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What Hindus must realize in the era of soft-Hindutwa politics

S Ranganathan
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What Hindus must realize in the era of soft-Hindutwa politics

Politics is not that straight and clean; where elections are fought purely on the basis of political ideology alone. BJP and Narendra Modi alone can claim that BJP fights elections purely based on the ideological basis whereas most of the other political parties in India divides the society based on caste, religion and other divisive issues to win elections.

Victory of AAP in Delhi although can be called as victory of Hanuman chalisa but still the religious polarization of minority communities only has helped the AAP in defeating true Hinduism and Hindutwa in Delhi.

Victory of true Hinduism and Hindutwa means the victory of India, its tradition, culture, spiritual essence, tolerance, unity in diversity, universal brotherhood etc. BJP promotes only such Hinduism or nationalism in India.

The victory of soft Hindutwa as practiced by some tukede tukede gangs means the victory of politics based on religious lines, therefore soft Hindutwa is as dangerous as pseudo-secular politics or politics of dynasty and sycophancy, politics of corruption and nepotism etc.

Soft Hindutwa is more dangerous than pseudo-secular politics because the pseudo-secular politics only defeats minority the communities through false promise and using them as mere vote bank whereas soft Hindutwa defeats both minority and majority in equal measure and disintegrate our cultural and heritage fabric.

The soft-Hindutwa politics appeases to both minority and majority communities and it cheats both communities for the political gain. BJP appeals to the nation not to elect a Hindu leader on religious line but appeals to people to support the revival of our ancient cultural identity, tradition and the umbilical cord that connects every Indian irrespective of their religious affiliations or belief. 

Like Gandhiji, Modi also believes in committed truism and not missionary truism. Therefore Hindus must commit the self to complete Hinduism and not soft Hinduism. Most of the minority community’s intoto would listens to their religious leaders and follow their instructions even in voting. Therefore making an underground deal with such religious leaders is quite easy for all those who play soft-Hindutwa and possibly only with their permission and approval, they may be playing soft Hindutwa.

Hindus in general are nomadic in following the religious practice, philosophy and spiritual thinking. Therefore uniting Hindus by the spiritual leaders of Hindus is not that easy like the religious leaders of other minority community can do. Hindus should not look for a spiritual leader to unite them or kindle them but instead must realize that India must be saved by re-inventing Hinduism and Hindutwa, the cultural and national identity of India.

Soft Hindutwa appeal is political whereas revival of Hinduism and Hindutwa tradition and culture is national and patriotic. BJP, Modiji and Amit Shah invoke nationalism and patriotism whereas many other tukede tukede gangs play minority appeasement politics and soft Hindutwa politics.

Voting for BJP is therefore not a political decision or political compulsion but is an essential act of saving the nation, invoking nationalism and patriotism. Supporting BJP is not a religious act but a nationalistic act, an act full of patriotism and safe-guarding the nation. Hinduism does not include Hindus alone but it equally includes all other religions as well. Whether the above truth various minority communities would have understand or not but Hindus must realize and support the same by supporting BJP. 

Vote for BJP is meant to build India and vote for those pseudo secular and soft-Hindutwa political parties are meant to disintegrate India. 

Hindus needs to unite not for playing politics but to save India. Economy, unemployment and all other problems are only due to the cultural degeneration of India and loss of personal integrity which has led to rampant corruption which India witnessed during UPA 1 and 2. The above disease has gripped our society only due to loss for values and beliefs. Hinduism is all about good values and belief systems, cultural revival, making man to think, feel and acts like a human being. Only by reviving Hinduism, we can address all problems of India. BJP stands for solving problems of India whereas most of the other tukde tukde gangs fight election to grab power, loot the nation and cause religious polarization. Only by Hindus uniting with utmost commitment and supporting BJP unconditionally, India can be saved.

Revival of Hinduism and Hindutwa is not a religious or majoritarian agenda but a nationalistic, patriotic agenda to develop India, promote tolerance and universal brother hood and unite diversity and pluralism. Defeat minority polarization, pseudo secularism and soft-Hindutwa and support BJP to save India by re-inventing our cultural identity called Hinduism.

Jai Hind!

AYUSH Ministry to collaborate with FSSAI on AYUSH food supplements is a welcome step, know why?

S Ranganathan
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AYUSH Ministry to collaborate with FSSAI on AYUSH food supplements is a welcome step, know why?

Recently the Ministry of AYUSH has stated that it would collaborate with FSSAI to grant food and health products manufactured using several herbs listed in AYUSH stream of healing practices, deserves rich appreciation. Even after creation of a separate ministry for AYUSH in 2014, the system remains clueless and direction less and is struggling for survival.

Cross pathy by several institutionally qualified AYUSH (Siddha, Ayurveda etc.,) vaidya in private practice are affecting the credibility of AYUSH system and cross pathy by vaid also equally causing medication health fraud in remote rural areas in India where uneducated, economically weaker section lives.

Promoting AYUSH as medical science or its products as drugs or those qualified Vaidyas designated with doctor title or suffix will not make AYUSH scientific, credible and effective.  Most of the herb based AYUSH preparations are nothing but are extended versions of food items and the best example being kashyam or kudineer and that can be equated with coffee or tea, churna can be equated with sambar power or idli power, lehiya can be equated with jack fruit jam or mango pulp jam or Puliyodarai mix etc.

Like how we take vegetables for cooking, the pre-designated herbs; for example Tribala – the powdered Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, Embelica officinalis in dried form are taken, powdered and mixed in equal proportion and that is how the above AYUSH product is prepared.  All most all churna are prepared only by the above method. In the case of lehiya, either jiggery or sugar or honey is used as binder but with a caveat that even the binder is also treated as drug ingredient according to AYUSH.

What is there in the chosen herb that is pharmacologically active, how it should be identified, how much quantity may be required for the preparation to be effective, whether the pharmacologically active substance (s) is present in equal proportion in same species of plant grown and or collected from different regions, what is the mechanism of action, how soon the patient can experience the relief from the given disease etc., if asked, the AYUSH vaidya (in my personal experience with Siddha vaidya) would get raged and may even physically assault or abuse those who make such question. Similarly about Tridosha diagnosis also some Siddha vaidya would avoid from answering but love to talk about allopathic method of diagnosis.

We must be sympathetic and compassionate with AYUSH viadya in private practice because they are helpless whereas those in Government service are getting fat money, God alone knows what they do and why they deserve such salary and designation. The system can be saved only if we re-designate AYUSH as paramedical wellness and health providing system.

If we promote AYUSH as medical system or medical science, its products as drugs and those who graduated from such system as ‘doctor’ would only promote lies, hypocrisy, medication health fraud. If AYUSH is promoted as traditional paramedical wisdom for wellness and health and its products as food items, the system will grow gloriously because the acceptance of AYUSH as wellness and health support system would get better traction in the society.

Curry leaf power, cardamom power, asafoetida powder, ginger powder, curcuma powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder, myristica powder, pepper powder, salt, sugar, jaggery, Ashwaganda powder, fenugreek powder etc., are used by Indians in preparing wide variety of dishes in our kitchen. If all those ingredients based preparations are promoted as health supplements with strong claims mentioned in Siddha or Ayurveda texts, such AYUSH food items will get better acceptance and relevance.

AYUSH vaidya can offer mind healing, YOGA, meditation etc., along with their wellness expertise to the patients as well as in providing various paramedical services such as massage therapy etc.

If we could bring AYUSH under FSSAI, we can dramatically change the fortune and future of AYUSH. What really impedes the recognition and relevance of AYUSH is the current promotional strategy i.e., promoting AYUSH as medical science and its products as drugs and those qualified from the system as doctor.

Paramedical tag with FSSAI categorization of AYUSH products would certainly save the dying system and also would end cross pathy and quackery by several Siddha (AYUSH) vaidya in private practice in remote rural areas.

Let us save AYUSH not by calling it as medical science or its products as drugs but by calling it as an extended version of food science, evolved more from our kitchen than from research laboratory. That is why even ‘Pakkuvam’ approach is followed in preparing AYUSH products, especially the thaila preparations and not any robust scientific methods.  

Annexation of Sindh: 1843 CE

Priya Chaturvedi
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Annexation of Sindh: 1843 CE

There are always certain incidents in history which are remembered and talked about more than the others. Same is the case with various incidents and events of the British colonialist expansion in India. We have frequently learnt and discussed annexation of Jhansi in 1854, especially due to heroic resistance by Rani Laxmibai, annexation of Awadh in 1856 etc. But, how Sindh came under complete control of British is not something that is discussed. So, today I want to talk about that, not only because it’s less discussed but also because it’s so interesting, it gives us an insight of ruthless diplomacy of British and despite trying, utter helplessness of the rulers of Sindh. This is part one of a two part series.

Mir Rustam Khan Talpur

Ever since the invasion of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim in 711 CE, except for certain areas, it’s been mostly under the Islamic invaders until its occupation by the British in 1843. It was under the Mughals, then submitted to Nadir Shah and then was included in the empire of Ahmed Shah Abdali/Durrani in the eighteenth century. It was ruled by the Kallora chiefs but they were ousted by the Baluchi tribe of Talpura which had descended from hills and settled in Sindh in 1771. Mir Fateh Ali Khan became its ruler and was confirmed as such by Durranis in 1784. After his death in 1800, Sindh was divided amongst his brothers known as ‘char yar’. They called themselves Amirs of Sindh. Later, they occupied some more territories like Karachi, Amarkot, Shaikarpur and Bukkar. The chiefs were seated at Hyderabad, Khairpur and Mirpur.

Ranjit Singh

The East India Company had established a factory at Thatta which was an important commercial town at that time. But, they abandoned it in 1792. The British were concerned about the French actions in Sindh hence, they made a treaty of ‘eternal friendship’ with the chiefs in 1809 and the treaty was renewed in 1820. The British were now successful in keeping French out. Apart from French another power whose presence and actions or just the possibility of it kept British on their toes was Russia. They wanted a place which can be a counteracting influence over the Afghans. It wasn’t possible to use Punjab as Maharaja Ranjit Singh was too powerful. Hence, Sindh. Ranjit Singh himself wanted to expand Sikh power to Sindh as natural progression of Sikh Empire. He had even suggested to divide Sindh between the Sikh and the British in 1831 but, Lord Bentinck didn’t agree to this. In fact the British had decided to use the looming fear of Sikh attack over Sindh to threaten the Amirs and bring Sindh under the Company rule.

In 1831, British sent Sir Alexander Burnes to explore the Indus area for commercial reasons. They pretended that they were just carrying presents for Ranjit Singh at Lahore and were just passing along the way. The Baluchis knew that Company had other motives and it was only a matter of time before Sindh would be under their rule. When Burnes arrived at the Indus, a Baluchi soldier said; “the mischief is done, you have seen our country”. In 1832, another treaty was concluded between the British and the chiefs of Sindh for opening rivers and roads of Sindh for commerce but not for military vessels and stores. Amirs though signed the treaty, were still apprehensive. The treaty was renewed in 1834. Their apprehension of British actions proved correct by what happened subsequently. What is interesting to me is that from the very start the Amirs knew what was to happen and yet they fought, though they were helpless and incompetent against the British might.

As much as one abhors the British practices, one can also learn from sheer connivance and ruthlessness of their diplomacy in this whole saga. They knew that Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to incorporate Sindh into his empire, so they warned him of such actions saying that Amirs of Sindh were now connected with the British Empire and Lord Auckland used this threat to conduct another treaty with the Amirs in 1838 and sent a British resident there.

Sir Charles Napier

Highhanded attitude of the British made them break the treaty of 1832 when they took armed forces through Sindh during the first Anglo – Afghan war. Everything was going as per the whims of the British. When they decided, they concluded a treaty. When they decided, they broke it. Other such odd demands included a very heavy price for mediating between the Amirs and Shah Shuja (the Afghan ruler) in commuting his pecuniary demands on Sindh, despite the fact that Shah Shuja himself had granted an exemption to the Amirs. Then there was the demand of three lakh rupees for maintaining British force in their territories. Sindh was now a formal British protectorate.

Final nail in the coffin was Sir Charles Napier as a representative of the Governor -General with full military and civil powers in 1842. He was a very hot headed and impulsive office. He replaced Major James Outram who was better liked by the Amirs. Napier believed the theory that “annexation of Sindh would be a very beneficent piece of rascality for which it was his business to find an excuse – a robbery to be plausibly effected”.

He held the Amirs accountable for vague charges of going against the British during Anglo Afghan war, wanted some new territory in lieu of three lakh rupees tribute and the right of minting coinage completely under British. But before this new treaty could be accepted he occupied the demanded territory and marched on Imamgarh in 1843 January, an important desert fortress in Sindh. By February a full blown war had started. The Baluchis attacked the British Residency and James Outram (he came back as a British Commissioner) found refuge in a steamer. The Baluchi army consisted of 22,000 men but was routed by 2,800 men and 12 guns under Napier at Miani, few miles from Hyderabad. There were other battles at Dabo, Amarkot that British won. Napier conveyed this news to Lord Ellenborough in a pun saying, “Peccavi, I have Sind.” Napier got 70,000 euros as his prize money, Outram got 3000 euros but he gave it back to charity.

Battle of Miani
Battle of Miani

Everyone at the time, from the casual observers, to fellow officers, to Board of Directors, to newspapers agreed that the whole affair cannot be defended neither politically nor morally. They knew it was nothing but continuation of another morally questionable Afghan war, yet they held onto the newly won Sindh, for there is no such thing as a wrongly acquired territory when it comes to the expansion of an empire.

References:

  1. History of India by R.C. Majumdar , H.C. Raychaudhuri, Kalinkar Datta
  2. History of British India by P.E. Roberts.

Is Prashant Kishore converting India to soft Hindutwa at subterranean level?

S Ranganathan
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Is Prashant Kishore converting India to soft Hindutwa at subterranean level?

All most all non-winnable leaders from the congress party starting from P Chidambaram to many other competing sycophants of the dynast were so vocal to celebrate the victory of AAP because for them, the victory of AAP was defeat of BJP.

The daughter of former President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukerjee made a prompt interjection to P. Chidambaram for his comment by asking has congress party contracted AAP to defeat BJP or it is the responsibility of congress party and is it not so ridiculous to celebrate the victory of AAP when more than 60 / 70 candidates of congress who have lost their deposit in Delhi election? Will P Chidambaram answer the above question raised by a congress leader instead of displaying his scholarliness in economic mismanagement?

The point of debate is not about congress because congress has already dead as wished the great Yogendra Yadav who once described the dynast Raghul Gandhi to be very intelligent and knowledgeable. People of India must carefully decode the possible reasons for the landslide victory of AAP in Delhi.

Prashnat Kishore (PK) is credited for the victory of AAP in Delhi. It is speculated that PK had advised Aravind Kejriwal to play soft Hindutwa card, question the central government for why Shaheen bagh protest has not been diffused, supported abrogation of article 370 and finally chanted Hanuman Chalisa in public. It is also stated that Hanuman Chalisa has at last won. If the above speculation of PK advised AAP to follow soft Hindutwa is true, then we can reasonably assume that PK is playing a different politics with a deep agenda; that is to convert India to soft-Hindutwa nation. Recently even the dynast president of DMK stated in public that 90% of the DMK cadres are Hindus.

All those who abuses Hindus and engaged in raw minority appeasement politics such as congress party of the dynast, communist, RJD etc., were totally eliminated from Delhi politics.

BJP is although branded as Hindutwa party, every hard core follower of BJP knows the truth that BJP is a true nationalist’s party, recognize and respects every religion, diversity, secularism and sab ka vikas.  At the same time BJP also wants to dismantle caste system in India and which can be achieved only through cultural and emotional reform and not by new law enforcement or through education. 

The tukde tukde gangs and the pseudo-secular political forces in India will not allow India to become casteless state because even the so called educated people and Khan Market gang are working from behind the scene ensure caste and religious division exist so deeply in India. Therefore cultural and emotional reforms alone can make people to connect with the fellow being with true humane emotion and warmth of love.

The only tool and the best method available is to integrate all Indians under one umbrella through the revival of our ancient cultural identity and emotional connect called Hinduism. Hinduism is the umbilical cord of India that connects every Indian irrespective of their religious affiliations or faith. Therefore BJP invokes Hinduism only to unite Indians and not to divide but AAP has used soft Hindutwa to divide the vote of Hindus going to BJP.

AAP must have felt happy at the victory and may be also thankful to PK for his timely advice. But the possible hidden agenda of PK may not be just the victory of AAP but also wants to make India a soft Hindu nation that is how it looks like.

Whatever be the ‘tell story’, India must go back to Hinduism the ancient living civilization of the world to make India ONE and whether it is achieved by BJP or PK is fine.

At last Hanuman Chalsa has won over Azadi or jihadi. The theatrics enacted by AAP chief starting form citing Hanuman Chalsa to questioning about Shaheen bagh protest and the widely perceived perception that PK was the main script writer and director of the entire drama, PK is on the right track, although he may achieve the Hindu rastra goal a bit slowly. How the so called pseudo secular, minority appeasement political forces are going to approach PK in near future, we must wait and watch.

The big question is how DMK is going to work its chemistry with PK also we must watch because DMK all along has been opposing Brahmins, Hindi, and north Indians and Hinduism…… Hope people of Tamil Nadu will defeat DMK and save the state from atheist political culture of the dynastic DMK and its politics of hatred and lies.

भारत एक सभ्यता

hind0kush
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भारत एक सभ्यता

हम सब जानते हे की भारत एक बहोत प्राचीन देश हैं। भारत के इतिहास पे नज़र डाले तो हमें ४ से ८ हज़ार साल तक का इतिहास हमें देखने को मिलता हैं। विश्व के शुरुवाती सभ्यताओं में हमें हरप्पा जैसे सभ्यता का नाम मिलता हैं, सिन्धु घाटी सभ्यता विश्व की प्राचीन नदी घाटी सभ्यताओं में से एक प्रमुख सभ्यता थी। जो मुख्य रूप से दक्षिण एशिया के उत्तर-पश्चिमी क्षेत्रों में, जो आज तक उत्तर पूर्व अफगानिस्तान ,पाकिस्तान के उत्तर-पश्चिम और उत्तर भारत में फैली है। शोध के अनुसार यह सभ्यता कम से कम 8000 वर्ष पुरानी है। यह हड़प्पा सभ्यता और ‘सिंधु-सरस्वती सभ्यता’ के नाम से भी जानी जाती है।

उसके आलावा भारत के पास ४ हज़ार साल पुराण वेदो का अपार ज्ञान हे,जिसके सिर्फ २ प्रतिशत ज्ञान का इस्तेमाल करके पश्चिम वासियो ने अब तक के शोध किये हैं। आज जो भारत हम देखते हे वो एक विविध संस्कृतियों का मिला जुला देश हैं। जिसमे मराठी, गुजराती, पंजाबी, बंगाली, तमिल जैसी २२ अलग अलग संस्कृतिया हमें देखने को मिलते हैं।

पर आपने कभी सोचा हे क्या, की इतनी सारी संस्कृतिया बनी कैसी और बनी तो क्यों? इसका उत्तर हमें आज के मुस्लिम राष्ट्रों की तरफ देख कर मिलता हैं। उदहारण की तौर पर पाकिस्तान देख लीजिये। पाकिस्तान के मस्जितो में इस्लाम को अलग तरीके से पेश किया जाता हैं, जिसमे दारुल ऐ देवबंद करके एक अलग तरह का इस्लाम उन्होंने इजात किया हैं। उसी में ये गज़वा ऐ हिन्द, गैर मुस्लिम जैसे शब्द उन्होंने ड़ाल दिए।

इससे हमें ये पता चलता हे की अगर किसी देश में सिर्फ एक ही संस्कृति हे तो उसे बड़े आसानी से नियंत्रण किया जा सकता हैं। जैसे की अगर किसी देश का एक ही मुँह हो तो वो बड़े आसानी से दबाया जा सकता हैं, पर अगर उसके बहोत सरे मुँह हो तो उसको दबाने को बहोत मशक्कत करनी पड़ेगी।

यही कारण हे की बहुत सारी सभ्यताए आयी और चली गयी, पर हिन्दू संस्कृति अभी भी इस पृथ्वी पर कायम हैं। अगर देखा जाये तो दुनिया में जीतनी भी बर्बादी हो रही हैं, उस में सरे धर्म आते हैं सिवाय हिन्दू धर्म के। मेरे कहने का ये मतलब ये हैं की कोई भी धर्म इंसान को अलग नहीं बताता। सभी धर्म इंसानियत और शांति की बात ही करते हैं। और अगर आपको किसी भी धर्म में भेदभाव सिखाया जाता हो तो जान लीजिये की वो इंसानो का ही प्रचार प्रसार हैं।

Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: Symbol of Indian renaissance

Sanat Bhardwaj
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Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: Symbol of Indian renaissance

Lord Ram in his personified incarnation is an unimaginable life biography ever any poet or author could have penned. Great Awadhi poet Saint Tulsidas created an epic yet to be paralleled in humane literature across the globe and across the belief. It is said 16 Language in an era of no technology across India narrated the Truth and Light of Lord Ram to the entire world. Not to forget while no technology footprint was available to those ancient far flung region in the world, Lord Ram was yet worshiped in his various incarnation up to land of Indonesia and Cambodia in those contemporary days.

During the brief period of medieval darkness on this Great Land called Bharat, the icon and his worshiper were disillusioned.

During those centuries, the absence of Idea of Lord Ram led to every possible misery/deprivation and struggle in humane life in Bharat and in the rest of world. Cruelty fratricides death violence war ranged entire humanity across the geography. The science turned to a tool of humane destruction.

The building of Lord Ram in Ajodhya is not a symbolic. It is revival and accentuation of concept of Lord Ram. The philosophy and vision that Ramayan explains is not restricted to a mere religious discourse. It has far reaching impact and teaching.  The idea of Lord Ram pervades to how a King should govern his state, how an elder should stand in society and a Subject should integrate with the system. The Governance/ The Nature /The environment/ all living and nonliving finds a narrative of coexistence, progress and prosperity.  The purity and devotion as way of living is the most valued ornament of humane life. A society devoid of such a morality is nothing but mere crowd of conflict and chaos.

Today world order is trying every possible discourse and action for peace and order in society. And you look at the social political fabric of Bharat and in entire world, humane being are not worth of any humane morality. Violence/blood shed/ atrocity/war/famine and disease is cursing this social order worldwide. Who or where on earth you find a place or a subject who can follow or display the teaching of Life of Lord.

The world is awaiting. The world order is to settle. Lord Ram in Ajodhya will be a ray of hope for the mankind. His message and teaching on life morality/devotion/discipline and service is set to rewrite the humane value. World is awaiting.

Lord Ram in through symbolic Statue in Ajodhya shall be the harbinger of new World order for every Santana/ every believer and every Non believer for entire mankind.

दिल्ली में बनी “टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग” की सरकार

RAJEEV GUPTA
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दिल्ली में बनी “टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग” की सरकार

दिल्ली विधान सभा के चुनाव परिणाम आ चुके है. कुल ६२ प्रतिशत वोटों में से आम आदमी पार्टी का वोट शेयर ३७ प्रतिशत और भाजपा का २५ प्रतिशत रहा – लगभग ३८ प्रतिशत लोगों ने अपने मताधिकार का प्रयोग ही नहीं किया. केजरीवाल को जो ३७ प्रतिशत वोट मिले हैं उनमे से ३० प्रतिशत वोट तो रोहिंग्या बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठियों और मुस्लिम कट्टर पंथियों के हैं जो पिछले काफी समय से नागरिकता कानून का विरोध भी इसीलिए कर रहे थे  कर रहे थे क्योंकि कानून लागू होते ही इन लोगों को धक्के मारकर बाहर निकला जाना तय है. इस बात को केजरीवाल समेत सभी विपक्षी पार्टियां भली भाँति जानती और समझती हैं और इसीलिए यह सभी पार्टियां नागरिकता कानून का विरोध इसीलिए कर रही हैं कि उनका पूरा का पूरा वोट बैंक एक ही झटके में देश से बाहर फेंक दिया जाएगा. सारी समस्या उन ७ प्रतिशत हिन्दू वोटों की हैं जिन्हे “फ्री” के चक्कर में कुछ भी समझ में नहीं आया और उनकी अपनी “मुफ्तखोरी” देश हित और दिल्ली के हित पर भारी पड़ गयी.

देखा जाए तो यह ७ प्रतिशत मुफ्तखोर हिन्दू कोई नया काम नहीं कर रहे हैं- इनकी गलती सिर्फ इतनी है कि इन्होने इतिहास से कोई सबक नहीं लिया है. केजरीवाल  को वोट देने वाले ७ प्रतिशत हिन्दू शायद १९९० के उस समय को भूल गए हैं जब कश्मीर से लगभग ५ लाख हिन्दुओं को मुस्लिमों ने मार मार कर सिर्फ इसलिए भगाया था क्योंकि वहां वे बहुसंख्यक थे. अवैध घुसपैठियों को मिलाकर लगभग ३० प्रतिशत मुसलमान आज दिल्ली में हैं-इन लोगों का अपना एक एजेंडा है और उस पर लगातार काम  करते हुए एक “ख़ास” पार्टी को वोट कर रहे हैं. सवाल यह है कि अगर ७ प्रतिशत “लालची” हिन्दू उनकी पसंद की पार्टी को वोट देकर उनके एजेंडे को आगे क्यों बढ़ा रहे हैं? जिस दिन कश्मीर के हिन्दुओं की तरह उन्हें दिल्ली से भगाया जाएगा तब सारी की सारी “मुफ्तखोरी” का हिसाब चुकता हो जाएगा क्योंकि कश्मीर से जितने भी हिन्दू भगाये गए थे उन्हें अपनी जमीन जायदाद वहीं छोड़कर आनी पडी थी.

सोमालिया के राजा ने भी सत्ता में बने रहने के लिए “मुफ्तखोरी” का सहारा लिया था और जब खजाने खाली हो गए तो देश छोड़कर भाग खड़ा हुआ. चाणक्य बहुत पहले ही इस बात को लिख चुके हैं कि जिस राज्य की जनता लालची होती है वहां सिर्फ ठग शासन करते हैं. “मुफ्त का माल” वैसे तो सभी को अच्छा लगता है लेकिन उसकी भविष्य में क्या कीमत चुकानी पड़ेगी इसका ख्याल भी रखा जाना जरूरी है.

“टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग” के समर्थकों की जो सरकार दिल्ली में बनी है, उसके चलते न सिर्फ कन्हैया और उमर खालिद जैसे देशद्रोह के आरोपियों के मामले को आगे नहीं बढ़ने दिया जायेगा बल्कि इन्ही लोगों की तर्ज़ पर  शरजील इमाम पर भी देशद्रोह के मामले को दिल्ली सरकार की परमिशन नहीं दी जाएगी. जो ३८ प्रतिशत हिन्दू दिल्ली में मतदान करने नहीं गए और जो ७% हिन्दू “मुफ्तखोरी” के चलते केजरीवाल को वोट कर बैठे, उनके इस अपराध की सजा दिल्ली को क्या कीमत चुकानी पड़ेगी इसका अंदाज़ा शायद उन्हें भी नहीं है.

चलते चलते : “टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग” के समर्थक अक्सर भाजपा पर यह आरोप लगाते आये हैं कि वह हर समय हिन्दू-मुस्लमान और पाकिस्तान का राग अलापती रहती है. क्या यह लोग बताएँगे कि १९४७ में जब भाजपा नहीं थी तब हिन्दू-मुसलमान का राग अलापकर पाकिस्तान किसने बनबाया था?

Was Ram Chandra Kak a traitor?

ANSH CHOWDHARI
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Was Ram Chandra Kak a traitor?

Whenever anyone discusses the modern history of J&K, a person who invariably pops onto the screen for me is none other than the former PM of J&K, Mr. Ram Chandra Kak, a nondescript Kashmiri Pandit who had wheedled his way to minister-in-waiting before being the PM and whose role had allegedly been quite dubious during that whole pandemonium of late 1940s, while Britons were leaving, bag and baggage and India was having its birth pangs with some redeemable “tryst with destinies”. The new order which was emerging had engulfed the whole country.

Even J&K couldn’t remain untouched by that. And it was in this whole milieu that Kak had to witness a fair share of demonization and then some. While some scholars accused him of “hobnobbing with the Pakistanis” vis a vis J&K, few have called him a nationalist to the core. But, if I may say so, both of these accounts, are proverbial, curate’s egg, good in parts. Hence, his Hindu identity, notwithstanding, it’s essential that we analyze his role in a non-partisan fashion so that an accurate version of narrative can be presented to the people at large.

It was from Mr. VP Menon’s ‘Integration of Indian States’, that I first made the acquaintance with Mr RC Kak. As I proceeded and delved furiously deeper and further, the latter’s centrality became the
main focal point of my study, for he turned out to be the fulcrum of any event that I came across
during that period. This was the time when PM Kak under Maharaja Hari Singh was most restless. He was uncharacteristically nervous, for the task at hand was huge- 84000 square miles in size, quite contrary to Dr. Karan Singh’s description of him being “arrogant but unflinching in his adherence….He would tell me that the greatest quality one could develop was ‘poise’, a calm imperturbability in the face of any circumstance, howsoever unsettling….”.

As pointed earlier, the egress of the Britons was coinciding with a crucial phase in India, wherein the princely states had to accede to either of the dominions- India or Pakistan while a ruthless
communal carnage was underway in Punjab and Bengal. While it was easier for Hyderabad or
Junagarh to make decisions regarding their respective positions, for they were within the Indian
boundaries and had largely uniform populations but J&K had its own dilemmas -inconspicuous
geographical position, ethnical divide, which posed a serious predicament for the Maharaja. At this
time, the Maharaja was dithering to accede to either of the dominions. When Mountbatten visited the state in June 1947, he implicitly exhorted the state to join Pakistan, Kak retorted him by saying “It’s not possible for us to do that, and since that is so we cannot accede to India”.

After Mountbatten’s meeting with Maharaja couldn’t materialize, Kak, as quoted by MJ Akbar in his book ‘Kashmir: Behind the vale’ replied “H.H.’s decision was that at present he could not commit
himself… H.H. realized the various factors involved, but in any case, was not now in any way
alarmed by Pandit Nehru or disturbed by his threats”. And rightly so, this was palpable given major supply lines and communication channels to the state ran through what constitutes today’s Pakistan. It was only after Radcliffe’s award that J&K got access to India via the Gurdaspur corridor and the question of accession with India became tenable.

Additionally, the Nehru-Abdullah coterie was challenging the administration after the former’s
relations deteriorated with Kak while he arrested Nehru at the Kohala bridge in 1946, while he was
visiting his friend and Vice President of All Indian state’s people Conference Sheikh Abdullah, who
was incarcerated after he started a vilification campaign against the Dogras and launched Quit
Kashmir movement. This, however, strengthened Abdullah’s narrative within Congress’s cadres.
In the words of Kak, “Simultaneously, attempts were made by the Congress leaders to bring pressure on the government with the object of securing Sheikh Abdullah’s release”. Even Gandhi and Patel prodded him to release Abdullah. It was against this background, Kak writes “that the problem of accession was posed to the Kashmir government in 1946, and the Kashmir government’s decision not to accede was communicated to the Government of India through the resident”.

If all was well settled, then why this ‘traitor’ tag was assigned to Kak in mainstream literature. The
probable answer to this has been provided by Iqbal Chand Malhotra & Maroof Raza’s book
‘Kashmir’s untold story’. They remark that as the great game was being played at the frontiers of the state, “Kak was pursuing a pro-Pakistan agenda and sought to irrevocably manoeuvre the Maharaja to accede to Pakistan”. Additionally, Josef Korbel’s “Danger in Kashmir’ mentions that Kak through his deft handling of affairs had also arrested Muslim Conference’s leader Ch Ghulam Abbas along with Abdullah so that it would not appear that Abbas was in support of Maharaja. This helped Kak to introduce a nascent idea of Pakistan in Maharaja’s mind. More so, even Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan, former PM of J&K in his autobiography “Looking back” says “Mr. Ram Chandra Kak, the Prime Minister of Kashmir at that time had, it was believed, never made any secret of his pro-Pakistan leanings”. It’s difficult to find as to what prompted Mahajan to say so. Either he was having evidence against Kak or it was mere hearsay, for Mahajan hasn’t provided any clear source for such information.

Hence, it’s safe to assume that until the very independence Kak was working in tandem with the
Maharaja in so far as the question of accession of the state to India was concerned. Then what happened later, that Kak had to be removed and the entire administration was decapitated and revamped. Was it some sort of ploy or Maharaja really wanted someone more amenable to the deal with the emerging crisis & his idea of forming a “Dograland”. While it’s no secret that Maharaja was looking for a new face for his Prime Ministership (Probably because of Kak’s Pro-Pak leaning) much before the independence as Maharani Tara Devi requested Mahajan to take over the Prime ministership of J&K state in May 1947. Scholar Prem Shankar Jha states that it represented the Maharaja’s decision sometime at the beginning of July not to accede to Pakistan and so India was his only option if independence proved impossible. He believed Kak to be an impediment to repairing relations with the Indian National Congress and hence his eviction was inevitable.

But Kak, in his defense, says that because of Maharaja’s increasing faith in Swami Sant Dev’s occult practices and growing differences between them over the future relationship of J&K with the new dominions was the major cause of his eviction. Another major issue that Kak noted was the backdoor talks between Swami Sant Dev and Congress leadership. Kak says “The Maharaja was now in the horns of a dilemma. He has to choose between his Swami and his Prime Minister. Inevitably, he chose the Swami”. This idea of expansionism which Swami ingrained in the mind of Maharaja cost Kak his seat of power and he was arrested on August 11, 1947, while he was leaving Srinagar for Delhi.

Now, I leave it upon the reader’s conscience to decide as to which side of the fence they want to put Kak in. Was he really vouching for Pakistan or just buying some time to make a politically expedient decision? But, I, in my personal capacity believe that given the circumstances – the vacillating Maharaja, invading tribals, the uncooperative Indian state, underlying communal faultlines, and burgeoning internal crisis, Kak’s decisions were more or less sagacious and, at most, were pleading for an independent state. It’s essential that we review all these facts dispassionately. Pros & cons must be evaluated and then only a fair appraisal of Kak can be presented.

Delhi: Was it worth the fight for BJP?

muralisesh
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Delhi: Was it worth the fight for BJP?

Delhi crowns Arvind Kejriwal yet again. Not a surprise as many of you may feel. BJP is distant second in the race. Congress – Indian National Congress – has nothing to show. A lot will be written and a lot will be said about these results in the coming weeks. Kejriwal will be seen as an invincible leader of the opposition. A king slayer and a David knocking out a Goliath. AAP’s campaign will be praised and BJP’s campaign will derided, shred to pieces by panelists on TV debates. For BJP it is yet another state election loss.

What does this Delhi election result tell us?

First thing we will hear is, this is a vote against BJP’s CAA, Shaheen Bhag campaign, state of economy under Modi Government, lack of employment opportunities.

Next in the analysis, Arvind Kejriwal’s good work will be highlighted as his winning card. Free electricity, free metro and bus rides for women, free medical treatment and surgeries, upgrading Government schools, providing marshals in DTC buses to protect women travelers etc.

The second is more likely the factor giving Kejriwal such a landslide victory. Kejriwal intensified all the social schemes only in the last few years. First three years of his rule was spent in confronting Prime Minister Modi and his government. He clashed head on with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung every day. Every issue Kejriwal faced he blamed Modi. Kejriwal was only seen as an activist and not as a Chief Minister during that period. His popularity was taking a beating. Senior leaders of his party, his close associates were deserting him. It did look Kejriwal may not become a Chief Minister once again.

In the last two years, Kejriwal stopped abusing Modi, stopped clashing with Lt Governor and stopped taking to streets every other day. He decided to focus on welfare schemes. He understood what his supporters wanted. Free electricity, medical, metro and bus rides; building new schools and upgrading existing ones, and a few started popping out of Kejriwal’s hat. Ground for 2020 state election win was firmly set.

Meanwhile, Modi and Shah pulled off a major parliament election victory demolishing a Mahaghatbhandhan. Kejriwal could not stop Delhi voting for Modi. His party had contested 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls but won just one in Punjab. Delhi was a white wash for Kejriwal in the Lok Sabha elections.

To his credit Kejriwal did not lose heart. He went ahead with his freebie schemes that people loved.

Having got a brutal majority, Prime Minister Modi was completing many of his manifesto items. Abrogation of Artice 370, favourable Supreme Court verdict in Ramjanmaboomi matter, Citizenship Amendment Act, Setting up of Ramajanmaboomi Trust under Supreme Court orders etc has ensured another term for Modi at the centre. No stopping Modi juggernaut.

Delhi was on the boil by design or by chance. Jawaharlal Nehru University fee hike gave an opportunity to the left-wing student unions to go on protest. Opportunistic opposition ensured this student protest became a national and international issue. Aligarh Muslim University students protesting in support of JNU protestors clashed with police. A communal twist was given to this unfortunate event. Arvind Kejriwal and AAP lent their support to the students. Right Wing student unions were blamed to score points over BJP.

Around the same time, Anti-CAA protests broke out in Assam, Bengal and other parts of India. Opposition and Muslim community joined together to make it a nationwide protest with rallies all over India.

At Shaheen Bagh, Muslim women and children sat in a protest and blocked the arterial road. They continue to do it till date. This continuous blockade by women was ignored by Modi government as any other politically motivated anti-CAA stir. Delhi elections were announced and all parties decided to use Shaheen Bagh as a campaign tool. Delhi BJP was not vigorous in campaigning initially. Amit Shah spurred up the local BJP with his aggressive door-to-door campaign. CAA, Shaheen Bhag, illegal immigrants were the main issues that BJP was fighting on. They had no clue how to take on Arvind Kejriwal on the freebies and welfare measures. BJP tried highlighting the shoddy implementation of these schemes by AAP which did not cut much ice with low and low middle income groups.

Amit Shah and BJP did rake up anti-CAA protests as anti-national and communal. I am sure many in Delhi agreed with BJP. But for them Delhi polls was not about national issues or communal issues. Upper Middle class and the rich would not have cared much for voting. BJP was on a slippery wicket straightaway.

Delhi voters who gave BJP a clean sweep of all parliamentary seats while giving AAP a third place in the Lok Sabha polls were not in a mood to give BJP any chance in the assembly elections. The signs were there for everyone to see.

It is the fighter in Amit Shah that did not want to take Delhi polls lying down. But he did not have the right weapons to take on Kejriwal and AAP. Delhi was Kejriwal’s home pitch that was carefully prepared for AAP. BJP’s star campaigners including PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath tried hard under Amit Shah’s captaincy to bowl out Kejriwal’s team but was badly beaten.

BJP and AAP’s campaigns were running tangentially. Delhites have no reason to unseat CM Kejriwal and AAP. To them Kejriwal is doing absolutely fine. All of them love to see Narendra Modi as PM through the next decade and more. They love BJP government to take care of national issues and are confidant Modi is doing a great job. But, in the state, they want Kejriwal and AAP for Delhi. Shrewd man that he is, Amit Shah would have seen it coming but the warrior in him would not accept it.

In Delhi election, country’s economy, security, CAA was not an issue. Article 370 abrogation and construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya is all fine but not being dealt on this table. People’s attitude was “We know you guys handle national issues well but we need to take care of our daily lives”. That they have said loud and by their votes on February 8, 2020.

Was Delhi election a fight worth fighting for BJP at such a high level? In my humble opinion, it was not. State BJP should have been entrusted with the task of fighting this election. To walk away with a single digit reward it did not call for a campaign by PM Modi or Amit Shah.

What BJP gained was nominal but what they have lost is big. When national issues did not matter bringing them to the centre stage and losing the battle, BJP has given fodder to the opposition. They will be going to town crowing CAA has been rejected by Delhi voters; country has rejected BJP’s agenda etc. BJP’s loss will now be shown as Shaheen Bhag protestor’s victory. Is it really? This loss will demoralize the party cadre as BJP has been losing a few states in the last one year.

As they say, politics is all about perception. Kejriwal and AAP have gained good points and Modi/Shah and BJP have lost quite a few.

Lessons to be learnt to face state elections are
1. Know the local issues and address them in campaign.
2. Do not shy away from freebies.
3. Promise schemes directly that touch day to day lives of the people.
4. Bring in national issues in state elections only if people are willing to listen or if it matters in the local election.
5. Do not over expose PM Narendra Modi where BJP does not have a chance nor has anything really to lose.
6. Regional leaders should be identified and cultivated for the local politics.
7. Winning candidates must not be denied tickets.

For BJP it is not a time rest on its laurels. They are not out of the grind yet.

Lessons from Gujarat to Delhi

Madhavan
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Lessons from Gujarat to Delhi

Traditionally, BJP’s strength has been nationalism and Hindutva. Recent events, however, show that opposition is now going out of its way to neutralize these. For example all the national flag waving, anthem singing, etc during the anti-CAA protests by Hinduphobes. These are the same people who used to burn the flag and were rabidly resisting standing up for the anthem in theatres.

They are also matching up the appeal to Hindus with election time temple runs, reciting chalisa etc. This is being called non-toxic Hindutva, whatever that means.

On economy you can’t distinguish BJP from other parties. From the beginning they have been proponents of things like integral humanism, antyodaya, etc. BJP really can’t be called out on that. Because of the extent of poverty in our country, it is not electorally feasible for any party to be truly pro-market like in some Western and Southeast Asian countries.

What can BJP do to distinguish itself from other parties to become attractive to the voters?

Lack of corruption and internal security are really not much of trump cards. These are mostly credited to Narendra Modi and unless he is directly in the contest, they do not even become points of tea shop discussion for the voters. In my opinion, the way out for BJP is to raise the stakes, on economy, on nationalism and on Hindutva.

It’s easy to recite chalisa or go to temples. The real deal is to work on laws that help Hindus, like Modi did with CAA. That one law has exposed the anti-Hindu politics of almost every opposition party. Kejriwal and AAP were smart enough to not go to town in support of Shaheenbagh and Jamia close to elections. But BJP should have put more pressure on Kejriwal to take a definite position publicly on the violent protests at places like Jamia, AMU and Shaheenbagh.

Though relevant to the larger civilizational agenda, #CAA doesn’t effect Indian Hindus directly, or any Indian for that matter. Yet it managed to bring out the Hinduphobes. There are many other laws in our books that directly penalize Hindus for just being Hindus. BJP should up the ante on these issues. Even talking about them will force the hand of opposition. Let’s bring out real Hindutva and see them squirm.

Similarly on economy BJP has to go back to it’s original base, the salaried class and the business class. For 6 years Modi government has focused on the poor, which is absolutely essential. Now is the time to reach out to the middle class. Though in these 6 years there have been many indirect and subtle benefits to the middle class- lower inflation, IT benefits, absence of corruption, etc., there hasn’t been a in your face kind of a dole out that would be remembered for a long time. Rather than giving 5 installments of small benefits, one big bang benefit close to election will have better returns for the party.

I think the assembly elections in Bihar later this year will be the last big disappointment for BJP for sometime. If they strategize well and play the right cards, there are big gains to be made in states like Bengal and Kerala.

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