Blog | Page 17 of 890

13 July 2023

Public funding of private agenda–

Economist Shankar Iyer on freebies

He is a common person in the neighbourhood. Retired, pensioner, a 2 BHK flat, children settled, viewing trivia on TV in the evenings. When Rs.2000 was being distributed for votes in the last election, he gladly accepted it from both the contestants. Well, he said, they are not paying out of their pocket, only out of the loot they got from our own taxes. What’s wrong? Don’t be naïve, make clear to them how many of you have votes in the family.

Cut to 1960s

My father used to narrate this as a lesson to be imbibed. The watchman of our small colony, which was more of a grove, was poor, had difficulties in making ends meet. Then, the election bonanza was restricted to offering a bullock cart ride to the polling booth (one way only – not the return trip) and in cases of poor people like him packets of curd rice and sambar rice. He refused to accept any.

Why? He had two sound reasons. One is to accept anything gratis is akin to begging. Beneath his dignity. Second, according to the widely held belief then, if you take the salt of anyone, you are beholden to him for life.

What a degringolade, inversely proportional to our economic amelioration!

Instead of being ashamed to accept a dole, alms, voters now relish the imminence of each election, salivating about the gifts that await them. In the last by-election in Erode, Tamil Nadu, the freebees ranged from smart watches to silver anklets to Rs.5000 in cash to free trips to hill stations to film shows the whole day with choice food and tiffin thrown in, liquor said to be on tap.

Any surprise BJP lost the elections in Karnataka?

In the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, you can count on policy-bankrupt Congress and opposition to emulate the same strategy. It may be anything from free travel in trains for ladies (luckily Air India was privatized) to 5000 to each housewife in the country to 10000 to each farmer to 9 gas cylinders per household. Trust them get quite more innovative.

Lacking foresight, unable to visualize beyond the ensuing elections, the political parties have scant concern for the nation. Congress, with a hoary history, had to steal page from AAP’s book to bribe its way through to power.

In a video that went viral in social media, a Muslim declares with contempt: ‘these Hindus, you give them freebies, they will even wear purdah’. Sadly true. Contempt well deserved. Any self-respecting Hindu would have felt like jumping into a well.

In HP BJP lost because it would not commit itself to restoring the fiscally disastrous old pension scheme

State assistance to targeted needy groups – like provision of toilets, cooking gas connections, potable water, direct cash transfer is unquestionable. It led to creation of tangible assets.

Now, what is at stake in 2024 needs hardly be emphasized. The prospects are frightful.

According to IMF prediction, the Japanese and German economies will grow to $5.2 trillion and $4.9 trillion each by 2027 while India is expected to grow to $5.4 trillion, at current prices. Rating agencies like S & P are excited about India.

India is a shining exception today in terms of economy. Unlike other countries, including developed ones, inflation is under control, GDP growth is the highest, fiscal prudence is well in place, availability of all household items is abundant, no empty shelves in supermarkets as was the case in the West in the recent past. Indian Railways has stepped into the 21^st century. National highways are expanding at a fast clip. We have a record number of start-ups. Digital payment is par for the course. From push cart vendors to tea shops to flower sellers all accept digital payment, the QR code prominently displayed.

India, we realised, is far more capable and better organised than the advanced countries, when we had to deal with Covid 19. Not only did we develop our own vaccine, we exported it to other countries, we inoculated 100+ crore people. I first took the shot in Bangalore, second one at Chennai and the third at Pune. And I could get all the details of date, place and time of inoculation in my mobile instantly. Imagine this for such humongous population. Digital revolution touches each one personally.

India has a prominent place at the global high table. We are no longer being browbeaten and hectored to by the West without eliciting an appropriate repartee.

India is on the anvil of a giant leap. All these stupendous achievements will be undone in no time, we shall return to the hand to mouth socialist raj, status quo and even regress will be the norm, economy will backslide, when our voters are tempted with offers they cannot refuse. This unbridled dangling of carrot verges on economic hara-kiri.

This issue has already engendered discussion in sober circles. The objective of this article is, however, to open up for debate the legitimacy of extension of such freebees out of tax payers’ money.

Article 15 of the Constitution of India provides as follows:

Article 15 in The Constitution Of India 1949

15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth

(1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them

(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to

(a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and palaces of public entertainment; or

(b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public

Now, no need to add the term sex here denotes gender obviously. There can be no discrimination among the population in terms of men and women.

Political parties base their alms and doles on the exception given in sub-proviso (3) ibid, reproduced below.

(3) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for women and children.

Now, this proviso relied on by freebee champions is an integral part of Article 15, that prohibits discrimination on grounds of, inter alia, sex.

The special provision under proviso (3) can thus be applied and invoked only in special cases when sufficient protection against discrimination to women and children under Article 15 cannot be ensured. This is a special provision and cannot ordinarily be invoked. And the beneficiaries of this section should be deserving of such special treatment. It cannot under any circumstances deviate from the principal purport of Article 15 i.e. non-discrimination on the ground of gender and should be only for special reasons, on justifiable grounds. It has to be read in conjunction with Article 15.

Stretched reasoning? The conferment of right to use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads etc. stems from the social ethos prevalent in 1947. Times have changed significantly since then. They appear largely superfluous now. The Founding Fathers, for instance, did not feel the need to declare India a secular country, for protection against discrimination on grounds of religion addresses it adequately.

In 1971 the Republic became secular and socialist owing to political expediency. If the sanctity now attached to secularism were to be extended to its conjoined twin – socialism, the country’s economic, industrial policy may run afoul of Constitution. Leeway for practical interpretation, insertion in consonance with the times has thus been always in vogue.

The making of special provision was felt necessary as State patronage was needed for emancipation of women. Mid-day meals scheme for needy children in school eminently qualifies for this proviso. When Kamaraj introduced this in Tamil Nadu, attendance in schools from poorer sections increased dramatically.

In any case, free bus, metro travel, free electricity, monthly doles irrespective of economic stratus, cannot be sheltered under this proviso, as special circumstances necessitating such State support should in the first place be palpably prevalent. The principle of prima intentio should, therefore, be accorded primacy here.

In any case, this Special Provision is undoubtedly not meant to further the electoral prospects of political parties at public expense. Resources that could be utilized to provide, improve quality health care and education are squandered in a shameless hunt for votes.

In public travel by bus or metro, there is no discrimination whatsoever necessitating resort to this provision. Likewise, extension of monthly dole to housewives, (as CM of Karnataka said, to every woman, minister’s wife, bureaucrat’s wife and others in lower strata of society), is a discrimination against men.

In Delhi for instance, women earning around 1 lakh and more per month get to travel by metro free. No women organisations have ever complained of the unbearable burden of bus or metro fare. Nor pleaded for monthly doles.

Does it tell us something of our times that none of the otherwise combative, assertive, sensitive feminist groups has come forward and declared ‘we don’t need your doles, we have sufficient means by grace of God to pay for our fare, to pay our electricity bills, to take care of our wants. It’ s an insult to our dignity to accept gratuitous unsolicited favours’.

Targeting disadvantaged groups, sections in need of special treatment, uplifting of poor by free education, and the like, is of course quite acceptable.

Blanket, omnibus showering of freebees is but a plain bribe and when done out of tax payers’ money, abject, untenable and reprehensible. I wonder if invocation of this Proviso (3), except for cases deserving a special provision – the original import, stands legal scrutiny. This scourge of private profligacy out of public exchequer has to be extirpated for it has an inherent competitive need to augment the bribes each election to stay in contention. Portents cannot be clearer that this way lies catastrophe.

It is imperative for us to have in place a comprehensive Act fixing responsibility on how tax payers’ money should be utilized for better governance and betterment of the society at large.

US-BNP alliance

Opinions

sauro

13 July 2023

Recently, there have a series of protests by Islamists against the Bangladesh government of Sheikh Hasina. These groups have been pressurising PM Hasina to release the Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) leader Begum Khaleda Zia from prison. Her son Tarique Rahman was convicted in 2018 of the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack targetted at Sheikh Hasina’s rally. While Hasina escaped, many of her top leaders were killed.

The BNP has become desperate to gain power. It is trying to reach out to women and minorities, the traditional votebanks of the ruling Awami League (AL). Ironically, it has gone to the extent of defending many Jihadis hunted down by the government. This is not surprising, for the BNP was created as a safety valve by General Ziaur Rahman when he was faced with protests by all sections of the society after his unconstitutional takeover of the country. To deflect attention, he used the shield of Islam and embarked on a policy of Islamisation.

After Khaleda Zia became Prime Minister, she sought to rehabilitate war criminals like Motiur Rahman Nizami and the Aamir of Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Azam. They were treated like royalty in Bangladesh. Khaleda also travelled to Pakistan and much like Zia, she wanted close relations with Pakistan. No doubt, BNP leaders still feel that the War of Independence should not have been fought. There have been instances when they have said that Pakistan was much better for them.

The leaders of BNP and Oikya Front, who were defeated by a large number of votes in the 2018 national elections, have lied continuously about alleged rigging and widespread irregularities. But with people voting spontaneously and expressing satisfaction, they could not tolerate their loss and they started blaming the government for their failure. So far they have not been able to present any concrete evidence in support of their claim. Representatives of foreign observer groups ruled the election fair.

Ever since Sheikh Hasina returned to power, Bangladesh has taken a firm stance against terrorism. While the terrorists in the 1980s were returnees of the Afghan Jihad, by now many educated persons had joined the ranks of Jihadi networks like Jamaat ul-Mujaheddin and Harkat-ul-Jihad. They had been involved in acts like attacks on atheist bloggers, attacks like the simultaneous suicide bombing of courts in Chittagong and Gazipur (2005), Holey Artisan Bakery Attack (2016), South Surma Upazila bombings (2017 ),etc.

BNP’s policy of aligning with Islamist groups backfired against it. With the Supreme Court banning Jamaat as a political party, the government started a crackdown on the organisation. Their leaders were arrested, they were not allowed to conduct rallies. Naturally, they began to use social media in order to disseminate their venomous views.

Islamists began to spread rumours on alleged sacrilege of the Quran by the minorities. In 2021, the Quran was placed in a Durga puja pandal at the deity’s feet and it was said that Hindus had committed blasphemy. Widespread arson and attacks on Hindus followed, reminding us of similar violence carried out by the BNP against the minorities when it came to power in 2001.

The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Hass demanded an explanation of the clashes between BNP and the police. While even Trump had met Bangladeshis opposed to Hasina, this time US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen that the election of 2024 has to be free and fair.

In 2021, it designated Bangladesh’s elite Rapid Action Battalion(RAB) and six of its current and former leaders as complicit in, or engaged in, serious human rights abuses in relation to the country’s war on drugs, effectively freezing all their assets in the US. But US sanctions have not worked before and in any case have brought about sanctioned nations together, creating a formidable anti-US alliance. US did not even invite Bangladesh for the Summit on Democracy.

US has often resented the progress of the country. They feel that with unstable neighbours, India would be bothered about security all the time and will not be able to focus on its development, thereby forcing it to turn to US for support, returning to its status of a vassal as it was in the 1960s.

Besides, Bangladesh has never been a vassal of US, unlike Pakistan. It has also got more exports to the US than imports from the US. With the assistance of both India and China, it has managed to get a shield from any potential Western intervention.

Sheikh Hasina’s denouncing the US on the floor of the Parliament and its pointing out to the support to the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman like Rashed Chowdhury, hosting of BNP leaders and giving permission to anti-Hasina protests and the history of US intervention shows that the government is serious about the US-BNP pact. She also reminded the people of US support to Pakistan in the 1971 War and its attempt to stall the final assault on the Pakistanis. US must not play its devious game in Bangladesh.

Sauro Dasgupta
Department of International Relations
Jadavpur University

‘Ek Desh, Ek kanun’, must be implemented in India

Opinions

Diganta Chakraborty

12 July 2023

‘Ek Desh, Ek kanun’, must be implemented in India

Uniform civil code or Ek desh Ek kanun. That means the same law for all the citizens of different communities living in a country. No one should be given any special privilege or deprived of anyone because of his religious reasons. This is exactly what the Indian Constitution says. Article 44 of the Constitution states that the State shall endeavour to enforce uniform civil laws for the citizens of the country.

Article 44 of the Indian Constitution aims to combat discrimination between vulnerable groups and to create a synergy between the numerous cultural groups that exist across the country. The uniform civil code issue was raised when India gained her independence. Then in 1948 there was a lot of controversy in the Indian Parliament.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar wanted to introduce an Uniform Civil Code in India, during the constitutional debates by getting inspired by the western world where such Uniform Civil Code already existed in societies, with the object of bringing uniformity and unity in society. But it was strongly opposed by Muslim fundamentalists like Poker Saheb and members from other religions. They were of the opinion that if a uniform civil code or the same law were introduced in one country, articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, which talked about religious freedom, would be violated.

Explaining the importance of uniform civil code, B.R. Ambedkar said, ” “I personally do not understand why religion should be given this vast, expansive jurisdiction, so as to cover the whole of life and to prevent the legislature from encroaching upon that field. After all, what are we having this liberty for? We are having this liberty in order to reform our social system, which is so full of inequities, discrimination and other things, which conflict with our fundamental rights.”

Not only during the Constituent Assembly’s debate in pre-independence era but also in the post independence era also the topic of Uniform Civil Code has been in debate. In Shah Bano Case [Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum][2]:theConstitution Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court, while deciding the case of maintenance of Muslim woman Shah Bano under section 125 Cr.P.C, was of the opinion that the Parliament should take steps to enact a Uniform Civil Code to bring uniformity in personal laws, from practice of the women status in society is getting degraded.

But due to criticism and opposition received to this judgment by some groups, the then Central Government enacted a separate law for maintenance of Muslim women namely ‘Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.’ During the judgment in this case, the Supreme Court also regretted that we have articles in the Constitution of India for uniform civil code but it is not applied in India.

Article 44 of the Constitution remains a dead article and has not been implemented. The Shah Bano incident is an important proof that the introduction of uniform civil code is very important for the protection of women and to eliminate social inequalities, as has been proved time and again through various incidents in the post-independence period.

Like the Shah Bano case, the verdict in ‘Shaira Bano vs Union of India’ case is the most important judgment in recent times where the Supreme Court has cited the need for uniform civil code. In this case, the constitutional validity of triple talaq in Muslim personal law is considered. In this case, a woman named Shaira Bano was divorced three times by her husband.

This practice is highly discriminatory because it is only allowed for men and does not require any consent of women, a man can divorce his wife only if he wants to. In this case, a five-judge bench of the apex court has declared the practice of triple talaq as unconstitutional. It has raised the concept of uniform civil code to eliminate such discriminatory laws.

India is a country where people of many religions live and all religions have their own personal laws. These personal laws are anyone’s own opinion and they mostly undermine women’s rights. The Uniform Civil Code basically means the integration of all personal laws into one law, so that every citizen can be governed equally without any discrimination. The main goal of the Uniform Civil Code is to govern all citizens equally in the sense of the Constitution within society and to administer the same civil laws. It should apply to all citizens, regardless of religion, race, or community.

We see how society is divided in the name of religion and community. So the main idea behind the imposition of uniform civil code is to treat every person equally with just and just laws. So the main idea behind the imposition of uniform civil code is to treat every person equally with just and just laws. In fact, the problem is that secularism in India means not interfering in matters of religion. That’s why there is so much discrimination under the guise of secularism. But this disparity cannot be allowed to continue for long, so it needs to be reconsidered.

It is seen that when the issue of implementation of uniform civil code comes up, people of several groups and political parties are very angry and even go to the movement. They are the ones who also join the movement when the Ram temple, which bears the tradition of ancient India, is rebuilt, because according to them, the construction of a temple in a secular state like India undermines the Constitution or gives priority to one religion.

My question to them is, in a secular state, is it not a violation of the Constitution to have religious laws in place, to give special privileges to any one community? It is clear from their duplicity that their aim is not to protect the dignity of the state but to gain political mileage through religious appeasement.

Uniform Civil Code will in the long run ensure Equality. While other personal laws have undergone reform, the Muslim law has not. It perhaps makes little sense to allow Muslims, for example, to marry more than once, but prosecute Hindus or Christians for doing the same. Therefore, there is the demand for a uniform civil code for all religions. Also, UCC will help to promote Gender equality. Several liberals and women’s groups have argued that the uniform civil code gives women more rights.

We all know that secularism is reflected in the preamble of our Constitution. If the uniform civil code is implemented, all citizens of India will have to follow the same law, be it Hinduism, Islam, Christianity or Sikhism. The Uniform Civil Code does not mean that people’s religious freedom will be undermined, it simply means that everyone will be treated equally. This is pure secularism. And that’s what’s desirable in a secular state.

Latest Jihad in France

Opinions

Dr Jadabeswar Bhattacharjee

12 July 2023

Following widespread arson, loot and destruction in France for about ten days starting from 27 June, 2023, the people across the world gave broadly two types of reaction. One group was shell-shocked and the other saw it coming. The first group of people were in their secular, plural and inclusive dream-world.

The second group which included, inter alia, Islamists and Left-Liberals, was trying to justify the violence by blaming colonial history of France, as well as, racism and discrimination against immigrant Muslims in France.

While the first group was oblivious of some basic facts about Islam, the second group was cunningly covering-up those.

The root cause of violence in France rests with the Islam itself. Each Muslim child, anywhere in the world, is brain-washed in the childhood with the convictions of Islamic teaching that:

1. Islam is the only true religion and all other religions are fake and evil.

2. All non-Muslims are hell-goers and to be hated and despised as Kafir.

3. Muslims have the monopoly of dominating over all non-Muslims.

4. Violence is a divine means (Jihad) to destroy or convert all non-Muslims.

5. Secularism, democracy, pluralism, and inclusiveness are Haram and only Islam and Sharia should prevail all over the world.

Such community-based malicious mental-health leads to eruption of mass violence for any small or big cause. The community has no respect for democratic legal system. It remains perpetually aggressive and self-righteous vis-à-vis Kafir. What the civilized world saw as violence and riots in France, were no crime to them. Those were their religious obligations (Jihad) they had to fulfil.

These immigrant Muslims leave their own Islamic countries for poverty, civil war, internal rift or violent sectarian clashes. They never migrate to any other Islamic country and go to the Western countries only. There they are welcomed, given shelter, as well as, different social security services.

After living for years and decades, most of these Muslims never integrate with the customs, culture, mores, values and laws of the countries they adopted. With increase in their population size, they start trying to assert Islamism in those non-Islamic countries. They forget their past plight in their own countries and get rejuvenated to launch Jihad against the countries of Kafir which have given them shelter.

The Left-Liberal cabal supports this violent community with victim-card-narratives and oft-repeated noise of Islamophobia. The cabal also tries to justify the Jihad by calling these immigrant Muslims as poor and exploited. But they were far worse in their own countries. And why can’t they just return back peacefully from where they came to France?

If the roof is leaking, the problem cannot be solved permanently by mopping the floor. France, Western world and India must understand this sooner; stop mopping the floor and seal the leak of the roof. A dog’s tail can never be straightened.

The impact of EU carbon tax on Indian exports of steel, iron ore, and cement

Opinions

Baranidharan S

12 July 2023

The impact of EU carbon tax on Indian exports of steel, iron ore, and cement

Introduction

This report examines the potential effects of the European Union’s (EU) carbon tax on India’s exports of steel, iron ore, and cement. The EU’s carbon tax policy is designed to address climate change by levying charges on imports based on their carbon footprint. The report evaluates the implications of this tax on Indian industries and explores possible strategies to mitigate its impact.

Overview of EU Carbon Tax

The EU carbon tax, an integral part of the European Green Deal, aims to create a level playing field for industries and reduce carbon emissions. It imposes taxes on imported goods based on their carbon content, thereby encouraging sustainable production and combating climate change. Initially, the tax will be implemented in energy-intensive sectors, including steel, iron ore, and cement.

Impact on Indian Steel Exports

India is a major global exporter of steel, but its steel industry heavily relies on coal and other fossil fuels, resulting in significant carbon emissions. The EU carbon tax is likely to increase the cost of Indian steel exports to the EU market. This would make Indian steel less competitive compared to steel produced domestically within the EU or in countries with lower carbon emissions. Consequently, Indian steel exports to the EU may experience a decline, leading to potential loss of market share.

Impact on Indian Iron Ore Exports

India is a significant exporter of iron ore, which serves as a vital raw material for steel production. While the direct impact of the EU carbon tax on Indian iron ore exports may be limited, the tax could have indirect consequences. As Indian steel exports face higher carbon-related costs, domestic steel manufacturers may seek to reduce expenses by sourcing iron ore from countries with lower carbon footprints. This shift in demand may reduce the reliance on Indian iron ore in the global market.

Impact on Indian Cement Exports

India is the world’s second-largest cement producer, and the EU is a significant market for Indian cement exports. However, the carbon-intensive nature of cement production in India poses challenges under the EU carbon tax regime. Indian cement exporters may face higher costs due to the tax, diminishing their competitiveness and potentially leading to a decline in exports to the EU. This could prompt Indian cement manufacturers to explore sustainable production methods to maintain their market share.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate the potential negative impact of the EU carbon tax on exports of steel, iron ore, and cement, India could consider implementing the following strategies:

a. Adoption of Clean Technologies: Encourage the use of cleaner technologies and renewable energy sources in steel, iron ore, and cement production to reduce carbon emissions. This will enhance competitiveness in the global market and align with international climate goals.

b. Engagement with the EU: Initiate discussions with the EU to negotiate favorable terms or exemptions for Indian exports, considering the unique challenges faced by the Indian industries. Building strong bilateral trade relations can help address concerns related to the carbon tax.

c. Diversification of Export Markets: Explore alternative markets beyond the EU by targeting emerging economies or strengthening trade ties with countries that have less stringent carbon-related regulations. Diversification can reduce dependence on a single market and mitigate potential losses.

d. Research and Development Investments: Allocate resources to research and development efforts aimed at developing low-carbon alternatives and innovative processes for steel, iron ore, and cement production. Such investments will enhance the sustainability and environmental performance of Indian exports.

Conclusion

The EU carbon tax is anticipated to have a substantial impact on Indian exports of steel, iron ore, and cement. India must proactively address this challenge by adopting sustainable production practices, leveraging clean technologies, engaging with the EU, diversifying export markets, and investing in research and development.

By doing so, India can minimize the adverse effects of the EU carbon tax, maintain its competitiveness in global markets, and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change. It is crucial for Indian industries to embrace sustainability and explore opportunities for innovation and collaboration to navigate the evolving landscape of international trade.

वित्तीय क्षेत्र में डिजिटलाइजेशन आवश्यक

gdbinani

11 July 2023

चूँकि प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीजी सब तरफ सुधार के पक्षधर हैं और वे न केवल सभी क्षेत्र में प्रचलित नियमों में भी सुधार हेतु सुझाव आमन्त्रित किये हुये हैं बल्कि सभी सरकारी रिकॉर्ड का द्रुतगति से डिजिटलाइजेशन भी करा रहे हैं, इसलिये वित्तीय क्षेत्र विशेष रूप से शेयर निवेश से सम्बन्धित कुछ सुधार हेतु सुझाव आप सभी के ध्याननार्थ यहाँ उल्लेख करते हुये आपको बताना चाहूँगा कि जहाँ तक मैंने खोजा है भारत सरकार की किसी भी साइट पर भारत में रजिस्टर्ड या कार्यरत कम्पनी का 1956 से आज तक का पूरा क्रमवार डाटा उपलब्ध नहीं है।

यहाँ क्रमवार का मतलब यह है कि कम्पनी जब भी पहली बार कम्पनीज एक्ट के तहत रजिस्टर्ड हुयी तब से आजतक उसकी क्या स्थिति है। यदि ऐसा डाटा उपलब्ध है तो कृपया पूरा सही लिंक/पीडीएफ उपलब्ध करवा दें ताकि आम, साधारण, छोटे, वरिष्ठ शेयरधारकों को अपनी समस्या हल करने में/ सही कदम उठाने में सहायता मिल जाय। अन्यथा मोदीजी की कार्यप्रणाली अनुसार इस विषय पर शीघ्रातिशीघ्र कार्यवाही प्रारम्भ करना सब हितधारकों के लिये उचित रहेगा।

कृपया यह ध्यान रखें सभी आम, साधारण, छोटे शेयरधारक, विशेषकर वरिष्ठ शेयरधारक अपने शेयर डीमेट कराना चाहते हैं लेकिन वे ऐसा चाहकर भी, अपनी अपनी समस्याओं के अलावा सरकार द्वारा बुनियादी समस्याओं पर समुचित ध्यान न देने के चलते नहीं कर पा रहे हैं।

उपरोक्त श्रेणी के सभी शेयरधारक सरकार से जिन बुनियादी समस्याओं पर राहत/ध्यान दे लेने का आग्रह करते हैं उनमें से निम्न तीन मुख्य समस्याओं को बिना किसी विलंब से उचित समाधान/हल कर राहत प्रदान करने का आग्रह करते हैं-

1] कारपोरेट कार्य मन्त्रालय [MCA] के साथ ही भारतीय प्रतिभूति और विनिमय बोर्ड (सेबी) के वेब में सभी कम्पनियों का नाम होना चाहिए यानि जिस नाम से सबसे पहले कम्पनी सूचीबद्ध हुयी या उसे रकम उगाने की अनुमति मिली, उसी से शुरू हो। फिर उसमेंं हर प्रकार के बदलाब का भी पूरा पूरा उल्लेख हो ताकि निवेशक को बिना ज्यादा दिक्कत के जिस तरह भी ढूंढे उसे सही जानकारी मिल जाय।

जैसा सभी जानते हैं कि जब भी कोई कम्पनी बनती है तो उसको रजिस्ट्रार आफ कम्पनीज से स्वीकृति लेनी पड़ती है अर्थात सरकार के इस विभाग में इस नयी कम्पनी का सारा विवरण दर्ज हो जाता है। इसके बाद आम आदमी को अपने अंश (शेयर) बेचने के लिये सरकारी विभाग से सारे विवरण दे अनुमति प्राप्त करते हैं। अभी ऐसी अनुमति 1988 से सेबी दे रही है जबकि सेबी के पहले कन्ट्रोलर आप कैपिटल इसूज देती थी। ऐसी काफी कम्पनियाँ हैं जो शेयर बाजार अर्थात स्टॉक एक्सचेंज में सूचीबद्ध होकर असूचीबद्ध हो गयी या किसी ने उसको खरीदने के बाद नये प्रतिभूति जारी किये या फिर नाम बदला। इस तरह इन सबके चलते छोटे वरिष्ठ शेयरधारक परेशानी झेल रहे हैं जिसका निवारण कारपोरेट कार्य मन्त्रालय [MCA] को करना चाहिये अन्यथा छोटे वरिष्ठ शेयरधारक इस तरह की परेशानियों से ऊबर ही नहीं पायेंगे।

उपरोक्त लिखने का यही आशय है कि सरकार के विभागों में आजतक की सभी कम्पनी का विवरण उपलब्ध है अर्थात 1956 से शुरू करके सभी कम्पनियां आज किस परिस्थिति में है, का विवरण उपलब्ध कराया जाना चाहिये। लेकिन वित्त मंत्रालय के किसी भी विभाग में यह सिलसिलेवार उपलब्ध नहीं है जबकि डिजिटल व्यवहार तेजी से बढ़ा है। जिसके चलते सरकार के अन्य विभागों में ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌डिजिटाइजेशन का असर देखने मिल रहा है।

इसलिये उपरोक्त जानकारी वित्त विभाग के अन्तर्गत विभाग में भी युद्ध स्तर पर सरकार को पूरा कर लेना सभी के हित में है, विशेषकर छोटे निवेशकों के साथ साथ साधारण आम जनता के।

2] बहुत से शेयर केवल सी डी एस एल पर ही डीमेट हो सकते हैं। उसी प्रकार कुछ ऐसे भी शेयर होते हैं जो केवल एन एस डी एल पर ही डीमेट हो सकते हैं।

आवश्यक डीमेट के चलते सभी शेयर निवेशकों का किसी एक डिपाजिटरी में तो खाता होना अनिवार्य है, जो होता भी है। इसलिये छोटे कम मुल्य वाले शेयरों को डीमेट करवाने में अतिरिक्त सालाना खर्चे के चलते डीमेट करवाना बुद्धिमत्ता नहीं।

हालांकि सेबी ने एक बेसिक सर्विसेज डीमेट खाता की सुविधा चालू कर रखी है लेकिन उदाहरण के तौर पर यदि किसी का एन एस डी एल में डीमेट खाता है तब सी डी एस एल में बेसिक सर्विसेज डीमेट खाता खुल नहीं सकता इस कारण से जो शेयर केवल सी डी एस एल पर ही डीमेट हो पायेंगे वहां यह नियम छोटे कम मुल्य वाले शेयरों को डीमेट करवाने में बाधक है।

इस नियम में भी संशोधन अतिआवश्यक है ताकि एन एस डी एल में डीमेट खाता है तो भी सी डी एस एल में बेसिक सर्विसेज डीमेट खाता खुल जाय।

3] चूंकि सरकार ने पैन वगैरह लिंक न होने पर शेयरों को आईपीएफ में ट्रान्सफर की चेतावनी जारी कर रखी है जबकि लाभांश दो साल तक का बकाया रह जाने पर लाभांश के साथ साथ शेयर आईपीएफ में ट्रान्सफर करना चालू कर रखा है। इन दोनों बिन्दुओं पर जैसा मैंने अपने नीचे वाले आलेख के पहले नंबर में बताया है कि निवेशक चाहते हुये भी लाचार हैं।

अतः सरकार से यही निवेदन रहेगा कि सभी निवेशकों से आग्रह कर भौतिक शेयर जमा करा कर उनके बदले में उन्हें एक म्यूचूअल फंड की तरह होल्डिंग पत्र जारी कर दे।और होल्डिंग पत्र के अन्त में डीमेट में जमा देने हेतु कॉलम हो जिसे आवश्यकता पड़ने पर [कालान्तर में] हस्ताक्षर कर डीमेट करवाया जा सके। इस प्रक्रिया से बहुत ज्यादा मात्रा में भौतिक शेयर वापस हो जायेंगे और सभी के पैन वगैरह की सारी जानकारी भी सरकार के पास आ जायेगी।

आपकी जानकारी के लिये आज तक हम लोगों ने यानि आम, साधारण, छोटे, वरिष्ठ शेयरधारकों ने हमेशा अपनी बचत को तीन कारणों से शेयरों में लगाया। वे कारण हैं-

१) सभी सरकारें कहिये या सभी विशेषज्ञ (Experts) यही सन्देश देते रहे हैं कि शेयर निवेश का मतलब है अप्रत्यक्ष रुप से राष्ट्र निर्माण में सहयोग इसलिये गोल्ड या भूमि में निवेश का सोचा ही नहीं।

२) चूकिं हममें से जो भी गैरसरकारी संस्थानों में नौकरी कर बचत करते थे तो उद्देश्य यही रहता कि हमें पेन्शन तो मिलनी नहीं है अतः हमारे बुढापे के लिये शेयर निवेश सब हिसाब से लाभप्रद रहेगा साथ में पहला बिन्दु भी पूरा होता रहेगा यानि अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से हमारा राष्ट्र निर्माण में सहयोग तो होगा ही साथ ही साथ Equity Cult. movement वाले सरकारी आह्वान में सहभागिता भी। और आने वाले समय में हमें हमारी आवश्यकता की पूर्ति इस शेयर निवेश से होती रहेगी इसका विश्वास भी था।

३) सोच समझकर शेयरों मेंं किया गया निवेश जोखिम मुक्त माना जाता रहा है साथ ही साथ आसानी से कर सकने वाला भी। इसके अलावा सभी सरकारों नें शेयर निवेश को बढावा देने के लिये लगातार न केवल प्रोत्साहित करते रहे बल्कि अपने अपने तरीके से इसमें गिरावट न हो इस ओर हमेशा सकारात्मक कदम उठाये हैं।

आज ५०/६० साल तक निवेशित रहने के बाद यानि समय समय पर अपनी अपनी कमाई अनुसार टैक्स चुकाने के बाद जो भी बचत शेयरों में लगायी अब वही वापस टैक्स दायरे में आती है तो मन में चोट लगती है, ग्लानि होती है, कष्ट पहुँचता है।

यह पोस्ट संक्षेप में लिखी गयी है आवश्यकता होने पर उपरोक्त सभी बिंदुओं को विस्तार से समझा कर प्रस्तुत किजा सकता है।

विश्वास है कि सरकार ऊपर उल्लेखित सभी तथ्यों पर गौर कर, ठीक से पहल कर हम साधारण, छोटे, वरिष्ठ शेयरधारकों को यथाशीघ्र उचित राहत प्रदान कर देगी।

मै बकरी हुँ: इंडिया के राष्ट्रपिता माने जाने वाले महात्मा गांधी हमारा हि दूध पीते थे

Nagendra Pratap Singh

10 July 2023

मै बकरी हुँ: इंडिया के राष्ट्रपिता माने जाने वाले महात्मा गांधी हमारा हि दूध पीते थे

मै किसी को नुकसान नहीं पहुंचाती।
पर फिर भी ना जाने कुछ खास किस्म के जानवर भक्षी इंसान (जिन्हें इंसान कहना इंसानियत को गाली देने के बराबर है) मुझे और मेरे समुदाय को काट कर अपने परिवार के साथ आनंद लेकर खा जाते हैँ और डकार तक भी नहीं लेते।

मै प्राचीन काल से हि मानव समुदाय के साथ जुड़ी हुँ। प्राचीन काल से हि मानवो ने सर्वप्रथम जानवर समुदाय से गाय, भेड़, कुत्ता और सुवर प्रजाति के नर मादाओ के पालन के साथ साथ जिसे सबसे अधिक अपने लिए उपयोगी समझते थे वो मै बकरी और मेरा समुदाय ही है।

मै बकरी हुँ, मै और मेरा समुदाय हमारा पालन पोषण करने वाले मानवो के लिए एक उद्योग या रोजगार के माध्यम के रूप में देखे जाते और उपयोग में लाये जाते रहे हैँ।

:-हमने मानवो को दूध दिया।
:-हमने मानवो को अपनी लेडियां दी जिसका खाद के रूप में उपयोग किया जाता है।
:-हमने मानवो को अपने मृत्यु के पश्चात अपने शरीर की खाले दे दी ताकी उनका चर्म उद्योग फलता फूलता रहे।
:-हम इन मानवो का अपने पूरे जीवन काल सेवा करते रहते हैँ।

मनावो की तो एक प्रजाति हि गड़ेरिया कहलाती है वो इसीलिए की वे बकरियों और भेड़ो को पालते पोसते हैँ और उन्हीं से अपना जीविकोपर्जन करते हैँ।

ऐसा नहीं है कि, मान्सभक्षण करने वाले मनुष्य केवल हमारा हि मांस खाते हैँ, पर ये भी सच है कि सबसे अधिक हमारा हि मांस खाते हैँ ये मनुष्य।

ऐसा भी नहीं है कि प्राचीन काल में हमे नहीं मारा और खाया जाता था, परन्तु इस दुनिया में जब से मनुष्यों की एक खास प्रजाती का उदय हुआ वो हमारे जन्मजात दुश्मन बन गये।

मनुष्यों के अन्य प्रजाती के लोग तो कभी कभी हमें मारते और पका के खाते हैँ। पर जिस प्रजाति की मै बात कर रही हुँ वो तो प्रत्येक दिन हमे मारते और खाते हैँ, और यही नहीं हमे मारकर हमारे शरीर के टुकड़ो को पास पड़ोस में बांटते भी है।

हे मनुष्यों तुम लोगों की इस खास प्रजाती का कोई भी त्यौहार बिना खुन खराबे के समाप्त होता हि नहीं। हे मनुष्यों ये खास प्रजाती के लोग एक खास त्यौहार मनाते हैँ, और उस दिन पुरी दुनिया में बकरी समुदाय का व्यापक बकारिसन्हार किया जाता है। हमे अर्थात, बकरी और बकरों को बड़ी बड़ी मंडियो में मेला लगाकर बेच और खरीदा जाता है और फिर एक खास दिन हमें उस निराकार के नाम पर काट कर मार दिया जाता है।

उस खास प्रजाती के लोग हमें तड़पाकर काटते हैँ और फिर नोच नोच कर हमें खा जाते हैँ और सबसे अधिक शर्म तो तब आती है जब रक्षाबंधन जैसे पवित्र त्यौहार को बदनाम करने के लिए हमारी फोटो लगाकर नीचता की पराकाष्ठा को पार करने वाले PETA के कीड़े मकोड़े भी इस सामूहिक बकरी संहार पर कुछ बोलने की हिम्मत नहीं दिखाते।

आखिर हम बकरी समुदाय का अपराध क्या है। हम अगर अपने संस्कारों के कारण सहिष्णु है, सहनशील है और आक्रमण नहीं करते तो क्या हर गैरा हमें मार कर अपना उदारपूर्ति कर लेगा।

अरे हम बकरी समुदाय का इतिहास तो कई हजार वर्ष पूर्व का है, परन्तु जो प्रजाती आज से केवल कुछ सौ वर्ष पहले पैदा हुई वो भला हमारे हजारों वर्षो के ऐतिहासिक व्यवस्था को कैसे नष्ट कर सकती है।

हम बकरी समुदाय के लोग अपनी मेहनत से ईमानदारी से अपना जीवन यापन करते हैँ इन मानसभक्षी राक्षसों की भांति किसी को मार कर नहीं खाते या फिर इनकी तरह परजीवी बन कर नहीं जीते।

आज तक सुना है कभी कि सीरिया या सूडान या बंगलादेश या फिर बर्मा से बकरी समुदाय पलायन करके शरणार्थी के रूप में फ़्रांस, ब्रिटेन, अमेरिका या भारत जैसे देशो में अवैध तरिके से घुसा है और वंहा के लिए बोझ बन गया है। नहीं ना, क्योंकि हम बकरियों का समुदाय स्वाभिमानी होता है, हम अपनी मेहनत और ईमानदारी की रोटी और घास खाते हैँ उन भिखारी, बेगैरत घुसपैठियों की तरह नही किसी के फेके टुकड़े पर पलते हैँ।

हमारी संस्कृति वसुधैव कुटुंबकम में विश्वाश रखती है। हम जियो और जिने दो में विश्वाश करते हैँ और इसी धर्म का पालन करते हैँ। परन्तु वो मानसभक्षी राक्षस मुर्गीयों के पश्चात सबसे आसानी से हमें हि मार कर खाते हैँ।

सबसे आश्चर्य हमें तब होता है, जब यही मानसभक्षी इस देश को गांधी का देश कहते हैँ और गांधी जी को सबसे ज्यादा पसंद आने वाली हम बकरियों को हि अपना भोजन बना लेते हैँ। धूर्त, मक्कार और बेगैरत लोग क्या जाने कि बापू जब तक अपनी बकरी का दूध खुद दुह कर कच्चा हि नहीं पी लेते थे, तब तक उन्हें चैन नहीं मिलता था।

अभी क्या बताऊ और कैसे बताऊ उस भयानक मंजर को, मेरी बुवा की लड़की गर्भवती थी परन्तु इन खूंखार लोगों ने उसकी गर्दन रेत डाली और उसके पेट को अपने खूनी खंजर से काट डाला तो तिन मासूम बच्चे तड़प रहे थे, उन मानसभक्षी राक्षसों के चेहरे पर भयानक मुस्कान निखर आयी और उन्होंने उन तड़प रहे बच्चों को भी काट डाला, उसकी इस दर्दनाक मौत से पूर्व की गयी चित्कार और आँखों से बह रहे बेबसी और लाचारी भर आसुओ ने बहुत कुछ कह डाला। शायद वो कह रही हो की जो आज मेरी हालत वही कल तुम्हारी और तुम्हारे बच्चों की भी होगी।

अरे नामुरादों हमें मार कर खाते हो, शर्म से चुल्लू भर पानी में डूब मरो। PETA के मानसिक रोगियों यदी शर्म है तो चुल्लू भर पानी में डूब मरो, क्या हम जीव नहीं, क्या तुम हमे बचाने के लिए कुछ नहीं कर सकते… क्या किसी त्यौहार को मनाने के लिए हमारा सामूहिक नर्संहार करना जरूरी है। क्या तुम लोग हमारा खुन बहाये बिना नहीं जी सकते। धिक्कार है तुम्हारे मानव जीवन पर
आक थू. …..

एक बकरी की व्यथा।
लेखक:- नागेंद्र प्रताप सिंह (अधिवक्ता)
[email protected]

Supreme favouritism of the Supreme Court of India

Opinions

Dr Jadabeswar Bhattacharjee

6 July 2023

Supreme favouritism of the Supreme Court of India

The Indian Supreme Court has shown supreme favouritism to Jih@di activist and NGO-woman Teesta Setalvad recently. When a Single-Judge-Bench of Gujarat High Court rejected her bail application on 1 July 2023 (Saturday) on a forgery case related to Gujarat riot 2002 and asked her to surrender immediately, she did not bother to move the Division Bench of Gujarat High Court.

Teesta Setalvad activated her ecosystem in Delhi and our highest Milord (CJI) constituted a Two-Judge-Bench of Supreme Court which started hearing the bail plea of Teesta Setalvad at 6.30 PM on the same Saturday. But when a Split Verdict was delivered at 9.00 PM in the same afternoon, the CJI constituted a Three-Judge-Bench then and there. The later Bench heard the plea and after midnight, stayed the order of Gujarat High Court and awarded Teesta Setalvad seven day’s relief.

Supreme Court observed that the sky would not have fallen on Gujarat High Court if bail plea was granted? But it never explained if the sky fell on the Supreme Court to hear the case twice in the same Saturday evening and night? Can any common forgery-case accused of India expect to get such highly preferential consideration from CJI? No. Then why was CJI so eager to help Teesta Setalvad out of the way? This is no million Dollar question. You know what I mean?

Granting the bail to Teesta Setalvad, the Three-Judge-Bench of Supreme Court said “We are not going into the merits of the matter. We are only concerned with that part of the order which rejected the petitioner’s request for a stay. In ordinary circumstances, we would not have interfered. After the petitioner was arrested, this Court considered her request for interim bail. One of the factors which weighed with this Court in granting interim bail was that the petitioner was a lady and was entitled to special protection under Section 437 CrPC. Considering this fact, the single learned judge ought to have granted some time…We stay the order of the single bench for a period of one week.”

What a weird logic of the Supreme Court where female sex of the accused ruled over the merit of the matter? Had that been so, what about the thousands of other females accused of India who are rotting in police/jail custody without bail for months? They don’t get the opportunity to move any bail application and if they do, their pleas are treated with Tarikh Pe Tarikh only.

The Three-Judge-Bench of the Supreme Court overlooked the merit of the matter to bypass the sharp observations of Gujarat High Court in denying the bail plea of Teesta Setalvad earlier in the day. The Gujarat High court observed that Teesta Setalvad had an “intention to tarnish the image of the then Chief Minister and thereby to send him to jail and compel him to resign”. Teesta Setalvad was also accused for polarising people of a ‘particular community’

At the moment, the Supreme Court has more than 70,000 pending cases, which are treated with Tarikh Pe Tarikh. So, in the instant case, the Supreme Court promoted the principle that all Indians are not equal in the eyes of law. Teesta Setalvad got this preferential treatment for her closeness with Antonia Maino led ecosystem.

Looking from another angle, this case against Teesta Setalvad was registered in 2022 on the direction of the Supreme Court which Prima Facie found the intent and activities of Teesta Setalvad, in her Gujarat 2002 riot case, to be highly malicious. So, nobody knew what new facts came before the Supreme Court in the evening and night of 1-2 July 2023 to make the case special (not ordinary circumstances) and stay the order of Gujarat High Court in favour of Teesta Setalvad. The Supreme Court could have done better by quashing the said case against Teesta Setalvad all together.

On 5 July 2023, the Supreme court posted Teesta Setalvad’s bail plea for hearing on 19 July 2023. Issuing notice on her petition, the Supreme Court also extended the stay of Gujarat high court’s order which denied her bail. But this extension of the stay, till the hearing, could have been granted by the Supreme court in its mid-night order of 1-2 July 2023. As the things are moving, no one will be surprised if Teesta Setalvad will get further interim bail from the Supreme Court without any difficulty on 19 July 2023. The larger question here is how the Supreme Court would have treated an accused with prima facie intention to tarnish the image of a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court?

Whatever urgency the Supreme Court has shown to grant bail to Teesta Setalvad will be reversed to slowness once the case against her will come for regular hearing. The dates for hearing will come after long gaps and the case will drag on for years allowing the accused to lead a normal life. People will forget about the case, like they have forgotten the ‘National Herald case’ in which Antonia Maino and others are out of bail. Yes, the advocate representing Teesta Setalvad is Kapil Sibal.

While the Executive and Legislative wings of India are accountable to the people in the form of periodic elections, the Judiciary is accountable to the Constitution only. The Constitution of India provides for the removal of the judges of the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts (Article 124) for misbehaviour and incapacity by means of impeachment.

For impeachment, two-third majority in Parliament is required and the process is very complicated. We have many ex-PMs, who lost the post in the electoral process. But no judge of the Supreme Court ever needed to pass through the scrutiny of citizens and none lost his post through impeachment in independent India. CJI never has to face a no-confidence motion either. The British colonial legacy has made the Indian Supreme Court virtually an institution with out accountability.

Even in selection of judges of Supreme Court and High Courts, Collegium System is followed in India. In this system, a group of senior judges select and transfer other judges and outgoing CJI recommends the name of next CJI, which is accepted by the President. Indian higher judiciary is a self-contained institution within closed doors. Citizens of the country have no role or voice to influence the selection, promotion and removal of judges and CJI. British mental slavery continues in Indian Judiciary in 2023, that is, 76 years after the independence from the British colonisation.

The Gita Press Gorakhpur

Nilesh M Shukla

6 July 2023

The recent recognition by way of “The Gandhi Peace Prize”, has brought this unique press into popular debate and public interest.

It always fills one with a sense of satisfaction having donated to worthy charities and conversely a bit sad if one missed giving. However, on the day when we were returning from a trip to a donation worthy organisation, you might find it strange, but I felt elated and contended not having donated, having returned with an unused cheque book. The worthy organisation, I was returning from was The Gita Press Gorakhpur. I was glad, instead of mailing a cheque, we had thought of meeting them to thank them personally for their contribution to the society and handover the cheque in person. I came back a learned man.

The Gita Press does not accept donations. I was awestruck; how come their books are cheap and yet have the best print quality and some books are even with a few full colour pages of pictures painted by great painters. I was even more impressed with the fact they strictly use their own resources to fund The Gita Press. I know the ancient Indian, the Hindu, code of charity, teaches that real charity, what earns you real Punya*, is what is done using one’s own resources. Doing charity using crowdfunded resources is not bad as an alternative second best option. Own funding is the purest charity.

My wife and I spent a couple hours talking to their manager, other staff members and knowledgeable guides who walk you through their art gallery cum museum. We tried various ways to find how we can donate and or otherwise help. The only way to help them with funding, we understood, was to buy, if we need, from their shops. They strictly depend solely on their own generated funds. Most shops sell only the books published by them. However, there are some, very few, that also sell Ayurvedic medicines/supplements and textiles, including hand crafted textiles at the same price, never more, as specified on the product labels by well known manufactures.

Salute to the noble and knowledgeable founders, Shri. Jayadayal Goyandka, Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar and Shri Ghanshyam Das Jalan, who established this press a century ago, in 1923, for their clarity, their vision and for their service to the mother Sanskriti***. I also appreciate and salute their staff, who struck me as simple, caring, knowledgeable and humble****.

When The Gita Press accepted, gracefully, The Gandhi Peace Prize but declined to receive the accompanying Prize money, I was among some of those, who was not surprised.

In 2006, my wife and I first visited The Gita Press in Gorakhpur** (Uttar Pradesh). The Gita Press was almost an unknown place among the tourists, though thousands of them passed through the town of Gorakhpur on their way to Nepal. Everyone we talked to tried to dissuade us from visiting that town as it had no touristic significance. Leave alone the Gita Press, hardly anyone who ‘mattered’ even had a faint idea of its existence there. A website, in fact, openly stated, and I quote, “Gorakhpur is 230 km north of Varanasi. It is a totally uninteresting city and most people (who want to transit to Nepal) will want to leave it as soon as they arrive”.

The Gita Press was certainly invisible, ignored and inconsequential, especially among elites. Books published by them were hardly read, or hardly valued by those elites who prided themselves in scholarships of European literature. They could write thousands of words on Shakespere but knew nothing about Valmiki, Kalidas or Tulasidas.

However, millions like us have seen in our homes, for generations, the Bhagavad Gita, several Puranas, Valmiki Ramayan etc produced by The Gita Press Gorakhpur, all of them having good quality, accurate and error free translations and at a very low price. Perhaps, that was the invisible force, we made it to the press on one very hot and moist day of the month of Bhadra, (Aug-Sept period, 2006), not the best time to go out. We should have rested in the hotel room.

However, we knew better. We were determined to visit the Gita Press Gorakhpur, if for nothing else, to pay our respect for what we considered their great service to Sanskriti.

Now with The Gandhi Peace Prize having been awarded to The Gita Press and with the huge town-development work carried out in Gorakhpur, courtesy the Chief Minister, Yogi Shri Aditya Nath, things have changed for the better since our trip in 2006. Gorakhpur has not yet become a ‘must-go-to’ destination, but it is now certainly attractive enough with many enjoyable tourist and pilgrimage destinations.

Besides The Gita Press and the Gorakhnath Mandir, the Gorakhpur town is revered for the fact that Bhagavan Mahavir as well as Bhagavan Gautam Buddha toiled there, Yogi Paramhansa Yogananda of the Kriya Yoga fame (writer of well known book: “Autobiography of a Yogi”) was born there and just a short distance away, at Kushinagar, Bhagavan Buddha breathed his last. Also, the tallest Hindi novelist Munshi Premchand and the saintly poet, Kabirdas, both lived and worked in Gorakhpur.

_____________

*The Indian word ‘Punya’ has no equivalent, perhaps that is why there is no conceptual understanding of this term among westerns. Punya is not just good work. As an example, a good work done with some self promoting intention does not qualify as Punya, but it qualifies as ‘trade’.

**Gorakhpur: In general colloquial speech, क्ष, gets pronounced as ख, hence, what should have been Gorakshpur gets to become identified today as Gorakhpur. Other Examples, Lakhan, Lakh Rupees, etc (Interesting tidbit: The cosmetic brand, “Lakmé” derives its name from a French play named after a lead character having name “Laxmi” but mispronounced as Lakhmi and then spelt as Lakmé)

***Sanskriti is an Indian language word that is not translatable. Readers can assume English words like “Culture” or “Civilization”, but they are not really equivalent words.

****Chp 22 of the book “Kailash, Kathmandu and Kashi: Story of Bhagwan Shiva and Me” http://nmsresolution.blogspot.com/2016/06/22-kailash-kathmandu-kashi-travelogue.html

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Supreme favouritism of the Supreme Court of India

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