resulted in the Mahabharata and the destruction of a clan was because of
Duryodhan who, after creating conflict and going back on his promise, refused
to accept a solution.
“To be or not to be” is the perennial Shakespearean
dilemma. Hence, let us accept that conflict exists in our daily existence. It
is rightly said – wherever there is choice there is conflict. We need to
accept the existence of conflict of choice and deal with it by choosing
with a clear and cool mind.
The paradox of conflict is
that conflict exists in every mind because of caste, creed and greed and the
result is confusion. These three give birth to conflict. Success lies in
managing these three. Conflict can be managed only by clarity. Clarity about
our objective and circumstances – understanding the reasons or the basis of
conflict; and, above all, –an intense desire to solve the conflict. It is then
and only then that conflict can be resolved. The solution lies in “accept
and act”. Stop fighting conflict because fighting only leads to more
conflict – it is like adding fuel to fire.
I will conclude by quoting William Hazlitt: “Nothing was
ever learnt by either side in a conflict”. And so I reiterate: Conciliation
or resolution with clear thinking is a gift from God. Both conflict and clarity
are also giftsfrom God.
BCAS – E-Learning Platform
(https://bcasonline.courseplay.co/)
|
Sr. No.
|
Course Name
|
Name of the BCAS
Committee
|
Course Fees (INR)**
|
|
Members
|
Non –
Members
|
|
1
|
Three Days Workshop on
Advanced Transfer Pricing
|
International Taxation
Committee
|
5550/-
|
6350/-
|
|
2
|
Four Day Orientation
Course on Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)
|
International Taxation
Committee
|
7080/-
|
8260/-
|
|
3
|
Workshop on Provisions
& Issues – Export/ Import / Deemed Export/ SEZ Supplies
|
Indirect Taxation
Committee
|
1180/-
|
1475/-
|
|
4
|
7th
Residential Study Course on Ind As
|
Accounting & Auditing
Committee
|
2360/-
|
2360/-
|
|
5
|
Full Day Seminar on
Estate Planning, Wills and Family Settlements.
|
Corporate & Allied
Laws Committee
|
1180/-
|
1180/-
|
|
6
|
Workshop on “Foreign Tax
Credit”
|
International Taxation
Committee
|
1180/-
|
1475/-
|
|
7
|
Panel Discussion on
Analysis of PE Constitution – “Recent Judicial Pronouncements including
MasterCard, Nokia Networks and Formula One.”
|
International Taxation
Committee
|
472/-
|
708/-
|
|
8
|
12th
Residential Study Course on GST
|
Indirect Taxation
Committee
|
5900/-
|
N. A.
|
|
9
|
Seminar on Tax Audit
|
Taxation Committee
|
2065/-
|
2596/-
|
|
10
|
Full Day Seminar on
Charitable Trusts – Critical Aspects
|
Corporate & Allied
Laws Committee
|
2301/-
|
2773/-
|
|
11
|
Long Duration Course on
Goods and Services Tax
|
Indirect Taxation
Committee
|
14,160/-
|
17,700/-
|
|
12
|
Half Day Workshop on GST
Audit
|
Indirect Taxation
Committee
|
1500/-
|
1500/-
|
|
13
|
Full Day Seminar on GAAR and Anti-avoidance Provisions
|
International Taxation Committee
|
4200/-
|
5400/-
|
|
14
|
Seminar on Capital Gains and Income from Other Sources
|
Taxation Committee
|
2124/-
|
2596/-
|
|
15
|
Half Day Workshop on GST Annual Return 9
|
Indirect Taxation Committee
|
295/-
|
295/-
|
|
16
|
BCAS Initiative – Educational Series on GST
|
Indirect Taxation Committee
|
Free
|
Free
|
|
17
|
GST Training Program for Trade, Industry and Profession
|
Indirect Taxation Committee
|
Free
|
Free
|
|
|
**Course Fee is inclusive of 18% GST.
|
For more details, please contact Javed Siddique at 022
– 61377607 or email to events@bcasonline.org
