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How Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, defended heinous killers and slandered victims of the Godhra carnage

GujaratRiots.com
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How Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, defended heinous killers and slandered victims of the Godhra carnage

The 2020 Delhi riots saw many killings of Hindus and attacks on Hindus. Muslims too were killed in the riots. But, as expected, the Leftists tried their best to whitewash the fanaticism of Muslims, downplay or deny the attacks on Hindus, and tried to project the riots as a ‘genocide’ of Muslims. NDTV went to the extent of trying to deny that the man who fired 8 rounds and showed a pistol to a Police constable was named Shahrukh, and instead tried to call him as ‘Anurag Mishra’. Leftist propaganda outlets like The Wire, Scroll, etc. tried their best to similarly deny or downplay the attacks on Hindus by Muslims.

Nothing surprising. On 27 February 2002, a mob of 2000 Muslims burnt to coal 59 Hindus, including 25 women and 15 children in Godhra at the densely Muslim populated Signal Falia area at 7:48 am. This event was as clear as anything could be, it was a well-planned attack which partially failed since the train was 4 hours late. Even such a horrific massacre of people including children (including babies and toddlers) was not enough to melt the heart of the ‘seculars’ who tried to blame the dead victims & defend the heinous killers. Vir Sanghvi was one man whose conscience was troubled due to that. He wrote in his article “One way ticket” immediately after Godhra (even before any riots had taken place):

“Some versions have it that the kar sewaks shouted anti-Muslim slogans; others that they taunted and harassed Muslim passengers…Basically, they condemn the crime; but blame the victims…Why have we de-humanised them [the dead kar sewaks] to the extent that we don’t even see the incident as the human tragedy that it undoubtedly was and treat it as just another consequence of the VHP’s fundamentalist policies? The answer, I suspect, is that we are programmed to see Hindu-Muslim relations in simplistic terms: Hindus provoke, Muslims suffer. When this formula does not work – it is clear now that a well-armed Muslim mob murdered unarmed Hindus – we simply do not know how to cope. We shy away from the truth – that some Muslims committed an act that is indefensible – and resort to blaming the victims…Not only does this insult the dead (What about the children? Did they also have it coming?), but it also insults the intelligence of the reader…There is one question we need to ask ourselves: have we become such prisoners of our own rhetoric that even a horrific massacre becomes nothing more than an occasion for Sangh Parivar-bashing?”

The above words by Vir Sanghvi show precisely how the Leftists will never blame Muslims for anything since their minds simply cannot see Muslims as anything but victims. Therefore, in case of the Delhi 2020 riots, they will blame Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma, BJP, anyone they can, but not those who actually brutally killed police officers Ratan Lal and Ankit Sharma.

Of course, there were convictions of 31 Muslims for Godhra on 22 Feb 2011 by the trial court (giving death to only 11 & life imprisonment to 20) and convictions of all 31 upheld by the Gujarat High Court in October 2017, reducing the penalty to life imprisonment for everyone. Even before that, it was plain common sense that Muslims burnt the train, on the basis of statements of witnesses and survivors, to anyone with an iota of intellectual honesty. There was a Judicial confession by an accused in February 2003, in which he admitted that Godhra was a well-planned attack, and he had himself taken part in it. A judicial confession is a conclusive proof. Though he later retracted his confession in August 2003, his judicial confession before a judge in court in February 2003 removes all possible doubts anyone can ever have about Godhra.

The Times of India reported on 7 February 2003 – “Zabir Bin Yamin Behra has given the Godhra carnage case a new twist and stunned everyone by accusing Maulana Hussain Umarji of hatching the conspiracy. He has also confessed his own involvement in the case…Besides having a hand in the burning of the coach, Behra confessed to removing ornaments and valuables of passengers, when the mob attacked the train.”

In this report, The Times of India forgot to mention that this confession was to court, i.e. a judicial confession, which it mentioned in another report. He also confessed to looting ornaments and valuables of the passengers before burning the train, thereby proving the testimony of 16-year old Gayatri Panchal who survived the attack and said exactly the same, as correct.

This judicial confession was a conclusive proof, which should have been mentioned repeatedly by the media post February 2003 whenever reporting on Godhra.

When they could not blame Muslims for such a clear & horrific, heinous act like Godhra, will they ever blame Muslims for other incidents which are not so clear, like riots in Delhi? To understand the reality of The Wire, let us see what its founder editor Siddharth Varadarajan wrote on Godhra.

He implied in August 2004 that the post-Godhra riots would have happened even without Godhra! He wrote:

“Far from being a spontaneous mass reaction to the attack on the Sabarmati Express at Godhra the day before in which 58 Hindu passengers died, the killings across most of Gujarat seemed scripted. So well chosen were the targets that it is almost as if there was already in place a plan to do something dramatic as part of the ongoing Ayodhya agitation, probably in order to polarise the state on communal lines in the run-up to state elections that the BJP might have had some difficulty winning on the basis of its actual performance.

If Godhra hadn’t happened, would it have been necessary to invent it? I don’t know, but the Godhra incident itself is so shrouded in mystery that it is almost as if the official narrative which emerged within minutes and hours of the train being consumed by fire is an invented one, conveniently conjured up to provide the “rationale” for the pogrom which had simultaneously been ordained.”

To what extent can one go? Denying the bitter truth that Muslims roasted the train in Godhra, and implying that maybe post-Godhra would have happened even without Godhra! And calling the riots a ‘pogrom’ ignoring attacks on and killings of Hindus completely!

This was not the first time that Varadarajan did so, he wrote a similar article on 22 August 2004 in The Hindu. In that he said:

“When the Gujarat police arrested former tea vendor Usman Abdul Gani “Coffeewala” earlier this month, the Special Investigating Team probing the incident in which 58 persons were killed outside the Godhra station two years ago, described him, rather predictably, as a “key accused” in the case. For the record, Coffeewala is now the 18th “key accused” in the case, allegedly a crucial part of the improbably large “inner circle” that hatched a “jihadi conspiracy” to kill activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad a few days before the Sabarmati Express pulled into Godhra on the morning of February 27, 2002….For the Sangh Parivar, Godhra is where it all began — the spark that lit the fire which ended up taking the lives of as many as 2,000 Muslims.

…Two years on, the police cannot offer a credible account of how coach S-6 caught fire. They are clueless about what flammable substance caused the death and destruction that morning. And their description of the events simply does not square with the evidence that is accumulating before the Nanavati Commission of Inquiry.

Indeed the deliberate politicisation of the incident has led to the sacrificing of conventional investigative techniques.

Questions and leads raised by forensic evidence (that the flammable liquid could not have been thrown in from outside, for instance) and eyewitness testimonies are being ignored.

Is this just in case the investigation ends up deviating too much from the official script?

Which is of a “conspiracy” that was “pre-planned” to such an extent that three days before the Sabarmati Express left Faizabad, Maulana Umerji was able to divine that the ticketless kar sevaks would be boarding S-6 and no other coach.

…Based on eyewitness testimony, what is indisputable is that a mob consisting of residents from the nearby Muslim locality of Signal Falia, as well as individuals who might have run after the train from the station, stoned S-6. Several passengers also testified that burning rags were flung at the coach.

…If the eyewitness testimony is correct and no one from the mob boarded the train to pour petrol or any other flammable liquid, how did the fire start? Could the burning rags have ignited the fire, a possibility that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report discounts? And what accounts for the thick, black, acrid smoke which many S-6 passengers remember more than the fire? Is there a design flaw in the construction of Indian railcars that makes them fire prone? Was some flammable material already present in the coach, like gas or kerosene, which caught fire inadvertently? Was there an agent provocateur on board bent on causing maximum damage?

Instead of asking these questions, the SIT is insisting on going ahead with its conspiracy theory. Even if a POTA court convicts many of those accused — on the basis of confessions by approvers such as Zabir bin Yamin Behra — of taking part in the attack on S-6, if not being part of the “jihadi conspiracy,” the overall evidence is so contradictory that these convictions are likely to get vacated on appeal.”

Thus he refused to blame Muslims for Godhra and said: “Two years on, the police cannot offer a credible account of how coach S-6 caught fire” as if that is was unknown, while it was clear that Muslims set it afire, and he insulted the dead karsewaks by calling them as ‘ticketless travellers’.

Besides, he lied that 2000 Muslims were killed in the post-Godhra riots, exaggerating the numbers to more than double, and as if no Hindu was killed while more than 250 Hindus also died even after Godhra. See the desperate mental gymnastics tried to be played by Varadarajan here, to somehow refuse to accept that Muslims burnt the train. The police of course offer a credible account of how coach S-6 caught fire-Muslims poured petrol in the coach and then set it afire & surrounded the train from all sides to prevent the Ram sewaks from escaping. The only one who cannot offer a credible account of how the coach caught fire is Varadarajan, who simply cannot accept that Muslims burnt the train, though he accepts that they stoned the train.

In January 2005, the Banerjee Committee appointed by Lalu Yadav gave its interim report on Godhra, and as expected whitewashed the heinous crime of Muslims by resorting to malicious lies, calling it an ‘accident’ without explaining why the Ram sewaks did not run out of the train if the fire was accidental, if there was no mob of Muslims surrounding the train. This Lalu appointed committee’s report was used by Lalu in the Bihar Assembly elections in January-February 2005. Lalu Yadav and his party RJD went to an extent to which even U C Banerjee did not go. He campaigned in Bihar in public rallies saying “BJP-RSS men burnt 59 to coal in Godhra, accused Muslims of doing so.” (Of course, karma hit Lalu, and he could never win Bihar again after that. In 2015 he won with JD(U) support, but that government lasted only 1 and half years, and his party could not get the Chief Minister’s post, which went to Nitish Kumar.)

Lalu realized the backfiring of his whitewashing the Godhra carnage, and hence kept quiet when the final report of the Banerjee Committee came in 2006. (“Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has this time around refused to comment, saying he would make his comment only after studying the report”- Outlook in March 2006) At that time, the whole UPA backed Lalu, after this report of Banerjee, CPI (M) leader H S Surjeet openly said that this shows that Muslims did not burn the train in Godhra, etc. The Congress Party fully supported Banerjee’s report.

Lalu did so in a heinous crime like Godhra, and Lalu is a media hero even today, there is and was no outrage in any of the ‘seculars’ for Lalu doing this. In fact, there was only relief and gratitude to Lalu for having whitewashed the heinous crime of Muslims. Papers like The Tribune and journalists like Khushwant Singh supported the claim of U C Banerjee and said it was an accident.

After the release of the Banerjee report on 17 January 2005, on 23 Jan 2005 Siddharth Varadarajan wrote in The Hindu:

“Nevertheless, the burden of evidence gathered so far definitely does not seem to support the pre-planned conspiracy theory of the police. Mr. Justice Banerjee and the Hazards Centre experts aver that the fire was most likely caused by an accident, though there is no doubting the fact that coach S-6 was stoned by an angry mob.

That there was an accidental fire at the same time an angry mob was throwing stones from outside might seem like something of a coincidence. Perhaps it was the panic induced by the stoning which made an accident more likely — a half-smoked cigarette thrown down carelessly, a stove used for making tea not turned off properly.

By now all narratives agree that a fracas broke out on the platform between aggressive karsevaks and Muslim vendors. A Muslim girl was molested by them.”

Siddharth Varadarajan, thus, again refused to blame Muslims for Godhra despite knowing fully well that it could not have been anything but pre-planned. He again slandered the dead karsewaks by alleging that they ‘molested a Muslim girl’, and ignored completely that 15 children and 25 women were among the killed people, including babies and toddlers. Varadarajan further lied that there could have been a stove used for making tea which could have set the fire. This is nonsense and third-class lies. The coach was so crowded that there was no space for any cooking. This was mentioned by survivors. Outlook reported in March 2006 when the final report of the Banerjee committee came:

“…Gayatri Panchal, a resident of Ahmedabad, who survived the incident on February 27, 2002, but lost both her parents in her reaction to the report has said, “The report of the Banerjee Commission is absolutely wrong. I have seen everything with my own eyes and barely escaped myself but lost both my parents.”

Panchal, who has three sisters, said the Banerjee Commission report was not correct as the fire could not have been accidental as no one was cooking in the S-6 coach and it was packed with passengers.“Mobs pelted stones at the coach for long and then threw in burning rags and also poured some inflammable material so that the coach was on fire. I will maintain the same wherever I am called to depose on the matter,” Panchal said.”

This was not the first time that Varadarajan did so, he wrote similar articles in August 2004 in The Hindu and in Outlook. Want to know what Varadarajan reported on the actual days of the violence?

In the 1st  March 2002 issue of The Times of India,  Siddharth Varadarajan wrote,

“While official enquiry will establish the extent to which the attack on the Sabarmati Express was pre-meditated, there can be no doubt about the planned nature of the violence directed against Gujarat’s Muslims on Thursday (28th February)”.

See how much he lies. While it is obvious to anyone with any common sense and intellectual honesty that the Godhra carnage was a well-planned one, with petrol bought in cans one night before, the mob was ready and waiting, Varadarajan says  that it is “official enquiry” which will decide whether the attack on karsevaks was pre-meditated or not. But when it comes to violent reaction of Hindus on 28th February, he takes it in his own hands to pass a judgment that the attacks by the Hindus on Gujarat’s Muslims were “pre-planned” in nature. Obviously, what had been a heinous well-planned crime (of Godhra) was not called a ‘planned’ one, while what had been a clear spontaneous reaction was condemned as a ‘pre-planned’ one. Because their minds can only think: “Hindus provoke, Muslims suffer.”

This news report was carried just two days after the Godhra carnage. The gruesome murders of the karsevaks is mentioned only once in the 450-plus word report and rest of the report is full of gory descriptions of how the Muslims are being brutally killed in the aftermath.

It is very necessary to bring out these writings of these self-styled secularists, so that people can see through their game of whitewashing Muslim fanaticism in the Delhi 2020 riots now. The Godhra carnage is the biggest evidence of the heartless inhumanity of these Leftists, their support to heinous killers, blaming of innocent victims including babies and toddlers, resorting to all sorts of mental gymnastics and outrageous lies to defend the indefensible. Once their acts on the Godhra carnage are understood, all their lies on whitewashing of Muslim fanaticism can be understood easily, not just on 2020 Delhi riots, but in all other cases, such as 1921 Moplah riots, 1946 Direct Action Day killings, 1971 East Pakistan genocide, 1990 Kashmir ethnic cleansing of Pandits, 1990 Hyderabad riots, 1993 Mumbai riots, 2002 Solapur riots, etc.

साम्यवाद – लोकतंत्र और राष्ट्रीय अखंडता के लिए खतरा

Vidhan Rajpurohit
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साम्यवाद – लोकतंत्र और राष्ट्रीय अखंडता के लिए खतरा

साम्यवाद का मानना है कि जिस व्यक्ति/समुह के पास उत्पादन का अवसर होता है वह व्यक्ति/समुह दूसरे व्यक्ति या समूह (अर्थात मजदूर या ऐसा जो किसी भी उत्पादन का स्वामी नहीं है) को अपने अधीन कर उसकी जीवन रचना का निर्धारक बन जाता है तथा शोषण कि शुरवात करता है। शोषण के फल स्वरूप वह समूह जिसे उत्पादन का अवसर मिला है वह उसे अधिकार मान कर उत्पादन पर एकाधिकार प्राप्त कर लेता है, जिस कारण पूंजी उसी के पाले में आ जाती है। सत्ता और सरकरे भी उनके अधीन हो जाती है और वह एक समुह सर्व शक्तिमान बन जाता है। अपने वैभव से अर्जित भोग विलास से वह प्रकृति पर विजय की लालसा लिए शोषण के दाता बन जाते है तथा दूसरा वर्ग सर्वहारा बन जाता है।

ऐसी परिस्थिति को रोकने के लिए साम्यवादीओं ने उत्पादन तथा अर्जित पूंजी पर मजदूर तथा उत्पादक के समान अधिकार की बात कही। समानता के अधिकार पर साम्यवादी गूठों ने सर्वहारा वर्ग तथा पूंजीवादी वर्ग के बीच एक संघर्ष की शुरवात की। इस संघर्ष में सम्यवादियों को कई यूरोपीय भु-भागो में सफलता मिली। परन्तु जब उत्पादान के क्षेत्र में समानता का अधिकार देने का प्रयास हुआ तो विषय उठा कि यदि उत्पादन का स्वामी कोई एक वर्ग विशेष हुआ तो परिस्थिति पूंजीवाद को ही जन्म देगी इससे उभरने के लिए उत्पादन के क्षेत्रों में संपत्ति का स्वामित्व समाज को देने का भाव भी जगा और इस भाव को साक्षात रूप देने हेतु तथा जमीनी स्तर पर इसकी पालन करने हेतु आर्थिक उत्पादन तथा सामाजिक रचना के अधिकार चुनी गई सरकार को देना निश्चित हुआ।

परिस्थिति को नियंत्रण में रखने हेतु तथा पूंजीवाद की संभावनाओं का नाश करने हेतु सरकारों को सद्रुड करना आवश्यक था। वहीं कोई दूसरा पक्ष अपने आर्थिक, सामाजिक विचारो से राष्ट्रीय में कोई नया राजनेतिक आंदोलन न खड़ा करे इस बात का बोध भी सरकार को रखना था। इन सभी संभावनाओं को साधने हेतु राष्ट्र की समस्त इकाइयों पर सरकार का पहरा तथा दबाव आवश्यक होगया फल स्वरूप सरकारों को अनंत अधिकारियों से विभूषित कर राष्ट्र की समस्त शक्ति का केंद्र बना दिया गया।

मानव की प्राकृतिक प्रवृत्ति अनंत का विचार करने की है तथा उस तक पहुंचने का मार्ग बनाने की है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में उसे कई बंधनों से मुक्त हो कर स्वतंत्र प्रयास करने की आवश्यकता होती ही है। यह रीति आर्थिक, धार्मिक, राजनीतिक सभी विषयों में उपयोगी है। परन्तु साम्यवाद में स्वतंत्र प्रयास को संदेह की दृष्टि से ही देखा जाएगा क्योंकी साम्यवादियों का जन्म ही संघर्ष से हुआ है, जिसमें उन्होंने सदा से स्वतंत्र आर्थिक उत्पादकों तथा धार्मिक चिंतकों को अपना क्षत्रु माना है। तथाकथित अप्राकृतिक समानता का अधिकार देने हेतु मानव से उसकी प्राकृतिक स्वतंत्रता ही छीन ली गई। जहा की रीत नीत प्राकृतिक स्वतंत्रता का हनन करे वहा न्याय पालिका को भी स्वतंत्र नहीं रखा जा सकता क्योंकी स्वतंत्र न्याय व्यवस्था में तर्क की संभावना होती है और प्राकृतिक न्याय दर्शन ही मानवीय तर्क का जनक होते है। ऐसी परिस्थिति को साधने हेतु न्याय प्रणाली को भी सरकारी तंत्र के अधीन रखना पड़ा।

साम्यवाद में प्रतिएक मानव को संदेह की दृष्टि से देखने की प्रवृत्ति के कारण राजकीय तंत्र (सरकारी अफसर, प्रशाशन, सेना) सकती से काम करे यह भी जरूरी हो गया जिस कारण इन्हें भी सरकारी जोर के अंतर गत कार्य करवाना जरूरी था।

संघर्ष ही जनक होने के कारण साम्यवाद में असंतोष होना निश्चित था, परन्तु असंतोष पूर्ण राष्ट्र की अखंडता को आहत न करे तथा प्रजा का सरकार के विरूद्ध मोर्चा न खड़ा हो इस कारणवर्ष संचार के सभी माध्यमों (पत्रकार, स्वतंत्र लेखक, सोशल मीडिया, इंटरनेट) को सरकार की गिरफ्त में रखा गया।

इस प्रकार लोकतंत्र के समस्त स्तंभों को सरकार के अधीन कर दिया गया। परन्तु ऐसा करते समय यह भुला दिया गया कि सरकार का नियंत्रण करने वाला भी एक मानव ही होगा। सरकारों को अनंत शक्तियों से शोभित करने पर शोभा नियंत्रक की ही बढ़ेगी। एक राष्ट्र की समस्त शक्तियों को एक व्यक्ति को प्रदान करने पर संपूर्ण राष्ट्र का भविष्य एक व्यक्ति की बौद्धिक क्षमता पर केन्द्रित हो जाता है। जब कोई व्यक्ति अनंत शक्ति से विभूषित हो तो वह अमर्यादित हो जाता है। मर्यादा की अनुपस्थिति में नेतिक्ता का रहना मुश्किल हो जाता है। जब सत्ता पर विराजमान व्यक्ति अनेतिक हो तो ऐसी परिस्थिति में लोकतंत्र जीवित नहीं रह सकता। समानता के आधार पर पोषित साम्यवाद ने संघर्ष के मार्ग पर चलते हुए लोकतंत्र की ही हत्या कर दी। राष्ट्र की समस्त शक्ति की धुरी पूंजीवादीयों से हट कर सत्ता में विराजित व्यक्तियों के पास आगई। इसका जीवंत उदाहरण आज का चीन तथा रूस हो गया है। वहा सत्ता से अर्जित शक्ति एक ही पाले में वास करती है तथा लोकतंत्र नाम मात्र रह गया है।

अब प्रश्न यह है कि इस परिस्थिति से बचने का उपाय क्या है?

भारतीय सनातन धर्म में योग और ध्यान को विशेष महत्व है। इसी कारण यहां की संस्कृति में सदा से प्रकृति का दर्शन कर उससे संपर्क साधने की रीत है। यहां मानव ने सदा से देखा है कि किस प्रकार प्रकृति के कई अंश समान परिस्थिति में नहीं है। दो भु-भागो का वातावरण अलग है। जो वृक्ष जंगलों में उगता हो उसकी कल्पना रेगिस्तान में नहीं हो सकती जो रुद्राक्ष हिमालय की कंदराओं में उगे वह चाहे जितना भी पवित्र हो वह अन्य विपरीत प्रकृति में नहीं पल सकता। प्रकृति का प्रतीएक अंश की अपनी विशेषता है, अपना रूप है, अपनी अलग प्रकृति है तथा भु-भाग बदलने के साथ ही अपना अलग मूल्य है। अतः समानता के आधार पर प्रकृति के किसी भी अंश को दूसरे स्थान पर पोषित करना उसकी अपनी विशेषता तथा प्रारूप के साथ अन्याय है। उसी प्रकार समानता के नाम पर सभी भु-भागो की प्रकृति भी एक सी नहीं की जा सकती। परन्तु असमान होने के उपरांत भी उनमें एक एकात्मता है। प्रकृति का प्रतिएक अंश दूसरे से एकात्म भाव से जुड़ कर एक दूसरे को पूर्ण करता है। रात्रि दिन को, एक ऋतु दूसरी ऋतु को।

मानव तथा वृक्षों के लिए प्राण वायु अलग है, परन्तु मानव वृक्षों के तथा वृक्ष मानवों के जरूरत कि वायु के कारक बन एक दूसरे को पूर्ण करते है। उसी प्रकार अनंत काल से चली आ रही मानव सभ्यता में भी अपनी प्रकृति के फल स्वरूप कई वंशो ने अपने पुरुषार्थ से अपने जीवन योग्य भौतिक वैभव अर्जित किए है। राजाओं ने राज्य अर्जित किया, किसानों ने धन, गुरु ने ज्ञान तो श्रमिको ने कला। अब इन गुणों को असमान बताकर उनसे छीन लेना एक व्यक्ति के पुरुषार्थ तथा स्वतंत्रता कि अवहेलना है। यह सभी समान नहीं है, इनके प्राकृतिक गुण अलग है फल स्वरूप अर्जित वैभव का प्रारूप भी अलग होगा, तथा इनहे आपस में तोला भी नहीं जा सकता कारण की इनका अपना अलग आयाम है परंतु राष्ट्र उन्नति में समान योगदान है। इन सभी वैभव में किसी एक को महत्व का मान कर अन्य पूर्ण मानव सभ्यता को शोषित मानना तथा समानता के नियम की दुहाई देकर उनकी असीमित संभावनाओं को क्षीर्ण कर उन्हें एक वैभव के अर्जन पर विवश करना मानव की प्रकृति तथा स्वतंत्रता के साथ अन्याय है। समानता की अंधनिती समाज के दो गुठों में संघर्ष को ही जन्म देती है जो राष्ट्र की उन्नति के सभी मार्गो में रोढा बनता है।

इसी दुर्भाग्य से बचने हेतु भारतीय दार्शनिकों ने प्रकृति से साक्षात्कार कर मानव में परस्पर एकत्मता के आधार पर संस्कृति बनाकर सभ्यता को पोषित कर राष्ट्र निर्माण का लक्ष्य रखा। संस्कृति के इस एकात्म भाव ने राष्ट्र के प्रतीएक घटक को राष्ट्र यज्ञ में अपने गुणों की आहुति दे कर परस्पर प्रीति से एक दूसरे की पूर्णता को अर्जित करने के लिए कारक बनाया।

अधिकार का विचार छोड़ कर्तव्य को परम मान कर भारतीय संस्कृति में व्यक्ति और समाज को परस्पर एकात्म भाव से प्रीति के सूत्र में पिरोया। एकात्म भाव के जागरण से व्यक्ति ने समाज से अर्जित वैभव का सुख पुनः समाज को अर्पित करने में माना, अपनी मुक्ति का मार्ग बनाया। इसी का एक उदाहरण आज आप के समक्ष रखना इस लेख का उद्देश्य है….

राजस्थान में जब किसान हल जोतते हैं, तो स्यावड़ माता का स्मरण कर निम्न पद बोलते हैं…..

स्यावड़ माता सतकरी,
दाणा-फाका भोत करी,
बैण-सुभासनी रै भाग रो देई,
चिड़ी-कमेड़ी रै राग रो देई,
राही-भाई रो देई,
ध्यांणी अर जंवाई रो देई,
घर आयो साधु भूखो न जा,
बामण दादो धाप र खा,
सुन्ना डांगर खा धापै,
चोर चकोर लेज्या अापै,
कारूआ रै भेले ने देई,
राजाजी रै सेले ने देई,
सुणीजै माता सूरी,
छत्तीस कौमां पूरी,
फेर तेरी बखारी में ऊबरै,
तो मेरे टाबरा नै ई देई,
स्यावाड़ माता, सत की दाता।

अर्थात:
हे सत् करनेवाली स्यावड़ माता! पर्याप्त खाद्य अन्न उत्पन्न करना। ससुराल गई बहन-बुवा के भाग्य का देना, पक्षियों की आवश्यकता को पूरा करना। राहगीर भाई-बंधुओं के लिए देना। अपने जमाइयों के लिए देना। घर में आया कोई साधु भूखा न रहे, श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण पेट भरकर खाए। आवारा पशु भी पूरा खा सकें। चोर-चकोर भी अपनी जरूरत पूरी कर सकें। कारू अर्थात् खेती न करनेवाले कुम्हार, नाई, खाती आदि इनके लिए भी देना, शासन अच्छा चले, उनके लिए भी देना। हे सब की माता! सुनो, छत्तीस कौंमों की जरूरत पूरी करो। उसके बाद तुम्हारे भंडार में कुछ बचे तो मेरे बच्चों के लिए भी देना। हे स्यावड़ माता! तुमहीं सबको सत् देनेवाली हो।

यह पद इस बात का गवाह है कि किस प्रकार हमारी संस्कृति में एक सामान्य कृषक भी स्वय से पहले समाज का चिंतन करता है। विश्व कल्याण कि कामना करता है। पूंजी नहीं अपितु सुख उसका जीवनलक्ष्य वह सुख जो भौतिक वस्तुओं से परे है।

यह भावना मात्र कृषक में नहीं अपितु सम्पूर्ण भारवर्ष में व्याप्त है। शिक्षा जिसकी धारा भारतीय संस्कृति में समाज से व्यक्ति की दिशा में बताई गई है, उसमें भी बताया जाता है…..

विद्यां ददाति विनय विनयाद् याति पात्रताम्।
पात्रताम् धनमाप्नोति धनात् धर्मं ततः सुखम् ।।
अर्थात:
विद्या यानि ज्ञान हमें विनम्रता प्रदान करता है, विनम्रता से योग्यता आती है और योग्यता से हमें धन की प्राप्ति होती है जिससे हम धर्म के कार्य कर सकते हैं और हमें सुख मिलता है।

हमारी संस्कृति में ज्ञानी और सक्षम पुरुष की विशेषता बताते समय कहा गया है….

विद्या विवादाय धनं मदाय, शक्तिः परेषां परिपीडनाय।
खलस्य साधोर्विपरीतमेतत्, ज्ञानाय दानाय च रक्षणाय।।
अर्थात:
दुर्जनो और सत्पुरुष  का व्यवहार विपरीत होता है। दूर्जनो की विद्या विवादार्थ, धन गवार्थ और शक्ति परपीड़न के लिए होती है, वहीं सत्पुरुष की विद्या ज्ञानार्थ, धन दानार्थ और शक्ति अन्य के रक्षण के लिए होती है।

ऐसी विद्या से पोषित सभ्यता में एकात्म भाव स्वयं ही जाग्रत हो जाता है तथा संघर्ष की आवश्यकता ही खत्म हो जाती है और साम्यवाद के कारण पैदा होने वाली समस्या समाप्त हो जाती है जिस कारण शक्ति के केंद्रीय कारण की आवश्यकता भी समाप्त हो जाती है और ऐसी परिस्थिति में लोकतंत्र पोषित होता है। ऐसा लोकतंत्र राष्ट्र उन्नति तथा विश्व शांति का द्योतक बनता है।

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः,
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद् दुःख भाग्भवेत्।
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः
अर्थात:
सभी सुखी होवें, सभी रोगमुक्त रहें, सभी मंगलमय घटनाओं के साक्षी बनें और किसी को भी दुःख का भागी न बनना पड़े।

It’s time to keep to keep religious identity aside: The reality of Corona Jihad?

Dr. Neha Nainwal
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It’s time to keep to keep religious identity aside: The reality of Corona Jihad?

There is significant lockdown at global level to halt the march of Coronavirus. The whole world is in grim after the un-tackled situation of Italy, U.S and other countries to contain the virus. The confirmed number of cases in worldwide is around 800000, where death toll is near to 35000. In India also, the situation is not very favorable as disease is spreading and country is running with the high chance of community transmission. Amid of growing concern, several addresses were also made by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi where he asks people to be patient and to maintain social distancing. Even though our situation is critical, it’s unfortunate to see that still there are people in the country who are keeping their “FAITH” and “RELIGIOUS EGO” above everything, rather than considering it as humanitarian crisis.

On 30th march 2020, six people from Telangana who attended a religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin died due to COVID 19. The reaches of transmission is not only limited to Delhi but spreading its wing in other states as well. The people who attended the gathering found positive in Kashmir, Andhra, Telangana and Tamilnadu too. The gathering which was not conducted with prior permission of authority now endangered the lives of millions and illegally includes the delegates from Malaysia and Indonesia also. Some days ago, an Infosys employee Mujeeb Mohammed, who have a history of sharing a content that is sensitive to other religious community, arrested by the police to provoke Muslims for spreading the virus among the population. In his post, he said “let’s join hands, go out and sneeze with open mouth in public. Spread the virus”, and thereafter immediately fired by the employer.

Not lately, on 26th March 2020, when due to lockdown major temples & gurudwaras were closed, Ramnavami Mela was postponed, in that time large number of Muslim people were gathered in Karnataka’s Mosque to offer the prayers, left only option with police to do lathi charge against the people violating the law. Previously on 24th March 2020, the trustee of Sunni Muslim Shafi Masjid was booked by the police of Nagpada (Maharashtra) for curbing the norms and organizing a gathering of 100 to 150 people. In similar lines, on 27th March 2020, the maulvi of Gulmisra Mosque (Vadodara) also arrested for offering Friday prayers in congregation at the mosque. In addition to all, recent viral audio of Tablighi Jamaat organizer Maulana Sad allegedly directing the people to go and read the namaz was surfaced. According to the audio, he considers it as a best time to ask for Allah’s forgiveness.To consolidate, after the statement of Waseem Rizvi, the chairman of UP Shia Waqf Board where he suspected it as thoughtful act to blow the virus, it’s prominent to the world that the recent episode is not an issue of negligence rather than deliberate step by the organizer to use the masses for the spread.  

The Shaheen Bagh episode is not an exception and definitely deserves a mention here. The women who were sitting in the protest against CAA, initially was not ready to end the agitation and  having a strong believe that if no one gets infected by corona. And if it’s spread over them, its means they are sinned and need to be pious by attending more such protests. Finally after the various attempt, police succeeded to clear the site as they are imposing a threat to others health.

However, these series of incident not only indicates towards their unconditional blind faith for Islamic religion but somewhere shows how these folks are keeping there “RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND EGO” above humanity. Very sadly, it reflect there is no value of human lives in front of some human-made religious narratives. According to Al-Naba newsletter, the Islamic State are applauding the spread of virus. They have a strong believe that it was sent by Allah and the pandemic taking the world to the day of Judgement. According to ISIS, “Coronavirus is a Punishment from God, Urges attacks against non-muslims: Use this opportunity to strike them with a sword or a knife or even a rope is enough to stop their Breath.” Jihadi’s also using it for the manifestation of God’s law against the non believer Muslims. They argued that fighting as a Jihad solider is the surest way to get protection against the virus. In different platform of communication, the terror group referring it as way of punishment to our western style of living.

Global studies also point out towards the emergence of conspiracy theories in the period of crisis. The impact produced by the virus seems to be a most favorable condition for the spread of such conspiracy theories. Many Islamic terror group called them Jihadists, are seeing it as an opportunity to using it against their perceived enemies. Their follower told to increase the attacks as most of the government are focusing to combat with COVID 19. Attack in Afghanistan Gurudwara is a recent example of their propaganda that coronavirus outbreak is directed by the God to assist them in their terror activities. 

However given the intensify impact of Coronavirus, where number of death toll increasing day by day, shaking stock market badly and plunging the growth perspective for all countries to its lowest. There is a high chance that the extremist terrorist group can use this weapon to further worsen the situation by accelerating the local transmission to community transmission of the virus. Last year, the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation in their report mentioned that Islamic terrorist might use infected human to spread a contagious disease. In addition to this, the use of biological weapon requires limited technical knowhow and the cost is minimum. Although it’s very premature to draw any conclusion from the recent episode of Religious gathering in Nizamuddin Mosque but somewhere it pointed a spike towards its usage as BIOLOGICAL WEAPON to magnify the result. Till now, 24 people are tested positive and 9 people linked to the event at mosque have died. The event involves gathering of almost 8000 people. Some of them are still not traced, reached into different part of a country and risking a life of millions. 

To conclude, we need to realize that it’s a tough time for a country, where we all need to unite against the invisible enemy. Dividing society on the basis of religious ground only making us weaker. It’s essential to sense that the virus is not going to pick us on religion lines and we all have an equal probability to be infected by the same. The need of hour is to keep our religious identity aside and understand a simple thing that humanity is above all the religion.

Author: Dr. Neha Nainwal, Assistant Professor, Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi

Why world needs to unite against “Chinese virus”

mehulnationalist
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Why world needs to unite against “Chinese virus”

Well, no political correctness. It’s not Corona virus, its Chinese virus. You may call it “Wuhan virus”. I don’t mind calling this virus as “Chinese virus”, since its origin was in China. It’s a fact. I support Trump for this fact. You may call me racist and I am OK with that. If disease like Ross river Fever, Ebola, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, Spanish flu are named and known based on their origin, then why not corona?

So, it started from China. Let us first analyze how China misinformed whole world during 3 to 4 months.

  1. First case was registered in Nov,2019 in Wuhan (origin of Virus). As we know, this place is also popular for Wet market. Chinese are known for their bizarre food habits.
  2. During Dec-2019, many people in Wuhan were identified with this disease. The data of tests were sent to many Chinese genomics companies. During this time, it was concluded that, something big was happening in Wuhan and it was due to a novel virus. You may refer this link. https://www.caixinglobal.com/2020-02-29/in-depth-how-early-signs-of-a-sars-like-virus-were-spotted-spread-and-throttled-101521745.html
  3. During same month Chinese doctor Dr. Li Wenliang informed that, it was a serious disease and some patients were showing signs of a new SARS like illness in early December. Unfortunately, China is not a democratic country and Communist government in China arrested him for spreading rumors
  4. Jan-2020. China continued arresting people who were having doubts about outbreak. Many people were arrested for publishing and sharing rumors online about the pneumonia-like illness.
  5. Jan-2020. The Health Commission in Wuhan ordered all genomics companies to stop their tests and destroy the materials they received (which would have proved that data about the virus were already available from late December). During this time, wet market in Wuhan was also closed. Daily updates about this disease were stopped.
  6. Jan-3rd week-2020. It was during this time, WHO accepted that, virus was spreading through human-to-human transmission. Many journalists who were trying to cover outbreak were confiscated. China still did not inform world properly and kept suppressing information and only accepted that, low risk of human-to-human transmission of the virus had been detected. Despite the virus outbreak, Wuhan kept hosting big festival for many families (potluck banquet) to celebrate Chinese new year. This was attended by many people. This was turning point and outbreak was out of control after this event. Please note that, from 10th January to 18th February, for almost 40 days, China celebrates Lunar new year. It is largest annual human migration in the world. Every year, around 3 billion trips are made. So, you can imagine, how the virus was spread.
  7. Jan-4th Week-2020. Wuhan mayor said that, he has not released all information and he was following Beijing rules. Lock down in Wuhan was declared. However, it was too late as almost 5 million people have left the city without testing. World was going to pay big price of this blunder; however world was still not aware.
  8. Feb-1st week. Dr. Li Wenliang died in first week of February. Rules for internet freedom made stringent.
  9. Feb-2nd week-2020. China expelled many journalists who were reporting about outbreak.
  10. Feb-3rd week. China started to inform that, virus was under control and started to praise Xi Jinping’s leadership.
  11. March-1st week. We already know. The virus has started to spread in European countries or Chinese/foreigners who have traveled from China to different countries started to spread virus. During January and February itself, many Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Hongkong, Taiwan started to show symptoms. However, these countries avoided its spread unlike Europe.

So, from all these steps by China, it is clearly visible that, China did not act as a responsible nation. If this outbreak might have happened in democratic county like USA, India or any western European country, news of deaths of even 100 people might have become global headlines and it would have prevented outbreak spreading to world. What China did was suppression, lying, misinforming.

But why China did like this? Was it intentional? Well, there are many theories. Let us see possibilities.

First and foremost, as many are assuming, China might have created bioweapon, and it might have got leaked intentionally/unintentionally. Wuhan Institute of Virology is a BSL-4 laboratory located in Wuhan and it is considered as epicenter of this virus as per many conspiracy theories. This lab also China’s first BSL-4 laboratory (biosafety Level 4). These types of laboratories can work with agents that could easily be aerosol-transmitted within the laboratory and cause severe to fatal disease in humans for which there are no available vaccines or treatments. You can find more information on this link.
https://prime.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/74068009/economy-and-policy/coronavirus-is-a-bio-weapon-experiment-gone-wrong-suspect-global-experts

This lab has already produced a hybrid virus and published their research. The hybrid virus was able to infect human cells. Well, as per many experts in biosecurity, it is possible that COVID-19 pandemic started as an accidental release from a laboratory such as one of the two in Wuhan that are known to have been studying bat coronaviruses.

  • So, if it was leaked intentionally, then it is possible that, it was mainly to collapse economy of Europe/USA. Well, I feel this is most certain possibility. Trump has been very critical to China, and it was almost certain that, Trump will win 2020 election and continue as President. Looking at his record, China might have faced many problems in upcoming years. So, I am not surprised if this theory comes true, where American opposition parties, with collaboration of China, might have created this crisis. China might have adopted this policy, to slow down the growth of other countries by damaging their economies and then help them. This is nothing, but “Create demand and then produce”. Looking at the laziness of China to prevent its people going out during this outbreak ( and also selecting this time during Chinese New Year to spread outbreak to maximum places) and also looking its big cities like Beijing, Shanghai not much affected, one may be easily convinced that, China has played dubious role. We still do not know, how many people have died actually in China. If Italy has around 12000 deaths as on 31st March (for the population of 6 crores ) within 2 months, then its is difficult to understand why China has only 3312 deaths  within 5 months (for population of 140 crores ) leaving it bigger cities like Beijing, Shanghai without much causalities. Why USA is projected to have 1.7 million deaths in worst case scenario. Is China lying?? Well, logic says yes, China is lying about actual deaths.
  • The last possibility which has been told by China till date is “wet market”. I firmly believe, if by chance aliens come on earth, Chinese will even taste them. However, if this is true, then Chinese must improve their food habits. World can’t be put on ventilator just because of Chinese food habits. Remember, even SARS was originated from China in early 2000s. China was blamed during that time for misinforming the world. (Please note, china was not as power full as it is today during that  time and communist government did not have grip like it has right now to suppress information)

Whatever may be the possibility, but one thing which is certain is, China has suppressed information of virus leakage. Firstly, china came to know about this virus in Nov, 2019, but suppressed about seriousness till Jan,2020. Even though, somebody can argue that, it was novel virus and China could not have done much, but the way China arrested its own people, I am doubtful about its intentions. Most of world is also doubtful about number of people killed in China. In Jan,2020, China started to acknowledge that, they have something called Corona virus in their country. Note that, there was no lock down of the Wuhan for almost 1.5 to 2 months. This allowed to spread virus to many parts of the world. Whole world is paying huge price of Chinese blunder.

So, let us see, how world will be suffering after this crisis (if at all it becomes stable around summer).

  • The lock downs will become normal. It may be possible that, there may be restrictions for movement of people in many countries, even after April. Most of companies will have to adjust with working from home. It is still not clear that, warmer weather will stop spread of virus. If it can then it can also return in winter at the end of year.
  • I am not economy expert, but what I learnt that, world economy will be hit hard. IMF chief Kristalina Georggieva has already warned that, we have entered recession, which will be worse than 2009 recession. Global economy will shrink. Even fastest growing countries like India will grow at 2.1%. You will be surprised to know that, India along with Indonesia and china (yes, it is china) may avoid recession. Euro zone will be one of the hardest hit regions. Italy, which is third largest economy in EU, will be hit badly. Italy was already struggling with its fragile economy. EU will have difficult times ahead to take decision, if they can bail out Italy like Greece or not. They are already cracks in the countries in EU, weather they should help Italy and Spain or not. Germany already is not in mood for bailout to Italy and Spain. Difficult times ahead for EU.
  • Many people will stop travelling. This will affect travel and tourism industry badly. Many airlines will go bankrupt if there is not bailout by governments. India is already planning bailout package for airlines. Automotive industry will be hit as people will stop buying vehicles in this year. This will even put suppliers of this industry in difficult situation. May be job losses are becoming reality if this crisis is extended.
  • Trade war between USA and China will further escalate.
  • Difficult time for Donald Trump. He has performed well, but if this crisis escalates and casualties is more in US, then his come back is not sure.

These all points suggest that, China has pushed whole world into recession. Had China acted quickly in Dec,2019, we will not be in this stage. Unfortunately, at this stage, China has become so powerful that, world is not able to blame China. However, If China is allowed to prove itself as victim, then there is not guarantee that, China will not do similar blunder again. This is biggest opportunity for west to shift its manufacturing base from China to Europe and USA. India can take this opportunity as boon and make its case strong for manufacturing. Western world had made big mistake to shift their manufacturing base to China in 1980. China has become so powerful now, that it has almost hijacked whole world. It has made many countries its colonies now. UNSC is dictated by China.

China is dominating FATF (Finanncial Action Task Force), where it is trying to bail out Pakistan from black list. In short, China is ruling most of international agencies and helping rough countries like Pakistan, N. Korea.

WHO cares??

Yes, it’s a question mark on credibility of WHO (World Health Organization)? Does WHO really care?? In fact, WHO has completely become pet of China in this crisis. Taiwan already informed to WHO in December 2019 about human to human transmission of Chinese virus, however it was ignored by WHO under pressure from China. In January, WHO twitted that, “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China.”  At a time, when world was supposed to know about crisis going to happen, WHO was taking orders of China and suppressing information under pressure from China. Current WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanmom Ghebreyesus was backed by China two years back. BTW, he was accused of covering up three cholera epidemics in his home country, Ethiopia, when he was health minister. You can go through this link to understand why he is praising China. https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/03/23/top-who-official-won-election-with-chinas-help-now-hes-running-interference-for-china-on-coronavirus/

To conclude, it is time for World to say enough to China. The cold war between China and USA is going to escalate. Russia was blamed for interference in USA elections, but this time China will dominate USA elections. China has already started its game and unfortunately whole world is victim now. Its time to get united against Chinese virus first and then against China later. Otherwise, China will make whole world as its colony in coming years.

COVID-19 Pandemic- Limitations of 20th century solutions for a 21st century problem

dcd1996
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COVID-19 Pandemic- Limitations of 20th century solutions for a 21st century problem
  • This cartoon by Satish Acharya is shared these days

While it wants to make a more specific point about the relative underfunding of healthcare when compared to the defence forces, I believe this aspect is only a symptom of a broader malaise which has been uncovered by the Covid-19 crisis. The policies and outlooks which drive the world today, are deeply influenced by the challenges the world faced in the 20th century- mainly colonialism, the 2 World Wars and the prolonged Cold War. It is only to be expected, as most of the leaders of consequence across the world are in their 60s or 70s and the bureaucracy which advises them, is even more archaic, not in age but in mindset- as bureaucrats as a breed tend to prioritise stability and status quo. Unfortunately, the world has undergone a sea change, with deepening roots of globalisation and is interlinked to an unprecedented level and as the world has changed, so have its problems.

We saw 2 full-fledged and prolonged conflicts involving almost the entire world within a span of 20 years, but after that very rarely have we seen a prolonged conflict between 2 countries of comparable strength, leave alone the whole world. What did follow the Second World War was a multi-decade Cold War where blocks on both sides of the spectrum pumped in billions of dollars (and roubles if you may:-p) into preparing for an Armageddon which never happened. While one can argue the war was avoided to a large extent because of the deterrent capabilities of either side, it becomes difficult to fathom the need to stockpile enough nukes to destroy the whole planet several times over. Now the same machinery is turning to be woefully inadequate when faced with a challenge like the Coronavirus pandemic since it is simply not tuned to deal with it. I am no policy-planner or geostrategic expert myself, but these are some of the ways I think we could modify our outlook-

Healthcare:

Some of the most developed countries in the world ran out of personal protective equipment and intensive care infrastructure when struck with the Covid-19 pandemic. While no one can deny the fact that healthcare as a sector remains underfunded, even if healthcare was abundantly funded, there was no way any hospital in the most developed part of the world would have had enough ventilators to combat the peak of the pandemic. This is because of the simple fact that no hospital needs such a large number of ventilators on a day to day basis and since intensive care equipment is expensive to procure and maintain, it does not make a lot of sense to stockpile such equipment.

 So, a better question to ask is how can an enhanced funding to healthcare be utilised in the most optimal manner? The simplest answer is to strengthen the preventive and promotive aspects of healthcare on one hand and training more healthcare personnel right from community healthcare workers to specialist doctors.

 A more comprehensive approach would be to adequately fund R&D activities in the domain of health. To draw comparison, we get tremendously better computers today at a fraction of what a bulky slow machine used to cost 20-30 years ago. A similar revolution is yet elusive in healthcare. With the advent of generics, some drugs surely have become cheaper, mass produced and affordable, but most other equipment remains prohibitively expensive. Part of the reason for this is the fact that any product related to healthcare faces much more stringent quality control and requires prolonged trials before it gets regulatory approval and even after the approval, you can be asked to pay millions in compensation if something were to go wrong. Moreover, with the developed world becoming besotted with non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cancer, antibiotics and other drugs for infectious diseases are hardly being discovered on one hand and resistance to existent antibiotics is burgeoning by the day.

This is where governments across the world can step in and finance R&D activities to incentivise the development of state-of-the-art lifesaving drugs and technology which can be mass produced at affordable price-points. Imagine if it was a public entity which held the patents and production of intensive care equipment like ventilators in today’s time, it could have easily ramped up production by transferring technology to other players without having to worry about losing out on recovering the money it had to invest to develop the technology in the first place. M

Moreover, each country could cater to its own specialised needs and not have to rely on the profitability assessments of an MNC executive sitting in New York, London or Beijing. The other aspect which is in need of urgent attention is the record and data-keeping at healthcare establishments ranging from a sub-centre in the village to the most sophisticated hospitals. There is a requirement for IT enabled platforms at every health facility to ensure each case that a doctor or health-worker sees is uploaded to a centralised server where algorithms exist to monitor and warn about any abnormal rise in a particular illness. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) is a good start in this aspect, but has a lot of scope for improvement.

Military:

I do not argue that governments need to stop funding the armed forces or significantly cut down on this expenditure. But much like healthcare, there can be improvement in the way the funds are to be utilised.  Of all the funds allotted to the armed forces in India, almost 60% are spent purely on manpower (salary, pensions etc) and a much smaller fraction is spent on modernisation .       

This is another arena in which we need to come out of the 20th century mindset which valued large standing armies; the era of trench warfare is far behind us. More than a prolonged war where you can overwhelm the enemy by sheer numbers, what matters now is a leaner but technologically superior force which can give you a quick victory in a short but intense battle. Human life is valued more today, than at any point in history and no country can afford to fight a war where large numbers of its own soldiers make the supreme sacrifice, examples are America’s disastrous involvements in recent times from Vietnam to Iraq. What then could be the rationale of spending most of your budget into manpower?

A pressing need is to cut down on the manpower and invest more and more in technologies like unmanned combat vehicles, protective equipment for soldiers etc. Technology can make a single solider more efficient than 10 under-equipped soldiers and technology does not need to be paid a pension once it retires. So be it health or military, both can do with an aggressive outlay towards R&D.

World-bodies:

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown more than anything else, how much a 20th Century framework of the UN and its allied organisations is incapable of dealing with today’s world. Serious questions have been raised about WHO’s competence and stance vis-à-vis China. The UNSC itself remains a body which favours certain nations with a veto power simply because they were on the right (read winning) side in World War 2 and ignores much more capable and humane powers like India, Japan, Germany etc. It also shows, like there exists a framework to keep a check on countries’ nuclear activities, there is a pressing need for a similar organisation to keep monitoring health related outbreaks all over the world and stop relying on data provided by the respective governments whose own interests may not align with that of the world at large.

In a globalised world, where millions fly from one corner to another, a local outbreak of one province could be the global pandemic of tomorrow. Imagine if WHO had its own researchers and epidemiologists monitoring the situation in Wuhan in the early days of the Covid-19 outbreak and had power to alert governments across the world to take preventive measures, the world would be so much better off today. Instead, the archaic mechanism of the WHO had no alternative but take the Chinese word at face value and come out looking like fools after announcing that there is no man-to-man spread of Covid-19. Any modifications to the power structure of the WHO and allied agencies must provide the due recognition to non-aggressive, humane and responsible powers like India, Japan etc.

In a nutshell, if the world takes it as a timely warning, the entire Covid-19 pandemic has the potential to become the classical churning of the oceans (‘samudra-manthan’) which yields a whole lot of good (‘amrit’) in the end.

Can anyone sue the Court for its inconsistencies?

Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan
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Can anyone sue the Court for its inconsistencies?

On 23rd March,2020, national newspapers carried this report. Over 8,000 cheque bounce cases have been disposed of in Tamil Nadu in 2019, with settlement totalling 208.39 crore, according to data provided in Parliament. A total of 61,384 cases were taken up, of which 8,287 cases were disposed during January-December 2019 by National Lok Adalats organised by National Legal Services Authority of India, Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minster of State for Finance, recently told the Rajya Sabha said in a written reply.

Mr. Singh was responding to a question raised by Ram Vichar Netam (BJP) on the cheque bounce cases. The Act addresses the issue of undue delay in final resolution of cheque bounce cases, with an object to provide substantial relief to payees of dishonoured cheques and discourage frivolous and unnecessary litigation with respect to cheque dishonour cases, which would save time and money, the Minister said.

This was obviously in the context of efficacy of the amendments to the NI Act,1887 and the manner of tackling the pendency arising there from .For those in the know of things, particularly, the docket explosion in this portfolio, in each of the hierarchical tiers, it is a humongous issue facing the courts. The Courts are swamped by these private complaints as banking transactions have burgeoned, but the dishonesty of those who tuck into it, has shown no dissipation. The cheques are issued for the asking and they bounce like mad on the faces of the recipients. The Central Government has been tweaking the law, every now and then, including in 2018, providing for the remedy of an interim payment or compensation. Nothing matters. We The people aided and assisted by the crafty legal fraternity are one step ahead of them, in keeping the pendency going.

That is one part. But the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has played the other part. Their shifting stands on the legal position has meant that there has been whole scale alterations, necessitating thousands of cases pending before the High Courts, being sent to the Sessions Courts, and now the Covid-19 like viral is looming large, with a consequential verdict from the Madras High Court (other High Courts may also be compelled to follow) for a reverse exodus to the High Court.

Already the pendency is huge before various courts. Over 4 crore cases are pending all over India. The Coronavirus Pandemic has come as a boon to the legal fraternity with a bonus 21 day Lockdown adding to the existing customary summer Lockdowns. The exacerbation is complete. Covid-19 impacts the breathing faculties and this near certain development of the reverse exodus of cases Sessions Courts (in several thousands) and this phenomenon would not let the litigants in this jurisdiction, breathe easy, even after the battle with Covid-19 virus is over (if and whenever).

Ordinarily, when a matter is sub judice- under the scanner of the court- academicians avoid second guessing a conclusion. It is a matter of propriety. Here, I intend to play around the edges of this propriety vector. But step off just near the precipice. The reason one is tempted to tiptoe into this taboo terrain, is because the result of the pending reference before a full Bench of the Madras High Court is so obvious that it would be no revealing of a secret or prompting the law lords, even by a whit. With requisite propriety seatbelts on, here is the story in simple terms, cutting out the legalese, as is permissible, within the limits of the remit of this piece.

Sec.138 of NI Act, 1887 introduced a new species of ‘offence’ upon dishonour of cheques, to give meaning to business/financial transactions. Private complaints came to be lodged before Magistrate Courts. Upon conviction of the accused, appeals were available before the Districts & Sessions Courts. In the absence of any other provision for appeal against acquittal of accused, the complainants were entitled to file appeals before the respective High Courts under Sec.378 of Cr. Procedure Code, 1973. That is where matters rested, and it was a simple, straightforward understandable dispensation.

Historically, in India, in criminal cases, which begin with a FIR, it is the State that prosecutes the offenders. The ‘victim’, be it the family of the murdered or any other such like, for respective criminal offences, the ‘victim’ only got the right to ‘assist the prosecution’. It is very well or rather too well known that while the police investigation leaves a lot to be desired and the political appointees in public prosecutors were no match to the lawyers on call from the side of the defence. The latter could tap into the best, while the victim was a mute witness, as the Court played with his or her fate.

Clarion calls kept going out that while the entire world has moved on, providing a direct remedy to the ‘community of victims’, why was or should India lag behind. Justice Malimath Committee, Law Commission Reports, seminar circuits and the High Courts and Supreme Court judgments, all of them joined in the cacophony, and the noise triggered Parliament to deign and amend Sec.372 of Cr.PC, as of 31st Dec, 2009, enabling an appeal to the ‘community of victims’ against the acquittal of the accused, independent of the right of the State as prosecutor, to challenge it. The victimised community of victims could see light at the end of the tunnel.

Sorry, law is not an ass for nothing. Law is language. Law is science. It is an art. It is sophistry. It is the whole works except that law is not always justice. That is the problem. While the expression ‘victim’ was defined under the Code, the expression ‘complainant’ was not. In Parliament, rarely the left hand knows what the right hand is giving or taking away. So, while Proviso was introduced to Sec.372, no change was made in Sec.378, though it cried for it. That is where the craftsmen in legal fraternity hemmed in to fill up the vacuum, crevices or gap, whether they existed or not to play on the words and elevate it into a constitutional plane, which was not there.

In 2010 the Supreme Court in Damodar Prabhu (SC) had ruled that appeal against acquittal of accused in ‘cheque bounce cases’ by complainants was by resort to the existing Sec.378 and to the High Court from the decision of the Magistrate Court. Without so much as casting a glance at this judgment, in Sathyapal (SC), the apex court ruled that Secs.372 and 378 had to be read in tandem, and not in silos. The learned judges dug deep into constitutional rules of interpretation and concluded that the remedy for losing private complainants in ‘cheque bounce cases’ was to move the Sessions Court itself, with a leave to file appeal. This pronouncement came from nowhere. It upset the applecart completely. Supreme Court did not say that the said decision would apply prospectively.

The result. In a Full Bench reference before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, in Ganapathy (FB),three learned judges said Sathyapal (SC) was the law of the land. So, all the appeals thus far filed and pending as on 5th April, 2016 shall go seeking mercy before the Sessions Courts . All filing thereinafter, shall also be before the Sessions Courts alone. Thousands of such appeals pending before the High Court were sent packing to the Sessions Courts.

Now, even before the litigants and legal fraternity could settle down, came the verdict in Mallikarjun Kodagili (SC) (Excuse me, what do you think we lawyers and judges need, if not at least 3 years to settle down in any cause? You see we strongly believe in the dictum Hurried Justice is Buried Justice even if you may shout Justice Delayed is Justice Denied). In Mallikarjun Kodagali (SC), the Supreme Court categorically ruled that Sec.372, as amended in 2009, was meant and confined to the ‘community of victims’ relatable to FIR or Police cases, and did not belong to ‘complainants’ in private complaint cases. Sathyapal (SC) was held to be bad law. And to make it clear, Mallikarjun Kodagali (SC) was followed by Naval Kirshore Mishra (SC) also.

Back to the High Court. What does a learned single judge do? In M Venkataraman (Mad), he captures the entire history of what has been delineated above, in many, many more pages, and expresses dismay and anguish and throws up his hands saying, “What am I supposed to do now? Even if were to follow the newly laid down path in MJallikarjun Kodagali (SC) as the law of the land, what of those cases which have been sent back to Sessions Courts since 5th April,2016 and what happens to those cases already disposed of and escalated to the High Court? The learned judge simply said, “Sorry, I don’t know what to do.” He sent his “What am I to do?” lament to the Chief Justice of Madras.

The Chief Justice exercised his powers to refer the “What are we to do now” lament to a Full Bench of the Madras High Court (again) . This Full Bench has heard submissions from a host of lawyers and their associations and reserved orders. This is where the tricky propriety part comes in. One is not supposed to second guess what the Full Bench has to do or ought to do. But, surely it is not impropriety to suggest this is what they may do or likely to do, from what transpired in the court proceedings, as it impacts the lives, liberties, cash and properties of literally lakhs of litigants, all over India. The impact of this verdict may resonate Pan India, as this may be laying down the way to go for those cases which had already been sent to the Sessions Courts and pending there (Disclaimer: This author was one of those who addressed the Court and hence is privy to what transpired).

 There was near unanimity during the proceedings that Ganapathy (FB) was no longer good law in view of the latest pronouncements from the top court in Mallikarjun (SC) and Naval Kishore Mishra (SC). So, all the cases that had been sent to the Sessions Courts, on and from 5th April, 2016 till say 3rd Feb,2020, the day the Full bench took the handle, have to be come back to the High Court. Let us not enter into further technical thicket of the fate of those already disposed of, by Sessions Courts or escalated to High Court and disposed of there also. Let us respectfully leave it to the learned minds on the Full Bench to grapple and solve the riddle, for us.

It may suffice for the purpose of this article of public interest to note that thousands of appeals, pending before High Court, Madras, as on 5th April,2016, were sent packing lock, stock and barrel thanks to Sathyapal (SC). Now, they may have to be packed all over again to be sent back to the High Court, in reverse exodus, thanks to Mallikarjun Kodagil (SC) and Naval Kishore Mishra (SC). Who is to blame for this imbroglio of huge proportions seriously prejudicing the interests of thousands of common litigants? How long more they may need to wait to see the colour of the coin or culmination of the cause? It would be advisable not to answer these pregnant queries and let them be.

One interesting fall out is whether any litigant can sue a Court for its shifting stands and the ensuing delay and the impact or prejudice caused to the litigant by reason of it? Sorry, we would be barking up the wrong tree if we even explored such avenues. As Lord Denning said, “What a Court does is what a Court does.” The remedy lies in the portals of the Courts, in appellate jurisdictions, or before Parliament to get the law changed. As Associate Justice Antonin Scalia put it beautifully, in his impish style, “What a huge relief to sit on the bench and decide the law today, one way, and tomorrow another way, without ever worrying, who may sue you tomorrow or thereafter for shifting allegiances. You don’t need to tell them why you changed your positions as that is the way law works for it is after all the call of a Judges’ conscience”. Some conscience!

 (Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan- Author is practising advocate in the Madras High Court)

India is sitting on Corona bomb

kautilyabhaskar
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India is sitting on Corona bomb

Recent media reports stunned the country as to how a religious congregation in Nizamuddin during first fortnight of March 2020 has sown the seeds of a potential Stage 3 outbreak across the country in a callous and vicious manner. The public is taken aback as to how congregation of several thousands could take place in India’s capital even as Delhi was placed under high alert apprehending the virus outbreak. Included in them were hundreds from other countries, including those affected by the dreaded corona virus.

The build-up was going on few weeks preceding the event. And the gatherings reportedly occurred in various forms till March 29. Later, the lockdown has been cited by the organisers of Markaz as an excuse for thousands having got stuck in the Nizamuddin complex. There were also significant interstate movements of people centring the upcoming event. It is unlikely that the authorities did not have clue as to the scale of the crowd. The fact is it was still allowed to take place. It would have, in fact, gone unnoticed had there been no sudden spurt in corona victims during last 2- 3 days and their links to the Nizamuddin event not established!

Every sensible and right-thinking person is anguished today on two counts. First, the conduct of the religious leaders who held the event defying the requests by the authorities not to proceed with it in such dangerous times with COVID-19 afflicting lakhs of people worldwide. The most benign criticism that can be made is that they were patently irresponsible. Only a proper and detailed investigation may reveal if there were any other motivation! The second grievance which is even more disquieting is why did not the authorities concerned, take a deterrent action to stop the event?

It is but natural that nearly 130 crore people across the country have embraced a very tough life inside the four walls of their homes shedding every kind of engagements, whether health, educational, entertainment, or any other! Responding to the call of the Prime Minister the entire nation has stood as one and accepted life of virtual prisoners. How can the government allow such great sacrifice and austerity be undone by few thousand mindless and misguided people driven by defiance?

According to the public perception, and rightly so, the government at the centre is duty bound to save the nation and it has every necessary power for this purpose. The 130-crore people are its responsibility. The question has begun to arise as to why deterrent action was not taken at the right time? Why was the kid glove approach adopted vis-a-vis the organizers? To begin with, why was there a lenient approach with regard to granting of visas to hundreds of people, especially when there was information available about the nature and scale of the event.,

Some subsequent events reported in sections of media about some persons connected to the programme ‘spitting’ openly while they were being taken away by the police after their medical check-up, aggravates that question. In some parts of the world, deliberate act of spitting during Corona times has been seen as a strategy and considered as ‘spit attack’ with a view to spreading the virus. No less disturbing is the news that in campuses like JNU and Jamia, some posters have appeared over last couple of days supporting the Tablighi Jamaat which was responsible for the Nizamuddin Markaz. This should serve as a grim reminder of how in the recent past taking advantage of the soft, gentle, persuasive strategy by the government, its opposition riding piggyback on students and youth gradually, succeeded in engineering several protest programmes against Citizenship Amendment Act- a perfectly humanitarian initiative to render justice to a long-persecuted humanity. The present case portends far grave danger. Unless its aftermaths are hard tackled with urgency, the disaster is a certainty!

Though the government led by PM Modi has been putting up a very spirited fight like a statesman against the current pandemic, it is necessary to recognize few facts.

First, his government, despite exhibiting various kinds of qualities, has been the prisoner of the ‘pacifist’ image even towards the forces of destruction whether in the political opposition or the society at large. Incidentally, his government has been telecasting Ramayana and that shows that Rama, the most dignified and compassionate person that ever lived on earth, had to wield weapon to destroy the evil forces. Simply appealing to their conscience in a bid to earn the elusive ‘Sabka Viswas’ is unlikely to bring result.

Going to media and complaining that the opponents are not behaving morally and ethically or approaching the apex Court even for issues which are its own domain, just to convince people it was not acting in a vindictive manner, are not doing the government any good. Its recent action to get the Court’s order to prevent spread of fake news relating to Corona pandemic is the latest instance.

It must realize that its opposition will condemn it either way, no matter what it does or does not do? Knowing this truth, it should start doing what is ‘right’. It may not be surprising if the same opposition bitterly criticizes it for not declaring national emergency and put the army all across the country. They will encourage this government to fail in saving the people with the sole intention that it is alienated from the vast masses of nationalist Indians which happen to be its core constituency!

Time is running away. The government must shed every kind of hesitancy and procrastination and handle the situation of corona virus with a strong hand and extreme urgency!

दुनिया और बीमारी…जानें कब किस बीमारी ने दुनिया में फैलाई मौत की दहशत

Rajesh Ranjan Singh
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दुनिया और बीमारी…जानें कब किस बीमारी ने दुनिया में फैलाई मौत की दहशत

चीन के शहर वुहान से निकला कोरोना वायरस अब तक 203 देशों यानि पूरी धरती पर ही अपने पैर पसार चुका है. जानलेवा वायरस को तेजी से फैलते देख विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन (डब्ल्यूएचओ) ने इसे पैनडेमिक यानी महामारी घोषित किया. लेकिन क्या आपको पता है कि ये कोई पहला मौका नहीं है जब धरती पर किसी महामारी के चलते संकट फैला है. इससे पहले भी कई बार एक समय अंतराल पर नई बीमारियों ने मानव जीवन के लिए परेशानी खड़ी की लेकिन हर बार वैज्ञानिकों ने विज्ञान की मदद से उन सभी घातक बीमारियों के लिए इलाज ढूंढ ही लिया. इस बार भी कोरोना वायरस से निजात पाने के लिए दुनिया भर के देशों में प्रयोग कर इसका इलाज ढूंढा जा रहा है.

आइए जानते हैं कब-कब किन-किन बीमारियों ने लाखों जिंदगियां लील लींः-

कुष्ठ रोग यानि हार्सन्स डिजीज (Leprosy)

यूं तो ये बीमारी लगभग 4 हजार साल पुरानी मानी जाती है. लेकिन वो 11वीं सदी का दौर था जब पहली बार लोगों ने कुष्ठ रोग यानि हार्सन्स डिजीज (Leprosy) का नाम सुना था. यह रोग माइकोबैक्टेरियम लेप्री (Mycobacterium leprae) और माइकोबैक्टेरियम लेप्रोमेटॉसिस (Mycobacterium lepromatosis) जीवाणुओं के कारण फैला था. माना जाता है कि कुष्ठरोग से चीन, मिस्र और भारत सबसे अधिक प्रभावित होने वाले देश थे. डब्ल्यूएचओ की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक साल 1995 तक लगभग 30 लाख लोग कुष्ठरोग से संक्रमित हुए थे. लेकिन पिछले 20 वर्षों में 1.5 करोड़ लोगों को कुष्ठरोग से मुक्त किया जा चुका है.

ब्यूबोनिक प्लेग (Bubonic Plague)

ये वो महामारी थी जिसने दुनिया भर की एक तिहाई आबादी को खत्म कर दिया था. इसे अब तक की सबसे घातक महामारियों की सूची में शुमार किया जाता है. एशिया महाद्वीप से शुरू हुई इस महामारी ने फ्रांस, इंग्लैंड समेत यूरोप व उत्तरी अमेरिकी देशों तक में भारी तबाही मचाई थी. इस महामारी का प्रभाव ऐसा था कि अर्थव्यवस्था चरमराने से इसके कारण ब्रिटिश सामंती व्यवस्था तक ध्वस्त हो गई थी. 1350 यानि 14वीं सदी में आई ये महामारी बैक्टीरिया यानि जीवाणुओं के कारण फैली थी. तब चूहों के शरीर पर रहने वाले पिस्सुओं में मौजूद यर्सीनिया पेस्टिस नाम के जीवाणु ने पिस्सुओं के काटे हुए लोगों को संक्रमित करना शुरू कर दिया था. इसे ब्लैक डेथ भी कहा जाता है.

चेचक (Small Pox)

स्मॉल पॉक्स जिसे भारत में चेचक कहा जाता है, ने दुनिया में साल 1520 के आसपास दुनिया में दस्तक दी थी. कहा जाता है कि दो महीनों के भीतर मेक्सिको की लगभग 35 फीसदी आबादी इस महामारी का शिकार हो गई थी. साल 2019 में किए गए एक रिसर्च की मानें तो 16वीं-17वीं शताब्दी के बीच अमेरिकी महाद्वीप में 5.6 करोड़ लोगों की इससे मृत्यु हो गई थी. वहीं, इस बीमारी के लाईलाज होने के चलते भारत में साल 1974 के शुरूआती 5 महीनों में ही 15 हजार लोगों की जान चली गई थी. इससे सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित बिहार, ओडीसा और पश्चिम बंगाल जैसे राज्य हुए थे.

HIV

HIV जिसका नाम सुनते ही लोगों को मौत दिखाई देने लगती थी. ये साल 1976 का दौर था जब दुनिया को इस बीमारी का पता लगा. इसकी शुरुआत अफ्रीकी देश कॉन्गो से हुई थी. जिसके बाद ये महामारी की तरह पूरी दुनिया में फैल गया. रिपोर्ट्स की मानें तो साल 1976 में इस बीमारी का पता लगने का बाद लगभग 3.6 करोड़ लोगों ने इसके चलते अपनी जान गंवाई. साल 1974 के बाद एक बार फिर इसका प्रभाव साल 2005 के आसपास दिखना शुरू हुआ था. WHO के अनुसार साल 2005 से लेकर साल 2012 के बीच ये बीमारी अपने चरम पर थी. अभी भी लगभग 3.5 करोड़ लोग इससे संक्रमित हैं. ज्यादातर लोग अफ्रीकी देशों के हैं.

हैजा (Cholera)

हैजा बीमारी मुख्यतः भारत से फैला. लेकिन बाद में इसका फैलाव अन्य महाद्वीपों में भी हुआ. 8 लाख से अधिक लोगों की जान ली. हैजा बैक्टीरिया से होने वाला एक रोग है जो दूषित पानी से फैलता है. हैजा होने के बाद दस्त और शरीर में पानी की कमी हो सकती है और अगर इलाज न हो तो मृत्यु भी हो सकती है. गत वर्ष भी पश्चिचम-एशियाई देश यमन में करीबन एक लाख बच्चे हैजा से प्रभावित पाये गये जिनकी उम्र 15 वर्ष से कम थी.

सीवियर एक्यूट रेस्पिरेटरी सिन्ड्रोम (SARS)

दुनिया में कोरोना वायरस फैलाने वाला चीन इससे पहले भी मौत दुनिया को महामारी दे चुका है. सीवियर एक्यूट रेस्पिरेटरी सिन्ड्रोम (सार्स) का कहर दुनिया भर में साल 2002-2003 के दौरान मौत बनकर टूटा था. सार्स की वजह से ने 774 लोगों मौत हुई थी. वहीं 8,098 लोग इससे संक्रमित हो गए थे. चीन और हांगकांग में इसका प्रकोप सबसे ज्यादा देखने को मिला था. सार्स की चपेट में आने वाले व्यक्तियों में आमतौर पर खांसी-जुखाम, गले में दर्द, सांस लेने में दिक्कत, बुखार जैसे शुरुआती लक्षण दिखते हैं.

और अब पूरी दुनिया कोरोना वायरस के कारण लॉकडाउन है. ताजा आंकड़ों के मुताबिक दुनिया भर में कोरोना वायरस संक्रमण के 876343 मामले सामने आ चुके हैं. जबकि इसके कारण 43 हजार 520 लोगों की मौत तक हो चुकी है. इटली में सबसे ज्यादा 12,428, स्पेन में 9053 लोग अपनी जान गंवा चुके हैं. दुनिया के सबसे ताकतवार देश अमेरिका में भी इससे 4059 लोगों की मौत हो चुकी है. जबकि चीन. ईरान और फ्रांस में भी इससे होने वाली मौतों का आंकड़ा तीन हजार को पार कर चुका है. भारत में भी अभी तक इस महामारी के चलते 45 लोग काल के गाल में समां चुके हैं. इंतजार है तो बस इससे बचने के लिए दवा के ईजाद होने का.

Travel tales: Copenhagen- of mermaid, Chinese and cannabis

Rajani Choudhary
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Travel tales: Copenhagen- of mermaid, Chinese and cannabis

I stood in the center of a somewhat spooky place I had randomly walked into while walking around the city and started taking photos of everything around me. It was spooky, like a ghost town shown in a B grade horror movie. It was called “Christiania” as I had seen from the arched gate when I entered the premises. At the time I had not known the background of the location. There were shops selling beads, trinkets, jewelry, scarves and such stuff. There were also small pubs and places where you could eat. Otherwise, the premises were full of dirty, unkept, derelict buildings with their walls decorated with quirky graffiti. There was just rubbish in piles here and there.

Some people standing in groups started to make some noise. I thought they were talking about me and sounding angry, but I was not sure. So, I continued taking photos and enjoying the spookiness.

A thin unkempt dodgy looking man wearing a hoodie accosted me. “Can I have your phone please?” He asked politely with authority. I was frightened and handed it without question.

“It is against the law to take photos of people and this place without permission. There is a sign,” he said looking at the photos on my mobile. He showed me the sign which I had conveniently but genuinely missed.

“I’m sorry”, I said. I was embarrassed.

“It is okay. You did not know”. He deleted all photos where there was a person from his group, handed my phone back and walked back to his group. He did not delete all pictures of the place though. I was glad about that. I could check up later what exactly was the deal with that weird looking locality.

Later I learnt that the place called “Christiania” was Copenhagen’s hippie neighborhood. It was established in 1971 and has its own mission statement, defining the lofty objectives of the place about creating a self-governing society responsible for well-being of the entire community.

Today it is Europe’s oldest still existing squatters’ community; a free town where cannabis trade takes place openly, which is elsewhere illegal. That explains the no photo diktat. It is also called the Green Light District because you get the “green” stuff there. Formerly a military base with a 19-acre expanse, the place has its share of shady stories. Gang wars, cannabis trade wars, shootings, grenade attack have happened there.

I did not know about this place before. Otherwise, I would never have walked into the premises alone.

What I did know about Copenhagen and did plan to see was predictably, the famous little mermaid. The iconic bronze statue has come to symbolize the city.

I started navigating on foot towards the statue. Meandering along on the way, I saw the royal palace, Danish Parliament, some castles, some churches, some interesting sculptures. Not having the time to explore much; I saved the castles and buildings and other attractions for another time. That day, the mermaid was calling me.

Along the way, I also heard an American teenager explaining her fascination with the statue.

“When I was little, we had a class project on Denmark and all I wrote about was The Little Mermaid. I was just so fascinated with her.” She sounded excited about finally seeing it for real. I felt a little juvenile myself for being excited about the mermaid.

I found my way around the city to the mermaid. She was little. Set on a rock by the waterside at a promenade in Copenhagen, she looked dreamy. The bronze statue depicted a mermaid becoming human. She has been through much since she was installed in the year 1913. There have been numerous attempts at defacement and vandalism, and she was restored each time.

That day she was surrounded by Chinese, who would not leave the mermaid alone for a split second. When one Chinese finished taking photos in all the twenty-one poses, another one jumped besides the mermaid. It was annoying to all who just wanted a picture for memory without anyone else but the mermaid and maybe oneself in the frame. After a few unsuccessful attempts to capture the mermaid alone, one woman standing beside me was reasonably annoyed.

‘Ah. The Chinese!!’ She said displaying a zillion times milder version of the emotion the world shares today. Those were good days when the world was still in love with China. I even bought a souvenir, a tacky little mermaid kitchen magnet, that was “Made in China”. It is still stuck on my refrigerator, not sanitized.

Idling away valuable time is not worthy

sajaljainn143
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Idling away valuable time is not worthy

Despite the standstill on the movement due to this unprecedented nationwide lockdown one must not idle away this valuable time in navigating through the labyrinthine of social media having enormous directions to mislead anyone easily. As per the latest reports, it has been exhibited that since the 21-days lock down has been put in place the average time spent by a person on social media has increased dramatically. As per the survey conducted by Hammerkopf Consumer Survey over more than 1000 people reveals a number of interesting fact to be pondered upon. As per its recent study it was found that an average Indian spent more than four hours every day on social media every day in comparison with a week before the lockdown consequently marking the 87% of the total hike.Before the lockdown, social media usage was on average 150 minutes per day. However, in the first week of lockdown, the figures jumped to 280 minutes per day, showed a survey.Out of it, more than 75% use their time in using various social media platforms such as facebook, whatsapp, instagram.

Since all the schools, colleges and other institutions are closed for at least 21 days, students now have much free time to open different precious avenues of their interests. Interests in particular subjects is a tool which steer us through the mighty oceans of worldly complications  to the richness of understandability. Interest in particular subject is inevitably significant for developing a sense of understanding to acquire knowledge about the subject concerned.

Insufficient amount of interest in any of the field whether its an educational, professional or any other will lead our painstaking work to nowhere and might be in veins. Thus it is a scientifically approved fact that developing interest is very important facet to take our horizons of knowledge to a different level. For say, if I dont had interest in writing then I might not be writing here. Interest in a subject not only increase your chances of understanding and conceiving the subject easily, it also take one’s understanding to another level which can open many new avenues for him or her with the enough opportunities to elevate his or her life and career.

One should try to develop interest in different fields like Reading, Writing, Singing, Dancing, pursuing Social services, etc. All these interest not only boost your skill but also develop your presence of mind. Healthy mind is very necessary for one undertaking lots of stress in day to day lives. These activities will reduce overburden from one’s mind and relieve him from unnecessary stress calmly.

Many among us thinks that life must be enjoyable with full of pleasures, but one must not forget that those enjoyments and pleasures must not be at the expenses of his long term goals. Thus now, we have almost 21 days to do much about our daily actions to generate a broad understanding about the life and its implications.

Apart from these activities one can take his or her mind toward the other important facet of life called Spiritualism. Spiritualism is something which allow us to understand the balanced way of life and impartial judgement of other worldly things. One should devote little time of his day hours to books explaining the true essence of the life and rejuvenating the right conduct to live in with. Books of many globally acclaimed spiritual leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore might help to study spiritualism very comprehensively.

At last this is a valuable time to develop a new sense of thinking, throwing away negativity and replacing it with immense positivity, new way of living which promote both communal harmony and social conflicts. I would urge everyone to make a proper use of this time for deriving a desired results in near future.

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