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The bridge between us and our constitutional values lies burnt

varunwaskumar
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The bridge between us and our constitutional values lies burnt

Over the last two to three months, Caste struggle leading to humiliation and abuse of Dalits has surfaced frequently in our news feeds. 2019 was a year that saw a shocking spike in sexual assault cases to 87 a day. From 2015 to 2018, honour killings proliferated with over 300 cases. This was accompanied by an increase of 75% in mob lynching too. The last half-a-decade is a stark example, perhaps not the only one, of how India breeds social conflicts and tribal warfare. 73 years into independence with a constitution founded on moral values and humanism, the average Indian has not evolved beyond his ego toward peace and tolerance.

Our social wars, be it religious or political, delve deep into lust for the inhumane. We’re far from developing sensibilities of brotherhood, let alone tolerance to multiplying rage. Since independence, the Indian person’s opportunity to dissociate from ancient roots of discriminative society is continually refused. We have burnt our bridges to our constitutional values which was the path to a finally advanced and liberated living. 

Religious society and its inspiration for sectarian tendencies

India is a crucible of diverse people and geographies. Perhaps, conflicting allegiances to religion still inspire us into our ancient tendencies of factionalism, leaving us wondering why this won’t end. An answer may be with Lord Brahma who rotates on a lotus with heads and arms four each. He created the four Vedas, continually recited by the mouths of each head. One arm holds the sacred texts of the Vedas and another one counts rosaries signifying the running of time. The third-hand holds a ladle to keep a sacrificial fire fed. The fourth hand holds a utensil with water from which emanates our universe. Consider Brahma as the universe machine producing our lives ingrained with Vedic laws and sacrifices. Are we created as hierarchical classes by the supreme laws? 

Having started with these roots, sectional concepts for the Indian population stemmed out in numerous ways across centuries making a multi-cultural entrenchment in the country’s society. The contemporary composition of the population in many parts of India continues to be a sprinkling of the Indian Medieval emergence of Hindu clans. During the centuries of 800-1200 AD, Medieval India, social order transformed. In Europe, West Asia and other parts of the world, this period saw the maturing of Feudalism, that is, kingship by a noble class holding vassal states and chiefs with land assignments. In Europe, the social order had a manor of the King, his family and his ministers’ complex, who held the land assignments with themselves or the vassals. This order essentially had nobles of high power and wealth, standing upon vast sections of indentured peasant labourers.

In India though, features of vassals and manors weren’t present as with Europe, but Feudalism adapted itself into the caste society. This was marked by the empowerment of the Brahmin class with land grants, the reduction in the ruling clan population (Kshatriya) by wars, the downgrading of Vaishyas or merchants to the level of Shudras (labour). This saw the rise of the Rajput clans in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Rajputs have their origin tracing back to many ancient ruling clans, that lead to the Lunar and Solar dynasties of Mahabharata.

It is said that sage Vashishth has produced four Rajput clans from a sacrificial fire. These were the Gujara Pratiharas, Paramaras or Pawars, Chalukyas and the Chauhans or Chahamans. Pratiharas belong to the Gurjar stock, which descended from Lakshmana. Pratihara meant “doorkeeper”, to Rama. While Gurjars ruled Gujarat, the Paramaras took the throne in Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh and the Chalukyas in Karnataka and Southern Maharashtra. While these four fought within themselves for the rule of India, they spread the Indian version of the Landed Feudalism called localism, with the lower caste peasants and slaves as the machinery.

This situation has helped the Jats arise as the newly emancipated lower caste to agrarian and warrior class too. Jats traditionally occupied Sindh and Punjab and from being primitive pastoralists, they became agrarian powers themselves, equalling the Rajputs politically. These new Jats marked the gradual rise of the anciently depressed Shudra clans in Medieval India. In the meanwhile, the human labour of the feudal order began to be composed of the Chandalas or Antyajas, now called Untouchables, along with the other slaves of Kings.

Contemporary opportunities can pacify the social spirits of the land

It appears to be out of human control that Indians grow into convoluted clan networks, all driven by any religious truth. Having said that, contemporary culture also advances humanity beyond rigid and unjustified social beliefs, to acculture ourselves with liberal ways of life in work, faith and expression. It’s equally natural therefore to choose not conducting ourselves by divine rules and act on what the human mind sees. We’re made of the same biological content and potential to advance in terms of wealth, health, peace and happiness as we desire. That said, we’re overshadowed by deep fears of maintaining the divine social order which often transforms into despotic intentions. Abuse, assault, lynching and honour killing abstractly allude to how religion with despotism is a tool to assimilate social power, showing a corrupted faith. 

The Constitution steps in here providing us with a moral compass. Once independent, our mandate was to promote brotherhood and root out sectarian tendencies. The rule of law propounded by British Jurist A.V. Dicey, says that a constitution is the result of an individual’s rights. But our constitution is made by its writers as the supreme document to prevent us going overboard with undefined rights. For instance, if we lose our Indian citizenship, we are not secured with a right to life by our constitution. 

The Preamble of the constitution declares that we practice values of evolved life. Its objectives are to secure to all of us Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity for a life of unity and dignity. The Preamble was never finalised until the last page was, to let it grow and feed the rest of the constitution with these values. While Brahma’s four heads emanate the laws of life in Hinduism, the Preamble does so for India. The constitution helps us develop materially, intellectually, morally and spiritually, which were a far cry to the erstwhile rulers. Furthermore, the Fundamental Rights of the constitution bestow upon us the rights to equality, freedom, religion, and protection against discrimination. 

Article 15 declares that no person shall be discriminated on grounds of religion, race, sex, caste and place of birth. Article 17 prohibits untouchability in India in all forms anyone violating it will be sentenced. India also possesses Distributive Justice, which is a hybrid of economic and social fairness. It advocates no social distinction based on birth, colour and religion. It calls for eliminating the glaring inequalities in terms of wealth amongst people. 

The ideal of Liberty focuses on the removal of social constraints on an individual. While it’s not a license to do anything one likes, we have the right to think, express, shape our own beliefs and faith. Any special privileges on one section of the population are also removed by providing the same on socially and economically backward classes. 

The indestructible force of religious laws never fails to propagate factions. But applying constitutional values to them will encourage peaceful co-existence. It’s the constitution that directs how religion should be subscribed to in India.

According to article 51A, the Fundamental Duties, “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India:

…to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women; to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform…” 

By burning our bridges to the constitutional values, have we failed to live up to who we claimed we are to our past invaders?

Other references:

Constitution of India by Legislative Department of Ministry of Law and justice

M Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, McGraw-Hill

Satish Chandra, History of Medieval Indian History, Orient Blackswan Private Limited.

क्या आयुर्वेदिक चिकित्सको को सर्जरी अर्थात शैल्य क्रिया से वंचित किया जा सकता है?

Nagendra Pratap Singh
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क्या आयुर्वेदिक चिकित्सको को सर्जरी अर्थात शैल्य क्रिया से वंचित किया जा सकता है?

जिनके पुर्वज महर्षि सुश्रुत निर्विवाद रूप से संपूर्ण विश्व में “शैल्य चिकित्सा” के जनक माने जाते हैं व जिन्होने संपूर्ण विश्व को आयुर्वेद का उपहार देते हुये शैल्य क्रिया की नीव रखी!

जी हाँ  मित्रो

मैं अपने भारतीय चिकित्सा संघ (Indian Medical Association) के चिकित्सक भाईयों से पूछना चाहता हूँ कि वे किस अधिकार से आयुर्वेदीक चिकित्सको को 58 प्रकार की शैल्य क्रिया करने की आज्ञा देने वाले आदेश का विरोध कर रहे हैं! अरे एलोपैथी का पढ़ाई करने वाले भाईयों तुम्हे सर्जरी (शैल्य क्रिया) तो उन लोगो ने सिखायी जिन्होंने केवल २00 से २५० वर्ष पहले  ये विद्या अरबो से सिखी, जबकी आयुर्वेद तो २५००  वर्षों से ज्यादा प्राचिन है!

आईये देखे  विश्व “शैल्य चिकित्सा” की उत्पत्ति व “आयुर्वेद” से उसके रिश्तो का निरूपण कैसे करता है!

Monier-Williams, Monier (1899). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 1237 के अनुसार सुश्रुत से तात्पर्य  “अच्छे प्रकार से सुना गया / सुविख्यात/ प्रसिद्ध” होता है!

श्री कुंजलाल (Bhishagratna, Kunjalal 1907) ने सुश्रुत सम्हिता का अगंरेजी भाषा में अनुवाद किया,  जिसके अनुसार  महाभारत नामक प्राचीन ग्रंथ में महर्षि सुश्रुत को महर्षि विश्वामित्र का पुत्र बताया है

Mr. Manish C. Champaneria, (MD, Department of Plastic Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center )के द्वारा लिखी गयी पुस्तक “Annals of Plastic Surgery”: July 2014 – Volume 73 के अनुसार वह (सुश्रुत) शैल्य क्रिया और प्लास्टिक शैल्य क्रिया के जनक माने जाते हैं!

श्री के बी कांसूपाड़ा(Kansupada, K. B.) व श्री जे डब्लू ससानी (Sassani, J. W. (1997)) ने अपनी पुस्तक “Sushruta: the father of Indian surgery and ophthalmology”. Documenta Ophthalmologica. Advances in Ophthalmology. 93 (1–2): 159–167 में सुश्रुत को “शैल्य चिकित्सा का जनक” माना है!

श्री जी डी सिंघल (Singhal, G. D. (1972)) ने अपनी पुस्तक “Diagnostic considerations in ancient Indian surgery: (based on Nidāna-Sthāna of Suśruta Saṁhitā)” में वर्णित किया है कि ” सुश्रुत सम्हिता की सभी सिद्धांतों मे जहाँ एक ओर “मेडिसीन” की बात की गयी है वहीं दुसरी ओर “शैल्य चिकित्सा” का विस्तृत विवरण दिया गया है, अत: ईसिलिये ईन्होने भी सुश्रुत को ” शैल्य चिकित्सा का जनक” माना है!

श्री ए एफ रूडोल्फ होर्नले (Hoernle, A. F. Rudolf (1907)  ने अपनी पुस्तकों  “Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India” Osteology or the Bones of the Human Body” ( Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 8.)  में माना है कि सुश्रुत संहिता के कुछ कन्सेप्ट “शतपथ ब्राह्मण” में भी पाये  जा सकते  हैं जो लगभग 600 BCE प्राचीन  है

बोस्लॉफ (Boslaugh 2007, p. 547, Quote):-ने अपनी रचना में स्पष्टतया लिखा कि  कि “हिंदु रचना सुश्रुत सम्हिता संभवत: सबसे पहला प्रयास था रोगो और चोटो (घावो) को विश्लेषित करने का ,बोस्लॉफ ने भी ईसे छठी शताब्दी के आस पास की माना है!

कृष्णाचार्य, टी. आर्. (1910)  “Sriman Mahabharatam” ईन्होने भी अपनी पुस्तक “श्रीमन महाभारतम” में ये बताया है कि प्राचीन पवित्र ग्रंथ महाभारत में भी सुश्रुत को महर्षि विश्वामित्र के बच्चो की सूची मे स्थान दिया, यही संबंध “सुश्रुत सम्हिता” में भी बताया गया है

Wujastyk, Dominik (2003) ने अपनी पुस्तक  “The Roots of Ayurveda. London etc.: Penguin. pp. 149–160” में लिखते हुये बताया है कि सुश्रुत का नाम छठी शताब्दी मे प्रचलित “बोवर मनुस्क्रिप्ट” में आया है,  जिसमें उन्हें हिमालय मे निवास करने वाले 10 संतो मे से एक माना गया है

Meulenbeld 1999, pp. 203–389 (Volume IA) के अनुसार The Sushruta Samhita (सुश्रुतसंहिता) संस्कृत भाषा की एक प्राचीन “मेडिसीन व शैल्य चिकित्सा” की पुस्तक है व उपलब्ध सबसे प्राचीन सिद्धांतो मे से एक है

और ईसिलिये विद्वानों ने माना है कि “सुश्रुत संहिता  का संकलन आयुर्वेद (भारतीय पारंपरिक चिकित्सा) के संस्थापक ग्रंथों में से एक है, जिसमें चरक-संहिता, बेहल संहिता -सौत, और बोवर पांडुलिपि के चिकित्सकिय भाग शामिल हैं।”

सुश्रुत सम्हिता में 184 अध्याय हैं जिसमे 1120 बिमारीयों (ब्याधियों) का वर्णन किया गया है इसके साथ ही 700 औषधीय पौधों, 64  खनिज स्रोतों से तैयारी और 57 पशु स्रोतों पर आधारित तैयारी का वर्णन किया गया है!

सुश्रुत संहिता दो भागो मे विभक्त है

प्रथम भाग “पूर्व तंत्र” के नाम से जाना जाता है!  द्रितीय भाग “उत्तरा तंत्र” के नाम से जाना जाता है!

पूर्व तंत्र :- पाँच पुस्तको व 120 अध्यायो मे विभक्त है!

जो निम्नवत है!

1:- निदानस्थान:- व्यधिनिदान विज्ञान के बारे मे पूर्ण जानकारी देती है!

2:- शरीरास्थान:- भ्रूण विज्ञान व् शरीर रचना विज्ञान से संबंधित पूर्ण जानकारी उपलब्ध कराती है!

3:- कल्पस्थान:- आम तौर पर वीज़ा तंत्र के रूप में जाना जाता है जो जहर की प्रकृति के साथ-साथ प्रबंधन का वर्णन करता है।

4:- चिकित्सा स्थान :- विभिन्न सर्जिकल स्थितियों के प्रबंधन के सिद्धांत सहित  प्रसूति आपात स्थिति, जराचिकित्सा और कामोत्तेजक के बारे में बात करता है ।

उत्तरा तंत्र:-The Uttaratantra holds the other four specialties that are

 शल्क्या (Salakya),  कायचिकित्सा(Kayacikitsa), कूमारंभफेफर्त्या (Kaumarabhfefefrtya) and भूतविद्या (Bhutavidya)

The Uttaratantra is entirely known as the (उपद्रविका)Aupadravika (have description of many complications of surgical procedures like “Hiccough, Fever, Krmi-roga, Pandu, Dysentery, Cough, Kamala, etc”.

शल्क्यतंत्र में नाक, कान आँख व शिश से संबंधित विभिन्न प्रकार की बिमारीयों का वर्णन किया गया है , आचार्य सुश्रुत ये पुस्तक भारतीय चिकित्सा में एक नवीन स्थान पर है। इस पुस्तक को आयुर्वेद की नीव भी कहा जाता है। इन्होने की इस पुस्तक में आठ प्रकार के शल्य क्रिया के बारे वर्णन किया है –

छेद्य, भेद्य, लेख्य, वेध्य, ऐष्य, अहार्य, विश्रव्य और सीव्य ।

इस चिकित्सा ग्रन्थ में इन्होने कई उपकरणों का भी वर्णन किया है इन्होने 24 प्रकार के स्वास्तिकों,  2 प्रकार के संदसों,  28 प्रकार की शलाकाओं तथा 20 प्रकार की नाड़ियों का विशेष रूप से विस्तृत वर्णन किया है। शैल्य क्रिया के पूर्व एनेस्थेसिया का प्रयोग सर्वप्रथम महर्षि सुश्रुत ने किया था । इसके साथ साथ इन्होने ये भी बताया है कि शल्यचिकित्सा के पहले रोगी को मदिरापान कराया जाता था, क्योकि आचार्य को इसके विभिन्न गुणों जैसे एंटीसेप्टिक होने का भी पूर्ण ज्ञान था।  आचार्य सुश्रुत की  “सुश्रुत सहिंता” में शरीर सरंचना, कार्य सहिंता, स्त्री रोग,  मनो रोग,  नेत्र एव सर रोग,  औषधि विज्ञानं, शल्य विज्ञानं और विष विज्ञानं का विस्तृत वर्णन है। 

इसमें नाक, कान, होंठो की प्लास्टिक सर्जरी का वर्णन भी किया है।  सफल चिकित्सक बनने के लिए आवश्यक गुणों का बखान करते हुए उन्होंने पुस्तकीय ज्ञान और प्रायोगिक ज्ञान पर बल दिया। आचार्य सुश्रुत (Sushruta) शरीर के किसी भी भाग में मास कट फट जाने,  घाव लग जाने या किसी विकृति के कारण उस अंग को ठीक करने के लिए एक स्थान से चमड़ी निकालकर इसे दूसरे स्थान पर प्रतिस्थापित कर दिया करते थे। हालांकि यह प्रक्रिया आचार्य सुश्रुत से पूर्व भी प्रचलन में थी। लेकिन इस पर प्रभावी रूप से कार्य करने वाले सुश्रुत पहले चिकित्सक थे। आचार्य सुश्रुत (Sushruta) के द्वारा लिखी पुस्तक का कई विदेशी भाषाओ में अनुवाद भी हुआ था। 

अरबी अनुवाद “किताबे सुसतरन” का अरब चिकित्सको ने इसका भरपूर लाभ उठाया था। इरानी चिकित्सा शास्त्री “राजी”  ने आचार्य सुश्रुत के ज्ञान पर आधारित पुस्तक लिखी जिसमे हल्दी एवं लहसुन आदि के गुणों का वर्णन किया गया।धीरे धीरे उनका ज्ञान रूस भी पहुचा और अंग्रेज मात्र 200 वर्ष पूर्व उनके प्लास्टिक सर्जरी को अपने यहाँ ले गये और आगे विकसित किया था। आचार्य द्वारा विकसित शल्यचिकित्सा विधि, पट्टी बाँधने , सिलने आदि की विधिया आज भी उपयोग में आती है। 

नागर्जुन नामक महान चिकित्सा शास्त्री ने ” सुश्रुत सहिंता ” का संपादन कर उसे नया स्वरुप प्रदान किया था।  यह ग्रन्थ आज भी अनुसन्धान का विषय है। इनके द्वारा किये गए इन्ही कार्यों के कारण इन्हें विश्व का प्रथम शल्य चिकित्सक भी कहा जाता है।

श्री आई ए मेनन व श्री एच एफ हैबरमन(Menon IA, Haberman HF (1969)) ने अपनी पुस्तक”Dermatological writings of ancient India”. Med Hist. 13 (4): 387–392 में स्पष्ट किया है कि सुश्रुत संहिता को “चरक संहिता” के बाद संकलित किया गया और कुछ बिंदुवो और उसमे वर्णीत तथ्यो के अलावा दोनो पुस्तको में कई विषयों के समान सिद्धांतों का वर्णन किया गया है! दोनो संहितावों मे एक बड़ा अंतर ये है कि सुश्रुत संहिता जहाँ शैल्य चिकित्सा क्रिया को आधार प्रदान करता है वही “चरक संहिता” मेडिसीन चिकित्सा को आधार प्रदान करता है ।

Meulenbeld 1999, p. 352 (Volume IA)में स्पष्ट व विवछित रूप से माना है कि सुश्रुत संहिता के अनुवाद अरबी भाषा में किया गया जिसे “किताब शाह सून अल हिंदी” या “किताबी सुसुरूद” के नाम से जाना जाता है, जिसे आठवी शताब्दी में बगदाद में रहने वाले बरमकीद नामक परिवार के सदस्यो को निर्देश पर अनुवाद किया गया था!

Charles Burnett (2015), The Cambridge World History, Volume 5, Cambridge University Press,  के अनुसार याह्या ईब्न बार्माक ने विशेष प्रयास किया था अरबी भाषा में श्री वग्भाता द्वारा रचित अष्टांगहृदय संहिता व श्री रवीगुप्ता द्वारा रचित सिद्धाश्रा व सुश्रुत संहिता को अरबी भाषा में अनुवाद करने का!

उपर्युक्त विश्लेषण से ये स्पष्ट है की आई एम् ए (IMA) का ये कहना की “केंद्र सरकार का ये कदम  ‘मिक्सोपैथी’ है तथा आयुर्वेद डॉक्टर्स के सर्जरी करने की काबिलियत पर सवाल उठाना और इस प्रकार भारतीय चिकित्सा प्रणाली के खिलाफ अविश्वास पैदा करना” न केवल संविधान के द्वारा प्रदत्त मौलिक अधिकारों का अतिक्रमण है अपितु अनुच्छेद २१ का घोर उलंघन है!  आयुर्वेदिक चिकित्सको को उन्ही की चिकित्सा प्रणाली से दूर रखना असवैंधानिक है  और ये आई एम् ए (IMA) कौन होता है किसी की योग्यता का मापदंड तय करने वाला ! वैसे सम्पूर्ण विश्व इस तथ्य से अवगत है की कई  मामलो में आयुर्वेद के चिकित्सको के पास एलोपैथिक चिकित्सको से ज्यादा कारगर चिकित्सा होती है अत: आयुर्वेदिक चिकित्सको को पूरा अधिकार है की वो अपनी २५०० वर्ष प्राचीन “शैल्य क्रिया” में पून सिद्धहस्त होकर जनता जनार्दन की सेवा करे!

धन्यवाद
नागेंद्र प्रताप सिंह

Sharad Pawar sees Farm Agitation as an opportunity to discredit Congress further and emerge as the tallest Opposition leader

Ajay Sudame
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Sharad Pawar sees Farm Agitation as an opportunity to discredit Congress further and emerge as the tallest Opposition leader

Sharad Pawar is at it again. Taking U-Turns! These days (since Modi’s advent), he is turning at such great speed, that if looked at from the top, he will resemble a fan, running full speed. Since Modi’s BJP became the dominant party, like most Secular-Socialist politicians, he is under tremendous pressure to protect his turf. On this occasion, it is Modi’s Agricultural reforms that have pushed him to the wall but also given an opportunity to grab the spotlight.

On 4th Dec, when protests against Farm Laws were at their peak, Sharad Pawar remarked that Rahul Gandhi seems to lack consistency and needs to be accepted by the country as a leader. Implying he has been rejected by people and hence cannot lead opposition at this moment. Commenting on Obama’s comment on Rahul, he questioned the propriety of a foreign leader commenting on India’s internal politics. But nowhere did he fault Obama on the merit of the comment. And he did not forget to add, that people have affection towards the Gandhi family. He did not stop here. He advised Rahul and Congress to stop attacking a person (Modi) and come up with an alternate governance model instead.

So, if that forced you to think he is supporting Modi, within 3 days, one day ahead of Bharat Band called by Farmer unions, he turned the heat on Modi. He quipped Government needs to take protests by farmers seriously and provide the resolution. Further, he added, BJP passed these laws without any debate in the parliament and hence must face the consequences. Importantly, he didn’t come even come close to saying that these farm laws should be repealed.

So what is Sharad Pawar trying to say? And to what end? Well, I have been saying this for a while now that he is trying to edge Congress out and lead a formation of third front parties that can challenge Modi. Hence consistent attempts to discredit Rahul Gandhi. Simultaneously, he is trying to create an image of himself that is distinct from Congress. But that faces a big hurdle. Because, though he has left Congress long back, even today he is identified with his old party. Mainly because he has been with Congress for very long, but also because his politics is not very different from that of Congress. 

Hence, these attempts at creating an image of a leader who is Secular yet Nationalist. That’s why you see him supporting Modi once and then attacking him again within a fortnight. Please note, he attacks Modi on Ram Mandir (to please Muslims) but supports him on China (to please Nationalists). Against that, Congress keeps on attacking Modi for everything he does. You see the difference, right? 

Coming to the current topic – Farm Bills. I have mentioned at the beginning that though Pawar is opposing Modi, he is not against the bills as such. You see, he knows, farming as a profession is not sustainable in existing form. With FCI godowns overflowing with Wheat and Paddy (2.5 times of current annual consumption), the Government can not keep on paying the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He knows it needs reforms. During his tenure as Agricultural Minister, he had written to this effect to then Delhi CM Sheila Dixit in 2010 and MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2011.

He was clear then, that the agriculture sector needs well-functioning markets to drive growth, employment, and economic prosperity in rural areas of the country. He added, that this requires huge investments in marketing infrastructure including cold-chain. And for this, private sector participation is essential. Pawar had to run for cover when Shivraj Singh exposed his duplicitous politics in this video. 

Pawar knows two things. One, that Modi is doing what is required. And, Modi is not going to repeal any of the freshly minted laws. This BJP just does not work like that. And that’s where he has sensed an opportunity. Opportunity to break the logjam and seize the leadership of the opposition. And that’s why he is in Delhi. No intention to bore you to death. But take a look at another Pawar video, after he met The President. He is consistently (a rare occasion) saying the same thing. Because there was no discussion, farmers have got angry. But not a word on taking the laws back. 

So, what is that which Sharad Pawar is trying to do? By taking this conciliatory stand, he is trying to occupy that middle ground between BJP and Congress. Just like his stand on issues of National Security and Religion, here too, he is trying to create a new constituency for himself. Now, the thing is, Modi, owing to his larger than life image, and of course, BJP’s brute majority in the Parliament, cannot be seen taking a step back to break this tangle. That will send a wrong message. Congress is so low on credibility, that it won’t able to cut any ice with farmer unions. That’s where Pawar comes in.

He neither has the baggage of Congress nor like BJP a large Far Right, Middle-Class constituency to cater to. Contrary, his vote bank consists of Maratha-Kunbi farmers who want the MSP-APMC arrangement to continue. Post 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, when he supported BJP, it became clear that he has no qualms making partnerships outside ideological realms. Then again, PM Modi visited Baramati and declared that Sharad Pawar is his political Guru. So it’s quite clear that if push comes to shove, both can work together.

Going by the way the number of meetings (6 rounds of negotiations and still counting) has taken place, it’s quite clear that Government is dealing with agitating farmers, with great patience . But, what it won’t do is repeal the laws. That said for how many days more it can allow Delhi to be held ransom by agitators? This is as embarrassing as anti-CAA protests. Even sensible Farmer leaders (not Khalistanis and Anti-CAA lobbyists) would like these protests to end successfully. They surely would like to go back to their followers and show something. And at this moment, Sharad Pawar has all the wherewithal to broker a deal between Government and agitating Farmer Unions. Now that, he is in Delhi, I am hoping a deal is in offing. 

PS: As was about to complete this piece, a ‘NEWS’ was floated by an Ex-Maharashtrian Journalist, who now is a proud resident of Lutyens Delhi, that Sonia Gandhi may appoint Sharad Pawar as the Chairperson of UPA. Now, this is a bluff and there is no chance that this is going to happen. It’s quite clear at whose behest this pseudo Journalist is doing this. But the point mentioned at that top remains!

Destroying the “Swastika” narrative

P.P.Patel
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Destroying the “Swastika” narrative

New York Post on December 9th 2020 publish an article “Anne Frank memorial in Idaho vandalized with Swastika stickers”, the article was related to Anne Frank’s memorial that was vandalized with swastika stickers. Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank was a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish source. One of the most talked about Jewish casualties of the Holocaust who was spared from demise in the Auschwitz gas chambers, and was send to concentration camp in Germany during Hitler’s regime.

This isn’t the lone episode were New York Post revealed the news and utilized “Swastika”, one can discover many of posts under these words. New York Post didn’t want to go top to bottom and discover the underlying foundations of Nazi image, utilized by Nazi’s and anti- Semitists even today.

The underlying foundations of the Nazi Insignia are hundreds of years back in the set of experiences, which a few people around the worldwide intentionally cover up. Right off the bat, it very well may be found in second century artifacts, chapels of Europe, it was additionally utilized with the blend of cross on the graves. Additionally, symbol have been found on curios, for example, coins and ceramics, from the antiquated city of Troy. The insignia was before utilized as a sign for force, and subsequently frequently utilized on guides to demonstrate where you could discover a force plant or such things. The Swedish organization ASEA (ABB) utilized an insignia in its logo until the start of the 1930’s, the point at which this image got a more political significance. In Swedish, an insignia is called hakkors or hook cross, so in any event here it is viewed as a type of a cross. Insignias were utilized air force signs of Finland and of Latvia from their independence following World War I and until the 1940’s.

In certain records these badges are otherwise called gammadion or fylflot, which were utilized to occupy void spaces in glass widows in holy places in medieval period. All things considered, he got a thought of the hooked cross, from the Christian monastery school a youthful Adolf Hitler joined in, Lambach Abbey in Austria his birthplace, had insignias cut on the stone, which he later transformed into Nazi image.

The name error, of emblem is done by James Murphy who interpreted Adolf Hitlers life account “Mein Kampf” (My Struggle) from German to English, where he deciphered “Hakenkreuz” (Hooked Cross) to “Insignia”, nonetheless, Adolf Hitler never referenced “Insignia” in his self-portrayal “Mein Kampf”.

Online education in India- A distant road to travel

divyanshu4226
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Online education in India- A distant road to travel

It is going to be nine months since school has been closed due to coronavirus pandemic. Now student finds online classes the only way to continue their education. But can we say, online education is inclusive to all students? Since most of the population in India resides in village and most of the student studies in government schools. Most of them do not have access to samartphone. According to AESAR  report only 11% children have access to online classes and 21% had acess to recorded video/audio materials. This contain student from both government and private schools. If we talk only about government school this data will again go down. Whatsapp is the most common medium used for sharing learning materials these day by teachers and students.

ASEAR reports says only 61.8% parents have smartphone. What about the student who do not have smartphone?? Most of the children do not have acess to smartphone in the family where there is only one smart phone. But what about books? According to ASEAR report 1 in every five student does not have textbook by September. From the above analysis we can say that online education is not inclusive in India. Government has to  do a lot to make it inclusive. What government is doing? Rajsthan government is providing learning materials to students through its project SMILE (social media interface for learning engagement).

More than 20,000 thousand whatsapp groups has been created in order to send study materials to teachers and students. Video contents of every classes are being uploaded to group at 9 am every morning. The Gujarat government has done a lot to make online education inclusive and maximise its reach. The education department there took an exhaustive device mapping exercise to measure the medium of acess to online education. Regional TV channels in Gujarat are broadcasting tutorials for students of class 3rd to 9th and 11th. Teachers here are engaging students in virtual classes through Microsoft team apps.

Teachers are also facing a lot of technical issues. They are not trained for online education. There are many teachers who complains about technical issue they faced. Teachers are also unhappy with success rate, they complains that only 20 to 25% student are benefiting from online education. Most of them do not have acess to smartphones. The parent of most of the children studying in government school are daily wage labourers. They come to home in evening after work and they also needed entertainment after days hardwork. So in the family where there is  smartphone, it is always occupied by elders.

Cleaner air, better life

raashi123
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Cleaner air, better life

Air pollution is causing irreparable damage to the country’s well-being. On an average, citizens of India have their life expectancy cut short by 5.3 years due to air pollution. In 2017, around 12.4 lakh deaths were recorded due to air pollution in India. 1800 primary schools were closed temporarily due to poor air quality posing a major health hazard. Moreover, the cost of serious health consequences from particulate pollution is estimated at 3 per cent of India’s GDP.

Crop Residue Management Initiative

39 million tonnes of paddy straw is burnt every year in North Western states. Crop Residue Burning, an age-old practice, is not only degrading the environment but also putting a dent in farmers’ return. It negatively impacts the soil health, kills beneficial insects, increases irrigation requirements, and significantly adds on to the already prevalent pollution.

To promote sustainable agricultural practice and mitigate the problem of crop residue burning the goal is to implement the Crop Residue Management Initiative in villages of Punjab and Haryana. Implemented with the support of numerous stakeholders, including Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab Pollution Control Board and Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Government of Punjab the initiative aims to make the adopted villages free from the practice of stubble burning.

These results make a strong case that the problem of stubble burning can be tackled while making the farming more sustainable and economically beneficial to farmers. Based on the findings and learnings of the pilot intervention, GOI gave its recommendations to the PMO recently.

Encouraged by the inspiring response of pilot intervention is expanding the programme in a multi-stakeholder partnership to 76 villages in 2019 across districts of Ludhiana, Barnala, Patiala and Sangrur in Punjab and Rohtak and Fatehabad in Haryana. There has to be active support generated by Farmer Producer Organizations and Farmer Cooperatives. Gradually a multi-pronged approach would prove successful to make the adopted villages free from the practice of stubble burning through field action, behaviour change communication & mass awareness, and research & knowledge management.

Proposed Activities and Methodology

Making Villages Stubble Burning Free

The target stands to be the farmers, and the constant effort in bringing about a behavioural change through community involvement, training, and hand holding, persuading them to adopt better farming practices that are sustainable and environment friendly.

Awareness building is being done by active involvement of local volunteers, social influencers, and change agents. A designated project could further help in providing technological handholding support to farmers by engaging scientists from the Agriculture Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and District Agriculture Offices. Financial support to farmer cooperatives is provided to procure the required farm machines, which will be used by the entire farming community in the adopted villages by paying a nominal rent.

Straw Value Chain Development
R&D on ex situ management of straw and execution of the solutions: Village level exists raw management techniques will be piloted, through involvement of village level entrepreneurs. Lastly generating communication with enterprises (such as start-ups, industry players, etc.) that are working on this issue, and will act as a platform for building their knowledge and capacity and strengthening of this sector.

Research and policy advocacy
Bringing together diverse stakeholders to solve the issue at scale. Engage with Government for policy reforms and recommendations.

 -Raashi Kumar 
 Hindu College Delhi University

Here is what is wrong with the farm bills

vinaykumar
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Here is what is wrong with the farm bills

Since the day the farm bill protests by Punjab farmers began, and more so since the farmers started moving towards Delhi with an intention of obstructing highways that connect Delhi to the nation, I have been wondering “What is wrong with the farm bills, after all?” I am sure I am rather typical of the Indian who watches these protests on TV, and wonders the same thing.

I have literally waded through hours of TV interviews/debates with those political leaders who support the protests in order to understand, in material terms, what is the issue that they have with the farm bills. Something specific, something rational, something that can be articulated.

Finally, I thought of an experiment. I would look into leading national newspapers and see if there are editorial or opinion pieces in them that state the objection to the farm bill clearly. I am a semi-regular reader of the leading newspaper in Punjab—the Tribune—and since the farm protests started in Punjab and even today are disproportionately represented by Punjab, I thought I should look there. Seems reasonable.

I found just what I was looking for. An article with the bold claim: “GLARING FLAWS IN THE FARM LAWS”. “Aha, finally,” I thought, “a rational explanation of what is wrong with these bills that has so many kisans and political players up in arms.” Wonderful. I was finally going to find what I had been looking for.

I went through the article carefully. The article is medium sized, but really only gets to the substance in one large paragraph. I will first reproduce the paragraph in its entirety.

(quoted text begins)
Let us look at the contradiction between inserting the MSP provision in the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and retaining the existing provision of ‘remunerative price’ to be agreed upon by a farmer in a contract with “agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters and large retailers”. If an agri-business entity were to agree to a ‘remunerative price’ with a farmer, such an entity will not allow him under the agreement to sell his/her crop under the MSP provision in the APMC marketing yard. Such an entity will be legally entitled to take a non-compliant farmer through the litigation process. According to the agriculture census of 2015-16, the overwhelming majority of farmers in India — 86 per cent — are marginal (with holdings below one hectare) and small (with holdings between one and two hectares). The remaining 14 per cent are described as semi-medium (2-4 hectares), medium (4-10 hectares), and large holdings of over 10 hectares. Though in Punjab where 33.1 per cent of land holdings are small and marginal and 33.6 per cent are semi-medium, and in Haryana where 68.5 per cent of the holdings are small or medium, the situation appears slightly better than the all-India average one, the overall picture remains one of low bargaining power of marginal and small farmers. Leave aside the marginal and small holders, even the so-called medium and large landholders will not be in a position to match the legal resources of ‘large retailers’ and agro-business entities. Therefore, keeping the provision for the so-called remunerative price negates the purpose of having the MSP in the APMC mandi.
(quoted text ends)

Read the paragraph carefully. It can be paraphrased as follows. If a marginal farmer makes a contract on an agreed remunerative price with a corporate, he then cannot sell his produce at MSP, otherwise the corporate might take him to court for breaking his contract.

But that is ridiculous! The whole idea is that the farmer is now given (by the farm laws) the OPTION of entering into contracts with corporates SHOULD HE CHOOSE TO DO SO. If the farmer wants instead to have nothing to do with corporates, and wishes to sell his produce in APMC mandis at MSP like he does today, the farm laws DO NOT PREVENT HIM. They only provide an ADDITIONAL OPTION that the farmer CAN choose to exercise if he gets a better price from corporates. The government has said yesterday that it is willing to even amend the farm bills so that they guarantee the continuation of the current MSP route for the farmer. Surely two options are better than one. The farmer has the APMC Mandi + MSP option, and now has a second option too.

It is like saying “I like to drink water. If you place a glass of milk alongside my water, I will protest.” No, just drink whatever you like, for heaven’s sake! And remember that there are others who may prefer milk!

This brings me to a rather logical conclusion. Could it be that the only thing wrong with the farm bills is, get this, NOTHING? What else can explain that in spite of trying earnestly for weeks, one is unable to find a single logical reason for the protest. Not one. I, for one, have come to the only conclusion that seems logical in this context: that the farm bills are good, and that the protests against them are motivated not by farmer’s interests, but by other vested interests.

What drives some of the “UK voices” “concerned” about India’s farmers?

vinaykumar
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What drives some of the “UK voices” “concerned” about India’s farmers?

Meet Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi. He is a UK member of parliament from the constituency of Slough. He also happens to be the first turbaned MP in UK (absolutely nothing wrong with that, that is his religious prerogative which we respect).

Now, Slough has two Gurudwaras that led the campaign to elect Mr. Dhesi. It is generally believed that these two Gurudwaras were instrumental in getting Mr. Dhesi elected to the British parliament. One of these is the Gurudwara Guru Singh Sabha of Slough (Southhall). Like several other Gurudwaras, it is dominated by Khalistani elements. Here is a picture of the main sanctum of the Gurudwara. Notice the two Khalistan banners on either side of the central shrine. Very central position given to Khalistan, one would have to admit.

Now, Mr. Dhesi gave a speech to the community at this very site, while these banners were displayed. Regarding the banners, we are told that they have been continuously displayed since 1984! Here is an excerpt from an India Today article on this.

Speaking to India Today, the former president of the gGurdwara, Joginder Singh Bal said, “The banners have been there since 1984. Banners are not a new thing here.”

Furthermore, when India today contacted Mr. Dhesi for comment, he did not offer any refutation or defense, instead simply pointing to a video that shows his opponent also at the same location. Nothing of the form “I do not support the Khalistan movement or its terrorism in Punjab from 1979 to 1993”, but a tacit acceptance that he is quite OK with the movement. Of course that is the public interface: the private mind of such a person is more than likely to be highly pro-Khalistan. Obviously such banners cannot exist in such a prominent place without the approval of leaders of the community, of which Mr. Dhesi is one of the foremost.

So when Mr. Dhesi speaks in his best crocodile voice about the “water cannons being fired on peaceful protestors”, one has to question his true motives. Is it just another opportunity to malign India? How about the firing of water cannons this week by the TMC government of Bengal on BJP protestors, and the firing of a shotgun resulting the death of a worker (see picture of headline from India Today)? No crocodile tears this time, Mr. Dhesi? Why? Because the victims this time were the much hated Hindus? The truth is plain: it is your hatred for India and Hindus that drives your crocodile tears on highly selective ocassions. The truth is you have neither any knowledge nor concern about India or its farmers.

Understanding the mind behind the “farmers’ protest”

vinaykumar
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Understanding the mind behind the “farmers’ protest”

The farmer’s protests started in Punjab a few months ago, and focused on one issue: the absence of a written guarantee that the Government of India (GoI), through its arm the Food Corporation of India (FCI) would continue to procure large amounts of wheat and paddy from the farmers of Punjab at a Minimum Support Price (MSP), which incidentally happens to be significantly above the global price for these crops.

Two days back, the government, after multiple stages of dialogues with farmers, offered not only what the farmers had asked for—a written guarantee of continuation of MSP—but more in terms of same-rate taxation for APMCs and the free-market mandis. Not only that, the government had clearly indicated that it will be willing to engage even further in talks with farmers. It could have been understood if the government had said “here is what you asked for, we have given it, now no more” but they went a step further.

Yet, within hours, the top 5 farmer leaders, led by their intellectual head Darshan Pal, had rejected the generous government proposals. In return, they promised to “intensify their stir” to paralyze life across the country, gherao BJP legistlators, block specific national highways, and more.

One is left only to wonder why? Why did the farmer’s not accept the government’s proposal which gave them what they had asked for over 3 months now?

In order to understand this, let us peep into the mind of the man who took the microphone first (see photo) and announced to the nation that the farmer’s leaders would reject the government demands. That man is Darshan Pal.

Darshan Pal is a founding member of the Maoist organization People’s Democratic Front of India (PDFI), and OpIndia has already produced an article on this dubious association. In this article, I shall go deeper into the thinking of Darshan Pal, and investigate his ideology more wholistically. What drives this man’s world view, what makes him act the way that he does?

Now, Darshan Pal is a fairly well known person in the leftist discourse that focusses on developing economies such as India, and especially on its agriculture. I will use his own words, without any modification, to describe him. I have taken his words from the draft minutes of the IWC of the World Social Forum held at New Delhi in 9-13 November, 2006.

In his own words, we will see a man who is viscerally opposed to free markets, to capitalism. But that is not all, we will see a man who views Islamist terror as a legitimate “struggle”.

Let us begin. First, Mr. Pal says the usual expected from a hardcore Marx-leftist: that the world is a continuous series of “class struggles”. This is, of course, the sine qua non of Marxism and Communism.

Interlocutor: “What form of struggle?” What do you mean by the term “struggle”?

Darshan Pal: For me struggle is philosophical and practical. When two opposites interact there is always struggle.

For me, struggle is an instrument through which a new thing, at a high level of development, is evolved. For example, in a society, we are struggling to exploit nature. There is a struggle between human beings and nature. In a society there is struggle between different classes also. Out of this struggle new concepts, and new formations come.

I think struggle is an essential part of nature. It is an essential part of society also.

Next, he makes clear that his world view has no room, zero tolerance for the idea that free markets and capitalism can actually be beneficial in creating and spreading wealth, as indeed they have been in every single developed economy of the world. Mr. Darshan Pal of course, differs.

Darshan Pal: How can you humanise that capitalism? Capitalism is based on exploitation, discrimination and oppression. You can’t give a human face to exploitation. Next, he makes clear that he views the war on Islamist terror through the same lens. When asked whether this war is deligitimizing struggle, his reply is revealing.

Interlocutor: Clearly monopoly capital is not going to fold without a struggle, yet the world is awash with the discourse of the war on terror, where forcible struggle is significantly delegitimised. How do you feel about this?

Darshan Pal: When people who are struggling against their enemies — the enemy may be a landlord, a
capitalist, the system, or an oppressor — they start first with a very mild struggle. If they get what they need with mild struggle they have no need to resort to other forms.

In a society, a class or a section of people, a nation, or a country, or an individual, is forced into harsher forms of struggle by the system itself. They ask for something and they don’t get it. They demand it; they don’t get it. Then they snatch it.

Interlocutor: So forcible struggle can be legitimate?

Darshan Pal: When no other alternative remains.

Interlocutor: So the resort to armed struggle is less an expression of fanaticism as an indication of the closure of the system?

(notice the direct attempt to delink Islamic terror to fanatical beliefs, and attribute it to a more humane and rational response)

Pal: Human beings go to that extent only when they are compelled. For example, the Iraqi people:
what is the alternative in front of the Iraqi people? They can’t pray for freedom.

For the Palestinian people, pushed out of their own land? Sometimes these repressed, exploited people when they can’t fight for their lives in the framework of law or constitutions, adopt unconstitutional ways, of which armed struggle is one way.

Note that he does not give an example of another people who have been “pushed out of their own land” (using his exact words) far closer to him—the Kashmiri Hindus. Like all Indian leftists they seem to lose memory when it comes to Hindu victims of oppression and persectuion. Or maybe they do it deliberately since it pokes a hole in their narrative of Islamist terror being a form of “justified struggle against oppression.” In Kashmir for sure we cannot say that the helpless Kashmiri Hindu minority was driven out due to some form of “justified struggle.” Instead, it was religious hatred, pure and simple.

In summary, Darshan Pal offers nothing surprising: he is a dyed in the wool communist. His views could be read straight out of the writings of Marx. The world has changed a lot since Marx, and global communism has died a natural death. But nothing has changed for the likes of Darshan Pal.

I appeal to Indian farmers: is this the kind of man you want to lead your protests? If there are genuine concerns that you have, the government has shown time and again that it is willing to talk, in the manner expected of the world’s largest democracy. Talk to the government, and resolve all matters to mutual satisfaction. However, changing the goalpost each time the government agrees to your previous demand, and making more menacing threats do not behoove the Indian Kisan. Also note that your movement is being used by anti-India forces, such as Khalistanis and the Left-Islamist bloc. Is that agreeable to you? One should hope not.

3 reasons why I am not a secular anymore

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3 reasons why I am not a secular anymore

It’s the end of 2020 and the end of my tolerance as well, for all the intolerance directed towards my identity of being a Hindu. Like Advocate J Sai Deepak once mentioned in a Q&A session that “Tolerance of intolerance is feeding intolerance.” I also stopped myself from feeding intolerance. It was hard at first to shed off all the lies which perhaps made me who I am today but, it was a dead weight that I was carrying for too long just for the sake of blending in with the people I thought were the ones who’ll sing Saathi hath badana when the time comes for welcoming Ram Lalla. Little did I knew about their progressive thinking which, included cracking jokes about how I should convert to Islam on my preference of eating chicken. I had a joke on my mind as well at that moment but, I refrained from cracking it because clearly, I was the only one tolerant in the room. All of this made me question what even is this secularism that we’re taught.

I was introduced to the Liberal ideology through the LPG chapter which, was taught in our school and the responsibility of being a secular person commenced from childhood because “Ishwar Allah Tero Naam” was chanted almost everywhere (obviously except few places). Remember how in every Bollywood movie or in almost every song by them, we would be given immense knowledge about Hindu-Muslim unity. Thanks to them, I actually believed them without even realizing their ulterior motives. But what happened in the past few years changed my entire perspective towards everything and, I came to realize how even our friends may not be as secular as we are. 

So what made me question the word secular was all those real-life events of grooming jihad I witnessed. Moreover, a single moment left me confused about the secular nature of my peers as well. Let me give you the reasons of my Intolerance towards the secular word:

  1. 1. Grooming Jihad

Let me tell you a short and a real story of a girl and a guy in love. The girl was a Brahmin. The boy was a Muslim. They met each other in college, and the girl was swept off her feet by that gentleman. She was the best girlfriend in the world because she never lied to her boyfriend and always told him everything about the day. In short, she was Preeti to Kabir Singh except, Kabir didn’t have ulterior motives and, this guy did.

I met this couple through my friends, and I was shocked to hear what the girl had to say. She told me how controlling her bf was and how suffocated she feels with him. Then she told me that she attempted suicide because he cheated on her, but she failed to end her life. I still remember the look on her face was absolutely blank while telling me this. It seemed to like she was lost in an abyss. She went on and on about sick she was of him, so I told her the only sensible thing to do is to end all ties with any toxic individual. After this conversation, her bf arrived, and we went out for lunch, six of us together ( one couple and 4 people among which 2 were Muslim girls ). I ordered a chicken burger, and the guy did the same and didn’t even bother asking his GF, So I did. I asked her what she wanted to eat. To this, the guy replied, she’ll take what I’m ordering, but the girl didn’t utter a word. She was completely silent.

So I asked her if she would be comfortable eating a non-veg item and, to this also, her bf replied. He told me, “She will eat chicken.” After this, the girl came to her senses and said, “I am a brahmin, and I don’t eat non-veg.” But the guy wasn’t going to back down. So he told her that she’s a Muslim because she’s with him and then asked her to recite a few phrases. During all of this madness, I looked at my M friend and asked her what he is doing. To which she said, he’s reciting something for converting non-Muslims to Muslims. While I was processing, the girl willingly recited those phrases, and even after that, I didn’t believe what just happened. I was shocked to see all of this. Firstly, I don’t know if there is an actual thing like this to Convert kafirs into a practicing Muslim. Secondly, how can a person be a parrot-like that girl? After this whole Bollywood drama, I stood up, didn’t even wait for my order, and left without even looking back. The very next day, my friend called me up and told me that the same guy was breaking up with his GF and blaming me for this. my only mistake was I told the girl to cut ties and how he could not handle such a girl who questions her guy.

This incident is still fresh in my memory, and when debates about grooming jihad happen anywhere, the first example I think of is this only.

2. Magic of Radical left.

Isn’t social media the best thing ever created? Yes and No. Yes, because you stay connected with your seniors, juniors, or your batchmates from school. We always have a place in our hearts for our school friends, no matter how incompatible you are with one another.

Our seniors influence us in a way no one can. But the ones who are negatively impacting society needs to be called out. I had a senior in school who went to Jamia Milia Islamia to study. And he changed a lot to an extent where he would support the tukde-tukde gang and bash the Hindu identity in every way possible. I forgot to mention that he’s a Hindu. I never knew the power of the radicals. He was an artist but uski shaktiyon ka galat istemaal Hua. 

He went on to participate in the Anti- CAA protests and even against scrapping of Article 370. I knew where he must’ve been trained for all of this, and I don’t think I ever want to go to that place. The more my friends leaned towards the left, the more I questioned myself on my own stance. 

3. Joke’s on you

If you think you can joke about some asmani kitaab, then you’re morally corrupt, and maybe you’ll get beheaded. Oh! that has already happened. But if you take a joke on how you, a Hindu, should get themselves converted because that’s the new definition of cool, then only you’ll be considered sarcastic or Liberal. Because according to some self-proclaimed scholars, that is who a liberal is, a person without any roots.

It wasn’t a while ago that a former friend of mine cracked a joke of some sort in front of me, he told me, “Bhai, itna chicken khata hi hai, musalman hi bann ja.” Tu pig khale barabar ho jaega. I didn’t say this. I want to live. 

The moral of the story is – no matter what you do, how much you tolerate this nonsense, at the end of the day, you’ll be ridiculed based on your identity.

There are incidents similar to the ones mentioned above, but what do I know about the liberal values. Maybe I overthink about what the media is feeding us but shouldn’t we be a bit concerned about what some people, in the name of Bhaichara, feeding us?

Why is it that we wake up one day and find ourselves in a Dharamsankat whether to choose the chalta hai attitude and be accepted or support the truth and ekla Chalo re?

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